Happy weekend! I have actual butterflies today, because next week Brad and I leave for a trip to Paris with just the two of us! It’s Brad’s birthday present, and also a delayed honeymoon now that our littlest guy is older. Our weekend is a hectic haze of packing, and cleaning, writing lunch notes, recording bedtime stories, a baseball game and post-game party. On Mother’s Day, we’re having a steak dinner prepped by the 10yo, which is part of our in-house grownup lessons. He’s coming right along. Some links for your weekend:
Mother’s Day–relevant posts from the archives:
9 Not-Stupid Gifts for Women
Handmade Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day
Did you see this thread about the white lady who just wants to get ghost-murdered in a nice porcelain bathtub?
I think about this flamingo wallpaper. I think about it.
This was surprisingly time-consuming to find, so I’m putting it here. Long and short sleeved swim shirts for kids in lots of colors, with no stupid logos, or sports numbers, or dubiously feminist assertions written by people who still think feminism is a little taboo and edgy. Just a plain swim shirt that matches your kid’s bathing suit. So they can go swimming. If you find cheaper ones, hit me up.
This cotton candy dress is so cheerful, and it would travel so well.
Also, I ordered this $12 nude dress to wear as a slip, because basic cotton slips are a bear to find. And speaking of bears…
It’s Insane that Anyone Goes Camping “Outside is where bugs live. You’re in the bugs’ house now.”
“What it’s like to be the fat person sitting next to you on the plane.” I sat next to someone who was a bit too big for her seat on a plane recently, and she held her arms pulled up in front of her for the entire flight so she wouldn’t invade my seat more than strictly necessary. It must have been so uncomfortable, possibly even painful, and I was at such a loss about how to ease the situation for both of us. In retrospect, vodka.
A happy gif.
A gym in the UK is offering napping classes, so you can catch up on sleep but truthfully tell coworkers you’re going to the gym. More people should do this.
Nomadic gardener rents out people’s yards to grow produce, which he then sells at local farmers markets and to shops. Genius.
On Facebook, I asked for the one thing you wouldn’t miss in Paris, and I’d love to know yours.
Update on yesterday’s post about Rebecca Woolf’s upcoming movie PANS: What the what? Huge thanks to those of you who have donated so far! With your help, Bex met the goal of 100 new supporters within a few hours. So quickly that the film backer offered an additional $5K if she can make it to 700 supporters by end of day today (Friday, May 12). This level of interest gives PANS a huge boost in the film community. More lady writers, producers, directors! The shift is starting, because of you. Thank you so much.
Mighty Girl 
I am so happy to learn about nomadic gardener
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Another swim tee resource (similar price) is Lands End. Good quality, long and short sleeve, plain colors available (also graphics).
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Don’t miss the Musée de Cluny! Paris is awash in art museums, but the tapestries at Cluny, particularly “The Lady and the Unicorn” are something special.
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There is a little park across the Pont Neuf bridge that we fell in love with. Very small and sweet.
Lands’ End also has plain rash guards, some are on sale now. Really good quality. Have an amazing trip!!!
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Try a walking tour with Paris Walks! We loved the one of Montmartre. So affordable and you don’t need reservations for most of them. We learned a lot about impressionist painters on the Montmartre tour and then went to the Musee D’Orsay the next day to see all their paintings! http://www.paris-walks.com
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I havet his bookmarked for solid color rash guards (and cute kids swim stuff in general): https://www.primary.com/shop/swim
I particularly recommend the zipper rash guard for toddlers or kids with big noggins like mine.
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http://arts-forains.com/en/ — Musee des Arts Forains — it’s a museum full of old (and sometimes very bizarre) amusement park/funfair/mechanical entertainment things, and there is just nothing else like it, it’s amazing. You have to make reservations to visit (they are open most days with numerous tour times) — the tours are generally only in French, so if you don’t speak French you’ll miss some of the info, but honestly I think it’s worth going just for the experience (however I’m saying that as someone who speaks French, so maybe if I was unable to understand anything I’d find it vexing, I don’t know). You can reserve your time and buy your tickets online via their website, it’s quite simple (and it isn’t crazy expensive, less than 15 euros if I recall correctly).
Also, have tea and sweets in the café attached to the Grande Mosquee, which is one of my favorite places to spend time in Paris. (Go at night — they stay open late and during the day it tends to be crowded with kids from the university, as it’s in the Latin Quarter, but at night it’s usually quite mellow.)
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I loved the cooking classes at La Cuisine Paris. One was a market tour where we visited different markets and shops to buy the ingredients for the meal we learned to cook, and the other was more specialized. They were the highlight of my trip.
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