A Day in the Neighborhood: Outer Sunset, San Francisco

I am slightly biased, but the Outer Sunset might be the best neighborhood in San Francisco. And it's not just because I live here! It's definitely a hidden gem and there is so much to explore. 

Easy access to the beach and lots of good coffee shops are what first sold me, but the addition of new restaurants, bars and shops that have been popping up all over the place is a sure sign that other people are catching on to the secret. Its easy to get to the heart of the city, but when you're out in the Sunset you feel like you're a world away. I like to pretend I live in a small beach town instead of in one of the biggest cities in the country, and most days it feels like that - as long as the weather is cooperating! 

I've put together an itinerary for my perfect day enjoying the neighborhood. Hope it inspires you to come visit! 

Start your day at Andytown on Taraval & 47th. They have a few locations in the neighborhood but this one is closest to the beach! Window shop at Tunnel Records before heading down to Ocean Beach with your coffee in hand. Watch the surfers from the dunes, then head north on the beach for a leisurely morning walk. 

Head to Noreiga Street for a breakfast sandwich at Devil's Teeth Baking Company. Their sticky buns are the size of my head and equally delicious. 

Make your way to Judah Street along the ocean-front path. No trip to the Sunset is complete without a stop at the famed General Store. Browse their vintage finds, pick up a candle or get inspired in their back garden. Some of the best outdoor space around. 

Then, pop in to Black Bird Bookstore next door. They have a well-curated selection of adult books, an amazing kid section in the back and a thoughtful selection of home goods.

While you are probably not hungry after a filling breakfast sandwich, Trouble Coffee will tempt you with some of the best toast around (and that's saying something in San Francisco!), plus their delicious coffee. 

A few blocks up on Irving, you'll grab lunch at Hook Fish Co. Place your order (I usually go with the fish tacos but everything is local and sustainably caught), then snag a seat outside in the sun. 

Across the street, pop in to chat with local artists Eric Rewitzer and Annie Galvin 3 Fish Studio and pick up one of their famed "I Love You California" prints. Mollusk Surf Shop is on the corner and is a fun place to browse for beach goods. They can also outfit you with a surf board and gear if you are looking to hit the waves. 

Finish your day with a date-night worthy dinner at Outerlands and enjoy the ambiance, local wines and seasonal menu. This is also a very popular weekend brunch spot if that's more your speed. 

While you're in the neighborhood, here are some of my other favorite spots worth checking out:

• The Rip Tide - locals bar on Taraval. Cash only! 
• White Cap - A new cocktail bar with surf-inspired drinks
• Judahlicious - smoothies & healthy food
• Streamline - coffee shop with breakfast & lunch options
• Tunnel Records & Beach Goods - shop with gifts, cards and records 
• The Pizza Place on Noreiga - Casual restaurant serving pizza, huge salads and wings
• Yoga Beach SF - bright and airy yoga studio 2 blocks from the beach

Go Now: Portugal in the Off Season

There’s a reason it feels like everyone you know traveled to Portugal in 2017. The country has been exploding as a popular destination over the past few years, and shows no signs of slowing down. With the allure of delicious food, gorgeous beaches and charming towns, U.S. travel to Portugal increased 22 percent in 2016. And while June - September is peak tourist season in Portugal, here are 5 reasons why you should consider visiting in the off-season. That means now!

Constantly popping up on travel lists from Travel & Leisure naming it destination of the year for 2017 and the New York Times including in their 52 Places to Travel last year, there is no shortage of arguments for why you should book a flight asap. And while summer is the peak tourist season in Portugal, here are 5 reasons why you should consider visiting in the next few months:

Weather - Portugal’s weather is consistently mild. With highs in the summer reaching into the 80s (Fahrenheit), the winter low rarely gets below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, with daily averages in the low 60s. These mild temperatures make for especially pleasant sightseeing. Layer with a scarf and light jacket and you’ll you’ll be sufficiently prepared for your days of exploring (but also be prepared for rain, just in case!)

No crowds - One of the best perks of traveling anywhere in the off-season is enjoying a city without fighting the crowds. The convenience of this alone is a huge selling point for me. Restaurant reservations (or just walking in) are much easier to come by. The more touristy spots, such as museums or the Tower of Belem or the Palace of Pena in Sintra, are so much more enjoyable when you aren’t stuck waiting in long lines. There is even a noticeable difference, allowing for a more pleasant experience, when you are just wandering the streets without fighting crowds.

Money - In that it goes further. Always a main consideration when planning a vacation, budget is super important and Portugal tops of my list of awesome and affordable destinations! There are plenty of flight specials and hotel deals to be found this time of year. We flew on TAP Portugal which offers a flight direct flights from the U.S. as well as the free stopover option that played a role in driving tourism to Iceland. We also found very reasonable pricing for Airbnbs. As a bonus, now is a particularly good time to visit Europe with the dollar strong against the Euro.

That winter light - Hear me out on this one. Yes, days are shorter this time of year and while some could argue that gives you less time to sightsee, there is something about the light in the winter that is magical. Crisper and sharper, the scenic vistas of Lisbon will be all the more breathtaking in the glowy winter light.

Authentic Portugal - Last but not least, traveling at less popular time for other tourists opens you up to experiences you may likely not be exposed to other times of the year. Sleepy beach towns, quiet restaurants and nearly empty hotels create space for connections with locals that busier seasons wouldn’t allow. One of the most powerful experiences of travel is connecting with people living in a different place and in a different culture than you. It expands your horizons and forces you to get outside of your comfort zone. In seasons when the hospitality industry is focused on catering to tourists they don’t have the time to have a meaningful conversation with you, but in the off-season they aren’t as worried about serving everyone staying at the hotel or working through a mile-long wait list. Space naturally opens up for authentic connections, which has the chance to leave a lasting impression on you as a traveler.

Where to Stay: Sublime Comporta

Often the road less traveled leads you to exactly where you need to be. And the road to Comporta, Portugal in November is certainly a less traveled path. Known as a popular beach escape for many Europeans, Comporta is increasingly a popular destination with new hotels opening up over the past few years.

Visiting in the off-season gave us a chance to see the sleepy beach town without tourists, or really many people at all. With most of the town was closed for the season, we enjoyed a relaxing few days at the new-ish Sublime Comporta hotel and leisurely explored the area without fighting any crowds or traffic. Within an easy hour drive from Lisbon, we were happy to escape to a nice hotel for the last few days of our trip. 

Located on 17 acres, the Sublime Comporta is built to blend in with the natural surroundings. We stayed in a Cabana Suite that included a cozy king bed, and a full kitchen, fireplace and living area in a separate room, plus a deck and private pool give you the option to never leave your cabana! 

A spa, pool, fire pit, on-site organic garden, yoga pavilion and tennis courts offer plenty of activities to keep you busy during your stay. We, however, found it hard to leave the cozy couch in front of the fire (and the staff was happy to frequently re-stock our wood supply). It was so pleasant to hunker down and enjoy our minimalist but comfortable cabana. 

The on-site restaurant Sem Porta uses lots of local ingredients and offers an upscale dining experience. While the restaurant was good, it's very pricey, and we really enjoyed eating a more causal meal in the lobby bar one night.  

The hotel is not right on the beach, but it can be reached in a quick 10 minute drive. We ventured out several times for meals during the day, and while a lot was shut down for the season, we found a few noteworthy spots. Have I mentioned the amazingly delicious seafood that we encountered at most meals on this trip? Enjoy!  

• Comporta Cafe - One of our best meals of the trip. We ate on the deck right off the beach, filled up on clams and seafood spaghetti and enjoyed the ocean breeze.
• Restaurante Dona Bia - A popular restaurant but was unfortunately closed for the season.
• Eucalyptus - We had a casual meal here - a good place for a simple sandwich and coffee. 

How to Enjoy A Day to Yourself In New York City

New York City. Where you can simultaneously feel connected to the center of the world and completely anonymous. My love affair with this city is fed by way too infrequent trips to visit. But that may be part of the allure for me. Since I never have enough time to do everything on my ever growing list to check out and see everyone that I’m long overdue to catch up with, I always leave feeling slightly haggard from rushing to try to fit as much as possible in (or over celebrating when I do see dear friends). You can lose an afternoon just trying to get across town, so a poorly planned schedule can seriously throw off a visit.

Last week I was in the city to celebrate a girlfriend’s upcoming wedding and extended the trip by a few days to visit my brother. I ended up with a blissful day completely to myself. Here’s how I spent it:

9AM - Wake up late

Jetlag after travel from the West coast is real. I couldn’t pull myself out of bed before 9am.

9:30AM - Walk

After checking a few quick emails, I headed outside and was pleasantly surprised with a gorgeous fall day. I love how much you walk in New York, weather you have a destination or are wandering aimlessly.

10:30AM - Workout at SoulCycle

Would a trip to NYC be complete without a quintessential workout experience? Don’t be intimidated, come to work hard and be prepared to sweat. And if you can’t take the intensity for 45 solid minutes, the good news is it’s nice and dark in the studio.

12PM - Manicure at tenoverten

This salon offers a relaxing, enjoyable experience while focusing on natural products.  The bright and airy location in Soho feels like you are in a friend’s chic apartment, not at a nail salon. A nice pick-me-up and rejuvenating experience.

1:30PM - Lunch at Jack’s Wife Freda

After seeing this place all over instagram, I decided I needed to check it out for myself. If you are lucky enough to snag a spot at the cozy bar at the Soho location, warm up with a cup of tea and their famous avocado toast.

2:30PM - Shop

Because no trip to New York is complete without some shopping. I spent some time wandering down Elizabeth Street in Soho, my new favorite shopping street, and came across some of my favorite brands. Clare V, Cuyana, Steven Alan, Kit & Ace….among many, many others. I also tracked down my new obsession, the workout apparel Outdoor Voices. Their shop in Soho is just so much fun. I basically tried on everything. Their new colors are so good.

6PM -  Dinner at The Mercer Kitchen

This cozy spot in the Mercer Hotel is a perfect place for an intimate, yummy dinner. I am still thinking about the Angel Hair Pasta with mushrooms and parmesan.

Just Back From: South Lake Tahoe

Sometimes there is nothing better than a road trip to get out of town, explore a new place and re-connect with the great outdoors. A highlight of our long weekend in Tahoe was the well-located, stylish and welcoming Coachman Hotel. The details will impress those with a keen eye for design and the well stocked bar and hot tub will take care of the rest! Pop over to my South Lake travel notes for more tips on how to make the most of your time on the lake!

A Birthday Surprise

I'm lucky I married a guy who loves exploring and experiencing new places as much as I do. And he is also one heck of a good planner himself. Bonus points for his undying love of a good surprise. 

To mark my recent milestone birthday, my lovely husband secretly packed an overnight bag (bathing suit, running shoes - the essentials) and loaded it into the car without my knowledge. As we set out to do some Saturday errands we were in fact (and still unbeknownst to me) on our way over the Golden Gate Bridge for a night away!

The Cavallo Point Lodge has been on my radar for awhile. My parents visited a few years back and had a wonderful time. It is also just a quick 10 minute drive from our apartment and we've driven past the exit often. But when we actually turned off the highway I still wasn't sure what was up.

A room with a view. 

However, from the minute we arrived and the valet whisked away our car, I was blown away.

The service was top notch throughout our entire stay. We had one of the eco-friendly, contemporary suites with views of the Golden Gate Bridge just steps from the main restaurant and bar, but we felt completely removed and secluded. Our room, with a large gas fireplace separating the bed and the sitting area, was a perfect place to relax with some wine and watch the fog roll in and out of the city. We didn't get a peek into the historic lodging, though I can report they are completely charming from the outside. I would definitely recommend a stay in the contemporary lodging - especially as most of them have the unbeatable Golden Gate Bridge views!

After arriving and settling into our room, we explored the property a bit, stopping by the pool and the spa to soak in some sunshine (all with a glass of wine in hand, naturally). We didn't take advantage of any spa services but the aptly named Healing Arts Center & Spa definitely has me itching to plan a return visit. 

Before dinner we stopped in to the Farley Bar. This is one of those cozy wooden bars that you could spend hours in cuddled up by the fireplace. We had a reservation at the hotel's Murray Circle restaurant so we didn't stay long. But there are no complaints here. Dinner was a highlight - one of those meals that exceeded our expectations, all the way through to dessert. We indulged in local oysters, kale salad, duck ... and enjoyed it all. 

A lazy breakfast on the patio the next morning was a perfect way to wrap up our quick getaway. Cavallo Point Lodge is one of those fabulous hotels where you can relax and be pampered but also feel close to nature and enjoy breathtaking views no matter where you are on the property.

For us, it was such a treat to get away without actually having to travel. I loved every minute of my birthday surprise. Can't wait to go back!  

Boulder in the Summertime

Most people will tell you to go to Colorado in the winter so you can ski. Don't listen to those people. Of course I love to ski, and Colorado has some of the best skiing in the world. And you should definitely go to Colorado and ski in the winter if that is your thing. BUT, people in the know will clue you in on a (increasingly less) well-kept secret....

Summertime in Colorado is actually the best time to visit. There is just so much to do. Hiking, biking, camping, hoping from brewery to brewery and dining alfresco are just a few of the (many) activities to partake in.  Town is (a bit) quieter, the CU students are gone, the wonderful farmers market is in full swing, and the Colorado sun (minus humidity) gives you just the right dose of summer heat. And if that sun gets too hot you can always escape to the nearby Rocky Mountains for some fresh air. 

If you are lucky enough to find yourself in town, here are (a few of!) my not-to-be-missed stops. 

Hike Mount Sanitas. Trust me, the climb is worth it. 

Re-fuel afterwards with a Green Monkey smoothie and a juice at Wonder Press.

Caffeinate at Boxcar Coffee while perusing sister store Cured's well-curated selection of gifts and sampling their gourmet cheeses. 

Pick up the Buff sandwich at Dish.

Work up a sweat at BOCO Fit, my favorite workout.

Take in the views with a cocktail on the Flagstaff House patio.

Relax over a glass of wine at The Kitchen Upstairs.

Check out more of my Boulder tips and favorite haunts over in Travel Notes.