Wale Oyejide lives in four dimensions. He’s a lawyer, singer, artist and fashion maven who refuses to leave any experience on the table. He wants it all, and we believe he’ll get it. Recently, we caught up with Wale to discuss travel and the launch of his site, LessGentleMen. It’s a wonderful resource for style and inspiration. As Wale describes it, “The site is all about the unbridled hubris of the ever-evolving man.” Scroll down to view the entire interview.

Interview: Taj Reid
Photography: Justine Chang for wejetset

—

It’s hard to pinpoint where my love of art and fashion began. I’ve pursued a lot of different things because I’ve seen someone I admire doing it in an interesting way and realized that I could do it too – not necessarily better, but in a way that represents what I’d like to see in the world. So whether it’s the law, music or my fashion, I’ve always felt like I have something positive to add to the conversation. Plus, I have really talented friends that inspire me and help me put together my ideas – people like Dave from 12RND who’s a fantastic photographer. Together, we’ve found a way to create our own voice with some of the style shots you see on LessGentleMen.

—

When it comes to travel, going to Japan was my first major fashion memory. There I saw people making a huge effort to dress well – especially the guys going to work. It was beyond expression. It was regimented. It was the official work way. I also noticed their menswear – they’re taking bits and pieces from Europe and executing it in a way that puts them at the forefront of fashion these days. That’s what I love about travel. It exposes you to so many styles and ideas – especially in cities that collectively do fashion well. But, in all of my travels, I would say Paris is as close to a fashion capital if one exists. Every street corner feels like a post card. That’s the best city visually.

—

The first time we came into Japan we were riding the train from Osaka to Hiroshima. It was dawn and you could see the sun coming up from Mount Fuji. It was beautiful. A nice reminder for why anyone should travel. There’s so much to see and experience out there.

—

I always travel with a sport coat. You need something that allows you to dress up or dress down. That way you’re prepared for any occasion. You never know what situation you may find yourself in, so a nice sport coat is invaluable.

—

It’s important to dress well when you travel. Don’t wear sweatpants. My parents always told me that when I travel I represent where I’m from so it’s important to represent that place well. That’s why I get dressed up whenever I travel, so maybe you’ll wonder where I’m going and where I’m coming from.

— el fin.

LESSGENTLEMEN
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SARAH KIM
PAULINE EGGE
KENJI SUMMERS

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Four days after graduation Sarah Kim left California and moved to New York City to become a stylist. The first year was hard, but she found her footing and landed a job with Carlos Campos. There, she was exposed to many sides of the fashion industry and realized her interests expanded beyond styling. The world of editorial caught her eye and soon she navigated her way to becoming a Fashion Assistant and Editor at Antenna Magazine.

On a warm summer evening we caught up with Sarah in Soho to discuss work and her experiences traveling. As she describes it, “When I look back and think about being in New York and working at Antenna, if you told me a few years ago that I would be here, I would have never believed you. I was set on being a stylist and all those experiences brought me to becoming an editor at a great magazine where I get to travel, meet interesting people and write stories that I’m excited about.” Below, you can find the rest of our interview with Sarah where she tells us more about moving to New York and her favorite travel experiences.

Interview: Taj Reid
Photography: Justine Chang

—

I didn’t want to move to New York. I was against it at first. San Francisco and LA have so much to offer. Why leave? But after a lot of closed doors and prayer it seemed like I was supposed to move to New York.

When I first got here I arrived with aspirations to be a stylist. I started by working for a menswear designer – Carlos Campos. He hired me with no job experience and gave me a chance. I learned a lot from him. He was really supportive and told me, “At the end of the day it’s just fashion. It’s just clothes.” That helped me maintain perspective. It opened my eyes to a lot of things in the industry and I began to wonder what it would be like to work for a fashion magazine.

I’d get all the press requests and saw how magazines worked with labels. So one day Antenna had a shoot and they pulled Carlos Campos. I asked them if they needed any extra help at the shoot. They did and afterward I reached out to them asking if they were looking for a fashion assistant. Luckily they were and I started to freelance with them.

At first there wasn’t enough hours so I needed to get another job. But then the magazine’s Editorial Assistant left and my Editor-in-Chief asked if I wanted to do Edits on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and do Fashion on Tuesday and Thursday. I jumped at the opportunity and became the Editorial and Fashion Assistant for about three months. Eventually my Editor asked me if I wanted to just do Edits. I was thrilled because you get to see the entire magazine – fashion and everything else.

—

I’m a huge fan of food trucks. A few issues back we did an advertorial piece with Hyundai. Five of us from Antenna Magazine traveled to six cities across the country for a food truck adventure. We visited Portland, Los Angeles, Cleveland, New Orleans, DC and came back to New York. It was a quick tour and even though it took place over the span of two weeks, it felt like 6 days because when you minus travel time, we were in each city for roughly 30 hours.

That trip was amazing. We were talking to people from all over the country and eating great food. Plus the people who operate food trucks tend to be super entrepreneurial and charismatic so it was interesting to meet them. Also, the people coming to the food trucks were equally interesting. Each city had it’s own flavor, style and conversation. For example you’ll see all kinds of people coming up to a food truck in DC but they’re all talking about the same thing – politics. That’s what I love about food trucks. Any and everyone can eat at one.

—

Tough question – I know I’m going to get so much flack for this – especially from my friends on the west coast, but my favorite city is New York. I love the west coast. I love San Francisco. I love Seattle. But it’s got to be New York. I think it’s because I’ve grown so much here.

At first New York was really challenging. But every time I left, I missed it. And now I find myself calling New York home more and more. I love it so much. Sometimes I even find myself smiling about it. What a difference from the first year I got here. I feel like I was crying the entire time. It was a tough year, but there was so much growth that it made me love it. Plus the people are amazing. Where else can you find every kind of food in one place and have it be authentic. That’s what makes New York great. It’s the people, the food and the overall exposure to other cultures.

—

It’s my bike. Definitely. New York is different when your walking. It’s different when you’re riding a bike. It’s different when you’re taking the bus. And, it’s different when you’re in a car or on a train. Each one is interesting, but riding a bike is my favorite. I feel closest to the city when I’m riding my bike. Although I have to admit I do miss driving sometimes. That’s the west coast in me.

—

My notebook and my bible. No matter where I go I like to have my two constants with me.

— el fin.

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ANTENNA MAGAZINE

PAULINE EGGE
KENJI SUMMERS
DOROTHY MCGIVNEY

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Petite Passport is a brilliant collection of locations by Pauline Egge, one of our favorite travel journalists. Since 2006 she’s written about travel hotspots for an impressive roster of magazines including Red, Glamour and Marie Claire. But, because print publishing lacks the speed and spontaneity of the web, she created Petite Passport to keep an up-to-date catalog of all the spots she’s been to, wants to go to, or generally finds interesting. As she describes it, “It’s my little black book full of addresses. It’s a wish list and also a review of places I actually visited.” Recently we caught up with Pauline to discuss travel and her fantastic site.

Words: Taj Reid
Photography: Anne Timmer

Australia – I was twenty and traveled to that far away land on my own. On the first night I was introduced to a wet booby contest on some rooftop and thought, ‘Hell no!’ This was not how I wanted to travel. So I bought a Let’s Go guide and it took me to the most fantastic places. That’s when my hunt for fabulous addresses started. In Australia I learned about living in the moment – waking up and thinking ‘What to do today? Should I travel to the South, travel to the North, or lay at the beach for the day?’ Another one of my favorite experiences was checking into the Ace Hotel in Portland. It was a dream come true. I really had to pinch myself like – you’re really here.

Rotterdam. It’s my home town and also home to one of the best architects in the world, Rem Koolhaas. It’s different than Amsterdam. Every tourist goes there, but Rotterdam is a true architectural gem. It’s only an hour by car (or train), so people should definitely combine the two when visiting.

If we’re talking hotspots I have to say London. It’s like the hotspot capital of the world. On my wish list I have the new Pizza East in Notting Hill, Dishoom Beach Pop Up and Kerbischer & Malt for the best fish & chips.

More recently I fell in love with Barcelona. It’s a city full of hotspots but also has two notable extras – beautiful weather and the beach. Everyone should check out Gallito where all three elements (hotspot, sun and beach) come together.

My MINI. I love taking her on road-trips to wherever. We’ve been to Paris together, and we want to see a lot more of Europe. The thing about driving a car is that it equals a feeling of freedom. You can stop where you want and the holiday starts when you open your door. When in a city I hate using public transport. Take Berlin for example, try to catch the subway from Mitte to Prenzlauerberg and it will take you ages. Hire a bike instead. And you can easily escort yourself from one hotspot to another and see everything in between.

Magazines. What’s the first thing I do when entering an airport? Buy lots of magazines. Always local magazines. It doesn’t bother me that I don’t speak Turkish, Spanish or German. If I see something nice, there’s usually a website underneath it. My favorite magazines at the moment are Monocle, Conde Nast Traveler and Spanish AD.

Everytime you come back home, book another trip. The world is there to discover; not only dream about. You don’t have to be a lottery winner. You don’t have to fly to far away locations every trip. I bet there’s a cool hotel in a city nearby where you can go for the weekend. Enjoy your trip!

—el fin

PETITE PASSPORT
MORE ABOUT PAULINE

THE PASSPORT PROJECT
DOROTHY MCGIVNEY
TIM YU

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We recently met with Kenji Summers, the energetic mind behind the Passport Project. Inspired by a song and a trip to Barcelona, Kenji decided to start an exciting initiative to help people see the world. As he describes, “I was on my way to Barcelona listening to Lupe’s Paris Tokyo Remix. One of the artists on the song says we should start a coalition to help people travel and see the world. I thought – why not? That’s a powerful idea and seeing the world starts with a passport.”

The Passport Project, through its Coalition and Millennial Grants, works to inform young people about how to obtain a passport, it helps them afford the application fees and ultimately the project inspires them to become global citizens by traveling as much as possible. As Kenji tells us, “I hope the Passport Project will redefine the coming of age experience, meaning of success, and rebrand the Millennial Generation as the Global (Citizen) Generation.” You can help support the Passport Project by visiting their site and spreading the word.

Words & Photography: Taj Reid

THE PASSPORT PROJECT
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KING BRITT

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After an exciting six years at Google, Dorothy McGivney traveled the world and came back with a fantastic idea. She wanted to create something inspiring and locally relevant for New Yorkers who love to travel. In no time, a new travel resource was born. Jauntsetter – with its weekly newsletter and website – serves up useful escape plans for spontaneous travelers. We’re long time subscribers and recently met with Dorothy to discuss business, travel and her favorite cities.

Interview & Photography: Taj Reid

Before Jauntsetter I worked at Google. I worked in the advertising optimization department. That sounds so corporate. (laughs) Part of my job was traveling around North America and sometimes internationally talking to different advertising agencies. I always loved travel. It was really enjoyable. And before Google, I worked in publishing and editorial. The position at Google actually started out as a linguistics position, so in my six years there I got a lot of experience in online advertising. Which, if I could go back ten years and tell myself I’d be working in advertising, I would have said no way. But my time at Google gave me a really rich experience in advertising and it also allowed me to leave.

After Google I took a year to travel around Southeast Asia, India and other places. I did a lot of thinking and decided to combine my love of travel with my experience with advertising to create Jauntsetter.

Considering how passionate people are about travel and how personal travel can be, and how much research travelers do before a trip – there is a surprising lack of quality in travel content online and in print. There are certainly some great new publications like AFAR and some great websites out there that are changing the way people approach travel. But there wasn’t a publication online or off that spoke to me as a traveler, so I created Jauntsetter to fill that void.

Jauntsetter is for New York travelers. I’d love to iterate it to other cities and have a Chicago version and a San Francisco version. But I just wanted to have a site where there is both inspirational travel information and really relevant content around travel deals.

As a New Yorker I don’t want to know about deals coming from Fort Lauderdale to Las Vegas. As a New Yorker i only want to know about great air fare when flight are leaving JFK, Newark or La Guardia. And that alone – just distilling great air fare deals for the week for my audience – is a really helpful service. Especially for people who love to travel and are looking for cheap and easy ways to get out of the city.

I went on my honeymoon in November to Vietnam. It was one of the places I visited when I traveled for a year after Google. I knew when I went there the first time that I wanted to go back with my then boyfriend who is now my husband. We went to Southeast Asia for three weeks for our honeymoon and we did a mixture of high and low travel experiences. One of the best experiences was a moped tour through North Central Vietnam. It was for five nights and we had a tour guide.

It’s funny because before my wedding I told myself I was going to take a lesson on how to ride a moped. But things got busy and I never took that lesson. Luckily my husband owned a moped so he was comfortable driving. But when we got there we found out that it was better to ride a semi-automatic moped, which means you have to change gears with your foot. I got a lesson in Hanoi on how to ride a moped a half-hour before we left for our five night excursion! It was a little frightening, especially the first night when we were riding on the highway. I got sick with the flu and we had to keep stopping. But after the first night I felt better.

On the tour we stayed with locals in their homes and they hosted us as visitors. They didn’t even speak vietnamese as their first language they spoke a dialect of Thai and another that was of Thai and Chinese. It was the best trip. It was the most amazing trip I’ve ever taken. The hospitality that we received by the families and the fact that there were no other tourists around at all was really refreshing.

Plus the landscape in Vietnam was so beautiful. In that region there were limestone mountains, lakes, vistas and rice paddies. I could go back to Vietnam a thousand times and not get sick of it.

Riding a moped is one of the best ways to see a place. If you’re in a car or a bus you can’t get off. You can’t interact with people the same way you can on a moped. It’s really easy on a moped to just pull over. If you see a food stand, or a field with flowers and you want to take a picture, it’s easy. Being on a moped you feel more connected. It allows you to be more spontaneous. At least that’s what I found when I was riding a moped through Vietnam.

It’s hard for me to pick just one. New York – I love. My family is from Brooklyn and Long Island. I grew up on Long Island and it’s less than half an hour to come in by train. I grew up with a huge appreciation for New York. Every time I come back from a trip it feels so good to be here. There’s no other city like New York.

But in terms of traveling, Hanoi is my favorite. Hanoi has amazing value. I think about that a lot when I travel. Time and money is important because you want a good return on your investment when you travel. As Americans we don’t get a lot of vacation time, so when I travel I want to go somewhere really special. And Hanoi is at a very exciting time in its history. It’s technically communist but they have a capitalistic economy and you can feel that. People are hustling – not in a pushy or overbearing way. And tourism is growing in a way that feels authentic. There’s an exciting buzz in the city where people are realizing they can make a life for themselves through their own choices or businesses.

If you only have a few days in a city I recommend getting a driver for part of the time. A lot of people spend all this time trying to get from point a to point b to point c – and end up wasting time. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to get lost. But if you’re someone that knows they want to go to a certain shop, a certain restaurant, a certain museum, and you only have a day to spend – hire a driver for at least part of the day. It’s so relaxing and you’ll see so much more of the city. I know it sounds really ridiculous and indulgent to hire a driver, but if you do a little bit of research, there are usually car services that you can hire for part of the day for a reasonable price. I think its an awesome way for getting around for part of a trip.

—el fin.

JAUNTSETTER
JAUNTSETTER BLOG

TIM YU
KING BRITT
MARCIA HOWARD

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Download Wallpaper: Paris by King Britt

This week’s travel inspired wallpaper comes courtesy of the world traveling DJ and Producer, King Britt. You may remember the interview we did with King for our travel chronicles series. Here he supplies us with a fantastic shot of Paris. We like the everyday non-chalant feel of the photo. As he describes it, “I particularly liked this shot of Paris because itʼs a side thatʼs not often shown in travel photos. Plus thereʼs a peaceful vibe that exists thatʼs hard to explain.” Download the wallpaper here. In the file, we’ve included multiple sizes for your convenience. Also keep up to date with King’s travels here and here. Click Read More for additional information about our wallpaper series.

About our Wallpaper Series

Each day we work to provide you with an image, a sentence or an idea that inspires you to travel. That’s why we’re excited to present our downloadable wallpaper series. In December we curated a travel gallery for our friend Nalden and the response was terrific. So we wanted to offer these images as downloadable wallpaper for our readers with the hope of providing you with a bit of travel inspiration each day.

View Wallpaper Series.

KING BRITT
SATURN NEVER SLEEPS
YESTERDAY’S MACHINE

KING BRITT INTERVIEW
ADAM CHANG
RODERICK HUNT

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Download Wallpaper: Taiwan by Adam Chang

This week’s travel inspired wallpaper comes courtesy of Adam Chang – a brilliant photographer and art director at NY-based design studio Same Tomorrow. As an avid traveler, Adam submitted the above photo of Taiwan and provided a few words. “The photo was taken in a temple located just outside of Ping Tung. This area of Taiwan doesn’t have all the glitz and glamour of Taipei but it definitely has a couple of unique sights such as this place where the roof is supposedly made of gold.” We love this photo and hope it provides a bit of travel inspiration for you. Download the wallpaper here. In the file, we’ve included multiple sizes for your convenience. Also keep up to date with Adam’s travels here and here. Click Read More for additional information about our wallpaper series.

About our Wallpaper Series

Each day we work to provide you with an image, a sentence or an idea that inspires you to travel. That’s why we’re excited to present our downloadable wallpaper series. In December we curated a travel gallery for our friend Nalden and the response was terrific. So we wanted to offer these images as downloadable wallpaper for our readers with the hope of providing you with a bit of travel inspiration each day.

View Wallpaper Series.

RODERICK HUNT
VICTORIA HERRERA
KARL HAB

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Philly Tech Week is a week-long celebration of technology and innovation in Philadelphia. The annual week of events is intended to grow the impact of this innovative region through programming focused on technology, collaboration and improving Philadelphia. The inaugural week takes place April 25th to April 30th and will feature events from partners like The Franklin Institute, Independents Hall and First Round Capital. Each Philly Tech Week event is independently organized. Get involved today.

Download Wallpaper: Santa Monica by Roderick Hunt

We’re excited to present this week’s travel inspired wallpaper. Just in time for spring, Roderick Hunt’s image of Santa Monica will usher in thoughts of nicer weather and relaxation. We found the view simply stunning. As Rod explains , “Palisades Park provides a beautiful panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. It’s in between the sandstone cliffs above California’s PCH & Ocean Avenue in the city of Santa Monica, CA.” Be sure to check out Rod’s site for his latest images of Los Angeles and other areas in Southern California. Download it for your desktop here. The file includes various desktop sizes for your convenience. Also, for additional information about the series click Read More.

About our Wallpaper Series

Each day we work to provide you with an image, a sentence or an idea that inspires you to travel. That’s why we’re excited to present our downloadable wallpaper series. In December we curated a travel gallery for our friend Nalden and the response was terrific. So we wanted to offer these images as downloadable wallpaper for our readers with the hope of providing you with a bit of travel inspiration each day.

View Wallpaper Series.

VICTORIA HERRERA
KARL HAB
CATRINA DULAY

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Download Wallpaper: Paris by Victoria Herrera

This week’s travel inspired wallpaper is brought to you by our friend Victoria Herrera. The multi-talented writer, model and radio show host is an inspiration. Based in the Philippines, her work takes her all over the world. For our series she sent over the above picture of Paris. As she describes, “It’s a breathtaking view of the city from a ferris wheel ride in the Jardin du Tulleries.” Download it for your desktop here. The file includes various desktop sizes for your convenience. Also, for additional information about the series click Read More.

About our Wallpaper Series

Each day we work to provide you with an image, a sentence or an idea that inspires you to travel. That’s why we’re excited to present our downloadable wallpaper series. In December we curated a travel gallery for our friend Nalden and the response was terrific. So we wanted to offer these images as downloadable wallpaper for our readers with the hope of providing you with a bit of travel inspiration each day.

View Wallpaper Series.

VICTORIA HERRERA
STATUS MAGAZINE
PLAY WITH THE DOLLS

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Download Wallpaper: Paris by Karl Hab

This week we present another fantastic photograph for our wallpaper series. Karl Hab documents the wonderful and exciting Parisian world. From street fashion to hotels, retail installations to architecture, Karl has shot it all. His work is truly brilliant. For our series, Karl sent over the above image of Paris’ Nomiya Restaurant as it sits atop the Palais de Tokyo in France. When we asked him about the image he responded, “That’s the new Paris!” We love it. Download it for your desktop here. The file includes various desktop sizes for your convenience.

About Our Wallpaper Series:

Each day we work to provide you with an image, a sentence or an idea that inspires you to travel. That’s why we’re excited to present our downloadable wallpaper series. In December we curated a travel gallery for our friend Nalden and the response was terrific. So we wanted to offer these images as downloadable wallpaper for our readers with the hope of providing you with a bit of travel inspiration each day.

View Wallpaper Series.

KARL HAB
KARL ON TUMBLR
KARL ON TWITTER

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Download Wallpaper: Seattle by Catrina Dulay

This week’s travel inspired wallpaper is brought to you by our friend Catrina Dulay. A california-based graphic designer and proud owner of a morbidly obese pet cat, she explains what she saw before snapping this image in Seattle: “This photo was taken from the inside of Pike Place Chowder at Seattle’s renowned Pike Place Market on a very typical afternoon.” The photo brilliantly captures Seattle’s essence. Download it for your desktop here. The file includes various desktop sizes for your convenience. Also, for additional information about the series click Read More.

About Our Wallpaper Series:

Each day we work to provide you with an image, a sentence or an idea that inspires you to travel. That’s why we’re excited to present our downloadable wallpaper series. In December we curated a travel gallery for our friend Nalden and the response was terrific. So we wanted to offer these images as downloadable wallpaper for our readers with the hope of providing you with a bit of travel inspiration each day.

View Wallpaper Series.

TOOTHPASTE FROSTING
TRAVEL GALLERY ON NALDEN
NALDEN

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Download Wallpaper: Hong Kong by Eugene Kan

We’re excited to present this week’s downloadable wallpaper. Photographed by our friend Eugene Kan, he explains why he selected this image for our photo series, “If Hong Kong had to embody one literary term, it would be juxtaposition. Every where you look there is a strong contrast between old and new, rich and poor. It’s seen over buildings, people, food, you name it. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, as these hyper contrasts are crucial to helping you distinguish the beauty at opposite sides of the spectrum.” Download this photo for your desktop here. The file includes various desktop sizes for your convenience. Also, for additional information about the series click Read More.

About Our Wallpaper Series:

Each day we work to provide you with an image, a sentence or an idea that inspires you to travel. That’s why we’re excited to present our downloadable wallpaper series. In December we curated a travel gallery for our friend Nalden and the response was terrific. So we wanted to offer these images as downloadable wallpaper for our readers with the hope of providing you with a bit of travel inspiration each day.

View Wallpaper Series.

EUGENE KAN
TRAVEL GALLERY ON NALDEN
NALDEN

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Download Wallpaper: Tokyo by Brandon King

Each day we work to provide you with an image, a sentence or an idea that inspires you to travel. And today, we present the start of our downloadable wallpaper series. In December we curated a travel gallery for our friend Nalden and the response was terrific. So we wanted to offer these images as downloadable wallpaper for our readers with the hope of providing you with a bit of travel inspiration each day.

To kick off the weekly series we’re starting with a photograph of Tokyo shot by Brandon King. Finding an intangible beauty in the smallest details, his work moves us to travel and see the world, even if it’s just a few feet outside our door. We spoke with Brandon about his image of Tokyo and asked him to describe what he saw when he took the picture, “This is one scene that begs to be photographed. I was attracted to the way it fades from calm & order at the top to a colorful chaos down below.” Download this photo for your desktop by clicking above. The file includes various desktop sizes for your convenience.

JAMES BRANDON KING PHOTOGRAPHY
TRAVEL GALLERY ON NALDEN
NALDEN

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I met Tim three years ago while I was starting wejetset. He’s a gracious guy with tons of ideas and plenty of encouragement. Ever since then, we’ve kept in touch. He’s always impressed me with his ability to approach multiple disciplines with an undying sense of creativity. So on a beautiful fall day in New York City, we caught up with him to discuss his latest adventures in travel, work and life. From trekking through Asia to working at Nike and Cool Hunting, Tim demonstrates how he uses travel to guide his pursuits for new inspiring ideas. Click Read More for his thoughts on creativity & travel. We also have a short video about his favorite travel essential.

TIM: There’s always an element of creativity no matter what the occupation. I started out in the science field as a research scientist at Yale. We were doing stuff on Type 2 Diabetes and insulin action. Some might think there’s no creativity in that, but when you’re sitting down thinking about what kind of experiments you need to perform to isolate a problem it takes a certain amount of creativity.

After my experience as a research scientist I decided not to pursue the medical field. So I took off and did a bit of stereotypical soul searching while I was traveling. I moved to Korea for a year in order to learn how to read and write Korean. Growing up I was speaking a lot of it with my family, but I didn’t have the need to read or write it. So I wanted to do that before I got too old. It was a now or never thing.

While I was in Korea the whole boom of online magazines and the blogosphere came about. This was in 2003-2004. That’s how I stayed connected to American culture – through these blogs. Basically, staying up to date with my friends and reading certain voices on the web that I aligned with and felt would give me their opinions on street culture, fashion, art, design and travel.

At the end of my trip to Korea I wanted to take a bit more time to travel. I spent so much time over there and wasn’t tied down with any jobs. I was teaching english and saving all my money. So my girl and I took our time moving west back to New York. We traveled throughout Asia and hit Japan, China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and went over to India and the Middle East for a bit. Then finally we made it back home to New York.

When I got back, one of my favorite blogs was a site called Cool Hunting. In 2005 I met with Josh Rubin, he’s the Editor-in-Chief and founder. We had a conversation and he was like, “Yeah – just come on board. You can write for us – do a little research…” and that was the foundation of our relationship. I spent two and a half years there doing editorial stuff and video production. I also helped build an ad network called Largetail and we partnered with Behance to create a conference called 99% which is still in existence today. I loved that experience.

Through those projects, I worked with Nike several times and started a relationship with a lot of the folks there. Eventually, about 10 months ago, I made the jump and now I’m the Media relations manager at Nike North America and my main focus is international football and action sports which includes free ski, snowboarding, skate, bmx, surf, motocross and wake skate.

TIM: Travel is my main source of inspiration. Being put into new situations, new environments, new cultures, is what keeps things going for me. It’s what keeps it fresh. I like being attuned to my daily observations. To be able to say hey that’s cool, it’s something new and interesting, and would be something we would want to elevate is much easier if you have a fresh eye. Traveling gives you that because you’re in a new environment. Everything seems new and you’re able to pick up on all these nuances. For instance if you take the same route to work everyday you’re not as keen to pick up things because you know that route, you just glaze over most of it. So travel is my main source of inspiration.

That’s a tough question. I think about this often. I look through all my photos and feel like there’s so many favorite moments. For example, I could make an argument that when I was younger one of my favorite travel experiences was walking through the woods for two hours and realizing that if I walked this way I might hit a road that I recognized. (laughs) But, in my international travels, it would have to be Laos. It was my most unexpected journey. It wasn’t high on my list, but a few of my friends said I had to go.

When we went we crossed the border from Thailand and took a two day slow boat ride to Luang Prabang and it felt surreal. We were on this tiny ass boat for two days. We’d pull over every few hours or so for food. When we got there it was amazing. It was a sleepy nice town with French style architecture, nice people and incredible hospitality. At the time we needed to slow down a bit and it was perfect. I call it Laos time – you just step in and everything slows down. Our trip wasn’t touristy either. I’m not necessarily seeking places no one has seen, but when we went it wasn’t over run with tourists like Bangkok or Hanoi. It felt great to be doing our own thing and have that moment in time.

New York City. It’s home. My family is here. Everything that makes a city great is here. For me it’s important for a city to have its own identity and be authentic. New York is authentic in being New York. That’s what resonates most with me. But it’s not only having diversity in cultures, but also in things like architecture, diversity in the types of places or the things that are offered. You can go to the most expensive restaurant in New York, but Grey Papaya’s Hot Dogs aren’t that bad either. So it’s diverse amongst everything.

My favorite form of transportation is bike. One, for the environment. Two, I feel like I’m most in tune with my surroundings on my bike. You see the city in a different way. You’re out there hearing it all, seeing everything. If I could bike everywhere I would. Plus it keeps you in shape.

My Phone. It’s my music, communication, calendar & research tool. I also need a fresh pair of new socks. I could have been traveling for four days. Feel all grimy. Haven’t slept. But if I put on a new pair of socks, it’s all good. I feel good. That fresh new pair, you can’t beat it. Even if I don’t have them with me, I’ll buy them where ever I am.

I always try to travel with a little cash. I don’t rely on plastic. Especially when you travel to some of these more remote places, cash is king and we’re lucky that our currency is accepted in most places. You never know, you may need to pay someone off, anything – you never know – anything (laughs).

—el fin.

All photos were taken by Brandon King a photographer living in Brooklyn, NY. For more of his work please check out wordbk.com

Travel Chronicles is an editorial feature for wejetset’s online magazine. Through an open and casual conversation it highlights how travel has shaped the talents, perspectives and experiences of creative and business professionals worldwide.

MARCIA HOWARD
KING BRITT
MEGAWORDS MAGAZINE

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Music memories from our youth are the best. They’re powerful, influential and long lasting. Ask anyone about music and the conversation instantly shifts to a personal golden-era hitting in their late teens to mid twenties. Whether it’s the adventures of musical identity, the soundtrack of a summer’s love, or a means to making money – music resonates and it can take you all over the world. That’s why we were excited to catch up with one of our favorite DJ / Producers, King Britt. On an mild summer afternoon we discussed travel and how music became a large part of his life…

King Britt started his career in 1990 on the legendary house label Strictly Rhythm as E-Culture. He went on to tour with the groundbreaking group Digable Planets. Started Ovum Recordings with Josh Wink. And, produced platinum remixes for Miles Davis, George Duke, Santigold and countless others across a range of genres. In 2007 he was the first DJ/Producer to win the prestigious Pew Fellowship. And few know of his vintage synth collection, love for experimental music, or the fact that he started a Depeche Mode cover band in high school.

Most recently he partnered with artist Rucyl to create Saturn Never Sleeps (SNS). It was originally created for two performances specifically dedicated to the music and sound of Sun-Ra and continued every month at Painted Bride Art Center in Philadelphia and at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. SNS has also become an independent record label.

King Britt: The first time I knew music was for me I was 3 or 4. I remember it vividly. I had to love music. My mom loves music and she’s strictly jazz. She loves everything from Sarah Vaughan and Nancy Wilson to Nina Simone. It was in the house all day everyday. Then my Dad – he owned a barber shop with his friend at 40th & Market in Philly. So of course he needed a soundtrack for the barbershop. He’s strictly funk. He worshipped James Brown. So when I turned 7 I started buying records with him at a record shop on Chester Avenue in Philly. The first records I ever bought were Central Heating’s Heat Wave and Saturday Night Fever – which every kid had. I loved music. It was a hobby, and I never thought of it as a career until later.

So fast forward to 1981 – 82 and hip hop was in its infancy in Philly. I grew up with Cash Money, Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith (aka the Fresh Prince). I went to Central and they came to our high school to do parties and gymnasium shows. Those were my earliest memories of being in a small musical setting, close to them, checking them out. I thought they were incredible. And although I thought this DJ thing was really cool, it wasn’t really for me at the time. I was more of a collector.

Being a collector started with my parents. In high school I was into electronic music and synth music from over seas. I was obsessed with England. And back then, Philly’s South Street was amazing for import stuff. So I used to go there to get my clothes, music and magazines.

There was a magazine store called Poppey’s. My friend’s girl worked there and we got discounts on imported magazines like ID Magazine, Face, Melody Makers and a bunch of other music mags. I was always looking for what was going on in England, constantly collecting music and magazines, anything I could get my hands on.

As I collected more and more stuff from England my musical interests evolved. I was really into the new romantic scene like Roxy Music, Spandau Ballet and Sade when she first came out. All that stuff. Then I got into Ska and General Public – just really into it. My friends and I all appreciated the punk scene, the ska scene, every scene. I was in a band called the Red Team and we were doing Depeche Mode covers… just all kinds of industrial electronic stuff coming from Europe – especially England and Germany.

While I was in high school I noticed no one had these records. And back then we would do anything for records. We stood in line and slept out for records or concert tickets. I went to shows every weekend. I remember sleeping out to see the Go Gos, the Police and INXS. This was real love. How many kids would sleep out for music today? It’s too easy with mp3s. So a lot of people didn’t have this music.

I wanted to date this girl and I made her a tape. But the tape circulated and the reason it circulated was because no one had this stuff. Rare imports – just all the best music. Amazing breaks – we just loved the drums. So I realized that I could make some money and started making tapes for the kids in school every week. They’d have all the new imports. I was making $100 a week just from tapes. And that money went right to fashion. I was really into it. [laughs]. It was so exciting. I loved those days. That was the first step into becoming a DJ.

England. The first time I went to England. I was obsessed with everything from there. That was in 91 and I met some great people that I’m still friends with. I remember going to the original Tate, staying at hostels and being all over the place when I visited.

Tokyo is my favorite city. Everything is there and it never sleeps. Everyone is so friendly and there’s a real appreciation for our culture. My second favorite city is Lisbon. The vibe and music is incredible.

I’m not a driver, so public transportation is critical. The ease of getting around is very important to me. And, the ease of getting around without taking a cab is essential. I love cabs, I’ll take them, but if I can easily walk somewhere and the design of the city allows me to do that I’m happy. If I can’t walk everywhere – the subway system has to be rocking. London has a great subway system. Paris has a fantastic system too.

Public transportation is my preferred mode of transportation. What I really like about public transportation is the social aspect. I’m a people watcher. I may not interact with anyone but I really love people watching.

Back in the day it used to be a walkman. Now it’s an iPod. As a musician, I think the walkman was attached to my body growing up. I was never without it. That’s another reason I love the subway. You do that window gaze thing, where you’re listening and just looking out the window. It’s just like a movie. So when I travel, sometimes I don’t bring the laptop. Some days I want to escape the laptop. But I always have my iPod and my phone – that’s it. Unless I need my laptop I don’t take it.

This is Not America by David Bowie.

—Fin

All photos were taken by Brandon King a photographer living in Brooklyn, NY. For more of his work please check out wordbk.com

Travel Chronicles is an editorial feature for wejetset’s online magazine. Through an open and casual conversation it highlights how travel has shaped the talents, perspectives and experiences of creative and business professionals worldwide.

KING BRITT
SATURN NEVER SLEEPS
SUBSCRIBE TO SNS PODCAST

MARCIA HOWARD
MEGAWORDS
JOEY SWEENEY

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