VASHTIE

Yay. Yes, it’s that time of year when my birthday is in town. This time, we took a quick getaway to Paris. I’ve had various destination birthdays like Las Vegas and Los Angeles (which doesn’t count, because I was working/directing Justin Bieber), but nothing like this…I mean, it’s Paris!

Oi, traveling…how I hate you. I mean, why can’t we teleport by now? It’s 2014!

I agreed to buy a glass of something to drink so I could charge my phone. I had a nice conversation with a Belgian at Sammy Hagar’s chain restaurant/bar.

On le’aeroplane.

Paris!

Seeing maps while I travel helps me to understand the geography.

Checking into Hotel Amour in Pigalle, the 9th District. Normally, I stay in the Marais – the 3rd, but I got hooked up on the telly so I stayed here for the first time. Normally, this place is always sold out because it’s super cool.While I was checking in, I ran into Hami – my old friend that I met with the Pigalle/Pain O’ Chokolat guys in Paris back in 2007. My room needed more time to get readied so we went to the Pigalle office where the buys were working super hard.

Alex Sossah, my love, took me for a drink. I picked that blue drink on the counter having no idea what it was. I thought it was sparkling water. Since he was on the phone I didn’t ask, but it ended up being some minty sparkling water. Interesting.

I ran into my dear love Jean Paul Paula and his love Kevin. They are adorable!

Lunch at Hotel Amour.

My room.

Since my birthday is April 23rd, I decided to have dinner and wine dolo. Then – I got a call from my British photographer friend Dexter Navy who just got back from Italy with his girlfriend saying he would come meet me because I couldn’t ring in my birthday alone. It was very sweet of him!

Dexter Navy

I ran into some other friends at the hotel and they took me to a close by bar for rum!

Dexter Navy and me!