Colin and I just returned from a trip to London, which is someplace I've always thought would be such a special place to visit during the holidays. I really love the classic aesthetic of Christmas decorations throughout Europe and cannot express enough how darling all of the jolly quips I noticed in retail settings around London such as **Ginger-spiced and ever so nice! ** **Parcels of joy** **Festive Fancies** It was a lot of fun to take in.
I enjoyed seeing all of the holiday accents added to buildings around the city and bits of Christmas here and there.
We visited cozy British pubs, ate traditional Christmas Pudding and Mince Pies, took in a British soccer game, er "football match", strolled past Buckingham Palace with nary another human in sight,
Walked about 13 miles a day (seriously!), enjoyed lunch at NOPI, ate Russian Honey Cake at Harrods, shopped the fancy foods at Fortnum & Mason, and visited Christmas markets.
There's something so darling about bakeshops at Christmas time. I thought you might enjoy a little visit to Sweet Frostings Blissful Bakeshop's new location in North Spokane, Washington, a local, woman-owned small business. Owner Sally has been selling her treats at The Farm Chicks Fair for many years now and that's how I got to know her and her family. What began as one brick and mortar location has evolved into two locations in Spokane (Downtown and North) and the cutest kiosks at two local malls.
The holiday treats are just too cute!
I love the bold colors of their new location's interior with the Christmas decorations added in.
My boys are always torn between sugar cookies and cupcakes. Which one would you choose?
Pretty much every kind of treats can be found here like cakes, cookies, candies, macarons and more. You can pre-order custom cakes and they’re definitely worth it. If you're into salted caramel, their vanilla with salted caramel frosting cupcake is my favorite.
On a recent trip to Japan, Colin and I thought it’d be fun to visit a baseball game. The Japanese culture is so sweet and I was really looking forward to experiencing how they do baseball. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint!
We had time in our schedule while we were visiting Tokyo so we looked for a game somewhere in the vicinity – within an hour of Tokyo. There are several teams in the vicinity but the Yokohama Baystars happened to be playing so we settled on looking for tickets to one of their games, which were pretty hard to track down. We ended up finding two tickets through the concierge at our hotel, who I believe got them from a ticket broker of some sort. We learned that baseball is really popular and games are almost always sold out so it’s best to plan ahead, if you’re able.
We took the subway to the game, which took about an hour. We’ve taken the subway to baseball games in a lot of major American cities and one thing you can always expect is that the fans are GEARED OUT! Jerseys, hats, foam fingers, etc. But we were so surprised that this is not the case in Japan. We were actually wondering if somehow we were on the wrong train because NO ONE was wearing gear. When we got to our subway stop and were walking towards the stadium, still nothing. Then all of a sudden, the walls on the subway said, Welcome to Yokohama Stadium, and once again, we were so surprised we had arrived at the area because you wouldn’t have known it with the fans. Once we were in the outside walkway heading into the stadium, we noticed a couple of fans wearing jerseys. We had arrived!
At the Seattle Mariners games, one of the things we really enjoy seeing on the walk up towards Safeco Field is the food vendors. Happily, Yokahama had food vendors too. While the U.S. has food like hot dogs and peanuts, Japan (at least Yokohama) has Okonomayaki (A special savory pancake with tons of veggies, egg, and a bit of a pancake type batter) and edamame. Inside the stadium, there are so many fun food options such as tons of different bento boxes, fried chicken with a curry breading, shaved ice topped with mandarins, hot dogs, tiramisu and more.
My favorite treat of the night: Tiramisu
Once the Japanese fans are IN the actual stadium, they start changing into their team shirts and their fandom spirit seems to come to life. And don’t you worry, if you’re a fan and don’t already have your gear, there’s tons of merch to buy! But something that’s so different here is that merch is available for BOTH teams that are playing. Can you imagine going to a Yankees game and them selling Red Sox gear?! That’d never happen! Japan is different that way. It’s just such a considerate culture, I wouldn’t expect anything less.
A salaryman arrives to his seat and then changes into his Baystars jersey for the game.
A real bonus with attending a Baystars game is that there are a ton of announcements in English, which I guess isn’t common, so we were really happy about that. Once you sit down in your seat, you can’t help but notice some big differences to an American baseball stadium. First of all, the seats are TINY. I'm a small person and I felt very squished. Everything is very clean (as are the majority of the public spaces in Tokyo). Many of the fans have little garbage bags hung at their seats where they put every bit of their garbage. There is NO garbage tossed on the floor. None. In fact, someone near us spilled a beer and everyone took immediate notice. And just as quickly as the beer had been spilled, there was an employee there with a mop to thoroughly clean it up.
And speaking of beer, there are “beer girls" who have mini kegs on their backs and they are constantly going up and down the stairs, offering beer for purchase. We learned later on that many people have their favorite "beer girls", many of them with quite a following, and people like to order from their favorite young ladies. The day we attended, it was really hot and humid and the ladies were working incredibly hard. They do not have an easy job!
So you’re sitting there taking in all that’s going on before the game starts and then guess who appears? Cheerleaders! Japanese baseball has cheerleaders! And let me tell you, there are SONGS. So many songs. A song for each team, and a song for each player and everyone knows the words. When each player comes up to bat, the spectators begin to sing the player’s song and keep repeating it the entire time the player is up to bat. I couldn’t help but wonder who comes up with each song? It was really endearing. But one of my favorite highlights? The mini monster truck that takes the field a few times between innings with a machine-gun type apparatus that shoots t-shirts out into the crowd.
Just before the 7th inning stretch, you see most of the spectators pulling out packages of balloons that they begin to blow up and then all at once, they let them go and the air is filled with balloons crazily flying all over before raining back down again, only to be cleaned upright away. It was funny to see a tiny bit of mayhem and such order go hand in hand.
The night ended on a high note when the Baystars won the game and we were treated to a huge fireworks show which most fans seemed to stay for. It was really fun to see how the Japanese culture has taken our American baseball and given it their own twist that is fitting for them. As we made our way back to the subway, we watched as the fans removed their jerseys and made their way out, dressed once again in their everyday outfits. The subway back to the hotel was of course, completely silent.
Sometimes, when describing a city or new place they've visited, I've heard people say things like they felt right at home the instant they arrived or something along those lines. I've visited places like that too.
Paris isn't one of them for me. To me, Paris is like a gleaming little jewel box - a sort of mysterious treasure.
When I first arrive from the U.S., I can't help but to be taken by the beauty of the architecture and the romantic aesthetic it exudes. It comes across as so fancy - almost a bit intimidating.
As I wander and visit shops and cafes, I'm an outsider, for sure. As conversations go on around me, my mind wanders and I daydream a bit, having very little understanding of French.
But there's a beauty in that too - the peacefulness of having nothing but your own thoughts to guide your way.
This is what this beautiful and sweet city affords me. I've thought a lot about this lately - that we find what we're looking for. If we're looking for beauty, we will find it. Every city has its flaws and its beauty too and that's what I'm seeking - so I will find it. I focus on the good, and my goodness, Paris has it.
The greatest encounter in one's life is the encounter with oneself. ~ Yves Saint Laurent
This is the seventh and final post in my Paris Party of One series. You can find the first post here, the second post here, the third post here, the fourth post here, the fifth post here and the sixth post here.
A recent stay at The Peninsula Hotel in Paris made my trip one to remember. I thought you might like a little tour! The hotel itself is stunning and the service is over the top. Staying at such a beautiful hotel, in such an aesthetically pleasing city is almost dreamlike because you're constantly surrounded by loveliness.
There's so much inspiration to take away from the ornate architectural details.
A visit to the hotel's aviation-themed restaurant, L'OISEAU BLANC, offers views over the rooftops of Paris and is something to behold.
And Le Rooftop is a quiet and peaceful spot to sit and relax, have a cocktail, and enjoy the views. (Hats provided!)
Imagine the sound of clinking glasses, the soft murmur of conversation, and a trickle of guests moseying through, and you have Le Lobby which also serves as the location for Afternoon Tea and Sunday Brunch. Yes, it's stunning.
And just beyond Le Lobby sits Le Bar Kleber, which is the location of the 1973 signing of the Paris Peace Accords, that ended the Vietnam War.
The rooms, which vary in size, are all luxurious and offer special little details like automated window awnings if the sun gets too bright and automated curtains for privacy. It's all just a simple press of the button.
Little sitting areas are such a nice addition and made the room feel like a home away from home. The fresh flowers throughout were pretty great too!
My family always teases me for playing the spa channel on the radio in my car. (Hey, it's a nice peaceful way to make your way through traffic!) So I couldn't wait to tell them that the tub in my room had a button you can press which is "spa mode" where the lights automatically dim and spa music begins to play. It was perfect.
And the dressing room was pretty great too.
This is the sixth post in my Paris Party of One series. You can find the first post here, the second post here, the third post here, the fourth post here. and the fifth post here. There will be one more post to follow in this series.
Whenever I visit a big city I try to make time to enjoy afternoon tea at a beautiful location. Since I was staying at The Peninsula in Paris, I knew I'd want take the time to schedule tea for one of the afternoons during my visit. It's so nice to be able to get ready and then simply make your way downstairs for tea, or in my case, champagne. When in France, right?
Afternoon tea is held in Le Lobby at the Peninsula. It's such a grand and beautiful room. And with it being August in Paris, and so many people away for the August holiday, I almost had the place to myself. I can't say enough about visiting Paris during this time of the year.
With it being Sunday, they set out a grand buffet of sweets to choose from as well as others brought to my table.
Everything was so beautifully done. The smallest details, mini treats (my favorite!) and who could ever resist a white chocolate cloud?! I'm happy to report it was filled with a pistachio cream and raspberry and it was divine.
To top it off, a large brioche was brought to the table to enjoy with a little pot of mascarpone for an accompaniment.
Cheers to Paris and the beautiful Peninsula Hotel!
This is the fifth post in my Paris Party of One series. You can find the first post here, the second post here, the third post here, and the fourth post here. There will be more posts to follow. Hooray!
Notes:
Afternoon tea at a fancy hotel is a great way to splurge and have the beautiful, over-the-top experience even if you're not a guest.
As a part of my girly trip to Paris, I thought it'd be so fun to find a new perfume as a special souvenir of my trip for one. Because of my love for great aesthetics in all things, I settled on visiting L'Officine Universelle which has been making their lovely, natural products since 1803. If you were walking down the street, you might not notice the shop.
Once you step into the little lobby, you can see there must be something special just beyond.
They've really done a great job of creating a dear little tranquil experience for you as they walk you through their different perfumes, lotions, and natural products. The ladies are just really sweet.
And if you have time, they'll personalize just for you.
I was noticing as I walked around Paris that day that so many more people wore perfume here than I could remember. I kept just getting the slightest little whiffs of perfume. I know that's probably a funny thing to notice, but I'm one of those people that really notices scents. And I just kept thinking, there really is a special beautiful scent that all these Parisian women wear. So lovely! Then as I sat down to dinner and as I set my shopping bags down, I smelled the scent once again. So nice! ..... Then I realized, I'd been smelling my new perfume that I'd been carrying around all day. Oh my goodness. Well, at least I really love the scent and now it will always really remind me of Paris!
Note:
This is the fourth post in my Paris Party of One series. You can find the first post here. The second post here. The third post here. There will be more posts to follow. Hooray!
Although in the U.S. we hear much more about the famous Laduree macarons than any others, there is a little bit of chatter about their macaron vs. the Pierre Herme macarons. There seems to be a lot of debate about which macaron is best, so when in Paris, I decided to try some fresh from the sources and decide for myself in a very unscientific way. It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it! hee hee
Because I love and adore packaging, I'm going to have to compare those points first. How are these darling little treats packaged up at the shop? Macaron box, takeaway bag, and overall presentation. I'm not trying to sound like a smarty pants here, but I mean, one set is pastel with beautiful metallic accents and very French in nature. The other is a tin box with some colorful macarons and what I'm guessing is a cartoon caricature of Pierre Herme? So yeah, Laduree for the packaging win.
Because there aren't a lot of overlapping flavors between the two shops, I decided to compare two flavors that they both carry. Caramel and Pistachio. In all of the images, Laduree is on the left, and Pierre Herme is on the right.
(Images above: Laduree on the left plate, and Pierre Herme on the right plate)
Laduree's Caramel version is filled with actual caramel, and the Pierre Hermes version is filled with a caramel frosting. I think the Laduree version looks better and just more appealing but surprisingly, flavorwise, there isn't a lot of difference between the two and not much difference in texture either. They were actually too close to choose a winner. So it's a tie on the caramel.
Comparing the two Pistachios, Laduree's color is much more appealing and consistent. The Pierre Herme top and bottom colors are noticeably different and the top macaron looks a lot like the color of cooked spinach, so that's not very attractive. Flavorwise, they are both again very similar and hard to choose a winner in that regard, but the consistency of the Laduree version is much nicer. They both have a delicate, crispy outer shell with a soft pillowy texture just beneath. The Laduree version has the slightest bit of chew while the Pierre Herme version is very delicate. I definitely preferred the Laduree macarons.
And overall, I preferred the Laduree texture on almost all of the macarons I tasted (with the exception of the caramel) over that of Pierre Herme.
So there you go! (Whether you’ve ever wanted to know or not!) It's Laduree for the win. Gosh, I like this. What else should I judge next?! ;)
Note:
This is the third post in my Paris Party of One series. You can find the first post here and the second post here. There will be more posts to follow. Hooray!
My first night in Paris was a bit restless so I got a slow start to my Saturday, but a slow start was actually pretty great. I ordered breakfast in and after trying a bite from 4? 5? different pastries and breads and enjoying a wonderful egg white omelet with herbs and spinach, I made my way back out into Paris. It was 12:30 in the afternoon. I hadn't made firm plans for the day but had given myself a few mental options to decide from. I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do until I started walking down the street and I thought, you know, I'd like to visit Yves Saint Laurent today. Well, his studio at least.
What a great choice! The museum is the actual studio location from when he was alive which makes it a really special place to visit. To be able to be physically present at the site where an artist's work has once been done feels like such a privilege to me. I especially loved seeing his work space and some of his sketchwork from his early childhood days through his professional career. The theme for The Farm Chicks 2020 Fair is coming from the inspiration I gathered here.
Naurally, after gathering fashion inspiration, what better thing to do than go for a little shopping? The Avenue Montaigne was just a short walk away so off I went for some scarf shopping at Chanel. I love scarves! And what a surreal setting. At one point, I was stopped in my tracks outside one of the many high fashion boutiques when I saw the most elegant lady trying on a stunning all-white, floor length winter coat, complete with huge fur cuffs, hood edging, and hem. As she spun in the mirror, her friend and the sales associate clapped and smiled in delight. I was cheering too, on the inside. I was so happy to have this perfect moment in the perfect setting and I LOVE to see people being happy.
Although Paris had a recent heat wave, the temps magically cooled off for my visit. Hooray! It was a sunny day, in the mid seventies, and the city was at its finest.
On my way to my next stop, I was thinking about the messages I've been receiving after my last blog post. People were asking if I feel safe and if I speak French. The short answer is that yes, I feel safe and I only speak a few words of French. The long answer is that I tend to be a very cautious person but I've worked really hard to get out of the overly cautious shell I've built around myself. I want to be safe but I don't want to be so cautious that I can't enjoy myself. There needs to be a balance. In my early twenties, I was involved in a horrific accident where two people were killed and my life was spared. The experience plunged me into many years of being too scared to live my life, do basic things, and just enjoy myself. I've done a lot of work to go outside of my comfort zone. Traveling internationally (and by myself!) is a big accomplishment for me. I do take precautions. I don't go into areas if I don't feel safe. I try and avoid streets that don't have people on them. I am constantly aware of my surroundings. I always make sure my phone is charged and I use google maps to get everywhere. It's a miracle worker. Because of all of the traveling I do, I have a phone plan that when I travel internationally and use data, I pay a flat $10 fee per day for the access and it's totally worth it. As a backup, I carry a hotel business card with the name and location of my hotel in case I need to catch a taxi or ask for help so I can show a non-English speaking person where I need to go. (I have not had many taxi drivers in Paris who can speak English). I never take the train or bus by myself in a big city. Never. I get lost way too easily and you can get really far away really quickly and that's terrifying to me.... So anyway, I was thinking about the questions I had been receiving about my safety when coincidentally I'm on a quiet street with no-one else around but a man who approaches me. He says something to me in French, in a pretty aggressive way and I ignore him. Do not engage! That's my rule. He keeps getting closer and eventually gets into my personal space, continuing to speak aggressively to me (and thankfully I can't understand him). So, I make a choice to say NON! to him in a stand-your-ground sort of way, while continuing to walk down the street. Unfortunately, he becomes more aggressive and is inches away from me, yelling. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm actually going to have to defend myself and am mentally preparing for what I'm going to do. Hey! I do CrossFit six days a week, so I do feel strong and confident, which is a blessing in a situation where I probably would have crumbled in the past. Anyway, this is us briskly walking down this quiet street. And guess what happens? Bradley Cooper swoops in and saves the day. I'm not kidding. A black car comes out of nowhere, pulls right up to the street a few feet away from us, and Bradley Cooper hops out. My long story is going to get longer because I need to interject that as an adult, I've never been someone who is smitten with famous people or supposed heartthrobs. And I've actually always kind of rolled my eyes when ladies swoon over Bradley Cooper. I'm always just sort of like, meh. What's the big deal? Until today, let me tell you. So yes, he steps out, directly in our path, and he is holding his baby. He is tan and g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s and a lifesaver! His driver gets out, comes around to the sidewalk, opens a door into a courtyard where Bradley slips away and the mean guy peels of to the right and disappears. Just like that. He'll (B Coops) never know that he was in the right place at the right time, but dang! He really helped me out.
After being helped out by the Hollywood hero, I made it to my next dream destination: L'Officine Universelle, Perfumer for a beautiful bottle of all natural (and alcohol free) perfume. What a lovely setting and experience. I have a full post I'll be sharing about it soon.
By this time, it was 4:30 or 5 and I was hungry so naturally I decided to stop in to Laduree for some iced tea and a treat. This is when I'm doing another cheer! for August in Paris. Normally, there'd be a wait to be seated, but not today. I zipped right in like a VIP. And because I'm obsessed with Pistachio everything in France, I naturally ordered the Harmonie which is a pistachio macaron with a pistachio mousse, topped with raspberries, strawberries and pistachios. Magnifique!
After a bit more shopping and wandering, I made a detour to the Luxembourg Gardens, which is one of my absolute favorite places in Paris, and enjoyed a lovely dinner at Le Pavillon de la Fontaine. What a beautiful setting and another absolutely delicious dinner: salad with greens, cucumber, tomatoes, smoked salmon, and shrimp.
And I may or may not have brought some Laduree macarons back to the hotel for another treat...
Note:
This is the second post in my Paris Party of One series. You can find the first post here and there will be more posts to follow. Hooray!
A few years ago, I was desperately needing a break from life and decided to book a solo trip to Palm Springs, hoping for a quiet, relaxing, and rejuvenating trip. It turned out being a terrible idea. Unbeknownst to me when I made my plans, Dinah Shore was happening (google it) and my hotel was Party central. And no offense to Dinah Shore Weekend whatsoever, but I didn’t enjoy being propositioned and wasn’t looking for a girlfriend... On top of that, I developed a terrible rash after swimming in the pool and had to go to the hospital when I got home. Sigh. I knew if I ever booked a solo trip again, I was going to make it the most girly, Serena style trip I possibly could. Cue Paris.
In my opinion, the best time to visit Paris is in August because many residents leave for vacation and it’s not crowded at all. I booked the shortest flight time possible, Spokane - Seattle - Paris in 11 hours. I left Spokane in the early afternoon and arrived in Paris around 8am. I made it to my hotel, The Peninsula, in about 45 minutes and was greeted with perfect touches in my room.
Minutes later, the doorbell rang and I was presented with a beautiful floral arrangement for my room. What a perfect start to my trip!
To avoid jetlag, I always force myself to stay awake until bedtime, rather than taking a nap upon arrival. To help with this, I booked a chocolate and pastry tasting tour for the afternoon. I took the 45 minute walk to the meeting point for the tour, making my way all along the Seine and stopping for a nutritious lunch before indulging on treats.
My simple tomato, burrata and greens salad was one of the tastiest I’ve ever had. Exquisite!
We started our tasting tour at the oldest chocolate shop in Paris, which was Marie Antoinette’s chocolatier and we hopped all around to taste a variety of modern and old-fashioned treats for about two and a half hours. Chocolates! Macaroons! Eclairs! Mousse! And so on... My favorite new-to-me treat were traditional chouquettes, which I’d describe as mini, squishy cream puffs without the filling. Perfection!
When I returned to my hotel, chilled champagne was waiting for me, a treat from The Peninsula. What a nice surprise!
Tomorrow, there’s more Serena style plans in the works.
Notes:
- This is the first post in my Paris Party of One series. There will be more posts to follow.
- I’ve noticed when I travel without Colin, I get messages asking if everything is ok. I’m happy to say YES! I love my husband and he loves me and we are as happy as can be.
- You can follow along with my travels on Instagram where I share stories of some of the things I’m doing.
It's cherry season on the bluff and the cherries are as sweet as ever. A day of picking is always such a treat. Come along as I visit Cherry Hill Orchard.
I'd been thinking about visiting Holland's Keukenhof Gardens for quite some time and had the opportunity to visit on my recent "Tulips and Windmills" Viking River Cruise. Yes, springtime in the Netherlands is about as dreamy as you could ever imagine. We visited at the end of March, so many of the bulbs in the gardens weren't yet in bloom but it was stunning nonetheless.
We visited Keukenhof on Good Friday and on our 40 minute drive from Amsterdam to the gardens, our Viking guide warned us that it was going to be very crowded considering it was a holiday. There were really long lines which we were able to skip because Viking had already gotten us our tickets. Hooray! Surprisingly though, once we got inside it was quiet, calm, and just so lovely.
The gardens sit between tulip fields and are much different than I had imagined. If you've ever walked around Central Park, the gardens reminded me of that. So grand and park-like. (Keukenhof is the world's largest floral park!) Because most of the bulbs weren't yet in bloom, I could only imagine what it would look like in all its blooming glory. Still, I was completely enamored.
After walking around the gardens, we paid a visit to the many buildings around Keukenhof to see more stunning blooms.
And of course, we made time for some Dutch treats too.
Notes:
Our cruise was sponsored by Viking. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and everything I've written was done so by me with no input from Viking whatsoever.
I've also written extensively about the Viking River Cruise ships and cruises after my first river cruise which was on the Danube River. You can find the posts here.
We were really looking forward to seeing the country outside of Amsterdam, imagining it would be pretty picturesque. We sailed through the night aboard our Viking River Cruise ship and arrived at Hoorn early the next morning. This little harbor city is so charming!
We started out with a walking tour and were able to take in many of its charming sights, its lovely architecture, and an open air market that was going on that day.
We were also excited to learn that Viking had arranged for us to visit with a local family in their home and enjoy some traditional Netherlands style apple pie and tea. It was fun to visit with this mom, her daughter, and son and learn about life in Hoorn.
Afterwards, Colin and I did some exploring on our own, a bit of shopping, and visited a local cafe for a snack and some fresh peppermint tea. I just couldn't get enough of the incredible cobblestone and brick-lined streets everywhere. Everything looks so storybookesque. (Is that a word?)
The next day we enjoyed a drive through the countryside and visiting Arnhem, a lovely little town that was nearly destroyed in World War II and took a tour provided by Viking to learn about a wartime operation known as Operation Market Garden. We learned so much and gained perspective on the Allied Forces and what they were facing at the time. It's so impactful to be physically present in such an historically significant location.
Soon I'll be sharing more about our visit to the Netherlands, including the windmills in the hamlet of Kinderdijk and our visit to a Dutch Cheese farm. *Sigh*, yes, it was as dreamy as it sounds...
Notes:
Our cruise was sponsored by Viking. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and everything I've written was done so by me with no input from Viking whatsoever.
I've also written extensively about the Viking River Cruise ships and cruises after my first river cruise which was on the Danube River. You can find the posts here.
My sweater seen at the top of this post is by Woolovers. You can find it here.
In my blog post yesterday, I shared that Colin and I just returned from the Tulips and Windmills Viking River Cruise which began and ended in Amsterdam. Our flight arrived at about 11am and a Viking representative was at the airport to meet us and drive us to the ship. We've done a lot of traveling and have found the best way to acclimate to the time zone is to force ourselves to stay awake until bedtime and then go to sleep as if this is our normal bedtime and wake up the next morning at a time that would be a normal start to the day. It works pretty well.
Our room happened to be ready when we arrived to the ship so we unpacked our bags and then went upstairs for lunch. Viking is very accommodating with trying to have your room ready when you arrive and having food for you after a long journey. If your room isn't quite ready, you can relax in the lounge while you wait. Considering the guests from the last cruise are ending and leaving their cruise the same day and overlapping hours you're arriving to start yours, it's pretty nice how well they've worked things out for everyone to be comfortable.
After lunch, we had the option of taking a walking tour but decided to head out on our own instead to explore the city at our own pace. Amsterdam is such a great city. I love the canals that line every street, the little bridges that cross the canals, the bikes, the historic old homes and buildings, flower stands, and general friendliness. I always feel like I'm welcome in Amsterdam and have never felt like a tourist who is loathed.
We spent some time at the Botanical Garden, snacked a bit, and wandered the canals. The next day, we enjoyed a walking tour and a canal cruise arranged by Viking. Something that's really enjoyable about the Viking tour guides is that they are people who actually live in each city and it seems like, have grown up there or have lived there for a long time. These tours are such a nice way to learn about the city's history and familiarize yourself with local customs, etc. For example, there are red paths everywhere. The guides explain the red paths are for bicycles and you should never walk in them. And you really need to be on your toes when crossing the red paths or the street because there are bikes EVERYWHERE and one/many can come out of nowhere. It sounds so basic but all the little pointers they provide are so helpful.
On our return to Amsterdam at the end of our cruise, it was Good Friday and the city was insanely busy. Although we knew it'd be crowded, we headed out on our own again with plans to explore and to have dinner at an Indonesian restaurant, which happens to be something that can be found a lot in the Netherlands. This is an extremely diverse country! Amsterdam is also known for its wealth of museums and the Anne Frank house, which we visited a few years ago. They are definitely worth the visit. (Currently you have to book your Anne Frank tickets in advance or you won't get in). Anyway, I had read a bunch about the Nine Streets (a neighborhood) so we headed that way. There were a lot of shops and some cafes but it was really crowded, and actually seemed a bit touristy, which isn't what I had imagined from what I had read. So, we decided to head over to the Jordaan neighborhood instead. It was perfect. So quiet, quaint, charming, and filled with little restaurants, cafes, and tiny shops. It was such a nice and peaceful way to end our last day before heading to dinner.
Tomorrow I'm looking forward to talking about the next stops on our river cruise. I think you'll love it!
Notes:
- Our cruise was sponsored by Viking. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and everything I've written was done so by me with no input from Viking whatsoever.
- The locals here speak mostly Dutch but all the locals we encountered in Amsterdam spoke English as well. I'm always so impressed and jealous of the importance European countries put on languages in their schooling.
- Some favorite local snack specialties we enjoyed were Stroopwafels (thin waffle cookies filled with caramel), Fries with Mayonnaise, Peanut Sauce, and Onions (it sounds so weird but is delicious!), Poffertjes (tiny puffy pancakes served dusted with powdered sugar and butter), and Herring with Pickle and Onions (actually pretty tasty and not strongly fishy).
- We squeezed in a workout at a local CrossFit gym which is a really nice way to clear a foggy head after sitting on an airplane for 10 hours. We like using the Mindbody APP to search for local gyms and sign up for classes. It's really convenient and easy to use.
- You can find the first post about our Tulips and Windmills Viking River Cruise here.
- I've written extensively about the Viking River Cruise ships and cruises after my first river cruise which was on the Danube River. You can find the posts here.
Colin and I just returned from a Viking River Cruise aboard the Viking Mimir through the Netherlands and Belgium. I was a little worried that Colin might go slightly stir-crazy on a river cruise but he (and I!) had a great time! The nice thing is, you can be as active or as relaxed as you want to be, with stops in one or more cities/villages a day, optional tours, and countless opportunities for exploring on your own, if that's something you enjoy. It's the first vacation the two of us have taken together alone without the boys since we've been married, that lasted more than a few days. The cruise was the absolutely most perfect way to spend our vacation together because it was fun, relaxing, stress-free, super pretty and interesting, and we didn't ever have to worry about any logistics whatsoever.
We started and ended our river cruise in Amsterdam, on what Viking offers as their Tulips and windmills cruise. It was unseasonably cold, but luckily we had some sunny days thrown in here and there.
This week I'll be sharing highlights from some of our stops with posts here on the blog. Hooray!
Notes:
Our cruise was sponsored by Viking. All opinions are entirely my own and everything I've written was done so by me with no input from Viking whatsoever.
You can find the second post about our Tulips and Windmills River Cruise here . You can find the third post here.
Because of my posts on Instagram and Facebook, I have receiveived a lot of questions about Viking River Cruises, which I've been happy to answer. Please feel free to comment below with any questions you may have. You can also find more extremely detailed posts on my last Viking River Cruise on the Danube here.
I just returned from a Viking Christmas Market River Cruise on the Danube River traveling through Hungary, Austria, and Germany. I thought I'd share my recommendations on what to pack for visiting the markets in winter while on a river cruise.
For a point of reference, the Christmas markets tend to be on the chilly side with temps ranging from highs of 40 degrees Fahrenheit to lows of 20 degrees Farenheit during the day, in general. You should count on evenings possibly being colder, of course. I packed three different coats, a lightweight puffy jacket, a rain jacket shell, and this long winter coat. I ended up only wearing the long winter coat. The following items are what I recommend packing:
I'll start with the ESSENTIALS (shown above).
1.) A SCARF is the extra layer that blocks the wind that can come in through the top of your coat. Mine is vintage so I can't share a link, but it's long and really lightweight so I can wrap it and it doesn't feel bulky and restrictive. Here is something similar.
2.) A LONG WARM HOODED* COAT, as long as possible in length to keep you fully covered. It can get really windy and you'll want the extra protection. You can find my coat, as pictured above, here. I like a hooded coat, as I tend to avoid winter hats due to sensitive skin. If you enjoy winter hats, I definitely recommend bringing one!
3.) BOOTS: I like these Uggs because they're low in height and practical for packing, rather than a high pair of winter boots. They're fleece lined and the outer leather has a smooth finish rather then the more porous suede found on most Uggs and they are water resistant. I also sprayed them with Ugg weatherproofing spray before packing. Every kind of ground was covered in my travels from pavement to concrete, cobblestone, pea gravel, dirt, mud, and puddles. No matter what, you'll want a pair of insulated boots to stay warm and keep your feet dry. I also added arched insoles for added comfort.
4.) GLOVES are a must. I recently purchased these lined leather gloves that have the tech sensors in the fingertips, making it possible for me to snap pics on my phone without having to remove my gloves and freeze my fingers. A few of the markets were so cold that it would have been nice to have had hand warmers. Next time, I'll throw a few of them in my suitcase so I'm prepared for worst-case cold!
*A WARM WINTER HAT if your coat doesn't have a hood, or if you prefer wearing a hat rather than a hood.
The Additional Staples:
I packed light, fitting everything into a small rollerbag suitcase, just to make getting around less burdensome. My packing list reflects that:
My go-to pants for casual travel are always jeans and it's nice to have a second pair in case of unexpected spills or stains. The slacks were nice to have for changing into for dinner and the cords were a slightly warmer pair of pants to wear on the coldest days. I don't like the feeling of wearing long johns, tights, or leggings under my pants but if you are accustomed to wearing them in the cold, I'd recommend bringing some for layering on the coldest days.
I wore sweaters every day and I felt dressy enough with wearing the same sweater I'd worn in the day to dinner. The long-sleeved tee was nice to have as a lighter top option if needed. I wore my long sweater as a top layer, often indoors on board the boat.
Each day when we'd return to the boat, I'd change out of my boots and into my loafers. They were comfortable and lightweight to wear inside, rather than a pair of boots.
Some evenings, I'd put on my pearl necklace to be a little dressier at dinner.
Note: There are laundry services on board the river boat and the prices are pretty reasonable. I would place my laundry in the bag on my bed in the morning and it'd be waiting on the bed for me the same evening.
Extras:
A small compact umbrella in case of rain. Since the temperatures were so cold, wearing a rain jacket or even my small puffy jacket with the rain jacket over the top weren't an option because they just wouldn't provide enough warmth. By having the small umbrella, I could carry it and wear my long warm coat and not get wet. Viking River Cruises also provides loaner umbrellas if you don't want to pack your own, but they are on the large side and could be burdensome to carry around all day. I purchased mine here.
Small cross-body bag for carrying your money and essentials to the market, keeping your hands free. Mine is similar to this.
Tiny wallet to keep in my pocket for days I didn't want to wear my crossbody bag. Mine is similar to this.
Lightweight cinch bag for carrying your purchases and keeping your hands and arms free. I borrowed one from one of my children, similar to this.
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Leading up to this post, I've shared a series of posts covering my visit to Europe and the Christmas markets in cities along the Danube River, all via a Viking River Cruise. You can find all of the posts about my stops along the way by looking back through my recent posts. The first post can be found here, the second post here, the third post here, the fourth post here, the fifth post here, the sixth post here,the seventh post here , the eighth post here, the ninth post here, and the tenth post and final review of the river cruise here.
I first heard about Viking River Cruises from my friend, Elaine, who highly recommended Viking, has traveled the world extensively, and been on countless ocean and river cruises. I've never been interested in an ocean cruise but a river cruise sounded slightly interesting to me. When I learned you could take a river cruise and visit Christmas markets all along the way, I wanted to learn more. I started out by visiting Viking's website and learning about the many cruises they offer. Their website is extensive and offers a wealth of information. Eventually, I became a bit overwhelmed with all of the information and decided to call them directly to learn everything I could. My call was taken by a representative at Viking by the name of Caesar, who was really helpful. I wasn't set on any specific Christmas market cruise, and had an open mind about anything that would be available on the dates I was looking at. It turned out that the only cruise available that matched my dates was the "Romantic Danube", which takes you through Hungary, Austria, and Germany. Viking's policy (at least when I booked) is that they will hold a reservation for you for 72 hours while you decide if you're going to commit. After 72 hours, you have to make a deposit on the reservation in order to hold it, and at that time, it's a binding commitment. I really liked that once you work with someone at Viking, (in my case, Caesar), that will be the person you work with for your entire planning process, and right up to departure. Caesar was great about telling me his days off so that I could make sure to plan to call when he was working, but I was also welcome to call and talk to anyone else if he wasn't available when I called.
I really liked the sound of the river cruise after learning more about it and was pleasantly surprised at the airfare. You have the choice of booking your own flights, or you can have Viking do it for you, which I highly recommend. There are a number of reasons I decided to have Viking book my flights.
First of all, the round trip airfare from Spokane to Budapest and then from Nuremberg to Spokane was $335. You read that right. $335 dollars.
And, if Viking books your flights, they arrange for your transfers from the airport where they will meet you once you land, take care of your luggage, and transport you to your boat. And the same on your return, which was really nice because the ticket counters and security area would have been a little bit hard to find on our own, but Viking personally walked us to the ticket counter and then to security. It was so nice to not have the burden of worrying about those details.
Our tickets were basic economy fare. When we received our flight details from Viking, we were able to call the airline directly and use miles to upgrade to business class, which was really great. (This was done completely on our own and not through Viking, and could be tricky depending on what fare type Viking has booked you in, the airline, and the rules of the airline's mileage plan.)
BOOKING YOUR TRIP: Anyway, after taking the 72 hour hold time to work out dates and figure out the logistics, I committed to the trip and paid. (You can pay half when you commit and then half by a certain deadline Viking sets, if that works better for you). After that, I just waited to get the specific details on flights and more detailed information on the trip that are scheduled to arrive approximately 3 weeks prior to your departure). I think our flight information came something like six weeks prior but I can't remember exactly. A lot of detailed information on your itinerary can also be found on their website right after you've booked and you can take this time to learn all about included and optional excursions available on your trip and arrange for any of the excursions you choose through the website as well.
EXCURSIONS: There are excursions available for you at every stop along the way on the river cruise. Some of them are by bus, and some of them are by foot. And there are excursions that are available free of charge and others that are an extra fee.
MaryJane (my mother-in-law and travel companion for this trip) and I decided on booking two additional excursions (in addition to those provided). They were Schonbrunn Castle and the Bavarian Beerfest. (I wrote about our visit to the farm and beerfest here). I absolutely loved the farm and beerfest and highly recommend it! Schonbrunn Castle was pretty and interesting but I wasn't blown away by it.
There were two locations that had bus tours on our itinerary: Budapest, Hungary and Nuremberg, Germany. I will start by saying I would never choose to go on a bus tour, I don't find them enjoyable. If I'm visiting a city, I want to actually be in the city, not viewing it from a bus. Because the President of China was visiting Budapest while we were there, I think that's why we had to take the bus tour, and we had originally been scheduled to be in areas that he was now going to be in so we had to change. Sadly, the bus tour was not enjoyable and not a great start to the trip. We opted out of the bus tour in Nuremberg because we wanted to avoid the bus tour but mostly, because we wanted to visit the Christmas markets instead.
Some tours require taking a bus to the location and then you walk around. That was the case with a few of the places we visited.
Viking offered revised or "gentle" tours for folks with limited mobility at every location we visited.
On the first day of your trip when your flight arrives, if you've had Viking plan your air travel, they will pick you up and take you to your boat. Official check-in time isn't until 3pm but you are welcome to relax in the lounge until your room is available or you can drop off your bags and go explore the city while you wait. Luckily for us, we arrived to the boat at 10am and our room was ready for us. We were able to check in, get our bags unpacked, and enjoy lunch on the terrace at about 11am.
ACCOMMODATIONS: Each boat (ours was the Viking Egil) holds about 190 passengers. The boat has three levels with rooms: The lower level, middle level, and upper level. Our room was on the lower level and comes configured with a Queen-size bed, but you can request to have two twins instead when you book your trip. We chose the twin beds and they were great. The room was a nice size, we both had a nightstand, outlets on our headboards, a credenza with a small vanity and bench, a closet with a safe, and bathroom with a toilet and shower. The bathroom had heated floors, the shower always had hot water with high pressure, a nice large mirror and lots of shelving for our bathroom items. You can't plug a blowdryer or curling iron into the bathroom outlet because the voltage is too high but you can plug either of those into the vanity and sit at the little bench (or stand) to do your hair. The room has U.S. outlets so you don't need an adapter. The room was really nice and quiet. We never heard people going by or anyone in the rooms on either side of us and we were at the front of the hall, so there was plenty of traffic that went by our room. The housekeeping was top notch and our housekeeper, Galina, was really attentive and kept our room so nice and clean, perking things up a few times a day. (You have the same housekeeper for your entire trip). The only time we heard a bit of noise was when we were going through the locks on our way up the river. There was also a tiny bit of a bumping feeling at times when we were going through the locks or when docking. Our lower level room had small windows up high that provided light into the room but weren't something that we could see out of very well because they are placed up high. The middle level rooms have large windows you can see out of and the upper level rooms have small decks. You can find many pictures of the different rooms on Viking's website.
FOOD: There are three meals provided for you each day, as well as some treats, coffee, tea, and sparkling water that are available 24 hours a day at two different stations on the upper level, just outside of the lounge. (Meals are included in the cost of your river cruise. There are no hidden charges and no tipping your servers during the trip, but you are expected to tip all of the crew at the end of your trip. I think the recommended tip per passenger is around $125 dollars. You can find information about tipping on Viking's website.) Seating in the dining room, lounge, bar, and the terrace is open. You can choose to sit with others or by yourself and can move around to any areas you want. There is no reserved seating and no VIP areas. Everyone is treated the same. If you do choose to sit in the same general area each day, your server will get to know you and will be good about trying to be extra helpful or make recommendations he/she thinks you'll like. In our case, we ended up sitting in Belle's area most of the time and she was lovely and remembered our names from the first day. For breakfast, you can choose from continental breakfast fixings in the terrace ( a small portion shown below):
or cooked to order selections as well as continental offerings in the dining room. Each morning in the dining room, there is a omelette bar with made-to-order omelettes and you can order items such as pancakes or french toast from the menu. I consider myself a really healthy eater and had to work a bit to make my meals work for me. I would opt for items such as egg whites with veggies, fresh vegetables, smoked salmon, and fresh fruit. One of the biggest things was simply asking the chef to use very little oil in his non-stick pan while cooking my eggs, rather than the small ladleful of oil he was accustomed to using. If you want to go all out, there are many pastries, bagels, toast, sausage, bacon, potatoes, fried eggs, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, yogurt, cold cuts, cheese, etc.
For lunch, you also have the choice of eating in the lounge or terrace with a fixed selection of self-serve items such as pre-made sandwiches, french fries, fruit, a soup selection or two, salads, and a sweet or two. In the dining room, there are a few items you can order from a server at your table. We always chose to eat lunch in the terrace area because it was really quiet and we liked the lunch selections there.
Dinner is served in the dining room only and you have several daily choices representative of the area you're currently visiting as well as choices of fixed items that are always available such as salmon, caesar salad, etc. You are offered an appetizer, main dish, and dessert at each dinner. Again, trying to stay on the healthy side, sometimes I opted to have sauces left off of my main dish and would ask for veggies instead of mashed potatoes, etc. I also learned to ask to have my veggies steamed rather than fried because they'd come soaked in oil or butter if I didn't specify.
There were two evenings where a tea service and dessert buffet was offered and that was a really nice touch. It was fun to try regional desserts and some of the treats were really delicious. My favorite was German Star Cookies that I believe are usually flavored with cinnamon but these were flavored with many more spices and were delicious!
The meals were fine, but I was never overwhelmed by them.
Beverages: Most beverages are included in the cost of your river cruise. Drinks such as iced tea, sparkling water, sodas, and a selection of wine. If you enjoy liquor, cocktails or really fancy wine, you can either buy those drinks separately, charging them to your room and paying for them at the end of your trip, or you can purchase a drink package for a set dollar amount before the cruise begins and then you can drink as much as you want. You can find all the details on this on the Viking website). MaryJane and I had an occasional glass of wine with dinner and the selections were always lovely. Because neither of us consume much alcohol, we never looked into the extra beverage plan. I really liked paying for the trip and not having to think about the food or drinks or cost, etc. It makes for a very relaxing time.
The Boat: The boat is three levels and also has an upper deck that you are welcome to use, most of the time. (There are times when you're traveling in a canal and the clearance is lower so they have to close the deck). The top level houses the largest rooms as well as some common lounge areas:
The library is also located on the upper floor and has the best wifi on the boat. The books are all available to borrow throughout your trip. There are two desks with computers as well. There are also two restrooms located right next to the library and desks, just at the entrance to the upper floor rooms. The restrooms are really large and a nice way to have privacy if you want some extra time to use the facilities outside of your room.
The beverage and treat stations I described earlier are on the upper floor as well.There is one on either side of the boat, flanking the entryway into the lounge:
One of the entrances to the lounge on the upper floor. There is one at the entryway into the lounge on both sides of the boat:
The bar in the lounge, with seating all the way around. Anyone is welcome here and you can request any drink of your choice like iced tea, sodas, sparkling water, wine, or cocktails:
There were a lot of Christmas bits around the boat, which added a homey, welcoming feel, like these gingerbread houses in the lounge, made by the chef:
One of the seating areas in the Aquavit Terrace, which sits just beyond the lounge (shown below). There are a handful of dining tables in this area as well, and this was our favorite spot to have lunch each day. No matter where you're sitting - whether it's the lounge, the dining room, or the Aquavit Terrace - you have a beautiful view of the scenery as you're cruising the river. It is very picturesque and lovely. Viking does not oversell this in their advertising. The beautiful pictures you see on their website and in their advertising is completely accurate. I was honestly stunned at how lovely the scenery was. There front of the boat is just beyond the glass doors and you can go out there to enjoy the scenery as well:
The middle level is where the dining room is located, more rooms, and the front desk and concierge. The lower level houses more rooms and is where our room was located. (You can read about our room in the description at the beginning of this post).
The Christmas Markets on the River Cruise: The Christmas markets seemed to be an added item of interest on an itinerary that Viking runs the rest of the year. I didn't find it to be a focus of the river cruise and that was disappointing to me. MaryJane and I had done a bit of research ahead of time on the markets in the cities we'd be visiting so we had some information, but we expected Viking to offer a wealth of information for us on the markets, which they did not. At each stop I would ask for information on the markets and was told we'd be able to see them on the tour planned for the day, either before or after. What I would like to see, and what I've recommended to Viking is for them to provide a thorough list of the Christmas markets in each city we'd be docking in, and options on how to get to each one or even provide someone to walk you there. I was able to locate markets by throughly quizzing the tour guides in each city, taking taxis, and exploring on my own. For example, when we docked in Krems, Austria, there was no plan for Christmas markets or shopping, but there was a planned tour to the local monastery. I had asked at the front desk if there was much to see in Krems and was told there wasn't. But it looked so cute from the boat, so I opted to skip the monastery tour and walk into Krems from the boat, on my own, and explore the city. It was such a beautiful city, decked out in Christmas and full of so much cheer, darling shops and cafes, and I was so glad I stumbled upon it!
Getting Around: In each city, I made a plan for how I'd get around if I was going to be heading out on my own. Viking provides you with a little card at each port that shows the address and slip number of the boat where it's currently docked, as well as the phone number for the boat. Many times, the boat is docked right in the heart of the city and you can easily walk right in. Other times, you need to take a taxi if you're going to head out on your own. I always had a plan of how I would get back, whether it was by foot, or a plan to take a taxi. I would triple check the time I'd need to be back before the boat was leaving as well. Because of the language barrier with taxi drivers in most cities, I would hand them the card from Viking with the address and make sure the understood where I needed to go before we started driving. I never considered taking buses or trains because I didn't want to waste time trying to figure out the routes or risk getting lost.
Final Thoughts: Overall, my experience with the cruise was really good. I enjoyed how easy everything was (with the exception of the Christmas markets), unpacking only once, not having to think about how to get from one city to the next, meals, etc. And the service was great. The boat was lovely and comfortable and really well done. MaryJane and I both commented on how the decor felt perfect and everything was really spacious. I hope Viking will consider my recommendations on improving their attention to the Christmas markets portion of the cruise and then I would be able to say it was perfect.
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I received so much interest about the cruise and have tried to answer everyone’s questions about Viking and my experience. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to comment and I’ll try to answer them for you. Tomorrow I’ll do one last post in this series, sharing my recommendations on what to pack for this trip, or for visiting the Christmas markets in general. Here’s a hint: dress warm!!
Leading up to this post, I've shared a series of posts covering my visit to Europe and the Christmas markets in cities along the Danube River, all via the Viking River Cruise I posted about here today. You can find all of the posts about my stops along the way by looking back through my recent posts. The first post can be found here, the second post here, the third post here, the fourth post here, the fifth post here, the sixth post here,the seventh post here , the eighth post here, and the ninth post here.
Tomorrow I'll be sharing my recommendations on what to pack for visiting the markets in winter.
The last stop on our tour of Christmas Markets in Europe was Nuremberg, Germany. Out of all the cities we visited, the markets in Nuremberg were the easiest to navigate. Basically, once we got to the start of the first one, they all flowed into each other as we walked through.
The markets are all in the old part of the city, so the scenery with these grand old buildings is all so stunning to take in.
The only way you really know you've moved on from one market to the next is the market banners strung above the entrance of each one.
Once MaryJane and I were in the middle of the first market, we looked at each and said, "Ok. This is a good one!" Nuremberg was great. There was such a wonderful mix of traditional food and drink, German Christmas goods, handmade goods, and ornaments.
The stove on this stand caught my eye. What a stunner!
I find the knick-knackey German Christmas items so charming:
And love the garland on this stand. So simple, but very full. Now I want to just make my own.
For the most part, the stands throughout all of the markets are red and white striped, which makes them really easy to spot, even from far away. For example, there were times when we were looking ahead from where we were, trying to see if there was another market ahead, and we'd always be able to make out the red and white of a stand. Plus, the stripes are so festive!
Everything about this structure was lovely and SO GERMAN. It made me want to buy whatever they were selling. Packaging doesn't just apply to an item being sold, the display is so important too!
The number of traditional German Christmas treatstands was pretty amazing as well. Lebuchken, gingerbread, stollen, and Nuremberg style fruitcake to name a few.
Can you believe these are cookies?
The entrance into this market was so sweet:
We purchased a mini Nuremberg style fruitcake for a snack to enjoy when we got back to the boat later. It was deliciously dense and filled with dried figs, a variety of other dried fruits (maybe pear and apple?), and nuts. I never knew I could love fruitcake! I'm hoping to find someone who has a recipe for this delicious treat.
It was fun to see the little handmade dried fruit people Nuremberg is so famous for:
This ornament stand was so popular and the girls really cheery:
I was conscientious about watching what I ate throughout the trip because it would be easy to get carried away, but I will admit a warm pretzel is pretty hard to resist.
Some of the markets specialized in greenery and produce only, while others had gobs and gobs of foodstands. It was really fun to see each one.
This wreath with the different berries (and chestnuts?) caught my eye. I would have loved to have taken one home with me.
The day we visited also happened to be opening day of the markets and a big opening ceremony was planned at dusk. When we had made our way around and headed back through, the crowds were pouring in. It looked like a sea of people converging. A bunch of barricades had also been put in place and the police presence was very noticeable, so we moved on and in the process, luckily stumbled upon this cute little area for one last taste of Christmas before we said goodbye to Germany and our special adventure.
This is the ninth and final post in a series covering my visit to Europe and the Christmas markets in cities along the Danube River, all via a Viking River Cruise. You can find the first post here, the second post here, the third post here, the fourth post here, the fifth post here, the sixth post here,the seventh post here ,and the eighth post here.
I'll be posting a full recap of the Viking River Cruise portion of my trip tomorrow and answering the many questions I've been receiving about it. If you have any questions regarding the river cruise or Viking, please feel free to comment below or send me an email and I'll make sure to cover everything in my post. On Friday I'll be sharing a post about everything I packed to visit the markets in winter.
After the first Christmas market we visited in Regensburg, I headed over to Thurn & Taxis Palace for the "Romantischer Weihnachtsmarkt" which translates to Romantic Christmas Market. I had high hopes that it would be great but ran into a few people along the walk to the palace who complained that they had gone to the market and there was a fee to get in so they had decided not to go. There was no way after traveling across the world, I was going to miss the market because there was an admission fee. It fee was $7 or $8 Euro and was well worth it! The costs associated for putting on an event like this run high and I'm happy to pay to experience something wonderful.
Obviously, you've gathered from the name that the market is held at a palace. The setting was so lovely! They completely set the stage for something special with the walkway at the entrance that winds through the trees with lit torches burning all the way. For a minute or two, you can't at all see what lies ahead and then you turn a little bend and the castle and a smattering of stands appear and then more and more stands as you continue on.
Remember in an earlier post I mentioned that each market has its own style? This one clearly prizes burlap, greenery, and straw above all else in its styling. I've never seen such masses of greens used on stands in my life. Keep that in mind as you scroll through the images that follow. On rooftops, exterior walls, interior walls, etc. Just wait, you'll see what I mean! It was also really fun to see straw so widely used. I loved that touch very much. It almost felt like I was walking through a nativity scene with all that straw and it reminded me that straw can be so pretty any time of year.
When I stumbled upon the first corridor, I was so excited that there was more of the market to experience. This corridor opened up onto a large courtyard filled with a lot more stands and fires for warming. It was incredibly cold. In fact, I debated all morning if I could possibly go to more than the first market that day because of the cold, but forced myself to continue on because I knew I'd regret it if I didn't. Thank goodness there were so many fires and I had a lot of time. I'd walk a little, stop at a fire and warm up, shop a little, stop at a fire and warm up, walk a little, drink something warm, on and on for several hours. (Watch for a post at the end of the week that describes everything I packed for navigating the markets in the winter and what I recommend).
When I walked up to this little brush stand (below), the elderly shopkeeper was engrossed in a conversation with friends. When they paused their conversation for a minute, I asked him if he spoke English and he replied that he didn't. The couple he was visiting with didn't speak English either. I definitely wanted some brushes so we began a little song and dance with me trying to understand what some of the brushes were intended for. I'd point to one that looked interesting and he would try to explain its use to me. Sometimes the couple would chime in too, trying to help. The first brush I pointed out, he picked it up by the handle and begin tossing his arm forward with it, back and forth, still holding on to the handle. After a few minutes of the three of them speaking German and trying to mime, I figured out it was a brush a priest uses for sprinkling holy water. So, I did the sign of the cross to show them I understood and they were so delighted that I had figured it out! This went on with a lot of brushes and it's a memory I will cherish. Once I had picked out all of my brushes and paid, he put my purchase in a bag that had print in German, but also had Merry Christmas printed in English. He kept pointing at the Merry Christmas and then to me, and it was just so sweet and lovely. I have several of the brushes in a crock by my kitchen sink now and every time I see them I think of that special interaction that day.
This gentleman was doing his woodworking right there in his stand.
And the basketmaker was too. I stood there and soaked it in for a while. I have such respect for craftsmen.
Isn't the honey stand so darling?
Finding another corridor is so exciting!
Another path with more to discover! And all the torches, they create such a special feel. And so castle-like!
Should we take a break from the shopping and have a little entertainment? It's a kid's land!
Back for more shopping, another sweet elderly shopper came up to me while I was taking a picture of the tree. He pointed to the tree and to me and my phone, wanting to take my picture for me, so I obliged. He was so happy to get that shot for me and every time I'd run into him after that, he'd smile and point to the camera.
After several hours, I decided to head out to another market I had heard about across the bridge, on the other side of the river. The market was beginning to really glow as I left and the sky was getting darker.
But as I made my way over the bridge, the sun came out just long enough for me to cross over the river and it felt so good to warm up a tiny bit! I found the other market but it was closed until later that evening, so I decided to stop at the first cafe I saw to have a bite and some tea while I waited for a bus to take me to the boat that had gone on, way down the river.
After a pot of tea, some scrumptious pastry, and feeling fully warm once again, I headed back over the bridge to find the bus. The sun was starting to go down and Regensburg looked so pretty.
As my bus pulled away, I could see the evening Christmas market had opened. I'd miss seeing it, but was happy to see its glow.
This is the eighth post in a series covering my visit to Europe and the Christmas markets in cities along the Danube River, all via a Viking River Cruise. You can find the first post here, the second post here, the third post here, the fourth post here, the fifth post here, the sixth post here, and the seventh post here.
I'll be posting a full recap of the Viking River Cruise portion of my trip later this week and answering the many questions I've been receiving about it. If you have any questions regarding the river cruise or Viking, please feel free to comment below or send me an email and I'll make sure to cover everything in my post.
We had another early morning start in Regensburg. We thought we were bundled up enough, but oh my goodness it was definitely the coldest day of our trip. Our goal was to just keep moving as much as possible to try and stay somewhat warm. We were headed to a Christmas market but couldn't help but admire the festive windows, doors, and streets as we went along.
This little Christmas market wasn't opening until 11am, but it was fun to see the cute little booths. Every market is so unique, each with its own style.
I just can't ever get enough of the natural elements as decoration. In this case, the Christmas tree was simply decorated with pine cones, wired on with floral wire. Love.
This floral shop had such a darling street side display. The pedestrian zones make it so nice for the shopkeepers to be able to spread out their displays into the streets because they don't have to worry about cars coming though.
And how darling is the lederhosen made from natural elements?
The churches are so incredible, and always seem to be under some sort of restoration. I love that they are so treasured and maintained.
We made it to the Christmas market along with what seemed to be every elementary school child in the greater Regensburg area. They were so excited to be there! Their chatter, laughter, and excitement was such a happy little added element to the market.
The nativity, all nestled in.
The greenery offerings are so varied. It's inspiring to see how different minds make different wreaths.
And I experienced my first market stand specializing in fruit cake ingredients. I was amazed at the variety.
This is the seventh post in a series covering my visit to Europe and the Christmas markets in cities along the Danube River, all via a Viking River Cruise. You can find the first post here, the second post here, the third post here, the fourth post here, the fifth post here and the sixth post here.
I'll be posting a full recap of the Viking River Cruise portion of my trip later this week and answering the many questions I've been receiving about it. If you have any questions regarding the river cruise or Viking, please feel free to comment below or send me an email and I'll make sure to cover everything in my post.
We arrived in Passau and strolled around the city. I love a city at this time of day, when the deliveries in the pedestrian zones are quietly taking place and the little buzz slowly changes to a hummmm as the city begins waking up.
As was true in each of our stops, the Christmas trees are endless.
And the lights and banners flanking the streets add so much cheer, even in the early morning light. Welcome Christmas! They all seem to say.
We made our way to Simon Confiserie where we were treated to a lecture on the history of gingerbread and a tasting. I enjoyed learning about the origins of gingerbread so much and fell in love with the treat all over again. I began dreaming of how I could incorporate gingerbread into our Christmas this year in a big way. (I can't wait to show you how I'm incorporating it into our home this Christmas.)
After the gingerbread, we strolled by St. Paul's on our way to a Christmas market:
Most markets seem to open at about 11am.
Simon had a stand at the Christmas market as well. I loved their products:
Organizing my own annual event, I appreciate so very much the time that is put into making each of these Christmas market stands so beautiful (and functional!):
And if you're ever looking for a decorative element that you may very well already have on hand, let just say FIREWOOD!!! My goodness, I saw it used in so many beautiful settings and it's just so lovely even just stacked, isn't it? Add in a tree, some garland... this is the merriest Christmas vignette ever:
Oh, and please take note: A Christmas greenery broom (bottom right). Love love love to infinity:
Every market seemed to have a nativity as well, each so special in their own little way:
And we were able to pay a visit to St. Stephen's Cathedral as well:
This is the sixth post in a series covering my visit to Europe and the Christmas markets in cities along the Danube River, all via a Viking River Cruise. You can find the first post here, the second post here, the third post here, the fourth post here, and the fifth post here.
I'll be posting a full recap of the Viking River Cruise portion of my trip next week and answering the many questions I've been receiving about it. If you have any questions regarding the river cruise or Viking, please feel free to comment below or send me an email and I'll make sure to cover everything in my post.
I worked with Viking River Cruises for our Christmas markets trip and took them up on some wonderful excursions they treated us to. My favorite was to a family farm outside of Passau, Germany.
The farm has been in the family for 16 generations, and Barbara, the eldest daughter will soon be taking over the operations, making her the 17th generation! I was really impressed at the family’s ability to adapt to the times and to hear the history of the different animals raised, crops, etc. over the ages. The farm is now primarily a horse farm, where they board horses, host riding competitions, and it serves as an event venue as well. The property encompasses hundreds of acres, much of it heavily wooded, and they have their own sawmill which they use to produce the boards needed to construct new buildings, such as their massive new horse arena, that was of course, built by the family.
I was so thankful to get to experience the farm during the Christmas season and to see the incredibly beautiful decorating done by Barbara’s mom. As Barbara showed us around, it was so sweet to see how proud she was of the work her family has done, as she complimented her father on the buildings and furniture he has created, and all of the lovely decorating done by her mom. The style was classic, natural, and completely perfect for the setting.
After visiting the farm, we made our way to the family’s hunting lodge, (completely built by Barbara’s father, everything from the lumber to the construction, including all of the furniture too) where we were treated to a traditional Bavarian Beerfest. We were greeted by the President of the local Bavarian dance club and another of its members playing music for us and then were welcomed inside.
MaryJane and I cracked up that the two of us were at a beerfest because neither of us are beer drinkers, but it was great fun!
Johan, Barbara’s father, even performed a traditional dance for us. Barbara said dancing is her father’s second passion, after the sawmill, which is his favorite thing in the world.
This is the fifth post in a series covering my visit to Europe and the Christmas markets in cities along the Danube River, all via a Viking River Cruise. You can find the first post here, the second post here, the third post here, and the fourth post here.
Viking River Cruises offer excursions at each stop along the way of your journey, in our case that meant all along the Danube River. There are excursions that are included in your river cruise and there are optional excursions that are an additional fee. The visit to the farm and the Bavarian Beerfest was an optional excursion and I was so happy Viking arranged it for us. (See disclosure below). So often when I would check in with Colin at home I'd tell him, "Today was my favorite day!" And this day really was a favorite for me.
Full Disclosure: This excursion was sponsored by Viking River Cruises. My experiences I've written about here and my opinion of them were in no way influenced by Viking.
I will be posting a full recap of the Viking River Cruise portion of my trip next week and answering the many questions I've been receiving about it. If you have any questions regarding the river cruise or Viking, please feel free to comment below or send me an email and I'll make sure to cover everything in my post.
We landed in Krems, Austria and I decided to spend the day exploring the town on my own, walking the winding residential cobblestone streets up to the top of the hill where the orchards are and then back down again, making my way to the town square and the darling shopping streets which were all lined with Christmas cheer.
The Bailoni Company's apricot distillery building is so beautiful. They've been making their apricot products in this building in Krems since 1872.
Making my way down from the residential area above to the town below:
My mother-in-law, MaryJane, had begun feeling a bit under the weather so I made my way to a store to try and find some medicine for her. There was a section labeled, "Gesundheit" so I figured it was the cold and flu section. But after staring at the packaging for a while, I couldn't figure anything out. So, I asked an elderly gentleman who was standing nearby if he spoke any English and he told me he spoke a little. (Almost every time I hear this when I'm in Europe, it turns out that the person speaks English very well). He told me I was in the diabetic section. Oops. I explained that I was looking for some cold medicine and he told me that I needed to go see the "Chemist". He walked me out of the store and down the street to the Chemist who was lovely and wonderful, asking me many questions about MJ's symptoms and then prescribing two different medicines that ended up working quite nicely. I was so thankful for the stranger's kindness and the wonderful Chemist!
I love the pedestrian zones in Europe, where motor traffic isn't allowed during the day. Vehicles can deliver in the early morning hours and then the zones clear out for foot traffic only. (I was walking through in the early morning, so vehicles were there doing deliveries).
A life-size gingerbread house built into a bakery for the Christmas season.
Krems had such a dear feeling about it. Quiet, sweet, and cheerful. And although the Christmas market wouldn't be opening until the next day, I found plenty of Christmas to inspire me. It was one of my very favorite days.
The Christmas market was set to open the next day, and the little stands were all set up, along with lots of Christmas trees with the most amazing firewood tree skirts. They were everywhere and I completely fell in love with the technique!
This is the fourth post in a series covering my visit to Europe and the Christmas markets in cities along the Danube River, all via a Viking River Cruise. You can find the first post here, the second post here, and the third post here.
In Vienna, we did a brief walking tour of the city. The architecture is so lovely - reminding me a bit of Paris, but definitely with it's own Austrian feel.
After the tour, MaryJane and I visited a couple of the Christmas Markets and were really surprised to find them filled with imported goods, seemingly of the made in China variety. I had read a lot in advance about Vienna's Christmas markets - everything from "they're the most stunning in the world" to "they're filled with cheap imported items". Sadly, the latter was true. However, I will say there were some food stands serving traditional food and drinks and that was nice to see.
After lunch, we visited Schonbrunn Palace and explored the Christmas Market right out front of the palace. It was such a beautiful backdrop for the market! There were a handful of stands with locally made goods, but more that weren't.
When I asked a tour guide if there were any Christmas markets that were more authentic and without imported goods, he pointed me to the market at Spittelberg. I loved how the market was located in a series of narrow, winding, cobblestone streets. Although this market had a bit of a boho feel which isn't really my style, it was fun to walk through and everything seemed to be locally made.
I spent a couple of hours walking around the city at night and loved seeing the Christmas markets all lit up. They really are stunning at that time of day, and I think that's the best thing to take out of the Vienna markets - rather than what's being sold. They really are stunning to see and experience at night.
This is the third post in a series covering my visit to Europe and the Christmas markets in cities along the Danube River, all via a Viking River Cruise. You can find the first post here and the second post here.
I'm making my way through a bit of Europe, visiting cities and exploring the Christmas markets along the way. In between cities, I'm on board a Viking River Boat, which is lovely. My first stop was Budapest, Hungary where I was able to squeeze in two markets, the Basilica Market and Vorosmarty Square Christmas Fair. But before I share about my visit, I thought I'd chat a little about European Christmas markets in general because it seems that so many people haven't ever heard of them. I'm sure there are market experts out there and I'm definitely not one, but I'd simply describe them as delightful outdoor markets with many stalls filled with holiday gift items from the country you're in, handmade goods, confections, and local food specialties. They're truly the perfect place to stock up on unique holiday gifts and decorations and enjoy a delightful experience in the process. In large cities, it's common for the markets to be located in large public squares as well as at special landmarks. In smaller towns, you'll commonly find them in the town square or sprinkled around shopping areas.
I especially enjoyed my visit to the Vorosmarty Square Christmas Fair in Budapest. I loved how classic the stands were - everything you want to see if you're a traditionalist. Things like roasted chestnuts:
gingerbread and cookies:
gingerbread houses:
Dried fruit swags and garlands:
And the traditional foods of the country. I was so taken with how incredibly, wonderfully Hungarian all of the food stalls were and the whole feeling of the night. I was there on a Saturday night and the market was packed (which could be a challenge), but there was such merriment in the air. And along with the scent of mulled wine, cider, chimney cakes, and goulash wafting through the air, it honestly seemed like a fairy tale. And I must say, there is something very magical about visiting the markets at night - you can't help but be swept up in the glow.
We've all seen jars that have been made into lights, but I loved the touch of the red lids here and the mass of them, rather than a few.
Hungary's Traditional Christmas Chimney Cakes, which are made by wrapping sweet raised dough around a wooden form, coating with sugar, and roasting over an open fire. The scent smells exactly like you would dream Christmas would smell like. (See videos below to watch the process!)
It's interesting to visit a market during the day and then to experience it at night. I recommended experiencing both, if you're able. I'd be surprised if anyone didn't throughly enjoy the lights and the glow of the market, as the amount of decorating and lighting that goes into each one is pretty remarkable. And I think there are many things to take away from these markets. For some, it may be the physical items that are purchased, for others, the food, while inspiration may be sparked for a few along with a little launch into the joy of the season.
This is the second post in a series covering my visit to Europe and the Christmas markets in cities along the Danube River, all via a Viking River Cruise.
As I write this, I'm floating down the Danube River out of Budapest, Hungary. I'm aboard what I'd describe as a delightful little hotel on the water with the loveliest attentive service, also known as a Viking River Boat. There are approximately 190 guests and I'm here with my mother-in-law, MaryJane.
What brought me to Budapest in the first place was the Christmas markets that Europe is so well known for. I'll be visiting many of them over the next week, throughout several different countries. I'll be posting more about the adventure, the markets, and about Viking over the next couple of weeks, but today I thought it'd be fun to tell you about my visit to Budapest.
First of all, did you know Budapest is actually pronounced Buda-PESHT not Budapest? It's true, and the locals are quick to correct you if you mispronounce it. (In a nice way). We didn't have a lot of time yesterday but managed to visit the Great Market Hall, which I would describe as an indoor farmer's market/ food hall with local veggies, meats, bakeries, and PAPRIKA. Lots and lots of paprika, which I wanted to stock up on. When in Budapest, right?!
I also squeezed in a walk around a small part of the city and really enjoyed seeing St. Stephen's Basilica.
What I noticed is that Budapest includes a mixture of beautiful old architecture, modern designs, as well communist-era buildings which tend to be concrete and very stark. You can't help but travel around this city and think about the deep impact of war. The reality of it is looking at you in the face with all of the newer buildings that replaced those that were destroyed.
Xi JinPing happened to be visiting at the same time as us so our plans changed a bit due to major road blocks and closures to protect the Chinese President, but the little bit we were able to see was nice and the many locals we encountered were incredibly friendly and helpful. I loved one Christmas market in particular and I'll tell you all about it in my next post.
This is the first in a series of posts covering my visit to Europe and the Christmas markets in cities along the Danube River, all via a Viking River Cruise.
On our way home from Seattle last week, Colin and I paid a visit to our friend Jenny's bake shop in Lake Stevens.
I love how Jenny has made her shop unique by offering themes throughout the seasons and basing all of her treats on that theme. While we were visiting, the theme was "Farmers Market". Even the shelves above the workspace and signage throughout the little shop are brought in to the theme. So creative!
It's so great to see Jenny's dream manifesting and I can't wait for other projects of hers to come! And if you're in the Lake Stevens area, you should stop by for some of the cutest little treats around.
You can read more about Jenny Cookies here and her Bake Shop here and find her on Instagram here and here.
There's high anticipation on the bluff for strawberry season, with it kind of being the kickoff to the fruitful season that lies ahead for the farms here each summer. Strawberries are such a good crop to get your kids hooked on picking too, because the berries are big and it's easy to fill a flat pretty quickly.
For a fun summer outing, head out to your favorite u-pick berry farm and make a day of it - berry picking, followed by a picnic in the strawberry field.
For a simple and tasty picnic, start with packing up some Turkey and Strawberry Jam Baguette Sandwiches:
Slice baguette in half, down the middle making a top and bottom for your sandwiches.
Cut the bread to any size length you want.
Spread bottom with dijon mustard, top with turkey, sliced provolone cheese, arugula, spread strawberry jam on top half, and wrap. Or you can pack tiny jars of jam and spread on your sandwich when you're ready to eat.
For a special treat, make Strawberry Piesticks in advance for your picnic:
Roll out your favorite piecrust and cut into strips about 1.5" wide x 4-5" long.
Carefully spoon or pipe strawberry jam down the center of half of the strips, leaving an open edge on all four sides.
Wet open edge with water (you can do this by tapping your fingertip into a bowl of water and dabbing the water on the edge of each jam covered strip).
Top the jam-filled strips with remaining pie crust strips and gently press edges together. Gently press all along edges with a fork to seal. Poke holes on the top of each piestick with a fork, allowing steam to escape while baking. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the Piesticks are golden brown, approximately 15 minutes.
Cool completely and pack for your picnic.
Pack a jar of Nutella for dipping the Piesticks and your fresh-picked strawberries!
Pack up some drinks, a quilt or two, and you're ready to enjoy your day of berry picking and picnicking.
Notes:
You can find my favorite piecrust recipe here. For a similar recipe and technique of mine for making piesticks, click here.
It's been such a long, cool spring but the berries are just about to burst. I'm excited to announce next week will be strawberry week here on the blog! Watch for fun posts all about strawberries.
This week, stay tuned as I wrap up my re-cap of this year's The Farm Chicks Vintage & Handmade Fair. Did I tell you it was my favorite year yet? Another post will be here later today and sprinkled in this week.
Every June thousands of visitors pour into Spokane for The Farm Chicks Fair and I'm so proud for our beloved city to play host to my special event. Recently I learned that a lot of people don't know much about my city and I thought it'd be fun to tell you a bit about it. Because? Because it's such a special place. If I were to describe it in my own Serena sort of way I would say it's a big city that feels like a small town, that it's casual and friendly and one of those places that is a hidden gem. It's beautiful - surrounded by mountains and lakes and significant agricultural areas, and the city itself and its downtown, is vibrant and special.
Image courtesy of Riverpark Square
But let me back up. Recently, The Farm Chicks Fair was recognized for the Visit Spokane Tourism Awards, as an extraordinary large event. And during the awards ceremony I listened to the keynote speaker talk about a consumer survey that had been done nationwide asking people what they knew about Spokane. The number one response was RAINY. I was bummed to hear that, but I guess I wasn't surprised because whenever I travel and tell someone where I'm from they say something about it being rainy. The thing is, IT'S NOT. Seattle is Rainy. It's hundreds of miles away and its climate is very different. Strangely, Spokane had its rainiest winter on record this year and it was still HALF as much as Seattle's.
What you will find if you visit my city is beautiful, timeless parks, a growing arts scene, affordable housing, a stunning trail system, endless mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, camping opportunities, lovely restaurants, and friendly people. Sometimes I can't help but think of the Kurt Cobain lyrics, "come as you are", when I think of our city. Choose the loveliest restaurant, or the most casual restaurant and come in your Patagonia or your nicest dress and we won't be fazed. We welcome you as you are. We're down to earth here.
Visit Spokane is in the process of changing their logo and and motto - the new logo containing a tree where the A in SpokAne is. I personally wish they would have chosen a sunshine where the O is in SpOkane because I think that's more representative. Come visit our city and you'll understand why.
But why am I taking the time to tell you about Spokane? The simple answer is I want you to visit. You know how sometimes locals in cities say things like Don't tell them how great our city is. Let's keep it our secret! But what purpose does that serve? Our city is better if you visit, stay in our hotels, patronize our shops, and explore our events. It's good for our economy and encourages our sense of community with others. So please come, bring your family, and enjoy your time. I know you're going to love it.
You can find a compilation of some of my Spokane (all LOCAL) favorites (like restaurants, parks, etc.) by visiting The Farm Chicks Fair page here.
A favorite memory of childhood is taking drives with my parents to the Salmon River where my mom would go hunting for rocks for our property. We'd all pack into the Crummy for a Sunday foraging adventure and sometimes we'd even get to stop at the river store for an It's It. My love of Sunday drives has stayed strong through the years. When the boys were little, we'd head up the mountain for huckleberries or around the bluff to see the orchards. But now that the boys are grown and aren't interested in joining in, Colin and I have made it a special time for just the two of us. Before setting out, I'll grab a utility bucket and fill it with a little water. We bungee it into the back of the truck so it doesn't tip over. And then we set out with Colin driving and me looking for roadside blooms to make a Sunday bouquet.
The remnants of our country's early pioneer days are evident as you drive the roads near our home. It's common to see wild apple trees and right now, they're in full bloom. It's such a beautiful time of the year. (When collecting roadside blossoms, my rule is to only take clippings from trees and plants that are on the roadside. Never over a fence, and never onto someone's property, no matter how beautiful the blooms).
After gathering the wild apple blossoms today, I snipped a bit of these green roadside shrubs as well, for filler. I love the little white clusters.
I snipped the greens and apple blossoms and arranged them in my teapot for the perfect Sunday Drive Bouquet to enjoy through the week ahead.
Thank you for visiting my blog. Between posts you can find me on Instagram and Facebook where I share a look into my life behind the scenes as I produce my annual vintage market, The Farm Chicks Vintage and Handmade Fair. 2017 marks my fifteenth year producing this special annual event! I invite you to take a minute and read all about it - after all, I consider it to be the happiest vintage event on earth. xo, Serena
I first began working as a contributing editor with Country Living Magazine in 2004, shortly after the Editor-In-Chief at the time, Nancy Soriano, visited my Farm Chicks Antiques Show. It was a really exciting time, and such an honor for me. The first story was all about how to bake a pie. In the ten years I've been working with the magazine, the headquarters moved its offices within New York City to the Hearst Tower, Nancy Soriano left the magazine to pursue other ventures, a new Editor-In-Chief, Sara Gray Miller, was at the helm for a few years, and then last fall, some new changes were announced. The magazine was moving to a new location in Birmingham, Alabama, and a new Editor-In-Chief, Rachel Hardage Barrett, had been appointed. Earlier this summer, I visited the new editorial headquarters in Birmingham to meet Rachel and the new editorial staff. The offices are located in an area known as Pepper Place. Formerly the Dr. Pepper Syrup Plant and Bottling Company, the Pepper Place Complex is a group of seven extensively renovated buildings, including the old Martin Biscuit Building, spearheaded by Cathy Sloss Jones - a descendant of the nearby Sloss Furnaces Factory family. In addition to Country Living, there are restaurants, antiques shops, a garden market, and a weekly farmer's market located here. Rachel has a long background in the editorial world including Glamour, Real Simple, and most recently, Southern Living Magazine. When I asked her about the decision for the magazine's move to Alabama, she explained that Hearst was looking to find a location more fitting to the Country Living brand. The September issue of Country Living will be the first issue with all of the content compiled under the direction of Rachel, and will also be the issue in which she is first introduced to the readers, via the Editor's Journal in the magazine.
Editor-In-Chief Rachel Hardage Barrett (far left) and editorial staff .
The space is just beginning to take shape as office furniture arrives. Most of the editorial staff's desks are located in the center of the building, with the executive offices along the front wall, a conference room on the left, and project work stations on the right. On the day I was visiting, they were unpacking boxes of paint for an upcoming story.
The entrance to the offices. The Country Living logo will be placed here soon.
As a teenage reader of Country Living, I always looked forward to the Real Estate Sampler and the monthly recipes. Now, I love seeing the homes that are featured and reading about other women in creative businesses. Are you a subscriber to Country Living Magazine? What have your favorite features or stories been in the past? Do you have a favorite column?I'd love to hear!
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Next up, I'll be sharing one of the many ways a story in the magazine comes to life.
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Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.
We wound our way through the tamarack, maple, birch, cedar and pine of North Idaho, where the fog filtered the light of the morning, creating a dream-like drive. Cool, crisp and misty. The road turned to dirt and the trees softly opened up to a clearing where a tiny cabin snuggled up to the edge of the trees and a campfire was burning.
We gathered around the fire and listened to him describe his life's passion: His library in the woods, hand-built from mostly salvaged materials, in what he described as his installation, a living work of art, and he, the artist. Each book added to his library likened to that of a painter, adding brush strokes to a painting. One by one.
The library sits above the meadow, facing the swimming pond below,
the tiny cabin (living quarters),
and wildlife pond, where the spring-fed water runs so deep and cold year-round you don't dare take a dip.
Entering the library, the rest of the world is left at the door. No need for phones, computers or time. This is a place to lose and regain oneself.
Where one cozy room tumbles into the next, and so on, and so on, and so on.
What is it about an artist that inspires? Can the world be better because of one's creations? What if we treated and lived our lives as if our days were our life's work? I think we lose sight of that sometimes.
Library (left) and cabin living quarters (right).
Adhere to your purpose and you will soon feel as well as you ever did. On the contrary, if you falter, and give up, you will lose the power of keeping any resolution, and will regret it all your life. ~Abraham Lincoln
After leaving Marin, we headed up the California coast with no plan whatsoever. We zigged and zagged along Highway 1 (aka the Pacific Coast Highway), enjoying the gorgeous ocean view as we went along and stopping at little bakeries and cafes along the way. Somewhere near Leggett, California, Highway 1 ends and Highway 101 begins. I loved seeing the mouth of the Klamath River, which is the river I spent many a summer day as a kid, tubing, swimming, and enjoying everything about summer.
The coast was so mesmerizing that we decided to keep on that route all the way back to Washington State. At some point along the way, Highway 101 breaks away from the coast and we were soon ensconced in the Redwoods, which was such a treat. Driving along this highway, you can't help but see life in a different way - like there's more than the rush and crush that can take over our lives sometimes.
All in all, the boys and I logged more than 2,000 miles on this trip and grew closer in the process. Taking the slow way home was a good choice.
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Some favorites along the way:
We veered off Highway 1 from time to time to see the California countryside, just off the coast. It was worth it.
Mendocino, California and Manzanita, Oregon were my very favorite towns along the way.
The countryside outside of Tillamook, Oregon is storybook beautiful.
We spent some time in Marin with my sister and family, which is where she settled after moving away from home and finishing college. Marin County is a special place to me as we spent a good deal of time here when we were younger. Shortly after my sister returned to Marin, she met a girl her same age and they began talking about this and that. At some point in the conversation, they realized who each other was - a best friend from Kindergarten. (My sister attended school in Marin for a period of time while our family took a break from the road and lived out of the Gypsy Wagon here). They're friends to this day. We started the day at Two Birds for breakfast:
The boys were treated to a bit of George Lucas while we we visited the area. Recently, George Lucas had a park built, (Imagination Park), which is a pretty little park in the middle of San Anselmo (one of many towns located within Marin County), complete with a tribute to Indiana Jones and Yoda. Later, we headed out to Naboo, (aka the forest near my sister's home), which is a planet in the Star Wars universe. The Ewok fight scene was shot here.
My niece, Kylie, named after our brother, Ky.
Later, we stopped by Toby's Barn in Point Reyes, and meandered about town. I love that my sister's yoga's classes are in a barn. This place always makes me happy - a modern day feed and farm store.
It was a beautiful day in Marin!
Now we're making our way home to Spokane. Where will we stop along the way? Stay tuned!
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Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there as: thefarmchicks
After my visit home, we set out on the road for an adventure of our own. First stop: Berkeley and then to visit my sister, Heather, in Marin. We'll be road tripping our whole way home. (I can't help it, I do love the open road!) I'll be writing about my stops along the way as we make our way home. Happy Trails ~ Summer 2013!
Berkeley, California -- July, 2013 -- Claremont Hotel
Every time I see this little cabin in the woods, I wish I could go inside and soak in all its sweetness. I don't think she receives many visitors these days.
Hello front porch, have you seen anyone in a while?
Hello, back door. I love the treasures you're keeping safe from the elements.
And you, best little kitchen cooling window I've ever seen, I wish I could bake a bunch of pies and place them on your shelves, for old-times sake.
How long since you've been opened?
How long since someone's looked at you for your authority?
How long since someone's danced around you as you baked?
Even though you're cold right now, I can feel your warmth, little cabin.
And I will admire you, if only from outside, for all the days of my life.
Arrive early. The fields get really busy, but if you arrive right at opening, you'll avoid the lines and much of the crowds.
Bring a warm coat with a hood! The fields can be really breezy and rain is likely.
Wear rubber boots and pack a garbage bag and extra shoes. When you're ready to leave, you can put your muddy boots into the garbage bag and change into your clean shoes.
Set time aside to drive the backroads in the area. The farms and farmhouses are dreamy.
Snow Goose Produce is such a lovely happy sweet little stop. Make sure you do! (Thank you to everyone on Facebook who recommended it to me!)
When we visited New York this summer, we paid a visit to the home of Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was of course quite lovely, but what I enjoyed most was the stables, which we were allowed to freely roam through on our own. I thought you might enjoy the tour, via the snaps I took with my phone.
Stables:
I was quite surprised that his ribbon collection and old family photos sit right there on the wall within hands reach.
The structure and building materials were so classic. I could have sat there and dreamed all day.
This is what I love about old buildings. The beauty in the details and attention to every last surface and fixture. I know I sound old-fashioned, but *sigh*, they just don't build them like they used to...
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Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.
It's been such a warm fall here, but the skies are gray from the wildfires burning all around our state. I figured pears would be the perfect pick me up.
Boy, was I right!
Pears are juicy, pears are sweet, pears from the Cherry Shack can't be beat! hee hee
Did you know that pears get picked before they ripen? Once they ripen, they actually fall of the tree. Going to the orchard is the best because they can direct you to the best picking and let you know how many days it will take before your pears will ripen up. They also have plenty on hand that are ready to be eaten now.
I recently walked the Cherry Shack Orchard with it's owner, Brad (that's him holding the pear above), and learned lots about his crops. I'll introduce you to him and his family here on the blog soon.
Now I want to bake something delicious. We'll see what I come up with....
Our time in Washington D.C. started at the Capitol Building.
The star inlaid in the floor here marks the spot where Washington D.C. is divided into its four quadrants. It's said that it's good luck to walk over the star.
The original Supreme Court Chamber can be found here. This room was used from 1810-1860 and it was here that the landmark case which established its authority to interpret the Constitution was heard.
The Rotunda is majestic and houses large paintings depicting the development of the United States.
Exterior. Grand and inspiring. It's hard to not stand here and feel incredible patriotism, pride, and respect for our country and forefathers. To hear their stories, to stand where they stood, it's something I hope you can experience someday, if you haven't already.
We visited Arlington Cemetery and I chose to not take any pictures there, with one exception. For me, it's such a sacred personal place that it's something I wanted only to remember in my mind. My one exception was in the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. In taking pictures of this symbolic ceremony and sharing them here, I am paying tribute to our soldiers.
The Supreme Court building was undergoing annual maintenance, but stood no less grand. There is more marble in this building than any other in the world.
Inside the building, there are 2 spiral marble staircases, each self supporting, meaning there is no central support to each staircase. Each step is anchored into the marble wall on one end, and rests on the step below on the other. If one step were to be removed, all of the others would come crashing down, as if a trail of dominoes.
The Supreme Court Chamber, where rulings are made based on our country's most important document: The Constitution.
The Library of Congress:
The Library of Congress houses more than 32 million cataloged books, the most extensive comic book collection in the world, and more than 5 million maps, among many many more collections. It was here that we learned about Mandatory Deposit, which simply put, mandates that two copies of all works published in the United States be submitted to the Library of Congress. Nearly 10,000 of the 22,000 works submitted to the library each day are retained. Those not retained are distributed to other agencies and libraries.
And, the White House:
We visited many other sites and found this city and its people to be incredibly warm and welcoming. If you ever have the chance to visit, I highly recommend it.
Notes:
We had the pleasure of having a personal guide for our visit. Because of her extensive family history in the area and depth of knowledge as the author of three books relating to Washington D.C., we learned more than we could ever imagine. You can find out more about her here.
Labor Day weekend is a glorious time to visit. The weather is warm and there are no crowds.
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Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.
Well, I was home for the blink of an eye and then gone again, zig-zagging this sweet country we call home.
One of our stops was Washington D.C., which is just so lovely and wonderful. While there, we got to visit the Capitol Building and got a special tour from our Congresswoman's (Cathy McMorris Rodgers) office. I've always admired the work that Cathy has done for our state, so the tour was a special treat.
I consider myself extremely patriotic and being able to set foot in this building gave me goosebumps. In fact, almost every experience in our capitol made me feel that way...
Today I'm settling in back at home and looking forward to returning to a normal family schedule once again. Tomorrow I'll share more of the images from my trip to our nation's capitol.
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Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.
Hello from the Hudson Valley and the campus of Vassar College.
A day where one turn leads to another and suddenly you wish to stop the car and appreciate the beauty that surrounds you. A calm and serene summer morning to explore.
One moment, a building. A tree.
And then, my family in front of me.
How lovely is thee?
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Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.
The summer is flying by and I've been happily pretty much off the grid. Time spent mostly with Colin and the boys, enjoying this fleeting time in their childhood, and a few quick trips with friends.
I won't exaggerate and say that Colin loves to cook. In fact, he does not, so the gift was extra special to me.
I'd never taken a cooking class until this and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The first night, we prepared Vegetarian Vegan Delights and the next, Thai Street Food.
Our chef instructor was Susana Holloway. It's funny how no matter where you go or who you meet, you'll always find others who are living out their dreams. And that's Susana. Time with her was warm, happy, and well spent. A real treat. I think any new knowledge is a gift.
How many slams in an old screen door? Depends how loud you shut it.
How many slices in a bread? Depends how thin you cut it.
How much good inside a day? Depends how good you live 'em.
How much love inside a friend? Depends how much you give 'em.
~Shel Silverstein
For more information on Portland's Culinary Workshop, click here.
To follow Portland's Culinary Workshop on Facebook, click here.
Special thanks to Susana and Portland's Culinary Workshop for a fun and memorable weekend.
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Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.
We in Spokane are so lucky to have an independent movie theater - The Magic Lantern.
This theater holds so many happy memories for our family. Like the time Colin took me on a surprise date to see El Bulli, the time Lukie and I saw Being Elmo,
and many more dad/son, mom/son nights at the theater.
Want to know my favorite thing about The Magic Lantern?
The service. I can't remember a time when the little control room window didn't open and we're greeted with a welcome and a check to make sure the temperature in the theater is okay. See above? Isn't that the greatest?
But that's the beauty of a small mom and pop business isn't it? Spokane is so lucky.
Looking for other great things to see and do around Spokane? Find some of my favorites here.
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