Ten on Tuesday or Perfect Timing

This week's Ten on Tuesday prompt is Ten Things to Bring on Vacation.  Perfect!  I have a mini break (isn't that what Bridget Jones called it?) coming next week.  Based on a lot of little jaunts and my recent trip to St. Louis, here is my list:

1.  A fabulous piece of luggage.  I purchased mine in 2003, and it has been worth every penny.  It prevents me from overpacking, it's easy to carry (I get tangled up in those pull-behind bags.  Really!), and when a girl has a chance to stay at a posh boutique hotel at a budget hotel price, well, even if she is looking a little shattered from eight hours in a car, a good bag makes her look (at least feel) like she belongs.

2.  A versatile dress. I have this one in blue and gray.  Throw on a cute pair of heels (I have Fluevog Susannas and am almost six feet tall when I wear them!  Love!) and the gray one, along with a lace shawl, and presto!  I can eat in any restaurant.  Strap on the Tevas and the blue one, and I can walk the mean streets of any city and the wilds of any beach. Another overpacking preventer.

3.  A lace shawl.  I mentioned it in #2, but it is so versatile (see a theme?) that it deserves its own item number.  If flying, a shawl can be a blanket or a pillow.  If driving, it serves the same purpose.  It dresses up a plain dress for dinner, yet looks just as smart over a tank top and jeans.  I usually bring my Ishbel or Clapotis.

4.  Skin care products in travel sizes.  How about hair products in the same compact size.  Sure, it is vastly more economical to decant what one usually uses into travel bottles.  I enjoy trying out new product, and I also adore not having leaky bottles, so buying travel kits works well for me.

Since my mini break is going to be at the shore, I'll spend the rest of my list concentrating on what to bring along to the beach.

5.  The best chair. Ever.  This isn't the same brand as mine, but the features are the same.  Drink cup holder, pillow, backpack, carrying straps.  In my NY days, I vacationed at LBI, in a little house that was a short walk to the beach.  I could carry this chair with my book, knitting, towel, sunscreen, and drink in the backpack and not feel burdened by it all. I even checked it when I flew to FL for Christmas with my parents one year! I love this chair. Love.

6. A good book.  Or two.  I wouldn't bring my Kindle to the beach (though I have seen waterproof sleeves for the Kindle), but this trip I'll have a couple of fun novels with me.  

7.  An audio book.  I like to knit while I sit in my best chair (Ever), and listening to a book on my iPod (pop it in a ziplock bag and tuck it into the backpack) entertains me to no end. 

8.  Bathing suit.  My figure makes it a challenge to find a flattering bathing suit (perhaps all women feel that way, but large breasts and small bones aren't easy to suit).  When I do find one I like, I wear it for years.  I had a snazzy Norma Kamali 40s style suit that I wore for almost 20 years.  If the fabric had held up, I'd still be wearing that sexy number.

9.  Knitting.  Of course!  For the beach, I like something small that I can keep safe and dry in my Go Knit pouch. Socks or a simple shawl usually do the trick.

10.  Readiness for adventure!  This is the most important item on the list.  Vacation, for me, is about relaxing and recharging.  Nothing recharges me more than new experiences, new ideas, new sights.  

Do you have any plans for a mini break (or a full-on holiday) this month?