Travel Archives - Page 2 of 21 - The A List

Let’s face it - there’s no shortage of amazing food and restaurants in Bangkok. Researching where to eat can be a bit daunting and overwhelming, considering how massive the city is and how many options there are. Even when doing research for our own trip, I found myself a little exhausted spending so much time finding the best spots for our 3-day visit. There are just too many to choose from! I knew I was determined to fall in love with Thai cuisine, and I most certainly did.

April 28, 2025

Bangkok

5 Restaurants You Must Try In Bangkok

If there was one place that was at the top of my “must visit” list in Bangkok, it was most certainly the Grand Palace along the Chao Phraya River. As someone who enjoys reading about royal history and royal families, it should come to no surprise that the Grand Palace was an absolute requirement for my first visit to Bangkok. Despite visiting Bangkok a few times before, the beau had never set foot inside the Grand Palace either, so this was going to be a new adventure for the both of us. We were both eager to be captivated by the Grand Palace’s notorious beauty.

April 25, 2025

Bangkok

bangkok

A Morning at The Grand Palace

When I think of Bangkok, I think of a vibrant, busy, fast-paced city by the river that thrives under the warm sun and is surrounded by breathtaking architecture. I can taste the cold, refreshing water of fresh young coconut, I can smell the scent of authentic holy basil spilling out onto the streets from the plethora of restaurants, and I can see all the tuk tuks unashamedly waving their way in and out of traffic. Bangkok is large. It is loud. It is full of life. It’s always on the go. And yet, nestled amongst all that chaos is a serene, peaceful oasis along the Chao Phraya River called The Siam.

April 24, 2025

Bangkok

bangkok

Romance and Serenity in Bangkok // The Siam

From vibrant night markets to tranquil temples nestled in the mountains, there's a lot to see in Taipei. Beyond the sites of interest are also a plethora of gastronomic options from Taiwanese cuisine to delicious milk teas. I was excited to try some of Taipei's favorite food spots and even came across some spots that I had not researched beforehand. With our hotel being centrally located, it meant we were able to create a very diverse and lengthy itinerary to see as much as possible in 2 days. Below are the 5 spots you must visit in Taipei.

February 6, 2025

Taiwan

taipei

5 Spots You Must Visit in Taipei

Nestled in the mountains outside the bustling, busy, loud streets of Hong Kong, there lies a beautiful Buddhist monastery just outside the Lo Wai village in Tseun Wan. The Western Monastery is one of those incredible temples that makes your jaw drop and your eyes widen at all the beauty that is in front of you. It's not a historic temple (it was built in the 1970s and expanded in the 1990s), but it's one you should not miss when you are in Hong Kong.

January 25, 2025

Hong Kong

Hong Kong

A Visit to the Western Monastery

This will be my fifth Lunar New Year in Hong Kong. While I will admit that Christmas is my favorite time of year, Lunar New Year is a very, very close second (with Mid Autumn Festival coming in third). You can really feel the energy become more positive and hopeful. After everyone puts their Christmas decorations away by 1 January, everything switches gears for Lunar New Year, which usually takes place in January or February depending on the full moon. Christmas trees are swapped for peonies and orchids, green Christmas garland is swapped for red lanterns, and Santa is swapped for lions, dragons, and snakes (this lunar new year will be Year of the Snake).

January 24, 2025

Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Lunar New Year in Hong Kong

What made our trip more magical for the holidays was the most luxurious hotel in the city - the Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Elegance, luxury, and comfort made this dreamy location the perfect home away from home as we explored Taipei for the holiday season. After a luxurious pick-up from the airport less than an hour away, everything was seamless from start to finish as we indulged in what now might officially be my favorite time of year in Taipei.

January 9, 2025

Taiwan

taipei

Holiday Season in Taipei // Mandarin Oriental Taipei

To start off the Christmas season this year, I was invited by Ritz Carlton Hong Kong and Clé de Peau for a special afternoon celebrating the holidays as well as Clé de Peau's City of Dreamlight collection. I am no stranger to both Ritz Carlton Hong Kong or Clé de Peau, so these two brands coming together for an epic tea collaboration meant for a very easy yes to the invitation.

December 20, 2024

Beauty

Hong Kong

Holiday Afternoon Tea With Ritz Carlton and Clé de Peau

Sometimes when you visit a place more than once, there's a spot or two that you just need to revisit. In Phnom Penh, it's the royal palace and Wat Phnom. Both are rich in history (and myths), and both are beautiful, peaceful monuments in such a busy, bustling, and thriving city. We visited in the early afternoon, during lunch hour, which meant the temple was extremely quiet and not full of tourists.

December 19, 2024

Cambodia

Cambodia

Returning to Wat Phnom

A multitude of colors and unique architecture stand out from the street of the sprawling royal complex before you even set foot inside. As we drove by in our remork, I pointed out to little bean that we were about to visit this grand, royal palace. Although she is still a bit young to understand palaces and royalty, the majestic pagodas and magnificent golden roofs were enough to make her widen her eyes in astonishment.

December 18, 2024

Cambodia

Cambodia

A Morning At The Royal Palace, Phnom Penh

Cambodia is quickly becoming our home away from home. Only a 2 hour flight from Hong Kong, it's very easy for us to visit for a few days or even a week. There's something about Cambodia that really makes us feel like we are at home, and we certainly felt right at home at the iconic Raffles Le Royal hotel in the heart of Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh. I'm very selective about where I choose to stay with little bean, since travel can still be overwhelming for a child at her young age, but just wait to hear why I knew I made the perfect choice in Raffles Le Royal to visit with little bean.

December 17, 2024

Cambodia

phnom penh

Getting The Royal Treatment at Raffles Phnom Penh

It's almost a crime to visit my home state of New Jersey and not visit the shore. During our nearly 2-week trip to New Jersey this summer, we made a point to visit one of the state's most popular shore destinations - Point Pleasant - and Jenkinson's Boardwalk. Neither the beau or little bean have ever visited the Jersey shore, as during our last visit when little bean was just 6 months old we couldn't find a time that worked for us around her 3 daytime naps. But now that she's down to one small nap (or even some days no nap!), we knew we wanted to spend the morning in the sand and dipping our toes in the ocean. And, of course, I needed to get my hands on some funnel cake!

September 5, 2024

New Jersey

New Jersey

Down The Shore at Jenkinson’s Boardwalk