The Balanced Boarding Pass

06/09/2026

If I were planning Japan, I'd start with the experiences that reveal its character.

A hotel that feels connected to the city around it.

A meal prepared with decades of discipline behind it.

A museum that changes how you see a landscape.

A hot spring overlooking the mountains.

A bowl of ramen worth crossing a city for.

Traveling through Japan is less about checking off landmarks and more about appreciating craftsmanship. It shows up everywhere. In architecture. In hospitality. In food. In the way even the smallest details feel intentional.

I'd begin in Tokyo at Four Seasons Otemachi, retreat to the quiet beauty of Hakone, wander through the art-filled landscapes of Naoshima, experience the mountains of Niseko, and finish in Fukuoka with exceptional food and waterfront luxury.

As someone whose life revolved around restaurants long before it revolved around travel, Japan is one of the destinations I find most fascinating. It rewards curiosity. It celebrates mastery. It invites you to slow down and pay attention.

This is how I'd experience it.

If Japan is on your list, I'd love to help design a journey that feels just as intentional.
Which stop would you choose first: Tokyo, Hakone, Naoshima, Niseko, or Fukuoka?

06/07/2026

Packing for 10 days in Italy is basically a sport.

This wasn't a capsule wardrobe. It wasn't minimalist. It was a carefully curated collection of pieces that could handle Tuscany, Florence, Rome, Pompeii, villa life, train travel, and a whole lot of pasta. 🍝

A few things earned their spot in my suitcase:

• Emily McCarthy dresses were the MVPs of the trip, including the lemon print that practically belongs in Tuscany.

• A lightweight short set saved me on our hottest day exploring Pompeii.

• A beloved Farm Rio maxi was perfect for the Vatican, where shoulders and knees need to be covered.

• The fruit dress arrived the day before departure and immediately made the cut. Sometimes you have to leave room for a last-minute moment.

• My Sézane raffia tote carried everything from sunglasses and sunscreen to souvenirs from hilltop villages. One of my fav purchases from my Paris trip!

• A crossbody became my go-to for Rome when comfort, security, and hands-free exploring were non-negotiable.

• Sneakers, one pair of sandals, and one pair of ballet flats. Cobblestones are not the best place to test your commitment to fashion.

• A caftan for in-villa dinners and evenings

• Not a single piece of athleisure. 😏

My secret weapon? Packing cubes. One for Tuscany, one for Rome, one for travel days, and one for sleepwear and intimates. Unpacking took minutes instead of turning my suitcase into a crime scene.

As for the toiletry bag, I never travel without Epicutis skincare, HUM Flatter Me digestive enzymes, Pique supplements, mineral sunscreen, and a brush-on SPF that's easy to apply on a kid who's ready to move on to the next adventure.

A few other non-negotiables:
• Travel steamer
• Travel curling iron
• Sound machine
• International adapters

And always, always check that your electronics are 220V compatible before plugging them in overseas.

Swipe through to see what I packed and how I actually wore it throughout Italy. Because we all know those are often two very different things.

If you'd like my complete Italy packing list, send me a DM with "ITALY" and I'll happily share it.✨

06/05/2026

My favorite part of travel isn't the destination.

It's how it changes you.

Most people think they're booking a trip because they want to see a place.

What they're really seeking is a feeling.

Rest.
Connection.
Perspective.
Time with the people who matter most.

The best travel experiences create space for those things to happen.

That's why I spend as much time thinking about pace as I do hotels.

How many nights are enough?
When should you move locations?
Where should you slow down?
What deserves an extra day?

These details shape the experience far more than most people realize.

A beautiful hotel is wonderful.

A destination can be extraordinary.

But what people remember years later is how they felt while they were there.

The trip that helped them reconnect with their spouse.
The family vacation where everyone was finally together.
The girls getaway that left them feeling lighter than when they arrived.
The anniversary trip they'll talk about for decades.

Travel changes us because it gives us something we're often missing at home:

Space.

And when that space is thoughtfully designed, something remarkable happens.

You return with more than photographs.

You return differently.

That's my favorite part.

Where have you traveled that stayed with you long after you returned home?

📸 Britt Elizabeth Photography
👗 Emily McCarthy - M. Clothes/Shoes/Lifestyle

05/31/2026

If I Were Planning Your Luxury Girls Trip (without a passport)...

I'd narrow it to these three:

🥂 Charleston — for food, shopping, and atmosphere

🌊 Santa Barbara — for wine, ocean views, and beautiful hotels

✨ Scottsdale — for wellness, spa time, and a true reset

Each offers something different, but they share the same thing: a pace that allows you to actually enjoy being together.

Charleston is long lunches, historic streets, boutique shopping, and reservations worth planning a trip around.

Santa Barbara unfolds between the ocean and wine country, where afternoons drift easily from vineyard tastings to sunset dinners by the water.

Scottsdale is the destination I choose when the goal is restoration. Spa mornings, desert sunsets, and days that leave you feeling better than when you arrived.

The best girls trips aren't packed schedules and constant movement. They're the trips where conversations last longer than expected, another bottle of wine appears at the table, and no one is looking at the clock.

Those are the trips that stay with you.

If you could choose one for your next girls getaway, which would it be?
Charleston, Santa Barbara, or Scottsdale?

05/27/2026

There are places designed for rest.

And there are places that make you feel fully awake.

Eleven Deplar Farm sits deep within Iceland’s Troll Peninsula, surrounded by volcanic peaks, glacial rivers, and valleys that feel almost untouched. Once an eighteenth-century sheep farm, the property has been transformed into a quietly extraordinary lodge where adventure and luxury exist in perfect balance.

Days unfold differently here.

A helicopter lifts into the mountains. Icelandic horses move through the valley below. Puffins gather along dramatic cliffs above the sea. Guides shape each day around the landscape and the weather, creating experiences that feel instinctive rather than scheduled.

Steam rises from the geothermal pool into the cold Icelandic air. Dinner is served communally beside candlelight and wine pulled from the cellar. Fresh fish, Arctic char, lamb raised nearby. The kind of meal that belongs exactly where you are.

The suites feel warm against the wildness outside. Wool, volcanic stone, soft light, and windows framing the valley like a painting.

This is Iceland experienced slowly, beautifully, and far from the expected route.

If Iceland is on your list, this is the version I would plan.

05/26/2026

Puerto Rico’s cocina criolla is all about comfort, culture, and bold flavor. Rooted in Taíno, Spanish, and African influences, the island’s Creole cuisine tells its story one bold bite at a time 🌴🍽️

Read more below, then let’s plan a journey where food, culture, and beach days go hand in hand.

📷: Getty Images

Mofongo, asopao, frituras, and more Puerto Rican dishes, plus where to try them in San Juan, Piñones, and beyond.

05/21/2026

The in-person experience at a Formula 1 race can’t be beat. From roaring engines to VIP vantage points, these hotels and cruises put you in the heart of the action. 🏎️🏨

Read more in the full story, then let’s connect to plan an unforgettable race-weekend experience.

05/19/2026

One of the things I pay the closest attention to when I travel is the food.

Not simply where to eat, but how a place expresses itself through the table. The ingredients people reach for. The dishes that remain unchanged for generations. The meals locals crave after the beach, after work, after long days spent outside.

Puerto Rico tells its story beautifully through cocina criolla.

Mofongo arrives fragrant with garlic and olive oil, deeply rooted in the island’s African influence and still one of the most iconic dishes you can order.
Frituras are woven into beach days and roadside stops, eaten hot with salt in the air.
Arroz con pollo feels comforting in the way only slow-cooked food can.
Asopao stretches dinner a little longer.
Pescado frito tastes best with the ocean somewhere in view.

This is the kind of travel I’m always drawn to. Experiences shaped by flavor, culture, and place rather than simply reservations on a calendar.

As someone who spent years in the restaurant world, food remains one of the ways I understand a destination most deeply. Puerto Rico is one of those places where every meal feels connected to something larger than the plate itself.

And honestly, that’s the kind of travel worth planning.

If you want your travels to feel as memorable as the meals along the way, let’s plan something extraordinary.

05/13/2026

Greece is often defined by a familiar rhythm.

Mykonos. Santorini. Sunset views and well-known paths.

There is another side to the islands.

The Dodecanese carry a quieter kind of history, where medieval harbors and layered architecture feel deeply rooted in place.
The Sporades offer emerald water and soft, pine-covered coastlines that feel untouched.
The Saronic islands sit just beyond Athens, refined and understated, where time slows without effort.

These are the places where the experience shifts. Fewer crowds. More space. A different kind of connection to the landscape.

Greece reveals itself beautifully when you step slightly off the expected route.

If Greece is part of your year ahead, I would guide you here.

05/08/2026

Known as the Nature Island, Dominica offers a different kind of Caribbean experience.

This is a place that asks you to move through it.

A morning might begin at Scotts Head, where the Caribbean and Atlantic meet and an underwater volcanic crater creates one of the island’s most memorable snorkeling spots. At Champagne Reef, bubbles rise from the ocean floor as you swim through them, like the sea itself is alive.

By midday, you’re back in Roseau for lunch rooted in the island. Fresh catch, local ingredients, and dishes shaped by the people who call this place home.

The afternoon shifts again. Into the rainforest. Into the mountains. Into Morne Trois Pitons National Park, where the landscape is shaped by heat, water, and time.

The day closes at Trafalgar Falls, where twin waterfalls cut through dense greenery and the sound of rushing water carries through the valley.

Dominica is not meant to be rushed.

It’s meant to be experienced.

If your idea of the Caribbean includes more than just the beach, let’s plan it well.