Travel – Stay Golden Mama

Porto City Guide: Fall 2018

November 29, 2018 No Comments

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to tag along with my fiancé, Richard to Portugal. The company he works for has two offices in Portugal, so i jumped at the chance to go with him on a European vacation. I said byyeeee and jumped on that plane!

My mom and sister tag-teamed watching our daughter, so we could jet off and enjoy some time together!

It was an interesting trip because I was able to explore the city of Porto by myself for five days by myself and met up with Richard at night. Best of both worlds!

I had a pretty hellish time getting to Porto because I bought a budget ticket (only $763 from Seattle), which ended up being 3 flights plus a 3 hour train ride. Yikes. Just yikes. Next time, I will splurge for less flights and a guaranteed isle seat!

I was there in early November and the weather was quite similar to Seattle. LOTS of soggy and wet rain with mild temperatures.

I broke down all the things you need to know about the beautiful and historic Porto, which has become one of my favorite cities in Europe.

How to get around:

Porto is a very walkable city and great for solo travel. You can walk or bike to most places within 20 minutes or less and it is not like Lisbon with all of the hills. The city is overall super pleasant and flat.

There is a great city metro/subway in Porto and you can easily get to the beach in 30 minutes or less. I was not able to make it out to the beach due to the rainy, weather – but I definitely plan on getting my tan on next time I am there!

If you are flying in from Lisbon, there is a 3 hour train that goes back and forth to Lisbon and runs every 30 minutes. The train is pretty nice, but it doesn’t have WiFi and does not have bathrooms in every car, so plan on bringing some non-internet entertainment.

Language:

If English is your first language, then you are in luck! Almost everyone I encountered spoke at least some English, so I just learned a few basic words to make me sound a tiny bit more like a native.

Bom dia: Good morning, good day

Desculpe: Excuse me, sorry

Obrigada: Thank you

Pastel de nata: Delicious yummy egg tart

Okay, I am sure there are a ton more easy ones to learn, but I was only there a week and this is what I was able to master!

Where to stay:

Ceidofida: The center of the city with lots of shops, delicious food and beautiful parks within walking distance. This is where I stayed and I fell in love with the black and white cobblestone streets and numerous tasty restaurants.

Ribeira: Beautiful and historic waterfront area that is both rich in history and stunning in scenery. There are port and wine cellars running all the way down the Douro river in this neighborhood. I took a boat tour on the river and I saw all the pretty little houses along the shore and thought, “dang, I should have stayed in this place!”. I am sure in the summer it gets super crowded here.

Where to Eat:

Breakfast

Pastel de nata (addictive egg tarts) and other various pastries can be found at little bakeries at almost every corner. The more bustling the shop, usually the better the pastry.

Lunch

La Reira Baixa: Omg guys. THIS PLACE HAS THE BEST SANDWICH EVER!

A less messy version of the beloved local Francesinha sandwich: sliced thick steak, local ham, melty cheese and a fried over medium egg on top. Sinfully delicious. On the side, they serve the best fresh garlic chips I have ever had in my life. Also, this place is very affordable, with my whole meal under 10 Euros. I cannot wait to get back here!

Dinner

Flow: Very cute and trendy upscale restaurants. Dinner was about $20-30 Euro per person and the interior was instagrammable. There was a great courtyard that opens for seating in the summer and a bunch of fresh seafood options.

I opted for the octopus entree while Richard enjoyed the cod. The octopus was better and the portions were huge. We probably could have split an entree and been completely fine.

The Yeatman Hotel Restaurant (pronounced Yet-men):

If you have the time and the funds, this is the place to go. One of 2 Michelin Star restaurants in Porto, this foodie paradise is nestled in the relatively new (and super boughie) Yeatman Hotel.

The locals call it the “Yet-men”, so don’t pronounce it “Yeet-man” or they will know you are a tourist! Let’s be honest, they will probably know you are a tourist.

The 6 course tasting menu will run €140 pp, but if you want all the of the goodies that aren’t mentioned on the menu, you will want to spring for the €170 pp secret tasting menu. This is where all the fun surprises are created by the chef. I believe the items change daily.

We enjoyed every single course and we probably ended up with 10-12 different courses. We also decided to try the wine pairing. It was delicious, but I was definitely more than a little tipsy because the service staff keeps your glass FULL!

The best part of dining at the Yeatman was the superb service. We had a dedicated team of servers and a fantastic sommelier who explained all of our wine pairings. Everyone was so kind, even though we were not dressed to the nines.

There are a ton of highly rated restaurants in Porto, but I would tell you to beware of Yelp or Google traps with a ton of reviews. These places are usually flooded with tourists, so usually it is best to just walk around and find somewhere that looks good.

Drinks/Bars:

Bar 77, lots of tapas and savory pastry treats.

We stumbled across this narrow college bar next to our AirBnb. It reminded me of the sticky floored bars that I used to frequent when I was studying abroad in San Sebastian. A little seedy, but always exciting.

The best part of this bar was the delicious late night snacks that were served. They had a spinach savory pastry that I could not stop eating. They also had pizza and other savory pastries that helped soak up the Portuguese Super Bock beer.

Late night snacks: Doner Kebab. Doner Kebab is bae. As a fan of super late night food, it was love at first bite with this delicious cousin of the Gyro. The first time I had one was in Spain and I noticed that every city in Europe has a slightly flavor of doner kebob. Some have chicken + lamb with different sauces while other have just chicken and white sauce. Either way you slice it, doner kebabs are lovely mediterranean/middle eastern taco that is served with fries and is utterly perfect for late night snacking.

Things To Do:

Boat tour & Bus tour: At almost every corner, there are tourist shops that sell tickets to both boat and bus tours. You can even buy packages that sell both for €30 or less.

I decided to take the Douro River boat tour to see all the 8 bridges in Porto. The boat was very chill and did not make me seasick at all. To be honest, I even took a nice little doze on it. I accidentally had a carafe of sparkling wine earlier, so I was sleepy!

Walk across Douro River: Like I mentioned earlier, almost the whole city is walkable within 20 minutes. The Douro River bridge can be easily reached and you can walk over the bridge and get some beautiful shots of the river. The Ribiera district is directly under the bridge and it is one of the oldest and most beautiful neighborhoods in Porto.

Livraria Lello: J.K. Rowling allegedly wrote the first few chaptes of Happy Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone here. The book store is apparently one of the oldest ones in the world and it looks very whimsical on the inside.

Be warned that the line is typically very long and it costs around 5 Euro to get into the the library.

Walk to Mall Area – I ended up at the mall a lot. Richard’s luggage was severely delayed and I needed to find him extra clothes while he was at work. I ended at the mall and found quite a few nice sweaters for him at decent prices.

Overall, I highly suggest giving Porto a visit if you ever find yourself in Portugal. I enjoyed the warm ad friendly people, delicious foods and stunning historical sights. It was such an easy city with lots of charm and lots to do.

I can’t wait to make my way back to the lovely city! If you want to see more of my trip, check out my travel vlog on YouTube channel below!

Travel

Vegas Baby! Our First Annual Sister Trip + My First Work Trip

July 22, 2018 No Comments

Disclosure: This post is not sponsored and does not include any affiliate links.

I am not sure if you guys will believe this, but I have never ever had my own hotel room! I know, I know. As someone who has never traveled for work and has devoted the last 2 years of life to changing diapers, working and trying to have a social life – solo travel has not been a huge option.

So when I was recently invited to my first work conference, I was MORE than thrilled that I got my own hotel room at the Wynn in Vegas.

I had the BEST time ever staying in the luxury room with the breathtaking views and perfect A/C. Vegas was hot af and I was sooo happy to come back to this beauty and put my bare feet in the bed. I mean just check out this gorgeous room below. I can’t deal.

I flew in with my team on Friday morning at the CRACK of dawn and got to Vegas around 9:30am. In the airport I managed to rip my sweater all the way up the arm and spill my super overpriced green tea matcha latte all over my suitcase within the same hour. Yay me.

Once I got over my jitters of being on my first work trip, I was able to actually enjoy myself. This trip was special to me because I proved to myself and my team that I belonged and I could do a great job connecting with clients. I felt so happy and thankful to be a part of this conference.

Some highlights of the work portion of my trip:

Sensational beef sliders at La Cave
Dinner and a very cute live show at Lakeside Grill
Crabcake Benedict (without an English Muffin!) at Terrace Point Cafe
The Wynn lobby and all of the excellent service
My amazing black peplum dress that was super comfy and flattering (and under $30!)

We LOVED the gorgeous lobby at the Wynn!

The best part of the trip was learning more about my team and meeting my clients face to face. I also loved wearing cute professional dresses! Shoutout to Amazon for having a ton of selection!!

I fell in love with the Wynn lobby all over again!

After two long and exciting days, ya girl was free to meet up with my sister for our first annual girls trip! We have never been on a trip with just the two of us, so it was SUPER fun to explore Vegas together. It was Alyssa’s first time, but it was actually my third time. We decided to take the budget route and stay at Treasure Island.

Since my last visit, Vegas built a Shake Shack. You already know that we had to try it out! We were Shake Shack virgins and let me tell you… it rocked our worlds! We split the reg burg and the chicken burger. The real winner was the chicken burger. It was sooooo crispy and juicy – I was ready to order another.

We went on to walk the blazing hot Vegas strip (100º weather at 11pm – UGH) and got roped into going to the club. I was not dressed for the club, but I decided to be a team player and go anyways. We went to the Marquee in the Cosmo and it was the opposite of lit. I hate to complain, BUT the DJ was soooo wack! He kept changing the song every 30 seconds. Alas, we survived and eventually made it back to our hotel around 4am. We had to stop for pizza along the way lol.

After a harrowing 2.5 mile trek – I know, what the hell was I thinking!? We finally made it back to Treasure Island. We got a few hours rest, then on to the plane we went!!

Overall, we had so much fun in the short time we spent together and decided this is something we have to do together at LEAST annually. Maybe even twice a year!

I think time away helped me refocus and gain a sense of independence outside of my family life. I have shied away from being a “career woman” in fear that I would lose my identity as a dedicated mother. I learned that I can be both! I want to make a career out of blogging and doing what I love and this trip gave me more motivation to pursue my passions and build the lifestyle that I want.

I encourage you all to travel ALONE if possible. Spend a night or two away from your family, so you have time to miss them! It will give you a new perspective.

Have you ever traveled for work or traveled solo? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time, my lovelies!!

xoxo,

Simone

Visit Seattle

Seattle Restaurant Week: 5 Restaurants Perfect for Mama’s Night Out

April 18, 2018 No Comments

It is no secret. I LOVE to eat. If you have read any of my other previous posts, you will know exactly what I am talking about. I also love a great deal. Cue Seattle Restaurant Week!

If you have been living under a rock or in a rural part of the US, you may have not heard about Restaurant Week. During this glorious time, local restaurants offer a discounted pre-fixe 3 course menu for dinner ($35). Some restaurants also offer a 3 course lunch ($18).

You can find the menu for each restaurant here. The best part is looking at all the menus and deciding where to go.

Here in Seattle, we have restaurant week for a total of 4 weeks. 2 weeks in April and 2 weeks in September. Perfect time to grab a girlfriend, husband, wife or parent and get to grubbin’!

#1 – Red Sage and Cedar

My fiancé and I love any excuse to try new restaurants, so we just LIVE for restaurant week. We decided to opt for mid-week lunch this time around. We chose a spot in the heart Pike Place Market called Red Sage and Cedar.

Their menu looked off the heezy with promises of a duck slider, fish and chips and carrot cake. For lunch!! The food did not disappoint. I wanted to eat 10 duck sliders (they had goat cheese on them. ‘Nuff said) and the fish and chips were crispy and light at the same time.

Why you should go: Great ambience, fast service, approachable comfort food with experimental vibes.

Also, check out the IG-worthy scenery here!

#2 – Daniel’s Broiler (Leschi)

Richard took me here for my birthday a few years ago and we had the trifecta of excellence: food, water view, impeccable service.

On their pre-fixe menu, you can get a 3 course meal with a filet mignon for $35. You just cannot beat that! Their food is steakhouse decadence and it is a nice place, so prepare to dress for the occasion.

#3 – Lecosho

Oh mannnn, I love this place. I used to work a block away and this was my go-to Happy Hour and lunch spot. They make their own house-made soups daily and the food is SO delish.

This place is pretty reasonably priced normally, but restaurant week is a fun excuse to go and get an even better value! They have a Sockeye salmon on their menu that looks diivviinnne hunny.

#4 – Poppy

Poppy is nested in the bustling edge of Capitol Hill and it promises adventurous new tasting experiences. Be prepared to make a reservation well ahead of time, it will be a loonngg wait otherwise.

They also have a lot of options for vegetarians, vegans and dietary restrictions.

The menu is mouthwatering – I don’t think I could turn down lemongrass and lime beef! Sign me up for that!

#5 – Tavolata

Light the candles, put on that sexy dress, you are going out tonight mama! This place is both delish and romantic. I dig the ambiance and the rich Italian cuisine that they serve. The pasta is handmade and will make you re-think wearing skinny jeans, but will make you so so happy that you said yes to carbs.

Tavolata’s menu boasts over 22 options that will all make you ditch your keto diet for a day and get your paws on some pasta and burrata!

I hope you all get a chance to experience Restaurant Week in Seattle! These restaurants that I mentioned are perfect for girls night, date night, or just a fun night out solo. Let me know below if there are any other restaurants that I have missed or that deserve an honorable mention.

Until next time, mamas!

Simone

Travel, Visit Seattle

5 Things You Need to Know: Cherry Blossoms At University of Washington

April 9, 2018 No Comments

One of my Seattle bucket list items has always been to go see the cherry blossoms at full bloom at the University of Washington. Even though it is my alma mater (Go Dawgs!), I actually had never seen them in full bloom. Spring break always fell around the time of their bloom, so I was usually not on campus during that time.

The stars aligned and I was able to make a quick trip with my coworker-friend to the blossoms. I wanted to do a mini-photo shoot to get a new headshot. Mission accomplished. Turned out good, yeah?

I wanted to leave some things you should know, just in case you ever decide to visit the magnificent fantastic beauty of the cherry blossoms during their full bloom.

The cherry blossoms have a pretty cool history. 34 trees were a gift from Tokyo’s mayor in 1912 to symbolize the friendship between Japan and the U.S.. The majority of the trees were planted at Seattle’s Washington Park Arboretum, but then they got moved to the best school in the West – UW.
It will be VERY crowded. Prepare for minimal parking and TONS of tourists lining up to see the blooms. The whole courtyard was swarming, ya know? It is definitely a fun and kid-friendly activity if you want to bring your little ones!
Most likely will be cold AF. Prepare yourself, winter is ~~coming~~ here. Seattle is cold, y’all. Even when the calendar is technically spring, the weather is still winter-esque. Leave the spring sundress and bring a coat and umbrella because it could turn rainy at the drop of a hat.
Come prepared with a fully charged camera or phone. Charge that thing up, bih. Because of the vast amount of people, you may be there for a while trying to get the perfect shot. People kept on jumping in front of my shots. Not cool, man. Not cool. I brought my DSLR and my Iphone for a mini-shoot and I was so happy I charged my camera beforehand. Check out one of my favorite shots below. Shoutout to my photographer!!!
Taken on my iPhone 8 plus!
Look for parking off campus. There are multiple parking lots on the UW campus, but the best bet for parking is on the streets adjacent to the campus. Then you can wander off to get some delicious grub in the U District. There are so many good places to eat there because of the heavy international population on campus. Go try out the Salvadorian pupusas and tell me that they are not the tastiest things ever!

Have you ever visited the cherry blossoms at UW? Did you love it? Comment below!

Travel, Uncategorized

Toddler Travel: Our Bittersweet Trip to Oakland

April 1, 2018 No Comments

My first travel post! Yay!! Can you tell that I am jazzed? Get ready, this is a long one 🙂

Like most people, I love to travel. We definitely have slowed down since the arrival of our precious ~~baby~~ toddler, Gia in May of 2016. We actually took 12 trips in 2015! Then at the end of 2015 we found out that I was pregnant. That put the kabosh on most of our wild trips! We still do an annual family trip to Hawaii, which is so so fun.

Annnyyywwwayyyss, fast forward to November 2017. Richard (my fiancé) thought it would be a good idea to hop on a plane and visit my 97 year old Grandmother. He was able to book our tickets through his Alaska miles back in November, then we were off to the bay!!

R is an Alaska Mileage Club member, so we got to go to the swanky club lounge! G enjoyed this because there were complimentary English muffins and yogurt. Mama and Dada got to enjoy their free “special juice” as well. DRANKS! Nothing like a mimosa in the morning to gear up for your plane ride with a toddler! Parents, I know ya feel me.