Traveling Sisters

I try to carry on all my bags whenever possible. I recently packed for a 5-day winter trip to Boston with only a large purse and a rolling 22″ carryon. But whether you check or not, your purse/handbag/personal item needs to be strategically packed because let’s be honest, you never know how long you’ll be in an airport or worse, on an airplane.

These are our must-haves for any carryon bag:

• Reading material: duh. Even in the age of iPods and other electronics, who knows how long you’ll be sitting on that jetway unable to use “any and all personal electronic devices.”
• iPod and headphones: I download my favorite shows from iTunes so that I can catch up on anything I missed during the week.
• Pashmina: Any large shawl will do, but we adore the size and bright colors of the pashmina world. It serves myriad purposes from a blanket on the plane to a scarf when traveling to cooler climates.
• Socks: Besides being useful for particularly icky security line floors, socks will come in handy at 30,000 feet where the air is quite chilly. On long flights, your feet will swell and you shoes may become uncomfortable. Here, socks are necessary because seriously, no one wants to look at your feet, no matter how pedicured they may be.
• Small cosmetic bag: In it, keep intense moisturizer, small tube of eye cream, lip gloss, makeup compact (we at Traveling Sisters particularly like Trish McEvoy’s credit-card-size carry case), bandaids, and anything else that would help you should you be delayed for a significant amount of time.
• Medication: This is one of those things that is so obvious it should go without saying, but Traveling Husband often packs his medication in checked luggage for reasons unfathomable to me. Don’t do it. Your flight will be delayed and/or your luggage will be lost. And then where will you be?
• Cell phone charger: It’s so easy to pack this one in your suitcase, but it’s critical for your ability to communicate should you be delayed.
• Water: Yes, I know you can’t bring it with you from home. But buy a bottle when you get through security. You can also bring those on-the-go packets that make flavored low-calorie drinks. I’ve been stuck on the tarmac quite a bit lately, and have been quite glad to have a bottle of water with me.

Keep quart-size Ziploc bags in the pockets of all your suitcases. If your carryon Ziplock wears out, or gets a hole in it, you’ll have a replacement. They are also really good for organizing small trinkets you may have bought during your travels, zipping up small toiletries even in checked baggage, and even to carry sunscreen so it doesn’t leak in your purse.

As you can probably tell, I’ve been MIA for the last couple of weeks. My cat dumped a very large vase of water all over my very cherished computer. But I’m back up online now, having replaced my enormous 9 lb. PowerBook G4 with a svelte uber-light MacBook Air that weighs all of three pounds. Its inaugural travel experience was a five-day trip to Boston where it sat happily in my purse. This gorgeous piece of technology doesn’t even need a case - it just has a neoprene sleeve to protect its sleek self from the elements. 

The Air performed beautifully on my trip, picking up wifi signals like a champ and holding its battery for an impressive 4 hours of pretty constant use.

One of the Sisters owns the original MacBook, and she travels with it often. But for this Sister, who does most of her work in coffee shops and on the road, the Air is my new best friend.

I was strolling through Boston’s Copley Place on my last trip when a gorgeous laptop case caught my eye. Without even looking at the store name, I walked in. I was so enthralled with the possibility of a new home for my travel-friendly MacBook Air that it took a few minutes to see all the other beautiful pieces of luggage all around me. I finally asked the salesperson what store I was in. I couldn’t believe it when he replied “Samsonite.” Little did I know that this everyman’s luggage superpower had a Black Label. 

Check out their website here. I’m especially entranced with the vintage collection. 

Since we here at Traveling Sisters want to make sure that you are always voyaging in style without breaking the bank, we’re bringing you the first ever Diva Deal.

Now through March 16, RockResorts is having a fabulous sale on accomodations between April and November of this year. Nightly rates begin at $96 and can represent a savings of $200 a night or more at these luxurious resorts. Destinations such as Colorado, Wyoming, and St. Lucia are on sale. Book now and look forward to an awesome vacation.

Can you book a trip, pack your bags, and leave for your destination all within 24 or 48 hours? More importantly, do you like doing it? I’ll travel anywhere, anytime. Few things are as exhilarating as turning a mundane weekend at home into an unexpected trip someplace fun.

To make this type of travel less stressful, keep a few tips in mind.

• Keep quart-size bags in your bathroom or vanity. I even keep one packed with toothpaste, intense face moisturizer, perfume samples, and hand cream, so that I can just throw it in my carry-on.
• Know where your passport is and have it handy.
• Start a travel budget and set aside money each year just for travel. Whether it’s $1000 or $100,000, it will help you to make decisions on what trips you are able to take at any given time.

Hotels, restaurants, and travel websites are great places to sign up for e-newsletters. Set up an email address for travel information, and get on many of these lists. Some of the best deals I see are from hotels who realize that their booking for a particular weekend is down and send out phenomenal rates to their distribution lists. Also, Travelzoo’s weekly Top 20 newsletter features the best 20 deals that their service has found that week.

Travel Fabulously!

Mike had a conference in Naples last month and suggested I tag along for some sun in the middle of our winter. I enthusiastically agreed and packed my bags for the playground of wealthy WASPs. I had been to Naples before and was looking forward to exploring a few of my favorite places again.

Naples is a fabulous place in the wintertime, but the traffic and dense population can be daunting if you don’t have a plan. This Traveling Sister recommends you take time to dive into each of these divalicious experiences, and then find some of your own!

In Naples, it’s worth it to stay on or within walking distance to the beach. Best bets include the Ritz-Carlton, La Playa Beach Club, or the Hilton. The Hilton is a bit far from the beach, but they have a shuttle and will send you with a cooler and umbrella.

On your first morning, head straight to the beach for a walk. You’ll have trouble deciding where to look - the ocean to one side, the multi-million dollar homes on the other, and some of the best shells in the world at your feet. You can truly walk this beach every morning of your stay and see new things. Keep a look out for the gorgeous pelicans who like to feed by the pier. Approach quietly, and they’ll let you take their picture.

Do your hair and put on your Trina Turk shift dress and Tory Burch flats: we’re headed to the shops at Waterside, just off Tamiami Trail. Anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue and a “coming soon” Nordstrom, this outdoor shopping mecca has most of what any shopping diva could want. Hermes, Gucci, and Cartier are all within site of each other and the people-watching is almost as much fun as the merchandise. But don’t pass up the Banana Republic and other “mall brands.” I’ve found some great clothes that my local stores don’t carry. Grab lunch at one of the adorable restaurants and make a day of this excursion.

Spent too much at Waterside? Hakuna matata, my friend. Head on down the Tamiami Trail (are you seeing a pattern here) to Best of Everything, a set of stores featuring costume jewelry, $10 sunglasses, and discount home decor that can’t be missed. Since the Traveling Sisters love a good bargain, we’ve been known to mix that hot $5 bracelet with a Pucci scarf. Believe us: no one will guess you’re wearing costume jewelry. In fact, while browsing one of Naples’ most exclusive boutiques, a sales associate was gushing over my “fabulous” earrings. Don’t tell, but they were a $4.95 B.O.E. buy.

Figure out when sunset is and head over to the Ritz-Carlton about 40 minutes beforehand. Get a spot with a great view at their beachfront bar and sip a cool drink while awaiting one of the more spectacular sunsets you’ll ever see. As with several other Ritzes around the world, there is also a drumroll leading up to the actual setting. It’s a perfect way to relax after an active day.

Golf 18 holes at the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club. It’s Naples oldest course and is open to the public. Enjoy the tradition of playing at this storied course.

Browse the shops on 5th Avenue and have lunch or dinner at a sidewalk table. But the real show is over on 3rd Street with its hot boutiques and high-fashion names. Eat at Campiello’s but make reservations.

Most of all, enjoy the general fabulousness of Naples - the fierce cars, even fiercer houses, and that sensational Florida sunshine.

Travel journals are a great way to keep track of your experiences in new places. You know those sights or funny stories that you think you’ll remember forever? Well, you won’t. They’ll get pushed out by new sights and funny stories. So whether you jot down sentence fragments or Steinbeck-worthy detail, your travel journal will make sure that you’ll be able to look back upon your trip for years to come.

Some of the best I’ve seen are in this set from Red Envelope. It is a set of 12 colorful, silk-bound notebooks that will look as good on your shelf as they do in your bag while traveling.

When faced with the choice of flying through Atlanta or Charlotte on a connection, I always choose Charlotte, even if it means getting to my destination a few minutes later. It’s just a great airport. There’s something rather energizing about getting off the plane and walking through the airy concourse hub with its huge windows, three-story atrium, and classy rocking chairs. With two hours until boarding time, I wonder if there will be enough time to do everything. Just inside “B” Concourse is a California Pizza Kitchen ASAP. The pizzas are made right in front of you and yes, your favorite salads and soups are there too. So I grab lunch and make my way to the Bank of America business center, complete with free wireless internet and power outlets (still unimaginably difficult to find in airports). After leaving there, I’ll browse through The Body Shop and pick up a few little happies for me and the other Traveling Sister. It’s a happy day when I can have CPK and fun shopping in one airport.

Also, don’t miss:

• The $10 store on the way to “D” Concourse. They always have cute accessories and never fail to compliment a fashionable outfit.
• Yovana, a gourmet yogurt and frozen yogurt stand at the food court.
• The endless people-movers, essential when you’re racing for your connection.

My anthropologie catalog came today, and page 16 has the most awesome suitcase I’ve seen in a long time. A perfect vintage brown carry-on with red crabs printed on canvas. While it is the philosophy of the Traveling Sisters to buy luggage that can get banged up when you’re checking, carry-on and weekend luggage ought to attract some attention. I haven’t found a picture I can post of the suitcase, but click here to check it out on the site. It retails for $348 and is laminated canvas with wheels.