Hi! I wanted to apologize for the long stretch of radio silence. Looks like it will be a little while before I can get back to posting as I’d like. A little career fun is adding to the chaos and I’m working around the clock. I promise to get back to posting once the dust settles.
xoxoxo
Something every busy working woman needs. A place to put your phone when you pee….
Sorry for the radio silence. The Rock and Roll Mom has been on a little summer holiday. Was it fun? Ummmmm, yeah. Sorta. Traveling with the Shorties is always an adventure so if you look at it like that, yeah, it was fun.
We flew across the country for a long weekend to hit up a major family reunion. One hundred odd relatives collected in a campground. The Shorties were in heaven… Then we flew all the way back across the country, packed up the car and drove 5 hours to the interior of BC (all in the same 18 hour travel day). Thank God it was wine country!
The Shorties on Vacation
The Okanagan Valley is a great place and worth another post for travel tips and suggestions. This was a more tame visit as we stuck close to the pool in the 35 C degree heat.
So in a blink, our vacation adventure is now behind us and we’re back home staring down the barrel of back to school and the onset of fall aka the rainy season. We managed to make decent time on the drive home and I successfully unpacked all the bags and did the groceries so we are well poised to get back in the swing of things.
I promise that blog-writing will be on the to do list now that we are home.
XO
Only slightly detoured en route to Paris
I just got back from a week on the road. Not so bad when the road is a whirlwind trip to Paris! It had a bit of a rocky start as the French Air Traffic Controllers decided to strike while I was en route. Good news however, as I did finally make it with only a slight detour via Brussels (very charming – made a mental note to return!)
I love Paris. Who doesn’t? Its EXACTLY as you would expect. Charming little streets and bustling boulevards. Shopping, eating, culture, pain au chocolat – what’s not to aimer?
So here’s where I (very narcissistically) share my favorite places in Paris. Hope you don’t mind?
I have been lucky enough to travel to Paris a handful of times, always on business. So my experiences there are more related to eating, fast shopping and sleeping.
SLEEP
Located in the 8th, around the corner from the legendary George V, The Hotel de Sers is a great little boutique property. The rooms are petit (as are all in Paris) but I was lucky enough to have one facing the inner courtyard which offered a little peace in Central Paris. The bed was comfy and the bath shower combo functioned well (save for the lack of a shower door which meant for some sopping up). The decor was edgy but not annoying although we did take pity on the sole goldfish swimming in each flower vase in the lobby.
Just off Av George V, the hotel was a very quick walk to the shopping on the Champs Élysées to the left and the Seine/ Eiffel Tower to the right.
The restaurant was good and accommodating of my weird food issues and the hotel staff in general were fantastic. Especially the Concierge staff who happily made reservations and tracked us down to help with deliveries.
EAT
A trip into the Marais is not complete without a falafel and this is arguably the best I’ve ever had. A friend brought me here and shared the tip of dining in rather than waiting in the long line at the take-out window. The falafel costs a few euros more when dining in – but its worth it.
Like burritos found in The Mission in San Francisco – there is nothing different about these falafels save for the freshest of ingredients. Delicious roasted eggplant and crispy cabbage perfectly accent the delicately fried falafels. Yum! Plus at €8.00, its a pretty cheap meal.
On our last visit to Le Stella we discovered that its much better in the colder months when the raw seafood bar is set up in place of the sidewalk patio. The selection of oysters and chilled prawns, langoustins and lobster was incredible.
Le Stella is located in the 16th on Av Victor-Hugo and seems to be a local for the neighborhood. We were charmed by families enjoying Sunday dinner with the kids fast asleep at the table.
Our recent summer visit lead us to a delicious and fresh gazpacho and some beautifully grilled sole. Oh yeah and the Sancerre was amazing!
Au Pied de Cochon & La Poule Au Pot
In the music business, late night eating is the way it goes so its always good to have a couple of late/ all night places in your back pocket. Both Au Pied Au Cochon and La Poule Au Pot are located in Les Halles and are reasonably good options in a city with surprisingly few late night dining options. Both offer tuxedoed waiters serving delicious country bread, cheese and other typical French fare. Au Pied Au Cochon was definitely the better of the two although they were out of the house specialty last time we were there… thank God!
Bread cart, cheese cart, dessert cart. Foodie heaven. Enough said.
SHOP
Shopping in Paris is amazing. I have had such little free time while there to actually properly shop (ouch, my diamond shoes are pinching). But I have dabbled.
Pharmacie
Located everywhere – just look for the green cross. Any Pharmacie you come across is full of treasures. French skincare lines are amazing. Even the inexpensive drugstore brands rival what you’ll find in the department stores. Embryolisse is the best! Its a favorite of make-up artists on both sides of the pond and very inexpensive even when paying in euros. I use their Crème Anti-Àge 1èr Rides (anti-aging cream) and it is amazing. I also really like the Avene sunscreen line. Its easy on the skin and smells great.
With its incredible domed Belle Epoque ceiling, this forerunner of the department store carries anything and everything including! Its like a shopping cathedral! The Longchamp boutique here has stanchions to manage the throngs of tourists picking up their trademark shoppers in every shade (I have two and I LOVE them).
The beautiful flagship at 22 Rue du Faubourg St Honoré is the original boutique opened by Jeanne Lanvin in 1889 (when Coco Chanel was a mere 6 years old!) Mme Lanvin started her life in couture as a milliner and made dresses for her daughter. As demand grew, Lanvin became one of the premiere fashion houses in Paris. A luxury brand for sure, but definitely worth a visit to see Lanvin and the other fashion houses along the Rue du Faubourg St Honoré.
Paris is an incredible place. The first time you see the Eiffel Tower all lit up at night, sparkling like diamonds will take your breath away. I can’t wait to go back. À la prochaine!
Check out this great book – The Guide to Baby Sleep Positions
Just before Shorty #2 arrived, we decided to buy a king size bed. Turns out this was a very good call. You see, our kids are like pack wolves. They love to sleep all snuggled up with us.
When #2 was born, we didn’t even bother with the crib. She nursed so often, we just kept her in the bed with us (in a co-sleeper – don’t worry!). Eventually she moved into her own crib and now sleeps in a toddler bed. But she falls asleep with us and most mornings wakes up with the sun (thank you very much 49th parallel in the summer when the sun rises at 4:30am!!!) and climbs back into our bed.
The challenge is that Shorty #1 is now 6 (and the height of at least an 8 year old) and she often climbs in with us when she has a nightmare or just wakes up in the middle of the night. Sometimes, we end up 4 across in the king bed with elbows and butts pushing J and I to the outer banks.
I know I should relish this quality, snuggly time with the kids while they kick and wriggle and stick toes in the waist band of my pj’s. But man, I’m almost as sleep deprived as when they were babies.
Shorty #2 is a hair twirler (like me), but since her locks are only just coming in she would much prefer to twirl (or better yet clench) my hair. She can’t go to sleep without a good mass of hair to twirl. Shorty #1 is becoming more independent, but at bedtime her jealousy of #2 shines through and she fights for position next to me. So this means I get to be in the middle with a kid on either side; twirling, snuggling, clinging, scratching, elbowing etc… Forget about having to pee, I am stuck there until everyone falls asleep and we can move them to their own beds.
Hands down, my favorite bed-sharing move is the spin. That’s when the kid’s head moves off the pillow and nestles into J’s back. Her feet push into my back (usually her little toes hook into the pj’s waistband) creating the letter “H”. Sometimes you get lucky and get the head in your back – but don’t be fooled it can be as painful getting a melon in the spine.
I know, I know. I really need to enjoy these moments because in the not so distance future they won’t want to be anywhere near us. The real kicker is that when I’m on the road in a hotel room all by myself, I can’t sleep. I need these little monkeys around me. So I’ll keep drinking lots of coffee in the mornings, use plenty of under-eye concealer and enjoy the moment.
I thought you should all see this PROOF that Shorty #2 does in fact hide things and I am not losing my marbles! We spent the weekend in the Okanagan Valley and #2 hid her shoes in the hotel microwave. True!
![photo[5]](https://therockandrollmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/photo51.jpg)
Don’t feed the animals…
The other day we were out with friends for brunch. It was a beautiful sunny day and we were entrenched on a patio having a great meal. The Shorties were with us of course… We tried to carry on an adult (A-dult, not a-DULT) conversation with our pals that we haven’t seen in a while. It was challenging. After many tears Shorty #2 managed to pass out in her stroller in the midday heat (woohoo) but this left Shorty #1 looking to be entertained. “Mom, Mom, Mom” she bellowed across the table. When I didn’t immediately answer since I was listening intently to our friend recount a story, she yelled louder “Moooooooooommmmmm!!!!” Apologizing to our friend, I interrupted “Yes?” She looked me in the eye “I farted.” Okey dokey, thanks for that. I’ll alert the media.
We like to include the Shorties in our adult meals and conversations. I personally think its good education for them to learn by osmosis how to behave in these situations. I think it helps kids develop their own opinion and can give them the confidence to share their thoughts in a group. However, while they develop their inner monologue and hone the fine art of conversation they continue to share topics that are not exactly ideal for dinner parties.
Luckily, our friends who don’t have kids of their own have been exceedingly patient with our Shorties, welcoming them into the fold and encouraging their participation in the conversations. For this I am grateful for the part they play in the kids education. But it can be trying for them I’m sure as it can take several attempts to actually finish a story, if at all. For this I apologize. My post-partum brain after 2 babies hasn’t bounced back as well as I would have liked so I often struggle to stay on the topic and return to the story once interrupted. I’m working on that! Perhaps I’ll keep a notepad handy so I can jot down where we left off when the Shorties interject!
If you’re a regular at The Rock and Roll Mom, you know I have to travel a fair bit on business. So I’ve seen my fair share of travel drama. Its inevitable really. Rarely does any amount of travel go by completely without a hitch when flying is concerned, especially when you throw in a connection or two to make things interesting. If you’ve been reading my blog you’ll also know that I’m not a carry-on only sort of girl so throw in a piece of luggage or two and you’ve got the potential for a perfect storm!
With the Shorties, my goal is to always be gone for the least amount of time possible. This often means taking some pretty crazy travel options to be able to get home as soon as I can. I’m most proud of my New York for the day trips. With the help of Cathay Pacific, I can leave Vancouver at 10pm, land at New York JFK at 6am. Take a car into the city, have a quick shower and then hit the ground running with a day full of meetings, press or even a TV taping (luckily the late night shows usually tape around 4-6pm). Then I head back to JFK around 8pm to fly back to Vancouver on the red-eye arriving at 2am. I can sleep in my own bed for a few hours before the kids wake-up. Genius! I love it!
But you know, life isn’t always so simple. Throw in a delay or two and the best laid plans go out the window. I had one particularly harrowing adventure as I was heading to NYC for a major, 2 day press hit for a news magazine show for one of our clients. This time I was routed through Toronto. Some nasty weather in Vancouver delayed our departure and I missed the connection to NYC. I had a very early start the next morning in NYC with an interview scheduled to take place in my hotel suite. Luckily I was rebooked on a flight leaving Toronto at 6am. No problem! My bag went missing at this point so I was sent off to the hotel with a “Comfort Kit” consisting of a size XL men’s t-shirt, some shaving cream and men’s deodorant around 2am. After a couple of hours of sleep (if you can call it that) I packed on back to the check-in counter, smelling like a dude in yesterday’s stinking, sweaty airplane clothes. Luckily my bag was there and rechecked and I was off.
Arriving in NYC at 7am I headed into the city with the rest of the rush hour traffic. I raced up to my room to shower off the eau de Dude and rinse out my sweaty bra in the sink. Just as I put down the curling iron the camera crew arrived to set up. I wrung out my laundry from the sink (I always travel with laundry detergent for moments such as this) and much to my horror realized this hotel room did not have a closet, just a wide open rack to hang clothes. I found a little perch in the corner of the room to lay my old bra to dry behind the suitcase. At this point, the crew had effectively taken over my suite – cameramen, producer, lighting and audio guys, publicists – and horror of horrors the esteemed journalist who would conduct the interview had moved a chair to that exact corner of this vast 2 room suite and was now resting his feet next to my dripping bra. Lovely!
Another time, I was pregnant with Shorty #2. We were doing a shoot for a TV commercial in Buenos Aires. It was January so in the dead of the Argentine summer. I was routed from Vancouver to Toronto, Toronto to Santiago, Chile and then finally Santiago to Buenos Aires. After landing in Buenos Aires I had that horrible sinking feeling that can only come when you are the last person standing at a an empty baggage carousel, watching the same remnants of packing tape and yarn go round and round, ever hopeful that by some miracle your bag will appear from nowhere. It was not be, I was 5 months pregnant and I had an early meeting with ad agency the next morning! The next flight from Toronto wasn’t arriving for at least another 24 hours! Luckily, shopping malls in Buenos Aires are open at 8pm on a Sunday night!!! The lovely production assistant took pity on me and brought me to the nearest mall where I managed to scrounge together a wardrobe for the next couple days. I almost kissed the bellman who arrived the following evening with my bag in hand.
Sprinting through airports to make connections, facing full security patdowns (like can I have a cigarette afterwards kind of patdowns), neverending waits for delayed flights, lost (and found) luggage. All par for the course when you travel. On my last trip as I stared down an air-traffic control strike that started while I was en route, I just kept thinking “Oh well, maybe there’s a blog post in all this…” Looks like there was.
The Cannes Red Carpet – that’s my back.
I’m really lucky. In my line of work I get to attend some great events. Fancy do’s with beautiful people and spare no expense excess. It can be a lot of fun – but I always face the same problem (get ready – this is one of those problems that falls in the “My diamond shoes are too tight” category). I never know what to wear.
The Red Carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. The black-tie Kennedy Centre Honors. Fancy cocktail party outside the Louvre in Paris. Really, what do I care. The paparazzi aren’t photographing me. But nevertheless, I’m a woman and I care about fashion and how I look. So how on earth do I handle caviar styles with a mac and cheese budget? All these events are populated by well-heeled attendees who are particularly well-heeled in their Christian Laboutins and couture. I on the other hand will be wearing something from the Spring 2000 line of The Gap (Black Magic strikes again?) and accessories courtesy of Joe Fresh.
For the record, I always buy my accessories at the local Superstore with the Joe Fresh capsule shop. Here’s how it goes:
“I love that necklace.”
“Oh this old thing. I picked it up while buying avocados and diapers.”
Classy, right? Super fancy. But its actually ok. I would love a beautiful couture dress, don’t get me wrong. But the reality is, I don’t live in the champagne and caviar world. I just visit it occasionally.
However, on my last business trip to Paris I was given a treat – a beautiful dress from Lanvin. I couldn’t believe the generosity and was truly touched by the gesture. This dress is a beaut! A pretty colour with the perfect drape. Perhaps I could get used to a little high fashion in my wardrobe after all.
A selfie of the new dress…
A little something from Lanvin
Black Magic joined me on vacation in Mexico in 2002
In 2000, I took a little trip with some girlfriends down to Seattle for a shopping weekend. I know we had fun and that we bought a lot of clothes and drank a lot of red wine. We might have even crashed a wedding. What I do remember is I bought a little black dress at the Gap Outlet shop for $15. That LBD has gone on to live a long and fruitful life in my wardrobe and I still rock that bad boy to this day. Hell, I’ve owned this dress longer than I’ve known my husband.
That’s right – if I amortized the total purchase price over the occasions when I (or others) have worn it, I would be running about 10 cents a wear.
Made of some polyester jersey fabric, the dress looks as good today as the sunny day I bought it from the outlet mall off the I-5. I can roll it in a ball, pack it in a suitcase, pull it out on arrival with nary a wrinkle in sight. I’ve worn it through various weight variations including two pregnancies and have loaned it out to friends. I wash it in the washing machine with regular detergent and hang it to dry and the thing hasn’t frayed or aged a day. That’s why I like to call it Black Magic.
Its a v-neck, cap sleeve, mid-knee cut with the perfect drape that flatters anyone that wears it. Sure I’ve had to pop on my beloved Spanx on occasion, but still it works.
Out for dinner in Cape Town with Black Magic and Shorty #2 in 2009
I remember first wearing it with a dark denim jean jacket and a pair of cow print black and red clogs (I did tell you I bought this dress in 2000). Lately I like to pair it with some black patten pumps and a leather jacket. Add a great choker if the occasion is fancy or a fun long necklace if its a little more casual. Winter or summer – you can wear this dress any time of year, just change up the accessories to match the season.
In no particular order, I have worn this dress on first dates (including my husband), weddings, my parent’s milestone surprise birthday party, to the rehearsal party for my own wedding, several black tie events, on tour as both a cocktail dress and beach cover-up, on vacations, business functions, several staff holiday parties (its like camouflage – change the accessories and no one remembers the damn thing) at least one (maybe two Juno Awards) and a Grammy Awards.
For the Grammy appearance – I was 6 months pregnant and that dress just morphed around my great big baby bump. Its like its made of plasma or something out of Star Trek. I’ve loaned it out to friends and it just seems to shape itself perfectly to the wearer whatever their height and size.
My friend H borrowed Black Magic this past April and rocked it!
I liken it to Willy Wonka’s Everlasting Gobstopper – it won’t wear out. I’m sure if The Gap knew that this dress was so incredible – they would never want to make it again. It would negate women from ever needing to buy another LBD in their lifetime. (OK – thats ridiculous, seeing as I personally own about 10 black dresses. But to be fair I do work in the music business where black is standard issue and in cases when you’re behind the scenes – a necessity).
I picture some Judy Jetson type picking it up in a futuristic thrift shop in 2113 and wearing it on one of her first dates. I hope Black Magic brings her as much luck as it has me. I love you BLACK MAGIC. You will outlive us all.
My Dad was a Queen Scout. He taught me to always be prepared. He has a direct line to Canadian Tire and can outfit a car, apartment, house, boat – you name it – with every bit of safety gear in the event of calamity – batteries, flash lights, fire extinguishers. I remember him stocking my first studio apartment in Vancouver, I had 6 flashlights in 600 sq feet including the closets.
Dad’s preparedness is clearly genetic. My Grandparents were legendary for their pantry. This was Cold-War era stockpiling at its best. Dad definitely got this from them and he passed it on to me. Our pantry is borderline hoarding territory. But truly, my need to be prepared is most evident when I’m heading out on the road and all supplies need to be carefully packed in a suitcase and paraded around from home to taxi to airport to taxi to hotel lobby for the whole world to see. I admit it, I am a chronic overpacker. Most recently I was heading out on a three day trip and I’ve packed an oversized Samsonite that is tipping the scale just under the 70lb limit (phew!).
Disclaimer: I was traveling to the Canadian Prairies in the “spring” so I had to be prepared for any sort of weather pattern. AND it was 12 celsius when I left home and I landed in a -14 celsius windchill. To be honest I still froze my ass off all in the name of fashion.
Nevertheless, its good to be prepared and sometimes being prepared is just having wardrobe options. What if I have been traveling for the past week and the hotel food bloat creeps up – you need to have your fat pants or at least Spanx for moments such as this. What if that dinner is a little more formal than you expected and the red heels are so much cooler than plain old black boots you’ve been wearing all day. Or what if you spill coffee all over your one pair of jeans during a little turbulence. Options are always important to be suitably prepared.
Now we need to factor in the other comfort items required for life on the road. If you’ve read some of my previous blogs you’ll know I’m not such a fan of hotel rooms. So to beat the travel blues, I bring some scented Voluspa candles. I’ve also invested in a pair of lightweight Nikes so I can hit the gym. If I’m really lucky and have the space, sometimes I’ll throw in the yoga mat. I’m not saying I actually use all these things. But what if I have a spare hour in the hotel and I can finally take up meditation????
We haven’t even gotten into the gory details about the food I bring just in case room service can’t accommodate my dairy, gluten and sugar free regime (UPDATE: so far so good on sticking with the plan with only the occasional cheats – thank GOD for rice cakes). Whole food bars and packets of almond butter can save the day.
I take full responsibility for my over-packing, proudly schlepping my bag in all its glory. The real truth however is if you think this is bad – you should see what happens when I travel with the kids!
the rock and roll mom on the move 