Luxembourg
Into Brussels we flew, paying a swift visit to the village of Bastogne where Battle of The Bulge took place. We checked into Château d’Urspelt, luxuriating in the Luxembourg countryside, immersing in the contemporary cave spa, hot aromatherapy massage oil dripping onto travel weary bodies, and savoring a gourmet dinner. We explored the Casemates of Luxembourg City before continuing south into France — Strasbourg and then Colmar. We galloped between wine tastings in storybook Alsace villages: Ribeauvillé, Eguisheim and Riquewihr. We spent a rainy afternoon in Basel, Switzerland, followed by a gorgeous night and morning in Zürich. This was an ambitious trip, running smoother than a Smooth Operator flying coast to coast LA to Chicago. We are Euro Moms and you can read about us here:
Euro Moms
I’ve traveled with my girlfriends every year since we graduated college. Once we established careers, settled into adult dwelling, put a mild dent in those pesky student loans, and then managed to save a little cash for a travel fund, we sent it across the US. Our claim to fame being we visited the OG cool spots like Austin, Nashville, and Charleston,
If you’re a dual Instagram follower / newsletter subscriber: Thanks for coming along! Here’s to: your hearts on all my story posts, my best friends since seventh heaven and ofc my husband for holding it down. I love the all boys dynamic for three of them, gosh they are cute, and I look forward to returning the favor when it’s my husbands turn to depart somewhere fresh and exciting!!
Travel (and life in Europe!) never ceases to inspire awe and connection. To feel things so intimately, is a privilege. To grasp at a deeper appreciation for what else, and for home, travel does that. If we don’t care deeply about what we love…. What’s the point?! You can’t shake out a beautiful bathroom, design an exquisite cocktail, upgrade me to business class, and expect me not to delight in it. And if something delights me, I want to memorize it, savor it, live in it for the brevity, and photograph it for the memory. Less important but of the utmost importance, is I want to share it with YOU!
Picture you’re in the middle of Luxembourg drinking cocktails in a secret historic cellar, part of a 300 year old vestige. In WW2 the castle served as a command post and field hospital. In 2005 an entrepreneur discovered and restored every detail, of a building once abandoned after the war’s liberation. We are rewarded for the soldiers brave battles, the artisans tireless efforts, and the bartenders craft. Glory and beauty also come together at the Castle’s restaurant, where I started with a Perfect Egg in foamy mushroom broth over it a parmesan crisp, and ended with Mature Cheeses — savoring the potent tang of a blue and the hard nuttiness of a Comté wedge, the juice of a grape, the ripe kernel of a walnut.
The Seared Skrei was OUTSTANDING. We’ll talk about this dish when we’re 75 years old, ‘twas that good! Firm flaky layers of a clean, cold water white fish balance expertly among zests of lemon and lime, a cream sauce crackling with chorizo, tabbouleh and citrus. Is it okay to tell a fish, I will meet you again in my dreams… among the Scallops and Coral Cream (that last entrée pictured, you see what i did there…)
The historic walls of the Casemates du Bock will fortify your appetite, just as they fortified Luxembourg City’s Ville Haute. After gaining elevation and seeking lunch, Ennert de Steiler (could it be THE OLDEST PUB IN LUXEMBOURG?) delivered a frothy head of Bofferding Pilsner and a perfectly satisfying meal.
Strasbourg
An urban crossroads nestles itself on the enchanting canals of River Rhine — with a mighty Notre Dame Cathedral, half timbered houses, and eccentric speakeasys shaking up unusual cocktails. I have much respect for Strasbourg. Where the Figawi, but make it France.
I found the Cathedral’s slender Gothic arches and immense height particularly striking under golden hours final rays. Just around the corner, we located Code Bar, a spiritually intimate space wafting incense, decoupage, and gold dust. The Cornichons cocktail puckers my soul with Vodka Ketel One, redistillée aux cornichons, et Vermouth Dry.
Prospering in the Petit France neighborhood is Bistrot Coco. The affluent tasting menu avec wine pairings, sil vous plait, is guided by a here-to-have-fun hostess speaking English in a robust French accent. Coco paraded courses that immersed us in language, refinement, beauty, and the chef’s carte blanche. Amuse Bouche / Chanterelles / Chicken + Sweetbreads / Local river fish, clams + asparagus / Boeuf beets + blueberry / Grape, orange + chocolate mouse is what we ate at a high level to the best of my memory. A very in the moment meal, if you will.
Give me atmospheric secrets and weird cocktails. Through a tiny tufted door in the back of a pizza joint, Aedaen Speakeasy speaks volumes with soaring ceilings, slinky chandeliers, and rich red velvets. My cocktail called Simone Veil was bizarre with vodka infusee a la bonite, liqueur de tomate, viniagre tozasu, sauce soja blanche, et huile e sesame. So I ordered a smoked fish flake infused vodka martini with tomato syrup, white soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil. That’s some intense umami richness in a coupe glass.
Moonshiners secludes you in nautical whimsy — as if you were shipwrecked on a tropical island accompanied by striking glassware, amaro, champagne, hibiscus and Rhum! To find it, locate the green button!!
Wallet friendly accommodations in a welcoming and hip space — each room at Graffalgar Hotel is designed by a different artist. We love a luxe spa in the country, we love a a quirky hotel in the city. We love to be on the move, we love each other, we are off to taste wine in the Alsace countryside!!
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xx,
Why are your recaps the best thing ever?!
Loved reading this! I lived in Germany the first half of 2025 and I went to Strasbourg probably 5 times 😂 it is one of my favorite cities of all time!!