Hey everyone! Welcome back to Living Abroad, a series that shows you what expat life is like in cities around the world. Our latest interview features pastry chef Molly, who moved from Dallas to Paris to attend pastry school at the Cordon Bleu. She now lives in Versailles, France, with François, her French partner and their adorable dog, Elliot.
Here’s a peek into her dreamy life in France…
Molly’s background:
Hi! My name is Molly Wilkinson. I’m originally from Dallas, Texas and I teach pastry classes in Versailles! I live in an 18th-century apartment with François, my French partner, and Eliott, our dog.
I moved to attend pastry school at Le Cordon Bleu and really fell in love with the city, particularly the culture around food and the amazing ingredients. I ended up going back to Texas once my visa expired, then I returned and worked at several pâtisseries — and even a château — to gain experience.
On her old-world apartment: Our apartment is about five minutes walk from the Versailles Château in the Saint Louis neighborhood. The building was built in the 18th century and is full of charm. Our apartment is full of light, still has the original parquet floors and huge mirrors on the mantles. I use one of the rooms for teaching my pastry classes. I’ve planted red geraniums in the flower boxes and filled the cabinets with pastry tools and antique cake stands. In the middle of the room is a big antique French farm table where I create.
On moving to Versailles: Versailles is full of history and charm. There is so much more to the city than just the Château. It’s quite expansive and doesn’t have the small windy medieval streets like some of the towns nearby. It’s quiet, traditional, and has beautiful architecture. It’s situated just 30 minutes from Paris by train, so we have the peacefulness of living outside the big city but also the proximity to easily go in whenever we need to. There are two main neighborhoods in Versailles, the Saint Louis Quarter and the Notre Dame Quarter. Both have impressive churches and markets! There’s also the horse carriage museum to explore and even a local flour mill.
On becoming a pastry chef: I’ve been baking since I was very young, but it was all American treats – like my favorite chocolate chip cookies and brownies. It wasn’t until I came to Paris at the age of 26 that I started to learn the art of French pâtisserie. Going to school for the culinary arts is difficult; you’re on your feet all day, and there’s a certain amount of pressure to get things right the first time. I loved it though. I learned more with each creation and got more confident.
After I graduated, I did an internship at a tiny pastry shop in the 10th arrondissement in Paris where I was the only person besides the two women pastry chefs running the place. I learned so much and went on from there to work at several bakeries in both the US and France. The culinary arts is a field where you are constantly learning, which makes it quite interesting.
I focus on pâtisserie. Within pâtisserie, you have several different specialties, like candy, chocolate, and even ice cream. Separate from patisserie is bread-making (boulangerie), and yeasted pastries (viennoiserie), like croissants. In the US, the word pastry often refers to anything sweet that is French, like eclairs and tarts, but croissants as well, whereas they are actually two entirely different fields.
On learning French: I consider myself intermediate level in French. Learning the language when you live in any foreign country is so important. It opens doors but also allows you to experience more of the culture and feel more like you belong. In terms of tips, I’d say to get a French boyfriend and try to surround yourself with French-speaking people. I also work with a tutor on a regular basis. When I lived in Paris, I took French through the Mairie (city hall). This is a GREAT tip for people living there. It’s very inexpensive and a good way to get into learning asap.
On making friends: Joining different activity groups helps, but I’ve even made friends in the area through Instagram! Eliott is quite the mascot and conversation starter too.
On dating: Dating in France is very different than in the US. Essentially there isn’t dating – either you’re together or not! Yes, the first 1-2 dates are trials to see what you think, then pretty soon thereafter, you’re in a relationship. Also, there isn’t “the discussion” aka the “are we boyfriend and girlfriend?”. I once tried to do this with François, and it was pretty hilarious. He was like, well we are together, we’re happy, and that’s what matters – no need to ask or label.
On the cost of living: I find living in Versailles similar to living in Dallas. I shop a lot at the market for fruits and vegetables and they’re so much cheaper than even buying them in the supermarkets here.
On living in France as an American: It’s been great! But it’s also all about how you approach things. I love living here and try to spread that positivity into all areas of my life and maybe they can sense it? Also, I am familiar with the customs after living here for more than six years and speak the language.
Even visiting though, Americans are very much so welcome! Just great people with a “Bonjour” when going into a shop or restaurant, or starting any conversation. That is the best advice. Add “Madame or Monsieur” and you’ll get a smile for your efforts.
On French fashion: Fashion will vary in France from town to town, and of course the different generations. Fashion in Versailles is a lot different than in Paris. In Versailles, it’s pretty traditional, longer skirts, slacks, nice blouses or dresses, in neutral tones or florals. There’s also a thing with red pants here? Seriously. In Paris, it’s very fashion-forward, trendy, and pretty much anything goes. That’s what makes people-watching such fun!
On living in France during Covid-19: It’s been very quiet. During the confinements, especially the first one, we really just stayed inside, did big shops for food and watched a lot of movies. Thankfully we have a bit more space than the 9m2 (100sqft) apartment I had in Paris! The pandemic also forced me to quickly pivot my business model from in-person pastry classes to online classes, and it’s been incredible. I now reach more people than I ever did before, and folks that live all over the world!
On missing home: Besides my family and friends, I miss tacos the most!
On the best part about living in Versailles: I love how I call it home now. I walk down the streets and see people I know. I have my favorite haunts and feel comfortable here. Also, there’s something pretty special about having the Versailles gardens as the place where I walk my dog.
On the worst part about living in Versailles: The bureaucracy is quite daunting. I like to say that France makes you work for it!
On wanting to living in Versaille long-term: Oui!
Merci, Molly!
(Photos by Molly Krystal Kenney, Joann Pai, and Claire Emmaline.)
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For this fall’s Living Abroad series, our next stop is Morocco. Sinclair, an American elementary school teacher, lives in Tangier, Morocco’s third-largest city. Here, Sinclair describes Moroccan nut, date, and avocado smoothies, her experience dating in Morocco, and Tangier’s unlikely love for Birkenstocks…
Sinclair’s background: I moved to Morocco in September 2019 and quickly fell in love with the country. Everyone I met was incredibly kind and welcoming; I felt at home shortly after arriving. I liked it so much that I did not want to leave, even when COVID-19 hit Morocco in 2020 and I had the opportunity to return to the US. Even though the past year and a half have been incredibly challenging and stressful, so much good came out of it through friendships and making strides in my career. Morocco has so much to offer and I have been on an incredible adventure, and through it, I found a place I can see myself thriving in. I feel like I am following my heart and living my life to the fullest.
On the natural beauty: Morocco has inspired my photography due to its seemingly effortless beauty. There is something very special about the light in Morocco that helps make it so photogenic, along with its vibrant colors and charming streets. Everywhere I turn I am struck by tiny moments of art from a sweeping archway of a doorway, rooftop views of the city and the ocean to the street cats lounging among food vendors.
On the cost of living: The cost of living in Morocco is very affordable. Rent varies from city to city, but you can find apartments anywhere from $200-$800 a month. In regards to other expenses, it is easy to find a meal that costs anywhere from $2-6. At fancier restaurants, a dinner would cost around $25. This is partly because almost all of the fresh produce is locally sourced and is super cheap as Morocco has a huge farming industry.
On food: Moroccan food is delicious and full of flavor. Fear not if you don’t like spicy food because Moroccans tend not to either, and their traditional foods are rich and full of umami and sweet flavors. Couscous is the obvious favorite of many, but I am fond of the lamb and prune tajine, which is essentially a slow roast and is eaten with fresh bread. Moroccan smoothie and juice bars are my favorite though. You will not find better fresh-squeezed orange juice anywhere else. I love the Moroccan smoothie with nuts, dates, and avocado which is delicious, filling, and perfect for breakfast.
On fashion: You will find that in big cities like Rabat and Casablanca, women dress more freely and in more American styles. Where I live, in the north, it’s much more conservative; people dress more consistently and more similarly. On the street, I notice women wearing long flowy maxi dresses, blouses, high-waisted pants, chunky sneakers, big sunglasses, and a bold red lip. Some women wear headscarves, but a lot don’t as well. There are a lot of young hipsters that dress more similarly to the French art student vibe with jeans, fun prints, and lots of details. Last but not least Birkenstock! They are the shoe of Tangier and I am here for it. There are certain clothing styles that I do not feel comfortable wearing out in public though, like short shorts or crop tops because I would stand out more than I already do as a white woman.
On being an American in Morocco: A lot of Moroccans love America! When they find out that I am American they are excited and want to talk about it and ask me questions, or share a random connection they have with the US. Many Moroccans are tuned into US affairs from politics to TikTok trends. They are often fascinated that I chose to live abroad and are friendly towards me. Some people I’ve met still have the American Dream of making a life for themselves in the land of opportunity. Others do not care about that but find the American mindset very open and are fascinated and curious about our lifestyle.
On the local languages: Morocco has two official languages: Arabic and Amazigh. The majority of Moroccans speak Darija, which is the Moroccan dialect of Arabic. I am learning Darija and know enough to use it in interactions at the market, with taxi drivers, or to say hi to my neighbors. But it is difficult because it is so different from English and there are many sounds that we do not use that I simply cannot pronounce. Amazigh is spoken by the indigenous population of Morocco and is characterized as an Afro-Asiatic language; it uses an entirely different alphabet. Many Moroccans also speak French; it is often used as the language of business and government.
On street harassment: I experience street harassment pretty regularly. On a given day in Tangier walking around, I might go 30 minutes with 8 different remarks or none at all. It’s really random. The saving grace is that however angry or annoyed it makes me at times, and often uncomfortable, I rarely feel unsafe. I might get an “hola, muy guapa” or “bonjour”, or a lot of stares and I have been followed, but it has rarely ever been scary. Sometimes it seems they want to shoot their shot, others are just overly friendly or curious, and some are gross, but I do not feel in most cases that the men have bad intentions. I do my best to be vigilant and aware, but I chose to ignore it. I also walk around with my guy friends which greatly reduces the attention I get. It is not fun but it is manageable.
On dating: Dating in Morocco is interesting to say the least. Dating is far more complicated in Morocco as there are several laws and customs that prevent the mingling of genders. Relationships and dating definitely exist but they are more hidden. Sex before marriage is not allowed, but that never stopped anyone. There is certainly no PDA and forget vacationing with a significant other because unmarried Moroccan couples are unable to stay at hotels and Airbnbs, with the exception of foreigners. Like everywhere else, the younger generations are changing and I see couples around and I know people who date and are in serious relationships but often do not tell their extended family. I notice some people living a Hannah Montana-esque life, one fairly conservative with their family and one more freely with their friends. The lack of freedom forces people to act certain ways so I understand how it can be challenging to maneuver around.
On meeting someone special: I only dated a little and mostly through friends I knew in my first year in Morocco, until I moved to Tangier and was bored and stuck at home for a little while, so I decided to see what Tinder was like there. I was met with a very positive response but because of Covid had little interest in actually going on dates, until I met my now partner of almost one year! I am grateful I did, he has made my experience in Tangier and in Morocco infinitely better. We have encountered some cultural differences and challenges of course, but nothing we could not handle. It is also frustrating to not be able to live as freely in public as we could elsewhere but that has not stopped our happiness.
On missing home: More than anything, I miss my friends and family. Even though I chose to live abroad, that does not make living away from your loved ones easy. I am thankful for Zoom and texting that have kept many of my relationships alive and close despite the physical distance.
On driving: I also miss driving. Although I have rented a car on a few occasions and driven in Morocco I do not drive on a daily basis, and driving in the city is terrifying. I miss nice empty suburban roads and blasting my music with my windows down while driving.
On alcohol: Alcohol is not illegal in Morroco, but it is taboo. That being said, there are liquor stores and some restaurants sell it, though the variety is limited (I miss craft beer and cider!).
But where they lack in beer, Morocco excels in wine. Morocco’s Middle Atlas region has great soil for wine and they produce some very good wine. Morocco makes a unique grey wine that is made with red grapes but in the style of white wine, which produces a light refreshing alternative to rosé, which is a must-try! It’s nice being able to get a good bottle of wine for $9.
On the worst part of living in Morocco: The lack of freedom. I find it frustrating and kind of surprising how many restrictive laws are in place on women especially in Morocco or various traditions that exist that make it difficult to freely express yourself or live openly. I took for granted my rights as an American but I am grateful for them now. I value the ability to take ownership of my life and that I have the freedom to live it how I please. Although, that is not the case for many people in America to this day, and it is certainly far from the truth in Morocco in some ways.
On the best part of living in Morocco: The people. Connecting with new people who have different stories and life experiences is an eye-opening experience. Morocco is such a beautiful country with beautiful people that mean well and have made my experience so rewarding.
Thank you so much, Sinclair!
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Hey, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? I don’t think I’ve written a blog post in a year or so. I hope you’re all doing well in these crazy times. As always, thanks for reading.
I have a question: What’s your favorite U.S. National Park?
Over the past two years, I’ve fallen in love with them.
Before the pandemic, I had only visited a handful of them, mostly by accident. But once the pandemic hit, and it was safe enough to road-trip, I drove all around the country visiting them.
Now I’ve seen 15 out of 63. And someday, I’d like to see them all.
First, there was Redwood National Park, with its towering trees and black-sand beaches…
Then Indiana Dunes, with its sprawling views of nuclear reactors…
Then Utah, home to some of the best national parks in the country: I visited Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion.
Hiking the Canyons at Zion. I’d love to do it again during the summer!
After Utah, I visited Mammoth Cave (Kentucky) and Hot Springs (Arkansas), on the way to Austin, which is where I live now.
Then there was Big Bend, Texas. The night sky is incredible there! You can see so many stars.
Followed by Petrified Forest in New Mexico…
And most recently, Glacier (Montana) and Grand Teton (Wyoming). Glacier National Park reminded me of Switzerland with its alpine valleys, purple wildflowers, and jagged mountains. I even saw mountain goats.
I feel so lucky that I’ve gotten to see so much of our beautiful country in the past few years.
When I was younger, I focused solely on international travel (this blog isn’t called Ashley Abroad for nothin’). But over the past two years, I’m happy to report that I’ve gained a newfound appreciation for my own backyard.
It turns out you don’t have to fly halfway around the world to go on an adventure.
Camping in Big Bend National Park with my dog, Alfie
As for my favorite? It’s a two-way tie between Redwood and Big Bend.
How many national parks have you visited?Do you have a favorite?
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There are times when I absolutely adore living in Austin: when I’m paddleboarding on Town Lake, when I’m drinking a frozen margarita at Maudie’s, when I’m hanging out in hip East Austin under string lights.
That being said, there are certain things I’m less fond of: the sweltering summers, the isolation, the lack of walkability.
I’ve lived in Austin for almost two years. Here’s what I’ve come to love and hate about it:
What I love about Austin
The People
By and large, Texans are incredibly nice people: generous, funny, and sincerely kind. When I had Covid, multiple neighbors brought me tortilla soup and walked my dog. People say hello to you on the street here, even if they don’t know you. Austin is by far the friendliest place I’ve ever lived.
The Food
Another positive – the food. Austin’s food scene is thriving: you can find excellent TexMex, Thai, Vietnamese, and of course, barbecue. Some of my favorite spots are Uchiko (sushi), Odd Duck (new American), and Loro (Asian/barbecue fusion). I’ve also grown to LOVE frozen margaritas, ha.
The Water
As a born-and-raised Michigander, I desperately need to live near water (that was one of the things I found hardest about living in Colorado). Luckily, Austin has plenty of it: Town Lake, Barton Springs, and Lake Travis, to name a few.
The Winters
The winters here are delightful – the temperature hovers around 70 degrees, and the skies are usually crisp and blue. Though we do have the odd snow day, the winter weather is very mild.
Live Music
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Austin’s internationally renowned live music scene. I love how you can walk into a random bar on a Tuesday and hear an incredible performance for the price of a Shiner Bock.
The Dog-friendliness
In Austin, you can bring your dog almost anywhere — I bring my pup almost everywhere I go. My local CVS is even dog-friendly.
What I Hate
The Crowds
Due to its huge popularity in recent years, Austin feels insanely crowded at times. Parking is hard to find, restaurants are packed, and the weekends especially can be hectic.
The High Cost of Living
Austin is very expensive. To buy a plot of land – not even a house – in my neighborhood, costs a million dollars.
Poor Walkability
Sadly, Austin is not a walkable city. Bisected by two highways, Austin is a very car-dependent city; for walkability, it ranks 42nd in the US, between Las Vegas and Pheonix. As someone who loves to walk, this is a huge downside.
The Allergies
Central Texas has been called the “Allergy Capital of the World.” There’s even a daily allergy report on the local news, where official pollen counts for ragweed, grass, and mold are measured. I never had allergies in my life until I moved here — ugh.
The Heat
The summers in Austin are brutal. Temperatures can reach 110 degrees (or higher). After this year’s scorching summer, 90 degrees bizarrely feels somewhat cool to me.
The Isolation
Austin is close to only a few cities: Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Earlier this year I made the mistake of driving to New Orleans, which took 10 hours. Sometimes I feel so envious of the East Coast – imagine driving a few hours and being able to access Boston, Philly, and NYC? Sigh.
All this to say, I’ve been pretty happy here. I’m not sure if it’s my forever home (I’m not sure I have a forever home, period), but I plan to stay at least a few more years. And enjoy many more lake days and frozen margs.
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Hey guys, it’s been a while! Working in consulting has taken a toll on my blogging — when I have free time, the last thing I want to do is stare at a screen.
But I wanted to pop in to share some reading recommendations. I read 32 books in 2022 which is about average for me — I usually read 30-35 books a year. Which is perfectly fine with me. I read for pleasure, and I’m not a fan of reading challenges.
In 2022, I read way more fiction than usual, which is something I want to continue this year as well.
Without further ado, here are my favorite reads of 2022:
Eleanor Oliphant is quirky, reclusive, and painfully socially awkward. But despite her social difficulties, what she craves above all else is connection with other people.
I loved this book. At turns heartbreaking and laugh-out-loud funny, I enjoyed every moment I spent with Eleanor, who is one of the most memorable and likable characters I’ve come across in years.
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry follows the story of widower, curmudgeon bookstore owner, A.J. Fikry, as he grapples with grief and, in an unexpected twist of fate, single fatherhood. At its heart, this novel is an ode to books and book lovers.
This book is my first read by Gabrielle Zevin but it won’t be my last. Zevin also wrote Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, which is currently sitting on my shelf. I’m excited to delve into it soon.
As a lifelong tennis player, I really enjoyed Carrie Soto is Back. Carrie Soto is a world-famous tennis champion in her late thirties. But six years after her retirement, she watches her world record be taken to her at the US Open, and vows to get it back.
Though Carrie Soto Back obviously centers around tennis, you don’t have to be a tennis player in order to appreciate this: it also features a complicated father-daughter relationship, which I loved, as well as a love story.
If you haven’t read Taylor Jenkins Reid yet, I highly recommend her work: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones and the Six are fun and easy reads. (I still need to read Malibu Rising!)
I binged this at my cottage over the span of a delicious summer weekend, and it was truly the perfect summer read. Set in Cape Cod, The Paper Palace takes place over a single summer day in which Elle, 50, must confront her past and all its secrets. Truly a page-turner, I was dying to find out what happened between Elle and her childhood love, Jonas, all those years ago.
The only downside – the book features a chilling child abuse scene that I wish had been omitted.
So this is a bit out of left field, but in 2022, I finally read Beowulf. As a diehard Tolkien fan, I had meant to read this Beowulf for years, as it greatly influenced The Lord of the Rings.
Beowulf is an epic poem that tells the story of Beowulf, a Scandinavian hero who rids the kingdom of Grendel, a monster that has been terrorizing the land for 50 years.
As the book was written in Old English, I obviously read a translation, and I’m so glad I read Seamus Heaney’s translation. As a Nobel-prize-winning poet, Heaney brought Beowulf to life in such a powerful and never-boring way.
The Simple Pathto Wealth by J.L. Collins (2016)
In 2022, I had a goal to learn more about personal finance and investing. I read many personal finance books: The psychology of Money, Total money makeover, I will make you rich, and more. But the best of the lot was The Simple Path to Wealth.
The Simple Path to Wealth is a personal finance book for people who have no interest in learning about finance and who want to keep investing simple. Due to its simplicity and brevity, this is the best personal finance book I’ve ever read.
In 2022, I went on a major Philippa Gregory kick, reading seven of her books. The Kingmaker’s Daughter is my favorite of hers I’ve read so far.
The Kingmaker’s Daughter follows the story of Anne Neville, one-time Queen of England and wife of the infamous Richard III. Anne began her life as the daughter of Richard Neville, so-called “the kingmaker” for his ability to make (and unmake English) kings.
I love Philippa Gregory’s books because they focus on women in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. So often, historical texts and novels gloss over women and their accomplishments during these time periods. But clearly, as in the case of Anne, women of this time period deserve a closer look.
What was your favorite book of 2022?
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The number of calls I’ve gotten from friends and family members lately asking me to help with using credit card points for flights is at an all-time high. You should have a workshop, they say. We’d pay to have you figure this out for us, they tell me.
But look, I’m not going to charge them—or you—but I will share all my secrets here. It’s taken me awhile to figure out the process, and it’s a bit like travel Jenga if we’re being honest. If you do find this content helpful, I’d appreciate you use the embedded links to open credit cards or subscriptions, as it continues to help me provide these resources free of charge to you.
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Quick resources for booking flights
How to find rewards flights
People think that opening a credit card and earning the sign-up bonus is all you have to do, and rewards flights will just materialize. Wrong! Obviously, you need the points first, but each airline varies in how much inventory they have open for awards seats and the amount of points needed to book (which also depends on time of year you’re traveling, class of service and route, among other things). One service I love that makes this process easier is Point.Me, which lets you load in all your credit card points and figures out flights for you based on which points you have (Ultimate Rewards, Membership Rewards, Bilt Reward, etc.). You can then sort by lowest points, quickest flights or your personal credit card/airline loyalty programs.
It’s how I found our flights in a very complicated itinerary to Qatar and onto Thailand—we flew in suites all the way around the world and just paid a total of $200 out of pocket for taxes—and it’s well worth the subscription fee. But if you don’t want the ease of a service to do it for you, here’s what you need to know as you start the process of using credit card points for flights.
You have to put in the research
Once you have your destination in mind, the first things to research are 1) what airlines fly there from your home airport and 2) do your credit card points transfer to those airlines? For example, Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to United, KLM and AirFrance, while American Express Membership Rewards transfer to Delta (and no one transfers to American, ha). I find this chart from In Points We Trust a helpful one to reference quickly when I’m doing my flight searches.
When finding reward flight availability, you may have to reposition to a larger airport (i.e. book a separate flight to a larger airport with better airlift). Being based out of Nashville at BNA, I do a lot of this—I often fly for cheap or use my Companion Pass to get to other cities like D.C., Atlanta, Newark or even JFK to begin my journey, then book my round-trip international airfare out of those hubs.
Once you have an idea of what routes go where, then you can start plugging and playing on the airline websites. You’ll usually need a frequent flier account to search rewards availability, so go ahead and sign up for the airline(s) you think you may be flying so you’ll be one step closer. After you have an account, you can plug in your dates or date range, then start looking at availability and pricing. For many airlines, this means checking a box that says “use points” or “rewards flights.” And if the airline (like United, pictured here) offers a calendar by the month, it’s worth checking to see what days have the cheapest rewards availability to your destination.
Sometimes, I find it easier to search awards availability on the airline’s app, so if you’re finding the browser experience clunky, considering downloading the app instead. The 300 level of using credit card points to fly for free is learning what alliances (e.g. Avios, Flying Blue, etc.) you can transfer to—and also what airports to avoid connecting through as they charge an exorbitant amount of taxes (I’m looking at you, Heathrow)—but that is a topic for another day once you’ve got the basics down.
This is important: You’re always going to want to transfer points to that airline’s site versus booking through the credit card portal, which often costs five times the points as transferring directly to the airline, not to mention has fewer routes available.
If you find a flight for, say, Qatar Airways that requires 140,000 points, then—and only then—is it safe to transfer the points over from your credit card to that airline account and book the flight stat. Points transfers often are instantaneous but sometimes can take up to 72 hours, so don’t fret if you don’t see them in your airline account right away. And if an airline allows you to hold the seat—which often is something you’d have to do via calling—absolutely take them up on that.
You have to book early
For our Thailand trip this year, I booked my flights 11 months out, and the same for our Australia trip coming up this winter. Do you always have to be looking that far out? If you want to fly business, the answer is generally yes. Economy availability is usually more plentiful, but business class has limited inventory because the airlines want the cash for those expensive seats.
Airlines typically release flights around 330 before departure. If you’re flying international and want to use points for business class seats, I suggest you book as close to that release date as possible.
You have to be flexible
You can’t have dates set in stone when you need to leave and arrive and expect to find points flights that magically align with that dream. After I have a general idea of where I want to go—like the year and season, for example—and how many days I want to be gone for, I’ll start tracking prices on Google Flights (if I’m paying out of pocket), including setting up price alerts, and watching rewards availability like a hawk (if I’m using points). This is a time-consuming hobby, make no mistake.
If you have the flexibility to travel with a few weeks’ notice, you can definitely make out well using points for flights. For example, I just saw a lot of award availability open up to Europe for next month! The points game is great for Type A travelers like me who plan their travels a year out, as well as fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants jetsetters who have the flexibility to up and go on a whim.
I also subscribe to many different newsletters like Going and 10xTravel—I recommend the paid subscriptions for both—which give me heads up about short sales, awards flight availability and more.
Also know going into this process that many holidays or high season periods will likely be sold out or blacked out—or, on the flip side, you’ll have to spend a premium of points, meaning it might not be worth it to use your hard-earned points on that specific trip. I typically find I get the best bang for my buck using credit card points for flights when I’m traveling outside of the big travel seasons like summer and November/December.
My favorite credit cards for earning travel points
Each of them has different benefits, but all of them come with lounge access, which I use the heck out of.
Top ways to earn points toward flights
Beyond opening credit cards, getting the sign-up bonuses and using those cards for key categories, there are other things you can do to make sure you’re getting the maximum points.
Link your Rakuten to your AmEx account
The number one—read this: NUMBER ONE—way to rack up additional Membership Rewards points is by signing up for a free Rakuten account, then linking it to your American Express card. I’ve found my points through cash back are way more valuable than a few dollars each cycle.
You can only do this if you have an AmEx account. Sorry, Chase and Cap1 card holders. Explore my favorite AmEx card here.
Check your offers regularly
No matter which card you have, there will be an offers section in your dashboard. I routinely browse them and add any ones—like LuluLemon, Marathon gas, Hilton, etc.—to my offers, that way if I spend money with any of those businesses and meet the criteria, I’ll either earn additional points or cash back. AmEx, in particular, often has points deals for Amazon purchases. You just have to make sure you (obviously) use that card when shopping at the business.
Refer your family and friends
Once you have opened credit cards, using your referral link when friends and family open the same card can be helpful in accruing additional points you can use toward travel. And bonus, you didn’t have to spend a dime to do it either!
Any other questions on using credit card points for flights? This is just the tip of the iceberg, but should get you going as you work toward your master’s degree in rewards travel.
Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Tennessee draws visitors for myriad reasons: music, food, nature, civil rights history and art (yes, art). And if you’re heading this way and love a good free road trip activity, you may be looking for the best mural cities in Tennessee. As a bona-fide mural chaser, traveler and a public art nonprofit president, I’m here to be your guide. After all, I want you to see the very best art my home state has to offer!
“Art of Harmony” mural by Ty Christian; beauty image mural in Tullahoma by Sophi Odling
My husband and I have been seeking out cities with great public art—think: Cincinnati, Austin, Lisbon, Oklahoma City, Portland—for more than two decades. And for seven years now, we’ve also been helping develop the face of public art in rural parts of Tennessee through our nonprofit work. Murals drive tourism, and they have the domino effect of attracting visitors, who then spend money at local businesses. It’s a win-win for everyone.
If you’re traveling to the Volunteer State and want to go on your own public art road trip, I’ve got some ideas for you. Starting from west to east, here are the best mural cities in Tennessee and what to see while you’re there.
Memphis, Tennessee
If you want the true pulse of Tennessee, start in Memphis. This city is the home to blues, jazz, gospel and a whole host of creatives during their thing. From Beale Street to the Mississippi River, Overton Park to Broad Avenue, Memphis has so many nooks and crannies to explore and murals to unearth. I have a full guide to the best murals in Memphis here, as well as other guides to planning a weekend in Memphis.
Memphis murals by Damon Lamarreed and Pugs Atomz, Dustin Spagnola, Qwynto, Alive Paint and Siphne A. Sylve, Sarah Painter and Cosby Hayes
The story of Waverly’s art scene is the result of one local entrepreneur’s love for train graffiti. He wondered, if given legal permission to paint, what these artists could be capable of if they weren’t trespassing or vandalizing. So he started the Walls Art Park in Waverly to allow creatives the space to do just that. The Walls Art Park first opened in 2018 with 14 walls scattered among three wooded acres; a year later, Klein added two acres, which allowed for even more walls once trees were cleared and trails added. Today, the park spans 80+ paintable surfaces, and Klein has plans to expand into the adjoining 10 acres with camping areas and other forms of three-dimensional art like sculptures and wood carving. Waverly is also home to Loretta Lynn’s Ranch and Johnsonville State Historic Park.
When it comes to sheer volume, Nashville’s murals are unmatched. Corporations like the Tennessee Titans have seen the value of public art, and several neighborhoods like the Nations have developed policies where new developments must sponsor art installations as a gift to the community. Some names to watch out for include local muralists Cymone Wilder, Mobe, Folek, Kim Radford and Whitney Herrington, as well as international names like Beau Stanton and Guido van Helton, who designed the famed Silo mural. And yes, there’s even a Kelsey Montague wings mural, much as I hate to even mention it. If you’re coming to Music City, the art scene is very spread out, so I made this mural guide to Nashville, which I update frequently, to make your experience a bit more seamless.
Nashville murals by Sarah Painter and Cymone Wilder, Jason Woodside, Thomas Halloran, Sentrock
Manchester is where we first started our public art nonprofit—much to the chagrin of some of the older folks in town—and we were able to make an immediate impact by transforming the entrance to the downtown Manchester square almost overnight. In the years to come, we added pieces throughout the Manchester greenway, as well as one at exit 110 at Foothills Craft to raise awareness of suicide prevention. This mural happens to be on the way to Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park for those who are coming down to visit Manchester’s lovely state park and waterfalls.
Manchester murals by Tara Aversa, Matt Willey, Sarah Painter and Cosby Hayes, Ivan Roque
Tullahoma is where I was born and raised and the place I chose to come back to as an adult. It’s also a town that is plagued by a state highway and a rail line running right through its core, disturbing the walkability of the downtown—but one that draws so many visitors thanks to the presence of Arnold Air Force Base, George Dickel (dba as Cascade Hollow Distilling Co.) and Jack Daniel’s Distillery. So we decided to make it our personal project by focusing on driving people to various downtown Tullahoma businesses with the draw of public murals. We have 18 murals in Tullahoma and counting, and for as long as we live here (and there are walls to paint), it will continue to be a passion of ours. If you’re coming to Coffee County, you can use this map to see all the murals in Tullahoma and Manchester.
Tullahoma murals by Kris Kanaly, Ty Christian, Nathan Brown, JUURI, Mobe, Daria Hammond
A decade ago, Chattanooga’s art scene wouldn’t have made my list for best murals in Tennessee—too much art by committee, too little allowance for creative liberties—but the city has seen a serious renaissance in recent years. The addition of local artists like Nathan Brown making a splash with full-blown, block-long murals has made the Scenic City one I love driving through to look for new murals. Chattanooga, in general, is a great town to visit, with neighborhoods like St. Elmo and Northshore some of my favorites.
There aren’t enough powerful adjectives to describe just how much I love the town of Sweetwater. Four years ago, I only knew it by name, then we were awarded a National Endowment for the Arts grant to do an original piece in a town that had ties to the suffrage movement. Sweetwater was the unanimous pick. What we found in the coming months—and later, the years—was a town that supports its small businesses, one that is devoted to the visitor experience, and a city staff who truly cares about its community. Today, Sweetwater is well on its way to 10 murals in town thanks to the visionaries in charge, and we couldn’t be happier to be a part of that. But there’s plenty more to do beyond murals, too: There’s the Lost Sea Adventure, Tsali Notch Vineyard, Sweetwater Valley Farm and the sweetest Smokies-adjacent town Tellico Plains just down the road.
Sweetwater murals by Jenny Ustick, Kim Radford, Megan Lingerfelt, Whitney Herrington
Where to stay in Sweetwater: Remedies Inn right on Main Street
Knoxville, Tennessee
If I had to name the artiest town in Tennessee, I would respond with Knoxville, no contest. Large university towns often pump out some of the most creative endeavors, and UT’s The School of Art has helped pave the careers of many notable alumni like designer/illustrator Paris Woodhull, who has her own downtown storefront. But what I love most about Knoxville’s artistic fabric is the mindful placemaking: the ever-changing murals of Strong Alley, the inspiring sculptures in Krutch Park, the brand-new Knox Walls. If every city approached creativity the way Knoxville does, the world would be in great shape.
Knoxville murals by Megan Lingerfelt and Curtis Glover, Paris Woodhull
We’ve installed many more murals in small towns that could eventually earn a spot on this best mural cities in Tennessee list with the addition of more original pieces in the future (and absolutely no wings). Here’s a map of all of our DMA installations throughout the state.
Every September brings with it a number of festivals in Tennessee, and one of my absolute favorites is Pilgrimage Music Festival in the charming town of Franklin. While other music festivals in Tennessee like Bonnaroo and CMA Fest are in the camp of “you’ve got to go at least once,” Pilgrimage is one I would return to every year if I could make it work. Here’s why.
The post was last updated in September 2024.
The origins of Pilgrimage
Franklin resident and Better than Ezra frontman Kevin Griffin wanted to create something in Franklin that embodied the region’s musical roots while also showing off its pastoral farmland. As it turns out, a century-old horse farm, the Park at Harlinsdale Farm—which is now owned by the City of Franklin and boasts a dog park, fishing pond, soft track and equestrian trails—was the ideal spot to launch such an undertaking.
It’s also located directly across from the Factory at Franklin, a mixed-use facility in an old hosiery that has gotten a serious upgrade over the years, as has Pilgrimage itself. The first year I attended back in 2015, there were maybe 8,000 attendees. The busiest Pilgrimage I ever attended was when Justin Timberlake was headlining, and it was quite a scene with at least four time the attendance numbers.
But the beauty of this laid-back event is that while you can see A-list acts like Chris Stapleton and Brandi Carlile on the main stage, you’ll see great talent no matter the time slot or size of the stage. I’ve seen everyone from Lucie Silvas and Brothers Osborne to Keith Urban and Lauren Daigle at Pilgrimage.
In the 10th anniversary of Pilgrimage Festival this year, headliners include Hozier, Dave Matthews Band, Noah Kahan, and needtobreathe with plenty of other country, rock, pop, bluegrass and Americana acts scheduled across the six stages over the two days.
Where to stay in Franklin for Pilgrimage Festival
Harlinsdale Farm, the host venue of Pilgrimage, is conveniently located a straight one-mile shot from downtown Franklin. Downtown Franklin is also the home of the Harpeth Hotel, a gem of a property that’s walkable to not only Pilgrimage but everything in the historic heart of the city. If you can’t get a room at the Harpeth, here are some other places to stay near the farm:
What to expect at Pilgrimage Music Festival
The festival is extremely chill and just plain easy compared to bigger music festivals like Bonnaroo, and at this stage in my festival-going career, I prefer the more manageable festivals, particularly if I’m just committing to going for the day. The grandma in me loves, too, that this festival ends promptly at 10pm each night thanks to a local noise ordinance.
Parking for Pilgrimage
Parking for any festival can be a headache, but I’ve had a lot of success parking in downtown Franklin for free (or cheap) and walking the 15 minutes to the Pilgrimage site. There are cops directing traffic everywhere, and it’s very pedestrian-friendly to walk from downtown Franklin to the farm. The are also, of course, paid lots closer to the festival grounds. Here’s Pilgrimage’s official parking map:
If you’re driving in, I could not plan on coming via Liberty Pike during prime festival arrival hours (11am to 7pm). Instead, I’d try to sneaky-foot into Franklin a back way and park downtown, then walk. For those staying close enough to the farm, you can bike to the venue. There is both bike parking and a bike valet on site at Pilgrimage.
The Pilgrimage vibes
While sure, you’re always going to get your fashion influencers wearing their cowgirl best, this festival takes place in late September, which we locals begrudgingly call second summer here in Tennessee. It’s usually hot hot HOT, and you’ll want to layer up in quick-drying material to fight the heat during the day then stave off the incoming cool at night.
Bring an umbrella, plenty of sunscreen, and either lawn chairs or a blanket to sit on. Local food and drink also feature prominently at this Franklin festival, so be sure and peruse the food vendors and drink offerings.
The VIP experience
We’ve been to Pilgrimage as media, general admission and VIP. Obviously, if you get the chance to go VIP, take it—you’ll get special access directly in front of the stage, not to mention access to food vendors and sponsor tents like George Dickel, as well as the possibility of running into some of your favorite talent. One thing to note, though, is while drinks used to be free with a VIP pass, you now have to pay for them outside of the daily happy hour where VIPs can enjoy comped cocktails, so you’ll have to decide whether the VIP pass is worth it for you.
What other questions do you have about Pilgrimage Festival for me? Are you going this year? Have you been in the past? Do you love it as much as we do?
For more tips on planning a trip to Franklin, start here:
As I continue my quest to travel on credit card points, my list of personal best travel credit cards is constantly evolving. I’m big on the suite of American Express cards as I get so much value out of them—the AmEx Platinum is my go-to with the Gold a close second—though the Chase Sapphire Reserve is always a top contender, too.
This post was last updated October 2024. This site is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers.
In the past two years, we used points on two vacations to Europe to cover our flights and rental cars, plus three weeks in Thailand and Qatar, as well as trips to Tucson and Hawaii on points. And our miles continue to mount: We booked an upcoming trip to Australia in business class on points, and I’ve accumulated an additional 500,000 or so simply paying for everyday items, insurance, subscriptions and taxes.
Note: The below information pertains to American travelers, as credit card rewards are specific to the country of residence. If you live in Canada, check out this guide to best credit cards for Canadians.
With that said, here are the travel credit cards I currently use, which I update every few months—and how and when I use each. I highly recommend cards with no foreign transaction fees, which includes all of the below cards, if you plan to travel internationally. And if you decide to sign up for one, please use my included referral link so I also get bonus points along with yours!
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is what I consider the gateway card to travel points earning. It’s under the Chase Ultimate Rewards flexible points system—which is key because it means you can spend those points on so many different airlines, hotels or car rental companies—and it’s also got a low annual fee, making it easy to justify for those who are looking for the best travel credit card for their needs (and possibly their first). You can also combine Chase points across products if you hold multiple cards.
Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred include:
$50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more
5X per $1 on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
2x per $1 on other travel purchases
3X per $1 on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out
3X per $1 on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
3x per $1 on select streaming services
Annual fee: $95
And with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you get additional benefits like:
A $300 travel statement credit reimbursements each anniversary year
Discounts on DoorDash with free DashPass subscription
One statement credit of up to $100 every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS
Access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club
Complimentary membership to Priority Pass lounges (access to 1,300+ lounges in 500 cities worldwide)
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great intro card for anyone who wants to get in this game and test the waters without committing to a high annual fee. For years, it was the only travel credit card I had until I eventually product-changed and got the Chase Sapphire Reserve instead.
Note: You can only hold one Sapphire product at a time, so you can’t get this one if you’re applying for the Preferred, but it’s worth investigating if you’re someone who travels a lot. In the credit card universe, you’ll hear what is referred to as the 5/24 rule often. That simply means that in Chase’s mind, you can only apply to and receive five credit cards (from any company) in a 24-month period.
The 5/24 rule is important to keep in mind because if you do decide to play the points game, you will want to make sure you always hover somewhere under that number, meaning that you keep a detailed spreadsheet of any credit cards you hold, as well as when you opened them. If you are close to hitting 5/24, you’ll want to consider going for other cards like American Express while your credit card history with Chase cools off.
Southwest Priority Card
If you fly Southwest regularly, this is the best travel credit card for you. Why? Well, if you earn 135,000 points, you get Southwest Companion Pass status, meaning a plus one will fly for free with you for the rest of the calendar year in which you earned it in addition to the following year. What does this mean? You should plan on hitting your sign-up bonus in January and not a minute before!
Benefits of the Southwest Priority Card include:
10,000 Companion Pass points every year
3X per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines purchases
2X per $1 spent on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming
$75 Southwest annual travel credit
Annual fee: $99
Current sign-up bonus: 85,000 points for personal card, or you could go for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card for 80,000
While the Southwest cards are Chase products, you earn miles directly deposited to your Rapid Rewards account instead of Ultimate Rewards in the Chase ecosystem. To earn Companion Pass on credit cards alone, you’ll need to open one Southwest card—I recommend the Performance Business to start—and then wait 30 days and open a personal card like the Plus, Premier or Priority. Here’s the best strategy to do this.
This is the gold standard card for those who travel often and well. It’s not for the frugal traveler, as the annual fee is high, but the American Express Platinum is worth it for many, myself included. That said, you absolutely have to go into the benefits section of your dashboard and enable everything to make the fee worth it.
Benefits of the AmEx Platinum include:
$200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
$155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
$200 Airline Fee Credit
$200 Uber Cash
$189 CLEAR® Plus Credit
A $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required
Other benefits include an annual $300 Equinox or SoulCycle credit and 5x points on flights or travel booked through AmEx. So far, not including my sign-up bonus, my annual benefits for the AmEx Platinum exceed $1,100, and that’s not including the cash value of being Gold with both Hilton and Marriott and also lounge access. I’ve also found a lot of value in having the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express as a supplementary card.
This card has similar perks to the Chase Sapphire Reserve at a lower fee—plus advance ticket access to things like bowl games and concerts (it did not, however, help me get Taylor Swift tickets). That said, the Cap One Venture X does offer 2x on all purchases, so if you open it, this is a great everyday spend card for categories where you may not receive regular bonuses (think: hardware stores, pet stores, medical bills). If the network of Capital One lounges expands in the future, this one might get a higher spot on my list in the future. There’s also the Capital One Venture, which is a lower fee of $95 with similar perks.
10x on hotels and cars booked through Capital One Travel
5x on flights booked through Capital One Travel
2x on all other purchases
Unlimited access to Capital One Lounges
Complimentary access to Priority Pass lounges
Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
Receive a $300 travel credit annually for bookings through Capital One Travel
These are other credit cards that I use for everyday purchases, particularly for software (AmEx Biz Platinum), subscriptions (the Inks), as well as groceries (the AmEx Gold):
If you haven’t already considered business cards, they’re a great way to rack up points without paying much at all in annual fees (even if you don’t have an established business yet and are just a freelancer!).
Note: You can have multiple Inks, even of the exact same card, which you can’t do for other popular credit cards like the Chase Sapphires. Here are a few nuggets to keep in mind as you figure out the best travel credit card for your needs:
Having multiple cards alone will not hurt your credit
Contrary to popular belief, holding multiple credit cards will not damage your credit score if you do it right, including not having too many credit inquiries (or hard pulls) in a set amount of time as well as paying off your balance in full every statement cycle so you don’t find yourself paying interest. I repeat: You should only play this game if you have good credit already and can pay off your credit cards monthly. Free travel is awesome, but there’s nothing worth getting into credit card debt over!
Use all the benefits and offers
Many cards like the AmEx Platinum and the Chase Sapphire Reserve have very high annual fees. One way to justify it? Take advantage of every benefit and offer and activate them upon activating your card. For the AmEx card alone, I get $1200 a year back in bonuses and other perks, not counting my lounge access. Don’t get the cards solely for the points; get them if you plan to use all the perks—and also check regularly for the monthly offers and quarterly bonuses that you can activate via your credit card dashboard.
Many cards offer insurance, so use it
The majority of these best travel credit cards I’ve featured include some form of trip delay or cancellation and baggage insurance, meaning if something happens and you find yourself needing a hotel at an airport in a pinch, you’ll likely be able to get reimbursed. Likewise, they often include both primary rental car insurance and cell insurance, so if you book your trips with these cards and something goes wrong, you can file a claim for reimbursement.
The best way to accrue points you can actually use are to play within both Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) and American Express Membership Rewards (MR). UR points transfer 1:1 to so many different airlines including Delta, Southwest, Air Canada, British Airways and United, though often I simply use them by booking flights through the Ultimate Rewards portal (always cross-check awards availability via the airline’s website first to make sure you’re not spending more points than needed). MR also have a good roster of transfer partners, which include Delta, Qantas, Virgin, and Singapore Air and Hilton and Marriott on the hotels side.
Don’t cancel cards, product change them instead
One way to build up a great credit score is by having a long history of credit, which includes cards you’ve had open for years (my lengthiest streak is 17 years!). When adding new cards to your roster, it’s often best to keep the old ones—when it makes sense—and just carry a balance of $0. So, for example, even if you decide to change from a Chase Sapphire Preferred to a Reserve, rather than canceling the Preferred outright, you’ll want to call Chase and PC (product change) it to one of the no-fee Freedom cards instead.
That said, at times you may have to cancel a card if you plan to reopen it for a new bonus—the rule is usually that you can’t receive a sign-up bonus for the same card within either 24 or 48 months—which I’m finding myself doing this week to take advantage of getting the Companion Pass through my Southwest credit cards points.
Co-branded cards often aren’t worth it
Co-branded cards like a Sephora or Delta credit card are typically not worth using a credit card slot on. If you’re more of a casual flier with no loyalty to one airline over another, it’s generally smarter to get a Chase Sapphire Reserve or AmEx Platinum that is in one of the flexible point ecosystems (meaning you can transfer your points to many different partners).
Southwest cards for the Companion Pass status is an exception to the rule or if you are a frequent flier who stays loyal to one airline. If you’re more of a casual takes-a-few-trips-a-year kind of traveler, you’ll want to start your points journey in the Chase or AmEx ecosystems.
Transfer monthly payments to meet a new SUB
Every time I get a new credit card, I transfer over any recurring payments like my phone or our insurance, which help me quickly meet a sign-up bonus (SUB). It’s an easy way to capitalize on money I’m already spending by earning points I can use toward travel. And while you can’t pay a mortgage on a credit card, you can pay pretty much everything else including income tax and property tax. Get those points for big payments you’re already making!
The value of points depends on what you spend them on
No matter what credit card you use, the value of individual points will depend on if you spend them on gift cards, online shopping or travel. I find that travel usually yields a higher point value, and you often can get even more out of each point by transferring them to travel partners (assuming a 1:1 transfer rate). You can also take advantage of bonus periods when your credit card, for example, offers 5x points on gas or pay-yourself-back bonuses. Just paying attention to these small details can bank you a good stockpile of points in no time.
What’s your favorite travel credit card?
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
When we left California in 2011, it was primarily due to wanting more space, wanting to own property. Plus, we longed for a more comfortable—not to mention, cheaper—way of life. The following year, we found our dream home: an 1800s beauty, built along a railroad in Tennessee in 1899. For a San Francisco native and his new bride, it was the perfect home with which to get their Chip and Joanna on, though I had no idea then just what a Queen Anne renovation entailed.
Here is the Victorian in Manchester, Tennessee when we first saw her in 2012.
When we bought the house, it had sat vacant for three years, yet the bones were good, and it needed no electrical or plumbing upgrades, which was clutch for us. I don’t think we would have considered buying it were that not the case. It did, however, need just about everything else done to it—and plenty of cosmetic improvements we opted to do along the way. Let’s just say, I know my way around a tool or two now.
We thought we’d be here forever, but the concept of “forever” changes from your 20s to your 30s to your 40s; one day, we were both just ready for a change. We were done living in a house that would forever be a fixer-upper so long as we inhabited it because it would never actually be “complete” in our mind; ready to be in a space that was not conducive to modern living (closets—what are those?). We both wanted a house that was more well-suited for both living and working in the way that a pair of entrepreneurs who work out of their home need.
And we found it: The Cedar House, a single-level midcentury modern beauty that could be both our home and office at once (and is also a fixer, for what it’s worth). Since we never want to part with the Vic, we got to work readying the Queen Anne to be a commercial rental; the result, let’s just say, is a more comfortable house than we ever lived in!
Freshly-painted Victorian, after we moved out in 2019.
And since so many of you followed our Victorian renovation on social media and the blog over the years, I felt I owed it to you to show the before and afters, as well as detail everything we did since we bought her in 2012.
About the Victorian
First of all, let’s lay her out, shall we? Her square footage is right around 2,700 with an unfinished attic on the third floor that spans nearly the full footprint of the house and a quarter basement; Thank God for these storage options, as we had no garage or carport and closet space was extremely limited.
She sits on a sloped corner lot of about 0.4 acres. She was built in 1899 in Manchester, Tennessee and, for years, was owned by the Reynolds family. So many people over the years have stopped by while we were working to tell us all about how their grandmother or aunt or best friend’s mom once lived here when she was a boarding house. I have no idea when the last time this home was inhabited prior to us moving in fall 2012, but it had been years, if not a decade.
And her state reflected that transient nature she was accustomed to prior to being occupied by my restless husband. Each room had a keyed lock on the door for private rental, and the interior—while fairly untouched from a restoration standpoint—was just that … untouched. And, therefore, neglected. For perspective, these are all photos from our home inspection back in 2012 when each room was a different color of a Fruit Loop.
The house was listed as a six bedroom, two bathroom, but we only used three rooms as bedrooms. Downstairs, we had a large living room connected to the dining room that doubled as an office; a small mud room that led down to a quarter basement; a guest room that connected to the Florida room; a kitchen and a small bathroom with shower. Upstairs was the master bedroom, the guest room we dubbed the “Lemon Room,” the largest of the bedrooms, which was SVV’s office, and the larger of the two bathrooms that was, oddly, not connected to any of the bedrooms.
And here are a few inside peeks at what she looked like after we moved out in 2019. Pretty dramatic difference, no? It’s crazy what a little paint and some TLC can do to a house that’s over 120 years old.
The Victorian also has a wraparound porch on the front and a concrete area out back that had an awning we ripped out and planned to eventually put a pergola over. Who knows, maybe we still will in the future?
The Exterior
Before we even moved in, we had Satisfaction Windows come out and measure to replace all 66 of the original windows in a custom Queen Anne style. We kept the old ones—still have them in the basement we’re saving for a rain day (or, uh, craft project)—but they were old, flimsy and leaking, and the new ones still channeled the original style while being much more energy-efficient. In fact, even in the coldest months, this house was less than $250 to heat. It was surprisingly warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Replacing these windows was one of our bigger line items for the house, especially upfront, but we had taken out a construction loan and it was so, so worth it.
Exterior Progress + After: 2014 vs. 2019
It wasn’t long after we moved in that our roof started leaking. The worst part? It was nearly impossible to get someone to call us back due to the slope of our house. A friend finally found us a crew to replace it quickly, and while the flashing installation required the demolition of entire sections of the original wood, the roof itself has lasted and will for a very long time.
After we’d been in the house a year or two, we started tearing the siding off to replace it back with new wood. Since we lived next door to a builder supply company, we were able to get all the siding material there and keep it stored in their warehouse as long as we needed.
Little did we know “as long as we needed” would be three years. No exaggeration, that’s how long the house sat just half-covered by the old siding, with plastic wrap keeping water out of the uncovered spots. This was not intentional, but we had two sets of “carpenters” completely ghost halfway through the job—lesson learned, don’t pay until the job is completed and vet every single person that comes to work for you—and try as we might, we couldn’t find any legit construction company in the area to tackle wood siding; they all only do vinyl or brick. With a mix of cedar shake shingles and cypress siding, it was more than all of the contractors we begged to do the work wanted to tackle.
Finally, when we were getting desperate, we found a company out of Murfreesboro who charged us just under $10,000 to finish the job. More than we wanted to pay, but it was worth it—and they wound up going out of business the next month, so I’m glad they finished it before that happened!
Exterior Progress + After: 2014 vs. 2019
During that same timeframe, some friends came out to help us paint the front porch, and before they did, we replaced a lot of the rotting wood and spires. We also painted a haint blue on the porch ceiling and floor to ward off the evil spirits and mosquitoes (and OK, because it looks cool). We used Ohio Haint Blue, which any paint store should be able to mix up for you. We started out using all Benjamin Moore paint, then quickly switched over to Sherwin-Williams because it was more convenient and they have great customer service—plus, SVV has a contractor account there, which if you’re in the business of renovating houses, you should definitely ask for—but it’s all personal preference.
Plus, you know my plant-loving husband did some landscaping ninjary on this corner lot! He planted wisteria, kiwi, blueberries, lavender, sage, lemongrass, hops, blackberries and assorted herbs, which are for the most part still growing strong and slowly enveloping the house in draped greenery and edible goodness.
We also enclosed the lot with a picket fence that we built ourselves after a few years of funeral home goers traipsing right through our land and demolishing SVV’s careful landscaping efforts. That was another saga in itself; after the former ill-informed codes director tried to stop us with a variance, then realized there was nothing in the codes book that could prevent a fence, he set us back an entire year before we could complete the project. Ohhhh, small-town politics.
And after the fence was painted, we went ahead and painted the entire exterior of the house, which we’d do all over again three years later after the primer failed. Fun!
Exterior expenditures:
Windows: $16,000
Roof: $8,000
Siding: $18,000
Paint: $2,500
Landscaping: $2,000
Lift rental: $2,000
Fence: $3,500
Custom finial: $800
Miscellaneous: $1,000
Throughout the Home
In addition to the windows, we also installed light-filtering cellular shades from JustBlinds throughout the house—with blackout cellular shades for my bedroom—something we’ve also done in Myrtle and now the Cedar House. They’re affordable, aesthetically-pleasing and ran us around $2,000 for the entire house (pro tip: wait until they have a sale, which is often). SVV hates window treatments, and we’ll agree to disagree on that, but with the house being on the town square and surrounded by a building supply company with workers always coming and going, we needed some form of privacy.
Lemon Room Before + After: 2012 vs. 2019
We scraped the majority of ceilings throughout the house to remove the ugly, orange peel-style popcorn texture that was likely a bad decision made in the 80’s. If you’re ever thinking of doing popcorn, STOP RIGHT THERE. But if you inherit a popcorn mess as we did, definitely consider sanding, patching and painting the ceilings white—our go-to color for ceilings is Sherwin-Williams contractor grade flat white straight out of the can— as it can make the most dramatic impact in any room. You can see what the ceiling throughout the house looked like here via our living room, which was one of the few rooms we never did get to.
Living Room Before + After: 2012 vs. 2019
Many of the doors had original hardware and transoms. We removed the unnecessary doors and stored them in the basement, then put them all back on before our tenants moved in, so each office could have its own privacy. SVV stained them all to remove pollen, mold and dirt, and they look as new as a 121-year-old door can look! We also had to replace a few of the knobs so they had locks on them, but kept all original details when possible.
And while Fruit Loops is, indeed, an attractive palette of wall colors, we took a fresh coat of white paint to every surface. We used Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee color formula for every single room except the mudroom and upstairs bathroom, both of which we painted Grey Owl by Benjamin Moore. Swiss Coffee is the most widely-used formulation for #basic and clean neutral colors. It gives you an opportunity to add pops of color, which is a requirement for where I reside.
Stairwell Before + After: 2012 vs. 2019
The Upstairs Bedrooms
The day we closed on the Vic and got the keys in August 2012, the first thing we did right before the sun set was go upstairs and rip out the ugly carpet covering the floors in both bedrooms. Then, we had Gary Parnham, a local flooring professional, come and refinish the floor in the Lemon Room as it had been painted red. The master bedroom had no flooring beneath, so we asked Gary to lay tulip poplar that will age over time to match the rest of the house, since that’s the original species of wood used for the upstairs.
Both bedrooms had fireplaces that were crumbling, so we demo’d them both and added subway tile from a tile company out of Nashville.
The Upstairs Bathroom
This bathroom got a full-on gut job, and come to think of it, I never blogged about the final renovation. Here’s the skinny: We ripped out the linoleum floor. SVV relocated the plumbing. We busted up the porcelain that held the tub into place. And we reconfigured the whole thing by moving the clawfoot tub to the other side of the room.
We saved the tub and painted it safety yellow, then installed a dreamy hex tile from Stone Source throughout the floor. With slanted walls that mirrored the roof line, it was really tricky finding furniture that would fit in here; however, we finally found some vintage pieces of Broyhill Brasilia off of Craigslist, then modified a mirror to make it work. We also replaced the toilet, as we did in the downstairs bathroom.
Master Bathroom Before + After: 2012 vs. 2017
The Kitchen
Sadly, we never really touched this beast as we cook far too much and never saved up the $40,000 or so it would take to completely gut the kitchen. Instead, we added a bright color of paint on the walls, installed LED countertop lights, custom-designed a center island a local woodworker then built for us and later removed all the cabinet doors to open it up a bit. I disliked the kitchen so much, I don’t even have any updated photos of it. You can see that the only downstairs bathroom is positioned behind the kitchen, which apparently is how they did things back in ye olden days, but I’m definitely happy to be back in a normal house with an en-suite master bath these days!
The Florida Room
Toward the end of our time at the Victorian, we started taking sledgehammers to things. One of the first sections SVV yanked out and sealed up was the unnecessary door between the downstairs bedroom and the Florida room. He then built a wall atop it, and you couldn’t even tell there had ever been a door frame there. This wound up giving our renters far more flexibility with how they use the space (last we saw, they installed a second fridge and are using it as more kitchen space).
We also never replaced the windows in the Florida room because we had always planned on creating a breakfast nook and possibly sealing them up. As such, one of the window sills was completely rotted. After we moved out, we busted out that entire window and wall and SVV covered it with siding that matches the rest of the house.
Several people asked why we didn’t put the window back, but there was no need. This window looked out onto the chimney, and it’s actually brighter than it was before now that it’s covered with a fresh coat of white paint to reflect all the other light back into the space.
The Downstairs Bedroom
This is the room SVV slept in for the past few years (don’t judge, he snores loudly), and it was outfitted with twin beds for when our cousins’ kids came to stay or we had large groups of friends that weren’t coupled up but were OK with sharing a room.
Downstairs Bedroom Before + After: 2012 vs. 2019
We didn’t do much to it other than sealing up the aforementioned doorway, as well as sealing the top of a closet entrance that had once been covered by stained glass. This room was always in pretty good shape and has the best mantle in the entire house; also, the only one of our six fireplaces that still has the original tile.
So what does it cost to renovate an 1800s Victorian house?
I’ve been asked before what it costs to renovate an old house like this, and that’s so subjective. Plus, we didn’t exactly tally every trip to Home Depot or Lowe’s over the past decade. Not to mention, we didn’t have to do some of the bigger items—like plumbing and electrical—and much of the labor was the two of us, meaning we saved a lot there, so what we spent isn’t realistic unless you’re a skilled DIYer who can tackle almost anything, as my talented husband is.
I’d confidently say the total cost of these renovations exceeded six figures, but this was done over the course of seven years, and the original price we paid for the home was only $139,000 to begin with. We initially took out a $50,000 construction loan, which we paid off when we refinanced our house a couple years later, and then used cash and credit cards for the remaining renovations.
And, of course, there are ongoing costs associated with being a landlord. We’re constantly dropping by to fix something here, patch something there, and we also are getting ready to paint her again this year, as well as hopefully install gutters so the paint doesn’t fail once more.
That said, property value in Manchester is low, so we definitely spent more than we could get from selling this house, which is why we always intended to turn it into a rental. In a rural area, it doesn’t make sense to renovate a Queen Anne like this so extensively unless you plan on it being your forever home (or your business), but I’m happy with the way it all worked out: We got seven glorious years in this beauty, and now she has lovely inhabitants who appreciate her as much as we do.
Any questions about renovating a Queen Anne Victorian? Feel free to ask below!
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