Ah, summer! It always comes and goes in a flash. It’s my favorite season for the warm weather, sunshine and fun travels. In celebration of a great summer, here are some wonderful memories for me to remember and recommendations to inspire your next travels, meals, and more!
1. Visiting Mystic, Connecticut
Mystic, Connecticut is a charming coastal town with a rich maritime history and many lovely restaurants and shops. While the town is known for attractions like the Mystic Seaport Museum, the Mystic Aquarium, and Mystic Pizza, our visit was more of a sightseeing one. We stayed at The Hilton Mystic and took a long walk through town, taking in the historic Mystic River Bascule Bridge, which dates back to 1922. The bridge is still in operation today, opening hourly and on demand throughout the daylight hours. We also had a few great meals at Sift Bake Shop and S&P Oyster Restaurant & Bar! Stay tuned for the travel vlog and in-depth blog – I’ll update this post as they go live.
2. Exploring Hudson River Valley
This summer I checked off another first – exploring the gorgeous Hudson River Valley region. A travel vlog and blog will follow, but here’s a list of the amazing towns, vineyards, hotels, and restaurants we visited:
- Bashakill Vineyards: Excellent food and wine in a super charming setting
- Hudson: We enjoyed dinner at the Rivertown Tavern at Rivertown Lodge which is located in a boutique hotel that would be lovely to stay at. The Maker Lounge at The Maker Hotel also has a great restaurant but we went for their creative cocktails which are served in a dimly lit, romantic setting. The hotel is also one of the top luxury ones in Hudson.
- Inness: We had a great brunch with incredible views at this rustic chic resort.
- Minnewaska State Park Reserve: A state park with a great visitor center that’s educational for all ages and many beautiful views.
- New Paltz: A Hippie cool college town. We enjoyed Lagusta’s Luscious, a vegan coffee, chocolates, and baked goods shop with a feminist edge. The historic Huguenot Street is a must-see, while Huckleberry is a great restaurant and bar to check out.
- Beacon: Another charming town with a long main street that’s filled with shops, restaurants and cafes. We liked Big Mouth Coffee Roasters, Misstea, Hudson Valley Marshmallow, Hakan Chocolatier, Tito Santana Tacqueria, and Matcha Thomas. If you have time, Dia:Beacon is a must-visit but it sadly wasn’t open during our day trip.
- Benmarl Winery: Excellent wines, views and hospitality at this winery which is located near Beacon.
- Wildflower Farms: Located not far from Benmarl and Beacon, we had an incredible meal at this rustic chic property.
3. The Best Time In Brooklyn
A surprising but true fact, for as much as I frequent New York City, I’ve never spent time in Brooklyn. Well, until this summer :). And as a result of my dear friends who live there, I had THE BEST time! From long walks to great meals and exploring the many parts of Brooklyn, here’s the list of what we got up to. Travel vlog and blog will be updated with links here as they’re ready!
- The Ace Hotel Brooklyn: My hotel for this leg of the trip and it was a great stay. I’ve never had a guitar in my hotel room before!
- Haenyeo: An excellent Korean restauarnt
- Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Great coffee and matcha
- Brooklyn Bridge Park: Beautiful views of the city
- 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge: The best roof terrace with views of the bridge.
- The Hoxton: Stylish hotel with a very good restaurant and the friendliest service
- Blue Bottle Coffee: Always a good idea
- Rule of Thirds: Such a delicious Japanese meal – we had a whole duck and outstanding cocktails
- Prospect Park: The place to be in Park Slope
4. First Time In Liverpool
Another travel first happened this summer – my first time in Liverpool! I stayed at the most incredible hotel – The Municipal Hotel (review coming soon!). I was in Liverpool for a birthday party so the celebration took priority but I did get to explore the Royal Albert Dock and had a lovely meal at Maray. I definitely need to go back for a more proper visit!
5. Attending The Wimbledon Men’s Final
I cannot believe my luck in getting to go to the Wimbledon men’s final. It was such an epic final with Carlos Alcaraz defeating the four-time defending champion Novak Djokovic in the final!
6. The Hamburg Open Tennis Tournament
It was a summer of tennis for me as I also traveled to Hamburg, Germany, for the Hamburg Open! In comparison to Wimbledon, the tournament in Hamburg featured a lot of young, up-and-coming players. I thoroughly enjoyed going to both the men’s and women’s finals.
7. Enjoying Summer In Helsinki
I have been to Helsinki, Finland in every season but summer is hands-down my favorite. It’s a wonderful chance to enjoy the city in warm, sunny weather. And enjoy it we did! A more in depth travel vlog and blog post are coming, but here’s what I enjoyed on this visit:
- Crowne Plaza Helsinki Hesperia: I usually like to stay more centrally in Helsinki but this hotel had the largest rooms I’ve ever stayed in (make sure you’re in the newly rennovated ones), a huge gym and is adjacent to a large park. Plus, it’s within IHG if you have status with that loyalty program.
- Viikinkiravintola Harald: A viking themed restaurant. It seemed totally tourist trappy and it kind of is but the food was surprisingly good!
- Ateljee Bar at Hotel Torni: A cool rooftop bar with views over Helsinki. A bit overpriced but the roof terrace is very nice and the bathrooms also have huge windows and are an interesting experience.
- Cafe Esplanad: The perfect place to enjoy Helsinki in the sun with a spritz or a coffee.
- Ravintola Kole Kruuna: A historic restaurant featuring classic Finnish food. Try the meatballs which have been on the menu since the 1950s!
- Skörd: An outstanding tasting menu experience. Every ingredient served in this restaurant comes from Finland – from the food, spices, oils, even to the berry and apple wines they serve. If you want a uniquely Finnish gourmet dining experience, this is the place.
- QiTea: Excellent bubble tea. I had the coffee one this time which merged two of my loves.
8. Seeing New London Museums + Exhibitions
I really enjoy history, art and fashion exhibitions and there never seems to be a shortage of good ones to see in London. Over the summer months, I got to enjoy quite a few that you can also visit well beyond the summer season, including:
Leighton House: The former home of Frederic Lord Leighton. Leighton is remembered as the most prominent artist of his day, a celebrated painter and president of the Royal Academy of Arts. The museum celebrates his art but also his massive collection of art, sculpture, ceramics and glassware. The cafe and gardens are also not to be missed.
Chiswick House: A magical place with an 18th-century estate and landscaped gardens. The visit to the house is ticketed but the gardens (except for the kitchen garden) are free to roam. We purchased tickets to tour the house and the ornate details are just stunning. The house and gardens were quite sensational for its time, rejecting the trendy styles in favor of an Italian villa style and more natural looking gardens.
Christie’s Lates – 50 Years of Picasso: In celebration of an auction of Picasso ceramics, Christie’s put on an open house event to view them in person, plus a sampling of their collection. The event was fantastic and I would recommend checking out one of the future ones. Note: Be prepared to wait in long lines to get in but it’s worth it.
Gabrielle Chanel, Fashion Manifesto at the Victoria & Albert Museum: The first UK exhibition dedicated to the work of French couturière, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, charting the establishment of the House of CHANEL and the evolution of her iconic design style. I went to the preview party and have gone back to see the exhibition since. It’s incredible how timeless Chanel’s designs are – you could easily wear any of the items in the exhibition today. Tickets are currently sold out but if you become a V&A member, you do not need to pre-book tickets.
9. Finding Lovely New Things To Do In London
One of the many reasons why I love living in London is there’s always so much to do! If you haven’t seen it yet, check out my free London Guide, which I update throughout the year. Over the summer, I got to experience some exciting new activities and events, including:
Facial at Teresa Tarmey: So so so good. I highly recommend starting with a signature facial and letting Teresa Tarmey’s team offer custom suggestions for you.
London Shuffle Club: Apparently shuffle board is cool again? With two levels, bars and good music, this makes for a fun night out, date night or birthday party idea in Shoreditch.
Junkyard Golf Club London: I have been wanting to play mini golf for ages and I was so happy when a friend had her birthday at the Shoreditch location. There are a few different course options, with bars along the way on the courses and it was so much fun.
Kew Gardens Wine Walk: Organized in partnership with Laithwaites Wine, this was such a great event for learning about wine while getting to enjoy Kew Gardens after hours. Would definitely recommend it! I now have so many new wines that I want to buy.
10. Trying New Restaurants + Re-Visiting Old Favorites
Another perk of living in London is that there are so many excellent restaurants. So much so that my wish list for restaurants to try seems never-ending! Over the summer, I tried some great new restaurants and visited old favorites. All of the ones listed below will be added to my free London Guide – check it out if you’re looking for inspiration on new restaurants, bars, attractions and other things to do.
Socca – A lovely French-Mediterranean bistro in Mayfair. We went for a pre-fixe lunch on a Saturday, which was a wonderful way to try the restaurant at a lower cost.
Lina Stores – I had a wonderful breakfast meeting at this Italian restaurant in Marylebone. The offerings are simple but oh-so-delicious.
Jusu Brothers – An excellent Japanese cafe and restaurant in Notting Hill. I love to go for brunch, lunch or a matcha. The menu also feels a lot healthier than many restaurants in London.
Bacchanalia – A restaurant that’s equal parts gorgeous and delicious. With stunning sculptures from Damien Hirst, the interior is dramatic and provides a gorgeous backdrop to the Greek-Mediterranean cuisine. This is a pricier meal out – even for brunch – but worth it! Definitely get the tiramisu for desert!
Paulette – A charming neighborhood French bistro in Little Venice. We had the most wonderful meal of Roasted aubergine garnished with breadcrumbs, sheep cheese & tomato sauce, Sea bass carpaccio with basil oil and lemon, and a chocolate soufflé to finish.
Coya – This posh Peruvian restaurant is already on my London Guide but it was a joy to go back with a dear friend. A bit more of a splurge
WatchHouse – Such a chic coffee shop and cafe with locations in many London neighborhoods. On this visit I went to the Marylebone location and had a delicious iced coffee and matcha pistachio cookie. Another cool thing about WatchHouse? They leave a card with your coffee explaining the origins and flavor notes of the coffee beans.
Delamina Marylebone – A fantastic fusion eastern Mediterranean restaurant inspired by the chef/owner’s home cooking and upbringing in Tel Aviv. I’ve been for both brunch and dinner and both are great! On this visit, we enjoyed the Sabich style pita with friend aubergines (left) and the fried egg on house shawarma with beef (right).
Milk Beach Soho – A gourmet Aussie small plates restaurant with the best outdoor terrace and vibe-y interior in soho. The food was outstanding and the service so friendly. I know for sure that I will be back!
La Fromagerie Bloomsbury – La Fromagerie has a few locations around London but what makes the Bloomsbury location special is that they have a unique menu. As its namesake would suggest, the cheese here is next level, but we also enjoyed a great charcuterie board, mackerel with greens, lots of veggie sides (not pictured) and delicious wine.
Quality Chop House – Clerkenwell – While this restaurant is famous for the meat, they also catch their own seafood. The menu offers a great mix of entrees with starters and snacks to share. I enjoyed freshly caught mackerel from off the coast of Devon, a delicious tomato, cheese and caper salad, the most sinful confit potatoes, and more.
Final Thoughts
What a summer! While part of me feels like I “missed out” with not having a proper warm weather summer vacation (my time in the US was more cold and rainy than warm and sunny), it’s hard not to be grateful after putting together this recap. In reflection, I had so many wonderful travels, interesting new experiences and meals in London.
Please let me know if you have any questions or topics that you would like covered in future blog posts!