Postponing All Your Trips for the Forseeable Future

Let's talk about trips we had planned that the apocalypse has ruined? I like to look on the bright side, because travel isn't cancelled forever, it's just postponed. If you can postpone your vacations instead of outright cancelling them, that would be better all around. We'll get to travel again, and when we do, it's gonna be great...and possibly safer than ever before.

Why Postpone? 

Because it gives you something to look forward to. I know right now prospects are feeling kind of bleak and hopeless and there's a ton of disappointment over cancelled events and whatnot, but what about that trip you had planned? Yes, it's a bummer that you didn't get to go, but wouldn't it be cool if you just went later and still had that to look forward to on the horizon, no matter how far away it is? 

Thinking about travel makes me happy, and even though I'm not sure if the rest of my travels this year will happen, I know that eventually I'll be able to go and it makes me optimistic. Even the act of planning a trip (even if the travel dates are unknown) gives you some of the benefits of actually taking the trip. It instantly boosts your mood and relaxes you. Plus, having extra time to plan a trip eases the stress that some people feel trying to create the perfect vacation for their family.

What I didn't get to pack for the wedding reception we were going to.

Why Not Cancel Instead?

Unfortunately, one of my trips was outright cancelled due to Covid and shelter-at-home orders. The wedding reception we were going for was pushed back to September, though to a weekend that we already have plans, so I cancelled my airfare. I could have gotten a refund (and you should in most circumstances, especially if the airline cancels for you), but I knew I would be flying that airline again as soon as I'm allowed to fly, so I just took a credit. Now I'm already ahead for my next trip, plus I'm helping the airlines by not making them pay me back when everyone is hurting right now. The same goes for accommodations you may have already booked and paid for.

If your event is cancelled, it might get pushed back to a later date, and you can go then. If you already have tickets to that event and they haven't refunded you, they will honor your tickets when it has been rescheduled. 

Know your rights when it comes to cancelled flights. <---I wrote you a tiny poem♥

What I probably won't be packing for NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

What To Do In the Meantime

Try not to get into the mindset that this is the end of the world. It's not. We'll get to see friends again. We'll get to throw parties. We'll get to pack a carry-on and get on a plane. Plan your trips with a TBA travel date, pack your bags so you don't have to do it at the last minute, make a travel wish list, and then have fun planning a great staycation in the meantime. Not only will it make you more creative, but it might even give you a new appreciation for your house and/or backyard. 

We'll all get through this together and our travels will be that much more special when do. What's the best/worst part of shelter-at-home for you?

Review: Well Told Design Drinkware

Right about now, everyone's wishing they could get out of the house and go somewhere, anywhere, but also, everyone's flights are getting cancelled, so you're getting double disappointed by life. Why not remember the good days and those great trips you've taken at home with a set of Well Told drinkware with the night sky or destination map etched into them?

Well Told Design noticed that there wasn't a good selection of home goods that were both well made and good looking. Why not a product that you would use often and feel happy every time you did? We use glasses every single day and so do most other people.

Well Told sent me a set of pint glasses with London and I knew right out of the box they were going to become favorites of ours and we'd probably end up with several more additions to the set in the future. These pint glasses have the London map on them, which makes me think back to our most recent trip and also our honeymoon. London is one of our favorite destinations, so much so, that I created a little tableau at home right now to give us a bit of an international feel while we're stuck inside for the foreseeable future.

Look how pretty these glasses are! They're making our everyday drinking feel special, even if we're just using them for soda or juice. We use pint glasses pretty regularly for just general all our beverages. They're a good size and easy to hold. In fact, I posted on my Instagram when they arrived and a friend was very excited and immediately ordered a set of rocks glasses for her cocktails. 

Don't love a pint glass? Choose from rocks glasses, stemmed/stemless wine glasses, coffee mugs, stemmed/stemless champagne glasses, or mason jars. I chose a city map that meant something to me, but you can choose from a ton of other city maps, topography maps, airport codes, college town maps, marathon maps, history or literature quotes, constellations (including customized night sky maps), and even math or science etchings. You'll find something for everyone for very affordable prices.

Don't want to add to their bar glass collection (though you can choose from copper mugs or goldleaf glasses)? Or already have as many glasses as you'll ever need? No worries! Well Told has so many other things to buy for yourself or gift: flasks, insulated drinkware (like tumblers and hydration bottles), coasters, cutting boards, carafes, and blankets. 

Round out your set or gift with matching bar tools (muddler, anyone?) or fancy reusable straws to make their drinks look more amazing. I'll be in the market for such things soon, with all this hosting of virtual brunches and happy hours I'm doing from home.

Once you can go out again and have people over, think of how cool you'll feel when you serve drinks in an amazing set of travel-themed glasses. They make a great focal point and conversation starter. Everyone will want to chime in with their favorite travel stories, which, if you ask me, is the best way to pass time at a party. Then, everyone's going to share where they're going next and swap travel tips for destinations people have been to. They come individually, so you could buy a set of glasses consisting of multiple destinations.

You might also want to cheer someone up with a set of glasses that represents their favorite place. Mother's Day and Father's Day are coming up, but these are fantastic for birthdays and anniversaries, or hostess gifts, too.

Other details:

Where can I buy it? On Well Told Design website 

How much is it? $18 per pint glass | $16 per rocks glass

More info: These glasses are not only pretty, but they are dishwasher safe, too.

If you like what Well Told Design is doing, follow them on social media:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

What map would you choose for a set of glasses?

Disclaimer: I was provided a pair of Well Told Design pint glasses for the purposes of this review. All opinions are 100% my own.

How I'm Satisfying My Wanderlust

All of you out there who're dying to get out of the house, but being cool and helping the many by staying home as much as humanly, I understand. I'm an introvert, so keeping to myself in the house isn't too terrible. The not traveling is harder, but I know after all this, I'll be out traveling and exploring again. For now, I'm doing little things to keep the sanity. 

Here are the two things that I find are helping me with travel withdrawals:

I still had some stuff up from my Scandinavian potluck, and it gave me an idea. I created a little London vignette to remind me that I've had the luck to travel well and that I've created amazing memories there. I purchased this Citygami book a while ago, but forgot about it until last week. I pulled it out and folded and tabbed and created this adorable London skyline.

Pull out some stuff you love from your travels, whether it's books or postcards or trinkets. Anything that reminds you of the fun times you had and that you'll have more in the future.

For this one, I added a Mr. Men book I found in a little bookshop in London, one of my favorite teacup sets that makes me think of the Portabello Road Market, and then printed out some fun maps. Get creative! It's not like you are doing much else, right?

The second thing I'm doing to enjoy some travel without leaving the house is rounding up all the awesome places that are doing virtual tours and putting a ton of artwork and performances and stuff online to entertain and distract people during this time. If you don't subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Facebook, you missed it, but I sent out a pretty good list to my subscribers and have also been continuously adding links to my Facebook list to help others as well.  Visit museums, The Globe Theatre, National Parks, Zoos, and more. I can even visit the National Museum of Scotland again without getting stuck in the elevator. LOL!

How are you keeping sane during your time in Lockdown?