Dashing Around Dublin

Yikes!  I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to write another blog!  I have been on the MOVE!  My hope was to write a separate blog about each and every city, but considering I’m currently on the train to my ninth city, that idea may prove to be futile, but I’m going to give it a go.  If I can’t punch out every detail, I will at least fill you in on some of the highlights of the last three weeks..and perhaps some low points as well (like the fact that I ate a filet o fish in Marseille just now between train rides…a REAL low point…)  By the way, as I’m typing this I am on a six hour train ride to Bordeaux, France.  It’s a strange system.  You don’t have to show proof that you’ve actually purchased a train ticket until you are on the train and en route to your destination.  During some of train rides I’ve already taken, my ticket was never checked!  I can imagine that this leads to people hopping on the train without tickets, hoping that it will be their lucky day that tickets aren’t checked.  So here we are on the way to Bordeaux and I’m sitting in the first class coach (don’t go crazy…the price difference between coach and first class on a train is minimal and since this was going to be a six hour jaunt I wanted comfort!) Not one, but TWO people just got caught without tickets!  They both tried to do the song and dance that they lost them, patting pockets and checking their duffle bags, but it was so completely obvi that they were just trying to pull a fast one.  Wooo weeee!  The ticket checker started REAMING these guys in French.  And it certainly doesn’t take a native French tounge to understand that they were getting a proper blasting.  Not exactly sure what will happen to these stowaways, but they are most definitely not sitting in this coach any longer!  

Anyway, back to my travels.  When we last spoke (yes I consider this a two way dialogue..ha!) I was about to board my flight to Dublin.  That plane was practically a prop plane.  You know…the kind you have to walk out on the tarmac and then climb stairs to board.  Not my favorite.  However, as we flew over Ireland I was struck by the never-ending greenery below.  Of course, this was how I had imagined it to be, but seeing it with my own eyes was magnificent.  I literally saw fields of dancing sheep and shades of emerald sprawling in all directions.  After my little prop plane made a safe landing, I retrieved my luggage and made my way to the bus stop.  Public transport in Edinburgh had proven to be a bit overwhelming for me, but being that it is SO much cheaper than taxis I was on a mission to get to my Dublin flat via public transport.  SUCCESS!  I figured out how to buy the ticket, the route I needed, the stop I needed get off, and even managed to get my million pound suitcase onto the bus.  The only negative was the lack of seats available so I had to stand for the thirty minute ride.  This wouldn’t have been much of a problem except the bus driver was heavy on the breaks and I kept getting jarred and jostled around.  I ended up with a few bruises…but hey!  I saved a ton of dough taking that bus!  Oh, and if I hadn’t taken that bus ride, I may have missed the sign for the Leprechaun museum, which gave me a good chuckle.  Pandering to tourists with that one no doubt!!

I arrived to my flat in Temple Bar, a super cute, lively neighborhood in Dublin, and had about thirty minutes to kill until my Air BnB host was to arrive.  There was a bakery right next door to the flat so I parked it there and ordered a cappuccino.  Sitting in that bakery at about 3pm on a Wednesday afternoon, I noticed something.  I couldn’t believe how many people popped into the bakery for an afternoon pastry.  Hefty slices of carrot cake, muffins, brownies, tarts and cookies were ordered right and left.  And it seemed like this was a daily routine as the shop owners often greeted the customers by name.  Yet not one of these customers were overweight!  What do we think of this??  I’m sure it can partly be attributed to the amount of walking Europeans do.  I’d also have to imagine it may have to do with the quality of food in Europe as well as portion sizes.  People from other parts of the world constantly reference the enormity of American portion sizes.  I think Europeans tend to eat smaller meals.  What else do you think it is?  It was really quite interesting to me.  I sat in the bakery with just my cappuccino (trying to avoid a 500 calorie pastry) while the Irish traipsed in and out with their afternoon treat.  

The other thing that struck me was the feeling that I had been plunked down in the middle of a movie set.  The accents were just so gloriously thick and amazing, something all of us have attempted to mimic at some point in our lives.  But here I was sipping coffee amongst these incredible thick stunning Irish accents and it was music to my ears.  I could practically hear the music being cued, someone yelling action, and wind blowing through my hair as I rode alongside Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise in one of my old favorites “Far and Away.”  Oh Shannon…

My host finally arrived and showed me to the flat, which was totally adorable, cozy and just had a good vibe. I was very excited to be in Dublin!  I walked the streets of Temple Bar and could not BELIEVE the number of bars and pubs that lined every street.  Pub crawl central.  Beer belly central?  Hangover central?  LOL!  I ended up at Bad Bob’s Temple Bar and ordered some red wine.  Not even sure why I ordered this…not really my go to bevvo.  But I wasn’t in the mood for beer and it was a bit chilly out, so red wine just seemed right.  And it was.  I stayed at Bad Bob’s for several hours, drinking wine, talking to the bartender, and finally listening to some really great music when open mic night started.  It was a fun night, and the best part was being able to stumble only a block or two home to my flat.  

The next day I took the best three hour walking tour of Dublin.  Our tour guide Lisa was a beautiful charming red head who used to work in the corporate world, but left that to pursue a life of travel.  Ahem…this hit home with me for sure!!  We saw tons of spectacular sites including Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral, Trinity College, Temple Bar, and St. Stephen’s Green.  Lisa told us wonderful historical stories about each site, as well as some funny local tales.  She relayed to us the fact that the wretched King Geoffrey from Game of Thrones is actually a 4th year student at Trinity College in Dublin and is quite a successful student.  And evidently he’s not a total scumbag…although it’s hard for me not to hate him.  We also saw the project arts center in Temple Bar where a little band called U2 got their start.  Lisa told us that one day in the very early days of U2 when they were totally unknown, Bono went into a bar across from the project arts center to buy a beer and apparently looked so disheveled that they refused to serve him.  They got into a bit of a tif and Bono exclaimed that some day he’d buy that bar from the man who refused to sell him the beer.  And guess what?  He did…he bought and still owns Garage Bar and the Clarence Hotel in Temple Bar.  However, I gathered from Lisa that the Irish think Bono is a bit big for his britches.  I had two different tour guides in Dublin tell the same Bono joke.  Here it is.  What is the difference between God and Bono?  Answer...God doesn’t think he’s Bono….  

 Lisa, our darling and funny tour guide!

 Bustling Temple Bar!

St. Stephen's Green.

I have more to tell about Dublin, but I’m so tired and this is getting long.  So for now I say Dia Guich…which means May God Bless You in Gaelic.  xoxo

Travel Tip #2 - Take a good walking tour when you first get to a new city.  I usually find highly rated tours on Trip Advisor and typically the guides are so proud of their city and have such cool and interesting stories to tell.  You miss out on some really interesting stories that make a place come to life if you just walk around by yourself.  It's also a great way to orient yourself with the city.  AND, if you are alone, this is a great way to meet people!!

Skipping around Scotland

My time in Edinburgh flew and now I am sitting in the airport waiting to fly to Dublin.  I always feel a bit sorry for the first stop on a vacation.  As with any international trip, you are in such a daze from jet lag and exhaustion, usually on the second day.  Approximately sixteen hours after I left home in Newbury Park, I finally landed in Edinburgh and made my way via taxi to my flat. I was too tired to deal with the bus and I honestly couldn’t face hauling my 49 pound suitcase anywhere other than the back of a cab.  My cab driver was a lovely man, born and raised in Scotland, with the thickest accent to match.  I was only able to understand every fourth or fifth word, however I was able to make out his tour guide-esque announcements as we passed interesting sites such as the birth place of Sean Connery, as well as the university Tony Blair attended.  He was a sweet, sweet man, eager to use the twenty-five minutes to tell me about his city.  I love it when people have pride in their home.  We arrived to the flat when I suddenly realized I had not studied the pound or any denomination of the pound.  Um, that should have been the first thing I did.  I had notes and coins in my wallet, but I honestly wasn’t even sure what they equaled.  UGH!  And my bleary eyes were having trouble reading the faded coins.  I felt really unprepared, which I did not love.  Anyway, I managed to pay the man, vowing in my head to immediately go upstairs and hit up my Rick Steves book to study the currency.  My flat was located on the Royal Mile.  This is a stretch of road in the center of Edinburgh filled with shops, restaurants, pubs, etc.  The location of my flat was a dream…with the exception of the six flights of steep stairs that I had to climb to actually get to the front door.  To be honest, this didn’t bother me much.  I figured it would help in burning off the pints of cider I was about to consume over the next couple of days.  However, hauling my suitcase, backpack, satchel and tired body up those stairs the first day I arrived was rough.  Almost tear inducing rough.  Luckily, the urge to cry was quickly quelled upon entering the beautiful flat and seeing that the very stairs that I was cursing a moment ago were just the thing that enabled me to have breathtaking views from every window in the place.  LUCKY ME!!!  

                                  VIEWS FROM MY FLAT

My Air BnB host greeted me, showed me around and departed…leaving me to quickly fling myself onto the bed and tear into the dainty package of shortbread cookies that were left for me.  YUM!  As I lay there inhaling a few cookies, I noticed I could hear the faint sound of bagpipes.  Was this a dream??  I mean really, a flat with breathtaking views AND some mood music drifting in from the streets below?  That afternoon I had the best time just traipsing up and down the Royal Mile, ducking in and out of shops, milling about the street and watching wonderful street performers, stopping for a leisurely coffee, and finally ending my night with INSANELY delicious fish and chips and a cold pint of Three Hops. I slept like a log on Sunday night.  

Monday morning I had already signed up for a Zumba class in an area called Morningside.  The trick was figuring out how to get there.  I was determined to use public transit so off I went, all geared up, to try and find the bus.  I attempted to get on one bus, but I didn’t have the exact change.  The driver kept saying something, but I could NOT understand what he was saying!  Damn Scottish accent.  I stood there blankly for a moment, trying to process whatever the hell was coming out of his mouth, with what felt like hundreds of people on the bus staring at me.  After a bit I scampered off the bus and promptly hailed a taxi.  I’d deal with the bus another time.  I arrived at the location of the Zumba class in Morningside, which happened to be at a beautiful church.  To be honest, everything in Edinburgh sort of looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale.  I had the best time taking Zumba, and for an hour I actually felt in my comfort zone.  Figuring out public transport, the stress of airports, understanding new currency, trying to decipher thick accents….all out of my comfort zone.  But dancing?  Bring it.  The instructor Nadia was awesome and energetic and I really enjoyed the class.  

                   ZUMBA IN MORNINGSIDE WITH NADIA

After the class was over, Nadia and another kind lady quickly gave me a mini lesson on the currency and I felt ready to attempt the bus system again.  Success!  I took the bus back to the general area of my flat, but got off a bit early to walk around Princes street and buy tickets to a couple of shows.  I was lucky to catch the tail end of the Fringe Festival, one of the largest performing arts festivals in the world.  I bought tickets for an A Capella show and Fifty Shade of Grey, The Musical.  

After heading back to the flat for a shower, I went back out to hit up a few pubs before the show.  At one pub I met some really nice people and they seemed to LOVE that I was from Los Angeles.  Their first question was if I had ever seen any celebrities.  Very cute!  I had to tell them of my recent sitings of Ryan Reynolds and Mark Wahlberg, of course!  They squealed!  I finished my cider and off to the shows I went, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  Walking between venues was an experience because it was COLD in Edinburgh.  The nights were low 50’s, even high 40’s, and it was chilly!!!  After the shows, I was walking back to my flat and stopped and witnessed one of the main chefs of a restaurant on the Royal Mile getting a bucket of ice water dumped on him (ALS ice bucket challenge).  Mind you, it was about 12am and probably 49 degrees at this point.  Brrrrrr.  As I continued walking I heard some amazing guitar coming from a pub, so I popped in to enjoy some tunes.  As I was sitting there enjoying the music, a VERY drunk Scottish man danced toward me.  Like, he was actually doing that lasso thing where they pretend toss it to you and then reel you in.  Picture it…I’ll wait.  Got it?  I just about died, but kept it together.  I politely declined, but still got a kick out of his slurry Scottish accent.  I also had a good giggle when I overheard a table of Americans talking about how they’d give their right arm for a Chipotle burrito.  I guess they’ve been abroad for a bit.  I just looked at them and said "I get it."  I mean, it's Chipotle.  I finally got home at about 1am, but had the worst insomnia.  I was able to text with a few friends, and then FINALLY fell asleep around 5:30am (as the sun was coming up).  Surprisingly I was able to sleep until almost 2pm.  This bummed me out a little because I had to skip some of the activities I had planned on doing.  However, NOTHING would have been fun or enjoyable on zero sleep.  

INSOMNIA  :(

Tuesday morning was lost to sleep, but I made the most of my afternoon and evening.  I grabbed some coffee and off I went.  I ended up logging nearly 8 miles of walking.  I walked all over Edinburgh, visiting St Giles Cathedral, Mary King’s Close, Grassmarket Street.  I had a late lunch at a fantastic cafe called Hula where I could have sworn I saw Gerard Butler.  Unfortunately, last night on Twitter I saw that Gerard was in Los Angeles at the Chelsea Handler wrap party so I suppose it wasn’t him.  Oh well, dare to dream.  I also hit up an adorable cafe called Lovecrumbs, recommended by my cousin Elka who lived in Edinburgh for a bit.  Sitting on the most comfy couch, I sipped violet petal tea and just breathed it all in.  I reminded myself not to rush, not to see this trip as a checklist, running from one thing to another, but rather as an in the moment journey.  I relished in the sounds of accented conversations all around me, crisp scarf wearing weather, and the warm mug of tea in my hands.  Happiness.  I knew I wanted to take one more Zumba class before leaving, so I googled the location of the class.  It was 1.9 miles from where I was sitting.  So off I went…walking through gorgeous neighborhoods with the bright Edinburgh sun on my face.  I arrived to the class and danced my feet off for an hour, loving Nadia’s class even more the second time!  By the time the class was over, I could not face walking all the way back to my flat so I asked the lovely girl at the front desk to call me a taxi.  Everyone was so incredibly kind.  From the taxi drivers who I could not understand, to my Zumba teacher, to the bartenders I chatted with over pints of cider.  Edinburgh was wonderful.  As I said before, I always feel a bit sad for the first city.  I’m sorry Edinburgh, if I cheated you a bit with my jet lag and exhaustion.  But, I solemnly promise that one day I will be back.  

GORGEOUS SITES IN EDINBURGH

FAREWELL EDINBURGH!!!

Travel Tip #1 - Get comfortable with being lost.  You will feel lost constantly and instead of letting it frustrate you, see it as an opportunity to explore, test your skills as a survivalist, and invest in the idea that the extra walking while lost is totally burning off the calories of those shortbread cookies you devoured the first night.  :)  

Gifts That Cost Nothing!

The other day I was thinking about stuff.  How we accumulate so much stuff throughout our lives…things that we really don’t need, that fill our junk drawers, fill boxes in our closets, hang out in cabinets unused.  We spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on stuff that in the end, won’t mean anything.  I’ve been all about simplifying lately, tired of the junk and clutter.  Consumerism is so empty, it fills our homes, but it doesn’t fill our hearts.  It is friendship and love and experiences that fill our hearts.  It is the support of a friend, the kiss of a loved one, a simple action or touch or statement that fills us and makes us whole, especially when we start to feel a bit broken.  Not stuff.  Then I started to think about how much power that gives us….good power, I mean.  We have the power and ability to give each other gifts all day, every day.  With a simple decision to do so, we can distribute beautiful tokens of love on the daily.  We have the ability to build each other up, support each other, compliment each other, love each other.  And guess what?  These gifts don’t cost a dime!  Which leads me to wonder…why don’t we do this more often?  Why don’t we bestow these free gifts upon each other day after day, when they are 100% free and so powerfully positive?  Are we all just too consumed in our own self centeredness to do so?    Are we too shy?  Too uncomfortable?  Too caught up in our own lives?  Do we forget that it costs nothing to give these gifts away?  What’s even more powerful is when you start to realize that the more you give these free trinkets of love and support away, the better you start to feel yourself.  You will build a kingdom of positivity and good karma in your life so it’s truly a win win.  I say challenge yourself….take a minute to stop thinking about all that you have to do, all that you have on your plate, all that you want, but don’t have…and give a gift to someone else.  Give a compliment to someone (a genuine one!), send a thoughtful text asking someone how that interview went or if that nasty cold has gone away.  Remembering something specific that is going on in someone else’s life is a gift worth a million bucks because it makes that person feel heard and remembered. Hug someone that you might not normally hug.  Send a card, draw a picture, hold a hand.  Step outside of the love language you are used to using (or maybe you're not used to using any!), and try something new on for size.  Perhaps touch isn’t always comfortable for you…hug ‘em anyway.  Perhaps saying “I miss you” feels weird, do it anyway.  Sometimes even asking questions feels weird to some people.  Do it anyway.  Give the gift of time to someone.  Stop with the junk and start giving gifts that will last.  Just some things I’ve been thinking about.  XO

Almost Ready to Leap...ALMOST!

I've been an emotional wreck the last few days.  I leave for Europe in 4 weeks and although I know I'm about to embark on the journey of a lifetime, and I will experience the most incredible things...it's also VERY scary to leave everything that is familiar.  It is especially scary to do it alone.  I've altered so much in my life to do this!  I have not lived in my own condo for over a year.  I have given up my job, my salary, my benefits for a year.  I am leaving my family, my friends, my dog.  I know I'm leaving all of these things for an INCREDIBLE opportunity...but it's still scary to do so. For now, I waver between excitedly planning outings and excursions all over Europe, and minutes later curling up in a ball sobbing into my pillow, not wanting to leave all that is familiar and comfortable.  

Despite my nerves and fear, of course I will board that plane on August 23.  I will go...possibly on wobbly legs with a few tears in my eyes....but I will go.  It's not like I'm going off to war.  It's not like I'm leaving forever for goodness sakes!  Well, at least I don't think so!  Believe me, I know how incredibly lucky I am, so I am not trying to be dramatic about the whole situation.  But..I am leaving and I'm a little nervous.  However, I know life begins when you step outside of your comfort zone.  That's when the good stuff happens!  So my foot is dangling off the cliff and I'm ready to leap.  Well...ALMOST ready!

  

Gruyere O'Gratin Taters...Hint, it's all about the NUTMEG

Alright, so I was super duper healthy with that Quinoa Tabouleh salad, but I also boarded the decadent train with another dish today.  Luckily, multiple mouths helped consume all the yumminess so calorie intake is in tact (until I hit up the leftovers later...HA!) Anyway, as I mentioned in my last post, I took a wonderful cooking class at Cook L.A. (Visit the website here!) and learned killer new dishes, as well as valuable knife, roasting, blanching, and toasting skills!  One of the dishes I learned was Gruyere O'Gratin Potatoes.  For the love of all that is holy....TRUST me when I say this one is a winner.

Here's What You'll Need:

3 Pounds of Potatoes - peeled and thinly sliced (Russet or Idaho work best)
3 Cloves of Garlic - finely minced
Kosher Salt, Black Pepper & Nutmeg - to taste
3/4 Pound Gruyere Cheese - grated (add a second type of cheese for a little variety)
2 Cups Heavy Cream

1.  Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin and even slices.  Making sure they are sliced evenly ensures an evenly baked dish!  Grate the cheese.

2.  Butter a pyrex dish (Either use one 9x13 or two 8x8 dishes).

3.  Place a layer of potatoes on the bottom of the dish.  Then sprinkle a handful of gruyere and minced garlic, and season with salt, pepper, and a dusting of nutmeg.  You want the nutmeg to be subtle.

4.  Repeat this process until you run out of potatoes and cheese.  Then pour the heavy cream evenly over the potatoes. 

5.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until done, approximately 50-60 minutes.  Check potatoes with a fork.  Fork should slide into potato easily.  If cheese is getting too brown, but potatoes are not yet done, cover with foil and continue baking.

6.  Remove from oven and allow potatoes to set (15 minutes or so!)  Serve and call me from heaven cuz after one bite of these bad boys, you'll think you've died and gone there!  ENJOY!

Quinoa Tabouleh Will Make you Drooly!

Boy, did I get busy in the kitchen today!  I was chopping and dicing like it was my job!  I love an afternoon of kitchen fun!  Forever on a quest for high protein, healthy vegetarian dishes, I was SUPER excited to learn this recipe last week.  I took a cooking class at a wonderful little cooking school in Studio City, CA called Cook L.A.  (Click Here to Learn More about Cook LA)  On this particular night, it just so happened that all menu items were vegetarian!  Bonus!  I loved all of the dishes we made that evening, but the Quinoa Tabouleh stood out as a wonderfully fresh summer dish that I would love to share with all of you.  That being said, full credit to Liz at Cook L.A. for the original recipe.  I tweaked it just a bit to my liking, as I'm sure we all do when it comes to loosely following a recipe.  (Except baking, I RARELY tweak a recipe when baking!)  Anyway, on to the goodness...

Here's What You Will Need:

1 Cup Quinoa (I used the Simple Truth organic brand from Ralph's)
2 Cups Water (or to punch up the flavor I used Simple Truth organic vegetable broth)
1 Bunch Parsley - chopped
3 Green Onions - sliced into thin scallions
3 Medium Tomatoes - small dice
5 Small Persian Cucumbers - sliced length wise and then chopped into 1/4" half moons (see photo below)
1/2 Medium Red Onion - medium dice
3 Cloves of Garlic - finely minced
Olive Oil (approx. 1/4 cup, but I just toss it on to taste)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Juice of a Medium Lemon (watch those seeds)

**Get creative and add a bit of mint, perhaps some diced watermelon, diced red and yellow bell peppers, or even some feta cheese!  However, the recipe above is bursting with flavor as is!**

1.  Step one is IMPORTANT!!  Dry toast the quinoa in a sauce pan before adding any liquid.  Stirring constantly, the quinoa will brown up a bit and smell almost like nutty popcorn!  Do this for 4 to 5 minutes.

2.  Add your water or vegetable broth to the quinoa and bring to a boil.  After it's boiling, reduce to a simmer.  Leave it uncovered and simmering until all liquid is gone.  Set aside to cool.

3.  In a large bowl toss together your parsley, scallions, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, and lemon juice. (and anything else you've decided to add)

  

Here are your half moon cucumbers!

Look at that color palette!!

4.  Add your room temperature quinoa and mix together!  SERVE!!!  

This is a beautiful dish, bursting with flavor!  And it's quite lovely, aesthetically speaking!  

Euro Adventure - Day #1 - #30

Many people have been asking me about my plan/itinerary for my upcoming adventure. I am going to be traveling for about ten months, spending the majority of my time in Spain. However, since I'll be in the neighborhood ;), I decided to check out a few other notable European cities before I make my way into Madrid.  Here I will map out the first 30 days of my pre-Spain journey! In this post I will only briefly show you my stops, my route and some links to a few of the places where I'm staying. Hopefully, as I proceed on my adventures, I can keep you in the loop on what I see and experience! So here we go!  I depart Saturday, August 23rd!  

Stop #1 Edinburgh, Scotland

Adios California, hello Scotland!  Click HERE to see where I'm staying in Scotland!  I'm really excited for my time in Edinburgh.  The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is taking place during my stay.  This is the largest arts festival in the world and takes place every August in Scotland's capital city.  HEAVEN! 

Stop #2 Dublin, Ireland

Next, I fly to Dublin!  Click HERE to see where I'm staying in Dublin.  I'm so excited to see Ireland and I already have a musical pub crawl planned, as well as a bus tour to the countryside where P.S. I Love You and Braveheart were filmed!  

Stop #3 London, England

On to London, Cheerio!  My dear friend Erin will be meeting me in London.  I can't wait to explore with her! Click HERE to see our cute flat in Soho!

Stop #4 Paris, France

Erin and I will make our way to Paris via the Chunnel. This is a tunnel that lies beneath the English Channel, connecting England to France. The Chunnel train travels at 186 mph. Click HERE to see where Erin and I are staying in Paris!

Stop #5 Nice, France

On to the South of France, where we'll explore Nice, Monaco, Provence, etc. Click HERE to see where we are staying in Nice!  After thirteen days of traveling together, I say goodbye to Erin on September 12th.

Stop #6 Cannes, France

I simply couldn't be in Nice (only a 22 minute train ride from Cannes) and not pop over to the infamous city that boasts the film festival.  I'll spend two nights in Cannes exploring, and possibly just laying on the beach. Click HERE to see my little studio in Cannes.

Stop #7 Aix en Provence, France

From Cannes, I will take a train through Marseille to the quaint town of Aix en Provence.  I learned about this sweet town watching a Rick Steve's show and I was simply tickled by the history and charm of this bustling little village.  I cannot wait to see it in person!  Click HERE to see my apartment in Aix en Provence. Also, click HERE for a NY Times article capturing the loveliness of Aix.

Stop #8 Bordeaux, France 

How could I possibly be in France without experiencing some of the greatest wine regions in the world?  I will take a train six hours across France to the wine region of Bordeaux, where I will reside for three nights.  

Stop #9 San Sebastián, Spain 

My final stop before heading to Madrid is in a coastal city called San Sebastian, in the Bay of Biscay, very near the France border.  This city has a picturesque shoreline and plenty of history.  Click HERE to see where I'll be staying in San Sebastian!

Finally, on September 21st, I will make my way to Madrid where my sojourn in Spain awaits!  I will also be making my way into Portugal, and even Africa!  I am excited and a little nervous, but my mind and heart are wide open to new adventures and experiences!  I hope you'll follow along!  xo