A surprise engagement & island hopping—003
Learning that there's no such thing as the right way.
what’s on my mind.
There’s one thing that has taken up my brain as of late since we last spoke…we’re engaged! My boyfriend had ulterior motives for our trip to Ireland and I couldn’t have been more surprised and happy. He proposed in front of my dad, stepmom, and his dad on the steps of Muckross House in Ireland’s oldest national park. We’re planning to get married in Ireland next summer, so my algorithm has completely transformed into wedding land (I am open to all of the advice!).
Settling into this brief season of ‘fiancé,’ I’m trying my best to enjoy and remember all the little moments. However, I’ve found it’s quite easy to get swept up in the commercialism, expectations, and pressures of the wedding industry. I keep quietly reminding myself that there is no rulebook, no timeline, and no right way of doing things.
The perfect outcome isn’t perfect because everything went right—it’s meaningful because of who you’re with and the love and support around you. If I had dreamed up my ideal proposal, would I have pictured myself on a grey, wet day, in a rain jacket from Penneys, holding a cup of tea? Moments before, posing for a photo, my partner says awkwardly, “Erm…do you want to put your tea down?” In one way it wasn’t perfect, but in all the other ways, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. And it felt so quintessentially, romantically Irish.
‘Grá’ means love in Irish but there are so many ways to say it. My personal favorite is ‘Grá geal mo chroí’, which translates to ‘bright love of my heart.'
I feel this overwhelming ideal of perfection easily spills over into everyday life. But what if we stopped striving for perfection and started going after what feels right and good in the moment?
energy givers/drainers
👍🏼 wedding planning, pool days, cats in greece
👎🏼 wedding planning, expectations, delayed flights
where i’ve been.
We just returned home from a friend’s 30th birthday in Greece and before that we spent two weeks in Ireland. I’d say summer is off to a strong start.
✷ ireland
Our route: Dublin > Galway > Doolin > Killarney > Cork
Our trip took us around the country to the west coast of Ireland. It was my parents’ first visit, so we wanted a mix of city and countryside. Looking back, here are the 10 things I learned—what I’d do differently and what you don’t want to miss out on.
10 things i learned on our roadtrip
Don’t try to see everything and go everywhere. The beauty of Ireland is the slow pace of life.
I haven’t been yet but the North of Ireland is meant to be breathtaking, especially if you’re a nature lover. However, it’s a separate trip on its own.
No matter what the season, bring a good raincoat.
In Dublin, ask where the locals go. Our cab driver gave us a list of some of the favorite pubs beyond Temple Bar (the quays, the long hall, mulligans).
The line is worth the wait at Magpie Bakery in Galway.
I personally felt Doolin could have been a miss. We swapped it for Dingle and I wish we would have gone there instead.
The Cliffs of Moher are a must but you don’t have to go via the main tourist visitor center. We booked the Doolin Cliff Walk with local farmer Pat Sweeney for a more unique experience but sadly it was canceled due to weather.
There are six national parks in Ireland—you should definitely visit at least one! If you’re headed to Galway, Connemara National Park is such an accessible and beautiful stop (whether you want to drive it or go for a hike).
Drive the Ring of Kerry! We had planned to do this but our day got happily sidetracked with a surprise proposal.
Lean into pub culture and trad music. Make a plan just to sit yourself at the bar or a table in a local pub—any of them—and you’re bound to find someone playing and a good conversation.
Want an inside glimpse to the trip? Follow the daily roadtrip vlog on TikTok.
✷ athens, paros + naxos, greece
I’ve been to greece three times now and each time I love it more than the last. This time, we spent just a day and a half in Athens, then a few nights in paros, followed by one night in naxos. We hopped between a central boutique hotel, private villa, and luxury remote hotel throughout the trip.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed booking a trip to Greece with so many islands and so little time. Athens is an easy starting point (spend 2-3 days there if you can), then either head to the Athenian Riviera (which is having a moment) or catch a ferry to one of the many greek islands for a relaxed few days.
athens — mona athens, pharaoh, wine is fine, 72h artisanal bakery, anana, ergon house, plus lots more on the guide below
paros — almond in paros, sante, stilvi paros, rada, siparos, matsuhisa, sweet smelling kitchen, antiparos daytrip
naxos — akre hotel, hurmas, drink in peace, the locals, avaton 1739, naxos cheese koufopoulos, melimilon, temple of apollo
where i’m going.
Ireland. Surprise! This island will be seeing a lot of me over the next few months as I head deep into wedding planning mode. We’re going for a quick trip this weekend and will be back soon.
Surprisingly we don’t have any other summer plans yet. I’d love to know where you’re going for some inspiration this summer in the comments.
what’s to come.
Guides. We’re going to be releasing a collection of guides to some favorite destinations in the coming weeks for all your summer travel planning.
Crush concierge. Need help planning your upcoming travel? Reply to this message and we can get started with a complimentary chat (or coffee on me if you’re local in barcelona!).
Unlikely places. Did you catch our first edition of Unlikely Places featuring Clonmel, Ireland? You can read it here. Our next feature will be stateside—get ready for a guide to a not-so-well-known Tennessee city that has a Michelin-worthy presence.
✷ hotel crush—of the moment.
Mona, Athens
A hotel can very easily be just a hotel. A place to drop your bags and later to rest your head. But there are some places that just get everything right. From thoughtful design to spaces that invite you to linger.
That’s what Mona was for me. You could feel Mona’s soul in every detail. She called you to slow down and appreciate the art of genuine, no frills hospitality and design.
The hotel is filled with custom furniture and lighting, handmade pottery and decor, and rotating artwork—all of which can be purchased to take home (yes, you can buy the sheets! the lights! the photo hanging across from your bed!). It’s a practice that leads to the hotel’s constant reinvention and a unique stay each time.
Mona is located in the Psirri neighborhood. They’re a part of @house_of_shila and a full review is coming to the website soon.
✷ Book your stay at Mona Athens (please note this is an affiliate link).
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Can’t wait to follow along and I love your writing. 🩷
Congratulations on your engagement!