Saturday Meanderings

Bonjour! I’m back in the USA and cannot wait to share my recent adventure to Paris. Can you believe it’s already mid-January? This past week was truly a whirlwind, and I’m excited to chat with you about all the good things ahead. Welcome to Saturday Meanderings—grab your favorite beverage and let’s get started.

Why Paris?

My daughter, Julianna, has a deep passion for training dogs. In addition to her demanding career in security in Austin, she somehow finds the time—and energy—to train her dogs to championship level in several competitive sports. Through this dedication, she has built strong relationships with breeders and like-minded trainers, not only across the U.S. but internationally as well.

Recently, Julianna decided to acquire a puppy from France. What I don’t think she fully anticipated was just how complicated it is to bring a dog into the United States from another country. With strict (and rightly so) customs regulations, countless details, and plenty of obstacles, it quickly became clear that the only sensible solution was for her to fly to Paris and personally accompany the puppy home.

Hence, the visit to Paris. As a mother, I was less than thrilled about the idea of my daughter traveling alone to a city currently under the highest terrorist alert. She had never been to Paris before, doesn’t speak the language, and was already juggling the complexities of coordinating with a breeder, navigating customs requirements, and managing airline restrictions. It was a lot—before even factoring in international travel.

The trip itself was short—just five days, including travel—and Paris in winter is bitterly cold and often gray. We met in Washington, D.C. (she lives in Austin, Texas) and flew together to Charles de Gaulle Airport last Friday, ready to tackle the adventure head-on.

Paris Perfect

When searching for a place to stay, I turned to Vacation Perfect, a company I’ve followed for years that specializes in unique accommodations in Paris, London, and Italy. Their typical minimum stay is seven days, but—perhaps because it was the low season—they graciously made an exception for us.

We reserved a charming flat called Marcillac, located in a quiet neighborhood in the 7th Arrondissement. Just steps from Les Invalides and a nearby Metro station, it was the perfect home base for exploring so many of Paris’s historic sites.

Arriving at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning, our driver dropped us at a nearby café, La Source, where we waited for a representative from Paris Perfect to meet us with the keys to the flat. After a long overnight flight, being greeted with a warm bonjour felt especially comforting. We ordered cappuccinos and each had a delicious pain au chocolat—the perfect first taste of Paris as we eased into our adventure.

The Marcillac Apartment

Located on the 7th floor, there were two ways to reach the apartment—and for someone who is even a little claustrophobic, the choice was clear. There was no chance I was stepping into that coffin-sized elevator. Truly, the lift could hold only one person with luggage… and that was pushing it.

Instead, I opted for the circular staircase—150 steps straight up to the 7th floor. While not exactly effortless, it was far preferable to facing my fear of the elevator. Thankfully, Julianna took on the lift and shepherded the luggage to the top—brave girl indeed.

Once we were fully settled, the apartment proved to be absolutely perfect for our needs. The sofa converted into a bed for Julianna, and I claimed the pretty bedroom.

The linens were luxurious, beautifully embroidered with the Paris Perfect logo, and made us feel wonderfully pampered.

Touring Paris

After a few hours of much-needed rest, we set out to begin our exploration of Paris. January in Paris is undeniably cold and often cloaked in gray skies, and that first day was bitterly cold. Still, we pressed on—catching our first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower, wandering through several neighborhoods and charming boutiques, and ending the day with a warming meal at a cozy bistro.

The last time I visited Paris was in 2010, when you could freely walk beneath the Eiffel Tower. Today, it is encircled by high-security fencing, armed guards, and metal detectors. The times have certainly changed—and not for the better. Sad.

Sunday morning brought a much brighter moment. With early reservations at the Louvre, we were treated to a stunning sunrise over the quiet, nearly empty streets of Paris—one of those moments that feels almost magical.

Being the off-season, the wait to enter the museum was short and surprisingly manageable. And because Julianna has an art background, it was especially enjoyable to linger, analyze, and truly appreciate some of the world’s finest masterpieces together.

Notre Dame

I won’t bore you with every detail of our itinerary, but one experience I must mention is our visit to Notre Dame. In 2019, the medieval cathedral—designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site—suffered a devastating fire in its roof structure.

Investigators believe it was caused by either a discarded cigarette or an electrical short circuit. The fire destroyed the iconic wooden spire and much of the timber roof, severely damaging the upper walls. Thankfully, the vaulted stone ceiling largely contained the collapse, preventing catastrophic damage to the interior. Many priceless works of art and religious relics were saved, though some suffered smoke damage, and portions of the exterior were lost.

After years of painstaking reconstruction, Notre Dame reopened in December 2024. Visiting was a must for me, and we were thrilled to tour the interior—no reservations required. While reconstruction continues in places, as you can see from the photo, the cathedral is once again open to the public.

The rest of the trip includes a luncheon at a Michelin-starred restaurant (and truly—there are so many in Paris), a visit to a tucked-away speakeasy, time spent wandering Deyrolle—quite possibly the most fascinating shop in all of Paris—and an afternoon at the beautiful Musée Jacquemart-André. I even manage to find and replenish a beloved perfume I first purchased fifteen years ago!

Trip Challenges

I could easily write an entire post about the challenges we faced on this trip. To start, Air France canceled my daughter’s return flight at 3:00 a.m. on the very morning she was scheduled to leave. To make matters worse, they informed her that the earliest available flight back to Dallas, Texas wouldn’t be for another two to three days.

As you can imagine, trying to reach an actual human being for help—either by phone or online—proved nearly impossible. With no clear answers and time ticking away, we packed up, left the flat, and headed to the airport at 5:30 a.m. The breeder was scheduled to meet us there at 7:00 a.m. with the puppy.

Travel Solutions

Picture the scene: the two of us standing in the airport, bracing ourselves for a large crate, a growing puppy, and we have no idea what was going to happen next.

My flight is a few hours later on a different airline with a different destination. Fortunately an Air France customer service person took pity on us and manages to find a hotel that is dog-friendly. In addition, he was able to get Julianna on a flight a day later into Houston (not Dallas) and the airline had room in their temperature controlled cargo section for the dog/crate. Armed with hotel and food vouchers, we head to the hotel.

Challenges Continue

As we made our way to the hotel—a walkable but long distance—the airport cart holding the crate and dog could only fit into elevators, requiring us to navigate multiple levels along the way. The final elevator is a very small, glass one.

Julianna went ahead with the cart, dog, and crate, as there wasn’t enough room for both of us. I stayed behind with two rolling bags, backpacks stacked on top. When the elevator arrived, I moved to the far end where the buttons were located. Just before the doors closed, six young women squeezed themselves into the remaining space.

The elevator doors refused to shut. The girls began shouting at me to push the buttons—buttons I had already pressed. The doors remained stubbornly open. One of the girls draped her jacket over the top of my rolling bag and backpack, pressing in close, while another continued yelling for me to “push the buttons.”

Because I was positioned at the very back of the elevator, there was no way for me to exit. What I didn’t realize in that moment was that I had become the target of an organized group of pickpockets, purposely blocking the elevator door so it wouldn’t close.

Fortunately, our bags themselves were secure. What I failed to notice—until later—was that the hotel and food vouchers had been tucked into the exterior pocket of Julianna’s backpack…and they were gone.

We Reach the Hotel…finally

Finally, after a grueling walk to the hotel, we approached the check-in desk—only to realize the vouchers were missing. It was the final straw. My poor, sweet daughter burst into tears; it was simply too much to bear after everything we had navigated.

With no other choice, I paid for the hotel room myself and gently pleaded with the woman at the desk to please give Julianna the first available room. Thankfully, luck was on our side—a room became available shortly thereafter.

Once Julianna was settled safely in the hotel with her dog, crate, and luggage, I headed off to catch my flight home. It was hard to leave under those circumstances, but I knew she was finally in a secure place.

All is well now. Everyone is home safely, and the dog—now part of the family—is a very sweet girl, happily adjusting to life in the United States. A challenging journey, yes, but one with a good ending—and those are the ones we want to remember most.

Spring Workshops

After the success of previous workshops, many of you have asked if I might offer a few more in 2026. I’d love your input! Would you be interested in any of the following?

• Tips & Tricks for Creating Your Own Charcuterie Board
• Making a Sweet and Savory Pie from Scratch
• Soups: From Homemade to Easy Shortcuts

And of course, if there’s another topic you’d love to explore together, please let me know—I’m always open to suggestions and would truly value your feedback.

In Wrapping Up

I’ll leave you with one last little story. I recently took off my finger splint to wash my hands—no easy task with that contraption on—and when I went to put it back on, it had completely disappeared. After a bit of searching, the culprit revealed himself. Sweet Finn had decided it was his latest chew toy. Gone was the wrapping and now I have teeth marks in the metal, but it still works!

Well, that’s a wrap! I hope everyone is staying healthy, happy, and active. I’m so grateful to be home and easing back into a familiar routine. Wishing you a relaxing weekend—and as always, stay safe out there.