#series: 5 tips for the business traveler

5 Tips for the Business Traveler: Always remember your parking spot - take a picture on your phone of the wayfinding - the latest pic will lead you back to your car. - upupandaways.com

5 Travel Tips Travel Tips 55 Travel Tips5 Travel Tips

I have some go-to things I do for business travel. I have a system for packing that maybe crazy but I am a speedster through security. I have every pocket organized so I know where I stashed my favorite pen or the gum when my ears start popping at 5000 feet. But these are things everyone does (well at least I hope I am not the only crazy out there). Here are the tips I try to follow as I travel about the country…

1. Remember where you parked.
Seriously – you don’t want to be wandering the parking deck at midnight pressing the panic button (been there). I now have a system – I take a picture of the location I parked with my phone and then grab my phone as I head out to the parking deck, look up the last dated photo and it leads me to my car (without having to reach for the panic button) every time.

2. Stop and Enjoy.
I purposely fill my travel days with non-stop work. Some of this is due to necessity and some of it is so I won’t miss my family. But even when I am traveling solo, it is important to realize that I am blessed. Not everyone has the opportunity to travel and see the world.  So take a moment – write an email while overlooking the Bellagio Fountain, walk down to the beach in the morning before work while in Santa Monica or grab coffee in bustling downtown Cincinnati at Coffee Emporium with the locals. 

3. Wifi is your bff on flights
I think I am most productive on my flights from DTW to LAX. I work furiously until the battery dies. I feel like I get almost 2 work days out of 5 hours. I am ninja focused and the wifi is so slow, I can’t do anything but email. (pinterest is just painful to load at 10k feet). Spring for the wifi – it’s worth the peace of mind.

4. Yelp and eat like a local
If you are not fortunate enough to have a local guide (client or co-worker), hit up yelp to find the best new restaurants, hidden happy hours or killer views. Sit at the bar, make friends and feel like a local. I make my selection based on a place that has over 50 reviews with a rating of 4 or higher. When you find the negative reviews are things like: they only have microbrews on tap… or the food is too snobby – well I know I have found my place.

5. Remember the family and always bring something home. 
It is easy to forget when I am tired of traveling that my husband would have loved to have seen this restaurant or liked this shop. While I can’t bring along Doug and Mags on every trip, I can bring something back to let them know that I thought of them. I always try to find something unique to the city – no lame postcards allowed. This picture is courtesty of Bottega Louie – a place I ate at and then brought back some of these wonderful cookies to Doug.

And yep, I am typing this at 4 in the morning LA time because I am on another business trip and the time change gets me everytime! Happy Travels.

greenville – a getaway staycation

GreenvilleOneMemories from GreenvilleAbout two weeks ago we went to Greenville, SC on a bit of a getaway “staycation” kind of a trip. Doug’s parents offered us the use of their home in Greenville for the week and we were excited to explore this city. I was blown away. Really. Who knew this incredible approachable, foodie-filled city was just here? Well I think we just about visited 2 new restaurants a day, discovered about 5 parks, explored the beer culture and enjoyed this beautiful city with a river running through it. I was in awe. I don’t think I have experienced a downtown as vibrant as this one outside of Chicago or New York. It was packed with families, side walk cafes, street musicians and offered the southern hospitality available only in the deep south. Maggie was in heaven and we took our time to relax, read (I even got through the entire Harvard Business Review this month!) and build memories. Throughout a vacation, I often tuck away memories and think “I need to remember this moment”. I had quite a few of them, but perhaps my favorite moments on this trip were seeing Maggie discover her love for the outdoors. An unforgettable date night to celebrate my Masters (more on that to come) and hanging out with my BFF, Barbie, for a girls night out. There are alot of “Remember this moment” pictures but I thought I would share one that really puts the reason behind vacations into perspective. It is about connecting with family and building the moments that make up the fabric of your story together.

conversations in seattle

Conversations in Seattle

It was about two years ago that we headed off to Maui and thankfully Doug scheduled a lay-over for a day in Seattle. We knew we were pregnant at the time and I remember Seattle with conversations of what it would be like to be a parent. I love discovering new places with my best friend and our travels together are filled with some of the best talks.

up up snap of the day

A winter day in Arizona - snowfall on the Grand Canyon

While watching the snowfall in Michigan today, I thought of one of my most memorable snowfalls – our visit to the Grand Canyon. It was in March and we were wondering if the flakes would hold off long enough for us to see the canyon. We had such luck that we arrived and the clouds cleared and we were amazed at the beauty and epicness (yeah it needs it’s own made up word – it is just that amazing) of this natural wonder. I can’t wait to take M back to share this with her.

Have you ever had a nature experience like that?

30

30 in year 30

Turning 30 has inspired me to set some goals and try some new things. So here is my list for the year:

1. Visit a new state (21 to go till we hit all 50)
2. Start a family
3. Print photo books of our past trips
4. Finish my Masters Degree at SCAD in Interactive Design (3 classes left to go)
5. Blog for a year
6. Take a family roadtrip
7. Get or renew passports for the whole family
8. Use our passports
9. Make an ebook and post online
10. Buy a piece of original art
11. Fly somewhere as a family
12. Surprise Doug once a month
13. Finish a painting inspired by travel
14. Learn how to split hostas
15. Buy a piece of original art as a souvenir
16. Go to the zoo
17. Get a family picture taken
18. Can vegetables
19. Lose the baby-weight
20. Find a pair of shoes to replace my famous “red pair” that Chloe ate a year ago
21. Design and decorate our guest room
22. Write and illustrate a children’s book for Maggie
23. Visit a new art museum
24. Go hiking as a family
25. Do a pro-bono design project for something I believe in
26. Make a family portrait wall
27. Write a letter or card once a month
28. Find a black hat to replace the one I lost in LA earlier this year
29. Find a new signature hairstyle/haircut
30. Read through the New Testament