family ties

Happy holidays, everyone! I hope everyone was surrounded by love, joy, and happiness. I spent my Christmas with Erik and his wonderful family down in Northern Virginia. It's so interesting being in an interracial relationship; our families are so very different. His is a big, bustling clan (four sisters and three nephews!) with blended families spanning Cuba, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador; mine is quiet, nuclear (divorce is still a bit taboo), and super Chinese. Even so, there are so many similarities that unify every family—the worry about aging parents, the inside jokes, the adorable and embarrassing photos. Hoping to get the greenlight so I can post some of ridiculously cute baby Erik. :)

merry conundrum

How amazingly creepy is this window display I spotted on my morning run? Chalk up another reason why I love the holidays! Although it just occurred to me that this year has been a little weird. I usually love the holiday party circuit and all of the fun, drinks, and catch-up convos that ensue. But it's been hard for me to answer the "what are you doing for Christmas?" and "how've you been?" questions this season. Instead of the breezy, cocktail-appropriate answers I dole out, what I really want to blurt is "I'll be with Erik's family, but also worrying about my mom" and "This fall has been really hard, but I'm hanging in." Anyone who knows me knows that I tend to wear my emotions on my face, so I've been skirting a few festivities; it's just too hard to churn up frothy conversation. As the weeks pass, my soul is getting lighter and returning back to its normal Sharon-esque self, but, for the time being, I'm giving myself a little pass.

holiday break!

Today was the last day in the office before a week-and-half break! It was so lovely celebrating with such a fun group of coworkers. (Although part of me felt like Leo DiCaprio's character in Growing Pains for busting up on the holiday party. "What's up guys? I'm your new son/editor!" Ha.) I have to knock out some freelance assignments during my time off, but I'm excited about having a little bit of breathing room. It's been a crazy-hectic few weeks, but what is life if not exciting?

yearly wrap-up

The wonderful thing about writing a blog is that all of your old thoughts are stored in one place. I love reading old journals and entries and remembering how you felt at that exact moment. Like, in fourth grade, how I wrote a list of "Boys That I Might Like," which included no less than 10 fine fellows in my grade. Ha! Thank goodness I've become more discerning with age. Anyway, I was clicking through past posts and came across my goals for 2011. Since we're nearing the year's end, I thought it would be fun to do a check in. Here goes...

1. Goal: Go with my gut.
Status: Check! This year, I took a leap of faith and quit my job, one of my best decisions to date. And even though some incredibly tempting and wonderful leads have crossed my path, I'm sticking with my intuition and taking the road less secure for the time being.

2. Goal: Put more research in investing.
Status: Check pending. I put some more in the stock market, and I'm planning on starting my IRA next week. Helping my mom has reminded me of the importance of planning. Although you have to live for the now, you also can't forget the future.

3. Goal: Do things that scare the bejeezus out of me.
Status: Check! Besides going freelance, meeting new people, and sliding down a volcano, I also faced my greatest fear in life this year: My dad passing away, and my mom being all alone. It hasn't been easy, but we're making it work—the best we can. And I've come to realize, that even the hardest of hard times, things aren't so bad when you have friends to pick you up and faith in yourself.

4. Goal: Take more time for myself.
Status: Check! Although I still have some work to do on this goal, I'm happy to say that I've taken more vacation and personal days this year than ever before. In 2011, I've travelled to San Francisco, Canada, Los Angeles, Nicaragua, Miami, Paris, and Rome, plus enjoyed some fun surf and skip trips. More importantly, I visited Raleigh many times—and got to spend a lot of my dad, something I'll never, ever regret.

Friday picture

Hear that? That's the sound of my heart growing three sizes. Happy Friday, everyone!

holidaze

I can hardly believe that it's nearly Christmas! Maybe it's the warmer-than-usual weather or my hectic schedule, but this holiday season has really snuck up on me. I'm headed to DC to hang with Erik's family and finally meet his dad. (For most of our relationship, he was living in Ecuador.) I'm told he looks like a Colombian Sean Connery...

[Pic: from my morning walk]

love

Um, how cute is the love of my life? [Pic from Glenna and Tony's superfun wedding. Their photos are amazing!]

little letters

Dear relaxing weekends,
I just can't get enough.

Dear ladies with immaculate outfits and shiny hair every single day,
Please tell me your secrets.

Dear podcasts,
Color me behind the times, but you're amazing! Why haven't I been listening all along?

Dear "real women,"
Apologies for stalking you for magazine stories.

Dear Tim,
Thank you for enduring a grueling 10+ years of studies so I can text you in the middle of the night with my weird health issues.

Dear pilgrims/baby Jesus,
For reals, why did you guys have to have such big events so close together? December is crazy!

my (new) morning commute

Excuse the sporadic posts! I'm still getting the hang of this whole going-to-an-office thing. I can't believe this used to be my lifestyle for the better part of a decade—only having a few short hours outside of work or getting to work! Have I gotten soft? Also, where is my professional wardrobe? It's day five, and I'm already out of outfits. That said, there are some lovely perks of re-entering society, including (but not limited to) exploring a new neighborhood. My new office is near the High Line, an old railroad track turned cool walkway, and I make a point to stroll on it before work. Not a bad way to start the day!

the daily grind

Last week, I started a fill-in office gig—a fun new challenge! But what I wasn't prepared for was my serious case of office culture shock. I'm finding the whole routine of putting on clothes, looking nice, fighting my way on the subway, learning new protocols and chatting with coworkers totally exhausting. While I'm loving working with such a smart, cool group of people, it makes me realize that I value freedom and flexibility more than stability and security at this moment in my life. On a related note, hats off to all of you working moms out there. Balancing my life, plus my mom stuff, and work feels like an insane juggling act—I can't believe that you guys do it every single day!

shifting priorities

This is the lake in my mom's neighborhood. I've probably driven by it at least a million times, but today I decided to walk there. It was quiet and serene, although I had to wave at the half a dozen people who drove by. (There's an unwritten rule here that you must absolutely wave at everyone you pass. What? I'm from North Carolina!) Oh, back to the point: Being here with my mom, I've come to realize that reshuffling my priorities is tough. Up until now, I've had the incredibly selfish luxury of focusing only on myself—my relationship, my career, my friends, etc. Me, me, me. Now that my mom needs a hand, I have to put my own life on pause while I'm running errands and heading to doctor's appointments. I wish I could say that I'm swimming along selflessly, but I have to confess that I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place: It's hard for me leave my life, but I also feel guilty living it, if that makes sense. Time and practice will make it easier, but right now, I have to remind myself that I'll figure it all out—and that this experience is making me stronger.

suburban living

In New York City, I must do about 1,000 things a day. In North Carolina, I'd say I average around 5 to 10. Today's agenda: walking around Lake Lynn, teaching my mom how to stream Netflix (!!!), doing some work, buying some household things and cooking our meals. I feel like I'm playing Goldilocks: Isn't there a "just right" around here somewhere?

6 things (thanksgiving version)

Today I opened the front door of my house in North Carolina to find this cute guy. Since there's so much construction going on in North Raleigh, the deer have taken up residence in suburban backyards. There's a little family that hangs out in ours, and it's magical to see this wet-nosed fawn wobbling around. Anyway, I'm here for the week, spending Thanksgiving with my mom. And while this year has had its rough patches, there are still so many things I'm grateful for. A random smattering:

1. My dad. Coordinating mom's health insurance and financial stuff has made me realize to what great lengths he went to provide for his family. I'm crying just thinking about it, but in the best way possible.
2. Soft pillows. After complaining about a crick in my neck, my mom was like "we've had that pillow since you were a girl. Maybe 25 or 30 years old?" (I went out and bought a new one immediately.)
3. Fake Thanksgiving. It gets more delicious by the year.
4. Facetime... so I can talk to mom when I'm far away!
5. Cinnamon-apple tea. It makes the whole house smell like the holidays.
6. A happy home. The good thing about going through life's bumps is that is makes you appreciate all the joyful, blessed things so much more. That's why I'm so thankful to have a place where I always feel safe and loved.

confessions

Here are a few things I'm owning up to:

* When my schedule's not jam-packed, I feel a little lost. I think I need to learn the art of nothingness.
* I really want a pair of $60 sweatpants, but the frugal part of me freaks out before I can click "buy."
* Once, when I couldn't find Monkey anywhere in our apartment, I was convinced that someone broke into our apartment and stole her. Turns out she was wedged in a closet. Erik still teases me about it.
* I ate an entire box of Annie's Cheddar Bunnies in a day. And that day was yesterday.
* It feels strange to still have tinges of sadness. I know it's a natural part of the grieving process, but it's still odd. I guess I'm lucky in the fact that my normal setting is happy.
* Recently the only music I want to listen to are tunes that remind me of childhood, like those by Simon & Garfunkel, Whitney, Rod Stewart and Julio Iglesias. Somehow I don't think that's a natural part of the grieving process.
* I've watched The Hunger Games trailer at least seven times already. Excitement level 11 over here!

climbing upwards

Yesterday I met a friend for yoga at her studio here in Williamsburg. I'm more into the workout versus spiritual component, so I braced myself when the hipster teacher (a rock climber dude with black frames and a pet llama) started rambling about Buddhist philosophy. But then he said something that struck a chord: The only way to get better in rock climbing is to find that sweet space of slight discomfort—where you're a little scared—while searching for the next hold. Because if you cling to where you are or resort to only the grips you know, chances are you're not gonna make it. I thought that was a clever analogy, and made me realize that I'm sort of in that place in my life: Working for myself and being relied upon for someone else's wellbeing is somewhat uncharted territory for me. I guess I have to let go of my previous holds(the security of a paycheck, not having to worry about anyone but myself when I make decisions) and wholly embrace this new stretch of life.

Pic: Climbing in the Gunks

kinda sorta recipes

Happy Monday, friends. We had a super lazy weekend over here. I tidied up, went running and did a few around-the-house projects. I also went a little crazy in the kitchen and whipped up a bunch of dishes. Instead of using exact measurements, I decided to wing it—with a lot of success! Here were three of my favorite kinda-sorta recipes:

1. Quiche lorraine: I beat four eggs with a cup of half-and-half, and mixed in salt, pepper, nutmeg, bacon, caramelized onions and gouda. Then I poured into a baked pie shell. (Whole Foods makes the best frozen whole-wheat vegan kind.) After 30 to 40 minutes in a 375F oven, it was perfection!

2. Butternut squash soup: I tossed butternut squash in olive oil, salt and pepper, and roasted at 380F for 30 to 40 minutes. Then I blended it with veggie broth, soy milk, sauteed onions, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and curry, plus more salt and pepper to taste. Served with homemade croutons (bread cubes tossed in olive oil, oregano, paprika and Parmesan, then baked or pan-toasted).

3. Apple-fig compote: This was super delish alongside pork tenderloin and roasted brussel sprouts. I sauteed diced apples with a little olive oil and garlic, then added in some veggie broth. I stirred in a spoonful of fig butter, a drizzle of balsamic and some cinnamon, salt and pepper. Then I cooked down until it was soft and mushed some of it with the back of my spoon. Nom!

blue Friday

I'm feeling a little down and frustrated today. I have a lot to do. Why am I not more motivated? Plus, I have so many things to be happy about—why am I still so sad? So I did what any respective writer/editor would do: I turned to Google, and came across this thoughtful series, A Study in Bereavement, by Meghan O'Rourke. I highly recommend it for anyone who's suffered a loss.

These two lines in particular resonated with me:

"This is part of the complexity of grief: A piece of you recognizes it is an extreme state, an altered state, yet a large part of you is entirely subject to its demands."

"I was not prepared for how hard I would find it to re-enter the slipstream of contemporary life, our world of constant connectivity and immediacy, so ill-suited to reflection."

how to comfort a grieving friend

Confession: Before my darling dad passed, I didn't really know how to handle death. No one close to me had died before, so I often felt clueless and helpless around grieving friends. But now that I've gone through it, my advice is: just be there. If you can, show up at the funeral. Even though I didn't want to make people feel obligated, it really meant so much to have my pals there. And if you're unable to go, send a email, card or gift. My incredibly thoughtful NYC friends sent a box of healthy snacks to NC, which moved me to tears. Finally, do a check-in during the following weeks. I've found that toughest time—and it continues to be—is the transition back to "normal" life. I'll be plugging away at work or errands when a sudden wave of sadness will hit, and that's when a funny e-mail, g-chat or note always makes me smile. Of course, everyone is different (and I'm a bit of a weird one, if you couldn't already tell), so of course let your pal's behavior be your guide. But don't hesitate to reach out, no matter how awkward or unsure you feel. It's truly the thought that counts.

PS: Doesn't my dad look like a turtle here? Love.

6 things... (happiness version)

This little guy's name is Yoshi. He hangs out in Erik's office all day, and sometimes dresses up in Prada jackets and toggle coats. In other words, Yoshi's wardrobe is more stylish than mine. His doggy face (and the fact that Erik texts me pictures of his get-ups) make me laugh. Here are six other things, big and small, that are smile-worthy:

1. Trader Joe's fig spread. If you haven't tried it already, get thee to a TJ's ASAP!!!
2. This Polaroid of my dad. It's on my tack board, so I can look at his cute face when I miss him.
3. The Nitehawk Cinema in Williamsburg. At long last, there's a movie theater within walking distance of our apartment. And you can even eat yummy food and drink beers (hello, pumpkin!) during the film. We saw Drive there last weekend (hello, Ryan Gosling!), which was violent but good.
4. This free mixed tape from Erik and company. Go download it. It's super fun for dancing around your apartment.
5. Our morning routine. Every morning, when Erik wakes up, Monkey rushes to snuggle and I take little 10-minute break to join in. Hands down, the best part of my day.
6. This adorable (and amazing) entry about the NYC Marathon.

snip, snip

So, I went in for a trim today and left with long bangs. I'm not totally sold on them yet. No wonder you're not allowed to get your hair cut while sitting shiva! You make rash, impulsive decisions. Ah, well, it'll grow back...

Edited to add: Erik hasn't even noticed! Isn't it funny how things that seem so huge and glaring are barely noticeable to others? I thought it was a nice little life lesson reminder for me. :)

marathon weekend

I just love watching so many people making their dreams come true. A bunch of us gathered to cheer on our friends and, although I missed seeing most of them (boo!), it was still so inspiring. I'm crossing my fingers that, next year, one of those runners will be me!

embracing change

Phew! I finally pushed through my insane week! Between Europe and then Raleigh and all of the changes that ensued, my life has been go-go-go lately. And now that I finally have a little time to stand still, my emotions are bubbling to the surface. Here's a rundown:

* I feel sad about my dad. It really, really sucks that he won't get to walk me down the aisle or meet any of his grandkids.
* I feel nervous about my mom being alone. After her stroke, her mobility is limited, but she refuses to move closer to us until we're more settled (i.e., with kids). I worry about her loneliness and her health.
* I feel stressed about changing my life. I'm going to visit mom once a month to hang out, take her to the doctor, iron out survivor stuff. I'm mostly happy to do it, but the selfish part of me is like "eeps" about travelling back-and-forth. When I'm there, I miss my life, my friends, and Erik and Monkey.

I know it's my happy-go-lucky personality to find the silver lining in every situation, because there are so, so, so many things in my life to be thankful for, but I also have to remind myself that it's okay to feel sad and frustrated, too. I guess life is a little like surfing in that way: You have to give into to fear and washing-machine wipeouts in order to get better and ride out the waves.

almost five years!

The other day I was telling Erik that one of the hardest things about losing your dad is that you're also losing your rock. All of a sudden, the person who would do anything to protect you is inexplicably gone. It's an unsettling feeling, no longer having that deep sense of security. But, over the course of the week, after Erik rubbed my back, made me laugh and gave me his crinkly-eyed smile as I fussed and freaked, it occurred to me: He's my rock now. Over the (nearly!) five years we've been together, he's constantly made me feel safe, supported and loved. And even though he might show up breathless because he's run from a work crisis, he's always been by my side when I've truly needed him. I can't imagine my life without this guy.

when they were young

While trying to track down some naturalization papers, I unearthed these old pics of my mom and dad when they were college-aged. Do you think Tim and I resemble them? I think I have my mom's face shape and my dad's eyes and lips, and Tim is exactly the reverse. I just love looking at old pictures.

ughhhh

Here's me being straight up: This week sucks. Big time. Since I didn't work much last week (family first!) and had some trouble concentrating when I got back, I'm currently up to to my eyeballs in deadlines right now. Grace period over. Sigh. Sleep, exercise and sadness are taking a backburner while I just try to plow through everything as quickly and efficiently as possible. But maybe this is helping me take my mind of things? Regardless, I'm looking forward to the weekend. While I run away on my hamster wheel, please enjoy this pic of an amazing sideshow from the NC State Fair. I want a cute two-headed raccoon!

Silver lining: I'm so glad I have a cute boyfriend who gives me bear hugs when I'm blue and doesn't mind the fact that I've worn the same sweatshirt three days in a row...and friends who message me silly things that make me smile throughout the day. Oh, also, I can't forget my thoughtful and devoted brother, who I know I can always count on.

little letters

Dear Self,
It's okay to still feel sad and not be at 100%.
P.S. Hang in there. Just gotta make it through this week!

Dear funeral home,
Chick-Fil-A nuggets at my dad's service? Uh, awesome.

Dear friends,
I can't tell you how much your calls, e-mails, gifts and presence has meant to me (especially to MB and Amie, who traveled so far to give me a real-life hug).

Dear Chapel Hill,
What's up with all the chain restaurants now? Sad. Also, your college students are looking younger than ever.

Dear Chapel Hill bartender,
Thanks for carding me. And also for looking surprised at my birthday.

Dear North Carolina,
Seriously? Fried Kool-Aid?

Dear Monkey,
I love how you purr loudly in the morning for no reason at all. Thanks for reminding me that life is good.

Dear Dad,
As the poem goes, I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart). I always will, because you are a piece of me.

doing my best

I can't believe that most workplaces only allow three days of bereavement leave! Thank goodness I'm freelance and Tim happened to have a vacation planned. (Sadly, it supposed to be a cruise with Dad.) Even after 10 days, I feel like there's so much left to do. And now that I'm back in New York, I've been struggling to get back on track. All of my editors have been so incredibly sweet and understanding, but it's time to play serious catch-up. Truth be told, large chunks of my heart and mind are still in North Carolina. My solution is just to take it one deadline at a time, and not to be too hard on myself. Another thing that makes it easier: Face-timing with Mom. We decided to get her an iPad and—miracle of miracles—she's actually learned how to use it. Well, there's usually a good five minutes of telling her to put her face in front of the device, but the fact that we can video-chat amazing. Hooray for Apple!

finding comfort

I can safely say that this stretch of losing my dad and figuring out how to take care of my mom is probably one of the saddest of my life. Even so, we're finding laughter, joy and comfort in the little things, like...


...eating deep-fried fare the North Carolina State Fair. There was fried pecan pie, cheesecake, Twinkies, pizza and even butter and Kool-Aid, but we stuck with plain old cinnamon-sugar elephant ears. (I'm thinking that decision saved us from the e. coli outbreak.)


...visiting our alma mater's (UNC) beautiful campus.


...gazing at gorgeous flowers sent by dear friends.


...scooping up congee at breakfast. (See the black thousand-year-old eggs? We still couldn't convince Erik to eat one.)

life goes on

I'm headed back to NYC today. This past week and a half has gone by in a blur. While I'm excited to give Erik and Monkey big squeezes, I'm also really sad and nervous to leave my mom. The plan so far is that I'm going to try to visit once a month or so to help out—at least, until we can move her near Tim and Sherry. Life is about to change, and that's scary. But I also know that we're luckier than most, and that Tim and I are really capable, strong adults who can handle a lot. We have our parents to thank for that.

P.S. We also have Sherry to thank, too. She has been so wonderful, supportive and lovely, through and through.

a eulogy

Here's a passage from my brother's eulogy for my dad. Isn't it just so beautiful? (Note: This was right after he told a funny anecdote about how my dad bought a really crappy jalopy from a used-car auction back in college, which subsequently self-combusted in flames.)

"For my dad life was never about driving around in a nice car, or wearing nice clothes. I think he saved his money so that we could be ensured of a secure future. For him it was about being there for his family, and the time he spent with us.

In recent months when I’ve spoken with my dad by phone, one thing that he worried about was that I was working too hard. He would say, 'Tim, don’t work too hard.' This kinda stuck out to me. Seeing how hard my dad worked in his life, and after pushing me to work hard while growing up, I found it a little odd. He had instilled a work ethic in me, having to do back breaking yard work all the time, emphasizing my homework and my studies, propelling me through med school. But thinking about it, in the end I think that he wanted to say was that he wanted me to also to learn to enjoy life, and to stay healthy. He wanted to me to enjoy each others’ company, and the time we have with our loved ones.

My father essentially lived for his family, for us to have a better life. Seeing his family now, and looking back on his life as a while, I know he doesn’t have any regrets. And even though I didn’t get one last chance to spend time with him on that cruise, I can look back fondly on the memories I do have, and be thankful for my dad, and all that he means to me. I also feel that life is good, and that I can look forward to the life to come, largely in part to having been raised by such a good man as my father."

grieving

Grief is a funny thing. Since my dad died, there's been a surprising amount of stuff to do. I've been running around, meeting with the funeral home, organizing the service, notifying friends, emailing editors, running to the airport and writing cards and eulogies, among other errands. And that's without tackling the 5-pound "What Do I Do Now?" book about documents and notifications that the funeral director gave us! So, basically, I've been on auto-pilot without time to really sit and cry. Instead, the tears crop up at the most random times: on a short drive to Blockbuster, after the grocery store checkout person asked where my dad was. As sad as I am, I'm taking solace in many things. My dad lived for his family, and it makes me happy that he knew how much we loved him in his later years. I'm so grateful that I didn't let work or frivolous stuff get in the way of the things that really mattered: friends, family, and love.

my dad

Isn't this pic from Tim and Sherry's wedding priceless? It totally captures my dad's warm and happy demeanor. I already miss him so much.

today

Today is the day my dad died. I'm heartbroken, but I'm also so grateful. I'm thankful that I got to spend time with him recently; that he knew how much we loved him; that I have such a wonderful family and support system; and, above all, that he was my amazing father.

le sigh

Is it bad that I have about a zillion deadlines, yet I can't stop daydreaming about our trip? I have totally become The Girl Who Can't Let Go of Vacation. On Saturday, I wore a very bundled-up French scarf to the farmer's market even though the weather was spring-like; I sweated profusely over the organic kale. On Sunday, I filled my basket with fresh prosciutto, mozzarella, baguettes and Pellegrino at the pricey specialty shop, and paid dearly for it. To snap me out of this alter-universe, I've made a bunch of fun plans for the weekend to remind me how much I adore my New York life, too. Don't make fun of my striped shirt and beret, though, okay?

vacation part 2: three days in Rome

When we were planning this trip, Italy was an afterthought. Paris was our desired destination, but since we could tack on an additional city for just a little extra, we settled on Rome. It was fortuitous: We adored every moment there! The people were warm, the food delicious and the sights amazing. Everywhere we turned, there was something incredible to look at.



Again, our hotel, Hotel des Artistes, was nothing to write home about, but we spent all of our time roaming around. The Trevi fountain and Pantheon in particular took my breath away (try seeing them at night!). We walked so much that, by the end of the trip, we had multiple songs about our aching feet. The silver lining? I was always hungry.


That was a good thing, because the food was beyond incredible. I'll never forget a three-hour meal we had in Travestere: the lemon-ricotta ravioli melted in my mouth. We also loved the paper-thin pizza we ate at a local spot. Of course, every meal was washed down with chianti and finished with creamy tiramisu.



A few favorite moments: At the Villa Borghese gardens, we floated around the lake on a row boat; it felt like a dream. And I rang in my 33rd year at the Vatican. Although I've learned plenty about the Sistene Chapel, nothing prepared me for seeing Michaelangelo's ceiling in person. It's definitely a lifetime must-do!


On the flipside, we also hung in San Lorenzo, a very up-and-coming Bushwick-like neighborhood. There was graffiti on the walls (even the ancient ones!) and cool kids hanging in the piazza. It was nice to make a connection with some lovely, friendly homies. All in all, the trip was magical; it made me realize how truly blessed I am.

vacation part 1: four days in paris

Isn't it incredible how much you can fit into a week? Erik and I covered hundreds of miles, walking all over Paris and Rome. His uncanny sense of direction and Spanish definitely saved us (although he suspiciously managed to navigate us past every single men's clothing store on the way to sights).


A while back, we booked the trip for our birthdays from the super-cheap aggregator EuropeanDestinations.com. We randomly picked our hotels and wound up at Tryp de Saxe; our room was teeny-tiny, but clean and centrally located. Every morning, we dined on cappuccinos and croque monsieurs at sidewalk cafe or patisserie while Erik caught up on e-mails and I people-watched. Parisians truly have the best sense of style. Also, they tend to carry a baguette more often than not.




Then we hit the pavement to see the sights. We usually picked a few destinations—the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre Dame, a store that carries Erik's line—and then meandered around the windy cobblestone streets on our way there, shopping and snacking on buttery croissants and sweet clouds of macarons.



One day, we rented the city bikes (tip: most of the machines only take AmEx) and pedaled past cascading fountains and wrought-iron-covered buildings. On Erik's birthday, we took the metro and elbowed past the crowds to visit a flea market, then sipped wine at the restaurant at the top floor of the Pompidou. In the background, the Eiffel tower twinkled like a giant sparkler.



But probably my favorite part of the trip was soaking up the local culture. We ate dinner with some of Erik's funny French streetwear homies in the charming Montmarte neighborhood. After we parted ways, Erik and I devoured a piping hot nutella-and-banana crepe from a stand. It was the perfect end to the French leg of our trip.