Tag Archives: Finding Noon

Cycling, Food, France, French customs, Paris

Sunday’s Picture and a Song: Bastille Day (La Fête Nationale) 2013 – On the third day she rested … Bicycling in Provence: A Very Sad Au Revoir –

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I haven’t been publishing the usual Wednesday’s Blogger Round-up for the last month because I simply didn’t have time to read any other blogs! Cycling and visiting all day and writing posts at night took up a good part of every 24 hours.

Although we arrived back on Sunday night just in time for Bastille Day, we decided to pass on it this year but Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris took some of her usual stunning photos. Meanwhile, Sylvia from Finding Noon was off on a Greek Island, eating lobster and discovering a wonderful English library. While we’ve been cycling along the Danube, Maggie LaCoste from Experience France by Bike has been bicycling through Provence. Enjoy!

Sunday’s Picture and a Song: Bastille Day (La Fête Nationale)

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

bastille_dayLiberté, égalité, fraternité.

There was a REVOLUTION of sound and explosions on the Champ de Mars last night. If you would like to relive Bastille Day (La Fête Nationale) 2013, here’s the spectacular firework show in its entirety! Read more

On the third day she rested…

by Sylvie from Finding Noon, an American living in Paris who appreciates fine art, good music, succulent food, and breath taking scenery

greeceNot that I’m comparing myself to the Great Creator, but s/he created the world in 6 days before taking a break, where as on holiday in Santorini, Greece last week, I only made it to three before needing a holiday from our holidays.

When I told a friend our destination she gave me a rather dry look, adding, “You know, you can’t wear heels.” The map of the nearest big city had a “No Heels” logo on its legend.  What wasn’t explained, and what I didn’t ask, is why. Read more

Bicycling in Provence: A Very Sad Au Revoir

by Maggie LaCoste from Experience France by Bike, an American who loves biking anywhere in Europe, but especially France, which has the perfect combination of safe bike routes, great food, great weather and history.

provenceProvence is a very easy place to fall in love with, and a very difficult place to leave. Four days here was only enough time to confirm that I should have planned on staying no less than a couple of weeks! Even though it never rains here in the summer, it rained in Bonnieux this morning. Maybe the rain was supposed to help me not feel so bad about leaving. But as I watched the fog settle over the hills, it made me want to stay even more. I was dreading the 7 km downhill ride on wet pavement. Read more

Art, Belgium, Paris, Sightseeing

Original souvenirs from Paris – A hymn – Last minute change of plans from Burgundy to Belgium and from wine to beer

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This week, in my bloggers’ round-up, Pierre from Paris on Demand suggests some original souvenirs from Paris, Sylvia from Finding Noon takes us to a Chagall exhibition in Paris that is on until 21st July and Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris describes her last-minute trip to Belgium, especially Ghent and Antwerp, instead of a boat trip along a canal in Burgundy, cancelled due to severe flooding. Enjoy!

Original souvenirs from Paris…

by Pierre from Paris on Demand, aimed at helping tourists and Paris lovers to get to know the city of Light under a different perspective, offering news and updates on exhibitions, museums, restaurants, off-the-beaten-track addresses, events and tips to prepare their trip and understand the Parisian way of life.

souvenir-from-parisIf you’re looking for chic and trendy souvenirs from Paris, look no further, “Les Parisettes” is for you! “Les Parisettes” is a concept store specialized in different types of products: kitchen accessories, stationery, tote bags, jewelry, candles, games, cushions and home decoration ideas. Everyone can find an original gift, in the colors of Paris and the Eiffel Tower. Maryse Bazzoli and Sophie Ollé-Laprune, the creators of the store, pay a lot of attention to select refined, Eiffel-Tower fashioned, quality items, only for you! Read more

 

A hymn…

by Finding Noon, an American living in Paris who appreciates fine art, good music, succulent food, and breath taking scenery

chagallRich blue sapphires, golden topazes, apple red rubies…. No, I did not go jewelry shopping this weekend, rather I spent a lovely hour (or so) with a fairly dense crowd at the Musée du Senat in the Luxembourg gardens diving into the sumptuous colors at the Chagall exhibit.

I like Chagall. I am aware that he is not for everyone. Upside down chickens and flying musicians do not reflect classical realism, nor modern abstract purity and it all requires a willing suspension of disbelief. But I love his gem stone palette, and I find his fantastical characters, often dancing, kissing, playing music absolutely delightful. His work has been known to make my make heart do a little jig. I suspect I am not the only one and that this is perhaps why he was chosen to paint the ceiling at the Opera Garnier. His stained glass windows add the perfect counterpoint of colorful light to the cold grey stones at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Reims, making it my favorite cathedral in France. Read more

Last minute change of plans from Burgundy to Belgium and from wine to beer…

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

ghent“I just spoke with someone at Le Boat. They had to cancel our reservation because the water level in the Nivernais Canal is too high. Can you find somewhere else for us to go?”

My heart sank when Stéphane called last Monday to tell me that our much anticipated boating trip in Burgundy with our daughter had been cancelled. Gone were visions of the three of us cycling to quaint villages for lunch and leisurely sipping red wine on the deck in the evening. Instead, I was charged with the task of finding an affordable last minute alternative during one of the busiest travel weeks in Europe. Even after hours spent scouring the internet, Sara and I couldn’t find a getaway that cost less than 1,790 euros per person. In desperation, I called Stéphane and told him that we were going to have to get creative, to think outside the box. “How about driving to Belgium?” I proposed. Read more

Travelling

Europe in the winter – 6 tips to travel well – Itarod, here we come – A Day Trip to the Great Wall

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This week’s blogger round up, slightly later than usual, starts with some very useful tips for travelling well in Europe in the winter from Frugal First Class Travel, followed by a horrendous tale of dog sledding in Lapland from Sylvia at Finding Noon (not a destination on my wish-for list) and ends with a day trip to the Great Wall of China by Susan from Days on the Claise. Enjoy!

Europe in the winter – 6 tips to travel well

by Frugal First Class Travel, an Australian who loves to travel – especially in Europe – and who has gradually learned how to have a FirstClass trip on an economy budget, without missing out on anything!

winter_travellingIn this, the third part in my series of traveling to Europe in the winter, I look at traveling safely and how to get the most out of your trip.

1.  Dress warmly, but in layers

You will be outside a lot sightseeing and traveling from place to place.  If you aren’t used to snow and ice, don’t underestimate how cold it can be and cold you will get.  Also don’t underestimate how over-heated European interiors such as shops and museums can get.  Dress in layers, starting with thermals and work your way outwards.  See my previous post on dressing for Europe in the winter (complete with packing list) for more details. Read more

Itarod, here we come

by Finding Noon, an American living in Paris who appreciates fine art, good music, succulent food, and breath taking scenery

finlandOur first morning we awoke, slightly disoriented but excited about the day ahead; we were going dog sledding!

Arriving at Husky & Co the chipper Hungarian guide told us to put on one of their ski suits.

“But I already have this quite swank, rather high tech ski suit on,” desisted Mr French, “is that really necessary?” Read more

A Day Trip to the Great Wall

by Susan from Days on the Claise, an Australian living in the south of the Loire Valley, writing about restoring an old house and the area and its history

roadside marketOn 11 December last year we were returning from Australia via China. Because we had a long wait between flights at Beijing we took a hotel (Air China provides a free hotel room if you know to ask). We had obtained a 72 hour transit permit when the plane landed for a couple of hours in Shanghai before continuing to Beijing and Simon had booked a guide and driver for the morning. Part of the Great Wall is about an hour from Beijing and our guide was confident he could get us there, spend an hour on the Wall, then get us to the airport in plenty of time to get through security (we’d checked our hold luggage all the way through and only had hand luggage with us). Read more

Art, Dieting, Food, French customs

A French woman’s secret to staying slim – Saint Malo – Dali’s restrospective at Beaubourg

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In this Wednesday’s bloggers’ round-up, New Zealander Rebecca Russel (now living in Nice), tells us in a post on My French Life how French women manage to stay slim while American blogger in Paris, Sylvia from Finding Noon, who “likes food a lot”, suggests places to find slimming things like crèpes and butter in Saint Malo in Brittany. On an entirely different subject, Pierre from Paris on Demand describes the Dali retrospective at the Pompidou Centre this winter. The last one was at least 33 years ago (I know – I went to it!), so this year’s is not to be missed! Enjoy!

A French woman’s secret to staying slim

by Rebecca Russel, who lives in Nice on the Côte d’Azur, and is the Director of a property search company, Côte Abode. While looking for French Riviera property on behalf of international clients, she also keeps a keen eye on the latest places to eat, shop and simply enjoy visiting.

I was reminded of how French women eat while dining at a restaurant with an American friend recently. Halfway through our meal he noticed that as each course arrived I would methodically divide up the food and set aside a third.

He meanwhile wolfed into snails in garlic butter (well, he did want to try something French), followed by a whole fish encased in crushed almonds and cooked (again) in butter, accompanied by my leftover pureed potatoes with truffle oil. He finished the entire bread basket before the mains had arrived. We followed this up with cheese and dessert. Read more

Saint Malo

by Finding Noon, an American living in Paris who appreciates fine art, good music, succulent food, and breath taking scenery

Two weekends ago we went to Cancale, and I raved about our trip, and it was fantastic, but then life happened and I start writing about more timely stuff, like the Paris Photo Festival, which I really encourage you to go see, which means I got side tracked and didn’t fully finish talking about our trip, which is fine, because, well, do you really care about every little thing we saw and tasted and experienced? I hope not, for your sake! On the other hand, I do like food an awful lot and we had some great meals on this trip that I really want to remember so I can book places for our next trip, so today, I am indulging myself and making a list of my St Malo favorite foods. First, the fish that got away. Read more.

Dali’s retrospective at Beaubourg

by Pierre from Paris on Demand, aimed at helping tourists and Paris lovers to get to know the city of Light under a different perspective, offering news and updates on exhibitions, museums, restaurants, off-the-beaten-track addresses, events and tips to prepare their trip and understand the Parisian way of life.

The Beaubourg Museum will definitely be one of the hot spots in town this winter with the Dali retrospective which will display more than 150 pieces of art by the eccentric artist who was a prolific painter, sculptor and writer.Along with the paintings, visitors will have the opportunity to watch unreleased videos of the artist, TV commercials he directed, photographs…

This exhibition is an unprecedented tribute to the most famous surrealist artist who was a pioneer and an example for future generations.

http://blog.paris-on-demand.com/2012/11/28/dalis-retrospective-at-beaubourg/

France, Paris, Sightseeing, Travelling

St Jean de Luz – How to Manage and Maximise your Money when Traveling – Père Lachaise Cemetary

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This week, Sylvia from Finding Noon, who is holidaying in French Basque Country, takes us on a visit to one of my favourites, St Jean de Luz. Australian blog writer Annabel Candy, from Get in the Hot Spot, gives tips on how to manage and maximise your money when traveling. I also came across an old post by Andrea from Destination Europe about Père Lachaise Cemetary in Paris which is always a lovely place to visit.

St Jean de Luz

by Sylvia from Finding Noon, an American living in Paris who appreciates fine art, good music, succulent food, and breath taking scenery

After a few days at the beach, I am ready for a break. Hossegor is the perfect place for a curious traveler, because it offers a fantastic range of day trips. We can go hiking in the Pyrenées, visiting quaint Basque villages like Espelette, or Sares. Or we can head south for tapas at the very relaxed, food obsessed Saint Sébastien, Spain. Or even further south for a day of culture and fine art at the Guggenheim in Bilbao. There is the glitzy beach town of Biarritz along the way, the naturally wild Guéthary, and my personal favorite, the very historic and exceptionally picturesque St Jean de Luz. Read more

 

How to Manage and Maximise your Money when Traveling

by Annabel Candy, travel writer, blogger and delightful misfit and author of In the Hot Spot, a travel blog with inspiration, tips and ideas for people who love travel, writing and living their dream life

Life’s complicated, but not as complicated as working out the best way to manage your money while you’re traveling.

When we moved from New Zealand to Panama, then ended up living in Costa Rica and finally Australia, there was a lot of money changing going on. We’re talking four different currencies right there. But we also traveled round Nicaragua and Guatemala, so as well as dealing with New Zealand dollars, US dollars, Costa Rican colones and Australian dollars we also spent quetzals in Guatemala and córdobas in Nicaragua. Read more

Père Lachaise Cemetary

by Andrea from Destination Europe, also an Aussie Expat who’s been living in France for the last 5 years, food and travel blogger

If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of central Paris, take a side trip to Paris’s most famous cemetery, Pere Lachaise. Not surprisingly, it’s one of the most peaceful places in Paris and a beautiful area to wander and admire the final resting places of the city’s former residents.

I always thought it was strange to visit a cemetery just to admire the surrounds but Pere Lachaise isn’t like any other cemetery. You can visit to check out the celebrity residents like Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, or Oscar Wilde (amongst many others) or to commemorate those who lost their lives for their country. Or you can just admire the fascinating and unusual tomb art work on display. Read more

 

Art, Cooking, Paris, Spain

Don’t walk, fly… – Christian and Islamic Cultures Come Together in Córdoba – Cooking (and Eating) French pastries at L’Atelier des Sens

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I can’t believe the week can go by so quickly! Wednesday again and time for my Bloggers’ Round-up. Finding Noon takes us to a Korean painting exhibition at the Bespoke Exhibition Pavilion in the Tuileries Gardens, Kathy Stanford from Femmes Francophiles stuns us with her lovely photos of Cordoba in Spain, which is definitely on my list of places to revisit, and Abby from Paris Weekender shares a cooking class in Paris that includes croissants. Enjoy!

Don’t walk, fly…

by Finding Noon, an American living in Paris who appreciates fine art, good music, succulent food, and breath taking scenery

So a Frenchman and an Englishman are chatting about a Korean man over lunch in Malaysia…. sounds like the start of some silly joke, but this really did happen about a year ago. Only the Frenchman is the director of the Louvre museum and he was speaking with an interior designer about the photographer Ahae, and his latest project; 2 million photos taken from the same window over 2 years. Read more

Christian and Islamic Cultures Come Together in Córdoba

by Kathy Stanford from Femmes Francophiles, an Australian which an ongoing passion for France and the French language currently on holiday in Europe

Córdoba, in Andalusia, is reported to have the highest summer average in Europe. It certainly was hot when I visited with friends, Isa and Julio. Apart from the heat, I was struck me by the Islamic influence in the architecture and decoration. I was very much reminded of my stay at Riad Sekkat in Marrakech. Córdoba, historically was Spain’s most significant Islamic city. Read more

 

Cooking (and Eating) French pastries at L’Atelier des Sens

by Abby from Paris Weekender, an American living in Paris who offers suggestions for Paris weekends, either staying put or getting out of town

I am often asked for suggestions for not-your-usual-tourist activities in Paris. Whether you live in Paris or are just visiting for a few days, one of the best experiences your money can buy is time with an expert who will teach you a little something you can take back home. Perhaps you would be interested in a wine tasting class, perhaps a photography class or a chocolate tasting class or a cooking class…. Whatever you choose, it is sure to be a memorable experience. Read more

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