At first glance, Love Sick might seem a little heavy for a beach read, but don’t be fooled. Sure the premise seems heartbreaking, girl finds out she may have Multiple Sclerosis and documents her struggles with dating while learning more about MS and what her diagnosis means for her life. In reality, Cory Martin effortlessly weaves humor into her story and you won’t be able to help but giggle. You’ll feel for her and her journey, but you’re not left feeling sorry for her, you’ll want to have a drink with her.
Since I can’t stop raving about it, I’m bringing along my copy of Love Sick for my girlfriends to borrow while we lay poolside (trust me, it’s that good), so I asked Cory if I could pick her brain for her favorite travel tips and tricks. Here’s what she had to say:
What is your favorite type of travel destination? Somewhere warm and sandy, culture-rich cityscape, or a snowy mountain?
Do I have to choose? I love them all. I’m drawn to the warm and sandy trip when I’m stressed out with work and life and everything else. Also, because I grew up in the Midwest, warm and sandy trips hold a special place in my heart. I have so many great memories of escaping below zero temps around Christmas to travel somewhere tropical with my family. So there’s that. But I also do my best to take one ski trip a year. Usually in the spring. And then if I have a long weekend to get away – throw me in a city and I’ll get lost for hours. So, I guess it depends on the time of year.
How about your ideal trip? Do you prefer an explorative adventure, a kickback and relax vacation or casual sightseeing trip?
My ideal trip would have to be a mix of sightseeing with some night-time relaxation. I love the idea of exploring a city or going out on a boat and snorkeling all day and then coming back to the hotel and sitting by the pool for sunset if we’re somewhere warm or relaxing with a glass of wine in the hotel bar after a day of sightseeing.
There’s a lot of attention on airport style lately and trying to find the balance between looking cute and being comfortable. What is your airport style?
I go for comfort but still try to look cute. If it’s cold, I grab a pair of yoga pants, put my black Frye boots over them, then top it off with a tank top, hoodie, and leather jacket. If it’s warm, I’ll wear jeans (sometimes yoga pants), a cute tailored tank, a pair of tennis shoes and carry a light jacket with me.
Carry on or bag check?
I carry on as much as possible. An airline lost one of my bags once, and I was devastated. You don’t realize how much clothes and make-up you travel with until you have to make an itemized list of everything you had in order to put in a claim to recover some of the costs of what you lost.
Airplane food options can be less than stellar, what are your go-to travel snacks?
I’m a huge fan of Barnana snacks. I discovered them a year or so ago and always have a pack with me. I’ll also try to grab a piece of fruit before I leave the house but I don’t always remember in time, so then I’ll grab a bag of nuts at the airport.
In-flight entertainment — music or movie? Book or magazine?
I will devour whatever books or magazines I have on me and then I’ll read whatever the airline has put in the back seat pocket. Once I’ve exhausted all reading options then I’ll move on to music. Of course, if I’m flying international then I’ll definitely watch a movie or two.
What are the top 5 songs on your vacation playlist?
Here’s an eclectic look:
Love is My Religion – Ziggy Marley
It’s Tricky – Run DMC
Young Forever – Jay-Z
Pumped Up Kicks – Foster the People
Cecelia and the Satellite – Andrew McMahon in the Wild
What’s in your beauty arsenal when you travel? For instance, last summer I finally caved and bought the Evian Mineral Water Spray and now I’m hooked and can’t go on long car trips or plane rides without it — it’s so refreshing! Do you have any travel beauty secrets?
I will overdo the moisturizer before I get on a plane – probably putting on two to three times what I normally would. I love Avene and their lotions for my face and Skin by Ann Webb for my body – especially the olive oil version if I’m going to the mountains.
Obviously, you can’t leave home with the contents of your entire medicine cabinet, so what are your essentials? Do you just pack the basics, like face wash and moisturizer or do you bring the whole kit and caboodle?
I’m pretty basic when I travel. It’s usually just moisturizer and some sort of travel size version of a face wash I’ve used in the past. And instead of bringing shampoo and conditioner I’ll just pack a travel size bottle of It’s a Ten – Miracle Leave in Product and then my hair stays soft.
Okay, so let’s talk shoes. I’m personally trying to get better about not packing a different pair of shoes for each and every outfit, but it’s tough. On average, how many pairs do you pack?
If you figure out how to pare this down let me know. I think there was one trip I took to Mexico and had like ten pairs. Right now I’ve gotten it down to about four or five but I wish I could be better. I always tell my travel companions that I need options, but I know if I planned my outfits better I could get it down to like two pairs.
You’re jumping on a last-minute flight to Hawaii, what three things are in your carry on?
T-Bags Maxi Dress, bikini, and a Trina Turk cover-up.
A HUGE thank you to Cory for this interview, and for giving a signed copy of her book, Love Sick, to one of you! Just leave a comment sharing your favorite travel must-have, a tip or trick for traveling, or even your favorite vacation spot for a chance to win!
