With a Little Help From My Friends

I would love your help.

In a few months, I am running away to Paris for a week. All of me has always longed to be in Paris, but I’ve never had to opportunity to go, so I am making my opportunity.

I plan to stuff myself with baguettes, brie, croissants, and macaroons, muddle through speaking French out loud after all my years of silent study, read Rimbaud in the park in a stripey shirt, cry at the Eiffel Tour (part from fear of heights, part from the beauty of it all… shut up, you’re crying!), channel my inner Hemingway/Fitzgerald and plot out a novel as I walk along the left bank, find the elusive joie de vivre exploring each beautiful neighborhood, Doisneau in the street (aka photograph everything to hang in my house), feel incredibly inspired (and burn calories for more croissants) climbing all of those steps to Sacré-Cœur Basilica, buy some ridiculous French underwear that I’ll probably never wear, ruminate over Existentialism from the balcony of my hotel in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, shop in the beautiful old hidden passageways, and be filled with ennui as I board my plane to leave. Did I miss something? Are you dying to give me a suggestion? Hold that thought. 

When picking out my flights, my best option was to fly through Iceland. I immediately started thinking of that American Express commercial that made it seem so dreamy and a few friends of mine that have gone recently and loved it, so I added two days in Reykjavík. I’m still learning about Iceland, but I’m already so excited to photograph the colorful, homey city, walk the old harbor, eat fish and chips, whale watch, gawk at the beautiful bearded Icelandic Viking men, freeze my butt off (I have no idea how to dress for real cold), pretend to be okay if I don’t see the northern lights and then glue myself to the sky each night like a kid waiting for Santa, soak in the blue lagoon, see a waterfall, pretend to be Daenerys on a rocky cliff, loudly sing Parklife in front of Damon Albarn’s bar (watch as 14 year old me has minor Beatlemania if he’s there), see the city from the top of Hallgrimskirkja Church,  and then board a plane very, very tired but happy from such an amazing trip and stuff myself with yogurt.

So, how can you help?

First, tell me your stories and suggestions. Since I’ve started planning this trip, so many people have been helping me and telling me such amazing, funny, and beautiful stories. I’ve learned such wonderful things about the people around me, and they’ve provided me with invaluable information and support that just doesn’t come from random searches on the internet.

If you’re interested in what I’ve been researching, I’ve been saving things on Pinterest (Paris / Reykjavik) and pinning Google maps (Paris / Reykjavik) for my trip. My flights and hotels are booked, so I’m mostly focused on the fun stuff in each city now.

Second, for both Paris and Reykjavik, I’d love to do a photography project (photo scavenger hunt) similar to what I did in New York City over the summer. I’d love for each list to be more focused on the place, and I’d love to hear your suggestions. Give me something good that I can get creative with. If it makes me laugh, double points to you.

Finally, if you know of any interesting books, movies, or shows focused on Paris or Iceland, I’d love the suggestions. I have some much-needed vacation/downtime over the holidays, and I’d love to find some amazing ways to inspire and energize (yikes, I’m already like 6 cappuccinos high on this business) the trip going into the first of the year.

Leave me comments or feel free to email me. If you want to see the lists so far, check them out: Paris / Reykjavik.