Getting Lost in the Desert in Palm Springs

Okay, sure, there was some shopping, too. And eating. And celeb-sighting, as it turns out. (Octomom of all people! And man, does she look cra-zy in person!) But to truly appreciate Palm Springs you have to get out into the desert backcountry and get a handle on where exactly you are, which is pretty much the middle of nowhere. I discovered the desert brings with it a host of lure and atmosphere, even a smell, and an interesting peacefulness. Here are some highlights of my trip, which I wrote about in my latest piece for New York magazine Get Lost in the Desert in Palm Springs.

Key West for Grown Ups

What?! You’re probably thinking. Yes, yes, I know Key West is known for its drag scene, Buffet-loving Parrotheads and spring breakers, but I was aiming for a fanny-pack-free trip to the Conch Republic. And thanks to Chris Shultz from The Porch and his local crew for showing me the way.

Key West is weird in all the right ways. More New Orleanslike than I expected. I sought out a less-tacky and touristy, more edgy way to experience the southernmost point in the U.S. So that’s what I wrote about in my new piece for New York magazine, “Be a Grown-up in Key West.”

And make no mistake, being a grown up doesn’t mean you have to stay sober.

[pictured above: La Creperie in the colorful Bahama Village neighborhood.]

Winter Travel: Rent Your Dream Pad

Hotels are so passe, didn’t you know? As we continue our search for authentic travel experiences a new trend has emerged: Renting someone else’s sweet pad instead of feeling like a tourist in a Doubletree.

My latest travel story came out as part of New York magazine’s Winter Travel feature, a package devoted entirely to the art of crashing at someone else’s place. I wrote about the converted barn, above, on Long Island’s North Fork and what’s new in the area. The short answer: Plenty!

Read the full piece after the jump.

Help! What Colors to Paint Our Old House?

Big news: We’re leaving Brooklyn and returning to Richmond — in a week! We’ll be moving back into our old house with plans to give it a little refresher. Here’s what it looked like before we moved out…

Disconnected in Venice

I’ve been thinking about this photo for years. It seemed so odd to see this gondolier in Venice talking on his cell phone. Gondoliers are a holdover from another era – one without mobile phones. Ever since I shot this in 2004, I’ve kept eyes peeled for mobile phone anachronisms, times when cells just don’t belong. I call the series Disconnected. More to come.

Have any great shots of someone on a cell phone? Send it my way and I’ll post it.

Packing List: Sun Hat to Go

I’m fair and freckled and I’ve faced facts: I will not get tan. And sunblock can only do so much when I’m scouring the Brooklyn Flea in the blazing sun or on the deck of a boat in Capri (more on that soon, I promise!) So I always carry a hat, but I don’t always want to wear it all day. That’s why I was so happy to find this awesome, orange sun hat (modeled above by my daughter, Marguerite), San Diego Sun Hat’s large-brim ribbon hat.

It’s cute, has a big brim that can be bent up or down and, best of all it, can be folded up and put in my purse or suitcase and won’t get crushed. So I will never again be caught carrying a straw hat around an airport in January.

See what other genius clothes and accessories are on my Packing List.

Get Artsy in the Hamptons

Here are two surprising facts about the Hamptons: Some of these quaint Long Island beach towns date back to the 17th century, and art’s abstract impressionist movement was founded there in East Hampton. So not only can you find adorable weathered-shingle homes but also serious art cred. Jackson Pollock, for one, did his drip thing on the floor of one of said cottages. You can visit Pollock’s house (above), and other shrines to the past, but where are the contemporary art and artists in the Hamptons these days? That’s what I wrote about in my recent travel story for New York magazine, along with great places to stay, eat and play. I didn’t include the beach (below) but that goes without saying, right? (This one’s Main Beach in East Hampton.)

Read the whole story here at New York magazine.

Happy weekend, hope you’re heading “out east”…