"Happiness, not in another place but this place...not for another hour, but this hour." Walt Whitman

Jenna, Rich and I embarked on one of the most epic journeys to date.  We woke up early and ventured off on a roughly 20 mile, mainly uphill bike ride to Cheverny, a famous castle.

Needless to say, my derriere was feeling the burn, but it was absolutely one of the neatest, most satisfying things I've ever done.

Obviously, the camera was attached to my hand as I rode...dangerous?  Only slightly.  Here are some of my favorite things from one of my favorite excursions:

We found a tres tiny farm with a donkey, two sheep and some chickens!  Such a fun pit stop.

We made it!  Our bikes parked in front of Cheverny's entrance.

Beautiful Cheverny.  More palace than chateau...and people actually live in here.

Loads of "Remarkable Trees,"  not indigenous to France are sprinkled along the castle grounds.  Loved this one.

Our bike gang

No French excursion is complete without a little treat...

French Style

J'adore French style.  It's usually very simple, classic and timeless.  Yes, lots of black, but you'd be surprised at the bright pops of color.  And the stripes.  Oh la la!  I love stripes.

I spotted one of my students walking home in front of me and thought that he captured French style a ce moment.

Striped tee, rolled jeans, cross-body bag.  Also, the sun is just fabulous.

Douce Heure

Today was quite a day of disasters and so we retreated at the earliest opportunity to our safe haven of yummy creations:  Douce Heure.  It's got a fabulous red awning, you can't miss it.

Blandine, yes, we are on a first-name basis, (No, I don't go like every day for hours on end!  Who would do that?!) is quite possibly one of my favorite humans on earth and proved so when she gave us some extra special treats to put on top of our glace (ice cream).

The thing about Douce Heure is that everything is homemade.  This ice cream.  The whipped cream (or chantilly, as we call it en France).  Even the chocolate.  Et hence why I am a fixture at this place.

P.S.  Douce Heure translates to "Sweet Hour," which quite often becomes three or four hours, but who's counting?

Bienvenue a Nos Pandas

Rich, Emily and I ventured off to Zoo Park de Beauval, hyped as the best zoo in Europe!  The real reason for our adventure was Emily's life long dream to see pandas...

We had to go.

And so we took the train and somehow managed to walk 8km (that would be FIVE miles) to get there.  How do three intelligent people manage to do this?  It's called France.  It's called following road signs intended for cars.  It's called no one stopping to help us on the road until we were 2km away and then they just informed us of our proximity and chuckled.  It's called The Pandas Were Worth Every Step.

But seriously.  The zoo was fabulous and the pandas, magical.  So happy I could be part of Em's life long dream.

P.S.  I charged my camera and left it in my room.  Fail.  Pictures you see are compliments of Tour Guide Rich!  Thanks Riiich :)

Tummy Torture Tuesday

Six and a half months without Mexican food...that deserves some sort of award, doesn't it?

"Mexican food" doesn't exist in France as we know and love in America.  Does it even exist at all here...verdict is still out.  No matter, Chef Pri and Chef Emily worked away in the kitchen to prepare quite the fiesta for my taste buds.  Chipotle-shmipotle!

And no I couldn't move after devouring, literally demolishing this entire plate.

"Whatever it is you're seeking won't come in the form you're expecting." Haruki Murakami

Monday morning soaking some rays.

Spotted some fellow sun-lovers eating the most delicious looking French lunch.

Carnaval de Blois

The 20th Carnaval de Blois was today, and what a spectacle it was.  Loads and loads of people came out to watch the parade.  It's probably one of the more interesting things I've seen here!

Not sure what the "pant" situation was here?

Almost indecent, dude.  

These giraffes were so cool.  Two people walking in sync!

 Again, not sure what's going on here...this was a parade for kids, right?

La piece de resistance...Americ!   And nothing says "America" quite like line dancing, flag bandanas, motorcyles and cowboy hats.

Here's a news clip about the carnaval:  http://videos.tf1.fr/jt-we/a-blois-c-est-carnaval-7089000.html
I (barely) spotted myself in the video.  0:17 very very right, nearly off the screen...but still on there enough to know it's me hahah.  Feeling pretty cool right about now.

Les Marches de Blois

There are a few outdoor markets in Blois.  The one that you've usually seen here is on Saturdays, right in the very center of town about a one minute walk from my apartment.  It's fabulous and tends to be a bit more bourgeouise and touristy.

One of many fruit and vegetable stands.

Paella surrounding Place Louis XII, the main square in town.

Delicious coffee and juice stand.  Loved the couple's stripes and Mr. Juice's ring.

Sunday, Jocelyn and I ventured out to another marche, located in the (non-PC term here) ZUP, or "ghetto" and I use that term lightly.  Very, very lightly.  It was so interesting to see the difference in products as well as clientele.

"Missing for Love" still not quite sure what they're trying to say exactly, but I'll go with it...

So much larger and more eclectic.

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." Virginia Woolf

Amen, Virginia!  This is quite possibly the most delicious thing that I have made.  Recipe here.

Cilantro and lime shrimp

Cookies and Coca

Today was absolutely beautiful and Pri, Emily and I enjoyed the sunshine at one of our favorite cafes, Cafe Chineur.

And then we came home and made some delicious cookies a la Nestle Tollhouse...and no they weren't for us, they were for Ronan's birthday party.

Speaking of Nestle Tollhouse...watch this.  And laugh.

"This afternoon...getting the train to Onzain, getting off and just wandering, see what happens. Dunno if you're keen?" Rich Hannigan, Adventure Planner Extraordinaire

After receiving this ambiguously intriguing SMS from (now dubbed) Tour Guide Rich, the gang ventured out to Onzain.  Despite being a tiny, tiny town, we enjoyed a lovely walk, [sometime jog (cough, Emily)] and caught a glimpse of a castle.

Really not sure what was going on here...anyone?

Can you see the chateau?

Looks like a movie set to moi.

Hello, teal.

Rockin' my mocs, hoping the rain wouldn't attack.

Such an adorable cafe

A library delivery bike.  Hire me?

P.S.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANDMA!!

Le Soleil

[Luh sow lay] I know you're enjoying the anglophoned phonetics that I've been throwing in lately.  The great weather is clearly doing things to my brain.

The sun is out in full force these days and it is marvelous, notice how it's everywhere in these sneaky shots from my walk home:

The number of adorable couples walking hand and hand is just out of control.  Precieuse!

La Poste, or the Post Office

Brasserie du Chateau

Banana Walnut Date Oatmeal.  Yes, I'm weird and I like dates.   And had a lot of things to use before they went bad ahaha et voila

School Shooting in Toulouse

There was a shooting today in Toulouse.  So terrible!  France is now in its highest terror alert level.

A Bientot

[Ah bee en tow] means see you later, in French.  Sadly, Ashley and Haley have to leave today!

After quite the difficulties in finding an open eating establishment on a Sunday, we were finally successful and stumbled upon this Sunday Flea Market that I've never seen before.

Purchased some cles...I think they'd make a great necklace!

Self-portrait in a cool armoire.

La Fete de la Saint Patrick

St. Patrick's Day does not actually exist in France as it has come to be observed in America.  Not so much green and luckily, not so much pinching.  At the only English place in town we found the following:

The staff (all males) decided this was a good idea...

Shamrock tattoos.  Pourquoi pas?!

Crazy servers.

These hats were like gold to get!