Video: Innovative Stylish + Savvy Vest for Women Travelers

I often travel the world alone, whether to far-flung lands or domestic destinations. Either way, I avoid being a target. I dress modestly, I don’t wear bling jewelry or anything gaudy and, most importantly, I don’t ever carry my vitals --  aka credit cards, passport, driver’s license, cash, cell phone, and so forth -- in a splashy designer bag. Nor do I opt for a fanny bag or other bag or pouch that labels me as a tourist. The idea is that I want something that has a minimalist silhouette and allows me to go from the boardroom to the wine bar.

That’s why I designed the Pocket Change Vest. It’s a stylish vest (it’s lined in satin) for the savvy woman. The 10 pockets -- 6 on the outside, 4 inside -- are so hidden, you’ll be the only one who knows where they are. This is a vest that’s both fashionable and practical, which is what I’m all about. No one will label you a geek when wearing the Pocket Change Vest. If you’re a financial analysis who has meetings all day in Madrid and then you want to get together with friends at night at a tapas bar, you can wear the Pocket Change Vest from day to night, whether with business attire or jeans.

In this three-minute YouTube video, awesome actor and writer India Choquette demonstrates how she uses the vest while waiting to meet a friend.

The Pocket Change Vest is Made in America. It sells for $175, and 10% of annual net profits go toward supporting the efforts of She's The First, a nonprofit that sponsors girls’ education in 11 low-income countries (including Nepal, Guatemala and Sierra Leone) with the goal of creating first-generation graduates and the next generation of global leaders. (After all, I’m a first-generation graduate of Barnard College, and a former educator.)

To find out how to get one of the few of the first-run of this limited edition Pocket Change Vest, contact me here. 

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Curacao in Pictures

The Curacao most people see is the one with glorious sandy beaches. The one I preferred to visit is lush with pockets of forest land and salt pans where flamingos flock, decked out with bold art objects, and dotted with dramatic sea scapes. Plus, you have the charming pastel-hued old quarter of Willemstad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. My YouTube video slideshow provides a window into my Curacao. 

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Cambodia In Pictures

Though lauded for the ancient temple site of Angkor Wat, Siem Reap is also a center for contemporary art galleries, boutiques, restaurants and cafes. And, while troves of tourists descended on this magnificent complex, I wandered the streets of downtown Siem Reap, exploring what the town itself had to offer. I found out that down the street from my budget-minded and very socially responsible hotel, the Soria Moria, was an active Buddhist pagoda. It was within walking distance though I had the place to myself. There, one of the monks invited me into the principal, 100-year-old structure where they pray. 

I spent almost a week in Siem Reap and this is my YouTube video slideshow illustrating that it's a very creative mix of the old and the new. 

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Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic In Pictures

My stay in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic was defined by an eco-conscious sensibility that carried through to the two golf courses, the nature reserve, the restaurants and the coral reef. Of course, you might think that clearing away the tangle of vines and other foliage to make way for real estate and expansive golf courses is hardly green. However, before the arrival of the Puntacana Ecological Foundation that's headquartered at the Punta Cana Resort & Club, the area was hardly ecologically sound. In fact, the locals were mostly making their living by selling charcoal that they made by burning wood and by overfishing. This YouTube video slide show provides a window into my stay at this green resort. 

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Taiwan In Pictures

With hot springs beckoning bathers, serrated mountain peaks looming over placid lakes, and pebbly beaches fronting calm bays, Taiwan is a nature-lovers paradise. Whether it's Sun Moon Lake, the country's largest such body of water, or Taroga Gorge tiny pedestrian bridges lead to the interior that's peppered with red-roofed shrines and tumbling waterfalls, Taiwan is a magnet for those seeking adventure on all levels, from thrill seekers to those who prefer things more on the tame side. Cyclists will find level paths along waterfronts, such as the Keelung  or  Dongsham rivers, where they'll want to stop for a picnic at a scenic viewing pavilion.

Sounds of cicadas
Steam swirls above Beitou Springs
Misty veil obscures

Check out my short YouTube video slideshow for a window into Taiwan's natural side. 

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Cascais, Portugal in Pictures

Just 30-minutes from Lisbon, Cascais is a standout for its beaches fronting the Atlantic that can be accessed by bicycle. But downtown Cascais is an epicenter for museums of many stripes, including the Paula Rego museum designed by the Portuguese star architect, Eduardo Souto de Moura. Don't miss the Pousada de Cascais that was built in the historic citadel and blends the ancient with the ultra contemporary. The intriguing landscape fronting the windswept Atlantic is accessible by a ribbon of bicycle paths. Check out my short YouTube video slideshow for a window in to what I love about Cascais.

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Luxembourg In Pictures

The tapestry of Luxembourg City undulates up and down the hills and valleys that bedeck the small country's capital. Dramatic defensive walls left over from the 17th century twist and turn over this landscape that melds together remnants of antiquity as well as the contemporary. Beyond the City of Luxembourg, the country's pastoral setting includes vast acreage in the Moselle Valley devoted to grape growing. My short YouTube video slideshow presents a short snapshot of my treasured finds from my trip to Luxembourg.

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The Czech Republic In Pictures

A trip to the Czech Republic isn't complete without a multi-day visit to the capital. But, many may not be aware of the vast swaths of protected wilderness in the country's Bohemian area that's also sprinkled with notable galleries, shops and museums displaying some exquisite contemporary glass works. Check out my latest YouTube video slideshow that features the UNESCO protected Bohemian Paradise Geopark.

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Tobago in Pictures

Tobago seems to live in the shadows of Trinidad. But, on my recent week on the smaller of the two islands, I found a low-key vibe, vast tracts of rainforest, dense tangles of mangrove stands where I mountain biked, and paths that meanders through a petite botanical garden. Check out some of the highlights of my Tobago adventure on my latest YouTube video slideshow.

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Cuba in Pictures-Part 2

Cuba resembles a vibrant quilt, with patches of brilliant abstract art, soul-touching sounds of Son, Danzon and other music, vast swaths of dense forest reserves, petite organic farms, and urban streets lined with 1950s-era Buicks and Chevys. I've written numerous pieces on Cuba, including for National Geographic Traveler where I discussed bird watching. Now check out my latest video slideshow on YouTube.

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Romania in Pictures

Romania is a wonderful mix of the rustic and the ultra-contemporary, the verdant and the gritty. It's a country that doesn't relinquish tradition while also being firmly committed to a vibrant present.

And, yet, I'm always surprised by the number of people who solely know Romania via its association with Dracula. They're missing the dense conifer forests and the winding roads in Transylvania, the charming centuries-old villages of Brasov and Sibiu, the edgy weekly craft market and delicious seasonal food festival in Bucharest.

I've written quite a bit about Romania and have also been interviewed on my travels there. My YouTube video slideshow will give you a glimpse of how I view Romania. If you're so inclined, I'd love it if you could comment and share this video. 

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The Azores (in Portugal) in Pictures

It's uncanny how few savvy people know anything about the Azores, a pristine Portuguese archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic and 1,000 miles from any shore. I just returned from my second trip there. The first time I visited five of the nine islands. This time I visited three more, leaving little Corvo for another journey. Yet, curiously, ever person I met  in my home town, New York City, and told that I was venturing to this island chain asked the same exact question: "What's that?" Not even where's that but what's that. How odd.

I've written (for National Geographic Traveler, Outside Magazine and other major publications) and blogged extensively about and been interviewed on  these volcanic isles where each bears a distinct personality. On this recently trip, I visited two of the smaller islands -- Graciosa and Santa Maria -- and one of the largest: Terceira. My YouTube video  represents only a snippet of some of the authentic features I found during this one-week trip. And this video, The Azores in Pictures, represents the first of my new travel series that will appear on my YouTube Channel, so please make sure to subscribe, comment and share. You'll see plenty of hidden treasure travel images wherever I venture.

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Cuba - Choral Music Video

In the bayside town of Cienfuegos, there's plenty to get excited about, whether the waterfront promenade that's perfect for jogging or the petite sculpture garden across the street featuring contemporary, and sometimes whimsical, works in various media. A giant dragonfly fashioned out of metal wire and a crimson hued rhinoceros are just two of more than a dozen creative pieces that beckon to be inspected. (Curious that so few people visit this artistic enclave.)




But, perhaps the most enthralling thing about Cienfuegos was my visit to the Museo Historico Provincial one evening to attend the performance of Cantores de Cienfuegos, a versatile, 23-member choral group. Under the direction of Honey Moreira Abreu, who became their conductor originally as part of Cuba's required community service and loved it so much that she stayed on, the choir has an eclectic repertoire, singing everything from Renaissance to Japanese fisherman's folk music.

Listening to them even for a few moments, you can't help be impressed. But it's no wonder they can perform at this stellar level: they practice for three hours every day. In fact, singing in the choir is their job -- though some may take on a second job -- with the oldest member performing with them for 20+ years and the youngest, a mere five months. 

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A Young Jazz Ensemble in Cuba

The Korimacao Project in Playa Larga, Cuba is hardly your run-of-the-mill art school. There's no tuition. The students don't need to have any prior art background. The only requirements:  they need only be young and have talent. Oh, and lest I forget: each student that lives at the school 11 months of the year is paid a wage while they are in attendance. (Many students stay on for years and year.)




Founded in 1992, the school takes its name from the indigenous word meaning "to carry something on your back." How appropriate given that every week the students take their art, whether painting, drawing, dance, music or theater, into the surrounding communities where the people  would never have any other opportunities to have art experiences. Every week, the students go into any of 10 different communities in the rural Zapata Swamp area, staying three to four days, putting on plays, recitals, and concerts, and producing art.

The school itself is pretty much a self-contained creative entity, with its own design, makeup, costume construction, and audio-visual departments, as well as a video editor and cameraman, and students studying ballet, acting, fine art, music and much more. With plenty of intimate collaborative efforts, Korimacao, which has an orchestra and choir, can produce movies and plays. Sure, so much of Cuba seems stuck in the 1950s, with the citizenry continuing to suffer from the continued food rationing as well as the difficulty acquiring any sort of new equipment. And yet, the youth in Cuba brim with creativity that refuses to be impeded by these and other barriers. My four-minute video here reveals the stellar talents of a group of jazz musicians studying at Korimacao.

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