My Carry On Bag, and Lessons Learned the Hard Way.

We are now just days away from our vacation and I am currently packing.

I decided this year to use my backpack for my carry on, instead of the (almost useless) messenger bag that I carried last year. The bag that I have is from the brand, Outdoor, from Walmart... I know, I know. It is a 25L backpack with zippered compartments and loads of organizational space on the inside. It really is the perfect bag for the traveler (or student, I suppose) on a budget. I spent around 25 dollars on it. (Link: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Outdoor-Products-221690/19487034)

For the record, my husband also carries this bag. Only, his is red... cause, we can't be that couple... only we are. The straps are plenty comfortable for his broader shoulders. He really likes it, so much so that he convinced me to get it, too.

Here is a picture of the bag, for those who can't be bothered to go about just clicking every link you find (probably smart, if I'm honest): 

The bag has 3 main zippered compartments. The front one has several organizational implements which range from pen holders, to a zipper mesh pocket, to a larger pocket. It keeps all your little essential right up front and organized for easy access. The second compartment is just one large compartment. Perfect for magazines, umbrellas, and snacks. The last and largest compartment is separated in two by a piece of fabric. This back pocket is plenty large enough to fit my 17in laptop (though I don't use it for that) or a change of clothing. This is also where I keep my neck pillow, electronics and other valuables. 

It holds a ton of stuff, too! Not that I recommend bringing every possession you have, it will carry everything you need... and then some. I mean, I probably could bring the kitchen sink... 

Okay, so what exactly do I put in it, you ask? Good question, my friend. I'll post a video detailing what goes in and how I pack it up in the next post. So, stay tuned! (There will also be a separate post for my checked luggage.)

And for those curious about the old, obsolete, and nearly useless bag...

It is a Dakine Olive 15L messenger bag. 

This is not the exact bag, as the print on mine is different... but this is the same style:

The bag itself is very well made and on the smallish side, at 15L. However, the soft sides means you can squish in just about anything you want. The biggest problem with this bag is that there is no organizational qualities to it at all. The bag is just an open bag, with a small zippered pocket on the back wall inside. I fit a lot into it, but it was kind of a clusterf*ck in there. I spent more time rummaging through to find what I wanted than actually using the item I had fished out. NEVER AGAIN. I still love this bag, just not for travel. 

Its second downfall is that there is little security to it. When I say little, I mean there is no security at all. The flap comes over and snap with a magnetic closure, then is just open. There NEEDS to be a zipper on the top of the opening. Every time I poked the bag under the airplane seat, something inevitably rolled out. It was infuriating. Not to mention the constant worry I had as we set off from Heathrow to our hotel that someone was just going to poke their hand in and take as they pleased. Not a smart choice on my part. 

I have to say here, I prefer the messenger bag style to a backpack. Especially since you can more easily monitor the bag since it is usually slung around the front of your body. However, the practicality won out for the backpack this year and I am hoping it will be the best switch I could have made. 

-Wormy

"The Perfect Bun": A Review.

I have to admit that my reason for walking into my local big-box store was to buy one of those goofy mesh hair rolls to replicate a sock bun. You know, the ones that look like a doughnut, that you pull to the end of your pony tail and roll down to create the bun. "But, Wormy, why did you not just use a rolled sock to create the look you wanted?!" Blame my husband. He doesn't wear crew socks, and I'm not ruining a good pair of my trouser socks for the sake of a bun. 

Up until now, I have lusted after this beautiful hairstyle. It was seemingly only achievable to ballerinas and fashionistas. Now that my hair is long enough, I have tried to replicate it without the use of a tool. I have tried twists that leave my hair in a conical spiral or flat on my head. I have tried folding the hair and wrapping an elastic around the gathered mess. I have even tried my hand at using bobby pins to make it work. Every method and experiment left me more disappointed than the last, and even when I came close, I could never achieve the look I wanted. 

Alas, I gave up on trying to do it without one of these mysterious doughnut things. The only problem was that I couldn't find one. Just my luck, I finally go to get one and no one carries them anymore. Whilst in my search for anything even remotely like a "sock bun" thing, I found a product called "The Perfect Bun". It is made by Remington and I found it hiding just above my line of sight (I'm a shorty.) at the top of the shelf. I was skeptical, but for just under 5 dollars, I was willing to try it. Its not a doughnut, or even bun shaped at all. Its a long flat-ish thing with soft roller type foam and a bendable wire core. The instructions on the back make the whole ordeal of creating the bun look effortless. 

Well, it is. In less than 5 minutes, really more like 2, I had a decent bun. Here's a pictoral play-by-play:

The Box: 

    

The Step-By-Step: 

•  Put hair into ponytail.

A stronger elastic works better. (I had to replace this one half way through the tutorial.)

• Pick up Perfect Bun and open up the inside large enough to fit your finger and thumb.

Please refrain from referring to it as a maxi pad...like my husband did when he was taking the photos. :/

• Insert your finger and thumb into the opening (*ahem) and pull hair through the hole about halfway.

• Begin to roll the hair forward (towards the front of your head) around the Perfect Bun. Continue rolling until you stop at the base of the ponytail.

• Wrap the ends back around the ponytail base and bend into shape. 

• Begin carefully spreading the hair evenly around the Perfect Bun ring, making sure to cover the overlapping in the back.

• You're all done! If you need to, spray down any fly-aways with hairspray. (Note: If your hair is shorter or has lots of layers, like mine, a bobby pin or two may help keep shorter layers from coming loose and sticking out. However, I needed no bobby pins.) 

This thing WORKS! I love the fullness of the bun and the almost perfect shape of it. Best of all, it was so easy! I would highly recommend this product to anyone searching for the perfect bun tool.

-Wormy 

A Rant-y and Rave-y Review of the Sims 4!

HEY! You there... are you a simmer? Thinking about becoming one now that the 4th installment is here? Well, I have some good and not-so-good news for you. Also, a first-glance review! So, stick around!

Let's get started on my review of the Sims 4. I always like to get the not-so-good stuff out of the way. First downside to this game is the price. Right out of the gate, EA is going to take you for at least 60 simoleans. (See what I did there? Get used to it.) That's quite high for a base Sims game. If I remember correctly back to the release of 3, it was only $40. I, being the llama I am, bought into my own hype and paid $80 for the super-duper extra awesome version, which literally comes with a "creator's guide" that actually guides you through nothing, two digital content packs, and some goofy animal beanies. I am certainly not looking forward to how much they are going to charge players for the expansion packs when those begin rolling out.

Another negative is the fact that they have reduced the amount of cool stuff from the 3rd one. Okay, I'll explain this in a second, but EA, lemme just pull you aside here: When you make a brand new, exciting version of a game that people have been playing for over 10 years, make it bigger and better. Yes, yes, the Create-A-Sim is pretty bad ass, but that is no excuse for taking the best aspects of the older games out of the new one. Period. Okay, back to what I mean. They greatly reduced the neighborhood size and lot/house options. I'm talking like, 10 options tops for places to live in a town, and maybe 4 or 5 of those for starter homes. And, the neighborhood lots SUCK! There are 4 places to visit and a park. That's it. No markets, you buy groceries as you make recipes. (Which I kind of dig.) No theaters, no driving around. (I don't think there are cars. WTF? Someone correct me if I am wrong here.) I am tempted to go back to 3 just for the capability to actually explore a damn neighborhood. Then, there's the lack of being able to fully customize the clothing/items/decor. That was one of my FAVORITE things about 3! WHY did EA scrap that?! Also, and this is kind of a 'meh' gripe, I feel there are a lot less household items. I would like more style options. I know, EA, you'll give them to us, but we'll have to buy them in stuff packs and DLC. Ugh.

Enough with the negative, let's talk about what I do like. I like the fully interactive CAS (Create-A-Sim). I like the drag and pull method of customizing a sim's body. I love the choices of outfit items and enjoy the hair. But, here again, I would've liked to have seen more color/pattern customization. I also like the fact that you can choose the way a Sim walks as a default. (Their walk changes by their mood, or if they are tired.) You can also choose how they sound when they talk, which actually sounds different between the options, unlike the Sims 3 voice sliders. I feel like there could have been more aspiration and trait options, but that's kind of a small issue. 

I LOOOOOOVE the way the Sims interact with their surroundings. Some things, like cooking or gardening (or general skill development) is so much easier. A lot of things are learned rather passively. That's quite nice. The emotions thing really lived up to its hype for me. My Sim couple, (not me and the hubbs... okay, yes. It's me and hubbs) walked around and would randomly stop and smooch when traversing the house. It was adorable, and very much what we do here in real life. We're sappy, so sue me. My Sim-husband, Flazoo, decided to be a writer. To be honest, I asked my non-interested real-life husband, what he would like his virtual self to do. So, no, not a super spy... a writer. Whatevs, Flazoo, your life. My Simself didn't get a job. I decided to get her pregnant, cause you know, hormones, and have her stay home to keep the house and raise the kid. Which leads me to my favorite aspect of the game so far...

THE BABY! Interacting with the baby is actually fun and not pointless! I rocked, changed, cuddled, talked to, and BREASTFED(!!!) my wonderful, virtual little one. EA, you got this one 1000% right! You now have the option to both bottle feed and breast feed the new baby. I gave birth at home, which conveniently wouldn't happen until I bought a bassinet. My belly grew and grew (I got huuuuuge!) and got to wear any clothes I happened to be wearing! Thanks, EA, for not making default pregnancy clothes. This girl likes her options. 

I really have very little experience with the game beyond this. If I was incorrect about any of these things, like the car part and the lack of neighborhood options, please correct me! I would LOVE to learn about something I missed! Also, if you've played this game, tell me what you like and don't like so far! I wanna hear it!

-Wormy

THE List!

Lists! Lists! Lists!

Its time for the packing lists! I have to confess, my absolute favorite part of trip planning is the packing. The ironing, folding, rolling, stuffing... its relaxing and really puts me in the mood for the trip. Its the pinnacle of anticipation of the adventure, seconded only to take off. So, are ya'll ready?! Let's jump on in!

So, there it is. It seems like a lot, but it actually fits with plenty of room to spare in my 24 inch purple (of course) Ricardo roller suitcase. I know some may say, "Well, Wormy, if you have room to spare, you need a smaller suitcase." Umm, no. Where would I put all the souvenirs we will be lugging back with us? 

Stay tuned for how these packing lists get used to pack up my suitcase for travel, complete with step-by-step packing guide and tips for organized travel! 

Also, I'm sorry this is not really a packing list for males. Most of the list would be essentially the same, except for some of the clothes and most of the toiletries. 

Outfits and Essentials for a Day Trip to Paris!

Continuing our delve into these travel-related subjects...


We've added a day-trip to our itinerary! My husband told me of a surprise he had planned for our anniversary (3 years, YAY!). The catch was he wouldn't tell me what it was. I wanted to know, so we made a game of it. He had to give me hints as to the secret, and I had to try to guess it. I must admit, he was having too much fun, and I was stumped! Over the course of the day, he dropped hints:

1. 'North': Okay, like the direction, right? I'm thinking the destination is north of London.
2. 'Star': Um...what? North...star... the Titanic? No idea!
3. 'Station': Got it! As in, train station... but where?
4. 'River': Seriously? Almost every main town in Britain, hell, Europe is on or near a river. *Sigh*
5. The last clue, 'Euro': This one did it! I figured it out!

I have to confess, he did have to explain a few clues, but I still put 2 and 2 together. 'Euro'-'star'...we are taking a Eurostar train to Paris!! My awesome husband has planned a day-trip from London to Paris on our anniversary. I am so freaking excited about this!

Speaking of small day trips, what do you take and wear? Well, you want to be cute and comfortable, just as any other day while on vacation. B-b-but... its PARIS! That's, like, THE fashion central! So, here is some inspiration for your outfit:

Boot cut jeans (Express), black flats (Etsy), turquoise sweater, black studded scarf (Body Central), triangle earrings and bracelet (House of Harlow)

Gray sweater (Old Navy), purple tank (French Connection), skinny jeans (Paige Denim), black earring (Givenchy), combat boots (Wetseal), Scarf (Pieces)

You gotta have some entertainment for the train. The beauty of the scenery will keep you for a while in the day, but what about that night train back? This is where having a good book to read on your Kindle, a fun game on your DS, or a journal to log those vacation memories would make a good tag-along. (Don't forget your headphones!) Also, you may want to include a few things for sheer convenience. Pack some pain reliever, water, and a little lip balm. And, here are the things I would bring along (and plan to bring) on the train and around Paris for the day:

Just a few essentials: Purse (Steve Madden), wallet (Barneys), euros, ticket, passport, water, camera (Nikon), Nintendo 3DS, cell phone, ear buds, rose salve lip balm (Bath and Body Works), lip stick (Bare Minerals), tylenol, misc. medicines (not pictured).

What to Wear to Europe in the Fall!

"Wormy, I'm going on vacation to Europe in the Fall! I'm a female and not fashion savvy. What the hell do I wear?"

I think I can help you there! First of all, think about where and when you're going. This will have an impact on the style of clothes you wear and how many layers to pack.

Notice I said layers. LAYERS. Lay-ers. Meaning, dress with a lighter base (short sleeve or thin long sleeve), cardigan or jacket, and scarf. Wearing something a little dressier? Start with your favorite dress (and sleeve length), add a nice cardigan and some cozy tights. Ooookay, I'm sure you didn't come here to read all this drabble. You want examples. That I can do.

For the plane:

The theme here is cute comfort. Don't resort to sweatpants. I mean, leggings are basically sweatpants, only fashionable... so there's no excuse! Also, ladies, please cover your butt. I don't care what the fad is, skin tight leggings with a normal length tee is not cute. It looks sloppy, like you forgot to put actual pants on. Wearing a tunic length top or cardigan is acceptable. Speaking of, ladies of a more mature age can pull these looks off by wearing comfortable tunics. Don't forget a comfy scarf!

Another thing, shoes and accessories. You'll want comfort and practicality over fashion here. Running across DFW in stilettos would be worse than a nightmare. Ballet flats would be sufficient as long as they stay firmly on you feet for dashing to catch your connection. Steer clear of boots and shoes with lots of laces/buckles, unless they have a zipper. You'll only create a headache for yourself and other passengers when asked to remove your shoes for security. Keep jewelry to a bare minimum. I always keep all of my jewelry in my carry-on. I don't need any of it on my body to have to remove at security. If you HAVE to accesorize, so do with easily removed items, or items not made of metal.

For the sights:

Again, comfort is key. Make sure your shoes are broken in and that all your clothes are washed and fit well. Flats or flat boots are a very comfortable and stylish option. You don't want to go hobbling around on cobblestones in heels, so choose your shoes wisely. Sneakers, while not the more versatile option, would work well for any sightseeing trips out of the city, or in. Contrary to popular belief, Europeans DO wear sneakers. Opt for a more stylish pair, like Chucks or vintage New Balance. (Note: some of the nicer places you may visit may turn you away if you're wearing trainers.) Stick to darker colors and trendy styles, and you'll be fine. Wear what is comfortable to you. 

For a date night:

If you have a date planned, a night out to the theatre/ orchestra, or as in my case, my anniversary, you'll want to look dressed up. Shoot for simple elegance. Opt for a dress that can be dressed up or down, depending on the occasion. A cardigan will cover up bare shoulders for the chilly fall air. Instead of heels, pick some cute and comfy ballet flats. My favorite style are Mary Jane's. I got a pair from Aerosoles that feel like you're walking on, well... air. Keep accessories simple and timeless, yet romantic.

For the weather:

The weather can sometimes be unpredictable, especially in the UK. Remember to pack a few accessories for rain. Combat boots work nicely to keep the elements out, but serve a more fashionable purpose than rain boots. Rain can sometimes come with blustery wind, again, looking at you UK, so a water resistant jacket with a hood might be more of a life saver than that rip-off of an umbrella you bought in the souvenir shop. (Lesson learned the hard way here.) Do still pack a small umbrella, as it can still be of great use. A scarf will also come in hand to guard against the wind. The hat here is not necessary, just an option to accessorize the damp mop of hair you'll likely be sporting. 

Seriously, look at that hair! 

Also, be sure to match your outfits up BEFORE you leave. Try your clothes on. Make sure the pieces are comfy and that you can mix and match to create more outfits with fewer pieces. Examples: leggings can be worn on the plane and mixed with dresses for a new outfit, the same cardigan can be worn with several outfits to add warmth and style, or pick your favorite jeans and mix and match the tops and shoes around them. Have fun, but remember: PACK LIGHT. You don't want to lug a huge heavy suitcase around.

Obligatory extra terrible hair-day photos from last year:

In Berlin, the umbrellas didn't try to take flight!

Ugh! (Also, note: I don't exactly fit into the crowd, but no body seemed to care.)

Until next time, lovelies! 

-Wormy

**All photo collages created with Polyvore.com**

We are going to EUROPE AGAIN!!

We are going to Europe! Again! 

The tickets are bought, the hotels booked. All we need to do now is get there... in about 6 weeks. *Sigh* 

If only I had a fast forward button. Anyway, we are going to be going to London (with a short day-trip to Amesbury for the stone circle action) for about 7 days, then we are jetting off to Rome for another 5 days! I am so freaking excited. 

My husband and I went to London and Berlin last year, on what we thought would be a trip of a lifetime. It was, but we've managed to work for it again. We are huge history buffs, so we absolutely loved all that our trip held for us last year. The museums and landmarks were phenomenal. My favorite part of the trip was taking a tour at the Tower of London with a Beefeater, which we plan to do again this year. Oh yeah, my dad is going with us this year! So, we get to show him around London!! 

We plan to go to several museums, including the National Gallery in London and the Natural History Museum, which me missed out on last year. We will be DRIVING (commence freak-out) down to Stonehenge for a day. Our anniversary will fall on the first Thursday that we will be gone, so the hubs says he's planning a romantic day for the two of us. (Guess dad can fend for himself. Lol.) In Rome, the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain are calling my name! Along with, the mother-freaking Vatican! (Also, the foodie in me cannot wait to dig on some authentic Italian cuisine and shovel Jaffa cakes in my face again!)

All of this is to say that I will be doing a series of travel related posts. I will be typing up my packing lists (yes, lists...plural), detailing my packing ritual (its a thing!). After that, I will be posting my suggestions for outfits for the less fashion savvy of us for travel through Europe in the fall.  Then, maybe some ideas to make your vacation a little less hectic to plan. Stay tuned to see all the exciting content ahead for tips and tricks for travel!!

-Wormy