We've always used boring black suitcases without even thinking about it, but these colorful numbers are quickly changing my mind. My friend Yolanda recently spotted Crewcuts designer Jenny Cooper and her family with them at the airport. The cheery bags—by Japanese brand Hideo Wakamatsu–would kick off vacations in a fun way and make you smile while you're living out of them in a hotel room. Aren't they awesome?
I have a (sweeping and wildly generalized) pet theory that every relationship has one planner and one person who flies by the seat of their pants. With almost every couple we know, one person always takes charge of planning the trip—booking flights, scouting hotels, reading about the destination—while the other person is happy to just show up and see what happens. Do you think that's true?
P.S. The weird thing we do on vacations.
We don't host as many out-of-town guests as we used to, only because they now have to sleep in Toby's room, and he gets up at the crack of dawn. But! We're hoping to have a guest room when we finally move to Brooklyn. Here are three handy tips I've heard through the years...
To cheer up the winter, I've asked a few friends to share their favorite vacation spots (and help give us ideas for summer trips). First, Liz raved about Stinson Beach, and now my friend Ashley from Hither & Thither recommends taking a Vermont road trip, below...
When I worked at a coffee shop during college, we wore half aprons like this, and they were weirdly flattering. So, you feel really pretty while making dinner (or preparing a cheese plate), and of course they're functional, too, since you always need a place to wipe off your hands and don't want to get your jeans dirty. Perfect hostess gift.
This old-school salad dressing comes with a story. Crane Crest’s Real French Dressing has no website, just a phone number (617-277-1325). You leave an answering-machine message with your address, and they'll send you a case of six jars, along with a handwritten invoice for $18. They trust that you'll mail back a check. How rad is that? They've developed a cult following, since, as Pilar says, the vinaigrette is incredible on salad, fish, chicken...Aren't you curious to try it?
These beautiful photos by Alfred Eisenstaedt show couples sharing a last kiss before the soldiers departed for war, at Penn Station in 1943. How stirring to wonder how many of the couples were reunited, or if this was their very last kiss. Can you imagine how hard it would be to let each other go?
The New York Times recently ran a short piece about these insane free-fall slides on a Norwegian cruise line. You stand on a platform four stories high and then the floor suddenly falls out beneath you. Would you dare?!
Would you rent a house on vacation? We really like to rent places, since they're typically less expensive and more spacious than hotels (which is especially great when you have a child), and staying in a real home makes you feel like a local. Here are three amazing places, just for fun...
Emerson Fry's spring collection launches today. These are the kind of clothes you'd live in all summer, don't you think? The effortless style would fit in anywhere, from winding Italian streets to poolside in Palm Springs to just kicking it at home. And I always love their shoes! See the full collection here...
It's fun to daydream about travel—especially during the winter months—so I'd love to post all about travel this week. The big question is: If you could beam yourself anywhere right now, where would it be? The photo above is from the south of France, and for ages I've also really wanted to go to Portland, which seems like an amazing place. What about you?
