Tag: Food

Southern Charm in Savannah & Hilton Head

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At the end of April, Scott and I travelled to Savannah, GA with our friends Kali and Kevin and their 18-month son (our godson), Ender. We rented an AirBnb about halfway between Historic Downtown Savannah and Tybee Island which saved us a lot of money on the rental and was the perfect set up for visiting both the city and the beach!

We got in on a Friday evening and after picking up our rental car, we drove to the Pirates’ House for dinner. I ordered the Georgian salmon with peach piccalilli, sweet potatoes and broccolini. Our friends got the crab dip which they gave good reviews but I don’t do shellfish. They also had a kid’s menu which was great for Ender.

Kali and Kevin were in the middle of the 75 Hard Challenge during our trip so after dinner we went for a long walk around town and along the river, which was really beautiful. There were a handful of people singing or playing jazz on trumpets down by the water too.

The next morning, we decided to spend the day exploring downtown Savannah. We started the day with brunch at Alexander’s Bistro. I noticed the employee who rung up our food was wearing a shirt from one of my clients at work so I struck up a conversation and made a connection which was really cool. She said she was in school at SCAD but she loves Wisconsin and wants to go into advertising after college so maybe someday we’ll reconnect.

Scott and I both had the Slow Start Scramble breakfast sandwich and I ordered a glass of Fairy Juice which was Butterfly pea tea and lemonade – both were phenomenal! After a delicious breakfast, we walked over to Forsyth Park to see the iconic fountain. There was also a big farmers’ market going on so we walked through and one of the vendors gave us some honey sticks after we stopped to pet her dog.

On our way out of the park, we came across a street magician who we learned was named Jack Murdock. We stopped to watch his show which was really fun and pretty impressive! The most shocking was when he somehow got an audience member’s dollar bill inside of an orange without cutting it open or any of us noticing him put it in!

That afternoon we went to the Oatland Island Wildlife Center. It was pretty much like a big zoo with a lot of walking trails. We saw some alligators (both in captivity and wild!) and a big cougar came up to the glass and jumped up at us and then started wrestling with the other one! Definitely the most action I’ve ever seen at a zoo!

We were pretty tired after being out all day so we went back and dropped off the boys at the AirBnb and Kali and I went and picked up a couple of pizzas from Mellow Mushroom for dinner. I really enjoyed the Pacific Rim pizza which was like a spicy Hawaiian! After dinner we all drove back downtown and got Ben & Jerry’s for dessert.

The next morning (Sunday), we drove over to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, to the same area where Kali and Kevin spent their honeymoon. We stopped in at the Hilton Head Social Bakery in Shelter Cove for some chai tea and pastries. The fruit tart I ordered was amazing, but our chai lattes were made way too strongly so we took them back inside to see if they could remake them. Someone else came out and we explained the situation. The employee grabbed Kali’s drink and took a sip, immediately looking repulsed (it was truly like straight cinnamon juice). He started remaking them right away, and Kali reminded him to put almond milk in hers. Suddenly, he turned around and said, “Almond?! I’m allergic to almonds!” He panicked and grabbed a water bottle which he began chugging and I dug through my purse and pulled out a couple of blister-packed Benadryls. He declined at first, saying he would be okay, but I insisted he hang on to them just in case. He finished making our drinks and we walked outside. Not five minutes later, he ran out to our table and told me that he was feeling super itchy and thanked me, saying he had taken the Benadryl. Then he ran down the sidewalk and we didn’t see him again!

We walked down the sidewalk in that direction and even checked the bathrooms, but he was nowhere to be found. It started to rain so we ducked into one of the souvenir shops and bought some t-shirts and hats while we waited for the cloud to pass. It was a heavy rain, but was over fast so we changed into our swimsuits and started walking towards the beach.

It was about a 30-40 minute walk but when we arrived it was so nice to be on the beach. It was a bit windy and the water was kind of cold, but there’s just something about being near the ocean. We ordered some piña coladas and enjoyed having our feet in the sand.

Kali had made dinner reservations at Ela’s, their favorite restaurant from their honeymoon, so we walked back to the Shelter Cove Marina. Scott and I split a Caesar salad which was served on really unique teardrop plates. Since I’m not big on seafood, I ordered the Vegetarian Pasta Primavera which tasted super fresh and delicious!

After dinner we walked around the marina a bit and took some pictures and then drove back to Savannah. We watched an episode of Ted Lasso at the AirBnb and then called it a night after Scott dozed off and started talking in his sleep!

The next morning was our last full day and it was time for a beach day at Tybee Island! A lot of the breakfast spots in Tybee didn’t open until later, but we found some tasty food at The Breakfast Club. Unfortunately, we also got a parking ticket, so definitely make sure you pay attention to signs in that area! Even if the sign is way down the block they will hold you accountable!

We drove down to the beach after breakfast where we made sure to pay for our parking and then found a spot to camp out on the sand. Scott walked Ender down to the water to splash around while Kali and I dug holes in the sand to take some fun photos.

Later we walked over to the pier to film a video and take some more pictures. I jumped on Scott’s back for a picture and when he put me down, I wasn’t expecting it and fell backwards onto the sand! In my moment of surprise, my reflexes kicked in and I reached to grab onto something and accidentally pulled Scott’s swim trunks down to his ankles! After the initial shock and embarrassment of the moment, we all had a good laugh about it.

We walked along the pier and got some frozen treats to cool off and then walked around the island so Kali and Kevin could get their 45 minute outdoor activity in for the 75 Hard. For dinner we drove back to Savannah and went to the rooftop restaurant, Bar Julian. It’s on top of the Thompson Hotel and overlooks the Savannah river. Our salad and both pizzas were fantastic, but I have to call out the most unique thing we ordered – the pepperoni butter! It’s hard to describe other than it was salty, buttery, and well, pepperoni-y and it went perfectly with the freshly baked bread it was served with. It was easily one of my favorite meals from the whole weekend.

After dinner, we closed out the trip with a walking ghost tour in downtown Savannah! Our tour guide was really great and pointed out lots of buildings with paranormal reports and eerie stories behind them.

After the tour, we walked down to the river one more time and bought some more t-shirts and souvenirs and then got ice cream from Leopold’s. The line was way down the street but my lavender ice cream was definitely worth the wait. Thanks for the good vibes and great memories Savannah!

Being Kind to Myself and Living Slow in Orange County

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7 Things I learned on my first trip of 2023

Work and life can eventually catch up to you when you’re trying to do too much, which is exactly what happened to me at the end of 2022. I started feeling more anxious and developed chronic chest pain.

In mid January, I traveled to Orange County, California for some much needed R&R. We slept in, took our time in the mornings and getting places, and had plenty of down time in between activities and time to wind down at night.

1. Say no, Stay in, Do less

After our first full day in California, I still felt stressed and overwhelmed. I ended up needing to say no to dinner out that night. We stayed in, made pizzas, and watched TV. Say yes to the things that will serve you or make you happy, but be okay with saying no when something won’t energize you or bring you joy.

Breakfast at Zinc
The renowned avocado toast

2. Slow down and breathe

Why are we always in such a rush? In part, for me, it goes back to number one. I get FOMO, try to do everything and overbook myself. It’s no wonder I find myself running late to everything, end up exhausted at the end of the day, wake up feeling not well-rested, and then start it all over again. It’s a vicious cycle.

Since getting back from our trip, I’m trying to complete everyday tasks at a more leisurely pace. In California, we took our time getting ready in the morning, did our hair and makeup, pampered ourselves, and left the house for the day feeling 100%.

In the airport, I remember rushing to get checked-in and through security. Our hands were shaky, we fumbled with our bags, and panicked to get to our gate on time, only to have to sit and wait for nearly an hour. When we rush and scramble, we end up making more mistakes that can delay us even further.

3. Stop multitasking

Take things one at a time. When there is too much to keep track of, make a list to prioritize tasks. Focus on what is in front of you. And take breaks when you need to, to get re-grounded. My favorite breaks involve a stop at the nearest coffee shop for chai lattes or (on this trip), lavender milk tea!

4. Be mindful and present

Look up from your phone and appreciate your surroundings and the people around you. If you know me, you know I love to capture every moment in photos and videos so this is a really challenging one for me, but I think you get more enjoyment from an activity if you try to be present in that moment. Take the picture and then focus on enjoying what’s in front of you.

The other part of mindfulness involves paying attention to what your body is telling you. If you feel stressed, don’t overdo it. If you feel tired, rest. If you want ice cream… well, life is short! Have the ice cream (in moderation of course).

5. Move your body

In California, I took time for morning stretches and yoga, and we walked around quite a bit during the day, whether we were shopping, exploring a town, or just enjoying the oceanside views.

Maybe you try yoga or maybe you walk somewhere instead of driving. It doesn’t have to be high-intensity activity or a “workout.” Just get up and get the blood flowing. I find this usually gives me more energy and brainpower to accomplish other tasks. Exercise and movement are also incredibly beneficial for reducing anxiety!

6. Get outside

Whatever the season! But especially if you live near palm trees. Soak up the sun, play in the snow, and dance in the rain. Fresh air can work wonders.

7. Rest, rest, rest

At the end of the day, don’t push yourself beyond your limits. Our bodies are designed to need rest.

Certainly many of these things are easier said than done (and easier when you’re on vacation and don’t have your regular responsibilities to take care of), but I’m hoping to keep gradually incorporating these things into my life and work toward achieving a more stress-free, slow life. At the end of the day, if you take nothing else away from this, my mantra for the rest of the year is “be kind to yourself,” and I hope it can be yours too.

England Part 2: London

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When we got off the train from Bath at London Paddington Station, we walked toward our new AirBnb near Edgeware Rd. It wasn’t quite ready yet when we arrived so we stopped at a little Italian place, Zonzo, for a quick bite. The owner or manager of the restaurant was extremely accommodating, letting us stow our bags and sit for over an hour. Unfortunately, while the food in Bath was all fantastic, our first lunch in London was not a great one for me. I ordered a bruschetta that looked incredible, but tasted very tangy and just… off (dare I say carbonated?). My friends seemed to enjoy their food though, so maybe just order a regular pasta dish if you find yourself there.

Once we got into our AirBnb and were all settled, we changed clothes and took our first ride on the tube to Charing Cross and then walked to Westminster Abbey for the Evensong service. This was a special (and free) way to experience the Abbey and I’m glad we made a point to do it.

After the service we walked around and saw all the iconic London sites: Big Ben, the London Eye (from across the river), Buckingham Palace, and Piccadilly Circus.

By the time we got to Piccadilly Circus, I was getting pretty hungry (you know, not eating much of my lunch and all), and we walked past the St. James Tavern. According to their signage, they were famous for their award-winning, traditional fish and chips. That was something I was hoping to try while we were there anyway, and it was Friday after all, so we decided to go in. It turned out we arrived pretty close to when the kitchen closed, and by the messy state of our table and the haphazard arrangement of others, it looked like the dinner rush had just ended. I ordered the fish and chips and was a bit disappointed by how bland it was. Maybe we just went to the wrong spot, but after that experience, I will probably stick to my Wisconsin fish frys.

The next morning we had another new public transport experience – riding on the top of a double decker city bus!

We rode it to the British Museum, where we spent several hours. Within the first five minutes, I saw the Rosetta Stone, which was very interesting and helped me understand where the language-learning company got its name. After seeing that and some giant Egyptian Pharaoh statues though, I quickly got burned out on the museum exploration.

Thankfully, by 2pm, my travel companions were also ready to move on and we headed to Portobello Market for some shopping. I had a croissant and a chai latte from Hermanos Colombian Coffee Roasters for an afternoon pick me up and then enjoyed looking at the vendors’ goods and colorful architecture of the storefronts.

For dinner that evening, we had reservations at Bob Bob Ricard and thankfully that was an incredibly delicious dining experience. We started with some cocktails; if I remember correctly, I had a Strawberry & Peach martini. It was a foamy drink and had an extremely soft and smooth mouthfeel. I was tempted to try ordering some champagne from the button at our table, but instead opted to enjoy some champagne in my entree, the Chicken and Champagne Pie. It was very delicious and I am confident it was and will be the fanciest pot pie of my life.

We didn’t slow down when we got to dessert; I had the Strawberries & Cream Soufflé and my friend ordered the Crème Brûlée which came out flaming. We also shared a glass of dessert wine: Vin de Constance from South Africa, which is reportedly Africa’s greatest wine and was requested by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte on his death bed. It was as rich and as sweet as honey.

The next day, my friends wanted to see more museums, so I decided to have a solo travel day. I started the morning by heading to Buckingham Palace again to watch the changing of the guard. I was a bit late (it turns out on time is late for this event) so it was hard to get a spot where I could see until it was almost over. I was glad to go and see what I could though and was thankful we had seen it when it was much less crowded a couple of days before.

When the ceremony was over, I walked down Buckingham Palace Rd until I came upon this adorable restaurant called Timmy Green. I sat down and ordered a glass of OJ and some French toast from my phone. When the server brought the juice, I asked if I could quickly verify that the bread used for the French toast didn’t contain buckwheat. To my surprise and dread (and relief?), when he brought back the ingredient list, there it was! Thankfully, he graciously swapped my order for some pancakes. I ask almost everywhere I go, but it felt like a near miss so I was a little bit shook.

After I finished my meal, I walked inside to use the restroom before heading out and managed to trip going up the stairs, smashing my right big toe into one of the steps, and my left shin into another (not to mention falling and making a large crash in front of the whole restaurant from the stage that the open stairway provided). I picked myself up, assured the bartender I was alright, and sheepishly limped to the bathroom where I discovered my toenail was bleeding.

Determined not to let this ruin my day, I took some breaths, somehow got the bleeding to stop (mostly), and walked out with my head high (or at least tried), and continued on to the most highly-anticipated activity of the trip: visiting the mysterious standing stones at Stonehenge.

I enjoyed the 90ish minutes on the bus to relax. When we arrived at the parking lot/visitor center, we were given the option to walk the rest of the way to the stones or take a shuttle. It was supposedly about a 30 minute walk, which on a normal day I would have done, but given the toenail situation, I took the shuttle bus.

When I reached the stones, I noticed a young lady around my age who was standing alone, so I approached her and asked her to take the photo below. It turned out she was visiting London from California on business, and had the day free so had decided to make the trip to Stonehenge solo as well. It was perfect – we walked around the site together, taking photos of each other and chatting about our lives and travels.

It was awesome to see the standing stones (especially with my love for Outlander), and of course I had to pick up a Stonehenge sweatshirt and a couple of other souvenirs to commemorate the experience. I was also proud of myself for prioritizing the thing I was most excited to see and enjoying a solo day in England.

The next day was our last full day abroad. We spent the morning exploring Hyde Park and saw Kensington Palace and the Italian Gardens.

Then we took a train from London to Windsor, where our first stop was lunch at Black Sheep Coffee. Then we walked to Windsor Castle to take a tour. There was so much celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee and it felt as though she would live forever – this just three days before she unfortunately died.

We weren’t allowed to take photos inside the castle, but we took plenty outside and then bought some Windsor Castle treats and souvenirs from the gift shop to bring back with us to the States. With our treasures in hand, we walked back into town to Brown’s Brasserie & Bar for afternoon tea. Unlike our more spontaneous afternoon tea in Bath, we had a reservation at Brown’s and were ready for the full experience.

We devoured nearly two towers of cakes, sandwiches, and pastries, as well as several cups of Earl Grey with cream and sugar (it’s so much better that way – I’m never going back)! When we arrived back in Marylebone that evening, we did some shopping at Daunt Books (sadly no, I did not purchase “Wild Kilted Yoga”), and then visited Waitrose one last time to pick up some tea and biscuits to bring home.

It was a whirlwind week and an unforgettable first trip to the UK and Europe. Looking forward to making the trip again soon with the hubs, and hopefully see Scotland too. 🙂

Yeehaw! Nashville Girls Trip!

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At the beginning of April, I got to fly down to Nashville for a long weekend with some girlfriends from high school. We took an early morning flight and got in around noon on Saturday. Upon our arrival, we headed promptly to Hampton Social for a giant shell of frosé bigger than our heads, and some delicious parmesan truffle fries. We also of course took advantage of all the photo ops.

Then we headed over to L&L Market for some shopping and enjoying the conveyor belts of cheese and charcuterie at Culture & Co.

After fueling up and enjoying a short siesta to recover from our early flight, we changed clothes and went back out for dinner and exploring. Even though we didn’t eat there, we had to make a stop at Restoration Hardware to appreciate the rooftop views and luxury furniture. For dinner we actually went to the nearby Emmy Squared for pizza.

Day 2 was for sleeping in and boozy brunch! But not before a delicious strawberry peach smoothie from The Well Coffeehouse. Post-smoothie brunch was at Liberty Common and the frozen cocktails and chicken and waffles did not disappoint.

As if Liberty Common didn’t meet our food and drink quota for the day (it did), we headed off on a one-hour road trip to Arrington Vineyards in, well, Arrington, where we popped some bubbly and built a stunning board of cheese, fruit, and sweets.

We sipped, snacked, and listened to the live music on the grass as the sun set. Does it get any better?

On the way home, we picked up some Nashville Hot Chicken and I got to try it for the first time. I typically like a little bit of spice, but this was HOT for me!

The next day, Monday, we picked up some coffee and loaded doughnuts for breakfast from Parlor Doughnuts.

Once caffeinated and riding our sugar high, we went out on a self-guided Nashville mural tour. Here are a few of the highlights:

After snapping pics in front of all the murals, we changed and went to the Fairlane Hotel to visit the rooftop pop-up: The Bouquet Bar.

The space was covered in florals from floor to ceiling, and of course offered some great city views from the rooftop patio. The floral cocktails were pricey, but there was no fee to enter the decked out bar, so it was worth it.

You can’t go to Nashville and not see live music, so after our pink, floral drinks, we went and saw The Song Suffragettes, which is a weekly show at The Listening Room Cafe featuring female artists who are trying to make it in country music. One of the ladies performing the night we were there was Olivia Faye who was on the most recent season of American Idol! Country isn’t my favorite genre, but all of these ladies were super talented and I really enjoyed the show! Afterwards, we went to Rosemary & Beauty Queen which was an old house converted into a bar!

Tuesday was our last full day in Nashville and of course we started it with brunch and strawberry mimosas at Another Broken Egg. We also realized that we’ve known each other for over 10 years and harassed our waiter asking which of us he thought had changed the most over the last decade. We got mixed reviews.

After brunch we went shopping for a while and the went to both the new and the old the Grand Ole Opry.

After grabbing photos outside both Oprys, we went to Assembly Food Hall for dinner (where I ordered hot chicken round 2 from Prince’s) and found this adorable truck full of flowers in one of the outdoor walkways.

It was a whirlwind weekend full of wine, cocktails, brunch, music, photos and catching up with old friends – the perfect girls trip getaway! Yeehaw!

Southwest is Best: Exploring New Mexico & Arizona

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My husband and I recently traveled to Albuquerque, New Mexico – our first trip together just the two of us since our honeymoon in 2018! And when I say we went to Albuquerque, we made Albuquerque our home base, but we drove all around the state in the five days we were there and even crossed the boarder into Arizona.

When our flight landed in Albuquerque on Thursday, we picked up our Turo rental car from the lovely Raquel, and checked into our Airbnb (The Enchanted Sage) near the Laurelwoods and West Mesa neighborhoods. After a getting settled in and taking a little siesta, we went to the River of Lights holiday display at the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden.

It was an impressive display, and while it was definitely geared a bit towards families with kids, we enjoyed walking through the lights and felt it was a festive welcome to our time in the Southwest. We also popped into the aquarium on our way out and watched sharks and stingrays swimming right in front of us for probably about 20 minutes. I was totally mesmerized.

The next morning we got up around 4:00am and took Route 66 west to Gallup, NM to watch the mass ascension of hot air balloons at the 40th annual Red Rock Balloon Rally. It was definitely worth it for these views:

It was less of a touristy event, and seemed more for the actual balloonists themselves, but hiking through Red Rock State Park surrounded by hot air balloons was a truly magical experience. We sadly did not get the balloon ride I was hoping for, but there were very few spectators and event attendees aside from the balloonists, so we were just glad to be able to see the vibrant balloons floating all around us.

We hiked for a couple of hours and slowly the balloons started to land. It looked like they were coming down to break for lunch, and we were starting to get hungry too, so we headed into Gallup and stopped for a bite to eat at Fratelli’s Bistro.

Gallup is only about 20 miles from the Arizona boarder and Scott had never been, so we knew we had to make the drive. Raquel, our Turo host, had given us a National Park tag to use for the week, so we decided to spend the rest of the day at the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona.

There were so many miles of park to explore. They said you can drive the whole park in about an hour if you make minimal stops, but we spent around three hours exploring and ended up stopping at around half of the trails and overlooks. After several hours of exploring, I was feeling exhausted and out of breath which I think was partially due to a mild case of altitude sickness, so we called it a day and hopped back on Route 66 to Albuquerque.

The next morning, we enjoyed sleeping in late. Once we were feeling fully rested, we made our way to Tia B’s La Waffleria. I highly recommend spending your Saturday sleeping in, finding a cute Waffleria, and fueling up with berry lavender waffles. Would you believe me if I said I ate the whole plate? I was pretty darn close.

Scott rolled me to the car, and then we drove to the base of the Sandia Mountains to ride the Sandia Peak Tramway to the top. This was an incredible experience, although totally terrifying if you’re not a fan of heights (like me). Crazily enough, just a week or two after we rode it, the tramway got stuck and more than 20 people had to be rescued by helicopter!

At the top, we walked along the crest for about a mile or so to the Kiwanis Cabin, and were surprised to see snow on the ground! Didn’t we head south to escape the snow for the winter?

Thankfully, we didn’t get too cold and we made it safely back to the ground. We then made a last minute decision to go to El Pinto for dinner, which was a great decision if I must say so myself.

The photos really don’t do it justice. The patio was actually so magical, with plants all around and even a black cat wandering the space and saying hello to guests! And the food was so good, I forgot to take a picture until it was already halfway gone! With full bellies and tired legs, we went back to our Airbnb and enjoyed a cozy night in for the rest of the evening.

On day four, our second to last day, we drove north to Jemez Springs to explore some natural hot springs. There were a few in the area but some required long hikes to reach, so we opted for Spence Hot Springs. It still required a short hike on an unmarked trail to get to the springs, but was easy enough to find, and totally worth it. There were a couple of different pools of varying temperatures and even a steamy hidden cave that we sat in for a while. We chatted with a couple of travel nurses who were out exploring and enjoying their weekend, but it really wasn’t very busy otherwise.

After a nice relaxing soak, we hiked back to the car and drove to Santa Fe. We went downtown and explored lots of cute little shops for a while. Okay, so maybe I shopped and Scott just tagged along, but we found some fun souvenirs and treats to bring home for family and friends.

As with every vacation, the days flew by and before we knew it, it was our last day in Albuquerque. We brought the trip full circle by spending the morning at the ABQ BioPark Zoo looking at the animals. We were impressed by the zoo’s upkeep and the variety of animals that were there. A tiger roared for us as it paced its enclosure, penguins swam overhead and underfoot in the Penguin Chill exhibit, and we even watched a baby hippo play with mom and dad in their family’s little pond.

After the zoo, we went to Sawmill Market for lunch. Sawmill Market is a collection of restaurants and bars under one roof (more or less an upscale food court!), to allow everyone in your crew to find something they love no matter their mood. I opted for Hawt Pizza Co. (don’t sleep on the Lavender Lemonade!) and Scott had a burger from Dr Field Goods. Sadly we were there too early in the day for the adorable Botanic Bar to be open, but hopefully next time!

After lunch, we met up with Raquel to drop off the rental car, and then it was time to head back to Wisco. It’s always bittersweet when a vacation comes to an end, but we’re both grateful to have had the chance to visit New Mexico and Arizona and experience the welcoming Southwest culture and beautiful desert scenery. Can’t wait for our next adventure!

Mini Tomato & Cheddar Frittatas for Your Sunday Brunch

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The first Sunday of 2022 calls for Sunday brunch! I mixed up these mini tomato and cheddar frittatas for an easy, tasty bite after church this morning. I was hoping we’d have leftovers to eat for breakfast throughout the week, but who am I kidding?! They were gone almost before I could finish snapping these photos!

I adapted the recipe from the book Platters and Boards that my sister gifted to me for Christmas. The original recipe called for goat cheese, but I’m personally not a big fan, so I swapped it out for a mild and sharp cheddar four-state mix from Wisconsin, Vermont, New York, and California. I also realized that you could add so many more ingredients like bacon, mushrooms, spinach, or other meats, cheeses, and veggies, depending on your personal preference. This recipe offers a great starting point, but I’ll definitely be trying more variations soon!

Mini Tomato & Cheddar Frittatas

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 4 eggs
  • 2/3 cup milk (I used 2%)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp Herbes de Provence
  • 1 oz cheddar cheese
  • 4-6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • Any other meat or veggies desired!

Make it!

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with 6-7 liners. (The recipe is designed to make 6 frittatas; however, my batch yielded 7!)
  2. In a small skillet warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
  3. In a small to medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and spices, adding back in the garlic.
  4. Pour into muffin tin, filling each liner about 3/4 of the way full. Drop 3-4 tomato pieces (or other meat and veggies) into each fritatta, sprinkling cheese on the top.
  5. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the eggs are set and beginning to brown on top.
  6. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving; then enjoy!

Why We’re Proud to Pour These Eco-Friendly & Sustainable Wines

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It’s probably clear that we really like a good wine. Who doesn’t like a good wine? But what if there was a way to drink a wine that’s not only good quality and tastes good, but also is doing good and making positive change in our world?

Well, we found a wine company that is doing just that: Proud Pour. Their wines are made from organic grapes that are sustainably grown, and each wine is dedicated to a specific cause to help make our world a better place for everyone.

Their sustainable wine lineup features a Pinot Noir for bees, a Rosé for reefs, a Syrah for soil, a cider for sea turtles, and a Sauvignon Blanc that supports the restoration of wild oysters.

We love all of Proud Pour’s wines, and are thrilled to support all of these causes, but if you’re not sure where to start, we wanted to share a couple of our faves.

Lauren really loves the Rosé for Reefs, not just because it looks pretty and tastes delicious, but because every three cases sold grows and plants a new baby coral to restore damaged reefs! Coral reefs help support 25% of all marine life, and provide a livelihood for millions of people through fishing and tourism.

Julia’s favorite is the Pinot Noir dedicated to helping save bees. Every bottle of this lovely red wine plants 35 sq ft of bee habitat on farms across North America, with over 90 acres of wildflowers planted to date! Bees are obviously important pollinators for our flowers and crops, and they actually pollinate one-third of the food we eat, from blueberries, to pumpkins, to watermelons, to tomatoes.

No matter what varietals you enjoy or what environmental causes are close to your heart, Proud Pour has something for everyone. No matter your choice(s), you can pour these wines knowing that you’re making a difference!

Lauren & The Foreign Reunited in Chicago

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After a year and a half of being separated by 2000 miles and a global pandemic, Lauren & The Foreign were finally reunited last month in Chicago! The week was full of sightseeing, cocktail tasting, and relaxing by our hotel’s gorgeous rooftop pool.

For anyone else who is thinking of Chicago for their next little getaway, we wanted to share some of the highlights from our trip so you can experience them too.

We stayed at the Viceroy, which was absolutely lovely and a perfect location for walking to most of our destinations. Next door was a cute little taco shop, Velvet Taco, which was our go-to for multiple meals, margaritas, and late-night snacks throughout the trip. Our top three tacos were the Rotisserie Chicken, Fried Paneer, and Mexi-Cali Shrimp.

After dinner at Velvet Taco, we spent the rest of our first evening exploring the neighborhood and eventually ended up down by Lake Michigan where we watched the sunset over the skyline.

The next morning, we treated ourselves to a delicious brunch of Phatty burritos and tater tots at Wake ‘n Bacon. The food and coffee were delicious, but the floral decor was maybe even more impressive. Good vibes all around.

After brunch we headed back to our hotel to spend some time at the rooftop pool, soaking up the sun and drinking wine and frosé from Devereaux. The weather was perfect and you really can’t beat those views.

After a day of relaxing, we were ready to go out on the town! We walked to Aster Hall for dinner, and then headed to Neon Summer for an evening of fun drinks, photo ops, and extreme neon mini golf! We opted out of the go-kart racing and the axe-throwing that were also available, and spent the rest of the evening at an incredible cocktail bar near our hotel called Sparrow.

Sparrow is a hidden gem serving 1930s-era cocktails and vibes. The moment you walk in, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to a speakeasy. The art deco building and complex cocktails create a very sophisticated experience, and we can’t say enough about how much we enjoyed it!

The next day, we slept in and then went to The Hampton Social for lunch. This place has been on our list for quite a while so it was very exciting to finally get to experience it, frosé, neon sign walls, and all!

The food was delicious and filling, so after lunch we took a walk over to Navy Pier, where we immediately forgot how full we were and tried some delicious Malbec con Frutos Rojos gelato from FRÍO Gelato!

Then we walked over to The Art Institute of Chicago (admittedly a rather long walk), where we spent the rest of the afternoon.

Before we headed back to the Viceroy after our afternoon of art, we had to make a quick pit stop at the Bean in Millennium Park.

Then it was time to get dressed up and head to dinner at Carmine’s! We had made reservations for most of the other meals throughout the trip, but didn’t have reservations for Carmine’s. Thankfully, even on a Saturday night, they were able to get us a table (indoors) right away. After filling up on some delicious pasta, we spent the rest of the night relaxing and resting up in the hotel.

The next morning was Sunday and we had a full day of relaxation planned. When we woke up, we went downstairs to start our day at Somerset with a breakfast of French toast and omelets.

Then we went back upstairs to lay by the pool, read a book, and just enjoy the beautiful weather for a couple of hours. Mid-afternoon, we drove over to Bottle & Bottega for a wine and paint session!

For dinner we went to Lou Malnati’s for some classic Chicago deep dish pizza. We ordered The Lou, their signature pizza topped with spinach mix (enhanced with garlic, basil, and onion), mushrooms, and sliced Roma tomatoes covered with three cheeses, on a garlic butter crust!

Since it was our last night, we decided to walk down to the lake one more time to enjoy the view after dinner. And once we realized how close we were to a Jeni’s scoop shop, we had to take a little detour for some delicious Wildberry Lavender ice cream.

The next morning, it was sadly time to pack up and head home, but not before a quick stop at IKEA in Schaumburg!

It was absolutely a whirlwind week, but so much fun finally reuniting and getting to explore Chicago together for the first time in 12 years! We can’t wait for our next adventure!

Columbus Travel Guide

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Lauren recently spent a long weekend in Columbus, Ohio with some friends, seeing sights, eating at local restaurants, and of course sampling lots of fun drinks!

Day one began with gel manicures at Lacquer Gallery, where they graced our nails with fun designs and even gold leaf! Once our nails were looking like something that belongs on a magazine cover, we walked the two short blocks to Katalina’s for brunch!

pink, blue, and gold manicure

We indulged in some delicious & award-winning chorizo breakfast tacos, fresh-squeezed blood orange juice, and of course had to try the Nutella pancake balls! All were incredible!

breakfast tacos and pancake balls with bacon and blood orange juice

After fueling up, we explored the nearby Victorian Village neighborhood on foot, looking at all the old houses.

Then we drove over to Easton Town Center, explored some shops, and got our first taste of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, which almost warrants a trip to Columbus all on it’s own! Pictured below is the Frosé sorbet, an incredibly perfect choice for the hot day that it was. The shopping center also offered lots of fun photo ops like a large fountain and a flowery photo booth!

We also found a fun little mural that encouraged us to take some jumping pics. We couldn’t resist!

After spending the entire first day walking around in the sun, we slept in late on day two, and then proceeded to spend another day walking! We walked around Victorian Village some more, spent a short time at the pool at our friend’s apartment complex, and then walked to High Street to explore the Columbus nightlife.

We quickly discovered that High Street is the place to be on a Saturday night as we couldn’t get a table anywhere! We put our name on a waitlist for an incredible rooftop bar called Lincoln Social and then decided to get some food from Shake Shack while we waited.

About two hours later, we got the text that we were in! It was well worth the wait. They make the cocktails you order right in front of you, and serve them in really unique ways. For example, the Hibiscus Mule is served in a teacup!

After our first round of drinks, we noticed a nearby table with a glowing purple beverage and asked the bartender what it was. We found out it was a shareable cocktail called Starry Night! Made with purple Watershed vodka, citrus infused chablis, Grand Marnier, champagne, and garnished with floating lights, we knew we needed to have it!

After blowing our step goals out of the water two days in a row, it was time for a relaxing pool day. The weather on Sunday was absolutely gorgeous and called for some frozen cocktails while soaking up the sun. As if that doesn’t already sound like the perfect day, the pool at this apartment complex is incredibly unique and a truly beautiful space to enjoy!

Lauren in pool with frozen cocktail

When we felt refreshed and well-rested, we drove to German Village, explored the cobblestone streets of this neighborhood, strolled through a quaint little park, and then walked to Antiques on High for a round of drinks.

two red mocktails and a strawberry pina colada cocktail

We tried the Imperial Orb mocktail, which is perfect if you need a refreshing afternoon pick-me-up! It’s made with beet, pomegranate, orange, lemon, and ginger, and we felt completely rejuvenated after drinking it! The Miami Vice pictured in the back (half piña colada, half strawberry daiquiri), is an excellent boozy option as well!

As we were walking to Antiques on High, we smelled some delicious food across the street at Local Cantina, and decided to head there next for dinner. After filling up on a variety of tasty tacos, we walked to the nearby Book Loft of German Village, a fun little shop with 32 rooms of books!

With our bellies full and stacks of new books in our hands, we drove back to our friend’s apartment for a relaxing evening in.

We started our fourth and final day with a breakfast of bagel sandwiches and blueberry lemonade at The Lox Bagel Shop on High Street.

two bagel sandwiches

After chowing down this deliciousness, we walked across the street to The Candle Lab to make our own signature scented candles! We combined scents like Goji Berry, Yuzu, and Chardonnay and mixed the fragrances into hot wax. Two hours later we were able to go back and pick up our one-of-a-kind scented candles!

In honor of our last day in Columbus, we had to stop at Jeni’s one more time. The purple Wildberry Lavender definitely ranked high as one of our favorite flavors.

On our way out of town, we stopped at Fox in the Snow Cafe for coffee, cinnamon rolls, scones, and delicious blueberry galettes. It was a lovely way to end a wonderful weekend in Columbus and we look forward to visiting this lively city again soon!

We Spent a Weekend in a Luxury Tiny Home

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If you’ve ever been to the Wisconsin Dells, you’ve probably spent time at one of the many waterparks or local campgrounds. With so many attractions like these, the Dells boasts the best of what summer has to offer, and truly has something for everyone.

When traveling, we always look for the best ways to fully experience the city we’re in. We love trying new foods and cocktails, taking in the scenery, and finding fun and unique activities (and places to take photos)! But among our priorities is also finding high quality accommodations. So when we were offered a stay at Natura Natural Destinations in Wisconsin Dells, we knew we couldn’t pass it up.

Lauren and her husband booked the Treetop Escape Tiny Home which is equipped with a full kitchen, two bedrooms, full bathroom (with a rainfall shower head), and a gorgeous rooftop patio with a hammock and views of the nearby natural lagoon!

The forest scenery really elevated the decoration in this bedroom.
We loved the color changing fireplace in the living room!
This hammock was calling our name ALL weekend.

The lagoon was an absolute treat. Sadly, it was too cold to swim, but it was lovely to sit on the beach and take in the view. The lagoon is naturally filtered by plants, so there’s no chlorine!

On our first night, we went across the street to Hot Rocks for dinner. This was an incredible experience. Not only do they serve delicious tiki drinks, but you can pay a little extra and keep the adorable tiki glass! Naturally, Lauren carried it around all weekend making tropical cocktails and posing for pictures. Hot Rocks is also unique because you get to cook your own steak and seafood on 750 degree lava stones! We loved watching our food sizzle on the stone in front of us as it cooked.

On Saturday, we went out for brunch at High Rock Cafe in Downtown Dells, and then came back and spent most of the day laying in the hammock or sitting on the beach by the lagoon. We seriously could not get enough of the space.

If you are looking to get out and explore the Dells area more though, Natura is located in a prime spot on the strip. It was only about a 5 minute drive to every restaurant and activity we did. Whether you’re ready for an adventure or just want a cozy, luxury getaway in a natural oasis, we highly recommend staying in a tiny home at Natura Natural Destinations!