Spring 2023

Kizik Shoes

If you think "shoes are just shoes," well wait until you try these babies! Kizik shoes are shoes that are "hands free;" in other words they are shoes that you can step right into without having to wrangle them onto your feet and that don't require lacing. That's a godsend when going through TSA screening at the airport; just take your shoes off the conveyor belt, set them on the floor, step into them and be on your way. We have personally tested these at TSA multiple times and we love the ease that they provide. Of course KIZIK footwear comes in handy for other situations as well and they have become our favorite shoes since the first day we tried them. To be clear, KIZIK shoes are not slip-ons or deck shoes, they are stylish shoes that look akin to other popular brands. The key to the hands free aspect of KIZIK shoes is in the upper rear part of the shoe where regular shoes have what is called collar padding. This part of a KIZIK shoe is soft but strong and built to flex as you put them on, making for an easy and secure fit. KIZIK makes styles for men, women and children in many attractive designs for casual or active wear. And yes they do also have laces, you just don't have to use them! Order KIZIK shoes here.

WanderFull HydroBelt Bag

Now where did I put my keys? Oh yeah, they're in my WanderFull HydroBeltbag along with my wallet and phone! WanderFull HydroBeltbags are stylish, water-resistant bags measuring 5" X 7" X 2" that can be worn around your waist or cross body, and as you may have figured by the bag's name, there's a feature made to accommodate a bottle of water. Cleverly called Hydration Holster, this feature is enclosed in a separate little bag, about the size of a change purse that's attached to the HydroBeltbag's belt. Just unzip it and unfold the nylon drink holder and you've got a place to securely carry your bottled or canned beverage, leaving your hands free to use your phone or indulge in other activities. Not going to be carrying a beverage? Since the Hydration Holster is attached to the belt you can slide it off and leave it at home. The WanderFull HydroBeltbag is a great accessory for active folks and it is good looking too. Check out all the different bags that WanderFull offers here.

Susan's Own CBD Muscle Balm

It's bad enough to be achy on any given day but soreness can really ruin travel days. You may already be aware of the full spectrum CBD products that Susan's Own makes so that you can "own your wellness;" they are famed for their
CBD tinctures (original, creamsicle and lemonade flavors), CBD bath bombs (lavender or rose scent) and tasty relaxation-inducing gummies in blue raspberry, dragon fruit and pina colada varieties. Now Susan's Own brings you powerful pain relief in the form of their muscle balm. Don't use it on your face or on, um, sensitive areas, but otherwise go ahead and apply this extra-strength balm where it hurts. Great for everyday aches and pains and perfect for those times when you've overdone it a bit in the gym, on the hiking trail or on the jogging path. Susan's Own muscle balm comes in a tube dispenser that's similar to a deodorant where you twist the bottom of the container to make the balm come out at the top. No muss, and with your pain relieved, no fuss! Designed to be stronger and penetrate deeper than other balms on the market, Susan's Own muscle balm is not greasy. Order yours here.

RDCL's Radical Elements Superfood Blend

Upgrade my water you say; how might I go about doing that? Radical Elements make it very easy; just add their Superfood Blend to ordinary water to turn it into a delicious and refreshing super water that's boosted for immunity and focused energy. Packed with antioxidants from super fruits and loaded with vitamins, minerals and botanicals, Radical Elements plant-based Superfood Blend comes in yummy flavors like passion fruit (for focused energy) and dragon fruit super berry (for stress support); both support the body's immune system while offering a simple way to stay hydrated. It truly is easy to upgrade your water; using the scoop that's included in every 4.8 ounce packet, just drop one scoop full of Superfood Blend into your water bottle and you're all set! We like to drink the passion fruit flavor with breakfast for extra energy and the dragon fruit super berry later as the day winds down. Order your Radical Elements Superfood Blend and see a list of all the mighty helpful ingredients here.

"Whiskers Abroad: Ashi and Audrey's Adventures in Japan" by Carrie Carter

Here's a really fun travel-related book. It is a work of fiction created by Carrie Carter, a frequent visitor to Japan. Here's the premise: Audrey is a travel writer who gets an assignment to write about a visit to Japan in which her cat Ashi accompanies her. This makes for a very interesting travelogue since Ashi offers his thoughts throughout (you can tell when Ashi is "speaking" because that text is in italics.) For example, when the duo visit Kyoto, Audrey wants to shop and eat at a particular restaurant. Ashi on the other hand says, "I only had a few goals for this city: eat a lot of food, sleep on some temple steps, and meet a geisha like I was a character in a movie." He then goes on more pragmatically, saying it would be a good idea to visit the tourist center and get a few maps. Ashi tends to be snarky in a lot of his commentary and it is great fun to see how his account of the duo's adventures mesh some times and diverge greatly at other times. Besides the whimsy, there is actually lots of good info for the traveler to be found here, like how to get to the center of Tokyo from the airport and how to navigate the Tokyo subway system. Valuable insight can also be gleaned from Ashi's commentary when he expounds on things like his experience attending a tuna auction. You can imagine. Lushly illustrated by Stacy Vickers and with lots of photos, "Whiskers Abroad" stimulates both with visuals and its clever wordplay. From Bayou City Press, available at Amazon here.

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