Sunrise in the 17th arr
And… she’s off! Jeez, give the girl two months at home, in New York City no less and watch her literally bounce off the walls. Apparently visitors and local distractors aren’t even helpful. Of course none of this has a thing to do with the recent meeting I had with a certain Dreamy VP. 😉
During what was a massively distracting week, with a full head… I was just barely pulling myself down to reality long enough to plod through the intricate details of a Europe trip for clients. I was so jealous. Their journey started dans mon deuxieme ville preferee, Paris. I whined a bit to the guys and somehow wriggled my way onto the beginning portion of their trip. If anything can bring me back to earth, it’s got to be one of the most romantic cities in the world! Ha! And funnily enough, it’s where my AJ ‘escaped’ her own head to as well! The clients will traipse through a few countries back and forth, so I’ll be on my own. Mornings to myself, to courent sans le beloved Luxembourg de Jardin, watch les enfants sur le carousel, drink champagne in the afternoons, gain some perspective and immerse myself in the french culture which I adore. Maybe I’ll put Pavane on repeat and wander through the Louvre! Then have the evenings to work, write and order room service!!! Maybe even a bubble bath. I don’t know about anyone else, but there’s just something so enticing about a fancy hotel bubble bath!
I know this all might sound a bit dramatic and indulgent, however, for my mental state, it became an absolute necessity. And my plan above all sounds lovely, healthy and fabulous in theory, but I would venture to guess there’s some mischief that will creep up next to me and tap on my shoulder, at some point. Isn’t there always!? Though it’s doubtful I’ll be kissing any bartenders this time around! I do have loads of hoteliers I’ve met, some even friends. Suppose I ought to legitimize this trip with a few sites! Besides, kicking around Le Meurice, Fouquet Barriere and Bel Ami is not such a bad ‘work day’ to arrange. And there will be no truffle soufflé this time around either!
Timing is everything: the bumpkin’s NY trip cancelation, my new rock star Ashlee, clients’ plans in the EU, and my two months without a flight in sight. As I was shutting down the Mac to pack it in for the airport, my lovely designer sent me his second round of the rebrand! Now I’ve got 7 hours to focus on that project! Or, just daydream and re-read the same texts and emails that transpired the past six days, over and over and over again. 😉 But the designs are brilliant and I’m getting truly excited and very comfortable with my decisions thus far. Thanks to a few pushes and shoves and valuable feedback! The Armani Boy from Dubai is now part of my ‘red team’. 😉
Whenever possible, I try to fly on weekends, or nights when normal working people (though not too many of my clients are really normal, are they) would otherwise be asleep or with their families. So, it’s kind of fun, I have to figure out where to go for the weekend after Paris! I could only get the special Liz rate through Friday. It’s kind of cool to leave it open! While I might be impulsive and a tad bit spontaneous, I usually have the full plan sorted by this stage.
But in a totally unexpected twist, my presence was suddenly requested in Frankfurt for the next Monday. So whereas the question was originally posed by asking where should I fly home from, it’s now morphed into where in Europe to kick around from Friday to Sunday!!? By plane or train? Suggestions welcomed! Or projects, site requests or any other distractions which could be thrown my way. I’m thinking of flying to Berlin for two nights, then taking the train to Frankfurt from there on Sunday. Have been keen to mingle with the allegedly subversive Viennese though. A far less desirable project was nixed: to find a fabulous boutique within a 25 mile radius of Leverkusen!
Currently The Stone Roses “I Am The Resurrection” is jamming and has just catapulted me full on… back into ‘dreamy’. Sigh…
Bonjour Paris, the City of Love (or is it Lights). Wish me luck with my whole gluten free obsession! Actually, I’ll be lucky if I can muster up an appetite at all! Hopefully any further updates will be laced with my usual wit and humor…
PS: there’s almost nothing hotter than a man wearing a scarf! J’adore l’Europe!
My favorite architecture in the world!
