Travel – Page 28 – Travel Smart With Jodie

Spring equals Tulip Time

Anytime is a good time to visit Holland, Mich. but for glorious spring blooms go during Tulip Time

Third in spring blooms combined with a great destination series is Holland Michigan

It is Tulip Time in Holland, Michigan.

Anytime, is a good time to visit Holland, Mich. where an authentic Dutch windmill grinds stone ground flour, fine-crafted beer is on tap and visitors can see wooden shoes and Dutch-style pottery made from scratch.

However, the town is ready for its closeup the first two week of May. In 2011, its famed Tulip Time festival stretches from May 7 through May 14.

Gorgeous yellow and red tulips line the streets, and black, purple, crimson, white and pink tulips fill Windmill Island. Dutch dancing brings crowds to downtown parks and parades are almost every day. Come for a parade May 11 or May 12 but parade lovers will want to stay for the Grand Finale, May 14.

To avoid the crowds and more easily snag a hotel and restaurant reservation, go the first week in May because the tulips are already showing off their glorious blooms.

Where to stay

The Haworth Inn and Conference Center on the Hope College Campus fills fast because it is within walking distance of the historic downtown and TulipTime activities. Breakfast comes with the room and apples, coffee and tea are always out on a table. Haworth Inn, 225 College Avenue Holland, Mich. 49423 (800-903-9142).

The Leed certified, contemporary styled CityFlats Hotel with its popular CityVu Bistro, is also downtown at 61 East 7th Street, Holland, Mich. 49423, (866-609-2489).

Holiday Inn Express, Best Western and Hampton Inn are east of downtown Holland near US Highway 31. Click Holland Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) for accommodation availability. The city’s CVB website also lists B&Bs, camp sites and other accommodation choices.

What to see

If interested in events check Tulip Time but don’t worry if they aren’t convenient. The town has many attractions including DeZwann, an authentic, brought-over from Holland windmill, on Windmill Island at7^th Street and Lincoln Avenue, (888-535-5792). It has the only Dutch Mill Society’s certified miller outside of the Netherlands. Walk Windmill Island’s canals, gardens and shops.

Try to catch the Dutch Trade Fair, May 7-8. And browse shops on the town’s historic 8^th Street, its main street.

Before leaving, be sure to stop at the DeKlomp Wooden Shoe & Delft Factory east of downtown near the highway. You can watch shoes being carved and talk with artists working on the only authentic Delftware made in the US.

See artists make Delftware and wooden shoes

Where to eat

Even if staying at an inn that serves a free breakfast, go over to Alpenrose Restaurant at 4 E. 8^th Street, (616.393.2111) to ooh at its European ambiance over breakfast or a mid afternoon break.

Stop at New Holland Brewing at 66 E. 8^th Street, )616-355-6422) for good pizza, sandwiches and beer.

Now throw some clothes and the camera into the car and go.

(Photos by Jodie Jacobs)

Spring blooms and great city equal a vacation destination

Spring is perfect for a vacation minus the crowds

Second in series on Spring vacation destinations is Chicago and the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Warm weather welcomed visitors to Chicago even though the calendar said it was only the second weekend in April.

Couples were downing salads and sandwiches on the Park Grill patio at the edge of Millennium Park.

Visitors head up the paths in Millennium Park to see its Frank Gehry sculptured roof of the Pritztker Pavilion and Cloud Gate. Photo by Jodie Jacobs

Youngsters were dashing up the park’s steps for a closer look at Cloud Gate, known as The Bean and the wild Frank Gehry sculptural roof of the Pritzker Pavilion

About 20 miles north, visitors kept pouring into the Chicago Botanic Garden by bike, SUV and on foot.

Spring had finally come to Chicago.

April and May are fine times to make Chicago a vacation destination. Paths along Lake

Michigan are not yet crammed with beach-goers. The Magnificent Mile of North Michigan Avenue isn’t jammed with shoppers and lookers. The theater and symphony seasons are still in full swing. Museums don’t have lines out the door.

Spring has come to Chicago and the Chicago Botanic Garden. Photo by Jodie Jacobs

And about a half hour drive north, colorful blossoms line the Chicago Botanic Garden entrance, paths and surprise visitors around every corner.

Where to stay:

As a convention city, Chicago is blessed with more than 100,000 hotel rooms so finding one that meets budget, style and location specifications is usually easy.

Hotels with special stay and play packages usually list their current deals at

Parking in Chicago is pricy so look for a package that includes parking.

A recent check of hotel deals listed W Chicago Lakeshore which is convenient to Navy Pier, the Amalfi Hotel which is convenient to North Michigan Avenue shopping and the Hyatt Regency which is near Millennium Park.

What to do:

Check the Chicago Symphony Orchestra schedule. Symphony Center is across Michigan Avenue from Millennium Park and the Art Institute of Chicago.

There is always something special to see at the Art Institute of Chicago. Photo by Jodie Jacobs

See “Kings, Queens and Courtiers: Art in Early Renaissance France” at the Art Institute of Chicago through May 30, 2011.

The exhibit ends with a work by Leonardo da Vinci and his studio.

While there, be sure to explore the galleries either side of the special exhibit’s Regenstein hallways to see fine Whistlers and works of other famed artists.

Also take the elevator from the modern wing upstairs to the rooftop patio. Visitors can snap a great view of Millennium Park and the skyhline even if they aren’t eating in the adjacent restaurant.

The Art Institute's rooftop patio is a great place to look down onto Millennium Park and take in the skyline. Photo by Jodie Jacobs

Go over to the Merchandise Mart on the Chicago River, a few blocks west of Michigan Avenue. The main floor has showrooms open to the public with great home decorating ideas. If at the Mart April 29 through May 2 see Art Chicago, an international fair that showcases contemporary and modern works.

Take a Chicago River Architectural Tour. Spring is the start of the boat tour season and Chicago is known as an architectural destination. Several organizations and companies offer good tours.

Drive north to Glencoe on I94 to Lake Cook Road and turn east for half a mile to the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Spring blooms such as Dutch Crocus, surprise walkers around every curve and path at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Photo by Jodie Jacobs

Spring is a fun time to explore its paths. Just about every turn uncovers another bulb opening or another plot of color. Take paths through the Japanese Islands and other islands to watch birds returning north and see trees beginning to bloom.

Stop in the Circle Garden to see colorful foxglove set against artistic fountain sprays and see what’s blooming in the English Garden and in the vegetable gardens.

Even though the weather is fine for walking outdoors, save time to visit the greenhouses to see cute topiaries and find out what is blooming indoors.

Add the Garden to a Chicago vacation.

Combine spring blooms with an interesting destination

Fort Worth is a town where a cattle drive, fine art and a nearby botanic garden add up to a fun and different vacation

First in the Spring blooms vacation destination series is Fort Worth, Texas

Fort Worth Texas is a fun "Western" town. Photo from Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau

Think cattle drive. Think arts festival and art museums. Think acres of roses, poppies, irises and azaleas. Yes, these wildly disparate attractions can fit into a single vacation – if the vacation is in Fort Worth, Texas.

This Southwestern city has a twice daily cattle drive in its Stockyards National Historic District.

If you time the trip to coincide with the annual Fort Worth Arts Festival, this year April 14-17, you catch the city’s downtown “happening” of juried fine art show, street performers and concerts that fill nine blocks of downtown Main Street.

Even if the festival date doesn’t work, still put art on the agenda because the Amon Carter and Kimball Museums are worth the short drive over to the Fort Worth Cultural District.

Amon Carter is known for its collections of iconic Western artists Frederick Remington and Charles Russell. Its current special exhibition , Hudson River School: Nature and the American vision, goes through June19. on Carter 3501 Camp Bowie Boulevard Fort Worth, TX 76107 (817) 738-1933

Go for the Art Festival or the Amon Carter Museum's Remingtons and Russells, , Fort Worth is an arts destination. Fort Worth CVB photo

The Kimball Art Museum has a small but choice collection ranging from European to African art but also brings major exhibits to town. Coming are Picasso and Braque May 29-Aug. 21, 2011 and Caravaggio and his followers in Rome, Oct. 16, 2011-Jan. 8, 2012

Kimbell Art Museum 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd. Fort Worth, TX 76107 (817) 332-8451

To walk through a sea of color, save time for a half-day excursion to Clark Gardens Botanical Park, about 40 minutes west of Fort Worth off US Highway 180. Begun as an extensive private garden by Max and Billie Clark in 1972, 143 acres were opened to the public in 2000.

Celebrate spring amongst the roses at Clark Gardens Botanical Park west of Fort Worth. Photo by Jodie Jacobs

Spring is prime time at Clark Gardens. Gorgeous double ruffle pink poppies and azaleas are blooming now to mid April. Roses and irises will be at their peak mid April to early May.

Clark Gardens Botanical Park, 567 Maddux Road, Weatherford, Texas, 76088, 940-682-4856.

If you go: Fort Worth has a wide choice of accommodations from hotels to B&Bs and luxury to budget.

For a top full-service downtown hotel check out the Fort Worth Omni.

More suggestions of places to stay and things to do at FortWorth.com

Four Tips to Cure Cabin Fever

Take a stay vacation or plan a party to cure cabin fever

You’re not alone if you have a mega fever – cabin fever that is. Just as all that snow melted from the last blizzard and the weather seem to be turning the seasonal corner, either another blast of icy cold or the white stuff has us hurrying back indoors.

Take a stay vacation or plan now to visit somewhere interesting, like Chicago, this summer

Here are four doable prescriptions to ease cabin fever.

Green isn’t just the color of lawns and leaves when the weather finally cooperates. It also comes with an Irish accent and a lively, musical lilt. Plan now to host a fun St. Patrick’s Day party or talk with friends about getting together at an Irish pub that will have a dance group or live music. Begin planning now to have something to look forward to a few weeks away.

Take a stay-vacation where you only have to travel to a nearby B&B, resort or downtown hotel. Many places are offering good deals before the Spring Break and Easter rush. Choose a place with a spa or one that is near a fine restaurant or live theater to make the getaway even more special. Need an excuse? Isn’t it a half birthday or anniversary of something?

Start planning your summer vacation. Look on line for a range of accommodations, things to do and transportation options. By starting now you should have more lodging and price choices. And you start to feel more connected to the places you hope to go instead of house bound by snow and cold.

Remember the 2011 blizzards will be conversation items for years to come. So, gather your photos and memories, put them in a scrapbook and close the book on this winter.

Combine an art class with travel to do more than just look

Bring home more than a souvenir from a trip. Take a class in something you always wanted to try.

Travel does not have to be the old if it is Monday this must be Madrid scenario. Arguably the best way to see an area is to remain unpacked for more than a day. Even better, do something special while there.

There is nothing wrong with renting a cottage or condo in your destination of choice for a week. But when you need an excuse to take off time or some extra incentive to visit a region, look for classes to take.

The second of a series on combining a class with travel looks at two travel destinations where visitors can take art classes.

Pottery is nice to buy from an expert such as John Dietrich whose shop and studio with wife Diane McNeil is in Ellison Bay on Wiscon's Door County. But besides finding the perfect piece to take home it is also nice to take a class to better understand the craft

Maine

If you have a yearning to visit the fishing villages, forests and coast of Maine, look into Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. No prior craft knowledge needed unless you are seeking an advanced class. You can take a one week summer workshop here in fibers, clay, metals, wood, glass and even blacksmithing.

The only problem is that you might be distracted by the scenery. Haystack overlooks the Atlantic Ocean on Deer Isle. Indeed, just driving there from the Bangor Airport or Boston if doing New England this trip, is about following back country roads to Deer Isle.

But you are not there yet. You skip across the Eggemoggin Reach and tiny islands to reach the school. Haystack’s scenic location gives new meaning to the phrase “tucked away.”

Classes are Monday through Friday and the studios are open 24/7 so students don’t have to stop work on their projects when the instruction for the day is done. Students stay and eat on campus during their workshop period.

Because Haystack is on the middle of Maine’s coast, about 70 miles from Bangor, 160 miles from Portland and 250 miles from Boston, taking a class here can be bookended with a weekend near any of those towns.

The state is all about water: 5,000 miles of coast, 6,000 lakes, 32,000 miles of rivers. So enjoy its scenery and, of course, lobster. The yummy seafood is about half the price you pay at home.

A good resource is the Maine Office of Tourism.

Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, 89 Haystack School Drive, Deer Isle, Maine 04627, 207-348-2306

The Peninsula School of Art holds workshops year round that are a good escuse to visit Door County

Wisconsin

Door County, Wisconsin, a peninsula that juts like a thumb into Lake Michigan from the southern edge of Green Bay, is known as a vacation destination.

The county is also known as a haven for sculptors, painters, photographers and ceramicists. It is also a good place to go gallery hopping and take a class at the Peninsula School of Art.

Workshops run anywhere from one day to a semester. Best plan to combine a class and a travel stay is to look at the offerings during your vacation time. Classes range from ceramics, jewelry and metal arts to painting and photography for all skill levels.

The school does not have a campus but The Door, as the peninsula is popularly known, has a wide choice from cottages and condos to inns and B and B’s.

The art school is conveniently situated in Fish Creek which is dotted with interesting shops and places to stay. When not in class, explore the Peninsula’s winding roads through woods and farmlands.

Green Bay, the waterway, not the town, borders Door County on its northwest. Lake Michigan laps up to the southeast shoreline or underside of the thumb.

The closest major airport is Green Bay but guests also fly into Milwaukee.

More information at Door County, Wisconsin.

Peninsula School of Art, 3900 County F, Fish Creek, Wisc. 54212, 920-868-3455

Fun trips and classes go together like ham and cheese in a Croque Monsieur

Combine a scenic getaway with an interesting class

New Year 2011 stretches ahead ready for your imprint. It’s time to drop a few fun things into the calendar that give you something to look forward to as a break in your routine.

Not sure how? First, think fun getaway. Secondly, think interesting class.

You don’t have to be a chef wannabe to take a cooking class or an aspiring artist or photographer to attend an art school or crafts camp. Not only will you meet and learn from experts, you will get to know another region. A Travel Smart with Jodie series on places to combine a fun class and trip begins today.

First in the series is all about cooking (coming up wine, photography, art). Here are two of many places where the scenery is fine and the cuisine is yummy.

Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls

The rustic look of the Inn at Cedar Falls signifies relaxation and an appreciation of organic foods but the kitchen dishes out fine cuisine

Stay at the inn or at nearby lodging to explore the forests and rock formations of Southern Ohio’s famed Hocking Hills State Parks while taking a cooking class at the inn’s renowned kitchen.

Combination cooking and stay

Overnight guests will prepare dinner under the guidance of Chef Anthony Schulz in “Weekend CookInn Classes,” Jan. 21-22, March 18-19 or Sept. 16-17. The price of $485-$649 person (depends on single or shared room) covers wine and dessert on Friday, dinner preparation on Saturday. Reservations are limited to eight people.

Stay in the Hocking Hills but take a cooking class at the inn

Chef Anthony Schulz welcomes guests eager to learn some trade secrets at CookInn classes

Chef Anthony Schulz shows how to make easy but impressive dishes at his “Summer Entertaining Foods CookInn Class,” June 29 and how to do perfect meal endings at “Summer Desserts CookInn Class,” Aug. 2. Each class is $55 and includes lunch and recipes.

Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls, 21190 State Route 374, Logan, Ohio 43138, 800-653-2557 (1-800-65-FALLS)

Hocking Hills information and lodging

Culinary Institute of America

Although the CIA is justly famous for training tomorrow’s top chefs, anyone can the take the school’s “Enthusiasts” classes. They are offered in three places: at the home site in Hyde Park, NY, at a longtime popular second branch in St. Helena, CA near the top of the Napa Valley, and at the institution’s newest site in San Antonio, Texas.

Classes have such enticing names as “CIA Favorites,” “Gourmet Meals in Minutes,” “Indian Feast” and “Spain and the World Table.”

Reservations must be made well in advance of a class because word has gotten out that these are a chance to go into CIA’s kitchens and learn some excellent culinary tips.

Combining a cooking experience with a trip to Napa Valley for a class may sound like a perfect weekend getaway, but really needs some advance planning.

“CIA Favorites” featuring recipes and dishes from The Culinary Institute of America Cookbook, currently has a waiting list for the class at Greystone in St. Helena on Feb. 5 but has openings for that Greystone class on June 11.

The $250 tuition for the class covers hands-on-cooking, demonstrations, tips, plating techniques, a CIA logo apron and cookbook.

If scheduling a CIA Enthusiats class doesn’t fit into the calendar you still can get the Culinary Institute of America Cookbook: Favorite recipes for the home chef, (Lebhar-Friedman Books, September 2008)

CIA Enthusiasts courses at Graystone, 2555 Main Stree, St. Helena, CA 94574

Napa information and lodging

Five ways to make the airport leg of your trip more fun

The flying portion of your holiday trip can be enjoyed instead of merely endured.

Yes, security lines will probably be long this holiday season and you will have to adjust your packing to what can be brought on board. But that doesn’t mean the flying portion of your holiday trip is something to be endured instead of enjoyed.

DFW Ambassador Volunteer Nancy Baltimore watches for people who need help or look lost

Airports have changed over the past decade as they have become more aware of travelers’ needs.

Taking advantage of the changes is easier today than even a few years ago thanks to electronic devices that tell you where the good stuff is.

With a click of an internet link you can find out about an airport’s amenities before you leave home or from touch screens and information specialists when you arrive.

Here are five suggestions that can up the level of your airport experience:

1. It’s child’s play. If traveling with children, go to the airport’s website to see if and where there is a play area.

The Children's Museum area of O'Hare's Terminal 2 has models of familiar airport items

In Chicago, O’Hare International Airport has an airplane and other airport related build-outs for let’s pretend and role-playing. They are in the Children’s Museum area of Terminal 2 across from the Travelers Aid Office. The area is accessible to Terminals 3 and 1 after going through security.

The Dallas-Fort Worth Airport has a McDonald’s Play Area in Terminal D near gate D33 and another children’s play area at D10. DFW also has a Pepsi Junior Flyer’s Club in Terminals B and C.

A touch screen directory at each end of The Mall at Minneapolis-St.Paul Airport helps travelers locate food, shops and services

2. Sometimes it’s about the food.

Although this traveler does not miss the often strange and limited plane food service that once was part of the ticket price, now that airlines charge extra a good option is to plan to eat or buy food to go at the airport.

The problem is if you don’t know what food kiosks or restaurants are in your terminal or near your gate you might merely snag something at hand and find out later there was a better choice.

Many airport websites list food kiosks and restaurants so you can think about options and know the locations ahead of time.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airportis so traveler friendly it has everything from food and shopping to parking options on its website and at vertical touch screens at the airport. It also has goHow, a free, downloadable application.

In addition, food coupons can be downloaded and printed for some choices. The touch screens are at either end of the shopping and food mall in Lindbergh, the airport’s main terminal.

Airport stores are loaded with good gift items for the traveler who has run out of shopping time or who wants to have fun shopping while waiting to board a plane

3. Speaking of shopping

It’s OK to leave some shopping to the last minute. After taking care of work deadlines you had to squeeze family and packing time into the few minutes left.

Fortunately, major airports and even mid-sized ones stock jewelry, clothes, books and sports items that make good gifts for others and yourself.

This veteran flier and shopper recently found Native American items at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, electronic devices at DFW, CDs and Elvis memorabilia at the Sun Studio booth at the Memphis International Airport, jewelry and books at O’Hare and an extra travel bag at the tiny John Wayne Airport in Orange County, CA.

4. Relax

Go to your airport’s website to see if it has a shoe-shine or massage chair station.

Sometimes merely treating yourself to a service you don’t have time for at home is all it takes to make a trip’s airport portion feel like the first leg of the holiday getaway.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport has massage chairs near seven gates. It has shoe shine stations at The Mall and Concourses C and D.

A free down-loadable app by goHow makes finding restaurants and services easier at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. It also keeps track of flight arrivals and departures there and at several other airports

5. Bring your electronic devices and their chargers and down load a free application. Several airports now have apps that have all the information travels need.

Airports also now have WiFi. At many of them the WiFi connection is free. Wait time before boarding or between connections is also a chance to go online to learn more about where to visit and eat when you arrive.

It is also an easy opportunity to recharge your Blackberry or other devices so they will be ready to use at your destination. End tables in some of DFW’s seating areas have outlets.

Relieve holiday travel stress

Instead of living with headaches or muscle aches caused by travel stress, slot in some spa time

Whether it is for fun such as ski slopes or sunny sands or to visit family, your holiday trip will likely include stress hazards.

They may be airport hassles, crying toddlers a seat away, late trains, weather delays or road construction.

No matter what the cause, the result can be tight neck and forehead muscles, headaches or back pains.

Instead of living with it or taking two aspirins and not calling the doctor in the morning, slot in some spa time.

Family and friends may sympathize with the pain but you and they will have better togetherness time if you feel well. And that is the point of spa treatments today.

Time in a relaxation room at Peninsula Chicago's Spa by ESPA is part of the stress relieving experience

No longer considered an indulgence, spa experiences are typically categorized as wellness treatments.

Many resorts and vacation destinations feature spas. However here are a few I have personally experienced and recommend.

The Peninsula Spa by ESPA

You don’t have to stay at a Peninsula Hotel to book a spa treatment there. ESPA combines Oriental, European and Ayurvedic approaches. Because I live near Chicago, I book treatments at the Peninsula Chicago. But the hotel and its Spa by ESPA are also in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Beverly Hills, New York, Bangkok, Beijing, Shanghai and Manila.

Burke Williams Spa

If traveling to San Francisco, San Jose or to Los Angeles or Orange Counties, lucky you because there is probably a Burke Williams Spa near your destination.

Joya Spa

A spa experience at the Joya Spa at Intercontinental Montelucia Resort and Spa, Scottsdale, AZ is a vacation. You don’t have to stay at the resort to use the spa. However, you may have to book a session before leaving home because local spa enthusiasts have found Joya.

Coldwater Creek Spa

Maybe the idea that a popular woman’s apparel store also has a spa may dissuade some people from trying it. But I have repeatedly gone to the one in Southlake, Texas for a pedicure that is pure bliss. The problem is there are just not enough Coldwater Creek Spas. There are two in Texas and on each in California, Oregon, Illinois, Colorado and Florida.

Pack and travel lighter this holiday season

Throwing everything from the closet into a mega suitcase is a hard habit to break but holiday travel nowadays calls for smarter packing

You may think you need six pairs of shoes when visiting family or heading to a holiday destination. Maybe you think people care if you wear the same sweater twice.

Think again if you would like to lighten the holiday travel hassle.

Before switching from general features to travel writing, I really did throw five pairs of shoes into my suitcase and wore my comfy gym shoes on the plane.

I used to stuff stuff into a check through bag and a carry-on

I also brought clothes changes for every day and every evening. Of course I had to bring a large suitcase that I checked through to my destination or wrestled with into the car trunk and up the stairs of B and B’s.

By the way, even if my room was on the first floor of a B and B, it typically had stairs up to the entrance. And even if my plane arrived on time, I had to wait way too long for the suitcase to appear on the baggage carousel.

What a difference the change of writing assignments made.

I didn’t realize I had changed so much until I packed for a recent Washington DC trip and threw, well folded, everything into a carry-on that could fit into the overhead compartment.

For me it was no longer a big deal because I hadn’t used a large suitcase in two years.

The realization that I changed came however, when my husband pulled out his mega-sized bag and I asked, “why?”

“Because I need two suits and a sports jacket,” he said. He was attending a four-day conference where he had to speak one day, while I was doing my travel thing around the capital.

After rethinking what he had to pack (the two suits) and wear (the sports jacket) he saw he could fit everything into his carryon as long as he also took a small travel bag for books and the 3-1-1 bag.

Packing habits can be hard to change but after packing lighter once, you may also change. When changing planes, it is also nice to know you have what you need instead of worrying if you and your bags will ever meet again.

Here are some tips to lighten the load and stop worrying where you suitcase is.

1. Coordinate your outfits so you don’t have to pack more than two pairs of shoes. Wear the bulkiest third pair on the plane or in the car.

2. Limit slacks, shorts or skirts to two to pack and one to wear

3. Women can use tops for costume changes with different teddy’s and tees but should look for ones that are wrinkle free or hang out well. Jewelry also changes a look but don’t travel with favorite or most expensive jewelry.

4. Men also use different colored dress shirts and ties or casual shirts for different looks.

5. Instead of a purse, women can bring a Sac or other sling-over-the-shoulder bag to carry items that don’t fit into the small suitcase. Pills and make-up should go into this bag. Pack a dressy purse or neutral one.

6. Men will find that a small sports bag will carry items not packed into the small suitcase.

7. If presents are an issue remember that TSA does not want them wrapped so best is to mail ahead instead of packing them unless traveling by car. If returning with presents, mail the bulkier ones back home.

Finally, a new online travel magazine is running a holiday list of items that make travel easier. See the items at Striped Pot.

Happy Holiday Travels

The choosing and care of your holiday tree

Start a family holiday tree choosing tradition and find out how to care for your tree

Probably you are not looking for a tree quite as large as the 70 foot blue spruce that was donated by a McHenry County, Illinois family to Chicago as the city’s tree in Daley Plaza.

A 70 foot blue spruce from McHenry County now stands tall in Chicago's Daley Plaza

However, if you live in the Chicago area chances are there is a tree with your family’s name on it out in McHenry County. That is where corn and farm stands bump up against orchards and plant nurseries and a USDA report listed the county’s growers as harvesting more trees than elsewhere in the state.

At McHenry’s Richardson Farm in Spring Grove you can do more than merely search for the perfect tree. You can turn it into an experience.

Ride out to the trees and have fun finding just the right one. Cut yours down and hitch a ride back to have it shaken, baled and receive twine to tie it to your car. Oh, and be sure to have a donut and cup of hot chocolate or coffee before you leave.

Start a family tradition of finding and cutting the perferct tree

“Coming here is a family tradition,” says Carol Richardson who explained that families return there every year for their tree. “It’s the entire experience: going out in the wagon, choosing a tree, looking around for a wreath and sipping hot cocoa.”

However, before choosing be sure the tree will be happy in your household and look its best when most important.

Here are a few guidelines from Carol Richardson and from the farm’s website:

Before you head out, take a look at the photos and tree descriptions

Some trees have a longer life after cut than others. If set on getting a tree with a short cut life such as a Balsam fir or Norway spruce wait until a couple of weeks before Christmas to cut it. Also, ask or look for signs that recommend trees that last from Thanksgiving through Christmas.
After bringing your tree home make a fresh straight-across cut (not diagonal) about ½ inches from the original cut and immediately put the tree into water (warm is better the first time than cold.)
A water reservoir stand is best for the tree’s life but it still should be periodically checked so you keep the water level up. Some houses are drier than others which changes water evaporation time. Also trees drink water at different speeds. You can slow evaporation by placing the tree away from direct sunlight or a heating vent.
More guidelines

Richardson Farm, 9407 Richardson Road, Spring Grove, IL 60081 815-675-9729 For more tree farm locations see McHenry County or call McHenry County Convention & Visitors Bureau toll-free at 888-363-6177.

(Chicago tree photo courtesty of City of Chicago and trees at Richardson Farm courtesy of Richardson Farm)