What’s Most Important Is Where You Actually Are Right Now
Our dreams of island hopping may have been suspended this year, but that hasn’t stopped us from seeking innovative ways to travel, explore and enjoy some time away.
We all need a getaway every now and then to recharge and refocus. It just takes some imagination so that even if we can’t make it to St. Tropez or the Great Wall, we can still find ways to foster adventures. For some, that means hitting the road for closer, safer destinations. For others, it means turning a home into a little piece of paradise.
When it comes to making our own, here are some trends we’ve been seeing.
Cottagecore
The concept of cottagecore: “a visual and lifestyle movement designed to glamorize the wholesome purity of the outdoors” has taken over social media. Have you noticed your friends posting pictures of their homegrown tomatoes like never before? Escaping to the country used to involve a long commute to the outskirts, but now people are embracing this romantic, soothing escapism without physical travel. It’s all about the embracing the wonderful moments of living a simpler life: hiding away from the hustle and bustle, baking your own bread, collecting eggs from your own backyard henhouse, knitting, filling your home with a variety of potted plants. Even before the pandemic, people were already looking for ways to disconnect from busy lifestyles and embrace a slower way of living. It’s a way to get back in touch with a natural, healthier, more nurturing lifestyle.
Going off the Grid
With so many trips sidelined by the epidemic, we’ve definitely seen an uptick in alternative vacations. Flights have been traded for road trips, and RV rentals are on the rise. Families and friends are traveling – within their quarantine groups – to cabins or campgrounds that are off the grid. Embracing the outdoors is the new 5-star vacation of choice. Hiking, camping and lodging in remote areas offer the perfect balance of social distancing, disconnecting and well-being. It’s the perfect way to take a break from the news and unplug from devices. This type of vacation might be one of those rare cases where we’re actually happy to not have Wi-Fi available while we trade the cell phone for a good old 1000-piece puzzle.
Staycation Vacation
Not exactly by choice, but the home has turned into the most popular destination of 2020. For some of us, it’s been our office and for others it’s been school. Regardless, it’s safe to say, most of us have spent more time at home this year than in the past. Because of that, we’ve looked for ways to make our homes into our favorite destination. People have transitioned their backyards into personal retreats by updating patio furniture with a little spray paint and comfy cushions, adding some new plants and hanging twinkling lights. Staying home is the new going out when you trade restaurant meals for kebabs off your own outdoor grill. Some of the best memories are captured right in our own backyards. Indoors, we’ve embarked in some minor DIY projects – new curtains, paint and candles to make the stay-at-home more enjoyable.
Have Scent, Will Travel
What better way to change the ambience for the home, boost our moods and enjoy a little escape than with fragrances? The amazing thing about fragrance is it can immediately transport us to new places, old places, far away places or forgotten places. With one breath, a scent can take your mind to an Asian city you’ve never visited or whisk you back to the garden from your childhood home – without having to physically travel anywhere at all.
If you’ve fallen under the spell of cottagecore and are looking for an earthy, back-to-nature escape, you might enjoy the scent of the Boy Smells Gardener candle. It’s a coconut and beeswax blend with a braided cotton wick and notes of tomato, petitgrain, white tea and honeysuckle.
Or, if you would love to disappear off the grid, but you just can’t leave your home right now, we recommend the Skandinavisk FJORD candle. The scent will take you away to coniferous forests, crashing waterfalls and sweet-tart berries of Norway.
And, if you’re wanting a staycation with a romantic French beach vibe, you can get a little help with the scent of Maison LaBougie Paris – La Mer. This candle’s refreshingly crisp scent conjures up feelings of the French coast with marine notes of thyme, pine, jasmine rose, musk and patchouli.
Fragrance is a powerful thing. It can mentally transport us anywhere. What are your ways to escape when you can’t physically get away? Do you have a favorite scent, song or object you would recommend?
