Black Tomato Blog

going down in style…

With our Blog Ambassador recently writing from Cerro Bayo Patagonia and our office soon to become A Little Slice of Iceland we’re feeling unusually wintry at Black Tomato. With that in mind, we thought we’d flag one of our downhill favourites. Hakuba Valley in Japan is definitely one of the hottest (or should that be coolest) ski destinations this season. And though Christmas is still a ways away, we’re already in the seasonal giving spirit. What’s on offer you ask? Oh just £200 to put towards your winter wardrobe. With our help you’ll certainly look good when you hit the slopes.

So, what’s the latest look on the ski run(way)? The neutral colours of the past seasons have been left behind with the new bold mix of clashing colours coming to the fore. The trend is the combination CMYK – that’s cyan, magenta, yellow and key (black). Now, they might just sound like your printer cartridge colours but CMYK coloured ski suits are certain to be springing up in resorts everywhere. So that’s the outerwear, how about the après-ski attire? Well thankfully the 80’s turtleneck and the less than attractive ‘long Jon’ are…long gone. The under-clothes need to be at once practical and chic for the all-important transition from piste to bar. So why not try black metallic leggings teamed with oversized knitwear. With this look you are guaranteed to be hot on the slopes in both senses of the word.

HP

the most amazing face of them all

Wow, what a night. Great company, good wine and some amazing (sorry the word doesn’t seem to get old) photography. For those of you that didn’t manage to make it to Shoreditch for our Face Race unveiling bash last night the winner is (if you didn’t see it in today’s Metro)…drum roll please…-32 Celsius by Catrine Gjemmestad.

Unfortunately Catrine lives in a remote part of Sweden so wasn’t able to make it to our do (we love it that the competition was so international). But our two runners-up, Toby Clarke (Sore Eyes) and Annabel Vere (Zulu Girl) were able to attend and, as with all of our photographers that popped in, it was so great to finally put a face to a name to a face (if you know what I mean).

Thanks again to the over 1,700 of you that uploaded your photos. Your faces definitely kept all of us Tomatoes thoroughly inspired over the last three months. And don’t forget, you all get a little something for having uploaded your face to the wall - if you book with us you’ll get £100 off your trip. Because in Black Tomato’s eyes everyone’s a winner. 

TM

black tomato's blog ambassador reporting from cerro bayo, patagonia

Argentina's ski season rocks. You may have heard of Cerro Catedral or even Chapelco but the chances are you've heard absolutely zip about Cerro Bayo. This is not because the mountain’s nestled away in the heart of the Lake District, nor that it's almost too boutique for its own good - small and yet perfectly formed. The real reason (and frankly, what makes Cerro Bayo so spectacular) is that it’s a tricky mountain to conquer. 

It’s the upper part of the ski mountain that really separates the beginners from the experts. For the latter, the summit marks the strike out point for some great off-piste powder runs which take you down through awesome natural bowls, navigable forests, and exciting gullies with great kickers along the way. But expert or not, take to the top. The panoramic view of forests meeting lakes that lie below the Andean mountain range and stretch into the distance is unarguably one of the most spectacular views in the world.

Added bonuses are the local delicacies of lake trout, smoked wild boar and venison – delicious. And finally the cheap lift passes, easy mountain access and an abundance of cosy wood cabin accommodation provides the icing on the cake! I don't see this paradise remaining uncarved for very long. 

LC, Blog Ambassador

Stay tuned for more intrepid adventures from our newest Blog Ambassador in Argentina…

the world in 25 faces

After 3 months of face-filled days our summer competition to find the best mug in travel has come to a close. And the first thing we’d like to do is extend a huge heartfelt Tomato thanks to all of you who took part. With so many inspiring entries, it’s been a real eye-opener; we’ve had faces submitted by snappers from Reykjavik to Kathmandu who travelled far and wide to capture the spirit of their favourite destinations in a single face. We’d even go so far as to say we’ve got the whole globe covered (well, very nearly).

 So what next? The moment you’ve all been waiting for really – the unveiling of the winning visage. Here at HQ the debate is in full fiery swing and everyone’s got a favourite. We’ve narrowed it down to 25 finalists and frankly, that was tough enough. Now it’s up to our expert judges to choose Numero Uno, which will be announced here in Shoreditch on Sept 24^th.

Fancy guessing the winner? Have a look at the face wall and post a comment on this blog with your pick. Guess correctly and we’ll send the first 5 to get it right a little surprise…

SE

face to a name: ian

Hi I'm Ian, the resident Asia Specialist here at BT. I fell into travel through my passion for all things Chinese which started back when I was studying for my Fine Art degree. I stumbled on a translation of one of the oldest books in existence: the I Ching, 易经. It’s also known as The Book of Changes because you can use the text as a process of divination, to effectively guide your future. I was so hooked that I picked up and moved to Taiwan, then Beijing, to study Mandarin.

After several years of travelling through China, I came back to the UK determined to help other people discover China. There are loads of misconceptions out there (frenetic pace of life, booming cities and mass migration), but the reality is that the Middle Kingdom (as it translates), is predominantly rural, with large swathes that are rarely seen by foreigners. It's these forgotten areas in Yunnan, Gansu, Guizhou, Sichuan and Guangxi that have kept their traditional roots and are absolutely fascinating. Nomadic farmers, stunning mountain landscapes, age-old settlements and traditional rituals and celebrations – it doesn’t get much better than this. Sound like your cup of tea? I’d love to help you experience hidden China – just get in touch.

 

When I'm not thinking and talking about China, I'm running my mural business: Portobello Artrooms.  You might have seen my handiwork on the walls of Camden, and if you’re into original designs (possibly with a Chinese twist?) you know where to come.

义安

radio nod

Moving to the small screen? Could it be true? Well, you might have heard a few rumours and we’re here to confirm that they’re true. We’ll soon be making our TV debut (well, Black Tomato TV debut at least) and we can’t wait. It’s been a long time in the making; blood, sweat and tears have all gone into the mix. So you can imagine we’re pretty excited to get it out there for all to enjoy. You will have to wait just a teensy bit longer though. Still a few tweaks and touching up to do. Don’t worry, we’ll be sure to let you know as soon as we go live.

And while video may have killed the radio star, last week we were all about the talking box. Black Tomato’s website was touted as the week’s best by Wowi Digital on BBC Wiltshire. It’s a great little sum-up of who we are and what we do (it almost made us blush). And we love it that they got such a kick out of our Panic Button and Departure Board. If you get a chance you should definitely have a listen. Click here.

TM

flying etiquette

As my flight from Sicily prepared to land last night, a particularly enthusiastic stewardess asked me to put my flip-flops back on. I vaguely remember wondering whether this was really necessary, but having spent the last week exploring the volcanic Aeolians (sensational, by the way), I was still in a chilled-out island mode so I slipped them on with a sleepy smile.

Such obedience to authority was not on display when a “well dressed businessman” was arrested last night after refusing to turn off his laptop for the final approach of his Qantas flight from Melbourne to Sydney. Upon landing, all passengers were told to stay seated while the Australian counter-terrorist force took the man into custody. Witnesses report seeing him being interrogated by no less than 6 armed police officers in the airport terminal, but he was later released with no charges.

Nowadays, we all fly so much that most of us are guilty of being a little blasé – not watching the safety demonstrations; not belting up when the light pings on during non-existent turbulence; wrestling bags out of overhead compartments at the moment of touchdown (if a flight full of feisty Sicilians is anything to go by).

Here at Black Tomato, work is travel, travel is work. And we wouldn’t have it any other way. But we understand that for some businessfolk combining the two is a necessary evil and can be stressful.  We’re not passing judgement on the poor chap, we just want to know what he was working on.

SSL

where in the world

Where in world you ask? Well, take a guess and you might just have a chance to win. What’s up for grabs? A stylish pair of SWIMS: our pick for keeping your classy footwear protected in unpredictable weather. And with spring showers clearly upon us (only 6 months ahead of schedule) a pair of colourful galoshes will certainly come in handy.

Those of you who receive our monthly newsletter (click here to sign up) will likely have already taken a guess. But for everyone else, here’s your chance to get in on the action. All you have to do is click here; guess the destination of the photo; and cross your fingers that you’re the first person to guess correctly.

This month’s photo left you scratching your head? Not to worry, maybe next month’s will hit closer to home.

TM