Little Black Dress Exhibit, SCAD

Silliness was in the air last week while 2 friends and I spent a week on the Georgia Coast together, laughing hysterically and wreaking havoc wherever we went. One of the highlights of the week was attending the Little Black Dress Show at the SCAD Museum of Art. If you can't make it there before it ends in January here are some pics: 

One wicked queen gown for wearing to run the world. Yes, please.

The only way I'd get married again. In black Oscar DeLaRenta.

Happily Mapless in Finland: Directions for Girls

After having every day on our tour of the Baltic capitals planned out in detail and in such a way that there was never any time left over for much shopping (okay, maybe that's a conspiracy theory I can believe in) we were ready for some girl time in Helsinki. I'd been busy selling the Suomenlinna Fortress as something the men wouldn't want to miss but that we weren't interested in. Unfortunately visiting the market at the pier was a casualty of my plan, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

We'd seen enough palaces and had enough military history to last us a while and we were ready to lay siege to boutiques and storm gift shops in the city center. We were using the fortress as a brilliant diversionary tactic that would allow us to implement our campaign unhindered by questions like "Do you know how much that dress costs in DOLLARS?"

They didn't seem too keen on leaving us to our own devices. We are however battle hardened shoppers. We asked sweetly, "Can we stop in this store?"

A surprise attack. We weren't leaving. We wanted to look at every single item. I scooped up an armload from the sale rack and asked where the dressing room was. The surrender was immediate and complete:

"Excuse me" I heard a male voice say "Can you tell us where we can catch the ferry to the fortress?"

My heart leapt!

After that there were lots of instructions (what DO they think we do when we travel alone?) and pointing to things on maps.

Maps. (I know, right?)

Not that I don't like using a map, but is this a street name you'd be able to remember? You see my point. Besides, my travel ADD was in full swing...a map was not going to be helpful.

Of course our husbands wanted to know, did we want the map? They didn't need it after all, being men.

We declined. "We'll figure it out..."

They left the store wondering aloud if we'd make it back to the ship on time. I considered the fact that if I were going to abandon ship in a port Helsinki looked like a fine one to do it.

We had no goal this day except for shopping and enjoying ourselves, but I did want to mail one postcard. We inquired about where good shopping might be and were directed to the Centrum. Lots of small shops of high quality, and though there was a mall we were advised to avoid it since the weather was so nice. We strolled from shop to shop, had a long lunch, shopped some more and with a couple of hours to spare before "all aboard" we started to make our way back from whence we came.

We hadn't paid attention to a single street sign, not that the names would have been memorable anyway. With no map and no idea where we were or how far we'd walked we retraced our steps as we walked along.

"This must be the right direction, there is the place that the man who told us not to go to the mall said he bought his new glasses."

"This is that area where the couple walked with us and asked us about America."

"There is the statue with the globe, we turn right here."

We began to realize just how far we'd walked. We'd been strolling along having a lovely time and were unaware that we now seemed to be a good distance from the store where we'd started and from there it was still a mile or so to the ship...

"There's the store where we loved the dress in the window but didn't go in. We keep going straight."

"Here's the antique store with that beautiful platter in the window. Take a left."

"There's the store when we got rid of the men. Yay!"

Now I should say that I'd purchased stamps to mail my postcard early on thinking that would be the tough thing to find. I had been in several shops throughout the day and had not found ONE postcard of Finland. Here it was late in the day and this darling store only had funky little vintage cards, none of which said Finland. However, I was out of options. I picked one out and hastily wrote a pathetically short and lame message and got directions to the post box down the block.

Of course there was one more photo op.

Mission accomplished. Several missions in fact as I'd made quite a few purchases that I was ridiculously happy about. We made our way back to the ship, taking our own sweet time now, and at the last shipside souvenir shop--what did I find? A vast selection of post cards...

And what did I find in my cabin upon arrival? A man who looked at me with shock that two women had actually managed to find their way back where they were supposed to be.

We hadn't set sail yet, and I was tempted to head back to town.

Except that I had a new dress to wear to dinner...and yes, I do know how much it cost in DOLLARS. I'm just not telling.

Falling For the Gulf Coast in October

It's October, the air is cooler, the sky is bluer, and the leaves are beginning to turn in the south. The traditional trip to take this time of year is to the Smoky Mountains or the Ozarks for long drives on winding roads. You may want to rethink that choice in favor of something a bit different. A little known secret is that this is a perfect time to visit the Gulf Coast. While spring break at most beaches isn't exactly a family event, if your kids have a fall break it is possible for them to have entire hotel or condo swimming pools to themselves and for your family to visit restaurants without the hour and a half wait.

I cannot tell you what a luxury it is to walk straight into Lulu's and request a table by the water. Eating outside when the humidity is gone and the temperature is in the 80s is far superior to standing around amid sweltering crowds and having the ice melt in your drink before it gets to the table. It is possible to find deals on hotels and condos, when more of them are empty. If you want something extra to do, or think too much relaxation is a bad thing, then you can plan your visit during Shrimp Fest.

We drove down on a Friday and our condo wasn't going to be ready until the next day so we needed a hotel for one night. We found a gem right on the beach. The Hilton Garden Inn at Orange Beach offers, in addition to all the amenities they are known for, a lovely pool area with an indoor/outdoor pool, hot tub, pool side bar, and beach access. Robert, at the bar, whips up a mean pina colada. While most hotels are laying out the same old continental breakfast, HGI serves a made to order breakfast that is superb for less than ten bucks. If you run into Austin at breakfast you can get some snarky commentary to go with your coffee. I love that. The staff is friendly and if you have a problem they will work hard to make it right.

While there are enough people on the beach to enjoy people watching (my favorite beach activity) by dinner time it will be nearly empty. This means that you can enjoy taking that requisite family beach photo without your kids being embarrassed by other people watching them. Here's ours. Oh, and the white and khaki thing is over. Color it up!

By far, the nicest thing about traveling to the coast this time of year is the absence of traffic and crowds. Less time getting where you are going for dinner and standing around in long lines under misters means more time at the beach for the kids and a lot less stress for mom and dad. Besides, the leaves are probably turning in your own front yard. And as you can see from this last picture of my daughter and her husband, a little romantic solitude is a very good thing.

My Owner is in LOVE.

That's right. My Owner is cheating on Italy with the entire region of Scandinavia.  She recently wrote about it on her blog...

Don't we make a cute couple?

I've fallen in love and it is one of those tragic stories of longing and desire that will most likely end badly. Or sadly. Or something. Sometimes you just can't make the fleeting object of your desire your own.

I hate that. 

Impeccable manners, a charming accent, an eye for design, great style, hip, clean, smart, rational, and absolutely beautiful.  Who has stolen my heart, you ask? Well it isn't a who but a where. You see, I've been to Scandinavia and let me just tell you...three days with a new love isn't anywhere near enough.

I know what you are thinking. "Weren't you head over heels for Italy?"

Smitten with Finland...

I was. I am. I always will be. But Italy is like the exotic well traveled older man, worldly wise, who likes a conquest. I was more than happy to oblige with my whole heart while he seduced me with coffee, wine, and breathtaking vistas. And history. Oh the history. And fountains. Art. And his accent. Oh yes, that. And when he spoke Italian passionately. I mean, what's a girl to do?

But the old guy has some serious competition. 

Sweden: He's so fine...

Let me introduce Scandinavia. Denmark, Finland, and Sweden are the younger guys in tight pants who want to talk about the future while they unclutter your life and mind. While Italy showers you with gifts of one kind then another, Scandinavia says "Baby, you don't really need all that." and you believe him. He's subtle. He doesn't need to be pushy to get what he wants. He'll have you begging to paint the walls white and ride your bike to the bakery. He isn't living in the past. Old lovers and conquests, he remembers. But this guy has his eye on the future. He's got big ideas. He's got vision. And he has that one really important quality in a man. He can clean up after himself. In fact, his place is spotless. (swoon)

On top of all that, he's willing to give you space and time to breath.  Italy is amazing and he knows it. Oh how he knows it. In fact he keeps pointing it out. "Darling, aren't I amazing? Aren't you lucky to be with me?" He just can't stop talking about himself. Scandinavia doesn't need to do that. He'll win you over with friendly confidence. He'll put you at peace. He'll make you smile.

Denmark: Did I mention he's charming?

The fleeting nature of our meeting is a little hard for me to deal with. I have a memento or two to remind me of our brief time together, but I can't let myself believe it was a one time thing. So in the style of heroines of love stories down through the ages, I'm plotting a way to get back to him...for 3 more days, or weeks,
 or years...

Waking up next to Sweden.

 

The Power of Leggings

 Knit fabrics are musts for travel. When packing for the most days with the least amount of items the key is rolling articles of clothing instead of folding. I picked up this tunic at Ross for $7.99. Here are the 3 ways I intend to wear it. Outfit # 1 is brown leggings, brown cardigan, and Privo walking shoes for city sight seeing. I added a scarf with the exact same colors thought a pattern of keys that I picked up in Florence. I think this will be perfect for a cool day touring museums and outdoor attractions.

Outfit # 2 is replacing the scarf with a piece of flashy jewelry, black leggings, and patent leather flats. This will be a quick change for dinner. The fact that the pattern has both black and brown in it makes it easy to bridge that divide we have to make when packing...black shoes and accessories or brown?

Outfit # 3 brings it down a couple of notches with jeggings and a short sleeved gray cardigan for stylishly bumming around cities, eating in outdoor cafes, shopping, and people watching.

Here's a tunic dress that I rescued from a friend's daughter's Goodwill bag. The sleeves are floaty and the skirt part is shimmery. Perfect with black leggings and those black flats again for dinner.

For comfortably walking city streets or on travel days pair it with  brown leggings, cardigan, and a scarf that incorporates purples, browns, and oranges to tie the look together. I'm not a big fan of necklaces and bracelets for day trips. A cross body bag leaves you hands free and I am going to be wearing a camera as well. Skip belts in the daytime for the same reason. Too many dangly strappy things are just going to be a nuisance and bracelets get in the way when taking off layers and putting them on over the course of the day.

They key to traveling comfortably is to stylishly simplify.

Magic in Orlando

Last weekend My Owner and her son traveled to Orlando, compliments of Hilton Garden Inn. They had been invited to a Magical Get Away and slumber party for mommy bloggers. Madame's Mr. Snarky was by far the oldest "child" there at 20. Being his mother's son, however, he had more fun than anyone else. Those two ate great food, rode roller coasters, and had an all around good time. They arrived at the airport in a downpour and after settling in at the hotel caught the I Ride Trolley just near the hotel and rode it to Pointe Orlando in search of food. This is a great place for shopping and MO would have enjoyed it immensely on the sunny Florida day she had packed for. Instead, she was drenched and running from store to store looking for a place to eat. Several places seemed not to be open for lunch, or perhaps they were just empty because of the weather, and MO and Mr. Snarky landed at Hooters. I'm pretty sure MO was the only mommy blogger taking her kid there for lunch.

They arrived back at the hotel with just enough time to get ready for dinner. The HGI team had planned a fun evening of kid friendly food, (complete with a sundae bar!) and the movie, Finding Nemo. Mr. Snarky bailed early to head back to the room.

I mean, come on, the playoffs were on!

The next day it was time for Epcot and Hollywood Studios using their Disney day hopper passes. Their shared passion for travel and food made Epcot the perfect choice for morning then in the afternoon they headed to Hollywood Studios where it was Star Wars weekend. AKA nerd heaven.

So of course those two fit right in.  Here are some pictures from their day:

Hollywood Studios backlot tour...fire and flash flood!

Like a kid in a candy store...

I say, may I use the telly?

Art for the art history student in "France"

The age cut off for the Jedi Training Camp is 12? We were a little disappointed.

Legos and Star Wars a match made in heaven...or someplace in the galaxy...

Out of our way!

The perfect place to end a great day and dream of Sea World in the morning!

Italian Parking

Parking skills of the Romans...legendary.

Travel and the Proper Shopper

Do you own any of these?

Window decal depicting every member of your family as stick people with mouse ears?
Plastic replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
Beret that says Paris?
A coffee cup with the name of a city, state, or country on it?
A naughty t-shirt that seemed like a good idea when you were on Bourbon Street?

I don't know when travel and tacky souvenirs became synonymous but it was probably when the first Barbarian child received a t-shirt that said "My father sacked Rome and all I got was this lousy shirt."

I'm on a mission to have people stop this kind of common and unsatisfying travel shopping.  It's what most people do. Tacky little souvenir shops abound in places with heavy tourist traffic. After you have been in one I can promise you that you have seen what will be in every other one. Do you honestly want 3 shirts for $10 from the Alabama Gulf Coast? There is a way to spend your money more wisely and enjoy the purchases you make for years to come.

Focus on 2 things:

What is something you (or the person you are buying a gift for) use in your everyday life?

What is the area you are traveling to famous for producing?

Do a little research before embarking on your trip. Is the region famous for a particular type of food, textile, glass, pottery, or activity?

Plan on spending a bit more and buying less.

This look, at a pastry shop in Assisi, is easily recreated at home.

In England, instead of picking up a shirt that says "London" you may want to take your teenage soccer playing son a jersey of the local favorite team. The English are famous for their gardening skills and related gifts abound from watering cans to garden gloves. In Italy the food, wine, and olive oil possibilities are endless. In Mexico a blanket woven in traditional colors, a bowl for your home made salsa, or a bottle of vanilla would be better choices than maracas, unless you play in a mariachi band on the weekends. And no one, NO ONE wants the giant sombrero unless you are bringing it with a bottle of tequila like the one you were drinking when you bought it. No, even then, bring the tequila, leave the sombrero.

A classic and stylish piece of clothing, a leather bag or belt, or some decorative item for the home are good ideas. In any city look for local, quality, kitchen stores if you are a cook. Picking up an item that you will get lots of use out of and will remind you of your trip is a choice you won't regret. Lovely dish towels from a better linen store will give you joy and bring to mind pleasant memories, for years. If you love flea markets find one in your destination city and scour the stalls for something unique and unusual that goes with your decor.

Remember that we live in a world, where everything is available to us online. For this reason I don't recommend purchasing books very often while traveling. I do make exceptions for unusual second hand book shops or volumes found in antique stores. Books are among the heaviest items you can lug home. You could even conceivably see something in a store, order online from your hotel room that evening, and have it waiting for you at home upon your return. 

If you see something that you absolutely fall in love with, know you will use, and it's a quality item...buy it. Especially if it is hard to find or in a thrift store or flea market. You likely won't get another chance. Anything in a museum gift shop or major store however, you can easily find on the store's website and have it shipped right to your door.

One last thing. Take lots of pictures. Those are your real travel treasures. You might even want to consider spending more on a camera for the trip of a lifetime and less on chachkies. Besides taking pictures of yourself at every important landmark, you can take pictures of flower arrangements, landscape ideas, interesting food/drink presentations, or interesting decor that you may want to recreate at home. You may come home with a new recipe or the love of a new food. Remember that you are trying to evoke a memory of a happy time, that doesn't necessarily have to be weighed when you check in for your flight home. 

Go forth, and spend wisely.  

Happy travels and shopping, y'all!

My Owner's Travel Confession

 Today's post is a guest post by my owner, Madame Housewife:

I will confess to never having been homesick. I have been desperately ill and wanted to be home, but it isn't the same thing. Never once when traveling have I missed anyone at home, not even children (there goes the Mother of the Year Award). Such is the lure of a far off sunrise. Sometimes when traveling I hear other people speak of how eager they are to give a loved one a gift they have purchased for them.

"Can't we just ship it to them and stay here?" I think to myself. Isn't it the thought that counts? (There goes the Friend/Wife/Daughter of the Year Award.)

The proximity of other interesting places fills me with a particular form of want. When first I went to Italy I thought how easy it would be to get to Greece. Later when I traveled in Greece I thought how easy it would be to go to Turkey. England makes me think how close I  am to Scandinavia. Central America lures me south to the Amazon and Andes...and so on...

Sometimes snippets of poetry, the odd movie line, or fragmented ideas from favorite books swim to the surface in my mind. Things like "set sail for ports unknown" or " I'm going out exploring one day, you watch." I come alive in strange places. I'm inspired. I'm hopeful. I'm ambitious. I imagine that I will come home and do all the things I've been putting off. I'll make art. I'll write more. I'll do tai chi in a park at sunrise.

Then I return to my house.

I put tiny  soaps from the hotel in the bathroom closet. I do laundry. I hoist my suitcase to the top shelf of the office closet and as I do dreams slip out of it and disappear into the ordinariness of the everyday. I suddenly think how hard it is going to be to find a tai chi class in the south. And how fierce the mosquitoes are at dawn.

There must be a way of capturing that feeling of possibility I have when traipsing around strange cities and making it last past the moment I put my key in my own door and wonder if the house always smells like this...

The reason for the change in familiar surroundings, I am at a loss to explain. Perhaps my muse is an elusive creature frightened off by the enthusiastic greeting of my dogs when I enter. Maybe everyday life just crowds out creativity. Could it be that my creative seed just longs to be scattered to the four winds instead of making dinner?

I'll bet there is a soul killing agent in laundry detergent ."Guaranteed to get out the stain of the quest for adventure no matter how deeply it is set in."

Okay, that's a bit dramatic.

But see what happens when I spend too much time at home?

(There goes the Housewife of the Year Award.)

Travel = Happy

My happy owner atop Mr. Vesuvius.

I don't know if getting there is still half the fun or not, with flight attendants cursing passengers and pilots having melt downs mid flight. I doubt it. But planning what you will do once you arrive, imagining how much fun you will have, and envisioning what you will wear is lots and lots of fun. Madame is now in the midst of planning a trip that will take her to places she knows little about, so research is in order.

When studies of happiness are done, it isn't surprising to learn that spending money on experiences is a better investment than buying material objects. Once basic needs are met, THINGS offer up little satisfaction. The break or become obsolete. We often have buyer's remorse. It is the life blood of yard sales.

It's hard to imagine a trip you wish you hadn't made. Researchers tell us that not only is the journey itself contributing to your happiness, but you also enjoy the anticipation and planning, and talk about it for years afterwards making it a stable investment in your quality of life.

So the next time you are thinking about making a big purchase, especially because you are depressed or in a rut,  you might want to call your travel agent instead.

Happy travels, Y'all!