marie's blog

Sorry, but can you imagine bringing this pillow on your next flight? Although I am one of those people who prefer to nap in a forward position on an airplane, I must say that I can’t imagine this being very practical. I found this product while I was browsing the net for cool travel gadget and this photo really made me laugh... Hope it will make you smile too. Happy Friday!

Longchamp’s Line of Custom Bags Most bags aren’t suited for the wear and tear of travel, but Longchamp’s sturdy, foldable and super light bags stand the test of time. Now you have the option to create your own Longchamp bag, and the possibilities are endless. The process is simple: first, pick your model (Cabas or Pliage), then choose the size of the handles, select colors for the exterior and lining, and lastly, personalize with your initials. My Longchamp clutch doubles as a medicine/cosmetic bag, and I often pack a Pliage in my suitcase in case I need an extra bag to hold purchases I’ve made during my trip. 

On a monthly basis, Via Her World will feature a profile of a frequent woman traveler. Our first interviewee is Jessie Conners. Jessie Conners is a nationally acclaimed keynote speaker who appears at over 300 events per year. A wealth-building expert, she started her own marketing firm at 17 years old and began investing in real estate at 19. She has made countless television appearances, including The Apprentice, Oprah, CNBC and The Today Show. She received international attention from her appearance on the first season of the hit TV show, The Apprentice. So, Jessie, what have you been up to since the Apprentice? Wow. A lot happened since then. The Apprentice was almost 7 years ago! The year after the Apprentice, I started investing in real estate, buying and selling properties...

Have you ever stayed in a hotel room that didn’t smell that great? Well, it has happened to me a few times, even in nice hotels. Granted, my nose is a bit more sensitive than most, thanks to my previous career in the fragrance industry. However, I would like to recommend pocket sized candles for your next trip. In addition to covering potential “unusual odors”, it can help you recreate the smell of home in your hotel room. Here are a few I recommend that are small, light and will easily fit in a small corner of your suitcase: Travel by Land Candles are made using the finest ingredients. Each product is handmade in New York with 100% natural ingredients. They burn in 7 to 9 hours. Available at artintheage.com, $12 Jo Malone Travel Candles recreate the ambience of...

Ever fly out to a conference and wonder if anyone else you know is at the airport, or on the same flight? Let’s face it, linking up with an old friend at the airport is much more fun than waiting alone for that delayed flight.  Planely is a Copenhagen based website which received a great review in TechCrunch (for those of you who haven’t heard of it, TechCruch is a leading technology blog). To be honest I've only signed up today using my Facebook account, so I haven't used the service yet. Provided many people start using this service, it sounds promising!  Maybe I’ll see you on my next flight?  

I've just downloaded an app on my iPad called SitOrSquat: Bathroom Finder.  Available on the iPhone, Blackberry, and via the web, it shows you a map of nearby publicly accessible toilets and their level or cleanliness (should you "sit" or "squat"?). In the latest version of the iPhone app, users can search for toilets based on different criteria (i.e. search for bathrooms with baby changing tables or search for bathrooms that are open right now). It is available worldwide, but it seems that most of the 95,000 bathrooms listed are located in the United States. It's up to us to add more...  

  Most of us travel with the usual black rolling carry-on because it is convenient and also look professional, but how boring, right?  Well, one way to personalize your luggage is to use cool unique tags.  With the Holidays coming, luggage tags can also make a cool gift.  We looked around, and here are our favorites:   Area Code Tags: No matter where you are, show your hometown pride with these big, easy-to-spot luggage tags. They're personalized with your favorite area code, giving your bags an identity and helping them stand out on the luggage carousel.     Inventive Travelware has a really good assortment of luggage tags. They are made in durable plastic with space for standard size business cards.       Flight001...

Sure that sounds weird, but “Cuddle-class” is the next big thing in air travel!   So, what is it?  Air New Zealand has developed a new “Skycouch” which turns a row of three seats into a flat bed, thus allowing couples to “cuddle”, single travelers to spread out, or if you’re short enough, lie horizontally in economy class (oops “cuddle-class”).  Two people travelling together will be able to book the third seat in the row for half price. It’s encouraging that some airlines are still trying to find creative solutions to improve the economy class traveler’s comfort on long haul flights. However, at this point, the concept is only attractive to families or leisure travelers. How would you feel sharing the Skycouch with your boss on your next business trip?

Of course we all are serious professionals and we would never get drunk in a work setting; but sometimes after a long day at the office, or worse, a long flight overseas we have to go to a work event. Unfortunately, fatigue and jet lag don’t mix well with wine.  You feel slightly buzzed.  One thing leads to another and suddenly you realize you might be stuttering.  You get concerned that your clients, colleagues, or boss see that you are not 100% yourself. Sounds familiar? Sometimes a single glass of alcohol, combined with fatigue due to jet lag or just stress at work, can have disastrous effects. What should you do?  What can you do to prevent this from happening? During your flight: Some of us take sleeping pills during a flight. Do not mix them with alcohol, and wait at...

A commercial airline seat manufacturer recently introduced the SkyRider, a seat with "a 23-inch pitch or less".  Pitch is the space between rows of seats, and most coach seats are in the 31-34 inch range. According to a representative for the manufacturer Aviointeriors, "the passenger's seating position is similar to that of a touring motor-scooter ride". Airlines are hoping to reduce plane tickets price and generate more profits by adding more seats in the same space. Some US based airlines have shown interest in the concept. While it may be a viable option for low cost companies on very short flights, I can’t really imagine traveling for work in these conditions. And it makes me wonder what’s next? Are we soon going to have to fly standing up? Well, recently,...