Photo courtesy of Adli Wahid via Unsplash. If you'd ask me a year ago where I'd be today, I certainly wouldn't have said "getting ready to spend ten days in Turkey before I start a masters program at the University of Pennsylvania." Nothing like a little surprise for yourself! Here's 30 thoughts I've had in... Continue Reading →
View of Cork from the Shandon bell tower. The one word answer: YES. The (much longer) answer: Cork was one of my favorite cities of our whirlwind tour of Ireland (only Doolin ranked higher!) Why is it worth spending a day in Cork? What made our day in Cork so unique? Transportation Many people think... Continue Reading →
You’re probably wondering the significance of the bedraggled umbrella, but you'll need to know a little bit before we get to that part of the story. A year ago (at the time this was written), my dad came to visit me in Florence. I had a required Chiantishire/ winery fieldtrip during the Saturday smack-dab in... Continue Reading →
For those unfamiliar with the concept, think happy hour meets buffet... aperitivo is bound to be your new best friend. You pay one set price for a drink (take your pick of a cocktail, wine, beer, something non-alcoholic) and it comes with a buffet. The concept of a buffet can range from some chips and... Continue Reading →
Shout out to the lovely couple who took this picture of me. It's one of my favorites. Solo travel has really made its way into my life in the past few years, whether by choice or simply because I can't find someone to join me on my latest (often semi-spontaneously planned) adventure. From my first... Continue Reading →
The looming nostalgia is suddenly amplified; everyday, I am reminded of what I was doing this time last year when I literally lived two blocks from the Duomo. Last week I was kindly reminded by Facebook and Google Photos that it was the year year anniversary of my departure from JFK and my arrival in Florence. I thought my open letter to the... Continue Reading →
To the person about to start a brand new adventure: Take a breath and pause to remember how you feel right now. If you are uncomfortable with the idea of living in another country for four months, that’s okay. In fact, it’s probably best that you are. If you wanted to be comfortable, you could... Continue Reading →
After living in Florence for four months, I consider myself to be something of a gelato expert (check out this post about my favorite gelaterias.) While it might seem easy enough to get gelato, there are some things you should know in advance. 1. Don't be tempted by the colorful mounds: seek silver tins Any... Continue Reading →
First, we need to establish two facts. Number one, ice cream and gelato are not the same. Gelato is churned at a slower rate, making it much more dense and flavorful than ice cream. Number two, Florence has the best gelato; this is probably because gelato was invented in Florence in the 16th century by... Continue Reading →
My self-imposed schedule meant one day each in three Belgium cities: Brussels, Bruges, and Ghent. A delay in Brussels meant that I didn't arrive in Bruges until the afternoon...throwing off my seemingly perfectly timed plan. In Bruges, I was quickly captivated by the feel of a smaller town. I was enchanted by the varied architecture and... Continue Reading →
Streets & Streams 