April 7, 2015

Florence and Venice in 72 Hours

Sara Europe, Italy, Travel, Travel Guides + Itineraries Florence, things to do in Florence, things to do in Venice, Venice, weekend in Italy 15 Comments

My first time visiting Europe was when I studied abroad after freshman year of college in Innsbruck, Austria. It was the most amazing 6 weeks of my entire life. It was what really started my obsession with traveling. During my time in Innsbruck, we only had classes Monday-Thursday mornings. So, as soon as the final bell rang (OK, there was no actual bell, this is just figurative) we would head to the Innsbruck train station to hop on a train to other countries for the weekend. Most weekends, we would focus on one place – some of my weekends were spent in Prague, Amsterdam, London, etc. Well, one weekend we decided to take on the heaping task of seeing TWO fantastic cities in a little over 3 days – Florence AND Venice.

How could we cram in two beautiful Italian cities in just 72 hours? Here’s how it went down.

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April 3, 2015

Marvelous Markets, pt. 1: Borough Market – London

Sara England, Markets, UK Burrough Market, London, London food markets, London Markets, things to do in London 13 Comments

Do you love London? Do you love farmer’s markets? Do you love food? I’ll answer all of these for you: YES. Well, those happen to be 3 of my favorite things. Although I haven’t posted too much about it (because I honestly don’t even know where to begin) I’m OBSESSED with London. Plus I LOVE markets of all kind – whether that be food, produce, secondhand, flea, etc. And, obviously, this gal loves to eat too! And I’m really good at it. #moretolove

One of the (many) reasons London my favorite city is because it has TONS of markets. I haven’t been to all of them yet, but I have absolutely LOVED the ones I have been to! And one of the best London markets I’ve been to is Borough Market.

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April 1, 2015

Scenes of Amsterdam from the Canals

Sara Europe, Photo Diaries, Photography, The Netherlands Amsterdam, canal cruise, The Netherlands, things to do in Amsterdam 21 Comments

A boat ride through the Amsterdam canals is a GREAT way to see the city. Amsterdam is filled with 100+ miles of canals and about 1,500 bridges, so if you’re visiting Amsterdam (especially if it’s your first time) you should definitely make it a point to see the city from the water’s vantage point!

Get ready for some beautiful views on the calm Amstel river, all while learning the history of this fascinating city.

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March 30, 2015

A Nice Day in Nice, France

Sara Europe, France Côte d'Azur, France summer destinations, French Riviera, Nice, Things to do in Nice 25 Comments

Sure, Paris is amazing. Obviously. But one area of France that you definitely don’t want to miss on (especially in the summer) is the Côte d’Azur / French Riviera. It’s located on the Southeastern coast of France, and close to the Italian border. This is reflected through its gorgeous Mediterranean waters, amazing sunny climate, and Italian-influenced architecture. The main cities of the French Riviera are Cannes, Nice, and the sovereign state of Monaco. Although I did visit all 3 towns, I want to highlight my day spent in Nice (pronounced “niece”).

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March 26, 2015

My “Signature” Pose (Apparently)

Sara Travel, Travel Inspiration funny travel stories, signature pose, Travel Photography, travel photos 22 Comments

I don’t know about ya’ll, but I look through my old travel photos ALL. THE. TIME.

I could be watching TV or something, and I’ll be simultaneously browsing old pictures from my travels. I’ve looked at them dozens of times before, and yet every time they put me in such a good mood because they take me back to some of the best times of my life.

But recently as I was looking through them again, I noticed something….

I have a “signature” pose.

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March 23, 2015

Expat News / Updates / Freak Outs

Sara Expat, General Musings Expat, expat advise, moving to another country, soon to be expat 27 Comments

I’ll admit it, last week I was hard core slackin’ on this blog. I didn’t post quite as frequently as usual, I was slow to respond to sweet comments, and I didn’t get to do much browsing of other people’s blogs. And I missed it! But I’ve been SO busy starting to really prepare for my big move to Ireland. That’s right, soon I’ll be an expat in Ireland ahhhhh!!!!!!

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March 17, 2015

The Mystical, Magical, Marvelous Quinta da Regaleira

Sara Europe, Portugal Lisbon day trip, Portugal, Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra, things to do in Portugal 12 Comments

Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra, Portugal – the perfect day trip from Lisbon!

The Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra, Portugal is the most magical, perfect day trip from Lisbon.

I mean, this place has everything. A palace with velvet walls, lush gardens, hidden caves, grottoes, statues, AN INVERTED TOWER. (Someone PLEASE tell me they read that in Stefon’s voice. Anyone? Please?)

What I’m saying is…you need to go. OK? Ok great. Now, onto the more formal breakdown…

When leaving Lisbon, Portugal to visit nearby Sintra one afternoon, we decided on a whim to visit the Quinta da Regailera. This Gothic palace and chapel is located in the historic area of Sintra and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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March 12, 2015

Buku, I’ll Miss You: A Review of Buku Festival 2014

Sara Gigs + Festivals Buku 2014, Buku 2015, Buku Music + Arts Project, Buku review, louisiana music festivals, music festivals, New Orleans 7 Comments

Today, I sit in my desk at work. A year ago, however, I was on my way to New Orleans for BUKU Music + Arts Project 2014, a 2-day music festival with an EDM, hip-hop, and indie pop heavy lineup.

I recently did a post for Helene in Between reviewing my experience at BUKU 2014, but for those of you who missed it, and because I haven’t done a music post in a while, AND because I can’t stop thinking about it as I sit here at my desk, here’s another little recap.

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March 10, 2015

5 Reasons Why Cinque Terre is the Absolute WORST

Sara Europe, Italy Cinque Terre, Cinque terre reviews, Italian Riviera, Italy, Summer Destinations, wanderlust 32 Comments

Is Cinque Terre, the iconic cluster of 5 islands along the Italian Riviera, worth visiting? “Cinque Terre” translates to “The 5 Lands,” and consists of five small villages, which are Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. Its a popular tourist destination AND a UNESCO World Heritage site.

And it is just THE worst. Here’s why.

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March 8, 2015

Sunday Thoughts / Just Another “Liebster Award” Post

Sara Random 12 Comments

This is my current view of my desk area in my bedroom. Its not always fun to have to work on freelance projects on a beautiful Sunday, but what makes it doable is a warm cup of chai tea, a great Sunday Spotify playlist, and this cozy view!

If you’ve been around this blogosphere and are sick of these “Liebster Award” posts, just go ahead and ignore this whole post (but come back tomorrow, because I’ve got some badass posts planned this week!). But if you’re not, or if you want to learn a little more about me, then stick around!

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