All Things Scandinavian

Over the past six years or so, I have been heavily researching my family's history.  Ancestry is something that I have been interested in since I was a little girl & I love learning more about where I came from!  Recently, I decided to dig a little further into my husbands ancestry as well.  I learned that both of us have Scandinavian roots!  So far, I have found that our families have come from Denmark, Norway & Sweden - which happen to all be mainlands of Scandinavia!  (Finland, Iceland & Greenland are also Nordic countries that some people consider to be a part of Scandinavia.)

Here are some of my favorite things that come from Scandinavia & things that I would love to see:

Swedish pancakes - My grandpa & mom made these for us growing up & we always loved them!  Our family much preferred these to regular pancakes.  They are thinner than typical pancakes & they crisp up a little around the edges.  My favorite way to eat them is with syrup, powdered sugar & whipped cream.  Yum!!  

The recipe I used here (& the one my mom shared with me) is as follows: 

• 3 eggs
• 1 & 1/4 cups milk
• 3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat eggs until thick & stir in milk.  Sift dry ingredients & add to mixture until smooth.  Drop batter onto hot, buttered griddle.  Turn when the underside is light brown.  Finish with your toppings of choice :)

Interior design - It's no secret that Scandinavians have style when it comes to interior decorating.  They have the light & airy minimalist look down & I absolutely love it!  Also, one of my favorite stores (I'm talkin' about you, Ikea!) originates from Sweden.

Photo via Pinterest

Photo via Pinterest

Photo via Pinterest

Photo via Pinterest

The Northern Lights - Scandinavia is one of the best places to see the beautiful Northern Lights!  Norway, Iceland, Finland...the possibilities are endless.   Even though these can be viewed in certain parts of the U.S. & Canada, I would love to stay at this hotel in Finland!  Looking up at the sky in a heated igloo with a glass ceiling?  How romantic!

Clothing - I love traditional Scandinavian clothing.  The bright colors, prints & embroidery make for absolutely beautiful pieces!  I also love that you can find traditionally inspired clothes with a modern update, like this top, this kimono & this skirt!

Photo via Pinterest

Copenhagen - I have to admit that I have never been to Copenhagen, but visiting this capital city of Denmark is definitely on my travel bucket list!  Every picture I have seen of Copenhagen makes it seem incredibly beautiful, there is something so captivating about it.  A few of the things that I would check out if I were traveling to Copenhagen would be:  

1. The Little Mermaid statue - Hans Christian Andersen, the author of The Little Mermaid, is from Denmark!  The statue was sculpted by Edvard Eriksen to commemorate the fairy tale.
2. Frederiksborg Castle - This beautiful castle was built as the home for the royal family.  Sadly, most of the original building burned down in the 1850s.  The good thing is that it has been rebuilt & is now open to the public as a museum.
3. Canals - Called Nyhavn, the district in Copenhagen that has waterfront access & canals, is lined with brightly colored buildings & the waters house gorgeous wooden boats.  This is exactly what I picture when I think of Copenhagen.

Photo via Pinterest

Have you ever travelled to a country in  Scandinavia or do you have Scandinavian ancestry?  What's on your travel bucket list?  I'd love to hear!  XOXO

Birthday Celebration in Las Vegas

Over the weekend, my family and I celebrated my 26th birthday in Las Vegas. It was my first time in Vegas & I had the best time! I was really not looking forward to my birthday this year because...26. Yeah. It bummed me out. But this trip was the perfect way to make it fun & for me to be excited for my birthday! 

We had three full days in Vegas, which didn't seem like enough time. We arrived early Saturday morning and left late Monday night. Our days were jam-packed & we were always on-the-go! I loved every minute of it :)

We stayed at the Flamingo, which was awesome! I love history so it was really neat to stay in one of the first hotels on the strip & to learn so much about it. Did you know that the Flamingo Hotel had ties to the Mob!? I had no idea how big the Mafia was in Las Vegas (& how influential it was in moving it forward) until this weekend.

We got in around 9am on Saturday morning, so we had some time to kill before checking into our hotel. Luckily, we were able to drop off our bags at the hotel & then we hit the strip! We had breakfast & then we walked around for the rest of the afternoon. We rode the roller coaster at New York-New York a total of three times (twice back-to-back) -- it's just that good! 

Once we were checked into our hotel, my mom, sister & I went to the pool for a little bit to cool off & relax. This was the only time we went to the pool. For some reason, I didn't expect the pools to be so crowded! It was pretty much standing room only, so we didn't stay very long. Later that night, we hit the strip again (duh!) for dinner, to watch the UFC fights, explore the hotels & to gamble ;) We also saw the fountain show in front of the Bellagio -- so beautiful!

On Sunday we spent the majority of the day on Fremont Street, which was a ton of fun! The guys (my husband, dad, brother, & my sisters boyfriend) rode on the zip line that hangs above Fremont Street & then we went to the Mob Museum (very cool!) before heading back to the hotel for dinner & then going out to a show. We saw Cirque du Soleil Kà at the MGM Grand, it was so unbelievably amazing! If you ever get a chance to see it, I would highly recommend that you do. I hope to see more Cirque du Soleil shows in the future. 

Monday was my birthday! We spent the day walking around the hotels that we didn't get to spend a lot of time at the nights before like the Venetian, Caesars Palace, & the Bellagio. We ate, shopped & gambled some more. Hey, when in Vegas... ;)

This trip was so phenomenal, Vegas far exceeded my expectations! We had long nights, tired legs, & I'm still recovering from all of the fun we had. There is no other way I would have wanted to spend my birthday. I am so thankful my family could be there to help celebrate, just being able to spend time with them meant the world to me. 

Have any of you been to Vegas before? If so, what were your favorite things to do? I'm already thinking about round two! :)

7 Things I Learned While Traveling Eastern Europe

In July of 2009, I had the amazing opportunity to go to Eastern Europe for two weeks. Traveling for the first time on my own, without my family. I was fresh out of high school, an eighteen-year-old shy girl & completely out of my comfort zone. I had no idea what to expect, but I did know one thing -- it would be one helluva ride!

I chose to travel to Eastern Europe because it is so rapidly changing, I wanted to be able to experience it. There was something magical about being in a different part of the world, a place that is so unfamiliar. I had never seen anything so old and rich with history -- I loved every minute of it! I can wholeheartedly say that it was one of the best experiences of my life. I grew tremendously as a person & I believe it helped me adapt to college & being on my own in general. 

Because this July marks seven years since my trip, I thought I would share with you seven things that I learned while traveling. 

1. Go outside of your comfort zone: If you're anything like me, going off to another country without knowing a thing about travel can be a pretty daunting thought! I am so glad that I didn't let my fears of being on my own affect my decision to travel. You will have the experience of a lifetime & are bound to meet some very special people along the way if you open yourself up to the challenge, chances are you won't regret it!

2. Document everything: Right before I left for my trip, my aunt & uncle gave me a beautiful journal to write in while I was on my travels. It would have never occurred to me before to write everything down, so I am very thankful they had given it to me! I love going back & reading it to reminisce on the little day to day things that I might not have remembered otherwise. Another way to document is to take lots of pictures, of everything & anything. You will be glad that you did! I also saved little momentos like metro tickets, museum flyers, leftover coins, etc. Those items would be great to put into a scrapbook later on!

3. Don't overpack: I learned this the hard way. At the time, I didn't think I was overpacking. I had one checked suitcase & a duffle bag as a carry on, which was fine for traveling through the airport. Not so fine for traveling through Europe. We walked to a lot of train stations & bus stations, meaning I had to carry my luggage for fairly long distances. I would opt for a backpack & a small suitcase if I were to do it again, packing as minimal as possible. My advice would be to go easy on the toiletries, you can aways buy stuff while you are at your destination. If you are going on a long trip, you don't need to pack different clothes for every day. There are launders everywhere in Europe! Just drop your dirty clothes off in the morning on your way out to explore & pick them back up later on.

4. Travel by train: This is a great way to see the country! When walking or taking public transportation isn't an option, hoping on a train is a wonderful alternative. It's also a very cost effective way to travel between countries. Plus, it is fun!

5. Walk places: Walking tours were one of my favorite parts of traveling Europe. In some way, it made me feel more like a local. Most European cities have extraordinary metro systems & public transit which are definitely worth learning how to use, but walking around the cities gives you a different perspective of where you are. You'll never know what you'll find around the next corner or down that cobblestone alley!

6. Dive into the culture: I have to admit - Hungarian food is definitely not my favorite. But how many people can say that they ate Hungarian food in Hungary?! Well, besides every person who lives there ;) definitely no one I know! My point is, try everything the country you are exploring has to offer. Go to the local markets, eat the food (even if it's something you would never try back home) & try to learn the language. If I went to France, you can bet your bottom dollar that I would try escargot! Even if it totally gives me the creeps. Or maybe I would just stick to champagne & croissants. 

7. Know your surroundings: Safety is always a priority, especially if you are traveling alone. Make sure you have a map of the place you are visiting with a clear picture of how to get around. It's also a good idea to let people know where you will be going. Sending a quick email to someone letting them know what your plans are for the day would also be a great idea! Most hotel lobbies have computers with internet access, for a small fee. Hotel receptionists are also great resources for getting around!

I don't know about you, but all of this travel talk has got me dreaming of far off places...where would you go if you could travel anywhere in the world?!