Paris with Kids – Part II

In Part I, I wrote about the many joys of being in Paris with children.  While the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum were obvious highlights, the quiet strolls through the parks, sipping hot chocolate, and just relaxing in general weren’t bad either.

The thrill of Friday night was the Christmas Market along the Champs-Élysées.  This is a spectacular market that forms every year and a stroll along the stalls is somehow both exciting and relaxing at the same time.  This was followed by a couple spins around the famous Ferris Wheel of Paris, which gave us stunning views of the lights of Paris.

On Saturday, we were off to check out a kick-ass playground and the Guignol puppet show in the Luxemburg Gardens.  Sherry and I have always enjoyed watching children play here and were really looking forward to watching children we knew having a blast.  After paying a nominal fee, we spend the next 90 minutes with huge smiles on our faces because the kids had even bigger smiles on theirs.

At last, the bell announcing the start of the Guignol puppet show began to ring so it was off the theater.  Watching the kids watch the show, which was of course in French, convinced me of two things.  Certain things are funny, like being scared by a big hairy spider in an old château, in any language and that the true universal language has got be the laughter of children.

As the day winded down, we ate lunch in a Brasserie, shopped in the Latin Quarter, made the requisite stop at Shakespeare and Company, visited Notre Dame, and made a side trip to get the best ice cream in the world.  The day ended with a 2-hour dinner complete with view of the Eiffel Tower followed by watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle from the Trocadero, which is our favorite vantage point and where the whole adventure started.

The last part is traditional for Sherry and I and it’s how we end every trip to Paris.  What made this trip truly special was enjoying one of favorite places in the world with some of our favorite people in the world.

As for the kids, they never ceased to amaze us.  Their energy, wide-eyed bewilderment, and their laughter added a whole new dimension to this trip.  But mostly, they simply got it!  They understood what hanging out in Paris was all about and that was truly special for us.

À bientôt

Paris with Kids – Part 1

During our most recent trip to Paris, Sherry and I got to see the city from a whole new perspective.  We got the opportunity to explore the City of Lights with kids since our very good friends were joining us for a few days.  So, the stars of today’s post are Abby, who is 10, and 5-year old Graeme.

Let me just say right off that the kids were awesome!!!  They rode the Metro and buses.  They played in the parks.  The toured the Louvre Museum. They sat through 2-hour dinners. But mostly, they did what kids do best, which is live life on a whole different level and that made this trip very special for Sherry and I.

One of the first things we did was go to the Trocadero, which has the best views of the Eiffel Tower in the entire city.  After a few photos and lots of excited comments, we went down the the base.  As the adults were looking up and discussing the what it would be like to live in the area, the kids were trying to catch drops of water (condensation from fog) that were falling from the second level.  Leave it to kids to turn a 122-year old, 990 foot iron tower into a game.

Next up was Notre Dame, where there many more awestruck looks and comments.  On the way, we discovered the best way to get around with kids was by going through the parks.  This allowed the big kids (us adults) to stroll and chat while the real kids ran around, chased each other, and acted like, well, kids.

The next day, the family went to the Louvre Museum and we got to hear all about it at dinner.  Abby and Graeme were simply amazed.  You could tell they were truly soaking in that they were in Paris, in the Louvre and seeing such beautiful pieces of art.  They had also purchased pencils and sketch pads to start creating their own works of art.  At dinner, Abby asked why the Mona Lisa is the most popular painting in the world.  I just love that inquisitive side of kids.

The trip also included shopping at the Christmas markets, playing in Luxembourg Gardens, catching the Guignol puppet show, and going back to the Eiffel Tower at night, but I’ll save the rest of the tale for my next post. 

À bientôt

Back in Paris

Sherry and I have spend the last week back in Paris.  This is the 5th trip where we’ve rented an apartment in the same general area and to be honest, it’s start to feel like coming home.

Our Paris vacations are actually very hard to explain to most people.  They always want to know what we do while we’re here.  They ask if we went so such and such museum and we say no!  Then they’ll ask if we went to see certain monuments and we once again say no.  So, what do we do in Paris?

The answer to that is as simple as it is complicated.  The short answer is that we simply hang out in Paris.  The longer, and more reflective response, is we try and capture some of the essence of living day to day in the City of Lights.

That means we shop for food and other essentials.  We cook.  We explore parts of the city without tourist sites to see what’s there.  We run errands that take us to new parts of the city.  We visit our favorite bistros and cafés while also finding new haunts.  We sip wine and café crèmes while watching a city in constant motion.  And, when we come in November, we do the majority of our holiday gift shopping.

Without a plan, we also loose track of time.  There are many days we have to calculate what day of the week it is.  We loose track because when we’re here, it doesn’t really matter.  There are also many discussions at breakfast that start with the question: “Well, what are we going to do today?”

As much as we love Paris, we decided to take a break after this trip.  There are other parts of France yet to be explored.  There’s also Italy, Spain, Greece and other countries we would like to see.  However, we will be back as this city captures our hearts and souls like no other.

À bientôt

A Perfect Day in France

I feel I should start by admitting that’s been a while since I posted to either of my blogs.  Let’s just say that life and starting a cycling team have taken up quite a bit of my time.  However, Sherry and I are back in France and I can’t think of a better time get going again.

Sherry and I left for France on 11/11/11 for a week in Provence followed by a week in Paris.  Overall, the trip was pretty routine.  An 11-hour flight to Paris followed by a 3-hour TGV ride to Avignon.  We like to spend the night in Avignon so we can be a little fresher on our drive into the Luberon, in this case to the village of Ménerbes.

On Sunday morning we awoke ready to start our day.  This was probably helped along by a lovely evening in Avignon with lots of great food and wine for dinner.  We took a taxi back to the TGV station to pick up the rental car and a few quick minutes later I was re-acquainting myself with the art of French driving.

The plan was to go straight to the Sunday market at L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.  This is by far our favorite Provençal market  as it meanders through the town and along the Sorgue river.  The day was made even nicer with stunningly beautiful weather and the fact that we were shopping like locals.  After many hours of buying local vegetables, cheeses, ham, olives, gifts for friends and drinking the occasional coffee, it was time for our next destination.

The guy at the rental car agency suggested we go see Fountaine-de-Vaucluse.  This is where the Sorgue River literally comes out of a cave at the base of a cliff.  We visited there in 2007 but due to the recent heavy rains it was supposed to be spectacular.  However, when we arrived it seemed that every French person in the region had the same idea so we decided to go back another day.

As we left the village, we saw a sign for Gordes.  This may be our favorite village in Provence so we headed that way for lunch.  We tempered our excitement by saying if it was also crazy full of people then we would save it for another day as well.

Fortunately, we found a place to park with no problems and the village was pretty empty.  After a short stroll, we had a lovely lunch at the restaurant that is featured in the movie A Good Year.  After a bit more relaxing and photo-snapping it was time to head to Ménerbes and check-in to the house were we would spend the next 6 nights.

So, there you have it.  Our first full day in France and we’ve already been to our favorite market and village under the bluest skies we’ve ever seen.  I can’t wait to see what comes next.

À bientôt

Celebrating 25 Years

Two days ago, Sherry and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary.  It has been an amazing adventure filled with love and laughter and a genuine feeling that we would rather spend time with each other then anyone else.  That was true on our wedding day and it remains true today.

So, you might think I would write about the secrets to a long marriage or how lucky I am to be married to such a remarkable woman.  I could recount hundreds of stories about our lives together.  But, I’m not.  Instead, I’m going to write about our dinner that night because I think it says a lot about why we are so happy together.

We chose the Glen Ellen Inn for dinner.  It had been a while since we were there however, we always seem to pick them for romantic occasions so they seemed like the perfect choice.  We were wrong.

Upon arrival, the special romantic table we were promised was nowhere to be found.  Although we brought wine for dinner I wanted to start with glasses of champagne but a quick look at the wine list changed my mind.  Meanwhile, Sherry was looking at the menu with a funny look on her face and when I looked I immediately knew why.  It was mostly sandwiches and salads.

Being happily married for 25-years has us on the same page on most issues and on that night we both knew this is not what we wanted.  So, I stepped outside, made a few calls, and came back to let her know we were on our way to Estate.

Our experience at Estate was everything we were looking for on this special night.  The food and service were outstanding.  Plus, when they discovered it was our 25th anniversary, they created a special dessert, which they offered as their treat.  It was one of the best anniversary meals we’ve experienced (which deserves it’s own blog).

So there you have it!  It was a shaky start but a glorious finish and that perhaps bests describes our marriage.  I think all marriages start of a little shaky as you learn to live and love as a couple.  But for us, this period passed very quickly and it’s been smooth sailing ever since as we work our way to our own glorious finish many years from now.

Au revoir!

Sunflowers

I was at a work event on Tuesday that was part of the Farmer’s Market. As I was leaving, I noticed a booth selling sunflowers so I bought a bunch for Sherry. Needless to say, there were big kisses, and big husband points, when I got home.

Actually, maybe I do need to say. You see, Sherry loves sunflowers! She always tries to have at least one vase filled with them in the house at all times. One of her favorite moments in every Tour de France is when the peloton is cycling through the sunflowers fields of Provence.  A few years ago we were lucky enough to be in Provence at end of the season and she got to stroll around among them with a big smile.

What is it about sunflowers that make people smile? Is it because they look like they’re smiling at you? Or is it the beautiful hues of yellow and gold?  Maybe they remind us of sunshine and that’s what makes us smile. Of course, they have the word sun in their name and I am sure that also helps.

I think it’s the name.  It just sounds happy.  However, that may only be true in English.  While you would think the French name would be la fleur du soleil it’s actually tournesol, which isn’t as nice in my book.   The same is true in Spanish where the name is girasol and not la flor del sol.

In the end, I guess the “why” they make us smile doesn't really matter and we should just accept the fact as one of life’s little pleasures.

Au revoir!

Two weeks of positive vibes

In the back of my mind, I knew it had been a while since I updated this blog.  Don’t get me wrong, there are have been many, many things that were blog-worthy, I just haven’t had the time to write about them.  Then I noticed that “a while” turned into two months so it’s time to get caught up.

The most significant event in the past few weeks was returning for my second year at WCMS (you can read about my first year and the program here).  I met my classmates last year and we formed instant friendships.  While we developed our professional skills, we were also building bonds that, for many of us, will last a lifetime.

Since last year we have all stayed in touch by telephone, email, texts and Facebook, but for two weeks in July we get to hang out face-to-face.  You know what means, right?  Lots of laughs, late nights, story telling, reminiscing, and just the “occasional” drink to keep things going.  All of this is set against the backdrop of college life complete with living in dorms, eating cafeteria food, and studying for exams. 

Second to only Sherry (my lovely wife), these people are collectively one of the most positive influences in my life today.  They will never truly know how much they mean to me and how they’ve helped me during those tough times we all experience.  When I’m feeling a little down, I only need to reminisce about our times together and I immediately have a smile on my face. 

I can only hope that everyone gets to experience something so positive at some point in their lives.

Au revoir!

A Shopping Cart of Memories

Last week I saw this shopping cart on my street as I finished my run.  Out of nowhere, I had a flashback to my childhood that dates back nearly 40 years. 

I was with my grandparents, who had a huge impact on my life, as we returned from a weekend fishing trip.  As we entered a town on the way home, we saw 2 young boys, about my age of 12 or so, pushing a shopping cart down the street towards us.  Well, one was pushing it and the other was riding in it.  Anyway, my grandparents started commenting on how nice these boys were for returning the cart and how that kind of courtesy was rapidly disappearing in the younger generation.  No sooner had they finished this conversation, we passed the market the cart was from.  You guessed it!  The boys were stealing, not returning the shopping cart.  For some reason this "tickled" (my grandmother's favorite term) the hell out of us and we laughed about it for next hour.

Now, I see shopping carts all the time so it amazes me that seeing this particular cart this morning brought back a memory from 40 years ago with such clarity.  I can also tell you that it put a huge smile on my face and I spent the remainder of the run remembering other good times spent with my grandparents.  I also felt like I was more ready to face the day, come what may.

The moral?  For me, it was a good reminder that reflecting on the good and positive things from your past can help you overcome moments of negativity in the present.

Au revoir!

Impromptu Adventures in Wine Country

A few months ago, a good friend moved into a studio apartment in the Dry Creek Valley just outside of Healdsburg.  The views were supposed to be spectacular since the apartment was above the office of Pasterick Winery and we were looking for an excuse to go check it out.

Last weekend, a group decided to have dinner at Catelli’s in Geyserville to celebrate Julie’s birthday.  This gave everyone the perfect opportunity to meet at Julie’s for pre-dinner drinks and check out her new place. 

The views did not disappoint.  This view is from her landing.  She also has a few of the hillside vineyards and the wine cave (an actual cave) where Pasterick Winery hold their tastings.  It is a stunning piece of property that is as tranquil as it is beautiful. 

It also happened to be Passport Weekend so the owners, Diane and Gerry Pasterick, were hosting a tasting in the cave.  As we were hanging out on the landing sipping champagne and enjoying the views, Diane shouted up a big happy birthday to Julie.  She then invited us to see the cave and tasting room.

We strolled over to the cave as Diane told us about the history of the property and creating the cave itself.  Once inside, she began to describe their wine making process.  They exclusively grow and bottle Syrah in the Rhone tradition of big taste and smooth finish.  As I listened, I began to realize this was turning into a tour, which was fine by me since I really like Syrah.

After Gerry joined us we eventually found our way into the tasting room.  Here, we were treated to tastes of their 2006 Syrah along with a brand new wine, the 2010 Rose (made from Syrah).  These wines were exquisite and I will definitely be buying some in the future.

During the tasting, Diane and Gerry began to tell the story of how they met.  It was part romantic, part humorous, and thoroughly fascinating.  We had just reached the point when Diane had accepted Gerry’s marriage proposal when we realized we were late for dinner. 

We casually left the cave while calling Catelli’s so they knew we were on the way.  Of course, all of us wanted to hear the rest of the story so we decided we would arrange a tasting very soon where we get to sample more vintages of their great Syrah and hear how the story unfolds.  Since Diane and Gerry are together and have created such fantastic winery, I think we already know how the story ends.

Au revoir!

How to Turn 50

Last Friday, I turned 50.  Now, for a lot of people that’s a bit of a scary prospect but not so much for me.  Why not?   You see I don’t think I look 50 and I definitely don’t feel it.  In my mind, I’m still this youngish dude in my early 40’s.  Anyway, that’s how old I feel so I’m sticking with it.

Still, turning 50 is a considered a milestone so I took the day off to play.  The next question was what should I do?  As usual, I got up early, made a cappuccino and starting goofing off on the computer.  As dawn broke it was decision time.  Should I ride?  Should I go for a run?  I know, I’ll get another cup of coffee and think about it some more.  An hour and a half later, I was still sitting in my chair and drinking coffee when it hit me. I always ride or run on my days off, so doing neither would be the real birthday treat. 

After deciding what not to do, Sherry (who also had the day off) and I went down to The Flying Goat, our favorite indie coffee house.  There, we sipped our cappuccinos, ate pastries and simply enjoyed the morning and each other’s company.  After a little stroll through Old Railroad Square it was time to head to my birthday lunch. 

Sherry made reservations at Auberge du Soleil.  After being seated on the terrace, we started with glasses of Champagne, which were followed by very delicious salads, soups, lobster risotto and pork dishes.  Of course, all of this needed to be paired with wine so we selected a German Riesling that was extraordinary.  All of this was thoroughly enjoyed while checking out the stunning views of the Napa Valley. 

After our late lunch we drove to the historic town of Sonoma for another relaxing stroll.  From there, it was on to dinner with friends where we once again dined on great food and wine.  The dinner was also accompanied by lots and lots of laughter as well as the occasional old man joke.

The next day I chose to sleep in, which is very unusual for me.  When I finally got up, I managed to kick out a 7.5 mile run (my longest in a very long time) in Annadel State Park. 

The time spent with Sherry, lunches in Napa, dinner with friends, and long runs or rides all work harmoniously to ensure I continue to feel young.  And with all that working in my favor, I would can’t wait to see what the next 50 years brings my way.

Au revoir!

A curb-side lunch

Yesterday, was our national holiday to celebrate and remember the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  It also happened to be Munch Monday!

Munch Monday is a new concept in lunching for downtown Santa Rosa.  On a trial basis, the city is closing off 17 parking spaces in a large parking lot downtown and allowing lunch trucks to roll up and feed the masses.  Currently, there are six different lunch trucks offering everything from Chicago style hot dogs to crab sandwiches to dim sum with lots of choices in between. 

I learned about Munch Monday, as did a lot of other friends in my cycling world, from our friend Sarah who posted a link about it on FB.  So, after a short, and social cycling adventure (a rare treat for me on a Monday), six of us headed to a downtown parking lot, across from the post office, for lunch.

When I arrived I was surprised to see well over 100 people milling about and ordering food from the different lunch trucks.  As I surveyed my choices, I finally decided on a pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and french fries.  It was really the fries that got my attention because they looked great (and they were).

After we got our food, we all walked over to one of the curbs to sit, eat, and chat.  This quickly turned into one of the best lunches I’ve had with friends in a long time.  There was something about the setting, eating on a curb and laughing with friends, that was special.  This was definitely one of those instances where the total experience was greater then the sum of its parts.  After about an hour of good food and great conversation, we all recycled our containers and headed home.

As of right now, this is still a trial and Munch Monday will only continue through the end of February.  But if yesterday was any indication, it is going to be successful so who knows how long the city will let it run.  I can tell you that I am already looking forward to my next curb-side lunch and chat.

Au revoir!

The Dinner

Each year, just after the holidays, Sherry and I host a dinner.  We look forward to this night all year.  It’s a quaint affair with no more then 8 guests.  However, the good food, vintage wines, and great friends always makes for a magical night and this year was no exception.

Let’s start with the menu.  Here are the food and wine pairings chosen for last Saturday’s dinner.  In case you were wondering, it was as good as it sounds.

• Hors-d'oeuvres - Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs NV Grand Cru Champagne (from the Rare Wine Company)
• Roasted pears with blue cheese salad - 2008 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris (from Alsace)
• Cassoulet a la Bistro 29 - 2005 Chateau Les Hauts d'Aglan Cahors & 2005 Clos la Coutale Cahors
• Assortment of Artisan cheeses - 2005 Chateau Plaisance Bordeaux
• Pear and Stilton Tart - 2007 Chateau de Myrat Sauternes

The night lived up to its promise.  We ate.  We drank.  And, we laughed, told stories, and then laughed some more.  It was a perfect evening of food, wine and friends.

This year, Sherry and I had some help with the cooking.  Traditionally, I make my version of cassoulet for this dinner but since we are all traveling together to France later this year, I wanted something more authentic.  So, it was Bistro 29 to the rescue.  The chef there makes an awesome cassoulet so that’s what we served this year.

Another partner for the evening was Traverso’s.  After finalizing the menu I knew I needed the perfect white wine to pair with the salad.  So, up the hill to talk to Michael and he suggested the Pinot Gris from Alsace.  I will be going back up the hill to buy more.  It was a delightfully refreshing wine that I can see myself sipping in the back yard later this summer.  Traverso’s is also where I discovered the Clos la Coutale Cahors many years ago.

There you have it!  Another successful dinner with a little help from others.  Normally, I would already be looking forward to next year’s dinner but right now we have to finish planning for our trip to France. 

Au revoir!

Milestones

As you go through life, you will definitely pass a few milestones along the way.  Some of them are quite significant such as turning 21, getting married, or having your first child.  Others are more ceremonial like turning 30 or 40 where we tend to make a bigger deal out of these then we should.  This year, I will have one of each.

Let’s start with the more ceremonial milestone.  In April, I will turn 50.  For me, that’s really hard to believe because on the inside I don’t think I ever left my 30’s.  But time marches on and birthdays pass whether you want them to or not.  Since I still feel young at heart and mind, turning 50 doesn’t really concern me and I am looking forward to all of the celebration that comes with it.

The second 2011 milestone is much more significant.  In August, Sherry and I will reach our 25th wedding anniversary.  That means we have been married to each for half of our lives since she just turned 50 as well.  We are very proud of this achievement particularly given the today’s current divorce rates.

However, it’s not the number that’s significant.  It’s the fact that after 25 years we still prefer each other’s company to anyone else.  Sure, I love my bike rides with friends but given the option of a long ride with friends or a long leisurely lunch with Sherry, she wins every time.

The secret is not just love.  Lot of couples love each other.  No, I think it’s the pleasure we get for being together and the fact that as we’ve grown as individuals, we’ve also grown as a couple.  We are not the same 25 year olds who got married but the people we are today are even closer in many ways.

So there you have it.  There’s a lot of great things to celebrate in 2011.  You can bet there will be a big party in August at our house.  I hope each you have your own celebrations to look forward to as well.

Au revoir!