New & Old Town | Edinburgh, Scotland

When Markus and I visited Edinburgh 2012, we loved it so much and we knew that we would be back. Our dear friends James and Ari, moved from Birmingham to Edinburgh and that was the perfect reason to see them. Two of our other dear friends, Ryan and Lo, also lived in Edinburgh, so it was a wonderful two for one. We spent a few days with Ry and Lo in New Town and visited all their favorite places. 

Our first day, Markus and I wanted to relax a bit, so we didn't really have anything planned. Ryan was our tour guide for the day. Together, we decided to walk around and stop anywhere that looked interesting. We spent a majority of the morning in New Town and Old Town. We stopped for eats at some delicious places and shopped in a few second hand shops. There were some things that I remembered about the city but there were so many new things to see. Since we had a lot more time, we really had a chance to soak it in and do whatever we wanted. Thank goodness we had a great tour guide showing us all the great spots! 

Saved By The Max | Chicago, Illinois

Even though I was born in the 80s, I'm truly a 90s kid at heart. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the 80s, but most of the things I remember are from the 90s. Like any kid who grew up in the 90s, I was obsessed with Saved by the Bell. When we heard that there was going to be a pop-up of The Max, we snatched up tickets so we wouldn't miss out. 

Markus, Josh and I decided to dress in 90s clothes to really get a feel for the atmosphere. Saved by the Max is a really great throwback and really brings back the nostalgia of the 90s. I was squealing the whole time and obsessed with everything. Poor Markus and Josh had to deal with me freaking out about every little thing. I will say that the food wasn't that great. The names of the dishes were really creative, but nothing stood out and kinda made us all sick the next day. Eek, sorry, but that's not why you go to a place like Saved by the Max. It's all about the atmosphere and all the memories it brings up. For a 90s lover like me, that's worth it. 

Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor & Museum | Columbus, Indiana

The summer of last year, Markus and I went on a last minute road trip to Kentucky. We were both itching to get out of the city and explore somewhere new. After a little bit of research, we found out that Louisville wasn't too far and there were a few nice stops along the way. One of these places was Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor and Museum.  

Zaharakos opened October 20, 1900 and can be found in the small town of Columbus, Indiana. Originally, three Greek brothers opened a candy shop but over time it evolved into an ice cream parlor. There was a lot of thought and care put into the look and it's covered with carved oak, marble and tiffany glass. It was stunning and so beautiful. Also, there was more than just ice cream on the menu. They have salads, sandwiches and even different kinds of soda from their vintage soda fountain. I'm so glad that we made the effort to stop, because it's not every day you find something from the 1900s. Markus and I live for places like this and love old roadside attractions. We make it a point to find places just like Zaharakos. The atmospere was definitley 1900s and it really felt like stepping back in time. It was the perfect stop on the way to Louisville! 

National Portrait Gallery | London, England

To be honest, before this trip, I had no idea that the National Portrait Gallery existed. Which is so strange, because everyone knows I'm obsessed with portraits. We have eight vintage oil portraits in our apartment. It's our goal to have a wall very similar to the one above. In my free time, I'm constantly looking for vintage oil portraits and don't think I'll ever stop. So it made perfect sense that we stop by.

If I had to choose between The National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery, I would definitely pick the Portrait Gallery. It's not as busy and it's easier to spend time admiring any piece you want. There are so many different kinds of portraits and I was sad that we couldn't spend more time there. I'm so glad we went and it was perfect for me because it had heaps of portraits! 

The National Gallery & Trafalgar Square | London, England

Trafalgar Square and I are old friends. Even though we've been before, it's always lovely to see. Despite being mere feet from The National Gallery, we never ventured inside. Why? No clue, it's something that I would be all about. It's also free, which is my favorite price. Thank goodness our dongsaeng (Korean little brother) Junnie wanted to go, because it's possible, I would've missed out again. Below are my thoughts on Trafalgar Square and The National Gallery. 

The National Gallery is wonderful and full of great paintings, but you know me, I love paintings. Most of the tourists crowded around the famous paintings, like Van Gogh's Sunflowers, which is beautiful, but there were so many other Impressionist paintings that were more impressive. I didn't even get a chance to really stop and admire Sunflowers, because there were so many people. They were just all clamoring around to get a photo and I ended up doing the same. It's kinda sad when it becomes just another photo op and not something that can be admired. It's okay though, I was able to spend time with some other lesser known paintings.

Also, did you know that in the UK they pronounce it Van GOFF and not Van GOH? Apparently, we're both wrong and it's vun KHOKH. Well the more you know, I guess. I'll be spending the rest of my life saying it properly! 

I will say that the one thing that I didn't like about Trafalgar Square was the amount of street performers. It did take away a bit of the charm of the area. Walking inside and looking at all the beautiful old paintings and then seeing Yoda or Batman levitating is a bit strange. The square was obviously packed full of people, but it was to be expected given that it was the holiday season, so I guess it was prime money making time. Either way, it wasn't my favorite.