I thought we'd have a little fun today and discuss dream destinations and how you feel about this topic. I am hugely inspired by magazines, like all of you, and appreciate the beauty that they so effortlessly showcase on a monthly basis like French decor magazine Marie Claire Maison. It's one of those glossy beauties that instantly transports me a thousand miles away whenever I pick it up. This is the allure of such magazines, the lifestyle they're showing -- it's exciting to imagine that we can also live like this if we style things just so and experiment a little with our creativity. And while that is true in many cases, all the paint in the world isn't going to give me that townhouse in London or the apartment with the soaring ceilings in Paris overlooking a gorgeous garden. That is where the dream lies. The fantasy of What If.

We may not live in the most amazing city or even the best apartment or home but it's the dream that possibly we could that inspires some of us to keep dreaming or working towards it as a goal even. Others prefer to dream through the pages of magazines because while they'd love to have that Paris apartment circumstances in life just won't allow for it and when it comes down to the wire many would not pack their bags leaving behind close friends, family and business relationships to live on another continent. Again though, it's these dreams that keep us humming along and excited for the next day to unfold. And for those of us not running off to a new land, we can still enjoy this idea of running away to our dream spot by simply doing the best we can in our homes with what we have and showing appreciation for what we have and I'll tell you why...

I think it's important to consider that despite how glamorous a city may sound, once you arrive there you are faced with normal everyday life after the honeymoon phase has ended. Sure, you may still love your new city and do well there, but go to any expat forum online and you'll see thousands of whining expats hemming and hawing over what they left behind after the new has worn off. "I miss Peanut Butter", "I wish people here spoke English", "Why are the locals so hard to get to know", the posts are endless. In the end, we complain no matter how beautifully the gift before us is because it's human nature. We find fault in even perfection, "Oh that is too perfect!". Magazines like MCM give us the taste of the dream without leaving our home. We have the chance to explore new places without buying a ticket. And if you do get the travel bug you certainly can visit most of these locations and have the time of your life without necessarily taking up residence there.

I've always wanted to live in Paris for a year and coastal Australia (anywhere scenic with a nice city) for a few years, and while I still have time to do this, I often think about an expression I learned at a very young age and I may not have it exactly right but it goes something like this, "Never move to your dream destination". It sounds funny to hear that, doesn't it? But really it's interesting to turn the idea over a few times in your head. I guess the point is that if you live where you've often dreamed of living then perhaps you could no longer have something to be excited about, look forward to, or a place that is your muse... Once you live there the new will wear off eventually and then real life sets in. Who knows, it may no longer be the same dream to you then. Some say you may just have to look for a new pot of gold, a new dream. That is exactly what I always say to this -- it's easy, if you get sick of something just change it! But I wonder if that really works... I wonder if perhaps the next dream of the perfect place is no longer as exciting because your original one didn't pan out to be all that you'd hoped. And so now you go through life thinking all other places will be the same -- you move to your dream destination, life sets in, and you move on.

This makes me think about the word home and what it really means. And community. And the fact that we have this online world to dive into that brings us all together without borders so really we can travel anywhere, anytime virtually speaking. It also makes me wonder about dream destinations and how this really works once you move there. I've never lived in a dream destination. I guess I never really thought about it because I enjoy visiting on vacation and that usually takes the "edge" off. I've moved many times in my life and from this I've learned that life is life no matter where you go -- eventually you just have to be happy with yourself and those who live with you. And while I've imagined Paris, London, Sydney and some gorgeous California beach town in my dreams I talk to people already living there and they don't seem to think anything special of it. They love where they live but they are sitting there dreaming of other places to live to. We're always chasing after butterflies in the end, and that's okay because it makes life more exciting and of course, this desire drives us to get off of our chairs and push for new goals. Dreams keep us going no matter if we reach some or all of them. Just having them feels good.

So when you look at these rooms from Marie Claire Maison, do you dream of living in some of them? Do you often try to recreate the things you see in magazines in your own home? What do you have to say on this topic?

(images: marie claire maison)