Out of Office with Maya Oren
and how she incorporates a little essence of vacation into everyday living.
Hey vacationer,
Welcome to Out of Office, a new feature of On Holiday, where we take a look at how we may create more moments of repose [read: feeling like we are on holiday] into our daily lives by hearing the stories of people doing just that.
What’s your name, where do you currently live? Hello! I’m Maya, and I currently reside in Washington DC.
Where do you feel most at home [your truest self, energized/restored]? For me, it’s a toss up between Tel Aviv and New England. Both bring me comfort in different ways.
What is your soul’s work? I am a creative director and filmmaker, and my work is to align myself and others with an intentional way of living. Especially one with more joy!
What does the word “holiday” or “vacation” evoke for you? Mmm. Many things, but in this very moment: tropical fruits, bare feet, wide-eyed wonder, fresh ideas, inspiration, joyfulness, slowness, intentionality.
What puts you in the vacation mindset? Giving myself permission to rest, and honoring myself by not overbooking myself. We aren’t capitalistic robots, we are people, and we simply cannot exist on a never-ending loop of autopilot. The moment we realize this collectively is the moment our entire way of living will shift.
What is your favorite part of travel? The arrival. I absolutely love the first few minutes in a new [or familiar] place. There is this super sacred moment that happens when I breathe in the air for the first time, taking in its profile of sweetness, saltiness, warmth, coolness. Every place has a scent, and it’s captivating every single time, and even more so when it’s familiar. I also love the first meal. On my most recent trip abroad to Europe, we landed super early, and after running excitedly around the canals taking pictures for a little, we settled into a cozy cafe for pancakes and hot coffee. It was a super simple meal, but just felt so, so delicious in my entire being.
What is your favorite travel story? Gosh, I have a lot. It’s why I started On Holiday! It would probably be a toss up between the time we were driving through Western Georgia toward a vineyard to work the harvest, and our bus stopped on the side of the road for fresh Nazuki, a sweet bread made by women in wooden huts along the highway. The bread can only be found in this little stretch, so it’s pretty special. It was nighttime, and the sweet smell of this bread wafted through the windows of our bus. The dough is formed, studded with dried fruits, coated in egg wash, and slapped into the side of a toné oven to cook quickly. It’s served warm, and is so delightful. The visual I have of the woman who made our bread—her hair pulled back in a handkerchief wearing a dress with a laced apron neatly tied on top—will forever be sweetly nestled into my mind. Another favorite story is from Joshua Tree, when a group of us stripped naked at dusk to take an artsy photo in between some of the smooth rocks in the park. The sky was pink, and our bodies were tinged golden from the setting sun. I directed and took the photo, and I really love how it turned out. My hope is that one day some Joshua Tree resident or hotelier will buy this piece for their living room or lobby.
How do you find the essence of slowness [that vacation mentality] in your everyday life? I am very much still finding this for myself, but I have collected a couple of hacks throughout the past several years. One of my favorite things about living in Israel was shutting down on Friday for Shabbat. I took a nod from that and am sure to make my Fridays and Mondays slower so that I can ease in and out of my weeks. I also always have fun beverages around, and take a break mid-afternoon to enjoy them. I am trying to get better about not doing work while sipping, but even just stopping to make the beverage is a step in the right direction in my books! My go-to’s lately are ceremonial cacao from Ora, and this lovely rose London Fog from Blume. My favorite habit I have grown is buying fresh croissants from a local bakery [I am lucky to have Seylou here in DC, they make the most incredible whole-grain croissants that are divine!] and I freeze them. This way, whenever I feel like having a slower morning, or one that transports me abroad, I can crisp up one of these babies in the toaster and have a gorgeous breakfast. Croissants are legitimately my spirit animal.
What puts you most at ease? The most joyful? Enjoying time with friends and family. Togetherness and community are super important to me, and any opportunity for a casual gathering complete with warm candles, food, and tea has me sailing. I wish that American society did more gathering, and I struggle with the singularity of our daily lives here. My biggest wish is that we could take more time day-to-day to meet up with friends for cake and coffee mid-afternoon, and have a no-reasons pasta night with music and laughter and good wine. Life is to live, not only to work! I am legitimately on a mission to make more of this happen in my life here. I also love finding international markets and bringing home ingredients that remind me of my travels/home. A few of my favorites in this area are the Swiss Bakery, Shalom Kosher, the Mediterranean Cafe + Bakery, and Janti. Last week I found rose jam, and I was immediately transported to my safta’s [grandmother’s] kitchen, where she lovingly makes her own from scratch. Finding items like the rose jam brings me the most wonderful surge of comfort.
What is your favorite destination? This is a tough question for me to answer, but Tel Aviv wins most times. It’s such a special city, and truly gives me everything I could want—the ocean, delicious food, SOUL, good music, incredible and innovative fashion, and my family.
What is the favorite thing you collected or found while traveling? I love shopping while traveling. I actually set aside a little bit of funds for each trip to be sure to spend in the local economy. One of my favorite items I bought is a shirt I found in Cartagena, Colombia. It’s one of 6 in the world—the designer only made two in each size run—and its made from this beautiful, structured, linen fabric. It’s white, and on the lapels it has a beaded detail with some fringe-action. I wear it on very special occasions!
Next or dream location? Next location is Cuba, dream locations at the moment are Oaxaca for the shopping, Copenhagen for the late summer harbor baths, and Turkey to connect to my ancestral roots.
What do you believe is the secret to breaking out of the mundanity daily living can sometimes bring? Being gentle with yourself. I said it before, but I will reiterate because it’s that important: We are not robots.
What is one piece of advice/an idea/an assurance you’d give your younger self? Honestly, I’m giving myself this advice right now: live every single day with fullness and gratitude. It is NEVER too late.
What is your mantra? Root yourself in joy, and you will be fulfilled.
Creative Direction by Maya Oren, photos lovingly created by Hallie Sharpless
Know someone who would be a great profile for Out of Office? Email me! Maya[at]mojalvo.com