Five Miles Up with … Trina Turk
Trina Turk’s fashion designs are easily spotted for their modernist/vintage approach and signature pops of color. What inspires Turk? Her blog on www.TrinaTurk.com shows readers, taking them along to the St. Regis Princeville Kauai, Hawaii, where she designed a beach cabana; the Cooper-Hewitt; National Design Museum in Washington, D.C., which inspired her Modernist Maverick collection; and the Turks & Caicos, where an exclusive swimwear line was spawned for the Grace Bay Club. Along the way, Turk shares accommodation/restaurant/shopping finds and, of course, fashion tips. From a recent trip to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico: “Because of the swing in temps, layering is a must. I wore sandals by day and boots by night -- flat heels are in order to navigate the stone streets, stairs and sidewalks.” Which takes us to the contents of her suitcase…
What's something you never fail to pack in your suitcase?
Too many pairs of shoes!
Carry-on or check-in?
Carry-on.
Window or aisle?
Aisle.
What's your idea of the perfect vacation?
Half culture/tourist attractions/shopping, half lounging around. It takes me a while to wind down and truly relax, so it's good to have sights to see alternating loungy days with action-packed days.
Tell us about a vacation you've taken that's come close thus far.
Bali Istanbul/Bodrum, Amalfi Coast in Italy.
What's the worst vacation you've taken?
A family weekend when I was a kid, where we rented a houseboat and floated around on the Sacramento Delta. Even at age 7 I knew we could have done better!
Where's your favorite destination for performing or practicing your profession?
I love living and working in Los Angeles, so that has to be it. L.A. is inspiring on so many levels: the cross-cultural mix, car culture, surf culture, landscape, architecture, vibrant art scene and a climate that can't be beat.
What's the silliest/most unusual/decadent souvenir you ever came back with?
I once bought a rather large painting of a woman at a flea market in Amsterdam. I carried it on for multiple flights on the rest of the trip, which included stops in London, Paris, Milan, India and then Hong Kong. Luckily the flight attendants let me slide it behind the last row of seats. It arrived to LA intact!
Favorite resort you've ever stayed in/on?
It's hard to name just one, but I loved the Alila Villas Uluwatu on Bali’s Bukit Peninsula, where we stayed last summer. Gorgeous setting, incredible service, and modernist architecture with perfect Balinese touches. Also, the best foot massage I've ever had!
The one thing you're willing to splurge on above all else.
A great hotel. Getting an excellent night's sleep is key to a great vacation, so your hotel room is pretty important.
Three songs (or artists) on your travel playlist?
Chet Baker, Nellie McKay and Stan Getz.
Where would you take someone visiting your hometown for the first time?
I would invite them for dinner at our house in Los Feliz. Los Angeles is not a city that's easy to get to know, so inviting them over would explain it all!
You only get one more trip in your lifetime. Where will it be?
South America. The entire continent.
