Hey friends!
I’m sitting here at Laguardia Airport, waiting to jump on a flight to Chicago.
Just 8 hours ago, I was in New Jersey shooting a commercial, and now I’m hopping on a bright and early flight to a callback for a fashion show in the Windy City!
My phone has 5% battery because I made the absolute blunder of not double checking that it wasΒ actually charging when I plugged it in when I passed out at 2am last night.
Yeahhh so waking up this morning with a dead phone was quite the heart stopper. Good thing I always set my old school radio alarm as a back up when I have a morning flight.
It came in handy this time!
So, I thought it would be fun to do one of those “What’s in my Bag?” posts, that you always see in magazines. I will not have time to bust out an emotional think piece between now and 7pm, so this is the next best thing!! π
So here it goes: My Travel Essentials
(And please note that yes, IΒ didΒ look like a complete crazy person snapping photos of every item in my bag.) haha I do it forΒ you, friend!
What’s in my Bag – Travel Edition!
First of all: my outfit.

I love traveling inΒ layers. That means super stretch jeans, a long sleeved denim shirt, a puff coat, and my sunhat! I always say, sun protection isΒ the best skin care possible. No serum, potion, oil or lotion will help your skin in the way that sunscreen can. An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of correction….or something like that.
I always wear my sneakers so I can work out in the hotel…
AND gotta have my favorite sunglasses.
So in my huge bag, is actually two other bags! My “going out” clutch, and my “knock around” back pack. Both essentials. Especially since I might be seeing a particular young bachelor on this trip. Gotta cover the bases in the handbag department.
I only do one thing on a plane, and that is SLEEP. Seriously, a flight is God’s gift of naptime, so you better believe that I take full advantage. I bunker down with this gorgeous leather eye maskleather eye mask from Free People that I got in my FabFitFun box! Yes, I really do use it! And the best part is that with the cooling gel, I wake up with depuffed eyes!
Next! SNACKS. I’m telling you, my motto is be prepared when it comes to the food department. With the Specific Carb Diet, I can’t just swing into a Chick Fil’A for some grub. So 9 times outta 10, if you see me, I’ll always have a bag of baby carrots with me. That and a Larabar. The blueberry flavor is my favorite π Helloooo antioxidants!
Now…the Skincare. My other obsession in life. I take care of my skin the way my dad babies his Porche. For the morning: Obagi C Serum – amazing stuff to protect your skin from pollution and regenerate cells. And Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Face Butter which sounds really heavy and pore clogging, but it’s actually just the opposite! I top that with some 30 SPF primer from Tarte (not pictured).
OK, Moving on – I swear, one of these days the TSA is going to bust me for the amount of liquids I bring, but Iβve dodged βem so far!
Then for the nighttime skin care. Iβve got maracuja oil – which is a miracle product, truly. Followed by Obaji Gentle Rejuvenation Advanced Repair Night Cream. My brother is a facial plastic surgeon and has one of the best estheticians in his office, and she got me hooked on this. And then I seal it all in with Pawpaw ointment. Itβs a cult favorite from Australia, which is like Vaseline, but with fermented papaya in it. Itβs amazing.
OK- HAIR PRODUCTS
Dry shampoo – duh. I try to only wash my hair twice a week, because itβs really good to let the natural oils condition your scalp. So I live on dry shampoo. This is a great brand because itβs got natural ingredients!
And then the heat protectant spray! This one is made by Chi and itβs incredible. I donβt blow dry or flat iron my hair without it. OR this little bottle of moroccan oil. Another holy grail of hair care.
Iβve also got my make up brush cleaner from Sephora. Listerine pocket strips – fresh breath is just as important as a firm handshake.
OH! I almost forgot my newest obsession : Makeup setting spray! Like hairspray for your face! Haha I love the Tarte brand. Itβs so refreshing and sets your makeup for 12 hours.
And lastly – I always travel with an image of the Divine Mercy. I donβt think Iβve told you this story yet! Iβll save it for Monday – because itβll give ya goosebumps! But basically, this image was truly instrumental in my healing from anorexia. My mom was practically hit over the head with it, and prayed a Divine Mercy novena, which coincided with my true recovery. We have a beautiful image of it in our home, too. Iβll give ya the full story next time.
Alright! Time to hop on the flight!
Thanks for hanginβ with me through this unusual post. All the products are linked if you saw anything that sparked your interest! Or perhaps, for your mom! β Motherβs Day is right around the corner!
What are some of your travel essentials?!
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112 responses to “Chicago Bound!”
That’s a great image of Jesus! I’m excited to hear about it!! Lara bars–yummytastic!!
Thanks so much Meg! Yes! I love larabars!! Hugs and love xox
Have a safe trip Caralyn! ππ
Thanks so much John! Hugs and love xox
You are more organized than I am when I fly international lol
Hahaha youβre funny. Yeah – I guess Iβm pretty type A huh hahah Hugs and love xox
at least you can sleep on a plane. My last flight to Brazil I slept maybe 20 minutes of a 10 hour flight. I just watched movies the whole way.
Oh nooooo Iβm sorry to hear that! Seriously, invest in an eye mask! They make all the difference! All that light pours in through your closed eyes and makes you unable to truly shut your brain off (at least for me) Hugs and love xox
Have a safe and fruitful time in the Windy City.
Thanks so much!! Hugs and love xox
Trainers (sneakers) are on point!
Haha thank you so much! Hugs and love xox
There was a show on TV waaaay back when called Art Linkletter’s House Party. He had a regular feature where in female audience members would let Art rummage through their purses with the intention of finding some knee slapper of an item that would elicit lots of laughs. It was a simpler time, No pistol, can of mace, bag of reefer, or contraceptive was ever found in the mix.
Hahaha oh my gosh that sounds like a great and potentially mortifying segment! Hugs and love xox
This is the same guy who interviewed school children in a segment called “Kids Say The Darnedest Things”, wherein the little tykes would hopefully say something innocently naughty. Bull Cosby, cashing in on his Jello Pudding image, did a cover on that concept.
oh my gosh that’s awesome!
Have a great trip!! π
Thanks Stefan!! Hugs and love xox
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Cool, i live like 40 minutes from Chicago, in the suburbs.
Have fun and stay safe, should have good weather here when you arrive.
Awesome!! Thanks so much π I love your city! Hugs and love xox
I particularly single out the Divine Mercy. Powerful.
Thanks for sharing that. Yeah, it is an incredible powerful prayer and meditation. Hugs and love xox
Hi
Metuchen is my town!! You should have dropped in!! Hope you liked it and got to see a little of it. Have a wonderful time in the Windy City.
God bless you
Lee & Pat
Hey Lee and Pat! Oh my gosh too crazy! Yeah I was there last night! It was such a cute town!! Next time π thanks for stopping by! Have an awesome weekend xox
Yum! Love Larabar! Cashew cookie is my go to π
Oooh I love cashew cookie too! Super yummy! Hugs and love xox
May you do well in Chicago. Enjoy a Chicago dog and a Deep Dish Pizza.
Thanks so much JB! Haha maybe a Chicago aΓ§aΓ bowl ππππ Hugs and love xox
Hugs and love back.
P.S. You would be a great woman to photograph.
Oh gosh what a kind thing to say. Thanks again π β¨πβ¨
πππYou are very graciously welcome.πππ
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The Divine Mercy image jumped out at me as I was reading this! I also carry a Divine Mercy card just like that one in my wallet. We have an 8′ x 10″ framed picture in our home as well. Have you ever read “The Diary of St. Faustina” ? It’s long, but well worth the read!
Well, I hope you have a great time in Chicago! Good luck! π
Thanks so much Joy! Itβs such a great image, eh? I havenβt but I want to! Hugs and love xox
Iβm so glad to see youβre keeping busy with your career! It must be very gratifying to be in demand. God is certainly blessing your efforts on all fronts. I keep you in my prayers, especially for safe travel back home!
Packing and travel in general is whole other skill set. Takes practice and mistakes! Iβm to the point where I can pack for a week in minutes if need be. Sounds like youβve got a really system down! All my prayers for continued success!
Thanks so much Jeff! Yeah I hear ya there. After all that, I unpacked only to find that I forgot my pajamas! Hahaha yes! God is so so good π Hope you and Julie have a great night! Xox
You know, I never thought I’d have “BeautyBeyondBones” and “Commando” in the same sentence, but there it is! Safe travels, Caralyn!!
Hahahahahaha πππ
Oh, you’ve got to try the deep dish pizza ! I hear it’s very good! I haven’t been there myself, but my husband has. I’ve also heard of “The Bean”, which is an art structure of a giant bean! I was told that it’s a big tourist attraction. Have a great time!
Yes! The bean! Iβm going to try to get there! I have a bunch of appointments tomorrow but Iβll try to sneak it in! Thanks so much Joy! Hugs and love xox
Love this post ! This was exciting I loved the outfit with the Jean blouse and jeans so comfy looking and loved the eye mask !love all your essentials . Have fun in Chicago β€οΈ
Thanks so much!!! Yeah that eye mask is legit! Pop it in the freezer and it really does amazing things to the eyes! Haha Hugs and love xox
Oh that sounds perfect! Hugs love to you too! π
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You got me at Divine Mercy. It’s good to know that you find time to pray. Keep it up. Thanks for sharing what’s in your bag…it’s quite a lot. LOL.
Thanks friend π oh yeah – always gotta make time for the big JC. Hugs and love xox
You and I have a mismatch here!
What are these things you carry? This serum and all that jazz? !! π
Hahaha all face stuff! Hugs and love xox
Caralyn, have a peaceful and safe trip! I am so looking forward to hearing (or haha reading) about how Divine Mercy has helped you through recovery. God bless you π
Thank you so much!! Yeah it was amazing. Canβt wait to share the whole story π Hugs and love xox
I might have somewhat less stuffs when I go to somewhere, and then I mean a shorter visit, not flying to somewhere for days. If it’s a longer journey, then packed like a soldier.
Haha – it was for 1.5 days πππππππππ
Oh my….. I canβt imagine your packs for a week…
Yah you donβt wanna know π
Be safe on your trip! I love the Divine Mercy! And the outfit!
Thank you so much!! Hugs and love xox
Welcome to my neck of the woods. Enjoy your time in βThe City Beautifulβ!
Oh awesome! Thanks Ed! Hugs and love xox
Safe travels!! I loved this post. I’ve always been curious and fascinated with what others do when traveling!!
Thanks so much Laura Beth! Me too! I love reading those posts too. I wish I could have made a slick picture like in the magazines to go with it! Haha have an awesome weekend! Hugs and love xox
Welcome to my home!!!!!!
Aww yay! Thanks Stiina! Hugs and love xox
Keep ’em coming and looking forward to you Divine Mercy story!
Aw thanks Johnars! Hugs and love xox
Welcome! Hope you enjoy! Not sure which airport you’re passing through, but O’Hare is the one with Starbucks. If that’s helpful information for you. π
Thanks so much Athena!! Hahah I actually donβt drink coffee! Havenβt been to a Starbucks in probably 5 years! π±π±π±π± Hugs and love xox
My essentials include a beard trimmer, toothbrush and toothpaste, and that’s it! Haha LOL!
Hahah nice! Essentials right there!! Hugs and love xox
You’re always looking like a movie star. Chicago–watch out!
Oh my gosh John youβre too kind. Thank you! Hugs and love xox
That was fun! Enjoy Chicago. You are here for our first really beautiful weather weekend.
Aw thank you Mary! Yeah I always love reading those types of articles in magazines so I thought, why not?! Haha Yeah itβs absolutely glorious outside!! Have a great weekend! Hugs and love xox
Good luck on the call back – great packing plan – ESSENTIALS!!!
Haha thanks Dr. Scott! Hope you have a great weekend! Hugs and love xox
Hope your time was nice while visiting my city.
Thanks Larry! Lucky you to live in such a wonderful place! Hugs and love xox
omg, that’s a lota liquids
i have CK soap
and a pack of Braniff cards, given to me
Haha nice. Unfamiliar with Braniff. Xox
… looking into it, apparently from a 1960s Braniff airlines TV commercial, “… We have blue planes, orange planes, yellow planes… You can fly with us seven times and never fly the same color twice… Braniff international announces The End of the Plain Plane. We won’t get you where you’re going any faster, but it’ll seem that way”
Have a great time..looks like your prepared plus some..watch out batchelors shes arrived…and blessings on the journey..
Thanks Kerri! Haha yeah no kidding. Hahahahha oh my gosh that made me laugh. Have a great weekend! Hugs and love xox
Are the commercials you’ve been in broadcast in Florida? I’d love to see you in one! Sorry I’ve been trying to comment on other blogger’s posts but my reader is a bit defunct lately. Idk why. Glad this is going through
No worries Bethany! Iβm not sure if theyβre in Florida. I think most are only in the Midwest market for now. Hugs and love xox
What are they about? Clothes? Meds? What is the commercial about?
Oh gosh lots of different things! From household cleaning products, to beauty to personal safety devices. You can also see some of my videos on mother goose club π
Jesus and Larabars…don’t leave home without ’em!
haha so true! thanks for stopping by! Hugs and love xox
You are so beautiful to be a writer , beauty and brain plus Jesus factor , good luck and God bless
oh my gosh what a kind thing to say. thank you!! Hugs and love xox
Girrrrl this made me want to go out and treat myself to all the beauty products you’ve talked about– as well as going on a plane trip. Always good to hear from you, whatever the post may be about π
Blessings!
Annalee
hahahah thank you so much Annalee! Hugs and love xox
You had some great tips on here that I didn’t think about. But I would add one other thing to the packing list if you don’t do so already: a towel. There have been so many cases over the years where I’d be doomed without a towel (or was doomed because I didn’t have one). You might not think it’s necessary when you’re just staying at something like a hotel, but you never know! Not every accommodation in the world provides you with complimentary towels.
Looking beautiful as always. “Your body is the temple for the Holy Spirit”. ( 1 Corinthians 6:19 ) Love all esp. The Divine Mercy image. …….”Jesus I trust in YOU.” Wishing you well on your trip.
Iβve plugged in my phone only to find the next morning that it was unplugged from the wall… and I was sober
I stand in amazement still at the supermarket of things a woman can produce from her carry purse, and here you’ve taken it to a whole new level. You carry a Mall with you in a suitcase. Enjoy your working trip and all good vibes for the meeting with a young bachelor. We’re rootin for you!
Larabars. Yum!
Hugs Beauty!! I just got back from an awesome spring break in SC! It was totally relaxing and beautiful weather. I hope the lights of Chicago are able to take on the amount of light that goes with everywhere you go! Hugs and love! xoxoxo
I’ve been wanting to try the Obagi Serum. Also, I just saw you on Mother Goose Club. Sweet! My daughter likes that show.
[…] since I teased it a bit withΒ this picture from last Thursday’s Chicago post, it’s as though God has been throwing every flashing sign in my path, saying…WRITE THE […]
One of my travel essentials is a power bank for my iPhone. Sounds like you could have used one. One that I keep in my travel bag has a capacity of 6600 mAh (three charges); it is the size of a credit card and a little less than an inch thick. It takes about 2200 mAh to charge a smart phone one time.
That is such a great idea!!! Hugs and love xox
Wow you are achieving a lot. God bless you always. I will pray for you.
Thanks so much for your prayers and kind words! Hugs and love xox
You are most welcome with love.
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[…] since you all know my intimate travel secrets, I feel like you have a pretty good mental image of my current […]
The Holy Bible, toiletries, makeup , anointed oil, etc. Just to name a few, a notebook or notepad cause I write π hope your stay was a blessed one.
love it!! especially the oil! what a great list π
Yes, yes!