France, Switzerland

Châtel and the Portes du Soleil: Where to Ski and Eat on the French and Swiss Ski Slopes

Hi friends!  I wanted to highlight one of my favorite ski areas, les Portes du Soleil and the French alpine village of Châtel.  We’ve been three out of the last four years and have gotten to know it well!  This last trip was such a magical time with days full of skiing and phenomenal mountainside restau,rants and evenings spent cooking in our apartment then snuggling up on the couch watching French tv over a bottle of wine. 🙂  If you know me well, that pretty much sums up my dream life, haha!!  The Chatel and the Portes du Soleil is […]

Germany, USA

Reflections on 2019 and the Last Decade

In the last days of 2019 I have been reflecting on the year and subsequently, this past decade before we ring in 2020 (which sounds so futuristic!). 2019 was a significant year for me because it was the first time that I have experienced an extreme growth. I could tell I’ve been going through a great shift in my life goals, outlook, what I believe is important. At times it’s been quite uncomfortable, but I think all change is that way. Before I explain what I mean, I wanted to quickly look back on the decade. It has been quite […]

Switzerland

The Perfect Zermatt Ski Holiday, Without Breaking the Bank

Skiing the gorgeous Matterhorn is a dream for any skier, but it’s no surprise Switzerland is rather pricey compared to the rest of Europe.  I’m here to show how to have an inspiring bucket-list worthy ski holiday to Zermatt while keeping some cash in your pocket! Tip #1: Book an Apartment with a Kitchen My number one tip how to keep costs down while still having the perfect relaxing holiday is to book an apartment with a kitchen.  Do this and you’ll be all smiles like me up there 🙂 . You can also save more cash if you book […]

France

The Ultimate Paris Travel Guide

I present you the Ultimate Paris Travel Guide!  Based on my personal favorites from MANY Parisian trips over many years, if you stick to these suggestions I guarantee you’ll have the time of your life!  Just don’t blame me if upon return, you spend your free time trying to figure out how to move your whole life there 😉  Also, be sure to check out my personal interactive Paris map at the end (I’m very proud of this)!! Ok!  I’ve laid out this post into the categories below: Reading Paris like a Map City Views Things to Do Museums Shopping […]

Indonesia

The Wonderful Shimha Jungle Retreat in Ubud (and Our First Earthquake!)

I mentioned in my last post that we stayed in an airbnb right next to the Campuhun Ridge Walk and today I wanted to show you a little more about it!  It was an amazing, relaxing experience and I felt so lucky to have snagged such a perfect place!  Psst. I have a cool video to explain just how perfect it is, and a link to book it at the end of this post 🙂 . The Grounds The grounds of the Shimha Jungle retreat were so lush.  You’ll walk through grounds filled with flowers and plants galore and past […]

Indonesia

Campuhan Ridge Walk: A Must-Do in Bali

After spending a few days in Canggu we headed inland to spend the rest of our time in Ubud, a lush jungle area full of gorgeous nature, yoga studios, and healthy restaurants.  I was most excited about this part of the trip because that lush jungle life is something I hadn’t experienced before! Our time in Ubud was packed full of amazing adventures, and first up was the gorgeous Campuhan Ridge Walk!  The Shimha Jungle Retreat Airbnb (which was absolutely amazing) was our first hotel in Ubud and was very close to the ridge so we decided to hike it […]

Indonesia

La Brisa Bali

La Brisa Bali quickly became our favorite hangout spot during our stay in Canggu!  It was about a 15-20 minute walk up the beach from our hotel Tugu Bali and the perfect spot to watch the sunset on a few bean bag chairs or poolside on the deck.  It has serious bohemian treehouse vibes and I thought it was just perfect! By day it’s a fun spot to lounge at the pool or sit on the beach side bean bags, grab drinks, and watch the surfers in the ocean. As the sun sets, the bistro lights strung along the palm trees […]

Italy

My Favorite Wineries in the Piemonte

Hey friends!  Last weekend Dave and I headed south to the Piemonte, our favorite wine region in the world!!!  It’s home to Barolo and Barbaresco wines as well as Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, and more.  If you don’t know about this region yet, I’ve explained it all in detail here.  Check that post out first so you can learn about it! We’ve made the trip each and every fall since we moved here in 2015.  The first year we went with just the two of us, and loved it so much we’ve brought friends with us for the last three years.  […]