Cafe Cesura

[trip style = urban]

{Editor's Note: On Monday we announced we'd be adding a new feature to TS's editorial calendar on Fridays, IMG_FRI. Here's the skinny: in addition to our once-monthly Fashion Friday column, we’re going to focus on uber-cool travel images from around the world—snapshots that will enhance the stories we’re already telling or pave the way for future features! Think more pics, less prose.}

Pictured Here: an urbanesque coffee shop in Bellevue, WA {a close sibling of Seattle}. We've done a summer Spotlight on Bellevue, but over our holiday visit we found too many gems to hold back, and this coffee shop, Cafe Cesura, is one of them. Expect more on Bellevue in the coming weeks.

[photos by @tripstyler]

Spotlight :: Dallas

[trip style = luxury + urban + weekend getaway]

Aside from a few expected sightings: bedazzled cowboy boots, massive highways and fun-atical sports fans clad head to toe in logo-wear, my December trip style = weekend getaway in Dallas was an unexpected mix of polar opposites. The kind that separates the jocks from the drama kids in high school. Except, like Finn---the jock/singer on Glee---the two are not mutually exclusive in Dallas.

Enamoured by the American football culture of larger-than-life stadiums, all-day tailgating and professional cheerleaders, our super-fan friends asked if we wanted to accompany them to a Dallas Cowboys game. Without hesitation the answer was yes.

I didn't do hours of pre-trip research. All I could think of was the sport-cation's Sunday game. My cultural blinders were on to everything else.

When my feet hit the ground, my tune changed. I found a city with an architectural and arts footprint the size of multiple football fields. Everything's bigger in Texas, right? Where most major metropolises have cultural buildings scattered throughout town, Dallas has a district with vertical performance spaces, modern glass masterpieces, and progressive museums and galleries featuring both the classics and today's avant-garde artists.

The next day, I ventured outside of my trip style = urban experience for the sport-cation's crescendo: the Dallas Cowboys game {more on this soon}. Looks like there's room in Dallas for the jocks and the drama club.

Eat

• Brunch: The Dallas Museum of Art's restaurant. You'd think dining in a high-ceilinged, wide-open space would be low on the atmosphere scale, but massive art installations and upscale restaurant fare make it feel intimate. Try the $18 brunch, which includes a mimosa, coffee, pastries, entree and as many trips to the candy bar as your blood sugar allows.
• Dinner: Private Social. This dimly-lit, chef-driven hotspot is founded on the idea that space and food appeal to different palates, so they created both intimate and social areas for sitting, and personal or shared plates for eating---you choose which experience suits you best.

Do

• Browse the Dallas Arts District.
• Go to a Dallas Cowboys game at their state-of-the-art stadium 30 minutes away.
• Watch a Dallas Stars game {preferably when they're playing the Canucks!} at the American Airlines Center, within walking distance of downtown Dallas.
• Shop in the original Neiman Marcus.

Stay Fairmont Dallas. Located on the edge of the Dallas Arts District, this is one of Fairmont's most reasonably priced properties and for the price, well worth the stay. Spring for the Fairmont Gold Floor, with separate check-in, renovated rooms and a lounge serving breakfast, lattes, a light lunch and dessert. {See my Trip Advisor review here}

Getting There Reaching Dallas {DFW} is convenient with year-round, direct flights from Vancouver. Dallas is American Airlines' hub, so the carrier runs two flights daily {~$400+ return year round}.

[photos by @tripstyler]

The Savvy Traveler :: Shaun

[trip style = active & adventure + urban + budget conscious]

Editor's Note: We're excited to feature Shaun, a rockin' packing evangelist---with a book to boot---for this month's installment of The Savvy Traveler. Don't miss next Monday's follow-up piece with a sneak-peek at his packing method and must-haves...before his book comes out!

Shaun is a Canadian rock star {aka bassist for Tegan and Sara} who is as passionate about packing as he is about music. And who better to trust about maximizing suitcase space than someone who is constantly packing and re-packing? Jetting from city to city for the past 10 years with only a carry-on suitcase to call home, Shaun picked up a few packing tricks of the trade and decided to write a book about it {more details below} with tons of how-to pictures, packing tidbits and interviews with other musicians {think Vampire Weekend, Death Cab for Cutie, Cold War Kids, etc.}. Here's why Shaun is our first Savvy Traveler of 2012!

1/ What are your top three trip styles and why?
If I had to narrow it down to only three favorite trip styles, it would be Active & Adventure, Urban and Budget Conscious. Here's why...

[trip style = active & adventure] Simply put, I have difficulty standing still. It could be the fact that I grew up on the rugged West Coast. I love exploring, and exploring to me is a physical and mental state. I like the idea of really taking in a new environment by being active, so whether this is in the form of a ski trip or a jaunt down the Oregon coast for a quick surf, I have to keep moving!

[trip style = urban] After exploring and spending time in nature, I like to switch it up with the busyness of a bustling city. When I grew up I wanted to be an architect. That passion is still there in the form of design, but despite it losing out to a stronger passion in music, I still love tall buildings and beautifully designed museums. I could walk for hours in a large city with no idea or concern of where I'm heading. For a variety of reasons stemming from architecture to overall feel, my favorite city walkabouts would be: Copenhagen, Denmark; Melbourne, Australia; and of course you can never go wrong with New York, NY.

[trip style = budget conscious] I appreciate the challenge of a budget-conscious trip. As the majority of my traveling has come through my profession as a musician, I'm used to constantly being made aware of the cost of travel. After all, for the bands that I'm in or even just performing with, the only reason we're traveling from city to city or country to country is in hopes of making enough money to do it again the next year while still trying to make a living. We have to save money here so we can invest there, and touring for us is no different. How can we set up a gig in Tokyo to not only write off our trip, but also come back with a little money in our pockets, PLUS a lifetime of new stories and experiences?!  PS - I'm still trying to figure out this one :)

2/ You've written a book about packing; what compelled you to write it?
Originally I starting writing the book, How to Pack Like A Rock Star, as a fun project to do while on the road. I started by jotting down a few little packing tricks here and there while perfecting my own packing method. Then I started printing off copies for my band mates as a fun Christmas present, but then my mind started to wander! What if I added a ton of fun photos? What if I asked a few other bands to add their input? What if I challenged anyone who cares about traveling to think about packing in a new way? And then it really started changing and evolving into a much bigger, more rewarding project!

In short, the final product ended up far better than I ever could have imagined. It really is the best "nerdy-cool, how-to book" on packing your suitcase---probably because it's the only one, but still! And besides it isn't just about packing; it's "an insider's look at the how to pack for tour or vacation, complete with helpful hints, comments and advice from some of the world's top touring artists." So in other words, even if you don't care to learn a new way to pack, it's chock-full of fun stories {including some disastrous ones!} about being on the road.

3/ Carry-on or checked bag?
Carry-on. I wouldn't have written this book if it weren't for being forced to use a carry-on for many years of my young touring life! It's about being efficient and the carry-on forces you to be just that!

4/ Last trip, next trip and what destinations are on your radar and why?
Aside from a few trips across Canada with my own band Rococode in the last couple of months, my last real trip was New Zealand and Australia. It was my first time in New Zealand, and now I just need to get back there before it's too late to sign up for "Middle Earth, Lord of the Rings Tours"!

I'm heading off on tour again through Canada, but I'm sure I'll also be adding a trip style = weekend getaway {or two} down to Cannon Beach, OR---one of my favorite places to just get away and relax. And when I say relax, I obviously mean surf, play tennis, etc.

Japan is still the ultimate destination on my radar right now. From what I've heard, it's like no other country and you feel lost the moment you get off the plane. I've heard this about the United Emirates too.

5/ Where and when can we buy the book?
The easiest way to get a copy of my book right now is to say hi and e-mail me at howtopack@gmail.com. Shortly you'll be able to order it from my website, as well as buy it in a variety of stores, from airport gift shops to regular book stores!

More Savvy Travelers
Christina, Taking Care of Biz
Charles, The Global Travel Influencer
Rachel, The Suitcase Siren

{If you know anyone who should be featured in our once-monthly Savvy Traveler series, drop us a line!}

[photo via Shaun]

Roam+Board :: The Ace NYC

[trip style = urban + weekend getaway]

{Editor’s Note: I just stayed at the Ace NYC and it's Trip Styler approved. Have you entered to win a $200 credit to zozi, an online hub for local experiences in 63 cities in Canada and the US? Perfect as a gift for the person who has everything!}

What With walls papered in old book pages, low lighting, communal tables and minimalist flower arrangements, the Ace delivers all the service and amenities you’d expect from a legacy hotel brand, with a different flavour. Let’s call it bourbon cilantro swirl. Vanilla has no place at the Ace NYC.

Make no mistake, the Ace isn’t just a restored building bathed in unexpected street-style art, recycled material and dressed-down staff. It’s a well thought out, purposeful place that’s as much a hangout as it is a hotel. Everything from the decor and the people to the transitional location ooze the Ace’s low-key-meets-approachable vibe in a way that leaves guests feeling like they’re staying at both a hot spot and home away from home. Thank the hotel's NY-based designers Roman and Williams for this; the design duo have done several famous hotels, as well as the homes of Kate Hudson and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Some rooms are petite, literally just a bed and a shared bath. The next category is almost as small with a double bed, highly efficient bathroom and old pipe with hangers in place of a closet. From here, rooms categories soar from queens to kings to party-worthy suites outfitted with Pendleton blankets and record players, among other amenities.

Where In Manhattan's NoMad district, on the corner of Broadway and 29th. Located one block from a subway station for uptown and downtown access, and a 5-10 minute walk from Penn Station if you're taking a shuttle or the LIRR train to/from JFK. Getting there from Vancouver is pleasant {think full meals with wine, helpful flight attendants and hand lotion in the lavatories}, direct and nightly with Cathay Pacific.

When Year-round, particularly fall and spring. Yes, Manhattan can get a little muggy in the summer and frosty in the winter, but it's still New York. Same city, different outfit.

Who/Why You have a Mac, read Dwell or Nylon, dress in high-waisted pants, fedoras and booties and consider the Olive Garden your culinary enemy. Wrapping yourself in the Ace's boxer-style, sweatpant-material robes, taking photos with your in-room Polaroid and bathing with a bevy of the best hotel toiletries around makes you clean, cozy and cool.

Cost Rates typically start at $99 during promotions. Includes wifi, a gym and the hippest lobby scene I've ever seen. Fido is welcome if you want to chill with your furry friend.

{Trip Styler Tip :: Start your morning with a coffee and apple cinnamon croissant or cheese and pecan scone at Stumptown Coffee---an uber-popular Portland transplant---connected to the hotel's lobby.}

More Roam+Board The Viceroy - Palm Springs The Parker – Palm Springs Sorobon Beach Resort – Bonaire Kura Hulanda – Curacao Hotel Kakslauttanen – Finland The Met – Vancouver Custom Hotel – LAX Bitter End Yacht Club – BVI Sleep On The Water – London A Woodsy Hideaway – Big Sur, CA

[photos by @tripstyler & @heatherlovesit, lobby & staircase photos sourced online]

The Savvy Traveler :: Christina

[trip style = sun + beach + weekend getaway + urban]

Christina has more frequent flyer miles than anyone I know. To put this in perspective, she could give George Clooney's character in the movie Up In The Air a run for his money. In a job that requires a lot of travel, she uses her book and street smarts to make the most of her conferences and office time abroad---professionally and personally---flying with ONE airline alliance and staying with ONE hotel group. When she's not in an upgraded hotel suite, airline lounge or business class at 37,000ft she can be found playing tennis, hosting parties and making the best seven-layer dip known to humankind. Introducing my very dear friend and December's Savvy Traveler, Christina!

1/ Pick your top three trip styles and why?
[trip style = sun + beach] There is nothing more relaxing to me than laying poolside/beachfront with a good book, a cold beverage, the warm sun and a light breeze.

[trip style = weekend getaway] Living in Vancouver means I have an endless supply of weekend destinations within a one to five-hour drive which I take advantage of most weekends in the summer.

[trip style = urban] I love exploring new cities and checking out the restaurants, shopping and nightlife---fave urban spots are NYC, Boston and San Francisco.

2/ What items are always on your packing list?

• lug Nap Sac Travel Blanket + Pillow set – keeps me warm on the plane and provides head or low back support depending on how the pillow is used.
• Skoah travel-sized skin care products – small enough for carry-on luggage and ensures my skin stays healthy and balanced even when the rest of my body isn’t.
• A good book is essential for both business and pleasure travel – there is always time to read when on the road.
• Earbud-style headphones – these can be worn during takeoff and landing {more time to watch movies} and also save you from purchasing airline headphones or wearing free headphones [avec germs].

3/ Last trip, next trip and destination{s} on your radar?
I just got back from Washington, DC for a business trip. The city was absolutely gorgeous in early November when all the leaves were in full color-changing mode and surprisingly still on the trees. I found myself spending long periods of time watching the rowing club practicing in the Potomac River with Georgetown University glistening in the background. Next up is Portland, OR---this time for pleasure! I'm taking the Amtrak Cascades from Bellingham, WA down to Portland, OR to spend five days and four nights enjoying the city, culture and tax-free shopping! I’m looking forward to checking out some of the hotspots featured in previous TS posts! Finally, my top 2 wish list destinations are: Ireland, to investigate my heritage and my incredible obsession with potatoes; and New Zealand, which I’ve been wanting to visit ever since their 100% Pure New Zealand ad campaign launched several years ago---now that’s what I call good advertising!

4/ You travel for business a lot, what are some of the strategies you use to make travel more comfortable and beneficial?
For me, travel comfort is key and the way to get there is status! Whenever possible I fly within the Star Alliance family of airlines to collect Aeroplan points. My Elite status gives me free upgrades, access to all Star Alliance lounges in airports worldwide, and points that can be redeemed for free flights and merchandise. I selected Marriott as my hotel partner because of the numerous perks. My platinum status gives me a check-in gift {typically a bottle of wine and snacks}, automatic room upgrade, access to the hotel concierge lounge complete with food and beverage, as well as points that can be redeemed for free nights {so far, I have stayed for free on vacations in New York, Maui, San Francisco and Portland next!}. I also swear by my Nexus card---skipping the customs line and getting priority security screening saves minutes to hours each trip. All of a sudden business travel doesn’t seem so bad!

5/ You spent time in Africa as a child. Looking back, did this shape any of your views on travel?
Living in Zimbabwe as a young girl gave me exposure to a wide range of cultures, lifestyles and environments. I’m sure this impacted my desire to continue traveling and exploring the world. Knowing that there is so much out there to learn gives you the motivation to get out there and see it.

6/ Do you have a ritual you follow after checking into a hotel?
The first thing I do is unpack my bag: clothes get hung in the closet, toiletries are displayed on the vanity, etc... This helps me feel at home when on the road, and also takes the wrinkles out of clothes that have been held hostage in my suitcase for hours on end.

{If you know anyone who should be featured in our once-monthly Savvy Traveler series, drop us a line!}

More Savvy Travelers
Charles, The Global Travel Influencer
Rachel, The Suitcase Siren
Tiffany, The Luxury Travel Inspector

[photo via Christina]