Celebrating Our Wedding Anniversary

Yesterday was my wedding anniversary. Gman and I celebrated three years of wedded bliss by re-creating our first date. Seven years ago we went on a picnic and had gouda and tomato paninis with little fruit tarts for dessert. We got a 4 euro bottle of wine from a bodega and sat in the grass behind Les Invalids on a beautiful summer day in Paris. We sat there for hours and hours getting to know each other for the first time. Later, Gman proposed to me in the same spot. Amazing how a little patch of grass (pictured above) can be filled with so much meaning.

So last night we made a picnic on the living room floor. We lit candles and laid out a picnic blanket, then made gouda and tomato paninis. For the wine, we opened a bottle we purchased when we were in Bordeaux a few years ago, a 2005 St Emilion (I'll give full notes another time). The taste of the wine brought us right back to France and our memories flooded back. We sat on the floor for hours reminiscing until finally the wine was gone and it was time for bed.

I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate then remembering all of the wonderful moments we've shared so far and I can't wait for what the future holds.

PS - last year's wedding post.

Exploring Wine: Something White in Bordeaux

Chateau Tour de Mirambeau, Bordeaux blanc, grand vin, 2007 (+ $30, purchased in France)
My rating for this bottle? I would drink the whole thing.


A few years ago Gman and I went to St. Emillion in the Bordeaux region of France. We were there to celebrate our then recent engagement and to learn about the wine and lifestyle of that region. After much wine tasting and taking classes, we settled on a case of various wines which we had shipped back to our apartment in New York City. We drink a bottle from that case on special occasions, like my birthday, Christmas, or our anniversary (OK, OK, on his birthday too).

So last Friday we decided to simply celebrate Friday night (our first Friday night alone at home in several weeks!) and popped open a bottle of Bordeaux white. The Bordeaux region of France isn't really known for it's whites. They do have some delish dessert type whites but nothing I would want to drink a bottle of. We completely forgot about this little gem stashed away in the shelves.

The dark yellow, honey color of this Bordeaux blanc looks viscous and heavy bodied. "Honey" was my first thought on the nose and the flavor. But it wasn't like I was drinking honey. Flavors of pineapple, cocoa, apricot, and vanilla rounded out the taste with a medium finish stretching out the velvety texture. It was so, so smooth and easy to drink. Not really the type of wine I would normally go for but the flavor was so full and yet somehow sophisticated and subtle. Gman said, "This is why wine is Frances' national treasure" and I would agree completely.

Exploring Wine: St. Emilion

Chateau Cheval Brun, St. Emilion Grand Cru, 2009, $30 (approximately, it was a gift from Gman)

My rating for this bottle? I would drink the bottle.

Whenever Gman and I want to get a special bottle of wine we always grab something from St. Emilion. After his marriage proposal (which was where we first met, here) we took the train down to Bordeaux and stayed in the heart of the medieval town, St. Emilion. While on our trip, we were introduced to the glories of the wines from this part of France. Our time there was one of the best of my life and truly unforgettable (don't worry, I'll tell you about it soon!).

So last week he surprised me with this bottle. In my tasting notes I wrote,

deep cherry, purple-red in color

smokey

earthy, tobacco?

juicy berries

medium to full body but soft

short finish

The most common grapes used in St. Emilion are a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and some Cabernet Franc which are all pretty sturdy on their own. This was a bolder taste than I've had in other reds, so I'm not sure if everyone would like it.

I do because every time I take a sip my transported back to our time in St. Emilion when I was perfectly peaceful and giddy with engagement excitement. Do you ever experience that with wine? Or what about music or scent?

Wardrobe: Nice, France

Grey dress, scarf, sandals, sunglasses, bracelet, cream dress, wedges, scarf, handbag

When thinking about a wardrobe look for a trip to Nice, I couldn’t help but think of the late Grace Kelly. Not only was she a local, being the Princess of Monaco and all, but Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief, which was filmed in Nice, is one of my favorite films.


Her style was feminine, elegant, and modern - always sophisticated and put together with minimal, deliberate accessories, and simple hair and make-up. I wanted to take inspiration from her without posting a vintage looking too outfit, because if she were here now, I bet she would have dressed in today’s best fashions.


Here are two looks, one for day time sight-seeing and one for dinner on the town. I looked at the classic lines in her style – soft neckline, defined waist, and a-line skirt and translated them with pieces we would wear now. Simple leather sandals, and the new classic Reed Krakoff bag. I couldn’t resist throwing in a Hermes scarf as a nod to her relationship the brand. Instead of wearing it around your neck, wear it as a headband/turban just like Ms. Kelly did in the beach scenes of To Catch A Thief.

Destination: Nice, France

It was my first time leaving the United States. I was going on a road trip through the Cotê d’Azur and Provence regions of France, then taking the train to Nancy and finally Paris, where I would be studying abroad. I would be accompanied by my mother. And we would land in Nice, France on a cool summer morning.

As soon as we landed, chaos ensued. We hurriedly followed the crowd to our luggage carrousel and dragged our bags off the moving belt. I could feel my mother’s anxiety heighten as we searched in vain for the rental car stand. All of my life she was such a strong leader, always knowing the direction to take, but in this moment she was ill and she didn't know what to do. I remember time slowing at the same time it quickened. I barely understood the chatter around me; the signs were all in French. But somehow I knew where I was and how to get to where I wanted to be. Instincts took over and I headed to the exit. She followed me. As we arrived at the rental car stand, the English speaking employee was on a break. I had to get the car, pay, and get directions to the hotel all in my shaky French. And I did. I’m sure he could tell I was nervous, but I was able to communicate.

It was such a tiny moment in my life, full of so many others more significant. But this moment was a turning point for me. I was challenged. I became calmer as the situation grew more stressful. I took the lead in finding a solution, and I took action. I made decisions, communicated, and triumphed. All while having a loose grasp of my foreign surroundings. I thought, if I can do this, I can do anything. Any nerves I had about being in a foreign country were quelled.

Once in the car, my mom took over again, as she is a skilled driver of stick shift (I am still but an amateur). Things were different between us. I could feel that she was proud of me. She wouldn’t have to babysit her tiny daughter on this trip – we could be friends, peers.

Nice was stunning. I felt like I was on the set of Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief as we walked through the streets. It felt luxurious and timeless. Nice is one of the oldest cities in the world and has been a vacation getaway for centuries because of its perfect Mediterranean climate. There were a lot more people than I expected, between the local population and tourists the number was near a million. Buildings were a mix of styles, some Italian, some French, and painted coral, with shades of blue and green for trim, they were bright but white washed from the sun. The streets smelled like salt water, fresh coffee, and wafts of that familiar smell of someone’s dinner escaping through the windows and fireplace. Old women hung out of third floor windows, watching passersbys and tending to their window gardens, while old men stood in groups in the streets, smoking cigars and talking. Tourists searched for an English speaking restaurant downtown.

Our activities included a visit to the Museum of Modern andContemporary Art, where we learned about the Nice School of Art in the 1960’s, represented Yves Klein, and the troves of artists, like Matisse and Marc Chagall, who have been attracted to Nice’s soft light over the years. Most of our meals were enjoyed in the sidewalk cafes. Meals lingered here; even lunch was served in courses, finishing with an espresso. I’d always wanted to eat a meal like that.

I was determined to speak French, even though a lot of people spoke English and I was timid. Each person I spoke to was so kind about helping me. My pronunciation and understanding grew with each meal or shopping trip.

A must in Nice is to walk along the Promenade d’Anglais which spans the length of the waterfront. Their beach was much different than ours in Florida. It didn’t have powdery white sand but instead grey rocks. I found it strangely alluring, although it was definitely not as comfortable for tanning. 

I also experienced one of the worst tours I’ve ever been on. It was pre-arranged through a travel agent and neither our driver nor guide spoke English. We had to hop into the backseat of a shady van to drive from scenic place to scenic place. The guide had a script that she read from but could not answer questions. Between her accent and reading the script like a robot, not taking breathes or pausing between sentences, to this day I’m not sure what I was looking at or why.

One of our destinations on the tour included a candy making factory. We didn’t see people making candy, but apparently it was made there and it was famous and American tourists like those types of things, so we went. The gift shop had hoards of middle aged women in white sneakers attempting to secretly pull their money out of their passport fanny pack, which was underneath their clothes, to buy candy in bulk. The sales women were aggressive too. The whole scene reminded me of the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. I couldn’t wait to get out of there. My mom and I still laugh about it to this day.

My confidence grew throughout our trip. I had never felt so liberated. I loved learning new habits for eating breakfast (coffee and a bit of baguette) or having long lunches or speaking a new language. I liked to watch people and see how they dressed differently or acted the same. Sure, it was frustrating at times when I couldn’t communicate or when we just needed toothpaste and couldn’t find a drug store (Oh, it’s around the other corner…) but the sense of accomplishment and the excitement of seeing such an amazing place were addictive. It was then that my desires changed from “sure, I like to travel” to “I must find a way to do this the rest of my life.”

Wardrobe: Paris in July

Dress, Bra, Briefs, Bag, Wedges, Bangles, Sunglasses, Belt

Inspired by my romantic evening in the white Maje dress, I'm loving this long sheer white button up. It's completely modern and on trend without being trendy and there's nothing more Parisian than that! Have the confidence to wear bright, sporty lingerie for a bit of indirect allure. A skinny leopard print belt and juicy red leather tote are a must in any wardrobe. The glittery wedges point to the sparkling Eiffel Tower and you can't have a modern Parisian ensemble without a touch of YSL (sunglasses).

Now go practice your French shopping vocabulary!

I want to go to there



via Cognac and Coffee

Art history majors, does this look familiar? It is the The Manneporte near Étretat in the North of France which Monet painted several times. There is now a golf course just above. Can you imagine?! {le sigh}...

Beachy dreams

All this snow has me dreaming about warmer days. Wouldn't it be nice to be wisked away to a beach with white powdery sand and clear blue water? I just love laying on the beach listening to the waves lapping, the breeze blowing through the trees, and the warm sun soaking into my skin. Why don't we plan a trip then?

Let's go south of the equator to Australia

via Cognac and Coffee

Or perhaps we jet to the south of France?

photo my own