The October 2014 issue of AFAR celebrates culture and design around the world, from the fashion label Suno in Kenya to the shoemakers of the Spanish island of Mallorca. The members of our Travel Advisory Council are ready to make your visit to any of the destinations in this month’s issue a deeper, more meaningful experience, opening the doors to the studios of artists, craftsmen, and designers.
Photo: Jaume Meneses
Mallorca
The Spanish island of Mallorca has long been a muse to artists and designers, among them Joan Miró, one of the country’s most famous painters and sculptors who spent the last three decades of his life here. Travel Advisory Council member John Clifford can create a custom itinerary hitting the cultural highlights of Mallorca—including stops at some of the island’s Michelin starred restaurants so you can experience its culinary scene too. Check out his guide to Mallorca and then contact John to plan a trip tailored to your interests.
Kenya
Our October issue covers the young fashion brand, Suno, which is exporting East African style beyond Kenya’s borders. Travelers headed there can experience the country’s style at a property with its own unique flair, which is also redefining social and environmental travel. Travel Advisory Council member Michael Holtz sends many clients to Campi ya Kanzi. “It’s located in the Chyulu Hills with great views of Kilimanjaro, over on the Tanzania side,” says Michael. “It was created to show to the local Maasai community that a wilderness with thriving wildlife is an economic asset which pays economic dividends to the community.” Arrange your trip to Africa with Michael and he will include a special cocktail meeting with the general manager at Campi ya Kanzi.
Africa is an area of specialization for Katie Cadar of the Travel Advisory Council and her ideal itinerary would cover three of the country’s distinct safari regions, with stops in Nairobi at the beginning (to recover from the flight with some spa time) and at the end (to explore some of the highlights around the neighborhood of Karen). Check out her guide to Kenya which includes Starbed, with views of the constellations of the African sky, and Giraffe Manor, where one of the namesake residents may poke his head into your room in the morning. Katie can arrange stays at these and other favorite properties when you contact her to create a bespoke Kenya itinerary.
Another Travel Advisory Council Member, Betty Jo Currie, has other favorite stylish finds in Kenya, beginning with Anna Trzebinski’s studio. “It is filled with fabulous feathers and leather and souvenirs created by tribal women,” says Betty Jo. And what could be more stylish than a baby elephant? Betty Jo can include a stop at the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage on your Kenya trip where you can support the care of a baby pachyderm — a very stylish souvenir, we think, even if you won’t be able to take it home. Read Betty Jo’s guide to some of her favorite places in Nairobi and then contact her to arrange a custom itinerary.
Photo: Richard Rhee
Art Capitals
When cities around the world boast of their emerging art scenes, it’s often with claims that they are the next Paris or that their arts district is just as hot as East London’s. If you want to start with the cities everyone else strives to equal, Travel Advisory Council Member Lauren Maggard has put together art intensive itineraries for both capitals. Read her guides to the art worlds of Paris and London, from world-class museums to the studios of young artists, and then contact her to book a trip built around your personal passions — whether it’s learning about the old masters or bidding on cutting-edge new works.
Photo: Matt Biddulph
Stylish Souvenirs
Check out our Travel Advisory Council’s guide of favorite souvenirs and extraordinary shopping experiences around the globe, launching this month. Travel specialist Judy Perl shares her favorite must-buy in Mallorca (Hierbas de Mallorca cologne) while Katie Cadar, also on the Travel Advisory Council, shares the address for a shop where your purchases of handcrafted jewelry help support local women in Nairobi.
Photo: Class V
