Roam+Board :: Modern Cottage

[trip style = weekend getaway + active + sun]

This post is written by Trip Styler's Assistant Wayfarer/Editor Heather.

What
I'm reluctant to share this property—Roam+Board's first-ever vacation home—because I don't want it to become so popular that I can't rebook it later this year. But in the spirit of giving and a mutual appreciation of contemporary design, I present Modern Cottage. 

Standing tall amidst the trees, with water views extending south across the Pacific Ocean from the local harbour to Vancouver Island, this Sunshine Coast home is the ideal escape for travelers seeking a unique retreat in a serene coastal setting. 

The modern box, crafted out of glass, wood, concrete and metal, is split into three levels: the top floor houses the main living area, kitchen and balcony with stairs to a flat rooftop deck; the middle floor rests easy with three bedrooms and one-and-a-half baths; and the lower floor serves as a flex space with TV, sofa and laundry.

During a recent stay with friends, I spent time exploring the area—walking down to the water and sipping a pint on the pub patio, driving a short distance north for an easy hike to Skookumchuck Narrows and a delicious bite at the Green Rosette Bake Shop, watching longboarders race down the hilly roads of Garden Bay, and investigating the marine wildlife and gorgeous bluffs of Daniel Point Park. That said, it's perfectly acceptable to never leave the cottage, where you can cozy up to the wood fire, watch the sailboats pass through the harbour, lounge on the deck and barbecue on the balcony. Trip Styler approved.

Trip Styler Tip: The rustic barn doors on the bedrooms and bathrooms are loud, so bring a pair of earplugs if you're a light sleeper.

Where
Perched high above Pender Harbour, Modern Cottage is located in the small community of Garden Bay on British Columbia's Sunshine Coast, about two hours northwest of Vancouver by ferry and car.

When
While the coast is most spectacular during the summer when the temperatures are warm and the activities are plentiful, the cottage is a year-round destination thanks to a wood-burning stove, nearby hiking trails and a local pub to pass the hours, no matter the weather.

Who/Why
You're a minimalist and a nature lover. You like to get away from everything except a WiFi connection. You want to enjoy the cottage, but also get out and explore the coastline.

Cost
High-season rates are $300/night or $1,800/week {May 1-Oct 15} and low-season rates are $240/night or $1,440/week {Oct 16-Apr 30} for up to six guests. Minimum two-night stay; weekly rates based on seven-night stay. Book directly on the website to avoid extra fees on Airbnb. 

Photos

Kitchen

Main level balcony

Master bedroom

One of the second/children's bedrooms with twin trundle bed

Green roof deck and harbour view

Daniel Point Park, at the mouth of Pender Harbour {don't miss it!}

More Roam+Board
Painted Boat Resort - Pender Harbour
Korakia Pensione - Palm Springs
Four Seasons Resort at Manele Bay - Lanai
Hotel Lone - Croatia

[photos via moderncottage.ca by trevor brady, except last photo by @heatherlovesit]

Summer Shoes :: Jolie-Laide

[trip style = any]

This post is written by Trip Styler's Assistant Wayfarer/Editor Heather.

Brush off your bongos and point your feet towards the nearest drum circle because this summer's shoe trends verge on hippie-dippie. See also: comfortable, 70s, man repelling and my favorite term from the French—jolie-laide. Yes, it's the summer of pretty-ugly shoes. Which bodes well for savvy travelers, who are always searching for packable, comfortable, stylish footwear. So, ladies AND gentlemen, grab a kombucha tea, settle in and check out this summer's trends. {I promise I don't mention the return of Tevas or shower sandals, but they're ba-aaack...}

Women {clockwise from top left}: Birkenstock floral-print arizona, Birkenstock stripe-print arizona, Zara color bio sandal, Birkenstock gold arizona, Steve Madden boomer sandal / Men {bottom left}: Birkenstock black arizona

Trip Styler Tips: Try narrow-width Birkenstocks for a slimmer silhouette. Remember that there will be breaking-in time, so wear them around the house before you take them on vacation. Finally, socks and sandals are no longer a fashion faux-pas—when done well. Try the style with rolled boyfriend jeans or a boxy dress and contrasting or printed socks.

Women {from top left}: Jeffrey Campbell atha espadrille, Loeffler Randall alfie espadrille sneaker, Loeffler Randall mara espadrille / Men {from top right}: Castaner alfonso boot, Soludos for J.Crew striped espadrilles

Women {clockwise from top left}: Swedish Hasbeens suzanne sandals, Isabel Marant towson clog, Sven peep-toe clog, Bosabo ketty clog, Old Navy heeled clogs

[top images, left to right, via racked ny, man repeller, pinterest, creators of desire]

Roam+Board :: Painted Boat Resort

[trip style = active + food/wine + luxe]

{Editor's Note: Since I was a kid, I've spent almost every summer on BC's Sunshine Coast, the location of today's R+B property. As a local, I'm excited to show off this iconic stretch, aka. BC's best kept secret!}

What
Tucked into a discreet cove along BC's 180-km Sunshine Coast, Painted Boat sprawls over a five-acre glade of redcedars and Douglas firs. Here, nature's not just a faraway vista, but in your midst.

Built over the shoreline, the one- to two-plus-loft villas come kitted out with gourmet kitchens, large dining rooms, cozy living rooms and ocean views. Saving the best sight line for the master bedroom, each cream-colored space features the dreamiest ocean vantage point in the house. In other words, pack your lingerie AND your stargazing binocs, because you'll want to sleep with the shades open to watch the sky turn from indigo to ink in your feather-topped theatre.

With the oceanfront as the resort's anchor, water beckons at every turn. During my late-May visit I was drawn to both the harbor {read: paddleboards} and the infinity pool as late as 7pm, when the temperature was 22 degrees Celsius/72 Fahrenheit. By 7:30pm, the sun was streaming so intently onto my villa's balcony that the only appropriate activity was sitting with a bottle of wine and watching the sun slather the sky in a cosmic print of pink, purple and orange.  

In an ode to all things seafaring, every night Mr. Trip Styler and I dined on local fish and foraged fare at The RESTAURANT, the Sunshine Coast's premier foodie address. Stay tuned for a special report on foraging with the chef next week. 

Trip Styler approved. 

Trip Styler Tip: Talk to the hotel about the their very instagrammable mason jar-packed breakfast baskets {from $17 per person}.

Where
British Columbia's Sunshine Coast, a 40-minute ride via BC Ferries from Vancouver on the Horseshoe Bay to Langdale route. Once in Langdale/Gibsons, Painted Boat is a one-hour drive, or a one-and-a-half-hour bus ride.    

When
Winters are typically west coast; moody, cool and sit-by-the-fire-romantic. Spring and fall provide a gorgeous summer crescendo/decrescendo showing hints of warm weather and stints of sun. During summer high season, the Sunshine Coast more than lives up to its moniker.  

Who/Why
Nature grounds you. So do infinity pools.    

Cost
Rates for the all-villa resort start around $175/night and include WiFi, large patios with a gas BBQ and complimentary parking. Bikes, kayaks and paddleboards can be rented from the resort from $30/$25/$15 respectively. Fido can tag along for $25/night. 

Photos

View over the marina

Infinity pool {find the hot tub and fitness center behind it}

An upper and lower villa, one of 31 at the hotel

Gourmet kitchen, standard in each villa 

Breakfast basket

Mr Nacho King, excited to go paddleboarding

Paddleboarding in Pender Harbor 

Sunset

Indigo night sky

More Roam+Board
Villa Samadhi - Kuala Lumpur
Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle
Four Seasons Chiang Mai
Four Seasons Hong Kong
Korakia Pensione - Palm Springs 
La Gazelle d'Or - Morocco
Mandarin Oriental - Las Vegas
Hotel Lone - Croatia
Four Seasons Resort at Manele Bay - Lanai

[photos by @tripstyler, except first and last, taken while a guest of the hotel]

Top 10 Travel Essentials :: Summer Weekend Edition

[trip style = weekend getaway + sun]

This post is written by Trip Styler's Assistant Wayfarer/Editor Heather.

If Buzzfeed, David Letterman and magazine culture have taught us anything, it's that we love lists. 21 Animal Photos That Will Make You Go Awwwww? Click! 52 Places to Go in 2014? Click! Summer Packing Essentials? Click! {*See our mention in Buzzfeed here!}

With summer unofficially underway after the recent long weekends and officially underway in 22 days, my mind has turned to weekend getaways. And, by extension, what to wear on said getaways. I may be a classic morning-of packer, but I dream about what to pack weeks ahead.

With all this in mind, I present my summer packing list, filled with on-trend, internationally inspired, versatile items that "double in the program". Between Chief Trip Stylist Trish and myself, every one of these essentials is either in our closets or on our summer wishlists {I'm looking at you, handmade Mexican sandals!}.

Top 10 Travel Essentials :: Summer Weekend Edition
 #1 - Mexican-inspired top {note the bathing suit tuck-in}
 #2 - Summer-weight scarf
 #3 - Sensational swimsuit
 #4 - Easy-breezy beach-to-night dress
 #5 - Japanese-inspired Kimono
 #6 - Denim shirt
 #7 - Tank top
 #8 - Mexican-inspired sandals
 #9 - Jean shorts
 #10 - Cropped sweater

Clockwise from top left: 1/ JM Dry Goods embroidered blouse, 2/ Heather Taylor Home scarf, 3/ Marc by Marc Jacobs bikini top & high waisted bottom, 4/ Black Crane long strap dress, 5/ Nicole Bridger kimono featuring artist Zoe Pawlak print, 6/ Gap denim shirt, 7/ NSF scout tank, 8/ Beatrice Valenzuela sandals, 9/ Madewell denim cutoffs, 10/ Topshop fisherman crop sweater

***Guys: Your summer weekend essentials should include a pair of 3/4-length shorts {7-9" inseam}, a white v- or crew-neck tee, a classic short- or long-sleeve oxford shirt and a pair of lace-up Vans.

Related
Jetset Style :: Summer Swimwear Trends
Jetset Style :: Kimonos
Fashion Friday :: The Summer Staple
Fashion Friday :: Scarf Tying 101
Homeward Bound :: Weekender Bags
West Coast Escapes

[photo collage by @heatherlovesit]

A Tokyo Coffee Crawl

[trip style = food/wine + urban + steals]

Living on the West Coast of Canada a mere three hours from Seattle {aka: coffee Grand Central}, I'm predisposed—by osmosis—to caring A LOT about coffee. Obsessed with all things coffee, coffee shop and coffee culture, I seek it out every day AND wherever I travel.

To me, a good barista bar is a prime connection to a city's soul; a window into its creative side; a place to wind up or wind down. And, when you find your place and your people: it's a great avenue to ask "what's cool?" in the city you're visiting.

Trip Styler Tip: Many coffee shops in Japan don't open until 10 or 11am. 

Recently I was in Tokyo—one of my favorite cities in the world—and made it my mission to seek out the java-scape. Fortunately, over the past 10 years, Japan has been going through a craft coffee coup, so tapping into the caffeine scene wasn't too difficult. Here are the standouts:

Omotesando Koffee
Tucked into the narrow backstreets of Omotesando, the koffee shop bearing the same name, is minimalist to the max stationed in a 60-year-old house. In this indoor/outdoor space, the wood-adorned and seatless interior is highlighted by two bonsai trees, while the rock- and tree-encased outdoor area is an ode to the traditional Japanese garden. Order the cubes of baked custard. When you taste them, you'll understand why they're the only non-brew on the menu {and my newest epicurean obsession}. 

Café Kitsuné
Benches, bamboo and bonsai set the tone for this international java stop. Doubling as a chic, Paris-based retail store selling sweatshirts and lifestyle wear that redefine casual, plan on spending much more than a few yen on a cappuccino at Café Kitsuné, especially if you fall in love with the J'adore Paris sweatshirt like I did. Fun fact: Baristas are trained by the gent behind Omotesando Koffee. 

Shozo Coffee Store
Just a few blocks from Cafe Kitsuné, we came across another steamy stop for joe. Unlike the others we'd met, Shozo was fully open-air {protected by a canvas roof}, and offered a treasure trove of treats from scones to cookies to shopping totes. It's also part of Tokyo's homage to food trucks and pop-up shops in a space called 246 Common {where we ate dinner the night before but failed to notice this place because it's waaaay in the back}.

Nui Cafe and Bar Lounge
Situated on a side street near the the Kuramae Metro station, Nui is a hostel {a word you don't often read on TS, except here} and local hangout for denim- and fedora-wearing cats looking for a woodsy whereabouts to crunch a croissant and express themselves through espresso. Cafe by day, lounge by night; there's no bad time to stop by, partly because the area is a one-stop-shop for wised-up eateries.

[photos by @TripStyler + @MrTripStyler]