Las Vegas, Nevada

In a final goodbye to summer, I spent Labour Day weekend with my family in Las Vegas. Although Vegas may seem like an odd destination for a family vacation, it was a great opportunity to avoid the notorious "vices" of Sin City, and instead focus on sight-seeing and exploring the city's thriving restaurant scene - my favourite part of traveling.

We stayed at the Palazzo, which is the tallest building in Nevada and one of the world's largest hotels (there are over 7,000 suites). Situated between the Wynn and the Venetian, the Palazzo is a short walk from Fashion Show Mall, a must-visit shopping centre for anyone interested in retail. On our first evening in Vegas we went to Nobu, the famous Peruvian-Japanese restaurant in Caesars Palace. Nobu was a phenomenal experience of impeccable service and extremely flavourful food: the Wagyu beef, black cod miso, and yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño were mind-blowing. Mario Batali's Otto Pizzeria in the Venetian was another stop on our list. The stunning locale of the pseudo-outdoor restaurant felt as if we were in Italy, and the authentic pizza, arancini, and vegetable fritters truly enhanced the Italian atmosphere. On our last night, we enjoyed dinner at Joe Bastianich's restaurant Carnevino where I ate by far the best steak of my entire life.

The highlight of the trip, however, was visiting the Grand Canyon in a helicopter. Witnessing one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World was a once in a lifetime experience, and it was astonishing to view the Las Vegas Strip, Lake Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam, and Lake Powell from an aerial perspective. Unfortunately, my photos of the Grand Canyon do it little justice, but I know I will never forget the overwhelming feeling of being surrounded by Earth's natural beauty. 

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Copenhagen 2016, pt. 2

Our return to Copenhagen consisted of ten perfect days complete with blue skies and sunshine, and a city infused with an early summer bustle. Parks packed with picnickers, canals lined with sunbathers, it seemed as if every Copenhagener was outside enjoying one of the few beautiful weeks of summer a year. I couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

One part of this trip I had been looking forward to was meeting up with one of my oldest and best of friends who has been studying abroad in the States. Already traveling through Europe with her family, she was able to fly over and join us for Distortion, and we used this as an opportunity to do some sightseeing. No matter how many times I visit Copenhagen, I know I will never tire of experiencing the city’s many sites and attractions. The Rundetaarn is one of my favourites. Located in central Copenhagen down the winding street of Købmagergade, this 17th-century astronomical observatory still operates as such, but also acts as a venue for cultural events and art exhibitions. As you ascend the tower by way of a radial, cobbled passage, the windows allow for beautiful natural light to leak in, and offer glimpses of the quintessential orange Copenhagen rooftops. At the top awaits one of the most photogenic spots in the entire city, where one can truly appreciate Copenhagen as the "the city of spires".

We spent a lot of time exploring Christianshavn and Holmen, an area of the city which soon became one of my favourites. Situated on the island of Amager, Christianshavn boasts a charming, authentic aesthetic that helps it stand apart from the rest of the city. Christianshavn's urban composition of canals, bridges, and houseboats take inspiration from the urban design of Amsterdam, looking almost identical to the Dutch capital in some places. Although this neighbourhood is predominately residential, there are many things to see and do. We wandered through Freetown Christiania, an autonomous and peaceful "hippie" commune, browsed the fantastic design book selection in the Danish Architecture Centre, relaxed outside of noma, and ate at Copenhagen Street Food, a new sustainable street food market established in the old newspaper factory Papirøen. 

Our main reason for visiting Copenhagen this time of year was Distortion, the ultimate Scandinavian party experience. Dubbed a "celebration of Copenhagen nightlife", Distortion is a five-day street festival that transitions from neighbourhood to neighbourhood, with street parties in the Inner City, Nørrebro, Vesterbro, and a final party on Refshaleøen, Copenhagen Ø. With an incredible variety of music, cheap beer, and engaged locals, Distortion is a unique and worthwhile opportunity to not only party, but use as a basis for justifying your own trip through Denmark – it is truly something to be experienced.

We said our goodbyes to Copenhagen with a final dinner at Den Røde Cottage in Klampenborg. A suburb north of Copenhagen, Klampenborg is home to Bakken, the world's oldest amusement park, Jægersborg Dyrehave, a natural area known for its deer population, and Bellevue Beach, where some of Arne Jacobsen's finest work can be found. It was the perfect finale to our ten days in the happiest city on earth.

See you soon, Copenhagen.