The Loire Valley in the Mist

While driving south with my mom and 13-year old sister on our epic French road trip, we passed sign after sign for the châteaus of the Loire Valley.

“Want to stop at one of the Loire Valley châteaus, mom?”

“Sure. I think it would be good for your sister to see one.”

Thus began the most random road trip stop of my life- the Château de Chambord.

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The Start of a French Spring: In Photos

Spring is here! Seemingly overnight, Paris bloomed, bringing forth delicate blue forget-me-nots, chirping swallows and soft, greener than green grass. It has literally been sunny every single day for a week, and I can feel my spirits lifting each day. Winter, it seems, is over. May picnic season begin.

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A Very Special (and Asian) Announcement!

Big news! I just booked a one-way ticket to Asia! Words cannot describe how thrilled I am to finally commit to making this long-awaited journey happen. (Or how stoked I was to score a $430 dollar flight, haha.) Come the end of August, I will be on a flight bound for Hong Kong. From Hong … Read more

Parks, Picnics and Pompidou: Saturday Snapshots 27 & 28

So it’s time for the weekly (or as it has been recently, the bi-weekly) update!

Post-road trip life has been pretty great- namely because spring is FINALLY here in Paris. (And is debatably over after about three days… this heat is starting to feel like summer.) I’ve been extremely busy with blogger events, social outings and just life, I suppose. But in sadder news two of my closest friends here left a few days ago to move back to England so that has got me seriously bummed.

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Offbeat Paris: A Guide to Paris’ Canals

While it hasn’t made too many appearances on my blog just yet, the 10th arrondissement, or the Canal Saint-Martin, is actually one of my favorite Parisian neighborhoods. Gritty, residential and tourist-free, there’s nothing I love more than the canals in summer, when everyone comes out to drink wine by the water, listen to music, smoke and soak up the sun.

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Where to Stay in Paris

Like most things in Paris, accommodation is outlandishly expensive. And this spring, when my mom and sister booked their tickets to come visit me in France, I immediately panicked- where was I going to lodge them for four days? As I have worked here for the last six months as well as the last three summers, I have … Read more

My Mom and Sister Come to Paris!

So two weeks ago a long-awaited dream came true- my mom and sister came to visit me in Paris!

While my mother has been to Europe several times before, it was my 13-year old sister’s first time on the continent so I was particularly excited to give her a taste of life in Paris. And by taste, I literally meant taste. This is Paris we’re talking about after all.

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My Local Eats: Seoul, Korea (Part II)

Hi! Welcome to My Local Eats, a guest post series in which foodies from around the globe share their favorite local places to eat and drink. Today’s guest post comes from Amanda Slavinsky, a fellow Michigander who just finished her time teaching in Seoul, Korea. Amanda is a fellow foodie so anything she writes about is definitely … Read more