Day 1

Drop bags and find an aperitivo

Our flight landed in Cagliari around 3 pm and we were ready to hit the ground running. We chose to stay near the water, bordering the neighborhoods of Stampace and Quatiere Castello, and we’re so glad we did. While we could have easily taken a taxi to the city center, we decided to take the train into town for €5 and walk the 6 minutes to our AirBnb.

After dropping the bags off we took off to explore the town. We couldn’t recommend Rita’s place enough. Located on the edges of the city center, it was a perfect place to settle and was nestled among so many restaurants and cafes.

Just around the corner, we found a wonderful square which was the perfect place to enjoy an aperitivo to get the vacation started. The aperitivo is an Italian tradition, consisting of drinks and a light meal, that takes place at the end of the workday. Similar to the American Happy hour it is considered a warm-up to dinner and an event not to be missed.

Find a local Alimentari

Next, we stumbled upon Sapori di Sardegna, which was the cutest store, and stocked up on some god local cheese, meat, and wine. We also made sure to buy bottled water as it was recommended not to drink the tap.

Eat dinner

Impasto was recommended to us by a local Cagliarian and we were not disappointed. We went on the earlier side for dinner (8:30) and it was already pretty busy with a hefty waitlist. However, luck was on our side and we were seated outside within 15 minutes. Although I thought the outdoor space was ideal, keep in mind that many people smoke in Europe so the smells are not always great.

Day 2

Rent a car and explore Sardinia

We wanted to explore more of Sardinia so we rented a car for the day. The process took a bit longer than expected as I had to apply for an international drivers permit on the sport, but once we hit the road it was smooth sailing from there. We headed west and our first stop was to Porto Pino to walk the beach and take in the water. The views were unreal and the water was so vibrant- we definitely understand the hype around the beaches in Sardinia.

Eat Lunch at a Ittiturismo

We found Ittiturismo I Pirati Sardi and it was one of the best meals we had. They offer fresh seafood options, and you can choose what you want right out of the case. We ordered the sea bass and the clam pasta, and both were incredible. The server deboned the fish tableside, and I feel like I learned a new skill. The fries also tasted like McDonald’s-which was a plus.

Stop at a winery

There were a couple of options to choose from in the area and we chose Cantina Giba. The tasting was very informative, and we tried 3 different wines from the vineyard. Winery tastings seemed to be on the pricier side (with most starting at €35) but we thought our experience was well worth it. We made sure to go home with a bottle of the seasonal rose which were nicely priced at €11. If planning to visit a winery, our suggestion would be to contact them in advance and make a reservation.

Visit a village and explore

Sant’Antioco, which is a well-known spot for watersports, and is the 4th largest island in Italy was the perfect destination. It’s connected to the rest of Sardinia by an isthmus and holds a lot of history. We stopped by the archeological museum "Ferruccio Barreca”, which was so interesting and really explored the history of inhabitation in Sardinia. It ended up being about a 1.5-hour drive back to Cagliari.

Day 3

Shop and explore

For our last full day, we did a little shopping and explored more of the town. Since it was summer many stores were having their seasonal sales - it doesn’t hurt that new purchases over $70 qualify for a 12% tax refund upon leaving Europe.

Taking a break from shopping, we found the cutest wine bar and restaurant Sabores Bottega e Cucina for lunch.

Because the restaurant changes their menu daily (sometimes twice a day) they didn’t have one in English. Thankfully, the servers were able to translate and help us decide on a few dished. We landed on Fregula (a traditional Sardinian pasta with seafood) and the most delicious spinach and ricotta ravioli.

Sightsee and visit the landmarks

Once lunch was done of course we had to get some gelato on our way to the visit the Palazzo Regio and the Cagliari Cathedral. The palace definitely wasn’t a must -see but for only €3 it was something to do. Walking through the winding streets we found a bunch of cute shops and artist galleries.

Treat yourself for dinner

Cagliari has some amazing fine dining options and our dinner this last night was certainly one of the standouts on our trip. We went to Old Friend, a restaurant that achieved Michelin status in 2025. While we didn’t go for the tasting menu, we did try 5 or so dishes that were all so unique and interesting. For a fine dining experience, we thought the prices were very reasonable and the service was amazing. We made out reservation at 8 and when we got there it was pretty slow, however by 10 pm the entire place was packed.

Tips and Tricks

• Rent a car if you want to explore outside of Cagliari

• Pack appropriate shoes - Cagliari (and Sardinia in general) can be hilly

• Make dinner reservations- especially during busy season.

• Get an international driver’s license- some rental companies require one

I recently went to see the Death of Dance at the Steppenwolf Theater and what started out as a night of excitement quickly turned into a night of dullness. It was like opening a bottle of champagne that you’ve been saving for years only to open it and find it’s gone flat. Does the wine still taste good? Maybe, but not exactly what you wanted.

With a stacked cast led by Jeff Perry (Scandal and co-founder of Steppenwolf) and Kathryn Erbe (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) I was greatly disappointed that the play turned out to be such a flop (imo).

The story is centered on a couple, Alice and Edgar, who are approaching 25 years of marriage and who - over those years - have grown to despise each other. Set on an isolated Swedish island the play explores themes of resentment, despair, heartache, and regret and provides commentary on other topics like divorce, custody laws, and a woman’s place in the household. The couple are forced to confront each other when their lives are disrupted by a visit from Alice’s cousin Kurt.

To provide a bit of background, the original play was written by August Strindberg in Swedish in the year 1900. It was then re-written by for a British audience before being adapted into the version I saw written by Conor McPherson. While McPherson aimed to make the material more contemporary while keeping the original feel, I hate to say that I don’t think he succeeded and some lines and even whole scenes seemed to be from an entirely different play.

What should have been a play full of fun quips and jabs it was instead one full of jokes that don’t quite land. The acting was fine, but it was (in my opinion) the script that seemed lacking and missing a certain ‘je ne sais quoi.’ As an adaption of an adaption the play seemed to be lost in translation from the moment it began and even the amazing set couldn’t help it out.

Coming in at over two hours, the play didn’t get half-way interesting until the second act and with only 3 characters throughout the entire production it was hard to stay engaged. Ultimately, while I respect Steppenwolf for taking a swing in it’s 50^th season, I’d have much rather stayed at home and watched the War of the Roses, which is the ultimate couples hating each other film.

Dance of Death should be more aptly re-named to the Dance of Boredom.

Overall Rating: 2/5

After watching the iconic Audrey Hepburn in Charade we knew we had to get to the French Alps one day. How lucky are we that it turned out to be the perfect destination for our first international ski trip. With Winter in our rearview mirror, we thought it would be timely to relive our excursions and give our review of Chamonix and Zurich.

Chamonix

To begin our journey, we flew into Zurich and decided to rent a car for the length of trip. Thankfully, the 3-hour drive to Chamonix was so scenic and you get the opportunity to travel through the German and French zones of Switzerland. We found Chamonix to be one of the most charming towns in the French Alps. Lauren had visited years before, on a high school French trip during the Summer, so she was excited to get back and see Chamonix in its prime.

Sitting just North of Mount Blanc and bordering Switzerland and Italy this was a perfect choice for our first time skiing in Europe. Fun fact, it is also the site of the first Winter Olympics, held in 1924, so there is a lot of history to be found.

The town center was much larger than we expected, and we had access to all the shops we needed during our stay. We made sure to stop by the boulangerie and the fromagerie to stock up on meats and cheeses to snack on after a long day of skiing.

Overall Rating: A-

Our first 3 days were based in Chamonix and we stayed at Chalet Hotel Le Prieuré. This was a perfect place to stay as it was a two-minute walk to the city center and close to the shuttles to the various mountains. They had a wide variety of room types and layouts, and we were able to reserve a suite (at a decent rate) that could fit up to 6 adults. They also offered on-site parking and access to a room with lockers to store skis, snowboards, and other items.

Just a five-minute walk from our hotel we were able to rent our skis and snowboard from Skiset Aiguille du Midi. This process was super easy and took about 30 minutes to get outfitted to hit the slopes. For our first day of skiing we took the shuttle just to the entrance of Le Brevant. To be fair we could’ve walked but we wanted to conserve our energy for the day. We got there just before the lifts opened and you could feel the excitement in the air. Be warned people are quite pushy to get up to the top so you have to be quick (and maybe a little aggressive).

On day two of skiing, we decided to grab lunch on the mountain. The food was pretty good but also pretty expensive - as to be expected in the French Alps.

Since Lauren is a planner, she made sure to do plenty of research on the food scene in Chamonix and made reservations about a month before the trip. A few places she found that we enjoyed were Panier Des 4 Saisons and Le Monchu.

Though there are plenty of restaurants from fast-food to fine-dining options in the area, keep in mind that it does get fairly busy so you might want to make reservations to be on the safe side.

Of course, we had to stop by the famous La Folie Douce for a little apres-ski. We went around 4 pm so it hadn’t gotten to its craziest but it was still quite fun. The patio was huge and featured different sections and multiple fire pits to keep warm. We would definitely recommend going for the experience.

One the last day we took the tram up the mountain for the Montenvers experience and explored the ice caves which was such a cool experience. That said it definitely does book-up quickly so be sure to plan in advance and give yourself plenty of time to get there.

Overall, we absolutely loved Chamonix and would recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a cute town with options for varying ski levels. The mountains are very well connected, so it was easy to explore different areas over the days. No matter what the season, definitely take a visit to Chamonix. Teemed with hiking trails and nature walks there is sure to be an activity the entire family will enjoy.

Zurich

Overall Rating: B+

We ended our trip by spending 3 days in Zurich. Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and is home to one of the busiest international airports in Europe. The official language in this part of the country is German but English and French are spoken largely as well.

We stayed at Hotel Zürichberg, which is a beautiful boutique hotel on the outskirts of Zurich. Our stay was amazing, and we found the hotel to be the best choice as we were looking to relax after days of skiing. Surrounded by nature and overlooking Lake Zurich, the views from the hotel were stunning. The rooms were also incredibly comfortable and the breakfast buffet came with so many delicious options. Additionally, we were able to get two conjoining rooms for a reasonable rate which gave us plenty of space.

For dinner we decided we’d try for fondue, as we hadn’t had it yet on our trip, and this ended up being a highlight of the vacation. We went to Restaurant Swiss Chuchi, which is well-known and on many “bests” lists. The host must’ve liked us because were seated in 15 minutes (right before we walked-up we could hear him telling a couple it was over an hour wait).

Another highlight of the trip was a visit to the Lindt Home of Chocolate. Lauren’s not a huge chocolate fan but was pleasantly surprised at what a fun experience this was. Throughout the tour you get a chance to learn about the history of chocolate as well as taste a number of samples. You also get to choose a variety bag of chocolates on your way out. Definitely worth the 5-euro entrance fee.

Overall Zurich was such a beautiful city and had such a different feel from Chamonix. It was calm and tranquil and the people were super nice. It also seems like a multicultural hub in Switzerland. We’d say, if you’re looking for a place to party hard Zurich might not be the spot for you, but if you’re looking for beautiful and relaxing this could be the place.

Bon Voyage!!

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Last Thanksgiving we decided to swap our usual tradition of dinner at our aunt’s house for a Euro trip. For the second leg of the trip, we stopped in Morocco because (1) flights were cheap and (2) it was convenient to get to. Once the country was decided, we then had to make the tough decision of which city to explore. Morocco is historical country with a number of great cities to visit including Rabat, Fez, and Casablanca, each with their own culture and vibe. Ultimately, we decided to base ourselves in Marrakesh and this is what we savored.

Marrakesh

Because there were 8 of us we decided renting a Riad would be the best option and we found a suitable one, in the Medina, on Airbnb. This turned out to be a great option as it felt safe and central. It also came with a beautiful rooftop overlooking parts of the Medina and hot tub in the middle of the living room, so it doesn’t get much better than that.

**We’ve heard some horror stories about people renting Riads in Marrakesh. While we didn’t experience any issues, our suggestion would be to communicate with the host and ask a lot of questions about access and any on-site staff before booking.

On our first full day, we hired a cultural tour guide to take us around to local sites in the Medina and explain the significance to us. We found this tour especially enlightening and would highly recommend doing this to deeper understand the community and context of Marrakesh.

The highlight of this day included a visit to Bahia Palace. This is a beautiful 19th century building, made up of stunning mosaic and stucco work. It’s a great example of Moroccan architecture that is most famous for it’s decoration and detailing.

After a day spent exploring the oldest parts of the city, we found a delicious Lebanese restaurant called Naranj for dinner. We’re thankful we did and were happy to return over the course of our short trip.

Our second full day started with the Majorelle (YSL) Gardens, which are definitely a must see. Our recommendation is to get tickets early or else you may be waiting in a line that doesn’t move particularly quickly. Once in the gardens you will be awed by the various plants, colors, and architecture all coming together to make a beautiful oasis where the famed designer Yves Saint Laurent once called home.

Essaouira

Since we were only there for a few days, unfortunately we didn’t have time to make a trip to the desert. Our next best option seemed to be a day trip to Essaouira, and we were able to hire a driver for a reasonable rate. It was a 3-hour drive to the coast, and we made a number of stops along the way, including an argon oil collective and a rug store.

This day trip was definitely worth it, and we would love to get back for a longer visit. The town is known as a multicultural hub and has a mix of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian people living together (we took a tour of one of the oldest synagogues in the town). It has the feel of a beach town and (fun fact) is also where they filmed portions of the action-packed franchise John Wick.

Since it lies on the water, the seafood is fresh, and you can see the hoard of fisherman coming in and out of the harbor throughout the day. During out time there, we had a local tour guide take us around the city for about an hour. This was an efficient way for us to explore the city because we were on a time limit, but if you’re not in a hurry a guide is probably not necessary.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we had a great few days in Morocco and it felt like a good detox during our vacation before we headed to Madrid. One negative of the trip was that it does feel like everywhere you go someone is trying to sell you something (which can get a little annoying). We would visit Marrakesh again if the occasion arose, but it wouldn’t necessarily be at the top of the list. However, we would like to explore other parts of Morocco and maybe even do a visit to the desert.

If you’re a picky eater, be warned there aren’t a wide range of cuisine options, and you will see chicken tajine almost anywhere you go. Additionally, although it’s not entirely illegal, alcohol is extremely regulated and you will really only find it at hotels or places that get a lot of international traffic. Lastly, during our time there we felt pretty safe but were sure to be mindful of our surroundings as the old part of the city can get quite dark at night and busy during the day.

Do’s

• Hire a tour guide to show you around

• Book excursion tickets early

• Haggle, they expect it and it’s kind of fun

Don’ts

• Be shocked that people take breaks to pray

• Forget to be respectful, compared to the US it’s quite conservative

• Take pictures of people in the square-they will come up to you demanding money

Is it racist? It didn’t seem that way to us, but the vibes here are much different than any place we’ve ever been. Though progressive in some ways, it still seems like a very conservative place- so maybe the better question to ask in this case is “is it sexist.”

The Drive

Lutsen is a small town a mere four hours north of Minneapolis, and once you hit Duluth the drive is beautiful and boasts views of the Lake Superior coastline. It’s almost like driving along the Amalfi Coast!

Pro tip- there were plenty of gas stations along the way so no need to worry too much about running out of gas.

Our one recommendation would be to pack a cooler. Keeping in mind that we would be in a more remote area, we made sure to pack enough provisions for the duration of our stay. We found the grocery stores were surprisingly well stocked but much more expensive than in the cities and lacking some specialty items (don’t worry our martinis didn’t suffer). Also depending on where you’re staying, the stores are in the town center which can be anywhere from a 10-30 minute drive to where most rentals are.

Stay

Toria found the cutest Airbnb for our stay. At first we were a little nervous as the place was described to us as a converted shipping container, but boy were we mistaken. The place was so cool and felt very hi-tech. From the heated floors to the lovely gas fireplace, it was so perfect and so cozy. Covered in windows the views were amazing, and though there was another cabin down the road it felt serene and remote. With two bedrooms it was the perfect amount of space for four adults and 2 dogs. Extra perk that it was dog friendly and had a fenced in area for easy access to the bathroom (for the dogs of course).

After a day of skiing, this fireplace was the cherry on top, and we spent the rest of the evening curled up on the couch (with cocktails and wine) watching Christmas movies and playing games.

Food

Located in Grand Marais, we stopped at the cutest restaurant, The Fisherman’s Daughter, for dinner. As the name might suggest it’s a seafood eatery right on the water. We didn’t get a chance to sit outside, but the inside was just a cute and welcoming.

It doubles as a cafe and seafood market that mostly specializes in smoked fish. We wanted to try everything on the menu but limited ourselves to the cheese curds, a fish sandwich, and the fish and chips plate. All were delicious.

No only was the food good but the drinks were good as well. Serving up local pours, we were able to try beer from Voyageur Brewing Company and wine from North Shore Winery. Lauren was a little nervous about the red blend but was pleasantly surprised by how good it was and how quickly it went down The beer was great as well and both had brick and mortars not far from the restaurant.

Activities

In Minnesota, Lutsen is known for its outdoor activities- hiking in the Summer and skiing in the Winter. We opted for the latter and had a blast hitting the slopes at Lutsen Mountains. The mountain was just a ten minute drive away from the Airbnb and for a holiday it wasn’t too busy, which we loved and we were able to take advantage of the extra space on the mountains. A day pass ran us around $80 without any rentals, which would have been an additional $60. Definitely not a cheap activity but we’d recommend if you’re looking for decent skiing in the area.

In addition to hiking and skiing, there are numerous scenic views overlooking Lake Superior in all it’s beauty.

Overall Lutsen was a wonderful adventure and we would definitely recommend a visit for anyone wanting to get out of the city and enjoy a little nature. Totally worth the drive!

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Amadeus is Steppenwolf Theatre’s second play celebrating their landmark 50th season. Written by Peter Shaffer and directed by Robert Falls, Amadeus is full of laughs, intrigue, and gorgeous costuming. It has cemented itself as one of our favorite productions that we’ve seen at the theater so far. As you can probably guess from the title, this story centers around a little-known figure named Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and follows his (one-sided?) rivalry with court composer Antonio Salieri. Born in Salzburg in 1756, Mozart became one of the most influential composers of the Classical period. Despite his short life, he produced more than 800 pieces of work before his untimely death in 1791. Based on this telling it’s not hard to imagine why he’d have a few haters.

We attended a Friday showing that was close to sold out. There was even Broadway royalty in the house! Before the show started Lauren spotted Hamilton’s Philippa Soo, which made the evening that much more exciting. Toria was pretty skeptical it was her, but Phillipa’s presence was confirmed the next day via her Instagram story.

Amadeus takes full advantage of the jubilee season, boasting a 19-person cast - many of whom have shockingly few lines. This makes the production one of Steppenwolf’s largest ensemble casts, including a few familiar faces from television shows like The Office.

The play takes place in Steppenwolf’s beautiful Ensemble Theater, which has a uniquely circular layout making it hard to pick a bad seat. The entire theater acted as a stage as the actors move around, and at times even through the audience, making use of the balconies and walkways. Toria’s seat was in the front row, and she made eye contact with several of the actors throughout the performance.

We both went in with an open mind, as neither of us had seen the movie or any other versions of the play. Act-I begins on an intense note, with Antonio Salieri on his deathbed. The opening scene had us immediately on the edge of our seat and plugged into what was to come.

The entire play is told mostly through the viewpoint of Salieri and the rivalry between the two musicians is the tension that moves the play forward. Though it’s a work of fiction, the characters and settings are entirely real making it feel like you might actually be learning something as you watch.

The costuming was beautiful and felt very of the time but with a current twist. The dialogue was both intentionally and unintentionally funny with numerous moments throughout that had the audience LOLing.

As we are currently living in an era where originality is celebrated, we found the play relatable and had a good idea of what Amadeus was dealing with during his rise to fame. Being both a musical prodigy and composer that wasn’t afraid to test the limits - we learn that Amadeus was met with a good amount of push-back and confusion throughout his career. Because of this, we found ourselves cheering for the underdog - shifting Salieri from protagonist to antagonist. These themes resemble the theater’s origin and remind those who are familiar with Steppenwolf’s history that the theater started off as a group of misfits that wanted to create on their own terms. And who, over the last 50 years, have presented, created, and produced world-renowned plays and whose name is synonymous with excellent artistry.

Though there are some musical aspects of the play it’s certainly not a musical, so don’t let that prospect turn you off.

Though Amadeus’s music is well known today, his influence and prominence in Austria began to fade toward the end of his life and he died with little wealth at the age of 39. The play begs us all to ask the question “how far would you go to best a rival?” It also reminds us that we should appreciate our artistic heroes while they are still with. Coming in at 2 hours and 45 minutes, it is a commitment but it’s totally worth it.

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Overall Rating: A-

When you find out your best friend has never been to Paris you rectify that situation IMMEDIATELY. After finding a decently priced flight we plans were solidified and we began to plan our 4-day trip to the French capital.

Public transportation is abundant in-and-around Paris, so we took the train from the airport to the city center in order to catch the metro. It was fairly simple to get to the metro; you just have to make sure you pay for the right number of zones. The good news is, there are people are the station to help you select the correct ticket - if not you may end up with a ticket (the Parisian police love to fine people, don’t say I didn’t try to warn you).

For this trip we decided to stay in the Marais, which turned out to be the perfect location. It gives a cozy neighborhood feel while also being close to various metro stations and monuments. While walking through the neighborhood we made sure to explore all streets, as there were plenty of cute shops, bakeries, and cafes both obvious and tucked away.

Day 1

We landed mid-morning, so we wanted to hit the ground running. After checking into our Airbnb, we hit up the closest Monoprix (basically a European version of Target) for the basics, like water, wine, snacks, and of course wine. France is great because you can get the good stuff for cheap.

Once those items were secured, we strolled down to visit the Notre Dame. Sadly, it was still closed due to the fire, but there was an exhibition on the outside of the cathedral that gave an idea of what you would see inside.

Continuing our walk, we made our way over to Pont Neuf for a boat tour. If it’s your first visit, I would recommend trying to plan you boat ride 20-30 minutes before sunset, the views are spectacular and there’s nothing like seeing the Eiffel Tower at night from the water.

We were starving (and a little tipsy) after the boat, so we headed across the street to Vietnamese restaurant called Ha Noi 1988. It was quick, easy, and most importantly delicious and there ended up being no wait.

Day 2

On our first full day we grabbed a croissant for breakfast at a bakery next door and began our journey. We stopped at the cutest coffee shop and wine bar called Sevenly Heart, of course we were partially influenced by TikTok, but it was worth the stop. My flat white was perfect, and the restrooms had a toilet that was so high tech it took me (at least) an extra 10-seconds to figure out how to flush it.

In the 9th Arrondissement we were able to check out a few cute vintage and secondhand stores. At Bis Boutique Solidaire, I found the most beautiful navy Yves Saint Laurent trench, unfortunately for me (and fortunately for my bank account) it was too big, so I had to leave it behind.

We had lunch at the Marché Couvert des Enfants Rouges in the 3rd Arrondissement. It’s also the oldest covered food market in Paris. The options were a little bit spendy, but it was a good place to take a break from walking and enjoy a good sandwich and (of course) glass of wine.

For dinner we made a reservation at Racines. The food was amazing, and I will definitely be returning on my next visit. The pasta was cooked to perfection and our crudo tasted so fresh. The only downside is that the spot is tiny so you should definitely make a reservation in advance.

After dinner we headed across town to the Little Red Door cocktail bar that was recommended to us. I would say it was a bit overrated, and the bar was so loud we either had to yell at each other over the house music. Not to mention the drinks were not cheap.

Day 3

We started the day with a morning trip to visit the Palace of Versailles. Definitely book tickets in advance, we went at 10 am and it was still extremely crowded. It was simple to get there on the metro but keep in mind the palace is a 10–15-minute walk from the station.

Outside of the crowds, the palace is absolutely breathtaking and compared to others that I have visited they have a lot of rooms that are open to the public. I would recommend giving yourself at least 2-3 hours here, especially if you also plan to walk the gardens.

After getting back to Paris in the afternoon, we headed to Montmartre to visit the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. Entry is free but something to note is that the basilica is at the very top of a hill and will take several steps to get to the entry (although I think there may be an elevator making it accessible). Before taking the hike up to the church we stopped at Les Fistons for lunch. We thought it would be sub-par pub food, but we were pleasantly mistaken. The food and drinks were locally sourced and not badly priced. The area is also so cute with tons of cafes and shops around so I would suggest setting aside some time to explore the neighborhood.

Of course, no trip to Paris is complete without at least stopping at the Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussman (my favorite location). After finding a few goodies (on sale) we made our way to Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche to check out the famous butter section. The nice thing is that for only a few euros you can seal up the butter to make it travel friendly. In addition to butter, we grabbed some bread, cheese, and charcuterie and headed over to the Jardin du Luxembourg to do some good people watching.

Day 4

Our last full day was devoted to champagne because…. when in France. From Paris you can get to Epernay or Reims (both champagne house hubs) in under 2 hours. We chose Epernay to see the famous Avenue de Champagne. After visiting both towns, I would say each have their own advantages. In my opinion, Reims is the cuter and livelier place with more/better food options. On the other hand, Epernay has the convenience of more houses that are mostly in one location. Additionally, in Reims you will also have to take a taxi or the bus to get to the area of the champagne houses like Veuve Clicquot and G.H. Martel and Co.

We chose to visit two houses and did a full tour at Boizel and a tasting at Champagne Mercier. The process of making champagne is similar so you probably only need to do 1 tour. It also does get quite tiring, so we had to cut ourselves off after two glasses.

On our last night we took a walk in the Marais and stumbled upon the most perfect tasting menu at Dessance. A tasting menu for less than $90 USD, it was a no brainer that we had to wat here and thankfully there were able to squeeze us in at the chef’s table without a reservation.

After demolishing our courses, we made our way to the Eiffel Tower. We were expecting a light show but apparently, they stopped doing that.

Honorable mentions: we had our hearts set on going to Crazy Horse Paris, but we didn’t get tickets in time.

Overall, Paris is amazing and I when given the chance I will always go for a visit. It is a city of culture, fashion, food, and wine and each time I visit, I find something, someplace new. Being in a big and bustling city can be overwhelming, but if you organize the day by arrondissement, it makes it much more manageable. Most people speak English so don’t be dissuaded from visiting just because you don’t have the language skills.

Do’s

• Shop until you drop! That 12% back is not nothing so live it up.

• Eat as much gyro and falafel that you can

• Grab wine and cheese and head to the nearest park

• Plan your champagne tours early

• Say ‘Bonjour’ when you enter a shop

Don’ts

• Forget to save the tax refund until you’re on the way back to the US and don’t forget to pack your new purchases with you (they may ask to see them)

• Forget that you have to ask for the check, unlike in the US dinner is a leisure experience

• Overthink it, there’s always something to do so leave openings in your day to look around

Is it Racist?

I’d say no but there’s definitely some xenophobia going on in France and the rest of Europe. That said if you’re feeling something it’s more likely that you’re behaving like an “annoying American”.

Here’s where we strayed and what we savored during October.

Arts & Culture

Unfortunately, we missed The Queens: Four Legends, One Stage tour in the Midwest, so we seized the opportunity to catch the show in DC. (Stay tuned to hear more about what we got up to in our nation’s capital). In short, DC remains one of our favorite cities for a quick getaway. With its wide array of cultural hubs, museums, historic sites, and restaurants, everyone is sure to find something to enjoy there.

The month started off with a trip to the Museum of Contemporary Art. The museum is free for Chicago residents on Tuesdays, so we took the opportunity to pop in and see the exhibits. Sadly, the Yoko Ono exhibit wasn’t open yet, but it was still a good way to spend an hour. After looking at the art, we stopped by Marisol on the ground floor to catch the last moments of happy hour (4-6). If you’re looking for a post-museum snack, we would highly recommend this place.

Food & Drinks

We were starving after the No Kings protest and decided to stop by Ema for lunch with a few friends. Although the service was terrible, the food was delicious. The hummus and baba ghanoush were fantastic and the pita bread was incredibly fluffy.

A date night included a stop at Rose Mary in West Loop. This is one of the hardest reservations to get in Chicago and now we understand why. The food and drinks were top-notch, and we will certainly be back.

We stumbled upon the cutest neighborhood specialty shop, Maison Pasquale. This will definitely be our go-to spot for all things with a French flare. With a wide selection of cheeses, wine, and specialty items this place has it all and feels so cozy in this colder weather.

Out and About

We put on our marching shoes and participated in the No Kings protest in Chicago. While we weren’t close enough to hear Governor Pritzker speak, we felt inspired by the amount of people that showed up and marched for democracy. We also loved how creative folk got with their signs.

One of our friend’s turned the big 3-0 (shoutout Tiffany) and hosted the cutest wine tasting party at their new apartment in Logan Square. Since we were in the area, of course we had to stop by Easy Does It to do a bit of dancing and wine tasing. While patio season is officially closed, it was still nice to grab a class of natural wine.

Here’s a few things that we’re still looking forward to:

November 6-January 11: Based on the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Amadeus begins its run at Steppenwolf Theater.

(Follow the link for more information Amadeus | Steppenwolf Theatre)

November 6-9: Join Joffrey at the Harris Theater for Matter of the Heart. Featuring works from Annabelle Lopez Ochoa with Broken Wings and Chanel DaSilva with Wabash & You.

November 7-16: Stop by the Gene Siskel Film Center for the Black Harvest Film Festival. This will be the 31st year of the festival.

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Overall Rating: A

Stray & Savor took a girl’s trip with our mom, two aunts, and cousin to the south of France. Since we were traveling with older folks, we decided to go in October to avoid the summer rush, which turned out to be an excellent choice. Traveling with 6 people does have its limitations, so we decided to rely on public transportation to get around instead of renting multiple cars. In hindsight, renting cars would have allowed us more flexibility when it came to scheduling tours and taking day trips around Paris - but we made it work.

We based ourselves in Nice and rented an Airbnb near the water at 7 Rue Sinclair. The views were great, and it was centrally located and near ideal bus stops.

Nice and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

Vacation is no excuse for not getting a good workout in, so on our first morning we decided to do a coastal walk from Nice to Villefranche-sur-Mer. The walk was lovely but proved challenging at times due to steep steps. Thankfully we found a bakery along the way and were able to grab a few almond croissants and water to refuel us (balance). After arriving in Villefranche-sur-Mer, we popped into a few stores and then took the bus back to Nice to get ready for the rest of the day.

In the afternoon we ventured to La Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. If you like history, beautiful homes, and gorgeous gardens we highly recommend this stop. We purchased our tickets online beforehand, but you could also buy them there. Additionally, there is a cafe on the grounds where you can stop for pastries, fresh squeezed juice, and other goodies.

In the city center of Nice is where we found the cutest little café tucked away called Marinette. The “American” style pancakes really hit the spot!

Antibes and Juans-les-Pins

From our base in Nice, we took a 15-minute train to Antibes to visit the Picasso Museum. There was a wait to get into the museum, but the line moved pretty quickly. We then followed the coastline and ended up in the neighboring town of Juans-les-Pins. There were a number of beach clubs and restaurants to choose from for an afternoon aperitivo hour.

Monaco

We decided to take a day trip to Monaco because why not hop on the city bus to visit another country. The bus drives along the coast making the 45-minute ride beautifully scenic. The moment we arrived in Monaco we could feel the wealth. From the Mercedes G wagons to the Hermès bags - people there are rich rich.

Monte Carlo the movie is one of our guilty pleasures (Selena gang), so of course we had to stop at the famous Monte Carlo Casino and try our hands at a few slots. There were definitely some high rollers in the building, but it didn’t feel too intimidating to be there and the staff was more than happy to get us signed up for complimentary visitor cards that came with 5 euros to spend at the casino. Even though we didn’t walk away winners it was still a great experience. Just a note that they do have some sort of a “smart casual” dress code (our cousin was wearing ripped jeans and wasn’t allowed in) and after 7 pm it becomes more formal.

While in Monaco, our mom wanted to take a look in Chanel and what started as a harmless adventure turned into a bizarre- yet funny- experience involving both the Monaco police and fire department. Long story short - the bathroom sink in Chanel fell off the wall and onto her foot and this somehow required about 6 uniformed men to come to her aid. Once they established she wasn’t seriously injured and wasn’t going to sue them we hurried on to our dinner reservation that we were already running late for. (For her trouble she was gifted a limit edition perfume set so maybe it was worth it?)

Dinner that night was at the La Note Bleue (or the Blue Note). It’s a great venue with indoor and outdoor seating right on the water. Since was a beautiful day we sat outside and were still able to hear the live funk performance happening on the inside.

Overall, we had a blast on our trip. It’s a touristy town so the food was pretty mediocre, but it’s possible we were just choosing the wrong places. Most everyone speaks English, so it was simple to get around and communicate with the locals. Public transport is fairly easy to use but be sure to double check the timetables before heading out. We also learned the hard way that you have to flag down the bus- they don’t automatically stop for you. However, taxis are readily available in case you miss the bus or train. However, if your starting point is Monaco, it might cost you the small sum of €60-€70 to get over the border.

Do’s

• Prepare for crowds, especially if you go during the busy months

• Use the public transportation, it’s fairly simple

• Splurge and buy a chair at a beach club (most of the beach areas are rocky)

Don’ts

• Forget to triple check the bus and trains times (cabs from Monaco to Nice will be expensive if you miss)

• Forget to pack hiking shoes, there are several amazing beach walks

Is it Racist?

We didn’t think. However, it’s still France and they don’t totally beat the “we don’t like Americans” stereotype.

Here’s where we strayed and what we savored this month.

Arts & Culture

Starting with Labor Day, our parents decided to turn a long weekend into a week-long. To entertain ourselves we popped over to the AMC Dine-In in River North to see The Roses. Though hard to compete with Kathleen Turner’s iconic delivery of the line “Woof” (IYKYK) and Michael Douglas’ performance, we found the movie enjoyable. Being huge fans of the original, it was a refreshing and modern take that appropriately paid homage to its predecessor while infusing the story with funny faces and new twists.

For us, no parental visit is complete without a stop to Doc B’s (the Gold Coast location with the quinoa salad is the only way to go). The week day happy hour sweetened the visit, and anyone in the S&S Navy knows what a good HH means to us!

Steppenwolf Theater kicked off their 50th season with Mr. Wolf, an intriguing and thought-provoking play about a stolen child returned to her family after 12 years. A little dark, but definitely worth a watch and coming in at only 84 minutes and running through November 11.

Food & Drinks

With patio season among us it’s only right we started the month off with a girl’s happy hour at Bungalow by Middlebrow (4-6 M-F). Known for their pizza dough, local wine, and brewery this restaurant stays on our list of places to go. The vibe is always and point here and sitting on the patio mentally transports us to Brooklyn, NY. While their natural wines are decent, if it’s not happy hour Toria tends to stick to the beer as the pours are a bit small for the price point.

On the topic of pizza, we’d be remiss to not give a shout out to Logan Square’s Pizza Lobo. It’s the perfect place to grab cheap slice, and the cocktails never miss. The service is fast and friendly!

Out and About

Weekends are for farmers markets, and this month was no exception. Our favorites continue to be the Green City Market in Lincoln Park (if you’re looking for actual produce) on Saturday and the Logan Square Market (for treats and goodies) on Sunday.

We were thrilled to attend the Sunday in the Park with Lyric performance at Millenium Park. We’ve attended a few events at Millenium park, and usually sitting in the grass gives a great view of the performance du soir (look at that high school French coming in handy). We’re noting this performance as one that may have been better if we had grabbed a spot towards the front (or even in a seat). However, despite it being a bit difficult to see from the grass, the sound system was great and it was still an enjoyable evening. Though this might’ve been the last event of the season, we highly recommend getting these shows in Millennium Park on the calendar. Grab your friends and a bottle of wine and enjoy a picnic.

Always in party mode, we spent a Saturday evening at The Whistler. This is a cool bar in Logan that started off as more of a speakeasy vibe but is now pretty easy to find (points that they have a patio). The drinks are decent but maybe a little over priced considering the cocktails are pre-batched, but if you’re in the area and wanting some live music and dance this might be a good stop.

As Easy Does It is easily one of our favorite bars in the city, we enjoyed a Sunday Funday on the patio to celebrate their 5th anniversary. We treated ourselves to a chilled bottle of red (even better that it was happy hour pricing) and enjoyed DJ and food vendors on site. Though it can get a bit loud with the blue line passing overhead, this place is definitely a vibe and is a great spot to meet with friends.

September seems to be the month of wine. We avoided the mid-week slump by stopping at Good Funk. After grabbing seats at the bar, we enjoyed a crisp glass of sparkling to close out the day. While their wines may be a little pricey, they do have a happy hour from 3-5 during the week.

Here’s a few things that we’re still looking forward to:

September 15-October 15: Chicago Symphony Orchestra begins its season with celebrations for Hispanic Heritage month.

(Follow the link for more information Chicago Symphony Orchestra)

September 19-21: The third annual Chicago Exhibition Weekend begins. With over 50 galleries and creative spaces participating this should be a great opportunity to explore the Chicago art scene.

(Follow the link for more information Chicago Exhibition Weekend 2025 | Sept 19–21)

September 18-28: Joffrey kicks off its 70th season with Carmen. We’ll be seeing the ballet on September 25th and can’t wait to see how Chicago interprets this piece of work.

(Follow the link for more information Carmen | Joffrey Ballet)

September 28: Easy Does It in Logan kicks of their third annual celebration of German wines from 12-6. This event will include wine tastings from 1-4 pm for $20 and a DJ.

(Follow the link for more information Weintoberfest — Easy Does It)

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Overall Rating: B

We won’t give all the credit for our visit to Ed Sheeran but we can’t pretend his banger of a song ‘Barcelona’ wasn’t in our heads the entire trip.

Now, normally we find it pretty easy to figure out how to take the public transportation, but our skills were put to the test right when landed. Don’t be confused by the multiple bus lines departing from the airport. We were looking for the blue express bus goes directly to the city center but ended up on a local bus for which we had the wrong ticket for. However, thanks to a nice bus driver we were able to get to the city center without paying for another ticket (it just took a bit longer).

The first night we had dinner at Cañete. The place was buzzing when we arrived for our 7pm reservation. This was one of the restaurants we thought would be overrated due to all of the Tik Tok hype, but the food was actually very good! The service was quick, and we were able to indulge in a variety of tapas.

We didn’t have a ton of energy this first night we still wanted to grab a post dinner drink. We stumbled upon Bitter Cocktail Bar which was a small cocktail bar off the main avenue. I still think about the spicy paloma I had.

Our second full day started with a visit the Sagrada Familia basilica. You definitely need tickets in advance for this, but it was well worth the time and money. The detail of the basilica is breathtaking, and they offer an audio tour with your ticket- just remember to bring headphones. Special shout-out for the customer service agent for letting me exchange my tickets after booking them for the wrong day. #blessed.

After the church we hopped on the metro and took a quick journey to the famous Mercat de la Boqueria. The market was full on unique and varied stalls with a large variety of food options. There, you can find a bucket of the infamous Bonilla a la Vista potato chips. In Spain these are only €15 compared to $75 price tag in the states. That steal made buying these chips was a no brainer! What other way is there to celebrate a good chip deal than to grab a tin caviar to pair with them?! We paired this with a bottle of cava and honestly this was one of the best snacks we had during our trip.

We followed up our homemade happy hour with a late dinner at Berbena which is an experience I can’t rave about enough. The concept and the decor were on point, and we loved that all the servers also pulled double duty as the chefs and would take turns preparing dishes in the kitchen.

Park Güell was well worth a visit if you like pretty parks and want an unbeatable view of Barcelona. By the time we arrived the tickets had sold out for the day. Tourists were getting turned away, so this is another attraction to be sure to book in advance. In all, we spent close to 3 hours getting there, exploring, and getting back on the bus.

This was going to be our clubbing night, and our plan was to go to the famous Razzmatazz (which didn’t open until midnight), so we had some time to kill. The club is basically a huge warehouse space with different concept rooms and areas. It was fun but mostly house music - so not really either of our scene.

For pregaming purposes, we tried to go to Monk, a speakeasy cocktail bar that was recommended to us, but the wait was 2 hours. After pivoting we ended up at the close by Paradiso before heading to the club.

Penedés

Not too far, about an hour drive, from Barcelona is the Cava region of Penedés. Cava, as we learned, is basically the Spanish version of champagne and it is a little earthier in taste but equally delicious and usually half the price.

We decided to do a tour at which was worth the cost. Note, for most tours you do have to book in advance, although most places have tasting rooms. We did a tour at Finca Battlori and a tasting at Colet Winery. Both were good and had a unique taste.

After getting a little tipsy at the cava vineyards we took a 30-minute drive to the designer outlets at La Roca Village to do some shopping with the VAT refund top of mind. We both splurged on items from Gucci and Burberry we’d had our eyes on for a while for well under retail value. Honorable mention goes to Bodega Santo Porcello which revived us after a long day.

Sitges

By suggestion of a group of travel agents we met at Canete, on day four we hopped on a train to Sitges for the day. We’re happy we took their advice as the town was well worth a visit and should not be missed. The coastal town was lively, even in November, with plenty of restaurants and shops. We did stumble across a nude beach in the center of town so don’t say you weren’t warned in the event you catch an eyeful. We enjoyed a great lunch on the main avenue. The fish was fresh, and the wine was flowing!

Last thoughts

Overall, Barcelona is fun place, but we can’t say it beats out other metropolitan cities in the EU. The city was reasonably clean and easy to get around, but there was not much that stood out to be unique apart from the main attractions. Maybe it’s the time of year we went and that fact that we didn’t really take advantage of any of the beaches. We’re glad we went but we don’t know if it’s high on our list of places to return.

There was a lot of diversity in the city which was a nice change of pace compared to other places we’ve visited in Europe. We also found it easy to communicate with the locals, even though we spoke 0 Spanish. The food scene was impressive and of course the architecture was amazing, but comparatively we thought it was on the pricier end. Most of the sites and attractions come with a moderately sized price tag so unless you’re ready to blow a bunch of money on tours and attractions our recommendation would be to pick out a few and get tickets in advance. We will say that it’s a very walkable city with well working bus and metro system.

We didn’t experience any pick-pocketers but were warned by multiple people to be careful.

Do’s

• Explore the surrounding towns and cities

• Reserve tickets to the main attractions in advance

Don’ts

• Be nervous about getting around the city

• Wear inappropriate clothing to religious sites

Is it racist? Let’s face it, it’s Spain - but we did not face any outward or noteworthy instances where we felt uncomfortable. Fortunately, we went before the Spainards started to use water guns against tourists!

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Overall Rating: B+

We certainly kicked off May on a high note. With a friend’s wedding in Scotland, Stray & Savor turned the occasion into a 6-day vacation! Who doesn’t love an excuse to travel? Thankfully we got some great weather and with a combination of planes, trains, and automobiles we were able to see quite a bit of the country. Here’s is what we ate, drank, and saw.

*For reference (because we were a little confused ourselves):

• The United Kingdom is a country made up of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

• Great Britain is an island made up of England, Wales, and Scotland.

• The currency is the Great British Pound.

Glasgow

We started our trip in Glasgow and stayed at the Dakota Hotel, part of a chain of boutique hotels in the UK. It was a surprisingly spacious room and turned out to be in a great location as it was a 5-minute walk to the Charing Cross station and a 10-or so minute walk from the Queen Street station (the main station).

*Side note: while the hotel was beautifully decorated and modern - the key card system was not. Be sure not to place your room key near anything magnetic or it will need to be constantly re-activated (you’d think in 2025 they would be less sensitive to credit cards and phones).

There was no way we were letting jet lag get us down, so after chatting with the lovely hotel staff and dropping our bags, we headed out to conquer day 1. No adventure can start on an empty stomach, so we opted to grab a bite at Singl-end (Single End), a cafe and bakery serving up delicious cakes and breakfast foods.

Then it was time to hit the first site - Stirling Castle. It was a quick 40-minute train ride from Glasgow and ended up being one of our favorite castles due to the scenic views of the lush green landscape and ample areas to explore.

We worked up a hunger and headed to the Finnieston neighborhood for happy hour and dinner. For pre-dinner drinks we started at the Kelvingrove Cafe, which had great cocktails and a patio. The star of the evening was the Crabshakk. The food was delicious, fresh, and reasonably priced. We were a little disappointed in the whole crab but had our minds completely changed by the scallops, crab cakes, and the Turbot.

If you’re looking for a restaurant or pub, I would suggest starting on Argyle St as it is lined with a number of options. A few that looked delicious that we didn’t get to try included the Gannet and Santorini.

For post-dinner drinks we made our way across town to the Absent Ear speakeasy in Merchant City. Would highly recommend making a reservation as walk-ins are limited but there’s a bar on the top if you can’t get in or have to wait. The menu was art based and super creative; every drink is made with an unexpected yet fitting twist.

Edinburgh

On day 2, we took a day trip to Edinburgh. The two cities have completely different feels so I would highly recommend making time to see both. The trains between the two were easy to navigate and ran regularly throughout the day making travel a breeze.

Once we arrived at the Edinburgh train station, we made our way immediately to the Scran & Scallie for lunch. It had been recommended to us by a couple we met the evening before and luckily, we were able to snag a reservation (though they do take walk-ins). This was a beautifully decorated gastropub and although it was a bit tucked away in Stockbridge it was easy to get to via bus. We would highly recommend the fish and chips with an honorable mention for the extra spicy Bloody Mary. If you’re looking for a sweet treat after your meal pop over to Twelve Triangles right next door for a delicious baked good.

After lunch we took a walk through Inverleith Park and before heading to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, which is free (huge plus).

After getting our fill of nature we stopped in the cutest clothing store called Treen on St. Stephens Place. The boutique had a wide selection of cute vegan and sustainable clothing.

We then headed to Edinburgh Castle. Tickets do sell out, so definitely secure your time slot in advance. By a stroke of luck, we were able to secure the last 2 tickets of the day while at lunch (phew!). Getting to the castle is easy but be warned it is a steep journey to the entrance so be prepared to activate those glutes if you plan to visit by foot.

After the castle we walked down Royal Mile and Princes St. before heading back to the train station. While Princes St. is known for its shopping, we wouldn’t say there was much to see on the main strip (maybe we needed to zig zag?). If you’re looking for a knick-knack or a gift, however, the shops are plentiful.

Inverness

Day 3 started with us heading for the Highlands. Since we only had a couple of days before the wedding, we chose to settle in Inverness. It’s an easy 3.5-hour train ride from Glasgow that takes you through the beautiful and scenic countryside and stops in adorable and historical towns like Pitlochry. News to us, we found out we happened to be traveling on a Bank Holiday but thankfully that did not appear to impact the public transportation too much.

We had a few hours before we could check into our Airbnb, so we decided to take a walk along the river and grab a drink at a local distillery.

After a lovely walk we ended up at Uilebheist Distillery and Brewery. Knowing absolutely nothing about whiskey, the bartender was super helpful in picking out a few for us to taste at various price points. We split a tasting of 4, which cost £45. If you love whiskey that tastes like burnt rubber, we would recommend the two whiskeys on the left in the picture below. *Sidenote- this place does whiskey tours and is also a hotel.

Inverness definitely isn’t the foodie capital of the world, but we were able to find some great eats. For dinner we ate at Cafe 1 which was so good and locally sourced. Somewhere in between fine dining and a pub, the service was great and although the menu wasn’t too expansive, we found some tasty options like scallops and Scottish Monkfish to share. As with the castles in Scotland, be sure to make reservations ahead of time!

On day 2 in Inverness, we found the Jacobite Loch Ness boat tour. Unfortunately, we didn’t find Nessie but fortunately we got perfect boat weather. It was a relaxing 2-hour experience with sights, a funny captain, and a full bar.

The transit system is quite different from Glasgow and Edinburgh with buses running only every 1 to 2 hours. Because we didn’t have a car and didn’t want to wait for the bus, we did not make the trip to Urquhart Castle (more like ruins) but we were able to see it from the boat. The view from the boat did not leave much to be desired - so don’t feel bad about skipping this excursion.

After our morning on the water we stumbled upon the cutest wine bar, the Walrus & Corkscrew, for a pre-dinner drink.

We were pretty dead at the end of the day so got into our PJs early, ordered some mediocre Indian food, and binged quite a few episodes of Made in Chelsea (please let us know where we can stream in the US).

A few additional honorable mentions go to the Mustard Seed and the River House. Both restaurants fill up quickly making a reservation in advance is essential.

Even though we were only there from Monday-Wednesday we were still able to find some fun nightlife. Surprisingly (at least to us), many of the pubs have live music which is definitely worth checking out. Hootananny and Johnny Foxes were the two we stopped by and had a great evening. I don’t know that either would be my first option for food, but the drinks were great.

Overall, Inverness was a beautiful city, but I don’t think you need more than 2 days there unless you plan to take day trips or explore more of the highlands. Not having a car made it a bit more challenging to get around and explore the surrounding area -but not impossible.

Castle Douglas/Gatehouse of Fleet

Our last stop of the trip was Castle Douglas and Gatehouse of Fleet for the wedding. To get there we rented a car in Glasgow and drove two hours to the sea. It was our first time driving on the opposite side of the road, but we made it there in one piece (prayers up). The ride was scenic, and traffic was fairly light which made the ride enjoyable. Part of the drive was through a few different national park areas so if you have the time, you should stop and look around.

We stayed at the Sea View Snugs at Laggan with most of the wedding party. It was a beautiful compound with separate “snuggies” ranging in size and amenities. The snugs are situated on the coast so the views are beautiful and with a 10–15-minute walk you could be at the water (don’t be surprised if you pass a few cows and sheep on the way down). As it is quite remote, don’t forget to stop for snacks and other necessities before arriving. Restaurants are several miles away. We would stick with the recommendations provided by Laggan.

Our snug was the Ben, which was perfect for 2 people with a private patio. The snuggies are tucked into nature as you can see by the chicken that stumbled upon our room.

The morning of the wedding we were able to sneak away in and discover the riches of the area. Just a 20-minute drive away we found ourselves at Dundrennan Abbey which had so much history as it’s thought to be the last place Mary Queen of Scots was in Scotland before taking the ill-fated journey to England (Mary’s cousin imprisoned her for 19 years and then chopped her head off).

After spending 30 minutes walking around the abbey grounds we made our way to the cute town of Kirkcudbright, an artists haven with lots of shops, restaurants, and cafes. The main historical attraction was under construction at the time we went, but it was a great little town with shopping as well as a coastal boardwalk.

Honorable mention goes to Millars L’Atelier Du Vin, a new local wine bar. While we weren’t able to visit (it was only noon) it looked like a cute and much welcomed addition to the town.

We had lunch at the Swally n’Scran and could not recommend it more. We got the catch of the day and the smoked salmon on a crumpet which was amazing and tasted so fresh. It was just enough food for the two of us to split and not badly priced for seafood.

Dining options at the Laggan weren’t plentiful but the Murray Arms was a good close option. It also doubles as a hotel and there is a shuttle service that can arrange pick-ups and drop-offs to and from the restaurant. We couldn’t pass up one last opportunity to eat fish and chips - and we were not disappointed. The service and food were both above average!

Did we find it racist?

We felt super welcomed the entire time we were there, but people are naturally more reserved. Although we can’t speak to their life experience, we were pleasantly surprised to see black and African people in every town we went to who were pleased to see us. We found that people were more than happy to help us with any questions or suggestions.

Last Thoughts

Overall Scotland was a solid trip and we would recommend it for anyone that loves hiking/nature. Six days felt like enough time for us, however, if we had more time we would’ve loved to explore the Isle of Skye. There’s so much history and many historical sites in Scotland that you could easily spend more time exploring the smaller town. Glasgow and Edinburgh are so different from each other so we would suggest seeing both, but if you had to choose we thought Edinburgh had a bit more going on. Ultimately the Scots aren’t beating the bland food allegations, but the greenery, vibes, and the people made it all worth it!

Felicia from Big Brother pretty much sums up our thoughts on the seasoning deficits:

Do’s

• Find a base to settle in and take day trips to the surrounding areas

• If you plan to travel outside of the major cities, consider renting a car

• If you plan on visiting more than 2 castles/historical sites look at getting the Explorer Pass (you still have to reserve tickets but it will save you money)

Don’ts

• Be surprised if you need to add salt to your food (can’t stress this enough)

• Forget to pack your walking shoes because it’s hilly

• Forget to check the train and bus schedules outside of the major cities as they don’t run very often and there is no Uber/Lyft

• Be worried about finding internet - Wi-Fi was easily available and worked surprisingly well on the trains

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