Urban Backpacker Travels: London and Beyond

The whole purpose of our epic Europe adventure was this...

Visiting our best friend Karie and her sweet new baby Morgan.  They live about an hour and a half outside of London, so most of our time in England was spent snuggling with the baby on the couch, drinking wine together, and watching re-runs of Sex and the City.  And it was perfect - a nice break from all the touristy craziness that was the rest of our trip.

One day, Kate and I made the trip into the city - we had never been and figured we should at least check out London while we were so close.  It ended up being the most beautiful day and we got to see a lot in a short amount of time.

We navigated the underground...

Window shopped on Regent street...

Saw Green Park (en route to Buckingham Palace for changing of the guards)...

Took selfies with Big Ben...

And drank champagne on the London Eye.

All in all, it was quite a fabulous quick trip and made me realize that London is someplace I would really like to explore more.  Karie, hope you are ready for another visit soon!

Urban Backpacker Travels - REYKJAVIK

Our epic Euro-adventure ended with a quick stopover in Reykjavik, Iceland.  A really amazing place to visit if you ever have the opportunity - I know I found myself wishing we had extended our stopover longer than just the 2 days we planned for.

We landed in Iceland on Saturday afternoon and immediately hopped in a cab to the Blue Lagoon, one of Iceland's most popular geothermal hot springs.  The first thing we noticed when we arrived was the eggy smell - the whole country is filled with geothermal hot springs, so there is a lot of sulfur in the air.  Then we took in the beauty of this place - steaming aqua-blue water set against dark volcanic rock - a really unique and amazing sight.

Ladies relaxing at the Blue Lagoon

After we were sufficiently pruned and relaxed, we showered and took the bus to Reykjavik, the country's capital.  We found our AirBnB (thanks to a helpful cab driver), which was incredibly cute and very Scandanvian, and then headed out to explore the town.  We grabbed some sushi and then checked out a bar with local beers.  Supposedly the weekend nightlife in Reykjavik is poppin, but we were pretty beat so called it a night early.

Checking out some local brews at Kaldi bar

Sunday I woke up super early (what's new?) so went for a run to see the city by daylight.  I'd read that Sundays were quite in Iceland, which turned out to be very true - I didn't see anyone up at all, except for a few young folks who looked like they were still out from the night before.  Post run I grabbed some goodies from a bakery that our AirBnB host had recommended - a traditional Icelandic donut to share with the girls and some seedy rye bread.

street art

city sights

big church

Once the ladies were up we set out on foot to explore a little and maybe find some coffee.  We stumbled upon a vegetarian cafe that was run by an ex-NYCer (hence by I <3 NYC mug in the picture below), which we ended up going back to later in the day for a delicious lunch of hearty chili, grilled paninis, and chocolate chip cookies the size of my head.  If you ever find yourself in Reykjavik, check out Cafe Babalu, if not for the yummy food than at least for the crazy Star Wars bathroom.

I love NY... in Iceland!

Cafe Babalu

Selfie in the Star Wars bathroom

Since a lot of shops were closed on Sunday, we decided to take a tour of the Golden Circle - Iceland's most popular loop of attractions: National Park, Waterfall, and geysers!  I'm glad we did this because not only did we get to see some of the country, but during our bus ride our tour guide provided us with a lot of history and interesting information about the country.  Our tour guide was actually an author and had written a book about traditional Icelandic foods, so she shared a lot of that information which was very interesting to me.  Since Iceland is such an isolated country, their traditional cuisine is foods which they could produce themselves - fish, seafood, meats, berries, vegetables, and dairy.

Geyser - there she blows!

National Park

Amazing waterfall

We got back to Reykjavik and I convinced the girls to check out a healthy spot I had read about - Glo.  Glo is not strictly vegetarian - there is one chicken dish on the menu, everything else is vegan except the desserts - which made it perfect for us.  This was hands down the best food I had all trip.  I got the large vegetable plate which came with 5 choices of sides (you could also choose to get an entree and sides, but all the sides looked so good I wanted to try as many as I could).  I got salad, roasted potatoes, creamy carrot slaw, orange fennel salad, and a shaved beet and carrot dish.  Plus, they had this ridiculously good mustard dressing which I poured over everything, and homemade hummus which was also amazing.  It was so refreshing to have such an abundant, healthy meal after a trip filled with one (or five) too many baguettes and way too much wine.  I got a second plate of food to go to bring with me on the plane the next day.

Really really ridiculously good eats at Glo

After dinner we hopped around a few bars.  Even though it was Sunday night, there were still quite a few places open and happening.  I tried an Icelandic liquor - Birkir - which is flavored with birch.  Very different, but I liked it!  Sadly, we headed home before too late since we had early flights to catch in the morning.

Flying home we passed over Greenland, which was a truly incredible site - snow covered mountains, glaciers, and no civilization in sight.  Iceland was an amazing end to an amazing trip, and, while I never dreamed of visiting these places before, this trip got me itching to check out more of Scandinavia and beyond.

Urban Backpacker Travels: PARIS

I arrived in Paris at 6AM on Saturday morning!  Although exhausted and groggy, I was able to navigate the train/subway systems and found my way to the apartment we rented through AirBnB.  Our host and his fiancé took me out for breakfast, coffee and a baguette, at a nearby cafe. They were so kind and gave me tips on what to do before my friends arrived that afternoon.   

After breakfast, I set off on foot to see the city.  I was pretty out of it, so after a little wandering, I made my way back to the apartment for a quick nap.  

I awoke a new person to greet my two friends, Kate and Katie, and we set off: first stop, the grocery store and bakery for wine and a baguette, which we enjoyed in the sun under the Eiffel Tower.

  We then proceeded to walk along the river and made our way to Champs Eylsees to see all the high end stores and then to the Arc de Triomphe. 

After a short trip back to the apartment to freshen up, we ventured to a different area of the city for dinner at Bistro de Henri.  We were nestled in a small corner table, and promptly set up with house wine.  Although we did not order escargot, duck, or any of the other typical specialities, the food and atmosphere did not dissapoint.  After dinner, we decided to find a cafe to sit at for another glass of wine and people watching.  Almost all of the cafés in Paris have outdoor seating, with chairs facing the street, perfect for sitting and drinking and people watching.  The area we were in was quite happening, with a band and people dancing in the street. It was the perfect way to spent our first night in the city. 

Sunday I woke up early and decided to go for a run.  Many people run along the river, so that's what I did, making my way all the way to the Louvre for an early morning, crowd free visit. Talk about destination run!

Back and showered, we headed out for the day.  We decided to head to Rue Mouffetard to check out the area and the open air market.  We got breakfast - the most amazing figs and a delicious sweet baguette with figs and macadamia nuts.  I'm not a huge bread person, but this baguette was unreal. So fresh, crunchy on the outside and super soft and airy on the inside.  Plus a huge amount of flavor from the lightly toasted nuts and gooey figs.

After eating, we made our way to Luxemborg Gardens.  The weather was perfect, and the gardens were so beautiful! We soaked it all in for a while.  Definitely a place I would love to spend an afternoon reading. 

We then hopped on the subway to see some art.  On the first Sunday of every month there are a ton of galleries and museums that are free.  We took advantage of this and went to the Musee L'Orangerie (impressionist art) and the Centre Pompidou (modern art).  So much amazing art, so little time!

After we had our share of art, we decided to check out a vegetarian restaurant near Notre Dame.  On the way there we saw the famous lock bridge (or so we thought, until later when we saw many other lock filled bridges...and questioned if the first one we saw was the famous lock bridge, or an imposter).

We had dinner at Le Grenier de Notre Dame.  It was such a cute place, decorated with lots of green and plants.  I went with the macrobiotic plate - miso soup, brown rice, steamed tofu, black beans, and veggies.  We also had wine (we loved the rose in Paris!) and dessert. Overall, good food, but nothing great. 

After dinner, we went back to Notre Dame to take a few pictures.  We then proceeded to drink a bit too much rose before calling it a night.  An incredibly long, but incredibly amazing day.

Monday! Our last full day in Paris.  The ladies really wanted to go all the way up the Eiffel Tower, so we grabbed a baguette (me) and croissants (them) and began our journey.  Three lines and two elevators later, we made it.  The views were stunning, to say the least.

Next on our list: the Sacre Couer.  This beautiful basilica sits atop a hill in the Montmartre area of Paris, providing more gorgeous views of the city.  The basilica itself was incredibly breathtaking- white stone with gorgeous stained glass windows.

We wandered around the neighborhood a little while longer, making our way back down the hill toward the river.   On the way, we found ourselves at Un Monde Vegan - a vegan grocery store!  Boy did I have a field day.  I ended up with some Vegusto herbed cheese (um, yum!), Wheaty veg salami, and an assortment of raw chocolates.   I'm so happy I got a chance to stop here!

For our final night in Paris, we decided to take some wine, the goodies from the vegan store, and some other snacks for a picnic under the Eiffel Tower before we set off on a boat cruise down the river.  What a perfect end to the trip!

Tuesday morning we woke up early to get in one (or two) more baked treats before hopping on the train.  AU REVOIR PARIS!  I hope to be back again soon.

Super Simple Summer Quinoa Salad

Quinoa has been my go-to protein this summer.  It's light, yet filling, and adaptable to whatever flavor mood you are in.  I love it plain, mixed into giant salads, but last night I was looking for something a little different that would please the whole family, and so this super simple recipe was created.  Full of fresh flavors, this is perfect for a quick summer dinner or side dish.  Even my mom was a fan.

Super Simple Summer Quinoa Salad - Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free

Ingredients:
2 cups dry quinoa
5-6 small tomatoes (like Roma)
Handful of fresh basil, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Prepare quinoa according to instructions on package. Tip:  Don't forget to RINSE your quinoa.  This is really important as quinoa has a natural coating which is not so pleasant tasting if not rinsed off.

While quinoa is cooking, chop tomatoes into bite-sized pieces and add to your serving bowl.  Add in chopped basil and lemon juice.  Note:  Adding the hot quinoa to the tomatoes allows them to soften a bit, which my family loved.  No big deal if you already have cooked quinoa that is cooled, but you may not achieve the same result.

Once quinoa is done, add to serving bowl (over the tomatoes) and mix.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with more fresh basil (if desired).  Enjoy!


I can see this recipe also being delicious served over fresh greens, such as arugula or baby kale.  It would also be lovely to add in other grilled veggies (such as portabello mushrooms and squash). 

Urban Backpacker Travels: San Antonio

Howdy!  I had my very first Texas trip this past week - San Antonio.  I wasn't sure what to expect, and to be honest I was kind of burnt out from traveling, but I ended up having a great experience.  Here are some of my highlights:

Eat:

One Lucky Duck San Antonio - One Lucky Duck is one of my favorite NYC spots, so I was happily surprised to see they had an outpost in San Antonio.  Why San Antonio?  One Lucky Duck's owner's brother lives in SA and thought the city could use a raw, vegan joint.  I think he was right - I chatted with the employees and they said that the place was doing well, especially considering it is the only raw, vegan restaurant in town.  The food offerings are more limited than the NYC location, and everything is pre-made (i.e. no customized or made to order salads), however everything was still tasty!  I tried the Spicy Thai Lettuce Wraps, the Caesar Salad, and the (new!) raw brownie.  The lettuce wraps were my favorite - sweet mango and crunchy raw veggies paired with a spicy dipping sauce.  The Caesar was good, but not as hearty of a salad as those I have had previously at the One Lucky Duck in NYC.  The brownie was different from your typical "raw" dessert - it was dehydrated so instead of tasting like a Larabar, it had a crunchy exterior and tasted baked.  I'm definitely a fan!

Caesar Salad

Spicy Thai Lettuce Wraps

Water + Raw Brownie = Better travel snacks

Juice Central - I stumbled upon this spot during my morning run on Tuesday, and boy am I glad I did.  Delicious, fresh juices for a reasonable price?  I'm all in.  I tried a few of the juices: Energize (jicama, pineapple, and pear), Sweet Green (kale, cucumber, apple, pear, lemon), Metabolism Booster (chard, spinach, cucumber, mint, pineapple, lime), and the Spicy Green (kale, spinach, apple, orange, lemon, jalapeno).  The Spicy Green was definitely my favorite!  Sweet and tart from the green apple with a slight hit of spice from the jalapeno, this was a perfect morning wake up for my body!  My team also had lunch here one day, which was a super great deal - $10 for a juice or smoothie and a salad. I definitely recommend this spot for anyone looking for a super delicious and affordable juice.

Demolished green juice post-run

Senior Veggie - A new vegan restaurant in Southtown, Senior Veggie was a hit with my whole team (vegetarians and meat-eaters alike!).  Hearty portions of yummy vegan food left us all satisfied, but not sleepy, as is often the case when eating out for lunch. I had the Southwestern Cobb Salad plus a side of their jackfruit carnitas - ridiculously good.

Suzanne and her beautiful salad

My epic salad

Rosarios - We went to this San Antonio favorite for dinner one evening.  While not particularly vegan-friendly, our waiter was incredibly accommodating and worked with the kitchen to get me a margarita sans simple syrup (so good), cucumber slices for our guacamole and salsa, and veggie fajitas. Unfortunately, I found out after consuming a good portion of the guacamole that it contained dairy.  Eeek.  While this was disappointing, overall the meal was good and the service above average.

Margarita - sans simple syrup!

Cucumber "chips" and guacamole

Do:

The Alamo  - A must-see if you are in San Antonio due to its history.  I was a little underwhelmed (I guess I expected it to be bigger), but it was nice to walk through.  Plus side is that it is free and open until 7PM.

Exploring the Alamo

Riverwalk- We stayed right on San Antonio's Riverwalk, essentially a boardwalk filled with shops and restaurants along the river. A great place to walk through, or to have drinks and dinner.

Southtown Yoga Loft - I had a lovely experience at Cassandra's Strong Flow class at Southtown Yoga Loft.  My only regret is that I didn't make it here until my last night in SA!  A beautiful space, a powerful and fun practice, and a friendly group of individuals - if I'm ever back in SA, you bet I'll be here again!  Bonus:  they sell cute yoga clothes and tasty juices from Crave.

Southtown Yoga Loft

Post-yoga juice from CRAVE

Stay:

As usual, this trip was for work so I did not get to pick the hotel but I'll put in my two cents anyways.  The Marriot Rivercenter is located minutes from the Alamo and, as I mentioned previously, right on the San Antonio Riverwalk.  My room was clean and comfortable.  The gym was average sized- a special touch I liked was the eucalyptus scented towels. There was both an indoor and outdoor pool, a great way to beat the Texas heat.  As had been my experience with most Marriot properties, the staff was incredibly helpful and nice (one employee working in the concierge lounge even offered to take me as his guest to his gym for a yoga class when he saw me carrying around my mat).  

For such a short trip, I felt like I did get to experience quite a bit of the city.  While I'm not sure when I will be in San Antonio again, I'm excited to explore Texas more (Dallas this time) in a few weeks.  Next stop - Kittery Point, Maine for a week of relaxation with the fam.

Hasta luego!

JOYA Restaurant Review

Ever since our epic backpacking adventure to Thailand last year, Ariel and I are always on the look out for great Thai food.  Shortly after moving to Brooklyn, we found a local spot which quickly became our go-to.  However, this past weekend we decided to venture a little further and check out JOYA in Cobble Hill, and boy am I glad we did.  Delicious, cheap, and full of veggie options, JOYA is definitely our new favorite Thai spot.  We've already been back and I expect there will be many a takeout order in the near future.

To start, we've ordered the Papaya Salad and Summer Rolls (with tofu instead of shrimp).  Both were good, but nothing too spectacular.

Mountain of papaya salad

For main dishes, our hands down favorite has been the Spicy Noodles (vegetarian version).  Wide noodles loaded pan-fried with vegetables, this dish perfectly balances both spicy and sweet, something I personally love about good Thai food. Just thinking about it makes me hungry...

Spicy Noodle mess

We have also tried both the green and red curries.  Both were good, but the red curry definitely had better flavor.  I appreciated that both curry dishes had tons of different veggies that were perfectly cooked - not raw, but also not overdone.  Also, JOYA does offer brown rice... you just have to ask for it!

Blurry green curry

We haven't tried the Mango Sticky rice, but that will change soon. =)

As far as the atmosphere, JOYA is a happening spot.  It's been crowded each time we have gone, the bar filled with folks enjoying a cocktail while waiting for a table.  I will note that the inside is pretty loud - the crowd plus the music may be overpowering for some.  For those who prefer a quieter vibe, try to get a seat out back.  While it may be a little harder to see your food (if its dark, as it was both times I visited as you can see from my pictures above), it will be much easier to enjoy conversation with your dining mates.

I will note:  JOYA, like many NYC establishments, is CASH ONLY.  Sigh.  While it won't keep me from coming back, it is a little disappointing that so many places in NYC still don't accept plastic.

Do you like Thai food?  If so, do you stick with one tried-and-true restaurant or are you always checking out new places?

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

The ice cream maker finally made an appearance this past weekend.  We had a few friends over to test out the new grill, so I thought this was the perfect time to whip up a batch of something cool and sweet.  I was torn over what flavor to make, but as soon as I suggested mint chocolate chip, we were set on it.  This recipe was a huge hit - the  mint was so refreshing and cooling, a perfect end to a hot summer day!  I used no more than 1/4 cup of agave, but taste as you go and add the sweetener of your house to your liking. 

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream - Vegan, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free

-2 cans coconut milk (I used 1 can full fat and 1 can light)

- 1/4 cup agave or other liquid sweetener (honey, maple syrup, etc)

- 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves

- pinch of salt

- 1/2 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips in your high speed blender or food processor and blend/process until well combined.  

Add to your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.  When ice cream is almost done, mix in the chocolate chips.  Scoop into bowls and enjoy!

My finished product got eaten up too quickly to photograph, but I did get this shot mid-churn - look at the lovely freshness the mint leaves give this! Yum!