Travel

Pennsylvania Getaways: Harrisburg & The Poconos

November 12, 2024November 21, 2024 Beth DeFries5 Comments

Hey friends! For today’s post, I am going to continue our little adventure through scenic Pennsylvania. We’ll make a brief stop in the state’s capital for some good music before visiting a region renowned for its access to the great outdoors. So, go grab some tea or coffee and get settled in a comfy place. Ready? Ok! Let’s get started.

Harrisburg

Our stop in Harrisburg in mid-October was brief, our long journey there flanked by picturesque scenery, fall foliage, and political campaign billboards for the, then, upcoming Presidential election. Pennsylvania is a “battleground” state in the political sense and the increase in campaign signage for both major political parties compared to New Jersey’s amount was not subtle.

Anyway… back to Harrisburg. Equipped with two Trampled by Turtles concert tickets, a new car that actually works (RIP Silver Bullet), and a hotel reservation downtown, we were lured by the music. The city welcomed us with a majestic view of the state capitol building and complex on our way, which, in hindsight, we probably should have paid a dedicated visit to as it was a spectacle of its own.

Lodging

Judging from the map, the Hilton Harrisburg looked like it would be a close enough walk to the concert venue, XL Live. We checked into the hotel after navigating the labyrinthine parking situation and spent a longer than usual amount of time at check-in due to a friendly reservation agent who was very nice and even gave us some complimentary bags of chocolates upon checking in. As a frequent Hilton guest and Silver member, the chocolates were new, but were definitely a nice touch! We checked into our room, changed for the show, and got to work hunting down a cozy spot for a quick dinner.

Dinner

McGrath’s Pub fit the bill and was a short walk from our hotel. On our walk there through downtown Harrisburg, on a Friday evening- mind, it seemed a little strange to us that there were not many people out. Still, the pub was a welcoming respite after our long drive and we snagged a couple open seats at the bar and ordered some drinks and dinner. McGrath’s had quick, friendly service, a good draft selection, and standard pub fare, which is just what we were looking for. I also enjoyed the warm, comfortable ambiance, pretty stained glass windows behind the bar, and the sculptural light fixture above us that was adorned with various retired tap handles.

The Show

After dinner, we made a quick stop to stow our leftovers in our room and then headed right back out to walk to XL Live. Harrisburg is, perhaps, just not a walking city. On our twenty minute walk to the venue, we only saw three people and also had to turn on our flashlights for one particularly dark section. Still, despite the somewhat eerie walk, the closer we got to the venue, the more excited I got to see the show! We made an agreement to take a rideshare back to our hotel if we didn’t see other people walking toward downtown after the concert and then got in line to go inside the venue.

Walking into XL Live reminded me of walking into the Starland Ballroom at sixteen to see The Academy Is… for the first time. The hot static of nostalgia tingled my neck and made me smile in the way one might when they just can’t help it. I was excited to finally see a band that I’d been listening to for over a decade, hear songs that have been both entertainment and medicine, see the musicians who made it all happen with their calloused fingertips and Minnesota influences. Mike grabbed us some PBRs (or Pabst for those who call it by its other name) from the bar as the opener finished their set and then we wormed our way to the center of the crowd to get a better view of the stage.

Trampled by Turtles (*Mandolin player, Erik Berry, all the way on the left*)

The show was everything I hoped it would be and more. We were happy to hear a lot of the band’s older material along with the new material they were touring, from their EP, Always Here. If you haven’t experienced bluegrass or think you don’t like the genre, I suggest giving this band a listen. The talent can’t be ignored, Dave Simonett’s lyrics are poetry, and it’s evident that the guys are just having a lot of fun performing together. Some particular highlights for us to hear live were Kelly’s Bar and Wait So Long, though perhaps the most mesmerizing spectacle of all was the mandolin player’s hair blowing dramatically in the breeze from the fan at his feet- simply breathtaking.

After the show, more than three people were walking back towards downtown so we chose to walk too. Energized by the show and wanting to stretch the night, we headed back to our tried and true McGrath’s in want of one more drink before turning in. I opted for an Old Fashioned to compliment the evening’s spirit of nostalgia. It didn’t disappoint.

The Delaware Water Gap & The Poconos:

We left Harrisburg the next morning, having done what we’d come to do, and made our way back east to the Mount Minsi trailhead on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware Water Gap. The parking at the trailhead was crowded and there were no spots until about ten minutes after we arrived. It was what we expected since we did not arrive very early in the morning, like most trail guides recommend. After securing a coveted spot, we enjoyed a little lunch to fuel up for our hike- some Wawa hoagies and fruit, then laced up our hiking boots and got started on the trail, doing our best to decipher the mostly-downloaded trail guide as we did to make sure we were headed in the right direction.

We have wanted to hike Mount Minsi since hiking its neighbor, Mount Tammany, across the Delaware back in 2021. It’s funny how sometimes you just don’t quite get around to doing the things you’ve been wanting to do, isn’t it? Well, it felt good to finally get around to this and to be in good enough shape to complete the hike comfortably. Our adventure up the little mountain took us to a couple of scenic view points- one of which mirrored the lookout on Mount Tammany (pictured above) that we had climbed to three and a half years earlier. We also wound our way through multiple rhododendron tunnels and up and down a few minor rock scrambles. We saw exactly one snake, which was one more snake than I had hoped to see, once we were almost done with the hike and that provided a good little startle. We hopped back in the car, freeing up our spot for another one waiting and headed out for yet another bout of hiking elsewhere.

Bushkill Falls

I’ll lead off by saying I didn’t know exactly what to expect pulling into the parking lot of Bushkill Falls. The entrance to the trail had an off-brand theme park vibe that I felt a little resistant to at first, being in a great outdoors mindset for the day. There were multiple buildings, among them a ticket office, visitor’s center, souvenir shops, an apparel shop, fudge kitchen, snack bar, playground, maze, picnic area, and restrooms. There was a silhouette cutout of Bigfoot by the ticket office, proposing the challenge to observant visitors to find two others like him along the trails. The place was also swarmed with families. Had it been a mistake to come to this woodsy Disneyland among the trees? The cost to access the trails to the waterfalls seemed pretty steep at first at $20 each. I think I went in feeling prepared for it not to live up to the price and then I saw the staircases and it all made sense.

Every day at Bushkill Falls is leg day, my friends. The park has an extensive system of winding, wooden staircases and bridges that provide access to beautiful views of the park’s multiple waterfalls. These staircases must require constant maintenance, which explained the ticket price right of the bat, and even made twenty bucks seem like a bit of a bargain.

The grandest of the waterfalls is located right at the beginning of the trail and is aptly named “Main Falls”. If you are looking for a fun outing with your kids, you could spend a decent amount of time just in the park’s entry area and viewing Main Falls without too much grumbling from the kiddos or the less actively inclined participants in your group. We, however, were looking to put some distance between ourselves and the crowds and headed down the stairs of the “red trail” toward the nature trails.

Once we passed a sign that advertised that what lay beyond were trails intended for experienced hikers only, the crowds died down a lot. We passed more people than we did on our walks in Harrisburg to and from XL Live, but had little portions of the trail completely to ourselves. Shortly into the nature trail, we found a Bigfoot silhouette and I couldn’t resist asking Mike to snap these photos before thanking him for putting up with me.

We realized the distances depicted on the map provided by the Visitor’s Center did not accurately represent the actual distances between each waterfall and lookout, nor their actual location on the side of the creek. It made for a journey that kept us a little on our toes and each discrepancy we came across provided a little comic relief. Once we got closer to a waterfall called “Bridesmaid’s Falls”, we caught a glimpse of herds of creatures in their natural habitat. The Poconos are, after all, a popular destination for bachelorette parties. I, myself, can recall more than one occasion of traipsing around the region with a “Bride Tribe” Shot Glass Necklace and even a green wig, in one case. I suppose the name of this waterfall was a particular draw for these herds of women along with one further along called “Bridal Veil Falls”. Bushkill knows its market, I guess.

We ended our hike with a scenic view of the Delaware Valley which had not yet fully blossomed with fall color, but still provided a picturesque sight (and another silhouette of Bigfoot!). With tired muscles from miles and miles of inclined walking over the course of one day, we headed back to the car, which was good an dirty by this point, and drove to our final stop to check into our hotel.

Stroudsburg

We checked into The Penn Stroud in downtown Stroudsburg where our room was comfortable, though the lighting was a bit stark for my taste. If it were up to me, Bright White lightbulbs would be reserved for medical facilities, research labs, emergency exits, and nowhere else. The Penn Stroud, however, seemed to have a different opinion of them and used them in abundance. There was a desk lamp in the room, so we switched that baby on and that provided relief from the bright-as-day lighting. We freshened up and headed back out for dinner.

We tried out Farmhouse Mainstreet in downtown Stroudsburg, which had a very different menu to the all-day brunch menu posted on their website, but we decided to still give it a shot. It looked cozy with a distressed vintage vibe in the pictures online and even would have been if bright-as-day lights weren’t trending in Stroudsburg. I ordered the Apple Arugula Salad with Chicken which was delicious and Mike ordered something that tasted much less impressive. The service was weird and the servers seemed annoyed with one another, which was uncomfortable as diners, but my cocktail and meal were delicious so it could just be that we came on an off day. I hope so.

After dinner, we headed down the street to Down River Brewing Company. The brewery was set deep within a fluorescent lit indoor mall type place and we instantly turned around upon seeing it was karaoke night. Now, I’m a fan of karaoke sometimes, but it wasn’t what we were looking for on a Saturday night on our little weekend away. We switched gears and headed to Finola’s Irish Pub, finally finding a place that suited the ambiance we were craving.

At Finola’s, my perfectly poured pint of Guinness picked up my spirits as we sat there at the bar, puzzled by Saturday night in Stroudsburg (and Friday night in Harrisburg). I followed my Guinness with a non-alcoholic beer to stretch the night a little further before we headed back to our hotel for some much needed sleep after our long day of driving and hiking.

The previous evening’s track record left me a little wary of brunch that Sunday, but there was no need for that whatsoever. The Cure Cafe was a cozy little spot on Main Street that had us leaving Stroudsburg on a high note. We sat outside, bundled up in our jackets and I had my first coffee since May (five months with no coffee- I’m still in disbelief) and enjoyed every sip of it alongside my breakfast. With achy leg muscles, full bellies, and a family birthday party to get to, we got back in the car and headed out, leaving the Poconos behind us until next time.

If you are enjoying these little PA travel journals, great, because there’s one more to come! If not, bear with me and I’ll be sure to write some strictly cozy posts soon. Thanks for reading and have a cozy day! 💖

Travel

Pennsylvania Getaways: West Chester

November 7, 2024November 21, 2024 Beth DeFriesLeave a comment

We’ve gone to Pennsylvania more than we’ve gone to most places this year and I haven’t written about any of these little jaunts since a post from last December, which, if I’m being honest, was mostly about New Jersey anyway. The Keystone State little-spoons my beloved Garden State and in my head, the two go together like meat and potatoes.

Ever since before I was born, my family in New Jersey and my family in Pennsylvania would cross state lines frequently, whether it be for birthdays, holidays, weddings, funerals, or simply weekends spent amongst each others’ company. There were more adults than kids when all the East Coasters got together, so the parents, my Aunt Arlene, and my Nana could relax a little while my sister, my cousins, and I ran around and played like little Wild Things, exploding with imaginative creativity.

To this day, Mike and I often find ourselves climbing into the car and making the trek to PA for some reason or another. The journey has become so familiar that I forget these excursions are even trips at all. For my next few posts, I am going to focus on a few destinations in the Keystone State that were new to us this year. So, without further ado, let’s get started on today’s featured destination!

West Chester

What brings you to West Chester? you might ask in a tone questioning our judgement or maybe even our sanity as one shop clerk and one winery barman asked me while on our trip there. For vacation! I replied, wondering why West Chester seemed to have been discounted as a vacation destination by its own locale. Still, the town and the surrounding landscape provided a charming weekend getaway for us, so let me fill you in on the details because I know after that intro, you are raring to get yourselves there!

Lodging

We stayed downtown at the Hotel Warner, an art deco style building, constructed where the grand Warner Theatre once stood. The hotel’s lobby was formerly the lobby of the theatre, which was left standing after a portion of the theatre was demolished in the 80s, and paid homage to the location’s history with photos, a mural, and memorabilia.

Our room was comfortable for our two-night stay and a light continental breakfast was included each morning. There was a cozy reading spot in the room where I crushed a good chunk of The Alice Network by, Kate Quinn, posted my Tolkien Takeaways post, and Googled the poet Baudelaire.

Looking at the History page of the Hotel Warner’s website now, there is a funny line about the Warner Theatre that is reminiscent of the reactions I got from locals regarding why we chose West Chester as a vacation destination, “The theatre was considered so grand by the local people that it was rumored to have been intended for Westchester New York and put in West Chester, Pennsylvania by mistake.” Believe in yourself, West Chester! Because the people believe in you!

Dining & Drinks

When we went to West Chester back at the end of March, I had not yet been bitten by the question that fueled me to embark on my healthy habits journey, so food and drink were activities high on the agenda for the weekend.

Keep reading for more info on some dining spots I’d recommend!

Stove & Tap West Chester, Downtown West Chester

We ate dinner at Stove & Tap on our first night in town. The restaurant had a polished, industrial-chic vibe, replete with light fixtures strung from pulleys, rope dividers, antique-y tin ceiling tiles, and an airy, modern color scheme throughout. The food was delicious! Menu highlight: Fried Brussels Sprouts

Sedona Taphouse, Downtown West Chester

Sedona Taphouse called to us as we passed by on our walk back to our hotel after Stove & Tap and we decided we’d make a reservation for the next night. It did not disappoint. Despite its lofty ceilings and copper touches, the stone walls and warm lighting gave this place a super cozy vibe. Everything we tried was delicious and our server was kind and attentive. If you’re in the area, snag a reservation! Menu highlight: Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Braeloch Brewing, Kennett Square, PA

If you have a passion for beer and are visiting Longwood Gardens for the day or are just visiting Kennett Square, I recommend giving this place a try for a brew or a flight and some lunch. The food was hearty and there were some good options for sharables on the menu. The beers available on tap rotate, but there is a good range of options for beer lovers of all preferences. They even have Athletic Brewing non-alcoholic beers on their menu, along with seltzers and a selection of soft drinks for those who prefer not to drink alcohol. The vibe was cool, quirky, and rustic and there is a sign by the bathrooms that I hope makes you laugh as much as it made me laugh. Sometimes, it’s just the little things, you know?

Stargazers Vineyard, Coatesville, PA

This picturesque vineyard was nestled at the very end of a rural, residential street and we loved the idea that people living in this little neighborhood could just walk a few steps up the hill to a winery and vineyard. Besides us, there was only one other group in the small tasting room, a group of friends who seemed to know the barman and who had brought a picnic and a sleepy dog with them. We sat at a sunbathed table by the window overlooking the rows of vines, competing with the ladybugs on the windowpane for an unimpeded view. Our time here was relaxing and the atmosphere was laid back and friendly, like a little neighborhood gathering spot. The barman played different songs as they came to him and provided a commentary of why he was choosing the next song. As we were paying our tab after finishing our flight of wine, he asked why we had come to the area in the way I mentioned earlier and then he asked if I had listened to Beyoncé’s country album, Cowboy Carter, yet. He seemed disappointed that I had not; in fact I still haven’t listened to it yet. Sorry! I know! I’ll pop it on now while I continue writing this post.

And now, onto our non-food or drink related main activity for the weekend…

Longwood Gardens

I recommend visiting Longwood Gardens when all of the fountains are on. It was still very pretty when we went and we were lucky to be able to see the beautiful tulips, but be sure to time your visit better than we did if you are going in hopes of seeing the fountain water shows. From what I read, they are supposed to be pretty impressive, I, however, cannot attest firsthand as only one small fountain was on while we were visiting.

The Open Air Theatre Fountain is open from early May to mid November. If you are reading this when I am posting it, you still have until November 17th to catch a water show before the fountains are turned off for the season! If you do visit during the colder months, be sure to visit the indoor conservatory to wander around in the tropical oasis curated within. There is a beer garden, cafe, restaurant, and store located on the grounds as well if you are a one-stop-shop kind of person or group looking for a full day activity.

Shopping

West Chester offers a cute, walkable downtown, which is what drew me to pick it for vacation in the first place. I like to peruse little independent shops that have set up their establishments in little red brick buildings. That’s just who I am and who I will always be and I find it relaxing.

I am addicted to stationary, in particular, and I know that in a cute walkable downtown, there is always at least one shop where I can find unique stationary and cards. I like to write and send and frame and stock as many cards as will fit in my designated stationary drawer. Maybe I have a problem. Who knows? (Me. I know. But that’s ok right?!) Anyway, I found what I was on the hunt for in West Chester, a baby shower card for a friend, in a shop called Thistle Be Perfect and that was my purchasing complete for the weekend.

So my friends, whether you are looking for a laid back daytrip from Philly or a weekend getaway from a little further afield like we were, I’d say West Chester is worth giving some thought! There’s a little bit of something for everyone and it’s not a bear to plan, which always has its benefits. You can kind of pick and choose your itinerary as you go, so if that’s how you like to travel, check it out for yourself! With that, I’ll end this post and look forward to telling you about another destination in the Keystone State next time! Thanks for reading! 🙂

Cozy Posts

October Postcard

October 14, 2024November 21, 2024 Beth DeFriesLeave a comment

It’s October-proper October, with its changing colors, crunchy leaves, and clouds that paint a gray scale on the sky like an art class assignment with splashes of periwinkle where the colors got too mixed. The heat’s still off, but there’s a chill inside that calls for tea and so, I’ll put the kettle on. This morning feels Darjeeling-y to me or “Darling”-y as my friend Kelsey might say, so a darling morning it shall be.

I’m drowning in an old sweater, but it’s a favorite so it still felt right to choose it from the drawer this morning and pull it on, familiar in its soft feel and deep orange hue. Today needs to be an editing day for a second draft of a play that I don’t know what to do with once it’s finished which is why it is not finished and such a day calls for being cozy. The writing is the part that I understand. The rest is a learning process that feels like school on a day there’s a test I didn’t study for. The words are out of my head and that was the point. Any other points that follow are just gifts as far as I am concerned.

I’ve always loved October. October is for reading and Crock-Pot dinners and long hikes along crisp trails. It’s for writing about color and family and mysterious goings-on. It’s for sweatshirts on the beach and cold sand under bare feet. And this particular October, I turn thirty-three, a number I have no notions about whatsoever, a number that just is, and that’s alright with me.

Thirty-two was good and great and fine, challenging and interesting, awkward and confident, revelatory and strong. It was a year for change and writing, for spontaneous adventure and wanderlust, for mindset shifts, new wheels, and a new reflection.

There were strengthened ties with acquaintances that became friends, dinners and drinks and walks, belly laughs, and little smiles. And now it’s October again, another year around the thermonuclear reactor nearly complete and only life to show for it.

It’s hard to keep up with everyone and that’s part of why I write posts like this here. For the ones who have kept up, you’ve kept me from the lonely side of writing and there are not enough thank yous for that. For the ones who haven’t so much, I hope you are all well and I’d love to hear from you sometime, no matter how long it’s been.

My friend, Katherine, sends me postcards from her travels and last week I found Edinburgh sitting right there in the mailbox. I read her words in her handwriting and enjoyed the little excerpts of her trip. To me, it doesn’t really matter what picture adorns a postcard; recent ones always go on the fridge- words out. Handwritten mail is special and is protected from minimalism in my house. A friend’s handwriting and their carefully chosen words are connections to be valued; they are love and thoughtfulness in written form. It has me thinking it’s been a while since I’ve written a card just because and, who knows, maybe October will be a month for some snail mail.

Travel

Colorado Travel Journal

September 16, 2024November 21, 2024 Beth DeFriesLeave a comment

Hi friends! I hope September has been treating you well. I’ve got my Earl Gray tea in my favorite mug as I write this post on our big, blue couch, doing my best to unfold the words and style on the page. One thing is certain, however, as I look down at the mostly blank screen. Today, I will write about mountains.

Last week, we got back from an incredible trip to Colorado and I’m already looking forward to returning sometime in the future as some of the places we visited definitely rank among the most beautiful sights I have ever seen.

We made sure to spend the first couple of days of our trip acclimating to the elevation so that we’d be less prone to the dangers and discomfort of altitude sickness while hiking and visiting high vista points later on in Rocky Mountain National Park. Our trip began in Denver, also known as “the mile high city”, where we explored the lively, eclectic neighborhoods of LoHi (Lower Highland) and RiNo (River North Arts District) and the quiet, active, residential pièce de résistance of Wash Park (Washington Park).

Denver

We told ourselves we were going to limit our alcohol intake on this trip compared to other vacations as it can dehydrate you and dehydration puts you at greater risk for altitude sickness. That being said, our first stop was Denver Beer Co. on Platte Street in LoHi. We went on a mission to try their award-winning pilsner called “Love This City”, but the brewery didn’t have it in any form when we went. We chose our runner-up orders from the beer list and poured ourselves two large glasses of water from the tap in the tasting room to stay hydrated. We enjoyed our beers in a shady spot on the covered patio area, happy to find that both the beer and the tap water were delicious. If you go to Colorado, bring a refillable bottle and fill whenever you can. We needed to fill ours a lot because the Denver air was dry as toast to our sea-level and humidity accustomed bodies. Lip balm and lotion also came in very handy for staying comfortable in the dry climate.

We enjoyed a visit to the Denver Central Market where we caught some of the US Open Men’s Semi Final while sipping on non-alcoholic beers. We started getting hungry and decided on a nearby spot for dinner, Work & Class, where we were seated quickly and received attentive service and delicious food, the best of which, we agreed, was something called “The Massive Attack Salad” which was loaded with perfectly seasoned vegetables tossed in parmesan and lemon vinaigrette. Yum!

The next day, we visited Wash Park, a neighborhood that we read is where the locals go to show off “the best of Denver” to visitors. We enjoyed walking around Smith Lake in the park and the cute shops and restaurants on S. Gaylord Street. One shop in particular, The Paper Lady, called to me reminding me of all the upcoming birthdays for friends and family. Once we were all stocked up on festive stationary, we were ready to continue on our adventure.

Red Rocks Amphitheatre

We hopped in the car and headed on toward our next stop, one we were very excited for- Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Park in Morrison, CO. I had searched AllTrails for easy hikes in Red Rocks and found only one, Mt. Vernon Creek Trail. We parked at the trailhead, laced up our hiking boots and got started on the trail, which AllTrails had said was popular, but on which we saw no one. AllTrails had also warned that the trail was overgrown, which it very much was, and to be aware of rattlesnakes and mountain lions.

Early into our hike, I couldn’t help but imagine mountain lions crouched in the tall grass watching us intently and hearing the imagined stage whispers of snakes rattling in warning at the sound of our steps. I voiced the desire to turn around and make our way back to the car. Mike was happy to oblige and was kind enough to wait to tell me about the large spider he saw on the trail until we were clear of the trailhead. It was a relief to get back in the car.

We drove up a short way within the park and parked at the base of Red Rocks Amphitheatre. On concert days, the Amphitheatre is open to the public until around 2:00PM. We began the climb up to the venue, applying sunscreen and taking frequent water breaks, still not adjusted to the dry air of the higher altitude. The music venue sits at approx. 6,450 feet above sea level, but the view was well worth the climb.

Boulder

The next stop on our journey was Boulder, Co. Boulder is a bustling college town packed with restaurants, shops, and plenty of outdoor adventure right on its doorstep. We walked the bustling, pedestrian Pearl Street and stopped at Bohemian Biergarten for some regular and non-alcoholic beer. (As a side note, non-alcoholic beer options have become varied and plentiful and serve as a great alternative to regular beer for far fewer calories. They have really come in clutch to help in not feeling deprived while adopting a healthier lifestyle.)

Among the many shop offerings in town, I only really wanted to visit a bookstore. (I always want to visit a bookstore.) We scoped out the options in town and Boulder Bookstore was just the ticket to satisfy my craving. I perused two of the three floors of shelves, in search of a few books I’ve been hunting down for my collection and settled on a nostalgic childhood favorite, Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth.

Later in the evening, we grabbed some dinner outdoors at Postino Boulder, an excellent Pearl Street spot for watching passerby while savoring a glass of wine and some delicious bruschetta boards. After dinner, we decided we had enough room to share a small gelato from Gelato Boy before heading back to our hotel to rest up for our next day’s adventures.

The Flatirons

If you go to Boulder, be sure not to pass up a hike in Chautauqua Park and The Flatirons. We started our outdoor excursion on Chautauqua Trail from Chautauqua Park with a breathtaking view of the pointed peaks of The Flatirons rising against the sky like stone giants. We hiked to the tree line and into the woods, watching our footing on dusty trails while strategically navigating the rocky terrain in parts. We marveled at rock climbers passing us expertly in their sandals or even bare feet, in one case, with bulky crash pads or young children strapped to their backs.

We reached a point in the trail where we could see climbers ascending a steep face of rock with some strategizing how to begin from the base of the rock. We didn’t linger too long as the trail was pretty crowded and soon continued on our less steep path.

Climbers (in blue and in yellow) approach the top of the rock face

After our hike, we shared a hodgepodge meal of left overs in Chautauqua Park and embarked on the way up to the mountains and to Estes Park, the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park.

Estes Park

Estes Park had a lot more going on than I had expected of a mountain town. The downtown area had many shops, restaurants, breweries, and even a movie theatre and was full of people exploring the area. Our first stop was Lily Lake where we got our first glimpse of up close views of the surrounding mountains.

Rocky Mountain National Park

We checked into our hotel, The Appenzell Inn, just a short drive from downtown before heading over to the park with a late in the day timed entry to try and squeeze in a hike to Alberta Falls from the Glacier Gorge trailhead before our dinner reservation, which we failed to do that day since parking can be quite challenging in the park. We have learned it may be best to park in the Park & Ride Lot on Bear Lake Road and take the complimentary shuttle to the Glacier Gorge and Bear Lake Trailheads. We were, however, able to take a walk around the manmade Sprague Lake, which was similarly pretty as Lily Lake and used to be part of a mountain resort run by Abner and Alberta Sprague in the late 1800s to early 1900s. We’d just have to take advantage of our earlier timed entry the next day to make the most of our time in the park.

Timed Entry & Parking

Mike was on top of reserving a timed entry slot well in advance for Bear Lake Road for 8:00AM for our big hiking day. He made the reservation about a month in advance. Timed entry for Bear Lake Road opens at 5:00AM and goes until 6:00PM. Despite getting there at 7:45AM, we had no luck with parking at the Bear Lake Trailhead as we’d hoped and had to park at the Park & Ride lot anyway.

Lake Haiyaha

This hike was incredible you guys! The approximately two miles of steady incline was not too difficult for our moderate level of fitness. The Bear Lake Trailhead sits at approximately 9,475 feet and Lake Haiyaha sits about 865 feet higher. The trail is winding and beautiful with many views on the way up and ends at a boulder field around the glacial lake which required a bit of scrambling to get a view of the lake. We found a good little spot to eat our lunch right by the water and took in the fresh air and lake views which were framed by the surrounding peaks and distant tundra.

Dream Lake

We made our way back down the trail to the junction of Dream Lake and Emerald Lake. Dream Lake is very fitting of its name with its clear shallows and turquoise depths, all framed by mountain peaks and trees. This was my favorite of the lakes we saw, while Mike’s was Lake Haiyaha.

Emerald Lake

This was a crowded one, friends, but lovely all the same. We did some minor rock scrambling for a good view away from the crowds and sat for a short while before making our way to Bear Lake for an easy stroll around the lake path.

Alberta Falls

I love a good waterfall and this one did not disappoint. We took the shuttle from the Bear Lake lot to the Glacier Gorge Trailhead and began the pleasant climb to Alberta Falls, a 1.6 mile round trip journey, really glad we’d had time to fit it in to our day of hiking in the park.

Downtown Estes Park & The Stanley Hotel

At the end of our park day, we returned to our hotel to freshen up before heading out to try a local brewery, Rock Cut Brewing. The beer at Rock Cut was delicious, the most interesting of which we found to be one called Serrano Paintbrush, which tasted just like a fresh pepper. Absolutely delicious!

Afterwards, we drove by The Stanley Hotel which inspired Stephen King’s well known horror novel, The Shining, careful not to get too close.

For dinner, we headed to an Irish and Scottish Pub in downtown Estes Park called the Twisted Griffin where we sat at the bar and received attentive service from the friendly bartender, Joel. I continued my dilemma of how to order a Guinness with Harp, which some pubs refer to as a Half & Half and others as a Black & Tan. I always happen to order it the way the pub doesn’t refer to it as, so I’m coping with that ongoing dilemma as best I can.

Trail Ridge Road & Alpine Visitor’s Center

Our final morning in Colorado was reserved for views and, boy, did we get views! We made our way into the park and began the winding drive up Trail Ridge Road, which peaks at an elevation of 12,183 feet. Our destination was the Alpine Visitor’s Center, which is located at an elevation of 11,796 feet. If you are looking for spectacular views of the mountains, you will find them on this road; I promise.

Trail Ridge Road is only open seasonally as the road gets a lot of snow in the winter, spring, and even early summer. Visitors can also expect rapidly changing weather conditions at these higher elevations and it is strongly advised to be off the tundra before noon to avoid dangers like lightning, strong winds, and storms. We had to return our rental car to the airport in Denver by 12:30PM, so this wasn’t a huge concern for us. The winding roads, however, are not for the faint of heart and may induce sweaty palms as your car climbs higher and higher into the mountains.

I hope you enjoyed this little travel journal of our trip to Colorado. I can’t recommend a trip out there enough and can’t wait to get back and maybe try some different trails in the park. If you have a favorite National Park, let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading and have an adventurous day!

Travel

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

May 9, 2024November 21, 2024 Beth DeFriesLeave a comment

Today has been written off as a travel recovery day. We got home from the airport around 2:30AM due to a delay on our flight home from the sunshine state, but we were happy to have gotten home by then at all. The flight at the neighboring gate to ours in Tampa was canceled after 3+ hours of delays which resulted in one of the disappointed LaGuardia-bound passengers going full Hulk in the terminal, such that he had to be escorted out by eight police officers. We felt lucky in comparison to only be delayed two hours and not to have to spend the night in some airport hotel by the Bay in return-limbo.

Once we deplaned in Newark, the trek from our gate to our car felt long. We were racing against an unknown grace-period beyond the length of our pre-paid parking. We rolled our carry-ons along the waxed tile floors of the shiny new-ish terminal, down an escalator, up an escalator, down an escalator again. We slugged along the acid-washed, blue passage connecting Terminal A to the Airtrain station, passing a man who had lost all care for his luggage and was scraping his bags along the passage wall. We transferred on the Airtrain and finally arrived at our unreliable little car that decided to be reliable this morning, the little angel. We were pleasantly surprised to still be within the parking grace-period when driving through the exit toll of the garage and that put a smile on our faces.

We decided that, despite being dead tired, a stop at Wawa seemed necessary on the way home. Mike expertly navigated the confusing start to our journey as I pointed out all the ways we would have taken a wrong turn and ended up somewhere in Elizabeth if I were navigating.

We enjoyed the empty highways characteristic of the early morning hours when most of New Jersey’s dwellers are nestled in their beds. The hour offered quiet, cool relief compared with the Florida heat and Wawa was a bright, quick respite. We stocked up on a few snacks and we were home soon enough.

Typically, I unpack everything as soon as we get home, but hunger and sleepiness delayed this process. We ate our “meal” in groggy, happy silence, brushed our teeth and fell asleep before we even realized it.

Today, my muscles and bones feel like they were replaced with wet sand and my hair could use a wash but that would certainly be overextending for the day. The grocery shopping is done, the bags are unpacked, and a load of laundry needs to be folded, but that can wait until tomorrow. I preferred to sit here and catch up with you, to move my fingers, and pretend the day was somewhat productive even though I may still be a little bit asleep. I will relish 2:00AM tomorrow from my dreams, tucked comfortably up in warm sheets and a quilt, unconscious to the stress and uncertainties of planes, trains, and automobiles.

Cozy Posts · Nostalgic Posts

Good Bones

March 26, 2024November 21, 2024 Beth DeFries1 Comment

The heart of the shore house beats with the influx of familiar faces after the renting geese who flocked here for a change of scenery migrate home. The stairs creak in welcome at the sound of our identifiable steps and the walls sigh with relief as we walk through the front door and exchange warm greetings amongst family. The smiles, raised glasses, wagging tails, and toddler hugs refuel our tired spirits and remind us that although we share this place with so many, it is ultimately ours and together, we are home.

The shore house, though never my primary residence, is the home that I remember best from my childhood. It is where I spent my summers with my Nana and my Aunt Arlene. It is where I learned to cook with way too much butter and salt which I’ve since learned to remediate. It is where I learned the manners of a lady and sometimes defied that lesson by channeling a hereditary instinct to be wild thanks to the generation before me (though it is now impossible to mislay the cup, napkin, knife, and fork in a table setting).

The shore house has seen me shattered, coming back to a gloom within its walls that seemed they’d never feel full again the day my Aunt Arlene lost her battle with pancreatic cancer. The shore house helped me to start the healing process in the days that followed. It is where I learned the benefits of solitude, self-reflection, and the great company and support that you can find on the pages of a book.

The shore house, along with my Nana and Aunt Arlene, is why I know my family so well, why my cousins are more like sisters to me and my sister, and why I feel a need to spend so much effort nurturing a building, these days, despite the fact that doing so can push me to my stress limits better than anything else can.

With the shore house, my Nana and her sister created a home for all of the family to feel is ours. Nurturing the space reciprocates a respect for the value that it adds and has added to our family’s shared experience. In our shared home, we strive for functionality and something that is easier to care for, for the benefit of our migrating guests, but we also make sure that there is an abundance of coziness for ourselves as well.

Coziness, to me, is a combination of functionality, minimalism, and personal identity. Sometimes coziness seems like something else entirely to other members of my family. We make it work, though I can’t fully say I understand how.

Conch shells, Bananagrams tiles, paintings of ships in storms, lighthouse figurines, and donation bags coexist.

Sisters, cousins, grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, husbands, fiancées, Daisy (and Dixie), and friends coexist.

Someone always has to sleep in Room 6 and wake up with a head bruise or two, courtesy of the steeply sloped ceiling.

There are often more than twenty-five pairs of shoes by the front door. The TV volume always fuels debate for what is to be considered a reasonable volume, as my Nana used to say. It takes hours to settle on a movie to watch and then someone inevitably leaves the room just after we hit play.

At the shore house, we drink way too much whiskey, too much wine, and just enough beer. Cheese and See’s Candies are considered reasonable meals. We stay up too late talking and laughing on the porch. We wake up to Daisy sniffing at the bedroom door and come downstairs to the perfume of coffee, the sound of cartoons, and a chorus of good mornings in the living room with each new entrant.

There are porch people and couch people and beach people.

The showers are usually taken.

The showers are cold when it’s finally your turn.

The kitchen is stifling in the evening no matter what setting the ceiling fan is on.

Eggs, oatmeal, bacon, and Del Ponte’s treats nourish us in the mornings – and coffee, of course. “I could do another cup,” sings the chorus of porch people.

We smell like sunscreen and the ocean. We are fiercely competitive at Five Crowns and The Fishbowl Game. Our shoulders sparkle with dried, Atlantic salt. We find sand in unexpected places. We could write an encyclopedia of inside jokes at the end of each summer, but sometimes forget how they originated.

We welcome, we nurture, we work hard and together. We keep the dream going for another year and another year and another year, thinking it’s getting easier until something hard happens. And then we remind ourselves that despite occasional stress fractures, it’s possible to heal, and our house has good bones.

Cozy Posts

The Way of Juniper on Berry

March 14, 2024November 21, 2024 Beth DeFriesLeave a comment

My memories of Brooklyn cloud over slowly with time, coated with the city’s grime that films over its fixtures and ghosts. The exhaust of the exhausted, the grit of the grind, the exhalation of industry. It kept me from opening the bedroom windows on Union Avenue many nights, despite the need for air as the steam heat screamed and clanged, caged within the pipes in our apartment, turning us into puddles as we slept. I’d seen that grime when I first moved to the city after college, blowing sooty mucus into a tissue and thinking, Huh? That can’t be normal.

My body got used to the city air quickly, learning to filter the mystery particles or at least disguise them beyond recognition. My muscles got used to the steps in subway stations, to city blocks, and to running. I ran a lot in the early years of living in the city, training for long distance races under the bright lights in McCarren Park, sharing lane one of the track with serious runners, stray soccer balls, and unobservant spectators. The smell of the track overpowered the scent of sweat. The green turf was grass-like enough and soothing to look at. We collected turf pellets in our running shoes and displayed them on the russet tiles by the front door in the kitchen.

We lived about a mile from McCarren Park at one point before moving to our place on Union Avenue and used to run to and from the track on training days. The nights before trash pickup were always the worst. Some people will know that it’s already suffocating to run in a sports bra, but add having to hold your breath past oozing piles of trash bags at the curb and the small heart attacks that accompany rats darting from those piled, plastic lumps and it’s really great training for lung capacity.

The air always seemed fresher inside somehow, in New York, aside from the city’s beautiful parks and green spaces. Even the musty scent of reclaimed wood and damp hops was inviting walking past the local bars and restaurants. I miss that smell sometimes, now that we don’t go for a pint or two on the regular, like we used to.

After a couple of our usual haunts closed down and transformed into one thing and then another, we discovered a great little place on Berry near Bedford Ave called Juniper. Juniper was a cozy respite from the crowded neighborhood a block over on Bedford Ave and it was BYO, something difficult to find at the time in our corner of Williamsburg. We’d pick up a six pack of Abita Amber, glance at the chalkboard specials to see if they still had the blackened chicken sandwich and the chicken pot pie. Then, the cool, quirky waiter with the untamed hair and the loud 90s sweater would come over, bopping to an internal song that didn’t match the one playing over the speakers. I remember I’d always burn my tongue on the pot pie because I was too impatient and it was too delicious. Mike would always nod in approval after the first bite of his blackened chicken sandwich. We’d sip our Abita Ambers and say, “I really like coming here.” The place made us smile and prompted conversations at every little table inside.

I remember we went to Juniper once and the lights weren’t working, but the kitchen appliances were. The staff had strung white twinkle lights in the kitchen and lit candles throughout the restaurant. They ran out of sandwich buns at one point and the owner ran out and got some more from the grocery store down the street. We enjoyed our meal in the dark alongside other Juniper devotees and respected the hustle of the restaurant staff and owner, who appeared to be having fun despite the evening’s setbacks.

One night, we were looking forward to a hearty, cozy meal at our favorite place and made our way across the neighborhood to Berry Street. We picked up our six pack before heading over to Juniper. In the distance, we saw another couple standing outside the door to the restaurant. They had their six pack too, but they did not go inside. The restaurant was dark. No lights twinkled within. The candles were extinguished. We looked on Google and our faces fell at the words Permanently Closed.

New York is like that sometimes. It will whet your appetite and break your heart. It will soot your nose. It will train and test your strength. And you’ll go on and it will remain with you in your brain, lungs, and blood. When we went the way of Juniper and left the city, I took Brooklyn with me. When we walk down Union Avenue now, we’ve been replaced in our old apartment, but it will always be ours somehow and we too will always be Brooklyn’s.

Travel

“Beware of Flamingos”

January 8, 2024November 21, 2024 Beth DeFriesLeave a comment

Our final approach into Key West International Airport was one of my most memorable so far. Looking out the window, a little smile suspended my cheeks in a dreamy state of cheerfulness as the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean met below us, guiding the way to the Conch Republic. We landed and took our phones off airplane mode and I let me family know we’d made it safely.

The airport grounds crew rolled up a ramp to the door of the plane, as though an impressive set piece in an extravagant production and we collected our bags, thanked the in-flight crew and bounced down the metal pathway, eager to get the day started after spending hours traveling. A warm breeze whipped through the air and the thunder of jet engines and nearby construction roared in our ears as we followed the fluid foot traffic from the plane, through the tiny terminal with car rental counters and an indoor bar aiming for island vibes, and to the ride-share pickup area. A hankering for cocktails by the water and a grumble in our bellies decided the itinerary for the afternoon, but first we wanted to drop our bags off at the hotel.

Mike summoned a Lyft and we were off. Our driver, a friendly man from Haiti, welcomed us to Key West and told us we would love it and, without prompt, assured us it was a safe place. “Nothing bad ever happened here,” he said, “You can walk around and just enjoy yourselves. You don’t have to worry.” We were not worried to begin with, but it was nice to hear his advice all the same and we were more than ready to walk around and enjoy ourselves.

Our driver dropped us off at our hotel, The Marker, and the staff at the front desk were friendly and accommodating when we asked to store our bags until our room was ready. Bag check tags safely stowed in my handbag, we made our way to Sunset Pier by the Ocean Key Resort & Spa to satiate my thirst for cocktails by the water. I ordered a Grapefruit Crush and Mike got a Florida Keys Brewing Co beer from the bar and we chose two colorful stools overlooking the water and the island of Sunset Key.

No view beats a water view, for me. Make that water turquoise and crystalline and I’m in love. Vacation had officially started and I grew pleasantly drowsy as the jetlag sat heavy upon on my eyelids, the fruity alcohol concoction going down easy, and the gentle sound of water lapped at the pier below and before us through the slats of the railing. We decided we were craving tacos and narrowed our preference down to Amigos Tortilla Bar on Greene Street as it was close and well reviewed and we were hungry.

We were seated immediately at an outdoor counter overlooking Greene Street, a prime people-watching station which I recommend as a top Key West activity. Across the street was Capt. Tony’s Saloon, a bar that boasted a claim of being the oldest bar in Florida, which we knew could in no way be true as we’d been to St. Augustine two years earlier. Still, as we waited for our food, we enjoyed watching the Capt. Tony’s patrons attempt to “feed” coins to the Atlantic goliath grouper suspended above the establishment’s sign, in hopes that good luck would follow them throughout their time on the island if their coin was successfully consumed.

*Capt. Tony’s Saloon from Amigo’s Tortilla Bar*

Lunch was both delicious and refreshing. I opted for tacos, one pork and one shredded chicken, both on corn tortillas and an Islamorada Ale. We were still waiting on the text from our hotel informing us that our room was ready and I wanted to explore Duval Street. We paid the bill and set out to explore.

Duval street is packed with shops, restaurants, and people – hoards and hoards of people. The days we were there, we saw a large cruise ship docked in the port at Mallory Square which definitely contributed to the congestion of the Historic Seaport and Old Town neighborhoods of the little island. Though crowded, we’re not talking Times Square crowded, so we were hardly phased.

We perused the shops and architecture along Duval Street from the sidewalk and navigated south until we’d had enough of the kitchy offerings peeking out at us from shop windows, and changed course in search of the Custom House building, home to the Key West Museum of Art & History, which I had read sometimes displayed large sculpture pieces in front of the building. With no large sculpture on display to marvel at on our visit to the building, however, and receiving the text that our room was ready, we made our way back to The Marker via less busy streets, ingesting the local architecture with each colorful bungalow and guest house we passed along the way, feeling the heat of the afternoon Florida sunshine.

Our room at the Marker was spacious and bright with a king-sized bed, balcony overlooking a palm tree-ensconced parking lot, and a full bathroom equipped with both a shower stall and large soaking tub with key lime scented bath amenities. Mike took a nap and I finished editing a YouTube video and settled in, setting my suitcase on the luggage rack and sliding into my new, pink, satin, travel slippers which replaced my now-recycled, overworn, gray slides with the decorative bows.

Feeling refreshed after getting off of our feet for a couple of hours, we ventured to the outskirts of the Mallory Square Sunset Celebration in search of what all the travel blogs, vlogs, and Tripadvisor promised to be an unforgettable experience. The Sunset Celebration is held nightly and begins approximately two hours before sunset. The celebration is home to lively entertainment including street performers, souvenier and food vendors, live music, and hoards of tourists preferring to see the sunset through their phones instead of with their eyeballs.

It is said that the playwright, Tennessee Williams, began the Sunset Celebration, choosing to applaud the sunset from Mallory Square each evening, with a gin and tonic in hand (what a multi-tasker). Today’s celebration is a far cry from the magic of that image and the dreamer in me felt the experience was muddied by the circus-like spectacle. The crowd was applauding and began to disperse even before the sun reached the horizon, concealed by a cloud for the final moments of its descent, before colorful brushstrokes painted the sky.

We relocated to Sunset Pier next door for pre-dinner cocktails, settling in for the real magic as the crowds thinned and dusk approached. I’m a sucker for a cotton candy sky and this one did not disappoint.

We chose to have dinner at First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery, a restaurant housed in, and adjacent to, the original PanAm ticket office. I am sorry to say it, but I do not have positive things to say about our dining experience there, beyond that the atmosphere of the outdoor patio was indeed very pleasant. Let’s just say we got to enjoy that atmosphere, and that atmosphere alone for a while, as we waited over thirty minutes for our drink order to be taken by someone who was allegedly not supposed to be our server.

Our drinks arrived about twenty minutes after that, delivered by the same “back-up” server who took down our food order which arrived over an hour later, delivered by our “back-up” server who also told us she had to put our dishes on the tray herself in the kitchen. Despite the lackluster service, we still had high hopes that the loftily priced food would be as delicious as the online reviews has promised. We were disappointed in that as well, unfortunately. If you are going to be a brewery and a restaurant and charge lofty prices, please aim to do at least one of those exceedingly well, or reduce your prices.

We decided to seek out adventure for the next day and signed up for a snorkel and sail tour with Island Jane Charters. We started our second day in Key West with brunch at Moondog Cafe. Walking up to Moondog and seeing the huge crowd outside was a little stressful as we were strapped for time, needing to get to our snorkeling rally point in a little less than two hours. I checked in with the hostess, a laid back, Audrey Hepburn admirer who assured me it would be no more than a fifteen minute wait and introduced me to the system of “putting your name down” at Moondog. She withdrew a box of laminated cards from the hostess stand and instructed me to, “Pick a card, any card.” I read the card I withdrew from the box, “Walt Disney,” the name instantly drawing to mind sunny visions of my friends Chelsea and Paige who each frequent Disney vacation properties.

“Are you really?” said the hostess with airy fascination.

“Why not?” I said with a shrug and a smile.

Sixteen minutes later “my name” was called and the hostess widened her eyes with a smile and said, “Shortest fifteen minutes of your life, am I right?”

We followed her inside, past the counter of freshly baked pastries on display and over to our little table beside a colorful floor to ceiling mural depicting Hemingway and the famous cats that now resided at his former property across the corner. Breakfast was delicious and any stress I felt melted away with the first sips of coffee and a few bites of my “Moondog Classic”. It was a relief to taste delicious food after my epic fail of dinner the night before.

We hurried back to The Marker to change for our snorkeling tour and got to the rally point in a less than direct way, but on time, only to be informed that snorkeling the reef was not possible that day due to the recent windy weather making the water too murky to see anything. The sail was still on offer though, and boasted unlimited drinks. We’d get a partial refund if we chose to go on the sail or a full refund if we preferred not to. We decided that already being there and in search of an adventure, that we’d join for the sail and it turned out to be a fun and informative way to pass a couple of hours. Being out on the water alone was worth the price.

One thing first time visitors should be mindful of when visiting Key West is that there are not sandy beaches where you can wade into the water barefoot and bask in the gentle tide. Beaches in Key West, other than Smathers Beach, outside the historic, walkable downtown, are manmade and rocky (and crowded!). It is better to go in search of the plethora of watersports, cruises, and activities offered to satisfy your splashy goals and search for those breathtaking views.

We sat poolside at the Marker for a while after our sail, enjoying live music up until the point where an attention-hungry, over-tanned, grown man decided it would be fun for everyone to experience the interactive journey of him canon-balling into the pool. Next was our old haunt, Sunset Pier, then dinner at what I was hoping would be an excellent Cuban restaurant. (First Flight really pummeled my restaurant confidence, can you tell?) We changed for dinner and walked to El Siboney in the Old Town neighborhood. The place was crowded with tourists when we sat down so I had high hopes it would live up to the hype, and live up to the hype it did.

I ordered the ropa vieja (shredded beef with onions, peppers, tomato, and spices with a side of white rice and black beans) and Mike got the lechon (slow roasted pork marinated in sour orange mojo with onions and a side of white rice and black beans). We both decided it might be the best ropa vieja we have ever tasted and we have tasted some excellent ropa vieja, let me tell you.

We walked back to The Marker, our bellies full, breathing in the humid evening and dodging palm fronds as we passed the colorful bungalows that hugged the sidewalk, warning us to Beware of Flamingos and informing us that Life’s a Beach. We made our way along the streets, many with names of members of British royalty and returned to the Marker, satisfied with our adventures for the day.

We drifted off to sleep, sheltered by the palm trees, enveloped in the welcoming conch spirit, our rental car and Florida Keys road trip lying in wait. We went to Moondog again for one last meal before heading to the airport to collect our rental car and drove east with the thought that one more day in paradise would have been just right.

Travel

Home is Where the Dish Towel is

September 23, 2023November 21, 2024 Beth DeFries3 Comments

Family gatherings have recently swept us up and away on some travels and we feel fortunate to follow where they lead. I am getting more used to sleeping away from home, but am always prepared to tote along a few comforts to bring some home with me wherever we go.

I have often been made fun of when I reveal that I pack one item in particular that others would definitely deem unnecessary, but which has become a necessity for me. Each night when I go to sleep, I lay my head down on a pillow that is blanketed by a Williams-Sonoma dish towel. This habit, born from a practical function of going to sleep right after showering has since become routine regardless of how damp my hair is. It has also garnered many laughs and possibly some judgement when I tell people that I do this. I know you are probably coming to terms with the possibility that I might be a little crazy now too. It’s ok. I’m used to it. I don’t really know why, but I sleep better when there is a dish towel on my pillow, so there is almost always one there.

My travel comforts also include a pair of washable slippers and 3oz bottles of my own body wash and shampoo/conditioner. I have found that hotel-provided toiletries sometimes leave a residue on my skin that I’m not particularly fond of, so I always bring my own. Using my own bath products makes me feel and smell more like myself and as a result, makes me feel more at home. As for the slippers, I prefer to have an extra layer between my feet and the mysteries that lay embedded in the dark, patterned, wall to wall carpeting found in many hotel rooms.

A habit that I have adopted from having friends and family who also travel frequently is to stick with a preferred group of hotels, when possible. My own preference is to stay at Hilton hotels and I even decided to join their loyalty program and apply for their Amex card back in 2019. Having a preferred hotel group takes a lot of the decision fatigue out of trip planning and can also save you money on future trips. I have earned many points since first getting the card in 2019 and have even been able to redeem them for at least a few nights of stays, all just by paying for hotel stays on our other trips or by using my card to purchase things such as groceries or gas. It feels pretty magical when I have enough points to have a free night’s stay.

Another benefit to staying in preferred hotels is the aspect of familiarity you can expect when you check in and enter your room. As a Hilton Honors member, I have become very familiar with the booking, cancellation, and check-in processes and take comfort in knowing what to expect when I book and when I arrive. I know that the hotel will give me two bottles of water at check-in and how to access the Wi-Fi every time. These are little things that go a long way and help me to feel settled and relaxed while away from home.

When away from home, I always set up my nightstand the same way as I do at home. I make sure to have my glasses, water, lip balm, lotion, phone, and phone charger right next to me because my eyesight is pretty poor and stumbling around in the night trying to find these items could be bruise-inducing.

When packing, I opt for packing cubes to help stay organized and these accessories have come to serve a similar function to my dresser drawers at home. The cubes are different sizes and I know what I have packed in each of them so it is easy to find each component of an outfit that I plan to wear. I find that packing light and having a plan or itinerary for what to do each day helps to dress appropriately and the packing cubes just speed up the process even more.

In keeping with this theme of organization, I pretty much have one warm weather and one cold weather packing list and pack mostly the same clothes no matter how many trips I take in each of these climates. For example, on a trip we took to Italy back in May, I packed many of the same items that I took on our recent trip to California. I don’t mind being an outfit repeater and am almost always an outfit repeater on longer trips because I prefer to pack carry-on only.

While I know some of my habits may seem weird to others, I am of the opinion that as long as you are not harming or offending anyone, do whatever you must to carry comfort with you as long as it packs small enough to fit in your carry-on or personal item. If you have habits that make you feel more at home while you are traveling, I would love to hear them in the comments. Thanks for reading and cozy travels everyone! 🙂

Cozy Posts · Travel

Bonjour, hello!

August 28, 2023November 21, 2024 Beth DeFries2 Comments

During the early days of the pandemic, I missed travel intensely. I grew stir crazy in our home and craved to be transported to places outside our walls. The uncertainty about if that would ever happen again just made me crave adventure even more. Without a vaccine on the horizon and since traveling anywhere beyond the front door risked exposure to Covid-19, we stayed inside our home as much as possible, unless it was necessary to go outside.

The first virtual walking tour video that I watched on YouTube during the pandemic was of London’s West End in the rain. It was refreshing to see a landscape that was new to me and to hear the sounds of a city again, albeit subdued, and to hear the patter of the rain on the sidewalks and streets. Everything shone in the water and the light and I “walked” around London for a while.

My favorite walking tour video that I came across since then was of a snowy walk through Québec City at night. This is a video that I will still just put on in the background sometimes and Mike and I have nicknamed it “The Montreal Crunch Crunch” because I kept accidentally thinking it was Montreal and the “crunch crunch” comes from the sound of the videographer’s boots in the snow. The video takes you on a tour of Vieux Québec and slightly beyond the neighborhood’s borders around Christmastime. When I first watched it, I made a mug of hot cocoa and got cozy on the couch on a gray day and it was just exactly the right thing to do. I wandered the winding streets of the old stone city, climbing stairs and inclines in the snow, and my teeth didn’t even chatter once!

A year ago, Mike and I got to experience Québec City in person and though it was devoid of snow in August, it was no less magical. We stayed at the coziest hotel, Hôtel du Vieux-Québec. When researching this hotel, I was drawn to the sturdy, gray, stone walls and liked the idea of sleeping soundly in a fortress of coziness. Some rooms had fireplaces for that added layer of warmth, but we didn’t need that in the summertime so we opted for a more basic room. Each morning of our stay, we woke to a wicker picnic basket hooked on our door, filled with freshly baked croissants, fresh fruit, and freshly squeezed orange juice. We’d eat at the little table by the window that looked out over the side alley and then prepare to start our day of wandering the old city.

Vieux Québec, or Old Québec, is a multi-level city with an “upper” and “lower” town and quite a few steep inclines and staircases between them, but even if you are not comfortable with such terrain, there is a funicular cable car that goes between the terrace of the impressive Fairmont Le Château Frontenac down to lower Vieux Québec and vice versa for a small price. We did not end up riding the funicular, but let’s just say everyday of our trip was leg day.

Having watched the virtual walking tour of Québec so many times, I felt familiar with the geography of the upper and lower towns, but did get thrown off by a few twists and turns. We really enjoyed wandering around the city and to Mike’s annoyance, I found myself frequently stopping to photograph buildings and murals. We stopped into many of the cozy bars and restaurants and ate hearty meals and beaver tails and decided our favorite place was Resto-Pub Q-de-Sac. We enjoyed sitting at the bar, sipping on Boréale Rousse, a delicious Québec brewed amber ale, and snacking on cheese encrusted soupe a l’oignon (onion soup). Inside, the pub was reminiscent of a cozy chalet and I can only imagine what a respite it would be from icy cold evenings in the winter.

We are hoping to go back in the winter sometime to see the city under a blanket of sparkling snow, but before doing so, I learned that I really should brush up on my French which has been rusting over for fourteen years- sacré bleu! Mike and I made a rule that because my French was too rusty to be conversational and Mike does not speak more than a few words, we would walk into restaurants and say “Bonjour, hello” to the proprietor or the host to make them aware from the get go of how poor our handle of the language was. Having taken French for years in middle school and high school, it was definitely embarrassing to not have the confidence to carry out a two way conversation. I found I would ask a question or order in French, but I did not have a strong ear for a local’s fluent response and would get very flustered and turn into a Jersey tomato in the headlights immediately.

“Bonjour, hello” was necessary for us in making our way around the city, where the local language is French. The locals were very friendly and patient with us for which I am so thankful, but I am going to try to get a handle on French again, at least to the point where next time we go, I will have the confidence to have a basic conversation, check into a hotel, or order a meal.

If you enjoyed this post or are interested in reading more about travel, check out my friend Katherine’s new blog, Dear Jane Travel. And until my next post, au revoir, goodbye!