Bon lundi!
I think I’ve spent enough time the past few weeks sharing about my recent travels to the Loire Valley, London, Beaune, and the surrounding countryside of Bourgogne. It’s time to get back to Paris!
This week I’m going to dish on some spots I’ve been taking my visitors to eat. The list features some of my favorite places along with some new discoveries that I’ve made. All I can say is don’t come back to read more on an empty stomach!
With the use of a car and the better part of the afternoon, we had all we needed to explore Bourgogne a little more on our way back to Paris. I often rely on my Rick Steves’ guide books to get a general lay of the land of an area I am visiting. These two sights were listed on his suggested route back. Although neither of these sights are “must-sees” in my opinion, the charm of this journey for those who have time is getting to soak in the French countryside.
Anyway, who doesn't love a good road trip? (Especially for me, who wasn't driving.) A little while in we discovered a club-mix version of Pirates of the Caribbean that pervaded numerous French radio stations. What better soundtrack than for a countryside adventure through winding roads and open fields? Go ahead, you know you want to listen to it now to set the mood. And someone please educate me in pop culture that I’m lacking - is this from the Lego Movie?
Read moreI moved to Paris with the idea that I would travel as much as I could to “get it out of my system.” The problem I've found with that theory is for each place I go, three more get added to the wish list.
Take Dijon. Michael and I went on a weekend trip there in August 2012 and have been wanting to revisit Bourgogne ever since. Like anywhere in France, it can be characterized by delicious food, as well as pretty towns and plenty of vineyards.
All it took for us to plan a return trip was confirmation that Michael’s sister was coming to visit. She was hoping to go on a weekend trip that included a vineyard tour, and that was all we needed to go on. This time we would travel just south of Dijon, to Beaune. And unlike last time when we took a train to and from Paris, we rented a car to be able to explore more.
Read moreBon lundi!
There is still a lot to catch up on in my backlog of trips! Before my brother showed up in Paris for a surprise visit and weekend in the Loire, and way before I knew I was going on a girls' getaway to London, there was a planned guest on the DePasquale calendar. Michael's sister, Dawn, surprised us in her own way, booking a last minute ticket to visit over her spring break. Which meant a fun opportunity to take a road trip for a weekend in Beaune and the surrounding area of Bourgogne (Burgundy in English).
Here's a picture from my favorite attraction in Beaune, the gorgeous Hôtel-Dieu. More to share soon!
A few months ago I was in London exploring the city solo by day and eating Indian food with Michael by night. The Eurostar makes travel between Paris and London an easy* 2 1/2 hour trip so I knew I would be back at some point. I just had no idea how soon the next opportunity would come to visit again.
Fast forward to two weeks ago: I set off to my husband's office to meet up for lunch, and got the surprise of my life. My brother and his sweet girlfriend flew in for a short vacation in Paris and the Loire Valley. David had to go back to New York after that whirlwind weekend, but Carissa had plans to continue on to London. And I was generously invited along for a girls' getaway in London.
That's about all the context you need and then some. Spring was in full bloom, sunshine abundant, and we enjoyed spending time together in this cool capital.
Without further ado and more unnecessary ramblings, here's our three-day excursion in pictures:
Read moreMy husband handmade a scrapbook to propose to me. There was dinner, dessert, flowers, a limo, the works. But the fact that he took a hobby of mine that I loved and created a scrapbook really touched me. Especially when I realized later that it had involved many evenings of scrapbooking, not exactly a popular college senior male pastime. (His friends graciously marathon-ed through some TV series so he could craft and still participate.)
That’s exactly the way I was touched this past weekend. Not only did my brother and his girlfriend choose to visit us on the precious little vacation time they had, but after the big surprise of their presence in Paris, they announced that that was only the beginning. Michael and David had planned a weekend to the Loire Valley for us four, completely on their own. I love travel planning but I well know all the work, time, and effort that goes into it. Needless to say, I was sincerely moved by their gift to me.
Read moreBon lundi!
My silence last week was due to a series of wonderful, unexpected events. When my brother and his girlfriend showed up unexpectedly for a visit, the adventures didn't end with a weekend in the Loire Valley. After he left, Carissa stayed and the two of us set off for a girls' trip to London.
And London was quite hospitable, with generous sunshine and warm, spring weather. As you can get a taste of from our walk through St. James Park with a view of Big Ben.
More to come on all the travels, I promise!
Bon lundi!
I was going to meet my husband for a quick lunch at his office on Friday. Not thinking anything of it, I arrived, he took me to drop my bag off at a table, and that's when it happened. Sitting with their backs to me were my brother, David, and his girlfriend, Carissa. Who had apparently flown in from New York City that morning to surprise me.
Given how I screamed when Michael threw me a surprise party last year, I tried not to make a scene in his workplace. (I somewhat succeeded.) I never imagined David could take off time from work again to visit me in Paris. Yet here he was, telling me that the four of us had plans to go on a weekend trip to the Loire Valley that had been completely orchestrated without me knowing a thing. Someone learned a few things from Simply Sara!
More details on our trip to follow, but here's a quick look at what the chateaus of the Loire look like during springtime.
Château de Cheverny
Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire
On a related note...anyone have recommendations for a short girls' trip to London??
Tucked away very close to the Louvre and right in the center of Paris is a garden you can easily miss if not seeking it out. Yet just a few short steps from one of the most visited museums in the world is a peaceful garden. Perfect to get away from the crowds, soak up some sunshine, and enjoy a picnic lunch.
Read moreBon lundi!
Paris wasn't like this last spring, right? Whether it's a case of selective memory, aging, or it simply didn't happen, I recall a chilly, rainy spring that finally gave way to summer. So this spring I'm joyfully soaking up every beam of sunlight and am captivated by every pink flower I see.
Today I'll try to get it out of my system - here's not one but three pictures to start off the week. Hope it's a great week and you enjoy the beauty around you, wherever you are!
The back of Notre Dame (and the picture below as well)
The beautiful trees in bloom at Metro stop St. Paul
I didn't put it all together until I looked back at my photos from Bryan's stay that I realized two of the major places we visited involved burial sights. This is not to comment on personality or favorite pastimes at all, but rather the result of what remains on the to-do list of one who has visited Paris a few times and seen the blockbuster sights. For most, the Catacombs and Père Lachaise Cemetery fall below the art museums and glamorous spots like the Champs-Élysées of must-sees.
Cimetière du Père-Lachaise is a peaceful place to take a walk and explore. And it always has the additional benefit of being free of charge. I first mentioned a walk through this cemetery back in November on La Toussaint (All Saints' Day) when it was full of flowers, but any time of year when it's not too wet is a good time to go.
Many people seek out the largest cemetery within the limits of Paris to see the graves of the famous. Père Lachaise is the resting place of many greats like Edith Piaf, Gertrude Stein, Jim Morrison, Georges Haussmann, Marcel Proust...and the list goes on and on.
Read moreNow that I've been back in Paris for over a solid month, it seems like chez moi is now open for the spring visitor season. I love spending time with my dear friends and family in Paris, and enjoy seeing how each visit is as different as the individual.
Enter in my good friend Bryan (the type of friend where "good" has been earned over the test of time, all the way back from those awkward middle school days), my first guest to have the Catacombs on the top of his list of things to see in Paris. It took two years of living here and many visitors in, but it was bound to come up at some point.
Read moreBon lundi!
As Benjamin Franklin famously said, "In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." If you are a resident or citizen of the US, you've been probably thinking about the later as April 15th approaches.
I've been focused on the former.
Join me this week to find out more!
Spring at Père Lachaise