Home, Sweet Home

Extensive traveling does two things: (1) allows you to see and appreciate other cultures and (2) allows you to yearn for and appreciate your own. I have such an intense fascination for learning that I was {almost} overwhelmed with going abroad. The history is unparalleled, and the nuances in lifestyle genuinely piqued my interest. In Prague, I fell in love with the wall graffiti. In Germany, it was the endless bike paths. Paris amazed me with the Arc de Triomph. As for London, I am still boggled why they chose to drive on the left side of the road, but their public transportation system more than makes up for it {plus, I have a small obsession with their style}. One of the other things that I loved about Europe was their abundance of fresh fruit stands. It's no wonder they are all so thin. They eat fruit like Americans eat Snickers bars and gas station hot dogs. 

While traveling, I quickly learned the priorities of my regular life's guilty pleasures. Aside from the standard yearning for my family and friends, my body craved some American specialties {most of which are comparable to Snickers and gas station hot dogs when it comes to caloric intake}:

1. Powerade Zero {orange}
2. Skyline Chili {4-way with beans}
3. Qdoba {naked vegetarian burrito with queso & guacamole}
4. Brookside Chocolate-Covered Pomegranate
5. Pizza {from one of the many locally owned shops in Louisville}
6. The Bachelorette {shhh, I know, I've been watching it since college}
7. My bed {for obvious reasons}
8. My closet {I made it 18 days on 4 pairs of pants, 2 pairs of shorts, 2 skirts, 7 tops, and ONE purse}
9. My cell phone {wifi is awesome, but life without 4G gets a little ridiculous}
10. MY PUPS {oh. em. gee.}

Now that I've been able to get my grubby little hands on these goodies, I can {more deeply} sit back and appreciate the arduous adventure that has now come to a close. It is so easy to look at other countries and imagine an alternate universe, but the learning happens when one can recognize how similar we really are {as human beings}. Ultimately, we are all connected, and we grow when we see how other people of our same age, job or social status interact with their geography. Traveling only made me realize that Ponyboy knew his stuff oh-so-long ago: “It seemed funny that the sunset she saw from her patio and the one I saw from the back steps was the same one. Maybe the two worlds we lived in weren’t so different. We saw the same sunset" (The Outsiders).

Prague's Graffiti // "Before I die I want to ________."

Germany's Bike Paths // view from one of my morning runs

France's Arc de Triomph // Paris

London's Hipster-Prep Style // Gap skimmer jeans {sold out, but loving these} + black tee {similar here}, Polo Ralph Lauren cardigan {similar here}, Inga Creations tusk necklace + leather wrap bracelet, Michael Kors jet set watch & Jessica Simpson captoe flats.

The Pups // they have staked claim on my side of the bed

Style Stats: Paris

I have made up an unofficial saying for Parisian women: less is more. Our stay only lasted for a little over 24 hours, so I kicked myself every time a scantily clad {usually bra-less} female walked past and I did not have my iPad ready to shoot {looking like the usual tourist, of course} for I wanted to show you an entirely honest view of Paris style {in all its glory}. Unfortunately, I didn't escape with any great shots, but I did get some adorable collections. There are a couple must-follow rules:

1. {as stated} Wear as little as possible.
2. No bras allowed.
3. Carry a Louis Vuitton bag.
4. If it's couture fashion {a.k.a. expensive}, own it.
5. Smoke. A lot.

In all sincerity, Paris didn't really do it for me like I thought that it would. Viewing the 100th finish of the Tour de France was a remarkable event {almost as remarkable as the six-floor Louis Vuitton store}, but it was disgustingly hot, ridiculously expensive and entirely unfriendly. Granted, we arrived on day 13 of an 18-day vacation, which means that we really had to kick our attitudes into high gear for the sight-seeing portion of this trip. Having never been on an extended vacation, I didn't realize that I might actually get sick of taking photos. Don't get me wrong, the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomph held a magnificent glamor about themselves {and we did not have enough time to experience the iconic museums situated within the city}, but Germany left such an {unparalleled} pleasant impression on our hearts that Paris just could not match. Maybe a second trip will be in order to reassess our initial impression, but one thing is for sure, we will need to learn French {no English allowed here, people}.

white lace dress {similar here} & blue cut-out dress + black flat sandals {similar here} & crossbody clutches {similar style here and here}

cream tee, red pleated mini, brown braided belt & white + brown crossbody bag

(left) green gingham 1/2-sleeve dress, red handbag {similar style here} & white canvas flats {similar style here} // (right) floral dress with exposed back zipper, blue handbag {sold out color, but same style here} & gold flats

Eiffel Tower // Forever 21 striped tank, Kensie pleated corduroy shorts {similar color here & similar style here}, Coach Madison Lindsay crossbody {sold out color, but available style here} & Tory Burch aviator sunglasses

Proud to be an American

Traveling abroad has sealed within me a deep appreciation for my country. With every bite of imitation American cuisine and every un-air conditioned store I walk into, I yearn for the good ol' U-S-of-A. Don't get me wrong, Europe is beautiful {stunning, really!}, and I have uttered on more than one occasion, "Wow, I could live here!" The quaint architecture, the beautiful town squares and the epic vineyard-views are enough to make any girl squeal with delight. Plus, for a runner like me, I am overcome with joy to find miles upon miles of bike paths at every city we visit. Yes, in fact, I could live here.

A couple days ago, however, I felt such an allegiance to my country, I could not imagine living anywhere else. On our bus trip from Germany to Paris, we stopped in Luxembourg to visit the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial. It started as a plot of land rented by US General Patton before "The Battle of the Bulge" during WWII. It became home to thirteen-thousand soldiers who lost their lives in the war. Many of those bodies were shipped back to the United States, but the space still houses 5,000 heroes in a sea of white marble crosses. The names of the soldiers are engraved on the backs of the crosses, facing their home country, and General Patton's grave sits at the front of the memorial, facing his troops. I found myself crying for a throng of people whom I had never known, and yet it was like we were all related. We shared the same blood: American. This doesn't seem to hold the same value as it did for those who lived through such a tragedy, and I don't know if it ever will, but I do know that I was sobered by the experience. I wished I could bottle the emotion and share it with my national comrades who {naturally} want to ascribe to Republican or Democrat, pro-life or pro-choice, black or white. These men died for one label, and we are remiss to ignore such a powerful common denominator. Unfortunately, life happens and we are forced {too often} to make a choice that divides our oneness.

When we arrived in Paris, I was reminded of a powerful tool that serves to unite all of us by our common denominator: sports. Through the work of {what could only be} Divine intervention, we were privy to the finish of the 100th riding of the Tour de France. Flags littered the air and chants resonated on every street corner. My husband quickly found a group of Americans, and for a small moment in time, we were home. U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!

Entering the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial

White Marble Crosses

Group of Americans camped out at the Tour de France

100th riding of the Tour de France {entering the Arc de Triomphe}

Some old red, white & blue // Citizens of Humanity Avedon velvet pants, Gap striped tee, Vans satin boat shoes, Inga Creations leather wrap bracelet & Michael Kors Hamilton Bag + Jet Set Watch