From the Vault
Writings from my travels in Europe, my jewelry life while living in NYC - and more…
April in Paris…
Yesterday, when an artist friend of mine was posting about her new digs for the next month while she lives and paints in Paris, I was captivated - wanting to see every aspect of her live/work studio space in the Marais. How exciting, I thought, what an incredible life she’s living, I thought, this is what life is all about, I thought. And as I was sitting on my porch out in the sunshine, feeling slightly envious - I started to remember my wonderful time apartment sitting in Paris in the spring of 2008. Dreams really do come true :)
I had been traveling around Europe for a few months as Gems: a tour guide by then and was excited to have a stretch of time in Paris, living in a beautiful apartment, owned by friends, in the Marais district.
On my first day at the apartment, I went out and bought armloads of tulips, fruit, cheese, a baguette, olives and champagne. What else does a girl need? I sipped the champagne while I arranged the flowers and felt giddy about my new surroundings. I couldn’t quite believe that I would be living there for the next few weeks. A bit later, I went out onto my Parisienne terrace to take in the view and just when I thought life couldn’t get any better, church bells from all over the city began ringing. I felt an instant shiver in the warm winds of that perfect evening and tears of joy and gratitude ran down my cheeks into my champagne. And in that moment, I realized that I had created it all.
A few months earlier I had reached out to my friends asking if they might need an apartment sitter sometime in April or May, as I knew they traveled a lot for their business. A week later, a response came, and yes, they would love me to house sit while they were away! What had earlier seemed like an impossibility, suddenly became a beautiful reality - April in Paris!
As a wise and handsome Australian travel partner once told me, while we were sipping espressos in Rome, “If you don’t ask, luv, you don’t get.” Truer words never spoken. So now I am thinking about the next amazing thing I’d like to create - Paris again, Italy, Hawaii, New York? Hmmm…
Life is an adventure! Be bold! Ask for what you want! :)
-Wendy (aka: gemsatourguide)
-To see what my artist friend is up to in Paris this month - check out Toni Santos - Baby Buddha Studio @babybuddhastudio
-All images are my own.