CHIANG MAI, THAILAND • NATWAT HOME CAFÉ

Katie and I had discussed trying this place for months, she'd been driving by multiple times each week but never actually stopping. Once we tried the food, we were sold. Therefore, this year for my 25th birthday we sat down with the owners to discuss a special dinner (they're usually only open for lunch) menu and BAM: instant to-do.

The garden backyard of the restaurant is beautiful no matter the time of day, with hanging moss plants and plenty of beautiful greenery. It was just golden hour when we arrived, so we took advantage of the situation to take some very sit-com-esque pictures before we ate.

The interior of Natwat is simple, wood metal, but not too industrial. A blue cushioned bench lines one side of the dining room and the location where our dinner table was set. Katie bought orange flowers at the market to decorate and accent the sweet summer vibe perfectly.

The menu was nothing but delicious. There was chicken cordon bleu and a honey mustard chicken and brie burger to choose from for a main course, grilled vegetables or a walnut-arugula salad, and the freshest of sides: spinach parmesan mashed potatoes, homemade thyme gnocchi with sautéed tomatoes... And this comes after we'd already been blown away by their brunch menu and fancy drink selection.

We ate our fill (literally) before dessert: Emily (our fondant queen and cake decorating whiz) created a beautiful cake to look like a latté, art and all. There were little salted caramel brownie mugs for each guest to go along with the chocolate and caramel buttercream of the latté cake. I can't begin to describe how great this cake was and how sad I will be when the leftovers are finally gone from my refrigerator.

I have the best coworkers. It's obvious from these photos, no? Been fortunate enough to spend a year here with them, some gone already and maybe others to come soon, and they did a swell job of helping me kick off year twenty-five! Don't know what I did to deserve such a great little community here!

PAI, THAILAND • PART 2

About three hours north of Chiang Mai, through 762 curves and the most treacherous roads I've ever been on, you'll reach Pai. To say it lightly, it's a hippie paradise. Backpackers from all over flock here to visit the canyons, take a gander at the mountains surrounding on all sides, get a drink from the numerous bars, "feel the culture" and meet other foreigners at the market. I saw more foreigners in this weekend trip than I had seen in Thailand in ages. 

Even though there is always a wave of tourists moving through Pai, it keeps the "small Thai town" vibe, letting travelers get a glimpse of Thai life, even if it is hidden behind vendor carts and crowds of farang. There are lots of details that shout "Thailand!" at the top of their little object lungs, locals who light up when you speak in a northern Thai accent to them, and little Chinese aunties waiting on bless you with some of their hot tea just for entering their little shop.

Upon arrival, Megan and I checked into Heart of Pai Resort, still dizzy from the bumpy and rollercoaster-esque bus ride. We finished off our 7-Eleven loot, took the smallest of naps, then headed on to dinner at Silhouette, the restaurant at Reverie Siam. I'd been recommended this place both through friends in Chiang Mai and online, but the price tag per room was a bit much for my taste. The food however, was perfect for it. We sat and marveled at the restaurant's interior, ordered several tapas to split (think lemon pepper hummus and fried risotto balls), and got our mocktail on. The weather was perfect, a storm just passing over us, and the sun setting in the background. Talk about idyllic.

After dinner, a complementary motortaxi took us to the walking street in town, where we browsed the shops and the stands for a few hours. There were post cards galore, all manner of bags and pouches, plenty of foods to try (we settled on coconut khanom and rotee before caving into a carrot-cashew cake at Pai Siam Bistro).

On Saturday morning we discovered our favorite spot in Pai: Om Garden Café. The place was overflowing with greenery, an obvious win. The extensive menu (which we sampled both mornings of our trip) included a breakfast burger with bacon, egg and grilled mushroom, fried eggs over pita bread and hummus as well as more traditional Thai breakfast items like porridge and fruit. The smoothies were incredibly sweet and smooth. Megan had a slice of lime cake a couple times as well.

While living in China, Megan has had the fortune of learning to ride a motorbike. I, on the other hand, have not yet built up the courage to learn. She rented one for the two of us to ride, and it was probably one of the best decisions we made all weekend. We zoomed over to the Chinese village about 5 kilometers away from the city center, heading to the top of the "mountain" for spectacular views, not-yet-ripe bananas and all the green tea we could drink.

Heading down from the summit, we breezed through the little village, Megan getting to surprise some of the ladies there with her Chinese, and me getting by on the Thai they spoke. The sweetest women ran these tea shops, not pushing us to buy, but hoping for a chat to spend the time they normally just used sitting in the heat and watching tourists walk by without a word.

Before the day ended we hiked up and around the entrance of Pai Canyon, a quick bike ride to the other side of the city. No deep deep abysses here, but plenty of formations jetting out over the forested area, views of beautiful blue and green mountains for miles. Slipping here is easy, and we saw too many bandaged foreigners to want to spend more time climbing and balancing. The views were worth the drive, and the heat of the sun was worth the wind on the ride back.

That night we browsed the market again, but on motorbike this time, circling the town to take in the glorious cool of the night–something Chiang Mai hasn't received yet this year. We ate a little (sorta unimpressive) dinner at Duang Restaurant near the center of the market before we discovered Nong Beer Restaurant's great Thai food. Closing the night with another long visit to Silhouette for virgin Mojitos and some quality book time.

The first time I visited Pai the premise was camping, and this trip was completely different. I'm definitely prone to repeat trips: visiting the same restaurants, the same lookout spots and the same hotels. This was a refreshing second look at Pai, with its hoards of backpackers, constant smells of beer and Thai food, and rustic Thai village-town combo life. Word to the wise: if the khao soi has spaghetti instead of egg noodles, just go somewhere else.

CHIANG MAI, THAILAND • WOO CAFÉ

About a year ago, my sister-in-law's brother Matt visited, and I sent him to a pin I'd received from a friend for this "café you HAVE to try." Later Matt texted me with a resounding: "Yes. This place." So Katie and I joined shortly, with some notebooks in tow to plan our upcoming vacation. Ever since, Woo has been our home base for late night coffee hangs, a happy place when the days are long and annoying, and somewhere we can count on to have the best things: good drinks, fresh green food, and friendly staff.

The shop is constantly filled with fresh flowers and plants, like a garden is spilling out of each nook and cranny. The sunlight outside spills into the space as well, and at night the candle-like glow of the chandeliers and lamps make for a peaceful place to chat or work.

Woo serves just about every coffee drink you'll normally find at cafés in town, the art is done spectacularly, and the iced drinks come in giant glass jars, not to mention the delicious cookies that come with each drink. If that doesn't win you over, I don't know if anything will.

Woo also boasts a great food menu. The caesar salad and chicken sandwich never disappoint, and the Thai food is just as good, flavorful and spicy as any other place you'll find in Chiang Mai.

In a separate part of the building, you'll find a "lifestyle" shop, a beautiful and expensive boutique filled with ceramics, jewelry, funky art, and rich fabrics. I can't afford most things in that store even on payday, but it's a blast to walk through and browse the ever-changing items.