Blog — Trip Styler

Travel Apps :: 2010's Most Useful

2010's most useful travel appsIt's Travel App Tuesday, and since this is Trip Styler's first birthday {week}---which just so happens to coincide with the end of 2010---we're featuring the most useful globetrotting apps of the past year. Technology and travel aficionados know it's one thing to love the idea of an app, and another to actually use it. There are so many smart, intuitive and fun travel apps, but if you don't use them while actually traveling, what's the point?

Over the past year I've featured 50+ travel-related apps, from bathroom to boutique hotel finders. Apps are like items in your wardrobe; some are the essentials (or at least seem like it in this digital age) and some are the accessories. The accessory apps will differ for each person's unique trip styles, but the following "undergarment" apps provide a good baseline for weekend jaunts and international sé-jours.

Most Useful Apps in 2010 {Free} Kayak I'm already in love with Kayak's meta-search website (which made it onto my go-to 2010 travel website list), so of course I love their app too. Kayak's app isn't an afterthought---like many companies' apps---but rather a robust mobile tool that complements and enhances their web offering.

TripIt I don't leave for a trip without loading my itinerary seamlessly into this trusty app. Just forward your travel plans to an email address and the app will set up an itinerary for you, including your destination's weather and maps.

Skype I couldn't count the number of times I've used Skype to call business contacts, friends and family while jauntsetting. In Skype's infancy the call quality was undependable, but in the past few years it's become almost as clear as a land line. If you have a good wireless connection, Skype is your local or international calling card.

Frommer's Travel Tools Apps that perform several functions are where it's at. Frommer's all-in-one wonder features a multi-converter, tipping suggestion calculator, flashlight, self-populated packing list, travel trivia, city guides and postcard sharing.

Yelp This can-do app is the be-all-end-all of local information. Whether you're in Vancouver or Vienna, Yelp gives you insight into anything and everything nearby, either in a list or on a map. It also features user reviews and gives you the ability to add reviews. When I'm traveling, I use this app to find restaurants based on proximity, cuisine, hours and popularity. Use the sales and special offers section to find restaurant deals in your area.

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Other Travel Apps We’ve Reviewed

Happy Birthday!

happy birthday trip stylerToday is Trip Styler's first birthday and, appropriately, I'm sitting in my room at the kitschy-cool Ace Hotel Portland {more about that later this week} remembering travel highlights of this past year and anticipating adventures to come.

Coming to be Unsure of where it would take me, this week last year, I started dabbling in online trip styling. Although I'd been dreaming and planning for awhile, starting Trip Styler could be likened to a first-time flyer: nervous on the runway but comfortable in the air. As time went on, it was confirmed, I was in love, so 6 months later---a little slow on the uptake I know---I shared the news to family and friends, and things grew from there. A new breed of amateur jetsetters were born, and Trip Styler thanks you!

What's Ahead Some exciting features, enhancements and destinations ahead:

  • Features :: Traveller gift guide, 2011 travel predictions, best travel apps of 2010, travel etiquette
  • Enhancements :: Slight website redesign so you can see and access information about your favorite categories and destinations more easily; ramping up travel treats {once-monthly hotel deals}; new monthly topics
  • Destinations :: December {Portland & Los Angeles}, 2011 {Australia, Big Island Hawaii, Tofino, Washington Wine Touring, etc...}

In addition to all the thank yous mentioned in my Canadian Thanksgiving post, I would also like to tip my hat to Leah, Lauren and Heather for your travel health, travel beauty and travel fashion contributions (find out more about these ladies on our about page).

Finally, let us know if there's anything new you'd like to see in 2011!

All the best, Trish and the gang

PS - We have grown a lot, but don't forget to tell your friends about Trip Styler, encourage them sign up for our daily trip style tips via email or RSS, join our Facebook group and/or follow us on Twitter.

[photo by Dryad + Sprite Photography]

Fashion Friday :: Airport Style

One of my favourite guilty pleasures is people.com's airport style photo gallery. There's something about celebrities in airports...Stars - they're just like us. Except they usually look fantastic (no Juicy velour or baggy sweats to be found, unlike their fellow travelers). There may not be paparazzi waiting for you in Arrivals, but everyone can look "camera ready" without sacrificing style for comfort. But please remember: no one can measure up to the Singapore Airlines flight attendants strutting through the concourse. It's just not possible. Accept it.

On your body
The name of the game is layers. Your plane could be chilly or warm, and the temperature may vary between your departure and arrival cities. Start with a tank or light tee and leggings, and build from there. Pop on a dress or skirt and add a sweater and light jacket. Bonus: if your luggage gets lost, you have an extra outfit. Also, avoid jeans on long flights, unless they're super stretchy, in which case they're really just jeggings, which is an embarrassing word to say out loud.

In your hands
Push the limits on "personal item" size. Stay within carry-on limits or make sure your bag is pliable in case you get questioned. Stuff a smaller option in your luggage so you're not stuck with a big handbag for your whole trip. Slipping your laptop directly into your purse saves you a piece of carry-on luggage, so invest in a laptop sleeve. Finally, bring a colourful passport holder to lessen the likelihood of losing your most precious travel document.

On your feet
Wear your bulkiest footwear (ie. boots) through the airport and pack a pair of washable slippers for the flight, or wear a pair of Toms the whole way (they're as comfortable as slippers, but no one looks at you like you're doing something socially awkward). And don't forget to wear socks to avoid walking barefoot through security!

Trip Styler Tip: A scarf is your travel BFF. Wear it through the terminal and use it as a pillow or blanket on your flight. And if you're bringing a hat on the plane, wear or carry it to avoid it losing its shape in your luggage.

Now what to wear? (clockwise from top left)
Cath Kidston holiday bag, James Perse men's lightweight fleece sweatshirt, Nordstrom travel ballet slipper, Toms classic canvas slip-on, Nordstrom tissue weight cashmere wrap, Wilfred Free wrap jacket, Topshop leather leopard passport holder, American Apparel piqué dolman sleeve dress, Marc by Marc Jacobs pretty printed computer sleeve,  Burberry shimmer check travel slippers, Levi's trucker jacket, Ted Baker men's ausky plaid slippers, Talula rose leggings, TNA wool pant, James Perse ribbed daily tank, Mossimo women's knit layering top

Fashion Friday posts are published on the last Friday of every month and written by our resident fashion consultant Heather.

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Travel Trends :: Tiki

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Tiki-lounge travel[trip style = staycation]

If you can't travel, just tiki! Slap on some self-tanner, slip on a dress (or some bermudas and an aloha shirt for men) and get down to your nearest tiki lounge! From their inception, tiki bars were known for their escapism, mystery and exotic allure, so if you need a dose of the tropics, why not fake a vacation at a tiki lounge?

Ever since I can remember, I've been obsessed with tiki-ing. There's something about the Polynesian-meets-50's-inspired decor I can't get enough of. Then there's the little drinks with umbrellas and the pupus... All in all, tiki lounging makes me feel like I'm sitting in an over-water, glass-bottomed, open-air hideaway in French Polynesia, far, far away from the ordinary, and right now, far away from winter and cold.

Favorite Tikies Vancouver - {Waldorf} Tiki Bar waldorf tiki bar vancouver The newly restored and opened Waldorf Hotel has successfully brought back to life a modernist, iconic, gem, without losing sight of its 50's tiki-glam. One of the most incredible features of this new hot-spot is the virtually untouched Tiki Bar! With the exception of some tasteful restorations and a retrofitted vintage analogue audiophile sound system, you get to sip mai tais and singapore slings in the same setting as the gents and dames from the 1950s.

San Francisco - {Fairmont} The Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar tonga room fairmont sf After a $1 million restoration, the grand-daddy of tikis, The Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar at the Fairmont San Francisco, is still a draw for locals and tourists alike. Anchored by the hotel's vintage, tiled, 1929-built indoor poollagoon, this tiki room has seen many a day. Here are some beyond-fabulous features that are sure to transport you to tropic-town: dining under a thatched roof, hourly monsoon rain storms, a floating bandstand and a happy hour featuring a Pan-Asian buffet and exotic bevs. Don't miss this swanky outpost of South Seas high-style. If I lived in SF, I'd be a regular.

PS - Happy Thanksgiving to our friends down South!

[photos: 1+ 2 kris krug (waldorf), 3 Pargon (Fairmont)]

A Canadian's Guide To Black Friday

A canadian's guide to black friday shoppingHave you ever shopped in the US for Black Friday?

Been there, done that. Black Friday, the GIANT shopping day after thanksgiving, is nothing short of shopping insanity. It's like Boxing Day shopping in Canada, but on steroids. My two Black Friday shopping experiences were both bewildering and bountiful. Two years ago in San Francisco, I just gave up. I couldn't handle the crowds, and I wasn't sure what I was looking for. On a more positive note, 4 years ago, I had a surprisingly fruitful experience in Miami. Both my husband and I still wear the items we purchased on that fateful shopping trip. Despite the crowds, we came and conquered!

If you're planning on braving the crowds for an immersive and cultural US experience, here are a few tips for Canadians willing to step into the shopping jungle across the line.

Black Friday Dos & Don'ts

  • Get your research on! Prioritize stores based on deals and the timing of their sales. There's an app for that, check out Black Friday App.
  • Leave the night before and stay in a hotel, so you're ready to hit the ground running.....early.
  • Know what you're looking for, without a purpose, you won't last long.
  • Line-ups are insane, so bring water, a snack and some advil:)  You might even want to schedule a post-shopping massage. Just saying.
  • Online is your friend. Some sales start at 12am on Friday, so you may not even need to leave the comfort of your own home. Also, don't forget about Cyber Monday, the day after the US Thanksgiving Weekend when leftover inventory goes on super sale.
  • Embrace boutique-y, smaller stores in addition to the inevitable large retailer gulch. Smaller stores will still offer savings!
  • Don't forget about parking lot madness, again, get there early, OR, take public transport.

PS - I'm going to brave Black Friday this year. The bonus? I'm going to do so in a place without tax: Portland!  We'll see how that goes...

[photo by Kevin Spencer, altered with a heat map]