Travel Splurge :: The Great Migration

[trip style = active + adventure + glamping + luxury]

I recently wrote an article in the Expedia Viewfinder about one of USA Today's New Seven Wonders of the World: The Great Migration from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara, a time of year {July to October} when stadium-sized masses of zebra and wildebeest roam close to 1,800 miles from Tanzania to Kenya in search of water and lush grazing ground.

Standing in my safari lodge's Land Cruiser in the midday African heat watching The Great Migration take place {tail end of the river crossing pictured above} was easily one of my top five travel-wow moments. And while getting to and from Africa is a trek, it's SO worth putting "African Safari" on your once-in-a-lifetime, dream-trip list. 

See my first-hand account of viewing the Migration, getting {almost} intimate with a baboon and glamping beside the Mara River, here. 

PS: The above photos were snapped with my point-and-shoot Sony camera. I wish I'd splurged for the occasion and brought a fancy camera. 

[photos by @tripstyler]

Dog Styler: Have Pup Will Travel

[trip style = glamping + luxe + urban + weekend getaway]

In my mini family of 2.5, the .5 is my furry wonderdog, Mr. Nacho King, whom Mr. Trip Styler and I adopted from a Washington State county animal shelter seven years ago. When I found him online I knew we had to be together. When I met him face-to-face it was kismet: I cried and he peed his fur-pants {pictured below}.

I don't talk about "Dog Styler" much on TS, yet he deserves more lip service—just don't get too close, his breath smells like the beach at low tide—as he's one of the most trip styled pups on the block. Case in point: he has more Instagram followers than I do! 

As an important member of the Trip Styler clan, Mr. Nacho King does not stay at home every time we escape the roost. Au contraire; he accompanies us on all local getaways, though he leaves the jumbo jet travel to his parents because he'd rather eat spinach drenched in lemon juice than fly. 

Like a true trip stylin' sidekick, Nacho lives the dream traveling once every two weeks. And while his human owners love a styled stay complete with a cushy bed and a panoramic vista, he prefers a cool bathroom floor to sleep on—Carrara marble, preferably—and hotel staff who dole out dog treats when he glances their way. Bonus points go to dog-friendly accommodations with a bacon or salmon scent wafting toward his nose.   

For some dog-sight into how we've fairly effortlessly incorporated Nacho into our nearby jaunts without sacrificing our regular repertoire of cool hotels, it restaurants and boutique shopping, check out the recent article I wrote in the Expedia Viewfinder chronicling some have-pup-will-travel tips, and our recent road trip to San Francisco.  

PS: Later this week Nacho's tagging along on a beach trek we're taking down the Oregon Coast. Follow along via Instagram: Trip Styler // Mr. Nacho King. 

Nacho's Five-Paw Review Hotels
{penned from his POV}

The Wickaninnish Inn {Tofino, BC}: Because I got my own welcome email, my own après-beach shower station and a resort amenity kit worth its weight in treats.

Four Seasons Resort Whistler: Because the staff—shout-out to my homeboy, Paul {pictured above}—gave me treats every time I walked in their direction.

Painted Boat Resort {Sunshine Coast, BC}: Because it smells like a cocktail of forest and sea, and they let me go stand-up paddleboarding with the humans.

The Alexis Hotel {Seattle, WA}: Because dogs are welcome at the nightly human wine hour, and my presence was announced on a welcome board in the lobby.

Rolling Huts {Mazama, WA}: Because dogs dig glamping. 

Ace Hotel Portland: Because I can eat kibble and sample my parents' Stumptown coffees {I like mochas} in the lobby. That, and my fur really pops against the industrial backdrop.

[photos by @tripstyler]

Tokyo: A Shrine to Sushi

[trip style = food + wine + luxury + urban]

It's rare {get it?} for us to feature one restaurant, let alone an eight-seat sushi bar in a city where the seaweed-wrapped staple is peddled everywhere from conveyer belts to vending machines. Yet, when a chef enchants you beyond your taste buds {and you wish he would become your BFF-slash-personal cook}, you have tell the story. This is the case with Chef Yasuda, the one-man-show behind Sushi Bar Yasuda in Tokyo.

When I was in Japan's most major metro two months ago, I saved myself for Yasuda. Sure, I'd heard of the Michelin-famed Jiro and his equally talented son Takashi, two gents at the helm of Tokyo's most "es-steamed" chefs, but I felt more drawn to Yasuda's approach, choosing to run a small, side-street bar in an effort to semi-retire and focus on the joy of his craft.   

"Tonight, I can make 48 different kids of sushi for you" he tells me when I walk in. "Perfect, we'll go with the omakase menu", meaning 'chef's pick', I tell him {about USD$150 per person}. Who am I to argue with a man whose restaurant is booked weeks in advance, year-round? 

Believing so deeply that much of the world's sushi is done wrong—many sushi chef hopefuls in Japan are placed on rice duty for six-to-seven years before they graduate to cutting fish—he asks every patron "what fish do you hate?" Both Mr. Trip Styler and another sushi groupie at the bar, say "sea urchin." Yasuda's eyes sparkle and he replies, "great, I'll make you a few pieces of sea urchin sushi" intent on demonstrating that when fish is picked and aged right—fresh isn't always best in the sea of sushi—the haters become lovers.   

While Yasuda could have a fancy high street address and a whole team of apprentice chefs dedicated to his teachings, he chooses the simple life. He alone makes trips to the fish market; he alone ages the fish; he alone serves interpretative menus for patrons {with this help of his wife in the front-of-house}.

Dining under Yasuda’s wing is an exercise in stomach stretching and in-depth sushi education. “There are 12,000 types of seaweed in the world, and I use the best in my sushi” he tells me as we’re discussing my meal. Upon further probing I learn he is the only chef in Japan to even attempt use this type of seaweed. {Most shy away from it due to its ultra-finicky and fragile composition.} 

I’m now hooked—on the conversation and my radish-spout handroll—and can’t stop asking questions between bites. I glean chef brews his own soy sauce and concocts his own miso soup. He then tells the guy beside me {who basically traveled to Japan to eat at Yasuda} where to find the best sushi knife in Japan. When you've reached the top of your game, why not share your secrets? 

As if the evening couldn’t get any more interesting, it turns out, the famed rice-and-fish aficionado is buddies with Anthony Bourdain (appearing on the 2013 episode of Parts Unknown: Tokyo), a friendship forged when Yasuda wowed this side of the Pacific at one of New York's most famous sushi restaurants. {Apparently, I was sitting in the same seat as "Tony" when he dined at the restaurant in for the show.}

As the night drew to a close and my appetite alerted me there was no wheelbarrow service to roll me to my hotel, I asked chef if I could take his photo. Instead of standing with his old-faithful sushi knife and a choice cut of fish, he opted for another pose: a Popeye-style bicep flex showing off his massive pipes—seemingly not developed from moulding rice into rolls. Between visits to the fish market and soy sauce brewing, the 54-year-old works out with the gusto of an athlete half his age, and can karate chop like an olympic medalist. And yet, his burly hands craft sushi with the gentle touch of a geisha. 

Related
A Tokyo Coffee Crawl
48 Hours in Tokyo {my article in the Expedia Viewfinder}

[photos by @tripstyler]
 

The Savvy Traveler :: [SEBELL]

[trip style = urban, food + wine, luxe]

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

It’s hard to feel at home when you’re bouncing nomadically between Nashville, Los Angeles, Toronto, Vancouver and B.C.’s Interior, but recording artist Sebell is content to call home wherever his suitcase lands. The multi-award winning musician, whose infectious Top 20 hit single Till the Sun Burns Out is playing on radio now, has an EP releasing with Universal Music in the fall. I sat down with him over coffee on a brief stopover in Vancouver to talk travel and bond over our shared affection for Instagram, Scandinavian design and the American South.

1/ Pick your top three trip styles
Trip style = urban, food + wine, luxe
My job tends to keep me in major cities, so for that reason urban is my main trip style. I’m a firm believer in “working vacations” and making even a weekend work trip memorable. That usually means trying out a new restaurant I’ve been following in my Instagram feed or checking out an espresso bar that my serious coffee connoisseur friends are raving about.

I’ve been fortunate enough to experience some pretty luxurious hotels in my travels and that’s something that never gets old. I feel a little like Kevin in Home Alone 2. One time I had a cold and without even a conversation about it, the concierge noticed and sent an assortment of fresh lemon slices and hot teas to my room with a handwritten get-well note. Another time guest services arranged for a hair stylist from a local salon to give me a trim after hours when I couldn’t get a booking in the city and had a televised event the next night. You don’t get that kind of service at a Motel 6.

2/ I can't travel without...
Must-have items
Eye mask {yeah, I’m one of those}, Killspencer Daypack, Aesop Deodorant Spray {a.k.a. the red eye refresher}, Colgate Wisps, D.L. Eyewear Sunglasses, Saturdays NYC trunks {you never know when you’ll find a great pool}, KIND Almond & Coconut Bars and magazines like Inventory, Monocle, GQ, Entrepreneur and Inc.

Apps
UBER, Evernote {it’s where I keep all my frequent flier numbers}, Instagram, VSCO Cam, Hotel Tonight, Mini Piano {it looks useless, but it's an essential if you’re a singer or keyboard player on the road} and Full Fitness {great for keeping up a workout routine}

3/ Memorable travel story?
I was in Nashville one summer a few years back, in town playing a couple shows and getting to know the city. A friend randomly invited me to drive down to Florence, Alabama for a special show with The Civil Wars. It ended up being at designer Billy Reid’s flagship store. The band was on the cusp of breaking and Billy had just won GQ’s “Men’s Designer of the Year” Award. We sat in his studio, surrounded by his mood boards and sketches, everyone was drinking wine out of mason jars, the place was flooded in candlelight and we sat cross-legged on the floor listening to Joy and John Paul perform one of the best acoustic shows I’ve ever witnessed. One of my favorite music – and travel – experiences ever.

4/ Favorite spots in...
Nashville
– Pinewood Social: For the fantastic vibe, coffee, brunch, lunch, dinner, drinks and bowling. Yes bowling. You could literally hang here all day. 
– Patterson House: For a relaxing evening cocktail with friends
– Imogene + Willie: For some handmade Nashville raw denim

Los Angeles
– Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese: For the best sandwich on a fresh baguette you’ll ever eat
– Mohawk General Store: For a great selection of men’s and women’s clothing, housewares and magazines
– Baxter Finley Barber & Shop: For a fresh fade and beard trim {and to stock up on Baxter of California products}

Vancouver
– Revolver: For fantastic coffee
– Old Faithful Shop: For Paine’s Cedar Incense, Hot Cakes Cold-Smoked Chocolate Chips and everything else that is good in life
– Ask for Luigi: For weekend brunch {believe the hype}

Toronto
– Pilot Coffee Roasters Tasting Bar: For the “Trust the Barista” special. A little hard to find, but worth it.
– Electric Mud BBQ: For a fresh take on BBQ. You’ll feel like you’re eating at a roadside shack in Texas–a hip roadside shack.
– The Drake General Store: For great wares and fun things you can’t find everywhere else. While you’re at it, check out the Drake Hotel next door and the Drake Underground for great live shows.

5/ You recently did a cross-Canada tour promoting “Till the Sun Burns Out”. What are some of your favorite stops in Canada?
Vancouver, Montreal and the Alberta Rockies. Any chance I get to stay in Banff, Lake Louise or Jasper, I’m in. It’s the Canadian Promiseland as far as I’m concerned.

6/ Destinations on your radar?
– Japan for the architecture and the fashion scene
– Sweden for the culture, design, fashion and music scene
– Palm Springs because it's always a good idea

More Savvy Travelers
Leighann, Work & Play
Jesse, I'm With The Band
Shaun, Packing Like A Rock Star

{If you know anyone who should be featured in our Savvy Traveler series, drop us a line!}

[photo by @chuckdwillis c/o @sebellmusic]

5 Fabulous Food Splurges on Maui

[trip style = beach + sun + luxury + food + wine]

I know; you've got Europe, Brazil and local getaways on your mind right now, yet come September, an escape-the-cold panic will kick in and your tropical tendencies will shine through. 

Since you'll either be a} dreaming of a jetting to Maui, or b} on a plane to the island come October, we want to appeal to your sun-spiration and your stomach with our list of Maui's hottest, get-a-reservation-in-advance restaurants to put on your must-eat list.   

Trip Styler Tip: Fall is one of the most economical and easy times to visit Maui. Think: Low flight prices, no crowds and good weather. 

But first, how to make an occasion out of dinner every night...
When visiting Maui, Mr. Trip Styler and I abide by two strict food rules: Eat simply by day and dine decadently by night {and always ensure meals are accompanied by sunset vistas}. We came to this cuisine conclusion after years of Hawaiian palate-testing, restaurant-hopping, and finding the sweet spot between taste and ambiance.

Ever fans of the high/low approach to travel, we’re the ones who pick up pineapple chunks and a banana from the ABC Store for breakfast, and share a salad for lunch. All said, our 9 a.m.-5 p.m. food bill usually comes out to US$17, leaving us with a range of financial wiggle room in the evening---multiple mai tais, anyone?

Mama’s Fish House
Rated one of the top Maui restaurants by food critics and aspiring foodies alike—in 2013 it won best restaurant in a Zagat reader survey—Mama’s Fish House is where tropical and taste come together. Mingling rustling palms, a secluded cove, flickering tiki torches, kitschy ocean finds, vintage Polynesian-print tablecloths and a fresh catch {as in, caught that morning} this famous restaurant-come-dining-institution is located just past Paia on Maui’s North Shore. Splurge-worthy entrees calling the fisherman by name such as “deep-water ahi caught ten miles offshore from Hana by Matt Smith with Hamakua mushroom sauce and Molokai sweet potato mash” only add to the ocean-to-table, candlelit atmosphere.

Humuhumunukunukuapua’a
Named after Hawaii’s state fish, Humuhumunukunukuapua’a, in the Grand Wailea, embodies all that is exotic, with its thatched-roof bungalows, seafood-forward menu and sundowner exposure. Set on wooden stilts and slats above a million-gallon saltwater lagoon teeming with tropical fish, dining at Humuhumu will make you want to freeze-frame your life and linger in the moment.

Alan Wong’s Amasia
Alan Wong’s Amasia, also in the Grand Wailea, is the only exception to my dining-with-a-sunset-view rule because the dishes are a perfect example of delicate dance between art and sustenance, and it is helmed by Chef Alan Wong, recognized by Bon Appetit Magazine as the “master of Hawaiian regional cuisine." Located in a Japanese Tea House brought over piece-by-piece from Japan, the East-meets-West dining concept doesn’t spare any expense—even the surrounding rocks are quarried from Mt. Fuji. Make sure to arrive early to snap a few exterior photos in the Japanese garden as the golden, end-of-day light reflects off the koi pond and illuminates teahouse with a mystic glow.

Trip Styler Tip: If you’re unable to make reservations for these hot-ticket restaurants in advance, saddle up to the bar, talk to the host about last-minute cancellations, or dine at off-peak hours.

Ferraro's Bar e Ristorante
When I’m dining in a destination I always try to eat local dishes. Though, in this case, I make an exception for Ferraro’s alfresco, seaside perch and Italian fare since I can’t eat tuna poke or macadamia-encrusted mahi mahi every night of my Maui-cation. As the only completely open-air, beachside restaurant in Wailea, Ferraro’s wind-in-your-hair setting and tiered seating {so everyone gets a ocean view} speaks to my sun-deprived soul, while the kiawe wood-burning oven speaks to my stomach. Intimate and approachable, leave this Italian eatery in the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea for a date night, and make sure to get there just before sundown to toast your beau with a bottle of Prosecco and hand-cut pasta.

Morimoto Maui
Ever since the Renaissance Resort closed shop and a 15-acre piece of northern Wailea Beach real estate sat empty for half a decade, I’ve been obsessed with what hotel will take over the coveted space, and what nouveau restaurants it will feature. As a fan of all things sleek and stylish, I was elated to find out the Andaz Maui at Wailea (Hyatt’s hip brand) would undertake a mega renovation and open in mid-2013, and the modern masterpiece would house the Maui outpost of one of my favorite Iron Chefs, Masaharu Morimoto. Serving locally-sourced ingredients from the land and sea, Morimoto Maui’s multi-page menu offers everything from Chef’s famous tuna pizza {which I’ve gushed about before in "Honolulu’s chic eats"} to hand-rolled sushi, noodles and raw bar fish. Request a seat on the grey- and cream-colored terrace to pair Chef's custom-brewed Junmai sake and sushi with the ocean view.

{Parts of this post originally appeared in a piece I wrote for the Expedia Viewfinder Travel Blog, check it out in its entirety.}

Related 
Exploring Paia
Roam+Board :: Napili Kai
Roam+Board :: Makena Resort

[All photos via restaurants mentioned except Mama's Fish House, which is my own]