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By Amy Zhang March 13, 2019 in Travel 3 Comments

Santa Barbara Girl’s Weekend Travel Guide

Santa Barbara is an ideal weekend getaway along the central coast of California. Only a two hour drive from Los Angeles, this charming coastal city is the perfection location for a relaxing weekend with family or friends. Whatever you’re looking for, whether it’s a spa day, beaches, wine tasting, or just lounging around, you’ll be able to find it in Santa Barbara. I recently went for a weekend with a couple girlfriends and it was the perfect escape from the city to unwind. I’ll be going back soon to check out more if the local spots, but for now here are my favorite Santa Barbara spots for a Girl’s Weekend Away.

Weekend in Santa Barbara

Where to Stay:

We stayed at the Kimpton Goodland. While it was adorably chic, the service was truthfully not great and the rooms were bare boned. If you’re going for the ‘gram, you won’t be disappointed, but next time I would opt for a different resort. If you’re looking to splurge, I’ve heard nothing but incredible things about The Ritz Carlton Bacara.

What to Do:

+ Visit the beach. There are so many beautiful ones in Santa Barbara – we loved Pendry’s beach for both a bottle of rosé and oysters during sunset, as well as a walk during the day. You really can’t go wrong anywhere though.

+ Check out the Funk Zone. This is such a fun area of wineries, bars, and art galleries. You can easily spend an entire afternoon walking around the area leisurely. If you’re looking for tasting rooms, I highly recommend Frequency Wines – that was our favorite stop of the day!

+ Hit the spa. Santa Barbara is the perfect place to relax. Yes, you could make an itinerary filled with things to do and see, but it’s really not that kind of place. You go to spend the day at a more leisurely pace and soak in the natural beauty. Sometimes the best plans are no plans.

Where to Eat

+ The Lark – a must visit for dinner. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but we stuck to the vegetables and seafood.

+ Yellow Belly – we visited for brunch and every single entree looked incredible. I was obsessed with the eggs benedict on cornbread with fried tomato and avocado. YUM. So indulgent but oh so worth it.

+ Seafood – Santa Barbara is known for their fresh seafood. A perfect way to spend an afternoon -pick a spot by the beach and order oysters and a glass of rosé. Yes, it feel slightly touristy. No, you won’t care. Nothing takes away from watching the waves crash into the sand as the sun sets.

+ Mexican Food – SB is known for some incredible Mexican Food. Word on the street is La Super-Rica Taqueria was one of Julia Child’s favorite spots. Los Agaves is one of my favorites for a casual lunch.

+ McConnell’s Ice Cream – a local ice cream spot that has made its way to Los Angeles as well. The flavors are fun twists on classics. Their fruit flavors are my favorite!

+ Backyard Bowls – if you need to detox after all of the delicious food, go here for an acai bowl or smoothie in the morning.

I’m already dying to go back to Santa Barbara after the weekend flew by. What are your favorite things to do in the area? xx

Map thanks to Wanderlog, a vacation planner on iOS and Android

By Amy Zhang February 25, 2019 in Lifestyle, Travel 2 Comments

My Cozy Travel Uniform & Why I Love My Away Suitcase

When I am traveling, comfort is of the utmost importance. If you’re one of those people that gets dressed up to fly, I honestly applaud you and wish I could be more like that. More often than not, I am rolling out of bed straight into an Uber and to the airport before I even have any coffee. If you ever want to be horrified, look at a Starbucks line in an airport at 5am. No thank you. I would rather take my chances with a headache and go straight to my gate than wait 30 minutes for my coffee.

I also am typically taking my chances at missing my flight as I hate airports and prefer to spend as little time there as possible – I am constantly calculating what the latest possible moment is I can leave the house and still make my flight. It’s risky but I’ve only ever missed one flight (only because my bag missed the cut off, I physically could have made the gate with plenty of time to spare).

My Cozy Travel Uniform

Long story short, I am already tired and uncomfortable before I even get on the plane. The last thing I want is to be wearing uncomfortable shoes or anything remotely restrictive. At this point I have my travel uniform down pat. It tends to be entirely neutral (aka black) or at the very least monochrome. I like black because it hides stains and you can still pretend to look somewhat presentable. If I’m feeling a little more put together, I will opt for leggings or black jeans. Otherwise more often than not, it’s sweatpants and a cashmere sweater.

Basic, but it works. And I can sleep on the plane/do work/walk around in it. All a win, in my book.

I also want to take a minute and talk about how much I love my Away suitcase.

Not sponsored, just an honest review. I was a little skeptical I would be able to fit much in it, but it is honestly well designed and if you pack strategically (aka take the time to fold your clothes rather than just throw them in), you can actually really maximize your space inside. If you need more space you can go for the “Bigger Carry-On.” What I love most about my Away is how there are various compartments inside that make organization when traveling so much easier. It also doesn’t hurt that it is sleek and a fraction of the price of a Rimowa ; ). I definitely have my eye on the Rose Gold version that just came out – so cute! The removable battery has also saved my life over long travel days. I’m certain this piece of Away luggage won’t be my last!

What do you usually wear when you travel?

sweater: equipment | sweatpants: michael stars | shoes: adidas

tote: saint laurent | luggage: away

Check out Staying Healthy When Traveling for Work, My Favorite Roadtrip Destinations in California and 5 Tips to Stay Active on Vacation.

By Amy Zhang January 23, 2019 in Lifestyle, Travel, Wellness 3 Comments

Staying Healthy When Traveling for Work

At this point I am no stranger to work travel (2 years in consulting, and a new job that also consists of some travel). O – I can sleep on flights and find other ways to occupy my time (lately I have been making good progress on my reading list) and I’m able to get into a decent routine when I’m away from home. However, one thing that has always been a bit of a challenge for me when traveling is sticking to my usual healthy routine. I’m still working on this. But over the years I’ve picked up a few guidelines I like to follow when I travel for work to stay healthy and not fall of the wagon.

Tips & tricks for staying healthy when traveling for work

+ Drink water

The most obvious one but also the most important. Flying is rough on your skin, body, immune system, digestion, and more. I always bring a reusable water bottle or buy one at the airport (yes, it’s overpriced but also worth it) and aim for at least a glass of water for every hour on the plane. Proper hydration is so, so important when you’re putting your body through the stress of traveling. And it’s easy to forget to drink water. Staying hydrated will help with the gross recirculated plane air, dry skin, and help you regulate digestion. It’ll also keep you full, which brings me to my next key point –

+ Avoid plane food as much as you can.

It’s filled with tons of SALT (your taste buds change at high elevations, so the food requires way more salt to give it any discernible flavor) and preservatives. No thank you. I’ll admit I’ve caved on recent flights and left feeling bloated and gross. No Bueno. Ideally bring your own snacks/meal or prepare to fast for the duration of your trip. You’ll feel a lot better for it. On a similar note, I try to avoid alcohol when I’m flying as well.

+ Try to get enough sleep

If you’re crossing time zones this can be tricky, I find a little melatonin or magnesium usually does the trick, but you may have to experiment with other methods.

+ Find the nearest Whole Foods

When I was traveling a lot to more obscure cities, the first thing I always did was try to locate a Whole Foods or health food store because I knew I would be able to pick up healthy prepared foods and snacks there. Some of my staples are the hot bar and salad bar, kombucha, and fruit. Work travel often consists of some more indulgent dinners out, so balancing with lighter, healthier meals helps you stay healthy when you’re on the road.

+ Eat plant based when possible

This is something I started incorporating this year.

My boyfriend and I set a goal to be “weekday vegan” which essentially is around eating plant based when possible (80% of the time) and treating meat as a luxury. I’m not claiming to be a vegan nor do I want to offend actual vegans. But I am actively working on cutting down my consumption of meat and dairy. Fish is another story, but that is also mostly reserved for weekends now. I’ll go into this more in another post. However, this has been easier than I anticipated and has helped me eat healthier during the week in general since the vegetarian/vegan option tends to be the healthiest on most menus.

+ Find ways to squeeze in hotel gym workouts

I am lucky to be traveling between LA and NYC at the moment and have an abundance of gyms and boutique fitness options to choose from. However, when I was traveling as a consultant I was not always so lucky. If you’re not highly motivated in the gym or following a pre set program it can be hard to work out effectively in the gym. More often than not, I found myself working out aimlessly on cardio machines and half-assing weights. My recommendation would be to find a program you like. (There are so many apps and e-books out there these days). And try to stick to those. I’m not a fitness expert by any means, so I would rather listen to one and let them guide me.

As I said, this has been a challenge for me in the past and is something I am very focused on this year. I find that I feel my best and do my best work when I feel healthy and active! My eating and exercise habits have changed so much over the past 5 years. Wellness has become a huge part of my life. What are some ways you stay healthy when you’re on the road?

By Amy Zhang November 21, 2018 in Travel 5 Comments

Things to Do in Santa Ynez

This past weekend was spent in Santa Ynez and it couldn’t have been a more relaxing getaway this time of year before all of the holiday craziness. Although only 2 hours from LA, it was our first time visiting the area and it definitely will not be our last! My ideal weekend getaway is a short drive from the city, peaceful, and requires good food & wine – Santa Ynez checks all of those boxes. If you’ve never visited the Santa Ynez area it’s an absolute must for a charming weekend staycation – here’s what I would recommend for a quick getaway.

Things to Do in Santa Ynez

+ Stay at The Landsby

It’s in Solvang (quiet Danish town) in the valley and although it’s a little further from Los Olivos and the wineries, it’s worth it. The hotel has the cutest decor (the rooms are spacious as well) and the restaurant in the lobby has a great happy hour every day from 4-6pm. Staying at the hotel also means you get free or 2 for 1 tastings at certain local tasting rooms and wineries. You’re right in the middle of the small but walkable town and a quick 10 minute Uber ride from Los Olivos. If you’re a fan of pastries you will want to check out one of the Danish bakeries in town.

+ Eat dinner at SY Kitchen.

If you’ve ever seen the movie Sideways you will have a list of spots to hit, but SY Kitchen is newer but a great, more modern addition to the valley.

+ Go wine tasting

The central coast of California is known for its abundance and diversity of amazing wine. Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or amateur, you will find something you like. The vineyards are smaller and less crowder than those in Napa and Sonoma, but equally charming. You can pack a picnic and spend an entire day sipping wine and relaxing. We didn’t have a chance to visit all of the vineyards, but our favorites that we visited were Demetria and Sunstone.

If you’re looking to try more wines, the town of Los Olivos has almost 30 tasting rooms in a couple block radius. We loved how each of the tasting rooms had their own unique story and many were small batch, local vineyards – again you can’t go wrong with any of them, but our favorites were Solminer, Kaena, and Dragonette.

+Outdoor Activities

As far as activities go, you can go kayaking, cycling, and even horse back riding in the region. It really depends on how active you want your weekend to be.

By Amy Zhang October 7, 2018 in Beauty, Lifestyle, Travel 2 Comments

Red Eye Essentials

I’ve mentioned briefly on the blog that I started a new job over the summer, but what I haven’t written about yet is travel on the job! Traveling for work is not new to me, my first job out of school in consulting required being on the road every week from Monday to Thursday. I’ll admit, it wasn’t for me and it made it very difficult to balance work, a relationship, my health, and any semblance of a social life. When I got the job offer for my new job, I knew there would be some travel involved – but I also knew I would have more say in when I travelled and how often.

For the past few weeks I’ve been flying from LA to NYC every week and although it’s been a lot of time spent on a plane, it’s also been incredibly invigorating and exciting. One thing that has been a challenge though is figuring out the best time of day to fly to New York. If you fly during the day, you essentially lose most of the day with the 3 hour time difference. The most efficient option I’ve found is often the red eye. I can’t say anyone loves a red eye, but I’ve been trying to figure out a routine that works. Here are the red eye essentials that help me get as much sleep as possible and come off the plane somewhat refreshed and ready to go!

Red Eye Essentials You Need:

+ Noise Cancelling Headphones – you don’t realize how loud planes are until you’re trying to get a halfway decent night’s rest! Noise cancelling headphones are travel must haves to block out noise in the airport and on the plane. They also come in handy in the event you have a crying baby next to you…

+ Silk Eye Mask – I’ve written about slip eye masks before (and pillowcases) but I honestly can’t stress how much I love them!! The material is so comfortable and it really helps if you’re trying to sleep in a public space or even at a hotel. I can’t travel without mine, I love them so much I have multiple masks that I keep around the house.

+ Emergen-C – planes are full of icky, gross germs. Ever get off a plane feeling a little congested or with a slight tickle in your throat? All of the recirculated air on planes is seriously gross – your immune system definitely takes a beating on a cross country flight. Combat this by chugging Emergen-c or taking a vitamin C supplement.

+ Cozy Sweats – maybe you’re one of those people that dresses up for flights. Maybe even red eyes. I am not one of those. If I’m not wearing full on pajamas, I’m definitely wearing comfy sweats. I mean, you’re trying to sleep!

+ Moisturizing Face Mask – if you’re ready to go all out with a full on sheet mask, try a super hydrating face mask (and drink tons of water on the flight!!). I like this one because you don’t even have to wash it off, and it has Sephora’s clean beauty seal!

What are your red eye essentials?