My favorite day in Hong Kong, undoubtedly my favorite place in the world, is an itinerary that I never would have discovered had I packed an unwieldy Fodor’s guidebook and stuck to the well-worn tourist trails.

The day starts with an early espresso in the reliable J Plus in Causeway Bay, the first hotel in Asia designed by Philippe Starck. Grab a taxi for the frightening ride to the top of Victoria Peak for a jet lag-induced hike with breathtaking views of Victoria Harbor below. After brunch at the touristy Peak Lookout—which I only tried because a local business contact assured me that, yes, it’s actually good—it’s back down to Central for a stroll on Hollywood Road. I always stop at Goods of Desire to stock up on cheeky accessories and kitchenware emblazoned with red stars and the “Double Happiness” character, as well as an open-air stall at the corner of Hollywood Road and Graham Street for contraband Mao kitsch. For lunch or a snack, there’s always room for the dumplings at Wang Fu on Wellington Street, a few blocks down the hill. It’s hard to find and often packed, but these heavenly pillows are worth any wait, especially during pea-shoot season in January. The evening depends on my energy level, and how many dumplings my health-conscious boyfriend consumed, but the night always ends with cocktails at Bar Buonasera, a Japanese whiskey bar in Kowloon that we discovered while attempting to go to another in the same building that was closed. As I’ve written before, this unassuming bar calms you after a day in the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong, and we’ve made many friends over master bartender Hideo Morikowa’s precise cocktails and distinguished service.

The View from the Peak Trail, Victoria Peak, Hong Kong (Credit: Samantha Sault)

I’ve given variations of this itinerary to anyone I know planning a trip to Hong Kong, yet you won’t find most of these spots in the guidebooks, not even the exceptionally well-curated Wallpaper City Guides, which I always get if available.

The past few years, I’ve traveled nearly every month, from repeat business trips to New York and Las Vegas and London, to relaxed weekends in Cancun and Istanbul and Easton, Maryland. My favorite kind of trip, however, is the hybrid business/leisure trip, in which I explore new cities between meetings and trade shows—and lucky for me, usually with my well-traveled, international lobbyist boyfriend, a.k.a. The Diplomat, in tow. These trips allow me to get to know and understand a place much more deeply than if I just move from lounge chair to bar stool—and truthfully, I feel a greater sense of fulfillment coming home with business cards and new ideas with my souvenirs.

Exploring Isla Mujeres, a stunning island off the coast of Cancun, Mexico, with The Diplomat (Credit: Samantha Sault)

London Fashion Week at Somerset House (Credit: Samantha Sault)

 I’ve also learned what I like when it comes to travel: authentic, accessible sophisticated experiences.

While researching an upcoming trip to a wedding in southern France followed by a road trip from Mougins to Milan, I realized there is a dearth of travel content with this idea of authenticity, accessibility, and sophistication–providing tips on how to blend in with the locals, while experiencing the adventure and glamour of a place. TripAdvisor is a great resource to ensure that you won’t get bed bugs, and Condé Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure have a handle on the trends. Yet, if you’re not a hostel-hopping backpacker, nor a trust-funded jetsetter, there’s a lack of thoughtful, curated travel advice from a discerning, trustworthy viewpoint.

And so, I’m pleased to introduce SOS Travel—and save your ship from yet another tourist-filled queue or room service meal. Every month, I’ll launch a guide for a new city, explaining where anyone who appreciates style should sleep, eat, drink, shop, and more. You can also expect to see other posts, such as one-day guides when you have a long layover, updates on what’s actually worth trying in now-trendy Washington, and of course, a look at global fashion events in these locales.

Is this a change for this website? Well, yes and no. I founded this website in December 2008, when I covered New York Fashion Week and the intersection of fashion and politics—and there were maybe a dozen fashion blogs in Washington, D.C. I never liked writing about trends or shopping, however, and I haven’t written about them in a long time. (I’m a little embarrassed by my early posts, but I’ve left them up for posterity.) Over time, my website evolved into an examination of the bigger picture of style—global fashion, and the political or economic or historical context of that fashion, as well as the arts and culture reviews and travel. If anything, I’m reinvigorated by placing my coverage of international fashion events and Washington politics within the context of my travels, and I hope to provide a needed service, too.

I’m often plagued by writer’s block and procrastination—there’s always laundry in my house, to pack or unpack—yet Hong Kong always inspires me to get writing. It’s appropriate, then, that the first SOS Travel Guide covers none other than this spectacular city, what I consider the capital of the world.

CLICK HERE TO READ SOS TRAVEL GUIDE FOR HONG KONG