Trip to Madrid: Hotel

I have been looking forward to recapping my Christmas and New Years trip to Spain and Portugal. It was an amazing trip that took us to Madrid, Porto and Lisbon.

Taken in Plaza Mayor, a festive square that was full of Christmas markets.

While the majority of our pictures were taken in Portugal, I wanted to share where we stayed in Madrid, Spain: Melia Fenix.

We spent 3 nights here, including Christmas Eve and Christmas. It was a gorgeous hotel, with all the amenities and had a prime location.

Recap of our trip to Portugal to come soon!

Bachelorette Party in Jackson Hole

Over Fourth of July weekend, I celebrated my best friend's bachelorette party in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

We stayed at Spring Creek Ranch resort. It was close to town and had the most beautiful views. The grounds and rooms are gorgeous, rustic and spacious.

We had a fun-filled weekend that included horseback riding, white water rafting and a rodeo.

Last week I posted about looking for a great pair of denim shorts. I was lucky enough to find the pair of Joe's I'm wearing at TJ Maxx just before I left! Our fun 'Bride Tribe' tattoos were from the Etsy shop, Daydream Prints. Loved them!

Jackson Hole was absolutely gorgeous! If you have the opportunity to go, it's definitely a US destination spot. I can't wait to go back again when it's winter.

Here are a couple restaurants we went to:
• The Bunnery: Yummy breakfast and pastries
• Snake River Grill: Delicious dinner and such a fun setting
• Trio: Also great for dinner, a bit more modern

Best Carry-On Bags

After living in Dublin, the bird and I went through (and left behind) our carry-on bags. With lots of mini getaways this summer, I was in need of a new tote bag that would work as a carry-on and 'weekender.'

Here were a few favorites I found in my search:

Canvas Weekender // Striped Woven // Canvas + Leather Weekender // DAY bag // Pink + Grey Parker // Lo & Sons OG

I ended up going with the DAY bag. It's the perfect size for a long weekend and the material is durable and easy to clean. I also have the Cassidy tote from Sole Society. But I find this size is really only good for an overnighter.

Day trip to Bruges

While I was in Belgium a couple weeks back, I took a day trip to Bruges.

The city is so gorgeous and it was so easy to get to from Brussels via train.

There was a market in the main square, which was so fun to peruse. So many fresh fruit and veggies stands, food vendors and pretty flowers.

And then just like that... the sun (finally) came out!

I didn't stay in Bruges, but I did come across a couple lovely places worth noting:
• Dumon Chocolatier (Simon Stevinplein 11)
Arguably one of the best chocolate shops in Bruges. I brought a couple truffles back home and they were delicious.
• Gelateria Di Vinci (Geldmuntstraat 34)
The only gelato of the trip and it was absolutely superb! If you're in Bruges, make a pit stop!

Linked with B Loved Boston and Join the Gossip

Trip to Brussels recap

Two weeks ago, I took not only my first trip to Brussels, Belgium, but my first solo trip in Europe.

Our time here is limited and I want to fit in as many places as possible. So when the bird told me he would be away on a work trip, I took advantage of those couples days with a solo trip to a new place.

I enjoyed walking around, with no particular agenda... enjoying my share of Belgian chocolate, waffles and beer.

It was a lucky coincidence I was there for the first World Cup game for Belgium. This is a picture of the celebration in the main square after they won:

During my trip, I stayed at 9 Hotel Brussels. The hotel is very close to the city's attractions and the main train station.

I loved the look and feel of the rooms. The exposed brick was so pretty!

I also took the train to Bruges for a day trip and will work on getting that recap posted soon.

Linked with B Loved Boston and  Join the Gossip

Trip to Paris (Part II): Champagne + Versailles

Since we stayed for a week, my mom and I wandered outside Paris for a couple train adventures. The first was to the Champagne region, Reims and the second was to Versailles.

Champagne was absolutely gorgeous. I am from the wine country in California and my mom is in the wine business, so this day trip was very exciting for both of us.

If there is ever a next time, we both agreed we would travel to Epernay as well and make it an over-nighter.

The trip to Versailles was not as successful as we had hoped. But nonetheless, I wanted to blog about it and hopefully pass our experience onto others planning a trip.

We purchased tickets online and were encouraged to arrive early as the Palace of Versailles tends to get very busy. However, when we arrived, just after the doors opened, there was already a 2 hour line to get in! The picture above is the sea of people waiting to enter.

So we opted to forgo the tour and walk around the grounds instead.

The grounds were gorgeous, which made the trip worth it. But I know the interior is supposed to be amazing. Did anyone else have better luck at the Palace of Versailles?

Here is the Mother/Daughter Trip to Paris recap if you missed it!