travel

Ibiza.

Posted on by lisadnovak

June 2024

Thoughts 

Ibiza. Just say yes. Especially if it’s someone’s birthday and someone else is planning the most fantastic holiday of all time. My friend of 25 years turned 50 – how have I known anyone for half their life? – and her husband organized a friends’ trip of a lifetime. He thought of every detail and I thought of my next cocktail. To that end, all credit for every recommendation here is to him. But it was enough to make me fall in love with Ibiza even though I was always a little afraid of my idea of it. There is something for everyone here, not just Mike Posner.  

Stay 

  • Rental. We stayed in the hills surrounded by olive trees and bouganvilla. The place was otherworldly. All credit to our host for the spoiling of us. But in a more reality-based next time, having seen the main Ibiza town, I think staying slightly outside the fray would be our move.  

Eat

  • Chiringuito Cala Xuclar. Best lunch I have had in Spain since moving here 9 months ago. The freshest fish, the most delicious starters & the coldest rose, all with sandy feet and swimsuits. 
  • PaloSanto Ibiza. Second favorite meal in Ibiza. Spanish riff on Mexican with all the tequila cocktails to enforce the theme. I get that octopus is polarizing but I have never had  
  • Es Moli de Sal / Formentera. We pulled up on a boat and ate lunch. That could essentially end the description, that’s how lovely it was. Get the lobster salad, I didn’t and I still regret it.  
  • Experimental Beach. Am I in the Hamptons or Ibiza? I don’t care, the people-watching and sunset-seeing are marvelous. Good food too. 
  • Sunset Ashram. “Best sunset in Ibiza”? Not sure but cool bar to grab a drink to watch the people watching the disappearing sun (and clapping).

Play 

  • Beach, boats, pool. Pretty much the formula of the week. There are so many beaches and coves and places to explore. The main highlight tho was renting a boat to and exploring the beaches of Formentera from the water. Head over there and pull up for lunch at one of the seaside restaurants.  
  • Sunsets. Second to beach, boats, pool, but equally as important and even more stunning. Sunsets in Ibiza are a thing. The last one we saw was accompanied by clapping. 
  • Las Dalias de Ibiza. Aka: Hippy Market. What is this place? It is definitely a place. Think artisan market – meets pop up bars – meets outdoor dance club.You can buy all the Boho fringe you want followed by a bit of EDM.  
  • Hiking. We did only a smidge near our place but the opportunities look infinite. Next time…

London.

Posted on by lisadnovak

March 2024

Thoughts.

There is so much about London to love, and no shortage of people to tell you where to fall in. It had been years since I’d properly visited, but my girlfriend was there for work, so I went too. It was so much more beautiful – and more green! – then I remembered. All I really did was eat, drink and stroll past all of the parks and charming shops / pubs / cottages with three amazing women I know from totally different stages of life. 

Stay.

Eat 

  • DUCKSOUP. Natural wines, cozy space and good people watching. 
  • Bubala. Middle Eastern vegetarian vibe in Soho. Super creative, delicious food.
  • Blandford Comptoir. Sweet spot in Marylebone, especially if it follows the required pub visit with an old friend. 
  • The River Cafe. Liz, you have made this restaurant iconic to me. What a fabulous place, even if you show up to the wrong River Cafe at first. 
  • Gail’s Bakery. Scones. I really love scones and these were fantastic.

Play.

  • Borough Market. This market is so much fun to walk through and sample all the bites. We walked there just to burn off the morning scones so we could try it all. 
  • Stroll. Sit in Parks. Repeat. It was full on spring when I arrived. Everything was blossoming and I even saw the sun! This was the very best part of my visit. 

The Dolomites.  

Posted on by lisadnovak

December 2023

Thoughts. 

We entered this trip knowing very little about skiing in the Dolomites. Skiing in this part of Italy is such a different scene – super fabulous (more fur than I’ve seen in a lifetime in Cortina alone), super laid back (no one else was on the slopes until what seemed like midday?) and super delicious food you wouldn’t expect (with a heavy German influence). We first spent a few days in Alta Badia at the NaturHotel which was wonderful. It was situated right near the lifts, served delicious food and the staff truly took care of us. 

After we moved to Cortina and I was less enamored. It’s the site of the Winter Olympics in 2026 for the second time– the first being 1956. Part of it was the lack of snow, and part of it was that it was Christmas / New Year’s with little value to be found. The people watching made up for the disastrous hotel at least. But I’d say if you have a chance to ski in Europe, we’ve enjoyed ourselves far more in Austria and France.   

Stay.

  • Miraval NaturHotel / Alta Badia.
  • Hotel Mirage / Cortina. I am only writing about this place because it was terrible. Please do not be fooled by the number of stars! 

Eat. 

  • Rufugio Lagazuoi / Alta Badia. Any restaurant you need to take a cable car to is a good restaurant to me. The views from the top of Lagazuoi were incredible   and we had the chance to hike around to peer into WWI hideouts. 
  • Il Vizietto di Cortina / Cortina. Cozy date night spot with good pasta chased by complimentary grappa.  
  • Ristorante Pizzeria 5 Torri / Cortina. decent pizza
  • Il Ponte / Cortina. Decent pizza and worth mentioning because Milo’s pizza had fries on top. 
  • Baita Fraina Enoteca / Cortina. We finally experienced “the scene” in Cortina. And it’s definitely a scene inside and outside. Despite the snow and freezing temperatures, there was a throng of people outside drinking vino…  
  • Bar Caffe Sport / Cortina. This place was more relaxed than Baita Fraina but equally as jam packed inside and out. 

Play. 

  • Dolomiti Superski Pass. Highly recommend this pass thanks to its versatility and relative affordability (for skiing).  You have access to an entire series of mountain chains that seems to go on forward. And on that note…
  • Sellaronda. I still can’t believe we did it. Or rather, that I – as the current worst skier in the family – made it. The Sella is a famous 40km+ ski circuit in South Tyrol where you circle the Sella group in one day. It was a bluebird day with the kind of winter adventure I had no idea my kids were ready for. Highly recommend.

Granada, Cordoba, Seville.

Posted on by lisadnovak

December 2023

Thoughts.

Northern and Southern Spain are completely different worlds. Living in Barcelona now I appreciate that even more than I did when Claudia and I made our virgin voyage alllll the way back in 1999 to Seville. Or maybe I just appreciate that I could afford more than just cheap beer and pan de tomate this time around (although both staples are still greatly appreciated). 

It was a B- trip for us. Not so much about the sites as about the situation. The kids have off in December for Dia de la Constitució (Spanish Constitution Day) and La Immaculada Concepció. This is a unique to Spain holiday combo which means every Spaniard is off and every Spaniard is looking for the warmest place to celebrate. Knowing none of this we found ourselves in the midst of a fray everywhere we went.

We flew to Granada, drove to Cordoba and Seville and then flew out 5 days later. Some of the best parts of the trip were road tripping through gorgeous grape and orange tree fields and watching the storks construct enormous nests atop every utility pole– all to the Adam Sandler Hanukkah soundtrack on repeat. Some of the worst parts were all.of.the.people. Which made it harder to enjoy the rich history and beautiful offerings of this part of the world. That said, I’d go back, especially to Granada. It was lush and green with movie-set worthy rolling hills. Just not on a holiday weekend!

Stay.

  • Nowhere noteworthy. Lots of Airbnb options tho.

Eat.

  • Bodegas Castaneda / Granada. Dinner at *great* tapas spot. My favorite in Spain! Be sure to walk around the corner to find the tapas bar (vs. restaurant) as it’s much more chaotic, lively and authentic.
  • Restaurante Jardines Alberto / Granada. Beautiful restaurant with multiple terraces directly across from the Alhambra. We had lunch here but I’m sure the sunsets are beautiful later in the day. 
  • ConTenedor / Seville: Date night with David. It had a different twist on Spanish food, which is a welcome departure after my fall croqueta binge.
  • Cookie Love Love / Seville: DELISH!!!! Cookies made by a nice Texan girl.
  • Las Teresas / Seville. Lovely and authentic lunch spot in Jewish Quarter
  • Bar Catedral Seville / Seville. Themed with bulls. Lively, fun, good.

Play.

  • Alhambra / Granada. We toured with a fabulous tour guide Veronica at Alhambra Guide. Tickets were *incredibly* difficult to book and $$, although it was a holiday weekend in Spain so maybe that’s why? Still, several operators would change the tour times last minute which made it hard to plan around. But! Very worth it even though the kids were moaning about a 3 hour tour (I don’t totally blame them ;). One of my favorite sites in Spain.  
  • Cordoba Mosque / Cordoba. Truly stunning and fascinating historic site coupled by an equally stunningly bad tour. Stay far away from OWAY Tours.
  • Real Alcazar / Seville. Beautiful. We did an audio guide tour and it was decent. There was even a kids orchestra performing in the main square. Couldn’t get into Cathedral de Seville and were disappointed because we wanted to see Columbus’ Tomb.
  • Checkpoint Arcade Bar / Seville. Fun spot for a cocktail and board games. I just may have made a guest appearance in their Instagram story that night. 
  • Hercules Placa / Seville. Fun vibe, lively with a Christmas Market and cafes, just not so fun to be sleeping above it.