Architecture Tour: Taliesin West

Frank Lloyd Wright is inarguably one of America’s greatest architects. His primary philosophy was guided by the principle of the harmonious existence of architecture amongst its surrounding environment. He pioneered the Prairie School movement, which included the development of the Usonian home.

During our time in Phoenix, Richard and I had the privilege to visit Taliesin West in neighboring Scottsdale, Wright’s winter residence and desert laboratory. Allowing for an escape from Wisconsin winters, the property functioned as both personal home to Wright and his wife, as well as an immersive architecture school/fellowship.

Most memorable for me was the story of the living room’s enclosure. As the story goes, the room was once completely open-air, until one day the Mrs., Olgivanna Lloyd Wright, walked in to find a mountain lion inside the domain. She then persuaded the fellowship to enclose the interior space.

I most loved the custom made, period perfect furniture, and the rhythmic, linear forms on the exterior facade. Should you ever have the opportunity to visit a FLW property, DO IT! Until then, please enjoy these photos from mine and Richard’s afternoon at Taliesin West.

—Shea

Top 5 Favorite AirBNBs

Selecting the accommodations for our travel is one of my favorite and most important parts of trip planning. While I love a good hotel, there are many pluses to staying in AirBNBs. They’re great for groups, they afford more privacy and space, and they allow you to experience places more as a local might. We’ve stayed in AirBNBs all over the world, and at this point I’ve become an expert at vetting them. We’ve definitely stayed at some good, bad, ugly, and otherwise, but to highlight the best of the best, I’ve comprised a list of our Top 5 Favorite AirBNBs:

1. Palm Springs, California: No 444 Immaculate Mid Century Home + Heated Pool

Palm Springs is a southern California town in the Sonoran Desert located about 1 hour 45 minutes east of LA. It's known for golfing, hotels, hot springs, and my favorite: mid-century modern architecture.

For our 5 year wedding anniversary, Richard and I stayed in this immaculate Alexander Home in the Racquet Club Estates. While all that sounds fancy, and believe me it was truly five stars, the interesting thing about developer Alexander was that many of his homes actually aimed to make purchasing a vacation home affordable, not just for Hollywood’s rich and famous, but also for your average everyday people. Part of how Alexander kept things affordable was that he utilized the same floor plans and construction materials to control costs. With that, most impressive was how he managed to keep individual homes feeling unique, by offering the slightest variations on the exterior finishings on the homes, including various rooflines and brick types. Here’s an original Alexander Home floor plan, and yes, even the most humble homes all had pools in the backyards:

I’ll have to dedicate an entire post to the mid-century modern architecture of Palm Springs. We did a self-guided driving tour, which only began to scratch the surface. I’ve always admired the Eichler homes of the Bay Area, and am now a huge Alexander fan as well. In my wildest fantasies, just as the owners of this particular home did, I would love to acquire an Alexander that needs some love, and renovate it to modernize while bringing in period appropriate finishes. 

2. Prague, Czech Republic: Luxury Loft 4BR (Prague Old Town)

Our visit to Prague with friends in November 2016 remains one of my favorite trips of all time. You can read all about Prague and that trip here. While I loved the city, and being there with some of my best friends, most certainly our fantastic accommodations made a lasting impact on my impression of Prague. I’ll let the owners of the property tell you about it:

“luxurious brand new four-bedroom, four-bathroom, two-living room, two-terrace Loft Apartment located in the heart of bustling Nove Mesto ... features an interesting layout that is comprised of a spacious kitchen and dining area with stylish features, a quiet living area furnished with a leather sofa and double glass doors that open to a large terrace where you can sit and gaze at the rooftops of the city, two airy bedrooms with custom-made wardrobes, one full marble bathroom complete with bathtub, bidet and rain shower head, plus one half bath with a rain shower head as well. The apartment showcases original exposed wooden ceiling beams throughout as well as hardwood flooring.”

— AirBNB Host Romano

Without hesitation I highly recommend both a visit to Prague and a stay at this luxury loft. 

3. Hamburg, Germany: Luxurious & elegant apartment in Central Hamburg

In 2016, Richard and I were lucky enough to live abroad in Hamburg, Germany. Until that point, while my husband had visited Europe many times both as a student and as an adult for work, I had never been to the continent, so I lovingly call this time in my life my “adult study abroad”. A full tour of our Our Home in Hamburg is here, and you can also read about our Life as Expats in Hamburg, Germany here.

The apartment was located in Harvestehude, one of Hamburg’s most desirable, beautiful and centrally located neighborhoods. The interior was stunningly adorned, featuring modern art, a marble fireplace, and two Le Corbusier armchairs.

We felt so lucky to live in such a beautiful place for an extended period. To cap off our time in Hamburg, we got even luckier with the timing of the annual famous Christmas Markets, the most magical Christmas experience of life— you can read about that experience , the most magical Christmas experience of life— you can read about that experience here. Should you be considering a trip to Germany, I highly recommend you consider winter/Christmastime.

4. Santa Fe, New Mexico: Gorgeous on Garcia Authentic Adobe with a Hot Tub

We had the pleasure of visiting beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico for the first time this past February. Being a mid-pandemic trip, we weren't able to experience the dining, shopping and galleries the area is famous for, so we’ll most definitely have to go back. I’ve heard their Santa Fe Wine & Chili Fiesta is one of the nation’s best food and wine festivals! Anyhow, I’ll let our lovely host tell you more about her home:

“Experience this authentic adobe home on spectacular Garcia Street in the Historic Eastside Santa Fe neighborhood. The home is a sophisticated blend of contemporary and traditional Santa Fe. Relish the beautiful hardwood floors, original thick adobe walls, and viga ceilings. Enjoy the exquisite New Mexico art (both Spanish and Pueblo style) as well as traditional and contemporary furnishings. Enjoy both the Kiva fireplace and always ready hot tub too!”

— AirBNB Host Fran

We enjoyed relaxing in the hot tub, grilling in the backyard, and lounging by the fire. We took numerous walks around the neighborhood, and enjoyed a gorgeous hike in the mountains only 20 minutes outside of town.

If you’ve never been to Santa Fe, I highly suggest you add it to your list. And if you do, you can’t stay anywhere other than an authentic Adobe.

5. Atlanta, Georgia: Beltline Bungalow

This past December we spent a month in Atlanta at this adorable Beltline Bungalow. I’m sure I’m biased to loving the home due to the fact that it was Christmas while we were in town, and within days of arrival, a sweet girlfriend loaned me a tree which I quickly adorned with bound found and homemade decorations. 

Besides the holiday charm, what I loved most about this bungalow was how well some simple renovations turned this previously traditional 1000 square feet bungalow into a totally contemporary urban oasis.

Before

After

From traditional rail and spindles, lighting and color palette to a modernized porch, terraced steps and an updated color palette, these few changes made a big impact.

Before

After

The columns contributed to the home’s traditional feel. The new homeowners transformed the space by removing the columns and creating a built-in spice rack with simple drywall on the back, a savvy yet simple solution for modernizing the space.

Beyond the great interior, the home had a lovely backyard where we enjoyed grilling and hanging out by the fire pit.

Despite the home’s great interior and exterior, its greatest feature was actually its location. In North Ormewood Park/Glenwood Park adjacent, it was within walking distance to coffee, ice cream, and a wine store to name a few, and best of all: Atlanta’s famed Beltline trail.

Especially in years like the one we had this year past, vacation homes need to be much more than just a landing place, but instead are the central hub for your trip. As such, when traveling, where you land your head at the end of the night needs to be considered thoughtfully and intentionally. 

—Shea

Photo Credits:

• Home Photos: AirBNBs, as linked above in individual listings

• Beltline Bungalow before pics: GrowAtlantaHomes.com

Oregon Coast

The first stop on our months long road trip began in coastal Florence, Oregon. The drive from Oakland to Florence was about a nine hour drive (straight up the 101 for all you Californians), crossing through some super gorgeous Northern California and Pacific Northwestern landscape. First through beautiful Sonoma County, shortly after through Mendocino County, which I definitely want to return to, and then through the giant redwoods and eventually up the coastline. Unfortunately we got a late start leaving, and didn’t have enough time to make any stops in Redwoods National Park to see any giant trees. We arrived in coastal Florence and began to settle in for a four week stay.

Our first morning in Oregon, Richard dove straight into remote work, while I took Bo for a morning stroll on the beach. Just a short five minute walk from our place, the walk to the beach was by way of a hidden path through a thicket and then traversing over pretty massive sand dunes before finally reaching the ocean. That first day, the fog was so unbelievably thick, I could barely see ten feet ahead of me, much less to have my bearings to make my way back to our new temporary home.

Many have asked how we choose the places we’re going to stay. Since we’re staying long-term, the accommodations reign supreme. While the location must be fabulous, the driver in choosing is really that the house itself is a ‘fit’. Workspaces for Richard and I, a yard for Bo, a full ready to use kitchen, no crappy futons, nicely adorned and not too much clutter. And of course, within budget and pet friendly. I utilize AirBNB to search statewide, use the map view, turn all my filters on and go from there. And yes, there are monthly rental discounts of up to and usually around 30-50%, so staying 4+ weeks is to be key.

Anyhow, back to Florence. So Florence is a coastal town in central Oregon:

Florence is a small city at the mouth of the Siuslaw River, on the Oregon coast. Its vast Sea Lion Caves are home to Steller sea lions. Nearby, trails around the restored 19th-century Heceta Head Lighthouse offer views of seabirds and migrating whales. Shops and galleries fill the city’s Historic Old Town district. Across the river are the towering sand mounds of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. ― Google

Thanks, Google. What struck me as most special was how Florence was a place where the forest meets a river meets the sea.

Downtown Florence was an adorable tiny tourist-centered town, one which we generally tended to avoid due to the plague. We did enjoy some crab chowder on the water, and I had a great time procuring Oregonian wines (Willamette Valley pinot, YUM) from the local bait shop. Yes, a wine and bait shop. So great.

Our second weekend in town we had an errand to run in nearby Eugene, a gorgeous hour and twenty minute drive inland through the woods along the Siuslaw River. We made the best of the day enjoying a gorgeous inland hike at Whittaker Creek Recreation site.

Sadly, coastal Oregon was not immune to the deadly fires that damaged the west. We were so thankful for the clear air on arrival in Oregon after weeks of smokey air in Oakland. But after a few weeks in town, inland fires and unseasonable winds brought lots of smoke west to Florence, with the air quality intensity and severity far exceeding even what we’d experienced in Oakland. We were so grateful when the smoke finally dissipated nearly a week later. Global warming is real, y’all. Our neighbor explained that in his 20+ years of coming to Florence, he’d never experienced anything like this.

The smoke cleared just in time for our sweet friend Kim and favorite travel companion to visit, road tripping solo all the way north from San Francisco. During her visit, we toured and hiked the local attractions including the Heceta Head Lighthouse, Cape Perpetua and the giant sand dunes. 

Despite an unfortunate fire season, we were still able to enjoy much of Oregon’s nicest, sunniest and warmest weather month. We absolutely grew to love Florence, and would be thrilled to return another summer.

So what did I do to keep myself busy while Richard worked remote? Well, I continued with coursework and studying in pursuit of Project Management Professional certification, but I also began studying interior architecture and design at UC Berkeley Extension. In addition to having an interest in design, much of what I’ve learned applies to the events industry as well, which is a double-win for when the industry revives. And while I adored the beach-y home we stayed in, as pristine as it was, it most certainly could have used some updates from the brown, dated fabrics, bright paint colors and cheesy home decor of the early aughts. Here’s some inspiration for how I’d love to upgrade this beautiful beach home’s interior: 

From Oregon we departed for a week-long trip to Montana, eventually landing in Colorado. More on that later! And on the way out, we passed through the Columbia River Gorge. 

For now, thanks so much for reading!

—Shea

Photos / Sourcing - Kitchen

White Cabinetry: The Home Depot

White Oak Cabinetry: A Thoughtful Place / LSL Design Co.

Cabinet Hardware: Etsy

Concrete Countertops: IKEA

Textural Tile Backsplash: The Home Depot

White Oak Floors: The Home Depot

Copper Pots: Crate & Barrel

Washable Mat: Pottery Barn

Rattan Pendant Light: Pottery Barn

Paint Color: SW 7035 Aesthetic White

Photos / Sourcing - Living

Leather Sofa: Anthropologie

Accent Chairs: Anthropologie

Rug: One Kings Lane

Floor Lamp: Anthropologie 

Coffee Table: West Elm

End Table: Pottery Barn

Photos / Sourcing - Dining

Buffet: Anthropologie

Dining Table: Anthropologie

Dining Chair: Anthropologie

Rug: Pottery Barn

Chandelier: Pottery Barn

2020 Updates

Wow—what a year it has been! One full of heartache, pain, loss, grief, fear, anxiety, and so much more. On the other hand, this year has allowed us all to reevaluate our priorities, slow down, and take time to recognize what’s truly important.

Sadly, many industries are really suffering, including my own—the events industry. I’ve been an event producer for 10+ years. I fell into it post-graduation, and got lucky in that it became my passion. I’ve grown from an assistant to a coordinator, a manager to a producer and then a director. I’ve met many of my closest friends through the industry, and I’ve had the pleasure to travel and produce programs in every major US city and abroad. I truly love what I do (did). So when 2020 rendered me involuntarily and circumstantially unemployed, with little to no backup options or fallback plans, I had to pivot. PIVOT. Word of the year, am I right?

I began pursuing Project Management Professional (PMP) certification in the summer, which I recently cleared and attained (whew!) I also began coursework in Interior Design & Interior Architecture at UC Berkeley Extension—thanks to encouragement from my husband and my former colleague and friend who is also in the program. Since, I’ve taken on my first design project, working with clients to design and furnish their additional dwelling unit/carriage house in Atlanta. All my studies and work have been remote, as is with the rest of the world, and my sweet husband has been working remotely since March as well, and will continue to do so through late summer.

All that to say, despite staying busy and pivoting (take a shot!), there was definitely a long period of grief early on in the pandemic. Grieving the loss of my job, my career prospects and my beloved industry. Missing my old routine, my daily treks to San Francisco, my friends, my social life. So when mid-summer the itch for change came up, we scratched it.

My husband and I moved out of our place in Oakland, put nearly all of our possessions in storage, and took off for a four month journey that is turning into 7-9 months. He calls us digital nomads. My sister-in-law recently called it city hopping. Essentially, we’ve been road tripping across the US, staying about a month at a time per destination. Follow along with our journey:

Oakland, CA → Florence, OR → Yamika, WA → Lakeside, MT → West Yellowstone, MT

The first part of our journey began with our departure from Oakland and a full day’s drive to our first month long destination in coastal Florence, Oregon.

Florence, Oregon

After a month in Oregon, we headed for a week-long vacation with visits to Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Grand Teton National Park.

Our sweet pup Bo & I in Glacier National Park

Morning Glory Pool, Yellowstone National Park

Grand Teton National Park

From there, we headed to Georgetown, Colorado, a small old mining town in the Rockies just 45 minutes from Denver, where we enjoyed a five week stay. Traveling from West Yellowstone to Georgetown, a large wildfire forced us into a detour, adding 3 hours to our drive. Wildfires were a recurring theme in our trip from California to Colorado.

The view from our home away from home in Georgetown, Colorado

From Colorado, we headed to my hometown of Minneapolis for three weeks where we had the pleasure to spend Thanksgiving, and then continued on to my childhood hometown of St. Louis for one week.

Lake Harriett, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Gateway Arch National Park, St. Louis, Missouri

From St. Louis we headed to Atlanta, a place that’s truly become our second home, where we celebrated Christmas and rang in the New Year, and will continue to spend the early part of the year through early February.

Christmas in [East] Atlanta, Georgia

In February we head back west for a five week stay in San Diego, with a week long vacation and stops along the way in Santa Fe and Tuscon.

West Yellowstone, MT → Georgetown, CO → Lincoln, NE → Minneapolis, MN → St. Louis, MP → Atlanta, GA → Santa Fe, NM

Santa Fe, NM → Tuscon, AZ → San Diego, CA → ???

I’m set to continue studying design remotely for the next five months, and Richard is set to work remotely through August. What happens after March when we depart San Diego, who knows! Eventually we’ll make our way back to our home base San Francisco. 

We are staying cautious, vigilant and safe. I have so much gratitude for our circumstances, the memories we’ve made, and how we’ve had the ability to make the best of a bad situation. Hopefully circumstances begin to change for the better sooner rather than later. In the coming weeks/months, I’ll update this travel blog with pictures and stories from our destinations along the way!

—Shea

The Algarve

Continuing on from our time in Alentejo, Portugal’s south central wine region, we drove 3 1/2 hours south to the coastal region of The Algarve. Known for its cliffside villages and sandy coves, the region was a beautiful place to satiate my craving for beach time. We stayed at Pine Cliffs, a Luxury Collection Resort, and were upgraded to a beautiful king suite thanks to our Platinum Elite Status with Marriott Bonvoy. Their rewards program is very generous for cardholders by the way, especially after the 2016 Marriott SPG merger, it’s now the largest rewards program for a single hotel company, so options are endless - worth looking into. Anyhow, the majority of our time was spent on property resting and relaxing beachside. With the hotel perched atop the cliffs and the beach down below, beach access was a very special experience in that there was a cliffside elevator to take down. We enjoyed many meals on property as well, our favorite being the waterfront beachside restaurant Maré at Pine Cliffs, where we enjoyed squid, ceviche and delicious cocktails, dining al fresco there almost daily. We also enjoyed a glass of champagne at sunset at the cliffside Mirador Champagne Bar.

We were excited to see the region’s famous sea caves, so we booked a boat tour that ended up very windy and bumpy. While not quite the relaxing boat experience I would have preferred, it was a way to get us up close and personal with the caves in a way I’m not sure would have been possible otherwise. Afterwards, we enjoyed another beautiful piece of coastline, a popular nearby beach for locals.

After the boat adventure and plenty more R&R, we ventured to the nearby town of Faro for an afternoon of strolling around cobblestone streets and admiring local Neoclassical, Moorish and gothic architecture in Old Town.

For our final night in The Algarve, we had a gorgeous meal at Arte Náutica Beach Restaurant, where we dined seaside and enjoyed the delicious simplicities of fresh caught fish, smashed potatoes, Portuguese salad, and white wine.

Having had the opportunity to enjoy beaches around the world, I must say, The Algarve is one of the most unique coastlines I have had the pleasure of visiting. When the world gets back to normal and European travel is back on the table, I highly suggest adding Portugal with an obligatory added visit to The Algarve to the top of your bucket list.

—Shea

Alentejo

Alentejo is Portugal’s second most important wine region, and if you’re anything like we were, you’ve likely never heard of it. Located in the southeastern part of the country and just two hours by car from Lisbon, the region is an unpretentious gem for food and wine enthusiasts.

Looking for a quiet retreat for my 30th birthday, we discovered the region via the Torre de Palma Hotel, a Design Hotel in the Bonvoy portfolio. Originally unsure of how much time we needed there given the quiet and slow nature of the region, we booked just three nights. We could have stayed twice as long and had plenty to do to stay busy, or better yet simply had more time to rest and relax.

The hotel itself was gorgeous. Stunningly adorned, the property had plenty of amenities which we took advantage of. We enjoyed pool time, the tasting menu dinner at Restaurante Basili, a wine tasting on property, and spa time.

The hotel, originally a castle dating back to 1338, sits on an expansive property that also features roman ruins. We visited the ruins and went on a sunny hike from there. Much of the trail was overgrown and easy to get lost in, but what better place to get lost in than amongst vineyards, cork oak trees and olive groves?

We spent one day exploring the nearby town of Estremoz, starting with a wine tasting at nearby vineyard Tiago Cabaço Winery, which featured a modern designed building as well as my husband’s favorite varietal from Alentejo, alicante bouschet. We then explored the nearby gated, hilltop town center and enjoyed its sweeping views, and finished the day with a beautiful meal at Alecrim (rosemary).

After an epic 30th birthday full of far too much poolside wine, we packed our things and headed for the southernmost part of Portugal for a week at the beach on the Algarve. But not without first stopping in Évora to visit their very creepy Chapel of Bones.

The trek through and across Portugal is next. Until then, cheers!

—Shea

10 Favorite Food Halls

My love for food halls goes back to 2014 when Richard and I did a gourmet food tour of downtown Napa at Oxbow Public Market, the market that beat even San Francisco's Ferry Building Marketplace to the punch in terms of the gourmet food hall concept. Ever since and especially during when we lived in Europe, we've both purposely and not so purposely visited food halls in every city we trek to. What better way to celebrate a return to blogging after a bit of a hiatius than with a top ten list that’s been five years in the making? Here's the list of my top ten favorite food halls, concluding with my very favorite:

 

10. Urbanspace Vanderbilt, New York City 

Favorite Eatery: Northern Chinese Street Crepes @ Mr. Bing Beijing Street Foods

Favorite Drinkery: Greek Beers & Aperol Spritz' @ Amali Mou

Visited March 2017

 

9. Borough Market, London

Favorite Eatery: Scallops @ Shellseekers Fish & Game

Favorite Drinkery: Pimms @ Cartwright Brothers

Visited October 2016

 

8. Oxbow Public Market, Napa

Favorite Eatery(ies): Tacos @ C Casa & Oysters @ Hog Island Oyster Bar

Favorite Drinkery: Sour beers @ Fieldwork Brewing

Visited too many times to count

 

7. St. Josep La Boqueria, Barcelona

Favorite Eatery & Drinkery: Draft Estrella & Fresh Scallops @ Bar Central

Visited October 2016

 

6. Avanti Food & Beverage, Denver

Favorite Eatery: Sushi @ Sushi Bamboo Sushi & Dim Sum @ Kaya Kitchen

Favorite Drinkerey: Local craft beer @ the bar upstairs with the beautiful views

Visited April 2017

5. Eately NYC Flatiron, New York City

Favorite Eatery: Pasta @ La Pizza & La Pasta

Favorite Drinkery: Italian Wines @ La Piazza

Visited May 2017

4. Mercato Centrale, Firenze, Florence

Favorite Eatery: Carbonara @ Raimondo Mendolia’s THE FRESH PASTA

Favorite Drinkery: Tuscan wines @ Sandro Soltani’s THE WINE HOUSE

Visited October 2019

3. Ponce City Market, Atlanta

Favorite Eatery: Botiwalla (not pictured, but also pictured and do love:) W.H. Stiles Fish Camp

Favorite Drinkery: King of Pops

Visited too many times to count

2. Time Out Market, Lisbon

Favorite Eatery: Pastel de natas @ Manteigaria

Favorite Drinkery: Caipirinha @ Time Out Bar

Visited May 2018

1. Foodhallen, Amsterdam

Favorite Eatery: Caviar @ Le Big Fish, Dim sum @ Dim Sum Things

Favorite Drinkery: Dutch beers @ Beer Bar

Visited September & November 2016

Thanks fo reading

—Shea

Prague

I should start out by saying I can’t believe how long its been since I’ve written, but that’d be a lie — we moved to Atlanta in January and I’ve since been crazy traveling across the US producing events, so it’s no wonder I haven’t had free time to write. Those last six months have been a whirlwind, so much so that I have to stop and force myself to reflect before really realizing that prior to the last six months of crazy, there were three even crazier months of crazy: we lived in Europe. Beyond that madness, a big crew of our best friends from both San Francisco and Seattle made the trek to Europe to join us on a multi-city tour of Europe before we closed out our stint in the continent. Fast forward ahead from our time in Hamburg (you’ve read about it) and Berlin (I’ll get there eventually but it wasn’t my favorite), we arrive in my favorite (yes, after six months I’m ready to say it) European city: Prague.

Our journey to Prague was epic. First a train from Hamburg to Berlin, next a train from Berlin to Leipzig, and finally a train track maintenance causing forced three hour bus ride from Leipzig to Prague.  Regarding our stay, our overnight accommodations were beyond fabulous: for under $200/night, we had a two-unit penthouse with four bedrooms, four bathrooms, two kitchens, two living rooms and two balconies. Split between five people, we spent hardly anything and lived like kings. On our final day in Prague, we awoke to chorus music flooding our open windows as a huge chorus was singing on the street level as part of a ceremonial, parade-type ritual for a national holiday literally right on our front doorstep — it was magical.

The food and drink culture was phenomenal. Everyone drinks beer, and a lot of it: they’re known for chugging their beers and reorder so frequently that the simple flip of a coaster signals you want a refill. Everything is pilsner, either light or dark, and both are cheap and fantastic. Given we were there in early winter at the start of the European Christmas markets season, there was plenty of delicious gluehwein everywhere as well. Beyond that, it’s Europe so duh, schnapps for days. The food was super hearty and dense comfort food, delicious but not exactly food for health: gummy, steamed potato dumplings with every meal, roasted meats, gravy, stews — my god it was good. And cheap. Our crew of six could order multiple apps for the table, rounds and rounds of beers and schnapps, big entrees each and our check would total the equivalent of ~70 bucks for all six of us. Long, indulgent dinners in Prague with rounds of beer and schnapps were some of my favorite memories of Prague. Pilsner Urquell, the restaurant home of the famous Pilsner Urquell Czech Pilsner, was the absolute highlight with the best dumplings in town in addition to some amazing beef tartare. Beyond just dining, we had a few other notable beverage highlights. My personal favorite was the Beer Spa where we had two hours in a private room to rotate between soaking in a bubbling copper tub of beer and sitting in a hop sauna while drinking unlimited beer from multiple beers on tap — it was quite possibly the high point of my life to be honest. As well, we visited a Monastery at the top of the city where we drank beer brewed by monks in a cave-like building by candlelight.

As if my recap of the food and beer alone isn’t enough to sell you on Prague, the real reason Prague is my absolute favorite European city is the architecture. Prague is super old world European with its well preserved Gothic architecture. It’s also one very few European cities that wasn’t destroyed by either of the world wars, plus the fact that since then it was behind the Iron Curtain for a long time, which shielded it from the pressures of development and modernization. We took trips to the Prague Castle, Prague astronomical clock, and Wenceslas Square amongst others, but my personal favorite of course was the Charles Bridge.

In the year leading up to our visit to Prague, “The Czech Republic” rebranded itself as “Czechia”, a subject matter my friends and I were curious to hear some locals’ perspectives on. Funnily enough, Czech folks don’t give two anythings about how we refer to their country in English, and themselves simply enough call their county “Czech”. Regardless of whatever the country’s English name may be, their stunning city of Prague was one that captured ahold of my heart. If you’re considering where next (or even better, first) to visit in Europe, and especially if you’re on a budget (but not only), I would without a doubt give Prague my highest of recommendations.

Next up our closeout trip to Amsterdam, and eventually I'll catch up on life back in the US. That’s it for now y’all.

—S

Austria & Bavaria

Sincerest apologies for the blog delay! November and December were insane with a few full weeks of travel, followed by travel back to US soil, for me already a trip from Oakland to Atlanta, and then the holidays. I have to catch you up on our last month in Europe! First, our trip to Austria and Bavaria.

When our visitors scheduled their trips, one of the more exciting pieces was allowing them the opportunity to share where they’ve always wanted to visit in Europe in consideration for the side trips we’d take outside of Hamburg. In the case of Richard’s mom Denise, she expressed interest in visiting Bavaria and a few opulent castles in southern Germany, and we indulged her. Apparently Richard had always wanted to see the castles too! The fun thing about letting our visitors choose was that they selected places I had never dreamed of visiting before. We planned to stay in Innsbruck, Austria and take day trips to Bavaria in southern Germany, and it wound up being one of our most memorable trips.

We flew from Hamburg to Innsbruck on Austrian Airlines and we stayed at the stunning Alders Hotel. The hotel was Richard’s pick, it was modern and clean, and being that we were on the 10th floor facing the mountains we had stunning expansive views out of the full wall of windows in our hotel room.

We were also conveniently located just a 10 minute walk to the town center, and we thoroughly enjoyed spending time in and meandering through Innsbruck. We very much enjoyed Austrian food — it’s similar to German cuisine but in my opinion better, with main staples being goulash, sausages and potatoes. Austrian coffee and desserts were fabulous as well, and we had our fill of Austrian beers. We even had our first gluhwein of the season, which is hot red wine made with mulling spices that’s available all over Europe in the winter time.

For our first full day in the region, we took a day trip over to the border of Austria and Bavaria to see the The Zugspitze, a peak spanning two countries. It’s the tallest peak in the mountain chain and the highest mountain in Germany. It was a winding two hour drive through the mountains to get there and was a stunning landscape for a road trip.

We took a cable car up to the top of the mountain where we enjoyed expansive, panoramic views from both Austria and Germany and had a traditional Austrian meal for lunch.

After visiting the Zugspitze, we drove about an hour and a half to the Ehrenberg Castle ruins back in Austria. We hiked about thirty minutes straight uphill to the castle ruins and afterwards we hiked across the Highline 179, the world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge. The bridge trek made for stunning views of the mountains as well as of the castle ruins. After a busy day of day tripping we headed back to Innsbruck where we enjoyed another traditional Austrian meal at a biergarten and shortly after hit the hay.

For our second full day in the region we took another day trip, this time across the border to the southernmost end of Germany in the country’s Bavaria region. We first visited Neuschwanstein Castle, the castle that inspired Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle as well as the Disney logo, and also visited Hohenschwangau Castle, the same family’s original vacation castle located very close nearby. The visit included fresh pretzels, German pilsner, uphill hikes and stunning views. Unfortunately the castles don’t allow photos to be taken inside, so the majority of the photos I have are from the landscape surrounding.

For our final day in Austria, Richie took us on a stunning drive to an area outside of Innsbruck that looked straight out of The Sound of Music, and afterwards even drove us across the border into Northern Italy.

Without much knowledge of Innsbruck or the Bavarian castles prior to this trip, visiting the region wasn’t at the top of my list, though now having seen the area's indescribable beauty I feel so grateful to have had the opportunity to visit. Next I’ll update you on our time spent in Prague and Amsterdam during our friends’ visits to Europe, but for now, bye!

xo,

Shea

Christmas Markets: Berlin, Prague & Hamburg

Between traveling back to the U.S., a trip to Atlanta and preparing for the holidays, I’ve hardly had a chance to write with updates on our last few weeks in Europe. I’m skipping a bit ahead here in sequence, but in honor of the upcoming Christmas holiday, here’s a post on Europe’s most charming winter festivities, Christmas Markets. Christmas markets are little villages that pop up at various cities across Europe to sell food, beverage and trinkets. We visited Christmas markets in Berlin, Prague and Hamburg.

The first Christmas market we visited was in Berlin, literally one block across the street from our hotel and was where we first developed our love for gluhwein. 

The second Christmas market we visited was in Old Town, Prague. Their market featured the ever present Czech Pils Urquell as well as Czech comfort foods like dumplings and stews.

Our final weekend in Hamburg was luckily also the kickoff of Hamburg's Christmas market season where the girls and I did a Christmas Market hop including six very different stops. Most of the markets are congregated within the shopping area of Old Town Hamburg, and you can hardly walk a block or two without stumbling upon a whole new one. We indulged in gluhwein, beers and schnapps, gooey cheese, gyros and sautéed mushrooms with creme fraise, and we had so much fun shopping for gifts. We ended our night at Santa Pauli, the Christmas Market near the redlight district in Hamburg’s St. Pauli neighborhood. Our Christmas market hop in Hamburg turned out to be ones of my favorite days in Europe, and was the perfect was to spend our final night in Germany.

We had such a gluttonous and joyous time at the Christmas markets in Europe, so I am beyond shocked and saddened to hear of the recent attacks at a Berlin Christmas market which were an incomprehensible tragedy. I send so much love to those whose lives were lost and to their loves ones during this time of mourning.

Next up I’ll catch you up to speed on our time in Austria and Bavaria, Prague and Amsterdam. Until then, Happy Holidays! ho ho ho.

xo,

S

Venice

Asking me to choose which European city we've visited so far has been my favorite is like asking a mother to choose her favorite child: impossible. However, as I look back at pictures and reflect on our time in Venice, I'm reminded of the magic and romance the city exudes. If I have to choose one favorite, Venice may just be at the tippy top of my list.

We departed from Lake Como and drove nearly 2 1/2 hours to Venice. Since the majority of the city is inaccessible by car, we dropped our rental off at the edge of the city and caught a boat towards our hotel. We stayed the JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa, a 5-star hotel located on its own private island in the lagoon. We were able to book our stay here with Marriott points as that's generally where Richie stays on his work trips, and after having struggled through spending much of our first year as newlyweds apart due to Richie's long and frequent work trips, it feels good to be finally reaping those rewards. Anyhow, the hotel was stunning, and after a day of driving and our boat ride to the island on day one, we decided to stay in and enjoy a relaxing evening at the hotel. We cracked a bottle of Italian wine we bought during our tastings in Bellagio and ate a lovely meal at the hotel's restaurant Sagra.

Day two was our first and only full day in Venice and the day of Richie's 35th birthday. With just two nights in the city and the forecast calling for thunderstorms and rain all weekend, we were pretty nervous about our chances at getting out and seeing the city. While we drove to the city on Friday in what felt like a monsoon, by day two Richie's birthday good juju magically cleared up the storms for a sunny, blue sky day for our full day in the city. We caught the hotel boat over and enjoyed a day that was both full and relaxing. The hotel boat dropped us off at St. Mark's Square where it was high tide and we were able to see the square flood as it does daily around this time. We quickly worked our way around the water to higher ground, and enjoyed a day full of walking through Venice's winding network of narrow footpaths. 

Along the way we stopped in at two churches including the stunning Basilica dei Frari, a gothic style church dating back to the 14th century, and we also took a tour of Doge's Palace, a Venetian gothic style palace built as the residence of the Doge of Venice.

We had great food and beverage in Venice despite having heard Venetian cuisine isn't the city's strong suit. For this reason we opted out of trying any fine dining, and rather enjoyed all fairly casual, no fuss stops. We had a lovely breakfast at a snack bar, a fairly common Venetian restaurant concept that serves up quick and easy sandwiches, pizza for both lunch and dinner (it was Richie's birthday after all so I let him choose. He's taken to calling Italy "pizza land"), fried calamari and gelato snacks, and wine, beer and cocktails to our heart's content.

The absolute highpoint of our day was the obligatory Venetian gondola ride. We caught the boat on a small side street and were lead by a fabulous guide named Antonio who was a 9th generation gondolier. We drank a lovely bottle of rosé along the way, another Italian wine we purchased from our wine tastings in Bellagio, and soaked in all the history, beauty and romance the city's canals had to offer.

After a whirlwind week long trip to both Spain and Italy, Venice was the perfect place to cap off our trip and to celebrate Richard's 35th birthday, and honestly it turned out to be one of the best days of my life. I cannot begin to express the extent of gratitude I have for everything I've been able to see during our travels, and I'm beyond grateful to have shared in my travels with my best friend. It's hard to believe we're down to our last 2 1/2 weeks in Europe, and it's got me feeling all bittersweet. Next up I'll update you on my mother in law's visit to Hamburg and our travels together to Innsbruck and Bavaria. Starting today we have friends coming in town, and on deck are travels with them to Berlin, Prague and back to Amsterdam. For now, tschüss!

xo,

Shea

Lake Como & Lake Lugano

For part two of our week long vacation for Richard’s birthday, we planned a stay at Lake Como in Northern Italy. We caught a cheap flight from Barcelona to Milan and rented a car in Milan to drive the short distance to Lake Como.

Before heading outside of Milan towards Lake Como, we drove into Milan’s city center for the afternoon. We saw Duomo di Milano, Milan's cathedral, had a meal and some gelato, and went shopping in the adjacent neighborhood.

After leaving Milan, we had just a short 45 minute drive to Como. We stayed at the gorgeous Palace Hotel, a four star hotel located right on the water. The hotel was priced extremely well given our trip to the area was during the off season, and they featured a daily continental breakfast which was absolutely fantastic. In addition to the superb hotel breakfasts, we had great food and drinks in Como. We enjoyed craft beers and bites from Panino Buono, cocktails at Fresco Cocktail Shop, and pizza and pasta at Riva Cafe and Trattoria Pizzeria In Borgovico.

For our second day in the area, we ventured over to neighboring Switzerland to visit the area of Ticino where my great great great grandparents were from. The Swiss Italian boarder was just 15 minutes from Como, and the stunning drive thereafter rode along Switzerland's Lake Lugano and eventually wound up weaving up into the Swiss Alps. For the last hour or so of the drive, we drove along narrow, windy mountain roads through a mountain valley to an area of Ticino called Valcolla. We knew my family was from the villages of Colla and Cozzo, though the tiny mountain towns were difficult to pinpoint on navigation, so I was beyond thrilled when we happened to drive through Colla by chance. The town was home to no more than a hundred or so people. Being that the homes are staggered along hillsides, there’s one communal parking lot in the town, and the houses are connected by a series of sidewalks and stairways accessible only by foot. We parked, trekked up the stairs to the top of a hill, and stumbled upon an old church and cemetery overlooking the entire mountain valley. The surname I had knowledge of, Moresi, made up at least 80% of the names listed on the headstones. Richie likely thinks I’m insane for where my ancestry explorations take us, but I can’t tell you how excited I felt to be in the area. I felt very much at home in the Swiss Italian villages we toured through.

On our way back from Ticino, we stopped in the stunning village of Morcote on Lake Lugano. We enjoyed a drink and an afternoon snack lakeside, then trekked through town to a stunning church and through the residential part of the village. Like Colla, Morcote’s hilly areas were connected by a series of footpaths and stairways which made for a quiet, isolated walk through town.

On our second and last full day in Como, we woke up early in order to beat the rain and took a ferry boat from Como to the town of Bellagio. The ferry rode by and made stops at numerous charming Italian villages, and even passed George Clooney’s Como home along the way (I seriously guessed it was his when we passed by, and later a Google search affirmed my hunch was right). Once we got to Bellagio, we grabbed a quick espresso, then walked to the La Punta Spartivento for lake views, and then to the i Giardini di Villa Melzi where we ultimately enjoyed the majority of our time spent in Bellagio. The gardens were immaculate and were an excellent place for landscape architecture lovers like Richard and I to enjoy the expansive views of Como Bellagio has to offer. After finishing up at the gardens, we headed over for some Italian wine tasting at Enoteca Principessa and pasta at La Grotta. We timed our day perfectly: as soon as the rain began and the cold rolled in, we boarded the ferry again and headed back to Como.

I’ve always been fascinated by the area and its juxtaposition of Mediterranean with snowcapped mountains, and learning I had family from the Swiss Italian area of the region only furthered my desire to visit. Without a doubt, Lake Como and Lake Lugano were some of the most stunning landscapes I’ve had the opportunity to see. I thoroughly enjoyed our time spent there, and while it felt like the perfect place to kick off fall and celebrate Richie’s milestone birthday, I’m also excited to someday return for a visit in the warmer summer months. To complete my updates on our epic birthday trip, I’ll have to post again on our incredible visit to Venice. This past week Richard’s mom was in town, and after a week in Hamburg we spent the weekend in Austria and southern Germany. I’ll of course be sure to update you on our travels through Bavaria as well, but for now, tschüss!

xo,

Shea

Barcelona

Richard and I have long shared a mutual desire to visit Spain, especially due to our love for Gaudí architecture (and Spanish tapas, let's be real). In planning Richard's 35th birthday trip, initially we were hoping to spend a full week in Spain, though ultimately we decided a full week in the country would be better spent during warmer months when we could enjoy the beach. We decided to mix it up and add in a visit to Italy instead, though I just couldn't imagine spending three months in Europe without seeing Spain, so before we spent six days in Italy, we spent three in Barcelona. God bless rewards points and budget airlines!

We stayed at the Hotel Indigo in Dreta de l'Eixample, which was a fantastic mid-sized hotel at an excellent price, complete with high up terrace views and walkable to everything.

Speaking of walkable, we walked everywhere! In one day alone we tracked nearly 12 miles walked. Everything was nearby, and the further away destinations were welcomed treks that toured us through new, less touristy parts of town. We loved walking through our hotel's neighborhood, Dreta de l'Eixample, through the Gothic Quarter, to the Arc de Triomf, to the beach to see the Mediterranean, down the famous shopping street La Rambla, and to see Gaudí in three different locations.

Both Richard and I were beyond impressed by Spanish cuisine. The tapas concept is great, as it makes popping in for a meal of any size at any time easy. We enjoyed all concepts of tapas: from sit down service, to counter service with numerous kinds of tapas placed atop a slice of bread and priced at around just €2 each. At the suggestion of a local, we even hit a Spanish fast food style tapas restaurant called 100 Montaditos. Locals love their 'Europaday' on Sundays when everything is just €1 including beers, and we loved it too. Beyond the food, we had some excellent drinks: we enjoyed the local beer Estrella, and also indulged in some Cava, some potent sangria, inventive craft cocktails and Spanish grappa. Beyond the tapas, by far my favorite food experience in Barcelona was a visit to Mercado de La Boqueria, the gourmet food market off of La Rambla. (Notice a pattern? Trips to food markets in Amsterdam, London and Barcelona. Yeah, we love food.) We had fresh juices, empanadas, Richard had what he describes as the best cured meats he's ever tasted while I enjoyed some manchego, and we finished with some freshly prepared scallops and Estrellas.

Beyond the food tour, our other main agenda was to see the works of Antoni Gaudí, Barcelona's most famous architect best known for his works in Catalan Modernism. First we visited The Park Güell, a public city park designed by Gaudí and known for its expansive city views and placement high atop the Collserola mountains. Next we visited Casa Milà or La Pedrera, a multi-use building including both public and private spaces and a mind-bending rooftop. Last we visited Sagrada Família, Gaudí's most famous creation now deemed a Basilica and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Actively still under construction and having been under construction for over 100 years now, Sagrada Família has an estimated completion date of 2026. There we took the tower tour where we rode an elevator 65 meters up to then enjoy expansive city views as we climbed down spiral staircases along the inside edge of the tower back to the bottom. Gaudí's works truly blew us away. Sagrada Família has been on both Richie and my bucket lists for a long time, and it's safe to say visiting the architectural beauty was the absolute highpoint (literally too) of our trip.

While Barcelona is still very urban feeling with its dense population and expansiveness, there was something about the city that was just so much more laid back and easy going than the other large European cities we've visited. While our trip there appeased a bit of the intrigue I had in Spain, it only further fueled my desire to spend time there. Barcelona quickly became one of my very favorite cities, and I should hope I'll be lucky enough to return to visit again. Who knows, maybe by then Gaudí's genius in Sagrada Família will be complete in all its glory!

Next up I'll update you on our day trip to Milan en route to Lake Como, our time at Lake Como and Lake Lugano, and last our time in Venice for Richie's actual birthday. We're back in Hamburg for now, with Richie's mom set to visit in just a few short days. It's getting cold here, the days are shorter and the leaves are turning. Happy fall ya'll, tschüss!

xo,

Shea

London

A few weekends ago Richie and I were lucky enough to spend a long weekend in London, England. Richie has been before multiple times, though to be honest London has never been at the top of my list of places to visit in Europe (I'm not into anything royal or Harry Potter, sorry!) so we originally didn’t have plans to go. That all changed when we extended our trip beyond Thanksgiving and our 90 days in Europe turned to 96. I chose to forego getting a residence permit, and since the max time a visitor is allowed to stay in the EU is 90 days, I suddenly had a need to leave the Schengen countries — off to England we went!

We stayed at the Ibis Hotel Blackfriars. Ibis hotels are a British brand of budget friendly hotels; by no means luxurious, the hotel was extremely modern, clean and well situated, walkable to both the London Underground and plenty of great neighborhoods including SOHO and Westminster.

On our first day in London, we had lunch at Byron Proper Hamburgers (Richie's choice, duh) before taking the London Underground to SOHO. We then hit Carnaby Street for a little shopping, some beers at the pub, and a fantastic dinner of modern cocktails and Indian fare at Dishoom. For all my fashion loving men and ladies out there, checking out TopShop London is an absolute must! I could live and die in that place. I also highly recommend a meal at Dishoom, which was a super sensory experience with it's fresh cuisine and sexy atmosphere. 

On day two in London, we kicked off our day at the most fabulous food and beverage market of life, Borough Market, at my sweet girlfriend Faith's recommendation. The market was what a foodie's dreams are made of: Pimm's cups, craft beers, wines, sandwiches, wraps, cheeses, seafood, desserts, the list goes on and on. After our morning of indulgence, we took a stroll through town towards the Tower Bridge. Along the way we passed a replica of Sir Francis Drake's boat along with the ruins of London's oldest cathedral. We ultimately took the tour of the Tower Bridge, which made for stunning, expansive views, and Richie who loves bridges was able to nerd out at all the bridge construction history. After the tour, we rode the subway to the theatre district where we saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. It was one of my favorite movies as a kid, and the live theatrical production did not disappoint. We finished our evening with a bite of pizza to eat, then hit the hay for another full day ahead.

Thus far the weather in London had been fantastic, though at the start of our second full day the city's infamous rain had begun, so our planned trip to The British Museum was perfectly timed. We spent at least two or three hours there, and truly could have spent a full day if not more exploring the exhibits. Afterwards the rain had cleared, and we walked back near SOHO to London's Chinatown where we ate the most delicious dim sum. I also indulged in my first boba tea in months, which after working so close to SF's Chinatown back at home was a much appreciated reminder of the bay. We finished out our final evening in London by taking the Under and Overground to a completely new neighborhood, Brick Lane, again at the suggestion of my girlfriend Faith. We had super cute and inventive craft cocktails at The Cocktail Trading Co., and finished the evening with craft beer and pub food at the beer bar across the street, BrewDog.

For our final day in London, Richie took me on a walking tour of all things political and royal. We started in Piccadilly Circus, walked through Trafalgar Square, and walked down Whitehall where we passed government buildings including 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister's residence. We then walked to the Palace of Westminster and it’s clocktower known as Big Ben (Big Ben is actually the name of the bell, not the clock). We then walked across St. James’s Park, where we did rosé tastings on a rooftop, then walked along The Mall to Buckingham Palace, and finally along Constitution Hill by Green Park, past the Wellington Arch to Hyde Park. As someone who is in no way interested in anything related to the Royal family, we didn't visit inside the Palace, though it was neat to walk past the historic and important buildings. 

Between the amazing shopping, stunning weather, incredible history and architecture, and multitude of never ending cocktails, despite my skepticism, London blew me away. After our long weekend in England, we headed back to Hamburg for just 5 short days before heading back out for an epic week long birthday trip for Richie. Yes, he actually took a full week off work! Next up is a Barcelona, Spain post, but for now, tschüss (or shall I say cheers?)!

xo,

Shea

One Night in Amsterdam

Since Richard travels for work quite frequently, he often earns us many free flights and hotel stays. While over the last year we spent more time apart than either of us would have preferred, the flip side is now we're able to reap the rewards while here in Europe and have used points and free stays to travel frequently since arriving. As loyal customers to the Marriott brand, Richard and I had a free night in a Marriott hotel available to us that we couldn't let go to waste, so a few weeks ago we packed our bags, rented a car and drove 4.5 hours from Hamburg for one night in Amsterdam.

We first visited the De Pijp neighborhood where we were sent to by our sweet friend Jenny who had been there last fall, and we walked around and enjoyed the gorgeous Sarphatipark. We then traipsed across town to a traditional Dutch bar in the town Centrum called Café ‘t Spui-tje where we indulged in some Dutch beers and tried the Dutch classic Genever. After drinks, we headed to a late diner at Cannibale Royale, and after dinner we relaxed along a canal where we watched the city at night come to life. On our second day before heading out of town, we visited the city's most famous park Vondelpark, ate lunch at the fabulous gourmet food hall De Foodhallen, and did plenty more walking through town to marvel at the city's beauty.

Overall, Amsterdam is without a doubt my new favorite city. The architecture, canals and bridges are stunning to take in, and the city is alive with bicyclists everywhere and cafes upon cafes full of Dutch folks enjoying the finer things in life like unwinding in good company. We have plans to head back to Amsterdam in November for Friendsgiving, an annual tradition with five friends, four from San Francisco and one from Seattle. I can't begin to imagine the enjoyment that is undoubtedly in store for that trip, and I can't think of a more perfect place to finish out our three month stint in Europe than in Amsterdam with some of our best friends.

Next up I'll update you on our weekend in London, and on deck for next week is an epic week of travel to Barcelona, Lake Como and Venice. For now, tschüss!

xo,

Shea

Life as Expats in Hamburg, Germany

Today is a national holiday here in Germany celebrating the unification of east and west Germany! To celebrate Germany Unification Day, today's post is about life in Hamburg.

First and foremost, life in Hamburg, especially since we've been here during the most gorgeous time of year weather wise, is all about the water. There's the large lake near where we live called the Alster, the smaller lake to the south of the lake near old town called the Benin Alster, both the Hamburg River and Elbe Rivers, and many stunning canals weaving through the city in between. Hamburgers are very active and always out and about enjoying the lake, whether that be laying out and catching some sun waterside, having a drink at one of the many waterside cafes, cycling, walking or running around the water, or taking a boat ferry, row boat, paddle boat or kayak out, locals are great at enjoying all the water Hamburg has to offer. I personally have been on a mission to gain my endurance for distance running back, and have enjoyed running around Lake Alster and beyond for a total of 35 miles ran since being here in Germany.

We have also done our best to take advantage of the gorgeous weather by dining outside, on the water if able, as much as possible at Hamburg's many outdoor restaurants and cafes. Early on in our stay here as a welcome to Hamburg dinner, Richard's work took he and I on a team dinner at an adorable beach club style bar/restaurant on the Elbe River called the Strandperle. I've since taken my mom to their sister bar on the Alster called Alsterperle. Also while my mom was here, we enjoyed rooftop snacks and drinks at Block Bräu brew pub in St. Pauli complete with Elbe River views, as well as had dinner and craft beer at Ratsherrn Brauerei, Hamburg's own craft brewery bar in Sternschanze. While traditional German food definitely hasn't proven to be my favorite, the ever classic pretzel and pilsner combination is tried and true and has become a not so healthy new go to.

Hamburg also has plenty of impressive architecture to take in, including the stunning Rothhaus city hall, the architecturally modern and unique Elbphilharmonie opera house, and the many old pristine churches that together create a skyline full of steeples. Richard and I caught panoramic views of the city after having climbed over 450 steps up to the top of St. Michael's Cathedral, and he, my mom and I enjoyed views of the Elbe Riverfront from a port boat tour.

While we've been in Hamburg nearly six weeks now, getting to know and feel comfortable in the city has been a bit of a slow process for me especially. We've been away traveling for half of the weekends since we've been here in Europe, and opportunities for Richard and I to enjoy weekday leisure in the city together are made difficult by our opposing work schedules. While we're super grateful for the opportunity to be here, had Richard's company not had their European headquarters here, Hamburg wouldn't have been our first choice of European cities to live in as expats. The city is super charming and the locals are very friendly, though I personally prefer a place with a bit more cultural diversity, as the city is very rich in German culture, but it doesn't feel very multicultural. Irregardless of our exact locale, the experience has been a challenging, mind expanding, outside of my comfort zone opportunity for personal growth. Having lived in now four states and two counties, it's safe to say my abilities to be adaptable and flexible are ever challenged. The opportunity to live as expats has been a once in a lifetime opportunity for which I will be eternally grateful to my husband for making happen.

Next on deck is a London post, and somewhere in between I have to tell you about our one night in Amsterdam. For now, tschüss!

xo,

Shea

Killarney, Ireland

To continue on our Ireland adventure from back in early September, on our third day in the country my mom and I bid Richie adieu and caught a train to the County Kerry for our final destination Killarney. Killarney is home to Killarney National Park and features three gorgeous freshwater lakes and stunning rugged mountains in a very green, lush landscape. My mom chose Killarney as she loves adventuring and always appreciates my mutual desire to be active and out and about (she's in better shape than me!)

On day one, with my mom's love for kayaking, we scheduled a kayak trip on Lough Leane that departed from Ross Castle (yes, they named it after us). Our tour wound up being private with just us two and the guide which was phenomenal, and being that we went very early we essentially had the entire lake and island to ourselves. The lake was stunning with the mountains in the background, the weather was perfect and the trip complete with an Irish rainbow. The halfway point of the kayak trip was a magical visit to Innisfallen Island, home to the ruins of Innisfallen Abbey, a monastery and former leper colony. The ruins were stunning, and we were lucky in that being the only visitors on the island we were able to see the island's population of Sika deer (as soon as other tourists showed up later on as we were leaving the deer were nowhere to be found). If you're ever in County Kerry, I highly recommend Mor Active Tours, the company that lead our kayak trip, A++!

My mom planned the kayaks adventure for day one, so she deferred to me to plan our other adventure day in Killarney. Based on what Richie had told me of his experience in Killarney, I knew I wanted to see the Gap of Dunloe, a very narrow mountain pass carved by glaciers semi-recently actually (in glacial terms that is). With the help of our hotel's front desk, I planned a day of adventure: we rented bikes, rode them to Ross Castle, loaded the bikes up on a boat and took a fantastic boat tour through the national park and across three connected lakes. We then got off at a cute cafe and refueled with coffee and cakes before departing for our 15 mile bike ride through the gap and ultimately back to town. The first quarter of the trek through the gap was an uphill climb. We did our best to ride, but ended up walking our bikes a good bit of the way, and given the epic views on the way up there could have been worse things. By the time we got to the top we were near the gap and the downhill ride became much easier. The views were stunning, and mom and I were cycling pros by this point. The gap is definitely the most beautiful place I've ever seen, and in comparison to so many folks who ride through it on a Jaunting Car (I hate that they make the horses do that) or speed though it in a car, I can't tell you how fortunate I felt to have seen the gap by bike as we were really able to spend time quality time in the gorgeous scenery rather than just speeding right through it. On the other end of the gap was a perfectly located pub where mom and I stopped for lunch and a pint of Guinness before finishing the final few miles ride back to town. 

Beyond our two days of adventuring, worth mentioning is the hospitality in Killarney which was beyond phenomenal. We stayed at the Old Weir Lodge, a stunning, family run, four star hotel and B&B. The hotel was a quick ten minute walk from downtown Killarney and featured an excellent breakfast (assuming Irish breakfast is your thing). For as nice as it was and as great of a location as it had, it was very reasonably priced. We thoroughly enjoyed the food and beverage Killarney had to offer as well. After having been in Ireland a few days, mom and I quickly grew tired of traditional Irish pub food. Luckily we found some really great alternative options: delicious locally sourced steak, lobster and salmon at The Smokehouse, super fresh and inventive Mexican food (yes for real) at Casita Mexicana, delicious lavender ice cream at Murphy's Ice Cream, craft beers at Killarney Brewing Company, and inventive cocktails at Killarney Bar in the Ross Hotel among others. Our absolute favorite though were the whiskey tastings at Irish Whiskey Experience where we visited not once but twice! The town of Killarney is adorable and it's very easy to walk from one end to the another. Just as all Irish folks are painted to be, Killarney locals and service staffers alike are extremely warm, accommodating and friendly.

I can't tell you how grateful I am for the opportunity to have traveled through Ireland with my sweet mom. While we enjoyed our time in Dublin with Richie, I greatly appreciated the mother daughter time we had adventuring throughout Killarney as well. We hadn't really taken a trip like this together before, though my mom quickly made her way to the top of my list as one of my favorite travel partners ever. After three nights in Killarney, mom and I packed our bags and headed for our flights back to Hamburg. Someday I'll update you all on what life in Hamburg has been like, but for now tschüss!

xo,

Shea

Dublin, Ireland

My mom Lisa might just be where I got my free spirited travel loving explorer heart from, she even used to be a travel agent back in the day and has been all over the world. As soon as she caught wind we may move to Europe, she jumped at the chance to book a visit and wound up being our very first visitor. We knew we wanted to bring her to Hamburg, but we also wanted to take advantage of easy and cheap travel throughout Europe, so we opted to spend the first half of our trip in Ireland. My mom has always dreamed of going, and with Richie having been twice previously to study abroad, it turned out to be the perfect fit. One part Guinness, one part whiskey and two parts adventure, this was one of my favorite trips ever, and to be able to share it with my mom is what made it so special.

Richie and I took off from Belgium, my mom from Minneapolis and the three of us met for two nights in Dublin. We stayed at Staycity Aparthotels Saint Augustine Street which was perfect for the three of us, especially after they upgraded us to a two bedroom suite. The hotel was walkable to everything, and especially close to Ireland's oldest pub The Brazen Head where we first discovered our newfound love for Bailey's cheesecake.

Day one was a rainy one, big surprise right? Dressed in our golashes and hooded jackets, we braved the elements and ventured out for lunch at The Brazen Head followed by drinks at The Temple Bar in Temple Bar, Dublin's most lively neighborhood. By later in the evening the weather had cleared, and we went out for a lovely dinner at The Bank on College Green, a two story gastropub located in an elegant old bank building. We tucked in early as my mom was jet lagged (just kidding, she was good to go and I was the tired one) in anticipation of another full day ahead.

Day two began in pursuit of breakfast, which was made difficult by the fact that most things in Europe are closed on Sundays. We did find a spot for traditional Irish breakfast, and while Richie's black pudding, meat loving, artery clogged heart was happy, my mom and my salad and smoothie loving, vegetable obsessed hearts began to realize our food tastes may not be the most aligned with the Irish way. 

Post breakfast, we headed over to the Guinness tour for some history, views and well deserved pints. Having lived in St. Louis for a good chunk of time, my mom, Richard and I have all done our fair share of big brewery tours at Anheuser Busch. The Guinness Tour was different in that it was much more of a self guided stroll through what felt more like a museum than it did a functional brewery. Despite this, the setup and architecture of the building were so impressive that we loved the tour, and my personal favorite part was the entire floor dedicated to marketing, as Guinness is known for its marketing genius. We opted to have our comped pints in The Gravity Bar, their 7th story bar with 360° panoramic views of Dublin. After our beers, we had a beautiful lunch a few stories below at The Brasserie where I was brave enough to try a black velvet, a mix of Guinness and champagne. It was alright (I wouldn't order another) but overall we were super impressed with all of the hospitality at Guinness. I truly could have spent the entire day there. 

After Guinness, Richie took us on a walking tour of Dublin. We visited Christ Church Cathedral, home of the world's oldest crypt, walked by St. Patrick's Cathedral, walked through St. Stephen's Green park and down Grafton Street shopping district. For our last night in Dublin, we hit not one, not two but three more pub stops. With their classic wooden decor, dim lighting, stewed foods, live music and friendly service staff and patrons, the pubs in Dublin truly are exactly as you would imagine. In all honesty, a huge part of visiting Dublin is touring all of the pubs, so it was only natural that's how we spent our last night there. It's a good thing my mom likes whiskey!

Richie had to get back to Hamburg, so we bid him adieu and departed via train for County Kerry. Killarney post is next up, but for now tschüss!

xo,

Shea

Antwerp & Bruges, Belgium

After Richie and my trip to Urmond and Aachen, we took advantage of having a rental car and of being in close proximity to three different countries. We headed off to Belgium to finish out our whirlwind multi-city trip as Belgium has always been at the top of my list of places I wanted to travel to. This is mainly due to my obsession with Belgian beer and food, #onceafatgirlalwaysafatgirl. Richie was lucky enough to head to Belgium not once but twice last year for work, and I was green with envy both times. I threatened to disown him if he ate one single mussel or frite without me, though I'm fairly certain he still indulged in his fair share of Belgian beers. After having been multiple times, Richie was super excited at the chance to show me everywhere he'd been and seen, and I was more than obliged to be shown around a country without need for any trip planning myself. If you know Richie, you know he is the absolute best guide!

Many tourists in Belgium first head to Brussels for a visit, though based on my research and on Richie's experience, most Belgian lovers' favorite cities are Antwerp and Bruges. For this reason we decided to forego seeing Brussels and dropped our rental car off there, then departed on a fairly quick train to Antwerp. We stayed at the Hotel Leopold Antwerp near the city's Diamond District. The hotel was decent, though this TripAdvisor luxury hotels reviewing badge holder wasn't completely blown away by the stay. Regardless, it did the trick as it was centrally located and near the train station, and I will say the hotel put out a lovely breakfast buffet (there was champs on it, need I say more?). During our day in Antwerp we had to work, though we did take a break for a lovely lunch at Esco Bar where I had the best Greek salad of life and Richie a lovely croque-monsieur, though I will say we did experience our first dose of a bit of "you mean you speak English not Dutch?" snobbery. The meal was lovely nevertheless, and afterwards I took the chance to get in a quick 5K at the city's Stadspark.

Richie and I kicked off our evening with big Belgian beers from the hotel lobby before heading to Antwerp's old town, a quick 20 minute walk from our hotel. We toured the Grote Markt (the town square), walked the waterfront, and enjoyed an indulgent Italian meal at an outdoor cafe. Touring through the old town center, known for it's guildhalls, stunning architecture, international cuisine and high fashion, has been by far my favorite evening spent with Richie in Europe to date.

For our second day in Belgium, we took the train about an hour and a half east to the stunning and quaint town of Bruges. Known for it's cobblestone streets, canal ways and medieval architecture, it greatly rivaled my newfound love for Antwerp to win for most quaint and authentic European feeling town I've seen thus far. From the train station, we walked through the town center to the most delicious lunch at Cambrinus, a Belgian beer bar. I finally got my mussels and frites, Richie had the freshest salmon salad, and we enjoyed Belgian beer flights among others. After lunch we caught the sweetest canal tour for just €8 each. There are all kinds of cheap boat tours across Europe by the way, and in my experience they're all worth taking. After the tour concluded, we explored more of the city by foot, found our way to more Belgian beer, sourced some Belgian chocolates and indulged in a Belgian waffle. It was quite the day of indulgence indeed.

After experiencing the most romantic day in Belgium together, Richie and I caught some quick z's on the direct train back to Antwerp, though we were eventually woken up by a fellow rider who told us the train was having mechanical issues and that we'd need to get off to transfer. We got off at a station in the middle of Belgium where we waited over an hour for a bus with hundreds of fellow disgruntled riders, and ultimately the hour and a half ride became nearly a four hour journey. Don't let my blog full of fancy travel fool you, our travels here have posed their fair share of hiccups. Soon to come is "The Real Europe", a blog post documenting the trials and tribulations of traveling abroad. The universe has it's way of keeping me grounded in that way -- if you know me, you know I can't have nice things ;)

Next after Belgium was a trek across Ireland with my sweet momma, Dublin and Killarney post to follow. Tschüss, bis später!

xo,

Shea

Urmond & Aachen

Last week Richard had client meetings scheduled in the Dutch province of Limburg at the southern most end of The Netherlands. Being tricky to get to by plane or train, he opted to rent a car and drive from Hamburg, and I was lucky enough to accompany him on the trip. We stayed in a tiny town called Urmond at the surprisingly chic Hotel Van Der Valk, and we thoroughly enjoyed stay and our time in the region.

With very little to do in the town itself and Richard tied up with work meetings during the days, I took the opportunity to catch up on lots of work, launch my blog(!) and enjoy plenty of R&R. The hospitality at the hotel was spectacular. Unlike other hotels I've stayed at in North America, I found the price points for food and beverage to be extremely reasonable without the standard exorbinant hotel price markup. From the European style continental breakfasts to the modern bar and lounge with gorgeous outdoor terrace, I took every opportunity to indulge in all the cappuccino, beer, rosé and cuisine my heart desired.

With all the indulging I allowed myself, I did take the opportunity to go on a run through Urmond's newest (and only) park. The park's paths wove through grassy green fields complete with cows, and started and ended over an uniquely constructed bridge in true Dutch fashion. Despite the cow smell handicap, I made great time on my 5K, and loved the opportunity to be outside enjoying the weather as it was sunny and 80's our whole trip.

After checking out of the hotel, we spent an evening in the medieval German town of Aachen located just 36 kilometers away. Aachen’s town center included a Town Hall dated from 1330, and a cathedral built by Charlemagne in the late eighth century.

We had a lovely dinner at a farm to table style restaurant located in the old town center, complete with what was probably some of the best German food I've had to date. The cobblestone lined streets, gorgeous weather and stunning surrounding architectural views made for the perfect setting for a well deserved date night after a long week of work.

After Aachen, we hit the road once again for yet another stop on our multi-city trip. Antwerp and Brugges, Belgium post to come next, but for now, tschüss!

xo

Shea