TDM
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My Current Favorites – [August 2024]: Shopping
I’m taking advantage of our stop in Vietnam and France to stock up on my favorite products and try new ones. I didn’t buy all this in two weeks but over nearly 10 months, allowing me to snag good deals. My parents and sister were kind enough to receive and store the packages at their place until I came. Thanks! Cosmetics Let’s start with cosmetics. At a certain age, I no longer chase after new products and just repurchase my favorite perfumes. I use three perfumes: Un jardin après la mousson by Hermès is perfect for heatwave weather; wearing it feels like the coolness of rain, exactly as its name…
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DIY I Made a Leather Bag – Hand-Sewn with a Saddle Stitch – Advanced Leatherworking
I’m proud to present my latest leather project, the one I’m most proud of. It all starts with a pattern bought from a Vietnamese merchant. This bag took me months of thought and research. There are 22 cardboard pieces corresponding to 22 pieces to cut, for the outer leather, the leather lining, and the reinforcements. Add to that the skiving to be done. There aren’t many explanations, so it took me a long time to understand, and my leatherworking teacher had to help me decipher the diagrams. Just the prep takes a whole day, and luckily I had help from two friends. My leather is full of flaws (stretch marks,…
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Attending the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
As a sports fan, attending an Olympic Games was high on my wishlistbucket list. I had looked into going to Tokyo in 2020 before giving up when I realized the budget required. No regrets, they were postponed due to Covid and then held behind closed doors… I couldn’t miss Olympic Games held in France, and now it’s done! A story, to remember it by. I bought a first batch of tickets in May 2023, when I was selected in the “lottery” at the 3rd or 4th round. My two criteria then were: iconic venues + sessions with medals. As the Olympics approached, I made additional purchases to complete my schedule…
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[review] Custom engagement ring / wedding band made in Hanoi (Vietnam) in 4 days
I’m taking advantage of my whirlwind visit to Hanoi (one week) to have a platinum solitaire ring made. I’ve known my current jeweler for several years, but this is the first time I’ve ordered a custom ring from him. Let me explain how it works. It all starts with the design. You need to have a more or less clear idea of what you want. In general, you’ll need to consider setting some precious or semi-precious stones (it’s my jeweler’s specialty. He has an incredible collection of high-quality natural stones). For me, I want a solitaire ring, but you can opt for earrings, a bracelet, a pendant… Usually, people come…
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Back to Koh Phangan (Thailand) in 2024
JB absolutely wants to come back to Koh Phangan, the place where we spent 6 months during Covid. Because of the return of tourism, I’m afraid he’ll be disappointed and file it under “lost paradise,” but it’s better to face reality and accept that the “Covid Koh Phangan” no longer exists. Luckily for us, our beloved Koh Phangan still exists a little, especially in low season. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal We take a speedboat from Koh Tao with the company Lomprayah. They offer to drop us at our hotel for 150THB/person. Handy! We get dropped off in front of Green Papaya Hotel (across…
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Thai boxing matches at the Rajadamnern Muay Thai Stadium in Bangkok
Back in 2018 (6 years ago already!), I got to attend an evening of Thai boxing matches in Chiang Mai. Back in Thailand, I considered attending a fight night on Koh Phangan before realizing I’d have time to do it in Bangkok just before leaving the country. I noticed there are events at the Rajadamnern Muay Thai Stadium. My brother Bruno, who practices Thai boxing in France, confirmed it’s an iconic venue. I’m not sure if it’s like this all year, but in June/July, there are events every night. How to book tickets for the Rajadamnern Muay Thai Stadium? To book, you have three options: Since I didn’t feel like…
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Snorkeling in Koh Tao (Thailand)
After our trip to Bhutan, we fly again to Bangkok then take a night bus + speedboat to Koh Tao, where we stay for a week. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Transport Bangkok – Koh Tao JB books the tickets on 12go asia (link) but he picks the wrong category. There are two categories for the bus leaving at 9pm and you need to take the more expensive one at 1550THB, it’s the VIP bus with twice as much space as a regular bus. JB made a mistake and bought the regular bus tickets, and it took five massages afterwards to get my bones…
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[review] VIE Mgallery in Bangkok (Thailand)
Since JB has the status Gold at Accor, we always try to stay at an Accor hotel when we need an early check-in or a late check-out. Our bus to Koh Tao leaves at 9 PM, so we’re thrilled to have a late check-out until 5 PM at VIE Mgallery Bangkok. There are two MGallery hotels in Bangkok, and my gut tells me this one is better. And the suite will prove me right, as we’ll be at the other one a few weeks later, and it’s not the same standard. At this Mgallery, we were upgraded two categories + welcome drinks + early check-in + late check-out. In short,…
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A Week in Bhutan, the Land of Happiness: Part 2/4
After two nights in Thimphu, we’re eager to explore the Bhutanese countryside, far from the “big” cities. This post is part of a 3-part series on Bhutan. If you haven’t read the first part yet, check it out here Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal We’re supposed to have breakfast at 8am, but our hotel is surprised that “everyone arrives at the same time,” despite a very detailed order they had us make at 10pm the night before. We’re about to leave with empty stomachs when the waiter runs after us with a bag full of fruit. Our guide and driver are quite embarrassed by…
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Our rental investment in Nice. We did it again!
A few years ago, we became owners of a two-bedroom apartment in La Rochelle, we told you about it here. Six years later, we’ve just picked up the keys to another apartment in Nice. We bought it two years earlier while we were on the other side of the world. Once again, this article is a feedback post, not advice. This time, we went through the same financial advisor, who offered us three off-plan apartments: one in Saint-Étienne, one in Reims, and one in Nice. The purchase prices and estimated rents were different. For various reasons, we chose Nice because it seemed like the most dynamic city and the rent-to-buy…
