I am someone who firmly believes you should be present and enjoy the current season. In late July, I noticed the first “is anyone else already dreaming of fall?” blurb on my Substack feed and was tempted to toss my phone out the window. While fall is my favorite season (I will die on this…
Landing in Jackson Hole
If Miley Cyrus hopped off a plane at LAX with a dream and a cardigan, I hopped off at JAC with high hopes and a puffer jacket — minus the glamour, plus three landing attempts and a bout of nausea I’m still recovering from. The plane came into Jackson Hole hard, bounced once, and pulled…
Four Women, One Kruger Safari, Zero Husbands
Everyone frames a South African safari as the ultimate honeymoon destination. I’d like to respectfully disagree. It’s romantic, remote, a little untamed…and hey, I get it. I’m sure safaris are incredible that way. I’d argue to go with your girlfriends first. Not instead. First. I’ve had my fair share of girls’ trips. Nashville, Austin, long weekends…
The Alentejo Hotel That Will Ruin All Others
There I was, sitting in the windowsill of our room mid-afternoon. Skin tight from a few hours in the sun, hair smelling like the earthy hotel shampoo, a light buzz from the drinks by the pool. A gentle breeze came through. The vineyards stretched out in front of me. And across the way, an older…
48 Hours in Lisbon
Forty-eight hours is not enough time in Lisbon. I knew that going in and booked the trip anyway, which tells you something about how easy this city is to justify. Portugal’s capital sits on seven historic hills (a fact immortalized in its nickname, Cidade das Sete Colinas), though the city has long since grown beyond them…
Bom Dia, Porto
“Bom dia,” I said to the waiter in wobbly Portuguese, belly up to the bar at Taberna Santo António in Miragaia. He returned a warm smile and came back moments later with an ice-cold Superbock for my husband and a very generous pour of Vinho Verde for me. I took one sip and thought, I think…
So What’s the Deal with Montenegro?
Some trips you plan down to the last reservation. Montenegro wasn’t one of them. We worked with a travel advisor to build our two-week honeymoon itinerary, and I’ll admit where my energy went: Croatia got the spreadsheets, the restaurant research, the obsessive tab-opening at midnight. Montenegro got the hotel booking and a general agreement that we’d figure…
7 Summer Vacation Ideas to Start Planning Right Now
Summer fills up faster than it should. The good hotels get booked, the charter boats sell out, and the restaurant everyone’s going to be talking about stops taking reservations. Before you know it, it’s somehow June, and you’re scrambling. If you’re looking for ideas for summer vacations that are actually worth the effort, I’ve been…
The Paris Shortlist: A Weekend Travel Guide
Paris is one of those cities that invites overplanning. Tabs multiply, lists grow long, and suddenly you’re trying to fit three museums, five meals, and an entire arrondissement into a single afternoon. This isn’t that kind of Paris travel guide. After weeks of research (and a long weekend actually spent walking, eating, shopping, and making…
Chicago Burgers Actually Worth the Hype (and Wait)
If you’re even mildly into food (or just know your way around a good cheeseburger), you’ve probably heard whispers that Chicago does burgers very well. And it’s true. When it comes to the best burgers in Chicago, the city is stacked, but only a few are actually worth enduring the infamous waitlists and three-hour queues….