An [Updated] Everlane Tote Review

An Everlane Tote Review www.AFriendAfar.com

[We’ve updated this post with a review after taking our Everlane tote across France. See the end of the post for more on how it worked for us. ]

My mom and I have been searching for the perfect carry-on tote for our upcoming trip to France, and we had some pretty high standards. We needed a bag that was:
– large enough to hold all of our needs
– but not too big that it can’t be used as a day bag
– zipped!
– chic, obviously!
– well-made with great reviews
– and at a really good price point

Not only that, but since it’s easier to pack light when you stick to a color palette, Mom needed one that came in black, and I needed a brown one. We didn’t need the same bag, of course, but when we started reading all of the great reviews about the Everlane Tote, we knew we needed to check it out. It seemed to fit all of our needs, so we ordered the black leather with reverse denim, which is a pretty heather gray. I was eyeing the brown leather with navy twill, but decided to wait and see what the black one looked like in person. Let’s just say, I’ll be ordering the navy for me really soon!

Everlane Totes

I already have one of Everlane’s amazing weekenders, and it has been such a JOY to pack for trips to my mom’s house in the mountains and all of our other weekend trips! I was thrilled to see that the tote we received (with free shipping!) was of equally great quality!

I really love that the tote has a slim silhouette. I often find bags that I like, but they end up being rather bulky. This bag will hold my make-up and small toiletry bags, my travel magazines, my camera, my tablet, and it doesn’t take up too much space. The inner pocket is the perfect size for my wallet and passport case. The zip top stays hidden instead of sticking out on the ends, which I think is a wonderful detail that makes it even more sleek. The black leather straps are sturdy and a great length for throwing over your shoulder, and the cotton twill is wonderfully thick. Even after all of those great details and the sturdy construction, it’s still incredibly light weight! Friends, we have found our new favorite bag! Oh, and did we mention it’s ONLY $40?!

Everlane Tote Review - Everlane in France - www.AFriendAfar.com

My mom traveled in style in Burgundy with her grey and black Everlane tote.

Everlane Tote Review Update

After trying out the grey and black tote with my mom, I ended up buying the navy tote with brown leather handles for myself. As I had expected, it worked great for my trip to Paris, Provence, and Burgundy. Here’s what we learned:

  1. It’s a great tote for carrying on a plane or train and for keeping your belongings safe from pickpockets because of the zip top.
  2. After filling my tote with everything from wine bottles to dripping wet water bottles and every other souvenir or picnic in between, the material held up very well and kept its shape. The handles never felt like they were carrying too much weight and never threatened to tear.
  3. I was glad I had my tote when exploring Versailles and the Louvre because it held my belongings without being bulky. Those places are crowded enough as it is. A slim profiled bag is a must.
  4. I was, of course, blogging while abroad, and it was a great size for my smaller laptop and my guidebooks.

Follow this link to grab one of your own!

Everlane Tote Review - Everlane in Paris - www.AFriendAfar.com

Carrying my tote around Paris on a drizzly day!

[This is not a sponsored post, friends. We just adore our new Everlane tote, and we can definitely vouch for the sturdy construction and timeless style of our wonderful weekender. If you’re on the lookout for some stylish and affordable luggage, do check them out!]

Meagan grew up in the North Georgia Mountains and spent her first trip abroad in Italy. She’s been traveling all over the world ever since, learning Spanish, Japanese, and Thai. She travels for the food, the culture, and the history.

Santorini Collage

What to Pack for a Week in Greece

Check out my packing list below from the week I spent on my European vacation visiting Santorini, Hydra, and Athens! Greece had been at the top of my bucket list for a while so I was so excited to finally make it to a place I’d been dreaming about for quite a while.

What to Pack for Greece

Packing light is so freeing and makes travel so much easier. I packed all of this (and more) into a small carry-on, and still had room to bring back some great souvenirs!

What to Pack for Greece

Here’s what I packed for a week in Greece!

If you’re spending the majority of your time on the islands, you’ll want to bring light and airy clothing. I packed a lightweight scarf for breezy nights on the water, as well. You’ll want skirts, shorts or cropped pants for when your walks take you down to the shore. Hydra doesn’t have any cars, so you’ll need to bring comfy walking shoes and sandals.  Also Athens cobblestone are particularly slippery so bring shoes with traction. One last thing: don’t forget your swim suit! This is THE place to wear it!

Greece Packing List

2 pairs of pants – I packed my go-to cropped denim and some adorable, breezy printed pants. It’s still a little cool in the evenings, especially on the water, so these are perfect for sunset strolls. [The printed pair are from Old Navy this season, but I can’t find them online. Here’s a similar pair.]
3 tees – I packed olive green, white, and heather grey. I didn’t want my entire suitcase to be blue, and green is my favorite color!
1 black tank –  It’s always classic and easy, and I can dress it up with my jeans and some fancy jewelry.
2 dresses – I packed the blue and white striped dress that you see here, and another blue one that can be worn as a beach cover-up, a dress, or a skirt. So many options! Besides, who doesn’t want to wear blue and white while exploring Santorini? It’s the perfect dress! [Similar: J.Crew, J.Crew Factory, and Gap] You may recognize it from Meagan’s Florence post- I borrowed it from her.
3 pairs of shoes – I brought my cute Keds, which I’ll wear at the airport and for walking, some brown sandals, and some black sandals. I bought some sandals there, of course, and leaving my older ones behind.
1 swim suit – Are you seeing a theme with my colors? I couldn’t help but to pack items that fit the Mediterranean color scheme!
A Baggu backpack – My trusted Baggu backpack joined me in Cuba, and it was the perfect day bag in Greece as well. Those blue and white stripes – so perfect!
1 floppy beach hat – in navy, of course!
My camera and camera case – Check out my camera strap here. It’s the perfect accessory for any adventurer.

Cute Camera Strap

My most important packing tip:
Be sure that every piece you take can be worn multiple times or with multiple other items. You’ll have so many more outfit options! Even the bold, printed pants in the picture above can be worn with 3 of the shirts that I packed.

Stephanie grew up road-tripping across the U.S., but her first flight was to Australia, and she’s been hooked ever since. She lived abroad in Thailand, where she met Meagan, and in Ghana with Peace Corps and has been to over 30 countries on 6 continents. She travels for the adventure, the stories, and nature.

Expert Travel Organization Tips and Tricks

The Best Tips and Tricks for the Most Organized Travel Planning Possible

I’m a hyper-organized travel planner. I definitely love a lot of spontaneity, but when I have too much time between booking and departing, I tend to spend a lot of my free time planning out all of the details. That’s just how I satisfy my wanderlust in the meantime. I have a few tools and apps that help me keep it all together for the most organized travel planning possible:

Google Drive

I save so many details here, and I love that I can access it very quickly on my phone. I usually create a spreadsheet schedule that includes arrival and departure times, especially if I’m traveling by trains in addition to planes, hotel confirmation numbers and contact information, and any other details I might need. Another perk: you can share all the details with your fellow travelers!

schedAbove: Schedules are easy to make and view in a spreadsheet.

In addition to my travel schedules, I save the following in Google Drive for easy access:

  • Custom Google Maps with my many destinations (click here for a tutorial)
  • PDF receipts, booking confirmations, and tickets
  • Packing lists

Paris MapAbove: the custom Google Map I created for an upcoming trip.

Think about it. You’ll look less like a tourist if you’re looking down at your phone instead of at a large, unfolded map.

Offline map apps

You definitely need to try out City Maps 2Go and MAPS.ME. These apps are a recent discovery for us. These apps, available for both iOS and Android, allow you to save your destinations on detailed maps even when you don’t have Wi-Fi or data. How brilliant is that? It’s another easy way to find your destination without having to pay for roaming or Wi-Fi!

maps.meCity maps

Airline Boarding Pass Apps

Most airlines now have apps for your phone that let you check-in online without having to print a ticket. They can scan your phone at the gate. So easy! This is especially great for the minimalist traveler with just a carry-on. There’s no need to stand in line for a check-in counter or kiosk!

Hard Copies

Call me old-fashioned, but I like to have some hard-copies as well. For a big trip with lots of stops and connections, there’s something that just eases my mind about being able to quickly flip through a stack of reservations and train tickets so that I know they’re all there and in order. I have a trip coming up that includes 3 hotels, one AirBnB, 3 separate train journeys for 3 people, bicycle rentals, and a car rental. I’ll do a quick print out of all my reservations, color-code them by city and put them in chronological order.

Finally, consider printing directions and addresses in your destination’s native language, if it isn’t one that you speak well. This can save you lots of headaches when hiring a cab!

Yes, I’m a huge organization nerd, but now I have a simple back-up system stowed neatly in an envelope. For what else are you going to use that flat exterior suitcase pocket?

Here are some of my favorite document organizers. You can use a travel wallet or just a flat, zip-pouch to keep your documents close by!

Top Row: Delfonics x Monocle | Tokyo Travel Organizer | Prendre Multi-Case
Middle Row: Clair Dot Medium Pouch | Aspinal of London Travel Wallet | Kikki.K Adventure Awaits Travel Wallet
Bottom Row: Mark & Graham Zip Pouch | Stella & Dot Zip Pouch | J.Crew Calf Hair Pouch

[Featured Photo: Boarding Passes by Mark Hamilton]

Meagan grew up in the North Georgia Mountains and spent her first trip abroad in Italy. She’s been traveling all over the world ever since, learning Spanish, Japanese, and Thai. She travels for the food, the culture, and the history.

Cuba Packing List

- www.afriendafar.com #cuba #packinglist

When I went on a week-long educational trip to Cuba, I made a packing list so I wouldn’t forget anything important. Here’s a look at what was inside my carry-on size roller board suitcase and my Baggu backpack for my Cuba packing list:

Top Row: BAGGU Canvas Backpack – Sailor Stripe | Keds White Canvas| Jersey Tank Dress
Middle Row: Noir Maillot from RedDollySwimwear | BAGGU Elephant Jade Standard | Art Deco Notebook
Bottom Row: Eyewitness Travel Top 10 Cuba | Havana StreetSmart Map Vintage Style Camera Strap

Wardrobe

Jeans, graphic tee, sweater, and Keds to wear on the plane on the way to Cuba
3 skirts, 3 solid tees, 3 print tops to mix and match, and 2 tanks
1 solid strapless dress that doubles as a skirt (an amazing J.Crew item from a few years ago)
4 dresses (2 solid, 2 prints)
4 pair of sandals including shower shoes
Another sweater for meetings in air-conditioned rooms
Minimal jewelry (left the wedding ring at home)
Vintage style swimsuit from Red Dolly Swimwear
Loads of cotton undies which is critical in the heat and humidity
Sleepwear

Other Essentials

Restocked medicine bag
Toiletries
Extra toothbrushes and toothpaste to leave for hotel staff since these items are difficult to find in Cuba
SPF50 sunscreen
Baggu shopping bag for souvenir shopping and doubled as a beach bag
Old Blackberry that I used with a temporary Cubacel SIM card bought in Havana
Journal
Sleep mask and earplugs (I don’t travel anywhere without them!)
Hankie
Travel poncho
Washcloth

Backpack Carry-on

Passport, copy of passport, important documents
Camera bag with camera and new fun strap
Top 10 Cuba guidebook and Havana StreetSmart® map
Cold, hard cash since Americans can’t yet use ATMs in Cuba
Scarf for the chilly plane
Cross-body purse with wallet, lip gloss with SPF, hand sanitizer, hankie, sunglasses, and the usual


This post is part of a four part series on Cuba. Check out the next post, Highlights of Havana.

{This is not a sponsored post. There are items I’ve bought and thought you might want for your next tropical city/beach vacation!}

Meagan grew up in the North Georgia Mountains and spent her first trip abroad in Italy. She’s been traveling all over the world ever since, learning Spanish, Japanese, and Thai. She travels for the food, the culture, and the history.