Category Archive for Fashion
Steigenberger Pyramids Cairo Hotel: pool & patio room with Giza pyramid views! Andresgallardo Miffy, Scarlet Darkness
Egypt, I’m back! Staying at Steigenberger Pyramids Cairo Hotel in Giza made me feel like one of the ancient queens like Cleopatra, Nefertiti and Hatshepsut. (And don’t forget Egyptian disco diva Dalida!)
Read on for a look inside my dreamy stay at this hotel, which is right across from the three famous pyramids and new Grand Egyptian Museum (which I also visited, and will show you soon).
I’ll also share some summer fashion inspiration. Living for this new bag / jewelry collab between Andresgallardo and Miffy, my beloved Dutch white bunny mascot! And I’ll be existing in this Scarlet Darkness cotton dress and headscarf, inspired by historical fashion. (Check out their new arrivals here, and scroll down for the full shoot.)
When I was researching places to stay in Giza, I was enthralled to find Steigenberger Pyramids Cairo Hotel. The location can’t be beat: right across from the GEM and Pyramids / Sphinx… a dream for Egyptology lovers like me.
I had a pyramids view suite with a patio, which also looked out at the luxurious pool.
Note that downtown Cairo is about a 30 min drive in traffic to Great Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, so it’s worth staying in Giza for easy access (I was literally across the street from GEM, and Steigenberger offers free shuttles there throughout the day!)
Watch my IG reel about the hotel experience, including the restaurant, cocktails by the pool, and a look at the various rooms. (I set it to a favorite disco track by Dalida.)
And see my Walk like an Egyptian reel, where I boogie to The Bangles’ 1980s hit in front of the pyramids!
Just the tip of the Pyramid is visible from the expansive pool, where I spent much of my time hanging. (With shade and sunscreen, obvi.)
Life doesn’t get much better than wearing a robe and vibing with the 4500 year old tombs of the pharaohs.
Located right across from GEM in the heart of Giza, Steigenberger Pyramids Cairo Hotel has 132 luxe rooms. It’s ancient Egypt meets modern comfort.
Tip: when you’re looking up Giza hotels with pyramid views, note that many are low cost apartments that happen to look out at the Pyramids, but don’t provide great service or amenities (and might be a bit run-down). Instead, stay at the safe and stress-free Steigenberger Pyramids Cairo.
I’ll never forget lounging poolside to live guitar with cocktails named after rulers like Cleopatra and Ramses II. The staff was so lovely and knew my name – talk about 5 star service. (Special shoutout to guest services concierge Caroline for her kindness and help with photos!)
I always looked forward the dinners by the always-smiling chef Mohamed. Each night at the buffet, he’d make me special dishes like spicy Egyptian street food.
Since this is a German hotel brand, the desserts and breads were elite.
Wouldn’t you like to stay with Steigenberger Hotels and Resorts Egypt when you journey to the land of the Sphinx and Anubis? They have several properties around the country including at Red Sea.
And the Grand Egyptian Museum is across the street: tons of ancient arm postures there to inspire your dance moves. “All the Japanese with their yen / They walk the line like Egyptian!” Who else loves The Bangles’ 1986 hit? See my reel to this song!
Another tip: whenever I travel out of the country, I get an eSIM from Airalo. Gone are the days of pricy roaming charges and annoying physical sims that you had to insert into phones. eSIMS are purchased and activated digitally on your smartphone so you’ll have access to data/texting as soon as you land.
You can choose the amount of data and whether you want phone/texting: I had 10GB of fast Internet on my phone for the trip. Airalo’s Discover Global plan worked perfectly in Uganda, Egypt, and all over the Balkans — even in the more remote areas of my African journey. Very satisfied with the seamless activation and speed.
If you need an eSIM for your next trip, enter “CARMEN9462” when you check out at Airalo.com; they have tons of global plans that include data and texting.
The world is heating up, so it’s time to bring out my summer wardrobe. I can’t get enough of this collaboration between Andresgallardo and Miffy, my favorite mascot – the cute white rabbit by artist Dick Bruna. I’m wearing the leather teddy bear bag, tote, and porcelain and pearl chokers.
My summer go-to: romantic, flowy cotton dresses. I’m loving my blue and white Scarlet Darkness dresses and headkerchief. The dress’s corset boning ribbon ties are a nod to historical fashion: talk about bringing Gothic fantasy main character energy. Plus, there were no microlastics historically… here’s to wearing natural fabrics like cotton.
Hail Miffy for focusing on luxe collections: ANDRESGALLARDO’s jewerly and bags are handcrafted by artisans in Spain and Portugal (just look at the closeups on the stitching and handpainting). I’m also eyeing their Snuffy dog longer necklace found here.
Do you also love Miffy the cute rabbit and vintage-inspired dresses? (These photos are taken at Nemesis Coffee Great Northern Way in Vancouver, BC — named one of the world’s 100 best coffee shops.)
Closeup on my Miffy ceramic and pearl choker, and Scarlet Darkness white cotton sundress.
More fashion inspiration and stories from my summer travels on @lacarmina IG. Lots to share from Uganda, Egypt and multiple Balkan countries — and soon I’ll be in Central Asia and Korea…
Pyramids pyramids pyramids! Were you enthralled by ancient Egypt as a child? See all my Egypt blogs here (I went to various parts of the country in 2019) — and stay tuned for much more from the land of ankhs and jackal death gods!
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50 Best Bars Awards! Vancouver ceremony & cocktails, Dr Sun Yat-Sen Garden, Seair Seaplanes to Victoria, Ellipsis cafe.
Life has been busy lately in Vancouver — time for a recap! I spent the first quarter at home, but will soon be jetting off to manyyy new places around the globe between now and September. I’ll be adding six new countries to my grand total, as well as returning to some of my fav destinations ever… as always, I’ll be taking you along! (Add @lacarmina IG for the first look at where I’m flying.)
In April, I was delighted to welcome my friends in the food/cocktail world to my hometown for the North America’s 50 Best Bars 2026 awards week! For the second year in a row, my hometown hosted the countdown to the year’s top 50 bars on the continent, April 22nd at Vancouver Convention Center.
The libations began at my fav local hangout, The Chickadee Room in Chinatown. Perhaps you recognzie Chef Pepe Salinas from Mexico City’s Balcon del Zocalo, which I visited twice. He now opened Taco Tasting Room in CDMX, which is getting mega buzz… must return to try his omakase tacos…
Is Holly’s Hello Kitty phone case big enough? I think it should be 3x the size!
My comrades from Mexico City, Pepe Salinas and Ximena Aréchaga of Long Story Short, spiced up their Chickadee takeover with Mexico-inspired cocktails, flautas / panuchos / grasshopper tacos, and more… We ordered everything from the special edition menu, twice!
So many celebrations happening at bars all around Vancouver during the 50 Best awards week.
We flipped out when Pepe generously offered us the best artisenal mezcal ever… The Lost Explorer Salmiana.
David and Alex of The Chickadee Room always bring the <3, and their cocktails hit all the notes (balanced, creative, unusual, yummm).
There were so many popups, residencies and press events for North America’s 50 Best Bars awards. I managed to swing by some of my faves: above is a floral negroni from Botanist at Fairmont Pacific Rim (they collabed with NY’s Clemente Bar).
The 50 Best Bars award ceremony itself was a blast. Top bartenders from around the world flew in to mix drinks and discover who made the top 50 list this year. (Martiny NY’s Roku Gin paloma was one of the tastiest).
Congratulations to the winners and cheers to all who made these fantastic events possible — Vancouver is truly becoming a cocktail capital! (So many from Vancouver made the list, along with Mexico City, Toronto, and NYC – check out the ranking here.)
I also got to attend a special event at Vancouver’s Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, to honor its 40th anniversary.
Isn’t my outfit giving Street Fighter Chun-Li? Wearing a 100% silk cheungsam by Beth and Brina Qipao, and Cyberpunk 2077 amber shield glasses by Gunnar Optiks, yatta!
To celebrate their 40th year, Dr Sun Yat-Sen Chinese garden is offering:
– Apr 24, entry costs the same as in 1986 ($3 for adults!) & is open til 8pm.
– Apr 25-26, enjoy cultural experiences like a Chinese tea ceremony (loved tasting the jasmine pearl brew) and Silk Talk brocade embroidery workshop (learned the history & made a pin)
Check out their site for more info. I hope you’re able to visit Chinatown’s Ming dynasty style oasis, a very special place and part of the city’s cultural history.
One of my fav recent outfit shoots in the city… Bury me at Ellipsis, the modernist-industrial pyramid at Vancouver’s Waterfall Building
Now a cafe/bar, this masterpiece is one of architect Arthur Erickson’s final works (1996).
True to Erickson’s “truth to materials” philosophy, sunlight streams through the angled glass onto concrete & stainless steel. At night, the back wall glows with a Turrell-like projected sunburst.
My L’Intervalle Thelma Nude Naplack 4 inch stilettos echoed Erickson’s geometric lines. L’Intervalle is a Canadian shoe company, their heels are 100% leather (no microplastics) and elongate your legs… no wonder j’adore.
Wool coat Rudsak, maxi leg slit dress Cyberdog. Tip: order the matcha black sesame oat milk latte, and make a res for dinner.
For more photos and video footage from my Ellipsis Vancouver visit (a must for architecture lovers), see this IG post.
I’m leaving on a seaplane… Although I didn’t leave British Columbia at the start of the year, I flew the new Seair Seaplanes route between Vancouver and Victoria, BC downtown harbours. The scenic flight only takes 30 min, and is so much more convenient than taking the ferry.
With only a handful of passengers per flight, the Seair experience is giving PJ (private jet)!
I took my new Eyebobs glasses for the ride: Eyebobs has the chicest upscale frames for travelers, from blue light blocking prescription ones like mine, to readers & sunglasses. Rainbow cybergoth tank and joggers Cyberdog, Mongolian sheep pink coat Skandinavik Fur.
I took a girls getaway to Oak Bay Beach Hotel in Victoria, BC! Current life priorities: reducing stress while maxxing sleep, health, and time with besties. Lounging in the steaming mineral pools with ocean views at Oak Bay checked off all the boxes.
Zebra striped sequin maxi skirt and corset top by Kate Hewko. If you’ve been reading my blog since its infancy, you’ll recognize these spiky boots that I got at Trash & Vaudeville NYC wayyyy back in the day! Forever a slay.
I share tons of Vancouver fashion / food / travel recommendations on my IG, such as a recent moon phase themed tasting menu at Michelin starred restaurant, Burdock and Co (see the reel here).
Add my Instagram @LaCarmina to see more of my daily life… and the far-off places I’ll be flying to next! Also coming up: articles in new travel journalism outlets. You can catch up on my travel / food / culture writing on my portfolio page.
I also posted an update on my Miffy meets mid-century modern apartment decor. Watch the reel to see day to night in my tiny apt. Furniture by Eames / Herman Miller, Verner Panton, Magis, Mobital and from the 90s. Miffy the bunny and Line Friends Bear lamp Mr Maria. All art is original including the skull spirit paintings by Jon Saemunder. (Look closer & you’ll see Goth motifs throughout!) For all the details and more photos of my home, see this blog.
CLOSET SALE: I’ve been selling my fabulous clothing collection on Poshmark @lacarmina and it’s going well! Shipping is low for Canadians, so take a browse (if you’re international, reach out by email/DM and we can figure it out, or shop my Depop @lacarmina instead.)
Yay to sunnier skies now… and travels ahead to alternative, offbeat destinations around the planet! It’s going to be a wild ride from now through autumn, so buckle up…
LA CARMINA
