This is not a perfume review.
So, I guess le chat is out of le sac, oui? (Ma French, it is merde, non? Oui?) It’s true – I’m leaving for Paris next week with Angela of Now Smell This, along with another friend who wants her name left out of my blog shenanigans.
It was all pretty spur-of-the-moment and involved some funny coincidences (I’d contacted Angela about something else), but I also credit the Big Cheese for the trip. It has been – how you say – a difficult winter. Snowmageddon (Parts 1, 2 and 3) pretty much did me in, along with some other stuff, none of which is bad enough that I even feel I have a right to complain.
And I didn’t complain, precisely. But the Cheese was asking – nay, begging – me to go somewhere. Really, his emails direct to my inbox (remember, we share an office) are hilarious – subject lines for anywhere from London to Berlin and beyond. Check out this deal!! Look at these great hotels!! He’d have gotten me a ticket, preferably a one-way ticket, to anywhere on the face of the earth.
I’m not sure exactly what tipped him off that I needed to get away. Finding me sitting in my closet, sobbing into my hands when I was supposed to be putting my shoes on, might have given him an inkling. Also he may have detected that his wife, a modest drinker, had taken to opening her second bottle of chardonnay before bedtime … I mean, that can’t be good, right? Your wife shrugs her shoulders when you ask, but what happened to the case of wine I just bought? Dude, I drank it. Please go dig the Toyota out of the f*ing snow and get me some more.
So anyway the three of us – Angie, “Jane le Doe,” and I – are renting an apartment off Blvd. Montparnasse near the Luxembourg Gardens, and yeah, go ahead and hate me. I’ve been google-mapping every patisserie, chocolatier and boulangerie in the ‘hood. Angie is making the List o’ Fine Dining. (I’ve requested: no organ meats, things that crawl, or animals featured in charmingly illustrated English storybooks.) My guess is we will do some variation on Denyse’s Perfume Tours (here’s a handy link to Right Bank and Left Bank) and of course we’re getting together with her as well.
So, there will be perfume, and plenty of it, but I already have my Paris perfume, as you know – Mandragore, which I bought one bitterly cold January day at the Annick Goutal store on Place Saint-Sulpice and which, by default, thus became the scent of Paris to me. I’m sure I’ll come home with something else as well.
In the meantime I used the pressure of the upcoming trip as the impetus I needed to grit my teeth and finally face the carnage that the snows wrought on my garden. Many trees and shrubs emerged surprisingly unscathed, just a few broken branches here and there. Other plants – like my laurel – were crushed but I pruned them hard and they’ll look fine by next year. The roses, though… oh, the roses. The astonishing weight and volume of those snows (we had 6’5″ snowdrifts against our back fence at one point) destroyed my trellis roses. Destroyed them. I had them climbing my back porch waaaay over my head. The snow tore down the roses affixed to the porch and snapped the trellises themselves in half; the canes bent and broke two feet from the ground … my beautiful, fragrant Summer Wine. My Darlow’s Enigma. Of course, they will grow back. They will. Maybe they’ll be happier, with a fresh start like that. But I lost several years of growth. It’s done now, though. They’re tidied up. And I smiled as I pruned them in the rain last week, all the spring rain we’ve been having, because I could see those damn things already putting out their new leaves. I’m going to Paris and putting out some new leaves of my own.
Paris links:
An excellent food blog Angela told me about, with a really interesting section on Parisian culture….
Musette showed me this Paris street fashion site, often the looks are high/low, or totally affordable (a lot of local students)…
I actually printed these pages out so I could torture my daughters – dessert porn!
Everyone probably reads this already.
Dang
I just spent ages typing a long comment, and when I hit the submit button my Internet Explorer did something really weird.
Did you get it or should I retype it all again?
I’ll go check the spam filter. So sorry. We’ve been getting odd blog glitches, we’ll be changing hosts for several reasons.
Nope … it’s not here. Again, sorry. If it makes you feel any better, my wireless goes down sometimes in the middle of posts comments and *poof*!
My sister and I survived Snowmagedeon also! We live in Northern VA and share a house. We didn’t drink to cope with the hateful snow. Instead, we chowed down on some junk food (purchased when we were able to get the car out – plus bought other groceries), drank lots of hot chocolate (homemade) topped off with whipped cream, and ate bunches of homemade Chex Mix — all without gaining any weight because it was just us two women against the snow and we were burning calories like crazy!!! We are so sick of snow it’s not funny. But so is every else!
Our garden looks great! I think there are lots of flowering bushes and trees that love the ice and snow and cold. I know that lilacs love the cold and they will not bloom unless their roots freeze. So that is why lilacs in New England and Canada are especially beautiful. And so are our lilac bushes in our yard. Ahhhh lilacs!
what a wonderful way to recover from your winter! i wish you a tres bon voyage! look forward to the tales upon your return.
I enjoyed the bit about your garden. I was in Paris in September and used Denyse’s guide. Maison Francis K. was my fave new place. I’m going again in August and dreaming of Lutens at the Palais Royal and buying Iris Silver Mist. Paris is the most beautiful city in the world, but it’s the perfume trying and shopping that has me anticipating my upcoming August trip since, well, since my last trip. Have a wonderful time!
You must throw cochons to the wind and have a fabulous time, no matter what. Then you can cry “oui, oui, oui, oui” all the way home! —–And remember, when going to Paris, anything worth doing is worth over-doing.
And when the Parisians do that oui oui oui thing it sounds like they’re honking, which I love.
March — i have a Paris guide compiled by moi that I update and give to select friends. If you would like one, I am happy to email you — it has a few off-the-beaten-track ideas, shops, restaurants, etc.
By the way, Gerard Mulot is a great patisserie near where you will be staying (on the Odeon side of the rue de Seine) and 1728 near Place de la Concorde — stunning art gallery-restaurant (the former maison of the Marquis de Lafayette) with lovely if pricey fusion food. however, you can offset cost by having tea there in the afternoon instead of a meal….I could go on…
oy, how ungrammatical. i meant to write that 1728 is a must if only for afternoon tea.
I’m glad you liked my “food porn.” Hope you find all those pastries and more during your trip to Paris. Yes, you will be close to Poilane. Eric Kaiser is also great for bread and morning croissants and pain au chocolat. Thanks for the link.
Your blog is so great! I really enjoyed all the recipes on there as well, and the photography is lovely. Your pleasure in your food and your surroundings, wherever they are, really shows through.
Mmmm, you won’t be far from Poilane (bread!) and Sadaharu Aoki (macarons! financiers!) I’d also recommend visiting the Jewish quarter for vatroushka/cheesecake, before the chain stores push out the family bakeries.
Also, if you can even find the Hotel Costes, you get a prize (like IUNX, maybe.)
I am going to look VERY HARD for Costes. I have written instructions! :)>- Cuz I want to sniff Costes and the IUNXen.
Poilane I will check and make sure is on my map, Aoki definitely is.
I can’t wait to see how much there’ll be to Blame it On Louise!!!
Bon bon bon voyage!!!
Thanks, we are all darned excited!
Woman–those roses are resilient, just like you are. 😡 Go grow some new leaves of your own, and have a blast with Angela and, um, “Jane le Doe” in the City of Light!
Hugs!
Yeaaah, le Jane outed herself up there (it’s Louise) 😉 And how can we three gals not have a great time!? <:-p
Kudos to the Big Cheese for recognizing you needed time away. Years ago during a particularly long winter with two active small boys, my husband returned after yet another 3 week business trip. As I got on my coat and grabbed my keys, he asked “So do you want to go to the grocery by yourself for a break?” Clueless, but he’s so great otherwise I forgave him.
You, too, will come back renewed. Just like your roses. And you’ll smell great as well!
Heh. I remember when a trip to the grocery store alone *was* a treat, and how fricking pathetic is that, eh? Yes, there will be renewal!
=)) re the Fromage’s e-missives. This is a testament to his wisdom, adhering to that old chestnut
‘if Mama ain’t happy, ain’t NOBODY happy!’
so go get happy! >:d< xo >-)
I am already getting happy, just starting to pack ma bag! <):)
Ah yes, the closet crying jag, I know whereof you speak…8-|
This trips sounds so absolutely right, March. With two independent friends along and Denyse somewhere stage left you’ll be free to get lost, but not too lost. To go discover things on your own and then relax and be tugged along in someone else’s slipstream. To sit and to wander. I wish you all of that and so much more.
Bon Voyage to all three of you! @};-@};-@};-
And that was pretty much a perfect description of this trip. @};- I can be together when I want to be, and apart when I want to be… I am looking forward to cafes and walking and sniffage and just being there, in a completely different place… and it’s nice to know I am not alone in the closet crying jag!
Hilarious! I so understand. We had a very mild winter this year but a version of snowmaggedon last year, and our garage sits behind our house at the end of a long driveway, and we had no snowblower for the first 2-3 doozy snowfalls. And we had ice dams and water leaks.
I have vivid memories of being outside at 6 am, shoveling 8 inches of snow from the looong driveway and weeping in frustration. Or shoveling, then roof raking and weeking, then coming inside to spread out on the floor and fall asleep.
So, yes, you should go!
I am def. going and getting my most out of it, even if the most is a lot of ~o) while sitting in the cafes! And it sounds like a snowblower really helped you all out …. we didn’t get the ice dam only because our entire gutter dropped off! :))
Ohhhh..ohhh..oh…I really wish you guys a great time! I haven’t been to Paris since this perfume-obsession of mine started..so I’m really looking forward (my wallet is NOT,of course)to my next visit.Problem will be..with whom to go??Because, you know, us perfumistas we can get a bit annoying (“oh,hey,,another L’Artisan boutique..oh..wow..look, the new Guerlain..just oooone minute!”)So, congrats, because you got good company!last time I went to London (last year), I have to admit my cousin brought lots of patience with her..I had already told her about some must-sees..so she was prepared for the Roja Dove corner at Harrods..Penhaligon’s, OJ..
The problem is..there is SOOO much to see and do and so little time. And I go all crazy ..and end up spending more money than I should..all that perfume,all that cheese,those macarrons..
So, I’m looking forward to reading your reports and all those helpful ideas for planning future visits! (oh, just loved that right and left side planner from Denyse!)
Oh..Vienna..I really need to go and see those Klimt museums..
I’ve done the “perfume” tourist thing a couple times with non-perfume friends and it didn’t work out that well … I mean, they’re just bored out of their minds, rightfully so, and then I’m annoyed as well. So now I am fairly insistent that we split up and do different things! 🙂 Although I don’t think that will be a problem on THIS trip… <):)
Cannot wait to hear about what a great time you guys had. Keeping my fingers crossed for perfect weather, kindly waiters and all other sorts of perfection.
Or the weather will be 45 and raining and my Franglish will get me less than nowhere with various waiters, and … you know, it will still be lovely!
I know you’ll have a wonderful time, mon ami. Travel is always good for the soul. I can’t tell you how many times over the past few years I’ve wished I could jump on a plane, fly to Rome, and hide out in a lovely apartment for a few weeks; or maybe the rest of my life. Paris is always a good idea. I think that’s a line from a movie, but I can’t remember which one.
Have a few dozen macaroons for me. :d
I have to admit, as much as I adore macarons… there’s an excellent pastry shop here believe it or not that makes wonderful macarons – maybe not Laduree standards, but Paris standards, for sure, and they’ve got many varieties. I drive over there periodically to get my fix! @};-
March, perhaps you should have a pre-game run in with some local macarons? Just to prepare 😡
Louise, you are naughty! I can’t get any wider around the middle before the trip … where’s my sulking emoticon? [-(
That’s Coco right there. Elegance Is A Refusal Emoticon.
Have an epic time March! I can’t wait to hear about what sorts of mischief you will get into!!
I just read recently that Italy is a great destination for those who must be gluten free – who’d have thought, the land of pasta!! But their culture is very aware and accommodating, far more than in the US so I hope to go one day. I do believe I can still eat Macarons though… 😉
No way. Really? I’d never have guessed that. Although in general, having been there, I’d say there are lots of meals that don’t, in fact, feature any bread products unless you want it to. Dang, the food there was AMAZING. Even on the autostrada (like their I-95.) The rest stops! They’re all about the food.
I know, I was shocked too – apparently the genetic testing for Celiac and all of the other markers for gluten intolerance is mandatory for every baby (I’m not sure if there is a higher frequency of these problems in Italian people or if they’re just more aware and accommodating as a result) – so everyone who has it KNOWS they have it. They get stipends for food, gluten free stuff is in every grocery store and most restaurants can make a wheat free meal!!!
PS yes, aren’t macarons something like ground almonds and egg white?
This. is. wonderful.
March, I could be jealous up to my eyeballs, but that wouldn’t mean I would begrudge you one moment of this trip. Because people *do* need to attend to their own maintenance, in whatever form personal proclivities & finances allow. ESPECIALLY mothers, especially mothers with a range of independence and needs in their brood, who tend to make sure that others are attended to first.
Perfect that you’ll be on an airplane, no? There are times when the grown up has to put on the oxygen first, so that all can survive the best.
And how lovely!! A foreign destination! Good company!! Known and unknown delights!!! And…just…wandering. I had an opportunity to do that recently. Did my heart and soul good. I wish even more of the same for you.
Seriously – my mother has been in need of a jaunt to Paris for the past 30 years I think. One day I will make enough money to send her!!
Well, I know you’ve been hooking up with someone in Chicago — 😉 and I hope you got even further afield.
Just getting on a plane makes me happy (especially one that lands in Paris!) It’s funny how people dread the “plane” part but for me that’s seven hours of magazine reading and nobody asking me to fix them a sandwich. 😉
Walking. Lots and lots of walking.
Too bad Le Concorde has gone the way of le dodo ~:>
I…am…Jane b-)
<:-p:d:x
😮
🙂
:d
End of :-$ ? Haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you Louise, but somehow I know that this will be a <:-p combo. Hooray for all three of you!! Have a GREAT time!
Oh now I really can’t wait for the post-trip blog entries!
=d>
I tried to come up with the French version of “Jane” and came up completely blank! /:)
Louise, the image that came up with your comment is hysterical! You sure don’t look happy to be Jane.
And March, remember the gorgeous old song, “Lush Life”: “A week in Paris will ease the bite of it…” A darned fine philosophy, I say. We should come up with French alter egos for the trip. You can be Babette.
Well, I was hoping for one of those weird hyphenated names, preferably with one name a “male” gender — like Marie-Francois or something similar.
That’s a nasty avatar, non? It does reflect a bit the mood today that needs curing in Paris :d/
Hmmm, French name for the trip? Maybe I’ll go with…Louise! Does that work? :d
And you, Angela? How’s about Ange?
and to make up for those grinning emoticons…Ange deserves a o:-)
Oh March, I’m sorry it’s been so difficult for you of late. But I am thrilled you’re getting away for a bit … and in Paris with 2 girlfriends, no less! How wonderful. And you deserve it.
@};-
PS. Oh, and next time take me with you … 🙂
Mmmmm …. yes, the girlfriend thing. Paris is great any time, and I went by myself last time, but I am really looking forward to company. 😡
Have a lovely, spirit-restoring trip, ma chère! I’m so sorry about the garden and the sucky time you’ve been having, but you will have fun, fun, fun!:x:x:x
It will be fun, fun, fun, and I am looking forward to the fooooooood and the walking!
Have a wonderful trip to the City of Lights, March. Since I live in the same metropolitan area, I *know* the winter weariness you speak of. My family just got home last night from Disney World. I had a taste of Fake Paris at the France Pavilion at EPCOT (where Every Person Comes Out Tired), and it was enough to make me long for the real thing.
It happens to be Garden & Flower Expo time at EPCOT right now, and they have tons of flowers and topiaries. So pretty and uplifting to view and sniff. The DD and I sniffed scents at Guerlain but resisted temptation and bought no bottles. (Anyone who has been to Disney knows that it costs an arm and a leg and a kidney to begin with!)
Looking forward to reading your blogs about Paris and your discoveries, scented and otherwise. Bon chance!
Hah. We went to Disney World several years ago and actually had fun, although we never made it to Epcot! I hear “France” actually has a pretty decent perfume selection!
Before it disappeared completely off the face of the earth, that was the only place one could find Habit Rouge extrait. Or so I heard…:d
Ooh — sounds wonderful! So very happy for you! Nothing like the City of Light to make you feel new again. Hope you have a wonderful time and enjoy some divine sniffing (and eating, too)!
Thanks! I am hopeful the walking will balance out the desserting..
I know you’ll enjoy every minute, and share the stories with us when you get back home.
Go put out some new leaves with a light heart, you deserve it.
I’m having a good, hard stare at the suitcase right this sec. Also my nails are painted five different colors on my right hand, and it was very funny b/c I asked Diva what she thought (trying to pick ONE color) and she thought that was the preview mani — five colors. She sort of went, um, welll…..
I’m absolutely [sic] THRILLED for you !!!
Very early birthday present, no ?
[I don’t know the other soul, but I adore Angela- what a wonderful companion, so easy and warm and unaffected !]
Knock ’em dead, gal …
You earned it.
And BIG kudos to Cheese;-):x
VERY early birthday present.
Which I do deserve … 8-|
And I see Louise has outed herself below as Jane… :d/
You are such a darling to say so!
I wish you were going with us, I.
Oh March, I am so very sorry that you have been having a rough time, but what a marvellous pick-me-up Paris will be! Have a fantastic time.
I was in Paris briefly for my birthday in January and it was as wonderful as ever. We’re both long-time vegetarians and we manage to eat extremely well in Paris. Not yet mentioned: Pierre Herme for les macarons, La Maison du Chocolat, Mariage Freres (and I don’t even like tea all that much). Afternoon tea at the Plaza Athenee is wonderful too. Of course, my first stop is still always the Guerlain flagship followed by the Hermes flagship. Bon voyage!
Hehe I have google maps of the locations of Pierre Herme, Maison du Choc, Mariage Freres and several others :d
Jealous doesn’t begin to describe how I feel. 😉
I hope you all have the greatest time (I’m sure you will, there’s nothing else that can happen while in Paris) and I can’t wait to hear of all the stuff you’re going to try (do, eat, sniff, etc). 🙂
Now that it’s getting closer I am getting very excited! I’m letting Angela handle the Haute Cuisine, and I’m handling the baguettes and macarons… /:)
and the chocolate sables.
Do NOT forget the sables.
Have one for me, okay? Tell ’em Gomer says hey! (hey to Gomer)
xo >-)
I will sable my 😡 out, just for you!
Gosh,you sound like my twin sometimes! Have a brilliant sojourn in Gay Paree. My best friend now lives there with her French husband and often has facials at Annick Goutal, which she says are lovely – so maybe one of those should be on your agenda. We will all look forward to reading (jealously) of your adventures. Bon voyage.
Hah! I had no idea you could get facials at Annick Goutal. Of course there’s all sorts of things I don’t know…
Shut up! 😮
Jaloux! No Berlin?! It’s just around the corner! A trip back to Paris for me is long overdue. I’ve been studying French again but dropped out when the teacher a. made fun of me while I was sick b. let the class speak in German half the time. Go to Laduree across from Guerlain on the Champs Elysee. Get a couple macarons and sit on the bench outside and gaze at the Guerlain loveliness. Then cross the street and go in!
Berlin was a close second, and would have been the destination if Paris hadn’t worked out. The Paris trip — it’ll be my first opportunity to go with two women who speak French (which I don’t) and have a pretty good working knowledge of the city. Not that I haven’t stumbled around blissfully on my own but I wanted to seize the opportunity. But Berlin’s next on my list!
You lucky lucky bunny! Another food blog to check out is Zuchini and Chocolate (just google those words and it should land you there). She has a section on Paris dining. Also, macaroons. Tea and an Ispahan in the small Laduree on rue Bonaparte (I think that’s right but you can check on their site)is a sublime afternoon treat. Have a wonderful time.
I’ve heard about the Ispahan! And I love macarons sooooo much.
I have a Laduree map. No, seriously. And Pierre Hermes, Fauchon, Eric Kayser…. list goes on and on.
Don’t forget Denyse and her magic bag of raw mats, vintage perfumes and unreleased samples…the fumes will make it all go away, I promise!
OH yes. Well… there was a limit to how much torturing of people I felt I could get away with in the post itself … D, I have smelled almost no raw materials. I may have to crash your place after all, even if just for an hour or two? 😕
Okay, that’s just mean :((
Wow, congrats! Sounds like a great trip. here is a non perfume, diner hint….sort of very traditional, but GOOD:
Crèmerie Restaurant Polidor, 41, rue Monsieur-le-prince-75006 Paris, maison fondée en 1845, polidor.com
Enjoy!
Hey! It’s you! Lurking over here! I am writing all these dining hints down, btw! And here’s a big, overly intimate, American >:d< to you....
Zut alors! Incroyable! But like Rapleyea, I wonder about all that pain. Sobbing in the closet can’t be a good thing. Drinking the wine, more fun, but not a happy thing, either. Glad the roses are coming back. They always do. May the 14e Arondissment soothe you and bring some light and warmth back to you. That’s the secret of Paris–the light is yellow, and as all good light should be, ripe with warmth.
Honestly, the snow tipped things over. I would clearly make a terrible pioneer — the atmosphere got a bit like The Shining over here, everyone snowbound. I found it hideously depressing for reasons I don’t even understand. And I am pretty sure walking in Paris is what I need …. I am a big-city walker. A people-watcher. A cafe-sitter. You can think when you walk, and dream. @};-
It’s true. I secretly think that walking is a cure for everything from arthritis to a broken heart. I do it every day, and doing it in Paris would help the mood considerably. Yeah, I left D.C. because I can’t take winters anymore. It’s like sandpaper on the soul.
Oh, YAY!, QC!!!
My sentiments exactly on le walkeeng!:-D My bff and I fight about this all the time (she hates exercise of any kind) – she is convinced that walking (or exercise of any kind) makes arthritis worse. I am of the opposite opinion.
Guess which one of us is relatively pain-free?
And walking in Paris…yum!
xo >-)
I agree so deeply with the city-walking/cafe-sitting thing that I am getting all teared up reading this. It’s the one thing my beloved Austin can’t give me–no density to speak of here, we’re all about cars…
We’re all about cows. 3:-o
xo >-)
which means you have to watch where you step, yes?
Le Walking …. there’s an elderly lady down the street who walks every day, weather permitting, as does my dad. I think it’s their secret (although I suppose it’s not much of a secret!)
And I am the ultimate urban tourist, New York to Bangkok. I love roaming around cities on foot or public transportation.
My absolute favorite public transit memory was back in early college – I was on Oahu and on a whim, took a bus from the strip to wherever. It mostly took the locals back home after a day in the hotels and pineapple fields. Imagine my surprise when I found myself looking at the ocean again!
Hey! It’s an ISLAND! who’dathunkit?:-?
xo >-)
Hehe yeah, that’s teh great thing about an island, you can’t go too far astray. Same thing happened to me in Venice 😉
So is Manhattan ;))
oh,yeah, people watching is great. Especially when your feet are almost falling off after walking from here to there the whole day!!
Wow, I hope you three have a great time… and that this whole trip represents that springtime rebirth on a lot of levels.
You’ve even made me want to visit Paris again, though my general attitude has been that I’m never sure I’ll get there again. I loved the place, but my heart and nostalgia belong to Barcelona, and I’m eager to finally see Berlin & Vienna, so those have been higher on the list of dream trips. Hopefully I’ll be going to Japan in the fall though. Ah, I should give up any more fragrance and sink every spare scent into a travel fund!
So are you taking order sign ups for what to bring back?? HA!!! 😀
Berlin was the alternate if Paris didn’t pan out … and I went to Vienna on a total lark a couple years ago, only because they were the cheapest tickets out of Dulles ($400 on Austrian Air? plus a reasonable hotel). Knew nothing except they spoke German. It was A RIOT. I LOVED Vienna. Highly recommend it. We went in October.
I love perfume, but when I’m on my deathbed, hopefully decades from now, I want to have traveled everywhere I wished to go.
Would that I could be there with you. Have a great time, and tell all!
Er, I’ll tell most! 😉
shhhh….8-|
I got to talking with Diva about how cute all the college boys are there and her predicable reaction was, ew, Moooommmm!
Oh, such well-deserved flight into the city of salvation, grace rendered material. I used to live on rue St-Jacques around 214. It’s right down the way from where you’ll stay and there’s a lovely shop a few doors to the east with the best carrot salad, terrines and the most divinely scented tarte au citron that I’m suspect once cured me of a terribly broken heart.
See, I love that. I feel like wherever I put that we were staying, someone could write, well, you know … there’s this AMAZING FOOD JUST DOWN THE STREET. I’ll be writing down addresses…
^:)^
Oooh-la-la! Color me verte with le envy =:) and stuck in NYC with le ennui (okay, I REALLY need the sigh guy here, I am not kidding).
Have a ball, doll <:-p, you deserve it @};-
Tell me about it! Is Ennui Guy gone? Did he take a powder?
:-< Let's see what happens, it'll probably be the clown. Or a squirrel. @};-
Wow! He’s back! Soooo happy!
OK, darlin’, I’m not sure you get to complain about being stuck in NYC, which I am dying to see and be in… Want to swap spots with me for a couple of week? Austin is gorgeous this time of year–bluebonnets galore!
You know, I was thinking the same thing!;)
I was going to offer my little town (Austin is a much better bet, Carter!) but somehow I don’t see her donning the Muck boots and stomping through chicken-poop:-? (normally I wouldn’t either but our neighbors have chickens and ducks and they have taken up daytime residence in our garden)
xo >-)
Let’s storm the city, Musette!
Until further notice, New York is my Paris…:x
And I am your Sword-liege!
8-x
xo >-)
I would love to muck with the ducks and the ~:> but I’d be even happier if you guys were to come here and pound the pavement with meeee ;;)
Damn. I moved to Portland, Ore after 14 years in Austin. Portland is a blur of pink from March to June but I miss those bluebonnets bad: the drives to Blanco and Fredericksburg et al to see them and then stop for chicken-fried steak and a cold one on the way back. Get your picture taken in bluebonnets (preferably with your dog and kids if you have any)and buy a painting of a ranch house perched in a field of bluebonnets before Austin gets too hip for itself.
Oh, man, I’m afraid it’s already way too late on the too-hip-for-itself part. But Texas is big, y’know? So even in Austin the hipness only happens in patches. The damn heat slows everything down, good and bad… Hope you’re enjoying Portland!
Busted! But I can complain anytime, anywhere. It’s a gift :d
I can’t believe I’m the first one on here – usually I read in the a.m. but I’m procrastinating going to bed like a little kid.
March, it makes me really sad to read about your pain under all of your humor. But you manage to be a hoot even when writing about it. I’m sending you light and love and hope that Paris is fun, scentful and healing. 😡
Heheheheee…. I forgot to say how jealous I am!
Gah. Did I lay it on too thick? /:) I can never tell. Really, I’m fine. I think …. much other self-maintenance areas in our lives, I should schedule regular travel in *before* I feel stifled, not in response. And walking around Paris will be just the cure.
Nah, not too thick, see comment above. But I think that’s what got to me the most was that it was lying just below the humor. You’re right though about the self-maintenance – preventative is always the best! My self-maintenance right now (on a tight budget) is the NCAA Tournament -love it!
That sounds like excellent self-maintenance! And I definitely need to learn not to wait…