travel guide – Page 2 – Snapshots & My Thoughts by Ailee Petrovic

City Guide February 28, 2014

Washington, DC Travel Guide

I was in Washington, DC last weekend for a calligraphy workshop with Meant to Be Calligraphy. Mum came with me on the trip (she’s an amazing calligrapher!), and although we were only in DC for a day and a half, we put on our tourist hats and went all around the city. It was my fourth trip to our nation’s capital – I love it there (pictures of our trip two years ago here). We didn’t get to go to all of my favorite spots, mainly due to time constrictions, but I’ve compiled a “Best of the Best” city guide (according to me). Do you have any suggestions for my next trip to DC? I’m off to San Francisco today! Cannot wait.

Best Restaurants

Rasika (Penn Quarter) – Hands down, the best Indian food of my life – you have to go, and you need to try the crispy spinach appetizer dish

Founding Farmers (Dupont Circle) – My favorite restaurant in DC due to their extensive vegetarian menu (both veggie burgers are amazing), innovative daily popcorn flavors, and ambience

Neyla (Georgetown) – Skip the entrees and order a ton of mezze and you won’t regret it (I’ve tried 6 or 7, and they’re all fantastic)

Austin Grill (Chinatown) – It’s rare for a Texan to want Tex-Mex outside of Texas, but Austin Grill is worth it! Try the Bevo Salad

Zengo’s (Chinatown) – The grilled edamame – enough said – but really, every thing you order is also delicious

SweetGreen (Capitol Hill) – My favorite salad bar style restaurant in the world – add falafel or tofu (or a million other options) as protein to your salad!

Ted’s Bulletin (Capitol Hill) – I’m not a huge breakfast person, but this place is good (tasty granola and 10 Grain Hot Cereal) and always busy

Busboys and Poets (Various) – Books, music, and great good (the trifecta) with a solid vegan and vegetarian menu – go for breakfast, lunch or dinner

Must-Do Activities

Walk around the Smithsonian National Museum of American History (free)

Spend at least 2 hours at the Newseum ($22)

Take your picture in front of the White House (free)

Go to the Jefferson Memorial at night when it’s lit up (free)

Take a tour of Ford’s Theater and see the room in which he died

Visit the Old Post Office Pavilion (before it becomes a hotel!)

Tour the Capitol – or at least take your picture outside (great view from the top of the Newseum)

Shop in Georgetown (try a vegan Georgetown Cupcake!)

Have a drink at the rooftop bar at the W Hotel

Sip a cocktail amongst the ritsy at the Willard Hotel’s Round Robin Bar

Walk through the bustling Chinatown (and eat – see list above!)

Visit the WWII Memorial (and snap a picture in front of your state)

Take the metro and walk around the Pentagon (or take a tour inside!)

Go to the Arlington Cemetery to see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Walk down the Reflecting Pool to see the Lincoln Memorial

Absorb the chaos of Union Station

Visit the National Postal Museum (and make a stamp with your face on it!)

Being touristy in front of the White House

Sunset at the Capitol Building

I still prefer Texas’ Capitol building (can I say that?)

Get there early! The line at Ford’s Theater can stretch on and on and on

In front of the actual theater where Lincoln was shot

We LOVE snail mail

Can you imagine my pure joy? An Anchorman exhibit at the Newseum? Biggest fan ever

Other city tours here:

Paris, Durango (Colorado), Austin, Houston, Bali

City Guide January 2, 2014

Bali Travel Guide

If you’ve been reading Snapshots and My Thoughts for awhile now, you’ll know that my husband and I just got back from our delayed honeymoon to Bali. We were gone for 15 days and loved every minute of the trip. We had a 50/50 split between relaxation and cultural activities, so we saw the best of both sides of the island. We ate some amazing meals, especially those in Ubud and Seminyak (where we believe the best food is on the island). We stayed at the Conrad Bali, which was dream-like. The hotel is located in Nusa Dua, which is at the southern part of the island, near most of the other big name hotels. If we were to go back again though, we would stay in Seminyak at an independent hotel to be close to the beach, quality shopping and delicious food – ideally the Samaya Hotel. It’s also important to spend a good amount of time in Ubud, which is in the northern part of the island and is the heart of the culture and arts scene. My last big tip is to get a good driver. We found Panji of Bali Safest Driver on Trip Advisor, and he was such a saving grace. Don’t rent a car – the driving is out of control. Email Panji and he’ll take you wherever your heart desires, and his rate is more than reasonable. Please contact me if you are planning a trip – I’d love to help!

Best restaurants (all with good vegetarian options)

Chandi in Seminyak: Our favorite meal by far – I wanted to savor every single bite and I’m craving the crispy tofu appetizer right now!
Melting Wok Warung in Ubud: This small restaurant has a limited menu, but they’ve perfected each of those dishes, so you can’t go wrong.
Bumbu Bali in Nusa Dua: Sign up for the cooking class and then eat at the restaurant (in that order), so you’ll appreciate every delicious bite.
Sakala in Nusa Dua: A very fancy restaurant (think gastro-cuisine) with delicious meals and a very Vegas-meets-Bali atmosphere.
Bella Vista in Legian: A gem cafe with a delicious menu – we found Belle Vista on Trip Advsior – the good reviews weren’t wrong!
The Bistrot in Seminyak (shown below): I want this restaurant in Houston. The decor and food were both out of this world. I loved it!
Rin in Nusa Dua: This Japanese restaurant is part of the Conrad, but open to all guests – Sasha liked his sushi and I loved my seaweed salad.
8 Degrees South in Nusa Dua: You feel like you’re sitting on the beach while eating tasty mediterranean cuisine – the best of both worlds.

Must-Do Activities

Visit the Tirta Empul Temple – bring a spare set of clothes so you can get into the holy water and pray
Go and watch the Devdan Show at the Nusa Dua Theater – well worth the ticket cost
Go to Jimbaran Bay for sunset and eat at one of the many beach-front seafood restaurants
Take a Balinese cooking class – I highly recommend Bumbu Bali with Chef Heinz von Holzen
Visit Padang Padang Beach where they filmed Eat, Pray, Love
Go to the Elephant Safari with Bali Adventure Tours
Get a massage at the Jiwa Spa at the Conrad Hotel
Enroll in surfing classes at Pro Surf School on Legian Beach
Shop in local markets in Ubud
Try Luwak Coffee at Santi Coffee Plantation
Eat dinner in Seminyak (see recommendations above) and browse in the nearby boutiques
Watch a traditional Balinese dance performance
Play with monkeys at the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud
Try mangosteen
Play with parrots at the Blanco Museum in Ubud

Area Guides

Ubud: The yoga-crowd of Bali resides here. There are hippie coffee shops, yoga stores everywhere, gorgeous temples, elephants, and a monkey forest. What more could you ask for? You could easily spend 3 days in Ubud.
Seminyak: Sasha and I loved Seminyak and would choose to stay in one of the gorgeous hotels here and eat all the delicious food nearby. The boutiques have high-end shopping that I was drooling over!
Nusa Dua: This is the more touristy part of the island, so activities and food nearby are price-adjusted (i.e. more expensive!) accordingly – we ended up taking cabs north almost every evening.
South Kuta: Home to Padang Padang Beach, where you must go to see the breath-taking beaches and rock formations (surfing here too). You’ll also find Jimbaran Bay, where you should go for a romantic seafood dinner!
Legian: Just north of Kuta and south of Seminyak, this is a total surfer spot (i.e. Australians everywhere!). Sasha did his surfing classes in Legian, and we ate at Bella Vista – definitely worth coming here if you want to surf or see gorgeous beaches.

Map by Kate Evans

Love to travel? Check out my other guides to Paris, Durango (Colorado), Austin, Houston, Washington, DC. I’m also working on ones for Istanbul, Athens, and San Francisco. More to come soon!

International December 26, 2013

Cultural Bali in Ubud

On one of the last days of the trip, we took a day tour with Panji from Bali Safest Driver (I highly recommend him!) to a city in the central part of Bali called Ubud. Our newlywed friends, Julianne and Cody, joined us, which we really enjoyed. Ubud is rich in culture and very hippie – we met lots of intense yoga lovers while strolling through the streets. We went to the Monkey Forest and were greeted by hundreds of monkeys, which Julianne, Cody and Sasha all held on their hand, while one decided to lay flat on my head. Afterwards, we went to the Para Saraswati Temple, then to the Don Antonio Blanco Museum. Blanco was a very talented painter, but his art is very, very sexual. We got a good laugh at some of the intense descriptions at the museum. We ate the most amazing lunch at Melting Wok Warung – our second favorite meal of the trip. We went walking through the nearby markets afterward, then headed to a more upscale shopping street afterward. Exhausted after a long, hot day, we got back in the car and went to Seminyak for dinner. We ate appetizers at Chandi (our favorite restaurant where we’d eaten the night before), then ate our meal at The Bistrot. This restaurant is gorgeous – we all commented on how it would thrive in NYC or Houston (where we were both from!). I highly recommend it. Afterwards, we went back to the Conrad and subsequently all fell asleep immediately. One of my favorite days from the honeymoon!

The Bistrot in Seminyak

City Guide October 10, 2013

Houston Weekend Travel Guide

It is no secret that I love Houston. After moving back to the city from Austin, where I went to college, I became an adventurer of my own habitat. I wanted to try every restaurant, see every sight, walk on all the trails, etc. I also love to travel to new cities in the US, and in the last 2 years covered San Francisco (6 times), Los Angeles, Boston (3 times), Miami, Portland, Minneapolis, New York, Denver, Durango, Dallas, Austin, Chicago (2 times), Oklahoma City, Las Vegas, Bozeman (Montana), and Washington DC. I would always have a fully packed agenda for all of these places, which included food, event, and sightseeing recommendations. I thought it would be fun to create my own Houston weekend guide (Friday evening through Sunday night)! Hopefully you find this list useful.

Friday Evening

Take pictures at the Waterwall Park (Galleria)
Enjoy happy hour at Anvil (Montrose) – try the French 75! or go to Bar Boheme for a more relaxed vibe
If you go to Anvil, walk across the street and take a picture outside of Biscuit Home (#biscuitartwall on Instagram) and check out their gorgeous, slightly eclectic selection of home goods
Eat at Indika (Montrose) if you like Indian food or head to Benjy’s (Rice Military and Rice Village) if you prefer modern American cuisine
Head to Sprinkles for a cupcake or to Pinkberry (both River Oaks) for some frozen yogurt
Drive down Westheimer to Underbelly or Hay Merchant (both Montrose)

Saturday

Eat breakfast at Common Bond Bakery (Montrose), Empire Cafe (Montrose), Adair Kitchen (Galleria) or Buffallo Grille (Memorial)
Shop at the cool antique stores on Westheimer in Montrose next to Empire Cafe and Agora or Texas Junk Co. (Montrose)
If antiques aren’t for you, go to the Urban Harvest Farmers Market (Upper Kirby)
Drive to the Menil Collection (Montrose) – enjoy the museum and the gorgeous trees outside
Walk to Rothko Chapel
Enjoy coffee at Catalina Coffee (Fourth Ward)
Take pictures in front of the We Love Houston sign (Heights)
Stroll down the historic 19th street (Heights) for antique shopping (if you didn’t in the morning)
Eat lunch at Shade, Revival Market, Rainbow Lodge, or Cedar Creek (all nearby in the Heights)
Make your way to West End Bikes (Rice Military) and rent bikes
Ride along the Buffalo Bayou Trails (Rice Military, Montrose) – see my post here
Cycle by the Beer Can House (Rice Military) and the Blue Trees (off Memorial and Allen Parkway on Waugh)
Return bikes and rest/change for dinner or caffeinate at Antidote Coffee
Head to Discovery Green (Downtown) and walk around the park, then head at The Grove or drive to Sparrow (Midtown)
Enjoy post-dinner drinks at Mongoose vs. Cobra (Midtown)

Sunday

Enjoy brunch at Canopy or Hugo’s (both Montrose)
Drive to Memorial Hermann Park and take the train ride or ride a pedal boat – make sure you take pictures in front of the gorgeous Mary Gibbs and Jesse H. Jones Reflection Pool (Rice/Musuem District)
Head to Black Hole Coffee (Montrose/Rice) if you want caffeine or Lucille’s (Museum District) if you want a Bloody Mary
Eat lunch at Tiny Boxwood’s (River Oaks) or Local Foods (Rice Village)
Walk around Rice Village and window shop (or go in!)
Drive to Station: Museum of Contemporary Art (Midtown) if you enjoy artsy things (free on Sunday) or go to Dogwood (Midtown) if you want to watch sports
Eat dinner at Pondicheri (Upper Kirby) – request nicely to have some of the curried popcorn from the bar, or go to Coppa (Rice Military) if you’re in the mood for delicious Italian food, or eat at Roost (Montrose) if you want a smaller, more intimate setting – last, but not least, try Ruggles Green (Upper Kirby) for healthy, organic food
End the weekend by driving to Rice University campus at walking by the illuminated James Turrell Skyspace

Voilà. There you have it – some suggestions for a “perfect weekend in Houston.” There are, of course, tons and tons more fun things to do in this city, but I had to narrow it down. Some additional items include:

Visit the Bayou Bend Collection

Go to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston

Run at Memorial Park

Do a Segway Tour of Downtown

Visit the Saint Arnold’s Brewery

Take a cruise down the Bayou on a canoe or kayak

Go and experience Houston’s Theater scene

Laugh out loud at ComedySportz

Take a tour of Houston’s underground tunnel system downtown

I am always open to suggestions and also would love to help you plan a personalized trip if you’re coming to visit the Bayou City. Please email me!

Picture 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // Featured

City Guide August 23, 2013

Paris City Guide

There is definitely no city in the world I love more than Paris. Growing up, it was always my dream to move there and spend my time strolling the bustling streets, speaking French with strangers, sipping coffee at a bijoux-cafe and wine on the Seine. In 2010, I got an internship in the City of Lights, and after a two week stint at the Cannes Film Festival, I made my way up north to Paris, where I spent the next three months adventuring (and blogging every day). I was fortunate enough to have one of my best friends, Andrew, also working there – by complete chance. We made a pact to adventure every single night – never to waste a moment in the most exciting city in the world. I honestly did not want to leave, so in 2010, after I graduated from The University of Texas at Austin, I went back with my family. Again, in 2012, Sasha and I made our way to Paris, at the end of our vacation to Turkey and Greece. I genuinely think that being a tour guide in that city, which was once my home, is my favorite thing in the world. If you haven’t gone, you must. And when you go, I suggest you try some of my favorite things to do.

Food

Best Falafel: L’As du Fallafel (Le Marais)

Best Mediterranean: Chez Marianne (Le Marais) and Beytouti (Hôtel-de-Ville)

Best Romantic Dinner: Le Cafe de l’Homme (Trocadéro)

Best Casual Dinner: Le Pause Cafe (Bastille)

Best Lunch Cafe: Cafe Le Buci (Saint–Germain–des–Prés) and Le Restaurant (Luxembourg)

Best Dinner with Views: Restaurant Georges (Hôtel-de-Ville)

Best Dinner for People Watching: Le Bonaparte (Saint–Germain–des–Prés)

Best Frozen Yogurt: MyBerry (Le Marais)

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Drinks

Best Coffee + People Watching: Les Deux Magots

Best Peaceful Coffee: Telescope Cafe

Best Smoothies: Le Paradis du Fruit

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Sightseeing

Best Neighborhood to Get Lost In: Le Marais

Best Walking Tours: Paris Walks

Best Boat Tours: Bateaux Mouches

Most Extravagent Gardens: Le Palace de Versaille

Best Peaceful Park: Les Jardins de Luxembourg

Best Views of the City: Sacre Coeur

Most Iconic: Eiffel Tower (obviously)

Most Gorgeous “Square”: Les Places des Vosges

Best Way to Get Around Town: Velib

Best Church: Eglise Saint Germain des Pres

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Museums

Best Indoor Museum: L’Orangerie

Best (Mainly) Outdoor Museum: Rodin Museum

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Shopping

Best Boutiques: Le Comptoir de Cotonniers and Kookai

Best Department Shopping: BHV

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Accomodation

Best Hotel: Hotel Bel-Ami

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Nightlife

Best People Watching Bar: Le Petit Fer du Cheval

Favorite Night Activity: Drinking Wine on the Seine

Other Favorite Night Activity: Sitting on the Champs de Mars, watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle

Favorite Bridge To Sit on at Night: Pont des Arts

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Some of my favorite pictures below from 2009, 2010 and 2012… time for another trip soon, especially as I’m reading The Paris Wife and am so nostalgic!