Lessons Learned - TS Travel Fail

[trip style = any] 

In anticipation of our first getaway with two children under two {AND our dog}—WHAT were we thinking bringing the pup?!? {Sorry Mr. Nacho King}—I painted my nails red, did my hair and put on an extra swipe of mascara. All gussied up for the occasion, I was looking forward to a fabulous foray back into travel following a small hiatus pre- and post-Pink Styler's arrival. With almost 40 international flights and countless hotels under our collective belts WITH Blue Styler in tow, I felt like adding in a newborn and a dog would be no problemo, especially in the context of a local getaway. "We got this," or so I thought. 

The Planned Getaway
Our plan: Head to Whistler, a nearby resort destination, to relax in nature, spend some time in the pool, and let other people do the cooking. What could go wrong?!? I booked something posh with included spa amenities {steam + sauna} in the room rate and service befitting a five-star stay. Two cribs, two mini robes, diapering supplies and dog bowls were waiting in our room. 

The Fail
Turns out, we "don't got this"—at least on the first try. I'll start with the conclusion: We left early {after night no. 1 of a two-night stay} and abandoned a $250/night room. Fail. This happened for a few reasons, but in large part it was due to our failure to book a two-room suite so the little stylers wouldn't wake each other and we could drink wine in hotel bliss. 

To Be Fair
In an effort to be "fair" to our family travel fail, there were a lot of factors at play including Blue Styler getting over sickness, four people being in one room, a chorus of night wake-ups, and a dog who developed a crazy itch while we were there. The odds were stacked against us. We arrived at noon, decided at 6am the next morning the trip was a fail, and promptly left at 9am with red-rimmed eyes and a zombie stride in our step. I'm EVEN MORE embarrassed to admit the Trip Stylers even stopped at McDonald's on the way home. It was that kinda morning.  

Lessons Learned
1. Don't bring the dog {when attempting tester-style getaways}.
2. Do bring two strollers. We only brought one stroller, but having our second stroller for Blue Styler would have helped him sit still in a familiar seat for an extra moment. 
3. Do book a suite. At this stage {as the little stylers are learning to ignore each other in the night} booking a suite or a vacation rental with two bedrooms would have been a good starting strategy. Even with a sound machine to dampen noise, a studio hotel room does not cut it {right now, not forever}. It's fine with one little styler, not with two under two!
4. Choose to see this fail as a WIN. To quote the popular NBC PSA: "The more you know." 
5. Continue to measure life in moments.

All in all, the trip taught us a lot about our current family travel needs and served its purpose as a test trip given we've got a BIG trip booked in November. While I was a bit of a "mess" on the drive back, the situation helped us to appreciate our life at home all the more, and focused our thoughts toward a bunch of exciting changes we've been contemplating. And hey, at least my nails were still red. 

[photo by @tripstyler]

Uh, Travel WOW

[trip style = luxury]

One reason I love having Trip Styler as my near and dear travelog is because I have the honor of detailing trips that are worth the journey AND bringing you along {an opp I don't take lightly}. Over my Trip Styling span, a few airlines, hotels, restaurants and experiences have stood out:

• Bonaire: Learning how to windsurf from the World Jr. Champ {and only finding out about his title mid-lesson} in a salt-water lagoon
• Italy: Discovering an island full of thermal springs and gorgeous everything
• Thailand: Glamping in the Golden Triangle at an elephant conservancy
• Canada: Catching a salmon and eating it for dinner at a remote fishing lodge
• Dubai: Indulging in a hammam treatment at one of the Middle East's most spectacular spas
• Morocco: Stand-up paddling at the edge of Sahara Desert where its dunes meet the Atlantic Ocean's edge
• Austin, TX: Eating up the incredible food and restaurant design that add spice to the it city 
• Lanai: Exploring my spirit hotel and island
• Hong Kong, London and Dubai: Flying 'high' with airlines such Cathay Pacific, Virgin Atlantic and Emirates which excel at service and style

I started recalling my travel wow moments when I saw a video made by Casey Neistat, a "power" YouTuber with more than 4.7 million followers. He just flew Emirates' business class for the first time and documented the whole thing. His reel reminded me of everything I loved about my Emirates travel wow experience—mattress on the life-flat seat when you go to bed, Godiva chocolates at turndown, in-seat massage modules—and why I'm saving my Alaska Airlines points for a business class ticket with Emirates {an Alaska partner} to the Maldives.

Please enjoy his travel wow moment, and remember: If you ever save your airmiles or splurge on a special ticket, never {EVER} go to the airplane's bar in socks {like Casey}.  

In-flight {+ at-home} Beauty Tips from the Most Glam Squad in the Sky

That's me {center} in top-to-toe Virgin-wear

[trip style = any]

A few years ago I hopped on a Virgin Atlantic flight across the pond to attend the airline's grooming class, a one-day spiff-session every crew member takes {including ground crew} to learn about Virgin's top primping and priming techniques for travel.

At the risk of being a "Captain Obvious," it was one of the best assignments I've ever taken. I mean, YES to learning tips for gorgeous gallivanting from the most glam squad in the sky! 

In my new life with two tiny stylers in tow, I don't have time to lallygag when I get ready for the day, so Virgin's jet-lag fighting skincare, go-to hairstyles and two-minute makeovers are MORE relevant than EVER {even at home}! 

For an Expedia story I recently wrote, I contacted Virgin to see if they were teaching new go-tos for sky-high grooming. The below list rounds up their greatest hits {which I've personally tried and tested over the years}, as well as a few new ones. With this I give you:

Grooming On the Go, Virgin-edition
*Coles notes below. For the FULL list, see my story in the Expedia Viewfinder.

Me {left} Interviewing Virgin crew during during a class break

1. Sky-high skin prep
How do Virgin’s red-suited crew come off a 14-hour flight with dewy skin while the rest of us look as dry as a desert? Here’s how: Plump skin is more than just a dab of moisturizer and a swipe of eye cream. Virgin teaches that sky-high skincare happens round-the-clock with high-quality products and regular facials to maintain a cared-for complexion. It doesn’t stop here. The night before your flight give the skin you’re in a good cleanse, exfoliation, and hydration boost {think: moisturizing mask}—a regime that will do wonders for your skin’s luminosity upon arrival.

Sky-high skin prep

2. Moisturize more
“If you spend money on only one skin-saver, buy a good moisturizer,” my grooming goddess told me. The day they fly, recruits are taught to use more than their average dollop of hydrating cream to ensure their face maintains a glow, even on the go.

Moisturize more

3. High-altitude hair
One way to ensure hair stays put and full of flair while flying is wear it up in a coiffed and chic do. The bonus of this mane methodology is the dividends it pays upon landing; instead of looking like you’ve been flying for 10 hours, you look like you walked out of salon. If your tresses are shoulder-length or shorter, bring a comb to spruce it up with a touch of backcombing and smoothing before deplaning.

High-altitude hair

4. The two-minute makeover
One of my favorite tips—which is equally applicable to jet-setting and real life—is Virgin’s two-minute makeover. For guys, it’s meticulous facial grooming, and for gals it’s mascara, cover-up, blush, and red lips {all of which help hide tiredness}. Upgrade the look with classic Virgin shadow colors of lilac or grey, powder, and bronzer to go from bare to brilliant in five minutes flat.

The two-minute makeover

5. The right red
To match that perfect shade of Virgin red, ladies sport the classic red lip. If you think you’re not a red lipstick kind of gal, think again. Rebecca Creer, Chief Beauty Officer at Virgin Atlantic, believes there’s a shade of red to suit every woman, and suggests starting with a blue-red hue for a bright and chic look.

The right red

Et voila: a fresh-faced arrival!

Measure in Moments

[trip style = any]

I realize it has been a month since I posted here. Time flies when you have two tykes under two, are recovering from a C-section, and have a sick dog to name just a few things currently going on at TS HQ. 

Somehow, through all of this, I had an epiphany, which I want to share as a lens to view travel and, well, LIFE. 

---> Measure {Life} in Moments <--- 

I'm sure some coach or sage or proverb preaches the same thing. In fact, Tony Robbins probably has a convention on the topic. Either way, through a series of events, I've concluded we put too much pressure on ourselves, as well as expectations on everything else to be near-perfect—think: our health, a trip, a night out, ANYTHING. And yet, hitches are inevitable, which is why I'm starting to count my blessings in moments rather than days, months or years. 

To use travel as an example: A trip is rarely Instagram-perfect. Seriously, do you know how many "takes" are required to capture that sultry sunset, mystical landscape, pouty profile shot or ba-na-nas brunch spread? There are always delays, inclement weather, a spilled drink, an off dish, or a botched hotel stay. Oftentimes these situations are one-offs; sometimes they happen in succession.

When we let ourselves get down by a frustrating event, or allow an unsavory situation to mar an entire journey, we sell it AND our enjoyment short. So, live in the moment, but more importantly, DWELL in the good moments, and know that the bad bits are also just moments.

[photos by @tripstyler]