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Destinations

Upon arriving at El Silencio Lodge & Spa, Bruce and I just knew that we weren’t going to be ready to leave just 2 nights later.

Nestled in the mountain jungle about an hour and a half from the airport, this little eco-resort was the perfect salvo to a long flight and a treacherous mountain road from the airport. El Silencio came highly recommended by a friend we were visiting in San Jose, and we instantly fell in love with the location and misty mountain vibes.

We pulled up to the main lodge late in the afternoon, and were welcomed by the hotel staff with a cool and sweet Costa Rican iced tea, and given an overview of the grounds — then, brought up to our cabin suite, boasting gorgeous views of the mountains, a swinging porch sofa, and a hidden patio jacuzzi (!!). Our bags were already in the suite, along with a handwritten welcome note, and a pico de gallo + guacamole appetizer that was so good I drank the juices from the bowl when we gobbled up the root veggie chips and dip.

The staff had preemptively heated up the jacuzzi for us, so we get settled in, ogled at the warm decor, and hopped into the tub to let the water draw out all the stress from a day of travel and wrapping up work emails!

Sidenote: to say that I was “stressed” leading up to this trip was a vast understatement. I recently accepted a full-time job that I’ve beec really excited about, but learning how to balance a few of my long-time freelance clients alongside a day job has been a struggle to say the least. So up until the plane landed, I was desperately trying to finish photo edits and design projects — and I knew that if I didn’t wrap them up, I’d never stop thinking about them. But sure enough, upon landing in Costa Rica, I was able to close my laptop and turn off my work brain for a few precious days! So climbing into a jacuzzi was exactly what I needed to just relax, just in time to really kick off our first international vacation together since early 2019.

One of the things that really drew me to El Silencio was the variety of activities they offer, from guided hikes, night jungle tours, cooking lessons, and fly fishing, to name a few. We were only staying for a couple of nights, but we met a few other travelers who were there for several days, and thrilled to take on some of the activities we didn’t have time for — but in the meantime, we opted for hiking on our own to the 3 waterfalls exclusive to El Silencio’s property. It took us about an hour total, and we considered it to be a pretty easy hike — more like a walk through the jungle with minimal climbing! On the way, we checked out the on-site greenhouse, as well as the chicken coop and trout pond. I’ve been to tropical places before, but nothing quite like a true rainforest. It rained most of the time we were there, but being able to see the mists work their way through the mountains and even some areas on the trail itself was nothing short of magical.

After lunch in the lodge, we joined another couple for horseback riding around the property, which was a gorgeous way to see some of the grounds. I am not much of a horseback rider, and happened to get a sassy horse named Cacao that was mostly focused on snacking on foliage on his own terms. We figured out a recipe for compromise eventually, to Cacao’s dismay.

When it came to the meals, everything we ate was nothing short of delicious, but breakfast was always our favorite meal of each day! Between flavorful chorizo, veggie, and eggs, to the typical Costa Rican breakfast of rice and beans, eggs, and sausage, we found ourselves salivating over the next breakfast we would be enjoying the the all-glass walled lodge with it’s beautiful views of the jungle and river.

Long story short, we’re still thinking about the most magical days we spent at El Silencio, and we are just dying to get back to explore even more of their gorgeous property!

Special thanks to El Silencio Lodge & Spa, which gifted a two night stay! I can’t wait to return, and to explore more of the Relais Chateaux Properties. Follow them on Instagram at @elsilenciolodge and @relaischateaux.

Whoa, it’s been a minute.

Just about a year ago, Emily and I decided that our big trip would just have to be to Vietnam. She had never been to Asia (and the only Asian country I had been to was Singapore, which is basically “Asia light”), and we wanted a big, two-week trip to push us out of our comfort zones and help us really escape the grind that’s been life in DC.

So we did it. And oh, did Vietnam push our comfort boundaries. To start, we were a little worried about the flight situation — DC to LA is 6 hours, LA to Tokyo was 14, and then Tokyo to Ho Chi Min City was another 7 hours. So to say the least, we were trying to find all the hacks in the world to make this bearable (fwiw — this hack was a game changer for me).

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It’s  been a while since I’ve fallen hard for a city — and Singapore really was it. I had been putting off an Asia trip along the line of reasoning that the flights were too long and I’d want more time than a job in the US would allow for. Two weeks of vacation simply wouldn’t be enough.

But it’s been almost 4 years since I last switched jobs, and I’ve never been in a place where I could just take 3 months off — and a decent flight deal to Singapore made it feel just right. Singapore isn’t a city where you’d feel like you’re diving head-first into Asia; as a former British colony and a major business hub throughout the world, you’ll find so many of the amenities you’d miss while traveling in less developed countries. In fact, there were moments when it barely felt like I had left the US, but then, you turn a corner and are reminded that you’re enveloped by a completely different world.

Anyway, more on the specifics of why I loved Singapore later. But in the meantime, here’s my go-to list of places to stay, things to eat, and views to explore on a short trip to Singapore.

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I never thought the Bahamas would be one of my favorite destinations. Never.

The Bahamas always conjured up old 90s commercials for Sandals or Club Med resorts — and in my 20s and 30s, I always imagined my taste for travel transcended that. But the day after the 2016 election, I couldn’t bear the thought of being in DC for inauguration weekend, so Emily and I did a quick flight search for planes departing DC that Thursday, and lo and behold — the Bahamas was the cheapest international option. So… we booked it.

We also booked domestic flights from Nassau separately, and while I desperately wanted to swim with pigs in Exuma, the flights to Eleuthera were shorter and cheaper — $60 each way for a 20 minute flight. So we did some research, found a great Airbnb, and decided to hit up Eleuthera instead.

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Ah, Tulúm. The first time I visited, I was 22, and took a 60 peso “luxury” bus from my Airbnb in Puerto Morelos, and to be honest, I wasn’t even that interested in going. But once I got to the view from the cliffs at the ruins, I was hooked.

This was in 2012. Back then, the now-famed Hartwood had been open maybe 18 months (and I didn’t even go to that part of Tulum until my third trip). Only a few of the hard hitting hotels existed back then, and they weren’t even on my radar. That first time I went to Tulum, we walked from the ruins to Playa Paraíso, which was more than enough to make me fall in love with this seemingly undiscovered paradise. And for the record, even then, it was far from undiscovered.

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It had been a while since I fell absolutely head over heels for a city — since the first time I went to Oslo, I think!

I’ve made quite the habit of hopping on a red-eye flight out to Europe. Luckily, I have my flight drug situation teed up like a pro, and can reset my own body like an alarm clock. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work as well when I’m trying to get into the office by 9am, but hey, the vacation adrenaline rush is real.

Lisbon staked the beginning of what would be a mostly solo, two-week adventure in Portugal and Spain. Nickerson joined me for the first few days, and then on my 31st birthday, I sent him off to the states, and continued on my Spanish quest.

But first, Lisbon.  Read More…

Something I love about my job is that I get to explore cities in the US — and when it comes to personal travel, I’m typically focused on getting out of the country. A couple of weeks ago, we opened our first (and then second) restaurants in Austin, TX… so I got to spend a few days exploring the city, working from coffee shops, and hanging out with coworkers and friends.

Luckily, one of my favorite travel buddies lives in Dallas — so Nickerson drove out to Austin to hang out and splurge on a bougie weekend with me. Nothing beats alternating coffee with rosé and constantly hunting for air conditioning on a hot, summer Texas day. Here are some of my favorite bites (and sips) from my week in Austin!

 

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Having grown up in Los Angeles, and being one of those people whose parents rarely understood the need to leave California, I could count on one hand the number of times I had witnessed snow falling. That is, until I moved to DC, where I heard it “rarely snowed,” and in my first winter, we got about 48 inches of snow.

There’s no better introduction to snow than one of those rare, city-shut-down, break out your skis blizzards. And since I haven’t seen snow quite like that first East Coast winter, getting to Montreal just before a blizzard gave me that magical winter wonderland that I had been craving for the last nine years.

My travel partner, hailing from Montana by way of Spokane, was less entertained – but nevertheless, entertained me by trekking through Vieux Montreal amidst a white out.

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Leaving Oslo is always a painful affair for me – and I’ve been finding myself in Norway once a year now, because I love it so much.

This time, I needed one more long trip to hit Star Alliance Gold, and Norway flights happened to be the most reasonable option for an extended Labor Day weekend trip. So naturally, I booked flights with a friend and hopped across the pond to the happiest country on earth (literally).

I hadn’t actually explored Oslo in at least three years – last summer, we spent about 12 hours there on our way out, and the year before, I came for a winter wonderland new years. But the last time I had a few days of decent weather in Oslo was 2013, so I was ready to see it all! After all, moving to Norway is a serious goal of mine, so I treat every trip as a research event.

We found the cutest two-bedroom apartment in the Grünerløkka neighborhood, and walked almost everywhere (unless we were crunched for time). When you arrive at the airport, take the local train to Oslo Sentralstasjon – seriously, it’s half the price of the Flytoget and only takes a few minutes longer – and stop by a Narvesson to pick up a bus pass. A 7-day pass costs 240 NOK, and you just have to tap it on a screen the first time you hop onto a bus.

If you ever head towards Oslo (or anywhere else in Norway – I’ve probably seen it), let me know! I’m madly in love with that country.

EAT

Villa Paradiso – bustling little pizza shop in Grünerløkka. Put your name in, and have a cocktail at the adjoined bar, Bar Bellini.

Egget Kafe – A cute little bistro overlooking a fountain with an egg in the middle. Catch a midmorning breakfast, and watch all the locals walking their pups!

Riwaj of India – great casual Indian spot with a warm, sultry atmosphere. Save room for dessert.

Hitchhiker – Asian tapas, located on the second floor of Mathallen Oslo (which you should also wander). Get 2-3 courses per person, and then get dessert.

COFFEE

Stockfleth’s – this really ended up being our favorite coffee chain on the trip. We spent half a day working remotely, and I ended up taking a couple of bags of coffee home!

Tim Wendelboe – recommended by the New York Times, and a fabulous little roaster shop. No space for working, so just grab your espresso to go.

DRINK

Kulturhuset – recently relocated to a large space on Carl Youngs Gate, this bar has several rooms on several floors. Check out the local beer selection, and cozy up in the library room.

Postkontoret – formerly an actual post office – this place is now a pizzeria, coffee shop, and bar. Grab an iced coffee and chat up some locals on the patio.

Oslo Mekaniske Verksted – once a mechanic garage (circa 1850), now a hipster cocktail bar with plenty of nooks and crannies and midcentury modern furniture to cozy up to – and a fireplace! They don’t have a kitchen, but you can bring outside food with you.

ESCAPE

Oslo Opera House – this is usually everyone’s first stop as a visitor. How can you not? Snøhetta’s killer opera house is a stunner, and you can climb all over it.

Mellomkollen – taking the bus to a trailhead is the norm in Norway, and you can even take your dog. Based on the maps my hosts had, a ton of trailheads branch off from this area, and we even did some swimming in a lake. Pack a sandwich and live your best Norwegian life. Blue markers are for summer trails, and red ones are for winter trails.

Øya (Norwegian for “Islands”) – with your bus pass, you also get access to the ferries that cross the bay all day. You could pay $40 or more for a fjord tour, but taking the free ferries to the islands was a fun tip from our Norwegian friends. Bring a swimsuit on a warm day, and jump in to the water off Hovedøye – there’s nothing quite like it.

Ekebergparken – One thing I love about Oslo is that it can feel like you’re in the middle of an old world city one minute, and the next, you could be on the edge of a mountainside forest. Ekebergparken is one of those places. Wander the park, enjoy the views, and check out the weird sculptures all over the place.

Kleivstua – if you have access to a car and want to have a really, really good meal, head over to Kleivstua for a city escape, or just a fantastic fine dining meal for not a ridiculous price. We had 4 courses and several glasses of wine for about $160 USD per person. Get there early and take the 20 minute hike to Kongens Utsikt (The King’s View) – work up that appetite just enough to hike back down and relax in front of a fireplace.

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