Author Archives: Andrew Villagomez
12 Stylish Backpacks For Every Traveler
Bags are obviously one of my favorite accessories, and the backpack is a style perfect for all types of travel. Whether you’re headed to a tropical destination, getting ready for an outdoors adventure or visiting a luxe hotel in London, there’s a backpack out there that’s perfect for you this spring:
Luxury & City Travel
Kenneth Cole Leather Convertible Backpack ($325, Kenneth Cole)
Tumi Alpha Bravo Lejeune Backpack Tote ($445, Tumi)
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Must Have: Takeya’s Stylish, Eco-Friendly Glass Bottle
World Water Day is an annual event from the UN every March 22nd as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and conservation. A way to do your part is to upgrade to a glass water bottle everyday over plastic. Drinking out of glass is not only healthier, but can be stylish with the must have glass water bottles from Takeya.
Easy to grasp and carry, the Takeya Classic Glass Bottle is inspired by the iconic American milk bottle, and these durable glass bottles come with a silicone jacket that provides a no-slip grip. An easy-carry loop and a tight twist cap make it the ideal bottle for when you’re on the go. Holds 14 oz, 16 oz (pictured), or 22 oz., and available in black, purple, cobalt blue, green apple and fuschia. For more stylish water bottles, check out my round up for Details.
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Outfit: Cancún Style, From Land To The Caribbean Sea
While in Mexico for the Cancún-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival this year, I had some down time for some much need style posts. Shot on the beach of the Moon Palace, a tee and shorts outfit is something that can be enjoyed both at your resort or by the beach. To add a little stylish flair, lightly layer with a short sleeve linen shirt (this one from Perry Ellis). Then to make a personal statement, talk with your accessories.
The Coach Bleecker Day Tote In Bar Stripe Leather makes a refined, yet colorful statement with the sky blue stripes, and then can glow with gold aviators (this fashionable performance pair is Under Armour UA Alloy). For footwear, if you’re not doing sandals go for printed espadrilles like this navy, cloud-turtle design from Sperry Top-Sider as an alternative to florals and tropical plants.
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Cancún-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival 2014 Photo Diary
Fresh from Cancun, I had the pleasure in attending the third edition of the Cancún-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival. Over the course of four days across seven different resorts, attendees could partake in events such as the conference series (which featured renowned New York-based, French chef Daniel Boulud who talked about his inspiring career path and about the future of cuisine), tastings of wine and spirits from California, Argentina and of course Mexico, and countless delicious and beautifully displayed bites from all over the world to fill everyone’s culinary curiosity.
The Gourmet Tasting Village at Moon Palace was the place to be for two days of Mexican cuisine from local restaurants (such as La Casa del Agua, Cocina de Autor and Alquimia), resorts (such as Palace Resorts, Le Blanc, ME and Nizuc), the local culinary school (El Instituto Culinario de Cancún) and food and drink brands. While I couldn’t bring back the food with me (if only!), I was able to snap hundreds of photos. Get a food porn photo sampling below of the tasty goodies at this year’s CRM Wine & Food Festival:
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Music Download: Sia’s Soaring “Chandelier”
Everyone’s already living for Sia’s latest single, “Chandelier”, and it’s only been online a couple of hours. With the talent of putting out pop hits left and right, whether she’s singing or writing them, the lead single for her upcoming sixth album shows off Sia’s range of vocal talents with mellow verses and a powerful, soaring chorus. Sia sings about what should sound like a very relatable night out (or several handfuls) that we’ve experienced or planned on experiencing to escape life and celebrate the now. Listen to “Chandelier” below:
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Street Style: How To Add Some Dandy Flair To Your Look
In this street style feature for Out magazine, wandering near Columbus Circle I spotted a jazz musician who rocks a faux fur collar overcoat that he found at a thrift shop. He pairs it with a marled gray turtleneck sweater and heritage Tommy Hilfiger boots, adding a touch of dandyism to his outfit with a paisley print scarf.
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A Scent For Mankind – Kenneth Cole’s New Fragrance
Kenneth Cole’s latest scent is geared toward the refined, modern, and evolving man, and you can see more about these men in a video below. Their characteristics were taken into consideration when coming up for the scent, which resulted to one of aromatic and woodland qualities.
The fragrance, in a clear bottle with leather covering on the side and on the cap, opens with pineapple (briefly), tarragon leaf, cardamom and ginger, and then moves into cinnamon and sandalwood among other greens. A classy scent that isn’t too strong, Mankind is a good candidate for your everyday office fragrance, and will help ease you into spring. 3.4 oz, $72, Kenneth Cole
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4 Niche Museums To Visit In Europe
Sure you can visit Paris’ Lourve, London’s British Museum and the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain, but what about a museum dedicated to the dog, gelato, surfing in the UK and the music group ABBA? From a Details online article I wrote in summer, after hearing that the Swedish band ABBA got its own museum I noticed there was a spike in offbeat and niche museums popping up the past year and half. Check out the European selections below, and the full collection here.
Gelato Museum Carpigiani (above)
Where: Bologna, Italy
“Italians have been enjoying their fancy ice cream longer than you might think. It was even served at 16th-century Medici parties. You can learn more about the dessert in this new space, located just outside the city of Anzola dell’Emilia, near Bologna. After an hour-long tour spotlighting the history, culture, and production of Italian ice cream, visitors get to sample modern versions of 19th-century recipes. Hard-core gelato lovers can even take cooking lessons at the Carpigiani Gelato University.”
The Museum of British Surfing
Where: Brauton, United Kingdom
“Although Hawaii, California, and Australia are renowned hot spots of surf culture, the sport has been popular on the U.K. coastline of North Devon for over 200 years. Art lovers will appreciate the collection of 50 surfboards, some made as long ago as the early 1900s.”
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Street Style: Dressing Smart With A Statement Coat
In this street style feature for Out magazine, wandering near Fifth Avenue I spot a sales associate named Bryan who was sporting a stylish square print overcoat by 3.1 Phillip Lim. Bryan dresses it smartly with his Louis Vuitton suit and tie, and dresses that down with a pair of sky blue Vans.
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Make A Footwear Statement With Eastland x Mark McNairy Spring 2014
Teaming up again for a preppy-meets-street footwear collaboration, Mark McNairy is designing for Eastland’s Made in Maine collection. The collection has three new styles in a few different color options, with McNairy offering camo detailed options available for each style. Bold colors will be included for the added statement value, and along with the Ripley USA horsebit loafer style above in brown with camo, another favorite is the Falmouth USA boat option in canary yellow below:
The collection will be available in various retailers and online starting mid-March. See another color option of Falmouth USA style below, and the Mercer USA Chukka boot style:
Vee Travels 