Instagram Travel with me to Canada

I’d like to invite you to Instagram travel with me to Canada the next two weeks. (Follow me as Skimbaco)

The Canadian Tourism Commission and VIA Rail invited 28 of the world’s best travel bloggers, writers and photographers from 11 different countries to discover Canada on an epic journey to TBEX Toronto, the world’s largest gathering of travel bloggers and new media content creators.

I’m excited to announce that I have been selected by the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) as one of the bloggers to travel in Canada to taste, touch, smell and experience the uniqueness of the vast country and travel from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Toronto for TBEX 2013, the world’s largest gathering of travel bloggers, writers, and new media content creators. I will be speaking at TBEX about Instagram strategy, and I couldn’t be more excited bot about the travels ahead and the speech at the conference. My wish is that with this type of collaborations we all are able to inspire more people not just to travel to Canada, but show what a great travel resource tools like Instagram are.

You can follow my journey on Instagram with hashtag #skimbacocanada as it happens, and everyone’s journeys with #explorecanada and at Canada Keep Exploring site. I will also be writing here of all of the details of the trip. I truly enjoyed my quick visit to Halifax last summer, and can’t wait to go back. We also used to live upstate New York, almost on Canadian border, and visited Canada almost monthly because our kids were in a Finnish language school in Montreal. However, I was always left for wanting to travel more in Canada, and I am excited about this trip to see more. As a Finn I share the love of ice hockey and snow with Canadians, and of course I’m super excited about all of the seafood on the coast and the culinary and cultural travels we will do.

Some of my photos from Canada.

Welcome our new writer Dana Bach Johnson.

Wonderlust: The Great Gatsby

We are so excited about the ”The Great Gatsby” movie! This new lavish version by Baz Luhrmann is set to make the Jazz Age sparkle and prove F. Scott Fitzgerald still shines bright. The beloved novel showcases glamorous lifestyles amongst turmoiled relationships. Leonardo DiCaprio is so dapper as Jay Gatsby and the beautiful Carey Mulligan twinkles as Daisy Buchanan. The story is so timeless and the movie promises to be full of great drama, stylish clothes, and amazing parties. Get inspired and go see “The Great Gatsby”! Here are some of my favorites inspired by The Great Gatsby movie, what I really recommend though – read the book as well!

The quote

The style

Are you loving this style as much as we are? Luckily there are now many Great Gatsby and 20s’ inspired collections available and out hot tips to check out now include: Warby Parker’s  1922 limited edition eyewear collection, Modcloth’s 1920s inspired accessories and clothing,  Out of Print’s Great Gatsby Collection and that fabulous mens Great Gatsby Collection by Brooks Brothers. Once you seen the movie and stocked up on your own fabulous 20s ensembles it’s time to throw your own The Great Gatsby garden party!

The movie

Enter the world of glitz and glamour, parties and beautiful houses of The Great Gatsby:

I am a big believer that our learning never stops, and it should not stop.
And it absolutely should not stop with academic education, and in fact I believe you often learn more about life and especially about yourself in out-of-the-normal learning settings. That’s one of the reasons why we travel with our children – we want them to learn first-hand about different cultures. The thing is – you don’t have to even leave your house nowadays to learn new skills. I wouldn’t own an online magazine today if I hadn’t learned everything there is to learn about blogging and publishing, and I learned it all via internet. Internet learning doesn’t have to end with your professional research though. I recently learned how to make sushi, and my husband learned how to change breaks to his Audi S8 via online lessons we found. What is the latest thing you have learned to do via internet?

Just in: new online learning site Curious.com

You and me are not alone – the demand for learning new things via online lessons is growing fast, and a new website called Curious.com just launched earlier this month.

At Curious we believe in lifelong learning. Learning for its own sake. Learning that happens beyond classrooms, and not only in academic subjects (unless you count beer brewing, pipe soldering, and organic gardening as academic). Learning as a necessity of living.

Curious is a website with hundreds of lessons on topics ranging from cooking, to ski lessons to crocheting, and more! I found salsa dance lessons, got ski tips and learned a few recipes and tricks in the kitchen – just in the past few days. The lessons are short and many come in series (for example the salsa dance) so people in different levels can jump in when they feel comfortable. The best part about the actual video lessons is that they are sectioned to different sections and watermarked to tell more about that specific 30-60 second slot. If you have ever tried learning something complicated with a step-by-step instructional video, you know how frustrating it can be to try to find the specific spot in the video and listen to the instructions for the 10th time.

Many of the lessons are free, and the rest of them are only a few dollars. Instead of having to enter your credit card information every time you want to purchase a lesson, the currency used on Curious is Curious Coins. Each coin is worth $1, and to celebrate its public launch, Curious is offering new members $20 of free Curious Coins. Curious has something else cool going for during their launch month – check out the Curious blog for their Pinterest and Twitter contests to win an iPad mini – great for your “learning on-the-go.”

Come chat with us

Curious is hosting a Twitter Party on on May 22nd from 6-7 PM PST (9-10 PM EST) with #iamcurious to chat about lifelong learning and I will be one of the panelists on the Twitter chat. I hope you join us, and share what you have been learning lately!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Curious. All of my opinions are my own. And really, I learned to make sushi and dance salsa online.

I am beyond thrilled to announce that my first ebook Instagram as your Guide to the World – How, What and Who to Search and Follow on Instagram to Help You Travel the World just published this week and it is now available on Amazon.com for an introductory price of $4.99 for a limited time. You can also sign up for my newsletter and get a shorter version for free later this summer. I will be giving a free short version of the book as a .pdf for my newsletter subscribers for free of charge sometime during summer 2013. You can sign up for my personal weekly email here.

Million Little Travel Guides

I was honored to have the
New York Best Selling Author Chris Brogan to write the foreword for the Instagram as Your Guide to The World-book.

Katja is leading a movement of sorts, one to help others create a million little travel guides. But this isn’t entirely about Katja. She’s just our “point of view character,” as they say in movies. She’s actually here for you. Because when you’re done, you’re a recruit. You’re part of the movement. And you have work to do. The world needs your perspective, your take, and your inevitable greatness. We are, after all, creating a million little travel guides, and your work starts now.

says Chris Brogan about this book.

Chris Brogan is CEO & President of Human Business Works, a media and education company helping equip the Personal Business Revolution. He is the New York Times bestselling author of six books (so far) including The Impact Equation.

YOU become a travel expert

My easy-to-read ebook will help you to learn to use Instagram effectively as a travel guide. I will teach you how, what and who to search and follow on Instagram to make your travel planning a much more pleasant, even fun, experience. You will learn to connect with real travel experts; tourists exactly like you and local people. They can tell you the secrets the tourist guide would never reveal. This book gives you a fresh new way of seeing how, what and where people, like you, travel. It also helps you to find an amazing community of people and see different perspectives of our world.

I will also recommend a few supplementary tools that you can use in addition to Instagram to get the most out of your experience. This book is mainly a technical how-to-book, and you can skim through the topics and the tips pretty quickly if you are a seasoned Instagram user. In addition to the technical tips I have added a few travel photos and short travel stories in this book to highlight what this book really is about: an inspiration for you to discover the world! This book isn’t just about new technology and social media, but about discovery, community, and experiencing the world.

After reading this guide YOU will become an expert in finding exotic places to visit and insider tips on what to do – anywhere in the world. My hope for you is that you will not just find a new way to find photos and travel destinations, but that you are also able to make new friends around the country and around the world. I also hope you will learn more about different cultures and see just how different our beautiful world can be – and also see how similar things can be on the other side of the world.

The best thing about Instagram isn’t the technology. The best thing about Instagram is the people who use it. Take time to connect with the people behind the photos.

Remember to also share your own photos! I want to see your pictures from your travels, so remember to connect with me on Instagram, my username is Skimbaco. You can also tag your next travel photos with #IGTravelBook to share them with other readers and travel experts mentioned in this book. I would like to invite you to join our community of Skimbacoers, and share the pictures of how you enjoy life with the #skimbaco hashtag.

Join me in living life to the fullest, and sharing our world travels!

Get the Instagram as your Guide to the World-book now and learn more about the Instagram as Your Guide to The World-book here.

Paris – Sweet Tooth’s Paradise

Having visited Paris four times in the last six years, I have had my share of Paris’s best sweets. From cookies to frozen delights, pastries to beverages, I have a list to suit everyone’s sweet tooth!

1. Macarons
Few people can visit Paris and not at eat a French macaron. You see the colorful treats everywhere you turn. A macaron is a sandwich cookie – ganache, buttercream or jam between two almond merengue cookies. They come in a wide variety of  flavors and countless colors that are often vivid. Macarons are not for everyone’s palate as they are quite sweet but they are worth a taste to find out if they suit yours. You can buy your macarons at world famous and always crowded Ladurée and even at Paris McDonald’s! I like to buy mine at Gerard Mulot in the Marais neighborhood.

2. Crème Brûlée
Crème Brûlée literally translated from French means “brunt crème”. Smooth custard awaits you under a thin crust of scorched sugar that you can gently crack with your spoon. I always order a Crème Brûlée when I dine at Ma Bourgogne, located in Place des Vosges. Crème Brûlée is quite rich. I suggest sharing with someone. Just ask for “deux cuillères, s’il vous plait” (two spoons, please)!

3. Crêpes
Hot, freshly made-while-you-wait Crêpes are available in many locations throughout Paris. It’s a Parisian street food that is served both savory and sweet. My favorite is a Nutella, banana crêpes drizzled with Grand Marnier. I like them for dessert, a snack or anytime! They are especially wonderful on a cold Paris night.

4. Gelato
Enjoy a little Italy while in Paris and have a gelato. Amorino is a chain of gelato stores located throughout Europe. Their signature rose-shaped scoops on comes make your already fantastic gelato even more of an experience! Coconut is, in my opinion, the best flavor at Amorino. I could eat an entire gelato bouquet of them!

5. Tarte au Citron
Tarte au Citron, or lemon tart, is sweet, tangy and creamy with a lightly sweetened crispy crust. It’s a delight to enjoy, especially as an afternoon treat after sightseeing all day, and goes well with a cup of hot French tea. I think the best are found at Gerard Mulot.

6. Chocolate Chaud
Chocolate Chaud is French for “hot chocolate”. But this is not your everyday powdered mix hot chocolate. An authentic chocolate chaud is something special. Using steamed milk and bits of semisweet chocolate, chocolate chaud is a warm cup of sweet richness!  Most Parisian cafes serve chocolate chaud but Angelina is world-famous for theirs.

7. Croissants
If there is one food on this list that I eat every day I am in Paris it’s a croissant. I immediately scout out a bakery near my hotel that appears busy and popular. I head there each and every morning to buy a few fresh, warm, buttery, flakey croissants and a cup of coffee. Often, I will choose an almond or chocolate croissant instead of plain if my sweet tooth requests it. I have no problem declaring croissants found in Paris are the best in the universe!

8. Fresh Fruit
If sugary treats get tiresome (as if!) visit your nearby produce market or even better, find an outdoor food market by searching online for days and locations. Some of the best tasting and best looking fruit I have ever eaten I purchased in Paris.  I always buy a basket or two of strawberries whenever I visit. They make a nice accompaniment to a glass of French champagne!

9. Luxury ice cream
Have you ever tasted luxury ice cream? Once you have a scoop of Berthillon luxury ice cream, you will never want to eat ‘regular’ ice cream again. Berthillon is a family-owned business which began in 1954. They pride themselves on using only natural ingredients and make approximately sixty flavors are produced throughout the year that change with the seasons.

10. Bon bons
Candy lovers will be in candy paradise in Paris. Bon bons, or candy, can be chocolate, hard candy, or any small confection. If you’re looking for a sweet treat to bring home from your trip, candy would be a good choice, especially hard candies

Which sweet would you indulge in while visiting Paris?

We are used to constantly be ”effective” and on a rush. Once in a while perfection is to escape the everyday life, and take your time to enjoy to little things in life. No harm traveling far away of the everyday surroundings and for a week, forget your to-do list. Enjoy company of your closed ones, the sun and the feeling of not having to fulfill any responsibilities at the moment. This was my recent trip to Playa del Carmen in Mexico.

The main purpose of our trip was to escape the everyday life and endless darkness of the winter in Finland, where I come from.

Catch some vitamin D from the sun, just take it easy.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico. One of those places that leaves you want to go back and explore more. Endless white sand beaches, mild wind and palm trees, and laid back attitude comes first in mind when reliving the memories. Delicious fresh guacamole and colorful fresh fruit, of course.

Playa del Carmen was perfect for relaxing and taking it easy.

However, as my family is as active as I am, we wanted to get out of the resort as well. Chichen Itza, one of the new seven world wonders, was a must see. The Chichen Itza is a Mayan City on the Yucatan Peninsula, between Valladolid and Merida. It was established before the period of Christopher Columbus and served as the religious center of Yucatan for a while. Loving history, I found it fascinating to explore this ancient Mayan village and learn more of this mystic and intelligent tribe.

On our way to Chichen Itza, we made a swim stop at a cenote. The cenote was huge, 130 deep feet.  It was amazingly refreshing to hop to fresh and clear water after a sweaty drive.

On our way back we drove through an atmospheric town with colorful building and happy people on the streets. This was the authentic kind of Mexico which I definitely want to explore more. Next time, I will pack my pack back and discover the authentic Mexican villages and people.

This time – I found my inner peace from relaxing on the beach.

Paris has many faces and if you like the continuous buzz and lively scenes, the place to be is on the Left Bank of the city – and more specifically in Latin Quarters. Our latest hotel tip from this area is the Select Hôtel Rive Gauche - a little four-star boutique hotel with a modern and edgy decor. The hotel is perfectly located on Place de la Sorbonne, the square in front of the entrance to the famous Paris Sorbonne University – and just steps away from the beautiful park Jardin De Luxembourg where masses of people chill on the lawns facing the elaborate French Senate building.

The hotel itself has only 66 rooms which are decorated with a clean and contemporary style – with an added bonus of  lively and pretty views out of the window. Our room was clean and stylish – and definitely worth the 4-star rating that the hotel has.  However, keeping in line with Parisian hotels the rooms are quite small, yet functional. However, the bathroom was a bit of unusual one with its frosted glass sliding walls as it gave a feel of being in an aquarium.  As we love the busy sounds of the city, we kept the windows open late into the night and enjoyed music and the hum of conversations on the background. There is just something extra special about Paris!

The decor is really what makes this place so special, there is art, funky furniture in eye-popping colors scattered around giving the place of a more of art deco-style house feel than that of a hotel. The lobby area has a cozy little bar and a couple of living-room -style lounges for relaxation, but there is no restaurant  - and who needs one when there are several right next to the hotel entrance! The hotel serves a traditional Parisian breakfast though in their funky basement-level breakfast room. And if you feel inspired by the decor of the house you are already perfectly located in the Latin Quarters, where there is in addition to all those colorful restaurants plenty of art shops and fabulous little boutiques to browse for little finds for your home.

Place de la Sorbonne and the entrance to the university. The hotel entrance is on the far right hand side corner. There are already several little bistros to choose from for a meal, coffee or just drinks in the evening in this square.

The location of the Select Hôtel Rive Gauche is great for city sightseeing as well. The best starting point for the tour is the lovely Jardin de Luxembourg where one can admire the beauty of the Senate, visit the museum and enjoy a fresh cafe au lait and almond croissant while watching little boats gliding across the pool. If you are a fan of some particular book placed in Paris, such as the Da Vinci Code, then the church of Saint Sulpice is a must stop. And while in the area there oldest church in France, Abbey of St-Germain-des-Prés, is also worth a visit. At the end of the day staying in the heart of the Latin Quarters opens up a whole new world of the vibrant Parisian lifestyle for you, and you are guaranteed to have a good time!

Saint Sulpice Church from the Da Vinci Code -book

Exquisite French food, wine tastings, delicious appetizers, regional cheese selections and cocktail hours – this is the culinary heaven you’ll experience on board – and on excursions from L’Impressioniste, the river barge in Burgundy. From the moment we boarded the barge and were handed our champagne flutes and nibbles of little Dijon mustard-filled savory bits it was nothing short of a taste buds heaven.

For each meal there were carefully chosen red and white, or sometimes rose wines depending on the meals on offer. What I found refreshing was the fact that the dinner wouldn’t start until all guests and the captain were seated down. The chef and the lovely staff would then takes turns to introduce the courses of the meal, as well as describe the wines and their history. And one cannot forget the cheese platters, served after the main course and prior to the dessert. It seems that every village has their own special cheese, and therefore we had plenty of new cheese varieties to try!

The passengers were treated for cocktails and savory nibbles during the cocktail hour that preceded the dinner, and true to the French style the drinks were refreshing but more towards the bitter than overly sweet in taste – such as this typically English summer cocktail made of gin-based Pimms above. The cocktail hour provided a much-needed moment  to relax after a day of sightseeing and wine-tasting and also gave an opportunity to have a little chat with fellow passengers and enjoy the views of the passing Burgundy countryside waking up to spring.

Our first trip destination was Château André Ziltener where we had wine tasting session both in the cellar and the tasting room with instructions for newbies on how wine tastings work and how the taste of the wine can be described. Prior the tasting we toured the vineyard itself and learned how local wine quality was ranked based on where in the valley the grapes were growing. I loved the multi-coloured glass tabled that was used for the wine tasting, and it came with an interesting story, according to which historically “in order to better the quality of wine the monks used to test it through the luminosity of the glass panes.”

Château André Ziltener is located in the picturesque village of Chambolle-Musigny, where you can literally walk from one wine tasting room to another as good quality wine is the specialty of this village. They are also an accredited four-star hotel with a total of ten charming, yet luxurious rooms, suites and apartments and have been called as the most beautiful hotel in Burgundy. This trip certainly is a heaven for those who want to stop and smell the flowers and take a moment to relax, enjoy great food, wine and sightseeing historical little towns and villages!

European Waterways

The culinary and wine tours were part of the European Waterways river cruise in Burgundy. Prices for a 6 night cruise aboard the 12 passenger hotel barge L’Impressionniste are from $4,750 per person in a twin/double en suite cabin, including all meals, wines, an open bar, excursions and local transfers. Contact European Waterways: Toll Free 1-877-879-8808 and check out www.gobarging.com for more details.

Disclosure: I was a media guest of the European Waterways, and received a free one night stay at Hotel Westminster, and the river cruise on L’Impressionniste. All other costs associated with this visit are my own, and my opinions are always my own.

When you have a toddler, every day is a Mother’s Day. The kisses, cuddles, smiles and giggles always put a smile on my face and make me thankful of what I have. At the same time though every day is a 24h work shift. Tantrums, nappies, sleepless nights, food thrown on the floor, laundry basket that seems to magically fill up after every wash… The list goes on!

And here comes Mother’s Day. With a toddler, what this day really is, it is the day for the husband or boyfriend to remember their other half as at least for me, my little one is still blissful in the ignorance of meaning of the upcoming Sunday. To be fair though, she has no idea yet what Christmas or her own birthday stand for either.

As me and my husband spend a lot of time apart, the perfect Mother’s Day and gift really, would be more family time together. Just a quiet day with a long breakfast (and I wouldn’t object if it was served in bed), maybe trip to the local swimming pool or slow walk in the mountains. Or it could be a surprise afternoon tea at home, like our Skimbaco editorial team member Adrienne experienced some years ago.

Even though I agree with another Skimbaco colleague Reeta in that ideally Mother’s Day would be truly a day of celebration instead of a present and flowers delivered via web, as I know this is not going to happen in our family this year, here are some ideas that are easy to do, even if your loved one is far away. And yes, you still have time to go shopping!

Gift Idea 1: Flowers through Fleurop-Interflora

Giving someone flowers is such a small gesture, but can mean a lot. Fleurop-Interflora offers same-day florist delivery of fresh flowers around the world as it is the largest floral company in the world. If you want to support your local florist instead, why not give your local business a call and see what they can offer!

Gift Idea 2: Day at a Spa

To give a mother some time off for herself is priceless. No matter how highly I personally rate the family time together, to have the chance to relax, on my own, with some expert treatments from massage to aromatherapy rate very high on my “wish list”. With a babysitter organised, of course! Why not contact a local spa and arrange a voucher to be reserved for your special person, and make the card for her yourself. And don’t forget to make those babysitting arrangements with someone you trust or regularly use. And as our Luxury Travel Editor Leigh pointed out, moms will enjoy these kind of pampering treatments and surprises any time of the year!

Gift Idea 3: Online Gift voucher

Online gift vouchers tend to fall under the category “for those out of ideas”, and I do agree if the gift voucher is very general. But there is a whole host of more thoughtful gift vouchers available depending on the interests of the recipient, from outdoors, to books, beautiful underwear, cosmetics… The sky is really the limit here and you just need to step in the shoes of your other half and think what they would really appreciate.

However, in the end of the day it is not all about gifts. Or it shouldn’t be. But sometimes little thoughtful gift goes a long way if you can’t celebrate these special days together. And now, maybe someone could point my husband to this direction to read my “wishlist” without me being too obvious!?

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mothers on Sunday!

Mother’s Day is not always about pretty packages and bows; you can take Mom to tea in a luxury hotel, delight her at home with a special tea luncheon, serve her breakfast in bed, or pamper her at your local spa.

Luxury Hotel Spas Pamper Mom

Luxury hotels welcome moms this time of year with special Mother’s Day packages, but remember that Mom will enjoy that trip to the spa just as much in June, September, or November. It doesn’t have to be on Mother’s Day itself. Think of Mom throughout the year. Many of the hotels and cities that we’ve featured on Skimbaco Lifestyle this past year have great luxury spas available to pamper Mom. Napa, Aspen, Iceland, Seattle, Paris, Charlotte, Bali, New York. You get the idea. Luxury hotel spas or even day spas are wherever you go and in your own hometown.

I enjoy a trip to the spa more than ever now that I’m a mom. In fact, sitting in the spa lounge in peace and quiet is almost as special as the spa treatment itself. I don’t talk about my children much here, but I have a 7-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter. They are a constant source of noise, which is why the relaxation and quiet at a spa is like heaven to me at this stage of parenting.

Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, NC

I recently slipped away to the Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, North Carolina, and treated myself to a facial. It had been over a year since I had this type of skincare treatment. My esthetician said that ideally, a facial is recommended monthly as women age, especially at my age of 44. But since monthly facials are not in my beauty budget, she recommends that women schedule a facial at least quarterly.

My 60-minute facial was catered to my individual skin-care needs, which is a combination of dry and oily. The highlight of the treatment was a special masque by H. Maloha skin-care products. This masque, available only in spas, has natural anti-aging antioxidants native to Hawaii. I was also encouraged to add oil to my skin-care routine, and continue to keep my skin hydrated.

After my session, I had never felt better, and even allowed staff at Old Edwards to take a photo of me in the lounge sans makeup immediately after my treatment.

I must have been on cloud nine in the spa because I usually don’t show myself makeup free in any photo. But when you have the right treatment, you feel as if your skin is glowing and looks best with less.

Old Edwards Inn and Spa is about two hours from Atlanta, Georgia, and two hours from Asheville, North Carolina. It currently has the “May Slip Away Package” for two nights that includes two spa treatments. To learn more about the Old Edwards Inn and Spa, visit the HinesSight blog for my latest “Pack Your Bags” feature on this exceptional property.

I can assure you that your mom will love a facial, manicure, massage, or pedicure any time of year.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Disclosure: I was a media guest of the Old Edwards Inn and Spa. My spa treatment was complimentary.  As always, my opinions and experiences are my own.

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