{Editor’s Note :: Next week is a double-whammy for the TS crew, Monday is a Canadian National Holiday, and the rest of the week we’ll be trip styling in a secret location abroad—more details on this in the next few weeks—with potentially spotty wifi and a full schedule. Look for updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and catch us back in action on Monday, May 28th.}

This week I had the privilege of taking the road less traveled aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, named by National Geographic as one of the world’s greatest trips {our full report coming in a few weeks}. Inching through the Canadian Rockies at speeds ranging from 10 to 50km/h, I savored a side of Canada that’s wild, explored by few and ruled by the mighty grizzly bear.

More IMG_FRI
Handsome Coffee LA
SEA-ttle
Tokyo
JAL Business Class
A Cinque Terre Adventure
Conquering Phoenix’s Camelback Mountain

[photos by @tripstyler]

Last weekend I was in Vegas covering the Bon Appetit-sponsored Vegas Uncork’d, a food and wine festival with a mouthful of gourmet chefs strutting their stuff on the red carpet and the white plate. {See my ‘full report’ in Fodor’s}

My schedule was filled to the brim with wine tastings led by Master Sommeliers {there are only 160 in the world}, gala events with 2500 gastr-oeno-philes and a food truck noshdown showcasing Vegas’ local side. My camera was my weekend’s +1, and my notepad was my BFF.

Chatting with mixology mavens at a cocktail competition in the Bellagio {where guests got as tipsy as the fountains}, I learned people both traveled to Sin City for the event, or found out about it after booking their trip, and decided to attend. If you’re into food and wine, the four-day Uncork’d foodie fest is an ideal sun ‘n sip trip-style combo. Think of it like an “investigative report” on Vegas’ gourmet side—a side that’s beckoning a new type of Glitter Gulch’er who may not even gamble a penny, but go all-in for gourmet.

And one of the newest chefs on the block {<—double entendre} is Gordon Ramsay, who at the launch of his only steakhouse in North America, Gordon Ramsay Steak, called Vegas’s food competition “fierce”, noting that he wasn’t about to “Put {his} balls on the line with fine dining”…unless he was certain he could do it well. Judging from his past success, I’d say he’s got a #$*$@!-good chance {in his words}. His iPad menus will help too.

{above + below, the Grand Tasting}

The 411
- The event, in its sixth year, is expected to take place next year on Mother’s Day Weekend.
- Tickets for individual events start around $75, they can also be purchased as a VIP package.
- Here’s a taste of this year’s schedule.

PS – Bon Appetit is at it again in September for a three-day foodie fiesta in the farm-to-table-obsessed Portland, where mixology is akin to celebrity.

{Want more travel beauty? Get your fill the third Wednesday of every month. Lauren, our travel beauty expert, is already whipping up her next concoction post!}

This month we asked our very own Jetset Jingles editor, Nicole {pictured above in Dubai’s Souk Madinat Jumeirah Market} about her travel beauty faves. Read about her exotic picks below!

TS: You’re stranded on a deserted island and get to have one makeup product, one skincare product and one body care product with you—what would those be?
Nicole: The one makeup product I can’t leave home without is Lancome’s Maquicomplet Concealer, which covers absolutely everything and is super creamy so your skin looks naturally smooth. Even on a desert island, I’d want to look that flawless! As far as a skincare product, I’d have to say my Phytomer Rosee Visage Cleansing Toner, which makes me feel so fresh and clean. My favorite everyday body care product is Aveeno Positively Nourishing Calming Body Lotion in Vanilla Chamomile—it’s soothing for dry skin and has a very light scent.

TS: What is your travel beauty routine when flying?
Nicole: I tend to not wear much makeup on flights and stick to a touch of Korres Zea Mays Blush in Peach, MAC Eyeshadow in Arena, Diorshow Mascara and Aveeno Essential Moisture Lip Conditioner with SPF 15. Each of those products are light, natural-looking and don’t irritate my skin. I can’t board a plane without a travel-sized hand lotion to keep my hands moisturized, and my favorite is L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream. I also need a bottle of water, and if it’s a long flight, a sleep mask.

TS: When on vacation, what is your skincare and haircare routine?
Nicole: I don’t deviate from my normal skin and haircare routine, I just bring everything I need in smaller-sized, travel-friendly containers. I feel and look my best when I have everything with me that I usually use. I don’t leave home without my Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, Phytomer Toner, Dermalogica Solar Defense For Sensitive Skin with SPF 30 {for day} and Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream {for night}. I don’t always love the brands of haircare that the hotels provide, so I take my Alterna Bamboo Shine On-The-Go Travel Kit.

TS: Any cool beauty purchases that you’ve discovered on your travels around the globe?

Nicole: My sister spent her honeymoon in the Maldives and brought me back an incredible body lotion from the hotel spa {pictured above} called Angsana Pure Gold Body Lotion. It’s lightweight with flecks of gold that add the perfect amount of shimmer. I love wearing it on a night out! I also love the Kajal Kohl Eyeliner I found in Dubai—it lasts longer than anything I’ve ever tried.

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More Travel Beauty
In-Flight Beauty Masks
Q&A With OPI’s Founder {Nail Tips For Travel}
Heather’s On-The-Road Beauty Must-Haves
On-The-Go Teeth Cleaning
St. Tropez’ Celebrity Tanning Expert’s Self-Tanning Secrets 
Q & A With Dr. Murad

[photos via nicole as well as sourced online]

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Some people accent their home’s design with travel finds from around the world. Done wrong {or with too many finds}, it can be suuuuuuper tacky; done right, it can be tasteful. Before I’d really figured out my design aesthetic, I went through a major Paris decor season. At one point—my lowest point on the design scale—I think my friends counted 17 Eiffel Tower pillows, statues and other chotchkies in my 700sf condo {in my self-defense it was the first city I conquered solo}. Those days are gone, but my love for m-i-n-i-m-a-l-l-y working travel photos and other worldwide finds into home decor is here to stay.

Enter the kill-100-birds-with-one-stone method: Stitchtagram, a DC-based company that transposes your Instagram snaps onto snazzy pillows. Now you and I can sleep on the Eiffel Tower, the Serengeti or that summer camping trip—or just display them on the couch. Think of the conversation-starting potential.

Pillows start at $64usd and are shipped globally.

PS – For more Instagram ideas check out these canvas wall prints we featured in December.

More Tech Tuesday
Hotel Tonight Adds Canada Eh
Pic Frames {aka – photo collages}
Tingo “Money Back” Hotel Search ‘n Book
Instagram For Android
How To Make Animated Travel Photos
Phoneography
Google Traveler Tricks

[photos via stitchtagram]

I resent the idea that flashpacking is associated with hostels, polar fleece and Crocs {which I’m not dissing, except for Crocs—not even at the campsite people!}. Flashpacking’s roots rest in backpacking, romanticizing an upmarket version sans the bulky bag, clanging pots and pans, and extras. Just the essentials. The problem is, the word flashpacking doesn’t really describe minimalist, tech-focused hostel-hopping—maybe it should be called technopacking?

At Trip Styler, we think flashpacking means packing fast and fashionably. Period. Who has time to plan outfits for hours and stuff 10 dresses, six pairs of pants, 15 tops, seven pairs of shoes, an ionic hairdryer, and the kitchen sink into a bag and THEN pack and repack on a trip? Not me, not you and certainly not yo momma!

Less is more on the road, and less does not equate to zero style, hence the above graphic—just think of the exponential outfit possibilities.

Fashionable Flashacking HOW-TOs
- make a list: I like the Kayak app’s packing list feature {which I reuse and re-interepret for every trip}
- plan your outfits in advance and tackle ‘em from head to toe
- seek in-season outfit inspiration via your fave fashion blogs, or check our monthly Fashion Friday column
- mix basics and patterns so it’s easy to hide stains
- always keep your travel toiletries stocked and ready to go
- edit shoes down to essentials—max five for a carry-on!
- use accessories like belts, scarves and jewelry to re-imagine basics

Related
Fitting 50 Garments Into A Carry-On
Q&A With “How To Pack Like a Rock Star” Author
Packing 103 // Packing 102 // Packing 101
Size Matters
Travel Essentials for Any Trip Style
High Rolling :: To Roll or Lay Flat?
A Summer Weekend Packing List
The Art of Carry-On Travel
Going Away? Packing and To Do List

[Photo by @tripstyler]

Last weekend in LA, both my husband and Trip Styler’s Fashion Friday columnist urged me to sip java at Handsome Coffee Roasters! Not one to say no to a coffee date or handsome hipsters, I was in!

In LA’s Arts District—filled to the brim with warehouses, lofts {including the loft from the set of New Girl} and factories—the minimalist espresso emporium only serves: espresso // espresso with milk // coffee. No sugar, no soy, no extras. It’s hardcore, just like the curlycue moustaches adorning the hipster gents passionately barist-ing each bev.

PS – The below food truck was conveniently parked outside, complementing Handsome’s coffee and croissants with a morning dose of protein. I had an “eggslut” sandwich, and it was gooey-good.

More IMG_FRI
SEA-ttle
Tokyo
JAL Business Class
A Cinque Terre Adventure
Conquering Phoenix’s Camelback Mountain
Arizona Spring Training Baseball
Tipping Etiquette Infographic

[photos by @tripstyler]

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Whether Tulalip {pronounced too-leh-lip} is your road trip’s first note, crescendo or finale, everyone seems to find an excuse to stop at the Seattle Premium Outlets. And then, just past Restoration Hardware, you spot a hotel. Like you, I’ve always wondered what’s inside. Recently my curiosity was cured when I was invited to stay at the 370-room Tulalip Resort. Not only did I learn the hotel has been at capacity every weekend since they’ve opened—a first indication they are doing something right—but also experienced a few “aha” moments worth sharing.

What Might Surprise You About Tulalip Resort {& Casino}
The Designation

I never would have guessed that a hotel just off the highway would be an AAA Four Diamond property. Surprise, it is, and lives up to the designation.

The Food

I’ve heard through friends and contacts that Tulalip’s exec chefs rock it on the foodie front. I’d have to concur after sampling dishes like soy marinated salmon skewers, polenta fries dipped in red pepper aioli, volcano seared ahi tuna and baby arugula and red pear salad.
{Trip Styler Tip :: Go for the gold and eat the resort’s fine dining restaurant, Tulalip Bay. Make sure to defer to Tommy, resident (and really nice) sommelier, for your wine pairings.}

The Spa

Built with meandering walkways, birch trees and river rocks mimicking a babbling brook, the 14,000sf T Spa is buffet-big with an amuse-bouche feel. Flickering candles, local music and color therapy reset your mind, while treatments transport you to another place.
{Trip Styler Tip :: For an excellent massage, request Shannon, who gave me the best back treatment I’ve had in a long time.}

The Art

From the hotel’s custom-designed carpets to the lobby’s 25ft hand-carved, red cedar house poles, Coast Salish art adorns every inch of available space. And in a nod to the Tulalip tribe’s heritage, each piece tells a story. Showcasing 95% local art, think of the hotel like an art gallery, sans white walls and minimalism.
{Trip Styler Tip :: Put on your “eagle eyes” and look left, right, up and down at the standout art that blends into the colorful decor.}

The Rooms

An extension of the hotel’s design aesthetic, 500sf rooms are very well-appointed with splurge-y features like: terrycloth-lined Japanese silk bath robes; glass-enclosed spa showers with triple shower heads; make-up removal wipes {in addition to wash clothes}, included bottled water and a coffee center with all the regular accompaniments including honey pearls.

Rates from $150/night include parking and wifi.

[photos by @tripstyler]

{Editor’s Note :: I just stayed at the Thompson Beverly Hills—a hotel I’d been eyeing and booked via Hotel Tonight. PS – it’s Trip Styler Approved.}

What
Transplant a hip NYC hotel dressed in dark leathers, tinted shades and modern accessories into LA and you’ve got the Thompson. Think edgy with a set of pearls. Sure, there’s a scene, but in a clash of East-meets-West, it’s varied enough for bohemians and high society to mingle sans entourages.

Boutique-y rooms carry the hotel’s smokey hues right down to the black marble-clad bathroom, ebony herringbone hardwood flooring and leather headboard sporting a few mirrored strips for effect. Balancing rooms’ ying with some yang, a bed with stark white sheets, and sheer grey curtains soften the palette.

Once at the rooftop, LA comes out to play. Strategically placed palms and bougainvillea add some lush to the urban landscape, and the pool—fairly big for a tightly sculpted 107-room hotel—brings out the bathing suit in all of us. Think of it as your chic beach in the city.

Where
In Beverly Hills dah-ling.

When
The warm California sun shines down on LA year-round—329 days per year to be exact—with minimal rain that tends to fall in the winter. Summer temps hover around 24 degrees C and winter temps hover around around 15 degrees C.

Who/Why
You’re a trip style = urbanite who likes to match your structured wardrobe to your hotel’s design. Lounging poolside is as close as you’ll get to sun and sand.

Cost
Rates start at $150 per night and include complimentary wifi in the lobby and at the rooftop pool. In-room wifi is $14.95 per day. Valet parking is $35+ tax/night. Fido is not allowed.

{Trip Styler Tip :: If you’re a light sleeper, BYO earplugs and ask for a room at the end of the hall, away from the elevator.}

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More Roam+Board
The Sorrento Hotel – Seattle
The LIT! Bangkok – Thailand
Hotel De La Paix – Thailand
X2 Kui Buri – Thailand
Ecopod Boutique Retreat – Scotland
The Saguaro AZ – Scottsdale
From ice hotels to Anna Wintour’s steal-of-a-deal holiday escape, find all featured R+B properties here.

[photos by @tripstyler]

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In September 2011, we told you about Hotel Tonight, an app for iThings and Androids that allows people to book hotels at the last minute—so last minute that booking only becomes available at noon the day-of. To say we love this app in all its spontaneous glory, is an understatement, so when we learned about the latest development, we had to share it with you! Previously, only hotels in major US cities were bookable, now they’ve added Vancouver and Toronto into the mix.

Taking a look at the hotels available in Vancouver on May 3rd, I see the Pan Pacific for $203 and the Granville Island Hotel $182. To compare, on Expdia.ca for the same night, the Pan is $247 and the Granville Island Hotel is $265. Hotel Tonight offers a respectable savings for both. Being a total travel geek, I peruse Hotel Tonight for fun {even when I’m not traveling} to see if the prices are “all that.” Most of the time, they are a decent savings. {I just realized this must sound really sales-y, but TS isn’t like that AND I’m just really passionate about this subject.}

I know we’re not all comfortable with the last minute-, throw-caution-to-the-wind-approach, but if it’s a Friday night and you decide you want to do an overnight trip starting Saturday morning, remember your friend Hotel Tonight. If you don’t find what you want, you can always book via a hotel’s website, Kayak or Expedia! Get more juicy details on the Hotel Tonight app by reading our previous post about it.

{Trip Styler Tip :: Discounts may grow as the sun sets. At the time of writing on May 3rd, I saw some good deals at noon. Checking back around 6pm some updated, amazing deals, were offered. In this scenario, it pays to be late for a very important date!}

PS – Just last week I booked the Thompson Beverly Hills—a hotel I’ve been eyeing and will write about tomorrow—on Hotel Tonight. I got it for $153 and the whole ‘transaction’ took less than one minute via my iPhone.

More Tech Tuesday
Pic Frames {aka – photo collages}
Tingo “Money Back” Hotel Search ‘n Book
Instagram For Android
How To Make Animated Travel Photos
Phoneography
Google Traveler Tricks

[photos = screenshots of Hotel Tonight offers on May 3rd]

{Editor’s Note: UNTIL NOON TODAY, enter for a chance to win a two-night Mother’s Day getaway in Whistler, BC!}

Jetset Jingles publishes once monthly. The ‘soundtrack’ is written, mixed and mastered by Nicole, amateur DJ by night and movie maven by day.

Like the credits roll at the end of a movie, the last moments of your trip must be accompanied by a soundtrack—one allows you to pause and reflect on the travels you’ve just taken. Before the hectic pace and demands of post-vacay life unfold, the plane, train or car ride home is the perfect time to savor the final seconds of your trip, looking back on the sights seen and new experiences gathered under your belt.

Whether you’ve just been amping it up on a trip style = urban getaway and are not quite ready to go home, taken some much needed R & R and want to hold on to that tranquil feeling for just a little longer, or have been collecting frequent flyers points on a business trip and can’t wait to get home, this month’s playlist has a end credit song for every kind of trip style.

Happy listening.

Songlist
1/ Midnight City – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming.
2/ 4 AM (Adam K & Soha Mix) – 4 AM – EP
3/ Until We Bleed (feat. Lykke Li) – Longing for Lullabies (feat. Titiyo) – EP
4/ Strawberry Swing – Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
5/ Goodnight and Go – Speak for Yourself
6/ This Is the Thing – Distance and Time
7/ Calgary – Bon Iver
8/ Only the Young – Flamingo
9/ Home – It’s Time

Playlist

{Can’t view the playlist?}

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More Jetset Jingles
Gals’ Getaway
Portlandia – The Mecca Of Indie Rock
Palm Springs Rat Packin’
Caribbean
R+R
Best of Coachella
Turbulence Calm

[photo via nicole]