I’m asked a lot about staying in Carmel since I lived there for several months this past winter/spring and have stayed in several hotels there over the years. So I’ve decided to share my favourite Carmel by the Sea/Big Sur area hotels with a focus on those best for a romantic or indulgent trip (since that’s the number one question I’m asked!):

The Cypress Hotel: This hotel is famous; it’s hard to read any article on Carmel and not read about this one. But I think it’s lazy journalism and the fact that it is half owned by Doris Day who makes the place very dog friendly and not because of service, amenities or rooms. Now, for Carmel it’s one of the luxurious properties and the location is fabulous but don’t set really high expectations if you’re used to 4 star deluxe properties. The front staff is generally useless and the front office manager is scary (if you see her, you will know who I am talking about!). I have stayed here 4 times as the owners also owned my flat complex when I lived in Carmel. And when my flat was destroyed I was able to stay here (though I stayed here on my own before I moved). The rooms tend to be small but my favourites were the 1 bedroom suites that faced Lincoln street. It had a fireplace, a love updated washroom, a really nice sitting room and faced a courtyard on one end. It’s great if you have dogs because you can just open your door and you’re on the street. I stayed in a corner suite again with a fireplace and a massive amazing tub that I would recommend for a rendez vous. The downside is that it’s overpriced and loud - you’ll hear your neighbour, you’ll hear street traffic, you’ll hear the maids hoovering at 6AM. But the beds/linens are lovely and it’s a nice place to sit for coffee in the evening. But it’s always crowded which, if you want privacy, might not be for you. And if you don’t like dogs, do not stay here.

L’auberge Carmel: Opened in 1929, this hotel has recently been redefined with old school elegance and charm with new school pricing. The location is hard to beat - it’s right in town, blocks from the beach and a block from the main drag, Ocean Avenue. With only 20 rooms, it’s very private and intimate with luxury details you’d expect to find in every room. It can sometimes feel a little too “done” and you’ll see a lot of suits from San Francisco here but there’s no denying that it is beautiful, architecturally stunning and cosy.

La Playa Hotel: I haven’t stayed here but I would walk past it almost every day on my way to the beach. It looks like one of those old grand beach hotels and from walking the halls on the inside, seems to live up to it’s old world sophisticated appearance. It’s only a few short blocks from the beach and from any ocean view room you’ll certainly be able to hear the waves crashing upon shore. The cottages - which are set just off from the main hotel, look amazing, private and very Carmel.

Post Ranch Inn: If you have money, stay here. It is undeniably one of the best hotels not just in the area, but ever. The details, the linens, the privacy, the luxury - it’s all here and understated which is something I love. It brings nature inside in a delicate, beautiful way that really makes you feel peaceful. The views are just some of the most amazing I’ve ever seen, especially from the infinity pool. This place spells romance with in-room massage to Prix Fixe dinners that allow to organically dine for hours. The hotel has even won several green lodging awards. The only downside if you can call it one, is that it is not in Carmel or in walking distance. But if you need a getaway, this is where to go. Drive into crowded Carmel instead!

Bernardus Lodge: Located in Carmel Valley, this luxury hotel spells romance and quiet. Featherbeds, tubs for two, roaring fireplaces and a winery to boot, this place is worth the drive (it’s about 10 minutes to downtown Carmel). There’s also a spa which I haven’t been to but the menu looks amazing and eating here does too (the restaurant is always highly rated).

Tree Bones Resort: What it lacks in luxury (no TV, phones, or private restroom) it makes up in views and simple pleasures (heated ocean-view pool, access to coast line, privacy and quiet). The rates are steep for something basic but this is Big Sur and nothing is ever really cheap. This is more luxury wilderness sleeping but it’s lovely.

Carmel River Inn: Just off Highway one and not in walking distance to town, this is a great value property if you stay in the recently renovated Cottages. I really loved the one I stayed in as it has a gorgeous fireplace, the fluffiest, comfiest bed, a two person tub and a private garden which was great since I brought my dog, Jack. You’ll be nestled amongst trees and birds so you’ll have quiet and privacy and be reasonably close to downtown Carmel. The best parts? You don’t pay the usual area rates!

Since I travel a lot and own both a cat and a dog, I’m often asked what happens to them. Do they travel, too?

Why yes they do!

I’m a huge believer that both pets and children can be great travellers if exposed early enough and done the right way. When I first got my cat Grace, I lived in a studio flat on a beautiful tree-lined street next door to a park. So I put her on a leash and took her out for daily walks just to expose her to different sounds and situations. And since I didn’t have a car, I’d have to take her to the vet on foot which I did by putting her in a large cage that I carried through the city streets - again so she could see everything and get used to noises. She actually seemed to enjoy the outings, especially since she is 100% an indoor cat. She can do long car trips and actually loves being in hotel rooms (she explores then cuddles in).

My dog Jack, however, was different. Spending the first 10 months of his life in a shelter, he had no idea about the outside world, being a dog, or how to walk (his back leg was gimped at first from sitting so much). The day I brought him home, he had no idea how to get into the car and I had no idea how to coax him in! I tried for about half an hour until one of the shelter people came over and helped me literally push him in. He was terrified of the car (sat curled up and panted heavily), terrified of people, terrified of going anywhere. And since I travelled a lot and wanted a walking companion, that would have to change.

I took him to AKC’s Canine Good Citizen classes at the Dog Boys Ranch in Austin TX. I also boarded him there a lot and had him do a lot of day visits just to get used to being social and having the training reinforced since the trainers also worked the ranch. I also took him on lots of day trips in the car to get him used to driving and I took him to shops (he has spent a great amount of time at Anthropologie!) and places that allowed pets to get him used to being around people. All of that along with a lot of patience, Jack has become an amazing traveller - a fabulous walker, happily gets into the car and even sticks his head out the window to boot!

Now that Jack is Canine Good Citizen certified and has had a lot of exposure, having him stay in hotels hasn’t been a problem. At first, he’d do quiet woofs when he heard people walking past the door but through training and lots of hotel rooms, he no longer does this. Bringing in his certificate to check in desks, I’ve had a lot of hotels forgo the “nightly pet charge” they sometimes give. Although I tend to stay either at Kimpton Hotels or Four Seasons - both of which are very pet friendly, have no surcharge and provide treats. But having him certified and knowing he’s a great traveller, I can stay at B&B’s or house rentals with ease.

Now, both pets have driven across country several times, have done lots of day trips, and have stayed in some of the most luxurious hotels around. So here’s what I take and do whilst travelling with them:

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While I do travel a lot, it’s always for work or an event. I couldn’t tell you the last time I had an actual vacation. A time when there was nothing to do, no one to see, and it lasted more than an hour. But for someone who loves her work and is self-employed, time off is a rarity (that’s not something one thinks about when they’re in cubicle hell. I had more time off in a full-time job than I ever have on my own).

Two other self-employed women, Emira of Be the Boss of You and Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching, have each just written about the need for time off. And I’ve echoed their words for years but haven’t been able to live it. Each time a trip was planned, I’d ring someone up or I’d turn it into a business trip.

With all the stress of this year, I was in need of some serious R&R and realised instead of preaching the value of time off, I should take my own advice and take one.

Most Danes have a getaway home though they’re almost never fancy. Even in the city of Copenhagen, you will find a colony of little hyttes, basic cabins often with no running water or electricity but a bit of garden space, just so city dwellers have a place to escape to. Most cabins are in the country, near water. I have cousins who have them and they’re very nice modest places that they go to every year. The Danes do know how to relax.

Since I had been in so many hotels this year alone, I didn’t want to take a city escape to yet another fabulous place with room service and people. I wanted something simple, something private, something in nature, something affordable and someplace where I could just be - something like a hytte but with electricity since I needed to cook. I also wanted to be able to take my dog, Jack, and not have to worry. And so began my search for a cabin.

While I didn’t exactly find a cabin, I did find an amazing house in Ukiah in Northern California - the Haiku House. It’s run by Sheep Dung Properties which is a lot nicer than it sounds! The owners created several homes for people who want to get away from it all with their pets. Exactly what I needed.

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Since immigrating to America in 1999 I’ve lived in 8 cities and 4 states and travelled across it three times. I feel I can safely say that for me, my happy place (and the only place) is Santa Monica, California. A pretty little city on the Pacific Ocean right next to all of Los Angeles’ crazy antics.

There are lots of reasons why I love living here; a sense of community, it’s eco-awareness, great bus service, the amazing twice weekly farmers market, walking distance to everything, bike lanes and it’s just simply beautiful. In a recent poll of residents, there was a 97% satisfaction rate.

Living here I have a constant flow of visitors who want to escape cold weather or need a little glam or want to see what I love. So here’s a list of my favourite places and things to do locally:

1. I’ve stayed in a lot of hotels in Santa Monica. The Embassy Hotel Apartments has the best location for the money. It’s more of a basic, European 3 star hotel but the prices are the best and the rooms are clean, nicely decorated and perfect for living local. For something more uscale the wonderful Ambrose Hotel is perfect - in walking distance to Whole Foods, a block to Wilshire, about a 30min walk to the promenade and the hotel is 100% eco-friendly with amazing beds, decor and breakfast from Urth (more to come on that). Staying at Casa del Mar amongst the celeb’s will have you feeling glam, especially if your room overlooks the ocean. The Viceroy (where you can rent Jorg & Olif bikes!), Huntley Hotel (people love the top floor restaurant, I like the bedding), Hotel Oceana are also all great bets. I’ve had two different rooms at the Fairmont Santa Monica (one in the old part, one in the tower) and it’s a nice hotel but for the money, I’d stay in one of the others above.
2. Montana Avenue. Everyone will tell you to go here and there’s a reason; it has great botiques, relatively quiet, very pretty and has everything you can need from food to stores. My favourite stores include Shabby Chic, Planet Blue, Le Partie, Footsie, Michael Stars, The Wagging Tail, and Home Inc.. But take your time wandering up and down and if you get hungry, don’t worry there are a lot of great places to eat from inexpensive (Marmalade Cafe & Market) to fancy (Cafe Montana).
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I don’t own a car but in the past year I’ve done a lot of driving; from Texas to California and dozens of trips between Los Angeles and San Francisco. There was also driving all over Ireland which was extraordinarily terrifying!

This holiday weekend I’m heading out on yet another day trip and in a couple of weeks yet another. I’ve got a pretty good system down for making road trips that I learned after doing a lot of driving from Seattle to Los Angeles and across Canada and I share them in an article at Anywhere, Everywhere.

The only thing I would add is that I’ve now got an “emergency picnic” kit that I kept stored in the car and is full of plates, cutlery, a cutting board, packing knife, napkins in a small cooler for when I just need to pull over and eat. There’s also a foldable blanket which can double during an emergency (and there’s a real emergency kit, too). I also picked up an iPod FM Transmitter which has helped tremendously and I confess my favourite playlist is a Karaoke one I made. Who doesn’t love signing at the top of their lungs on the open road?

This year has been about movement for me; December 23rd I moved into a home in Carmel by the sea then a month later headed to Ireland for over three weeks. I had to come back early due to the fact my flat was destroyed and so I quickly packed up what was left, moved some things into storage and some things into temporary housing. Then it was on the move again back to Los Angeles, back to Europe, to Vancouver, then San Francisco, then LA then Europe, then San Francisco, drive down to LA then drive back up. I know - what a thing to complain about! But all the travel and living out of a suitcase has worn on me in ways I wouldn’t have expected. What was thrilling at 18 has become exhausting at 34.

I have one more trip this weekend to Seattle (I must, must go to Lauren and Emira’s book reading for their book, The Boss of You, because it’s just amazing as are they). But after that I am as settled as I know of and aside from finding another flat in Santa Monica and settling in, the only other to do is to take a vacation.

All the travel above has been work related or friend related. Go. Go. Go. I don’t know many of us who don’t have the Go. Go. Go’s - some of us in very different ways. And how we relax from all that is also different and what I want to try is a cabin for a week. No hotel, no room service, no city living, no meeting up with people, no internet. Just a cosy cabin, my dog, a good bed and sleep.

As I’ll be travelling with my dog, where I’ll go will be limited to where I can drive and who will accept pets. I’m looking at the Oregon Coast or Mendocino. Anyone have any recommendations? After being in Paris on a hot, spring weekend I am terrified of being near crowds! So somewhere quiet, beautiful, peaceful and near water would be lovely. And a cabin that is comfortable enough for a week; I can’t tell you the last time I was in one place for a week or the last time I was in a cabin (although two years ago I visited the amazing and highly recommended Evergreen Lodge in Yosemite. I did their “Custom Camping” but only for one night as I was on assignment but I did peak into their cabins. Lovely!).

So cabin-goers - tips, ideas? How do you relax? What do you bring? What are your life-detox tips after a whirlwind life?

Thanks to years of travel and hundreds of trips (52 last year and 11 so far this year), I’ve got packing down to a science - especially since I like to travel with only carry-on. However, my current trip to Europe was a little challenging due to several different climates, events, Terminal 5, and length of time so I had to really think about what to bring.

Dressing for comfort is essential followed by flexibility (how many times to how many places can I wear something) followed by is it appropriate (for weather, people, dinners, daily touring). Above is my essentials which was all nicely tucked into my Orla Kiely roll on bag (which worked as carry-on!).

So far, everything has worked really well and been very comfortable. I’ve been able to go to some big events but then walk on cobblestone streets in freezing temperatures. There were a couple of items that didn’t make it in (a bright orange dress and a shawl I wear - you can see those in some of my Flickr shots). The purple Rachel Pally dress has been heaven for flights because it’s easy to sleep in. My Born boots have been crucial to walking around. And the hat comes in perfect when rain hits and the hair frizzes. And big sunglasses cover up late nights and hours of travel.

There is the cliche saying that you can spot a tourist because of their running shoes, khaki pants and t-shirts. I find this is often true and it’s confusing to me how comfort is almost always equated to sweat pants and runners in North America. Or how when people travel they don’t “take the good stuff” because they fear it getting lost on a flight. This is my fear, too, which is why I do carry on. If I have too much to fit into a carry on (which is very, very rare) I take a second bag, packing all the things that could be easily replaced or I could afford to lose (often this is computer gadgets, chargers, shoes, books, toiletries). Things that I don’t want to lose (clothes, computer, personal things) I then put in the carry-on.

The other trick for me is to pick things that all work well together colour-wise. This way I can extend the life of my clothes by mixing and matching so that I don’t get so sick of wearing one thing over and over (especially after a month of travel!). I also stick to materials that don’t wrinkle or, if they do, I wrap the item in tissue paper (usually I ask for some extra pieces from Anthropologie and wrap it up - wrinkles are avoided!).

Travelling has been a way of life for me since I was 18 and I still spend more than half the year living out of a suitcase. Needless to say, I’ve learned what kind of luggage does - and doesn’t - work for weekend getaways or month long trips.

Generally speaking, I travel with a carry on that contains everything and a light bag/purse (the big green one above, generally) for reading materials, wallet/passport and snacks. If the trip is longer or more involved, I take a carry on, a checked bag and a purse. The luggage has been set for years now so if I want to change my mood I just change my purse. But having a set of luggage that I can count on, ready to go at any moment has completely changed travel for me. And because I believe in buying once and my luggage takes such a beating that I really need to have the best.

And what do I consider the best? Victorinox by far.

Read more of my favourite luggage in my article “Luggage I couldn’t live without” on my travel site, Anywhere Everywhere.

I’ve decided to spend a couple of days in London (Knightsbridge) starting tomorrow (Sunday) through Tuesday. I’ve been to London many, many times so I am not in any hurry to rush around the city or see any particular sites. I’m actually more inclined to just take it slow (something I’ve never been good at in London) with lots of walking, some work, tea drinking and checking out the new food scene - so many gluten free places especially.

If anyone has any particular places they love or things to do, let me know as between all of you and Girls Guide to City Life, London I’m sure I’ll have things to do.

I’ll be sharing all my Irish finds hopefully this week - and there are a lot. In the meantime you can follow along via my Photos on Flickr.

Currently enjoying Linda Mathieu’s Blog, Frenchless in France in which her guest blogger, Emily is doing a great job of sharing Provence. I’ve only ever been to Provence in the winter (February, for my birthdays), but I actually really love it then. It’s when you get to really see the towns without fighting mobs of tourists or unhappy hosts. The smell of fireplaces going, the mistral winds, the seasonal cooking of food so thick and warm it sticks to your belly. But, I confess, I’m a little envious of those who get to see it in spring and travel the fields barefoot.

One of my favourite places to stay in Provence regardless of the seasons is the self-catered gite, le pigenonnier in Isle sur la Sorgue. The flat is beautiful, modern but still French and the breakfasts are amazing. The location is perfect (if you have a car) in which to explore the area. And the hosts? Amazing though you’ll have to learn (basic) French to speak with them.