Friends

Me and JoJo

The rules are simple:

We may not talk to each other everyday any more, but get us in a room together and you won't get us to shut up.

I will tell you that those shoes you picked are ugly and when you chose to buy and wear them, you do so with the understanding I will mock you each and every time. You also will submit to said mocking.

We all have made stupid decisions over the years, but it's nothing that a cosmo or martini can't fix.

On that note there doesn't need to be a problem for a martini, cosmo or wine to be present.

No matter how long it has been since we talked or seen each other we will always be there when we need each other.

I can tell you things that no one else will ever know and you do the same.

Your secrets are always safe.

We don't pick our families, but we do get to pick our friends, who are another type of family, and there is no way that I would be the person I am today without them.

I think about each and everyone of you everyday.

I miss you terribly.

Psyched

Get your printable of this at Club Narwhal

Another flight, another day lost on a plane. It seems that I spend so much time on these suckers that I might as well get my own private seat. Well it's a nice thought at least.

While I was thinking about complaining about this, I did a wee bit of a introspect first and looked from the other side. I GET to fly across the ocean on a regular basis and see more then just the inside of hotel. I travel and get to see places all over the world, for work & pleasure. That's not the average person's life and for a good reason. This isn't easy. 

I am never home for more than a few weeks at a time and I don't always know where I will be next week. It's fun, don't get me wrong, but as with everything there is always a price to pay. I am so lucky that I have both friends and family that are able to go with the flow, but it's a bit of a roller coaster ride for them as well. You think that you are going to be home for someone's birthday, but your notorious last minute client has an event that popped up that you now need to be there for. Granted you get to fly to insert city/country here, but you are missing out on something that you really wanted to be a part of. It's a give and take.

So for now I am going to put on my lipgloss and pretend to be psyched that I am getting in a tube that will hurtle me through the sky at 30,000 feet. At least I will get to sleep in my bed tonight.

Must - Paris in under 48 Hours

I had some technical issues with my site last week and combined with working on a French internet connection, that runs on grape vines and goat cheese, things couldn't get worked out in time to post on Friday. So here is what you missed.

This week we had an event in Paris and currently being in the Netherlands this was just a 4 hour drive so our trip was short and to the point, but believe me I filled it with the essentials. I have been to Paris before and have seen a vast majority of the sites and this trip was definitely more work centric, but I always find time for a side trip here and there. Plus I got to ride on the back of a security guys scooter and lived to tell about. Only in Paris!

Here are five things that you should do in Paris, if given the opportunity and only a few hours to spare.

#1 - Eat French Onion Soup. If you don't like it, you are dumb. It is delicious and pretty much just cheese, bread and broth so get over it and try it. Unless you are allergic then in that case you may not be dumb, but your allergies are.

#2 - Eat macarons. OK I know so far this sounds like all you should do is eat, but these are worth every. single. calorie. #truth

#3 - Watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle. It really is beautiful in person. Every time I see it I have to stop what I am doing and watch.

Technically boots is not a French product (UK), but I can't
get this version at Target, snarky.

#4 - Hit the French pharmacies and stock up on products you have never heard of or use the Goop guide. OR even better yet, talk with the lady behind the counter. A few euros lighter you will have a slew of products to try! BTW - the Amilab lip balm smells amazing.

#5 - Take the Metro. There is no easier way to get around Paris then the public transportation system. It is quick, easy to use and costs a fraction of the cost of a taxi. You can buy a 1-5 day pass here. Save your money for rosé and champagne!

POV

Everyone has their own point of view about what everyone else does and so much of it is based on superficial crap. It can be something as simple as the girl with the designer it bag. Oh she must have money, you think, or what a snob, poser, have to have IT girl. What you don't know is she saved and saved and sold her favorite shoes to buy it, because that is what she really wanted. 

Perhaps you choose to spend your money on cars. I may think that is so not worth it, but then again it's not my money so why should that even be a factor into my view of you?

While none of the above is about me (truly), I have been thinking about how we view people based on one or two things about them. I am really trying to change my quick judgements based on material, surface items. I don't want people to judge me based on that so it's time to change my point of view too. The whole point is to expand my world not remain in a bubble of what I prefer. It's hard to do and in our society we are so quick to label people that we forget that people have many layers. Of course if I get through those layers and it's still pretty shallow...well I will try to behave.

Who knows I might even meet some super cool people along the way.

Old, Gently Used & Awesome

I am a huge fan of well designed, vintage and modern home decor and when I am lucky I come across great items at flea/antique markets (or snuffel markt as it is called here in the Netherlands) or consignment shops. My typical luck usually runs the route of the the good pieces are picked up well before I arrive or alternatively I decide it's more then I want to spend and then keep thinking about the item that got away for years and saying why I just didn't fork over the money then, because of course now it's sold. Well now I can take my quest for the perfect unique item for the home on the internet at Chairish.

I randomly came across Chairish when I was searching for a pair of antique Hollywood Regency Pineapple lamps and while I didn't end up picking those up at Chairish, I did spend the next few hours on the site looking at stuff I didn't even know I needed wanted. Simply put, Chairish, is an online consignment company that allows people who have great furniture (either like new or "great bones") to reach a larger audience and it allows the buyer a treasure trove of items. The prices are reasonable for the quality and product AND they even have a 48 hour return policy if it's not exactly what you want. The biggest downside would be the shipping, but if it's an item that you have been searching for forever, it's completely worth the cost. It's totally worth a look or two if you are in the market for unique, interesting and fun.

Must

Earlier this week the BF and I went to dinner with some friends in Venlo, NL at Chez Philippe. The restaurant was filled with an assortment of odds and ends that the chef (Philippe) had acquired over the years, including a small carousel that was scattered throughout the restaurant. It's too bad it was so dark in there or I would have pictures to try and explain how odd and yet totally appropriate it was.

Chef Philippe is a French man living in the Netherlands for many years and running a restaurant the way he thinks it should be done. Which means you come in, sit down, chat with him and the staff and eat what he wants to serve you that evening. If you must have something off the a la carte menu, they will easily oblige, but the set menu for the evening is the only way to go. Oh my, the four course meal was fantastic and the service was top notch. If you ever find your way anywhere near Venlo, this little restaurant is worth stopping for and enjoying a few hours full of food and wine.

Have a great weekend.



Read - Think of Oyster like Netflix for books. For $10 a month you can sign up and get access to all you can read. With a selection of over 100,000 books I am sure there is something that you haven't read yet. It's only in the beginning stages, but sign up now and hopefully you will score that invite in the mail shortly.

Drink - It's fall and it's time to bust out the fig infused bourbon to make a fig manhattan. Don't have fig infused bourbon, check out everything you need to do to have to make it at Boozed and Infused. It's the perfect welcome to fall drink.

                

Image via A Subtle Revelry

Make - 5 different breads that are perfect to make for fall care of A Subtle Revelry. I am dying to make the sweet potato one. It sounds delicious!

Image via HuffingtonPost.UK & Getty

Investigate - Could the Jack the Ripper case finally be solved? Interesting information in this century (plus) old serial murder mystery that has never been solved. Check out this HuffPost article and judge for yourself.

Full Tray

I have been trying for weeks to find the perfect wood tray for my newly furnished living room and it is proving harder then I thought or perhaps I am way pickier then I need to be. I don't know what it is about the small details that drive me to spend hours searching for a particular item only to change my mind half way through and start all over, but it makes it difficult to make a decision.

You may be asking yourself why I would need a wooden tray, but it is simply because they are incredibly useful. They can be used on the coffee table, serving, cocktails, snacks, etc. and I think it would be a great decorative addition, if I could just pick one. The problem now is that I found a whole slew of fantastic one and now can't decide which one I like best. I will decide, eventually, but until then here are my top contenders of fantastic wood trays from across the web.