tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72995680403284437042012-01-28T12:43:29.305-05:00Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.comBlogger10871100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-35735637718777621962012-01-27T00:01:00.003-05:002012-01-28T07:40:27.529-05:00

Lately life has been a blur, but in a good way. I'm getting ready to launch a dream project that I've been a part of for the past couple months. I realized the other day that it's essentially everything I wrote about in my thesis, but re-interpreted in a new and exciting way. It's been a true labor of love, and puts writing my thesis, and then my 50 page business plan to live in France to shame.

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-19721526639014649262012-01-26T03:40:00.001-05:002012-01-26T03:40:00.257-05:00

This post is sponsored by The Hawaiian Islands, where you could be Living in the Moment on Hawaii Island. My first true experience planning a trip happened in 7th grade. The family was headed to Hawaii for spring break, and it was the first time I stepped up and asked if I could help plan the trip. Little did my parents know that the trip was highly inspired by Jonathan Taylor Thomas (aka JTT

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-10591074441397204232012-01-23T04:26:00.002-05:002012-01-23T14:09:29.597-05:00

It's always a joy to encounter people who have been able to combine their passions to do what they love in interesting and creative ways, and around the world. Cordon Bleu trained pastry chef Frankie Unsworth doubles as a food and wine editor for numerous publications, both online and in print. At the same time her work has taken her around the world – or rather she's taken her work around the

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-22504830329614945292012-01-19T00:01:00.000-05:002012-01-19T00:01:03.202-05:00

Today's weekly video installment takes you around the world. Kien Lam transports us to 17 countries in 343 days with 6,237 photographs (visit the official site for more about each location along with FAQs on how he traveled). This trip was a gift to himself after he quit his job as a financial strategist last year. Clearly he's got enough talent to do just about anything he wants (and his brother

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-35872667254529053602012-01-17T00:01:00.001-05:002012-01-17T00:01:02.812-05:00

Minnesota by Johnny Slocum. . . Fact: I lived there 4 years.Every week I'm lucky enough to come home to 1-2 beautifully written postcards from my best friend. This is something that has happened for 10 years now, even when we lived 10 blocks apart. In that time I've received and sent quite the gambit of postcards. Half the ones we send when we travel are just because they're amusingly bad.

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-36522338039885741172012-01-16T00:01:00.000-05:002012-01-16T00:01:02.049-05:00

There are so many blogs and websites out there, I love when I come across ones with a strong point of view, especially when it promotes travel in different ways. Untapped Cities is one of those sites. I'm of course drawn to the Paris pages for their off the beaten track finds, but the site also has a strong presence in New York (with a new column, Urban Camera, by recent BP-er Sivan!) and San

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-66569900968458094092012-01-12T03:42:00.011-05:002012-01-12T05:40:55.303-05:00

Lately I've been discovering a lot of really awesome Frenchies whose work is really inspiring, so I wanted to start a new column "French Inspired" to introduce you to their work and story. Also, I'm out to prove that inspiration on the web doesn't always have to be in the tangible form of a product. For me, 2012 is the year of "action" and doing things, so I love looking to people doing just that

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-24692125768174711512012-01-10T12:01:00.004-05:002012-01-10T12:15:09.196-05:00

I remember being in elementary school and thinking it was strange that my mother was giving my cousins who were graduating from high school / college a Dr. Seuss book: Oh, the Places You'll Go . From the Cat in the Hat to Green Eggs and Ham, Dr. Seuss definitely was an expert at his craft. But hearing the book again, Oh, the Places You'll Go, the words are full of lessons we can learn from at any

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-3710489461012910562012-01-09T00:01:00.001-05:002012-01-09T00:01:04.004-05:00

Every year, "learn to draw" is one of those things I'd love to add to my skill set. Really it's a matter of just doing it a bit every day (or week) rather than being a master illustrator. But that being said, I'm always drawn to people who actually can draw, like illustrator Ann Shen. I was first drawn to her portfolio for all her travel-inspired work, so I'm happy to share more on today's

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-86292859843703108542012-01-06T07:14:00.003-05:002012-01-06T07:23:40.528-05:00

Happy Epiphany! Let's all eat cake! Parisian boulangeries are busting at the seams with these delectable desserts of puffed pastry filled with almond paste (and a feve, that dubs you king if it is in your slice). Paris By Mouth has an excellent round up with more of the history, makings and their top 5 Galette des Rois around the city.And for a little bonus fun – with fewer calories – check out

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-27685129479835124082012-01-05T06:56:00.003-05:002012-01-05T09:25:02.021-05:00

I have a confession: I no longer can carry on a conversation without bringing up the trials and tribulations of my French paperwork. No matter who I talk to – someone I've never met, the lifeguards at the swimming pool, my friends, somehow I manage to drop it into a sentence. I try to restrain myself, but inevitably, it's tied to everything I do, and interconnected, so more comes out. You should

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-44288253044789169832012-01-03T04:52:00.010-05:002012-01-03T18:34:15.564-05:00

Australian artist Kirra Jamison and I first came into contact when I featured her awesome loft in a "sneak peek" on Design*Sponge. I was lucky to meet her and her partner a few months later when they were in town for Dane's show at Colette in Paris. The next thing I knew, after their European adventures they were off to Japan for three months (I do love the way Australians travel!). I knew Kirra

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-49332248608792918482012-01-02T00:01:00.000-05:002012-01-02T00:01:03.589-05:00

As timelapse videos seem to be the big thing when it comes to travel videos these days, I thought it only appropriate to share as a different look at the world to help ring in the New Year. All of the footage was shot by the crew of the International Space Station during two missions in 2011, and then was edited by Michael König. Click here to learn more about the locations in the video.HAPPY

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-86820242985902153092011-12-30T09:00:00.004-05:002012-01-01T18:08:31.840-05:00

Since this week's posts seem to be themed around celebrating the holidays abroad, I wanted to pass along this video and link by several former classmates of mine who are currently in Auroville, India for a month. Several years ago the American University of Paris started a sustainable development practicum there where students work directly with NGOs in the area. It's always interesting to see

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-77386757927123472342011-12-29T12:37:00.000-05:002011-12-29T12:37:23.504-05:00

By far the best thing about being abroad over the holidays is being adopted. I was lucky enough to be invited to join my friends Catherine and Caroline's to join their family for Christmas in Picardie, less than an hour north of Paris. The second best thing was that it was all a fairly last minute plan. I was told which train station to get off of at, but other than that I didn't really know

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-41863845092855357352011-12-28T14:32:00.007-05:002011-12-28T15:13:51.414-05:00

One of the best – yet easiest to forget – things about living in Paris is that you don't have to go very far to leave it. Dealing with French bureaucracy kept me France-bound for the holidays, but I was lucky enough to be adopted by two wonderful French friends, Catherine and Caroline and invited to their family home in Picardie (about a 40 minute train ride from Paris). Little did I know what a

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-39932675429103500202011-12-22T03:55:00.008-05:002011-12-22T04:17:23.806-05:00

The making of. Watch the full video below.Over a week now since the passing of George Whitman, the long time owner of Shakespeare & Company. It's one of those Paris institutions that many visitors make a point of seeing, and locals enjoy frequenting, with its floor to ceiling books, literary events, and walls covered in prose. As Whitman's legacy will always live on, it only seemed appropriate to

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-78886735252439417212011-12-20T03:50:00.005-05:002011-12-20T04:21:22.027-05:00

There are so many travel guides out in the world, that at some point they all start to feel the same, and then quickly feel outdated. The Fortnighter guides are a new breed of travel guide which infuses local expertise into creating the perfect itinerary catered to your goals for your trip (areas you want to visit, style of restaurant you prefer, insider tips based on your preferences). Created

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-34033151644223216512011-12-19T00:01:00.001-05:002011-12-19T10:13:45.113-05:00

If you haven't heard of FATHOM, it's a great travel site that launched last spring. The site immediately attracted my attention with a great sense of design, and all of their content is created to bring global-minded travelers together through shared travel experiences. So I'm excited to welcome co-creator and editorial director, Jeralyn Gerba to Boarding Pass to get a closer look into her own

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-56190248632871088932011-12-16T08:19:00.005-05:002011-12-16T10:53:23.166-05:00

Earlier this week I posted on my Facebook page a status that said: "Not sure why companies encourage people to sit at a desk all day. My best ideas/clarity come from swimming laps and strolling streets." I was shocked how much positive reaction it got. To me it seems common sense, but at my old job even when I went to the gym for lunch, I remember feeling the sense of guilt when I wasn't at my

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-6468280753043422872011-12-15T14:01:00.003-05:002011-12-15T15:00:34.081-05:00

One of the French habits I've picked up is letting my apartment "breathe." The summer I worked as a nanny, every day we'd open the windows of the house in order to air it out. It turns out that most French people keep this habit year round, even when it's chilly out. I think living in 12m2 has forced me to adopt the habit naturally.This is what my dossier of French paperwork is currently looking

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-67445150068763177532011-12-13T04:23:00.008-05:002011-12-13T05:41:12.081-05:00

These days you hear about 140 character tweets being the new haiku. Designer Anne Ulku and writer Van Horgen had their own idea in 2010 about condensed storytelling, introducing the project Six Word Story Every Day (aka SWSED) where one writes and the other designs. I love too how it has morphed from a project between the two of them, and expanded to a larger project with creative contributors

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-86929949379182480592011-12-12T00:01:00.002-05:002011-12-12T18:03:56.874-05:00

Not long ago I was in Shakespeare & Company and came across a charming book, Mademoiselle London ♥ Paris (sometimes) by Katya Jezzard-Puyraud and Franki Goodwin. The collaboration between the two friends—who together are Mademoiselle London— has Katya writing and Franki designing. The book is fun, humorous and smart (helpful visuals to help you learn masculine & feminine French verbs), and

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-43487515728926263962011-12-09T08:31:00.003-05:002011-12-09T08:50:56.215-05:00

With as much time as I spend in front of the computer, I love any excuse to get away. Recently I got to check out the Jean-Paul Goude Retrospective at the Musée des Arts-Décoratifs (attached to the Louvre). He's the guy behind the famous Galleries Lafayette campaigns you see all over the metro stations of Paris. I also loved seeing peeks inside his sketchbooks, and it was inspiring to see his "

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-71443802373881023552011-12-07T05:25:00.002-05:002011-12-11T15:50:38.765-05:00

Last week, on my latest trip home to the US, I think I may have discovered the solution to jet lag: fly to Chicago–well, sort of. As this trip was a bit last minute (the beauty of freelancing), the best flight we could get was on Thanksgiving Day and flying through Chicago (with DC as the ultimate destination) [thanks mom and dad for the frequent flyer miles!]. While to many this may sound

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-61301820803524604592011-12-05T00:01:00.000-05:002011-12-05T00:01:01.789-05:00

Singapore native Jaclynn Seah is behind the blog and e-shop, The Occasional Traveller. Both were inspired by the fact that she isn't traveling as much as she'd like, so these online worlds became a way to help facilitate vicarious travel when she is stuck behind her desk. (Unfortunately the 'Anywhere Travel Guides' – I've posted about in the past and were most recently featured in Anthology

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-58153391073923347732011-12-01T09:03:00.004-05:002011-12-01T09:58:46.592-05:00

Lauren Kilberg of DoubleTakes always has the best finds, and most of them are travel related. Today I was catching up on her blog and came across this fun video, "The Bearable Lightness of Packing" showcasing the nomadic, yet stylish travel perspective of Diane von Furstenberg. My favorite line is, "Be ready for anything at any time." The illustrations are wonderful too.Here is my own guide to

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-34046621699527277142011-11-30T08:55:00.005-05:002011-11-30T10:04:44.209-05:00

Working as the contributing design editor for Vingt Paris magazine has given me the perfect excuse to get under the skin of the city in new ways. Recently I had two new articles go live. I originally got to check out Le Lieu de Design (above) during Paris Design Week. They not only have a new show on now, but it turns out they have tons of services to help small design businesses in Paris –

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-82431889679435940132011-11-28T00:01:00.001-05:002011-11-28T00:01:00.790-05:00

As soon as I saw the work of photographer Sivan Askayo, I was completely mesmerized. I've always had a thing for photographing laundry, but she has an eye for capturing it in an entirely new light, in her series entitled Intimacy Under the Wires, which she first started in Tel Aviv. As a street photographer, now based in New York, Sivan's other major passion is photographing street art, which

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-11055708744128979222011-11-25T11:01:00.003-05:002011-11-25T11:19:23.091-05:00

Riding a bicycle is not one of my fortés in life, but that did not stop me from being drawn into Hejorama's latest video project: a bicycle world trip in Paris. First, the video is all shot using Looxcie cams and Gopros, so it makes you feel like you're in the midst of the action. Next, they use really simple map overlays to help chart their route, so it contextualizes where they are as you watch

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-59468583844465273822011-11-24T02:06:00.005-05:002011-11-24T02:25:58.446-05:00

As today is Thanksgiving in the US, it seemed only appropriate to post something festive and food related. A couple weeks ago at the American Friends of the Musée D'Orsay gala (see post here) I was introduced to Eat the Paint, an interactive an engaging party activity.Artist/painter Mark Alsterlind was behind the evening's activity, and had prepped the edible palette and canvas and needed our

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-54869569494687527802011-11-23T04:40:00.005-05:002011-11-23T05:01:04.269-05:00

The theme of the week is shaping up to be "best of both worlds." A couple weeks ago I attended my first football (that would be soccer to you Americans) game. The match was USA vs. France, and despite what many may guess, I was still rooting for my home country. The US isn't known for their football time, the same way France is, so our French friends joked, "if the final score is 0-0 we'll

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-39931001015426399572011-11-22T04:51:00.002-05:002011-11-22T05:02:57.422-05:00

In honor of yesterday's Paris vs NYC Boarding Pass, I thought it only appropriate to share this video, "A Year in New York" by Andrew Clancy. As someone who lives as an expat abroad, I love having new experiences and taking in the local culture. One of my favorite past times has come to be discussing – or laughing about – cultural differences of a coffee or bottle of wine, thinking about the

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-53883460470883498552011-11-21T00:01:00.002-05:002011-11-21T07:29:28.750-05:00

Paris vs. NYC is one of those projects that as soon as you see it, it catches your eye, and then you have that moment which makes you smile. Art director and graphic designer Vahram Muratyan is the guy behind the inspiring project that was a a creative outlet to document his love of both cities. He started the blog as a way to share his work, and before too long, he was selling prints in an

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-4715998906615677722011-11-18T04:59:00.003-05:002011-11-18T05:16:22.912-05:00

I seriously don't know where time goes anymore. This week flew by. I was reminded about this video and I think it's the perfect way to remember to slow down and take in each day. This video is an independent project by Bernat Eguiluz who took the timelapse shots over the course of his month long stay in Iceland. The music is by Yann Tiersen, the same guy who composed the soundtrack for Amelie.

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-47541495304032233872011-11-17T13:57:00.005-05:002011-11-17T14:21:07.659-05:00

Earlier this week I was taking a mandatory inspiration break and watched Kate Bingaman Burt's CreativeMornings talk. It was really cool to learn more about Kate's work and her approach to design. I loved in particular the fact that she never considered herself an illustrator (ironically, I have always considered her an illustrator), until one day she gave herself the project of drawing all of her

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-51239552241053588502011-11-15T06:51:00.003-05:002011-11-15T07:00:23.641-05:00

Did you know that Degas never considered himself a sculptor? It was something he took on in order to better understand the subjects of his paintings. In fact, he hated the idea of working in bronze – he did not like the idea of having an eternal figure. Instead, he preferred to work in wax. Now there are over 30 of these dancers around the world, and most of them have tutus that don't match Degas

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-2609175977367211512011-11-14T06:21:00.010-05:002011-11-14T07:29:41.745-05:00

Every week the world seems to be getting a bit smaller, connecting people, places and ideas. A few months ago Tyler of Nomad Ink (on Boarding Pass here!) put me in touch with Romolo Eduardo. There must be something in the water in Brazil, because all of the features from there are full of amazing and beautiful travel journals. It was hard to pick my favorite pages to feature in today's post, but

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-82143443409172913232011-11-11T04:22:00.006-05:002011-11-11T04:39:34.096-05:00

From Venice there are several interesting day trips one can take outside to the city. Murano, famous for its colorful glass is one of the places the visitors frequent, but according to most people it feels more like Disneyland full of tourists. Instead, during my recent trip to Venice, we opted to take advice of friends and head up to Burano, a colorful island full of locals. The island is about

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-84994210868627615372011-11-09T04:24:00.008-05:002011-11-09T05:08:41.998-05:00

I love the way method and style meet together to create an interesting project. In 4 x 8m Bangkok: Time-Lapse "Hair Salon" photographer-artist Peter Nitsch is able to capture everyday life in action in an unobtrusive way. Strangely enough, now I find myself with the sudden urge to travel to Bangkok just to go sit outside a hair salon all day and people watch.Nitsch is also co-founder of Get

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-86320668249602719312011-11-08T10:29:00.006-05:002011-11-08T11:28:53.883-05:00

While in Venice I was so excited to finally test out one of the WHAIWHAI guides I had posted about ages ago (and even featured one of the creators in Boarding Pass). The idea is that there is a storyline that takes you through the city through a series of clues sent via text message in a new kind of interactive game. Not only do are you on a mission to find the answers to secrets, but at the same

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-67203864758637020692011-11-07T12:50:00.003-05:002011-11-07T12:58:54.170-05:00

For the past few years I've been running Boarding Pass as a way to explore the creative ways people see places, near and far. Once the posts go live I fear they disappear into the archives, so I wanted to create something to encourage people to explore and travel vicariously through the old posts. I'll be working on a bit of blog house-keeping over the coming weeks/months, but to start, today I

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-20901074230341663302011-11-04T04:51:00.008-04:002011-11-04T09:18:08.226-04:00

This summer amongst the madness of French paperwork and business plans, I got to be part of one of my favorite projects to date: writing my first pieces for print in Anthology magazine's 1st anniversary "Going Global" issue. Even better than working with a fabulous team (particularly, Editor-in-Chief Anh-Minh Le) that takes their art seriously, was opportunity to write a piece that celebrates so

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-12868566991973594922011-11-03T03:18:00.000-04:002011-11-03T05:20:47.032-04:00

Hostel Riad Mama Marrakech opened its doors this past summer and their first guest had booked for a few days, but stayed for a month using the new riad-hostel as literally his "home" base as he continued his travels around Morocco. The young hostel riad was something dreamed up by Crystal Emerald Green and her Moroccan fiancé, Youssef. Around the same time I was branding Prêt à Voyager into a

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-60388551957693404312011-11-02T12:48:00.008-04:002011-11-02T17:18:04.291-04:00

This past weekend in Lille I not only attended my first French wedding, I also crashed it (well, sort of). I had not met bride nor groom (nor their families) until the day before their big day. It could have made for a messy scene, but instead it was fabulous all around, and by the end of it I felt like an honorary member of the family. How often does one get to spend the night before and morning

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-36344222022621862542011-11-01T07:28:00.006-04:002011-11-01T07:53:39.245-04:00

These days I find myself doing less and less planning for my travels. There just aren't enough hours in the day. I spend more time thinking about what to pack so I can maximize wardrobe style and minimize what I actually have to carry with me. Other than that, for my last two trips I haven't even cracked a map before landing there. I spent this past weekend in Lille. The morning I left (Lille is

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-31476657731832668742011-10-31T04:06:00.010-04:002011-10-31T06:26:19.690-04:00

Dorkys Ramos is a NYC-based magazine writer with a zest for travel. Her work has been published in Travel + Leisure, Time Out New York and Anthology magazine amongst numerous other publications, while her blog, Dry as Toast looks at anything from inspiring creativity to life in NYC, and her own travels. After her recent 23-day backpacking trip around Europe I've been dying to get inside her

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-22600495805360757762011-10-28T07:04:00.005-04:002011-10-28T07:24:43.173-04:00

I've been anxious to wrap up my coverage of Venice, but then I decided rather than rushing through it all, I should take the advice of many of my Boarding Pass participants and use my photos as a way to extend my vacation and re-living it virtually. Next week I'll start with regularly scheduled programming (aka a brand new Boarding Pass!), and then interject some Venice posts between lots of

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-74079198124089488192011-10-27T02:01:00.001-04:002011-10-27T02:50:10.898-04:00

For someone who pens a blog about travel, you'd think I'd know how to take a vacation. For my own sanity (and just keeping up with emails), I prefer the working vacation, where I get away, stay on top of my work, and get rewarded by exploring a new place. When Margaret and I first agreed to take a trip to Venice our original plan was to meet up elsewhere and then travel to Venice together. With a

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-34289356916044553962011-10-25T19:00:00.000-04:002011-10-26T03:54:38.518-04:00

My recent trip to Venice was inspired by two things 1) the apartment rental I won and 2) a trip on the Orient Express. Both felt like a wonderful escape from my everyday life in Paris, and a bit like I was living someone else's life. To prove it wasn't all too glamorous, I wanted to share my mode of transportation to get to Venice. Inspired by the OE, I decided that I'd make this trip an all

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-65663780963525788492011-10-25T08:36:00.003-04:002011-10-25T08:53:22.927-04:00

As I type this post, I am looking at a more zoomed in version of what you see here, but with spectacular clouds in the sky. Last week Kate Pruitt, one of the fabulous Design*Sponge editors I work with (on a remote basis), featured my "Tech Set-up" on My Life Scoop, a site which is full of tips for a connected life. It was an interesting exercise to reflect on the ways I work and am settling into

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-2279454145041095102011-10-20T03:55:00.009-04:002011-10-20T15:56:57.792-04:00

Every Monday on design*sponge I help run the "sneak peek" column showcasing homes around the world. My favorite homes tend to be the small ones, as I discover new ways to be efficient with space. So I thought it'd be fun to wrap up my posts about my journey on the Orient Express Venice-Simplon (check out the first two here and here) with a "sneak peek" inside the living quarters.Image above: In

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-73927260378064192172011-10-18T08:25:00.010-04:002011-10-18T09:30:19.758-04:00

While onboard the Orient Express there are four main activities: 1) Looking out the window 2) napping/sleeping 3) Eating and 4) Digesting. (Plugging in your laptop isn't even an option as there are no outlets). As the scenery outside passes you by, the inner feel of the train is constantly morphing and transforming from day to night. One thing is for sure, you will never go hungry on this

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-31338330668877926922011-10-17T06:34:00.011-04:002011-10-18T16:57:46.381-04:00

For 30 hours aboard the Orient Express's Venice Simplon between Venice and London I felt like I traveled back in time to a bygone era of travel where slow luxury reigned supreme. My 12m2 Paris apartment trained me well for the cozy cabins that became our home on wheels, yet provided further proof that you do not need much space to lead a glamorous life. I was lucky enough to be the guest of

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-78788905782790275392011-10-10T03:57:00.003-04:002011-10-10T07:31:35.743-04:00

With nearly 100 Boarding Pass features under my belt, I felt it was time I finally put myself to the test and respond to the questions first hand. I leave for a week long trip to Venice later tonight which is looking to be quite the adventure, so it seemed the perfect time to reflect on my own travel philosophies. With 30 countries and 47 US states under my belt, here's my take on things. Bon

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-58644575624222142512011-10-07T04:13:00.000-04:002011-10-07T06:47:36.998-04:00

Last spring Luke Shepard's Le Flaneur video spread around the web like wildfire as he captured Paris in 2,000 images. What started as a personal project as a student at the American University of Paris got Luke noticed. Even Nikon France saw his amazing talent and hired him to create Big Hands, documenting the installation of two big hands at Place Beaubourg between the 17th and 23rd of

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-68476312430140608372011-10-06T00:01:00.001-04:002011-10-06T00:01:00.802-04:00

Graphic designer Susan Hochbaum has an impressive resumé of design credits ranging from 15 years with Pentagram to opening her own design business, with her work winning numerous accolades. In 2008, middle-aged, divorced and newly in love, she granted her self a sabbatical in Paris. With a creative eye and a taste for treats, before she knew it, everything in Paris started to look like dessert.

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-40729041728762983142011-10-05T04:11:00.008-04:002011-10-05T04:48:56.604-04:00

For the past week Paris has been celebrating Fashion Week's "ready to wear" collections. Last spring I managed to find a seat inside the Ellie Saab show, but this round, I think I found my favorite seat of all – a classic green fermob chair around the pond near Concorde. It became the best way to spend my friend Caitlin's last afternoon in town. After a quick stop of at Ladurée for macaroons,

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-54683565675573410832011-10-04T04:20:00.000-04:002011-10-04T04:23:39.721-04:00

Kaitlin King is a globetrotting anthropologist and artist currently based in Costa Rica. I love the colors that emerge from her Latin American-inspired travels and the way she creates colored collages at the end of a trip. Her travels are interesting too because they often take a "volunteer" spin as she is on a constant search for what is "real." Thanks, Kaitlin!{Snapshot of me traveling in San

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-77119840885536685262011-10-03T04:16:00.002-04:002011-10-03T06:10:09.639-04:00

On Nuit Blanche I saw Jesus. I also saw Superman, Darth Vader (with Santa's beard) and Sherlock Holmes. Inside the Square des Batignolles Fabrice Hyber's "Arrrghh, boing, zzzzzz" was the definite highlight of the night as superheros came alive, wandered through the park, interacted with each other (who knows what costumes they were left wearing at 7am!) and with visitors. Each location

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-57681153218365037332011-09-30T04:39:00.005-04:002011-09-30T05:25:37.409-04:00

Nuit Blanche has long been one of my favorite nights of the year. Even before I was living in Paris, I'd intentionally plan my visits to Paris to be here for the first Saturday in October to profiter from the sleepless night of art installations and events happening all around the city. This year marks the 10th anniversary edition, and to celebrate, new neighborhoods (including mine – Saint

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-68557325636436177262011-09-29T04:37:00.003-04:002011-09-29T05:36:23.770-04:00

Habitué is the French word for "regular." For this guide I wanted to create a resource of my favorite places in the city that I find myself frequenting the most (it's part cheat sheet for myself when trying to figure out where to take my friends when they visit – I have 3 here this week, for a total of 7 this month!). You'll notice that there aren't that many restaurants on the list (not eating

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-45837644587385775972011-09-28T08:05:00.000-04:002011-09-28T08:05:15.472-04:00

Besides getting you from place to place, the thing public transportation is really great for is people watching. I get extra joy in observing tourists, but locals can be pretty fun to watch too. The latest campaign 'Restons Civils' from the RATP, the public transportation operator for Paris, takes a fun and entertaining look at some serious issues that face the system. With over 10 million riders

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-1113091034731383832011-09-27T08:52:00.006-04:002011-09-28T09:05:25.461-04:00

If I have the choice between taking a taxi or public transportation, I'll take public transportation in a heart beat. Not that anyone is a fan of being stuck in traffic, but if you're on the bus, at least you can be doing something while you wait. In Paris I know the metro so well that I know where I should get on the train to catch my correspondence. But the thing I often don't think about when

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-77488620064081821392011-09-26T11:55:00.006-04:002011-09-26T13:00:44.592-04:00

This summer in Fez I was lucky to experience the intense yet relaxed travel style of journalist and film-maker Joe Lukawski. After an extremely focused filming session (we were down there for the Fez Festival of Sacred Music), more often than not some café sitting and mint tea sipping was in order, or lunch at Rachid's. After summer travels around the US, Joe is now back down in Fez for his

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-42196421926152549952011-09-23T11:11:00.004-04:002011-09-24T11:47:56.851-04:00

Every time I go back to the US I can't help but notice the lack of style (or put-togetheredness) of the average American in suburbia. Although not without certain flaws, I think Europeans have style down pat, even if it is all black more often than not. This video of 100 years of East London style in 100 seconds proves that London has it going on and has over the ages.The promotion was created by

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-72317606575612873972011-09-22T02:01:00.001-04:002011-09-22T02:01:00.137-04:00

Over the past two years in France I've met some amazing people doing incredible things. I didn't meet Joe Lukawski until late spring (as we bonded over our theses, both themed around Morocco), but still in the short time I've known Joe we managed to help develop new curriculum, brainstorm plenty of ideas, and collaborate in Fez for the Fez Festival in June. This fall Joe moved to Fez, Morocco for

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-16338177290360316212011-09-21T04:06:00.007-04:002011-09-21T04:46:50.131-04:00

If I could go anywhere right now, I'd travel back in time. Ever since Midnight in Paris, and even Mad Men, I've been aching to live life as it used to be lived. Granted those times weren't without their own issues, but I think at the same time it gives us an appreciation of the time we live in now. This week Margaret gave me a sneak peek at the newly launched Orient Express, A Journey Like No

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-50830265266857681072011-09-20T08:28:00.008-04:002011-09-20T10:02:29.379-04:00

{My love of neon in a new form by French designers Tête au Cube}My latest design article for VINGT Paris magazine just went up and it's all about the latest edition of Maison + Objet. The article is half guide (aka planning your own trip virtually or in person) as well as a peek inside my favorite tendence (trend) room – Objets Privées.While for most people, Maison Objet is about seeing the

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-56973691850032454792011-09-19T06:45:00.001-04:002011-09-19T06:45:00.786-04:00

One of the things I love most about travel is the way in which it can bond two people, even if you've never met, through lived/shared experiences. Although not on the same voyage, Maggie High and I were lucky enough to experience a 10-country adventure around the world on a ship on Semester at Sea. Clearly it's something that rubbed off on us both as she's off in South Korea teaching, and I'm in

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-64903114361389436152011-09-16T10:03:00.010-04:002011-09-17T07:34:57.643-04:00

One of my recent missions has been to find interesting French blogs (the blogsophere here seems to be dominated by expats), so as I find new (or new to me) blogs, I hope to share them with you to spread the love – starting today. This summer my friend and stylist extraordinaire Elodie Rambaud decided to create a project to take advantage of the quiet of Paris in August and use it as an excuse to

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-53519075896402084012011-09-15T11:18:00.004-04:002011-09-15T11:39:27.433-04:00

As ate lunch with my friend Felicia at Café Chinois today, just north of Place des Vosges, I couldn't help but feel transported to another country for the time being (a welcome refuge after another visit to the Prefecture). It reminded me of a few weeks ago when I went to the Festival of Ganesha, the Hindu god resembling an elephant, in the 10th arrondissement of Paris. Despite seeing bits of

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-53271196493842333512011-09-14T03:58:00.006-04:002011-09-14T04:30:35.620-04:00

When it comes to branding, I definitely go for the less is more mentality, and break away from the cookie cutter way of leaving your mark. Clearly these days I'm loving type on images. I just came across this beautiful project by Nicole Meyer called Branding 10,000 Lakes which takes a fresh look at the branding of lakes, which typically have less than attractive logos (to put it nicely). Nicole's

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-65593296528586105472011-09-12T18:29:00.007-04:002011-09-13T15:17:22.853-04:00

These days my favorite French word is "profiter" because it's one of those words that doesn't easily translate, as it includes several ideas at once. English brings up ideas of "profit," but really the essence is "to enjoy" – another word that doesn't really translate back into French – while also being "to make the most of." In fact, this verb warranted a lengthy late night conversation on

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-39708448012958939202011-09-12T02:50:00.012-04:002011-09-12T04:58:35.683-04:00

It may sound crazy, but meeting the French is harder than one would think. Sure you can encounter them on a daily basis, but cracking into their worlds is a whole other challenge. I feel so lucky to have met best friends Alex (programmer) and Ben (illustrator) of Hejorama about a year ago thanks to twitter and our blogs. Hejorama encourages "travel as you are," and features regular content that

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-84848350739801348252011-09-08T10:07:00.004-04:002011-09-08T10:37:04.188-04:00

It is true that much of my life in Paris looks like the pictures in this post. But behind the scenes there is a constant battle, where I regularly question myself in exactly why I fight so hard to stay. It only took me three months to get around to facing the reality and respond to Kasia Dietz's request for me to participate in her "Dream Life" series. There's so much information on Paris out in

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-74945274335129882192011-09-07T05:24:00.004-04:002011-09-07T05:46:21.049-04:00

I'm excited to announce my latest side gig as the design contributor for VINGT Paris Magazine! 2-3 times a month I'll be bringing you an in-depth look at something design related in Paris. VINGT Paris is a trusted rental agency, and their award-winning blog/magazine started in 2004, as a hub for visual arts information and resources in all 20 arrondissements of Paris. My first post just went up

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-44672806298947924392011-09-06T06:32:00.004-04:002011-09-06T07:01:05.937-04:00

Yesterday my friend Bahar, a very talented photojournalist based in Asia, sent me the link to this video which reminded him of his past travels. The song, "See The World" by Gomez, is the second single from their album "How We Operate." Compared to most of the videos I've posted lately, I like that it doesn't feel quite as polished or perfect. (It was was directed by Kim Gehrig, and produced by

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-23136704253406549992011-09-05T03:32:00.009-04:002011-09-05T03:58:08.656-04:00

Between my internet being down yesterday (a true sign that I need to unplug more and work less) and the fact that today is Labor Day in the US, I decided to take one more week off of Boarding Pass (promise it will be back next week!) to help remind myself of the few moments this summer when I wasn't working in Paris. Exploring other neighborhoods, namely the 19ème... [2 images above] The Paris

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-38125127728478087972011-08-26T05:25:00.006-04:002011-08-26T05:37:19.859-04:00

This week it started. La rentrée. August has officially become my favorite month in Paris, despite the closures of some of my favorite lunch spots. But now the calm of the city has already started to be replaced by people everywhere, the buzz of traffic, and actually having to look and wait before I cross the street in my neighborhood. The best US equivalent to "la rentrée" is "Back to School."

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-61512276157121472582011-08-25T04:47:00.002-04:002011-08-25T04:51:01.063-04:00

I think everyone should unplug from their computers and go "Charleston" dancing around their city. This video - I Charleston Berlin with music by Good Night Circus – totally made my day. DANCE! {Thanks, Daniella!}

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-12743100617761981522011-08-24T07:37:00.004-04:002011-08-24T09:44:15.853-04:00

Over the weekend I found myself at a wonderful picnic along the Seine. As I reflected upon the group – new faces to me for the most part – I realized that Denmark, Switzerland, Spain, Japan, the US and France were represented. And that was just by origin – one of the Danes was getting set to move to Italy. All night my main topic of conversation was paperwork and French bureaucracy. Because

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-32051267311727010072011-08-22T12:01:00.005-04:002012-01-04T19:25:00.202-05:00

It's crazy to think last year at this time I was off in Brittany and the south of France working as a nanny, and here I am pumping out a business plan in the course of a month (apparently most people take a year or two to do this). Maybe I've been watching a bit too much So You Think You Can Dance lately but my life is starting to feel a bit like a reality show, and I'm down to the final

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-90531278571077372652011-08-19T03:01:00.005-04:002011-08-19T03:15:42.473-04:00

While in so many ways I pull off "being French," these days I'm utterly failing at one major French trait: going on holiday on the month of August. Even the lifeguard at the pool was alarmed when I told him I'm staying put this month. (And not only am I staying but, I'm working double time with my upcoming visit to the Préfecture de Police regarding my visa). It's been a good thing that Paris

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-44920459946745163362011-08-16T03:51:00.003-04:002011-08-16T03:56:43.656-04:00

I love that this video by Japanese motion graphics agency, Tofu Design which shares 29 Ways to Stay Creative that individually are nothing out of the ordinary, but together really do help make ideas happen. And you need not be a "creative" yourself to learn from these rules. Here's the whole list in print form too.

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-13467686655181266672011-08-15T00:01:00.001-04:002011-08-15T00:01:00.330-04:00

Today's edition of Boarding Pass is another in the continued look at the creative ways people travel, but with my new sub-interest in the ways people do it while working. Graphic designer David Nolan has been traveling the world – while working (aka location independent) – with his writer/photographer girlfriend Susie Harrison (see her Boarding Pass here). He started his own freelance design

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-58403945205951258282011-08-12T03:01:00.007-04:002011-08-12T07:56:14.950-04:00

For those of you who think having kids means the end of travel, think again. Gabrielle Blair, aka blogger extraordinaire, Design Mom proves that what some may think impossible, is possible. This winter Gabrielle and her husband Ben packed up the entire family – all 6, yes six, kids – and moved from Denver, Colorado to Normandy, France for the year. I've loved following her series on her blog

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-3583724807807661012011-08-11T14:42:00.004-04:002011-08-11T16:07:29.563-04:00

Despite the seemingly glamorous life I may lead on the surface online, the fact of the matter is that at the end of the day, I still come home to my beloved 12m2 shoebox. While every now and then I have visions of having a home with more than one room, or my own toilet, I'm amazingly content where I am. However, the part that I hate in my apartment hardly large enough to hold me, is that it

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I'm up to my ears in French bureaucracy these days with my upcoming visit to the Préfecture (a true test of sanity, if nothing else). So today is a virtual escape to the homeland, with two different, breathtaking looks at California. Amazing the kind of projects that are emerging on the web today, just since a year ago. The top video, A Day in California, took Ryan Killackey and his wife over

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{Loosecubes, international co-working community} Yesterday I came across an article on Portfolio.com that caught my eye. It opened with a quote by Scott Gerber, saying, "Gen-Y'ers should burn their résumés and shift their focus from getting a job to creating a job if they want to survive the new realities of the economy and unemployment." When you finish grad school they don't really warn you

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Suzanne Harrison is a writer and photographer who travels the world while working. After leaving her London apartment five years ago to move to a farm in Devon, England to start her freelance business, two years was enough and she set off on a globetrotting adventure starting in Australia and New Zealand. These days she's winding her way through Europe, currently based in Paris, with Berlin on

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Living in France is by no means a pre-requisite to being a Francophile or exploring France beyond Paris. I've never been to Alsace Lorraine myself, so I'm happy to have Philadephia-based Susan Hutchinson of Fleurishing and Nesting LLC to show us around in the ongoing 'Tour de France' series. Susan's mother side of the family is from Strasbourg (there is even a suburb – Zehnacker – named after her

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-5800378557378840672011-08-04T02:36:00.005-04:002011-08-04T02:52:33.355-04:00

The description of these three videos goes like this: 3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage... all to turn 3 ambitious linear concepts based on movement, learning and food ....into 3 beautiful and hopefully compelling short films.....= a trip of a lifetime. The creation of independent Australian Filmmaker,

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While my blog started as a look at the intersection of travel and design, since my move to France I like to think it has become much more than that. One of the things I am constantly fascinated by is the 'expat experience' where living like a local is central, but you will always be a bit of an 'outsider.' And by a few twists of fate (aka links through the internet, from various directions), I

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Yesterday marked the day that France went on holiday for a month. While not a national holiday, it is part of the way of life when you get 5-9 weeks of vacation a year. And when no one else in your country is working, it makes it hard for you to get any work done too – so you may as well join the club and enjoy a little vacation. From now through the end of the month Parisians start fleeing, it

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Anna from European Chic doesn't plan trips; she just shows up and talks to the locals. Each week I love the way the passions of the participants weave their way into Boarding Pass. Anna who documents interior design and inspiration in Europe through her blog clearly wasn't lying when she said that architecture is her favorite thing to photograph. She's currently off traveling in Warsaw, and I

Prêt à Voyagerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14159060895456546974noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299568040328443704.post-3863214653025965312011-07-29T15:46:00.004-04:002011-07-29T16:10:52.489-04:00

Earlier this summer I borrowed the book Making Ideas Happen from my friend Elena. This week Elena managed to raise over $33,000 on Kickstarter for her documentary film, The Illusionists looking at body image in the media. She read this book before she put together the campaign, so I can only hope as good of things are around the corner for me – some really good ideas inside. (p.s. There's still a

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A chance to teach English in a public elementary school brought Brenna of Le Fabuleux Destin de Brenna to France. While I did the same thing, but for a high school in Paris 8 years ago, I envy Brenna's opportunity to truly immerse herself in French culture with fewer distractions (& expenses) of big city life. As she says, "When I first moved to Verdun, I didn't didn't find it to have the allure

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While most French people are busy discussing where they are off to on holiday next month (3 week minimum, bien sûr!), I'm happy to spend the summer in Paris. Last week the 10th edition of Paris Plage opened with its artificial beaches along the Seine near Hôtel de Ville, and further up at the Bassin de la Vilette in the 19th. Even despite the cool summer temperatures (see below playing a rousing

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Splitscreen: A Love Story is the beautiful creation of filmmaker J.W. Griffiths traveling between Paris, NYC and London. What is even more amazing is that the film was shot entirely on a Nokia N8 moblie phone (no surprise that it won the Nokia Shorts competition 2011). To get an inside look at how the film was made, don't miss the "making of" video below.

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