Author: rebeccawanderlusting

My name is Rebecca Peters. I work in the hotel industry, which allows for many amusing hours of people watching. I spend my days googling new destinations to explore and writing checklists. I live in Chicago, where I harbor a deep lust for any other destination, which is the basis for my recently started travel blog. I'm also into knitting, champagne and reading Stephen King novels. Instagram: WanderConstantReader Twitter: @rwanderlusting Find Me On Bloglovin' !

Luminaria at Lamberson Guest House, Galena, RebeccaWanderlusting

A Weekend in Galena – Part 2

On December 18, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Illinois, US Travel4 Comments

Our first full day in Galena was jam-packed with activities, all leading up to the Night of the Luminaria. We met Rose, of Visit Galena, and the last additions to our group, Max and Natalie, that morning at the Lamberson Guest House before Rose drove us all to Victory Cafe for breakfast. It was a perfectly cozy, small-town diner kind of place, with things like plate-sized pancakes and biscuits and gravy (my favorite) on the menu.

We all sat at a large round table in the window, having at least three different conversations at once at any given time. Though we were still all strangers, it felt comfortable to be sitting at a diner sharing a meal. After breakfast, we piled back into the van and took tours of both the Chestnut Mountain Resort and the Eagle Ridge Resort, which were both bustling due to the snow.

Both properties were gorgeous and catered to their own kind of clientele; Chestnut Mountain being more of a ski resort and Eagle ridge speaking more to the golf/spa/luxury crowd. In the summer, Chestnut Mountain has a unique zip line experience that I would absolutely love to come back and try.

After the resort tours, we moved on to Galena Cellars for a tour and a tasting. Our tour guide was a feisty, knowledgeable woman, who, once we were about to go outside, casually threw on a fur coat the size of a small car. She walked us through the vineyard, despite the snow and empty vines, and gave us some history on the winery and it’s owners.

We also got to see where the wine is fermented and barreled, and the bottling room. Once we were back inside the tasting room/store, she taught us her 5 S’s of wine tasting: see, swirl, sniff, sip and slurp. We were tasting their Seyval Blanc, which I would be happy to take more than one sip of!

From the winery, we moved on to lunch at Fried Green Tomatoes, an Italian Restaurant, which was in a building that used to house Ulysses S. Grant’s family’s leather shop. They sat us at a table in the middle of their main dining room, beneath a beautiful chandelier.

We could see the snow really starting to come down outside, making the street, in all it’s holiday cheer, look like scene from a postcard. They started us out with some wine and bread with olive oil and I knew we were in the right place. Mike and I shared the prime rib wrap and the Tuscan Mac and Cheese, and both options were fantastic.

After lunch, we had a few hours to ourselves before the Night of the Luminaria began. We browsed through the other half of the Helluva Half Mile, stopping into most of the shops and doing some Christmas shopping. On this side of Main Street, the stores we liked the most were Peace of the Past North, Stamp and Ink, and the Galena Garlic Company.

We ran back up to the Lamberson Guest House to drop off our bags, and ended up falling asleep for an hour which caused us to miss wine and cheese hour this time, much to my disappointment. We rushed out to see the living windows displays and all the candles, which lit up the town.

There were candles in their white bags lining every surface in town, and that coupled with the snow made everything look so beautiful. We walked across the pedestrian bridge to Grant Park to admire the statues and canons in the candlelight.

The park was a perfect winter wonderland with a beautiful view of downtown across the river. We walked back to Main Street and met the group at the DeSoto House, first for a drink in their Green Street Tavern and then for dinner downstairs in the General’s Restaurant.

Desoto House was built in 1855 and is the state’s oldest operating hotel. The restaurant was downstairs from the lobby and through an open courtyard with a beautiful Christmas tree in the center. In the restaurant, we sat down to order, starting with a couple bottles of wine for the table. I ordered the scallops for dinner, and they were so good that I forgot to take a picture until I was about half way through (whoops!).

Everything was cooked so perfectly and it was so good. I’m pretty sure everyone in the group was a member of the clean plate club, despite all the other meals we had that day. Everyone was in good spirits and talking animatedly. This was my first trip of this kind, and I am very grateful that I was enjoying it with such a fun group. After dinner, the group dispersed, with most of them heading back to Lamberson, and Mike and I going out to a bar called Gobbie’s for karaoke.

The heavy snow made it a slow night at the bar, but the karaoke was still going, and it was quite the sight to behold. The drinks there were good and decently priced. Rose met us for a drink before heading back home, and it was really nice to get to know her better, especially because we are both apart of the Bey Hive. After our drinks, we headed back to our respective homes (or temporary homes).

The Lamberson Guest House has a good library of DVDs to borrow, so Mike and I headed up to our room for some Captain American and a game of rummy and called it a night. The next morning, we awoke to the sounds of breakfast being made and came downstairs to find that our hosts had made us a three course meal for breakfast. From scratch. The menu included, a homemade gingerbread muffin with whipped cream cheese butter, a fruit salad with lemon poppy seed dressing (atop which sat a kiwi in the shape of a pine tree), and an omelet torte (which I was assured there was only eggs in the bottom and I could eat the top of).

The food was so good, and Brian and Michelle were very attentive while serving it. I was so tempted to stuff a few of those delicious muffins in my purse and run. I need to get the recipe. I don’t know how Michelle had time to prepare such a feast, but I hope she knows that it was the best breakfast we’ve had in a while! After we finished, Chris from Visit Galena showed up and had to roll us out to the van, one by one.

We drove over to the Ulysses S. Grant House for a tour. It was still snowing, and the big brick house looked so pretty. The inside of the house is filled with items that once belonged to the former president, or were replicas of things he had once owned. Our tour guide was sweet and had her presentation down to a science.

My favorite part of the house was the carpet/wallpaper combo, and the statue of Julia Dent Grant out front. Mike and I ran through the deepening snow to take pictures of it, and consequently, got the best view of Galena from where she stands.

After the tour, we decided to head back to Chicago because of the weather. We made the very snowy drive home at a snail’s pace, giving us more time to gush over our time in Galena. Who knew that this little city just three hour’s drive from Chicago would make for such an amazing trip.

Thank you to Visit Galena and the Lamberson Guest House for giving us such a wonderful, relaxing weekend!!

A Weekend in Galena, Illinois, RebeccaWanderlusting

A Weekend in Galena – Part 1

On December 17, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Illinois, US Travel2 Comments

The drive to Galena is relatively short, three hours, and pretty typical up until about the last half hour or so. That’s when the road (route 20) starts curving up and down the hills that make this part of Illinois unique. We had been this exact same way before, on our way to Dubuque, which is just across the Mississippi from Galena, so we knew what to expect. Even so, the view still amazed us.

Our accommodation for the weekend was the Lamberson Guest House, which was perched at the top of a hill in the historic district, overlooking the city. We were invited to stay as their very first guests with a group of other travel writers from around the Midwest. The house was beautifully renovated and is run by a wonderful couple, Brian and Michelle.

The B&B has four suites, each with its own color scheme and décor. We had the Mary Room, at the top back corner. It was a cute, private nook with its own walk-in closet and bathroom. Our hosts graciously gave us a tour of the house, and we loved all the thoughtful touches throughout. I especially loved the homemade shower bombs (lavender scented, and later when Michelle found out I was getting sick, eucalyptus) and makeup remover wipes in the bathroom.

We wanted to go out and explore, so they gave us a brief explanation of the layout of Main Street and reminded us to be back at 5pm for wine and cheese hour. The guest house is in a perfect location because downtown is literally just down the stairs from where the house is, the catch is that there are 220 stairs to go down.

The “Helluva Half Mile” is chockfull of cute boutiques, antique stores and restaurants. We decided to explore the south half of the half mile, saving the other half for the next day. We popped in and out of the cute stores, admiring the window displays and Christmas decorations along the way.

One of our first stops was to pick up some delicious coffee to go from Kaladi’s Coffee Bar to keep us caffeinated while we shopped. We particularly liked the Celebrity Hat Shop, Gustafson & Grey (for their beautiful antique jewelry), and Peace of the Past antique store (for their stacks and stacks of used books). What was so great about this main drag was that each of the stores were so unique, which was a fun departure from the strings of chain stores on other main streets we’ve explored.

After a while of wandering, we headed back up the stairs to the guest house to freshen up for dinner. We came down from our room for wine and cheese at 5pm on the dot and found a beautiful spread of cheese, crackers and dip. Brian and Michelle served us glasses of wine and we met another couple in our group, Denny and Tracy.

Soon after meeting them, we knew we would be in good company for the duration of our trip. As we chatted and enjoyed the cheese, our guide for the evening, Chris (the CEO of Visit Galena) joined us for introductions and then ushered us into a huge Mercedes van to head to dinner. Our destination was the Log Cabin Steakhouse back on Main Street, a Galena staple and the oldest operating restaurant in the city.

The restaurant had supper club vibes with dim lighting and wood paneling on the walls; I felt right at home. Log Cabin is a Greek steakhouse, so of course we started out with saganaki (and onion rings), which came to the table in a blaze of glory. It was delicious.

While we were deliberating over the menu, two more joined our group, Michelle (different from the B&B owner) and her husband, Robert; they blended into our conversation seamlessly. Our meals came with soup or salad and a “relish tray”, which consisted of fresh vegetables and homemade beer cheese that was amazing. Though Chris had warned us that the steaks were huge, it was still a shock to have a plate-sized T-bone placed in front of me.

The food was so good and so filling. After we finished, we all just had to sit for a minute. Once we could move without groans of pain, most of the group went back to the guest house, and Mike and I headed to Miss Kitty’s Grape Escape. This wine bar is located just down the street from the steakhouse, which can be said about almost every other place on the half mile, making it easy to navigate. The bar was so cozy, especially with all the Christmas decorations. There was live music provided by the Aaron Kelly Band.

The music was great! During their break, Mike and I went to say hello to the band and found out that he and the lead singer have some friends in common. Small world, huh? We continued our little bar crawl at the Galena Brewing Company, and had a beer at the bar. There was more live music here, a gentleman with a twelve-string guitar. The beer was fantastic.

I had the Miner’s Treasure, their Amber Ale, and we liked it so much that we got a small growler of it to bring back to the B&B. The bar was very laid back, with friendly bartenders and a jovial crowd. It was a nice place to end the night. I will say, climbing back up those stairs after a huge steak and a couple of drinks is no small feat. We made it to the top and collapsed into bed, looking forward to another great day.

To be continued…

Life Happens

On December 8, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Trip PlanningLeave a comment

You may have noticed how a Trip Planning: Traverse City blog keeps appearing and disappearing on here. I think I have some explaining to do.

For a few months now, I was trying to plan a small trip for Mike and I (and our pup) for my birthday this weekend. I looked into a lot of different destinations, but no matter what I tried to plan, things kept falling through. Austin sounded great, but soon became too much for our budget, the flights doubled in price when I was looking into going to Boston and waited too long to book, and now this Traverse City trip just didn’t come together. Life happens, right?

We had been planning up until Monday to drive up to Traverse City tomorrow and stay over for a couple of nights, but due to some unforeseen circumstances we cancelled our reservation. Despite all my best efforts, I couldn’t make it work out. It’s unfortunate, but, as they say, every cloud has a silver lining.

After we had decided the trip wouldn’t work out this time around, we were presented with an exciting opportunity to travel somewhere else instead. It took some scrambling and last-minute decision making, but we decided to go for it. So now we are heading to Galena, IL tomorrow for a romantic weekend away, just the two of us.

We’ll drop Brody off with his grandparents (Mike’s parents) on the way and scoop him back up on our way back home again. Of course we will miss our little pup, but I think he would be happier there, frolicking in their yard then cooped up in our hotel room.

We are so excited to get to explore Galena, especially now, when everything will be decked out for the holidays. We had passed through Galena on our way to Dubuque last year and I have been playing with the idea of visiting ever since. Luckily, now, we’re finally getting our chance!

I guess the lesson here is that when life smashes your plans to smithereens, make that shit into lemonade… or something. Sigh, life happens.

Tell me about life intervening in your travel plans in the comments!

Christianborg Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark, RebeccaWanderlusting

Last Night in Copenhagen

On November 27, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Denmark, International Travel3 Comments

My last night in Copenhagen encompassed everything that I loved about this beautiful city. I visited one of the historic palaces, strolled down the main shopping street, had the best meal of my whole trip, and spent my last couple of krones on a glass of wine enjoyed al fresco.

After a delightful lunch at Atelier September, I walked over to Christianborg Palace via the Royal Library Gardens. The library it’s surrounding gardens were gorgeous, but also swarmed with kids playing Pokemon Go (which had just come to Europe). I walked next door to the palace, which was decidedly less crowded.

Within Christianborg palace, there are a few different areas to explore, all of which were included with my Copenhagen Card. I chose to check out the ruins beneath the palace first, taking the stairs down to view the foundations of castles past. The ruins were a lot larger than I thought they would be, sprawling out beneath the palace with paths weaving through. There were plaques accompanying the landmarks in the ruins and small interactive installments.

To contrast the dark basement of the palace, I went to the reception rooms next, where I donned little blue slipcovers over my shoes to walk around like royalty. The reception rooms were very grand, almost dripping with opulence.

As I wandered from room to room, I seemed to be going at the same pace as another woman, who asked me to take her photo as she shoved her phone in my hands, in each room we entered. She would switch up her poses, then snatch back her phone and walk away. This went on for a few rooms before I had the good sense to skip a couple of rooms and get ahead of her. I couldn’t help but laugh when I passed her again and saw she had roped someone else in to snap some photos as she posed looking pensive on a velvet bench.

My favorite room at Christanborg was the library, of course, but I loved how bright and colorful the whole palace was. After I was done exploring Christianborg, I walked back to my hostel via Stroget, the pedestrian shopping street. I wanted to do some window shopping and browsed along Stroget, and its side streets to look for souvenirs for my family.

After an hour or so of commerce, I sat down at the Victoria Bar in a beautiful square for a cider and some reading. It was another beautiful day in Copenhagen, and I was happy that I got to spend much of it outside. After my drink, I went back to the hostel to rest up and choose a restaurant to go to for dinner.

After reading many glowing reviews and ascertaining that the prices weren’t too crazy, I decided to try Mon Amour, a French restaurant in the Latin Quarter of the city. It was a small, intimate restaurant with a thoughtful menu and a great wine selection. Though the prices were pretty decent, it was still a bit of a splurge for my budget. But it was 100% worth it.

I ordered the Veal Scallopine and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and was extremely happy with my choices. Everything was perfectly cooked and seasoned; I savored each bite. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Mon Amour, and I have no doubt that if it was located in Chicago, we would visit it frequently.

After dinner, I took one last wander around city. Copenhagen and I had gotten off on the wrong foot when I arrived, but I had truly fallen in love with this city. I stopped at Europa café for a glass of wine, leaving my last krones on the table. Despite the late hour and it being a weeknight, the streets were still bustling with people. I sat there contently, people watching and writing for a while before going back to the hostel.

Street musicians played as I walked, and I thought back to the exhibit I saw at the Copenhagen Contemporary, about the band, the National singing their song “Sorrow” over and over. I was sad I had to leave and there was a line in the song that I kept repeating in my head as I walked: “I don’t wanna get over you, I don’t wanna get over you…”. I wanted to hold onto the feeling that I developed over this trip, keep it in the little pocket in my purse to pull out when I’m sad or frustrated or uninspired. That night, I packed up and went to sleep, satisfied with my trip and (mostly) ready to head home.

Nyhavn, Copenhagen, Denmark, RebeccaWanderlusting

In & Around Nyhavn, Copenhagen

On November 20, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Denmark, International Travel3 Comments

On my last day in Copenhagen, I started off bright and early to stuff as much in as possible. It seemed like it was only me and the street washers out as I wandered around the city. It was the perfect time to take photos, with the lack of crowds and the misty morning sunshine.

I decided to head to Nyhavn to have breakfast by the water. Boats were tied up along the canal, their sails still down from the night before. I walked up and down the streets that flanked the water, admiring the colorful buildings that lined each side.

I landed at Hyttefadet Pub for breakfast and got the Danish Brunch, which consisted of eggs (pass), bacon, bread, salami, cheese, jam, melon and coffee. At $15, it seemed like a good deal, and the coffee was good, but the food wasn’t really. My favorite thing about this café, and a lot of the other cafes in Copenhagen, is that they put blankets on the backs of the chairs in case you get cold, which adds a coziness to them.

I decided to give in and walk over to the Little Mermaid statue, which was almost a mile away. The walk took me along the water and it was a beautiful day, but there was a crowd of other people enjoying it with me. The walk took me past a bunch of Copenhagen’s finest attractions, including Amalienborg Palace, the Royal Cast Collection, and Gefion Fountain.

The Little Mermaid statue was swamped with people taking photos. I stood with the crowd, took my picture, shrugged, and walked back the way I came. Gefion Fountain held my attention much longer, with its beautiful sculpture of Gefjun, the Norse Goddess of abundance, and the picturesque church behind it.

The fountain was breathtaking, as was the scenery surrounding it, I could have happily sat there by the water all day. Unfortunately, I was low on time, so I moved on to Amalienborg Palace, home of the Danish Royal Family. The center of the Palace was a beautiful square containing a statue of King Frederik V and guards at every entrance. The guards wear black jackets and blue pants, their outfits topped with the same furry black hats as the British guards.

There is a museum in the palace with artifacts from the long history of Danish Royalty that I decided to check out since it was included with my Copenhagen Card. The museum showcased replicas of rooms within the palace filled with items owned by royal families past. My favorite part of the museum was the large glass cabinet of royal jewels, obviously, and would have been very happy to take any of those items home with me.

I wanted to stay to watch the changing of the guards, but it was still thirty minutes away and the crowds were wearing on me. I cut back through the square and walked over to Atelier September to get some lunch and a break from the overbearing throngs of tourists. The trendy café had a limited menu from which I ordered a lemonade and the avocado toast and has a seat by the window.

Natural light filled the room, highlighting the simple, tasteful décor; it was a nice place to hang out for a bit. The atmosphere was very chill, with the owner’s dog (I presume) wandering around, a black and white scruffy pup that I wanted to steal. The food was delightful and gave me just the boost of energy I needed to keep moving.

Stay tuned for the last blog in the Copenhagen series!

Have you spent time in Nyhavn? What did you think of the Little Mermaid statue?

Solo Trip Snapshots, Copenhagen, RebeccaWanderlusting

Evening Adventures in Copenhagen

On November 13, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Denmark, International Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Torvhallerne in Copenhagen is an outdoor and indoor market that sells everything from homemade beauty products to candy to full meals. I decided to head there for dinner from the SMK National Gallery to try one of the famed Danish open faced sandwiches, the Smørrebrød.

I chose a roast beef one from Hallernes Smørrebrød and went to sit outside in the sunshine to enjoy it. The sandwich had red onions, pickled cauliflower, and pickle pickles on top and it was delicious. It was a beautiful evening so it was nice to be sitting amongst the outdoor stalls with fresh flowers and fruit.

I wandered amongst the stalls after I ate, buying some homemade caramels and drooling over all of the bakeries. The market is a joy to wander through, with different stalls lining two buildings with even more stalls in between the two buildings. The market is beautiful and colorful and a definite must-see in the city, in my humble opinion.

I wanted to spend the evening in the downtown area to explore the cobblestone streets and window shop. Luckily for me, my random wanderings brought me to a bookstore/café I had wanted to check out: Paludan. The café’s walls are lined with color coordinated books, most of them for sale, and an extensive food and beverage menu.

Still full from dinner, I ordered a glass of rose and settled into their upstairs section to read. It was the perfect setting for it. I ended up staying for a couple of glasses of wine and a few chapters, feeling perfectly at home in the beautiful bibliophile’s paradise.

Once I finally left, I continued randomly wandering, admiring the architecture and turning down whatever streets looked appealing. I ran into the Round Tower, which was another attraction included with my Copenhagen Card, so I decided to check it out.

The best part of the Round Tower is the view from the top which is reached by way of the endless slanted, spiral hallway that leads there. It was a dizzying trip, especially after all that wine, but I arrived at the top as the sun was setting (for the second night in a row with a beautiful sunset view).

The platform at the top offered a 360 degree view, showing off the city in red gold light. Sitting on a bench, taking in this beautiful view, I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be there. On the way down, I popped in the small gallery in the middle of the tower which used to be a library frequented by Hans Christian Andersen, but now features works of art. I bought a beautiful copy of his fairy tales for my niece and went on my way.

I was on the hunt for the perfect sidewalk café to get something sweet and a cup of coffee. After thirty minutes of wandering, I settled on Café Phønix for their perfect view of the fountain in the middle of the square and their chocolate fruit cake.

By the time I was done savoring the cake and coffee, it was full dark, and the street lights lit the way back to my hostel. It was another perfect night in Copenhagen.

What are your favorite solo travel activities?

Norrebro Neighborhood, Copenhagen, Denmark, RebeccaWanderlusting

Exploring the Norrebro Neighborhood

On November 9, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Denmark, International Travel1 Comment

I had read that the Norrebro Neighborhood was a fun, hip place to explore so I headed there on my second morning in Copenhagen. I took the 6A bus from downtown, which only took about fifteen minutes. When I got off at the stop that Google Maps had instructed me to, I was a little confused. There was nothing around. No shops, no cute cafes, just warehouses and residences.

I popped into a coffee shop for a latte and to take advantage of their free Wi-Fi. Of course I should have found more exact directions before I left the hostel and took the bus to an unfamiliar neighborhood, but I was too excited to get going to sit down and think about practical things. In the coffee shop, I discovered that the main hub of Norrebro was just a half mile walk away, so I headed in that direction.

I was instantly happy when I arrived in the neighborhood and immediately spotted a cute café, called Sebastopol, for more coffee and a bite to eat. I sat outside in the cobblestone square and people watched while I drank my coffee. This was exactly how I pictured I would spend my time in Copenhagen.

The women of this beautiful city make me want to throw my Ventra Card (public transportation in Chicago) in the river and buy a bike and some flowy dresses. The basket of bread and croissants I ordered (and finished off, I might add) was probably unnecessary, but I rationalized that it would give me the energy I needed to walk around. After I reluctantly peeled myself out of my comfy chair and paid my bill, I started to wander the neighborhood, popping into the very trendy clothing stores and thrift shops as I went.

The stores that I liked best were: Urban Room, a cut clothing and home goods store with beautiful posters and fancy undies, Mondo Kaos, which sold gorgeous vintage dresses with accessories to match, and Baan Suan, really beautiful and practical clothing and jewelry. There were plenty of others that were fun to browse through, but those were the ones that stand out to me.

In between the stores were plenty of cafes, bars, sweet shops and restaurants. Everyone I passed was super stylish and I was so glad I wore something decent that day. After hours of zigzagging through the neighborhood, I wound up at BRUS, a brewery/restaurant with craft beer and cocktails on tap.

I ordered the BRUS Cocktail (when in Rome…), which was a tastier, fancier gin and tonic. They had picnic tables set outside around the restaurant, which is where I sat to enjoy my drink and do some more people watching. The people of Copenhagen gave me some major fashion goals.

I decided to head to the SMK National Gallery from Norrebro, which had me wander back through the neighborhood one last time. My favorite thing about Norrebro is that wherever there was a free space along a wall, people had tables of antiques and used goods set up. It made exploring the neighborhood like a treasure hunt through an antique store.

Plus they had actual great antique stores throughout as well. The walk also took me along the three rectangular lakes in Copenhagen, named Sortedams So. It was a beautiful walk and I passed many other pedestrians and bikers and picnickers enjoying the beautiful day.

The museum itself was housed in a huge building with a sprawling lawn behind it and a pond in front. I arrived there in the late afternoon and the museum closed at 5pm, so I rushed in to see as much as possible. The entry was included in the Copenhagen Card, but my bag was deemed too big, so I had to store it in their cloak room. It was actually a relief not to have to carry that clunky thing around for a while.

I started at the top of the main building and work myself through the works of European Art from the 1300’s to the 1900’s. My favorite paintings were the works of Johan Christian Dahl, whose paintings of Danish landscapes were gorgeous, and the Picasso and Mattisse paintings, of course.

I would have loved to take more time walking through, but I did get through most of the museum in my two hours there. They have a whole other building dedicated to modern art that I wish I had more time in, but that side of the museum was amazing and whimsical in its displays. The two buildings are connected through indoor bridges on the higher floors and a walkway of sculptures on the main floor.

If you plan on visiting the SMK, I would recommend setting aside a few hours to take in all the amazing art there. After the museum closed, I headed back towards downtown, this time on foot. Each new area I was exploring in Copenhagen was making me love the city more and more.

Which neighborhoods in Copenhagen have you explored?

Christiania + Tivoli Gardens

On November 6, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Denmark, International Travel1 Comment

Christiania and Tivoli Gardens are two of the better known attractions in Copenhagen, but could not be more different. I visited them both on my first day in Copenhagen, and they both left significant impressions on me. I walked to Christiania from Paper Island, which took about twenty-five minutes. For a moment, I thought maybe I’d missed it. It’s kind of a hard place to find, but then you notice the painted buildings and the small market stalls and the other tourists wandering around, looking perplexed.

Christiania is an autonomous neighborhood, meaning it’s technically its own micronation, and was created in 1971. It became famous for its inhabitants interesting way of life and for its green light district, which is actually no longer openly advertised. It’s a strange place, because it seems like the people of Christiania aren’t super happy about tourists tromping through their town, but also want to sell them Christiania t-shirts and homemade goods. A lot of the area outside of the main square consists of brightly colored homes along cobblestone streets.

This area is one of Copenhagen’s most popular tourist attractions, in fact, it is even included on the Hop On, Hop Off tours of the city. However, there is no photography allowed inside the neighborhood. This, along with no running and have fun (smiley face, pot leaf) are the neighborhoods displayed rules. It’s a beautiful place to visit, with amazing murals on the walls and a town square with shops and restaurants and a gorgeous little lake. I’m glad I went but I also felt a bit guilty about bursting into this peaceful community (and sneaking some pictures).

Tivoli gardens, on the other hand, is also very colorful but in a much more manufactured way. Photos are encouraged and everything there is there for tourism. The park was a short walk away from my hostel, Annex Copenhagen. The entry fee was included in my Copenhagen Card, but the entry fee didn’t cover any of the rides, so I paid an additional $33 to get an unlimited pass. Like I would go to one of the world’s oldest theme parks and NOT go on any of the rides, psh.

As I entered the park, I walked by a stage where a ballet was being performed, and the main stage, where an apparently famous Danish band, Dizzy Mizz Lizzy, was to play that evening. I headed straight to the rides, and hopped on one small roller coaster, aptly named The Roller Coaster, that took me through dark caves and bumped along over fake mountains.

I hate to say it, but during my time at Tivoli Gardens, I did feel a bit like a loner, especially having to get on the rides with families of three or with the third wheels of dates. I still had fun though. Especially on the swings, which are always my favorite. Once we reached the top, the city was bathed in a red glow from the setting sun and the view was completely stunning. I think that was the very instant I fell in love with this city.

The largest roller coaster in the park was called The Demon, which I got in line for after dark. It was a thrilling, twisty-turny ride that I absolutely loved. I would have gone again but by that time, the lines were getting a bit long. I got a hot dog and beer from one of the many snack stands and sat down to soak in the beautiful, historic park in all of its twinkly-light glory.

I went on a few more little rides, including an incredibly creepy Hans Christian Anderson themed ride featuring grinning animatronics. I was planning on staying to listen to the band, but once they started playing the park filled to capacity and there was nowhere to even stand to see them.

After I left Tivoli Gardens, I wandered back to the hotel to have a nightcap and do some writing in the bar. The hostel I was staying in, Annex Copenhagen, was unique in that it was attached the Absalon Hotel, and to get in and out you used the hotel entrance. The hostel occupied the same floors as the hotel, but you could tell where the nice hotel rooms ended and the hostel rooms began because the carpet went from calm pastels to garish, brightly colored carpets and signs for communal bathrooms decorating the walls.

That’s not to say the hostel wasn’t nice, it definitely was. The bathrooms were clean and private and my room was cozy and overlooked the hotel’s courtyard. I went to bed that night feeling content and happy with my first full day in Copenhagen and ready to begin exploring again the next morning.

Have you been to Tivoli Gardens? Which was your favorite ride?

Canal Tour & Copenhagen Street Food

On October 30, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Denmark, International Travel6 Comments

After a frustratingly long day of travel to get to Copenhagen the day before, I was very happy to start fresh on my first full day in this beautiful city. Walking the streets of Copenhagen was a completely wonderful and totally humbling experience. The history of the city is palpable. The architecture is stunning. I don’t even know how to describe it fully; it was all just classically European.

My first stop was a café called Streckers for breakfast, where I enjoyed a teeny, tiny croissant and an iced coffee. They had Bill Withers on the stereo and the Broncos v. Panthers game on the TV. It was a nice place, but the only thing really remarkable about it was how small the croissants are (see for yourself below).

From there, I kept wandering with the intention of eventually finding Nyhavn to take a canal tour. There was no shortage of storefronts and cafes, and I thoroughly enjoyed hopping into the cute boutiques to browse.

Nyhavn is perhaps one of the most photographed neighborhood in Copenhagen, with its brightly colored rows of buildings on either side of the boat-lined canal. It is so very charming that I can see how it’s so popular. The canal tour was included with the Copenhagen Card, which I picked up earlier that morning from the city visitor center.

The boat was about 2/3’s full with tourists all listening intently to our tour guide, Astrid, who switched between English, French and Danish with ease. The canal tour wove through the city, under bridges that were so low we had to duck our heads to avoid losing them.

It was a great way to see a lot of the city for the first time, but gave me no real bearings of how to get to the attractions we passed on land. I loved being on the water though. We passed through residential areas where our tour guide was not allowed to speak, so we sat in companionable silence and admired the scenery until we had moved on.

Astrid gave us some insights into what the Danes think of some of their most famous attractions; for example, they liken their Opera House to a toaster and believe that the Little Mermaid statue is the most disappointing tourist attraction. She was very knowledgeable and presented all the facts with just enough sarcasm to keep us on our toes.

The canal tour was a great way to form my must-see list for the rest of my stay in Copenhagen. After the tour, I walked over the inner harbor bridge to the island that houses Copenhagen Street Food. The indoor food market is housed in an old newspaper warehouse (hence the name Paper Island), and offers a wide variety of international meals.

My best advice for visiting this culinary wonderland is get a drink first, because you will definitely be taking a few laps around the food stalls to figure out what you want to eat. Everything looks amazing and the prices aren’t too bad. I did four laps before deciding on a Brazilian grill called Brasa, where I ordered the pork plate with chimichurri sauce, pineapple and pepper slaw, salad and potatoes.

I sat at one of the tables in the center of the stalls; there was plenty of seating despite the crowds of people eating there. They also had outdoor seating by the water, but it was a bit chilly for me.

The food was delicious, and so was the Danish Pilsner I had on the side. The energy in the market was cheerful, and the open layout of the building made it great for people watching. Right next door to this wonderful food labyrinth is Copenhagen Contemporary, an art museum featuring print and performance art. The entry fee is not included in the Copenhagen Card, but it’s only $7.50 so I paid up and went in.

The first exhibit I wandered into was one by Icelandic Artist Ragnar Kjartansson that featured the band The National playing their song “Sorrow” for six hours straight on the roof of the MoMA. At first, I thought it would be a bit of a boring video because of its repetition, but it really drew me in. Each time the song started over you could see the struggle the band was going through to keep playing it. Sometimes they would perk up and power through and sometimes they would almost be crying from exhaustion. I’ll admit it… I downloaded the song right after.

The museum also featured a few installations by Bruce Nauman, which were very thought-provoking and a little in-your-face, and an exhibit by Yoko Ono. The museum was a fun experience and I’m glad I popped in. If you are planning on eating at Copenhagen Street Food, the Copenhagen Contemporary is definitely worth a visit!

Stay tuned for more Copenhagen adventures!

Have you ever been to Copenhagen? What do you think is the best way to see the city, by land or canal?

A Weekend in Milwaukee, WI

On October 24, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn US Travel, Wisconsin2 Comments

Our first stop in Milwaukee, WI was the Art Museum, housed in the iconic, postmodern building right on Lake Michigan. The fee to get into the museum is a little steep, at $17/person, but it’s also pretty worth it. The entryway is beautiful, with a view of the lake through a convex wall of windows.

The best part for me was the collection of contemporary art and the special exhibit of Rembrandts on the top floor. The museum was having a used book sale while we were there as well, which was fun to browse. As we walked back along the lake to our car, the sun finally started to peak out, highlighting the beautiful and well-maintained parks.

From there we drove to Lakefront Brewery to meet up with our friends Colton and Sarah, who were en route to Green Bay for the Packers Game. The brewery tours were sold out for the day (learn from our mistake – buy tickets ahead of time!), but we were happy just to partake in the beer and food at the brewery.

Between the four of us, we ordered pretzel bites, cheese curds, fish tacos, smothered fries, pulled pork flatbread and fresh, delicious, Wisconsin-brewed beers. The food was excellent and everything you could want in Wisconsin food: fried, cheesy, comforting and indulgent. The dining room was open with long tables filled with guests. Brewery tours ran through every half hour, with the guide riling up the crowd loudly. I was a little bummed not to be participating, but we taste tested quite a few beers on our own.

Our next stop was the Riverview Antique Market, a ten minute drive away. The store was huge and full of a curated collection of antiques, split into stalls by vendor. My favorite feature were the large Barnum & Bailey circus posters hanging from the walls throughout the warehouse. The four of us had a blast walking through the store, picking out memorabilia and antique home goods.

The staff was friendly and willing to point us in the direction of more antique stores in the area if we felt so inclined to keep shopping. After we left the store, it was time to go our separate ways; Sarah and Colton heading to Green Bay and Mike and I going to check into our hotel. The Hilton City Center was a little outdated but still glamorous, with ornate chandeliers and gold accents.

Our room was small, but comfortable, with a view of the lake and the soft, white bedding that I love so much. When we were looking for somewhere to go for dinner, we did some research and stumbled upon a list of “Essential Milwaukee Restaurants”. One of said restaurants was one I had read about before, famed for their great Friday fish fry. And although it was Saturday, we decided to try it anyways; their German menu fit in nicely with the Oktoberfest celebrations around the city. Kegel’s Inn was a ten minute cab ride away, across the highway.

Milwaukee is interesting because the highway bisects the city, which makes it not all that walkable. This means that we spent a pretty penny on uber rides that evening. The restaurant was in a residential neighborhood and when we walked in, the locals sitting at the bar gave us the stink eye. That to me, seemed like a good sign, but I could tell by the look on Mike’s face that he wasn’t so sure. The host sat us at a table in the corner, where we ascertained that we were the youngest patrons in the place by about 20 years. We ordered “traditional” German food, which came with soup and salad and bread with herbed butter.

Definite supper club vibes here. The soup and salad were good, but the entrees… were not delicious. They were unappetizing looking and didn’t taste any better. We did our best to push the food around the plate and make it look like we ate some of it to appease our very sweet waitress. We got the check and hustled out, keeping our heads down. Perhaps next time, we’ll stick to the fish fry. We went to the Rave next for the main event, the Thrice concert. The show was fantastic and the venue is very pretty, but it’s not run very well.

After ordering $9 Bud Lights, we decided this would not be a show we would drink during. Luckily, Thrice is amazing live, and that made up for the expensive drinks. As soon as the band started playing their encore, we high-tailed it out of there to catch yet another cab to the Cactus Club, a bar that I knew both Mike and I would love. It was a long cab ride there and the place was mobbed with people, so by the time we got into the bar, Mike was not a happy camper.

But! Once we were seated at the bar with a couple of New Glarus beers, there was punk music playing and Star Wars on the TVs. I could see that Mike was trying hard not to smile. This was so his type of place. They had live music playing in the back room (with a cover charge), but we were perfectly happy sitting at the bar. The beer was cheap and the bartenders were friendly and attentive; it’s easy to say that this was our favorite stop of the evening. We made our way back to the hotel (another uber) happy and a little drunk.

The next morning, we checked out early and headed to Café Benelux for breakfast. The area the restaurant was located in, the Historic 3^rd Ward neighborhood, is super cute and fun to explore. We sat on the amazing rooftop terrace where you can enjoy your brunch in the sunshine and with a view. Mike got the Hodge Podge scramble and I got the waffle with berries along with our coffee.

Both entrees were delicious, but Mike’s was the best and of course I snuck a couple of bites. We walked across the street to the Public Market next, which was very similar to the one in Grand Rapids, MI. There was a mixture of shops and food vendors, selling everything from fine cheeses to handmade jewelry to local brews (both coffee and beer).

We particularly liked the t-shirts and magnets at Brew City, where we bought a Milwookie Chewbacca t-shirt for my niece. The market deserved more attention, but we were determined to keep moving.

We went to Downtown Books, where it was entirely possible to get lost amongst the stacks. The vast variety of genres would make any bibliophile very happy. I ended up getting a Hunter S. Thompson book before we went on our way.

Our last real stop of our Milwaukee trip was the County Clare, a family-style restaurant with an Irish theme and a bar on one side. Mike and I sat at the bar and both ordered one of their famed Bloody Mary’s, his spicy and mine not. The drinks came with a beef stick, string cheese, a pickle, a potato and a small glass of Harp beer to chase it all down. I had never had a Bloody Mary before and wasn’t sure how much I’d like it.

It turns out I don’t have to wonder anymore, I definitely don’t like them. They’re just not my cup of tea, I guess. But the bartender serving us was so sweet that I drank the whole thing, gulping beer or water after each sip. We caught some of the Packer’s game before rolling out, thanking the kind bartender profusely as we went. We grabbed coffee at the hip Collectivo before starting the drive back to Chicago.

The café was warm and welcoming, with tables filled with people working on their computers contentedly. The coffee was just what we needed to propel us home. Thank you for a fun weekend Milwaukee!