Airport Travel: Five Tips for Getting Through Security Faster

Airport Display in New Orleans, LA

Whether it be for holiday travel or everyday business and vacation travel, anything that can make getting through the airport a little easier is always welcome. Here are five tips to help you do just that:

1. Schedule an earlier flight. How many people like to travel at 5 or 6 am? Not many, because it means having to get up at 2 or 3 am to get to the airport on time for your flight. Imagine how many people pass up the opportunity to spend less time waiting because they want to sleep later. Many people end up sleeping on the plane anyway, so why not take an earlier flight and catch up on your sleep as you travel. instead
2. Wear shoes without laces. Skip the need to untie your shoes before going through airport security and then retying them again when you get through. A pair of slip-ons or strap-ons, like clogs or Mary Janes, are the best and most comfortable way to travel. In the summer, strappy sandals are also a good option.
3. Place all of your electronics in the same place in your suitcase or bag. This will make it easier to fish out your electronics for placing them onto the conveyor belt at security to be scanned. In addition, if you can place all of your smaller electronics together in one clear plastic bag, when you get to the belt, all you’ll have to do is reach for the bag, empty its contents in security tub, and then you’re done. You will have eliminated the time it would have taken to hunt for each item in your suitcase separately.
4. Have gifts wrapped and shipped and by the seller. Retailers like Amazon offer an option for adding gift wrapping to gifted items. While this option may cost a little extra on the front end, you save yourself the time of having to have your items scanned while also avoiding the risks of having them damaged, lost, or stolen.
5. Leave your weapons at home. It might seem obvious, but recent reports in the news show this tip is worth sharing. It is both for your protection and the safety of those around you. When traveling with children or adults who like to play with weapons, whether for real or for play, have them leave those items at home. It stands to reason that what may appear to be a toy gun could turn out to be a real one once it’s allowed on a plane. You wouldn’t want to wind up on a plane with someone with a real gun, so be kind to your fellow passengers and take precaution.

These are just a few tips, but there are surely dozens more that I haven’t listed here. What are your favorites?

Walk the Paths of the Famous in Washington, DC

Hollywood, California, is not the only place where some of the hottest actors and performers in the country have their names etched in stone…er, concrete. Just outside the Warner Theater in Washington, DC, is a different sort of Hollywood Walk of Fame. B.B. King, Chris Rock, Prince, and others have graced the walkway of the Warner Theater with their name. One star, Prince, did not write out his name, but I am sure it was because at the time he was probably “The Artist Formerly Known as Prince.”

There aren’t many stars on the walk, so they can be easily missed. I almost missed it myself, but I just happened to be looking down at the pavement to prepare myself for the other walk of fame that I had originally planned to write about.

Just two blocks from the Warner Theater lies the entrance to the Metro Center transit stop. Earlier that day, I had exited the metro station and crossed 12th, on my way to the Willard Hotel. As I walked, I felt something hard under my foot. I thought I had stepped on something. That something happened to be a monument to the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Along the street, there were a handful of walkway monuments honoring historic figures in American history. It’s called The Extra Mile or the Points of Light Volunteer Pathway. The first time I passed them, I didn’t have time to stop, so I promised myself that I’d come back later to take a photo.

There are little gems hidden everywhere around this marvelous city.

Downtown Holiday Market Tour

A rainy day in Washington, DC

Yesterday, the rain poured in DC all day like pellets in a pond. The drops were so full and fat that after just minutes in the rain, my shoes were beginning to soak through. I was heading to meet with a friend for drink—a hot chocolate—before heading out for the evening. On the way, I happened to see the Downtown Holiday Market, which is just across the street from the Gallery Place/Chinatown metro exit. I’d never visited the market prior to yesterday, but somehow that day, in the rain, I felt drawn to take a look.

Vendors were set up along the street in a string of white tents. There were no crowds, but that was good because there was so much to see. What I found were dozens of great gifts, from lotions and hats to handmade jewelry and homemade chocolate balls.

  

My first stop was at the tent for the Virginia Chocolate Company. They sell chocolate truffles, butter creams, caramels, and  a host of other chocolate confections in addition to jams. Chocolatier and owner Tim Douglas offered assorted chocolate gift boxes at the market yesterday. He also shared with me a bit about the company history.

He tells me it was his love of chocolate that inspired him to leave a career in law and start his own chocolate business. There was a time in his life when he was battling against cancer. That experience, he says, helped him prioritize how he wanted to spend his life. He found working with chocolate so fulfilling that, for him, starting the chocolate business was one of the best decisions he’d ever made.

I probably could have talked to Tim for hours, but knowing that I had to meet my friend, I pressed on through the rain. Catching my attention next was Beth Vosoba.

Essence de Provence

Beth Vosoba is owner and artist at Essence de Provence. Her tent carries the artisan crafts of her masterwork with lavender. Imported from France, the lavender is made into remarkable wreaths, lotions, soaps, and fragrant housewares. Her products are simply luxurious, but most importantly they are authentic. Stepping into the tent with her was like walking through the door of a boutique. And with the smell of lavender in the air, it had the feel of the Mediterranean countryside. Vin et fromage, anyone?

Further along, I met with Cheedem Ettekin. He owns Turquoise, a small jewelry shop at 2118 18^th Street, NW, in Washington, DC. It just opened recently in the Adams Morgan area, a perfect place to find one-of-a-kind items while you’re traveling.

inFused Spreads

At the end of my tour through the market, I found inFused Spreads. This company specializes in uniquely flavored preserves. They have fruit butters, jams, marmalades, and specialty items. While they offer a lot of traditional flavors, there are also a few for those who like the taste of things out of the ordinary. The orange chipotle is a good example. It has a sweet, smoky flavor that reminded me a bit of jellied barbecue sauce. It’s not a flavor I would pair with just anything, but with a meal of beef? Definitely.

When I finally arrived to meet my friend, I shared all the details of the wonderful finds I found on my unexpected trip. This is one I’ll plan to make again soon.

Holiday Model Train Show in Washington, DC

Holiday model train display at Union Station

What is it about the Christmas holiday in America and model trains? During no other time of year will you find so many train displays and festivals. From Maine to California, you’ll find little miniature towns, railways, and doll communities stretched out atop tables and stands in malls, fire stations, churches, schools, and anyplace else people like to congregate.

In Washington, DC, there is the annual holidaytrain show set in a corridor of the main hall just steps away from the Amtrak terminal. It makes sense to have the train festival here, not only because of Amtrak, but also because of the history that trains represent in America. It is no accident that the development of the first transcontinental railroad in America coincides with the timeline of the Civil War. It’s fascinating to think about how at this time of unrest, at this time when the country risked splitting in two, we were working at a transportation system that we hoped would eventually bring people together.

Though not set quite so far back in time as the Civil War, the displays at Union Station reveal the scenes of small town America. Some feature traditional holiday Christmas settings and other reveal a glimpse into everyday small town life.

The best part of the festival has to be the sound of the train whistle. Listening to the train wheels glide across the track has a surprisingly soothing quality, and then the whistle comes by like a sweet accompanying song. 

Model train passing through mountain country

Trains moving fast round the holiday circle