Setting The Luxury Travel Mood

Kieran 0:03

Welcome to the lifestyles of the Richesin and Famous. From design, fashion, and travel to pop culture and all the fabulous details in between. This is where luxury isn't just a look, it's a lifestyle.

Melissa 0:24

So, welcome back. I think um it's a little too early for champagne this go-round, though.

Todd 0:30

Yeah, well, I don't even have orange juice to offer you. So that's okay.

Melissa 0:34

If I start drinking now, I won't make it through the case.

Todd 0:36

I had to go out to get a Diet Coke this morning.

Melissa 0:39

I saw you coming in. Yeah. So is that what you did?

Todd 0:41

Yeah.

Melissa 0:41

And you went too. We can't say.

Todd 0:43

No.

Melissa 0:44

But it was good.

Todd 0:45

It was good.

Winter Getaways On The Calendar

Melissa 0:45

I could have brought you a Diet Coke. Okay, so this time I want to chat. Um, I was thinking, and we've you know kind of spoken a lot about like um like taking a holiday, like vacations, and it's so freaking cold right now. Like this is the time of year where I'm like coveting that trip that I have planned. And and like I just I hate the cold so much.

Todd 1:12

I do too.

Melissa 1:13

So where are you headed? Where are you guys going?

Todd 1:16

Uh pretty soon we're gonna go to Palm Springs for a week, which is gonna be really nice. I think we're gonna be there at a really good time for warmer, it's like the perfect time to go, really, I think, because the temperature is gonna be great. And uh then uh in the next month or so we're gonna be in Key West for a week.

Melissa 1:37

And great weather right now.

Todd 1:39

Yes, it will be. And um we do a lot of bicycling there, and like we like to ride our bike to dinner, so I don't like to go real early in the winter months because it gets dark so early, and so you have to ride home in the dark. Um, so we'd go a little later so that you know we have a longer day, and then uh we're gonna go to uh Port of Ayarta uh for the first time.

Melissa 2:06

Oh, cool.

Todd 2:07

Um before the summer.

Melissa 2:10

So when you travel, do you go back to the same hotels a lot?

Todd 2:15

If we like them. And uh in Key West we do because we have a wonderful place there that we stay and and we've stayed there for a long time. And um then we have a great hotel that we're uh liking right now in Palm Springs. Um and in uh Port of Vallarta, we're staying at this amazing place called Casa Kimberly, and we have this beautiful room called the Elizabeth Taylor Suite, and we'll have our own swimming pool, and it's just really pretty. It looks like it's really pretty. We hadn't been yet, so I don't know, but um it's situated up on a hill overlooking the bay. I think it's gonna be great.

Melissa 2:55

So then, okay, because when I start to like research where I want to go, where I want to stay, I definitely look for like two things I would say. Like one is the food, the food dictates for me like a lot of what I want to do, right? But then two, it's like the ambiance or the aesthetic, right, or whatever I'm going for. Right. Like, especially in Europe, there's like a certain thing I want.

Todd 3:18

So we sort of start with location. I think the location is the most important thing, really, because we want to be able to walk a lot of places and just kind of step out the door and be in the middle of something. And that's one of the reasons why we love our condo downtown here so much, is because we could be in Market Square in, you know, four minutes.

Melissa 3:41

Yeah.

Todd 3:42

And uh, you know, the Tennessee Theater is just right there, so everything we do is close. And when we travel, I like that too. Uh so I try to look for something that I I sort of draw a line, you know, a circle around an area where we want to be, and then the hotel has to fit within just like a few blocks of that. So then we back into it, and usually there's really nice hotels in the most central location where you want to be. Exactly. So we just pick, you know, one of those.

Melissa 4:12

So do you look at like being an interior designer? Do you look at like the aesthetic of the hotel when you're deciding?

Todd 4:19

Or I do consider that, but it's not the the uh top thing on my list, really, because I think location is really key. I want a super nice hotel, I want a really clean hotel, but it could be old school, modern, somewhere in between. Uh that's not as important to me as like location and the fact that I really feel comfortable there and really like it.

Melissa 4:46

Okay.

Todd 4:46

Yeah, I'm it's a different approach. Yeah, I don't go for, oh, I've got to stay here because it's the newest, latest thing. If it's out of the zone, then it's out of consideration. Because that can like in Paris, our hotel was wonderful because it was very central. But if you were, you know, six blocks one direction, it could add 20 minutes to your walk every day to wherever you're going.

Melissa 5:13

Yeah.

Why We Skip Rental Cars Abroad

Todd 5:14

So it makes a big difference. Like the location makes a big difference.

Melissa 5:18

Do you rent a car normally?

Todd 5:19

No. Never. We'll we'll get a driver if we're gonna go somewhere. Must be nice. Yeah. Well, I mean, I don't know. I I don't want to have to be on vacation and wonder if I'm going the right direction, you know? And I know there's ways and the GPS stuff and and all of that, but you're still factoring in the traffic signs look different and the Europe. Yes, exactly. And you don't know the lay of the land. And and we were having dinner with somebody um on Sunday night, and they were talking about how they were in uh somewhere in the United Kingdom, and their GPS took them literally down a like a a cart path that you would have a cart behind a cow on.

Melissa 6:08

Yeah.

Todd 6:09

And finally he just said, I can't do it anymore. You know, I'm and they turned around and went back. And it wasn't really the road, but the GPS took them that way. Bobby would have a come apart if we ended up in a situation like that. And I and I can't blame him, you know what I mean?

Melissa 6:24

That happened to us in Italy, in Siena. Yeah. We went, I don't know, because we didn't know where we were going, and we went up a street, and literally there was like goats behind us, and people, because you know, in Italy they just do whatever they want. And so they were walking in front of us, and Derek's driving stick shift, and you know, I'm crying. Yes.

Todd 6:43

And I've seen people in in Italy specifically get stuck between two buildings, you know, like because it's too small, because it's too small, right? And if GPS is taking you through there, then you're gonna go. So um, we don't ever drive usually on vacation. Like in in Key West, if we needed a car, we would probably rent a car that fit. We've been there enough to know it's comfortable. Palm Springs been there enough to know it's comfortable, we'll rent a car. But um, like New York, never.

Melissa 7:12

Oh, I would never driving in New York is awful, it's miserable.

Todd 7:16

Yeah.

Melissa 7:16

Where do you stay in New York?

Todd 7:18

Uh, we have a couple of different places that we really like. Uh, the last place we stayed, I loved. It was called the Lowell. Super luxurious, and it is a design mecca. Michael S. Smith did it, and it is absolutely a neoclassical masterpiece. And the food is really, really good there. The best blueberry pancakes you've ever had. Like, I would get on a plane right now and go to New York to eat those and come home. Yes.

Melissa 7:43

So, speaking of getting on a plane, do you normally travel first class, business class?

Todd 7:48

I do normally travel first class, business class. Well, I I try. If if there's a if there's a way, and a lot of times it's really not that much more expensive.

Melissa 7:59

And you are crazy. I I mean it's like triple.

Todd 8:03

Not necessarily. I look, I can I sort of shop for it and try to find the best uh deal. But sometimes, like it first of all, if I can do Dirac, like we're taking Allegiant to QS because it is two hours. Yeah, I can deal with that. I've got a like the exit row that has more legroom, I'll be fine for two hours, right?

Melissa 8:24

Yeah.

Todd 8:25

Um, but um it's it's difficult for me to want to fly anything other than that because I feel sort of spoiled with it. Like I like to get on the plane first, know I've got a place for my bag, get settled.

Flying: First Class Hacks And Tradeoffs

Melissa 8:42

Fair.

Todd 8:43

I like that.

Melissa 8:44

So then like in in to Europe, it's nice if you can't.

Todd 8:47

Oh, to Europe if you can't lay flat, I'm not gonna go. Right.

Melissa 8:51

Yeah. I mean, I fly like the cheapest seat that I can get.

Todd 8:57

Right.

Melissa 8:57

But I hate it, and then I'm like, I'm never doing this again next time I'm flying first class, and then I see the price, and I'm like, okay, I'm I'm gonna do it.

Todd 9:04

I will weigh on the price. Like, I will I will shop it and and try to figure it out, or I'll use points and I'll shop. I've started, I used to be very, very loyal to Delta, but um I think sometimes their pricing is absurd. And like going out, if we're going out west, we're probably gonna fly American because we can get a first-class ticket for the price of a Delta coach, basically.

Melissa 9:30

Really?

Todd 9:30

Yes, it's it's insane. The the price differences are crazy.

Melissa 9:33

Okay, I'm gonna lie.

Todd 9:34

You just have to look, you know, like look.

Melissa 9:38

So you think it's worth it?

Todd 9:39

I do think it's worth it sometimes. I mean, if I can spend, you know, on a $600, if it's if a ticket's $600 and I can spend $900 and fly first class, I'll probably do it.

Melissa 9:50

See, I've never seen a $900 first class ticket ever.

Todd 9:53

I mean, it just depends on where you're going. All right, I'm gonna look because I'll I mean, like, I haven't booked our tickets to Portaviority yet, and they look like they're gonna be expensive. So I don't know, I may not be able to get that deal. But I'll look at the different airlines, and you know, I love to fly Delta, but it's not always good, you know, on the on the price. And plus their sky clubs sometimes are horrible.

Melissa 10:17

Delta?

Todd 10:18

Yes. In Atlanta, especially, it is like Chuck E. Cheese in there a lot. I don't understand it. I don't understand it.

Melissa 10:28

The thought of you and a Chuck E. Cheese, I think I would pay to see it. Oh my god.

Todd 10:32

Well, I mean, follow me to the Sky Club in terminal uh uh in the T-gates at uh in Atlanta, and you'll see what a Chuck E. Cheese looks like. I mean, there's some bad ones down there. We got some and they just don't care.

Melissa 10:48

Like Which is crazy because if you're spending that and you're like, you know, I just saw so many people in them. Well, and I just saw, did I send it to you? Something on Instagram that was like the best, um, like the best, what are what are they called?

Todd 11:04

Sky clubs?

Melissa 11:05

The sky clubs, like the best ones. They're like nicer than the nicer.

Todd 11:09

There are some, the ones in Europe are amazing. Yes, beautiful, amazing, uh, not overcrowded. The ones in Atlanta are like terrible Chuck E. Cheese.

Melissa 11:24

Well, we will never fly United as long as I can like not find something else. Because we got stuck in our whole team went to Oh, I saw that, yes. And we got stuck in Houston, and they were basically like, eh, you know, 17 people stuck in Houston, and then oh, it was terrible. At at first, when we were leaving Knoxville and they were like, Hey, you're probably not gonna make this flight, but we'll like give you uh credit for a hotel room or whatever they were gonna do. We get to Houston and they're basically like, eh, too bad, like you just have to deal with it. It was fog, so we're not doing anything about it. And I was like, they just told me this in you know, customer service is dead.

Todd 12:02

Customer service is dead, right?

Melissa 12:04

Yeah, you were just talking about that. Yes, and it's dead, and I'm so surprised by this.

Todd 12:09

Like, how no, people do not care. No, and people do not want to talk to you on the phone. No, that drives me nuts.

Melissa 12:17

Yes, email only, or like not even, you can't even find a way to email people. Yes, exactly.

Todd 12:23

Yeah, I I don't know how companies function. Like, literally, yesterday, um, I was trying to get uh a uh vendor that I deal with. I don't use this vendor a lot, it's an outdoor furniture vendor, it's very expensive, but I was calling them regarding an order that will be like eighty thousand dollars. So you would think that somebody could answer the phone?

Melissa 12:50

Yeah.

Sky Clubs, Airlines, And Service Gripes

Todd 12:51

I finally got someone at their Boston showroom, which isn't even my territory, and she was like, Oh, okay, so I'm so sorry that you're having to deal with this, but I always have our showroom voicemail forwarded to my personal phone because you would not believe the number of showrooms in the in the country that do not answer.

Melissa 13:12

I mean, hello, then isn't that like ring the alarm we need to do something about this?

Todd 13:17

It's ridiculous.

Melissa 13:17

But they don't.

Todd 13:18

But they don't.

Melissa 13:19

Ugh yeah, I think that's like a huge pet peeve. Customer service is just really dead. But I can understand it because everyone's just so inundated with I mean, I understand it within.

Todd 13:29

Yeah, I'm busy too, but but you still pick up the phone. I pick up the phone or return an email or return an email. Yes.

Melissa 13:35

Right. So I'm actually surprised that you don't pay more attention to it. I think that's like one of the most surprising things getting to know you, that you don't pick a hotel based on like the design aesthetic.

Todd 13:48

I I do not. And and I think that's important. Like I want it to be really, really nice and pretty, but I'm not gonna stay in a place that's like way out of the way just because. And um, like we were talking um with um Courtney trying to figure out a trip to Italy this summer, and one of the things that we want to do is we want to go to Lake Como. And so I've always sort of wanted to stay at uh the Villa de Est. It's super beautiful, yeah. But um, as we started looking at it, it's way up the lake and it's sort of isolated. And I said, I don't really want to do that because we like to like go out to different places to dinner and walk after dinner and walk to dinner. And she said, That's not the place to do that. You'll have to drive. So we're gonna stay in Como, closer to close to the lake, because there's some really nice hotels there, and it'll be more like we're staying in town. And she said, We can take you to lunch or whatever, so you can see the garden, see the hotel, experience it, but it'll just be like a day activity rather than staying there full time. And I'm excited about that. That's that's more like what I would like to do. If we were going just to like relax, relax, sit, stay at the hotel, not do anything else, then yes, I would do that. But you know, we don't get to go to Europe very often, so um I want to go out and do a lot. I don't want to just sit at the hotel or sit by a pool.

Melissa 15:32

I think you bring up such an interesting point because I guess that's that's where it starts, right? What do you want to do on vacation?

Todd 15:38

Exactly. It does.

Melissa 15:39

I want to sit at the pool and and drink.

Todd 15:41

Right. But relax. I mean, we can do that in Key West or Palm Springs or you know, somewhere where we've been several times and we don't want to see landmarks or or go to uh a show or museums or whatever.

Melissa 15:58

So you like to do the things?

Todd 15:59

I like to do the things that are to do there, and we love to shop, and that's where we shop a lot in Europe. Um, so I I like to be where I can do those things.

Melissa 16:10

I think that's good. Yeah, I do have a place in Italy, but it's in Tuscany, but you have to go, you guys will love it. It's the El Pelicano, I think I've sent it to you. Yes, I've seen that before.

Todd 16:19

We love Tuscany.

Melissa 16:20

Amazing. Well, maybe it's you know, from Lake Como, it's really hard to do it.

Todd 16:24

Yeah.

Melissa 16:24

Anyway, so what are like the top designer hotels that you would go to, like for designer fans, or like, you know?

Todd 16:32

Oh gosh, I don't I don't really follow that that closely, honestly.

Melissa 16:36

No, like where people would want to go, I'm saying. Like if you're really into design, these are the hotels you'd want to go to.

Iconic Hotels: Beauty, Decay, And Upkeep

Todd 16:41

I mean, like uh the Hotel Coast in Paris, I think, is supposed to be beautiful. There's lots of really beautiful hotels in Paris. I know that. Like the Ritz in Paris is amazingly beautiful. Um, and that's a great location, too, by the way, if you can stomach it, the price, right?

Melissa 17:00

Well, I told you we have to go to Paris.

Todd 17:02

Yes.

Melissa 17:02

Maybe we'd shoot one of these in Paris.

Todd 17:05

Yes, that would be fun. But there's lots of really pretty hotels in Paris. I I think they just put so much effort into thought, time, into the planning, and you know, they they use really nice materials. It's not the same as American hotels.

Melissa 17:22

Well, I think now because of like Instagram and all of these things, like everyone wants to be like Instagrammable, and so they're more aware maybe of like this is what people are looking for, so we're gonna do this, or like but you know, three moments in the lobby, you know, is that really worth staying at a hotel?

Todd 17:42

Like the four seasons in Florence is incredible. There's lots of beautiful, beautiful hotels in in Italy, I think. Like Villa d'Est. That's definitely a destination hotel, incredibly beautiful, beautiful location. Um, and that would be a great place to go and just chill for several days if that's what you wanted to do. Yeah, exactly. But we've never been to the Lake District in Italy, so I want to be able to experience more of that rather than just that one moment, and then maybe next time we go, we would just choose to stay there.

Melissa 18:17

Yeah, and just relax.

Todd 18:19

And relax, right.

Melissa 18:20

So then, like stateside, like this side. Yeah, where are the like the places?

Todd 18:24

Probably New York. I think gold standard for like the Lowell, amazing. Um, we stayed at the peninsula recently in New York and had a beautiful room. Our room was right on Fifth Avenue, and it was so well insulated you could not hear horns blow. It was awesome, you know. So it was super quiet, but great look central location, you know. I love that. The the quiet factor in a city is really important to me.

Melissa 18:54

What about um like the greenbrier?

Dress Codes, Plane Etiquette, And Food Smells

Todd 18:57

Because you talked a lot about like Dorothy Draper and like the Greenbrier is absolutely a must-see design destination for anybody who knows anything about interior design in general or follows great historic designers. I mean, Dorothy Draper was a uh like part of the reason there is interior designers today. I mean, she was way ahead of her time doing her thing, and it was very distinct her thing. You know, she her style was very distinct. The way that she put color and pattern together and the beautiful mealwork details that she created were amazing, and the greenbriar showcases that beautifully. It's so incredibly well thought out, it's so unexpected, it's absolutely beautiful, but it is crumbling. It's really sad. I they are not maintaining it to the stand to anywhere near the standard that it should be maintained. And and we have been three times to the Green Briar, about three years apart each visit. Um, and we were just there last this summer, and so you can literally see it become a little more crumbly deteriorating. Yes, every time we go. And and like this time, I we had this wonderful room that overlooked the front lawn, and it was a clear day, but I didn't feel like I was getting like great sunlight in there, and so I just took my w washcloth and I rubbed it on the inside of my window, and it was black, like the interior windows hadn't been cleaned in forever. Right?

Melissa 20:47

Oh no. You are, I mean, that sounds disgusting. You are exceptionally tidy though.

Todd 20:53

I I am, I am, but I mean, come on, like I mean, once every nine years you could clean the interior windows, especially if you're like a landmark yes hotel.

Melissa 21:04

So why is that happening?

Todd 21:06

Well, because this billionaire senator, or used to be governor of West Virginia, owns it, and he has succeeded at running it into the ground because I don't know why these rich guys think that they have the ability to run a place like that when they have never had that experience. I mean, yeah, to to want to buy it to preserve it is the noblest of causes, but if you don't have the team in place, the knowledge to be able to do it.

Melissa 21:47

You actually know how to run a hotel.

Todd 21:49

Yeah. And then we drove over to the homestead, which is another beautiful landmark, you know, kind of mountain hotel. Um and the The last time we were there, actually we had hadn't been there in quite some time, but it was sort of a little run down. The Omni has bought it and totally transformed it. It's absolutely beautiful. The property's pristine, the food was good.

Melissa 22:17

Um you have a hospitality group behind it and like actually run it.

Todd 22:23

But at this point, the greenbrier is so big, and I mean, it would be expensive to maintain. I mean, there's no question that it would be expensive to maintain, but the rooms are expensive. And on everything you buy there, there's a 7%, I think it's 7%, it's at least 7%, um, historic preservation tax. So if you buy a shirt.

Melissa 22:49

Above and beyond like a state tax?

Todd 22:50

Yes. Yes. If you buy a shirt, if you buy dinner, if you buy anything on the property, it has that percentage added to it. And that's on top of your room rate.

Melissa 23:02

Oh, I hate that.

Todd 23:03

Yeah. That would have been so they're collecting this money, which I mean I'm sure they're using, but I don't know. It's just not run well. Like fountains are dry, you know.

Melissa 23:14

Is that like a major ick?

Influencer Culture Versus Real Experiences

Todd 23:16

That's sort of a major ick for me. If I look out and I see this beautiful thing that should have water in it and bubblers or, you know, water coming out of a fish's mouth. I want to see that, right? That's sort of like this is not if I'm not seeing that, then I want to see somebody out there with a trowel and plaster fixing it, right? So I know that it's right gonna be repaired.

Melissa 23:37

Okay, so you do you pay attention to like all- Oh, I pay attention to all that in in the hotels 100%.

Todd 23:45

And I'm inspired by the hotels, but it's not where I start my journey for for where to stay. Yeah, exactly. That's fair.

Melissa 23:53

So then, okay, we talked a little bit about like traveling. Um, I again I just saw something that was saying, you know, how Americans, especially when we used to travel or get on a plane, you would be um, you would when you used to travel and get on a plane, you'd be like dressed up. Yes. You would look very, you know. Yes. It would maybe not like your finest clothes, but you would look very lovely and you know, put together. And now because of athleisure and all of that, I feel like when you walk through the airport, it's like people are disgusting.

Todd 24:25

I I do not want to see your juicy couture uh sweat pants on the airplane. I don't want to see your fat feet on the airplane, you know, in flip-flops. I I I don't get it. I I anyway, I don't think you have to wear a suit and tie. I certainly don't, but I mean I try to look tidy and presentable. And one thing that I've discovered is you are treated based on the way that you look.

Melissa 24:58

Oh my gosh, I tell my staff that all the time. Like perception is reality. Yes. And so yes.

Todd 25:04

Yes. So if you present yourself in a nice way, you will get more respect than if you are wearing, you know, cutoffs and a tank top and flip-flops. You know, and have all of your stuff coming out of a Walmart bag. You know, I I do not get that. I I have literally been in line behind somebody who had like plastic Kroger bags with their stuff in it, right?

Melissa 25:34

Yeah, that's terrible.

Todd 25:35

Terrible. I mean, and I mean, you don't have to have a piece of designer luggage, but I mean surely there's something available to you that a backpack. Yes. Something.

Melissa 25:46

So okay, when people are traveling, what is food on the plane.

Todd 25:50

Like, if people have gone to, you know, Whataburger or wherever and gotten something and then or uh Chipotle or wherever, and then they bring that on and they open it up, and the whole place smells like a kitchen in a Mexican restaurant. No, I cannot deal with that.

Melissa 26:08

So you don't bring food on the plane?

Todd 26:10

No.

Melissa 26:11

Well, you're sitting in first class, so you're getting like champagne and caviar and not caviar.

Todd 26:18

You can do champagne, and maybe on like a flight that's two hours, you'll get offered, you know, their little tray of snacks, you know, yeah, a bag of sun chips that have three chips in it. Right. Or a banana. But um, it is not a three-course meal.

Melissa 26:37

Okay, so how about this trend? Have you seen where people are wearing face masks? Like they're getting on the plane and they're putting like a face mask on, and then they've got like, have you seen this?

Todd 26:47

Like no, like what kind of face mask?

Melissa 26:49

Like, you know, the unfoldable, like the LED? No, no, no, no, no. Like the ones that are in the bag that are like, and you just like attach them to your face.

Todd 26:58

Oh my god. I I mean, come on, do that in the privacy of your own home.

Melissa 27:02

It's a thing right now. People are literally like setting up this whole thing, they're and they're like sitting the.

Packing Smart: Luggage, Cubes, And Systems

Todd 27:08

I mean, if I was on a transcontinental flight and that was part of my evening routine, then maybe, right? Maybe I would I would put my little eye patches on while I watch my movie, but I mean, Knoxville to Denver, I mean, and you're doing that on your allegiance flight. Yeah, exactly. No. No.

Melissa 27:29

It is a thing. Watch for it. When next time you get on the plane, look for it and see. They're like, they're doing it. There's all these like TikTokers and Instagrams.

Todd 27:38

See, that's the thing about social media in general. I think it makes trends rampant.

Melissa 27:44

Yes.

Todd 27:45

Right.

Melissa 27:46

La Boo Boo.

Todd 27:47

Yeah, exactly. And have you ever seen anything disappear off the planet so fast?

Melissa 27:51

Yeah, I was just talking with my kids about it this morning. Like, they're gone.

Todd 27:54

Gone.

Melissa 27:55

Although I will say again, like, I think Instagram has kind of ruined that because we went to La Saranus, La Sarranus in Positano. And it was beautiful.

Todd 28:04

Beautiful hotel.

Melissa 28:05

Have you been?

Todd 28:05

No, I haven't, but I that's a place that I would like to go. But again, that is a place that I feel like you have to go and sit and stay at that hotel, really.

Melissa 28:15

So I did not like Positano, like it was too touristy. So I like to not feel like I have to do anything or like it's not like a tourist trap or whatever. Yeah. And I think that's what Positano has like turned into.

Todd 28:29

Right.

Melissa 28:30

So like it wasn't for me. Um, there's like this huge restaurant that everyone just thought was amazing. And we were sitting there, and some people had just eaten like behind us, and they were saying something about like comparing it to Olive Garden. And I made the joke of like, oh, these Americans, you know, like being so rude, and then we ate it, and I was like, Oh, like this is you know, not authentic Italian food, which is why I would go.

Todd 28:56

Like, I want the the authentic experience. Yes. Well, like last year we were in uh Nice, and uh I had seen on Instagram, I found this restaurant because of Instagram. It's called La Plongeois. It's uh like built on this big rock, and there's a big diving board at the top of it. Oh, cool. And it's kind of like out over the water, you know, the w rock comes out over the walk uh out of the water, and the restaurant's built on top of the rock. And um, so I wanted to go because it looked like it was absolutely beautiful. And the food was actually really good. We had a really nice lunch there. It's difficult to get a reservation, um, but everybody was like, please do that. I hate that posing in front of the rail. It's so disrespectful to the other people.

Melissa 29:49

I agree, and I think hotels need to do this. Is my personal my pet peeve, right? I think they need to do a better job about like if you're going to offer collabs, like having some sort of stipulation, because same thing, when we were at last hour news, there was this girl, and I'm talking for hours, was just moving her tripod around the pool, and I'm like, this is so annoying.

Todd 30:09

Like, and then you know, being on the Washington influencer, or was she like Cheryl from Johnson City?

Melissa 30:15

Right. Well, exactly. I don't know, but I was, you know, being on this side of things, I'm thinking like, and this is what's so fake because she's staging her body and she's doing all of these things, and that's not authentically what's happening, right?

Todd 30:29

Like it's so you're and you're missing the experience by trying to record it that way to me.

Melissa 30:38

Yeah, I think it's better to just be authentic, kind of the way you do, and you're just like, hey, this is what I'm doing, this is what I ate, this is whatever, and then it's like end. You're not like okay, let me set up the perfect lighting and the perfect in Paris in December.

What’s In The Bag And Daily Essentials

Todd 30:53

I mean, Ralph Lauren there is one of our favorite restaurants because it's just a it's a little bit of a French twist on classic American food, and it's always it's very predictable, like you know what you're getting, it's gonna be good. It's gonna be amazing, and the setting could not be any more gorgeous. You know, it's classic Ralph, beautiful courtyard, beautiful mais that mansion, whatever you want to call it, that it's in. It's old and incredibly restored and spectacularly beautiful. And we're having dinner there, the two of us, in this wonderful little court corner booth by the fireplace. While we are eating, there are two different couples who come in and sit at the table for two next to us. The first couple was less obvious about it. Like they came in, they got seated, and then sh the camera comes out, and they order like one appetizer.

Melissa 31:48

To just fake like they were eating there.

Todd 31:50

To fake like they were eating there.

Melissa 31:52

I hate that.

Todd 31:53

Literally, they ordered one appetizer, and he took a thousand pictures of her, you know, eating, and then they left. And then ten minutes later, another couple is seated there. They didn't even order. They just took pictures, they just took pictures, and then they got up and left. That like holding up the menu, and it's not like the food is not something that would appeal to everyone. Like, you're not gonna go in there and say, There's nothing on this menu I can eat. And they would make, I think they would make you anything you wanted, you know, basically. And um they just left, and it's also not expensive, so they were just doing it for content. They were just doing it for content.

Melissa 32:41

I hate that.

Todd 32:42

And it's you know two people during one meal.

Melissa 32:46

Yeah, that's crazy. Yeah, is that a pet peeve of yours now?

Todd 32:49

Which is what I mean, I just it just I just kind of noticed stuff like that. Bobby noticed the first one. I didn't I didn't pay as much attention to the first one because they actually had something to pay for. Yeah. Labeled. I mean, an appetizer. Right. And plus, that's so disrespectful to the restaurant because you're occupying that table, and there's a limited number of seats in that restaurant.

Melissa 33:14

Well, and as a former server, or or you know Yes, you're messing with that. They're messing with that, and they can only make so much they can only turn their table server.

Todd 33:21

You're up.

Melissa 33:22

That is true.

Todd 33:23

The servers are paid. Like, and often offended if you leave a tip.

Melissa 33:30

Yes. Or what's worse is, and I think Americans are terrible about this, is they'll leave like US dollars, and then you know, then they have the servers have.

Todd 33:41

That's so disrespectful.

Melissa 33:42

So rude. It really is. Because think about it, the equivalent, if somebody came here and left you euros, yes, like that's so annoying.

Todd 33:51

It's so much a pain.

Melissa 33:52

Yes, yes, but that's like a big thing. Actually, one of the hotels that we stayed at in um Italy last year, the owner left like a comment on Instagram about like Americans doing this, and I was like, I I'm I made a terrible mistake when we were in London.

HSAs, Travel Finances, And A Tidy Wrap

Todd 34:09

Uh, we I had some old uh bills from England. And so I when we got there, I tipped the valet, the uh the doorman, the bellman, all with this old money. And then we were out at dinner and I tried to use it to pay for dinner, and they're like, we don't take this anymore.

Melissa 34:36

Oh, because they're not in there in you now.

Todd 34:38

Well, no, it was it was pounds, but it was old paper pounds. Oh because it had been like 15 years since we had been to London, and um, so we had we got we had to go to the post office and exchange it for new money.

Melissa 34:56

That's an honest mistake too.

Todd 34:57

I felt awful though that I'd given those guys, you know.

Melissa 35:01

Yeah. They're like, oh, this American. Yeah, exactly.

Todd 35:04

What an idiot who doesn't know what he's doing, and I didn't, it would be it was an honest mistake.

Melissa 35:08

Right, yeah.

Todd 35:08

But that's different than just being too like lazy to get you know, another thing that I think Americans miss in travel, especially to Europe, is just simple courtesy. Um instead of going up to some one and saying, Do you know where X is you should greet them and say, Pardon me, excuse me, sir, I'm visiting your city. It's so pretty, we are a little bit lost. Could you tell us where?

Melissa 35:42

X.

Todd 35:43

Yeah, yeah. They want a little bit more courtesy than Americans are used to giving. And so I think your experience in Europe especially is directly correlated to how you treat the people there.

Melissa 35:59

Agreed.

Todd 36:00

Yeah.

Melissa 36:00

And and I think though it it goes far if you're even acknowledging like trying to.

Todd 36:07

If you're trying to, yeah, exactly. And you're not just, you know, this like entitled American in sweatpants and cutoffs or whatever. Right.

Melissa 36:17

So then when you travel, what um like how do you pack? Are you like a check check, a huge bag?

Todd 36:25

It depends on where we're going and what we're doing. So New York, three nights, I would try to do it all carry-on. You know? Uh, and uh like if you buy stuff in New York, you just ship it, right? You ship all the stuff back.

Melissa 36:40

I mean, I haven't been in 13 years.

Todd 36:43

Well, we need to go.

Melissa 36:43

I know. And have pancakes. Yes, let's do it.

Todd 36:46

But uh uh it like Key West, I'll probably we're there long enough where we'll probably share a check bag.

Melissa 36:57

Okay.

Todd 36:57

You know.

Melissa 36:58

Do you wear flip-flops?

Todd 37:00

I don't really wear flip-flops ever. I have a few pairs of Birken socks, but I hardly ever wear them. And I would never wear them on a plane.

Melissa 37:07

I do. I won't when I travel with you. I'm from Florida though, so I literally wear flip-flops everywhere. Like all the time.

Todd 37:19

You have nice feet though.

Melissa 37:20

Oh, thank you. I mean, I always keep them like a pedicure, you know?

Todd 37:24

Yeah.

Melissa 37:24

But I do, I love a flip-flop. That's maybe that's my like um I don't know.

Todd 37:31

I think it's kind of like out in public, barefoot. I don't know.

Melissa 37:35

Okay. See, I'm more like, you know, it's like surfer vibes. I grew up on an island. I'm like, you know, I'm always gonna, I don't know. But I do when I wear them in Knoxville, like people definitely think it's weird. So I need to not wear them anymore. Jake just wore them in Marco too.

Todd 37:55

I mean, I wear them some, but it's not my regular thing.

Melissa 37:59

I mean, I'm gonna buy you a pair of reefs and you can try them.

Todd 38:03

I will probably not wear those.

Melissa 38:04

You probably will not. Okay, so um we just did a thing about your new bag. Do you wear, do you wear? Do you have like luxury suitcases and things? Okay, so um Is that like worth okay, go ahead. Yeah.

Todd 38:21

Is that worth it?

Melissa 38:22

Well, I was gonna say, is that like something that you invest in?

Todd 38:25

Yes.

Melissa 38:26

Okay.

Todd 38:26

And um so we both have a Ramoa bag. The Ramoa carry-on, you've seen it. Yep. Uh Bobby's is green, it's beautiful actually, and mine is just the basic silver one. And we got those because we were on a trip with some friends of ours and they had it. It's called the Cabin Plus. And they had everything they needed for three days in New York in those bags. And, you know, I'm carrying a like, I don't remember the brand, but it was just a basic rollerboard and a little carry-on, and we still had to have a check bag that we shared. Yeah, right. And the check bag wasn't full by any stretch of the imagination, but it just wasn't we had too much to get in those our little carry-ons, and so um the way that those things are organized and allow you to pack, not every suitcase that looks like that is created the same way on the inside, right? And I love their trunks and stuff for travel, but we don't have one because they get so beat up.

Melissa 39:26

Beat up, yeah.

Todd 39:28

But we have Tumi luggage that we use for check bags, and like I like the like for going to Europe, we got a great big one and then another one that fits inside it, so we can pack going to Europe in the one that fits inside.

Melissa 39:43

And then take stuff home.

Todd 39:44

And have an empty suitcase to bring stuff back.

Melissa 39:47

Yeah, we did that too. I think investing in nice luggage is as an adult, you should do that. Like it well, if you're someone that travels.

Todd 39:54

Yeah. Like or a nice, like but the way that the the nicer luggage is, you know, the the cheap stuff I think is like a shoebox on the inside. It's just a box that you cram stuff into. The the organization in these nicer suitcases makes a big difference in the efficiency and what you can get inside it and the way that's organized.

Melissa 40:14

I agree. I recently just got like a couple of pieces and it has changed travel for me. Like it's so, like it's so worth it. I wish it would have done it sooner. Like that's something I think is right. And I do travel all the time for work. So having like exactly what you're saying, like compartments and it works really well. Do you use packing cubes?

Todd 40:35

I do. Yeah.

Melissa 40:37

I want to just like watch you pack one time, like just see.

Todd 40:40

And and those nicer suitcases come with the with the things.

Melissa 40:44

With the things in them.

Todd 40:45

Mine, mine came with a couple of bags and like a couple of but like if you're winter travel, I think, is harder because you're packing like sweaters and they're bulky. But like with those cubes, you can smash all the air out of it, you know, and you can get like a pack more, yeah.

Melissa 41:01

Good.

Todd 41:01

Yeah.

Melissa 41:02

So then when you okay, so if you're when you're going to Palm Springs.

Todd 41:05

Yes.

Melissa 41:06

So you're going to check a bag?

Todd 41:08

Um, we probably will check a bag. We'll probably check one bag between us there.

Melissa 41:13

And then you'll have like a roller. Do you use a roller bag?

Todd 41:15

Yeah. I'll have a roller bag, yeah.

Melissa 41:18

And then like a designer.

Todd 41:20

Maybe I have a designer bag that I carry with that if I've got to take my computer or you know, sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

Melissa 41:29

So that's what I was gonna say. Like, what's in your bag? Like what's in your bag all the time, every day? Like your go-to things that are in there.

Todd 41:36

Like that are in the bag that I carry to work?

Melissa 41:38

Yeah.

Todd 41:38

Well, I mean, I can get it and we can go through it.

Melissa 41:40

Yeah, do it. I want to see what's in your bag right now. Okay, so you know what's so funny? I saw something that like I don't carry a bag hardly ever. Like, I have my little Gucci like coin purse with my with my cards in it, whatever. And I saw that, like, there's again, like this thing, and it's like the less that you have, like, the more um like carefree you are.

Todd 42:04

There's truth to that. I think it's there's totally truth to that. You're dragging around a bunch of luggage and baggage, and right, yeah. It represents more than just stuff that you think you need on this trip.

Melissa 42:14

Right.

Todd 42:14

There's definitely truth to that.

Melissa 42:16

But what's in here?

Todd 42:17

Okay, this is my this is my bag I carry to work, right?

Melissa 42:20

The new the new Peace Law Resistance. So And so will you take this like on a plane?

Todd 42:28

I would, but uh probably not to anywhere that I'm going currently. I would take something else.

Melissa 42:35

Like when we go to market, you'll take this.

Todd 42:38

I would take that, yeah. Okay, yeah. Okay.

Melissa 42:41

Designer and designer and designer. I mean, like, come on.

Todd 42:45

So this is because I need it um an extra belt. No, I needed it downtown later, and I'm not gonna be here.

Melissa 42:54

So it's in there because you won't normally have an extra belt.

Todd 42:58

No, I don't.

Melissa 42:59

But you wear a belt every day.

Todd 43:01

I do wear a belt every day. And this one's really pretty. Look at the buckle.

Melissa 43:03

Oh, dang.

Todd 43:04

Right?

Melissa 43:04

Yeah.

Todd 43:05

So um like that. Okay, there's that.

Melissa 43:07

Is that new?

Todd 43:08

Uh this past year.

Melissa 43:11

Okay.

Todd 43:11

Uh, fabric swatch. That this represents something I've got to write up for a client. I've got to find an ottoman, and this is the fabric that goes on it. Uh, my little book.

Melissa 43:22

A little black book.

Todd 43:23

Yes. Um, and this, like this briefcase did not have anything to organize stuff on the inside of it.

Melissa 43:31

It doesn't have packing cubes.

Todd 43:33

Yes, so this is my packing cube. So in here is my mint. I have an extra cologne, uh uh little breath mint things. There's some dental floss, these things that I take from my stomach sometimes.

Melissa 43:46

I don't know why I'm shocked that you have like multiple types of mouth. I don't know why that's so that's in there.

Todd 43:56

Uh dental floss?

Melissa 43:58

Dental floss.

Todd 43:58

Yeah. My cow. Cylinder, uh, my reading glasses.

Melissa 44:03

I mean, even this is let me see this. Even this is super organized.

Todd 44:08

Notepads, my computer. Yeah, these are cute. All this work that I have to do that I haven't done, you know, stuff I've got to draw or write up for people. And then, like, this is a new more fabrics. This is another project I've got to price. This is a project that's half priced. Um that I'm waiting on people to get back to me for, and then this is a project I've got to start, and then here's a quote for roofing that we've got to have done on our house, another more work that we've got to do.

Melissa 44:40

But I mean, even this is very organized.

Todd 44:42

It's it is kind of organized, but I mean it's just sort of all stuck in there.

Melissa 44:48

I don't know what I was expecting.

Todd 44:50

So that's what is in my bag every day, a version of that.

Melissa 44:55

So always mince that or like that would be like your go-to thing.

Todd 44:59

Uh huh.

Melissa 45:00

And a belt. Yeah. I would die laughing if you were like, I always carry an extra belt.

Todd 45:04

No, I do not always carry an extra belt. Usually my belt's not gonna break. This is I just know I'm gonna need that later. So there it is.

Melissa 45:12

So now it's time to pack up and go on a trip.

Todd 45:15

Yeah.

Melissa 45:16

Look at this how it has the embossed.

Todd 45:18

I know it's really pretty. They did a nice job with that.

Melissa 45:22

Well, thanks for sharing with me.

Todd 45:23

Oh, you're welcome. Now, what's in your bag?

Melissa 45:26

Uh well, I told you I don't have one. I can't do it. Because it's a little thing. I just have but see, I always have like a bunch of stuff in my pockets. I have my credit card, like my health savings card, because I just took my kid to the doctor. Yes. And then like a little bit of cash. And then I always have a lipstick. Like I always have a lipstick or something.

Todd 45:46

Do you use that? I don't know how to use the health savings account.

Melissa 45:50

Um, yeah, so money automatically goes into it, and then it's tax-free.

Todd 45:56

Right.

Melissa 45:56

And then, but you can only use it on certain things. So then you can pay for like dentist appointments or like I've been putting it in for years, but I've never used any of it. Oh, you've got to use it. You do you have like a credit card that it goes with it? See, we have like a debit card. So then, like, when I go to the dentist, if I have a thing that I have to pay for, or if I go to the dentist, you can use that.

Todd 46:18

I did not know that. I need to work on that.

Melissa 46:21

Yeah, because then there's probably so much money in there.

Todd 46:24

Yeah. I need to work on it.

Melissa 46:26

We were saving it for like braces, you know, like our kids' braces and like the I thought it was for like um more retirement.

Todd 46:35

Like when you retired and you needed more.

Melissa 46:37

I think you can use it for that too.

Todd 46:39

Yeah.

Melissa 46:39

And then you're not like, yeah.

Todd 46:41

Right.

Melissa 46:41

It just has to be used on like health things. And I always I knew that. I like press the like walk the line, because I'll be like, well, I'm getting this Botox. Right. I'll be like, I'm getting. I just asked my husband literally this scar that I'm getting lasered off. I was like, Do you think I can use the health savings? He's like, I don't think so. That's cosmetic. And I'm like, well, we could try.

Todd 47:02

Yeah. Botox, I get it done as a dermatologist.

Melissa 47:05

For headaches.

Todd 47:06

Yeah.

Melissa 47:07

You know? There's always a gray area. Right. So then you can like, you know, I'm sure you can probably go to jail for that though.

Todd 47:15

Probably. And that that's one thing I I have a really good accountant who makes sure that I don't do stuff like that.

Melissa 47:20

Same, because that's I think my biggest fear. Like doing something on accident and then getting in like really big trouble.

Todd 47:25

Right.

Melissa 47:26

And going to jail for it.

Todd 47:27

Right.

Melissa 47:27

I would not do, I would not farewell in jail.

Todd 47:32

Me either.

Melissa 47:33

Well, this was fun. Thank you for having me.

Todd 47:35

Well, thanks for thanks for being here.

Melissa 47:37

Yeah, and then next time we'll do, I don't know, something else.

Todd 47:40

Yeah.

Melissa 47:41

Something that I can call.

Todd 47:42

Okay. I know, you're brilliant when it comes to that.

Melissa 47:45

Say more. Say it again. I'm just kidding. Well, thank you. Bye.