My Favorite 5 City Parks Around the World

October 7, 2015

I love cities and 9 times out of 10, that’s where we head when we travel. There is just something about the bustle of people all around, the skyscrapers that go on forever and the views over a metropolis that just keep me coming back for more. From London to Paris to New York to Seoul, I’ve seen a lot of the world’s best cities but one thing that makes some cities stand out more than others are their affinities for green spaces and parks. City parks can be a wonderful spot when traveling, to wander through on a warm Summer’s day or to get a bit of nature in between the steel and concrete of city streets or to see changing leaves falling around you. I’ve collected a list of some of my favorites so the next time you’re in any of the following cities, don’t miss their gorgeous city parks!

Filled to the brim with activities and beautiful scenery, Central Park is famous for a reason. From hiking trails to boating to just spending an afternoon reading a book, Central Park is huge and lovely.

There is nothing quite like wandering through Hyde Park in London on a nice day – you’ll notice that Londoners know how to take full advantage of this sprawling green space.

For Paris, the Luxembourg Gardens and the Tuileries tie for my affection. Both are equally different and equally lovely. Try the Luxembourg Gardens for a more bohemian, Left Bank sort of feel and the Tuileries for a chic Right Bank escape.

In the middle of Crowded Delhi, lies the lovely grounds of the Lodi Gardens. Filled with green space and lovely old buildings and tombs, it’s perfect for a few hours of wandering.

Amsterdam is so lovely in general that it’s hard to imagine the city needs a park like Vondel Park, but even so, the open greenery and water features throughout make Vondel Park a wonderful spot to take in.

Travel Tips : How I Pick a Hotel

October 6, 2015

With any trip, hotels or accommodation are a huge part of wherever you are headed. For me, choosing hotels is one of my favorite parts of planning a trip. Being a designer, I love unique hotels and finding those places that really make a trip. I’m not one of the people that don’t spend any time in their hotel while traveling. I actually love coming back mid-afternoon for a nap or to take a break or spending a day exploring the grounds of a great hotel. For me, hotels are a big part of my travels and so when I come to choosing where we stay, a lot of research and effort goes into picking a place to rest our heads. So today (from a reader request for this post), here are my secrets for how I pick a hotel when traveling and what I look for.

I start my research in my own archives.

I keep a constant file on my computer of saved hotels that I’ve come across on Pinterest, Instagram or blogs I follow. When I see a cool spot, I save an image of it so when I start researching for where to stay, I go here first. If you don’t already, I’d recommend starting your own file for places you see online that you think are interesting and then keep an on-going collection.

Then I think about what I want in a hotel.

First, I like good design so great photos are important online. If a hotel doesn’t have good photos or a decent website, I move on immediately. I also like to look for things in photographs (after living with a photographer, I can spot things now in a photo that turn me off a hotel), like if they’ve specifically shot a photo from a direction that makes a tiny room look bigger or if they’ve photoshopped things in that are obvious. I also look to see what types of rooms they have, so that when we check in I know immediately if we’re being downgraded to a smaller room or if we’re getting what we paid for. I also prefer modern decor, so I tend to skip over more traditional design and free wifi is another big thing I look for before booking. Location is also really important, so take a look at a map and read the TripAdvisor reviews. As soon as I see multiple review posts that say “great location” I take that as a good sign!

Next, I head to Tablet Hotels and Splendia.

If I don’t find anything in my own archives, next I head to Tablet Hotels and Splendia online. Both websites only list boutique hotels, which I tend to lean towards, narrowing your search without all the chains and lower end spots. Most of the hotels on both sites are smaller properties and really well designed, which is what I like. So I do a lot of my research on both sites but….

I book on Hotels.com.

I’ve been a loyal fan of hotels.com for years and I keep coming back because of their free cancelation on most hotels you book (which is super easy to do online) and their loyalty program (where you get 1 night free after 10 nights stayed). I’ve had really good luck with them over the years and consistently use them to book so I’m booking all in one place.

And if you’re a blogger, reach out.

Even if I’m paying for a hotel (instead of working with them through Land of Marvels) I always reach out through email before my stay and let them know I’m a travel blogger and I’ll be reviewing the hotel on my site. 9 times out of 10 they’ll make your stay extra pleasant because they want the good press, so it’s always worth your time to send a quick email!

To Many More Decades

October 5, 2015

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about love. About all that we can love and all that entails. You see a decade ago I gave my heart away in love, I fell in love for the first time and I knew my life would never be the same. A decade ago yesterday Nick and I went on our first date, 10 years together, a decade of ups and downs, of learning to love, of learning how to grow together. A decade ago my life forever changed and I’ve never been the same since.

At 18 I thought I had my life figured out, I thought I knew what was ahead, I thought I knew who I was and what I wanted. But the truth is, had you asked me in September 2005 where I was headed my answer would not be anything the same as what my life has turned out of be. On October 4th, 2005, the idea of what was ahead for me changed in an evening and it was irrevocably changed by love in its purest form.

In a world today that seems so flooded with hate, with bigotry and ignorance, where thousands of people around the world have no homes and countries fight each other over reasons they don’t even know anymore, it’s easy to give up on love and on humanity. It’s easy to get caught up in the reasons why it’s hard to love someone else, it’s easy to get caught up in our differences or the challenges we face. It’s easy to get caught up in the routines, in the daily grind of our lives, in worrying about salaries and big decisions and who does the grocery shopping. It’s easy to forget how love has profoundly changed us and the power that love has in our lives.

I’ve had my fair share of those moments. When you’re so annoyed with your partner you wonder how you can stand it any longer, when you miss your other half so badly it literally hurts inside of your chest. When you wonder if the hard moments are worth it. But haven’t we all? Haven’t we all had those arguments that leave you in tears and a pain you can’t quite describe? Haven’t we all had those moments when you’re alone, for one reason or another, when your heart literally aches for their arms around you? Haven’t we all at one point or another wondered what’s ahead? The thing is, that is love too. Love is the good and the bad, it’s living your life alongside someone that you feel something for that you really can’t quite explain. It’s fighting through the lows to get to the incredibly beautiful highs.

Love is unexplainable. And it comes with ups and downs, it comes with disagreements and ambitions. It comes with the unknown. But love is also the most incredible gift we have on this Earth. And falling love with another person, well there is literally no better feeling in the entire world. And even better than first falling in love with another person, is falling in love with them over and over throughout a lifetime together. Glancing over at them and knowing that no matter what you’ve been through, you’re better because of them. Knowing that just a day away from them would make your heart hurt. Seeing in them all the reasons you loved them in the first place and remembering all the memories together…that is love.

And so a decade after falling in love with the love of my life, I look back at 10 years of incredible highs and lows, because after all, life and love aren’t perfect. We’ve seen the world together but we’ve also battled long distance and nights apart when it literally felt like my heart was breaking. We’ve grown into different people than we were when we met, our goals have changed, our paths and dreams are different. But the most beautiful thing about loving someone for a decade of my life is that those things actually make such an incredible and beautiful story and have made us stronger for it.

Nick changed me; he’s made me question things I never would have before. He’s made me patient, he’s made me more thoughtful. He’s shown me a loyalty and understanding I never knew before him. Loving him has made me see the world different, it’s made me open up my heart in a way I never had before. And so these past 10 years together have definitely not always been easy, but they have easily been the best years of my life and I can honestly say I’m a better person for loving him. Of all the things Nick brought into my life though, perhaps the single most incredible thing he has given me was a sense of home, a sense of belonging, of knowing that no matter where we are in the world, with him I’m always home.

And so today my love, no matter the storms we’ve weathered, no matter the incredible places in this world we’ve seen together, hand in hand, I look back on this decade of our lives and remember also the tiny moments that have made us who we are. Moments that make me smile, moments that bring tears to my eyes, moments that changed us, but in the end, define us. I wouldn’t change one moment in the past decade, because even in the moments that were hard, in my soul I have always known that I’ll never stop loving you. Happy Anniversary my love… here’s to many more decades ahead full of incredible dreams and adventures!

A Love Letter to Portland

October 2, 2015

10 years ago around this time of the year I started college in Portland. I had moved into my apartment earlier in the Summer, but it wasn’t until September that I started school, started to meet new friends and that I met Nick. September 2005 was a special time for me and a time in my life when I really started living my own life, when I really felt the freedom to be who I really was. But no matter who I met or which classes I took, what was always there in the background during such an important time in my life was this special city I call home: Portland.

Portland is the first place I’ve ever felt entirely myself, it’s the only place I’ve ever called home that really feels like it will always be home. It’s the place I fell in love with the rain, that I spent hours wandering the city streets taking it all in. It’s the place that was the backdrop for so many amazing life events, it’s the city where Nick and I fell in love among the Fall leaves, it’s the city where I walked down the aisle as the rain fell outside, it’s the city where I bought my first apartment, where I met many of my lifelong friends. It’s the city where I graduated from college and found my passion for design, it’s the city that I see when I close my eyes and picture home. It’s the city that’s skyline will forever be engrained into my memory.

Portland is also the city that taught me so much about life and acceptance and faith. It’s the city that opened my eyes to all different types of people, that celebrates our uniqueness, that opens its doors to anyone. We’re a city of acceptance, of open-mindedness, of celebrating being different. It’s a city where we proudly say “Keep Portland Weird,” and where grooming your beard has become more than just a hobby, it’s a profession. We’re a city of great coffee, an incredible food scene and some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. We promote clean living and sustainability and we definitely work to live, not the other way around. Portland is about purple hair, a great cup of coffee and smiling when it starts to rain.

I’ll never be able to fully put into words what this city has been for me. For a kid that no where really like home after leaving Saudi and knowing I’d probably never be back, I spent almost a decade of my life feeling adrift. Portland rooted me, it embraced me, it taught me and I’ve never looked back. I’ve seen a lot of the world since moving here 10 years ago, I’ve fallen in love with places all over the globe, but when we land on that runway at PDX, when we drive those familiar streets to our apartment and when our local places say they missed us while we were away, I still get butterflies inside that I get to call this incredible city home.

Portland is and always will be a huge part of my soul, a city that truly has shaped who I am, that has changed the course of my life in the best and most profound way. I feel so incredibly lucky to have roots here, to have fallen in love here, to have grown up here. And so, a decade later, may this be my deepest and most heartfelt love letter to a city that forever has my heart.

Headed to my home town of Portland?

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5 Trips to Take If You’re on a Budget

October 1, 2015

I often get asked, “Your trips look amazing but if I’m on a budget, where would you recommend?” My first question back is always, what sort of budget? Because in all truth, Nick and I travel on a budget too, it just might be different than yours. And while it may look like we splurge on amazing hotels and incredible experiences often, more often than not it’s because we’ve used points or found an amazing deal. But regardless, let’s say you have a fairly small budget for a week long trip out of the US… if that’s the case, then here are 5 trips to take if you’re on a budget to save the most money while at your destination.

1. Thailand

We flew through Bangkok and spent a few nights passing through en route to Cambodia a couple years ago and left saying we wished we had more time there. Not only is Thailand home to some of the friendliest people on Earth and some of the best food in the world, it’s also incredibly cheap to travel to. The biggest cost will be your airfare to get there, but once there, you can eat super cheap (like a huge bowl of pad thai for $1.50 cheap) and explore the culture for hardly any money. Even really nice hotels (we stayed at the Metropolitan by Como for around only $100/night) and if you’re willing to downgrade a little, you can find a lot for not very much money in Thailand in terms of accommodation.

2. Cambodia

On the same trip that we visited Thailand, we also spent a few days in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I was blown away by how cheap Cambodia was, even in regards to just coming from Thailand! The food here was some of the best we’ve ever had traveling anywhere, the people so friendly and the temples, out of this world. With tuk tuk drivers offering to take us around all day for $10 or incredible street food being served for $2, we left Cambodia with money left over and an incredible experience as well.

3. Portugal

Want to head to Europe but don’t want the expensive price tag of the major spots like London, Paris or Rome? Look at Portugal as an option. Our few days in Lisbon this past Spring left us wanting more and in shock at how affordable everything was. Food, transportation, hotels, Lisbon is a big European city with everything necessary for a great trip with great price tags. One trick here, be sure to get out of the main tourist areas so you don’t pay way more for food!

4. Spain

Another great spot to head in Europe for a low price tag? Spain fits that bill for sure. Particularly Andalusia and cities like Granada and Seville. Taxis are super cheap, food is incredible and you can eat really inexpensively tapas style, plus many restaurants throw in free dishes when you order certain items. Even hotels were really well priced for what you get in Spain. We stayed in Barcelona with a view of Sagrada Familia from our hotel room for only around $100/night!

5. India

For a trip you’ll never forget and one that’s easy on your wallet, India is a fantastic place to head to. Transportation is cheap, even when hiring private drivers, you can get a lot of bang for your buck on hotels and the food, well it’s out of this world. It’s also a place where just wandering and exploring you see so much, so you don’t have to pay a lot on activities!

10 Realities that Third Culture Kid’s Live With

September 30, 2015

If you’re new here or not aware, I grew up in Saudi Arabia. I was born in an Arab hospital in Dammam, Saudi Arabia and lived there all throughout my childhood. It was home. It wasn’t until years later as a teenager in small town USA that I came across the term Third Culture Kid (TCK) and my life was changed. Suddenly I had a word that described everything I was feeling and I could connect with other TCK’s all over the world that were feeling the same emotions I was, that were struggling with the same challenges I was facing. As I’ve gotten older, while being a TCK will always be my identity, I have realized that it’s not as much a part of who I am as it used to be. But every now and then something comes up that I just have to stop and take it in, I’m a third culture kid and always will be and there are certain things that will always affect my life because of my childhood abroad. So if you’re a TCK, you’re not alone and if you’re learning the term today, then here’s 10 realities that TCK’s live with each and every day of their lives.

1. We might never see our childhood homes again.

A lot of people here my story of growing up in the Middle East and ask a million questions but what they never seem to grasp is that while the majority of Americans can always go back and drive by their childhood home, or go back to Christmases or Thanksgivings, I’ll probably never have that opportunity. Not only is the Middle East in chaos right now, but Saudi Arabia is particularly hard to get into even for holiday. And even if I could, I probably wouldn’t be able to get back onto the compound I spent my childhood on. It’s something I learned to let go of at a young age.

2. We get tired of answering the question, “where are you from?”

This used to make me so irritated, less so now, but still, this question is a hard one for third culture kids to answer. On the one hand I was born and spent my entire childhood in Saudi Arabia, but I’m not Arab. And while I’m American and have spent my young adult life here, there were many years I didn’t really feel fully American either. It’s a division of worlds forever.

3. We lack the exact words to describe what being a third culture kid really feels like.

It’s really hard to exactly describe what we go through and how we feel to someone who doesn’t understand. So when you meet someone who has been through a similar experience, it’s an instant connection.

4. We get asked over and over if we speak the language of our birth countries.

If I had a penny every time someone asks me this. I actually was asked this just a few weeks ago coming home from Amsterdam when the guy at security asked me (after seeing Saudi Arabia as my birthplace on my passport) and we actually got into counting to 10 in Arabic together. I don’t speak Arabic, but I can still count to 10 and say hello and thank you.

5. We hate normal, we embrace diversity.

I love diversity, I love seeing people of all different backgrounds in a room. I hate normal, I hate the normal route, I always want to try and be different. I think a lot of that has to do with my childhood. It’s engrained in me this sense of embracing different things and looking for diversity.

6. We embrace moments differently than most.

Over the years I’ve realized that Third Culture Kids embrace every day moments a bit more than kids who grew up in their home countries. We tend to be overwhelmed by routine moment more than most, seeing the beauty in the everyday.

7. Memories take hold suddenly and at the most random times.

My mom still catches herself saying this weekend on Thursday and Friday (which were the Saudi weekend days when we lived there) and sometimes I get such a craving for a schwarma that I can hardly stand it. Memories come at random times and come on so strong that it’s almost as if I could be back there.

8. Home means many different things to us.

Home for me for many years was a fluid concept. Finally I found a true home here in Portland, but it was years and years of struggle with the idea of home. What I’ve come to realize is that home doesn’t have to be a place, it can be a person you love or an idea.

9. We tend toward acceptance of many different cultures.

I get really angry when people say ignorant remarks in front of me regarding different cultures. And while yes, they may not be aware of what they say and the affects of it, it’s still ignorance. As a third culture kid, I’m incredibly aware of how harmful ignorance can be. The things people have said to me about the Middle East over the years, some of them I’m completely shocked that people can even think those things about other human beings. Third Culture Kids grow up in a foreign society, so we learn at a young age we’re all more alike than different.

10. We still feel different when in a crowd, still feel like we somehow don’t belong, but at the same time we know that’s ok and we’re proud of who we are.

It took me a long time to really come to terms with what being a third culture kid means and to be proud of it. I spent a good deal of my teenage years struggling with a lot that being a TCK meant, but it wasn’t really until I started traveling again and seeing other cultures and seeing the world that I really found in my heart how proud I am of Saudi Arabia as my place of my birth, of what that means for me and how it’s made my life different.

Interested in reading more about my childhood in Saudi Arabia?

See all of my posts on the country!

Travel Tips : How to Maximize Your Time Traveling

September 29, 2015

I hear a lot, “how can you guys see so much in such a short amount of time when you travel?” It’s true, Nick and I don’t do long term travel. Even our 2 long trips each year (usually in the Spring and Fall) are usually no longer than 10 days. In those trips we’re able to usually see at least 3-4 cities and multiple countries, depending on our itinerary. In our shorter trips, often we do long weekends and still see quite a bit. Even then we try to see as much as we can. There are lots of ways to really maximize your time traveling so that you see all that you want to, even if you’re not in a place for weeks at a time and here’s how!

Do your research and plan out an itinerary.

I’m a big believer in having a plan. Before we head somewhere I do all the relevant research needed and make a day by day itinerary. While we may alter our plans while traveling, having an itinerary with well researched items really helps us to see as much as we can. I organize days be neighborhoods near each other or what makes the most sense time-wise, that way we’re not wasting a ton of time in transit or getting from place to place. Try to have as much detail as possible so that when you get there, you don’t waste time thinking about what you’re going to do today. Also be detailed about how long it takes to get from place A to place B, so you can figure out how much time it’s going to take and be aware of how much of your trip that will take up. (I shared a little more about my itineraries here.)

Don’t worry about seeing it all.

One thing Nick and I do a little differently than a lot of other people we know that travel, we don’t worry about seeing everything, even some of the big tourist attractions in places. For us, travel isn’t always about seeing everything that the guidebook says to, it’s about doing your research and narrowing it down to the places that are of interest to you or that will mean the most to you. It’s ok to not see everything and in the meantime, you’ll see what you want or need to and be able to maximize your time better.

Know that you can always go back.

The mindset that you have to see everything and squeeze everything in while traveling because you’ll never be there again doesn’t appeal to me. I like to really feel a place, understand it’s vibe, and get to know it instead of running around crazy squeezing everything in and rather, I subscribe to the thought that I can always go back. Travel shouldn’t be about a once time experience, but rather about knowing that if you find a place you like, that you want to see again, that opportunity is open to you.

How to be a Traveler at Home!

September 28, 2015

While I often head off on adventures near and far, I also love spending time close to home and exploring my own backyard. Whether you don’t have the resources or the time to head off to an exotic land, you can still be a traveler…at home! All you need to do is find a place in your own area to have an adventure and take it all in. So here’s how to be a traveler in your own backyard.

Research your own area like you would if you were traveling there.

Before we travel to some place new, I do a ton of research. Why not do that for your own area? I bet you’ll find all sorts of things you never even knew were there and activities that would be great to try. Take the time to look into your area how you would if you were a tourist and you’ll find things you never expected to.

Read blogs or buy a guidebook on your home city.

A great way to add to that internet research on your home area, buy a guidebook on your home city or scour blogs for info on people that do travel there as tourists. You’ll see your city from the perspective of a tourist this way and be able to get yourself into that mind set to explore your area with fresh eyes.

Wake up early or stay up late.

One thing Nick and I do a lot when traveling (and hardly ever when home), is to get up for the sunrise or stay up for the sunset. In the scope of our daily lives, we’re too busy to schedule around that, but why not take a weekend and get up to see the sunrise over your home city or stay up to see the sunset over the horizon. It will make you see your home in an entirely new way.

Try a restaurant you’ve never tried.

One thing we do a lot to get out of the rut of routine at home, try a new restaurant. Whether it’s in a new neighborhood you don’t go to often or just a new kind of food you’re not used to, give it a try and you’ll feel like you’re on an exotic adventure.

Photograph your hometown or area.

Nick and I are terrible about really photographing Portland. When we travel, we always have cameras with us, but we rarely do when out and about in Portland because it’s home, we’ve seen everything a million and one times and it’s not new anymore. But a great way to feel like you’re traveling even when at home, take your camera with you and snap as you would if you were traveling. You’ll walk away seeing a totally new side of your own city.

Travel Tips : Surviving Hawaii during Storm Season

September 24, 2015

While most of us think of Hawaii as blue sky and beaches, because they are tropical islands they do weather their fair share of storms. Whether it’s hurricanes hanging out in the Pacific or just tropical storms passing through, I’ve had a lot of days in Hawaii in rainy, stormy weather. So if you’re headed to the Islands and you end up being there during lots of rain, here’s my tips for surviving Hawaii during Storm Season!

Enjoy all your hotel has to offer… indoors.

The great thing about vacationing in the Hawaii is that the hotels are much more than just a bunch of rooms. They are entire resorts within themselves with lots of activities. So take advantage of the things they offer that don’t make you go outside to enjoy.

Look for alternative activities that you might not consider.

There are lots of activities in Hawaii that you might not consider if you are looking to lay on the beach the whole time. But things like afternoon tea (I love the one at the Kahala Resort) or seeing a movie can be great ways to pass the time when it’s stormy outside.

Try not to get stuck outside in a downpour, but if you do wear open shoes.

This past trip to Hawaii a hurricane nearby was throwing major rain into Honolulu. I was meeting someone downtown and had to walk a few blocks from where I parked my car and by the time I got there, I legs were soaked from my feet to my knees because of flooding. So wear shorts and sandals like you normally would, not closed shoes, otherwise, they’ll be soaking wet!

Take an umbrella with you everywhere if it looks like it might rain.

Always take an umbrella with you everywhere if you’re headed out in the rain. When it rains in Hawaii, it really rains! So be prepared!

Headed to Hawaii?

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Afternoon Tea at the Kahala Resort

September 23, 2015

Review Guide

This time around for our weekend in Hawaii, I knew it was going to be pretty stormy before we headed to the Islands due to my parents living there and filling me in on the weather this Summer due to hurricanes floating in the Pacific. So knowing that I had Friday afternoon with my Mom while Nick was working, I really wanted to do something special and different. I actually saw photos from the afternoon tea at the Kahala Resort on someone’s Instagram account and thought that would be perfect for a rainy day activity and it turned out such a lovely afternoon!

Website: Kahala Resort

What I Loved

Ambience- The afternoon tea is served in the hotel lobby and then spills out onto the veranda. We chose to sit out on the covered veranda with a view of the hotel grounds and the ambience of the whole experience was lovely: quiet, classic and enjoyable.

The China – My mom and I both remarked many times throughout our afternoon tea how beautiful the China was used for the tea service. No detail was spared.

The Service – The service itself was wonderful. We were served quickly, made sure we had everything we needed and offered everything we needed.

The View – The view at the Kahala can’t really be beat, especially from up above on the veranda. With dolphins swimming around in the pools below and the ocean just a stone’s throw away, the view is gorgeous and the perfect compliment to a lovely afternoon.

The Treats – It wouldn’t be an afternoon tea without treats and the Kahala’s were delicious. We only wished we had more room to eat them all, but we definitely took whatever we didn’t eat home with us and enjoyed it later. From fresh scones and clotted cream to tea sandwiches to chocolate tortes and macarons, there was a little bit of everything to enjoy!

What I Didn’t Love

Nothing! – We’ve loved everything about our experience at the Kahala!

Notes to Keep in Mind

Valet your car and remember to stamp your parking ticket – Remember to have you waiter stamp your parking card for your valet ticket.

This is the perfect activity for a rainy day – In Hawaii on a stormy day and wondering what to do? This is the perfect activity for those days when laying on the beach or at the pool isn’t really an option!

Land of Marvels was welcomed to the Kahala Afternoon Tea as a guest, though as always, all opinions are my own.