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My friends and I had heard about Le Bain at The Standard (848 Washington St., West Village) from a few different sources, we were told that entrance was a bit tricky but that the view was well worth any hassle we might have. We got in line and the bouncer made an announcement that there was an event being held at Le Bain tonight, and that without an invitation, entry was not guaranteed (and it did not sound very optimistic). We were getting closer to the door and saw people being turned away, but my pals and I got in and came across this glow in the dark mural on the wall outside the elevator. We made our way 18 floors up, and met a very nice new bartender. We climbed the final set of stairs and walked out onto the rooftop bar. It was surrounded by Plexiglas and minimal low couches. We met a group of people in cat ears, who were celebrating a cat’s going away party. One member was also from Connecticut and told us all about how she is an interior designer and living in Tribeca, having the time of her life. They were kind enough to give us their spot so we were set. The view was amazing, we were as far West as possible overlooking the Hudson. It was a muggy night which was perfect because it stayed warmer later, and it created amazing fog that came across the skyline. Next time you’re anywhere around the West Village, make time to check out Le Bain.
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In the heart of Niantic, CT, there are 4 Book Barn locations. With 2 on West Main, and 2 on Main Street, book filled meccas are everywhere. The photos below are from the main barn on West Main, and the Midtown location on Main Street. Complete with cats, definitely check out The Book Barn at all 4 locations. Living in southern Croatia provides the perfect opportunity to travel to neighboring countries like Montenegro. Montenegro, or Crna Gora in Croatian, means “black mountains,” and refers to the black pine tree forests of the north. Montenegro is only the size of Connecticut, making it easy to explore. Check out the below pictures from Perast (including the Our Lady of the Rock island) and the old city of Kotor (including some traditional Montenegrin cake from Forza).  Last weekend I took a quick day trip to Niantic, CT to visit The Book Barn, and I ended up having the cutest day. Check out the photos below of downtown Niantic, Book Barn Midtown, and the original Book Barn location, as well as a few shots from the boardwalk of the shore.
 Croatia is home to more than one thousand islands scattered along the country’s sprawling coastline. A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit the Elaphiti Islands in southern Croatia. The Elaphiti Islands are thirteen islands northwest of Dubrovnik, easily accessible by ferry from the city. They are composed of small traditional villages, nature reserves, beaches, and hiking trails, offering many activities for both locals and tourists. I visited the islands of Koločep, Lopud, and Lokrum. Of Koločep and Lopud, Koločep is the closer of the two islands to Dubrovnik. I only stayed on Koločep for an hour, and was unable to fully explore. Based on first impressions, Koločep has a few beaches (with sand, a rarity in Croatia) and beautiful scenery. While I enjoyed Koločep, I wouldn’t spend more than a day at there. It’s a good stop for beach-lovers (beware of the sea urchins), but there aren’t too many activities away from the coastline. The next island I visited was Lopud, one of the most popular Elaphiti Islands. The beaches on Lopud aren’t as secluded and picturesque as Koločep, but there are more opportunities for shopping and eating out. Golf cart taxis are the easiest (and cheapest) way to travel across the island for 3 euros. Lopud is easy to spend a day or two exploring. Sunj Beach was one of the best beaches I’ve visited while in Croatia. It’s relatively shallow, which makes it super easy to cool off and swim when the sand (yes, it even has sand!) gets too hot. Lopud also has some cool shops, like the one below with the hand-painted anti-Trump shirt. It’s debated whether Lockrum should be considered an Elaphiti Island, but it’s a 10-minutes ferry ride from Dubrovnik’s Old City, and therefore just as easy to visit as any of the other islands. Lokrum is famous for its appearances in the HBO show “Game of Thrones” and eerie history. According to legend, the monks living on the island were forced to leave during the 15th century after the island was sold. For their last night on Lokrum, they gathered in their hoods and walked around the perimeter of the island three times, each holding an upside-down candle. They cursed Lokrum and anyone who inhabits it. Visitors are warned not to remove anything from the island (rocks, feathers, souvenirs), and are required to leave by the final ferry at 6PM. You are not allowed to stay overnight on the island, and volunteer firefighters will call any remaining guests an expensive taxi if they are found after the final ferry leaves. Despite this strange past, Lokrum was my favorite island to visit. It hosts a beautiful garden, two museums, and a fort. There are also hundreds of free-range rabbits and peacocks roaming the island, which you can hand-feed bread and carrots. Lokrum is the perfect island to visit for anyone who loves swimming, scuba diving (through Blue Planet in Dubrovnik), and exploring. There are also a few food stands and restaurants on the island, although it’s way cheaper to pack your own lunch from Dubrovnik. 
Croatia offers so many beautiful and unique cities, Split being no exception. Split is Croatia’s second-largest city, and a top destination for anyone traveling through Croatia. A 4-hour bus ride from Dubrovnik, Split excels in its seaside cuisine, night life, and overall charm.
I traveled with six other Americans from my program for the weekend. While in the city, we found a centrally-located and reasonably-priced Airbnb. For less than $40 each, we were able to stay in Split for four days and three nights. If you’re interesting in renting an apartment or hostel in Split, I suggest finding one near Diocletian’s Palace (where I stayed). It is within walking distance of the bus station, and there’s a town square less than two minutes away where you can drink wine, listen to live music, and dance.
As an American with no knowledge of Croatian culture or the language, Split was as easy to navigate as Dubrovnik. Split is very English-friendly, but doesn’t cater to tourists as much as Dubrovnik. Because of this, Split feels more authentic, a welcome change from the herds of bustling tour groups I have to wade through in the Old City. Some highlights from my trip include Bokeria Kitchen & Wine, Charlie’s Backpacker Bar, and Krka National Park. Krka National Park is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. Located near Sibenik, Krka is home to a variety of wildlife (which I unfortunately didn’t see much of) and some of Croatia’s most iconic waterfalls. While I wasn’t able to see all seven of the park’s waterfalls due to time constraints, I saw the most popular one; Skradinski buk. The easiest way to visit Krka is with a tour group. Trips can be booked from virtually any city, although it’s cheaper to travel to Split or Sibenik before finding a tour. I left with a group from Split, taking an hour-long bus ride to Krka. Depending on how you get to Krka, the price of admission may vary. I paid 320kn (around $50) for transportation and admission, which was a pretty good deal. Park visitors are able to swim in designated areas and walk through the woods on trails. The entire park is beautiful, and I wish I had more time to see it. Swimming near Skradinski buk was amazing, although no one told us about the current. You’re not allowed to swim directly near the waterfall (for obvious reasons), but the surrounding area has a semi-strong current and awkwardly-placed rocks, making it difficult to navigate yourself around. Check out some of my pictures below! Madison and I were lucky enough to attend one of Kerri Art Studio and Gallery's Color Uncorked paint nights as guests last week, and I pulled together a little photo journal for you all! Color Uncorked was super fun and great for creatives at all levels! According to the Studio: Guests can choose to paint the displayed painting or whatever they might feel inspired to paint. The Artist gives step-by-step instructions for the displayed painting and guides guests through the process. Guests are free to bring their favorite beverages and snacks. Everyone takes a completed painting home at the end of the night! I'm an avid painter, so I had a blast. Madison was a little stressed initially, but as she painted, she loosened up a bit. The group was great, lots of fun personalities, and plenty of wine! I couldn't think of a better way to spend a rainy night. Check out more details about the event here, and be sure to reserve a seat at the next one! Finally, stay on the lookout for a post with a little more detail about Kerri Gallery, coming soon on the art tab! 
Here's our lovely instructor, Deb Gag, with what we were aiming for!  Hard at work... And the group shot!  I left Dubrovnik (again) to visit a botanical garden, see the village of Ston, and eat some traditional Croatian food. Nikolai, a student at DIU from Germany, offered to drive myself and three of my roommates to Ston, stopping along the way at the gardens and then eating at a restaurant he found on Trip Advisor. First, the gardens. The Arboretum Trsteno is the oldest renaissance garden in Dalmatia, and were believed to have been constructed during the 15th century. Filled with beautiful plants, a beach, an old villa, and fountains, the gardens reminded me a lot of the Villa D’Este in Italy (read my post from January here). It was unfortunately raining when we visited, so we’re definitely traveling back soon. The village of Ston is very small, but is well-known for its walls. Ston hosts the second-longest stone walls in the world, right behind the Great Wall of China. The Walls of Ston were originally more than 7km long, built in the 14th century by the citizens of Ston and Dubrovnik to protect the region. Visitors can purchase tickets (40kn for adults, 20kn for children/students), to walk part of the walls. We chose the shorter walk due to the rain and our growing appetites, but also because of the never-ending stairs we would have to climb to complete the longer walk (although I will return to walk them soon). We left Ston to find a restaurant Nikolai found on Trip Advisor, but we quickly realized said restaurant no longer existed when we stumbled upon three isolated (very expensive) restaurants on the coast where the original used to stand. We made the executive decision to save our wallets and return to Ston to eat at Bakus (which was a good decision in hindsight). Bakus was better-priced, and still offered traditional Croatian seafood (and other meals for the other vegetarian and I). Revelation 1 of 3: I cannot wear a full face of makeup here. I have used the same makeup routine since freshman year of high school, only changing my eyeliner routine junior year of high school. Dubrovnik is too hot to wear full foundation, concealer, contour, highlight, and eyebrows; my face was a sweaty mess in less than ten minutes after reaching the beach. Revelation 2: Long hair is also a problem. I was debating cutting my hair before my trip, but decided to embrace the long-hair-don’t-care life a little longer. It’s day 3 and I already regret it. Revelation 3: Dubrovnik gelato is no match for Rome gelato, but it’s still better than Friendly’s.    |
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April 2019
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