Sevengrams: travel

Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts

6.30.2023

HAVE BABY // WILL TRAVEL

Sevengrams has always been a space for both recipes and stories from our travels. I have fallen seriously behind on journaling travel over the past several years (Patagonian honeymoon, Spain, Norway, Italy), but we most definitely have not stopped exploring and adventuring (apart from all the canceled itineraries due to Covid — Japan, US road trip, NYC, Turkey and Israel, Jasper and Banff - sigh).

Since E’s arrival, we have made every effort to maintain our love of travel, and share the joy of it with him. He’s approaching 18 months and has already been on several plane rides, road trips and even a few train trips. He's also dealt with his fair share of jet lag, broken hotel sleeps and vacay illness. Along the way, we’ve learned a lot about traveling with a baby (now toddler), and though none of it is revolutionary, I thought it would be nice to have it all live in this space.

MAINE

We spent Quebec's birthday in Maine this year. Neither of us had ever been, and being only a 6 hour drive away, we figured what better way to spend a few June days. So we loaded the car, hit the road, and ventured south-east.

We spent the first 2 days in Acadia National Park, hiking, camping, drinking blueberry soda and eating lobster. Then we headed to Portland, and made several stops along the way for lobster rolls, blueberry loaf, and local beer. Once in Portland, we toured the town, ate phenomenal food, drank more beer, ate more lobster rolls, and loaded up on sweet potato donuts. We couldn't have asked for a better few days, and will most definitely be back.

Back in June, I travelled to Germany with my family - a long overdue family trip to visit my Oma and Opa's birth country. Growing up, we didn't speak much about Germany, but as we grew older, our curiosity to visit my grandparents' childhood homes and learn more about our family's history grew stronger. So we organized a 10 day whirlwind trip through Germany, with stops in all the key places, giving us just enough time to take it all in.

We started the trip in Frankfurt, Oma's hometown. We saw her childhood home, and the park she used to play in, we visited one of the only remaining synagogues in Frankfurt and strolled around her old neighbourhood. We then day-tripped to Cologne, to see where my Opa grew up. His childhood home is still there, adorned in the same red carpet and gold detailing that existed over 80 years ago. It was incredible. We then hopped a train to Munich and spent 2 days walking and exploring. We drank our share of 1L beers, spent copious amounts of time in local beergartens, and ate several giant pretzels and oversized schnitzels. Our final stop was Berlin, where we took in all the history, museums and vegan food we could handle, before parting ways and heading home. It was an emotionally heavy week, but also a once in a lifetime experience. Some highlights and recommendations below.

BALI

After Hong Kong, we headed to Bali, quite possibly my favourite place in the whole wide world. All the fabulous memories that I held onto from 5 years ago still held true, and I left feeling more in love with the island than I did the previous time.

We only had 4 days, but we were determined to see as much as we could. We split our time between Ubud, the island's 'centre' filled with crafts and dance, and surrounded by rainforest and rice terraces, and Sanur, a beachfront town on the southeast coast. Our Ubud hotel was absolute bliss, and I worried I may never want to leave. We saw monkeys and offerings, ate all the nasi goreng and mie goreng we could get our hands on, pampered ourselves with affordable massages, and strolled through the local streets and markets. We day tripped to the rice terraces, water temples and 11th century rock carvings. We took in the unforgettable Balinese sunsets, with a Bintang in tow, and hopped over to Lembongan for a quick island tour. And then, on our last morning in Bali (January 5th), we got engaged. It was the perfect end to an unforgettable few days in one of my favourite places.

I had the best intentions of writing about our Asia trip as soon as we got back. In January. Whoops.

Well, better late than never, right?

We spent just over two weeks in South East Asia back in late December/early January. Our first stop was Hong Kong, followed by Bali and Bangkok. The week was spent with a handful of local friends who had all the insider information on what to do, see, and eat. And boy did we eat. Our first day consisted of morning dim sum in the New Territories, followed by a traditional Chinese wedding in the evening -- filled with mahjong, 10 wardrobe changes for the bride and an epic 12 course meal (birds nest soup anyone?). The rest of the week flew by in a blur of ferry rides, day trips, lots of walking, food and more food. I can honestly say that we ate our way through mainland China without actually leaving Hong Kong. It was incredible.

WESTERN CANADA

We spent the last week of August soaking up the end of summer in Western Canada. We've both skied out west before, but never experienced the Rockies in the summer. 10 travel days later and I can confidently say that I've been seriously missing out on some jaw-dropping landscapes by living on the east coast.

We kicked off the week with 2 wonderful days in Vancouver, surrounded by great friends who we hadn't seen in far too long. Saturday was spent biking the sea-wall, hanging on the beach in Stanley Park, and chowing down on phenomenal tacos and margaritas in Gastown. On Sunday, we ventured out of town to Deep Dove - a charming waterfront town just a short jaunt from the City. We had planned on renting stand up paddle boards, but the threatening weather held us back. Instead, we indulged in local donuts, drank the local beer, and lounged on the grass listening to live bands (thanks to the unexpected Deep Cove Daze Festival).

ICELAND

If you've been following along for the travel part of this blog, you'll know that we love a good flight deal. So when WOW Air announced cheap direct flights from certain North American cities, it didn't take us very long to pull the trigger and book. With minimal vacation days left to take, we decided we'd rather go for a short amount of time, then not at all, so we piggy-backed an extra 2 days onto the May long weekend, packed our tiny carry-ons and set off for Iceland.

Our plan was to spend 2 nights in Vik, followed by 2 nights in Reykjavik, and see as much as we could without spending an excessive amount of time in the car. We landed in Keflavik super early (5am!), and though we were sleep deprived and totally confused as to what time of day it was, we hopped in our rental car and headed east.

The following four days were filled with some of the most spectacular landscapes and natural sites I've ever seen. We snuck behind waterfalls and got totally drenched; we walked along black sand beaches gazing up at the beauty of basalt columns; we fought over the last bite of blueberry skyr cake; we drove past lava fields, that looked more like giant pieces of ginger then hardened lava; we spent the better part of a day watching vibrant blue icebergs float out to sea; we relaxed in one of Iceland's oldest natural hot-pools, nestled at the base of snow capped mountains; we took in all the sites, and all the bites, on our afternoon in Reykjavik; we charmed some horses into letting us trespass in search of the "blue waterfall"; we lounged in a natural hot spring surrounded by steam and mini geysers; we tasted rye bread baked in a geothermal hole; and relaxed pre-flight at the ever enchanting blue lagoon.

It was pure magic.

NEW ZEALAND

After eight amazing days in Sydney, we hopped a plane and headed east. Our plan was to tackle both islands in 10 days, and though some people said we were nuts, that it was going to be too much too quickly, we were determined to see as much of the country as possible.

We landed in Christchurch quite late, awoke the next morning and hit the ground running. We packed up our little rental car (being sure to stop for snacks!) and started our journey west, through Arthur's Pass. It wasn't the most idyllic day - heavy rain and fog, but we felt the presence of the mountains the whole way. As we pulled into Franz Josef, the skies cleared, and out of the fog appeared these perfectly triangular mountains, just like the ones I remember drawing as a kid. I've never experienced a landscape quite like it -- all encompassing, somewhat overwhelming, and just downright stunning.

The next few days in the south island were filled with a myriad of activities. We hiked the face of the Franz Josef Glacier, took a scenic stroll around Lake Matheson (while checking out Mt. Cook in the distance), reveled in the turquoise colour of the blue pools in Mount Aspiring, indulged in some local beer and cheese while watching the sunset over Lake Hawea, tackled the Roy's Peak hike in Wanaka, rewarded ourselves post hike with some vino from Rippin Winery, ate our way through Queenstown, and got swept away by the whimsy of Milford Sound.

SYDNEY | AUSTRALIA

We've been back for almost a month now, and its taken me until now to craft this post. Every time I looked through our photos, or read over my travel notes, I would get a little weepy -- longing to be back on that side of the world, basking in vacation traveler mode.

We started our trip in Sydney -- a long overdue visit with my paternal aunt. She's lived in Sydney for quite some time, and though she still sounds like a Canadian, she can most definitely be considered a local. Being able to stay with someone who is so intimately familiar with a place makes all the difference while traveling. We never really felt like tourists, so much as insiders, getting to know the real Sydney.

The first 2 days in town were spent touring the neighbourhoods and getting a pretty solid lay of the land. We hit up the north beaches, Manly beach, the eastern suburbs, Darlinghurst, Surry Hills -- you name it, we saw it. Each neighbourhood was totally unique, with its own sense of identity and flare. Mid-week we decided to escape the city and boarded a train to the Blue Mountains. We spent the day hiking with friends from home, amidst a blue haze of eucalyptus trees. The following day we headed down to Bondi beach, and embarked on the scenic walk from Bondi to Coogee. The 6km coastal route winds its way through various beaches and neighbourhoods, each prettier then the last.

Finally there was New Year's Eve. My aunt has always said that NYE in Sydney is not to be missed. The whole city lines up along the shore of the harbour, vying for the best view of the fireworks. We were lucky enough to essentially have a front row seat, and I can assure you, having now experienced it, that Sydney does not disappoint (photos below can attest to that).

BURLINGTON + WATERBURY | VERMONT

This weekend's escape was just what we needed -- a quick trip out of town to focus on us, combined with good food, fantastic beer and fresh country air. I was last in Burlington about 15 years ago, at an age when shopping at Old Navy and Abercrombie - in America - was revolutionary (oh how times have changed). This trip was a little different. After hearing about Vermont's incredible craft beer scene, we headed down primarily for the beer. We were wow-ed by the beer, equally impressed with the food, and fell madly in love with Vermont's charm.

CABOT TRAIL, CAPE BRETON ISLAND

We spent the first week of August in Cape Breton, the eastern most part of Nova Scotia. Cape Breton Island is home to the Cabot Trail, a scenic road weaving its way along the coast. We were drawn to the Cabot Trail both because N wanted to bike it (bucket list ✔️), and because we had heard the hikes were abundant, scenery gorgeous and seafood as fresh as it comes.

After a long car ride and 24 hours in New Brunswick, we met up with 4 friends in Baddeck. We spent the following 3 days making our way around the Trail; first night in Baddeck, second night in Cheticamp and the final night in Ingonish Beach. Each day brought a new mountain to hike (or bike), a different beach to swim on, and copious amounts of fresh lobster and snow crab. Vacay trifecta if you ask me.

THE ALPS (SWITZERLAND + FRANCE)

We're just back from an epic week in the Alps, and though the return home was less then ideal (-40 degrees > frozen pipes > burst pipes > mini kitchen flood), I'm still riding on the high of the past 10 days. There's just something magical about a ski vacation: long, thigh burning days on the slopes; blue bird skies leaving you with a hint of goggle tan; the relaxing vibe of an après ski beer; the beyond satisfactory feeling of removing your ski boots at the end of the day; and gathering around the table for dinner with a bottle of wine, close friends, and a home cooked meal. Seriously, it doesn't get any better.

The trip started in Zurich, and though we were complete zombies from our overnight flight, we managed to sample some local beer, indulge in a massive rosti and sausage plate, and take a mini stroll along the water. Next up was Zermatt, an adorable Swiss ski town, nestled deep in the mountains. We lucked out with a glorious blue sky ski day, giving us far too many opportunities to stop on the side of the slopes and snag a pic of the Matterhorn. We weren't blown away by the terrain, but the VIEW - whoa, oh, and the fabulous little slope side champagne bar we stumbled into on our last run. We then took the train to Geneva, and while totally mesmerized by the landscape (picture green pastures with snow capped mountainous backdrops), somehow missed the shift from Swiss-German to Swiss-French. We spent the little time we had in Geneva strolling through the old town, and dining on fresh fish (fera) from Lake Geneva.

Then it was time to head to France - no doubt the highlight of the trip. Morzine is a picturesque french mountain town tucked at the base of Avoriaz. We were lucky enough to be hosted by two of the most fabulous people I know, and we couldn't have asked for a better few days. There was a trip to the local farmer's market with maybe a few too many saucissons purchased; a well needed, good for the soul, nature walk; a day trip to Chamonix with possibly the best lunch spot ever; a typical french mountain dinner of raclette and charcuterie; a spring-like, mogul ski day at Avoriaz; après ski drinks and card games; a perfectly appropriate last breakfast before flying home; and all the laughs, fun and relaxation a girl could ask for.

LAS VEGAS

Vegas. Whoa. Quite the way to end Christmas vacay, that's for sure. Cottage relaxation flew out the door the moment we stepped off the plane and into a whirlwind of glitz, glamour, neon, boozy slushies, flashing lights, and tons and tons of people. I went into this trip with zero expectations, happily balanced between excitement and nervousness, and left in a haze, curious as to whether or not I'd ever want to go back.

Four days was the perfect amount of time - a day and a half of car rental explorations, and two and a half days of hotel lounging, casino gambling, evening shows, fine dining and overpriced shopping. Had it been warm, poolside lounging would have definitely made the cut. A few thoughts and recommendations below...

CHICAGO

Those of you who follow me on instagram will know that I spent this past weekend in Chicago -- a mother/daughter weekend at its best! Chicago was one of those destinations that encompassed everything I love about exploring a new city: great food, incredible architecture, walkability and diversity. I was able to simultaneously fuel my love for traveling, all the while giving-in to my nerdy architect ways.

I was blown away by the beauty and charm of the city, and can't believe its taken me this long to get there. Everything we did, I would do again (and again), and if you can swing it, I would highly recommend a 3 day weekend to the Windy City. Big thanks to those of you who sculpted our itinerary, we couldn't have done it without your recommendations.

TO SEE //

burnham building

mies' lakeshore drive apartments

aqua condos

marina city car park

wrigley building

tribune tower

monadnock building

sullivan centre

TO DO //

architecture foundation boat tour

tour of frank lloyd wright's home + studio (worth the trek out to oak park)

hancock building (head straight to the 96th floor lounge for a bevy with a view)

art institute (thorne mini rooms in the basement and the impressionism section)

stroll through millennium park and get up close and personal with cloud gate

shop your way along the magnificent mile (michigan ave north of the river)

check out the shops along north milwaukee ave near damen station

TO EAT //

Most of the restaurants we went to weren't in the downtown core. Public transit works really well, and taxis are fairly affordable -- so don't sweat having to travel a bit to track down the good food -- totally worth it, promise!

avec (their sunday brunch blew my mind; get there when they open to avoid the line-up)

mfk (small spanish plates - still thinking of the anchovies on buttered toast)

eataly (never have i ever perused cookbooks and kitchenware with a glass of red wine; 5 sit down restaurants, several first come first serve counters, a grocer and a kitchen store - aka heaven)

publican (sharing plates at their best, and an epic beer menu)

birchwood kitchen (i promise to attempt to recreate my mom's salad of roasted squash, wheat berries, crispy chickpeas and arugula -- sooooo good)

giordano's deep dish (i think i'm still full)

coffee from intelligencia

goose island urban wheat ale

NEXT TIME //

river walk

a shot of malort

rootstock wine bar

dinner at the purple pig

dinner at the girl and the goat

dinner at parachute

lunch at lula cafe

tacos at big star

brunch at little goat

mies' iit

flw's robie house

8.19.2014

PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY AND A ROASTED TOMATO SALSA

As much as I hate Friday afternoon traffic, this seems to be the summer of weekend getaways. There is something so incredibly liberating about waking up Saturday morning, breathing in the fresh country air, and realizing you've managed to escape the chaos of the city for a few days. Prince Edward County was the perfect oasis -- rural farming landscapes as far as the eye can see, quaint little towns scattered along the main street, enough wineries to keep you busy and boozy, farmers markets to peruse and stock up on produce for the week, and sand dunes and beaches to frolic along. Though the weather didn't exactly facilitate beach time (15 degrees in August, really?!), we did manage to indulge in everything else. Successful weekend indeed.

PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY

TO DRINK//

Norman Hardie

Hinterland

Rosehall Run

Closson Chase

Karlo Estates

Devil's Wishbone

County Cider Company

TO EAT//

Pizza lunch at Norman Hardie

Dinner at East & Maine

Dinner at Pomodoro

Coffee and treats at Tall Poppy's Cafe

TO SEE//

Wellington
Wellington Saturday Farmer's Market

Bloomfield

Picton

Lake on the Mountain

Sandbanks Beach

We picked up a whack of gorgeous summer produce, including these darling heirloom tomatoes and baby red onions. It's been cool enough this week to turn on the oven, so roasting the tomatoes seemed fitting. Naturally, salsa was the next step.

ROASTED TOMATO SALSA // makes 3 cups

Adapted from Sprouted Kitchen

Set oven to broil.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lbs tomatoes (I used cherry, use whatever smells divine), halved
1 red onion (or 3 baby red onions), roughly chopped
2 serrano chiles
1 T olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, in their peels
1 lime
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
salt, to taste

What to do:

Finely chop 2 of the tomatoes and set aside.

Combine the halved tomatoes, chopped onion and 2 whole chiles in a bowl. Toss with 1 T olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread onto a tin foil lined baking sheet. Wrap the garlic in a tin foil packet and add it to the baking sheet. Broil for 15-20 minutes until the edges of the veggies are charred, but the tomatoes haven't fully burst. Remove from oven and let cool.

Remove the stems from the chiles, and push the garlic out of their shells. Transfer to the body of a food processor fitted with the s-blade. Add the roasted vegetables, and pulse until pureed (duration of pulsing based on your desired consistency of salsa).

Transfer to a large bowl, add the chopped tomato, cilantro, salt (to taste) and juice from 1 lime.

Serve with corn chips.

7.29.2014

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

This past weekend was spent galavanting the streets of New Orleans with two ladies very close to my heart. New Orleans is one of those bizarrely magical kind of cities, where you leave and instantly want more. It's the kind of place where the humidex is so high, breathing seems difficult; where certain streets are overrun with tourists, while others appear deserted and eery; where cocktails are so strong, one can easily spend the weekend in a hungover haze; and where the jazz is so soulful, one can effortlessly get lost in the buskers' sweet tunes.

Three days was the perfect amount of time to discover the charm of Southern US, chow down on my annual quota of fried food, indulge in happy hour and boozy slushies on Bourbon Street, stroll the streets of the French Quarter and Garden District, visit the Katrina stricken Lower 9th Ward, and dance the night away to live music on Frenchman Street. A few of my favourites from this past weekend listed below. Happy Travels!