Travel Goodies!!!

Travel Goodies

While preparing for my travels, I’ve come across some great finds I thought I would share. Many of these handy items I have come across did come from TJ Maxx, Wish, ebay and Goodwill which saved me a lot of money when compared to the usual travel stores. (More money to go towards the trip, right?) I will try my best to remember exactly which store these items came from and the price points that I purchased them for along with the comparison price to try and give you an example of the savings.

TJ Maxx: So T J maxx and Marshalls are owned by TJX companies which also own Home Goods, Homesense, TK Maxx, Sierra Trading Post and Winners. The great thing about TJ Maxx and Marshalls is that they get many of the well known travel brands you already know at a fraction of the price! Many people think that these stores carry damaged/irregular or counterfeit (which is illegal by the way) items which simply isn't true! There are buyers that work for the company that go to these vendors or even other larger stores and negotiate for the great prices that you see! Now TJ Maxx and Marshalls doesn't dosales like other stores, because they are already at sale prices, but they do have clearance sections that you can peruse. So now that you have a rundown of the store I affectionately call ‘The Maxx’, let’s dive into the items I have purchased. -Cloudz TSA luggage lock set (They come in a variety of colors): I Paid $4.99 compared to $10-$13 -Travelon Luggage cover Lg (coral floral)- I paid $3 on clearance compared to $18 -Travelon Mixtape luggage tags (set of 2)- I paid $4.99 compared to $10 -Coop & Daisy Gym face wash kit- I paid $8 compared to $18 -Gillette Venus Waterless travel razor (2)- I paid $3.99 compared to $10 -Psssst! Dry Shampoo Tropica(travel size)- I paid $1.99 compared to $2.99 -Travelon luggage scale- I paid $7.99 compared to $10

Wish.com For those of you who aren’t familiar with this e-commerce website/phone app, Wish allows companies and manufacturers to sell items directly to customers. The site is loaded with tons of different items ranging from clothing, toys, jewelry, beauty items to even a variety of tech gear. Now I have never bought any clothing from this site, but I have bought a smattering of other items and the prices are pretty cheap. Now with all this being said, I do caution you to read the reviews of any item before you purchase. Some items on this site are fantastic and every once and a while you will find some pretty amazing gems, but some items aren't all that great quality. With the brief summary of this site out of the way, let's get to the fun stuff… what I did buy for travel. -Compact collapsible utensil set (fork, spoon, chopsticks)- $2 -Electronics organizer- $3 -3 Port USB travel wall adapter- $2

Ebay: Everyone pretty much knows what ebay is, so it needs no explanation, but I can tell you that there are great finds to be had as long as you pay attention to the sellers rating and read the listing thoroughly. With all that being said, let’s dive in! -Vortex 30 liter backpack- I paid $14 compared to $45 + shipping & handling -Tattoo goo renew 30 SPF (a must have for anyone with tattoos)- I paid $7.48 compared to $14 -Moleskine city travel journal (NYC edition)- I paid $14.24 compared to $20 *You can also find a lot of (current too) travel guides really cheap here too! A lot of times there is also free shipping! Many charities sell books via ebay to help raise funds and these accounts are marked as you view the item. I tend to gravitate towards these accounts. Not only are you getting something to help you plan your trip, but you are also helping a good cause.

Goodwill: I can already hear the groans and see the eye rolls at the mention of the name. Say what you will, Good will is a great place to shop and a great way to stay on budget! I have found many fantastic things at Goodwill stores, some even with the tags still attached! (Just make sure you sanitize/wash any item!) -Pacsafe Instasafe Crossbody Anti-theft 10 inch tablet bag- I paid $4.50 compared to $89.99 -Not For Tourists guide to New York- I paid $3.74 compared to $15.99 -Little Black Book of New York- I paid $2.49 compared to $12 -(2) Brand new Lularoe ‘Julia’ dresses with the tags still attached- I paid $5 a piece when they originally retail for $45 a piece

So it is possible to prepare for a trip on a budget without putting a huge dent in your bank account by thinking outside of the typical box! Hopefully this helped you prep for any upcoming trips or gave you a little inspiration of where to look and save a little money for some odds and ends things.

A Year Of Running

So I'm not a professional athlete. I had wanted to run for years, but had others tell me I wasn't exactly "runner material". With my asthma, bad knee and other health issues I even had a doctor laugh when I brought it up. I felt frustrated and defeated, then January of last year rolled around and the Air Force marathon popped up in my feed. I thought "Why couldn't I just try?' So I looked into what with would take to prepare for the 10k and signed up that week. Unfortunately I broke a rib and a toe prior to the race, but I was still determined to finish. I was in a lot of pain by the time I crossed the finish line, but I did finish.

A week after the marathon, I went to New York for a week and a half. During that time I was determined to continue my training while trying to be mindful of my current injuries. Lucky for me, the weather was perfect my whole trip (Except my last day) and I was able to start my day with a run in central park. If you haven't had the chance to do this, I highly recommend it at some point. (I will elaborate on this in a later post about my trip)

By far, my favorite race I did in 2018 has to be the Hot Chocolate 15k in Columbus,OH. Not only is it my farthest official race to date, the overall theme was so much fun, the medal is so adorable and its sponsored by my favorite hydration product (Nuun). The expo for the Columbus race is a little smaller than others I have been to, but there is still so much to enjoy! The crowd participation and ‘cheerleaders’ were wonderful too, from handing out little sweet snacks and water/nuun to the amazing signs they made!

I completed 6 races in 2018, determined to prove not only to myself, but to others that I could be a runner at any age, size or health condition. This year I've decided to do 12 races this year while also upping my training program. The goal is to average one race a month, ranging in different distances to keep my training interesting and give myself checkpoints to measure my progress. One of the 12 races I will be running will also be my first half marathon, which will be in the Rock n’ Roll series!

So the moral of this story is, no matter what people say, do not let them tell you or try to determine what your future is for you. It's your life. You are at the wheel, not anyone else. If there is something you have been wanting to do, take those first steps today towards that goal. Shut out the toxic negativity of others and believe that not only is you goal possible, but you are worthy of it.

Year Of The Flamingo

So I have the tradition of every New Year, while some make resolutions that may or may not be kept, I choose an animal to embody the spirit of what I want to accomplish that year.

This year I've decided it shall be the year of the flamingo! Yes, I've chosen the bright pink bird found most commonly in Florida. It's time to stop doubting myself and stand out instead of blending into the background. Be bold and go for my goals and embrace my true unique self instead of what makes others happy. Hopefully others will find the courage to do the same this year.

My Nuun Experience

During my year of running, I was on a mission to find things to help fuel my body before, during and after training and races. A lot of trial and error happened during this period of time, trying almost all of the electrolyte based products i could get my hands on

Most hydration products that I found had a lot of sugar and other additives your body doesn't need, a few of the biggest names in sports drinks ended up being the worst for it. Several products I tried ended up giving me stomach and abdominal issues after a workout, or just left me feeling gross in general after. I was starting to truly get frustrated with my lack of options in cleaner sports products.

I started asking around to see if others were having the same issues I was having or if they had any suggestions of products to try. Many of the hard core runners/triathlon athletes I knew suggested a product called Nuun and told me about a few retailers that carried it.

The first bottle I picked up was the cherry-limeade flavor at Fresh Thyme, where they have a huge selection to choose from. I also noticed that there were several different types of Nuun: Sport, Sport with natural Caffeine, Vitamins, Immunity and Performance. All types are kosher with no preservatives, the ingredients are all clean and as close to nature as possible. After discovering these, I decided to do further research to see what the difference was… here's what I found:

Nuun Sport (Electrolyte): This type is meant to hydrate for any workout 90 min or longer with the following ingredients: 300 mg of sodium, 150 of potassium, 13 mg of calcium, 1g of sugar, 25 mg of magnesium and only 15 calories. The current flavors: citrus fruit, fruit punch, grape, lemon lime, orange, strawberry lemonade, tri-berry, tropical and watermelon.

Nuun Sport +Caffeine (+Energy): Basically all of the same stuff featured in Nuun Sport, but with the boost of natural caffeine from green tea. The current flavors: cherry limeade, fresh lime, mango orange, and wild berry.

Nuun Vitamins: You don't need as many electrolytes on days when you are active for less than 90 min. There's 100 mg of sodium, more potassium and a blend of other daily vitamins that your body needs. The great thing about this daily tablet is that they don't add too much of the vitamins and minerals, so your body doesn't waste it. Current flavors: blackberry citrus, blueberry pomegranate, ginger lemonade, grapefruit orange, strawberry melon and tangerine lime.

Nuun Immunity: This one supports your body and immune system during those hard training times or if you catch something during cold and flu season. This particular tablet includes electrolytes, Vitamins (A,C,D and E), antioxidants, a proprietary botanical blend of elderberry & echinacea, plus the anti-inflammatory ingredients turmeric and ginger. This formula uses the 3 prong advantage of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and electrolytes to give your system a boost. Another bonus is that it’s also non-gmo and non-modified. The current flavors are: Orange citrus.

Nuun Performance: Now I have never seen this one in stores, but I have seen it on line in the Nuun shop in the bag and single serve pouches. This product is the only product in it’s line that isn't in the signature table, but a powder form instead. This performance formula is made with more intense workouts in mind (century rides, ultra, marathon, triathlon, etc) to work with what your body needs to perform at its best. With that in mind, this formula has 380mg of sodium, 200mg of potassium, 15mg of calcium, 12g of sugar, 20mg of magnesium, 80mg of chloride and 60 calories. The current flavors: blueberry strawberry and orange mango. After finding all of this information, I decided to compare Nuun to the other popular sports drinks that had made me feel so terrible. It was absolutely shocking how much sugar and other additives these other drinks had that are hard for your body to process. I also saw that these can cause the exact stomach and abdominal issues that I had been experiencing, not to mention the sugar crash. Many of these products had more sugar in them than two scoops of ice cream!

Another thing that really liked about this brand is its “clean up your drink, clean up the planet” mission. They encourage the use of reusable bottles with their products along with the up-cycling of the tablet tubes when they are empty. They also have a program in place for you to send the tubes back to be recycled as well. So after all of the research and comparison of products, I was ready to use my Nuun on a 5k I had coming up. I figured It would be best to try on a shorter run just in case I had the same result as I did with other drinks. I was quite surprised to find that not only did I have a run free of the typical stomach/abdominal issues, but I actually felt better after the race! I even gave it a try in another race with a further distance and got the same result! Ever since then, I have consistently kept a supply of Nuun on me at all times.

It has been over a year since I started to use Nuun, the product being huge help during my first full year of running. Since was doubling my amount of races this year, there was no doubt that Nuun was going to be a big part of that as well, before and after the race. Luckily for me, at the beginning of the year, I was presented with a wonderful opportunity to become an ambassador for the brand. After all the research I had done and the results I have had, it was a no brainier! So I’m very excited and proud to say that I am a 2019 Nuun Ambassador! So don’t be surprised if you see me sporting some Nuun gear at a race, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Bucket List: #9

So I am sure just about everyone has seen, if not heard about the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” starring Audrey Hepburn. It’s based off the book by Truman Capote bearing the same name which tells the story of a writer and his escapades in New York with Holly Golightly. Now as I watched this when I was younger, the thought didn’t even occur to me that Holly was basically a low-key prostitute. I just remember seeing the glamorous Audrey Hepburn and the iconic image of her in a black dress, a pearl choker and the over sized black sunglasses having her coffee while gazing into the famous Tiffany & Co storefront window. That image has always stuck with me throughout the years, so much so that I have a framed picture of it hanging in my bedroom.

Tiffany’s has always been the epitome of feminine luxury and glamour, from the iconic engagement ring to their signature brooches worn by celebrities. Even Carol Channeling and Marilyn Monroe sang about the famous brand in the song “Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend.” It is even a part of the Christmas song “Santa Baby”, reminding us that there are many women would love to find that teal box under the tree.

I have always looked at the catalogs, storefront windows and the website, marveling at the sparkling crafted items in awe.There was just something about that teal box tied up with that white ribbon that has always lingered in the back of my mind. So in 2017 I had decided that I would have a “Treat Yo Self” day for my birthday with one of my best friends. We decided to seek out a different shopping landscape than our usual malls, so we headed the next state over to the city of Indianapolis. The first place we stopped was the fashion mall, which wasn't exactly something we had in our area back home. When we walked in, we were immediately greeted by designer storefronts that you usually only saw ads for in Vogue, everything from Prada to Burberry lined this two floor mall. After we found a mall map with a store roster, listed under jewelry was none other than Tiffany & Co. It was like the birthday gods were telling me that it was time to check something that had long been on my bucket list: To purchase something from Tiffany’s and have my own Audrey moment.

Now there is something about the atmosphere in a Tiffany’s when you walk in, there is a feeling that sweeps over you as you approach the meticulously maintained glass counters. The overall sleek interior is only complimented by the wide array of sparkling items that are perfectly arranged in all of the cases. The woman that approached us from behind the case was incredibly kind and helpful, especially once I told her what we were doing. I had seen a particular necklace on the website, The ‘Return to Tiffany’ double heart mini pendant. It has two iconic Tiffany things: the ‘Return to Tiffany’ stamp and the signature Tiffany blue. I couldn't think of a more perfect thing for both my birthday and the bucket list. So when I described the item to the woman, she knew exactly what I was describing and retrieved it for me.

She came back with this black velvet lined showcase book, the necklace perfectly displayed in the center. I knew that was the piece for me and asked her to ring it up and if it was ok for me to wear it out of the store. She nodded and helped me put it on before taking my information, informing me of the warranty and cleaning. She even wrapped the box my necklace was supposed to go in with the perfect white bow before placing it in the teal bag, picturesque for displaying.

As my grandma would say, “I don’t need a man to buy me jewelry. If I want it, I’ll buy it.” And that is how I checked off number 9 on my bucket list.

Hello there!

So before posting anything on this blog, perhaps I should explain what you will find here. I am a fairly eclectic person, this is very evident if you were to look through my music and movie collection among other things. I feel like it would only be right if this blog reflected that part of me too. You will find me writing about many adventures with my friends, an amateur running career, checking some items off a bucket list, maybe a few entries about some hobbies, and just life in general. If any of these interest you, then stay tuned! If not, then thanks for stopping by! Either way, mahalo!