Apologies for the lack of posting – it’s been a crazy football season!
Our trip to Switzerland from Paris was quite possibly the longest day ever. Switzerland was the place that I had been looking forward to visiting the most on the whole trip (honestly, mainly because of the Amazing Race!). After my first visit to Salt Lake City in May, I was in awe of the mountains and how close they were, so I was so excited to see the Swiss Alps on the bus from Paris to Lucerne.
the Lion Monument relief in Lucerne, carved into rock
We took a train to Basel first, then arrived in Lucerne around dinnertime for a quick bathroom & food stop. I got pretzels with raclette on them from Brezelkonig at the train station – an incredible welcome to the food in Switzerland! The currency is the Swiss franc, but they accept euros in most places. However, they’ll just give you francs as change.
the raclette pretzel!
Lake Lucerne had the bluest and clearest water that I have EVER seen. I was seriously in awe of how stunning it was. The architecture in the city was so beautiful, it was impossible to take a bad photo. After buying pretzels and wandering into the Migros market in the train station for snacks, our group took the bus straight into the mountains to our hostel.
We stayed at Ski Lodge Engelberg, the prettiest place ever. The drive winding up into the mountains was incredible. Everything was so green and vibrant. It was exactly what I pictured, complete with cows with bells around their necks that rang in the distance!
the view from our hostel balcony!
After settling in, my friends and I walked around the (very small) city and decided to eat at Urchig. There were only two restaurants open and the other was Mexican (?) so we went for Urchig. Our waiter’s English was good and he was great with us, but we all struggled with the German menu! It was expensive (like all of Switzerland) but seriously some of the best food I’ve ever had. My friends loved their meals too. After walking around a little, we went to bed. It was more of a hostel-style, but I had the best sleep ever. I seriously wish I could have taken the duvet home with me!
me, Caroline, Michaela and Laurenthe best meal at Urchigcows by the lake down the road from the hostelthe lake by our hostel!
The next day, we got up early for a day in the Alps. We took the bus to Kriens then rode the world’s steepest cable car up to Mt. Pilatus. We took the alpine slide down part of the mountain – totally worth it. If I didn’t have a job or if I knew German, I would move to work there in a heartbeat. We went to the top of the mountain and had an incredible view above the clouds. It was only 7000 feet of elevation but it felt way taller. Photos can hardly serve to show how beautiful it was.
alpine slide from the cable carthe tiniest church on the mountaintophonestly I don’t even know how you would get to this! taken out the cable car window
When we were up there, I met a kid from KU! He was wearing a shirt from the Jayhawk Cafe (the Hawk if you really know) and had just been studying abroad. After going down the mountain in a tram, we cruised across the lake to get back to Lucerne. Almost everyone fell asleep, got sunburnt or both – I’m guilty of both! The one thing I wanted in Switzerland was chocolate, but because of my allergy, I decided it wasn’t worth it.
I’ve never been more jealous!! I wanted to go paragliding so badly but we didn’t have time
Once we made it back to Engelberg, some of us got fondue at Hotel Engelberg. I had an incredible lemon ricotta ravioli to start and seriously thought about it the rest of the trip. We split a sausage fondue and a regular cheese fondue. After fondue, we hung out outside the hostel with some of our group and I had the BEST hot chocolate ever. It was the perfect ending to a short two days in Switzerland!
the lemon ricotta!incredible hot chocolate
Here’s the link to the map of all the places listed! https://goo.gl/maps/r2Wm3D5gwzBTMZxU9
I’ve lived in Salt Lake City for almost three months now, which is crazy to say! I’ll admit that it still doesn’t truly feel like home, but I’ve finally gotten around to decorating the majority of my apartment to pull the whole thing together.
I’m excited to be working with Parabo Press on this post! I’ve worked with Parabo Press before, in college, so it’s fitting that I’m working with them again. As a photographer, print quality is very important to me. After my trip to Europe this summer, I knew I wanted to print a lot of my favorite photos to hang in my apartment.
My decorating style is very precise – but it changed a lot through my shopping process. You can see my original style and how it changed just by looking at my Pinterest board. I would still love to make my bedroom more of the bright, bohemian style as it’s somewhat plain right now, but I think I need more artwork for that.
Parabo makes some of the highest quality prints that I’ve seen. I’m a fan of the matte look, and they do it best! Not only is the quality phenomenal, but the colors are very true to the photos you submit online. I use Lightroom to edit my photos and edited my photo of Cinque Terre (the big one in the middle) specifically to match my apartment, bringing out the blues in the ocean and the pinks and oranges in the houses.
The large print in the middle is a Square Engineer Print (only $25) and it’s three feet by three feet. This would be a perfect piece for a family photo, a photo from a vacation or even a photo of a pet! Even though my print was very large, the photo quality is still gorgeous and isn’t pixelated.
The smaller prints are 5×7 Classic Prints that come in a set of 20 photos for $15. They also have 4×6 options, as well as larger sizes in their Fine Art Prints. I chose a photo from each city I visited, with similar bright colors as my center photo.
Below are several links to similar couches. I got mine from Ashley Furniture and I would recommend checking out a showroom or something similar instead of just buying online, because there was such a wide range of comfort levels. Originally I was interested in a cream-colored couch but I’m glad I moved away from that idea! This couch is the perfect neutral color and it’s also big enough for multiple people. (I couldn’t resist adding the gorgeous blue couch!)
Here’s a link to my throw from Amazon for only $20! Mine is in the color orange but I would say it’s more of a salmon. My current pillows are from Walmart but I think I need more.
The family photo on my TV stand is another piece from Parabo! I decorated this space with a ladder shelf from Target (an impulse buy that was discounted back in August). This is the exact one, but here are a few similar options. I considered hanging something above the TV, but I’m glad I strayed away from that. I think it would have made the space too busy.
My plants are an aloe plant and a climbing peperomia. I got the aloe plant from Walmart’s nursery and the peperomia at a thrift sale, surprisingly. They’re both very easy to care for. This is a link for my bookends. My KU print on the bottom shelf is linked here!
Here’s a link to my barstools from Target. Originally I had neutral metal ones but I’m so happy I returned them for these! They’re comfortable and sturdy and add the perfect pop of color in my kitchen/living room area.
My rug, my chair and my TV stand are all from Utah Furniture Deals. If you’re in Utah (or even close enough in Colorado/Idaho/Wyoming), I cannot recommend her enough! She buys wholesale furniture and sells them at a lower price. She has the best collection of styles and helped me find the pieces I wanted. I will admit that I really wanted a hot pink accent chair, but I’m glad I chose the navy instead. It balances out the room and I think the pink would be too overwhelming.
I know everyone that reads my blog isn’t local (and the majority of my readers are still in Kansas City), so here are some links to chair and rug options that are similar.
I also ordered a Newsprint (only $25) of one of my favorite photos I took at KU, overlooking the football stadium and campus with all the leaves changing in fall. I spent the majority of my time in college with the football program and I’m happy I have this photo to commemorate that. The Newsprints come folded into fourths and have a very similar feel to a newspaper with bright, true colors.
I hung my newsprint using Good Hangups. It’s a set of magnetic stickers that come with strong magnets, so you can easily stick the magnet on the wall and hang your photo without damaging the print or the wall. Genius.
The photos hanging above are a mix of old Parabo Press Square Prints from my last collaboration and the Classic Prints. They are photos of my friends and family and the perfect reminder of home.
We kicked off our journey to Paris with a fairly short travel day. We took the train that lasted about four hours from Amsterdam to Paris, traveling through Rotterdam on the way.
Once we arrived in our hostel (Generator Hostel Paris, located in the Grange aux Belles area), we ate next door. Our server was young and corrected our poor pronunciation of ‘merci’ and ‘bonjour’ – and thankfully, he was nice enough to just tell us not to bother! I made the mistake of getting a cheese omelette that was runny and somewhat undercooked – I think most are cooked that way in France? I was thankful I traveled with ginger root capsules to ease my stomach!
The hostel was certainly nice, but the group rooms had packed bunk beds with little room for our suitcases. We were on the seventh floor and got lucky because some of my friends on the first floor could hardly sleep at night due to the super loud club in the basement! The rooftop was amazing though and had incredible views.
Notre Dame (walled off from the construction)Notre Dame from the side where it burned – so horrible
After eating, we took a walking tour by the area around Notre Dame. The cathedral had only caught fire a few months before in April. It was so sad to not see it in its full beauty and you could still see the charred remnants up top. We walked around the Latin Quarter as well and all the restaurants and little shops were so picturesque as you would expect! If I had known it was there, I definitely would have visited the Shakespeare & Company bookstore. Before we left for the rest of the night, our tour director (shoutout Kyri!!) got us all berets!
I travel everywhere with a red lip and Paris was the perfect place to show it off!
Women’s World Cup
That night, a group of us went to the Women’s World Cup! I was so excited to be able to see a world cup game while we were in Paris and made it a priority to get a group together. We saw the South Africa v. China game at Parc des Princes (where Paris Saint-Germain plays), right by the famous Stade Roland Garros where the French Open is played. We got there an hour and a half early, in what felt like the suburbs of Paris. It was much calmer in the area and a very easy metro ride over.
Paris Saint Germain’s stadium, Parc des PrincesI was so excited to attend the Women’s World Cup!
There were only 20,000 people at the match and we just missed the US playing in Paris by two days (ugh!). The atmosphere was so cool with the Chinese fans in full force. I almost didn’t get through with my camera and I KNEW I was pushing it with my lens but didn’t want to just not bring my camera. It was passed around by three different people all speaking very rapid French (that I obviously couldn’t understand) until I finally got in ten minutes later. We left early to beat the crowds and navigated a very busy subway on the way back.
Part of our awesome group that went to the game
Visiting all the touristy spots
The next day, we had a 3-hour guided bus tour. I think this was the day that the exhaustion hit for everyone because we were all half-asleep! Our tour guide was very animated and a little crazy. Someone asked if the French actually hate Americans and he said “no madame, the French spend too much time hating the Brits. We don’t have time to hate you, get over yourself.” Haha! We stopped by Les Invalides, where Napoleon is buried along with other French leaders. Les Invalides hosted Chanel in July for Paris Fashion Week and several other big brands hosted their shows at other iconic landmarks – like Yves St. Laurent at the Eiffel Tower last September. We then went to the Arc du Triomphe, then ended the tour at the Eiffel Tower. It really was truly impressive to see once we were up close!
Eating a croissant in front of Les InvalidesArc du Triomphe
I had planned to visit Monet’s Gardens in Giverny with my friends but we didn’t realize that the trip would have been an extra 10 euro for an external train ride outside of Paris (not just on the metro). Then since we didn’t have a plan, we ended up wandering around to get crepes and then sit out on the steps of the Musee d’Orsay by the Seine. It was the first sunny day the whole trip and improved our moods tenfold.
The oh-so-famous Eiffel Tower
While we were walking toward the famous ‘love lock’ bridge on the Seine, we almost got pickpocketed! Two women came up to our group of four, with clipboards that said “International Homeless Association” at the top and asked us to sign their petition. It asked for a zipcode, name, email and phone number and some of us started signing until this man came over and yelled “pickpocketers, don’t do it!” and took the clipboards from the ladies and ripped up the papers. They were very nice to us initially then quickly became angry when the man intervened and helped us. Thankfully nothing was taken, but we then became way more aware of our belongings throughout the rest of the trip.
Love this group of friends I met on the trip!
We took the metro to Musee d’la Orangerie, which houses the two 360-degree rooms of Monet’s water lilies, along with a Franz Marc exhibit with Kandinsky and other similar artists. Not going to lie, I teared up a little seeing some of the work. My grandmother, who passed away in my junior year of college, was an artist and I wish she could have been there with me to see all the beautiful works of art.
On the steps outside the Musee d’Orsaythe ‘love lock’ bridgeMonet’s beautiful water lilies
After the Musee d’la Orangerie, we sat in the gardens outside the Louvre. It was so peaceful – but at this point, we had all eaten nothing but crepes (and I hadn’t eaten since breakfast because it was so hard to find something I could easily eat with my allergy) and it was late afternoon. Once it hit 6pm, we were able to go in the Louvre for free (Fridays for 18 to 25-year-olds are free!) and wandered around inside for an hour. We headed straight to the Mona Lisa…and I have never been more underwhelmed. What a joke of a painting! I know this will sound so unappreciative but I studied art history through some of college and the Mona Lisa was never one of my favorite works. It was cool to wander through the other galleries though and see paintings on paintings, gigantic and stacked up the wall.
the Louvrejust a glimpse of the crowd around the Mona Lisa!
After, we booked it for a grocery store and found a Monoprix. We had definitely wandered into an area with all locals that knew exactly what they were doing and had no business staying out of our way. We got some meat, cheese, bread and fruit and took it to the Eiffel Tower to watch the sunset. The Eiffel Tower sparkles every night at dusk, for 5 minutes on the hour. There was a very audible “wow!” from the crowd when it began to sparkle. It was really pretty and of course, I loved the challenge of shooting it. (Use a lower shutter speed to capture the lights as your eye sees it.)
Sacre Couer and Montmartre
The next morning, we got up early and went to Sacre Couer and Montmartre. The view from up top of the city was absolutely gorgeous – it made me glad I didn’t pay to go up in the Eiffel Tower! The church was very pretty and had some gorgeous stained glass. Montmartre was so charming! It was what I had imagined Paris to be like. There were so many artists set up in that area, all selling the same style of portrait or Eiffel Tower paintings.
Sacre CouerOn the steps of Sacre Couer, overlooking the cityBeautiful stained glass reflecting in Sacre Couer
Ali Labelle, Ban.do’s creative director, had just posted about a man named Bernard that did her portrait in Paris. That was all the details though – but I was so lucky and found him! His work is so unique and now I have a beautiful keepsake from my trip. I believe the portrait only cost 30 or 40 euro, which I thought was incredibly fair for his work. I also didn’t do a lot of shopping for souvenirs throughout the trip in general, so I chose my souvenirs very carefully. Being in that area definitely redeemed the trip for me. After, we stopped by the Luxembourg Gardens as a perfect end to the trip.
Bernard! He is very recognizable and easy to find! My final portrait Luxembourg gardenscan you believe someone lived here??
Thoughts on Paris
Paris was my least favorite city that I visited overall. Maybe it was because I did all the touristy things and didn’t explore the other parts of Paris much, maybe it was because I was so overwhelmed by the language or both? I was only able to pick up ‘bonjour,’ ‘merci’ and ‘oui’ – but I’m sure I still butchered those!
maybe my favorite photo from the whole city
Everyone’s style in Paris was so beautiful and I wanted to copy it all. So many loose blazers, tweed, silk tanks – outfits that could have come straight off the runway. There was a ton of great design and type inspiration as well.
I definitely want to go back now that I’ve done most of the touristy spots and visit the ‘real’ Paris!
Remember how everyone used to do ‘favorites’ monthly blog posts or Youtube videos? I absolutely love those and love sharing my recommendations on things – that’s why I started this blog! Here are some of the things that I’ve been loving lately…
Listening:
…to Andy Grammer’s newest album, Naive. Andy Grammer is truly one of my favorite artists ever and I’m so excited to see him perform in Salt Lake City in September. My two favorite songs on his album are She’d Say and Wish You Pain. I have the CD in my car (one of three CDs, along with his last album The Good Parts and Taylor Swift’s Reputation) and I’ve already memorized all the words!
…to the Headspace app. I’ve been using the premium version for a full year now and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon. If you’re a student, the premium subscription is SO worth it – it’s only $10 per YEAR! I use it to fall asleep every single night and don’t have as restful of sleep when I’m not using it. I’ve also found myself using the shorter ‘visualization’ techniques when I need to clear my head from daily stress and it’s so helpful. They have so many options, from workout meditations to sleep meditations to de-stressing meditations. I can’t recommend it enough.
Watching:
…Unreal on Hulu. If you like the Bachelor, you’ll (probably) love this show. It centers around one of the producers of a fictional show that very closely resembles the Bachelor and follows how she manipulates the contestants to create more drama. It’s very unrealistic and totally crazy at times but I love it. There are four seasons on Hulu, just enough to satisfy a few week’s worth of TV binge sessions. It does end on a total cliffhanger and it’s canceled now, but it is kind of a satisfying ending!
Eating/drinking:
…Trader Joe’s sweet potato frozen gnocchi. I haven’t tried the famed cauliflower gnocchi but I love sweet potatoes and wanted to give this a try. I’m obsessed. It comes frozen in a butter/sage sauce so you don’t have to add anything if you don’t want (but I eat it with some parmesan)! I don’t follow the directions; instead, I saute it straight out of the freezer for a few minutes and flip them once they’re browned. It couldn’t be easier and serves as a great meal but also a snack to hold you over.
from @thetastebunny on instagram
…Calm drink powder in the raspberry lemon flavor. This is a magnesium-based powder that you can add to smoothies, juice, etc but I just add some to my water at the end of the night. It’s a very subtle flavor and has some fizz. I haven’t tried it during the day when my stress is typically peaking, but it seems to relax me some at night. The reviews are phenomenal and while I don’t think it affects me that much, I do know that my diet is low in magnesium (found in spinach, nuts, avocados, seeds and salmon) so I’ll keep taking it.
from @laura.lifeinstyle on instagram
Wearing:
…the Outdoor Voices Hudson skort in navy and black. OV is my favorite activewear brand, hands down. (I need to do an updated post on my collection from them!) I wanted to hop on the skort trend a couple years ago when it seemed like every girl on campus was sporting that pleated white Lululemon skort – you know the one – but couldn’t pull it off. Enter the Hudson skort: the perfect length (work appropriate!), with multiple actually usable pockets and shorts underneath to match. I believe they had it in red at some point as well as the exercise skort in polka dot but unfortunately I missed that train! You better believe I’m searching on Poshmark every day though. They also just launched their new exercise dress and I’ve definitely been eyeing it! I would have worn it in polka dot but that style was sold out – a sign I need to not wait for buying their products!
from @outdoorvoices on instagram
…Glossier cloud paint in beam. I’ve had this blush for about two years now and use it almost exclusively in the summertime, stretching it into the warm fall months and into summer. I need to restock but I’m tempted to try out their other shades. It’s bright orange before you blend it in and looks intimidating, but it’s seriously the best. I’m fairly pale so I have to wear blush so I don’t look like a character off the Walking Dead and this does the trick.
from @rachaelbond_ on instagram
…the Origins Drink Up overnight hydrating mask. My skin has been SO dry since moving to the mountains and I’m still trying to adjust my routine accordingly. This mask was the perfect solution – and not as pricey as the famed Summer Fridays mask that I actually wanted to try. It soothes my skin, doesn’t rub off on my pillow and it’s super low maintenance – win, win, win.
from @beauty.by.birdy on instagram
…Supergoop’s unscreen sunscreen. This sunscreen is CLEAR and is so easy to rub in! It’s like a primer consistency and is great for putting on under makeup. Also a favorite: Supergoop’s sunscreen powder! My job required me to be outside a lot in August and I burn easily, but this was the perfect solution. It’s just a translucent powder in a brush that makes it easy to reapply your sunscreen over your makeup without that signature smell or mess. I carried it around with me in Europe too and it saved me from getting burnt.
We traveled from London to Amsterdam by train on the Eurostar, stopping in Brussels for about an hour and a half. Allow yourself enough time to go through security going from London to another country, it was at the same level as airport security. However, once we were traveling throughout the European Union, it became incredibly easy to go from country to country. We were able to just walk in and out of the train station, no problem (not at all like airport security) and our tickets were only checked once one-way on the train.
All my places listed below are linked here! https://goo.gl/maps/jfVXh6GmiZhGGLhz5
We arrived in Amsterdam at around 4 and then went on a walking tour. A walking tour is planned in every city when traveling with EF, which is phenomenal to orient yourself right away. However, we got caught in the pouring rain! It rained the majority of the time we were in Amsterdam, so I honestly don’t have that many photos.
It’s so different from London but in the best way possible. I loved the architecture and the uniqueness of the canals. Our guide said that 78% of people in Amsterdam speak 3 languages – including English, which made it very easy to communicate and get around. Most signs also had English along with the native Dutch, and many menus had English options as well. We stayed at the Meininger Hostel West, which was in a quiet area of Amsterdam but just a quick train ride to the Central Station in the middle of town.
Bike tour
The next morning, we went on a bike tour! I would highly recommend doing this if you can. We got the chance to explore the countryside and also bike through the city. Bike culture is very prevalent in Amsterdam. It was interesting to see all the bikes lined up on the road and to see how few people wore helmets. I feel like American bike culture is so insistent on bike safety, but in the Netherlands, they bike so often that it’s much safer to bike there. Bike lanes are wide and not an annoyance to drivers (I believe) unlike in America.
Partway through the bike ride, we stopped at a place called the Roundabout for pancakes. They were gigantic and they’re thinner, so they’re rolled up with your fork to eat. We were even given powdered sugar, sprinkles and syrup to eat it with – the more sugar the better!
I Amsterdam, Canal Cruise and Ice Bar
We ended the ride by the Eye Museum’s I Amsterdam sign (you have to take the ferry across the water to get to it). There are multiple signs around the city but this is a great option that’s a little less crowded. We also got tickets for the Amsterdam Lookout and swing. It’s this rooftop with an amazing view of all of Amsterdam – highly recommend.
A’DAM Lookout
After the bike ride and eating lunch, we took a canal ride around the city. EF provided drinks and snacks, which made for a very fun ride. It’s a good way to see a lot of the city at one time, but I would recommend doing an open boat ride rather than an enclosed ride. Those looked packed and not much fun.
The canal cruise I mentioned not taking – but it makes for good photos‘Cool Ranch’ Doritos are called ‘Cool American’ in Europe!Apparently the coffee shop that Miley Cyrus and Snoop Dogg prefer to smoke at…if you’re interested! I didn’t partake in that part of the city!
We then went to the Ice Bar – personally, I think this was a waste of money, but others had fun. They give you coats to wear with gloves but I was wearing sandals and honestly wasn’t even that cold! We ended the night stopping by Mama Pancake for pofferjus (baby puffy pancakes) and that was the best late-night snack.
Anne Frank Museum
The next day, we went to the Anne Frank Museum. I got my tickets three months in advance and that was enough, but I wouldn’t recommend waiting longer than that. We happened to be there on what would have been her 90th birthday – what a crazy coincidence. The Anne Frank Museum was incredibly moving. There really aren’t enough words to describe it. The end of the museum had a guestbook and a video with many notable people talking about how the museum impacted them. John Green, the author of The Fault in Our Stars, had a quote that really stood out to me.
“The book was turned to the page with Anne Frank’s name, but what got me about it was the fact that right beneath her name there were four Aron Franks. FOUR. Four Aron Franks without museums, without historical markers, without anyone to mourn them. I silently resolved to remember and pray for the four Aron Franks as long as I was around.”
This really struck me. I wish I had time to visit the Jewish Historical Museum while I was there as well, to get a broader look at the impact of the Holocaust on Amsterdam itself and the entire Jewish population rather than just the Frank family and their counterparts. It’s still so shocking to me that something like this happened. Anne Frank’s words are so strong though and serve as such an important reminder of what she and many others endured.
Begijnhof, Bloemenmarkt and Kalverstraat
After the Anne Frank Museum, we went to Begijnhof. This is a group of historic buildings (basically apartments) that were founded in the Middle Ages. It used to be a community for religious women, like nuns but less strict. Now it is a space for only single (unmarried) women to live in. The history behind it is fascinating.
We also went to Bloemenmarkt, one of the more popular flower markets in Amsterdam. There were lots of souvenir options. If you want to buy flowers there, you can’t bring it back through customs, but many shops had websites that you could order things like tulip bulbs through. Then some of us went shopping down Kalverstraat and got stroopwafels (what Amsterdam is known for!) at van Wonderen, a famous waffle shop.
The night before, my camera battery charger had short-circuited and it was my only option for charging. I went to Kamera Express in desperate need of a charger and they were SO helpful! I am forever grateful to this shop for their help. Just another example of the friendliness I encountered while in Amsterdam.
Later that afternoon, we went to the area with the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum, but the Van Gogh Museum was sold out. If I had more time, the Moco Modern Art Museum looked really interesting. It was pouring rain so museums were one of our only options that day.
World Press Photo Exhibit
I made the last-minute decision to visit the World Press Photo exhibit at De Nieuwe Kerk. This was one of my favorite parts of the entire trip! I spent two and a half hours there – it was absolutely fascinating. The photos were incredible and so moving to me. The exhibit itself is housed in an old church that functions as a museum. The church was one of the most beautiful churches I saw throughout the whole trip.
de Nieuwe Kerk
Amsterdam thoughts
I loved Amsterdam way more than I thought I would. I didn’t do too much research about Amsterdam compared to some of the other places on the trip beforehand, and I think that made it better. I was able to fully absorb the city instead of thinking about every touristy stop I had to see. The city was so clean (again!) and the metro was especially easy to navigate after London. I felt very comfortable and safe there. It was also a slower-paced portion of the trip, which was much needed after the rush of London.
I started my trip with three days in London. (Quick reminder: I went on the Highlights of Europe trip with EF Ultimate Break – NOT sponsored!!) Every place listed here will be in my Google map linked down below for easy access.
We had a driver pick us up from Heathrow and take us to the hostel, YHA London Thameside. It was pretty nice and the area seemed more relaxed than downtown, which I liked. Part of our group walked down from the hostel to eat at Leadbelly’s. We immediately learned the importance of having enough cash to not have to split the bill – our waiter seemed so annoyed when the six of us were struggling to put money in, but he offered to split the bill for us, thankfully. After walking around the area by the Canada Water tube station, we got ready for EF’s welcome dinner.
Russell Square StationChinatownPiccadilly
EF includes a welcome dinner as part of the trip to get to meet your tour director and other people on the trip, so we all took the tube to the Marquis Cornwallis for traditional fish and chips. I also tried Pravha lager, a light beer that was decent. That night we walked around Chinatown, Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. We were there during the Women’s World Cup so Piccadilly Circus had giant billboards advertising the English team, which was so cool to see! The entire time we were walking around the area, I honestly felt like I was on the set of a Harry Potter movie. I’ve dreamt about being in London for so long and it didn’t feel real!
Piccadilly
Day two
The next morning, we were on a bus tour around the major landmarks of London. We started at Tower Bridge (not London Bridge). We then went to Leadenhall Market, which was J.K. Rowling’s inspiration for Diagon Alley! I am a huge Harry Potter fan and could immediately recognize the area. It was so cool to see. The majority of the scenes in Diagon Alley weren’t filmed here due to the size. However…around the corner, the London Migraine Clinic’s door was used as the door to the Leaky Cauldron! It’s painted bright blue now but it’s instantly recognizable.
Tower Bridge
Next, we went to St. Paul’s Cathedral, where Princess Diana got married. We didn’t have time to go inside, but the outside alone is stunning. St. Paul’s was consecrated in 1300 (meaning it was dedicated as a Christian space of worship then, but it was built even earlier). The amount of history in London alone is just indescribable. St. Paul’s also survived the German Blitz in World War II – this photograph is incredible.
St. Paul’s Cathedral
Buckingham Palace
We ended our bus tour just in time at Green Park by Buckingham Palace. Random tip – when we were there in early June, the pollen count was super high and there must have been a certain kind of tree in the area by the palace because everyone was having issues with sneezing and pollen getting into their eyes. I had to go buy medicine for hay fever at the pharmacy really quick and that helped. It only seemed to be in that area though. I would even start having issues as our train pulled into that station by the palace. No clue if that’s common though.
The day we were there, it happened to be the day of the Trooping the Colour celebration. (The link explains it in much further detail, but it is essentially the Queen’s ‘official’ 93rd birthday celebration.) We got SO lucky and got to see her pass by in her carriage. We then walked around the St. James’s area, then returned to the palace grounds about a half hour before she was scheduled to be on the balcony for the royal flyover. We were held way back as the street was blocked off and couldn’t even see the palace from where we were standing, then somehow we got lucky and were able to make our way all the way up to the gates of the palace!!
The incredible array of photographers at the Queen’s Trooping the ColourThe Red Arrows (flown by the Royal Air Force) flying over the Victoria MemorialThe Queen and the Royal family! The Cambridge family is clear but Harry and Meghan of Sussex were tucked back by the doorsCheesin too hard after seeing the Queen!!The Queen’s guards
I can’t even describe how exciting this moment was. We were so, so close and were able to be in front of the Victoria Memorial fountain. I’ve been obsessed with the Royal Family for a long time now (there goes my shot of playing it cool with a prince) and it was so exciting to see the Queen, the whole Cambridge family (including Louie!!) and Prince Harry and Meghan (marking her first public appearance since the birth of Archie).
Trafalgar Square and St. James
While we were in St. James and Trafalgar Square, we stopped by Fortnum & Mason. This is known to be the Queen’s grocery store and it certainly looked the part. It was very elaborate and had just about everything you could want in there. They have a space for afternoon tea if you’re interested. Next door is Hatchard’s, known as the Queen’s bookstore. I didn’t stop in, but it is the oldest bookstore in the United Kingdom – so cool!
the National Gallery
We also went by the National Gallery. The building itself is beautiful and there are so many notable paintings inside. Even if you’re not an art history nerd like me, you’ll certainly recognize some of the work from art class in elementary school. The best part? It’s free!
Burberry down Old Bond St.
After the excitement of seeing the Queen, we walked around and went down Old Bond Street (I believe it’s the Mayfair neighborhood?). It has some of the most iconic designer brands out there – Gucci, YSL, Givenchy, Prada – and even if you don’t go in, it’s worth just looking at the storefronts.
We also went by the House of Minalima, the graphic design studio responsible for all the Harry Potter films. I thought it would be more of a working studio, but it just seemed to be a museum and shop. It was still very cool to see nonetheless.
the House of Minalima design store
King’s Crossing
We also made our way over to King’s Cross station. It was cool to see but very out of the way. This is where the iconic Platform 9 and 3/4 photo op is. However, it was an hour and a half wait in line for a $10 photo and we were starving, so we just took a photo of someone else doing it! Right next to the station is Granary Square, a very local shopping area. They had some boutiques and restaurants. I wish I had known this beforehand – the Youtube Creator Space is in the area, which would have been cool to drop by.
Going out in London
Later that night, we tried to go to Sketch (after reading that Fran Acciardo went on her spring break and saw Alex Pettyfer and Chris Hemsworth!!) but it was Saturday night and they only took reservations, and we were certainly not dressed properly! If you’re going, I would recommend getting reservations in the afternoon for the pink gallery room and packing a skirt or a dress to wear. I would have been so underdressed in my jeans!
EF organized a pub crawl for us with some other groups (I actually ran into two girls that went to KU, just on a different EF trip!). This included going to the Zoo, Tiger Tiger and the Piccadilly Institute. Out of the three, I think Piccadilly Institute was probably the coolest space. I had an Aperol Spritz which I wanted SO badly to like, but it was terrible! I am sensitive to alcohol but I had several other girls try it and they agreed it was terrible too. It’s highly debated on the Internet…
Day three – Oxford and Windsor
The next day we took a trip to Oxford and Windsor! Windsor, the Queen’s castle and residence, was first. It’s very cool if you’re a nerd about the Royals or British history and the grounds themselves are beautiful. We toured the State Apartments and I loved St. George’s Hall. You can’t take photos but it’s still so worth it. We also saw St. George’s Chapel, where Meghan and Harry got married.
This used to be a moat, but they turned it into gardensSt. George’s Chapelthe Queen’s residence
Oxford was incredible! Made up of 39 colleges, it’s one of the oldest universities in the world (and the oldest in the English-speaking world). I thought Christchurch and New College were the prettiest. Christchurch’s dining hall was the inspiration for the Great Hall in Harry Potter, but they couldn’t film the movie in there because there’s only room for three tables in the space and they had to fit four tables for each house. You can tour it, but we didn’t have time and the line was crazy long.
Christchurch Gardens
The Divinity School in the Bodleian Library was used to film the infirmary scenes and the ballroom dance scene. There was a wedding going on at the time so we couldn’t go in – imagine how much that must cost! Radcliffe Camera is beautiful from the outside, but you can’t go in unless you’re an Oxford student.
the Christchurch dining hall
New College has a gorgeous chapel. It also has the iconic quad where they filmed the scene in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with Malfoy being turned into a ferret. They also have the oldest dining hall in Oxford. We got to peek in and see the menu – it was a quintessential English meal.
Radcliffe CameraNew College quadNew College dining hall
The downtown area of Oxford was super nice and had several souvenir shops. We ate at Franco Manca and had really good pizza (there were of these restaurants throughout London) and the best lemonade I’ve ever had.
Thoughts on London
There were no trash cans ANYWHERE! The city was SO clean. Everyone was incredibly polite and the British stereotype rang true with everyone we experienced.
London was a great introduction to the trip. They have a great tube system that set the foundation for the rest of the metros throughout the trip – and the fact that they speak English helps!
Hello! I’m back from my European adventure and in the same week that I returned, I moved two states away from home and started a new job. This life update is much needed as a lot of changes have happened lately!
Moving to Salt Lake City
If you don’t follow me on Instagram, you probably didn’t see my announcement. I accepted a job with the University of Utah football team as a content creator – which means I’ll be helping with graphic design, photography, social media and more. I’ve only had about two days of work so far but I love it already and I’m excited to dive into the season and start creating awesome work for the team.
I moved to Salt Lake City very recently and am just now settling into my apartment. I’m still attempting to decorate, which has been such a fun process but also a little frustrating – I am very picky with my style and I’ve had to come to peace with the fact that I’ll have to invest in some of my furniture to get a good-looking piece. Here’s a quick look at my Pinterest board for the style I’m going for – it’s a mid-century modern/bohemian sort of style.
New blog series
I’m so excited to share this new series on my blog: travel journals! I just went on a three-week-long trip to Europe with EF Ultimate Break (NOT sponsored, I just really love the company) and visited 12 cities in 24 days. This was my first time going abroad and I loved every second of it. I do want to preface these by saying that these posts will be recaps of my time in each city, NOT a guide to each city. I did do my research beforehand, but we were in each city for about three days tops and we just truly couldn’t do everything, so I don’t want to pose as an expert.
Those will be coming soon – I’m trying to integrate them with other blog posts so it’s not just one big block of only travel content. Let me know if there’s anything you want to see on the blog. I have some new fun content planned with my move, but I’m always open to new ideas.
Thank you all for following along on my little adventure!
Hi there! The last month or so has been crazy busy. I graduated from college, moved out of my college home and I’m now preparing to go on a 24-day trip through Europe. This post will mainly be a photo update as I truly don’t have the time to write a sentimental goodbye to Lawrence yet…but I wanted to make a quick post before I go abroad.
Leaving KU
I made this video summing up my college career and my time as a Jayhawk. Below is the text I was going to have as a voiceover, but it didn’t flow with the music so I just wrote it out on its own but still wanted to share. KU is so very special to me and I’m sad to be leaving, but I know I’ll always have Lawrence to welcome me home.
——-
I’ve always known I was going to KU. My childhood was spent learning how to say Rock Chalk and go Jayhawks, and my Saturdays in fall were spent at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence – followed by Pyramid Pizza or a donut from Joe’s. I mostly read a book or played games instead of watching the football games, but I still soaked up every single tradition and very quickly became a passionate KU fan. I remember watching the 2008 national championship game in Allen Fieldhouse, then storming Mass Street after with my family at only ten years old. Waving the wheat, singing the alma mater, doing the rock chalk chant – these were all traditions I loved and knew from a young age. From my first official tour in junior year of high school, I knew immediately that the journalism school felt like home. I started school and dove in to getting involved, joining a sorority and meeting some of my best friends along the way.
I chose to major in strategic communications and loved it, but I found my real home working in athletics. My life came full circle when I started working for the football team in my second semester of sophomore year. Countless photos and graphics later, I’m so proud of the work I’ve done. When I came to the University of Kansas as a freshman, unsure of myself and a little scared, I didn’t know how much I would grow. KU has taught me how to be independent, how to fail and bounce back, and how to be confident in myself. I know I’m going to miss Lawrence so much, but I know I will always return home grateful for what I’ve learned. Thank you, KU – Rock Chalk.
College graduation
I graduated from KU with my major in strategic communications in the journalism school and a minor in sport management. Here are some of my favorite photos from that day!
Europe trip
I’m going on a trip with EF Ultimate Break this June! I never got the chance to study abroad so this is my college graduation trip and I’m so excited because Mexico is the furthest I’ve ever been out of the country. I’m visiting London, Amsterdam, Paris, the Swiss Alps, Venice, Florence, Rome, Barcelona and a few other stops along the way. I’ll be sharing photos on my Instagram throughout the trip, then I’m planning on having recaps of each city on my blog and making videos once I return. If you have any packing tips PLEASE share – I’m only bringing a carryon and a backpack and I’m struggling a little!
I ran my third half marathon, Rock the Parkway in Kansas City, on April 13th. After running my second half marathon in November, I knew I had to try again to beat my previous time. My fastest time previously was on this course and I really enjoyed all the support along the way, so I knew I had to do it again.
Training
I am so proud of myself with my consistency in training this time. I was NOT good at training for my previous two races, so I knew I had to up my training this time if I wanted to be faster. Unfortunately, I still didn’t cross-train as much as I would have liked, but I did a lot more core work for my training.
I found a new trail for my long runs and really made it a priority to listen to my body and focus on how I felt while running. I think that this part of the training made me truly enjoy running. I’ve always liked it, but I felt a lot more confident about this method of training.
Strava activity (follow me! I’d love to follow other runners!)
MILE
TIME
1
10:48
2
10:59
3
11:14
4
11:33
5
11:13
6
11:52
7
11:17
8
12:33
9
11:32
10
12:14
11
12:13
12
12:38
13
11:35
Pre-Race
My only goal was to beat my previous half (Rock the Parkway last year with a time of 2:34). Last year for this race, we had terrible weather and I was very poorly dressed – it started snowing and I was wearing shorts! This time, I made sure to not have to worry about that and wore leggings, a tank top and a long sleeve shirt on top. I had gloves on until about mile four and then got rid of them because my hands were too sweaty. This was perfect and we ended up having great running weather.
Miles 1-8
I was lucky enough to have my dad run with me for this race. This made a huge difference in my confidence, especially near the end. My goal was to stay at about an 11:15/mile pace for the majority of the time, allowing for the inevitable slower miles and the miles I thought I could stay above that. My dad is insane and didn’t train for this race and ended up doing so well – I think if I hadn’t made him fall back with me, he could have run a 2:15 race at the very least. I felt good until about mile 8. I had a few fruit snacks here (they were handing out Gus, but I didn’t want to try one for the first time during a race) and that helped some with my energy levels. At this point, I was only drinking Gatorade at the aid stations.
Shoutout Dad!!!
Miles 9-13
I felt okay, not great, until I hit mile 10 and had to keep walking more and more. My mom called me at one point (can’t remember which mile!) and helped encourage me. This was where my dad really helped me as well. I kept cramping up and everything just felt so stiff but he just kept telling me to run until the next sign, the next driveway, etc. I walked a TON during mile 12 but wanted to run as much as possible for the last mile and ended up powering through to the finish.
Check out that gigantic medal – so extra lol
Post-race
I finished this race in 2:32:45 – my fastest race ever! Surprisingly, my pace was at an 11:40/mile average, only 10 seconds faster than my first half marathon. The weather made a huge difference in my attitude and confidence. I also ran a lot more this race instead of doing the Galloway run/walk method, and I was really proud of that.
Afterward, they had chiropractors doing free massage work. This was awesome that Rock the Parkway provided this and although my legs were certainly sore the next day, I went out and ran the following week with very little issues (some knee pain, but that’s gone now). I’m a notorious heel striker so my hips don’t really open up while running and tend to get really tight. The chiropractor told me that I can correct this by working on more single-leg exercises and glute strength.
What’s next
I’m still trying to figure out my post-grad plans, so I haven’t signed up for another race yet as I’m not sure where I’ll be next year. It feels weird to not be running without a goal though, so I’m using one of the Garmin Coach 5k plans to get my average pace down and do more speedwork. I am also getting back in the gym and working more on glute and hip strength as the chiropractor said I should. I’m traveling through the month of June and don’t know if I’ll be able to run, so I’m trying to just run for the fun of it while I can. I’m running on Jayhawk Boulevard on my main street down campus as much as I can before I graduate too.
I used to read all my books digitally, but I’m on my computer so much lately that I can’t stand looking at my phone for much longer. I love having a physical copy of my book in my nightstand and at home so whenever I have downtime, I turn to reading instead of scrolling mindlessly through social media. Below are my favorite books I read through February and March!
Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott – 2.5 stars
I’ve taken to describe this as “Fault in Our Stars but with cystic fibrosis” to my friends. The story is good, but the writing is very simplistic. I will say that the movie was one of the truest adaptations from a book that I’ve ever seen. I read the book a week before seeing the movie and several of the scenes were literally word-for-word what the book said. I almost NEVER say this, but I would recommend seeing the movie instead!
Photo by @madebyperrin on Instagram
Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions.
The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn’t care less about his treatments or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he’ll turn eighteen and then he’ll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals.
Will’s exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. If he so much as breathes on Stella she could lose her spot on the transplant list. Either one of them could die. The only way to stay alive is to stay apart. But suddenly six feet doesn’t feel like safety. It feels like punishment.
What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too?
The Myth of The Nice Girl by Fran Hauser – 5 stars
So, so good – practically the career girl’s bible. I have recommended this book to just about everyone I know lately and I need to keep recommending it over and over! I cannot say enough good things about it. This book has amazing advice in it and I have been referencing it a ton, especially in my job search.
Photo by @catchinthecity on Instagram
A candid guide for ambitious women who want to succeed without losing themselves in the process
In The Myth of The Nice Girl, Fran Hauser deconstructs the negative perception of “niceness” that many women struggle within the business world. If women are nice, they are seen as weak and ineffective, but if they are tough, they are labeled a bitch.
Hauser proves that women don’t have to sacrifice their values or hide their authentic personalities to be successful. Sharing a wealth of personal anecdotes and time-tested strategies, she shows women how to reclaim “nice” and sidestep regressive stereotypes about what a strong leader looks like. Her accessible advice and hard-won wisdom detail how to balance being empathetic with being decisive, how to rise above the double standards that can box you in, how to cultivate authentic confidence that projects throughout a room, and much more.
THE MYTH OF THE NICE GIRL is a refreshing dose of forward-looking feminism that will resonate with smart, professional women who know what they want and are looking for real advice to take their career to the next level without losing themselves in the process.
Yes Please by Amy Poehler- 4.5 stars
I love Amy Poehler so much. I ‘read’ this through audiobook while running. She’s so funny and since Amy read her own book, it felt like I was just hanging out with her on my runs! I even found myself laughing and smiling while running and that doesn’t happen often, haha. Would recommend for an easy read.
Photo by @jenncuenca on Instagram
In Amy Poehler’s highly anticipated first book, Yes Please, she offers up a big juicy stew of personal stories, funny bits on sex and love and friendship and parenthood and real life advice (some useful, some not so much), like when to be funny and when to be serious. Powered by Amy’s charming and hilarious, biting yet wise voice, Yes Please is a book full of words to live by.
The Incomplete Book of Running by Peter Sagal – 4 stars
I love reading about people’s personal experiences with running and this is no different. I would say if you aren’t a runner, this might not be super interesting, but I liked it. Peter talks all about his relationship with running, including being a guide runner for a blind man during the Boston marathon bombing.
Photo by @maketobelieve on Instagram
Peter Sagal, the host of NPR’s beloved show Wait Wait..Don’t Tell Me and a popular columnist for Runner’s World, shares his insightful and entertaining look at life and running that explores the transformative power of the sport.
Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win by Jo Piazza – 3.5 stars
This book was interesting at the start but dragged near the end. I enjoyed the premise but I honestly found myself disappointed by Charlotte’s actions at some points. However, I liked reading a book about a powerful woman and her path to success.
Photo by @lavieestbooks on Instagram
Charlotte Walsh is running for Senate in the most important race in the country during a midterm election that will decide the balance of power in Congress. Still reeling from a presidential election that shocked and divided the country and inspired by the chance to make a difference, she’s left behind her high-powered job in Silicon Valley and returned, with her husband Max and their three young daughters, to her downtrodden Pennsylvania hometown to run in the Rust Belt state.
A searing, suspenseful story of political ambition, marriage, class, sexual politics, and infidelity, Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win is an insightful portrait of what it takes for a woman to run for national office in America today. In a dramatic political moment like no other with more women running for office than ever before, Jo Piazza’s novel is timely, engrossing, and perfect for readers on both sides of the aisle.
