Home Exchange: One Month in Brooklyn

This recap is WAY overdue, but we had the best time doing a one month home exchange in New York City. 

We ate SO much delicious food (I kept track of every restaurant we ate at -- one day it will all be detailed in a looonnnng post) and drank some amazing coffee. Luckily you walk a LOT in New York so it didn't seem as detrimental :) 

We checked a LOT off the NYC Bucket List. Went to a taping of Trevor Noah, went to a Yankees game, saw 4 plays, visited 5 different islands, explored new neighborhoods and saw so many cool places. I had a lot of help from friends Special shout out to Emily, Casey, Rich and everyone else to added to our extended stay!

For those who are wondering how we pulled off a full month in another city: we both work from home on a regular basis, so we just worked from their home. I even went on a 2 day work trip to Wisconsin in the middle of the month (same idea - they would have flown me out from Nashville, so instead they flew me out from NYC). "Do you guys not work or something?" was a question I got asked on the regular, but rest assured there's no independently wealthy people here :) We are very lucky to both have this flexibility, and thought we should use it to our advantage! 

We started our days with a walk to somewhere in the neighborhood to get coffee. We tried a ton of new places and repeated a few of our favorites. Then we would work from 9-5 or 6 (we are on central time so it was keeping with our normal 8-5 CST). Matt used the small desk upstairs (he has a lot more paperwork and needs a printer several times a day), and I worked from the kitchen table. We at breakfast and lunch at home and then went out for dinner most nights. Out of the whole month, I think we stayed in 2 nights. One out of sheer exhaustion and one out of terrible terrible rain, and we didn't feel like venturing out to walk in the rain or fight everyone else for an Uber into Manhattan. 

We also maximized our weekends. We saw Coldplay, the Statue of Liberty, went to the beach on Long Island, picnicked on Governor's Island, saw plays, and walked for MILES. Most weekend days we ended up walking 8-10 miles by the time we got home. 

New York is seriously so much fun. I always wanted to spend extended time there, and now I've been able to! We would totally go back for another month (or two!) because we had such a good time. 

If you have any questions about Home Exchange, feel free to shoot me an email -- avecamourblog (AT) gmail (DOT) com.

xo

PS - 

A Beginner's Guide to New York's Subway System

I'm not going to pretend like I'm some sort of expert. But I make it a point of understanding cities when I visit (part of the reason I love to travel), and learning how to use the transportation efficiently is part of the deal.

My favorite transportation system in the entire world is London's system. It's extensive, has so many points where lines cross (lots of transfers!) user friendly, and has lots of information posted everywhere! I think as long as you know the stop you're currently at (signs everywhere) and the stop you need to get to, you can easily connect the dots and follow the colors. End of story.

New York's subway system is not so straight forward in my opinion. While I've been to New York dozens of times at this point and ridden the subway tons, I still always feel the need to triple check where I'm going before I go underground. I've finally figured out a few things that make this system work, and give me peace of mind while using the MTA.

1. Before You Go Underground - Uptown or Downtown?

There are three types of subway entrances, even if it's for the same exact line. No matter what, there will be a large black sign with the name of the station (i.e., 14th St - Union Square) and the trains it serves (L, N, Q, R, 4, 5, 6) -- but there may be more information .
YOU CAN'T ALWAYS ACCESS UPTOWN AND DOWNTOWN FROM THE SAME ENTRANCE. So keep your eyes out for the following:

A - Uptown. The uptown train will usually say something like "Uptown and the Bronx" or "Uptown and Queens". Sometimes it will say something confusing like "to Jamaica Ave" - if you don't know if that's uptown or downtown, make sure you ask someone before you swipe your card! 

B - Downtown. The downtown train will usually say something like "Downtown and Brooklyn" - the A/C sometimes says "To Elucid Ave" which is in Brooklyn - but how would you know that? Once again, just check with someone.

C - Two for One. The all inclusive will just say "14th Street Station" and list all of the train lines you can access. If there's no specific information, you're safe to enter (usually :)

The reason this is important is if you go underground, swipe your card, and then realize you are on the Uptown platform trying to go downtown, you'll have to leave, re-swipe (there's usually a 20 min wait time if you're unlimited or you'll have to pay another fee if you just have money on the card) and then catch your train. 

2. Colors/Numbers/Letters

NYC, unlike London or Chicago, has blocks of colored lines that are the same but also different. 

We'll use the A/C/E lines for example. They are all BLUE. They all are considered "8th Avenue trains" because they primarily run down 8th avenue in midtown Manhattan - but they start at different places and end at different places, and don't all stop at the same places... even along the same line. For example, my subway stop includes the A & C but not the E, because the E doesn't run to Brooklyn - it ends near the World Trade Center. 

How can you be sure which stops use which trains? 

There are tiny tiny letters beneath each stop on the maps inside each subway station and in most of the subway cars (underlined in LIME GREEN). These letters let you know that you can't take the A train if you'd like to get off at 23rd St or 50th St.

3. Local vs. Express

If we are sticking to A/C/E, the A runs EXPRESS and the C/E both run LOCAL. Local means they stop at every stop from the beginning to the end of its line (in theory - still always best to check). The A skips stops, as seen above. The A will get you there faster -- but only works in your favor if it goes to the stop you're looking for. 

What's important to remember is SOMETIMES the A runs local - such as "late nights" (which is quite ambiguous in itself). And it's also worth noting that many times, a Local & Express train might pick up on the same platform! Try to look for any small signage, and listen to any announcements.... even though most of the time you just hear "alsejf oiniubn fdvnwoef.... please stand clear of the doors".... which is super helpful ;) 

4. White Dot vs. Black Dot
A black dot means it's a stop. A white dot means you can change trains. This means if you're on the C/E, there might be a white dot meaning you can switch to the A. But it can also mean you're switching to an entirely different line. 

5. Follow Their Lead
If a bunch of people waiting at one track suddenly walk to another track, ask one of them why - sometimes there is an announcement "The A train is running on the Local track until 34th St/Penn Station, then will resume on the Express track". Things are constantly changing and often make no sense. 

Just Go With The Flow
The MTA is not a perfect system - when in doubt, just ask someone. Or two someones. Things change all the time, often don't make sense, or just aren't running the way they are supposed to be. Don't sweat it. If you end up somewhere different, see it as an opportunity to explore New York ;)

Enjoy your trip! NYC is the best :)
xo

My New York To-Do List

If you missed my previous post, we'll be spending a full month in New York City, and I couldn't be more excited!

We'll still be working, as we're both self employed and both work from home - so we'll just be working from their home instead :) However, I plan on making the most of our nights and weekends. I've been to New York dozens of times, and done tons of exciting stuff on my visits. But there are things I've skipped every time in favor of seeing friends and eating my way through town.

I should not that this does not include my list of all the things I want to eat and drink - but I assure you, that list is quite long and full of coffee and carbs. My fave!

Here's my running list of everything I'm trying to pack in.... let me know what I've missed!

Statue of Liberty & Elis Island
We've actually already booked these tickets and I'm so glad we did. They sell out quite far in advance, so we arranged them almost 3 months ago! We booked the Crown Tour, which I'm pretty excited about. Of all the times I've been to NYC, I've never done the Statue of Liberty *or* Elis Island. I'm looking forward to it!

Top of the Empire State Building or Top of Rockefeller Center OR New One World Trade Observatory
I love a good view. I'm mostly tempted by OWT because of it's new-ness and the significance of it. Since they are all paid attractions, I can't really justify more than one. Any tips on picking the best view? 

Visit the Chrystler Building
Matt and I are a sucker for anything art deco, especially in architecture. I'd love to see the inside. 

Rent Bikes and do the Hudson Greenway
Biking in the city freaks me out - so many cars! But the greenway is right along the Hudson and literally spans the entire West Side of Manhattan from Battery Park all the way up to Inwood (a neighborhood I've never even heard of, because I don't think i've ever ventured north of Columbia). It's 13 miles, and I can't promise I'll bike the whole thing, but I do think Battery Park - Central Park (6-7 miles) might be do-able for me ;) Hey, at least Manhattan is flat! More than I can say for Nashville.

Visit Brighton Beach/Coney Island
A true Florida girl always knows where the nearest beach is. I've never visited Coney Island and I think it would be fun. And after looking up photos, Brighton Beach is kind of adorable! It's in Brooklyn, which I didn't realize existed. I always thought you had to get out on Long Island to access a beach. And it's less than 30 minutes on the subway is not bad at all for "getting out of the city" in my book!

Go out to the Hamptons/Montauk
Speaking of the beach! Our "out East" as I've heard a lot of people call it ;) Really just from the episode of FRIENDS where they go out to Montauk, and Gossip Girl for the Hamptons. I'm sure my trip would be just like Serena & Blair's.

See at least 4 Musicals (1 per week!)
I'll be entering raffles like it's my job. Top of my list is: Hamilton (duh), Something Rotten, Cats, School of Rock, Matilda & Jersey Boys. I'm also interested in A Curious Incident of a Dog in the Night-Time (in the non-musical category). Anything else I should be trying to see?
*I've seen Wicked (x2), Phantom of the Opera (x2), Book of Morman, Lion King, Mama Mia, Chicago(x2), American in Paris, Hairspray, Les Miserable, South Pacific, and Fiddler on the Roof.

Take the Roosevelt Island Tram 
It reminds me of the new Emirates Cable Car line in London,  but it takes you from Manhattan out to Roosevelt Island (the island between Manhattan and Brooklyn). Rumor has it you can use your metro card, so it's in the cheap thrills category ;)

Brooklyn Bridge Ferry 
More cheap thrills - there's a ferry that goes from Governor's Island and bounces up the west side of Brooklyn before ending in Midtown Manhattan. It kind of looks like the fastest way to get from DUMBO to Williamsburg, since the G train never shows up :)

Broadway in the Park
There is a 1 hour concert of various musicals every Thursday in Bryant Park! It's sort of a musical review, as they have 4-5 different acts each week. Should be fun!

MET & MOMA
Never been! I know, I know. But I rarely want to spend an afternoon out of a 3 day weekend in a museum. I'll make sure I visit this time. Any areas I need to be sure to visit?

Yankees Game
Hey, why not? Seems like a no-brainer during baseball season.

Visit Prospect Park/Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
It looks gorgeous. I am always impressed with the amount of green space that New York City has.

Visit the Cloisters
I'm not totally sure what these are, but I think it's something museum-y and pretty gardens are involved.

Do #HAM4HAM
On Wednesdays, there is not lottery drawing for Hamilton tickets - instead, the lottery is LIVE and the cast does a few songs while you wait for the drawing to happen! I cannot wait for this one.... hoping I'll catch Mr. Miranda before his swan song.

That's my list so far - what am I missing? :)
xo

"Home Exchange -- What Is That?"

We've ALL seen the Holiday, right? I've probably seen it 100 times, because I love watching it at Christmas (along with Love, Actually, Home Alone, the Family Stone, and the Santa Clause.. :)

But what I never considered, is that people actually do home exchanges. I met a family when I lived on Sanibel that did a swap once a year, and they traded their beach house (where they lived full time) for homes in Southern California, Italy, France, and even Iceland (before it was popular!) It was intriguing, but I never really thought too much about it. This was also in 2011, so even before Airbnb was the norm for travelers.

Matt and I rented our house out on Airbnb a handful of times, but decided to quit when Nashville cracked down on the taxes and paperwork you had to go through. It was also a lot of work, because we had to deep clean the house, store any personal items, change all the bedding to "airbnb sheets", and most importantly, find somewhere to go! These people would be taking over our house, essentially leaving us homeless. We tried to schedule our guests around times we already knew we'd be gone, but we had to crash with friends a few times.

About a year ago, Matt brought up the idea of Home Exchange. We looked around and landed on HomeExchange.com, because they had a "your 2nd year is free if you don't use it your first year" deal going on. Sounded like we didn't have much to lose!

Now, we've done 3 different home exchanges. It's just like the Holiday, except we haven't been to a mansion in LA yet. Since we joined, and have now done a few swaps, I've gotten a lot of questions from friends about the process, so I thought a blog post was overdue on the topic.

How does it work?
You find a home exchange site, pay the enrollment fee (it should be 1x per year, and approximately the cost of 1 night in a hotel or Airbnb), and list your home. Include quality, detailed photos and good information about you and the house. Consider this your home's online dating profile. Would people be shocked when they showed up at the "date" because the house didn't look like the profile pictures at all? Should they know up front that you don't allow pets or the 2nd bedroom is actually just an air mattress? Honesty is the best policy. Chances are, even with some rules or quirks, people will want to swap with you. 

Some snaps from our house. We used a lot of our Airbnb photographs and took a few others with my Fuji x30.

Now that your profile is ready, you're ready to swap! You can either list locations/dates you want to travel, or leave it open for any inquiries. We've done both. Certain things have been specific, like NYC the weekend of March 25 because we already have plans to go. Others are more open ended, like Seattle anytime, because we're always looking for an excuse to go there. Once you list, you can start messaging with people around the world to see if they're interested in a swap. Once you find someone who wants to swap with you, you can set up the guide lines. Will you swap cars? Just houses? Will you do a simultaneous or non simultaneous swap? Many people on home exchange sites own a 2nd home and use that for their trades. We have done some non simultaneous swaps (when we already knew we'd be out of town), and it works quite nicely to have that IOU hanging out. 

Here's a wishlist of another member I saw today.

Once you decide on terms and dates, you just trade! Live in their house for a few days while they live in yours. Talk about traveling like a local!

Is it safe?
I get this question about a lot of travel related things - Europe, flying, Airbnb, declining car rental insurance, home exchange - and my answer is, yes. It's just as safe as driving to work every morning. There's a level of risk associated with waking up every single morning. Now, I'd also like to add that you have to trust your instincts and make wise decisions. Do you get a weird vibe from someone or do they seem slightly off or something feels to good to be true? Then decline. It pays to "shop" around and find a swap you're comfortable with and excited about. 

What does it cost?
You pay your yearly fee (HomeExchange.com is $75 for your first year, and $125 every year after that!), and then every swap is free. Yes, you read that correctly. FREE. So in theory, if you use it for 1 night a year, you'll make your money back. If you use it for 1 swap, for a long weekend, you've saved yourself a couple hundred dollars minimum depending on where you visited. 

We are doing a one month exchange with a lovely couple who lives in Brooklyn. Yes, a full month! We both work from home, so we'll just be working from *their* home. And let me tell you, it's gorgeous. 

See?! Their home is like something out of a magazine - and HomeExchange.com is full of incredible options just like it! And we definitely would be paying $3,000-5,000 for a month in an option like this at least. So we're really getting our money out of that $75 membership fee!

Now taking all of your favorite NYC suggestions! Have you ever done a home exchange?
xo

Nashville Neighborhood Guide: Germantown

Germantown! If you would have asked me 3 years ago if I knew some good places in Germantown, I would have told you the only time I'd been there was for a cool New Year's Eve party in a random warehouse. Sounds totally legit, right?

In the last couple of years, Germantown has really taken off. From the cool loft apartments, to the walkability of some of the city's hottest new restaurants, it's really become a hot spot. To be honest, I'm writing this post from one of my new favorite coffee shops, which just so happens to be in Germantown. More on that in a minute.

Germantown is just north of Downtown Nashville, but still on the south side of the river (if that makes sense).

There are so many great spots in Germantown, and it's easily accessible from Downtown and many other hot spots (like East Nashville and 12th South area). Let's talk about what to do in Germantown!

RESTAURANTS

5th & Taylor
Less than a year old (at time of publishing), 5th & Taylor was a fun date night this year. The cheese plate is killer and the low lighting makes you feel like you're in New York City. AND there's nothing I love more than a wait staff that can explain a wine list to you to help you pick a good glass of red ;) Reservations accepted (and suggested).

5th & Taylor lobby via 

312 Pizza
Chicago style pizza lovers, this is your place. Very casual, very delicious. Great beers on tap and they also have thin crust pizza! Please note it's not the place to go if you're hungry and ready to eat right now - the deep dish pizza takes about 30 minutes to cook.... so have a late snack before you dine or perhaps choose one of their appetizers.

Rolf & Daughters
Another beloved Nashville restaurant. This join will set you back quite a few bucks, but is quite popular with the locals. Everything is locally sourced and mostly home made. I'd say it's non-traditional Italian, but that may be a bad explanation. It was one of the first restaurants to put Germantown on the map, so check it out.

Butchertown Hall
One of the new kids in town is Butchertown Hall. They are a unique combo of German meets Tex-Mex (think tacos AND bratwurst).... which sounds strange but completely works - even for this vegetarian. They've got great cocktails and an amazing patio in the summer. They don't take reservations but it's a fun place to get a drink and brave the long wait times.

Butchertown Hall photo via

City House
City House is a Nashville classic. There's something on the menu for everyone, has the vibe of a very upscale restaurant, but the prices aren't insane. The decor is welcoming and vibe-y, and you can't meet a Nashvillian that doesn't love it! Make a reservation if you can.

Garden Brunch Cafe
Ok, so this technically isn't in Germantown - but I don't know what other neighborhood to place it in.... and it's right across the street. So we'll just say it counts :) Garden Brunch is this cozy little house with great southern cooking that meets brunch. Definitely try one of their Eggs Benedicts.... you won't regret it.

COFFEE

Barista Parlor
The newest member of the Barista Parlor fleet, this third store is taking over Germantown. BP is known for their moto friendly decor, airy spaces, and delicious pour overs. What's fun about BP is that they get new coffee from different places around the country all the time. You can find Damn Handsome, Counter Culture, Stumptown, and many more. You can ALSO find the ever popular Five Daughters Donuts at all of the Barista Parlor locations. YUM.  

Steadfast Coffee
Steadfast takes the cake on my favorite new coffee shop this year. With their fresh coffee soda and their delicious drip, I love visiting this space. Heck, I'm here right now. They also serve up some of my favorite brunch in town these days and it's quite possible to find me here on a Saturday morning. :) They ALWAYS play great music (Dr Dre, Haim, Jimmy Eat World) which makes for a winner in my book. They also do beer on tap so it's a great place for happy hour. Park on the street for best results, as their parking lot is a bit of a s**t show. :) 

Steadfast Coffee photo via

The Red Bicycle
The Red Bicycle was probably the first place I ever went in Germantown, other than that warehouse NYE party. I got crepes with a friend and they were pretty dang good! They also do fun coffee drinks if you're into your lattes. The Celiacs in the house can enjoy any crepe us carb-i-vores can, because Red Bicycle has a GF crepe option! They also have a new location in Woodbine, but this is definitely the adorable original.

TO DO

Nashville Sounds 

Have you been to the new Nashville Sounds Stadium yet? It's soon nice! The old stadium was fine, but it could have been any 25 year old stadium. The new place has great lawn seats (for $7 most times!), and a really swanky bar area with fun lounge chairs and craft beers. They also had a nice wine selection. You can choose from your typical hot dog & popcorn from concession, or visit the artisan stands with street tacos and sauvignon blanc. Guess where I ordered from.... :) We really enjoyed going last year and can't wait until games start up again. Oh yeah, and they play baseball there. But it's just a fun night out. 

Farmer's Market photo via

Nashville Farmer's Market
Totally revamped in the last year is the Farmer's Market. Nashville has tons of local markets (like our Sevier Park FM, East Nashville FM, and the Franklin FM, just to name a few), but this farmer's market is set up in a dedicated facility and runs year round (the rest are seasonal, usually April-November). This market has all your local farmers, dairy and meat venders, but also has a great indoor market with some great restaurants. Including but not limited to, Jeni's Ice Cream, Sloco, and B&C BBQ. It's fun to wander, pick up a few veggies and a snack. I love the new farmer's market and am so glad they changed it! Last year, it was basically a run down flea market. Now the rule is you have to home make/home grow 80% of your product in order to be a vendor. It's great. Definitely worth checking out!

I'm loving all the new possibilities that Germantown has to offer. I also feel like there's something new every day! I think it's a great place to rent an Airbnb if you're visiting or at least coming by for a drink or meal. 

Have you been to Germantown since it's started booming? What do you think?

xo

PS - Other Nashville neighborhood guides

12th South Neighborhood Guide

Downtown Neighborhood Guide 

Updated January 2016

What Are Your Travel Questions?

So I've been thinking a lot about what kind of content would be helpful and appealing to you, the lovely people reading this. I know everyone is in different phases of life and has different interest! Not to mention different styles, type of places they want to go, and so on.

That being said, I'd love to hear exactly what your question is! Looking for a packing list for a specific trip you're taking? Wondering about one airline vs. another? Searching for the perfect Airbnb or hotel?

I'd LOVE to help you with whatever it is. I love traveling, reading about it, researching it - and I'd love to be a resource for you.

In the comments below or my email, let me know what your question or inquiry is.... I'll let you know and write a post about it! 

Think of me as your own personal radio DJ.

Likewise, if you've recently been on a trip and have some sage wisdom to share with the rest of us - drop me a line! I love having other peoples travel experiences, and I'd love to feature you on the blog.

Thanks for reading my posts, and making my little corner of the internet fun.
xo

PS - I'm definitely not an expert - but I do love learning about new places, and sharing that love with you! So I'll do my best to provide awesome info :)

Copenhagen Recap

Copenhagen! Have you ever been? It's metropolitan, coastal, and very quaint all in one swoop. Not to mention all of the beautiful design!

We visited around Thanksgiving, so everything was in full swing Christmas decor. The cold, sunny days were great for wandering through all these adorable open air markets set up around town. All with cute little Christmas trees, good food, and twinkling lights. 

One thing I'll definitely say about Copenhagen is people seem to be ACTIVE! Everyone bikes or walks, and even still, I saw more gyms and fitness centers in Copenhagen than I ever have in any other European city (and the gyms were full at every hour of the day!) When we saw these random trampolines near Nyhavn, we couldn't resist!

Nyhavn is the main tourist strip, right on the main canal of the city. It has all of the beautiful colorful buildings your dreams are made of, and adorable old school boats lined up in front of them. It was so fun to wander around with a mulled wine and take in the eye candy.

We really enjoyed the canal tour we took, which was very affordable (less than $10 per person). Where cities like Venice rob you BLIND to take a little boat ride, this 1 hour tour took you over to Christiania which is just across the water and by all the major buildings along the water. Make sure you duck when you see a bridge coming... they are super low! And as a friend advised me "by the time they announce 'low bridge' in English, you're toast". Most people in Copenhagen spoke english, but there were a variety of other languages, too! Danish, Swedish, and German seemed to be everywhere, and the boat tours all announced in about 4 languages. I was impressed!

Glogg is the Danish version of mulled wine. Generally, I found Copenhagen to be more expensive than most places we've visited. However, the Glogg always seemed to be pretty cheap. $3-4 for a generous pour. I'm ok with it! We were drinking glogg around the clock to stay warm ;)

We found ourselves in winter wonderland after winter wonderland. The city had so many cute pop ups! It felt so festive. I love how European cities do this so well.

And the street food - OH MY GOSH the street food! It was time for the Christmas markets, so I think we lucked out in the mulled wine and delicious treats department, but the street food in Copenhagen was some of my favorite. I tried Spatzel with sauerkraut and it was DELISH! Matt had some kind of curried sausage something he loved. The food was amazing and my mouth is watering thinking about it now.

We stayed at the Generator Hostel in Copenhagen. It was very affordable (all hotels & Airbnb's were reeeeeeeally steep!) and clean, but it was still a hostel. There may or may not have been a lot of drunken chanting in various languages throughout the night/wee hours of the morning. But all that said, it got the job done. Great location, close to trains, the water, and tourist attractions. It wasn't the best night of sleep i've ever had, but I wouldn't sleep very well spending $300 on a Holiday Inn Express by the airport, either. You feel me?

Tivoli is one of the oldest amusement parks in the world! The idea is Disney-esque, but the pricing is not. You pay to get in, then you pay per ride (more like a carnival). It has old school carnival games (think shooting targets and tossing balls into a jar) and rides, too. Every area was BEAUTIFULLY decorated for Christmas, and it was so festive! There were beer gardens, little booths, and twinkling lights everywhere. 

We ate and drank our way around Tivoli and loved it. It's what I imagine the real North Pole would be like ;)

Like I said, Copenhagen is full of bikes! While I'm pretty terrified by the idea of biking in a city (I've had so many friends in NYC, Chicago and London who have been injured!), Copenhagen was SO easy to navigate! Most major roads have a special bike lane (like, a full lane) between the sidewalk and the street. It's slightly elevated (lower than sidewalk, higher than street) so you know it's a bike lane! The drivers there function with the bikes, rather than against them, so it wasn't difficult at all. I really enjoyed it (other than the cold!)

I mean, come on. You didn't expect this post to have NO photos of windmills - right? :)

Copenhagen, you were a gem. Full of eye candy and great holiday cheer.

Have you ever been to Copenhagen? I'd love to know where you stayed :)
xo