Happy Christmas!

I hope everyone is having a fantastic holiday, no matter what you celebrate. I came across a random picture of someone's Christmas Snape (the potions master from Harry Potter) and I decided I needed one, too. Well, I took that idea and ran with it, turning my house into Hogwarts for Christmas, complete with a Gryffindor common room fireplace wall. The decor will be added to in the future, but it's a very fun start, plus the decor will be used for our yearly Harry Potter birthday party in July/August. Anyway, I'm taking the day off, so I figured I would share my decor with you instead:

Obviously, he's a work in progress, but who doesn't love the idea of being
watched over by a stern Alan Rickman bedecked in holiday cheer?

I hope this brings a bit of whimsy to your day and you get everything you wished for. Here's to a happy and prosperous 2015!

Getting Through Airport Security with Your Sanity

The holidays are here and that means more travelers hitting the airport to visit friends, families or possibly just take advantage of a rockin’ travel deal. There’s no doubt that the airport will be crowded with travelers and lovely people picking up and saying goodbye, but the busiest place won’t be the stores or eateries, or even the waiting room, but the security line. No one likes to wait in it and everyone thinks it’s a hassle, even though it’s kind of exciting, because you’re going somewhere, hopefully, fun. While your airport might be more organized than some others out there, they still need you to do your part in making security an easier process for everyone. Here are some tips to help you get through security quickly and easily, even if they pull you aside and dig through your bag.

Have your photo ID and boarding pass in-hand – You can’t even get to the security conveyor belts and scanners if you don’t make it past the TSA agent in the line. Make sure to be prepared and keep the line moving, by having your photo ID (or passport) and boarding pass at the ready. Nobody wants to wait for you to dig around in your bag to find it and you will just make enemies of those people in line behind you.

Have your 3-1-1 bag out – Don’t wait until you get to the airport to start rummaging around in your toiletry bag and finding all your liquids and gels. Buy a TSA-approved 3-1-1 bag online or at the store or pick up a box of 1-liter zip-top bags and fill it up before you leave home. It will make you less stressed and you’ll know that everything fits in there.

Wear easy-on, easy-off shoes – Do you want to spend 20 minutes untying your hiking books to take off and put in the security bin? Probably not. Also, the people behind you do not want to wait for you either. Make sure you wear shoes that can easily be taken off and put back on, so you can make security procedures that much less painful for you and everyone else involved.

Do not wrap your gifts – TSA is all about seeing everything in your bag. Even if you only have one gift in your bag, don’t wrap it. You will have spent all that time and energy making it look pretty and then getting it into your bag, only to have an agent rip your paper to shreds to find out what you packed. Bring small gifts that can be packed without boxes and wrapping paper. By all means, bring those staples with you to wrap at your destination if you have room in your bag. 

tip: Flat sheets fit easily in that front pocket of your bag, but you can always pre-cut your sheets from a big roll, write the name of the recipient on the back and then roll them up and slip them in one of those small tube mailers so they don't get munched. Look for those flat bows that you pull on and they fluff up like nobody's business. I love these, because they never get squashed in my bow box and when employed, they are awesome looking.

Make sure your laptop is easily accessible – If you’re bringing a laptop, netbook or iPad, make sure you can quickly access it and slide it in and out of your carry-on. It will make the security line that much faster when you have to dump all your individual things into a bin: shoes, jacket, purse, pocket contents, laptop, 3-1-1 bag. The quicker these things can be put into a bin, the faster you can push them towards the X-Ray machine and make room for other travelers’ items and bins on the counter.

tip: Usually, the left-hand security lines go faster, so jump in one of those if possible, since most people tend to stray to the right.

Now, look at your being less stressed while everyone else looks like they want to pull their hair out in the security line.

Where are you traveling this holiday season?

Enduring the Midwestern Cold

I doubt there are many of you who are looking to plan a trip to Minneapolis in the winter, but you might find yourself there anyway. Either you live there, live in a nearby city/state or have to schedule a business trip there. If you can make it when there isn’t some snowpacalypse happening (which the Midwest and East Coast seem to be having more frequently in recent years and not being able to leave a destination is not always the most enjoyable), then it can easily be a fun winter getaway.

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Despite packing your carry-on with some warm sweaters and boots and having to bring a bulky coat on the plane, you can stay warm in Minneapolis even when wandering the downtown area. In fact, the best thing about downtown – in my opinion only maybe – is that it has a Skyway system. It’s an above-ground clear tunnel system that connect downtown venues and businesses and helps visitors to the city get around without freezing their bums off. It covers 11 miles and 69 blocks, allowing you to have an entire day in the city without actually setting foot outside if you don’t want to. It’s fairly awesome that it’s temperature controlled, but with windows along each side, you can easily see the city and enjoy any sunshine that may be peeking its head out or even see the beautiful snow.

Don’t know where you’re going? Many of the walkways have a stand with the free Downtown Guide that you can pick up and figure out how to get around. So, where can you go besides the bank? Lots of places, actually. Here are just a few of the places I would check out if I were headed to downtown Minneapolis:

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The Oak Grill Restaurant is a hidden gem that’s located on the 8^th floor of Macy’s department store. It has Chinese favorites like sesame chicken, shrimp stir fry and beef and broccoli, all at under $10 a plate. You can make reservations on OpenTable to ensure you get a table and rack up points for free dining. Download the app for easy booking on the go!

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For a night out, I’d splurge on a dinner at Zelo. It’s an Italian restaurant with fantastic seafood selection, including wood grilled ahi tuna, salmon with blood orange sauce and walleye Milanese. Yes, good seafood is possible when you don’t live near the sea.

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Apparently, if you’re into live performance, then the Orpheum is a must. It is a vintage theater that gives tours where you can learn about the history, architecture and more. Of course, you can just take in a show. Broadway Across America performances stop here as well as dance and concerts.

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I love a museum, especially when it’s unique. The Mill City Museum is an old flour mill and takes visitors on an interactive tour of the history of the milling industry. That’s pretty cool, right? Though the mill had been nearly gutted by age and fire, it has been restored to its former glory so you can learn all about it while escaping the cold. If you visit in the warmer month, there is a nearby farmers’ market to check out after.

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Traveling with kids? Stop at the Wells Fargo History Museum. This museum offers hands-on fun for the whole family. From an authentic stagecoach from the late 1800s to real gold nuggets, you’ll learn the history behind Wells Fargo and what it was like to drive a coach, send telegraphs and more. Take a free guided tour by reservation!

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That’s just a few of the cool things there are to see when traveling by Minneapolis Skyway. The convention center and many shops are also connected to the system as well as a bunch of hotels, so you could almost spend your whole trip inside and not feeling like it. Note that the Skyway portions are owned by individual businesses, so they don’t all open and close on the same schedule. Make sure you pay attention to this, so you don’t get stranded and have to unexpectedly hike the city or hail a cab when it’s super cold outside.

Hipmunk can help you find an affordable hotel in the downtown area if you want to check out the Skyway for yourself. If you’re on a budget, don’t fear, because there are plenty of hotels in all price ranges.

Disclaimer: This post was inspired by my partnership with Hipmunk - a great site to find low hotel rates wherever you travel. #hipmunkcitylove