Paris Sights 3: The Landmarks

We've been pretty busy with yard work and projects around here lately, so hopefully I'll have a lot to share soon. 

In the meantime, the final load of Paris photos!

Stained glass inside Notre Dame

Notre Dame - looking up

Notre Dame - looking back

Views from the tower of Notre Dame

Les Pyramides du Louvre

Distant Sacre Coeur from inside the Musee d'Orsay

Jardin du Luxembourg

Tour Eiffel

Tour Eiffel in the rain

Tour Eiffel at sunset

Tour Eiffel sparkling at dusk

Tomb of Napoleon inside Les Invalides

Paris Sights Part 2: Life & The City

Parisian rooftops

Place des Vosges

Les Champs-Elysees

Laduree Macarons

Life in the rain

Wandering the streets at dusk

Evening in the latin quarter

Waiters at Cafe du Musee

                           Rodin Museum                                                  Life changing cafe creme

Courtyard in the Marais district

Place de la Concorde

Paris Sights Part 1: Chateau de Versailles & La Seine

Gardens southwest of the Palace

West facade of the main Palace

Rowboats for rent on the reflecting pool

Courtyard at the Grand Trianon

Farm and ground of Marie-Antoinette's Hamlet

East facade, main entrance

Bedroom of the Queen

View from the King's bedroom

 Pont des Arts over the Seine

 Ile de la Cite from Pont des Arts

 Pont Alexandre III

Sunset on the Seine

Travel Life

We've been back from Paris for a few weeks now, and most days I can't quite believe that we were ever truly there. It seems more likely that I dreamt the whole thing. In the car on the way to the airport on the day we flew to Paris, I had a meltdown at the realization that it was "almost over". We hadn't even left our home yet, and I was already mourning. Now that we're home and I have the memories of an amazing, life-changing trip with me every day (and 1,200 photos to keep them nice and fresh!) I'm nostalgic, but mostly so (so SO) thankful. We are so lucky to have the chance to travel, and explore, and experience the world. I have no guilt over making vacations such a high priority for us over the past year, because there's no telling when it may no longer be possible.

We jumped back into our everyday lives immediately here - Husband literally started mowing the lawn before all of our bags were inside the house - and we're loving being home as much as we love being away. I'm so excited to spend tons of time outside, and with friends this summer. To do some work on our house, and yard. And in July, to celebrate how many amazing things we have done together since our (hot!) wonderful wedding day last year.

I'll be back soon with a few of my favorite photos from the trip.  As soon as I decide which ones they are.

PS: I talk a big game but traveling is threatening to become such an addiction for us that I've had to unsubscribe from the Groupon and Livingsocial "getaways" emails.  I don't know that I'd ever be able to book a trip spontaneously enough to actually buy one, but they are just planting seeds of inspiration where they should not be planted. It's far too expensive a hobby.

But...we already booked another little trip for August, anyway.  Oops.

Toilet Paper Art

Lately, I've been challenging myself to adopt a real "use what you have" philosophy.  I'm shopping in the pantry for recipe ideas, and using up food before it goes bad by making (sometimes quite strange) freezer meals. Same goes for projects around the house. Wherever possible, I've been trying to draw inspiration from materials or leftovers I already have lying around.  Which brings me to...

HOW TO MAKE TOILET PAPER ROLLS ON THE WALL SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE

Step 1: Make some coffee, fold up a blanket, and go sit on the floor in the craft room because even though there are plenty of work surfaces elsewhere in the house, the craft room is meant for crafting damnit.  With or without furniture.

Squish some toilet paper rolls flat, and cut them into equal(ish) width strips.

Alternatively/additionally, cut a roll lengthwise and then into strips and curl them around a pencil to make swirls.

Step 2: Make a basic frame from plain 0.75"x0.75" wood (less than $2) or wait 3 - 4 weeks for Husband to do it for you.

 Step 3: Arrange the petals and swirls inside the frame however you wish.  Be sure to have plenty of points of contact with the frame itself, as this is the only support for the TP rolls once they are vertical. Hot glue it all together.

Step 4: Spray prime and paint.  I used what I already had (since that was the point), and primed them with basic white, and finished with Rustoleum's Oil Rubbed Bronze metallic spray paint.  It took a good number of thin coats to get every surface covered.

Step 5: Hang!  I used the simplest push-in picture hangers I could find (they look like these but without the separate nails).  I know they appear to be hanging at different heights in the picture below, but I promise, they aren't.

This project was so cheap it almost doesn't even matter how they turned out. Regardless, I think they're pretty cute. Who knew TP was so multipurpose?!

Pre-Paris

Well, I have made my peace with the weather forecast for our big trip.  Apparently Paris in the Spring = Paris in the rain. Depending on your attitude, that could sound miserable or magical and I've decided to look at it positively. I treated myself to a super cute raincoat, and picked up some super cheap shoes that can get ruined in Paris puddles all week and I won't have to worry about it.

I'm am literally the world's most dramatic packer. Today I must have had an out of body experience though, because I picked out and tried on all my clothes for the trip without a single meltdown, whine, or crying-fit. Maybe the key was that I went shopping immediately before packing, so I couldn't even think about having an "I have no clothes!" tantrum. This isn't to say that there won't be some last minute freaking out. I haven't even gone near a suitcase yet, let alone thought about toiletries or other miscellanei (hey, apparently that IS a word!) Anyway, regardless, this is a packing victory for me.

In no particular order, I can't wait for:

WORLD-CLASS MACARONS AT LADUREE

LADUREE Paris

EPIC SIGHTSEEING

wikipedia

STREET MARKETS

Rue Montorgueil

MY EXTRA CAMERA BATTERY (to avoid a repeat of that tearful moment at the Vatican)

Amazon

We may never come home...

5 Springtime Loves

1. Gap 1969 skimmer legging jeans
I almost can't rationally describe how much I adore these pants.  The colored jeans trend intrigued me the first time I heard about it and, in my eyes, Gap has been seriously finding itself again after many years of weirdness.  When I finally got to try these jeans on, almost every size was already sold out, and this highlighter yellow was the only color left that fit.  I bought them.  Don't ask me where I'm going to wear them.  I don't care.  I've since bought them in green as well, and searched the entire metropolitan area looking for the black ones.

Gap

2. IKEA's 3D kitchen design tool

I have no business daydreaming about renovating our kitchen, but somehow still spent 2 hours this past weekend inputing our measurements and picking cabinets and countertops.  This is seriously good stuff.  You can design in floorplan and 3D modes, and rotate and zoom to your heart's content. There is something ridiculously exciting about being about to edit your actual kitchen layout with the doors/windows/walls where they actually are.

screenshot from IKEA

3.  Breakfast/Afternoon snack/Dinner when Husband isn't home

My love-affair with greek yogurt is going strong.  I think I've sampled just about every brand, and Fage 0% is unquestionably unbeatable in my mind.  It's not even worth buying anything smaller than the family size anymore, and the shelf life is pretty long (not that I ever come close to letting them expire).  A sprinkle of Trader Joe's Pecan Praline granola, a drizzle of Berry Cream of Balsamic, and if it's an extra special day - a few chopped strawberries.  Yes, please, thank you.

              

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                               Amazon.com                                                                                FageUSA

4. Scramble with Friends

I never got into the Words With Friends craze.  I love my iPhone (and my friends) as much as the next guy, but I've never been a keen scrabble player.  A few weeks ago, I got sucked into Draw Something in a BIG way, and played almost constantly for a week during my vacation in California. Just as quickly as I started though, I got totally burned out on it and stopped cold turkey. Somewhere in the midst of all that, I discovered Scramble with Friends (which is basically Boggle) and we're still going strong.

5.  Herbiliciousness

Is there anything better than the smell of fresh picked basil, mint, or rosemary?  How about when the plants are $1.74 each and the limit is 20?  

Home Depot

Did I buy pretty much one of everything?  You bet.

Thanks for the excessive pesto in my future, Home Depot.