We’re road tripping to Louisville today and continuing our journey to Nashville on Saturday for a few days of honky tonk bars and hot chicken. (But I’m more excited about our reservations at Husk, since we weren’t able to get into the Charleston location when we visited South Carolina.) I’ll be back to regular posting the middle of next week. Until then, I hope you’ll follow along our journey on Instagram and Snapchat (username: bedknobsbaubles).
And we’re off! Dave and I are headed to sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida for a week of beachside lounging. We also have plans to visit Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Lauderdale by the Sea, and Hollywood. (Phew!) If you have any recommendations, please share them on Instagram or Twitter! (Seriously, any hidden gems for vintage or thrift shopping in Palm Beach would be a dream!) I’m planning to steer clear of the blog while we’re away, but you can always see what we’re up to on Instagram or Snapchat (find me at bedknobsbaubles).
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Tunic: J.Crew
Dresses: Lilly Pulitzer (here and here)
Sandals: Kate Spade
Earrings: Tory Burch
Necklace: Kenneth Jay Lane c/o Shopbop
Suitcase: c/o Delsey
A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I signed up for Try the World, a subscription box with gourmet goodies from different cities around the globe. In full disclosure, I think subscriptions boxes are kind of stupid. I also hate grab bags. I like knowing what my money is buying and I suspect many of you are the same way. I was intrigued by Try the World because they give you a sneak peek of what’s inside your box before you commit. (Be aware, however, that Try the World works with small producers and each box may vary slightly due to product availability.) I like traveling and I like food, so I forked over $39 for my one-time box of treats from Paris. Oh la la!
So, what does $39 get you? Not much and not the fleur de sel the stock image boasted (read: the item I was most excited about), but I do like the unique mix of products I probably wouldn’t have purchased otherwise. (Dave joked that Try the World is for people who are too lazy to go to World Market.) Here’s what was inside and the approximate values taking into account the net weight of the items compared to full-size products:
That’s $26 worth of product for $39. I had signed up during a promotion, so my Paris box came along with a second box of treats from various countries. That’s the only reason I’m not too irked about this. I would have been much happier with a total value of $33-35. I realize that some of the money needs to go to packaging costs and overhead, but I don’t think it’s expecting too much for the value to be closer to the amount paid. Will I try it again? Maybe if there’s an Amsterdam or Brussels box and I’m feeling nostalgic. It’s such a fun idea and I’m disappointed that this wasn’t a slam dunk. I would have been happy to sign up for a full year if the value was there.
ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR | FIVE | SIX | SEVEN | EIGHT | NINE | TEN | ELEVEN | TWELVE | THIRTEEN | FOURTEEN
I look forward to curating a travel gift guide each year. It’s a chance for me to discover awesome new products, like the Carry-On Cocktail Kit, and share a few of my standbys. While I would love to find this tribal necklace or this adorable calendar under the tree, I wanted to share more practical items this year. The 4-in-1 international charger worked out perfectly in Brussels, as did this mini power strip with USB ports. It’s a must for any hotel room with a shortage of outlets. One thing I wish we had was the luggage scale. We brought back a lot of hard-to-find Belgian beer and incurred a $200 overweight baggage fee as a result. Oops! It’s not a glamorous gift by any means, but the recommendation will be worthwhile if it helps just one couple pack more strategically! You also know how much we love our Floto duffel bags. We’ve used them for every trip over the last three years and they’re getting prettier with age. It’s a splurge, yes, but it will be a gift that lasts a lifetime. (May I also recommend upgrading the shoulder strap to this one? It makes a huge difference.)
ADDITIONAL TRAVEL POSTS TO READ:
2017 gift guide for the frequent flyer
Nashville travel guide
Copenhagen travel guide
Copenhagen travel dos and don’ts
New Orleans travel guide
inside the bag: Europe edition
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Let’s keep in touch! Instagram / Facebook / Pinterest / Bloglovin’
[dropcap custom_class=”normal”]I[/dropcap] have a romanticized vision of traveling overseas and penning endless observations in a journal each night. And, try as I might, I’m just not that kind of girl. I’m more likely to return to the hotel armed with an iPhone full of photos and a purse brimming with receipts, ticket stubs, and coasters. However, the new Moleskine Voyageur notebook takes a unique approach to travel journals, offering flexibility and plenty of features to satisfy various journaling–and travel–styles.
I’m taking the latter approach (mostly because I was such a lazy writer on vacation) and am using the journal as a scrapbook. I’ve been sifting through mementos and recalling obscure stories to include along side of some of my favorite Instagrams.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary Moleskine Voyageur notebook for the purposes of this post.