Pack Your Bags: Queenstown, New Zealand

With Lorde's recent Grammy double win, New Zealand is really starting to earn its place on the map. Here's some serious travel porn featuring the jewel of the South Island, beautiful Queenstown tucked betwixt two spines of snowcapped hills.

http://www.lifestylemirror.com/life/travel/2014/01/28/1657434872/this-week-in-travel-queenstown-new-zealand/

Pack Your Bags: Utah, USA

Jealous of the Sundance-ers living it up in the heart of Indie film-dom? Here are a few tips for having the time of your life in rural Utah. Don't miss lonely Brice Canyon and the wickedly modern Amangiri resort.

http://www.lifestylemirror.com/life/travel/2014/01/22/1399322227/what-to-do-in-utah/

Fest300: Japan's Best Festivals

Check out my definitive guide to the best annual events in Japan for Chip Conley's festival compendium, Fest300. Highlights include my favorite, yuki matsuri, a snow extravaganza held on the northern island of Hokkaido.

http://www.fest300.com/magazine/japan-the-best-country-for-festivals

National Geographic: Best Trips 2014

National Geographic Traveler's yearly list of holidaying superlatives includes several fascinating and seemingly undiscovered options like Nahanni National Park in northern Canada, Cape Verde off the coast of Africa, and Riga - my contribution to 2014's coterie of so-called "Best Trips".

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/best-trips-2014/#/riga-latvia-women-bar_72699_600x450.jpg

2014 Is The Year of Second Cities

Check out my short round-up of must-sees in 2014. This year is all about scouting out the world's best "second cities"; they're the top spots to capture local life amid plenty of tourist infrastructure.

http://www.lifestylemirror.com/life/travel/2014/01/07/205160918/second-cities-2014/

AFAR: Wellness in Seoul

For the January-February issue of AFAR Magazine, I penned a feature about Seoul's modern wellness trends based on over a thousand years of rich Korean traditions.

Check out the extended online version here: http://www.afar.com/seoulwellness