every day is a holiday

Beverly Hills, what a thrill! I really love visiting LA, where everything somehow feels like a movie set. There's just something fun about seeing so many people outside enjoying the weather, beaches, and sites no matter what day of the week it is. There's an adventurous energy in the air, which I personally channeled into my first time behind the wheel on the freeway (made it out alive, not eager to try my luck again). Besides the dear family and friends we had the chance to visit on this particular trip, there were many highlights that made our time in la la land special. Living my best boardwalk life. What would the Santa Monica Pier be without the irresistible  Hot Dog on a Stick ? I indulged in a classic beef corn dog with a fresh homemade lemonade—delectable! I don't know if this combo would taste as delicious in any other setting, but with the crowds milling about and the sea salt breeze blowing through the air there is no better mid-day snack.

A visit to sunny San Diego! La Jolla was our home base for this leg of the trip. There are tons of restaurants and things to do right here in town, but the relaxed vibe also allows for pure relaxation. Truthfully, we spent many hours lounging in the luxurious mattress-thick cushions by the hotel pool at  La Valencia Hotel and Spa , but we managed to find some favorite spots for both eats and sites while we were in town. Poolside at La Valencia Duke's  has a relaxed surfer-dude vibe that immediately put me in the San Diego mindset. We were famished after a somewhat traumatic flight (a story for another day) so rather than wait for a patio table with a view we sat down at the indoor bar, manned by a super friendly California dude. The fish sandwich was fresh and delicious, made from seared oho and served on soft brioche with a tangy slaw.  Nine-Ten  is a La Jolla gem. The back terrace had beautiful views and a nice low-key yet upscale atmosphere. The Fava Bean

Cold brews and hot bros! It's always sunny when we're in Seattle! It's a great city, and extra fun for us since our brother Jake lives there and can take us to the best spots. Pike Place Market  is one of my favorite places to visit in Seattle (really anywhere). I just love walking around and picking up different snacks at the different vendors. We grabbed raspberries, teriyaki smoked salmon (the best from  Pure Food Fish Market ), and a super flavorful ahi tuna poke bowl ( Wild Fish Poke ) for a perfect impromptu picnic. Other classic vendors to check out include the original Starbucks,  Piroshky Piroshky  for handmade Russian pastries, and Perennial Tea Room . Strolling outside Pike Place Market. Lucky to see Mt. Rainier in the view on such a beautiful, clear day. Seattle - Bainbridge Island Ferry  Armed with some remarkably juicy peaches from Pike Place Market, we hopped on the Seattle - Bainbridge Island Ferry to enjoy gorgeous views and a fun 30 m

There are countless day trips to take within a few hours of Portland—east to Hood River, cheese tasting at Tillamook Creamery—with only one day to explore outside the city it was hard to decide what to do. After polling several Portland Lyft drivers (seriously, so friendly in Portland) we landed on Astoria, Oregon. Bowpicker Fish & Chips  is a MUST-DO while in Astoria. I cannot overstate this. When we pulled into town one of the first things we noticed was an absurdly long line behind an old boat sitting in a parking lot across from the Columbia River Maritime Museum. With a line this long, you just know they must have something worth trying. It became clear that this little boat is renowned in the area as we chatted with people from all the neighboring towns (sometimes hours away!) who drove to Astoria just to have lunch from Bowpicker. They only make one dish—fish & chips—but they do it impeccably. The day we visited they were using fresh caught tuna, lightly battere

I had to take a snap of this wall, recognizable from the credits of Portlandia . We flew into Portland on an early flight, landing just in time for lunch. The main plan for visitors to Portland seems to be eating, followed by more eating, which suited us just fine. Let the food tour begin. Alder Street Food Pod is the spot to go to check out the largest collection of food carts in a city with many, many food carts. The vendors line all four sides of the block, so even during the busy weekday lunch hour I didn't find the lines oppressive at all. The options were slightly repetitive—tons of shawarma, gyros, thai, dumplings, falafel—the usual street food offerings. We opted to try something a little different from Hawaiian vendor 808 Grinds , since we can find shawarma and souvlaki pretty easily back home in NYC. As we stood helplessly in front of the menu ("What is a loco moco combo?") a friendly Portland local (turns out, Portland locals are overall an extremely f

View of Mystic River from Mystic Bridge When plans for an epic trip out west had to be postponed, we didn’t want to let the weekend go to waste. Mystic, CT is about two hours from home, at almost the midpoint between Boston and NYC, so we called up our Cambridge-based sis Marni who was happy to join us for a short adventure. This magical (mystical) coastal town exceeded expectations and was just the place we needed to clear our minds and relax for a couple days. Olde Mystick Village  originally seemed like it might be hokey, but actually gave us a fun hour of browsing. The plaza is almost Epcot-esque, filled with candy shops, toy stores, specialty food boutiques, and even a Scandinavia-themed gift shop.  Downtown Mystic right on the Mystic River is the heart of the town. Great artsy stores—Curated, Adore, and Trove were personal favorites. Historic Harbor Tour  aboard the Mystic Express. Peaceful 40-minute ride down the Mystic River took us past beautiful homes and