Remember?

Oh, I remember when we went to France for 2 months and had nothing to think about except what wine to drink that day... It all feels like a long, long time ago.

For Today...

For today, August 23, 2009:

Outside my window is a lovely wind and a not too hot not too cold summer day.

I am thinking of new projects waiting to be started.

I am thankful for yummy bread for breakfast.

In the kitchen a hot pot of tea is steeping for me.

I am wearing hand me down jeans and messy hair.

I am creating a new dress, if all goes well.

I am going to Prima Strada for a lunch date with my sweetheart and then... Inglourious Basterds.

I am reading the calendar… fall’s almost here!

I am hoping to go shopping this week.I am hearing the RENT soundtrack, Light my Candle.

Around the house is a mess from yesterdays market.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Puppet Show for Anna.
Dinner with friends.
Silk Road tea.

Here is picture I am sharing that I took in Saussignac, can't wait to go back.

Depressed

Spent the day packing up, getting ready to come home. We leave for Bordeaux tomorrow morning, then for home in 5 days. Yes, right now I am in a pit of dispare. Its a hard life we live.

A Chefs Garden

There is no garden I prefer more than a wild garden and everything here is just that... wild. And ever so beautiful.

Bliss

We have fallen into bliss.

The gitè we are staying in has been filled with the wines of the vineyards and we have been told to help ourselves (and pay for it later). Trouble is the wines are so good. We didn’t even know when we booked that Saussignac was an appellation for dessert wines, which is of course my weakness in wine.

The dangers here are many; surprised peckings from disgruntled chickens, lizards lurking around every corner, and Dora, the 6 month old puppy still being trained not to jump on those wearing white.

Grand Cru

In 1855 Napoleon III decided that those wines in Bordeaux that were most sought after and obviously the best should be classified as such. These wines were called the French Grand Cru and all of the red wines that made it on the list came from the Médoc region. And it was Mèdoc that we traveled to with our host Coaroline to taste the best of the best. The two vineyards we stopped at were Chateau Palmer, in the third class of Grand Cru, and Château Pichon Longueville Baron, in the second class of the Grand Cru.

At our first stop we tasted a 1996 Chateau Palmer (a bottle of which would set you back 165 Euros, and it would be worth every penny) as well as their secondary wine a 2006 Alter Ego de Palmer (only running at 55 Euros). Both were amazing.

At Château Pichon, we tried all three of their 2004 wines. But before the tasting we were taken on a fantastic tour of their grounds. It was like we were in a James Bond movie. The Chateau guide was so passionate and the wine was so mindblowingly good, we were quickly convinced we needed to bring home a bottle of their wine. Don’t worry, we only have to 10 more years or so before we can have some.

Sticks and Stones: The Beauty of French Homes

I have become somewhat obsessed with the old stone walls, painted shutters and worn wood. I’ve managed to create a whole series all the doors, windows and walls we have seen.

Walks to Remember

We're in Saussignac, France. It's almost the most perfect place I've ever been. Our home for two weeks is a 25 acre organic vineyard. We're surrounded by walking routes linking up all the vineyards, and boy are there lots of vineyards. It's heartbreaking to think that we have almost reached the end of our adventure.

Zombie Invasion

Yes, this is where I would chose to be in the event of a Zombie attack. Those of you who have read World War Z or The Walking Dead will know about the importance of strong walls and high ground.
From the window of our place we could see 3 other castles on the surrounding hillsides, all overlooking the valley. We did tear ourselves away from our fortress to go and wander around the 19th fairy ale gardens of Chateau Marqueyssac. 150,000 sculptured boxwoods surround the Chateau, whose grounds are populated with Peacocks, lizards, pigeons and one wandering goat. In the middle of the maze you feel like you’re in Alice in Wonderland.

Stone Walls

The apartment was a great change from Paris. We stayed in an old stone house with an old worn patio overlooking the river, stone walls, steam shower, and best of all no futon (not that the futon was all that bad, there’s just something to be said for a mattress).
Spent the whole week reading and wandering thru the town, beside the river and in the castle. Our host, Madame Portier, was a wonderful lady; she was short and stout with white honey hair. She didn’t speak any English, so I got some good French practice. Most days we would walk to the local charcuterie shop and try some of his wares. My favourite was his dried sausage called Rosette. The only downside of the week was when I lost my newly purchased Parisian scarf. I am convinced that the older gentleman who served us lunch noticed its beauty and claimed it as his own.

Beynac, France

I fell off the grid for a week in Beynac, the tiny medieval town on a cliff. Everything is the colour of honey, from the cobblestone streets, the old stone houses and even our fat fluffy flat mate Julie. Although we had no car the castles were well within wandering distance of each other. Crazy to think that during the hundred years war some of the castles were controlled by the French, some by the English and yet they were all close enough to pop next door to borrow a cup of sugar and some eggs. The Dordogne River was full of swans and river rat tour boats like Johnny Depp’s in Chocolate.
You can see why we fell away from reality for a while.

Montmartre

Took ourselves on a tour of our new neighborhood today. With a the stairs and hills we will be in such good shape! We had our first glimpse of the Eiffle Tower and listened to an amazing street performer. And for lunch? Baguettes, sliced pork tureen, brie de meux, sliced apple, white wine, cornichons, and for desert? Ice cream.

Welcome to Paris

Our first day in Paris was spent search for a bank, then searching for wifi, then going to bed very, very early. We were spent from the late night in London and the early morning on the train. But we have big plans for the rest of the month. We have a small Bachelor flat half a block from Sacre Coeur. I already know I'll never want to leave.

Best Meal Ever!

We ate at the best restaurant I have ever walked into. Cousin Peter is a good fellow to know. We were dining with all the important people of London, among them Margaret Thatcher's right hand man, whose name I can't remember. Peter knew the chef so we were spoiled! The moment we sat down were we brought 5 plates of AMAZING tasting dishes, parma ham, buffalo mozzarella with olives, tuna carpaccio with capers, zucchini frites, scallops in beautiful dishes like shells... and that was before we even saw the menu! By then I was full. We had a first course of pasta veal ragout and jumped to desert, as there is always room for desert.
When we dragged our over stuffed selves out we went walking the River Thames while everything was lit up and music was playing. Yes, I do like London.
Tomorrow we'll see it all by day light.

London

Granted I was quite ill for the first night in London, we spent the first morning and afternoon walking around Notting Hill and Portobello Road. We're lucky enough to be staying with a lovely cousin of Matts, Peter, he's an up and coming director who happens to live near the area. We did find the Travel Bookshop thay Hugh Grant worked at in the movie Notting Hill..."I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her." Just a little cheese...
We also found some other lovely shops, full of beautiful and expensive dresses, jams, flowers, lovely non travel related bookshops and ended up having lunch in the Organic Kitchen. It was just what we needed, rustic, delicious food, just like home.
What a lovely day, and it's not quite done.

And They're Off

The ferry ride went well, we watch Quarantine on our computer until the battery died, right in the middle of the movie at a very frightening and tense part. C' est la vie as the french say. Matt's very excited, I'm pretty anxious for the flight to come and go smoothly, but under all my tenseness is a bundle of excitement.

Here we are, jet setters on the ferry to Vancouver... next stop, Manchester!

Oh Dear...What to Wear

Been spending a lot of time thinking about the trip. Now with only 24 days to go I've turned my attentions to packing. If I win the lottery before we go I would get this oh so romantic outfit the stroll the streets in (all Anthro, no surprise). I suppose I'll have to suffer through in my thrift store finds, I'm sure I'll look only slightly less glamorous.