Tuesday Trip #4: Giverny

Giverny has been on our list of places to visit since week one. It is a small town about 45 minutes outside of Paris where Monet painted his famous water lilies. Unfortunately the garden is closed from November 1-April , so today was really our last opportunity to go. After nearly missing the train, Maddi and I finally made it! It was truly magical. I will let the photos speak for themselves.

From Rome with Love

Now that my travel schedule has slowed down, I am once again learning how to navigate Paris as both a native and a tourist. Showing someone around your city helps you realize how well you know it and reminds you that there is still so much to stand in awe of and discover. This weekend one of my friends Amanda came to visit from her study abroad program in Rome! This provided the perfect opportunity to revisit some old favorites and discover some new ones. After landing later Friday evening, we caught the bus to the Marais where I took her back to Candelaria, the mexican restaurant with the secret door. We sat at the little table and picked up where we left off in July and caught each other up. After dinner, I took her to my usual crepe stand for her first crepe of the weekend.

View from the top

Friday morning we woke up early and parted ways as I headed to class and she went off to enjoy the Musee d'Orsay. After she wandered through every room of the converted train station, and I took copious notes on the futurist art movement, we met back up for lunch at a traditional Parisian bistro for some delicious food and prime people watching. Two glasses of wine, a french onion soup, a goat cheese tartine and an order of fries later, we gave up our real-estate along Rue de Rivoli and weaved in and out of boutiques in the Marais.

Breakfast on Saturday Morning 

After trying on necklaces and sweaters and rings and more, we stopped for a pause and some delicious crepes and cider at Breizh cafe, another old favorite. Sometimes when you have a particularly delicious meal the first time you go to a new restaurant, it doesn't live up to the memory when you return. This, fortunately, was not the case with Candelaria or Breizh. The guacamole and the salted caramel were just has spectacular as I remembered. After boosting our blood sugar, we shopped around a little bit more before heading home to freshen up for dinner.

Interior and Exterior of Notre Dame, Louvre

There is far from a lack of blogs about Paris. Some are anecdotal, while others are informative. I have bookmarked a mixture of both for whenever I need a suggestion for a new restaurant or patisserie to try. One restaurant Derriere has been on my list for a bit now and, after being confirmed by one of Amanda's friends as a must-try place, we made a reservation. At 11 we arrived at what one blog described as "a charming and whimsical restaurant for the light at heart and serious about food. Feels a bit like John Malkovich invited you over to his house for dinner". I must agree with her description. After walking through unmarked doors and a little courtyard, we arrived at dimly lit, rather trendy restaurant that happened to feature a ping pong table right in the middle of the dining room filled with mismatched chairs. There was a large group of American students also waiting for a table. After establishing lots of connections and mutual friends, we parted ways and were brought upstairs to our table that was positioned next a full bed.

Derriere

After a moment of shock and confusion, we set our coats (since it is now around 40 degrees here during the day) on the bed and sat down to peruse the menu. We settled on sharing a roasted artichoke, a burrata salad with tapenade, and rotisserie chicken with mashed potatoes. The food was delicious, and at 1:45 AM we finally left the restaurant. Quick meals in Paris are basically nonexistent, fortunately when you have great company and are not in a rush, it is not a problem. We then hopped on the metro back home to find an entertaining Friday night scene of Parisians swaying on the metro either already on their way home or just starting their night on the town. As probably the most sober members on the train, we thought it was pretty hysterical, to say the least.

Macarons, Grand Palais

Saturday was full of lots of walking and sight-seeing. Although our plans to take a cooking class and  visit Moet and Chandon were not able to come to fruition, we still had a packed day. We began with cappuccinos, pain au chocolat and quiche at a nearby cafe before crossing the Seine to wander up and down the Champs Elysees, Rue Saint Honore and Rue de Rivoli. After enjoying macarons from Laduree and gawking over the Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Prada goodies we will one day purchase for ourselves, we set out in search of a cafe as the sunny morning turned into a misty afternoon. We found shelter in a delicious bistro in Saint Germain des Pres where Amanda enjoyed steak tartar and I continued tasting tartines, in search of the best in Paris. 

Louis Vuitton, Arc de Triomphe

Once we finally motivated ourselves to leave our Parisian oasis, where we could have enjoyed the entire afternoon, we strolled over to admire Notre Dame. After wandering through the incredible church, we walked over to the Louvre, only to discover they were closing earlier than expected. Fortunately, our spirits were lifted by Angelina hot chocolate. The line for a table continued down the entire block, so we grabbed it to go to enjoy in the Tuileries. While it warmed our souls, it did not warm our toes, so we headed back home. Instead of a big dinner out, we grabbed a baguette from the bakery on the corner, grapes from the little fruit market and a couple of cheeses from the fromagerie down the block. I will definitely miss the convenience of fresh specialties like these when I am back in the states. We spent our last night enjoying the view from the top of the eiffel tower and a couple cocktails at my favorite parisian bars with Taylor and her boyfriend Matt, who was also visiting this weekend.

At the top of the Eiffel tower

Unfortunately Amanda had to leave bright and early this morning, but I cant wait to go visit her in Rome in a month! Stay tuned for to Rome with Love Part II. 

Tuesday Trip: #3

One of my biggest fears about my time here is feeling as though I did not take full advantage of it come December. During the week it can be difficult to execute plans with only a couple hours before class, and I have been traveling so much recently that weekend adventures in Paris have not really been possible. However, tuesday remains my free day for fun. Even though my classwork is picking up, it is no excuse not to do something!

Yesterday, I went to a coffee shop in the 9th that I had read about on a few blogs. Kooka Boora Cafe provided the perfect place to get some work done and enjoy Paris on a spectacular day. This Australian coffee shop served up delicious iced coffee (which is a rarity in Paris), free wi-fi, and a great view of Sacre Coeur from my little table outside.

After finishing some research, an essay and a few worksheets, I stopped at the Rose Bakery for a cup of tomato and vegetable soup and a slice of blackberry crumb cake. Then, I headed back down to my arrondissement to meet up with Liza for another adventure.

RIP Moliere and LaFontaine

We hopped back on the metro to visit the Pere Lachaise cemetery which is now home to Proust, Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, La Fontaine, Moliere, Chopin, Haussman, and Gertrude Stein... just to name a few. We got to the cemetery around 4:45 to enjoy the company and the beautiful fall weather just in time for Halloween. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect afternoon to pay homage to these spectacular sights.

RIP Jim Morrison

Unfortunately the cemetery closed at 6, and we only made it through about a quarter of it, so we will definitely be making a trip back.

Belgium

At the end of our first week at Reid Hall, we were given the opportunity to sign up for different activities. After a lunch break we lined up outside a classroom, waiting for them to open the flood gates and let the games begin. There were 4 activities we really wanted to do: a baking class, a cooking class, a wine tasting, and a trip to Belgium. Luckily, there were 4 of us. So we ensured we were at the front of the line, and as soon as the not so figurative whistle was blown, we divided and conquered.
This weekend we participated in our last school sponsored activity: a trip to Brussels and Bruges in Belgium. On Saturday morning we took the first metro of the day to arrive at the steps of the Opera at 6 AM. While it was still dark out, we boarded the bus along with around 60 other international students.

After a much needed nap, we arrived in Bruges around 11 and separated into three groups for a walking tour of the city. Although it was a bit gray and misty, it was beautiful! While the fall temperatures have hit Paris, the rest of the season has not. Bruges, on the other hand, was well entrenched in it. The leaves had begun to change colors, providing another level of beauty to this adorable town.

One girl on our tour complained that Bruges felt cliche. While it did resemble what you would imagine a picturesque Belgian village would be like, this girl failed to realize that this was what the cliche was based off of. The historic backdrop, medieval architecture and winding streams still evoked the cultural center it once was. After concluding our historical tour, Taylor, Maddi and I grabbed some frites and checked out the Groeningemuseum and the inside of St. Salvator's Cathedral before enjoying a waffle with caramel and a Bruges-brewed beer.

We then hopped back on the bus for another 2 hours to Brussels. I can now check staying in a hostel off my bucket list! Fortunately, it was very clean and cool with a band setting up to play next to the bar downstairs. After dropping our bags off in our room and washing our faces, we followed the group into the main part of town. Fortunately, I have a friend who studied abroad in Brussels last fall who sent me a fantastic guide to the city. When I say step-by-step, I mean literally step-by-step, and for this I am very grateful!

After making it to the Grand Place we broke off from the group and enjoyed mussles and fries at a recommended restaurant. We then walked over to Delerium Bar which has the largest selection of beers in the world. This multi-floor bar provided an awesome vibe, great tunes, and world-class beer. We tried a house brewed dark beer, a strawberry beer and a peach beer while listening to everything from Clapton to Red Hot Chili Peppers to Sugar Ray and more. Before heading back to the hostel, we checked out one more recommended bar that had swings that you could sit in instead of chairs!

The next morning we woke up at 8 AM for breakfast then headed back into the city to sight-see. We started at the Grand Place and the museum that outlines the history of Brussels. We then made our way past a cathedral to Manneken Pis (the famous fountain, see photo), then to Place de la Chappelle, and then Palais de la Justice where we sat and enjoyed a great view and another delicious waffle.

After resting our feet and satisfying our appetite, we strolled up to the Palais Royal and Parc de Bruxelles (see photos). We then moseyed back down towards the Grand Place to enjoy some more beers before buying some chocolate and heading back to the bus.

Belgium was absolutely beautiful, the architecture was so historical, however we always checked behind us because we frequently found modern touches of cool street art painted on the sides of buildings. Honestly, if it were not offered by Reid Hall, I probably would not have made it there. However I am so happy I had the opportunity to explore and will definitely recommend it to anyone traveling Europe!

Le Vin

Seeing as I am only 20, I haven't had much need for understanding wine. However, in Paris wine is as cheap, if not cheaper than water, and it definitely cheaper than soda. I am well aware that my 1.65 euro wine from Carrefour is far from the world-renowned French wines, but it is well within my budget. Therefore I have been sacrificing my esophagus and appreciating that ignorance is bliss. Fortunately or unfortunately, I may not be able to do so much longer. 

On Monday night my friends and I went to a wine tasting course. We began with a delicious champagne before really learning the art of wine tasting. Second, we enjoyed a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley. After tilting the glass in the light, we learned that the pale color, brilliant shine, and clearness means that this is a dry and fresh wine with more acidity and less sugar. The first taste was just that with hints of citrus and passion fruit. Next came a Chardonnay from Bourgogne that was a bit smoother and creamier due to the fermentation process. Because it was fermented in oak barrels, you could taste an oakier flavor with hints of brioche and vanilla, as opposed to the fruitier hints of the Sauvignon Blanc. 

After tasting the whites, came the reds. We were taught a cute little saying in french that reminds you to always drink white before red: Blanc sur rouge, rien ne bouge; rouge sur blanc, tout fout le camp. (White on red won't go to your head; red on white and you're out for the night). This first red was a Cabernet Sauvignon from Bordeaux that was a bit spicy, yet fruity. Finally, we tasted a Syrah from the Côtes du Rhône that was a bit sweeter. In addition to the wines, we were given delicious cheeses, baguette, and charcuterie. 

Conclusions: I preferred the Sauvignon Blanc and enjoyed both reds, and I will be looking for Comté to accompany my goat cheese and baguette next time I'm at the market. Furthermore, seeing as I will not be of legal drinking age upon my return to the states, I will be putting my wine tasting techniques on the shelf for now... but am glad I can pull them out when needed. And when you can't identify the taste, smell or balance of the wine, just say: "its complex." Until then, I'll try the 2-4 euro wines instead? 

36 hours in Barcelona

This morning I arrived back in Paris after a whirlwind weekend in Barcelona. If anything qualifies as a "dejeuner de soleil", this trip is it. On Friday night, Taylor, Maddy, Maddi and I hopped on the night train to Barcelona. Maddi had taken a night train once before to Italy, and I had received many suggestions to take this trip, but when we arrived we realized we didn't quite understand what we had gotten ourselves into. As we walked into our cabin we found 4 chairs and a little table that converted into a sink. After devouring our delicious snacks and laughing a lot, the train attendant came in and popped our bunk beds down from the wall. After 11.5 hours, we arrived in Barcelona as the sun was barely beginning to rise.

For our only night in Barcelona, we decided to go all out and stay at the W. I would highly recommend this to anyone planning a trip there. The hotel was spectacular. Not only was it architecturally stunning, but also it was primely located on the beach, had some of the best cocktails I've ever had (passion fruit martini is a necessary), and was beautifully yet comfortably decorated. After freshening up, we slipped on our dresses and skirts, which we were thrilled to be able to wear again, and started exploring.

Cathedral de Barcelona 

Mercat de Santa Catarina

On day 1 we started with a walk on the beach, then we strolled up to the beautiful Cathedral de Barcelona (see photo), through the Mercat de Santa Catarina (see photo), past the Arc de Triomf and Plaça Glories Catalanes. We checked out the Picasso Museum, which was especially interesting as we are currently studying Picasso in our art history class.

Sagrada Familia

We then walked up to see the famous Sagrada Familia (see photos), which was unfortunately under renovation. Personally, I preferred the classic gothic architecture of the Cathedral de Barcelona, however the parts of this Gaudi masterpiece we could see were impressive and unique. After standing in awe of these stunning Spanish sights, we headed back towards the beach for a late lunch of tapas on the sand. Then, we enjoyed delicious sangria de cava on the deck of the W before heading up to our room for a much needed siesta.

That night we went to a traditional tapas restaurant in the older part of town for dinner and enjoyed zuchinni chips, foccacia with tomatoes, mushroom croquettes, zucchini flowers, meatballs and fried dough with catalan ice cream. Every meal in Barcelona was delicious! Afterwards, we walked through the cobblestone streets and back towards the beach to check out the Ice Bar, where everything, including the cups, the bar, the walls and the decor, is made completely of ice. Luckily they provide you with giant parkas and gloves before entering the -7 degrees C room! After enjoying a cocktail, we were happy to exit back into the 70 degree F warmth. We finished our night at the club at the top of the W hotel which provided a spectacular view of Barcelona (see photo).

View from the club

On day 2 we woke up and had a fabulous breakfast on the beach before catching the bus up to Parc Guell. The weather could not have been more perfect for us to enjoy the beautiful site. The park itself was gorgeous, and the view was even more spectacular. You felt like you were on top of the city. In this case, the pictures are worth much more than my words.

We finished our day with a late lunch and some more sangria before heading back to the train station. "The Italian Job" and 11.5 hours later, we woke up in Paris and headed to class. While we missed just a couple landmarks, I am rather impressed with our crash course in Barcelona. Luckily, I fell in love with this spanish city and look forward to going back in the future to check out the rest. Barcelona combines the historical nature of European cities with the happy and relaxed feel of a beach town. This, combined with the warm weather, provided the perfect mini vacation and gave me just a little taste of home!