Experiential travel website Fathom taking their notion of great travel experiences a step further. Why do you travel – do you go for the food, the hotel, the great adventure? Started by former DailyCandy editor Pavia Rosati, the new travel website curates “a charming mix of offbeat recommendations, playful experiences, visual packing ideas, practical trip-planning advice, and fresh design.”
An admirable goal, and the editorial team (including several former DailyCandy editors and writers) offers the chops to back it up.
Now a whole new audience can get access to Fathom’s insider info thanks to a sweet partnership with Kate Spade.
Launched this week, the fashion house is offering a series of unique guides, all online, to cities like New York City, London, Los Angeles, Tokyo and, interestingly enough, Tahiti. Here, explore carefully curated sections where you can learn the best places to sleep, eat and play, as well as custom itineraries and even packing lists, all decorated with Kate Spade’s signature playful design accents.
We can’t wait to further peruse these delightful-looking guides. Check them out, here.
Traveling with camera gear can be difficult. Delicate, sensitive lenses and other equipment need to be packed securely but in a way that allows it to be checked at security checkpoints. That makes maneuvering through airports take extra time. Now, a new series of luggage makes life easier for the traveling photographer.
Think Tank Photo has a new Airport™ series of travel specific, high-capacity camera backpacks designed to make maneuvering through airports a quick endeavor. The three backpacks – the Airport Accelerator, Airport Commuter and Airport Essentials – all have quick access pockets for both laptops and iPad, a top pocket for boarding passes and three sturdy handles to ensure easy placement and retrieval from overhead bins.
The three new backpacks meet international carry-on size requirements with the two smaller bags, the Airport Commuter and the Airport Essentials, designed to fit under the seat in regional commuter planes.Promising a light, adjustable, contoured harness to provide comfort along with lumbar support, Think Tank Photo hopes to raise travel accessory standards. The bags also offer air mesh paneling to keep backs cool. A height-adjustable sternum strap, a removable waist belt, side water bottle pocket, tripod/monopod mounting system and seam sealed rain cover look to extend their versatility.
The most famous horse race of the year takes place on Saturday, and it’s time to place your bets. Our safest pick? A party. Can’t make it to Louisville and the famed Barnstable Brown celebrity bash? Some of our favorite events around the Run for the Roses are listed below.
Derby Day at Sea Island Sea Island, the Forbes Five-Star resort on the southeastern coast of Georgia, is joining in the Derby celebrations with their own package for resort guests. The resort’s 11th Annual Derby Day Party will include a viewing party of the Derby along with a silent and live auction, hat parade, live music and dancing under the stars. In addition to celebrating this Saturday, Sea Island is also hosting a pre-party on Friday night with a casual evening of corn hole games, potato sack races, bocce ball, horses and jockeys to greet everyone and a bourbon tasting. Stay overnight and the weekend ($1,400) includes a Cloister River View Room (with upgrade if available), access to parties Friday and Saturday, a $100 experience credit per person and a welcome amenity.
Mint Juleps Galore in DC
Washington’s historic Willard InterContinental hosts their 26th annual “Bonnets and Bow-Ties” party in honor of the Derby on Saturday. A $75 cover fee includes red carpet entry, two handcrafted Henry Clay Mint Juleps – the Round Robin Bar’s signature cocktail – or two cocktails of choice and a traditional Southern buffet with prizes and raffles throughout the event.
Double Down in Austin
The Four Seasons Hotel Austin hosts an annual Derby Day event in their Lobby Lounge, featuring a live broadcast of the races, mint juleps and other drink specials as well as a contest for Best Hat (for the ladies) and Best Seersucker Suit (for men). The two winners of these contests will each take home a silver-plated cup that they can bring in to receive free mint juleps for an entire year.
Run for the Roses at The Plaza
New Yorkers and guests of The Plaza alike can watch the race and attend a “Best Hat” contest at the hotel’s legendary Rose Club. The lucky winner of the hat contest will receive a bottle of Special Edition Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby Bourbon. Fun in the Irons at the Iron Horse Hotel
Milwaukee’s equine-inspired hotel is getting into the action with their second annual Derby party, offering a best hat contest, photo op with the hotel’s own “winner’s circle,” Mint Juleps and an array of prizes. You can even “bet” on your favorite horse and win prizes via a donation of gently used business clothing, which will be given to a local charity.
Noir Does the Derby The Charles Hotel’s Noir bar is hosting their first annual Derby Infield Party. Watch the race on a 9-foot projection screen while sipping a variety of Mint Julep-inspired cocktails and enjoying southern-themed bites. Dressing the part is encouraged, and prizes will be awarded for Best Attire (Southern belle and Southern gentleman) as well as Best Hat. Cast your vote for the winning horse to win a chance to receive Derby related prizes. Tables are available with a $95 food and beverage minimum for up to four people ($50 for up to two people).
Hold Your Horses with the Los Angeles Athletic Club
The club is hosting their second Annual Kentucky Derby Viewing Party appropriately named “Hold Your Horses” on its newly renovated third floor. Races will be shown on multiple TVs, guests will enjoy equine-inspired activities, a live band, southern-inspired dishes and whiskey flights. There will even be a hat designer onsite. $30 per person includes entry, complimentary Mint Julep, buffet, games and live entertainment.
Show Your Horse Racing Love at in St. Augustine
In St. Augustine, Florida, the Casa Monica Hotel is hosting Derby and a Dinner on Saturday, May 5 from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. Upon entering the event, guests will participate in a blind draw to select their horse. Attendees enjoy complimentary mint juleps and light hors d’oeuvres along with a cash bar, but those who pick horses “in the money” (first, second or third) will win prizes, and all guests wearing a hat are entered to win brunch for two. Tickets are $25 per person, and everyone attending will receive a $25 dinner credit at 95 Cordova after the event.
A dramatic rescue took place on Mt. Everest this past weekend where photographer and filmmaker Corey Richards had to be evacuated from the mountain by helicopter. Much of the incident was captured on film, which offers insight into high altitude mountaineering rescue operations that can be employed to save a climber’s life.
Richards was climbing the world’s tallest mountain as part of the co-sponsored National Geographic/North Face team that is preparing to tackle Everest’s seldom visited West Ridge. As part of his normal acclimatization process, he had made his way up to Camp 2, located at about 21,000 feet, and while there, he began to experience chest pains and was having trouble breathing. Fearing an impending case of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), better known as altitude sickness, Corey’s teammates sprung into action to help ensure his safety. After putting him on supplementary oxygen, ten other climbers loaded him into a plastic sled and started to lower him down the mountain.
The original plan was to take him to Camp 1 where he could be picked up by a helicopter, but the weather worsened as they descended, and they were forced to assist him all the way back to Base Camp at 17,500 feet. Along the way, the 28-year-old Richards had to periodically get off the sled and walk across large crevasses on out-stretched ladders.
Upon reaching Base Camp, Richards was taken to the village of Lukla, located at a lower altitude in the Khumbu Valley. Once there, high altitude doctors were able to examine him and they determined that it was best to send him back to Kathmandu for recovery. He is reportedly there now, feeling much better and weighing his options for potentially returning to the team.
Update: The video has been changed to no longer allow us to embed it here on Gadling. To check it out for yourself click here.
I stumbled across this video on Vimeo. It’s an introduction video from Lewis Colam and the first of many to come. Lewis is a 24-year-old man from London. He’s spending approximately three months rowing from Miami to New York City. He’s doing all of this to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease research. Along the 1,400-mile journey, Colam will face many obstacles – prolonged sun exposure, bugs and the challenge of having no support boat or team following him along to ensure his safety. I enjoy following adventures like these, especially when they’re being documented on film. Check it out here.