YOLO, Carpe Diem and Travel The Hell Out of This Planet!

Here at X-Wear, we’re strong advocates for living life to the fullest. Some may call it YOLO. Others may call it carpe diem.

But what exactly does “living life” mean? There are many ways to define it, but we’ll start with one: traveling; getting out of your comfort zone and exploring new places, whether it’s the town next door or the city halfway around the world.

Obviously, this planet is a pretty big place. So where you should you start? Don’t worry. We’re on it. We talked to a few of our employees – some who live life, others who YOLO and others who carpe diem – to get their insight on why their travel and their top recommendation for your next trip.

Deb Beresford  (Web Manager)

Favorite Place: California 

Why: Its diverse nature (oceans, mountains, farm lands, big cities, desert)

Always Travels With: Maui Jim Eh Brah

Think you like to travel? Deb probably has you topped. She’s traveled to 42 of the 50 states in America. Next spring, she’ll add Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota to that list followed by New Mexico and Oklahoma in 2017. She and her husband are waiting for their children to help with the final two – Alaska and Hawaii (hint: perhaps as an anniversary gift)!

“We wish to finish traveling the U.S. because we’ve found such utterly breathtaking beauty throughout this land,” says Beresford.

Her recommendations for tourists are to: (1.) take tours to get a sense of the local flavor and (2.) explore off-the-wall attractions (i.e. the National Mustard Museum in Madison, WI or the Sign Museum in Cincinnati, OH) to get a different perspective of this country.

Jolly Kelly  (Office Manager)

Favorite Place: Santorini, Greece

Why: Its beauty, serenity and proximity to the ocean

Always Travels With: Oliver Peoples Aviators

“I love to travel because you come across different types of people and I’m very much a people person,” says Jolly, who is originally from Mumbai, India and has worked at X-Wear since 2012.

Her favorite places are the opposite of Mumbai which she describes as “very, very crowded.” With their relatively modest populations, Santorini and Cape Cod, where she currently lives, fulfill that requirement.

When you visit Santorini, Jolly suggested hitting any of the restaurants facing the ocean, grabbing a drink and sitting back and relaxing. “It is so beautiful, you won’t think of anything else,” she says. “That is why I like to travel and I think it is so important. There is so much to learn and explore. And it is so fun, it just takes your mind off of everything.”

Stefana Ristovska (Manager, Sol Optics Provincetown)

Favorite Place: Singapore

Why: Its beauty, modern culture and cleanliness

Taking in the Singapore skyline from the world’s highest (57^th floor) and largest Infinity Pool (150 meters; 492 feet) is one of the primary reasons that Ristovska chose this Southeast Asian city as her top vacation destination.

She visited that pool at the Marina Bay Sands last year on a trip that included stops in Bali and Malaysia. In Bali, Ristovska was treated like a celebrity. “I was interviewed there twice,” she says. “And they kept taking pictures of me because I am blonde and everyone there isn’t.”

In Bali, she recommended touring the island on a motorbike taxi which can fit up to three people.

Nataliya Shevchuk  (Web Sales Assistant)

Favorite Place: Budva, Montenegro

Why: Its temperate climate, friendly locals and peacefulness

Always Travels With: Maui Jim Maile Sunglasses

A native of the Ukraine, Shevchuk’s list of countries she has visited include Turkey, Albania and Bulgaria, where she went to college, and of course the United States, having worked for us here since 2012.

She listed Budva, a resort town in the Balkans, as her favorite destination. Known for its medieval walls that surround the city, Budva has retained its ancient architecture. Dating back to 2,500 years, the city is considered one of the oldest on the Adriatic coast.

While it is lively in the summer, Shevchuk was there in February, a much quieter time of year.

“It is very educational and you grow your own personality,” says Shevchuk of seeing new places. “And most of the time you end up getting some pleasant experiences from traveling.”

Diana Vachkova-Nikolov  (Keyholder, Sol Optics Provincetown) 

Favorite Place: Budva, Montenegro

Why: It’s a totally different world and exudes history

Always Travels With: Tom Ford Aviators

Apparently, Budva is a popular pick among X-Wear employees. Diana, who is originally from Bulgaria, touted the Balkan city’s unique architecture as one its many allures.

Not far behind on her list of hot spots are Greece, Turkey and San Francisco. 

She is an avid traveler for multiple reasons. “It is totally different from what you get used to,” she says. “You get to see a different world with different people and different traditions.”