Pere Lachaise Cemetery

A few weeks ago on one of Jack's days off, we went to the largest cemetery in Paris. This is not just any cemetery, it is the gravesites for those who have enhanced French life over the past 200 years. Some names that are buried here that you might recognize are Jim Morrison (lead singer of the Doors), Oscar Wilde (novelist, poet and playwright) and Camille Pissaro (French impressionist painter). 

It was a great way for us to get outside and enjoy a beautiful, sunny afternoon in Paris. 

Jim Morrison's grave

Biking in Versailles

We have had lots of guests over the last few weeks, which has given us an opportunity to get out and see the city. I went on a Fat Tire tour to Versailles with our good friend Robert. Not that I have a biased opinion or anything, but it is one of the best tours in France. Robert was here on business, but stayed the weekend to spend some more time with us. He is getting married to one of my best and oldest friends, Jill, in Puerto Rico this June. Can't wait for that wedding. 

Tour begins with a stop at the local market in Versailles. The basket came in handy.

Robert following the rest of the group through the grounds of Versailles. Not your average backyard.

Our market purchases with the Chateau in the background. Not the worst spot for a picnic.

In front of the Chateau. 

Check out the tourist to the left of Robert. Really? That is what you decided to wear today?

The gardens. Again, not your average backyard.

Sadie's Food Tour

Last week, I was able to join a group of gals for a food tour throughout the Latin Quarter. Sadie, who works at Fat Tire, is in the midst of starting her own tour company. We were there as guinea pigs along with one of her clients. We had a great time and were able to learn a few interesting facts about French cuisine and try a some new things. Sadie did a great job and I would highly recommend her tour.

 Picked up a loaf of bread at a famous boulangerie - Eric Kayser.

 Sadie (blue shorts) talking to the group.

 Fishies were not on our food tour menu.

 Cheese? Yes please.

The group enjoying some of our purchases.

SPRING FEVER

Spring is in the air, so Jack and I headed to the flower market yesterday. I went looking for herbs to plant in pots for our little stoop, but couldn't find the ones that I wanted and left empty handed. There are markets here for everything - furniture, clothes, food, wine, books, antiques, ets. So, we weren't surprised to stumble upon the flower market. It was the perfect time of year to go. 

Spring is kinda sorta here! 

Some other activities that we have enjoyed over the last couple of weeks have been:

Musee d'Orsay

Musee Marmottan Monet

Picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower (Champs de Mars)

Visiting the China town in Paris and making an Asian dish from our purchased ingredients

Bike ride through Paris

Dinner party with friends here at our apartment

Tapas date night

Several food based activities......just the way we like it!

REFUGE DES FONDUES

Last week we went to Refuge des Fondues (video gives you a good idea of the place). This special trip was due to the fact that the Berlin Fat Tire crew was in town. I have never been to this particular restaurant/tourist destination, but the Paris Fat Tire folks go a couple of times a year for special occasions. Refuge des Fondues is not a Joel Robuchon restaurant. This is a whole in the wall, all you can eat, write on the walls, drink wine out of a baby bottle & climb on the tables kind of joint. It was packed and we had to wait an hour outside, but once inside, I immediately knew why young American adults from across the globe would want to come here. We had a great time eating below average fondue, drinking wine out of a baby bottle (only way that I would - a glass is just too classy) and crammed in on the benches. I promise, it was a ton of fun. Yes, I would go back. 

 Some of our group enjoying the fondu and wine. 

I told you, the wine was literally served in baby bottles. 

N.O.L.A.

Jack and I spent 10 days at the beginning of March (a little late on the post) in New Orleans visiting family, experiencing Mardis Gras & witnessing Kemily get hitched. If I had to describe the trip in one word it would be exhausting, but I wouldn't have changed a thing about it. Jack's oldest brother, Ross, and his awesome family put up with us for the first 6 nights and they were incredibly hospitable and wonderful guides to New Orleans. We had a great time going to some of the more popular parades, as well as some of the unique ones during Mardis Gras.

Meet the New Orleans Louis Gang....

Jenny

Sweet Isabelle (one of the twins)

Arden (one of the twins)

Ross

Gabriel (oldest brother and grandchild in the Louis Gang)

Aunt Leigh and the kids

 Isabelle is writing on one of Candy Chang's many art installations throughout the city.

 Can you guess which Louis wrote each one??? If I could go back and change mine, I would for sure. I folded under the pressure to write something life changing, sentimental, funny, etc. 

 Fat Tuesday! Jack and I re-used our Christmas card costume and dressed as Frenchies. Not sure about Jack's face here. Lovin' the staches.

 Ross & Jenny's family dressed as a Les Miles Charter School for kids who don't speak good. 

Ross & Jenny's family always dresses in theme attire and have a competition each year with the family on the left. I think we all agreed that the family on the left took home the trophy this year. You may not be able to see it, but the parents are dressed as corn, the two oldest children as potatoes and the youngest is a crawfish.....so, a crawfish boil! You should have seen how many people stopped to take pictures of them.

 Elizabeth, Mary Catherine & Emily (bride)

One of the main reasons that brought us to New Orleans was to be a part of Kent and Emily's wedding. It was an AWESOME wedding and I wish I had more pictures. This one is from the bridesmaid luncheon at Commander's Palace....yummy.

 Pammy and the Bear came in town for the wedding. So, we stayed over an extra day on Sunday to spend more one on one time with them. We were also able to see Mr. and Mrs. Louis on Wednesday and Thursday. I unfortunately do not have any pictures from our time with them, which is unfortunate because we did some really fun things - softball, bike ride, beignet's from Cafe du Monde and a couple of nice, big family meals. Next time I will be sure to take my camera with me everywhere to document every last second of our trips.

 Also, on Sunday we were able to spend a couple of hours with Jack's sister, Kate, and her family. We went to a park and got ice cream before they headed to the beach for Spring Break.

Ella, Brent, Alice & Uncle Jack

We had an amazing time in New Orleans and were able to see tons of family and friends. Thank you to everyone that hosted us while we were there and came in town to see us! We loved every second of it.

Finally, congratulations to Kent and Emily. One of the best weddings ever. 

Czech it out!

Leigh and I went on our first trip in Europe outside of France just before Valentine's Day. The criteria for the trip was that it had to be a city that we didn't mind seeing when it was so cold. That narrowed the search down to Eastern Europe for the most part, and we decided on Prague in the Czech Republic. Leigh had been there while she traveled through Europe in college, but I had never been.

On the banks of the Vlatava River next to the Charles Bridge

We rented a little apartment for three nights just off the Old Town Square. It was a really relaxing trip. We didn't have any set agenda and instead just enjoyed going on long walks and getting lost in Prague's winding and almost thousand year old streets. I was shocked at how beautiful of a city it was. Everyone told me how old Prague was before I visited, but seeing it firsthand was really cool. The city saw almost no destruction from either of the World Wars and therefore appears to not have changed since the 1200's. I keep telling people that it looks like a Disney movie set. Paris is an old city, but you can see buildings that have been built in the last hundred years here. I don't think I saw but a handful in Prague. The fact that the Czech Koruna (CZK) is 24CZK to 1 Euro helped us enjoy a little more than if we had gone to another city.

First dinner was a street vendor that Anthony Bourdain visited on his travel show.

Incredible sausages and really cheep beer.

Our first full day we went on a bike tour. It was a good ride and orientation to all the major sites, but it was cold. Paris had warmed up to 50 degrees when we left, and Prague was a frigid 25.

While on the tour, we rode by the Lennon Wall. A wall in the city that became an impromptu graffiti memorial to John Lennon after his death. The art, and quotes weren't well received the communist government and it created quite a bit of controversy. Today it changes regularly and is full of several different Beatles inspired art.

We saw several David Cerny statues across the city as well. He is a really interesting sculptor. The peeing man fountain below is an interactive statue. The hips swivel, and if you send a text message to a hotline, the statues will begin to write your message in the water. The hanging man is supposed to be Sigmund Freud displaying "the human condition to to consciously make the decision to live life or to let go." Go figure. Click each picture to see a larger version.

The food in Prague was really fun at first (at least for me). Lots of sausage, pork, and beer. By the end of it we were ready to have some more veggies though. We did have a great Czech meal one night in a famous beer hall.

Smoked Old Prague Ham

One afternoon we walked through one of their markets. Leigh bought a Christmas ornament. She has decided to start a collection from all of our travels.

One of the highlights was walking from our apartment in Old Town across the river into New Town and the Prague Castle. We walked across the famous Charles Bridge that was built in the 1300's and is decorated with several statues of Saints and other popular religious figures.

Street musician on Charles Bridge

Beautiful stained glass inside St. Vitus Cathedral inside the Castle walls. The original cathedral was built in the 900's.

Click to see the glass zoomed in, it's very impressive.

Leigh with the Prague Castle in the background

View from the Castle back towards Old Town

My niece Ella had sent us Flat Stanley to take along on our trip. Unfortunately it didn't arrive in time and the only thing we could color a print-off with was highlighters. Here is Leigh and I with Flat Stanley in Prague's Old Town Square.