Philly Eats

So, Philly is definitely an amazing food city. After spending time with all the tourists at the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, take the time to explore the great food Philly has to offer.

Disclaimer: I have clearly found solace in only a couple places but I know there are SO many other great places to eat.

First up: Reading Terminal Market. Pronounced “Red-ing” Terminal Market, not “reading,” like a book. My first amateur mistake.

Anyways, Miller’s Twist is the pretzel of all pretzels. Not only are they made right there in front of you, but they have these delicious, gooey cheesy breakfast roll ups that are to die for. If you didn’t think it could get any better, they have pretzel roll ups. These pretzel roll ups are pretzel wrapped dogs. The best one I ate was a broccoli rabe and sausage pretzel roll up. (Not pictured because I have no self control.)

Back to the original pretzel…Auntie Anne’s and Wetzel’s Pretzels should basically just admit defeat when it comes to Miller’s Twist.

Next, we have Bassett’s Ice Cream. I have never been a huge ice cream person up until a couple years ago. Now, whenever I see ice cream in a cone, I need it. Bassett’s ice cream not only looks pretty, but it’s so creamy and delicious.

Now, let’s get to the protein.

DiNic’s roast pork sandwich with broccoli rabe is probably one of the best things I had in Philly. I mean c’mon, look at the size of that thing. They were nice enough to split the sandwich for me and give me two forks because it was clear that I could not finish it myself.

Okay, enough Reading Terminal Market, let’s get to the restaurants within the two block radius of the liberty bell. Yes, I know, It is clear that I did not stray far from the area.

Anyways, Independence Beer Garden is awesome! Definitely a great spot for those who want to sit outside, play games, and grab a beer with friends and family. They have a great kale salad and chicken sandwiches.

Lastly, Revolution House. This place was so good we went there two out of the three nights we were in Philly. The first time we went I got lamb tacos, which were really good. The second night, I tried their version of a Philly cheesesteak. The meat was so tender and the cheese sauce was so creamy. The one thing you have to get at Revolution House is the crab and corn fritters and tater tots. Unfortunately, once again, devoured them before a picture could be taken.

Oops, back at Reading Terminal Market. Well, can you blame me? There are too many places to eat at this place. Beilers’s donuts though…look at that s’mores donut. Enough said.

I definitely stayed within a limited radius while I was in Philly, but the food did not disappoint.

What are some other great Philly eats?

The Gelato Diaries

A compilation of my favorite gelato in France, Portugal & Italy. In no particular order, may I present the gelato:

Speculoos & tiramisu gelato//Amorino//Paris, France

Second: Speculoos & cafe gelato//Amorino//Paris, France

Fresh strawberry gelato//Lisbon, Portugal

Cafe gelato//Nata//Lisbon, Portugal

Strawberry, chocolate, & tiramisu gelato//Shop next to Trevi Fountain//Rome, Italy

Chocolate, strawberry, & mango gelato//Shop next to Trevi Fountain//Rome, Italy

Strawberry & some sort of vanilla berry mixed gelato//Frigidarium//Rome, Italy

Strawberry & mango gelato//Gelateria Dondoli//Siena, Italy

Chocolate & pistachio gelato//Shop on the Grand Canal//Venice, Italy

Pistachio & strawberry gelato//Burano, Italy

My top 3 favorite gelato were:

1. Pistachio & strawberry gelato//Burano, Italy
2. Strawberry, chocolate, & tiramisu gelato//Shop next to Trevi Fountain//Rome, Italy
3. Strawberry & some sort of vanilla berry mixed gelato//Frigidarium//Rome, Italy

What are the best gelato places in the world? Please let me know!

Paris, We Meet Again!

Bonjor Paris! We’re back.

The great thing about returning to Paris is that we were able to do things that we didn’t get to do the first time around. It’s bittersweet because we knew that we only had one day before we headed back home.

We took an overnight train from Venice –> Milan –> Paris. Let’s just say that it was a pretty cramped sleeping car and that I woke up with a sore neck. It was pretty cool though because I met some fun people in my sleeping car and one of them was from Chicago! How random.

Anyways, this time we stayed at Le Regent Montmarte Hostel & Budget Hostel. We were upgraded to a private double room. Once we settled in, we headed out for the day. Our goal for the day was to see the Arc de Triomphe.

We headed across the street of our hotel to a bakery to get some quiche and coffee. I am a huge fan of quiche, but an even bigger fan of macarons. Fauchon bakery was a place I had to go to. I got a copper dusted chocolate and almond macaron to start the day.

We then walked to Printemps to go to Laudree so I could get some more macarons.

These were so good. I tried not to eat them all the second I got them. After Laudree, we headed towards the Arc de Triomphe. The walk was way farther than we thought, but it was worth it.

We then went to the grocery store and bought some wine and snack to have a picnic in the park. We met two girls from Austria and played cards with them in the park. It was a great and relaxing end to our trip.

The past three weeks have been filled with lots of food, laughs, and unforgettable memories. Thank you Kim & Meghna for making this the best #Eurotrip2015 I could ask for.

Lace, Glass, & Goodbyes

Venezia Day 2:

I can’t believe that we already had to leave Venice that night, but before we did, we headed to the islands of Murano and Burano. It is pretty easy to figure out the water bus system. There were only a couple water busses that went to those islands and they came frequently.

The first stop was Murano, known for it’s handcrafted glass blowing. We learned that the glass blowing is a family business and that the technique is passed down from generation to generation only to those from Murano.

Once you get of the water bus, you are escorted in to different glass shops to see how these expert craftsmen blow glass. You then are shown to their gift shop and then off to the next glass blowing factory.

Time was limited so we then hopped on the water bus to Burano. Pictures don’t even do this place justice. To say the least, this was the island of my dreams. Burano is known for its lace and there was lace shops everywhere.

And of course, this was the last place I had gelato in Italy. Gelato come true!

We had to get to the train station to catch our overnight train back to Paris. It was so sad that we didn’t have more time in Venice, but I know I will be back in the future.

We left behind our friend Kim because she was headed back to Spain for a few days and we were off to Paris. Thank you for spontaneously joining our Eurotrip Kimmy! You made it so much better 🙂

Goodbye, Venice! Thank you for all the great memories!

Water Busses, Gondolas, & Torrential Rain

We said goodbye to Florence and took a train to Venice. Definitely a great idea to take a train versus a plane to Venice because it takes you right to the water busses to get around.

Venezia Day 1:

We purchased a water bus ticket to get to our hostel. Getting around by water taxi takes a while and is not for those who get sea sick easily. The water was pretty choppy the day we got there but that is probably because a storm was coming in later that day.

Once we got off the water bus, it was only about a 10 minute walk to our hostel. It was the most beautiful walk I have ever been on. The canals are little windows into the real lives of local Venetians.

We stayed at Ca’ Venezia Hostel. It was very cute and was perfect for our two night stay.

This was the view from our hostel into the backyard garden.

We didn’t have any plans for venice. It was the second to last stop on our trip before heading back to Paris, so we wanted to relax and take it easy.

Per usual, everything we have seen, including St. Mark’s Square, was under construction. Nonetheless, it was stunning. St. Mark’s Square was extremely crowded and we decided to move on and explore more of Venice.

No day would be complete without…wait for it…GELATO. I had pistachio and chocolate gelato from a storefront on the Grand Canal next to the Rialto Bridge.

Later that night, we had dinner at a restaurant on the Grand Canal. I know, “Dinner at the most touristy spot?” The answer is “Yes.” Since we were only in Venice for two days, we wanted to eat in the most scenic spot.

You see those dark clouds? Well…we didn’t…and then the most ridiculous storm swept in and took over. It was pretty rough since we were eating outside and there were no tables available inside. We gave in and had to buy ponchos from a guy who clearly knew we were desperate.

We put on those ponchos without shame and headed to meet some friends we had met in Florence. The rain was actually pretty nice and while walking through Venice, it felt like we had it all to ourselves.

Tomorrow we will head to Murano and Burano. Can’t wait!

 

David, Tuscany, & Wine

Extremely late post BUT I will continue to tell the tales of #Eurotrip2015.

Here goes:

Firenze Day 1: After we hurried out of the Vatican City, we took a train to Firenze, also know as Florence, Italy. We checked in at PLUS Florence Hostel and headed out to check out the town. Our Florence trip got cut short by a day because we stayed in Rome to see the Vatican City, so we needed to see as much of Florence as possible.

First stop: Mercato Centrale

This market had so much good food! It was this huge. There was a restaurant on the top floor and a lot of little food stands on the main floor. There was even an Eataly. I stopped by the steak station then grabbed a glass of wine nearby, and had a great first meal.

After dinner we went back to the hostel and checked out the pool for a little bit. We checked out the town and went to sleep after an exhausting travel day.

Firenze Day 2: There were so many little restaurants around our hostel. We headed back towards Mercato Centrale and ate at this place called, Mama Napoli. We got a quick omelet and headed out to see the Statue of David. After a 2 hour wait in the sun, we saw Michelangelo’s masterpiece.

After David, we walked towards the Florence Cathedral, better known as the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore. We stopped for a huge beer at a nearby cafe and soaked it all in. Unfortunately the Baptistery of St. John was under construction, so I wasn’t able to see inside.

We walked around towards the Pitti Palace, even though it was closed, we just wanted to see the outside. Dinner was at this place called Trattoria ZàZà. We passed by this place the previous night and decided to just go for it. It was pretty decent. I know we could’ve found something better but we were all about convenience this trip.

Firenze Day 3: San Gimignano, Siena, & Monteriggioni

We met at 8:45am at the train station to begin our wine tour. We booked this tour the day before and I definitely recommend booking a couple days in advance because we struggled finding a tour last minute.

First stop: Gelateria Dondoli in San Gimignano. This place was awarded Gelato World Champion 2006/7 – 2008/09. I got a strawberry & mango combination on a cone. It was super flavorful and not too sweet. Definitely a good start to this wine tour.

We had about an hour to explore San Gimignano and I stumbled upon Carla Rossi, which is Rick Steves approved. For those of you who don’t know my obsession with Rick Steves and his show/tour books, this was very exciting for me.

We finally got to our wine tasting and lunch spot. We had bruschetta, truffle pasta, & dessert with a different wine for each course. My favorite was the chianti and wanted to buy some to take home. Unfortunately, I knew I had two more cities left of my Eurotrip and did not want to risk carrying a bottle around.

After the wine tasting and lunch, we arrived in Siena. Piazza del Campo was insane. This picture doesn’t even do the place justice. It was so crowded and there was so much going on. They have an annual horse race in this piazza and there are bleachers where spectators can sit.

I had to get a porchetta sandwich while I was here. Salumeria II Cencio was a spot I found on Trip Advisor and it was right at the piazza. For around 5 euros, I got a huge sandwich that I split with my friend.

The Duomo di Siena was huge. I didn’t get to see inside, but it was glorious from the outside even with the dark clouds surrounding it.

This view leaving Siena was incredibly memorable.

We stopped at one last town, Monteriggioni, on our way back to the Florence train station. We were exhausted at that point of the day and just wandered around until we left.

After we got back, we had to check into a different hostel because we chose to extend our stay one more night in Florence because of the wine tour. It was worth it. We had the usual pizza and pasta for dinner at a restaurant next to Trattoria ZaZa.

Tomorrow: Venezia. I’m sad our Venice trip is getting cut short by one day, but I am excited to get to Venice and see those gondolas!

Vatican City in 4 Hours

#1 tip for visiting the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel: BUY YOUR TICKET IN ADVANCE!

We purchased our tickets online a couple days before. Let me tell you, when you get there, you walk right past the huge line that wraps around the block and straight into the museum. This is the best feeling when the temperature outside is close to 100 degrees and very sunny.

Since we only had a few hours at the Vatican, we walked through the museum and straight to the Sistine Chapel.

It was AMAZING. I couldn’t believe how gorgeous the ceiling was. 

Remember to have your shoulders and knees covered. If you didn’t do that like us, they will give you a cloth to cover yourself. 

Since we were so limited on time, we couldn’t go into St. Peter’s Basilica. However, it was so cool to see it from the outside.

Now we had to catch a train to Florence! A super short but sweet trip to the Vatican. Hope to visit again someday!

Gelato, Pizza, & Pasta

Rome: Day 3

Started off the day at Piazza Novano. We walked around the piazza and got some lunch at one of the cafes nearby. The area is so pretty and there are a bunch of art vendors.

After some pizza, pasta, and free wifi, we headed to the Frigidarium. This was a recommendation from my coworker and I wish i knew what flavor I got on the right side of the cone. It was amazing!

We took a bike tour around the city. For a half hour ride, you got to pick three places you wanted to see. We chose the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and ended at the Spanish steps. 

We had seen the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain the past days but we hadn’t seen the Spanish steps. They were ridiculously crowded. We just sat there and soaked it all in. We caught the metro back to our hostel and then headed out to have dinner. We then went out to a bar called Scholars. We tried to go to to this club but unfortunately it was closed that night.

Rome: Day 4

Pretty chill day. We went to the Pantheon….again. We found ourselves there pretty much everyday. It was great because it was so close to the Trevi fountain and the sites never got old.

We had a farewell dinner by the Colosseum. I know, I know…”never eat near major tourist attractions.” However, my two friends and I split a pizza, pasta dish, cheese plate, bottle of wine and dessert. It was reasonable and honestly, the view was well worth it.

Onto the Vatican City tomorrow!! Can’t wait to see the Sistine Chapel 😀

Buongiorno Roma!

Rome: Day 1

We have arrived. We were tired. We were hungry. It was hot.

We took the train from Fiumicino to Roma Termini train station. From the train station, we hopped on a bus to our hostel.

Rome Hostel: Ciak Hostel

Not the best hostel of our trip. This hostel was close to the train station, but not in the best area. I did not feel completely safe walking around the neighborhood, but it was also was only a short bus ride to the major attractions.

We went to this place called Bitch for lunch. The walk there was a tad scary because of the neighborhood but it was well worth it. The owners were so friendly and the food was so good! It is like a deconstructed pizza. The dough is cut into little squares and they are fried and like little puffs of heaven. Mine was topped with a beef and mushroom mix with fried carrots on the top.

We didn’t do much this day because we were exhausted. After lunch, we went back to the hostel and waited for our friend, Kim, to arrive. She took a later flight to Rome from Lisbon. While we waited, we napped and then had a free pasta dinner at the hostel.

Kim arrived a little after we ate and we made some friends at the hostel and decided to go out. A few of my coworkers back home had studied abroad in Rome and said they went to this bar called Highlanders a lot when they were there. So we decided to check it out. We went to some club after and then called it a night.

Rome: Day 2

We took the opportunity to sleep in. Rome is historically beautiful and we only had a few monuments we wanted to see. First stop was the colosseum. Pretty awesome to imagine gladiators and a crowd full of people there years ago.

We went to Bianco for dinner. My coworker recommended this place. It was probably one of the best meals of the trip. We got this HUGE charcuterie and cheese platter. Best meat and cheese platter of my life. By the time my ravioli came, I wasn’t really hungry to eat it 😦 

I needed my Lizzie McGuire moment and we saw the magnificent Trevi Fountain. Of course, gelato was involved. It was sad because the fountain was under construction, but there was a little pool of water you could throw a coin into.

As Lizzie McGuire once said, “This is what dreams are made of.”

Tuk Tuks, Castles, & Trams

Lisboa: Day 2

We had ham (again), cheese and toast for breakfast at the hostel and then headed out for the day. We had seen tons of little motorized rickshaws around and knew we wanted to take a tour of the city in one. We found out later that these were called tuk tuks. The entire tour was about an hour and took us to some scenic lookouts, a church, and ended at Castelo de Sao Jeorge.

Once we ended at the Castle, we purchased tickets and walked around. There was a cafe that had sangria that overlooked all of Lisboa. Look at that view!!

We walked around the castle and then left to get some pastel de nato. Pastel de nato is like a egg custard tart. Very similar to a Chinese egg tart. We also got some gelato, of course.

We hopped on one of the famous trams, Tram 28, back to the bottom of the hill. It was super crowded and not that great, but we had to do it haha We then walked back to our hostel and grabbed some dinner. 

We ate at Tosca, which was a great last meal here in Lisbon. Went to bed really early that night because we had to leave our hostel at 4 am to catch a flight to Rome!

Love love love Lisbon, extremely sad to be leaving.