San Diego Neighborhood Guide: North Park

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | Modern Times

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | Tribute Pizza

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | Holsem Coffee

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | Holy Matcha

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | Ray Street

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | Tribute Pizza

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | Pigment

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | Pigment

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | Communal Coffee

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | Underbelly

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | PigmentThis week, I’m sharing the first San Diego neighborhood guide in my series, which starts with North Park! This neighborhood is by far one of my favorites in the city – the trendy shops, cool cafes, and incredible beer scene make it a super fun weekend spot (a.k.a we’re there at some point almost every weekend). Centered around 30th and University just a few minutes north of downtown, this up and coming area is definitely a must-see if you’re visiting San Diego.

 

San Diego Neighborhood Guide: North Park

Pigment

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | Pigment

Whether or not you live in San Diego, you’ve probably heard of this gem of a store. Filled with colorful stationary, gifts, treats, cocktail accessories, and a succulent potting station Pigment is a dream destination.  It pretty much brings me happy tears every time I walk in (or maybe the tears are from wanting to buy every single thing in sight). Plus, they have an ombré pink wall outside. So, basically this spot is heaven.

Communal Coffee/Native Poppy

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | Communal Coffee/Native Poppy

What’s better than coffee + flowers? This darling combo shop unites two amazing concepts in one place. You can order a rose latte and avocado toast, and then peruse the curated gift shop and Native Poppy’s custom flower mart while you wait. The Communal Lounge in the back, now open for events, even comes complete with a pink door. Be forewarned, holding coffee while trying to take pictures of every cute corner can be difficult, so make sure to snag a table first 😉

Holsem

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | Holsem

Marble countertops. White walls. Espresso. Wine + beer. What more do you need from a coffee shop? Holsem is located just a stone’s throw away from Pigment, and is the perfect pick-me-up after a day of exploring. Whether you try out one of their creative latte concoctions or sit down for a glass of wine with a charcuterie board, this place doesn’t disappoint.

One Door North

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | One Door North

This restaurant brings camping chic to 30th Street. Reserve a canvas tent to dine in or grab a cozy table near the window and be prepared to feel like you’ve gone on your own little outdoor adventure. The menu is nature inspired as well, which means lots of fresh produce, a “picnic” charcuterie board, and s’mores for dessert. Stop by during the week for their happy hour to snag some inexpensive sips and snacks, too.

HOLY MATCHA

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | Holy Matcha

This pink + tropical café is what Instagram dreams are made of. The newest addition to University Street, Holy Matcha is already a huge hit in the neighborhood. Ceremonial matcha comes in pink ceramic bowls, while avocado toast and vegan donuts round out the menu. Definitely a must-visit!

HAMMOND’S ICE CREAMSan Diego Neighborhood Guide | Hammond's Ice Cream

San Diego may not have quite the same hip ice cream scene as LA, but Hammond’s is definitely giving our city something to be proud of. The retro-meets-modern decor along with the delectable flavors from Hawaii makes this spot a great treat. Did I mention they have mini ice cream cone flights?!

Artelexia

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | Artelexia

This gift/art shop is another one of my favorites in North Park. Artelexia is a vibrant store inspired by Mexico, and curated beautifully. It’s filled with handmade glassware, tapestries, flower crowns and countless piñatas, plus you can snag a tasty popsicle from their Viva Pops freezer!

Tribute Pizza

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | Tribute Pizza

Leave it to North Park to have one of the coolest pizzerias in the city. Located within the old U.S. Post Office, this restaurant is known for making pizzas inspired by favorites from around the world. Any spot that serves fresh pizza and rosé by the glass is great in my book, and the bright modern space puts it over the top.

The Breweries

San Diego Neighborhood Guide | North Park Beer Co.

It would be hard to write a San Diego neighborhood guide for North Park without at least mentioning the killer craft beer scene the neighborhood has going on. The area has over ten breweries/tasting rooms, which makes for a fun Saturday crawl. Some of our favorites include North Park Beer Co., Thorn Street, Mike Hess, and Modern Times. Most are pup friendly, too!

Other notable spots:

Underbelly (Hip patio spot for yummy ramen)

Young Hickory (Coffee + beer shop)

Coin-Op Game Room (Dive bar filled with retro arcade games)

Urban Solace (Southern comfort food with a cozy aesthetic)

Bottlecraft (Shop carrying bottled beers from around the world)

 

Honeymoon Part II: London Travel Guide

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog
London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

London Travel Guide | The ELL Blog

Exploring London might be one of my favorite things to do, ever. There’s so much to see in the beautiful city, which means we always spend most of our time walking instead of riding the tube (who wants to be underground when there’s so much to see?!). Between the architecture, open park spaces, and the local food + pub scene, London always captures my heart. If you’re planning on traveling to London anytime soon, I’ve created a London Travel Guide below with a few of my favorite must-see spots.

London Travel Guide

Seven Dials: In this adorable village within Covent Garden, seven historic streets come together to create a network of shops, cafes, and bars. By far my favorite spot in London, plus the surrounding Covent Garden area and nearby Theatre district are just as fun to explore.

Sky Garden: As cool as it sounds, the Sky Garden is an urban oasis located within the top three floors of a skyscraper in London. The space is filled with live trees, plants and flowers, and provides 360 degree views of the city. Admission is free, and reservations can also be made for the swanky restaurants and bars up there, too.

Fortnum and Mason: The place of my dreams, Fortnum and Mason is a high end department store selling picnic hampers, confections, tea, ice cream, and countless other British necessities. Plus they sell frozen champagne popsicles…

La Bodega Negra: If you’re in the mood for Mexican food abroad (we were craving it by the end of the honeymoon), this spot in Soho is a must visit. The ambiance is great and the tacos + margs are pretty swell, too.

Shoreditch: After some recommendations from our hotel, we  spent a bit of time in this East End neighborhood. This part of the city is young, hip, and full of trendy bars and restaurants (basically London’s version of San Diego’s North Park times ten). Old Spitalfields Market and Brick Lane are an obvious must see while there, and we even managed to find a craft brew bar. There are countless other spots in this neighborhood worth mentioning, so I would just recommend making a trip over to the East Side and wandering around for yourself!

Hyde Park: It’s hard to miss this huge green park sitting in the middle of the city, and it’s definitely worth a visit or two. A walk through the open space provides the perfect break from the bustle of the city. The swans and peonies growing in the park make it kind of feel like you’re in a fairytale, too.

Sketch: To read everything you need to know about this pastel dream of a restaurant, visit my previous post here.

Borough Market: One of London’s most infamous markets, Borough is always worth a visit on the South Bank to shop and try local eats . The small streets surrounding the market are wonderful as well and have quaint shops like Neal Yard’s Dairy.

Portobello Star: If you’re a G&T fan, this bar and home of Portobello Road Gin should be on your list. The Notting Hill spot serves the classic London cocktail  in a stemmed wine glass complete with fresh juniper berries and citrus. You can also make reservations and attend the Ginstitute on property, where you can learn to distill your own gin to take home.

Portobello Market: If you’re visiting on the weekend, the outdoor antique market on Portobello Road is always a fun stop.  My favorite part are the fruit stands within the market that serve fresh smoothies out of real pineapples, which you can sip while admiring all of the colorful Notting Hill homes.

Bill’s in Soho: We ate brunch here on our last morning in London, and they had the best avocado toast ever. Enough said.

The Churchill Arms: While London has an endless list of pubs, this one sets itself apart as the first one in London to serve Thai food. Built in 1790, the Notting Hill spot has the traditional vibe of a standard pub, but with the extra perk of ordering pad thai with your beer.

So there you have it! I could keep going on forever about the amazing pubs, gorgeous theatres, idyllic English breakfasts….. so I think the list needs to stop there. But there will be more to add soon because… surprise! We’re going back! That’s right, we’ve decided to make a trip to Paris for our one year wedding anniversary, which means we conveniently get to stop in London again (we definitely planned that). If you have any other recs for local spots to visit in either of the cities, I would love to hear!

 

Honeymoon in Santorini

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

Honeymoon in Santorini | The ELL Blog

This rainy winter weather has me longing for the warm Santorini sun, so it seemed like the right time to revist our honeymoon pictures. Is anyone else wishing for summer already or is it just me?

Anyways, about the honeymoon.. When we started planning the trip last year, we knew London was definitely on the itinerary, since it’s our favorite spot to visit. We also wanted to try out someplace new and sunny, so after a little research we settled on a honeymoon in Santorini, because, how could you not?  We had the most incredible time during our six days on the island, and already wanted to return as soon as we had left the airport.

We stayed in a sweet little hotel in Imerovigli called Regina Mare with the most incredible view — as in, the hotel is literally on the edge of the caldera. The staff was so lovely, and gave us a room at the end with our own personal patio to overlooking the water.  While most tourists like to stay in the more popular towns of Fira or Oia, we really loved staying in Imerovigli which is between the two. The town had a local vibe, and wasn’t overrun with cruise ship tourists.

Oia is the popular destination for the “world’s best sunset,” but I have to say that Imerovigli had just as perfect of a view each night, without the thousands of people cramming into the streets to get their pictures! We went to Oia one night to see if the view was better, and were shocked at how many people turned to leave as soon as the sun went down. The locals in Oia call the few minutes after the sunset “blue hour,” which everyone seemed to miss as they rushed back to their buses. It’s actually the most magical time, so I would highly recommend sticking around to watch the color change sky and paint the buildings in hues of blue.

I think one of the most surprising parts of the entire trip was discovering how incredible the food was in Santorini. I was obsessed with everything we ate, from simple yogurt breakfasts to fresh Greek salads + gyros for lunch. It was definitely some of the best food I’ve ever had, hands down (and we lived in Italy which is hard to beat!).

While on our honeymoon in Santorini, we wanted to soak up as much of the island as possible and decided to book a few fun excursions! We went on a gorgeous day cruise with Sunset Oia, which I highly recommend if you’re staying in Santorini. It came recommended from Studio DIY, and I’m so glad we did it! The catamaran was gorgeous and came complete with a home cooked Greek feast and all the Greek wine + sunshine you need for a honeymoon.

On one of our last days there, we decided to book a last minute wine tour, which ended up being one of our favorite parts of the entire honeymoon! The guide was so knowledgable and took us to some of the best wineries on the island. At the end of the day, we went to a restaurant and learned how to cook all the Santorni specialties, which was then followed by an incredible feast and of course, more wine.

Stay tuned for London pics coming soon, and some exciting news about our next travel plans!