Episode 23 – Thanksgiving/Planes, Trains & Automobiles
Colleen & Catie’s Picks for Thanksgiving
Colleen
Place to Fly to: Any place warm! I always wanted to go to a beach location for Thanksgiving. Why not, right?
Place to Drive to: The Grand Geneva in WI. Great place on the Friday after Thanksgiving to just drive and enjoy the resort. Grand Geneva is also offering a Thanksgiving Day Brunch this year!
Place to take the Train to: NYC to Baltimore via Amtrak – Great way to travel for longer trips.
You get to see more of the countryside or city than by car or plane
Favorite Thanksgiving Pastime: Taking a nap in the afternoon of Thanksgiving!
Favorite Thanksgiving Food: Do I just need one? Dark meat (not the white), stuffing, corned casserole, green bean casserole and a dollop of cranberries (the canned kind –not homemade). But we always have to have the jello canned kind AND the cranberry (berry) canned kind. It was a compromise in my parent’s marriage to have both. My husband also added red cabbage (a German specialty and a tribute to his heritage) to our homemade Thanksgiving meal. It is nice to add a new tradition.
Catie
Place to Fly to: I normally do not fly but I have always wanted to go to Colorado or even abroad for Thanksgiving. In Denver there’s the Mile High United Way Turkey Trot and the Grand Illumination holiday lighting the day after Thanksgiving.
Place to Drive to: We drive to our relatives house or the Lake house.
Place to take the Train to: Downtown Chicago! You can catch Uncle Dan’s Thanksgiving Day Parade at 8am on State Street, From Congress to Randolph. There’s also Volunteer Opportunities in Chicago to help serve people in need dinner on Thanksgiving day
www.volunteermatch.org
Favorite Thanksgiving Pastime: Leftovers and going for a walk…preparing for black Friday shopping.
Favorite Thanksgiving Food: Turkey and cranberry jello mold.
Side note: The majority of the population’s favorite is Stuffing!
“What’s” with the “Trip Sisters”
What’s in Your Suitcase?
Tailgater Tire Table – Steel, powder-coated table that attaches to your SUV, van, trailer, and more. Perfect for camping or tailgating, it holds up to 50 lbs. The cost is $139.95 and can be purchased on Amazon, or visit tailgatertiretable.com for more information.
What’s on your phone?
SparkChess – An interactive Chess app that allows you to play games with people who you may not get to see at the holidays. It’s simple and easy to use, making it a great way for grandparents and kids to connect. SparkChess is available in both free and premium versions with touch screen. Premium version for Windows or Mac computer – $14.99, premium version for Android and iOS users – $6.99.
What’s the tip?
Tips for Traveling around Thanksgiving and the Holidays
Avoid peak travel days – The day before Thanksgiving is the biggest travel day of the year. Try traveling Thanksgiving morning or on Christmas Day to avoid the rush
Travel either really early or really late – Planes traveling earlier in the day are more likely to be on time, plus you’ll have more flight options if your flight is cancelled. If you can drive at night, there’s much less traffic, so you’ll get to your destination faster.
Mail your gifts or pack them unwrapped – Mailing your gifts ahead of time gives you one less thing to pack. If you want to bring your gifts, don’t wrap them. You can buy wrapping paper when you arrive at your destination, so the wrapping doesn’t get ruined along the way.
Thanksgiving Dinner Wine Tips (from Travel + Leisure)
Light reds and hearty whites will pull you through this challenge. They are the most versatile and go with the widest range of foods.
A touch of sweetness doesn’t hurt, and not just with your dessert wines. Don’t be afraid of a little residual sugar, which goes great with dishes like yams, not to mention the delicate taste of properly cooked turkey.
Rosé rocks. Pink is super-versatile, and it’s not just for summer. It can navigate yams with marshmallows (if you’re so inclined) and bacon-laden Brussels sprouts.
Sparkling wines go far on this day. They’re perfect at the table, not just for hors d’oeuvres and toasting. Too few people pull out the Champagne (or the Cava or the Prosecco) during meals, especially at this grand repast. A brut-style dry sparkler works with almost everything on the table.
Leave the heavy reds at home or in the cellar, and save them for the next month’s holiday dinners.
Don’t forget to chill the reds for at least a half hour before serving—always true anytime you want your red to show well, but especially true on a day you want to impress family and friends.
It’s a party, so open a bunch of bottles and pass them around. Give people options and let them decide what works.
