As the craziness of the holiday season kicks into full gear, I have decided to take a short break from writing. However, I fully intend to return next month with fresh new stories of the little things that make life great.
Happy holidays and I’ll see you next year.
Au revoir!
Sherry and I just returned from a wonderful Paris vacation. While we were there I intended to write at least three or so posts for this blog. What happened? Well, while the apartment we rented did have a laptop, the laptop had a French keyboard. It is just different enough to drive you a bit insane. Take a look for yourself!
Here were some of the harder things for me to overcome. The commonly used M, A, and W keys are in different places. You have to hold the shift key for periods and numbers (yes, numbers). And finally, you have this third option, as highlighted in the photo, of the Alt Gr key. This is used for any key with three options. For example, to type the @ symbol you needed to press Alt Gr – 0.
While I did manage to write one post while I was in Paris, it was very challenging since I do type by touch. So, I am just typing away and then I realize what I am typing looks like gobbely-gook (that’s a technical writing term). Here is an example of a sentence I eventually got correct and how it was typed originally.
Correct version: “So, most of us Americans should be able to make our way through a French menu without too much difficulty.”
Original version: “So, ;ost of us Q;ericqns should be qble to ;qke our zqy through q French ;enu zithout too ;uch difficulty.”
Finally, I gave up and limited my typing to emails and Facebook posts. However, I did some old fashion writing by hand as I sat in cafes sipping coffee or wine so look for these stories, in no particular order, in the very near future.
There may be a few more as well but that should get me started.
Until then . . .
Au revoir!
Sherry and I are off on yet another adventure to the City of Lights. That’s right! For the next 11 days, we are going to drink wine, sip café crèmes, sketch, write, relax, and do all the other things people do while in Paris. The plan? To relax and go where ever our mood, and the Metro, takes us.
Apartment living is the way to go in Paris. We are using Paris Vacation Apartments on this trip and so far they have been delightful to work with. There’s just something about going shopping to cook in your flat versus eating out every night.
Although we don’t have any real plans, there is one thing we would love to see while we are there. Snow! We have been to Paris in winter before but we have never seen it snow there. So far, the forecasts is working in our favor.
Keep checking back over the next few days as we continue to post stories about our wonderful adventures in the City of Lights.
Au revoir!
After a very cool summer, fall officially arrived last Wednesday riding on a heat wave. Our high temperatures have been over 90 degrees each day of fall with the last two days reaching 104. And while many of us are enjoying this last hoorah of warmth before the rains come, it also has us looking for alternatives to dinner that do not require cooking.
The first solution for Sherry and I on Monday was dinner from Riviera Ristorante. This is one of our favorite places to eat and we dine there frequently. However, since it is less then 1/2 a mile from our house, we also pick up food to go on a regular basis. So, with Monday’s temperature over 100 it was 2 plates of pasta and a Caesar salad to the rescue.
As Tuesday was forecast to be even warmer, we once again decided against cooking. This time we went in a totally different direction. I noticed that we had beautiful Tuscan melon in the fridge and we built our non-cooked meal around it.
After stopping at Traverso’s on the way home, we built a simple and refreshing dinner. Here’s what was on the platter.
Prosciutto di Parma and Gentile Salame from Italy 
In the end, Sherry and I turned a very warm evening into a nice romantic dinner which we enjoyed al fresco under the stars and candlelight. And, with last night’s wonderful meal still fresh in my mind, I hope it’s hot again today.
Au revoir!
Is there anything better then a lazy Sunday? You know, the kind of morning when you wake up at your leisure and then sit around the house drinking coffee, reading the paper, and basically just doing nothing. The addition of a little early season rain to the mix just makes it all the better.
Normally, I spend Sunday mornings cycling. This means up early and back home after 2 –3 hours of riding with friends. It’s a great way to spend a Sunday but it’s not what most people would consider relaxing. However, the weather forecast for this Sunday called for our first rain of Fall and that provided the perfect opportunity for a more relaxed Sunday routine.
After breakfast, we headed out to the living room for a strenuous morning of reading the paper and playing around on Facebook. Based on the number of comments posted by my cycling friends, I think many of us had the same idea. Why ride in the rain when you can relax at home?
That’s how the rest of the morning went. Sherry and I just hanging around the house in full relaxation mode. It was perfect! Now, it’s time to be a little more adventurous so we are heading back to the TV room to watch football. But first, I think I’ll pour another cup of coffee.
Au revoir!
There are many, many signs of a long marriage. One sign that gets a lot of attention is the old favorite of finishing each other’s sentences. Of course, this is pretty basic stuff and can happen relatively quickly in a relationship. No, for a really long marriage you need to step it up like Sherry and I did this weekend.
Sunday night Sherry and I were watching the movie Amélie. In one scene, Amélie goes to the St. Martin Canal to skip stones. As she is skipping stones, Sherry reminds of the time we ate lunch at a bistro on the canal where she got stuck in the bathroom because the door wouldn’t unlock. I smiled and listened as a good husband should until she finished her story. Then I reminded her that was me and not her locked in bathroom. So we laughed about it and continued watching the movie.
The very next night we get an invite to the neighbors for a light dinner with good wine. As we are all sitting around chatting Bob mentions he has to go in for jury duty. Now, we all start telling our jury duty stories. My first story was about a criminal trial where a guy robbed a pizzeria and was caught on the way out by police going in for lunch. I went on about how I really wanted to be on the jury of such an open-and-shut case. Meanwhile, Sherry is smiling away because that was her trial and not mine. Are you kidding me?
As you can see, in our 24 years of marriage we have gone way beyond finishing each other’s sentences. We are now completely interchangeable characters in the stories of our life. I’m sure as we continue to grow older together this will be a new trend. But you know, I’m okay with that. As long as most stories are about us having fun as a couple, then who cares who played each part.
Au revoir!
Sherry and I really do enjoy heading into the Sierra Mountains. There is just something about them that makes us appreciate life. It doesn’t matter if it’s a romantic get-away for two or trip with friends, we always return from the mountains relaxed and ready to face whatever challenges come our way.
That doesn’t mean we aren’t active. I always take this opportunity to do some serious riding in the mountains. However, this year was a little different and while I still took the road bike, Sherry’s bike and the kayaks stayed home.
Our daily pattern is fairly routine. We awake around the same time and have a little coffee and breakfast. Then I hit the road for a 3-4 hour ride while the ladies tend to go shopping in the quaint mountain towns in the surrounding area. Then it’s a relaxing lunch to prepare us for the rest of the day.
After lunch, we all sit on the deck, or as was the case last Saturday, around the fire inside (it was very cold this trip). We pass the time reading, chatting, collectively trying to finish the NY Time crossword puzzle, and occasionally napping.
After that exhausting ordeal we always make sure to break out beer, wine, or cocktails at 5:00 pm on the dot. There’s more chatting and laughing as we prepare, and then enjoy, dinner. After dinner is always dedicated to game night with more wine and laughter. Finally, we all drift off to our rooms to sleep off the “stress” of the day and get ready to repeat the whole process the next day.
Let’s see. Relaxing, drinking, laughing, and hanging out with friends all day. Now that is a daily routine we could get used to.
Au revoir!
A couple of weeks ago Sherry and I, along with good friends Bob and Karin, ate dinner at Fleur de Lys to celebrate Sherry’s birthday. I can say right now, and without hesitation, it was one our best dining experiences ever. I can only hope this little write-up does it justice.
We quietly watched as he inspected each bottle and set it on the bar. The four wines we choose for the evening were a 2000 Chablis from one of the finest producers in France, along with two 1998 St. Emilion Bordeaux, a Clos la Madeleine and a Château Moulin St. George. The latter wine is a second label from the infamous Château Ausone. Our final selection was a 1983 Château d’Yquem Sauternes. The importance of this collection will be obvious very soon.
Now it was time to put the plan into action. We were first served an excellent amuse bouche followed by hor d’ourves. These were paired brilliantly with the Chablis. Then new glasses arrived and Bob and I looked at each and said, “Sauternes?” Since our next course would be foie gras, the Chablis was placed back on ice and the Sauternes was served.
The foie gras course also started a new trend with the meal. From this point until dessert, Sherry and Karin were always served something different then Bob and I. Yet, it paired perfectly with the wines in every case. So, we enjoyed the foie gras and sipped Sauternes.
The next course was seafood. You know what happened, right? The Sauternes was now placed back on ice the Chablis was brought back out and served with soft shell crab for the gentlemen and a lobster tail in cream and citrus sauce for the ladies. Next up was our meat dish where Bob and I enjoyed a venison “stew” with Sherry and Karin enjoying lamb prepared two different ways. Of course, with that course the Bordeaux (we only opened and decanted the Clos la Madeleine) made its way to the table.
I should point out that as the cheese course arrived we were over two hours into the meal. Our cheese plate consisted of five different cheeses with each selected to pair with either the Bordeaux or the Sauterne. Sherry and I love the classic cheese plate after a meal and this selection was exquisite.
At the end of the evening, there was one last dessert brought for us to share with a candle and Happy Birthday Sherry written on the plate in chocolate.
There you have it. Just writing about this dinner brought a smile to my face. I cannot think of a more impressive feast to celebrate such an important birthday. And since I turn 50 next year, I think you know where we will be celebrating.
Au revoir!
Saturday was Sherry’s birthday. And, not just any birthday. On Saturday, she reached the beautiful age of 50. As you can imagine, I wanted to take the opportunity to do something special. The plan? An evening in San Francisco with our good friends, and neighbors, Bob and Karin.
The planned called for driving down to The City (this is how you refer to San Francisco if you live in Northern California), with lunch on the way in either Tiburon or Sausalito. We would then check into our hotel near Union Square, perhaps do a little shopping, and end the night with dinner at Fleur de Lys.
Saturday finally arrived and we were off. The fog had burned away and it was a beautiful Northern California day. We stopped at Guaymas, in Tiburon, and enjoyed an excellent lunch on the deck overlooking SF Bay and The City. It was then across the Golden Gate Bridge and onwards to Union Square.
We all choose to sleep in on Sunday morning before heading out to brunch at the Grande Cafe. After another excellent meal, it was finally time to collect the car and head for home.
There you have it. A fabulous celebration for a fabulous woman. Look for a few more stories about this truly awesome adventure.
Until then . . .
Au revoir!
Except for business, I rarely travel (let alone vacation) without Sherry. The reason is simple. We love spending time together. But every now and then, it’s time to head out with the boys on a good old-fashioned road trip. These road trips are always centered around cycling but there is always a little more to them then that.
I just got home yesterday for such an adventure. Myself and two other good friends made our way from Sonoma County down to San Diego for 4 days of “cycling”.
Now, don’t take those quotes around the word cycling too seriously. We did ride our bikes. In fact, we rode them a lot! But this trip was about way more then just cycling. (If you want to read more about the cycling part, check out Lee’s Life Adventure, my cycling blog.)
Along with the phenomenal cycling we also drank our fair share of excellent wine and beer. We ate in national food chains, local restaurants, and in the car. We stayed in a Bed & Breakfast style hotel, your standard run-of-the-mill hotel, and an Indian casino. And we shared a ton of laughs.
When you think about it, the “real” purpose behind this trip was a chance to hang out together as friends. To spend some time with each other chatting, laughing, telling stories, poking fun at each other, and basically just being boys again. The cycling was just the catalyst that got the trip started.
As I think back about this trip, it will not be the cycling that made it successful. It was time spent laughing with good friends. That’s what I will cherish the most about this trip.
Au revoir!
Sherry and I have had many conversations during our almost 24 years of marriage about how I became the person I am today. You see if you look at my family, I am rather different with regards to things such as interests, food, wine, where I vacation, etc. As different as I may appear, you would think the person I am today had to have its roots in my family somewhere.
Due to recent events, I have been thinking about this question a lot and I finally came upon a big part of the answer. The real genesis behind who I am today was my grandmother, Ruby.
I spent many hours with her as a growing, impressionable child and no matter what we were doing you could bet we were having fun in the process. Whether it was fishing, doing yard work, playing a raucous game of UNO, or just watching TV, fun and a love for life where always near.
So this is my simple thank you to my grandmother for teaching me it’s not about how much money you make or how many possessions you own, but how you live you life that makes if fun.
Au revoir!
It is Sonoma County Restaurant Week here in Wine Country. And while it doesn’t take much of an excuse for Sherry and I to head out to one of our favorite eateries, this seemed like the perfect reason to eat out multiple times this week. So that’s exactly what we did.
“The first-ever Sonoma County Restaurant Week will be a seven day celebration of our county's farm fresh food and premier wine! Enjoy three-course dinner menus at $19, $29, or $39, depending on the restaurant. Don't miss out on Sonoma County's most delicious week of the year!”
Wow! Three-course dinners at some of our favorite restaurants at those prices. I’m surprised we didn’t try eating out all seven nights. However, after reviewing the list, our work schedules, and our finances, we settle on two restaurants. Since we had already eaten at many of the choices available, we picked two places that we really like but don’t get to very often – Mosaic Restaurant & Wine Lounge and Bistro des Copains.
I won’t go over the entire menu, which you can see by clicking on the restaurant week logo, so I’ll jump forward to the main course. The girls had the coffee encrusted filet mignon (Mosaic’s fabulous signature dish) while Pat and I tried the Dungeness crab risotto. They were awesome and my dish was by far one of the best risotto’s I have ever eaten.
I hope they consider doing Sonoma County Restaurant Week again next year. It was a great way to get people out. It was also the perfect reason for Sherry and I to eat wonderful food, drink wine, hang with friends, and share a little time with each other. And in the end, isn’t that what life’s all about?
Au revoir!
Last Saturday, Sherry and I got the chance to spend some time with two of our nephews, Jordan and Jared. They are 15 and 13 respectively and they are great kids. They are polite, well-behaved, and courteous. But above all, they are still kids.
The day itself was nothing spectacular. We took them, and their cousin Kyle, to see Avatar (in 3D of course). Jordan and Jared had already seen it but it was the first time for Sherry, Kyle and I. Afterwards, we strolled through downtown Santa Rosa and ate dinner at La Bufa, which is a local Mexican restaurant.
What made the day special was not the activities but simply hanging out with the boys. It was more then just time with family, which is very important. It was just Fun, with a capital F, and we had a great time talking about sports, school, girls, or whatever.
I know there are folks out there who start to feel old when around kids. For me, it is the exact opposite. Kids make me feel young. I love their perspective on life. It’s funny to hear about the pressing issues they face or the things that are most important to them.
If you are feeling overwhelmed from work, or simply life, go hang out with some teenagers for a while. I can almost guarantee it will change your perspective.
Au revoir!
Sherry and I love long lunches on Sundays. I mean 2-hours and one bottle of wine long. And if that Sunday lunch is also on Valentine’s Day, well that makes it all the better.
Selecting a fine restaurant in Wine Country is definitely not a problem however this year we decided to go to The City (that’s our reference to San Francisco). There are a few French restaurants in The City that we have not tried yet. So on to the Internet and guess what we discover? The French don’t cook lunch on weekends in The City. What’s up with that?
After relaxing in the morning, exchanging cards, and eating french toast, we headed to lunch. When we arrived we discovered the weather was nice enough to dine outside but unfortunately there were no tables. So we settled for a lovely table in the corner with two windows and it was delightful.
The food was scrumptious. We started with Fritto Misto, which is the best we have ever eaten. Sherry then had the risotto with seared scallops and I had classic veal parmesan. Add to that great wine and fabulous desserts and you have the perfect lunch. A mere 2 hours later we were driving back through the vineyards of Wine Country, which are in full bloom with mustard.
It was another great Valentine’s Day. Sherry and I hope that all of you did something special with the one you love.
Au revoir!
Don’t you just love impromptu dinners? You know, those nights that start with a feeling of not wanting to cook and end with a fantastic meal at a local restaurant. Well, on Wednesday, Sherry and I had one of those nights.
I was still at work when I got “the call”. This is the call where Sherry is still at work and will miss her normal Jazzercise class. So I decide to skip my workout as well and dinner out is on.
The next question is – where? Sherry decides she is in a French mood. After a quick phone call to La Gare, we are all set with 7:15 reservations. After a quick trip to our cellar to pick up a bottle of 2001 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Bordeaux we are off.
For the first time, we ordered the Chateaubriand for two. This is basically 20 ounces of some of the finest tasting beef you have ever eaten. It comes on a wooden platter where it is displayed, and then carved, a table (french for at the table). It was absolutely delicious and quickly ranked as one of our more memorable meals at La Gare.
Since we ordered the Chateaubriand for two, it only seemed right to order the cherries jubilee for two as our dessert. These were also flambéed at the table where our waiter put on quite a show. With the food and wine gone, it was time to head home to enjoy the rest of our evening and dream about the next time I receive “the call”.
Au revoir!
I have a confession to make. So does Sherry. I am not updating this blog nearly as much as I would like. Neither is Sherry. I took the last couple of weeks off to try and determine why. Fortunately, I have the answer and it’s related to my cycling blog.
My cycling blog is based on a fairly rigid format. It is almost always between 650 –750 words in length. I try to frequently add an element of humor. And above all, it has to be more than a simplistic diary of my rides. When I started C’est la belle vie, I was following the same model and it’s not working.
So it’s time for a change. The new description says it all. Instead of long stories about adventure, this will be a blog about the day-to-day things that make our life wonderful. Don’t get me wrong. There will still be the occasional longer story but mostly, these posts will be short and sweet so you can read them quickly and continue on with your own wonderful life.
We hope you enjoy changes and thanks for joining us on the journey.
Au revoir!
As you might imagine from the name of this blog, I am pretty happy and content with my life. It’s not about money. Sherry and I are by no means wealthy in terms of dollars. No, it’s mostly about celebrating what you have and those spontaneous moments that bring you joy. This doesn’t have to be a complicated exercise. In fact, the simpler the better in most cases. Allow me to explain.
Yesterday afternoon at work I remembered we were out of coffee. Now being a true coffee snob (this topic may be a post very soon) my coffee only comes from one place – Flying Goat. If you’ve read my cycling blog, you know how much I like this place. However, they close at 6:00 pm and that’s when I get off. So, since it’s pretty close to work, I decide to pop over to The Goat.
I have a few things I am trying to wrap up, so I keep working until the moment feels right. A couple of finished projects later, I look at the calendar to make sure there are no meetings and I am off. As I start the 15-minute round trip, I am not thrilled with the song on the radio so I switch stations and that’s when it happened. The new station was just starting the song Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves.
For reasons I can’t fully explain, this song just makes me smile. It makes me happy to be alive. Before I reach the first red light I am bouncing along in the car. And this is not the first time. This song lifts my spirits to a higher place every time I hear it. I guess it’s just my feel good song or maybe it’s the song’s lyrics, which are all about feeling good about life.
I do remember one time in particular this song pulled me out of a funk. I used to travel in my previous job, a lot. One time I was delivering a training session in Washington, DC that ended on a Friday and I had to be in Baltimore on Monday to start a new session. Since I live in California, flying home for 36 hours didn’t make sense so I spent the weekend on the East Coast.
I actually spent the time hiking in Shenandoah National Park. It was beautiful and I was enjoying the great outdoors but I was also missing Sherry and feeling that certain loneliness that any business traveler can describe. By Sunday afternoon I was in a pretty sad state. As I was driving out of the Appalachian Mountains to Baltimore, Walking on Sunshine came on the radio. By the time the song was over I was back to my old self and feeling great.
If you don’t know the song, it was released in 1985. This was just before I met Sherry. It was also a favorite song of my Coast Guard roommate and we would rock out to it on our drives from California to his home in Oregon where I was always welcomed if I did not go home to Florida over the major holidays. It was also a favorite at parties. I imagine it still is a party favorite to this day.
In hindsight, maybe it is easier to explain the impact of this song then I thought. It brings back great memories with good friends. It reminds of how much I miss Sherry when I’m gone and how much I enjoy spending time with her when we’re together.
So, is there a message to all of this. I think so. I was having a pretty good work day yesterday and this song still made me stop and appreciate what I have. It also put a big smile on my face. I think everyone needs something like this. I truly believe that it is necessary to grateful every day for the things you have and to not dwell on the things you don’t.
Now, why don’t you take a minute and go listen to your favorite song. I’m smiling already.
Au revoir!
Every year, Sherry and I host a dinner party during the holidays. It started 5 years ago when we invited two couples over for a semi-formal dinner in December. Since then, it has continued to grow and now there are four couples who join us for a festive night that is all about food, wine and friendship.
Sometimes there is a theme and this year it was pears, which were featured in the appetizer, salad, cheese course and dessert. They were originally in the main course as well but we changed our mind at the last minute and went with cassoulet. This proved to be the right call. Serving cassoulet, or any single dish, provides tremendous flexibility. Instead of the meal being ready a specific time, it is quietly simmering on the stove and is ready when you are.
On Saturday morning, Sherry and are up early starting the prep work. Another trick for this type of dinner is selecting dishes that can be prepped or even completed in advance so you can spend more time with your guests. We spent the entire day preparing the meals setting the table, and getting the house ready.
As our guest arrived, they were treated to a sample of pear brandy. Although it wasn’t the favorite drink of the evening it was a fun way to get things started. As for the rest of the evening, here is the menu along with each wine served.
In a night filled with great food and wine, there were two moments that stood out. During the salad course we offered a wine comparison. Since we matched the salad with a Sancerre, a sauvignon blanc from the Loire Valley, we also opened a 2007 St. Clement Napa Valley sauvignon blanc for comparison. The Sancerre won hands down for being more balanced. In looking more closely the Sancerre’s alcohol was 12.5% while the Napa Valley wine was 14.1%, which explains the smoothness of the French wine.
The second major food highlight was the cheese board. We kept this out of site so we could make a big deal of the presentation. We also debuted our new cheese curler, which was a huge hit. Here’s a list of what was included on the cheese board.
Petit Basque When all was said and done, it was the perfect evening of food, wine, and friends. We did not rush the meal but instead let each course unfold at a leisurely pace. After the appetizers, we sat down to dinner around 7:30 and dessert was served at 11:15. In between each course there was plenty of laughter and conversation (and wine) to fill the time.
Since there is a fair amount of wine consumed, in this case 10 bottles for 9 people, everyone spent the night. The next morning we serve plain and chocolate croissants, fresh fruit, OJ and coffee. We popped one final bottle of California Sparkling wine and a few brave souls drank mimosas. Almost immediately, we began to tell and re-tell stories from the night before.
This is one of my favorite events each year. Between the food, wine, and great friends it is a truly special evening. With that said, the dinner for January 2011 is already being planned.
Au revoir!
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