Tag: travel

Travel Series: Naxos

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I’ve been asked a few times what my favorite island was on our trip to Greece, and besides Santorini, Naxos is my favorite small island that I would go to again. It was hard to pack my suitcase back up and leave Santorini, but we had a lot more of our trip to enjoy. It was also a difficult adjustment from being on a yacht the day before and then taking the ferry to Naxos. The ferries deserve their own post to break down how they are the most chaotic but organized way to travel. After a short ferry ride, we stepped off the ferry to Naxos Town and right away it was the perfect little beach town. Our hotel room wasn’t ready so we dropped off our luggage and decided to walk around for a bit and get lunch. I had heard that the Greek club sandwich was a must-have, and it did not disappoint! I knew it was going to be hard going back home after enjoying fresh ingredients and food.

Naxos is known for its unfinished Temple of Apollo, built in 530 BC, and today, only its door remains, the Portara. You have to walk along a jetty to get to that part of the island and waves are constantly crashing along the rocks. We stood on the jetty and let the mist hit us to give us a break from the heat. It’s a bit of a climb up, but worth it for the view. Also really weird to be standing in a spot that is that old. During our trip, it would hit me that where I was standing was thousands of years old because we don’t have places like that in America.

HOTEL
Antony Suites

After walking around for a bit, we got the text that our hotel room was ready, so we walked back to the hotel to change and head to the beach. This was one of our “let’s save money on a hotel because we won’t spend much time here” and instead I wish we could have stayed longer! It was so cute and had so many great amenities. It was a nice surprise to learn that the beach was only a block away from our hotel and an even nicer surprise to find that we could rent lounge chairs and an umbrella for 35€. In my dreams, I would spend every day at the beach like this, enjoying a mojito!

We spent a few hours at the beach and enjoyed some drinks and snacks. We didn’t want to leave the beach but we went back to the hotel to shower and change for dinner. We had no plans for dinner except to walk around and pick a place. What’s nice about Naxos, is that there are a ton of restaurant options on the water and you can’t pick wrong. We went back up to the Temple of Apollo to watch the sunset and then had dinner at Meze Meze. What you need to know going to Greece (and even Europe) is that dinner is not quick and it’s going to take at least two hours. Fresh seafood is caught that same morning — grilled octopus, fish so tender it practically melted. I ordered the seafood risotto and even when I was full I could not stop eating! We finished up dinner at 11pm and my mind was blown by how busy the town still was that late at night.

We planned to sleep in the next morning, but I was up early, wanting to enjoy every minute of Naxos. Our hotel dropped off breakfast baskets and we enjoyed our Greek breakfast on the patio while we packed up to check out of the hotel. We had originally had an excursion planned that day which was cancelled due to water currents so we had to pivot.

We were told that we had to go see the castle built in the 13th century. We climbed to the top of the island to get to the castle and then took the long way back down weaving through alleyways and little shops scattered through the maze. After our walk, we decided we deserved a cold cocktail, so we stopped at Verus on the water. Drinks turned into food, and we spent the next hour just enjoying our drinks and food by the water. Not wanting to leave, we went back to the jetty near the Temple of Apollo and sat on a bench to enjoy the water. Naxos is an island that makes you want to slow down and just enjoy every minute of life.

That afternoon, we headed back to the hotel to pick up our luggage and make our way back to the ferry to head to the next island. Looking back at it now, we didn’t do much in Naxos except walk around, eat, and sit by the water. Just walking along the waterfront and enjoying the silence was such a nice way to relax and unwind. Naxos is a great walkable city that makes you slow down and just relax.

Welcoming Borromini to the neighborhood!

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After spending my teens and twenties fully obsessed with shows like Sex and the City and Gossip Girl, I always dreamed of that glamorous city life — you know, hopping from art gallery openings to the buzziest restaurant of the moment, preferably in heels I couldn’t actually walk in. I feel like I had that dream become a reality when Jake and I were talking about what restaurant to make a reservation at for our one year wedding anniversary. We settled on Parc because it’s one of our favorites, and it’s turned into our go-to for celebrations. The next day, Jake texted me that there was one opening available at the just opened Borromini restaurant in Rittenhouse Square. While Philly is not like New York City, it’s still a city with an amazing food scene. Jake and I are both foodies, and we love trying new places and trying new things. So when a reservation was available at a restaurant with a very known long wait list – I knew we had to jump on it.

I loved the vibe right away. From the moment I stepped through the doors, I could tell a lot of time and money went into transforming this space. The space is massive (it occupies two floors in what used to be a Barnes & Noble) and yet somehow still cozy. With the vaulted ceilings, mosaic tilework, rustic oak beams, exposed brick, and these soft warm lights that make you feel like you’re somewhere you should be dressed up but also comfy. It has that fancy restaurant vibe, but also a place I would be comfortable going to grab dinner after work. The best way to sum it up is that it was built for Philly because we like nice things, but we are also down-to-earth.

I’ve heard complaints that the restaurant was too loud, but I didn’t find it hard to have a conversation. If anything, it added to the positive energy with people being excited to be there. The resturant just opened, but it already had that this is the place to be and gather. The waitstaff is also very friendly; we bonded over the Eagles loss, and they are very knowledgeable about the menu. The waitstaff are attentive but don’t hover and don’t rush you through the meal. Since we were celebrating our wedding anniversary, the restaurant was kind enough to surprise us with glasses of prosecco with our desert that came out with candles. It’s that little extra touch that goes a long way!

It’s a small menu, but you can tell that each item has been perfected and is selected to pair well with other dishes. We started with the Caprese and the focaccia while looking over the menu. It was hard to choose one because everything sounded so GOOD! I went with the spaghetti al pomodoro, and Jake ordered the 100-layer lasagna.

We already decided we need to come back again during the week when we wanted to get a drink after work. The aperol spritz was refreshing, and the Pomodoro Martini was heaven in a glass.

If I had to describe the food, I’d say that it’s fresh – not overly seasoned, just fresh ingredients to highlight the already delicious dishes. You could taste the fresh tomatoes in the spaghetti al pomodoro, and the lasagna was light and fluffy unlike traditional lasagnas.

Borromini is a great addition to the neighborhood, and I’m excited to come back again! We are already planning the next time we can stop by the bar and grab a drink and enjoy the restaurant vibes!

Travel Series: Santorini

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The most asked question during this trip was when I asked my husband, “What time do we have to wake up tomorrow?” He was in charge of the itinerary and all logistics, which were numerous. We had an early alarm to head to the Athens airport to fly to Santorini. Now there are many ways to hop around the islands, and I was fine taking the ferry down to Santorini. But this was our honeymoon, and Jake was intentional about making sure we did as little traveling between islands so we could have the most time on each island. After a short flight, we landed in Santorini, and the hotel arranged a car service to pick us up from the airport. Seriously, this man thought of everything to make sure everything was taken care of.

HOTEL
The Saint Hotel

This was one of our big splurges for the trip, and from the minute we got there, I didn’t want to leave. The staff, amenities, the VIEW — everything was perfect! We had lunch and a cocktail by the pool. I’m now obsessed with the Greek version of a Caesar salad, and nothing will ever compare. We then went to our room to change into bathing suits to enjoy our own private pool on our private patio. The hotel treated us to a free bottle of wine and fresh fruit, which we enjoyed while relaxing on our patio lounger and in the pool. Watching that first sunset while sitting outside is something I will never forget! We eventually showered and changed to head up to dinner at the rooftop bar and restaurant.

The next morning, breakfast was delivered to our room, and we ate outside on the patio. This was the kind of vacation where you view sleep as a waste of time when there is so much to do and see!

We spent the morning in the pool and relaxing before heading to the spa for a couples massage. Jake really thought of every single detail to make sure this trip allowed us to do a lot of sightseeing, but made us slow down and relax as we enjoyed this time together.

outfit details
maxi dress

From there, we headed to the hotel pool and bar to lie in the sun, enjoy the pool, and order a few drinks.

While we wanted to stay in the pool, we had to get changed for dinner to celebrate our official seven years of being together. August has always been a special month for us because it’s our dating anniversary, so every August we like to go on a trip to celebrate our dating anniversary. Now, we hope to keep doing some sort of trip to acknowledge this milestone. As if the trip wasn’t enough, Jake gifted me a diamond necklace with the same diamonds that are in my wedding ring set.

outfit details
anthropologie dress

SO funny story, we were walking to dinner, and there are no sidewalks in Oai besides the painted blue path for pedestrians. A local pointed out that the blue of my dress perfectly matched the blue path and jokingly told me to make sure no one walks over me. I was very intentional about my blue outfits for this trip, just didn’t realize I’d be THIS GOOD!

THE BLUE DOME

Yes, it’s the touristy thing to do in Santorini, but it’s just something you have to do. At sunset and sunrise, there is going to be a long line to get that perfect picture, but the line really does move quickly, and the group behind you will most likely offer to take the picture for you.

DINNER
Ambrosia

There are a lot of options for restaurants in Santorini, and I’m so happy we selected this one for dinner. It had a great view of Oai and the water at sunset. The staff were amazing, the food was delicious, and the view was remarkable. The celebrity of the evening was the cats we saw making their way up the mountain for dinner time. After dinner, we walked around Oia and enjoyed watching the city all lit up.

SAINT YACHTING
Yacht

The hotel we were staying at has a collection of yachts for guests to use for a fee. It’s something we saw as an amenity months ago, and when I saw the price, I just laughed and said maybe in another lifetime. The goal of this trip was to make the most of it, and Jake said that the budget went out the window when he booked the yacht for a sunset cruise. This whole thing was a surprise to me, so we woke up that day knowing we were going somewhere that late afternoon, but I still had no clue what he had planned. Jake finally told me that he booked us the yacht for a sunset cruise, and that explained why he bought me new swimwear and a cover-up.

I think my favorite favorite part is when we were waiting on the dock to get on, and people started pushing their way in front of us to take a picture of the boat. Finally, our crew asked the people politely to step aside so we could get on board and a guy holding up his phone, taking pictures of the boat, turned around and saw Jake and me standing there and said, “This boat is for you??!!” Everyone on that dock was shocked that the guy wearing a Star Wars baseball hat and I were the ones getting on the boat. Jake and I laughed and replied with “Yep! That’s ours!” as we stepped on.

pictures do not give this view justice!

We sailed around Santorini and then stopped around the island to swim before heading to a part of the island you can only access by boat for dinner. Sitting there at dinner, it was a moment where I thought I never wanted this day to end! We then got back on the boat and sped off to sail back to port and get the perfect view of the sun setting.

We went to a lot of islands on this trip, and we only spent a little time on Santorini, but this is an island I would come back to over and over again. We are already talking about coming back again and really exploring the island more.

outfit details
crochet cover up // sarong // similar swim bottoms

Travel Series: Athens, Greece

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I recently came back from my two-week honeymoon in Greece, and I’ve been getting the same question: “How was it?” If I have two minutes of your time, “It was great! We did a lot and also were able to really slow down and relax!” But if you really want to know, pull up a chair and let’s talk about my trip to Greece!

Travel Day

This isn’t our first trip across the Atlantic. We went to London in 2022, and I was unaware the whole time that we were actually going so Jake could propose to me. This trip, Jake upgraded our seats to nice big, comfy ones, and I kept joking it was my favorite part of the trip. I’ve gotten to that point in my life that the seat upgrades on long flights are just worth the extra money. We slept on the plane as much as we could, so when we touched down at 8 am in Athens, we were ready to start our day!

Going to a country we had never been to before, Jake planned ahead and ordered a car service to pick us up from the airport to the hotel. Once we got there, we realized we could have figured out a taxi/Uber, but it was nice to walk off the plane with our luggage, and a guy with a sign with our name on it was there to pick us up. Again, it’s one of those things that you get older and are worth the money.

I need to make a note that Jake planned this entire trip himself. I literally just showed up with my passport! He created the full itinerary and had some input on what I should wear, but he planned everything himself.

HOTEL
Esse Athens

While most people immediately book hotels that are most famous while traveling abroad (Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Marriott, etc.), Jake loves to find a really pretty high-end luxury hotel. We thought we wouldn’t be in our hotel that much because we had a busy itinerary in Athens, but we loved our hotel so much that we wanted to stay there longer! It also had the best view of the Acropolis from the balcony!

TOURISTY MUST DO’S
Acropolis + Parthenon

Okay, so here’s the trick. Book the guided tour. It’s just a few more euros than the regular ticket, but you get to skip the line, learn the history, and the tour guide makes the sea of people move for your group to get past. There is also enough time to wander off by yourself too! It also includes tickets to the museum, which is a must while you are there as well, to really understand how old this history is.

Athens National Garden


We had a few hours after we landed in Athens before our hotel room was ready, so we walked around and ended up in the Athens National Garden. It was a great way to take a break from the heat and stumble upon some ancient ruins just casually among some really old trees.

Boat Tour
Athens Day Cruise


Jake found a boat cruise that allows you to go to 3 islands in one day. He upgraded to VIP, and at first I was like, Oh, that wasn’t necessary but boy, did we realize how much the upgrade was worth it! Other guests sat in chairs on the boat deck, while we were able to enjoy air conditioning on coaches, a private bar, and drinks and meals were included. It’s very well organized, and we were able to see the islands Hydra, Poros, and Aegina.

PLAKA



Our hotel was located in the town of Plaka, and we had so much fun just walking up and down the streets exploring. Plaka has a ton of great restaurants, little shops, and gelato shops!

Mount Lycabettus



It is located on a very tall hill (more like a mountain!) that you can walk up or take the cable car. I recommend the cable car because it is a long way to the top! But once you are up there, it is the best view of all of Athens. You can see the Acropolis, the Aegean Sea, and really see how large the city of Athens is. Once you get to the top, you can walk around and sit to take in the view. There is also a restaurant and bar, so we had Aperol Spritzes and Greek salads to celebrate our first day in Greece!

Ruins

I was blown away by how the modern-day city of Athens has built its city around the ruins and respected its history. You’ll be walking around and then walk into the ruins of a building that was there for thousands of years.

Sunset Dinner at St George Lycabettus Hotel

outfit details: dress
This was a recommendation from one of Jake’s coworkers, and wow, I’m so happy we did it! Great view of the sunset and the Acropolis with a delicious meal.

Friday Favorites 1.3

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I have been asking myself a dozen times “What day is it?” because the concept of time the last two weeks is a blur. It’s Flursday. I have alarms set on my phone to make sure I am aware of my commitments but other than that, it’s been a lot of lounging around in pajamas and giving my body permission to REST. I’m using this time to make lists, reflect on the last year, and deep clean the house. I’ve been seeing the trend Pan Project 2025 a lot and I thought I was bad with having a lot of clutter but after watching these videos, I’m realizing I have a normal amount of backstock products. But that doesn’t mean I’m giving myself permission to not clear the shelves so to speak. This being my first Favorites post of the new year, I thought it would be fun to summarize my favorite things of 2024. So let’s do it!


This year, I’ve been grabbing my makeup that brings me joy and that has been a lot of pink. I took that Barbie trend and kept it going into my makeup routine. I created a go-to easy, natural makeup look….Glowy skin, pops of pink with pink lipstick and gloss in my pocket to reapply often. Each season I committed to an eyeshadow palette and only used that one (or two) to use up what I already have. Swapping them out every few weeks reminded me what I already have and it felt like I was getting something new even though I already had it.

Lipstick lasts longer, but gloss is more fun.
– Serena van der Woodsen

This year has been about less stuff and more joy in experiences. Going to one of my favorite restaurants in Philly, Parc, just because we want to, and no longer waiting for a special occasion. Getting tickets to see the Philadelphia Orchestra perform, taking advantage of the amazing restaurants in walking distance from us like the amazing Italian restaurant, Giuseppe & Sons. Walking to The Dandelion for tea and scones on a Sunday morning because we missed London. Walking through Rittenhouse Square on a Saturday morning to shop the farmers market is always a must for me in the summer because it reminds me to slow down and appreciate where I am in life right now. I worked so hard to be able to live in a city and be able to do these amazing things, that I need to slow down and appreciate the things around me.

Now or Never

This year I really committed to always have a book I was reading. During the warm summer months, I would get home from work, pour myself a glass of wine or an Aperol Spritz, and head out to the backyard to read a little before making dinner. During the “ber” months, I’ve been finding time to read before work or have a cup of hot tea and get into bed to read a few pages before I fell asleep. I didn’t read as many books as I wanted to this year, but it’s been nice getting lost in a fantasy world of the Ton or 200 years ago in Scotland.

  • Monday Mourning, Kathy Reichs
  • The Woman in Me, Britney Spears
  • A Breath of Snow and Ashes, Diana Gabaldon
  • The Christie Affair, Nina de Gramont
  • The Duke and I, Julia Quinn
  • The Viscount Who Loved Me, Julia Quinn
  • An Offer From a Gentleman, Julia Quinn

Another highlight of this year…..

One of my goals this year is to write on this little corner of the internet more in 2025. It used to bring me so much joy to recap my weeks and share things that brought me joy. Then life got busy and the internet told me videos were more trendy to do so I found finding time to write long updates about my life difficult to do.

Thank you for supporting Blonde Rosie. Your support helps keep this little page on the internet running.

Lunch at Royal Boucherie in Old City

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It was July 4th weekend and our original plan was to walk around Old City but the heat wave made that difficult. We still wanted to spend some time in Old City, walk past Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, and get in the holiday spirit. So what better way to celebrate the 4th than go to Royal Boucherie? It’s been on my list to try for a long time and I’m glad we could make it happen.

A dimly lit restaurant and bar is around the corner of Chestnut Street on 2nd Street. The floors and walls look like they have their original panel walls and hardwood floors. We sat at a table in the corner by the window to enjoy the pub aesthetic of the restaurant. How could we pick just one thing? The menu has a classic French menu but enough selections for patrons new to French food. We joked that Royal Boucherie is the delicious peasant food compared to the fancy and formal French restaurants we have visited before. Could it be that Royal Boucherie has better food than another well-known French restaurant in Philly?

We started with cocktails and chuckled at the creative drink names like Franklin’s Mistress and Wham Bam Thank You Cran. If you don’t have time to sit down for a meal, I highly suggest you order a drink at the bar to enjoy the custom-made bar and mingle with fellow patrons.

Since we are foodies, we wanted the full food experience and started with a Fromage Tasting Board and escargot a lail noir, black garlic braised escargot, ratatouille, panisse, crispy garlic escargot to share. The cheeses were perfectly selected to pair with a baguette and jams that we were making notes to make this board at home. I should note that the portions are more similar to what I’ve experienced in Europe, smaller portions with high-quality selections. At first glance, I thought there wouldn’t be enough of the Fromage board for both of us to share, but I was left satisfied without being too full for the main course.

For the main course, Jacob went with a boucherie burger, foie gras, brie, onion confiture, frites. He said it was probably the best burger he has ever had with the perfectly melted brie on the burger. I wanted to try something new than my usual order of modules and went with the crab cakes, blistered cherry tomatoes, roasted broccolini, saffron rouille. The crab cakes were not your traditional style like you expect in beach towns but instead had a French twist with unexpected flavors. Every bite was delicious!

We split a chocolate mousse tart as a special treat before heading back out into the heat. Restaurants like Royal Boucherie are hard to come by with their dark moody interior, friendly staff, and perfectly curated menu. The next time you are looking for a good meal out with an experience, I highly recommend stopping by here. We’ll be back again soon because it’s been a week and we are still talking about the fromage board!