Ever have a hard time finding the perfect playlist for when your plane takes off to destinations unknown? Ever swipe, and swipe, and swipe looking for the best wanderlust-worthy hit to enjoy that exotic sunrise to? Me too. Whether you’re flying to the cliffs of Ireland, the waterfalls of Jamaica, or the beaches of Greece, no worries, I’ve got you. From Khalid to Miriam Makeba, Childish Gambino to Bob Marley, check out my summertime travel playlist. Oh, and by the way, as I find new dope songs, I’ll add them! So follow it if you feel inclined. Let me know…
ePristine, incandescent, bucolic, all words that come to mind when you think of the beautiful Republic of Chile. Nestled between the Andes Mountains to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west, the small South American country is set up to be a natural wonder thanks to it’s geography. From the marbled caves set along General Carrera Lake, to the ancient, looming ruins on Easter Island, this gorgeous place filled with culture and preserved nature is a gem. Oh, and, On March 10, 2006, the first female president of Chile, Michelle Bachelet was inaugurated, revolutionary hunh? Michelle Bachelet served Chile…
Listen up ladies (and gents), we all know why we love heading to the beach with your significant other, the sun, the sand, the surf, a perfect opportunity to get closer to the one you’re feelin’. But we alllll also know, it’s the perfect opportunity to flex the results of that diet you’ve been dying on, get a golden glow, and remind bae why he/she what a stunner they have by their side! And while that beach beauty is the best filter, allow me to share with you some of my old, and new beauty product go-to’s that I…
So yeah, some off season in the future, here’s where you’ll find us. Found in the gorgeous village of Oia in Santorini rests Katikies Hotel; a stunning hideaway located 100 meters above the incandescent Caldera of Santorini. Just so y’all know, a caldera is a body of water that has been formed inside a hole made by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption. Don’t worry, this one is long extinct. Nerd moment over. Boasting two award winning infinity pools, an amazing hot tub nestled inside a finished cave, three restaurants and caldera-view suites with all-white every-thang decor, this is…
Nestled between a turquoise lagoon and the Caribbean Sea on Jamaica’s north coast is the luxurious, yet casually chic GoldenEye Hotel. Once a three-bedroom home to former spy turned novelist, 007 author Ian Fleming, the three villas have expanded to 11 beach-front cottages and six lagoon suites. Sigh, the ultimate in island rustic luxury, this hotel boasts two foodie-approved restaurants, Bizot Bar and Gazebo, a saltwater and freshwater pool and spa. For the more adventurous type, the hotel offers snorkeling, stand-up paddleboarding, an excursion on a glass bottom boat to the sea the bucolic wonder of the area’s reefs, sailing,…
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about traveling to Egypt? Pyramids, hieroglyphs, ancient archeological sites, and ruins of course. But now, you can have a whole other reason to travel to the region. A glorious oasis from another era, situated in a white limestone mountain in the Siwa Oasis, an urban oasis in the heart of Egypt’s Western Desert between the Qattara Depression and the Egyptian Great Sand Sea, lies one of the world’s most remote hotels; Adrére Amellal: Desert Ecolodge. Because of the Siwa Oasis’ remote location, a distinctive and unique cultural preservation has occurred here.…
Thinking about backpacking through Patagonia? Nah, okay. Even if it wasn’t on your bucket list of places to visit, this dope eco-camp, that makes camping look glamorous just may change your mind. Scene set: A brilliant night, cloudless, with stars, and constellations gleaming above. Awe-inspiring snow capped granite mountains, lush greenery, and pristine waterways surround you. Nestled in this unearthly wilderness is EcoCamp Patagonia, an award-winning sustainable lodge in the heart of Torres del Paine National Park. Here, you can appreciate nature up close and personal while still basking in luxurious amenities like polar fleece sheets, woolen blankets, feather quilts, gourmet…
Shame on me. After living in the Chicagoland area for the past year and some change, I hadn’t taken advantage of all the beautiful city of Chicago has to offer, why? Because I was stuck in the burbs. You see, I’m a city girl born and bred, but after moving to the burbs of the burbs, mind you where I live is like the King of the Burbs — I fell into the comfortableness of the quiet life. That’s cool and all, but my boyfriend and I decided that we would no longer be stuck in the suburban cycle. On…
Guadeloupe is the island you never knew you wanted to visit. When approaching the island in the plane, it’s as if it has risen out of a sparkly turquoise ocean, a mirage beach bucolic waiting you to explore. The island is a gorgeous, yet, slightly underdeveloped Caribbean Island (a part of the Lesser Antilles) and is a French “department” that has been largely undiscovered by American tourists. Why? Up until Norwegian Airlines introduced direct flights from the states, Guadeloupe has been a secret holiday getaway for the French. But let me be honest and break down the brass tax. This…
An oasis, nestled between desert and mountain landscapes. Sharp white walls, intricately adorned arches, large, heady domes, lush olive trees surrounding an endless still pool, and Islamic-style architecture — all taking you back in time to the resplendent grandeur and beauty of those early century palaces of Arabian sultans. Oh, and I did I mention you can still get snatched while on vacation here? LOL. Welcome to Palais Namaskar, the Marrakech, Morocco based luxury wellness hotel. Since it opened it’s doors in only 2012, it’s been named Best Hotel in Africa among many other accolades. The Grounds: I could mention the…
I’m really blessed to have some very positive, spiritual, and Godly (because there’s a difference) friends in my circle. They encourage me to stay positive, pray, do affirmations, and manifest what I want/need in my life. After living in a new city for a year or so to the date, I’ve really and truly started to understand how important it is to have a tribe of positive people around you, those who reflect who you want to be in life, and what you want out of it. Those sayings, ‘you are who you attract,’ and ‘you are the sum total…
For all of The Amangiri Resort’s grandiose beauty, it sits unassumingly nestled in the 600 acre desert landscape of Canyon Point, Utah, as if it grew out of the sand and lofty bluffs itself. It’s modern luxurious design was built in the earth tones of it’s surrounding, making the hotel all the more bucolic. The resort is a 25-minute drive from Page, Arizona, the town that houses the amazing Antelope Canyon, and a 15-minute drive to the shores of Lake Powell. With an almost magnanimous stone escarpment in the middle of a sizable pool, a cellar, spa and library, this…
Scene set: A lush oasis of flora and fauna, emerald sweeping plains, gentle beasts with long trunks and floppy ears and slow rippling tides of N’wanetsi River – straight out of some fantastical fairytale. You’re sitting above the bucolic scene, drink in hand – mind racing at the prospect of your South African safari adventure to come. Welcome to Singita Kruger National Park in South Africa. You’re staying at the luxurious Singita Lembombo Lodge found on the south eastern reaches of the Kruger National Park, on South Africa’s border with Mozambique. Situated on the hills of the property’s 33,000 acres, the hotel and park itself…
Yes, it’s as gorgeous as you can imagine. Turquoise surf, light tan sand, sun even when clouds are promised, great seafood restaurants, quirky seaside shops, and miles and miles of hiking. Okay, did I get all of that into one sentence? Malibu is a weekend vacationer’s dream, and it’s laid back, hippy chic quietude can lull you into a sense of not wanting to do a damn thing, and isn’t that what some vacation’s should be all about? A lot of people ask me about quick getaways that they can take, so, I decided to share this weekend with y’all.…
Since I’ve moved to Chicago (or, the ‘burbs of Chicago), I decided to invest some time in checking out all this foodie paradise has to offer. Around the time I made this decision, Chicago just haaaappened to be named the “Best Restaurant City of the Year” by Bon Appetit Magazine. Yum. Helping Chicago to receive this illustrious designation is the Logan Square Mexican restaurant, Mi Tocaya Antojeria. Chef Diana Davila serves up fresh, authentic Mexican cuisine, and lesser known regional delicacies set against the backdrop of a quirky and culturally themed decor inside, and beautiful but small, outdoors space, that…
If you have any type of social media account, it’s not hard to see that everyone from Millennials, to Gen Z, even to you grumpy ‘ol Gen X-ers (hehe) have been traveling like crazy, posting about it, saturating our timelines with wanderlust-worthy Insta content to feast our eyes on. But unfortunately, much of it is the same! How many times can I see the cliffs of Santorini, Machu Pichu in Peru, buddhist in Bali, Phang Nga in Phuket? I’m not hating, trust me, get your travel on — because these destinations will be coming to an @AngelEra Insta-feed near you soon…
Listen, I know I’m going to get a lot of people disagreeing with me and that’s fine, life is about debate, discussion and dissonance. Otherwise, how would we be able to make informed decisions, birth new ideas and practices, start new political systems and create societies on which morals, mores and lives are built? Anyway, I digress. My momma, who went on to be with the Lord three years ago in August use to say something to me all the time. Let me back track and tell you that she was a Christian, with a deep and abiding faith in…
If you live in the Chicagoland area and love Netflix’s Stranger Things, the dope AF sci-fi thriller about the suddenly other-worldly happenings in 1980’s Hawkins, Indiana, and wouldn’t mind some responsible after-work libations (because who wouldnt?), then Logan Square’s pop-up bar “The Upside Down” is for you. The name is a nod to the show’s evil nether-verse haunting the Byers’ family and crew, and you won’t be disappointed. I haven’t been yet, but apparently stepping into the bar takes you back in time to an 80’s themed dance party, put on by the Hawkins Middle School A.V. Club (you have…
Happy Monday folks! I’m once again cutting down the travel link noise to bring you the best in wanderlust news for the week. Check these links out for your travel fix. Xx. Fabulous Hotels for Under $162 a Night 7 Ideal Jobs for People Who Love to Travel A Bounty of Europe Travel Deals Best New Hotels in the US Best New Hotels in the World Where Airlines are Cutting or Adding Service Virgin America Fans Should Give Alaska Airlines a Chance
“Shock. Disgust. Horror. “Damn, that could me!” Who didn’t have these thoughts and feels running through their mind when they saw cell phone footage of United Airlines passenger David Dao being forcibly removed—excuse me, I mean “re-accommodated” (the airline CEO’s washed euphemism for dragged) down the aisle of his flight? According to the United Airlines, the Chicago-to-Louisville flight was overbooked, something United Airlines is ubiquitously guilty of. Last year, United involuntarily denied boarding to 3,765 passengers from their seats. So when passengers didn’t volunteer to give up their seats on the flight, to the tune of 1000 bucks, four folks were…
