Travel Diary: Guide to Copenhagen & Malmo

My husband and I had a rare week off together in the middle of my spring semester, so we decided to take full advantage and booked a whirlwind trip to Scandinavia. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

We started our trip with about 36 hours in Malmo, and then spend the rest of the time in Copenhagen. In five days and four nights, we covered a ton of ground and were so thrilled to get to experience the Nordic region of Europe. Copenhagen and Malmo were equally charming, beautiful, hospitable, and incredible cities. Each with their own unique features, we truly could not pick a favorite.

Here’s a quick summary of our trip, in case you were thinking of heading to that region of the world:

Malmö

Malmö was a quick 30 minute train ride from the Copenhagen airport (where we flew in). We stayed at the Story Hotel. It was about a 5 minute walk from the train station and had all the amenities we could have asked for. It had a great location, great curb appeal, and great views from our hotel room window(s).

We rented complimentary bikes through the hotel (huge plus) which made seeing the city in just 24-ish hours much more manageable. They also offered a complimentary breakfast buffet with killer views, where we fell in love with the thick, dense, delicious bread that Scandinavia is known for.

In our very limited amount of time in Malmö, we saw as much as we could, ate as much as we could, and biked as much as we could. A few highlights were experiencing an authentic Swedish bath; catching a glimpse of the Turning Torso (the largest building in Sweden), biking through Kungsparken, the oldest park in Malmo; and snapping a photo next to a large windmill called Slottsmollan.

We took lots of coffee breaks and made sure not to leave the country without trying a famous Swedish cinnamon bun.

Other to-dos in Malmo are to experience the Sankt Petri Church (Saint Peter’s Church), which dates back to the 14th century and is absolutely breathtaking; walk through Gustav square, the second largest square in the city; and grab coffee, lunch, or dinner at “Little Square” or Lilla Torg. Lilla Torg is surrounded by the most picturesque buildings, and had such a fun energy.

The highlight of Malmo for me was the traditional Swedish bath. We went to Ribersborg Kallbadhus, which felt about as authentic as you could get. We sat in a co-ed sauna (interesting experience, to say the least), then went our separate ways into gender-specific saunas. We finished off the experience by dipping into the 46-degree Baltic Sea water which was THE most invigorating experience.

Did I mention we were in our birthday suits that whole time? It was like nothing else we’d experienced, but my gosh, it was exciting. We capped our Swedish bath experience off with two cappuccinos on the deck overlooking the sea and it was by far one of the most memorable urban travel adventures we’ve had.

Copenhagen

Having spent more time in Copenhagen, I feel like I have so much to share, it’s hard to capture it all in a few paragraphs. So, I’ll keep it short and sweet, since I know there are so many blogs and vlogs about how remarkable this city really is. Here are our highlights/recommendations:

Hotel SP34: This hotel was absolutely perfect. Perfect location (close to lots of attractions and close to the train station), perfect amenities, and a great price. The rooms had a quintessential nordic minimalism, and there was a complimentary wine happy hour every evening. There was live music one night in the lobby, and they also have a outdoor rooftop bar, which we totally would’ve taken advantage of, had the weather been warmer. Nothing but great things to say about this place – I would stay there again in a heartbeat! [Shout out to Anna Edit for this great recommendation!]

Torvehallerne: A food hall in the middle of the city with dozens of different booths offering an array of different cuisines, market items, gifts, and drinks. We went there for lunch and split a couple different sandwiches.

Atelier September: We dropped by this picturesque cafe on our way to Nyhavn. My husband ordered the avo toast and I opted for traditional Danish cafe breakfast of bread, butter, and cheese. We also grabbed our daily cappuccinos (of course) and were on our way to the most famous harbor in Copenhagen.

Nyhavn: Needs no explanation. You have to visit this place when in Copenhagen. The colors, the buildings, the energy – everything. We jumped on the Copenhagen Canal tour (an audio boat tour) to learn more about the city & it was a great way to cover lots of ground in a short period of time. After the tour, we stopped by one of the many picturesque cafes along the harbor & I had a glass of orange wine, which had a really unique flavor.

Warpigs: This was a recommendation by my friend Rachael, and it did not disappoint. Kind of funny that we flew all the way across the world to eat American-style BBQ, but my gosh it was delicious! Fittingly, this casual restaurant was located in the old meatpacking district in Copenhagen, which was a vibey-, up-and-coming area.

Cocks ‘n Cows: This restaurant was attached to our hotel lobby and we almost skipped right over it. Thank goodness we didn’t! I had by far, one of the *best* veggie burgers I’ve ever had in my life there! Highly recommend this place for a casual night of burgers & fries, if you’re so inclined.

Restaurant Meille: We splurged one night and dined at Meille. It was phenomenal. If you want to dress up and try a Danish 5-course meal in a quaint, chic, modern setting, I highly recommend this place. My husband still talks about their bread and vinegar butter — sounds odd, but oh my it was unforgettable! Also, compared to some of the other fine-dining options in Copenhagen, this place didn’t totally break the bank.

Sant Peders Bakery: The oldest bakery in Copenhagen! This place was just blocks from our hotel, and we frequented it every morning of our trip. The danishes were phenomenal and exactly what you’d hope for when trying a danish in Denmark. Highly recommend the vanilla custard danish — it was out of this world.

Norrebro Lakes: We made quite the trek on foot to see the Norrebro Lakes, but they were totally worth it. Right in the middle of the metropolital city were these beautiful, uniform lakes, all in a row, separated by bridges/streets every few blocks. It felt so quinessentially European, and we were SO happy we made the walk to this part of the city to spend some time around the lakes.

Brus Beer: An extremely “Instagram-able” brewery in Norrebro area. We had delicious beer and super tasty fermented french fries with truffle aioli. I took about a million pictures of this place and also took advantage of the complimentary post cards they had available for customers to take home with them (I now have my postcard framed in our kitchen!).

Norrebro Bryghus: We came to this brewery based on a recommendation from one of my students, who is from Denmark. We tried a few different smørrebrød (a classic Danish dish that is essentially an open-faced sandwich) and my husband tried Danish snaps, which is a national celebratory spirit/liquor in Denmark.

Tivoli Gardens: Definitely worth experiencing one evening while you’re in Copenhagen. We happened to visit right around Easter, so the entire gardens were covered in pastel ornaments and flowers. Also, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, which was our first experience seeing cherry blossoms & my heart about exploded at how beautiful they were. Highly recommend seeing this place in the late afternoon/evening so that it’s still light outside to walk around, but you can also experience how magical all of the garden’s lights are. TIP: we got tickets to Tivoli Gardens as part of a package deal when we bought our Canal Tour tickets — that’s the way to do it if you plan to do both attractions!

Amalienborg Palace: beautiful palace to visit – I think it’s a must-see, personally. It’s the home to the Danish royal family, and is made up of four identical palaces that surround a really beautiful courtyard. Definitely worth walking to and is a quick walk from Nyhavn.

Rosenborg Castle: This is a renaissance castle in the middle of the city, surrounded by beautiful gardens. We simply walked through the gardens on our way from one part of the city to the next, and it was really magical. The castle itself is beautiful and I was geeking out over it’s moat!

Hoping I didn’t misspell any Danish names/words anywhere in here!

As you can tell, we did a lot of eating, drinking, walking, and site-seeing in Copenhagen & Malmo. Both cities were absolutely beautiful and I highly recommend visiting each place if you’re interested in traveling to that region of Europe!

A Thought on Consumer-Brand Relationships

One thing that I learned in my research, which applies to my career as a lecturer teaching the course, “Advertising Strategies & Social Media”, which applies to my job as a social media consultant, is that brands are focusing too much on getting “likes”, and not enough time fostering meaningful relationships with their consumers/clients/community members.

As a social media consultant and a lecturer, I really try to emphasize the importance of relationship building with your brand’s community, as doing such provides the most long-lasting, long term effects on brand loyalty and brand trust.

It’s just like an interpersonal relationship: dialogue needs to be two-way, both parties expect to have their needs fulfilled, trust is at the core of everything, you have to know the values of the person you’re with, etc.

As stated by Fournier (1998), do not think of the consumer-brand relationship as a metaphor, because it isn’t. Instead, think of your brand as being in an actual human relationship with your consumers. Thus my recommendation is that your brand needs to be: patient, kind, understanding, respectful to its partner, transparent, trustworthy, credible, stable, and well.. simply just treat your consumer the way you’d want to be treated.

It may sound a bit like I’m trying to be your therapist, but I promise you, I’m not.

Research upon research has provided evidence suggesting that in today’s day and age, living and breathing amidst social media and the Relationship Era of advertising, it is very important that brands work towards the goal of entering into meaningful relationships with their community members if they want to experience a longevity of relevance, and long-term success, with less money spent in the marketing department overall.

[Like what you’re hearing? Shoot me an e-mail with any questions.]

Dermatology Times Feature

I am so excited to announce that I have been featured in an article for the Dermatology Times.

Dr. Melanie Palm M.D. of the widely successful Art of Skin M.D., her highly respected cosmetic dermatology office, is a monthly contributor to the Dermatology Times. A few months back, Dr. Palm asked me to share some of my favorite social media “do’s and dont’s” with her, relevant to the medical field.

I was so excited (and humbled) by the opportunity to collaborate with her on an article, and am very excited to share the final piece with you now.

Click here to read the piece: http://bit.ly/1zTKcAC

Let me know your thoughts!

** Thank you again, Melanie, for this incredible opportunity to be referenced as a ‘scholarly’ source — EEK.. someone pinch me!! **

The Small Change in Tech Use that Significantly Improved My Daily Well-being

The title of this post sounds a bit like click-bait, but it’s the most honest description of how I feel about the technology change I made a few weeks back that has literally, changed my life.

Let me start with some background: I have 4 part-time jobs. Across these 4 jobs, I am expected to be constantly available on my phone in many different ways – whether that be answering e-mails, calling clients, or posting to a certain Instagram account at a certain time. I definitely bring my work home with me. Quite simply, I am BUSY, and I am also always on my phone, always connected.

At certain points in the year, it got to the point where every time I looked down at my phone – whether it was right when I woke up in the morning, or when I was out to dinner with friends, or right before I laid down for bed – I would have some sort of e-mail notification on my phone, haunting me.

Sounds dramatic, I know… but it really did feel like my work was haunting me. I would look down to see a daunting e-mail task from my boss, or an e-mail from a student stressed out because they’re failing a class, or a text message from a client asking why their art wasn’t delivered on time. And at that moment, no matter what I was doing or what the e-mail said, I felt like a failure. I felt like I wasn’t doing my job, or wasn’t doing it well — especially if I was in a position where I couldn’t answer back right away. If I didn’t answer that information request immediately, I felt guilty and stressed; and to be totally honest, it was taking its toll.

It was negatively affecting my mental health and my physical health. No exaggeration: sometimes, I’d wake up in the middle of the night and check my phone to see what time it is, just to find an e-mail from a student. At that point, I wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep, so I’d just go ahead and answer the e-mail because well, might as well be productive if you’re not sleeping. Without sounding too melodramatic, it was pretty awful. I had fostered really unhealthy work-life-balance habits and I knew I had to change something. So, a few weeks ago, just before my spring break, I made a slight edit to my tech settings.

The change that I made, was so simple, it’s laughable — but what an impact it had.

I changed (essentially eliminated) all notification settings on my phone.

Instead of having those little red bubbles, taunting me with how many e-mails I hadn’t read, I now have a dashboard that is clear of notification clutter, clear of distraction, and clear of anxiety.

Without those notifications (whether they be on the lock screen or on my home screen) hovering over each icon, reminding me of how many people were trying to get ahold of me, I can now look down at my phone to grab the time, without immediately thinking about work. Instead, I now have to make a conscious effort to go to my work e-mail and check the Inbox to see what e-mails I received. I have to *seek my work out*, instead of having my work follow me everywhere I go, at all times of the day. This quick and simple change made the most profound impact.

It has allowed me to be more present in the moment; it’s allowed me to not think about everything I have to tackle the next day; it’s allowed me to separate myself from my jobs that do tend to come home with me; and all those things combined, have made all the difference.

Since this change, I’ve also deleted all of the notifications for my social media platforms including Snapchat, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook. This again, makes me seek out those social interactions, instead of having them bombard me at all times, even when I’m not in a place to respond or read or react. It’s lessened the constant threat of FOMO and seriously, it’s been SO LIBERATING.

So — if you can at all relate to the feeling of heaviness related to work following you home all.the.time, do me a favor, and try changing the notification settings so that you do not receive badge nor banner notifications when you get an e-mail or a message.

Trust me, you’ll feel better 🙂

 

 

Breckenridge

We ended 2017 with a trip to Breckenridge, CO.

Our most recent tradition is to opt out of giving each other Christmas gifts, and instead, pay in mutually toward a trip somewhere new together. We knew we wanted a ski trip, and neither of us had ever been to Colorado, so Breckenridge ended up being the perfect destination. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

We started our trip with 24 hours in Denver, a city we’ve both always wanted to visit. We found the dreamiest boutique hotel, just a block from Coor’s Field, called The Maven. Couldn’t recommend this hotel enough! The decor was so on brand, and the amenities were plentiful (Ie. complimentary margarita upon arrival & breakfast pastries + coffee in the mornings). 

We hopped around a few breweries and ended the night at Union Station where we had dinner & then grabbed a couple hot chocolates. It was Christmastime so Union Station was extra cozy and romantic with its festive lights and trimmings.

After just one night, we left Denver and set off for Breck! (Side note: We opted to rent a car for the trip and highly recommend that option if it’s available to you.)

We stayed at The Village Resort in Breck, which was quite literally a stone’s throw away from one of the main lodges/chairlifts. The accommodations were simple – nothing crazy or over the top – but our room had a perfect view of the mountains, *and* was walking distance to the downtown area, so we were just thrilled!

We spent 2 full days on the mountain, in perfect weather, traversing back and forth between ski lodges; and ended each night with a hurried walk to downtown (it dropped below 30 degrees each night!).

We ate at a yummy pizza joint one night and then met up with some of our dear friends for dinner at Artisan 206, a new spot in town, the next night.

We also made sure to try Crepe a la Cart [twice], while we were there, and we were not disappointed! We waited in line 40+ minutes in the cold, with many other eager crepe enthusiasts, and I’ll tell you, it was worth the wait! Unfortunately, I didn’t snap a picture of our crepes, as we pretty much inhaled them at first sight.

We ended the trip with a day a day of walking around town, popping into gift shops & cafes (partially to escape the cold!), while getting sprinkled with the lightest, driest dusting of snowflakes.

It was a seriously fantastic trip and I would recommend each spot we tried as well as our accommodations to anyone! We loved Denver & Breckenridge was the dreamiest little ski town — I hope we find a way to go back to CO sooner than later!

New Year Goals: 2018

I’m not a huge one for new year’s resolutions, tbh. I find them to be a bit cliché and often times, difficult *for me* to follow through with. My new year’s resolutions are often so broad, vague, or far-fetched, that they leave me feeling inadequate, instead of fulfilled.

But this year, I feel like I have some fairly concrete goals that I would like to attain, and some lifestyle changes that I’m hoping to actually make.

It’s been a while since I’ve visited this space, so for those of you who don’t know, I am getting married..!! With a wedding looming on the 2018 horizon, you can imagine that I have quite the to-do list this year. But aside from wedding-related goals, I also have some more abstract – if you will – changes that I also hope to make this year. Without rambling on, here are my 2018 goals.. hopes.. intentions.. etc.

1. Be my best physical self. Instead of aiming to lose weight, eat healthier, or exercise more, I decided to just set an intention to be my best physical self. One week, it may be cutting processed sugars; another week, it may be going to yoga two days instead of just once. I want to keep it attainable and also take care of my health — so my goal is just to simply be my best physical self.
2. Share [just a little bit] less. I LOVE social media. It’s part of my job; I teach about it; I research it; I practice it. That professional interest comes from a personal love of it. But I also see the [major] downsides to it. I decided that in 2018, I am going to share less. I don’t want to limit myself creatively by not sharing; but there are moments that I ask myself, “why are you posting this?”, “do you have to post this?”, and in those instances, I am going to try and make a conscious effort to simply *not* post. After all, some things are better left to the imagination, no?
3. Avoid wedding-related procrastination. Everyone that has planned a wedding has told me “don’t wait till the last minute to do ___”. I’ve also had friends say that the last month before the wedding is the worst month. All of this has made me so wary of putting things off. I really don’t want to have those feelings, if at all possible — although I’m sure some procrastination is hard to get around. So, in order to really try and enjoy and indulge in all things wedding-planning, I’m trying to tackle projects as I come upon them, or as I’m inspired. For example, I’ve already purchased my bridesmaids’ gifts, and have already found our place settings and seating chart. Doing things bit-by-bit, here and there, not only makes it all less overwhelming, but also more enjoyable!
4. Enjoy the journey [literally]. I find myself rushing every.where.I.go. I feel like I’m always in a hurry, all the time. In addition to that, while driving, I find myself thinking about what I should/could be doing; so I call people; I make appointments over the phone; I do my best to multi-task however possible. But with that constant on-the-go lifestyle, I’ve come to find that life is just flying by lately… and I hate to take any time for granted. So in 2018, I’m hoping to make more of an effort to use my time traveling – whether it be driving, walking, flying, etc., to reflect more, and multi-task less.
5. Practice better sleeping habits. 2017 was the year of terrible sleep for me. I developed the worst sleeping habits, waking up at 3am every morning, just to begin worrying about all the things I had to do the coming days. I recently began trying to develop healthier “sleep hygiene”, and hope to continue to improve and better my sleeping habits in 2018. One trick I learned already, is to shower right before bed; this lowers your body temperature and is also a nice nighttime routine to set in place.
6. Do not give into FOMO. Social media is a blessing and a burden; and one of the burdens of social sharing is the development of a real thing called FOMO. Fear of missing out is something that plagues us all, whether we like to admit it or not. Instead of wondering what I’m missing out on any one weekend, or what cool trips people have planned that I don’t, or wondering if my friends are hanging out without me, I’m going to work hard to banish those thoughts/feelings. I’m trying to start with the realization that it’s okay to say no to an invite for a party or event every once in a while, and that my [true] friendships won’t be negatively affected by my absence.
7. Work on my savings account. 2017 was a great year, and also a spendy year. Between moving in with my fiancé, and thus, buying lots of bits for our home together; traveling;  and lots of party-planning; I didn’t save as much as I would have liked. So, in 2018, I’m hoping to set up better financial saving habits. Whether it’s foregoing a Starbucks latte a couple days a week, bringing my lunch to work instead of going out, or traveling budget-friend {i.e. camping!], I am hoping 2018 will be a year for me to gain some smarter savings practices. I think with our wedding in October, I’ll have some decent saving-motivation working in my favor 😉
8. Be OK delegating wedding-related tasks. I have a personal passion for planning events. It’s normally just parties and things for friends and family, but it’s something I truly love doing. So when it comes to my own wedding, obviously I’m more than thrilled to be involved on every level. But with that love and excitement, comes a bit of control that I’m hesitant to give up. I’ve come to realize I am going to need help, and that I can’t do it all on my own –  despite my tendencies to want my hands in every pot. Especially as we get closer to the big day, I’m trying to mentally prepare myself to let go of some of that control, and allow those I love and trust to help me with all the minute details that go into this really, really big day.
9. Love more, hate less. I figuratively use the word ‘hate’ more than I’d prefer. I rarely actually feel such strong, negative emotions towards the things, people, etc. For example, I don’t literally hate reality TV; nor do I hate the sales associate that was rather rude to me at the store. Yet, I catch myself saying, “Oh, I hate that”, or “ugh, I hate when people do that” more often than I care to admit. The word, concept, and emotion behind ‘hate’ is so gravely harmful and hurtful; and with all the negativity that seems to be circulating society as of late, my goal is to bring a softer, more neutral approach to how I describe my more negatively-associated feelings.  After all, the world could use a little less hate, and a lot more love, right now.. ❤

I’d love to know, what are some of your intentions for 2018?

Lately

It has been over 6 months since I’ve been here. Yikes. 

There is no excuse other than that life has been seriously *happening* these past 6 months. I have honestly had little-to-no free time to myself, and even less inspiration lately. 

Work has been totally manic & when I’m not at work, I’m catching up with friends & family; spending time with my boyfriend; traveling; binge watching new series [I’m looking at you, 13 Reasons Why]; and well, just trying to relax amidst the chaos.

That’s sort of why this space is still a “secret”, if you will. I keep this corner or the Internet close and quiet and venture here only when I find inspiration, instead of trying to meet public criteria and expectations of scheduled posts.

So here I am, with a little free time, just stopping in to say hello and to share a few of my favorite tiny moments of 2016 so far.

[if you don’t already, you can follow me on Instagram – @_simplylouise_, where I try to share more frequently]

Fall To-Do List

What is it about autumn that is so alluring?

I don’t know anyone that doesn’t love the onset of fall. The deep colors, changing leaves, cozy knits, warm drinks, & anticipation of upcoming holidays: these are all reasons why I love fall.

Since fall is right around the corner, and as a way to procrastinate what I really should be doing right now (grading), I’ve compiled a small list of things I’d like to do/accomplish/try this fall season.

1. Head up to Big Bear for Oktoberfest.

2. Go apple picking in Julian (have never been & have ALWAYS wanted to go)

3. Host a football + chili night for friends.

4. Find the perfect pair of knee-high boots.

5. Make fall-inspired sugar cookies, & give to friends & neighbors.

6. Take a day trip up to Lake Arrowhead to hike.

7. Attempt to make an entirely homemade apple pie (*I have a rough history with pie-making..).

9. Go somewhere I’ve never been before (this is kind of cheating, because I already have plans to go somewhere I’ve never been 😉 ).

9. Watch Sunday Night Football, every Sunday (if possible).

10. Buy a few of those darling little pumpkins from Trader Joe’s.

What’s on your fall to-do list?

DAVIDsTEA

I was first introduced to DAVIDsTEA last winter, when I received a gift set as a souvenier-gift from my boss.

I have always preferred tea over coffee, & so I was more than excited to be able to try out this Canadian brand, which I had heard so much about.

As expected, this brand did not disappoint. From the packaging, to detailed instructions for each different type of tea, to of course, the flavors — everything is well thought out and extremely well executed.

So when I was in Vancouver a few weeks back, I knew I had to drop into their retail shop to see it all in the flesh. What I came back with, was the exact same gift set that I had a received as a gift — because well, it was that good! I highly recommend any of the flavors in this set, & think it makes such a beautiful gift for a person in your life who appreciates good tea.

(My two favorites: Birthday Cake & Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait)

 

West Coast Road Trip: Travel Diary

Last week, my boyfriend and I accomplished one of our “travel bucket list” items, and drove from San Diego, all the way up the West Coast to Vancouver, Canada. It was one of the most unique travel experiences we’ve had thus far, and is a trip that will stand out among others as being such a special adventure.

I thought I’d share details from our week for those looking to do something similar.

Day 1: San Diego –> Big Sur

We got an early start from San Diego & made our way up to Big Sur, CA: our first stop. We jumped on the 101 as soon as we could, and had the most incredibly scenic drive up there.

Once we began approaching Big Sur, we knew it was going to be worth all the hype.

We stayed at Fernwood Campgrounds, in what was called one of their ‘Adventure Tents‘. It was PERFECT. Our AT was clean & warm and cozy, but still felt like camping, as we were on the grounds with people in tents, RVs, etc. Fernwood also has a small motel, a grocery store, and a tavern, which we took advantage of after a long day of traveling. We both loved our dinner at the tavern & had such a fun evening sharing a bottle of wine, overlooking the wilderness. I could write a whole post on Fernwood — so I’ll just leave you with this: if you’re going to Big Sur — seriously consider staying there.

Day 2: Big Sur –> Crescent City

This was our longest day of traveling, but we did our best to make the most out of the hours in the car & all the cool places that were on the way to Crescent City. We drove through Carmel, and stopped in Monterey for a milkshake and a little bit of stretching before starting our 7 hour drive up through Northern California. We drove through San Fransisco right at rush hour (whoops), and got to go over the Golden Gate Bridge. We then drove through wine country and into the redwoods.

We arrived at midnight in Crescent City and immediately fell asleep from the long day ahead. There are very few hotel options in Crescent City (this wasn’t as much a destination for us, as it was a place to sleep and recover along the way), but the Best Western Plus Northwoods was the perfect place to crash before we began our next day of driving.

Day 3: Crescent City –> Portland

We woke up early to explore the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. The Redwoods are remarkable & unworldly; and if you’re ever able to experience them, I beg you to walk through them, drive through them, etc — you won’t regret it. We ended up finding a 6 mile off-roading trail that was the perfect way to see the Redwoods, without taking up too much time in the day. It landed us in a tiny little town (name unknown?) with forested cabins, lining a beautiful winding river. It was so picturesque.

From there we began our drive up to Portland. We decided to take the 101 instead of Interstate 5, which added two hours to the drive, but was absolutely, 100% worth it. The drive wound tightly around incredible Oregon coastline, took us through forests, alongside rivers and bays, and across small lumber towns. We stopped in Newport, OR – right along the coast – to check out the headquarters of Rouge Ales Brewery. We shared a flight of beer tastings & a bowl of baked macaroni & cheese (this was our first “real meal” since dinner in Big Sur) before heading back on the road.

We arrived at our hotel in Portland around 8:30pm, just in time to quickly change & head out to dinner. We stayed at Hotel Rose, right along the waterfront, & it exceeded my expectations! It was chic, modern, and hip – but also had thoughtful amenities & features that made it feel more luxurious than trendy. We grabbed dinner at Rock Bottom Brewery (a mere 3 minute walk from our hotel), before heading back & passing out.

Day 4: Portland –> Seattle

We woke up early on Friday to again, catch as much of the city as possible before having to head out. We walked by the river before grabbing drinks at the highly rated Stumptown Coffee Roasters. It was a beautiful space aesthetically & my cold brew was delicious. We then went to breakfast and without sounding too negative – had a less than mediocre experience there. I won’t mention the place to save face, but we were super disappointed in the service, the wait time, & the food. So after sitting for too long, we were anxious to move on & explore more of the city.

On a time crunch, we weren’t able to see everything, but we did make it to a few stops that were on my list. We walked around for a few miles before stopping at 10 Barrel Brewing Co. – where we split a flight of tasters. It lived up to its positive reviews & we were super excited to find out that they’re coming to San Diego in the near future. From there, we decided to checkout Portland City Grill – which is on the 30th floor of an office building, boasting a 360 degree view of the city. This was a recommendation from a friend & something I too recommend to anyone! It was a great way to get perspective on the city – and on a beautiful day, it was an amazing view. We ordered a gin cocktail & an Old Fashioned & headed out.

On our way out of the city, we stopped at Lardo: a food truck-turned-restaurant, that had awesome craft sandwiches. We split theirPork Meatball Banh Mi sandwich & an order of ‘dirty fries’, and we agreed that it was the best meal of the trip at that point.

Our last food stop in Portland was to check out Salt & Straw: a super popular, unique ice cream shop with inventive flavors & an industrial aesthetic. I had a scoop of Chocolate Gooey Brownie, and Kyle tried the Sea Salt w/ Caramel Ribbons.

From there, we headed three hours north to Seattle. That particular night, we were lucky enough to catch some incredible weather in Seattle, so our first stop when we arrived was to the Seattle Great Wheel, where we grabbed a ride, right at sunset. From there, we walked through Pike’s Place Market & grabbed dinner at a diner nearby. We then headed to Bellevue, where we were staying for the next 2 nights.

We stayed at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue – which was incredibly luxe and lovely. The entire point of our whole trip up to Seattle was for my dear friend’s wedding — and she happened to be getting married at the Hyatt Regency. We were not bummed about staying there.

Day 5: Bellevue & Seattle

Saturday morning before the wedding we got up early & headed back to Seattle for a little bit of exploring. We went back to Pike’s Place to see it humming on the weekend, and ended up doing the Seattle Underground Tour — which was a lot of fun & super informative. We weren’t sure what to expect, but were pleasantly surprised by what we learned & enjoyed our quirky tour guide.

We then headed back to the hotel to relax before the wedding. We ordered room service (we felt like kings and queens, if I’m honest) and caught up on one of our favorite shows before getting ready for the wedding. The wedding was beautiful and SO much fun and it was very special to witness one of my first friends from college, marry her soulmate. We had a blast & I mayyy have drank a little too much champagne. Oh well – that’s what weddings are for, right?

Day 6: Bellevue –> Vancouver

Sunday morning we (again) woke up early to make one last Seattle stop before heading up to Canada. We were told to visit Kerry Park for spectacular views of the city — and wow it was spectacular. Kerry Park was the perfect way to view the Seattle skyline, without having to pay or deal with tourists. It was beautiful & totally worth the detour.

From there, we began the 3 hour journey up to Vancouver, Canada. It was a scenic drive (we saw 3 deer crossing a river right next to the highway!) and went by super quick while we listened to audio versions of our favorite stand up comedian.

Arriving in Vancouver was awesome. It’s a very vertical city, so the skyline was really impressive. It wasn’t super lovely out when we arrived, but we had so much fun checking out the unique architecture, mansion-looking homes, and cute shops right along the highway.

We stayed at The Burrard, which was such a great decision. It was more affordable than other hotel options in the area, but was so fun and kitchy — and also very clean and comfortable. Our room was European-inspired (small & minimalistic), and I loved all of the midcentury modern accents.

After settling in & doing some research, we headed to the Yaletown area of the city for dinner. This was a mere 8 minute walk from our hotel & was such a great find. The two main streets in Yaletown were lined with restaurants and bars — giving us plenty of options for dinner & drinks. We settled on The Flying Pig, which was recommended by the hotel & was also one of the stops on my “to-do” list in Vancouver. It was my favorite meal of the entire trip: I had baked gnocchi and Kyle ordered short rib & cheddar mash (like, are you kidding?). Our food came out super quick & it was also a treat to find out that the US dollar was stronger than the Canadian dollar while we were there. After dinner we walked through Yaletown & stumbled upon an artisan ice cream shop, Mister. At Mister, they create the ice cream right there in front of you using dry ice & heavy-duty KitchenAids. I ordered a scoop of Strawberry Mint, which was so refreshing; and Kyle ordered Double Oreo (and loved it).

Day 7: Vancouver

Our final full day of the trip, we explored Vancouver. We woke up early & grabbed lattes & avocado toast from the cute cafe in our hotel (Elysian). From there we rented bikes from the hotel (which were complimentary!) so we could explore the city. We biked through downtown Vancouver, and cycled the bike path around all of Stanley Park. It was a 6 mile bike ride of some of the most scenic city views I think I’d ever seen. It was breathtakingly beautiful & were were lucky to catch perfect weather the whole day. We had so much fun exploring the city & experiencing Stanley Park.

After our bike ride, we grabbed lunch at Joey Burrard. I had a pulled BBQ chicken sandwich & rose, and Kyle ordered an Ahi sandwich & a local beer — it was so satisfying & was just what we needed after our active morning.

From there, we went back to the hotel, added about 5 layers of clothes on, and headed to the harbor for our most anticipated adventure: a whale watching tour. It was such a moving, remarkable experience. We saw 2 Humpback Whales, and over 20 Orca Whales. When I saw the Orcas for the first time, I teared up. It was so beautiful & truly took our breath away. I recommend it to anyone who finds themselves in Vancouver.

After our boat trip, we headed back to the hotel to shed some layers & grab dinner. We ended up at a Canadian chain restaurant, Cactus Club Cafe — which was also delicious. We both saved room during dinner, because we knew we wanted to head back to Mister for another scoop of ice cream. Second day in a row, it was just as good.

Day 8: Vancouver –> Seattle –> San Diego

Tuesday morning was our last morning of the trip. We grabbed two breakfast sandwiches at Tim Hortons (I had to try it after hearing about it from Canadian YouTubers), and got on the road. We drove back to Seattle with our rental car, and dropped it off at Avis, before getting shuttled to the airport.

And it was homeward bound from there!

It was the trip of a lifetime, in certain ways – just because we had never done anything like it. We had the most amazing time — from our scenic car rides, to the amazing cities we visited, to the incredible encounters with nature we experienced.

I hope if you get the chance, that you consider doing something similar. There is just something about a road trip with someone you love that fosters the best memories. This is definitely a trip I’ll tell my future kids about — and would recommend it to anyone!