Is it Gelato o’clock?

Posted in Italy, Travel Bites by Kristina @ Three Little Birds travel

In 2011, my sister and I went to Italy in the hopes of discovering the most mouthwatering, savory, flavorful meals we’ve ever tasted in our lives. What we didn’t realize was that we would discover all of those things in one divine item…gelato. In two weeks, we managed to consume what a normal human would enjoy in two years (ok, maybe four). Seriously! We ate so much that we just starting saying “Is it gelato o’clock?” to each other.

Don’t believe me? Yeah…umm…just scroll down.

oops.

Holy ~~Guacamole~~ Gelato!

Right?!?

We walked absolutely everywhere, so I’m happy to report that we did successfully fit back into the coach airline seats for the long flight home.

If I had to narrow it down (and give you somewhere to focus) I would say that GROM and Giolitti were my favorites. You can only find Giolitti in Rome, but GROM is all over Italy and a few other countries. There are also three locations for GROM in New York so the USA can get their fix too!

Curious to know what flavors we tried? Duh, OF COURSE you are!

Drum roll please……((Deep Breath))…..Chocolate, Oreo, Dark Chocolate, Baileys, Cinnamon, Mint, Stracciatella, Salted Caramel, Pistachio, Bacio, Hazelnut, Coconut, Maroon Glacee, Pear, Fig, Caramel, Italian Opera Cake, Biscotti, Tiramisu, Caffe, Nutella, Honey, Basil, Caramelized Fig, Walnut, Cannoli, Sesame, White Peach & Lavender and Bellini.

Have you tried gelato? What are your favorite flavors?

28Jan2014

I went to Cancun and brought Prague, Hawaii, Brussels and Greece with me!!

Posted in Cancun 2014, Czech Republic, Greece, Hawaii by Kristina @ Three Little Birds travel

I finally made it back home from Cancun and I’m already missing the warm sunshine, gorgeous aqua waters and bright green landscape. Here in Chicago the normal winter color palette consists of either white (snow), grey (old snow) or black (really dirty snow) so it was quite a fresh change to see all those beautiful colors for a week. As soon as I got off the plane I was hit with a wonderful “Welcome Home” from Chicago – negative degree weather! Thanks Chicago…

My trip started off at O’hare airport, looking out at all those typical winter colors and counting down the minutes until boarding began. Of course the inevitable happened when my coworker arrived at the gate and looked at me…and then my carry-on suitcase…and then back at me.

“That’s all you brought??”

“Yep! I always bring a carry-on. If I forget something, I can buy it there. It’s the only way to travel!”

He obviously didn’t read #4 on my 14 travel tips for 2014 – There is only one size luggage for 2014 and it’s called Carry-On. No excuses. What he also didn’t know was that I managed to pack not only my Cancun necessities, but some items from Prague, Hawaii, Brussels AND Greece!! All in my not so fancy carry-on!! Let me explain a little more on why and how I was about to accomplish this amazing feat.

If you remember in my post “Pick one souvenir, and stick with it“, when I travel I don’t spend a lot of money on nonsense items and souvenirs. I stick to ornaments and then decorate my pretty Christmas tree during the holidays. However, there are always exceptions to rules and this is one of them. If you find something you LOVE and know you will USE it, then buy it. I don’t like “stuff” and I don’t like dragging a large amount of goodies with me when I’m traveling from city to city, so if I pick up something it has to be useful and special. When deciding what to pack for Cancun I came across some travel items, from all over the world, that I thought would be useful and not take up too much space! Here’s what I brought:

1. Prague – I’m obsessed with chapstick and always make sure I have some within my nearest reach. Since my sister and I did a Beer Tour in Prague, I thought it only made sense that I purchase beer chapstick from Czech Beer Cosmetics company! I came across this store randomly on the way back to the hotel and brought home lip balm for all of my friends. I normally don’t bring too many gifts home, but these were inexpensive and small so they hardly took up space in my carry-on. Since I purchased over 10 small items, they threw in Beer Shampoo too! My remaining showers in Eastern Europe improved instantly!

Czech Beer Lip Balm

2. Hawaii – Any part of a beach trip, in my opinion, requires a sarong! They don’t take up too much space and are the perfect cover-up because you can wear them in all sorts of different ways. My favorite sarong was actually a gift from one of my close friends who used to live in Hawaii. Every time I see the bright pink and red flowers, I remember that moment that she gave this to me. It’s such a simple gift that will be used over and over again! On the trip to Cancun, I used it as a beach towel and it was perfect.

Sarong from Hawaii

3. Brussels – This next item was also a gift, but this time from my sister. In 2013, my sister traveled to Brussels and had to make the obvious stop to see the little peeing man, otherwise known as the Brussels landmark – Manneken Pis. What she didn’t realize was that there was a whole museum dedicated to this little man’s clothes! There’s actually over 800 different outfits that have been dedicated from countries all around the world. I wouldn’t say that this was on her “to-do” list, but it definitely would have been on mine so that’s why she backtracked and went. She brought me back a deck of playing cards that I like to take on my trips in case I have some downtime. Easy to store so in the carry-on they went!

Manneken Pis playing cards from Brussels

4. Greece – My close friend and I visited Greece in October 2013 and had the most relaxing week of stuffing our faces with seafood, watching the Santorini sunsets and laying on the beach. On our last day we took the ferry back to Athens in hopes of seeing the Acropolis. After what seemed like an episode from “The Amazing Race,” we arrive in Athens and found the Acropolis closed. We were so disappointed, but determined to get the only other thing on our Athens list crossed off – Visiting the Poet Sandal Maker. We raced to the shop and hesitantly went down a dark alley in hopes of the famous man who has designed sandals for celebrities such as John Lennon, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jackie Kennedy, and Sophia Loren. We quickly picked out a few pairs and on our way we went! Since i knew I was going to get some beach time in, I packed them in the carry-on!

Sandals from Greece

What are some of your favorite items you like to pack for vacation?

20Jan2014

Snorkeling with Sea Turtles!! (…and one scary Barracuda)

Posted in Cancun 2014, Mexico by Kristina @ Three Little Birds travel

It’s very cold in Chicago right now so I’m happy to report that I’m gettin’ the heck out of here and going to Cancun!! I recently got an amazing new job, and a company-wide 2014 kick-off in Cancun is just one more perk! After all the hobnobbing and work presentations I’m hoping for at least one day at the beach, but I know it won’t quite be the same as my first trip to Mexico.

In 2010, my sister and I took our second “Sisters Trip” to Riviera Maya, Mexico. It was the first time we had been to Mexico and the first time either one of us had stayed at an all-inclusive resort. We had a blast at the Ocean Maya Royal resort and immediately headed to the activities desk to view all the suggested adventures. Options included an all-day tour of Chichen Itza (Nope, that was already booked on our own prior to arrival), Swimming with the sharks (Hell No!! Are you crazy?) and Snorkeling with Sea Turtles (Duh! Sounds amazing, sign us up!).

We booked the tour and had an incredible time snorkeling for the first time, in clear shallow waters, with a handful of sea turtles. All was going just perfectly until we saw it…a GIANT, SCARY, BARRACUDA!!!! AHHH!

Scary Barracuda wanting to eat us, probably.

Luckily it stayed right under a mid-sized boat the whole time, but I sware if the turtles weren’t there it would have had us for lunch. Seriously.

Alright, now for some less-scary pictures of the beautiful and peaceful sea turtles! I didn’t have my go-to Sony RX100 Camera, but I think the inexpensive underwater camera captured some really great shots! If you ever see this type of activity as an option while vacationing, I strongly suggest you sign up!

Enjoy!!

16Jan2014

The most amazing thing I ate in Prague! (Hint: It has cinnamon and sugar on it!!)

Posted in Czech Republic, Travel Bites by Kristina @ Three Little Birds travel

I’m going to ask you to do something very important, but a bit touristy, on your next trip.

Take pictures of your food!!

Sure, it’s a tad bit embarrassing to whip out your phone or camera and snap away at your dish, but how else are you going to remember how you gained all those well-deserved pounds?! When I came back from a two week trip to Italy, I ONLY posted pictures of the food I ate. Almost 1/3 of those pics were of gelato! ….no judging!

In celebration of all the well-deserved pounds I’ve maybe gained, I’m starting off a new section of my blog, Travel Bites, with the most amazing thing I ate in Prague, Czech Republic.

Introducing….the Trdelnik!

Cinnamon & Sugar Trdelnik

I found this tasty treat all around Prague and it’s absolutely delicious. It’s a perfect pick-me-up for when you’ve been walking all day and just want to sit on a park bench and relax. They come in different varieties, but my favorite was the cinnamon & sugar one.

Important: Make sure you buy them FRESH! They are much better when they come right off the hot stick.

Trdelnik in the making!

Fresh Trdelnik from a bakery next to the Charles Bridge

If you’re curious to know how they actually prepare these treats, you can click on this Trdelnik YouTube Video I found.

Feeling extra ambitious and a visit to Prague isn’t in your near future? You can try and make these at home! I found a great recipe from Pauline’s Cookbook that you can try. Let me know how it goes!

To see a collection of my favorite Travel Bites, check out my Eat, Drink, Travel Pinterest board.

8Jan2014

My SUPER Awesome Travel Map of Istanbul!

Posted in Custom Maps, Istanbul, Turkey by Kristina @ Three Little Birds travel

Something surprising happened after I visited Istanbul in April 2013…I came back feeling like a more empowered traveler! Even through I’ve been traveling for years, it was a trip filled with “firsts.” My first time traveling to a Muslim country, first time visiting a mosque, first time staying in one city for a whole week and my first time having two days all to myself. It’s my life’s mission to get the word out on how absolutely AMAZING this city is.

To get inspired, visit my Istanbul Pinterest Board “Turkish Delight!”

Here’s another “first” for me, and again it involves Istanbul! My first Custom Travel Map! I’ve pinned the highlights from my trip including Hotels, Tourist Attractions, Food/Beverage Recommendations and Important Transportation stops. My hope is that you’ll use this as a visual guide for when you book your future trip to Istanbul.

6Jan2014

What I crossed off my non-existent ‘Bucket List’ in 2013

Posted in Alaska, California, Greece, Istanbul, Turkey, Sweden, Toronto by Kristina @ Three Little Birds travel

This week I decided to look through some of the blogs I follow as a activity given to me from WordPress via ‘Zero to Hero’ Challenge (30 days to a better blog in 2014). I stumbled on something that really caught my eye – 30 Tested Adventures for your 2014 Bucket List from Bucket List Publications. It’s a collection of pictures to inspire you while you’re creating your 2014 Bucket List and you should all check it out ’cause it’s pretty amazing! (Thanks Lesley!)

There’s only one little problem to this….I don’t actually have an official Bucket List! ….Gasp!!

I like to think that I’m a very organized person and I travel quite a bit so I should technically have one, but I don’t. I’m more of a traveling free spirit and have some ideas on where I would like to go but most of my trips just kinda…happen. I’m officially changing this for 2014 and going to focus on something more…official. Check out my newly expanded Andiamo Pinterest Page! For 2014 I’m hoping to cross off Carlsberg Visiting Center for a Brew Tour, Pulpit Rock in Norway, Vasa Museum in Stockholm, Tivoli Park in Copenhagen, stay in the town of Bergen to view the fjords of Norway and see all the amazing architecture in Dubai!

For a recap of what I crossed off my non-existent Bucket List in 2013…see below!

If you have a ‘Bucket List’ Pinterest Page, I want to follow it! Let me know the address and I’ll be sure to check it out!

Visit my first mosque – Sultan Ahmed (Blue Mosque)

Stay in a cozy cottage for wine tasting in Paso Robles, California

Visit Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle!

Buy something at St. Lawrence Market (one of the worlds best markets)in Toronto, Canada

Find the blue domed buildings in Oia – Santorini, Greece

Join a new Wine Club!

Visit the Harem at Topkapi Palace

See what a real Alaskan town looks like!

See a sunset in Santorini, Greece

Walk along the Boardwalk on the Toronto Islands

Find the largest Fig Tree in the US (Moreton Fig Tree, Santa Barbara, California)

Bike ride to Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska

View the Bosphorus Bridge (Connecting Europe and Asia)

Zip Line in Skagway, Alaska

Take a cruise through Glacier Bay National Park

Wine Tasting in Niagara Falls Region

Visit ‘Little Venice’ in Mykonos, Greece

Try Turkish Tea with a Turkish Delight Treat

31Dec2013

Bring in the New Year with 14 Travel Tips for 2014!

Posted in Uncategorized by Kristina @ Three Little Birds travel

In only a matter of hours we’re going to be celebrating a brand new year, 2014! I’m hoping that most of you were savvy enough to put “Travel more” as your #1 New Year’s Resolution! If you didn’t…there’s still time to squeeze this one ahead of your ~~boring~~ very important “Get Fit/Get Healthy” goal. “Travel more” could mean getting into your car and driving a few hours to check out a new city or, it could mean booking the next flight out of town and exploring a country you’ve never been to. Either way, go explore and use these tips to be a smarter traveler!

This one’s a little long so go grab that bottle of champagne, sit back and enjoy! Cheers to 2014!

#14. Even if you’re a dude, start “pinning” through Pinterest…like now.

Pinterest isn’t just for girls who want new cooking recipes or the latest fashion and home ideas. Ok fine, I’m lying, it’s TOTALLY for girls who want these things and it’s the best, most addicting site ever!! Phew, had to get that off my chest. Ok, to be more rational…the site is for everyone! My favorite page is the travel section where you can get a TON of ideas on where to travel next if you’re completely lost. If you need some inspiration, check out my ThreeLittleBirdsTravel Pinterest page!

#13. Put the iPhone down and invest in a quality camera.

I don’t like to over pack for trips which would lead one to believe I would just take pictures from my phone. WRONG. There are so many fun and interesting shots to take if you have a quality camera that doesn’t take up too much space. My go-to camera is the Sony RX100. It’s fairly small but takes amazing pictures just like a larger DSLR camera that no one ever wants to (or should) pack in their luggage.

#12. Get a credit card with NO foreign transaction fees.

This is a life saver when you’re planning on putting most of your travel purchases on a credit card. The fees can be shocking when you come back to an enormous bill when all you wanted to buy were a few souvenirs! Here’s a helpful link through creditcard.com that will show you all your options.

#11. When riding the train, buy 2nd class and make sure its time stamped!

There’s no need to pay extra for first class seats when, to most Americans, 2nd class is luxury enough! I promise you that just experiencing a High-speed train will make your day! Try and pre-book your tickets well in advance through either Eurail.com or RailEurope.com and your trip will go a lot smoother. Also, if you have an ticket without a specific time, make sure to time stamp it in the handy machines BEFORE you board the train. Not doing so will result in a hefty fine. You’ve been warned!!

#10. If you’re hungry and searching for a meal, DO NOT sit by the tourists who are wearing fanny packs and big white gym shoes.

Do yourself a favor and RUN (with your non-white gym shoes) the other way as fast as you can! This is not your best choice for a meal. Look around, find the locals and stalk them. Yes, STALK THEM. They won’t care, I promise. They will almost always lead you to a traditional, authentic, less-expensive meal that will make you feel better than eating at an easy tourist trap restaurant.

#9. Pack emergency snacks….before you get to the airport!

To avoid issues/concerns with tip #10, make sure to bring a few emergency snacks. I’m not talking about Garretts popcorn, Nuts on Clark or any other random bag of chips or cookies you grabbed at the airport. Plan ahead and pick something relatively healthy and easy to pack. My go-to are KIND bars and they have saved me MANY times from just stopping at some crummy tourist-filled restaurant. Plus, if you have any “issues” with the local cusine, it’s nice to know you have something familiar that will settle your stomach.

#8. Here’s how to find the best rates for airfare. Period.

A lot of people tell me that it’s “just easier to go through a travel agent.” While this may be true in some cases, it can be a drain on your finances when it’s simple to do this yourself. My go-to sites for airfare are skyscanner.com and kayak.com. Skyscanner.com offers you a handy calendar that allows you to check monthly pricing trends. Kayak.com is my favorite for multi-city traveling.

#7. Join TripAdvisor and become part of a growing travel community.

Trying to decide on hotels or if a particular museum is worth your time? Check Tripadvisor! Planning effectively before your trip can save you a lot of time and money. What better way to get the real deal than through a trusted travel community? I use this site before EVERY trip and find the reviews to be extremely fair and helpful. When I return from a trip, I try and give back to the group and write as many reviews as I can (with pictures included!).

#6. The letter of the day is “M.” M is for Metro.

I’m lucky that I live in Chicago, which has a fantastic metro system called the “L.” Although I find it easy to navigate now, there was a long period of time when I was making frantic phone calls to my sister for help because I was turned around or lost. The metro can be intimidating, especially when you’re in an unfamiliar city or country. However, the truth is that the metro can be an excellent way to save money and navigate more efficiently, so it’s best to get comfortable with it. All metro systems are relatively the same and you can almost always find a handy print out before your trip to help you understand how to navigate.

#5. Apply for Global Entry (Bonus TSA Pre-Check included!)

When I’m ready to come home from a vacation, I’m ready. I want a home-cooked meal, I want to show my family pictures and share stories, and I want to see my pup Lilo ASAP. The one thing that’s standing in my way, always, is US customs. Good grief, could the line be any slower?!? Let’s all fix this right now by signing up for the Global Entry/TSA-Pre Check. It’s $100 for 5 years and it’s a relatively easy process. Done and done.

#4. There is only one size luggage for 2014 and it’s called Carry On. No excuses.

This one will be really hard for most of you, but it pays off in the long run. For starters, have you ever checked your luggage to find out once you land, it’s lost? How about that time you boarded the European train and realized there was no space for your HUGE American size Samsonite and you had to keep it in the aisle for everyone to trip over, including the ticket collector? Or what about the endless stares you received from the locals when your enormous bags were clunking down the quiet-cobblestoned roads? I’ve experienced all three which is why now, I only travel with a carry on. Pack lightly and if you forget something, buy it there!

#3. Fulfill your dream of becoming a Travel Agent through EuropeanDestinations.com.

I love this site for so many reasons. Their pre-planned itineraries are affordable and their custom trip planning tool is like none other. Through the tool you can do multi-city planning all over Europe that includes flights, hotels, trains and ferries. Seriously, all in one tool!

#2. ‘Travelzoo Top 20’ emails will make you go poor, but sign up anyway!

How do you navigate all the travel offers and travel savings out there? It’s simple, you sign up for Travelzoo’s Top 20 email. It’s your one-stop-shop for the best travel deals on the internet. Why should you have to do all the work to hunt for a great deal?

#1. Two words: Rick Steves

Took some time but we’ve finally reached the #1 Travel Tip for 2014…get to know who Rick Steves is. His books are the only travel guides that I’ll carry around with me because they are so unbelievably resourceful. My sister and I usually joke that he’s on the trips with us as in “Oh, Rick would say to turn down this road” or “Rick would really like this restaurant.” He’s kinda nerdy and his PBS videos are kinda outdated, but he’s also kinda amazing! Great maps and even better restaurant recommendations are followed by easy transportation instructions and handy hotel guides. You just can’t go wrong!

Learn something new? Share your favorite in the “Comments” or share your top Travel Tips with my readers!

11Dec2013

Pick one souvenir and stick with it! (Seriously, you can do this!)

Posted in Alaska, Austria, Budapest, Czech Republic, Greece, Hawaii, Istanbul, Turkey, Italy, Mexico, New York, NY by Kristina @ Three Little Birds travel

There’s three things that December means to most Chicagoans: it’s absolutely freezing outside, there’s already snow on the ground (white or dirty black, both count here) and most of us are getting ready for full hibernation mode! Despite all this, I’d like to think that most of us are also really excited for the upcoming holidays (I know I am!). My multi-colored lights are lit and looped around my balcony, my Christmas scented candles are filling up my cozy condo with delicious scents of “Christmas Cookie” and “Gingerbread” and my little pup, Lilo, may or may not have her holiday sweater on (I promise that she picked it out herself)!

This is also the time that I get super excited about putting up my Christmas tree! It’s definitely nothing grand, standing at only 3ft tall, but it’s pre-lit and fake…so it’s efficient and doesn’t cause an automatic allergic reaction, which I consider a huge plus (Merry Christmas to me!). Another reason I love setting up my tree is I can finally display all my travel ornaments I’ve collected over the years, which leads me to a great piece of travel advice I will offer you…Pick one souvenir and stick with it!

The biggest question I get asked when people hear how often I travel is, “How can you afford all this?” It’s very simple, I don’t overspend. I budget where I can, and that includes all the tempting souvenirs that make your eyes glaze over when you’re walking through narrow streets or waiting in those endless lines at must-see museums. Don’t get me wrong, this was a hard lesson for me to learn too so don’t think I was exempt from falling prey to the beautifully displayed shop windows or the elderly man trying to sell me “locally-made” goods…we’ve all been there! But today is a new day for you! Pick something along your travels that means something to you and stick with it. For me it’s ornaments, but for you it could be collectable spoons, or shoes, or magnets, or a million other things. My sister buys Emily Bronte’s ‘Wuthering Height’s’ book from every country in their native language. She’s a huge book lover and it’s one of her favorites, so it makes sense. She also buys ornaments, but since she’s my sister she gets a pass on two souvenirs!

Below are some of my favorite ornaments that are displayed on this years Christmas tree. Some are cheesy (Princess Sisi, Vienna-Austria), some were a splurge (Golden Pineapple, Oahu-Hawaii) and some were free (Wooden spoon from Budapest – free with purchase of paprika spice). There also seems to be a running theme of alcohol related ones, but no judging! Enjoy all the pics and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Wine bottle representing ‘Chardonnay Cottege’ wine trip – Paso Robles, CA

Wooden paprika spoon – Budapest, Hungary

Yellow Taxi Cab – New York, NY

Drunk skeleton – Riviera Maya, Mexico

Famous Water Tower – Chicago, IL

Golden pineapple – Oahu, Hawaii!

Traditional egg ornament – Prague, Czech Republic

Princess Sisi – Vienna, Austria

Representing the Alaskian pub crawl – Alaskian Cruise 2013

Gladiator – Rome, Italy

Beautiful blue-topped buildings – Santorini, Greece

Evil Eye – Istanbul, Turkey

23Nov2013

“I am the cute one…she’s just my sister”

Posted in Uncategorized by Kristina @ Three Little Birds travel

I never thought I would reference a song by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in my travel blog, but it’s essential to describing the sometimes strange, but absolutely amazing relationship I have with my big sister. I get the feeling that most of you may need a refresher on this ~~Grammy award winning~~ song, so click HERE and you can thank me later.

Let me start by saying that my sister and I are not twins. As I’ve said many many times, “We are TWO different people!” We look similar…and we talk the same (sometimes), but that’s only because we come from the SAME PARENTS! Duh!! No matter how many times I explain this, people can’t help but point out all the features that we share. Drives me a bit batty (can you tell?), so we started singing this song to each other to try and just laugh about the situation. Truth is…I love her to pieces…even though I’m definitely, for sure, without a doubt, the cute one!

In 2009, one of us came up with the brilliant idea to travel to New York City together. Why? It was simple, we had never been and thought it was ridiculous that two well educated, young (and cute) ladies had never been to the Big Apple. Since we live in Chicago, a big city is nothing new, but this big city had so many amazing sights that we couldn’t wait to book a flight and pack our bags. We did just that and jam-packed one weekend in August with everything that New York City had to offer. Broadway, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Grand Central Station, Serendipity, NY Public Library, Ellis Island and about a million other things! It was a whirlwind trip, but I think to our surprise, we made it without absolutely killing each other!! Since that trip, we’ve started our annual ‘Sisters Trips’ and have had the most amazing experiences in Mexico, Italy, Eastern Europe and Toronto/Niagara region. I can’t wait to plan our 2014 trip (we’re thinking Iceland!!).

Here are some fun pictures that we’ve taken along the way! Enjoy!