I have more than a small obsession with Jack Kerouac. I have all of his books and I treasure them, often re-reading them and each time finding something new and eye-opening in their pages. On the Road was the first one I read, and then re-read when I was literally on the road taking my own journey across the country. Dharma Bums probably had the most profound effect on me, and I read Big Sur shortly after visiting that place for the first time. While living in San Francisco I found myself influenced by my surroundings and diving deeper into the psychedelic culture of the 60s– it was around that time I read The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test, a manic tale about the bus called Furthur and the acid-fueled journey of Ken Kesey and a colorful troupe of companions (called the Merry Pranksters, with nicknames like Stark Naked and Gretchen Fetchen) including Neal Cassady-On the Road’s Dean Moriarty. I don’t know what it is that fascinates me so much about this time period, but there’s something about the spirit these people had that is so magnetic.
So when I found out there was a new documentary about this very trip, called Magic Trip, I was pretty much floored. I knew that the Pranksters had been filming a lot of what went on during their journey, with the hopes of making a film, but none of that footage had ever been seen. Until now.
I think what blew me away the most was seeing the footage of Neal Cassady talking nonstop, being his erratic, speed-driven self. He was, word for word, exactly as Jack Kerouac described him in On the Road. He painted the picture so clearly that I almost felt like I had seen this person before.
The journey starts at Ken Kesey’s Northern California home and follows the Pranksters and Furthur down Haight Street and across the country, with various antics and acid trips along the way, ending in New York with a stop at the World’s Fair and Timothy Leary’s home. Their destination, however, does not live up to the journey itself, which is where the true spirit and feelings of ultimate joy, freedom and peace are alive.
Jack Kerouac and the Grateful Dead (then called the Warlocks) also make appearances – what more could you possibly need?
I was completely captivated by the troubled beauty Stark Naked, who’s real name is Cathryn Casamo (pictured above with Neal Cassady, and below).
Mountain Girl and Jerry Garcia
Ken Kesey sitting on Furthur.
Timothy Leary and Neal Cassady.
Whether you’re into the sixties or not, this is a piece of history worth checking out!
Games are a great thing to have in one’s artillery. On my recent trip to Hong Kong I realized why.
Firstly, getting there and back involves an extremely…long…voyage… After a while, you’ve finished the book you brought, you get sick of the movies and you’re left to your own devices. Luckily, the man next to me (we had been chatting back and forth) asked if I wanted to play a game. It was a simple word game – fun – and a godsent gift to make the time pass. After we got sick of one game we moved on to a new one, and before we knew it the plane was landing at our destination. Without our library of games, I don’t know how I would have stayed sane.
My second recent experience which taught me the power of games happened while I was out at night with two Chinese individuals – neither of which knew more than two words of English. We ended up playing a Chinese game that involved two cups, four die, and your hands – no words necessary. After that I taught them the old American hand slapping game that everyone used to play as a kid. They thought it was hysterical, and loved it. The exchange of games was fun and allowed me to connect with two people that I would otherwise have had no way to communicate with.
So I’ve come to appreciate the simple life pleasure that games provide. They introduce people, make memories, bring friends together, and help pass time. It’s always fun to learn a new a game, so try to pick up a new one. You’ll have it in your repetoire to pullout the next time you’re bored or in need. Whoever you’re playing with might be very grateful…
Do you ever have that feeling that you’re stuck in a rut? You find yourself following a routine and it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture when you’re hung up on monotonous little details. Sometimes removing yourself from normality is all it takes to clear your head and gain a new perspective. I dealt with this a few years ago and in order to snap myself out of it I packed up my car and set out on a road trip with my good friend. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done – the freedom of the open road and not knowing where our next stop would be, the excitement of discovering a new place and the utter sense of joy that came with just driving with the windows rolled down and music turned up.
While a road trip across the country may not be entirely practical, you can still take a road trip to someplace nearby. Pack your bags and take off, without a known destination. When you can’t drive any further, stop and camp out for the night or find a hotel room and see what you discover about whatever place you’re in…you’ll probably discover something new about yourself while you’re at it.
Here are some of the photos from my trip…the camera I took them with may have been disposable, but the memories definitely are not.
Road trippin’ with my two favorite allies
Fully loaded we got snacks and supplies
It’s time to leave this town
It’s time to steal away
Let’s go get lost
Anywhere in the USA
Our talented producer has put together a beautiful Guide to Venice to share with you all, with tips on where to eat, where to stay and things to do while in Venice – with some Free People fun thrown in for good measure :) Read on for Part One of Free People’s Guide to Venice!
~*~
The Free People team has just returned from a trip to Italy, Venice to be exact, and what an amazing trip it was! It was my 3rd time to the beautiful country known for its pasta, wine and enthusiastic, fun-loving people and the 3rd time was certainly a charm.
Venice. Despite the fact that I was there for work and our hours were long, I feel like I really got to see the best of the best. We ate the most amazing food, found some magical local drinking spots, and spent many late nights lost in Venice’s streets – as every good traveler should.
Here are some of my favorites … some places and things that I hope everyone can enjoy at some point in their lives.
It’s never a quick exit for our catalog team when embarking on a new shoot. There are months of prep that go into one catalog at a time and since we shoot 12 catalogs every year there are often 3 to 5 shoots in the making at one time! We never stop emailing, calling and texting about work until we are finally on the plane! Here is a quick peek at our morning before a flight … packing samples, making last minute calls, and finally at the airport and checked in we take a seat and talk about the week to come. Here is our art director, stylist and me on our way to Venice!
Venice appears to have hotels on every canal corner, but finding one that is reasonably priced, with large rooms is far less obvious. We found exactly what we were looking for at Ca Pisani. With a friendly staff, large clean rooms, and an amazing full breakfast included we couldn’t have asked for anything more. Located in the Dorsoduro section of the island, we were close to the Grand Canal, the Academia Art Gallery and at a perfect distance from the bustle of Piazza Margarita, The Rialto and the heart of Venice.
Oh… and they leave the best candies on your pillow at night!
The Hotel Danieli is known to be one of the most decadent hotels in the world. Its guest book includes a plethora of royalty and Hollywood icons from the past and present, and it has graced many films such as “The Tourist” and the classic James Bond film “Moonraker”.
On our scout day we were lucky enough to peek inside. They even gave us a tour of the Master Suite! … What I would give to be able to call that home for the night.
Dating back to the 14th century, the interior is breathtaking and intriguing … it tells a story of the decadent golden years of the floating city, of doges and Italian royalty. simply standing in its hallways made me want to put on heels, do my hair, put on some red lipstick and sip cocktails on the rooftop patio that overlooks the grand canal and San Marco square. Alas … it’s back to work for the fp crew!
The first time I visited Venice was with my family when I was young. Sadly, a huge part of what I remember is feeding the pigeons in Piazza San Marco! This time I took a moment to notice the magnitude of the architecture. Parts of this square date back to the 800’s! So, so incredible.
Just a heads up: you can no longer feed the pigeons :(
We got a handy tip from a local Venetian today and i wanted to share it with you all! As you learn quickly in Venice, getting from point A to point B may not be as easy as it looks on a map. Often times, right when you think you have finally maneuvered your way over bridges and through piazza’s there is a beautiful deep blue canal standing between you and your final destination.
A tip to remember is if all you need to do is go from one side of a canal to the other, it is common for gondoliers to take you for mere pennies opposed to the hundreds of dollars that a gondola ride usually costs you… the catch is that it is standing room only! But considering that the ride is only about a minute and it could possibly save you an hour of walking, it is a tip totally worth remembering.
Look for a line of locals at gondola stops … they are most likely hitching a ride as well!
Masks are everywhere in Venice, and are a very important part of the Venetian culture. Carnival is a festival that was originally intended to be a time of expression and celebration throughout all social classes of the time. What a beautiful idea! I love that anyone and everyone become equal when behind one of the many intricate and delicate masks. We stumbled across Ca’del Sol while shooting one day behind San Marco. The women that ran it were so kind and let us shoot in their store. We all fell in love with their masks that covered every inch of every wall … even the ceiling! It’s a breathtaking sight! And the perfect gift to bring home from Venice.
The many faces of Free People! While working on location on the 3rd day I decided to document the Free People crew Venetian style! What a good looking group! And what an amazing team <3
~*~
Part Two of Free People’s Guide to Venice will be posted next week!
*Photos in pages “Arrivederci,” “Welcome to Venice,” “Ca Pisani,” “Hotel Danieli” and “italian lovers” are by Thomas Northcut.
Summer is the perfect time to plan those weekend getaways, and our country is full of great escapes to explore. Last week I headed up north to camp in the Adirondack Mountains – a perfect getaway destination. The mountains, rivers, and lakes are immediately relaxing. We set up camp in Wilmington, NY right near Whiteface Mountain and Lake Placid. It was the perfect spot to explore the village of Lake Placid and to get in good hiking and fishing. The town is full of cute shops, Olympics memorabilia, nice people, and even a pile of snow they keep year round. We shopped local specialties to picnic and grill (look out for this weekend’s recipe!) You can even bring your dog into most places, so bring the trusty friend along if you go. I had Abigail, and she had a blast getting down and dirty in the mountains. One day we hiked Whiteface, the tallest mountain in the region. She made it the whole way =). I highly recommend the challenge if you’re up to it. The view and sense of accomplishment are surreal and invigorating.
My beer, the Ubu Ale, was named after a local legendary dog =)
Abigail, always thinking she’s the star of the show…
Almost to the top!
“climbing mountains is hard work, give me food!”
It’s not often you get to enjoy nighttime in the middle of the woods – talk about a getaway…
saturday was a beautiful day in philly, the perfect day to take a long walk around the city. my destination was broad street, for the philadelphia international festival of the arts (PIFA) street fair taking place all day long. i took the long route from my place in old city and walked through my favorite neighborhood, society hill. it’s such a charming part of the city – full of historic buildings, red brick, adorable town homes with front stoops and the occasional cobble-stoned street.
passed this adorable little park hidden behind brick walls, that i’d never seen before!
this guy was going around asking people to wear a mask of his face for a photo, for a school project. after obliging, i asked him to do the same :)
i finally made it to broad street where there was a palpable excitement in the air. two stages with live music, street performers, food vendors, a ferris wheel and more lined the avenue of the arts for the PIFA street fair, with this year’s inspiration coming from paris in the early 20th century.
this contraption was attached to a giant crane that lifted it in the air for a performance by la compagnie trans express, which, sadly, i did not get to see.
i noticed a crowd of people gathered around something and went closer to find them taking pictures of…a vine?
and then the vines started to move.
they are a part of a performance art group called “the living vines,” and it was probably one of the coolest things i saw at the street fair.
the way they twisted and contorted themselves was so amazing…i literally couldn’t take my eyes off of them!
sometimes the most random days end up being the best :)
hey do you guys remember our concept intern anastasiya? she’s interning for us again during her winter break, and i wanted to share these dreamy collages she made in polyvore. the images she puts together and her writing are always so inspiring!
new romantic
sweeping tulle caresses the skin on her legs as a childlike wonder guides her through the rustic scene. at the far corner of the field glimmer apple trees of a distant orchard. she picks up the hem of her maxi skirt, cradling the ivory mesh between her fingertips, and sets on towards her new destination. bathed in a palette of nudes, burnt sienna, and myrtle, she feigns camouflage and imagines she is of the land.
picking sea shells on the surf
the water dances around her bare ankles as she tiptoes through the sun bleached sand. draped across her frame in soothing shades of coral and mint that reflect the oceanic scene, loose dresses bathe the free people girl in comfort, each fiber tickling her skin. she gently plucks each shell from its bed of sand and muses upon it for a moment, then tucks it into the glistening satchel suspended from her wrist where it settles amid her existing treasures.
snow treader
bursts of color fuse in the intergalactic sky, painting a warm glow over the snow covered field on which she walks. feet snug in her weathered boots, she treads on in the spell of the dewy night, dissolving the snow to sunken footprints that glisten in her wake.
when night falls
when night falls, her wardrobe mimics the moody saturation of the sky. deep jewel tones and dense black slather her skin. the romantic lace and vintage embroidery is protected from the night with buckles and sharp victorian elements from the things she carries.
on the road
the road shrinks in her rearview mirror as the distant call of the west pulls her forward towards new horizons. soft knits cradle her skin, a comfort she cherishes in the midst of the constant change. as she drives, the soft western trinkets cascading from her wrists sound against the steering wheel, filling her mind with images of the landscapes that will soon be hers.
i am so excited to finally bring you the free people guide to new york city! you may remember a few weeks back, jemma and i went to new york to check out some spots we love and take pictures, and we’ve put together a guide of all of our favorite hotels, restaurants, hang-outs, shops and more. as you look through the guide, keep an eye out for the little red snowflake sticker, which indicates a place that’s great to go to during the holiday season!
there’s definitely a magical air in new york city around the holidays, and it would be the destination of choice for our candy girl who loves tradition and everything about the holidays – the decorations, the music, the smells and of course, the snow.
i will post the guide in three sections over the next few days but starting today you can find the entire thing on flickr – right here – where you can download the large size and print out your own copy of the fp guide to nyc!
first up, where to stay and where to eat!
(click on each image to see larger version in flickr)
stay tuned for part two, where to hang out and go to concerts!
lou is our tomboy all american girl who loves the great outdoors – so there is no better summer getaway for her than a cross country road trip. she is inspired by being on the road and the vast American landscape that sprawls out before her. from lush green forest to open plains to desolate ghost towns and sand dunes she drives with the windows down and the music blasting, the wind whipping her hair across her face. she has a bad habit of stopping at western gas stations and rest stops where they sell cowboy hats, dream catchers and native american woven blankets that she picks up as souvenirs. the white topped mountains in the distance take her breath away.
lou doesn’t reach her destination until she can’t go any further – she has reached the pacific coast, and drives up highway one to big sur, one of the most beautiful spots in the US. Here she hikes to a campground to meet up with others and share stories of the road. she swims in the river and takes hikes down to the beach, coming back in time to cook a campfire dinner and go to sleep, exhausted from the day’s activities, under a canopy of redwood trees.
she loves the sand between her toes and salt water in her hair, and the sun brings a sparkle to her eye. her style is easy and effortless- soft materials, solid colors and silhouettes that can be sexy when dressed up. the most important thing is comfort because she never knows what the day will hold- it could end cuddled up in blankets by a beach bonfire or with a night on the town so versatility is key. she’s all about the layers upon layers in the winter but she lives for spring, summer and splashing in the surf.
when thinking about sandy the lyrics to the beatles song “julia” always come to mind.
sandy’s summer getaway is the beach, whether that be a tropical destination like vieques in puerto rico or the california coast. she always packs light- easy pieces that can be worn as beach cover-ups during the day and then dressed up if she goes out at night, and a warm sweater or jacket is a must for evenings when the breeze chills her sun burnt skin. in her beach bag are definitely a few items from – what else? – our beach line; sunglasses and a big brimmed hat to shade her eyes, sandals and some accessories to throw on at night time.
We’ve landed in California and are ready to hit one of the best Music festivals around.
The anxiety was unbearable @ the airport… so we thought the best way to beat this before the 5 hour flight was to wash it away with crabby fries and Blue Moon beer. My did it work… followed by a blast of our pre Coachella playlists on our iphones!
We packed light as we figured there will be no time for 5 hour dress ups. Denim shorts, crop tops neon lingerie and yes an array of the free people bandeaus. Oh, and one must not forget the leather jacket and wayfarers. You can’t do a music festival without having that little touch of rock ‘n roll to your attire.
We landed in California and packed up our SUV and drove down to Santa Monica (where we were staying for the night) with Jimi Hendrix vibrating the air around us.
We arrived at our destination tired and nauseous. However, the flood lit pool that welcomed us was enough to perk our spirits up again. Spag ball and red wine followed with chats of our next day plans.
Heads hit pillows at 10.30 with dreams of Coachella…
Now we are up and ready to go eeeeeee the excitement is unbearable.
when we did a survey on the blog earlier this year we asked you all to answer the question “if the free people blog were a travel destination, where would it be?” topping out the responses was india, and a close second was morocco…which was interesting because we had just finished shooting our april catalog there! morocco is a mythical place with an incredibly rich culture and fabled cities like tangier, the vibrant gateway to africa, casablanca, made legendary by the 40s hollywood movie named after it, and of course marrakech, where our team stayed.
