mornings.

Mornings in France were perfect. I would spoon heaping amounts of peach jam onto a crusty baguette, sip coffee topped off with fresh milk literally straight from the cows, and speak French with the family. So, even though I am home now I have tried to make mornings just like my mornings on the family farm. We brought back an assortment of homemade jams made by Marc's aunt, bought the closest thing to French butter that we could find in our area ... think dark, rich, yellow butter that tastes incredibly rich and, instead of grabbing a latte in the morning I am content with coffee from my French press (so goood). However, the one thing that is not the same is the milk .... hmmm maybe I need to buy a cow or find a dairy farmer that will share milk with Marc and I. So, my friends, what I learned in France is that simplicity is always MORE. Enjoy your weekend!! Bisous.

on the lake

Lac d'Annecy

mmm.

on the lake

love.

There are few places that I love more than Lac d'Annecy in France. Back in 2005, it is the place where I fell in love with Marc. He had been gone on a trip to Europe and I hadn't seen him for three months. I met him in France and one afternoon we took a trip to Annecy. The weather was warm, we were giddy to be with each other, and I was ecstatic to be in France with Marc. We paddle boated on the crystal clear water of Lac d'Annecy, enjoyed scoops of our favorite flavors of glaces (gelato-ish ice cream) and strolled through the cobblestone streets. It was a day that I will never forget.

This past trip to Annecy was just as significant. Marc and I went with our friends Emmy and Scott who were celebrating their honeymoon, and our cousin Sandra. We all enjoyed a lazy afternoon in Annecy. Marc and I happened to be celebrating our third anniversary and I could not help but reflect about the first time we visited. Just as we did in 2005 ... we paddle boated on the lake, had two helpings of glaces,   ordered tartiflette for lunch and drank my favorite drink ... a Monaco, and again, walked the cobblestone streets. It was a day that I will remember ... always.

Bisous.

foraging champignons

searching for champignons

looking for trompettes

stumbled upon bolets 

in the forest

foraging!!

Taking a short break from my adventures in Paris I could not wait any longer to write about foraging mushrooms. Luckily, one of Marc's cousins is an expert and took us on a hunt for trompette and bolet mushrooms. The weather was perfect for picking mushrooms ... a slight chill was in the air, it had rained the night before, and the sun was out. Underneath the tree cover the world of mushrooms became visible to me. At first, it was difficult for me to find the dark trompettes, but brushing away leaves and looking near tree trunks I was able to make out hundreds of mushrooms. After about an hour of harvesting trompettes we stumbled upon thirty or so bolets. With my basket in hand and a small knife, we cut bolet after bolet. I never thought I could get an adrenaline rush from foraging mushrooms, but I did. Later we let the mushrooms dry and the next day we had a risotto made with the foraged bolets ... France never ceases to inspire me and it looks like I will be coming home to do my own foraging.

the sweet life ...

Paris! We walked. We ate. And found ... that Paris is truly Sweet. Marc and I happened to find Paris one morning, sitting on a park bench while happily eating chocolate croissants.

Paris

Pierre Herme

le Jardin du Luxembourg

macarons in the park

an olive oil and vanilla macaron

admiring the sights

Notre Dame from a distance 

passion fruit ice cream

Our first day in Paris we had only one mission .... buy macarons from Pierre Herme. Luckily, our friend offered us his flat for our entire stay in Paris while he visited California. Marc and I met with his cousin Nico and we walked to Pierre Herme. I was awe struck by the unique selection of flavors ... olive oil and vanilla and passion fruit and chocolate were my favorite. After spending close to 30 euros on macarons we walked to the Jardin du Luxembourg where we sat, took in the sights and sounds of Paris and happily ate our first Parisian macarons. And my friends, they were truly amazing!!! Afterwards, we walked to Notre Dame and enjoyed passion fruit ice cream ... ahh only in Paris.


What I wore on my first day in Paris
shoes- stylish yet comfy
black- always a great choice
for me- I dressed for comfort but tried to embrace a Parisian flare
my sweater- perfect for a Fall day in Paris

in the clouds

Yesterday we climbed Dent d'Oche. We were in the clouds.

So far ...

La Vallee Verte

loving the homes

mornings

coffee

the best jam EVER

deciding where we should go

Switzerland

tea and Mont Blanc

taking it all in

on the hike

so happy

why YES

lunch

apres le trek

a treat after our hike

dinner FONDUE

Our days have been filled with good food, good company, and good times. Yesterday, we woke up early, ate a breakfast of fresh bread, chocolate croissants, jams, and I had the best cafe au lait. I love nothing more than milk from the farm. After breakfast, we drove through Chamonix and went hiking in Switzerland. On the hike,  I made sure to stop and look around, pinch myself, and smile ... the scenery was amazing and sometimes words can not describe things the way I would like. But for now, I will try. The area was surrounded by mountains in every direction and we could see Mont Blanc in the distance. The views were truly magnifique.  We went on a seven mile trek, ate lunch at a chalet, drank Monacos and wine, and laughed and laughed and laughed. On the way back, we stopped in Chamonix and leisurely enjoyed bon bons, hot chocolate, and sundaes. Days like yesterday are one in a million and truly days that I savor and love.