GrandHaven

Discovering West Michigan: Grand Rapids, Grand Haven, Holland, and Zeeland

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Greetings from the great state of Michigan! I’m really excited to be back. As you may have seen from my social media, I’m in the States for multiple reasons, one of which is a Midwest book tour. I’m incredibly honored to share the inspirational stories from my book, Flavors of Life. My book tour took me through West Michigan. Read all about my time in Grand Rapids, Holland, Zeeland, and Grand Haven – from Art Prize and a guest lecture at Hope College to a book signing at The Bookman in Grand Haven and craft brewery visits!

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MillenniumParkChicago

The Whirlwind Adventures of Miss Lipowski in Chicago, The Windy City

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Greetings from the good ole USA! I’m really excited to be back. As you may have seen from my social media, I’m in the States for multiple reasons, one of which is a Midwest book tour. I’m incredibly honored to share the inspirational stories from my book, Flavors of Life. I actually flew into Chicago from Amsterdam, but travelled back to Michigan for a few days to see my immediate family. My adventures took me back to Chicago, though. Read all about my time in the Windy City – from a book event to a wedding and time with friends (old and new).

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MapBacheloretteParty

A Bachelorette Party to Remember: 1 Van, 2 Days, 5 Nationalities, 7 Women, 12 Dutch Provinces

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This past weekend, I helped organize world traveller, author, and good friend Savannah Grace’s bachelorette party. I was honored to be a part of the celebration as she enjoys her last days of singlehood. Savannah is originally from Vancouver, Canada, but has been living in the Netherlands for the past 7.5 years. Combined with the fact she’s already been to 108 countries, we decided to put together a different type of bachelorette party: a road trip.

Over the course of the weekend, we covered 1120 kilometers (696 miles) and visited all 12 Dutch provinces. Seven women from five different countries piled into one van. Our goal was to travel around the Netherlands and experience typical Dutch things, as well as complete a scavenger hunt and play games together. Read more about our weekend escape!

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Jessica Lipowski Wins A One Lovely Blog Award

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Thank you to Hannah Henderson for the One Lovely Blog Award. Read on to find out what this award means, as well as learn seven interesting facts about me, Jessica Lipowski.

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amsterdamcanals

The Amsterdam Bucket List a.k.a. Wander List Challenge

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Last week I was sitting along the Amstel river, and I saw a group of girls jump in the water. I thought to myself – a fleeting moment I experienced many times before – I’d never done that. That sparked an idea. Amsterdam is an amazing city, home to some internationally-renowned attractions and unique experiences. Even though I’ve been living here for five years, I’m going to create a bucket list (although I prefer the term wander list) of all the musts in Amsterdam. This is a great list to use (I warn you – it is long), whether you are living in the city or are just visiting for a few days. This city swept me off my feet, and I know you’ll love it, too. What’s on your Amsterdam list?

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ForestRoad

The Great Escape: Savannah Grace’s Birthday Blitz Road Trip, Visiting 5 Countries in 1 Day

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Savannah Grace, her mom Maggie, “sister-in-law” Anita, and I set off on a one-day road trip adventure with a single goal: to visit five countries. How did we manage to visit the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and Belgium in less than 24 hours? What was the occasion? Read the entire story!

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Dike

Biking Through The Dutch Countryside With We Bike Amsterdam

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I bike in and around Amsterdam all the time. After many years of living in the Dutch capital, I feel like I blend right in with the locals. I’m usually so focused on getting to my destination as quickly as possible, I often forget to look around and admire my surroundings. In mid-May, my partner, Matthijs, and I had the opportunity to take a half-day excursion with We Bike Amsterdam. The company offers two different routes: one through Amsterdam’s city center and the other through the Dutch countryside. Considering I had never toured the north side of Amsterdam and its surrounding villages, I thought that would be a fun trip. Read about our experience!

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travelinspires

How Does Travel Inspire You? Join Anywhere Workday and CultureTrav for a Special #TravelInspires Chat

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This Wednesday – and for the entire month of April – #CultureTrav is teaming up with Anywhere Workday. In light of recent world events, we are talking about how travel inspires us using the hashtag #TravelInspires. The chat will take place today at 2 p.m. EDT / 8 p.m. CET. We want to create a deeper connection and truly discover how travel can make this world a better place. Thank you to Anywhere Workday for allowing us to join this inspiring initiative! We are looking forward to hearing all of your stories and perspectives later today.

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Books That Inspire The #CultureTrav Community

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Books, books, books! When I was little, I used to stay up all night reading, practically devouring novel after novel. Not much has changed now that I’m an adult. I enjoy reading in my spare time and am even part of a book club here in the Netherlands. Additionally, I am a writer and soon-to-be author and have many writer friends. Therefore, when Erik Scalavino suggested we talk about books for an upcoming #CultureTrav, I was all in. The discussion on Thursday, March 24 was inspirational! It is great to see so many book lovers in the world, especially those that love to travel, too. Following the chat, I compiled the names of all the books and authors mentioned, listed in this post.

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GrandRestaurantKarelV

The Grand History of Hotel Karel V in Utrecht, Netherlands

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On Monday, January 11, my dear friend and fellow author Savannah Grace and I arrived in Utrecht, with her mom Maggie, for the Vakantiebeurs and the #TRLT tweetmeet. We stayed at the five-star Grand Hotel Karel V. Upon our arrival, after settling into our spacious corner room, we received a tour. The hotel is situated in the center of Utrecht, although the hustle and bustle of the city feels far away as you wander around the sprawling property. Overall, our stay was delightful. The history is fascinating, the facilities are wonderful, and it is neat to say we stayed in a place that previously housed a variety of guests, including emperors, kings, and soldiers. Read more about our experience and the history of the property.

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