The Seething Streets of Europe

2022-10-25 9 min read Travel Europe Rob Warner

The Arc de Triomphe stands at the head of the Champs-Elysses, the Parisian avenue famed for its shopping venues. We took a metro to the avenue’s foot, Place de la Concorde. A convertible gray Ferrari zoomed past, testament to the wealth of the area’s clientele. I couldn’t pull out my phone in time to snap a picture, but I did get one of a subsequent Lamborghini for hire: A missing letter from a protective eyewear shop tickled my sophomoric sense of humor: Continue reading

Dressing for Europe

2022-10-15 6 min read Travel Europe Rob Warner

Nestled in some twisty streets beside the Louvre, Les Caves du Louvre contains wine cellars that once connected to the Louvre. When Paris built its metro, it claimed large swaths of these cellars for tunnels and stations, divorcing a few sections from the palace. Les Caves du Louvre bought the separated property in 2015 and set up shop. The cellars’ history grants them rights to the name. In addition to storing and selling wine, Les Caves du Louvre offers wine tastings and tours through its cellars. Continue reading

Mona Lisa’s Smile

2022-10-10 4 min read Travel Europe Rob Warner

The museums of Paris showcase some of the world’s most creative and irreplaceable works of art. They guard most of them with the sort of twine you’d use to string up a badminton net, strung at ankle height about a foot from the wall. The level of trust startles you. You walk up to paintings daubed before Shakespeare ever penned a word, realizing you could easily run your fingers or a jelly donut across them. Continue reading

Meeting Paris

2022-10-09 5 min read Travel Europe Rob Warner

I don’t know why I feared the French. Mon dieu, they’re lovely. They may not be sweet-tea-syrupy, y’all-come-back-now-y’hear Southerners, but neither do they sniff with distaste when Americans walk near. As we walk into shops, exhibits, or restaurants, we hand each other a bonjour and a smile. We sprinkle merci and au revoir liberally, fall into English for the rest, and have received kindness and grace at nearly every turn. Laura and Tina are already looking at real estate here. Continue reading

Europe: The Final Countdown

2022-09-14 2 min read Travel Europe Rob Warner

In three weeks, we board a Embraer E175, which is apparently an airplane and not a coffee grinder, and fly to JFK. We’ll fill a few hours dining, lounging, and slouching across chairs designed for discomfort. Just before our nerves snap from ennui, we’ll file onto an Airbus A330-300, which is precisely what it sounds like, with 286 other travelers. Next stop? Gay Paree. We’ve been planning this trip for over a year. Continue reading