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!

Lug Line Dances ... Yee-haw!

Our Lug Fit Club is still going strong, but sometimes doing the same thing over and over gets a little, well, uninspiring. That's why we mixed it up with some heart-pumpin', rootin' tootin' country-and-western line dancing! And let me tell ya, it's a workout for your brain as well as your body! We had a blast, as you can see from all the pictures. Even our beloved mascot, Brooklyn, got in on the fun.

But now we want to know, What do you do to mix up your workout routine?

Lug Supports the Teddy Bear Affair ...

... and has a fabulous time attending the black-tie party!

Last Saturday night, four Luggers had the pleasure of attending the 25th annual Teddy Bear Affair, benefiting the Children's Aid Foundation. It's always a thrill to support a great cause, and it's just icing on the cake when we get to attend a fabulous black-tie affair, complete with celebrities to ogle! Which celebrities, you say? Why, acclaimed chef Jamie Kennedy and Grammy-nominated artist Jarvis Church! Don't believe us? Check out the pictures! (Yes, we were total fans and had to get pictures!) Again, it's always fun to have a good time while supporting a good cause. Visit the Children's Aid Foundation site for more information about their worthwhile mission.

 Luggers pictured making a Jamie Kennedy sandwich: Marlene, Freda, Laura, Kanae.

Customer Innovation: Tuk Tuk

We love designing bags that are super functional. It makes us happy. You know what else makes us happy? When our awesome fans write to us with innovative uses for our bags. Check out how this creative customer carries her Tuk Tuk.

"My baby is a handful and sometimes you just need your hands free. What I discovered with this bag is that you can actually make the shoulder strap full length and loop in between the carry handles in the center and then clip each clip to the regular D rings they normally hook to. This way, you can slip it on like a backpack!!! it works and everyone gasps in amazement!"

If you use your bag in an innovative way, please let us know! Send a message to katie@luglife.com so we can share your creativity with the Lug community.

Lug Had a Happy Halloween!

The whole Lug gang really got into the Halloween spirit this year. And I've got the pictures to prove it! We hope y'all had a spooky, silly, and supremely happy Halloween, just like us!