#mr. present

[whiteelephantintheroom]

Over the past two decades, I’ve had airplane tickets for Paris twice. Monkey wrenches and death thwarted those plans. And I ain’t mad because in the last year, I’ve been fortunate enough to visit Paris twice…with the man who I hope to spend the rest of my life with. So apropos that Jorge is the person with whom I finally scale this monument. (Eiffel Tower, Paris)

[whiteelephantintheroom]

When you happen to land in Paris the same day as the World Cup parade & see French Rafale jets performing a victory dance. (Montmarte, Sacré-Coeur)

[whiteelephantintheroom]

Leaning into that whole American-tourists-in-Paris thing. (Tuileries Garden, Paris)

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“M” is for middle children! (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

[whiteelephantintheroom]

Here’s to you cooking all the things! Pairing the unexpected flavors! ConGRADulations, Laurie: May you keep on chefing where no females have chefed before! (North Charleston Coliseum)

[whiteelephantintheroom]

The St. Pete sky at 2:15am. (Saint Petersburg, Russia)

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Giddy for the ballet in Russia with my leading man.

[whiteelephantintheroom]

‪Russia’s mixed media—plaster, exposed brick, random electric wire, an alley—ain’t your expected media. (Saint Petersburg, Russia)