The Fear of Being Boring

When friends visit, you want to ensure everything is perfect. You spritz the hallway to reduce unwanted smells. You enlighten a room with colorful orchids. You place body care products on angled fresh linens. But what do you do about your daily routine that you worry might be considered a bit boring?

Even though we’ve relocated from the States to Paris, we’re still the same low-key couple we were in the Windy City. We don’t drink. We never go out. And we’d rather watch a movie or have game night with friends. So when guests spend over $500 to visit, it’s hard not to feel a bit guilty about being dull and not yet connected to the social scene Paris has to offer.


Take for example this past weekend with our friend Mr. Pickett from Chicago. Separate from our brush with Tom Ford on Friday night at a trendy Thai restaurant near the Eiffel Tower, the weekend was fairly calm and reserved. We ventured out Saturday night for a cocktail only to be suffocated by intense smoke. I, of course, complained while Tom sipped his Jus de Orange cocktail (sans Vodka thanks to my inability to order properly). Fortunately, by Sunday, I had utilized my budding gay network in Paris to find an event that evening. At least it gave him something to write home about (and to add to his guest blog on Pink Trash Travels due within the next few days).

So travelers beware: Dave and Chris are still Dave and Chris. We may live in Paris, but are lifestyles haven’t changed that much. We’ll do our best to evolve over the next few months to better equip ourselves to entertain upcoming guests. But just in case, you may want to travel in numbers. This way, not only will you have a partner in crime, you’ll be less likely to hear my non-stop whining while sitting at a bar on Saturday night. And as they say, “That’s priceless.”