Europe Travel Guide: Amsterdam and Geneva
September 18, 2018
|
| Swinging at the A'dam Lookout |
Happy travel Tuesday, friends! I know my travel posts are LONG overdue but thanks for being patient while I got back into the grove of things. It's been almost 3 weeks since I've been back I think? haha and I can't stop reminiscing of the good days spent since Europe. I'm splitting my trip into 2 posts and including vlogs! I know, I just started vlogging and I'm loving it. I'll do a further in depth post as to why I've decided to do so but I'm excited to share with you all. Now let's get to the travel guide...
Amsterdam
We arrived to Amsterdam first and after feeling super jetlagged we were determined to explore the city and walked SO MUCH. That's definitely expected in Europe but I think it's the best way to explore a new city. We stayed at Hotel Casa Amsterdam which was about 30 minutes out of center city but we much preferred it that way. There's so much commotion in the center city and everyone travels by bike, we almost got run over by bikes so many times and we liked being in a more of a residential area and being around lots of quaint restaurants.
Things to do:
Amsterdam was such a chill city, not the most friendly people. Nobody was outwardly friendly or courteous which was kinda weird being from the states. Either way we had a really great time and tried the following activities that I would totally recommend! Let me first start off with I'm pretty afraid of heights and this Europe trip definitely took me out of my comfort zone. I did not one but two things that most people afraid of heights would not do. Tom and I swung off of the A'dam lookout which I gotta say is so cool! It was part of a 3-part excursion experience, A'dam lookout swing, a canal cruise and the Heineken experience. The A'dam lookout is a large red swing that hangs over a building - I know sounds crazy and it is BUT you're strapped in and the swing just barely goes over the building but you feel as if you're going right over. They took pictures of us and even a video! I'll include it in my instastories!
The canal cruise from the A'dam lookout was a 45 minute ride through the canals and it was absolutely adorable! The architecture is so charming in Amsterdam and the residents keep such good care of their homes. At the end of the canal cruise we arrived at the Heineken Experience which was a full tour of the Heineken factory. I'm not a huge beer fan but it reminded me so much of Willy Wonka and Chocolate Factory. It was like an amusement park for adults! Lots of interactive exhibits and a few beers at the end of the tour!
Things to do:
Amsterdam was such a chill city, not the most friendly people. Nobody was outwardly friendly or courteous which was kinda weird being from the states. Either way we had a really great time and tried the following activities that I would totally recommend! Let me first start off with I'm pretty afraid of heights and this Europe trip definitely took me out of my comfort zone. I did not one but two things that most people afraid of heights would not do. Tom and I swung off of the A'dam lookout which I gotta say is so cool! It was part of a 3-part excursion experience, A'dam lookout swing, a canal cruise and the Heineken experience. The A'dam lookout is a large red swing that hangs over a building - I know sounds crazy and it is BUT you're strapped in and the swing just barely goes over the building but you feel as if you're going right over. They took pictures of us and even a video! I'll include it in my instastories!
The canal cruise from the A'dam lookout was a 45 minute ride through the canals and it was absolutely adorable! The architecture is so charming in Amsterdam and the residents keep such good care of their homes. At the end of the canal cruise we arrived at the Heineken Experience which was a full tour of the Heineken factory. I'm not a huge beer fan but it reminded me so much of Willy Wonka and Chocolate Factory. It was like an amusement park for adults! Lots of interactive exhibits and a few beers at the end of the tour!
Other things to do: Rijksmuseum and Biking
Restaurants:
Where to eat: Pancake Bakery is an absolute must while visiting Amsterdam. I had no idea Amsterdam was known for their pancakes and waffles but I'm so happy we found out! I am a huge breakfast fan, I mean who am I kidding I'm a huge foodie but pancakes hold a special place in my heart. The Pancake Bakery is right on the canal and is the perfect breakfast spot. It is open until 9:30pm if you're looking for a sweet nighttime treat. Be prepared to eat pancakes larger than you're face but don't worry they only serve you one haha! There were unlimited toppings and they were so good! I'd recommend trying the plain one with bacon but my boyfriend had the nutella and banana pancake and said it was divine!
Other restaurants: Stek and De Vergulden Eenhoorn
 |
| Heineken Experience |
 |
| Rijksmuseum |
Restaurants:
Where to eat: Pancake Bakery is an absolute must while visiting Amsterdam. I had no idea Amsterdam was known for their pancakes and waffles but I'm so happy we found out! I am a huge breakfast fan, I mean who am I kidding I'm a huge foodie but pancakes hold a special place in my heart. The Pancake Bakery is right on the canal and is the perfect breakfast spot. It is open until 9:30pm if you're looking for a sweet nighttime treat. Be prepared to eat pancakes larger than you're face but don't worry they only serve you one haha! There were unlimited toppings and they were so good! I'd recommend trying the plain one with bacon but my boyfriend had the nutella and banana pancake and said it was divine!
Other restaurants: Stek and De Vergulden Eenhoorn
Geneva
Things to do:
We stayed at an Airbnb and it was fine. It wasn't my favorite Airbnb but it worked considering it had a washer/dryer and we were thrilled to do some laundry. It also was in a pretty great location, it was across the water from Old Town Geneva but it was only a 5 minute walk to the bridge. Old Town Geneva was adorable and it was nice to see more residential Geneva as we took the local bus up to Mont Saleve. Geneva borders France so it was literally a 15 minute bus ride to France, crazy! We were told that often French people work in Geneva because they can make up to 3x the salary in Geneva than they would in France but the cost of living in France is significantly less than in Switzerland. Note that things are expensive, very expensive. A hot dog was $8 and being from New York I'm used to getting one for maybe $2? So that was a bit of a shock but restaurant meals were reasonably priced and other activities we found to be so cheap! Our first night there we rented a small motor boat to take on the water for only $90! We spent 2 hours cruising with some rose as the sun set and it is one of the greatest memories I'll have from that trip. Tom took the lead and navigated us through Lake Geneva and it was just amazing. The four of us cruising on the water in our bathing suits awing at the huge mansions on the mountains and seeing the Alps in the distance - so beautiful.
We also did the craziest thing I've ever done - paragliding! I'm not a fan of heights, and I initially opted out of this group activity but Tom being the outdoorsy, adrenaline junkie that he is convinced me to do it. He coordinated private paragliding sessions for all of us right at the border of Switzerland and France and we met with the nicest instructor who went up with each of us for about 15-20 as we soared above Lake Geneva. It was such an authentic experience! Our instructor, Cyril, met us at the bottom of the mountain and drove us up these winding roads to the very top of Mont Saleve where we were greeted with nothing but green mountainous views as far as the eyes could see. There was the cutest barn with a coffee shop and cows!
Other things to do: Geneva Beach, Ferris Wheel, shopping, lots of luxury shopping!
Restaurants:
I know this might be surprising since I'm from New York and we have some of the best Italian restaurants around but I had by far the best lasagna I've ever had in my life, ever in Geneva. There were nights where Tom and I would just have dinner by ourselves instead of the 4 of us and it was so special. Like I've written so many times before, date nights with Tom are my favorite and it was extra special that we made time for date nights while out traveling with our friends. We were both in the mood for Italian since we love Italian food so much and we checked on Yelp for some recommendations. We saw that Restaurant Il Fornello Napoletano had the best ratings and everyone raved about their lasagna. I love lasagna, I love all pasta but lasagna holds a special place in my heart. Once I saw that they raved about the lasagna I told Tom, we gotta try it! So off we went to a place about 10 minutes from our Airbnb, a really simple restaurant on the corner and we sat outside. The seafood lover that Tom is ordered Shrimp Scampi but everywhere we went throughout Europe didn't have your typical version of shrimp scampi. This restaurant's version was yet an even more unique version. His had fresh tomatoes, hugmongous prawns and a creamy almost marsala style sauce. Different but still yummy. I had the baked lasagna and you guys, it was a dream. It was rich, cheesy, so savory and served in a mini cast iron dutch oven. It was so good!
Other great restaurants: Auberge de Saviese - best fondue and Riverside Cafe - such cute vibe, delicious drinks and yummiest Cesar salad, right on the water.
Thanks so much for reading today's post!
Xo,
Maia
What's in my travel bag?
September 5, 2018
 |
| Top: Socialite, Shorts: Treasure & Bond , Mules: Steve Madden, Tote: Longchamp, Sunnies: Le Specs |
Happy Wednesday, everyone! I'm writing to you from my comfy couch, we are back home! We just arrived back from Dublin and I must say it's such an adorable city! I can't believe the past two weeks have flown by so fast! It was such a wonderful time and was especially nice since it was significantly cooler in Europe than back in NYC and we all know how much I love fall weather! :) While the weather forecast fooled me and I didn't pack appropriately clothing wise, my travel bag did not let me down. I wanted to share what's in my travel bag and what items are a MUST when traveling anywhere!
Because we were traveling internationally and were going to be so far from home I wanted to be prepared. Super prepared. I'm notorious for underpacking and forgetting the necessities so this time around I started packing 3 weeks before the trip.
I found this awesome purse organizer that fit perfectly in my middle sized Longchamp. Large tote bags are my favorite for traveling because you can just throw everything in there. This organizer was so helpful and had compartments for my wallet, passport, chargers, medicines - literally everything! I found it on Amazon for under $15 and has small handles so you can easily take it out and use it in your other bags.
This portable phone charger has been a total lifesaver in Europe. It doesn't require any extra cords and comes in this adorable pink color! Since I took a nighttime flight, I made sure to have these wipes handy to wipe off the day. I later applied my makeup once we landed but I tried my best to sleep with a clean face. Speaking of sleep, I've never been much of an airplane sleeper. It's always been hard for me to fall asleep but this sleeping mask saved me! It made such a difference and made sleeping so much easier for me. I also brought an extra blanket and these fuzzy socks for the airplane because I get so cold on flights! My goal is to be as comfortable as possible while traveling. Sometimes I get nervous on flights or tend to worry about traveling in general so I try to bring anything to calm me down including my kindle to read. I just started reading Crazy Rich Asians and I can't put it down!
What are some of your travel must haves? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks so much for reading today's post!
Xo,
Maia
Neutral Date Night Look
August 3, 2018
    |
| Tank: BP. (similar here), Pants: Leith (similar here and here), Bag: Zara (similar here), Heels: Vince Camuto (similar here and here), Sunnies: Le Specs, Lippie: Huda Beauty in 'Venus', Necklace: Baublebar |
I love dressing up for date nights, and this look from the Nordstrom sale has been one of my favorite. I already have planned 4 or 5 different ways of styling these pants for fall! I'm obsessed. These high waisted babies paired with this easy lacy tank was a hit for date night and would be perfect for a girl's night out. If you're into elevated basics like I am, this neutral look is honestly everything!! Please note that I will most likely be hemming these pants a bit so they fit better but I couldn't wait to shoot this look!
Thanks for reading today's post!
Xo,
Maia
My skincare routine
July 25, 2018
Hi everyone! You might have seen my video on IGTV or the link above for a quick review of the products I use on a daily basis. Here's a more in depth breakdown of what I use all the time. I like to keep my skincare routine minimal and I love using chemical-free and natural products. I did a skincare post years ago on the blog and I figured now was about time I update it. Now that I'm 27 I can notice significant changes in my skin's elasticity and texture and I have finally understood how beneficial it is to take care of my skin now while I'm young to prevent from early aging and wrinkles.
The first thing I want to mention before I get into the products is how important it is to drink water! I can iterate this enough. My skin looks so much better when I drink water consistently. I'll be the first one to admit that I don't drink enough water. I don't and I really should. They say drink about 64oz of water, daily, which is about 8 full cups of water and it helps get rid of toxins in the body and help detox. While it does help detox the body, it helps the skin look hydrate and super supple. Once you have that going for ya, the following products will be an added bonus to keep your skin looking fantastic!
Like I said I keep my skincare products to a minimum. I don't use many products but I use products that really work. I have oily/combination skin and in the winter my skin gets crazy dry.
PRODUCTS I LOVE:
MORNINGS: In the mornings I usually just rinse my face with water. I believe the less chemicals you put on your face, the better. So I rinse my face with water, pat dry it with a towel and moisturize with this moisturizer.
The CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion with SPF 30 is my favorite daily moisturizer at the moment. After trying many samples of this specific one, recommended to me by my dermatologist, I was thrilled with the results. It is a bit on the thicker side but only because it has sunscreen in it. Now I don't mind the sunscreen scent nor the texture because I'm getting hydration and protection from the sun. For me it's a win-win and it's only 1 product that I have to buy instead of 2. Another option is their Daily Moisturizing Lotion and Shiseido Urban Environment Oil-Free UV Protector Broad Spectrum SPF 42 For Face. Both are also great lightweight options. Sunscreen has also been a game changer for me! I was never one to apply sunscreen other than if I was going to the beach or the pool but I started to apply it before makeup rain or shine and my skin looks so radiant and healthy.
NIGHTS: After a long day, I can't wait to take off my makeup. Removing my makeup is honestly one of my favorite things to do. I love to wash off the day with my Bioderma Sensibio H20 Micellar Water. I'll take 2 cotton rounds and clean my face and after that I'll take an additional cotton round and take off any of the remain makeup off with my Thayers Natural Remedies Thayers Witch Hazel Alcohol Free Toner. It takes off every last bit of makeup and smells amazing!
After I shower I'll prep my skin for bed. I begin with a dry face and I'll continue and apply my under eye cream which is Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado. It's literally a dream. After consistent use of this I've noticed my dark under eyes have lightened significantly! It's so hydrating and actually works.
I'll follow up with the BEST LANEIGE - Lip Sleeping Mask. It's the richest most hydrating lip mask and after wearing this at night, I wake up with hydrated, soft lips. Guaranteed. After that I'll add a few drops on either side of my face of the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate. I'll rub it in smaller circular motions on my cheeks, chin and forever - basically all over my face and then I'll moisturize with the CeraVe PM Face Moisturizer. It's significantly lighter of a consistency than the AM moisturizer but again it leaves my skin soft and ready for the final step.
Finally, I use a Jade Roller all over my face to add a little luxury to my night time routine and use of a Jade Roller help decrease inflammation and helps blood circulation on your face. I like to leave it in a cool place like the refrigerator or an air conditioned room and the chilled roller feels wonderful on your face. I have seen a difference after using it! My skin looks tighter and less puffy when I wake up in the morning.
Woo, what a long post! I hope you find these products helpful and love them as much as I do. Let me know some of your favorite skincare products down below!
Thanks so much for reading today's post!
Xo,
Maia
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons