A New Travel Handbag & Tiffany Butterfly Glasses

See that chicken over there, the one running around without a head. It’s name is Susan. 😉 I’m sure that’s how I’ve looked the last few days as I’ve been running errands and completing last-minute preparations for my trip to Morocco.

I’m usually not a putter-offer, also known as a procrastinator. When I need to get something done, I usually get on it. But one thing I’ve been putting off for ages is getting new glasses. I have gas permeable, multi-focal contacts that I wear occasionally. Since they don’t totally correct the astigmatism in my left eye, I end up wearing my glasses a lot.

Shopping for glasses has always felt terrifying! I have built it up in my head to be this huge, scary monster. What if I chose the wrong frames? Glasses are expensive so the idea of having to wear glasses I don’t like or spending a lot of money to have them remade, always scares the willies out of me. Turns out, I’ve been worried for nothing.

The glasses I’ve been wearing for the past 10+ years are from Sams. I oddly ended up with two pairs because Sams accidentally made them twice, so they sold the second pair to me at a good discount. One day the pair I most often wore just randomly snapped in half. Gaaah! I was very thankful I had a spare pair, but I’ve lived in fear that one day the remaining pair would do the same!

 

As I’ve been preparing for this trip, I was thinking about how awful it would be if my one and only pair of glasses decided to snap in half like the other pair. I waited to the last minute to address this issue due to my fear of eyeglass shopping, but LensCrafters came through for me and got my new glasses ready in less than a week.

After your prodding in the comments on THIS post, I visited my eye doctor a couple of weeks ago. He said the beautiful, sparkling stream I saw on that very strange day, was definitely an ocular migraine. He added that it was interesting it had occurred the evening after I’d had a sinus/allergy related headache earlier in the day because he’s currently in the midst of a study looking into that very thing. Apparently, they aren’t expecting in their study to find that ocular migraines could have a connection to allergies or allergy-induced headaches, but that’s how my day had started before I had mine that evening. He did a thorough examination and pronounced my eyes to be very healthy with no signs of glaucoma or cataracts or anything like that. So, good news on that front!

Earlier in the week, with eyeglass prescription in hand, I visited a LensCrafter that’s just a couple of miles from my home. I was pretty impressed with how they measured for my glasses, technology today is pretty awesome! They had me look in the direction of a camera-like device and with one click, they had the measurements.The process has come a long way since I last got glasses.

It’s so hard choosing a frame because there are so many to pick from these days. My current glasses are frameless, except for across the very top, but the way they were designed, they were terrible about randomly catching my hair and breaking it off–painful and annoying!

These are glasses I ultimately settled on. I’m a huge Tiffany fan, love their jewelry. It was a bit of a leap for me to go from almost frameless glasses to an actual frame, but I decided to try something different. Thankfully, LensCrafters took a lot of the fear out of it with their pretty liberal exchange and return policy which states that new glasses and sunglasses can be returned for a refund or exchange within 90 days from the date of purchase. If I had realized they did that, I wouldn’t have waited so long to get glasses!

Oh, and if you have Triple A, you get 30% off everything, even off their top of the line best lenses, the Varilux lens. They didn’t ask to see proof that I had Triple A, though I did have my card with me. They just took me at my word.

Here’s how the glasses look on the side. I love, love, love the Swarovski crystal butterfly. I  Googled to compare pricing and found the frames for close to the same price as what I paid, here: Tiffany Eyeglasses. Mine are the 51 mm size.

So glad I’ll have reliable glasses for this upcoming trip. I’ll take my old ones as a backup, just in case.

 

The other new item I purchased for the Morocco trip is a new Travelon Bag. I’ve really enjoyed using my other bag below on previous trips, so I took a look to see what other styles they have available. (Bag below is available here: Travel Bag.)

 

This is the new style I just purchased, it should be arriving on Monday. I decided to go with a black one this time, just for something different.

 

This bag comes in a gazillion colors so it was really hard choosing. I made sure that it has all the same amazing features as my other bag: Cut-Proof shoulder strap so a bad guy can’t run by and cut it off my shoulder, RFID Protected Credit Card Pockets so no one can scan by the bag and get my credit card information, slash-proof pockets and a locking closure so no one can unzip it without my noticing. I love my other bag and can’t wait to try this one out.

If you like the look of this bag, it’s available here: Travel Bag. Be sure and read about all its great safety features that make it so perfect for worry-free travel.

 

Update: I love the look of blue one too, especially since I’ll be wearing jeans a lot on this trip, so I just ordered that one, too. Returns are free, so that will make it easy to return one. The tough part will be deciding which one to return! You’ll find it in blue here: Travel Bag.

 

Update Again:

Okay, just ordered this bag because it may be big enough to hold my DSLR camera with a lens on it, based on the reviews. I’ll compare them all and choose one to keep. Hope it comes in time to possibly use. This bag is available here: Anti-theft Travel Bag.

 

I have several posts planned, including a post sharing what clothes I’ll be packing for this trip. I can’t wait to share Morocco with you over the next couple of weeks!

When I travel, I always post a lot of photos on Instagram since it’s the easiest and fastest way to share. So, if you would like, you can follow me on Instagram here: Between Naps On The Porch. If you haven’t yet registered for Instagram, you can still check out the pictures I’ll be posting there each day by visiting the BNOTP blog and clicking on the little Instagram logo over on the sidebar. It’s the one that looks like a camera below.

Instagram is by far, my favorite social media. It’s pure eye-candy! I love searching for my favorite “subject” or topic there because there’s so much to see, no matter what your interest.

See you on Monday for Metamorphosis Monday, dear Friends!

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Comments

  1. Chris Bannard says

    I have used your new Travelon style bag for a while now. I works perfectly for travel and I am so pleased at how well it has “survived” me. Glad I chose this style because I do not like to carry everything I own in my handbag and I don’t like anything that feels heavy, The strap is comfortable and I love being hands free.

    • Chris, that is a very good point. I have the first one I showed and have thought about getting a larger one that could perhaps hold my camera, but not sure I really want to weigh it down that much.

  2. How excited you must be! Love, love your new glasses. The butterfly detail is awesome. I’m also loving the new travel bag in navy. Definitely a keeper!
    Have fun getting ready for another once in a lifetime trip. Can’t wait to hear all about it and see your pics.

    • Thanks, Anne! I love that little touch, too. I wish all the companies didn’t put their names on their glassware, but every pair of glasses I looked at had a company name/logo. I think my hair will mostly cover it, though. lol Can’t wait to share some pictures with you! XXX

  3. Linda Miller says

    I ordered the first Travelon bag pictured for a trip to Europe last year. My daughter in law ordered the hobo style and after seeing it I exchanged mine for the same. It was the perfect size for carrying all handbag essentials PLUS my DSLR and two lenses! I felt very secure using it with the locking closure and RFID protection. Love the side pouches for a water bottle and small umbrella. I used it again in the fall when we travelled to Italy. Have a great trip!

    • Thanks, Linda! I think I’ll order than one too, so I can compare and choose one. How big is your camera? My camera may be too lare/heavy to go in it with the big lens on it.

      • Linda Miller says

        The Travelon bag I ended up with is the cross body bucket. I think a cross body adds another level of security. I have a Canon t3i and I kept the kit lens attached and also had a wide angle lens in the bag, plus passport, sunglasses, some toiletries, etc (no wallet) with water bottle and umbrella in the outside pockets. My daughter in law had the same bag with a Nikon 7000 with two lenses. It was much lighter and more convenient than also carrying a camera bag. Hope that helps.

    • Linda, I just looked at this Travelon Hobo, but a reader answered a question saying it wasn’t an anti-theft bag. http://amzn.to/2lOnj3z
      Apparently, it’s not slash proof and I don’t thing the strap is cut proof. Maybe this was the one you bought. It’s holds a water bottle and I think it does have all the anti-theft features. Maybe I should get one that holds a water bottle since people try to not drink the water in Morocco. lol

  4. Susan, do you think your new handbag choice is large enough? Maybe you don’t need as much stuff as I do. I love your sharing your purchases with us. It’s like having our own personal shopper. If you like something, I usually also like it and love reading what you think about it. Hope you have a wonderful trip.

    • Thanks, Daphne! I know, I agonize over size, too. One part of me wants to keep it light and the other part of me wants it big enough to carry my camera. It’s too late for me to order a bigger one and have it arrive in time now, I think…but may look at a larger one for the future.

  5. Have an awesome trip! Can’t wait to follow you on Instagram.

  6. Jane Franks says

    I loved this post, Susan. I am a great fan of following friends who are travelling, especially overseas and/or to places I might not get to. I can’t do a lot of traveling right now, and this is my “fix”!! Your new glasses are really cool. I have the rimless ones too, Silhouette, and I love them because they are as light as a feather; I hate to give them up but I’ve thought I’d like to have some tortoise shell; they are so in right now. And yours look terrific. I also like your choice of the new travel bag. The navy is my favorite. It seems to have more life and say “fun”. I’m eager to follow your trip and find out more about Morocco when you return. Thanks for sharing! Jane xo

    • Oh, I’ve seen the silhouette glasses and they are sooo pretty! That’s the kind they carry at the doctor’s office where I had my appointment. Love those! I wouldn’t mind having a pair of the rimless ones, too. These are very different from what I was wearing, but I do like them. Thanks, Jane! Hope to post a lot of photos on Instagram and hopefully in some posts while I’m away. Hoping I have a good wifi connection in the hotels where we’ll be staying.

      • Jane Franks says

        The silhouettes are fabulous to wear. I sometimes forget I have them on! They are a bit pricey, though, and I feel I have to keep them longer to get my money’s worth. The good thing, though, if you ever chip are scratch a lens they replace it for the life of the glasses at no extra cost. Maybe all of them do that. I don’t know. But I’m glad I like them because I’ll be wearing them for awhile! I will be watching for your photos of Morocco!

  7. Love those glasses! I just ordered one of the bags for my trip to France next month. Thanks for the recommendation.

    • I love mine when I went to Italy. I always felt so secure and usually kept it on while dining so I didn’t have to worry about it sprouting feet and walking off. Enjoy your trip to France, Roxanne! It’s on my bucket list! 🙂

  8. Barbara Abbott says

    Even though I don’t comment often because I usually read on my phone, I am commenting today. I love love love your blog. I so enjoy your posts about your trips and purchases and family. I knew you would have your eyes checked carefully after the comments regarding your headaches and visual issues. I had similar ocular migraines for most of my 30s and 40s, often following painful sinus headaches. Since I have retired from teaching little ones, I raarely get the sinus problems that would last all winter, but I do occasionally have them triggered by smells and I still get the ocular migraines from strong changes in light. If there is snow on the ground and if strong sunlight is reflected into the house (often the case the day after a big snow), I have to wear sunglasses in the house as I move past windows. I know you must have been concerned when it happened because the first time I experienced one, my friend, a Nurse Practitioner, thought it might be a detached retina. Glad you have not had any more, do wear sunglasses as you travel, and have a delightful trip. Can’t wait to hear and see the pics about it. Thank you for the joy you bring into my life! BTW, those new glasses are gorgeous.

    • Thanks so much, Barbara! Your sweet comment made my day! ♥
      That would be so scary to have a detached retina and apparently when it happens, you have to address immediately or it can end up being very bad.
      Wow, that’s amazing about the snow. I can see how that could trigger them, though. I should have shown a photo of the sunglasses I wear. Walmart carries these sunglasses by Solar Shield that fit over the top of regular glasses. They are polarized and come in all sizes so there’s a pair for almost any shape/size of glasses. I love them have been using them for years. I found a pair this weekend that will fit over my new glasses so I should be all set for that Moroccan sun. 🙂

  9. Cyndi Raines says

    Glasses are pretty – you’ll be stunning! Like the anti-theft bag and I like the Cranberry color too as I’m always partial to reds! lol. When do you leave? I’ll be praying for safe travels – there and back! Eager to see you on a camel!! Be sure to take LOTS of sunscreen.

    • Aww, thanks Cyndi! Not sure about the stunning part but at least I’ll be able to see. lol I can’t wait to see a real camel in person. I bet the one I get will be glad I’ve lost some weight recently! 😉 Yes, definitely will be doing that!

  10. Like the new glasses! Good idea to have an extra pair for the trip.
    Have a fabulous trip.

  11. Judy Miner says

    I love to travel too! Have a wonderful trip! Can’t wait to hear about your trip when you return!

    How about posting a picture of yourself in your new beautiful glasses?

  12. Hi Susan,
    After being a Lenscrafter customer for years, my daughter told me about Warby Parker for glasses. You can order online, or visit their store in Buckhead. Their glasses are $95.00! This includes frames and lenses! They mail them to you in about a week and they are really nice.
    Have a great time on your trip!

    • I really have to try frames on so I’d probably be afraid to order online. I visited the Warby Parker in Buckhead, Atlanta a year or so ago after hearing about them on another blog, but I couldn’t find any frames I liked that day. Also, their prices jumped drastically when they quoted me the lens price for progressive lenses with thin lenses, non-glare, etc… These frames were about $130 more than Warby Parker’s cheapest frames (they start at$95) but I really do love them. The amazing part is how thin the lenses are. I don’t know how they make them so thin because I’m blind as a bat, super near-sighted. Also, Lenscrafter is 2 miles from my house where Warby is about an 45 minutes to an hour or so away, depending on traffic. So, it’s probably worth it to me to just go to LensCrafter this time. Next time I visit the Shops in the Buckhead, I’ll check them out again. Thanks Pam for the suggestion! When I return from Morocco, I’m going to buy some “computer” glasses to use for just when I’m working at my computer. I may take another look at Warby for those. 🙂

  13. Linda Page says

    Love the glasses. I bet you look cute wearing them!!!

  14. Juanita in OH says

    Your glasses are wonderful! I LOVE the travel bag too. Thanks for sharing all the wonderful tips with us. For your safety (I assume you already know about not posting when you will be away. So many evil people browse blogs just looking for when someone won’t be home so they can rob their homes. I don’t want you to have any surprises when you return).

  15. Mary Ellen says

    Susan, did you see that Chico’s has a giraffe blouse? It is available in regular and petite sizes. Looks cute online. I thought of you when I saw it. Have a wonderful trip!

  16. Love that beautiful blue of the second bag you ordered (to go with jeans) plus it would coordinate so well with the tiffany blue on your glasses. Tres chic!

  17. I bought a Travelon bag last year for my trip to Italy and Greece and it worked fine. I didn’t think it would hold very much but the inside pockets are so deep that I had a hard time finding things several times. And I especially liked the safety features, especially the RFID since I had some little girls encircling me on the Rome subway and I think they were trying to get my credit card info. Thanks for suggesting it and have a wonderful trip!

    • Wow, how scary is that! Does make you wonder what they were up to! I’m starting to wonder if it’s a good idea to always carry a bag with RFID protection, even to the grocery store. They also make the little RFID slips/cases you can store cards inside.

  18. Bon Voyage, Susan!! It looks like you’re more than prepared. I love your choice of purse, especially in the blue. I also love your new glasses. I went from rimless glasses to tortoise-shell frames and everyone LOVED the change. They said they made me look younger! Anyway, have a great trip. It’s always such a treat to follow you on your adventures. Hubby and I still have traveling to do, but I think our days of going to Morocco have passed. So, I will view the country through your eyes! I understand that camels “spit”, so plan accordingly!! LOL. Looking forward to your pictures and posts.
    Have fun,
    Rosie

  19. Love the glasses. I have to get new ones as well, and finding frames is such a monumental task.
    You will LOVE Morocco!!!

  20. Sharon Pace says

    I too am in need of new glasses! I was shocked at the price of frames/lens from the optometrist! I shall definitely try LensCrafters! Stay safe on your trip…traveling abroad is not as easy as it used to be!

    • There prices aren’t the cheapest but the AAA discount did help. They do have a big selection of styles, though! Thanks, Sharon…I will! 🙂

  21. Hi Susan
    Love those new glasses and the purses. I bought a navy crossbody Travelon bag after one of your previous posts. Love it! Thank you for the information on a great product. I’m so glad your eye check up was a good one. Please try taking a couple of baby aspirin asap if you feel another ocular migraine starting. Just the little orange chewable tablets. I’ve dealt with ocular migraines for most of my life and I’ve tried many, many expensive prescriptions. The baby aspirin was an accidental discovery ( nothing else in the house) and they have been working for me. It is a simple, cheap and harmless try and if it doesn’t work you can blame me for wasting your two or three dollars. If it does work they don’t take up much room in your purse. Have a wonderful trip. I will look forward to your pictures and new posts.

  22. Glad your appt went well for the eyes! I love your Tiffany frames. I bought a pair a couple years ago – mine have a heart on the side. 🙂 Yesterday I hosted a bridal shower for my niece and I noticed how so many of the girls (late 20s-early 30s) had so many stylish frames! I think it’s something we need to allow ourselves more of – buying frames for occasional wear. Once you get a good pair for frequent use, those lesser expensive outlets make it much more affordable to just buy frames for fun. I know a few women of a certain age who make it their trademark to wear some fun frames.
    I definitely like your travel bags – no messing around when it comes to travel and safety. Love the new messenger style. I couldn’t carry a camera – that’s a headache waiting to happen for me.

    • Oh, I bet the ♥ is so cute! I love anything with hearts! Have they held up well, Rita? I’m hoping these will.
      I would love to have seen all the different frames at the shower. The young woman who helped me in LensCrafters owns 21 pairs of glasses, including the Tiffany pair that I selected. I wondered about how she could do that since that would be a lot of glasses to have changed when your prescription changed. She said her prescription never really changes.
      The one thing I’m for sure doing as soon as I get back, is buying a second pair to wear when I’m working at the computer. I spend so much time at my computer that I really do need those. Then I won’t have to always tilt my head back so much, which is hard on your neck/shoulders.

  23. Susan, You are going to love Morocco. Next to Egypt it is the most exotic and fascinating country.
    I ordered the rust colored travel bag for our March trip to Portugal. It’s the perfect size for all of the incidental items I plan on taking. I travel with just under a total of 20 lbs for a 2 week trip. Have you noticed that you only wear half of what you pack.

    • I can’t wait, Gina! It was the Sahara Desert part that really drew me to the trip. The stars are supposed to be amazing at night.
      I’m one of those rare folks who really does wear everything. I match up my outfits before I leave and pretty much wear every single item. I have that suitcase jam packed by the time I leave. It’s always about 1 to 2 lbs under the 50 lb limit! lol

      • Dear Susan, People always ask me how I get away traveling with only 20 pounds. I cheat. I take only silks and cashmere and a few light cotton pieces. They weigh very little and work for all seasons.
        Can’t wait to see your photos.

        • Oh, that makes me feel good about the three light weight cashmere sweaters that have out to pack. I was thinking they would hardly take up any space, but hopefully keep me warm. It will be chilly there in the morning and at night, so I figure those will come in handy at those times, especially the nights we spend in the desert.

  24. Kay From Kansas says

    Just returned from Spain and used the ScotteVest womens trench coat. All the pockets in the lining were great for travel. Enjoy your upcoming trip!

  25. Susan, I have to thank you for your recommendation *last* year of the Travelon bag, since I ended up buying one for my trip to New Zealand. It was just great – I could adjust the strap really quickly for either my shoulder or to use as a cross body. Since I got mine, I’ve been recommending it to friends. Amazon Canada has them at quite reasonable prices too. Bon voyage to Morocco – looking forward to reading all about it!

  26. I can’t wait to see Moroco through your eyes! Have a great, safe, trip. Glad you got your eyes checked, too. I have had a couple of those occular migraines myself and thought it might be my meds (from Rheum.Arthritis). But my eye dr. also said they can occur from lots of things. And I had been under awful stress in the days preceeding one! Also, thanks for alerting me to April the giraffe! I love giraffes and now eagerly await the birth of her calf!

  27. I’ve had a few ocular migraines myself. Very few people know what they are.

    Have you tried contacts that correct astigmatism? I need them for my left eye. They’ll change your world.

    Have a great trip!

    • Yeah, I went through about 8 pairs with the last doctor who tried to make them work. She tried every pair on the market for astigmatism and the left eye is the issue, well that and the fact I’m very, very nearsighted. I wear gas perms which is supposed to be the best if you have astigmatism, but nothing has worked. I’m going to try another doctor, although it’s probably a waste of money. She was the second doctor I had tried and neither could make them work. I couldn’t see that great for distance and reading anything on my desk was hopeless. And I don’t want to wear reading glasses because without reading glass, I can just take off my glasses and read anything. I could read the inscription inside a ring, that’s how nearsighted I am.

  28. bobbi duncan says

    Glad you found glasses you love. You’ll look so chic on your trip, which I hope is a fabulous one! Can’t wait to see all the photos when you return home. I just found a terrific BBC program called “Escape to the Country”. It’s a series about folks in England searching for a new home. Different realtors show different regions of the UK. The best part is they give you information on different villages and cities including history on many places, and the scenery is gorgeous. This is a great show for anyone who is interested in traveling there. I watched all 25 episodes of season 1 last week and learned so many new things about areas I thought I knew well. Safe trip and lots of hugs.

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