Autumn is for America

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It's strange to think that only a few weeks ago, it was too hot to even think about sweaters.

Fall has now truly arrived. The mornings are crisp and cool; the sun sets earlier in evening with a golden glow unique to Autumn.

Now that fall's here, I'm itching for an American adventure. I want to grab a friend and an old beat up car and head to a cabin up north. Watch the leaves turn to the color of fire, drink tea, read books, and eat pumpkin flavored everything.

Every Fall season seems to arrive with an air of nostalgia. It's a beautiful serenity that I find myself looking more and more forward to each time it arrives.

Things That Are Awesome Thursday: City Geometries

Photos by Me

Cities are really amazing places. There are so many people, so many things; all in all, a whole lot of energy confined to the same space at once.

I always find it awe inspiring to find a moment of serenity in cities.

Lately, I've been really inspired by the geometric lines in these quiet city moments.

The top picture is of TV antennas in Lisbon and the second picture is on the Williamsburg Bridge in New York. They're totally different places and very different cities, but they both have these wonderful serene moments. I think between the stark blue of the Portuguese sky and the hazy grey of New York, these pictures also embody my anticipation of the coming season change into fall.

While you'll never hear me complain about a summer day in Portugal (or anywhere for that matter), I'm definitely ready and looking forward to a heathered New York fall.

Trip Tunes

I haven't posted any music in a couple of weeks.

I've been obsessed with this song by Vacationer for a while. It has that perfect chill factor, but also makes you want to dance. It makes you daydream in the winter, and read to go on an adventure in the summer.

Needless to say, I've been working a ton lately, and I definitely need to take a trip. 

While I won't get away until the end of August, at least I can listen to this and pretend in the meantime.

Also, you HAVE to check out their website.

www.vacationermusic.com

Not only does it play this super catchy and peaceful tune, but it actually takes you on the trip you've  been dreaming of.

Seriously...what isn't the internet capable of?

The Orient Express

In an ingenius collaborative editorial project, Louis Vuitton has enlisted The Selby to embark on a Pan-Asian train journey from Paris to Shanghai.

The trip recalls the glamourous and fabled Orient Express of years-gone-by, but with a refreshing twist and an air of American nostalgia. 

It's a surprising collaboration, as Louis Vuitton is such an iconic legacy brand, and The Selby is much more of a grassroots documentarian, but the combination of the two in this project feels really fresh and exciting.

It's a 12 day journey documented through photographs, videos, and The Selby's signature scribbled watercolors and sketches. There's something so sweet and inviting about the whole adventure.

Right now, they're on day 2, as they're crossing Belarus and Poland into Russia. You can follow along all the way to Shanghai.

The whole adventure has me pining for a solitary train adventure across half the world and a luxury luggage set.

I didn't even know that was possible.

Happy 4th of July: America is Awesome Edition

All photographs taken by me

The 4th of July: my favorite holiday. Not because I'm the most patriotic person or I have an unabashed love for all things red-white-and-blue, but rather, it's the one holiday that I can fully support.

America is a really awesome place. It's truly unrivaled. There's a climate/city/place for everyone...and there are amazing people everywhere. People just do things here. They make things, they try things, they risk things.

It's a country founded on revolution. You can feel the lingering sense of revolution in art, politics, and business. 

It's a really amazing place.

Places from top to bottom: Smithsonian in Washington DC, Great Smoky Mountains, NC, 56th St in Manhattan through the window at MOMA, The Ocean at Newport,RI, and Chicago from Millenium Park.

Anaranjado

Light is the most temporal of experiences. 

One of the greatest joys of traveling is being able to experience light in different places, at different times, as it will never be again. When I leave a place, one of the most lingering effects is that of the light.

When I was in Seville, Spain, I was struck by the amazing orange glow that seemed to surround the city.

It was as if Seville is a fairytale city, straight out of a dream book from centuries ago, all covered with the warm orange haze of a Spanish Summer.

Link List: How-to-Cool-Off-When-its-1-Billion-Degrees

Blue Lagos, 2012 by me

While the ultimate escape from the heat is traveling to a distant sea-side locale, unfortunately, it is never as easy as it sounds. Here are some links for ideas to beat the heat when you're stuck in the city dreaming of icebergs and sailboats

-these photographs from by Brian Ferry

-the most beautiful and simple mojitos

-sitting in a movie theater for 2 hours

-jumping into a swimming hole

- day dreaming about a colorful hotel in Palm Springs

Northern Waters

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I got back from my last trip less than a week ago, and I'm already itching to hit the road again. In the past 6 weeks I've been in European capitols, bustling American metropolises and sitting under palm trees at the beach. I'm hoping my next travels will take me north again, to the coasts of Maine. 

While I love laying on white sandy beaches, there's something so crisp and relaxing about sitting oceanside in the north. It's just warm enough that you can jump in the water if you feel like it, but most time is spent reading a favorite book, going for a hike, or bicycling to the fish stand to buy a dinner to cook at home.

It's like a lake-house vacation for the east coast set. Could anything be more wonderful?

Midwest in the East Ventures West

Though my roots are in the Midwest, and I've been living on the East Coast for a little over a year, this past weekend I ventured to the West Coast for the first time.

LA to be specific.

I found the traffic to be more than a little annoying, the lack of personal style disappointing, and the general lack of "city"to be a true flaw. The palm trees, however, definitely reminded me that yes, this is a nice place. A very nice place.

When it's 80 degrees and sunny every single day... how could it not be?

Turns out LA is great. A little slow, but definitely great.

And the sunset above, taken in Venice, was definitely a heart stealer. 

All I can say, can't wait to go back.

Hidden In The Courtyard

Hidden in a courtyard just past the Royal Palace in Copenhagen, is one of the most beautiful boutiques I've ever been to.

A secret fashion gem of Copenhagen, B56 carries the most interesting and unique European brands, such as Basso & Brooke, Inwear, Milleneufcent-quatrevingtquatre, and Stine Goya. The owner and her blogger daughter have an incredible sense of taste and editing. While most of the lines are rather expensive, and more artistic than daily street wear, the shop is not elitist. A rare but welcome retail experience.

I would argue it is my favorite boutique in Scandinavia.

If you find yourself in Copenhagen, it's an absolute destination for the best of European fashion.

B56

Bredgade 56

DK--1260 Copenhagen

Denmark

+45 3311 3396

Half Dozen København

Just a few snapshots from Copenhagen.

Though notorious for perpetually grey skies, Denmark put on quite a show with the most ideal spring weather. It was so nice to wander around the northern city before tourist season truly begun. While Paris and London are clear travel hubs, I would argue that Copenhagen is my favorite European city. It has the bicycles of Amsterdam, the design of Stockholm, and the cafe culture of Barcelona all melded into one spectacular city.

...and their brunch is simply on another level!

Far Away Gardens

I took this picture in Shanghai almost three years ago. I don't remember exactly where it was, but I remember it being somewhere touristy.

It's amazing the small pockets you can find, even when you're in the biggest of cities.

I still love this pictures. It glows with a sort of haze, kind of like the memories of my trip to China.

How To: Find Your Suitcase Soulmate

Besides my Passport, there is no object I love more than my suitcase. I only have one, and it was given to me as a graduation gift ("Oh the Places You'll Go", but in an object, instead of a book.)

Anyhow, I wasn't given the opportunity to select it myself, but it's still one of my favorite things.

Steps for finding your suitcase soulmate:

1. Pick a size that you can carry on your own, if it was full of hardcover books. 

i.e. it should be small.

This is the number one, most important rule. ALWAYS pack light. You can purchase things you need along the way if you have forgotten them, but 9 times out of 10 you won't use everything you packed. You should be able to pack for most trips (2 weeks or less) in a carry-on, and without stuffing it. Overpacking, unless you're Anna Dello Russo, makes you look like a novice. At everything.

2. Consider where you travel most often. Business travel requires a much different suitcase than a casual holiday traveler. A ski bunny needs luggage that would be wrong for a weekend in Bahia.

3. Organizational Opportunities.

i.e. multiple pockets

4. Aesthetics and Price

Here are my pics for luggage that fits all the criteria for numbers 1-3. For criteria 4, the beauty is, it's entirely up to you.

This is the suitcase I have. While its not the distressed leather beauty of my dreams, it is really practical, and really light. It also can be rolled, or thrown over your shoulder with added backpack straps. It's also really small, but fits a lot. Highly recommended.

From top to bottom: Go Lite, Lotuff, J.Crew, Brookfarm General Store, Tumi for Opening Ceremony

Desert Daydreams

images: 1, 2, 3, 4

I've been caught having some major desert daydreams lately. I'm completely unsure of the cause, but there's something itching in me to go out west to the dry, hot and barren.

There's something about Marfa, TX that just seems like a distant planet in our own backyard.

There's a feeling of old world ghost-town, but with a smidgen of Brooklyn-hipster, and topped with a good-humor hat. It seems like the perfect destination for a road trip with friends.

Of course, those are the type of trips that make you never want to return, so maybe it's best to just put this one off for a while.

Salted Earth and Before Breakfast Dreams

 

I stumbled across these photographs of Bolivia by Jérôme Galland. I'm smitten with the barren landscape and vibrant pastel colors of this distant place. 

The emptiness of the horizon is almost otherworldly.

I've never spent much time thinking about Bolivia, but now I will have to add it to my ever expanding list of "must-see" places.

all photographs were taken from the photographer's website. please visit to see more of their works.