books and oxfords

i love books.

and not just reading them.

i love decorating with them too.

books have probably been

the thing i've purchased

most since moving to paris.

i've bought some vintage books

along the seine.

i've bought plenty of coffee table

books..from our travels.

and this past weekend,

while in london,

i bought some books i've been 

meaning to read.

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

is a must read.

my sister in law messaged me

while i was in london and told me

to pick it up.

so glad i did.

i started it on the train home and finished

by tuesday..and it's almost 500 pages!

i couldn't put it down.

a few more i picked up.

the two on top are persephone books.

i've started Cheerful Weather and i'm liking it.

this pile should get me through the winter

i'm hoping!

i love a coffee table covered in books

and magazines.

and yes..steve was away in belgium..

thus the flowers.

:)

crappy picture but thought i'd share

my new oxfords i bought in london.

i love them and they're comfortable

(they're clarks).

do i look like michael jackson?

london calling

where to begin!

first by saying 

that i think everyone

should travel alone..

or at least dine alone,

see a movie alone..

just once.

i mentioned before that 

i am never alone.

and while alone

all weekend 

i found out a few things about myself.

one is that i talk to myself!

seriously!

the train ride friday evening

into london was lovely.

i hate to fly so this was a

great option for me.

i stayed at the marriott grovesner house

on hyde park.

it was a great hotel

and perfectly located.

i woke early saturday

and quickly decided that

instead of lounging, reading and 

getting pampered..

i'd much prefer to see london.

so with map in hand,

off i walked. 

and walked.

buckingham palace..

through st. james park..

to the thames river,

big ben and westminster abbey.

queen victoria

big ben

horse guards

the london eye

one of my favorite sites of the weekend

was westminster abbey.

i had the official tour and learned

so much.

no photographs inside the church

was a bummer..

but i was able to focus on the commentary.

from there i walked to 

trafalger square and then on to picadilly.

i spent many hours and british pounds

at waterstones bookstore.

i had lunch in their cafe

and bought some books

i've been wanting to read..

Dickens'..David Copperfield and 

Dombey and Sons.

Jane Austens..Mansfield Park.

Charlotte Bronte's..Jane Eyre.

I also bought a few 

Persephone books.

I was happy to learn that they were

sold not just in the Persephone bookstore

in London..

i loved walking around fortnum & mason.

i bought all things tea!

by late afternoon

i started making my way back

to the hotel..

through some quaint residential streets.

i needed to get back to get ready for

les mis!

you know my love of les mis!

seeing it in london was a dream.

at the queens theatre!

great seats!

easy to get a last minute

up close seat when you only

need one!

sunday morning..

i walked to the victoria and albert 

museum.

i spent hours there.

one of my favorite exhibits 

was fashion through the years.

the late 1800's to present..

i had a lovely lunch at the museum

and then started my walk back.

harrods

love the coats and hats

on the bellmen.

i had a few hours to kill

before my train

so i stopped to have

high tea.

what a treat!

and what a weekend.

i'm so glad i did it.

not only do i feel rested

but confident!

i love london

i'm home.

and i loved

every

single

solitary

minute.

#42 on my life list..

check.

(ok it wasn't a week..

working my way up to that.)

more tomorrow. 

:)

and thank you all

for your words of support 

and encouragement! 

alone

stepping out of your box is not easy.

i'm doing that today.

oh..all week i've been,

"i'm going away,

i'm going away!

all by myself!!"

ok..well my train leaves 

in a few hours

and i admit,

i'm getting a little nervous.

i just texted steve..

why don't you go instead,

i wrote.

his response..

GET ON THE TRAIN!

getting on a train 

to travel to another country

alone is not what i do.

i stay home.

i cook,

i do laundry,

i take care of the family.

but i need to do this.

to prove to myself i can do it.

and to be alone.

something i never am.

i know it'll be good for me.

wish me luck.

:)

Going Away

i miss the christmas lights in paris!

but..so far 2013 has been great.

i started an exercise/eating plan 

at the start of the month

and i've stuck with it

and feel terrific.

when we moved here 6 months ago..

i ate everything! 

mostly bread.

man, i love my bread and cheese.

moving to paris is like

going off to college...

beware of  the freshman 15!

so this weekend 

i'm going away.

ALL.ALONE!

i'm taking the train from

paris to london

and could not be more excited!

it's a quick trip and i'm torn

between relaxing and reading

and spa treatments..

and cramming all kinds of sights

and shopping in.

i've been to london years ago

and didn't get to see the 

victoria and albert museum.

so that's a must.

if you had a weekend to yourself

in a big city

what would you do?

"i hate pa-wis"

yesterday was not a 

good day with this little guy.

after our morning routine..

we headed out for a walk.

it was the coldest day of 

the year here in paris.

but we were bundled up

and i will admit,

it felt good to be out walking

in the cold.

we walked through the 7th..

winding in and out of 

the residential boulevards.

after bribing the g-man 

with yet another eiffel tower

i asked if he'd like to go

to a cafe for some hot chocolate.

fine, he said.

like i was putting him out in some way.

:)

we find a cute cafe with 

heated outdoor seats and a perfect 

view of the tower.

we wrangle ourselves in the small entry

find a seat

and he starts screaming.

"i hate pa-wis"

"i want to go home"

i do so hope he starts 

to love pa-wis.

it breaks my heart that he's 

unhappy right now.

so instead we came home

and i finished my stock.

and warmed up with a nice

bowl of soup.

bon weekend!

la baguette

dinner tonight.

i found this recipe on pinterest

and it couldn't be simpler.

it's called 

lazy day sunday casserole.

cut up peppers..

all colors..

onions..

red and/or white

a few small red potatoes

and some carrots.

in a small jar mix

about 1/2 cup of olive oil,

1/2 cup chicken stock

a few garlic gloves..

some herbs..

i had sage and thyme on hand.

pour over veggies and roast in a

425 degree oven..

covered in aluminum foil.

meanwhile..brown some sausages..

when the veggies are done..

cut up the sausages and add to the veggies.

back in the oven for another 1/2 hour..

uncovered.

i served ours with wide noodles 

and a baguette.

of course.

oh the french baguette.

how i love thee.

seriously though..

is there anything more 

quintessential than the french 

baguette?

my experience with the french

baguette has been nothing less

than what you'd think it would be.

and it's not just about eating it.

i feel my "frenchiest"

when walking down 

the street with a baguette

tucked under my arm.

i smile when i see others 

doing the same.

especially children.

on our daily walks,

griffy is sitting in the stroller

munching on a baguette.

if there is any left..

we spread it with 

buerre

hummus

jelly

nutella.

(i grabbed this image off of pinterest.)

we do have a favorite boulangerie.

sometimes we're there twice a day.

and 

about the only french that 

i have mastered is..

"deux baguettes s'il vous plait"

had to add this pic.

griff and i at our favorite cafe today

enjoying a chocolat chaud,

cappucccino, and a croissant.

good day.

:)