My "O" My! We're In O Magazine Again!

Christmas came early for us here at Lug! Our brilliant Cartwheel Fitness/Overnight Bag made Oprah's coveted O List in the January issue of O, the Oprah Magazine! We couldn't be more excited! (Hence all the exclamation marks.) The issue is on newsstands now, so pick up your copy today (makes great holiday travel reading)! And if you haven't checked out all the amazing features this bag has to offer (like the smart front patch that stores a yoga mat!), head to our web site to get all the deets. Go here to find a store near you!

Frommer's Travel Giveaway Reminder

I was just perusing the Lug web site (something I do regularly and highly recommend), and I was just reminded of the absolutely travel-tastic giveaway from Frommer's! Win a trip for two to South Korea. That's seven nights, eight days, and a value of nearly $5,000! But, really, who could put a price on the experience? Want to know what's even better? You can enter once a day! You've got until December 31, 2011 to enter to your heart's content. Click here to enter. Good luck! (Here are the official rules.)

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

But just barely! I know some people have their shopping wrapped up in the warmer months, and, honestly, I do think about gifts for loved ones all year long. But I guess the key word in that sentence is "think." So, here it is, December 2, and I've got basically ALL of my Christmas shopping to do. Luckily, I love shopping and, of course, Lug. So, here are a few ideas I've come up with.

For mom: For my petite mom, I thought the Mambo Sun Tote would be a perfect fit. She'll get the big bag for all her stuff, but it's so lightweight, it won't weight her down.

For dad: This one's easy. He just picked up a new laptop, so it's the Delta Laptop Sleeve for him. Done, and done!

For brother: The Shuttle Bus Weekender is a great choice, since he's going on a skiing trip this winter. He'll be able to pack all his bulky clothes with no trouble.

For sister-in-law: The Two-Step Cosmetic Case. I'm thinking I'll fill it will fun lip glosses and cosmetics for double the fun!

For husband: It's always fun to get a new camera, so I think I'll slip one in the Flash Digital Case for another double gift.

This whole gift-giving thing is a piece of cake! We'd love to hear your Christmas gift-giving ideas. Leave a comment and let us know your favorite Lug gifts!

Thanksgiving and Beyond

This year we had a delicious US Thanksgiving full of cakes, casseroles (family recipes, of course), and lots of turkey. Three to be exact: smoked, roasted, and deep fried. Yum. We even discovered a delicious "mock-tail" recipe. So delicious, in fact, that I thought I'd send along the recipe (and a picture of the "ice ring"!).

Ingredients:
2 (2 liter) bottles of ginger ale, chilled
1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice, chilled
1 (64 fluid ounce) bottle white grape juice, chilled
Fruit or edible flowers

Directions:
1. Make the decorative ice ring.
a) Fill a ring-shaped cake pan to 1/2 with ginger ale.
b) Freeze until partially frozen. At this stage you can place edible flowers or pieces of fruit around the ring. (Decorate to your heart's content!)
c) Fill the pan with ginger ale and freeze until solid.
d) Place in the punch bowl just before serving.
2. Combine 1 bottle of ginger ale, pineapple juice, and white grape juice, and enjoy!

So, we ate. We drank. And now ... we work out. We're on the home stretch of our fitness challenge, with only a couple of weeks to really kick it into high gear. Our luggers have until December 12 to make it across the Lug Fit Club map. Who will win? Sure, the right answer is that we've all won because we're all more fit than when we started, yada, yada, yada. ... But that competitive spirit is strong on the Lug team, and our Luggers are sure to make it a close race to the tape! We'll keep you posted!

Lug Tackles Turkey Day Grocery Shopping with Style

Today I tackled the grocery store. Normally, it's a lovely experience. I go on Monday morning (or whenever I think the least amount of people will be there), and I take my time, smell the produce, taste the samples. Not today. Today is two days before Thanksgiving. Today, the grocery store was a zoo! Luckily, I came prepared. Of course, I had my list and my plan of attack, but better yet, I had the right bags for the shopping spree. I packed several of my Eco Shoppers—I never leave home without at least one. But I think my smartest move of the day was to grab my Somersault Shoulder Pouch, and here's why.
1. I kept it slung across my body the whole time. This proved key because I could walk away from my cart without having to worry about my purse/wallet. And I'm glad I didn't have to wind my cart through the crazy crowds I was battling.
2. Carrying the lightweight bag the whole time freed up valuable cart space, so I was able to take one of those smaller buggies, thus, making me super agile. I was bobbin' and weavin' like a pro athlete in there!
3. The messenger-style satchel kept my hands free to shop, pack, and load my bags without the hassle of having to grab a purse.
4. Also, I looked cute. A point never to be overlooked. 

The Somersault was my savior today. Do you have a similar story? We'd love to hear it. Let us know how you and Lug tackle everyday adventures.

Lug Contest! Win a Lug Bag Signed by Howie D!

That's right! You could be the lucky winner of your very own Lug bag signed by Backstreet Boy Howie D, and (Yes, there's an and!) you'll also be getting a signed copy of his just-released debut solo album, Back to Me. It's easy to enter. Just tell us why you should win. That's it. Easy as pie. Check out our Facebook page here for all the info you need. Good luck Luggers!

What's In Your Bag: Cartwheel Edition

We all know the Cartwheel makes an amazing gym bag. I use mine every time I go to the yoga studio (some months that's a lot; others, not so much ... but I digress). But if there's anything you should know about Lug at this point, it's that we LOVE versatility. So, this installment of "What's In Your Bag" is about the Cartwheel as a carry-on. It has become my go-to carry-on for a lot of reasons: it's super lightweight, it's got that front pouch that I can stuff my sweater or travel blanket through, and it's certainly roomy enough to handle everything I need. Plus, it's got that luggage strap that I slip over the handle of my roller bag. See. Lots of reasons. So, without further ado. Here's what's in my bag:

1. Snacks. Girl's gotta eat. I store them in the ventilated compartment on the back.
2. UCB Travel Blanket and Pillow set, slipped through the front patch. I always get cold on flights.
3. Glasses—both the reading and sun variety.
4. Shoes. Why can't I ever fit all my shoes in the suitcase? Luckily there's the drawstring pouch to the rescue.
5. Camera. I store it in it's own small case, which fits nicely in the bag.
6. My Kindle. I've spoken of my adoration for it before.
7. My Planner. If it's not in there, it's not happening.
8. Hairbrush. Girl's gotta look good (especially after taking a nice nap with her UCB during the flight).
9. Keys. They hook onto to the removable Lug key fob, which is attached to the inside of the bag. It's reassuring to always know your keys are safe and sound. 
10. Lip gloss. I'm addicted.

I think that's it. Hopefully you can see a little bit of where everything goes from the picture. It looks like a ton of stuff when it's outside of the bag, but once you pack it, there's still a ton of room, which is how I like it. I always leave a little wiggle room to pick up some girlie magazines at the newsstand.

That's what's in my bag. What's in your bag? E-mail me at katie@luglife.com, and let me know!