Most people don’t equate the romantic City of Light with young children. But believe it or not, traveling with kids in Paris is actually a plus. Some say it even grants you a “VIP” pass through the city. Who knew? Actually, I had an inkling… the Frenchies love the littles. I spent my 9th birthday in Paris and am convinced it changed me for life. For better or worse, Paris inflicted me with my lifelong case of wanderlust and I have so many memories of lovely Parisians and that beautiful city circa the mid 80s. Thanks Paris- I’m grateful.

If you don’t mind foregoing the romantic late night dinners and midnight walks along the Seine (unless you have a babysitter or grandparents in tow), it can be a great place to spend time with your kiddos. Yolanda Edwards, executive editor of Martha Stewart Living, co-founder of the parenting blog, momfilter and self-proclaimed wanderluster, has written a great little guide to exploring Paris with kids. She is a seasoned traveller to Paris with her daughter Clara- their adventures can be followed here- and a champion of the notion that travel does not stop when you become a parent. Love her.

Back to the book at hand: Paris en Famille is a handy fold out guide complete with lists, maps and 40 spots that are uber family and kid friendly. Organized by arrondissement, (as you readers know- I not only love a good guide, but one that is also organized by neighborhood i.e.: The Analogue Guide), Paris en Famille makes it easy to navigate the city slowly and thoughtfully with bebes in tow, in turn giving back a more local experience. Love it. It’s also $6.25 so you kind of can’t lose. Plus, it’s so cute I kind of just want it sitting on my shelf so I can glance over at it and dream about that trip to en famille to Paris. Bon Voyage.

{Images: The Mandarin Hotel Paris, Herb Lester Associates}

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We were lucky enough to be invited to dinner a couple of weekends ago in lovely Delaplane, Virginia. We dined on cucumber soup, fresh trout and homemade coconut sorbet at the lovely estate of Ashley Farms in the company of politicians, playwrights, dancers, doctors and dentists. It was an awesome mix and a night to remember with its setting the stuff of dreams.

Delaplane came to my attention about a year ago when we made the day trip out to do some tasting. Both RDV and Linden are close by, both recently lauded by wine expert extraordinaire, Jancis Robinson. She describes RDV’s wines as “sweet and seductive. Monumental and enormous”. Wowzers Virginia- makes me proud to call this state my new(ish) home. She also stated that RDV wines “stand a good chance of putting the state on the world wine map”. Double Wowzers. Another added bump for these VA. wines- the wine director at Bryan Voltaggio’s Volt recently told me that RDV was his favorite Virginia wine and good enough to play with the old world big boys.

RDV- yes, this is really what it looks like. What!?

But back to our dinner at hand. Only about an hour’s drive from DC, once we got about halfway out to Delapane, our shoulders literally dropped. Surrounded by emerald green rolling hills and horses galloping freely across the Virginia grass, it’s kind of unbelievable beauty. A few images from the stately estate:

If you’re headed to DC anytime soon, put a day in Delaplane with tastings at RDV and Linden on your hit list. Stay overnight and dine at The Ashby Inn in Paris, VA. (don’t you love that!)- a destination restaurant with its chef, Tarver King, on the short list for a James Beard nom. It’s the new Inn at Little Washington- go now before it gets bonkers.

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Happy Weekend all. I hope you all have some fun summery plans. We are off to Montauk to join 6 of my best girls and their families for the weekend. Can not wait. There will be 15 kids there between all of us- should be super fun and crazy.

A little link love and a few things that really made me smile this week:

1. Audra McDonald drops the mike at the end of the always brilliant TONY award finale wrap up, with Neil Patrick Harris. Yes Audra McD!

2. An entire amusement park smushed up into a cube. This gives recycling a whole new meaning.

3. An inspired birth announcement.

4. Nice wine room.

5. Holy Spanish stone barn! This is ridonk.

6. I”m not really a puppies and ponies kind of girl, but these photos are pretty great.

7. Flight tags as art- love it.

Happy Weekend to all!

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I know, I know- it’s summertime and my pinterest page is blowing up with images of beachy inspiration, impossibly picturesque and twinkly outdoor dinner parties, and school’s out for the summer blah blah, but a few weekends ago we went back to school with my niece as she was finishing up her freshman year.

I’m a sucker for college, any college- ok, specifically Michigan (Go Blue!)- but truthfully any college campus makes me swoon for those days of idealism and debauchery. It’s a good mix.

We got the grand tour of this pretty Annapolis campus and as we strolled through the campus, I longed for the days of notebooks and chalk dust. St. John’s College is so interesting to me because its curriculum is based on study through the classics. The students read literature in its original text and study science as it was discovered and developed through time. For example, the students will study things that have since been proven wrong or irrelevant to give them a context for history and our advancement as a civilization. Fascinating. Heady. I’m into it.

Added bonus: one of my favorite winemakers hails from this campus as a former professor- it’s got to be interesting.

How great is all of that chalkboard wisdom. And Kilroy is still here. The classrooms were old school and inspiring, like something out of a photo shoot. I love the old fashioned student mailboxes and that mid century font on Mellon Hall.

Overheard as we walked through the campus, “The concept of infinity is inconceivable to the human mind.” Ahhh, College…

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A few weekends ago, the bebes and I went to the annual Spring Market at the Old Lucketts Store. I didn’t know quite what to expect but I kind of expected lots of goodness- that’s what I got. I was in design and vintage heaven- these guys know what they’re doing. It’s like a little mini Portobello Road or Isle-Sur-La-Sorgue on a Sunday. Around every corner was a perfectly styled shot of vintage wares. I love a good market.

Even the gravelly earth was reminiscent of a stroll through a French market. Beautiful but not so easy on the old travel stroller, you should have seen me heave-ho-ing those little guys around. It was pretty hilarious. Gravel- not exactly conducive to tiny plastic wheels.

A few objects I was really wishing I had the square footage for:

And just a few more things- I love this idea below: slate placemats for outdoor dining. Genius. At $3 a pop, that’s a whole lot of design for a whole lot of nothing. Pretty coral, vintage dress forms and those colorful fishing buoys from East Coast waters made my day.

A day at the Old Lucketts Store is worth the trip alone and the spring market bumps it up a notch, but the countryside is pretty ridiculously beautiful and alone merits a trip. A day in Leesburg with its quaint downtown surrounded by rolling hills is pretty good stuff. I loved this little produce market and their sign on the way out of town: “Your Wife Called. Bring Home Strawberries.”

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I just love this. Not sure why- maybe it’s the whole idea of having limits in such vastness or maybe it’s just cool. In any case, happy weekend to you all! I hope you enjoy the first days of June. We’re throwing a tiny birthday party for the tiny bebes. They turned one this week so they’ll be smashing some cakes and opening some presents- yippee.

I’m making this Banana & Blueberry Cake and this Carrot Cake- I just can’t go the full monty yet with the sugar and the ice cream. If you’re rolling your eyes at me as you read this, I don’t blame you. But they’ll be on to sugar soon enough and besides I’m in full on preservation mode. I absolutely love watching them grow but will so miss the tiny babe stage.

I hope you all have a most excellent weekend.

A little link love:

A winemaker’s favorite places around the world.

Next time I’m in Paris (please let it be soon), I’m hitting this place up for the cutest kids’ clothes ever.

Calling all bike loving crafty waftys- DIY your own super cute bike crate. How great is this.

The best wedding party photo of all time?

Ikea makes a really cool pharmacy cabinet. I would love this for my bathroom.

For anyone that has the time, here are some super cute DIY cocktail sticks to make your party pinterest perfect. My parties these days are definitely not darlingly designed, it’s more of the throw it all together at the last minute or let’s just have an impromptu picnic but hey- whatever works.

And next time I’m in San Fran (please let it be soon), I’m hitting this place up for fantastic curios and oddities.

Haven’t we all danced around our bedroom in our underwear to the Dixie Chicks, “Landslide”? I know I have. Check out Tyler Marcum dancing alongside his 20 year-old self. This is awesome, he was pretty inspired in that dorm room.

My new favorite wine label.

Animals that you didn’t know existed- love that Irawaddy Dolphin!

Wow. There are so many things to say about this and I really can’t tell whether it’s for real or a spoof but after it’s all said and done, it’s really all about that camel toe and that gallup. Wow.

Mario Batali’s way of welcoming the weekend- Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!

A life sized prairie dollhouse gone- so sad.

This is absolutely hilarious- a conversation between a dad and his 2 year old daughter reenacted by adults.

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I’m starting a new series called “According to Jess” where my Southern, sassy and opinionated (in the best way) pal, Jess Hartman shares her lifestyle and travel tips. She’s a New Orleans native who splits her time between NYC and Baltimore, where she, her hubby Jason, and soon to be little girl dwell in a cute little row house. Jess and I did our first Broadway show together, The Boy From Oz- you really bond with someone when you originate a show together, not to mention sharing a tiny dressing room on the 4th floor of the Imperial Theater- ahh, those were the days!

We recently met for brunch in this historic and ridiculously cute waterfront Baltimore neighborhood and I fell in love with Fells. Fells Point- According to Jess:

EAT:
Sofi’s Crepes for authentic crepes, Salt Tavern for inspired American food, The Black Olive for tasty Greek food in a a rustic and romantic setting, and Pitango for great gelato.

SHOP:
Sound Garden for vintage LPs, Killer Trash for killer vintage, AMuse Toys for beautifully crafted toys for your tots and Poppy and Stella for darling shoes.

PLAY:
One of the highlights of the year in Fells is the Films on the Pier series. Watch classic movies outside on the dock- how swoonful is that photo!

Our day in Fells:

The pier is so pretty and those big beautiful boats make want to jump onboard and yell Ahoy Matey! Jess does her best bevel in front of the Bond St. building- once a showgirl, always a showgirl. These pirate guys were killing me- they absolutely live for these weekends. That cute baby bump- can’t wait to meet the little Miss.

Jess’ Cabo Citrus Punch Mocktail direct from this dreamy place:

Don’t you just want to jump into that picture and order yourself a cocktail (or mocktail)? Calgon- take me to Cabo.

A Momma’s Mocktail-According to Jess:

P.S.: I love Jack Rudy’s Small Batch Grenadine Syrup- the best.

{Images: Olives: wiseGeek, Pitango gelato: Shootfirsteatlater.com, Fells Point Pier: Ken Adams, Mocktail: MarthaStewart.com}

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I’m amassing an ever growing Hit List of destination restaurants to patronize. It’s so long, it’s dizzying, but I can’t stop myself- so many dishes to eat, so many places to explore. Stop the insanity, Leon is getting Larger (Airplane reference anyone?). Sir and Star is my Hit List’s latest addition run by the husband and wife team of Margaret Grade and Daniel DeLong of Manka’s Inverness Lodge fame. After a devastating fire to the lodge’s famed restaurant in 2006, they have breathed new life into a nearby Olema landmark. The couple had their eyes on the Olema Inn for years and their turn of events gave them reason to act. They bought the inn, revamped it promptly renaming it The Olema and opened Sir and Star- a little jewel of a restaurant. It’s the kind of place that just looks like it makes great memories.

I love the whole West Marin region. We drove up to Olema once on a whim while I was on tour in San Francisco (Chicago with Huey Lewis= nightly shots of whiskey post curtain with The Heart Of Rock ‘n Roll and the Cell Block Girls- now those were the days). There, in the West Marin, we found an inviting, mysterious and fog-filled coastline (one reason Sonoma is such a hotbed for Pinot- thank you mother nature) home to Point Reyes National Seashore and the Tomales Bay Oyster Co. We stayed at a divey little motel and I was completely enchanted by the area.

The restaurant at Manka’s Inverness Lodge was the stuff of locavore lore. A destination for farm-to-table foodies including the likes of Prince Charles and Thomas Keller, I sadly did not get the chance to visit. But with The Olema and its new restaurant, Sir and Star- the trail-blazing Manka team is back. The dishes still have whimsical names as they did at Manka’s- “Crab Plucked From Surrounding Seas” and “A Neighbor’s Quail Plumped With Kale”- personalizing the food and giving it a story. Named after the intersection where this little house lies, at Sir Francis Drake Blvd. and Star Route 1, it even bodes a mystical name- a name that  implores you to set out on a voyage for discovery. Westward Ho! Next stop- Sir and Star.

Round out your West Marin County Voyage with these must stops:

Hike the Point Reyes National Seashore, a morning stroll along this coastline will put anyone in a good mood. But don’t dip your toes too deep as this is Great White country. Dip at your own risk.

Slurp your heart out at the Tomales Bay Oyster Company. A local’s favorite, these oysters are farm raised on the premises and the spot is perfect for picnicking.

Cowgirl Creamery at Tomales Bay Foods. Take a $5 tour of the original outpost of this cult creamery in Point Reyes Station. My favorite of their delicious cheeses is the Mt. Tam.

Relax on the Tomales Bay while staying at The Poet’s Loft in the tiny town of Marshall. This view would unleash the prose of any lucky visitor’s inner poet.

This perfect little patch of planet is one of my favorite places. It kind of makes me feel like a West Coast Jessica Fletcher- it’s quaint, charming and local like Cabot Cove and inspiring enough to make me want to solve mysteries. Ok, I know that’s kind of random but it’s the truth. Have you been? Do tell your favorite spots in the area.

{Image Credits: James Baigrie, The Olema}

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The bebes are bound for their first beach today. And we get a little beach up in this too- Hoo-Ray. It has been way too long since I’ve seen sand much less an ocean, I’m so looking forward to it.

We’re headed to Siesta Key, Florida. Recently voted one of the best beaches in the land by Dr. Beach himself- apparently the nation’s foremost beach expert (who knew)- this beach wins awards all over the place, from tripadvisor to the Travel Channel. I grew up in Florida and have yet to step my toes into its award winning sand and thought that rather shameful, so I was inspired to plan an quick getaway.

I’ll let you all know if I agree with Dr. Beach. Happy Monday.

P.S.: Did you hear that this portrait of a topless Bea Arthur by John Currin sold for 1.9 million at a recent Christie’s auction? Painted in 1991, the Golden Girl never actually sat for the artist and it was controversial then and still is now. I kind of love it, I’m a big fan of Currin’s portraits and I think this is an interesting piece- it’s definitely a conversation piece. Whoever has this hanging in his or her house will have an instant icebreaker, “Bea Arthur Nude”- I mean come on.

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