Packing for Paris (and Bruges!)

As promised, thought you might be interested in what I'll be taking with me when I leave for Paris in a few days.

This was a bit challenging. There are some warm days, and cool days, at least one day of rain, and even when the days are warm my experience here is that it cools down quickly in the evening in September.

But I am always up for a challenge and am very happy with my choices!

Colour stories are sensible for trips and mine is mostly navy, creams and green.

First up: jackets.

I am taking two jackets: a lightweight navy anorak with hood and my old H&M fatigue jacket.

 

Can you bring too many t-shirts on a trip? T-shirts take up no space and they are wonderfully comfortable, able to be dressed up and down. I'm bringing whites and navies, one navy sequin tank, a pale grey and a striped t-shirt.

 

I like pant options. I have a pair of fancy green lace pants for dressing up, a pair each of navy and black cigarette pants, comfy jeans that end at the ankle and one full-length pair in case it gets cool in Bruges as threatened.

Dresses/Skirts

All very lightweight. A knit maxi dress, a short dress, an Eileen Fisher black jersey dress and my gold knit skirt.

On silk broderie tunic blouse:

Sweater: navy cashmere cardigan for the plane (layer, layer, layer on the plane I say - I am always freezing in the middle of the night!), a creamy pullover, a green cardigan and a lightweight flax sweater set from J Crew that I bought on sale months ago.

As for accessories, I am bringing three pair of fun earrings and some inexpensive bracelets

Three scarves: a chambray one, an iridescent green one (hard to tell from the picture) and a heavy black one that will double as my blanket on the plane:

Given the latest weather forecast, I am iffy on taking walking sandals. I do need some bling, so I will pack these oldies, but goodies:

I will have knit gloves, a little knit beanie and an umbrella with me as well. For the plane I am bringing cozy socks and slippers to change into (and the cutest blackout mask):

Basically, nothing over the top, and all things that can roll to become very small. I will need room in my suitcase for gifts! 

I reserve the right for last minute substitutions, but I hope they are few!

I will be posting pictures and stories on Instagram and Facebook, so by all means, follow along!
Talk to you as soon as we are back!  Am I missing anything?

xoxo wendy

 

Feng Shui and Feet

And not necessarily in that order!

There is something about the end of summer that makes us want to get our house in order, literally and figuratively.

I recently redid my office layout, because I was facing a corner. If I turned left, I could also see the trees, but it was always disconcerting when someone walked into my office!

In Feng Shui, our office desks are supposed to be situated so that we are facing the door.  Our spaces should be clear of clutter as well, since that is supposed to help the energy flow.  My desk was cluttered and even had my black beast of a printer on it, so I was always struggling for a spot to set out my papers.

I love how I've rearranged everything and I can tell you it is pure bliss to work in here now!

Love that early morning sun!
 

And a bouquet of fresh flowers, along with other plants, makes the space
more enjoyable
 

I added a small bookcase in here for my everyday writing books
 

Now when I sit here, this is what I see...



A clear space is a thing of beauty...

I am also in the throes of preparing for my trip to Paris.  Wait, that's not entirely true. I haven't thought a whit about the trip yet (except for reservations made months ago), but I have been obsessed with my feet.

I love to walk.  But my poor flat feet are wretched walkers, and many the trip has been marred by not wearing the correct footwear.

I am taking 3 pairs of shoes on the trip: a pair of walking sandals, a pair of ballet flats, and a pair of flat boots for late evenings and in case the weather is colder up in Belgium.

The challenge with walking shoes is that they tend to be butt ugly. My search took me all over the city for the flat boots, since I already owned the first two items. No way was I ordering online - the Canadian dollar is wretched and returns are a pain!

My footwear on the trip?

Taos walking sandals.  So comfortable!

Naturalizer N5 ballet flats.  Again - you feel like you are wearing slippers.

Naturalizer cycle N5 low black boots.  These are really comfy and I would wear these with a couple of knit midi dresses in addition to pants.

Now that I have my feet sorted out, everything else is gravy. 

How about you?  How are your feet holding up these days? Anyone else use Feng Shui in their home?

xoxo wendy
 

Thank God for Fine French Restaurants, Empire TV Series, but most of all, Thank God for Cookie!

Son is gone now till Thanksgiving and it sucked much more than even I thought it would. Such is life I guess...

However, Montreal was a delight and Saturday night we stumbled upon the most amazing French restaurant very close to son's residence: Chez la mere Michel on Rue Guy.

 

Really, it was like stepping into a piece of Provence. Authentic cuisine, attentive and experienced wait staff with tons of stories. (our server, Marc, has worked there for 30 years and is originally from France).

 

I ordered duck (as I am wont to do) and the boys ordered guinea fowl. All was wonderful and happily washed down with a lovely bottle of wine!


An enjoyable meal and I highly recommend this restaurant!  It made me excited to go to Paris!

*******************

When I arrived home, I was seriously homesick for my boy. As luck would have it, my daughter had signed us up for Shomi and I have been catching up on season 1 of Empire.

I'm obsessed I tell you, OBSESSED!

and mostly I am obsessed with Cookie:

No one glares like Cookie - no one....

I will have binge-watched it all by the time the new season begins in a few weeks. 

From one mother to another: thank you Cookie. You did me a solid!

How have you all been?