I Love My Leica

Like most Tumblrs, this blog doesn’t always feature original works by the creator, but is an aggregator of amazing photos found across many blogs on the Tumblr platform. It revolves around the ‘Leica lifestyle,’ the trendy camera popular for its retro roots and great shots. Many of the photos are still life or landscape, which will really come in handy for travelers trying to figure out what their own style is.

Photojojo

More than just an inspirational site, Photojojo has a shop that features items that will make your iPhone or camera phone shots a million times better. Macro lenses, tiny little Bokeh kits, and fun items like camera lens mugs, instant photo frame pins and chalkboard speech bubbles. Photojojo has a great Tumblr blog and an even better newsletter for quick reads. A great pick for beginners.

Holiday Matinee

While not exactly a photography website, HM specializes in all things creative. On their punchy blog you’ll find everything from featured photo sessions they’ve found across the web, to cute items like mantra posters that will jog your own creativity. HM is one of those websites that is determined to help you find your way and there are few other places where you’ll find a shop that will boost your self esteem like theirs.

work is not a job

Illustrations, quotes and smart digital design – workisnotajob is one of the most inspirational websites around today. The brains behind the site, Cath Bruns, is one of the leaders in the ‘Do what you love’ movement, and with that behind her, she’s created a great collection of art that will inspire your posts, your trips and your blog. While it isn’t photography, it is art.

Mugshot Monday

Lisa has one passion: coffee. After figuring out that others also have this passion, she started a website to take a look at the ways people consume their favorite beverage. What started out as a one-shot blog has become a pretty in-depth look at the differences between people in their morning habits. From startups to writers to 9-5′ers, there are many mugs, many backdrops and many, many smiles. It’s a brilliant project and a great read.

Mars Bot

This Tumblr is from Mari Sheibley, the design brains behind your favorite graphics and badges at Foursquare. Mari’s blog is exactly what you’d expect from the bright, punchy images that circle the phones of you and your friends: urban, fun, smart. Besides images of the city and landscapes that inspire her, Mari takes a lot of shots of behind-the-scenes design work in her home and Foursquare.

The Creators Project

Videos, photos and artwork of all kinds lives here, at the Creators Project. The lovechild of Vice and computer know-it-all’s at Intel, this site aims to help artists create and share their projects. The outcome is a fantastically clean and modern site that’s as much fun to flip through as it is inspiring. But don’t just sit on the sidelines. You can write for, work with, or suggest artists for this amazing project, too.

I believe in making small changes. Instead of loosing 20 pounds, why not park your car further and walk a little bit, or take the stairs? Instead of total financial freedom, why not put $5 a month into a savings account? Small changes are easier, less overwhelming and make a big difference. So, every year I make a list of small changes I want to achieve for myself. I tape it to my wall and paste it on my blog and remember it during my every day activities. I ws really blessed this year to have ‘accidentally’ achieves a lot of my points, that is to say, I made life changes that pulled these ideas into them. I really think that’s the key. So, this year, my list is considerably smaller because I know I’m making strides and I don’t need to make promises, I just need to keep going.

For the record, my favorite list item for 2010 was ‘become uncomfortable more often’ and I think I definitely came out of my comfort zone in many ways this year -always for the better.

Finally, my ’2011 For a Better Anna’ list:
1. Take more photos. And slowly begin editing them. This is important to a storytelling experience and I don’t do it nearly enough with a real camera.
2. Take an Apple Store Photoshop class. It’s free and it’s about time. And there are plenty of free and cheap resources to be taken advantage of. Yoga at the local college; e-books at the New York Public Library; college classes on the Internet. There’s so much information out there to be found.
3. Listen more, talk less. I was told long ago that two identical people can stand in a room – one a talker, one a listener. The listener will undoubtably become the most interesting. By listening you pull in more info, earn trust and help yourself by making strong connections.
4. Organize the home office. This is to help organize myself. This year I dropped the organization ball completely. I flaked off on events because of too much work. I handed things in late. A little scheduling and organization could have- and will- prevent this.
5. Participate in a vintage lifestyle. Furniture, clothing, movies, ideals: Everything better was made in the past. Besides the recycling bonus, anything with history ultimately has more character. The few pieces of furniture I scavenged from thrift and family are my favorites, and after a short thrift shopping trip I found my absolute favorite cozy, warm camel peacoat. I think there’s a great balance and common ground between the ideals of our past and the technological advances of our future- I can’t wait to explore it.

photo via flickr.

This weekend a new luggage shop was brought to my attention via Twitter. It’s a virtual shop on Etsy called GetReadySetGo and she features an amazing array of hand-held’s, over the shoulder, and other types of beautiful luggage and all at really reasonable prices. I was actually pretty surprised at that. Consider this shop your “new luggage” outlet, but it’s also a great place to find gifts for honeymooners, or pick up your own honeymoon luggage.

And now, I’ll leave you with some luggage fantasy…

Community (noun): Common Ownership; a group of nations having shared interest.

I deal with this word a lot of a daily basis. I live in a gated community. I work as a Community Editor. And last night, I met the community of nearby travel bloggers at our TBEX NYC inaugural meet-up. And in meeting and speaking with all you wonderful people, I learned even more about the c-word.

Communities need to inspire within.

The best part about pow wowing with those with similar interest is the automatic sounding board for bouncing off thoughts, questions and ideas. Don’t ever be afraid to ask about that new sidebar CSS you’re having trouble with, or the photo you want to edit. That’s what we’re here for.

Remember the world outside of the bubble.

It can be difficult, being surrounded by so many wonderful people all the time, to remember that there is a real audience out there. An audience of non-travel bloggers. An audience of real people who want real information. Don’t ever forget your primary duty as a writer is to educate the uneducated and inform the uninformed.

Community is not synonymous with competition.

Though your peers might work in the same field, write similar content, and share your views, your voice and personality speak for you. There’s no need to be stressed or jealous or upset- your work holds itself up.

Expect the unexpected.

Last night I figured I would discuss bizarre foods with, uhm, Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern. Within ten minutes of meeting him I learned camera tips, the digital preferences of travel consumers, and how to deal with far-flung fears.

I’d like to thank everyone who came out last night and let you know that I appreciate your community, your thoughts, and your opinions. We have a lot more plans in store for TBEX NYC and I hope to see you all again very soon.

Hipmunk. Oh, Hipmunk. How did I live without you? Without this little wonder engine of airfares, there’s no simple way I’d be able to compare flight times, or even airports within the same city. And, what other engine shares the enthusiasm you do for your destinations?: A quick search for Las Vegas fares was renamed “NYC-Vegas, Baby!” by this little engine that could.

Wanderfly. I was hesitant to dig into Wanderfly and held on to the beta invitation in my inbox for several weeks. During a lull at the office one day I decided “At least it might make for a funny blog or story…” Wonder of wonders. Wanderfly allows you to search by price points, interests and ideas, and time frames. It gives you resort and meal suggestions, airfares, and recommendations on similar trips in the same price frame. The entire package comes in an aesthetically pleasing and easy to use window that makes planning fun again.

Momondo. Somewhat of a Nylon Magazine for jaunters, Momondo is very simply a search engine for flights, full of the kind of punchy colors and graphics that’ll keep you awake through your tidious search. Quick tab switches allow for you to book your entire trip once you find a suitable flight, as well. Scroll down for guides to some of their favorite cities.

Jetsetter.com. Still in private invitation only, Jetsetter leans a little on your wallet, but gives you amazing results, if it’s something you can afford. Their email newsletters, even for the most non-affluent traveler, is a fantasy of sorts. A recent edition suggested a hundred-something-a-night Belize resort near ziplines and cave tubing. Each deal is limited time only, and exclusive to Jetsetter, so a flip and search on the resort website might not amount to much. Personally, they had me at Cave tubing.

photo via flickr

Last week was a busy one and I was feeling drained, stressed, heartbroken. I reached out across the web to one of the masters of multitasking, the always-cool-under-pressure Chris Brogan. “What can you tell me?” I begged, “What tips can you give me to help me through this week?” And he patiently replied, “My only secret to success, lame as it is, is that I talk about other people and help others 12x to every 1 about me.”

This rings true to me for a multitude of reasons. The major one I’ll share with you now.

Since I’ve been involved in this  travelsphere, I’ve noticed two things. First, that travelers are a passionate people, and secondly, they love to give back. I want to say that spending all that time in far-flung corners of the world gives you an appreciation for all that life has to offer, but in reality, I think travelers are just pretty neat people.

And in seeing all these corners of the world… the villages, the major cities in foreign speaking countries, the lands of both total ice and extreme heat… I believe that we have a duty to report back what we’ve seen, share it with the rest of the world, and express our own feelings about what can be done to better the globe. So, after a particularly inspired coffee run with the beautiful and amazing Tammy Tibbets, and receiving an email reminding me that my favorite conference, SXSW, was coming up, I was motivated to do something.

See, Tammy is the founder of She’s the First, an organization that aims to inspire and lift up girls around the world to become students, teachers, entrepeneurs, basically, the first in their towns, villages, families, to do something amazing. In her research and aid, Tammy has traveled around the world and met girls of every size, shape, color, and language who encourage her to keep going.

Tammy, as well as Stefanie Michaels, aka Adventure Girl, and the entire team behind Crowdrise, who enable you to help right from your house and crowdsource your ideas and charity, show that you can be more than a “tourist.” You can really be a (sorry for the cliche) citizen of the world. You can go somewhere and take a part of it with you- and make a difference.

Because of these reasons, I’m asking for your support. I’m not a beggar, and if you know me, you know that a very sincere shyness problem usually prevents me from asking for anything resembling self promotion, but really, really, truly, this is not about me. I would really love to share the idea of motivated, intelligent traveling, and the charities that are allowed to thrive because of social tools and the Internet. And I’d love your help.

Please click here to vote for my SXSW panel.

This past weekend at the #TBEX10 conference here in New York I learned two main points. The first being that bloggers consider themselves mostly creatives, on par with any newspaper, magazine, or journal writer out there. The second, they don’t consider themselves marketers but are slowly realizing the value of marketing.

I was both flattered and a little flabbergasted at the sheer amount of people who approached me, heatstroke ridden, soaking wet, very tired (me), to ask about personal branding, branding for blogs, tools for promotion, tips for self promotion, and many other step-one basics that can push great blogs into the spotlight. Your writing is important, of course… but what use is fantastic writing if no one finds or reads it? The key here is to wipe clean the slate of  “marketing” as a dirty word. We live in the age of one-man businesses, teenage millionaire entrepreneurs, and interactive advertising: marketing isn’t dirty anymore, it’s whatever you make it.

Back to New York City, here I am, among a crowd of fantastic people who have courageously left the desk of a 9-5, sit hunched over laptops and smart phones till 3am, and wake up again at horrific hours to pour their whole heart and soul into projects and the world. Sound familiar? I’m actually talking about the start-up technology scene where everyday someone patents a venture they’ve been wishing and hoping for their whole lives. They ditch the traditional, empty their savings, and slave over grassroots efforts to watch their initiatives grow- and so do you, travel bloggers.

And because of this immense, deep correlation between the techies and the travelies, I’d like to formally introduce you. Say hello, don’t be shy, and check-in to that venue together on Foursquare. Because there’s a lot we can learn from each other.

1. Be an Early Adapter. You’re online, you’re connected. There’s no way you can pretend you don’t hear about the new latest phone or app or CMS tool or aggregator. In the start-up scene, everyday people flock to new programs and tools that could potentially be their favorite. Every day they think they could find the one that is a perfect fit for their needs. This rarely happens, but with the skill and time of playing with all these gadgets, a funny thing happens: they become experienced in searching and using them. As a blogger, you’re on the forefront of the Internet and there, with you, are all of these magic items waiting to make your life easier. So, why wait? try them today.

2. Don’t be Afraid of Finance. As bloggers, we have entire panels devoted to how to speak to public relations company’s and tourism boards for “freebies.” One good point made this past weekend at TBEX, is that they are not “freebies.” You provide an advertising and information service that is not fluff, it is substantial, and the sooner we realize that, the better.In start-ups, new biz owners are not afraid to reach out to investors and pitch them. They’re not afraid to say “this is what I’m working on, and it could be great, but I need backing.” How many bloggers out there have the next video or post, the next CMS, the next application in mind that could potentially change how we view travel writing- and just can’t finance it because their too busy humming over how to ask for that one night stay in a 3-star hotel? Be bold. Your work is worth it.

3. Crowdsource. Not everyone can learn every skill. I have a friend who i a developer. He spent many years at the large firms, slave to a desk, writing code that was copied in and pasted out, day in and day out. Now, he freelances, and you’d be surprised how many people call on him for day-long, week-long, month-long projects. And that’s because techies know they can’t possibly do everything. If they require a skill they don’t possess, they crowdsource; that is, take it to the streets to find someone who can. If you think there’s an important issue in Vietnam, and you’d love to comment but don’t know enough, why not ask a friend to guest blog? Why not get a fellow blogger to Flip cam you or photograph you? Hell, why not use a fellow bloggers photographs in exchange for links? If you need something, find it- there are plenty of very talented creatives out there.

4. Take Your Work Seriously, not Yourself. Another big lesson from this weekend: no one likes a jerk. Your work can be absolutely stunning and amazing, and if people don’t like you, they probably don’t care. Saying hello, how are you, engaging, being friendly, actually caring, you know, the things that make you a good person- they apply here, too. And even that Twitterer with the thousands of followers is still a little fish in a very big pond. Never downplay the importance of your work and what you’ve done, and what you plan to do. But laugh, smile, and remember that you’ve always got miles to go.

5. You All Everybody. During Internet Week in NYC you can find dozens of parties at everywhere from Next New Networks to Carrot Creative to Foursquare. And everybody piles in and grabs a solo cup of cheap wine, and writes business plans on napkins, and exchanges info. Because this is their community. This is their best resource. Travel blogging is the same way. There’s a niche for every single voice, and there’s a post idea for every single blogger. At the end of the day, these are your fellow entrepreneurs who left their jobs for round-the-world, or pack-up carry-ons for Friday night to Monday morning excursions. These are your people, and they are your greatest resource.

Bookmarks is a series where we conversate on the other habits and hobbies in our lives.

Many brands make the mistake of dropping off the face of the earth with one form of marketing when they decide to try something else. Social Media, a new fad in the marketing world that’s been alive and well on the Internet and in Editorial for ages, has become the poster boy commercial killer. The print ad killer. The email campaign killer. But used effectively, the content and response you garner through social platforms can compliment and an email marketing campaign- and vice versa.

Make all routes accessible. What’s the use of having either an email newsletter or social networking profiles if nobody knows about them? Go ahead and slap an icon and a link in your newsletter to let everyone know you’re now knee-deep in the Twitter or Facebook worlds. And don’t stop there. Place a newsletter sign-up on your Facebook page or community and link to it through Twitter.

Promote more than just the profiles. If you’ve got an exceptionally stunning custom Facebook tab that highlights a contest or ecommerce initiative, feel free to announce that in your email campaign. Running a community photo search? Let your friends and fans know through their inbox. If your social media site is the facilitator, think of your email campaign as the roads that lead consumers there.

Your fans are more than just a number. In the old business world (and some still stogy areas of that sector) a consumer equaled a number- how much they bought. Today, in some social media circles, the consumer is once again a number; this time they’re a number equaling how many fans/followers you have. Stop thinking of your fans as a number and start looking at all of the great testimonies they provide. All of that user-generated content has a place in your newsletter, whether as a review, a photo, or simply a quote. Your fans are your brand.

Get creative with your newsletter handouts. If you’re packing more interest in your social media sites than your email distribution list, it might be a good idea to tease your fans. Create a sample of what they can find in your newsletter with a simple white sheet download, or a blog post featured in your streams. It can be hard to pull people away from where they already are unless they see the value, so show them what they’re missing and make sign-up a cinch from that point.

Integrate your social activities with your personal ones. We read emails and social media streams inherently different. These streams are moving, living, and constantly fluctuating items that revolve and change in the blink of an eye. Emails can sit in our inbox for hours, days, and still look exactly the same as when they were sent. To liven that up a little, bring some of your social activities into your personal email reading time. Why not add the infamous Facebook badge box or Facebook Connect items to your newsletter posts? This allows seamless integration between the Facebook world and the email world. Or, with simple HTML you can include a stream of Twitter search results or lists right into your newsletter for that up-to-the-minute feeling.

And for all those social guru’s who claim that Facebook is slaughtering email? Until we implant chips in our brains, email will always be the fastest way to reach the web knowledgeable. And according to an Emarketer survey, social platforms extend the reach of email content to new markets. Arm yourself with your entire toolbox, and your reach will spread as far as possible.

photo via flickr.

A few weeks ago at the f8 conference, Facebook revealed a Tumblr like blogging program that pulls your updates, photos, and other daily content and positions it in blog form on a separate page and URL. This platform, Facebook.me allows non-Facebook members to become a part of your inner FB circle, a concern to those who keep tight security, but a dream to the marketers and strategists who would love to grab your content and position it in a new way.

Though this world is sadly filled with baddies who would happily grab your info and go, the personal information we share with Facebook is way less than on par with what we share with our credit card company’s, never mind what your favorite airline knows about you. And the right company, keeping ethics and privacy *choices* and opts in mind, can create stunning and fun work with this new feed availability. Below are 3 of my favorites expectations for the kind of shenanigans we can expect to see soon.

Letters to Grandma

Sure Boomers are one of the largest growing demographics on the Internet and they specifically seem to enjoy photo sharing opportunities, that doesn’t mean, however, that they all sign in to their Facebook accounts ever day, never mind on a regular basis. So, instead of waiting for Gran to comment on that photo of your family reunion that you posted as a status update, why not create a keepsake post card? Hallmark’s of the world will now have the opportunity to dive deeper into Facebook Connect’s world by allowing you to create albums and gifts straight from your already uploaded Facebook photos. And, because of the public views of Facebook.me, Grandpa won’t have to be a Facebook user to SEE the RESULTS.

You’re Hired- Update Away

Strange as it may seem, Live-Tweeting is becoming a legitimate profession. For 140 wordsmiths, how excellent for events and brands to harness the “now-ness” of a tweet and push a promotion through the mouth of a well respected individual? It’s no surprise that these tweeters usually take the time to update their Facebook status while they’re at it. So, in addition to your tweeters Facebook friends catching their happy updates, why not create a stream of their recommendations, notes, and photos for your advertising use?

Contest This

Running a contest via your Facebook page? Asking fans to upload videos? Instead of sifting through the ruckus of your wall, have all those entries forwarded directly to one mini blog where the ease of not having to create a microsite will save you time and energy better used elsewhere. Your information will be streamlined, and, best of all, you haven’t lured fans away from where they already are; an issue that frequently results in lower entries.

I’ve wanted to see the world since I first ran out into my backyard as a young child, was promptly yelled at by my mom, and locked back inside.

Though I credit a certain amount of curiosity, I also believe my love of reading had a great deal to do with it. Books can take you anywhere you wanna go, for a short time, but when the pages closed, I longed to be in the lands for-real and forever.

Below you can find a few of my childhood favorites, that gave me a sense of adventure, and made me question life outside of my bedroom. I hope they give your kids a new outlook on life, too.

Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson

Nothing rips out your heartstrings like kids in danger, but tragedy and emotional strife aside, Terabithia is a place in every one’s minds that we wish we could go to when life isn’t exactly what we want. From lonely children to the office worker locked in a dark cubicle for the entire day, doesn’t it feel good to let you mind wander, to turn the backyard, or bus stop, or coffee room, into a place where you’re Queen (or King) and everything is beautiful for just a few minutes?

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, E. L. Konigsburg

I was born in New York City, and sat up at night watching the B train (now the D train) sail past my house, wishing I could hop on and live in the City alone. In this Newberry winner, a brother/sister team run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They live the dream of anyone who has ever visited, by sleeping in historic beds, viewing statues at night, and finding their own treasures in the process.

James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl

Dahl’s famous story of escaping tragedy gets a lot of grief from children’s book censors for it’s somewhat graphic content. The idea, though, of taking a common household object, using it to run away from your problems to a place full of magic and friends, is acceptable to all ages. It just took one read for me to understand the title character’s need to see someplace, be somewhere else, in order to find himself.

Jumanji, Van Allsburg

Can’t get to a safari? Let the safari come to you! I think we’ve all wished travel was as easy as opening a board game. What also sneaks into the book, however, is the idea that you must play the rules of the game to survive in it; a meaning us adults can take on real safari by knowing that when we respect every place we travel to, we’ll fit in just fine.

Madeline, Ludwig Bemelmans

Francophile Anna, age five. I dressed up as Madeline for the annual town Halloween contest and haven’t gone back since. The idea of strolling the city, balloon in hand, meeting a mysterious and well-dressed boy, and coming home to a house of caring BFF’s is something I’d love as much today as in 1989.

Meet Kirsten, Janet Beeler Shaw

Anyone who grew up in a house full of travel could appreciate the American Girl books. For me, Kirsten rang true to what my family experienced, coming over from Italy. I could see my grandmother, arriving in New York City, scared and excited, finding other Italian families, and creating communities. Of course, it just made me long for friends from different lands, and the chance to see the countries, too.

Number the Stars, Lois Lowry

Striving through difficult times has always inspired me, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the classroom when this book was assigned, but a lot of people forget how important a part the city plays in this story of WWII era Europe. Copenhagen has become one of my favorite places to travel in my adult life, and the stories of Ellen and Annemarie (I’m sure the name-in-common helped too!) solidified that in my heart.

The Boxcar Children, Gertrude Chandler Warner

Finding a new place to live, in a new area… sounds great, doesn’t it? The Boxcar Children made a simple old train car into a home, in a secluded area of nature, where they learned how to adapt to their surroundings, and created the life they wanted to live. In a less backwoods sort of way, I dream of packing a bag, moving to Prague, or Buenos Aires, or Vancouver, making a new home, and being happy forever.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis

This first Chronicles of Narnia book is packed with wanderlust from the first page: a mysterious mansion, the doorway to an adventurous land, a foreign people filled with secrets. Sure, the Bahamas may not be through your closet door, but the steps the children take when meeting new friends in Narnia can be approached on a Caribbean island as much as a fictional storyland.

Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak

For a book with no words, Sendak’s illustrated classic has stuck to the hearts and minds of generations of kids, including director Spike Jonze, whose adaptation of this story hits theaters this fall! Our hero, Max, is going through a little bit of a hard time. To cope, his mind takes him to a land where his new friends expose him to adventure and excitement, and he ultimately becomes the hero by learning exactly what he has to offer the world. Sometimes we can become so scared in our daily lives, that we get stuck. Sometimes, all it takes is something foreign and new, like being in a place where we don’t speak the language, or having to navigate our way around, or making a week last on just a few dollars, to remind us what we have in ourselves.