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For my @cntraveler assignment in Laguna Beach in partnership with @capitalone, I stayed at @hoteljoaquin, a 2019 Hot List property that allowed me to earn an unlimited 10 miles per dollar because I booked it via hotels.com/venture. I always prefer properties that reflect the destination they’re in with decor, art and cuisine. Auric Road hired Studio Robert McKinley to ensure that is the case by taking what was The Motor Inn and redesigning it as Hotel Joaquin with the vibe of St.Barths, the 1950s Southern California beach culture and the aesthetic of the Mediterranean coast. One-of-a-kind vintage pieces, customized furniture, curated artwork, record players and cabinets bursting with vintage vinyl helped me feel as if I was staying in the home of an old friend. A home that has no TV and no phone but lots of books, board games and beautiful views - my favorite kind. Each morning as I enjoyed my complimentary coffee or tea in my room, I’d read a book or listen to a record as the the sun came up over Shaws Cove. Then I’d join complimentary yoga on the roof deck which features a greens and edible flower garden used by Chef Leo Bongarra of Saline and the bar staff who make their own syrups and bitters. The only difficulty each day was choosing between the complimentary activities such as surfing, relaxing at the heated pool or adventures in Laguna Beach. See more in my Stories. #CapitalOnePartner #IamATraveler For my @cntraveler assignment in Laguna Beach in partnership with @capitalone, I stayed at @hoteljoaquin, a 2019 Hot List property that allowed me to earn an unlimited 10 miles per dollar because I booked it via hotels.com/venture. I always prefer properties that reflect the destination they’re in with decor, art and cuisine. Auric Road hired Studio Robert McKinley to ensure that is the case by taking what was The Motor Inn and redesigning it as Hotel Joaquin with the vibe of St.Barths, the 1950s Southern California beach culture and the aesthetic of the Mediterranean coast. One-of-a-kind vintage pieces, customized furniture, curated artwork, record players and cabinets bursting with vintage vinyl helped me feel as if I was staying in the home of an old friend. A home that has no TV and no phone but lots of books, board games and beautiful views - my favorite kind. Each morning as I enjoyed my complimentary coffee or tea in my room, I’d read a book or listen to a record as the the sun came up over Shaws Cove. Then I’d join complimentary yoga on the roof deck which features a greens and edible flower garden used by Chef Leo Bongarra of Saline and the bar staff who make their own syrups and bitters. The only difficulty each day was choosing between the complimentary activities such as surfing, relaxing at the heated pool or adventures in Laguna Beach. See more in my Stories. #CapitalOnePartner #IamATraveler
Remember the big assignment I teased back in February? I’m excited to finally get to share with you that I was working for @cntraveler in partnership with @capitalone in Laguna Beach. Only two hours south of where I live in Los Angeles, it’s a very different California experience from the one I live day to day. Join me in Stories and in two more posts where I’ll share what I discovered while traveling with my Venture® Card. Through January 2020, card members like me can earn an unlimited 10 miles per dollar on thousands of properties by booking at hotels.com/venture. That’s motivation to find and book getaways not just far from home but within my new home state as well. Can’t wait to share where I stayed tomorrow - it’s a 2019 Hot List property! #CapitalOnePartner #IamATraveler Remember the big assignment I teased back in February? I’m excited to finally get to share with you that I was working for @cntraveler in partnership with @capitalone in Laguna Beach. Only two hours south of where I live in Los Angeles, it’s a very different California experience from the one I live day to day. Join me in Stories and in two more posts where I’ll share what I discovered while traveling with my Venture® Card. Through January 2020, card members like me can earn an unlimited 10 miles per dollar on thousands of properties by booking at hotels.com/venture. That’s motivation to find and book getaways not just far from home but within my new home state as well. Can’t wait to share where I stayed tomorrow - it’s a 2019 Hot List property! #CapitalOnePartner #IamATraveler
Southern California doesn’t have the exact same kind of Spring that I experienced living elsewhere in the United States and Europe. So I was glad @dante.vincent was game for a weekend visit to Descanso Gardens which we had previously visited in December for their nighttime light show. It has themed gardens where landscape architecture styles from around the world are on display for residents and visitors who pay the entrance fee. We paid ours in advance online, showed up early and were almost the first to walk in when it opened. I’d advise this if you want to see the gardens with less people. 🌸 Once we entered, we headed straight for the Japanese-style garden — where I took this photo — that [from @descansogardens website] “blends design elements from four classic garden styles. Cross an arched bridge and walk on shaded paths along a koi-filled stream to the teahouse, designed by architect Whitney Smith and built in 1966. The plants in this garden are all native to Asia, and include camellias, azaleas, mondo grass and Japanese maples. The distinctive roof of the teahouse, crafted from blue tiles imported from Japan, is especially striking in the spring when nearby pink cherry and plum trees are in bloom. The garden includes a minka, modeled after a traditional farmhouse, which was designed by Kenneth Masao Nishimoto and built in 1969.” As we weren’t able to travel to Japan this Spring like we’d hoped to do and since a similar area in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden was always our favorite in New York, this part of Descanso ended up being our favorite at this time of year. It felt the most different from where we live near Runyon Canyon, which is more arid, punctuated by palm trees, cactus and succulents and which doesn’t really have anything blooming except the plants on our balcony. (Not complaining. Just drawing a contrast.) Does this sound like somewhere you’d want to visit when you travel to Los Angeles? . . . . #descansogardens #exploredescanso #sakura #cherryblossoms #japanesegarden #discoverLA #LAstory #visitcalifornia #restinnature #LaCañadaFlintridge #BeniHoshi Southern California doesn’t have the exact same kind of Spring that I experienced living elsewhere in the United States and Europe. So I was glad @dante.vincent was game for a weekend visit to Descanso Gardens which we had previously visited in December for their nighttime light show. It has themed gardens where landscape architecture styles from around the world are on display for residents and visitors who pay the entrance fee. We paid ours in advance online, showed up early and were almost the first to walk in when it opened. I’d advise this if you want to see the gardens with less people. 🌸 Once we entered, we headed straight for the Japanese-style garden — where I took this photo — that [from @descansogardens website] “blends design elements from four classic garden styles. Cross an arched bridge and walk on shaded paths along a koi-filled stream to the teahouse, designed by architect Whitney Smith and built in 1966. The plants in this garden are all native to Asia, and include camellias, azaleas, mondo grass and Japanese maples. The distinctive roof of the teahouse, crafted from blue tiles imported from Japan, is especially striking in the spring when nearby pink cherry and plum trees are in bloom. The garden includes a minka, modeled after a traditional farmhouse, which was designed by Kenneth Masao Nishimoto and built in 1969.” As we weren’t able to travel to Japan this Spring like we’d hoped to do and since a similar area in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden was always our favorite in New York, this part of Descanso ended up being our favorite at this time of year. It felt the most different from where we live near Runyon Canyon, which is more arid, punctuated by palm trees, cactus and succulents and which doesn’t really have anything blooming except the plants on our balcony. (Not complaining. Just drawing a contrast.) Does this sound like somewhere you’d want to visit when you travel to Los Angeles? . . . . #descansogardens #exploredescanso #sakura #cherryblossoms #japanesegarden #discoverLA #LAstory #visitcalifornia #restinnature #LaCañadaFlintridge #BeniHoshi
feeling sad for all of the people who will never again see Notre-Dame, looking like this and profoundly grateful for all the times I saw it... while also heart broken at how much I took for granted that it would just always be there for me to see every time I returned to Paris . today’s fire is a representation of how fragile this existence is - anyone and anything can be taken from us at any time . don’t take a second of life or a person you love for granted, ever feeling sad for all of the people who will never again see Notre-Dame, looking like this and profoundly grateful for all the times I saw it... while also heart broken at how much I took for granted that it would just always be there for me to see every time I returned to Paris . today’s fire is a representation of how fragile this existence is - anyone and anything can be taken from us at any time . don’t take a second of life or a person you love for granted, ever
Who else woke up extra excited because today is GAME OF THRONES DAY??!!!! 🐉🔥🐺❄️ . . This was shot in Wales a few years ago during a press trip where the part of Khaleesi was played by @lesleyannemurphy. Thanks Les! ♥️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 #forthethrone #gameofthrones #visitwales #got #gotfans #findyourepic #gwladgwlad Who else woke up extra excited because today is GAME OF THRONES DAY??!!!! 🐉🔥🐺❄️ . . This was shot in Wales a few years ago during a press trip where the part of Khaleesi was played by @lesleyannemurphy. Thanks Les! ♥️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 #forthethrone #gameofthrones #visitwales #got #gotfans #findyourepic #gwladgwlad
Looking back over my photos, I still can’t believe that a place like Catalina Island can be part of LA County but feel so much like the Med which is in fact so far away you can’t just take a boat there from my home in West Hollywood.... . Seriously, if you’re planning a trip to Southern California but you want something a little different, even though my experience to the island was hosted and of course they want me to tell you to @visitcatalinaisland - I’m telling you because I think you should visit. It’s a fun place that’s very special in ways the mainland just, isn’t. . (Not that I haven’t grown to love LA, because I have!) And now that it’s settled you should visit, you have a few options on how to get there. You could be very baller, but maybe not so environmentally-friendly and you could take a helicopter. Or, you could do as we did and take the @catalinaexpress out of Long Beach to Avalon. An upgraded ticket in the Commodore Lounge includes one free Bloody Mary or glass of Champagne and priority boarding. They’re famous for the Bloody Mary in certain circles. And I can attest to it being quite delicious! . No matter how you get there, maybe get there this year. This view will greet you as you pull into Avalon’s harbor and what you do from there is up to you. But since it’s the 100th Anniversary of William Wrigley Jr. buying a controlling interest in what is now the Catalina Island Company - there’s more to do this year then there ever has been before. And if they can’t help you enjoy Catalina, there’s always the @catalinachamber & @catalinamuseum plus a very friendly crop of locals who are like islanders the world over, the kind of people you want to sit and have a drink with, full of good stories. There’s just something about Island life! 🌴☀️🌊 . . #voyagersincatalina #visitcatalina #visitcatalinaisland #wrigleycentennial #visitcalifornia #catalinaisland Looking back over my photos, I still can’t believe that a place like Catalina Island can be part of LA County but feel so much like the Med which is in fact so far away you can’t just take a boat there from my home in West Hollywood.... . Seriously, if you’re planning a trip to Southern California but you want something a little different, even though my experience to the island was hosted and of course they want me to tell you to @visitcatalinaisland - I’m telling you because I think you should visit. It’s a fun place that’s very special in ways the mainland just, isn’t. . (Not that I haven’t grown to love LA, because I have!) And now that it’s settled you should visit, you have a few options on how to get there. You could be very baller, but maybe not so environmentally-friendly and you could take a helicopter. Or, you could do as we did and take the @catalinaexpress out of Long Beach to Avalon. An upgraded ticket in the Commodore Lounge includes one free Bloody Mary or glass of Champagne and priority boarding. They’re famous for the Bloody Mary in certain circles. And I can attest to it being quite delicious! . No matter how you get there, maybe get there this year. This view will greet you as you pull into Avalon’s harbor and what you do from there is up to you. But since it’s the 100th Anniversary of William Wrigley Jr. buying a controlling interest in what is now the Catalina Island Company - there’s more to do this year then there ever has been before. And if they can’t help you enjoy Catalina, there’s always the @catalinachamber & @catalinamuseum plus a very friendly crop of locals who are like islanders the world over, the kind of people you want to sit and have a drink with, full of good stories. There’s just something about Island life! 🌴☀️🌊 . . #voyagersincatalina #visitcatalina #visitcatalinaisland #wrigleycentennial #visitcalifornia #catalinaisland
Did you know that the word ‘casino’ does not actually denote a place of gambling? Or at least it didn’t until quite recently. When Catalina Island’s Casino was commissioned by William Wrigley Jr, the word in Italian simply denoted a place of gathering, a meeting place for entertainment and dancing. Wrigley intended it to be THE place for entertainment and dancing on Catalina Island. And it was! Benny Goodman earned his reputation as the “King of Swing” in the massive top floor ballroom which is surrounded by the columned portico in this photo that offers 365 degree photos of Catalina Island, the town of Avalon and the Bay. Cecile B. DeMille once screened his latest films in the Wrigley’s private viewing room at the Casino. The green rooms hosted Errol Flynn, Cary Grant and more. Even now, the Avalon Theatre on the ground floor still shows first-run movies nightly at 7:30 p.m. and while the latest tech plays those movies now, the projection rooms still house the original state-of-the-art equipment that was installed in the early 1900’s to usher in the era of talking pictures under a ceiling of the most stunning Art Deco murals completed by John Gabriel Beckman. 24 karat gold stars add to the feeling of Hollywood glamour that still seems to infuse the whole building but they’re mere icing on the cake when you consider all the history the Casino has been a part of since it was completed on May 29, 1929. It was then, and still is, one of the most important buildings on Catalina Island & I really enjoyed learning about it through my hosted ‘Behind the Scenes’ tour with @visitcatalinaisland. 90 minutes flew by way too fast for me and I was glad I’d opted for the longer tour over the 45 minute version. I could have lingered up here for 90 minutes alone. From where I took this photo, I could even see bright orange Garibaldi fish swimming in the deep teal waters of the Bay and a lone seal poked its head out as if to say “hello 👋🏼”. 2019 marks 100 years since Wrigley fell in love with the island ended up investing in it, from up here, it was so easy to see why. Pure magic! ✨ #visitcatalinaisland #voyagersincatalina #wrigleycentennial Did you know that the word ‘casino’ does not actually denote a place of gambling? Or at least it didn’t until quite recently. When Catalina Island’s Casino was commissioned by William Wrigley Jr, the word in Italian simply denoted a place of gathering, a meeting place for entertainment and dancing. Wrigley intended it to be THE place for entertainment and dancing on Catalina Island. And it was! Benny Goodman earned his reputation as the “King of Swing” in the massive top floor ballroom which is surrounded by the columned portico in this photo that offers 365 degree photos of Catalina Island, the town of Avalon and the Bay. Cecile B. DeMille once screened his latest films in the Wrigley’s private viewing room at the Casino. The green rooms hosted Errol Flynn, Cary Grant and more. Even now, the Avalon Theatre on the ground floor still shows first-run movies nightly at 7:30 p.m. and while the latest tech plays those movies now, the projection rooms still house the original state-of-the-art equipment that was installed in the early 1900’s to usher in the era of talking pictures under a ceiling of the most stunning Art Deco murals completed by John Gabriel Beckman. 24 karat gold stars add to the feeling of Hollywood glamour that still seems to infuse the whole building but they’re mere icing on the cake when you consider all the history the Casino has been a part of since it was completed on May 29, 1929. It was then, and still is, one of the most important buildings on Catalina Island & I really enjoyed learning about it through my hosted ‘Behind the Scenes’ tour with @visitcatalinaisland. 90 minutes flew by way too fast for me and I was glad I’d opted for the longer tour over the 45 minute version. I could have lingered up here for 90 minutes alone. From where I took this photo, I could even see bright orange Garibaldi fish swimming in the deep teal waters of the Bay and a lone seal poked its head out as if to say “hello 👋🏼”. 2019 marks 100 years since Wrigley fell in love with the island ended up investing in it, from up here, it was so easy to see why. Pure magic! ✨ #visitcatalinaisland #voyagersincatalina #wrigleycentennial
During my hosted press trip to Catalina Island, I checked out two options I can recommend for you in terms of places to stay when you @visitcatalinaisland. Both are bookable via their web site. . The first, represented by the first photo in this carousel, is Mt. Ada. The former home of William Wrigley Jr. and his wife when they were on the island in the 1900s, it receives the first light each day and the last. I think it has the best view on the island and room reservations come with an embarrassment of riches in terms of added amenities; such as a complimentary golf cart for the duration of your stay (normally $50/hr), complimentary golf at the island’s course, a credit at the island’s spa, in town dining credit, a 24 hour complimentary Butler’s Pantry with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages as well as snacks, two meals a day and so much more. It is a @forbestravelguide award winner and a true gem of a property that I’ll be booking for a special occasion trip to Catalina if I have my way. . Right in town, less than 100 steps from the beach, is The Pavilion Hotel, represented by the second photo of what looks like a tropical oasis. This motel-style property, meaning you enter the rooms from outside, is laid out a lush garden. It has a fire pit for maximum warmth factor on those cold nights when you still want to hang out with the friends you travel with as well as nightly wine & cheese hour complimentary for all guests. I had conversations with quite a few staff members and watched them always treat guests with the utmost kindness. It’s a very friendly property with a location ideal for those who want to be right in the heart of it all. . And they’re both just a short ferry ride away from Los Angeles on the @catalinaexpress. Thank you @catalinachamber for hosting the #voyagersincatalina together with the above named entities this week. As always, and particularly when I’m not paid, all opinions are my own! . . . #visitcatalinaisland #catalinaisland #visitcatalina #visitcalifornia #santacatalinaisland #catalinaislandcompany #wheretostay #forbestravelguide #catalinaislandview #travelguides #wrigleycentennial During my hosted press trip to Catalina Island, I checked out two options I can recommend for you in terms of places to stay when you @visitcatalinaisland. Both are bookable via their web site. . The first, represented by the first photo in this carousel, is Mt. Ada. The former home of William Wrigley Jr. and his wife when they were on the island in the 1900s, it receives the first light each day and the last. I think it has the best view on the island and room reservations come with an embarrassment of riches in terms of added amenities; such as a complimentary golf cart for the duration of your stay (normally $50/hr), complimentary golf at the island’s course, a credit at the island’s spa, in town dining credit, a 24 hour complimentary Butler’s Pantry with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages as well as snacks, two meals a day and so much more. It is a @forbestravelguide award winner and a true gem of a property that I’ll be booking for a special occasion trip to Catalina if I have my way. . Right in town, less than 100 steps from the beach, is The Pavilion Hotel, represented by the second photo of what looks like a tropical oasis. This motel-style property, meaning you enter the rooms from outside, is laid out a lush garden. It has a fire pit for maximum warmth factor on those cold nights when you still want to hang out with the friends you travel with as well as nightly wine & cheese hour complimentary for all guests. I had conversations with quite a few staff members and watched them always treat guests with the utmost kindness. It’s a very friendly property with a location ideal for those who want to be right in the heart of it all. . And they’re both just a short ferry ride away from Los Angeles on the @catalinaexpress. Thank you @catalinachamber for hosting the #voyagersincatalina together with the above named entities this week. As always, and particularly when I’m not paid, all opinions are my own! . . . #visitcatalinaisland #catalinaisland #visitcatalina #visitcalifornia #santacatalinaisland #catalinaislandcompany #wheretostay #forbestravelguide #catalinaislandview #travelguides #wrigleycentennial
What has European architecture and looks like a mini Riviera but happens to be in the USA? One of the Channel Islands! They are like a long string of irregularly shaped pearls laying off the coast of California varying in size and differing greatly in terms of development or lack thereof. It’s difficult to say which is the most well known since it depends on who you ask I think. But it’s Catalina Island, once known as Santa Catalina, that I spent time on this week at the invitation of @catalinaexpress, the @catalinachamber & @visitcatalinaisland on a press trip put together by my friend @kelleyferro to celebrate the #wrigleycentennial which is 100 years since William Wrigley Jr. fell in love with the island and purchased a controlling interest in what is now the Catalina Island Company. . Through a variety of hosted experiences and a tiny bit of free time, I enjoyed discovering the incredibly rich history of an island that has less than five thousand full time residents and less than 900 full size cars. The primary mode of transportation on Catalina is golf cart or electric smart car and it was on a self-guided golf cart tour that I discovered this home to the immediate thumping of my heart. I was in love. Turquoise is basically my favorite color — as it always reminds me of the ocean — and I loved it against the white in a style that was so reminiscent of my beloved Europe. This looks like a fusion of places I’ve seen in Spain, Italy and France. All of which seem to be present on the island in one form or another. So while my heart sometimes mourns being farther away from those countries now that I live in LA instead of NYC, this week, the longing was lessened by Catalina’s sublime charms. That charm and so many stories to come all this week. Can’t wait to share! . . . . #visitcatalina #visitcatalinaisland #visitcalifornia #catalinaisland #santacatalina #europeanvibes #houseportraits #voyagersincatalina What has European architecture and looks like a mini Riviera but happens to be in the USA? One of the Channel Islands! They are like a long string of irregularly shaped pearls laying off the coast of California varying in size and differing greatly in terms of development or lack thereof. It’s difficult to say which is the most well known since it depends on who you ask I think. But it’s Catalina Island, once known as Santa Catalina, that I spent time on this week at the invitation of @catalinaexpress, the @catalinachamber & @visitcatalinaisland on a press trip put together by my friend @kelleyferro to celebrate the #wrigleycentennial which is 100 years since William Wrigley Jr. fell in love with the island and purchased a controlling interest in what is now the Catalina Island Company. . Through a variety of hosted experiences and a tiny bit of free time, I enjoyed discovering the incredibly rich history of an island that has less than five thousand full time residents and less than 900 full size cars. The primary mode of transportation on Catalina is golf cart or electric smart car and it was on a self-guided golf cart tour that I discovered this home to the immediate thumping of my heart. I was in love. Turquoise is basically my favorite color — as it always reminds me of the ocean — and I loved it against the white in a style that was so reminiscent of my beloved Europe. This looks like a fusion of places I’ve seen in Spain, Italy and France. All of which seem to be present on the island in one form or another. So while my heart sometimes mourns being farther away from those countries now that I live in LA instead of NYC, this week, the longing was lessened by Catalina’s sublime charms. That charm and so many stories to come all this week. Can’t wait to share! . . . . #visitcatalina #visitcatalinaisland #visitcalifornia #catalinaisland #santacatalina #europeanvibes #houseportraits #voyagersincatalina
Kwaku David Photography
Kwaku David Photography

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