On the Road with Pavia Rosati
by Mai Wang, Birchbox
We all aspire to be as cool as Pavia Rosati. As the first executive editor of DailyCandy, Rosati spent nine years honing in on the best places to shop, dine, and play. So we naturally paid attention when Rosati started her own venture: Fathom, the new travel website that combines inspiring personal stories, practical guides, and cool souvenirs. (Coming soon: a travel agency.) Before we head off on our own summer trips, we asked Rosati to tell us about her travel regimen and what she always stows in her carry-on.
You only have one carry-on suitcase for a weeklong trip. What do you bring with you?
My travel uniform consists of dresses. I can't pull off the khakis and T-shirt look: I just look dopey. I pack as few shoes as possible, and I love a cute pair of Pumas. It's very important to leave room for souvenirs.
What is your beauty regimen while traveling?
Amore Pacific cleansing oil is the best product ever, and I am slavishly devoted to it. For moisturizers, I carry Decleor or Sisley travel sizes in my bag along with MAC eye shadows, my Shu Uemura eyelash curler, Lancome mascara, and sunscreen. I don't worry about my hair when I travel. If Bumble and Bumble Tonic and a curling iron can't fix or tame it, I forget about it.
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What are your most bizarre travel rituals?
The night before a flight, you'll find me at 3 a.m. organizing receipts and bills that have nothing whatsoever to do with my journey. Before any trip, I tear articles out of a few dozen New Yorkers with great hopes of reading them in down time-down time that of course never materializes.
What do you think are some of the most underrated destinations?
Salta, in northwest Argentina, is desolate and beautiful. So is southern Utah, come to think of it. Sri Lanka is stupidly lush and gorgeous. Syria is one of the most incredible places I've ever been, and I hope the country and its people can find peace. But I am a big fan of overrated destinations: I live in NYC and I go to Italy all the time.
If you had 24 hours in a city and you wanted to live like a local, what would you do?
I would spend a few hours at a buzzy lunch spot. I'd walk through lively, emerging neighborhoods. I'd hit a supermarket and peek into shopping carts, but I would skip the art museums. I never understood crossing an ocean to see a Manet.
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Making the Switch: Natural Skincare
Airport Shopping Guide: Buy This Not That
Long Haul Beauty
