We know that the best travel tips come from lived experience (and that SUITCASE readers have the most impeccable taste), so we’re checking in with you, our community of go-getting globetrotters. In this month’s column, we spotlight Alexandra “Lex” Hearth, an editor, DJ and host of the Hot Girls podcast.
18 November, 2020
Marketing at Nike, editor at Cleopatras Worldwide, DJ and host of the Hot Girls podcast
Cities, beauty, wine.
I actually went to a talk that Serena [our founder] was speaking at, maybe four years ago now. I related to her approach to travel, to finding beauty in discovering and immersing yourself in a place, rather than the "wanderlust" type experience which was being heavily portrayed elsewhere at the time.
Last summer I went to Italy with three very close and old friends. We spent a night in Milan before getting the train out to Lake Como where we settled into an apartment for a few nights. I was really struck by the calm magnificence of that place. The lake, the food, the mountains all combined to create a level of bliss that I found profoundly beautiful.
I've lost a couple of phones and been to some questionable parties. I got filmed by local media leaving a party in Istanbul recently, which was unsettling - fortunately I have managed to stay out of any serious trouble however. When I was younger, I did more backpacking, less sleeping; 30-hour night buses with four changes and "cocktail" buckets. I had a lot of fun, but I'm glad to now have the freedom to stay in hotels with air-conditioning and nice glasses.
With 2020 being a bit of an interesting year for travel, I've found myself spending time in Turkey which was very new to me. A few weeks in Istanbul has made me realise what a cool place it is - a fusion east and west with sophisticated coffee shops and chaotic bazaars. It's made me want to see more of Turkey. Next up is Cappadocia, then Bodrum and Antalya.
Oooh probably Vol. 15 The Good Life.
A couple. I really enjoyed a recent piece which explored scent souvenirs because it highlighted a feeling I get when I'm travelling - a willingness to really just exist and be in a place for the time you're there, rather than the consciousness that you're on holiday. Another I enjoyed recently was exploring locations which had inspired authors. I write myself, so I always feel a connection with others who write.
As I always have my laptop with me when I'm travelling, I would love some inspiration for alternative places to go where you can comfortably work but are maybe more off-grid, so to speak. Some islands perhaps... please and thank you!
If you want to go to nice places but are budget conscious, just order coffee. You can go to the most beautiful bars, restaurants and rooftops in the world and be quite comfortable with a coffee for a couple of hours.
Hip-hop Saved My Life with Romesh Ranganathan (and of course Hot Girls).
My feed is a blend of inspiration and entertainment. I like @cleopatrasworldwide, @loveofhuns and, in terms of people, @JoeKay from Soulection because he always seems to be in the most beautiful places.
The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker and The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo.
Sun cream, headphones, two laptops (just in case), a socket converter, a plug-in microphone, black leggings, leather trousers and jackets (plural), a blow-dryer for humid climates, a silk eye mask and red lipstick.
