Packing for a long trip can be problematic: you don’t want to bring along too much and have to lug around a heavy bag, but you also don’t want to pack too little and end up forgetting a crucial item. Here are 10 tips to make packing easy. 1. Roll clothing up and then use air-compression plastic bags to squeeze air out of clothes. Space compressible plastic bags are amazing. Just put your clothing in the plastic bag and roll it up tight, pushing excess air out of the clothes. To make sure you’re really getting the most out of your space, roll clothing first, then put the rolled-up items inside the bags. Rolling clothes, rather than folding them, minimizes wrinkling and allows for more clothes to be packed. Ziploc makes large reusable bags that are perfect for packing: you can use them for anything from clothing to toiletries. Always pack a few extras. 2. Invest in wrinkle-free clothing. Inevitably, your suitcase will get tossed while traveling and your clothes will get crumpled. Avoid looking like a schlub and buy yourself some wrinkle-free clothing. Jos. A. Bank makes a line of wrinkle-free dress shirts, called the Traveler’s Collection, so you […]
If you live in Los Angeles … Consider Ojai, California Framed by the Topatopa Mountains, Ojai is a Shangri-La for artists and wellness-seekers, with near-perfect weather, a boho vibe, and smog-free skies. The Gridley Trail and Shelf Road offer heart-expanding views of the valley, and nearby Los Padres National Forest is a great one-stop spot for hiking, climbing, fishing, and swimming. Back in town, take a class at Lulu Bandha’s Yoga Studio ($15 for drop-ins) — and be sure to take in Ojai’s “pink moment” (a.k.a. sunset) from Meditation Mount, a 32-acre retreat with gardens and nooks for relaxation and mediation. If you time your trip right, you can catch concert pianist Jeremy Denk premiere “The Classical Style,” his comic opera based on Charles Rosen’s tome of the same name on Hadyn, Mozart, and Beethoven, at this year’s Ojai Music Festival (June 12 to 15). For classical music fans, the debut is reason enough to load up the wagon and head for the hills — or the valley, rather. Stay at the Lavender Inn, a converted 1874 schoolhouse with eight cheery rooms — we love the sun-filled Tree House, with breathtaking mountain views right outside your window (from $130 per […]
Some vacation destinations say ‘spa’ or ‘food scene’ but not ‘family-friendly’. The best say both. The following Western U.S. destinations are world-renown as wedding destinations, wine regions, or spa retreats, but have a secret: they’re all surprisingly kid-friendly. 1. Santa Fe, New Mexico: Parents may come to this charming city for the art scene, but they’ll return for the outdoor recreation and historical significance of Northern New Mexico with their kids. What to do in Santa Fe with the little ones? Plan a morning at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, where kids get in free, and are handed personal sketchbooks for touring the galleries. Spend the afternoon at the Palace of the Governors in the historic Plaza, where kids can find trinkets of turquoise (and parents can shop higher end jewelry, such as Rippel just off the Plaza). Devote another day to a tour of the high desert and historic Camino Real with Santa Fe Walkabouts (santafewalkabouts.com), where kids explore via an authentic Swiss army all-terrain vehicle. 2. Ojai, California: The art and wellness-focused town of Ojai may be the perfect destination for your next yoga retreat, but it’s also ready for kid-friendly adventures. Kids who love to explore on two […]