My first trip across the pond was in 2011. Before then, I'd only been to Central America and a handful of states in the U.S. 

From the moment I stepped off the plane at Heathrow Airport; I was hooked – the travel bug bit me hard! Since then, I’ve visited many more states and countries, and there isn’t a place that isn’t on my ‘To Visit’ list.

London, however, made an impression on me, and it calls me back again and again. Conveniently, my husband and co-adventurer feels the same way. In 2014, Kevin and I put together a trip for entering university freshman focusing on intentional travel and the history of the Anglican church, with plenty of fantastic food and experiences sprinkled in. It was our first time to travel internationally together, and little did I know Kevin had a big surprise up his sleeve, or rather, in his pocket.

A Surprise Adventure

We arrived in the city a couple of days before the students, to be able to reorient ourselves to the Underground and collect tickets to all the sites we were visiting. On July 26, we visited the Victoria & Albert Museum, walked along the Themes, looked at the Millennium Bridge, and attempted to visit the St. Paul’s Cathedral Gardens. I had no idea that all day long, Kevin had been waiting for the perfect moment to propose. 

Since the gardens were closed, we walked around the back of the church and happened upon Festival Garden, which has a sculpture called The Young Lovers. It was at the foot of this statue with the cathedral bells tolling ten that Kevin asked me to be his wife. To commemorate this memorable location, I had the latitude and longitude of Festival Garden engraved on the inside of Kevin’s wedding band.

I am writing this just after our third wedding anniversary and am thinking back on all of the adventures we’ve had since that day and plan to have in the future. I am heading back to my favorite city this week, and Kevin will join me there for a bit a week later. This time, we have the opportunity to meet with friends and explore the city at our own pace, the only agenda being to fall in love with the city and all it has to offer all over again.

Check out Kevin’s London Musts list and stay tuned to learn more about what I’ll be up to while I’m there.

There are a few things that I have to do every time I visit a specific city. For London, that list happens to be pretty long.

My first trip to London was in 2007. I had just finished up a monthlong volunteer trip with a religious organization in Birmingham and had booked myself another month in the capital. 

It was the middle of summer between my junior and senior year of college, and I did little to no research before my feet hit the ground. I stayed in a guesthouse for Christian workers in Islington, partly because my group stayed there and partially because it ended up being the cheapest option for accommodation after everyone left.

A Chihuly Chandelier at the V&A Museum

Every day I walked through Highbury Fields and watched people push buggies and play fetch with their dogs. Mornings were pretty sacred to me. Coffee, a wing of a museum and then a bookstore after lunch, depending on how late I stayed out the night before. 

The City Was My Oyster Card

You can see a lot in London when you have a whole month, unfettered by a work routine. Depending on the museum I was visiting that day, I'd pick a Tube stop and explore the area. I started with Angel and worked my way down to Barbican, then over to Edgware Road and down to Fulham Broadway.

Each afternoon I'd take time to read a section from a Nick Hornby novel and pick out the roads in Islington that he mentioned. Along the way, I'd stop for sandwiches, snacks, the occasional tea and probably a Carlsberg at some point past 2 p.m.

One of my fave spots in London, Trafalgar Square.

The city was mine to explore, and frankly, I had no clue what I was doing. Over that first month, I made friends, viewed some of the most magnificent art in the world, got lost in areas I probably shouldn't have, and somehow ran into more Americans than I ever thought possible.

As I prepare for a whirlwind four day trip in my favorite city, that first experience in London is still in my mind. It was raining, of course, and we hailed a Black Cab to take us from Marylebone Station to our guesthouse. The weather was balmy, and people moved on as if nothing in the world would stop them from living life. Staring out the back of the cab, I still remember the faces, the fashion, and the determination of the everyday Londoner. It's why I keep returning, and always will. 

My London List

• Drink a Lucozade Sport
• Eat Fish & Chips
• Visit a Hat Shop
• Eat a sandwich on the go
• Ride a bus
• Visit Stamford Bridge
• Drink a Carlsberg on draught
• Stand outside St. Paul’s Cathedral
• Walk down Carnaby Street and imagine it in the 1960’s
• Stroll through Lillywhites at Piccadilly Circus
• Watch people watch the street performers at Covent Garden
• Eat a full English Breakfast
• Get rained on
• Trafalgar Square at night
• Buy a book
• Walk along the Thames no matter the weather
• Stroll through the V&A Museum

Follow along with us on our trip to London and the UK on Instagram and Facebook. if you think I'm missing anything on my list, let me know in the comments below.

The brand-new Shotgun House Coffee Roasters in San Antonio is a beautiful addition to the city’s ever-expanding craft coffee scene. Located in Warehouse 5 just outside of San Antonio to the west, this gorgeous gym turned coffee roaster is worth a try. And did I mention that it's dog-friendly?

I visited with my parents, younger brother and his wife, and their pup, Skadoo. Our group spans the spectrum of ‘coffee obsessed,’ and there were drinks on the menu for every taste. We ordered a mocha, almond milk latte, regular latte, and a triple shot of espresso (it was Fiesta, and we’d been out late…what can I say?) One of their specialty drinks is a Dirty Iced Horchata. This house made, non-dairy horchata was a treat, and the lovely bitter espresso cut the sweetness of it in the yummiest way.

Owners Eddie and Jess share the origin story from their website. 

"Once upon a time a couple of coffee lovers bought a 1kg shop roaster and began roasting and (illegally) serving coffee out of their Tobin Hill Shotgun House. From there they leased a 1,500 sq ft space in Warehouse 5 (West SA), and - with literally one friend, a pile of tacos, and a little credit card debt - spent the next six months transforming an old gym into a beautiful coffee roastery/shop."

With plenty of street parking close to Warehouse 5 and just a stone’s throw from downtown, make some time to check out this fantastic addition to the San Antonio coffee scene.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

London is easily one of our favorite cities in the world. It also helps that we have loads of experience there and friends willing to help show us around. With that in mind, we recently jumped on a fantastic flight sale and are headed back to the UK capital in a few weeks. 

We're preparing for the city to be packed and buzzing because we're landing just a few days before the Royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on May 19. Sadly, I still haven't received my invite, but I'm not too chuffed about it. 

The Royal wedding also falls on the same day as the FA Cup Final, which is apparently a break from tradition as Royal weddings usually take place on a weekday. Featuring in this year's FA Cup Final is my beloved Chelsea FC taking on Manchester United at the home of football, Wembley Stadium. 

Seeing as Kim has already been to Wembley for one of Adele's final concert's, I'm a bit jealous and wanted to be as close as possible to the game as I could. 

So we're currently filling up our itinerary and looking for suggestions for places to eat and drink, so please let us know in the comments below.  

I (Kevin) haven't been back to London since 2014 and am looking forward to enjoying some of my favorite people and culture in the world. Oh, yeah, and hopefully Chelsea wins to top it off. We're also going to visit the spot that we got engaged at on my last trip there, just a few weeks after our 3rd wedding anniversary.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram to keep up with us on the ground. I'm packing my new camera and looking for some great views!

P.S. The cover image was taken almost 10 years ago with a Pentax K110D using only a kit lens. It was my first real DSLR camera and only has a 6.1 megapixel sensor. 

The Eternal City is a sight to behold. Equal parts chaos, ancient beauty, and modern intrigue. Before you land at Ciampino airport for your Roman adventure, get a feel for the land with these five films.

1. Roman Holiday

When it comes to romantic films, there may not be any better than Roman Holiday. Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn dazzle in the story of a princess who wants to be ordinary for a day. The 1953 film highlights the beauty and magic of Rome like no other. 

2. The Talented Mr. Ripley

Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Phillip Seymour Hoffman headline this psychological thriller full of assumed identity and intrigue. If you're looking for a more nuanced look at Rome as a city of excess, The Talented Mr. Ripley is right for you. 

3. Spectre

Oddly enough, until Spectre, James Bond had never been to Rome. Director Sam Mendes sets some significant scenes in the Eternal City as Bond struggles to unravel the mystery behind a secret organization that keeps rearing its head in his life. It may not be the best of the Daniel Craig Bond films, but it doesn't skimp on the exotic locales. 

4. Angels & Demons

Ron Howard's Dan Brown novel adaptations may not be for everyone, but Angels & Demons is easily the best entry in the category so far. From the Vatican to a plethora of Roman churches, Angels & Demons is a thrill ride that pulls you along as it races against time to save the lives of four Cardinals kidnapped by the Illuminati. Far superior, and much shorter, than The Da Vinci Code, Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer and Stellan Skarsgard deliver an exciting thriller in Rome. 

5. La Dolce Vita

No list of Roman films can be complete without La Dolce Vita, Federico Fellini's 1960 masterpiece that follows a journalist played by Marcello Mastroianni as he covers the decadent life of elite Roman society. A visual feast for the eyes, La Dolce Vita, is a must-see for any Roman traveler. You'll never see the Trevi Fountain the same.