This tilt shift video of Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro is incredible!

By Keith Loutit and Jarbas Agnelli

All I can say is, WOW. If you haven’t seen this video yet, you might want to stop whatever you’re doing and watch. I’ve seen lots of amazing photos of Holi – the festival of colors in India – but this video takes it to another level. It was shot on the Phantom Flex camera which can shoot up to 2,570 frames per second in order to capture action in extreme slow motion.

From the filmmakers:
“The world is fascinating. People and cultures inspire us. Sadly, the fast paced lifestyles of our generation result in many not taking the necessary step back to soak in the existing world around us. Our goal with this film is to help viewers further appreciate and take notice of the beauty in life & culture that lies within our world…”

Directors/Cinematographers: Jonathan Bregel & Khalid Mohtaseb
Production Company: Variable – WeAreVariable

Shot at the Presidio with the Fuji x100

Do you ever travel solo?

Up until last November, I hadn’t taken a true vacay by myself in years.  Scott was headed to Hawaii on a week long photo gig, so I decided to take a last minute road trip to San Francisco for some creative inspiration.  I just threw some clothes in a bag, booked a reservation at my fave SF hotel (was lucky to find a cheap deal on Travelocity), and took off the next morning.

While driving in the car for 6 hours, I wondered what I was going to do when I got there.  Since my goal was to gain some inspiration, I set a rule for this trip: don’t over-plan everything and just wing it.  I love to research and plan my travels to death, so this fall-where-ever-I-land approach was very freeing.  I hung out at the Golden Gate bridge, chose to walk everywhere one day instead of taking mass transit, had Spam musubi at a Japanese tea garden, and indulged by eating ice cream every day (Ghirardelli freshly made waffle cones…yes please!).  It also led to making little discoveries like La Boulange, an amazing place to eat brunch and macarons (I have an obsession with French bistros).  And instead of taking the freeway back home, I bit the bullet and drove the long way home along the coastline since I’ve been dying to do it for years.  The view was UNREAL!

Traveling by yourself is a great way to get inspired, but it can also be daunting and isolating (depending on the situation).  During the four days I was gone, I felt lonely at times…especially while sightseeing and eating at nicer restaurants since these are usually more social activities.  I always wished I had someone there to share a laugh with.

I definitely prefer traveling with Scott or with friends because I think it’s more fun that way.  But I like vacationing by myself too.  It was a completely different type of trip.  It allowed my brain to work on another wavelength and I was able to see things from a different perspective…which is always inspiring.

Party of one, right this way please…

View from the top of Coit Tower

Tourists at the Golden Gate bridge

I love you, La Boulange

Museum of Natural Sciences living roof

Green tea and Spam musubi at the Japanese Tea Garden

Butterfly at the Rainforest inside of the Museum of Natural Sciences

Ben & Jerry’s

Haight – Ashbury

Gull shadow.

The drive along the coast.  Was a beautiful day.

Photos shot with my iPhone and Fuji x100, The squares are Instagram: @leahsak

I could easily pack up everything I own and move right into this place.  The brand new NoMad hotel in New York (opened on April 1st) oozes some serious style.  It has a classic New York meets grand Parisian hotel vibe that I’m completely drawn to.  It’s housed in a converted turn of the century Beaux-Arts building in the North of Madison Square Park district. (This is also where it gets the name NoMad).

French architect/designer Jacques Garcia designed the rooms with the style of the Parisian flat in mind, but mixed it with a New York feel.  The hardwood floors, clawfoot tub, and dark accents especially caught my eye.  Rooms are also decorated with original artwork, stocked with first-rate amenities, and have views of the Empire State and Flatiron buildings.  One of the distinctive European features of the property is the glass roof atrium.  The pyramidal glass brings natural sunlight into the middle of the dining room for an open and airy feel.

But WOW, my favorite room is the library.  (I have an obsession with library interiors and I’m still taking notes for my future map room.)  The atmosphere is so inviting – it would be the perfect spot for an after dinner drink.  Love all the rich dark wood and how all the books are showcased by the warm glowing light.  What’s unique about it is how the second level is connected by an original staircase imported from the South of France.

The only problem with staying at the NoMad is that I’d never want to leave.  More details over on Yatzer.

Photos & Sources: Yatzer, NoMad hotel

Now that the days are longer, I’m ready to start planning a spring trip.  More daylight means more time to explore the outdoors.  Do you have any travel plans on the calendar?

Here’s a few things that channel the spring vibe:

1.  Scarf:  American Rag, $75
2.  Handmade double wrap leather bracelet:  Bexar Goods Co., $28
3.  Layering Sweater:  Madewell, $98
4.  Camera:  Fuji x100, $1200
5.  Rucksack:  Will Leather Goods, $275
6.  Journal:  Field Notes, $10
7.  See a different side of the city with these maps:  Herb Lester, £8

Photo:  Pinterest

‘The Largest Ships to and from California’, L. Wulff (1910-1959), ‘Vienna’, Kosel (1910-1959)

‘Alaska’, Greenwood 1910-1959, ‘Krakow’, Kozianskich (1910-1959)

‘Come and See Netherland India’ 1910-1959

‘Motoring in Germany’, Ludwig Hohlwein 1910-1959, ‘Sweden’s Scenic Waterway’, Meyer & Koster 1910-1959

‘Trieste’, Giorgio Viola di C. 1938, ‘Paris.Havre.New York’, Albert Sebille (1920-1930)

‘Our Mediterranean Cruises’, Wusten & Co. 1910-1959, ‘The Gentle Art of Civilized Living’, Adolph Treidler 1934

‘Klosters Graubünden, Schweiz,’ J. C. Müller, 1910-1959, ‘By Train for Seaside Holidays! Take a Kodak‘, Sellheim, 1910-1959

‘See the Lands of the Vikings’, Ben Blessum 1910-1959, ‘Travel by Trans-Australian Railway’, Northfield 1930

These vintage travel posters are begging to be framed.  After I saw them over on Brain Pickings, I couldn’t help but flip through them all.

They were created during the “Golden Age of Travel”, when new railroads were being built, luxury cruise liners started sailing across the Atlantic, and people started driving their new cars.  The ads were made to entice people by capturing the romance and adventure of traveling to a far-flung destination.  Well, it definitely worked on me.

(P.S. You can buy a book full of these globe-trotting ads right over here.)

Source:  Brain Pickings, Boston Public Library on Flickr

Red cinder cone and chasm.

In the chasm.

On our way back from Lake Tahoe along the 395 Hwy, Scott and I drove past an area that seemed completely out of place for the Sierra Nevada.  Black rock was scattered for miles and we also noticed a big red mound of dirt that definitely wasn’t man-made.  We were dying to know what this thing was, so we did a little iPhone Wiki/Google search.  Turns out we were driving through Owens Valley which was volcanic at one time.  The black rocks were basaltic lava rocks and the big red mound was actually a cinder cone volcano.  After reading a little more, we found out that you can visit Fossil Falls which has a naturally sculpted chasm and lava field.  The Owens River used to flow through there which shaped the basaltic lava rock into something that looks like modern art.

So we took a quick pit stop to go check it out.  We walked a short quarter-mile trail until we reached the chasm.  It was pretty wild to see these gorgeous lava rocks just laying around in the middle of the Sierra Nevada.  I felt like I jumped into an episode of Star Trek.

I love road trips.

Photos shot with the Canon 5D mk II, 17-40mm f/4L lens

Lake Tahoe from the top of the lift.

Heavenly’s Gondolas

Emerald Bay

Emerald Bay – Playing in the snow on a windy day.

Standup paddling Lake Tahoe

Hot chocolate at Blue Angel Cafe

MacDuff’s – fav pub

In continuation of our Lake Tahoe road trip, I just wanted to share a few photos and some of my favorite things there…

Scott and I stayed in South Tahoe at a great eco boutique hotel called 968 Park Hotel.  They have competitive rates and it’s within walking distance of the Heavenly gondola and the casinos at the Nevada border.  They give discounts for local restaurants and they also have a great little bar that has Fat Tire on tap ($3 beers at happy hour).

I didn’t think we’d be able to get out on the lake since it was mid-winter, but the weather turned out to be just fine.  We have some friends that own South Tahoe Standup Paddle and they took us out on a sunset paddle.  The views were incredible and we had the whole lake to ourselves. (Thanks again, Chris and Jared!)

Emerald Bay state park is absolutely gorgeous.  Hiking trails are usually closed during the winter, but you can still hangout at the viewpoint and snap lots of photos of the lake and Vikingsholm mansion.  (Or in my case…just play in the snow!)

I love great food, so after doing some recon on Yelp, I found a pub called MacDuff’s.  They have amazing french onion soup, wood-fired pizza, and corned beef and cabbage.  We also loved Driftwood cafe for their mimosas and breakfast nachos, Blue Angel Cafe for their hot drinks and cozy fireplace, and Freshie’s for their incredible Hawaiian pork tacos and salads.

Can’t wait to plan a summer trip for some hiking and mountain biking.

(Fossil Falls next – Part 3 of 3)

Photos: My own and the standup paddle photos courtesy South Tahoe Standup Paddle

Mt. Whitney 14,505 feet/4421m – the tallest mountain in the contiguous U.S.

Mono Lake

Mono Lake lookout

After missing out on a few good snowboarding seasons, Scott and I finally pulled the trigger and drove up to Lake Tahoe for a few days.  There’s two main routes you can take from Orange County to Lake Tahoe, either way it’s about a 7-8 hour drive.  We always opt for the 395 hwy just so we can go through the gorgeous Sierra Nevada.

I have an affinity for this area since it’s incredibly beautiful and diverse.  The Sierra Nevada mountain range was formed about 4 million years ago from granite and then was later eroded by glaciers during the last ice age.  It runs about 400 miles north to south and highway 395 weaves itself between the east and west mountain ranges in a area called Owens Valley.  There’s lots of parks and natural formations that you can see right from the car like Mt. Whitney (the tallest peak in the contiguous U.S.), Mono Lake, and the lava rocks and cinder cone at Fossil Falls.  What’s really wild is that the road also winds through Long Valley Caldera which is one of the largest calderas on Earth.

This is just one of the many amazing drives you can do in California.  If you ever get the chance to drive it, don’t pass it up!

(Tahoe up next…)

Photos:  First eight shot with the Fuji X100 and last three shot with Canon 5D mk II, 17-40mm f/4L lens

Okay, I’m ready to pack my backpack after watching this video… (This couple spent five weeks traveling through Chile and Patagonia.)