Pre-Paris 4.0, October 27th

They said the third time is a charm but I’m here to tell you that all trips to Paris beyond your third visit are also exceptional. I swear the soup of the day in Paris must literally be champagne! I heard the quote, “The Beef Bourguignon tastes like the cows have been drinking good red wine all their lives,” and I could not stop laughing. But doesn’t that just sum up Paris?? I’ve learned a few things about myself from my mostly solo trip last year. Most importantly I realized that I can make the best of any situation and I will always find the silver lining. And there are certainly worse places to be “stuck” than Paris.

So the joy of planning another month long workcation seemed just too good to be true. But here we are. For the fall adventure this year I’m completely counting on Michael making it the whole 30 days. Fingers crossed. But let’s start with the fact that Paris was crowned the world’s best destination for 2024. Wow. Was it ever!

While it’s true that any trip that takes you away from your primary residence for any length of time is obviously costly, staying at a property that discounts your rate if you commit to 30 days or more is certainly an incentive to book the whole month. Staying at a VRBO or Airbnb property can be so much better than a stuffy hotel room where the windows never open. I love feeling like we “live” there, even if it is just a temporary address. Having a kitchen and a washer and dryer. Doing grocery shopping and household chores. It feels very domestic, but with flair. And we so easily get into the routine there. I love it.

The WiFi there is reliable (usually) so it’s not an issue to work US hours from a fab overseas location if you can deal with the time change and adjust your thinking to party by day and work by night. I have no issues with that. I’m a daytime gal anyway and now that I run my own firm, I can flex on the schedule if I need to. I can’t commit to more than a month away due to work obligations, but this timeframe is the perfect getaway window that really makes me feel like a local while I’m a temporary resident. And on the backend, I think I appreciate home even more. And let’s face it, New York City is pretty spectacular! So I feel grateful no matter where I am hanging my hat.

I am both proud and a little self conscious of how many times we have visited. But Michael’s daughters live there so it’s more than a destination for fun, it’s a family reunion of sorts where he can spend a lot of quality time with them on their home turf. And that’s so much better than just a few random days a year. And who could complain about having to visit France??

So if you’re looking at the calendar the answer is yes, I’m in the hellish packing stage now and we are in the final countdown to wheels up! Every year I swear I’m not going to bring too much… and then at the last moment I panic and bring too much. I might need that small, cute going out purse that I usually don’t wear. What if I want another pair of sneakers for the rain? Do I need a heavy sweater jacket option? Do I have enough scarves? I second guess all my wardrobe choices. It’s the worst!

I’m working on my overpacking skills but the best advice I’ve ever read regarding packing for any trip is this and it is SO true…

And although I’m going to be in a long-distance relationship with New York, I know once my travel is complete, my hometown will welcome me back with traffic, construction, frigid weather, and crushing holiday crowds. And I look forward to that time. But first… Paris!