We will be embarking on a trip of a lifetime honeymoon to The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands the day after our wedding. We love to travel and we’re fortunate to have enough points to make the hotel stay free. We can’t say the same for airfare points so appreciate any contribution that you wish to the international flights.

We have a thing for going to great seafood restaurants and then getting martinis and steak (check out Hudson House description). This is near the top of the list for favorite Arizona restaurants though and we always start with the smoked trout dip. We’ve fortunately figured out the different location addresses now as Karen mistakenly made reservations for the wrong location once.

Brian introduced Karen to the Kenny’s restaurants by taking her for their 3rd date to Kenny’s Italian. Kenny’s is home to the Peartini (Karen’s signature wedding drink) and proudly serves Grey Goose on tap at 28 degrees. It’s no wonder we love these restaurants. We arguably only moved north to be closer to Kenny’s Burger Joint where we ate twice within our first week of our new house.

Delicious island-inspired libations awaits for an unforgettable drink together!

Celebration of sunsets occur with an elegant performance of Bodu Beru drums that honors the oldest surviving tradition of the Maldives, followed by a flaming ceremony marking the transition from day to evening.

Blurring the line between indoors and out, each villa offers water views, an infinity pool, and a sundeck. We don’t have far to go to a pool and plan to order room service drinks.

Savor indulgent mezze platters and succulent kebabs at Arabesque!

Brian took Karen to Houston’s for their very first Valentine’s Day. The Dallas location of Houston’s has since closed but Hillstone is the tried and true restaurant of the Hillstone Restaurant Group. No need for a menu as we always get spinach & artichoke dip to share followed by pan roasted salmon for Karen and barbecue ribs for Brian. Karen has had fun finding and booking Hillstone Restaurant Group reservations all over the US during our travels. Our favorites outside Dallas are Gulfstream in Newport Beach and Rutherford Grill in Napa!

No trip to Arizona is complete without a visit to Blanco. Some trips include multiple visits as the queso and short rib crisp are just that good! We love many of the Fox Food Concepts but Blanco is definitely number 1 in our ranking.

Last but not least, dinner at Manny’s where it all began! This was Brian and Karen’s very first date where they closed the restaurant down. They were the last ones there on a Wednesday night and had to ask the bartender for their car keys as valet had closed.

Karen has dragged Brian to all 3 of Aba’s locations around the US. If you were curious, they’re located in Chicago, Miami, and Austin. Chicago is our favorite and most visited since Karen’s brother and MOH live there! If you ever have the opportunity to go, you must try the whipped feta, short rib hummus, and crème brûlée pie.

If you’re from Dallas or have visited us in Dallas, then you’ve been to Hudson House. This is one of our favorite restaurants known for their world’s coldest martinis. We’re creatures of habit and almost always get popcorn chicken to start, followed by the Hudson salad for Karen and Steak frites for Brian. Fun fact they’re known for their raw bar and we’ve never had the oysters but we can attest to the cold martinis!

No Vegas trip is complete without a trip to Carbone. Funny enough there’s a Dallas location of Carbone but we’ve eaten far more times at the Vegas Carbone. The servers at Carbone wear maroon tuxedos and Karen had to talk Brian out of this color for their wedding day!

Luxury dolphin cruise in Maldives’ North Male Atoll with Ritz-Carlton’s exceptional service. Spot playful dolphins in crystal-clear waters. Memorable experience with personalized attention.

A ring-shaped sanctuary nestled over the turquoise lagoon, The Ritz-Carlton Spa at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, offers nine spa treatment rooms, including a spa suite with its own relaxation lounge, a salon, and a boutique. Cardinal directions of each treatment room exude powerful energy complemented with healing messages and an organic body and skincare collection by Bamford, offering guests a luxurious wellness experience for their visit to the Maldives.

Create unforgettable memories with a unique experience in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

Afternoons invite you to Eau Bar with its laid-back glamorous setting with an almost adult-only feel restaurant. The perfect place to relax, read a book and indulge in fresh oysters and caviar and sip on table side cocktails.

The spirit of Southern Italy comes alive at La Locanda. Here, morning is signaled by the aroma of rich espresso, Apertivo hour arrives with the setting sun and homemade pasta is a prelude to a leisurely evening ahead.

With sand underfoot and the sea just steps away, the family-friendly Beach Shack embraces the Mediterranean with its carefree spirit and relaxed cuisine. Shared plates and gilled seafood are served alongside fruit and herb-driven cocktails.

Bao buns, noodles, dumplings, salads and soups from across the Asian continent are prepared to order at this food trailer meets restaurant in the Maldives, located at Fari Marina.

The spirit of Southern Italy comes alive at La Locanda. Here, morning is signaled by the aroma of rich espresso, Apertivo hour arrives with the setting sun and homemade pasta is a prelude to a leisurely evening ahead.

Floating over the velvety lagoon and set within a lantern-inspired space, Summer Pavilion offers an intimate setting where Cantonese cuisine takes center stage.

The Japanese translation of “to celebrate,” Iwau is exactly that: an honoring of Japanese flavors. Open to the night sky, the restaurant presents a lively Japanese Chef’s Table serving creative fresh seafood and meat dishes.

An eye-catching tribute to a traditional Bedouin tent, Arabesque invites diners on a journey from Lebanon to North India. The sunken dining room sets the scene for multiple dishes, Turkish coffee, Moroccan tea and creative cocktails.

Muchacho is also on the list if you’ve ever visited Brian and Karen in Dallas then you’ve been to Muchacho. This is hands down our favorite Tex Mex spot. The margaritas are strong and queso is amazing. We never go without splitting the chicken and steak fajitas and always order extra tortillas so there’s no arguing over the last one.

This is a Vegas staple always on the itinerary now thanks to friends Maya and Ross for introducing us to Din Tai Fung. It’s so good that we go every Vegas trip and have also dined at locations in London and Santa Clara, California!

We wouldn’t be able to get married if Brian hadn’t come around to liking Karen’s favorite Ohio food of Skyline chili. It’s a non negotiable stop every trip to Cincinnati or Louisville, often times right after being picked up from the airport. Fun fact, Karen’s Grandad treated us to Skyline just a few days after landing from Italy to celebrate the engagement. If you ask Karen, there was no better gift besides maybe the ring!

Fortunately for the travel budget, Portillo’s has now opened up 2 locations in DFW. Another reason Brian and Karen moved north was to be closer to Portillo’s to enjoy Italian beef sandwiches and cheese fries! Though prior to opening in Texas, we had eaten at the Phoenix and Chicago locations.