by Sunny
follow me on Twitter @Sunnylooksleaps
I am not a faithful “carry on only” traveler. I usually check a larger piece of luggage and then take a small carry on for the plane. When traveling stand by with my 5 year old, this is the best option for me. To make my life easier when it comes to packing and traveling, I have certain items that “live” in my carry on all of the time so that I don’t have to remember to pack them from trip to trip. Here is a quick peek into life in my carry on.
by Sunny
follow me on Twitter @Sunnylooksleaps
Remember the game “versus” that April highlighted in her recent Enjoy the Journey post? (If you haven’t read it yet, click here!) For a die-hard Disney fan the ultimate versus lies in this quandary: Disneyland or Walt Disney World?
I am going to give you my list of why both are great as well as tips and suggestions for visiting each resort.
by April, Sunny and Wendy
We were so excited to participate in the Travel Fashion Girl interview series! Do you know about this amazing website? Travel Fashion Girl is an awesome resource – packing lists for practically every destination or type of trip, product reviews, beauty tips, and tons of style and travel inspiration – all topics the Looks and Leaps sisters love. Be sure to check it out!
And a big, warm THANK YOU to Alex and Travel Fashion Girl for the interview! Very fun!
by Wendy
Even though Paris is one of the most popular destinations on the planet, some travelers worry they will encounter icy or disdainful attitudes from the French. But we know better, don’t we! We know one of the rewarding things about travel is dispelling stereotypes and kicking unfair generalizations to the curb. We protest the descriptions of rude French and ugly Americans. We realize people can be annoying in every locale, but they barely register as a blip compared to all the nice people we know.
For anyone still feeling skeptical, here are a few tips on getting to know France a little better. Quit being the kid in school who teases France because you secretly have a crush. Find your courage and invite France to prom already. Use these suggestions at your own risk. I’m not liable if you start watching Amelie every weekend and reserving your entire travel budget for trips to Paris. Continue reading
by the Looks and Leaps family
Are you planning to go to the beach this summer? Or relax by a pool? Let’s talk beach bag favorites! Sunscreen is a given. Continue reading
by Sunny
follow me on Twitter @Sunnylooksleaps
My most challenging Disney Side post to date! How do I capture one of Disney’s most unique and heroic Princesses in a modern day outfit? Will the look flop, or will I bring honor to my family? Read on to find out!
by Jack
There is something fleeting in a summer night. Sitting on a porch at dusk in a humid sponge of clipped sentences and car sounds passing from distant to here to distant again, watching a baseball game in a crisply air-conditioned living room hearing the contented murmur of a far away crowd in the focused lulls of the game, moments that seem to pause and stare before passing. Yet even as we bask in this languorous unfolding of the little, there comes the barely perceptible rush of an outward tide stealing away time at a frantic rate. The game is over, the hour too late for idle conversation, back to school, back to work.
Summer becomes precious early in life, it may be the first thing we realize we have squandered. The first summer after kindergarten arrives like morning after a bad dream and is received with relief and casual appreciation. The end of this summer is the true end of childhood. Continue reading
by Wendy
This year is the 50th Anniversary of The Sound of Music – the beloved, iconic film with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. You know you love it. The romance, suspense, technicolor scenery – and of course, catchy songs. April and I were kids before VHS tapes were ubiquitous, and it was a special event when The Sound of Music was on tv. We got to stay up late and enjoy fresh popcorn with melted butter (no microwave stuff) and during commercial breaks, likely twirled around in our nightgowns like Liesl. So when April and I went to Europe as college students, we decided to go on The Sound of Music Tour. Really. A bus tour of various locations in Salzburg that were used in the making of an American movie classic that we were told Austrians have either never heard of, or can’t stand. What fun! Continue reading
by April and Sunny
Packing for one can be stressful enough, but add a kid to the mix and it can be enough to lose your mind. Looks and Leaps to the rescue! Here are a few packing Do’s and Don’ts to avoid any “Doh’s!” while traveling with little ones.
by April
There’s no other city I visit as often as Washington DC and for the past few years my son, “J”, and I have traveled to our nation’s capital each spring. His first visit was at 5 years old so there’s no surprise he considers it his “home away from home”. There are no shortage of travel guides for families visiting DC, but since we travel to DC so often, we’ve been able to enjoy the must-sees like the Smithsonian Museums but we’ve also had the chance to get off the beaten path and discover some fun and kid-friendly places. I recently sat down with my now 9 year old son and as we reminisced about our past trips to DC he pointed out the things that really stood out to him along the way. Here are some notes from 5 years of travel to Washington DC from a kids’ perspective. In other words, things that make DC FUN!
While sightseeing on the National Mall take a break to ride the carousel!