Travel Insights: Where To Go in 2015

If you're planning your 2015 sojourns, here are some inspiration and ideas to get you started.

The most important thing to remember when planning trips is that some destinations are seasonal, so pick your month with care.

I was set to do some work in Cambodia in May, enroute to London and Paris, but was advised to avoid the monsoon period, and travel in December instead. The rains can also wash out Paris at certain times of the year, usually late April and May, so take an umbrella and/or raincoat if you're heading there at that time. The best months to see Paris are April and September. 
New York is also beautiful in April, when the blossoms and bulbs all come out, while autumn/October in Manhattan is magical.
Charleston is also best in April (lots of private gardens open up to the public), while New Orleans is fab — both weather-wise and in terms of a festive spirit—at Halloween.
London is best in June when the roses come out, or Christmas, when the Chrissy decorations glow like a fairytale.
And Sydney is stunning in spring (Sept), but horribly muggy in summer (Jan).


All that said, it really doesn't matter when you travel, as long as you do travel.
Here are some places and ideas to get your 2015 itineraries started.

A BOOKSHOP THAT'S NOW A HOTEL

With the quirky name of Only You, this new, navy-trimmed beauty opened earlier this year. It was created from a former bookshop (now the bar) and a former 19th-century palace once owned by an aristocratic Spanish family. 

The interior design retains the charm of the original buildings while adding some surprising touches. The elevators in the foyer, for example, have been hidden behind a beautiful blue-and-white Chinoiserie facade. 

Its designer Lázaro Rosa Violán is fast becoming the new Michele Bonan (the talent behind JK Capri), blending classic lines with contemporary art and eclectic pieces. The hotel is right in central Madrid and has rooms from €160. Leaving you lots of money to splurge on Spanish tapas and wine. 

www.onlyyouhotels.com

A BALCONY THAT'S NOW A BAR

If you haven't yet been to this London cutie, put it on The List. Inspired by grand Parisian brasseries, The Balcon Bar is one of the city's prettiest and most delightful spots for a pick-me-up G&T or a chat with friends over a dirty great magnum of French Champagne. 

The design and colour palette – periwinkle blue paired with rich mahogany timbers and high ceilings—is so alluring, people have been known to steal the design ideas for their own home. 

www.thebalconlondon.com

Other lovely places to check out in London include the just-opened Mondrian Hotel, the ever-improving Fashion and Textile Museum (just near the Design Museum), the pretty new Cabbages and Roses store off King's Road, and the new designer boutiques and buzzing scene set around elegant Mount Street in Mayfair.

PUTTING BANGKOK BACK ON THE (DESIGN) MAP

Ever since it opened in 2012, The Siam Hotel in Bangkok has become one of the most talked-about hotels in travel circles. It's owned by a Thai rock start but there's definitely no sign of ripped jeans and Jaggereque swagger here: just coolly glamorous suites and Instagram-worthy antique collections. The aesthetic is classic colonial, so vintage suitcases and old hunting hats dot the sideboards, but the colour palette of cool blue, Dior grey and ebony black modernises the design.

The best part? The enormous spa-style bathrooms and private pools (above). The hotel also provides handy floorplans so you can see how much luxury you're getting for your Baht. 

It makes those Bangkok stopovers look a whole lot brighter.

(NB This place isn't cheap, so put it on the 'Indulgence List')

www.thesiamhotel.com

SAILING UNEXPLORED ARCHIPALEGOS

Remember when Gwyneth Paltrow was slapped around by social media for posting about her 4-day, $62,000 trip aboard the Silolona schooner? (link) (Personally, I think: Good on her. If she has the cash, why not?) Well, Gwennie may have been onto something, because sailing the Indonesian archipelago has become one of THE hottest activities in travel as we face the head winds of 2015.

Why? Well, Indonesia's remote islands are possibly the last unexplored place on earth, now that Bhutan is busier than the Eurostar.

 The relatively secret Raja Ampat has long been regarded by the diving world as a pristine diving and snorkelling destination, but there are hundreds of unexplored islands to snorkel/swim/hike here. Furthermore, Bali-based brands such as Villa Sungai and Plantaran (above) offer amazing old refitted schooners to cruise on, with all meals and drinks included.

Two other tropical destinations that are starting to see schooners—one of the best ways to explore watery places – are the Maldives and Fiji. Both are particularly suited to schooner-ish adventures because you can sail from island to island, snorkelling the pristine reefs in between. I've been liaising with a lovely California travel agency, Pacific Harbor Travel, about their dedicated snorkelling cruises to the Maldives and Fiji—perfect for travellers who want to escape the stress of life by drifting underwater for their entire holiday. The best part? They're usually less than $400/day (all-inclusive), as opposed to the standard $700+ (without meals) charged by most Maldives resorts. 

Sounds idyllic, doesn't it? 

Gwennie may have had the right idea escaping on a schooner, after all...

LUXE FOR LESS IN MARRAKECH

Ever since an online friend, Miss Slim Paley (link) photographed and posted about the Royal Mansour in Marrakech, I've had it on the Wish List. Commissioned by King Mohamed VI of Morocco to accommodate state guests, its interior comprises intricate, finely-detailed tiles, furniture and lighting handmade by local artisans whose decorative arts skills have been passed down through the generations. 

SP finds ALL the best hideaways in the world—she also did the Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru in the Maldives; one of the most beautiful places on earth—but what I love is that she elected not to stay here and pay the eye-watering prices but simply went for lunch instead. (Which then lingered into cocktails and dinner. Cos that's the sort of ravishing place it is.)

Booking a lunch instead of a bed is the cheap way of seeing such luscious places. The hotel doesn't mind how long you stay, as long as you keep ordering wine, and you're normally welcome to wander around the courtyards and grounds between courses, or afterwards. 

We're having a pre-Christmas lunch at Amanjiwo to save money this very way.

www.royalmansour.com   

slimpaley.com

TIPS FROM TRAVEL BLOGGERS

If you're stuck for inspiration, or just want some travel eye candy to get you through the lunch hour, some great travel blogs are Tuula Vintage www.tuulavintage.com (also has lists of vintage stores) and Friend in Fashion www.friendinfashion.com.au (image above). Four Months in Paris is also full of Parisian pleasures parisinfourmonths.com while Pret a Voyager always has great ideas – her map posts are gorgeous. www.pret-a-voyager.com I also love A Lady In London because she has what seems like an incredible life but also seems very down-to-earth about it – www.aladyinlondon.com

LIVING LIKE LOUIS VUITTON

If you've 'done' a lot of Paris and want to see different things, there are all sorts of secret corners offering aesthetic treasures. Along with Frank Gehry's new Fondation Louis Vuitton (just opened last month), there's also Louis Vuitton Espace Culturel, a quiet gallery space on the second floor of the Paris flagship store. Not only does it offer a glorious view of the rooftops of Paris but it also features ongoing exhibitions, and each one comes with a covetable, limited-edition cloth-covered catalogue. You can wander through with a guide, or explore the space on your own. 

The well-stocked reading room is bliss, too. And it's all FREE.

If you can't get to Paris, consider buying the truly beautiful Louis Vuitton book, 100 Legendary Trunks: The History of the Travel Trunk (above). I received this for a Christmas gift and it remains my favourite design book. (link) A great Chrissy gift for the adventurer in your family.

THE FRENCH RIVIERA — THEN AND NOW

Another sumptuous book to inspire you is The French Riviera in the 1920s, by Xavier Girard. It's a new release from Assouline and I was lucky to receive it as a gift from The Man for surviving a tough few months. It's now my second-favourite book. The photos alone are worth the price tag. See if Santa will gift it to you. It will inspire you to visit / return to the French Riviera, trust me! (link)

KATE SPADE, ON HOLIDAYS

Another new title that's creating a buzz amongst stylish travellers is Kate Spade's new travel book, Places To Go; People To See. (link) 

Full of quirky lists and even-more irresistible drawings, it reminds you that travel is meant to be fun: something we all forget on occasion.

KEEPING YOUR MEMENTOS 

Something we've started to do in our house is collect little bits and pieces from our travels and display them in our kitchen, where we pass them every day as we walk outside. It reminds us of the places we've been fortunate to visit, the sights we've seen, and the lovely people we've met along the way... It also reminds us to be grateful for our travels, cos it's unlikely we'll be lounging around the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc when we're eighty...!

The team at Maison Valentino has also done it. They love travel so much, they featured a mood board as part of a recent fashion show.

AND LASTLY, A TREAT FOR ALL THE SENSES

I'm going to leave you with a place that was recently voted by hotel and publishing company Mr and Mrs Smith as being one of the most beautiful in the world. It's Six Senses's sublime hideaway at Ninh Van Bay in Vietnam. (link)

Now this isn't cheap, so reserve it for anniversaries or indulgences, but it's said to be worth every cent. Some of the villas have their own private plunge pools carved out of the rock cliffs, as well as hand-crafted timber soaking baths.

And just look at that view...

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The Art of Travel, Part 2: The Glamour

If you still think travel is tedious and exhausting and packed (pun intended) with emotional nights, long days (and delays) and extended difficulties, let you persuade you otherwise...

Oh – and the next post – the last for the year – will be a beautiful one about Paris and France. It will also include some details of how you can see the best of it next year in a wonderful tour we're organising. Do stop by if you fancy a once-in-a-lifetime journey to the gardens of France. We'd love to have you come along with us.

The beautiful, whimsical, travel-inspired windows of Hermès' flagship store in Paris. I'm not normally an advocate of using taxidermied animals in store displays, but I suspect this was an old exhibit from Deyrolle on the Left Bank. Look how magnificent he is! Look at that luggage! {My photo from archives}

A wonderful, wonderful video about luggage and Christmas and coveted orange boxes that will make you laugh, also by Hermès. Link here or here – www.youtube.com/user/hermes

The sexiest camera ever produced... Leica's Hermès limited edition version. Would buy it, but would have to sell the husband for it. Then again... www.leica.com

Another fabulous camera... Paul Smith's version of the Leica. Look at the whimsical detail. The sketch of a light bulb that appears on top of the pop-up flash was drawn by Mr. Smith himself.  leica-camera.com {Via The Wall Street Journal}

And if you can't afford the tangerina Leica dream, here's a mobile / cell phone cover made to look like one of the coveted cases. Love this.

Louis Vuitton's windows in Paris: luggage stacked to look like the Eiffel Tower. Isn't this lovely? {My photo}

An uplifting video (so to speak) about the beauty of travel... Louis Vuitton's hot air balloon video 'L'Invitation Au Voyage', shot in Paris. Just beautiful... Link here or here – www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-JgJGU5wXo

Karen Blixen's luggage. This has also come via Hermès. It was specially designed for the author by the French company. There were two pieces made. Reportedly the latter consumed 368 hours of work and was an extraordinarily complicated piece of luggage, truly worthy of an aristocrat facing the demanding African landscape. This makes me want to read Out of Africa all over again.

{Via Luxury Insider}

Antique luggage used as bar carts and other irreverent things. We saw this at the Nomad Hotel earlier this year. Each room had a magnificent vintage steamer trunk upended to create a mini-bar. So inspiring... {Via Jennings and Gates' lovely blog}

A glamorous ONA camera bag, as seen on A Cup of Jo's blog. {www.onabags.com}

Be still my beating heart... Have you ever seen such a beautiful camera? This is an antique Leica from the early 20th century, which has faux-lizard skin and gold plating. There were only 95 of these early models made. This one was sold recently at Bonham's auction house, and expected to fetch $230,000. Still, that's a bargain compared to the rare 1923 prototype camera which a Chinese bidder paid $2.8 million for this year. I'll just breath out now.

More converted luggage, this time as wardrobes, although I'm not sure what they're doing out in the snow? {Via Jennings and Gates' beautiful blog – jenningsandgates.blogspot.com}

Mai Tai's Picture Book is one of the most instructive blogs on the Internet, full of great advice on how to travel without looking like a troglodyte who's just come out of a hole (or economy class). Her trick? A gorgeous scarf. She even takes special scarf holders when she travels. Her work is impressive. {maitaispicturebook.com}

More cheeky, irreverent travel stuff from Louis Vuitton. These are 'bag charms', which you attach to your handbag or luggage to identify it. Here's the video about them. I love the palm trees. Link here  or here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ5STIqA99Q

Me too.

And lastly, two Library readers challenged me (in good humour) to illustrated how you can pack for a 2-week holiday using just a carry-on bag. Put my money where my mouth is and all that... 

Last time I did a post on this I used mostly winter clothes. So here is how I'd pack for a holiday that encompassed city and beach, with some garden visits and perhaps a few evening shows scattered in between... Little tip: Pack hybrids, or clothes that can go across not just one, but two or three situations. I toss in oversized scarves that can double as beach wraps, frocks that can go from day to night, and handbags that can switch from casual to business meeting. It's difficult, I know. But it just takes some thinking... Here are some ideas.

Colour: Keep your colours to a minimum, so everything matches. I usually use navy or black as neutrals and then toss in a colour, such as orange or pink. Everything has to match with everything else. Everything. If it won't socialise with the rest of the clothes, toss it!

INVENTORY FOR A CITY/BEACH HOLIDAY WITH GARDENS VISITS AND EVENING SHOWS IN BETWEEN

Lightweight trenchcoat (orange for glamour; this was one $5 from Chapel Street). Essential for showers in London or Paris, additional layering on chilly days, or to cover a dress that hasn't been washed for 2 days and is showing the rigours of long-haul flights. (Only pack if you think the weather is going to be at all chilly, otherwise it just takes up space.)

Flat loafers. Flat shoes are essential for flights and walking. (Ballets are no good because they don't have adequate soles. And your ankles will likely blow up in-flight, making their tight curves hard to slip on for a day or so afterwards and therefore contenders for blisters.) Loafers are my choice, but there are lots of pretty flat shoes around,

Espadrille wedges. Brilliant 'cross-over' shoes that are smart enough for both daywear / beachwear and business meetings. (Well, my casual publishing ones anyway; you may wish to include a pair of 'proper' heels for more formal appointments.)

Smart sundress. Find one or two frocks that are dressy enough for evenings as well as daywear. Include a belt and accessories to jazz up for business meetings or shows.

Tailored blazer. I always, always include a blazer or jacket. It will immediately smarten up any outfit, and be a glamorous safeguard if you find you want to suddenly attend a tradeshow or business meeting, have a date with an ex-boyfriend, go to an evening play, or simply try for an upgrade in a hotel or flight. Try to find one that's well cut (this is my favourite Armani); that way, it will hide the cheaper lines of any $50 frocks. 

Navy linen 'boyfriend' shirt-dress. Shirt-dresses are great because they're easy to wear on planes (throw some leggings underneath if you're cold); they're smart for cities (enhance them with lovely chunky necklaces), they're fab for slipping on beside a pool or walking along a beach, and can, if desperate, be used for dinner wear. (Just wear some fancy jewellery – say, a gold cuff and some dangly earrings.)

Two colourful dresses. These are great to wear around the pool / on the beach, but will also suffice for city walks.

Coloured Bensimons. Pretty sandshoes are nicer than flip-flops, and will do double-duty for walking. (Flip-flops are not smart enough for cities.)

A cardigan. I love long ones that can do double-duty as wraps on planes. 

One pair of swimmers and two or three scarves, which can double as sarongs. (You can sneak in a second pair of swimmers, if you want.)

FOR THE CITY VISITS AND/OR FORMAL AFFAIRS (meetings, shows, etc): Wear the more-tailored dresses (with the blazer, if cold) and more formal jewellery and accessories.

FOR THE BEACH: Wear the brighter dresses (which can also cross over to the city; wear a cardi or trench, if cold).

FOR GARDEN VISITS: Wear the flat loafers or Bensimons (you won't need boots, unless it's winter or chilly; in which case pack pants too), with bright dresses and a cardi. Buy a cute hat somewhere to keep the sun off. Take the bright trenchcoat or bright scarves if it's cold.

Here's how it all fits into a small carry-on suitcase, together with toiletries and a travel umbrellas. (Note: You'll be wearing some of the clothes.) I can even squeeze in a tripod and a second handbag / clutch. This bag may be over the luggage limit so you may have to check it in, but it's still an ideal size for travelling.

Lastly, more than 40 people have emailed me to ask how they could help my dear friend Jane Green from Life on Planet Baby. (lifeonplanetbaby.com) Thank you so much. Your cards and notes will no doubt boost her and her family's moral this Christmas. My heartfelt thanks go out to everyone. Your new year has certainly started off in the right spirit! Sending you all a hug. xx

Tomorrow or Thursday: Preliminary details of The Grand Tour of Paris and France...

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Classic Photo Shoots: Chanel, LV, Lilly and Ralph

There are some photo shoots that you remember long after the advertising campaigns they were in have come and gone. These are the shoots that mix fashion with whimsy and humour, and style with sassiness and cute street scenes. They're the shoots that Grace Coddington could have directed, with Rodney Smith standing behind the camera. They're the shoots that show a life we often wished we led.  Here are some extraordinary photo shoots that stand out from the rest.

I have featured some of these before, almost a year ago, but I hope you'll forgive me. It's 5am and I'm off to pick up my parents from the airport. My mother has had a bad accident in Hanoi and is being repatriated back to Australia. She's an extraordinary woman, and I'm quietly upset to think that she's had to end a lifetime of intrepid travel and adventure like this. If you haven't hugged your mother this morning, or this week, do think about it. Tell them how wonderful they are. Tell them you love them.

In the meantime, he is some inspiration from another brilliant mum – the immensely talented Kate Spade.

Kate Spade's photo shoot for the Fall/Winter 2009/2010 and other incredibly creative and memorable ad campaigns over the years. The balloon with the polka dots was an inspired idea. The company was certainly a leader in marketing until the Spades sold it and a little of the magic and talent was sadly lost. (Top image is also from a Kate Spade photo shoot.)

Lilly Pulitzer. The queen of bright colour, bold patterns and cheeky wit.

A photo shoot for the Chanel ad campaign for S/S 2011. Love the flirty pink dress, the setting and the delicacy of the table set for high tea. This ad was a change for Chanel. Normally Karl likes his ads darker, moodier, more Gothic in tone

A Chanel ad campaign from 1958. © Lillian Bassman: Anne-Saint Marie, NY. {Image via theculturalist.com}

A photo shoot by GANT, shot by Michael Bastion, for ad campaign for the S/S 2011 collection. GANT never fail to do fabulous ads. I always try and grab a copy of the GANT magazine whenever I'm near one of the stores. They're full of inspiring photography and great articles. It's marketing dressed up as a magazine.

One of the photo shoots for Louis Vuitton’s spectacular celebrity-focused ad campaign. This one features filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola and his daughter Sofia sitting in the sun-kissed countryside of Buenos Aires. The image was shot by Annie Leibovitz. The Louis Vuitton bag is almost overshadowed by this father-and-daughter duo. I'm not sure why Annie Leibovitz and Louis Vuitton took them to Argentina? To me, the Coppolas are always associated with the Napa Valley and Paris, where they have a second home. I think LV should have shot them in Paris or Napa. But that's just my humble little opinion. And what would I know, compared to LV's chiefs?!

Ralph Lauren always shoots great ad campaigns. The 2001 ad campaign with Penelope Cruz was spectacularly glamorous. The collage was an inside front cover for Town and Country magazine. Such a beautiful collage of glamorous images. It doesn't even looked staged, thanks to the delightfully haphazard way the images have been placed in the design. It looks more like Penelope's summer photo album.

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