While the quantified self continues to be a major trend in consumer tech, the smart home sector is quickly picking up speed and attention as well. A standout among the many presented at this year’s CES was );…
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Designed to make the transition from weekday workhorse to beach-going carry-all, Alite Designs’ aptly named Bike to the Beach Bag can be worn as either a backpack or carried as…
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Whether you lost yours last summer and need a replacement pair, or you are simply looking to up your swim style game this year, you may want to take a look at Everest Isles’ soon-to-launch Mayol…
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One way to beat stress is to regularly take time off from work, but returning to work after your vacation can often have the exact opposite effect — it can be a source of stress. How do you pick up where you left off so you can hit the ground running? With a bit of planning, you can actually come back ready to work and ease back into your typical routine without feeling discombobulated and anxious.
If you’ve ever found yourself wishing for an additional day of vacation so you could recover from the days you spent away from work, it’s not a bad idea. Schedule your return home a day earlier so you have an extra day to the end of your vacation, which you can use to catch up on emails, get reacquainted with projects, and get settled in at home. Knowing what to expect before you head back to work the next day will give you a preview of what your week will be like as well as the opportunity to put some plans in place.
You might also want to think about adding an extra day before you leave to clean up at home (empty the garbage, wash the dishes, turn on the Roomba) or even get your clothing ready for the morning you’ll be returning to the office. That way, you won’t even need to think about these tasks when you get back.
Clearing your desk, putting away files, and leaving your office or cubicle in an organized state before you leave helps you in several ways. First, you won’t have to clean up when you get back so you can start working straight away (less time cleaning means more time being productive). And, not only will it be a welcome sight, but you will likely have a better chance of getting stuff done.
Before you leave, you’ll probably need to add meetings to your calendar. Be realistic about how much time you’ll have to prepare for those meetings, particularly if you need to share a report or take on the role of facilitator. Consider postponing meetings three to five days after returning (or longer, if possible).
You’ll also want to refrain from participating in activities that were not planned prior to you leaving. Unless they are urgent and require your focus, unplanned tasks can increase your work load and be overwhelming. Instead, focus on your most important projects and then, as you get back in the swing of things, you can gradually add more to your plate.
Before you leave, hand off a few or your to-dos to a colleague to manage while you’re away. That way, you don’t come back to a long laundry list of tasks and you can keep some of your projects moving along in your absence. At the very least, brief a colleague on where to find things in your office so he or she can locate them quickly while you’re gone and won’t have to call you while you’re spending time with family or sipping a fancy drink on a beach.
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Panama City’s recently opened boutique hotel combines locally inspired art and sustainably modern design
Panama City’s recently opened Tántalo Hotel offers hospitality with an artsy edge in the city’s historic Casco Viejo neighborhood. Located in what is generally considered Panama’s arts district, the micro-boutique hotel houses just 13 rooms—each featuring artwork from one of 13 local artists—with an architectural facade that reflects the influence of the city’s periodic occupation by Spain, France and the U.S. While we haven’t yet been to visit the property, we’re excited about its potential as a new equatorial destination.
The contrast of the exterior’s historical inspiration and the focus on contemporary local art on the inside gives the property a truly unique feel. With work spanning photography, painting and various types of installations, the hotel’s interior can be explored like a museum with the comfort of an intimate, upbeat place to stay.
Central to the hotel’s design both physically and figuratively is the main lounge’s “living wall”. Standing at eight meters wide and two stories high, this sustainable, striking installation plays host to some 983 species of native Panamanian flora, watered by reclaimed rainwater direct from the atrium’s skylights. Additional eco-conscious considerations extend to Panama Canal-harvested wood tables in the Tántalo Kitchen and the use of recycled newspapers and phone books as insulation in the structure’s walls.
To top it all off, the Tántalo Hotel features a sweeping rooftop bar with unrivaled views where guests can sample local craft beers and cocktails. For more information on Panama City’s Tántalo Hotel head online and for a closer look at what the hotel has to offer check the gallery below.
Photography by Stuart Hooper
A hotel pops up in Tulum
Touching down in the peninsular town of Tulum in southern Mexico, a collaboration of creative European service-industry innovators have launched Papaya Playa Project, a temporary hotel concept born from the pop-up retail model. The collection of 99 beach cabanas maintains a certain level of comfort while retaining the look and feel of primitive, eco-friendly lodgings in a community setting. More of a camp than a hotel, the cabanas will stand for five months on a beachfront formerly owned by a set of luxury hotels that were abandoned in the financial crisis.
The project is led by Claus Sendlinger of Design Hotels, who recently left the buzz of Berlin for the seaside splendor of Tulum. Copenhagen’s 42ºRaw is providing on-the-go sustenance to visitors while KaterHolzig—offspring of Berlin’s Bar 25—handles the main dining experience. To complete the 1960s-commune vibe, Mamapapacola Company has prepared an event series based around Mayan full moon rituals. While we’d like to avoid thinking of Mayans in the lead-up to 2012, this sprinkling of local flavor is undoubtedly entertaining.
The idea of a pop-up is new to the world luxury resorts, and will hopefully serve to bolster the struggling town’s economic situation. Last minute vacation-goers can book their reservations here.
The latest offering from the Four Seasons Maui takes activity planning to a new level
Surrounded by volcanic terrain, white beaches, and crystalline waters teeming with aquatic wildlife, there is little left to want for at the Four Seasons Resort Maui. The resort is ideally set up for lazy vacations lounging in the sand, at the swim-up poolside bar or in one of the spa’s thirteen treatment rooms. With a host of options to relax, revive, and recline in Maui, one wonders if there is reason to do much of anything during your stay.
However tempting that mode of vacationing is to some, the Four Seasons’ Unforgettable Events Calendar offers an array of activities for the sporty traveler looking for a focused exploration of the island while retaining the Four Seasons’ signature services. Past events include an ashtanga yoga retreat, a wine dinner hosted by napa valley vineyard Opus One, and a Stars Under the Stars event at the Maui Film Festival. Guests who opt for the package enjoy all of the resort’s extensive offerings in addition to the individualized perks of the event.
Upcoming events include the Tennis Fantasy Camp, which runs from November 16-20 and is led by tennis legends Tom Gullikson, Jose Higueras, Corina Morariu, Tracy Austin, Taylor Dent and David Nainkin. This five-day course is designed for recreational to tournament-level players looking to hone their skills with instruction from the best in the business. Pricing for the package begins at $3,195 for individuals and $2,995 for couples.
Cycling Camp Maui runs from 2-10 December 2011 and is led by legend in the field Ryder Hesjedal, who competed in both the Tour de France and the Olympics, where he represented Canada. Riders of various skill and fitness levels will be joined by Go Cycling Maui as they tour the island’s pristine and challenging terrain. After a day-long tour, riders will return to the resort, where they have full access to amenities, including the spa’s lomi pohaku or hot stone massage. Rates start at $12,500 for solo participants.
Perhaps the most enticing package on the Unforgettable Events Calendar is the one led by big wave surfer and Hawaiian native Dave Kalama. His December Surf Camp takes guests through for days of surfing and varieties including wave paddle surfing, canoe surfing, long boarding and windsurfing. Intermediate and advanced surfers will benefit from learning in one of the best pacific surf spots and from Kalama’s lifetime of experience in surfing and water sports. Participants in the December program not only benefit from escaping the cold weather, but may also have the opportunity to witness whale migration, which begins in December and runs through April. Pricing begins at $5,000.
If a sporting vacation isn’t your thing, the Four Seasons Resort Maui is worth a trip on its own accord. The seemingly endless list of amenities includes the adult-only Serenity Pool Terrace with both ocean and mountain views, underwater music and bubble loungers. Wolfgang Puck’s Spago Restaurant and Duo Restaurant are at your disposal along with Maui’s own extensive dining scene. Spa services take the form of Hawaiian, Thai, cranioacral or ayurvedic massages, and you can even enjoy something truly unique in the resort’s aquacranial massage.
Travelex’s chip-based card allows U.S. travelers greater freedom abroad
Since borrowing a London-based friend’s credit card in order to use the communal bike system in Paris a couple summers back, I’ve been curious about less-complicated solutions to the lack of “chip and PIN” credit card technology available in the States. Designed specifically for traveling Yankees, I recently started using the Cash Passport that Travelex launched late last year. The smart card not only gives users access to chip-enabled services (using it currently in the U.K. made buying Heathrow Express and tube tickets a cinch), but generally eases the woes of carrying personal credit cards.
Pre-paid with Euros or British Pounds, you don’t have to worry about daily exchange-rate fluctuations, incompatible ATMs and the threat of identity theft—unlike normal plastic, the Passport isn’t loaded with any personal information. (One of the biggest implications of these types of cards is cutting down on fraud globally.)
All this safety does have a downside. Travelex’s advanced security checks makes refilling online more difficult than it should be. Though their free emergency assistance is available 24/7, it’s the kind of process you’ll only want to go through if your card is lost or stolen. Load enough money to last the duration of your trip to avoid any hiccups or time-wasting phone calls.
On the upside, consider that Travelex doesn’t charge for balance inquires, ATM withdrawals or for receiving cash back from in-store purchases. When you get home, simply unload remaining balances—you can even transfer what’s left directly to your personal bank account or get a personal check. To learn more about how to feel like a savvy traveler rather than a stupid American, head to Travelex online.
The ultimate to-do list when visiting a tropical heaven on earth
While Bora Bora might be the obvious choice for honeymooners seeking a romantic getaway, adventure-seekers the world over flock to the island for year-round activities. Beyond offering a wealth of deepwater sight-seeing for any seasoned scuba diver and an ocean pass that offers daredevil surfers the waves of their life, Bora Bora has a range of activities to please any skill level.
The plane ride from Tahiti to Bora Bora is a quick 40 minute trip. Le Méredien Bora Bora, which hosted my stay, is centrally located on the island and took care of organizing every last detail of my venture-filled stay. I woke up every morning and dove off the deck of my over-water bungalow, the only way I would recommend staying in Bora Bora, straight into the ocean for a morning of snorkeling. Beyond the enjoyment right outside my door, here are the activities I explored while on the island.
Imagine driving around on a cross between a Vespa and a submarine, and you’ll have an idea of the aquabike experience. To get to the right spot, you need to take a boat to another part of the island where you get on a van, drive around the island, and then get on another boat and ride out to the middle of the ocean. Next, you sit down on the electric-powered bike with a friend in tow. A bowl filled with oxygen covers your head allowing you to breathe normally when fully submerged. Here’s where all the effort becomes worth it as an expert diver leads you along the ocean floor to navigate around schools of fish, coral reefs and a few hidden surprises along the way. It’s an entirely surreal experience, and a great way to sea the ocean floor if you’re a deepsea novice. Other than one place in Mauritius, there’s no where else in the world that offers the aquabike experience.
Of the many treasures in French Polynesia, few mean more to local culture than the turtle. At Le Méredien, The Marine Turtle’s Protection Center has partnered with the Ministry of the Environment to serve as a rehabilitation center for injured green turtles and imbricated turtles. The expansive visiting center in the resort’s private lagoon allow guests to view turtle feedings, learn about their environment and swim and snorkel among the over 100 turtles in resort waters and local channel. The opportunity to swim among these endangered species at Le Méredien is unique to French Polynesia.
To up your island workout, schedule an afternoon of paddle boarding. Led by fitness experts Kainalu XT, who come out to your hotel with full equipment in hand, they’ll guide you through a workout that focuses on deep core strengthening as well as overall conditioning. Skipping the general challenge of surfing by learning to get up on a board, paddle boarding is an entertaining exercise for anyone with even a smidgen of balance. It’s a rhythmic yet challenging workout, paddling in and around the bay and through bungalow bridges. The workout ends with a sunset cruise around the island, powered by your ever-energetic Kainalu XT instructors.
Another must-do afternoon of ocean sight-seeing: feeding a large mix of sharks and man rays in shallow ocean water. First, choose a great tour guide. We were led out to sea by Cilly (aka the Tahitian Keith Richards), who was armed with a ukulele and a do-anything attitude. Cilly is part of Tahiti tourism favorite Fanfan Excursions. After a round of snorkeling looking for the elusive Manta Rays, we threw anchor in another well-trafficked ocean spot.
Throw some fresh French bread into the ocean and watch as you’re instantly surrounded by scores of attractive fish. Then upgrade your bait to a bucket of scrum and witness a herd of black fin sharks and friendly stingrays circling in on you. Stingrays here are used to human visits and not shy to get close. You’ll soon discover that one of the softest textures in all of Polynesia is the padding on a stingray’s nose. A daring visitor can even ride one like a jetski. After the feeding, Cilly will sail you an islet for a traditional motu picnic of fried bread and raw fish tossed with coconut milk.
Email fanfantaxiboat [at] mail [dot] pf for more information.
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