NGA and Dumbarton Oaks

The National Gallery of Art has a temporary exhibit of sketches and drawings by 17th century Dutch masters.  Some of the drawings are paired with their final works on loan from museums around the world.  The NGA has a small permanent selection and they included a fun digital overlay of visible and infrared photos that reveal underdrawings.  It has probably been at least three years since we visited this museum so it was a nice quick diversion first thing in the morning.

Since this was going to be the very last day of balmy Indian summer weather for the year (70 degrees!) I requested an afternoon trip to the Dumbarton Oaks estate in Georgetown.  After a quick lunch at a small diner we checked out a couple of antique stores and walked through the neighborhoods to our car which was parked by Dumbarton.  The houses are still decorated very prettily with fall swag.

Purchased in the 1920s by a family of art patrons and collectors, the house serves as a research museum and library for Byzantine and pre-Columbian studies.  The grounds are used for garden and landscape research.  The house is undergoing renovations but we still enjoyed a lovely free tour of the formal gardens.  Some of the roses were still in bloom but for the most part everything was in beautiful decay.  Our timing for the day couldn't have been more perfect because by the time we were back in the car to make our way home the weather turned gray and blustery, ushering in a new season of cold temperatures that will probably be here until spring.

My Favorite Road-Tested Travel Comfort Accessories

I've been on a lot of planes in the last five years and I thought I would share some of my favorite travel products.  I don't carry them all of the time but it's nice to have them in my ready-to-go arsenal.  I won't vouch for any particular brand (except the pillow which I'll explain below) but if you're interested in the ones pictured click on the numbered links.

one, two, three, four, five

1: Small Packable Travel Blanket

For a short trip I can usually get away with wearing a fleece jacket on the plane.  I often struggle with maintaining a comfortable temperature because during boarding the cabin is usually so hot I can't de-layer fast enough but inevitably I start shivering at cruising altitude.  When we went to New Zealand I was so glad that I had a folding microfleece blanket - not necessarily for the planes but for long layovers in chilly terminals.  I get really cranky when airports are unreasonably cold so it was great to have some extra comfort.

2: Eye Mask

If you are sensitive to light you will love having one of these in your carry-on.  Find one that is molded like the one pictured because they keep tight and comfortable contact with your face without pressing down on your eyeballs.  You'll hardly notice that you are wearing one!

3: J-Pillow

I hate hate hate travel pillows.  Except this one.  I will admit it is super freaky-looking but I promise it is insanely soft and comfortable.  The way it works is you tuck the bottom of the "J" under your chin and then place one of the side pads just behind your head.  Then it's kind of like you're leaning onto a soft side-pillow but because of the way it's designed you won't have to worry about your head dropping onto your chest because of the chin part.  It was the "British Invention Winner of the Year 2013" and is apparently one of the best-selling pillows on the market right now.  After watching a lot of review videos I decided to test it out for the New Zealand trip and it performed like a champ!  I really liked that I could lie down on my side during the long, long, layovers and still be comfortable.  Buy it from a discout website though because there's no way anyone should pay the full $50 for one.

The only drawback is the bulkiness.  It is not inflatable nor does it come with a compression bag.  It has a handy snap-close loop so you can attach it to your bag but ultimately for light packers you'll have to determine how much your neck comfort is worth during travel which is why I probably won't take it on flights that are under six hours long.

4: Packing Cubes

I posted about these when I went to France a few years ago but never got around to giving a final opinion so here is the short version:

    Con:  They are an INEFFICIENT way to pack a suitcase and waste of valuable space

    Pro:  They are AWESOME for staying organized and come in all kinds of colors/sizes

Here is one way to compromise:  When we went to New Zealand Hans and I packed old-school style where we rolled up garments into tight bundles for maximum efficiency.  We did this with the empty packing cubes too.  Once we reached our destination, the packing cubes became like little mini suitcases that we could sort our belongings in and then throw around the rental car or grab for wherever we were staying.  For the return trip, everything was emptied from the cubes and they were rolled up like all of the other clothes.

5: Ear Plugs

Last and DEFINITELY not least.  This was probably the best discovery I ever made for air travel and I can't believe it took me this long to figure out.  Get yourself some comfortable ear plugs and put them in your carry-on.  You can find all kinds at Target.  No matter what you choose, they'll drown out screaming babies, annoying talkers on red-eye flights, and loud engine noise.  I am sensitive to loud sounds in close quarters and even the PA system can drive me crazy so I've found that earplugs help to minimize that without being so quiet that I can't understand the announcements.  The silicone ones are the most comfortable because they sit outside the ear canal but the foam ones block sound slightly better.  The only drawback obviously is that you can't really carry on a conversation while wearing them so if you have a chatty neighbor it might be kind of awkward.  You might want to put on your eye mask too so it looks like you're sleeping :)