LeMango

Sour and Sweet (lay-MAHN-go)

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If you were to describe the atmosphere in northern Vermont earlier this month when we visited for Easter weekend, that would be it. Vermont, an already modestly populated state, looked and felt very much like it was the last time we visited in 2017, business as usual for the most part. Unfortunately, some of the local stores that we were looking forward to returning to were closed indefinitely and there were strict limits on how many customers could be in coffee shops and retail stores, but otherwise the fresh air, mountain views, and open space were a welcome change from our normal anxiety-ridden trips to the grocery store or post office. We didn’t have to worry about bumping into others or wondering if we were breathing too close to someone.

While in Vermont, we stayed in Waterbury, but trekked all around the state, to Stowe, Burlington, and even taking a quick jaunt to Dartmouth University in New Hampshire (we’re on a mission to visit all the ivy leagues and we just have a few more to go!).

Here’s a few highlights from the trip:

The Trapp Family Lodge (pictured above)

The day before Easter, we made last-minute reservations for brunch at the Trapp Family Lodge, and as luck would have it, we dined right next to a descendent of the Trapp family who was eating brunch with his wife and two sons. We got the inside scoop on the property and how business was doing in light of COVID. A pianist serenaded the guests while they ate, chatted and admired the scenery.

The Shelburn Farm (pictured below)

We made friends with horses, goats, chickens, and a family of deer as we did a two-mile walk around the grounds of the Shelburn Farm. The silence was eerie yet therapeutic, and our eyes thanked us for a reprieve from the laptop screen.

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Wanderlust.

Each time we travel, our appreciation for life and love and happiness grows even bigger. That appreciation is manifested in our smiles and the sounds of our hearts beating with excitement. In the food we gobble down and the wine bottles we finish.

Cheers to life and love, the roads we’ve traveled, and those yet to come.

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Recovery (Part I).

It’s true. Life is simply a series of ups and downs, seasons of joy and seasons of pain. We knew this, but we recently experienced life’s roller coaster towards the end of 2018 and into the first few months of 2019. Prior to this rough patch, we had several years of coasting on waves of happiness and important milestones (graduations, engagements, weddings, pregnancy announcements, etc.). So when we were abruptly met with one of the biggest trials of our lives, we up and planned a road trip through the American South. We desperately needed to get away and experience the carefree lust for life that we had this time a year ago, back when we were coasting.

The road to recovery began in Charlotte, NC and went through several Tennessee cities including Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Nashville. We ended our trip in Kentucky’s staples, Louisville and Lexington. We had a blast and gained new perspectives on life (as we usually do when we travel). I’ll walk you through what we ate and drank, and most important, what we learned.

1. CHARLOTTE, NC

Pay attention to the gaps, the holes, the blank space. Oftentimes, it’s what you don’t see that’s most important.

We love visiting new coffee shops. Basal in Charlotte is hands down one of our favorites now. The coffee was nutty and smooth, and we tried it with oat milk, a first for us. The cafe’s atmosphere was quiet (an effortlessly cool playlist filled the background) and not too pretentious. But what we really loved is it’s association with LaCa Projects, a contemporary art gallery. The Latin American Contemporary Art (LaCa) Projects’ mission is to “create a gateway for connecting contemporary Latin American artists with the increasingly diversifying arts scene of Charlotte, as well as to provide a location in the Southeast region of the United States for art collectors to develop and foster an appreciation for the visually striking narrative of contemporary Latin American art.”

Basal’s space is right next to LaCa’s. You’re even encouraged to sip your coffee as you explore the gallery. We soaked in the poetic art of Jose Luis Landet while drinking our honey bee lattes. His disassembled landscapes implored his audience to look into gaps, spaces, and to peer into different dimensions to see what is not easily seen.

Life Lesson: Can we be more skilled at reading between the lines?

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MELK.

Before leaving Montreal to head back across the border, we stumbled upon Melk. After a long night, we needed a good pick-me-up. This was definitely a great choice!

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San Fran! (August 2016)

We finally made it to San Francisco, and we’re so glad we did. This city is amazing, despite the scary hills and intense fog! Culture, art, good food, architecture, mountains, water... you name it, San Francisco has it. There was so much to do and see, we definitely needed a few more days to partake. We drove all around the city, through neighborhoods and parks, and made it a point to stop in Chinatown for lo mein, egg rolls, and boba tea. 

Driving across the Bay Bridge.

View of the Bay

Painted Ladies

Authentic Boba Tea.

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"The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes. If you foolishly ignore beauty, you will soon find yourself without it."

(Monterrey, CA - August 2016)

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Love is Montreal.

Montreal has quickly become one of our favorite cities in the world. It is a cozy, piece of Europe just a few miles north of the United States. It is a romantic, picturesque metropolis with a rustic charm. We fell in love with the weather, the scenery, the fashion, and the language. And of course, the food. 

We arrived to the hotel after a 12-hour drive from Washington, D.C. only to make a hasty wardrobe change for a Leon Bridges concert. We immediately felt at home in the historic Corona Theater as Leon serenaded his fervent audience. There seemed to be the right mix of nonchalance and excitement; plus, we loved being greeted in French. 

The next day we had a large meal at L’Gros Luxe which turned out to be one of the best meals of the trip. Our table was crowded with plates and cups that it appeared we had tried everything on the menu, and everything lived up to the hype of the serveur. We’re already planning a second go round for 2017. 

Caesar - Bloody Mary.

Latte.

Banh Mi.

Fries, soup, hot wings, salad, etc. (again, basically the entire menu). 

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Dineen Coffee. Hands down, the best we've had in a long while. Pictured: Large vanilla latte and small chai tea latte. 

(Toronto, CA - July 2016)

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Amazing city, food, people, and culture. Toronto.

(Toronto, CA - July 2016)

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Do you see it? ❤️

(Arizona, riding back to Vegas from Grand Canyon - April 2016)

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Austin - Sleepy Beauty. (November 2015)

I wasn’t sure what to expect from austin. I didn’t know whether I would love the hipster vibe that everyone told me it had, I didn’t know if the food that was supposed to be amazing would fall short of my expectations, and i didn’t know if I would get Southern hospitality or Silicon Valley chic. 

Not to my surprise, I got a whiff of both. Coffee shops filled with messy-haired tech lovers who were so friendly that you couldn't help but to strike up a conversation. The city was busy, but not too bustling. The sidewalks were covered with walkers, runners and bikers while the streets were holding up a moderate amount of traffic during rush hour. This hustle was different, a little more laxed, but just enough hustle to get the job done. 

I appreciated this amount of calm mixed with lively, this amount of sleepiness mixed with growth and innovation. It took me a full day or two to really sit in Austin’s beauty. I almost took it for granted. I can’t wait to get back to take in more of its charm. And, the food surely did not disappoint. 

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Good morning! #Austin #houndstoothcoffee

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Little Spoon. Charlotte, NC.

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French.

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My new favorite drink: Grand Marnier, ginger ale, and lemon juice. Thank me later! Happy Monday!

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“Life is spectacular. Forget the dark things. Take a drink and let time wash them away to where ever time washes away to.” - Tim Tharp

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Penelope. No Cruz.

Finally... We were back in our favorite city, off to partake in the goodness that is the US Open. We were overly excited to get to Queens, but we wanted to have a filling brunch before getting to the stadium… Partly because brunch has become our favorite meal as of late and also because we all know how expensive stadium food is. How much for a side of fries? Uh, no thanks. Unlike many of our other trips, we hadn’t done any preplanning. Usually we do tons of "research" before getting to our destination and consequently have a pretty good idea of which restaurants we want to try. This time we simply woke up and googled around. I stumbled across Penelope, a restaurant with over a thousand reviews on Yelp, most of them giving a thumbs up. Has to be good, right?

We walked several blocks east to Lexington Ave and found a small, beautifully crafted restaurant boasting a charm and comfort like nothing else we've experienced in the big city. We immediately fell in love. 

While the menu wasn't expansive, I was excited for the $18 Prix-Fixe option. Pictured below is the classic Penny Egg Sandwich: scrambled eggs with American cheese and pesto on a croissant. It was scrumptious! The Kobricks coffee was an added bonus. Besides the food and coffee being wonderful, we also thought the service was just as charming as the decor. We can't wait to go back, Penelope has earned a few more loyal customers.