Monday, March 22, 2010

The Return to Aix


A week ago I had just returned from the long-awaited return to my much beloved city of Aix-en-Provence.

For those of you who don't know, Aix was, and still is, my dream come true. It was my first true experience abroad (apart from Canada and Mexico, which I don't really count), my first experience in France (the country I had dreamed of for so long) and the place where I met my bestest friend Bea, and my true love, Jonatan.

Yeah, this place was and still is pretty awesome.

Jonatan and I jetted down there for a quick weekend to visit his sister, Alexandra, her husband, Felipe and their twin babies, Valentina and Victoria.

The babies are just 6 months and were the cutest! I hadn't seen them since right after their birth, so it was wonderful to see how much they have grown and be able to spend more time with them.

The whole weekend was just perfect. Short, but perfect.

Jonatan and I walked down the same streets we walked on when we first met. Payed visits to old friends, took drinks at the old cafes. It was as if nothing had changed, yet so much has changed in these past three years.

It felt so good to be "home" with the people I love, and reminded me again how lucky I am and how truly wonderful life can be.

cheesy cheesy cheesy! I know, but I can't help it! It's the South of France, love and life!

You can't get much better than that....


Jonatan and I outside of the bar/club IPN, where it all began

Monday, March 8, 2010

Chantilly


Le Château de Chantilly

I am back from yet another glorious weekend with my French family, the Gaudets.

It is always a treat, and such a pleasant time with them, and this time was not any different.

This time it was a true "family" weekend, spending much time with "les petits:" Pierre, Juliette and Matthieu. We played games, baked cakes and I learned how to play Wii games in French. Hyper bon!

Saturday evening quickly turned into another birthday celebration for me as the children found out I had my special day just a week before. We had champagne (not the kids), sang songs, ate cow tongue (not a part of the birthday celebration necessarily, and not all that bad) and shared a bottle of wine from my year of birth. How cool!

Sunday was a day in Chantilly, about an hour drive from the family home in Compiègne, touring the Château de Chantilly and its grounds. The chateau was breathtaking and the day was beautiful. I won't bore you with the history (though it is very interesting!) so here is some more information on the chateau and its inhabitants:

http://www.chateaudechantilly.com/chateauchantilly/fr/index.html

The best part: eating crème chantilly in Chantilly! It was one of the most decadent things I have tasted and completed this delicious weekend.

Merci famille Gaudet!


another view of the chateau


Raphaël's "Les Trois Grâces." The original was displayed in the gallery