Pants: Stella Pardo, from Neige boutique, 54 rue de martyrs, Paris/Top: Free People/Shoes: Hudson/Coat: Carin Wester, from 9 boutique, Amsterdam

The first few days in Paris were clear, lovely and everything I could ask for. While the locals complained about unusually cold weather for this time of year, I frolicked about the Seine in shorts and a light blazer. It was a dream come true after so many weeks of darkness and rain. In disappointedly short order, though, winter has caught up with me, but I’m keeping warm with these delightfully thick and cozy trousers and fur-lined coat.

I started this post at Cafe Cheri with an espresso in my new neighborhood of Belleville, but was driven back home by the cold. “Home” for now is a below-grade studio with one set of windows, no shower, a barely-functional kitchen, and five minutes of hot water a day. I’ve got every lightbulb in the place on and can still barely see this screen. Every time I turn the faucet on in the kitchen the entire flat begins to smell of mold. But there’s power, wifi, a kitchen (more or less) and its a place to settle in and plan the next step, in life and on this journey. In the meantime, I’ve got French rosetta stone downloading at high speed and a whole list of places to see and eat at once the weather clears up. Any recommendations for where I should go or what I should do while in Paris? I would love to hear your thoughts!