The New York Cafe boasts being the most beautiful cafe not only in Budapest, but in the entire world. So as a lover of beautiful places who needs no excuse to say yes to fancy brunch, I was, of course, dying to go. But is the New York Cafe in Budapest worth it? Should you add it to your Budapest itinerary? Let’s find out! Decor Yes, the New York Cafe in Budapest is stunning. There’s really no debate there. This place looks like Versailles with gold trim, ornate ceilings, beautiful detailing on the walls and fancy AF staircases. The setting… Read More
International Travel
How to Spend One Day in Bratislava
Let’s be honest: Bratislava is not on most people’s travel bucket list. But this charming town, the capital of Slovakia, is definitely worth a stop. Here’s how to spend one day in Bratislava! How to get to Bratislava Bratislava is an easy trip from Prague, at just over four hours by train. You can easily train to Bratislava from Austria, Hungary, Poland and other spots in the Czech Republic. It’s pretty central and an easy stop on a train trip through central Europe. You can also fly into Bratislava, but I don’t know that it would be worth hopping on… Read More
9 Tips for Oktoberfest on a Budget
This October, Colin and I got to scratch a huge item off of our bucket list: We went to Oktoberfest! And we did it without spending a ton of money. Want to know how to plan your perfect budget-friendly trip too? Check out my tips for Oktoberfest on a budget! Before I dive into my tips for Oktoberfest, I have to warn you that some of these tips are going to seem pretty harsh. But you have to be cutthroat if you want to do Oktoberfest on a budget! I’m going to suggest things like *gasp* not drinking your body… Read More
What Is There to Do in Nuremberg?
Before visiting, the only thing I knew about Nuremberg was that it was home of the Nuremberg Trials that followed the end of WWII. I wasn’t even sure if there was anything else to do in Nuremberg. But turns out, there’s quite a lot going on! Nuremberg, Germany has never been high on my travel bucket list. But when I found out it’s only a couple hours from Prague on the train, I figured we should pop by for a visit. But what is there to do in Nuremberg? I’m glad I got to find out! We spent five nights… Read More
The Expat Christmas Wish List
Can you believe Christmas is right around the corner? Where has the year gone? Seriously, I swear it was July about two seconds ago. But no, it’s almost the end of 2019 apparently. And the end of 2019 marks our very first expat Christmas abroad. This year, Colin and I will be celebrating Christmas in Prague, just the two of us (and Ellie!). It’s the first time we’ve celebrated Christmas outside of Canada and without either of our families. It’s our very own expat Christmas! Christmas is my favourite holiday! I love this time of year and I start blasting… Read More
How to Spend One Day in Cinque Terre
Even if you don’t know much about Cinque Terre, you’ve probably seen some of the iconic shots of these five fabled hillside towns on Instagram. Colourful homes on cliffs cascading into the water, adorable ports and beautiful views – who wouldn’t want to spend one day in Cinque Terre? We visited on our moms trip in September, and got to spend two nights and one day in Cinque Terre. If we had the time, another day might have been nice, but you can cover a lot of ground in just one day in Cinque Terre. Without further ado, here’s how… Read More
Month in Review: October 2019
Welcome to this month’s recap and review! If you want to catch up on all our expat months abroad, you can check out the reviews for June, July, August and September! Travels This month we went to… Nuremberg, Germany Munich, Germany Bamberg, Germany Bratislava, Slovakia Budapest, Hungary It was another big travel month for us after our moms trip in September. It was fun to do some travels closer to home because it meant we got to take the train and bring Ellie along with us. Plus, I got to cross my 41st country off the list (my goal is… Read More
Living the Tuscan Villa Dream Life
One of the best parts of our 3 week moms trip was the three nights we spent living our best Tuscan villa dream lives in Poggiarello, Tuscany, Italy. The goal for our time in Tuscany was to relax in a beautiful setting. We knew we would be coming off a busy few days in Prague, Salzburg and Venice, and we wanted to rest up before the last leg of the trip in Cinque Terre and Paris. As we searched for places on Airbnb we wanted to be within driving distance of Florence, and in a beautiful house with an even… Read More
8 Things I Loved About Venice (+ 5 Things I Hated)
Venice is one of those cities you have to go to at some point in your life. It’s one of the most well-known destinations and one of the places most synonymous with travel in Europe, or travel anywhere! Despite (or maybe, in spite) of it’s reputation, Venice is both loved and hated. I know people who find the city magical and beautiful, and others who think it’s totally overrated and should be skipped. Me? I fall somewhere in the middle. I both loved and hated Venice. All in all, I’m very glad I went but I think I would be… Read More
Packing Tips: 21 Popular Travel Items You Don’t Actually Need
I’ve had a lot of experience packing. I’ve been flying with just a carry-on since before airlines started charging for checked bags. And I’ve moved houses over 30 times in my life, so I have lots of packed boxes under my belt. I’ve also made my share of packing mistakes but I consider myself a pretty great packer. So I’m going to share some of my best packing tips with you! My packing tips philosophy: Less is more. Channel your inner Mari Kondo and go full minimalist on your suitcase. And you can start, by ditching these 21 popular travel… Read More
