Posts tagged Travel
The Best of Paris: My Guide to the City of Lights
The Best of Paris: My Guide to the City of Lights

My favorite city in the world after NYC, Paris is actually as magical as they say. There is something there for everyone— knockout food, amazing wine, stunning architecture, art for days, famous sights, shopping, design, oh là là! I wanted to create this post for you guys because I have sent these recommendations to about 15 of my friends now— everyone has said how helpful this guide was because it’s honest, written from a local city-girl perspective, and it’s organized by arrondissement (district/neighborhood— Paris has 20 arrondissements), so it’s easier to plan a more efficient trip rather than having you bounce between 6 neighborhoods unnecessarily in a day. Plus, I have all the highlights of where to get the best croissant in Paris, the best gluten-free food in Paris, and streets to stroll to make you feel right at home.

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LifestyleMinna LeeTravel, City Guides, Photography
A Berry Good Trip to Wisconsin
A Berry Good Trip to Wisconsin

I don’t think I ever thought I would be wading in a cranberry marsh, but holy cow was that cool or what?! My job takes me to some pretty cool experiences I wouldn’t have otherwise, and this trip to Wisconsin with Carmex was no exception. I truly love brand trips because they’re such an immersive, personal experience that allows you to get to know the company, the people behind the product, and the product itself in a way you just can’t from email exchanges.

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LifestyleMinna LeeTravel, Beauty
Mixed Berry Oat Crisp (GF/Vegan) Recipe + Sustainable Organic Food Farming
Mixed Berry Oat Crisp (GF/Vegan) Recipe + Sustainable Organic Food Farming

When I found out that I’d be going to the Pacific Northwest to go to see Cascadian Farm for myself in person with The Feedfeed + Cascadian Farm, I knew that it would be beautiful out there— I just wasn’t prepared for how incredibly scenic it all is and also how much I’d learn about farming practices. It’s so important to know how big of a difference companies can make if they make a commitment to it, and what we as informed consumers can also do to support our food and Earth.

It was also personally just fun to see where the berries for my Blueberry Lavender Tonic came from, as well at the mixed berries for this droolworthy, gluten-free + vegan Mixed Berry Oat Crisp recipe…

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RecipesMinna LeeTravel, Treats, Breakfast, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Nut-Free, Sustainability
Where to Stay in Paris: Le Narcisse Blanc
Where to Stay in Paris: Le Narcisse Blanc

I've always felt right at home in Paris, more than any other European city I've been to. Perhaps it's the similar energy to that of NYC's, or the attention to detail in all the beautiful design and surroundings that I love so much. Parisians manage to achieve multiple juxtapositions at once when it comes to design: they're super classic with neutrals, but use pops of color the most sophisticated way; they stay minimal with clean lines and classic silhouettes, yet step out of the box with novel flourishes that blend in seamlessly. And everything oozes romance-- not necessarily in the amorous way, but more so in the romance of the everyday, like a little bit of beauty interwoven throughout in plain sight.

Now taking those notes into account, dream up the most quintessentially Parisian boutique hotel, and Le Narcisse Blanc is exactly that in real life. This boutique hotel is a gem that is nestled right between the Eiffel Tower and Les Invalides, a mere few blocks from the Pont Alexandre III bridge over the Seine...

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LifestyleMinna LeeTravel, City Guides, Hotels
Wanderlust in Switzerland and Italy
Wanderlust in Switzerland and Italy

You know that feeling when you are looking for something in your coat pockets, only to discover that there's a crisp $20 bill in there from last year? Yep, it was that same feeling I had after searching for some photos on my hard drive and found some gems I never shared from my Europe trip to Switzerland and Italy two summers ago. I've shared one or two of these on few on my city travel guides to Zürich (hike on Felsenegg-Uetliberg) and Rome, but I also just re-edited these photos in the vibes of the aesthetic palettes I've been drawn to lately-- more muted colors and softer shades. 

Am working on some fun content for you guys, but it's been a busy week over here with a photoshoot yesterday (check out some sneak peeks on Instagram!), training sessions, and some apartment-hunting. So today, I'm just going to leave you to soak up these wanderlust-inspiring handful of favorites I found the other day. Take a trip to Zürich, up in the Swiss mountains, Roma, Positano, and Amalfi. Happy humpday!

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LifestyleMinna LeeTravel, Photography
Weekend Guide to Nashville: Best Eats, Drinks, and Things to Do
Weekend Guide to Nashville: Best Eats, Drinks, and Things to Do

In the past few years, Nashville has become THE "it" destination for all kinds of weekend getaways: it's Bachelor/Bachelorette party central (seriously, I was on the plane with a crew 10 girls deep that were very awake for a 7am flight), girls weekend destination, couples getaway, you name it.

After a whirlwind weekend in this southern city, it's really easy to see why Nashville is such a hotspot. It's got AMAZING food, an endless amount of options for live music and nightlife, shopping, sightseeing, and it's also relatively affordable to do all that fun stuff. For a quick trip like this, it felt fitting to try out a more streamlined version of my city guides-- so here is my weekend guide on the best eats, drinks, things to do, and places to explore in Nashville!

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LifestyleMinna LeeTravel, City Guides
Where to Stay in Austin: Archer Hotel
Where to Stay in Austin: Archer Hotel

Austin, Texas is known for its great local food, music, art, design, and rapidly expanding city. It's become a destination city for fun weekend getaways and bachelor/bachelorette parties. After all, good food, entertainment, and fun things to explore all make for the perfect weekend getaway, no?

While I'll be sharing an entire Austin city guide with you guys soon, I wanted to share my experience at the Archer Austin first because it just surpassed my expectations on every level.

When looking for the best place to stay in Austin, I discovered that the Archer Austin had newly opened. The newest addition to the boutique hotel scene down in Austin, it is located...

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LifestyleMinna LeeTravel, Hotels
Gift Guide for the Jetsetter
Gift Guide for the Jetsetter

Hello gift guide #2 and basically my wishlist this year!

I've done a lot of traveling this year. Like, almost 30 flights this year, and that's not including roadtrips and train rides. Because of this, I've become super efficient at packing the perfect carry-on suitcase and my Lo & Sons weekender bag, along with learning just exactly the minimal items I need while traveling

Using this knowledge, I created a kickass gift guide for the jetsetting traveler in your life! All of...

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LifestyleMinna LeeGift Guides, Travel
Weekend Guide to Beacon + Cold Spring
Weekend Guide to Beacon + Cold Spring

For all those New Yorkers looking for a quick weekend getaway, Beacon and Cold Spring have become the hotspot destinations in the Hudson Valley. Accessibility, nature, good food, and relaxing activities to do all have the makings of the types of weekend getaways that New Yorkers crave after hectic workweeks. 

Per my usual city guide format, I'll be dividing up these differing sections by where to stay, eat, and explore in both Beacon and Cold Spring for the perfect weekend getaway. But I have so many amazing pictures from this trip to share with you, but I'll be formatting this guide a little differently than usual, in the interest of efficiency!

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LifestyleMinna LeeCity Guides, Travel, Hotels
7 Tips to Stay Healthy on Flights
7 Tips to Stay Healthy on Flights

There's nothing worse than feeling healthy going into a trip, then arriving at your destination feeling like you got sick on the plane. Not only is that a good way to ruin a vacation or travel trip, but in some cases on work travel, you can’t afford to be sidelined at all. Whether it's too cold, too hot, or you're eating crummy airplane food, stiff from sitting for hours, nothing about flights do you any favors when it comes to staying healthy, honestly.

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LifestyleMinna LeeTravel, Physical Health
Weekend Guide to Portland, Maine
Weekend Guide to Portland, Maine

I love New England. There's something about it that feels strangely like home to me, even though I'm not from the area at all. While I've visited several cities in the region for weekend trips, I had yet to check off that weekend trip to Portland, Maine I had been wanting to take for so long. 

When the opportunity came up, I immediately jumped on it to make it work. It's a decent drive (about 5.5 hours with no stops) from NYC to Maine, so I wanted to maximize my time in Portland to fit as much as possible into a single weekend. I'm sure a lot of people feel the same, which is why I curated this weekend guide to Portland, Maine here...

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LifestyleMinna LeeTravel, City Guides
Where to Stay in Portland, Maine: Black Point Inn
Where to Stay in Portland, Maine: Black Point Inn

I was starting to put together my weekend guide to Portland, then I realized the post was getting a little too long because I just had too many gorgeous photos to share, just like with the dining experience at Tempo Dulu in Portland. So, I'm breaking it up to do it justice. Today, I'm going to take you guys on a tour of where you should stay if you're looking for a boutique hotel in Portland, Maine. 

Boutique hotel is not what I would use to describe Black Point Inn, as it's more of a classic historic New England Inn gone lux, however it does pop up when searching for accommodations in the Portland area. 

It just doesn't get more classic than this. If you are looking for a gorgeous historical New England inn...

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LifestyleMinna LeeCity Guides, Travel, Hotels
Half Moon Bay California Coast Guide
Half Moon Bay California Coast Guide

The experience at Half Moon Bay is one of my most memorable parts of my California Coast roadtrip, and it's one of the parts I've been most looking forward to sharing with you all.

Just 50 minutes outside of San Francisco and 20 miles from the SFO airport, Half Moon Bay marks a great entry point to the Pacific Coast Highway (Route 1) if you are driving to or from San Francisco to Los Angeles. I highly recommend...

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LifestyleMinna LeeTravel, City Guides, Hotels
San Francisco Travel Diary
San Francisco Travel Diary

Everyone ready for a little virtual trip to San Francisco for this #traveltuesday? 

Even though I had never been to northern California before, I have had a strange connection to it for years and almost feel like I had already been. Many of my friends are from the Bay area, and I've been repeatedly told how they can just "picture" me in my element there. Which, is...

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LifestyleMinna LeeTravel, City Guides, Hotels
4 Priorities for Stress-Free Healthy Eating while Traveling
4 Priorities for Stress-Free Healthy Eating while Traveling

It's hard enough getting into a healthy lifestyle and routine. And then when you finally feel like you've gotten a handle on the healthy eating thing, you have to go out of town on business or have a fun trip coming up. And then in comes the bread baskets, fast food, steak dinners, alcohol, etc. Sound familiar?

So how do you keep healthy while remaining sane during travels?

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Well-BeingMinna LeeNutrition, Travel, Mind, Body