Love tips

Sir Richard Branson sees his flight time as an opportunity to work. The to-do list isn’t about plowing through emails, however, but chatting with fellow passengers and airline staff. “I love meeting people, love talking to people,” the Virgin Group co-founder says. “And if I do have time to sit down, I’ll generally try to sleep, not watch films—I need to be ready for the next day.”

Long a stalwart supporter of indigenous artists and cultures, Manitobah has collaborated with Mikailah Thompson, an afro-indigenous beadwork artist and entrepreneur, for the one-of-a-kindWallowa Moccasin. Named after her tribe’s original homeland, Wallowa, or Wa’lâwa,inspiration for the modern geometric designs derives from traditionalNimîipuu beadwork and cornhusk pieces. “When I sit down and come up with a pattern, I start with what stands out to me most and add to it as I go along,” Thompson says.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro who will only travel with carry-on luggage, or you’re a vacation maven who loves to bring plenty of options, layers are undoubtably part of the packing equation. Even if a warm and sunny destination is on the horizon, airplanes are often chilly, which requires a sweater or scarf to keep you comfortable while floating from point A to point B. The key is to think ahead and utilize versatile clothing options that are ideal for fickle ever-changing weather, in the air or on the ground.

When mom travels, she is stepping out with her best foot forward. Sans Matin, The Office of Angela Scott, Naot, Cariuma and Sorel are just a handful of chic sneaker brands with expertly baked-in comfort to complete mom’s travel essentials this Mother’s Day. Here are the most stylish sneakers to buy moms who enjoy a good walking tour this Mother’s Day:

What’s your idea of beach heaven? A rocky path down to a secluded Mediterranean cove which is home to a simple beach shack and not much else? A wild expanse of Atlantic beach fringed by dunes and pounded by breakers? Or an elegantly faded old seaside town with a crescent of white sand and a handful of family-run hotels and restaurants, perhaps? From the Baltic coast to the Black Sea, the Atlantic to the Adriatic, we’d love to hear about the European beaches or seaside towns that have won your heart.

If you want to get a real feel for Fairmont Dallas, just walk into the elegant lobby, where you’re likely to be greeted by Bondi, the hotel’s Chief Happiness Officer. Paid in treats and lots of love, the eight month old rescue dog recently joined the staff and is already doing what Fairmont is best known for: turning moments into memories.

To put it bluntly, Bangkok is a behemoth.

The one thing that I absolutely never forget to pack: a travel umbrella. No matter where I’m going, except for the Wadi Rum or the Sahara Desert maybe, there’s bound to be some inclement weather. Rain, sleet, thunderstorms; no destination is without them. Having an umbrella on hand allows you to keep your travel plans intact, and even see the sights in some places without all the crowds.

Aside from her talents as a chef, Julia Child is famous for saying a lot of smart things. Perhaps best known is "People who love to eat are always the best people." Well, people who love to cook come pretty close. But Julia has a quote for that, too. “To be a good cook,” she said, “you have to have a love of the good, a love of hard work, and a love of creating.” The same could be said about being a good mom.

Hitting the road in a camper van is one of the most intimate – and exciting – ways to experience the USA.

There aren’t many people who can claim to have seen a snowman fly over their house. It may sound fantastical, but every Christmas I settle down to watch The Snowman, Raymond Briggs’s best-loved work, and watch as the red-haired boy and the plump, tangerine-nosed snowman swoop over the downs that surround the village where I live before gliding above the Royal Pavilion and Brighton Pier and on out to sea.

No one appreciated the rural English landscape more than a certain corn merchant’s son from Suffolk. John Constable made it his business to paint bucolic splendour, and perhaps no one has ever done it better. And when he went on holiday, on his honeymoon no less, he chose one particular village.

As a prolific reader, I've loved Amazon since it was just an online bookstore. However, now we can find almost anything we want or need on Amazon, delivered to us within two days with our Amazon Prime subscription.

As Queer Eye’s fashion expert, Tan France built a reputation on the Netflix reboot for giving transformational makeovers, possessing sharp style sensibilities and leading a relentless campaign for people to French tuck their shirts.

For adventurous moms who love the outdoors, get them something they really want this year. Rather than the traditional flowers, perfume, or home goods route, why not show the intrepid mothers in your life how much you really see them and care about their interests and passions?

This Mother’s Day, why not treat your loved one with a special present to ease their travels? A soft scarf or cosy socks, for instance, are the equivalent of a cuddle in a gift and are perfect for travel-loving mums while in flight or in transit. Here are our top picks of the best accessories for stylish travelers.

Hannah Cruz is making her Broadway debut in the new musical SUFFS, playing the role of the famed American suffragist Inez Milholland. The show is set in 1913, a year when the women’s movement in the United States was in full swing.

Easily reached by ferry from its famous island neighbors and a quick 40-minute flight from Athens, the Greek island of Paros has been a relatively secret retreat for those in the know. But in the last few years, fashionistas and the rich and famous started visiting its lovely beaches and bougainvillea-covered fishing villages, and the island quickly became the chilled-out alternative to Mykonos and Santorini.

There is no good way to tell visitors to Paris that the queue at the Louvre never gets any smaller and the trip itself can turn into a day spent in line. The good news is that there are plenty of other spots to visit that will let you experience the real Paris, the one known to its residents, even during the Olympic Games—many of which are centred around the city's historic bridges, terraces and waterways.

There’s always a moment in the journey from Dublin to London – which I make every month or two, taking the land-and-sea route via Holyhead instead of flying – when I stop what I’m doing – reading or writing or chatting to the person next to me – and think: you don’t get to enjoy this from 40,000ft.

The coastal hamlet of Abereiddy (Abereddi in Welsh) is not as sun-drenched or glamorous as Acapulco, but the two places share one claim to fame: both are renowned cliff diving destinations. The Welsh version is the Blue Lagoon at the northern end of Abereiddy Bay, a 30-metre drop into deep green water (it is not as blue as the name suggests), which has hosted the Red Bull Cliff Diving championships a number of times.