Travel – Page 6 – Holly Whittlef

July 21, 2015 — Comments are off for this post.

Portland / Top 5

It should come as no surprise that I absolutely loved Portland and would move there immediately if my life wasn't so established in Wisconsin. The food, the nature, the people ( I'm talking about these kids ), the weirdness—everything is right up my alley in the City of Roses. I was planning to do a full photo blog post and travel guide for the trip, but then I arrived and decided to enjoy a week-long vacation without my DSLR camera weighing me down.

But I couldn't go on vacation and not come back with at least a few recommendations! So here are my top five Portland favorites with a little photography help from my iPhone:

( 01 )

We stayed at a cozy AirBNB in the Northeast neighborhood, and loved our location. Our friends informed us that it is, indeed, the up-and-coming area of Portland. We know, we're pretty damn hip. We ate breakfast at Bushel and Peck Bakeshop nearly every day ( best breakfast sandwich ), and devoured the farm-to-table pizzas + homemade malted milk ball ice cream at Lovely's 50-50. Ink and Peat is a lovely home + floral store on Williams Street that's also worth checking out.

( 02 )

Giving the entirety of downtown Portland one spot on this list is overtly broad. Let's go with it though, because one of my favorite parts about this city is its walkability. You can cover serious ground in just one day.

Start on the PSU campus at the Saturday farmer's market, preferably with a cardamom latte from the central coffee stand. When you're done browsing, head north towards Pioneer Square to find a litany of food trucks. Stop for some grub, and head west up Alder Street to stop at Canoe and Alder + Co.—two impeccably curated stores. Cross 12th Street to Heart Roasters if you need another java hit. It's the most beautiful coffee shop.

Here's where you can choose your own adventure: ( 1 ) walk north on 12th Street then cut east on Burnside to visit Powell Books, the largest independent new + used bookstore in the world. A good place to get lost in for a few hours. ( 2 ) Keep walking north on 12th to arrive in the Pearl District, the land of shops, restaurants and general cuteness. ( 3 ) Head north on 12th, then west up Burnside for a massive glute workout and arrival at the International Rose Test Garden and Japanese Garden. Both are a nice reprieve from the city.

If your legs aren't tired yet, circle back east for a late day stroll along the riverfront. Here, you're guaranteed to spot homeless vagabonds and random weird things. Portland at its finest.

( 03 )

Confession: I wanted to eat at Pok Pok because Anthony Bourdain is friends with the chef. And whoever Anthony Bourdain says is cool, is cool. While we waited for a table, we ordered Thai chili peanuts and pumpkin fries in a curry batter with peanut sauce at the Whiskey Soda Lounge—the Pok Pok-owned bar across the street. At Pok Pok, we ordered the vegetable curry and larb ( one of my favorite Thai dishes ). Everything was delicious. Surprisingly though, my favorite part of the meal was my multiple tamarind whiskey sours. Holy hell, so good.

( 04 )

Since we ate a lot in Portland, it was only right we balanced it with some activity. My favorite of the entire trip was venturing into the Oneonta Gorge. It's less than 1/2 mile hike, but the trek along the way is hilarious. First, you have to traverse a 20-foot-long log jam by crawling over a jungle gym of fallen logs. Next, prepare to wade through water upwards of waist high ( warning: the temperature is dangerously close to freezing ) before arriving at the falls. When you arrive, you'll have to yell YOLO to a bunch of 13-year-old girls as you cliff jump into the freezing water to solidify the fact that you're definitely much older than you feel.

( 05 )

Located more than an hour outside Portland, Mount Hood is a must see. We rented a car for the day and stopped at Multnomah Falls, Oneonta Gorge ( see above ) and Hood River before driving to Mount Hood. The entire area is stunning and offers a multitude of hikes, walks, swims and lookouts to enjoy the gorgeous views. We drove to the Timberline Lodge, a national historic landmark and working mountain lodge that sits about halfway up Mount Hood ( at an elevation of almost 6,000 feet! ) for a few beverages with a view. Next time, we're definitely staying longer than one day.

Published by Holly Whittlef in Travel

May 30, 2015 — Comments are off for this post.

ESSENTIALS: TRAVEL PACKING / 03

It seems like forever ago that I was solo traveling through Maastricht + Amsterdam. Isn't that how it happens, though? You arrive home from a trip and within just a few days, feel like you never left. The only remedy for that, in my humble opinion, is planning another travel adventure.

Anyways... I figured this post is better late than never, because I'm feeling a lot more confident in my ability to pack minimally. Before hopping on a bus to Chicago to catch my flight, I packed for this trip in 30 minutes. I attribute my speedy packing skills to being an added benefit of a pared-down wardrobe + really honing in on my style over this past year. The fact that spring in the Netherlands is very similar to spring in Wisconsin helped a lot as well.

That being said, this wardrobe could easily be tailored to summer or winter weather. Swap out the above tops for some airy tees + tank tops, or thick knit sweaters. Exchange the jeans for summer shorts or a few more dresses. Switch out the flats or boots for sandals or winter boots. Any way that I mix + match it, I think this combination is my new baseline for all future packing.

Plus, all of this fit with plenty of room in my favorite Everlane weekender bag ( <- worth every penny ), so I could pick up a few gifts + a new dress to bring home. And of course, if you feel like packing this simply is restricting, I recommend bringing a bright, bold shade of lipstick. Like I learned from my grandma, lipstick is the great equalizer.

^^ riding in Roermond + hanging with my uncle, plus the mucho bueno amigos ( hi guys! ) ^^

stripes, plaid, chambray (sale!), scarf, jacket, dress, cardigan, sweatshirt, jeans,
flats, distressed jeans, boots (similar), tights, lipstick (similar), tote

Published by Holly Whittlef in essentials, Minimalism, Style, Travel

April 12, 2015 — Comments are off for this post.

AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

With just two days, I feel like I only began to scratch the surface of Amsterdam.

Unlike most big cities, this one felt uniquely distinct. I knew I was in Amsterdam, and I felt it. The whoosh of people whizzing by me on their bikes. The wafting aroma of marijuana as I walked by an unassuming coffee shop. The tall, lean houses smushed one right after another along the canal streets. The murals and hand-lettered signage found in deserted alleyways and painted across trendy shops. The quirky houseboats lining every canal. The laid-back attitude of nearly everyone I met—never in too big a rush to meet up with friends at the nearest café for a beer.

When I first exited the train station into the busy Damrak area, I thought I'd hate Amsterdam. It was busy and ungodly touristy. I felt so claustrophobic that I immediately hauled major ass away from the madness. I had no idea where I was going, but headed straight south anyways. And after about 15 minutes of walking, the crowds loosened, the streets calmed, and I looked around to really see Amsterdam for the first time—charming and intimate, boasting a whole lot of character.

I can't say it's one of my favorite cities, but you can bet I'll be back for a second visit. Oh Amsterdam, you're truly one of a kind.

My two day trips to Amsterdam were most definitely not enough to take advantage of seeing everything this European hub has to offer. I'd easily budget a week here, although three to four days is probably doable to see most of the major attractions. Like I mentioned from Maastricht, I can't vouch for places to stay but there's a few good-looking AirBnb apartments here, here and here (on a houseboat!).

*Also an important note: cafés sell coffee, coffee shops sell marijuana. You've been warned.

EAT

If you don't like to waste time upon arriving to a new city ( like me ), I recommend starting your day at STACH. With a few locations around the city, it's the perfect place to grab a take-away coffee + a few healthy snacks for morning fuel. For a cheap + filling lunch, eat at one of the many kebab shops for a kebab, shawarma or falafel. I ate at KEBAB HOUSE ( ahem, more than once ), and it was delicious and only 5€!

Another great lunch or dinner option is a stop at the market. The ALBERT CUYP MARKT located in the hip De Pijp neighborhood had endless options—from falafel to frites to stroopwafels and fresh produce. When dinner rolls around, HOFJE VAN WIJS does not disappoint. Run by a 200-year-old coffee + tea vendor, the café is a lovely respite near the Red Light District. The fondue + seafood pasta were both excellent, as was the extensive wine + beer list.

SEE

The art lover in me demands that your first stop be the VAN GOGH MUSEUM. It's a thorough retrospective of his career and personal life, which ended with his suicide in 1890, and was my favorite museum I visited. That being said, the RIJKSMUSEUM is also fantastic with a can't-miss Rembrandt exhibit that runs through May. Sadly, I didn't make it to the ANNE FRANK HOUSE, but hear nothing but rave reviews ( including that epic trip to the museum in this tearjerker ).

As I mentioned, the ALBERT CUYP MARKT makes for a nice afternoon stroll, especially if you venture off the main street into the De Pijp neighborhood, which is littered with cute restaurants and shops. I took a nice bench break in SARPHATIPARK and people watched with the locals. No trip to Amsterdam is complete without a visit to the RED LIGHT DISTRICT, although I didn't last long before I quite literally had seen enough. Do stop at the DE OUDE KERK—Amsterdam's oldest city building and parish church—located in the Red Light District.

Honestly, most of my time was spent strolling along the canals ( the Jordaan area is especially nice )—crossing bridges, switching street sides and just gazing at the one million cute houses.

SHOP

Two shops in Amsterdam really caught my eye. I luckily happened upon SEC, located in the Red Light District, which sells minimalistic women's wear by Scandinavian designers. The shop owner was the cutest / nicest human being, so I couldn't help but walk out with this cute colorblocked dress. BY AMFI is another must-shop. The store of the Amsterdam Fashion Institute, the school's students concept, design and produce collections which are sold in the store. Seriously rad.

Published by Holly Whittlef in Travel

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