I found myself traveling to colder weather a few weeks back, and realized that I had not packed appropriately for cold weather.  What was I thinking?!  Fortunately for me, one of my favorite travel stores is located right at the airport, and I popped into Ex Officio to have a look around.
I LOVE this store, and love the assortment of travel gear, clothing, and odds and ends that they carry.  And, it just so happens, I spend a lot of money at this store, too.  Which should serve as additional proof that I love the products.
Most fall and winter …read more

Our hectic pace of life takes its toll on our physical and emotional health, so when it’s vacation time, why not consider a trip that’s part of the Slow Cities movement.  The movement, started by the Italians in the 1990’s, is a way of protecting traditions and traditional ways of living.  You remember those – before gadgets and communications systems demanded that we be available 24/7?
Slow Travel gives you an opportunity to connect to a place and its people, rather than racing through a bunch of cities.  It’s about experiencing culture and heritage, not just about finding the nearest fast …read more

This summer was my second trip to Italy, and while some of the familiar things from last year were incorporated in to the journey, it was important to me to add on some new experiences as well.  I knew our intrepid group would be flying into Milan, and then three of us would have a few days that weren’t otherwise booked, before heading to Tuscany to pick up our fourth traveling companion.  We were up for anything, but the planning was going to fall to me.
I started mapping out what was do-able from Milan, and would still allow us to …read more

For most of my life I spent Thanksgiving with one family member or another (or all of them), eating a huge turkey dinner, listening to football-related yelling, and navigating the delicate balance between family arguments and peaceful co-existence.  If that sounds familiar, and the thought of spending another holiday like that is truly painful, consider taking a Thanksgiving vacation this year.
And I’m not talking about a vacation to go visit family – I’m talking about a real vacation – for everyone!
I first tried the holiday vacation plan nearly 10 years ago, and while I don’t do it every year, it’s …read more

Food expenses are a major budget consideration when planning your vacation, and while you can’t eliminate the expense, there are lots of things you can do to keep it as low as possible.  Here are some ideas to keep in mind:
Book accommodations that have a kitchen.  Whether it’s staying at a condo, an extended-stay property, or maybe just a room with a coffee maker and refrigerator, these will all presents ways to help you save on food expenses.  With a full kitchen you can stock up on supplies so that you’re not dining out for every meal, while still keeping …read more

It’s been a busy week of travel, and I’ve had a lot of my plate this week, but I still found some good travel posts to share with you.  Enjoy your afternoon with this variety of travel information:
Luxuo introduces us to a new type of architecture, a house built out of the iconic Louis Vuitton brown and gold print.  It’s rumored to be located in Mexicali.  I wonder how many tourists stop by for a look.
LA Times Travel lures us with exotic details of a cruise to Antarctica.  I would love to be able to afford a trip to …read more

Hunger doesn’t get a vacation.  It’s doesn’t get a stay-cation, or even a day off.  It is, unfortunately a 24/7 experience.  September is Hunger Action Month, and while it’s a shame that we have to have a month to focus on hunger, I am excited about companies who are doing something to make hunger in our communities a thing of the past.
The Cheesecake Factory has partnered with Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief
charity, for the Drive Out Hunger Tour.  The tour consists of visiting 30 cities in 30 days, with an event each day to collect cans of soup …read more

You’re in a restaurant and see someone choking on a burger, do you know what to do?  You see a child choking on a piece of candy, do you know what to do?  You’re at the beach and see someone on the chaise lounge next to you gasping for breath and looking like they can’t breathe, do you know what to do?
It’s easy to forget that being on vacation doesn’t always mean escaping from the practical side of life.
And so today’s post is sort of a public service announcement.  A reminder of something that is important to know whether …read more

I picked up this matchbook earlier this summer when I was visiting Croatia.  There is still a fair amount of smoking is this country, and it is not looked down on as much as it is elsewhere.  Since many of the restaurants where we ate were outdoors, it didn’t seem too overwhelming, however it was still an adjustment.
These matchbooks were picked up at a little corner store in Cavtat, a town on a bay just south of Dubrovnik.  Matchbooks weren’t available for FREE restaurants or bars, they were sold in local shops.  They cost about 10 kuna, which is …read more

With back to school only a couple short weeks away, summer vacation time in dwindling.  Did you do any traveling this summer?  Or are you expecting to do some?
Typically, I stick pretty close to home during the summer.  After all, it’s a great time to be in Seattle.  But this summer I took a three week trip to Italy, leaving mid-June and returning home in early July, and a long weekend trip to Las Vegas in late July.
I don’t have any further summer plans, although if something came up, I wouldn’t say NO.
I invite you to take my Summer Vacation …read more