Category: Europe

The Heineken Experience: Or, How I Found Beer Nirvana in Amsterdam

Love beer? If you're in Amsterdam, you've got to take the VIP Tour at the Heineken Experience. Dutch beer, cheese, and good cheer - what more could you ask for?

The moment my parents returned from their trip to Amsterdam last spring, they eagerly regaled us with tales of their Dutch adventures. Though they spoke about the usual suspects — the Anne Frank House! Museums galore! Rijsttafel! — I was shocked to learn what topped their list of Amsterdam favorites: the Heineken Experience.

As a beer aficionado with Dutch ancestors, I knew immediately that I needed to visit the Heineken Experience on my March 2017 trip to Amsterdam. Would it be touristy? Cheesy? I didn’t know, but I didn’t care; I was in.

It took zero effort to convince fellow travel blogger Ashley to visit the Heineken Experience with me (probably because we have some serious beer telepathy going on). Turns out we had the best ‘dam time of our lives there. Here’s why.

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The Truth About Reykjavik’s Bar Scene

Did Reykjavik, Iceland's capital, make the cut when it comes to having an awesome bar scene? The answer, it turns out, is more complex than we expected.

I’ll admit it: living in New York City can inflate your food and drink standards so high that you think nothing else can compare. Sometimes, this is warranted (see: Death & Co and Eleven Madison Park). But about half of the time, our friends want us to pull our heads out of our asses and give other cities a fighting chance. Building on our recent successes finding top notch drinks in London and Israel, then, we went into our Reykjavik bar explorations in October with high hopes.

So did Iceland’s capital make the cut when it comes to having an awesome bar scene? The answer, it turns out, is more complex than we expected.

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The Truth About Swimming in Iceland’s Blue Lagoon

What's the real deal with Iceland's most popular tourist attraction? Here's what what I learned to do--and not do--on my first visit to the Blue Lagoon.

Traveling to Iceland is all the rage right now. In fact, it seems like I can’t go a day or two without hearing about someone’s recent trip to the land of the midnight sun! No matter what these travelers see and do while they’re in Iceland, however, they all share one identical stop on their itinerary: a visit to the Blue Lagoon.

Taking a dip in the Blue Lagoon has been on my bucket list since before Iceland was on anyone’s radar. (Seriously—I’m talking over ten years ago.) That’s why I was so excited to get up close and personal with this otherworldly spa in early October 2016.

Sure, I tried to prepare myself by reading blog posts and guide books, but nothing can quite prepare you for what it’s actually like. Here’s what what I learned to do—and not do—on my first visit to the Blue Lagoon.

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5 Places You’ll Want to Drink in London

London is the one city in the world that can go head to head with New York City when it comes to cocktails, wine, and beer. Here are five can't-miss spots.

London may be the one city in the world that can go head to head with New York City when it comes to all things libations-related. Don’t believe me? Look no further than the World’s 50 Best Bars list, and you’ll find that half of the top 10 bars are located in England’s capital city.

Before you blindly stumble into another pub that looks just like the last one you were in, here are five places you should consider drinking at the next time you’re in London.

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“Revisiting”: The Only Wine Term You Need to Know

Giorgio set the glass of garnet-colored wine in front of me confidently, as if he already knew the ultimate decision I’d make.

“Thanks, but I’m not sure if I should try it,” I politely declined, still in disbelief at the fact that it was acceptable to legally drink wine under the age of 21. It was 2006, and the 20-year-old me, studying abroad in Rome, still clung to the rules and regulations she had grown up with in America.

My roommate and I had recently discovered a neighborhood Italian restaurant on one of the side streets near the Pantheon. Lured by the aromas of sizzling meat sauces and freshly-cooked tagliatelle, we were quickly seated in an outdoor table near the back. Upon learning that I had never had wine before, our server, Giorgio, insisted that I try some Montepulciano d’Abruzzo to “make my life complete.”

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