Hasbrouk House - Upstate New York

There are few things more wonderful than New York City's proximity to the charm and quiet-nature of the small towns along the Hudson River.  A short drive north of the city, Travis and I checked into the Hasbrouck House, nestled in the town of Stone Ridge, New York.  Upon arriving at the hotel, we knew it was going to be hard to leave.  We found ourselves sitting by the fire on a daily basis, sipping cocktails at the bar, and enjoying multiple meals from the hotel's restaurant, Butterfield.  In short, we were able to relax - something we rarely take the time to do in the city.  

Europe Part I - German Alps

A quick two tour hour drive south of Munich landed us in the quaint towns of Germany's Bavarian Alps.  With a short 48 hours, we got to explore Fussen, Oberammergau, Bad Tolz.  All of them had their own charm but my favorite was Fussen.  We took an early morning walk around the town before anything was open - seeing a place in the quiet hours is something special.  The newness of a place becomes that much more special to me when I get to take it in sans crowds.  To end our time in the Alps, we took a gondoula up the top of a mountain outside of Bad Tolz to get a quick hike in.  Best part: we took a slide all the way to the bottom of the mountain.  

A Road Trip Through Florida

A trip that was supposed to take us into the hills of Puerto Rico saw a last minute change to the beaches of south Florida. Our trip, thanks to Conde Nast Traveler's guide to the Florida Keys and the genius that is Hotel Tonight, went off without a hitch. 

We began in Miami, where the foodie scene reminded us of home but the weather was everything we can only dream of in New York.  With newly sun-kissed skin, we continued our trip with a drive south, spending two nights in the laid-back Islamorada, and finishing off our adventure with an evening in Key West, sipping cocktails as we explored the town.  Along the way, we outdid ourselves on fried fish (ie. Alabama Jacks), ate some killer key lime pie (what is it about the keys and their key lime?), and found ourselves on and in the water whenever possible (by boat, by kayak, by jet ski, and by foot).  But most of all we began asking ourselves: why isn't beach life part of our day to day?  

Scotland Part Three - Isle of Skye

The Isle of Skye was one-of-a-kind.  Much bigger than we thought, we spent a lot of time in the car on winding one lane, two-way roads.  It lead to some pretty heart-stopping moments.  But between the beautiful landscapes, the food, and the beautiful  hikes, this place was captivating.  

Scotland Part 2 - Glencoe

I remember Travis and I were listening to some silly podcast to pass the time, not really paying attention, and getting antsy because we had been in the car for so long.  And then we started driving into Glencoe.  And we suddenly didn't want the drive to end. We eventually pulled the car over, found the first path we could, and hiked.  The sun was starting to set.  Throughout the hike, every other thing we said to each other was along the lines of, 'this is so freaking beautiful.'  It really was: the experience and the scenery.