Crail & Anstruther, Scotland

July 27, 2016 / Mollie Jo / Leave a comment

On our trip to St. Andrews last year, we took a day trip to the seaside towns of Crail and Anstruther. So accessible and rich in history, I would absolutely recommend hopping on the bus in St. Andrews and taking the short journey.

In Anstruther, you must stop at the Anstruther Fish Bar. SO good. Pro tip – get your fish and chips to go and eat on the benches near the harbor.

In putting this post together, I was so bummed to find out that the Dreel Tavern closed. It was such a great little spot to enjoy a beer in their garden.

Such a beautiful place…

Can’t get enough of all the fab doors! And I LOVE that green and blue are so prominent.

xo, MJ

Amsterdam

July 26, 2016 / Mollie Jo / Leave a comment

Amsterdam is literally my favorite place on the planet. If I could go between Palm Springs and Amsterdam for the rest of my life, I would be one happy girl. Some of our favorite Amsterdam spots…

Begijnhof – started in 1150, by a group of women who came together to live in a religious community and care for the sick. This hidden courtyard and church are absolutely beautiful. Step inside the courtyard and you feel a bit like stepping back in time. The area is so peaceful and beautiful.

begijnhof

FOAM – a top at FOAM is always in inspiration. The photography museum of Amsterdam offers a rotating cast of exhibits and the canal house setting can’t be beat. FOAM

Foodhallen – I am obsessed with food halls and food markets. The Ferry Building in SF, Pine Street Market in Portland, Granville Market in Vancouver, Reading Terminal in Philly – I love them all. Foodhallen combines my love of all things food with all things Amsterdam. Please spend some time here on your trip!

Hutspot – They call Hutspot a concept store, it’s a really beautiful space that houses curated clothing, home goods, a cafe and even a barbershop. There’s a bar next door that I really wanted to check out, but unfortunately it wasn’t open yet when we stopped by. I think my favorite part of the experience was the Photo Booth – I really love a good Photo Booth.

hutspot

Art Zuid – the Art Zuid festival happened to be going on while we were in Amsterdam. If you’re planning to be in Amsterdam between May and September, this sculpture exhibition is absolutely worth seeing. An added bonus is that the Zuid (South) district in Amsterdam is beautiful!

artzuid

CT Coffee & Coconuts – this cafe was built in a former theater and is one of the most interesting spaces I’ve ever been to. AND, the food is delish!

Stach – You can now find outposts of Stach all over the city. Such a great place to pop into for a sandwich, snack or bottle of wine. The Stadionplein location just opened and looks super cute!

Stedlijk – The Stedlijk Museum is a must for any design lover. Check the website for current exhibitions, and put this on your must do list!

stedlijk

Enjoy!

xo, MJ

Nashville

July 12, 2016July 18, 2016 / Mollie Jo / 2 Comments

Nashville is magic. I had the opportunity go to with an amazing group of girlfriends and would really love to make another trip someday soon. Quick picks and snaps below for eating, drinking and shopping (basically the keys to life).

SHOP – the 12 South neighborhood has the best shopping in Nashville

Cadeau – I literally wanted to purchase everything in this shop, and I’m not just saying that. From cards, to cheeky home decor – it’s all just so, so great.

Draper James – preppy, southern, Reese Witherspoon? Doesn’t get much better. And you know how much I love a good stripe. draper james lavender stripe

Imogene & Willie – An outpost of this famous Nashville spot opened in Portland a couple of years ago, but I do have to say nothing beats the original.

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White’s Mercantile – “a general store for the modern day tastemaker.” The buying and curating in this store is impeccable. From baby clothes to kitchen towels, they had me convinced that I needed it all. Definitely worth a stop in! whites-mercantile

EAT & DRINK

Pinewood Social – We totally fell in love with this place. Bowling and great drinks in a very well designed space.

Honky Tonk Central – Classic Nashville, on Broadway. Three floors of live music and such a fun, party atmosphere!

Losers – This was our first taste of Nashville and I think we were all hooked. Cold beer and live music, EVERYWHERE! The bar next door, called Winners, was closed for a CMA party. Guess we’ll have to go back!

Pedal Tavern – I’ve done Brewcycles or Pedal Taverns in several cities and I would have to say this was one of the most fun. Part of it might have been that the only available slot was 10am on a Saturday, but hey it’s Nashville and the bars are all open at 10am!

The Pharmacy – sometimes you just need a good burger and a Diet Coke. thepharmacy

A few more gems I couldn’t resist sharing!

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I hope Nashville is on your travel list!

xoxo, MJ

DTLA

June 23, 2016 / Mollie Jo / Leave a comment

Work took me to LA last week, and while I’m usually a beach gal, this time we had to stay downtown. I have to admit I don’t love everything about DTLA but there are some AMAZING restaurants.
Zinc Cafe & Market

Love a good neon sign with a touch of Bougainvilla

Eggslut

I LOVE Grand Central Market. To be honest I’m basically obsessed with any type of food hall. My last visit to GCM was on a weekend and the line for Eggslut was ridic so we didn’t wait. Thursday morning however was a breeze!

Bestia

First off, I can’t believe we were able to get a same day reservation. This place totally lived up to the hype. I’m so glad we went with a group of 9 because we pretty much ordered at least one of everything. My faves were the bone marrow pasta and the burrata pizza. The sommelier was also amazing and we were able to try a bunch of different wines. If you’re in LA, definitely go here!

xoxo,

Palmetto Bluff

June 14, 2016June 11, 2016 / Mollie Jo / Leave a comment

I am obsessed with houses, architecture, interiors – if it has to do with the way people live and choose to style their homes, count me in. On a recent trip to South Carolina, I came across an open house at Palmetto Bluff, a private community near Bluffton, SC that totally fascinates me. I was like a kid in a candy store spending a few hours wandering around and checking everything out.

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I mean, seriously?! This place is like a dream.

Do yourself a favor and look this place up, I promise you’ll be smitten too.

xoxo,

US Open

June 13, 2016April 24, 2016 / Mollie Jo / Leave a comment

Celebrating the 2016 US Open, with a few favorites from the 2015 Open at Chambers Bay.

US-Open

xoxo,

Beaufort, SC

June 12, 2016June 11, 2016 / Mollie Jo / Leave a comment

Beaufort, South Carolina is a magical place. This city guide doesn’t have a ton of specific recommendations, but if you can get yourself to this area of the country – DO IT. Being from the Pacific Northwest, South Carolina is like another world. A few of my favorite snaps and recos below.

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Beaufort

Low Country Produce Market

Scout Southern Market

Old Bull Tavern

Hilton Head

Coastal Bliss Clothing Boutique

Enjoy!

xoxo,

Savannah

June 11, 2016 / Mollie Jo / Leave a comment

Savannah is always a good time. Southern, slow moving and so chill. It is such a fun place to visit time after time. A few highlights from our most recent trip.

The Brice Hotel – Kimpton definitely knows how to do boutique hotels. From the decor to the complimentary happy hour to the free bike rentals, the Brice Hotel was a fab experience. Highly recommend!

Collins Quarter – We’ve come to Collins Quarter at least once during each of our trips to Savannah. Great beer, cold AC and a really diverse beer list make this Australian style spot a must stop.

Abe’s on Lincoln – looking for an awesome dive bar filled with both locals and tourists? This is your spot. Open till 3am, Abe’s is a great late night stop on your drinking tour of Savannah.

Couldn’t leave town without this…

I hope you enjoy your next trip to Savannah!

xoxo,

Miami

April 28, 2016April 25, 2016 / Mollie Jo / 1 Comment

The only times I’ve been to Miami are for work, but have managed to sneak in some fun along the way! A few recommendations below –

Stay

Fontainebleau. Massive hotel, amazing pool, easy beach access – what more can you really ask for?

Eat & Drink

Wynwood Kitchen & Bar – delicious food and amazing art. I’m a sucker for tapas and street art and this place combines them in a really amazing way. The tapas menu is extensive and the drinks are really interesting and delicious. In my opinion the best part of the place is the outdoor patio and the Shepard Fairey art lining the walls.

WynwoodKitchen

The Rum Line – this tiki bar hidden in the Loews Hotel is not to be missed. It’s a great way to escape the hustle of Collins Ave. Palm print pillows, inventive rum drinks – The Rum Line can really make you feel like you’re on vacation!

Hakkasan – if you’re staying at the Fontainebleau, eat at Hakkasan. Enough said.

Miami Design District – amazing art can be found all around Miami. I loved being constantly surprised and inspired by murals and installations around every corner. We went to the design district one night for dinner stumbled upon these sculptures.

Wynwood Walls – the famed Wynwood Walls definitely lived up to the hype. I’m planning to make a point to go back whenever I’m in Miami, as the art and artists are always switching it up.

WynwoodWalls

Peter Tunney Gallery – Wandering out of Wynwood Kitchen & Bar, I was so excited to come across the Peter Tunney gallery. I have always loved seeing the City of Dreams billboard coming into NYC from JFK, but truthfully never knew who the artist was. The collage and bold typography just speaks to me. Seeing an entire gallery of Tunney’s work was such a treat.

Tunney

Boardwalk Run – if you’re staying on the beach, or even if you’re not, I highly recommend a walk or run along the boardwalk. I mean, with sights like these it will make those miles so much more bearable.

I hope you enjoy YOUR Miami adventure!

xoxo,

PDX FOOOOOD: Hop & Vine

April 27, 2016April 24, 2016 / Mollie Jo / Leave a comment

Sticking with the summer theme this week – the patio at Hop & Vine is summer staple! Plenty of seating, great beer & wine selection, and a REALLY good burger. It’s a little weird that you have to order both food and drinks at the bar, but the patio and the burger are totally worth it! If you’re in the mood for a bar crawl, Old Gold is right down the street and is another good go to.