It started with a text, a dream really, light and full as a hot air balloon, floating into the wide, empty sky.

…have you seen the deals on flights to France?
Let’s go to Paris?
I’m in!
….wait, are you for real?
LET’S DO THIS

And so we did, these friends of mine that have spent the past four years crafting creative retreats for others, found time to take a trip just for us. But not just for us, but for our friendship, for our own retreat, to rest and explore and see what we find.

I can’t wait.

But it’s so marvelous that I want to take you with me! Like a fabulous party, I want the invitation list to grow and grow and grow. And I know what a privilege this is, to travel at this time and place…so I thought, how can I make this a way for you to really be a part of this trip? If I can’t take you with me, I can bring my trip back to you!

I’ll be doing a lot of writing there, scribbling down scenes, dreams, beautiful moments, sad moments, capturing the Paris I’ll encounter. Can you see me at a cafe, the chilly November air swirling around? Or in the corner of a crowded dusty bookshop, cozy and quiet?

Why not write something for you? Like the poet with a typewriter I came across on a London street, I’ll write to you for you, and then box it up with some of my favorite things from Paris! Good salt, tea, soap, a little antique stoneware pot, candies, metro tickets, coins, matchbooks…I’ll surround my writing to you with the tastes, smells, and everyday beauty that is Paris.

This is A Place Here, too: a place for you on the other side of the world. Want to be a part of it? I’m only making a very limited amount (not a lot of room in my carry on bag, you know!), but I would so love for one of them to be for you.