If I am on a road trip and see the words “creamery” or “dairy,” you better hope that you are not riding my tail.  I have been known to make quick 90 or 180 degree U-turns to get my fill of sweet, fresh dairy treats.  That is exactly what happened to me on my way to Cashiers, North Carolina.

Popularity: 18% [?]

This 1wrongturn takes a car.  It is also part of my family history.  I am as strong believer in short side-trips to explore the smaller towns and surrounding areas.  I am always pleasantly surprised by my findings.  This 1wrongturn is the town of Rosenberg, Texas. Rosenberg is on U.S. Highway 59,  twenty-eight miles southwest of downtown Houston in central Fort Bend County. The area was originally settled around 1823.   Today, it is a sleepy town with antique shops, little restaurants, and small businesses.  When you visit Rosenberg, you feel like you have stepped back in time.

While we were there, we ate a great hole-in-the-wall called Taqueria Leon.  We ate great enchiladas, pupusa, and munched on delicious pastries, all washed down with tamarind soda.  YUUUUUUM!  There is no website but here are a few comments on Chowhound.  If you want to see the city, take a look at these Rosenberg videos.

Partly because it is a neat little town and partly because it is where my family settled in Texas, I recommend that you take 1wrongturn and visit Rosenberg.

Popularity: 11% [?]

There are many customs that are very foreign to visitors. But, I encourage you to make the effort to learn about the Japanese customs and etiquette.  Don’t be put off by the length of this list.  Not only will it impress and please the Japanese, but it will bode well for the reputation of your native country.

Popularity: 70% [?]

Depachika – Food Lover’s Paradise

You can’t go to Tokyo without checking out a depachika, the lavish department store food basements that sell everything from dainty wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) and bento to$500 melons and European pastries.  Depachika is a combination of  ‘depa’ (department store in short) and (‘chika’) and they are truly a food lover’s paradise.  In addition to buying wonderful meals and gifts, you can also sample your way through and end up quite full.  Some of the highlights included:

Popularity: 23% [?]