A Peek Inside Nicole WIlliam's Carry On Bag

We caught up with Nicole Williams, author of Girl on Top during her multi-city book tour to find out what she's got in her carry on.


Here's what we found:


I carry an oversized Givenchy black patent tote. It is super durable, and because it's patent leather I can wipe it down when it gets dirty, which it always does when you are touring for 43 days!




I am a total germaphobe, so for me the sun rises and sets with PURELL!

I always carry a hair elastic, Altoids, Bobbi Brown Brightening Lip Gloss (in Pink) and Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer.

Layering is essential when traveling because you’re always hot then cold! My go-to is a Christopher Fisher gray cashmere wrap [similar to the one below]—perfect because its cute enough to wear to a meeting after the flight.


When I’m flying, I skip the iPod and use the time to catch up on reading or some work—Virgin America makes it so easy on you because of their in-flight wifi.

I always pick up something beforehand—like a turkey sandwich and if I am lucky enough to find it, Pirates Booty!




I’m not going to lie to you, at this point in the tour we are so tired, its all about reading chick-lit and a stack of gossip mags to make the time fly by! I also am a big believer in magazine karma, I leave anything I already read on the flight for the next Girl on Top who sits down!


Find Nicole on the Girl on Top tour in a city near you.

A Peek Inside Poppy King, "The Lipstick Queen"'s Carry On Bag

We recently met Poppy King, aka the "Lipstick Queen" fresh from a trip to London. Here's what she travels with: 

My carry on bag is a large Louis Vuitton (I think this style is called “Never Full). It's super simple and fits everything.

What beauty products do you travel with?
I travel with Visine, NIA 24 Skin Strengthening Complex and my Lipstick Queen Medieval which is a lip balm and lip color in one.

Do you have a favorite wrap or sweater for chilly planes?

Just a good old pashmina!

Are you currently reading any books or have a guilty pleasure magazine for the plane?

I am a real saint and sinner when it comes to reading...I read very heavy books (at the moment my 3rd Proust) and then when I am in a sinner mood I will buy those gossip mags for the plane.

What music do you listen to on your iPod when traveling?
Disco and funk so that it is upbeat and keeps me in a good mood.


Any favorite plane snacks?
Fruit! It adds the illusion that I am doing something healthy rather than sitting in an awful old plane.

Anything else you always travel with?
A toothbrush! No matter what state I am in if I have clean teeth I feel fresh.

A Peek Inside Kiki's Carry-On from the Tao Nightclub

Kiki Kuzmirek is the best person we've met in Vegas. Not only did she hook us up on our last visit, she made sure we had the best time ever on Anne's bachelorette party this weekend. Saying goodbye was harder this go-around, since we got to know each other well and found out how much we have in common. Thanks for everything, Kiki!

Kiki Kuzmirek is the Bachelorette Coordinator for the TAO Group's three Las Vegas properties (TAO Asian Bistro & Nightclub, LAVO Italian Restaurant & Nightclub and TAO Beach). Kiki and the TAO Group offer packages and concierge services to Bachelorette guests that include private dinners, VIP Nightclub tables with cake presentation and DJ shout outs, theater tickets, private security and butler service, personal photography, hotel accommodations, and more.

As no stranger to the hospitality industry, Kiki has served in nightlife for over 5 years and has been with the TAO Group for over 3 years. Kuzmirek graduated from the University of Florida in 2003.

What kind of bag do you travel with?

My bag of choice would be my Betsy Johnson roll-aboard. Good ol' Betsy has some amazing front pocket which make for easy access to necessities on the plane. It's also adorably covered in stars which make it simple to spot if I decide to check it. (We couldn't find the stars pattern but this pinky plaid Betsey is great too!)

What books mags and music do you bring?

Us Weekly is my fave airport reading material. The only time I treat myself to juicy gossip mags is when I'm traveling! As far as music, I have a "Fly Away" playlist on my i pod with a lot of Coldplay, Jimmy Eat World, and Pete Yorn (pictured below). They have the perfect tunes to snooze to.


Favorite snacks?

Is it so wrong that I enjoy the fine airplane white wine and pretzels??? I don't typically pack my own snacks when I travel.

Favorite beauty products do you use on plane?

I love love love Smith's Rosebud Salve. And I try not to ever leave the house without my MAC Studio Fix compact.


Do you bring a wrap blanket eye mask?

I usually bring my trusty neck pillow, a pashmina, and a pair of big sunglasses: the perfect combo for hibernation.


Add anything else you think would be helpful for a girls' trip?

I think one sometimes over looked necessity would be the i pod travel speakers. I know my girlfriends and love to turn getting ready into a dance party! I like to make a custom playlist that ends up being the soundtrack to our trip.


We couldn't agree more, Kiki! Hotels are hit or miss as to whether they have an iPod dock and even if they do, we want the speakers in the bathroom where we're drying our hair and putting on makeup. We also make playlists for each of our trips

Our Top 5 Carry on Bag Posts of 2009

While we love looking in anyone and everyone's carry on bags, here are the top 5 most popular posts with JSG readers:

5. Flirtexter
4. Plush Junkie
3. Jolie Nadine
2. Makeup Bag
1. Tinsley Mortimer

A Peek Inside a Flirtexter's Carry On Bag

JSG has gotten in trouble a few times over a text message--for drunk texting boys we shouldn't, for slurring over a text message (Yes, it's possible. Don't ask how we know.), and most recently for not sending a text message to check in with the SO on our most recent girls' trip. So here's a book on our must-read list: Flirtexting: How to Text Your Way to His Heart. We suggest you study up on it too!

We checked in with co-author Debra Goldstein to see what she has in her carry on. Not surprisingly for the author of a book on flirting in the digital age, she's heavy on the technology:

My Lanvin Padova tote is super chic and the perfect size to throw all of my various forms of entertainment in. I hate being bored. My biggest fear is being stuck at the airport with nothing productive to do. That’s why I fill my carry-on with lots of different things that can keep me entertained if my flight gets delayed.

Deb keeps her iPod fully loaded. Here's a small sampling of what you'll find on it:


For music, I like Kings of Leon, Jazmine Sullivan, Kanye, Coldplay, T.I., M.I.A., Michael Jackson, Jay Z, Beyonce, Raphael Saadiq, Akon, U2, Adele, Usher, Citizen Cope.


Besides music, my favorite thing to listen to on my iPod when I travel is Mitch Hedberg. I’ve listened to his stand-up comedy routine’s hundreds of times and continue to laugh hysterically.


Recently I’ve become a huge fan of political comedy. Right now I’m obsessed with the Colbert Report and the Daily Show with John Stewart. I always download their latest shows before going on a trip.

For movie’s, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is an underrated classic. Hawaii, humor, hot bodies. What more can you want from a comedy? I also like Transformers. I’m a big Shia Labeouf and Optimus Prime fan. What can I say?

When inspiration strikes I like to have my laptop around so that I can write about it. So if you are a hottie-bo-body and sit next to me on a plane, beware. I may be blogging about you as we fly.


My Blackberry 8830 is great for flirtexting, bbm’ing, e-mailing, facebooking, and making calls…and in that order.

I just started reading a book that came recommended to me called The Luxe by Anna Godberson. I was told it’s like a Gossip Girl set in the 1900’s in NYC. Very excited to delve in!



Cocoa butter lip balm is by far my favorite beauty find of all time! It leaves your lips super- moisturized and with a glossy glow. I end up buying 20 at a time because whenever I let someone borrow mine they end up taking it. But I don’t mind since they only cost 99¢ at the drug store!



I’m a warm weather kinda girl. I try to travel to tropical places as much as possible. These Tom Ford's sunglasses are my favorite because they never seem to go out of style.

Check back next week, when we peek inside the carry on of Olivia
Baniuszewicz, the other half of Flirtexting: How to Text Your Way to His Heart.

A Peek Inside Gloria Safar's Carry On

We caught up with athlete and author  and athlete Gloria Safar fresh from her way back from bicycling across Sicily, where she cycled up Mount Etrna and biked the Syracuse Province, visiting Pallazolo Acreide, Noto, Taormina, Catania and Syracuse and many small gorgeous towns. Gloria wrote the training guide, Triathlon for Girls Like Us after she realized most training schedules were developed with men in mind. Here's what Gloria travels with.

My carry on is a mesh pool bag and inside I bring a smaller one, from the NYC marathon. I travel very light.

 

What beauty products do you travel with?

Water and lip balm. I don't leave the house without them. I have a lip balm in every pocket of every bag I have and I keep one in the car too.  Aveeno seems to work for me, for my face I like Aveeno Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15. I also use Avon and Burt's Bees.

Do you have a favorite wrap or sweater for chilly planes? 

I have this great light cardigan from Banana Republic, that takes very small space, but it's perfect for either a chilly night or a chilly plane.

Are you currently reading any books or have a guilty pleasure magazine for the plane? 

I look forward to sitting in a plane! I know it sounds weird, but with my training and work, I have very little time to read at home, so I splurge in books on the plane. In this trip I read The Art of Racing in the Rain. If you have a dog, it's a must read! 

 Any favorite plane snacks?

Lara bars. Same as with the lip balms, I have one in every bag. Don't leave the house without them. But in Italy, I carried everywhere cherry tomatoes from Pachino, and delicious Sicilian oranges!

Anything else you always travel with?

My goggles! There's always a swimming opportunity! This time it was the Ionic Sea!!!

A Peek Inside Beauty Blogging Junkie's Carry On Bag

Amber Katz of Beauty Blogging Junkie is one of our blogging buddies from way back when our traffic consisted of our parents and closest friends. Amber not only knows all the hottest products, she cracks us up with her reviews. That's Amber (right) with one of our other all time fave beauty bloggers, Julia. We had to know what's in her carry on!

My carry on is the Mark Carlos Falchi for Mark Take Me To Rio Bag. It's metallic, roomy, full of inner and outer pockets and is precisely what Blanche Deveraux would carry on herself. For these reasons, it's my new carry-on go-to. And it's only $40. Get involved.

A Muji notebook and pen
I'm constantly scribbling down writing ideas or texting them to myself.

A big fat Pashmina
After a particularly bone-chilling experience in the exit row en route to Israel (it sounded like a good seat, right? Who knew I'd freeze!), I always make sure to bring my own blanket alternative. And I wear cashmere socks, because my feet are always freezing.
(That's the White + Warren pashmina below.)

Shobha Hand Sanitizer
I use it constantly on planes on my hands, but also to spray into the air to kill airborne germs. Ick.

Donna Karan Cashmere Eye Mask
Air travel is a time for luxury!

Orbit Peppermint Gum
I'm never without it and I make sure I buy a three-pack if I'm going to be away on vacation in a potentially Orbit-free civilization.

Chanel Hydramax + Precision Nutrition Lip Balm
I rock this little gem on my eyes and lips to ensure moisture in dehydrating plane air.

Tokyomilk Solid Perfume in Satsuma
It's a crisp tangerine scent that's subtle and will get you through TSA security lines in a flash.

Goody Spin Pin
It's just as easy to use as a standard hair-tie, but looks eons more chic.

A Peek Inside Elite Travel Gal's Carry On

Stacy Small, travel agent extraordinaire and owner of Elite Travel and Travel Editor of Haute Living magazine travels so much she makes our head spin. Between jaunts to Fiji, exploring the new Amangiri resort in Utah and Bali, Stacy's always on the go. Here's what she travels with:


My usual carry on bag is chocolate brown wheeled Bric's laptop case. Bought it a few years ago in Rome and it pretty much goes with me on every trip!

I always bring my Bose noise-cancelling headphones, my iPhone which doubles as my iPod, my blackberry (yes I now have both), a stack of magazines (always the latest tabloids plus either Vanity Fair, Yoga Magazine, Health, and any of the travel magazines I haven't yet read!), the NY Post if the airport shop sells it, and at least two books as I am really fast reader. I haven't yet bought a Kindle but I will soon...in the meantime, I'm still toting old-fashioned chick lit books like Jackie Collins Poor Little Bitch Girl (read on last trip) and sometimes deeper stuff (currently reading about basic Buddhism), either spiritual or business related.

Always have my Sony Vaio 2.5 pound laptop (which I haven't yet traded in for an iPad!) and my flip video with me. When I remember, I throw a wrap in my bag and I always make sure to bring an extra pair of socks as I'm always cold on the plane!

My favorite beauty products are Neutrogena moisturizer, Burts Bees eye jelly, Almay lip gloss and Purel. Plus, I always bring a few gluten-free snacks like Luna Bars and/or popcorn and/or dried fruit/nuts.

A Peek Inside the Beauty BFF's Carry On

Congrats to our friend Jenn Falik, MSN's new Beauty BFF. Her recently launched online beauty show features webisodes on Makeup Artist Must-Haves, How to Get a Flawless Face and more. New episodes air every week--so check back frequently to learn something new. Here's what she has in her carry on.

The Kooba Lana Tote has everything I could want in a carry on- fits just snug enough over my shoulder, lightweight, and lots of pockets. And when it isn’t stuffed to the brim, it folds nice and flat against the body so you don’t look like you are lugging around, well…luggage.

I pride myself on a well packed in-flight beauty kit. Tucked inside a clear Hayden Harnett zipper pouch you will always find Darphin Aromatic Care Balm (I put it on before take off so I arrive with a nice glow- plus, the scent is so refreshing yet soot hing at the same time), an Essie Cuticle Oil Pen, Swabplus eyemakeup remover swabs, Stila Kitten Eyeshadow (for lids and all over highlighting- instant wake up- and heaven forbid my luggage is checked and gets lost, can’t leave a hotel room without it on) and 2 lip glosses- Clarks Botanicals Ultra Rich Tint in Rachel Red and Nars Ophelia and my beloved Lypsyl balm. And a handful of GOSMiLE Touch Ups to freshen up my smile throughout the flight- totally gets rid of that stale air feeling.

Sir Alistair Rai scarves are my obsession- I just got a pastel tie-dye one for Spring (similar to the one below) to add to my collection and I never board a plane without one around my neck. When not serving as my most stylish accessory, it can be balled up into a pillow or spread out as a blanket. I also place it on top of my bag when going through security so nothing falls out.

My iPod Nano has a somewhat generic list of tunes- I must admit that my musical tastes are none too sophisticated. The usual suspects- Dave Matthews, Coldplay, Kings of Leon and of course, Jay Z and Alicia Keys “New York”- I play it every time I land back home. And showtunes. I am a closeted musical theater geek. 


Flights are my only time to catch up on magazines- and since I have yet to get on the eReader bandwagon that leaves little room for an actual book. You will usually find me toting Allure, Lucky, Elle, People Stylewatch, Inc and Entrepreneur. And of course, the weekly magazines. I consider it research,  as well as weight training. Especially in September.

I also always have a Smythson mini notebook (I have to write everything down- usually I email myself notes but while in-flight, gotta go back to good old fashion pen and paper), an Anya Hindmarch large zipper pouch that actually says Tearsheets on it where I collect the pages I rip out of magazines, and my most constant companion- my MacBook Air. Oh, the tales that computer could tell.

And last but not least- a Zico coconut water and a Kind bar. I always have the intention of being that healthy traveler- until I check into the hotel. That is when I order my room service cheeseburger- a treat that never ceases to make me smile.