No Vacation Day Left Behind

In yet another display of our country's admirable--yet incessant--work ethic, a recent survey found that the average American worker leaves 6.2 paid vacation days unused at the end of the year....that's just crazy! You have the time, why not take it?

Another survey showed that 57% of workers do not use all their vacation days each year, with the average number of days left was 11....how can this be? That's a two week vacation right there! You could take a nice long trip abroad in that time, or take a few long weekends for quick trips somewhere close by. The possibilities are endless, and yet people are reluctant to take the time. You work hard, you earn those vacation days, so use them! Most of the time, companies will only let a certain number of days roll over to the next year, and those usually have an expiration date on them.

My company, for example, only rolls over five vacation days at the end of the year, and those need to be used by March, otherwise you lose them. And that's paid, scheduled time off. Our sick days don't roll over at all, so I lose those come December 31, no matter what. I like my job, I work hard, I rarely call in sick or take advantage of our work-from-home policy. But you better believe that I will take every day off that I possibly can, because I'm not one to let things go to waste.

The respondents to the surveys cited the recession and high unemployment as reasons for not taking time off, and I can understand that logic. No one wants to be seen as a slacker or lazy by taking an extra day or two for a vacation, especially when so many people are being laid off and companies are making cuts to budgets. However, businesses give these days to their employees because they are required to do it, and as long as people do not abuse that privilege, there is nothing wrong with taking the time one has allotted.

Vacation days are sacred gifts, especially around the holidays. I plan on spending as much time as I can with my family, and that means taking a couple extra days off around Christmas. But I will not hesitate in requesting that time; it's important to take a break every once and a while for yourself. In my opinion, having a vacation--even if it's just one day or a long weekend--can make you a more efficient and happy employee.

So go ahead, pencil in a vacation day or two, especially if you have a few stacked up. Because that average is way to high for my liking.

Home for the Holidays

In a little over 48 hours from now, I will be sitting in an airport terminal waiting to board a plane home to Denver. This will be my first Thanksgiving with my family in three years, and, needless to say, I am ecstatic!!

Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed my last few Thanksgivings here in Chicago, but there is just something about being home for the holidays. It was difficult the first year that I decided not to go back to Denver, but I accepted that I would probably have holidays away from my family in the future, so it was a good way to prepare. I knew I would encounter different traditions, mannerisms, activities and even food, since everyone has their own versions of Thanksgiving dishes. Some of the food I liked more than others (not a fan of the jello molds, but the raisin-filled stuffing and pumpkin pie cheesecake certainly were tasty) and I have never been one to take part in Black Friday shopping until I met my old boyfriend's family. It was all an eye opening experience, but that has come to an end. Now, it is time to venture back, because there really is no place like home. (I know, but Dorothy totally knew what she was talking about.)

I cannot wait to do all the things I love to do with my family on Thanksgiving--bake fresh bread from scratch, watch/play football all day, help prepare all the food (though I usally focus on the cranberries and potatoes), chat for hours at the table after dinner and then sleep off our food comas late into Friday morning (no Black Friday shopping for us). Just the thought of getting to spend this time with my family is making me feel incredibly nostalgic and slightly emotional--though I must keep it together, seeing as I am at work.

This year, I will be changing things up slightly by doing a four-mile Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning with my friends. Though I have never done it before, I believe it will be a good tradition to adopt, since it means I can eat even more at dinner. Another event I am looking forward to is my best friend's 25th birthday, which is Friday. It's also her golden birthday, so we're getting decked out in our finest glittery, gold outfits and hitting the town.

Who knows what the rest of the weekend will hold, but I am sure I'll love every second of it.

I totally enourage people to see the world and experience other cultures, especially their holiday traditions, but there is something about going home. It will be a truly special time for my family, mostly because it will be the first time in three years that we are all together. And that means a lot, particularly for my grandpa, who has been struggling with his health this year. In all honesty, I think I am most excited to see him. Because if this past year has taught me anything, it's that family is the most important thing in your life. They are there for you no matter what, your constant support system. And since I'm so far away from mine, these are the moments I really cherish.

Thanksgiving Fares...Don't Wait to Buy!

If you're thinking that if you wait until the last minute to get flights home for Thanksgiving, fares will be cheaper, think again.

Industry experts are expecting air travel around the holidays to be much more expensive than last year, with airfare said to be around $375 for Thanksgiving. Not only will prices be higher, but seats will be limited. Airlines have cut capacity 11% this year, which means fewer flights to a certain destination or smaller planes used on routes. So the chances of snagging that preferred aisle seat for a reasonable price are pretty slim this year.

And Christmas isn't looking much better for travelers. Those fares could be anywhere from 6% to 12% higher than last year, so no matter what, you're going to be paying more, even if you buy them now or later. I recommend getting them sooner, because at least that way you will have more seating options to choose from.

I was lucky this year, snagging Thanksgiving flights for around $300 round-trip, and Christmas for about $250 round-trip. But I have a tendency to start looking at flights far in advance of a trip, especially one that will be taking place over  a holiday. When I ventured to Boston earlier in the year for Fourth of July, I booked those tickets in February. You better believe I got a much better price than those girls who booked last minute. Then again, many airlines will roll out airfare promotions and limited-time offers, so in those cases, I say don't hesitate and jump on them!

Culinary Excursions

A large part of travel is, of course, food. And it makes sense, because most of the time, the places we visit have cuisine that is completely different from our home town, especially if you venture to a different country. Personally, I don't feel I have truly experienced a place until I've eaten one of its local specialities. If you can find a trip that not only offers unique delicacies, but also an opportunity to learn about the culinary process of making it, then you've really got something special.

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I have had the privilege of partaking in some of these activities, and I highly recommend them. If you happen to go to Sienna, Italy, I suggest signing up for a personal cooking class. I, along with my family and friends, got the chance to cook with a Tuscan-style chef right in the comfort of her own kitchen. We chopped, sliced, seasoned, sipped and tasted our way through the afternoon, enjoying classic dishes like bruschetta, chickpea soup a four herb pasta. We ate each dish as it was prepared, heading back into the kitchen after each one to dive into the next, all the while drinking glass after glass of Italian wine.

Being from Colorado, I know a number of quality brewery tours that give you a first-hand glance at the beer-makign process...but these can usually be found in any city nowadays, especially with the popularity of craft beers in our culture. However, I recently stumbled upon a new business in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood called Brew & Grow, where home brewers can buy all the supplies they need to make beer on their own. Not only that, but it offers beer making classes, where you can make your own stout or ale, learn about flavors and consistency, as well as what food is best to pair with it. It's a great way to learn about a local activity while experiencing a city that is becoming a big player in the craft brew arena.

I read an article in the Wall Street Journal that covers a couple more food getaways for the upcoming harvest season. One in particular that caught my interest--and this should be no surprise to my readers--was the Grape Education at Blackberry Farm in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. In mid-November, the farm hosts its Wine Geek 101 event, where guests learn all about wine tasting, selection and pairing. You can also partake in cooking demonstrations and tours of the farm. It's relatively pricey ($1,200 per person) but if you have the time and funds, I think it would be a magical trip.

http://www.seriouseats.com/

Of the other suggestions, I think the next one I would pick is the bread making in Bath, England. Not exactly the easiest location to get to, but for fresh Italian and French bread, I think it's worth it. The five day course costs $300 a day, with one- and three-day courses available, too. An award-winning chef leads the class, where you learn how to make a vast array of different breads, and at the end, I'm pretty sure you get to eat some, too.

For the autumn season, when cooking and comfort food reign supreme (how many days until Thanksgiving?), it seems appropriate to indulge in a culinary excursions. The best part about them is that they can usually be squeezed into a quick weekend trip, making it super easy to enjoy another location on short notice.

Chocoholic Adventures

As I stepped off the train this morning, my nose caught a whiff of that ever familiar scent that drifts through the area of River North around Merchandise Mart: Chocolate. Fresh chocolate. The Blommer Chocolate Company, the largest cocoa bean and chocolate manufacturer in North America, is just a few blocks west of my office, and when they start cooking up their confectionary masterpieces, the whole neighborhood can smell the decadent treats.

It's common knowledge among those who know me that chocolate is a weakness of mine, a vice, if you will. I have cravings--at least three or four a day--for chocolate, and I never get sick of it. I could have chocolate every day for the rest of my life, and I would die happy. You can deem me a true chocoholic.

So, in honor of Blommer's latest batch of goodies, and the fact that this is Chocolate Week (no I didn't make that up) in Europe, I found a list of explorations specifically geared toward travelers who love chocolate. October for Europeans is all about chocolate, but luckily you don't have to go on these trips during this month only, because this sweet should be celebrated all year round.

While a couple of the trips are more about enjoying the spa-benefits of cocoa (the two-hour Symphony in Chocolate in Austria, and the Mayan chocolate massage in Mexico) most of them are all about eating! Which is something I am all for. Of the tasting adventures, participating in the chocolate making process in St. Lucia sounds like the most exciting, simply because it's a hands-on experience that takes you through every step of chocolate making--from picking the beans from the plantation to taking that first satisfactory bite. Another one that caught my eye was the all-you-can-eat chocolate bar in Boston. Not only is it close enough that I could make a quick weekend trip of it, but it's also in one of my favorite cities in the country--plus my best friend lives there! And, let's be honest, how could anyone turn down something that combines chocolate and all-you-can-eat? Probably my third favorite trip is the chocolate and wine pairing at the Hahndorf Hill Winery in Australia, which is known for its pairings. The ChocoVino Experience is my ideal activity, because it brings together chocolate and my other vice, wine. Totally meant for me.

While these three are at the top of my list, all the others sound interesting and delicious. I mean, who wouldn't enjoy a chocolate tour through Bruges, Belgium, one of the most famous places for world-class cocoa. Or what about a cooking class in France to learn how to make your own delectable chocolate dishes? It all sounds so incredible, and perhaps one day I will get to experience each of these chocoholic adventures.

Win a Free Flight to Japan

Japan's tourism has been struggling the last six months after an earthquake and tsunami struck the country in March, causing millions of dollars in damage and lingering concerns over exposure to nuclear radiation. As a result, many people have opted out of visiting Japan, and the tourism industry is desperate to attract travelers.

So, in an effort to lure more visitors, Japan's board is hoping to get a plan approved to give away up to 10,000 free flights to Japan. It could cost the country over $10 million to do, but the hope is that it will encourage people to plan more vacations there and help boost the economy.

So, what's the catch?

Well, in exchange for free airfare, Japan is asking travelers to share their (positive) experiences via blog posts and social media outlets. It doesn't seem like too much to ask, in my opinion, since I love to write about my travels already. Also, visitors still have to pay for their own lodging, food and other necessities once they get there, but more often than not, airfare tends to be the most expensive part of a trip. It's probably not that difficult to find a decently priced hotel in Japan, and with some savvy budgeting tricks, paying for food and transport should not be that bad.

If the Japanese government approves the plan, the tourism board could start accepting applications as early as April 2012. And if that happens, I fully intend on submitting one.

Who knows, I could end up winning a free flight, giving me the chance to see a countrry I've been dying to see for years.

Pan Am: A Glimpse of Travel History

Pan Am is a new fall show that premiered on ABC a couple weeks ago and follows the lives of stewardesses and pilots working for the largest international airline during the 1960s. The women live a privileged life, jetting off to exotic locales each week, like London, Paris and Berlin, experiencing some of our country's most significant historical events.

While the storyline is clearly embellished for dramatic effect--and to please viewers--there is some truth in the series. The uniforms, daily attire and plane design are extremely accurate, proving that the shows' producers did their homework. Another aspect of the industry's history that the show touches on is the high standards that stewardesses had to meet, especially when it came to their appearance. They had to be a certain size--and that wasn't because the planes had a weight requirement--and were weighed every week to make sure the numbers on the scale did not inch up. Stewardesses were more than crew members who brought travelers meals and assisted them in boarding, they were objects to be looked at, especially from the successful business men sitting in first class. They had to be classy, sophisticated and always prepared, beacuse at every moment they were in uniform, they were representing Pan Am.

Apart from the period-appropriate outfits, settings and behaviors, the show also gives viewers today a glimpse into a completely different time for our country, when planes were considered a luxurious way to travel rather than just another commute to get through; when the Cold War and Communism were the main terrorist threats to America; when there was no such thing as a cell phone and people still wrote letters and postcards to stay in touch.

Perhaps my infatuation with the show is that each week they get to go somewhere else, somewhere new and exciting. It makes me envious of the stewardess lifestyle, because they get to see all these places I may never visit. Obviously, the life of flight attendants today may not be as glamorous as it was back then, but that's what I love about it, I can escape to another world for an hour each Sunday night, exploring the world with these women as they deal with their own personal dilemmas. I will admit, it has become my new guilty pleasure.