Palomar Chicago

There is something amazing about staying in a spanking new hotel. Lucky for me I was able to spend a few days at the Palomar Chicago which is a member of one of my new favorite hotel chains....Kimpton hotels.
The hotel is located in the lively River North area of the city. The rooms are comfortable and modern but not cold. L'Occitane en Provence toiletries are a fantastic touch. Speaking of nice touches....there is a free wine tasting every evening in the lobby which is also stocked during the day with a Jelly Belly Bar (a personal favorite of mine)!
The Hotel restaurant, Sable Kitchen and Bar offers an amazing menu of traditional American food with a modern twist...(bison burger sliders and the homemade beef jerky are super tasty)!
TIP: don't forget to sign up for the Kimpton In Touch program so you can take advantage of the free wi-fi and complimentary items from the mini-bar.

Check-in (Tracey)

Welcome to a new series on Jetlegs called Check-in.
We are on the hunt for stylish and interesting people who are in transit. Look out as we may be chasing you down the next time you are jetside.




NAME: Tracey
SPOTTED: Toronto
DESTINATION: Chicago
OCCUPATION: Beauty Editor
FAVORITE DESTINATION: India
WISHES TO VISIT: New Zealand
WHY SHE CAUGHT OUR EYE:
-Loved her casual yet chic look.
-The grey layering of her t-shirts and sweater
-Fun sparkle in her flats
-Jetset sunglasses
TRACEY'S TRAVEL TIPS:
-Check to see if your hotel has quality toiletries, why pack extra if you don't have to?
-Always pack a good lip gloss with a hint of colour. Current favorite includes Smashbox Limitless Long Wearing Lip Gloss
-The other beauty essential is Rosebud Salve. It really is the swiss army knife of your make-up kit. Use it on your lips, dry skin or even to treat a pimple. Another tip is to add a small amount to your cheeks for an evening look

colour theory

Paint company Dulux, has launched an amazing international project called Let's Colour.
The program is run by volunteers who go into grey and drab neighborhoods and literally freshen them up with a fresh coat of paint! The transformations are amazing!

openings: W Hollywood

The W Hollywood has been attracting lot's of celebs since it's opening in February! Some of the list include Natasha Bedingfield, Russell Brand, Katy Perry and Dave Navarro!

Hold your breath

No need to hold your breath wondering about another volcanic eruption. UK carrier Flybe, is offering their passengers insurance for just such an event for only £6.99 !

bookshelf

Taschen, one of my favorite book publishers has just released a fantastic new book. 2oth Century Travel: 100 years of Globe-Trotting Ads. It's a wonderful visual time line of how travel has changed and was marketed over the last century. A must for anyone with even a hint of wanderlust!

where the wild things are!

Interesting, but imagine clearing customs with one of these?
Artist Carlee Fernandez is rolling along with the craft of taxidermy

everyone loves ramen

Leave it to Japan to have the world's first food amusement park!
Shinyokohama Ramen Museum has the skinny on all things Ramen!

lighter load

It's not easy to pack over sized awkward items for a flight, esp a surfboard.
Check out the fantastic design of the inflatable Soma airbag, it's as cool as it looks!

blast from the past

I love the design of these old Swiss Air posters.
They take us back to a time when travel was perhaps a tad more romantic!

Treehouses, Tents and Ships

Who wouldn't want to spend some time among the tropical forest canopy in a tree house? How about drifting to sleep among the relaxing sounds of the outdoors in a lux canvas tent? Imagine drifting along a sleepy river in a houseboat made of bamboo poles, coconut fibre ropes furnished with richly woven carpets? Perhaps this all taps into our childhood fantasies of romantic, exotic travel. Either way I'm set to go!
Here are just a few:


-Tour India



-Canvas Chic



-El Capitan Canyon



-Aman-I-Khas

Jeepers peepers!

National Geographic Traveler magazine's "peeps in places" is even more popular this year.
Chick it out!

airline charging for toilets onboard!

Cross your legs...this is really pushing things! What next seat belts?

the ultimate booking tool?

We are all a bit obsessed at finding the lowest airline ticket. Expedia, Travelocity, Kayak, Fly, the list goes on. However most of these search engines are powered by one piece of software, ITA.
You can go right to the source and find deals that others may leave behind. The catch is that you cannot book on direct on the site. You have to take the details to your travel agent. Jot down the airline, times, flight numbers. Sometimes a bit of extra legwork can really pay-off!

Best pizza in the world!

Hmmm...bet you think it comes from Italy, well you are in for a surprise!