#TheTravelIssue
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A JOURNEY BACK HOME
// Three women, many places. One (perhaps temporary) home.
AN INTERVIEW BY AMANDA LUNA BALLERINI
Today the word travel has become an integrated part of our daily lives routines.
Due to cheap flights, globalisation, scientology, the global internet, TTIP, Isis, the holy spirit, NASA and so on….
Traveling, completely deprived of its “exclusivity” value and transformed into something common became the biggest banality to talk about.
“What was your last life changing journey? Traveling gives meaning to life.”
“I need an escape every couple of month.”
“Wish I was on holiday so jealous!!!”
Holiday guides. Travel guides. Traveling make up guides. Destinations to travel every weekend.
Basically traveling is the biggest mainstream luxury we all try to afford, and actually we afford, trying to maybe get away from what we already have at home or just get distracted. somehow. All trips mean something different and are perceived personally from the travellers. Everybody has its own taste and God may forbid us to comment on each other’s unique journey.
For this travel issue I asked myself about why people do really travel so much and why coming home is always so difficult. Travelling makes us nostalgic and melancholic, the more we see the more people we are going to miss somewhere in the world. Having a place to call home, or many, is something we sometimes take for granted while it is the basis of our lives. So here are the lives of three women, who in their big or small reality, will make us fall in love with their cities which now they call home.
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Name: Suzzan Atala
Origins (Where you come from): Mexico City, Mexico
Current Location (Where you live now): Mexico City, Mexico
Occupation: Designer and founder of Tuza Jewelry
A. Why did you move/decided to live in this place?
S. I don’t fully live in Mexico City at the moment but it’s where I’m based and it will always be home to me.
To be honest, I can’t fully commit to one place right now, however, I do feel I’ve had a very interesting relationship with Mexico City. I’ve always felt really judged here so, initially, I was reluctant to stay. It took me a while to embrace this place and realize the special relationship I have with this city. It’s the best city in the world, there’s inspiration in every single corner.
Socially, there exists a lot of judgment, but I’m always pushed to grow and do better.
A. What connects you deeply to where you live?
S. I always feel very emotional here. When I’m in Mexico City, it feels like I’m reconnecting with myself. Before, I felt isolated in this place. Growing up, I was protected in my social environment and now I’ve come back to rediscover the city in a new light. Every day, I discover something new in a place that I took for granted before.
A. Your “must go to” places in the area.
S. El Palenquito, best Mezcal bar in the city, then The Tuza showroom and Rosetta.
A. What do you miss the most from your home when you travel somewhere else? What’s your ideal vacation? What do you look for when traveling?
S. I miss the food, the comfort, mi cama, and my flat. I miss my own space and I always miss my Dad.
My ideal vacation takes place in nature or at the beach. I like to disconnect. That is true relaxation for me.
A. What do you bring with you in your carry on-bag? (your essentials)
S. Red lipstick, you never know who your going to sit next to on the plane.
A. In which way have your travels inspired your work-your daily life?
S. I think my experiences have forced me to be more disciplined. It’s amazing to see how people get more and more connected with technology and it’s amazing to see how much of a connection it builds on a global scale. When I’m traveling, I’m feeling inspired to expand my horizons in every aspect of my life, including my work.
A. What do you wish to find home when you come back from a journey? (physically and mentally) 🙂
S. My bed, cuddles with my dog Lola, and a Heath Ledger movie.
Meet Suzzan here.
Images courtesy of Suzzan Atala.
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Name: Marie Absolonova
Origins (Where you come from): a small town from Czech republic called Luhacovice
Current Location (Where you live now): Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Occupation: Women’s shoe designer
A. Why did you move/decided to live in this place?
M. I moved here 4 years ago for a job.
A. What connects you deeply to where you live?
M. My work. The reasons I moved here were purely pragmatic, but I also got to really love it here!
A. Your “must go to” places in the area.
M. Ah, do not let me start! Mallorca is a land of wonders and I keep on exploring new places all the time.
If you come to Palma you have to go to my favorite coffee place called Can Juan de Saigo, good chances I will be there eating ice-cream 🙂
A. What do you miss the most from your home when u travel somewhere else?
M. I still consider Czech republic my home and I miss my friends and family.
If I leave Palma for travel I miss my routine, our simple life.
A.What’s your ideal vacation?
M. My ideal vacation would be similar to just being at home with my husband. Maybe just one island further.
A. What do you look for when traveling?
M. I look for nice pictures!
A. What do you bring with you in your carry on-bag? (your essentials)
M. Few pieces of clothing, only the essential skin care and make-up. Practical shoes.
A. In which way your travels inspire your work and your daily life?
M. Travel restarts me and refreshes me, so I guess it is a daily inspiration.
A. To end… What do you wish to find home when you come back from a journey? (physically and mentally)
M. I wish to find my place as I left it, bed with clean sheets and the familiar feeling of home 🙂
Meet Marie here.
Images courtesy of Marie Absolonova.
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Name: Emily Imbrunone Sese
Origins: Detroit, Michigan
Current location: Berkeley, California
Occupation: Lead barista at Blue Bottle Coffee and freelance photo stylist
A. Why did you move/ decided to live in this place?
E. My husband, Jonas and I moved a little over a year ago so he could pursue his PhD in Classics at UC Berkeley.
It’s a great place for me also because of the huge specialty coffee community in the Bay Area.
A. What connects you deeply to where you live?
E. Jonas and I actually took our honeymoon in San Francisco a few years ago (SF is pretty close to Berkeley) and on our trip we visited Berkeley for a day. We walked around campus, got food, and explored the rose garden. We loved it there. We talked about us moving to Berkeley if Jonas applied and got accepted into grad school there – I just couldn’t believe it actually happened! Berkeley will always be a special place to me because it’s a place I daydreamed about living in for so long!
A. Your “must go to” places in the area?
E. Berkeley Rose Gardens and the Berkeley Botanical Gardens. Temescal brewing, Don?a Thoma?s, Cheeseboard, and Blue Bottle Coffee.
A. What do you miss the most from your home when you travel somewhere?
E. Typically great coffee a short walk away and my cat.
A. What’s your ideal vacation? What do you look for when traveling?
E. Recently we’ve been talking about planning a trip to the Philippines because that’s where Jonas’ family is from and he’s never been! But for a chill getaway we like a place with great museums and food and drink I think NYC is next on our list!
A. What do you bring with you on your carry on-bag? (Your essentials)
E. I always have the Glossier Mini Milky Jelly cleanser and Weleda skin food for skincare. For make up I keep it fairly simple: Glossier Boy Brow and Haloscope, Nars concealer, and MAKE beauty’s universal stick and their celeste e verde palette.
I also always pack a good pair of vintage denim and my Corey Moranis ring which I feel adds cool girl vibes to any outfit I’m wearing.
A. In which way does your travels inspire your work- your daily life?
E. My travels inspire me in lots of ways. Usually I’m visiting art museums which are a great source of inspo. I also love all the architecture from different cities. One of my favorite things to do is go to all the local shops and discover local makers and then bringing home their creations as souvenirs.
A. What do you wish to find home when you come back from a journey? (Mentally and physically)
E. Mentally I miss knowing my friends are close by (lots of us live in the same neighborhood) physically I miss breakfast and coffee at home, my cat and my bed.
Meet Emily here.
Images courtesy of Emily Imbrunone Sese.
