Optimism and the Covid narrative

I’ve been thinking about the state of the Covid narrative. Not the broader social and economic story, that will be … More

Out of the frying pan and into the lap of luxury

I feel like the future is simultaneously wide open and closed down. I’m not talking globally, though that’s certainly the … More

A quest for confinement number 3: the baguette

What is left when everything has gone south? The pleasures of Paris are closed up once again, in compliance with … More

The 80/20 rule

In the absence of going places, I’m thinking about things again. The Atlantic had an article where a self-proclaimed clutter … More

The Let’s Get Stuck Game

I know life has changed for the weirder for everyone (if you’re lucky), but I’ve just realized we’re celebrating a … More

Do it while you’re young

( Daring to post-covid dream) There’s a story in my family that has become our motto. Once upon a time, … More

Oh, the places you used to go: Lille

A friend gave Mark the Dr. Seuss book Oh, The Places You’ll Go during a time of great uncertainty in … More

Where I hang my hat is home (and there’s nothing to hang your hat on)

We’ve been nowhere but home lately, with very few exceptions. This feels strange for someone whose life’s aim is going … More

Sète, or putting the risk back in travel

I’ve sat down to write a couple of times lately, but what is there to say?  Nearly the only thing … More

We’ll always have Paris*

So here we are back in Paris, thoroughly bewildered, 7 months after departing on a long vacation and over 4 … More