Into The Woods, want to wander off off Paris, here's a map of natural parks and wooded areas around Paris.

Carte des Bois via Enlarge Your Paris

Will online marketplaces soon be flooded with 'For Sale' breadmakers and Peloton (Interactive) bikes?

Will people start interacting with other people instead?

With warmer days and people starting to trickle back or being tricked back (at least part time) to the office, time will tell!

Not so new shiny objects for Concierge Mondays # 19

Being a liaison could become prominent concierge role for me in this getting past covid period.

After reading number of articles on what 'back at the office' might mean, most of us are still muddling through this, it appears that ferrying things (documents, supplies, and more) from main office to satellite ones and same to and from 'working from home' team members could be a prominent activity in my New Jersey Concierges line of  work.

Using a new canvas for changing shape of work, a slightly belated Concierge Mondays # 18

Whether you are moving, need to empty part of your house or apartment for a home improvement project, or just running out of space for some of your possessions, many of us do, pick up a facility that has a drive in garage or loading room with direct elevator access to your storage space.

Temperature control is also part of the basic requirements so none of your items suffer during their time in storage.

If you plan to sell some of the items brought to your storage unit, it will be a plus to have that easy elevator access to move items to buyer's vehicle. It will also allow you to conduct transaction without bringing 'strangers' in your home.

Slightly belated storage space tips for Concierge Mondays # 17

Make the message fit on a very small birthday cake, shrink It!

More small studio than penthouse!

Cake and portion control for Concierge Mondays # 16

Summer vacation flight is on your mind?

My suggestion, book directly through the airline in case of hiccups.

I had booked a round  trip flight for me and my son in November 2019 (EWR to Rome via Copenhagen) for Spring Break 2020.

Covid came and of course what would have been a wonderful getaway did not happen.

Flight was on Scandinavian Airlines but it was booked via Expedia.

It took me almost a year of efforts to get reimbursed.

Airlines beat Portals for Concierge Mondays #15

(* Photo of Copenhagen Guide I kept from wonderful stay late August 2011)

Moving soon, sell or donate items that will not make the trip on Nextdoor.

Take shipping costs out of the equation as you will be selling to people nearby and they will pick them up  from you at your current abode.

Curating your belongings for Concierge Mondays # 14

For some client projects to be done fully, succesfully, a check list helps.

More important than the list itself, is the fact that client takes time to check all the boxes.

Say, someone asked me to get their taxes done. I give them a list of documents the preparer will need.

If they don't provide me with these needed pieces, it will make the end result less satisfactory for client.

In some cases, it could halt the process altogether.

Check Lists and Checking Them for Concierge Mondays # 13

(* Photo taken by yours truly at Cleveland Museum of Art- January 2020- Epitaph Plaques for Yi-Gi-ha, Korea)

Need alterations on clothes, how much will it cost?

I have been asked the question many times.  My answer, it varies.

Before I get a precise price from seamstress, I ask my clients 2 questions:

• Was it an expensive purchase?
• Are you attached to it for sentimental reasons?

If the answer is no to both questions above, some repairs like a zipper on a jacket, a coat or the back of a dress might not make sense.

If  a seam needs to be re-sawn, it should be worth it.

Need to replace torn lining, I would in general not suggest it, except for special items.

Not always seamless for Concierge Mondays # 12

I don't have any car wash on my work schedule right now but I do have a few dozen gift bags to distribute all over New York later this week.

I plan to do as many stops as possible Wednesday, hopefully still a fairly dry day.

And, as a precaution, I purchased a large box of clear bags to protect the goods from the elements.

A look at the weather forecast influences how this New Jersey concierge plans his work schedule.

Who wants to receive a soggy gift bag after all?

Toasting dry package deliveries for Concierge Mondays # 11