#TBT: Paris

…. This time last month; my guy and I took the express train to Paris (on the prompting of his Aunt and Uncle who were visiting and treasure time spent with the girls sans those pesky parents around) :).  Thanks Jeff & Phyllis!

Having been to Paris before and having seen the "main attractions"; this time around we did what we like to do best…. stroll thru the streets, window shop and linger in cafes….

I can't put my finger on it; but like a nice hearty soup that has been simmering on the stove all day; there is something quite enticing about the melding of history, art, architecture, food and culture that creates a certain magic here...

"Paris is always a good idea" - Audrey Hepburn  

Indeed.

Speaking of great escapes; this weekend tote….

… a cute reminder to plan your next getaway... be it to Paris or just down the road to a cute hotel for a night. :)

Explore: The Maldives

Prior to moving to Europe, I honestly could not have told you where the Maldives were… But, it didn't take long to start hearing the buzz from the Europeans regarding one of their favorite getaways…. these islands surrounded by crystal clear waters, sandy beaches, wonderful people, seclusion…. That, and one simple Pinterest search is all it took for my guy to set his sights on getting us there…

So, last month…. we took a dream vacation along with some close friends to celebrate our 20th anniversaries (theirs in 2014 and ours coming up in 2015).  And, yep, it was all that…

warm, inviting waters; the most stunning star-filled sky I have ever seen; beautiful sunrises and sunsets... perfect peace except for the sound of our bicycle tires in the sand…. Paradise found indeed.

  

London Calling….

Well, I'm happy to report that while nothing can quite take the place of sharing Thanksgiving with family; we were able to find a very good traditional American turkey and dressing kind of meal (minus the green bean casserole of course) with our British ancestors in London.  :)

Visiting London this time of year is like literally stepping into a Dickens novel…. soft, warm lights glowing thru decorated shop windows; Christmas music being played by street musicians, folks hustling about the streets in scarves and hats…. the whole effect is very magical (except for that pesky exchange rate) :) … and the weekend held a little bit of something for everyone:  a visit to Hampton Court Palace for me; ice skating at Somerset House for the oldest girls; our first high tea (Marlowe's favorite memory of the weekend); shopping on Regent Street for my teen; a Charlie & the Chocolate Factory show for the family; and even a barbecue dinner for my guy...

inside the world's oldest surviving hedge maze (1/2 mile long!)

dreaming of Downton

you can have the inside of the palace; I'll just take the gardens…

I tried my best to get one of those Fortnum & Mason wicker baskets; but, alas, they would only sell them full of goodies. :(

Ashtyn and I agreed we could happily spend a month just going from quaint cafe to quaint cafe...

Quintessential…. but, ewwww… try not to touch. :)

Going on a bear hunt…. for the Paddingtons all over the city

yes, that's them

well, we made it thru about a 1/3 of this...

yes… and yes...

A big highlight was meeting my first 'virtu-real' (phrase coined by JCWebb) friend! :)  We followed one another's blogs in the States and became expats at the same time in 2012…. she to London and us to Geneva where we've kept in contact via Instagram and such…. and it was such a joy to finally get together face to face… the 21st century version of long time pen pals… fantastic!

Jennifer and Patricia…. I hope you'll be next! :)