This week’s roundup from NotVentures include Palm Beach polo, skiing in Japan, searching for lost treasure and more. To find out more about each post, click on its individual image.
Balinese handicrafts, skiing breaks and holiday shopping destinations are all part of this week’s roundup from NotVentures. To find out more about each post, click on its individual image.
This week’s roundup from NotVentures includes fire festivals, Christmas markets and diving in Bora Bora. To find out more about each destination, click on its individual image.
Incase just launched their new EO Travel Collection of carry-ons and it’s gorgeously functional! They aren’t kidding when they say it was designed for the “evolving traveler who relies on personal technology for business, pleasure and inspiration. Each EO Travel bag combines smart organization and dependable protection to make the travel experience easier, safer and more efficient.” I’m forever on my quest to perfect my carry-on packing and optimaize getting through security with each technology upgrade in my usual arsenal… the thoughtfulness of the details in the bags is enticing. I’ve been dying for an international sized polycarb roller that allows an easy unzip section to go through the scanner without needing to take the laptop out! (Also love that the hard shell roller expands!) And the duffel has an easy access, outside padded pocket ready for your 15” mbp.
Not having seen them in person yet, my two picks are definitely the hard shell roller and duffel. The flat polycarb of the hard shell seems to scream out for customization (so if you end up in the situation where everyone has one too…) you can easily sticker bomb it… or perhaps laser engrave on it? So many possibilities. Also love that the duffel is simple enough on the outside, you don’t scream “There’s a laptop in here” while traveling… Take a peek at the details and videos on the next page!
This week’s roundup from NotVentures includes Kalahari speed, scenic marathons and stunning vistas. To find out more about each destination, click on its individual image.
On curious new hipster hotels to pop up ~ first glance at the website and gallery, i couldn’t help but think - new Joie De Vivre updated motel or new Ace Hotel (based on the lobby/decor)? Turns out the Basecamp Hotel in South Lake Tahoe neither, but is definitely targeting a similar clientele. The prices sound quite reasonable (in the under 200$ a night for a king room range) and it is full of character with all the vintage, woody, designer looks - Tolix stools, Emeco Navy chairs, wall art in the rooms and more! How fun is the room with a tent in it for the bed… and fake fire with the woodsy wallpaper? Take a peek at the playful site design by Bucktrout, and inside Basecamp Hotel through the stunning pictures from Eva Kolenko on the next page!
Cycling Copenhagen, surfing Kauai and eating your way through Bologna are all part of this week’s roundup from NotVentures. To find out more about each destination, click on its individual image.
This post is sponsored by Merrell shoes and clothes. For more great ways to enjoy the California outdoors, check out the Merrell blog for information on their Vendemmia Collection inspired by the grape harvest.
As a born and raised Angeleno ~ since walking the few blocks to the beach in Santa Monica with my parents as a toddler, nothing has ever felt more calming and invigorating that being near (or in!) the ocean… especially the pacific! Even during college and on and off in San Diego, i bounced through various apartments and houses that seldom left me far from the beach… When living in San Francisco, as brisk and foggy as the beach was, we always went regularly! And now, having my home base be back in LA the last few years, the beach is merely a roll down the hill once again… and whenever i need to clear my head i usually hop in my car, and depending on the amount of time i have - head up/down along the 1, aka Pacific Coast Highway which spans up and down the California coast. While often, heading up to SF or down to SD means hopping the 5/405, whenever time permits, nothing beats taking your time cruising along the ocean as closely as possible! The rolling sound of the waves, the sparkling sea right beside you, that smell of fresh ocean air makes you forget everything (even if you’re in traffic!) and just enjoy the beauty of the moment!
So when Merrell approached us to share some of our California outdoor loves, it seemed like the perfect time to pull together some of our favorite spots to stop along the coast… focused between San Diego and San Francisco, these are some of my favorite roads i’ve spent countless hours cruising along at every which hour since i got my drivers license at 16! So take a peek on the next page at my top 10 from the best beach spot to pull up to in SD, to malibu hideouts, to the elephant seals, otters, monarchs and more… on the next page!
It has been quite the week, so, apologies for being a bit quiet. A last minute super packed trip to San Francisco came up, so jumped in the car and ended up barely able to have enough time to sleep let alone post (feel’s like a first i a while!) and just got back to Los Angeles, missing the Endeavour have its slow parade like drive across LA, but just in time to wake up and watch the Red Bull Stratos jump - LIVE! And it was mesmerizing… stunning to see the views and how fast he was freefalling! “Red Bull Stratos, a mission to the edge of space, will attempt to transcend human limits that have existed for 50 years. Supported by a team of experts Felix Baumgartner plans to ascend to 120,000 feet in a stratospheric balloon and make a freefall jump rushing toward earth at supersonic speeds before parachuting to the ground. His attempt to dare atmospheric limits holds the potential to provide valuable medical and scientific research data for future pioneers.” And wow - it was quite a sight to see even via laptop… See screenshots from the event moments ago on the next page, and find out more about the mission and the team at Red Bull Stratos!
We’re in San Francisco! Here’s a peek at some of the random finds that have grabbed my cell phone camera’s attention while running around the city…
This week’s roundup from NotVentures include discovering Monaco by moped, top spots for sea turtles and a stunning Japanese fruit market. To find out more about each destination, click on its own image.
The last few months have been a non-stop burst of trips trailing from Los Angeles to Nashville and Cincinnati (and the roads between) to Istanbul, San Diego, Linz, Venice, London, Florence and more… The biggest difference this summer? More personal trips than work trips! (Though many overlap!) Ultimately it made me realize how insanely picky i’ve become when picking my own hotels… and finding the awesome, not so touristy, fun spots to check out!
So, on new online experiences to help with such dilemmas, enter - Valet! Launched by our friend and jetsetter, Josh Spear with Aaron Rutledge, Valet is an exclusive new travel company filled with a carefully curated collection of hotels and travel guides with favorites from folks like Josh Rubin of CoolHunting, Jeff Staple, Ben Clymer of Hodinkee, and you can even find some of my favorites showing up on the site bit by bit. As they say, “Our curators are some of the most interesting and influential people in the world. For many of them, Valet was a safe place to finally share their city secrets.”
While this is just the beginning, there are nearly 100 hotels in over 50 cities around the globe in the system already ~ and in addition to the New York City guide, Shanghai is right around the corner! Being an exclusive, curated membership site they are looking to build a community for “creative professionals, tastemakers and frequent travelers who appreciate curation, design, and great value over bargain-basement price shopping and recommendations amassed from dozens of anonymous reviews.” And one of my favorite details of their system? On top of special benefits and pricing at some of my usual hotels… no physical card to add to my ever growing wallet! They’ve made their membership cards digital, so you can easily pull them up on your phone/laptop/Apple Passbook. Also keep an eye out for their upcoming iPhone and iPad apps.
You can apply here and use the code: NOTCOT to get in early and lock in the launch membership rate of $199/year. Ready to take a peek at what you can find inside Valet? See screenshots for a sneak peek inside Valet on the next page!
This week’s roundup from NotVentures features elephant polo, beautiful libraries and bizarre museums. To find out more about each destination, click on its individual image.
Phew - Back home in LA now! Beyond what makes it to posts, every trip seems to accumulate a pile of cellphone/instagram photos. You’ve seen the ones from Istanbul and Linz (and part II)… so between London to Florence and back to London for design week/exploring… the last 2 weeks has also lead to a wealth of randomness that hasn’t made it into regular posts. Some made it to instagram and twitter, others seemed like a waste to leave in my phone and not remember them somewhere! So if you’re ready for an epic photo dump of the silliness and inspiration that popped up the last two weeks… click on to the next page!
This week’s roundup from NotVentures features fall foliage, diving in the Solomon Islands, and Thai markets. To find out more about each destination, click on its individual image.
