Travel

Design Files: The Robey Chicago

December 22, 2022 by jessica Leave a Comment

While we’ve stayed in some cute Airbnbs over the years, I have always been on Team Hotel. And why wouldn’t I be? There’s perfectly crisp bedding, bougie bath products, someone else to make the bed each day, and a design-forward attention to detail. We recently stayed at The Robey Chicago and it was full of inspirational elements that I thought you’d enjoy.

An Accent Wall

Accent walls don’t get enough love, but it’s such a simple way to ground a bed in an otherwise simple room. Of course, The Robey didn’t just stop at the most perfect deep grey-green hue; they also added textured glass panels between the bedroom and bathroom to let softly diffused light pass through. The latter isn’t practical for day-to-day life, but it’s beautiful in a hotel. I also liked how the diamond pattern on the glass was contrasted by a different geometric pattern in the perforated sconce shades.

Complimentary Colors

Red is a bold choice in a lot of spaces, but there’s just enough red here to pop against the green walls without becoming too much of a “Moment” and distracting from the rest of the space.

Texture

Elsewhere in the room, the neutral palette allowed textures to stand out. There’s a soft knit rug, a canvas-y couch, a woven bench, marble tabletops, and drapery to hide storage. It’s a good reminder that in a room with such a strong focal point, like the accent wall, the other elements can play a supporting role.

Painted Ceilings

The bathroom echoes the design features in the main space with the accent wall and complimentary colors. However, the most striking element here (and in the room’s entrance) is the painted ceiling. The deep color draws attention to the height of the ceiling while creating a cozy and cohesive feeling.

Modern-Meets-Traditional Elements

My favorite part of The Robey is how the designers pulled inspiration from the historic building it’s housed in through a modern-meets-traditional design. The vintage-inspired pedestal sink is offset by a floating toilet. There are playful elements like the push-button light switches marked with label-maker stickers. Original trim is painted in the same deep green as the modern accent wall. And that wall color? It pays homage to the ironwork on the exterior.

For the record, this wasn’t sponsored — although I wish it were! I just absolutely loved the design of the space and wanted to share it with you. It’s a wonderful location that’s close to nightlife, but an easy train ride into Chicago’s downtown. Plus, the shower had the best water pressure of any hotel I’ve stayed in!

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Three Nights in Salzburg, Austria: Photo Diary & Travel Recommendations

December 2, 2022 by jessica Leave a Comment

I have so much to share with you from our recent trip to Europe and I’m going to start with Salzburg, Austria! We stayed at the Goldener Hirsch, a charming property nestled in the historic district that was the ideal home base for exploring the city. Below, you’ll find a list of my travel recommendations, restaurants and bars we enjoyed, travel tips, and photos from our adventure.

See & Do

Getreidegasse – This is the shopping street in the historic district with beautiful wrought-iron signs.
Fortress Hohensalzburg – The fortress sits atop the highest point in the city and it’s the biggest fully preserved castle in Central Europe. You can enjoy a 360-degree view of Salzburg from the top and visit the on-site museums. I’d recommend taking the funicular up to the fortress. We tried to walk to it, but the steep streets and staircases dissuaded me halfway there and we retreated. Google Maps wasn’t helpful in locating the funicular stop, so use this link to see where it is and add that location to your saved map.
DomQuartier Salzburg – This UNESCO World Heritage site is an example of Baroque design. You can view the state rooms, the prince archbishop’s palace, and the cathedral. Plus, there’s a viewing terrace where you can enjoy views of the Cathedral Square and Residence Square.
Hellbrunn Palace & Trick Fountains – For Sound of Music fans, the “16 Going on 17” gazebo is here. The best part of this stop, though, are the trick fountains! Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg Markus Sittikus had a series of trick fountains constructed in 1750 to delight and surprise his guests. There are water-powered figures at various installations, grottos, and cascades of water jets from unexpected locations. Keep an eye on the calendar, though, as the fountains are turned off in the winter for maintenance. You can get there by bus No. 25 (the same bus that will take you to the Untersbergbahn cable car to head up to the Alps).
Salzburg Museum – I enjoyed learning more about the history of Salzburg here. For instance, I hadn’t realized that the city was promoted as a tourist destination as early as the late 1800s. The museum also has a variety of child-friendly activities.
Museum of Modern Art – Skip the museum if you don’t like modern art, but you have to go here for the views. The two sunset photos in the post are from the museums terrace. There are elevators to the top.
Mirabell Palace – Grab coffee and a pastry and head to the garden to enjoy the atmosphere. The palace is a working government building, but you can duck in to see the Marble Hall which is fine for a quick snapshot, but that’s about it.
Untersberg Cable Car – Taking the cable car up to the Alps was the highlight of my time in Salzburg! It was absolutely stunning! There are two options for a hike; one much easier than the other. I was wearing sneakers and that wasn’t enough for an inexperienced mountain hiker to do the more difficult of the two routes. Don’t let that discourage you, though, because just being on top of the mountain was incredible. There’s a restaurant where you can grab a bite to eat and a beer, too. Take bus No. 25 which terminates at the cable car stop.
St. Peter’s Abbey – Sound of Music fans will also recognize this stop from the film. You can explore the catacombs and walk through the cemetery to admire the intricate ironwork of the grave markers.
Mozart’s Birthplace – If it weren’t for the Salzburg Card, I wouldn’t have stopped here since it’s not something I’m terribly interested in. That said, I had a much better time than I thought I would! Go when it opens to avoid crowds as it’s one of Austria’s most visited museums.

Eat & Drink

Augustiner Bräu – This beer hall and garden has been operating since 1621. When you arrive, you’ll grab a ceramic stein from the shelves near the entrance, rinse it with water from the tap nearby, pay the cashier who will hand you a receipt, then give your receipt to the person actually pouring the beer. It’s an efficient process! There are food stalls on site where you can get everything from cheese to sweets to schnitzel sandwiches.
Alchimiste Belge – If you’re growing tired of Bavarian beer, this cozy bar has an impressive beer menu.
Balkan Grill Walter – Tucked away in one of the pedestrian passages is Balkan Grill Walter, a window-service location that serves bosna, an Austrian street food made of two grilled sausages tucked in a bun and topped with onions, parsley, and curry powder. They’re cheap and amazing.
Restaurant Stiegl-Keller – Look no further for traditional Austrian cuisine. I had the best schnitzel. There’s also an outdoor terrace where you can overlook the city.
Stiftsbäckerei St Peter – The oldest bakery in Salzburg dates back to the 12th century and is still still powered by a water wheel and uses a wood-fired oven. We shared an impossibly soft roll with raisins that was delicious.
Salzburger Grill Imbiss – This is another sausage stand that’s known for its bosna, but it also serves a variety of wursts including currywurst and has beer available. Take your food around the corner to University Square and enjoy your meal on the steps to Kollegienkirche to people watch.
Mozart Balls – The city’s most famous candy is made from pistachio, marzipan and nougat then covered in chocolate. You’ll find these just about everywhere in town. From what I understand, go to chocolate shops if you plan to enjoy them in the city, but ones from tourist shops or grocery stores and preferred if you’re going to bring them home as gifts as they’re more likely to have a longer shelf life.
Additional recommendations that were on our list, but we didn’t make it to: Die Weisse, Café Tomaselli, S’Kloane Brauhaus, and 220 GRAD.

Travel Tips

Get the Salzburg Card! For €45 per person, we had 72 hours’ access to every tourist site and the city’s public transportation — including transportation to Untersberg and a roundtrip ticket for the cable car. It’s a steal and also makes it a no-brainer to pop into attractions you might not otherwise be interested in. This guide has a comprehensive overview of the card benefits and suggested itineraries. I’d recommend getting the Salzburg Card right away when you arrive in the city. You can find it just about everywhere (we purchased ours at a bookstore in Salzburg’s main train station), and then use it for transportation to your hotel. We walked from the main station to our hotel in the historic district and it wasn’t a pleasant stroll. There were plenty of buses at the station that would have brought us there.
Public Transportation – The majority of the buses will take you to the same destinations in and around the historic district. They’re not particularly punctual, but they’ll come eventually. To go to the airport, we had our hotel call a taxi for us. It was a fairly quick drive that cost around €20. Worth it.
You’ll need cash. Many of the main tourist destinations and restaurants took credit, but we needed cash for smaller locations like the bosna stands and the Belgian beer bar.

Our Stay

Hotel Goldener Hirsch
Getreidegasse 37, 5020 Salzburg, Austria

I’ll be honest, this is the nicest hotel I’ve ever stayed in. It’s located in the city’s historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is brimming with Austrian charm — not surprising given its 600-year-old hunting lodge heritage, which is reflected throughout the property with mounted antlers and a leaping deer motif. We were upgraded to a king suite (see a video walkthrough here) that was well-appointed with all of the amenities you’d expect at a luxury hotel. The evening turn-down service and the accompanying chocolates didn’t disappoint either! I really can’t say enough good things about the property and its staff, and wholeheartedly recommend staying here if you’re planning a visit to Salzburg.

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Weekend Getaway: Evanston, IL

August 3, 2022 by jessica Leave a Comment

Staying at four Graduate Hotel properties last year solidified my love of the brand. Each is located in a college town and the brand does a wonderful job bringing in each city’s personality by way of thoughtful design finishes and kitschy details. In recent years, the brand has done a summer promotion to attract travelers to university towns during a typically quiet time of the year. This year was no different. For 30 hours in May, Graduate sold $30 rooms for the month of July. (Each person was limited to one booking.) We thought about going somewhere outside of the Midwest, but with a trip to Europe scheduled for this fall, we opted to stay closer to home and choose a location that we could drive to. And with that, a trip to Evanston, IL was on the books.

I didn’t know much about Evanston attractions, but I figured we’d find enough things to fill 48 hours. If not, Chicago was only a short train ride away. I’m happy to report that my low expectations were unfounded and I was won over by the city’s charming gardens, quaint neighborhoods, and access to Lake Michigan. It’s not to say that there’s a lot to do in the city. There isn’t. But it has cute pockets all over that make a stay worthwhile.

Unfortunately two of places I wanted to visit were closed for the summer in preparation for fall exhibits: the Halim Time & Glass Museum and the Block Museum of Art. The American Toby Jug Museum museum also looked entertaining enough in an Roadside America sort of way, but was closed during our visit. Knowing that, autumn might be a better time to visit. That aside, I’m a firm believer that you can fill a day or two in just about any city and we made the most of our two-night stay in Evanston. Below, you’ll find photos from the trip along with our itinerary and recommendations!

Wearing: Amazon dress | Nike sneakers | Coach bag (old; similar) | Chloe sunglasses

Our Itinerary

Thursday

We arrived in Evanston around 4:30 p.m. and immediately checked into our room at the Graduate. As you’ll see below, the room was adorably traditional. We were hungry after the drive and walked down Davis Street, one of the city’s main areas for dining and shopping, to grab an early dinner at Taco Diablo. I’ve had better tacos, but the carne asada was good. (Skip the spicy shrimp and crispy fish tacos, which are just okay.) Afterward, we walked over to the Northwestern campus to stroll through the grounds, which are beautiful with lush gardens and mature trees — one of the areas we walked through that was particularly wooded was deafening with cicadas! On campus, you’ll find the Shakespeare Garden designed by Jens J. Jensen. The meticulous space features 50 plants that are mentioned in Shakespeare’s works. For a night cap, we took the L train over a couple of stops to Sketchbook Brewing Co.

Friday

While Dave got ready for the day, I set out in search of coffee and pastries on Davis Street and came across Newport Coffee House. The café has a sleek Scandinavian-inspired interior, great coffee, and delicious Swedish knot pastries. I bought a bag of coffee beans as a souvenir that they graciously ground for our espresso machine. Now fully caffeinated, we drove a few minutes north to see the Grosse Point Lighthouse grounds (the building was closed on Friday, unfortunately) and the Baháʼí House of Worship. The temple and its manicured grounds were stunning and I urge you to visit if you find yourself passing by on your way to Chicago.

We didn’t have anything earmarked for lunch after our cultural stops and a brief Google search led us to Bat 17, a deli-meets-sports bar. We split a pastrami that I’m still daydreaming about five days later. The pumpernickel bread that it was served on was the best I’ve had. Serving sizes are generous, but you can choose between a regular-sized sandwich or a larger version. We found that the regular was perfect for sharing.

We were planning to go into Chicago for dinner at Hopleaf, one of our favorites for Belgian beer and mussels, but it was still early and we needed something to fill the time. It was a hot day and Lake Michigan was beckoning. Beach access in Evanston is a little annoying because non-residents have to pay $10 per person per day (learn more here). Being the wild and crazy kids we are, we thought that $20 was worth it and off we went to kill some time before getting ready to head to Chicago for the remainder of the evening where we went to dinner and checked out the new Half Acre location.

Saturday

On Saturday morning, I foolishly decided to try a different location for pastries and tried the French bakery Pâtisserie Coralie. It was garbage. I got a chocolate croissant that was dry, a danish for Dave that he didn’t enjoy, and a hot ham and cheese croissant to split that was dripping in béchamel (huh?) and ice-cold in the center. The savory croissant ended up in the trash. The only thing that saved breakfast was that I still went to Newport Coffee House for iced lattes.

Before we got on the road northbound for Madison, we stopped by the nationally recognized Hewn Bakery. We picked up a loaf of bread and a couple of to-go sandwiches in the cooler to enjoy on the way home.

Our Stay

Graduate Hotel, located at 1625 Hinman Ave.

Parking: There’s a parking ramp nearby at the corner of Davis St. and Hinman Ave. for $18 per day.

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Visit Portugal: Lisbon Recommendations

February 2, 2022 by jessica Leave a Comment

This post is long overdue! We traveled to Portugal in 2019 and I had wanted to share my favorites with you, but doing so seemed tone deaf during the lockdowns of the past two years. I realize that things aren’t perfectly safe just yet, but the world is starting to open up and Portugal is one of the most highly vaccinated countries. It’s also one of the most beautiful. Even if you can’t make it this year, I urge you to add the country to a future itinerary. In this post, I’ll share a list of the things we loved in the city of Lisbon.

Visiting new cities and countries often leaves me yearning for the opportunity to make my way back, and Lisbon was no different. The weathered beauty of the Alfama district, the intricacy of the tile work that adorned both the streets and buildings, the friendly people who know how to celebrate a soccer match, and — truth be told — the vihno verde that was both incredibly cheap and incredibly delicious made Lisbon such a special place to visit. Scroll down for some of my favorite snapshots from the trip, along with my recommendations for places to see, eat, drink, and shop in the city!

SEE & DO

Explore the Neighborhoods – It’s hard to put together a list of my favorite sightseeing stops from Lisbon because the city itself was just so beautiful. Everywhere you looked, tiles adorned buildings and were set into patterns on the streets and sidewalks. Honestly, just wandering around the city — especially in the Alfma district — was the biggest cultural highlight of the trip.
Museu Nacional do Azulejo – A beautiful collection of Portuguese tile.
Terreiro do Paço – This is the harbor-facing plaza with the yellow façade that you see in many photos of Lisbon. It’s absolutely worth the photo opp, and do take a walk along the water while you’re in the area.
Castelo de S. Jorge – The first fortifications of this Moorish castle date back to the 1st century BC. You can explore the grounds, but do be careful because there aren’t many guardrails.
Jerónimos Monastery – This is in the Belem area of Lisbon. After taking photos of the Padrão dos Descobrimentos monument and of the exterior of the Tower of Belem (we heard lukewarm reviews of the interior and just snapped photos), head over to the monastery. The architecture — especially the cloisters — is stunning.
Mosterio de Sao Vicente de Fora – We happened to be having a drink at a miradouros (more info below in the Eat & Drink section) and saw this building in the distance. It looked like people were on the roof, so we made the trek over. It ended up being one of the trip highlights and we didn’t even have it on our must-see map!
Carmo Convent – The 1755 earthquake left ruins of this gothic church. There’s a museum attached with artifacts.
Santa Justa Lift – I don’t want to disappoint you, but this is just an elevator. Sure, it’s pretty. But there are better views in the city at miradouros and they’ll be less crowded.

EAT & DRINK

Miradouros – There are miradouros all over Lisbon, which are little parks with spectacular views, often with a kiosk that sells snacks, wine, and beer.
Ginja – Try a shot of ginja, a cherry-infused liqueur served with a cherry in the glass, and small shops around the city. You can get it in a chocolate cup if you feel so inclined.
Pastel de Nata – Of course you can’t go to Lisbon and not have these iconic egg custard tarts with a shot of espresso (“bica”). We had them at both Fabrica da Nata and the iconic Pasteis de Belem. They’re both delicious.
Fábrica Coffee Roasters – We went here a couple of times for breakfast and loved it. They also had iced coffee, which is always a treat abroad (though I think iced coffee is finally becoming more ubiquitous).
Simpli – We also enjoyed this café and bakery. They put an orange slice in our iced coffee for aromatics, which was a fun surprise.
Boa-Bao – We were in the mood for Thai one night and stumbled across this restaurant. It had an upbeat atmosphere and they had a fun cocktail program.
Time Out Market – Sample some of the city’s most popular restaurants in one location. It ended up being an easy go-to when we were tired and didn’t want to put thought into another restaurant to try. We could split up and find our own meals. I went to Miguel Castro e Silva twice for the Bacalhau à Brás (codfish with julienne potatoes and scrambled eggs).
Pub Lisboeta – Cozy little bar with pizza and friendly service.
The Beer Station – I’m glad to see this small beer bar is still around! It’s in an open-air plaza near the Rossio train station.
Delirium Café Lisboa – Belgian beer fan? Here you go! They also serve frites.
Other Beer Bars – Crafty Corner, Cerveteca Lisboa, and Duque Brewpub.

SHOP

Sango Handmade Creations – I bought a camera strap from this artisan. (Truth be told, it was at a small art fair in Porto, but I wanted to include an acknowledgment here!)
Conserveira de Lisboa – You have to stop here to buy tinned fish! This shop is quaint and Instagram-worthy. Ask the people working for guidance on your selections if you’re dumbfounded like I was. They might come off a little reserved at first, but they’re incredibly friendly and willing to help.
A Vida Portuguesa – You’ll find this store all over the city. It has the best selection of Portuguese souvenirs covering a wide range of products.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

We stayed at the Iberostar. It was beautiful and well appointed. They even gave us a complimentary glass of champagne during check in, which I couldn’t turn down despite being exhausted from traveling. (We had a layover in Brussels and then our flight to Lisbon was delayed due to an airline worker strike. It was a whole thing.)
We found Lisbon to be incredibly affordable, and this extended to both public transportation and Ubers. There was one night we took an Uber from the Alfama district back up to our hotel and the total amount due was the equivalent of $3. I gave a 100% tip because that felt entirely too cheap!
You may be tempted to add a day trip to Sintra. I would only go if you were staying in Lisbon for an extended period of time (we were there for five days and six nights) as it really does take the better part of a day and it’s crowded. Most guides will recommend that you take the city’s buses to go to the destinations and while you certainly could, we took Ubers to the two places we wanted to go: Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira. A quiet, air-conditioned car was a nice respite from the touristy train with people packed in like sardines. If you do go, I’d recommend stopping for tapas at Tascantiga.
The best parts of the trip were — as always — the parts we didn’t plan for. We stumbled across a festival in one of the city squares. We joined in the dancing and split a bottle of wine, and it ended up being one of my most cherished moments of the trip.

For more travel guides, click here!

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Fab Find: A $9 Travel Jewelry Case

January 13, 2022 by jessica Leave a Comment

You don’t need to spend a lot to get a practical travel jewelry case. In fact, you can snag a sleek, functional one for just $9 (or less, depending on the color) that will leave you with cash leftover to buy a new bauble to tuck inside. There are three hooks for necklaces on top, a place for your rings, and a larger compartment with a removable divider to accommodate larger pieces. The case is rigid so you won’t need to worry about anything getting crushed in transit.

Buy it online here.

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