A Sassy Lifestyle Blog

Falling For Fall!

Falling For Fall!

Happy Fall! Yes, I know that fall doesn’t officially start until September 21ish, but hey the pumpkins have been out in the stores since August, so I feel I have shown a lot of restraint.

I loooooovvvvveee fall!! It’s what I miss the most about living in Las Vegas. I have two back to back trade shows in September and October so it’s going to be super busy, BUT!! I get to fly back to Canada for some vacation time the week before Halloween and you better believe that I am going to pack in as much fun fall stuff as possible!!!

I love making bucket lists, some may think they are silly? Here’s why I make them and why I encourage you to as well. We are all so busy, I feel that if we don’t consciously make plans, the days, weeks and months can zoom bye in the blink of an eye, and bam!! It’s Christmas and you’ve missed fall altogether!

So here’s my fall bucket list! (FYI I am saving my Halloween activities for my Halloween list that I’ll post Oct 1ish. Hey, I wasn’t kidding about loving lists!!)

1. Fall foliage and fresh air!

Since moving to the desert, I’ve discovered that some of my friends, here on the West Coast, have never experienced a full on autumn fall foliage fest. Yes the leaves on the trees here do change colors, and while three trees with yellowish leaves are cute, that’s not really fall.

You need to experience a full on fall, in all its glory, at least once in your lifetime! The most vivid colors are in the North East of the US and the South East of Canada; New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have the prettiest views, but I could be a little bias? lol

I encourage all my West Coast friends to add this to their bucket lists and to all my East Coast friends; get out there and enjoy!!! Go for a drive, go for a walk, take pictures and smell the fresh air! Not to be a Debbie Downer, but you do know what happens after fall right??

The pictures above are all from the Moncton area, seriously guys, how freaking amazing are these color??!! It’s simply spectacular!!

2. Sunflower Selfie!

Local farmers don’t exactly have it easy these days; a new way to supplement their incomes is by creating corn mazes, u-pick pumpkin patches, apple picking and sunflower festivals; and do you know what? I am all for it!

Look up what’s happening in your area and then get out there and enjoy! My Facebook feed has been full of the most beautiful sunflower selfies this past week.

The Green Pig Country Market in Salisbury, NB is having a sunflower festival and I am so bummed that I am missing it. FYI, in October, they have a huge corn maze and a zombie paint ball shooting tractor ride. I will be in that area at that time, so I’ll be there!

Please get out there and support your local farmers it’s a win, win!

I am going to do my best to find a field of sunflowers in Nevada, wish me luck!

Soooo it turns out sunflowers don’t grow in the desert…booo!! Since I am not one to give up that easily, I made my own sunflower fun! It’s amazing what you can do with a hot glue gun.

You maybe wondering if I looked like a nut driving around Las Vegas looking like a sunflower? Maybe? But here’s the thing that I love most about living in Las Vegas; no one cared, everything and anything goes here. It’s pretty wild! It’s probably the perfect place for me and my weirdness?

Funny story, I asked my mom a month or so ago if she thought I was weird? She said of course you are, but that’s why people like you!! Good to know, lol. 🌻🌻

3. Apple of my eye!

Apple picking has always been one of my fall traditions. As soon as the apples are ready for picking, usually mid to late September, my Facebook news feed will be flooded with pictures of my Canadians in apple orchards. Not only is it a great way to get some fresh air, it also offers lots of Instagramable moments.

And what do you do with all those apples? Make a yummy apple crisp or apple pie! Picture it, it’s getting chilly outside, which of course makes you want to nest and bake. Can you smell the apple crisp coming out of the oven? Mmmm, add a big scoop of vanilla ice cream; oh wow, I am getting hungry! lol. Add that to your fall bucket list please…you’re welcome.

4. Fall fashion.

There is something about fall that makes me want to shop; you do that too, right? Once the air starts to get cooler; it’s time to pull out your sweaters, blazers and boots. In the fall I like to take inventory of what I have in my closet and what I need to replace.

My fashion strategy is to pay more for key pieces that will last me for a few seasons. I mix those pieces in with less expensive items that are a bit more trendy.

This is the year that I need a new pair of boots, fancy boots, not winter boots. I bought a pair of high heeled black leather boots in Chicago; I am going to say 6 or 7 years ago? At the time, I felt that they were too expensive, but I loved them and I knew that would never go out of style. I got them re-heeled and shined up a few years ago, which extended their life. They ended up being a great investment, I certainly got my money’s worth. But, sadly their time has come and I that makes me super sad; first world problems I know, so no need to point that out, lol.

My new boots are 1970’s inspired black suede. I sent my mom a picture. I remember she had a similar pair when I was young; hers were a deep dark red, they were beautiful. I am digging that 70’s vibe. My friend just got a pair of cool bell bottom jeans, oh, I am getting a bit off track…sorry.

I also “needed” a new black purse…ok, maybe need is pushing it? My new fav purse site is: Wanderers Travel Co. I got a tan/caramel purse a few months ago that I absolutly love, but it’s not black, hence the “need” for a new black purse.

I have always, always been a fan of a leopard print, so I am super happy to see all the leopard prints out this fall; not that it ever goes out of style, but this fall it’s bigger than ever. My boots and a new purse were a little pricier, but my skirt was a steal of a deal. I got it at GAP, it was 40% off, yay me!

I am loving my new fall fashion items! I will pair my skirt with a nice black turtleneck instead of a white t-shirt as shown above. My wardrobe inventory uncovered 10 black turtleneck sweaters!! Sadly, I am not even kidding. I think I have a bit of a black turtleneck addiction. I can’t even rule out buying a new one this fall/winter, it’s a definite possibility, lol.

Oh and not that anyone asked, but here is my older, new purse from that same site. I think it’s just going to look better as it ages and gets a little banged up.

Thanks for reading! I am not really sure what happened? This post started with leaves, sunflowers and apples and finished with shopping. It’s pretty obvious that I just let my posts go where they want to go; I don’t always have full control, lol. I may have gotten too excited and a bit off track? Shit happens, lol.

I would like to give a shout out and thank you to my fall photographer, Barney! He also shot my spring pics; I guess that makes him the official oui-liette photographer? I’am not sure if he is fully aware yet? I will let him know after he takes my winter pics, lol.

Fun side note, we shot the sunflower pics in August on a cool 107 degree evening. My skin looks all fresh and dewy, ya, that’s sweat! Lol

Please get out there and make memories with your friends and families!!

muah!

Liette

Bangs, are they ever a good idea?!

Bangs, are they ever a good idea?

After last week’s heavy post, I really felt that I needed to write something light and fluffy. I write about what’s going on in my life, the good, the bad and the funny; and this week it’s all about getting bangs!

While considering getting bangs, I did some serious soul searching. What is going on in my life at the moment that makes me think that getting bangs is a smart life choice? What makes me think that I can pull them off, this time? Yes, this time, because I’ve had bangs before, several times actually, and I’ve instantly regretted them every time.

What is causing this mid-life bang crisis??? Should I just ride out the urge until it passes?

I have decided that I am going to give bangs another try; maybe it’s because I am an optimistic, but I feel this time, this time will be different! This time I will love them! Even thought there is nothing in my past that supports this theory.

I did a bit of research, if you google, should I get bangs, the first thing that comes up is NO!! No, you should not get bangs, lol. I am going into this knowing deep down inside that this is probably a horrible idea; yet my mind is made up, there is no going back now.

Let’s examine the psychology behind getting bangs shall we? I think the urge to get bangs is definitely a sign that you are going through some emotional phase in your life. The last time I got them was just before I moved from Canada to Las Vegas, note to self, that bang was not my best look.

Maybe it’s a way to celebrate new beginnings? Or a need for change? It’s one of those things that in hindsight, seemed like a good idea at the time, but as so many things in life turns out to be a big fat disappointing mistake! Lol

During my last hair appointment, I told my hairdresser that I wanted bangs. I had also told her the last time I got bangs and was growing them out: “if I ever ask for bangs again, tell me no”. For my own safety, she put me on a 30 day waiting period.

Instead of complying with my request, she negotiated a beginner bang. She said, let’s do it in steps; I agreed, but secretly wondered why she was raining on my bang parade? We came up with a plan; if I still wanted a fuller bang after my waiting period, she would jump on the bang band wagon with me.

B5D4EB45-6826-43EE-A58F-2CB9620E718C — Last months hair, notice the slight long fringe bang.

So here we are; I have 3 more days until I get banged. I found this picture of the type of bang that I want. And in my current state of delusion, I am convinced that I will look exactly like the pic below. And yes, that is Kate Moss.,,the super model; in my mind, I am going to look exactly like Kate Moss…the super model, lol.

175E3BF2-1625-4070-A21F-0662604A3038 — Note to self, make sure to wear lots of blush on Thursday, a la Kate Moss.

Here is the last time I got banged, see below, so it’s not horrible on the surface. And for my male readers, who haven’t gotten bored by all this bang talk yet and are still reading, lol; I am sure they are probably wondering what all the big fuss is about?

The big fuss is that bangs in general are usually always a bad idea! And every woman knows this to be true; you wake up in the morning and they are all jacked up. The months and months that you suffer through growing them out are excruciating. Especially that phase where they are always in your eyes. You know, those 4 to 5 months it takes before they will tuck behind your ears again.

So why am I so sure that this time be different? I have no fu&@ing clue? I am obviously delusional? Lol

I do think that bangs or a drastic hair cut are a sign that something is going on in your life. And that makes sense, because I do feel that I am going through a transitional time in my life at the moment; I am on a weight loss journey, doing awesome, in case anyone is wondering!! I will be celebrating a big birthday next year; oh and I am questioning my life in general…so yeah, there’s that.

My hair is super long at the moment, maybe longer than it’s ever been in my life? I wanted a change, but I didn’t want to cut the length just yet, that’s pretty much how I got to my big bang decision.

It’s been two days since I got banged and so far so good. But keep in mind I am in Vegas, where there is zero humidity, let’s see how they look next month when I am in the deep south, lol.

I guess bangs can sometimes be a good idea? Maybe my bang trauma goes back to my childhood when my aunt used to cut my hair?? Here’s a question, what was up with moms cutting their kids bangs in the ‘70’s?? Lol

So have your ever had a bad bang experience? Do tell!

Oh and here I am trying to channel my best Kate Moss!!! Her bangs are a bit longer than mine; and even though I loaded on the blush, it still wasn’t enough. Ouff, being a fake super model is tough. I do think that the lighting in my pic is better than hers, take that Kate!!! Lol

Thank you for reading my serious posts and my silly ones.

muah!

Liette

Surviving Death

One of the harshest things about death is that you are forced to go on with your life. It doesn’t seem fair that something so utterly devastating can happen and the next day you have to wake up and go on with your life.

I have lost my grandparents and an amazing aunt, so I thought I knew what it was like to lose someone I loved, but it turns out, I had no clue.

I want to apologize to all those close to me who have lost a parent, mate or a child. I am sorry I couldn’t grasp the depths of your loss and to be honest, it’s such an uncomfortable place to be that unless you are forced to be there, you gloss over it. The truth is that unless it happens to you, you have no clue what it really feels like.

Everyone’s journey is very different; it’s weird the things that you think of; I remember wondering what would be better, watching someone slowly die or getting a phone call that your loved one had been hit by a truck and was gone, just like that. I actually though about that for a long time and weighing the pros and cons of each.

I was and am still a very lucky girl, I was blessed with a father that others wished they had. He was the absolute best with a personality that was beyond charming. He had a killer smile that lit up the room. Have you ever talked to someone who made you feel like you were the only one in the room? Some people have that gift to make you feel important and special. My dad had that quality, people were just drawn to him; and I was his favorite person; of all the people, I was the one.

I am just realizing now that not everyone has someone in their life who loves them like that; who loves them unconditionally. He was my greatest cheerleader, he encouraged all my hair brained ideas and adventures. So I know how fortunate I have been and I am truly thankful. Someone told me the bigger the love the bigger the loss, I believe that to be true.

He was the most positive person and had the best outlook on everything even death. He wasn’t afraid to die, which made it easier for us to let him go. He told me he had the best life and did everything he wanted to do. He had no regrets; how many of us will be able to say that when are time comes? I aspire to live a life with no regrets, but man, I am not certain I will be able to rise to that challenge?

When someone is sick you morn them while they are still alive so that by the time they pass, you are relieved that they don’t have to suffer anymore. I remember being angry near the end; I just figured that there would be more dignity in death. You live a great honorable life and then it ends so horribly; it didn’t and still doesn’t seem fair. But it is what it is and you have to accept and keep going.

Something really strange happened right before my dad passed, while I was making funeral plans, I was able to talk to him about what he wanted and that in of itself was a gift. That’s not the strange part, the strange part is that I told my mom, that I wanted to speak at his funeral.

That’s so strange because I am a huge crier and never would have imagined that I would have the strength to do that. Buy something came over me that made me think I could get up in front of hundreds of people and eulogize my father, like wtf?? My mom, also super supportive and positive, told me to see how I felt the morning of the funeral; she gave me permission to change my mind at any point. But I told her I had things to say. I actually felt like he was giving me strength, and I think that is exactly what happened.

I had 5 bullet points written down on an old envelope, they were 5 examples of lessons he taught me. I felt I needed to speak and I wanted to make him proud. I know he would have been proud. Fast forward 5 weeks later, I can’t picture his face without bursting into tears, that’s why this post has no pictures of his handsome face. I know he was with me that day, giving me strength.

Because I am my fathers daughter, I am able to find positive things even in the face of such great loss. I feel that even though this is the most horrible thing that will ever happen to me, it has shown me how strong I am. That if I can survive this, I can survive anything. It also puts everything into perspective, things that I used to stress about now I could care less. It’s like, is anyone going to die if this doesn’t get done this very minute? No, ok then let’s chill out and move on.

This has also reminded me that I have the most amazing extended family, we were always close but this made us much closer and way more huggier and affectionate. I love them so much and can’t imagine how we would have gotten through this year without them.

I also have great friends, it’s funny how in the daze of death you remember every face that shows up to pay their respects. I was so touched by those who took the time to come pay their respects. You expect your close friends to show up, but there were a few people that I was so surprised to see and was so touched that they took the time to visit.

And if I am being honest; I was disappointed by some who didn’t come. Here’s a tip, if for some reason or another you are unable to show up for a friend, make that call or send that text saying thinking of you, but I will be working, I am out of town or just I am not a funeral person; trust me it will be so appreciated.

Thinking there will be so many people there that no one will notice your absence is apparently not how it works. Even now, I will be talking to my mom and she will, out of the blue say, I was surprised that so and so wasn’t there. It’s like you have some sort of weird laser focused memory of every face that you saw. And at the most random time you will realize, gee that person wasn’t there. I can’t remember what I had for lunch yesterday, but I can remember who showed at the funeral parlor and church. Ok enough of that, moving on.

I feel like I am now part of some twisted club, the loss club. There is something comforting about being around others who without saying anything know exactly what you have been through.

So 5 weeks in, it all still feels like a bad dream, like he’s just gone on a trip and will be back soon. The other day I picked up the phone to call him and for a full second I forgot he was gone. I am told that is very normal by my new club members.

I wish I had some magical formula for getting through the grieving process that I could share with you, but I don’t. I wake up, put a smile on my face and go about my day, I still cry a lot, mostly at night and usually only for a minute or so; I think that’s “normal” and it relieves stress.

My way of surviving death is to live my life in a way that honors my fathers spirit and joi de vivre. I know he would want me to live my happiest, best life and I am trying really hard to do that, it’s not always easy, but it is a choice I have to make everyday.

I want to thank everyone who has been so kind to my mom, Serge, Ginette and I! And if you know someone who has lost someone, check up on them every once in awhile, especially after the dust settles. And if you are part of the club, I hope you are able to find some comfort in knowing that you are not alone. Sadly everyone reading this will have their turn at some point.

E333794F-9171-41C7-A255-7411BFC1FC2F — I love this pic of my dad and my nephew holding hands. I remember that day so well. Go out there and make memories with your people and take lots of pics!

muah!

Liette

Shark! How to survive an attack.

Shark!

In this post I will share my in depth knowledge on how to survive a shark attack. You may be wondering what makes me qualified to give such advice? Am I a marine biologist?? No, I am in marketing, lol, but! I have been watching Discovery Channel’s Shark Week for years!!!

Ok, sure, make fun of my qualifications, but if you are ever face to face with a great white shark, you are going to regret not reading my post!! 🦈

Tip #1

Don’t look like shark food! If you walk…or swim away with one thing from this post, it should be this; don’t look or act like something a shark would eat! So don’t look or act like a seal or a turtle.

Sharks often hunt from below and swim to the surface and attack! If you are on a surfboard, guess what? You are going to look like a turtle. My advice, don’t surf!! But if you really need to surf, go to Moncton, NB and surf the tidal bore; there have been zero shark attacks in the Petitcodiac River…you’re welcome!

Tip #2

Don’t hang around with shark food! A shark’s fav things to eat are seals. Let’s say you are minding your own damn business on your kayak and you see a bunch of seals frolicking around…leave! Sticking around is as dumb as those white people in all those horror movies who hear a noise and stick around to investigate instead of getting the hell out of there.

And if you do see a bunch of seals and then they suddenly disappear, you are in serious trouble, paddle your little heart out before you get eaten!

Tip #3

Stay calm and fight! Ok the chances of me staying calm if under attack by a shark are zero, but apparently that’s what you have to do. Sharks don’t like humans because we are too bony, so if you are being bit, you obviously haven’t followed Tip #1 and they think you are a seal or a turtle.

If you do find yourself in the jaws of a shark, you need to poke them in the eyes or hit them on the snout…mmm ok, I don’t know if a sharks nose is called a snout; but it doesn’t really matter, just punch them in that general area. This will let them know you aren’t a seal and they should let you go; good luck…oh and stay calm.

Tip #4

Be pro-active! There are some researchers who seem to think that sharks are attracted to the color yellow, so don’t ride a yellow surfboard or a yellow stand up board thing; just to be safe, I would avoid wearing a yellow swimsuit in any body of water that may have a shark in it, just to be safe.

There also seems to be an increase in attacks at dusk and dawn and when the water is murky. I am currently watching: I Was Prey, and both survivors say that they sensed something was not right before they were attacked. One lady said she saw a sea lion pop out of the water and it looked her in the eyes with a panicked look on its face. Now, even though I am not a marine biologist, I am almost positive that, that sean lion was telling her to get the f@&k out of the water!! Guys you need to listen to your sixth sense and the sea lion!

Tip #5

Ok, that last tip has stressed me out, lol. So tip #5 is that maybe you shouldn’t swim in shark infested waters??

But to be serious for a minute, the chances of being bitten by a shark are very slim. Did you know that more people die from snake bites a year than by sharks? Yup, worldwide, 200 people die each day from snake bites. So don’t be afraid of sharks, be afraid of snakes, lol.

So to recap, don’t look like shark food, don’t wear yellow, don’t swim in murky water and sea lions are your friends.

The photo above is my little brother and I getting ready for our first big shark fishing trip, circa 1976 ish, lol. That’s me on the left in case you don’t recognize me without my lipstick.

Thanks for reading as always! Be safe out there and enjoy the rest of your summer!

muah!

Liette

Tulsa, the center of the universe?

Tulsa, the center of the universe?

I’ve been in Tulsa Oklahoma for the week; I figured Las Vegas in July wasn’t hot enough, I should come to Oklahoma, lol.

Just kidding, I am here for work; when you travel for work a lot, it’s easy to get get a bit jaded. I really try to take advantage of the opportunities given to me and I try to find something fun to do or see in each city I get to visit.

One of my coworkers mentioned that Tulsa was the center of the universe!! So how could I come to Tulsa and not make the effort to find the center of the universe landmark?? Seriously, it would be pretty dumb not to, right? BTW, I was with a few locals today and none of them had been, are they being dumb?? Frankly, yes, lol.

Now before I get comments about how the universe is infinite and how do they know that Tulsa is the center of it? Shhh!! Let’s just have a bit of fun and check it out.

It was a little hard to find; I would have thought that the center of the universe would merit some signage or a plaque? But there was nothing, just a brick circle in between West Archer St and North Boston Ave.

When we found it, we briefly thought we had been had; was this it?!

The location was a bit anticlimactic; but the freaky thing is not what it looks like, but what happens when you are there.

This spot is the site of an acoustic anomaly; what does that mean? It means that if you stand in the middle your voice sounds amplified to you, but muted to those standing outside the circle. And I swear to god, it true, it worked!! We took turns in the center and it was pretty freaky.

This odd sound abnormally has been studied with no clear consensus of what or how it works.

We stood in the middle and took videos to see if we could capture this freaky effect; above is my friend trying it out. In my video below, my voice does sound amplified.

Ok maybe you had to be there?? But it was freaky; we had a few laughs trying to figure out what the trick was, but we weren’t able to solve the mystery. And I am glad we didn’t, half the fun not knowing what the secret is?

Right beside this freak of nature is another Tulsa landmark, the Artificial Cloud, so look up.

Ok, I may have been a little too excited by this excursion? But man, we were inside all day and will be for the next few days; it was great to get some fresh air…ok it was more hot and humid than fresh! 😎

If anyone has anything else that we should see while here, please let me know. I am hoping to find some more free time to roam!

muah!

Liette

Friday Favs! Summer Edition

Friday Faves! Summer Edition

Here are a few of my favorite things that I am digging this summer; yes, I said digging, it’s cool again right?…no?? Please note, I am not getting paid by these companies, I bought these with my own hard earned money. But if anyone wants to give me free stuff, I am open to that!! Lol

1. TKEES flip flops

Living in the desert, I live in flip flops. I found these online and thought they were pretty. They come in a multitude of nude shades, which I love; I didn’t get a nude pair though, nope, I stuck with black, because that’s how I roll. But I did get a nude pair for my friend Staci for her birthday and I may get a second pair in nude for myself, because hers are so cute.

What makes these different is that you can get your initials printed on them. They print on one of the straps; it’s small, subtle, but super cute!

You can find them at http://www.tkees.com

2. Nova Scotia Crystal Glasses

My mother and my grandmother collected crystal glasses and I have to admit, that I considered crystal to be old fashion. But then I went to a dinner party and my hostess had the nicest, none granny, crystal stemware. I went on a quest to find a modern, yet classic, crystal pattern that I would have forever.

Ok, the rest of the story is that she got hers when she got married and a lot of the ladies were like, oh I got some when I got married too, but never use mine; I need to take it out, bla, bla, bla. The voice inside my head while all this was going on was like; I don’t need to get married to have crystal, I can buy my own damn crystal!!! Something like that. Lol

I was referred to Nova Scotia Crystal, their crystal is hand blown and are works of art, and the fact they are a Maritime company is a bonus! For my American friends Canada has 3 provinces known as The Maritimes: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

I fell in love with their Luna pattern, because I love polka dots!

Since they are pricy, I have been getting two at a time every few months. I now have 6 of the Double Barrel Tumbler and they are soooo pretty. They are super heavy and even though they are hand blown crystal, they are not fragile, so I won’t be afraid to use them.

Pick your fav pattern and add them to your Christmas list and ask Santa to buy you a few! Next on my list will be 6 of these old school martini glasses.

Seriously, how pretty are these!!! Check them out at http://www.novascotiacrystal.com, they ship to the US too!

3. Beach Book

I am not a huge self help book person. I actually bought this book for a friend, but started reading it and I am now keeping it. I may let her read it when I am done?…maybe? Lol.

The title caught my eye, but once I started reading, I really bought into his theory that we all have the power to change or make our lives different, we hold the power. And that the messages we tell ourselves daily help to create our reality.

I am almost done and I am really digging it! 😬. It’s an easy ready, bring it to the beach or to the lake.

4. Anything cacti!

These plates and paper straws from Target make me want to throw a BBQ. Anything cactus themed is all the rage this summer. And these were super inexpensive!

True story, I bought a cactus water color in Moncton, NB, Canada; got it framed, in Moncton, and lugged it cross continent to the desert in Las Vegas. I felt like they needed to be in the desert, lol. But I didn’t think it through completely, it would have been much easier had I brought the print with me and gotten it framed in Vegas. Oh well, live and learn! Check out the artist on insta: birch.house.lettering, she is super talented. Oh and it’s always cool to support local artists!

My cacti are similar to these, but way bigger!

5. Summer Robe

So this is what I do when I can’t sleep late at night? I shop for odd things. One night I convinced myself that I needed a fancy Asian vibe robe; I was actually looking at Asian silk pajamas, but settled on this. My white fluffy robe is just way to hot for the summer.

It’s really pretty and will last for a long time so it’s an investment…right?? Lol, actually it wasn’t that expensive. Google it on Amazon if interested.

My weekend plans are to slip into my new robe, read my book, while sipping lemonade through my paper cactus straw from my Luna pattern crystal glass that I paid for with my own damn money, because I am worth it!!!

What will you he doing? Whatever it is, have a fabulous time!!! I hope you enjoyed my fav things of the summer! Be sure to sign up so you don’t miss a post, because that would suck!

muah!

Liette

Hotel Safely

Hotel Safely – Better Paranoid than Dead!

Tips to keep you safe!

I have probably slept in more hotel rooms in the past 6 months than the average person will stay in the next 6 years, ouff it’s been a lot! I am writing this post from one now; fun fact, I can’t wait to be back in my own bed in Vegas!

I am lucky that I get to stay in nice hotels in “safe” areas. But I do watch a lot of Dateline so I am naturally always on high alert when on the road, especially when I am traveling solo. My main goal in life is to not end up on an episode of Dateline; I am weird, I am aware.

On this trip I was shocked when I was told that the hotel I am currently in, which is a really nice hotel, had a horrible incident a few weeks ago. The hotel is attached to a mall and a pharmacy. Long story short, a woman was robbed and beaten to a pulp in the elevator leading to the pharmacy!! I have used that elevator on previous trips! It really isn’t a shady area. I guess it serves as a reminder that shady people can be in none shady areas.

Here are my personal safety tips that I am more than happy to share with you!!

Hotel door check

Where you aware that people walk the halls in hotels checking doors to see if they can find one that isn’t complete shut? This has been a huge issue recently in Las Vegas.

Have you been in a newer hotel and noticed that the doors slam shut by themselves? If your door isn’t completely shut it will open if someone simply pushes on it. Some older hotels may not have this feature?

When leaving or entering my hotel room, I close the door shut myself and then pull on the handle to make sure it’s shut. Your door needs to click so it can’t be pushed open.

Not to freak you out, but this is a thing. People have been robbed while in their rooms; while they slept! Being in your room is apparently not a deterrent, that was the shocking part to me; and in one instance, here in Vegas, a couple was robbed then killed. If it’s happened here, it can happen anywhere!

If you see someone who seems to be loitering in the halls, call the front desk!!

Peep holes

Ok, this one may boarder on paranoia? But I am standing by it!!

I am fully aware that peep holes theoretically help keep you safe, because they let you see who is at the door without opening it. But I have always been a bit weary of them. I’ve always wondered if people would be able to peep in? Then I heard the story of a woman sports caster who was filmed while she was in her hotel room, minding her own damn business! Her peep hole was tampered with.

Now will your peep hole be tampered with? Probably not, but do I feel safer with a post it note over mine? Hell yes!

I travel with a few office supplies in my laptop case; one day I put a post it note over my peep hole and it stuck….get it? Lol, so now that’s what I do, it makes me feel better; so crazy or not, I do it.

This picture below is my worst nightmare, hence my post it notes obsession.

Door stop

This is my new fav safety feature. Have you ever checked into your room and notice that you’re in an adjoining room? It’s super creepy and it makes me feel unsafe that the only thing between me and a potential psycho killer is one door lock; they don’t even come with a door chain.

I have always thought that the chain and metal thingy on the inside of your hotel door would keep the bad guys out. But after doing a bit of research I have discovered that if someone really wants to get in, it’s not that difficult; these won’t keep them out.

But there is something that will help reinforce your door, all your doors, not just hotel doors. What is this magical high tech safety tool? It’s a cheap rubber door stop!! I just bought four for $9. I am adding 2 to my suitcase for when I travel and spoiler alert, I will be giving these to all my travel friends this Christmas as stocking stuffers.

Is this overkill for US and Canadian travel? Maybe, but remember, better paranoid than dead!

Valuables in your room

The previous three tips were to keep people out of your hotel room, but what about the people who are able to get in your room?

In all of my travels, I have only had one incident where something was “removed” from my room by the hotel staff. I accidentally left lose cash in my jeans pocket and just like that, pouff, $80 was gone.

We know not to leave money or jewelry laying around, but you may be leaving something more valuable in your room unattended? What’s more valuable or just as valuable as cash? Your medication!

One of my friends recently shared that she ran out of her medication way before the end of the month. She suspects that the cleaning staff may have taken some of her medication while she was traveling? If you think about it, it’s super easy to do; who among us keeps a daily count of the number of pills left in their bottle? It would be so easy to take some, but not all, without being missed right away.

Do not disturb

I am not very worried about hotel staff being in my room, I like having my bed made for me! I do make sure anything valuable is in my purse and not left in my room.

But I do have coworkers that I travel with who, once checked in, put the do not disturb sign on their door knob and turn on the TV when they leave their rooms. Some will keep the do not disturb sign out for their entire stay. They just don’t want strangers in their room alone with their belongings and that is a perfectly valid feeling; so remember that is an option for you on your next hotel stay.

You can even call housekeeping and let them know that you won’t require your room cleaned during your stay. If you run out of clean towels, they can deliver to your room while you are there; please tip if you ask anyone to bring anything to your room, it’s only fair.

Valet park

I am a big valet park fan, is it because I am a bit of a diva? Partly, but the main reason is that I refuse to park and walk alone in a parking lot or garage in a strange city.

And if a hotel doesn’t have valet park, don’t be shy to ask hotel security to walk you to and from your car. This winter I was in Moncton, at downtown hotel, that didn’t have valet parking. Their main lot is well lit and close to the main hotel door, but their overflow parking is a building away; it was dark and shady. I actually drove back to the front desk, from the overflow lot, and asked if someone could walk out to meet me; they were more than happy to oblige. Please know that this is an option, hotels want you to have a great experience on their property, they will assist if asked.

When I was younger and a bit more timid, I would put myself in situations that didn’t always feel safe, but with age comes a “fuck that shit” attitude!! If it feels iffy, don’t do it!

Be friendly

My final hint is to befriend the hotel staff. I make friends with the concierge, in addition to getting great recommendations on where to eat and where to go, they can also keep tabs on you. They are usually stationed by the front entrance of the hotel, say hi to them as you come and go and remember their name.

On my last trip to New Orleans we made friends with our concierge, every evening he knew where we were planning on going.

I also always ask the front desk staff if it’s safe to walk around the hotel at night? A few times, they have flat out told me that it wasn’t safe. I once asked for directions to an outlet mall via the train; the front desk staff told me in no uncertain terms, that I was not to take the train alone! If someone tells you that, listen, they know their city better than you do.

If you are afraid or nervous about anything, talk to the front desk staff; learn their names, tell them, hey I am alone, can you have someone walk me to my car? Tell them where you are going and when you expect to be back. A side effect of being friendly is they will remember you on your next visit and may even upgrade you! Friendliness is always in fashion. If finally again, you see something that makes you feel uneasy, tell someone, because it’s better to be paranoid than dead!

Those are my safety tips, do you have any to share that I haven’t listed?

Travel safe!

muah!

Liette