Destinations, Spain, Travel

A Relaxed Approach to Visiting Barcelona, Spain

Alyssa stands on a balcony in Park Guell

It’s true that overtourism has taken hold of Barcelona. When you combine a dense, walkable city with a multitude of sights and rich culture, there can be no other result. Even during my visit in October, which is shoulder season, the crowds in parts of the city were unbearable. But sometimes you simply have to …

Journal

Journal | 11.9.19

A view of a kitchen from another room; the dishwasher, fridge, sink, and oven are all visible and there is a window over the sink

It’s happening. I know I’ve been saying this for a while now, but I feel like now I can officially say that we’re moving since we signed a lease this week for a place in Charlotte. Despite not working at the moment, my day-to-day feels busier than ever: packing, making phone calls, rehoming things we …

Destinations, Spain, Travel

72 Hours in Madrid, Spain

Alyssa standing in front of the Metropolitan building in Madrid

When I shared with friends and family that Michael and I were traveling to Spain, many people excitedly asked, “Oh, are you going to Barcelona?!” Not a single person asked if we were going to Madrid. That seems absurd, doesn’t it? It is the capital of the country after all, and that should count for …

Journal

Journal | 10.27.19

Alyssa taking a photo in the mirror before her trip. She is wearing a black tank, black wide leg pants, black boots, and a red bandana. In her right hand is her carry on suitcase.

What. A. Month. Truly, it’s been an emotional rollercoaster around here. Thursday, October 3 was my last day at my job, where I’ve worked for the past seven years. It was a long day, and I felt a bit overwhelmed by the turnout at our office gathering. I don’t relish being the center of attention, …

Travel, Travel Tips

Why You Should Never Use PayPal When Paying for Travel Expenses

Upside-down piggy bank with "x" over its eyes

Though I once sang their praises for their return shipping refund (which ended in November 2022), I learned the hard way not to use the PayPal platform for any foreign transactions. You see, last month Michael and I booked several Airbnbs for our trip to Spain and Italy, and to avoid Airbnb’s conversion fees, I …

Destinations, Home Try On + In-Depth Style Reviews, North Carolina, Packing Lists, Style, Travel, Travel Products, USA

My Flight Got Canceled and All I Had To Wear Was This Dress

Alyssa standing in front of a graffiti wall in a blue dress with a white tee underneath

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen that my three-day weekend getaway unexpectedly turned into a six-day stay in Raleigh thanks to Hurricane Dorian. Due to the unfortunate combination of non-existent federal regulations requiring airlines to support passengers in the event of a cancelation and my decision to fly a budget airline, …

Journal

Journal | 9.29.19

Alyssa strikes a pose and hits the Gators marching band drum

Happy Sunday! It’s been a while, huh? If you read my latest newsletter, you know why things in my personal life, have been, well – a little all over the place (which would probably be a good alternate title for this blog). It’s a bit frustrating to me that it spills over into this space …

Destinations, North Carolina, Travel, USA

Touring the Triangle: A Long-Weekend Travel Guide for Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina

NC Capitol Building

I nearly titled this post “Troubles in the Triangle,” because it was a rollercoaster of a trip. Not because anything really went wrong in the cities themselves—they’re great!—but because our flights home kept getting canceled, doubling our trip length. But despite moments of panic at the thought of incurring unexpected expenses and trying to handle …

Journal

Journal | 9.15.19

Oh, hey—Happy Sunday! The blog has been a bit quiet, which means life has picked up the pace again. Among other things, our time lately has been spent planning a trip to Spain and Italy next month with Michael’s family. This is probably the shortest timeframe in which we’ve booked a longer trip like this, …