Travel Tips

Today I'm flying to Washington State to visit my family for a month! I'm dragging along the dog and the boyfriend is going to meet us out there in early January. I'm excited to see my family, but not so excited about the travel.

I tried to make it better by scheduling my first blowout at the brand new DryBar on the Upper East Side. It just opened today, so I used the opportunity to get in one last run in Central Park before getting my hair done. I loved the blowout and the whole experience, but then the ladies at the front told me that because it was their first day, they were comp'ing the blowout! Count me in as a fan of this chain. I will definitely be hitting them up again.

Mason's all ready to go!

I actually have a few recommendations for flying. I'm not exactly a frequent flier, but I do fly back to Washington to see my family at least twice a year, and typically fly 2-3 times to other locations. I've found the following suggestions really make a difference in how I feel both during and after the flight.

1. Take off your makeup before you board and moisturize periodically. My vanity sometimes prevents me from doing this, especially if I have any blemishes on my face that day. But my skin always looks MUCH better when I've spent the flight massaging cream onto my face and hands. The air in a plane is incredibly drying, so not only do I moisturize, I also spray my face with Evian's water mist. It's totally an indulgence, but it feels so nice after three hours of dry, stale air.

2. Bring your own water. The tiny cups of H2O the flight attendants provide just doesn't cut it. I usually chug a bottle before going through security, bring an empty bottle to fill at the airport, AND buy a bottle before boarding. If you like to have a glass of wine or a beer before flying then drink it with a glass of water. Don't let yourself get dehydrated! With the added prsssure, it's easy to get a nasty headache. No fun. Also, if you drink that much...maybe get an aisle seat.

3. Have several entertainment options. I tend to get ADD when I'm on a plane and can't do any one thing for too long, and I'm pretty much incapable of sleeping on planes so I can't just sleep through the flight. So I need to keep myself entertained! I try to have a magazine, at least two books on my Kindle, and at least 3 movies on my laptop. I never know what I'll be in the mood for, and often I'll have a movie on while I flip through the magazine.

my snacks for tomorrow (missing the cut watermelon I'll be buying at the airport) 

4. Bring your own snacks. I never used to realize that you could do this! But as long as your snack isn't a liquid and won't go bad, you can bring your own snacks through security. I like to bring some almonds and a piece of fruit. Again, since planes are so drying, if you can bring something like chopped up watermelon, you'll be helping battle the dehydration problem. Oh, and bring your own tea bags! I try to bring herbal tea with me.

5. Wear slip-on shoes and pack thick socks. I like to wear shoes I can easily take off going through security, but those kind of shoes tend to leave your feet a bit cold. So I always pack a pair of thick socks in my purse that I can pull out and slip on to keep my toes toasty at 30,000 feet. But try to wear some kind of thin sock before boarding because you don't want to walk through security with bare feet. I had to do that once... it was unpleasant.

(source)

6. Get up and stretch! Doctors recommend getting up at least once an hour to move around and stretch. This will not only keep you from feeling like a 90 year old when you finally get off the plane; it's actually a matter of safety. You're much more likely to develop a blood clot if you don't move around at all while on the plane. Here are some yoga poses that you can do in the small space of your seat and the aisle.

7. Eat on the schedule of the place you're going to. My flight is at 2 PM Eastern Time tomorrow and I'll be arriving at 5 PM Pacific Time. It'll be 8 PM for me, but I'm not going to eat dinner until I get to Washington so that I can adjust to the time difference easier.

8. Dress in layers. Especially when it's cold, the temperature on your trip can fluctuate constantly. I like to wear a tank top with a pull-over sweater, a zip up sweatshirt or cardigan, and then a jacket on top that I normally stash in the overhead bin.

gorgeous sunrise over the East Side this morning

Now... I'm off to brave JFK during holiday madness with a dog. Wish me luck!

Are you traveling during the holidays? What are your travel essentials?