Where do you go when you need a relaxing vacation, without having to deal with passports (if you live in the U.S.), traipsing miles and miles around a new city, trying to see everything while FOMO nips at your heals???  Hawaii of course!  All of the Hawaiian islands are unique in their own way, but my favorite is the north shore of Kauai. It's lush with countless cascading waterfalls and is home to the Na'Pali Coast, Kauai's mysterious and dramatic coastline. Here are my favorite places and tips for planning your visit.

From the independent roasters to the bespoke barista training academies, the bustling artisan coffee scene in London is continuously expanding. It’s difficult to narrow down the options to this one small list. In fact, there are books dedicated to coffee in London.

Prague is a picturesque city centered on either side of the Vltava River. Its charming cobblestone streets and cozy vibe make it the perfect place to explore by foot. Ideally you will have more than two days in this romantic city, but any time spent here will leave you wishing you had more.

There are two sides of Tokyo: the bright lights of Shinjuki and Shibuya, and the cozy side, nestled in back allies and hidden nooks throughout the city.  People here tend to find a craft and master it to perfection. Whether it be making coffee, sushi or glass blowing--everything is done with precision and care.  You could spend years in Tokyo and hardly scratch the surface.  Here are some tips as well as my favorites places, but by no means even close to a comprehensive guide, merely things I skimmed off the top.

I underestimated how much time it would take to create a city guide, especially for a place as enchanting as Amsterdam.  After a whirlwind trip from NYC to Amsterdam and now in the quiet of New Mexico, as I write this, I finally have time to sit down and reflect on my favorite things.  This list is not close to being comprehensive--I'd need at least a year, but just wanted to share the places I happened to stumble upon and enjoy wholeheartedly.  In Amsterdam you can have no agenda but to wander the cobblestone streets and gaze at the leaning, off-kilter homes on the many canals that riddle the city.  The people of Amsterdam are open-minded and progressive. The food is fresh and locally sourced from one of the many climate-controlled sustainable farms in the Netherlands.  You can get most anywhere by bike or foot, and day excursions are accessible by an efficient rail system.  The city is so visually poetic, you'll be hard-pressed not to find a photo op at every turn--do try to resist and take it all in the moment. 

Last year, Joshua and I (and Lola!) were in Budapest for six months for Joshua's work.  When we found out we were going there, we actually had to look on a map to see what country Budapest was in (Hungary by the way!).  I've had a couple friends visit Budapest since then, and ask for suggestions.  After some lengthy emails, I decided my time would be better spent publishing my recommendations.  So here we go!