We came home from Paris with 9 new scarves, 6 dresses, 6 sweaters/tops and 4 coats between the 3 of us. I’m still so impressed at the new wardrobe that my friend Jackie assembled. She rarely shops in the US – being exceedingly practical and finding it annoying to match her petite hourglass figure. Practically…

The stages of Paris trip shopping grief: In the course of a few days, I went from full-blown panic that I purchased too much during our trip to Paris and it would never fit in my suitcase and we’d be barred from returning to America…to annoyance of hauling everything through the airports…to regret that I…

We woke up tremendously excited to have slept well the night before. For Jackie and me, parents of toddlers, it was a revolutionary feeling to have slept and woken up “on our own terms.” Our first full day in Paris was also the last day there were reported to be sunny skies for a while.…

We’re on a grand adventure! I’ve left darling Rob and Lucy at home and traveled to Paris with my two oldest friends: Jackie and Margaret. A 10 day vacation exploring the best of France from our charming apartment right in the middle of the 1st arrondissement. We’re just steps from the hub of Les Halles…

Now that we have a rough and tumble one year old toddler, it is time to finally post all my recommendations for newborns. I think of myself a pragmatic minimalist when it comes to baby gear – we live in an apartment in a city and travel half the year with just carry-on bags – but this list still…

We made it! You have survived your first trip around the sun and have turned into my favorite little person. Your first word this month was “cup” and you love showing off your ability to drink water out of a glass without spilling (mostly), You also understand “ball,” “daddy,” “mommy,” “clap,” “doggy” and “dance.” You…

Technically, the Museu Coleção Berardo is in Belem, a suburb of Lisbon. It’s a giant building just 10 years old – constructed with future expansion in mind. And – importantly for mid June in Portugal – it is air conditioned! It seems like every train, light rail and bus from the heart of Lisbon takes you to…

I have a fondness for smaller museums, tiny gems that are off the beaten track. Usually housed in old palaces or mansions that are as interesting as the art themselves. Places like the Musee Ceramique in Paris. In Lisbon, a small museum a block from our apartment in Alfama fit the bill. The “Museu de…

I picked up the most gorgeous baby eggplant – the size of Cadbury Creme Eggs and almost as delicious – at farmer’s market over the weekend. This recipe started with a plan to stuff the eggplant with the lamb rice mixture (inspired by this recipe) but that seemed too fussy once I started cooking. Instead,…

What a month! You spent June in a whirlwind of pointing, crawling and charming strangers all across Europe. Oh, the pointing! You are so, so good at pointing. At it is really fun to explore this big milestone of “shared sensing” with you. You pointed in restaurants, cafes and especially at the aquarium. When you’re…