Holiday Dessert Giveaway
Intensely chocolate, this classic French dessert hints at why Paris is called the city of Love. Who doesn’t love Mousse au Chocolate, or any other food produced by the French. Although the French didn’t know about chocolate until the 17th century when Spain shared its guilty little pleasure, they’ve taken chocolate to new heights of […]
WIN a European Prize!
It’s Time to Confess Dear readers, I have a confession to make. I’ve fallen in love. Believe me, I didn’t expect it. I had my guard up. I knew what I needed to avoid, and so I traveled to Europe with a suitcase filled with vegan protein bars. Yes, I’m gluten and dairy intolerant but […]
Colors that Put Crayons to Shame
As much as I love the summer, I get a bit giddy when the leaves begin to change. Autumn here in the Midwest is a mix of skies so blue they almost make you cry, and leaves that put crayons to shame. Around mid-September I forget all about summer and long for cool autumn days […]
A Moment in Provence
Just like a child eagerly anticipating Christmas with visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads, we drove to Provence and I was giddy with anticipation. How could I not be? Provence was the object of my daydreams, the European promised land, the ultimate destination that inspired my love for France. It’s My Mom’s Fault It […]
Join the French Party
A Medieval town that seems untouched by time but that also offers the profound pleasure of endless shopping possibilities can be found nestled in the hills of the Perigord Noir region. Sarlat la Candida is a beautiful town constantly inundated by tourists in the south west of France. The tourists are right, Sarlat is worth […]
Once Upon a Time, She had New Eyes
Once upon a time, a French man took a quill in hand and became the father of the fairy tale. Charles Perrault, inspired by the magical towers and pinnacles of Chateau de Usse wrote, La Belle au Bois Dormant (Sleeping Beauty) in 1697. While visiting the Loire valley, home to endless chateau, I was stunned […]
Paris is Always a Good Idea
Bon Jour from France! After years of being a long-distance, hard-core Francophile, I’m discovering if my love affair was valid. My family and I are on a journey that I’ve been dreaming of for years. Five weeks, ten stops, and four countries will awaken new desires, form new loves and broaden our thoughts and minds. […]
“We’ll Always have Paris”
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” Proust As this article posts, I’ll be boarding a plane and beginning my European adventure. The story of how it was on, then canceled, then back on again can be found in my previous post. Join me on a […]
Join me on a Journey!
“I met a lot of people in Europe. I even encountered myself.” For the past 20 years I have occupied a small but important spot in the middle of the corn fields of the Midwest. I have stayed close to home and created a place where I nurtured and taught my five children. Our home […]
Last Minute Summer Trip Ideas
School supplies already fill the shelves at my local Walmart. I am not ready to leave summer or even entertain the idea of autumn. I’m enjoying every warm and sunny day, but alas, I realize that August is fast approaching. How the heck are we halfway through July!!! For those of you, like me, who […]