paris - day three, part two

This place was cool.  Natalie had looked up this fabric shop online before we left.  She wanted to get some Franch fabric to make a dress for her little girl.  It was a treasure hunt!  A little tricky and some twists and turns down little streets, but we found the shop through an alleyway into a courtyard and next to an art studio.  So fun to trek through the streets of Paris.  I started taking pictures for Cally - I knew she'd love the place!  There wasn't too much fabric, but tons of ribbon, buttons, and yarn!  Natalie found the perfect fabric and pattern and we left there contented and in search of a tartlett or two. 

paris - day three, part one

You guessed it!  The Louvre! 

We could have easily spent three days there alone,

but we only spend 4 hours. 

And yes, I forgot to put one of my gloves back on after taking Natalie's pictures. 

It was a little bit cloudy and sprinkled for a few seconds in the  morning.

 Which was okay because that resulted in this little beauty:

Do you see it?  Not the funny silver monster statue...

the rainbow!!!

mmmm...so pretty.

This is another statue. 

There were a ton of them all in a big circle.  Kind of funny.

This is one end of the humongous museum. 

I know this is what you've all been waiting for. 

This was one of her better shots. 

I'll post a short video I took upon entering the room this popular gal was hanging out in.

She's a gem.  A little well protected gem.

And of course, Venus de Milo.  Just right out there in the open.   

(We saw a lot of  'openness' in the Louvre.) 

She's bigger than the Mona Lisa.

And just to prove I was really there...a speedily taken self portrait.

My next post is for Cally.  But I think there are a few of you out there who will drool as she will.

Wait?! K- how do I post video in this new format?  I...can't...hmmm...

paris - day two

This sandwich is called Jambon et fromage.  And sometimes Mix'te.  They are marvelous.  A french ham and cheese - with butter, of course.  The perfect lunch on the go.  We ate quite a few and I tried to bring one home for Brian cause he loves them too, but they sent me to the Agricultural person who took my information and threw my Mix'te in the TRASH!  ugh.  I'd forgotten that meat (among other foods) are not to be transported to our fair country.  I wish I'd remembered cause then I'd have chomped it down on the plane and filled Brian in on all the yummy details.  Wah.

They day began super nice and sunny!  Yipee!  So I hurried Natalie out the door to the

~EIFFEL TOWER~

We climbed many steps.  Many many steps.  But it was worth it - we definately worked off the butter from our morning mix'te. 

Then what do you think?  But of course we had to stop for a Crepe!

Nutella and Banana.  My favorite!!!

I could have had 300.  I should have.

We ate our crepes and took a walk down the River Seine.  There was a neat outdoor art exhibit that we mosied through. 

We walked and walked through streets and saw some sights.

Then it was time for DINNER!  Woo Hoo!

French Onoin Soup - FOR REAL!

Sooooo good.

AND -

A lardoon pizza with and egg in the middle.

I had a kind of mix up when I ordered and they brought me something else with lardoons.  (which are little pieces of ham.)  But after apologizing and explaining what I had meant to order they brought me this.  I didn't know I'd get the egg and was too embarrased to ask "Who's egg?"  So I just ate it and it was delicious!

THEN -

Yes.  It is.  Chocolate Mousse.

The best thing I ate while there in Paris.  Even over the Creme Brulee.  But only just.

It was divine.

After dinner we were stuffed and pooped so we made our way back to the hotel for the night. 

Good, good day.

Paris - day one, part two

We made it back to the hotel to check in and ended up in a horrible, stinky, dirty, old old room.  Sunken beds, stained blanket, crumbling bathroom...ugh and ick.  I almost started to cry.  But I didn't.  We couldn't sleep there.  I don't know if we were being spoiled American tourists, but seriously...it was gross.  So Natalie was wonderful and managed to talk them into giving us one of their more recently renovated rooms free of charge.  So much better!  The lobby was so nice and cozy and updated, I was so shocked when we saw the first room.  The second room fit in so much better.

So after we dumped our stuff in our nice clean renovated room (sigh of relief) and brushed our teeth we rushed off to our cooking class!  By now it is 8 am Alabama time and we were sooo sleepy, but we pulled it together and had a great class.  We heated cream and vanilla sticks and did that thing where you pour a little of the hot cream into the cool eggs...temper?  Something like that. 

We melted chocolate.  We "burnt" butter.  We zested citrus fruits.  And ended up with five great desserts. 

Now take a look at these beauties!

These are madeleines an almond financier.

This is a chocolate lava cake!

Then my most favorite thing ever!!!!

My very own creme brulee.  Oh my.  So delicious.

We also made a pear tart, but I didn't take a picture of that one.  Wierd. 

The chef even e-mailed us the recipes so I am determined to try these out. 

We had a great time.  There were 7 of us in the class. 

By the end of it we were beside ourselves with fatigue.  We'd been up for 30 hours and needed sleep.

And guess what? 

Expecting rain, we woke up to a sunny morning!

potter party

K- I know I told you about the Harry Potter Halloween party my sister planned for us.  I promised to fill you in on all the good fun and stuff.  Well, both my sisters have posted great re-caps of the event (and yes, it was an EVENT). 

So, if you please -

Cally's awesome 1st post, 2nd post, recap of the Hogsmead field trip, trick-or-treating

AND 

Cassy's awesome post.

Am I being lazy?  Maybe, but let's look at it this way. 

A cake made from scratch is wonderful, yes.  But sometimes you just have to use a box mix.

Don't you sometimes use a box mix?

So, grab you a tall glass of milk and enjoy your cake.

  Cassy really really went all out.  It was A-MA-ZING.  Every little detail attended to.

Brian was an awesome Snape.

paris - day one, part one

I'm home. 

One of my favorite things about going on trips, no matter how great the place or time, is coming home. 
I love Home.

But I tell you.  Paris is fabulous.  Fab-u-lous!!!

We got there Thursday morning bright and early.  It was 6:30 am Paris time which meant we were feeling 11:30 pm home time.  7 hour difference.  So not too sleepy, yet. 

We got to our Hotel and couldn't check in until 3:00 in the afternoon so we checked our luggage with the bellhop and headed out on our first Paris adventure.  The subway. 

Their Metro is fantastic and will get you anywhere you need to go.  I really like it and feel so smart and empowered when I navigate it properly.

Our first destination was to the beautiful Sacre Coeur.  A beautiful Roman Catholic basilica on the highest point of the city.  So it commands a great view of Paris.

These are one set of steps going up to the church.  They are in a park I hadn't seen before. 

It was neat to approach the basilica from a new direction.

This is a view from the steps.

Here is our first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower.

And here is the church!  Isn't it pretty? 

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the city from here...

I think we were starting to feel the "home time" about now. 

We went in the church and got to hear some nuns singing.  It was pretty.

I'll fill you in on the rest of our day later. 

Right now, I need to go make my children some dinner

and make plans for our day off from school tomorrow. 

Bonjour!

Oui.  Je suis dans Paris. Je returne uh... tomorrow. 

I have had a fantastic trip and have some great things to show you.

love, Moi