#15 Post-travel fog, souvenirs, & recommendations
A lovingly disorganized brain dump
I’ve been a little absent and feeling quite guilty about it! I had grand delusions of keeping up with content while traveling, and instead I ended up overwhelmed and paralyzed. I have so much respect for people who manage to post regularly on the road, even having a backlog queued up. How? Is it just that I’m getting older (and therefore more easily tired and overstimulated)? I feel like I can only tackle one to-do list item a day now — if that.
In the past two months alone, I squeezed in trips to Phoenix, Prague, Santa Fe, upstate NY, LA, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Copenhagen, and London. With several NYC runs in between (bless Taylor for handling that drive like a champ). Each stop was a blitz, except Copenhagen, where we stayed for about a week. Don’t get me wrong, I still love being on the road, and I know how obnoxious it sounds to whine about traveling. It’s a luxury, full stop, but it does come with mental and physical exhaustion.
This post is a bit chaotic which is fitting, since my brain and personal space are both in disarray (constant travel does not a tidy home make). So let’s ease back in with some souvenirs and recent favorites.
What I picked up
From Prague: A smattering of small local treasures: a hand cream, a perfume, candies and chocolates, some vintage postcards. A crumbly old book on flowers I couldn’t resist (never mind that I don’t understand the language), and a textured metal plate I kept picking up and putting down until I finally just bought it.
From Shanghai: The most beautiful solid perfume from To Summer, housed in a compact metal case that’s deeply satisfying to open and close (the smooth hinge action is perfection). The retail space is also a dream and absolutely worth a visit; while they do sell online, the in-store experience is unmatched (and the prices are notably better, too).
Also: a pair of jeans from Klee Klee — a rare fit with the perfect inseam for the vertically challenged, and an easy yes.
From Copenhagen: Not exactly souvenirs, but some strategic shopping at the Toteme store, which turned out to be surprisingly cheaper there, even with a weak USD. (There’s also a tax refund for those of us non-EU residents!) I picked up a lightweight oversized trench jacket and a pair of braided heels I’d bookmarked the moment I saw them in an email blast.
From London: A restock of my favorite Halen Môn salt (I refuse to use anything else!), plus the obligatory Percy Pigs and Colin the Caterpillars 😊. Also: a sheer tote from the Tate, sold in conjunction with the Do Ho Suh exhibit. The bright yellow shade and gauzy material felt like a perfect nod to his work. And I was mildly naughty at Mouki Mou with a men’s Auralee top purchase.
A summer skincare recommendation
I’ve been lucky to know Dr. David Kim through IG and even saw him for some laser work a few years ago. His skincare line, Lightsaver, just released an SPF serum that I’m now evangelizing about. The tinted version is incredible: glides on like skincare, behaves beautifully under makeup; i.e., it doesn’t pill or flake like so many others do. A discerning friend I was with in London tried it on and instantly said yes. Run, do not walk to add this to your sun protection kit.
Copenhagen favorites (not a comprehensive guide, yet!)
Where to begin? We went to Rondo not once, not twice, but three times (Taylor went four). I kept missing their elusive sandwiches, but the pastries and cheese/butter rolls more than made up for it. I’ve tried a lot of bakeries in Copenhagen, and I can confidently say Rondo and Juno are my top picks.
I’ll probably need to dedicate an entire post to CPH one day. It’s a city I return to yearly (seven visits and counting). But some new-to-me standouts this time included:
Bar Vitrine: small plates with an Indian-accented flair and absolutely delicious
Baka d’Busk: unassuming vegetarian spot
Auren’s Deli: fresh, simple dishes and a charming grocery/market section
Møntergade: classy spot for elegant smørrebrød
Piola Pastificio: incredible handmade pasta
And of course, some perennial favorites:
Amator for breakfast, Poulette for fried tofu or chicken sandwiches, Pompette for a glass of wine, Apollo Bar really anytime, Diamond Slice for oversized NYish-style pizza (get the tomato slice with stracciatella), and April Coffee for the most refined brew experience (though don’t be shocked if your cappuccino runs you $14).
A bit of me, elsewhere
My dear friend and prop/interior stylist Kira Corbin just launched her homewares line, Standard Affair. I’ve seen how much thought and effort she’s poured into the design and production process, and I’m so excited for her. We’ve had endless conversations over the years about creative pivots, and while I’m usually overthinking everything (classic), she’s been taking action. Real steps. Real results. It’s inspiring.
She interviewed me for her inaugural journal series At the Table, and I shared a very “me” tuna bowl, a household staple over here.
Meanwhile, I’m thrilled to be part of Fanny Singer’s recipe collection on the Permanent Collection journal. I took one of my childhood favorites — my mom’s tea eggs — and riffed on it to make it my own. It’s easy, nostalgic, and full of flavor.
So there you have it. A bit of a hodge-podge post, but true to where I’m at right now. I sometimes wonder if I should narrow my focus and become more niche, but for the moment, I feel more at home with range than mastery. I do love a full nerd-out on certain topics, though, and I hope this kind of mix feels okay to land in your inbox.
a perfect hodgepodge - it is summer anyhoos!
I think we all can relate to hodgepodge 😉.. sounds like a great few months of travel!