Archived Travels

Switzerland

Switzerland would be a mighty big place if it were ironed flat.
Mark Twain

Zurich

Zurich was the first leg of our trip since it is located near an international airport. With a world-renowned train system, we decided to snake our way through central Switzerland. Below are some recommendations from our first stop.

Lindenhof, which is the old town of Zurich, provides a fantastic vantage point over the city with nearby attractions such as the Urania, which is an observatory that opened its doors to visitors in 1907.

Neu Markt 17 is an interior design store that is just as much of a marketplace as it is a playground. Its showrooms are like a maze with something exciting around every turn. I highly recommend this stop if you’re into design or trying to beat a cloudy day.

Predigerkirche is a beautiful Protestant-reformed church in the Old City of Zurich and is highly recommended for any travelers who enjoy religious architecture.

Blatterwiese is a park located on Lake Zurich which is accessible via water taxi. There are restaurants, swimming, and public spaces littered along the way as well as a Botanical Garden that is about fifteen minutes inland on foot.

Limmat River is a hard-to-miss feature in Zurich considering it is the river that runs through the city. With plenty of restaurants and seating littered along the water, it is a great place to rest during breaks or at the end of the day.

Rhine Falls is about an hour north of Zurich’s city center, consisting of natural waterfalls and plenty of footpaths to explore. A half day here is a beautiful escape to nature. Although, if you spend enough time in Switzerland, it’s not that difficult to get lost in its natural beauty wherever you are.

Lucerne

Lucerne (or Luzern) was the second leg of our Switzerland trip. Out of all the cities we visited, Lucerne was by far our favorite.

Slow-paced yet jam-packed with plenty to do, I highly recommend strolling through and taking midday breaks by the Reuss River (there are steps to dip your feet in – but mind that they’re slippery!)

Right on the banks of the Reuss River is the Jesuitenkirche Luzern. Its central location is an easy detour for your itinerary if you enjoy religious architecture or want to light a candle for a loved one.

Kapellbrücke or the ‘Chapel Bridge’ is another can’t-miss on the Lucerne itinerary. Running over the Reuss River is the world’s oldest surviving truss bridge. Take a walk over history and don’t forget to look up! Although the bridge was damaged by fire in 1993, there is still 17th-century artwork that covers its walls.

If you want to work in a leg day, step out of the city center to the Musegg Wall and visit its nine towers. Built in the 13th century, these city walls fortified the Old Town and protected their people from their enemies. Besides getting some nice views, you’ll also get a nice burn in your thighs!

Mount Pilatus was the mountain we chose over Mount Rigi, but both ranges are accessible via train from Lucerne. Once we rode into Kriens, the town located at the base of Mount Pilatus, we rode up the famous Swiss gondolas.

Halfway up the mountain, you have the opportunity for alpine sledding, which is a can’t-miss. You’ll get to zoom through the fairytale landscape and enjoy the cattle and goats as you’re lugged back up the track.

After the short excursion, you can take the next gondola quite literally through the clouds, where you can see rivers, lakes, and towns from the summit of Mount Pilatus. This hike was not arduous at all with flat paved trails and guided reading for local biodiversity.

Instead of taking the same way down, we rode the steepest cogwheel train in the world down to the port at Alpnachstad.

After taking in some beautiful views, we rode the local ferry back to Lucerne.

After trying some classic fondue, we enjoyed some drinks on the river at La Bonne Cave before turning in for the night.

Interlaken

Schynige Platte was our first excursion when we reached Interlaken. While there isn’t much in Interlaken itself, it’s the perfect central point for all the surrounding activities. Schynige Platte is a can’t-miss if you’re passing through this region.

After a beautiful train ride with a view of the Swiss Alps, you pull up to a station that overlooks everything.

Lauterbrunnen, whose name translates to “many fountains”, is less than a thirty-minute train ride south from Interlaken and is essential for any traveler’s Swiss itinerary. With a gorgeous view of the famous mountain, Jungfrau, and hundreds of waterfalls pouring into the valley, it is quite a sight to behold. The view is so unbelievable that your eyes will experience the unusual phenomenon of parallax – that’s how grand Lauterbrunnen is!

Gimmelwald is only accessible via gondola – I’ve heard some residents actually parachute down the cliff when they need to go grocery shopping in the valley below. Now, that’s an exciting errand run.

During my visit to this tiny village, I visited the Mountain Hostel and enjoyed a tall cider and a breathtaking view. Between the hammocks, fires, and live music, I promised myself I’d stay at this hostel for my next visit.

During the warm season in Bern, the Aare River becomes the best mode of transportation to float from point A to point B. To keep your essentials dry, you can go to a local marketplace and grab a waterproof pack. You can also add on an inflatable tube to hang onto, but we discovered most locals just use their pack as a flotation device.

There are plenty of entry points into the river, but if you want to be adventurous, you can leap into the water via bridge! Don’t worry if you get cold feet, the locals will cheer you on!

Another spot to go rafting on the Aare River is near the Aare Tunnel. While this tunnel was daunting to approach, there was peace and quiet on the other side. If you want to be unprepared like us, you can manually blow up your floaties for thirty minutes before enjoying a lazy-river-like ride down a more nature-oriented route…or be smart and bring a hand pump.

Before heading back to Interlaken, we enjoyed dinner at Frohsinn in the inner city, which is located on Munstergasse, a street flanked by flags of every country and plenty of restaurant options.

While you’re in this section of the city, it is also worth checking out the gothic cathedral, Berner Munster, and the Zytglogge, a medieval clocktower with meticulous beauty and detail.

Our final day in Interlaken was an action-packed day where we went paragliding in the morning and white water rafting in the afternoon – two activities I highly recommend during your stay in Switzerland. For paragliding, we recommend Paragliding Interlaken. They were kind and efficient, picking us up from our hotel and taking care of us as we floated off into the Swiss countryside. This amazing ride was immortalized in some cheesy goPro photos provided by our instructors.

While paragliding got our adrenaline going, white water rafting with OUTDOOR Rafting was incomporable! Since my travel buddy used to row, she volunteered to lead our boat…which by default made me volunteer with her (Thanks, Ivanna).

Enjoy the view here since we couldn’t enjoy it through all the white water

While I was reluctant at first, I think we did a pretty amazing job following and setting instructions with our team that consisted of a professional rafter and a Belgium family. However, even with our diligence, we still managed to slam into a ton of boulders. Thank god they provided us with all the necessary gear to protect ourselves.

But, our instructor did not stop at gear when it came to safety. Once the currents softened, he encouraged us to practice rescuing each other…which means leaping into rushing glacial water. When in Switzerland, right?

Peep me and my travel buddy, Ivanna, in the front

At the very end of our rafting trip, we drifted into Lake Thun and witnessed the cold white waters mixing with the warm lake water, which was a very surreal thing to see and feel. This was definitely one of my favorite activities of the trip.

After such an adventurous day, our Interlaken leg was concluded with a good night’s sleep.

Montreux

Montreux was the last leg of our trip and we were fortunate enough to be in town during the Montreux Jazz Festival, an annual festival that comes to Montreux in early July.

Peppered along the lake were hundreds of vendors, street artists, art installations, and music venues where so many talents came to perform. While some parts of the festival cost money, there are plenty of free venues to visit as well, which is what we did!

In between the fun nights out, the only other parts of Montreux we explored were some streets uphill atop the steep city and the pebbled lake, where we went sun-bathing and swimming with the locals.

If you love nature, adventure, and beautiful train rides, I highly recommend adding Switzerland to your bucket list!

Reykjavik, Iceland

In Iceland, you can see the contours of the mountains wherever you go, and the swell of the hills, and always beyond that the horizon. And there’s this strange thing: you’re never sort of hidden; you always feel exposed in that landscape. But it makes it very beautiful as well.
Hannah Kent

I have traveled to most of Scandinavia by now. So when my family and I jetted off to Iceland, I had a sense of what to expect: a strong people and dark winters, cozy hideaways and twinkling streets, intentional architecture, both old and new. Like most of Scandinavia, Iceland is a cold place that breaks you and renews you again in the most beautiful ways.

In this blog post, I will share some of the adventures we went on as well as some of the local and not so local cuisines we tried. I’ll break it down day by day.

Day One – Fighting the Jet Lag

We traveled east from New York so we jumped ahead five hours into the early morning. My mother strategically booked a walking tour first thing upon our arrival to keep us on our feet. Half-awake, we plodded about in the darkness (at this time of year, the sun doesn’t rise until 10:30am – yikes!), taking in our first impressions of Reykjavik.

Our tour guide showed us monuments, neighborhoods, the architectural necessities of corrugated metal and motifs of wood-carved falcons. We ended at city hall where we gathered around a 3D-model of the country, learning about Iceland’s glaciers, volcanoes, and fault lines.

After enduring the first leg of the day, my mother rewarded my father and I with a trip to Sky Lagoon.

While Blue Lagoon is the instagrammable, popular spot, we went with this location that is closer to the town and offers a more natural atmosphere.

Spoiler alert: we loved it so much we went back twice. But, the first time we went, we paid for the added package, “Seven Rituals”, which led us through hot spring water, ice cold water, hot air, cold rain, and even steam. You can read more about them here. I highly recommend adding this to your experience at Sky Lagoon, but if you can’t, you can always take the plunge into the cold bath for free.

After our much needed trip to the lagoon, we made our way to dinner. Since my parents visited five years back, they already had some restaurants in mind. The first was called Tapas.

Here, you can share small dishes with your table and sample all the exotic meats that Iceland has to offer from minke whale to puffin. I personally wasn’t a fan of either, but when in Iceland, right?

Day Two – Icelandic Horses

On day two, we woke up and grabbed some buttered pretzel bread and Oreo donuts at the local bakery, Deig. This spot was right near our hotel on the marina.

By the way, those pretzel bagels will forever live in my heart. Please go there and understand.

Afterwards, we spent the morning shopping on Reykjavik’s two main strips, Frakkastugur and Skólavörðustígur. At the end of these two strips, up a steep-enough-to-be-annoying hill, is Iceland’s largest church, Hallgrimskirkja.

While it’s beautiful on the outside with its imposing size and brutalist design, be sure to go to the top for a beautiful view of the city and beyond!

While we still had some daylight left (it’s hardly afternoon, but the days are so, so short), we headed off into the countryside to a small family-owned farm called Laxnes Horse Farm to go horseback riding. But, this wasn’t just any horseback riding, it was Icelandic horseback riding, where the paths are covered in ice and the horses have different gaits. Also, never call an Icelandic horse a pony…or do, and see how the locals react.

The ride was both a challenge and a reward. Under a clear blue sky, we trotted through beautifully frigid valleys and freezing waters. After our hour long circuit, we ended up back at the farm and shared some drinks with the family before they drove us back to our hotel. I highly recommend this farm for horseback riding in Iceland. The people were so, so delightful and their service was unlike any other.

We concluded our day with a visit to the Fish Market, a very classy, chic restaurant in town. If you wanna catch some incredible flavor profiles and some top notch seafood, you should definitely eat here!

Day Three – A Bust

Day three was meant for a fourteen hour excursion deep into Iceland. It didn’t work out, but don’t worry, we rescheduled for the next day. We decided to sleep in a little late after waking up early to wait for a bus that would never come for us.

We headed into town, got the famous lamb hot dogs that are sold at this one particular stand. Stopped by the local flea market and then spent some more time on the strip.

After all of this, we made our way to the Perlan, a museum that covers the natural history of Iceland. As a designer, I always keep in mind the experience and design of a good exhibition, and I can tell you this museum had a ton. Their interactive design, while some still not fully fine-tuned, was incredible! If you love nature as much as I do, I highly recommend this for your itinerary.

After having a meal at the top of the Perlan, my parents and I split off. My parents went to the Big Lebowski bar, a bar they live and die by (apparently it has a wheel to spin to win free drinks), and I headed off to the Grotta Lighthouse at the edge of town.

My goal that evening was to catch a glimpse of the northern lights. Not that it was mentionable in day two, but my parents and I did attempt to see them the day before on a boat tour. No luck. This evening had clear skies and while I could’ve bussed or taxi’d either way, I decided to walk the whole way and back to enjoy the quietness of the trip along with the big dipper on my right shoulder. By the time I arrived at the lighthouse, it was dark and there was nothing but stars in the sky. No luck again, but still beautiful.

After this, I met up with my parents again to hop on the boat tour one more time to maybe see the lights from the bay. And after two hours…no luck. There was too much cloud coverage! What a flop!

Day Four – White-Outs, Glaciers, and Fissures, oh my!

For our fourth and final full day in Iceland, we finally made it to our tour to the ice caves. It was a cloudy and rainy day in the early hours of Reykjavik. As we drove inland toward the center of Iceland, we quickly learned that cloud and rain translated to full blown white-out in the alpine tundra.

The roads become more icy. The horizon disappeared. The bus began to sway as we put all of our hope in the burly Icelandic woman we just met. After two and a half hours, we arrived to the middle of nowhere with only a small compound in site and snow mobiles littered all about. It was time to see the ice caves.

After we geared up and headed over to the garage, we were given instructions on how to use the snow mobiles. Then, the guide gave us some pieces of advice: lean into the slopes, stay within the lines, and, of course, there are dangerous fissures beyond the path so…stay within the lines. I’m still not sure if he was serious or if it was that dry Icelandic humor my family had gotten an earful of on this trip.

Riding twenty minutes out into nothingness was quite an adrenaline rush. Driving the snow mobile was like wrestling a beast and even two riders flipped over ahead of us. The Icelandic people give us too much credit, I swear.

Eventually, some mountain ridges appear and we finally see the ice caves. After a short hike to the caves, we spent some time taking in the spectacle. You can see the millions of years captured in these crystal clear walls; the volcanic ash indexed in lines, the bluest ices untouched by light. It was quite a scene to behold.

After some pictures (our tour guide understood the assignment when he assembly-lined our instagram pictures) we headed back into the white-out and wrestled our way back to the compound. Needless to say, after all of this, we deserved a break.

Back to the spoiler-alert: we went back to the Sky Lagoon a second time and rested up before heading out to dinner. Our final food spot was Tommi’s Burger Joint, where they make burgers with no funny business. With the coziest atmosphere, I recommend this American-approved burger spot!

Day Five – Flying through the Northern Lights

The final day was nothing more than a travel day besides a quick visit to the opera house, Harpa. While we didn’t see any shows, we did check out the exhibit Circuleight that was showing on the bottom floor.

However, because we were flying out at night and my window was facing north, I finally got to see the northern lights dance in the sky – just under the big dipper. We spent so much time trying to see the lights from under the clouds, we just had to go all the way up to fly beside them.

It was a beautiful sendoff for this amazingly wild, beautiful, and treacherous trip to the land of ice and fire. If you have a long weekend, I recommend Iceland for some serious adventure and some serious quality time with Mother Nature!

New Orleans, Louisiana

“Don’t you just love those long afternoons in New Orleans when an hour isn’t just an hour–but a little piece of eternity dropped into your hands–and who knows what to do with it?”
Tennessee Williams

Where do I start with New Orleans? The jazz? The ghosts? The gators? On my first trip to this southern city, my travel buddy and I did it all!

In this blog post, I will share with you some of the best places for local dishes and experiences.

Food

Red Fish Grill

We set out to have our first experience with the local cuisine the night we arrived to New Orleans and mozied on down Bourbon Street to find this seafood spot. The atmosphere is family friendly, kitschy, and cozy with the occasional bachelorette parties rambling through for some classic New Orleanian food. What a spot to knock first impressions out of the park!

Wood Grilled Bay Snapper & Louisiana Shrimp

Brennan’s

This beautiful brunch spot is nestled on the edge of the French Quarter and is a cannot miss if you love a boozy morning and some good french toast.

The food was so good, I forgot to snap a picture! The atmosphere is bright, eclectic, and dreamy (in complete NOLA fashion) and there is a relaxing courtyard for outside dining.

Restaurants : Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group — One of the many colorful rooms to dine in

Sucré

This gorgeous gelato spot can be found along Magazine Street, where you can sample some delicious flavors and snap a few cute pics in this pretty in pink store.

Dian Xin

This spot was hailed as the best Chinese restaurant by locals and tourists alike and I am here to uphold that reputation. The music and crowd was young, fresh, and diverse. The food was traditional but had some touches of New Orleans like the crawfish bao which was amazing and a must for any new customers!

Cafe Beignet

What is a visit to New Orleans without trying a beignet? There are plenty of Cafe Beignet’s scattered throughout the area so you’ll always have sufficient access to this classic pasty!

The Gumbo Shop

My friend and I indulged ourselves in a full four course meal at this cozy, candle-lit spot. For everything traditional and New Orleans, The Gumbo Shop is an absolute must for anyone who wants to knock a ton of local cuisine off their bucket list in one go.

Court of Two Sisters

For anyone looking for a brunch spot that is lush with greenery and airy with live jazz music, look no further than Court of Two Sisters. While they serve meals on a buffet line, the quality is up to New Orleans standards and is friendly to your wallet while giving you a high quality foodie experience.

Experiences

Bourbon Street

What can I say about Bourbon Street – mayhem, dancing, tacky shirts and plastic souvenirs, tons of alcohol, and pythons?

Make sure to hit the tacky stores in between bar stops

Bourbon Street must definitely be experienced at least once, but we ended up hitting the street twice. Prepare for a wild night and don’t forget to drink water before bed…if you remember.

Magazine Street

For a shopping day, I recommend hitting Magazine Street. It is filled with so much local business and eclectic finds. From antiquing to thrifting to trendy you can find it all here with some food and drink spots to hit in between.

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River runs through New Orleans so there are many opportunities to stumble across this famous river. We took an evening stroll during golden hour right off Jackson Square.

In the early fall, the weather is absolutely gorgeous to enjoy the view in. Mind you, it’s a little littered, but nonetheless scenic.

Ghost Tour in French Quarter

What’s a New Orleans trip without a ghost tour? Right beside our hotel (Hotel St. Marie) was a little spot called Unique NOLA Tours. There are a variety of tours to choose from, but we went with the “Our Favorite Ghosts” ghost tour and were able to visit haunted places from the house of Delphine LaLaurie to landmarks where Marie Laveau practiced her voodoo.

Ogden Museum

For a museum day, we headed outside of the French Quarter and stopped by the Ogden Museum to check out the local art scene.

Their permanent exhibitions houses some traditional and contemporary work, but unfortunately we missed the temporary exhibitions as they were being changed out. The Ogden Museum was a great change of pace to relax, but not needed as a must on the itinerary.

National WWII Museum

Right across from the Ogden Museum was the National WWII Museum. We didn’t initially plan to visit, but we had some time to kill. Although it was spontaneous, we were so happy we went because it became one of our favorite history museums. The work is thorough and has some of the most immersive exhibits I’ve ever walked through. This museum easily became a must-see for us and I must recommend it to anyone who visits.

Swamp Tour

We booked our swamp tour through our hotel services. The package included two hours on the water and a bus service to get us to the water and back.

The bayou must’ve become an easy favorite as we got to head out to nature and witness alligators in their natural habitat up close. The one grim thing we learned though on our tour was that loads of land was permanently lost to Hurricane Ida as climate change affects coastlines and wildlife.

Google still detects all of this as land

This has got to be on the top of your bucket list besides all the food to eat in the city.

Portland, Maine

Maine is a joy in the summer. But the soul of Maine is more apparent in the winter.
Paul Theroux

In the fresh spring of May, some pals and I drove up the east coast into New England and spent a weekend in Portland, Maine.

For three lovely days, we enjoyed blue skies and blue waters. From Old Port to Peaks Island, we munched on local delicacies and explored the coast. This entry will cover the neighborhoods and food spots we adored on this mini trip.

Old Port

We spent a lot of time eating here since there was just SO MUCH GOOD FOOD, but we did some shopping along the beautiful cobble streets. There were some moments we really felt like we were in Europe between the brick buildings and old streets.

One store to note before we dig into the food is Pinecone and Chickadee. There are so many local artists featured in this store (a lot of stores around here support local artists) and stock so many fun gadgets and knick knacks.

Kings Head

If you’re looking for some good pickle chips or fish n’ chips with your beer, this is the place to go. We stumbled into this wonderful recommendation after our long drive and came back to life after inhaling some bar food.

Flatbread Company

We squeezed in a late dinner at the popular local spot for a good slice of flatbread pizza. This spot is perfect for a good crunchy crust and red sauce pizzas. Our favorite was the Casco Bay Community flatbread.

Lincoln’s

Tucked in the streets of Old Port, you’ll find a secret entrance to a sauna, but you’ll quickly learn everything is not as it seems when you hear music thrumming the walls. Tucked behind the towel rack is the entrance to a speakeasy where everything is $5!

Honey Paw

This lovely spot has a delicious collection of Asian cuisines from all over – from Thai to Chinese. The fried wings were some of the best wings I’ve ever had – they had a perfect crunch and sweetness to them. For my main, I tried the Mee Goreng and fell even more in love with Indonesian food.

Duckfat

We grabbed some pick-me-up fries and poutine from Duckfat and INHALED them. These have got to be some of the best french fries on this side of the country and I highly recommend you grab a bag to inhale.

Eventide

For an early lunch, we shared a delicious bowl of clam chowder (because how could we not in New England!) and then tried signature meal of Maine – lobster rolls! I hundred percent recommend trying your first lobster roll here. The bread was sweet, soft, saturated in butter, and topped with a generous helping of lobster meat.

Peaks Island

We kicked off a morning by hopping on the Casco Bay Ferry to go island hopping. We visited Peaks Island and upon our arrival, we learned that many locals and tourists use golf carting as their main mode of transportation. So, of course we had to participate in the culture.

We drove around the island, stopping for scenic views and peaceful walks along the pebble beaches. Maine beaches have the absolute best rocks for skipping across the water. Besides some cute shops, most of the island is residential with some food trucks and delicious ice cream.

Munjoy Hill

In this mostly residential area, we ambled around streets, enjoying the colorful houses and swelling skylines.

We stumbled upon the Portland observatory before discovering the East Promenade where sailboats laze in the calm waters and picnickers wade in the dandelion fields. Come here for some good views and golden hours shots.

Overall, this visit was so refreshing despite the brevity of it and I was lucky to have such good company and weather to enjoy it with! Here’s one last picture to savor ❤

Arizona

“When your spirit cries for peace, come to a world of canyons deep in the old land”

2020 has been quite the difficult year – from pandemics to politics, a safe getaway was much needed.

Although traveling was nearly impossible this year, my friends and I managed a long weekend away in Arizona, a state filled with deep canyons, massive plateaus, and lush deserts.

Praying Hands (The two pillar landforms)

I have never been to the desert before – as an east coaster where humidity and water is ample, I certainly underestimated how arid it could get. Tip #1: hydrate as much you can at all times, especially during hiking!

With that said, I’m excited to share all that an autumn Arizona has to offer.

Since this was my first visit and because I love hiking over most things, I wanted to cover the most popular natural attractions. Our itinerary included – the Grand Canyon, the Devil’s Bridge and Kitchen Sinkhole, the Seven Sacred Pools, the vortexes at Cathedral Rock, and Slide Rock State Park.

There were certainly more places my friends and I wanted to visit, but because of the time of year (November days have a lot less sunlight) and the difficulty of some of these hikes, it wasn’t possible.

For our first full day, we drove two hours north of Sedona – briefly along the famous Route 66 – to the Grand Canyon. As one of the seven natural wonders of the world, it was a bucket list item that needed to be checked off.

And we didn’t just see the Grand Canyon, we hiked nearly 4000 feet down on the Bright Angel Trail. The grueling yet unbelievably scenic trip took six hours total to complete.

Tip #2: Do not underestimate the Grand Canyon. The hike has steep switch paths and icy trails that litter the top of the canyon. I highly recommend good traction shoes and supporting accessories if you are visiting in the fall. Since the Bright Angel Trail is nearly completely shaded, make sure to wear layers and bundle up!

Regardless of how far you choose to go on the Bright Angel Trail, walking this trail will leave you with beautiful views and a full body workout – seriously, you’ll be sore for the rest of your trip

The next day, we drove out to see the red rocks of Sedona. There were a few geological sights we wanted to see here, starting with the Devil’s Bridge.

We parked our car at the the Soldier’s Pass Trail and hiked our way to the Devil’s Bridge Trail. The path weaves through nice shaded areas and is relatively easy. Once you get to the steep part of the path, you’ll find yourself on the equivalent of a Disney park line.

Everybody is on this trail for one reason and one reason only – to see the Devil’s Bridge and take a good ass photo on it.

Because of this, every group went on one by one which generated hour long waits. I personally didn’t mind it. The views from the line were great company.

After successfully posing and not dying on the bridge, we sought out the Devil’s Kitchen Sinkhole and Seven Sacred Pools. I don’t think these stops are a must visit, but it certainly offers a chance to stroll through the more lush parts of Arizona.

Unfortunately, due to extreme drought, the Seven Sacred Pools were dried up. It was underwhelming to say the least.

We concluded the evening at the base of Cathedral Rock, where we sought out an “energy vortex”, or a place where spiritual energy is most potent. With an open mind, you can tap into some enlightenment. For me, $5 happy hour margaritas did the trick.

If you come to Cathedral Rock earlier in the day, you can hike all the way to the top, but be prepared! We heard from those coming down that the hike eventually turns into a climb.

For our final day, we spent the morning brunching and shopping in downtown Cottonwood, the town where our Airbnb was.

Since we were heading back into Sedona, we made a pit stop to see the Church of the Holy Cross. This chapel was built into the stone of the landscape and offers beautiful views of the surrounding area.

After two days of intense hiking, we found some relief at Slide Rock State Park, where we lounged under the sun beside mossy pools and slick natural slides.

It was too cold to swim, but we did dip our sore feet in. The spring and summer are better times to visit if you plan on hopping in, but you’ll have to deal with the crowds that come with it. Lucky for us, we found a nice private slab of rock to snack, nap, and play cards on.

We concluded that evening with the shopping area in Sedona and some drinks to celebrate the success of our trip.

If you love nature in its largest and grandest forms, I highly recommend Arizona, and if you like adventure, hike the Grand Canyon and try some local cuisine – I promise prickly pears and rattlesnakes taste amazing!

San Francisco

When you get tired of walking around in San Francisco, you can always lean against it.

I was fortunate enough to visit San Francisco for Labor Day Weekend. My goals were summarized in one short and sweet sentence – I traveled across the country to see a bridge, a tree, and a friend. I saw quite a lot more than that, and I want to share what I experienced through the images below.

I started my San Francisco adventure at Philz Coffee. My friend who served as my lovely tour guide told me that this Philz was special in particular because its the very first of its kind. I was very adventurous and tried the mojito iced coffee and w h o a. I highly recommend if it’s in season during your visit.

Philz Coffee as well as the place I stayed at was located in the vibrant Mission District, which is the home to one of the largest Latinx communities in the country. You could see the district bursting with color from the street murals to the interiors of the stores.

I spent the evening with two good friends, wine, and the best Mexican food in the country in the beautiful Dolores Park. The view captures the San Francisco skyline and the golden hour there is breathtaking. You could also get a good view of Karl from here if he’s out and about – apparently they call their fog Karl and he has an instagram too.

I hundred thousand percent recommend eating at La Taqueria (or as the locals say “La Taq”) Anything there is fantastic, and I was told it’s a local secret to ask your soft shell to be “dorado” when ordering – makes it golden brown and crispy!

The next morning, my friend took me to another hopping eatery – Tartine. When it’s 8 am and there’s a line this long out the door on a Saturday, you know it’s gonna be delicious. I enjoyed a yummy quiche and my friend ate some berry banana bread pudding – Y U M.

As I’ve said before, it was my goal to see a “tree” but not just any tree, a Redwood Tree. My friend and I travelled to the South Bay area via train to visit Big Basin Redwoods State Park where I was not disappointed.

The trail we took led us to this beautiful waterfall – Sempervirens Falls. My only complaint with this easy four mile hike was that it was along the road. Besides that, the scenery was still absolutely breathtaking.

Enjoy this gorgeously composed spread that we lunched on. It was super yummy and a beautiful view accompanied it.

The next morning, we hunted down yet another place that had a big line. For brunch, we ate at Zazie, a French restaurant, which is located in Cole Valley. We were hopeful that the food was going to be as good as the wait, and we were not disappointed at all. If you are feeling boozy, order the blackcurrant sorbet Mimosa.

After filling up our stomachs, we headed over to Alamo Square to see the Painted Ladies, a famous row of houses that I swear is featured in the opening of Full House.

Our next stop was Baker Beach where I’d achieve my next goal – seeing a bridge – the Golden Gate Bridge. The air was warm and the water was chilly yet refreshing. My friend and I set down a blanket and enjoyed the sunset.

The final activity for my San Francisco trip took me through the Napa Valley/Sonoma and to Russian River where I joined a large group to float down the Russian River in a funny version of a “booze cruise”. I definitely don’t recommend drinking while floating down a river, but also you only live once? Haha, just be careful … also it was illegal to drink on the beach. So, keep it in the water, kids.

That’s about it for my first San Francisco experience. It was quite lovely and I saw all that I needed to see. I’m excited to return and add more important spots to my checklist – that including more museums and food spots.

Montreal, Canada

For me, the drive to Canada is a little under six hours, so I was very excited to make a road trip to the beautiful city of Montreal for a long weekend. The city is absolutely spacious, beautiful, and full of different things to do. The summer time in mid-June was absolutely gorgeous. Below, I will share some neighborhoods and activities that we managed to hit during our stay.

Little Burgundy –

We spent the first night eating out in Little Burgundy. Here is where I noticed the trend of restaurants filling the roads with cute outdoor patios. The one we decided on was called the Burgundy Lion. It was recommended on a bunch of blogs, so that’s why we checked it out. I ordered the portabella mushroom burger and it was absolutely fantastic!

Amazing Portabella Mushroom Burger at Burgundy Lion

LaSalle –

We visited this area of town because we had a white water rafting trip scheduled. The parks around the rafting place were absolutely gorgeous and I can definitely imagine planning a picnic in this area. You have great biking trails and a spectacular view of the St. Lawrence River.

Old Port –

We stumbled upon Old Port after checking out Anticafe, a super cool cafe that breaks the rules of a traditional coffee spot. There are lots of cool events going on at that place; the one we did was life drawing with live music!

The Old Port is filled with little street stalls (none with interesting products), lots of walking areas, food trucks, and outdoor activities. We noticed an adult playground, zip-lining station, outdoor ropes course, and paddle boats.

You can spend lots and lots of time here. You can pay for parking in the area, but I recommend finding cheaper/free parking nearby.

Not to mention, the Notre Dame is in this area. Definitely be sure to check out this beautiful church!

Mile End –

Mile End is a thrift shopper and foodies’ fantasy alike. This long strip is made up of loads of awesome small businesses and you can spend hours walking around.

If you’re not enjoying the stores, you can be sure to enjoy the street art. It’s the perfect shopping district!

Gay Village –

If you want to have a great night out, be sure to check out Gay Village. Originally, we went to Crescent Street based on recommendation, but the bars didn’t compare to Complexe Sky, a three story club with a rooftop bar.

You can spend hours and hours dancing there, exploring each floor to find a new experience. When you need a break, you can hit a few other bars that have some awesome drag performances!

Main Strip Photographed by Drunk Me (haha)

Montreal was truly a surprise for me since I had zero expectations. It’s so big and full of so many great things. It was such a beautiful city – I would be more than happy to take another drive up for a visit.

Greece

What was my favorite thing about Greece? Was it the food? Was it the free shots of Mystico after the food? Was it the hundreds of stray cats lounging under the Greek summer sun? Was it the calm beaches? I have a few favorites and I’ll share some of my experiences in this breathtaking country.

Naxos –

Naxos is small and quiet. It’s a good destination if you’d like to skip the more touristy parts of Greece. The local atmosphere makes you feel like you can relax and not stress about stuffing a billion to-do’s on your itinerary. There are a few must-see attractions, but otherwise, it’s best you hit the beaches and eat as much Greek cuisine as you can!

If you love to cook as much as I do, check out Tzibalakis’ spice shop near the ports. Whether you buy anything or not, it’s an experience in itself to just sniff all the baskets of spices and tea leaves.

One of our favorite Greek dishes besides the pita and souvlaki and tzatziki was this delicious little number. We must’ve gotten this pastry, one made with feta cheese and honey, for every meal. We learned if the feta block is solid, it’s not a good pastry. If it’s a bit melted, you hit the jackpot.

Mount Zeus. This experience is not for everybody. My mother had to tap out after the terrifying drive up the mountain – no railings and extremely narrow roads. Once your car can no longer continue, it’s up to you to begin your hike a long a trail that turns into dirt and eventually turns into rubble.

The hike up Mount Zeus to the Cave of Zeus was perilous, especially in a dress, but well worth it. If you prefer the journey over the destination, this hike is for you – just don’t wear a dress like I did.

Some other attractions include the castle that sits on the hill of the port. My family and I didn’t intend to visit it but we got lost shopping in the labyrinthine streets of Naxos and stumbled upon its walls.

One of the easiest temples to visit is Apollo’s. It sits just at the end of the port and offers gorgeous views of the ocean. If you can stand the wind, stay a while. It’s a nice spot to unwind from the busier areas of the island.

I haven’t mentioned any of the beaches, but there are a variety to choose from – some are best for clubbers while others are for people who enjoy water sports. If you love to be naked, there are also beaches for birthday suits. But wherever you go, you’ll always have a gorgeous view of the sunset.

Santorini –

After a nearly three hour ferry ride to Santorini, my family only had a few hours to explore this island. Since they have been many times before me, they led the way.

It was extremely crowded, which my parents found unusual for the time of the year. They promised that this wasn’t the true Santorini, so I have to say with their word in mind, my first impression of the beautiful volcanic island wasn’t the best or truest one.

Regardless, I had plenty of fun admiring the famous blue and white buildings and shopping along the streets for the best jewelry. I have to say though that my favorite shop was quiet and tucked away. Mnemossyne Gallery had beautiful unique pieces that were incredibly affordable in price and rustic in craftsmanship.

My mother and I also spoiled ourselves with a twenty minute foot bath at the fish spa. It was definitely one of my weirder experiences, but it was quite fun to feel all the fish nibbling at your feet.

2022 update: I had the opportunity to return to the island for a longer extent of time, and while my feelings about Santorini have not changed, I did get to experience one of their iconic volcanic beaches.

The one we visited was called Kamari Beach. I recommend going for a dip, but be careful because volcanic rock is rather slippery. Also, there are plenty of restaurants lining the beaches if you need to dry off for a bite!

Athens –

When we visited Athens, it was hot. It was so hot that we needed to go back to our hotels for AC breaks. The most important things to see in Athens were outside, so you could imagine our struggle.

First things first, you have to see the Acropolis and the Parthenon. If you’re in Athens and you’re not doing that, then what are you doing? Shopping and eating is fun but you are in the birthplace of Western civilization. Let’s get our priorities straightened out. With that said, hit the Acropolis Museum first and learn about what you are going to visit.

Once you are updated on its history, the hike up to the Acropolis is filled with artifacts and ruins to admire. I highly recommend going early in the morning when it’s not too hot and crowded. My father claims that the last time he visited, it was almost ten degrees hotter…and it was already eighty something degrees at 9 AM.

There are other ruins scattered about the city. The ruins pictured below belong to the Temple of Zeus. It’s a short walk around the columns and thankfully there are some shaded areas.

You also have the opportunity to get a full view of the city – you can even see the ocean from this altitude. If you visit Mount Lycabettus, you can see just how big Athens is. It’s quite breathtaking, but I warm you that once again, it’s a steep climb and so so hot.

While you’re there, don’t forget to peek inside the small chapel that sits on top of this mountain. If you have any loved ones, you can leave a candle for them by the window.

Overall, Athens was hot and busy, but how can you really unwind when you’ve got so much history to see? Anyway, I got all my naps in on the beaches of Naxos. If you’re planning to go to Greece, definitely visit Athens, but be nice to yourself and give yourself some beach time on one of the islands or on the country coast.

I shall end this entry with a bunch of stray cats I found throughout the trip. They are amazing and precious.

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Krakow, Poland

My family and I finally made it to Poland! We were blown away by how beautiful Krakow was and the country as a whole. In this entry, I’ll be sharing the highlights: the places, foods, and churches.

Places –

We stayed in Old Town, a neighborhood full of beautiful architecture and the famous Market Square. Here, you can wine and dine, go souvenir shopping outside and inside the central hall, and check out the less advertised Rynek Underground Museum beneath the market square – in 2005, ruins were excavated and are now displayed in a beautifully designed exhibition space.

We took a wonderful bike ride around the entire city. We stopped along the Vistula River, which is a fifteen minute walk from our Airbnb. Right on the river, you can also find the massive Wawel Royal Castle that sits above it on the hill.

While on our bike tour towards the Jewish Quarters, we stopped along this Jewish cemetery that was damaged and desecrated by Nazis during their occupation of Poland. While sad to see so many headstones split apart and broken, it was comforting to see the surrounding nature cradle the graves.

On another tour, we visited the Wieliczka Salt Mines, which was absolutely stunning to see. We were guided dozens and dozens of floors beneath the ground and guided through miles of tunnels. While the tour was kind of boring, the intrigue of the caverns were not. Below, you can see a venue space created hundreds of feet beneath the ground. Many sculptures are made from salt, even the chandeliers, and everything is supported by timber.

Of course, we couldn’t travel to this region without visiting the infamous Aushwitz concentration camp. It was a very heavy visit – as one could imagine. If you plan to visit, dress respectfully and save the selfies for another destination. This visit is a time to reflect and learn. Be prepared to walk A LOT and feel a big, large knot in your throat the whole time.

Foods –

Every street corner seems to have these. These skinny looking bagels are called Obwarzanek krakowski and are a must to try while you are visiting. I personally prefer the poppy seed ones! If you don’t try one, you’ll definitely find yourself buying one as a pick-me-up throughout the day.

There are a number of foods to try, and lucky for you, they usually come together. You have the classic pierogis, which you can have stuffed with meat or cheese and potato or slaw. You also have kielbasa, a yummy sausage that pairs best with mustard. Lastly, you have highlander food, which is a smoky cheese that you dip in jam. The last of these three classic foods was a first for me and I loved it! It would be a crime to not try any of these during your visit.

Hey, I’m not really a salad person either, but you should definitely try the salads with a medley of sweet nuts, fruits, and – you guessed it – beets! Beets are another traditional ingredient of the Slavic world. It’s not everybody’s cup of tea, so I’ll forgive you if you don’t try this one.

Not so Slavic, but more-so Jewish: visit the Jewish Quarters to get your hummus on. You’ll find all the yummy food in the image below if you visit Hamsa Hummus in the central square of the quarters. I highly recommend eating here – after all, haven’t you had enough pierogis by now?

Churches –

Move over Notre Dame (R.I.P. as well), St. Mary’s Basilica of Krakow, located in the Market Square, has become my favorite church of all time. Its interior is colorful, decadent, and painstakingly designed and… not allowed to be photographed. But hey, now you’re curious. Now you need to go visit to see it – don’t cheat and Google it, c’mon.

Additionally, a cool dude with a bugle pops out of the tower every hour to toot his own horn. He’s cool enough that he’ll wave at you when he’s done – you can even climb the tower to shake his hand.

The next beautiful church is actually deep underground in the salt mines. I tried my best to document how epic this place is, but it just doesn’t do it justice. Those miners needed somewhere to pray – so they whittled from the walls this pretty number.

There are literally dozens of more churches you could visit. Up at the castle, along a random road…the possibilities are endless. These people really love building churches.

For my last church, it’s more of a chapel…well, more of a cemetery. But, it’s important because it houses a ton of my ancestors. We drove about two hours to the town of Rzeszow to find Ziobro’s and much more. It was a nice way to end this trip.

Ireland

It’s been years since I’ve been to Ireland! I remember having tasty shepherd’s pie, kissing the Blarney Stone, trotting on horses through rolling fields, and roaming on the windy Cliffs of Moher.

It’s time to go back, and this time, to some cities I haven’t been to yet. Not to mention…I can drink now! Keep reading to see my adventure from Dublin to Galway and back with my good friend Kristen!

Day One –

After a stressful connecting overnight flight, Kristen and I finally made it to Dublin! We bought our Leap Card passes at the airport and then took the bus towards our Airbnb, which luckily was located right across from Temple Bar, a very pub-populated part of town.

After settling in, we explored the city with the only goal of beating our jet lag. First, we wandered around Christ Church Cathedral, the oldest functioning building in the city. If you’re a student, be sure to bring your ID for a discount and don’t miss the mummified cat and mouse.

Next, we stumbled upon The Queen of Tarts, which served fantastic pastries and other filling foods. We highly recommend the chocolate pecan tart if it hasn’t been sold out yet. Coming at an earlier time may provide more yummy options.

Once we got some energy back, we went window shopping for clothes and jewelry. We passed the Temple Bar pub and noted that we would return the next night. After receiving advice from the locals, we found the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre which was super fun to explore. Plenty of engagement rings and antique jewelry to look at. On the top floor there’s a cool clothing/jewelry place called Atrium.

Afterwards, Kristen wanted to see Trinity College, where according to her, is home to many noble alum, not to mention the Book of Kelly’s (we didn’t see it because it was closed at 5pm) We also caught a boring cricket game and tried to hype it up with our American cheering.

We stopped at the Gin Palace and had a gin and tonic with Dingle Gin, which is traditionally Irish, then headed out to dinner. On our way there we saw the Spire, which is considered the tallest sculpture in the world. We ended our night with dinner at Klaw, a poke place, but neither of us had poke. Regardless, the food was phenomenal.

Day Two –

We slept in late because we had some trouble with our jet lag. Once we got ourselves out of bed, we went to the Saturday Food Market near Temple Bar and grabbed some coffee and breakfast. During this time, we received unfortunate news that our sea kayaking trip in Howth was cancelled. Regardless, we decided to head over to the coast anyway.

Kristen and I were so delighted by this cute sea town. We took a boat ride to Ireland’s Eye and hiked towards the summit. We came across a little beach, some church ruins, many seagulls, and even a seal. Safe to say, it was one of the highlights of our trip so far. Also, it was so sunny out!

Once we got back, we strolled along the seaport towards the Howth Lighthouse, took a power nap, and headed to The Abbey Tavern for the tastiest fish and chips you’ll ever have.

Once we got back to our Airbnb, we showered and got ready for a night out. I had a pint of Guinness at the famous Temple Bar, then at the Stag’s Head, I treated myself to a shot of Jameson whiskey. Once I had all the essentials, Kristen and I went to Dicey’s, a very fun nightclub that is both indoors and outdoors. Highly recommend if you’re a young adult/college student.

Day Three –

After a rough night, we woke up early to catch a train to Galway. The view on the ride is absolutely iconic.

We only had a day to really explore the city of Galway since the next day we were going to do a tour of the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands. It’s quite small, so it was extremely manageable to see most of the city in a few hours, we even did a few laps! The Latin Quarter is so lively with musicians, pubs, and shops. There are also little alleyways filled with even more shops and artisan stalls.

We ate at 1520’s and enjoyed some traditional Irish food. We then walked along the river and passed under the famous Spanish Arch along the way.

The city was extra lively that day because Galway was facing Limerick in a game that we could only think was lacrosse. Unfortunately, Galway lost, but what a celebration it would’ve been. Everybody was gathered at Eyre Square watching the away game on a massive screen. We turned in early this evening due to our 10 hour day tour the next day.

Day Four –

We were in Eyre Square before 8am in order to catch our tour bus to Doolin. We had a wonderful tour guide named Peter and enjoyed the beautiful scenery on the way to the bay which we departed. We took a horse carriage ride around the Aran Island, Inis Oirr. My favorite part of the tour were the walls which were made by the original people of the island.

After the Aran Islands, we cruised along the Cliffs of Moher before docking and seeing them from above.

We made our way back to Galway, and walked around to kill time before heading to Taafes for some pints of cider.

Day Five –

We spent the morning making our way back to Dublin. Once we settled into our Airbnb which was less central and more suburban, we headed off to the Guinness Storehouse.

It is absolutely worth it and a graphic designer and beer drinkers’ dream alike. The tour was so wonderfully curated and you even get to have a pint at the end, which you can pour yourself.

After the tour, we went back by Temple Bar and walked around for a bit before heading home for the night.

Day Six –

We started our final day in Ireland with a visit to the National Botanical Gardens. It has a great cafe that uses fresh ingredients and the place itself has free admission! Honestly, it’s the biggest botanical gardens I’ve ever been to and I’ve been to my fair share. If you have the time, certainly check it out. While a lot of gardens are outside, there are plenty indoors, so a visit on a rainy day is completely doable.

After the botanical gardens, we trekked way north to the local village of Donabate to go horseback riding at Corballis Farm. Kristen rode Calvin and I rode Surprise along the beach.

It was scary to trot English saddle where you have no horn to hold onto, but it was beyond fun!

We spent our last few hours back in Central Dublin and stumbled upon St. Stephen’s Park. Since the city weirdly has no benches on the streets, it was a nice area to rest out feet.

Since we had flight in the morning, we went home a little more earlier than usual. Ireland was such a spontaneous trip, and it was more charming than I remembered. I’m glad I was able to come back to this gorgeous, kind island.