Travel

Pack your bags, you’re off to Greece.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to shape the travel landscape, it’s difficult to envision a time when travelers will eagerly crowd into spaces like the Vatican Museums, squeeze into St. Mark’s Basilica, or sunbathe shoulder to shoulder on an Amalfi Coast beach.

Over the years, I’ve taken on an ambassador role of sorts between Indigenous communities I capture and the wider mainstream media audience—relying on my Nanai/Hèzhé (Siberian Native) and Chinese-American heritage. It’s a responsibility I take quite seriously because the access to experiences and stories that I capture are not my own. It’s a collaborative effort to get the stories right—to really understand what issues look like from particular Indigenous cultural perspectives—and how to see a community the way it sees itself. What transpires next is a translation to the wider audience to help them understand what are often vast cultural differences.

Whether your favorite getaways tend toward lakeside camping, RV road trips, casual hotels, or luxury boutiques, you’ll find the perfect place to lay your head for the night in theSanta Ynez Valley. Your range of daytime activities is just as wide, from hiking and horseback riding to fine dining and wine tasting, with lots in between.

In January, the 80-suite luxury property opened its doors on Austin’s South Congress Avenue. According to the hotel, it drew its design inspiration from its “distinctive surroundings” and highlights the “captivating spirit of the Lone Star State and pays due respect to Texas’s rich history through locally handpicked art and design features.”