It was becoming increasingly apparent to me that the world of destination weddings was set up for the the first time bride. Many resorts that I have visited with clients have several weddings a day. The resorts that promised only had one a day, were in my opinion, often “semi private”.

For me, the most important aspect of my wedding (we had both been married before) was privacy and intimacy. Being older and my second wedding, the wedding ceremony meant a lot to me.  I didn’t want to be distracted or worried about the unofficial guests. Costa Rica was the obvious choice for me. Away from the crowds, on a beach that I loved.

The wedding  was planned for July, but one week before I was to fly to Costa Rica for my birthday in February, my finance suggested we get married that same weekend. Well why not. It would be just the two of us, and our blended family of six kids (yes we are the Brady Bunch) would celebrate with family and friends at our home in Dallas.

I had researched many resorts in Costa Rica, and my need for privacy and the beach led me to El Mangroove Resort. With one week to plan, we decided that a wedding planner was the way to go. With it being just the two of us, the menu was easy to choose, I sent one picture for flowers, one for my hair (El Mangroove has a fabulous spa), asked to pick the location on arrival for our private ceremony and dinner, asked for photographer referrals and chose one, sent passports so the ceremony could be official, and the entire wedding planning was done. No fuss and all by email.

Why Costa Rica? We have visited many times and just love the people, the climate, the beach and did I mention how wonderful the people are. I have always wanted a beach wedding, and there is always a beach in Costa Rica that will be private.

We arrived on a direct flight to Liberia Airport, with the resort being only 30 minutes from the airport. We meet the staff, and told them that we would be off property for a while. We always have to vista Lola’s to watch the sunset. We know we wouldn’t make it back in time to meet the wedding planner, so we asked to reschedule our meeting for the day of the wedding. No stress.

The day of our wedding we decided on a private garden area for the ceremony, and a beachfront dining option with tiki torches and candles for our dinner. Having a few hours before the wedding ceremony, what else do you do but go jet skiing around Papagayo Peninsular. Always working, we had an ocean view hotel tour of The Four Seasons, a new Marriott property under construction, Secrets, Andaz and Exclusive resorts. All beautiful properties on the same bay as El Mangroove (now a Marriott property). All with varying beach types and sunset views.

My apologies to the EL Mangroove spa staff for getting my hair wet. Oophs.

It was time to get ready. Escorted to the spa, I must say I was truly overwhelmed by the gentleness and humility of the staff. They had practiced my make up on each other, and had pictures of my hairstyle requested enlarged for accuracy.

The gentleness and genuiness of the staff was overwhelming. They made me feel so special. My now husband escorted me to the beautiful garden where the ceremony was to take place. A breathtaking chiffon draped wooden structured covered in the flowers stood before us.

Private, personal and intimate. Not a person in site, besides the marriage celebrant and our discrete wedding assistant (who ensured everything went smoothly all day).

El Veto Photography was amazing. The one word all photographers should use is “wow”. Several time this word was whispered, and it made the two of us feel so comfortable. As you can see by the photographs, the images are beautiful and he captured our love so perfectly.

The Costa Rica sunset did not disappoint, as we stood on the beach marveling God’s creation, reflecting on our intimate wedding union, and our future ahead.

Pura Vida.

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With a Luxembourg departure point, I couldn’t resist spending a few nights in Paris before the cruise. But less than 48 hours in Paris…what to do and more importantly – where to eat!

Sweet Dreams

I love the 6^th arrondissement in Paris. It is a quintessential Paris neighborhood, exuding the charms of Paris life. My hotel, Hotel D’aubusson, is located in the heart of St Germaine Des Pres, a distinctively elegant area in Paris. It’s less than a 10-minute walk to the famed Latin Quarter, within blocks of the Pont Neuf and two minutes to the Blvd Saint-Germain. A 15-minute walk will see you gazing at the grandeur of Notre Dame or the entrance of the Louvre, the world’s most famous museum.

Scrumptious Food

A highlight of my trips to Paris is always the food. Upon arrival the first thing I do is always head to a local café or patisserie. In St Germaine your options are numerous, all within walking distance.

Don’t judge me, but breakfast just had to be an espresso with macaroons. Never in your life will you taste macaroons like you do in any Paris patisserie. I recommend either a Caramel au beurre salé (salted caramel) or Framboise (raspberry). And don’t get me started on the croissants and chocolate éclairs – how do they make them so delicious? I love a culture that can sit for three hours over an espresso.

We had sights to see, and wanted to save space for dinner, so for lunch nothing beats a ham and cheese baguette to go– and anywhere you stop they will be delicious!

Choosing a restaurant for dinner is always a delightful culinary adventure. So many choices, but only one night! A consideration that jet lag might set in from a same day arrival, a restaurant close to the hotel was a priority. If you are looking for fabulous food in an upscale location I love Les Bouquinistes, it’s a Guy Savoy restaurant (he’s an amazing multi- starred Michelin chef) and it’s only a 5-minute walk from the hotel. This is perhaps one of the best restaurants I have eaten at. It always ranks in the top 20 restaurants in the world.

For other restaurant tips – If you want a true Michichlan star restaurant experience, you have to try L’Atelier Saint-Germain de Joël Robuchon Restaurant, but be warned, you will need to book early. Also, another restaurant on my list is Le Chateaubriand.

Oh What Sights to See

In St Germaine Des Pres, you will find yourself amidst Paris’ most charming streets, lined with quaint shops, patisseries, bakeries, wine shops and cafés, making the neighborhood an absolute paradise for food lovers, shoppers, and coffee drinkers. One of the best walking neighborhoods in Paris, you’ll discover countless cafés, restaurants, boutiques, art galleries, antique shops, and some of the city’s best small art museums.

One of my other fascinations of Paris is the illumination of all the bridges over the Seine. The illumination of Paris at night is magical and romantic. If you haven’t done it, the City Of Lights Paris Illumination Tour at dusk is well worth your time.

Of course you have to make time for shopping. I recommend you at least pay a visit Paris’s number one department store, Galleries Lafayette. If you can get past the gold gilded balconies and beautiful clothes and apparel, go to the rooftop observation deck and stare over the beautiful city.

If We Had More Time

If you have time visit the Opera, even if you just get a chance to peak in.

I never got to the observation deck on this trip, as it was already time to get the TGE to Luxembourg where my river cruise was about to begin.

Next time ….

Seddy Minnaar
Owner, Lugan Travel Services
Group and Luxury Travel Specialist

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I’ll begin by saying that I decided to blog about my adventures abroad so my friends and family can get a glimpse into how a born n’ raised Texas girl adjusts to the new European lifestyle. My posts will consist of a variety of things, from my new apartment living to restaurant recommendations to the different street styles I see in Europe (and if you know me, you know I love fashion and hope to one day work in the fashion industry). Plus who wouldn’t want to read about/see pictures of the trips I take and the amazing Italian food I have already grown to love?

The purpose of this first post is to give some insight into a few of the things I have already experienced in Florence that are so different from what we are accustomed to at home. For a girl who’s never been to Europe, adjusting to the lifestyle here has been quite interesting. I’m living with five other girls in an apartment in the heart of the city, a five minute walk from the famous Duomo (we got extremely lucky with the location and the size- it’s HUGE). We also conveniently have a grocery store a few doors down from us. You know how we go to Tom Thumb or Kroger at home and buy groceries to last an entire week then load everything in our cars and drive home? Yeah, that’s not a thing here. The norm is to buy what you need to only last a couple days then walk home with groceries in hand. So you can imagine all the looks I got on my first trip to the grocery store when I bought enough food to last me a week. Note to self, don’t ever buy food to last more than three days unless you want the locals to stare at you like you’re crazy.

Moving on – If you know me, you know I smile at just about anyone I see, regardless of where I am. As Buddy the Elf once said, “I love to smile. Smiling’s my favorite!” Well I quickly caught on to the fact that smiling at strangers isn’t a thing either when I realized no one was smiling back at me. At orientation, we were advised to not smile at strangers, for this could give off the impression that you’re interested in them. This is a weird concept for me and will take some getting used to, as I’ve grown up smiling at everyone because it’s a nice gesture and makes people, or at least myself, feel good inside. So for now, I will continue to smile at people when I walk down the street, but will be cautious of who I’m smiling at.

Another luxury we have in the U.S. are dryers. Here, you hang dry your clothes, so you can imagine how creative six girls can get when we all have clothes that need drying. We like to think of this as our way of “decorating” the apartment. For example, a t-shirt drying by the window could be thought of as a curtain – you get the idea.

All of this being said, adjusting to the lifestyle hasn’t been easy, but this is an opportunity I wouldn’t trade for the world. God has blessed me tremendously with amazing parents who have made my dream of studying abroad a reality, and I am so excited to see what all He has in store for me this semester. So come along for the ride and keep up to date with this amazing adventure I am about to embark on.

And don’t forget to follow my Instagram account @KenzInFirenze to see what else I’m up to on a daily basis!

Until next time, Ciao!

McKenzie

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My first week of school has finally come to an end, and something tells I’m going to really enjoy school in Florence. Here, students don’t have school on Fridays (TCU take note), so my roommates and I decided to take a day trip to Milan. With Milan being the fashion capital of the world, there was zero hesitation in my decision to go.

Train tickets in hand, dressed to impress, and eager to shop, we were ready for an adventure.

Sojourn#1 began after a two-hour weather delay. After finally arriving in Milan, and anxious to begin our day, we headed straight for the Metro. For those of you who know of my determination to live and work in New York upon graduation, I took this as an opportunity to learn to navigate the subway on my own. Once we got to the Duomo di Milano, we were in complete awe. We all stopped for a moment to take in all of its beauty. In hindsight, we knew we looked like complete foreigners just standing there gawking at the beautiful building, but we didn’t care. And naturally, my roommates and I had to take a picture in front of the famous Duomo to share its beauty with you.

We spent the day walking all over the city, stopping in both the small boutiques and the world-renowned designer stores, all of which were extraordinary. My favorite part of the day, however, was when we took our daily afternoon chocolate break at Chocolat Italiani (this is a definite must on your list of places to visit in Milan). One of my roommates and I ordered a waffle heated up with dark chocolate and white chocolate gelato on top and dark chocolate drizzle to top it off. Imagine tasting heaven in your mouth – that is what it tasted like.

Sojourn#2 took place Saturday when our TCU abroad program took a day trip to Siena and San Gimignano. My only knowledge of Siena, aside from it being famous for its wine, was that my parents had taken a trip to Siena many years ago, where my dad took pictures of many beautiful doors. He later framed some of these door photos, which now adorn various walls in my parents’ home as an ongoing reminder of this part of the world’s old charm beauty. Still to this day, my mom says that Siena is one of her favorite cities in Italy, so having the opportunity to experience the beautiful city while learning about all of its history was both exciting and rewarding.

On our way back, we stopped at San Gimignano, which was absolutely beautiful with its quaint feel and picture-perfect views. I must also note that in this city lies the gelato shop, Gelateria di Piazza, which is famously known to have the world’s best ice cream. Of course I, being the self-proclaimed dessert connoisseur that I am, had to try it out. Well let me tell you, it was AMAZING! I got a combination of Kinder (vanilla with Nutella) and salted caramel, and this gelato far exceeded my expectations. It’s safe to say Gelateria di Piazza definitely has the best ice cream in the world.

My traveling experiences in this first week abroad were nothing short of incredible. If the rest of our trips are anything like this weekend, we are in for an amazing semester. I am thankful each and every day for this opportunity and I look forward to all the adventures to come.

Thanks for coming on this journey with me… check in for daily insights @KenzInFirenze.

Ciao!
McKenzie

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Welcome back! If you’re reading this right now, then you must have enjoyed reading some of my previous musings about my travels across Europe, so… yay!

Sojourn#3 revolved around my travels to Interlaken, Switzerland. It seemed like the entire TCU study abroad group was in the Bernese Oberland region of the Swiss Alps. I had been told countless times by friends and family that I had to go to the Swiss Alps while I was studying in Italy, so I was anxious to see what all the fuss was about.

Well, let me be the one to tell you, Switzerland is one of the most beautiful, and I mean beautiful, places I have ever experienced. The small quaint town of Interlaken was completely surrounded by mountains, lakes, and breathtaking views (my pictures don’t do it justice).

Friday morning our Euroadventures tour guide led us on a walk through the streets of Interlaken where we later ended up at Lake Brienz. To begin describing the beauty of the vistas and views would be such an injustice to the beautiful landscapes in this region. Many of my friends had activities planned such as skydiving, paragliding, and skiing, but for me, 1) I have a fear of heights and 2) as hard as I try, I will never be a great skier. So, when everyone left for their afternoon endeavors, I spent my time exploring the town and seeing all it had to offer – and by that I mean I spent my afternoon eating fondue and dark chocolate!

I’ve come to the conclusion that fondue is not my thing, but I felt obligated to try it since I was in the motherland of cheese fondue. On the other hand, as you all already know of my obsession with dark chocolate, I was very pleased when I found the chocolate store, Läderach! Läderach had an assortment of chocolates, ranging from dark chocolate to white chocolate to truffles with champagne and even truffles filled with Baileys (cue the jealousy my mom is about to experience).

Later that evening, my friends and I went to an Irish pub called Three Tells. The people were lively, the atmosphere was enticing and even better – the menu was full of AMERICAN food! Living in Italy really makes one appreciate the variety of foods we eat in the states, so you can imagine all the smiling faces when handed a menu full of food we eat back home. If you ever find yourself in Interlaken, be sure to hit up Three Tells – you’ll thank me later.

Waking up to a beautiful Saturday morning and still holding on to my fear of heights, my friend Cornelia and I decided to be spontaneous and paraglide over the Swiss Alps! YES, I said paraglide, and YES I was terrified… but being adventurous seems to be enticed from within you when having opportunities to travel across Europe.

***A little background information – after I decided I was going to be adventurous and run off the edge of a mountain and paraglide down to the ground, I texted my family to let them know. If you know my mother, you know this was a bad idea. SHE FREAKED! Maybe I should have just sent her an after-picture? Kidding, of course. Love ya mom! ***

Okay, so back to paragliding. It was the most surreal experience of my life. The view of the mountains was incredible, and the adrenaline that overcame me while running off the edge of the mountain was indescribable. I felt so free – not a care in the world. Gliding down and around the mountains and getting to soak in all of God’s beauty from a bird’s eye view was spectacular and something I will cherish forever.

Deciding to spend a weekend in Interlaken, Switzerland was definitely one of my better decisions and I’m already looking forward to my next return – whenever that might be. And deciding on a whim to paraglide over the Swiss Alps was an experience of a lifetime. I’ll end this post with one more thing – never let your fears be greater than your desires. Take that leap of faith and be adventurous. The world is your oyster, now go explore!

Ciao,

McKenzie

#LiveLikeKenz

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Sojourn #8 This weekend was a time to slow down a bit and spend it in my spring semester ‘home town’ of Florence, with a day trip to Cinque Terre. Now when I say slow down, that is really referencing my weekend travel excursions to the fabulous cities throughout Europe. On this particular weekend I was signed up to run the 32nd Annual Firenze Half Marathon on Sunday, April 12!

This would also be my first half marathon – needless to say, I was nervous as all get out. I also had not been training like I should have (I was hoping my natural athleticism would kick in and help me out – ha). One of my good friends, Davina – shout out to you Diva D – who is studying abroad in London for the semester, was also visiting that weekend. So as my friends and I were planning out what we wanted to do in Florence, we discovered that Florence was hosting its first ever food truck festival that same weekend – talk about great timing

We set out for STREEAT, the food truck festival Friday evening. It was a beautiful night – Florence is just starting to see spring weather so it was perfect. Upon arrival, we were greeted by music and hungry locals and tourists waiting to try the smorgasbord of food the festival had to offer.

The first food truck we saw was Phil’s American Barbecue – I knew right then and there that would be my choice. But to be fair, we decided to check out the other food trucks at the festival before making our final decision. After making the rounds, we all decided a good ol’ fashioned American BBQ sandwich would be the winner. And let me tell you, it was a winner indeed! Man-oh-man have I missed American food!

Don’t get me wrong, I have loved every minute of the “pizza, pasta, and gelato” diet, but it’s nice to have a little taste of home every now and then. Following the classic pulled pork sandwich, we ended the food-filled night with a common Italian dessert – waffles topped with Nutella. By now, if they aren’t already, I’m sure most of your mouths are watering (if not, I’m slightly concerned).

We were up early Saturday morning because we were spending the day in Cinque Terre. I had been told by many people that if there was one place in Italy I was to travel to, it most definitely needed to be Cinque Terre. And since I love the beach and hiking, I was absolutely determined to go!

Cinque Terre is made up of five small towns, of which you can hike from one to the next. We arrived around noon to the first town, only to discover the designated hiking path to the next town was closed. This could only mean one thing – we were going to create our own hiking trail. Fast forward three hours later, after literally hiking straight up the mountain then straight back down, we made it to the second city. From there, we took the train to the fourth town, Vernazza, where we hung out for the remainder of the day. Vernazza has a small beach with numerous lounging rocks, so I grabbed a Coke and made myself comfortable, soaking up the sun and the amazing view.

Come Sunday morning, I was anxious, excited, and nervous for my first ever half marathon. This was the day I had been waiting for all semester! The race would begin near Santa Croce Square and would continue throughout the entire city of Florence. There were people from all over Italy, other parts of Europe, and even some of us from the United States. Throughout the entire race I continued to repeat in my mind the bible verse from Psalm 46:5 – “For God is within her, she will not fail.” Well, not only did God help me finish that race, but he also helped me finish in under my goal of two hours! I’m excited to say I finished my first half marathon in one hour and 46 minutes, and placed 90th out of 444 people in my division!

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Sojourn#5 was a trip with my TCU study abroad program to Rome. You know, the place where Lizzie McGuire became an international pop star and was swept off her feet by the insanely hot Italian, Paolo? Well… I’ll save you all the angst and tell you now – unfortunately, that did not happen to me (sigh). I did, however, get to see some of the most beautiful historical sites Rome has to offer and I got to experience this exciting city on my 21st birthday. For the rest of my life, the memory of my 21st birthday will always start with ‘Rome’.

*** Side note… Because of the incredible weekend I’d had in Switzerland with everyone from TCU, I had high expectations for Rome. And for the record, my expectations didn’t even compare to the actual experience.

When I think of Rome, two things immediately come to mind – The Mary Kate and Ashley movie, When in Rome, and The Lizzie McGuire Movie (clearly my childhood was very educational). So, as you can imagine, these movies inspired my curiosity to explore everything this city had to offer.

We arrived Friday mid-afternoon to the gorgeous Hotel Navona, which was just steps away from Piazza Navona. After we were settled in, we set out for the walking tours we had planned that day. We visited the Colosseum and the Ruins of Rome, both of which were incredible. I could sit here and try to put into words the beauty of Rome, but that would take me forever, so take in the photos – as they say an image is worth a thousand words.

Saturday morning was all about the Sistine Chapel and Vatican City. Oh, AND MY 21ST BIRTHDAY! That morning, I woke up to streamers hanging all over our room – ‘shout out’ to Lex and Liv… y’all ROCK! I also awoke to dark chocolate on my nightstand, and you know me… dark chocolate makes for one happy ‘Kenz. So my birthday was definitely off to a great start! Now back to the tours – the Sistine Chapel and Vatican City were amazing. Definitely a must if it’s your first time to Rome, or if you simply have a love for art and history.

After the tours, we decided to venture out on our own. Walking along the river and taking in all the liveliness that is Rome, was an experience in itself. We ended our adventure at the Spanish Steps – talk about a picture perfect birthday. We sat on the steps for probably an hour relaxing, talking, and people watching (I love people watching, I could do it all day).

We were set to depart from Rome early afternoon, so Sunday morning we decided to explore on our own. We saw everything, from sites such as the Pantheon to street performers and opera singers belting it out on the streets. Rome is such a lively city – I loved it! Unfortunately, the one thing I really wanted to see while in Rome was under construction – the Trevi Fountain. Even though I didn’t get to physically toss a coin into the fountain and make a wish, spending my birthday weekend in Rome surrounded by such amazing friends was a dream come true. Rome was truly an experience of a lifetime and one I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Stay tuned for more. Next up, a St. Patrick’s Day celebration in none other than Dublin, Ireland!

Until next time…

McKenzie

@KenzInFirenze #LiveLikeKenz

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Some of you must be wondering whether I’m actually in school because of my never-ending travels. Yes, I am in school, but no… school does not hold me back from all my adventures!

Sojourn#4 was a girls’ trip to London for a roommate’s birthday. This was a love affair that began at first sight and continued to grow throughout the weekend!

PSA – I’M IN LOVE I’M IN LOVE AND I DON’T CARE WHO KNOWS IT!

London felt like my ‘home away from home’, aka New York City (okay so that’s my dream home post-graduation, but you get the point). We stayed at the Sanderson Hotel. I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a trendy place to stay! As soon as you walk inside you are greeted by a big lip-shaped couch – talk about adorable right?

Friday we began our day with tea at The Tea Room at Harrods and then spent the remainder of the day exploring this miraculous city, seeing all of the sites that are a ‘must see’ in London – from Big Ben to Buckingham Palace to the London Eye. I was constantly in awe of everything we saw, and I’m still in awe of this great city as I sit capturing my London experience in text.

Friday night we met up with a few of our friends from TCU who are studying abroad in London this semester. I’m not much of a night owl, but the London nightlife was supposedly unlike any other so I figured I’d find out for myself. Let me tell you, my first night out in London far exceeded any expectations I could have possibly had. We arrived at Mason House a little before 11pm, and what happened next was anything but ordinary. As we were standing outside waiting for our friends to arrive, a limo pulled up and media surrounded the entrance of the nightclub. The next thing I knew Kendra Wilkinson was stepping out of the limo with a few friends, James Anderson (linebacker for Dallas Cowboys) being one of them. It just so happened that we found ourselves at one of the many fashion parties for London Fashion Week. With my love for fashion I could not contain my excitement!

What are the odds that the one weekend we decide to visit London also happens to be the start of LFW15?

I. GOT. SO. LUCKY. 

We talked, laughed, and joked with Kendra Wilkinson for a good half hour…I’m still letting that sink in.

Saturday we spent the majority of our day strolling through the streets of London, and of course, shopping. With London having the original Topshop, it was an absolute must on my list of places to go during my stay. The shopping in London definitely did not disappoint, and I’m already looking forward to my return – which will be in the near future.

Sunday in London is like no Sundays anywhere in the world. Now, everyone knows the unspoken rule that when you travel to London, you have to go to The Breakfast Club.

So of course, Sunday morning, we got up early, packed up our bags, and headed straight for the infamous breakfast spot. Keep in mind that a big breakfast feast is really not a ‘thing’ in Florence – sure a pastry and coffee will do the trick, but it’s hard to find a place where the staff does not look at you funny when you ask if they serve eggs. Being able to eat a big breakfast was very satisfying, and getting to eat it at The Breakfast Club made the experience that much better.

My weekend in London was unlike any other weekend I’ve experienced so far. From the ‘must-see’ tourist sites to the lively nightlife to the charming British accents, this city left an impression to last a lifetime. I will cherish my weekend spent in London forever, and I am already anxiously awaiting the next chapter of this ‘London love’ affair!

Follow @KenzInFirenze for daily updates on what I’m up to while in Europe! And until next time…

Ciao!

McKenzie

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