Taking Some Time to Recharge in a City

It can be hard to find the time to relax and recharge in a city. But it is often necessary given the fast pace and hectic nature of larger towns such as London, New York or Paris. There are a few things you can try when you have the time, from visiting a city park to appreciating the city.

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Right now, things are pretty stressful everywhere you look and even taking a trip won't always get us away from those issues. It's also in the middle of Spring Break, so you might not be able to book a trip to just get out of town now without spending all your money. If you need to chill and clear your mind at home or on the road, here are some great tips for you.

Smartphone Calm and Relaxation

Busy city residents have tons of things they have to do every day, and just getting to work can be a chore if you don’t have it down. However, the commute to work, visiting a loved one, or doing some shopping means you may have some downtime. When you have a few minutes, a smartphone game like Spider Solitaire, an app such as Headspace, or even watching YouTube videos can be just what you need to pass the time and rid yourself of the city’s stresses.

Recharge in a City Park

It can feel like you are in a concrete jungle when living in a city. However, almost all cities have green space. For example, there are over 2,000 parks in New York, and there are many ways you can use your time when strolling through a city park. Here are some popular ideas:

• Join a local group for activities such as park yoga, pilates, and outdoor exercise.

• Sit and watch the world go by. Local people can be pretty entertaining when you watch!

• Stroll the many parks in the city with your dog or a friend to get some fresh air.

How About Some Music?

Some people love the sounds of the city. For others, it can be like torture. When trying to study, working from home, or even taking a break while at work, your time can be rudely interrupted by traffic, general noise, and even crime. But music is an escape for many people. Suppose you have dreaded noisy apartment neighbors! In that case, a good pair of noise-canceling headphones and your favorite artists can be a Godsend when trying to get something done!

Hit Up a Museum or Gallery

Every major city has a plethora of museums and galleries. The amazing attractions of New York, London and Rome come to mind. However, even smaller towns also have stunning historical attractions to visit too. When you need a break from the hectic life of living in a city, a museum or gallery helps you take a step back, and appreciate what came before. Most cities even have museums specific to the town itself, and the great thing is they are almost always free to use!

Recharge in a City with Coffee!

There are many popular hot drinks from around the world, but coffee is pretty much the king of beverages. Americans consume 146 billion cups of coffee per year, and if that’s your thing, then this is one of the best things about living in a city. So, put your money where your nose is!

Seek the diverse coffee culture

Cities like NYC and London are very diverse, and this is reflected in food and drink. Each area has its own take on coffee, from strong Italian espresso to Middle Eastern specialty coffees.

Quality over quantity

Rather than visiting established brands such as Starbucks, you can help out with quality smaller operations. Pop-up coffee shops that source beans directly from farmers are popular today.

Try out local favorites

Coffee is everywhere in the city, and everyone has their favorite place. Some of the best in NYC include the famous Martha’s Country Bakery, Brooklyn Bagel Coffee, and Spot Dessert Bar.

Admire the Seasonal Changes

Not all major cities are located to experience seasonal changes. However, the ones that are can be stunning. Forgetting about the high-rises and steel and glass canyons, the city can be just as stunning as any far-flung vista when you understand the seasons change. Have you ever walked through the brown autumn leaves in New York or gazed at the spectacular cherry blossom fall during a Tokyo spring? If so, then you know how beautiful a city can actually be. 

Check Out a Bookstore

What’s a book, you may ask? Before smartphones and tablets, we had paper books that we had to carry everywhere and physically turn a page! Jokes aside, is there a city on Earth without quality bookstores? From independent businesses to big brands, bookstores can be an escape from a busy city. Things just seem to slow down, and some bigger chains also offer snacks and coffee bars. There is a chance you may also discover something you love while in there.

Ride Public Transport to Slow Down

Public transport is a major part of city life. In many cities, there are just too many cars to get around effectively, and public systems are becoming more efficient. In Tokyo alone, 6.5 million people use the subway every day! However, you can also use public transport to relax a while:

• Take a ride outside of rush hour times for a more pleasant transport experience.

• Cities are full of sights. You can use ride time to appreciate the history of the town.

• Avoid problems by not making eye contact, avoiding arguments, and staying patient.

Find Somewhere Quiet

Okay, so this can be easier said than done when you live or work in the city. However, there are always quiet spots that you can find when you look. There’s nothing quite like a New York rooftop for getting away from it all. Of course, there are quiet spaces, such as break rooms at work, and public spaces, such as libraries. A museum or gallery visit can also provide the quiet you need to recharge for a while when you need to shut out the noise of the city for a little bit.

Whether you need to reground yourself on a longer vacation or a bit of a reset at home, using these tips that are affordable and easy can help you recharge and lose some anxiety.

Little Ways To Save Money For Travel

Are you freaking out over the economy, but still need to travel to save your sanity? I understand. I'm not rich. I travel on a budget. I have always traveled on a budget. Every once in a while, I get freebies by working with cities and attractions, but I never work with places that I wouldn't spend money on myself. There are lots of little ways you can save money for travel, in addition to putting money away

When you don't have a big budget, you learn to be creative, but you find there are small things you can do that can really add up, too. Here are some ideas to help you pack your piggy bank so you can afford that next trip you're planning:

Cancel memberships - I bet you've signed up for things and then immediately got distracted and, worse, you forgot to cancel them. So, now you're paying for a thing you don't even use. Cancel those memberships and instead pay yourself that money. Make it easy and sign up for Rocket Money and they'll find those monthly fees you're paying unnecessarily.

Watch concerts/theater at home - Yes, going to concerts and live theater is fun, but they can easily add up quickly. I'm not saying to skip those must-see shows, but for most other ones, stream them. BroadwayHD has Broadway shows that you can stream for much less than going in person. The Globe also streams Shakespeare plays, with some big name actors, for a fraction of the cost of a live performance. Disney+ has started streaming concerts of popular artists like The Weeknd, Billie Eilish, and Ed Sheeran. 

Make it extra fun and invite some friends over, dress up, mix up some drinks, and have a mini concert in your living room. Take the money you would have spent on a costly concert, and save it instead. Boom! You just saved service fees. Or buy the tickets and get a trip out of it.

Find free things at home - I always suggest finding free things to do on vacation, so your dollars stretch further. Usually there are fun things that cost absolutely nothing and are easy to fit into your itinerary. The same can be said for the city where you live: free music, Shakespeare In the Park, free museum days...

Buy previously owned items/clothing - Some people like to make use of the Free sections on Nextdoor and Facebook. I like to use sites/apps like Poshmark to buy clothes at a fraction of retail. Many times pieces are brand new.

Save your pennies - Yes, we all have a change jar, but I also like using an app that will hook up to my bank account and credit cards, so every time I make a purchase (or pay a bill) it rounds up to the nearest dollar - or more - and moves that difference into a savings account for you. 

I use Qapital, where I can set up goals and also attach "rules" to each one. I have 5% of any deposit over $500 automatically transfer over and I round up to the nearest $3, so if something is $2.95, $2.05 gets deposited in my Qapital account. You can have more than one goal at a time and one or more rules for each one. Use my code and get $25 after your first transfer: rt7pa62x

Before you know it, you'll have a good little travel fund going. Yay! Now, start saving to go somewhere amazing.

What are your tried and true ways to save for vacation?

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New Travel Trends from the Travel Goods Show

Last week I attended the Travel Goods Show to see all the new travel bags and accessories that are coming over the next year. While some things didn't seem to change, other things have been getting better and I saw some things that are definitely going to make travel more convenient in ways. 

Let's talk about some new trends coming to your internet or local travel shop: 

Better wheels

We all know what it's like to try to drag your roller bag from nice smooth flooring to carpet of any kind. It sucks and you almost pull your arm out of socket trying to push or tow it behind you. Well, a lot of companies are trying to fix that problem, because if you don't have a good bag, travel isn't quite as fun. From using skateboard wheels, to different sized wheels in the front and the back, to interesting squircular wheels, you're soon going to have an easier time going from hardwood to carpet to sidewalks and cobblestones.

Bright colors

Yes, there are still black, navy, and gray bags, but orange and yellow were all over the runway this last season, so you're seeing colorful bags. Everything from pastels to highlighter yellow were seen all over the show floor. Millie Bobby Brown has a line with Delsey that covers any bag you could possibly want for travel, including a fully see-through roller bag in two different sizes. Now, I don't know if anyone wants a bag where you can see everything inside, but the lavender bags next to it were beautiful. 

Duffels are making a comeback

After so many years of backpacks being the star of the show, duffels are coming back into fashion, but not those terrible ones that are floppy and just one big compartment. No, these duffels are structured and have organization and multiple ways to open and carry, and some even have hard bottoms. 

I love the look of a duffle, but trying to carry your bag either with handles or a shoulder strap is the worst, especially if you're a smaller person like I am. Brands are realizing that some people like that, but most don't, so you can find ones with backpack straps and others with wheels. The other great thing is that they are now more in line with a weekender size, but still hold a ton.

Eco-conscious is top of mind

We've been seeing a lot of items made of recycled materials in the past, but now, almost everything I saw was made of 90-100% recycled items, sourced in the US, like lightweight sandals and flip flops that are made for recovery, but made entirely out of recycled plastic. I can't wait to check those out in my own life. I also brought home a pack of rechargeable batteries that, supposedly, don't lose their charging ability regardless of how many times you recharge them (plus they come with a split cable, so you can charge 4 at once).

Giving back is more important than ever

We're recognizing that travel isn't going to be around forever if we don't try to make more conscious decisions when it comes to all of our purchases. I brought home a couple samples of solid shampoo and conditioner bars that smell amazing, but also use rice water to help your hair stay shiny and healthy. They use minimal, but beautiful packaging and every item you purchase helps to remove plastic out of the Indian ocean (which is where the biggest pollution problem is right now).

I almost kind of like that a lot of companies are improving on existing products and not coming up with new "innovative" items, like trying to make a better neck pillow that's exactly as useful as every other one on the market, but bulkier. This is the first year I didn't come home with 3+. I only have one new one in my bag that might actually be something you all are interested in and it's from a great company that does tons of research

I brought home a big bag of goodies and will be working with more companies in the near future, too, so you can look forward to a bunch of reviews for items that will be ready for your Summer travels and also some for Fall and holiday travels. 

What kinds of travel items are you most interested in?