A Gaúcha | Lisboa

Upon arrival to Lisbon we had a seamless check-in at our pristine, well appointed, chicly furnished Airbnb and were off in search of dinner!

Our first night's dinner at A Gaúcha followed in smooth fashion. This was a whim destination and one of our best family dinners yet. The polished vibe felt more in line with being an adult; the brightly lit space nodded to upscale and the boys were well behaved. I felt something in me really relax after our long travel day with a crisp glass of vinho verde in hand. To think we started the morning in Porto, spent time in Nazare and have now made it to Lisbon. Everyone is thriving!

 While the staff prepared our table, the welcoming manager grabbed us wine and chatted, he told me they own the three restaurants in a row on this pedestrian only street. Historically it was a row of warehouses dedicated to salting, processing and selling the coveted Cod fish. R. dos Bacalhoeiros translates to "Cod-Fishing". Fun! 

The food felt much like the restaurant itself: a little more upscale yet unfussy and comforting at the same time. PicaPau de Vaca (€12) offered tender cubes of fillet sautéed in olive oil, garlic, bay leaves, mustard and white wine. This was a super flavorful and filling appetizer. My grilled octopus entrée Polvo na grelha (€18) with batata, grelos, azeite e alho (potato, greens, olive oil and garlic) was excellent. As was Bob's Sea Bass - Robalo (€18) con molho de açafrão das índias (with indian saffron sauce). Ryder ate everything, including the octopus. Camden ate French Fries and perfected his WikkiStix art. Dessert was a glorious Pudim de Doce de Leite (€5). The hospitality felt throughout was top notch; our waitress was very sweet and attentive.

 I've been posting little videos here and there - capturing the scene and hanging onto those vacation vibes. Plus, proof that Ryder loves octopus!

For a perfectly wonderful meal in Lisbon on a historical and charming street, A Gaúcha was the epitome of hospitality to our traveling family. 

A GAUCHA

R. dos Bacalhoeiros 26D

1100-389 Lisboa, Portugal

(interior photo source)

Hipodromo Condesa y Roma Norte

Now that we've made our way through some of my Mexico City favorites and come to a mutual understanding of how outstanding this city is, I would be remiss if I didn't dedicate a post to the gorgeous neighborhoods we "lived in" and loved. Our hotel was located in La Condesa and we spent an equal amount of time eating and drinking in Roma. 

La Condesa is actually made up of three colonias: Hipódromo Condesa is the funky art deco area, while Roma + Roma Norte are considered the Soho of Mexico City with lofty tree lined avenues and luxurious residences. These colonias lend pretty parks, bohemian cafes, cozy bistros, hip cocktail dens and fascinating architecture. Hipódromo or Roma Norte are posh home bases for exploring the continents largest city.

AR 218 | Hipódromo Condesa

I found our accommodations through my favorite boutique hotel booking site: Tablet. They have poetic write ups and dreamy photos for each hotel and AR 218's spoke to me. A stylish all-suite hotel offers a glimpse of what it might be like to live here, right in the middle of the action. Swanning through your apartment, sipping a café con leche, you live here now! Step outside into the cool and colorful streets of Condesa - where there’s more to see, hear, and taste than you can squeeze into a single visit."

That is exactly what we loved about this hotel, and how we treated our time here.

AR 218's modern suites are sleek and industrial-inspired with soothing pale concrete walls and hardwood floors. Our standard studio with a terrace was remarkably spacious including a fully equipped kitchenette, comfy Ralph Lauren bedding and a big marble shower. Additionally, I loved the floor to ceiling, wall to wall mirror in the kitchen and the circular mirrors that dotted the space over the headboard.

AR 218 

Alfoso Reyes 218

Cuauhtemoc, Hipódromo Condesa,

06100 Ciudad de Mexico, D.F., Mexico

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Felina Bar | Hipódromo Condesa

Felina's proximity to our hotel made it an easy choice for our first venture upon arrival to DF; although this is not a bar you are going to stumble upon just wandering the neighborhood. We had it on a recommendation list and felt like in-the-know travelers when we strolled by the corner space with no signage, peered in, turned around and entered what felt like someone's mid-century modern apartment. The space is dark and intimate with comfortable banquet seating backed by funky scalloped wallpaper. A tiny wet bar is situated the corner. They shake up cocktails specializing in mezcal and rum and offer a small but impressive menu of snacks and tostadas. The bruschetta we had were delicious! 

// T.W. Julep ($115) mezcal tantito, tequiliana weber, limon amarillo, rude macerada y agua de azucar // Manhattan ($115) whiskey jack daniel's, vermut rojo y bitters de naranja // Bruschetta de Tomate ($45) albahaca, aceite de oilva // Bruschetta de Kale ($45) pimiento confitado y bilbania.

Prices are in PESOS. Essentially those are $5 cocktails and $2 Tostadas. How do you not instantly fall in love with city where your first cocktail is $5!?

Felina 

Calle Ometusco 87 

Cuauhtemoc, Hipódromo 

06100 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

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Fonda Fina | Roma Norte

We had an impressive dinner featuring regional Mexican cuisine at Fonda Fina. The staff was warm, welcoming and took great care of us. This place is consistently receiving rave reviews from the community and I would concur with them!

A favorite dish here was the peneques rellenos de requesón which are crispy fried tortillas stuffed with requesón cheese (similar to ricotta cheese) sitting in a warm bath of green pipián - a type of mole made with pumpkin seeds, garnished with Chiapas cheese, avocado cubes, pumpkin seeds, a drizzle of Mexican table cream and nasturtium leaves. 

Fonda Fina

Medellín 79

Cuauhtemoc, Roma Nte 

06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

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La Capital | Hipódromo

Another delicious meal with polished service and superb cocktails was had at La Capital. Located a five minute walk from AR 218 it was an ideal spot to relax after a long Dia de los Muertos spent gallivanting the city. In that adorable clay cauldron I had a mezcal concoction with coconut, lime, lemon, and grapefruit and it was one of the best cocktails I drank on this trip! I also enjoyed a tangy ceviche, a comforting bowl of tortilla soup poured table-side, and a classic Conchinita Pibil (Pulled Pork) entrée. 

La Capital

Nuevo León 137

Cuauhtémoc, Hipódromo Condesa

06140 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

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Alekzander | Roma Norte

On Sunday evening we tried to get into Limantour, a cocktail bar recommended time and again as being one of the best - a must visit in Rome Norte. To our disappointment the bar was three people deep and they had no available tables. We wandered a few doors down into a global inspired restaurant with an amazing ambiance and were so happy we did! Alekzander features a "cocina de mundo" (world cuisine) menu offering Italian bruschettas, Spanish tortillas, Argentinian empanadas, and terrific salads, so it was a like-able change of pace. The restaurant was softly lit and fairly busy, I borrowed the good looking interior photos from AFAR. I seem to have also neglected to take any food shots this time around! Regardless, this is another solid spot to check out in Roma Norte if you're feeling like it's okay venture away from Mexican food!

Alekzander
Av. Álvaro Obregón 130 
Cuauhtémoc, Roma Nte.
06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

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Bósforo | Centro

photo above is the view from the tiny mezzanine space, borrowed from Eater.

I'm taking us out of Hipódromo and Roma into Centro for a shoutout to Bosforo. This is perhaps the hippest Mezcal Bar, tucked away on a dark side street. The bartender did not speak English but I somehow asked in Spanish for a mezcal tasting; she happily complied, and I ordered the one I liked best. I pretty much drank mezcal or a mezcal cocktail every where we went, but this intimate bar playing funky music was the best place to do it! You'll come for one drink and want to linger for five. Much like Mexico City itself - you'll come for four days and want to stay a lifetime!

Bósforo

Luis Moya 31

Cuauhtémoc, Centro

Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

Hampshire County Brew + Bike

We spent this past weekend exploring towns in the heart of Western Massachusetts and had the BEST time. "The Other Side of Massachusetts" as their tourism board nicknames Hampshire County, swooped in like a breath of fresh air to claim my affections. I came to the conclusion early on after we'd checked into our hotel on the quaint Amherst Square and set off biking on the picturesque Norwottuck Rail Trail that I'd been missing out all this time.

Along the former Boston & Maine Railroad The Norwottuck Branch Rail Trail is an 11-mile path linking Belchertown, Amherst, Hadley and Northampton. It weaves through beautiful green farm land with grazing cows and poignantly crosses the Connecticut River via a massive steel lattice truss bridge. We biked the trail for 8 miles and then a mile through Northampton streets where we stopped in for lunch at Northampton Brewery, scoring a seat on the sun-drenched top tier of their spacious beer garden. Our lunch was solid - we shared beer battered Catfish Bites ($9), the Green Mountain Burger ($12.25), and a beautiful Chopped Kale + Cranberry Salad ($10) with cabbage, green apple, garbanzo beans, blue cheese and bacon, alongside thirst quenching pints: Spring Fling IPA, Blue Boots IPA, and a Deckbier Pale Ale.

Easthampton’s Manhan Rail Trail connects to Northampton’s city system and the Norwottuck Rail Trail so from here we continued the journey with ease for another six miles to check out Easthampton's brewery scene. Located in a 1910 historic mill building - Abandoned Building Brewery was a challenge to find. In thinking that keeping it hidden / underground was the point - we were assured by the lovely Kimaya who poured our beers that it's actually the landlord who has been stalling to put a proper sign out front for the last year. Thankfully there is a sign in the back parking lot and the brewery entrance doors are just around the main vestibule. Entering into a dimly lit - open concept interior, a mismatch of furniture from upholstered couches, futons and even a papasan chair lends a college apartment feel to the lofty space. A small reclaimed wood tasting counter fronts the shiny brewery tanks.

Incorporating hops from their own local hop yard, barley malts from Valley Malt in Hadley, plus the high quality Easthampton drinking water - brewer Matt Tarlecki specializes in crafting Belgian farmhouse ales and hoppy American beers. We were big fans of the Dirty Girl IPA, Lola's Saison and the spring seasonal: Trap Door Tripel. Fun Fact: Matthew named his brewery prior to locating the space after his love of exploring abandoned buildings. I guess it all worked out well for him, these old mills are about as abandoned as you can get (the space next to them is a recording studio, but the five floors above are empty.)

You encounter quite a few buildings like this out here in Western, MA - driving in from off the Pike and along certain parts of bike trail - the deserted, mysterious, Walking Dead type vibe really transports you.

I had spotted New City Brewery from the Manhan bike trail so I knew our next stop was a just across the parking lot. Here, in a game changing effort Brewmaster Sam Dibble crafts a flagship alcoholic Jamaican-style ginger beer. We arrived to the bustling, light filled, exposed brick tap room and snagged two stools in the corner of the reclaimed Fenway Park (!) bar, where manager Devin hooked.it.up. The signature ginger beer mimosa flight really took our day to the next level: ginger beer straight up - orange - grapefruit - passionfruit - lemonade - and a mule (lime). The distinctive zip of ginger lends a spicy, effervescent bite, complimented by subtle notes of pineapple, lemon and molasses with a clean, crisp finish. New City's crown jewel is a fantastic brew. With an increase in demand, look for bottled four packs now being distributed throughout New England. 

We had a delicious beer flight as well: Connecticut River Kolsch - Minuteman Pale Ale - Signature IPA, Fenway Froth - King Phillip's Imperial Stout - and Hand Crafted Ginger Soda (non Alcoholic). My favorite was the CT River Kolsch - a light bodied and true easy drinker with a pleasant bitterness lent from German noble hops. We also loved the Fenway Froth - a single malt, single hop (S.M.A.S.H.) bright, golden ale featuring Golden Promise Scottish Barley and Equinox Hops. 

We cruised back through Easthampton by a nature preserve and over little truss bridges - taking not necessarily a wrong turn but continuing straight along the same path once we reached Northampton instead of turning where we needed to double back to pick up the Norwattuck Trail. (In-spite of all the ginger beer-mosas consumed, the trail junctions here do get a little confusing....) Nothing whatsoever looking familiar in our five miles off course, it wasn't until we hit a waterfall and a gravel trail that we pulled out the GPS and knew we had to backtrack. Mostly laughing at ourselves as we peddled back, we reached our home base in Amherst clocking in a total of 36 miles biked. 

Without the detour (Florence, Leeds) it would have been 24 miles, which is more manageable / more my speed. If you were hesitant to take on 24 but still want to experience the rail trail there are parking lots in Hadley and Northampton that get you closer to the breweries! Additionally, if you don't have your own bikes or need bike assistance: Laughing Dog Bicycle in Amherst / Northampton Bicycle / Manhan Bicycle in Easthampton. 

We had such a happy, gorgeous day discovering The Other Side of Massachusetts! Hampshire County makes for an easy day trip from Boston and surrounding suburbs. I was glad we decided to stay longer though - more on our overnight up next! 

Northampton Brewery

11 Brewster Court

Northampton, MA 01060

Abandoned Building Brewery

142 Pleasant Street

Easthampton, MA 01027

New City Brewery

180 Pleasant Street

Easthampton, MA 01027

Our lunch and beer were complimentary thanks to Hampshire County Regional Tourism + Massachusetts Office of Travel + Tourism.