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.
Meet Shannon, lifestyle blogger at Ladys Little Loves. She recently shared one of her favorite finds, a vintage ice maker, here on the blog. Today she's sharing some tabletop inspiration for a sweet summertime gathering.
Oftentimes, a tabletop can come up a little short if the table is too bare, but filling a table can be expensive. Shannon does a great job tackling both of these issues right out of the gate by simply using cuttings from her yard as a tablerunner and houseplants as decorative tabletop filler. Cakestands make handy display pieces for simple, yet elegant loaves of bread which double as a part of the meal, and as decorative items too.
Layers! Notice the varied shapes, textures, and finishes. These simple touches add depth and warmth and just convey such a simple sweetness.
Hobnail, basketweave, wood, foliage, linen, rafia, and ropey textures. Sigh.
Collecting key vintage pieces adds so much to a setting or room, it's like adding instant personality. This vintage icemaker is perfect!
Small details like tied napkin rolls are a nice finishing touch on each place setting.
Notes:
Visit thrift shops, estate and yard sales to stock up on simple everyday items such as linens and glassware.
Discount retailers such as TJMaxx are a great place to find a variety of tablerunners or placemats.
Shop vintage markets and antiques shops for great vintage vessels, baskets, flatware, glassware, and dishes. You'll truly be able to find pieces no one else has, which makes your decor even more special and showcases your personality.
Shannon is the author of the Lady's Little Loves blog. You can find it here. She's also a regular visitor of The Farm Chicks Fair. You can read her post from this year's event here. And you can find her on Instagram here, where she shares beautiful images of her home along with darling D-I-Y's and lifestyle inspiration.
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.
Last summer, Shannon's husband ripped down their deck and built a much larger one. But with all of the new deck space, they were faced with the challenge of finding the right pieces of furniture to fill it. Shannon started by pulling a table from their fire pit area which created the perfect outdoor eating space and began filling in from there. They used the new space a lot but found themselves going in and out of the house quite a bit for cold drinks. Then one afternoon, she stumbled upon a vintage blue ice machine on their neighborhood garage sale website. It was perfect! The dimensions were just right, it gave the subtle splash of color she was looking for, and was only $30!
Of course, she snapped it up and it now serves as the perfect ice cold drink party vessel. Better yet, it can be moved about as needed. What a find!
Notes:
Shannon is the author of the Lady's Little Loves blog. You can find it here. She's also a regular visitor of The Farm Chicks Fair. You can read her post from this year's event here. And you can find her on Instagram here, where she shares beautiful images of her home along with darling D-I-Y's and lifestyle inspiration.
Next up, I'll share the details of her sweet, summery table decor - the perfect inspiration for your next gathering. Stay tuned!
What You Found! is a recurring topic on my blog where I feature you, my readers, and your favorite vintage finds. You can read the backstory here. If you would like to be featured with your favorite vintage find, please email me to be considered!
I always have such a fun time planning out the themes and entry installations at The Farm Chicks Fair each year. I especially enjoy pulling from my humble childhood roots of making things that were meaningful to me out of not much at all. Because I had countless hours of time on my hands as a little girl, I'd imagine things I could make or create and then set out bringing them to life. My yearly Farm Chicks installations come together in much the same way. This year, I wanted to bring my party theme to life with just paper as my supply. It really is one of the most humble supplies out there.
The design was inspired by the paper wall art technique by Sugar and Cloth and the small weavings I would make as a child using a piece of cardboard as my frame, and yarn for the weaving material. In this case, chicken wire was used for the frame and paper was used for the weaving material. It took an exhaustive amount of time, which was also ironically apropos considering the amount of time I would spend on my little childhood projects.
The installations always present a number of challenges that have to be considered. It has to be:
BIG because it's a very large open space that anything too small can just be swallowed up in.
stable and able to withstand big gusts of wind that come in through the main entrance doors from time to time.
somewhat human-proof with visitors brushing up against it, taking photos, etc.
This year was hilariously difficult because I didn't foresee that the installation would work like a life-sized pin art impression toy. When groups of visitors would stand in front of it for a picture and lean up against it, hundreds? thousands? of the tiny rolls of paper would be pushed back, and sometimes out. OH NO!!! So, we just kept going to the back and gently pushing and placing the rolls back in place.
Truthfully, I find so much joy in designing each installation, watching it come to life, and seeing visitors appreciate it and take pictures with it.
I carried the party theme from the installation into and overhead The Farm Chicks Souvenir space as well. The simplest of party supplies make for such a cute and happy display!
It's never too early to begin planning your visit to The Farm Chicks Fair! It's always held the first full weekend in June, in Spokane, Washington. The next fair will be held June 1 & 2, 2019. You can find all the details here.
Happy day! The Farm Chicks Fair map is here! (Click the fair poster below to access). Hooray! For more information on the fair, visit the fair page here.
Toby was out visiting her favorite vintage spots in Spokane and perusing the racks of vintage clothing at Boulevard Mercantile when she happened upon this darling top. The hand embroidered names were so charming she knew she had to have it!
Toby says she instantly fell in love with names such Mildred, Elsie, Tilly, Rose, Frieda, Ella and how they were all individually embroidered in place. And isn't it her outfit perfectly darling and complete with her vintage linen high waisted pants?
Special thanks to Toby for sharing her find with us!
Notes:
Toby is a wonderfully talented furniture upholsterer. You can follow along with her on Instagram and Facebook.
Toby envisioned tattoos that resembled a vintage post card and hers were done by Cassie Eisenhour. I'd say her vision was definitely brought to life very well!
What You Found! is a recurring topic on my blog where I feature you, my readers, and your favorite vintage finds. You can read the backstory here. If you would like to be featured with your favorite vintage find, email me to be considered!
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.
I'm excited to tell you about a new feature I'll be sharing here frequently! First, a little backstory.
If you've read about my story at all, you know that my parents were scavengers and collectors and that we traveled in our little gypsy wagon home all over the US, Canada, and Mexico finding special vintage discarded objects along the way. Because of this, I've always loved the thrill of a good find. About five years ago, I founded a new venture, a website named My Favorite Find, which was sort of like Pinterest meets Show and Tell. Anyone could join in and share pictures and the story of their favorite vintage finds. Sadly, the timing was poor, and faced with some life changing family medical issues, I had to shut My Favorite Find down. My family needed me more.
But, the idea has always stayed near and dear to my heart and I realized that I can still bring these stories to life, just in a less complicated way, right here on my blog. So, next week I'll be sharing my first feature and look forward to sharing many more. I'm calling it What You Found! And the premise is simple, I'll be sharing your fun finds for the world to see, like another show and tell. Who knows, maybe you'll be inspired to start a new collection, enjoy seeing what someone else was lucky enough to find, or just have a happy little moment in your day, reading about something simple and fun.
Do you have a favorite recent vintage find you want to share? Email me and tell me about it and maybe I'll be able to feature you too!
Here's a sneak peek of Toby Rae, who will be my first feature next week. Stay tuned!
Farm Chicks time is nearing and I couldn't be more excited. Each year, it feels like it's more fun than the last, and each year it continues to just brings out the JOY in all of us. This year we'll be celebrating a PARTY theme (have you seen the poster yet?) and invite you to wear your favorite party outfit. Come join us because it will be the most fun you've ever had at a vintage market. I promise.
The Farm Chicks Vintage & Handmade Fair is always held the first full weekend in June at the Spokane, Washington Fairgrounds. This year's dates are June 2 & 3. You can find all the info here.
When we built our dream home, our beloved farmhouse, I never imagined I'd be saying the words that we're moving away, but it's true. We are. Sometimes unexpected dreams develop and it's time to start a new life chapter. That's where we are and we're pretty excited about it. About a year ago, Colin and I started having an interest in moving into town. We explored some options but couldn't ever find something that was the right fit for us ~ it felt like we were trying to force ourselves and our lives into something that just wasn't meant to be. So, we decided a move into town wasn't for us. After all, we LOVE our home.
Then one day, I stumbled upon some property that seemed so right. In town, covered in trees (including the remnants of an orchard), quiet, and a view to fall in love with. And I did. And then Colin did too. And just like that, our next chapter was set in motion. Our youngest son is graduating from high school in two months and soon it will be just Colin and me. Our next home will be designed to create a special new space for Colin and me in this new chapter of our lives as well as our children's college visits, their future family visits, and a happy place to entertain our friends.
We've been working with our amazing builder, Craig Powell, and are in the first stages of designing our new home with an architect. Our next step will be listing our home for sale (coming so soon, EEK!). And amid all of this, I'm in the final planning stages of The 2018 Farm Chicks Fair, which will be here the first weekend in June. It's definitely an exciting time.
I'm looking forward to sharing the process of building our new home, and this new journey, here on the blog. Stay tuned!
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.
Going back to my earliest memories, I've always loved a theme, and if you've followed along with me for a while you know that each year I plan a theme for The Farm Chicks Vintage & Handmade Fair and bring it all to life through the promotional materials, the events leading up to Farm Chicks, and the way in which I style and decorate The Farm Chicks Fair. This year I've chosen a party theme and the promotional materials reflect that with a really happy and fun, glam, vintage-meets-modern party style.
For the Poster Release Party, I wanted to bring the poster to life a bit and decorate and incorporate elements from the poster. My biggest challenge was having one hour to decorate, from when Madeleine's (the location of the party) closed for the day and the time that the party was scheduled to get started, so I knew I had to have everything ready to simply put in place once I got there. The posters were a good start, because we could easily hang them on the walls for decoration in no time, so that is where I began.
Confetti is one of my favorite party elements and I ended up having Danielle (this year's commissioned poster artist) add some in to her original artwork on the poster before it was completely finalized. Naturally, I wanted to add confetti to my party decorations! I added confetti into the decorations in a few ways. On the walls:
On the tables as a part of the centerpieces, and on the dessert bar as decoration. (Along with traditional confetti, I made tiny versions of the posters to act as bits of confetti on the tables and dessert bar too). I went with large confetti pieces because I thought they would be more impactful and it's a lot easier to clean up than teeny tiny bits:
I decided to make centerpieces to add life to all of the tables and to make them more useful, they doubled as my take-away treats for everyone, with each colorful centerpiece bag filled with a bunch of bagged gumball "ice cream" cones tied off with mini poster stickers. I made all of them in advance and had them in boxes ready to place on the tables once we arrived:
Madeleine's made treats inspired by the poster, which made the space so dreamy:
I made mini poster stir-sticks for the lemonade bar:
And lots of balloons, which along with their strings added a sort of confetti-ish effect as well:
I held the Poster Release Party for this year's Farm Chicks Fair last weekend at Madeleine's Cafe and Patisserie in downtown Spokane. The treats were so delicious, the setting so darling, and I loved getting to celebrate with everyone who stopped by.
Tomorrow I'll be posting about the specific details on bringing the poster to life through the party, the fun and simple decorations done with a very limited set-up time, and the take-away treats I shared with my guests!
Note: Meg, who runs Madeleine's, and I planned out all of the treats ahead of time (I'll tell you more about that in tomorrow's post) and everything was SO DELICIOUS. But I sincerely, truly, deeply hope that they'll add the macarons topped with frosting and a raspberry (seen above) to their regular line-up at Madeleine's. They were one of the most delicious treats I've ever had in my life, and my guests thought they were pretty spectacular too.
When I started my Farm Chicks dream in 2002, we were living in an small old schoolhouse at the base of Mt. Spokane and all of my work was done from the sofa and kitchen table. After we built our first home, the laundry room doubled as my office at first, shared with the folding counter and eventually we carved out a little space in a nook the size of a closet. Colin would always joke and call it "Farm Chicks World Headquarters" because it was so tiny. I loved that space and made it really cute but I did start to dream a bit about having my "work" away from the living areas of our home, so that I wouldn't think about work when I was with my family. When we built our farmhouse, we decided to build an office for me that was separate from the house. At first, we continued to call it World Headquarters but after a while it sounded kind of weird to us because the new space is much larger and the joke just sort of fizzled out and the name fell away. My family simply calls it my office these days.
I like for my office to be very clean and free of clutter, to keep my mind clear and not distracted in any way. I remember when I shared a visit to Country Living Magazine headquarters a couple of years ago and some readers were surprised to see that the offices weren't decorated with a lot of clutter and were very clean and bright. When you're always coming up with new projects, material, and content, it's really wonderful to work in a space that's clutter free!
Dreams continue to be formed and manifested in this special space and I'm so thankful for the area to build large projects (like the installations for The Farm Chicks Fair), the natural light that always fills the space (even on the gloomiest of winter days), and the quiet that inspires me and allows me to form creative thoughts and plans.
Grandma Green colored Furniture: Martha Stewart. (This line was purchased from Home Decorator's Club but similar is now being sold at Home Depot, found here).
While MaryJane and I were visiting the Christmas markets, I was so completely inspired by all of the gingerbread and decided I wanted to make a big gingerbread statement piece when I returned. Every year I have so much fun creating a centerpiece for our dining table, and I started imagining a gingerbread village right down the center. It was fun to talk with MJ about ideas I had brewing while we were traveling around each country.
Although creating a bunch of gingerbread houses is really time consuming, it's so satisfying to see them all come together. Here's an overview of how I put it all together, starting with a simple piece of wrapping paper down the center of the dining table:
Placing all of the gingerbread houses:
Placing fresh greens throughout:
Pouring granulated sugar "snow berms" at the base of each of the structures and throughout the entire setting:
Dusting with powdered (confectioners) sugar "snow":
And decorating with sugared cranberries, sporadically placed throughout:
I made 27 gingerbread houses in total. I worked on baking the houses over about one week, just baking them whenever I had time and leaving the pieces on a cooling rack to keep drying and hardening until I was ready to get started with construction. Here are some of the finer details of how I created it all:
21 of the houses were miniature-sized, modeled from a gingerbread house cookie cutter I found at my local grocery store. The other houses were modeled from a set of Martha Stewart paper houses that I cut apart for the patterns.
I did a ton of recipe testing and found this recipe to be the best for what I wanted to do. I was able to roll the dough out really thin to keep the weight down and make the dough go further, and it baked up extremely strong. Note: It seemed as though there was something wrong with the dough once I mixed it up because it was really crumbly. Don't worry when you see this! Once you knead the dough as instructed in the recipe, it all comes together perfectly into a nice compact dough. (It is a bit tough to roll out).
I used melted white chocolate coating disks as the glue, piped on with a piping bag.
The thick finishing "snow" on the rooftops was made from Royal Icing, which is made from egg whites and powdered sugar.
The "thatched roof" was made out of generic Fiber One cereal, placed on piece by piece, starting at the bottom of the rooftop with a strip of piped on white chocolate followed by the cereal placed on top of the strip, one by one, and working my way up to the center (top of the roof) on each side. It was time consuming but not as bad as I thought it would be.
The "roof tiles" were cinnamon gum placed on in the same manner as the cereal.
The shutters and window trim on two of the houses were also made from cinnamon gum.
I make my sugared cranberries by coating them in egg white and then in granulated sugar.
This was a fun project and I'm so glad I did it. I've had such a busy month and it was a nice way to really put my heart into Christmas. I hope you'll give it a try if it sounds fun to you. Merry Christmas!
A few years ago, my friend Tiffany and I visited New York City during the holidays. It’s such a beautiful time of the year to visit, with the charm of the urban tree lots, Union Square Holiday Market (which is a U.S. version of Europe's Christmas markets and really great), and decorations all around. I especially love the old office buildings with their gilded names on their front doors and it clicked in a little inspiration for me. Each Christmas since, I’ve been painting a little gilded Christmas message on our pantry door for an extra bit of cheer.
Here’s how to create your own gilded window. Start with printing out your message on thick cardstock paper. I like using a simple font that looks like what you’d see on the old office doors. Arial Bold works nicely.
Then cut out the letters with an X-acto knife, saving the center of the O’s and cutting those out next. (I use this handy Fiskar cutting mat from JoAnn's for all of the cutting).
Next, tape the stencil on the back side of the window. (The window is smooth on the back side of my pantry door. If it was rippled on both sides, it wouldn’t work because you need a smooth surface to work on.) Although I’ve used clear tape here, painter’s tape works best because it’s easily removed.
Next I add tape to the O Centers and stick them on the window:
Now it’s time to prepare the painting supplies:
Paper Plate
Metallic Gold Washable Craft Paint of your choice. (The key is using metallic paint, not just gold colored, to make it look gilded).
Sponge Stenciling Tool
Squeeze a little bit of the paint on the plate and gently dab your sponge into the paint:
Then carefully dab dab dab dab the paint onto the cut-out openings of the stencil. You don’t want to swipe at any time. Only straight dabs.
Continue until you have close to full coverage, checking the front of the window periodically to watch your progress. You don’t want to overdo it, and you don’t want complete coverage. By leaving slight gaps, it has a slightly worn, aged look:
Once you’re satisfied with your paint job, carefully remove your stencil and pull it straight back, making sure not to touch or smudge your paint if it’s still wet. Remove any center stencil pieces as well. (In my case, the O centers). It’s as easy as that!
And I like to add a wreath to finish it off. (I use removable Command hooks to hang the wreath).
To remove paint, use cotton balls and fingernail polish remover. (I like to use gel polish remover because it works quickly).
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.
. . . . . .
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.
. . . . . .
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.
Something you might notice while visiting Europe are homes with their doorways marked with chalk. (You may see this in the U.S. as well, but it's not as widely common as in Europe).
Each year on the Epiphany (January 6th), families gather to ask for God's blessing on their home and those who live in or visit their home. For some, the blessing may take place with the family gathering, praying, and seeking God's blessing, and for others, a Priest may visit, bringing incense and holy water and blesses the house. Afterwards, the doorways are marked with the year and the letters of the three kings: Caspar, Melchior & Balthazar.
This tradition is practiced by many Christian faiths. In the Catholic church, the closing prayer at the end of the house blessing is:
Bless, O Lord God almighty, this home, that in it there may be health, purity, the strength of victory, humility, goodness and mercy, the fulfillment of Thy law, the thanksgiving to God the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. And may this blessing remain upon this home and upon all who dwell herein. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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.
It began snowing again on Saturday morning, so I decided to head into Spokane for a little vintage shopping. You've heard me say before that one of my favorite times to visit the local vintage shops is around any holiday season because there are a lot of unique seasonal finds to be had. It can be kind of tricky timing around the Christmas season though because a lot of shops will wait to really stock their full holiday collections until their annual in-store open house holiday party. This is becoming a lot more common in our city, and maybe throughout the U.S.?
What the shopkeeper will usually do is close their store for a full day to bring in all of their holiday vintage pieces and get the store looking really Christmasey. Then that evening, they'll open up for a big holiday open house to start the Christmas shopping season. It's worth calling around to your local shops to find out if they do this so you can make sure to take part!
All of the shops I visited were still in full Autumn mode, which was nice because I'm trying really hard to hold on to Thanksgiving before my heart settles into the Christmas season. (It's so hard to not start filling my house with Christmas when the snow is coming down so hard!)
I found the sweetest, most simple Sunday paintings at my first stop, Rare and Retro. They ranged in price from FREE to $2:
I also picked up this great plaid trunk that I'll use on my porch at Christmastime:
And this jolly red basket from Paint in my Hair that I'll use during the holidays too:
With Halloween behind us, you might think about throwing out your pumpkins and squash, but there's still a lot of decorating you can do with them. A fun and simple use of the minis is to make tiny little arrangements. To get started, choose your pumpkin:
Then cut out the top, remove it, and scoop out all the seeds:
Then, fill it with a little water and the greenery or flowers of your choice:
Leaves make pretty filler too:
Tip: If you have a hard time getting the filler to stay in place, use a little rubber band to secure the bundle together before you place it in the pumpkin and it will stay nicely:
The costs of decorating your home for any holiday season can really add up and finding pieces that can work for more than one holiday is always helpful. Cloth napkins are a great place to start because they are a small item with a big impact.
Consider plaid. There are so many cool combinations that you can make them work from October through December. For example, the red in these napkins is more of a rusty red, with the yellows, browns, and greens of autumn which you can find in squash, florals, and foliage widely available in October and November and then of course, they're easily integrated into your December table. Today, I'm focusing on showing how you can use them in October and November.
To further cut costs, visit the fabric store or a thrift shop, look for a plaid that you love and make the napkins yourself!
After Halloween, make sure to keep all your little pumpkins and squash for decorative purposes through November. They add such color and cheer to your home. And stay tuned for my next post that will show you how to make cute simple arrangements with your mini pumpkins!
As we near the end of October, it seems like the world can’t get enough of pumpkin anything and everything. And I’ll admit, I love a good pumpkin treat myself. Here’s a round-up of my favorites:
Sometimes I post quick and easy recipes straight onto my Facebook page or Instagram, rather than working on a full post here on my blog. I created this recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes one fall weekend a few years ago and posted the recipe straight to Facebook. It was my most popular post ever, with more than 285,000 shares. You guys love your pumpkin recipes as much as me! I thought it'd be fun to share the recipe with my blog readers too and I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and the Facebook community does.
Pumpkin Pancakes
1/4 Cup Pumpkin Purée
1 Egg
1 Cup Milk
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
Pinch of Nutmeg
Whisk pumpkin purée and egg together until smooth. Add in remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Fry batches in a cast iron skillet for a tasty fall breakfast treat.
Note: Nut milk can be substituted for the regular milk if desired.
If you've been following along with me for a while, you know I love to forage for pretty greens, fruits, and flowers that can be used in floral arrangements. September is such a sweet month where nature is sort of holding its breath in anticipation of the leaves turning and falling. In the lead up to the leaf change, the greenery of September is so beautiful and worth a trip outdoors to gather it up.
I really like having different bits of texture in my arrangements and in thinking about all of the elements I would gather, my first thought was walnuts. The walnut fruit is about the size of a plum and a great green color. The shell and nutmeat lie beneath the green exterior:
Next, since we're in full pumpkin harvest, I thought some tiny white pumpkins on the vine would be a fun addition so I clipped a few and added them to my bucket:
Some tiny green crabapples with foliage that is beginning to turn:
And some chives and sage from my herb garden:
To get started, I cut some floral foam down to fit my vessel, soaked it, and placed it inside (Click here to see a tutorial on a project using floral foam):
Then I just added in foliage bit by bit, adjusting as I went along, clipping back some of the branches if they were too big, and simply adjusting until I liked how it looked. There's no perfect way, just what's appealing to you:
I've always enjoyed finding reasons to celebrate with our family, whether it's a full-fledged party or a happy breakfast, lunch, or dinner celebration. And speaking of meal celebrations, by simply decorating the table, your meal becomes a celebration!
For a fun back-to-school theme, gather vintage children's books and place at each table setting as decorative chargers:
Top "chargers" with plates, napkins, apples, and little American flags:
Apples make great table decorations as well:
Garden and yard herbs are such a great source for simple floral arrangements. The chives are flowering right now in my patio herb garden and make the cutest tiny arrangements:
Whimsical old toys and children's items are so joyful to me. This vintage spinning child's cap adds a sweet touch to the table. A cute old toy truck would also be great:
Extra-wide rolled wrapping paper cut to the size of the table makes for a great small table covering. For larger tables, use wrapping paper as a runner:
With the exception of the earliest school years, our boys weren't ever too excited about September and heading back to school. I found that by celebrating this time in various simple ways, it made it a positive time in their lives. Happy September to all!
Aren't polka dots just about one of the cheeriest things ever? With a trip to the supermarket, you can put together such a cute and happy party by focusing on everything polka dot!
Lollipops make such simple, cute polka dot cake toppers:
Gigantic wafers from the Mexican grocery store make a yummy, delicate cake when layered with slightly sweetened airy buttercream:
Dotty candies make cute table decorations and cupcake toppers:
Tiny dotty sprinkles make the table even more festive:
Mini cake stands, a gift from my friend, Serina (yes we have the same name!), are fun to place at everyone's table setting along with simple colorful plates, napkins, tableware, and cups from the grocery store:
We celebrated Colin's mom and dad's 50th wedding anniversary a couple of weeks ago. All they wanted was for their entire family to be there to celebrate with them. So, all of Colin's siblings, their spouses, fiancees, and children descended on Spokane for a special family only gathering.
It's quite a feat for everyone to have traveled from all corners of the U.S. and even a few from Europe. None of us wanted to miss this special day.
We're so blessed to have their marriage as our example.
A few days ago, Colin and I celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary and during dinner, our boys asked us what our tips were for having a happy marriage. A lot of things came to mind, and we were happy to share our thoughts with the boys. I'm so thankful they're interested in these sort of things.
The first thing we remembered was the homily Father Mike delivered on our wedding day and a point that he made to not make a mental list of the things your spouse does that bother you. Instead, make a mental list of the things you love about them. Focus on the good!
Support each other's interests and work to find or develop some in common.
Take care of yourself and your health so you can make the most out of life and your time together and remain attracted to one another.
Of course, there were the standard love one another pieces of advice and so on. But are all of these tips the magical answers to living happily ever after? Yes and no. They've worked for us. But really, the bottom line is that when Colin and I made the decision to be married and have a family, we chose to give it our all - just like Colin's mom and dad. Through the ups and downs in life, our family and our commitment to each other are the most important things of all.
Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love. ~Mother Teresa
I had a nice time visiting with Bev last week when I went to get some fresh peaches from her orchard. My new neighbor who bought the cabbage farm next door was coincidentally there picking some peaches herself and it was nice to squeeze in some girl talk that morning. It also happened to be Colin and my anniversary so on my way home I started thinking about what I could make with the peaches for dessert that night and these little shortcakes began to develop in my mind. I was so happy to see Colin and the boys enjoying them later that night.
Spiced Shortcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon molasses
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Combine flour, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a food processor and pulse until blended and butter pieces are roughly the size of small peas or peppercorns. (You can also cut the ingredients all together in a large bowl using forks or a handheld pastry blender). Make sure to take care to not over mix.
Combine the milk, egg, and molasses together in a small bowl or measuring cup and gently stir until the egg is slightly mixed in. Pour liquid mixture into the flour mixture and gently toss with a fork until it all begins to come together. Give the mixture a few flips and squeezes with your hands until it's all held together and turn out onto a floured surface. (Again, take care to not over mix the dough). Dust top with more flour and press into a 3/4 inch thick circle. Using a biscuit cutter, press out your shortcakes and place them on a parchment lined (or lightly oiled) baking sheet. (This recipe makes about 9 shortcakes). Bake for 8-10 minutes, just until center begins to feel slightly firm to the touch on the top center of the shortcakes, and the bottoms are browned.
Spiced Whipped Cream:
2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or more or less to taste)
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons honey
Granulated sugar to taste
While the shortcakes are baking, prepare your whipped cream. For 9 shortcakes, I like to make about 2 cups of whipped cream. To prepare your whipped cream, pour whipping cream into a large bowl. Add Cinnamon and nutmeg and whip until the cream just begins to thicken. At this point, while the beater is still running, drizzle in the honey. (I like to use 1 teaspoon of honey per cup of whipping cream). After honey is whipped in, slowly pour in the sugar and beat until the cream is fully whipped.
After the shortcakes have cooled to just slightly warm, or room temperature, you are ready to serve! Cut cakes in half, top with whipped cream and freshly sliced peaches and dust with a tiny bit of nutmeg, if desired.
For an extra little finishing touch, dust with a bit of ground nutmeg:
Notes:
The shortcakes will look sort of dry and crumbly but they are the perfect texture and are actually quite tender, light, and delicious and hold up really well for several days if stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
I add honey to my whipped cream because it stabilizes the cream, and it won't separate. (This is really great if you're storing your extra whipped cream for any period of time!)
*Thoughts*
I've touched briefly on this recently... It's been nice making a comeback here on the blog after several years of barely making it here to post during that time. I was taking care of my family who needed my complete focus. Something that took a hold over me while I was away was that it was almost entirely impossible to have a creative thought. I was just trying to make it through. In hindsight, I've thought that it's so sad that in my most trying times, the creativity fell away. I missed those thoughts so so much. Now, more than ever, I'm so thankful for every little life moment that feeds my soul - like a freshly picked peach, the scent of peaches hanging in the orchard air, visiting with my neighbors, riding my bike to get corn from Francis at Eleven Acres, tending to the lavender, and hearing one of my children whistling or humming a song. It's all bringing me back to life and I'm so happy to be here again.
