PACK A HAT

With more and more reports about the dangers of skin cancer not to mention premature aging,it's important to wear a hat. Last year I picked up a reversible hat from CVS for $9.99. It is black on one side which is perfect for me since my base color theme is black. The reverse side was a black and white paisley print. My mother is a hat lover and will often take four or five of them on a trip. She suggested getting a bright colored flower or two from Michaels and safety pinning or velcroing it to the hat for a completely different look. It was a great idea and it not only customized my outfit but I got a lot of compliments as well. Even though the hat packs well, I opted to wear it on my travel days.

WEAR OR PACK COMFORTABLE WALKING SHOES

One of the most important things to do when you travel is to wear or pack comfortable walking shoes. When you are off on a new adventure or trip remember this is not the time to break in a new pair of shoes. You can't imagine how many vacations or business trips have been ruined because someone decided that new shoes would look great. They probably do but the discomfort of breaking them in could break you as well. Wear your heaviest shoes on the day you fly, or take a train or bus. Pack your other shoes. Make sure that the shoes or sneakers that you do most of your walking in have good support and are comfortable. For getting on planes I recommend sneakers with velcro fasteners or slip on shoes that are easy to get in an out of during the security check.

THE SUPER LIGHT CARDIGAN STYLE WRAP

I was window shopping the other day in Montclair, NJ, when I came upon this elegant cardigan style wrap at Oasis. It is perfect for the savvy light weight packer. Amy (above) is modeling the wrap in a beautiful shade of wine. Besides your basic black and wine it comes in a variety of colors including red, teal and brown. Manufactured by Chris & Carol, the wrap is made in the U.S.A. which I find to be a plus. It is made of 95% Polyester and 5% Spandex and can be machine washed and tumble dried. I will be taking a black wrap on my transatlantic cruise this May. I will be posting my daily attire on that trip, in which I will only use an under the seat suitcase. The goal is for 36 unique outfits in 14 days all from that small bag. The Chris & Carol wrap is certain to be a hit!

MAKE YOUR SUITCASE DISTINGUISHABLE FROM THE NEXT

Always make sure your suitcase is distinguishable. Consider that you are at a crowded airport or a busy train station and you are asking for directions. For a brief moment you have forgotten your bag and when you look for it it is gone. If your suitcase is well marked with bright luggage straps or tags it is much easier to spot and report. As a matter of fact, your identifiable suitcase is most likely to be bypassed by a thief for another plainer bag. When it comes to baggage claim, let those black generic bags go round and round, you will be able to recognize your suitcase immediately. 

OVERPACKED? SHIP IT BACK!

Last night I went out to dinner with my friend Melanie. She had recently taken a trip to Florida and knew that the bag she was planning to check would be over the limit allowed. She decided to visit her local post office and mail some of the clothing she would be needing to her final destination. If you find that you have too much to take back and you are traveling in the United States, consider shipping back the excess. Priority Mail flat rate boxes could offer a solution that is better then the penalty fees at the airport. It is truly amazing, how much you can cram into one of those boxes. I used to ship my dirty clothes back that way but the boxes work just as well on either end of a trip.

EXPANDABLE POUCHES

Expandable pouches are great packing additions. They not only provide a place for those extra travel items that we seem to accumulate during a trip but they can also be used as a day bag when we are out touring. I usually attach mine to the outside of my suitcase.

CALL YOUR CREDIT CARD COMPANY BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE USA

When you are planning a trip outside of the US let your credit card company know. Give them a call before you leave to tell them where you plan to travel. Ask if they have any specials going on with banks, stores or hotels. Also ask them for phone numbers that you should call in case you need assistance while abroad. Take those number along with your credit card number and security code on the back and email them to yourself. This way you will be able access the information in case your card is lost or stolen. There is nothing worse then finding out your credit card has been cancelled because your credit company thinks your account has been compromised. Call before you go for added security.

PACKING THE BOTTOM OF A WHEELED SUITCASE

The inside of a wheeled suitcase is made up of the rods that support the expandable handle. Because of this, the lined interior is marked by crevices. I fill the crevices with my underwear, stockings and socks, trying my best to create a smooth area before I add my next layer. I usually do not roll as rolling often takes up more space. The only exception I make to rolling is when I roll socks to fill the cups of certain bras and bathing suits. Flat shoes can also be packed in the crevices. Remember to always wrap the shoes in either shoe bags or plastic bags.

IN 1779, MANY CONTINENTAL SOLDIERS ARRIVED IN MORRISTOWN, NJ WITH ONLY THE CLOTHING ON THEIR BACKS

During the Continental Army's winter encampment of 1779 and 1780, George Washington stayed in the home of Mrs. Jacob Ford, Jr. (above), while many of his soldiers spent the bitter-cold months camping in tents while awaiting the completion of log cabins. That winter, with its 24 snow storms, proved to be the worst in the known history of the time. Most soldiers arrived on foot, poorly clad and packing virtually nothing but what they wore. Yesterday Steve and I went to Washington's Headquarters Museum in Morristown, NJ, which is operated by the National Park Service. It is easy for us to forget how many of our forefathers suffered for the freedom we have today. Some of the men endured with rags for shoes and only a blanket for protection. There were times when men went hungry for days, in some cases eating bark from the trees. How fortunate we are today to be the benefactors of such brave and committed men. Let us never forget the sacrifices they made. If you are in the Morristown, NJ area please consider a visit to the museum and Ford mansion, which played such an important part in our nation's history. Call 973-539-2016 for information.

THE ESSEX BAR AND GRILL IN BLOOMFIELD, NJ

Oh, I am loving restaurant.com. That's how I found the Essex Bar and Grill in Bloomfield, NJ. Using one of the coupons that I printed out from the restaurant.com site and plugging in the restaurant directions on my iPhone GPS, we were good to go. The restaurant with a banquet  hall annex is beautiful on the outside and the bar inside looks like it came from the set of the "Cheers" TV show. The staff was friendly and Brittany, our server, could not have been nicer. We started out with broccoli rabe which was so good we had to order more to take home. Steve ordered a large salad along with a pepper and egg sandwich while I ordered the tuna salad platter. Everything was delicious and we plan on returning next weekend. As we were leaving they were setting up for karaoke. We were told they bring in bands too. So we are giving the Essex Bar and Grill thumbs up!

PACK LIGHT FOR AN NCL FREESTYLE CRUISE

Of all the cruise lines that I have been on, NCL is the most informal. The casual nature of NCL is due to their "Freestyle" theme. Freestyle cruising allows the passengers to choose when and where they want to dine on the ship. You don't have to be regimented to a set dinner time nor be banished to the buffet if you don't want to participate in the formal evenings. As a result, the passengers don't have to bring as many outfits, which helps them to scale back on their luggage. In a sense, NCL has gone green!

RESTAURANT SAVINGS AT RESTAURANT.COM

Eating out, while you travel, can be hard on the wallet, but sites like restaurant.com make it easier. Actually,restaurant.com makes finding a restaurant fun and affordable. Recently a friend and I had dinner at Mediterranea in Montclair, NJ. We found it on the restaurant.com site where we could check the menu in advance, print out a discount coupon and make our reservation. One stop planning, it was great. Our coupon, which cost $3.00, gave us $25.00 off a required purchase of $45.00. Mediterranea serves a wide variety of Mediterranean dishes. We started out with hummus, and because I am new to this kind of cuisine, we tried the sampler platter. The platter had eight different items including baba ghannoush, stuffed grape leaves and green foul. All in all, I loved the food and the baklava we had for dessert, was the best I had ever tasted. An added plus to the experience was the staff. Lance, Nick and Victor waited on us and were very patient and informative with our questions.