region: North America

A Late Great Night in Nashville

Wanna know about prohibition in the States? Just go to Tennessee, they’ll tell you all about it. Probably because whisky is their thing and that was taken away from them for a long time. We can only imagine the celebrations back in 1933 when prohibition was repealed for the state. If you believe that every cloud has a silver lining, then for prohibition it would be speakeasies. These fun, hidden gems provided an outlet for those keen on a drop or five, all the while (hopefully) going undetected from the authorities.

Nashville is home to many speakeasies however one that oozes history and cool all at once is The Late Great. Located by a secret door at the back of Virgin Hotels Nashville, this cosy club is rich in Nashville history – starting with its designer Hannah Crowell, granddaughter of Johnny Cash. Music aficionados would know that Hannah’s musical roots also run from her parents, Rosanne Cash and Rodney Crowell.

Tasked with creating a space that felt as intimate as someone’s living room, Hannah drew inspiration from her own family and the wider music scene of Nashville to pay homage to some of the greats like her grandfather as well as Dolly Parton and Hank Williams to name a few. Named after Townes Van Zandt’s 1972 album, The Late Great serves as a nod to the ghosts of Nashville.

The venue features Carter and Cash family photos – including a stunning portrait of Johhny Cash, which was the last photograph ever taken of him. Throw in the eclectic range art and superbly-chosen interiors by Hannah Crowell, it is easy to see why The Late Great has been the talk of the town since opening in 2021.

At the bar you can choose from a range of carefully crafted cocktails that are not only inspired by country’s biggest stars but have ingredients to match the mood of the songs they’re named after. Enjoy the Patsy Cline inspired ‘Walkin’ After Midnight’ with rum, amaretto, coffee, cinnamon and white chocolate. If you want to stick to what you know, go the ‘Seasonal Old Fashioned’ with Tennessee whiskey, apple butter and bitters. Delish. When you’re ready for bed, think of Hank Locklin and order ‘Send Me the Pillow You Dream On’ with anejo tequila, appalachian nocino, toasted coconut, walnut, chocolate and with some popcorn to nibble on. Perfect late-night snack.

When you’re in Nashville next, be sure to make a reservation. And even though this will feel like the cosiest living room you’ve ever been in, make sure you dress to impress.

Shit Whisky in the North

I had been living in Reykjavík for three months, which means I knew pretty much all the bartenders by first name.

So it came to a surprise when they told me about a local liquor I had never tried before…

Click play to WATCH

The cycle to Eimverk is typically Icelandic. And when we say typically Icelandic, we just mean it's breathtakingly beautiful.
Click to view gallery

“Yes. Brennivín. Everyone here has drunk Brennivín,” says Birna, the blond, brassy bartender at Bastard sounding both like a gift and an insult in that typically Icelandic way.

The very next day I found myself pedalling south on a bike along the sea to Garðabær (no idea, before you ask) to see if I could wrap my lips around this mythical elixir that was, if nothing else, purely Icelandic.

Eimverk Distillery sits quietly beyond a round-a-bout, and a low-key facade from the outside, giving away no hint that you’re outside one of the northernmost distilleries in the world. It’s only when you move inside that you start to feel its magical power from the ancient Viking symbols which grace the walls and which are burnt deep into locally made barrels. As an alcohol anthropologist this was like discovering a newly contacted civilization.

Click play to WATCH

Brennivín is considered Icelandic’s signature distilled beverage. The original bottle (produced by the Government) displayed a white skull on a black label warning against consumption, and was sometimes referred to as ‘svarti dauði’ (black death). This rather grim marketing was designed to be visually unappealing, therefore limiting demand. It didn’t work. For decades, Brennivín became the drink of choice for Icelanders, and a must-try for travellers.

Flóki is proudly acclaimed as '100% Icelandic'.
The distillery only opened in 2009, and has already won several awards.

“We make wonderful gin and aquavit here, but I think we are most remembered for our whisky, Flóki. Well, remembered if you don’t drink too much of it,” says Erik with a straight face as he lined up several drams of various handcrafted delights. Eimverk Distillery, like most of Iceland, takes extreme pride in their craft, and sources pretty much everything locally. This includes their winter barley, which grows during an extremely short summer season — making this some of the rarest small batch whisky in the world.

“Most Icelandic people have a still in their house. We have just taken what we all do at home, and do it on a larger scale. Did you ever think you would drink shit and like it?”

The Icelandic word for drunk is 'drukkinn'. I think it's the only one I can say.
Click to view gallery

I was on either my fifth or fifteenth tasting dram, and thought I perhaps misheard my host, but no, he was asking me if I enjoyed the taste of faeces.

“You see we have no peat on Iceland. So in order to flavour our whisky we use sheep dung… it’s traditional. ”

Again, straight face. What has already been tasted cannot be untasted, but fortunately this century-old technique actually yields a surprisingly smooth, floral and even a little earthy whiskey, that is nothing else is unlike anything I’ve tasted before.

Eimverk Distillery.
The distillery is based just south of Reykjavík.

“We named the whisky after the Viking that discovered Iceland in 868. He was named Hrafna-Flóki because three ravens were said to lead him to Iceland.” (NOTE: Hrafna-Flóki Google translated to ‘Raven Complex’. We think something has been lost here, but it makes the raven stuff make sense).

The last thing our writer saw before he woke up in a bed in another country several days later.
Click to view gallery

Like Flóki I have been led somewhere; to a new favourite whisky, a millennia later, and I don’t think I will be the last person to discover this amazing distillery any time soon.

Try Flóki at Eimverk Distillery by heading to Lyngás 13, 210 Garðabær, Iceland. Check their website book a tour, and try their shit.

 

Fall in love with Winderdome Resort

Excuse us if we sound dramatic, but we’re pretty sure we’ve found the best dome accommodation in British Columbia. Winderdome Resort came from turning lemons into lemonade as owners Deb and David explain. Having always wanted to show off the land and valley they love, they kicked into gear as most things were shut down during the pandemic. “It was our dream to create a place and an experience where people could come to rest, relax, and maybe even celebrate life’s special moments.”. Deb did her best at creating blueprints, David deciphered them like they were the Da Vinci Code – and with the help of many people around them they were able to open Winderdome Resort in 2022.

Canada, especially the west coast, is known for enjoying the outdoors. British Columbia is home to some of the best mountains and lakes, providing great opportunities to ski, hike, boat, fish, surf, paddle, kayak… look, if it’s an outdoor activity – you can do it in BC. The location of Winderdome Resort in Windermere provides you with a breathtaking location to relax while having you perfectly positioned to enjoy the attractions you around you. Like Swansea Mountain which has a plethora of hiking options, Windermere Lake, Radium Hot Springs in the north and Fairmont Hot Springs in the south – both just a 15-minute drive in each direction. And if you’re after 100% natural hot springs, you’ll find them at Lussier hot springs which is less than an hour south. With four hot spring pools to choose from, all with varying temperatures, it is the ideal location to sit back and take in the views of the river and mountains around you.

In winter you can take a 5-minute trip to Lake Windermere and skate across the world’s longest skating path – The Whiteway. A 34km groomed track that runs around the lake and connects the towns of Invermere and Windermere, making it a great way to explore in winter. After you’ve discovered muscles you haven’t felt or known about going across Whiteway, you can retreat to Winderdome Resort to rest and warm up. Even in the depths of winter, Deb and David make sure they crank the heating to ensure you’re nice and toasty. With three domes to choose from you can find the one that best suits your personality and taste.

Wolf Dome is decked out in rich greens that it will have you feeling like you’re in Emerald City. With red draped all around, Bear Dome is perfect for Taylor Swift and fans alike. Cougar Dome, which we thought would have the cougar uniform of leopard print is in fact filled with beautiful blues and navy.

Each dome sleeps up to 4 people with 1 king bed and 2 twin beds in the loft plus they’re fitted out with a kitchenette and bathroom, so you don’t need to worry about hiking across the sight to go to the loo. You can also chill out in the communal BBQ and pools areas that have plenty of shade on offer as well. Never underestimate that BC sun.

With prices starting from $250 a night, it almost feels like Winderdome Resort are paying you to stay there. Talk about value for money.

WHY OUTSIDE IS SEATTLE & WASHINGTON’S BEST SIDE

 

Snoqualmie Falls featured in the early-1990s mystery drama Twin Peaks.
10. HAVE ZERO QUALMS at Snoqualmie Falls

It is borderline ridiculous that a place like Snoqualmie Falls can exist within a half-hour’s drive from downtown Seattle. From the city’s famous Space Needle, take the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge and drive east for hardly any time at all before reaching the exquisite 82-metre waterfall, which the local Snoqualmie people have designated as the place where First Woman and First Man were created by Moon the Transformer.

This is one of the best city day trips you’ll ever find and it’s not the only one you can do in Seattle—Bainbridge Island and Leavenworth are a couple of other epic adventures you can squeeze into a day from Seattle. 

DAY TRIPPER

 

 

Winter at North Cascades National Park—bring your skis, and bring a masseuse.
9. SHRED GNAR at Methow Trails

Methow Trails in the North Cascade Mountains is North America’s largest cross-country ski area, with over 200km of perfectly groomed, skiable terrain. Within this 200km, there are long-distance town-to-town and lodge-to-lodge ski options and heart-pumping climbs and descents that will challenge the most seasoned mountain men and women. 

All this space is good news—more room for you, more area to explore, more extraordinary landscapes to drink in. It also means you’ve got A LOT of skiing ahead of you.

SHRED

 

Snoqualmie Falls featured in the early-1990s mystery drama Twin Peaks.
10. HAVE ZERO QUALMS at Snoqualmie Falls

It is borderline ridiculous that a place like Snoqualmie Falls can exist within a half-hour’s drive from downtown Seattle. From the city’s famous Space Needle, take the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge and drive east for hardly any time at all before reaching the exquisite 82-metre waterfall, which the local Snoqualmie people have designated as the place where First Woman and First Man were created by Moon the Transformer.

This is one of the best city day trips you’ll ever find and it’s not the only one you can do in Seattle—Bainbridge Island and Leavenworth are a couple of other epic adventures you can squeeze into a day from Seattle. 

DAY TRIPPER

 

 

T-Mobile Park has a capacity of 47,953 for a ball game, although the record attendance at the stadium was for Wrestlemania 19 in 2023, which managed to attract 54,097.
8. KICK BACK at a Mariners game

The SoDo district of Seattle plays host to a number of pro sports teams. The Seattle Mariners are one of those, playing their home games at T-Mobile Park, a modern stadium with a retractable roof that also stages the occasional concert. 

Get a hot dog and a beer, and sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game while taking in ‘America’s pastime’. 

PLAY BALL

 

Winter at North Cascades National Park—bring your skis, and bring a masseuse.
9. SHRED GNAR at Methow Trails

Methow Trails in the North Cascade Mountains is North America’s largest cross-country ski area, with over 200km of perfectly groomed, skiable terrain. Within this 200km, there are long-distance town-to-town and lodge-to-lodge ski options and heart-pumping climbs and descents that will challenge the most seasoned mountain men and women. 

All this space is good news—more room for you, more area to explore, more extraordinary landscapes to drink in. It also means you’ve got A LOT of skiing ahead of you.

SHRED

 

Snoqualmie Falls featured in the early-1990s mystery drama Twin Peaks.
10. HAVE ZERO QUALMS at Snoqualmie Falls

It is borderline ridiculous that a place like Snoqualmie Falls can exist within a half-hour’s drive from downtown Seattle. From the city’s famous Space Needle, take the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge and drive east for hardly any time at all before reaching the exquisite 82-metre waterfall, which the local Snoqualmie people have designated as the place where First Woman and First Man were created by Moon the Transformer.

This is one of the best city day trips you’ll ever find and it’s not the only one you can do in Seattle—Bainbridge Island and Leavenworth are a couple of other epic adventures you can squeeze into a day from Seattle. 

DAY TRIPPER

 

 

The Beatles, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam and more have all stayed at the iconic Edgewater.
Click to view gallery
7. DROP A LINE* at the Edgewater Hotel

The Edgewater Hotel in downtown Seattle is where the epic meets historic. It’s described as waterfront, and that’s putting it mildly—the Edgewater is so waterfront The Beatles fished out of their hotel room window when they stayed here. The lobby and restaurants are something to behold, situated right on the water, and with a blazing fire and epic bar to keep you warm in Seattle’s fresh winters. 

*We’re not sure if you’re allowed to fish out of your window—it’s probably more of a Beatles thing. If you’re reading, Paul or Ringo, go right ahead lads. 

ON THE EDGE

 

T-Mobile Park has a capacity of 47,953 for a ball game, although the record attendance at the stadium was for Wrestlemania 19 in 2023, which managed to attract 54,097.
8. KICK BACK at a Mariners game

The SoDo district of Seattle plays host to a number of pro sports teams. The Seattle Mariners are one of those, playing their home games at T-Mobile Park, a modern stadium with a retractable roof that also stages the occasional concert. 

Get a hot dog and a beer, and sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game while taking in ‘America’s pastime’. 

PLAY BALL

 

Winter at North Cascades National Park—bring your skis, and bring a masseuse.
9. SHRED GNAR at Methow Trails

Methow Trails in the North Cascade Mountains is North America’s largest cross-country ski area, with over 200km of perfectly groomed, skiable terrain. Within this 200km, there are long-distance town-to-town and lodge-to-lodge ski options and heart-pumping climbs and descents that will challenge the most seasoned mountain men and women. 

All this space is good news—more room for you, more area to explore, more extraordinary landscapes to drink in. It also means you’ve got A LOT of skiing ahead of you.

SHRED

 

Snoqualmie Falls featured in the early-1990s mystery drama Twin Peaks.
10. HAVE ZERO QUALMS at Snoqualmie Falls

It is borderline ridiculous that a place like Snoqualmie Falls can exist within a half-hour’s drive from downtown Seattle. From the city’s famous Space Needle, take the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge and drive east for hardly any time at all before reaching the exquisite 82-metre waterfall, which the local Snoqualmie people have designated as the place where First Woman and First Man were created by Moon the Transformer.

This is one of the best city day trips you’ll ever find and it’s not the only one you can do in Seattle—Bainbridge Island and Leavenworth are a couple of other epic adventures you can squeeze into a day from Seattle. 

DAY TRIPPER

 

 

Who says you can’t get tubed in the northwest? The Jetty at Westhaven. Image credit: Experience Westport.
6. GET TUBED in the surf at Westport

This is the West Coast, after all. 

While further south grabs all the attention, Westport, Washington, has quietly made a name for itself as a place to get pitted, with spots suiting both the kooks and the Kellys. Westport has three main spots: The Jetty, a consistent beach break, The Groins—a left-handed point break subject to monster tides; and The Cove, a feared shore break that bears the full brunt of the roaring North Pacific Ocean. All three are easily accessed. 

If you’re not a surfer, no matter; Washington State is full of epic beaches for all kinds of beachgoers—click here for more info.

PULL IN

 

The Beatles, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam and more have all stayed at the iconic Edgewater.
Click to view gallery
7. DROP A LINE* at the Edgewater Hotel

The Edgewater Hotel in downtown Seattle is where the epic meets historic. It’s described as waterfront, and that’s putting it mildly—the Edgewater is so waterfront The Beatles fished out of their hotel room window when they stayed here. The lobby and restaurants are something to behold, situated right on the water, and with a blazing fire and epic bar to keep you warm in Seattle’s fresh winters. 

*We’re not sure if you’re allowed to fish out of your window—it’s probably more of a Beatles thing. If you’re reading, Paul or Ringo, go right ahead lads. 

ON THE EDGE

 

T-Mobile Park has a capacity of 47,953 for a ball game, although the record attendance at the stadium was for Wrestlemania 19 in 2023, which managed to attract 54,097.
8. KICK BACK at a Mariners game

The SoDo district of Seattle plays host to a number of pro sports teams. The Seattle Mariners are one of those, playing their home games at T-Mobile Park, a modern stadium with a retractable roof that also stages the occasional concert. 

Get a hot dog and a beer, and sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game while taking in ‘America’s pastime’. 

PLAY BALL

 

Winter at North Cascades National Park—bring your skis, and bring a masseuse.
9. SHRED GNAR at Methow Trails

Methow Trails in the North Cascade Mountains is North America’s largest cross-country ski area, with over 200km of perfectly groomed, skiable terrain. Within this 200km, there are long-distance town-to-town and lodge-to-lodge ski options and heart-pumping climbs and descents that will challenge the most seasoned mountain men and women. 

All this space is good news—more room for you, more area to explore, more extraordinary landscapes to drink in. It also means you’ve got A LOT of skiing ahead of you.

SHRED

 

Snoqualmie Falls featured in the early-1990s mystery drama Twin Peaks.
10. HAVE ZERO QUALMS at Snoqualmie Falls

It is borderline ridiculous that a place like Snoqualmie Falls can exist within a half-hour’s drive from downtown Seattle. From the city’s famous Space Needle, take the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge and drive east for hardly any time at all before reaching the exquisite 82-metre waterfall, which the local Snoqualmie people have designated as the place where First Woman and First Man were created by Moon the Transformer.

This is one of the best city day trips you’ll ever find and it’s not the only one you can do in Seattle—Bainbridge Island and Leavenworth are a couple of other epic adventures you can squeeze into a day from Seattle. 

DAY TRIPPER

 

 

Come for the fish, stay for the chaos.
Click to view gallery
5. GET FISHY at Pike Place Market

The large, red, neon-lit sign that adorns the entrance to the 117-year-old Pike Place Market is gorgeous, and it might just stop the Instagram crowd in their tracks. While they’re taking selfies, venture deeper into the market to find more time-honoured Seattle things—like fish throwing.  Fishmongers and fishermen yelling, chanting, shovelling ice and hurling fish at customers and each other. It’s genuine chaos, and we love it.  

The market is full of fresh food and classic Seattle dishes—like fresh oysters at Emmett Watson’s Oyster Bar. 

SOMETHING’S FISHY

 

Who says you can’t get tubed in the northwest? The Jetty at Westhaven. Image credit: Experience Westport.
6. GET TUBED in the surf at Westport

This is the West Coast, after all. 

While further south grabs all the attention, Westport, Washington, has quietly made a name for itself as a place to get pitted, with spots suiting both the kooks and the Kellys. Westport has three main spots: The Jetty, a consistent beach break, The Groins—a left-handed point break subject to monster tides; and The Cove, a feared shore break that bears the full brunt of the roaring North Pacific Ocean. All three are easily accessed. 

If you’re not a surfer, no matter; Washington State is full of epic beaches for all kinds of beachgoers—click here for more info.

PULL IN

 

The Beatles, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam and more have all stayed at the iconic Edgewater.
Click to view gallery
7. DROP A LINE* at the Edgewater Hotel

The Edgewater Hotel in downtown Seattle is where the epic meets historic. It’s described as waterfront, and that’s putting it mildly—the Edgewater is so waterfront The Beatles fished out of their hotel room window when they stayed here. The lobby and restaurants are something to behold, situated right on the water, and with a blazing fire and epic bar to keep you warm in Seattle’s fresh winters. 

*We’re not sure if you’re allowed to fish out of your window—it’s probably more of a Beatles thing. If you’re reading, Paul or Ringo, go right ahead lads. 

ON THE EDGE

 

T-Mobile Park has a capacity of 47,953 for a ball game, although the record attendance at the stadium was for Wrestlemania 19 in 2023, which managed to attract 54,097.
8. KICK BACK at a Mariners game

The SoDo district of Seattle plays host to a number of pro sports teams. The Seattle Mariners are one of those, playing their home games at T-Mobile Park, a modern stadium with a retractable roof that also stages the occasional concert. 

Get a hot dog and a beer, and sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game while taking in ‘America’s pastime’. 

PLAY BALL

 

Winter at North Cascades National Park—bring your skis, and bring a masseuse.
9. SHRED GNAR at Methow Trails

Methow Trails in the North Cascade Mountains is North America’s largest cross-country ski area, with over 200km of perfectly groomed, skiable terrain. Within this 200km, there are long-distance town-to-town and lodge-to-lodge ski options and heart-pumping climbs and descents that will challenge the most seasoned mountain men and women. 

All this space is good news—more room for you, more area to explore, more extraordinary landscapes to drink in. It also means you’ve got A LOT of skiing ahead of you.

SHRED

 

Snoqualmie Falls featured in the early-1990s mystery drama Twin Peaks.
10. HAVE ZERO QUALMS at Snoqualmie Falls

It is borderline ridiculous that a place like Snoqualmie Falls can exist within a half-hour’s drive from downtown Seattle. From the city’s famous Space Needle, take the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge and drive east for hardly any time at all before reaching the exquisite 82-metre waterfall, which the local Snoqualmie people have designated as the place where First Woman and First Man were created by Moon the Transformer.

This is one of the best city day trips you’ll ever find and it’s not the only one you can do in Seattle—Bainbridge Island and Leavenworth are a couple of other epic adventures you can squeeze into a day from Seattle. 

DAY TRIPPER

 

 

Pretzels and craft beer at Fremont Brewing’s Urban Beer Garden. Try the Interurban IPA.
4. CRACK OPEN A FROTHY in a beautiful brew garden

The Seattle Times recently ran a piece that showed that Washington is among the country’s most discerning states when it comes to beer (beer snobs, in their own words). As well as epic craft beer, the breweries and pubs around the state share a key element of Australian beer drinking: the beer garden.

The Fremont Brewing Urban Beer Garden is one of Seattle’s best spots for an ale, with an epic beer list. About a half hour away is South Fork North Bend, who serve pints in a beautiful beer garden that taste even better after bike ride through some gnarly trails nearby. 

CHEERS

 

Come for the fish, stay for the chaos.
Click to view gallery
5. GET FISHY at Pike Place Market

The large, red, neon-lit sign that adorns the entrance to the 117-year-old Pike Place Market is gorgeous, and it might just stop the Instagram crowd in their tracks. While they’re taking selfies, venture deeper into the market to find more time-honoured Seattle things—like fish throwing.  Fishmongers and fishermen yelling, chanting, shovelling ice and hurling fish at customers and each other. It’s genuine chaos, and we love it.  

The market is full of fresh food and classic Seattle dishes—like fresh oysters at Emmett Watson’s Oyster Bar. 

SOMETHING’S FISHY

 

Who says you can’t get tubed in the northwest? The Jetty at Westhaven. Image credit: Experience Westport.
6. GET TUBED in the surf at Westport

This is the West Coast, after all. 

While further south grabs all the attention, Westport, Washington, has quietly made a name for itself as a place to get pitted, with spots suiting both the kooks and the Kellys. Westport has three main spots: The Jetty, a consistent beach break, The Groins—a left-handed point break subject to monster tides; and The Cove, a feared shore break that bears the full brunt of the roaring North Pacific Ocean. All three are easily accessed. 

If you’re not a surfer, no matter; Washington State is full of epic beaches for all kinds of beachgoers—click here for more info.

PULL IN

 

The Beatles, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam and more have all stayed at the iconic Edgewater.
Click to view gallery
7. DROP A LINE* at the Edgewater Hotel

The Edgewater Hotel in downtown Seattle is where the epic meets historic. It’s described as waterfront, and that’s putting it mildly—the Edgewater is so waterfront The Beatles fished out of their hotel room window when they stayed here. The lobby and restaurants are something to behold, situated right on the water, and with a blazing fire and epic bar to keep you warm in Seattle’s fresh winters. 

*We’re not sure if you’re allowed to fish out of your window—it’s probably more of a Beatles thing. If you’re reading, Paul or Ringo, go right ahead lads. 

ON THE EDGE

 

T-Mobile Park has a capacity of 47,953 for a ball game, although the record attendance at the stadium was for Wrestlemania 19 in 2023, which managed to attract 54,097.
8. KICK BACK at a Mariners game

The SoDo district of Seattle plays host to a number of pro sports teams. The Seattle Mariners are one of those, playing their home games at T-Mobile Park, a modern stadium with a retractable roof that also stages the occasional concert. 

Get a hot dog and a beer, and sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game while taking in ‘America’s pastime’. 

PLAY BALL

 

Winter at North Cascades National Park—bring your skis, and bring a masseuse.
9. SHRED GNAR at Methow Trails

Methow Trails in the North Cascade Mountains is North America’s largest cross-country ski area, with over 200km of perfectly groomed, skiable terrain. Within this 200km, there are long-distance town-to-town and lodge-to-lodge ski options and heart-pumping climbs and descents that will challenge the most seasoned mountain men and women. 

All this space is good news—more room for you, more area to explore, more extraordinary landscapes to drink in. It also means you’ve got A LOT of skiing ahead of you.

SHRED

 

Snoqualmie Falls featured in the early-1990s mystery drama Twin Peaks.
10. HAVE ZERO QUALMS at Snoqualmie Falls

It is borderline ridiculous that a place like Snoqualmie Falls can exist within a half-hour’s drive from downtown Seattle. From the city’s famous Space Needle, take the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge and drive east for hardly any time at all before reaching the exquisite 82-metre waterfall, which the local Snoqualmie people have designated as the place where First Woman and First Man were created by Moon the Transformer.

This is one of the best city day trips you’ll ever find and it’s not the only one you can do in Seattle—Bainbridge Island and Leavenworth are a couple of other epic adventures you can squeeze into a day from Seattle. 

DAY TRIPPER

 

 

Mountains and Meadows of Easy Pass, North Cascades National Park.
3. EASILY HIKE the Easy Pass

Never has there been a less accurate name than the ‘Easy Pass’. This breathtaking, brute of a trail winds through mountains, greenery and rocky sections. It packs in heavy timber, meadows, and avalanche chutes and takes trekkers as high as 1,981 metres, which is a really long way up.

This is tricky trekking, a proper calf-burner, but the 11.2km are doable in a day. Go in March or autumn, and the larch trees will turn captivatingly golden-yellow for you.

NOT SO EASY

 

Pretzels and craft beer at Fremont Brewing’s Urban Beer Garden. Try the Interurban IPA.
4. CRACK OPEN A FROTHY in a beautiful brew garden

The Seattle Times recently ran a piece that showed that Washington is among the country’s most discerning states when it comes to beer (beer snobs, in their own words). As well as epic craft beer, the breweries and pubs around the state share a key element of Australian beer drinking: the beer garden.

The Fremont Brewing Urban Beer Garden is one of Seattle’s best spots for an ale, with an epic beer list. About a half hour away is South Fork North Bend, who serve pints in a beautiful beer garden that taste even better after bike ride through some gnarly trails nearby. 

CHEERS

 

Come for the fish, stay for the chaos.
Click to view gallery
5. GET FISHY at Pike Place Market

The large, red, neon-lit sign that adorns the entrance to the 117-year-old Pike Place Market is gorgeous, and it might just stop the Instagram crowd in their tracks. While they’re taking selfies, venture deeper into the market to find more time-honoured Seattle things—like fish throwing.  Fishmongers and fishermen yelling, chanting, shovelling ice and hurling fish at customers and each other. It’s genuine chaos, and we love it.  

The market is full of fresh food and classic Seattle dishes—like fresh oysters at Emmett Watson’s Oyster Bar. 

SOMETHING’S FISHY

 

Who says you can’t get tubed in the northwest? The Jetty at Westhaven. Image credit: Experience Westport.
6. GET TUBED in the surf at Westport

This is the West Coast, after all. 

While further south grabs all the attention, Westport, Washington, has quietly made a name for itself as a place to get pitted, with spots suiting both the kooks and the Kellys. Westport has three main spots: The Jetty, a consistent beach break, The Groins—a left-handed point break subject to monster tides; and The Cove, a feared shore break that bears the full brunt of the roaring North Pacific Ocean. All three are easily accessed. 

If you’re not a surfer, no matter; Washington State is full of epic beaches for all kinds of beachgoers—click here for more info.

PULL IN

 

The Beatles, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam and more have all stayed at the iconic Edgewater.
Click to view gallery
7. DROP A LINE* at the Edgewater Hotel

The Edgewater Hotel in downtown Seattle is where the epic meets historic. It’s described as waterfront, and that’s putting it mildly—the Edgewater is so waterfront The Beatles fished out of their hotel room window when they stayed here. The lobby and restaurants are something to behold, situated right on the water, and with a blazing fire and epic bar to keep you warm in Seattle’s fresh winters. 

*We’re not sure if you’re allowed to fish out of your window—it’s probably more of a Beatles thing. If you’re reading, Paul or Ringo, go right ahead lads. 

ON THE EDGE

 

T-Mobile Park has a capacity of 47,953 for a ball game, although the record attendance at the stadium was for Wrestlemania 19 in 2023, which managed to attract 54,097.
8. KICK BACK at a Mariners game

The SoDo district of Seattle plays host to a number of pro sports teams. The Seattle Mariners are one of those, playing their home games at T-Mobile Park, a modern stadium with a retractable roof that also stages the occasional concert. 

Get a hot dog and a beer, and sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game while taking in ‘America’s pastime’. 

PLAY BALL

 

Winter at North Cascades National Park—bring your skis, and bring a masseuse.
9. SHRED GNAR at Methow Trails

Methow Trails in the North Cascade Mountains is North America’s largest cross-country ski area, with over 200km of perfectly groomed, skiable terrain. Within this 200km, there are long-distance town-to-town and lodge-to-lodge ski options and heart-pumping climbs and descents that will challenge the most seasoned mountain men and women. 

All this space is good news—more room for you, more area to explore, more extraordinary landscapes to drink in. It also means you’ve got A LOT of skiing ahead of you.

SHRED

 

Snoqualmie Falls featured in the early-1990s mystery drama Twin Peaks.
10. HAVE ZERO QUALMS at Snoqualmie Falls

It is borderline ridiculous that a place like Snoqualmie Falls can exist within a half-hour’s drive from downtown Seattle. From the city’s famous Space Needle, take the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge and drive east for hardly any time at all before reaching the exquisite 82-metre waterfall, which the local Snoqualmie people have designated as the place where First Woman and First Man were created by Moon the Transformer.

This is one of the best city day trips you’ll ever find and it’s not the only one you can do in Seattle—Bainbridge Island and Leavenworth are a couple of other epic adventures you can squeeze into a day from Seattle. 

DAY TRIPPER

 

 

Hoh Rain Forest, Olympic National Park. Straight out of a Dr. Seuss book.
Click to view gallery
2. WANDER through the Hoh Rain Forest

Wandering through the thick sheets of green that blanket the Hoh Rain Forest, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve been pulled from Planet Earth and planted straight into a Dr. Seuss book. 

As a result of the 355 centimetres of rain the area gets each year, the forest is spectacularly covered in green moss. Herds of elk wander the forest, and there are some epic trees that have been here long before grunge or the Space Needle. We’re not sure the Lorax ever made the four-hour drive from Seattle to Hoh, in Olympic National Park, but you definitely should.

HOH MY

 

Mountains and Meadows of Easy Pass, North Cascades National Park.
3. EASILY HIKE the Easy Pass

Never has there been a less accurate name than the ‘Easy Pass’. This breathtaking, brute of a trail winds through mountains, greenery and rocky sections. It packs in heavy timber, meadows, and avalanche chutes and takes trekkers as high as 1,981 metres, which is a really long way up.

This is tricky trekking, a proper calf-burner, but the 11.2km are doable in a day. Go in March or autumn, and the larch trees will turn captivatingly golden-yellow for you.

NOT SO EASY

 

Pretzels and craft beer at Fremont Brewing’s Urban Beer Garden. Try the Interurban IPA.
4. CRACK OPEN A FROTHY in a beautiful brew garden

The Seattle Times recently ran a piece that showed that Washington is among the country’s most discerning states when it comes to beer (beer snobs, in their own words). As well as epic craft beer, the breweries and pubs around the state share a key element of Australian beer drinking: the beer garden.

The Fremont Brewing Urban Beer Garden is one of Seattle’s best spots for an ale, with an epic beer list. About a half hour away is South Fork North Bend, who serve pints in a beautiful beer garden that taste even better after bike ride through some gnarly trails nearby. 

CHEERS

 

Come for the fish, stay for the chaos.
Click to view gallery
5. GET FISHY at Pike Place Market

The large, red, neon-lit sign that adorns the entrance to the 117-year-old Pike Place Market is gorgeous, and it might just stop the Instagram crowd in their tracks. While they’re taking selfies, venture deeper into the market to find more time-honoured Seattle things—like fish throwing.  Fishmongers and fishermen yelling, chanting, shovelling ice and hurling fish at customers and each other. It’s genuine chaos, and we love it.  

The market is full of fresh food and classic Seattle dishes—like fresh oysters at Emmett Watson’s Oyster Bar. 

SOMETHING’S FISHY

 

Who says you can’t get tubed in the northwest? The Jetty at Westhaven. Image credit: Experience Westport.
6. GET TUBED in the surf at Westport

This is the West Coast, after all. 

While further south grabs all the attention, Westport, Washington, has quietly made a name for itself as a place to get pitted, with spots suiting both the kooks and the Kellys. Westport has three main spots: The Jetty, a consistent beach break, The Groins—a left-handed point break subject to monster tides; and The Cove, a feared shore break that bears the full brunt of the roaring North Pacific Ocean. All three are easily accessed. 

If you’re not a surfer, no matter; Washington State is full of epic beaches for all kinds of beachgoers—click here for more info.

PULL IN

 

The Beatles, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam and more have all stayed at the iconic Edgewater.
Click to view gallery
7. DROP A LINE* at the Edgewater Hotel

The Edgewater Hotel in downtown Seattle is where the epic meets historic. It’s described as waterfront, and that’s putting it mildly—the Edgewater is so waterfront The Beatles fished out of their hotel room window when they stayed here. The lobby and restaurants are something to behold, situated right on the water, and with a blazing fire and epic bar to keep you warm in Seattle’s fresh winters. 

*We’re not sure if you’re allowed to fish out of your window—it’s probably more of a Beatles thing. If you’re reading, Paul or Ringo, go right ahead lads. 

ON THE EDGE

 

T-Mobile Park has a capacity of 47,953 for a ball game, although the record attendance at the stadium was for Wrestlemania 19 in 2023, which managed to attract 54,097.
8. KICK BACK at a Mariners game

The SoDo district of Seattle plays host to a number of pro sports teams. The Seattle Mariners are one of those, playing their home games at T-Mobile Park, a modern stadium with a retractable roof that also stages the occasional concert. 

Get a hot dog and a beer, and sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game while taking in ‘America’s pastime’. 

PLAY BALL

 

Winter at North Cascades National Park—bring your skis, and bring a masseuse.
9. SHRED GNAR at Methow Trails

Methow Trails in the North Cascade Mountains is North America’s largest cross-country ski area, with over 200km of perfectly groomed, skiable terrain. Within this 200km, there are long-distance town-to-town and lodge-to-lodge ski options and heart-pumping climbs and descents that will challenge the most seasoned mountain men and women. 

All this space is good news—more room for you, more area to explore, more extraordinary landscapes to drink in. It also means you’ve got A LOT of skiing ahead of you.

SHRED

 

Snoqualmie Falls featured in the early-1990s mystery drama Twin Peaks.
10. HAVE ZERO QUALMS at Snoqualmie Falls

It is borderline ridiculous that a place like Snoqualmie Falls can exist within a half-hour’s drive from downtown Seattle. From the city’s famous Space Needle, take the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge and drive east for hardly any time at all before reaching the exquisite 82-metre waterfall, which the local Snoqualmie people have designated as the place where First Woman and First Man were created by Moon the Transformer.

This is one of the best city day trips you’ll ever find and it’s not the only one you can do in Seattle—Bainbridge Island and Leavenworth are a couple of other epic adventures you can squeeze into a day from Seattle. 

DAY TRIPPER

 

Kurt Cobain, the birthplace of grunge, the Space Needle. We get it—we know you know all that.

But we’re pretty sure you had no idea that the state of Washington on the U.S. West Coast is one of the country’s ultimate outdoor destinations, home to a unique set of topography with options for every kind of outdoor person.

We’re also certain you didn’t know how nice it is to be outdoors in Seattle, in beautiful beer gardens or at an unlikely waterfall incredibly close to the city centre, or at one of America’s best ballparks. If you like adventure and being outside, Seattle and Washington need to be on your list. Here are ten of the most epic outdoor experiences in the city and state that prove it.

Click play to WATCH

A paddle through the San Juan Islands is stunning, with or without these almighty marine beasts. Image credit: Discovery Sea Kayaks.
1. KAYAK with orcas in the San Juan Islands

The San Juan Islands is the United States’ final bastion in the northwest, around 400 rugged islands that separate the country from Canada. These dramatic landscapes are one of the world’s best places to spot orca whales, year-round. And the best place to see these incredible beasts? In the water, obviously.

Crystal Seas Kayaking offer different kinds of kayak tours through these stunning waters, where you might just encounter an orca along the way.

They also offer a Women’s Weekend, a three-day, two-night kayak adventure for the girls only. YTG. And then there’s Discovery Sea Kayaks, who offer bioluminescent night kayaking, where the darkest nights are lit up by streaks of marine bioluminescence.

OK ORCAS

 

Hoh Rain Forest, Olympic National Park. Straight out of a Dr. Seuss book.
Click to view gallery
2. WANDER through the Hoh Rain Forest

Wandering through the thick sheets of green that blanket the Hoh Rain Forest, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve been pulled from Planet Earth and planted straight into a Dr. Seuss book. 

As a result of the 355 centimetres of rain the area gets each year, the forest is spectacularly covered in green moss. Herds of elk wander the forest, and there are some epic trees that have been here long before grunge or the Space Needle. We’re not sure the Lorax ever made the four-hour drive from Seattle to Hoh, in Olympic National Park, but you definitely should.

HOH MY

 

Mountains and Meadows of Easy Pass, North Cascades National Park.
3. EASILY HIKE the Easy Pass

Never has there been a less accurate name than the ‘Easy Pass’. This breathtaking, brute of a trail winds through mountains, greenery and rocky sections. It packs in heavy timber, meadows, and avalanche chutes and takes trekkers as high as 1,981 metres, which is a really long way up.

This is tricky trekking, a proper calf-burner, but the 11.2km are doable in a day. Go in March or autumn, and the larch trees will turn captivatingly golden-yellow for you.

NOT SO EASY

 

Pretzels and craft beer at Fremont Brewing’s Urban Beer Garden. Try the Interurban IPA.
4. CRACK OPEN A FROTHY in a beautiful brew garden

The Seattle Times recently ran a piece that showed that Washington is among the country’s most discerning states when it comes to beer (beer snobs, in their own words). As well as epic craft beer, the breweries and pubs around the state share a key element of Australian beer drinking: the beer garden.

The Fremont Brewing Urban Beer Garden is one of Seattle’s best spots for an ale, with an epic beer list. About a half hour away is South Fork North Bend, who serve pints in a beautiful beer garden that taste even better after bike ride through some gnarly trails nearby. 

CHEERS

 

Come for the fish, stay for the chaos.
Click to view gallery
5. GET FISHY at Pike Place Market

The large, red, neon-lit sign that adorns the entrance to the 117-year-old Pike Place Market is gorgeous, and it might just stop the Instagram crowd in their tracks. While they’re taking selfies, venture deeper into the market to find more time-honoured Seattle things—like fish throwing.  Fishmongers and fishermen yelling, chanting, shovelling ice and hurling fish at customers and each other. It’s genuine chaos, and we love it.  

The market is full of fresh food and classic Seattle dishes—like fresh oysters at Emmett Watson’s Oyster Bar. 

SOMETHING’S FISHY

 

Who says you can’t get tubed in the northwest? The Jetty at Westhaven. Image credit: Experience Westport.
6. GET TUBED in the surf at Westport

This is the West Coast, after all. 

While further south grabs all the attention, Westport, Washington, has quietly made a name for itself as a place to get pitted, with spots suiting both the kooks and the Kellys. Westport has three main spots: The Jetty, a consistent beach break, The Groins—a left-handed point break subject to monster tides; and The Cove, a feared shore break that bears the full brunt of the roaring North Pacific Ocean. All three are easily accessed. 

If you’re not a surfer, no matter; Washington State is full of epic beaches for all kinds of beachgoers—click here for more info.

PULL IN

 

The Beatles, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam and more have all stayed at the iconic Edgewater.
Click to view gallery
7. DROP A LINE* at the Edgewater Hotel

The Edgewater Hotel in downtown Seattle is where the epic meets historic. It’s described as waterfront, and that’s putting it mildly—the Edgewater is so waterfront The Beatles fished out of their hotel room window when they stayed here. The lobby and restaurants are something to behold, situated right on the water, and with a blazing fire and epic bar to keep you warm in Seattle’s fresh winters. 

*We’re not sure if you’re allowed to fish out of your window—it’s probably more of a Beatles thing. If you’re reading, Paul or Ringo, go right ahead lads. 

ON THE EDGE

 

T-Mobile Park has a capacity of 47,953 for a ball game, although the record attendance at the stadium was for Wrestlemania 19 in 2023, which managed to attract 54,097.
8. KICK BACK at a Mariners game

The SoDo district of Seattle plays host to a number of pro sports teams. The Seattle Mariners are one of those, playing their home games at T-Mobile Park, a modern stadium with a retractable roof that also stages the occasional concert. 

Get a hot dog and a beer, and sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game while taking in ‘America’s pastime’. 

PLAY BALL

 

Winter at North Cascades National Park—bring your skis, and bring a masseuse.
9. SHRED GNAR at Methow Trails

Methow Trails in the North Cascade Mountains is North America’s largest cross-country ski area, with over 200km of perfectly groomed, skiable terrain. Within this 200km, there are long-distance town-to-town and lodge-to-lodge ski options and heart-pumping climbs and descents that will challenge the most seasoned mountain men and women. 

All this space is good news—more room for you, more area to explore, more extraordinary landscapes to drink in. It also means you’ve got A LOT of skiing ahead of you.

SHRED

 

Snoqualmie Falls featured in the early-1990s mystery drama Twin Peaks.
10. HAVE ZERO QUALMS at Snoqualmie Falls

It is borderline ridiculous that a place like Snoqualmie Falls can exist within a half-hour’s drive from downtown Seattle. From the city’s famous Space Needle, take the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge and drive east for hardly any time at all before reaching the exquisite 82-metre waterfall, which the local Snoqualmie people have designated as the place where First Woman and First Man were created by Moon the Transformer.

This is one of the best city day trips you’ll ever find and it’s not the only one you can do in Seattle—Bainbridge Island and Leavenworth are a couple of other epic adventures you can squeeze into a day from Seattle. 

DAY TRIPPER

 

48 Hours in West Hollywood

I’ve navigated every continent, indulged in the most exclusive travel experiences, and ventured to the farthest corners of the globe in pursuit of exotic perspectives for get lost Magazine over the last 20 years.

Click play to WATCH

So when assigned the task to share the best that West Hollywood has to offer, a place I first called home right out of college, that launched my obsession with travel, I was faced with a unique problem.

Click to view gallery

On the surface, it might appear akin to asking David Attenborough to expound on goldfish behavior or Anthony Bourdain to critique his mom’s meatloaf. Yet, against all expectations, this assignment unfolded as one of the most personal and captivating journeys of my career. West Hollywood, or WeHo as locals affectionately don’t call it, holds a unique place in my heart—it was the initial haven I sought beyond the bustling confines of New York City.

Here, I learned, for better or worse, the art of savoring life through eating, drinking, and dancing. To paraphrase Thomas Wolfe “you can never go home again,” but Tommy, you’ve yet to acquaint yourself with West Hollywood.

West Hollywood; all movies and helipads.

Bedecked in a vibrant spectrum of rainbow hues, West Hollywood stands globally recognized as one of the LGBTQ+ capitals of the world. The acceptance that radiates from every street corner fosters an atmosphere of creativity and openness unparalleled in most locales you’ll have encountered to this point.

From coffee shops to repair shops, restaurants to hospitality, there’s an unbridled celebration of novelty, spirit, and character that sets this destination apart.

With a mix of anticipation and trepidation, I descended back into the folds of my old haunts to work out whether they retained the glossy brilliance that once captivated me, while also seeking to uncover mysteries that had evolved in this rainbow paradise during my absence while I explored the diverse landscapes of the world.

Rooftop pools: IN.
Click to view gallery

I check into The Pendry Hotel, the contemporary pinnacle of fun-lux accommodations in West Hollywood, if not the entire expanse of Los Angeles. The hotel seamlessly blends maximalism and deco elegance, exuding casual charm that encapsulates the quintessence of West Hollywood. The rooms are opulent, the rooftop pool lounge is alluring, and the bars and lounges transport you into a Baz Luhrmann-inspired dreamscape. The ghost of the former House of Blues that occupied the same space years ago, has now metamorphosed into the Pendry’s ultra-lux piano bar, hosting luminaries like Stevie Wonder, Justin Timberlake, and Beck—ensuring the legacy of celebration lives on.

A bowling alley in a hotel. How tf have we not thought of this before?

Knowing myself all too well, I anticipate some serious recovery time after a proper night out in West Hollywood, so I headed to Book Soup to get something to read poolside with a bottle of Advil. I love this iconic literature shop, where you can still buy physical magazines or the perfect gift for your friends back home, not to mention your next favourite read. On the way out I spy a red sign pointing down an extremely thin alley that reads Mystery Pier Books. Following it I discover a living hobbit house where the owner, Harvey Jason, welcomes me in.

We're definitely not 'The Great' so I guess that makes us infamous?
Click to view gallery

First-edition Shakespeares is about as classic as it gets.

Unannounced, I discover perhaps the most iconic rare bookstore in the world where you can see (and with enough collateral, buy) first editions of the world’s most sought after tomes. Byron, Kerouac, even first edition Shakespeare are in this little cottage house, all waiting for you to drool over.

Click play to WATCH

You haven't made it until you're on the wall at the Morrison Hotel.
Click to view gallery

I start to head back to the hotel and duck into the Sunset Marquis to have a quick look inside the Morrison Hotel Gallery. Here, two-dimensional celebrities come to life in photographs of Cash, Madonna, Hendrix, and McQueen, capturing candid moments of their extraordinary lives. The spot is virtually hidden, but anyone that wants to get to know their celeb crushes better should not pass up this opportunity.

In West Hollywood, hangovers are sweated out.

Embracing the polished sheen of West Hollywood’s streets, I couldn’t help but feel wonderfully inadequate—a sentiment I fondly recalled from my 20s. Back then I used to lift heavy things at Crunch, but today that experience can be lived at Dogpound, where A-listers sculpt their bodies with some of the world’s best trainers like Zach, the unsung heroes behind J-Lo’s tush and Hemsworth’s Thor-pack.

If someone hasn't ended up on top of a bull, did you even go out?
Click to view gallery

Properly pumped and ready to undo all gains made earlier, I met up with some old friends to plan our attack on West Hollywood’s unbeatable nightlife. We started with a baseline bite at Harlowe, an establishment so good that once the carefully crafted cocktails and savory delights began dropping in on our seductively lit corner booth, we found it nearly impossible to leave.

Casa Madera; West Hollywood is like a cocktail-lover's nirvana.

Formosa Bar and Cafe; not the only dimly lit bar in this town.

The food at Casa Madera is colourful...matching the clientele.
Click to view gallery

As the night unfolded, we explored West Hollywood’s world-class iconic joints for imbibing, each offering a unique vibe and salacious saltiness. Keeping it classic, I headed to The Formosa Cafe, the oldest and most authentic watering hole in West Hollywood, where strong drinks flowed freely in a classic atmosphere reminiscent of Hollywood’s golden era.

With the night still young, we ventured to Casa Madera, an exclusive venue nestled in the same space that marked the beginning of my travel-obsessed career at the infamous Mondrian Hotel. The fish-forward Mediterranean haven offers amazing views and delightful DJ beats. Their culinary offerings were a feast for the senses—seductive citrus hamachi, floral-draped butter crab legs, and a fortress of Haas tuna tartare. The experience was a West Hollywood trifecta, a perfect blend of taste, ambiance, and Instagram-worthy visuals surrounded by celebs.

West Hollywood's culinary scene is a nice surprise, like when you get your tax return, only way more delicious.
Click to view gallery

The nightcap started with a bit of laughter and revelry at The Comedy Store, before we moved 100 feet down Sunset to the Saddle Ranch, where my friend braved the mechanical bull for a round of free shots—a fair trade in our book. Finally we let gravity take hold of us as we tumbled down Olive to the infamous Barney’s Beanery, where nights in West Hollywood usually used to end. It, as always, did not disappoint.

The Britely Club, based inside Bar Pendry.

Anything can happen on a night out in West Hollywood. And we mean anything.

Iconic.
Click to view gallery

Look, if you know me, or you’ve come on my adventures, you will know I don’t suffer from travel fools. You can’t go back home, unless your home never leaves you. West Hollywood is that place that isn’t a location, it’s a philosophy, an emotion, or a dance move depending on when you ask. To me West Hollywood will always be the sweet flavour of fear of the unknown, mixed with the sweet release of acceptance. Be who you are or what you may be, this is a fold in the world’s culture where you’re not always just welcome, but celebrated. Thank you, and it is so good to be home.

Apple Vision Pro

“Welcome to the era of spatial computing,” says Apple.

get lost says: welcome to the era of no-more shitty headphone, poor image-quality movies. Welcome to the end of boredom on long-haul flights, for an exorbitant cost.

“But what is an Apple Vision Pro?” you say.

The Apple Vision Pro is an oculus-rift, ski-goggle style piece of headwear that would look kind of cool even if it didn’t do anything, says get lost. But the fact is that it does heaps – a spatial operating system that is kind of like having your Macbook projected onto thin air. Use your hands, your eyes or your voice – you do you – to navigate between Sleepless in Seattle and Maid in Manhattan.

Reactions to the Apple Vision Pro have been mixed; it does look like another step away from the real world, and toward the virtual, which is hardly what we need right now. There are also reports of motion sickness on planes, including one dude who experienced a nauseating combination of Avatar and turbulence.

It remains to be seen if the Apple Vision Pro will become a fixture of our daily life, although most Apple products do. They’re retailing at AU$7,000; you’d want to be taking a lot of long haul flights to get your money worth here.

Check out the guide below, and make your own mind up.

ULUM MOAB

The red rock of outback Utah is something get lost have covered in depth. Why? Coz we’re addicted to the otherworldly feeling of this special part of the planet.

ULUM®Moab might be the best place to situate yourself in this ethereality. White, glamping style tents are dotted throughout the Moab Desert, and their interiors provide a luxurious refuge from what can be a harsh and unforgiving environment.

During the day you can go canyoneering, hit the trails or charge the Colorado River in a kayak, Christopher McCandless-style. ULUM® Moab is a solid place to base yourself for outdoor adventure.

This is not some over-built monolithic mega-complex; ULUM® Moab does what great accommodations in great landscapes—blend into the environment, and bask in it.

From AU$992 per night

Click for FAB IN THE MOAB

Click to view gallery

The year is 1836, and the cry Remember the Alamo!

…is ringing out across the nation, laying the foundation for the soon-to-come Mexican-American War and battle for Texas. San Antonio, then a relatively small outpost, begins to rebuild after a brutal battle and the hard work is fuelled by… chilli.

We’ve all fallen in love before and, at some point, have probably fallen in love with a bowl of chilli. Spicy, rich and hearty, chilli comes in many varieties and tops some of the most primo of foods. Quick way to level-up a hot dog? Add chilli.

It doesn’t matter whether you take it with beans, cheese or breadcrumbs, chilli is enjoyed by people all over the world. Well, except for iconic food traveller Anthony Bourdain, for whom it was reminiscent of “a warm bag of crap”. But don’t listen to him on this one—even legends make mistakes occasionally.

In Southern United States, it’s a distinct kind of street food that’s made all the more amazing when you know the history of San Antonio’s chilli godmothers.

Chips and chilli, a classic combo.
Click to view gallery

A band of women boldly named the ‘Chilli Queens’ once made their way to Alamo and set up shop in its open air market. While mostly Mexican, there were some African American and First Nations women in their band, and together they served up their grandmothers’ secret chilli.

Dressed in colourful dresses, singing songs, and usually accompanied by roving musicians, they would fill the square with song and spice, offering their homemade chilli to a hungry city.

Open-air market.

Click to view gallery

For decades, this band of Queens served their chilli daily from the market, providing a cheap and hearty meal not just to the people of San Antonio, but to travellers who caught wind. Tales of the Chilli Queens were featured in newspaper articles and travel guides, they were mentioned in several novels, including O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi and Katherine Anne Porter’s Pale Horse, Pale Rider, and soon chilli was spreading across the nation, becoming a popular fixture on menus coast to coast.

Friends and family ready to be served.

Sadly, resentment and racism towards Mexican culture forced the Chilli Queens out of business. The city government predominantly to blame after they passed an 1918 ordinance that banned street vendors from selling food. However, the Chilli Queens’ legacy lives on as a San Antonio street staple, slightly reinvented. Enter the Frito Pie.

At some point someone started serving chilli in a chip packet, giving birth to the Frito Pie—a charmingly lowbrow culinary combination that sees corn chips paired with their natural chilli allies. Like yin and yang or Simon & Garfunkel—they’re naturally better together.

Chilli by the ladle. Click to view gallery

No one seems quite sure where this originated. Some say it was a man on his lunch break at a convenience store while others reckon it was the Doolin family (inventors of the Fritos corn chips brand). There’s even talk of the Frito pie originating in the 1960s thanks to a woman named Teresa Hernandez who worked at the Woolworths lunch counter.

What we can all agree on, however, is that this is a distinctly southern American culinary invention, and a San Antonian street snack for the ages.

Frito Pie in all its glory. Click to view gallery

Click to view gallery

BEST PLACES TO GRAB A FRITO PIE IN SAN ANTONIO

THE ORIGINAL RUDY’S COUNTRY STORE AND BAR-B-Q
A beloved, if basic, BBQ joint with multiple locations across San Antonio.

CHUNKY’S BURGERS
As well as offering a delicious Frito Pie topped with chilli and cheese, you can also get the 4 Horsemen burger here, famously dubbed the ‘Hottest Burger on the Planet’ by Man vs Food.

SAM’S BURGER JOINT
A classic burger joint where you can catch a band while you munch on your chilli.

ANY SAN ANTONIO FOOD TRUCK
This is where the purists will tell you to go, find them at any sports stadiums or fairs around the city.

Level 8 Los Angeles

We separate travel experiences by category on this website: do, stay, drink and eat. Level 8 probably ticks all four of these boxes, and then some.

It’s the new behemoth that has transformed downtown Los Angeles.

 

It’s sprawled across 30,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space on level 8 of the brand new Moxy Hotel and AC Downtown Hotel, right across the road from where the Lakers play.

It’s a labyrinth that includes a Japanese restaurant, a South American restaurant, burlesque, an opulent poolside party area that looks like a modern Great Gatsby scene, and a luxurious Mexican church-themed bar that includes a confessional booth, which you’ll surely need to visit more than once. There’s even a 24 hour supermarket downstairs.

The cool thing about Level 8 is that it’s everything you need in one – a night out from dinner to a raucous party, to a filthy club boogie and right through to kick ons – without ever leaving the building.

AMBIENTE™ SEDONA THE LANDSCAPE HOTEL

Ambiente™ Sedona describes itself as the first ‘landscape hotel’ in North America. What’s that mean? They allow the environment to take centre stage.

We’re not arguing given the way the hotel blends seamlessly into the dramatic red rock of its surrounds. Staying here feels less like looking at pretty scenery and more like you’re an active participant in the landscape.

Floor-to-ceiling windows bless each room with epic vistas of ancient waterways and the Brins Mesa mountain range. This place is stunning, and so cool. FYI we really thought ‘ambiente’ was going to be Spanish for ambient, but it’s Spanish for environment. Makes sense we guess.

From AU$1,300 per night

Click if I AM-BEIN INTO THAT