Find more information on rates and bookings via the BUTTON BELOW… Book A Room ..read more

So maybe you noticed I’ve made some changes around here. Formerly Blake & Rose, I’ve changed my social and website over to “A Minimalist Traveler”.  You may be asking, Lea...What’s the deal with the changes?  So after contemplating for months about what exactly I wanted to do with my business, I knew I wanted to branch out from the familiar fashion industry environment I have been accustom too. I have been working in fashion for 10 years, in the role of production management. Although I like working in production, I am burnt out from the corporate life and have felt unfulfilled ..read more

Located in the Historic Alfama District of Lisbon, at the end of a quite cobble stone street you will find the boutique hotel Memmo Alfama.  Images Via Memmo Alfama Step inside the hotel and a feeling of serenity and sleek coziness engulfs you. Its sophisticated and minimalistic design invites you to feel at home with warm hues and arched hidden nooks lined with books. Take a walk up to the rooftop to get a view of the Alfama District, Church of São Vicente de Fora, and the beautiful waterfront. Get cozy and settle in at the rooftop with a glass of wine or drop off your things and get mo ..read more

Visit The Cultural Center of Morocco The city of Marrakech has been on my vision board to visit since 2016. The City is a cultural hub of ancient and modern Arabic influences. You can get a mix of traditional life in the “old city” or venture out to the Atlas Mountains for a look at rural village living of the Berber people. So I know, upon planning my trip to Europe I wanted to incorporate visiting Morocco into the equation.  When flying into Africa, my trick is to fly into Europe where you can catch a low cost carrier (ie: Ryan Air or EasyJet) or just a cheaper option into the contin ..read more

It’s no secret that some of the best asian food can be found in London. While visiting London during a solo trip in September, I was on the hunt for a good restaurant to have dinner by myself. Thanks to our good friend Google, I was able to find a few suggestions, and ended up selecting a restaurant called Kiln.   Located in the Soho neighborhood of Central London, Kiln is a Northern Thai barbeque restaurant known for their spicy, flavorful British take on Thai street food. The small dishes make for a great bargain for eating solo or with a small group. The restaurant is narrowly sp ..read more

Looking for some good happy hours in London Town? Check out my suggestions of places to grab great drinks at even greater prices, from places in Shoreditch to Brixton. London Cocktail Club There are a multitude of cocktail bars throughout London, yet London Cocktail Club has one of the best happy hours in the city. The first location was opened in Covet Garden to rave reviews, eventually leading to the opening of multiple locations in Shoreditch, Bristol and Bethenal Green. If in East London, check out the Shoreditch location for happy hour from 5pm-8pm, Tuesday- Saturday and 2 for $12 cocktai ..read more

I often times have people tell me they don’t have enough money to travel or they can’t take off due to work. My thoughts are you always have enough money and time to travel, its about the importance you place on travel and what you are willing to sacrifice or change to make it happen. Start off with evaluating these three factors to help you get your mind right to allow more travel in your life.      #1 Evaluate the importance you place on objects/material wealth If you are complaining about not having enough money you need to reevaluate your spending habits. You don’t ..read more

Hidden behind the brick walls of an old school, you can find the simplistic and fresh servings of Rochelle Canteen. The now converted restaurant from a former bike shed accommodates indoor and outdoor seating. Open to the public for lunch all week, Rochelle Canteen stands out from the rest with a select schedule for dinner between Thursday and Saturday. You can find daily modifications to the menu that include seasonal farm to table dishes with exclusive ingredients which include; Quail, Snails, Minstar Nera, Hispi, and Hake. The afternoon I visited for lunch I had the roasted chicken pot pie ..read more

Lamu, a small island located of the cost of Kenya.  It is a well preserved authentic look at one of the oldest Swahili settlements in East Africa. The town is a melting pot of Swahili, Arabic, Persian, Indian, and European influences found in everything from food to architecture.   Only accessible via boat from the airport located on Manda Island, you pull into the town at the very ports travelers have been entering for over 100 years. As you walk around the Old Town neighborhood, you get an up close experience of how all these cultures coincide. The narrow, winding stone ..read more

Situated off the small Lamu Archipelago island of Manda, The Majlis Luxury Resort is a picturesque accommodation meant to provide you rest and relaxation away from the bustle of the busy city. Only accessible by boat, the privately owned resort is tranquil and designed paying homage to the Swahili, Arabic and Indian influences for which Lamu is known.  There are 25 rooms across 3 large guest houses on the property with two pools. Before dinner you can grab white tea and cookies at the pool and terrace bar to hold you over. After tea, head over to the open air restaurant for a curated men ..read more