The BEST Travel Containers

I spent this past weekend in Atlanta for my brother's wedding which meant I had to pull out my trusty quart-sized Ziploc bag to stash all my liquids in per the good folks at airport security. But alas, I had lost the plastic bottle destined to hold my face wash. I ran over to the grocery store to pick another $.99 bottle, but there was no such container to be found. My only option was a slightly pricier variety that seemed fancier than what I required - but since it was the only option, I tossed it in my basket.

Well this week when I head to the store I'm picking up a couple more of these "fancy" bottles and I can't wait until I need to use them. So what makes these little pouches so special? Why am I oh so in love with them? Let me count the ways:

1. They're made from soft but sturdy silicone that is super easy to squeeze.
2. They balance on their caps so you don't have to shake the bottle to get your liquid out.
3. A large opening allows for easy filling and no spilling.
4. A no-spill nozzle ensures your goop doesn't leak and the cap doesn't get all gunked up.
5. The flip open cap is incredibly easy to open.
6. The 2 oz. version I purchased has a built in suction cup that really does stay put and allows for single-handed dispensing.
7. There is a built in ring you can adjust to show what the contents of your container are.

Have I sold you? The brand that makes these little tubes of joy is called Humangear and the tubes I am a total convert to are called GoToobs! A definite must for any frequent travelers out there. Plus they come in three sizes.

Headed to the NC

I'm escaping the cold for the weekend, flying down to North Carolina for a baby shower (for my soon to be neice!). Hello 55 and sunny.

In the mean time, check out this adorable and creative YouTube pick. Laura Veirs held a music video contest for her song "Don't Lose Yourself", and this was one of the entries. It's so well done, you won't believe it wasn't professionally made. Judging by the comments, they didn't win the contest, but I'm still enjoying the video (and song) on repeat...

Lazy Sunday: Simple Relaxation

Photo via Random Wisdom

As I type I’m flying somewhere over the Mid-West, on my way back to Denver after a great weekend in Pittsburgh. Yesterday we went to The Warhol Museum and I was really excited to see some of my favorite Warhol prints and drawings alongside cases of Andy’s personal effects – including his gray and black wig! Ok, sort of weird for me to be so excited about a dead guy’s old fake hair, but I was. They even had original sketches of the elaborate shows he produced for the Velvet Underground and original costume drawings from his many movies and theater productions. If you’re ever in PA and share a love of things Warhol I would definitely go. If you don’t care for pop art or know about The Factory, it probably isn’t worth the $15 adult admission price ($8 for students). 

Andy Warhol at The Factory via Magnifique

With midterm exams tomorrow, I am quite ready for this plane to land so I can get back to studying – unfortunately the tiny tray table makes my normally petite laptop seem massive and especially clumsy to maneuver, so breaking out my 10 pound accounting book is a definite no-go.

Were I not on a plane for the next few hours, I think this Lazy Sunday would best be spent doing some yoga, creating a highly nutritious and simple meal, and enjoying some meditation. I’m craving simplicity and clarity lately, and these activities seem the perfect way to start. Yoga is a great way to center your mind and body, build strength, and release tension and toxins from your muscles. Simple, fresh, plant-based meals are very easy for your body to digest and feed your cells with tons of nutrients and anti-oxidants to reverse the damage that stress and external contaminants (think air pollution, too much sun, chemical absorption) can cause. Finally, meditation helps slow our breathing and heart rate, decreases stress levels, and helps us to relax in order to attain deep, restorative levels of sleep. Never tried meditation before? Don’t fret; there are endless ways to get started. In fact, stay tuned, because today kicks off a whole week of simplicity-inspired blogging! First on deck? Meditation techniques for the meditative newbie. See you then!

 

CEO or Yu-Gi-Oh?

Photo via Readers Digest

The importance of networking is never underestimated in business school. Every professor will tell you that without networking you will not get anywhere in business - and thus around every corner you begin to anticipate meeting your future employer, discovering a new client, or forging the next great partnership. And so, with every flight I take, I board the plane rehearsing my elevator pitch in expectation of the friendly CEO I will be seated next to. They will promptly discover how charming and astute I am. Our witty banter and discussion of the corporate social responsibility climate will most certainly turn into a job offer on the spot (yes, I am just as surprised as you that this scenario has yet to play out).

So as I found my seat on a small United jet I was somewhat surprised to find my young seat-mate was not a high power CEO, but a pale, somewhat pimply twenty-something. "No worries", I comforted myself, "He's probably the next Bill Gates or Marc Zuckerberg. All the young tech geniuses today are a little awkward...and kind of smelly". However, before I had the chance to introduce myself and begin dazzling my audience with a carefully crafted personal bio and mission statement, "young Bill" was asleep and snoring rather loudly. 

Photo via PlayingZone

Well, needless to say my job offer did not come on the plane today. I discovered my seat-mate was flying from California to the Yu-Gi-Oh convention in Pittsburgh. I had no idea what that meant either, but it turns out that this weekend is not just your average convention but an invitation-only national tournament from which 4 finalists will be selected to compete in the World Championship in Tokyo come August. By the time I made it to the hotel lobby to pick up my room key at 11 this evening, a whole slew of young Yu-Gi-Oh champs had filled every spare table. Powered by massive cans of Arizona Iced Tea and bags of Chili Cheese Fritos, kids and adults alike composed their deck themes, searched for crush cards, and practiced their throw downs* for tomorrow's matches.

So I have to admit, it turns out my seat-mate was a big deal after all. This has got to be the biggest event ever for a lot of the people here, and it's kind of fun to see so many card-crazed duelists in one place. I have my fingers crossed that my seat-mate will hit it big and make it to Tokyo. After all, I still have the flight back to secure employment ;)

*I picked up a little Yu-Gi-Oh lingo in my travels. Apologies to any players out there if I butchered the use of these terms.

Bike Lane Love

Photo via treehugger

I discovered a new website today, GOOD, which is the online component of a magazine by the same name. GOOD compiles lots of interesting blogs, articles, and videos and is self-described as "an ongoing exploration of what GOOD is and what it can be". While I was checking out the site I came upon this post, content originally from TreeHugger, that made me giddy. The author explains that in Spain these ZEBRA bicycle lane dividers are used to keep cyclists safe by preventing drivers from ignoring bicycle lane dividing lines. The dividers, sort of an oval-shaped mini speed bump, are also made from 100% recycled plastic. Protecting cyclists who are practicing clean transportation through a recycled mechanism? What could be better! 

I have high hopes that these little ZEBRAs will be implemented here in the US, and soon. Biking to work or down the street to run errands is one of the quickest ways to ease gas guzzling automobile traffic and improve air quality in our immediate environment. Unfortunately, cyclists are often put in unsafe situations due to distracted, or simply bad, drivers. Utilizing a product such as ZEBRA dividers is a sustainable way to keep cyclists safe while making bicycle commuting more attractive to new riders who may be weary of cycling safety.

Bamboo Bicycles

Bamboo Bike via Calfee Design

According to the website, "This is not just a cool bike. It is appropriate for everyday use and for racing. The vibration damping is a performance advantage on longer rides."

Wondering what's so special about this road bike? Take a close look and you will see that this bike's entire frame is made from bamboo. Yup, you heard right, bamboo. The company that makes these wooden rides, Calfee Design, claims that bamboo bikes dampen vibrations like none other, are tough enough to take a major beating, and are lightweight to boot. I cannot comment on how these bikes ride as I have never had the pleasure, but if anyone has and would like to share their experience in the comments section I would love to hear about it. Calfee Designs also makes bamboo mountain bikes and a number of other lust-worthy cycles, check them out here. 

Another benefit of buying bamboo when it comes to your next two wheeler is that the carbon footprint is way lower than any other bicycle on the market. In addition to using smoked and heat-treated bamboo, the Calfee Design bike boasts hemp-fiber lugs (for those not into bicycles, lugs are basically connector bits that hold your bicycle frame together). Bamboo and hemp together?! That's two of the world's most sustainable, useful, and durable resources in one product! In case you didn't know, bamboo is the fastest growing wooded plant on the earth, growing up to 24 inches a day. Plus, utilizing bamboo in this form (meaning in the same whole structure it comes in naturally) requires way less processing than, say, making bamboo cloth fiber. 

Lazy Sunday: In Flight

Today's the kind of Sunday that has me dreaming I'm jetting off to a tropical destination. For me, getting there is half the fun - and when it comes to traveling, comfort is my main priority. My ideal travel outfit has to be a long, roomy tunic layered over a pair of capri-length cotton leggings (ideal for contorting into just the right position for a lengthy flight). To make long walks between terminals and security lines a breeze, I slip-on a pair of lace-free sneakers. I also like to travel prepared with little ammenities, as skimping on even the simplist forethought can make a day of jet setting an unbearable experience.

For me, this means always bringing my own snacks (fruit's my favorite) and my trusty waterbottle which I fill up right after I make it through security. A scarf is also a great way to block out excess light if you're trying to take a midflight nap, ball up into a pillow, wrap yourself in if you get cold easily, cover a frazzled travler hair-do with, or brighten up your complexion after a day of recycled air and UV exposure. I'm also sure to carry a moisturizing lip balm with me and an individual pack of scented hand wipes - these are a wonderful way to freshen up throughout the day, and when you choose scented varieties in lavendar or vanilla they can help anxious travelers relax too!

Lazy Sunday: Out to Sea

My Sunday has been anything but lazy, but while my hands have been busy typing case write-ups and my eyes scanning international economics review sheets - my mind has been out to sea all day. Combing the sand patiently for fragments of sea glass, perfectly smoothed by years of the ocean's rhythmic dance with the shore. Swaying gently with each wave's swell, lulling me into a contemplative state. Savoring each spray of salty refreshment, a welcome relief from the white heat of the sun intensified by the water's glassy reflection. In reality, it's back to offer curves and trade tariff theory. In my mind, my toes dig further into the warm sand - an anchor wedged deeply in a dream I refuse to leave behind.

Lunch at Adams Mountain Cafe

I'm lucky enough to have my mom visiting this weekend and we just returned from an exciting day of sightseeing and traveling about. One of our highlights of the day was a wonderful lunch in Manitou Springs at the Adams Mountain Cafe.  I had the Senegalese Vegetables atop udon noodles smothered in a flavorful peanut ginger sauce, sprinkled with currants, toasted almonds, and scallions. Mom went for the Peak Sandwich, an open face turkey sandwich on sunflower seed bread, topped with sherry creme sauce, spinach and tomato, and white cheddar cheese.  

The Senegalese veggies were perfect, the snow peas and celery still crisp.

A note on our table, we loved the message.

The towering sandwich.