We recently came back from vacation and it was such a wonderful treat. We used to be such avid travellers but kind of fell off the last few years (for obvious reasons). Having a baby in the thick of the pandemic definitely shifted things for us. Travelling became a non-option, and then that became our norm. It wasn’t until we were driving to the airport did I realize how desperately I had missed that buzzy pre-vacation feeling. In addition to this being the first trip we’ve taken in years, it was our daughter’s first trip ever – which only compounded the joy.

RELATED: Our Honeymoon | My Trip to India

We stayed at the Hilton, Cancun, and I kid you not it was the best all inclusive experiences we’ve ever had, which is why I feel the need to share about it. It really felt like we were staying at a lovely hotel that happened to have delicious cocktails and a killer chef serving free food at all hours of the day. The dream, really, is it not?

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Note: I also started a travel toys shop here – it’s filled with all of the things we actually used and actually loved on this trip. I’ll be adding to it as I stumble across new things!

Everything was brand new and beautifully designed, which is always a treat. The best part is that it was absolutely kid-friendly, too. The kids pool/splash pad was an entire experience of its own. Throw in kids cooking classes, an epic park, an indoor playground, a churro-meets-ice-cream bar… and we had a happy little one on our hands.

the cutest swimsuit

It was a luxury kid friendly all inclusive resort through and through – for both adults and kids alike. It was so nice to slow down, to spend time with family, and to not have to worry about a single thing. To this day Ivy still asks when we’re going back (and tbh I’m with her).

It was a luxury kid friendly all inclusive resort through and through – for both adults and kids alike.

As an added bonus, it has completely re-ignited our love for travel once more. I seriously can’t wait to show our daughter all the beauty our world has to offer. It’s going to blow her adorable little mind.

Here’s a peek at our trip…

As an aside, we’re planning on doing a trip to Europe this fall – even daydreaming about travelling once more is thrilling. If you’ve ever taken a toddler somewhere (anywhere!) in the world and loved it, I’d love to hear about it.

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Okay, I feel like I got the last of the summer out of my system last week (right here, if you don’t know what I’m referring to). We’ve been waking up to chilly mornings lately, so much so that I even busted out my cozy wool socks. I noticed the leaves on the tree next door are subtly changing colours and I don’t completely hate it. Although I will still wear my cotton dresses, I’ve also been itching to create some cute fall planters of my own. Fall is, after all, my very favourite season and I’m getting much closer to being ready to embrace it wholeheartedly.

It’s been forever since I shared a “Monday Musings” post, so let’s rip that bandaid off. Here is a little collection of links and things that have been inspiring me lately:

:: I’m very into this eclectic New York City apartment tour

:: I’m loving Jackie’s cute fall planters (so simple but so impactful)

:: I resonate deeply with Whitney’s approach to her design business

:: Feeling particularly nostalgic lately. I rediscovered this old essay and oof

:: This article interviewing the first generation of mom bloggers’ kids is fascinating

:: I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect cozy sweatpants and I think I found them. They have a cult following and rave reviews. I ordered two pairs and they are on their way. I will be sure to report back

Shop Fall Goodies

Click for the fall shop

Click for the Halloween shop

Photo: Finding Lovely

Shop Fall Goodies

The post Cute Fall Planters, an Eclectic New York City Apartment Tour & more… appeared first on Lark & Linen Interior Design and Lifestyle Blog.

{Notting Hill}

While our time in London, England was short (a mere three days, give or take!) , I feel confident that we made the very most of it. We stayed at the Point A hotel in Shoreditch, and while the rooms were teeny tiny, and you had to pay extra for a window (did anyone else know this is a thing?) the price was definitely right, window and all, and I can’t recommend the area highly enough. I’ve been told that it’s a bit of an up and coming neighbourhood, and while there are a few dodgier elements… it has so much charm and character, and its central location made getting from place to place a breeze. We were also delighted to have discovered that most of the eateries on our laundry list of spots to check out were virtually within walking distance. And lets be honest, our main goal when we travel is typically to eat our way through each locale, and then waste time in an attempt to digest before our next meal.

After a day to explore just Justin and I, our friends Stephen and Alex met up with us for a 48 hour adventure prior to our next destination. And truth be told, on this particular leg of our journey, we truly did nothing touristy. Harry and Meaghan and will simply have to wait to see us on our next London adventure, it seems. And while the Type A in me would usually be bummed by the fact that we missed a good chunk (okay all) of the sites, we honestly had just the very best time and I’m beginning to think that the “must-not-misses” in London aren’t all that necessary after all.

While Big Ben and Westminster Abbey were admittedly left sight unseen, we did manage to grab an iced latte and meander through Hyde Park after a long and leisurely brunch at Daylesford, which was wonderful. Nottinghill still made our list too, as did the Portobello market which was a lovely way to spend a morning.

Justin and I also snuck in a wonderful date night at Flour & Grape, which was a wonderful alternative when we realized there was no way we were going to get into Padella (I’m still a little devastated about that one). We also enjoyed the most delicious Indian lunch at Dishoom – a spot that I truly cannot recommend highly enough (their cocktails alone are an entire adventure).

On Saturday we met up with some local friends who showed us the ropes at the Broadway market – a tiny street lined with live music, fish mongers, flower stalls, and the most incredible food stands (and tiny coffee shops) maybe ever, which was truly the VERY best way to spend a day.

And when we weren’t over indulging on the food front (yes, my new eating habits QUICKLY went out the window, I have to admit), we spent our time imbibing at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, one of the oldest pubs in London (rumoured to still be haunted by a 12 year old sex worker named Millie). That alone was a pretty unique experience, and one I most definitely recommend.

All in all, it was a wonderful journey, and I know with the utmost certainty that we are most definitely not done with London. Not by a longshot.

PS: I’m sharing a master list of where we stayed & ate,
including what we’re still dying to try next time, below!

{My Top | My Glasses | My Necklace | Justin’s Shirt}

{Notting Hill}

{Portobello Road Market}

{The Shops on Portobello Road}

{shoreditch}

{Daylesford}

{coffee in hyde park}

{Saturday at the broadway market}

{the shops at the market}

{live music at the market}

{my (wrinkly) top | jeans | purse}

{one of the oldest pubs in london}

{imbibing at the haunted ye old cheshire cheese}

Where We Stayed

Point A Hotel, Shoreditch

Where We Ate

Flour & Grape
(lovely Italian)
The Smoking Goat
(fabulous Thai – their cocktails are also next level)
Andina
(though I don’t really recommend this one – our meal was just okay)
Dishoom
(definitely our favourite!!)
Daylesford
(a cute breakfast spot in Nottinghill)
Brick Lane Beigel Bake
(get the salt beef bagel and thank me later)

If you’re curious, these are still on our list for next time
(sadly we could only ingest so much, so these guys will have to wait)

Zuma
Padella
Oklava
St. John Bread & Wine
Rochelle Canteen
Som Saa
Morito
Burro y Salvia

The post Our Trip to London England, Including Where We Stayed, Ate & Drank {no tourists in sight} appeared first on Lark & Linen Interior Design and Lifestyle Blog.

OTHER POSTS FROM THIS TRIP: 
BUBUBU | STONE TOWN 
 THE SERENGETTI | ARUSHA

If you’re following along our honeymoon recap, you are just the best (thank you!!) I’m a little partial, but I kind of love these posts if for no other reason than it’s so nice to go back and revisit some of our past trips (which I legitimately do regularly). If you missed it, you can check out Part I and Part II of our honeymoon right here and here. And today you can read on for Part III: 48 hours in Dar Es Salaam. 

From Stone Town, we hopped on the ferry to Dar Es Salaam for two nights, and one full day, before hoping on a plane north to the Serengeti. In light of full discretion, this portion of the trip is one we both agreed we don’t regret experiencing, but we very well could have skipped (and would likely do just that) next time. Not only was the ferry ride very choppy (read: most everyone on board was sea sick or very close to it by the time we docked 2.5 hours later), but Dar Es Salaam itself was… let’s just say it was interesting.

{the view from our hotel room}

First and foremost, we stayed downtown at a hotel that was very well located, and the staff were amazing, but the rooms themselves left little to be desired. I will say that for the duration of our honeymoon, it was the only hotel that went all out with “rose” petals and the like sprinkled all over our room upon arrival, which was really kind, and totally adorable, but everything else was pretty dated and lacklustre. I don’t like calling people out in a negative fashion in such a public way – especially when they were so kind and gracious to us – so I’ll leave the hotel itself unnamed, but if you do head to Dar just do a little more digging before solidifying your stay.

{“rose” petals on our bed upon arrival – adorable and so sweet}

{the streets of Dar}

The city itself, one of the biggest in Tanzania, was absolutely fascinating, but we ultimately found that there isn’t really a ton to do. And that wasn’t for lack of trying. We tried checking out the botanical gardens, which were little more than a parking lot. We attempted visiting a rooftop shisha bar, which boasted great city views in their ad, only to find it abandoned. And a few of the markets and cultural tours that piqued our interest ended up being 45 minutes, or more, away… We ultimately ended up spending a very long time walking the aisles of a local grocery store, which sounds sort of odd but is one of our favourite things to do when we visit another city (note: the chips aisle is always my favourite).

 {en route to the botanical gardens}

I debated skipping my recap of this city entirely as it felt strange to dedicate an entire post to a place that we didn’t fall completely in love with, but I’ve always felt it’s important to keep it real. And while this experience wasn’t our favourite, upon further review it was still very special. Primarily because it was so different than any other city we had seen before, but mostly, we found that what Dar Es Salaam lacked in activities,  it made up for time and again in food.

{a fantastic lunch at Chowpatty}

{incredible chai & kebabs at K T Shop}

We ended up meandering the city in between meals, simply wasting time until we were comfortable enough to indulge in another meal. From African, to Turkish, to some of the best chai and kebabs I’ve had since my trip to India in 2011 (here!), that part was kind of amazing. And for that, I’d likely head back. But if you’re not a foodie, of sorts, you could safely skip this portion and head straight to the Serengeti (which is ultimately why were visiting Tanzania, anyway, let’s be honest). Stay tuned next week for that portion of the trip!   

ps: If you missed it, and are interested, I did save all of my Tanzainia stories under an instagram highlight (which you can check out here). 

To read past travel posts, head over here!  | To read part I of our honeymoon diaries, head over here! and for part II, head over here!

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