New series has begun! In the "Park it in Paris" series, I write about the city's parks - some of the best spots to relax, people-watch, and mingle with the locals.
Living in Paris has not only taught me about living abroad, but has shown me what it is like to live in a city. I now understand the need to seek out parks for relaxation and a healthy dose of nature. (Something I never considered doing before with a backyard in the suburbs.)
While most of my friends and family back in the US are caught up in the polar vortex this winter, the worst we can say about this season in Paris (knock on wood!) is that it is overcast, gray, and comes with a fair share of rain showers. When the sun does come out, I stop whatever I'm doing and run outdoors for a fleeting moment to stock up on my vitamin D.
Which is exactly what I did last Sunday, on an abnormally beautiful and quite mild afternoon. Days like this make me boldly declare that winter is one of my favorite times to be in Paris. I love how the city empties out (relatively) of tourists as you have to really want to be here during such unpredictable and often dreary weather. I imagine a sort of solidarity between fellow locals as we defiantly huddle near heat lamps on cafe terraces, sipping a drink and in most cases smoking a cigarette. Parisians are a hearty bunch and I feel more "authentic" logging weeks of winter under my belt to earn the fruits of spring ahead.
Thankful for an afternoon of sunshine, I went to Parc Monceau in the 8th arrondissement for a short walk.
Read moreAbsence does make the heart grow fonder. After eight weeks away on an epic trip through Germany, Austria, Madrid, London, and the United States (NY/NJ), coming back to Paris felt comfortingly familiar, yet refreshingly new.
We landed in Paris on Sunday, February 9th with new visas in hand, mission accomplished. Once I came out of a jet-lagged fog, I realized that Valentine's Day was quickly approaching on the horizon.
What to do? As much as I love to eat out, I had been almost continuously chowing down at restaurants for two months. There were days of catching up with dear friends and family in the States that meant eating out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner...and one exceptional day that included a coffee and dessert break. It was wonderful, but returning to Paris made me really look forward to getting back into my kitchen.
I started running errands off to some of my regular places in my neighborhood of the Marais (and the nearby Oberkampf neighborhood in the 11ème for an open-air market). Then it hit me - without intentionally thinking it through, I was frequenting some of my favorite spots to bring together a romantic meal chez moi.
Read moreAs I mentioned previously about London (from past Monday and Wednesday posts), this trip was all about discovering smaller sights and exploring new corners of the city. One day in the Shoreditch neighborhood of London I did just that. There is much to see and eat in the east side of London, a much ignored area by tourists for its lacking in big-ticket sights.
Here's how I spent a Sunday in Shoreditch, with some interspersed tips from additional trips made to the area during my trip. I couldn't stay away from this cool neighborhood (despite staying on the opposite side of town)!
Read moreIt's time to share a little about my two weeks in London. But first, let me back up and properly explain the past few weeks.
My travels began in mid-December with a Christmas trip through Germany and Austria. I've shared bits and pieces, like the Mercedes-Benz museum Michael and I saw in Stuttgart, the medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and the small village of Detwang (all in Germany). And then there are two German cities that we visited which I haven't even touched on yet: Cologne and Munich. The holidays came next. We made our way to Seefeld, Austria to celebrate Christmas and then to Madrid to ring in 2014. Two and a half weeks later all said and done and it was time to settle down in London for two weeks.
I love London and was looking forward to having lots of time to discover new things about the city and revisit favorite places. But London caught me at an odd time. I was just not quite myself.
Read moreThere is plenty to do in beautiful Rothenburg ob der Tauber whether you enjoy walking around or going to museums. On our second (and last) day in Rothenburg we enjoyed a hearty breakfast at our hotel. Caffeinated and ready to explore, we wondered what we should do.
The sun was shining and we were energized, so we decided to set off on a walk downhill to descend below to the village of Detwang.
If you're in the mood to go off the beaten path (and see an incredible 10th century church), follow these directions to get to the nearby town of Detwang:
Read moreBefore we made our way to Seefeld, Austria for Christmas, the prior week was spent leisurely traveling through Germany. I fell in love with the German Christmas markets last year and wanted to see more this year. One place that seemed to come up frequently in my research for its ambiance at Christmastime was a small town called Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Rothenburg was a wealthy city in its medieval days and prospered until it was invaded during the Thirty Year’s War in the 1600’s. The invasion was quite unplanned. When Catholic forces needed a place to settle in for the winter, Protestant Rothenburg was the closest town and was overtaken swiftly. The city bribed its way to survival but never recovered and was preserved by its state of poverty. The town could not afford to upgrade over time to newer, more modern buildings so the medieval architecture had to make do. The city lived in these unfashionable conditions until the tides turned in the late 1800’s. Tourists were attracted by its reflections of the past. Inspired artists started selling paintings of the town, and its popularity spread.
Read moreOr how I saved € 50 in a day for two adults.
Traveling can be expensive, but there are plenty of ways to save money with a little planning. My recent trip to Madrid spanned five days but due to New Year's many sights had abbreviated hours or were closed for the holiday. Shortened hours were not going to stop me from seeing the sights though. I enacted a carefully concocted plan of whirlwind sightseeing on a Sunday to maximize what I could see free of charge.
This itinerary is for a Sunday in Madrid, but I've included tips on how to avoid entry fees for sights on other days as well. Michael and I enjoy walking everywhere so the only costs on this day were for food. Factor in a subway ride or two if you don't like walking as much as we do.
The Plan:
Read moreI'm in a sweet, fleeting season of life at the moment. One that has allowed me the opportunity to spend Christmas in Europe, just me and my husband. But it is a season that I know won't last too much longer. It is a wonderful and fun, yet the tension in this phase of life is missing out on moments with friends and family back in the US.
With a limited number of Christmases to spend in Europe, there is a lot of pressure to select just the right location to spend the holiday.
I managed to nail it this year.
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