I know a lot of you well-traveled readers know about Airbnb already, but isn’t it fantastic? Cath used it last year when she went to L.A. for vacay. Matt and I used it when we first got to Scotland — we needed a temporary home for two weeks and a hotel was too pricey. And we turned to Airbnb for our recent trip to gorgeous lovely Paris.

Airbnb works two ways: you either rent an entire flat/apartment/house from someone or you rent a room and stay with your host. I know both of those options can sound sketchy. Staying in someone’s house, with their things? Or with them? Strangers?! Airbnb is based on trust, testimonials and reviews. And so far the system has worked really well. I know it might still sound sketchy, but that’s why I wanted to mention it here, and to show you some pics of the flat we stayed at in Paris.

(Those are linen sheets on the beds — ooo lala indeed!):

Don’t you love this chair I’m sitting on? I wanted to take it back with me, but it didn’t fit in my carry-on:

All our Airbnb hosts have always been super-informative about where to eat, how to get around, and provided us with clean and beautiful places to stay. Mark, our Paris host, left us with maps and detailed information on how to get to the grocery stores and use the washing machine. On top of that, his flat was just as beautiful as the photos we saw online (the photos in this post with the airbnb watermark are Mark’s) and Mark himself was such a sweet guy — we can’t wait to go back and stay at his flat again!

He even had fancy diptyque room spray in all the rooms:

There was a gorgeous back patio that looks like this in the summer (it was too chilly to use in December):

But still beautiful, with herbs in pots and lanterns with candles:

Cath blended right in:

Have you guys ever used Airbnb? We’re thinking about trying it for London, but they are a bit pricier there (i.e. the same cost as a hotel). Tell us your stories too!

p.s. Thanks you guys for all the encouragement about our new “diet” plans and all the helpful tips! I’ll let you know how we’re feeling in a few weeks time.

—-

Dear Kitcath,

Doesn’t it feel like we were in Paris together months ago? It’s been just about a month now- booo, too long!

I hope you have a really awesomely relaxed weekend — you so deserve it after the crazy, busy, stressful week you’ve had.

Oh, I’m still on my CSD cleanse even with this cold, but I’m doing more raw rather than cooked veggies. Something about uncooked spinach going down a sore throat makes the soul go cold, doesn’t it?

Love you!

Lar

p.s. I added this photo to our About page:

Helloooo Lovelies!!!

We are safely back from Pareeee and all snuggly wuggly in Edinburgh. We have loads of Paris pics to share with you — here is just one of Cath and I in Versailles — but we’ll wait until everyone has recovered from holiday-itis before we overwhelm you with pics (mainly food related).

We hope you have a most loverly, wonderful couple of days with family and friends and delicious food all ’round!

Love,

Cath and Lar

Bonjour, Lovely Readers!

We’ll be in Paris for the next six days! Our wifi situation will be touch-and-go, so we promise to take lots of pictures and share them with you when we get back.

After Paris everyone is flying to Edinburgh to spend Christmas here! Mince pies, Christmas puddings, turtle doves — and quality twin time!!! Edinburgh is close to Cath’s favorite place on Earth, so I can’t wait to run around the city with her again — and bring you guys along!

We’ll miss you this next week — but we’ll be thinking about you whilst we munch our pastries and take cheesy photos in front of the Louvre.

xoxoxo,

Lar (and Cath)

So I was ecstatic to find out that the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, which had been closed for extensive renovations for two and a half years, had just reopened this past week! (I spent a summer as an intern at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. during the six years that it was closed for renovations and always felt kind of cheated).

I love the building. I’m usually not a big fan of neo-Gothic, but I feel like I’m entering Highclere Castle (aka Downton Abbey or Toleigh Towers) when I walk through the doors.

It’s a small space for a national gallery, but I think that makes for a nice change. You certainly don’t have a chance to get art fatigue or be overwhelmed, and it gives you time to enjoy all the historic, tartan-clad peoples. Here are a few of my favorites:

So, not all are tartan-clad. I call this one Mr. Fancy Pants/Trousers (studious art historian that I am). His actual name is James Hamilton (painted by Daniel Mytens in 1629). Just look at James’ heels (and spurs!). Chanel boots have nothing on his footwear. I think I’m quite fond of the 17th century just based on this portrait. Men could wear high-heeled slouchy boots and silver lamé. My kind of look for sure.

Here’s another nice looking man… and, in the inset, what he looks like dressed as a lady:

This is Prince Charles Edward Stuart (aka Bonnie Prince Charlie). In order to avoid his captors (one of many such daring-dos), he dressed as Flora MacDonald’s maid. Very convincing don’t you think? In fact, I don’t even think he needed the dress. (Flora is below):

I like Flora’s more feminine version of plaid: give it some bows, ruffles and balloon sleeves with arm slits. Lovely! Why should the menfolk have all the sartorial fun?

For those of you less fond of tartan, how about some more contemporary Scots, such as John Smith:

Don’t you just love his glasses? Mr. Smith led the Labour Party in the 90s — which of course I knew without reading the sign next to his head.

Sometimes the portraits come to life and join in a parade outside the gallery  (for the opening weekend festivities):

And here is one parting image of the lobby all dressed up for Christmas. Lovely, isn’t it?

Thanks for all the kind words on my Christmas decor, lovelies! I hope you have a fabuloso weekend!

—-

Dear Kitcath,

I wasn’t sure if you guys will be so overly-museumed after Paris, so we might not make it to the NPG. Did you remember I tried to get a job here when we were studying abroad in Edinburgh? Apparently I have a thing for portraits in general: talking about them and drawing them.

EIGHT more days! Yippeeeeee!!!!

Love,

Lar

*Holly Golightly

Do you remember Lar’s amazing wedding? Do you remember how talented her wedding photographer was? Well, photos of her wedding were featured today on Style Me Pretty – one of the biggest wedding blogs ever!

Two:

On the very day Lar and Matt’s wedding gets featured on SMP, they just happen to be flying over to Scotland – their future home for the next one, two or three years. Yep. Lar left today (sob!). I’ve pretty much been a blubbering idiot all day. Needless to say there have been a lot of tears. A LOT. But there’s Skype, GChat, Facebook, and, most importantly, this blog that will keep us close even if we’re thousands of miles apart. Expect a new AsianCajuns blog look in the next few weeks – something that will make it a little more obvious that we have now gone international. I’m even hoping to post some more videos. Who knows? Maybe we’ll have some Edinburgh vs. Atlanta posts. The sky’s the limit! In the meantime, travel safe, Lar and Matt. I miss and love you guys!

Original print from Society 6.

On Lar: DIY thrifted shirt • Gap skirt • Zucca bag • Capezio flats • Ann Finley bracelet • Kristen Coffin via Etsy rings

Happy Friday, everyone!!! Tell me about your fun plans for the weekend. Cath and I will be living vicariously through you because we’re spending the weekend working on different projects. Cath is painting all the trim in her house, and I’ll be purging the rest of my house and scheduling appointments before our departure to Scotland. Not fun, but totally necessary things – all of which I’m bad at. I used to be so type A, I think I’ve slipped to type B- as I’ve aged.

Oh one exciting thing I’ll be doing this weekend is getting together a styling project with my wedding photographer Aharon Hill. We are shooting an inspiration wedding editorial next weekend, and I get to be the stylist- yippee! I’ll be sketching and pulling together pieces all week. I’ll make sure to take some photos and see if you guys can guess the theme of the shoot (hint: our faux wedding couple will be dressed like Meryl Streep and Robert Redford in a certain movie they made together). Any guesses?

Cath looking excited about her Squash Blossom purchases.

1) Squash Blossom, one of our most favoritist Decatur boutiques, is having their 50% of everything sale (50% of EVERYTHING! Guys, they have Campers, Frye’s, gorgeous jewelery and clothes). It’s only this week, so go, go, vit, vit!

2) Cath and I will be on Good Day Atlanta (the local FOX channel) tomorrow morning talking about shopping in Decatur, GA. So tune in for our 5 seconds of local fame! And it’s LIVE, which means extra unedited awkwardness on our part – we can’t wait! If it’s suitably embarrassing, we’ll make sure to post the video here for our non-local readers soon. Keep those fingers crossed!*

Hope you guys had a wonderful Monday! Cath and I made up for our lack of birthday celebration (we quietly commemorated the beginning of our 28th year being sick on vacation) by doing a bit of belated birthday shopping on our lunch break. So for a Monday, I feel pretty peachy! Plus, I’ve got a batch of sweet potato fries a-cookin’ in my oven for dinner. You know, Monday, sometimes you ain’t so bad!

* Tuesday Morning Edit:
Here’s our two seconds of fame, guys! We’re in the first 2 minutes and then our friends Julia at Squash Blossom and Mike at the Brick Store take over. Go, Decatur!

Road Warrior: Decatur Square: MyFoxATLANTA.com