The View from Flight 132

The sun, the moon and the North Star

Remember when we were young and airplanes were a fantasy ride? We idolized the pilots that manned our ship in the sky and when the flight attendants handed us our plastic wings, we felt like one of the crew.

Remember when you could walk into the cockpit and meet the pilot? The perfectly-dressed flight attendant would take your hand and lead you into the unknown- the little room where the pilot and co-pilot sat and watched the world from their front-row seats. And for one brief moment, you were allowed to witness the same view.

I remember that age of airline innocence, and longed for it when Aer Lingus Flight 132 took me above the clouds and over Iceland, where the horizon dropped and the moon, sun and stars showed existed in the same window pane. Continue Reading…

24 Hours…in Paris

River Seinne, Paris France

It’s tough being a woman. Aside from the typical annoyances that fill our day, we have fashion to consider. Chloe, Chanel, Yves Saint-Laurent, Christian Louboutin – how can you say no? But being a woman also means knowing when to say ‘no.’ Thankfully, in Paris, I can put all will power aside and cave into my indulgences.

It wasn’t my first trip to the City of Light. Paris stole my heart almost nine years ago when I first stepped under the Eiffel Tower and watched in amazement as the sun set behind the steel structure. I was romanced, swept off my feet and sent spinning along the Sienne and even as I tried to contain my enthusiasm, I knew what was happening: I was falling in love. Nine years later, Paris still holds my heart.

This trip, my hotel was perfectly placed in the 6th arrondissement. The Jardin le bréa was seductively tucked off a side street and but perfectly placed within walking distance from Jardin du Luxembourg and the grand Notre Dame Cathedral. Steps from some of Paris’s tiny cafes, patisseries and plenty of boutique shops, I nourished myself in the morning with a fresh croissant and cup of coffee before I set out to explore all that Paris had to offer. Continue Reading…

24 Hours…in Rome

Capuccino at the Hotel Homs

It started with my first cup of coffee. The foam on my latte was perfectly placed on top of the steaming brown cup of brewed beans. The barista finished off my much-needed caffeine fix with a heart in the center of the cup and asked me for me 2 euros.

I wasn’t in Rome for one hour and already love was being thrown in my face, and it was in my coffee – the only thing I needed to turn me from sleepless psycho woman to life of the party.

But surprisingly, Rome took a turn for the interesting…

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Paris: Then and Now

“Frogger” is a nickname I got after my first trip to Paris, when my overeager self dashed through traffic across a 4-lane rotary, narrowly escaping death in a way that reminded my girlfriends of the quintessential Atari game. I’d like to think I earned a 100-point bonus.

In 30 days, I’m on a plane back to Paris and the emotions are overwhelming. I’m sure Paris changed over the years, but I’m confident Paris will remember me. I’m the one who ran to the Eiffel Tower straight from the train, bags in hand, to breathe in the breathtaking structure I’ve dreamt about. Continue Reading…