Tag: vacation

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. 🙂

The City of Bath, England

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In August, I took my first trip overseas to England! We took an overnight flight (my first red eye) and arrived in London (Heathrow) late morning. I hardly slept on the plane, so I almost dozed off as we took the Great Western Railway to Bath.

In an effort to save money, we decided to walk from the train station in Bath to our AirBnB, which, after lugging our suitcases across the cobblestone city, we realized was located at the top a very large hill. It provided impressive views overlooking the city, but also a fun challenge to reach our flat.

Said flat was on the third floor of the building, and it was actually not “flat,” but instead a two-story apartment. But after several flights of stairs, we finally made it to what would our home for the next several days.

After settling into our AirBnb, we desperately wanted to sleep, but fought off the jet-lag for a couple more hours and walked to a nearby restaurant, Bill’s, for dinner. I ordered the burger they had on special that night, which was topped with mac and cheese! It was delicious and tasted refreshingly familiar on my first night abroad. I was also very impressed, when I mentioned my allergy to buckwheat, how diligent they were about ensuring my meal was safe and allergen-free. I would soon realize that this was a common trend across the whole city and even country.

After dinner, we went back to our AirBnB and crashed in our beds. In the morning, we walked to the Thermae Bath Spa to continue our relaxation and rejuvenation after our long journey. The main spa has two geothermic pools, which use the same naturally heated water as the Roman Baths across the street. One of the pools is on the rooftop, with views overlooking the city. The spa has a strict no-devices policy, so I wasn’t able to take photos during our time, but I snapped a couple outside and on my way out. It was an amazing experience and I highly recommend that everyone spends a few hours in a local spa after any long flight.

After two hours of soaking in the pools and sitting in the steam rooms, we showered off and headed back out into the city in search of lunch. We walked past All Bar One and saw that they had a lunch special – a sandwich and glass of wine for only 9 pounds! We couldn’t pass it up. I enjoyed a ham and cheese toastie (such a cute name!) and a glass of rosé. And again, the staff was exceedingly accommodating with my allergy, spending several minutes checking ingredients lists to ensure that the bread was safe for me to eat. I was loving this place already.

After lunch, we walked back to the Roman Baths and took the official tour. There was so much history to learn about and of course, so many photo ops. It was interesting to learn about the varying purposes of different pools, some warm and some cold, and the healing properties of the water as it contains over 40 minerals. It’s also kind of crazy to think that the baths were used for public bathing. Men and women weren’t always permitted to bathe together, but they didn’t use bathing suits back then, and many of the bathers’ clothes was taken by thieves! Can you imagine?

We did a little shopping at the Roman Baths’ gift shop and a local market and then walked across the river to the Holbourne Museum and visited a few more shops. By this point, I was well over my step goal for the day and was feeling tired so we went back to our flat for a little downtime and a siesta.

A little before 8pm, we ventured back out for dinner at Turtle Bay, where I ordered a West Indian curry. I’d never had anything quite like it, but it was spicy and delicious.

After dinner, we spent the night in, playing a Jane Austen card game and practicing our (terrible) English accents.

The next morning, we went to brunch at The Ivy. I had a peach & elderflower iced tea, buttermilk pancakes with blueberries, lemon balm and a side of streaky bacon (I think they specify the “streaky” bacon to differentiate from ham/Canadian bacon?). The food was incredible and there were so many photo ops – even the bathroom was immaculate!

We did a little more shopping after brunch and then I went back to the AirBnB to unhurriedly do my hair and makeup for afternoon tea, while my friends went to the Fashion Museum and the Jane Austen Centre. (I can quickly get burned out on museums, so I didn’t mind having a bit of relaxing time to myself in the flat.)

When I was ready, we met up at the Circus (a ring of historic townhouses), and then walked to Sweet Little Things together for afternoon tea. We got the locations mixed up and the shop we went to wasn’t serving afternoon tea (the all-inclusive version with a tower of pastries and finger sandwiches), but we had a lovely experience all the same. My chai tea latte was gorgeous – I think it looked better than it tasted! From what I remember the chai tea there was less spiced and more milky than what I was used to in the US. No complaints though.

After we finished our tea, we walked to the other side of Bath that we hadn’t yet explored since arriving. We stumbled upon the Abbey Deli, which was the set of the Modiste in Bridgerton! We visited a handful of other shops as we walked to a bookstore, where I browsed books in the basement, while my friends looked at several old, historic prints.

Then we headed to the Bath Abbey for a quick self-guided tour before they closed for the evening prayer service. On the way, we were getting a bit hungry and made a quick stop for Cornish pasties. People say British food isn’t that good, but I enjoyed the pasty (and everything else I had tried so far)!

For our last dinner in Bath, we ate at Bosco Pizzeria and it was nice enough to sit outside on the patio. I ordered the simple, yet delicious Bosco pizza (essentially a Margherita). I remember I was thinking a lot about Scott during dinner as this day was our 4-year wedding anniversary and he was back home in Wisconsin.

It was also at this dinner that we were first charged for still water. We had heard that you had to pay for water in Europe, but up to this point, had only been charged for it when we ordered sparkling water. We realized the distinction you have to make is to specifically ask for tap water. If you say “still,” they will bring you a bottle of still water for the table. From then on, whoever made the mistake of forgetting to specify “tap” had to buy the water for the table. That night, I believe it was me.

The next morning, we got up a little early, I ate my leftover curry, and we did some last minute shopping at Rossiters and Persephone Books. Then we packed up our suitcases, checked out of our AirBnB, dragged our luggage back down the hill and across the city, caught a train to London Paddington, and began the next leg of our journey.

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!

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!

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!