SOUR / 日々の音色 (Hibi no Neiro) MV from Magico Nakamura on Vimeo.
When it comes to travel, I'm the queen of carry-on, but the fact remains that there are some trips where you need a little more than what the airlines allot in the overhead bins. I'll still stick by my own packing guidelines, but I thought this piece by National Geographic Traveler senior editor Norie Quintos has some great advice for anyone planning a trip big or small. Click here for tips on Packing for a Big Trip.
{image via IT}
In my quest to post the amazing and the unique, I find that more often than not, I'm drawn to the more mundane things in life. Hence the appeal of Ellen and Julia Lupton's new book, Design Your Life: the pleasures and perils of everyday life. The book is a series of essays that grew out of posts the two sisters [twins] have written over the years on their blog with the same name. The essays which range from the importance of toasters, the way Christmas is [over]celebrated, to the role of blogs, all creatively and critically look at the everyday things in the world around us. Click here to read sample essays, and you can pick up your own copy of the book here.
last trip taken:
Grand Canyon, AZ
{Grand Canyon}
{Louvre - Paris}
{Yosemite}
{NYC}
{Israel}
{Bath, England}
{NYC}
{Israel}
{Paris}
{SF [above], Pasedena [below]}
what is your favorite thing to photograph in a new place?
{Stone Henge}
{Santa Monica}
{San Diego}
how long after a trip does this happen?
{LA}
does your other half enjoy traveling as much as you do?
what are you up to when you're not designing?
Lovely new prints for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Vancouver. The graphics are inspired by Canada’s cultural and environmental diversity as well as the energy and spirit of the Canadian people. Beautiful. {via NotCot}
When I first saw these images from the fantastical window displays of Bergdorf Goodman, I couldn't help but think of The Muppets Take Manhattan - a kind of ridiculous combination, yet it totally works. The high end department store has teamed up with Baltimore's own American Visionary Art Museum, juxtaposing high end fashion to a handful of work by visionary "outsider artists" that is part of the museum's permanent collection. The result is a feast for the eyes. If you're in NYC between now and July 20th be sure to stop by the windows on Fifth Avenue. You can get more of the scoop on the collaboration here. {Thanks, Lara and Jim for the images!}
P.S. For anyone in Baltimore, the museum is organizing a trip up to Manhattan to see the windows, and a couple great studio tours on July 12. For more information, click here.
Most of the time, the people featured in Boarding Pass don't travel for a living, they just live to travel. But today is a different story - Kristine of Where is Kristine Now? works in international relations and, hence, finds herself traveling more often than not. Originally from Norway, Kristine now finds herself calling Belize home, but she got there by way of Laos and Indonesia. Read on for a taste of her travels, and don't miss her blog to hear more about her fascinating adventures in everyday life abroad. {Thanks, Kristine!}
last trip taken:
I travel a lot for work, but my last trip for fun was to Guatemala. I went to Tikal, and then spent a week in Antigua for the Semana Santa processions…with a few side trips to Chichicastenango market and lake Atitlan. It was fantastic. I had a feeling I’d love Guatemala, but I just had no idea how much. It is so beautiful, and the people are an absolute delight.
{Guatemala has a terrible violence and gun problem. It is not safe at all, statistically. And yet, travelling there, this is so hard to understand; people are so incredibly helpful and kind. This is what travel does, I think - helps you see behind the stereotypes and the statistics.}
next trip on deck:
It looks like I might take a bit of time this summer to get acquainted with the Yucatan peninsula. In particular, I’d love to see Merida. I hear it is lovely. I am hoping to get a chance to do a Spanish immersion course there too.
one place you would go back to again and again:
No hesitation: Brazil. The first time I left Brazil I was in tears. The second time I left Brazil I told myself it was all OK, because I knew I’d be back. Again and again and again. I love Brazil, and Brazilian people. It’s a real infatuation. My (somewhat loose) plan is to buy a holiday home there. I find the perfect one online from time to time, but invariably, it’s out of my budget. And Warren Buffet’s budget, probably. So I’ll have to work on the whole ‘expectations’ thing.
{Burma has a very special place in my heart. I campaigned on it, wrote my thesis on it, was about to go and work there when the protests broke out...I am sure it will pop up on my horizon again.}
place you'd most likely recommend a friend go visit:
Two places. One is my own country, Norway. I’ve travelled a fair amount, but I still think the natural beauty of Norway is very, very hard to beat. The downside is its very expensive, so I recommend it mainly if you are a) loaded or b) really into camping. To be honest I have yet to see most of my own country – isn’t that always the way?? The second place is Indonesia, where I lived for two years. Indonesia has an intimidating reputation to some, but this is unfair: it is one of the most incredible places I’ve ever been, and I have never felt remotely unsafe there. Backpackers should get off the Thailand track a little more and head south (and not just to Bali! Try Sumatra, Sulawesi, Java, Lombok, Sumbawa….there are 17,000 islands to chose from!); its
like the rebel of South East Asia, the slightly less sophisticated but more genuine cousin. People are phenomenally friendly, so interested in engaging with foreigners, and everyone says “hello Mister”. As a woman I find this amusing.
{on a longboat on Inle lake, Burma / the slow boat to Luang Prabang, Laos}
preferred method of transportation:
Well, anything gets uncomfortable after a few hours, but I’ve had some amazing river trips in South East Asia. So maybe boat??
place you've never been but dying to go:
Southern Africa. And I’d love to have a few months to try and fumble my way around China.
place you'd never go back: Dubai has little appeal to me. Skiing indoors, in the desert? No.
{Kids are wonderful subjects anywhere, but I have never met more enthusiastic ones than in Indonesia. This photo, taken in a jakarta kampung, is one of my very favourite pictures. There is nothing technically interesting about it, but their expressions are just priceless.}
most memorable trip:
I spent about 6 months travelling around South America a few years back, experiencing so many
wonderful things, from snorkelling with sea lions in the Galapagos, to hiking the Inca trail, to Spanish classes in Quito and an internship in La Paz, to partying in Rio and Buenos Aires and wine tasting in Mendoza. The biggest challenge I had to face in those 6 months was bikini shopping in Brazil; that was a profoundly disturbing experience.
how do you prepare for a trip?
I used to read a ton. These days I must admit I tend to be woefully unprepared. I find I like to read up on places after I've been there...when I can associate it with something. This said, I absolutely love maps. I can pore over maps for hours. I also find other people's photography fantastic inspiration before going on trips - I spend hours on flickr.
how do you record your travels when you're travelling?
I take photographs.
{this is one of my most viewed photos on flickr. This old lady has a whole life 's worth of experience written in the lines on her face.}
what is your favorite thing to photograph in a new place?
It depends where. The people of Indonesia are an absolute joy to photograph. Old grandmothers literally chased me down the street shouting “mister, mister, photo?” and little kids go completely nuts. Beyond people, I love big bursts of colour. Markets tend to be good for that.
{Market vendors the world over think I am insane. I like to take pictures of their vegetables.}
on an average, how many pictures to you take on a trip?
I think in my ten days in Guatemala I took about 350. I am not sure if that is typical.
what's in your "designer travel kit" ?
Um, does a cork screw count? And my camera, of course, a Canon EOS400D. I am not a good photographer. I like photography, but I am terribly lazy about technique. Anything I do that comes out reasonibly well tends to be complete fluke. I am determined to sit down and teach myself more, but I am bored by instructions...
{This is my friend Rose and me at the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia. I think it looks like we are sitting in heaven. I have a large framed version of this at home. It is such a great memory.}
what do you do after a trip? how long after a trip does this happen?
I love to sit and play around with my photos after I come home. I do put pictures on flickr and on my blog, but mainly I just sit and look at slideshows over and over again!
what are your thoughts on expat life as compared with travel?
Being a "professional expat" can be challenging. I am well aware that no matter how much I assimilate, make friends, try to integrate, I will always, always be an outsider. But then, it is also a wonderful way to get beyond the obvious - getting to understand more about what motivates people, how society works, and why things are the way they are. What strikes me most though, is how similar we are; people tend to care about the same things the world over. These kinds of insights are harder to come by when you're just visiting. But more and more, I see that as a luxury - as an expat, you are forced to face some of the more complex and difficult sides of your host country - corruption, say, or chronic poverty, or discrimination against indigenous people.
As a tourist, you you are further removed from that, and can just enjoy a beautiful place and allow yourself to be enchanted by exotic differences. I appreciate that sometimes.
Blog: Where Is Kristine Now?
Kristine on Flickr
Click HERE for all the past Boarding Pass features.
And the winner of The Doorbells of Florence giveaway is . . . Kelly Anne of the blog Have Degree, Will Travel. Congratulations and thank you all for playing (and special thanks to Chronicle Books)! I loved all the wonderful responses from everyone. . . Click here to pick up your very own copy.
{Just for fun - World in A Bag posted above by MUJI; via Black Eiffel}
As I attempt to write this post, I find myself a bit speechless as I think I have made the discovery of pretty much the coolest thing EVER. It's called dîner en blanc, and it's another amazing event the French have cooked up. It's been happening every June for the past 20 some odd years and the location remains a secret until the very last minute when everyone shows up (this year it was at Place de la Concorde) wearing their best whites with a picnic dinner. Check out the two videos below, and pictures on flickr and it's practically like you're there. . . By the way, if anyone knows how I can get on this invitation list please do let me know!
{top photo by parisdailyphoto & don't miss his photo slideshow here}
Thanks to Polly of Polly-Vous Francais (who I was lucky enough to meet in Baltimore yesterday) for posting about the event!
When it comes to things that make me happy there's travel, design, and snail mail also comes at the top of the list. I've loved reading all the fun responses to the Doorbells of Florence giveaway (you still have 2 days to respond if you haven't already!). One of the responses was from Gord, who says he likes to photograph mailboxes, so today I thought it would be fun to post some of his shots (you can check out the complete set on flickr here). It definitely makes me realize that I've seen a lot of boring mailboxes in my life. {Thanks for the comment, Gord!}
P.S. The winner of the contest will be announced Friday afternoon.
The more time I spend on my BOARDING PASS column, the more I love locating styles and themes that are so specific to the featured person. Today I'm thrilled to have Victoria of sfgirlbybay, fresh off her blog re-design. My two favorite things about Victoria are: first, that she takes advantage of everything her own city - San Francisco - has to offer (in a beauty in simplicity over toursity kind of way), and, second, she does it through beautiful photographs which she often groups together in diptychs - her signature style - which she posts in her Sunday in the City series, and now in her etsy shop. Both of these elements on a local scale benefit they way Victoria travels, sees the world, and shares it with us. Oh, and the other bonus with Victoria is that the two of us have been to a lot of the same places, so I spend way too long looking through all her pictures, but it was also fun comparing notes on Thailand when we finally got to meet in Savannah this past spring. {Thanks, Victoria!}
{why do i keep looking right?} 
{my kind of billboard : south bank, london}
{colors of london: row houses in notting hill, london}
{mint: notting hill, london}
{lucky birds @ amulet market...bangkok, thailand}
{we got to this tiny island [thailand] and they were filming this bollywood music video. i cannot express enough how hysterical it was}
{women in krabi, thailand}
{stiff upper lip : sunday in the city london diptych}
{broken : notting hill, london}
{london journal pages}
{souvenirs clockwise from left to right: ceramic chinese girl from venice; eiffel tower from paris; mini camper from caravan in london; buddha and prayer beads from bangkok amulet market; watercolor from venice; another buddha and trinket box from bangkok; mini deer from caravan in london; tin leaves from caravan in london; and center, oil painting from venice.}
{orange crush : from sunday in the city}
{click here for carousel soundscape}
{click here for park soundscape}
Lauren and Derek just posted a super cute tutorial on design*sponge on how to customize your camera strap to be something more exciting than a black and white advertisement. Too cute! Check out the full tutorial HERE!
In honor of Julie's BOARDING PASS yesterday, I thought it'd be fun to post two of her latest pieces - Paris and London paper cuts [prints] which are now available in the Famille Summerbelle shop. She's so talented!
When I was in Germany last month visiting my friend Amber i got a good sense of what living with an 18-month old is like (fun, but exhausting!). So when I found out that Julie of Famille Summerbelle (she's the one behind the awesome Paris paper cut) and her husband went on a "world tour" with their darling 2-year old daughter, Ophelia, I was especially impressed. While many people shy away from travel with kids, I found it really refreshing to see how they embraced this opportunity together. Read on for more about their adventures! {Thanks, Julie!}
{Ophelia and Julie on the Shinkansen 'Bullet train' from Tokyo to Kyoto.}
{Ophelia and Simon, early morning at Tokyo Tsukiji Fish Market.}
{Australia}
{Pebbles West coast New Zealand}
{Reefton town in New Zealand.}
{Near Blenheim New Zealand. [right:] Ophelia in Fiji.}
{New-Zealand} 
{New-Zealand} 
{San Francisco. [right:] Door in Malaysia.}
{Detail in Kiddy Land, Tokyo}
{Detail in a Japanese temple. [right] Malaysian boxes.}
{Japanese Milk and Apple Juice cartons. I love the designs!}
{New Zealand inspired paper cuts}
{Geishas greeting Ophelia. Detail of fish in Tsukiji Fish Market.} 
{Drawing with Ophelia in the Fiji Islands.} 
After I came across this great interactive map of epic journeys around the world, I was quickly whisked back to memories of my family and the dog packed in our minivan and moving across country, twice. Needless to say those trips were intense at times - namely when the car lost power on the mountains of Colorado. Right now my friend Landon is on a cross-country roadtrip - via motorcycle - of his own. He's currently on the first leg of his 3 week journey as he finds his way (permanently) to San Francisco. As a computer programmer he's very tech savvy, so the entire voyage is documented with help of his iphone (GPS!), google maps, twitter, brightkite (like twitter with map locator), flickr (for photos) and blog posts (not to mention a solar powered battery charger to help everything run smoothly). He has some great posts about preparing for the trip from shipping goods across country (who knew Amtrak was the cheapest option) to the best ways to stay connected, not to mention adventures and encounters along the way. Click here to follow along on Landon's adventures.
* Grandpa's roadtrip in 1928
When I first moved to Baltimore 5 years ago, I was very disappointed in the lack of guide books about my new city. In fact there was only one I could find featuring the city, and it was definitely mediocre at best. For a major city I found it sad that the only attention Baltimore got from the mainstream guidebook companies were a few pages lumped in the back of DC guides. Well, it took long enough, but the tides have changed. Geoff Brown, former managing editor of Baltimore Magazine has just authored Baltimore's first true travel guide for Moon Publishing. The book was released June 1st, but tomorrow night (June 12) at 7pm at Atomic Books in Hampden is the debut event party. Guests can chime in about their favorites around Charm City, and don't miss an amusing powerpoint presentation (now, that I can't wait for).
While Hampden is on your mind, don't miss HonFest this weekend. Nothing beats the Baltimore's Best Hon and Little Miss Hon contests! It's Baltimore at it's best, hon.
And, speaking of Baltimore one more last minute event for the radar (TODAY!) as time runs away without me: Maryland Traditions Showcase - a showcase of traditional and folk art along with musicians, esteemed local cooks and more - at the Creative Alliance.
* Design*Sponge Baltimore Design Guide
* I Heart My City: Baltimore
Over the weekend I managed to fit in the last 7 episodes of season 2 of Mad Men. I'm so obsessed with this show, the style, the storylines, but it's killing me because I have no one to talk about it with (I cheated and downloaded it from iTunes...DVD doesn't come out until July 1). So until people catch up and realize what they've been missing (season 2 is sooooo good, and really focuses on the women), I'll just have to entertain myself staring at these beautiful illustrations by freelance illustrator Dyna Moe. You can find the entire series of illustrations on flickr (where you can download full-sized desktop wallpapers) and an interview with Dyna on the Mad Men blog. {via rifle designs}
I was up late watching Man On Wire last night (oh so good, and really surprised me). So in honor of that, I thought I'd post some of my favorite Paris rooftops from my trip. (The top one is a view from Montmarte as the sun was setting).
View from Musee Rodin (probably my favorite museum in Paris with its sculpture gardens).
This was the street I lived on 5 years ago.
Today is a Boarding Pass first. A couple months ago my good friend Margaret Vest was featured, and today will help explain where she got her eye as we look at her father, Louis Vest. For awhile now I've been oogling his photos on flickr, and although I've never met him, I feel like I know him so much better after this post. If it weren't for Margaret, I'd never know that her dad is incredibly shy. Until he went to India, he'd typically shy away from people pictures, but found the people there incredibly warm and inviting and easy to photograph. It's something that I definitely can relate to. For me, I was always incredibly shy growing up, but it was through photography that I learned to use my camera to help me communicate and help me break out of my shell. But as you will see below, it was his India photos that really struck me, but it is so easy to get lost in all his incredible shots. {Thanks, Lou!}
{Moai found inside the extinct volcano at the quarry Rano Raraku. The moai like this one were cut from the side of the volcano and stood up, but never were moved out of the quarry. They are slowly sinking into the ground. }
{"The hot pink and electric blue just aren't working for me. You got anything with some serious color? [India]}
{Twelve day trek on the Alta Via 1 in Italy: looking across the lake toward the Rifugio Croda de Lago and the Beco de Mezodi in the background. }
{India: Girl in the cab next door}
{Deep fried goodness: India}
{The Chai Man- He knew all the street kids on the beach and their families and their stories. It takes a lot of villages to make a city. He struck me as a very wise and gentle person. I like this one because I think it shows that about him.}
{Nina. Taken on the beach in Mumbai, India. She was down on the beach with a baby brother. The chai man said she was one of 13 kids and the parents used the kids to scrounge for money from people on the beach. He recommended we buy them some food instead of giving them money because the parents would take the money. There wasn't much for sale on the beach at that time of night except tea and ice cream. She sat and talked to us while she poured tea from cup to cup to cool it for the baby. The chai man said that he and the other people who worked on the beach looked out for them and the other kids as much as they could. They all seemed like a little community within the larger city around them. Not entirely bleak, but heartbreaking all the same. . . It's a fact of life all over the world that the poor give much more to others as a percentage of what they have than those who are more fortunate.} 
{Moonset on the Petrochemical Industry. Unfortunately this is a small crop from a bigger image. The original was handheld from a moving ship so the results are sketchy, but someday I plan to go back to a place nearby with a really big lens and a tripod so I can do it right. }
{Fall in the Zion Narrows. Taken in Zion Park, Utah. }
{The wedding horse : India}
{Pinwheels for sale just after sunset at the beach in Mumbai, India.}
{Lodi Gardens: This was the place I liked best on my (very) short visit. . . For me, photography is a lot like fishing. While some people get up early and grab their rod and reel I get up with my camera. We go out to see what we can catch. Lodi Gardens was like the world's best fishing hole. I hope you enjoy the photos I took there as much as I enjoyed taking them. }
My designer travel kit: 
{Taken in Houston's Barbour's Cut Terminal from another ship. Thanks to Sam Abell who told me one time that people who take pictures of the sunset itself usually miss the best shots. Look at what is being lit by the sunset. [view here for original image and better color] }
{Ganesh on a dashboard. The background lights are out of focus because I used a really wide opening on the lens (f/1.8) which gives a very shallow focal plane. The out of focus effect in the background is called by a Japanese word, bokeh. Some lenses are famous for great bokeh. I suspect there are several Flickr groups dedicated solely to photos that express good bokeh. Once you are aware of it you see it all the time. Movie film lenses do it too. }
As the rain continues to pour here in Baltimore I can only dream of last Friday when we were picnic-ing with Marieke (see her boarding pass here) in the Place des Voges. It was a glorious day and it's amazing how you can have a 2 hour picnic in Europe and not even notice the time go by.
And the next day Marieke (that's her journal page above) joined us to visit the studio of French artist Nathalie Lete, who was so nice to welcome us into her space. All I have to say is that was SO inspiring! Seriously, I don't know what Nathalie doesn't do - she does ceramics, paints, creates magical cardboard creations, designs carpets, creates cool designs for japanese teas and so much more. So talented!
Nathalie surrounded by her work colorful work. (You can see the feature I did with her here).
And I can't talk about my "designer" trip to Paris without our fabulous afternoon with Lily of Les Carnets du Design, who is just lovely! I was foolish to not snap any pictures, but we started out by having lunch at her boyfriend's adorable (and delicious) restaurant [above, on a grey day] which is just a few steps from the Louvre [Le Louvre Ripaille: 1, rue Perrault, 1eme]. We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering in and out of the wonderful shops in the area (which by the way, Le Petit Atelier de Paris is now officially my favorite shop in all of Paris - just be sure to check the hours first). Oh, the life...
It's a short week for me at work, but it's still creeping by very sllloooowwwwwwlllyyyyy, and the cool, gray weather outside isn't helping anything. I really could use a chocolat chaud from Angelina's [226 rue de Rivoli, 1ere] right now, or any of the various treats from any French patisserie as a pick me up...mmmm....
The French do a lot of things right, but the thing I appreciate most is their love of holidays. But when you're traveling and already on vacation I quickly learned that the French love of holidays can be over-rated when you're on the flip side. Apparently Monday was Pentecoste. Major holiday? Not exactly. Did they have a holiday less than two weeks ago? Yes. But that didn't stop the majority of shops, boulangeries and even newsstands from taking the day off. Part of me even wonders how the French keep all the days off straight (after the fact I did find this calendar online if you want to double check before heading off for your next trip). There were never signs on shop doors saying "closed Monday" or anything of the like. Why? Because it's a holiday of course! There's some secret language that clearly I, as the étrangère, did not speak, because even half of the escalators around the city seemed to take the day off as well (extra fun when you have baggage on the way to the airport!).
My final mission of the trip was to pick up a rainbow of macarons worthy of Marie Antoinette at La Dureé (happy birthday, Felice!). Typically the popular patisserie/cafe opens at 8:30am, but Monday - a jour férié - try 10am. All the boulangeries I passed en route were closed, so my innards were practically eating themselves as I drooled over the display windows [above]. So after over 30 minutes of waiting and thanking myself for not attempting to show up at the actual opening time, the crowds grew outside. We were practically clawing at each other to be the first in line. But alas, even on a holiday I was able to get my special treats, and the perfect souvenir from Paris.
Lesson learned: don't leave anything until the last day, and note that just about everything is closed on Sundays and holidays in France.
Just two days ago I found myself soaking in the sun and enjoying the views of La Tour Eiffel from the Champ de Mars (clearly we weren't the only ones with that idea). So it was wild to arrive home to Baltimore last night and get an email from a former classmate passing along the link to this article from the Baltimore Sun with claims that Baltimore had plans to purchase the large metal structure from France (for a "mere" $550,000) to re-erect in Clifton Park for Baltimore's centennial in 1897. There is still some question of the validity of the purchase (that clearly never happened... and also was never reported in any Baltimore papers), but fascinating nonetheless to see how these two unlikely cities were almost tied. Get the whole scoop right here. {Thanks, Jon!}
P.S. By some small miracle I already got my trip pictures posted. You can check out the edited bunch here, but I'll be posting many of them along with tales in the coming days.
This time last year I was making my way back from a wonderful trip to Cambodia and Thailand that was in part inspired (and aided) by the beautiful blog posts of Xander Santillanes of Primitive Culture (and we were even lucky enough to meet him and his boyfriend for a great dinner while over there). I'm constantly inspired by how he - as a self-described amateur ethnographer - manages to capture scenes from everyday life. Then he takes them a step further as he develops them into a post that gives you an amazing sense of life wherever he is at the time (he has since made his way from Bangkok to Cape Town). . . So while I'm busy navigating my way home today, I hope you enjoy the benefits of vicarious travel! {Thanks, Xander!}
last trip taken:
A weekend trip to Waenhuiskrans, a quiet fishing town near the Southern-most tip of Africa.
next trip on deck:
I don't have any definite plans to leave Cape Town anytime soon, but I'd love to get over to Durban on the East Coast.
one place you would go back to again and again:
Southeast Asia, though that's maybe too general. I hope to revisit the countries along the Mekong regularly throughout my life.
place you'd most likely recommend a friend go visit:
Taiwan. There's fantastic food, beautiful bamboo cloaked mountains, and cities teeming with hip young design culture. Plus, I think it's such an underrated destination, that it's like sharing a well kept secret.
preferred method of transportation:
Am I in the minority by saying that I like traveling by airplane? After traveling overland in Asia for two years, and suffering through two-day slowboat trips, endless bus trips on potholed roads, and overnight train rides sitting in hard seats, I've quite warmed to the speed and comfort of the friendly skies.
place you've never been but dying to go:
I've been dreaming of getting up to Ethiopia and Eritrea for years; I'd love to see the hyenas, sip a latte in Asmara, and enjoy some doro wat in Addis Ababa.
place you'd never go back:
The Frankfurt airport, if I can help it. I had an eight hour layover there recently, and the best option for passing the time was sitting at a McCafe.
most memorable trip:
When I was 22, I took a coming of age trip traveling through the Middle East. I had no skills in speaking Arabic, and no real clue what I was doing, but with the help of total strangers I managed to stumble from one unbelievable setting to the next, taking in Crusader castles, dazzling mosques, and glamorous cities along the way.
how do you prepare for a trip?
I pack the night before I leave, and usually try to skim through a guidebook for some tips, but I often find that I'm completely unable to anticipate or plan for a place until I'm on the ground there.
how do you record your travels when you're traveling?
I have a trusty and much beaten-up camera that I take everywhere, and a blog where I describe everything that I see (and taste).
what is your favorite thing to photograph in a new place?
I photograph a lot of food, but I think my favorite thing to photograph is the small details that will help me gain a sense of a place's sense of style and design: signs, billboards, posters, architecture, etc.
on an average, how many pictures to you take on a trip?
Hundreds a day. When living in Asia, I was more often seeing through my viewfinder than not.
what's in your "designer travel kit" ?
I carry a sketchbook at all times, but rarely use it to document the world around me. Most often I record things with my camera, a digital Canon Rebel XT, then only develop them into design ideas months later.
what do you do after a trip? how long after a trip does this happen?
I try to blog while I'm traveling, so that I can sometimes write about the world as I'm experiencing it. But often some of the most incredible places are the most difficult to describe, and I end up never writing about some of the places I love the most.
best meal you've eaten while traveling?
A plate of curry crab with fresh peppercorns in Kep, on the coast of Cambodia. The crab was so fresh that it was only plucked from the water after we ordered it, and was served with the famous local green peppercorns that burst with spice when you bit into them.
Blog: Primitive Culture
Click HERE for ALL the past Boarding Pass features.
In honor of Baltimore being named one of America's top 10 most under-rated cities, here are 3 more great designers out of Baltimore, courtesy of Felice's d*s guest blog posts.
By the time this post goes live - fingers crossed all goes well - my plane will have landed in Paris and I will have made my way to Gard du Nord to catch a train to Aachen, Germany to visit my good friend Amber. So for today's edition of Boarding Pass it only seemed fitting to post Janet Blyberg. I first met Janet at a Baltimore bloggers brunch, but we've since kept in touch through our blogs. By day Janet is a curator for a museum in DC, meaning she has a wonderful eye for all things beautiful. I absolutely love her photographs as there is a softness and elegance that feels like she's curating behind the camera. Many of her travels have taken her through Europe, so I thought she'd be a perfect fit to start of the week. {Thanks, Janet!}
{Scotland}
{Hampton Court: London}
{Venice}
{Venice}
{Denmark}
place you'd never go back:
{Swangrove: Attingham}
{Ham House: England}
{Scotland}
{Musee Carnavalet: Paris}
{Paris}
{Israel}
{Japan}
{Scotland}
{Paris}
And I'm off. . .well almost. . . to Germany and my beloved Paris for the week. Monday there will be a great new BOARDING PASS up that is Europe-inspired. And throughout the week I'll be directing you to some great posts on some of my favorite Baltimore designers (and mabye a view or two of my travels). In the meantime, have a wonderful holiday weekend!
P.S. Don't miss irenesuchocki's shop on Etsy. She's behind this beautiful "paris is for lovers" photo and is having a buy one, get one free sale this weekend! Lots more beautiful stuff in her shop.
I've always been particularly drawn to grocery stores as a subject for photography on my travels. There's just something about the perfectly aligned goods and repeated patterns and colors that makes the mundane come alive. So it was interesting to see photographer Mark Menjivar’s documentation of people's refrigerators. You never see the people in his photographs, but you can't help but wonder what your fridge says about you. Check the full set with one-liner descriptions of the owners HERE (don't miss the rattlesnake in the freezer!). {via GOOD}
This project also reminds me of Peter Menzel's photo project: what the world eats.
I'm still holding on to my dream to be on The Amazing Race (ideally with my dad - a father/daughter team has never won), but perhaps I should take a lead from my friends Jeff and Beth who participated in (and loved) DC's edition of The Great Urban Race. It happens all over the country and is open to anyone (note: you don't have to full of drama to make good tv in this race). Whether your from the city or just visiting, be one of the top teams to finish and you may even make it to the national championships, or just have a very fun day!
Check out more sample clues here.
Two years ago I visited the Berlin Wall. Covered in graffiti and art, it's hard to believe there ever was a wall that divided a single city. Christoph Niemann's latest woven paper illustrations for the NYT are a beautiful tale of history and reflection on the past. The visuals, per usual, are gorgeous, but don't miss the complete piece with corresponding text right here. {thanks, Sarah!}
I'm so excited to introduce you to Elisa Parhad in today's edition of Boarding Pass. Like myself, Elisa approaches travel as a designer, anthropologist and photographer. Elisa has been hard at work at a new series of books that really wonderfully incorporates these ways of seeing and showcases the mundane details of a place that most travel guides skip over. I'll be sharing more from her first book, New Mexico: A Guide for the Eyes, later this summer for it's official release. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy getting a little insight into how Elisa travels. {Thanks, Elisa!}
last trip taken:
I just returned from Japan.
{Japan}
{New Mexico}
{New Mexico}
{New Mexico}
{Argentina}
{Japan}
{Japan}
{Argentina}
{Argentina}
{Argentina}
{Japan}
{Japan}
how long after a trip does this happen? 
{Japan}
{Japan}
Every day Kate Bingaman-Burt draws something she purchased as part of her ongoing project Obsessive Consumption about her love-hate relationship with consumerism. I think this may be the perfect distraction for me on my next trip - it will keep me busy and, therefore, from spending too much money. Check out her blog here, and don't miss her zines for sale in her etsy shop.
p.s. Kate also drew the logo for Handmade Nation :)
I've always been fascinated by the visual languages of different cultures. One of the most distinct examples I can remember from my travels were the barber shop signs in Cameroon, where the depictions were similar to the ones pictured above. So I'm especially fascinated, and drawn to, the advertisements below for Adidas.
According to this blog, the series was commissioned in the style of African barbershop signage to celebrate the first time the Confederation's Cup game being played on African soil [South Africa]. Kopanya translates to "together," both fitting into Adidas's overall branding campaign, and also happens to be the name of the Adidas's soccer ball being used in the match. I definitely love how they stand out from the typical advertising we see. There is a certain cultural and visual understanding in the "Africanizing" of these international players that is definitely missing in much of the world around us. {via notcot}
P.S. Check out the AIGA Center for Cross-Cultural Design's latest competition asking for submissions showcasing the role culture plays in design. Very cool.
{images via acriacao}
This weekend I finally had a chance to experience the Maryland Film Festival for the first time. I didn't know what I was getting into, but I truly loved what I saw: Youssou Ndour: I Bring What I Love. It's the beautiful story of Senagalese and Sufi Muslim born singer, Youssou Ndour and how he uses his music to help educate and ease the tensions of religion. Definitely check it out if you have a chance. The music and imagery alone are enough to draw you in.
P.S. Even if you don't know his name, you may recognize Youssou voice from the background of Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes"!
"Knit at least 5 pieces" is not your typical response to the question of how one prepares for a trip. But that's how Magda Sayeg of Knitta Please rolls. Her "crew" was formed in 2005 out of friends frustrated by all their half-finished projects, and ultimately resulted in clandestine "tagging" as the perfect activity to keep them occupied and spread a little joy. Since its founding, the project has literally taken Magda and the crew around the world. Thanks, Magda for putting such a fun and creative spin on BOARDING PASS today!! I guess this is the perfect excuse for me to get back to my knitting project...
last trip taken:
In February, I was in Milan wrapping the city with yarn in conjunction with the Triennale Design Museum's Dritto Rovescio exhibit.
{Montreal}
{Magda in Mexico City mercado}
{Houston, TX}
{Mexico City}
{Paris, France}
{Presidents Park in Lead, SD and Mexico City}
{Paris, France}
{Houston, TX}
{Great Wall of China - photo: Ben Sayeg}
{Hollywood, CA + San Antonio}
{fun with kids}
As the number of people I know going to Paris these days continues to rise - meaning people keep making me insanely jealous when they ask me for recommendations and I'm not there (yet) - I thought to ease my pain, I'd create another post of my top 3 resources for planning your trip to Paris. As always, I'm happy to answer any questions about your visit to Paris, but here are some great places to consult as you plan a trip to the city of light.
This week I've had a phenomenon that I've never experienced before - turning on the TV and seeing friends of mine three nights in a row. On Monday night my fabulously funny friend Bridget was cooking with Emeril on the Planet Green network. Then Tuesday, Willie of Mountain State Brewing Co. (you may recognize him from the braids in this post) was on Bizarre Foods- Appalachia [above] on the Travel Channel. This was particularly fun to watch because I've visited his home town of Helvetia, West Virginia and even met his grandmother whose restaurant, the Hutte, was featured on the show (in addition to Willie's demo of how to cook deer). And then funny to turn on the Food Network last night and see Baltimore locals I've met and seen around town on Ace of Cakes.
Sorry for the delay in notice, but keep an eye out for them in reruns!! On Wednesday Willie went out for a burger in DC and the restaurant owner recognized him from the show and he got a free meal out of it! It's a small world!
Normally I'm not a perfume person, but after watching the debut "ad" - which is more like a mini movie - starring Audrey Tautou (Amelie!) as the new face of Chanel No.5, I have a hankering to go out and buy a bottle. Train de Nuit is a creation of Jean-Pierre Jeunet, one of my favorite directors. This is now his third collaboration with Tautou, after Amelie and A Very Long Engagement (I highly recommend the "behind the scenes" footage and interviews on the site as well). The result is simply stunning, telling a beautiful story of love and missed connections on an overnight Orient Express train trip between Paris and Istanbul. Click here to watch. You won't be disappointed. {Thanks, Margaret!}
This is how I spent my day on Saturday. As a hot kinetic kop in the Kinetic Sculpture Race. Along side good friends, my job was to pedal around in a surrey, accept bribes, keep the peace, and help make sure no one got hurt.
Early on the scene was something like this - unlikely vehicles making their way through the streets of Baltimore. Oregon Trail was one of my favorites.
"Going Grizwold" passing the Ritz Carleton condos on Key Highway. This family was great, and the father even looked exactly like Chevy Chase. It was only appropriate that this vehicle won the East Coast Grand Mediocre Championship, because winners of this race finish dead in the middle. They also are required to have a sock creature on board at all times.
This year Bumpo, one of AVAM's vehicles, was decked out to celebrate his Oscar win for Slumdog Millionaire. Right before this photo was taken there was a red carpet ceremony (see girl holding red bathmat) complete with mango spritzers and mini oscar statues for the judges. Moments after this shot Pete (in the tux) nearly takes off a head of a photographer as Bumpo enters the water.
Fifi's french maid pilots Sarah and Theresa prepare for the water entry. Fifi had delightful bribes this year that included bottles of "douche" and hot pink feather dusters. She also stayed amazingly clean this year thanks to the maids. Once again, both pilots survived the day -15 miles + obstacles - in 4 inch heals.
Happily Never After, one of the most beautiful sculptures ever, as it glides through the harbor and rounds the dock.
"Hot Beef Injection" was another favorite team. Despite weighing 1,500 pounds their vehicle was non-descript but it was the crew that really made it (besides mustard and ketchup - pictured above - imagine people with shrimp, chicken bones, sausage and beef on their heads). This team sought me out to hand deliver the bribe of a delicious smart dog fresh off the grill attached to their vehicle. They then applied condiments for me. Now that's service, and with a smile!
NCC-1701 definitely does not fly light speed ahead through the sand pit (but Platypus does).
Challenge 3 - the mud pit. With a little help from his pit crew and the mud doctors, the Rat Prince makes it through.
Just another typical view of the ridculousness of the day.
Click here for my complete photo album of the day here (what you see above is only a small snippet of the day), and find out more about the race at KineticBaltimore.com.
Nearly two years ago now I first met the talented Marieke Berghuis Leewens for a coffee at a cute cafe in an Amsterdam park. My blog did not exist yet (but was very much inspired by that trip), but I had been a long time follower of hers, full of her beautiful journal pages and ideas. Before my departure, she provided great advice for my first visit to the Netherlands, while in return I sent her my favorite places in California as she was in the process of planning her honeymoon. At the time of the visit I was most inspired by the fact that she had just quit her job as a lawyer in order to pursue design (noting all the valuable experience she gained in terms of working with clients). Now I love that she and her father regularly team up for a project they call Traces where they travel the streets of Paris and create work together (click here to see the online exhibition). {thanks, Marieke!}
place you've never been but dying to go: 
how do you prepare for a trip? 
website/blog: Traces
My 12.5 hour overnight train to Savannah last weekend was my second train trip I've taken in the past 2 months (check out my guide to taking the train here). I know it's really not the standard way to travel in the US, but seriously, why all the weird looks and reactions? Why is it that train travel is perceived negatively in the US when in Europe everyone sees it as the norm? What was your initial reaction when you heard I took the train? Would you ever consider taking the train for an upcoming trip? I'm working on a piece for a class I'm taking and I'd love to hear your thoughts/perceptions.
P.S. Don't miss Amtrak's National Train Day on May 9th. Get the full scoop here.
Summit of Awesome is a three day event happening in DC this weekend dedicated to business seminars for artists and crafters, hands-on workshops, and the DC premier of the indie craft documentary, Handmade Nation. After interviewing Faythe and Courtney (the women behind the film) a few months ago, and having "met" (albeit virtually) several of the featured artists, I can't wait to finally see the film (click here to find out more about local screenings in your area). If you're not in the DC area this weekend, but are interested in developing your own creative business, don't miss the biz ladies series over on design*sponge for tons of great advice.
East Coasters, mark your calendars now for these great upcoming events to support your local crafters:
We couldn't have asked for a better weekend to be in Savannah, GA. Beyond all the wonderful wedding festivities, there was plenty going on in town to keep up busy. One of the highlight's was definitely SCAD's [Savannah College of Art and Design] Sidewalk Arts Festival. Such a simple (and cheap!) concept, but a really great way to get people together. Both students and alumni were given small concrete squares in Forsyth Park to completely transform any way they pleased, with thousands looking over their shoulders as they worked. It was fun to see that a couple of the ones I photographed below were big winners!
Only 4 more days until the best day in Baltimore: the Kinetic Sculpture Race. 15 miles around the city, across land, in the water, through sand and mud, it's human power at it's finest, all for the glory of the "most mediocre" finish. Start planning your costume now and see you on Saturday!
UPDATE: Official 2009 spectator guide is ready. Get it HERE, hot off the presses!
Today's edition of BOARDING PASS comes to us from Christopher Bettig, the talented illustrator behind The Mountain Label. Christopher and I bonded over France and Baltimore (he is a MICA graduate) when working on his sneak peek for design*sponge. In the process I came across his flickr albums and knew he'd be perfect for this column. His response was one of the most enthusiastic ever, so without future ado, a look into the way the travel side of The Mountain Label. {Thanks, CB!}
{me in Melbourne}
{Jodhpur, India}
{Udaipur, India}
{Yudanaka, Japan}
place you'd most likely recommend a friend go visit:
{India}
{Salt Lake City, Utah}
{Jodhpur, India}
{Yudanaka, Japan forests [above] and forest inspired Converse design [below]}
most memorable trip: 
{Udaipur, India}
how do you record your travels when you're traveling?
{Brussels}
{Wyoming}
what's in your "designer travel kit" ? 
{Sydney Opera house}
{Paris inspired print}
A little Friday fun from Color Me Katie - a talented photographer and member of Improv Everywhere (remember the Welcome Back video?). Every post will seriously make you smile and remind you that it's the little things in life that are the best things in life :)
Eye-balling the city in unexpected places...
and shadow puppet wars....
and leaving paper butterflies for someone you don't know...
...and ladybugs [pins] to make someone smile...
or thought bubbles that make someone laugh....
and accessorizing the house with mini photo cut-outs. I LOVE IT!
More great ideas on her blog.
P.S. Check out Prêt à Voyager's feature over on how I blog over on Somewhere in Middle America.
Felice and I are hopping on a midnight train to Georgia after work tonight for a much anticipated wedding and visit to Lins, the third from our "triumvirate" of our study abroad Paris days. In honor of our adventures on the rails (about 12.5 hours), I thought it'd be fun to post this adorable Amtrak commercial. Savannah, here I come!
If one thing can be said about Baltimore, it's that it gets a bad wrap. People tend to think Inner Harbor (tourist trap) and The Wire (crime and violence), but in between the obvious there are the Baltimore charms. In the rougher side of East Baltimore, not far from the Johns Hopkins medical campus there's one building that towers over the rest: the American Brewery. Built in 1887, it's definitely not how they make breweries these days (see below: it looks more like something out of a Ghostbusters movie). Despite being boarded up and looking in rough shape for over three decades, it was hard to miss on a drive down North Avenue, where you can only imagine what that part of the city was like in its prime. Now the brewery is about to take on its second life as home to the social services agency, Humanim. The non-profit based out of Columbia, Maryland is making a bold move, moving many of their offices from the suburbs into this newly renovated urban project in hopes of helping to revitalize the area and continue their mission (of which they plan on hiring directly from the surrounding community to work events). Last week I was lucky enough to tour the building and enjoy the views of Baltimore on a beautiful day of new beginnings. While the brewery is no longer, there are still reminders of what it once was, but also what it will be.
Rowhomes and cemetery in East Baltimore, one of the rougher areas in the city. Many homes are abandoned and boarded up.
View of downtown from brewery window.
Top tower of American Brewery (the highest point I shot from).
American Brewery today breathes new life and new beginnings.
The state of the brewery before revitalization project - it stood empty for over 30 years, holes in roof and floors, and bird crap everywhere (I was also lucky enough to tour the building at that stage)! It's amazing what you can do with a great shell (note: the building looked even crappier in person than it does in this photo). Click here to see the brewery in it's heyday.
You can view my entire photo set (I recommend viewing "all sizes" for greater detail - hint: look for people sitting on stoops, a very Baltimore thing to do) right HERE, and click here for more interior shots of the (almost finished) building by my friend Allison who actually worked on the project, designed by Cho Benn Holback + Associates [architects]. If you want to learn more about the project and the history of the building, many articles are linked through here.
I'm convinced that there's something in my DNA where I can't be truly happy unless I make my way back to Paris every few years. My trip is still a month away, but this incredible paper cut map of Paris (still a work in progress) by Julie at Famille Summerbelle makes me wish I was jumping on a plane today! {Thanks, Jamie!}
p.s. on a completely unrelated note, today is Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's!
Today's edition of BOARDING PASS is an extra special one for me, because besides being an incredibly talented artist / printmaker / bookmaker / journal keeper / art educator (at my favorite place on earth), Felice Q. Cleveland also happens to be my best friend in the world and a constant inspiration. I still remember our first conversation as we sat on a stone wall in front of a beautiful French chateau during a visit of our study abroad program. For years we kept in touch through snail mail around the world to wherever the other was at (and we still do even though we live 10 blocks away). Several years ago, I was lucky enough to visit her for 10 days in Cameroon where she was a Peace Corps volunteer. Two years ago we traveled to Berlin together, this past fall to Austin, Texas, and on Thursday I've convinced her to take an overnight train down to Georgia with me. We often joke about making our own comic book, The Misadventures of Felice and Anne, but for now you'll just have to enjoy a look into how Felice travels. {Thanks, Felice!!}
last trip taken:
{This banglewalla was so sweet, kept calling me "sister" and reminded me that you put bangles on "two by two" and you must keep your hand loose! . . . Man making a brass pot [which I bought].}
one place you would go back to again and again: 
{montreal} 
{india}
{austin, texas}
{day of the dead: austin, texas} 
how do you record your travels when you're traveling? 
{LEFT: Yogi, short for Yogesh. We met while I was waiting for his friends shop to open. He was sitting outside. I waited with him and tried out some of my Hindi. He invited me to tea. The next day we had dinner at his restaurant (it is called "Cool Restaurant") while serving us whiskey not on the menu--it is illegal to serve alcohol in Udaipur. The last day we played poker, shared kulfi (like a milk and cardommom popsicle) and he bought me a shirt as a final souvenir. RIGHT: Oh, dear Gopal. We met when I used his one-computer internet cafe. He offered me chai and after my computer time we sat and talked about AVAM and our different work as artists. He showed me his paintings and I showed him my journal. Here he is contributing a small painting of Ganesh to my journal. [top left of journal below] } 
{Ranji's cooking class in Udiapur...Samosas for breakfast} 
what do you do after a trip? how long after a trip does this happen? 
{woodblock calendar inspired by Cameroon}
When catching up with Lara Dunston's adventures as a travel guide writer on Cool Travel Guide yesterday, I came across a great travel site that's new to me: Matador. There are all sorts of great features throughout the site (I especially like the "Change" articles), but the one that immediately caught my eye (especially given Wednesday's post) was the article entitled, 10 Volunteer Opportunities for Free Travel. It was a good reminder that I still am dying to try WWOOFing (work on an organic farm in exchange for lodging and meals), and I learnd about so many wonderful opportunities I had no idea were out there. Check it out for yourself - click HERE.
{image by aripeskoe via Matador}
If I had it my way I'd be on a Tom's Shoes "shoe drop"in a heartbeat. Every few months the company travels to communities around the world to give away free shoes (for each pair of shoes you buy they give a pair away, with the ultimate goal of helping to stop podoconiosis, a disease that is completely preventable by wearing shoes). The latest "drops" (where you actually go into the communities and help put a pair of shoes on each child's foot) are happening in Buenos Aires, which is already on top of my travel to do list. I absolutely love the idea of travel with a volunteer mission. Right now the cost of one of the shoe drops is still a bit out of my budget (which I'm happy to know goes to a good cause, but also does not include the price of airfare). So until I win the lottery, I'll just have to find other ways to give back. Tomorrow is One Day Without Shoes, where people are encouraged to go shoe-less for the day to help appreciate how much of the world lives. While I'm not sure I completely trust walking barefoot on the streets of downtown Baltimore, I plan on at least wearing my own pair of Tom's tomorrow to show my support.
To learn more about Tom's Shoes and their one for one matching program, click here. In addition, CNBC recently had was a really wonderful feature on the company on new show, The Entrepreneurs, which is worth checking out. And you can always follow along with founder, Blake Mycoskie (a former Amazing Race contestant) on his blog.
I'm a firm believer that good design = good business. Last spring I became completely obsessed with Korean Air with their stylish flight attendants (who also provided great service) and beautiful advertising campaigns. And now, after reading a post Grace did on Porter Airlines, I totally want to take a trip to Canada as an excuse to fly this awesomely cute and design forward (well, backwards with it's slightly retro feel reminiscent of the golden age of flying) boutique airline. Click here for the full interview with Neal Whittington of Present & Correct on the inside scoop behind Porter, the adorable raccoon, and the branding of the airline itself.
{images via d*s}
Tara Hogan of Ink + Wit is one of the fantastic designers that I've had the pleasure of featuring [her home] in a design*sponge sneak peek, but today I'm so thrilled to feature the travel side of her life. I couldn't agree with her more as to how fantastic Iceland is, and I love the patterns (below) she created that were inspired by Paris! Thanks, Tara, for taking us on a journey today!
next trip on deck: Chicago, IL
one place you would go back to again and again: Iceland
place you'd most likely recommend a friend go visit: Iceland
preferred method of transportation: train and on foot when i can
place you've never been but dying to go: Kerala, India
place you'd never go back: Marseilles, France
most memorable trip:
how do you prepare for a trip? I start tying up loose ends little by little especially since I run a business. I always start with a list of all the to dos. I like to get all the boring stuff first that can often be forgotten like calling the bank and credit card companies to alert them of the trip. And, all the itinerary stiff. i get it all to family right away. Really, after that I just roll day by day. I have learned that less is more in terms of clothing and to bring more remedies with me like essential oils and eye pillows. They go a long way. What has really prepared me for a trip is to do longer cardio workouts and my yoga practice to eliminate any toxins in the body and mind. You feel empty and light when you board the plane. You do not carry anything from home with you (stress/work/deadlines). You can just be on your trip. Bikram Yoga, where the room id heated to 105 degrees is a great detox to do the day before or day of your flight. Beginners go slow. It takes at least 3-4 times to get used to the heat. But, you will feel amazing.
how do you record your travels when you're traveling?
what is your favorite thing to photograph in a new place?
on an average, how many pictures to you take on a trip?
what's in your "designer travel kit" ?
what do you do after a trip? how long after a trip does this happen?
In the past week at least 5 friends and family members have independently asked me the same question: Where should I stay in Paris? I don't know if they were just trying to make me jealous, or what. But suddenly I find myself asking the same question. I've lived in Paris twice now, and as an inhabitant never really needed to consider where to stay. Do I venture to try couch surfing for the first time (check this week's write up by the NYT's Frugal Traveler)? What about renting an apartment (there's craigslist, PAP, or Viva Street)? Do I splurge and stay at Mama Shelter? It's still a pretty amazing deal and Philippe Starck designed, and at the same time have a fun excuse to explore a new neighborhood. I have a few standby hotels I tell people (I'll add those later), but first I thought I'd open it up to you all. Do you have any favorite places to stay in Paris? Neighborhoods? Myself and everyone who has asked me in the past week thanks you!
UPDATE:
if you're on a budget, here's a list of a few places I've stayed at or heard about over the years
Curated by Baltimore's finest, PostTypography, Alphabet: An Exhibition of Hand-Drawn Lettering & Experimental Typography has been traveling around the US for the past 3 and half years. It's back in Baltimore through April 26th at the Current Gallery (reception Friday, April 10th).
Several years ago I was lucky enough to spend 10 days in Cameroon. I was visiting my best friend who at the time was a Peace Corps volunteer there. It was an amazing trip, not only giving me a rich look at another culture, but a peek into the life of a Peace Corps volunteer. These days two of my talented design friends, Thryn and Gabe, are also volunteers in Cameroon (check out their blog, Hinge of Africa, which beautifully documents their experiences). HIV is a huge issue in the country, and Thryn and Gabe (beyond teaching computers) are part of a larger project that will train and empower moto taxi drivers as peer educators to promote HIV prevention. Read more about this fantastic idea of a program here, and click here to donate directly to Beep Your Horn for HIV Prevention. (note: time is running out to donate - no amount is too small - so please consider giving sooner rather than later. Thank you!).
{Moto drivers in West Cameroon via Hinge of Africa}
When I first discovered the blog of designer Nidhi Malhotra, UNworn a few months ago she had just returned from a trip from Paris, so of course I was instantly smitten. I loved the way her photos captured the city. Her images aren't the typical tourist images, but rather all the simple charms around the city that make it Paris. I'm so pleased to feature her in today's BOARDING PASS, as India is another place that ranks very high on my favorite places list. Thanks, Nidhi!
last trip taken:
next trip on deck: 
one place you would go back to again and again: 
place you'd most likely recommend a friend go visit: 
preferred method of transportation: 
place you've never been but dying to go: 
most memorable trip: 
how do you prepare for a trip? 
how do you record your travels when you're traveling? 
what is your favorite thing to photograph in a new place? 
on an average, how many pictures to you take on a trip? 
what's in your "designer travel kit" ? 
