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]

Roam+Board :: Villa Samadhi

[trip style = luxe + urban + sun + food]

What
Tucked between embassies and expat-dwelling mid-rises, Villa Samadhi is a 21-room hideaway that's more guest house than hotel.

Here, service is highly personalized; the upkeep is as if the owner himself is sweeping and scrubbing, while the design harmoniously straddles styles; think: Thatched-roof tropical, lantern-lit estate and modern muse.

Enroute to Bali in April 2014, the flight path Mr. Trip Styler and I took stopped in Kuala Lumpur. Never having touched Malaysian soil, we decided to spend three days acclimatizing to the time zone and exploring the city-in-shift full of ingenue restaurants {that would put the dining scene in many other metropolises to shame}, record-breaking twin towers, copious shopping and greenery-filled parks {avec jogging paths}!   

After exhaustive research, we chose Villa Samadhi—a four-minute cab from downtown—because we wanted a leafy base to sample both urban and villa life without enduring a time- and cash-intensive commute to/from the city.

In keeping with the retreat theme, most rooms come with either a plunge pool or indoor jacuzzi. Our indoor jacuzzi was the size of a lap pool, and every day at 7pm it automatically heated up and the jets lured us in. Just as splashy: The hotel's six-person rooftop Bumbung Bar with views of the Petronas Towers {a much more pleasing perch than Kuala Lumpur's popular SkyBar}.

When you pick a hotel in a foreign country based on photos and the odd review, you NEVER know what you're going to get, but this quickly climbed into the realm of trip styled stay. Trip Styler approved. 

Where
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, about an hour by taxi {$30 usd} from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport {KUL}. Note: Whether you take a cab or the KLIA Ekspres train into town, your journey will be about an hour, especially since reaching most of the city's hotels requires boarding an additional train. For two people, it is about the same price to take a cab or the train. Also note, all cabs charge a nighttime rate {a 50% premium over day rates}.  

When
Only a few degrees north of the equator, the weather in Kuala Lumpur is humid and hot, its heat exaggerated by the traffic and concrete-clad contruction. Expect heavy tropical rainfall in Oct, November and December, and frequent spurts of moisture outside of these months.  

Who/Why
Instead of staying in a bland tower, you're the sultry sanctuary type seeking somewhere small-scale and personalized. Amenities like a lagoon pool with a waterfall, fresh-pressed juices and the resort's watermelon-eating turtle are just bonuses.    

Cost
Rates start around $200/night and include WiFi, glass-bottled water, a drool-worthy breakfast spread, daily canapé delivery and a nightly shuttle to and/from town.

Trip Styler Tip: If you are arriving at the hotel before 8am or after 8pm, make sure to email or call them to ensure someone will be at the front desk when you arrive. 

Photos

Room

The hotel restaurant, Mandi-Mandi

Day beds beside the lagoon pool

The resident turtle {who LOVES watermelon} 

The scene at dusk

Kuala Lumpur's most famous landmark: Patronas Towers, a 25-minute walk from the hotel

More Roam+Board
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 the room and restaurant via the hotel]

Jetset Style :: Summer Swimwear Trends

[trip style = any]

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

"If you like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain; if you like to look awesome, but think shopping is a pain." I may have taken a few liberties with a classic, but all lyrics point to swimsuit season and the trials of shopping for them. Hallelujah, this year's suits reference style more than shape, so they work for all silhouettes. Whether you're Barbados bound or planning to make a splash at home, here's our rundown of 2014's key trends. 

Nineties
The dream of the nineties is alive in swimwear. From Baywatch tanks to high-cut briefs, and sunflower one-pieces to gingham bikinis, bathing suits are channeling Beverly Hills, 90210 faster than you can say Andrea Zuckerman.

left to right: J.Crew scoopback tank, Wildfox mermaid classic one piece, Topshop gingham bikini, Forever21 sunflower bikini, Kore flora maillot, Kovey line up one piece

Surf
Suits that blur the line between wetsuit and swimsuit have made their way from surf to sand this season. Look for features like neoprene, zippers and long sleeves, as well as a rash guard {or should I say fash guard?} when you need to hide your shoulders from the UV rays.

left to right: J.Crew ratti fish rash guard, Seea gaviota one piece, N.L.P. zip-front strapless bikini, Vitamin A cannes crop rash guard, Lisa Marie Fernandez lisa marie maillot

Photo Print
If being at the beach isn't enough, try wearing it on your body. This edgy and innovative print trend, popularized by Australia's We Are Handsome, is blowing up thanks to celebrity fans like Beyonce and Katy Perry. Call me a fangirl, but I'd sport this bold, graphic style any day.

left to right: Madewell tanksuit in beach day, We Are Handsome hideaway cupped corset, Gray Malin x Cover long-sleeved swimsuit & long-sleeved swim t, Nasty Gal lanikai swimsuit

Show Some Knee
Men, you finally have more to choose from than board shorts, Speedos and elasticized dad trunks. With your hands by your sides, look for a pair of trunks that extend 2-3" past your fingertips {6-8.5" inseam depending on height}.

left to right: Onia calder 7.5" board shorts, J.Crew 6.5" tab swim short, Volcom vin vang swim shorts, Mollusk cut out stripe trunks, Saturdays Surf colin swim shorts

Style Notes

• If you don't got it, don't flaunt it; look for a suit that plays up your best feature. Long torso? Look for a retro bikini or detailing on the back. Apple shape? Try a suit with a zipper to highlight your upper body. Curvy? Look for thick Lycra or surf-style neoprene and a sweetheart neckline. Boy shape? Create curves with exaggerated seams and colors, or choose a bold photo print.
• Color blocking is big this season. Follow the golden rule: dark colors on the places you want to play down and bright colors on the places you want to show off.
• Nineties-style tanks are fun throwbacks, but not ideal for ladies with larger chests.

Trip Styler Tip: Looking for the perfect cover-up? Throw on a kimono! We recently featured 12 of them on Jetset Style.

[photo collages by @heatherlovesit]

Video: Vancouver's Trip Styled Bites, Bevs + Boutiques

[trip style = foodie + urban]

I should feature my hometown of Vancouver, BC more than I do. After all, it's constantly voted one the world's top cities. But alas, this is a travel blog, so I'm often wooed by what's afar versus near. Today this changes.  

Two months ago, my friend and fellow travel aficionado, TravelwithKate, visited Vancouver. As an accomplished videographer {and a fellow Expedia Viewfinder} with a penchant for uber-local travel, we hit the town and she made a video. 

Given our mutual love of food, drinks and shopping, we consumed croissants, clothes, coffee and craft brews at my go-to cafes and shops throughout the Glass City. Here's the play-by-play: 

{Can't view this video?}

Featured Shops + Cafes {in order of appearance}

Beaucoup Bakery
Go here for Vancouver's best baking rolled and meticulously prepared in a white marble-clad space. Whatever you do, make sure you order a peanut butter sandwich cookie—my food nirvana. Address: 2150 Fir St, Vancouver, BC V6J 3B5

Oliver & Lilly’s
Just a one-minute walk from Beaucoup Bakery, stop by this gallery-like boutique for Clare Vivier bags, classic-meets-on-trend pieces from Heidi Merrick and a conversation with gracious store owner, Leighann. Address: 1575 W 6th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6H 3G1

Board of Trade Co.
A seven-minute cab or 20-minute bus ride from Oliver & Lilly's, find Board of Trade Co. on the outskirts of Vancouver's historic Chinatown and the forefront of Vancouver fashion. Here, score killer basics for guys and gals and browse the store's own label, Priority of Ten. Address: 227 Union Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 2B2

Charlie & Lee
Located directly beside Board of Trade Co., Charlie & Lee is a hang-out-worthy shop full of wares for ladies and gents like Filson Luggage, Karen Walker sunglasses and a stunning selection of jewelry. Address: 223 Union St, Vancouver, BC V6A 2B2

Vincent Park
Run by the loveliest sisters in town—who special-order sizes and styles when you need 'em—Vincent Park carries everyday lifestyle pieces that have become my wardrobe staples; think Cheap Monday denim, Jeffrey Campbell shoes and Super sunglasses. Address: 4278 Main St, Vancouver, BC V5V 3P9

33 Acres Brewing Co.
About 20 blocks north of Vincent Park, 33 Acres is a triple-threat sporting a white-washed space worthy of a Kinfolk photoshoot, craft brews and a menu featuring food collabs with my happy-place cafes all over the city (Matchstick Coffee Roasters, Nelson the Seagull, Bestie, etc.}. Address: 15 W 8th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Y 1M8

*Google Maps link for all locations listed

[Photo and video via TravelwithKate]