CopyStrands

Stay the Night in a Lighthouse

2012-01-17T11:53:00.000-08:00

Yes please! The Saugerties Lighthouse in upstate New York is about as quaint of a place you could stay. The 1835 lighthouse sits on the shoal of the Hudson River with breathtaking panoramic views. There are two rooms available for guests (Thurs.-Sun. only) and the $225 a night price goes toward lighthouse conservation. The best part is you get to approach the lighthouse on foot. A half-mile long trail leads you to the front door...

Photos: The Saugerties Lighthouse

Photos & Videos: Maui, Hawaii

2012-01-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

Over the holiday break the hubs and I traveled to Maui, Hawaii for vacation. Before the trip I bought a swim skirt at Athleta for snorkeling in. We snorkeled almost every day (including on Christmas Day) and saw colorful fishies; the hubs even saw a turtle! We played in the sand, went shopping, watched a luau, where I learned how to tie a traditional Hawaiian-style dress (video at bottom of post) and we even drove to the famous Nakele Blow Hole, boy was it active that day! (video at bottom of post). We've been asked by several people to share some photos and videos so here they are, and a Play.Shop.Eat. post is coming soon, enjoy!

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Photos and Videos: CopyStrands

How to Avoid Germs on Planes

2011-12-21T15:34:00.000-08:00

Are you going anywhere fun for the holidays? I'll be here! When I travel on planes in the winter I am hyper about germs. I have a few things I do to stay germ-free while on flights and realized my dear readers might benefit from them too. Here is how I stave off germs during a flight:

1. Wipe everything down with a disinfecting wipe (seat belt, tray table, flight tv screen / channel changer, air vent, light button, armrests, window). You name it, if it's wipeable, wipe it down. And when you're done wash your hands! You may get weird looks from other passengers, but they'll be the ones coughing and sneezing days after the flight lands. Airlines do not wash the area around your seats in between flights, they just collect garbage.

2. Resist the urge to touch your face, nose or eyes without clean hands.

3. If you suffer from allergies, like me, keep your nasal passages moist with a saline spray and drink LOTS of water.

4. Don't touch the seat-back pockets, no matter how tempting that in-flight magazine looks, it is swarming with germs. And DON'T touch the airline pillows or blankets (ewe!) bring your own if you want to avoid germs.

5. Open your air vent (after you disinfect it!) and aim it so it blows just past your face. Keeps the airborne germs from hitting your face.

What do you do to stay healthy on flights?

Photo: Fizzlizz

Winter in San Francisco

2011-12-21T10:21:00.000-08:00

On a recent trip to San Francisco, I snapped some photos to share with my dear readers. I've lived in the Bay Area twice and I know the area well. We were down there for two Christmas parties.

We waited in line to have breakfast at Cafe Divine and ate dinner at Sens Restaurant, which was in an awesome location and in a cool building.

Our hotel room had a view of Telegraph Hill, Coit Tower and eerie Alcatraz Island.

We visited fun friends, we went shopping (love the new Athleta store on Fillmore Street), and I took the hubs to see the touristy sights (did you know some of the homes off The Crookedest Street in the World are haunted?; at Fisherman's Wharf the World Famous Bushman was scaring tourists as they departed buses.). The tourist sites still look the same to me after all these years.

And when you're married to a real eastate broker you end up flipping through local real estate pamphlets where we saw this pretty house for sale.

Enjoy the photos:

More California

Italy's Small Island Wonder

2011-11-02T13:46:00.000-07:00

Someday I plan to explore Italy. Of course it is tempting to hit all the coastal areas: Naples, Sorrento, and Capri. But, just a short hydrofoil boat ride from those cities is a volcanic island with thermal waters and the Negombo thermal park on a little island named Ischia, Italy.

Negombo's most popular draw is its 12 thermal pools. So pretty.

Photo: City Pictures

My New Moo Business Cards

2011-10-17T13:04:00.000-07:00

It was time for new business cards. And I needed something that would separate my blog from my business. When I meet new people some ask: What is your blog? Others ask: What is your business? And I found the perfect solution with London-based Moo business cards! I now have these awesome mini cards with my photo and info on the back of two separate designs I created. Now when I'm asked questions I can give the perfect card. What do you think?

For my blog:

For my freelance writing and editing business:

And the back of the cards (read the last line a Be Green do!):

Photos: CopyStrands

Play. Shop. Eat. San Francisco

2011-10-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

I've lived twice in the San Francisco Bay Area. And every time I visit there my eyes see changes that the city has made. There is a bigger push to shop local and fresh there. And to live close to your work. If a trip to San Francisco (otherwise known as Frisco) in the Bay Area is in your future, this list will help you discover how to play, shop and eat in a town with high rent, classic cable cars and steep hills. And if you're lucky you can snag a taxi in a city with a major cab problem.

Play
Cable Car: It may sound touristy, but locals use them too. And the classic cable car can help you navigate the tough SF hills. It's a fun way to see the city. Get there early, lines get long.
Golden Gate Park: It's the prettiest park in SF. Worth exploring if you have time. You can walk through it, rent bikes or rollerblades there and even take Segway tours through it.
Bike along the Wharf: The best way to see all the attractions along the wharf is by bike and it's a scenic ride along the water. Or rent a bike and go on your own ride.
Chrissy Field: Go fly a kite, read a book, enjoy a picnic. It is a great park for setting sail. And when the fog blows over you can see the Golden Gate Bridge.
Yurba Buena Gardens: Walk under the waterfall (kids love this).
SF Zoo: Kids also love to see this urban jungle. The animals are characters!
SF Moma: Discover art in SoMa and hide out with art on a rainy day.
The Walt Disney Family Museum: Explore the treasures of Disney interactive family-style.
Le Video: On a rainy day, rent an indie flick and fire up your TV or laptop, watch it back at your home or hotel.
Haight and Ashbury Streets: Makes a fun photo, check out the convergence zone at quitting time. And discover the colorful homes in the area.
Alamo Square: Gives you the best view of the famous Painted Ladies.
Lombard Street: The best place for a photo of the crookedest street is at the bottom. Take the Powell-Mason cable car line to Lombard and Columbus. Otherwise you can go to to top via the Hyde Street cable car line.

Shop
Rag: This co-op stands for: Residents Apparel Gallery and it is chalk full of local designer duds. It was packed the day I was in it, very popular.
Perish Trust: This awesome vintage store (pictured above) was also packed the day I was in it. It's full of vintage typewriters, eyeglasses by Warby Parker, light fixtures, rare books plus nautical, bow and arrow and railroad memorabilia. The co-owner (stylist Rod Hipskind) told me that his "parents owned an antique shop in Sacramento" and he said he didn't "know how long his store on Divisadero Street will last" but that he's "enjoying it day-by-day." He has a fierce eye for vintage, a must see curiosity-type shop. While there I bought this anthology, which he and his other co-owner Kelly Ishikawa were featured in.
Goorin Brothers: This quaint hat shop on Haight Street is popular. Go in and try on all the classy hats you can imagine.
Athleta: The snappy sportwear line for women now has a brick and mortar shop on Fillmore.
Nest: Just down the street from Athleta is this awesome vintage home decor store.
Eden and Eden: Offers fun, colorful jewelry.
Jeremys: Go buy something on sale. Or ogle the beautiful designs.
Bell Jar: There are pretty, trendy and affordable dresses at this little boutique.
Ambiance SF: Features current fashions for women, a cute store!
Heidi Says: Offers a pretty shoe salon.
Cliff's Variety: This is a quirky, fun store where you can buy kitchsy things from kitchen supplies to tool belts. Fun section for kids too.
Monument: Discover the mid-century modern furniture.
Room 4: Best vintage store in SF from home decor to apparel.
Green Apple Books: The best indie bookstore in SF. Join their Apple-a-Month Club and they will handpick the best fiction selection for that month and mail it to you.
City Lights Books: Also a great indie bookstore that specializes in world history and the arts in the heart of SF.

Eat
Slanted Door: Located in the Ferry Building the Vietnamese dishes are set up for you to share with others. The location of this restaurants rocks and so does the food.
The Ferry Building: You really can't go wrong with any food inside this awesome market especially during their farmers' market on Saturdays.
Chiaroscuro: Across the street from the Transamerica building is this cozy and delicious Italian cuisine restaurant with a killer wine list.
Bix: This restaurant has been around a long time, it's tucked away in Jackson Square. A jazzy treat to visit.
Oriental Pearl: Local consider this place the best Chinese food in Chinatown.
Aliotos: In Fisherman's Wharf is one one SF's oldest restaurants and they have the best dungenous crab.
1300 on Fillmore: Maple syrup slow braised short ribs. Nough said.
Yoshis: They serve only the freshest ingredients at this sushi bar with jazz music too.
Greens Restaurant: Go for a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge and a vegetarian meal.
Leopold's: Popular local SF hangout with a Bavarian feel with rustic decor and a wine bar in back.
Alembic Bar: Wet your palate at a favorite local hangout.
Bourbon & Branch: Make a reservation at this speakeasy and order a drink from the 1920s. Don't even think about ordering a Cosmo here. Think bourbon, rum, scotch and whisky. Or if you want to sit in the library without a reservation use the general password "books" to drop in for a drink.
Latin America Club: Sip a strong, very strong, cheap margarita at this pinata decorated joint.
Mr. Smiths: A speakeasy and dance club wrapped into one.

Read more Play.Shop.Eat posts.

Photo: CopyStrands

A New Polaroid Camera Shop

2011-09-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

My Polaroid camera goes with me when I travel abroad (I snapped the photo above of the Eiffel Tower with my Polaroid camera). And it's not easy finding supplies for it unless you go online. But now Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood is getting a new instant camera shop by the founder of Love Cameras! It is suppose to open at the end of October. I. Can't. Wait.

More Paris.

Photo: CopyStrands

Weekend Getaway: Seabrook

2011-09-06T13:46:00.000-07:00

If you live in the Pacific Northwest and you haven't visited Seabrook you are missing out. Seabrook is a quaint beach town along Washington's Pacific Ocean coastline. The homes are built green. The beach town is only a two and a half hour drive from Seattle and three hours from Portland, OR. It's a wonderful place to visit, relax and meet new friends.

At Seabrook you can rent a home or cottage. Ride beach cruisers. Fly kites. Run on the beach. Hike on trails. Picnic. Play basketball, volleyball, badminton, pickle ball, bocce ball, horseshoes and more. You can watch outdoor movies and make smores in an outdoor fire pit. You can discover dramatic beach sunsets. Or go on an evening stroll and explore all the twinkle lights that adorn the quaint homes.

They now offer an indoor pool. The beach town has its own shops and grocery store and a revamped restaurant now called Mill 109. If you are in the market to buy a beach home my hubs can get you a free night stay at Seabrook and you can go on a tour of the town and see home plans.

I've written about Seabrook for AOL City's Best and The New York Times Company / About.com:

These photos are all reasons why I heart Seabrook. Something tells me after you see them you will fall in love with this beach town too:

Another reason to Be Well-traveled!

Photos: CopyStrands

A Pool in the Clouds

2011-09-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

Don't you want to jump right in? The Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore features a 150-meter infinity swimming pool for guests in their Sands Sky Park. It sits 200-meters in the sky atop three hotel towers making it the largest outdoor pool at that height. It's like swimming near the clouds. In all my travels around the world to date I have yet to visit Singapore. That pool makes me want to visit! Wow! Another reason why I say it's good to Be Well-traveled.

Photo: Marina Bay Sands

Luxury Bali Slated Huts

2011-08-05T10:49:00.000-07:00

Stumbled upon this five star luxury resort in Bali. Wouldn't it be fun to lounge around in one these slated huts? The best part is butlers, "take care of your every whim."

Photos: Alila Villas Uluwatu Bali

Play. Shop. Eat. Portland, OR

2011-08-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Whenever I travel I scope out the best boutique shops in the area and then pay them a visit when I'm in town. I've traveled around the world and my favorite place to shop is Portland, Oregon. Portland loves to support local, I love that and the boutique shops offer tons of whimsical designs by local artists. If a trip to Portland is in your future this list will help you discover how to play, shop and eat in a city full of local shops in different districts.

Play
Portland is flat as a pancake. Bring your running shoes, rollerblades or your favorite bike. Portland hums with activity. Urban cruiser bikes are everywhere. Admire the bike baskets of the locals. Then go see the awesome bikes at Joe Bike.

Shop
Portland's Alberta Street neighborhood offers beautiful boutique shopping. There are feminine and flirty dresses at Tumbleweed Boutique. Owner Kara Larson designs her own dress line called Kara-Line. Have a few dresses shipped to your home to try on. The dresses are elegant and gorgeous! The store also sells slips from Glam Garb. Next door to Tumbleweed Boutique is the cutest children's store called Grasshopper also owned by Kara. The store offers an extensive collection of children's clothes, toys and books. And the pedX Shoe Boutique has affordable, trendy, yet comfortable shoes. And I adore the ladies at the Frock Boutique.

Mississippi Avenue offers loads of shopping including a cute country store called Porch Light.

And the whimsical clothing at Portland-based Makool Loves You is available online.

In the Pearl District make sure you visit Powell's Books, it is the best bookstore in the United States. Parallel (has indie fashions including Seattle-based Prarie Underground) and Physical Element offers local and international labels with a unique fashion twist. And Lizard Lounge features high-end, yet pricey, outdoor-inspired clothing including the popular, Portland-based Nau line. And check out the adorable, retro-inspired swimwear at Popina.

And a few other local stores in the Portland area worth checking out include Marguerite (1520 SE Bybee Blvd; 503-234-7202; hours 11am-5pm Wed-Sun). Also check out Golden Rule (a concept store that changes monthly). Palace has awesome vintage clothes for men and women. And just around the corner from Palace, I heart Noun, what a lovely store chock full of eclectic baubles.

Eat
A great local place in Portland for breakfast is Broder. The line to get into the Little T American Baker is worth the wait for a dose of healthy food. If you like pasta, Noodle & Co offers affordable meals. For some soul food go to Mother's Bistro and Bar. For a true old school diner experience head to the yummy Byways Cafe, the employee-owned restaurant has been dishing up American fare since the 1930s. And the award-winning pizza at Old Town is mouth watering and the building is haunted too. Enjoy a seasonal meal at Doc, and don't miss the canned foods that lines the walls and windows. For a local communal table feel with fresh food and awesome wine list don't miss Clyde Common.

Find more Portland shopping.

Read more Play.Shop.Eat posts.

Photo: CopyStrands

The Gorgeous Maldives

2011-07-28T11:12:00.000-07:00

The Anantara Hihavah Villas in the picturesque Maldives, wish they were closer to Seattle
(flight time alone is 18 hours, not including layovers!). Instead I'll settle for someday visiting
Bora Bora (flight time 9.5 hours, not including layovers).

Someday I'll vacation in a bungalow on stilts like these:

And soak in an awesome tub:

And sit under perfect umbrellas:

See more luxury vacation spots. Do you have a favorite dream place to vacation?

Photos: Home Dsgn

Scandinavia Adventures

2011-07-13T15:08:00.000-07:00

See this cute little house? It's nestled in the city center of beautiful Malmö, Sweden. Throughout the city there are super flat, floral lined streets with brightly colored doors and bikes parked anywhere they feel like putting them. I LOVED Malmö the best of all the cities we visited. It was a quiet city, with hardly any cars, with women wearing dresses and pedaling cycles all over the place. The city offers miles of bike paths, miles of pedestrian walkways and all separate from the few cars on the roads. You know how in the States we drive and park our cars to catch buses and trains? The locals in Sweden bike to the bus and train stations and park their bikes out front. No cars. It was amazing to see. Even on our drive through Sweden, out in the middle of the farmlands, alongside the one-lane highways, were bus stops with bike holders chock full of cycles. Sweden's cities were designed specifically for bikers and pedestrians. And the cars stop for cycles and walkers at all times. It was the safest I ever felt cycling and walking in my entire life. And the country has trains that go everywhere, some are high speed too. And they pride themselves in putting the Earth first, everything they do is a Be Green do! They have more recycling bins for things than anywhere I've ever visited. Seattle is WAY behind a country like Sweden. I could easily live in Malmö.

And the story of great built cities was mirrored throughout Denmark. Checkout Denmark's solution for cyclists and walkers and cars, just brilliant!

While in Denmark we visited several places including Copenhagen (with more women in dresses cycling everywhere, but a lot more cars on the roads), Helsingør (where another king the hubs is related to lived and reigned at Kronborg castle) and Odense (home of children's book author Hans Christian Andersen). In the photo below I was walking down an adorable street in Odense (pronounced "Oh-whens-ah") pointing out to the hubs that our last name was on the woman's door who lived there:

The hubs loved Stockholm the best. While in Stockholm, we both dropped our jaws in awe at the alleyways throughout Old Town. He explored this one:

And I explored this one:

We took a short one-hour flight up to Oslo from Copenhagen to see some of my hubs' family roots. When we arrived at Akershus Fortress (built by his ancestor, King Haakon V of Norway, the kings remains are buried there too) the hubs decided this cannon was in the wrong place and tried to move it:

After exploring Sweden, Denmark and Norway we were told by locals in each country that our last name is Swedish and Danish and Norwegian. This caused the hubs to try to figure out which country suited him best. In the end he chose Sweden. Probably was a wise choice since everywhere we went the locals spoke to him in Swedish first. I was even mistaken for Swedish and Danish (for the record I'm Irish and Crow Indian). Neither of us were mistaken for Norwegian. Thankfully, all three countries speak English. The hubs' favorite part of Sweden was how they greeted you. The locals would say "hej, hej" (pronounced "hay, hay"). And when they were really happy to see you they would say "hej, hej, hej!" At first we thought they were speaking English to us, but then we realized their way of saying "hi" is our way of saying "hey there" - it was entertaining to say the least. And when saying "thank you" the Swedes say "tack" pronounced "talk" which became his second favorite thing to say.

Someday we plan to visit Sweden again. What a beautiful country!

I've traveled to several countries. I've visited more castles, churches and government buildings than I can count. So the day we took a train up to a ferry station in Sweden to hop a ferry across to Helsingør I was sure I would be bored visiting another castle my hubs' family is related to. Kronborg castle (known as Hamlet's castle) was built by the hubs' ancestor King Erik VII aka Erik of Pomerania. This is what Kronborg castle looked like from the ferry crossing over from Sweden to Denmark:

Inside the castle was really nothing special if you've seen as many castle's as I have. What was special was an underground area called the Casemats. It's damp, dark and creepy in there and when you enter you aren't even given a flashlight. Luckily we have Android cellphones with flashlight apps built in that really came in handy. The Casemats housed supplies and prisoners. If you would like to see what the Casemats were like this was the entrance (the couple ahead of us quickly exited because they were too freaked out) as we explored the Casemats we didn't run into a single person, we braved it alone:

As you can see no flashlight was needed yet. Then just around the corner at the end of the cobbled ramp we were greeted by Holger Danske:

Where we used our flashlight apps to shine on the walls:

As you wind your way underground you walk through lightly lit areas with dark nooks to shine a light to see etchings on the walls:

And as we traveled deeper inside it became very dark:

And then pitch black:

It took us about a half hour to get through it as we shined lights on everything. There were countless dark nooks to explore. Once we were totally freaked out we quickly exited back outside. Our bodies were sticky and damp and our sunglasses had fogged over. As we wiped off our sunglasses we promptly decided that that was the coolest thing we've ever done. If you go to Kronborg castle, skip paying for the whole castle and just get a ticket to the Casemats, it is hands down the best part to see there.

If you'd like to see more photos of our trip to Sweden, Denmark and Norway visit our Flickr page.

Winding Down in Denmark

2011-07-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

We are finishing up our trip to Scandinavia with some fun adventures in Denmark. From Malmo just across the famous Øresund Bridge is Copenhagen. It connects Sweden to Denmark. By train it takes about 40 minutes into the downtown core of Copenhagen from Malmo. Our friends from Paris are joining us for part of the time in Denmark too before they head back home to France.

While in Denmark we plan to visit Tivoli Gardens (the inspiration for Disneyland by Walt Disney). We are going to go shopping at the world's longest pedestrain-only street on Strøget. We are planning a day trip to ferry over to Bornholm Island to play on the beaches and ride scooters. Plus we are also going to hop a train to Odense to see the home and museum of famous children's book author Hans Christian Andersen. We will try to take a tour of Freetown Christiana if it's open, there are rumors that the government is shutting down the "town with no rules" which is only a few miles from Denmark's govenment sites. And if there is time we plan to visit Denmark's famous open air museum.

And of course we plan to ride bikes, since that is what Denmark is known for.

Then we head home via Chicago to spend a couple days in the Windy City before coming back home to Seattle!

When I'm back home I'll write up some Play.Shop.Eat. posts on what I discovered in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Chicago.

Photo: zoned.dk

Play. Shop. Eat. Malmo, Sweden

2011-07-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Malmö is Sweden's third largest city. And it is a family friendly place to visit. Plus they love their hair salons, there are more hair salons on each block in Malmö than we have Starbucks in Seattle. Did you know that Malmö, Sweden has over 800 stores? Even local magazines and websites in nearby Copenhagen, Denmark tell visitors to head to Malmö to shop (and eat!). Only a 40 minute train ride from Copenhagen Centralstation to Malmö Centralstation (shown above) and you are there (from Kastrup airport near Copenhagen to Malmö it is only 22 minutes by train). Once in Malmö just walk a few blocks from the train station and you are at the core of everything in a city with more bikes than cars. In the summer, on Saturdays there is a farmers' market in Queen Square (Drottningtorget in Malmö) and on Sundays there is a flea market in the same square. In all of my travels to date Malmö is my favorite place. You can find free English guides about Malmö inside local hotel lobbies. Here is how to play, shop and eat in Malmö, Sweden.

Play
First, rent a bike at Malmö Centralstation (head to the train station's tourist center to find out who is currently renting bikes) and explore this quaint city on bike. They offer over 250 miles of bike paths for cyclists and the terrain is flat and enjoyable to pedal. If a tour is more your thing go sightseeing with Malmö Bike Tours. Monark bikes are a popular brand in Malmö. Or hop on a boat and see the sites via their canal. The boats are shallow, and watch out for low bridges, where you'll have to duck your head. On the tour you'll see Malmö Castle and the oldest parts of the city. All tours have a guide and they start at the canal near the centralstation. If you have kids they will love the rides and animals at Folkets Park. If you like to picnic, stroll and dine in one of their many parks. Or head to Ribban Beach for a day of fun in the sand. And Gamla Väster in the downtown core of Malmö is adorable and worth a look. Check out the low, colorful houses. To get there head west of Lilla Torg (pronounced "toy") square. Locals can show you the way if you get lost.

Shop
One of the best places to shop for one-of-a kind fashions and local designs is Davidshallstorg. Be sure to visit Liebling (a sweet shopgirl there gave me her umbrella when it was raining outside, such kindness!), Meloa (for fun accessories) and Tjallamalla (they sell cool men's and women's fashions including awesome oxfords by Shoe the Bear. Then head over to Friisgatan to see two lovely boutiques: Miloii and Folk (where I met a lovely woman named Tindy who gave us advice on where to eat in her beautiful city; and later that week I splurged on a Danefae coat at Folk).

Other stores around the city worth seeing include: Lotta Djossou (Swedish designed jewelry with a Parisian twist). And Design Torget (for affordable, up an coming Swedish designs, a really fun store to explore).

There are several other shopping streets in Malmö easy to get to on foot or by bike. The big commercial streets run from Stortorget and Lilla Torg, through Södergatan, across Gustav Adolf’s Torg and continues south along Södra Förstadsgatan. And if you are ambitious you can head all the way over to Triangeln for more shops.

Eat
Malmö is also well-known for their restaurants that offer a unique food experience for all your senses. For a melt in your mouth breakfast you can't miss Pâtisserie David (the fresh apple turnovers are scrumptious). For lunch head to Epicuré Bröd & Vin (the pasta is delicious and they have an adorable courtyard out back to dine in). Have dinner outdoors at Mosaik (thanks to Tindy for the suggestion, loved my meal there with a view of Lilly Torg square). For true Swedish cuisine head to the exclusive restaurant Vendel at Sturehof or dine at Mrs. Brown (a great place to eat that is not a chain) or enjoy a meal at Restaurang Atmosfär (they offer a seasonal, affordable menu). Note: If you order alcoholic drinks be fore warned that it is expensive to order drinks in Scandinavia. And the best ice cream I've ever had is at Dolce Sicilia. Malmö also has a raw food bar on Friisgatan called Raw Food House, it is a lovely place to grab a healthy drink and snack.

Plan a Day Trip
There is a high speed X2000 train to and from Malmö to Stockholm that only takes four hours (one way), a fun overnight trip option. And Malmö is only 40 minutes from Copenhagen too. And it's easy to take a train and a ferry boat over to Kronborg Castle from Sweden. Or hop a train and ferry and head over to the beaches at Bornholm Island.

Copenhagen is only a 40 minute train ride to lovely Copenhagen in scenic Denmark. And Malmö is an eight hour train ride to Oslo.

Their local website is Malmö Town.

Read more Play.Shop.Eat posts.

Photo: CopyStrands

Play. Shop. Eat. Stockholm

2011-07-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Stockholm is rich with history. The photo above was a jaw dropping moment while strolling through Gamla Stan, known as Old Town, it's the oldest part of the city dating back to the 13th century. Old Town Stockholm is laced with hidden alleyways and colorful corridors. If a trip to Scandinavia is in your future go see Stockholm. It's a vibrant city with hundreds of islands speckled off its shores. And tons of forward thinking design stores. This guide will help you play, shop, and eat in the capital city.

Play
Go on a tour with a real Viking. The Stockholm Viking Tour will lead you through the historic city pockets. If you only have time to do one thing go straight to Old Town and enter medieval Stockholm, your jaw will drop at the intricate, cobbled streets that narrow into colorful allyways. If you enjoy art don't miss Stockholm's National Museum, it is considered the best and most comprehensive museum in the world (they have paintings by all the great masters: Rembrandt, Rubens, Boucher, Renoir, Degas and Gauguin). Or see the modern art at The Agueli Museum. If you want to know what Stockholm was like in the 13th century head to the Museum of Medieval Stockholm, it is a free museum that is underground and set up just like medieval times. If you go you'll find the museum under the Norrbro bridge between Norrmalm and Gamla Stan. The world's oldest outdoor museum, Skansen is also very popular and worth a visit. And when you're ready to get off your feet for a while take a royal boat tour through Stockholm's canal or rent a city bike. For those with more time hop a ferry and visit one of the 150 inhabitated islands in the Stockholm Archipelago. Ferries depart from the Blasieholmen peninsular. And kids will love Pippy Longstocking's Junibacken.

Shop
The flagship Odd Molly boutique in downtown Stockholm is huge. Up close the dresses are flirty and adorable. Design House Stockholm features the designs of local Swedish artists. They even sell my bicycle basket. And Bruka Design is a must see, it's a gorgeous design store. Svenkst Tenn is an elegant interior design store. For brand named men's and women's clothing check out Grandpa. And Svensk Hemslöjds offers one of a kind handicrafts. MUD is known for it's Swedish-designed ceramics. And the sweet store Bric-a-brac offers urban clothing for women, men, and children. Shop wall-to-wall ribbons at Folkers. And if you are a tea lover don't miss The Tea Centre. For a pop of color head over to Afroart. If you want to visit a popular shopping destination for locals then go to Ahlens.

Eat
For breakfast and lunch don't miss Östermalms Saluhall inside you will find rows of fresh food stalls with something for everyone. It's very popular with the locals and they take their treats across the street to the courtyard and eat outdoors or you can dine in one the restaurants inside. For lunch eat outside with a garden view at Rosendals Tradgard Cafe. Or enjoy the small plates of French food at Sardin. For dinner request a fun room in The Grill (their website is fun too). Or enjoy an organic and locally grown meal at Aarts. Whatever you do don't try to eat any meal in Old Town. It is very expensive there and a tourist trap during high travel seasons such as summertime. Only walk through Old Town for the history and eat your meals elsewhere in Stockholm. If you insist on eating in Old Town head over to FLYT, a floating restaurant.

Plan a Day Trip
It's only a one hour train ride from Stockholm's central train station to the university town Uppsala, where you'll discover Carolina Rediviva, home of over five million books and a museum showcasing rare artifacts like the Silver Bible and Mozart's Magic Flute. And don't miss the Uppsala Cathedral it is gorgeous inside.

Stockholm's central train station offers lockers for luggage on the main level and downstairs. If you bring anything bigger than a carry-on size suitcase it is slim pickings to find a larger locker available to store bigger luggage, especially during high tourist season. And there is a high speed X2000 train to and from Stockholm to Malmö that only takes four hours (one way), a fun overnight trip option. Malmö is only 40 minutes from Copenhagen too. And Stockholm is an eight hour train ride to Oslo.

This map of Stockholm can help you get to know the area.

Their local website is Visit Stockholm.

Read more Play.Shop.Eat posts.

Photo: CopyStrands

Play. Shop. Eat. Copenhagen

2011-07-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Copenhagen teems with women in flowy dresses and men in dark suits, atop Dutch bikes, zipping through the flat, super bike-friendly city. Denmark is known for their green homes they call hygge (meaning cozyiness) and many are stylish and modern. Just like Stockholm, Copenhagen has several different historic areas and lively action is featured along their famous canal. The city prides itself in offering free bike rentals (for their 10,0000 km of bicycle routes) through their program: Bycyklen København, however, good luck finding a bike in the summer, by early morning they are all taken. But there are other ways to get around the city, it's easy to walk to every district. Shopping and eating in Copenhagen is expensive, there, you've been warned. But the must see National Museum is free. This guide will help you play, shop, and eat in the capital city.

Play
To help you get acquainted with Copenhagen, hop on a boat tour first thing in the morning, before the boats get crowded later in the day. For those who like to see a city on foot join locals and visitors for a jog through Running Copenhagen. If you are dying to see The Little Mermaid statue you can get there by foot, bike, metro, car or bus, but you can skip the crowds and see the side and back of the statue on most boat tours. Kids and those who are kids at heart will enjoy Tivoli Gardens an outdoor amusement park in the heart of the city with rides (they have the oldest wood coaster in the world), gardens and restaurants. Tivoli Gardens was the inspiration for Walt Disney to create Disneyland. And for history buffs head to the free National Museum Denmark where you'll see: The Chariot of the Sun, The Egtved Girl and Viking Runic Stones. Beer lovers will enjoy the Carlsberg Brewery tour.

Shop
If you enjoy mainstream shopping then head to the longest outdoor, pedestrian-only shopping area on Strøget (it runs from Rådhuspladsen to Kongens Nytorv). There you can shop couture brands (Louis Viutton, Gucci, Marc Jacobs) and popular brand names (Zara, H&M, Vero Moda) and if the price tags shock you check out the fun home decor store Tiger (it's super affordable). One store worth seeing is: Norr they sell the awesome Scandinavian-designed line: St-Martins. And if you have time check out Bruuns Bazaar.

If you like shops with character and handmade goods head to the Latin Quarter. Stores in the Latin Quarter worth checking out include: Sneaky Fox (pretty accessories), One Off (one-of-a-kind designs that can be altered to fit your body at no extra charge; sewing machine is on site) and Tone Barker Silke (elegant but expensive dresses). A little further into town off the Latin Quarter is Lubarol (handpicked designer wear). And on the otherside of town you can visit Danefae.

Eat
You really can't go wrong with eating a Danish pastry or fresh out of the oven bread at Lagkagehuset, makes for a yummy breakfast. For lunch and dinner, if you want to eat like a local head to the Fiskebar they are located in a warehouse area just off the downtown core, easy to walk to, and the seafood is delicious. Most locals are found outside dining at Mothers, a popular Italian restaurant. And for a super quaint experience dine in the outdoor nook of the Il Dona Courtyard Cafe (it's Rome in the heart of Copenhagen). A note about eating out in Denmark: Alcohol (just like in Sweden) is expensive and many places charge for tap water.

Plan a Day Trip
There are several easy day trips you can do from Copenhagen. One is the popular Open Air Museum (train, then bus or walk), where you can experience early Danish life. Or you can take a day trip from Copenhagen to Helsingør / Elsinore (via train) to visit Kronborg Castle (known as Hamlet's Castle) and see the underground casemats where supplies were stored and prisoners were kept. And for kids and children's book lovers take a day trip to Odense (pronounced "oh-whens-ah"), home of the Hans Christian Andersen Museum on Bangs Boder road. Andersen was the famous author of the children's books: "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Emporer's New Clothes" and "The Little Mermaid." You can also take a couple days and visit the slow paced life at Bornholm (Ronne) Island (where you can rent scooters and hangout on several different beaches) or Aero (Ærø) Island, which is popular for cycling. And to beat the summer heat take a seven-minute train ride out to the curved wooden pavilion in the Baltic Sea known as: Kastrup Søbad or Sea Bath.

Copenhagen is only a 40 minute train ride to lovely Malmö in scenic Sweden.

To get to Oslo from Copenhagen, hop on an overnight ferry the journey is about 16 hours. The DFDS cruise ships leave at night and arrive in the morning leaving about seven hours to explore before you head back to your destination.

Their local website is Visit Stockholm.

Read more Play.Shop.Eat posts.

Photo: CopyStrands

Play. Shop. Eat. Oslo, Norway

2011-07-01T09:00:00.001-07:00

Oslo has had its share of sad press. But chances are you have Norwegian in your family tree and it's a country to still be proud of. If you have ancestry roots anywhere in Scandinavia, your family most likely originated in Norway (like my hubbys) and migrated over to other countries as Oslo was founded in 1000 ca. Locals say Oslo means "the field below the hill" or "the field of the Gods." The majestic fjords, museums packed with Norwegian heritage and the land of the Vikings offer something for everyone. If you don't like the cold go in the summer even then the temperatures only hover around 60 degrees. And of course if you like to ski or do any snow sports for that matter Norway is the place to be in the winter. Oslo is worth discovering at least once in your lifetime. This guide will help you play, shop, and eat in the capital city.

Play
Be sure to go to at least one museum while in Oslo, they have 50, there is something for everyone. The National Gallery is packed with Norwegian heritage and even has the famous works of Edvard Munch (pronounced "Monk") such as "The Scream" and the "Madonna." For those that want to learn more about Oslo's famous artist head to the Edvard Munch Museum. When Munch died he had no heirs so he donated all of his paintings to Oslo. The museum is gorgeous and security there is high, no bags bigger than a small purse, you must go through screening, but photos of the paintings are allowed, without a flash of course. History buffs will want to explore Akershus Fortress. Here you can see what life was like back in 1299 to the present, you can visit the tombs of kings buried there (armed guards patrol the fortress all hours of the day due to the famous kings who are buried there). You can take a free and very informational walking tour too and if you are lucky you might see a wedding (only employees of the military are allowed to get married at the fortress). Men and boys will love the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo. And if you have kids take them to Norway's largest amusement park: TusenFryd. Or go on a mini cruise: Hop On - Hop Off.

Shop
The city centre, along the main street called Karl Johans Gate, is where you will find most the shopping. Trendy brands are here like H&M, Mango, and Zara (this Sept. 2011 Zara will sell clothes online!) along with traditional department stores. Behind the royal palace as you head toward Vigeland Park are the shopping streets Hegdehaugsveien and Bogstadveien. Here you will find exclusive designers of high street fashion (like Kameleon) and furniture (like Pur Norsk and Eske). Then head toward the Aker River and stroll through the streets Thorvald Meyers and Markveien. Here you will find vintage shops (like Velouria Vintage), shoe stores (like the Shoe Lounge), ceramics (at Granit), art and food.

Eat
Speaking of food, if you are looking for a light breakfast or hearty lunch don't miss People & Coffee (near Akershus Fortress), and if you are lucky you'll meet the charismatic owner. Fresh food is served daily with a rolling, seasonal menu, and they are known for their specialized coffee from Ethiopia and Columbia. For dinner head to Stranden along the water (a short walk, just across the water from Akershus Fortress). There are a plethora of restaurants there like DS Louise, Lofoten Fiskerestaurant, or Olivia. Other restaurants worth checking out include: Cafe Christiana, Engebret Cafe, or Icebar Oslo.

Plan a Train or Boat Excursion
If you plan to visit more of Norway (especially the gorgeous fjords on the Bergen side) a great way to do it is plan a Norway in a Nutshell tour. Or go on one of the most scenic and steepest train rides in the world: The Flam Railway, before you go watch a spectacular video of the railway.

Oslo is an eight hour overnight train ride to Stockholm or an eight hour overnight train ride to Malmö, which is near Copenhagen. To get to Copenhagen from Oslo, hop on an overnight ferry the journey is about 16 hours. The DFDS cruise ships leave at night and arrive in the morning leaving about seven hours to explore before you head back to your destination.

Their local website is Visit Oslo.

Read more Play.Shop.Eat posts.

Photo: CopyStrands

Onward: Norway, King Relations

2011-06-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

We are taking a quick trip to Norway to visit in and around Oslo. We found the best way to visit Oslo from Sweden is by air. A quick hour flight gets you there. And we are meeting our friends from Paris in Oslo!

There are two reasons we are going to Norway. First, ever since I wrote a fifth grade report on Norway, I've wanted to visit.

The second reason is it turns out my hubs is Norwegian before Swedish. While researching his family tree before the trip we found that his family lineage on his father's, mother's side was Swedish going back to the 1300s. Then it ran into Norway and Denmark from 700-1300. It turns out he is related to over a dozen Norwegian Kings (his link to the kings was through an illegitimate daughter of King Haakon V of Norway her name was Agnes Håkonsdotter aka Agnes Princess of Norway) and thanks to marriages he is also related to a bunch of Danish and Swedish kings and queens. He is even related to two Viking kings and two Emperors from the Byzantine Empire of Constantinople!

These are the kings from Norway the hubs is related to, they were part of the Fairhair Dynasty (in order from oldest to most recent):

Norwegian Kings
1. King Harold Klak (whose son was King Sigurd Rise of Norway whose son was King Halfdan Hadafylke Sigurdsson of Norway)
2. King Sigurd Syr
3. King Harald Hardrada (founded Oslo, Norway in 1048)
4. King Olaf III of Norway (he founded Bergen, Norway in 1070)
5. King Magnus III of Norway (Barefoot) (he got his name for fleeing an attack on his bare feet)
6. King Harald IV of Norway (Gille) (illegitimate son of Magnus III with a commoner from Ireland)
7. King Sigurd II of Norway (Munn) (illegitimate son of Harald IV with commoner Tora Guttormsdotter)
8. King Sverre of Norway
9. King Hakon III of Norway (illegitimate son of King Sverre with commoner Astrid Roesdatter; rumors say he was murdered by his step-mother)
10. King Haakon IV of Norway (illegitimate son of Hakon III of Norway with Inga of Varteig)
11. King Magnus VI of Norway (married Ingeborg of Denmark who became the Queen of Norway)
12. King Haakon V of Norway (who had an illegitimate daughter named Agnes Princess of Norway with commoner Cathrine Sigurdsdtr. Agnes married a commoner where the royal lineage ended until Agnes' son married a woman named Birgitta Knudsdtr Lejon who came from royal lineage.) Haakon V of Norway is buried at Akershus Fortress in Norway, which he helped build in Oslo (he is credited for Oslo becoming the capital of Norway), we plan to go see the fortress. Side note: Eric of Pomerania was a descendant of Haakon V of Norway, Eric's castle is Helsingor famous for the setting of William Shakespeare's Hamlet, which we also plan to go see, it is in Denmark).

The following are names of other royal people my hubs is related to through marriages with the kings and their children:

King Magnus VI of Norway married Ingeborg of Denmark. The following is her family lineage:
1. Ingebord of Denmark / Queen of Norway
2. Eric IV of Denmark
3. Albert I, Duke of Saxony
4. Bernhard, Count of Anhalt
5. Albert I “The Bear”
6. Sophie von Wizenburg
7. Mieszko III “The Old”
8. Elizabeth of Hungary
9. Leopold VI of Austria “The Glorious”
10. Theodora Angelina, Duchess of Austria
11. Leopold V of Austria “The Virtuous”
12. Helena of Hungary
13. Leopold III, Margrave of Austria (Patron Saint of Austria, canonized by the Pope)
14. Theodora Komnene (daughter of Andronikos Komnenos from Byzantine Empire)
15. Andronikos Komnenos (son of John II)
16. John II Komnenos (Byzantine Emperor)
17. Irene of Hungary (wife of John II Komnenos)
18. Alexois I Komnenos (Byzantine Emperor)
19. Irene Doukaina (wife of Alexois I Komnenos)
20. Anna Dalassene (wife of John Komnenos, their child was Alexios I Komnenos)

Haakon IV of Norway married Margret Skuladottir, this is some of her family lineage:
• Margret Skuladottir (wife of King Magnus VI; together they had a son who married Rikitsa Birgersdottir, daughter of Jarl Birger Manusson who founded and named Stockholm, Sweden)
• Skule Bardsson (father of Margret Skuladottir)

Princess Agnes (the illegitimate daughter of King Magnus V), her son married Birgitta Knudsdtr Lejon. The following people are part of Birgitta’s lineage:

Sweden:
• Folke the Fat Earl of Sweden (1078-1133)
• Erik IX Jevardsson “The Saint” King of Sweden (1115-1159) (he is buried at Uppsala Cathedral which we plan to visit).
• Charles the Deaf aka “Karl Dove” Jarl of Sweden (1139-1220) (the oldest seal from the 12th century is at The Swedish Museum of Antiquities and it is the seal of Charles the Deaf, which we plan to go see).

Denmark:
• Sweyn Forkbeard I Haraldsson King of Denmark and Norway (960-1014)
• Harald III Gormsson “Blue Tooth” King of Denmark and Norway (910-986) (king "Blue Tooth" is a descendent of the Vikings listed below.) Funny note: Bluetooth wireless designed by Ericsson named the hands free device after this king.

Vikings:
• Ragnar “Lodbrok” Sigurdsson King of the Vikings (770-840)
• Sigurd “Ring” Randersson also known as Sigurd Hring (he was the father of Ragnar Lodbrok) (750)

Next stop Denmark! When I'm back home I'll write up some Play.Shop.Eat. posts on my discoveries in Scandinavia!

P.S. Check out this crazy road in Norway.

Photo: Zanthia

Off to Sweden, Amusing Facts

2011-06-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

The time has finally come. The dates are here. It's a trip that's been in the works for almost a year now...the hubs and I are headed to Sweden, Denmark and Norway for a two week summer vacation!

To make the flight more bearable we will be stopping over in Chicago on the way to and from Scandinavia. Extra bonus, I get to explore Chicago!

The main purpose of the trip is for my hubs to explore his Swedish, Norwegian and Danish roots and for me to explore my grandmother's Swedish roots.

We will be staying in Malmo and Stockholm. We plan to shop Malmo, they have over 800 stores! And frolic on Malmo's pretty beach. We plan to visit this store in Stockholm I've been dying to see. And we will be going on a road trip through tiny towns like Tingsryd and the big towns of Norrköping, Stockholm and Uppsala visiting tons of museums along the way:

Did you know that Malmo's "Turning Torso" is supplied with 100% locally produced renewable energy? Sweden is big on living green. Here are some more random facts about Sweden that you might enjoy. Any surprise you?

And here is a cool site that shows weather conditions in Sweden.

I have a couple more posts set up for you while we are away sharing what else we will be up to. Enjoy!

When I'm back home I'll write up some Play.Shop.Eat. posts on Sweden, Denmark and Norway plus Chicago! I'll let you know from first hand experience exactly what is worth exploring when you travel there someday :)

Photo: dans le grand bleu

Free Museum Day Cities

2011-06-22T18:52:00.000-07:00

This is a brilliant site. If you are traveling this year to different cities check out the Free Museum Day site. Hopefully more cities are added to the site over time. But for now, you never know, it just might come in handy on your upcoming travels!

Photo: MiqsPix

Base Camp: Seattle in Vogue

2011-06-16T11:40:00.000-07:00

Vogue magazine recently called Seattle "sophisticated but disarmingly down-to-earth," in their "America the Beautiful" series. They also managed to make us look like campers.

I'm tired of magazines writing up reports from New York (obviously they haven't visited Seattle, or they'd have known we don't dress like that) and passing us off as a city still hooked on Nirvana and wrapped in plaid and sporting hunting hats. And if you are staying at the Four Seasons in Seattle, take it from a local, it does not take five minutes to walk to the Seattle Art Museum (SAM), unless you're dropping off at Fran's to buy some chocolates on the way. It's only 423 feet from the Four Seasons to SAM.

But maybe they thought you'd rather "hike" the long way in your camping gear.

Photo: Vogue

Swedish Dreams: Family Trees

2011-05-18T11:45:00.000-07:00

I've been busy putting together family trees lately. The photo above was of my dear grandma Gerry as a kid. Wasn't she cute? I have a fascination with fashion from the 1930s and this photo would have been taken in the early to mid-1930s (she was born in 1929). Love her swimsuit!

The hubs and I are traveling to Sweden this summer to visit our family roots. His mother and father have family roots in Sweden and in the Netherlands. On my grandma's side she had family in Sweden. It will be fun to see the towns our relatives are from! Several years ago we traveled to Ireland to see my grandfather's roots. This summer it's time to see grandmas!

We booked our summer travel via Iceland Express because the prices across the pond this year are atrocious! It will be my second time in Iceland in one year, wow! When we booked this killer deal earlier this year. This time we are just doing a short layover at their airport on the way to Sweden.

Photo: CopyStrands

Update: Iceland Express was horrible. We were told by locals that the flights are on time only 36% of the time. Both our flights were two hours late with no food or drinks offered until well after take off. Not good.

Off to the Land of Fire and Ice

2011-02-24T10:45:00.000-08:00

Photo: Kevin Cooley

I’m off to the land of Fire and Ice! I’ll be on vacation in Reykjavik, Iceland. You may recall I blogged about the deal I found here. And it turns out Iceland is one of the best places to travel alone, but I’m going with the hubs and my sister (it's her first trip abroad!).

We plan to:

Swim in a geothermal pool

Explore a Northern Lights tour (weather permitting)

Discover a local comedy show

Have a drink at an ice bar

Shop at Smaralind mall

And frolic on a glacier!

I’ll write a Play. Shop. Eat. post for Reykjavik, Iceland, when I return!

P.S. Some gorgeous photos of Iceland: 1, 2 and a fun Iceland tourism video.

Plus a couple AOL City’s Best posts you might have missed:

Washington Wine: Get Your Passport to Woodinville

Seattle Freebies: Symphony, Bike Repair, Spelling Bee