Perfect Packing for Business and Pleasure

When it comes to air travel, anything more than a carry-on is counter productive. It's not just the lost-luggage-factor that has most women wheeling, not carrying, a single bag onboard. The hassle, the time lost, and often our travel partners, with little or no patience for hanging around carousels, have conditioned even the most passionate clothes horse to cut back and pack light.

It's one thing to over pack and cram the car for a cottage weekend but come fall, both business trips and holiday getaways require a new, minimalist mindset. As a professional wardrobe problem-solver, I'm on constant alert for what seems to be the unfindable: great, packable clothes. Simple to maintain, uncreasable fabrics are usually contrary to quality, fashion and style. When I learned that Ottawa retailer Marlene Shepherd had developed a "Packably Perfect" concept, a week's wardrobe (or even two!) all packed in a carry-on, I knew help was at hand.

So last month, during my Ottawa trip, I arranged to meet with Marlene, my friend, colleague and collaborator, for a hands-on session. My mission? Problem solving for a very diverse group of clients - many shapes, sizes and careers but having in common hectic travel schedules. Marlene knows her way around the international fashion marketplace and she has a special skill when it comes to discovering hidden gems within our own borders. True to form, she pulled out all the stops and shared her latest treasures, with travel in mind. We spent the morning fine-tuning; here's our short list.

1. Trousers, the core component of every travel wardrobe, for work and play. Start with black, charcoal or dark brown and build from this base.

Tailored boot-cut trousers with an impeccable pedigree: a hip-gliding fit in a modern stretch fabric. Cambio, $210.00

Trim, slim-leg pants in dressed-up microfibre. Perfect for arriving crease-free. Margaret M, $98.00

2. A knit cardigan or vest instead of a traditional jacket. The point I want to make here is that professional dressing doesn't need to be structured. As Marlene says, "Once a woman discovers comfort, there's no turning back."

We focused on three very different collections: Nic + Zoe, Pure & Co., Curio. I was truly intrigued to see some of Marlene's picks could be worn back-to-front or even upside down! No kidding. Slip into a sweater-vest "bottoms-up" and suddenly it's a cropped version with a generous collar. Obviously, these are specially designed pieces, so please don't try this at home!

3. Crisp 100 percent cotton shirts and NO ironing, ever. A dream come true. White and colours. Foxcroft, $95.00

4. Simpli - sensational! This collection of seasonless jersey knitwear by Vancouver's Simpli, has more components than a jigsaw puzzle, a zillion colours and endless combinations. Enough variations to go from boardroom to cruise ship. There's only one fabrication so it's easy to add components from year to year. Everything is sized but there are also two different fits, snug or relaxed. A perfect 3-piece career look, we agreed, is a pant and matching vest with a contrast underpiece. Some of the combos we came up with:

Base colour Contrast
Navy Peacock
Charcoal Aubergine
Black Wine

5. Clean lines, simple shapes and sensual fabrics form the Eileen Fisher philosophy. Every piece is perfectly designed to skim the body with flattering shape-enhancing style. Although Marlene, a self-avowed Size 16 loves this collection, my friend Kim, a yogini and perfect Size 8, is just as enthusiastic.

6. The icing on the cake - accessories. Marlene's start in business was with jewellery so it's not surprising she continues to have innovative ideas. "Wardrobe pieces," as Marlene calls them, are semi-precious, multi-strand necklaces that detach into single or double strands, often with an optional pendant, providing real versatility - every traveler's dream. She's proud of the group of young Canadian jewellery designers providing Shepherd's with these one-of-a-kind bijoux.

What a morning! Client checklist completed and with time to spare for personal shopping. My own "wheelie" is now perfectly packed and ready to go. I can't wait.

Online Puzzles - Popularity Sailing remained high

Today the Internet for many things, is used. You can check the news, listen to music, communicate with people buying from abroad, etc. plays a very interesting role is that of an Internet gaming consoles. Regardless of the age group that we fall into, the Internet also offers the opportunity to be a child.

Online Puzzles are one of the most popular games. Especially so, because they are interesting and challenges the intellect. Whether the puzzlePuzzles> crossword or various forms of online puzzles still attract a huge list of visitors per day.

Although popular among children, puzzle games can be played online by people of all ages. Several puzzling games, with different levels of complexity, service-sharing for the development of skills of attention and problem solving attitude to teenage children.

What makes popular online puzzle?
puzzles are always onlineClinching the interests of gamers. They are available in various designs, colorful backdrops and advanced challenges as more and more interesting for everyone. Some puzzles are a bit 'complex and require players to think hard to solve the query. In resolving this type of game, players learn to be patient.

Game developers to offer children the opportunity to select various cartoon characters, sights and food of their choice. Seeminglythere's plenty for everyone to enjoy regardless of age of naivety in a puzzle game online. Puzzle, like every other issue, the psyche is fascinated by humans centuries people challenges. The challenge of the question come to offer, and strive to find an answer to the question, is the main reason for the followers of growth of the puzzle. When it is online, very easy to use only.

online puzzles and theirPopularity is not as difficult today to be included.

How to keep your sanity 'in driving with children

For many people, simple idea is to travel with a child enough to give you nightmares. Airline tickets are very expensive for a family trip, and this usually leaves the family car as the only method of travel. And with the economy doing its best to restart, many people have completely eliminated from their holiday budget. This should not happen to you. Some of my best childhood memories are of family road trips. Mexico and Canada, sinceThey are so close, near a holiday, how it feels worlds away, and have a passport is relatively new, and you go your family on a great adventure.

I remember when I was younger and was in a car driving somewhere, my favorite activities were coloring books and crafts set. I had this big pieces of felt in tons of forms of entertainment. They had holes in the edges, and with a string or a string of thick, showed the best girl sewing kit. I alsohad a huge baggie of markers and pens with an assortment of colors, books, and I would spend hours coloring pictures for all car. My little brother loved the big blocks, and since slightly apart, as they are mounted, kept him busy the whole way.

My mother would bring this "worksheets on" that little mystery. As you drive, that would give me one, I worked really hard to complete, and I want to give backto "class". I'm always a plus, although I doubt that I did everything well, but has encouraged in me a love of learning. As I grew older, he would give me all the books of puzzles that teach basic reading and also, I felt so sure proud of myself after I graduated from one side. These trips really do a great opportunity for education.

The technology with many advances, and one of the best things I've seen the guys involved have always the LeapfrogLeapster. This is a small electronic handheld device for games that do not play only fun but also educational. Although it is not so electronically advanced, could be a tape recorder and pick your child's favorite stories read to obtain. You could also put his name or his part in history! Do not forget, when clues are the side though.

Passport cards are easy to obtain. All you need is your passport to visit the agency orApply online. Passport Cards are much cheaper than passports, and you get almost the same services. The passport card will allow you to travel by land or by sea rather than air, and allowing travel to many places in the United States. According to these papers, you can go to your family a wonderful holiday without a hole in your wallet.