Tag Archives: jetsetter

5 Gifts for your Travelin’ Girl

flowers

The day of hearts and flowers is coming soon and, while I trust you know this, I know there are many last minute and dumb-founded shoppers out there. If I were being completely honest about my Valentine’s Day gift wish list, it would include something like a round-the-world plane ticket or a week long vacay on St. Barts. Possibly a hotpink Mini Cooper with a rhinestone tiara thrown in for good measure. BUT that’s definitely not realistic for most and especially last minute shoppers. So, Lola’s here with some Lola Approved suggestions that will make your travelin’ girl’s heart go pitter pat.

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First of all, if you must go with chocolates and flowers, FINE. Just don’t make that all you do. Your money would be better spent, however, a lot of other ways. I’m sure your travelin’ girl is practical so why not consider investing in a practical yet luxurious and fun gift like a Theodora & Callum scarf?! These pretty scarves are perfect for changing up an outfit on the road and could easily double as a cover up if your girl is somewhere warm. See?? It works in any climate and situation. Clever!

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OR you must know us gals like to look our best while traveling. I have found myself in between mani/pedi appointments many a time while away from home. Some gals need their eyebrows waxed or are in need of a facial, etc. How about a lovely Bliss Spa gift certificate?! They have so many spa locations all over the USA and several internationally as well. BUT your girl could even just use the thoughtful gift certificate to purchase their awesome Bliss products. A perfect traveling companion!

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Another thing we girls are typically in need of is a good traveling jewelry case to hold all our bobbles. I’m obsessed with Stow London products (they make them in LOLAPINK) and would recommend both the Hester and Amelia jewelry cases. Because, you know, one for an overnight and one for a longer getaway! 😉 AND if you are really trying to impress her, get her a travel charm from one of her favorite places and put it inside for an extra surprise! (Your welcome)

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Maybe your travelin’ girl has all these things and wouldn’t be impressed with a spa gift card… so perhaps a quirky and artistic gift is better. You know something cool yet sentimental. All good travelers need a notebook for their, um, notes. (you could include your own love note inside) Archie Grand has been a Lola fave for some time. Depending on your gals interests, a few of their “cool notebooks” you might want to consider are DRESSES I HAD AND LIKED – for the girl who plans her packing. FAUX PAS I MADE AND LIKED – for the girl who likes to remember all the funny things that happened on her travels. Or WINES I HAD AND LIKED – for the girl who cannot remember her favorites tried during wine tastings when away. Personally, I’ll take the BRITS I MET AND LIKED because, as you know, Lola’s an Anglophile!

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AND my final suggestion, well I think it’s a goodie. I recognize planning a surprise trip is a BIG undertaking as well as a pricey one. So, how about a Jetsetter gift card? Because you can get them in all kinds of denominations and it is a promise to pick a fabulous place to stay anywhere in the world at some point down the line. Hello sexy and spontaneous! That should really get your travelin’ girl’s heart racing. Plus, it’s a gift you both can enjoy. Sooooo…it’s a WIN WIN!

XO – Lola

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Cambodia Countdown – week 3

New Continent. New Country. Prepping & Preparing! Cambodia.

three weeks away from going to a new land. i’ve started pulling out potential appropriate work clothes for my Habitat for Humanity house build in Phnom Penh and have made a pilgrimage to REI to buy “roughing it” stuff. ya know, like a clothes line because i’ll be washing my unmentionables in my hotel sink. this is a very UNLOLA-LIKE adventure.

this money belt is sexy and you know it!

BUT before you worry too much that i won’t make it out of Cambodia alive, i want to reassure you that while i’ll be working for the first week of my trip, the second week will be filled with touring and staying at VERY LOLA-LIKE places.

i’ll have the best of both worlds. GIVING & GETTING! i have a feeling i’ll be getting more than giving. like getting gratitude. getting a sense of accomplishment. getting new friendships. AND certainly getting mosquito bites! (this is my biggest fear – i’m a mosquito magnet!!)

allow me to show you my roughing it supplies

    

no wait! there’s more…

what IS all this stuff, you ask?

hand sanitizer. prescriptions for malaria & a potential bout with stomach troubles. tissues for potty breaks. sunblock. all kinds of mosquito stuff including something to treat my clothes with. electrolytes. a headlamp. (yes. you read that right) what the hell have i gotten myself into?

AND i bought extra travel insurance yesterday. ya know, should my bag get lost or stolen. should i have to leave Cambodia because of an emergency back home. emergency evacuation insurance. medical stuff including dismemberment & death. YEP i’m insured even for the double “D”.

OK enough drama! now let me show you my posh stays

in Siem Reap i’ll be spending a couple heavenly nights at La Residence d’Angkor that i booked through my favorite & trusted luxe travel site – Jetsetter!

Overlooking Siem Reap’s shady, lazy river and a 10-minute stroll from the bite-sized town’s bright and buzzing central market, this Khmer-styled Orient Express hotel, decked out in varnished teak, split bamboo, gleaming silk and natural cotton, provides sophisticated comfort without forgetting to be cozy. A short tuk tuk ride from the jungle-buried ruins of Angkor Wat, the large pool, superb restaurant, sweeping grounds and spa form a welcome haven after a hard day’s visiting temples. YOU FEEL RELIEVED NOW, RIGHT?!

then there’s a few nights where i’m still working out where i’ll be staying…AND THEN i go to 4 Rivers Floating Lodge in Tatai. also booked through Jetsetter. this is glamping at its best!! how could i go wrong?!

Like a rare butterfly, Cambodia has emerged from a troubled past to show off its beauty.

Away from the tourist trail to ancient civilisations there is another country… a land of unspoilt virgin forest, rare orchids and fragrant frangipani, the startling colours and calls of birds of paradise, secretive jungle creatures and a perfumed air of peace and solitude.

This ecological miracle deserves an environmentally friendly resort that captures the imagination while offering the luxury and high-end facilities of a four-star boutique resort.

Peaceful seclusion, privacy, luxury, exclusivity… I SAY YES! 

i may return home dismembered but i’ll be refreshed by posh stays and beautiful nature!

XO – lola

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Filed under cambodia, travel

bon bini – welcome to curacao!

hello down below!

on the Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge 1/2 way between Punda and Otrobanda - Willemstad, Curacao

OK OK i have to confess – #1 i LOVED Curacao – an adorable dutch island in the caribbean with a diverse history & population – bring it on! #2 it’s a looong trip from the east coast & i could have used 2 more days. bottom line, you need some time – my pre-planning was a bit aggressive , most of my list i didn’t come close to tackling. having said that, i really thought Curacao to be an incredible island & cannot wait to return & discover more about it (if that’s any indicator because i’m totally going back). really the beaches are a gem & that’s where my time was spent so no regrets! it may sound ridiculous – yes…it’s an island but it’s kinda big and the infrastructure makes it a little time consuming to get from point A to point B.

here is the low down:  the people are wonderful!  very international – if you like that sort of thing.  you don’t feel like a tourist – you are out & about with the locals.

where i stayed – the Hyatt Regency – newest resort on the island (a spanking one year old) was very nice & the staff were superb – very Americanized & could accommodate any request BUT really out of the way. i stand by my choice…i had never been to Curacao & was traveling alone so a certain amount of comfort came in knowing i was staying somewhere that could accommodate my every whim. next visit i think i will consider something centrally located & in town like Avila Hotel or Kura Hulanda Hotel.

QUICK TRIP TIP – Jetsetter is having an AMAZING deal on the Hyatt in Curacao so if you are tempted to go – you should seriously consider this deal. Yahoo! also posted a deal on the caribbean this week & listed in it’s 10 best beach destinations for 2011 is none other but Cas Abao beach on Curacao – one of the beautiful beaches i visisted!  DO IT!

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Filed under caribbean, curacao, swanky luxe stays, travel