This Week in Travel: Vol. 31

There are so many travel blogs & publications I read on a daily basis! Wanted to share some of my favorite links, articles, info graphics and tips from around the web this week.

• United is bringing back free snacks. But seriously, remember when free snacks were a given and not something an airline was looking to be praised for?
• Oh man, Southwest! This does not give me warm fuzzies about flying out of Nashville (but I have no choice).
• After recently finishing Downton Abbey (can't wait for season 6!) I'm loving these English homes.
• These excuses *might* help if you're late or miss your flight - but don't hold me to it.
• An airline class WORSE than coach? It's happening. PS - My gut says it's not worth the 10-20% savings. 
• I'm used to service fees and liquor tax - but charing for clean air?
• This is the ultimate travel accessory. I don't leave home without it!
• These shoes are ugly and hilarious... and I'm not sure they'll save that much time at security.
• How to pick the best airline for you!
• Working at 10,000 feet? Find out which airline has the best Wi-Fi.
• Thanks for NOTHING, American Airlines.
• Using the restroom should not be an "add-on" for flying! Luckily, some people agree.
• News on Visa Waver (aka, you might actually have to get one when traveling to Europe in the future... annoying!)
• Ah, nothing as magical as Christmas around the world :)
• Where to exercise & run in London (so many great running paths in that city!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS (week) EVERYONE! If you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you're having a wonderful holiday season with family and friends anyway :) 

We're sitting tight for Christmas Day, I'm excited for a working fireplace and my lit up tree with a nice, slow morning and a warm beverage to go with it. What are you doing for Christmas?

Here are a few links to our recent Euro-Trip if you missed them!

• 2 Weeks in a Carry On (Europe Edition)
• London Recap
• Bruges Recap

Hope everyone has a great, festive week!

xo

Packing for Hot & Cold Weather in One Carry On

For the second year in a row, we're going to the tropics & the arctic tundra in one trip. Last year was Mexico & Montana, and this year it's Florida & South Dakota. Brrrrrrr.

Last year, I was able to fit everything for a beach anniversary trip & a snowboarding trip in ONE carry on. This was for almost 2 weeks away. Luckily, this year we aren't packing for snowboarding - just visiting family, which makes it MUCH easier! Here's a sample of what I packed last year.

WARM WEATHER OUTFITS

dinner! 

dinner #2

dinner #3

shopping in town

lounging around the resort

by the pool 

by the pool more!

COLD WEATHER OUTFITS

dinner in Big Sky - lots of layers!

my go-to travel day outfit!

suited up for boarding!

Chunky sweater, slouchy sweater, cardigan & chambray shirt.

Layers for snowboarding - wool socks, neoprene socks, neck gater, gloves, 

Scarf, wicking shirt & jacket.

 It was a long two weeks, we were on over 9 planes and endured a temperature change of over 100 degrees (plus wind chill... EWWWWW).

Here are the keys to packing for two climates in one bag.

1. Bring ONE of anything that can only be used in one climate - i.e., bathing suit cover up or winter jacket. 
2. Think of items that can work for both climates, such as a chambray shirt or a cardigan. It can be useful for cold restaurants in Florida, and can be used for actual warmth in South Dakota. Same with tank tops - they'll be regular tops in Florida, but will add layers in SD.
3. Keep your shoes down to 3 - I'll probably bring boots, sandals, and running shoes. If the temperature drops at night in Florida, the boots will be fine with thin socks.
4. Switch up your look with accessories, rather than a totally new outfit. Add a cardigan to a dress or switch scarves.
5. Bring dresses that can work for the beach or can be worn with tights.

Here's my packing list for my upcoming trip. 4 nights in Florida and 5 in South Dakota.

2 dresses

1 cardigan

1 leggings

1 jeans

2 tank tops

3 long sleeve tops/sweaters (bonus if they can be layered!)

3 shoes (boots, sandals, running shoes)

1 set workout clothes (tank, jacket, capris, sports bra, socks)

4 underwear

2 bras

Cold Accessories:

2 wool socks

1 beanie

2 scarves

1 black tights

1 heavy jacket

1 pair gloves

Warm Accessories:

1 bathing suit

1 sunglasses

The thing to remember about traveling to two different places with one suitcase, is that you can bring half the outfits and always have something "new" to wear in your 2nd location. Aka, PACKING MATH! At least this is what I have to remind myself, the girl who obsessed in high school over never wearing the same thing more than two weeks in a row. 

I'm getting over it slowly but surely ;)

We're excited to go see our families! Although, I wish all of them lived in warmer climates :)

Do you have any multi-climate trips coming up?
xo

PS - 
How to Pack Light & Always Carry on
Packing Math

Gift Guide for Travelers: 12 Stocking Stuffers Under $12!

Stockings are my favorite part of Christmas gifts. My mom always filled my stocking with super practical and fun things like gum, hair ties, cd's & make up. I know that sounds like a silly thing to want, but for some reason, they've always been my favorite :)

H&M is killing it this year with stocking stuffer gifts for travelers! Here are 12 under $12 that I would love to find by the fire place this Christmas.

1 - Passport Case (other patterns here & here) / 2 - Mini Lint Roller / 3 - Headphone Splitter / 4 - Hand Wipes / 5 - Mini Umbrella / 6 - Wool Socks / 7 - Jewelry Organizer / 8- Eye Mask & Neck Pillow / 9 - Mini Notebook / 10 & 11 - Luggage Tag / 12 - Luggage Lock

If you're main gift to your friend or loved one this year is a trip or vacation, why not add small "gifts" like these to go along with the surprise without spending a lot of additional cash?

These would also be great for a dollar-limit Secret Santa gift or White Elephant gift! 

All of these are really practical while still being extremely fun. Plus, who doesn't love H&M?

xo

Other Gift Guides!

Gifts Guide for Her Under $25

Gifts Guide for Him Under $25

Gift Gide for Travelers Under $25

Gift Guide for 12 Stocking Stuffers Under $12

Gift Guide: Gifts for Him Under $25

Shopping for guys is HARD. 

I spend the better part of my year just trying to think of a few good gifts for Matt that he doesn't already have, would say "I don't need this", or preemptively purchases under my nose. Dang it.

These are all gifts I've gotten him in the past & I've realized would be a great gift for most dads, husbands, boyfriends or brothers. May the odds be ever in your favor.

1 - Dwell Subscription / 2 - Pocket Squares / 3 - Haiti Made Passport Case / 

4 - DSB Bitters / 5 - Leather FOB / 6 - Sphere Ice Molds

Dwell Subscription - $20
Guys love this kind of stuff. Planning out the dream home they'll be building with their own hands.

The Tie Bar Pocket Squares - $8 
Sometimes they have to dress up against their own will. These will jazz up any outfit!

Haiti Made Passport Case - $25
I made Matt a leather passport case for Christmas the first year we were married... it was a painful endeavor & I wish I found this two years ago. Plus, this employs workers for a fair wage in Haiti. Win-win.

DSB Bitters - $20
For the aspiring bar man. He likes to whip up a new cocktail every so often. These add a certain edge to any drink!

Leather Key Fob - $20
Keep those keys where we can find them. Plus the leather adds a manly touch.

Sphere Ice Molds - $11
Once again, the bartender in every man will love these ice molds. Makes every drink look badass.

Look no further for a gift for the men in your life. Happy shopping!
xoLast year's gift guide for Men

Other Gift Guides!

Gifts Guide for Her Under $25

Gifts Guide for Him Under $25

Gift Gide for Travelers Under $25

Gift Guide for 12 Stocking Stuffers Under $12

Gift Guide: Gifts for Her Under $25

Gifts for your mom, gifts for your sister, gifts for your best friends, gifts for your co-worker.... gifts for all the ladies in your life. These items are high quality, on trend, and fit in the budget nicely, as each on is under $25.

1 - H&M Tartan Scarf / 2 - Rifle Paper Co Calendar / 3 - West Elm Bud Vases / 4 - Mast Brothers Chocolate / 5 - Anthropologie Mini Volcano Candle / 6 - Tori Burch Perfume Roller

Tartan Scarf - $17
The blanket scarf has taken over, and tartan is chic. This is cozy & seasonal but will endure all winter long.

Rifle Paper Co Calendar - $22
We all love Rifle! Beautiful designs & girly notes, this is perfect for anyone with a desk or home office!

West Elm Bud Vase - $14
I'm always looking for cute little bud vases to pop a few sprigs into before guests come over. These are gorgeous and fun. Plus, you can snag 2 for under $25.

Mast Brothers Chocolate - $10
Delicious chocolate in every type of flavor. Many specialty shops (locally in Nashville you can find them at Barista Parlor) carry these chocolate bars, or you can order packs online. Chocolate is certainly the way to any woman's heart!

Capri Blue Candle - $12
Everyone loves an Anthro candle. These mini versions are adorable and fit nicely in a stocking. You could double the fun for 2 under $25, or buy one for a friend and keep one for yourself :)

Rollerball Perfume - $25
This Tori Burch rollerball comes in a cute Christmas cracker packaging, making it instantly gift-able. Sephora has a wide range of designer scents for every lady friend you have.

If anyone is shopping for me, feel free to send these all my way ;)
Which girls are on your list this year?
xo

Other Gift Guides!

Gifts Guide for Her Under $25

Gifts Guide for Him Under $25

Gift Gide for Travelers Under $25

Gift Guide for 12 Stocking Stuffers Under $12

Gift Guide for Travelers: Gifts under $25

It's that time of year... we're all shopping for family, friends, husbands, co workers and the lot. That's where gift guides come in handy!

This gift guide is filled with gifts for the traveler in your life. These are all gifts that are compact, help in packing, aid in travel, and overall make trips easier... and easy on your wallet since they're all under $25 :)

1 - Vapur Element Bottle / 2 - Nerdwax / 3 - SanDisk Ultra II SD Plus 2GB Card / 4 - Birchbox Subscription / 5 - eBags Packing Cubes / 6 - Anker Lipstick-Sized Portable External Battery Charger

Vapur
I've shared before how much I love this little water bottle. It packs up easily when you're done (or going through airport security) and it pays for itself when you avoid buying 4 bottles of water after the TSA pat down. 

Nerdwax
If you wear glasses (prescription, fake, sun or otherwise), this is a great product for you. A natural beeswax product that you put on the bridge of your glasses so they don't slide constantly. It's amazing, and made locally in Nashville!

SD Cards
These aren't just any SD cards... they flip out and automatically become a USB. They're handy for travelers in 2 ways - you can leave the cord behind if you want to transfer photos on the go, and you can use this as a jump drive if you need to save a document for some reason. This feature has been so handy over the years, I'll never use another normal SD camera card again.

Birchbox
Customized to your own profile (curly hair, combination skin, loves nail polish, hates new perfume, and so on), it's a great way to get fun, new beauty products in travel size. Every month I receive new travel sized hair products, BB creme, dry shampoo and more. It's the best!

eBags
I've said it a dozen times before: packing cubes are the BEST way to pack light & maximize your space in a suitcase or backpack. This multi-pack has a small, medium & large. I use them every time I travel & they're a game changer! They're also super helpful for staying organized when you're living out of a suitcase.

Anker Charger
This is a lifesaver for work when I was on set all day. It charges my phone almost two full times from a dead battery. It charges my iPad about 1.25 times. Long road trip, international flight... any time you're bored & draining your battery... this charger is clutch. It's the size of a lipstick so you've always got room. 

These are my favorite gifts for travelers under $25! I hope you find the perfect gift for the traveler in your life :)

xo

Other Gift Guides!

Gifts Guide for Her Under $25

Gifts Guide for Him Under $25

Gift Gide for Travelers Under $25

Gift Guide for 12 Stocking Stuffers Under $12

Big Sky, Montana

When I married Matt, I married into his traditions - which is fine with me, because one of them is going snowboarding in Montana with family and friends after Thanksgiving.

Well... if i have to... :)

Admittedly, I barely took any pictures this year because it was freezing and I only went snowboarding once.

this is not a joke.

But Montana is certainly one of the most beautiful places i've ever been.

at the top.

This was the second place on our tour de world this November... so we went from 93 degrees to -20 degrees in about a 24 hour period. Did i also mention that we packed a carry on each? That meant my sundress was tucked in a thermal shirt. So crazy to subject your body to such a temperature change! 

Matt's family always takes this trip because they own time share at the lodge, and also because the first and last week of season are insanely cheap. You buy one $79 pass, and you can snowboard for 14 days (the first 7/last 7).

We pay the cleaning fees on the condo, and we eat in every night. It is the cheapest trip ever, and it's awesome.

Have you ever been to Montana? Do you love it like I do? Have you ever jumped 100 degrees in temperature in a short amount of time?
xo

DIY Glitter Votives

I was on the search for some simple festive decor, and i couldn't seem to find anything that wasn't overpriced or SUPER gaudy.

Enter - making it myself.

Here's what you'll need:

A few tubes of glitter. I chose white, silver, and rose gold

Mod Podge

Sponge

Small glass votives

Tea Lights for after

1 - Apply Mod Podge with the sponge to desired areas (I did some all over and some more 'color blocked') - make sure it's not too thick, but covers everything.

2 - Pour glitter over and tap lightly to loosen excess glitter.

3 - Set upside down to dry overnight

4 - Add your tea lights and display proudly! 

Gifts Ideas for Him

I'm sure I can't be the only one around here who has a husband I find difficult to shop for.

First of all, he's extremely practical (unless it comes to cars and motorcycles!).
He's picky.
And if he wanted it, he probably bought it for himself already!

Not to mention.... our anniversary, his birthday, and Christmas are all within a microscopic six-week window.

What's a girl to do?

I've been scouring the internet trying to find some ideas of what to get my hard-to-gift guy, and this is what i've come up with.

The Gift of Drink

Whisky Stones - $20

buy here

These little stones keep your whisky cool without watering it down. An excellent invention.

-OR-

IPA Beer Making Kit - $45

buy here

Williams-Sonoma knew what they were doing - now tempting your guy in for a cooking class won't be so hard if he knows they sell Beer Making Kits! Perfect for a guy who loves to do it himself or try new things, who also likes beer. Win-win.

The Gift of Travel Accessories

Patagonia Fuego Backpack - $89

buy here

This 32L backpack is great for hiking, a weekend trip, or a good carry on. The size is great for the price, as a lot of more technical backpacks are north of $150. This is a steal.

-OR-

Everlane's Reverse Denim Weekender Bag - $95

buy here

This bag is beautifully crafted, and is the perfect carry on size for a weekend tote. The best part about this bag (in my opinion) is that you can steal it from time to time and use as your own weekend tote! I'm particularly fond of the reverse denim, it looks so sleek and unisex.

The Gift of Technology 

iPod Nano Watch Set - $24 (Would make sense if he already has a Nano)

buy here

This is one of the most practical gifts for guys! Perfect for a traveler or a runner. The wrist band attaches perfectly to your iPod Nano and appears to be a normal watch... until you're ready to listen to music! There are many varieties of color and style. This leather one sticks out to me because it can easily go from guys night, to an important meeting, to date night with you. Matt particularly is a watch fanatic, so this invention might save me!

-OR-

Roku Streaming Device - $49

buy here

Roku is a great little device for those of us that have Nexflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime but don't have an XBOX to stream them through our TV. Roku changes all that. Simply hook up to your TV and choose your 'channels', and you're good to go! A common misconception is that you pay for a Roku subscription, and that isn't true. You only pay for the services you want (Hulu, Netflix, etc). Bonus, you can rent movies on Amazon (from a computer) and then view them from your TV as well. Goodbye expensive iTunes rentals and sifting through awful Redbox options! Who need cable, after all?

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Beer of the Month Club - $24/month

buy here

New craft beers get delivered every month. He will of course love you forever, and probably start checking the mail daily.

-OR-

Birchbox for Men - $20/month

buy here

I personally LOVE getting my Birchbox every month (confession: i'm a beauty product addict!), all of the samples are so fun. And they lead me to new products i've been missing out on! The boy-box is similar, but they actually get less product and more 'stuff'. Friends have received sunglasses, journals, wallets and more. It's a steal at $20 a month.

Do you have a hard to shop for spouse or boyfriend? I'm open to any ideas!

xo