Archives for January 2019

I wouldn’t say I’m a travel expert by any means, but I have been on ~20 long haul flights in the last 3 years, so I feel like I have almost gotten my prep down to a perfect science. Long haul flights are exhausting – we are often cramped into tiny seats, for hours and hours at a time, trying to get a decent amount of rest, but we all know how hard that is. There are so many factors that are out of our control, so I like to do as much in advance as possible to atleast make the things I can control more enjoyable. My top tips & tricks are below!

SLEEP

Buy & bring an Ostrich pillow – We all know that sleeping on a plane can be difficult, but with it’s super soft jersey material, and bead-like interior, the Ostrich Pillow makes it so much easier.  This O shaped travel pillow lays on top of your eyes and ears, blocking out sound and light, and acts as a rest for the head. I first discovered it’s magic a few years ago when my {now} husband had a medical emergency when travelling. My {now} sister-in-law, Katelyn, had an Ostrich pillow with her and let me borrow it when it became clear I would have to spend the night at the hospital in a chair – It blocked out the beeping machines, the lights from other patients and made my awkward angles comfortable enough for me to get a few hours rest. Ever since that moment, I have sworn by this travel accessory, making it my #1 must-have. More recently, I have discovered the brands newer item – this neck support pillow which I only bring on long haul flights because it is such a pain to carry around {it’s much more bulky than it’s sister product!} But y’all, as much as I hate carrying this product through the airports, it makes sleeping so much more pleasant when on the plane. AKA it’s 1000% worth it.  It’s also covered in the same soft jersey material as its sister, but instead of having a soft beaded interior, this pillow is made of a more stiff insert that gives your neck the support it needs. This past Christmas, when flying to Switzerland, I had a middle seat in the middle row {literally the worst of the worst} and had it not been for this little guy, I wouldn’t have slept at all!

Don’t forget an eye mask – If you have the ostrich pillow already, then you don’t necessarily need an eye mask, but I always travel with one anyway in case I need it post travel days. For example, sometimes my husband stays awake longer than I do, or the windows in the hotels don’t have sufficient black out shades,  so I find it really convienient to have this eye mask on hand. It takes up zero space in my carry on tote, and because I love the way the soft silk feels on my eyes I will often layer it under the ostrich pillow when traveling too {why not?!} Pro tip: even though they aren’t as pretty, buy the navy or black silk – the lighter colors are prettier, but will show make up and dirt.

Bring your own sleep aid – If you have trouble falling asleep while flying, I can’t recommend Melatonin enough. This herbal remedy is sure to help ease the toughest of sleepers into a soundful slumber. I’m sensitive to medicine, so I use this brand which is safe for children {and only 1mg}, but if you’re less sensitive, Vitafusion has 3mg per gummy and will certainly do the trick. It also comes in pill form if gummies aren’t your thing.

COMFORT/EASE

Change into sweatpants – My parents grew up during the golden age of travel – a time when flying was not only luxurious but also something to get dressed up for. Forget the destination! Flying was the event. Fast forward 30+ years, and flying has become a lot more relaxed, and although I don’t wear my ‘Sunday best’ when I travel, I do think my parents instilled in me to always look somewhat put together. There is the age old saying of ‘you never know who you are going to run into’ and I honestly couldn’t agree more. I know I would be mortified if I saw someone I knew and I looked like a total slob while walking through the airport. Long haul flight or not, save the sweatpants for your seat. Speaking of which…as soon as I’m on the plane and settled into my seat, I privately change into these sweatpants. I don’t like to wear clothes that restrict me or dig into my skin and these sweatpants will keep me as comfortable as possible when trying to sleep. I love these particular sweatpants because they are warm without making me hot and they roll up into a small enough ball that they don’t take up a ton of room in my carry-on tote. 30 minutes before landing, I change back into my jeans and am ready to face the world again.

Pack an oversized scarf {this one comes in four different colors} – The temperature on a plane is unpredictable, so I always pack a scarf to have as a layer incase I get cold. It’s lighter than a full-on sweater, but gives you that extra coverage if your t-shirt isn’t enough. My Favorites are these ones from Shopbop.

Pack a pair of long socks – There is nothing worse than being too cold on a flight, and for me, that starts with my feet. If my feet are cold, then so is the rest of me! I can’t stand bare ankles when flying, so I always pack a tall sock. These are my favorite {because they’re thin but keep you warm} but any brand will do. Bonus points if they are compression socks!

PACK YOUR OWN ACCESSORIES

Bring your own pair of earphones – Unless you’re flying first class or business, you don’t want to rely on the earphones handed out to you for free by the airline. They’re often broken and/or inefficient and can make your ears hurt if you use them for long periods of time. I always pack my own set, and for that there is no better option than the AirPod Pros. I swear by these! I even own multiple pairs because I use them so frequently.

Never lose a charge – Travel days are often long and when I’m abroad, things tend to take a little longer to load on my phone, which then in turn drains my battery quicker than I’m used to. This portable charger has been my favorite for the last year or so because of its compact size and ability to charge my phone from dead to full 2x over before recharging. I also love its compact size – it doesn’t take up a ton of room and it isn’t massively heavy {something I definitely couldn’t say about the Anker}. You never want to be stuck in a situation where you need your phone, and it’s dead, so this little guy is the perfect security blanket.

Buy your own water/bring your own snacks – before you board the plane, buy yourself a large bottle of water. They will serve beverages throughout the flight, but its nice to have your own so you can fall asleep without having to worry about knocking over your cup of water, or missing the service altogether. Also, I always pack a few of these Kind bars – I hate feeling hungry on a flight because there is nothing you can do but wait for the next meal handout. These are my favorite because they’re filling and delicious!

Bring your own entertainment – there is nothing worse than getting onto a flight and realizing that you forgot your book or that your TV doesn’t work. I always have a plethora of podcasts and tv shows downloaded in advance so I can pass the time easily and/or have something to fall asleep to! I also love a good book, so bringing one or two of those is always a smart idea if you have the space in your carry on. Right now I’m listening to Dr. Death – a podcast about a corrupt doctor in Dallas, and currently downloading ‘You‘ on the Netflix app which I’ve heard is equal parts creepy and addicting.

STAY HYDRATED

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate – It shouldn’t be surprising that airplanes dry you out – The humidity level in the cabins of most commercial airlines is just 10 percent to 20 percent {sometimes even lower!} For reference, the average humidity for a room in your house is anywhere from 30 to 65 percent. Because of this, I apply a layer of serum and moisturizer as soon as I step foot on the plane to give my skin a heads start on hydration. I also try to drink as much water as possible. This will do wonders for not only your skin, but for your jet lag as well. Last but not least, I love to pack these cooling eye gels to help fight the puffiness I know I’ll be feeling when I land. They are slick on one side, cotton on the other, so they don’t slide down your face, or leave a slimy mess on your face. Plus they feel like they’ve been cooling in a refrigerator even when they haven’t! In case you’re wondering – I always pack a few of my most essential beauty items in my carry on when traveling in case my checked bag gets lost.

Do not wear mascara – Have you ever fallen asleep with mascara on? It’s the worst. Your eyes ache, and they look all puffy, and often times dry, crumbling mascara will be cascading down your cheeks. I typically go to the airport without make up on, but if thats not your thing, then remove it as soon as you step foot on the plane. Go to the little bathroom and use a make up remover to take it off, and then follow with your most hydrating serum and moisturizer.

Hand sanitizer/wipes – hardly need to explain this one. Planes are so. dang. dirty. Wipe down your seat once you get on the plane, and then use hand sanitizer after using the restroom {even after washing your hands}. I don’t do these things every time I travel, but if it’s cold & flu season, and I’m trapped on a plane for 8+ hours you can bet your bottom dollar that I do!

Brush/toothbrush toothpaste – Fall asleep or not, everyone should brush their teeth before getting off a long flight. I always keep my toothbrush and travel paste handy and when I go to the restroom to change out of my sweatpants back into my jeans, I always brush my teeth. You will feel so much better once you do, and it will wake you up a bit too!

Last but not least, if you are checking a bag, put atleast one change of clothes and underwear + anything you couldn’t live without in your carry on should your bag get lost. International airports are a zoo and I can’t tell you how many times my checked back has gotten lost. It always shows up a day or two later, but I have definitely learned my lesson. Also, last but not least, NEVER check your jewelry or any electronics. Or really anything of value! Always bring those with you on the plane. 

Well, there you go! Those are my tried & true tricks for guaranteeing the most successful long haul flying experience. I hope you found those helpful, and if you have anything to add please leave a comment below!

image via

Myabe you’re going to New Orleans, you’ve been, or you just want a taste of it, and your overwhlemed by the large assortment of king cake options out there. Trust me, I get it. I’m a local and even I can get overwhelmed! It’s changed so much since I moved away 12 years ago –  with new bakeries, and new styles of cakes popping up and becoming the new hottest cake in town. But with that being said, I have had my fair share of the stuff, and I’d say my palate for it is pretty good, so you’re gonna wanna take notes 😉 #justsayin

Haydel’s Bakery – Let’s start with the best of the best, shall we? Haydel’s Bakery is by far the best king cake to order for out of state delivery. It is slightly more expensive because you are paying for overnight shipping, but the cake will be well worth it. I always either order the ‘Traditional‘ king cake package which has icing and sugar or the ‘Sugar Only‘ –  the main difference is that the icing version is slightly sweeter. With that being said, regardless of topping, I always, always choose no filling. I am not into the fruit or cream cheese stuffing options. Plain and simple is my go-to!

Manny Randazzo’s – I believe that when McKenzie’s shuttered in 2000, people either went one of two ways – either to Haydel’s or to Randazzo’s. Randazzo’s king cakes are just as popular as Haydel’s, with a 30 minute wait at any given time during Mardi Gras season. However, I prefer the more traditional king cake with granulated sugar and Randazzo’s cakes are icing + sprinkles. For this reason, Randazzo’s cakes come in second place to Haydel’s for me. The cakes also run about $10 more than Haydel’s to ship.

FYI – Manny and his wife got into a nasty divorce and she has since opened up her own bakery selling the ‘same’ recipes under her name. There are also several family members, all with bakeries, all with Randazzo’s in the name. It can be confusing, and I’m not here to say one is better than the other, but when people ask, I always suggest Manny’s.

McKenzie’s Bakery {Tastee Donuts} – Speaking of my youth, McKenzie’s king cakes were it when we were kids. It was all the moms ever brought when we had Mardi Gras parties at school because they used to make these king cakes that were the size of giant hot wheels tracks. They only ever used sugar as a topping, and a maraschino cherry was always plopped on one end {their signature}.  To pull from this article: “The McKenzie king cake is a study in simplicity. The cake is moist brioche. There is no filling or even cinnamon inside. On top, it’s decorated with colored sugar and nothing else. Without a sticky layer of icing to hold down the sugar, each bite unleashes a cascade of purple, green and gold. Sometimes basic is best.”

Unfortunately for us, McKenzie’s closed down in 2000 after 65 years in the business and never reopened. The city of New Orleans mourned the loss of these infamous king cakes, and the bakery that had come to mean so much to locals. For years, we had to rely on other bakeries to fill the void, until very recently, Tastee Donuts bought the infamous McKenzie’s king cake recipe. Now, you can apparently buy the king cake from yesteryear, although I haven’t tried it and I can’t say that I believe it will really be the same. Can’t say I’m not intrigued though! Call to order {they ship} – (504) 483-9080

Sucre – Arguably the most beautiful king cake is from Sucre. Covered in a glossy sugar coating that has a metallic sheen, people love to send this cake because it is a showstopper. Far and away different looking than any other traditional king cake, the sucre order is memorable. But I’m not sure for the right reasons….I ventured over to their shop on Magazine last week while visiting my parents and was prepared for a different experience. What I wasn’t prepared for was the vast disappointment I felt when trying a piece of this cake for myself. It was goopy, and gummy and filled with some sort of whipped cream cheese which made the entire cake feel and taste slimy. It was beyond inedible. Maybe it’s just me and my penchant for traditional cakes, but I was so turned off I could only eat one bite. This cake is beautiful and that’s about it {IMO.}

Dong Phuong – Probably New Orleans’ most infamous King Cake is the one from Dong Phuong, a Vietnamese bakery in New Orleans East. Impossible to get your hands on, this cake isn’t your traditional sweet treat, but rather a horseshoe shaped croissant style cake with a cream cheese icing. Even though they made roughly 30,000 King Cakes in 2017 alone, I still haven’t been able to get my hands on one! Apparently there is a months long waiting list, and even pre orders sell out weeks in advance. Watch this video and see for yourself why these cakes are so popular!

Hi Do Bakery – Have heard incredible things about Hi-Do Bakery, based on the Westbank in Terrytown. Their cake is a nice plain brioche-style cake which is very similar to the McKenzies cake of yesteryear. The Hi-Do king cakes also don’t have the super sweet white icing on them… so if you like fillings but not cinnamon and icing, those might be worth a try. Also available in cool shapes including fleur de lis and crab, but take note, they only accept cash + check only.

Gambino’s Bakery – Gambino’s is a bakery that’s been around in New Orleans for decades, and a place more famous for their doberge cakes and petit fours than their king cake {IMO}. With that being said, their King Cake is still very delicious and one of the more traditional on this list! They ship worldwide, but just note that you have to assemble icing + sugar yourself once delivered and this {again, IMO} is messy and not a pretty sight.

When I originally posted to stories about my king cake order, I received hundreds of messages. The questions ranged from wanting to know about the history of Mardi Gras and the king cake, to gluten free options and if I had ever tasted the Phong Duong. I wanted to put a few of the most popular below – but if I’ve skipped any, or you’re extra curious about anything else, let me know in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer!

What is the history behind Mardi Gras? Mardi Gras – aka Fat Tuesday – refers to events of the Carnival party season. Mardi Gras begins the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday (47 days before Easter) and ends on Lent.

What is king cake? It is a sweet, sweet, circular pastry (or cake or bread) that is that is (rightfully so) the focal point of Epiphany (a Catholic celebration on January 6). Most of us recognize the Louisiana-style king cakes that are a cake-y bread twisted into a ring and decorated with colored icing and sugar. Traditionally royal colors are used: purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power. These colors are meant to resemble a jeweled crown honoring the Wise Men when visiting baby Jesus on Epiphany. Whether made from cake batter or bread dough or pastry, almost all king cakes are shaped into a circle or oval as to represent a king’s crown.

Why is there a plastic baby hidden inside the King cake? Traditionally, every king cake contains a little plastic baby and whomever finds the baby in their slice of cake must buy the next cake and/or host the next party. Sometimes, due to the potential hazard of choking, bakeries will leave the baby out for the person who purchases the cake to hide it for his/her guests.

When do you start eating King Cake? I thought it was just Fat Tuesday King cake is ours to enjoy starting on January 6 for Epiphany, or Twelfth Night, which is when the three wise men arrived in Bethlehem to deliver gifts to baby Jesus. King cake stays on the tables throughout Carnival season, from Epiphany to Fat Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent).

Do you know of any gluten free options? I don’t specifically know of any gluten free king cakes, but that most certainly does not mean that they don’t exist! If you have a certain food allergy I would call the bakery before placing an order online.

What does ‘Da Parish’ mean? Da parish is a type of topping style – it means they put the granulated sugar on first, and then the icing on top of that.

Can you buy by the slice? Yes! If you go into the actual bakeries, most will let you buy by the slice!

Have you tried Blue Bell’s King Cake ice cream flavor? Yes! It is very good, but a little too sweet for me to eat an entire bowl of! But if you love sweet, and you love king cake, then you would love this ice cream!

A few weeks ago, when I posted on my Instagram stories about the fact that I gave up coffee, I got soooooo many questions about why! I didn’t really think it was all that weird – I was mostly announcing it because I was excited to have it again after two weeks in Europe! – but I’ve since realized that that is not normal behavior for most people, so what better place than here to address the why. 

To be completely honest, I am super sensitive to caffeine. It started sometime after college and has progressively gotten more noticeable. I have to be careful what type of coffee I drink too – if I go someplace that has real coffee {aka pretty much anywhere besides Starbucks} I usually order a half caff {half decaf, half caffeinated} or just full decaf. The reason why I mostly drink Starbucks coffee is because I find that it is not too strong for me. My order recently has been a tall whole milk iced latte {and then I add a few shakes of the vanilla powder}. If I were to try and drink a coffee {even a small one!} after 11am, I most likely would have trouble falling asleep that night. I don’t know what it is! But my sister also has a super sensitivity to caffeine and hasn’t drank any in years!

Believe it or not, I actually notice that sugar keeps me awake too if I have a big bowl of ice cream before bed. Thankfully I’m not too much into sweets, but I did love ordering a ‘Coupe Denmark‘ in Geneva and had to give them up because I wasn’t falling asleep until 5 in the morning!

Anyways, long story short, I give up coffee while in Europe because it is much too strong for me. The machines and the coffee there tends to be so much stronger, and I don’t care enough to fool with a fancy decaf. If I pass by a Starbucks, I’ll sometimes stop, but for the most part I just don’t bother! Anyways, I love a coffee in the mornings because it reminds me of my routine, but I really don’t rely on it for a boost of energy so it isn’t hard for me to give it up here and there. I often switch to drinking tea which is a nice change of pace, and when I go to Munich next week, I’m sure it will be a nice warm reprieve from the cold!

When I am home, and drinking my usual coffee, I keep it pretty simple. I make an espresso with our Nespresso machine, and then pour about a cup of two of Vanilla NutPods creamer on top. I then fill with ice. These travel cups are my favorite if I’m on the go, but if I’m sticking around the house, I’ll use a Tervis Tumbler with one of my reusable silicon straws. My husband uses these double insulated glasses for his hot coffee, which I also love if I decide to go the hot route. Lastly, my husband drinks his coffee black, but I always have to have creamer, and if I go the hot route, I depend on this Nespresso frother. It warms the milk up and makes it super frothy. I swear it makes it 10x better!

How do you drink your coffee? Are you a one cup or 10 cup kinda person? Sound off in the comments and let me know!