Category Archives: Travel

Trip Report: Sintra, Portugal

Sintra is the place we spent the least amount of time and, perhaps, the one that left the most lasting impression. We’ve been home nearly two weeks, now, and Sona has mentioned it almost every single day since.

To be honest, Sintra wasn’t on our radar when we landed in Portugal. It wasn’t until were searching for things to do while in Lisbon that we stumbled upon (like a million) recommendations to do a day trip to Sintra. Then, once we read about it once, everyone started mentioning it: waiters, Uber drivers. “Are you going to visit Sintra?” was a question we were asked at least a half a dozen times. So, we did.

Because we wanted good weather, we saved our visit to Sintra until the last day of our vacation. I spent hours researching how to get there, what we should do once there, and all sorts of little details, as the historic town is enchanting, but it’s also a little trick to get around. It’s full of small, winding one-way streets, and transportation can be daunting.

We took the CP train to Sintra from the Rossio train station, which is in central Lisbon and was only a 5 minute walk from our AirBnB. Because it’s a local train, you can’t buy tickets ahead of time. It runs every 50 minutes or so. We got there, expecting to hop on, and found a line of around 150 people waiting to buy tickets to Sintra. (Apparently, this is always the case, as Sintra is a UNESCO world heritage site and a frequent stop for tourists.) In hindsight, we should’ve gotten to the station early in the morning, which would have helped us to avoid the crowds. Still, after a 30 min wait, we got our inexpensive tickets and boarded the train 15 minutes before it departed. It was PACKED; I had to stand the whole trip.

It’s about a 40 minute ride to Sintra, which is the last stop on the train line. You’ll know when you’re there because every other passenger will get off the train with you. If you can, try to sit near the front of the train, as you have to scan your ticket to leave the station at Sintra, and the que was pretty long and hectic.

Once you get out of the station, you will be bombarded by tuk tuks and tour guides, asking if you want to do a guided tour. We opted not to. Instead, we walked 5 minutes and had coffee and lunch at Saudade, which is a cafe dating back to the 1800s and, quite possibly, the sweetest place I ever did see. We ate pastries and galao, which is a Portugese latte, and ordered delicious sandwiches to pack away for our day, which were only a couple dollars each. I could have sat there all day, and it was surprisingly peaceful.

After that, we hopped in our first Uber of the day and headed to Quinta de Regaleira. It’s a private estate turned park, complete with secret grottos, mossy caves, waterfalls, tiny castles, chapels, fountains, and more charm than you’ve ever seen. It’s like stepping into a fairytale, which is what everyone told us about Sintra, and they were right. We bought our tickets at the entrance and got in quickly.

It took us all of 5 minutes to realize that we’d made a really grave mistake in only spending one day in Sintra. The truth is, we could’ve spent one day at any of the attractions we visited in Sintra (Quinta la Regaleira, Pena Palace, the village), and we still would have missed most of what the town has to offer. I don’t think we’ve ever visited a place and left so certain that we must return. Sona has been plotting our romantic getaway to Sintra since the second we got on the train back to Lisbon.

But, back to the gardens, they were MAJESTIC, and it’s a great place for kids. You just wander and wander, finding secret spots and hidden tunnels, as there isn’t a linear pathway through the grounds. We spent a couple of hours and didn’t see half of it, but we left, regrettably, because we knew we wanted to see Pena Palace, which was our next stop.

We got another Uber to Pena, but we realized we should’ve gone there first, as may of the attractions are along a 16-mile, one-way loop, and we ended up having to go back around the entire circle just to get to Pena. Still, it was a beautiful drive.

Folks had warned us that, to get to Pena, you’d have to drive up a very steep hill (re: mountain). Then, once you get through the gates, we’d have to walk and even steeper hill, which takes about 15 minutes, to access the palace. I was a little worried about that trek, as I’m not the most fit person on the planet, and I was prepared to pay any amount of money to get a tram or a tuktuk up to the top. However, after entering the gates (tip: purchase your Pena Palace tickets online the night before to avoid lines), Sona convinced me to make a go of it, and we did.

A lot of sweating and complaining and heavy breathing later, we made it to the top. Finn ran the whole way, of course, and didn’t bat an eye. When the trees cleared and we saw what awaited us–a brightly colored, ornate palace that rivals the stuff of dreams–we knew the walk had been worth it.

This is where I am totally honest with you and admit that, although our day in Sintra was magical, Finn struggled quite a bit. It was our last day of vacation. He was tired. We had to forgo nap to do the day trip, and he wasn’t in the best spirits. So, while we were surrounded by some of the most beautiful vistas we’d ever seen, we spent a lot of time bribing our cranky threenager with Jolly Ranchers just to get him through the day. By the time we got to the palace, he was on the verge of a breakdown, and it did get in the way of our enjoying it as much as we should’ve. One of the many reasons we want to go back.

Still, we drug him along, Jolly Ranchers as bait, and made our best efforts to experience as much of the palace as possible. Like the gardens earlier, it was painfully clear that we’d only be able to scrape the surface, as it was already early evening, and we had to get the train back to Lisbon before nightfall.

What can I say about Pena Palace that will make you understand how breathtakingly beautiful and surreal it was? Probably nothing. Instead, I’ll just post a bunch of pictures and implore you to get yourself to Sintra–maybe without a tired 3 year old–as quickly as possible.

We’d intended to make it to the historic village and wander through the little town, but time didn’t allow for it. We were pretty bummed that the day slipped away so quickly, and that we’d have to miss the town, but that is just more motivation to make it back there again–and soon.

In the meantime, here are some photos, which don’t even begin to tell the full story of that wonderful, wander-full place.

Trip Report: Lisbon, Portugal

After a week in Alvor, we hopped on the train from Portimao to Lisbon, which takes 3-4 hours and has one quick transfer (which, admittedly, was a bit stressful with all of our heavy luggage and the kiddos). The train ride itself was actually really restful, and the trains in Portugal were, like much of Europe, clean, quick, and reliable.

We got to Lisbon at around noon on a Saturday, and our AirBnB host messaged us to let us know that our apartment was ready early, which was a relief, as Finn was more than ready for a nap, as were we all. We had to leave Alvor pretty early, and we were exhausted.

We checked into what is likely the most kid-friendly, well-run AirBnB in the world, which was right on the border of both the Chiado and Barrio Alto neighborhoods of Lisbon; it ended up being the perfect location, despite the fact that we were on the 3rd floor of a very narrow and steep walk-up.

In Lisbon, we had a relatively short list of must-sees (and a relatively long list of must-eats). By then, it was clear that Finn was struggling a bit with the time change and the schedule shift. So, we really wanted to make it easy for ourselves. Our daily plans went something like this: get up, eat pastries, wander, eat snacks, wander, take a nap, wander, eat dinner, eat gelato. To be honest, that’s pretty much the perfect itinerary with kiddos, as the more rigid the schedule and the more you try to pack in, the more likely everyone is going to be cranky.

As it turned out, we were within easy walking distance of a lot of the restaurants we wanted to try and places we wanted to see and, when we needed to venture a bit further, Ubers were plentiful. Just like in Alvor, we relied on them at least a couple of times a day, especially since walking in Lisbon is a bit tricky. It’s known as the “city of seven hills”–and with good reason. It’s like San Francisco on steroids. There are steep hills, staircases with 500+ stairs, very small cobblestone sidewalks (which are slippery, btw), and windy streets everywhere. Whereas Portugal was one of the most kid-friendly places we’ve been, Lisbon is probably the least stroller-friendly city on the planet. Luckily, Finn is a great walker, and Sona wore Elias everywhere in the Ergo.

But as promised, Lisbon–and the whole country–were extremely kid/baby-friendly. If you have a little one, you get to go to the front of the line pretty much anywhere: grocery stores, security lines at airports, museums, etc. And every restaurant we went to–no matter how nice–had families with small children. It just seemed to be a non-issue, which was really nice.

Lisbon is a photographer’s dream and, thusly, I fell in love. It reminded us a lot of Barcelona, which is our other favorite city in the world. It’s old and new–weathered and immaculately beautiful. There’s colorful tile and stucco and charm around every single corner, and each neighborhood has it’s own personality.

It’s also a fantastic city to eat in. The restaurants and cafes and bakeries are plentiful, as are the food halls. We loved grabbing small bites and heading outside to eat in a park or on a bench somewhere. Finn loved the french fries and all of the walking and the trolleys and the tuk tuk and the GELATO–good lord, the gelato. Plus, wine is CHEAP.

Sona and I loved Lisbon so much–and Sintra, which I’ll post about next–that we’re already plotting a return visit. In the meantime, here’s some photos from our time in the city, along with some recommendations.

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Our Lisbon Faves and Recommendations:

  • early in your visit, take a tuk tuk tour with Tuk Tuk Tiejo
  • visit the LX Factory on one of their outdoor market days
  • look at the trolleys, but avoid riding them–they are SO busy
  • visit the TimeOut Market, but try to go during off-hours
  • go see the Tower of Belem and get the famous custard tarts at Pasteis de Belem
  • eat at Oficio and Bairro de Avillez and Tartine
  • get the AYCE tapas at Bairrices; save room for dessert
  • get gelato at Santini and Sorbettino (we preferred the latter)
  • Get lunch at Campo de Ourique market and eat it at Jardim da Estrela
  • explore Barrio Alto (during the day with kids and at night with adults)
  • get lost in Alfama (but bring your walking shoes)

(I should also note that Lisbon has a lot of more kid-centric stuff to do, including the best aquarium in Europe and a great zoo. However, since we live in Chicago and have access to that stuff all of the time, we try to use vacations as an opportunity to do some things we don’t get to do at home. So, for this trip, we didn’t hit up those spots, but they come highly recommended.)

Trip Report: Algarve, Portugal

As soon as we knew Sona was pregnant, we begin planning a maternity leave trip. Not only did we have a lot of airline miles to use before they expired, but we also knew that–since Elias is most certainly our last baby–we likely wouldn’t have another extended period of time off again for a long, long time.

So, we started thinking about destinations. Since we travel to the Caribbean a lot, and that doesn’t necessarily feel special, we decided early on to go to Europe, instead, however naive that decision was. When we did some crowd-sourcing, asking about European places that are particularly kid-friendly, folks resoundingly recommended Spain and Portugal. We’ve been to–and love–the former; so, we set our sights on the latter.

While Sona and I could spend weeks wandering through European cities, sitting at cafes and sipping coffee or wine, we knew that our kiddos would require a slower pace and some built-in entertainment that doesn’t necessarily come in a carafe. That led us to Algarve, Portugal’s photo-ready coast. We figured that if we split our time between a beach town and a city, Finn would have plenty to do, and we’d have an excuse to relax by the water for half of the trip.

We landed on Alvor when searching for vacation rentals, as many of the places we liked were in Prainha Village, the largest collection of rentals in Alvor. PV is a resort-like complex, which is itself the size of a small town, and though we typically steer clear of resorts, having the convenience of many pools, restaurants, a grocery store, and fabulous beaches within walking distance was appealing, as we already knew we’d be challenged by traveling so far with the kiddos.

While PV’s prime was likely a couple of decades ago, we still really loved the property. It’s the perfect place for a family, and it was easy. We’re not always the kind of travelers that make decisions for the sake of ease, but again, our goal this trip was to have reasonable expectations and to try, as much as possible, to set ourselves up for a successful, semi-restful time.

Alvor ended up being the perfect home base. We flew into Faro, which was a 45 minute ride away from the little town. Alvor was small and quiet, especially since we missed busy season by a month or so. We could isolate ourselves in our little resort area–where we were frequently the only ones around–or we could take a taxi into town for about $6, which we did most evenings for dinner. (We opted not to rent cars on the trip, either, because we didn’t want to deal with car seats or the stress of driving in a new country. Taxis and Ubers were plentiful, cheap, clean, and friendly. We took them everywhere.)

Our days in Alvor were long and lazy–and the week went by way too fast. Each morning, I went downstairs to the little market where we could buy hot croissants, which we ate on our balcony before heading to the beach or the pool. We played most of the day, soaking up the sun and ignoring nap time more than we should’ve (that caught up to us), and then we’d head into town for a seafood dinner and gelato and an evening stroll through the small fishing town of Alvor.

Though there are dozens of beaches in the Algarve, the little coves at Prainha Village, which are part of Tres Irmaos beach, were the most special we saw. They are private and spectacular and completely disappear at high tide, which means their character changes throughout the day. We finally made it to low tide on our last day at the beach, and it was a totally new landscape: tide pools, exposed rocks, shells galore.Ā  From our villa, we were within easy (by “easy” I mean you have to go up and down about 1,000 stairs) walking distance to 3 or 4 great beaches, ranging from rocky coves to wide, sandy stretches.

We also took one day trip to Lagos, which is one of the largest towns in the Algarve, and sampled pastries and even more gelato and explored the city squares, trying to avoid the touristy spots. We also hit up the old fort and had an Uber take us on a tour of the beaches around Lagos, which are in and of themselves worth a trip. Praia de Camilo is particularly stunning and considered one of Portugal’s best beaches–with good reason. We were glad to have experienced Lagos, which has a good deal of charm if you wander away from the tourist shops, but we were happy to retreat back to the little village of Alvor, where we spent a full week before taking the train to Lisbon.

 

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Our Algarve Faves and Recommendations:

  • AirBnBs are plentiful and CHEAP; Prainha Village has a ton
  • eat at A Lota in Alvor and get the fresh seafood platter
  • get lots of gelato at both Tutti and Buono Gelato (Alvor)
  • visit Tres Irmaos beach during low tide
  • explore Lagos, but stay somewhere smaller
  • get pastries at Confeitaria D’alvor (Alvor) and Padaria Central (Lagos)
  • drink as much Algarve orange juice as you can find, and you’ll find a lot
  • visit the Atlantic pool, which has a spectacular view, at Prainha Village, even if you aren’t staying there
  • rent a car or hire an Uber to do a beach tour; make sure you see Praia do Camilo
  • visit in late September to avoid the crowds but still take full advantage of warm beach weather
  • eat at Gastropub 13 in Alvor
  • make reservations for dinners, even when you think the season is slow

Trip Report: Exuma, Part 2

Cramming a week of fun on Exuma into two blog posts hasn’t been easy. I shared our first batch of photos on Tuesday, and today I’m sharing the rest. We did so much exploring on the island–hitting up something new each day–that it’s hard to recap it all. Even still, just last night, we found out about another beach that we missed. “Damn!” I exclaimed as Sona snuggled in beside me in bed. “Turns out, we missed a really beautiful beach in Exuma.”

Ah, well. We’ll just have to go back, won’t we? šŸ˜‰

My parents spent a morning diving while we were on the island. (Truth be told, this was one of Exuma’s pitfalls. We’re not really sure if it is because Exuma just isn’t a great diving location or because there is only one dive shop on the island and they were, shall we say, not exactly thorough, cautious, or conscientious of the divers. Still, even with a lackluster dive experience, my parents have said they want to go back.)

While they dove, Sona, Finn, and I took off to find Hooper’s Bay, which is a semi-hidden beach that boasts a large turtle population. It took 30 minutes of turning around, stopping in local shops to ask for directions, and trespassing in order for us to find the location. And even though it was a windy and choppy day, meaning visibility wasn’t great, we were still so happy to have found this little bay, which was beautiful.

Like most places we ventured in Exuma, we had the whole beach to ourselves.

This photo may not look like much, but I’ll always love it because Finn waited for me at the end of the pier, holding his hand out, asking “You need help, Momma?” (I’m still hobbling a bit from an ankle injury a month ago.)

There were quite a few photo-ops, as you can tell.

That night, we went to Blu on the Water for dinner, which is right in Georgetown and only a 5 minute drive from where we stayed. It was probably my favorite dining experience. The food was good–not the best we had, but quite good–but it was the view that made it so unique. The restaurant juts over a dock, and we saw a couple of sea turtles, a huge ray, and 3-4 sharks circling right under where we sat. Finn really loved watching the animals, and the atmosphere is unparalleled.

Mimi, showing Finn the sharks. (I might have said “Make sure you hold him tight!” a thousand times.)

On Wednesday, we decided to take the water taxi to Chat N Chill, which is a restaurant/beach hang out/bar on Stocking Island, just a 10-15 minute ride from Great Exuma. It’s one of Exuma’s best know spots, as it is the kind of lively beach bar at which you could easily drink away a day–or seven. We arrived early, wanting to beat the crowds, and the place was pretty quiet.

It was great to get Finn out on the water again, which he loves, and I think he enjoyed playing around the beach at Chat N Chill more than any of us.

He made a few island kitty friends while we were there.

He drank a strawberry daiquiri, rolled in the sand, and danced, enthusiastically, to the Caribbean music blaring in the background.

Since the restaurant was on island time–like everything in the Carib–and wouldn’t start serving until later in the afternoon, we decided to only stay a couple of hours and then head out and try to hit up another beach.

Enter what I’m pretty sure all of us would say was our favorite experience in Exuma: searching for sand dollars at Coco Plum beach during low tide. Holy moly–that place is a living, breathing Windows screensaver circa 1998. That is to say: you MUST go.

If you do, make sure you go right at low tide–the lower, the better. That is when the water retreats and gives way to the most gloriously shallow, clear sandbars you’ve ever seen, and you can practically walk to neighboring islands.

Because of that phenomenon, the spot is perfect for searching for sand dollars, which we did. We found 10 in just 20-30 minutes; I’ve never even found 1 on any other beach before!

For some reason, Finn was a little ocean shy this trip. In Grand Cayman, he loved playing in the water. This time, he preferred the pool. However, Coco Plum was so clear and calm, even he ventured out with us, and I’m so glad we all got to experience it together.

You can’t really tell, but we are a good 50 yards off of shore, here.

Coco Plum also has Insta-worthy swings in the water, which even though they need some TLC, make for a lot of fun (and good photos).

Our last day, we spent a lot of time at February Point, playing in the pool and exploring the property. We also hit up two beaches that were left on our list: Jolly Hall and Tropic of Cancer.

Tropic of Cancer is probably Exuma’s most well-known beach–and for good reason. It’s just a never-ending expanse of white sand and water that is dang-near neon blue.

We’d made a stop early in the week, just to take a peek at it, but we didn’t stay. I’m glad that we urged ourselves out of our poolside beach chairs just in time to hit it up once more before sunset on our last day.

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I think it’s pretty clear that we all fell in love with Exuma–Finn included. There’s so much of the world to see, and Sona and I aren’t the kind of people who like going to the same place twice for that reason, but I have a sneaking suspicion that we may just break that rule to see Exuma, again.

Trip Report: Exuma, Part 1

We’ve been back from Exuma for 4 days, and I think we’re all still secretly hoping to wake up and be right back on that island. Finn is constantly asking, “I go on holiday?” Needless to say, he’s struggling with returning to “real life” as much as the rest of us.

Exuma is a collection of outlying islands in the Bahamas, and we chose that location for a few reasons: 1. It is a relatively quick flight from Miami (just 45 minutes); 2. It was relatively Zika-free at the time we booked and was actually taken off the Zika list in early February; 2. SWIMMING PIGS! We’ve been seeing the photos of their famous swimming pigs everywhere, lately, and we knew that’d be a fun adventure with Finn.

The other thing we really liked about Exuma, which has quickly risen to the top of our favorite Carib islands (we’ve been to 10; Finn has been to 4), is that it is very undeveloped. I’m talking it has one road and just a handful of restaurants. No high rises. Hardly anyone on the beaches. Nothing to do after dark. And that’s totally our speed.

We have so many photos from our trip. This is the first of two posts I’ll do, and it highlights our first few days on the island. Here it goes:

We arrived at 1:22, which is the benefit of waking up at 2AM. The travel day was remarkably easy, as someone seemed to have kidnapped our toddler and replaced him with a happy, easy-going traveler who didn’t seem to mind having virtually no sleep.

As soon as we arrived at our villa at February Point, which is a gated community on the island and is in a great location, we hit the beach. (We always prefer renting to staying in a hotel, and we never do big resorts.)

It quickly became clear that Finn is a TOTAL beach bum, just like his Momma. He was meant to be an island boy (something we hope to make a reality, someday). He LOVES the sand. I mean, he literally rolls in it. And who can resist a sandy baby bum? Not me.

We decided to book a half-day excursion to experience some of the stuff on the various smaller islands of the Exumas. Exuma consists of dozens of small islands, and you have to get out on the water to see some of them while you’re there.

Finn did great on the boat trip we did in Cayman last August. So, we felt confident that he’d do well, again. Sona and I briefly toyed with the idea of doing the excursion on our own, leaving Finn with our parents, but then we realized it just wouldn’t be as fun without him. I’m so glad we decided to take him. Once again, he was nearly perfect, and he loved the trip, despite the fact that it was rainy and windy.

As I mentioned before, Exuma is known for its famous swimming pigs. So, we had to see them! They are SO BIG. I mean, like larger than a really hefty man. It was a little intimidating, but we happened upon them at the same time that there was a huge litter of piglets. So, we got plenty of less-intimidating piggy interaction.

This little guy was the runt, and I wanted to bring him home.

My parents came on the trip with us. We love traveling with them, and we did so even before Finn. Now, though, having extra hands makes international travel with a toddler a lot easier.

We also went to a little cay that had a large iguana population. Finn was super excited about all of the “little dinosaurs,” which he fed grapes and chased around. He had NO fear, which actually made me a little nervous, but we managed to escape with all of our fingers and toes. (These guys are actually pretty docile.)

One of the downsides of the island is that, because it’s so sleepy, there’s not a ton of restaurants. It’s not a foodie destination, like Turks and Caicos, for example, but we did find some good eats. Our favorites were Shirley’s at the Fish Fry, Blu on the Water, and Big D’s Conch Spot, which is pictured below. We also had a private chef come cook local food for us a couple of nights, which we loved. (Make sure to find Chef Ann, if you ever head to Exuma yourself!)

Finn pretty much lived on fruit punch and frozen drinks. Oh, well.

We also spent a lot of time at the pool near our villa, as that was Finn’s favorite spot.

Okay, maybe I survived on fruity drinks, too.

Exuma boasts some of the most beautiful beaches we’ve seen in all of our travels–and the bluest water we’ve seen anywhere. We loved exploring the island, finding little hidden beaches. Forbes Hill was one of our favorites, and we had the entire place to ourselves. (Other must-try beaches: Coco Plum and Tropic of Cancer.)

Can you even believe the color of this water?

Santana’s is one of the best eateries on the island, and the operate without any power–amazing! They are very close to Forbes Hill. So, hitting up both makes for the perfect day. They also are on another gorgeous stretch of beach, which you could, happily, send a day at.

More Exuma photos, coming soon!

Trip Report :: Grand Cayman

We just got back from a week-long vacay on Grand Cayman–the three of us and my dad. It’s not a secret that Sona and I are huge Caribbean fans. It’s our happy place. I’m actually pushing Sona to move there in the next couple of years, but that’s another story.

Grand Cayman was my and Sona’s 9th Caribbean island and Finn’s 3rd. We’ve been putting it off for a few years because, to be honest, it’s not really our usual Carib spot. It’s significantly more developed and more commercialized than the islands we usually gravitate towards, but that also makes it an easier–and somewhat safer–bet with a toddler. So, we pulled the trigger.

We stayed in a condo right on Seven Mile Beach, which is right in the center of the action. It had a HUGE balcony, which was really the selling feature. We all loved hanging out on the balcony, having breakfast or dinner, watching the sunset, and enjoying the spectacular view. Finn especially loved it out there. He would lay on the lounge chairs in the evening and shout, “the moon is on!”

This vacay was also a little different for us because we spent a lot of time just enjoying the pool and the beach on our property. When Sona and I travel alone, we do a lot of exploring, looking for secret beaches, driving all around islands in search of seafood shacks or great views. With Finn, though, sometimes easier is better. And even though we did do a little exploring with him, we also dialed that back a bit, opting instead for low-key days filled with lots of sand castles, swimming, and naps. Both Sona and I remarked that, though our week-long beach trips usually fly by, last week actually felt full and slow–in the best kind of way. I think we owe that to Finn, as he forced us to slow things down, and that also allowed for more quality family time and more relaxation, both things we really, really needed.

Our typical day in GC went something like this: wake up, have a lazy breakfast on the balcony, go down to the beach, play in the sand and swim for a few hours, grab some lunch, take a long afternoon nap (which we all did every single day), get up, go back to the beach or the pool, swim until sunset, eat a late dinner, and hit the sack–exhausted but happy.

We did squeeze in a little adventure amidst all that beach lazing, though. We did a half-day boat tour, which included a trip to Stingray City and a snorkeling stop. It was the thing I was most nervous about, as we’d be stuck on a boat for several hours, and if Finn got cranky or tired or freaked out, there wouldn’t be much we could do about it. However, he really surprised us–as he did several times on this trip–and he did so well! He danced to the music on board, he swam with sting rays, he played all over the boat, and he held up like a champ, despite having been up since 4AM that morning with teething pain.

I also have to give Finn a huge shout-out for how well he did in the water! This kid went from never having worn floaties before we got to Grand Cayman to refusing to let us even touch him when he was in the pool or the ocean. He started full-on swimming by himself, and he would go and go and go–just like the little Energizer Bunny that he is. I couldn’t have been more proud of how brave he was.

Our nighttime swims were one of my favorite parts of the trip. We always had the pool to ourselves, and Finn would jump and run and splash until far past his usual bedtime. “More swim,” he would say. And then, when he got tired, he’d climb up the stairs, turn and look at us over his shoulder, and pronounce “all done.”

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All in all, it was another great vacation, and Sona and I both left feeling so much more confident in our ability to globe-trot with our little tyke. From the long travel days to the extended periods in the hot sun, Finn weathered everything like a pro traveler, and so many of our anxieties were eased. He did 100x better than we expected–and on every front. Since we’ve been home, Sona swears that Finn has matured. “He changed on this trip,” she’s said a couple of times. And I think maybe he did a little bit. But really, I think that the uninterrupted quality time as a family–and the sand! and the sea!–did us all a world of good and it has given us, at least for a short while, a fresh perspective on this whole raising-a-toddler thing.

(Also, I finally got a fat-kini, and I ain’t ever going back to one piece swimwear again.)

Our Grand Cayman Faves and Recommendations:

  • our condo, #30 at South Bay Beach Club
  • eat the lionfish sandwich and the homemade ice cream sandwiches at Macabuca
  • spend a day or two at Smith’s Cove–take a snorkel and mask!
  • get gelato at Gelato & Co.
  • spend an evening exploring Camana Bay, eating at Brooklyn
  • shop at Kirk’s market, stocking up on imported chocolate
  • do the Breakfast with Rays excursion with Red Sail
  • snorkel the man-made reef in front of the Marriott
  • have a romantic dinner at Grand Old House, request to sit right on the water
  • get the pina coladas and fish tacos at Veranda beach bar–both the best I’ve ever had!
  • eat some Asian/Caribbean chow at Hemingway’s

Summer Bucketlist–Update!

In early June, I posted our summer bucketlist,Ā which catalogued the stuff we wanted to do this summer–both fun and the not-so-fun.

Now that our summer is just a month or so from ending, I thought I’d check in with some updates and see how the list is faring.

Let’s take stock of the summer of 2017, thus far, starting with the fun.

  • Spend several days at the beach

Oh, man. We’ve been pretty bad about beach days, thus far. Weekends are so jam-packed that, when we have a day together as a family, we often have too much on the agenda to visit the beach. Plus, it’s been a super rainy summer, and that’s drenched our plans a bit. (See what I did, there?)

  • Hit up a new Caribbean island

We leave for Grand Cayman on Sunday. So, stay tuned!

  • Have a no-cook charcuterie/tapas-style dinner on the porch at least once a week</li>

Check out this charcuterie. Ain’t she a beaut?! We’ve done some no-cook dinners, but more are on the agenda, for sure.

  • Have a swanky rooftop cocktail date downtown with my gal

Nope, not yet.

  • Visit a farmer’s market at least once a week

We’ve done the farmer’s market a lot, this summer. Sometimes, we’ve gone TWICEĀ  a week!

  • Catch up on our vacation photo books (Alaska/Cannon Beach, Belize, San Juan/Nevis/Anguilla, Virgin Gorda, Italy)

I have a feel that this one isn’t going to happen. Winter project, maybe?

  • Take Finn to the Thomas the Train show

Done! Despite the long drive and a tot who woke up earlier than expected, meaning it was nearly nap time when we arrived, we had a really good morning at the Thomas the Train event, which took place at the Illinois Railway Museum. He did great, and he was SO excited by all of the trains.

He would not, however, tolerate facing AWAY from Thomas long enough for a photo. Can you see the “c’mon, can we just get this photo thing over with” look on both of their faces?

Kissing ALL the Thomases.

And we did the train ride, too! (Which, honestly, he was maybe a little too young to enjoy, but it was still worth it.)

  • Visit my hometown in Tennessee for the first time since Finn was born (and eat lots of Mexican food while there)

Check! We went to TN the week of July 4th, showing Finn our home states (Kentucky and Tennessee) for the first time. And there was LOTS of Mexican food had.

Finn LOVED being a country boy for a few days, and he especially loved riding the lawn mower (which he thinks is a tractor) with Pops!

We enjoyed spending time with our family, including Finn’s favorite cousin: Max!

We also celebrated Sona’s 36th bday while we were there!

And we spentĀ  little time in the pool.

  • Go berry picking with Finn

The berry picking ship has sailed, no? Maybe we can pick peaches?

  • Binge watch OITNB

The first thing we checked off!

  • Get family photos taken

Scheduled for Friday!

  • Finally get back to blogging before/after photos of our house

I blogged the before/after photos of our master bedroom and bath. Didya see?

  • Finally get back to blogging regularly, in general

The jury is still out.

  • Celebrate Finn’s 2nd birthday with a casual beach party

Yet to come…

  • Plant an herb garden–and keep it alive

Yes! I have basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and parsley. All are totally lush! But the dill? Not so much.

  • Finally visit one of the surrounding state fairs

Fingers crossed!

  • Eat watermelon, corn, peaches, and tomatoes until we explode

Ohmygosh, YAAAASSSSS! In fact, we are having corn and tomatoes for dinner again, tonight.

  • Get my hands on a pair of those freaking copper-colored Birkenstocks that I’ve been stalking since February (No, really, I know this one is stupid, but I have wide feet and it’s hard to find cute shoes, and I’ve literally checked for these EVERY SINGLE DAY for months)

I think I should just give up on this one. (Sob.)

The Not-So-Fun:

  • Finish Kellogg practicum project

50 pages? Sent!

  • Clean out Finn’s closet and list a ton of clothes in his Kidizen shop

I’ve listed–and sold–dozens of items, already! Not on Kidizen? Use my code–khc5i–for a $5 credit upon signing up!

  • Clean out my closet and do the same

Maybe this week?

  • Go through the house and clean up/touch up paint, which we’ve been meaning to do since we moved in

Nope.

  • Pack up some of Finn’s baby toys šŸ™ and organize what is left

Yes! We’ve gone from a living room that was being overtaken by toys to just a couple of baskets. I also cleaned out his closet, allowing us to put all of his larger cars (he has like 15) on the floor of the closet, rather than the floor of our living room.

  • Have all of our windows professionally cleaned–they are GROSS

Done! And what a difference it makes!

  • Get back into a steady workout routine

I’ve been going to the gym 4 days a week for about a month, now. I’m going to have to find a new routine once school starts back, but I’m happy with my progress, for now.

  • Have a pretty standard out-patient surgery that I’ve been putting off because it means I won’t be able to pick Finn up for two weeks

Scheduled for early August.

  • Get started on the two book projects I’ve been delaying, which are due relatively soon

I’ve already had a couple of meetings with my co-author, and we’ve made some good progress!

  • Begin visiting possible preschools and (hopefully) get on a waitlist

I emailed a few. Does that count?

  • Sign-up for and start swim lessons with Finn

We have his 4th lesson tonight, actually! He goes to Goldfish Swim School every Tuesday night. After, we have a casual family dinner. It’s been a pretty fun new routine.

  • Potty-trainĀ  (KILL ME NOW)

Still in denial.

 

Trip Report: Washington D.C.

A few weeks ago, we flew to D.C. for a family wedding. Since I’d never been, we decided to make a week-long trip of it. It was also the first vacation-ish trip that we’ve taken with Finn without our parents tagging along for support. (We took him to Virgin Gorda, last year, but the rents were there to help.)

It was also the first time that he’s been on an airplane since he was 7 months old, as last year’s big move prevented a lot of traveling aside from Italy, which Sona and I did by ourselves.

I was a little nervous about it. As I’ve mentioned before, Finn is the world’s most energetic child. He moves CONSTANTLY. Like, he really never, ever sits still. Also, three days before we left, he was diagnosed with a double ear infection.

The plane ride to D.C. was a bit of a challenge. He did okay, but we had to wrestle him into his seat more than a dozen times, and he totally lost his shit at baggage claim in D.C. It was past nap-time, he needed desperately to get out some energy, and we were asking him to sit still and wait.Ā  On the way back, though, he was a perfect angel. So, I think some ear discomfort might have contributed to his behavior on the first flight. Or not. You never really know. Complete 180s are a pretty common occurrences with toddlers, and I always prep myself for the fact that it could go either way.

Either way, we had a good time in D.C., after we got past the first day or so of general out-of-sortedness. We rented an AirBnB in a great neighborhood, which was within walking distance of the main highlights, but we didn’t realize that the bedroom didn’t have a door. So, Finn slept in a pack-n-play in the living room and had a clear view of our bedroom. It wasn’t ideal, and it interfered with sleeping just a bit. He took forever to go down for naps, which is super unusual, and we had to hide out in the bedroom the entire time he slept. (It was WAY too bright in the bedroom for naps.) As a result, he was a little bit of a crank that first 24-36 hours.

Sona and I also had a few “Oh, so this is what traveling with kids is going to be like” moments. We needed to adjust our expectations quite a bit, as we are so accustomed to globe-trotting on our own, but once we did, everything was a lot better.

Things really improved once: 1. We recognized that Finn should lead the way, most of the time. 2. We gave up on walking miles and miles in the heat and Ubered to a lot of places, allowing more time to explore and less time spent in transit. 3. We honored nap time. 4. We gave up on trying to do a lot of indoor dining with Finn, opting for picnics and outdoor options, instead. 5. We let him walk/run more than he was in the stroller. 6. We found a playground and a splash-pad near our apartment, which gave Finn a sense of normalcy, as we do those things at home a lot. 7. We had a babysitter come after he went to bed in the evenings, giving Sona and I a chance to have adult time and explore some of the good eats D.C. has to offer.

All in all, it ended up being a really great little trip, and I’m glad we worked out the kinks of traveling with a toddler before we take a bigger trip later this year.

Here are a ton of pics:

We were super ambitious and walked to the White House pretty much as soon as we got off the plane.

We were kind of surprised that, despite a lot of greenspace, D.C. didn’t actually have a lot of parks or playgrounds that were for little kids. In Chicago, we are spoiled by a plethora of playgrounds! But we did find Stead Park, which was just a few blocks from our AirBnB, and it was a total hit!

We did the National Mall on our second day.

Finn really enjoyed our picnic by the water, watching the ducks.

The morning ceremony was at a Hindu temple about 30 minutes outside of the city. Finn didn’t do so well there, but he did enjoy the music. (Another lesson: don’t take a toddler to a wedding!)

It was nice to get dressed up–and have my BFF babysit–for the evening wedding ceremony.

The fried chicken, honey butter, hot sauce, and donut sandwich at Astro Donuts is what dreams are made of! We went three times. Don’t judge us!

Someone at the wedding recommended the paddleboats on the Potomac, and it was SO much fun!

Ā 

We celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary with dinner at Le Diplomate. SO yum!

We had a babysitter 4 of the nights we were in town, and it allowed us to enjoy the nightlife a bit.

Ā Ā Ā 

Our D.C. Faves and Recommendations:

  • Eat at Astro Donuts–like 10 times, at least
  • Rent a paddleboat from Tidal Basin
  • Have pina coladas and empandas at Colada Shop
  • Have dinner (or brunch) at Le Diplomate–get the gougeres and seafood tower
  • Get ice cream at Ice Cream Jubilee
  • Make the most of the toddler-friendly main attractions: White House, National Mall, Smithsonian Natural History Museum
  • Eat at Compass Rose
  • Visit Stead Park for the playground and splash pad

 

Trip Report: Venice, Italy

Shameless plug: photos from both Florence and Venice are now featured in my Etsy shop, which is linked above.

Last week, I shared our trip report for Florence. After Florence, we headed to Venice for a few days.

We booked our train ticket a month or so in advance through Trentitalia, but that really wasn’t necessary. The high speed train system in Italy is surprisingly easy and efficient, and we probably could’ve shown up and booked tickets the day of. We also got to the train station way too early, and we were those silly tourists, staring at the board, waiting for our track to post.

Even still, the train ride was effortless, and it was actually nice to have a couple hours of down time. Sona slept; I snacked and stared out the window.

When we arrived in Venice, we did the thing you probably shouldn’t do if you’re smart and trying to save a little money: we hired a private water taxi to get to our hotel. There are certainly cheaper ways to go about that, but I really wanted to enter Venice with a bang–and see it from the water, for the first time, in a way that was comfortable and special. But if we did it again, I’d just hop a Vaporetto, especially since our hotel–Cima Rosa–was just a couple of stops away from the train station.

Though, that 10-minute ride was awe-inspiring. I have to say: Sona and I have traveled quite a bit, and we’ve seen many a wondrous location, but I rarely have the immediate mouth-agape, eyes-wide reaction to Europe that I do to places in the Caribbean. What can I say? I’m a gal who is inspired by water. But the second we stepped into the water taxi and caught sight of the Grand Canal, my jaw dropped. Literally.

The water taxi hadn’t even started moving when I started snapping photos. I must have taken 50 photos in those 10 minutes, including all of these:

I must have mistakenly thought that I was getting a limited opportunity to capture Venice’s beauty, but then I realized that there is no spot in Venice–no alley you wonder down, no canal you cross–that isn’t every bit as charming and captivating and lovely as that first 10 minute ride. Venice is, inch for inch, the prettiest place we’ve ever been, and it is a photographer’s dream. You just can’t take a bad photo.

We stayed at Cima Rosa, which bills itself as a boutique B&B. It is housed in a centuries-old building and has less than 10 rooms. It felt really intimate, as there are less than 10 rooms. We snagged a room right on the Grand Canal, which gave us an incredible view and was uber romantic. Probably the most romance-inspiring place we’ve ever stayed, actually.

Cima Rosa is just slightly outside of the tourist-driven area of Venice, which was perfect for us. It is in a neighborhood that is quiet and feels residential; it’s also centrally located, which gave us the opportunity to explore much of Venice.

During our days there, we walked and walked and walked. We explored virtually every corner of the city, branching out to all parts of the islands and walking through every major neighborhood. It was worth all of the blisters, though, because each neighborhood had its own personality, and–as is true in pretty much any place on the planet–the most interesting spots weren’t necessarily the ones the guidebooks told us about.

In fact, our favorite day in Venice–and maybe of the whole trip–was the one designed by the receptionist at our B&B, who wrote us out a walking tour of her neighborhood–Dorsoduro–including her favorite spots to eat, shop, etc. That’s the artistic district of Venice, and it’s also where the university is. So, it’s young, hip, and local. We really, really loved it–so much so that we went back on our last day.

One of our concerns about Venice stemmed from the fact that lots of folks told us how hard it would be to find good eats, as so much is geared towards locals, but we didn’t find that to be true at all. With a little research–and walking–you’ll find plenty of yumminess, including a lot of cicchetti, which is the tradition of Venetian small bites. Most cicchetti are various toppings–spreads, fish, etc.–on slices of bread. ALL of them are delicious and affordable. Venetians eat cicchetti much in the same way that the Spanish eat tapas: as small bites, accompanied by an aperitif, before dinner. We ate them before–and after–lots of meals.

On our last day, we did what anyone must do on their first trip to Venice, stereotypes be damned: we took a gondola ride. We deliberately timed it to be right before sunset, and we asked not to go on the Grand Canal. This left us meandering through the blissfully quiet small canals. It was worth every penny, at $80 for 40 minutes, because Venice was really meant to be seen from the water, and we wanted to have that experience before we left.

 

Do I even have to tell you how much we enjoyed Florence and Venice? I don’t think so. Sometimes, we go to a place and leave, thinking “That was wonderful, but it is on to somewhere new!” And sometimes, you come home from a place, and you find yourself daydreaming about it, wishing you could do the trip all over, again.

I’ve spent every day since Italy wishing that we were back in Italy.

Our Venice Faves and Recommendations:

  • our hotel, Cima Rosa
  • a gondola tour–but not on the Grand Canal
  • the Peggy Guggenheim museum
  • a day spent exploring Dorsoduro, including exploring the artist shops along S. Barnaba
  • cicchetti at Osteria Al Squero and Vino gia Schiavi
  • frito misto and pasta (we loved the arrabiata) at Fried Land (just trust me on this one)
  • dinner at Osteria Anice Stellato
  • an early morning walk through the Rialto Market
  • chocolate souvenirs at Vizo Virtu
  • sandwiches and pastries at Rosa Salva (the one by the hospital)
  • a walk through the Libreria Acqua Alta bookstore
  • wine at Vino Vero, sitting along the canal
  • gelato at Grom
  • an evening spent drinking on one of the local squares
  • pizza at Muro Frari

 

 

 

 

Trip Report: Florence, Italy

It’s been a little over a month since my last post, and I could blame that on being unusually busy, but I’m beginning to realize that being unusually busy is our new usual.

Amidst the busyness, though, Sona and I managed to sneak away for an 8-day getaway to Italy–sans Finn.

It was our first alone trip since he was born, and before I go into too much detail about all the ways in which it was absolutely wonderful, soul-satisfying, and marriage-restoring, let me just give you the short of it: IT IS NOT ONLY OKAY, BUT ALSO TOTALLY IMPORTANT, THAT PARENTS TAKE SOME TIME AWAY FROM THEIR KIDS.

We were very lucky that my mom and step-dad–Mimi and Pops–were willing to sacrifice a week of their own vacation time to come up to Chicago and take care of our little man. We really wanted him to stay in our home. First, because we thought he needed as much stability as possible in the very fragile state we’d assumed he’d be in without us (more on that, later) and, also, because driving to and from Tennessee would shave a couple of days off of our own vacay time.

Italy has been on our must-visit list for a LONG time. And we figured that if we had a chance to escape without any toddler, we might as well go somewhere that would be difficult with him. It’s not that doing Europe with Finn would be impossible (though, the thought does terrify me), it’s just that doing it the way we’d want to do it–wandering aimlessly for hours, drinking a lot of wine, lounging carelessly at a variety of sidewalk cafes–would be impossible with him. Having him would have totally changed the nature of the trip, and we wanted to remember what it was like to be wanderlust-y and carefree–without a baby.

Though, as the trip date approached, Sona and I were feeling so tired and depleted that we found ourselves secretly wishing that we’d just booked a lazy trip to the Caribbean–one in which we wouldn’t feel guilty sleeping on a beach chair all day.

And even though we did run from sun-up to sun-down each day, walking a total of 50+ miles while we were gone (according to our iPhones) and exploring every inch of both Florence and Venice, it was completely worth it. The trip gave us a small glimpse into our pre-baby lives. That was a time that we wouldn’t trade for now–because, of course, Finn is our sun and our moon–but it was nice to remember who we were to each other before we were moms. We felt more connected to each other than we have in a long time, and that was really because we had one luxury that we don’t have very often, anymore: uninterrupted and responsibility-free time.

As for Finn, he couldn’t have cared less about our absence. I mean, he cared so little that we were actually a little hurt. Couldn’t he have just pretended that he was devastated? Thrown just a few tantrums, thrashing his legs and screaming for “momma”?! Truth was, Mimi and Pops did such a good job giving him completely undivided attention that he was happy as a clam and hardly noticed that we were away.

That is to say, I think the week apart was good for all of us.

Now… Florence! We started in Florence and ended in Venice, which when we asked around, were the two Italian cities that folks seemed to have enjoyed the most. If we’d had a few more days, we would’ve crammed Rome into the itinerary, too, but we didn’t want to over-tax ourselves. (And we really wanted a lot of time for wine and gelato.)

In Florence, we rented an apartment, which is what we generally prefer, as it helps us live more like locals for a few days–and is usually nicer, roomier, and cheaper than a hotel. Our apartment was right around the corner fro Ponte Vecchio–the main attraction in Florence. That put us smack dab in the middle of the two sides of the city separated by the Arno river–one that is more touristy and one that is more geared towards the locals. We enjoyed exploring both.

Florence was a great city to wander and eat in–which are the two things we did the most. Walk. Sit. Drink. Eat. Repeat. That was how we spent those four glorious days. We did a good bit of noshing, rather than elaborate multi-course meals, and it proved to be the best way to experience–and taste–much of what the city had to offer.

We also ate gelato at least twice a day. So, there’s that.

It was in the mid-60s most of the time we were there. So, while it got a little chilly at night, I really enjoyed being able to explore all day without getting too hot. We lucked out with the weather, and it was sunny during our entire visit. That made wandering a lot more enjoyable.

Of course, we did many of the requisite Florence things: we went to see David at dell’Accademia, walked through the Uffizi galleries, rubbed the nose of the lucky boar, and explored the Boboli Gardens.

We also did an all-day private tour of the Tuscan countryside, which included stops in the medieval towns of Montalcino and Pienza, a wine tour and tasting, a visit to some Roman baths, and an awe-inspiring lunch at a local farm.

But really, the days we enjoyed most were the ones when we didn’t have anything on the docket–days when we just set out, grabbed a latte (or two), ate, and walked, and ate some more.

Those are the kinds of days we miss the most–and the kind that were the most restorative.

Next stop, Venice!

Our Florence Faves and Recommendations:

  • our apartment, VRBO listingĀ 827364
  • a tour with Andrea from Tuscany Experience Tours
  • a walk through Boboli Gardens (bring a snack)
  • pizza at Gusta Pizza
  • gelato at Gelateria Della Passera, Perche No, and Gelateria Dei Neri
  • dinner at Vini e Vecchi
  • a charcuterie board at La Prosciutteria Firenze
  • anything fried at Il Coccolo
  • a sandwich at Ino
  • breakfast (and lunch and snacks and coffee) at Catinetta dei Verrazzano
  • a nibbling tour through Mercato di San Lorenzo
  • dinner–and a drink on the square–at 4 Leones