20 Minute Delay

Award ceremonies, weddings, conventions, fancy meals - sometimes you need to bring your super swanky dress clothes. How does a traveler handle that? 

Time Stamped Show Notes:

0:21 – Intro (Steampunk Girl by John Anealio)    Host Introduction; Gail Carriger and Piper J Drake

0:51 - Piper visited Producer Matt in Texas -> Wichita Falls

1:55 - Tips on how to pick people up from the airport like a pro

3:45 - Gail shared pasta and with an Italian family on a Swiss puddle-jumper - and she likes small planes!

5:39 - Shout-out to another frequent traveler/author -> Alex White

– – –

9:43 – Main Topic -> Traveling (literally) WITH Style!

• corsets
• long, fluufy skirts
• ***give a thought to packing while you're buying***
• Iron the day you land - you won't do it the next day
• Check suits, and satin, and related as it cuts down on creases
• Roll your gowns; lay them at the outer portion of your clothes and they will be the least wrinkled external bit
• Suits -> shell the shoulders and look on YouTube for tips
• Special suitcases exist tailored for suits
• Tips and tricks on packing business attire AND costumes for Steampunk, Dieselpunk, etc
• Pack your corset in your carry-on!
• Fluffy undergarments (petticoats) can be stored in space saver bags since wrinkles don't matter that much
• Bag your expensive clothes! Water will find its way through even the best suitcase and ruin the whole dress-up event
• Wear your hat! Keep it safe. Unless you have a special carry-case like Dan Wells
• Ironing Tip! -> Let the iron get hot, then iron one of your hotel towels when wet to make sure the iron is clean.
• Inside out ironing, packing, and hanging in the closet is your friend
• Stuff your shoes so they don't get crushed (underwear's good)

– – –

25:30 – Gadgets! -->  Keeping your fanciness at its best

 Gail - Travel Steamer    -https://amzn.to/2JOMj6S

 Piper - Buffy Bag (a kit for repairing clothes/bouquets) & shining    -https://amzn.to/2tq9Os2

– – –

29:58 - Outro and thanks to: Producer Matt

Special thanks to Dan Sawyer of Artistic Whisper for editing this episode!

Thanks for listening; Travel smart and pack the snacks!

- - - 

Get your question featured on an episode by saying hi on social media:       Facebook.com/20minDelay      @20minDelay      @PiperJDrake      @GailCarriger

Use the hashtag: #20mindelaypodcast

 - 

Coming soon, an addendum from me..?

Scent is heavily tied to memory. Disney hacks it with aplomb. Hotels (especially major chains) try. With varying success.  The ladies discuss how to deal.   

Time Stamped Show Notes:

0:29 – Intro (Steampunk Girl by John Anealio)    Host Introduction; Gail Carriger and Piper J Drake

1:06 - Piper stayed home -> but still went to a con: Taiyou Con

6:48 - Piper met Yaya Han (an awesome cosplayer) in a bathroom

– – –

7:49 – Main Topic -> Hotel Scents!

• scents come from more than air fresheners and cleaners - many places like Hilton intentionally pump particular smells in
• be careful of wearing Estee Lauder near Gail
• lemon-scent does not necessarily mean clean
• sniff the hotel provided shampoo (etc) before you use it
• be on the look out for actual name brand toiletries (they're reliably good)
• don't eat tea
• Marriott changes their scents frequently
• Renaissance typically has more subtle scents
• Pro tip! -> many hotel toiletries have similar shaped neck joints that can join up with better lids from other hotel toiletry
• You can ask for a "non-scented" cleaning 24-48 hours before check-in
• Gail prefers to smell edible
• Shower tabs (with eucalyptus) can help one recover nose-wise
• Camfir with roller balls are both Thai and California hippy cure-alls

– – –

24:40 – Gadgets! -->  Scent game on lock.

Gail – Steal toiletry choosedly and use bath bombs!    https://amzn.to/2LmE662

Piper – Aveda Blue Oil (essential cooling oil)    https://amzn.to/2svgUvl

– – –

30:03 - Outro and thanks to: Producer Matt

Special thanks to Dan Sawyer of Artistic Whisper for editing this episode!

Thanks for listening; Travel smart and pack the snacks!

- - - 

Get your question featured on an episode by saying hi on social media:       Facebook.com/20minDelay      @20minDelay      @PiperJDrake      @GailCarriger

Use the hashtag: #20mindelaypodcast

Hardest thing to pack?  Shoes. But you need them. Often traveling to an event/work/vacation requires more than one kind/type of shoe. What's a shoe whore to do?  

Time Stamped Show Notes:

0:22 – Intro (Steampunk Girl by John Anealio)    Host Introduction; Gail Carriger and Piper J Drake

0:48 - Gail went on a writing retreat

1:09 - Traveling with "different" (and/or wrong) personality types

2:15 - How to set yourself up for success when traveling and/or working and/or staying in a hotel with someone new

9:59 - Taking care of yourself by communicating with your significant other/partner

– – –

14:47 – Main Topic -> Shoes!

• Gail's a whore?! (For shoes, yes.)
• Handling size and weight when packing
• "Wear your biggest heaviest shoes during travel - so you don't have them taking up all your internal luggage space."
• Sensible versus impactful
• Laces are a no. Don't do it.
• Boots?
• Fancy time?
• How to handle smell, cleaning, and storage?
• Ballet flats - > https://amzn.to/2KpLmh2 
• Orthopedic inserts?
• Work out needs?
• Invest in your shoes. Take care of your body and your joints.
• Dealing with blisters?  ->  Have shoes to switch to!

– – –

35:00 – Gadgets! -->  Shoe tech is real

Gail – shoe hack; laundry lingerie bags    https://amzn.to/2rHwWC6 

Piper – Fluevog     https://www.fluevog.com/shop/4480-holly-black 

– – –

42:10 - Outro and thanks to: Producer Matt

Special thanks to Dan Sawyer of Artistic Whisper for editing this episode!

Thanks for listening; Travel smart and pack the snacks!

- - - 

Get your question featured on an episode by saying hi on social media:       Facebook.com/20minDelay      @20minDelay      @PiperJDrake      @GailCarriger

Use the hashtag: #20mindelaypodcast

Traveling interrupts patterns. Gail and Piper give tips and tricks for exercising while traveling - and discuss meeting Kevin Bacon due to good swimming habits!

Time Stamped Show Notes:

0:17 – Intro (Steampunk Girl by John Anealio)    Host Introduction; Gail Carriger and Piper J Drake

0:38 - Question from a listener! -> Stress management on the go?    Get your question featured by saying hi on social media:       Facebook.com/20minDelay      @20minDelay      @PiperJDrake      @GailCarriger

Use the hashtag: #20mindelaypodcast

3:58 - Punching pillows?

4:39 - Gail's stress management involves water and TV, but not exercise

6:08 - Be kind to yourself! It helps to decrease stress

7:45 - Pop out of your car/airport/whatever for some fresh air to destress and wash away that stale air

– – –

8:37 – Main Topic -> Exercising while Traveling

• Do you book a hotel based on the gym? If so, what do you look for?
• Pick the hotel that's a 5-15 minute walk from where you need to be specifically to get those extra steps twice a day
• Bring a dryer sheet to put in the plastic bag with sweaty clothes
• Swimming! Helps release stress, wakes you up, and stretches
• How to wash out chlorine
• Yoga (simple and strength training)

15:29 - Gail met Kevin Bacon due to her healthy swimming habit

– – –

20:18 – Gadgets! -->  Exercise helpers on the go

Gail – space saving yoga glove (similar to barefoot Jazz "slippers")    -Yoga Paws  -  https://amzn.to/2wiNN35

Piper – FitBit (gamify your life with a basic-level smart watch!)    - Ionic  -  https://amzn.to/2w9Nt6s

– – –

26:34 - Outro and thanks to: Producer Matt

Special thanks to Dan Sawyer of Artistic Whisper for editing this episode!

Thanks for listening; Travel smart and pack the snacks!

Food is important while traveling.  Many (like Piper and Gail) would even say its the entire point.  Traveling means you're on the move though, so it's important to bring or grab snacks as you go? But there are so many options, what do you being and why?

0:27 - Intro

0:55 - Piper's Seattle Trip

1:45 - Tips for scoping out a new city that you're moving to

2:15 - SeaTac (Seattle airport) hacks

4:30 - Uber and ride-share tips for Seattle

6:20 - tangent about travel reward lounges (To use them, or not to use them?)

8:50 - hotel Monaco (Kimpton)

11:07 - Goldfish, Patricia Briggs, Alpha and Omega series

12:22 - England lets book stores and antique stores have cats/dogs, just like the California bookstore, "The Ripped Boddess"

13:39 - Borderlands bookstore has naked (alien) cats

14:11 - travel snacks!    The ladies discussion includes, but is not limited to:

• hardboiled egg (touch off custardy, touch of green is overcooked) old and young in different labeled bags (yolk is riskier over time) 
• jerky (overcorrected for salt, which helps rehydrate after a flight)
• peanut butter ginger chews
• black sesame chews
• quail eggs (in beet juice?!)
• pickles
• pickled jalapenos
• trader joe's olives
• tiny apples
• satsumas or tangerines (aka emergency perfume)

26:30 - Gadgets!    Piper - ziplock baggies (sandwich sized and mini's)    Gail - mesh aerated bag (to organize the ziplocks)

29:30 - Outro and thanks to: Producer Matt

Special thanks to Dan Sawyer of Artistic Whisper for editing this episode!

Thanks for listening and happy travels!

How does one prepare mentally and physically for travel?  Regardless of the reason for taking a trip, necessity, pleasure, work, illness, visiting family - irregardless of any of those reasons it's still important to be properly prepped to make the most of it.

Main Topic -> Travel Preparation, the how and why

Gadgets -> Face masks!

•    Gail - soothing infused paper
•    Piper - Tulasara eyemask from Aveda

Special Thanks -> Artistic Whispers Production Inc for editing the audio for this episode AND of course, Jon Anealio for the use of his song "Steampunk Girl"

Travelers are constantly bombarded with "Sign up now!" loyalty offers and point earning systems. Are airline offers worth it? What do you get for your loyalty?

Time Stamped Show Notes:

0:11 – Intro (Steampunk Girl by John Anealio)    Host Introduction; Gail Carriger and Piper J Drake

0:34 - Where have the ladies traveled recently? San Diego!

1:16 - Piper's Trip

2:14 - Sparkly floors 

2:33 - The PDX carpet

3:02 - The SouthWest airlines cattle call

3:50 - Question for the audience -> Can you walk to San Diego downtown from the airport?

4:23 - Gaslight district and San Diego Comic-Con

5:04 - Balboa park

5:14 - Mysterious Galaxy -> awesome bookstore

6:14 - Seaview -> cute bookstore with cafe near SFO

6:40 - Need listener help: What's the name of the Alice in Wonderland-esque speakeasy behind the brick wall (or bank vault?) covered in ivy in San Diego?

7:53 - military, retirees, and/or vacationers mean... Reader town!

8:36 - cocktails in San Diego; wine in Portland...lulz.

8:52 - Gail pisses off the audience. Wine fight. ("Portlanders claiming they have wine? Lol")  Ready? Fight!

9:32 - La Hoja; full of eclectic restaurants and sea lions

10:17 - Del Mar beach (dog beach)

10:45 - all Piper cares about => dogs and food

11:48 - tutorial on how to kidnap Piper

– – –

12:07 – Main Topic -> Frequent Flyer Miles and Loyalty Points

12:35 - Gamified system's help keep you loyal by letting you "level up" your membership

13:20 - The benefits of access to the business lounge (hard boiled eggs and showers)

15:15 - Credit Card multipliers

15:42 - American Airlines has Piper's soul

16:16 - always sign up for the frequent flyer's club regardless of the airline you're flying to ensure entry of you Known Traveler Number (KTN) for ease of travel

16:57 - Gail often goes to unusual locales and has others book her flights, so avid loyalty is difficult

17:49 - Gail's now a SouthWest gal

18:05 - Gail loves the cattle call --> it means faster boarding!

19:39 - http://crankyflier.com/

21:25 - Be aware of what company has a hub at your local airport, and where other hubs are for that airline (take advantage of that!)

23:49 - Further tease of future episode about Credit Cards to optimize miles' collection

– – –

24:29 – Gadgets! -->  Neck Pillows

Gail – Pillow's to lean on while you lean back    -Trtl Pillow - http://amzn.to/2EWJN8g      -Travel Mate Memory Foam - http://amzn.to/2HOaLke

Piper – pillow to lean forward with    - Inflatable - http://amzn.to/2F25AP5

– – –

31:24 - Outro and thanks to: Producer Matt

Special thanks to Dan Sawyer of Artistic Whisper for editing this episode!

Thanks for listening and happy travels!

Gail Carriger and Piper J Drake know how to eek every extra bit of value out of travel; including hotel loyalty points. Earn them? Keep them? Use them?

Time Stamped Show Notes:

0:05 – Intro (Steampunk Girl by John Anealio)

0:30 – Host Introduction; Gail Carriger and Piper J Drake

– – –

10:52 – Main Topic -> Hotel Loyalty and Reward Points

– – –

27:18 – Gadgets! (what don't we trust the hotel to provide?)

Gail – Mug    -http://amzn.to/2EJrzYw   -http://amzn.to/2E5ivf6

Piper – Silicone Owl    -http://amzn.to/2E5iFDe

– – –

35:15 - Outro and thanks to: Producer Matt

Gail Carriger and Piper J Drake let the listener in on their secrets for dealing with hotel room food - and most importantly, getting the most out of it.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

0:05 – Intro (Steampunk Girl by John Anealio)

0:31 - Host Introduction; Gail Carriger and Piper J Drake

 - - - 

7:40 - Main Topic -> Hotel Room Food Optimization

 - - - 

32:32 - Gadgets!    Gail - Spoon-Fork-Knife combo        "Light My Fire Original"    Piper - Travel Chopsticks

 - - - 

Secrets of gaining healthy sustenance while traveling... Discussion about optimizing hotel room food and how to get the most out of a room service order without contributing to diabetes or over-indulging in sodium.

 Hotel rooms are the frequent traveler's refuge. But they're not home. How do you get the most out of your stay? Piper and Gail discuss baby bricks, silk, & more.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

0:05 – Intro (Steampunk Girl by John Anealio)

0:31 - Host Introduction; Gail Carriger and Piper J Drake

0:56 - Where have the ladies traveled to this week?

0:59 - Piper regrettably stayed at a swanky hotel in Princeton, New Jersey that she last stayed at in college (Trenton State). But this time... under construction.

3:45 - Predators, a SyFy movie; and how that applies to Piper's travel whammy

4:43 - "Lobby-Talk" the podcast within the podcast

6:29 - Gail gives a great tip to find out about construction; sort Yelp reviews by date!

7:18 - Discussion of other great pre-trip research resources (TripAdvisor, etc); you can sort by "business"

8:23 - Main Topic -> HACKING HOTEL ROOMS

8:41 - Gail is an unpacker - if she's staying for more than one night

9:26 - This is where "kits" come into play (go back and listen to Episode 5 for more info on them) - they go into their own specific zones that will be common to nearly all hotel rooms regardless of owning/operating company

10:05 - Gail's number one hotel room hack: ironing boards

11:06 - Steam can get wrinkles out of clothes; best to bring them in to the shower area while you shower?

13:01 - Dupione dresses

13:32 - Thai silk suits

14:45 - Iron use tips; don't trust them the way you trust your iron at home (iron a wet hotel washcloth as a test)

15:56 - Piper's bloomers and 'splodin her bag

16:20 - Bring your clothes on cheap metal hangers

17:06 - Create separate areas for dayjob and other work - the physical locations being different help with putting yourself in the right mindset to do that specific kind of work despite being away from your more familiar home setup

19:15 - Designate a "business zone" that will not be contaminated with your other things; itinirary for event, envelope for business expense reciepts, notepad, etc

19:41 - To room service, or not to room service?  Sometimes if you order food for "more than one person" they'll bring you an extra table on wheels

21:42 - "Heads in Beds" and a baby brick

22:56 - At checkin slide your credit card across the counter... followed by your baby brick - and watch it make magic happen

23:41 - The real magic words: "Anything you can do for me would be great."

24:57 - concierge suite access (free bottled water, snacks, and weekday breakfasts which makes life better in general)

25:48 - tipping style and ettiquette is important with the baby brick - don't be obnoxious about it

28:14 - take advantage of social media (particularly regionaly) to compliment good service at chain hotels

29:23 - story-time from Piper - she was booked into a hotel by dayjob and in the middle of the night a strange man started pouding on her door demanding to be let in.  The front desk took the random strangers side... this eventually led to chocolate strawberries - at a different hotel

31:08 - fill out the reiew cards with the positive things that happened to/for you during your stay

33:04 - don't forget, every big hotel chain has a record on you

33:35 - Gadgets!    Gail: "Heads In Beds" by Jacob Tomsky                 "A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality"    Piper: Silk pajamas = protection for your delicate bits from bedbugs

36:45 - bonus gadget -> sleep sacks (they can serve dual purpose as shaws or scarfs)

37:42 - you can check the "bed bug registry" to double check your hotel before your stay

38:11 – Outro and thanks to: Producer Matt &             John Anealio for his song Steampunk Girl

 Thanks for listening and safe travels!