Chasing Joy Travel

09/06/2024

The fourth and final stop on our tour of the Curious Delights of Belgium is the city of BRUGES - featuring the quirkiest food museum you’ll ever see and the picturesque canals of one-of-a-kind town. Visit my Instagram for a sneak peek at the singing Belgian Fries from the Frites Cabaret 😅

Read my latest blog post to find out how the French fry got its name and to discover where to eat while wandering the medieval canals of “the Venice of Northern Europe”!

Visit Bruges with me: https://chasingjoytravel.com/blog/f/are-you-crazy-or-british---visit-the-fritt-kabaret-bruges

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chasingjoytravel

17/01/2024

Some of my first - and favorite - meals in Paris!

There’s always a new culinary delight to discover in the city of light. Head to the link in bio for a comprehensive list of Parisian bistros, brunch spots, cafes and bars, grouped by their proximity to some of the city’s most important sites.

Bon voyage and most importantly, bon appetit!

30/10/2023

What do the world’s most-famous peeing statue, a cabin in the woods, artificial elephants, and an all-you-can-eat-buffet have in common?
…
They’re all in my latest blog post!!! Link in bio for two of the most curious delights of Belgium - Manneken P*s and Chalet Robinson. 🇧🇪🍓

04/10/2023

Brussels! I love the murals scattered across the historic center, and the countless parks and green spaces. The city streets were hung with papier mâché flowers for a celebration this summer. And even the steel Atomium has a rainbow light display inside one of its cupolas. Read my latest blog post about these colorful and curious Belgian delights at https://chasingjoytravel.com/blog/f/move-over-shower-beer-its-time-for-a-beer-bath.

02/10/2023

Move over shower beer: when in Belgium, we don’t just drink beer - we bathe in it!
Check out my latest blog post about the uniquely Belgian experience offered by at https://chasingjoytravel.com/blog/f/move-over-shower-beer-its-time-for-a-beer-bath. This is part two of my series, The Curious Delights of Belgium! I also share one of my favorite culinary experiences in Europe’s capital. But it’s not moules frites or even waffles…

20/09/2023

It’s been a while… but I’m back! This time, with a series of blog posts about Belgium, the Central European country I had the pleasure of living in for 7 weeks this summer. Check out my blog to discover the Curious Delights of Belgium, starting with the One-of-a-Kind Atomium.

https://chasingjoytravel.com/blog/f/the-curious-delights-of-belgium---part-one?blogcategory=Belgium

08/12/2022

Christmas in Vienna 😍
Looking for a guide to this once-in-a-lifetime (unless you’re Austrian, of course!) experience? Look no further. My newest blog post (LIVE, link in bio!) will tell you how to make the most of the season in Vienna, from Christmas markets to cafes and restaurants and even a special concert experience. 🎄🎄🎄I’ll never forget

11/11/2022

More fave shots 😍 from two weeks in — from the mountains of Lake Garda to the Duomo in Florence; the canals of Venice to the crashing waves of Cinque Terre; and the river Adige running through Verona to the Piazza dei Miracoli in P*sa, Italy combines natural wonders with centuries of architectural genius. 🏛 To learn more about three unique experiences from across Italy, visit my blog at the link in bio! 🇮🇹

26/10/2022

Fall colors in Denmark and Sweden 🍂🍁🍃 This video is a few weeks - and three cities - in the making. As a Texan, I haven’t experienced many dramatic fall landscapes before. Autumn in is beautiful 😍 Follow for more content like this from and other parts of !

18/09/2022

"Skål!” (That's "Cheers" in Swedish, pronounced like "Skull!") I've spent a quiet first two weeks in Sweden – working remotely – but when the sun is shining, I make a beeline to explore beautiful Skåne! My home base during this trip to Europe? Helsingborg, a coastal city with fewer than 200,000 locals. Helsingborg is small but mighty – it boasts incredible sunsets, plentiful outdoor spaces, and friendly people from all over Europe. Just an hour away by train is Malmö, the third-largest city in Sweden, home to art museums, cobble-stoned streets, and delicious eats. And then there's Lund, a university town that evokes a storybook village with a fabulous (and free) botanical garden. More recommendations to come from this beautiful country!

08/09/2022

48 hours in Sweden (a little bit in Denmark, too!) 🥹 Follow for more 😘

04/08/2022

🌍A collection of the places I’ve visited since I sold all my furniture, half my clothes, and most of my books, last July. ✈️ It’s been a challenging but hugely gratifying adventure figuring out my new path. Now, if you share my wanderlust, I hope you’ll follow my travel account in the weeks and months to come: I’ll be sharing tips and tricks for making the most of Europe (and occasionally, North America, too!) in your twenties and thirties! (Namely, how to save 💵 when possible and when to splurge on unique experiences.) Up next on my blog? SWEDEN 🇸🇪 AND ITALY 🇮🇹

03/08/2022

(LINK IN BIO) about my amazing experience cooking alongside Chef Miguel at .corazon in beautiful ! If you’ve ever considered taking a or, like me, love traditional Mexican food, check out my review of the Mole & Salsas experience on AirBnb 🇲🇽🧑🏽‍🍳🤩 You’ll get to read all about how to make delicious (and spicy) salsas and a sneak peek at the lengthy process of making traditional 🤤 If you love the sound of this already, DM me for Chef Miguel’s details. 🍴

17/02/2022

It’s live y’all… my latest blog post! 🇫🇷LINK IN BIO🇫🇷 about what it’s like to ski in the Alps? You can read all about my incredible experience in the south of France on my blog. I had lots of fun writing this one - and in case you’re seriously considering a ski vacation abroad, I’ve included tips for where to stay and what to eat while you’re there. You won’t be disappointed by - enjoy! 🎿🏂❄️

09/02/2022

New blog post about my experience skiing in - in the meantime, here are some shots that didn’t make it into the first insta post 🖤🤍🖤

03/02/2022

Oz-en-Oisans and Alpe d'Huez: a skiers dream come true.😍 I'd never skied outside of Colorado before my trip to the famous Alpe d'Huez in southern France, so I had no idea what to expect... and boy, was I in for a treat! Nestled in the mountains just an hour's drive from lovely Grenoble, we stayed in Oz-en-Oisans, a "ski-station" (as the French call it) with 3 or 4 hotels, 2 bars, and a couple of restaurants. This small village is a ski-in/ski-out PARADISE: take just one chairlift and the entire skiable terrain of Alpe d'Huez (over 91 square miles!) awaits you. Make sure to take the gondola to the very top of Pic Blanc for stunning views of the Alps; then ski down La Sarenne, the longest black run in Europe at 16 km or 10 miles (my new French friends call it "the long sausage"); and finally, bask in the sun at L'Hermine while enjoying the most delicious French Onion Soup (...they just call it Onion Soup...) you've ever tasted. Back in Oz-en-Oisans, Hotel Timberlodge offers delicious eats, a spa, and incredible views at even more incredible prices. And the apres-ski scene? Priceless.🍻 I'll be forever grateful for this Alpine adventure of a lifetime. Looking for your next ski or snowboard getaway? Don't sleep on Alpe d'Huez. 💯

04/01/2022

Sunny days and blue skies in Salamanca 😍 Salamanca is an unforgettable Spanish city, known for its students, it’s gastronomy, and it’s Roman ruins. It’s a great place to stop for a day or two on your way from Madrid headed North to Asturias or west, towards Portugal. Ready to discover the best that Spain has to offer? DM me or visit the link in my bio and we’ll get started creating your custom itinerary of a lifetime.

04/01/2022

Cancun, Mexico. Washington, D.C. Gouda, the Netherlands. New York City. Salamanca, Spain. Bordeaux, France. Buena Vista, Colorado. Lisbon, Portugal. Cologne, Germany. And last but certainly not least, my home town of Austin, Texas. 🤘🏼This is just a selection of the places I’m so grateful to have lived in or visited in 2021. I can’t wait to explore again this year and to share all the joy I will discover with you. Thanks for tuning in and sharing the joy with me. 😘❤️☺️

27/12/2021

Madrid. The heart and soul of Spain -- and the first European city to steal my heart and soul almost six years ago. In just one afternoon, take a stroll through Parque Retiro, visit the National Archaeological Museum, delight in tapas and tortilla española near Plaza Mayor, and then, watch the sunset over Templo Debod. There's no better place to get lost among the crooked streets and sumptuous sights of Spain. Ready to discover this amazing metropolis? Let me be your guide.

06/12/2021

08/10/2021

Photos from my first four fabulous days in Paris 🌹

07/10/2021

Paris 😍 New blog post at https://chasingjoytravel.com/blog/f/three-alternatives-to-paris-busiest-tourist-attractions
Of all the cities I visited this summer, Paris struck me as the most livable in Europe - the wide boulevards, expansive metro system, and endless green promenades (not to mention the thousands of patisseries and bistros) make Paris a metropolitan paradise. I fell in love with this city and the entire country of France right away. But despite the fact many Parisians themselves were on vacation in August, the cities landmarks were still flooded with tourists from around the world. If you’ve followed my blog to date, you’ll know that I love to escape the tourist traps and find heretofore unspoiled local retreats. My newest blog post describes three of the incredible escapes that I discovered. Check it out - and let me know if you’ve been to one of more of these delightful hidden gems.

13/09/2021

We had the most fabulous Colorado wedding weekend celebrating and Brett Wilson in Steamboat Springs! After 6 weeks living out of a backpack, it was nice to attend a black bow affair. 😘 Cheers and lots of joy to the bride and groom!

04/09/2021

What could bring more joy than helping your best friend get married?!? So grateful to be in NYC shopping with for her wedding dress! 💍 After six weeks abroad, I can’t think of a better way to come home.

27/08/2021

New blog post! Link here: https://chasingjoytravel.com/blog/f/musings-and-memories-from-the-south-of-france
This one’s more personally revealing than the others: I put it out there as much for myself as for anyone else. If you do read it, I hope you enjoy the funny anecdote about how I ended up practically half-naked in a stalled vehicle on a country road amongst crop fields here in southern France… you know, in between all the personal revelations. 🤪 Tomorrow officially marks 5 weeks since I arrived in Europe, and it’s not a stretch to say it’s been a life changing — and life affirming — journey. Thanks for sharing it with me. 💚🌍💜