I ate my way through Louisville and lived to tell the tale

Louisville (Looavul? Looeevile?) wasn’t a new destination for me, I’ve been a few times before, but on this trip I made a concerted effort to try new places and things I hadn’t before. It was a work trip so I still had to be at a desk for 8 hours a day but I definitely used my free time to explore all I could and man, what a super cool city! I’ve got a new crush and his name is Luhvul, Luahvool, Lurv… something like that. I flew in on Sunday morning so I had most of the day free to wander. First stop was of course lunch because I was hungry after waking up too early on a Sunday for my flight. I tried out a hot new joint called Biscuit Belly and the brunch crowd was poppin’.

It had the cayootest decor inside, the colors were bright and fun with a casual vibe. You are asked to look at a menu while you wait in line then order when you get to the register and take a seat wherever to wait for your food to be brought out. The menu is overwhelming and I wanted to try so much more. It’s a great place to go with a larger group so you can order a ton of stuff and share, pancake corndogs anyone?? I got the Edgy Veggie and had them add bacon because I DO WHAT I WANT! It was divine, rich AF, and I couldn’t finish it all no matter how hard I tried. Again I’ll stress, go with a group and order everythiiinnngggg.

They also have their own Belly Blend by Heine Bros coffee which cleared up any hesitation I had about eating here because Heine Bros is the beessssttt

After lunch I was almost uncomfortably full so decided to walk back towards my hotel to move my body a bit and see if there was anything cool along the way. I passed the Angel’s Envy distillery and popped in to see if they had a tour. I will never say no to a distillery tour, I find the process fascinating, the smell intoxicating, and especially in bourbon central, each distillery has it’s own unique take you can learn about. Angel’s Envy didn’t have any tours but did offer a tasting for $10 and how can you pass that up? They finish their bourbon in port barrels which gives it a really distinct flavor I found delicious.

We got three pours and a piece of locally made chocolate to pair with it. my goodness it was tasty.

The tasting was fun, informative and really personable. We all sat around a big wooden table and got to chat as a group. Our guide walked us through how to get your palate ready for the liquor by taking a sip and swishing it around to get the burn going so the second sip was smoother and by the time you get to the third you’re able to really pick up on lots of flavor notes in the bourbon. After extensive research I can say my preferred way to take it is with a splash of water or a single ice cube. After we got our buzz on we were allowed to walk around the distillery room where again, it smells amazing, and the big copper pots are so pretty. Do they make candles that smell like mash? I could get into that.

The rest of the week were full days of work with a few free hours a day to explore the culinary scene of Lurrgghhveerrrhh. And it was glorious. SO. MUCH. GOOD. FOOD. For a quick meal on the cheaper side, Taco Luchador was the shit and I could stuff my face for twelve bucks. The fish taco, mole chicken taco and elote were all killer, don’t pass on the elote. Mussel and Burger Bar was another affordable lunch option, the BBQ burger was everything you want in a burger. Didn’t get to try them, but the mussels have a great reputation. Proof on Main is super funky, great for a fancy cocktail. It’s connected to 21 c Museum where you’re allowed to bring your drink along while you stroll. Very cool spot. Doc Crow’s is great if you want some smoked meat baby, or a nice cocktail. If you’re looking for some lighter fare after eating rich for days, this is not the place. Good. But heavy. Looking to treat yo self to a fancy dinner? The Fat Lamb was perfect for that. The staff were insanely nice, the food was incredible (huge portions), and the scene was modern and chic. I got the scallops and polenta (GAAHHH) and splurged on the cannoli dessert. I felt like a GD queen. Scroll through the carousel below to marvel at all the things I ate in a week’s time. I know, impressive right??

A new addition to the city, at least since I was there a handful of years ago, are the scooters. Locals seem to find them a nuisance because people act a fool while riding through the streets, but as a visitor with no wheels I LOVED them. I signed up for Lime they also have Birds which are essentially the same thing. They are motorized scooters that run on electricity and they are everywhere in downtown Louisville. You pull up the app, locate a nearby scooter, reserve it and scan the QR code to unlock it. I rode them to work a lot of mornings, cruised to go have lunch and even to the CVS to pick up some essentials. They are a green affordable option, every ride I took was less than $3. I’m a New Yorker and don’t mind a walk but the humidity was ungodly while I was there and if I can avoid sweat beating down my full face beat, I will. I’m in a larger body, not super agile, and my fitness level is pretty low right now. I’m working on building it up! But currently I greatly appreciated this easy option of stepping on and hitting the gas rather than say a bicycle ride that would end me.

To be fair, the people of instagram who warned me not to know I’m a clumsy ass and this could have been disastrous. Thank goodness these things were easy to operate and I didn’t crash into anything.

The one downside to this trip was Trump made an appearance at The Galt House to speak to a group of veterans, the same hotel I was staying at which made for some awkward elevator rides. Louisville is a progressive city surrounded by a sea of red and they were not happy he was visiting. One of my Uber drivers told me he was taking off the night before to drive to Cincinnati because he didn’t want to be anywhere near that orange ass. The city was a ghost town the day Trump arrived; most people stayed home to avoid the street closures and congestion, except for the few nut jobs who rolled in trying to sell their MAGA hats and blue lives matter pins. Maybe it was the collective disgust for Trump’s visit or I’m just more comfortable traveling solo these days but I had some incredible conversations with the people of Louisville. We talked about art, politics, gentrification, education, the environment, anything and everything. It is a vibrant city full of culture, great food, fabulous drinks and wonderful people. I had such a fantastic time and hope I get a chance to visit again soon.

Love you Loooeeeeviiiilllllleeee MUAH!

We went to a geothermal spa; it was both terrifying and liberating

Iceland is one of the most geologically active places in the world and that activity has shaped Icelandic culture. Its harnessed by power plants to heat homes and used to warm greenhouses to grow food. It's also the heart and soul of social life. The English converse in pubs, the French murmur in cafes, Italians get loud in piazzas, and Icelanders bare all in their geothermally heated pools. They are everywhere, pretty much every village has a swim spot.Checkout HotPot Iceland to see a comprehensive map of pools and hot pots all over the island.

Krýsuvík geothermal area. These are not waters you want to swim in, way too hot, but worth checking out for sure.

Swim etiquette says you must shower, completely naked, before going in. Pools have little to no chlorine, so it's imperative to be clean when using them. There are signs posted in the changing rooms explicitly saying, wash your funky bits with diagrams highlighting areas to focus on in the shower: armpits, head, hands, feet, crotch, and butt. And you're supposed to get alllll up in there so that you're not bringing any stank in the water. It's not worth it to try to break the 'wash your junk' rule either. First, it's disrespectful. And second, there might be a shower warden that will call you out. They don't mess around.

I knew the naked bit going in; I do my research okay. But it didn't change the fact I had a damn near full on panic attack when the time came to do the deed. So there I was, with my best girlfriend, we were having the best vacation, in the best country, and we were gonna have THE BEST spa day. After a long day driving the Golden Circle, we finished it off with a visit to Laugarvatn Fontana geothermal spa. It was unbelievable. They have multiple natural pools at varying temperatures and sizes. A hot tub and a sauna. Three steam baths at different temperatures (fueled by steam coming through the floor from the hot springs directly below). Everything sits on the edge of lake Laugarvatn where you can sit on the deck, admiring the view and take a cold dip if you're brave enough. All of this for roughly thirty-five bucks. UnREAL.

I didn't take my phone with me to the spa but here is a cute pic of me at Krýsuvík.

But before I could enjoy all this fantastic spa had to offer, I needed to grapple with a few things. As we undressed at the lockers, I couldn't strip down all the way. With my underwear still on, a towel wrapped around as much of my body as I could manage, I held back tears and ran to the bathroom. I was freaking out. I had never been completely naked in front of another person. It's not like I've never been vulnerable in front of others. I have a sex life, and I even did a play in college where I had to strip down to my skivvies. But those brightly colored bra and panties were still a piece of armour, something to hide behind. It's embarrassing to admit, but even when I'm getting busy, I still have some article of clothing on. I still have something to hide behind. So this was uncharted territory. I was so close to giving up and going to the cafe to eat some rúgbrauð bread (it's a rye bread, baked by burying it underground near a hot spring). But I'm trying this whole, love and accept myself, fat and all thing, so I DIDN'T. Instead, I took off my underwear, dropped the towel and stared at my fat naked body in the mirror. And I cried. It was such a profound release. Before I could be naked in front of others, I had to be naked with just me.

Like I said, didn't have my phone on me but here is a kick ass pic I took from the plane.

I have my share of body image issues, like every woman, thank you unrealistic beauty standards. My body size is constantly weighing on my mind, worried if I draw too much attention I'll get the look. That look of disgust that says, 'you don't deserve to take up that space because you're not a human, you're a monster.' I know not everyone thinks that and some might just have a resting bitch face. But that mentality is out there. I've seen it countless times, and our media and entertainment reinforce it. Fat is bad. Fat is ugly. Fat isn't worthy of love or even basic human respect. And fuck off right now if your response is, 'fat is unhealthy, and we shouldn't enable being unhealthy.' Promoting respect and self-worth of all bodies is not enabling being unhealthy. You can't judge a person's health by their appearance alone. And if we genuinely want people to be their healthiest selves, encouraging self-love and acceptance of their basic human existence is the way to a healthy mind and body. No wonder I've always lost the battle of the bulge and end up just being self-destructive. Self-hatred fuels that destructive behavior. I wonder what would happen if rather than assuming my body is wrong and aiming for a physical result, I conditioned myself to believe it's right and love me as I am. Not love what I could or should be but love myself with all my imperfections and fatness right now. And set positively framed goals focused on a healthy mind and body. Skinny might not be where I end up, but that's not important. What matters is being vibrant and alive and continually trying to grow and be a little better each day.

After hyping myself up, I walked out of the bathroom and showered. OK so I did see a curtain at one end when I finally made it to the showers, and I went for it. I'm still giving myself credit because progress is progress and I could have closed the curtain all the way, but I chose to leave it partially open because I'm trying. All I can do is try and be kind to myself. I might still have a long way to go, but I took a few steps forward, and I'm proud of me. And I did end up having THE BEST spa day. It was magical. After the showers, walking around in a bathing suit was a piece of cake. I have never felt so confident in a bathing suit. I still want that rúgbrauð bread though.

That's Money Honey

Bargain shopping is in my blood. It's like a sport for the women in my family. So it makes sense I'd love the budget part just as much as the travel. I'm a cheap ass.

I was raised by a single mother who had to be frugal for survival's sake. Don't get me wrong; I had a wonderful childhood. My mom was fantastic, our family was supportive, and I never went without. But money was tight, and us kids knew what was necessary and what was extra. Like grocery shopping was necessary, brand names though were extra. Haircuts, necessary. Going to a professional stylist? Extra (oh yes I got more than one perm at the college beauty school).

My bro and I at the fair, being very diplomatic. We wouldn't have dared ask mom for any fair food. We knew it was out of the question and she had plenty of PB&J's in her backpack.

As I grew up and had an income of my own, those budgeting skills were gold. I was fortunate to reach a point where I had enough to spend on extras. But every time I did this guilty voice in my head would say, 'don't waste your money on that!' I have to remind myself if I find value in something then the money is worth spending. I'm lucky to be financially sound and why not enrich life when I can by spending some dough, amirite?!

Still, I don't like spending money on something if I KNOW I can get it for less. The first trip I planned for Amsterdam was a balance between 'oh that has a value' and 'hold on, can I get it at a better price though?' First, I decided I wanted to go somewhere, scoured search engines (Kayak is my go-to) and set up airfare alerts for a bunch of destinations. (Hopper is an amazing app that watches fares and suggests the best time to book for the lowest price). Then when the fare was an 'OMG can't pass that up' price I bought a ticket, and there was no going back

Amsterdam

Ugh, take me back. I loved Amsterdam and fit in so well it was stupid. Since I look very Dutch, I got asked for directions a ton and one time I was able to point them the right way.

Going off season saves $$ plus I'm easily overwhelmed by crowds and enjoy visiting during less popular times like winter when it's colder than most people like. New York is cold too so if I have to bundle up why not do it somewhere new? I settled on December; it's at the beginning of winter when the weather is milder and Christmas is pretty big in the Netherlands which meant decorations, lights, seasonal markets and lots of gezellig (the Danish have hygge, and the Dutch have gezellig). Also, NYC during Christmas might be magical but working in Times Square throughout the season is a GD nightmare which makes it a perfect time to use that PTO.

Amsterdam Light Festival

The Amsterdam Light Festival (not the festival of lights like I kept saying - very different) is a display of artwork using light as the medium. Chosen designs are displayed along the canals in the city center. I didn't get to but a night cruise during the festival would be way cool.

Since I was going alone, I opted for a hostel room with Stayokay Vondelpark. I would use them again. It wasn't the most poppin' party place (no smoking), but it had everything I wanted at a great price. I opted for a private room with an en-suite bathroom because I find value in being alone at the end of the day and it was worth the extra cash for this introvert. As a larger lady, I'm also not keen to climb onto a top bunk in any of those dorm rooms. I did pull the mattress off the top bunk in my room (it accommodated up to two people) and doubled up for some extra cushioning. It helped a lot, those hostel mattresses are flimsy, and I have a lot of LBS that need cradling.

Breakfast was included, which I always prefer. Not only is it budget friendly but also gives extra motivation to wake up early and get going. I'm pretty sure it's technically against the rules, but I did pocket a few items each morning to have lunch later. And I was not the only one. I saw a lot of reusable containers come out at breakfast every morning and felt like I was underprepared with only my Ziploc baggies.

Included Breakfast

I mean come on, slices of bread, meat, and cheese? It was like they were trying to tell us to make a sandwich for later. And hard-boiled eggs and pears were perfect for on the go.

Since the budget was of the utmost importance on this trip, I got an I amsterdam city card. It included unlimited public transport for 96 hours, free or discounted entry into a ton of museums and a free canal cruise plus discounts to other restaurants all for a little over $100. There are options for 24, 48 or 72 hours at lower prices but since I was there for five days figured I'd go with the 96. Just be sure you pay attention to when your transit portion runs out and use your canal ride before it does. I was a dummy and thought the canal ride was part of the museum entries and didn't use it in time. I love going to museums and frankly hate going with other people unless they like to take their sweet ass time too. So all those included and discounted entries were a dream. I went to SO MANY.

Van Gogh's Paints & Palette

It was so freaking cool to see Van Gogh's actual palette and paints in person and I def got a little emotional. It was just so surreal.

• Rijksmuseum - obviously impressive. It's HUGE, and if you want to see a lot, you'll need a full day at least. The Hercules Segers exhibit was fascinating; I spent 2 hours just on that.
• Stedelijk - super funky modern art and a trip to walk around. Visit a coffeeshop beforehand if you really want to trip out if you know what I mean...
• Van Gogh Museum -  incredible. Van Gogh is one of my faves, and it was delightful to see so many of his works.
• Dutch Resistance Museum - is a must see. It was tiny, so you could do it in a couple of hours time. It was full of stories about different ways the Dutch people resisted Nazi occupation, in whatever ways they could. Some were big organized groups while others were small individual acts. Walking through less than a month after the 2016 Presidential election, I was raw let me tell you. It was inspiring, and thought-provoking and I recommend stopping by if you can. One of my favorite things I did.
• Museum Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder - aka Our Lord in the Attic Museum - a very cool bit of history. It's a clandestine Catholic Church from when Catholicism was illegal in the Netherlands and preserved immaculately. Worth checking out regardless of being religious or not and a fascinating example of tolerance, something the Dutch do well.
• Rembrandt House Museum - cool but if I could do it again, I would have skipped it and spent more time at Rijksmuseum.
• Amsterdam Museum - an excellent way to get a grasp on the history of the city - informative and if you're a history buff you should go. It was one of the first museums I went to, and it set the scene really well for exploring the city the rest of my stay.

Religious Artwork

I laughed so hard at this cow at Rijksmuseum. He clearly thinks the virgin mother story is bs and I was living for it.

My entire trip to Amsterdam was pretty much just museums, smoking jays in coffeeshops and eating war fries on the street. And it was perfect. If you are supes thrifty, you can do an Amsterdam getaway on a very modest budget. The entire trip -  flight, room, transportation, food, all of it - cost under $1,200. If you do go, be sure to get at least one freshly made stroopwafel (they are delicious & iconic), eat as many Flemish fries as possible (a million toppings to choose from but I recommend the war fries for sure) and have a blast!

We did Iceland as a weekend getaway and it's very doable

I can admit when I have an unhealthy obsession, and currently, that obsession is Iceland. I visited for the first time solo this past December, fell in love, then went back again last month with one of my besties because... well I have a problem.

Gullfoss Waterfall

Gullfoss waterfall in the winter.

Gullfoss waterfall in the summer.

It's just, ugh, where do I even begin? I'm not a religious person but the closest thing I have is nature, and the understanding energy is always recycled, never created or destroyed. To me, that's the higher power that connects us all. (Oh yes, I'm super hippy dippy so get used to hearing crazy shit like that).

Kleifarvatn Lake

I mean come on, Joan Osborne, if God had a face, it would look like Kleifarvatn Lake and yes I would want to see.

Iceland is full of untouched nature so she's basically a holy land and it FEEDS MY SOUL. Fun fact: it's illegal to drive off-road in Iceland because of the damage it causes to the land. And it is strictly enforced so don't be a dummy and drive off the marked roads when you're cruising in your rental car seeing all the majesty. #1 it's rude AF and #2 you'll get fined. Also yes renting a car is the way to go. It's the cheapest way to get everywhere you want, the most flexible because you don't have to stick to a tour schedule and it's pretty simple to navigate the roads. Just make sure your google maps doesn't have 'avoid highways' checked because then it becomes incredibly difficult to navigate the roads. Your travel buddy might turn on you, and you will get the shadiest side eye you ever saw.

Gullfoss Selfie

Luckily we made it through without killing each other and got to take this super cute pic in front of a waterfall. Aren't we adorable?

Rental places have manual transmission options which I prefer, they are at a lower rate and get better gas mileage. So you can save some dollars if you're cool driving a stick. In December I used Geysir. They were great, the car ran well, and even their lowest cost option had hookups to play music from your phone which was amazing when you're driving an epic road trip. Their office was one of the stops on the airport shuttle which made it very convenient to pick up and drop off. They also take debit cards if you don't have a credit card to put down, as I did not.

This summer I tried to get an even better bargain, and we went with Cheap Car Rental Iceland. I know, the name should have been enough but I vetted the reviews and it seemed a safe bet. It was alright, gave us the bare basics we needed to move from point A to point B. It was just much less convenient than I would have liked. The trunk was hard to open, the engine rattled like a dementor sucking out a soul, there was no way to play music and the guy who ran it was pretty mansplainy and used the phrase, 'I'm not racist' right before saying the first of many racist comments. And they weren't one of the stops on the airport shuttle, so you had to wait for their person to pick you up. It's an option if you really need to pinch that penny. I don't think I'll use them again. The music is a deal breaker for me.

Rental Car

I was so happy to say boy bye to this jalopy. We thought She would leave us for dead in the middle of nowhere.

Some more helpful pointers:

• If you are in the NYC area, you can snag a round-trip ticket to Keflavík for $300-$400. Icelandair and WOW both offer fares in that range regularly. Prices are higher the farther from the Atlantic you are. Sorry west coast, the east coast's got you there.
• Waterproof and wind resistant items are best, including shoes - it's incredibly wet and windy, and you don't want to be miserable. On our excursions I wore stay dry leggings from Old Navy, a tee or sweater, some Ahnu hiking boots and the only waterproof jacket I could find in July from dun dun dun... Costco! (Did you know they deliver? It's life changing, check your zip code). The jacket was great, the only issue was the largest size barely fit, but I made it work. Just no sitting when zipped up.
• Eating and drinking out is expensive - grab groceries for breakfast and snacks (we loved Bonus and got tons of candy to bring home).
• Spend money on lunches - always order the catch of the day - it will be delicious and half the price it would be for dinner.

Catch of the Day

ostabúðin had the most incredible fish dish I've ever eaten. They offer a lunch menu from 11:30 to 14:30. It had a cozy vibe with an attached shop you could walk around while waiting for a table.

• Might as well pick up a bottle of booze duty-free at the airport so you can make some 'getting ready' drinks - make sure you go through customs first and buy at the store they literally make you walk through to exit the airport. Don't waste your time being turned away from the two you'll pass on your way to customs like my dumb ass did.
• If you have a Costco card, you can use it to save money on gas (I love Costco as much as Oprah loves bread).
• Drive the golden circle - an easy day trip when staying in Reykjavik.
• Get a late night hot dog - I love Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur.
• Go to a geothermal spa or hot spring - Blue Lagoon is iconic but pricey, and there are many other cool places for less $$.
• Visit on the weekend Kolaportid flea market for affordable and unique souvenirs.

Lava Rock Jewelry

I finally got myself a piece of lava rock jewelry at the flea market - handmade by Sigal - Israeli Icelandic design. We also got handmade licorice and volcanic ash soaps and some more candy of course.

For real I could go on for pages and pages. I'll share more Iceland stuff later. If you are going on a trip soon, and have any questions, message me! I'd be happy to talk about my favorite place in the world to anyone willing to listen. Stay tuned for more about the land of fire and ice because I'M OBSESSED.