Category Archives: Travel

Movie Monday

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Happy Monday, sweet readers! What did you do this weekend? We spent ours in the Constitution State visiting dear friends and attending a film festival that blew me away. Have you heard of the Banff ? If not, no worries. I hadn’t till last week.

The Banff Film Festival takes place each fall and features films exploring ground-breaking expeditions and journeys told by filmmakers from around the globe. The World Tour begins days after the Festival and sets out to bring films to fans in over 40 countries. We attended the World Tour stop in Hartford, Connecticut at the Belding Theater. The night was made up of six short films including: 55 Hours in Mexico, Climbing Ice: The Iceland Trifecta, Operation Moffat, Pretty Faces, Unbranded, and Salween Spring. My two favorites included Climbing Ice and Unbranded, which is now available on Netflix. Interested in seeing a film in your state, check out their tour dates here.

Tuesday Travel

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For today’s travel post, I wanted to take the opportunity to share some of the new places that now call Boston home, just like me! I may be biased, but I have to say this city just keeps getting better. Read on and you’ll see why!

Yvonne’s  – A supper club you won’t want to miss. I’ve been three times. I can’t get enough of this place.  Plan ahead as it is nearly impossible to get a dinner reservation past 6 pm. Oh and make sure you check out the women’s powder room. Once you walk in, you will see why.

Whole Heart Provisions – Eat more veggies is what this place is all about. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I have a slight obsession. Their miso bowl with roasted broccoli, smashed cucumber, edamame, shaved brussels sprouts, red cabbage slaw, sesame crunch and orange miso dressing on their rice pilaf blend is out of this world.

Boston General Store  – It’s not like Coolidge Corner needed to make another reason for me to visit. Between The Booksmith, Otto, and the theatre, I’ve always found my way there. This lovely shop packs everything and I mean everything.

SRV – I’ve been wishing for a new and delicious spot to open up in the South End and my wish came true with SRV, located on Columbus and Mass Ave. Their pastas are divine and the space very inviting. It’s the kind of place you just want to hang out at.

Sheppard – Located in the former Chez Henri space off Mass Ave. near Harvard Square, Sheppard is run by two industry veterans: Susan Regis (who has cooked along some of Boston’s most notable chefs) and Rene Becker of Hi-Rise Bakery (one of my favorites). The decor is soothing, the menu approachable and delicious. I kind of wish it were my neighborhood spot.

Templeton General –  My new go-to spot in the Fort Point for all things house and home.

Tiger Mama – The second restaurant from Top Chef alum Tiffani Faison, Tiger Mama is at the top of our list of places to try. All the reviews I’ve heard are amazing. Need to get there stat!

Little Big Diner – Located a hop, skip and a jump from Downtown Boston (in Newton Center), Little Big Diner is inspired eastern Asian cuisine in a few and high energy space. Their steamed pork and cabbage dumplings are some of the best I’ve ever had. Well worth the 15 minute drive.

And before I go, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention two new coffee shops: Curio Coffee in East Cambridge and Gracenote in the Financial District. Both delicious. Planning a trip to Beantown,  remember I’m always here to help!

 

 

 

Places

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Happy Tuesday, sweet readers! Today, I wanted to share with you one of the coolest places I’ve been to so far this year. Ponce City Market in Atlanta.

Housed in the historic Sears Roebuck distribution center originally built in 1926, Ponce City Market was inspired by Chelsea Market in NYC (the same developer, in fact) and recently recognized by The National Trust for Historic Preservation as “history in the making.”

At the heart of Ponce City Market is the Central Food Hall. James Beard Award-winning chefs are working side-by-side with Atlanta’s up-and-coming makers and restauranteurs to offer everything from Georgia and Carolinas-caught seafood, to fried chicken and biscuits, cold-pressed juice, and killer Mexican. Just check out these tacos.

On the second floor, you’ll find Citizen Supply, an artisan marketplace that brings quality handmade and small-batch goods to Atlanta in a truly unique retail experience.

In 2014, Travel + Leisure listed Ponce City Market as one of the 25 “Coolest New Tourist Attractions.” I completely agree!

Planning a trip to Atlanta, you must add a visit to Ponce a City Market. Still in need of some travel tips? Check out a few of my favorites here.

Tuesday Travel

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Paris

I’ll be honest. I’ve had a few difficult days. January is always a hard month for me. The one activity that helps when I’m feeling blue is good old research. Travel research, that is. In May, my girl and I are off to Paris. My last visit was fall of 2011.  I’m guessing quite a bit has changed so I’m asking  for a little help. What are your must do’s for shopping, eating, museums, day trips, etc. I purchased this little guide to help but would welcome any and all recommendations. Merci beaucoup!

Image Credit: Pinterest 

Tuesday Travel

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With the new year upon us, my mind seems to be filled with wanderlust and dreams of faraway travels. We have a few trips planned but I’m hoping to add a few more to the list. This sense of wander was sparked by reading Wildsam’s secrets for the best trip ever. As you know, I’m a huge Wildsam fan so their advice is always sage in my book and thus I just had to share.

  1. Focus on the Neighborhood. And not so much on the hotel.
  2. Start on the flight. Start the immersion into your destination on the plane. This one made me chuckle as K and I watched In Bruges on our flight to Belgium.
  3. Become a regular. Find your spot and go more than once. You will fit right in.
  4. Rise, shine and run. In other words, be active and take in your new location on foot.
  5. Break the law {sort of}. Travel is the perfect time to step out of your comfort zone and say yes to new experiences.
  6. Leave Room for the Holy Spirit. Be open to opportunities and invitations you didn’t plan on.
  7. Bring a $50 bill. This allows you permission to treat yourself to something good.
  8. Talk to strangers. Locals really do know best!
  9. Eat dinner twice. This really doesn’t need an explanation, especially for me.
  10. Don’t go ice skating. If you aren’t a museum buff, don’t spend hours of your trip to Paris at The Louvre. Spend your trip doing what you love.
  11. Easy on the Instagram. Focus on the experience, not taking the perfect photo.
  12. Book the last flight home. I couldn’t agree more.

Where are your travels taking you in 2016? I’d love to hear!

Tuesday Travel

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baltimore

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday and were able to take a little time to recharge! We had a wonderful holiday in Baltimore. Before meeting K, I had actually spent quite a bit of time in Charm City as a dear friend lives near the old stadium. So to start off the week, I thought I’d share some of my favorite things in Bawlmer, hon!

Stay

Thinking back, this is the first time I’ve actually stayed at a hotel in Baltimore after nearly 10 visits. After two days with family, we treated ourselves to two nights at the Hotel RL, located in the historic Keyster Building in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. The hotel lobby is reason enough to stay here, boasting a lounge, game room, coffee shop/bar and performance space. And the room, modern yet cozy. Our bed was heavenly and we didn’t wake up the morning after Christmas till 10 am (might have to do with our early morning Christmas day but…)! I’m told the pancakes in the morning are delicious although I didn’t get to try them myself.

See + D0

Baltimore is made up of eclectic neighborhoods: Federal Hill, Fells Point (once the nation’s second largest immigration port); Canton, Locust Point, Roland Park and Hampden (just to name a few). Get out and explore as many as you can. My favorites include Hampden and Fells Point.

Baltimore has a rich history too. Make sure to visit Fort McHenry, the Peabody Library and the flag house, where the star spangled banner was sewn.

One of my favorite activities to do in Baltimore is see a movie as they have some wonderful theatres. Check out The Senator, an art deco theatre with a single screen located in the Govans neighborhood. You will feel like you are stepping back in time. My other favorite is The Charles. The 108-year-old structures which house The Charles boast a rich history. Designed in 1892, the buildings were originally designed to be a cable car barn and a powerhouse. In 1939, the Times Theatre opened on the site as Baltimore’s first all-newsreel movie house. The theater was re-named the Charles circa 1959 and recently went through a major renovation.

And during the holiday season, you must visit 34th Street, or as the locals call it Miracle on 34th Street, which this year celebrated its 69th year. Some of the best Christmas lights I’ve ever seen!

Eat

The food scene in Baltimore is off the hook, as Guy Fieri would say. A few places not to be missed:

Artifact Coffee – A wonderful coffee shop with a yummy egg sandwich. Add the special snake oil hot sauce for a little kick!

Woodbury Kitchen – I would say this place put Baltimore on the map from a foodie perspective. Bringing the local ingredients of the Chesapeake to the table, WK is comfort food at its best. The fried chicken is the best! They have also launched a pantry line so you can take the tastes of WK home with you.

Parts & Labor – Part butcher shop, part hearth-fired restaurant, Parts & Labor is not to be missed!

Clementine – Every city needs a great breakfast spot. Clementine is Balto’s.

L.P. Steamers – The only crab shack you need to know about.

And, you must stop into a local grocery store and purchase a box of Berger cookies. A take on a New York style black and white cookie but better, I promise!

Photo credit: Pinterest 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday Travel

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Brooklyn

Oh Brooklyn… I certainly did fall hard for you last weekend and of course returned home and began the search for the perfect apartment in Carroll Gardens. While I don’t think a move is in my imminent future, today’s blog post is so let’s get to it.

Although it is not the largest borough of New York, Brooklyn is the most populated with over 2.5 million people and approximately 136 languages spoken. Walking the streets, you just feel the energy and the culture all around you. This was the first time I really explored Brooklyn. For a girl who loves NYC, I had high expectations for our Brooklyn weekend and nearly every one was blown out of the park. I didn’t want to cross the river to head to Manhattan once.

I have our wonderful hosts, with whom we traveled to The Catskills with, to thank for making sure our weekend was perfect. If you are addicted to Instagram like me, feel free to take a look at our Brooklyn adventure by searching #mrktbkvisit.

Stay

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The Wythe Hotel. I stayed here about six months after they first opened back in 2012 and I must say, it is just as good as I remember. K even said this may just be her favorite place we have stayed as so it is safe to say, I don’t think we will ever stay anywhere else in Brooklyn!

I booked the Historic Corner King for our one night stay (as we had saved a little $$ by staying with our friends in their new Prospect Heights apartment on Friday and Saturday night). We made it to the hotel a little before 2 pm, just in time for The Ides, the rooftop bar to open. It was a glorious, sunny day and we enjoyed cocktails and the amazing views of the city skyline. The Hibiscus Cooler was my drink of choice. We also treated ourselves to the cheese plate and dessert around 10 pm at Reynards, located in the hotel lobby. The tile alone is reason enough to go in my book. One new addition to the hotel offerings since my last visit is Marlow Goods. A beautifully curated shop including leather goods, rugs, bath products, clothing {including my favorite Ulla Johnson}, candles and jewelry. The perfect place to pick up a gift for a loved one and yourself.

Eat

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As with most weekend getaways, our itinerary revolved around food. A few places not to miss include:

Sisters – On our drive to our friends’ apartment we drove by Sisters and based on the facade along I said “we need to go there.” As luck would have it, Sisters was the site of our first meal in Brooklyn. Saturday brunch. I had the avocado toast {pictured above} while the rest of the table enjoyed the egg sandwich on a biscuit. Light and airy, Sisters is also a great spot for late night.

Poppy’s Pop-up – I’ve been admiring Poppy’s Catering on Instagram for quite some time so was excited to learn that their bi-monthly pop-up was taking place on the Saturday of our visit. Beet cured salmon with cream cheese  on multi-grain toast. Yes, please!

Grand Army – After exploring Carroll Gardens, the Brooklyn Bridge and walking through Dumbo, we needed some hydration. Grand Army is the perfect neighborhood spot to do just that. Their cocktail list is spot on, they do brunch till 4 pm and they have the most delicious ricotta toast with brussels sprouts. A must visit!

Emily – It’s like a thing that you have to eat pizza while in NY and Emily’s pizza did not disappoint. Although the wait for a table was nearly 3 hours, we were able to place a to-go order and enjoy Emily’s from the comforts of the apartment within 30 minutes!

Tilda All Day – Tilda’s could just be my favorite breakfast spot. The soft scrambled egg sandwich is delicious. Even better, they have a to-go case with the most delicious chocolate chip cookies so after brunch, make sure to grab a coffee and cookie to go.

Cafe Mogador – Located just two blocks from The Wythe, K and I had a delicious late lunch/early dinner at this spot. The cucumber/mint yogurt dip is to die for and the chicken salad with rice and salad was simple but perfect. I was licking my plate!

Do

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My favorite thing to do in any city is To wander. On our first day we walked nearly 8 miles. Pretty impressive, right? It also offset our weekend food and drink intake 😉

A few not to be missed Brooklyn activities include walking the Brooklyn Bridge, exploring Dumbo and capturing the iconic view of the Manhattan Bridge with the Empire State Building perfectly framed {as pictured above}. I also enjoyed strolling down Atlantic Avenue in Prospect Heights and popping into the shops. My favorites include Steven Alan Home and The Primary Essentials.

We are in talks about our next #MRKT adventure. Berlin, London, and Seattle are just a few places on the table. Do let me know if you have any recommendations!

Tuesday Travel

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Tuesday travels. One of my favorite blog posts to write. This week, I am excited to share the itinerary from our recent weekend escape to Vermont. My girl had a big birthday last week and to celebrate I stole her away for a northern getaway. Did you know that Vermonters claim to have six seasons? Fall, twig, winter, mud, spring, and summer. Who knew?! Although the foliage was past it peaks, my girl and I managed to have a terrific little getaway in the Green Mountain State!

Stay

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I am a huge fan of Lark Hotels, a group of hotels in iconic New England locations {and soon expanding to Napa and Nashville} that focus on a sense of place and a bit of fun. Each location is designed by principal and head designer Rachel Reider, who was recently honored as one of the “5 under 40 designers” to watch. When I saw pictures of the newly opened Field Guide in Stowe, I knew this was the place to stay. Just look at our room above… updated cabin chic. We stayed in a King Suite in the Trail House, set apart from the main hotel. Our room had a fire place, deck, soaking tub and one of the most comfortable beds we’ve ever slept in. And the best part, breakfast was delivered to our door each morning. I can guarantee this will be a place we stay for years to come.

Do

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Have I mentioned my girl is a huge craft beer fan? If you are in the know about craft beer, then you know Vermont is the place to go. And while there are several notable breweries in the area, my girl’s favorite is Hill Farmstead Brewery. Saturday morning, after enjoying our delicious breakfast delivery, we drove northeast for about 45 minutes to Greensboro. With luck on our side, we arrived a little before 11 am and joined about 20 fellow beer enthusiasts to wait for the 12 noon opening. And you know what? They decided to open early. We were fifth in-line to have our growlers filled {I won’t share how many we bought} and then enjoyed a tasting. I sipped on Works of Love, part of their philosophical series, which is a hoppy blonde ale brewed with Earl Grey tea and quite delicious. Heading to Vermont, I highly recommend a visit to this beautiful and popular spot.

We always joke that my girl loves breweries and I love bakeries so of course we had to check out a local Vermont bakery. My pick Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury. Their sign claims they have “world-famous donuts” and I am here to confirm they most certainly do. I typically prefer mine with cinnamon sugar but they do a plain cake donut that is perfection.

Vermont is known for idyllic country roads and covered bridges. Before leaving Stowe on Sunday, we visited Emily’s Bridge, highlighted in this picture. For a full list of covered bridges in the state, check out this link.

Eat

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Since I knew we were going to be doing our fair share of drinking over the weekend, I wanted to make sure we started the trip with a good meal in us. After a bit of research, I decided to make our Friday dinner reservation at Hen of the Wood. This restaurant has one goal: to provide a true Vermont dining experience that showcases the vibrant foods of the state. What a dining experience we had. Perfection! If you are planning a trip to Vermont, I encourage you to get online and book now.

A few other spots not to miss:

Doc Ponds – sister restaurant to Hen of the Woods. They have a fantastic beer menu and delicious bites. A far more casual spot with the same attention to food and service.

The Bench – a stone’s throw from the Field Guide, this lively restaurant has a terrific menu of comfort food. Saturday night, we shared the pizza and a yummy spinach salad but the real star of our meal was the s’mores featuring a homemade marshmallow in a cast iron skillet with graham crackers and chocolate. Sinfully good.

Harvest Market – a two-minute drive from Field Guide, this was our morning coffee spot.

Prohibition Pig – located in neighboring Waterbury, Prohibition Pig is the place to go for lunch and/or dinner. Be prepared to wait. Fortunately we were able to grab two seats at the bar for a late lunch on Saturday post brewery. Burgers, mac and cheese, duck fat fries. Food to help cure a beer buzz!

And last but not least, should you find yourself in Woodstock, I highly recommend Worthy Kitchen. We stopped here for a late lunch on Sunday to break up the trip home. I told our waiter we may just drive north for their food. It really is that good!

While we didn’t have much time for shopping, might I suggest a quick stop in to the Stowe Mercantile to pick up some maple syrup, penny candy and snap a photo in the vintage Stowe mountain gondola.

All in all, a perfect weekend getaway. I think my girl would agree!

Tuesday Travel

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Bull City. The New South. Home of the Blue Devils. It’s true; Durham is all of these things. Since I’ve never been to North Carolina, I had high hopes for our weekend getaway to Durham and I am happy to report, I was not disappointed!

Stay

We stayed at the hip 21c Museum Hotel located in the historic Hill Building {a 17-story modernistic skyscraper built between 1935-1937 and designed by NY firm Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, who also designed the Empire State Building}. This is the fourth location in the 21C Museum Hotel family, with the first opening up in Louisville back in 2007. The property hosts a free contemporary art museum, 125 well-appointed rooms and a beautiful restaurant on the first floor. Bonus, the rooms are stocked with our favorite Malin + Goetz products.

Our second choice was the recently opened The Durham Hotel. I’m told their rooftop bar is a must!

Do + See

Truth be told, the impetus for our trip south was to attend the 20th year celebration of the Duke women’s lacrosse program. That’s right. My girl is an All-American athlete whose name is forever etched into the walls at Cameron Stadium. Pretty cool, right? So, much of our first day was spent on campus at Duke. I am partial to my Mount Holyoke campus but have to say, Duke is beautiful. The trees, Gothic architecture, chapel. It’s all quite impressive. I had read about The Nasher Museum of Art but unfortunately we didn’t have time to check out the collection. But, we did get to see Krzyzewskiville, the tent city where students camp out for Duke basketball tickets. Now that’s what I call dedication!

Eat

In recent years, Durham has been named one of the tastiest towns in the South. Although we didn’t get to try every place on my list {Saltbox Seafood Joint and Pizzeria Toro}, we did manage to indulge is some delicious fare.

Cosmic Cantina – Every college town needs its go to Cantina and K swears that Cosmic Cantina has the best burrito. Now while I’m partial to my Bueno y Sano in Amherst, I must admit that Cosmic Cantina is quite good. The staircase on the other hand, beware!

Foster’s Market – A mainstay in Durham since 1990, Foster’s market is a dream gourmet market and cafe with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. I had the pimento cheese sandwich. Delicious!

Monuts Donuts – Yes, I had to find the local donut place! We ordered a half-dozen including plain glazed {perhaps the best glazed I’ve ever had}, blueberry cardamom, chocolate and apple cider. A Durham must!

Cocoa Cinnamon – We never did make it to Cocoa Cinnamon for an afternoon coffee but I really wish we did. On the list for our next visit!

Watts Grocery – A great spot for Sunday brunch serving Carolina classics like grits and big biscuits. My eggs were a little dry but the fresh squeezed O.J. and homemade english muffin made up for it!

For my first trip to North Carolina, I have to say Durham is one great little city. One that has great energy, gracious people and delicious food. While enjoying our final meal in Bull City, K and I joked about retiring to her college town. We shall see about that!

Found

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Matine

Happy Friday, dear readers! I can’t believe we are one week away from Halloween. Do you have your costume picked out? I’ve never been one to dress up but was thinking I might just step out of my comfort zone this year, especially since I’ll be trick-or-treating with my nephews and niece. Let me know if you have any good ideas!

For this week’s found item, I wanted to share my new Passport case that is currently en-route. Carolyn Misterek is the creative genius behind MATINE, a leather accessories line based in DC that takes simplicity and craftmanship to the next level. Carolyn designs, cuts, sews and finishes each piece by hand. Just beautiful! Truth be told, this is my first Passport case. I’ve been on the hunt for one for quite some time but never found the perfect one. That was until I stumbled upon the british tan Au Revoir case. I can’t wait for it to accompany me on all my travels!

Enjoy your weekend and I’ll see you back here on Monday!