We love South East Asia

Visiting Brunei for a wedding, Kota Kinabalu for some post wedding parties and Bali to see old friends. It's hard not to fall in love with this part of the world but we will be back in Paris before Christmas with lots of photos and some new freckles.

Nice

Let's Pretend Thanksgiving Party

We will be Brunei bound on thanksgiving because our friends are getting married the following Sunday. We will be in the air on thanksgiving eating "vegetarian asian" airplane food. I don't really mind missing the cooking part but I'd like to take part in the being thankful aspect and would love to rock a headress like last year when we hosted thanksgiving at our apartment in Paris.

ps design sponge has some great thanksgiving inspiration too

Paris sous la Pluie

Its a bit daunting to take in a city with a baby in the rain, so here is a guide of things I enjoy with a toddler in the wet streets of paris. 

Soak up the Museums my favorites include le musée de la chasse et de la nature which is photographed above and looks like an old french eccentric's house or the set to a Wes Anderson film. Le musée d'Orsay the converted train station on the left bank, le musée de l'Orangerie for Monet and the impressionists and the Grande Palais for ever changing exhibitions. Of course the Louvre is amazing as well but with the crowds of tourists and dauntingly palatial wings I find it less baby friendly then the three above.

Cafe Hop: One of my favorite memories in Paris is from my first summer living with Michel when we cafe hoped from Bastille to the fireworks at the Eiffel Tower. I finished work in Bastille around 5 and we spent the whole evening walking to the Eiffel Tower, stopping for coffee, wine or beer in any cafe that drew our eye. We made it, a bit weak in the knees but well hydrated, for the sunset fireworks. 

Take Photos: Everything is clean and sleek in the rain and you can get great action shots of men in suits and women in heels making mad dashes.

Wander the Passages: Paris is full of Passages. These covered pedestrian walkways are lined with beautiful little boutique shops. The Passage du Grande Cerf and the Passage du Paradise near the Grand Boulevards are a great place to start.

Festival America

This weekend Vincennes held the 10th Festival America with guest writers Dave Eggars and Toni Morrison. Each year the festival includes tents full of books for sale, photo exhibits of American nature posted through out the city and this year there was a tepee! I was wearing my classic moccasin and fishtail braid weekend outfit so hilariously enough when I walked into the Tepee and sat down cross legged with Theo people started asking me questions about native culture. I almost felt like answering questions and painting faces given my unquestionably more american heritage than everywhere there and my recent family trip to Jamestown. 

Killer Loft in Brooklyn

We really lucked out with our NYC lodging. Our dear friend recommended we stay in the spare room of her dear friend which is listed on air b'n'b. The place is in Dumbo (down under the manhattan bridge) and had everything we could ask for. Indoor swings, check. Hanging flower lights, check. Old piano, check. Even a pit of stuffed animal pandas, how did I forget to photograph this I know! Best of all our hosts (there are three guys living in the loft full time) couldn't be more interesting and were just putting the finishing touches on a big science themed art exhibit / dance party extravaganza which took place in the original pfizer building. They also gave us some great tips about things to do in the city, like Sleep No More...

p.s. here is the panda pit

One Week in New York

Just got back from a week in that buzzing, noisy, sleepless city where Michel and I met 4 years ago.