Whether commuting on the train or working at a coffee shop, a touch of tan leather can class up any look. My leather iPhone case has been a staple of my every day carry for years now. It patinas beautifully and feels great in your hand after it's worn in.
Slim Leather MacBook Sleeve - Harber London
Leather AirPods Case - Live Work Play
Low Down Leather Wallet - Bellroy
Leather iPhone 7/8 Case - Apple
Raw Brass Keyhook - Taylor Stitch
Europa Mission Patch - Tom Sachs
I'm a big advocate for travel and photography but as I watched the above video I can't help but wonder what taking the exact same pictures is doing to our view of the world?
Do I really need the same picture of the Eiffel Tower as x number of people have taken before? Does taking that photo diminish my ability to experience the real site?
The more I travel, the idea of slowing down and savoring the moment while in it becomes more real. Sure you can take pictures of travel sites, but put yourself in the frame or stretch your creativity and find a lesser known angle. Not only will you remember it more but you'll probably stumble upon different things because of the experience. I've been reading Away and Aware: A Field Guide to Mindful Travel by Sara Clemence and was immediately struck by my need to unplug a bit on trips. After all, a vacation is supposed to be a vacation whether you're a slow or fast traveler.
So next time you're standing in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, think about what you're taking a photo of. Is it the site or is it the way you are experiencing it? Why not find a new way, even if it's only new to you, to interact with the landscape. You never know what hidden gems you might stumble upon.
The Checklist is your weekly guide to travel inspiration, tips, and recommendations from around the web.
Last night I got out for a bit and took a photo walk, a practice that I've not been very good at lately. The image above is from Lee's Fried Chicken and Donut's, a pretty great place to get a donut in the morning, or at night.
Photographer Alain Cornu captures the magic and beauty of rooftops in his series "Over Paris". The images are captured in a 4x5 large format that really brings out the unique charm of the Parisian skyline and all the intricacies that it can sometimes hide. (via PetaPixel)
I've long been a Gear Patrol reader and their recommended lists are some of my favorite. Now the GP staff shares what they never leave home without when they travel. (via Gear Patrol)
Buzzfeed writer Alison Wilmore talks about the "church of traveling light" and how, for her, it's not all it's cracked up to be. I don't particularly agree with all her ideas, but it does raise a lot of questions about why someone would choose to travel light, which I most often do. (via Buzzfeed)
I'm excited to read the new book from Sally Kohn, "The Opposite of Hate: A Field Guide To Repairing Our Humanity." Before it comes out on April 10, check out this interview with Afar about the idea behind the book and Kohn's travels around the world. (via Afar)
Ever heard of fika? In Sweden, it's a coffee break that is designed to slow down life and promote the connection between people. Sounds like something I need more of in my life. Learn more about fika via the Huckberry Journal.
The new video from Glen Hansard keeps me watching all day long. Check out Time Will Be The Healer below.
No longer an unknown collection of sleepy coastal towns on the Italian Riviera, the Cinque Terre still holds all of its natural beauty and charm. I'm not sure I've ever felt more generally at ease as I have sitting in our rented apartment overlooking the pristine blue waters of the Ligurian Sea from the town of Corniglia. It was just a few days after our wedding and I'm sure some of the stress subsiding after the fact didn't hurt, but the atmosphere was a huge help.
Each day we climbed the steps up to Corniglia (thirty-three flights of steps to be exact) and walked around the beautiful little village that felt like time had forgotten about. It was early May and the large tourist crowds hadn't arrived en masse, so we had a bit of the tiny streets to ourselves. Coffee by the sea. Local wine and cheese on a terrace. All with a pristine view of water like I'd never seen before. Boats whizzed by taking early season tourists to the more accessible towns of Vernazza and Riomaggiore. At one point the entire village shut down because of a loss of power. The Entire Village.
We ate a cold breakfast on our last day in Corniglia and basked in the feeling of extreme calm. As we sat and sipped on juice, I couldn't help but feel the pull of a simple life. The power was out and everyone in the town generally seemed to not care. Their senses were attuned to life at a different pace, one that I seem to crave more and more with each passing day.
The more I travel, the more I recognize my ability to complain about even the smallest things. I've been in hotels with slow wi-fi and uncomfortable beds and it's thrown off my whole trip. But for some reason, in Corniglia, nothing mattered beyond the fact that I was there with my bride. I accidentally booked the apartment at the bottom of the hulking stairs so we got a great calf workout every day. It rained on us a couple of times. The wi-fi at our little place was spotty at best but we were together and that's all that mattered.
Every destination brings with it different quirks and living with them is half the adventure. We definitely didn't validate our train tickets on the platform and got a stern talking to from a railway attendant on how things work in Italy. The truth is, if everything ran smoothly, what kind of stories would you have to tell.
I recently read How Not To Travel the World by blogger Lauren Juliff and her stories of travel adventures captivated me. She's been robbed, found herself on the wrong side of an intrusive massage and even got caught in a tsunami during her travels. But what kind of life would it be if we never ventured beyond our little borders? Lauren's stories show just how wide, varied and beautiful this world is.
I've got it in my mind to visit some more off the beaten path places. Ones that aren't necessarily tourist towns, whether big or small and finding what makes them beautiful. I'm starting a list of smaller European cities that put you closer to the culture of the people. There's something intoxicating about finding yourself in a cafe, not knowing the language and relying on the kindness of the people around you to get by. It can restore your faith in humanity with every little act.
I've talked of my love for train travel before and there may be no more epic of a trip then on the Trans-Siberian Railway. The Beijing to Moscow portion stretches almost 5,000 miles. Starting off in northern China, through Mongolia and the Gobi Desert, you then pass into the Siberian wilderness of Russia.
Filmmaker Dennis Schmelz really takes care to show the vastness and the many differing cultures you will encounter along the fabled route in his short film Transsiberian Dream.
