Travel Archives - A Side of Sweet

Things to Do in Reykjavik, Iceland

Everything you need to know before visiting Reykjavik, Iceland! A comprehensive restaurant guide, hotel recommendations and even day trips to do from the city!Reykjavik is such an interesting place. Despite being relatively isolated from the rest of the world, it has a surprisingly trendy vibe. Its residents haven’t let the extremes in daylight and darkness, or weather for that matter, cramp their enjoyment of life. There are great bars, amazing restaurants, cute boutiques and an overall feeling of nationalism.

Reykjavik is also a bit of a mystery – unless you’ve visited for yourself, chances are you don’t know much about it. It isn’t a darling of the cinema like Paris or Rome. You really have to see it for yourself to get what it’s all about! It’s a sea town with a proud viking heritage.

Reykjavik also feels extremely safe. There are no guns and they have no military presence. Crime is almost nonexistent. It’s small and safe enough to feel very walkable and pretty enough that you’ll want to walk everywhere.

Read on for my Reykjavik, Iceland travel guide!… Read More »

Guide to the South Coast Iceland

The South Coast Iceland has EVERYTHING! Your guide to waterfalls, hot springs, glaciers, and everything else you need to do on your trip.

The south coast of Iceland is where it’s at. Other than The Golden Circle, it’s the most popular region for tourists to visit in Iceland outside of Reykjavík. The South coast has everything – massive waterfalls, lava fields, glaciers, charming houses, hot springs and more. Luckily for you, I’m going to tell you everything you need to know to get the max out of your trip!… Read More »

Guide to Iceland’s Blue Lagoon

Everything you need to know before visiting the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. Read on for Hours, Best Times to Visit, Rates, Tickets, Reviews & More.

When you think of Iceland, an image of the Blue Lagoon may be one of the first things that comes to mind. The blue thermal waters with steam rising off are practically iconic. Even better, it’s not a Photoshop trick! The water really looks that milky blue in real life. The water isn’t actually blue though, it’s a milky white due to the silica and other minerals in the water. The sunlight reflecting off the silica-rich water is also why it appears to be blue.

What many people don’t realize is … Read More »

6 Things You Must Do :: Golden Circle Iceland

Everything you need to know for a trip to the Golden Circle in Iceland. Of course you’ll visit Geysir and Gullfoss waterfall, but I’m also sharing a few lesser-known spots that you must check out!

Very few trips to Iceland are complete without a visit to the Golden Circle. It’s easily accessible from Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, and the entire trip can be completed in a day. Unlike many things that are easy to get to and also very popular, the Golden Circle is absolutely worth the visit. No matter how crowd-phobic you are, you must see it, at least once. Geysir and Gullfoss Waterfall are true wonders of nature. Thankfully, there are also a couple of places that will make your belly happy too.

Read on for the scoop….… Read More »

Homemade Vegetarian Ramen Bowls with Tofu

A recipe to fuel my Japanese obsession – homemade vegetarian ramen bowls filled with tofu, mushrooms, bok choy and miso! Easy to make and gluten free.
As I’m sure you can tell from the series of posts from my trip to Japan, I’m absolutely enamored with Japanese culture. Everything from the style to food to people – it’s so different from any place I’ve ever visited. Ramen is. I ate it every day while I was in Tokyo (you can read all about it in my Tokyo Food Guide). It’s my ultimate comfort food and something I crave when I’ve gone too long without it…. Read More »

Hog Island Oyster Company + Languedoc Day

Everything you need to know about oysters including how to choose a great one, how to shuck oysters and what wines to pair with them, just in time for #LanguedocDay on May 26th!

Hog Island Oyster Company produces the best oysters I’ve ever had. No question. They’ve been in Marshall, California for 34 years and have developed a process that produces consistent, flavorful oysters.

Luckily, Hog Island is just a 90 minute drive north of San Francisco, near Point Reyes National Seashore. It’s the perfect place to escape from the city for the day. I couldn’t imagine a more picturesque setting to learn about the Languedoc Wine Region in the south of France, just in time for #LanguedocDay on May 26th!

Read on to learn:

What Characteristics Make the Perfect Oyster
What Wines to Pair with Oysters
How to Shuck an Oyster
Best Way to Eat an Oyster
How Oysters are Farmed

Rustic Strawberry Galette + San Francisco CSA

Strawberries are the centerpiece of this simple but delicious rustic strawberry galette. Galettes are deceivingly simple to make and are the perfect brunch or dessert recipe.

During one of my rare weekends off in May, Pat and I had the chance to pay another visit the farm where our CSA (community supported agriculture, or farm shares) comes from. You might remember the last time we visited Eatwell Farm – to attend one of their famous tomato sauce canning parties!

Our visit coincided with one of Eatwell’s Strawberry Days. Strawberry days celebrate the start of strawberry season (yesssss!) and visitors to the farm get access to the strawberry fields for the day to pick as many berries as their stomachs can hold. There were also homemade picnic lunches, so we spread our blanket at the edge of the orchard and enjoyed the (almost) summer sun…. Read More »

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