Fashion Friday :: Tribal Inspiration

{Editor's Note: Next week, May 2-6, Trip Styler will be conducting "research" in Australia while living like a castaway and hanging with turtles on the Great Barrier Reef. We're back at it the following week with our regularly scheduled content, and each Friday in May we'll feature a different destination on Australia's East Coast. Find out more about my Australia trip here.}

"If the mountain won't come to Mohammed, then Mohammed must go to the mountain."

Or, in spirit of this month's Fashion Friday, Mohammed must go shopping. {Bear with me!} One of my favourite things about travel is shopping. Not shopping as a pastime, but shopping for special items native to the country or region I'm visiting. Often nothing is more treasured in one's closet or home than items purchased around the world. But if you love a style, and can't get to the source (say...Africa), a substitute is acceptable. This month's post is dedicated to travel-inspired tribal fashion, which is the perfect easy-breezy look for spring and summer, both at home or abroad.

Trip Styler Tip: If an all-over tribal print is too "Hello world!" for you, go for bright fabric bangles or a bold printed handbag instead. A great thing about tribal prints is that they tend to be medium-sized graphics; tiny prints can make you look bigger, while large prints can end up wearing you and not the other way around. Fellas, tribal prints aren't just for the beach - go tribal under a blazer or denim shirt this spring.

Now what to buy? Women (clockwise from top left) Forever 21 tribal drawings linen jacket, We Are Owls tribal cashmere and silk blend scarf, Lauren Manoogian hoop necklaces, Pepe Jeans silk printed dress, Felicity Brown tribal print tank, Forever 21 tribal cuffed short, Marc by Marc Jacobs frida flag dress, Theodora & Callum biarritz wedge sandal, Mat & Nat santogold handbag, House of Harlow 1960 tribal drop earring, Loeffler Randall x Suno erin lace-up wedge, Karen Millen tribal print clutch

Men (from bottom left) Burkman Bros oxford ikat short, Vilebrequin tribal art swim short, ASOS front panel printed tank, American Apparel afrika fine jersey t-shirt, Burkman Bros india ikat pullover

{Fashion Friday posts are published on the last Friday of every month and written by fashion blogger Heather.}

Healthy On The Road :: Make Any Trip Style Healthy

[trip style = any]

For every trip style, there are many fun and exciting ways to stay healthy. If you really want to treat yourself to a vacation that returns you home healthier than when you left, consider a more active trip style; perhaps one that involves an adventure or a chance to try an activity you've always wanted to experience. Personally, I would love to head to Central America and spend a couple weeks at Monty’s Beach Lodge in Nicaragua: surfing, relaxing and giving back to the local community. Sounds pretty healthy to me!

Regardless of whether your trip style of choice has healthy renewal built in or not, any one can be infused with energy. It might take a little more intention on your part, but it’s so worth it! Here are some ideas:

All-Inclusive Last month Healthy on the Road shared the importance of putting some routine into your all-inclusive experience. With anything you need and want at your fingertips, this trip style can leave you feeling refreshed or gluttonous. While you’re spending time planning out your meal reservations on day 1, why not devote some time to planning out an activity schedule? Check out the classes being offered at the fitness centre, find a pool that accommodates laps or deep water running, or choose a time to walk or run on the beach.

Beach Walking or running on the beach requires you to use (and therefore burn!) about twice as much energy compared to doing these activities on hard surfaces. It's delightful to walk barefoot on the sand, but for walks that amount to anything more than a stroll, wear a good pair of shoes to avoid problems like shin splints. Sport sandals, like Tevas, are a good option if you don’t want your sneakers to get soggy in the tide. And don’t forget about sun protection---waterproof/sweatproof sunscreen, a hat, a light quick-drying shirt and a bottle of water are musts when you’re active in the sunshine!

Camping & Glamping This one seems easy to me, especially if you’re anywhere in beautiful British Columbia. Opportunities to hike, walk, ride, paddle and explore await you outside your tent, trailer or yurt! Before you pick your destination, think about some of the activities you'd like to do. For example, some destinations are known for fantastic hikes, while others might boast incredible biking.

Cruising Like the all-inclusive trip style, the decision to stay healthy while cruising is yours. Looking at the glass half full, there are many opportunities to embrace health. Bottomless food and drink and lounging await you, so be sure to visit the delicious salad and seafood buffets first, rather than load your plate with fried, fatty food. The elaborate evening meals are wonderful, but you don’t HAVE to order desert EVERY night---try every other night, or better yet, sharing one dessert with your travelling companion. In terms of getting active, like I mentioned earlier, make some plans on day 1: join a fitness class, walk the decks, take the stairs and choose active excursions.

Spa Mind, body and soul retreats are becoming very popular, and for good reason: they will leave you feeling fabulous. Mani/pedis, massages and facials are a delightful treat, but your heart, joints, soul and mind need some pampering too. Consider visiting a spa that embraces a holistic approach to wellness with good workout facilities or daily hikes and healthy fare.

{When she’s not training clients or being trained by her dog Zuzu, Leah writes Healthy on the Road, published the first Thursday of every month. Note that this month's Healthy On The Road is being published one week early, because next week Trip Styler will be doing "research" while living castaway-style and hanging with turtles on the Great Barrier Reef.}

Related The 20-min Exercise Itinerary Active, Relax, Repeat Healthy DIY Plane Snacks Hotel Room Exercises {You can do in your underwear}

From the Archives :: Seeking Seattle in Spring

[trip style = weekend getaway + urban + sightseeing]

{For this month's installment of From the Archives, I've chosen a post about exploring the Emerald City in spring. With a focus on the weekending trip style, I highlight where to stay, where to stroll, plus some out of the way local faves for brunch, dinner and drinks. I hope it inspires! PS - if Seattle's weather looks good, it's always easy to get last-minute hotel reservations, so what are you waiting for?}

Good weather; check. Great hotel; check. Weekend with no plans; check.

Although I’ve been to Seattle many times, this time was different. This time I wanted to be a tourist, yet avoid tourist traps. So, I did my own kind of sightseeing. The kind that allows you to see a city for what it really is {with hands-on experiences}, and who it really is {sharing it with locals}.

Stay Stay at The Fairmont Olympic {see my detailed review here}, the Pacific Northwest’s only AAA, 5-Diamond Hotel. Although the Seattle area has other great hotels like the swanky W, the understated Ace, or the posh Four Seasons, staying at the Olympic immerses you in Seattle’s past. Open since 1924, this iconic hotel’s old-world charm is a stark contrast to the city’s west coast architecture and laid-back vibe. I love the hotel's complimentary drop-off and pick-up service to restaurants and attractions in the area, the Parisian take-away cafe and the milk and cookies given out when you bid adieu and pick up your keys from the valet.

Do/Eat Coffee/Neighborhood Walk/Breakfast Not sure if it was the coffee culture or the crisp, spring morning, but I was raring to go at 7am. Talk about making the most of the day. First up, driving 10-mins outside the city centre, I grabbed a coffee at Verite and walked around Madrona, an adorable, yet sophisticated neighborhood. The peace of the morning, the sunrise sparkling over the water, the scent of blooming flowers and the mix of modern and Tudor-style homes made my morning picture perfect {no joke---see pics below}. After a jolt of caffeinedecaf, I walked down the road from the coffee shop and put my name in at Hi-Spot Cafe, an always-busy brunch spot. *Make sure you order something that can be paired with their amazing raspberry jam. It’s so good that once I’d eaten my jam-smothered English muffin, I hid myself from other restaurant patrons and savored the rest of the jam with a spoon.

Pier/Pike Place/Starbucks We all know Seattle is the birthplace of Starbucks, the little coffee shop turned worldwide, caffeinated sensation. But, did you know that the first-ever Starbucks is located near Pike Place Market? But first, the pier. Walking along the pier is not only a quintessential Seattle experience, but in doing so, you’ll also pass shops, restaurants, the Seattle Aquarium and the SAM Olympic Statue Park. Once you’ve had your fill of wind-in-your-hair, ocean-front walking, head up the hill to Pike Place Market. The eclectic and thriving mix of vendors may wow you as much as the famed fish tossing. Once you’ve watched the fish throwers launch the local catch at each other like Seahawks quarterbacks, head to the original Starbucks [1912 Pike Pl, Seattle, WA 98101] to grab a java or drive 5 mins to the newest Starbucks concept for some wine & cheese.

Lunching and Shopping One great way to see the downtown core is to lunch 'n' shop. There are multiple restaurants in the shopping district, so stop into any of them to fuel-up with food so you can let-go with cash. To get your shopping fill, visit the flagship Nordstrom or gaze at the Chihuli [instigator of Pacific Northwest glass movement] installation in Barneys.

Evening Dinner and Drinks Don’t miss Black Bottle, a corner eatery and watering hole whose industrial design and downtown vibe makes the flatbread taste better than it already is. Cap off the evening with a bevvie at Zig Zag Cafe. When I told the Fairmont driver where I was going, he said “Zig Zag has the best bartender in the city.” Perfect! This out-of-the-way resto-lounge has grown by word of mouth and loyal clientele. At 8:30pm it’s dead, by 11pm it’s so busy I can’t hear myself speak. A special thanks goes out to my server for her drink suggestion. The French 76 is now in my cocktail hall of fame book—which I should really start.

Related Grande Beer with a Shot of Chardonnay YVR to SEA Must-Stops

Travel App Tuesday :: Groupon

[trip style = budget conscious] You’ve all heard about Groupon, right? If not, it’s an online social coupon site where companies list their goods and services---from teeth whitening to restaurant discounts---and consumers buy the offers, usually at a substantial discount. Now, there’s an app for that.

Groupon isn’t a travel app, per se, but it can enhance travel in cities where Groupon is present, so we’re going to talk about it.

A few weekends ago my husband and I went up to Whistler. We planned on using a Groupon we purchased to dine at the Rim Rock Cafe. Right before we got into town, we realized we’d forgot our print-out of the Groupon---the receipt you need to present to redeem the offer. But then we had a brain wave: there must be an app for that! Turns out there was. So we logged into the app and saw Groupon purchase history. Once at the restaurant, we applied the Groupon to our meal by clicking on “use this groupon” and showed the waiter our code. It was easy, and we saved paper.

If you’re about to travel, download the Groupon app to see offers for the city you’re about to visit. Groupon even offers hotel packages, so you could save a boatload of money Grouponing while you travel between restaurant, hotel and tourist attraction discounts.

Groupon App Details

• free
• works with iPod Touch, iPad & iPhone, blackberry and android
• a complete list of past and present Groupons
• shows nearby Groupons
• look at today’s Groupons
• select different cities where Groupon is used

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Other Travel Apps Every Tuesday we feature a new travel app. Don’t forget to peruse the other 70+ travel apps we’ve reviewed from travel first aid, to luxury and boutique hotel finders, to border waits and trip itinerary management. Here are the most recent:

• Travel Apps Nominated for a Webby Award
• Whistler Blackcomb Live
• Room77
• mileBlaster
• HipMunk

Travel Trends :: Choose Your Own Adventure

[trip style = active + adventure]

{Editor's Note: In observance of Good Friday and Easter Monday, no posts will be published, but we'll be back in biz Tuesday to Friday next week!}

Over the past few years, aside from user-generated content, one of the buzz words marketers use is customization---customizing  your frozen yogurt, customizing your car, customizing your home, customizing your crocs, and why stop at bedazzled crocs? Now you can customize your next trip style = adventure by choosing your own travel adventure.

The just-launched Kumutu was started as a centralized place to find, compare and book travel adventures worldwide based on user-generated reviews. Really, it's a place where you can choose your own adventure, like the books you used to read in elementary school, but now you're trying to choose between kayaking with orcas just outside Vancouver, BC or going on a Tanzanian Safari.

Searching by activity or country based on your dates, it's easy to narrow down what might inspire you. Given the site is still in the toddler stage, I look forward to a few months from now when more adventures come into the system and there's greater choice!  For now, check it out, then keep it in your back pocket for the next time the great outdoors beckons you to explore.