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We’re Not In Kansas Anymore…

THE LONG WEEKEND GUIDE TO KANSAS CITY, MO & KS

My friend Allison and I both have a shared goal of making it to all 50 states.  We take a girl’s trip every year together and this year we thought we were genius when we picked Kansas City and could knock two states from our list for the price of one.  Kansas City has a great happy hour scene, good food and some quirky activities to enjoy.

Don’t Miss

HOTEL INDIGO – Our hotel in the Power & Lights District was in the perfect location and was gorgeous. It had the perfect mid-century modern feel to it and had nice details and touches everywhere you looked.  They offered complimentary coffee in the lobby by Messenger a local KC coffee shop.

MADE IN KC – Cafe and Shop  – Cute store with several locations around Kansas City. They had their Made in KC Café location around the corner from our hotel.  I got a great flat white and their pumpkin cinnamon roll was yummy too! They love to pair up with local artists, bakeries, and gifts and feature them in their store.

CONVIVIAL – Pottery Studio – I found them on Instagram prior to heading to Kansas City.  They make the most beautiful modern pottery.  As someone that took some pottery classes (and wasn’t that great at it), I am super impressed with people that can make such beautiful artistic pieces. They have tours of their facility, but unfortunately one wasn’t happening the weekend that we were there. They sell some of their pieces at MADE IN KC, so I was lucky to snag a piece to bring home with me. 

BANKSIA – Australian Bakery and Cafe – Adorable atmosphere with big wooden shutters inside and a French country, cafe flair. It was casual, yet still polished.  For breakfast, the corn zucchini cilantro fritters were fried to perfection topped with refried beans, a perfectly ripe avocado, and a fried egg that ran all of my plate. It was accompanied by a slice of bacon and roasted tomatoes that popped in my mouth.  They made a delicious flat white as well.

IL LAZARRONE – Pizza Restaurant – They have a wood-fire oven that was shipped in from Naples, Italy to make these 11’’ personal size pizzas.  Since the oven is 800 degrees, it only takes 60-90 seconds to cook. One of the best drinks that I had in KC was the Dracanea which was made of Old Overholt rye, Maurin Quina, pineapple and walnut bitters,and a spicy citrus simple syrup.  It was the perfect balance of smoky, spicy, nutty, and fruity and all of their drinks during happy hour are 20% off, so you have your pick of whatever you want to drink.  Their Happy Hour is Monday-Friday from 3-6pm.  During Happy Hour they have 2 pizzas that are $6 each– the Margarita and the Marinara which only has San Marzano tomatoes,oregano, basil, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt but was really well seasoned.  I can’t believe that I am going to say it, but I liked the Marinara pizza better than the Margarita and it doesn’t have any cheese on it!  I know, I couldn’t believe it, either!

JULEP – Cocktail Bar – My favorite happy hour spot in KC.  They have happy hour Monday – Friday from 3-6pm they have $6 Old Fashioneds, Sazaracs, Manhattans, and Whiskey Sours.  I love a good library ladder especially when the climb up is to get some good bourbons and whiskeys and boy did they have a selection.

As for food, we got the BBQ potato chips which were smoky and almost tasted like they had a hint of curry powder on them which paired perfectly with our bourbon cocktails. The cheese board included pickled cherry tomatoes, onions, pickles, fresh bread, salami, pepperoni, & bologna. On the cheese front there was a super soft chèvre and a sharp yellow cheddar.  Yum!

GRINDERS – Lunch – Eclectic dive bar feel with a delicious Philly cheesesteak with provolone sauteed onions and green peppers. They are even served on fresh Amoroso rolls. I mean… I know my cheese steaks (as a Philly girl). Crinkle fries cooked to perfection with Cajun spices and the tater tots had the perfect amount of crunch!

TROLLEY TOUR – This hour and a half long trolley tour starting from Union Station was a great way for us to get the lay of the land on our first day of the trip. Make sure you stop in to look around Union Station since it is stunning.  We were able to get some great tips of other activities to do while we were in KC. We learned that the art museums were all free and that Hallmark was founded in KC.  Can you believe it?  All of my love for Hallmark movies and I didn’t realize their headquarters were right around the corner from me! **BONUS – We found out that the cable car is free all around the city (we took it and it’s super easy).  

OUR DAILY NADA – Restaurant/Bar/Booktore – This place was adorable – part bookstore part bar/restaurant. They have 4 drinks on their happy hour section for $7.  I got the Velvet Nights which was a well-balanced cocktail that had Ford’s Gin, Honey, and Ginger Beer.  Allison got the Huckleberry, made with Reiger’s Whiskey, lemon, and fresh muddled blackberries. Allison is more of a lover of whiskey than fruit, it wasn’t her favorite, but I always love a good blackberry whiskey combo.

THE TOY & MINIATURE MUSEUM – Museum – This is the best $5 you will spend in KC.  The entire first floor is filled with mini furniture, rooms, etc. Many of the miniatures were made in the past 20 years by artists recreating famous pieces of furniture and art in super miniature scales, it is very fascinating.  The second floor holds all kids toys from the 1880’s on.  It was fun to see all of the toys that my parents and I played with over the years. 

THE NELSON-ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART – Museum – Gorgeous (free!) museum with a good mix of impressionist pieces (my favorite) along with modern art.  I love the juxtaposition of the shuttlecocks outside of the old museum set back along the great lawn. 

If you are in the neighborhood…

GRAM & DUN – Restaurant – Breakfast at this place starts at 9:30 am and it’s no surprise that we were the first ones there.  This is a cozy little spot that has table side cocktail service and yummy skillet breakfasts.  I had the short rib and potato  hash and Allison had the hash brown skillet.   Next time I would like to hit up this place for happy hour, they had a beautiful outdoor seating area with a fire pit.  There is a ton of great shopping around here, so make sure you save a little bit of time to window shop around this neighborhood.  

THE FARMHOUSE – Restaurant – Cheese curds were a must, they were basically the most perfect mozzarella stick you could ever eat… perfectly gooey on the inside with the perfect amount of crisp and crunch on the outside.  I ordered the happy hour drink wasn’t the most balanced, so I would skip the cocktails and grab a glass of wine or beer next time to drink with more cheese curds.

CHAR BAR – Bar –  A casual bar that would be a great place to hang out with a big group of friends.  They have a nice big outdoor section as well.  I had the KC Bier Co. Hefeweizen which was enjoyable. Lots of beers on tap and an extensive bottle list as well, they have lots of snack options during their happy hour from 3-6pm on weekdays. We had the deviled eggs with charred lobster and pea shoots for $5 (4 eggs per order).

BEER KITCHEN – Bar– Good if you’re looking for duh, beer! I had the Rise & Pine Dark Ale from Uinta Brewing Co. based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. It was dark, piney and very seasonally appropriate.  Allison got a Manhattan here that tasted more like pine, but they were super nice about switching it out for a glass of vino instead. 

TAVERNONNA – Restaurant – Allison and I shared the Nonna’s meatballs that came with 2 brisket meatballs both the size of tennis balls in a rich, thick red pomodoro and a lemon ricotta. This was one of the highlights, along with our waiter, Dylan, who was hysterical. Inside the Hotel Phillips.

P.S. – Bar – Beautiful speakeasy underneath the Hotel Phillips.  In order to get to the speakeasy, you need to go to the reception desk and they will lead you downstairs.  The bar itself is everything that you want a speakeasy to be.  Dimly list, dark wood paneling and dark green velvet booths.  We sat at the bar and had our carefully curated drinks. I’m not sure if it’s because we were expecting live jazz music or if it was because it was our last stop of the night, but I was a little underwhelmed. 

STROUDS – Lunch – This place is like stepping back in time with the wooden paneling on the walls and the red and white checked table cloths.  Allison and I shared the fried chicken lunch along with bowls of mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, cinnamon buns and a salad covered in homemade ranch dressing (I was in heaven). This was one of our stops on our “Best Thing I Ever Ate tour”, I wouldn’t necessarily give it that title, but we were glad we tried it.   Thank goodness we shared because it looked more like a Thanksgiving dinner spread than a lunch for one.  We had the sweetest waitress named Elaine that really made us feel welcome. 

JOE’S KANSAS CITY BAR-B-CUE – This is the famous BBQ spot that is in the gas station.  We had to wait about 45 minutes to an hour to get our food, but it was ok because we still had bellies full of fried chicken. I was impressed at how friendly and efficient they were when you finally got to the front of the line to order your food.  We shared the ribs, brisket, and the coleslaw.  It was tasty, but I’m not sure if would have wanted to wait in line for an hour if I was super hungry. 

EXTRA VIRGIN – Restaurant – We came here because it was on the “Best Thing I Ever Ate” for their Duck Tongue Tacos with slaw and queso fresco.  It was good, but honestly, I was hoping that it would be more flavorful. I enjoyed the Persimmon and Garfunkel cocktail (great name) which was a persimmon, sage spritzer that was light, and bright, but is still seasonally appropriate for late fall.  We also had the charred Brussels sprouts with feta, lemon, and bacon and a Greek salad dressed to perfection. 
We ended our meal with the ahi tuna ceviche with rice cracker and Calabrian chili.  It was good, but the chili on this really took over the dish.

SoT – Bar – Adorable cocktail bar with carefully curated drinks.  Trendy decor and cozy seating areas make for a comfortable environment to sip away and catch up with old friends or a spot to make new ones.  

THE BELFRY – Restaurant – Small cozy bar/dinner spot.  We had the cauliflower with a miso-walnut sauce, hot nachos, and I guess it was finally time for some greens.  

WORLD WAR I MUSEUM – There were so many interesting things about this museum, but there was a lot of ground to cover.  The museum was big and where were so many little signs to read that I feel like I missed some of the bigger picture.  I wished that there were a few more videos that would have given more of a refresher as to what WWI was all about.  

Don’t bother…

GATES BBQ – We had heard a lot about Gates both from the “Best Thing I Ever Ate” fame and while around town.  To be fair, we only had the item suggested on the BTIEA, the Burnt Ends on a Bun. But overall it wasn’t my kind of sandwich.  It was very saucy and filled with little chunks of fat and gristle.  Inside, the atmosphere was very dark and dated, many locals and tourists alike  seem to really love this place, but it just wasn’t for me.  

THE KANSAS CITY AIRPORT – Unfortunately, you have no choice but to hit this spot unless you are diving into Kansas City.  However, this was a source of some travel frustration for us…. they didn’t have TSA pre-check and we didn’t realize that the only thing past security was our gate. Leaving us unable to get a coffee prior to boarding our 7am flight (watch out world).  Even our Starbucks sandwich got a TSA patdown. If you’re thinking about coming to Kansas City consider yourself warned. : )

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Iceland: Blue Lagoon & Golden Circle

FIRST, THE BASICS

How long did we go for? Matt and I are big on making sure we utilize a long weekend.  People can really underestimate the power of a long weekend!  We left on the Wednesday night before Labor Day weekend (and so arrived on Thursday morning) and we left on Tuesday morning post-Labor Day.

Could we have stayed longer? Definitely!  Iceland has so many landscapes–geysers. volcanos, waterfalls–and we were right outside of Reykjavik. And on top of all that this is just a very small part of the country. Unless you are *very* outdoorsy, more than a week might be a lot, but with five to seven days you will definitely not get bored. 

What’s the weather like? Cold, windy, rainy. Definitely rainy.  One second the sun was out and the next it was pouring.  Definitely pack a raincoat and boots.  Even though it was the end of August winter gloves and hats came in handy.  

Language? Icelandic and English – Since there are only 350,000 people in the world that speak Icelandic, everyone is required to learn English in school.  So, you are in luck, everyone speaks English, which in this case is good because even though we always try to speak the language when traveling, Iceland even telling people which sites we traveled to, we were nowhere close to pronouncing anything correctly.  

Currency? The Icelandic currency is called the krona. The krona trumps the good ‘ol dollar these days, so just be conscious of what you’re buying especially while shopping.    Most places take credit card and lucky for us most even took AMEX (woohoo!).

Car Rental? we rented a car from Blue Car Rental at the airport. We waited for the shuttle to take us there, but it’s really a stones throw away. We got opted to get the Wi-Fi for the car for an additional $14/day which I think was well worth it.

THE SCOOP ON THE BLUE LAGOON!

Make sure to book it in advance since they can’t guarantee you a spot without advanced booking. We booked the comfort package which includes a towel, a face mask, and drink. They had lots of drink options from prosecco to beer and smoothies -fruit juices. We got ginger mango smoothies, which were delicious.  The premium package also includes a robe, which we would have sprung for had it been any colder (it’s an extra $20/person).

Our flight was delayed 4 hours getting out of JFK due to some mechanical problems, so I was  in panic mode about missing the Blue Lagoon. When you book your ticket, they give you an hour window to get checked in.  We were scheduled for the Blue Lagoon at 10 am and we didn’t arrive until noon. Luckily they were able to squeeze us in. Whew!

Biggest tip for the Blue Lagoon? – conditioner is your best friend! They have free conditioner so don’t be afraid to use it! Lather your hair before and after the lagoon and try to avoid getting your hair wet at all costs unless you like the scarecrow look!

Where can I store my luggage?   – we drove directly to the blue lagoon from the airport, however they do have buses that will bring you from the airport to the blue lagoon and they have a luggage storage center right up front.

Where can I put my stuff while I swim?– the blue lagoon does a great job of providing locks that are connected to wristbands you can wear in the water. You can go back there as many times as you need to get things out of your locker worry free.

IPhones in the water? lots of people had water free cases or pouches and had their phones in the water. I was afraid my phone would get messed up, so I made Matt run through the cold to his locker to get a few water shots.

Cafe Bryggjan (Lunch) After the Blue Lagoon, we were hungry and a little jet lagged and drove about 10 minutes to Cafe Bryggjan for their famous soup.  In Iceland, especially out in the countryside they are big on refillable soup bowls and bread that you serve yourself.  We both got the lobster soup, which was creamy, peppery, and delicious and served with fresh bread.  It was delicious, but in retrospect, since it was refillable, maybe only one of us had to get it and we could have shared a grilled cheese too.  FYI… in Iceland, what they call lobster are what we in the US would call langoustine (basically big shrimp).  Still delicious though.

Lobster soup at Cafe Bryggjan

Btw, can I drink the water? Umm, not the blue lagoon water, no. But everywhere else in Iceland they have the purest water on earth, so you definitely don’t need to buy bottled water.  At almost all of the restaurants we went to they had large glass bottles of water and glasses, so you didn’t need to worry about being thirsty. 

Ok, but did someone lay a rotten egg? Yeah…that’s one thing no one told me about visiting Iceland; it can be a real stinker. Their sulfur levels are a lot higher than in other places and well the water and the air can sometimes be stinky.  At least you don’t have to worry about what happens if your stomach doesn’t like something you ate!

THEN, THE GOLDEN CIRCLE

Frost & Fire Hotel, Hveragerdi – As a home base for the Golden Circle, we stayed in this hotel which overlooked hot springs and the river.  It was lovely hearing the water run by us as we were laying in bed at night.  The hotel offered a complimentary Icelandic-style continental breakfast that included smoked fish, veggies and the bread they make on site.  They also offered skyr, Icelandic yogurt and flat Icelandic waffles you could make yourself.  Every day they make their own rye bread in a hot spring in the ground.  

Geysir – Golden Circle stop #1 for us. Although it’s pretty touristy, it’s still pretty cool! It’s pretty amazing to see what nature can do.  It starts off just looking like a pool of water and then kaboom, the water shoots 150 feet in the air, only a few feet away from you.  Plus it’s free and we didn’t even have to pay for parking at this stop.  

Thingvellir National Park – Golden Circle stop #2 is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  This is a gorgeous park that really shows off all that Iceland has to offer in one spot. There are plenty of hiking trails, waterfalls, it overlooks a picturesque church and cottages.  

Gullfoss – We actually skipped Golden Circle stop #3 because it’s a good distance farther than the other two and frankly it’s just a big waterfall. Having already seen a few of those (Seljalandsfoss, Oxarafoss) we figured we wouldn’t die if we didn’t get to see it.

Restaurant Varma (Dinner) Is the restaurant at the Frost & Fire hotel.  We enjoyed their tasting menu which really highlighted rustic, Icelandic cuisine.  Matt had the lamb and licorice to start  (they love anything and everything licorice in Iceland) this dish might sound strange, but it was delicious).  It tasted almost like a lamb jerky with pickled fennel, onions, fresh blueberries, and croutons made out of the bread from the hot springs out front.  I had the lobster soup, which was cooked in the hot spring, it was an amazing, perfectly seasoned soup, but I knew what I was getting into a little more than with Matt’s first course.  

Lamb & Licorice

For the entree Matt had the lamb once again (lamby night!).  His lamb was cooked for 12 hours in the hot spring and was served along with potatoes and a thyme sauce. While his was delicious, it was much heavier than my entree of lightly cured cod that was served with Jerusalem artichoke puree, picked Jerusalem artichokes, and a lemon dill sauce. 

  • Lamb Shank
  • Cured Cod

WHAT ABOUT NOT-GOLDEN-CIRCLE STUFF?

Solhestar – One of the highlights of the trip for me was riding the Icelandic horses at Solhestar. Icelandic horses are adorable, they have shorter legs then regular horses and absolutely gorgeous manes.  We took a two hour tour in the red lava fields on horseback which overlooked Reykjavik. We were paired up with a family with three little girls that actually live on the Upper East Side.  We had two guides that were both personable and informative. Note there are 2 locations, one out in the Golden Circle and one fairly close to Reykjavik. I thought I had booked the one close to our hotel, but I actually booked the one that overlooks Reykjavik.  Oops…that’s what happens when you can’t read or pronounce anything : )

The stupid-looking plastic suit came in handy when it started pouring rain…

Seljalandsfoss – Don’t Listen to TLC; chase those waterfalls! This one is particularly cool because you can walk behind it. Just to be clear you might get soaked.  But the view is awesome.  Make sure to check out a small path off of the right and apparently there are some hidden waterfalls.  Unfortunately, we didn’t hear about this secret path until after we visited the site.  There is a cute drink and snack cart near the parking lot in case your get hungry.  Fyi, parking is a bit madness at peak times and you will have to pay for it. 750 ISK if I remember correctly.

  • Seljalandsfoss

Mt. Esja – Mt. Esja is the dark and brooding mountain that can be seen towering above Reykjavik. Awesomely, it is not only possible but surprisingly easy to take the bus out from Reykjavik to the Mt. Esja Hiking Center at the bottom of the mountain. From downtown Reykjavik you can take bus No. 5 (eastbound) to Ártún. At Ártún, take bus No. 57 (eastbound) which takes you straight to the mountain. Going by bus to Mt. Esja from downtown Reykjavík takes 45 minutes. 

There are many different trails you can take and although Matt told me the trail we were doing was easy, ugh… not so much. Even though I work out 4-5 days/week I must be honest, i was huffing and puffing a lot on this vertical trek up mountain. We took a 3 1/2 hour hike straight up the mountain at the peak the mountain is 914m (2,999 ft). Even though it was a tough slog, the view from the top was breathtaking.  On the way up we saw lambs climbing the mountain as well as little surprise waterfalls.  I don’t think I have ever been surrounded by such lush greenery.   

There is really no shortage of amazing things to do and see in just this one little corner of Iceland. Hopefully this article will give you a good head start on planning your own amazing outdoor adventure in Iceland!

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What did we drink in Iceland?

What beer didn’t we drink I guess is a better question! In a country where brewing didn’t become legal until 1989 …. These guys are all killing it! There are now 21 craft beer breweries/bars in Iceland. 

The key to affordable drinking in Iceland is happy hour. Grapevine–a local Reykjavik magazine (think like Timeout NY) has a app called “Appy Hour”. Before you leave for your trip, download this friendly app that gives the low-down on happy hour specials in real time. Since beers in Iceland run about $ 15 a pop this will help you to save some scooties (*Hartzell-ism for money).

MUST GO

Ölverk Pizza & Brewery – Hveragerði – Good luck pronouncing that town’s name correctly, but the effort is worth it for this place. Three-and-a-half stars for the beer, plus one-and-a-half stars for the delicious food. Don’t miss the fantastic za’atar bread with beer cheese app (they should definitely make that combo into a pizza!) and the devils on horseback were excellent too. We also tried the pizza with pepperoni and bacon and hot chili sauce which was amazing. FYI –  the pizzas are on the small side but two appetizers plus one pizza and a few beers was a perfect amount for two people. I would definitely come back next time I’m in or near Hveragerði.

Skúli Craft Bar – Reykjavik – Solid selection of craft beers, mostly Borg on the day we were there but that’s okay because Borg makes great beers. Best happy hour specials of the craft beer bars we visited. Borg has an amazing beer called Snorri Nr. 10 that has arctic thyme in it which was included in the happy hour special.  This beer is awesome and can be found in the duty free store at the airport (we were super happy we were able to take this baby home with us)!  The bartender in our case was very friendly and the place was relatively empty for a Saturday afternoon during happy hour. Bonus points for the card games inside and food trucks outside that are a pretty great combo with the beers.

Kex Hostel Reykjavik – Reykjavik – Didn’t stay here but did have happy hour drinks and dinner at the bar. A totally great atmosphere to meet other travelers plus a great food and drink menu. The beers are evenly split between guest taps and Kex’s own brews. I’m not normally a big IPA guy but the Kex Thunder Session IPA was my favorite; it is a great beer. I’d definitely be back for happy hour. Plus they had great chicken wings that were a happy hour special for $6.50.

  • KEX Hostel – Reykjavik

IF YOU HAVE TIME / MAYBE NOT FOR EVERYONE 

RVK Brewing Company – Reykjavik – Sick beers. The Smoked Gose is perfectly balanced between sour and smokey and the stout is light-bodied and bitter enough to hide the alcohol but still roasty and delicious like a good stout should be. Balance is the name of the game here, super well-made beers. Minus one star for being pretty small, out-of-the way with weird hours and no great food options, but the beers by themselves are definitely worth the trip.

Ölvisholt Brewery – Selfoss – It is located in a weird place and definitely has a feeling from the outside like you’re not supposed to be there, but inside the taproom couldn’t be more different. They have a warm space with books and games and picnic tables to enjoy the eight excellent beers on tap plus more by the bottle (if you like stouts, definitely don’t miss Lava, their Smoked Imperial Stout). The staff is also friendly and welcoming, especially Stein, and may even give you a tour of the brewery if you’re lucky : )

My only two complaints are the off hours (I get that it’s a working brewery and they are not trying to stay any later than they have to but midday only is kind of weird) and there is no food at all anywhere around. Those two are a bummer but the beers and people alone would make me come back any time I’m in the area (at the appropriate time of course ; )

Session Craft Bar – Reykjavik – Solid if expensive beer selection. Happy hour beers were ok but just kind of the most boring options they had available. Happy hour or not though, this is the place to taste Malbygg beers, which are some of the best in Reykjavik. I tried the Pale Ale which was very delicious and super drinkable and straddled the bitterness line between piney and tropical very well. Plus on a Saturday afternoon during happy hour when we were there the place was barely half full.
P.S. In case you are not a beer person, they have a couple actually decent wines on the happy hour specials as well.

Bjórgarðurinn – Reykjavik – Fairly big “beergarden” space inside the Fosshótel Reykjavík. Pretty good happy hour specials and a large, good selection of craft beers (mostly Borg, which is not a bad thing) plus Stella and Guinness for some reason. Friendly bartenders and on a Sunday afternoon during happy hour we basically had the entire place to ourselves. They have food too but we didn’t try any of it. Would definitely go back for a drink at happy hour.

DON’T BOTHER

Bryggjan Brugghús – Reykjavik – Didn’t try any of the food, but the beers brewed here were nothing special—the best choices on tap were all guest taps, especially the Mango Pale Ale and Icelandic Ale from Borg (which is pretty awesome). It was pretty crowded on a Saturday night and had much more of a club/bro bar feel than a brewpub feel, which is obviously a turn-off (for me). Minus one star for the creepy old guy at the bar who hit on my wife like basically the entire time.

SUPER BUMMED THAT WE DIDN’T GET TO GO

Mikkeller & Friends – Reykjavik – They share the same space as Hverfisgata 12, right around the corner from Dill Restuarant. Even though Mikkeller is Danish and there is one in NYC we heard really good things about the beer and the pizza and wanted to go. Unfortunately they were closed for a private event and since we saved this spot for our last night we were out of luck. I would definitely try to go back if I were in Reykjavik again.

WANT TO DRINK SOMETHING OTHER THAN BEER?

Port 9 – Reykjavik – This cozy spot had pops of a rich emerald green that was very relaxing and inviting! We had a great time talking to the owner of the bar. His passion for good wine and food really showed in the products he was serving. They had good wines by the glass for happy hour and he was happy to accommodate Matt’s finicky tastes in wine as well. The brie with mango chutney and cashews was the perfect balance of salty, smoky, and sweet. It’s going to be in my new dinner party rotation when we entertain!

Port 9 – Reykjavik

As we mentioned at the beginning, drinking in Iceland is not cheap. It’s important to make sure you choose wisely and plan ahead. Hit up the happy hours, drink local beers as much as possible and enjoy yourself–after all it’s vacation, right?