hydrangeas in my garden
Summer Holiday 2015: Paris
Ah, Paris... it's nearly impossible not to fall in love with this city. There's so much to love about it and in turn there's so much love in the air! Paris really is the "City of Love".
The view from the Louvre, Paris, France
This trip to Paris was my second visit, my husband's first. I visited with two friends when I was 18. The trip was a graduation present from my mother. That first visit was fun and exciting, but visiting Paris with the person you love is extra special. Walking hand and hand through the parks, along the River Seine or down a busy avenue, is so special in Paris!
When planning our holiday, I chose to stay in apartments, mainly. There are a couple reasons for this. First: apartments tend to have washing machines. This is very important when traveling for several weeks abroad! Secondly: apartments give you a better feel for "living in the city". We bought groceries for home-cooked breakfast. We were able to pack a picnic lunch for the park. It really felt like we were residents instead of guests just visiting. This could also be because our apartment was so lovely and well appointed. I chanced upon a newly remodeled, one-bedroom apartment in the heart of the Marais. We were just a few blocks from specialty food shops, restaurants, cafes, the metro and parks. I couldn't have asked for better accommodations. If you're planning a trip to Paris, definitely send Abby, the owner, an email to inquire about staying in her fabulous apartment, and tell her I sent you!
Besides the overall dreamy feel of the the city, I have to say walking alone the Seine and visiting the parks were my favorite things to do. The Place des Vosges was just a few blocks away from our apartment, and though it was small, it was so special to take a picnic, a bottle of wine, and just enjoy the people and garden. We visited this little park a few times!
The Jardin du Luxembourg was by far the most dramatic garden we enjoyed. Not only were the plantings, sculptures and buildings incredible, the sky and weather that day had such energy! This is one garden I want to return to and linger a bit longer. I could have stayed all day!
The gardens and sculptures in the Musée Rodin were also breathtakingly beautiful. We arrived a bit late in the afternoon, and the museum proper was closed for remodel, so we didn't get to see as much of this site as I'd have liked. I definitely want to see this again and linger!
All throughout the city are sweet courtyards with hidden treasures of gardens and meeting places or small museums! This, the Musee Carnavalet - Histoire de Paris, gorgeous spot was in our neighborhood! I'd love to have a strolling, formal garden like this in my home neighborhood, wouldn't you?
Of course we visited all the usual tourist spots like the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame etc, but then we also walked along the River Seine, next to all the houseboats, and saw a different part of Paris... under the bridges! I just loved this scene.
Evenings in Paris were filled with long walks along the river, delicious food, a bit of wine and Glacé or Sorbet. Our favorite spot was Amorino. There were several throughout Paris and each was prettier than the last! Lucky for us, there are a few in the US as well, NYC and Boston being closest for us! Two of our favorite restaurants were Le Coupe Chou and Le Petit Prince de Paris. Both are located in the Latin Quarter in the same little alleyway! Add both of these eateries to your list for your visit!
I hope you've enjoyed "revisiting" Paris with me. If you have suggestions for my next trip to Paris, please comment below. I'd love to know your favorite finds!
Summer Holiday 2015: Amsterdam
This is the second year my husband and I have been able to take an extended three week trip to Europe without children. Don't get me wrong, I love my children and actually love traveling with them. That being said, they are teens now and would rather do their own thing in the summer. One spent seven weeks at his favorite camp while the other one spent six weeks studying at Cornell University in their summer program. Both were happy as could be and so were their parents!
The view from our Amsterdam apartment's dock.
The first stop of our three week journey was Amsterdam. We were originally suppose to stay for three nights, but my husband got a 24-hour bug/fever and so we left a day late. Sadly, once we arrived I got said bug and so Amsterdam wasn't really a great visit for us. Still, we did manage to walk around much of the city, enjoy the canals and relax. Not too difficult to handle. I especially loved the thin buildings lined up, looking like books on a shelf. Often buildings seemed to be sagging and even the windows followed suit.
I'm sure we'll visit Amsterdam again, and when we do, we'll be sure to stay longer and be healthy!
Grain Free Granola
As you might recall, I've been living a grain free life for nearly two years now. If you're not familiar with my grain free decision, you can read all about it here. I'm very happy with my dietary decision, but there are days I really miss certain foods. One of those foods is cereal. I was a big fan of cereal before giving up grains. I thought I would never know the yumminess of a bowl of crunchy cereal with cold milk again. I looked through several Paleo granolas and then concocted my own recipe. The other members of my family eat grains, but they all love this grain free granola. The recipe is super easy. Even though it's technically "baking", you don't have to be as precise with measuring as you would with traditional baking recipes.
What you'll need:
- 3 cups total of your favorite nuts. (I used pecans, cashews and almonds)
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 2 T sesame seeds
- 3 T raw honey
- 2 T organic maple syrup
- 1 T madagascar vanilla
- 2 tsp canola oil
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/2 cup diced dried fruit (I like apricots and figs)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 330℉
- Chop the 3 cups nuts with either a knife or food processor until pieces are sized to your liking
- In a large glass bowl combine the nuts, all seeds, pipettes and coconut
- In a small bowl stir together the honey, vanilla and oil until well combined
- Poor honey mixture over the nuts and seeds mixture until all things are evenly coated
- You can add the diced dried fruit now if you like, but I personally prefer to add it after baking.
- Spread evenly the granola mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
- Bake for 12 minutes, then mix the granola, turning etc. and spreading out evenly. Again, bake for 12 minutes or until your granola is golden brown. Keep an eye on the granola for the last few minutes of baking. It can burn quite suddenly.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before breaking it apart and storing in an air-tight container. Store in the pantry for a few days (which is how long it lasts in my house) or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
We like to save Talenti Gelato containers. They're perfect for storing the granola. And speaking of gelato, this granola is delicious as a topping. I hope you try this recipe. It's delicious, full of healthy nuts and seeds, is free of processed sugars and grains. Give it a try! If you do, please let me know what you think.