by Wendy
It goes something like this.
Bonjour Paris! Time to explore the city. Maybe visit Notre Dame and walk along the Seine?
Where do you want to go for breakfast? This cafe looks nice.
This cafe is the best! I could stay here for hours. Should we have another coffee?
Is Notre Dame this way?
Look at the dresses in those store windows. Tres chic! Which one would you choose? Continue reading
by Wendy
Here is my packing debrief from 6 nights in Paris. Continue reading
by Wendy
Sunday passed in a jet lag fog, with the Roissy bus from the airport, sleepy walk around the neighborhood, settling in our hotel, slightly dazed dinner and early bedtime. Monday we woke a little more alert and very hungry. We wandered a few blocks to a place we spotted the evening before, Cafe Dalayrac, to order petit dejeuner, or breakfast.
It was a gorgeous day around 11am, and we sat on the border of outside/inside seating so we could watch the street scene and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. The basic petit dejeuner a la francaise is about 7 euros: boisson chaude (hot drink like coffee, tea or hot chocolate), une viennoiserie ou tartine (either a croissant pastry or bread with butter and jam), and jus d’orange (orange juice). For another 7 euros, you have petit dejeuner anglais, with an added dish of 2 oeufs au choix (eggs of your choice): au plat (fried sunny side up), brouilles (scrambled), or omelette. We opted for the anglais, which was delicious, and thus began our fond friendship with Cafe Dalayrac. Continue reading
by Wendy
The pursuit of beautiful city views is an essential part of any Paris itinerary. Here are a few locations for your consideration: Continue reading
by Wendy
Paris and I go back about twenty years. The inaugural visit was with my sister April right after I graduated from college. The second and third connections were with my husband Jack – a long weekend in January, a summer trip in August. When I learned my sister Sunny was planning a first-time journey to Paris with her husband and daughter, I asked if I could tag along. Sunny said Oui, and we spent a week there earlier this month. Continue reading
by Wendy
I have a few trips on the horizon, but a 4 day trip to New Mexico was trickier to pack for than it should have been. This was one of those trips like Iceland/England where I wanted to bring clothes suitable for several different activities: hiking, pool, walking around a city, lounging around a resort. The weather in Albuquerque and Santa Fe could range from 80s during the day to 40s at night. So this was a puzzle. A nice puzzle to have, but a puzzle nonetheless. Continue reading
by Wendy
I’ve wanted to travel to New Mexico for awhile, especially after hearing and reading about Mom and Dad’s trip last year. Continue reading
by Wendy
There are a lot of things I love about New Jersey. Visiting family. Spending a day at the shore. The boardwalk arcades. Seeing landmarks of my husband’s childhood. The accent. I also really love the food in New Jersey.
As Jack will tell you, New Jersey knows Italian food. Even residents without any Italian ancestry have strong opinions on where to get the best cannoli, mozzarella or prosciutto (even if many don’t pronounce the last vowel – it’s “mozzerelle” or “prosciutt”). The New Jersey tomato should have its own blog about how great it is. I might even say New Jersey pizza style is superior to my beloved New York City and Chicago (please, no hate mail). Continue reading
by Jack and Wendy
Living and working in DC, Jack and I mingle with tourists on a frequent basis. It’s great to see visitors enjoying their trips to our city. As frequent tourists ourselves, it can be entertaining to observe behaviors from the perspective of locals. Here are a few random tips for the Washington DC tourist: Continue reading
by Wendy
I always look forward to spring break visits from my sister April and nephew J. We love hanging out in our DC neighborhood and taking road trips to nearby cities like NYC. Since they’ve been to Washington many times previously, Jack and I always try to design a varied itinerary.
At the top of the list this year are the recently opened National Museum of African American History and Culture and the temporary Yayoi Kusama “Infinity Mirrors” exhibit at the Hirshhorn. While all Smithsonian museums are busy, these two are generating a lot of buzz. I hadn’t the privilege of seeing either one yet. Both offer free admission, but require timed entry passes due to popularity. The advance online option doesn’t work out, so I must try for same-day timed entry tickets. I’m determined to secure entry to at least one of these coveted attractions, though there’s a good chance this will involve standing in at least one long line. Continue reading