Pant-Stretching Portland

[trip style = food & wine + weekend getaway]

If you read Trip Styler regularly, you know we try to take a bite out of Portland,Oregon's pant-stretching food scene at every opportunity—the provisions are that good. 

Completely obsessed with the city's preoccupation with hyperlocal and mouth-pleasing cuisine, I wrote an article in the Expedia Viewfinder Travel Blog about searching for Portland's freshest fare. Here's a taster:

There are conversations you overhear as a travel writer that cause you to grin and thank the heavens you were lucky enough to be within earshot of something so quotable. One such conversation, in Portland, was so perfect, I decided right then and there it would open this tale of the city’s fascination with fresh food (and my preoccupation with packing the right pants).

”Do they sell stretchy pants in Portland?” the guy behind me in the restaurant queue jokingly-yet-seriously quipped. Chortling, his friend replied, "By the weekend’s end, we’ll just want to go pantless.” I laughed out loud and exchanged knowing glances with the chaps because when in the Pacific Northwest’s nosh-central, I purposely pack jeans with a little stretch. It’s survival of the foodie-est.

Oregonians are not obsessed with food because it’s cool to post pretty pictures of plates with artfully arranged fare, or to brag about their culinary institutions that are sweeping the nation. For them, it’s about substance. It doesn’t matter how en vogue eateries or ingredients such as kale or bacon have become; if it’s not good or fresh, it won’t fly....

{Read the FULL article here}

Related
Oregon Travel Diary :: Feasting on Portland
Oregon Travel Diary :: Cannon Beach
That Travel Meal: Best-In-Show Burrata at Ava Gene's
That Travel Meal: Pok Pok Som Thai Basil Gin Rickey

[photos by @tripstyler] 

¡Hola Barcelona!

[trip style = urban + beach & sun]

Mention Barcelona to Europeans and the response will be Ahh... Barcelona! I love Barcelona! The beach, the food, the city... Mention Barcelona to North Americans and the response will be Watch out for pickpockets! I traveled to the largest city on the Mediterranean Sea with high hopes and street smarts, ready to conquer the city on my own before meeting up with friends. Follow along for my Do / Eat / Stay recommendations.

DO // Walk along the waterfront and out to the beach in La Barceloneta.

DO // Neighborhoods so charming that I didn't mind getting lost in them: El Born, Barri Gòtic and El Raval. Explore the Ciutat Vella {old city} by foot and always remember to look up.

El Born

DO // Visit Gaudí's Park Güell to experience art nouveau architect Antoni Gaudí's curvy mosaic masterpiece/public park.

Casa Trias, Park Güell

DO // Don't miss the architectural centerpiece of the city, Gaudí's La Sagrada Familia, and if you plan on going inside, buy tickets ahead. The detail will blow your mind! No wonder it's still a work in progress.

Six-story human tower {castell}, Catalan festival

DO // All Gaudí all the time? Marvel at the mind of Spain's most famous architect inside Casa Batlló and Casa Milà.

DO // Trek up to the highest point in the city for incredible views and amusement park rides at Mount Tibidabo. Best reached by bus or metro and 1901-built funicular. Bonus points for re-enacting scenes from Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Sagrat Cor church, Tibidabo

EAT // Bar Lobo is a fun indoor/outdoor restaurant with memorable fried eggplant and tuna tataki near the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art {MACBA} in El Raval.

EAT // "Come for one and stay till two" as the expression goes at one of the city's cheap, cheerful and tiny cava bars — El Xampanyet in El Born or Can Paixano {La Xampanyeria} in La Barceloneta.

EAT // Luzia is the perfect hideaway off Las Ramblas for delicious cava sangria and tomato salad.

EAT // Café Cometa is a colorful rest stop for a coffee or a juice in Sant Antoni.

STAY // I stayed at the budget-friendly and stylish Praktik Garden in the Eixample neighborhood. It's close to the metro, shopping street Passeig de Gracia and Gaudí's Casa Batlló and Casa Milà.

Things to know

• Many residents speak only Catalan and Spanish
• Aerobús is the easiest way to travel between the airport and the city centre
• The best times to visit are Spring and Fall
• The city is very walkable with a good transit system
• Be vigilant with your wallet/handbag in busy tourist areas
• Many shops are closed on Sundays
• Dinner is traditionally eaten after 9pm
• If you have time, leave the city limits to visit Monserrat or Sitges or Figueres and Cadaqués
   

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

Related
Hola España
Spotlight :: Amsterdam

[images by @heatherlovesit, 12hrs.net, airbnb.com, parcguell.cat, sagradafamilia.cat, lapedrera.com, anekdotique.com]

Jetset Style :: The New Tunic

[trip style = sun + urban + any]

With Spring right around the corner from the Winter of our discontent {to quote Shakespeare}, it's tempting to go overboard with optimism and bring out bare arms and bare legs too early. Thankfully, functional Spring fashion is all about transitional pieces to bridge the gap between Winter and Summer. What to wear when it's not warm enough to go bare? Enter The New Tunic.

My trip to California in February took me between Los Angeles and Palm Springs, where the days were hot and the nights were cool. The beauty of The New Tunic is that I could wear it as a short dress by day, and then over white jeans by night. It's not only the perfect piece for Spring, but also for vacations where the climate changes or the trip crosses over from sunny destination to urban setting {Palm Springs > Los Angeles}.

To avoid a "Mom in the Hamptons" tunic look, pair an oversized shirt dress over slim pants or wider cropped jeans. Choose a boxy tunic that hits a few inches above the knee. Works with or without a belt, with footwear that ranges from gladiator sandals to low-profile sneakers. If you need an extra layer, top with an oversized scarf or jean jacket.

Left to right: Kowtow geometry dress, Smock by Mohawk General Store shirtdress, Rachel Comey brighton dress, Apiece Apart leandro dress

Left to right: Aritzia Wilfred Free stone dress, Jesse Kamm imperial tunic, Rachel Comey clovis dress, & Other Stories cotton shirt dress

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

Related
Jetset Style :: Spring Fashion
Jetset Style :: Jean Jackets
10 Days > 2 Cities > 1 Carry-On

[photos at top via stockholm street style, style.com, pinterest]

Travel Beauty :: Waterlining

[trip style = any]

If you only do ONE thing to your face when you travel—besides moisturizing and concealing—it's this: Apply a nude hue to your waterline. Waterlining, or the practice of tracing your lower lid's inner rim with a lightly-colored eye pencil, gives the eye-opening illusion you're awake and alert, which is a travelista's BFF after an early-morning wake-up or transcontinental flight. 

Think of like the anti smoky eye. While black kohl liners create a sexy squint for nighttime drama, the opposite is true for lighter shades—they brighten your eyes.  

Make-up artists use this genius hack to make on-camera personalities' peepers pop, and it's the single most important cheat in my travel make-up routine {and the reason I walk off long haul flights looking fresh instead of frazzled}. Bonus: When Baby Styler is teething and I feel {and look} like I'm in another time zone, waterlining masks my red-rimmed eyes, giving the illusion that I have a perfect baby.  

As for choosing a barely-there color for your waterline, it's a little like wedding dress shopping—there are a million shades of white. To help you decide what shade is best pour vous, I've sketched my waterline with three different shades: ivory, shimmer and nude:

Wearing a nude pencil. According to my make-up artist friend, this is one of the best overall shades and pencils for all skin tones: MAC Chromagraphic Pencil in NW20 {$29}. 

Wearing a silver shimmer pencil {drugstore brand} for a daytime glow like JLo. The look is subtle enough for everyday use, and it's my new favorite waterlining shade. 

Wearing an ivory pencil {drugstore brand}. This look is best for when you want your eyes to pop in a swinging '60s way, and the most obvious ocular enhancement. Apply only one pencil-swipe per eye or you'll look like you belong on stage at a go-go dancing club.

Trip Styler Tips 

• Waterproof liner has the best staying power
• Make sure the pencil isn't too sharp 
• Pull your lower lid down when applying the pencil for the most accurate trace
• Some make-up junkies swear by the long-lasting effects of shu uemura's Drawing Pencils {$28}, but it's always a good idea to keep your pencil nearby for re-application
• For an even more enhanced eye, line the inner corner of your peepers with the same eye-opening hue 

Related
Travel Beauty :: Concealer Map
Travel Beauty :: Jetlag Busters
Carry-On Creature Comforts

[photos by @tripstyler]

Roam+Board :: Pacific Sands Beach Resort

[trip style =  beach + weekend getaway]

What
Sprawled across the northern end of Cox Bay, Pacific Sands Resort is so close to the ocean that it's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. At high tide I could almost reach out and touch the water from my Beach House balcony, while at low tide the water retreats so far into the Pacific that it reveals a sand bar big enough for a jumbo jet to taxi for a mile. 

Located on the western rim of Canada's Pacific coast in Tofino, British Columbia, Pacific Sands is the only all-suite resort in the area. Couple this with its 2,500 feet of coastline and rooms built toward the beach, and it's no surprise why a view of the swell comes standard with every stay. 

Starting with a collection of cottages in the 1970s, the 41-acre property has grown into a well-groomed beach resort with 77 suites—all with kitchens—ranging from one-bedrooms to Beach Houses {sleep 6} perched a few feet from the sand.

The sand summoned me every second: In the morning for a sea-sprayed run or surf session, in the afternoon for beach-combing, in the evening for a bonfire {paired with a glass of BC wine}. This cushy, front-row seat to the sea is why my family has been frequenting the shore-side stay since I was a mere twinkle in my parent's eyes. In keeping with the tradition, now that the Trip Styler crew has expanded, it's one the first places we took Baby Styler.    

Trip Styler approved.

Where
Located in Canada's surf city, Tofino, BC, five hours from Vancouver by car, including a 90-minute sailing aboard BC Ferries. Tofino is a place where waves rush the shore and salt air gives your hair the perfect beachy texture. It's a place where dressed up means jeans and a toque and fish tacos are an acceptable—and delicious—everyday lunch.

When
Year-round. Tofino is cozy in fall and winter, sea breezy in spring and fresh in summer.

Who/Why
This is your motto: "Life's a beach."          

Cost
Rates start at $200/night for a Lighthouse Suite and $460/night for a Beach House. All room categories include a patio or balcony facing the beach, full kitchen, gas fireplace, Pacific Sands rain slickers, WiFi, parking and use of outdoor BBQ gazebos. Bark woof—pets are welcome for $40/stay.

Photos

Cox Bay

A sunset slice of the 41-acre property 

The Beach Houses {each with its own washer-dryer}

When I return, I'll plant myself here to watch the sunset

Coffees from the resort's Beans on the Beach Espresso Bar featuring Victoria-based Caffe Fantastico beans {voted one of Canada's best boutique roasters} 

View from my Beach House

Master bedroom in my Beach House

Each suite comes with a kitchen

The Pacific Sands' CAD $11 breakfast delivery program sources locally-made muffins, granola, etc.

The view, captured from my balcony

Dog Styler striking a pose on the beach

Year-round waves and a soft, sand-bottom shore make Cox Bay a top choice for wave-riding locals and guests 

Heated outdoor showers for Mr. Trip Styler's post-surf warm-up

Storm-watching on a blistery afternoon

Obligatory portrait with Mr., Baby and Dog Styler in tow

A typical Pacific Sands afternoon, best enjoyed with a bottle of BC wine

More Roam+Board
Wya Point Resort - Ucluelet, BC
RIMBA Jimbaran Bali
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

[photos by @tripstyler {except for first three}, taken while as a guest of the resort]