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Personal Journey

St. Jude and my grandfather’s dream told by my aunt Marlo Thomas

Whenever I hear the story of how Danny Thomas created St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital I get the chills. His story pulls at my heart stings because I know how hard he worked. I know how many dedicated people rallied with him to make the dream come true. I know what an outstanding impact St. Jude is making in the world – saving children’s lives. I know because Danny Thomas was my grandfather. Throughout Thanksgiving week, my aunt, Marlo Thomas will be appearing on the Today Show talking about the hospital, introducing us to patients and helping us learn more about our groundbreaking research. Here are the appearances. I’m especially touched by the first one, telling the story of how…

Livret de famille

What is a Livret de Famille?

This blue velvet, gold-embossed gem is a Livret de Famille or family booklet. And if you are getting married in France, you’ll get one too. The Livret de Famille holds your new family’s official records of births and marriage information. And for the rest of one’s marriage, one must record all big family events in their book: the birth of children, adoption, any deaths in the immediate family, divorce, or separation. All families in France must hold onto their family booklet as it is required for official matters. For example, if you enroll your children in school, if you apply for some visas or citizenship, or if you buy property you’ll be asked to produce it. I’ll tell you one thing. I…

Travel with Kate Town hall Paris

On the winding road to my Paris wedding

So the good news is, all went well with my appointments at the Paris town hall and the US Embassy. That is, everything BUT that the town hall refused to give us a wedding date! Long story short, our town hall has a stipulation that once a dossier is submitted, there is an additional step before you are fully approved. It is an antiquated process that is just plain silly. Basically, they must publish an announcement that is visible to the public for two weeks stating our plans to be married. It is called “La publication des bans.” I guess it comes from the idea of allowing community members the chance to object in the case that there is knowledge…

Reconnecting in Romantic Budapest, Oh yes!

This is a picture of the beautiful and surprising city of Budapest, a place that served to rekindle the flames of my long distance love affair. I’m currently in my third year of long distance with my boyfriend who lives in London. The over 5,400 miles that often separate us (I live in Los Angeles) are a real test of our bond. There is a distinct bittersweet quality to it all. Our meetings are so full of joy and passion. But our time apart can be agonizing. The distance seems to slow down the days, weeks, and months. When we are in the same place, we visit each other in our respective cities and meet up in destinations around the…

The First Step to Achieving your Dreams

This time of year I find myself at parties and gatherings reconnecting with old friends and family. In these interactions people ask “what’s going on in your world. You are doing travel, right?” I tell them about Travel with Kate, my work with my clients and my adventures. Their reply is inevitably, “wow, so you are living the dream!” It is true. I am certainly living my dream. But there are many wonderful dreams to be had. Maybe you dream of a life like mine, often on the road, traveling to new destinations. Or perhaps, you dream of creating your own local business. Or you may hope to succeed as a screenwriter or as a doctor. The number of dreams…

Kate wins 2nd Place in USA TODAY Contest for Best Travel Videographer Online!

Making art or pursuing any creative endeavor requires, above all, a passion that burns within you to make your soul’s desire a reality. It is scary as all hell to put yourself out there and say, Hey! This is me and this is what I could give today. It can be a very vulnerable experience. And at the same time, doing what you love can be immensely rewarding regardless of what the outside world thinks. This month, USA Today and 10Best ran an online contest. It was for a people’s choice award naming the top 10 video travel bloggers online. And I was listed among the 20 nominees. I have been creating my travel web series and blog to share…