Play Time

For graduation my parents were super sweet and gave me an iPad (and check out the awesome inscription). I can't wait to have it for client meetings, and just to lighten my load from my laptop. I already find it easier for reading and checking out my favorite blogs, which I hope I have more time for now that school is over. This week I came across a wonderful list of resources for studying French on Audrey's blog, Mes Yeux Ouverts - she's gearing up to move to Paris in the fall, and she has a ton of great resources listed that I didn't even know about. It's really easy for me to speak English in Paris, so I'm using my iPad to immerse myself in French. Also, the folks at Jasper Apps emailed me this week about their "My Vacation App" that looks interesting. Oh the possibilities. . .

So my iPhone is like my first born child, and hopefully the iPad will be just as close. Dear readers, please tell me your favorite apps! . . . in the meantime I'm going to go back to listening to Nova Planet on my iPad.

Boarding Pass - Wandie Kabule

Wandie Kabule is a travel blogger and producer living in Los Angeles. Originally from Zambia, many of Wandie's travels take us to Africa today (I love how she's taking African dance classes in L.A. in order to prepare for her upcoming trip to Mali and Senegal!). Wandie is also currently producing a feature film called Negative Space, which you can check out here and is working to raise funding on Kickstarter. Thanks, Wandie and best of luck with the film and travels!

{Sahara}

last trip taken:
Finland, Morocco, and Tunisia. I visited Helsinki with my mother. We went to the circus, explored the city, ate in lovely cafes, and couchsurfed with a lovely Finnish woman who introduced me to purple porridge and little Finnish candies. After that, my mother and I went off to Tunisia to spend time with a family friend. From there, I took a trip alone to the Sahara desert for a few days, and that was incredible. I then went off to Morocco for some more alone time. I spent a lot of time eating tagine, practicing French, and hiking. I really hope the next trip can top that!

{Sahara}

next trip on deck:
Mali & Senegal. I’m going on a solo trip to explore two African countries that I haven’t yet been to. I’m going to take some dance and drum lessons as well as French lessons. This is one trip I’m extremely excited for!

{Essouira}

one place you would go back to again and again:
Cape Town, South Africa; Cadaques, Spain; & Essaouira, Morocco. These are my three favorite beach cities, by far. So relaxed, with the best food you could imagine!

{Essouira}

place you'd most likely recommend a friend go visit:
Zambia. I’m Zambian, so I do feel obligated to suggest it. However, it truly is one of the most beautiful countries that I have ever had the pleasure to visit. The people are incredibly friendly and hospitable, and there is so much to do and see (including, but not limited to, The Victoria Falls).

{Zambia}

preferred method of transportation:
The metro. Los Angeles has a very miniature metro system, unfortunately. So, I spend a lot of time in the car. When I travel, I love being able to use the underground. London is great for that!

{Mallorca}

place you've never been but dying to go:
Portugal. I’m hoping that, next year, I can revisit Spain and take a detour to Portugal. I’m completely fascinated by it. I also want to travel to South America in the next couple of years.

{Mallorca}

place you'd never go back:
Johannesburg, South Africa. It just happens to be one of my least favorite areas. I have family there so I will always try to go there to visit them, but beyond that… I love Cape Town and some of the other areas in South Africa. In Soweto, there is a restaurant called Wandie’s!

{Cape Town}

most memorable trip in 2 sentences or less:
Traveling through Spain by myself for a month was incredible. I didn’t speak a word of Spanish, and I couchsurfed the entire time!

how do you prepare for a trip?
I do lots of research online! Since I am usually alone while traveling, I like to make sure that I am prepared. I use tripadvisor, Frommers, and the New York Times Travel section for information. I use 43places and flickr for visual inspiration. I also send emails to potential people that I can meet or stay with in whichever city that I am visiting. I find that to be the most helpful.

{Marrakech}

how do you record your travels when you're traveling?
Lots of photos and scribbling down names of restaurants and shops in a notebook (or, on the back of receipts!).

what is your favorite thing to photograph in a new place?
Food! I usually find the market right away to get fruits and veggies. Not only is this the most economical, but it also provides lots of beautiful photographs and experiences.

on an average, how many pictures to you take on a trip?
Usually 100-200 a day.

what's in your "designer travel kit" ?
For photos, I use a Sony DSLR-A200 and a Polaroid camera. To jot down notes and directions, I use simple Rhodia and Moleskine notebooks. I usually leave the rest of the gadgets at home for safer traveling.

{Hellskini}

what do you do after a trip?
After a trip, I start organizing my photos and notes. Then, I spend an inappropriate amount of time sleeping and recovering to avoid going through everything. Eventually I post on my travel blog and flickr. But, not before picking some kind of Facebook profile picture that can generate a lot of “Likes” (kidding. Sort of).

{Cadaques}

how long after a trip does this happen?
I update the blog over the course of a few months. Part of this is due to laziness, and another part is a way for me to keep my travel memories alive for as long as possible. I always get excited when I revisit photos months (or even years) after a trip. There’s something about looking at them after time has passed that usually inspires me to post them to the blog.

{Cadaques}

favorite souvenir/thing to bring back?
Textiles, bowls, and weird trinkets. I grew up loving beautiful patterns and textiles, and I try to pick some up when I travel. My favorites are from India, Zambia, and Morocco.

{souvenirs}

why is travel such a huge part of your life?
I’ve always traveled a lot, since I was a child. I really love the escape and the excitement. I especially enjoy traveling alone as a way to meet people. When you travel by yourself, you are forced to strike up conversations and meet new people.

links:
blog: wandieing.blogspot.com
flickr: flickr.com/photos/wandie
twitter: @wandieing
Kickstarter (until June 24)

BOARDING PASS is a weekly column exploring the creative ways people travel.

Le Super Market

This weekend in Paris the once yearly Le Super Market is happening, and it's literally just that - a super market of creative sellers. I got to chat with Fifi Mandriac a bit, as one of the forces behind the event who talked about how much went into putting it on, but how it was really important how the event stayed fun and fresh for the attendees, as well as the vendors. After having attended several similar Etsy-esque fairs in the US, this one definitely stood out for its creative, subtle touches (Etsy France was one of the several fabulous partners). I loved every detail from the free screen-printed tote bags at the entry (in a neon pink shopping cart, of course), to the lanterns with pop-poms, and the live "le super market" jingle from a woman in a fabulous vintage dress. My friend Sophie just sent me a message, "So much fun! I spent way too much money on a gorgeous hand-beaded headband that makes me feel like a hipster flapper goddess." It's happening Sunday as well, with two different concerts, so if you're in Paris I highly recommend checking it out.
The address is 17 Rue Commines in the 3rd. I was more than happy to pay the 1,99Euro entry to help support such a great event! Well done team!
More HERE. . . . P.S. There's also a brocante (street flea market) happening a few blocks away near Marché des Enfants Rouges.

Midnight in Paris

This week I realized how long it's been since I've left Paris, and while I love pretty much every minute (that doesn't deal with paper work), I find myself going a bit stir crazy (the whole looking for a job thing doesn't help). It's almost like I need to leave Paris every now and then, in order to fully appreciate being here. The good news is I have a big trip to the states coming up next month, and a smaller trip down south in the works. The funny thing is that watching Midnight in Paris made me feel even luckier and happier to be here (of course America would make me love France more). I've always had a thing for watching movies of places I've lived or visited, but I don't think you need to live in Paris to appreciate this film. While many point to how its ripe with clichés, for me it feels more like truisms and normalcy.

One of the things I liked best about this film was not knowing much about the storyline beyond the trailer, which hints at, but doesn't give away part of the central story (hence, I will speak in vague language, so you too can have the pleasure of discovery). Travel takes on a new dimension in the plot and the way in which the characters relate to each other in their creative circles actually reminds me a lot of Paris today and how bloggers, artists, designers, and Tweeters are often come together in this city. I savored in the imperfections of the characters, otherwise known as Woody Allen's angst, which once again, made the fictional movie a bit more real. It was two weeks ago now that I first saw the movie, and haven't stopped thinking about it. The giant big screen (that I guestimated that 80 of my apartments could have filled the screen) made me feel like I was taking a trip to Paris, only to walk outside into the real deal. Go see it... then come to Paris.

P.S. Speaking of travel, don't miss this article on why the U.S. is 'No-Vacation Nation.'

Boarding Pass - Sara Rosso

Sara Rosso is digital strategist, writer and photographer based in Italy. Author of Ms. Adventures in Italy, Sara seeks adventures around the world through food (gelato, anyone?). And speaking of food, Sara is co-founder of World Nutella Day, which celebrates the chocolate hazelnut spread every February 5th. Enjoy her beautiful look at the world in today's edition of Boarding Pass! Thanks, Sara!

{henna hands at Indian wedding}

last trip taken:
I went to the US & London for work, but my last trip taken for pleasure was Thailand over Christmas/New Year's. I had been wanting to go for a long time and it was the perfect time to leave snowy Milan for some sun and delicious food. Thai food is quite scarce in Italy so I was glad to eat it every day, and the hospitality in Thailand is great.

{a monk using a cell phone, tiny bells hang at a temple in Thailand}

next trip on deck:
Heading back to the States again for work, and a physically close trip will be Rome & Puglia, but our next longer trip will probably be somewhere in Africa or China. Still trying to narrow it down where to exactly (would love your readers' suggestions!)

{Cherry Tomatoes at a farmers market in SF, Surfer girl in Ocean Beach, San Diego | California}

one place you would go back to again and again:
California. I was born there but it's no longer where I live, and every time I go back I am struck by its beauty. I love landing at SFO airport - a scenic landing right on the water with a great view of the Bay Area. I suggest renting a car and driving from the top to the bottom of the state along the coast, then turning around and going up the inside part of the state - you'll see a completely different California every few hundred miles.

{evil eyes in an Istanbul market}

place you'd most likely recommend a friend go visit:
Istanbul. I think it doesn't get enough attention and it's really fascinating. I was completely enchanted by the city, and that was during a cold and rainy weekend in January. There's such an intersection of cultures, religions, and cuisines there (not to mention the city spans two actual continents). I can only imagine the Bosphorus on a nice day in May. And I love breakfast there.

{breakfast in Istanbul}

preferred method of transportation:
I like taking public transportation and trains when possible (we didn't have a car for 6 years here in Italy and didn't miss a thing) but when it comes to out-of-the-way airports and unfamiliar territory I don't mind getting a car or taxi to make sure we the initial arrival is relatively quick with luggage. I backpacked around Europe and I got plenty of practice getting lost and lugging around bags to not miss it anymore. After getting settled I love wandering the streets on foot and if you haven't taken a tuk tuk (in Thailand or India) it's a fun experience.

{patterns at the Grand Palace in Bangkok | Thailand}

place you've never been but dying to go:
Morocco. It's been on my radar for some time, and a few times we almost purchased tickets but didn't. I think it will happen pretty quickly, and it's so close to Italy so we can do it on a long weekend for just a taste. I think I would love the colors, the scents, the food, and I know I love some of the music - I've been listening to Rai music for years.

{an old chair in the campagna & country, a roundabout on Favignana island | Sicily}

place you'd never go back:
I started traveling young and I've been to 25 countries now, so I'm sure many places have changed a lot since I first visited them and it would be interesting to see how they compare to my memories. I hate saying never, but I'm pretty sure I'll never go back to the Golden Triangle in Thailand. I start to get itchy when I find myself in a location surrounded by all tourists. I'd much rather explore Burma/Myrnamar or Laos far away from the touristy areas.

{Santa Margherita Ligure's cathedral at night & a taxi stand | Italian Rivera}

most memorable trip in 2 sentences or less:
India for 15 days with 2 of my best friends for a friend's sister's wedding. We got the perfect combination of family with 5 days in a gam/village with no other non-Indians around for miles, 5 days of chaos and partying in Mumbai for the wedding, and then 5 days in Goa celebrating New Year's and relaxing with more friends.

how do you prepare for a trip?
I'm not the type of traveler that researches a ton before deciding where to go or looks for discounts when deciding on a location - most of my destinations have been on my "To Visit" list for some time. By the time I'm packing for a trip, I've probably found several online resources, and I usually search local food blogs for some tips on what to eat and where. Most of the historical things you can find in almost any guidebook; it's the other things that take some research and digging. I make pdfs of many articles and put them on my iPad.

{humpback whale jumping & a Tlingit burial ceremony | Alaska}

how do you record your travels when you're traveling?
When I was still using film I kept a log of where I was at certain points in the roll in case the picture itself wasn't obvious. I collect business cards at restaurants and shops, and now with my digital camera and I've started taking pictures of street signs or other information in between shots - it really helps when I go back and scan through my pictures, or if I want the proper name of something. I also really like looking around - I have a pretty good head for directions and I've been known to find places I visited just once years later by remembering surrounding landmarks or shops.

{Central Park in the fall, Hot Peppers at Union Square Greenmarket | New York}

what is your favorite thing to photograph in a new place?
I've gradually shifted to taking many more portraits when I visit a place as opposed to landscapes and monuments, and I always want to record any street food or memorable meals. I am also a big color fan - the more the better, so my photos are usually very colorful and I love fabrics, signs, or other decorations that are colorful.

{White Sands, Mexico}

on an average, how many pictures to you take on a trip?
It depends on how comfortable I feel whipping out my DSLR - though I always carry a second smaller camera in case I need to get a shot. On a longer trip I'm easily taking 1000+ pictures.

{Paris Café scenes}

what's in your "designer travel kit" ?
I always travel with a Moleskine to jot down notes and ask questions, and I've also taken to sticking my iPad in my camera bag (I lucked out it fits with no hardship to me) sometimes it's useful to jot down notes or draw pictures. When riding through Thailand, I had someone write hello in Thai and I showed it to people through the window when we were riding through small towns. It brought a lot of smiles to people's faces.

Recently I started carrying a Canon 7D and my go-to lens is the 50mm 1.4, but I experiment with my 85mm and always have a zoom lens in the bag. I'd like to pare down to just the 50 and a wide angle lens (which I'm still shopping for).
what do you do after a trip? how long after a trip does this happen?
I download all my pictures and sift through them - their ultimate destination is my food & travel site. It takes me quite a while, and I wish I was faster at sharing them online but part of it is a time factor and the other is the critical work of really narrowing them down to what I feel are my best shots. A trip like India or Thailand will leave me with 1000+ shots (not counting shots deleted from on-the-spot chimping) and if I can narrow it down to 50 or 100 images I feel confident showing around, I'm happy. Needless to say, I have a backlog of pictures to post that gets hard to ignore.

{a boy eats a sandwich full of ice cream | Thailand}

favorite souvenir/thing to bring back?
I love food, so I usually bring back some weird snack/flavor combination or something that will remind me of a meal or memory. I always always try to visit a grocery store and I spend a while wandering the aisles just seeing what the locals buy and are eating. It's always fascinating to see what shelf space is given to which types of products, and it gives you an idea how much of a sweet tooth the country has, or not. Food is fascinating to me because it's a common denominator in all cultures and countries, but so different in its application.

I also spent about 15 years singing choir so music and dance are still a big part of my life. I like to listen to what's on the radio and often pick up a CD to remind me of the place. Usually street markets are a good place to find out what's popular - the stall owners usually are playing music to pass the time.

{Making Pane e Pomodoro (Bread and Tomatoes) at a party in Puglia}

What do you think the secret is of traveling and finding a great place to eat?
It's silly advice, but look for the lines. Especially when you don't see any tourists in them. I always keep my eye out for a crowd no matter what time of day it is, and I've discovered some really excellent places that way. Often I don't even discover what people are waiting in line for before deciding to join them, but just jump in and get surprised.


Links:
website: SaraRosso.com
blog: Ms. Adventures in Italy
Eye on Italy - The All-Italy Podcast
World Nutella Day (5 years going strong!)
on flickr
@rosso on twitter

BOARDING PASS is a weekly column exploring creative ways people see the world.

The Next Chapter

It's live! My new website! No more excuses, I received my diploma on Wednesday, so the job hunt is ON. I can go anywhere, and do anything: Amsterdam? Berlin? San Fran? New Zealand? Australia? Singapore? Or do I stay in Paris? (I'm 4 months away from the potential of 10 year residency, but I think French bureaucracy will decide that one). When people ask me what my dream job is, I hardly have an answer, or at least it changes daily – I think I want to do something that I don't even realize exists. For me it's always been the place and the people I'm working with that really make a job special. I am a multi-disciplinary designer, a communications designer, a design researcher, a social/new media specialist, the list goes on. I invite you to explore my website – anneditmeyer.com – and if you hear of any job leads, please do send them my way (there are even downloadable CVs in English and in French on the "about" page). Please note, I'll also be taking on more freelance design work soon, so keep me in mind for future projects. MERCI!!!
p.s. Back tomorrow with a brand new BOARDING PASS, exploring the creative ways people travel.

Picture Postcards

This post is sponsored by See Jane Fly, a network of women travel and lifestyle bloggers dedicated to making travel a fun and accessible part of everyday life.

If there is one thing you learn from living abroad it's the importance of staying in touch. I was lucky enough to learn this lesson when I first studied abroad in Paris from Felice, who would later become my best friend. Keeping in touch was a common conversation we had, as we often analyzed the ways we kept in touch, and with whom, during our first stint abroad. While they were nothing she coined, she taught me about the "5 Love Languages" of how we communicate - acts of service, words of affirmation, giving and receiving gifts, physical touch and quality time. The example of the movie Amèlie was always my favorite example where all Amèlie wanted was to be touched or hugged, and instead her parents would give her things like a goldfish to show their love. In any case, the idea is that sometimes we miscommunicate only because we each have our own preferred modes of how we communicate, so the trick is understanding that and working to understand each other's "love languages."
Skip forward to today. My blog has been an amazing tool for me to keep in touch with friends new and old (and strangers) alike. But then there's Twitter, which I like because it feels more like a conversation and a bit more spontaneous, but you have to follow along to get it. And despite the near universality Facebook these days, believe it or not, some of the people closest to me in life are not on it. The reality is, even I can hardly keep up with myself sometimes.
When I'm catching up with friends and family, sometimes it's the most mundane moments I don't think to fill them in on, but are also my favorite parts about living in France. So I thought it'd be fun to design my own emailable "picture postcards" (my own version of some e-cards if you will), sharing a few thoughts and observations about life abroad. The cool thing too is that it's super easy to embed images into the body of an email these days, so it can bring an instant smile on the other end.
And while I used Photoshop to add my text to images taken on my iPhone (thank you ShakeIt Photo app), Gimp is great free download that does the trick of most design programs – you don't have to be a designer to do this! I see the final result as a fun visual tweet for those not fully engaged in Web 2.0, where I can quickly personalize the messages for each friend. It's fun for me too, which is just as important.
Adds a little spice to your typical email, n'est pas?

{Thanks, SJF!}

A Tale of 24 Cookies

A few months back I did some design work (logo, business cards, postcard, etc.) for Lola's Cookies, a new online cookie company by a couple Americans in Paris, bringing a taste of home to those of us abroad. Now that the company is fully up and running, I thought it'd be fun to introduce you to Lola's, share a bit of my graphic design work, and tell you the tale of 24 cookies...
TALE 1: I never would have known that I had lost my US driver's license in the metro (ironic, right?) until a kind stranger emailed me to say he had found my license. He was out of town for a week, but on Friday we finally touched base. He was about to head out of town again, but I said, NON, but I have cookies for you! Luckily I caught him 30 minutes before his departure. When I went to pick up my license (and a few other library cards), he told me he had seen some kids going through it and throw it in the trash. Apparently there were no credit cards or cash, so they weren't interested. What luck that someone was nice enough to not only fish it out, but also to contact me. And what luck that I keep all my credit cards in a different holder! Long story short, I have been saved an un-necessary trip to the DMV, and I had a great excuse to share a little American tradition with a Frenchman. I even got a confirmation text on Sunday night that the cookies were a big hit! Vive, USA!

TALE 2: My friend Laurel started writing her thesis long before me, and finished after me (while working full-time). Writing a thesis is no small feat, let me tell you, and no matter how much you prepare, a thesis defense is quite an event to get through. Cookies seemed the perfect way to celebrate, and as we celebrated for the next 10 hours, the cookies came in quite handy. By the end of the night cookies were the perfect accompaniment with planche of cheese and charcuterie. Mmm. Trust me, they hit the spot!

My mom is already pre-ordering cookies as hostess gifts while she's in town this week (arriving this afternoon)! If you're in Paris you can order your own Lola's Cookies right HERE!

P.S. U.S. residents may want to try Heidi's Heavenly Cookies... they recently featured me on their blog!

Boarding Pass - Kasia Dietz

Today's Boarding Pass feels a bit like a trip around the world (32 countries in 13 months to be exact, not to mention any other side trips). But it is just this wandering spirit that, as luck would have it, bring Kasia Dietz to Paris (by route of a twist of fate and a handsome Italian). Now this former NYC art buyer is commanding her very own line of handbags and totes which she sees as "wearable art, " and the latest line has an eye on Paris. While Kasia is off galavanting in NYC (see blog), the rest of us can enjoy a little vicarious travel through her eyes. Thanks, Kasia!

{Kasia along Seine by Chloe Lodge (left); Kasia Dietz bags - from the Paris collection (right)}

last trip taken:
Many recent trips to Monterosso, Italy, a place I first discovered solo and which has now become my second home.

{Monterosso, Italy}

next trip on deck:
Monterosso followed by the Greek Islands (all in the name of my upcoming wedding!)

{Taj Mahal, India}
{Street scene, India}

one place you would go back to again and again:
Can I pick two? Both for very different reasons. India for it's 'other-worldliness' and profound feeling of being alive. The Greek Islands of the Cyclades for their remote serenity.

{Queenstown, New Zealand}

{Great Ocean Road}

place you'd most likely recommend a friend go visit:
I have so many! A few that top my list are Queenstown, New Zealand for it's extreme natural beauty (I recommend sky-diving above the majestic mountains - incredible) and Ubud, Bali to experience a more 'spiritual' side of life. In terms of natural wonders, I recommend a trip to Cappadocia, Turkey to view the incredible rock formations, and Halong Bay, Vietnam for it's surreal limestone islands. I could go on...

{Rice fields in Ubud}

preferred method of transportation:
My favorite method of travel is via train for the feeling of being connected to the land. I once spent 48 hours en route from Lhasa to Beijing and loved every minute of it. Some of the fastest and most efficient trains I've taken are in Japan and France (most often the latter these days). I don't mind buses as well, depending on the conditions, which hugely vary. Too many stories to tell, but one journey that remains memorable is a 60 hour bus trip from Gijon, Spain to my home in Bykowce, Poland. And many bus adventures throughout Southeast Asia.

{Machu Picchu, Peru}

place you've never been but dying to go:
I have yet to visit Africa and would love to explore South Africa, Kenya and Ghana, among others. Myanmar is also on top of my list. (I almost made it there!) On a more local note, I'm also very eager to drive cross-country in the USA and get to know the varied landscape. (I've seen much more of the world than my own country.)

{Cappadocia}

place you'd never go back:
I haven't yet encountered a place which I would not return to. Even places that most people find 'dangerous' like Naples, Italy or Candelaria in Bogota, Colombia appeal to me for their authenticity.

{home in Tulum, Mexico}

{Fernando de Noronha}

most memorable trip in 2 sentences or less:
My year spent traveling around the world was by far the most exciting, empowering and challenging trip of my life. Thirty-two countries in thirteen months and many lessons learned along the way.

{Ride on the Mekong, Vietnam}
{Halong Bay, Vietnam}

how do you prepare for a trip?
I ask trusted friends for any tips on what to see and do, contact locals if possible, reference Lonely Planet on where to stay, (try to) pack lightly and hit the road!

{Floating village, Cambodia}

how do you record your travels when you're traveling?
I take lots of photos and when I travel solo I always keep a journal. It's a way to help me reflect and stay in the moment.

{Market in India}

what is your favorite thing to photograph in a new place?
I often find myself capturing street scenes and the faces of the locals. I can spend hours observing life in the streets, as to me this represents the true culture of the city or village.

{Street scene, India}

on an average, how many pictures to you take on a trip?
I can easily take 50-100 photos in a day, depending on how inspired I am. (I ended up with upwards of 10,000 on my year long travels, after much editing!)

{Rokuon-Ji Temple, Kyoto}

what's in your "designer travel kit" ?
I usually travel with two cameras, my Canon 400D for more serious photography and a Sony Cybershot for fun. And always a small notebook to record the route and places discovered along the way.

{Lhasa, Tibet}

what do you do after a trip?
I download my photos onto my hard drive, edit and share my favorites via blog or online photo albums. The most memorable photos I print and save.

{Hoi An, Vietnam}

how long after a trip does this happen?
Usually within 1 week after my trip I try to organize the photos. (While traveling extensively I tried to blog every few days - hard to keep up while on the road!)

{Luang Prabang, Laos}

favorite souvenir/thing to bring back?
I collect local art from most of the places I visit. Even a ceramic piece or pillowcase made by a local artisan lends itself as art to me. I fill my space with these pieces, each one representing a unique travel memory. I also collect anything that inspires me in my life as a designer, such as local fabrics or scarves.

{My batik in the works, Ubud}

Are you surprised that your life of travel has led you to Paris?
Not at all. After 10 years in NYC, Paris was the city in which I most wanted to live, and not simply as a tourist. Little did I know it would be a handsome Italian who would lead me there! Can I say, destiny?

{Paris}

Links:
website: kasiadietz.com
blog: loveinthecityoflights.com
online shop: kasiadietz.com
twitter: @kasiainparis / @kasiadietzbags

BOARDING PASS is a weekly column exploring the creative ways people travel.