Travel Must Haves

Random question for you all:

When you're going to travel somewhere, what's the one product or item you can't leave home without?

Ship, Crate, Barrel

It's no secret that I love Crate & Barrel. And in typical fashion regarding everything that I love, I wanted to know more. You see, in the luxury retail industry, everything has a story. From the inspiration for design, the time-tested treatments for fabrics and materials for that oh-so-perfect aesthetic, the history and heritage of a company's origins - everything has a story. Part of the allure to luxe companies and products is that romance.

It's a general understanding that people want to feel good. We want to experience success and happiness, good health, and harmony. So when someone creates a dynamic product, presents it in a mind-blowing manner, and goes against the grain of complacency and mediocrity, I am more than pleased to not only patronize the business, but tell everyone about it.

So I wanted to know more about Crate and Barrel. I found the most charming story on their official website:

Back in the '60s, a young Chicago couple by the name of Gordon and Carole Segal had just returned from a honeymoon in Europe. One night, while washing their dishes after dinner, they lamented there was no place at home to buy the contemporary, affordable housewares they had admired throughout their travels.

Passionate to make these designs available to others, the Segals hired one employee and leased an abandoned elevator factory on Chicago's Wells Street. They traveled throughout Europe buying directly from glassblowers and ceramicists, from factories making beautiful French copper pots and simple white bistro dinnerware. With no money left for displays, they stacked the shipping crates as shelves and filled the overseas barrels with fun merchandise. So out of necessity came the unique Crate and Barrel style…and name. And on a cold December day in 1962, just moments before the official opening, Gordon and Carole realized they had forgotten just one thing–a cash register (no kidding).

A lot has changed since that first store opened. Instead of the one employee we had in 1962, we now have 7,500. Instead of one small storefront, we now have 160 spectacular stores in markets across the US.

And now, we’re honored to share our passion with our first international Crate and Barrel store, now open at Toronto’s exciting Yorkdale Shopping Centre.

Coupling this lovely story with the many years I've shopped C&B and their hipper, younger minded CB2, I thought I needed to shop the website and see what was new. And what did I discover that I'm absolutely LOVING?! Crate and Barrel has teamed up with Tumi, one of the most durable and delightful Italian luggage ranges for their very own T Tech by Tumi for Crate & Barrel.


Durable and lightweight, with tons of pockets and zippered compartments, and accented in my favourite bright red piping, this collection is perfect for those jaunts across Europe, those African safaris, those adventures to Asia, and that mid-week business trip to St Louis. Affordably priced from just under US$100 to US$350, this collection is sure to exceed all of your travel needs.

Considerate Travel

I've had a pretty hectic travel day. I woke up this morning in the suburbs of Chicago, flew from O'Hare to Detroit, transferred to New York where I met up with a client for an hour to deliver some fabulous wares, and then headed home to Florida. And I must tell you - when you travel in the future, please be a considerate traveler. Especially when it comes to eating.

It all started whilst waiting in the Delta Sky Club. It's only ironic, because I was just conversing with my longtime friend Janet. You see, one of Janet's biggest pet peeves is when people make sounds whilst eating. I don't just mean the natural, minimal sounds either. I mean when people chomp on crisp apples like cows eating grain. That obnoxious smashing of teeth and gums against fruit, with the sloshing of the juices, and the laboured breathing - it's terrible. A few of Janet's coworkers even weighed in on the subject with particular instances of other coworkers chowing down on apples while in close quarters in the workplace.

Well, shortly after this conversation, a woman came into the Sky Club and sat next to me. What was in her purse? Not just an apple - but a giant Asian pear as well. And she proceeded to chomp away on her fruits. Apparently my "f*** you" look said more than words could articulate - because she gathered her belongings and moved to another sitting area in the club.

As if the loud eater in the Sky Club wasn't enough - seated in the same row, but on the other side of the aisle, was a woman who feasted on TUNA FISH mid-flight. TUNA! Could you possibly pick another malodorous food option?!

So it got me thinking - maybe people don't take into account their fellow travelers before selecting their food options. So I'm saying it here, in plain language, for all to see. "Before you board your next train, plane, hovercraft, ferry, or any other form of public transportation, kindly leave all loud, fragrant foods at home."

Here are some suggestions:

-- when you travel on planes, overnight ferries, and trains, the air is often recycled and the quarters are often cramped. Avoid foods with heavy scents. This includes seafood, garlic, and anything fried. While your love of McDonald's french fries is unending, your guilty pleasure is multiplied in close quarters in the form of horrible smells. Save them for open air environments. The same goes for garlic and fish dishes as well.

-- speaking of recycled air - the environment is often quite dry on public transportation. consider packing a fruit salad. I make sure to pack a small plastic dish so the fruits don't get smashed or squished, and am sure to de-seed and cut the fruits into bite-sized pieces, as to refrain from squirting passengers with fruit juices or seeds. Small containers of mixed nuts are not only mess-free, they're also protein packed and healthy!

-- stay away from overly stick or seasoned foods as well - any food that would necessitate you washing your hands is something to leave at home. As much as I love Garrett's popcorn - their cheese flavoured variety is so cheesy that your fingers end up turning orange. Not the best travel snack.

Follow these tips, and you're sure to be a fabulous traveling companion. Arrive alive. It's always en vogue!