NYC

Jack and I are flying from the Windy City to the Big Apple this weekend! Our stay will be short and sweet but we are going to try and maximize our stay as much as possible. We will spend Friday afternoon/evening in NYC and then Saturday at a dear college friend's wedding in Nyack, NY. Since we only have the afternoon really to explore NYC we are just doing two things: 1). Eat at Market Table and 2). Visit the Empire State Building at night and share a kiss (or two) a la "An Affair to Remember" (if you haven't seen this movie you should!). I found the rec for Market Table via Goop and I'm hoping it lives up to its reputation. This little West Village gem promises to be good with it's focus on fresh seafood and array of tasty desserts. Looks warm and inviting no?

We fly out tomorrow and I still haven't found something to wear to the wedding! I always do things last minute unfortunately. I'm trying to decide between the blue or the raspberry dress from Club Monaco. The wedding will be outdoors with a summery picnic "theme" that reflects the couple to a tee. No fuss, casual and carefree is how I would describe the bride and groom to be. Which dress would you go with? Or perhaps neither? Advice would be greatly appreciated!

(P.S... I went with this dress after it went on sale!)

Hitting the Slopes

Jack and I will by flying home to Colorado this weekend for a little ski trip to Winter Park! I won't look as cute as the girl above but hopefully my Spider gear will keep me warm. I promised my sister a couple of excellent meals, a spectacular fall on my tush on the slopes and plenty of sisterly bonding! I'm counting down the minutes! Have a wonderful weekend! {Image via Black*Eiffel}

Honeymoon Part II: Paris

I've been fortunate enough to discover Paris on my own as a teenager and visit Paris with someone I love. Paris is a city for everyone; it rejoices the unexpected, the path of self discovery and of course love. It really is a wonderful magical place. As Jack likes to say, "We will always have Paris". I couldn't agree more.

Some people go to Paris to shop. Some come to Paris to be seen. We go to Paris to eat, eat, eat! I have a must see list of favorite "foodie" sites that I have cultivated over the years that I thought I would share with all of you. Here is part of my Paris Rolodex in all of its glory that features what I consider the best of the best:

Brasserie Balzar: This is a wonderful old brasserie with lots of charm with the most Parisian of waiters. Balzac has been around since the late 1800's and is a favorite of the Left Bank arts community. Don't be frightened off by the waiters; if you are courteous, enjoy great food and have a sense of humor they will respond in kind. Ironically enough the same waiter we had the night of our engagement was our waiter on our return to Paris. The escargot is delicious and Jack swears by the liver and onions. We ended our evening discussing politics with a fun Swedish couple over a delicious 2003 Comte Armand Pommard Cru (yes I had to write it down it was so good).

Le Petite Prince de Paris: Petit Prince is located near the Pantheon on a little side street called Rue Lanneau. You can't miss it with its cheerful red facade. This is a great place for a romantic dinner for two; the ambiance is as famed for its food. Just thinking of the stuffed Boudin chicken is making my mouth water. Go for the prix fix; it is an excellent value. The staff is friendly and reservations are not hard to come by. This is a must!

Au Bon Saint-Pourcain: This little gem was discovered after a visit to the nearby Saint-Sulpice church. We were ambling down Rue Servadoni (strangely enough there are not one but several "Australian" themed stores on this Rue) when we stopped at this picturesque little restaurant. When I think of authentic French food I think of Au Bon Saint-Pourcain. Imagine a hearty roast lamb, fragrant escargot or a tasty sole. It doesn't get more authentic than this.

Poilane: Probably the most famous boulangerie in Paris and it definitely lives up to its name. You know it is a winner when you see local Parisians waiting in line for their dense and chewy bread. I'm partial to the sourdough but what I think makes this boulangerie so special is their jam. Yes, I could live without the bread but the jam is fantastic. The myrtle (blueberry) is heavenly. If I could ship a crate home of myrtle jam I would. Nothing... I mean nothing compares to it here in the States. I would buy a ticket back just for the jam! Jack and I would make a stop at Poilane on our way home everyday for bread and jam.

Laduree: I waxed poetic over Laduree in one of my previous posts and I still think they make the best French Macaroons. Its an experience not to be missed. Although Angelina's was great I think Jack and I prefer Laduree for not only it's delicious pastries, cakes and macaroons but for its tea house experience. For God's sakes they need to open a store in the States, even if I have to travel to NYC!

Barthelemy: Barthelemy is located on one of my favorite streets in Paris (Rue Grenelle). It's pretty nondescript and tiny but if you want to try the best cheese in Paris then this is the place. It's really pricey but worth it. The properitiers are walking fromage encyclopedias. Don't be shy and ask for their expertise. There is a cheese for every wine and dish. I'm partial to any type of chevre but they have a fast selection of brie, fontainebleu ect. Try the boulamour: the store speciality triple creme fromage blanc soaked in kirsch and studded with currants. Talk about a tasty snack!

Maison Rollet-Pradier: A wonderful patissier-chocolatier. For New Years we bought a petit French macaroon chocolate mousse for dessert that we shared with a wonderful bottle of champagne (Ruinart). It was the tastiest chocolate mousse either one of us has ever had.

Hediard: One can go to the Grand Epicerie de Pars a Bon Marche for gourmet foods but if you want something similar on a much smaller scale then Hediard's is the place to go. This is the place to buy some tasty fois gras (to put on your Poilane bread!) or peruse the enormous selections of coffees and teas. Also they have great gift baskets to bring back home to your loved ones.

Maison Berthillon: I was touring Ill Saint Louis on a hot, sunny Parisian day back 10 or so years ago with a group of friends. We were downright pooped from sight seeing and we were cranky. One of the girls suggested we try and find Berthillon, a famed ice cream shop to liven our moods. It's simply delicious. We sat on the corner and ate our ice cream and scouted for Johnny Depp (he didn't show). Oh well, it was amazing. Unfortunately Jack and I never got a chance to go (well I'm not big on eating ice cream when its cold) but hopefully we will go back. Just watch out for the crowds!

{photo sources: One for the table, Pure Mochalette, Appaloosa's photostream, The Amateur Gourmet, Insatiable Critic, Gwagner }

Honeymoon Part I

We had an amazing time on our honeymoon. It was part adventure part relaxation which ended up being a perfect balance for the two of us. We stayed in Morocco for two weeks and for kicks we ended our honeymoon with a week long sojourn in Paris. We were gone for almost a month and boy was it hard to come back to snowy cold Chicago! We met so many wonderful people along the way, explored until our feet where too tired and ate to our hearts content. I can't wait to share all of our favorite places and things to do. But first I will start with Paris and work my way backwards.

Once we settled on going back to Paris we decided to rent an apartment vs staying in a generic hotel. We wanted to experience life as a Parisian; albeit even if only for a brief stay. We looked at many different companies and settled on Perfectly Paris, a company run by Gail Bosclair whose specialty is rentals in the Montmartre area of Paris. We thought Montmartre would be a fun new area to explore and it was. We were close to Place Pigalle (known for being the sex district of Paris and the location of Moulin Rouge) but hey, we got married in New Orleans so nothing really shocks us! But once you get off Pigalle the area is residential and picturesque with the beautiful Sacre-Coeur Basilica within walking distance. Here are some photos of our little place in Paris:

We loved our little apartment. It was really small but perfect for the two of us. Our apartment "The Countess" was beautifully furnished, in a good location and the price was right. Right around the corner we had a laundry mat and all the mom and pop speciality food stores that you could imagine. By day two we already had our favorite boulangerie, fromagerie and wine store where we did our daily shopping. Some nights we just would come home and fix a charcuterie plate with crusty french bread and a couple glasses of wine. Ah... heaven!!! Since it's almost Valentine's Day I thought I would finish this post with a dessert and flowers theme. I couldn't leave Paris without going back to Angelina tea house for some hot chocolate:

As part of their holiday series Angelina teamed up with Swarovski and created the Swarovski limited edition french macaroons. They are almost too pretty to eat!

The display case in Angelina.

Angelina's famous hot chocolate. So rich and creamy! It was definitely worth the wait.

Scrumptious petite fours:

Paris has the most beautiful flower shops. Flower design is on a whole other level in Paris. The displays are fanciful, artistic and gorgeous. I'd see one and just pop right in. If I lived in Paris I'd always have a bouquet of fresh flowers in my house... who cares the cost right?

The prettiest peonies I've ever seen. Don't they look heavenly?!?

More peonies...can't get enough of them!

Beautiful orchid display at Moulie- another gorgeous flower shop. Check out the lamb and icicles

More to come...

CVB

If there is one thing New Orleans does right is how to welcome travelers far and wide with open arms. The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau is a non-profit group that assists travelers with a variety of concerns; even weddings . Here is just a snippet of what they do free of charge to make your wedding planning easier:

· locate 10 or more hotel rooms in New Orleans for the big day;

· learn details regarding marriage license requirements;

· explore reception, ceremony and rehearsal party venue options; and

· research caterers, florists and other wedding product and service professionals.

Leslie Straughn assisted us with our room block and we had 40 or so hotels in the New Orleans contact us with room block proposals. We were able to pick the ones with the best offers and take it from there. If you are not getting married in New Orleans it's worth a check to see if your local visitors bureau offers the same service!

Singing in the Rain

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Can I go in... pretty please? I am still kicking myself for not going into Madeleine Gely when I had the chance. I just stood in front of the shop, aching to go in but feeling overwhelmed I didn't. I just stood there like an idiot face pressed to the glass. Now that I'm older and wiser I am no longer intimidated! I'm on the hunt for a pretty umbrella and I wish I could take a quick trip to Paris so I could live in this store. More to come on my umbrella hunt!

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Madeleine Gelly was founded in 1834 and it is located on Boulevard St. Germain. The store is crammed with beautiful umbrellas from floor to ceiling along with walking sticks, parasols and other beautiful accessories. In 2002 Alexandra Sojfer took over her family's umbrella business founded by her grandfather Georges Gaspar and joined forces with Madeleine Gelly. They offer a variety of umbrellas in various sizes, colors with a price range that is accommodating. Everything is handmade with the finest materials and the cost is worth it. If you have an antique umbrella or one that needs fixing they also restore and repair on the side.

La Foce

All images via La Foce

We originally planned on traveling to Tuscany for our honeymoon. Although winter in Tuscany is breathtaking it is nonetheless cold during the Christmas season. By the time December comes around we are going to be ready to leave blistery cold Chicago for a little warm weather. We did consider the benefits of traveling off-season. For one Tuscany will be devoid of tourists like ourselves and that is a definite plus. I can picture the museum lines being slightly shorter and getting a glimpse of country life without feeling like I'm part of a herd. And everything is generally cheaper; from the tickets to accommodations. There are so many different options to choose from in the Tuscan countryside but the one that stood out the most was La Foce in the Val d'Orcia. Its beautiful, affordable, close to the famous wine towns of Tuscany and offers a variety of activities to choose from. The villa and it's gardens are world renowned and the history of the area is fascinating. The garden layout was designed by Cecil Pensit and if you are interested in perusing the history and designs further you can buy the book on La Foce here. I'll let the images do most of the talking:

City of Gold

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I've loved gold jewelry from the moment I stepped foot in the gold souks of my childhood. Living in the Middle East during my formative years gave me an appreciation for the finer things in life and jewelry was the first luxury I came to appreciate. The souks are like gold cities; the shops are filled from top to bottom in shiny gold and brilliant jewels that spark the imagination. It really is a sight to behold- akin to feeling like you are in an Indiana Jones movie set.

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It was always a treat to visit the souks with my Mom. Instead of barbie dolls I would plead for a little gold bangle or charm. Back in the early 90's it was really popular to wear a necklace aka Carrie in Sex in the City but with your name in Arabic instead. Or wear stacked gold bangles. I would stack my favorite shiny gold Indian bangles and flick my little wrists to hear them clink. Alas my little gold bangles don't fit me anymore but hopefully someday our future children/nieces will put them to good use. Gold help me if they find jewelry as fascinating as I did!

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The best gold souk to visit in the Middle East is the Dubai Gold Souk in the United Arab Emirates. It's easy to get to and it's located in the old Deira district. Most of the gold and diamond sales comes from India with Belgium being a close second for diamond sales. My mom always preferred the jewelry imported from Italy but Indian jewelry just has more flair. I love it!Jewelry is far more affordable in the Souk and fashion forward to boot than what you can get in the States with it's tremendous mark-up.

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Here are some tips if you happen to be fortuante enough to be headed to the Souk:


1). Go early so you can avoid the crowds and sweltering hot weather


2). Don't be afraid to negotiate down the price. The vendors expect it... otherwise you might offend them. Strange I know. But that's how it's done. It shows that you value their product by taking the time to offer for it. Negotiation is an art form and in the Souk it's a sink or swim environment!


3). You will be offered tea or juice upon entering the store as a sign of curtesy. It's bad form to not accept the offering; if you really don't want it (you probably will after walking around in the hot weather) just take a little sip and put it down. Oh, and just because you are offered a drink does not mean you have to buy anything.. it's just a sign of curtesy.


I haven't been to Dubai in ages but when I last lived there, it was just starting to boom. It's now an international hot-spot and it really is an amazing place to visit. Down the road I'll create a little Dubai travelogue of things to do and places to see. It will probably be more "honeymoon" oriented since I'm in that frame of mind. I already have my favorite places to highlight but if you want something included let me know!

Luggage

I'm really digging the handcrafted steamer trunk design from the bygone era when travel was primarily done by sea. The luggage was nothing but cumbersome but I love the design. Now luggage companies are providing that old world style intermixed with the demand for lightweight practical luggage and my dream luggage is within reach! I can see myself buying a perfectly matched set of steamer styled luggage. Alas, I still have perfectly good luggage and until they fall apart I can keep on dreaming.

I think buying high quality luggage that will last you a lifetime is a wonderful investment. It's a great gift for friends or family members that are about to embark on pivotal life changing moments. A college graduation gift comes to mind or a wedding present for the couple to take on their honeymoon. If I was in the market for new luggage I would be thrilled to have any of these to take with me:

T. Anthony:

Globe Trotter:

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If it's good enough for Queen Elizabeth's II honeymoon, then it's good enough for all of us right? This famous British luxury luggage company creates light but durable luggage in a myriad of colors. The Orient is my absolute favorite.

I love Paris in the Springtime

{Image via Flickr via inail1972}

Stacy over at la boudouir is visiting Europe for the first time and I can't wait to read about all her adventures and see Paris through her eyes. I'm a sucker for Paris, well France really and I always have and always will be. I can't think of anything more wonderful than having a charming flat in St. Germain des Pres where I could pretend to be witty and intellectual, drink cafe au lait at the cafe and smirk at tourists, and read and write to my hearts content. The last time Jack and I were in Paris we got engaged and all those cliche's you hear about Paris were suddenly a novelty- I was the cynic no longer. We were living in the romantic movie backdrop of Paris. If I were going back to Paris here are a couple of places I wouldn't want to miss:

Brasserie Balzar:

{Image via A Day in Paris}

This is where Jack and I ate after we got engaged. The food is unbelievable. Through our broken french we were able to order our meal and have a lively conversation with a funny Belgian lady next to us who wished us a hearty congratulations.

Angelina's:



I've never been but I've heard the African hot chocolate is a delight. The lovely Vane over at Brooklyn Bride took this picture on her honeymoon.


The Musee Les Arts Decoratifs:

{Image via Flickr via jpguk}

This is probably one of my favorite museums of all time. I could stare at the wonderful textiles, jewelry and ceramics for hours.

Cadolle Couture:

{Image via Girl in the City}

I believe this is where the first bra was invented. I would probably spend a fortune getting made to measure lingerie.

Benneton Graveur

{Image via Benneton Graveur}

I would get a set of personalized engraved stationary from here. The selection is amazing.