Three Days in Bilbao: A Guide

Creativity Pauses—And That's Okay

Limited-Time Discount: Custom-Made Big Maps! Looking for the perfect gift? My personalized maps featuring 8 meaningful locations—embossed and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity—are now €352.80 (regular price €392) until Tuesday morning! Printed in Paris, shipped with love.

Life is like a beach in September. Sometimes there are waves, sometimes it's calm.

I got to Paris late on a Wednesday night after almost 9 days of sea, sun, and the scent of pine trees. And a lot of great Italian food. Once a year, I try to fit in a little sea break—where I can actually lay on the beach, read good books, and think about (mostly) nothing. Thinking about nothing has gotten harder over the years, but the beach still feels so good.

I know better than to push myself to create on those vacations—I create so much every other day of the year. I always take my chosen art materials with me though—this year, my notebook and all of my pastels—but I only create if I feel like it. I took photos of things I…