Travel Tip Tuesday: Three Reasons To Have a Return Trip Packing List

Posted on: Nov 11, 2008

 

travel tip tuesday2 283x300 Travel Tip Tuesday: Three Reasons To Have a Return Trip Packing List

 
There is no shortage of effective packing list articles on the Internet. Need a packing list tailor-made to your trip? Look here. Want a list emailed to you before you go? Check here. Want to make one list you can use for almost every occasion? We’ve been over that!
 
Today’s travel tip takes this list-making obsession one step further.
 

Here are three reasons a return packing list is vital for your travel arsenal.

 
1. In a recent comment on the post “The List that Keeps on Giving” TJ recommends making a duplicate copy of your list to use when you repack for your return. Why would you do that?  “So as not to lose ANOTHER phone charger,” he rants. It is easy to do. Just make a photocopy of your list before you start crossing it off and tuck it inside your suitcase. When you get ready to repack, you’ll see it … even if your favorite fuzzy slippers have vanished under the bed.
 

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photo credit: kalleboo

 
2. Have you ever gone on vacation and returned home with only half of your things? I have. If you didn’t read about my clash with Lufthansa and AirOne over the $800 worth of belongings that went missing during my last flight – you can read that here. Don’t I wish I’d have made a return trip packing list?
 
I could have spent an extra half hour writing down what I was packing and saved myself hours on the other end of brain-racking, soul-searching agony trying to recall it all. For weeks after I’d made my claim I remembered other items I’d left off of the list. That was an expensive lesson.
 

2971653914 54bbeffbe5 m Travel Tip Tuesday: Three Reasons To Have a Return Trip Packing List
photo credit: MR.HaMaD ((?? ?????));

 
3. If remembering your things or having a list for those Bonnie and Clyde-airlines aren’t reason enough to copy your list – think of the peace of mind you’ll have knowing if your items were lost or stolen. How many times have you misplaced something and then thought, “The last time I saw this was when were were in … ?” Do you keep looking? Do you call the hotels? Do you assume it is gone forever only to find it a week later tucked inside a box?
 
If you keep an up-to-date copy of your list, you’ll never have to question yourself. You will know if you took your camera battery charger to Texas, if you repacked it and if it made it home with you. It might take a little more organization time upfront, but in the end, it is worth it.
 
Have you ever used a return trip packing list? How did it work for you? What do you think are other benefits to keeping your list?
 
Head over to Robin’s place for tips on shipping your luggage when you travel.
 
Until next time … Buon Viaggio!
 

Mardi Gras madness

The Herald News – Joliet (IL) February 5, 2002 | Annie Alleman Even though we’re 922 miles from New Orleans, we can still celebrate the most popular day on the Southern calendar. Dig out the beads and king cake recipe, it’s time for Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras, which means Fat Tuesday, will be Feb. 12 this year.

It falls early, but is always the day before Ash Wednesday.

In New Orleans, Mardi Gras is all about parades and pageantry, parties and pomp.

And food.

Lots of food.

Tracie Tobin owns Cafe Orleans, 500 W. Lockport Road, Plainfield.

The restaurant closed for daily dining in August, but is open for catering, banquets, bakery items and, of course, to the public for Fat Tuesday.

Tobin grew up in New Orleans and was once a Krewe Queen during a Mardi Gras parade.

Mardi Gras, she explained, has its origins in the Catholic faith.

“The Epiphany is Jan. 6, and that starts the Mardi Gras season,” she said.

“It goes up to Fat Tuesday, and that’s the day you pig out before Ash Wednesday.” It’s a day to go to excess before the sacrificial season of Lent starts.

One of the most popular and traditional Mardi Gras foods, Tobin said, is king cake.

“It’s a constant at all the parties,” she said.

“It’s like a luscious coffee cake, with purple, green and gold sugars on it.

Those are the colors of Mardi Gras, and they symbolize power, faith and loyalty.

And there’s a little (plastic) baby in there, signifying the baby Jesus, and whoever gets the baby must host the next party.” At Cafe Orleans, they’re still taking orders for king cakes, named such for the king of Mardi Gras and also for Jesus, the king.

In the past, the employees of Cafe Orleans have formed their own Krewe and done parades on Lockport Street, throwing doubloons (big, fake coins) and waving strings of colorful beads.

“Where did the beads come from? One theory I liked the best, is that New Orleans was supposedly a port city, and sailors — actually, pirates — would come into town, and to stop the pirates from pillaging and taking their women, citizens starting throwing shiny trinkets and coins to distract them,” she said.

She’s seen it all at Mardi Gras, first hand.

“I used to be in a Krewe at one time, I got into the Krewe of Thoths,” she said.

“I was a maid one year and the queen the next.

That was in ’76 and ’77.” Krewes are clubs that host parades — masked, of course.

They are masked at balls, parades and parties all year.

She tries to bring a little bit of New Orleans into Will County every year at this time, and will help others do the same. here king cake recipe

“You can do boiled crawfish with shrimp, potatoes and corn, and sometimes you can put sausage and hot dogs in it, too,” she said.

“We always do a buffet here.

We do crawfish, catfish, and usually we do some traditional foods because not everyone’s into it.

We’ll have red beans and rice, fried okra, jambalaya and usually some kind of chicken.” The restaurant will be open from 6 to 10 p.m. and they aren’t taking reservations.

The tables are put together so no one has their own table, and the menu is strictly buffet.

Every so often, they’ve even have their own little parades, Tobin said.

Another buffet opportunity is at Joliet Junior College’s Renaissance Center Restaurant and Banquet Facility, 214 N. Ottawa St., Joliet.

Every year, the culinary arts students prepare a Mardi Gras feast for anyone who is looking for a Mardi Gras fix.

The lunch will be from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 15. On the menu, said Susan Stockwell, Renaissance Center events and marketing specialist, is seafood gumbo, creole country ham, marinated pan-fried alligator, crab meat au gratin, occasion red beans and rice, smothered okra, eggplant and tomato, bourbon street chicken galantine, and shrimp and artichoke salad. site king cake recipe

There’s also a variety of homemade breads and desserts.

The JJC students are also making king cakes, and are taking orders for them through the week.

For a king cake, call (815) 280-2786.

At Milano’s Bakery, 2019 Essington Road, Joliet, folks there are gearing up for Fat Tuesday as well, with their annual making of the Polish delicacy, Paczkis (poonch-kies.) Paczkis are just one of Mardi Gras pastry traditions.

It’s a round, jelly-filled doughnut created in honor of Mardi Gras. Milano’s fills their Paczkis with raspberry, prune, custard and other fillings.

Last year, said owner Mario DeBenedetti, they sold 5,000 Paczkis.

They also sell king cakes.

“King cakes are great, but people buy Paczkis to bring into the office,” he said.

Cafe Orleans is also taking orders for king cakes.

Last year, she sold about 60 of them.

“We make a sweet dough and braid it, and put a filling of fruit, cinnamon, almond or cream cheese in,” she said.

“Each cake is three breads braided together, and they come in small, medium and large.

We decorate them with masks and doubloons and beads.” Shrimp Creole 1/2 pound fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined and washed 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1 bay leaf 1 small piece of bell pepper, cut fine 1/4 lemon 1/8 teaspoon sweet basil 1 1/2 cups water pinch nutmeg 1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil 1 small piece of bay leaf 1 small onion, chopped 1/8 teaspoon red pepper 1 clove garlic, mashed 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch 1 cup whole tomatoes, fresh or canned A small amount of green onion 1/2 cup tomato sauce Liquid from boiled shrimp In a stew pan, add water, salt, bay leaf, lemon and shrimp.

Cook over medium heat.

When water comes to a boil, cover and cook 5 minutes.

Drain and reserve liquid.

Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender.

Add tomatoes, shrimp broth, sugar, and bell pepper, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Add sweet basil, nutmeg, red pepper and salt to taste.

Cook a few minutes more.

Make a paste with corn starch and 2 tablespoons water.

Stir it into the sauce; stir and cook until it thickens.

When ready to serve, add the boiled shrimp, parsley and green onion.

Serve with cooked rice.

Cooking tip: For improved flavor, cook shrimp, and make sauce, but do not add shrimp to sauce until ready to serve, chill. Source: www.louisianafoods.com/recipes/index.html Red Beans and Rice 1 pound dried red beans or kidney beans 1 large hamhock from leftover ham, or sausage 2 tablespoons margarine or ham fat 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 or 2 clove garlic, finely minced 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon red pepper 1 small piece bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon oregano powder 2 large ripe tomatoes or canned whole tomatoes Pick and wash red beans.

In a large sauce pan boil 1 1/2 quarts water, drop in the beans, boil 1 minute.

Set aside until they cool.

Cook onion in fat until tender and add to beans, with garlic, hamhock, tomatoes, bay leaf, salt and pepper.

Cook over high heat, then reduce to simmer until tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Take out hamhock, cut meat away from bone and add to pot of beans.

Add oregano.

Discard the bone.

Serve in soup plates over rice.

Tip: If using sausage, do not cook them longer than 1 hour.

If there are leftover beans, chill in individual servings and freeze. Source: www.louisianafoods.com/recipes/index.html Creole Green Beans 1/2 pound fresh snap beans 3 tablespoons bacon drippings 4 or 5 new potatoes, soaked in water with a little soda, then scraped.

1 small onion, chopped 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 cup boiling water Combine all the ingredients in a small stew pan; cover with a tight fitting lid; cook over medium heat 5 minutes.

Reduce heat; cook about 15 minutes longer.

The beans should be tender crisp. Source: www.louisianafoods.com/recipes/index.html Mardi Gras Queen Susan Frick Carlman, a columnist for Sun Publications, will be Mardi Gras Queen at the Feb. 12 party at Cafe Orleans, 500 W. Lockport Road. Tickets cost $15 for the party with a $5 cover charge.

Carlman, a Plainfield resident, is also a reporter for the Plainfield Sun, which is a Hollinger publication. Mardi Gras recipes Annie Alleman

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6 Responses

  1. Not a bad tip, but I rarely make packing lists in the first place – I never thought about it for security reasons though.

    When I do have lists though, I do add the things I’ve bought on the other end, just in case its lost, I know what I need to replace. Or not to buy things twice, which I have been known to do!
     
    Well now that sounds like a list to me. :-) Brava!

    [Reply]

  2. Love the photocopy idea. Just make sure you put the list in your carry on in case your luggage gets lost!
     
    Absolutely. Great point. Thank you for pointing that out.

    [Reply]

  3. My Mélange says:

    Great idea!! I am a total list freak- I’ll add this one to my list too!!
     
    Great, Robin. I hope it works for you.

    [Reply]

  4. this might be your best tip for me yet! (i’ll be trying it out very soon…)
     
    Wonderful! I’m glad you found it useful. Let me know how it works.

    [Reply]

  5. I have a complete notebook, in which I do have a return packing list (with spaces for adding the stuff I buy). I have a list for everything!
     
    Ooh, the notebook is a great idea. You can keep it all in one place. I’m jealous of your organization!

    [Reply]

  6. A notebook *is* a great idea; although I have to admit I’ve never had a specific return packing list, I have been known to check with my packing list (usually tucked somewhere in the luggage) before leaving places. Great tip!
     
    You are checking it! Perfect. You didn’t even need this tip.
     

    [Reply]

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