Paris for a weekend...

Thank goodness for the Eurostar (and working next door)

because it makes Paris a super easy weekend getaway. 

Ellie and I jumped on the train around lunchtime on a Friday

and enjoyed two full days walking around this beautiful city.

And when I say walking, I mean walking and walking and walking...

We also ate amazing food at The Kong

and at a family restaurant in the 3rd.

And let's not forget the pastries... and the chocolate... and the wine.

People watching and fashion is always the best in Paris

and we were there during Fashion Week.

Lots of paps, beautiful people and black.

So thankful to have met Ellie

and we had a blast in Paris (along with tired feet)!

xx

smm

Year Anniversary: London

One year ago, we stepped foot in the UK to make it our new home.

It’s been a year full of excitement, adventure and patience.

We took a huge risk by following my job

…while Ian quit his…

and things have fallen into place better than we could have ever anticipated.

It was meant to be – truly it was.

I couldn’t be happier at UCL – endless opportunities.

Raising money for such a brilliant institution makes it that much more enjoyable.

Ian landed a job with Moet Hennessy UK about two months after we got here.

(super rare and super lucky)

 Not only did he get a job, but he got the job he wanted

with the company that he always wanted to stay with.

We’ve traveled often

and have had the most incredible opportunities thanks to MHUK.

We’ve met new friends, while missing our forever friends.

We’ve missed weddings, births, birthdays and parties galore

…which has been really tough...

We don’t like missing things but have realised that we’ll always miss things

and this is the trade-off to living abroad.

incredible experiences | missing important moments in people’s lives

Our families and friends have been encouraging, supportive and forever loving.

They’ve made the time difference a non-issue and

they’ve worked hard to make us feel part of things – even from afar.

For those of you who are reading this,

you know who you are and we cannot thank you enough.

You’re amazing (and so is FT and Viber)!!

Visitors have been here every few months too and

it’s been wonderful to share our new life and new city with them.

We sure are lucky to live in an amazing place like London

because people don’t mind coming to visit us or

stop by before heading off to Europe – or vice versa.

First Year of Visitors:

Steve | Sandy |Tom & JL | Hallie & Katie | Lianne & Ross | Our Moms

First Year of Travel:

Frankfurt & Rhine Valley | Dublin & Northern Ireland | 
Cadaques, Barcelona & Girona
Fuerteventura | Oslo | Cambridge, Stonehenge, Cotswolds + more

(Ian: Paris & Champagne | Scotland)

First Year London Highlights:

Queen’s Coronation Gala

Olympic Park Music Festival

Meantime Brewery

ATP

Book of Mormon

Ice Skating

Borough Market

…the list was endless but had to pick a few tops…

first picture of us in front of our new home

meantime brewery day w/ sandy

olympic park festival w/ mumford & sons

queen's garden

monster german beer

cadaques sunshine

northern ireland - amazingly beautiful & fun trip w/ the loehrs

poppin' bottles w/ hallie

new friends & fun - ice skating in somerset house

fuerteventura wave checks for christmas

whirlwind trip around uk - stonehenge

nye w/ family

celebrating one-year in london - duck & waffle

 Ian and I make a great team

and we’re taking full advantage of what comes our way...

I’m a planner and have found that living in the “now” works

 ...just take a bit of getting used too...

Year two will be full of fun and excitement and has already started off with

Ian’s surf trip to Morocco and my girls weekend in Paris.

And next week, we’re off to BALI for two weeks.

(now that’s a first – two weeks off of work... another UK perk!)

Can’t wait to share those with you soon.

xx
the mcgees