by Wendy
Follow me on twitter @wendylooksleaps
I have to admit: those of you who check a bag have a point.
This revelation evolved during multiple attempts to cram liquid items for a beach trip into a quart-size bag. It was quite the puzzle. Usually this is fairly easy. I don’t know if I’ve ever spent so long on this aspect of packing. The casualties were two split plastic bags, as well as the hour or so I could have spent doing something else. Continue reading
by Wendy
Graduation season is wrapping up, with the last of the crowds of students in caps and gowns with proud families blocking downtown sidewalks and slowing traffic. I wish them all well!
While I can understand the importance of marking the occasion, I thought my high school graduation was so boring, I skipped both the college and graduate school ceremonies. After I finished college, my Dad wrote a letter to me that I reread recently. I realize how lucky I am to have such constantly supportive parents, though I have taken it for granted at times. Both he and Mom taught my sisters and me the importance of hard work and education, a commitment to family and faith, and that being a good person matters so much more than being pretty.
I’d like to share some of Dad’s words of wisdom here – they still inspire me today and no commencement speech could ever have meant as much. I think both recent and not so recent grads can appreciate this – especially devoted travelers and aspiring writers. Continue reading
by Sunny
follow me on Twitter @sunnylooksleaps
I’ve always been a huge fan of shopping. Malls, Marshalls, Target, online, I love to browse even if I don’t actually purchase. I guess this is not surprising considering my mother and grandmother’s love of shopping. I was always happy to tag along with them on their outings and owe everything I know about finding a bargain to them.
When MJ was born, the shopping frenzy took full force. Everyone loves to shop for a little girl! During her first year, I remember her having more pink frilly sleepers, dresses, and rompers then she had time to wear. At a year old, she would open her closet, look at all of her clothes, and say, ‘WOW.” She loved to dress up, loved to wear costumes, and still loves to put together her own outfits. She has a one-of-a-kind style that only she knows the rules to. Her outfits are loud, often mis-matched, and only sometimes seasonally appropriate. While I have always made rather sensible and safe fashion choices, MJ wears what she wants without a thought as to what other people may think. And while I love this about her, shopping trips and picking out an outfit can be a challenge.
by Wendy
Follow me on twitter @wendylooksleaps
One of the rewards of visiting another country is the opportunity to observe and appreciate what is different – as well as noticing what is the same. These flashes of familiarity can make you feel very connected to a place in ways you did not expect. Dad talks about this a little in his Travel Epistle post, how senses are often heightened during travel, and how the basic human need of eating and drinking can help visitors get to know a new place.
The other week my eye doctor told me about a recent trip to Portugal with his sister. I’m a longtime patient of his, sometimes obliged to visit twice a year because I’m blind as a bat with unusually high pressure readings for glaucoma. Luckily this bat can see well with contact lenses and doesn’t get quite as nervous about these appointments as she did as a bat teen. It’s pretty routine, we shoot the breeze and I ask what cool trips he’s taken lately. Continue reading
by April, Sunny and Wendy
Every gal has a few beauty tricks up her sleeve – including go-to budget products that can be found at the local drugstore. Here are some of our personal faves. Please share yours in the comments below! Continue reading
by Wendy
What’s your favorite fragrance? This question was posed during an afternoon spent visiting friends and family in New Jersey. The answers were as varied as you would expect – as was the general interest in the topic. After everyone else drifted back to other subjects, I enthusiastically chatted about perfume and cologne with the questioner, who works in the luxury beauty industry and is a wealth of knowledge. To hear him discuss various designer scents is like listening to a sommelier describe wine.
We talked about the fun of taking a new sample fragrance on a trip, and then forever being reminded of that time and place by the perfume or cologne. This is not a new idea – other writers have mentioned this connection. But I think we often forget how powerful our sense of smell can be, how immediate our reaction to scent can be. A fragrance can be so evocative, almost conjuring memories to the surface as if by magic. It can influence an atmosphere or give a hint of someone’s personality. Continue reading
by Wendy
Follow me on twitter @wendylooksleaps
Jack and I met up after errands on a mild Spring evening and decided to walk to a popular French restaurant in a trendy neighborhood. We were seated at one of the cafe tables lining the sidewalk in a row. The weather was perfect for outdoor dining, and we ordered wine and steak frites. As I strolled back to our table after a quick trip to the powder room, I spotted it. A beautiful shoe. Kind of a platform, ankle strap, with a high, colorfully-striped blocked heel. Like a shoe out of those mesmerizing Dolce&Gabbana magazine ads where everyone’s wearing elegant black lace or vibrant sundresses and giant sparkly accessories while chowing down on pasta in Sicily – and it all looks impractical and totally believable at the same time. I didn’t notice the shoe owner’s outfit. She had her leg crossed and the cool shoe was dangling out there daring all of us to be jealous. I nearly stopped to compliment the shoe and in a different mood, I might have. Instead I returned to Jack and our lovely evening, a bit more conscious of my choice of ballet flats. Continue reading
by April, JA, Wendy and Jack
Earlier this month, we spent part of Spring Break in New York City. Despite the rain and the chilly weather, we had Big fun in the Big Apple. Here are a few tips from each of us based on our recent trip. Continue reading
by Sunny
follow me on Twitter @Sunnylooksleaps
So as a big surprise to no one, we visited a Disney Park during Spring Break. We chose Disneyland this year for several reasons: the weather, the smaller crowds, the ability to walk between parks, and the fact that Disneyland is still celebrating its 60th Anniversary. While we usually visit Walt Disney World in Florida, this wasn’t our first time to Disneyland. But it was the first trip that Jimmy’s mom had ever been to a Disney Park. Ever! We spent our three days in Disneyland well, mixing the classics with the brand new attractions.
by Wendy
Follow me on twitter @wendylooksleaps
After visiting a cool city, I realized I have a post-trip habit of telling Jack that we must find a way to move to New York/ Madrid/ London/ Paris/ Copenhagen/ San Sebastian etc. This goes on for a week or so and I’m sure it’s annoying. As much as Jack agrees that those places are amazing – and while he’s not opposed to visiting them often or even relocating for a period of time – Jack patiently reminds me that we already live in a great city.
When I moved to Washington, DC over 15 years ago, I honestly thought it was temporary. I had previously lived in Chicago for a year and figured I would spend 2-3 years in DC before settling someplace new. Funny how life works out. And while the choice to stay was originally due to Jack stealing my heart – not the city – I have grown very fond of DC and am happy to call it home. Below are a few things I love about Washington, DC. Continue reading