It's Farmers' Market Season!

Fresh fruits and vegetables are awesome, aren't they? I totally think so. I also think being able to get local produce is pretty awesome and there's no better place to get such things than at a farmers' market. We make a point to hit up markets wherever we are if we can. Sometimes, they are just cute little roadside markets that sell yummy things, but often there are many merchants gathered with their goodies in a formal market. 

Some are open everyday and some only sell on certain days. Our local farmers' market, which we are lucky to be very close to, is open only on Saturdays and then on Wednesday evenings during the summer. A lot of markets we've been to have limited days like this, but they are worth the effort if you can go to them.

Try new foods

I'm all for trying new foods. How else will you know if you like something? This is the next best thing to picking it yourself. It's super fresh and probably a better deal than getting it at the supermarket. Likely, it doesn't have pesticides on it either. Produce I buy at the farmers' market always tastes better than the same things I buy at the store, which is why I frequent ours two or more times a month. Local foods are a great way to learn about a place, too. Have you ever tried dragonfruit or fresh papaya? I have, in Hawaii!

Buy staples for meals

You're staying in a vacation rental, right? Of course you are, because you like having more room and saving money. Well, that means you have a kitchen and can make your own dishes. If it works out, head to the market near the beginning of your trip and then you have fresh veggies, spices and herbs to make dishes with. Woo! Not sure if you can make entire meals with what you find? You can, and soon I can show you as I'm currently working on a travel cookbook. It'll be full of recipes on things to make before your trip and while you're on it.

Pick up fixings for a picnic

Travel during warm weather deserves to be celebrated with a picnic! If you can't find bread, cheese and meats to make sandwiches with, I'd be really surprised. Grab a bunch of carrots or other favorite veggie to have on the side. Delicious! 

Find food products you can take/ship home

You know those fancy jams, pastas, dried fruits, candies and stuff people always bring home with them? You can do it, too. Sure, you can buy them in specialty shops, but at the markets they are normally all in one place and you can sample them to know what you actually like. If the items are liquidy, like jam or wine, put them in your bag and check it back home, unless it's cheaper to mail them back, then do that. It'll be like Christmas after you get home.

Food trucks

This might not be the norm, though I've seen food trucks and carts more often than not at outdoor markets. Ours has a few and also a coffee truck, which makes morning so much better when you're up early enough to find a parking space (people here really like the market) and aren't totally awake enough to drag around your heavy bag of freshness.

Meet with the locals

Engaging with the locals is a fantastic way to learn more about your destination. You can ask them questions about good places to eat (when you aren't making your own food) and cool places to visit. You may even make a new friend. If you're in a place that speaks a different language, this is a great way to practice, too.

Support the economy

Supporting the local economy is important. Even better than shopping small businesses is giving money directly to the growers and makers of things. You purposely chose your destination for a reason, so maybe spend more time going to local shops and restaurants than chains and you'll be doing your part as a good tourist.

Do you have a favorite farmers' market from your travels? Aside from home, I have loved Portobello Market as well as the small one we found in Orlando.

Why You Should Make Time for Travel

I love travel. I love seeing other places. I love meeting new people. Above all this, I feel better when I travel. I'm more relaxed when I'm on a trip and feel refreshed and ready for regular life again when I'm back home. I take those memories with me forever and recall them often. Travel is good for you and makes you a better person with better connections. Here's why: 

From Visually.

- See more at: http://visual.ly/benefits-traveling#sthash.5LCxyZOe.dpuf

If you've been putting off travel, use your vacation days now. Start planning future awesome memories. If you think you can't afford it, you can, eventually. Here are tips on how to save for your next trip. 

What's your favorite travel memory? Share with me in the comments!

Review: Travelsox Compression Socks

By now you know I'm a big advocate for compression socks. The good ones work and work well. The bad ones don't work at all and probably have a price that makes you wonder what the difference is between them and the expensive ones until you wear them. Of the many things at the Travel Goods Show, I was very interested in trying a new (to me) brand of compression socks and Travelsox easily agreed to be that company. 

If you find yourself with swollen feet and/or ankles when you travel, either from long flights or just extensive walking, then you need to get yourself a pair of good compression socks. We've finally gotten to the point where they are more common and therefore come in a lot of fun designs as well as the classic colors you want. They don't look like old people socks anymore, so you won't feel weird wearing them. 

The days at the Travel Goods Show were long with lots of walking the convention center and standing talking to vendors. I won't complain, because it's fun, even though it's work. Travelsox had a ton of fun designs, many of which are new, and I was interested to see how well they worked for my legs at the end of a long day of walking. When I got back to my room and settled in for the evening. I slipped these on and left them on, even after I went to sleep. They massaged my legs in all the right places and I could feel it helping to get my blood flowing again.   

My legs, ankles and feet all began to feel less swollen and achy (always a plus when you have more days of walking ahead of you). I left them on halfway through the night until I needed my feet to be cooler, but those hours of use really made my legs feel much better and ready for the next day.   

Since coming back from Vegas, I've been wearing these regularly on workdays where I'm standing for 8 hours at a time and they have made a world of difference. Usually, standing that long makes me feel like I want to cut my feet off too, but these help with the pressure, because they make sure that my legs and feet don't swell at all. 

And after a long day, my feet don't feel sweaty and they aren't stinky either, because Travelsox uses a patented fabric called Silver DryStat, that uses silver to make your socks antibacterial, antiviral, antimicrobial and anti-fungal. That's awesome, right? They also use  their own fiber called MICROSupreme to give your socks moisture-wicking properties. 

These hug your legs and feet in just the right way and aren't bulky at all, so you can wear them with all your favorite shoes, even slip-on ones like my work tennies above. In the cold warehouse they make sure that I'm warm, but not hot, and keep my feet happy even after hours of standing on a concrete floor. I don't know about you, but this is invaluable to me. I know that when I travel, I can wear them all day without issue and even if I just wear them when I'm back in the room, while I won't get the full benefits of wearing them while I'm actually active, they will they take down my swelling and hit all my aching points, so I have fresher feet the next day. And because of their anti-odor properties, if I can't do laundry for a couple days, I can wear them a second time with no problem. I'm guessing I'll just order another pair or two. 

Know someone who has bad circulation or do you need help on long flights yourself? These are half the price as some of their competitors and they are just as efficient, if not more. They come in fun colors and patterns or classic colors, plus you can get shorter socks if you aren't a fan of the knee-high version. Just know that they won't give you the great calf massaging benefits that you get with the taller ones, but maybe your issues are ankles and feet. If that's the case, then those shorter socks are perfect for you. 

Other Specs

Where to buy: On Travelsox website or Amazon

How much: $20-30/pair

Colors: Pretty much anything you're looking for. I'm wearing the TS1167 Travelsox Stripe OTC in brown.

Fabric: Composition: 75% Drystat, 15% Lycra, 10% Nylon, Care Instructions: turn inside out, machine wash warm, tumble dry cool, do not bleach, iron or dry clean.

Loving Travelsox's sock innovation? Find them online: 

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Disclosure: I was provided with a pair of Travelsox compression socks for the purposes of this review. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.