Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? We check in with frequent fliers on useful resources, favorite destinations and what they never leave home without.

Carrie Cecil
Carrie Gerlach Cecil

Name: Carrie Gerlach Cecil

Occupation: Author, Television Producer, On-Air Personality, Founder of Anachel Communications, Inc., NFL wife and mother

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona

Residence: St. Louis (where my husband is a St. Louis Rams Coach) and Manhattan Beach (where I work and play)

Website: carriegerlachcecil.com, nflwives.com

Twitter: @carriegcecil

Facebook: carriegerlachcecil

Short Bio: Carrie Gerlach Cecil 
inspires women [and men] to transform their hearts and live their lives on purpose. She does this by creating literary, television, film and online content that move her audiences to laugh, reflect, respond and feel accepted. A sample of her works include: ONE SUNDAY, Cecil’s second novel which was sold to Simon and Schuster’s Howard Books and will hit shelves February 18, 2013. Her non-fiction work, Goodness, Gridiron & Grace: A Modern Day Girl’s Game Plan For A Godly Life, is being penned for 2014. Her first novel Emily’s Reasons Why Not [Harper Collins] was named one of US Magazine’s Summer Hot Book Picks. The novel was adapted into a single camera comedy for ABC starring Heather Graham. Cecil served as a producer on the show. She and her daughter, Charli created the children’s book, Charli & Wilbur, A Dancing Dogs Dream to inspire young people everywhere to follow their passions. Carrie contributed as an author to The New York Times Editor Richard Sandomir’s book, The Enlightened Bracketologist: The Final Four of Everything. As an NFL wife and mother, she enjoys writing travel and lifestyle pieces for a number of websites including JohnnyJet.com, NFLwives.com and carriegerlachcecil.com.

Founder of Anachel Communications, Inc., a leading public relations, marketing and crisis management firm, Carrie has also written a number of projects for the screen including her latest television drama In The Huddle, based on her blogs, Gridiron Woman that was optioned by Lifetime Television [2012]. She is attached to create and write the pilot. Her reality show Soul+Sisters [Divas for Jesus/2012] is in development with WE tv. She is an executive producer and on-screen talent on the show. Cecil has also written the feature films Sweet Revenge, [2010/Broken Road Productions] and 5th Avenue Bum, [2005/Laurence Bender Productions]. Cecil has penned articles for Y’ALL: The Art of Southern Living magazine; Composed her weekly column Notes from Lot S: A Football Wife for the sports section of The TENNESSEAN newspaper. Served as blogger for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans website, Titansonline.com and NFLWives.com. She also creates weekly blogs for www.carriegerlachcecil.com on Inspiration and being a Gridiron Woman. For more Information: ttp://www.carriegerlachcecil.com/about/bio/

How often do you fly: During the football season, I try to fly about 15 trips (not counting away games). Ideally I book work and play trips with my daughter to not miss a minute with her. After the NFL season all bets are off, particularly if I am on a book tour!

How many countries have you been to: 9. When I worked on locations with films such as Return to Paradise, I traveled more out of the country for work. Now I make travel a choice not a chore!

How many continents have you been to: 4. I am dying to get to Africa with my husband and daughter this year.

Favorite American City: Nashville, Tenn., (it’s so rich in history, good food and live music) or Manhattan Beach, Ca., as nothing beats being near home for me.

Favorite International city: Sydney, Australia or Paris (yes, I know it sounds cliché but I adore the city of amour).

Least favorite country: I see the glass half full and can find beauty even in a trash dump in Ethiopia.

Favorite World Heritage Site: The Statue of Liberty and Yellowstone Park. Call me an American girl but both showcase hope and wonder in our amazing country!

Favorite airline: The first to bump me to first class and anything that leaves and arrives on time!

Favorite aircraft: Hmmm, something where my seat is bigger than my daughter’s craft chairs.

Aisle or window: Aisle. I have a small bladder!

Favorite airport lounge: Oh please do let me in!!!

Favorite airport: My home city…wherever that might be at the time.

Favorite international airport: Ben Gurion Airport Tel Aviv – Safety is always first! You think the pat downs at LAX are bad – I laugh at you!

Favorite hotel: The Amanpuri, Phuket, Thailand. Honestly the most romantic, magical place I have stayed (in a villa) with a chill and easy state-of-mind vibe and world-class service.

Favorite cruise line: I am not really a cruiser. But I’m willing to try again!

Favorite Island: Maui for so many different reasons!

Favorite fancy restaurant: Daniel in New York with my hubby or anywhere with candlelight, polite services, good wine and reasonably sized portions. Don’t bring me food on a toothpick for $300.00.

Favorite hole in the wall: El Tarasco in Manhattan Beach or The Tee Pee in Phoenix. Both have great chips and salsa. The Tee Pee has better adult beverages!

Favorite fruit: Frozen blueberries

Favorite food: Anything with a kick! I love authentic Mexican and Thai spicy curry sauces!

Drink of choice: A real coconut or Kagen water for the body and good wine for the soul! When needed a tolerator sized vodka martini with two olives.

Favorite travel movie(s): National Lampoons Vacation (do people pick anything but that?)

Favorite travel show(s): NFL Road Tested, Ghost Adventures

Favorite travel book(s): Hemingway’s The Garden of Eden

Right now I am reading: My new script as I’m on deadline

Five things you bring on a plane: My daughter, wipes, iPad & Mac Book Pro, my jewelry and snacks.

What do you always seem to forget: Toothpaste as I always lose the cap at home and don’t want to bring it, as it will squeeze out everywhere.

What do you want your loved one to buy for you from an airport duty free store: Anything as it tells me he was thinking of me!

Favorite travel iPhone app(s), LocalEats, Opentable, WeatherChannel

Most embarrassing/worst travel moment: Seriously here are the cliff notes: Nothing tops our trip to the Bahamas two years ago. Getting bumped from a flight before ever leaving the States and being told to come back the next day (to assure us that we’d get on), which we did and they lied. Oh, and they lost a piece of our luggage before we ever took off. Seriously, they lost it the night we went back home. BEFORE EVER LEAVING THE AIRPORT! How is that possible? Arriving in the Bahamas and being left at the airport with no shuttle for over an hour with a six-year-old. Hotel reservation deleted as we arrived a day late. Our room not was not what was promised or paid for! Rain. Food poisoning to the point of doctors coming to our room. Cable out in hotel (while bedridden). Toilet overflowed while vomiting from both ends. 750.00 US $ per night for torture! Bumped again on the way home, only to get barfed on in airport with no change of clothes by my daughter who got the flu. There is no topping our trip from hell. The fact that the plane didn’t crash was a miracle.

Favorite travel website(s) – well, that’s easy, JohnnyJet.com- duh! Also I like coastalliving.com.

Best travel tip: Smile at a stranger and learn something new. Make the best of every location, as it might be your last and for goodness sake just go-ahead and upgrade your room!!!

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