BEDKNOBS & BAUBLES

Weekend Getaway: Evanston, IL

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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

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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!

Tower of Belem
Lisbon Portugal
Mosterio de Sao Vicente de Fora

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.
Lisbon, Portugal
Jerónimos Monastery

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.
Museu Nacional do Azulejo
Quinta da Regaleira
Lisbon Portugal

For more travel guides, click here!

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Fab Find: A $9 Travel Jewelry Case

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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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Travel Guide: A Weekend in Richmond, Virginia

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Richmond, Virginia had been on our travel list for awhile thanks to its burgeoning beer scene, but it wasn’t until we purchased the Graduate hotel’s “Hall Pass” package (read about it here) last summer that we decided fly to the historic city. In truth, we hesitated because we weren’t sure that we’d find enough to do to make a trip worthwhile. However, we were happily proven wrong with plenty to keep us busy during our three-night stay. Below, you’ll find some snapshots from our trip along with a list of our recommendations and “insider” suggestions.

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Below, I’ve compiled a list of the things we’ve enjoyed in Richmond. I’ve also included additional recommendations as a sort of “insider’s list” with places to visit from Dave’s sister’s friend, Meghan, who works at Visit Richmond and from my Instagram friend Laura who used to live there.

SEE & DO

  • Virginia Museum of Fine Arts – We could have spent so much more time at the art museum. It has an impressive collection — the Fabergé collection being one of the highlights — with well-executed special exhibits. (We were there for “The Dirty South” exhibit.)
  • Quirk – Stop in to browse the gallery or get a cocktail, even if you’re not staying at the hotel.
  • Edgar Allen Poe Museum – Poe spent the better part of his life in Richmond. This museum celebrates his life and legacy. It’s dorky and I absolutely loved it.
  • Riverfront Canal Walk – Located along downtown’s riverfront, the Canal Walk stretches 1.25 miles along the James River and Kanawha and Haxall Canals. You can walk, bike, or take a boat tour along the canal. Read more about its history here.
  • Virginia State Capitol – Even if you don’t want to tour the capitol, the grounds around the building are pretty with statues and government buildings.
  • Richmond Mural Project – Back in 2012, Richmond embarked on its goal of creating over 100 murals in just five years.
  • Explore Shockoe Slip – This area of the city was founded as a trade post in the early 1600s and is now the location of shops, restaurants, and businesses. It’s fun to poke around and walk the cobblestone streets.
  • Explore Shockoe Bottom – This area of the city has a somber past as the location where slaves were brought into town. Now, it’s a charming, industrial neighborhood with cobblestone streets, murals, restaurants, and shops. I stopped in at Shockoe Bottom Clay where I purchased a wood-fired ceramic vase by local artist Jocelyn Sandberg, which I think is actually the piece in the upper right of this image.

EAT & DRINK

If that last bullet of food recommendations is any indication, we need to make another trip to the city just to dine!

OUR STAY & TRANSPORTATION

I wanted to add a few notes about transportation and accommodations. We stayed at the Graduate hotel, which you can read more about here. As far as transportation is concerned, you can absolutely get by without renting a car if you’re planning to stay in the city. Ubers were plentiful and the city has an incredibly easy bus rapid transit (BRT) system to get you to the different neighborhoods quickly and efficiently.

For more travel guides, click here!

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Travel Guide: Door County, Wisconsin

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I’m so excited to share our recent trip to Door County with you! We’ve been eager to go back ever since we went last summer. A weekend of social distanced activities, hiking, outdoor meals and drinks was just what we needed in the midst of the pandemic and this year was no different — with the exception of a lifted mask mandate. It was the perfect way to wrap up summer 2021 and staying at the recently opened (and beautiful!) Dörr Hotel made it even more memorable!

If you’re not sure where Door County is, it’s Wisconsin’s peninsula (or thumb if you think of the state as a mitten). It’s nestled between Green Bay and Lake Michigan, so you’re looking at water-related activities and lakeshore views. Door County is also famous for its cherries and there’s no shortage of cute farm stores for you to stock your pantry with preserves and pie fillings. Everything is close to each other up there, so it’s common that you’ll be zig-zagging between the towns during your stay.

OUR STAY

Seriously, Door County was in need of a chic boutique hotel and the Dörr delivers! The Scandinavian-inspired hotel is located in Sister Bay and opened in May of this year — and it’s beautiful! I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves in terms of the design. Aesthetics aside, the hotel had a fire pit, cornhole, ping-pong, grab-and-go breakfast, a small bar (with surprisingly good draft options), private balconies for most rooms, among other thoughtful amenities. (We weren’t the only ones in love with the hotel; many people checking out were already booking dates for next year!)

DAY ONE

We arrived in Sturgeon Bay, the southernmost town in what’s officially considered the tourist area of Door County, around 4 p.m. and stopped by Renard’s Cheese Store to pick up a bag of fresh cheese curds (the squeakier, the better!) for the remainder of our drive to our first stop: Whitefish Dunes State Park. Whitefish Dunes is right next Cave Point County Park, which is known for rocky cliffs along Lake Michigan. The two parks connect and since we have a State Park sticker, we opted to park at Whitefish Dunes where it typically has ample parking space available when the other park is busy. The coolest part of the parks is watching the waves crash against the rocky shoreline when it’s windy. You can even feel the ground move beneath you as water makes its way into the crevices below. After an hourlong hike, we headed up to Sister Bay to check-in at our hotel, went to Wild Tomato for dinner (delicious!), and ended our evening with a couple of drinks at Al Johnson’s Stabbur (an AstroTurf’ed outdoor beer garden).

DAY TWO

The next morning, we went to Al Johnson’s main restaurant for breakfast. It’s a Door County institution, stopping people in their tracks for one very particular reason: there are goats grazing on the grass roof of the building. It’s part of the Swedish charm of the place. While the restaurant usually has a long wait to get in, apparently the week before Labor Day is a quiet one in Door County and we were seated right away. We split a savory breakfast and an order of Swedish pancakes topped with Door County cherries. After breakfast, we went to the Cana Island Lighthouse, the area’s most iconic lighthouse standing for over 150 years. After parking our car on the mainland, we took a tractor over the causeway to the island itself. The lighthouse tower was closed for tours the day we were there, but we were able to explore the island and tour the lighthouse keeper’s quarters before heading back. Afterward, we stopped in Bailey’s Harbor for a quick lunch and a beer at Door County Brewing Company, then we were off to Peninsula State Park to see the lighthouse, wade in Lake Michigan, and climb their new lookout tower. We stopped by Bad Moravian in Ephraim for a beer before heading back to our hotel to fresh up for dinner at the Wickman House. We had made reservations a month prior and it was the best decision. The restaurant is in what looks like an old farmhouse and inside the atmosphere is quiet and intimate, the staff is friendly and the food and drinks were amazing. (I’m still daydreaming about the smoked whitefish cake with kimchi remoulade!) We spent nearly two hours dining. The place was even more magical as night settled in and the string lights outside twinkled.

DAY THREE

We kicked off our last full day in Door County with iced coffee and a breakfast sandwich to go from Skip Stone Coffee Roasters and then drove over to Seaquist Orchards Farm Market where I dropped $75 on a variety of cherry products including cocktail cherries, cherry syrup, cherry pie filling, cherry salsa, etc. — and cherry turnovers that we enjoyed at Ellison Bluff County Park overlooking the water. With sugar coursing through our veins, we made our way to my favorite natural area in the state: Newport State Park. We went on a three-mile hike through a fern microhabitat before continuing along the bluffs to the water and enjoyed a short break at a secluded beach clearing. Once we had our fill of nature, we decided to stop by Fish Creek to browse the shops where I bought a pair of earrings at Sister Golden and a ceramic cup from TR Pottery. Then, it was finally time for our second annual Door County mini golf showdown. There are two places for mini golf: Red Putter (old-fashioned, no frills) and Pirate’s Cove (more of an elaborate theme). I won last year’s game at Pirate’s Cove and [sadly] Dave beat me this year at Red Putter. Our next trip to Door County will cinch the championship for one of us. We celebrated his win with a beer at Peach Barn Brewing, a new brewery in the area that was just alright, but had a pretty outdoor space. We decided to go to Husby’s for pub fare (and a surprisingly good chicken Caesar salad) for dinner before ending our getaway with a brandy old-fashioned across the street at Sister Bay Bowl and a nightcap back Al Johnson’s Stabbur.

DAY FOUR

I had one very important to-do item on our last day: stop by Lautenbach’s Orchard for a few jars of their cherry jalapeno spread. I bought one last year and went through it all in record speed, smearing it on grilled cheese sandwiches. A year was too long to go without that taste sensation and now I feel like I have a sufficient supply to hold me over until our next trip to Door County!

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Below, I’ve compiled a list of the things we’ve enjoyed in Door County, along with a couple of things that remain on our to-do list for next time!

SEE & DO

  • Cave Point County Park // Whitefish Dunes State Park {Sturgeon Bay} – If you have a State Park sticker, opt to park at Whitefish Dunes and walk over. Cave Point is known for its rocky shoreline along Lake Michigan. Make a point to go on the windiest day of your trip.
  • Cana Island Lighthouse {Baileys Harbor} – If you bring your passport along, you can get it stamped at Cana Island. Be sure to double check the schedule for climbing the lighthouse tower as staffing issues may impact the hours of operation.
  • Peninsula State Park {Fish Creek} – There’s a lot to do at this park, including a lighthouse, a scenic lookout point, hiking, and swimming.
  • Ellison Bluff County Park {Ellison Bay} – This small park offers a pretty view of the water.
  • Newport State Park {Ellison Bay} – We enjoy the Lynd Point/Fern Loop that includes part of the Europe Bay trail for roughly a three-mile hike. Wear a swimsuit under your hiking clothes if it’s warm as there are a couple of quiet areas to go for a dip.
  • The Ridges Sanctuary {Baileys Harbor} – A boardwalk through the woods and you can see the Baileys Harbor Range Lights, built in 1869.
  • Mini Golf {Ephraim} – Choose between Red Putter and Pirate’s Cove (or do both).
  • Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Pierhead {Sturgeon Bay} – Stop for a photo when you’re on your drive north.
  • The Hardy Gallery {Ephraim} – A graffitied barn on the water that houses a gallery.

SHOP

  • Renard’s Cheese Store {Sturgeon Bay} – Buy a bag of fresh, squeaky cheese curds for the rest of your road trip.
  • Seaquist Orchards Farm Market {Sister Bay} – More cherry preservatives and food items than you can dream of.
  • Sister Golden {Fish Creek} – Think of it as Anthropologie’s cooler artisan sister.
  • TR Pottery {Fish Creek} – Affordable ceramics. I’ve purchased something each year.
  • Lautenbach’s Orchard {Fish Creek} – Get the cherry jalapeno spread. If you’re into cherry wine, you can do a tasting.

EAT

  • Bearded Heart {Baileys Harbor} – I went here every morning during last year’s visit for the avocado toast.
  • Skip Stone Coffee Roasters {Sister Bay}
  • Ephraim Coffee Lab {Ephraim}
  • Chives {Baileys Harbor} – Especially fun if their food truck is outside.
  • Wild Tomato {Sister Bay & Fish Creek} – Wood-fired pizza.
  • Al Johnson’s {Sister Bay} – A Door County institution with goats grazing on the grass roof. The food is typical of a diner, but you can get Swedish pancakes topped with piles of Door County cherries. I wouldn’t wait an exceptionally long time to eat here, but it’s worth the stop if you’re able to get in right away.
  • Wickman House {Ellison Bay} – Make reservations here if you’re looking for a nice dinner with excellent cocktails.
  • Trixie’s {Ephraim} – Sister restaurant of Wickman House. We haven’t been, but I’ve heard wonderful things. It’s on our list for next time.
  • Husby’s {Sister Bay} – Pub fare; spacious outdoor bar.
  • AC Tap {Baileys Harbor} – An easy place to stop for a solid pub burger.

DRINK

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