kelly's blog

If you're planning on visiting Austin, but haven't figured eating into your schedule, it's time to change your plans. Austin has no shortage of exceptional food, and you don't have to spend a fortune to enjoy it. Below you'll find some places the check out, and pig out at, when you go.

I'll admit, I've got a bit of a Muji addiction. I love their clean aesthetic, practical design and their travel gear is top rate. I've been putting off an online order for awhile now, and this travel-related accessory might just tip the scale.

I had wondered about the comfort of neck pillows last year and broke down and bought an inflatable one before a long flight. After trying it out, I decided I didn't think it deserved the space in my carry on and it's single use bugged me...and...it didn't help me sleep any better than a regular old pillow or rolled up sweater. This neck pillow by Muji, albeit a bit bulkier, might satisfy my want of a versatile comfort device for my next flight. It's like a mini bean bag for your neck, back, feet, whatever.

Why is it that when we shop for travel gear we feel like we have to sacrifice style for the sake of comfort? Chances are that you don't do that in your everyday life. So when I was asked the question recently, "What shoes can I take with me to Italy in March, that are good for walking, but don't, you know, look like a grandma," I bit. There are lots of great comfortable, casual and stylish shoe options for the traveler.

It's hard to prescribe shoes for someone else. We've all got personal preferences and brands that feel better on our feet. The shoes below are merely a guide for what to look for when choosing a lightweight, comfortable and attractive shoe for travel. Skip the sneakers or those super comfy clunky shoes that everyone tells you are great for travel. Comfort is a great thing, but you can find it without sacrificing your style. Seek out attractive "fashion" sneakers, ballet flats or mary janes.

Hotels are often cold, lifeless places to return to after a day in a foreign land. If you're on a business trip, you might relish the chance to unwind and buffer yourself from the business day. But, a traveler likes to meet people, experience the culture and get a taste of the place that they're visiting. And, a hotel makes it entirely too easy to miss out on this experience.

If you're not naturally outgoing, staying outside of a hotel is even more important. In a hotel, it's easy to let your inner homebody ruin your trip. You're simply too comfortable. Instead, plan on staying somewhere where you have to interact with others. Good or bad, it will make for a memorable travel experience, where you can say you've lived like a local. I'll admit, I definitely have my days where I just want to hide in my room and ignore the rest of the world. But, my most memorable trips have been ones in the homes of others, getting dragged out to a party or on an impromptu siteseeing tour. Keep on reading for a few alternatives to staying in a traditional hotel.

Spoleto, a tiny hill town, nestled in the heart of Italy, was made famous by the arts and theater festival, Festival dei Due Mondi di Spoleto (or the Festival of Two Worlds), that takes place there every summer. Being that it was fall, we knew there were loads of food-centered festivals going on and we found one focused on olive oil to plan our trip around. We went to Spoleto with a quest. A quest for a great olive oil. While we didn't discover it where we intended, we did, however, discover Spoleto.

I love this atmospheric shot that jrodmanjr caught of a camel on a recent trip to Dubai. See more of his travel photos here.

It's an unfortunate fact that when you travel, you're more susceptible to getting sick. Whether you're flying, taking the train, or even taking a road trip, your diet changes, you're around more people (often in confined spaces, and your body is stressed. We've found one surefire way to keep those nasty colds at bay when we're far from home...a tonic or tincture.

The woman behind the counter pauses when my friend Francesco asked the question, "do you have a local olive oil for sale in this supermarket?" She shakes her head in disgust and replies, "no, there's no good olive oil here." She then turns to her colleague, who's helping an elderly woman choose some cheese and asks "where can you find good olive oil nearby?" And, almost in unison, they exclaim an unintelligible name (later I'll find out it's Frantoio Feliziani) and they begin to rattle off complicated driving directions in unison. "Go to the roundabout, turn right, then go to the end of the street...do you need us to write that down for you?" Francesco shakes his head and says no, and I just hope he was paying attention. And off we went in the car in search of a nameless frantoio. What's a frantoio, you ask? Don't worry, you'll quickly learn (as I did) that this is the place where olive oil dreams are made.

And if you're looking for something charitable to do this holiday season. Think about supporting some of our fellow Seattle travel bloggers in their effort to build a school in Cambodia at Passports with Purpose. For $10 you can enter to win an amazing assortment of travel-related prizes (everything from exotic hotel stays to great travel gear.) Hurry, you've only got until December 21st!