Virtual Adventures of Nashville, TN

Right now the world feels like it is both in a standstill and out of control. From governments trying to decide what’s best for it’s people, healthcare workers trying to keep their heads above water while caring for the sick, moms and dads juggling work and home schooling their children for the first time and millennial’s loosing their hard-won, multiple part time jobs. Teaming up to stay apart is unnatural at best but it is the secret ingredient to overcoming this chapter.

Something that I have loved from individuals that are choosing to do their part and stay home are those who still give out their talents so freely. From actors reading children’s books to my favorite cello player yo-yo ma playing on Facebook live. Everyone see’s the need to somehow still make this world a better place and in my efforts towards this exact direction, I wanted to keep sharing my adventures with you!

So without any further ado, let’s go on a virtual adventure in Nashville, TN….

Let’s travel!

 

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I don’t know about you but there is just something about heading down south and wanting some feel good food. I’m not sure if its the southern ties or the cravings that come up during a roadtrip, but we were all about making our first stop in Nashville about a plate of chicken and waffles! To help us achieve this we stopped at a restaurant called Sambuca and tucked in.

After filling our bellies we opened our Airbnb app and pulled up the address to our new home away from home. The name of our place was called The Nomad Pad and its interior design definitely highlighted that feeling. To my delight, as well, the home even had its own Instagram page @thenomadpad, and they even featured some of my photography of their place. 

What did I say! ^ stunning place and I highly recommend booking with The Nomad Pad when you go to Nashville! 

And as nice as our new home was, you do not simply come to Nashville to stay inside, you must wander! First we went to one of my favorite coffee shops in the whole city, Crema. I ordered a Spanish latte while Jacob ordered a Mocha and we took a second to sit down at the bar. This coffee shop is a gem from their delicious coffee and merchandise to their lounge areas to work or play. You are guaranteed to see countless creatives and business types hunched over their laptops working away and groups of two or three laughing at someone’s tale.

Thinking about this now, during a time of isolation, warms my heart.

After sipping on our coffee for a short while, we got up to walk around the city. My favorite thing about Nashville is the amount of beautiful murals painted along its walls and walkways. You can just feel the heartbeat of this creative city with each step you take. I personally wish that more cities would follow in Nashville’s footsteps because street art is more than graffiti or tags- it is a culture all in its own. It’s speaks of the real people living and working in the area.

My favorite mural ^

While we walked we would take detours and step inside local shops, had goo goo eyes over delicious looking foods in the windows and talked about what all we would like to see and do during our time there. Walking and talking in general has always been our “thing” as a couple. So to be able to travel together and do our thing in new places has my heart the most happy and, just like that, checks off one of the items on my Nashville to do list.

What’s this list you might now be wondering? We’ll here it is:

Nashville To Do:

• Get coffee from Crema
• Buy a new plant baby
• See the murals around Nashville
• Walk hand in hand with the love of my life
• Try some “made from scratch” pop-tarts from Milk and Honey
• Find the Colosseum (aka what I call Nashville’s Parthenon)
• Eat ramen.

And speaking of ramen, that brings me to where we will have our official first date night in Nashville! Our ramen place of choice is none other than Otaku Ramen. This ramen house is so so good in the ways of giving me both butterflies in my stomach and ruining all other ramen houses for me for the foreseeable future. To put it plainly, Jacob and I got the same amount of food in our bowls and only one of us finished their whole bowl… or should I say, her whole bowl.

After Jacob rolled me out of our hot date, we had a chilly walk, drove around the city, got stopped in traffic that was leaving the Grand Ol Opry House and found ourselves back to laying on our new bed counting our blessings.

Saturday, Day 2

With the dawning of a new day it was now time for my favorite time of day, Brunch! While out and about the day before you might have caught on to me saying that I had a crush on some tasty looking. Well it was now time for me to get my hands on them. 

Taking a short drive over to the gulch area in Nashville, we found our seats at Milk & Honey. Everything we ordered was both delicious and gorgeous from various eggy concoctions, coffee drinks and, finally, two flavors of handmade poptarts! One had a strawberry jam filling and the other had chocolate and hazelnut whip. 

After brunch we wanted to go find one more mural and that’s the iconic “I believe in Nashville” mural and to stop at one of my favorite florist and gifts shop Bloom Flowers. Little did I know that Jacob was about to become an influencer….

Please tell me you got a little laugh out of this selfie central!!

Next we were on to Bloom Flowers gift shop! This shop has so many different indoor plants you can buy, they can make you a flower arrangement in house or you can pick up various stationary. While I looked around the shop I found and bought myself a cactus!

As luck would have it, I married a man who supports my love of plants and he married a woman who supports his love of local BBQ! We got my cactus wrapped up and ready to go, jumped in the jeep and headed over to Mission BBQ. We ordered something smokey and smothered in amber goodness and had ourselves a little picnic in the Centennial Park.

The rad part about being in this park was the gorgeous backdrop of the Parthenon. Such an odd, classic beauty resting on a green lawn near the heart of the city. But I enjoyed it because it drew runners, cute couples and families to its steps and grounds. Or maybe because it was such a gorgeous day, I’ll let you decide.

Thank you beautiful Nashville for having us! And thank you for coming along with me! I hope I have encouraged you, made you laugh, scratched your travel itch or inspired you to make some delicious food while on your staycation. Please stay happy, healthy and hydrated!

-Kriss

 

I just turned 28, Let’s Celebrate!

It’s official I’m 28 years old and there is no going back! But good news is that I don’t want to! I love the process of getting older, wiser, more sure of the life that I am so grateful to live. So this year I decided to stay put and enjoy my life exactly where it’s at and its in our new home in Indianapolis, IN.

Let Her Eat Cake

This year my birthday fell on Saturday aka the day birthdays should always fall on! So here I was in bed waking up to sunshine and the cuddles of my… dog! Haha! He was curled up on my guys side of the bed and ready to love me and give me all of his attention. But where was my guy?

No sooner had I wondered that exact question did I hear a creak of a step on our stairs and the glow of candles. Jacob had prepared a breakfast in bed moment for me complete with egg and avocado toast, fruit, coffee AND my slice of birthday cheesecake from my girls night the night before. The glow of candlelight came from a gifted apple scented candle and two letter candles that spelled out “28.” Good start of the day? Naw, more like a great start of a great day.

This the the Celebration Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory.

Fountain Square

Earlier in the week when I had first started to think about my new age, I thought about past birthdays. In past years I had put effort forward to have big birthdays, birthdays filled with high expectations (always a recipe for disaster), birthdays while traveling or just not wanting to acknowledge that years birthday at all. But this year felt wonderfully different, a sense of peace that I’ve never had before about turning a new age made me up for whatever the day had to offer. But I definitely still knew some suggestions.

So we got ready for the day, gave Tyson some more kisses and belly rubs and then got in the Jeep to go to downtown Indy. I knew the minute we stepped out of the house that it was going to be wonderful. This was because of the clear, blue skies and 50 degree weather allowing us to wear a light jacket for the first time in weeks. So once in the area and parked, I knew I wanted to keep outdoors and walk along the city.

Within five minutes onsite, my world got a lot more comical because of this rad biker.

Our walked paused whenever we came to the Upland Brewing Co. We popped in for J to grab a beer and to split some appetizers to keep the hangry away. I always look forward to these moments with him because it never really matters where we are but whenever we have intentional time together, it is always the best and warms my heart. It is also something I wish I could have had in past birthdays without him. So really he is the gift that keeps on giving.

Next on our exploring is stopping into a local Vinyl shop. The one we chose was called Square Cat Vinyl and boy did they have some tempting records for us. Jacob was looking at some Red Hot Chili Pepper albums while I was busy in the jazz section looking at Billie Holiday or in the Soundtracks looking for a Breakfast at Tiffany’s album.

Because no day of exploring with me if ever complete without coffee, we went to a much awaited location. This coffee shop is directly across from the building that states that “You are Beautiful” and is called Bovaconti Coffee. It’s the kind of coffee shop that when you go inside you kinda squeal internally because of its obvious beauty and aesthetic. Jacob ordered his usual mocha and I went with a Spanish latte (it’s made with condensed milk, espresso and cinnamon- a must try if you like those ingredients).

My only complaint was the lack of seating because of the time of day and my unfulfilled desire to sit in a coffee shop for awhile and chat. But there is always another day for that! So we switched up our order and got them to go.

Newfields or No Fields

Phase two of the day was to find ourselves surrounded by plants and flowers. However as the day would have it, it turned out to be another edit to the plans. We were informed that the greenhouse wasn’t going to be opened for another two weeks or so. We accepted the news and as we walked back to the car we stopped in the lobby to explore and to wonder at this kinetic art installation by Studio Drift. Funny thing is that we still ended up around flowers.

Birthday Surprise

At 5 pm all of my plans for the day were completed and mostly accomplished! But the fun part is this is exactly where Jacob’s plans pick up pace. He had been telling me all week that he had plans for us the evening of my birthday sometime after 6 pm. In my mind I was super stoked because I figured that it would be an occasion to dress up and eat some awesome food but… I was wrong.

Right before leaving the house for the surprise I ask Jacob what I should wear and he said something usual and also comfy. Still confused as what to wear I throw out the question “is there a chance that I will get dirty or messing there?” He seemed unsure but responded that he thinks its possible but that they will have stuff there to help keep me clean.

So…. yeah this girls mind was racing at what the heck we were about to do. So with some faith and keeping my eyes shut, he drove us to our mystery location. Surprise! We were going to a wine and canvas night! I was deeply touched by this gesture because that previous week I had said that I really wanted to get back into that love and here we were, about to start it up again but this time- together.

As you can see, 28 is off to such a wonderful start. I was able to see so many of my friends, family, artistic and inspirational places that have left my heart and mind refreshed and reminded of the amazing life that I get to live. Wishing you all only the best and I cannot wait until next time!

-Kriss

Travel the World at Epcot

With being a lover of travel, there is no better amusement park than Epcot at Disney in Orlando, Florida! Travel around the world on one ticket while experiencing an introduction to eleven different cultures from iconic sights, tastes and traditions. Who knows maybe your curiosities will lead you to international travels.

Canada

Coming into the park one of the first countries you will experience is OH Canada! From majestic sights of their national flag in the wind to rows of different maple syrups to try and shops stocked with warm clothing fit for gearing you up for your next ski trip, you will instantly feel like you are away on a cabin retreat. So expect to see imagery of wildlife including beavers and moose! But if camping isn’t your thing then hold out for views of the Hotel du Canada, a Victorian-style hotel with a lush garden to explore.

The United Kingdom

Next door to Canada is The United Kingdom. From pubs to sit in and grab fish and chips to fine tea shops filled with china, you truly get the feeling of the underground and the cute English countryside. A lot of visitors to the Disney parks plan their trips around what characters are there to meet. Well if you are interested in meeting Mary Poppins or the characters from Alice in Wonderland, this is your moment. I definitely know that I am proud to say that I met Alice!

France

After getting your pub on you might be in the mood to get a little fancy. You’re in luck because with a skyline that is pointed with the Eiffel Tower, you are now in France. Expect to find artists along the way painting and selling gorgeous works of art, mimes acting out a joyous skit, made from scratch pastries and tunes flowing from an accordion. But no need to worry if you don’t speak French, simply order your favorite coffee and you’re as french as you need to be. And for me, I grabbed a macaroon to go with it!

Morocco

In a perfect world France and Morocco would be next door neighbors but in reality only Disney got it right. Enjoy a magic carpet ride as you stroll along open air markets full of everything a boho loving heart enjoys, get interior design inspiration from the gorgeous tiled fountains and archways and lastly enjoy meeting Aladdin and Jasmine in the flesh, I know I did!

Japan

Next is Japan and it cannot be missed. From the looming blue-roofed pagoda inspired by the Horyuji Temple where you can experience drum shows from the Taiko Drummers to the large, red Torii Gates along the waters edge, Epcot captures the Japanese spirit. Also expect to spend some time here because while here you can get some hand-rolled sushi and shop the “kawaii” culture!

United States

In the United States section of the park called “American Adventure” you can go down history lane with a throwback to the founding of the country, a progression of America’s flag, the use of freedom of speech and it’s impact on the nation and art exhibition of the American Indian. Some of the food fare speaks to the nostalgic 50’s and includes hamburgers, hot dogs and the classic slice of apple pie with ice cream on the side.

Italy

In contrast to the United States and its short history is the long reign and existence of Italy. Italy’s section of the park nods to its history of art, architecture, wine and slow living. You can find a smell replica of the Trevi Foundtain, shop at the corner wine stand, taste lemoncello shaved ice and smell flowering rose bushes along your walk.

Germany

Give me all of the snacks in Germany town because its Oktoberfest and pretzels are for sale! Strolling up to this section of the park you will feel like you are in mixed world of fairy tales and ancient Medieval times from the clock tower to the coat of arms and banners over each door. You can take part in a street finger puppet production or sit back and enjoy some soccer. Either way I suggest finding some childlike joy while marveling at the handmade cuckoo clocks.

China

If you are feeling tired from all of your traveling, then China is for you! From relaxing stone statues in the zen garden to a 360 film titled “Reflections of China,” you can take a moment to rest while viewing virtual sights in nature in the beautiful country of China. After the movie is over and you’d like to continue resting, sit down and enjoy watching a live performance from the Jeweled Dragon Acrobats. Feeling inspired by the strength and skill of the Chinese? Then step over and meet the legend and warrior herself, Mulan!

Norway

This is a huge tip for all of the parents of Anna and Elsa fans. At Disney the Magic Kingdom you see this pair sisters on floats and singing on stage but the best place to meet them is at their home which happens to be in Norway at Epcot. Here you can have a meet and greet with the sisters, take on a Frozen themed ride and enjoy merchandise from the movies. Who knows maybe you’ll even run into Olaf!

Mexico

Depending on how you started your adventure in the park, Mexico may or may not be your last stop but if it is then what a way to go! This part of the park is full of music from Mariachi bands, Mexican food full of spices, a Mesoamerican pyramid pointing you up towards the heavens and a threatening volcano to set you right along your way!

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As you can see, there is a lot to experience in this fantastic park! Like I said at the start it is a great park for my fellow travel buffs but its great too if you want a more laid back experience that offers a wealth of insight to other walks of life.

You might not be interested in this park if you are looking to go on a lot of rides. At Epcot there are only a few rides to go on so definitely keep that in mind. But in case you didn’t know, that big golf ball looking structure at the beginning of the park actually does have a ride inside! So never fear my adventure loving friend.

And for my 21 and older friends, definitely google “Drinking around the World” for an extra creative way to experience this park!

Thank you for going on this exciting adventure with me! Whenever I think of Disney, I will always think of Epcot and want to go back. But because Disney has so much to offer there is one other park I want to try out! So next week please come back for my final amusement park trip and review at Disney’s Animal Kingdom!

-Kriss

Disney’s The Magic Kingdom Experience

Last time on the blog we ventured into the world of Harry Potter. What a wonderful moment that was for me to share another travel experience with you and to also add amusement parks to the list of travel locations featured here on the blog. Today we are going to continue on this ride with the addition of… I think you probably already guessed it, Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida. Because who doesn’t need a little more magic and childlike joy in their day!

One of my favorite things about this park and Disney in general, is that it is an experience from the moment you set tire on their roads to foot on their walkways. The Disney experience starts long before they swipe your ticket and scan your thumb (little hint at their welcoming process). From how every doorway is dressed, light post is themed and each new view of the park is breathtaking.

The Magic Kingdom is the jewel in the crown of Disney in Orlando, Florida. Wherever you go you simply have to turn and find the castle to be reminded of that fact. It almost has a way of awaking your inner prince or princess no matter your age.

And because I am such a sucker for that feeling and experience, heading to Fantasyland was my first priority when entering the park.

Check out Belle’s house! How charming and true to the story with watermill and all.

Fantasyland was number one for me because of the types of stories and characters that were located on that side of the park. Characters like Peter Pan, Rapunzel, Mad Hatter, Snow White, Ariel, Gaston, Pooh & Tigger and Merida, to name just a few!

I’ve found that one of the best ways to see the characters at Disney is to go to where their homes are in the park. There you will be able to go to experiences like “Story time with Belle” and meet them in the process, just like I did!

Don’t forget to hold out for your favorite treats around the park. They have a little something for everyone. Here I purchased french macarons in the flavors espresso, caramel and vanilla!

While still in Fantasyland, I made sure to stop by and take a selfie at Rapunzel’s, from Tangled, tower and part of the park. Personally because she is one of my favorites, it could have been bigger. But with the recent expansion guests can have the full experience with big characters like Snow White, Belle and Ariel.

If you aren’t much into these characters no fear because Disney’s Magic Kingdom has six separate sections all with their own themes. Theses areas are Main Street U.S.A., Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Liberty Square and Adventureland. 

On my visit list was to go up in the giant treehouse of the Swiss Family Robinson. The last time I was at the Magic Kingdom I was 9 and in third grade. From the first trip there was a picture of me at the helm of the “ship” in the treehouse. So seeing it all from an adult perspective was fun ans proves that the park is for all ages.

But like I said, from every part of the park you simply have to turn to experience the castle again. I love this park because you can truly enjoy and explore the Cinderella castle from all angles. From shows on its stage to walking through the center of it to having a chance to book princess treatments up inside the castle- it can be exactly what you hope for.

At the end of the day whenever everyone is tired and ready to sleep like the seven dwarfs, make sure to stay and experience the end of the day show at the castle. There are lights, singing, fireworks, some pixie dust and a heart full of joy to experience.

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Thank you for joining me today as I shared some travel tips, a park review and plenty of magic. Please subscribe to get instant access to new blog posts and updates!

-Kriss

A Muggle’s Guide to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

A sunny morning in January seemed like the perfect day to visit Universal Studios and for this blogger, it was her first trip there! Walking up to the gates you will first walk through bag security and then to the ticket booth to purchase your pass into a fun and exciting day. Something to keep in mind if you are planning on visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you will need to purchase two tickets to be able to enter both sides of Universal.

You need two because Harry Potter is split right down the middle, dividing the park into two sides. One side offers Diagon Alley and the other, Hogsmeade Village where Hogwarts Castle is. If only seeing one side of The Wizarding Wolrd is ok with you then you can pick which side by knowing that Diagon Alley is at Universal Studios while Hogsmeade Village is at Islands of Adventure. But if you want to experience the full world of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter then I highly suggest buying both tickets.

On the side of Universal Studios, you have access to Diagon Alley and Kings Cross Station. We decided to enter the King’s Cross Station and board the Hogwarts Express, first thing. And what a start because after a short line and waiting period you are then standing on Platform 9 3/4! The Hogwarts Express isn’t just something fun to experience but it is, in fact, a ride! So sit back and enjoy the ride!

To build the excitement of seeing the Hogwarts Castle, I highly suggest walking through Hogsmeade! Here you can get sweets at Honeydukes, purchase at jumper at Gladrags Wizardwear, grab a butterbeer at The Hog’s Head and any magical equipment that you may have forgotten at home at Dervish and Banges. My favorite purchases are below!

Something that is a must for me and to many who visit the park, is getting our hands on some butterbeer! The positive bit of visiting the park around the Holidays is that they carry three kinds of butterbeers for you to try. All three are the original flavor but come in the option of hot, frozen or traditional. Because we couldn’t decide, we purchased all three! The traditional butterbeer was fizzy to me, almost like a pop or soda. The frozen butterbeer reminded me of a root beer float. And lastly, the hot butterbeer was oh so cozy and very much my favorite of the three.

After drinking like a wizard or witch, you’re more than ready to finally see the Hogwarts castle! And man did we enjoy seeing it! The castle was true to the Hogwarts dreams that all of us Harry Potter fans hold. There were wrought iron fences to keep out muggles, towering hog statues snarling their tusks in your direction, peak after peak holding secrets- a true picture of nostalgia. Best part, however, was that the castle wasn’t just something to look at- it was something you could fully experience, yes even you Muggle!

Walking up the cobbled walkway towards the castle you’re soon entering the one and only Hogwarts. Once inside the school you are now waiting inline to ride the Forbidden Journey Castle Tour. But unlike other waiting line, you are surrounded by a dark, moody atmosphere with moving portraits, lit lanterns and sculptures and props inspired by the films. Some say that there are actual props from the movies in various parts of the park.

Depending on how busy the park is and on your schedule for the day, you can plan accordingly for more rides or more wanderings. Because the day we visited was busy, we decided to head to Diagon Alley to explore the areas we had missed. Here you can make a withdrawal from Gringotts, find what wand calls to you at Ollivander’s, learn some tricks and a laugh at Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes or buy your school robes at Madam Malkin’s Robes for all occasions

Speaking of Gringotts, this is an attraction that everyone looks forward to. The bank holds a indoor roller coaster that goes deep down into the mines but also exhibits the sinister stares of the dragon perched on top of the bank. But the bank is felt from any street in Diagon Alley. There is a rumbling deep down under the ground, snarls and smoke until the dragon lets out a roar of fire. The fire is so hot that you can actually feel the heat being breathed down upon you!

Like every other tourist I always tend to get myself a little something. My souvenir from Harry Potter World was a chocolate frog to take home and enjoy with my Maraduer’s Map mug. Not only was the frog cute but it was also solid chocolate- and that doesn’t hurt. I got it too because I was curious who I would receive on the card inside. Turned out that I got Helga Hufflepuff aka my Hogwarts house!

Like so many who grew up with a new Harry Potter book coming out each year, the thought of being fully submerged into that world was the ideal world. Whenever Universal announced their new addition of Harry Potter attractions to their park, I instantly added it to list of my must go places.

My biggest take away is that when you go that you choose a time where the park isn’t typically busy. We went at the beginning of January after the holidays were over and also whenever the schools were still on Christmas break. Aka the park was crazy packed! At points it was completely impossible to move around the mass amounts of people. This can end up being very difficult if you have little ones or are planning to go in a big group. So I highly suggest that you do your research of when is the best time of year to go for yourself and your fellow companions!

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Next week on the blog we will continue with our amusement park fun and head on to all things Disney at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Please subscribe to get instant access to new blog posts and updates!

-Kriss

 

 

Holidays in the Tropics

We know the classic image of Christmas where there is fresh snow fall outside and a warm, lit fire inside where loved one’s are gathered together and drinking hot cocoa. But what if instead of snow you have sun and palm trees? What if you have glasses of lemonade and not hot chocolate or cider? We’ll you’ve come to the perfect place to see what the Holidays look and feel like in those warmer climates. Welcome to Christmas in Florida!

This year we planned to spend Christmas in Orlando, Fl. For someone who has never spent Christmas away from her Indiana roots, I knew I was in for some interesting events. But the thought of having Christmas without the possibility of snow or cozy sweaters, well that’s another story. To some this is the ideal situation but spoiler alert, it’s not all flip flops and tan lines!

One of the events we were eager to try out was beach life in winter. With swimsuits on, sunscreen rubbed in and towel in hand, we made our way to the beach. The temperatures were comfortable, the sun was warming but the water was… well lacking. I will admit I definitely went for a drip but it didn’t take long for me to go back to sun bathing.

Something I didn’t consider about our beach visit was the fact that there are tiki bars and restaurants all along the coast. We happily ordered ourselves some food and refreshing slushies. I was 100% in my happy place: good company, good food and complete detachment from unnecessary things.

She likes long walks on the beach and limited sun exposure.

If beach days aren’t your kind of days then I highly suggest pulling up a chair, pool side. Luckily when we were in Orlando we stayed at Jacob’s parent’s house whose neighborhood has a gorgeous pool and lounge. The water was cold, maybe even colder than the ocean, but I didn’t mind because there were a generous amount of unused hammocks to take advantage of! Some of us swam laps, some read books and some, like myself, enjoyed the simplicity of just being.

Once toweled off and dressed for the day, you can easily see the efforts gone to decorate every light post, archway and tree in pure Christmas splendor. The balance between the tropical feeling and the Christmas spirit is almost comical yet still makes its festive impact. So if you need to do some shopping for the holidays, expect to find Christmas trees, ribbons and bows, ornaments and stars while you are out and about.

Shopping in Winter Park, FL is perfect for those who love locally owned shops filled with coffee, unique gifts, antiques, high-end fashion and good food.

If you are missing snow while on your stay, I suggest pulling up a cozy Christmas movie. Because even though it is still technically winter in Florida you won’t exactly get that kind of precipitation. You will, however, experience highs and lows where some days will be 80’s and sunny with others being 50’s and rainy. This makes packing tough but if you’re the type of personality that loves change, this weather was made for you.

Featuring one of those cold and rainy days out on the patio with hot coffee and an unfeatured sweater moment.

For me and so many other’s who celebrate Christmas because of their faith in Jesus, making it about Him is everything to me. From preparing my heart to remember the true meaning of it all to praying over the individuals whose gifts I am wrapping to the activities I make sure to set time aside for. I love Christmas because it sets things back in their rightful place. By this I mean making time for family and friends, for giving and for finding peace because of His existence.

We went as a family to the Christmas Eve service at Faith Assembly Orlando, Fl

To find feelings of magic, family and stillness while on vacation in a tropical climate, this trip was that much more meaningful and memorable. So, no matter where or how you celebrate, whether it’s warm or cold, celebrating the big moments in life will always boil down to who you spend it with. This Christmas will be one that I will remember for a very long time if not forever and I hope that whatever season you found yourself in this past holiday season, that you experienced some of that Christmas magic.

Next week on the blog I am sharing a geek out worthy post! I am sharing my experiences from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. Oh yeah! We are talking trains, broom sticks, owls, spooky rides and delicious brews. To get instant updates to new blog posts and news please subscribe to receive email notifications.

-Kriss

New Year, New Zip Code

Last new year’s as Jacob and I were resting together and reflecting on the year of 2018 and all of our moments together (aka marriage) we decided that 2019 was going to be another huge year for us, God willing.

The home where our love grew, where Jacob proposed and where our first year of marriage was written in the books.

The master plan was that I was going to complete my internship and undergraduate degree while Jacob was going to start the process of applying to new police departments. In March, he had applied to four or five different departments in Indiana and one in Colorado while I was halfway through the busiest semester of my life. But we were determined to come out on the other side with check marks by our goals.

The “Super Mover” is a game changer!

Then flash-forward to July and I’m an official college graduate completely unsure of what’s next while Jacob found out that he was selected by a department in Indianapolis. Aka we were elated and I think that following weekend I packed up everything I could get my hands on.

The calm before the storm.

But the kicker was that there were two different start dates. One date was at the beginning of September 2019 and the other was at the beginning of 2020. Naturally we wanted it to be the soonest date but, as God would have it, he was selected to start at the later date.

We were crazy gross, tired and sore but oh so joyful!

And like I said above, I was in this weird season of finding direction so to be hit with feelings of annoyance, relief and determination- we decided to make the best of our time left in Terre Haute, IN. We were going to book an international trip to Belgium, take full advantage of more time to pack and find our next home, travel for the holidays to see his family and to enjoy one last Christmas season living in the place where it all started.

Did I mention that we were tired?

When moving weekend arrived we were able to get our truck early and pack a full day ahead of schedule. On our last night in the house, we made the classic decision of ordering pizza and sleeping on the floor. I will admit that it was not as comfortable as my romantic side figured that it would be but we got a good laugh out of it and found that we wanted to get up earlier than usual the next the day. So with that we grabbed the last bits of stuff and things, locked the door behind us and took off onto our next adventure!

Days after the move, Tyson is still exhausted.

Now we are officially moved in and things are starting to feel like home again. Yes, there are still plenty of boxes left unopened with nooks and crannies here and there that I have no clue how to utilize but God’s timing is everything. I have felt it this whole process from the lack of patience to the mysterious future to the tears of joy shed during the quiet drive to our new home, God truly is in the details. And with this focus on the One who brought it all together I can proudly say that 2020 is going to be an amazing new chapter!

Next week on the blog we are traveling again! Can I get an Amen? So please sign up for email notifications and join me for some fun in the Florida sun!

-Kriss

Best Holiday Market: Carmel Christkindlmarkt

Winning the title of North Amercia’s Best Holiday Market, the Carmel Christkindlmarkt has brought the old world charm of Christmas in Germany to Indiana. The Christmas market tradition stretches back to the middles ages in Saxony, Germany. Since then the joys of the traditional Christmas markets and customs have spread from town to town, around the world and has found a home in the Midwest.

On the day of our visit to the market they were celebrating Nikolaustag, or St. Nicholas Day. The tradition is that on the night of December 5th, children set out their shoes for St. Nicholas to fill with sweets and gifts. And depending on if they were good or not they will be visited by St. Nicholas or his sinister sidekick Krampus. It is similar to the Christmas Eve tradition on December 24th with the visit of Santa Claus, however we got lucky and there is no bad guy to this story.

The market is located in the City Center of Carmel and is decorated in traditional German flare with tempting treats, beverages and the opportunity to do some Christmas decor and gift shopping. One of  the activities that many people took advantage of was renting a pair of ice skates and taking turns around the pop-up ice skating rink in the very center of the festivities.

Something that I noticed was a bit of a tradition was the Carmel Christkindlmarkt mugs. These mugs are called Gluhwein Stiefel and for 2019 they came in either a white boot or a green train version. I was drawn to the boot so after purchasing one from one of the vendors, I hunted down some much needed hot chocolate. There were a couple of different options but I went with the Java Haus because the name speaks for itself.

After warming up with hot chocolate by the fire, we started feeling our hunger pains. One of the cozy things about the market was the fact that it was all things German. If you’ve been around the blog for awhile you’d know that we spent our honeymoon in Germany, so naturally being surrounded by German things brings us back to our romantic trip submerged in the culture, including the food.

While we were on our honeymoon in Germany, we definitely had our fill of pretzels, schnitzel, currywurst and bratwurst. So while browsing the menu’s at Carmel’s Christkindlmarkt we were instantly greeted with all of our favorite indulgences. Jacob’s pick was currywurst that came with a roll while I chose a traditional bratwurst on a similar roll. Personally, I was very happy with my choice!

^my horrible yet proud joke of the night was “all of the shops were great but this one was the wurst…”

Something we rather enjoyed about the market was the well-rounded planning that Carmel put into the event. They advertised visiting the market first and then taking the Christmas trolley into the Arts and Design District for more Christmas decorations, holiday shopping and local eats. So with that great plan in mind, we took it and follow their wonderful advice. Soon we found ourselves browsing around cute shops while holding hands and letting our date night in Carmel wind down.

My most favorite part of the market, was the time of the day that we got there. We were there early enough to catch the sun setting behind the market. So in the sea of Christmas lights, evergreen trees and crackling fires, everything was cast in a rose gold glow. However, this same glow and the previous warmth of the day tricked us into thinking that the night would follow suit. I definitely advise some good, Christmasy layers to keep yourself warm and to not be shy to blasting some heat in the car at the end of your night.

Do yourself and your loved ones a favor this holiday season and go check out this Christmas Market before its last night on December 21st! All the information you will need is on their Facebook page linked here >Carmel Christkindlmarkt. Next week on the blog I get the privilege of sharing more of our holiday season with you all! And how we are celebrating this year may or may not surprise you!

-Kriss

Scandinavian Saint-Gilles Airbnb

Welcome to our Airbnb located in the Saint-Gilles neighborhood of Brussels, Belgium!

Climbing up four floors, we reach our minimalist, Scandinavian home away from home. With being a lofted penthouse, skylights and windows offered plenty of natural light to highlight the simple beauty within the home and framed views of terracotta roofs against the sky. We decided that we truly couldn’t have picked a better place.

For anyone who has traveled in Europe, you know just how convenient the transportation system is compared to the US. So during our time away from the loft we found ourselves walking anywhere between 11 and 13 miles per day (hello half marathon)! This fact alone states how tired you could expect our bones to be by the end of the day and sometimes into the next morning.

Choosing to take rest in a such a minimalist space, I believe, truly allows for rejuvenation. There is just something so perfect about having exactly what you need in just a few basics that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye. And it just so happens that both Jacob and I see the Scandi style as pleasing and ideal for a relaxing environment (huge win).

In this space we made excited trip plans, took in the silence, gorged ourselves on pizza from the shop on the corner, talked about our future, aired out drenched clothing from exploring during rainy days and watched sunrises to sunsets. My advice to every kind of relationship from friendship to romance- is to travel. There is this special kind of magic that occurs whenever you are one on one with your travel companion. It transcends every other kind of encounter.

You can bicker, you can explore, you can share truths and you can feel alone together too. Each opportunity leads you to know more about their pain and their weaknesses but more so their hopes and dreams. It is my goal to never stop dating my husband and especially never stop learning him. It is the greatest freedom and blessing to know that he feels the same way.

And it is this very truth and joy that makes me certain that we will always keep travel in our relationship through the seasons in life to come. So we want to thank you for coming along with us as we explore God’s good Earth and the mysteries of marriage. Cheers to the wrap up of our Belgium travels and now onto some killer US locations….

Next week on the blog come back for Christmas! YES! Christmas is finally here again and I will be sharing some Holiday Cheer by giving coverage to a warm and cozy Christmas event going on here in Indiana.

-kriss

Bruges: Europe’s Fairytale City

When will I stop underestimating this awesome country? In my two previous blog posts about our trip to Belgium, Brussels and Gent, we are slowly exploring city after city. And if you haven’t noticed yet, this blog post is about our visit to Bruges. From my research of Bruges, I read things like “romantic,” “a storybook town,” and “a must see.” And to recap my thoughts on the city (is it too soon to recap??) those terms for the city are spot on truths.

Rolling into this city via train, we are welcomed by a string of oh so charming horse and buggies. Walking down the cobbled streets we saw countless horse-drawn carriages. Their hooves echoed down the rows of charming building and up towards the steeples of the churches. It was this very sound that pointed us towards the entrances of these churches.

We were not strangers to walking up and down the aisles, sitting in pews for a moment of silence or gazing at relics and stained glass; we actually made a point to visit many, if not most, of the churches we saw during our days of traveling. But this particular one really delighted my heart. This church was called, “The Saint-Salvator Cathedral.” The inside was dressed in contrasting blacks and whites with looming and richly painted images of the life of Christ.

After our tour of the cathedral we made our way to the center of the city. The streets leading up to the center were filled with musicians, designer clothing stores, Christmas shops, locals walking their pets, flower shops and all the chocolate you could ever need. All of these options gave way to a feeling of energy in the area because of all of the hustle and bustle of those shopping, visiting and eating.

As we journeyed on we found Brugge’s city center with those iconic Belgium buildings in colors like crimson, lavender, sky blue, soft grays and warm, earthy browns. In the city center there is also a famous, looming and majestic Belfry town. On the day we visited the center was teaming with life.

The city was setting up for a marathon while tourists were getting their hands on Belgium waffles made right in front of you. Jacob and I had started getting into the rhythm of getting a treat for ourselves and finding a nearby stair to sit on while we talked about our trip and life together while watching those around us. Our treats for this day were the famous street fries loaded up with curry sauce for Jacob while I had my freshly made waffle with a smudge of Nutella on top and an Americano.

^^btw number one travel tip, traveling is its best whenever you do it with your best friend.

My most proud moment in all of our Belgium exploring was when I saw a pair of swans. Ok ok I know what you are thinking, swans are jerks! But hear me out on this one because I have always romanticized the idea of seeing swans…. in a canal… in Europe. And finally it was my moment because it was finally happening. We were walking away from the city center to find the canals when way down the street I saw two white dots sitting on the surface of a body of water. So naturally, I booked it!

I walked so fast that I even lost Jacob somewhere behind me to get closer to those beauties. And when I rounded the corner those swans brought me to an area straight out of a fairytale. There were cute bridges, more cobblestone roads, willow trees and now the swans. Honestly it quickly became a God moment to me.

I find myself expecting a certain life and doing everything in my power to plan it out so that I can achieve it. Not that it is wrong to see a goal and a dream and bee line to it, but sometimes things just happen and they end up taking you to places you never expected and places you would have missed if you hadn’t been derailed at some point. I think what I mean is finding a way to welcome those detours because I am just so utterly thankful for each detour. They have helped me to create this life of mine, the ability to travel and the idea of using this blog as a tool to share it all with you. So I want to say thank you for taking an interest and joining me on my journey.

Wandering further down the canals, the rain started to come down so we found an alley and decided to follow it to wherever it might lead. It took us to a cute residential area filled with ivy, rose bushes and a wishing well (cue my Snow White moment). But this direction also took us to one of the secret niches in the city.

This niche is the home of Bruges fairytale bridge. Made out of stone and tucked away behind a cathedral’s vineyards is the Bonifacius Bridge. Standing on the bridge gives you an intimate and romantic view of the city. Traveling tip to this location is to arrive early. Many tourists visiting the city seek out this bridge so during busy hours of the day it is hard to get some alone time in this area. Try to come early or around dinner hours.

We actually came across the bridge when there were a ton of tourists but because of the pouring rain, most scattered for cover. I took this moment to, naturally, claim the bridge as my own and to take a moment to let the day sink in.

Our last destination while in Bruges was to find the four windmills. These windmills are located on the far side of the old parts of Bruges. You can get there multiple ways by carriage, car or foot; but because we wanted the option to keep exploring as we went, we decided to go by foot.

With the use of google maps, we found the first two of the four windmills. Sitting nearly side by side these towering windmills felt like they continued the fairytale story for us. Each of the four were painted a different color from red, white, black and grey. Some we could access while the others were restricted for potential maintenance or security purposes. But regardless you could still get very close for better view of the windmills and a better view of the city.

With the coming of the evening we set off through the local park to make our way back to the train station. The walk took us by an old lookout tower, gave us a view of the resident life and brought us to a canal boat crossing that just so happened to be adorned by the setting sun. In was that moment that fully encompassed our day spent Bruges, Belgium.

Come back next week as I share our experiences at our last stop in Antwerp, Belgium! It’s a must read!

-Kriss