Our Favorite Coffee, Food, + Sights in San Juan, Puerto Rico

 

Josiah gets a handful of days off surrounding Easter and as chance would have it we scored some super cheap tickets to San Juan, Puerto Rico that corresponded perfectly with those dates. It was a quick trip, but it was the perfect piece of paradise mixed with urban culture that we needed after a long Midwest winter.

One of the great things about Puerto Rico is although it’s a bit of a hop, skip, and a jump to get to from Nebraska — about a 2 hour flight to Atlanta and then another 3.5 hour flight from Atlanta to San Juan — it’s still technically a U.S. territory so there’s not a huge hassle with customs and such. Definitely a fun getaway that allows for some great beach time, but also feels like a dive into a unique cultural experience as well.

It’s far fetched to call this a “guide.” It’s more a a list-of-things-we-loved-that-hopefully-inspire-your-next-adventure! Thanks for stopping by!

Where we stayed

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t decided to go to San Juan because of this cute hotel (and the cheap tickets obviously). Mood Haus has such a funky, groovy vibe and although in my personal decorating I generally gravitate towards, calm neutrals, something about the poppiness of the color just drew me in. The unit we stayed in was a studio apartment that included a full kitchen that we used for a handful of meals. There was an adorable little porch with a hammock that we spent almost every afternoon and early morning reading on. We did have a ground level room so our view wasn’t amazing, but next time I would try to get a second floor room with a porch for a bit more privacy.

The location of this hotel was pretty dang perfect. It was nestled in Ocean Park — a very artsy, hipster neighborhood only a few blocks from the beach. We had a ton of great coffee and food options within walking distance which was perfect since we didn’t have a car.

The customer service of this hotel was fantastic. They offered flexible check-in and check-out times and were really responsive anytime we needed something. Their sister hotel offered complimentary beach-front yoga (times were limited because of COVID so it never worked out for us to do it, but next time we will definitely take advantage).

One thing I didn’t love about this hotel, and it likely comes from everything being made of cement, but there was a slight musty smell that was present throughout most of our stay. For the price this was a really fun stay.

OUR FAVORITE COFFEE

Café Con Cé - This shop had a really cute back patio where a lot of digital nomads were hanging out. It was super close to our hotel so it was generally our first coffee stop of the day.

Comunión - This shop had stunning floors and citrusy espresso! It seemed like a great place to hang out and get work done.

Café Regina - This was hands down our favorite! I’d highly recommend the iced cashew milk latter (honey, cinnamon, + fresh, creamy almond milk) and any of their sandwiches! We ate here every day for breakfast and still contemplate quitting our jobs and moving to Puerto Rico just to be able to go to this shop every single day.

Filtrado - This place is located in Old San Juan and they definitely do specialty coffee right! The barista was so kind and knowledgable. They have a super cute alleyway to sit in behind the shop where we hung out during a particularly rainy part of the day. It’s the perfect spot to bring a book and sit on a pour over of your choice.

787 - This one was definitely off the beaten bath! It was tucked away from the water up into the hills of San Juan. This place had an adorable swing chair that I fell in love with, but the coolest thing about them is the fact that they GROW THEIR OWN COFFEE! It does not get more local than that.

Transportation

The city itself was really easy to get around in. For the most part we walked (we really, really like walking), but there were a handful of times we did use Uber (to and from the airport, getting to Old San Juan — the historic part of the city, and when we walked further than we realized and didn’t want to walk back.) Renting a car isn’t necessary if you’re just going to stay in the city because parking is awful, but if you do want to venture to the El Yunque Rainforest (which we will totally do next time!) it’s probably best to just rent one.

WEATHER

As you’d imagine the weather was warm and balmy, BUT It did rain some of the days we were there which definitely caught us off guard a few times. I’d definitely recommend ensuring you have a layer to protect with you when you’re out and about just in case! The temperatures were in the 80’s and it was perfect! It did get pretty toasty in the middle of the day so we usually planned to take a break from the sun from like 2-4.

Food

La Preña - This place had a very casual atmosphere (which is what I’m into 90% of the time!) and all outdoor seating (which I am into 100% of the time). We had a mojito colada (it’s a lime + mint piña colada) that was delicious and so refreshing! The yukka fries were super crispy and the perfect side to the fresh ceviche.

La Cueva Del Mar - The shrimp tacos were fabulous (better than the fish ones) and their empanadas were amazing (defiintely recommend the spicy crab and beef).

La Crema Heladeriá - As if you need an excuse to get ice cream on vacation, but if you did, all you need to know is that they have hot honey ice cream with honey comb chunks. 10/10.

Tresbé - This place was right next to our hotel, but the reviews weren’t that amazing so we held off on trying this until our last night. Out of hangry desperation we decided to give it a shot and OMG it was sooooo good. We had phenomenal pork and chicken tacos! Don’t listen to the google reviews — our service was great and the food was so good!

Lote 23 - An outdoor food hall full of really, really cool options. Josiah got a pulled pork sandwich that had bacon, banana, and peanut butter on it which was TO DIE FOR and I got a really fresh poke bowl that was super filling without feeling too heavy.

Café Regina - This shop was already mentioned in the coffee favorites, but worth mentioning the food options as a favorite as well. We went here at least once a day working our way through the sanwhich menu and didn’t find a single thing we didn’t like. They have delicious pastry options as well that make for a great afternoon treat on your walk back from the beach!

Sights

Old San Juan - Just walking around this historic area will provide a lot of entertainment — the architecture is just so, so gorgeous. The colors and details of the buildings will keep you looking left and right! You will have a lot of photo opportunities around every corner! There was a farmer’s market and lots of restaurants and shops. It is a very touristy area, but totally worth going and walking around at least once while you’re in San Juan. It was a short Uber ride from our hotel.

Castillo San Felipe Del Morro - I wasn’t sure if this place would be worth the hype, but it 100% was! If you’re already heading to Old San Juan to do some exploring you have to pop on over to this incredibly old (like built in the 1500’s) castle fortress used through a series of wars over the last couple of centuries. We happened to be there on a day that all the national park’s were free, but if you aren’t so lucky it’s $10 to enter and I really think it would be worth it.

The Beach - Obviously we loved hanging out on the beach! We spent most of our beach time at the beach just north of cafe regina since it was the closest from our hotel. The beach was clean and overall quiet!

Next Time

Although this trip was great there are definitely things we would like to do next time!

• Rent a care to go to the El Yunque Rainforest

• Tour the Bacardi Factory

• A Puerto Rican cooking class

• Kayak the bioluminescent waters

If you’re planning a trip hopefully these will give you some ideas and if you’ve gone to San Juan I would love to hear what you loved!

Our Preparation Canyon Camping Trip

We’ve lived in Omaha for almost 4 years and the fact that we ended up here still surprises both of us. We love big experiences and feel our most selves when we are hiking mountains or swimming in lakes or oceans and Omaha doesn’t necessarily have any of the above in close proximity. HOWEVER we have recently started embracing the outdoor experiences that we DO have within driving distance of us and we have been surprised at the places we have found! Our most recent little weekend trip took us on the Loess Hills Scenic Byway which offered a combination of bluff views and rolling hillsides and landed us at Preparation Canyon State Park.

where we stayed

Preparation Canyon offers ten dispersed camping sites that are first come first serve. When we planned this trip we were feeling more of a car camping vibe (camping where your car is more accessible vs. backcountry where you have to carry everything into the woods) but next time we will for sure do the dispersed camping situation. This time though we booked a last minute reservation at a little mom and pop campground called Loess Hills Hideaway just outside the park.

The campground had 6 rv/tent sites available with electric hookups. The campground also had a couple of rustic cabins that could be rented. There was a community shower house/ bath house that was well maintained and very clean. There was wood for sale and even a washing and dryer if you needed it! The campsites were $15 a night and although they were very close together we lucked out with a spot on the end and didn’t have any neighbors. Worth noting it is cash only and there isn’t reliably someone there to give you change — so bring exact cash. The campground itself is very quiet which was exactly what we were looking for. It’s about a 7 minute drive to the southeast parking lot of Preparation Canyon so you can quickly hit the trails even if you opt to not stay at the state park. We didn’t have time, but there are also a few trails that you can access directly from the campground.

The hiking

Preparation Canyon State Park is nestled in the Loess Hills and it’s only an hour straight north of Omaha.

Whether you’re going up for the day or planning a camping trip in the area I highly recommend throwing on some hiking boots, a camel back, and some snacks and hitting the trails. A few things worth noting — as with a lot of central Midwest hiking, the park and trails are not marked as well as they could be. But do not be deterred, it’s still 100% worth your time. I just wish we would have had a little more guidance before we went.

We struggled to find parking when we just followed the google directions to get into the park so I would suggest parking by the dispersed camping parking lot on the southeast side of the park.

what we cooked

This trip was short and sweet and although I’d love for every meal to be photo-worthy I knew for sanity sake I had to keep the meals for this trip simple.

Dinner

We’re relatively new to camping still (only about two years of experience) and are still finding out camping groove, so we decided to try making foil packs for the first time. If you’re unfamiliar it’s a super simple camping meal that’s literally just chopping up veggies/potatoes and whatever protein you want, tossing it in olive oil, sprinkling it with salt, wrapping it in foil, and throwing it on the fire. The cleanup is minimal and the flavors that result from the food cooking together is just top notch. To make things even more simple I chopped all my ingredients before we left the house so as soon as we were ready to eat I could just toss everything in the foil!

We used squash, potatoes, and onions for our foil packs and they were super delicious!

Dessert

Keeping with the super simple theme, but knowing we would want something sweet, I packed a chocolate bar and a jar of PB to satisfy that post-dinner craving. Keep your chocolate in the cooler to ensure it doesn’t melt!

Breakfast

When we left for this trip I was trying my darned to not go to the store so our breakfast situation is a little random. I grabbed a bad a Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi, sautéed it in some coconut oil, added in some mixed greens once the gnocchi was all crispy, and then topped it with some sunny eggs. Super random, but it was truly so filling and satisfying.

The sunset spot

Loess Hills Overlook was a stunning place to watch the sunset. There’s a trail that is accessible from the overlook which we are certainly going to do next time. We went to the overlook in the middle of the day and took in the gorgeous rolling hills and wildflowers and knew we needed to return for sunset.

When we arrive for sunset there was a group already hanging out at the top of the overlook so we decided to just back up our car, pop the trunk, and lounge in our car to have more privacy. I truly was blown away by the incredible sunset colors.

If you’re in need of a little getaway from Omaha or just wanting to immerse yourself in nature I can not recommend this area enough!

How I'm Currently Managing My Anxiety

Mental health and the increasing importance of talking about it has come to the forefront in recent years and as someone who struggles daily with anxiety, I am so thankful for the spotlight it’s been shown. Looking back I realize anxiety is something I have always struggled with. Even as a kid I would have moments where my heart felt like it was going to come out of my chest and I no-longer could think logically, but I had no idea what was happening. As an adult my anxiety hasn’t gone away, its triggers have just evolved from fear of getting a bad grade to fear of falling short in my job performance or letting down a friend or significant other.

Knowing that I am not the only person who struggles with anxiety, I wanted to compile a few things that I have found throughout my journey with anxiety that have helped me learn to manage it. Anxiety ebbs and flows from day to day. Sometimes you feel like you’ve got it figured out and then BAM you can’t remember how to breath normal. If you’re in a good place with your anxiety right now, celebrate that — it’s a victory, but keep these tools in your back pocket for the days when you can’t think straight. I hope this list helps you, even just a little. We’re in this together.

Remember You Are Not Alone

Remember this. Always. On the days I’ve felt the most alone are the days my anxiety has spiraled out of control. The anxiety that probably stemmed from something completely different bounced off my additional fear that I am the only person who has ever felt this way. Believe me, you are not alone in your feelings.

Let Someone In

Anxiety happens in your mind. Unlike food poisoning where someone can see you physically throwing up and runs in to help, people don’t know there’s something wrong until you tell them. You have to LET THEM IN. I suggest having a go-to person that you can call at anytime of day just to talk to. My husband is this person for me. He doesn’t struggle with anxiety to the same degree I do, but I know without a doubt that when I need someone to calm me down, he will. Maybe you don’t live near the person that comes to mind for you, but as long as they’re a facetime or a phone call away, they can be that person.

Exercise

Moving my body has given me the opportunity to release built up energy and bring my mind back to a healthy state. It temporarily distracts me from how I am feeling and helps me work through some of the painful moments I’ve experienced with anxiety. Running, hiking, Barre workouts, and biking have been my current go-tos.

Eat Mindfully

This is an easy one to skip over because it feels like there’s not actually a connection, but our guts and minds are connected. If we eat terrible, we feel terrible. Too many processed foods can wreak havoc on your digestive system which then wreaks havoc on your brain.

Meditate

Meditation has helped me so much . It has given me so many tools to use in a stressful situation —breathing exercises, mantras, etc. I’ve used the Calm app and recently started using the app Headspace because of it’s wider variety of options. I used to think that meditation was a little woo woo, but it’s become a part of my life that grounds me so much that I truly can’t imagine life without it.. My goal is just 10 minutes a day and then sometimes i’ll try to sneak in a second session prior to bed. If you’ve never tried it, give it a shot.

Remember Healing is not linear

Give yourself space to have good days and bad days. Sometimes you’ll feel like you can handle anything life throws at you and other times getting out of bed is enough of a trigger to send you into a frenzy. Be gentle with yourself and take it one day at a time. One bad day after a long stretch of good doesn’t mean there won’t be any more good days ahead or that you’re doing something wrong. It just means you’re having a bad day.

Give Grace to Others

just as others might not know your struggle with anxiety, you don’t know theirs. Give grace to people for the actions you see. You never know whats going on in their mind.

I hope that these couple little tips help you create a toolbox that you can access to help you navigate your anxiety journey. If you need a safe place to talk, let me be your safe place. Let someone in, we are all in this together.

Tahini Green Smoothie Bowl

Seems like everywhere has been experiencing a heat wave lately. Thankful for warm weather, but MAN sometimes we just need a break. These smoothie bowls will carry you through until that next cold front arrives. They make the perfect breakfast, lunch, or dinner and are packed full of the vitamins and minerals to keep your body feelin’ happy. Bonus, no oven required, so you can keep your house as cool as possible!

Tahini Green Smoothie Bowl

• 2 bananas, frozen

• 2 tablespoons tahini

• 4 cups packed spinach (or preferred greens)

• 3/4 cup milk of choice

• collagen (optional)

Toppings

• pumpkin seeds

• chia seeds

• flax seeds

• honey (this is our favorite local brand)

• raisins

• coconut flakes

• coconut butter

• oats

• banana slices

Place the bananas, tahini, and milk of choice in a food processor or blender. Blend until well combined. Add in the spinach and continue to blend until the spinach has all been processed. Divide the smoothie equally into two bowls and top with whatever toppings you choose.

Tip: peel and cut bananas prior to freezing