Have a Wonderful Weekend.

I thought the open-marriage piece was interesting, but I’m not gung-ho on that kind of relationship being called a truly open marriage. As someone in a healthy open marriage with a partner that I absolutely love and trust, I would say that a situation where one partner wants to sleep with other people to try to address feelings of emptiness, even if they get their partner’s begrudging consent, that’s really not a great picture of what an open marriage can look like.

My partner and I decided to open our marriage because we realised our thinking about monogamy had shifted since we first got married 9 years ago at the age of 21. The ability to have experiences (sometimes romantic/sexual) with other people is a way of exploring the multiple facets of our personalities, and it’s enriched our time together and our appreciation of one another.

I don’t know why it’s so easy to meet people with the same interests in school rather than in the working world

Shruthi
http://nyambura.co

Seeing the class, grace, and character embodied in the Obama pictures is soul-crushing. I think of the coming contrast and I feel deeply, deeply depressed. This isn’t me being partisan–if any of the other candidates had won, I would not be feeling this heartbroken or this deeply afraid.

Chateaubriand has a great tasting menu (it’s a little touristy but very, very good).
Chez le Libanais for great, casual Lebanese food!
Hotel du Nord for classic, French bistro food along Canal St. Martin
and… Le Comptoir General is you want to go out, get sloshed on rum punch, and swoon over all the effortlessly cool and beautiful people.

Have fun!

I thought I was the only person in the world who enjoyed the “good kind” of hangovers! The slightly-still-tipsy, laughing at anything, eating anything, bloody-marys-over-brunch-recapping-the-night-before kind of hangover. I love it, well into my 30s!

not a “restaurant” but I highly recommend Du Pain et Des Idees. It’s in the Canal Saint Martin area and it’s super delicious

Love Paris! One of my favorite restaurants in Au Rocher du Cancale at 78 rue Montorgueil, 2nd. Enjoy!!!

Highly recommend the bar Le Sardine, in the 10th. On a sweet small street, with only locals, and lots of good food and beverage. Cant go wrong :)
http://barlasardine.com/restaurant-place-sainte-marthe/

Have fun in Paris!
Any chance you can post some good things to do in New York in winter? I’m coming in February!

Joanna + crew,

I’ve been reading this blog for years and can’t get enough! I feel empowered every time I open it and just want to yell out into the big wide world that women are strong and powerful and awesome and we need to own it and sing it and just show everyone how badass and amazing we really are!

I’ve recently gotten out of a horribly toxic and destructive relationship and it’s left me feeling vulnerable and sad and just needing some general female strength to remind me that we are tough. I’m hopeful that you can recommend some inspirational, hopeful, happy, female friendly girl power Instagram accounts? I love the feeling of unity and strength that comes from reading and being inspired by other amazing women and when I wanted to find some accounts like this (you know, to help me get through the rough patches during the day) my first though was that Joanna would know just who I should follow.

Any names come to mind? I’d love to get your girls’ opinions on who I should follow to feel more of that female badassery on the reg!

Love you all ?

Makenzie

You read my mind about the information on hotel cleanliness!!! We were away this week in New Orleans and I was actually thinking about how clean the surfaces of the hotel room were! Thank GOODNESS I didn’t touch the remote control, nor the phone! Ugh! I’ve heard those were the grossest items in hotel rooms (and households!).

Jeje, you all people are overreacting, I love Paris and there many great restaurants.

Those Pete Souza photos… wow! I’m sure going to miss this administration. Hope you’re having a lovely time in Paris!

We are just home from Paris. We ate here and it was INCREDIBLE:
http://goop.com/kids/france/paris/5th-6th-arrondissement/la-rotisserie/

The roasted chicken was amazing. I have also heard the duck is to die for. Can’t wait for your Paris post!

I would have said no to the broccoli sandwich, categorically, but I had a hot sandwich called a “Black Russian” at a vegetarian place once that blew my mind. Pumpernickel, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing, and tender roasted broccoli, carrots, and peppers. It was divine!

Some of my Paris favorites:
Semilla http://www.facebook.com/semillaParis
54 rue de Seine, 75006
Verjus Bar à Vin http://www.verjusparis.com/
47 rue de Montpensier, 75001
Rose Bakery
30 Rue Debelleyme and 46 Rue des Martyrs (2 locations)
Zinc Caïus
11 rue d’Armaillé, 75017
A great tool for finding good food is http://parisbymouth.com/. If you are out exploring and not sure where to eat, you can search this site by zip code and find a great restaurant that is close to you. ( as opposed to wandering around for hours looking for the perfect spot to eat till delirious, which I have been know to do)

Is this a thing where people compete with each other who can suggest the best eatery in Paris? I read all the links posted, loved them, found them thought provoking wanted to come to the comments section to read other people’s points of view and opinions about the links, only to find out the comments section was submerged by reccomendations for where to eat in Paris. I don’t mind it as such, but I would have put in in a separate post.
My Italian husband would say: “Mah”.

For food on the go, L’As du Fallafal in the Marais is heaven. They make the best falafel sandwich ever! Mark Bittman even wrote about it for the NYT: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2006/12/31/travel/31bite.html

yeah whoa BIG mistake!

that smog is crazy and terrifying

Enjoy Paris! And that shirt, it’s gorgeous. what a pretty and special collar
<3

I think there is no need to push one kind of person down in order to raise another person up. Obviously one should acknowledge and appreciate all the opportunities they may have had and see how fortunate they are, and they should use their good fortune and opportunities to help people who are less fortunate then them.
Also, people who are not so fortunate should be given the respect they deserve by not underestimating their potential. Even though they may not have the connections that others may have, that would help them reach higher goals faster, they will still be able to reach their goals, and they will appreciate it so much more knowing where they come from, and how much harder they had to work. They certainly will not take it for granted.
I think instead of people apologizing for their opportunities, they should be working on and using their energy and time helping those who need help getting into better situations.

Les papillies is terrific, as is La Pantruche near Rue de Martyrs!

A “mistake”? Are you kidding? That Express issue is a shamanic work of ART! It expresses women’s rise to equality and how fully supported we are by all real men!

Chez Janou in the Marais is exactly what you want a bustling french bistro to be. Great atmosphere, great food, it’s perfect. It is always in my paris list!

Loved the article on privilege! And I’m so glad there are people writing articles like this. I’m not wealthy, but teaching kids who live in poverty has shown me how incredibly privileged I am. Thanks for sharing that link!

There are so many good restaurants in Paris, and I agree with a few of the comments above BUT if you want a real french meal in a traditional french restaurant (bistro) you have to go to Chez Georges and get the Steak Bearnaise. Its at 1 rue de mail. It doesn’t stand out much and might have the curtains closed so be careful not to miss it. I didn’t have a reservation but not sure if I was just lucky. If you want to make one the phone no. is +33 1 42 60 07 11.
Also if you like tacos go here https://www.yelp.com/biz/candelaria-paris-2 The taco place is this tiny, not fancy at all, hole in the wall type place with the best tacos and margaritas!! Then after eating the tacos theres a white door that looks like it goes out the back to the staff area but its actually a cute little speakeasy bar that serves the best cocktails! Such a cool surprise!

Hands down Creperie Broceliande in Montmartre! The most amazing crepes I’ve ever had, and so reasonably priced!