Best New Winter Workouts

Where to Work Out When Home for the Holidays

Going with the family holiday flow of movie marathons, comfort food and red wine should not interrupt your finely tuned fitness routine. In order to stay in the groove when traveling to visit family - either home or somewhere new - I like to find fun, new group fitness classes and fit my workout in first thing in the morning.

By taking a fun class first thing when I wake up, by the time I’m home everyone else is just starting to stir. I can enjoy an interrupted day of family time and feel like I accomplished something knowing I got my sweat in . For some up-and-out inspo when visiting family, here’s a rundown of new and energetic group fitness classes.

Barry’s Bootcamp, San Francisco

Opening December 19, Barry’s Marina is now the largest Barry's Bootcamp on the West Coast (and possibly the US). There are over 50 treads and a killer sound system in a stunning studio with high ceilings, exposed beams and plenty of room for post-class lounging.

Kobox London

The new Kobox is London’s first boutique boxing gym, where the vibe is Fight Club meets nightclub. Classes combine boxing moves with plyo training and bodyweight work for a killer workout. No need to worry about leaving class with a black eye though, all contact boxing is done with bags.

Studio Three Chicago

Three floors, each with its own discipline: yoga, cycling and HIIT. Yoga is a heated Vinyasa flow, HIIT is either tread or rowing machines with strength intervals and cycling is taught on every indoor cyclist's new obsession: Peloton bikes.

Booty Works Studio City

A new fitness co-op, Booty Works is a collective space where instructors launching new methodologies can teach and grow their following without having to commit to their own retail space. Classes include Lotus Flow, Fit Hop LA and Flight.

Orange Theory Chapel Hill

Orange Theory is a toughie interval workout that, conveniently for those visiting family in and outside of smaller cities, seems to have a lot of studios in suburban areas. Workouts combine tread training, indoor rowing and weights, a trifecta for results they call the 'Orange Effect'.

EPIC Miami

An interval-hybrid focused studio that has a full range of classes that give you a week's worth of tough, well-rounded workouts. Max out with KB squats in The Grynd and Tone and Power on your push days, and recover with stretch-focused Versaflex yoga on recovery days.

Portland Rock Gym + Prasad East 

Portland Rock Gym is an old school workout that’s been in business since 1988. Climbing is a killer upper bod workout that’s most fun to do with a partner. What is new at this classic gym is a Prasad cafe located inside of the gym and serving post-workout fare like a cashew cream Glory Cafe and a variety of hearty bowls including Yogi and Urban.

What's your favorite hometown fitness studio? Tell us why you love it in the comments!

14 Travel Beauty Musts To Look Great When You Land

Don’t board your next flight without these 10 travel beauty essentials

Once you've covered the basics of flying healthfully (no booze, plenty of water, move around at least a couple of times), how do you ensure that you look as great as those good habits should make you feel? Step up your in-air beauty game with our rundown of the 10 things you should never board a plane without:

1. Rodin Olio Lusso

The ultimate natural-luxe face oil, for packing on over a moisturizer while chugging water to stay hydrated. $170

2. Colgate Optic White Wisps

These little wisps take up next to no room in your carry-on and are a godsend if you're not able to hit up a hotel room for a post-flight refresh before dashing off to meetings or to explore a city. Starting at $2

3. Oribe Supershine Moisturizing Cream

Oribe's supershine moisturizing cream is the business. Once you've given your roots a sprucing up with some dry shampoo run half of a dime-sized amount through your ends for some jet set sheen. $19.50

4.  Bumble & Bumble Pret-a-Powder

Mini dry shampoo from Bumble and Bumble can perk up limp locks. Snag a travel-size bottle from your local Sephora before hitting the road. $12

5. Hurraw Lip Balm

Hurraw's organic, vegan lip balms are packed with natural moisturizing ingredients like coconut oil and come in a variety of dessert-y scents including Chai Spice and a Blue Chamomile Vanilla for nighttime (and flight-time). Starting at $4.

6. Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm

Sure, it says it's a hand cream, but it's mega-moisturizing capabilities are great for your entire bod when stepping off of a long haul flight. $27

7. Origins Drink Up Intensive

This serious overnight mask is a perfect in-flight, non-masky face mask. Let it sink in and don't worry about removing it. $17

8. The Venus Snap with Embrace

A teeny weeny razor that fits into it's own little compact that's perfect for easy stashing and keeping the blade protected from the rest of your carry-on kit. Starting at $9.99

9. Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist

Refreshing and delicious-smelling, this little balancing spritzer keeps your face hydrated and 23B a little more zen. $24

10. Savvy Travelers Jet Set Kit

This compact in-flight kit contains mini little wipes to sanitize and clean up everything you need. The Jet Set kit includes wipes for screens and lenses, facial cleansing, mouth cleansing and anti-perspirant. $25

11. Reviv Serum TelomErase Serum

This insanely potent serum is a six-in-one powerhouse combats cellular aging every which way. It moisturizes, tightens, blurs and regenerates with high tech ingredients for skin that looks alive and refreshed. $149

12. Kjaer Weis Above and Beyond Blush

Kjaer Weis's Italian made, organic blushes like the just released Above and Beyond shade are super easy to sweep onto cheeks or lips with a finger, feel totally luxurious and help you look 10x more awake than you feel. $56

13. Born This Way Foundation

Too Faced's new Born This Way is a cruelty-free, coconut water and Alpine Rose infused foundation that does exactly what you need it to do upon landing: hydrate and brighten while evening out skin tone. Apply all over or just dab under eyes and over red spots for a quick fix. $20

14. Pacifica Stellar Gaze Mascara

A few sweeps over each eye of this coconut oil and vitamin B enriched mascara and you're looking alive. $14.

The Well + Away Copenhagen Itinerary

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Healthy Tasting Menus, Urban Cycling and Design, Design, Design

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Neighborhoods To Know

Nørrebro

The destination neighborhood for hip kids, cafes, great bars and teeny galleries, all within walking distance of Nørreport station. Focus on Ravnsborggade and Elmegade streets to get a feel for the area.

Vesterbro

Norrebro’s charming, slightly more grown up neighbor to the east, with wonderful coffee, cozy bistros, independent salons and yoga studios.

Kødbyen, Meatpacking

Easily accessible from the above two neighborhoods by foot or bike, this is the new restaurant row. Unlike New York, meat is still actively packed in the early hours.

Frederiksberg

A beautiful, quiet residential area that’s home to famed yet neighborhood-y restaurants Radio, Salon 39, Scarpetta.

Christiana

One of Copenhagen’s most photographed areas, this 17th century neighborhood is filled with gorgeous, brightly colored townhouse buildings. It’s also home to an infamously hippie community, which means tons of vegan-friendly casual bites.

City Center

Copenhagen Central Station is here, as well as most of the city’s office buildings. It’s also home to Torvehallerne - the dining hall with anything and everything, a perfect way to do a progressive lunch.

Hellerup

Home to Copenhagen’s best barre spot The Studio, Hellerup is a posh suburb north of Copenhagen located on the water.

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Dining + Drinking

Breakfast

The Danes typically grab breakfast at home, and for this reason there is not much around town in the way of healthy breakfasts. Thankfully, nearly every hotel will have an option that is inclusive of breakfast. Brunches out on the weekends are more popular and start in the late morning, and the following list is best after 10a on a Saturday or Sunday.

Kalaset

Swedish style cafe with filling brunch plates, gorgeous cakes and a homemade, vegan nutella

Joe & the Juice

Joe’s is located on nearly every corner, serving juices smoothies and sandwiches starting at 10a

Grod

Focusing on savory porridges, Grod also offers acai bowls

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Lunch

Lunch can be quick and inexpensive or atmospheric and leisurely, the below choices run the gamut.

Botaniq

Spectacular seasonal salads, soups and treats ordered at the counter, which means great for take away to the park or relaxing mid-afternoon, though not the best option for when you’re in a rush - rumor has it there is to be a new market addition to the restaurant opening soon.

Riz Raz

For $10, Riz Raz is the fastest, freshest lunch you can grab while dashing around town served buffet-style

Cafe Norden

Touristy and busy, sure. But it’s located in the center of Strøget in a soaring, multi-level, lush deco bistro

Simply Raw

From raw truffles to a $21 burger, the Vesterbro location is a sweet nook of a restaurant with raw and cooked plant-based menu

Banh Mi Daily

A tofu banh mi style at the Torvehallerne is super fresh and one of the city’s few tofu for lunch options

Morgenstedt

A true Christiania experience, a cash-only, serve yourself co-op with a rotating menu in a homey environment

Cafe N

Local’s favorite for Mediterranean-style vegetarian dining with plenty of hummus, falafel and salads, dinner can get crazy crowded so lunch is the way to go

Lumskebugten

Along the sea in Nyan, grab a vegetarian prix fixe then wander over to grab a peek at the view

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Dinner

The quality and inventiveness of local tasting menus is not a total surprise, but that makes it no less impressive. Locals joke that every new restaurant is helmed by a former Noma chef, but even less serious restaurants are super serious about the creativity and quality of what’s leaving the kitchen. Equally as important as the food itself, a successfully cozy, friendly homey atmosphere (which the Danes call hygge and nicely explained here by FathomAway) is something not replicated anywhere else and adds to the splendor of Copenhagen’s dining scene.

No 2

Vegan four course tasting menu that’s mostly gluten-free and features creatively prepared seasonal vegetables

Radio

A neighborhood restaurant vibe with a killer five course menu. With advanced notice, they can prepare a vegan tasting menu

Scarpetta

Italian small plates with a Nordic flair and lovely wine list, it’s a bit coupley and great for a date

Gorilla

One of the meatpacking’s newest, chicest casual spots - all industrial details and bold cocktails

Bolly Food

Meatpacking’s Indian eatery and take out spot. Casual and perfect for a bite before an evening out

Lele

For a dinner on the run, local chain Lele and Lele take away offer easy curries with vegan protein options

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Drinks

The cocktail game in town is strong, with a focus on whiskey and seasonal menus highlighting local herbs. The variety of must-drinks include a one man show behind the bar to multilevel classic cocktail emporium. Each location is loads more hygge than most places in any other city.

Salon 39

Cozy, cozy bi-level bar favored by local and visiting English speakers, with more ambiance than you can shake a stick at and talented bartenders ready to whip up seasonal specialties and the classics

The Barking Dog

Where the bartenders come to drink, probably because the team and decor are lighthearted but cocktails are seriously delicious

Atze Peng

One of few bars in town to hand-hew ice from a large crystal block each day, Atze is the one-man show owner and bartender whipping up excellent drinks many of the city’s bartenders call the best in town

Duck and Cover

Sexy-cozy Duck and Cover will get you interiors-wasted on its savvy Nordic design and lighting alone.

Liedkob

The third level whiskey bar with a library vibe and a fireplace nook makes it an excellent pick for a chilly evening

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Coffee

Great coffee is easy to find for eat-in or take away, as it seems every Dane starts their morning with a cup of the good stuff

Coffee Collective

Baristas with an opinion, a queue at anytime of day, and excellent filtered coffee and espresso, dairy milk only

Democratic Coffee

A few locations throughout the city including one at Central Library serve single origin, Danish roasted espresso drinks and pastry

Rist Kaffebar

A great avocado toast, coffee made with Coffee Collective beans, wifi in a sweet Vesterbro locale

Central Cafe

The most charming, miniature cafe underneath a one-bedroom hotel serving coffee, espresso, and pastry

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Juice

Unplugged Juice

In the Torvehallerne, Unplugged is the city’s first cold-pressed juicery and serves smoothies and paleo (though not vegan) friendly sandwiches

42Raw

A fully raw restaurant serving herb-driven juices and smoothies all day

Joe & the Juice

Located throughout the city, Joe serves not just juice, but sandwiches and smoothies, too accompanied by sounds of a house dj on weekends

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Fitness

Fitness in Copenhagen is strength and yoga-focused, with megaformer Pilates and barre just beginning to gain popularity. Crossfit is all the rage, which explains the large number of quality boxes in town led by esteemed trainers. Yoga comes in as a close second with Bikram being the most popular style. Word on the street is that Lady Gaga's preferred CPH studio is Bikram Copenhagen , a studio also quite popular with local hip kids. 

Strength

Butcher’s Lab

One of the newer kids on the block and located in the meatpacking area, visitor friendly and WODs can be taught in Danish and English

Crossfit Copenhagen

Copenhagen’s oldest and biggest Crossfit box requires signing up in advance, is located in a former church - note that night classes especially get packed with fit locals

Crossfit Skodsborg

Led by master trainer in nearly every respected fitness methodology and 30 year army veteran Ole Cosmus, classes take place outdoors on a deck overlooking the sea during the summer

TRX at Senses

One of few TRX classes in town, Senses also teaches Pilates and yoga at a studio that’s mostly for the ladies

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Barre

The Studio

In suburban Hellerup, The Studio is a classical ballet take on barre with creative movements that will be new to those used to Bar Method style studios

Copenhagen Pole Dance

Led by a former Crazy Horse dancer who moved from Denmark to LA and back, classes are skill level-specific and all include a choreographed routine at the end

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Yoga + Pilates

Bikram Copenhagen

Lady Gaga’s fave, also fave of stylish young professionals and uni students

Astanga DK

For a Mysore class in Vesterbro, Astanga DK is the most esteemed and busiest

Yoga at Kurhotel Skodsborg

A variety of styles are taught including Ashtanga, Yin and Vinyasa Flow

Senses Yoga

Hot Vinyasa style yoga is taught here in addition to group fitness classes on TRX

Powerhouse

55 minute class on a megaformer, many locals call this the toughest group class in town

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Shopping

Copenhagen is a goldmine for those with an interest in the chic, minimalist style of Denmark and neighboring Scandinavian countries. As for decor and design objects, nobody does it better than the Danes.

Illume

The Barneys of Copenhagen, filled with Scandinavian designer favorites and international mainstays

Acne archive store

One of three archive stores, Sweden-based Acne’s Copenhagen shop sells current season styles as well as ‘archive’ collections for a fraction

Dora Danish Design

Gifts heaven. Home decor, casual jewelry, design objects are all made by local artisans

Henrik Vibskov

The internationally recognized footwear designer is Danish and the flagship Copenhagen store is bananas

Paper Collective

Moved from an apartment to a store front in April of 2015, Print Collective sells prints made by local and farther flung artists and photographers that are all produced in-house

Katrine Kristensen

For cool, minimal and delicate gold jewelry with an edge - Katrine’s new-ish atelier is the place to be

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Hotels

There is an amazing variety of great hotel properties for a city of this size. From super luxe to just the essentials, it is a cinch to find the right hotel vibe at the right price. The below are just a selection of favorites, but it’s hard to find an ugly hotel in this town.

Central Hotel & Cafe

Easily the most charming and smallest hotel anywhere, Central Hotel is a one bedroom, painstakingly designed pied a terre in the center of Vesterbro that includes bike rentals and breakfast at hip-kid sister restaurant Granola

SP34

Copenhagen’s newest boutique property has a fabulous Norrebro location and trademark Danish style throughout the rooms, from impressively affordable studios to three loft suites with balconies and bathtubs

Kurhotel Skodsborg

A short 20-minute ride from Copenhagen station, Kurhotel is the Nordic spa hotel destination, with saunas, spa, fitness classes, a new soon-to-open fine dining restaurant and the famed Saunagus experience led by mist master Tina Anderson

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Spa

Nordic spa is another level of nature-inspired, traditional healing and rejuvenation. It’s a must, even for those who may have just done a whole pre-trip spa routine at home.

Kurhotel Skodsborg

Just steps from the Skodsborg station and right on the sea, Kurhotel is a perfect destination for unwinding and getting your wellness groove back or stepping up your game with Crossfit, massage and the main spa room with an unending amount saunas, steams, salt rooms and pools

Complete Me

Boutique destination for progressive facial treatments featuring mostly local beauty lines like BioEffect and SJÄL

Amazing Space at D'Angleterre

Hotel D’Angleterre’s award-winning spa is a favorite for luxe treatments administered by top therapists

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City Sites

Parks

Copenhagen is a nature-friendly city and even on colder days locals will be out and about in the park for a mid-day recharge

Castles

Amalienborg is the Rococo styled winter royal residence, Rosenborg is a stunning Renaissance castle that’s had many lives and today houses the crown jewels, Christianborg is home to the Danish Parliament

Tivoli Gardens

The world’s second oldest amusement park is in the center of Copenhagen and turns into the most spectacular Christmas market in November and December

Nyhavn

This picturesque part of town is made of colorful townhouses lining the canal - in the summer it’s lovely to be outdoors in the day and in the winter this part of town pulls out all the Christmas-y decor stops

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Getting outside the city

Louisiana Museum

Gorgeous location, stunning permanent collection and expertly curated visiting exhibitions which in 2016 will include: David Altmejd, Op Art, Taryn Simon and Louise Borgeois

Kronborg castle

There are so many architecturally unique castles throughout Denmark, and if you choose just one outside of the city, make it the castle from Shakespeare’s Hamlet - Kronborg Castle (Elsinore)

UNESCO sites

Aside from Hamlet’s castle, there are loads of other gorgeous UNESCO sites worth visiting

Campo di Fiore

A local favorite for Italian food outside of town for a mini-escape

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Local experiences

Biking through Copenhagen

Try Cycling Copenhagen for their city tours themed by ‘must sees’ or the ‘urban tour’, or rent a bike on your own just give it a go, but don’t forget the GPS

Saunagus

There are a number of places throughout town that offer Saunagus experiences, but if you’re going to do it once, the 20-minute ride to Skodsborg is so worth it

Winter bathing

To the uninitiated, jumping into literally freezing cold ocean water seems insane, but the endorphin rush is like no other and makes it more than worth the initial ‘what the?’ when your first toe hits the water

Architecture tour

You could wander the city on your own for some self-discovery, or you could do a half day tour with a local who has their finger on the pulse of Danish design

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Know before you go

• Locals don’t tip
• Biking through the city is efficient and safe
• The metro is new and very fast
• Dating is different than in the States and southern Europe, bar-goers don’t normally offer to buy drinks even if they’re interested
• It gets dark early and stays dark through most of the morning
• Finding vegan proteins such as tofu and tempeh can be next to impossible. Bringing your own protein sources such as powders for smoothies and bars is a must
• Danes love their bread and meat - the country has the highest meat consumption per capita of anywhere. Consider this when planning meals out and call ahead to inform of dietary restrictions, most places are happy to accommodate
• The Torvehallerne is a great stop for a progressive meal. Inside are Unplugged Juice, Coffee Collective, Grod, Banh Mi and others happy to whip up something plant-based and nutrient-rich

If you're planning a Copenhagen visit, drop us a line in our comments or social channels for more itinerary recommendations. 

From Jetlagged to Red Carpet Ready in 60

Lie flat seats and liters of water can help offset some of the effects of jetlag, but even these cushy perks don’t guarantee that trans-con doesn’t screw with your body clock or sap your skin. Upon touching down on any trip, feeling energized and looking alive can take daysss. Lucky for us, we’ve discovered Los Angeles’ beautiful people go-to for looking and feeling paparazzi-ready in just 60 minutes: Leaf MD’s signature Vitamin IV Facial.  

The Hack: IV Vita-Infusion facial at Leaf MD, Beverly Hills

HOW IT WORKS

The skincare and medical teams at Leaf MD developed the combo Vitamin IV and facial treatment to help busy execs, celebs and travelers look and feel their best in just 60 minutes. The vitamin IV is a tailored Meyers Cocktail combining vitamin C, B-complex and boosters such as calcium, magnesium and glutathione; the facial is customized based on skin type and often includes microdermabrasion, facial massage, extractions if necessary, serums, a customized mask and cryotherapy.

THE EXPERIENCE

Upon checking in at the buzzy but discreet office, resident RN Joy Edwards administers the nutrient IV drip, while in-house para-medical aesthetician Maya Zeineddine preps your skin. Once you’re hooked up and those anti-jetlag nutrients are direct lining (you’ll know when you taste the B vitamins), Joy will leave you to your facial and check in every 10 minutes or so to make sure all is okay. The nutrient IV drips for about 45 minutes, but you forget it’s there after the first five or so minutes and just relax and let Maya do her magic.

THE RESULT

I tried this facial after returning from a long haul in economy. In-flight I tried my best version of Lisa Eldridge’s brilliant plane beauty routine, but stepping off the plane my skin barely looked alive and my energy reserves were I think down to fumes. The treatment itself was really relaxing, and afterward I felt a little sleepy from the magnesium, and still super relaxed from the skin treatment. I did not feel ready to run a marathon at all, but my skin felt so soft and looked plumper than it had in a long time. After a casual dinner with a friend and an early night in, I woke up the next morning feeling like a new woman: extra energized and body and face both felt hydrated and majorly glow-y. Hydration, check. Energy, check. And bonus: you would never have been able to tell my face has spent 12+ hours in Economy.

WHERE TO FIND IT

The buzzy Beverly Hills office is discreetly located at 436 North Bedford Avenue, #104, naturally tucked away along Beverly Hills’ posh cosmetic dermatology row and just behind brow guru Anastasia Beverly Hills. It’s just under 13 miles from LAX, which means about 30-48 minutes, depending on traffic. Also, walking distance from nearly any Beverly Hills Hotel. How much? $295

WHERE ELSE

New York

Dr Virginia Wade offers a IV Vitamin Fusion and Oxygen Therapy
How much? $300

We’ll keep an eye out for other cities!

A healthy escape to Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay

Welcome to The Weekender, our weekly discovery of unexpected, active-luxe weekend destinations to recharge and not apologize for dietary restrictions.

Credit: Alexis Daggett

Seaside tennis and clean fine dining less than an hour from SF

Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay is home to all of the resort luxuries we never knew we needed: personal fire pits, a Crossfit instructor chef leading a fine dining restaurant and award winning tennis courts perched right above the ocean. Just 25 miles south of San Francisco International Airport, 30 miles south of San Francisco proper and 43 miles from Mineta San Jose International airport; Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay is not much further than most people’s morning commutes.

Settling In

Book a Guest House Fire Pit Room, Check in on a Friday afternoon to settle in and watch the sunset over the water at the property’s Ocean Terrace. Grab your glass and head to the room for a moment of peace and quiet, fireside. Throw on your resort casual best for dinner and head to The Conservatory, a gorgeous open dining room with floor-to-ceiling views of the water.

Clean Eating

Chef Dela Cruz prepares traditional California farm-to-table cuisine using community grown produce and, because he moonlights as a Crossfit instructor, is more than happy to whip up super clean off-menu dishes for the dietarily restricted. Dine on a tweaked version of menu items that depending on the season may include a vegan sauteed red quinoa pilaf with carrots, spinach and sunchokes topped with a wonderful spicy garlic aioli made super creamy by blending mixed tofu with roasted garlic. Naturally, the wine list is a perfectly curated selection of mostly Northern California wines. More surprisingly, many of the cocktails are made using live herbs grown on The Conservatory’s living wall, just one of many nature-luxe elements in the dining room. After dinner, walk back to the in-room fire pit/private patio for a little cocktail nightcap or a glass from Eno wine bar and nod off to total quiet.

Getting up and out

Open your eyes just enough to whip up a pot of in-room coffee, then perk up, suit up and head down to weekly Saturday morning Surfset class on the Ocean Lawn. Cooler weather moves class to the Observatory Room. After class, check out Navio’s breakfast spread whose plant-based options include a green smoothie, oatmeal and local fruits. Or head 10 minutes inland to the local Half Moon Bay farmers market. Grab some fresh as can be produce (this is an ag town, after all), and a few healthy treats, like vegan truffles.

Cardio with a view

Head back to the resort for a running map, a set of complimentary bike rentals (book these in advance), or guide to local hikes recommended by the property. A short, scenic choice might be the Devil’s Slide Trail, which is 1.3 mile area of up and down Route 1 to breathe in the coastside air and get a peek at the local marine life.

Checking out the town

The hotel seems to have a solid monopoly on solidy health fare in town, but for an afternoon escape try lunch at Half Moon Brewing Company for a local vibe, but bring a protein if you’re plant-based, as vegan options are limited. Or try the newer Via Uno for the kale salad and wood-fired pizza. If it’s gorgeous outside, pop back to the property to rent complimentary rackets and tennis balls from the front desk and check out the six on-property tennis courts, reservations are included in the resort fee.

To reward yourself for a match well-played, check into the resort’s spa for a bodywork session or the signature Tatcha Pearlescense facial. Take a steam, head back to the room and nap it out for a few. Don’t worry about getting ready for dinner - keep the robe on and order in-room dining from The Conservatory or Navio.

Checking out

Sleep in, read, then after checking out, try a walk down to Main street for a coffee like the locals do it. Head back to the airport or drive home about 1000% more rested than when you arrived.

What to pack

The property supplies complimentary bikes, tennis rackets and maps for running and hiking.

If you're planning on dining off-property at all and happen to be vegan, bring some bars and/or protein powder as it’s tough to find vegan protein in town. It’s easier to be gluten-free here. Bring your best resort casual: long skirts, dark jeans, flats and sweaters for the oceanside chill at night.

The World’s Healthiest Cocktail

 

Myers’ Cocktails are not just a handy solution for too many vodka sodas in Vegas, though they can be an awesome way to kick a hangover. John Myers developed his namesake cocktail in Baltimore to help treat chronic health issues by intravenously administering megadoses of nutrients. Devotees claim benefits like hydration, energy and supercharged immunity, which to us sounds like a perfect antidote for travelers looking to shake the jetlag haze.

We sought out San Francisco Myers’ Cocktail expert Dr. Carl Hangee-Bauer of San Francisco Natural Medicine, a naturopath working in SF for over 20 years, to fill us in and let us take one for a spin.

How it Works

The whole process takes around an hour. Depending on the amount of fluid being administered and the body’s absorption speed, you could be sitting with your IV and dripping anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. It would be easy forget your veins are being pumped with nutrient goo if not for the slightly sleepy feeling the magnesium can cause, and more strangely being able to literally taste the drip contents once they hit your bloodstream - it’s the B vitamins, and they taste sort of metallic.

What’s in the bag

The Myer’s Cocktail has no one size fits all recipe. The balance of vitamins is dependent on the patient receiving the drip, but it generally includes some mix of Vitamin C, glutathione, magnesium, B complex and a handful of supplemental nutrients. The ratios of these and other nutrients are customized based on the patient receiving the drip.

Many naturopathic doctors, including Hangee-Bauer, can offer a totally tailored Myers’ Cocktail for regular patients, and for visitors traveling through SF a travel-specific mini-Myers’ that would include a blend of nutrients for immune support, fatigue and balancing energy levels.

How does it feel?

Awesome. After the mini-Myers I tried (which dripped for about 30 minutes), I felt a little sleepy for the first hour. Then fine. The next day I felt amazing - lots of energy, powered through workout and felt that I had a particularly easy time getting to bed. I traveled the next day and though it was just a short trip I felt pretty energized. I would totally do it again, especially before departing on a long haul trip, or the day after returning from one.

Delta One: Plant-based dining in Delta's New BusinessElite Cabin

Three courses of plant-based dining, lie-flat seats and free access to the Oscar nominees I’d forgotten I wanted to see is exactly what the doctor ordered when stuck in the air for 6+ hours.

Flying between JFK and west coast hubs LAX and SFO is no longer an opportunity for an easy comp upgrade to Biz Elite for medallions. Diamonds and platinums can use a regional upgrade certificate for the bump, but it’s no longer an automatic move, even if space is available. Based on the last-minute popularity of business class with the NY-based, black card-booking jetset, JFK no longer feels the need to give them away to coach-paying frequent fliers. That said, the new-ish Delta One cabin seats, amenities and meals that come with them are totally worth the 12.5k miles for a one way upgrade.

The set up is lovely - Westin’s Heavenly comforter and pillow set and the bottomless bubbles are a welcome touch on nighttime flights. Aside from privacy when applying face sheet masks, at least for adventurous and dietary restriction-free among us, dining can be the most important part of any in-flight experience. So, how did Delta do working a vegan meal into their Michael Chiarello-designed BusinessElite menu?

Aside from not having a printed card of what was actually served, pretty great.

The Meal:

Mini salad with cucumbers and tomatoes

sliced oranges, honeydew and grapefruit

Vegetable platter with chickpea salad, curried lentils, roasted yellow squash and asparagus

falafel patties, steamed green squash, sauteed spinach and roasted sweet potato slices

No vegan dessert so I went for a glass of wine instead

All in all, I returned home not starving, rested and with zero back pain. Delta One is a lovely way to unload a few miles in exchange for comfortable travel between coasts.

Laying Over in... Los Angeles

Three hours or more between flights? Make a run for it! Unless you’re a devoted lounge junkie, there’s next to no excuse not to escape the gate and explore a little. Grab a cab\Lyft\Uber\Zipcar and hit the town if even just for a quick meal or neighborhood walk. If you’re headed out on an international journey and need to re-check bags, re-check ‘em before you head out or store them in a locker. Especially when you’re in a total wellness hotspot like LA!

Despite the traffic-packed, always under construction LA freeway system, if the time of day is right it’s really not all that bad. Just hop on the 405 and have GPS take you to your hip hood of choice, almost any will have some stylish healthy options. The current Well and Away favorite is Venice, mostly because every healthy dining desire can be fulfilled within a two block radius.

Moon Juice

This place will ruin 99% of other smoothie/juice/raw bars out there. It’s that good. Once you go Moon Juice, you’ll be ordering moon dusts and milks from their site like the apothecary maniac you never knew you were.

Cafe Gratitude

Raw vegan pesto with zoodles. Or a full on plant-based antipasto plate. And a tiramisu that might make you think ‘Venice Italy, meh, it’s not Venice Beach’. And the people watching is on point. The only possible catch depends on your openness to entrees as affirmations: each menu items here are inspirational affirmations. You’re in Venice. Just go with it and remember how much nicer it is being told ‘you are radiant’ than grumbling to yourself at the coffee bar about having zero access to carageenan-free almond milk.

Groundwork Coffee

Cruise down Abbot Kinney to peep the Warby Parker store, the new Vince shop (summer, 2015), women’s clothing retailer Heist and a bajillion other adorable, spendy souvenirs. Stop at Venice’s original hip coffe joint Groundwork for some of LA’s best iced coffee.

Spontaneous Adventuring

If you're looking to do more than just eat healthy, yummy food in Venice while people watching, some easy LA resources include LA Weekly and C Magazine. If you're looking to book a last minute gel manicure or Pilates class close by but don't know where to go (or don't want to spend half your trip budget during a layover), Groupon's Things to Do in LA section just got a nice refresh and has a wealth of unexpected offers.