In mid-March, I made a 4-night/3-day getaway to Martinique. As I was traveling with my mom, we flew round trip from Boston and took advantage of Norwegian Air's introductory sales for this new direct route. Beach at l'Anse à l'Âne Next week, I will post my full...
Spring is here and that means it's terrace season in Paris! Last summer, I had tea with some friends at the Maison de L'Amérique Latine in Saint-Germain. This Latin cultural center houses exhibits and events, but it is also home to one of Paris's nicer restaurants and...
Last week, I wrote about the Albert Kahn Museum & Gardens in Boulogne-Billancourt. Not so far from there, about a 30 minute's walk away, is the Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil, a botanical garden in the Bois de Boulogne. These gardens were created back in 1761 under...
On the edge of the Seine in Boulogne-Billancourt, a suburb of Paris abutting the 16th arrondissement, lies a magical little garden and museum that most tourists never find. The Albert Kahn Museum & Garden is a bit off the beaten track, but just a short walk from...
Nearly two years ago, I wrote (here) about one of the long distance trails (the grandes randonnées) that transects central Paris (see the Red 1 Trail below). This past summer, I completed another of these hikes through Paris, the Blue 2 Trail above. The full trail is...
All this cold winter weather is making me dream of warmer days! So what better time to reminisce about my weekend in Sicily last June.... June 11th - 15th, I attended an alumni reunion with former co-workers in Siracusa, Sicily. Although we used the island of Ortigia,...
While "medieval" and "Hausmannian" may be the first styles that come to mind when we think of Parisian architecture, Paris is also home to an impressive array of more modern architecture. Guimard's Castel Béranger, Rue Jean de la Fontaine, 75016 Paris (1898) Just once...
There's a new café in Saint-Germain that makes for a perfect stop for afternoon tea or ....who doesn't love gelato? My good friend Magda introduced me to this little gem this summer. With its white marble and gold decor and intricate and thoughtful food presentation,...
I'm not sure there is any way to "beat" the system when it comes to exchange rates. One way or another, you're going to pay fees. But there is a better way than just going through your bank, for most of us at least. Photo compliments of Wikipedia Since January 2013, I...
My first book of 2016 was A Gift from Brittany, by Marjorie Price. It's a true story, the account of the young American's own life in southern Brittany in the early 1960s, back when modernity had not yet reached these rural communities and when there were no other...
