Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? We check in with frequent fliers to find out how often they fly, their favorite destinations and what they never leave home without.
Name: Lindsay Taub
Occupation: Writer/Journalist/Photographer/Producer/”wearer of many hats”
Hometown: LA LA Land (Los Angeles)
Residence: Planet Earth, although my mailing address says Studio City, Calif. Other places I’ve called home are Washington, DC, Calgary, Boston, and Austin.
Website: www.lindsaytaub.com | voyage-vixens.com
Twitter: @lindsaytaub58
Facebook: facebook.com/lindsaytaub58
Pinterest: pinterest.com/lindsaytaub
YouTube: youtube.com/lindsaytaub
Bio: Lindsay is an award-winning journalist with over a decade of experience as a writer/editor, producer and photographer covering travel, lifestyle, culture, arts, food, health, and all facets that make life a journey. She’s written for The Tennessean, Boston Magazine, The Boston Phoenix, The Patriot Ledger, The Pacific Punch, Green Living, and many others including of course, JohnnyJet.com! Lindsay calls Los Angeles home when she’s there, but prefers to leave the city for the mountains and open spaces as often as possible. She loves cooking, gardening, live music, hiking with her three rescue dogs, and nothing beats cheese and wine during a spectacular sunset. If you can’t find her, she’s trekking through a jungle, seeking a seeker, admiring wildlife, or on a plane, quite possibly jumping out of it when the adrenaline junkie is at her best.
How often do you fly: At least once a month.
How many countries have you been to: 29
How many continents have you been to: 4
Favorite American city: It’s a toss up between Austin and New Orleans. Both exude a soul and character that few cities in the U.S. can match. For true music lovers, there’s no comparison to the talent you can see every night at a random bar.
Favorite international city: I have two — Paris and Tallinn.
Least favorite country: Don’t have one.
Favorite World Heritage Site: Wow, there are so many, and so many I have yet to see… of one of the more recent, Masada in Israel is pretty special. It’s an amazing hike in the Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea. The history is incredible and my experience visiting was unforgettable. Highly recommend doing it at sunrise as I did!
Favorite airline: Virgin
Favorite aircraft type: There’s something romantic about a little two-seater Cessna…
Aisle or window: Window
Favorite airport lounge: Don’t have a ton of experience with them, but if I had to choose of the ones I’ve been in, El Al’s King David Lounge at JFK is great.
Favorite U.S. airport: Austin-Bergstrom for two simple reasons – 1) there’s never a long line and 2) they have The Salt Lick barbecue in the terminal.
Favorite international airport: Heathrow. I know, I know, it’s insane there and the lines are out of control, but it’s so exciting to see so many interesting places pop up on the departures board being surrounded by people from around the world. The adrenaline rush you get from just being there makes me happy.
Favorite hotel: Padaste Manor on Muhu Island in Estonia. It’s my little slice of heaven on Earth.
Favorite cruise line: Eek. I’m not a fan of any. If I ever go on a cruise again, it’ll be a National Geographic expedition to Antarctica or the Galapagos.
Favorite island: Necker Island! (where we shot “Hot Spots” with Johnny Jet)
Favorite fancy restaurant: Depends on how fancy! But… In LA? So many great restaurants. I love The Little Next Door on West 3rd St. In NY? I’m a big fan of Andrew Carmellini’s The Dutch. Elsewhere? Anywhere that has a fire and a gorgeous setting, is on the small side, and serves fresh (preferably farm-to-table) food and a fabulous wine list! (Friendly snob alert).
Favorite hole in the wall: Willi’s Wine Bar in Sonoma, Calif. Their wine pairings and food are just ridiculously scrumptious! My mouth still waters thinking of the Lynmar Rose and Pork Belly Potstickers I had there a couple of years ago. The setting is romantic and simple. Off-the-beaten path perfection! And I have to give an honorable mention to the Lake Agnes Tea House in Lake Louise, which is just the most divine little alpine teahouse that overlooks the valley while you’re surrounded by glaciers – stunning!
Favorite fruit: pineapple
Favorite food: Spaghetti Bolognese from a tiny place in Venice, Italy that has a total of five tables. I can’t remember the name of it but I know exactly how to get there from the Ponte Rialto. It might not even have a name. It’s that good.
Least favorite food: Oysters. It’s a texture thing.
Favorite travel movie(s): Out of Africa, Vicki Cristina Barcelona, The Beach, Under the Tuscan Sun… And while it’s not really a travel movie, Legends of the Fall is a spectacular epic with its breathtaking scenery of Montana. Makes me want to work the land and then ride off into the wind with a cowboy like Tristan.
Favorite travel show(s): Honestly, there isn’t one that really tickles my fancy. They bore me – I’d rather go than watch someone else! I do, however, think reality shows like “The Bachelor” have offered us a new format to see destinations. Would bank on the fact that Swiss tourism will see a huge increase after this last season of the show.
Favorite travel book(s): On the Road by Jack Kerouac, South of the Clouds by Seth Faison, The Sun Also Rises, The Travels of Mark Twain, and of course, Eat Pray Love. And I just started reading In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin (think I’ll be adding that one to this list soon!)
Five things you bring on a plane: my laptop, the latest issue of US Weekly (sad, but true), eye drops, calming facial oil from Aveda (dual purpose: to moisturize in-flight and relax the nerves), and my toothbrush.
What do you always seem to forget: a bathing suit, which means unless I go in my birthday suit, I typically have to rely on the hotel gift shop. This has led me to have a fruitful collection of truly horrendous suits, most of which are the wrong size and have polka dots or outrageous colors on them!
Favorite travel iPhone app(s): Don’t use any, but I love the GoSkyWatch app when I’m stargazing so I know what constellations or planets I’m looking at. Yeah, I went to space camp… I’m kind of a space geek.
Most embarrassing/worst travel moment: There are two that stand out. For “worst” — I picked up a violent stomach bug in Israel and literally couldn’t make it through one of the hikes. I thought I was going to die. I couldn’t get to my room fast enough, but I survived and charged through the knives in my stomach for two days after spending a good 18 hours on the toilet. Lesson learned: always bring Imodium and Grapefruit Seed Oil with you when you travel. For “most embarrassing” — I was in Hawaii learning to surf. Feeling pretty good about myself, I kept practicing on my own after my instructor left. I wiped out and tried to collect myself, so I was sitting on the board facing the shore when this really hot guy on another board was coming my way and pointing at me. I thought he was flirting so I started flirting back from afar. As he got closer, I realized what he was pointing at – my bikini top had slipped off. I was horrified!
What’s your dream destination: Space. The rest on my list I’ll make realities eventually! (My list includes Indonesia, Thailand, Jeju Island, Vietnam, Nepal and Antarctica)
Favorite travel website(s) – besides JohnnyJet.com, of course!: National Geographic, and Jetsetter is like an addiction. I also recently met the couple behind Uncornered Market and beyond being truly kind, authentic, fun people, I love following their journey.
Best travel tip: Bring an electrical adaptor that can make one outlet into three (there are never enough outlets in hotels to charge my phone, computer, iPad, cameras, etc.) – and I always bring a car charger – no matter where you are in the world, the chargers that plug into the lighter module always work and all you need is your USB cable – you can charge just about anything!