brussels with my brother

For the first time since 2011, I'll be home for Thanksgiving. Dare I say I'm nervous? I'd considered a staycation in L.A., serving turkey to the homeless... but then my grandmother was diagnosed. And so I decided to be in New York with her (though, uncomfortably, I keep forgetting my grandpa won't be there, too). We'll drive down to my aunt's apartment on the Upper West Side and enjoy that grand home-cooked meal I've missed. We'll be all together again, maybe. I'm really hoping my brother will be able to make it as well.

You may recall that he and I spent the holiday together last year. He was finishing up his master's at University of Amsterdam and wouldn't be able to make it home; I had far too many vacation days to use before I lost them. It was quite the adventure. I flew into Paris (where I crossed paths with my sister), then Amsterdam, and then, Brussels. I wanted to go somewhere he hadn't yet been.

We explored some, he caught up on sleep, and I indulged in more contemporary art. Brussels is delightfully walkable and was dressed up in all its spirited glory. As for Thanksgiving, we were lucky to have found a traditional feast hosted by The American Club of Brussels. I can't express how stimulating it was to be surrounded by such diversity of people, experiences, and ideas, again.

My heart was so full of gratitude as my favorite American fête came to a close then. And really, despite my stress and anxiety, that feeling is not far out of reach now: in early December, I'll move to San Francisco (!) and join the team at the International Institute of the Bay Area, backed by the support of more L.A.-based friends I ever imagined possible and that of my quirky family; what's more: I'm financially-able to spend time with both before and after the transition (Christmas). Wishing the same good fortune to you and yours ♥

essentiality

Hello from my parents' couch! Once again, "everyone" wants to know "how I feel" being home. Please note: I've been Stateside for 24 hours. I'd say not weird at all, but I have noticed abundance. And by abundance, I mean stuff, lots of it. It feels so different from my Parisian reality in which I reside in a tiny tv-less apartment and hardly ever buy anything I can't eat don't need. Of course, as much as I appreciate such a "simpler" life, I did take last week to indulge... in art. Lorelei and I spent an evening at Musée Rodin:

P.S. The photo above is actually from outside a gallery in Brussels, but I thought the French quote appropriate for this post, and the hustle and bustle of gift-giving season. Jet-lagged depth, I suppose ;) "Only unnecessary things are essential." -Francis Picabia

listing & la grande-place

Let's backtrack once more. At the chocolate tasting, I had the opportunity to ask a Bruxelles local what to do in his hometown. His advice: stand in the center of the Grand Place and turn in a complete circle. "Every building you see is from 15th century. They've somewhat miraculously endured the wars since. We think it's the most impressive square in all of Europe." I might have to agree...

But I won't. I don't pick favorites :) even for a square so stunning. In other news, it's been a busy week in Paris. To keep this short:

Eating as many vegetables as possible to balance out lunches with the guys.

Drinking bottomless cups of tea and the occasional hot chocolate.

Practicing gratitude. ‘Tis the season, n’est pas ?

Mastering: transition-induced anxiety.

Learning immigration policies and diversity issues in the UK (thesis prep).

Playing with the French concept of casual dating.

Finishing my internship at PageYourself… and really bummed about it.

Reading Sparkle: The Girl’s Guide to Living a Deliciously Dazzling, Wildly Effervescent, Kick-Ass Life.

Enjoying Paris with the best expat friends.

Walking through Montmartre on my way to PageYourself’s new office.

Needing quality time with my siblings.

Wearing cozy layers.

Cooking comfort food by craving. Most recently, this.

Wondering if I’ll experience reverse culture shock soon. (Hoping not).

Working on pre-research for my thesis.

Travelling back from Brussels (see above), and going home oh-so-soon.

Planning how to best spend two whole months in New York!

The list above was inspired by Tania, inspired by Sydney (and James), and inspired by Pip. Join the blogging community fun?

the beauty of brussels

"Parlez-vous français ? Or English? I'm sorry... we just passed each other in the galerie and I had to tell you... you're beautiful." He went on to ask where we were from, how long we'd be in Brussels, and what we had planned for the rest of the day. This kind of encounter doesn't actually happen in real life. Well, it doesn't unless you're an American visiting from Paris who'd just gotten a fab haircut at Style Pixie. Or so I hear. It was the most genuinely flattering "hit on" (I really dislike that term) experience I've ever had.

And, gosh, the city of Brussels is beautiful, too. I'd always heard it was boring and not necessarily worth the stop, but the Belgian capital hasn't gotten enough credit. It's so much more than waffles, chocolate, and comic books! Take a look for yourself:

Small, yes, but thus made for a weekend getaway. Although Lara and I did spend a fair share of our relaxing in Ixelles, we made it into the center to enjoy a few contemporary gems: Pistolet for a quick breakfast, Mont des Arts for cultural entertainment, the Brussels Palace gardens, Delirium café for a mid-afternoon beer, the Musical Instruments Museum (even just for the exterior architecture), Pierre Marcolini for modern artisanal chocolate, Le Roy d'Espagne for an aperitif, and Monk bar for late night live music. Next time, I'm headed to Pixel for wine and Wittamer for divine chocolate chaud, too. One last Brussels post to come...