Don't be THAT person

One of my least favorite parts of flying is watching people board the plane. WHY is it so difficult? It really doesn't have to be.

On my last flight to Seattle, I witnessed a woman trip over a bag left in the aisle. WHY would you leave your bag in the aisle and walk away from it? Leaving a bag in the aisle is a definite no-no, which seems like common sense, but clearly...

I thought I'd share a few more tips that could help you avoid mean mugs from fellow flyers and flight attendants:

I believe there is some method to the madness of the system of seat numbers. I don't understand why there is at least one person in the wrong seat on every flight. Upon entering the aircraft, how about checking out which side your letter is on, and then when you get to that magical number sit right under it. (It also helps to know seat number prior to boarding.) This will decrease the chances of anyone sitting in your lap or trying to fight you for sitting in their seat, and ultimately minimizes delays in the boarding process.

Attention: Bag lady! Okay, yes you're allowed to have a carry-on and a personal item. If you must travel with two large items, please do not try to squeeze down the aisle with your bags at your sides. You will hit people, and they will hate you (and may hit you back). How about holding your bags in front of or behind you? It is a good idea to assume this position upon entering the aircraft. If you wait until row 7 to change your strategy, you would have already pissed off six rows of people, and now you're delaying the boarding process for everyone behind you.

Loading bags is where it gets tricky. Here are a few tricks:

• if the plane has two seats on one side and three on the other, guess which overhead compartment is bigger.
• put bag in wheels first, which maximizes the amount of bags that can fit and makes it convenient to grab for deplaning.
• it's unnecessary and inconsiderate to put items like coats and small backpacks in the overhead when it can fit under the seat.

Do not be that person walking against the traffic. How about holding bathroom breaks until later. Or going before boarding?

Please refrain from conversations, laughing, sneezing, or unnecessary breathing if it will in any way delay the boarding process. Please focus on your seat destination and execute quickly to keep it moving.

Fighting to board first gets silly because everyone ends up waiting, and the plane will not take off until everyone is boarded and seated.

I think it is important for everyone to remember that it is not only about you. Your bag is not more important than hers. We all have to board and no one is going anywhere until we all cooperate. It is already not an ideal situation, filing into a tight space like cattle, but it can work well if done efficiently.

Happy flying!

What tips can you offer for a more pleasant boarding experience?

Foto Friday: I Love My Life

Not only was this an amazing moment because it was the 2nd anniversary of Her Journey, but it was just a perfect day all around. The day was filled with all the love and support of the people around me and set against the breathtaking backdrop of my beloved NYC on the rooftop of Ravel Hotel. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Foto Friday: I Love My Life

I get a high every time I see the NYC skyline. I got a whole new high when I witnessed it from a helicopter. I have always wanted to do a helicopter tour of NYC. The experience certainly made me love my life and my city!

24 hour flight: NY to TN to GA to WA

Now that I've made it to Seattle without a glitch, I feel comfortable enough to share the fiasco of my last flight to Seattle (in '08) without the fear of jinxing myself.

To save a few dollars and for added convenience, I chose to fly out of McArthur airport, which is actually closer to my house. Because it is a smaller airport, it was such a breeze to get to the gate. Also, because it is a smaller airport, only small planes can fly to and from.

No big deal.

I don't love small planes, but I deal with them. Flight to Seattle with a brief layover in Atlanta.

Cool. More like cold. How about blizzard?

It's funny that I left decent weather in NY to fly into a blizzard in Atlanta. Go figure. While in the air, the pilot announced that we were being held in a holding pattern (pretty much flying in circles) because there was some back up because of the weather.

Still not worried because I had a good window of time between my two flights. Until...

The pilot announced that because of the size of the plane we were running out of gas and had to stop in Tennessee to refuel.

Really? Not ideal, but at least we're making some kind of progress.

Once we landed, they announced that because of the weather in Atlanta and Tennessee, we would not be able to fly out. Also, that there were no bus companies that would drive in that weather. And that pretty much everything was closed for the night.

Long story short, I was put in a cab from Tennessee to Atlanta and spent the night in Atlanta's airport (not the first time I spent such a long period of time there. We have a love/hate relationship).

All I can say is that it was a very interesting experience. The two best parts: I was upgraded to first class on my flight from ATL to SEA, and I got to satisfy my serious craving for a Chik-Fil A Chicken Biscuit in the Atlanta airport that morning before my flight.

By the time, I got to Seattle, it was exactly 24 hours after I took off from New York.

Do you have any fun travel stories to share?

Big Kid in a Candy Store

An impromptu trip to DUMBO allowed me to stumble upon Dewey's Candy, and it was a magical experience. I feel like the expression "kid in a candy store" is discrimination because adults like candy too. (They are actually those same kids who are just all grown up.) But being in that store did take me on a trip down memory lane through my childhood.

Did anybody else used to pretend that Smarties were "adult pills"? I thought that taking pills (because I had witnessed my grandparents taking medication on a daily basis) was a part of being an adult. So to savor my Smarties (instead of devouring the whole pack in seconds like I usually did) I would pretend they were my pills and would pop one in my mouth every few minutes (probably seconds). The Atomic Fireballs reminded me of the first time I tried one. When I was in either first or second grade, I tried to sneak and eat it during class. The heat was such a shock to my system that I spit it right out onto my notebook. When I tried to wipe it off, I just smeared it into a big red and sticky splotch. (I don't remember if I ended up handing in the assignment like that or if I had to do it over.)

I was honestly overwhelmed (in the best possible way of course) by how many different kinds of candy were in one place. On one wall, there were the old school treats like Push Pops and Pez. Then there was a wall with stuff like gummy bears and sour rings. Of course my favorite wall had chocolate covered everything from pretzels and graham crackers to cookie dough and oreos. There was even a section of specialty colored M & Ms, which had more colors than a rainbow, like teal, maroon, gold, and black. I was so mesmerized as I jumped from one treat to the next that I know I missed half of the goodies there, which means another trip is a must.

It was such a bonus treat to meet Dewey herself, who was such a sweetie pie. I also love that Dewey's supports The Trevor Project, which is raising awareness about and taking a stand against bullying, which is unfortunately also a childhood memory that many have. If being bullied is part of your childhood memory that you'd like to fight back against, you an easily do so by buying a Dewey's t-shirt.

It's funny how all of this happened to happen on the way to reBar, where I had a pretty amazing burger and oh-so-cheesy gouda mac and cheese.

Foto Friday: I Love My Life

This moment brought together some of my greatest loves: New York. Alicia Keys. Jay Z. all into one!

When Alicia Keys brought Jay Z out as a surprise guest do Empire State of Mind, I was probably on one of the highest highs of my life. As I said in my post about the concert: "I’m not one to scream like a crazed fan, but a scream somehow escaped my body, and I immediately broke out in a sweat. The energy was crazy as we all sang the ode to our city." Even though I kind of suspected it, the element of surprise magnified a great moment into an unforgettable one.

My Mani and Me

Although manicures are not something I do often because they are not high on my priority list, I can always appreciate some good me time. I enjoy the experience even more when it offers something unique. I thought I'd share my favorite manicure experiences, each with its own unique twist:

Mani and Martini
Whether you prefer a bar that does manis like the Beauty Bar (which offers the combo for $10) or a salon that serves martinis like Dashing Diva (which offers other spa services), this is a certainly a combo that will tickle a woman's fancy. Both have locations throughout the country.

Mani Anytime
In the city that never sleeps, it makes so much sense to have a salon that can meet your beauty needs at any time of the day or night. Hair Party 24HR offers manicures (and other spa and hair services) 24 hours a day. This sounds like the perfect solution after a late night at work or before a flight or night out on the town.

Mani Comes to You

SPArties Mobile Spa was already known for bringing you the luxury of a massage in the comfort of your own home. They have recently added SPArties Shots: mini services like aromatherapy hand massages, the perfect bonus to any gathering of your girls, no matter where you are.

Eco-Mani
W!NK Eco Beauty Bar offers eco friendly manicures (and other spa and beauty services) with completely organic products for a pure experience. They even offer MINX nails.

Do-It-Yourself Mani
The budget friendly option can be just as appealing with products like Mary Kay's Satin Hands, which delivers baby booty soft hands (and feet if desired). Fun designs are no longer exclusive to salons with fun finds like Sally Hansen's Salon Effects nail strips.

Image was found here.