(photo: imashon.com)
happy Friday, y’all! i for one am so glad this week is almost over! we’ve got a kind of full weekend of soccer (!!) and school events happening, but as long as it doesn’t involve work or anyone getting on a plane, i’m certain i can handle whatever comes up.
speaking of getting on a plane, though, just 4 weeks from tonight, we’ll be boarding our flight to Paris! am i any more prepared than last time i posted? bwahahahahaha. if you expect any answer other than awwwhell no, you’re definitely not paying attention to how i roll, here. but in the spirit of trying, i once again spent time over the past couple days exploring, learning and making some decisions. here are my favorite finds this week on the France front. enjoy and stay warm out there!
1. a riverboat cruise
(photo: fluvialnet.com)
touring Strasbourg by boat is supposed to be one of the best ways to see the city. these guys had me at Batorama. are you kidding me? it made me think of Batman. and the boats themselves definitely look superhero-worthy. looks like an amazing way to spend a lazy hour and a half and see some sites and angles you wouldn’t get walking. plus, there’s even a version of the guide commentary especially for children “designed by professional scriptwriters and actors from the theater.” sign. us. up. ahoy, y’all!
2. croissants
(photo: pawsareforcookin.blogspot.com)
don’t ask me how, but Miss Girl decided several months ago that that croissants are 1 of the 3 things she will deign to eat for breakfast. who is this child? oh. right. i guess it does kind of make sense. well anyway, we’ve told her that if she thinks she likes the croissants she gets here, the ones in France are going to blow her mind. so in pursuit of total mind blowing, i found this great article and list of the Top Spots for Croissants in Paris. i haven’t yet looked into where any of them are in relation to our accommodations in the 1st arrondissement, but i’m excited to try at least one of them. Miss Girl will probably hate it.
3. black, white and red all over
okay, my first foray into Polyvore. this is a quick version of what i’m thinking for what to bring and wear: black, white, denim and a couple pops of red. easy enough to mix and match and this is all representative of stuff that’s already in my closet. i probably need to do a few more layering pieces and obvs, accessories. and i’m certain i can’t go anywhere for 9 days with only 2 pairs of shoes (i’m thinking there’s a black ballet flat, as well, just to be safe). i also need to determine whether i need to bring a jacket (probably) and see if i can find some kind of tote/messenger bag since as the mommy, i know i will be the one schlepping everyone else’s stuffed animals, bottled waters, half finished croissants and brochures around. thoughts?
4. Alsace wine guide
(photo: Wikipedia)
i’ve been totally overwhelmed even thinking about how to decide which wineries i want to visit when we do our drive between Strasbourg and Colmar. so i loved this Guide to Visiting Alsace from Wine Enthusiast. it’s certainly not comprehensive, but at least seemed like a good place to start.
5. what not to do
(photo: Condé Nast Traveler)
i’ve been so concerned with what to do in France that it never occurred to me to wonder what not to do. thank goodness the folks at Condé Nast Traveler are one step ahead. these 10 Things Not to Do in Paris — from where not to go to what not to wear (my capsule so far is totally cool. whew.) — are perfect, and i love that they also give better alternatives.