travel Archives - Page 3 of 5

1 In food/ travel

new orleans eats: old faithfuls

New Orleans is practically a foodie’s fantasyland. Especially on our busy trips, there are never enough mealtimes to eat all the things I want…. what a first world problem! I sometimes have crazy cravings for distinctly NOLA food experiences, so we made a point of making it back to some long-term loved eateries.

We ate fondue and mussels at Le Crepe Nanou on our first date a dozen years ago, and celebrated our engagement there as well. There’s nothing like a glass of rosé and a little French bistro romance, and they consistently bring both to the table, along with delicious food.

Creole Creamery is just up the block, and I couldn’t help but answer the siren’s call. The darling little boy I made friends with would insist you try the Cookie Monster, creamy vanilla crammed with Oreos and chocolate chip cookies. They mix a whole red velvet cake into their ice cream of the same name, and it is unreasonably good, but they offer a sampler of four mini scoops, and that’s where the party’s at. Banana cane malt, roasted pistachio, creole cream cheese, brown butter pecan- those are just a few of the yums on offer, but my favorite flavors are seasonal. I devoured my cone of black-and-gold crunch- the French vanilla and chicory ice cream with Oreos and chocolate chips is only available during Saints season. I’d argue that my artisan ice cream obsession was honed in this old-timey scoop shop… I for sure ate way too much Creole Creamery in college!

Our apartment was conveniently located in the Garden district, perfectly placed for morning walks toLa Boulangerie. It’s been revitalized by Donald Link and his restaurant group since we moved away, so it’s no surprise there were lines for their fantastic French pastries and breads. It wasn’t yet king cake season, but the decadent Paris brest, glossy croissants, and bountiful fruit tarts more than made up for it.

The Cure really focuses on their mixology- that’s why they make some of the best and most creative drinks in New Orleans. I always suggest some flavors I enjoy to my bartender, and am rewarded with the perfect custom cocktail creation. I can’t be that brave most places, but they nail it every time.

Before heading out for drinks, we had a little take-out dinner party at our house. We picked up Creole-Italian from Vincent’s, which was a frequent date-night spot in college, just around the corner from David’s apartment. The corn-and-crab bisque, canneloni, and Parmesan crusted chicken were all as incredible as I remembered.

Like every good New Orleans girl, I love me some po-boys. Out near the parish line, Crabby Jack’s makes some of the best in town. Like a blast from the past in the building by the train tracks, the fanciest thing is the display of local art for sale. You order at the counter and serve your own fountain drinks, but who needs fancy service when the food is this good?

Keeping it classic, my typical poboy order is a half and half of fried gulf oysters and shrimp, dressed with extra hot sauce, but I also have a weakness for the smoked duck. The cochon de lait was juicy and tender and messy and scrumptious, like always. We also got a fried green tomato with shrimp remoulade- old school New Orleans, but for good reason- the flavors are on point together.

In all seriousness, I sometimes dream of Middendorf’s thin fried catfish. You might not think fried fish could be that amazing, but that just tells me you’ve never eaten there. They’ve been serving it along the water in Manchac since the 1930’s, and along with a deep, dark, sausage-and-seafood gumbo and a Dixie beer, the goodness feeds my appetite and my soul.

Growing up, David and his family used to boat across Lake Maurepas and dock out back for supper. it looks much different now- there were major repairs and renovations post-Katrina, but the lake is ever-lovely. We love relaxing out by the water, with a full belly and a fresh beer… even when the mosquitos are out, the bayou is a truly gorgeous place.

loveRavayna

February 26, 2016

0 In travel

a New Orleans homecoming

Back before the holidays, we rented a cute little apartment in uptown New Orleans for a long weekend with another couple. It had been altogether too long since we’d been home, and it was such a good time!

We packed a million things into our time in New Orleans. We didn’t photograph some parts, but we treasured our time visiting David’s mom, having a sleepover at my bestie Leah’s farm, loving on her family and babies, and trying to get face time with as many of our long-distance loves as possible.

Tulane facilitated that- it was homecoming weekend, and there was a surprising amount of our old friends back in town for the weekend. Torrential rains, reminiscent of my first undergrad homecoming, couldn’t hide that fact that Tulane has gotten all gussied up, and the new construction looks amazing.

It was my best friend Maille’s birthday that weekend, so I blew her mind a bit by surprising her on her doorstep- I’m a pretty good present, if I do say so myself. I third-wheeled her birthday dinner with her darling boyfriend at Saffron, and we made time for both a low key girls’ night and a super fun house party celebrating the beautiful birthday girl.

We couldn’t go home for the weekend and not get tickets to the Saints game…. the last home game we attended was the day after our wedding! We lost in overtime to the Tennessee Titans and it was agonizing, not gonna lie. But I bleed black and gold, regardless.

Post game, we walked down the familiar streets to the Boot, to honor one of my oldest friends at our old on-campus bar. I met Brian McKenna the first week of college, and we shared a birthday and core group of friends- he’s always been one of the good guys. Last summer, a mountain biking accident rendered him a quadriplegic, but in typical Brian style, he’s recovering astonishingly- with incredible spirits and the encouragement of people like Drew Brees and Ellen Degeneres. It was good to visit with lots old friends while raising funds for Brian’s care and recovery … he’s so often in my thoughts.

And no trip to New Orleans is complete without visiting The Columns. We went for cocktails with friends, but I always get all misty on the steps where we got married.

“I returned to New Orleans, and as soon as I smelled the air, I knew I was home. It was rich, almost sweet, like the scent of jasmine and roses around our old courtyard. I walked the streets, savoring that long lost perfume.”

― Anne Rice, Interview with the Vampire

loveRavayna

February 18, 2016

2 In travel

a girlfriends getaway in santa fe

Old friends and New Mexico were a most perfect combination.

In the time since Tulane, my best girlfriends and I have grown into our lives- with careers, a few husbands, and busy lives in cities like Denver and DC. But those busy lives get in the way, visits tend to focus on brides and babies, and are always too short. So after literally a thousand emails trying to get it scheduled, we planned a girlfriends trip in honor of our thirtieth birthdays and reunited in Santa Fe, a dozen years after we moved into our freshman dorms.

We rented a roomy adobe casa on the outskirts of Santa Fe and it was beyond perfect. It had plenty of room, including a small sauna, indoor and outdoor hot tubs, a fire pit, and even complimentary parking when in downtown Santa Fe.

There’s nothing like steaming hot bath to kickstart your morning, and obscenely beautiful nature all around just takes it to another level. It was simply gorgeous, especially through the viewing window cut in the surrounding fencing.

Y’all know I’m not outdoorsy, but I try. So I was excited when we piled into our rental minivan and headed out to the Santa Fe National Forest. It was a gorgeous hike, and we explored for several hours before the altitude started to be a bit much for a few of us.

We drove into downtown Santa Fe to scope out the shopping. We were a bunch of girlfriends on vacation, after all.

There were dozens of silver artisans lined up in the Plaza. The city council actually authenticates the native heritage of the seller and his or her goods as handmade before issuing the sales licenses. I’m passionate about shopping directly from artisans, so I totally over-justified my purchases. But I’ve worn the copper ring and hammered silver hoop earrings multiple times, and I’m always a shameless sucker for local spices and cooking ingredients. The smoked chile amarillo is my favorite.

We quickly realized that there were dozens of extra stands set up, along with live music, and that we had walked into an arts festival. We inspected the offerings, discovering some truly incredible workmanship. I fell in love with a handmade moonstone necklace, and purchased it after some price negotiations.

Girls night out is way more fun when it’s with your lifers. That night, we had an incredible dinner at Maria’s (I promise, you will not regret getting both red and green chile on your enchiladas) and multitudes of margaritas, before hopping into Ubers in search of dancing. The Santa Fe bar scene was a bit quiet for our liking, but we still made plenty of fun.

The next morning, brunch was a necessity, and the Plaza Cafe was incredible. I promptly became obsessed with spicy Mexican mochas, and every bite on the table was delicious. I demolished both green chile huevos rancheros and a blue corn-piñon pancake. We stopped by the bustling farmers market on our way out, scoring some goodies to go and ingredients for supper.

We got some more fresh air post-brunch, climbing 91 steps to an oasis in the mountains. Spending a few hours in the relaxing haven of Ten Thousand Waves was the perfect indulgence.

We rented the Waterfall private suite, with a huge hot springs bath, a cold plunge pool, and a sauna- we enjoyed the extra room and the privacy. I’d brought an assortment of sheet masks, so we masked and floated and talked and relaxed. After our rental time had elapsed, we spent some time at the ladies spa, meditation areas, and footbaths. I was disappointed not to be able to purchase the music from the meditation room- it was just engaging enough to keep my mind from wandering but still totally relaxing. I also got a tour of the (surprisingly tidy) underbelly of the spa when I accidentally tossed swimsuits down the laundry chute and accompanied the hostess to relieve them. We were all a little rubber – limbed as we climbed back down the stairs to the parking lot.

A little arts appreciation was next on the agenda, as we visited the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.

The space was really well curated, beautifully designed and petite enough as to not overwhelm. I especially appreciated the info about her personal history alongside her works, and the museum shop was fabulous.

Returning to the house, we were just in time for happy hour. We threw together a fruit and cheese plate, Moscow mules and Kalimoxtos, and gathered on the rooftop patio to watch the sun set.

Once it was dark, we headed inside to make dinner. Dessert was my contribution to the meal, and I used chai spices in the crumble topping for farmer’s market Jonagold and Granny Smith apples and raspberries. It was delish, and more of the same cold for breakfast the next morning.

We had grand plans of board games, but instead we made s’mores, stargazed, and drank wine around the fire till we were yawning.

The next morning, I set an early alarm to watch the sun rise. Most of the girls woke up with me, and the candy-colored sky was totally worth the lost sleep. Then we piled all into one bed, to chat and cuddle while we still could. Because much too soon it was time for suitcase packing and the first round of departures.

We stopped for lunch at The Pantry on our way out of town. My carne adovada was tender and flavorful, and I couldn’t resist one last side of green chile. I seriously love that stuff.

Leaving my girlfriends after such a lovely time in Santa Fe was sad, but the full heart and full belly helped. It’s like Baz Lurhmann said, in that high school era chart topper,

“Understand that friends come and go, but a precious few, who should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, for as the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.”

How lucky I am to have these girlfriends in my life, and to have shared this trip with them.

loveRavayna

January 22, 2016

0 In style/ travel

WiW: vacation capsule wardrobe

Choosing what to pack and wear in Paris and Barcelona was a daunting task. Visiting such epic style capitals, I wanted to look pulled together, but realistically needed a wardrobe that would be comfortable for long days, crazy amounts of walking, and temperatures ranging from 38-86′. Though I checked a bag, I kept it light/ left room for souvenirs. David almost always carries my bags when we travel together (especially up four flights of spiral stairs), but on principle, I don’t travel with more than I can manage myself.

I wanted to pack a capsule of clothes that intermixed well, layered effectively for warmth, was versatile to accommodate our unplanned time, and felt equally chic and comfortable. A reformed overpacker, I really tried to streamline for this trip- and I succeeded, because 6 pair of shoes for more than two weeks is a major accomplishment for Imelda right here.

Here’s what I packed:

Gap sweater, Asos sweater (similar), Target cardigan (similar), H&M jeweled sweater (similar)

Old Navy chambray, lipstick print blouse, SheIn buffalo plaid flannel [size up!], Topshop scalloped shell. Old Navy black and red-striped long-sleeved shirts, black and grey tees. James Perse white, Petit Bateau striped, Zara yellow teeshirts

Kenley Collins for Unique Vintage skirt , homemade tulle tutu skirt (similar), American Eagle floral skirt (similar). Hue leggings, Old Navy midrise Rockstars, JBrand coated skinnies

Forever 21 maxi (similar), Asos silk dress (similar), Kate Spade Saturday striped (similar), H&M lace (similar) dresses

Tulle coat via Hautelook (similar), SheIn cape, sole society scarf, kate spade purses

Converse, Victoria’s Secret heels (similar), grey and black booties, similar gold sandals, similar metallic tennies.

And here’s how I wore it…

… for a chilly morning flea marketing in Vanves, soaking in the sunshine between museums, accessorized with pearls and sheer glee at being in Paris.

… topped with one of David’s shirts (capsule wardrobe freebie!) to shop, all fancified for date night at Tickets, graphic pops of red for exploring and simply layered for a morning of outdoor art.

… with a little sparkle for dinner in Montmartre, windblown and undone by the water, hiding bike shorts underneath stripes {RIP Kate Spade Saturday}, and florals to flirt shamelessly with my sweet husband.

… bundled up in black but always with a bright lip, keeping it super-simple for supper, layering my favorite basics for a look that’s anything but, stacking texture and patterns in claret and cream.

…and mixed and remixed lots of other ways. You can use the sidebar tags [off to the right] for Paris and Barcelona to see what I wore where. If you are packing for a long or varied trip, I hope this helpful. My best advice is to bring half of what you want, culling the duplicates. You’ll always have room in your bag for new purchases should you find the need to shop!

This was such an amazing trip, and reminiscing over it as I blogged has been so lovely. I’m dying to go back already, but we have lots of upcoming travel planned and a few weekend getaways to share….
loveRavayna

January 8, 2016

1 In travel

Eurocoes: loves, lists, and logistics

Our Europe trip was my first experience with international train travel, and I loved it! Having preordered our TGV tickets, it was fabulous not to check in hours before departure, to pass through gorgeous countryside, and to arrive and depart in city centers rather than the outskirts of town.

En route to Paris, we’d planned for train time happy hour, so we had cava and incredible Spanish snacks for our moving movie date. I cheesily insisted on Amèlie, but David drew the line at Moulin Rouge. On the return trip to Barcelona, we breakfasted on pastries and the best of our remaining French fridge contents – blood orange mimosas for the win! Our car was mostly empty, so we stretched out and slept, since we’d left the Marais for Gare de Lyon before sunrise, and had a bonus half-day in Barcelona ahead before our latenight flight.

We stashed our suitcases in lockers at Sants and then hopped straight onto the metro for a last lap of our Barcelona favorites. We hit a few shops before Can Paixano, and it was so jam-packed that we took our wine and meal to the Parc de la Ciutadella. It was lovely to have a leisurely lunch, to sit and soak in the Spanish sunshine on our last afternoon of vacation. We took a last long walk around the city, before returning to La Boqueria for one more fabulous dinner (and plane snacks, obvi). Bellies full, we fetched our bags at the train station and were bound for the airport.

You may recall that I found an incredible deal on plane tickets. Real talk- they were such a steal because the timing and flight patterns were far from fantastic, including a midnight BCN departure and connections through Moscow. For the geographically unfamiliar, Russia is well past mainland Europe and connecting there’s a total timewaster. But half price was worth the few hours, so off to kill time in the rather underdeveloped Moscow airport we went. Side note: I actually wanted a much longer layover and to explore Moscow, but the single day visas for Americans were SO prohibitively expensive, we couldn’t justify many hundred dollars for the one day.

Vending machines of Putin teeshirts were just one of many amusing things we encountered during our airport explorations. People-watching and snack and souvenir shopping were both quality entertainment. The eateries were pretty spare, with some businesses closed and others renovating, so frozen yogurt and Burger King (for the first time in decades- it was freshly made and honestly better than we remembered) were our snack pack reinforcements.

On our return leg, we had a gorgeous sunrise landing into a 5 hour layover at SVO. We promptly checked into the V Express capsule hotel in Terminal E. There, the princely sum of about $50 afforded us a ‘business triple,’ a simple, super clean, cruiseship-reminiscent room and private bathroom. We put our feet up, snacked and stretched, then passed out for a good long nap. We woke to shower, then checked out and boarded our flight back to LA. It was a really convenient stopgap, even though I used up all the hot water on David… oopsie.

Speaking of rest, it was nearly midnight by the time we had cleared customs upon arrival in Barcelona, so we spent just that first night at an Ibis hotel. We just wanted inexpensive, clean, comfy,and central, and it was nice to get a good sleep and shower before checking into our apartment and getting acquainted with the city. We rented both our apartments from Airbnb, as we tend to do. Our Barcelona flat was phenomenal: huge, beautifully kept and very professionally managed- a few blown lightbulbs were replaced within hours. Our Paris apartment, not so much. We expected it to be petite, with a fourth floor walk up, and a big window overlooking the lively street. We didn’t expect it to be dim, a bit grim, and filled to the brim with the owner’s belongings (David lived out of his open suitcase, I cleaned off a few bookshelves to unpack into), the shower drain to be clogged, or the owner to be generally unconcerned with responding to us or water damage in his bathroom. But c’est la vie- it was rather inexpensive and we loved its location in the heart of the Marais.

And, because I love some listmaking, a 5×4 on our time in Europe.

Memory Makers

That first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. David was navigating as we walked around on our first night, and I spotted it as we rounded a corner. If it’s possible to both squeal and lose your breath at the same time, that’s what I did.
The tasting menu at Tickets. Worth every Euro- David and I agree that it was one of the best meals we’ve ever eaten, with spectacular styling and service. And meeting Ferran Adria in the flesh was such an amazing coincidence- beyond my wildest imagination.
Our morning with Lisa. Paris was incredibly romantic, and it shines through in those images. Our vacation there was such a dream-come-true for me, and it’s just so special to have it captured in a way that’s beautiful, but authentic.
Admiring amazing artwork and architecture while hand-in-hand with my husband. He’s such a great partner in the craziness that is life, so it’s especially nice to take our time and just relax and enjoy, to let the experience wash over us.
Embodying Madeline. I grew up devouring books about ‘twelve little girls in two straight lines,’ and my blue wool coat struck a familiar note. It’s more than a little dorky, but I loved dressing for breakfast one morning with the residents of a vine-covered Parisian boarding school as my inspiration.

Merdé moments

Dropping my iPhone and cracking the screen getting out of our Uber at LAX. Replacement screens were slow and spendy in both cities, according to our inquiries, so I just tolerated it, taped the spreading cracks along the trip, and got it fixed back in the States.
Realizing upon our arrival in Barcelona that Googlemaps is not properly enabled in Spain, and that I wouldn’t be able to access the annotated, color-coordinated, fully mapped out trip agenda I’d worked so hard on. I melted down- it had been a very long travel day.
Crossing the street one afternoon in les Halles, when I locked eyes with a homeless man. Unfortunately, it was as he was relieving (and fully exposing) himself in the middle of the crosswalk! The policeman standing on on the corner was very unconcerned when I informed him, to David’s amusement- I was more than a little shocked and grossed out!
We only took cabs to and from the airport, relying on metro and our legs the rest of the time. I used the Taxi G7 to reserve our cab to Gare de Lyon, but didn’t get a confirmation, so I refreshed it. David was greeted with quite the sight when he took our bags down that morning: two cabbies arguing loudly over who deserved our fare. We got dinged with a couple Euro fee- for technically canceling the second car, but it was quickly and easily resolved.
Chatelet. The metro station was under construction, and it took forever and a day (at least 20 minutes) to navigate transfers through and was just a timesuck. I may have had a hangry tantrum there while David laughed in my face, and took mortifying pictures.

Regretfully missed- saved for our return to Europe

Versailles. With so much to do in Paris, I couldn’t bear to allot the day to make the trip out. But I drool over ornate Baroque styling, and cannot wait to see all of that gorgeous gold-and-garden goodness with my own two eyes.
Country time. On the whole, I would have loved a few more days for making day trips and visiting the countryside. I’d adore a day in Monet’s gardens at Giverny (the Orangerie was practically a religious experience) or tasting Champagne at the caves in Reims. We also talked about spending a night or two in the South of France or at the Spanish seaside, but couldn’t be away any longer.
An immersive foodie experience. Ideally, it would be David Lebovitz’s gastronomy tour, but I’d be happy with an intensive pastry course, truffle-hunting in the hills, or another indulgent learning experience along those lines.
Cooking, in general. The Boqueria is the most amazing market, and the marches in Paris weren’t shabby either, overflowing with scrumptious and well-priced raw materials. We had kitchen access, but had too many yummies on the list to eat out to do much cooking at home. I can’t wait to make my groceries there, and the delicious meals that will result!
Sport. We made serious effort to attend a live sporting event while in Europe, but it just didn’t work out. We couldn’t find a pair of decently priced seats for the FC Barcelona home game. So we bought great seats to a Paris Saint-Germain home game. Shortly before our trip, they qualified for the European League championships and our game got postponed until after we returned to the States. It was so unlucky!

And once more, with feeling

I’d get on a plane tommorow just for the repeat eats. My mouth waters thinking of mango-passionfruit caramels from Jacques Genin, flaky laminated pastries, fresh-caught uni, Cava Rosado, and authentic Jamon Iberico. Gimme.
We’ll definitely invest in the Paris Museum Pass again. Cutting the lines was glorious, and it is such an good value if you are visiting several museums or monuments. We especially loved the freedom to see as much or as little of as many places as we wished.
I’m going to up my shopping game big time, and save my pennies in advance. Knowing all the goodies that exist, I’m reminiscing over antique linens and furniture and lusting after shoes handmade of Spanish leather, authentic vintage couture (maybe another Chanel purse?) and burnished copper cookware. And I’ll certainly have a long list of beauty products to buy and replenish.
We’re going to keep star collecting. We love good food at all price points, but made a point of eating a Michelin-starred meal on this trip, and adored the experience. I’d love to visit other restaurants of that caliber, and collect as many stars in Europe as budget allows.
I’ve mentioned before that we don’t love most tourist attractions, and prefer to try and live like locals. But sometimes it’s the tourist traps that are fun. I love striking the balance between mainstream and offbeat, so we’ll always feel free to skip any attraction that doesn’t genuinely excite one of us, and build in extra time to wander aimlessly and explore freely. And people watch. That’s a must.

loveRavayna

January 4, 2016

3 In travel

in love in Paris

David indulged me with and on this entire trip, but especially our last full day in Paris. Despite preferring his pillow to a photo shoot, he was obliging and even enthusiastic when we woke at sunrise to run around the heart of Paris with Lisa Bouanna in tow.

Inspired by a sorority sister who hired a photographer while visiting Paris with her husband, I realized how special photos from this trip could be. I connected with Lisa via Instagram, and we exchanged a few emails before making arrangements to meet up.

We met Lisa very early in the morning, planning to breakfast after. We made the prudent choice to stave off sleepy eyes and yawns by stopping for our daily café crème. #liveauthentic and all that jazz, sleepyheads needed coffee.

A little caffeine perked us right up, it seems.

We paid the check and headed towards the Seine, meandering over when we approached one of the wide wooden bridge.

We were a little giddy and were skipping (I can’t run, so I skip) and frolicking and being entirely silly. Acting a fool is one of our favorite pastimes, and we were laughing at ourselves so hard!

The sun came out to play on our shoot day. When we’d been packing and prepping at home more than two weeks prior, weather reports had predicted blustery winds and highs in the 50s, so I planned sweaters, scarves, and gloves. But the weather grew warmer and more beautiful each day of our trip, and I found myself eyeing our suitcase contents (more on those to come) to pull together a spontaneous look.

But it really didn’t matter what we wore. Relaxed and romanced by gorgeous city of lights, we were shamelessly smitten, which is no big shock to anyone who knows us.

I loved the ironwork and architecture of the Eiffel Tower long before I ever visited Paris or laid eyes on it. So majestic, more beautiful than I could have imagined, it gave me a little thrill every time I saw it. And these shots make me want to swoon.

When I saw the trees beginning to bloom during our time exploring Paris, I’d hoped we would get a few pictures with them. The Trocadero Gardens were ever so obliging, with the cherry blossom trees all frosted with fluffy pink blossoms.

I’m completely obsessed with the images from this shoot, not gonna lie. I could have shared hundreds. Since David’s perpetually the photographer, we have zillion shots of me but not so many of us together. Paris was such a dream realized for me, and Lisa captured us, in all our silliness and sweetness, so beautifully.

I couldn’t treasure them more.

loveRavayna

December 23, 2015

0 In travel

amazing Paris eats

If I’m being totally honest, and I sure try to be on my corner of the internet, I went to Europe with an insane ‘to eat’ list and map. I built an agenda alternating activities and snacks, so our fat little fingers were thrilled, and keeping David well-fed encouraged his patience as I dragged him all over creation.

We love falafel, like any good Jews, and were staying right near the Rue du Roisiers. We divided and ordered sandwiches from each Chez Marianne and L’As du Fallafel and had ourselves a head-to-head lunch battle.

L’As du Fallafel was the winner for sure, and I’m not the least bit embarrassed to say we waited in that fast-moving line several more times during our stay, and I’ve definately craved it since. Extra sauce piquante is the way to go, trust.

Chronic sweet tooth that I have, I had to indulge in Angelina‘s lauded hot chocolate. And this might be sacrilegious, but I thought it was just yummy, but not miraculous. I spoil us with rich homemade cocoa, and fresh whipped cream happens often, so my standards are crazy high. Delicious, but not life changing.

But now, Jacques Genin‘s caramels- magical. I had been skeptical of how good overpriced sweets could be… I was wrong, they were better. The pepper and passion fruit-mango varieties were my favorite, but every single flavor (I bought them all) was incredible. The mademoiselle helping me thought it was the most precious thing that David was taking pictures through the window from where he was waiting with our bikes… she gave us some extra treats for our “lune de miel” with a wink, and I didn’t have the heart to correct her.

When we went to Berthillon, David let me pick all the flavors- that’s true love. We took our stacked cones down to the Seine and I devoured my mirabelle plum, passion fruit, and wild strawberry sorbets, as well as David’s pistachio, salted caramel, and pinenut praline ice cream. He thought I was joking when I stopped for a second cone when we passed the storefront again, but it was so creamy and delicious, and I still had more flavors to try!

Pierre Herme ruined lesser macarons for me, forever. Olive oil and mandarin, vanilla-violet-blackcurrant, passion fruit- strawberry rhubarb, yasamine (jasmine, mango, candied grapefruit) and more, I bought bagsful every time we passed a shop. I always intended to save some for later, but never managed to stop myself from nibbling away. Their pastries and pates de fruit were equally as incredible, and I dream of the caneles.

I have a serious love for laminated dough of all kind, so I made a point of eating at least one croissant a day, usually two or three, from as many boulangeries as possible. Pierre Herme’s signature ispahan (rose, raspberry, lychee) was the most fantastic stuffed croissant I encountered in all of Paris. It was even more delicious than it was beautiful, and it was practically a work of art.

I’d have to say that the best classic croissant au beurre was at Gontran Cherrier, a recommendation from Clotilde. Gloriously flaky and shatteringly crisp, I found my napkin sprinkled with pastry shards. The buns and curried bread were also incredible, and the kouign amann and madeleines we took to go all made scrumptious picnic snacks.

I’ve mentioned our neighborhood boulangerie, Poilane, before. Just across from our flat, their wood-fired breads are magnificent, their sourdough renowned, excellent croissants, and baguette to die for. But unsung heroes are their punitions- legendary shortbread cookies, generously dispensed. I’m attempting them at home, and will report back on that.

Maison Kayser‘s pain au cereales was as incredible as rumored, but so was the pain au chocolat. The brioche (both au pralines roses and mousse line) were fantastic as well. I’m certain I ate more carbs in Paris than I had in months, and it was worth every delicious calorie.

I’ve mentioned some of our other meals in specific- fondue, steak, crepes but we really ate so much- everything we possibly could, and more than we photographed! There are so many places I need to return to Paris to try for the first time still, but when I do, I’ll be sure to revisit some of these highlights.

loveRavayna

December 18, 2015

0 In travel

dinner, drinks and the dead

Back on our bikes, we rode from the Marais towards Montparnasse. We’d planned to return our bikes then, but found the Velib stations all full. We checked several before deciding to just park and lock them so we could adventure on, joining a short line that would lead us into the Catacombs of Paris.

We descended into the catacombs, and I was immediately glad we’d gone home to change. Despite the nearly 80′ day, it was damp and chilly deep underground Paris- the catacombs are consistently 57′ and wet, regardless of weather.

The sheer size of the catacombs was just astounding. It felt like we were walking around underneath Paris for hours, party to an endless bone parade. I’m not easily spooked, and I didn’t find the catacombs all that creepy, but I was totally intrigued by the logistics of creation, and impressed by the design.

After communing with the dead, we needed to get the graveyard off us before supper. Riding towards home, we finally found openings to return our bikes, so we walked the last little bit back to our apartment. It was a quick turnaround, and before we knew it we were off to dinner at le Relais De l’Entrecôte, as recommended by my good friend Dana.

They serve exactly one entrée, steak frites, and the line is always out the door (at several locations), because they do it incredibly. The meal began with classic green salad with walnuts, and our dinner quickly followed.

And just when we’d polished off a plate of perfectly cooked steak, crispy fries, and the most delectable savory sauce, the adorably uniformed waitress whisked it away to refill it. I hadn’t realized it was AYCE, but promptly adjusted my thinking and made room for two more servings.

We were full and happy as we left dinner and headed to the Arc de Triomphe to gander at the city’s skyline. So it was a bit of a letdown when we found that they’d closed the ticket booths earlier than advertised, and we’d missed it by minutes. As you can see, there was a good sized crowd of disappointed folks, but no drama materialized.

We admired the Arc from underneath, and decided to find the silver lining. After such a long and busy day, a little low key time was welcome, so we snagged a bottle of wine and spot by the Seine to indulge in an after dinner drink.

We sat and talked and laughed and smooched- I swear Paris brings out public displays of affection in people! The romance is real, and I was seriously smitten with my sweet husband as we strolled along the banks of the Seine and headed home for the night.

loveRavayna

November 19, 2015

0 In travel

a Paris museum day, via Velib

We couldn’t start our first full day of museums without securing our transportation, so once caffeinated we headed to pick up our wheels. I was super excited for us to get Velib day passes and bike around Paris!

I pink puffy heart love museums, so I wanted to go go go to them all, but David not so much. So we compromised on a two day pass, with daily agendas of musts and maybes, and intermittent snack and sightsee breaks. It was a positively dreamy experience to ride down streets like these.

We purchased our museum passes at the Rodin Museum, our first stop. The gardens were so stunning and sunshiny, with the statues gleaming and glinting in the sunlight, I couldn’t help but thank Mother Nature. I’ve seen Rodin’s sculpturework before, but the collection all together and the atmosphere were really beautiful.

I cracked up when I saw this picture David snuck- totally unposed! Even though it’s a little blurry, it’s too funny not to share. #bootylicious

Riding all through Paris was so exhilarating! I loved exploring the city in the sunshine, and my body appreciated moving differently from all the walking we had been doing. That said, I wear a helmet at home, so riding through traffic bareheaded was more than a little terrifying. We shared lanes with buses and taxis, so I was just super cautious as not to become Regina George 2.0. We rode to Pierre Herme for some snacks and sweets (more on that later), and then to the Musee d’Orsay.

It was absolutely striking in there, from the arching glass ceilings to that glorious golden clock. Strike me down and call me gaudy, but I love me some ornate antique gold. And the light streaming everywhere was just heavenly.

I had researched exhibition lists while selecting museums to visit, and really did want to see it all- I love Impressionism. So I went from area to area, inspecting displays and reading every informational card- I’m nerdy like that, but I was loving it!

Looking out through the giant clock gave us gorgeous views of Paris. I would have loved to enjoy it longer and see if I could pick out places, while David snapped away. But the area was crowded with rude tourists and unattended children, and I couldn’t handle the fracas for very long. I sound like I’m turning into my granny, but it’s so true!

We escaped to the relative quiet of the the rooftop for a little bit, and enjoyed the birds-eye view, before heading back down and wandering through the museum once more before heading out to our bikes and back into the boulevards of Paris.

We rode across the Seine, just having the best time! We couldn’t help but pull over for a few minutes to admire the river, attempt our typically awful selfies, people watch, and assess the map and agenda. (For the record, this phone charger was clutch on days like this.)

We arrived at this beautiful courthouse, where we parked our bikes and walked around to enter Sainte Chappelle. I was glad for the cut-the-line privileges of our museum passes, because the line was crazy long. Once we walked in, though, I totally understood why.

Pictures really cannot capture the magical quality of Sainte Chappelle. The light through all that brightly colored glass was just incredible, and I nearly broke my neck admiring the gorgeous ceilings. I inched around the perimeter looking at the statues and admiring the gilt work, and marveling at the sheer volume- the architecture amplified the tourist hubbub.

I knew our next activity would be chilly, and wanted to change into something warmer. So we rode our bikes back towards the Marais, grabbing falafel (again) on Rue de Roisers before stopping at our apartment. It was nice to recharge and refresh briefly, but we had one more attraction to see that afternoon, so were on our way again soon…

loveRavayna

November 18, 2015

0 In travel

breakfast and blooms

Another beautiful day in Paris began with a refreshingly crisp morning. We started our day in Les Invalides, gearing up for a full day of museum gawking and a bit of exercise.

There’s no better way to wake up than with flaky goodness and a side of caffeine, in my opinion. Pain et Chocolat provided my early morning fuel- a namesake pastry and a grand crème. After the bottomless wine brouhaha the night before, I was grateful for the option to supersize my usual café crème.

As I build travel agendas, I allow plenty of extra time for wandering, inspecting, and loafing about. Taking the scenic route as always, we came across a beautiful little pocket park. Square Samuel Rousseau was an oasis along our walk, perfect to sit for a few minutes.

So many flowers were in bloom in the small garden, the air was fragrant as the sun began warming them. The hyacinth were especially heady, and I was just astonished at what gorgeous weather Mother Nature was gifting us.

We admired the design of the Army Museum’s exterior as we walked past. It looked so distinguished, with rows of antique cannons, I had to check the map and identify it. I was highly caffeinated, giddy on sunshine, and beyond excited to spend the day nerding out at museums. I swear I giggled every time I spotted the Eiffel Tower, falling more in love with Paris by the moment.