Holiday Travel - Tips from GG and Travelocity

It's that time of year!!! You just ordered your holiday cards, started the holiday gift shopping list, bought your tree or dusted off your Menohra and now you have to think about planning your family visit.  My friends at Travelocity gave me some great advice that I want to share with those of you who are flying in the next few days or weeks.  This blog will offer you some great discount information on air/hotel travel, sites, blogs and twitter feeds all made to help make your holiday travel a more peaceful one.  Let's face it traveling in today's world on a normal day can be challenging, just ask Alec Baldwin, add all those inexperienced travelers, kids and ugh all those germs to the list!  I hope this blog will help you prepare in advance not only mentally but physically.

I recently met the Roaming Gnome from Travelocity and he shared some really helpful information that I am sharing with you.  Happy Travels!!!!!

GG with Roaming Gnome at Simmzy's Manhattan Beach, CA

FACTS:

When it comes to holiday travel, Travelocity says flexibility is always crucial – especially since average domestic airfare is up 5 percent and international airfare is up 6 percent from the 2010 holiday season. In addition, New Year’s domestic airfare is up 6 percent and international airfare is up 12 percent versus 2010 prices. However, knowing when to fly can save travelers more than $230 this holiday season.

CHEAPEST DAYS TO FLY FOR CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S 2011

Using Travelocity’s vacation package booking engine and avoiding peak travel dates around Christmas and New Year’s such as Dec. 23, Dec. 26 and Dec. 30 will save travelers the most for the 2011 holiday season.

ADDITIONAL CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S DATA
Average domestic airfare over Christmas is $406 and average international airfare is $918 (both inclusive of tax). Travelers should avoid Friday, Dec. 23 departures and Friday, Dec. 30 returns over the Christmas travel period - as this is the most expensive itinerary this holiday season. In addition, travelers should keep in mind that some airlines charge surcharges around the holidays, driving fares up. Holiday travel dates with surcharges are: Dec. 22, 23 and 26, and Jan. 2.

SPECIAL HOLIDAY OFFER:
To celebrate the season, Travelocity is offering travelers a little holiday bonus. When a traveler books a qualifying hotel or flight + hotel package by Dec. 15, Travelocity will send a $200 travel coupon that can be used for another trip in early 2012.

TRAVEL TIPS:

First and foremost, travelers need to arrive at the airport early to navigate the crowds – at least two hours in advance. If you can, check in online 24 hours in advance of your flight to secure your seat assignment and pay for your checked bags to save on the baggage fee. Also, don’t forget the TSA’s 3-1-1 rule -- all liquids must be in a 3 ounce bottle or less; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger. Before you leave, check your carrier’s baggage policy, check your flight status and also check traffic.com for any potential problems on the road so you can allow for extra time to get to the airport if needed.

Make your life easier and wear shoes that slip on/off so you don't hold up the line. I would also suggest wearing shoes that don't promote swelling of your feet.  For some reason the temperature on an airplane can either be very cold or smoldering hot so wearing layers that you can add or peal away. Remember no matter how much money you pay for your flight you still won't be offered blankets or pillows so bring what you think will keep you and your family comfortable and happy.

For families with kids traveling with milk or formula remember they will allow a bottle through security, but you will still have to discard any water bottles beforehand.

Bring food, snacks, toys and reading material.  Unless you want to buy a box lunch that you probably won't like pack your the night before.

Traveling with kids and car seats is tricky so make sure you meet the measurement regulations.  To save your back from carrying those cumbersome car seats look into purchasing a Go Go kidz Travelmate car seat stroller (this company has many products to choose from).  Those with babies my ultimate favorite that I used with my little guy which was great for nursing while you walk or sit anywhere is the ERGOBabycarrier.  There are so many innovative products for traveling with kids.  Visit your local consignment shop or visit online stores like eBay (a great place to bid on new items or buy gently used items), Amazon (also offer new or used items) TARGET, Babies "R" Us, and/or my personal favorite diapers.com.  Heck if you have a friend that has something you need and is not using it just borrow!  As a parent you never have enough hands for all that needs to be carried and/or pushed through the airport.

Travelers can go to http://www.windowseatblog.com/ for nationwide updates.  To follow happenings at LAX, follow @flyfromla. Follow on twitter @travelocity.

GG wishes you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy New Year and if I forgot a celebration or you don't celebrate just have a Happy Peaceful Day!!!!!

You can email me at grace@gginthehouse.com

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Fall Trends 2011

Fall 2011 by gginthehouse featuri

If you are a fashion enthusiast like me you are probably thinking a Fall trend blog is a bit late, now that the
Spring 2012 Runway is in progress, but let's face it many of us haven't even gotten around to filling our closets for fall.  So here are my GG essentials for Fall 2011.

Black is what monopolizes my closet and probably always will, however this fall as hard as it is to admit is all about color.  Greens, Reds, Lavender's and seemingly every other color in the spectrum are being thrown together this season. Using color and applying it stylishly gives you your runway look. 

Prints are also huge this fall. Plaids, graphics and all types of animal prints are in play. "Print Warning" be careful, not everyone can pull it off. Use them sparingly. Be bold but smart. You know who you are...

What would the world do without Jeans? This season they come in every color. My favorite designer for jeans is Rag & Bone in their luscious burgundy.

Fur is hot, hot, hot... Regardless of its controversy every runway I have seen has fur "sans" Stella McCartney whose fashion mission never involves any use of "animal anything".  For my PETA crowd don't forget faux is always an option.  For some cool faux styles check out Rachel Zoe's collection.  But for the real thing my first choice has to be Alexander McQueen (shown above).

This fall you can even rock out a classic Chanel handbag to add that old school flavor to a modern look.

I'd love to hear from you.  What do you think? Feel free to share your favorites, looks, designers, trends and shopping spots in my comments section.  Share your  style...

And don't ever forget, "When you Dress, You Dress".
Love GG

GG Travel: Mill Valley Inn

Traveling, Traveling, Traveling!!!! Whether it’s for work or pleasure, these days it’s a challenge. Flying, security, costs, just to name a few. In my case, I recently started traveling for work again and one of the most important things when I leave town for me, is safety and of course, comfort when I am away from home.  Not always an easy task, but over the years I have established some “approaches” to traveling on the road. What type of places to stay at, working out, eating and depending on where I am, fitting a visit with friends who might live close to where I am working. Recently, I needed to visit some accounts in Northern California. I heard about a beautiful Inn central to my needs and decided to give it a try.

What a trip!!! It was filled with appointment lots of driving and when I say driving I mean each account visit was 1 to 2 hours away.  I traveled the Golden Gate, the Richmond Bridge, the Antioch Bridge and some other non-descript bridges through farmlands and cities to the state capitol of Sacramento. Needless to say my days were long and exhausting. Given the challenges of this trip, I really wanted use my down time as constructively as possible. I decided to stay out of San Francisco and stay at the Mill Valley Inn in Marin County.  If you have never been to this area it is a must!!! I love San Francisco really, don’t get me wrong, but I wanted to be able to relax and get some sleep and not be disrupted by garbage trucks at 3 a.m. and being in cold fog in September. 

Marin and The Inn are beautiful. There is a very quaint downtown with restaurants, cafes, shops and Mill Valley Market where you can pick up some water, fruit, and snacks. You can enjoy walking, running on trails through the woods or biking around town. Instead of coffee in the room and calling for your car, I woke up extra early to pull open my curtain, walk out onto the patio and take in a breathe of fresh mountain air. I popped my iPod into the sound system provided with the room and got my morning groove on to The Away Team mix of Shirley Bassey’s (Where do I begin) Love Story. AWESOME MIX!!! Then I went to indulge in a full breakfast spread with one of my all time fav’s of bagels and lox, cappuccino, fresh fruit, pastries and oatmeal. On the one occasion I returned to the Inn before 8 p.m. I enjoyed a wine and cheese reception, which was such a treat.  I even met a few friends at a quaint Italian restaurant in town called La Ginestra.  My goal was to take a run in the woods which as a New Yorker I did enjoy, but I was a bit paranoid being out there early in the morning alone with the occasional runner in a beanie and scarf that I tended to find suspicious.  Seriously… there is no need to feel unsafe that’s just me and all the stories I grew up with about Central Park in NYC.  Mill Valley in Marin County is far from NYC in every way.  It is a place I would enjoy returning to with my family and have daily excursions to the city, the Muir Woods, Sausalito and Stinson Beach to name a few, all by the way about 1-12 miles away from the Mill Valley Inn.

My room at the Mill Valley Inn

The view from my patio

One last thing I really enjoyed was that for an entire $170 a night all the other great things I told you about, were FREE. I love anything that we “Have “ to do, when it’s free. Free parking, internet, bike and helmet usage, wine and cheese reception nightly and that lovely breakfast spread.  You cannot beat this quaint comfy Inn. I will be back… maybe I’ll see you there.

Get out….whether it’s for fun, or for work, make the most of everyday when you plan.

Travel and Enjoy!  Love GG

Meet Sassy City Steals

Wow!!! What a busy summer, new job, family, our business, blogging, and especially and hopefully most importantly, trying to find the time for the “little things”, simply playing with my boys, sharing a private moment with my husband, and just finding some quiet time. It’s certainly a crazy, fun life. As the summer comes to a close, the reality is that a lot work and creativity still took place. A good friend, business associate, fellow Mom has been working away this summer creating a new experience for all our shopping needs on the world wide web.

Shopping in today’s new market place has become a “sport”.  What do you mean you may be asking?  Well it used to be if you wanted or needed clothing, bags, shoes or a new spatula off you would go to your favorite store and buy it.  Today not only do we have on line shopping we have on line discount shopping and the ever so popular fashion sample sales where shopping is an event.  When I lost my job in 2009 I knew I should cut spending and the first thing to go would be shopping, well not entirely, but for sure never shopping at “full price” - what a dirty phrase.  I think everyone I know feels that way.  And if you don’t you should. There is so much more access to shopping for less and we now don’t have to wait for sales anymore because if you are like me you probably subscribe to Gilt, Hautelook, Rue la la, Swirl … the list of discount on line shopping goes on and on.  Every morning I get my email alerts about which designers are offering there collections at cut rate prices.  I get offers for everything, where I can eat for half price in Los Angeles, where my next trip should be and it could all be yours by just by clicking “buy it”. 

When I met my friend Isela Blair in the schoolyard (our sons were in kindergarten together) I never would have thought she would be my new shopping buddy.  Needless to say, Isela loves to shop!  Frankly I think she is addicted and if I am not careful I am right there drinking the juice too!  She is known for forwarding an email for a shopping event at Fred Segal, or a manicure while we sip champagne, or an In Style shopping event.  It’s non-stop and it sure is fun.  We really get to hang out and socialize, but most of all we get to be girls and get giddie over our awesome finds.  Isela practically invented this herself when she created “fashion bashes” through her PR company Hautelife PR.Marketing.Events under the name Sassy City Chicks.  I went to her last bash in L.A. at the Peterson Museum and couldn’t believe what was happening.  There were vendors from clothing, to accessories to furs!!! Then there was the beloved bar where cocktails were FREE!  Oh, and I can’t leave out the entire section of spa treatments from massages to manicures to fake eyelash applications. OMG, and did I mention this was all FREE!!!  Seriously, you need to go online now and get a ticket to the next one. 

But, this was not enough for Isela, her “addiction” for shopping and business was not completely satisfied.  So what did she do? She has come up with another brilliant idea.  Remember, I mentioned Isela loves to shop.  Well she loves to shop and take care of herself.  This is not a bad thing and I have taken some lessons from her let me tell you.  She decided she was tired of getting Groupon’s and emails that told her she could buy golf lessons today or some men’s designer boxers while she scrolled for what was really going to satisfy her thirst for fashion.  I am with her - Whatta you got for me people!  Can we just focus on that please?  Well, luckily Isela did and she created Sassy City Steals, which satisfies our fashion addictions by “our” I mean ladies- by specializing in fashion and beauty.  The site just launched so get on right now and become a subscriber because there are going to be some great must have items at a minimum of 50% off the deal each week and it can be as high as 90% off retail!

Isela you go girl! While love and I live for my man, my family, and my new job, it’s nice to know that I go somewhere just for the ladies. Congratulations on the launch of Sassy City Steals! Oh, and if you want meet Isela and I at the next Fashion Bash on November 3^rd please do… the more the merrier!!!!

Go forth and shop…..

Always,

GG