Time to Give Thanks This Thanksgiving

With everything left to do before we sit down to eat our feast today, I am taking a minute to pause and give thanks this Thanksgiving for the blessings that come from all of you!

Fact: Without the support of my family, none of this would be possible. Thank you Mr. Weekend In Paris for the 20 plus years of research that went into the making of The Weekend In Paris. He supported my yearly, now turned multiple times a year, habit of meeting the original Gal Pal Lisa in Paris and now me bringing others along too. He believed in me when I might not have believed in myself. He held down the fort with the kids when they were young despite his own grueling schedule and is simply the best man I have ever known. When people ask who the heroes in life are, I point to him. Honest, hard-working, loyal and loves me and the kids first and foremost. Not perfect, mind you, he is still looking for that open spot in the hamper in the bathroom to deposit his socks and underwear, but I’ll keep him!

Fact: If no one is there to click on the post that you wrote, then there is no reason to keep writing. This Thanksgiving I am most appreciative of your loyal readership, thoughtful comments and suggestions which motivate me to write more and travel more. It makes my day to wake up to someone leaving a comment on a post they enjoyed. Complimentary comments can brighten up any writers’ bad day, but especially mine because I feel very close to each and every one of you who take the time to comment. It is also a dream when my readers give constructive feedback, helpful tips or share their experiences of how I have helped them plan their own successful trips. To those subscribers who share my blog with family and friends, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Spreading the word about my site helps me grow my audience and spread the Parisian love. Super fans include, Doris Marr and the whole Good clan, Maryann Pilon and the whole Pilon family, Kim at 24/7 in France, Suzanne McDonald of NIM, and all the Gal Pals (Lisa Harriman, Elizabeth Giroir, Christine Underwood, Andrea O’Brien, Corrie Stanizewski, Clare Bruce, Rachel Deskin, and Karen Burke) who when they committed to going on these trips had no idea how many, many photographs I would take of them and publish on the web – you all are the BEST!

Lisa not wanting another photo!

Fact: Some of the finest business people I have encountered in this blogging business have been the Pubic Relations people behind the brands or those who work for the brands. I have met the most incredibly intelligent, hard-working, and savvy people who recognize good talent when presented with it. Thank you to the companies and brands who believe in my work for both The Weekend In Paris and The Daily Basics. It has led me to become a new Contributor for Upscale Living Magazine for which I am very grateful for this Thanksgiving. I will share the bio and official announcement with all of you soon.

Cynthia Bogart and Moi in Ireland together on a press trip

Fact: A travel blogger cannot succeed without the support of fellow authors, bloggers and influential social media friends. From day one there have been some key supporters who patiently allowed me to pick their brains about “how it all works” and showed me the ropes or allowed me to interview them. Many of them followed me on social media sources like Twitter, Pinterest and Google+ when I had no “Klout” to offer them back. A retweet from a social media giant can do a lot to help a blog gain exposure to new viewership and an opportunity to host a Twitter chat even more so. I have also been lucky enough to make friends with bloggers who believe in sharing their good fortunes and invited me on some cool experiences. Those who believe we are only in competition with ourselves as writers and are generous about sharing their contacts are a true blessing. This business can be “cut throat” and I feel grateful that I have been able to survive and thrive beside some of the best. Thanks to the following folks (in no particular order) who have been terrific in my travel journey thus far (I know I am forgetting someone – if so, my apologies – let me know and I will add you!)

Trish Gillis – @TrishGillis (her crazy idea for me to start the blog, launched my career as a professional travel writer!)

Margo Waite – My contributor extraordinaire

Cynthia Bogart – The House and Hammer Report

Forest Collins – 52 Martinis

Olivier Magney – Ô Chateau

Michael Hodson – Go See Write

Kim Petyt – The Parisian Party

Dr. Nancy Berk – Dr. Nancy Berk

Jonathan Epstein – Celebrated Experiences

Marlys and Michael Scheurmann – Easy Hiker

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Cheers,

Priscilla