https://www.mirandarector.com/blog daily 0.75 2026-03-01 https://www.mirandarector.com/blog/how-i-chose-my-host-agency-and-what-you-should-know-before-choosing-yours monthly 0.5 2026-03-01 https://www.mirandarector.com/blog/when-i-think-of-travel-i-think-of-food monthly 0.5 2026-02-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/698056829b7fb07f5ccac7cd/a2fa350c-b1c7-4947-a122-7258458b3c8c/468302315_10161902543033211_544097233877019684_n.jpg Blog - When I Think of Travel, I Think of Food - Puerto Rico I used to find it hard to give coworkers or friends travel advice because I just wanted to tell them about all the things they could eat while vacationing. Recently, I had two different people reach out and ask what advice I had for them when they arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The first thing I said was, “There’s a little hole-in-the-wall called El Jíbaro. If you want authentic, traditional Puerto Rican food — go eat there.” Honestly, I think everyone should try that place at least once in their lifetime. After that, I usually follow up with, “And don’t forget to visit a panadería and try their sandwiches and pastries. And if you can hit up a hot dog cart, make sure to get one hot dog with everything!” You see, I really do have a food problem. I get tunnel vision and forget to mention all the beautiful places to see and things to do — but perhaps that can be for another post. Today, I want to talk about the foods I can’t forget from the places I’ve visited. And since I already mentioned Puerto Rico, this next destination feels like the most fitting place to go. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/698056829b7fb07f5ccac7cd/a0986ccb-eb23-4950-86cf-9772a999f39a/IMG_0645.jpeg Blog - When I Think of Travel, I Think of Food - New York City — 2011 I honestly don’t remember the name of the restaurant. I mean, I was 23 years old and had no idea that a pizza Margherita would still be on my mind all these years later — but I dare say it was the best pizza of my life. I remember the waiter was Sicilian, and we had fried prosciutto and mozzarella as an appetizer. Honestly, I don’t know if it was the pizza itself or the entire experience, but every time I think of good pizza, it’s this memory that pops up — and the way that meal made me feel that day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/698056829b7fb07f5ccac7cd/7258738a-bbe0-4f22-9f65-7652234b49db/IMG_0646.jpeg Blog - When I Think of Travel, I Think of Food - New Orleans — 2016 Everything. The food in this city was beyond words. From beignets to crab cakes, gumbo to crawfish — it was all so good. But do you want to know what I crave the most? Cajun red beans and rice. It truly didn’t matter which restaurant I went to — the red beans and rice were perfection everywhere. I have genuinely considered taking another trip there just to eat them again. Now I just have to convince my husband to come with me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/698056829b7fb07f5ccac7cd/a1456ebf-297c-49a3-b4c5-722b9848af08/IMG_0647.jpeg Blog - When I Think of Travel, I Think of Food - Washington, DC — 2015 Old Ebbitt Grill — if you know, you know. This place is rich with history. Having served Presidents McKinley, Ulysses S. Grant, Andrew Johnson, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, and Warren Harding, it’s no wonder it’s considered a D.C. treasure. I experienced this restaurant thanks to my boss at the time, who made the reservation while I was in D.C. for a work conference. I ordered a filet mignon, and to this day my mouth starts watering just thinking about it. It remains the best steak I’ve ever eaten — despite having much more expensive ones since. The funny thing? It wasn’t even cooked to my requested temperature. I ordered it medium and received something closer to rare or medium-rare — yet the flavor was exceptional. I honestly think they did that on purpose. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/698056829b7fb07f5ccac7cd/037f039f-827a-45cd-8df4-12d638ddab7a/515949311_10162836454873211_5890186149338099404_n.jpg Blog - When I Think of Travel, I Think of Food - Pendleton The sipping chocolate at Alexander’s Chocolate. Drool. A friend once told me that this sipping chocolate tastes identical to what’s served in Italy — and since I’ve never been, I’m choosing to believe them. Luckily, these chocolatiers are only about 30 minutes away from me, so every now and then I get to sneak over and indulge. They can also serve it as a café mocha, but I keep it simple and drink it straight. There’s truly nothing else I’ve tasted like it — though I imagine Willy Wonka’s chocolate river would come pretty close. https://www.mirandarector.com/blog/the-basket-phase-that-never-ended monthly 0.5 2026-02-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/698056829b7fb07f5ccac7cd/f1a0bcdf-40e0-419d-92d6-ff5cda0d0a70/940de66e-d6bd-4646-9c3b-38fa5b2e1f47.png Blog - The Basket Phase That Never Ended These Hefty Hi-Rise 40qt totes fit perfectly under the SleepSafe bed that insurance bought for my daughter. Currently, we have three totes under her bed, and they hold items for her cpap/bipap, nebulizer, suction, and more. I have labled each tote with the items that belong inside, so when we need to reach for something quickly, it’s easy to find. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/698056829b7fb07f5ccac7cd/eedbb8ab-db5a-4c36-a447-ad7b593d3dcb/Cord+bundlers+in+action+with+oxygen+equipment.png Blog - The Basket Phase That Never Ended Command Cord Bundlers are a big hit with my daughter’s caregivers. Even my husband was impressed when he first saw them haning up - mainly because at the time, he didnt know they existed. We have them attached to my daughter’s oxygen concentrator to easily locate her oxygen mask or nasal canuala. We also have them hanging on the back of her bed to hols the nebulizer mask or then cpap/bipap mask. I really like that they are strong and can hold quite a bit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/698056829b7fb07f5ccac7cd/8fab3cb8-fd35-4595-b4c3-f507cb4b8998/IMG_0589.PNG Blog - The Basket Phase That Never Ended The newest addition to our home is a Glove Dispenser Mount. Before this, our caregivers would walk into our kitchen to grab gloves from under the sink. Now, especially during blow outs, they dont have to leave the room. The holder was placed above the bed mounted on a wall where we also usually keep a diaper, pack of wipes, a disposable changing pad, and plastic bags. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/698056829b7fb07f5ccac7cd/f3ed0769-ea74-4fcb-a792-401c7e7fbf9a/IMG_0590.PNG Blog - The Basket Phase That Never Ended Speaking of plastic bags, this plastic bag holder has been another game changer. It allows us to have quick access to disposable bags in her room, instead of having to walk to the kitchen and open a closet to find one. Another feature I like about this specific holder is that it can be mounted with 3m adhesive strips or screws. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/698056829b7fb07f5ccac7cd/3ee499d5-1a5d-4083-8d7a-ead9d263429d/Screenshot+2026-02-08+at+8.08.46%E2%80%AFAM.png Blog - The Basket Phase That Never Ended The item we have had the longest is this versatile Diaper Caddy. This was a gift from my aunts in Puerto Rico, given to us for the birth of our daughter … or was it our son? I actually dont remeber anymore. But nonetheless, we’ve had it for about six to eight years. We bagan using it as a diaper caddy for the house. When we would travel, we’d place it in the front of our van and fill it with diapers, wipes, bottles, syringes, and suction tools. Today, we use it to hold hair products, deoderant and more. it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/698056829b7fb07f5ccac7cd/0569bd2b-bd2e-45ac-8b1d-b5dff7f91b48/IMG_0594.PNG Blog - The Basket Phase That Never Ended When you have a child with no independence to play on their own, stuffies and blankets tend to become a the most common gift, at least in my experience. We started with the Mesh Corner Hanging Hammocks and have shifted to the Mesh Compartment Hanger. To be honest, we still have quite a few in storage that we are still trying to find a home for, but so far, these options have worked out well for us. I especially like that they don’t take up floor space and can hang from the ceiling. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/698056829b7fb07f5ccac7cd/6732ed1d-cb28-439a-b75f-edc3a201b695/IMG_0595.JPG Blog - The Basket Phase That Never Ended Another gift we got that has been super helpful is this Three Drawer Organizer we use to store hair accessories. Unlike the previous items that linked to Amazon, this one was purchased from Walmart. I really appreciated the touch our friend gave this item by labeling each drawer as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/698056829b7fb07f5ccac7cd/3841fc18-c9b9-4358-af97-e589030b529f/IMG_0599.JPG Blog - The Basket Phase That Never Ended - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/698056829b7fb07f5ccac7cd/1770573542672-TA5FVAPBANBQ1O3Z5JA2/IMG_0592.PNG Blog - The Basket Phase That Never Ended https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/698056829b7fb07f5ccac7cd/1770573542583-5X1BZ3KB8EMQW4I0HN8E/IMG_0593.PNG Blog - The Basket Phase That Never Ended https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/698056829b7fb07f5ccac7cd/1770573544237-UWKTP92ZKT4YQP14248I/Screenshot+2026-02-08+at+8.53.55%E2%80%AFAM.png Blog - The Basket Phase That Never Ended https://www.mirandarector.com/blog/how-medical-travel-prepared-me-for-real-world-adventures monthly 0.5 2026-02-12 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