Joy's Nashville Favorites
Now that we’ve lived in Nashville a year, and many of my social media friends and followers are well aware that we live here, I regularly get asked for recommendations on places to eat and play and see. Since my list has grown over the last…
Last update 5/8/19
Now that we’ve lived in Nashville a year, and many of my social media friends and followers are well aware that we live here, I regularly get asked for recommendations on places to eat and play and see. Since my list has grown over the last year, and I am still finding new places, I have a hard time fitting all my recommendations into one Instagram message. Sooooo I figured now is as good a time as any to put together my full list of Nashville favorites, which I will come back to regularly to update as I continue to find new favorites.
Now, keep in mind, we moved here when I was a pregnant sea cow, and then I had a baby and spent many months indoors… BUT we still explore as often as we get the chance. Bolded places are NOT as family friendly. Also, I’ll note if anything is dog-friendly.
Coffee Shops
This is its own category since they’re all amazing. Keep in mind, a few of these have multiple locations, but they’re all great!
Crema
Barista Parlor
Dose
Caliber
Steadfast
8th and Roast
Cafe Roze (also, great food menu)
Portland Brew
Ugly Mugs
Frothy Monkey
Bowtie Barista
Red Bicycle
Restaurants
Mas Tacos Por Favor
Joey’s House of Pizza
Phat Bites
Pinewood Social
Nectar Urban Cantina - dog friendly and very family friendly with outdoor live music
5th & Taylor
Oak Steakhouse
Sindoore Indian
Chauhan Ale & Masala House
Chaatable
Hemingway’s Bar and Hideaway
Martin’s BBQ
Mitchell Delicatessen
Lockeland Table
Tacos y Mariscos Lindo Mexico (hole in the wall in Madison - get the chicken)
Burger Up
Restoration Hardware Cafe
Hattie B’s Hot Chicken
Clawson’s Deli
Hathorne
Fat Bottom Brewing Co. (chicken salad)
Coco’s Italian Market
Sweets
Shipley’s Donuts
Five Daughter’s Bakery (beware! overpriced and very sweet, but a good treat - just don’t go overboard!)
Soda Parlor
Olive and Sinclair (Chocolate Co.)
To Do
Nashville Zoo
Opryland
State Museum
Nashville Farmer’s Market
Hill Center Mall (Green Hills area) - almost all stores are dog friendly!
Broadway - touristy, but entertaining night life/live music if that’s what you’re looking for
Germantown neighborhood - shops and restaurants
The Green Hour (Thurs-Sat only - bar)
Rudy’s Jazz Room
Lane Motor Museum
Two River’s Dog Park
12 South (food and shopping)
The Gulch (if you’re into murals… haha oh boy)
Any of the many breweries (Yazoo, Fat Bottom, Black Abbey, Nashville Brewing, Jackalope, etc..)
Iceland 2017 | Video Compilation
You’ll find this on my Youtube Channel, but just in case you end up here, I thought I’d post it. This is a compilation of the videos we
You’ll find this on my Youtube Channel, but just in case you end up here, I thought I’d post it. This is a compilation of the videos we took in Iceland in September 2017. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s a fun way to see all our shorter videos in one. We think of Iceland often, and honestly, we’re dying to go back. Anyways, enjoy this fun montage!
Italy Travel Guide
Ciao, Italia! Oh how we loved Italy. Even amidst the crazy early pregnancy tiredness and nausea, it was still such an amazing country. We loved...
Ciao, Italia! Oh how we loved Italy. Even amidst the crazy early pregnancy tiredness and nausea, it was still such an amazing country. We loved the people, food, sites, and pace of everything there. I'm also glad we took the time to get away from the touristy places and cities and enjoy the genuine lifestyle of the countrysides. Our Airbnbs were especially great in Italy, as well, and I'll share those below. But after not-so-great interactions with the French, it was incredibly refreshing to be welcomed by the sweet, jovial Italians. They truly captured my heart! Even when they didn't know English and our Italian was limited, they did their very best to communicate and would usually end up laughing with us as we all fumbled through words and hand gestures. We even had a super long-winded discussion with a local about American beer and how much he loves it. The people are one of the things I miss most about visiting Italy - they were so charming! They reciprocated smiles, you guys! Haha okay and their food was amazing (not that I ate much of it, sadly, but it was), and everything was absolutely stunning. Let me dive into the helpful hints, though...
Things to note
- The currency of Italy is the Euro. Cards were widely accepted, but a little cash was nice to have on hand.
- The language of Italy is Italian, of course! If you've taken Spanish, Italian is honestly not too hard to pick up. Tom was supposed to learn French (which didn't go over so well) and I was our Italian communicator (since I've taken Spanish). We had no issues in Italy, and many locals know English, anyways, but basic phrases were great to know.
- Sidewalks are old and small. Not a bad thing, just something to note in the old cities.
- Airbnbs:
They don't always (or usually) provide shower soaps. Especially conditioner. Bring your own!
You are taxed per person and must pay exact amount in cash.
You also, by law, must meet your host and show your passport. - Public restrooms may not always have toilet seats.
Traffic
- Relatively easy to pick up on traffic laws and signs.
- Small cars! But that's just Europe.
- Vespas and motorcycles follow no rules. They ride up onto the sidewalks and just generally drive wherever the heck they want, so be watchful!
- Rules of the road are more like guidelines.
Interactions
- Locals are very pleasant.
- Ignore the dogs. Europeans do not give dogs pets and attention in public (which is why their dogs are all well behaved).
- Do your best to speak Italian, but you'll come across plenty of English speakers. Even if you don't know Italian and they don't know English, most of the time they will do their best to communicate with you in one way or another.
- Don't be afraid to joke with them! We read that Italians don't do sarcasm, but they were OFTEN sarcastic with us and would tease us constantly! We loved it.
Food & Drinks
- Typically, you pay at the counter.
- You pay for water and are always given the option of flat or sparkling.
- No need to tip.
- It's an American thing to order soda with your meals - stick with water, wine, or coffee (at the end).
- Some will say that it's rude to share meals, so we never did. However, anywhere we went, I never felt pressured to finish ALL my food, and often Tom and I would eat off each other's plates. No one seemed to care! I did usually let them know I was pregnant so my meats needed to be fully cooked, etc.. so maybe that was part of it?
- Doggy bags are not a thing!
Where we stayed
Florence: Airbnb - we adoredddd this one! Very walkable to all of Florence, affordable, very clean, beautiful view, and extremely comfortable. Huge bathroom, too! Couldn't recommend this one enough.
Riomaggiore: Airbnb - not great. There are limited options for accommodations in Cinque Terre, so it was fine overnight, but there was black mold all over the shower. We were not impressed.
Castiglione Tinella: Airbnb - we splurged a little on this one and it was 100% worth it. This was incredible. The view alone was worth the price, but the place itself was clean, comfortable, and stunning. Not to mention the caretaker who met us there - he was was such a delight and super funny and helpful! The nearby towns are quaint, and because you're in the countryside, you'll meet a lot more locals and non-English speakers but we adored the people out here and in Asti. This is an area we would visit again, without a doubt. Best wine region in Italy in our opinion!
Pisa: Airbnb - cosy is an understatement. The host here was like your mother (the sweet, hospitable kind). She was super caring and knew we were flying out in the morning, so she scheduled a cab for us since we didn't speak fluent Italian. Also, we were so surprised at how charming Pisa was! We only stayed overnight because of a flight, but we loved it and wished we'd have stayed longer. The Airbnb itself was seriously like a bed and breakfast. After coming back from the night out, our private courtyard was lit with candles. Large bathroom, luxurious bed, and old/modern Italian feel. So perfect.
What we saw:
Florence
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore aka the Duomo. So incredible and MUCH larger than I imagined. Ponte Vecchio is an old stone bridge with shops and fun nightly entertainment. Vivoli for the best gelato. We also walked up to Forte di Belvedere (but it was closed). A young guy in Tuscany told us about a cool speakeasy bar in Florence which was amazingggg and they made me a super delicious mocktail that I'll never forget. The bar is on Google and so on, but they do not advertise at all, so it's really through word of mouth. If you're going to Florence, I'll tell you what it is :) but you'll have to ask. There's tons to see and do in Florence and the food is amazing.
Tuscany
We took a day trip outside of Florence to get an eye-full of Tuscany. Oh my goodness, I could have stayed there all week! We went to Vignamaggio (a beautiful villa, winery, and accommodation) because it's where Much Ado About Nothing with Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh was filmed, which is one of Tom and my favorite movies. The main garden and villa were closed for construction, but we did a wine tasting and had an amazing meal there. The views and property were breathtaking and next time we are in Italy, I think we'll actually stay there! Driving through Tuscany was such a treat. Definitely give that a go!
La Spezia/Riomaggiore (Cinque Terre)
From Florence, we drove to La Spezia, parked, and took a train into Riomaggiore for the the night. Riomaggiore was charming, but honestly, it felt like such a tourist trap. The food (especially pesto!) was very good, but it seemed crowded everywhere. We enjoyed the evening once the tourists had mostly gone, but if I were to have done the trip over, I'd have skipped Cinque Terre. That's just personal preference though! It was unique, but Tom and I enjoy more isolated locales (which is probably why we loved Iceland). Also, the pretty, brightly colored buildings you often see photos of, are really quite run down and only edit brightly. They're actually extremely faded and not as amazing a sight to behold in real life! To each their own, though - go visit Cinque Terre if it floats your boat.
Castiglione Tinella
Probably the most beautiful part of our time in Italy. We drove up to northwest Italy because it holds our favorite wine region - Barolo and Nebbiolo grapes. On the drive up, we stopped along the coast and bought seafood right off a boat sitting in the harbor while admiring the beach. Our Airbnb was situated at the top of some breathtaking (and I mean BREATHTAKING) foothills covered in vineyards as far as the eye can see. Asti is a nearby town at the bottom of the foothills and had very few English speakers, but had delicious food and bakeries. The locals were super sweet, and locally owned stores were perfect for finding more authentic souvenirs.
Pisa
We were only here for an overnight, but the afternoon and evening we spent there was so memorable! Like Florence, it's incredibly walkable. The street markets were so fun to browse and it felt really clean everywhere. It just had a nice energy and pace throughout the city and we actually wished we had spent more than one night there, but we had just never thought it would be very interesting. How wrong we were! Check out the whole city and enjoy the locals and food!
France Travel Guide
Oh France. What can I say about you? I guess I should be straightforward and honest about our experience there, so, I'll just say it... France...
Oh France. What can I say about you?
I guess I should be straightforward and honest about our experience there, so, I'll just say it... France was not our thing. It had beautiful architecture, good food and wine, and stunning countrysides. But we are very light-hearted and playful and the French are not. They are serious and severe and we found the people (no offense to anyone) typically quite rude. Of course, we had a handful of great encounters with locals and our Airbnb hosts, but widely, we felt like an unwelcome nuisance.
I'm just being honest! I know lots of people have had perfectly pleasant vacations there, but coming from Iceland (where the locals are super nice) and then following it with Italy (where the locals are funny and jovial), caused us to judge the culture on a slightly skewed scale. We certainly didn't go in expecting to fit in or think they should cater to us - quite the contrary - we were very aware that we didn't fit their culture and were in a constant state of simply trying to not stand out. We were hyper aware of being respectful and apologetic when we made little faux-pas, and still they seemed to refuse to help us or teach us. Below I'll make note of some things we observed, but be aware, there weren't a lot of positives!
Things to note
- The currency of France is the Euro. Cards are widely accepted, but it was helpful to have cash for tolls or other such things.
- The language of France is French. I highly recommend learning several phrases, but I must admit, it was hard to learn, and understanding French is not easy.
- Gas is expensive. We drove from outside Paris to Dijon and up to Beauvais, and it added up.
- Speaking of Beauvais, their airport is horrendous. It's teeny tiny and flights were constantly delayed or we were moved terminals. We had to actually go through security twice because they moved us around so much for one flight.
- Sinks (like much of Europe) had a tendency to be very tiny. As I've never spent time outside the U.S. this was new to me. Bathrooms are marked with a "WC" which stands for Water Closet... and they really mean closet! Some toilets also didn't have seats like American toilets so you had to squat. Just FYI!
- Sidewalks are old and usually quite small. Just an observation - sometimes they're single-file. Very quaint, though!
- Extreme cigarette smoke and heavy perfume. We take fresh air for granted in the U.S. - haha - especially during early pregnancy (I wanted to barf everywhere we went in France and some parts of Italy).
Traffic
- Tolls are pretty pricey! Just be aware.
- Pretty easy to navigate coming from the U.S.
- If you take the tube in Paris, be prepared to get cozy with everyone - they are extremely crowded! Several times we actually had to wait for the next train because no one could fit.
- Do not even attempt to drive in Paris. We almost rented a car there to leave the city, but once we saw how people drove, quickly moved our car reservation outside the city.
Interactions
- No one smiles or laughs in public. So don't be surprised when you smile at someone and they dart their eyes the other way. I think it's viewed as flirtatious, but this was so hard for me to remember because "smiling's my favorite!"
- You constantly play chicken with people on the sidewalks. No one moves!
- Ignore the dogs and cute babies. They treat dogs like dogs there, so there is no petting or showing them any attention. Because of this, they have very well-behaved dogs, but it was killing me. Also, looking admiringly at little ones comes across creepy, so just don't.
- They are easy to offend and not very empathetic. I often couldn't finish my meals (thanks nausea) and would try to explain that I was sorry because I was pregnant (if they spoke English), but they usually just snubbed me and didn't respond.
- Never expect them to speak English. We always tried French first, but when we made it clear we spoke English, sometimes they'd just refuse to speak English to us, even if they knew how.
Food & Drinks
- Wine is not cheaper, or as cheap, as water. Why do people say that? Haha.. not true at all.
- You pay for water and you are always given the option of flat or sparkling.
- You don't have to tip.
- It's never very clear if you pay at the table or up at a counter, and if you get it wrong, they get annoyed with you. Just when we thought we had it figured out, we would end up wrong!
- If you order a coffee or food to-go, you have to actually GO. To-go or to-stay is taxed differently and we got scolded when Tom got something to-go, and then decided to sit down with me outside (and it was not busy).
- Also, eating while walking is considered odd. I would often get a piece of fruit (one of the few things I could stomach because #pregnant) and walk and eat it, and people would look at me like I was crazy. I finally looked it up and apparently the French culture just really believes in sitting down to enjoy food.
- Sounds cliche, but people carry baguettes around all the time! Haha we got such a kick out of this.
Where we stayed:
Paris: Hotel District Republique (small, but comfortable)
Dijon: Airbnb (this was our favorite in France - great hosts, very comfortable space)
Chalons-en-Champagne: Airbnb (meh, fine for an overnight)
Beauvais: Airbnb (not bad, not great - awkward layout)
What we saw:
Paris
Literally nothing. We were there for 24 hours and were so jet-lagged and nauseous that we ended up just sleeping! We walked around a bit and went to dinner at night, but honestly, I was so sick from the smells, that we missed out on everything. Sad, I know!
Dijon
I liked Dijon a lot. Old and historic, walkable, not crowded, good food, and very pretty sites. The French made us uncomfortable, so we didn't really go into any shops, but we enjoyed the historic cathedrals, market in the town center, and river-walk area.
Since French food wasn't sounding good, we found this cool little Argentinian place owned by a French guy who lived in Argentina for a couple years and fell in love with it. He spoke Spanish, which I can speak better, and the whole atmosphere was so much more laid back and welcoming. It was definitely a highlight and very tasty! You actually ate with your hands (which you just don't do in France and it was hilarious watching the locals trying to eat their empanadas haha)!
Chalons-en-Champagne
Incredible, massive cathedral near the city center. Very walkable and quaint. Here, we yet again went off the French cuisine and got sushi (with no raw fish for me, of course). We just took in the sights and relaxed and people watched.
Beauvais
Yet again, saw nothing. We were trapped in the airport with all our bags until we could check-in to our Airbnb in the afternoon. We had a few mishaps in planning on our part, so this was one of those wasted days, unfortunately.
French countryside
We drove through some backroads and took our time between towns, and honestly this was my favorite part of France. They had sunflower fields, and hidden Michelin starred restaurants, and pretty fields of grape vines. The little villages we popped into had much friendlier locals. We even overheard a group of older people speaking English and struck up conversation on the street (because thank goodness - ENGLISH!). They were from the U.K. and so incredibly funny and sweet! The French countryside is where it's AT!
Iceland Travel Guide
Iceland is, hands down, the most beautiful place I have ever seen. The best way Tom and I have been able to describe it, is that it is not...
Iceland is, hands down, the most beautiful place I have ever seen. The best way Tom and I have been able to describe it, is that it is not just another country, but another planet. One moment the weather is clear, sunny, and calm, and the next it's windy, rainy, and overcast, only to clear up the next moment. It's unpredictable, but depending on when you go, it's manageable. Visiting during any of the four seasons would have its perks and drawbacks, but I'm personally happy with our choice to go in the fall. The roads weren't bad (besides some bumpy, unpaved ones), and the temps were enough to merit only a couple light layers, rain jackets, and boots.
Things to note:
- The currency of Iceland is the króna (ISK). We never took out cash, and never needed to. Cards are accepted everywhere along the Golden Circle.
- The language of Iceland is... Icelandic! It's beautiful, but incredibly complicated.
- Sinks are small - not unusual for Scandinavian or European countries, but worth noting.
- Their tap water is very clean and so good. Some have mentioned sulfur smells with the water, but we did not come across this.
- Iceland is expensive. Over $7/gal of gas, most restaurant meals are over $15-$20 per person for nothing extra special (like some soup), etc...
- The Northern Lights are most viewable September through April, but of course it still depends on cloud cover, solar activity, etc.. so it's not guaranteed.
- IcelandAir is a great airline and had phenomenal customer service. I highly recommend them!
Traffic
- Download maps of Iceland before you go. The service can be spotty, so you'll be glad to have off-line versions of directions.
- Accidents on roundabouts in Iceland involve tourists 22% of the time. When going through a double lane roundabout, it is custom for the outer lane to yield to the inner lane when they are exiting the roundabout. Meaning, you have to let the inner lane cut you off! We almost got in an accident in this situation, and had to do some digging online to discover this is an unwritten norm in the country! Here's an article outlining some of their traffic rules.
- Be aware of one lane bridges, and be sure you're not going to go head-on with oncoming traffic - take turns.
- Most of the roads on the Golden Circle are paved and not that scary to navigate, but be sure the vehicle you've rented is okayed for certain road conditions, or perhaps upgrade to 4WD just in case.
Interactions
- The Icelandic people are very friendly and we didn't meet a single one who didn't speak clear English. However, they do tend to keep to themselves, so don't expect long-winded conversations.
- Even with the plethora of tourists at some places, you won't talk to a lot of people. Everyone is there for the sights and the isolation. We did have a great chat with a mom and daughter from the U.S., but that was about it!
Food & Drinks
- Coffee shops and bakeries in Reykjavik are great, but as mentioned, restaurants are pricey.
- If you're staying somewhere with access to a few kitchen amenities, buy groceries and cook a little. We found the cost of groceries to not be as grossly overpriced.
- Also, try staying in a hotel where they serve continental breakfast (which in our case was absolutely delicious and nothing like the cheap continental breakfasts in the U.S.)
- Eat the yogurt!!! Skyyr is the main one, but we also loved "abt." I'm not even a big yogurt eater, but it was seriously amazing.
Where we stayed:
Reykjavik: Storm Hotel
Selfoss: Airbnb
Complete Guide to Packing for Europe in a Backpack
Hey guys! If you don't already know, Tom and I are going on our first overseas vacation this fall. We'll be spending nearly THREE weeks traipsing...
Hey guys!
If you don't already know, Tom and I are going on our first overseas vacation this fall. We'll be spending nearly THREE weeks traipsing around Iceland, France, and Italy and seeing all the things, and eating all the bread and cheese, and drinking all the wine. It's our first real vacation since our honeymoon over four years ago, and we are overflowing with excitement.
This post is a "dumping ground" of sorts, for all my packing tricks, videos, and details. I'll do my best to stay brief, but there's a lot to consider, and as we're doing the whole "backpacking" thing, I want to be sure I'm thorough and clear about everything so it will be as helpful as possible. Keep checking back to this post - I'll be adding as I go.
The packing challenge I wanted to take on was bringing everything. Seeing if I could sacrifice no part of my routine and still pack super minimally in my carry-on size backpack. I set out on this, knowing that I very well may have to give up on some conveniences, and the prospect of that was perfectly fine with me.... but I just wanted to try. Just to see if I could hack it and bring it all.
Spoiler: I managed it all with room to spare!
I'll lay out each section the same, with a detailed written portion on each of my topics, with the corresponding video below. I'll cover makeup, hygiene, clothes/shoes, daypack, and how everything fits together.
If you have any questions whatsoever, please comment below or send me a message. I'd be happy to answer anything you're extra curious about.
Trip Overview
- 3 weeks
- 10 separate flights (2 of which are red-eyes)
- 16 nights in accommodations
- 9 Airbnbs
- 1 46L backpack each
- 1 daypack to share
Quick Itinerary
- Arrive in Newark, NJ
- NYC during the day, then evening flight from Newark-Iceland
- Iceland
- Iceland
- Iceland
- Paris
- Dijon, France
- Dijon, France
- Châlons-en-Champagne, France
- Florence, Italy
- Florence, Italy
- Florence, Italy
- Riomaggiore, Italy (Cinque Terre)
- Barolo region
- Barolo region
- Pisa, Italy
- Beauvais, France
- Newark, NJ
- HOME
For reference, these are the main items I'll be mentioning.
The packing cubes, the Osprey 46, and the daypack.
Makeup
I did it. I managed to fit my entire makeup routine (with room to spare) in one small packing cube!
Using the smallest of the cubes in the 4-piece set, I have packed:
- primer
- foundation
- concealer
- tinted powder
- bronzer, blush, highlight
- translucent setting powder
- eye primer
- eyeshadow palette
- eyeliner
- mascara
- waterproof mascara
- lip color
- brush set
- foam applicators (Target)
- lash curler (Target)
- 1 week pill container with misc items/extra product (Dollar Tree)
This is what my makeup typically consists of vs. the condensed, minimal version:
So the challenge with this was the time-frame we'll be gone. Three weeks with sample sized products seemed like a stretch, so the pill container will act as a nice little catch-all if needed (like for extra primer). Plus, I can even throw some floss or ibuprofen in there as well.
I don't know if you're like me in this sense, but when I'm traveling domestically for a week or so, I'm always sure my nearly-full bottle of foundation WILL run out while I'm traveling so I pack two. It's so dumb, because when I'm at home, I know just how long any amount of makeup will last me, but once I pack it, it's suddenly near empty. Haha! So before going on a trip with limited packing space, realistically think this through.
I'd definitely suggest trying to get away with sample sized products if you can. A sample sized mascara, for example, should be plenty for honestly even a month. And if you're not going to some third world country, I'm pretty sure you'll be able to pick up more wherever you go.
My primer, mascara, lip color, and eye shadow all came in a great sample set from Smashbox (linked here).
I also grabbed a travel size concealer and brush set. The rest of the products (tinted powder, translucent powder, foundation, eye primer, waterproof mascara, eyeliner, lash curler, and contour set) are actually full-sized. I just looked for smaller ones or condensed sets. For example, I usually use three different products for bronzer/blush/highlighter, so having all three in one set is saving me tons of room.
Lastly, be sure you actually TRY the products before you blindly pack them. I bought a different foundation for the smaller container, tried it, and hatedddd it. So I'm bringing one that's tried and true instead. Practice using the new brushes, or bronzer, or whatever, and be sure it's something you'll like for the duration.
Below, check out the makeup packing video for a 2 minute summary and see how they all actually fit into that small bag!
Hygiene
This was the toughest area for me. The carry-on liquid limits (one quart sized bag per person, with products 3oz or less) definitely threw a wrench in my ideas, but I think we'll get by (barely). But, I did it again! I managed to fit my entire routine yet again. Here's the full list of my hygiene stuff (and Tom's liquids too).
Tom doesn't have any liquids beyond his shampoo, hair styling goop, and face wash (which we're sharing), so he's a gem and will take a few of my liquids as well.
Liquids (Bag 1)
- Contact solution
- Face wash
- Men's shampoo
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Toothpaste
- Tom's hair goop
Liquids (Bag 2)
- Dry shampoo
- Mousse
- Hair Spray
- Exfoliating face wash
- Contact solution
- Face lotion
We'll keep our liquids bags in a convenient location so we can pull them out easily for security checks, but once through security, I''ll move most of them to my hygiene packing cube for the sake of keeping things organized.
I also have a couple secrets...
I'm bringing a HALF bottle of shampoo and a HALF bottle of conditioner. If you look at the lower right-hand corner of the photo above at the small, clear, stacked tubs, there they are. Tom had the idea to dry them. The first ingredient in these products is water, so doesn't that make sense? I poured them on large sheets of parchment paper and let the water evaporate for a couple of days. This left me with gel-like substances that easily fit into less than 3 ounces. Just a small amount in the shower - where you (duh!) add the water back in - and it lathers up just the same as at home (I've tested this). It's a wonderful way to bring a lot more than 3 ounces in a concentrated form.
HOWEVER, because of the containers or the lack of labeling or whatever else, I could see TSA confiscating them. Oh well! Worth a shot. I'll be sure to circle back afterwards and let you know how it went.
Another concentrated item is our laundry soap (pink/red bottle, lower right photo). Several of our Airbnb's have washers (or else we'll be using sinks) and since we're gone for nearly three weeks, we'll need to do laundry. I didn't want to bring another liquid thing and we really wracked our brains trying to figure out what to bring. Then I remembered a sample of Norwex laundry detergent a friend had given me and I forgot about. For an entire load you only need a teaspoon, and since our loads will likely be smaller, we can probably get away with a half teaspoon. I think it'll be the perfect travel detergent.
Lastly, I really wanted to bring my hair straightener. Most of the places we're staying will have hair dryers (yay!) but I need a straightener to add texture to my hair (I actually use it to curl or add waves rather than straighten). Well, I discovered that even with a plug adapter, you would also need a voltage adapter so as not to blow fuses or break your appliance.
UNLESS you get a dual voltage appliance! After just a little bit of looking, I found this travel sized straightener (but not the teeny tiny kind) for only $11 on a lightening deal. It's about nine inches long - so just slightly smaller than a normal one. Every little bit helps! It doesn't have a temperature control, but it heats up to 410 degrees fahrenheit. I've tested it and am thoroughly impressed. Honestly, I'm pretty sure it's better than my usual one. Watch the video below to see what it looks like next to an average hair straightener.
The only thing I would recommend, is to buy a heat resistant case (which I did). I don't know about you, but I always do my hair last and then get stuck having to pack/awkwardly carry my hot styling tool. The case saves you that trouble and you can pack up your hot appliance and go. In fact, I should have bought one ages ago!
Below are the three main items I mentioned and the correlating video so you can see how all of this works. It's a bit longer than my last video but I wanted to be thorough :)
Clothes and Shoes
This took a little discipline to stay within a few boundaries, but I'm so glad I managed to stick to my guns. Clothes ended up being pretty easy for me!
Clothes List:
1 pajama top
1 pajama bottom
3 dresses
2 sweater cardigans
6 tops
4 bottoms (3 black pants, 1 pair of jeans)
1 blanket scarf
1 rain jacket
3 shoes (rain boots, cute flat/sneaker, tennys)
11 underwear
2 camis
8 not-socks
2 tall, thick socks
1 regular sock
1 pair of black tights
1 belt
1 swimsuit
In order to bring a lot of outfit options with a few pieces, I stuck to neutrals. You've probably heard this tip before, but make sure every top can go with every bottom and vise versa. I limited my colors to black, grey, green, and blue. Honestly, I typically wear this palette at home almost exclusively, so it wasn't that hard for me. I mixed it up by throwing in the patterned dress and a scarf, but I also wanted to leave room to buy a few small pieces overseas as well. I made sure I was realistic about what types of clothes I'm most comfortable in and how they would work together or layer. Layering is your friend - especially if the temps during various seasons can go up or down by the day. Since we're traveling in the fall, I decided to bring a mixture of dresses, short sleeves, and long sleeves. Easy enough!
My shoes are all insanely comfortable (which was my top priority) and they each have a purpose.
The boots will be used just for Iceland. I was sent them courtesy of Sperry, and they gave me free reign to choose what I wanted, and I couldn't pass them up! They're so cute and will be perfect for whatever climate or terrain Iceland throws at us. Though they're too bulky to pack, I was willing to wear them on each flight. That's not a bother to me, but maybe to others it is.
The pointed flats were sent to me courtesy of Dr. Scholl's and again, they let me choose. These just had the perfect sneaker/flat mixture I was looking for, and they were included on a bunch of lists online as "great travel shoes." They are crazy, crazy comfortable and I am super happy with them.
The lace-up sneakers are from Target and they are meant for days where we might go off the beaten path a little more. They're also very breathable, so if my flats get wet, they're a cute alternative. They even look cute with my dresses!
This video is longer, but I explain my shoes in detail and show them on my feet walking around. Plus I'll show you some outfit mixtures, and how all of my clothes fit into the last two cubes with ease. (Seriously you guys, buy yourself some packing cubes - they are incredible!)
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San Francisco, CA
It's been a while since I've had a destination travel post for you all! We've made a few small trips to see family, but not to anywhere new...
It's been a while since I've had a destination travel post for you all! We've made a few small trips to see family, but not to anywhere new until this past week. I'm going to be brief and simply share the list of places we went, ate, stayed, etc... along with lots of photos, and if you're ever looking for some fun ideas of what to do while hanging around SF, maybe this will be a good place to come back to. As much as a travel itinerary is nice for those of us who are nosey, they can be a little overly detailed for the those who prefer to skim for main things to note. So let's try it the 'skim way' today!
Trip basics:
One week.
Half in San Francisco. Half in San Jose.
This was a business trip for Tom, who had a conference, but we spent the last several days with Tom's oldest brother, wife, and kids - so it was a bonus to see family as well! During Tom's conference I was able to spend a couple days seeing one of my best friends from college in SF, and near where she lives in San Jose.
Where we stayed:
During the conference, Tom needed to be nearer to the downtown area, so we stayed in this incredible Airbnb near Twin Peaks. It was one of the best Airbnbs we've used to date (and we use Airbnb a LOT). If you've never used Airbnb, be sure and sign up using my referral so you save $20 the first time you use it: www.airbnb.com/c/joyj6
The second half, we stayed with our family.
Where we ate:
Near SF:
Delfina (pizza): https://goo.gl/maps/P7cq9yg6WoQ2
The Ice Cream Bar: https://goo.gl/maps/8qV49jyuyT72
Tony's Pizza: https://goo.gl/maps/YZEASjHq3st
Squat & Gobble (brunch): https://goo.gl/maps/Y3YeoC76J6E2
Zazie (brunch): https://goo.gl/maps/Bykn4uXuho52
Ebisu (sushi): https://goo.gl/maps/gBf3f7YWbkG2
Piccino (coffee, pastry): https://goo.gl/maps/3hZfGYccAAM2
Near San Jose:
Opa Authentic Greek Cuisine: https://goo.gl/maps/7bKAAmEqonT2
Maria Elena's (Mexican): https://goo.gl/maps/iPVPiE34b9F2
Philz coffee: https://goo.gl/maps/kYDFoxoCnow
What we did:
Ghirardelli Square (for free chocolate and bay views)
Walked the SF neighborhoods
Went to Twin Peaks
Went in every bakery and candy store we saw
Visited Testa Rossa Winery (and did a tasting)
Took the Caltrain
Window shopped on West Portal
Walked a LOT
Stopped by a Google building for a little tour
Snuggled a Bernese Mountain Dog that I saw from a mile away
Had great coffee
Ate delicious things
Loved the cool, not humid weather
Had an equal parts relaxing/adventurous trip
Day 1
Checked into our Airbnb, relaxed, had the complimentary cheese plate from our hosts, and later ordered dinner. It took us a few days to go from Eastern Time to Pacific, so our eating/sleeping schedule was wonky for a while there. Stunning views from our Airbnb and truly wonderful hosting.
Day 2
My college bff came over from San Jose to take me around San Francisco. We had brunch at Zazie's, got lost plenty of times, found all the candy shops, had pizza, saw the bay, walked all over, talked forEVER, and laughed a lot.
Day 3
This time, I managed to find my way up to her. I took my first Uber pool to the nearest Caltrain station, and got all the way up to San Jose without a hitch! We spent the day cruising her area, found a winery in Los Gatos, ate yummy Greek food, window shopped, ate some baked deliciousness, and then laid around their apartment and looked at her wedding photos that I had never seen in two years! It was another day filled with laughter and adventure.
Day 4
This was our last full day in SF, so I stuck around at the Airbnb and got some work done and enjoyed the area by myself a little bit (if you watched my Instagram stories, this was the day I walked to and from our Airbnb and nearly died because #hills). That night, Tom and I had a date night and went out for a little sushi and ice cream and Twin Peak touring.
Days 5 - 7 were spent with family,
and I typically don't pull out my devices with family unless there's just some downtime in the evenings. So there's no photos I need to share of those days! We had a wonderful time with our two farthest nephew and niece and their parents. It was the first time we'd seen their latest home in the Bay Area and we went on walks, played at parks, talked, read lots of bedtime stories, and just spent time catching up.
San Francisco and the Bay Area as a whole, are super fun areas to visit and tour around. There's tons to do, it's surrounded by other incredible places to visit, the weather is pretty near perfect, the food is delicious, the sites are beautiful, the public transit is easy, and no one talks to each other in Uber pools... unless you're the wide-eyed, spunky-spirited Midwestern girl who wants to know what everyone else knows. I may or may not have awkwardly brought up the silence of San Franciscans TO the San Franciscans and thankfully was met with laughter and a, "You're right, we ARE too quiet - thanks for livening up our Uber ride!" and then continued to speak with a super sweet young guy about gangs and how cool tech nerds are in SF while our driver got lost finding my Airbnb. Overall, though, it's a place I hope to visit more often and where at the very least, you can find an amazing cup of joe.
Iceland + Europe | Vacation Announcement
A couple weeks ago, I spilled the beans on our vacation via my Instagram story. If you didn't catch it in the 24 hour window, you wouldn't have heard the news... sooo here's the official announcement:
We're going to Iceland and Europe this fall!
As a little background:
For the last year, Tom and I have been discussing the need for an honest-to-goodness vacation. Of course, it kept getting put on the back-burner over and over (as these things often do) while we dealt with other life circumstances, prioritized family visits, hosted lots of visitors, worked on our renovation, and then moved forward with adding our dog. We kept saying "we'll talk about it in a couple more months" until that couple more months turned into a year or so. Now, it's been over FOUR years since our last vacation... which was our honeymoon. So to say we're excited about fulfilling our dream to visit Europe, would be an understatement.
We've taken a few trips in the last four years, mostly to visit family, or with me as a tag along to Tom on a business trip, or for a super fast overnight to celebrate a birthday or something, and they've been so wonderful... but we've not had what I would call a vacation in all these years.
About two months ago, I started putting my foot down and being really adamant about prioritizing a vacation for this fall. We've had a rough year and I think life's curves have put enough weight on us to merit an actual need more than a desire for a vacation. We need the respite, the escape, and the adventure without work or reality tapping us on the brain to remind us to pay attention to them. We'll take plenty of photos, but it'll be mostly a time that we can be disconnected from pressures, and just enjoy the time together - uninterrupted.
Here's how it happened
After a few months of daydreaming together about potential places, we decided to just start casually looking. We followed a few places around the world for low flight prices, and every now and then something would come up and we'd consider it for the day, only to see the price spike the next. Italy was of particular interest, but when prices went from $400 to $700 in a matter of 12 hours, we thought it was off the table. So we hunted around the Caribbean, and Cabo, and various other locations.
About a week after the realization that we needed to be prepared for spontaneity in purchasing flights, Tom saw something we couldn't pass up...
For less than $900 (total - this price includes BOTH our roundtrip tickets), we could fly into Reykjavik, Iceland - stay for up to a week - and then continue on to Paris.
Tom read me the deal and we stared at each other.
For a long time.
We started to smirk.
Then I asked a few more questions and we decided we'd keep our stay in Iceland brief so we could explore the surrounding areas and countries by France for longer.
"Joy, are we doing this?" he asked.
".... what's our reason not to? The flight price certainly isn't a reason. Tom. Let's do it. I don't see how we could possibly regret doing this. We've dreamed of going to Europe... and ICELAND?! Who goes to Iceland?! Actually, I think we'd kick ourselves for NOT going and passing up such a great deal and experience. Seriously. I'm ALL in. Let's do it!"
Two minutes later, we confirmed our tickets.
For three full days, we'll bop around Iceland. For another twelve days, we'll land in Paris, and then perhaps mosey into Switzerland and Italy - but we're open to suggestions! We are so insanely excited for this trip! We're really hoping to get to the small Italian winery that makes our favorite wine in the Barolo region.
We've been scouring Airbnb for places to stay, but it's so hard to know where we'll want to spend the most time! Now that we have the flights booked, we'll have a lot of planning to do, but I love planning and organizing, so I'm enjoying it. Plus, it feels SO good just to have something amazing to look forward to, and it's started to motivate us to get in better shape so we can enjoy walking and hiking around as much as possible and not feel like we need to rest a lot.
Here's where you come in
Have you ever been to Iceland?
How about France, Italy, or other surrounding areas?
LET'S HEAR YOUR TIPS! This will be our first time overseas and if you've got anything that might help some European or Iceland first-timers, leave me a comment or contact me.
What should we pack for Iceland AND Europe? Do you have some favorite luggage or backpacks? Would it be easier to take trains or rent a car? We're not too interested in the tourist attractions - what would you suggest to the back-country travelers? How do you leave room for souvenirs? Do you know some amazing places to stay? Any certain kinds of clothes or shoes you know are great for lengthy travel? What kind of adapters would we need for phone and camera charging? Anything you can think of please share it - I'd love to hear about your experiences!