Living like a local — it’s what we all hope to achieve when traveling to a city rich with culture, culinary delights and neighborhood gems.  But experiencing this sense of familiarity and intimacy in a foreign country can be truly difficult to accomplish.  Luckily, after Ivy Ackerman’s quiet solo supper in Paris turned into a boisterous dinner party with new-found friends, the entrepreneur set out to recreate that experience for other well-traveled, curious gourmands through her members-only club, Butter and Egg Road.  The club works to introduce a neighborhood’s people, places, culture and culinary best to members all over the world who are up for the adventure.

Butter and Egg Road really is the supper club of every traveler’s dream — and maybe most interestingly, a new way for people to connect with other like-minded men and women, whether they’re on the road or in their hometown. Each event is designed for 12-20 members and features a different neighborhood, city festival or unique food trend. Programs can range from multi-course wine pairing dinner parties to private art fair tours.  I’m personally so disappointed to have missed both an exclusive 12-course cocktail tasting with the Aviary team Chicago and a post-midnight Koreatown moveable feast with chef Hooni Kim in NYC.  Luckily now I’m in the loop and hope to attend a new event in one of my favorite cities soon.  Sound like something you’d be interested in, too?  You can check out the schedule and apply for membership here.

When the average American woman owns 19 pairs of shoes (and plenty of us have collected more than twice that amount), how do you limit yourself when packing?  Thanks to their bulky nature, it’s impractical to bring too many pairs, but we all know that various activities call for different types of footwear. And unlike with clothing or jewelry (where you can bring new looks for each day and night) you need to make the shoes you select work with many different outfits.

I get tons of inquiries from readers who struggle with finding the right mix of footwear, and I even know from my own experience that limiting my shoe selection is never easy.  I try to get by with four pairs or less on any given trip — sticking with tried-and-true favorites and neutrals that will work with anything.  Hoping to help you narrow it down just a bit, I’ve divided up what I would pack on four different types of trips — beach, city, country and destination wedding.  Of course, those of you who like to work out on vacation will need sneakers, too.  My suggestion?  Stick them in your companion’s suitcase or find a fold-up pair that will work for the few days you’re away!

Happy packing!

City Trip: Miu Miu Studded suede sneakers $495, See by Chloe Brushed and patent-leather wedge sandals $310, Gianvito Rossi Metallic leather and PVC pumps $625, Maison Martin Margiela Leather sandals $570

Country Trip: Stella McCartney Zebra-print woven espadrilles $315, Lanvin Leather snake-print wedge pumps $673, Isabel Marant The Carol studded leather sandals $1,035, Acne The Pistol leather ankle boots $570,

Beach Trip: Ancient Greek Sandals Myrtis leather sandals $185, Charles Philip Shanghai Anchor-print cotton-canvas slippers $135, Havaianas Flip Flops $18, Charlotte Olympia Miranda 110 canvas and bamboo-print silk-twill sandals $895

Destination Wedding: K Jacques St Tropez Epicure multi-strap sandals $280, Charlotte Olympia Take 110 silver sandals $895, Valentino Chantily lace and mesh espadrilles $475, Saint Laurent Leather pumps $645,

Goofing around while loving the gorgeous view

This past trip to LA was more work than play, but I did manage to enjoy myself a bit over the weekend. I love spending time by the ocean, and was completely charmed by the Malibu Beach Inn. Falling asleep to the sound of waves crashing made the stress from a busy work week subside ever so slightly. Here were some other highlights:

Freaking out that my favorite LA lunch spot is now in the Delta terminal at LAX!

Can’t think of a better place for sushi + sun than Nobu Malibu

So lucky I got to bid my BFF farewell before his big move!

Yummy cocktails “on the rocks” helped me unwind quickly

When I saw 90 degree temps in the forecast for my trip to LA, I got pretty excited. I’ve been waiting for warm weather for a while now and I was excited to step out in lighter layers without fear of freezing. I packed a few favorite bikinis and cover-ups for a weekend in Malibu, along with leather shorts, skirts and tees to mix in with silks and denim while in the city. Plenty of printed pieces, mixed with black and white basics felt appropriate and spring-like. I definitely overdid it on the shoes, packing 6 pairs in addition to the flats I wore on the plane, but I allowed myself the splurge as long as it all fit in one carry-on suitcase. And I managed to stay organized once I arrived via my very own rolling rack, compliments of the friend I was staying with. It made getting dressed extremely easy! Here’s what I brought:

2 pairs printed silk pants
2 pairs printed silk shorts
2 pairs track pants
1 pair jeans
3 dresses
2 skirts
1 pair leather shorts
1 blouse
2 cover-ups
2 sweaters
3 t-shirts
3 tanks
1 leather jacket
1 blazer
1 bomber jacket
3 bikinis