10 Easy Last Minute Halloween Costumes

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Halloween is definitely one of those holidays that sneaks up on you. No pun intended. And finding a costume last minute that doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg can be a struggle, especially if you don’t want to settle on dressing up as a black cat for the 10th year in a row… So I’ve put together 10 ideas I thought of on the airplane today for Halloween costumes you can make from things you (mostly) already have in your closet. No promises some won’t be basic though, maybe next time ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

  1. Sugar Skull

One of my favorite costumes I’ve done is dressing up like a sugar skull from Mexico’s celebration of life and death, “The Day of the Dead” or “Día de Muertos”.

You can put this together with pretty much any clothes you already have, as it focuses around your face makeup and accessories. The only thing I had to buy that I didn’t already have was a flower crown, which I actually made from fake roses, a hot glue gun and a cheap headband I bought from the dollar store. I wore a black dress I already owned, but you could wear black leggings and a black top, or opt for a very colorful route like these girls below did. Makeup-wise I just used stuff I already had in my makeup bag: Eyeshadows, red lipstick, black eyeliner, Light face powder etc. You can make it as simple or complicated as you want!

 

2. Sandy from Grease

This was my friend’s go-to the same year I was the sugar skull. Another costume that you can most likely throw together with things you have in your closet, consisting of black leather pants, a black top & red shoes. Curl your hair in curls as tight as you can to top it off!

 

3. Law Enforcement

I’ll admit this one has been overdone a lot, but still a classic! One that does’t require any special makeup either if that isn’t your thing. Once again, an all black outfit works perfectly, but if you happen to pick up a shirt that says SWAT, FBI, etc. that works even better! If you can’t find a cheap one you can buy some iron on letters and make it yourself for a few dollars. Don’t forget to add your aviator shades and some plastic handcuffs if you can get your hands on some to hang around your belt loop.

 

 

4. Deer

Another one that I’ve seen a lot lately, but it’s what I dressed as last year (and my boyfriend in camo) after we decided to go to a Halloween party last minute. I threw together some black knee highs, a brown skirt, and white tank top, found some antlers and a headband at a craft store and glued it together to turn myself into a deer (hey, at least it’s not as basic as a cat…). If you don’t have time to make antlers just put your hair in two top knots. For makeup, do some contouring but exaggerate it. Extra bronze on the outside and very white in the middle. Draw a black nose if you want, and some white spots around your cheek, and forehead area. Super easy!

 

5. m&m

For my minimalists, Go out and buy an oversized plain colored shirt, some white puffy paint, or an iron on letter. Throw a white “m” on there and you’re done. No crazy makeup, or shoes, or anything else really. So if you’re not feeling like doing anything wild but don’t want to be labeled as the person who didn’t dress up at the halloween party- here you go.

 

6. Mermaid

This one’s been my go to for the last few years now. Although I used to put much more effort into this one (cue the bedazzled shell top). Find yourself a lime green maxi skirt (or green leggings) and a purple tank top. Paint (or iron on) two black shells over the shirt, and put a starfish clip in your hair, and as much seashell jewelry you can find. Use a colorful eyeshadow and extra highlighter in your makeup!

This but with shells instead of hearts! (and purple)

 

8. Viking

Here’s one I really haven’t seen too much, but Amber Fillerup killed it so I had to add it to the list. You can get pretty creative with your outfit this time, but a simple dress or maxi and a fur vest or coat will work perfectly. If you have gladiator/lace up sandals they will go perfect with this outfit!

 

9. Princess Leia

For all my Star Wars fans out there, fear not. You don’t have to buy an expensive costume to dress the part (or at least we don’t, ladies). If you want to dress up as the princess, throw your hair into two buns on each side of your head, and wear a long sleeve white dress with boots, or white pants and white shirt. If you can find a belt to match that’s a plus. No crazy makeup here, just do you. May the force be with you.

 

10. Skeleton

This one has been pretty trendy lately, so it’s not hard to find a skeleton onesie or body suit to wear, but if you can’t find one just wear all black. You could also attempt to make your own with cheap black leggings, a black tank top, and some white puffy paint. Paint at least half of your face to resemble a skull and you’re good to go.

 

Hope these helped a little if you were still looking for a costume for tomorrow!

 

**Not all photos are my own, and are linked to the appropriate sources**

Know Before You Go: 10 Things to Know Before Visiting Thailand

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If you’re from the states like me, visiting a foreign country as far away as Asia can feel a little overwhelming as you begin to plan. So if you’re planning on visiting Thailand soon, here are 10 quick tips to make your vacation easier.

1.Take cash out

Lucky for people from the states, the exchange rate for the dollar to the Thai baht is almost 1:33. That being said, many places in thailand only except cash (food stands, tuk tuks, bars etc.) so it’s important you keep cash on you at all times!

2. Tipping

Tipping isn’t necessary in most situations, nor is it expected unless we’re talking about a private tour guide or occasionally rounding up a taxi fair. If you do feel like tipping at restaurants and bars, leaving the change from your bill is totally acceptable.

3. Transportation

Depending on where you’re staying in Thailand, you will have a few different ways to get around. The most popular being renting scooters or taking Tuk Tuks. Other options might include ferries and speed boats in the islands, or busses if you are going long distances. From what I saw in Phuket, I would not reccomend renting a scooter unless you feel extremely comfortable driving one. There aren’t too many street signs or lights in southern Thailand and people drive kind of crazy. If you’re just trying to go short distances, tuk tuks are definitely the way to go.

4. People really ARE that nice!

Don’t be surprised if people come up to talk to you or ask if you need help finding something. The Thai people are genuinely some of the nicest people I have ever met, and they really do seem to love all the tourists their country brings in.

5. Try all the tropical fruits

Southeast Asia is not only home to some of the best Thai food and curries I’ve ever had in my life, but also some of the best tropical fruit. You can find dragon fruit, lychee, jackfruit, guava and passionfruit everywhere just to name a few of my favorites! Not only that, they don’t come with the expensive prices they have in the U.S. for being imported fruits.

6. Eat your vitamins

I never understood why my mom was so obsessed with making me take vitamins as a kid until now. Traveling is going to make you sick. You need to prepare for that, but if you can prevent it that’s even better. One way to keep from getting sick on vacations is to take plenty of vitamins. My go-to’s are Zinc, Elderberry and Charcoal pills. When I’m at home I try to take these whenever I feel like I might be getting sick, or when something’s in the air, but when I travel I take them every day meticulously.

7. Coverup when visiting Temples

The buddhist temples in Thailand are beautiful, and have become a very popular tourist attraction, but we need to remember that this is a sacred place for many Thai people, and visitors alike. It’s not uncommon to be turned away if you aren’t dressed appropriately when visiting the temples. It’s understandable to be wearing light clothing because of the heat, but if you don’t want to wear pants or a modest shirt all day, I suggest bringing a kimono for your shoulders and a light sarong to wrap around your waist if you are in shorts.

8. Book in advance

During peak season, it’s important to book certain activities in advance. Specifically ones such as elephant sanctuaries that may not be as common as boat tours, etc.

9. Do your research on animal “sanctuaries”

Speaking of elephant sanctuaries, make sure you do your research before you book one. Thailand is home to hundreds of animal tourism spots, but only a few are really considered to be ethical. Familiarize yourself with these, and make sure you aren’t giving your money to people who are only using it to abuse and neglect these animals more! In Phuket the only elephant sanctuary I could find that was truly ethical was Phuket Elephant Sanctuary. If you want to learn more about it you can click here to watch one of their videos. I’m focusing on elephants because this is the activity we chose to do, but the same goes for tiger encounters, monkey handlers you can find on the beach, and more.

10. Don’t drink the water (ice is fine)

This goes without saying in most foreign countries, but do not drink their tap water. Just because the people who live there drink it does not mean your stomach will be able to handle it. Apparently the ice is fine though, because there are plenty of ice factories that make ice with purified water. Businesses will buy from them rather than waste time making their own 99% of the time.

 

I hope you find some of these helpful before you visit this beautiful country! What are your best travel tips for visiting Thailand?

10 things to try at Pike Place Market in Seattle

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Seattle has been one of my favorite layovers I’ve got to have on a work trip so far. Not only does it have great people, scenery and shopping, but it has the best food and drinks! Here’s my top 10 things to try when at Pike Place Market in Seattle:

1. Micks Peppourri Pepper Jelly

This might be my favorite food item I got to bring home from Pike Place. First off, Micks doesn’t just have one pepper jelly flavor, they have several. Best part? You’re able to try them all if you want to! I went with buying their red hot pepper jelly and it’s amazing. You can use it on sandwiches or crackers, make candied bacon or glazed pork chops, and so much more.  My personal favorite is ritz crackers and cream cheese topped with the jelly.

2. Tea from Market Spice

Market spice is a tea lovers dream. They have pretty much every tea flavor you can think of, so make sure you try more than just the original market spice flavor when you’re there! Not only do they have tea, but coffee and a huge variety of original blend spices. You can buy it by weight, or also in individual tea packets.

3. Seafood at City Fish Co

There are plenty of good places to get seafood in Seattle, but one that was recommended to me by tons of people for not only being the best but the oldest is City Fish Co. Some favorites to get there are the chowder, crab and oysters.

4. Bubble gum

This isn’t necessarily something you need to try food wise- because as far as I know there’s no special bubble gum from Seattle… but there is the famous gum wall you need to visit! Gross, but surprisingly photogenic. And make sure you get some bubble gum to stick on the wall along the way!

5. Elleno Greek Yogurt

My second favorite thing at Pike Place. I don’t care if you don’t like yogurt, you need to try this stuff! This yogurt company is family owned and serves their yogurt ice-cream parlor style. They let you try all the flavors, and you can take home different size containers of it to go, or eat it in a cup on the go while you walk around the market. Their most popular flavor is marion berry pie, 10/10 recommend.

6. Blueberry Basil Jam

Another great jam to buy at Pike Place. There are tons of good jam & jelly companies inside, but luckily they all let you try them before you buy, and I happened to become obsessed with this one. I love all these different fun flavor combos I was able to try!

7. Oyster shooter

Pretty much all of the seafood places at the market have oysters and oyster shooters, and if you’ve never tried one yet then Seattle is the place to do it. If you don’t know what it is, an Oyster shooter consists of a raw oyster, cocktail sauce, horseradish, lemon, and occasionally vodka. Cheers!

8. Dried Honey Crisp Apple

Another great spot to taste test some great food! Simply the Best has tons of different dried fruits, veggies and mixed nuts to sample and buy. They’re known the most for their dried apple and I went with their best seller Dried Honey Crisp Apple.

9. Muscat Grapes 

Have you ever had Moscato? Probably, but have you tried the grapes they’re made from? Harder to come by than most, muscat grapes are sooo worth their hefty price tag (in comparison to most other grapes). If you don’t wanna dish out the $10 per bunch of grapes, you can always just grab a sample to say you tried one! (but I’m telling you, you’ll want to buy them).

10. Coffee 

Duh. You don’t want to be sleepless in Seattle do you? Seattle is home to the original Starbucks, just outside of Pike Place. If you don’t want to wait in line to say you’ve drank coffee at the first Starbucks, there’s plenty of other amazing coffee shops all around the market to pick from. We opted for Ghost Alley Espresso, which specializes in artisanal espresso drinks. YUM

 

 

That’s all I got for now! What’s your favorite food to try when you’re at Pike Place?

Bermuda in 24 Hours

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Thinking about planning a trip to Bermuda? Well, you should. This island is a short flight from anywhere on the east coast, clocking in at less than 3 hours from either Miami or NYC. Bermuda’s pink beaches, blue waters, crystal caves and friendly people make the island a perfect spot to check out for your next vacation.

I’d like to first start by saying that Bermuda is not in the Caribbean, although it has that same Caribbean island vibe going on. It belongs to North America, is considered a British island territory, and is situated about 650 miles east of North Carolina’s coastline.

I recently had a 32 hour layover in Bermuda for work, giving me a full day and night to explore (this never happens!). Hopefully you have more time than I do when you visit Bermuda, but if you don’t you’ll still be able to see a lot of the island even in just one day!

8 Things to Do in Bermuda in 24 Hours

1. Rent a Scooter

The best way to see Bermuda is to rent a Scooter if you’re pressed on time. You’ll be able to see most the island in a small amount of time. We rented through Oleander Cycles where it was $90 per 24 hours for a 2 person scooter with 2 helmets. Keep in mind, Bermuda is a British territory so they drive on the left hand side of the road. Also, there are a lot of busses, cars, and scooters on the roads at all times so if you aren’t comfortable driving scooters you might want to look into taking the public bus, or taxis. This is also a good option if you’re trying to save money. Don’t bother trying to rent a car, car rental services do not exist in Bermuda AT ALL!

2. Visit the Pink Sand Beaches

One of the things Bermuda is known for are its pink sand beaches. While much of the coast has the pink sand, some beaches are more pink than others. The south shore between Horseshoe bay beachand Warwick long bay has the best pink sandy beaches. Warwick long bay was our personal favorite, while Horshoe bay is probably the most crowded (because it’s one of the only beaches with food, drink and beach chair vendors).

3. Climb the Lighthouse

If you want a great birds eye view of Bermuda, visiting the lighthouse in Southhampton parish is the way to go. Gibbs Hill Lighthouse is one of the oldest cast iron lighthouses in the world, built in 1846. After climbing 185 steps to the top, you’ll be able to see Bermuda from 300+ feet above sea level.

4. Go Snorkeling

Bermuda has some of the best shipwreck diving in the world… Hello, Bermuda Triangle. If you have time to go diving if you’re in Bermuda for more than 24 hours then that’s definitely the way to go. Unfortunately, with less than 24 hours I was unable to dive, so I opted for snorkeling around the shallow reefs close to the shore at Church Bay and Tobacco Bay. You’ll see a variety of fish and coral,  and the visibility is pretty good. This also makes for a pretty cheap activity as most hotels will rent out snorkeling gear for you at a reasonable price.

5. Relax at Tobacco Bay

Tobacco Bay is located at the very northern tip of Bermuda, in Old Town. There are some really cool rock formations here, along with good snorkeling. The bay also has a bar and cafe to grab lunch at. I recommend going here early in the day, or around sunset to avoid the huge crowds from the cruise ships coming into town. When we went around 4pm it was empty, maybe only 3-4 other families there.

6. Visit Old Town

A designated UNESCO world heritage site, St. George is where the founder of Bermuda Sir George Somers and his men landed in 1609 after their ship Sea Venture was wrecked at a nearby reef. The Bermuda Attractions website has a detailed description of the town, and what to do in Old Town if you want more information. Three things to see if you’re pressed for time would be the town hall, King’s Square, and the unfinished church.

7. Explore the underground caves

Bermuda is full of beautiful underground caves to visit, the most popular being Crystal Caves. It cost $22 to visit one cave, or $30 for both (Crystal & Fantasy). There are guided tours leaving every 20 minutes from 9am-5pm. If you’re lucky enough to be staying at Grotto Bay Resort, they actually have their own cave at the hotel that guests can visit free of charge! It’s much smaller than the others, but still a cool experience.

8. Try a Rum Swizzle

Bermuda’s signature drink! This fruity rum punch can be found at pretty much any restaurant or bar in Bermuda!