Our Transatlantic Love

Transatlantic Travel in Numbers

2012-01-29T10:26:00.001-05:00

32... hours for the complete trip

516... seats on the plane

7... hours in the air

3... bottles of Evian I drank

3... pieces of luggage

2... Longchamp carry-ons

67... kilograms of checked-in luggage

2... seats for myself

2,5... fabulous in-flight meals (the 0,5 are the countless snacks they kept offering)

3... movies I watched

30... seconds to go through immigration control in Paris with the new fingerprint system

10... minutes to get my visa in Canada

1... massive hug from my husband at the arrival gate

We'll Always Have Paris

2012-01-20T11:01:00.001-05:00

As I am getting ready to move across the ocean, I am realizing how much I will miss not only my family and friends, but Paris, my beautiful city.

Paris and I have our ups and downs. I was mad at her (Paris is a she) when I had to go through the unbearable metro commute every day. I get mad when I feel like she's not big enough for everybody, and we all bump into each other, invading each other's private space. But I can never really stay mad at my city.

It is one of the most beautiful, interesting, culturally rich cities in the world and it will always be a huge part of who I am.

My husband and I made the choice to live in Canada for many reasons.

Our girls.

Work opportunities.

That kind of thing.

But we have lived the best years of our lives in Paris, and if it was up to us we'd stay here forever.

My family and my roots are here, and so, we'll always have Paris.

Illustration

Deauville for the Day

2012-01-12T17:57:00.000-05:00

Before he left for Canada, my husband and I decided to escape the city for a day.

I wanted to see the ~~ocean~~ sea, so we decided on Normandy. I love Normandy and my husband is a little bit of a WW2 nerd so it was perfect. We drove there early one Friday morning and we invited my dad to come with us.

We went to Deauville, a posh and pretty city where the American Film Festival is held every year.

From there we drove to Villers-sur-Mer, a town nearby where I went a few times as a kid.

We then drove along the coast to see the D-Day landing beaches. This was something I had always wanted to do and I really want to go back for a more "in depth" trip. Especially since all the museums are closed in January.

Deauville is a pretty town!

How adorable is this tiny Louis Vuitton store?

All bundled up.

With my love.

The sand looked straight out of a desert!

Juno Beach, where the Canadian troops landed on D-Day.

A Few Days in Prague

2012-01-09T12:52:00.000-05:00

My dear husband joined me in Europe for the Holidays. We had an amazing time in Paris. We celebrated Christmas with my family, enjoyed lunches and champagne with my friends, celebrated my great-grandmother 100th birthday. He flew back this morning, but we made time for a quick getaway right after Christmas.

We flew to Prague the day after Christmas for a four day stay.

I'm so glad we chose to go to Czech Republic in December! Prague was all decked out for Christmas & it was absolutely magical.

Much needed Starbucks run after our 7AM flight.

Beautiful little streets.

Prague is definitely not stilettos-friendly!

The castle.

Excuse the messy hair, it was windy!

Costa café, the Czech Starbucks.

My rabbit fur earmuffs were put to good use!

Saint Vitus Cathedral.

Praha!

On Charles Bridge.

Prague has the most beautiful Art Nouveau cafés.

I have to admit we weren't fans of the food. Except for a few good meat dishes (Czech roasted duck is supposedly very good), it was mostly over salted and heavy.

The view from the Monastery.

Restaurant decor I fell in love with.

The Charles Bridge from afar.

So This Is The New Year

2012-01-05T09:48:00.000-05:00

2011 was rough.

It felt like a trial, where we were faced with every possible obstacle.

In 2011, we said goodbye to our life together in Paris.

I packed up our beloved Parisian apartment and moved back at my parents while husband moved away to Canada.

We spent most of our first year of marriage separated.

In 2011, husband slaved over his dissertation.

In 2011, I turned 25 without the love of my life.

I filled out pages and pages of immigration forms, in hopes of getting a one year visa.

I waited for an answer for weeks with a knot in my stomach, praying everyday to be granted that permission to just be with my husband.

I got the best news of the year this morning, when a one year visa was granted to me.

It might sound like nothing, but I had good reasons to believe I wasn't going to get it.

One year is the beginning of many more, I hope.

This allows me to start dreaming again. I had completely stopped hoping and dreaming about a possible future life in Canada, for fear of jinxing things, of being too heartbroken if it didn't work out.

I can start going forward. I can start making plans again.

2012 is going to be a great year. Anything can happen.

A move to Canada?

A baby?

A move to Ohio?

A new job?

Who knows?

I don't. But for the first time in months, I feel almost serene.

Bonne Année 2012

Back to December

2012-01-02T13:23:00.000-05:00

Last month - or should I say last year, husband and I had many occasions to celebrate and drink champagne.

He officially became a doctor when he successfully completed his Ph.D.

And our marriage turned one. A whole year married to my Canadian.

We were in Canada for our anniversary, but since our wedding cake was in my parents's freezer in Paris, we waited for a few days and got to enjoy it with my friends and family. We laughed, we ate (that cake was still amazingly good, I could eat it every day and I'm not big on sweets) and we drank lots of good champagne.

Happy 2O12 everyone!

Our Transatlantic Life Lately

2011-12-19T11:56:00.000-05:00

My dad and I in Quebec City - Please excuse the no makeup face and the fur overkill. It was very early on the day of our flight back to Paris, and very cold.

It's been ages since I've written here. I have no excuse. I was incredibly busy, but you can always make time to write a post. I've missed writing!

A few things have happened since my last post.

I flew to Ottawa to be with my husband for a really big week.

We celebrated our first wedding anniversary.

My husband did his thesis defense presentation.

It was a big deal.

And everybody thought he was really really good.

I am married to an almost doctor, and pretty darn proud of him.

We had fun in Quebec City with my dad who flew in for the presentation.

And the three of us flew back to Paris.

I am now officially on vacation, and that's very nice.

I have time to make Christmas cookies, buy presents for my stepdaughters, and see the exhibits I've been wanting to see for months before they're all over.

Oh, and plan a little trip to Prague after Christmas. We couldn't help it, we had to go somewhere.

I hope everybody's having a wonderful Holiday Season!

On being thankful for long distance.

2011-11-24T15:55:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends and readers!

Today I started thinking about long distance.

This train of thought usually leads to one obvious conclusion: I hate being apart from my husband.

I hate it more than anything, I hate long-distance, I hate Skype, I hate talking to my computer, I hate not having the love of my life with me all the time.

Because we love being together all the time. We don't need any "me" time. Our "me" time is our "we" time.

So you get it, long distance and I aren't friends.

But then I got to thinking about the things I'm thankful for.

And somehow, in a weird twist, long distance made it onto the list.

Because long distance makes me miss my husband every second of every day.

Because it makes me realize how lucky I am to have found him.

Not that I need long distance to realize it. But it forces me to think about it more.

Every day, I miss him, I get mad, and then realize I am so grateful to have found the One.

And he might be thousands of miles away, I still feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Long distance makes me mad, sad, passionate, crazy, hysterical, scared, thankful.

Long distance makes the I Love You even better, and the goodbyes even harder.

But with every new day spent apart, our love grows stronger.

Because instead of drifting apart, creating separate lives, long distance makes our purpose even clearer.

We just want to be together.

Babies.

2011-11-20T16:32:00.001-05:00

Today, I met my cousin's new baby girl.

Needless to say it didn't help my severe case of baby fever.

Little Jennah is the cutest thing ever.

La Fille Américaine

2011-11-17T13:27:00.000-05:00

I'm a guest on Kaity's fabulous blog today!

Thank you Kaity, it's an honor to be featured on your blog.

30 things I want to do before I turn 30

2011-11-12T15:37:00.001-05:00

Since I just turned 25, I figured it was finally time to complete and post the list of things I want to do before I turn 30. I've been working on it for a while. It's funny how it seemed so far away when I first started it. Realizing I now only have 5 years to accomplish all those things is a little scary!

1. Set a foot on each continent

2. Have a child

3. Go on a safari

4. Have a walk-in closet

5. Go on a road trip across the US, and see the Death Valley and the Grand Canyon

6. ~~Get~~ ~~engaged & married~~

7. Go to a Jazz club

8. Own a Burberry trench

9. Have a job I love

10. Start reading the paper more often

11. Learn to drive a stick

12. Read Tolstoï's War and Peace

13. Go to Vietnam and see the house where my grandmother was born

14. ~~Own real pearl earrings~~

15. Host a grownup dinner party

16. Incorporate exercise in my everyday lifestyle and not just for a few months a year

17. Join a choir

18. Go to a shooting range

19. Buy stocks

20. Go apple picking

21. Do volunteer work

22. Go blonde

23. Re-read Le Petit Prince

24. Get my teeth fixed (I did wear braces for a while as a kid.. my teeth are stubborn)

25. Celebrate Thanksgiving in the US

26. Write a novel

27. Go to a concert with my husband

28. Record a song

29. Watch Full Metal Jacket

30. Buy a piece of art

Image: Le Petit Prince, Antoine de Saint Exupéry

Cozy November

2011-11-02T18:23:00.000-04:00

I'm alive!

I promise.

My birthday came and went.

I celebrated with my family, then with my friends.

I haven't celebrated with my husband yet, hence I decided I wasn't going to turn 25 until I see him again.

Looks like I'm going to be 24 for a little while longer!

In the meantime, I'm enjoying the cozy things in life, trying to shield myself from the overwhelming amount of pressure I'm under regarding our future.

Here's to a cozy November!

Photo: Paper Tissue

Today, I am 25.

2011-10-22T08:02:00.001-04:00

I wasn't looking forward to this birthday. 25 seems like a milestone, and somehow I didn't think I was "there" yet. Plus the idea of spending this birthday without my husband.. It all seemed wrong.

I guess a part of me, the little girl part, thought I'd be married with kids at this point in my life.

The other part of me, the teenager, believed I would never find love, certainly not by 25.

So here I am. Married, with two stepkids (who by the way sent me the most adorable video message this morning) and a life full of uncertainty. What I am certain of, however, is how lucky I am to have found the One, and even though we have to be apart for now, how lucky I am to have an amazing family who supports me through it all.

Photo: We heart it

Transatlanticisms

2011-10-15T16:45:00.002-04:00

It's been 28 days since I've last seen my husband.

Not that I'm counting or anything.

And we have no clue when we're going to see each other next.

I miss blogging and I think about it everyday.

But the truth is I feel like I have nothing to say.

I'm okay, really.

I go to work everyday. I am one of those people taking the subway to the financial district every morning, looking a little jaded.

I do my job. I enjoy small things, like the Starbucks that just opened one block away from my workplace, buying a new nail polish on my lunch break or finding a seat in the subway. I come home. I'm tired. And it all starts again the next day.

The weeks fly by so fast and it's fine by me, because that's all I want. For the days to disappear.

It makes me a little sad to be thinking that way. I'm turning 25 next week and all I hope is for time to go faster? I guess it's depressing. But then again, I do my best to enjoy the time I have in Paris with my family and friends. I guess I feel that way because I know and hope our long distance situation is only temporary. It's hard not to count the days when you're so far away from the person you wish to be spending them with.

And I guess that's why I've been staying away from the blog. Because I don't have much to say. And if I did, it'd probably be depressing. So I don't.

Image: We heart it

Le Jardin du Luxembourg

2011-09-30T15:56:00.000-04:00

Back when the Canadian was still in France, Paris had apparently gotten the memo about Fall. Things have changed since then and we're currently experiencing a very hot Indian Summer. One of our favorite spots to walk around in the city is the Luxembourg Garden, home to the French Senate. So on a crisp pre-Fall day, off to the Luxembourg we went.

See? Fall.

Can you spot the Eiffel Tower?

Chilling by the pond.

The Senate.

I miss my husband.

And now that I have a 9 to 5 job in finance, no less, I miss my random days off in the middle of the week.

Grenoble

2011-09-24T07:55:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, the Canadian and I went to the charming little city of Grenoble in the heart of the French Alps, where he had been invited to speak at a conference.

We spent a few days there and had a lovely time. My only regret was to be surrounded by the amazing mountains and such beautiful nature and not be able to explore a little more. We did go to the Grenoble Museum and were pleasantly surprised by its amazing collections.

On Airports, Goodbyes and Tears.

2011-09-17T11:56:00.000-04:00

Here we go again. I said goodbye to my beloved husband today. Again. You would think one gets used to the pain and heartbreak. Well. I don't. I can't. It's always awful, it's always sad, I always have to mourn his presence and try and breathe again. I always have to avoid listening to certain songs, and try hard not to cry when I see the pair of socks he forgot.

And his flight is delayed, so he is still in Paris right now. In the restricted area of the airport, that is. It kills me. Three months. Three months without kissing him, tucking my head in the nook of his neck or holding his hand and squeezing hard because he knows it means 'i love you'.

Three months during which I'll be praying for things to get easier for us.

Just a little easier.

Here's to another depressing post.

Next one will be a happy one, I promise.

At the end of the day - no matter how heartbreaking it was - I feel so blessed that this amazing man loves me and chose me to be his wife forever.

Photo: We heart it

An Afternoon At The Rodin Museum

2011-09-13T12:30:00.001-04:00

My Canadian husband and I had been wanting to go to the Rodin Museum for a long time. Surprisingly enough, neither of us had ever been - even though my best friend lives right across the street from the Museum. So last week we made our way to the Invalides. While walking towards the Museum, we spotted the Canadian Cultural Centre and decided to take a look inside. Turns out there was a wonderful exhibit of some of the work of Diana Thorneycroft, a Winnipeg artist and photographer. The funny thing is, we actually met the director of the Canadian Cultural Centre a few days later at my husband's conference in Grenoble.

Inside the Canadian Cultural Centre

The Invalides

In the Rodin Museum

A view of the Invalides from the garden

The Thinker

We stopped for coffee & Orangina in the Museum's coffee shop

We still had a lot of time after the Museum, so we went shopping at Le Bon Marché where my husband bought a black Burberry tie - I was more reasonable and got some pants at Zara (which ripped today after I wore them twice!) and a few nail polishes from OPI's new collection.

Then we headed to the rue de Montorgueuil, where my brother lives, and enjoyed a glass of wine (or three) before dining at his place.

The typical Parisian view from his windows

I hope everyone is having a fabulous week!

Septembre

2011-09-01T06:26:00.001-04:00

I cannot believe today is September 1st.

I love Fall.

The fashion, the magazines, the food, the new TV shows...

And this year, September will bring me the sweetest gift, since my husband is flying to Paris tomorrow for a few days.

Plus, I start a brand new job later this month, which should definitely makes time fly by faster while my husband is away.

On my September to-do list:

Visit the Rodin Museum with my hubby.

Shop until I drop at Zara.

Read, read, read before I start working again.

Explore the city of Grenoble, where the Canadian and I are headed for a conference.

Start exercising again - I threw my neck out a few days ago and I can barely move.
Buy a birthday gift for my sweet stepdaughter who's turning 6 on 9/11.

Paint my nails with all the pretty Fall colors I've been waiting to try - including the ones my husband bought for me. Yes he does that. And he's good at it.

Happy September!

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

2011-08-28T06:38:00.002-04:00

It's been a while since I've done this. You probably know how much I love lists by now.

The Good

Husband is coming to Paris late this week. I cannot wait.

I got a job. Kind of. I think. In finance. Bring it on.

The Bad

The weather in Paris is a little bit dull. We're far from the Indian Summer I was hoping for.

I've been sick for a few days now. Nausea, dizziness, killer headaches. Whatever virus you are, please go away.

Getting a job is nice, but it means I won't be able to see my husband for at least 3 months.

And this very much sucks. Pardon my French (haha).

The Ugly

Again. The idea of not seeing my husband for 3 months is pretty much unbearable.

Especially since our wedding anniversary is coming up.

The top tier of our wedding cake is in the freezer.

We have a wine bottle we were given as a wedding gift and were supposed to open on our 1st anniversary (We also have one for our 5th and 10th anniversaries. I know. This is genius).

So yeah. This keeps me up at night.

That and the fact that I'm seriously starting to freak out about the immigration process I'm going to have to go through in order to go to Canada. (No, they do not care that we are married).

I realize now that my post is just about 98% depressing and negative. It wasn't intended that way. I am overjoyed that I get to see my husband in a few days. As for the rest, well.. I'm scared. Not depressed. Not pessimistic. Just plain old scared.

Photo: We heart it

My Husband the Tourist

2011-08-23T12:32:00.000-04:00

Some things do not change...

I am in Paris.

Husband is in Canada.

But he is coming to France in September!

We are both very stressed out right now and our situation is far from ideal, so these few days together will do us a world of good and hopefully lift our spirits. Scratch that. It will.

It is weird to think that he is coming as a tourist in a city, in a country he lived in for two years.

He had an apartment in Paris. He got married in Paris.

He has family in Paris.

A wife.

A French residency card.

But he is a tourist now.

And since my husband is a tourist, I want to do all kind of touristy things and take a vacation in my own city. What's more romantic than a few days in the City of Lights with my beloved husband ?

Museums (we love our museums), wine, strolls in the Luxembourg garden, reading in cafés and nights out in Le Marais. And maybe even an escape or two from the city.

A few days in Vienna

2011-08-21T06:01:00.000-04:00

Since last week's weather in Paris was nowhere near what Summer weather should be, my parents decided to surprise me with a trip to Vienna, Austria.

We walked a lot, ate pastries from Vienna's famous Konditoreis, drank Austrian white wine and had a great time. It would have been the perfect trip had my husband been there. Knowing him and his love of museums and culture, he would have enjoyed our little Austrian holiday.

Stefansdom

Resting in the Hofsburg garden after the 4:30am wake-up call

The Griechenskirche

One of the many Konditoreis

The Opera

Some of our interesting meals

The Gloriette in the Schönbrunn gardens

The Schönbrunn palace

The famous Riesenrad

Taking a break from the heat

Images of Bretagne

2011-08-14T14:50:00.000-04:00

Warning, this post is photo heavy !

My parents bought a Summer house in Brittany about 20 years ago.

I've spent quite a lot of time there each year, it's beautiful and the perfect quiet escape from the city.

Our front yard

Fresh cut hydrangeas

Roscoff

A night walk in the neighborhood. It was 9:30pm there !

In the Monts d'Arrées, the nearby mountains

Well... So... Paris, again.

2011-08-12T16:40:00.000-04:00

After a week at my parents' Summer house in beautiful Brittany (more on that later), I am back in Paris.

Sure, I have missed my beloved city.

But right now I miss my beloved husband.

Plus, it's apparently November here in France and I didn't get the memo.

I know I haven't a good blogger this Summer, but I intend to get back on track.

Posts about Brittany + food during our honeymoon in Thailand are coming up :)

In the meantime, I hope everybody is having a fabulous Summer. And better weather than us French !

Bisous !

Image: We heart it

Au Revoir. Again.

2011-08-03T08:19:00.000-04:00

I hate this.

I hate tomorrow.

I hate goodbyes.

I hate being negative on this blog.

But then again I need it to be my venting outlet.

I need to whine, bitch, complain.

I am flying back to France tomorrow. I'll be arriving in Paris on Friday in the morning, then on Friday night I fly to my parents' Summer house in Brittany.

I don't want to.

Don't get me wrong. Seeing my parents is always amazing and I miss them.

But the idea of saying goodbye to my husband once again makes me sick.

Every time we say goodbye in an airport, it's like someone rips my heart out of my chest.

Every time I've watched him go through the customs doors and disappear.

Every time I had to go through security and leave him behind, tears rolling down my cheeks, handing out my passport, unable to speak.

We are waiting to be able to settle down in one place.

For good.

No more goodbyes.

But it's not up to us.

So we're praying.

If you could say a little prayer, too.

It would be amazing.

La vie à deux.

2011-07-28T12:44:00.000-04:00

I don't blog much these days.

Mostly because I am enjoying time with my husband.

We spend our days together.

And we love it so much.

We walk. We sleep. We cook. We drive. We shop. We read.

It's all so much better à deux.

I am flying back to Paris in one week.

Alone.

So I'm really trying to enjoy every minute until then.

Image : Trafalgar's Square

Juillet

2011-07-19T21:04:00.000-04:00

This month,

I celebrated Canada Day with my hubby in Ottawa

I traveled with my new family to New England

I enjoyed the sun in Cape Cod

I went to Harvard with the kids ;)

I saw the most beautiful houses

All of this and more.

July was a busy month.

And I'm really glad it's not over yet.

Back from Massachusetts

2011-07-16T11:39:00.000-04:00

I just got back from a week in beautiful New England.

My first time ever in the USA was a trip with my parents in New England.

It was really nice to go back.

We went to Boston, Cape Cod, Cambridge and Salem.

We had my stepdaughters and my nephew with us.

It was exhausting, but we had a great time.

I even dropped another few pounds.

I have lost one or two sizes since June.

Being a parent does that to you.

Photo: Google Image

Strawberry Fields Forever

2011-07-05T22:03:00.000-04:00

My husband took me strawberry picking the other day.

Being a city girl, I had never been strawberry picking in a strawberry field before.

We had such a good time.

And I made a strawberry shortcake.

With homemade whipped cream.

It was good.

Playing house.

2011-07-04T23:51:00.000-04:00

I'm alive !

I have been busy enjoying time with my husband.

I hope everyone had a fabulous 4th of July.

We had a fun night on Parliament Hill in Ottawa for Canada Day.

We have my stepdaughters with us for two weeks.

Being a full-time stepmom to a 5 year old busting with energy and a 12 year old with an attitude (when did that happen ?!) is going to be interesting.

Wish me luck !

Illustration : Trafalgar Square

Happy Birthday, Canada

2011-07-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

Today is Canada Day.

Canada is my second home and I feel good here.

Husband and I are planning on going to the Parliament Hill in Ottawa to see some shows and fireworks.

I hear there is another very important couple there ? Or is it just for us ?

Happy 144th Birthday, Canada !

Image : We heart it

Bonjour Ottawa.

2011-06-28T09:22:00.000-04:00

I woke up feeling fresh and rested in Ottawa this morning.

Jet lag didn't really hit me since I had such a long journey on very little sleep yesterday.

My husband was sound asleep next to me.

I made him coffee. We had blueberries for breakfast.

Everything is perfect.

I wanted to thank you all for the sweet comments you left on my latest posts.

I am so grateful for the support I get from you, for the amazing friends I made through this little blog.

Merci.

Today, I get to...

2011-06-27T06:00:00.028-04:00

Today, I get to get up early and go to the airport with my dad.

Today, I get to wait for hours at the airport since I always get there so early.

Today, there is a strike at the airport, so I might wait for a few extra hours.

Today, I get to buy a bad croissant while waiting for boarding.

Today, I get to sit in a crowded plane and watch a few movies.

Today, I get to hear "Nous sommes arrivés à Montréal, aéroport Pierre-Elliott Trudeau".

Today, I get to wait some more at the immigration control.

Today, I get to retrieve my two insanely heavy suitcases and try to haul them on a cart.

Today, I get to go through customs with butterflies in my stomach because I know I'm so close.

Today, I get to search through the crowd for his face.

Today, I get to feel my heart stop when I don't see him just yet.

Today, I get to feel my heart stop when I finally see him.

Today, I finally get to be in my husband's arms again.

Image: We heart it

Ciao, Paris.

2011-06-26T17:07:00.001-04:00

I am leaving my beloved city tomorrow to join my beloved husband in Canada.

This has been our longest separation yet and I am so ready to see him.

Life without my husband doesn't feel normal, it's weird and a little sad.

But life without my husband also means life with my parents.

Since I can't bear the thought of leaving alone in our apartment, I moved back in with my parents.

And it's nice.

So when I leave, even for a vacation like this time, it's always a little bittersweet.

Because we all know it's a preview of what's next.

And a flashback of the many goodbyes back when I lived in Canada by myself.

More goodbyes.

I have this secret dream that someday, we all get to live in the same country.

Photo : We heart it

Two Years

2011-06-24T06:00:00.005-04:00

Today is our two year dating anniversary.

It is kind of shocking that it has only been two years because I definitely feel like my husband has been my other half forever. We were friends before, but June 24th is such an important date for us. Besides being Quebec's National Holiday, Saint Jean Baptiste Day, June 24th is the day it all became real.

Deux ans.

Je t'aime tellement.

4 Days

2011-06-23T06:00:00.004-04:00

Now that I've been dealing with my husband's absence for weeks, even months, four days seem like an eternity.

Good thing I have a ton of things to do to keep me busy.

Like pack.

Or make lists of things to pack.

And pick what I'm going to put in my list of things to pack.

Uh oh.

This is going to be tough.

By the way. Today was my last day of work.

And guess what I did tonight ?

I wrote a cover letter, updated my resumé, and applied to a job I'm not going to get.

5 Days

2011-06-22T06:00:00.018-04:00

In five days, I will be leaving Paris.

In five days, I will be on a plane to Montreal.

Only for a few weeks this time.

In five days, I will be holding my breath at the airport, searching through the crowd at the arrival gate.

In five days, I will see his face and feel exactly what I felt the first time I saw him.

I can't wait.

Image : Le Love

So I quit my job.

2011-06-21T12:24:00.000-04:00

I finally did it. I quit my job. Tomorrow is my last day.

I liked my coworkers.

But my boss was a passive aggressive freak and I won't miss him.

This job was always supposed to be temporary.

And then we spent more time than we had planned in Paris.

That was really nice. But the job wasn't.

It's scary and exciting at the same time.

Now what I really want is a new job.

In Canada.

Image : We heart it

The Honeymoon Tales - Bangkok, part II

2011-06-17T16:55:00.002-04:00

We left beautiful and sunny Phuket on a sunday. We flew back to Bangkok for one last day. We had such a good time the first time around we were really excited to come back to the city.

And even though the weather wasn't as beautiful as it was when we first arrived in Thailand, we enjoyed our last days in this city we've come to really appreciate.

We first started by touring the several malls of the city. There is probably a thousand mall in Bangkok ! Sometimes one right after the other and another and another on a single street ! (Namely, Sukhumvit street, aka the mall street). Once again, we braved chaotic traffic and took a cab, this time armed with a fierce knowledge of the ways to avoid being had like beginners ;)

We first went to my favorite mall, the Siam Paragon. Huge and so luxurious, the Siam Paragon kind of feels like Disneyland for grownups. Except everything is a little pricier ;)

Then we headed to the hectic MBK Center, where I didn't let go of my husband's hand for fear of getting lost in the crowd.

While the Siam Paragon is all about luxury goods, the MBK Center is more a "anything you could possibly think of" kind of mall. There is a lot of cheap, crappy touristic stuff - but there's also a great electronics selection. This is definitely the place to go if you want a new lens for your camera !

We toured a few other malls. We did very little shopping - mostly I watched and shopped and my husband very patiently indulged. We did happen to catch a special event hosted by Vaseline for their new skincare line for men. We gathered that the guests were some kind of famous boys band, but we couldn't figure out their name to save our lives !

The next day was our very last day in Bangkok. While there were a million things we still wanted to do, one was on top of our list : the Jim Thompson's house. Click on the link to learn more about the incredible mind behind this beautiful house and Thai silk empire. We took the Sky Train one last time (we love our Sky Train !) and headed to the house alongside the river.

The house was incredible and our guide was so nice and so thorough. We learned a lot and got so much inspiration for our own future house !

What was once a place we weren't sure was worth the detour when we first arrived in Bangkok definitely became one of the highlights of our trip.

Everything was beautiful, clean, pretty and so neat, down to every detail and flower arrangement.

After the Jim Thompson's house, we decided to have lunch in a charming little street food style spot by the river.

After lunch, we still had one more temple to visit. After much negotiation, we finally found a trustworthy tuk tuk driver. We held on to each other and let him drive us to the temple, unsure whether we would make it alive or not.

The temple was amazing. So peaceful. We weren't disappointed, especially since we had to drive across town to see it.

After we toured the temple, we still had a little bit of time before we had to leave for the airport. So we decided to walk to the main train station and take the subway from there to the hotel. We had no idea what we were in for. We got lost in Chinatown - it was like a trip within the trip. It was so hot and crowded, and we literally hiked for at least a couple of hours.

We finally reached the station, took the subway, got to the hotel, called a cab, and headed to the airport.

Our last day was kind of hectic and we liked it like that.

When we arrived at the airport, we weren't surprised to see the King's photos plastered all over the building. After two weeks of seeing him everywhere, nothing could surprise us.

And since we talked about the Bangkok malls, I feel like I need to add the airport to the list. Never in my life have I seen such a big airport - and I have seen a lot of airports in my life. It was literally a mall. And a huge one at that. I'm talking Hermès, Hugo Boss, Victoria's Secret, Boots, Armani, Cartier, Dior, Montblanc, .... foodcourts, and repeat, for about 5 miles. It was like 5 identical malls next to one another. I'm glad I wasn't jet-lagged because this could definitely have caused a Groundhog Day kind of situation, where you go out of a store only to find the exact same one a couple of yards away.

Our honeymoon ended, but the Honeymoon Tales are not over ! We still need to cover the most important part : the food !!

Blessed

2011-06-14T16:48:00.000-04:00

I received the sweetest card today.

It was from my husband.

And my two stepdaughters.

The big card is from him and he wrote the absolute sweetest message in it.

The two Ottawa ones are from my adorable stepdaughters.

They also included a little gift - something I usually do in the letters I send them every week.

I had to try really hard not to cry in my mailbox.

I feel so blessed to have such an amazing man by my side.

That these two precious girls have accepted me in their little lives with open arms and hearts full of love.

I miss them.

I miss my family.

A Day at the Jardin de Bagatelle

2011-06-12T07:06:00.001-04:00

The other day, my best guy friend and I decided to get some air at the Jardin de Bagatelle. Located in the Bois de Boulogne, it is one of the largest and prettiest gardens of the city. The Bois de Boulogne is kind of Paris's Central Park, although it's way more western than central and therefore a lot less popular.

We first stopped at the Bois de Boulogne pond to enjoy a little boat ride.

My friend did all the rowing so I could enjoy the scenery

Having a blast

Can you spot the Eiffel Tower ?

Then we headed to the Jardin de Bagatelle and its beautiful rose garden

We took a break from walking and enjoyed some ice tea in the garden's buvette

The Waterfall

Sorry about the crappy iPhone quality ! I forgot my camera that day and couldn't help taking pictures of everything !

New Baby

2011-06-11T13:54:00.001-04:00

I replaced my beloved little white MacBook with a new MacBook Pro.

It's amazing.

On a very different note, my husband left Paris one month ago today.
It feels like a million years.

Photo : Apple

Shopping Day on the Champs Elysees

2011-06-09T17:01:00.002-04:00

One of my best friends and I decided to go to the Champs Elysées today.

We wanted to check out the newly opened Abercrombie and Fitch flagship store, the first in France.

We got there around 11am and it was still somewhat quiet. There was no line outside the store, which is located in a private mansion on the avenue.

You have to know where you're going because the only indication of the store is a little plaque on the black and golden fence guarding the entry to the little path that leads to the store (you get in from the back of the building). I don't know why, but if I had to guess I'd say it's because of the very loud music. If you've been to the NYC flagship store on 5th avenue, you know what I mean.

Outside the fence are A&F-clad security guards, and cute guys greeting customers as they go in. The path leads to the entrance of the store where a pretty girl takes your picture with an handsome A&F model wearing jeans, an open hoodie and.. his abs.

The inside is the exact same replica of the NYC store: dark, loud and heavily sprayed with their Fierce perfume. Four floors of cute tops, short shorts and oxford shirts, and A&F male and female models dancing around because they have to. It was funny, weird and a little overwhelming. We tried on a few things and headed out to the cashiers, where people where spending between 500-800€ on average.

Maybe they didn't get the memo that A&F isn't the only brand that makes clothes, especially in Paris.

When we got out, the line outside was a hundred feet long. Oh my.

We had another funny experience later that day at the huge Sephora store on the Champs Elysées. A few times a day, they crank up the already loud music and all the employees form a sort of guard of honor where they dance and applaud customers that go in and out. Weird stuff.

After a well-deserved break at Starbucks we visited the beautiful Guerlain store and got silly at the Disney Store.

The Honeymoon Tales - Phuket

2011-06-07T11:31:00.002-04:00

We flew to Phuket from Chiang Mai. We wanted to spend a few days at the beach and relax after our busy time in Bangkok and the North. We arrived in Phuket and went straight to Nai Yang beach in Sirinat National Park, where our resort was. We got there just in time to see the amazing sunset on Nai Yang beach.

While dining on the beach we saw people lighting lanterns à la Tangled. It was so pretty and romantic.

Our beach was huge and gorgeous. Since it was in a National Park, we decided to explore a little further from the usual touristic hotspots.

One day we rented bicyles and rode them to Hat Nai Ton, the next beach. We thought it would be an easy ride and boy were we wrong ! It was so hot and the road was so steep I thought I was going to pass out.

That night we discovered a cute little farmers market in Hat Nai Yang.

We were the only tourists there and it was one of our rare opportunities to see the "real" Phuket.

The next day we went on a speedboat excursion to the amazing Phang Nga Bay, famous for its limestone cliffs.

The horizon was absolutely breathtaking.

We were really glad we chose a speedboat excursion. Those longboats are awfully loud & very slow.

We visited the famous James Bond island. If you don't know why it's called like that, you need to watch The Man with the Golden Gun.

In the Bay, we got out the speedboat and embarked on kayaks to explore the many caves of the Bay.

There were so many paradisiac little caves & creeks.

Some of them were quite impressive, with an amazing view of the Bay.

We had lunch at Koh Pannyi (also known at the Sea Gipsy Island), the only island of the Bay where people actually live.

After lunch we stopped at the most beautiful and paradisiac island on our way back, where we got to enjoy the sun & ocean.

Swimming there was amazing. You could see fish around you, the water was so warm, the scenery breathtaking.

We enjoyed one last sunset before flying back to Bangkok.

Next up : Bangkok, part 2 !

Etta Grace Giveaway {Winner}

2011-06-07T07:30:00.000-04:00

We have a winner ! Random.org picked the lovely Brandi !

Bravo ! Send me an email with your mailing address & your choice of pin, pouf or corsage from the Etta Grace shop !

Two Days in Granville

2011-06-05T15:26:00.000-04:00

Thursday was a holiday in France. So my parents, brother and best friend and I packed the car and drove to Normandy. We stayed two days at my best friend's house by the beach. It was almost perfect. It would have been perfect had my husband been with us. I find it hard to enjoy the good times without him to share them with.

We went to the beach as soon as we arrived.

The amazing view near the house.

Christian Dior was from Granville, and this is where he lived (the house is now a museum).

The beautiful roses in the Dior gardens.

Enjoying the sun.

Granville from the "haute ville".

My sweet mama and I.

Also, June 4th marked our 6 month anniversary.

Just so you know, marriage rocks.

Bonjour, Juin.

2011-06-01T16:52:00.001-04:00

It's the first day of June and I miss my husband.

Don't forget to enter our sweet giveaway, below.

Photo : We heart it

Our First Transatlantic Giveaway {Closed}

2011-05-22T18:28:00.007-04:00

Enter to win a beautiful pouf, corsage or pin by Etta Grace !

The talented sisters behind Etta Grace are offering one of their creations to a lucky reader.

I fell in love with Etta Grace a while back when I stumbled upon the "Overflowing with Love" t-shirt.

I'm ecstatic to introduce you to these very talented designers !

Who are you ?

We are Hannah and Rachel... two sisters who miss eachother terribly (we live about a gazillion miles apart)... we're California girls who have been "misplaced" in Chicago and Idaho... humph.

What inspired you to start your Etsy shop ?

Hannah was inspired to start the shop after loads of encouragement from her friends! She asked Rach to jup on board and the two have been sewing from a distance ever since!

Where do you find your inspiration ?

We're both completely obsessed and inspired by all things Anthropologie... We love the clean, crispness of stores like Jcrew as well... We have completely different styles, but love the same items... We could literally wear the same dress on the same day and you'd never know because we'd style it so differently... so our etsy shop and blog have been a great way for us to create and discuss items we love while enjoying eachother's uniqueness!

Who are you designing for ?

Currently we're desiging for our on-line shop EttaGrace (www.ettagrace.etsy.com) and soon some local Chicago boutiques! And hopefully you! We just love custom orders!! Wink wink... nudge nudge...

Where do you see Etta Grace in 5 years ?

Hopefully EttaGrace will be thriving in a little storefront somewhere... perhaps on the Champs Elysees!!?!?!? Ha! Kidding... but for realz... wouldn't that be nice?

Do you have any advice for the talentless like me ?

The best advice we can give is to just go for it! Don't look at a project like it's going to defeat you! You will always fail if you dont' try... but there's always that chance that you'll have great success if you just go for it! We usually massively flop with our first idea about designs... but we keep going... and eventually we end up with gorgeous products! The fun is in the process of creating! Best advice: Sit back... sip your coffee and craft away!

To enter :

- Follow Our Transatlantic Love

- Follow Etta Grace's blog

- Leave us a comment on this post telling us which pouf, corsage or pin you would like to win

And since Etta Grace rocks our Transatlantic world, this giveaway is open to our international readers as well !

The winners will be drawn on June 5th.

There's more ! The fabulous Hannah and Rachel are offering a 10% off discount to our lovely readers. Use the code "LaParisienne" (yes, that's me, the Parisian girl) at checkout.

isn't this top so pretty ?

Bonne chance !

The Honeymoon Tales - Chiang Mai

2011-05-19T08:29:00.002-04:00

Before I start telling you about our stay in northern Thailand, let me rewind to our last day in Bangkok. We decided to spend it in Ayutthaya - a city that was once the capital of the Siam Kingdom. Famous for its historic sites and temples, ~~my husband~~ we could not pass it up !

We got lost in the historical park (a UNESCO world heritage site) and ended up having one of the best meals of our trip. We walked around the historic city in the sweltering heat and visited the main temples.

In the afternoon we were exhausted and ready to go back to the city - but the only trains available at this hour were the cheap, crowded trains without A/C. We waited for about 2 hours at the train station (let's just say Thailand's train system isn't the most efficient) and embarked on what I would call an epic train ride. Never again, but it was fun. Needless to say we were really glad to have chosen to fly to Chiang Mai the next day !

We arrived in Chiang Mai after a very smooth flight with Bangkok Airways. Our hotel was amazing and we went right for the pool before hitting the animated Sunday Night Market where we bought cute souvenirs and yummy food. The next day was spent touring a few of the many temples of Chiang Mai.

We tried to take it all in - and in pictures (we have taken over 1400 photos during our trip) !

We learned that monks live by 227 rules, or precepts. Female monks, or Mae Ji (they are not ordained monks as I believe it is illegal for women to be ordained in Thailand) only follow 8 or 10 precepts.

We went to the regular night market (which is in a different location from the sunday night market) and discovered it was a great spot for good street food. Thai street food is the best !

Our second day in Chiang Mai was the day one of my dreams came true !

I love elephants and had always wanted to learn more about them and ride one.

We took our time looking for Elephant camps excursions. Many agencies in Chiang Mai offer daily excursions to various Elephant camps - but we did some research and found out that elephants were often abused in the camps that offer "shows". We were not interested in seeing elephants dance or paint or play soccer. We really wanted to be with them, learn about them and be in an environment that is respectful of their well-being and needs. We found the perfect Elephant camp and were extremely happy with our experience.

We got to feed them, learn how to ride them & talk to them, ride them (bareback, any other option would hurt them) and give them a bath.

Don't we look dashing in our Mahout clothes ? (we needed them so the elephants would "recognize" us and not feel threatened).

We had so much fun taking turns riding Baan Wa & giving her a bath ! She would show us where she wanted to be scrubbed, and let's just say you have to scrub hard because elephant skin is thick !

The next day, we booked a private excursion with a tour guide to go to the Doi Suthep temple in the mountains and visit the Hill Tribes.

Our guide was amazing, we learned so much thanks to him and it would probably have been disappointing not to have a guide with us to tell us about what we were seeing.

The Hill tribes are mostly populations that fled Tibet, China and more recently Myanmar. They live in villages and are protected by the Thai government and by the King.

I believe we saw about 6 different tribes. The Hmong village was independent from the others, but many of the other tribes (the Karen, Lahu, Yao and Akha people) live in a community together.

That's it for beautiful Chiang Mai !

Next up : sunny Phuket !

The Honeymoon Tales - Bangkok

2011-05-13T16:55:00.000-04:00

Yes ! Our first real honeymoon post is finally here !

We started our trip in Bangkok, because neither of us can bear the idea of visiting a new, rather small country, without going to the capital. Plus we landed there so it seemed natural to us to stay in Bangkok for a few days. Most people go to Thailand for the islands and the beaches. And while they are indeed breathtakingly beautiful, we wanted to really discover Thailand and the Thai culture.

We arrived in Bangkok during Songkran - the Thai New Year - where people celebrate the beginning of a new year by throwing water on people for good luck. They also use a minty paste made with chalk and water to mark people's faces. We learned that the hard way. On our first outing, fresh out of the great hotel shower, we got drenched in water. People were literally throwing buckets of water at us, leaving us completely soaked. It was fun and festive, albeit a little weird !

While it is endearing the first day, the water-throwing gets obnoxious and annoying pretty quickly. By day 2 (Songkran usually lasts 4 or 5 days) we were figuring out ways to avoid the water, ducking, running and hiding like Jack Bauer in 24.

There were many amazing things to see in Bangkok, but nothing quite compares to the temples.

Beautiful bright colors, golden rooftops, intricate sculptures and paintings... they are so full of life. People come there and pray, eat, give donations to the Monks.

What we observed and learned about Buddhism really touched us as it seems to be a beautiful religion.

"Wat" means "temple" in Thai.

We had to see the famous giant Buddha inside the beautiful Wat Pho. The photos don't do it justice, it is huge and very impressive.

One of my husband's dreams was to see a Muay Thai fight. I had no idea what it was - turns out it is Thai boxing. I believe it is Thailand's national sport - or at least their favorite one ! I was expecting something very violent but to my surprise it was more of a "precision" sport. Being no expert, I don't really know how to describe it - but the strikes, no matter how hard, earned them points as long as they touched the other fighter. It was incredibly ritualized, with a ritual dance and various blessings before each fight and traditional music all throughout the fight. We had ringside tickets so we really enjoyed the experience.

The next day we took a ferry across the river to go see the Wat Arun. If you read this post right, you now know I'm talking about yet another temple ! It was well worth the trip.

(yes, I looked half-naked - I'm not - and oh so pale ; I did cover up in the actual temples, though)

The Wat Arun is a Khmer style temple (you may find it looks like the famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and you would be absolutely right)and it has 3 flights of stairs that allow you to climb up the higher part of the temple that you see in the photo.

The stairs are so steep and scary, but the view of Bangkok is so worth it !

That afternoon, we flew to Hong Kong.

That's not true, but it felt like we did ! We went to Chinatown and while I've seen many Chinatowns (Paris, NYC, San Francisco and Toronto to name a few), this one takes the cake. We were in China. The people, the language, the stores, the smells, the food... There is a huge Chinese community in Thailand and - aside from the tuk-tuks - you can definitely get a feel of China in the streets of Bangkok !

At night we explored one of Bangkok's most famous neighborhoods - Silom - where trendy bars filled with tourists meet the darker, more sordid kind of tourism in Thailand. We were curious about Thai culture in general and not just the happy parts of it - but the industry in Silom is definitely a depressing one, where you either feel sorry for the girls or - and this is true everywhere in Thailand - disgusted by the occidental men that come there for it.

That's it for Bangkok - part 1 ! We stayed another couple of days in the city before flying back to Paris so in Bangkok - part 2, we'll tell you about the 10,000 malls we went to !

Next up, Chiang Mai !

Gone.

2011-05-11T09:18:00.000-04:00

My husband left today. My heart is heavy but I don't fully realize that I won't see him for so long.

Saying goodbye at the airport was hard. It never gets easier. My mom was there to support me and make sure I wouldn't fall apart on the way home. It helped a lot. I'm pretty sure she fought back some tears, too.

My family loves my husband and seeing him go is sad for everyone, especially because they know I'm next. The hardest part isn't saying goodbye for a while, though. It's knowing that our life in Paris is over. I have been cherishing every minute of it and I now have to "mourn" our everyday routine. I will miss everything about living in a tiny Parisian apartment with my husband. I am staying at my parents for now. I can't stay at our place, it would be too sad. I know I will see my love during the summer. I just don't know when. A vacation with him will be nice, but I can't wait to be with him again. For good.

I don't mean for this to be a sappy and depressing post. I guess writing helps.

And while this is a tough time in our lives, we try to stay positive. Our life is about to change. For the better. This is what we wanted, and it won't be easy, but deep down I know that we will be just fine.

Mon Amour,

Tu me manques déjà.

Mais je sais que tout cela est pour le mieux.

Je vais être forte pour toi.

Je sais que tu l'es pour moi.

Tu m'as chanté ma chanson ce matin.

Tu t'es forcé à me faire sourire.

Tu me donnes du courage.

Je t'aime plus que tout,

Ta petite femme.

Back To Reality

2011-05-05T04:34:00.001-04:00

Four posts in April ? This is ridiculous. I am ashamed, and I understand why we are losing followers by the minute. We have both been meaning to blog about our amazing honeymoon. I have been dying to share my everyday thoughts on this blog I love so much. I have been wanting to share photos and stories of Thailand, to explain how magical it was and how I still dream about it almost every night. I have been wanting to share our excitement over my husband's new iPad 2. It's an early birthday present from me and it's completely amazing. I have been wanting to talk about my struggle with my job. I have been working at a place I do not like for over a year now, and I really want to find a new job. I waited because I thought maybe we would leave for Canada sooner than later. I have been wanting to blog about all the delicious food we tried, and the good books we read.

But the truth is, as much as I wanted to blog, coming back home has been tough. Coming home from a vacation, especially a honeymoon, is always a little depressing. But what coming home from this trip meant for us was exceptionally hard. My husband is leaving France for good in 6 days. This marks the end of our life together in Paris. A life we love and enjoy every minute of. We do not know when I will be able to join him in Canada, what we know for sure is that it won't be for a long while. This is a new chapter in our lives. A chapter of which beginning will be extremely tough. We will need to settle, find jobs, a home, deal with immigration, all while being apart from each other. I often wish I could sleep through this and wake up in 2012. But that's not an option, is it ;)

To end this depressing blog post on a positive note, I will leave you with a sneak peek of our honeymoon.

Back from the Kingdom of Siam

2011-04-28T08:10:00.007-04:00

We are finally back from our two week long honeymoon around Thailand ! Our minds are filled with sensations, memories of crowed Bangkok streets, warm days on elephants backs and romantic dinners on the beach. With more than 1400 photos to sort through, we are still trying to make sense of it all in order to post some comprehensible descriptions and ideas about our trip... so much more will come, just hold on a bit.

Best news, good news, great news

2011-04-12T04:25:00.002-04:00

I have so many random things to say, I believe I have no choice but to make a list. You know me, I love lists.

Spring in Paris has been amazing until today. The sun is shining but the temperatures have suddenly dropped. We do not mind that much, you will soon know why. These past few days were filled with lunches in the park, walks around our beautiful city, sunburns (even though I put sunscreen on... this never happens in Paris and I'm worried the ozone layer has a big hole the shape of Paris).

{1} First of all.

My husband has finished his thesis.

And I have proof-read it from the first page to the last.

There are still many steps ahead of us, but he is done with the writing part.

I am so incredibly proud of him.

{2} We have been married for 4 months (and a few days).

Time is flying.

We love being married.

{3} We finally caved and started watching Glee.

We'd been resisting for two years now.

We love it.

{4} Today is a very exciting day.

And we have a lot to do.

Because tonight, we are boarding a plane to Thailand.

Our honeymoon is finally here !

(Please ignore my awkward smile)

I have to go pack now. This is going to be tough.

(In case you were wondering, the "best news" refers to the Canadian's thesis being done, "good news" is the stuff in between this and the "great news", which refers to the honeymoon)
(Yes, I might have been doing a little too much proof-reading)

A bientôt !!

Le Printemps à Paris

2011-04-04T15:46:00.000-04:00

Pink and white cherry trees are in full bloom.

They lay a blanket of pretty flowers all over the city every time the wind blows.

Saturday was a beautiful and unusually warm day.

I had to work.

Bummer.

But my sweet husband picked me up for lunch.

We had yummy sandwiches from our favorite bakery (where the Canadian is a celebrity) in the lovely Jardin de Babylone.

There were families with cute children everywhere, having picnics on the grass and playing around.

The grownups seemed to have as much fun - if not more - than the little ones.

It made my day.

April's Fish

2011-04-01T04:08:00.001-04:00

Yes, you read that right.

This is what we call April Fools' Day in French. Poisson d'Avril.

I have no idea why. The general idea is the same, you tell jokes and prank people.

But we have a little twist. The fish twist.

No, we don't go around pranking people with real fish.

But we do cut up all kinds of paper fish shapes, decorate them and stick them to people's backs.

The trick is not to get caught.

So your victim walks around with an "april's fish" on their back, and looks like a fool.

The bravest kids would stick paper fishes to the teachers backs.

I wasn't brave.

My victims of choice were my parents.

Happy April's Fish Day !

Image: Petit Bateau

The Little Things

2011-03-30T04:12:00.001-04:00

My favorite Canadian man came home on Sunday.

It is so good being together again.

And being at home.

(I stayed at my parents the whole time he was gone).

This morning I woke up to a big mug of tea he made just for me.

With the right amount of sugar and almond milk.

Because that is how I like my morning tea.

It's the little things.

I want to thank you all for your sweet comments on my last post.

They mean so much to me.

And I also want to welcome our new followers: Bienvenue !

We hope you'll like it here.

Photo: visualize.us

Scared

2011-03-25T18:14:00.000-04:00

I cannot wait for my husband to come home.

And yet I am a little scared.

Because the next time he leaves, it will be for good.

Our life together in Paris will be over.

I will be alone for a while. Probably a long while.

And this scares me so much.

And then the papers. Moving. Money.

I used to be mostly excited.

Because we will finally settle down somewhere for good.

But now that it is getting so close, I am mostly scared.

Or maybe I am just not as strong and positive when my Love isn't around.

Still. I cannot wait to see what life has in store for us.

Photo: visualize.us

Today's Happy List

2011-03-22T18:44:00.000-04:00

Here are the little things that made me happy today

New Moleskine notebooks

A few new beauty goodies

Simone, my little Spring baby, who turned 2 yesterday

Knowing that our honeymoon in Thailand is only a few weeks away

The incredible weather we've been having in Paris. Nature finally got it: when it's officially Spring, you have to act like it's Spring

Proof-reading an entire 40 page long thesis chapter in one day

Now if only my husband could be here.

La Vie à Paris - First Day of Spring

2011-03-20T14:13:00.000-04:00

Une liste

2011-03-15T18:29:00.001-04:00

If you know me, you know I love lists.

I have no time to blog these days, but as I've said before, I miss it.

Here is a quick update of what has been going on in my Parisian life.

(I should warn you, it is very random)

x The Canadian has been gone for 6 days. 12 more days to go. And here I thought it was almost over ?

x I have had a rough couple of days. I felt like I was in a never ending nightmare. I felt like crying all the time, and actually started crying at random times (which was kind of embarrassing). I feel better now.

x I tried going back to my place (I usually stay at my parents for a few days when the husband leaves the country) and let's just say I stayed there for half an hour before calling my dad. It went like this "Hey dad. So I'm home. It's a little empty. And depressing". Then I started bawling. My parents picked me up an hour later.

x I am becoming more and more obsessed with make-up and skincare. I have always been kind of a beauty products junkie. But now that I'm older I look for the good stuff. Much more ~~expensive~~ fun.

At least I have found a good replacement for wedding blogs: beauty blogs !

x Speaking of make-up. As of today, I can wear eye make-up again (my ophthalmologist had me going make-up free for 2 months + after the whole Shrek fiasco back in December). I celebrated by buying the Benefit Eye Bright pencil at Sephora during my lunch hour. I am still a little wary about make-up and while I love it so much, I might wait a little longer.

x I miss yoga/pilates with my husband. I don't have any motivation or time to do it on my own. I crave exercise though. At least I've been eating well.

x It seems like Spring has arrived in Paris. The days are longer, warm and sunny. It is definitely the best time to be in the city.

x I still hate my job very much. But looking for a new job right now seems a little pointless as the Canadian will be leaving Paris for good in a few months (I refuse to say weeks), and I will join him as soon as possible. Hopefully.

x I think about Japan. A lot. And suddenly all of the above seems so superficial.

How to donate to the Japan relief effort

Help the children

Help the animals

Photo: Paper Tissue

So I'm alone again

2011-03-11T16:15:00.000-05:00

I have been a little down this week. Obviously.

Even more today, since this happened. My prayers and thoughts are with them.

I'm spending some time at my parents', which is always nice.

I miss blogging, but I feel like I can't find the time.

I miss my husband.

I become somewhat of a zombie when he's not here.

Every time he goes away...

2011-03-09T15:03:00.001-05:00

.. this is what I check compulsively for several hours, until I know his plane has landed safely.

I already miss him so much.

The distance is quite simply much too far for me to row

2011-03-07T03:45:00.000-05:00

Lyrics by Death Cab for Cutie. You can listen to the beautiful song here

I haven't blogged in a week. I feel bad and I miss it.

I don't really have a good excuse.

I guess this week has just been a little tough on me.

The Canadian is leaving in two days, for three weeks.

And we hate saying goodbye.

We have also started talking about our plans.

As in, our future.

What's next ?

We will leave Paris.

And that breaks our hearts.

But the Canadian will have to leave first.

And I will follow him, a few months later.

And the idea of those few months apart breaks our hearts even more.

Photo: We heart it

Letters to my stepdaughters.

2011-03-01T08:36:00.000-05:00

I have recently decided to write letters to my two stepdaughters. We already write to them every time we go on a trip, and I send emails to the eldest. But we mostly talk on the phone.

But these postcards and phone talks are something the husband and I do together. Don't get me wrong. I love it. But I wanted to do something special for the girls. Just me. The Canadian gets to go back and see them a lot more than I do, and I miss them dearly. I want them to know that. Especially since they are children, and our situation is not the easiest to deal with when you are so young. I want them to know that even though I don't see them as often as I would like to, they are in my heart.

I don't have many options, so I decided to write a letter or a card to each of them every week. Snail mail is always fun. I remember the very few times I spent a vacation away from my parents as a child, my mom would send me these beautiful cards and write letters with stories that would go on from a letter to the next, with pretty drawings and sweet, tiny details. Each letter was so full of love. And with half of their family living across the Atlantic for another few months, these little girls need letters full of love more than I ever did.

I have been having a lot of fun choosing cards, carefully selecting the ones I think each of the girls would like the most, buying pretty stamps, finding small gifts I could slip into the envelopes, putting Strawberry Shortcakes stickers next to their names and addresses... I really hope these simple little letters will carry my big message.

If my letters bring a smile to their faces, if they wait for the next one, if they know they are loved.. then I'll be the happiest stepmom.

All roads lead (eventually) to Rome

2011-02-21T05:50:00.025-05:00

I know this post will be awfully long and I apologize.

Since we had postponed our real honeymoon to Thailand until April so that I could at least finish the first draft of my thesis and leave in peace for a long overdue vacation, we decided to plan a short (4 days) mini-moon to Rome. I don't think a mini-moon is any a real tradition, but I do believe it should be invented. Travelling in Europe is cheap... for a North American I am often dumbfounded to realize that you can actually take a plane from Paris to Rome for as little as 100€ (and this is not even a good price). This is why most young Europeans actually travel a lot and it is pretty much a way of life for them.

Rome always had a special attraction for me. First, I am of Italian decent (like many French Quebeckers from Montreal actually), my Great-grandfather deserted the Italian navy in 1941 to move to Canada. The irony was that since the Canadian army was planning to invade Italy in 1943, he was enlisted as a soldier to act as an interpreter for Canadian troops. Second, I was always fascinated with Roman history and it is with great joy that I listen to the excellent History of Rome podcast from Mike Duncan every week.

We started off by landing at Fuimicino, the main airport of Rome. After some minor confusion (Italians are probably the worst in indicating where you should go on signs... you get one sign... then a second, then nothing for a while until you get another sign telling you that you have gone too far and should go another way) we finally took the express train from the airport to Roma termini, the main train station in Rome.

We had planned ahead and had decided to book a hotel near the central station. Although the public transportation in Rome sucks, it is a small city and I really abhor the idea of walking around a city with my luggage, so near is good. We stayed at an okay hotel which asked for a "city tax fee of 2 euros per person per day payed in cash at the end of the stay and of course it's not covered by the fee of the reservation." To pay up aggravated me and made me wonder if the city of Rome actually saw this money or if it was just another scam. Honestly, with the overall state of Rome, they need every penny they can get. This brings me to my first impression of Rome: dirty and a serious need to attend to touristic and public installations. See, some cities make a lot of money out of tourism and only public funds can maintain these attraction to expected standards. For example, the city of Paris spends almost 1% of its GDP on the refection of its touristic attraction... which makes sense for a city that is one of the main touristics destinations in the world and where people from everywhere come to spend their money. Second, too many cars. In Rome, it's a plague... they literally invade every corner of the city... and many super cute piazza (little open spaces) serve as parking space. You walk around... see a small street through which you know you'll find a little piazza and... bam... full of cars and scooters.

Apart from that, Rome is a great city to visit especially for its importance as the seat of Western civilization (Roman empire) and as the seat of the Roman catholic church. What struck me the most in Rome was the overall simpleness of the city. You expect one of the greatest cities of the Western world... Italy is "still" a G8 country with lots of skyscrapers and such... but no, Rome looks like a small town with little streets and restaurants, cafes and lots of churches. You really get the feel that you aren't in a big city. We have thus spent a lot of time wandering in the different neighborhoods and taking pictures.

On our second day, we decided to go see the smallest country in the world, the Vatican. Just the Vatican and its museum are worth a trip to Rome. Good luck, however, finding a restaurant. Your best bet is to go around the wall (as if going to the Vatican Museum) where you'll find some decent panini and pizzas. Did you know that in Italian, the word "panini" is in fact the plural of panino? So i'm eating a panino... or give me two panini. Again... one cappuccino... two cappuccini...
I had imagined St-Peter's square way bigger than it actually is... and was kind horrified that they dared put up screens in front of St-Peter and St-Paul's statues (as you can see in the next picture)... "Today, your holy experience is brought to you by Panasonic!"
My wife was appalled to learn that embalmed popes were publicly exhibited inside St-Peter's basilica.

(St-Peter's basilica)

We then decided to go to the Vatican museum which, in my mind, is probably one of the best "history" museums in the world. Situated in the old pope's palace, the successive rooms hold Raphael's or Michel-Angelo's paintings. This is also where you want to go to see the Sistine Chapel painted by Michel-Angelo.

(Vatican's museum)

(The map room... basically old maps of Europe painted on the walls)

(Stairs leading out of the museum)

This all made up for a huge day of walking around and visiting. We missed the St-Angelo's Castle which is another part of the Vatican.

The next day we decided to walk around the old city, (Centro storico) and go to the Trastevere which is a nice neigborhood on the west bank of the Tiber where you can find some good restaurants (although you have to plan for a 8pm diner since most of the restaurant open around 8 or 8:30pm). It was also a good time to visit the numerous churches of Rome where you can admire the works of Michel-Angelo, Raphael and Caravaggio.

(Tiber river and St-Peter's basilica)

(Translations always leave you with nuggets... here you can see in the French translation of the top pizza that you can have "moquette" with your pizza. Which means "rug" in French.)

On our last day before leaving, we visited the Roman ruins of the Colosseum on the Palatine which was one of the seven hills of Rome where lived the Roman aristocracy and ruling elites. Also, we couldn't miss out on the Capitol's museum.

(The Etruscan wolf with Romulus and Remus. The she-wolf was made around the 5th century BC while the two babies were added much later on in the 15th century AD.)

In definitive, we had a great time in Rome and although we did miss some things (I wish we had time to see the Villa Borghese for example), it was a great mini-moon.

What I love about Rome... Pizza !

2011-02-17T15:10:00.000-05:00

No, not the piazza Navona, di Trevi, di Spagna... I really meant PIZZA.

Yes, I warned you I was going to blog about the food. The Canadian is supposed to take care of the cultural part.

These are a few of our many Roman pizze. No pasta, because I don't really care for pasta. Although I do love gnocchi. And we had some mighty good gnochetti al pesto, but no photo of that. Pizza it is !

The first one... a little disappointing. I like my pizza crust very thin and bread-like

Rucola... one of my very favorite toppings

Now we're talking !

Last but not least... the Valentine's Day pizza I made for my husband on sunday. Yes, these are hearts

NB: I want to add that we were walking at least 10 hours a day every day in Rome, which to me absolutely justifies eating a whole pizza each. Because we did. But they were so thin ;)

V-Day, Cheese Day

2011-02-14T15:58:00.001-05:00

This is the card I chose for my sweet husband on our first Valentine's Day as a married couple.

I wanted something to really tell him how much I love him.

See. I love cheese. I really love cheese.

As in : If I had to pick one food to bring with me on a deserted island, it would be cheese. I never get tired of cheese.

What can I say ? I'm French.

So I figured since the Canadian knows me well, he now knows I love him more than anything, really.

Tonight, he gave me pretty flowers. And a piece of my favorite cheese. (it's Morbier, in case you were wondering)

I love him so.

J'aime...

2011-02-10T08:39:00.000-05:00

i love that my husband sings little songs to me when i wake up. it's usually this one, or this one but he also makes up his own little songs, and they're usually very cute.

i love that paris is very sunny these days.

i love that valentine's day is coming up.

i love that my husband makes me a cup of tea every morning, mixing in exactly how i like it, just in time for me to find when i finally get out of bed.

i love that i have a lot of good books to read.

i love yoga and pilates.

i love that the canadian and I are getting massages here tomorrow morning.

i love top chef.

but i love my top chef better. i love that he cooks delicious food for me every night.

i love perrier. especially in bed.

i love days off.

Illustration: Trafalgar's Square

Ciao, Roma !

2011-02-07T14:15:00.000-05:00

We are back from Rome.

It was amazing.

The weather was incredible.

And if the city wasn't as welcoming as I'd remembered it, being with my husband more than made up for it.

More to come ! I am actually hoping my nerdy Canadian will fill you in on all the great things he saw & learned.

I am willing to blog about the food.

Baci !

PS: It took a trip to Rome, but the husband finally admitted that I speak Italian.

A Quiet Week

2011-01-30T13:22:00.000-05:00

The Good

I got my engagement ring back from De Beers early this week. They had to reshape it after my bike accident. Thankfully, she (yes, she) came back looking all shiny and new.

I made red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting for the first time. It was my first attempt at making frosting (and red velvet cake) from scratch and I have to say it didn't turn out too bad !

We are leaving for Rome on tuesday ! I can't wait.

The husband and I started doing yoga together (we did Bob's weight loss yoga from the Biggest Loser workout dvds) and we absolutely love it.

The Bad

I hurt my back & neck doing yoga the second time around. Or is it because I don't sleep well these days ? I don't know - but it hurts.

I still hate my job. It was supposed to be a temporary job just to pay the bills and it's been a year. It's not really bad, it's just not for me.

For a stupid reason, the Canadian and I won't be on the same flight to Rome. I leave at 9:45 and he leaves at 10:15. And we're both technically flying with Air France. How very absurd is that.

The Ugly

2011 is going to be a year marked by long separations for us. And I hate it. It doesn't get easier. Ever. It's actually worse every time, because you know what to expect.

Photos: 1st & 3rd We heart it ; 2nd Toast

So What ?

2011-01-26T13:13:00.002-05:00

I love reading everyone's lists every wednesday & I felt like playing along this week.

Link up to Shannon's blog and play along !

+ So what if I'm having a glass of wine while blogging right now & plan on having a second one at dinner ? Today is my day off and I'm enjoying it !

+ So what if I watch old episodes of Felicity ? I only discovered this show about 3 years ago and I love it !

+ So what if my ophthalmologist said I can't wear makeup for another month and a half ? My husband says I look like a pretty flower when I wake up anyway.

+ So what if I didn't do the Shred today ? The husband and I did Bob's weight loss yoga dvd and had a blast.

+ So what if I have babies on the brain these days ? It's just a phase. Ne t'inquiète pas, honey. It IS just a phase. For now at least. Promis.

+ So what if being makeup-deprived is making me even more makeup-obsessed than I used to be ? What can I say. I love makeup.

+ So what if it's almost February and I can't wait to eat yet another Galette des Rois (you know that French cake we eat to celebrate the Epiphany at the beginning of January ? Best celebration ever).

+ So what if I hate the book I'm reading right now ? I just can't get into it. I don't think I'll ever finish it.

+ So what if I got really into interior design and nesting since getting married even though I swore I wouldn't ?

+ So what if I hate that my husband and I are going to be away from each other for several months this year ? It's not like I have a choice.

Weekend à Rome

2011-01-24T16:01:00.000-05:00

Just like the weekend in Rome Etienne Daho used to sing about, the Husband and I decided to fly to Rome for our second minimoon before the big one in Thailand.

We will be leaving next week for 5 days. It will be the Canadian's first time in Italy. I've been to Rome, Florence, and Venice several times before but I have to admit Rome is my favorite Italian city and I can't wait to go with my new husband.

Photo: The Spanish Steps (my favorite place in Rome !) - National Geographic

My Big Secret

2011-01-18T08:10:00.000-05:00

I am a stepmom.

My husband has two daughters.

He had them very young.

He was never married.

It's the classic story.

The Canadian and I were friends before we started dating so it wasn't a surprise.

And although it's not always easy, I never considered these two little girls as an obstacle to our relationship.

They live in Canada.

The most difficult part right now is not being able to see them as much as we can.

But we call. A lot. We write. We fly them in. We fly to them.

Living in Paris makes it hard and it was never an easy choice.

But it's complicated.

All we can hope for is for people not to judge.

We're very protective and weren't ready to talk about them on the blog before.

But they're such a big part of our lives, I felt like it was time.

Parisian Hospitals

2011-01-14T11:03:00.000-05:00

This might sound like a weird topic for a blog entry, but Parisian hospitals are usually quite something.

For instance, this is the hospital where I was born. (All the photos are from my iPhone, bear with me).

Pitié Salpêtrière Hospital

The other day, I had to go to the Hotel Dieu Hospital near the Notre Dame de Paris cathedral after my bike accident. The husband came with me and was pleasantly surprised with the place. Old hospitals that look like castles seem fairly normal to us Parisians, as they are pretty common. But for a tourist, some of them are really worth wandering in for a few minutes.

Yes, these are the Notre Dame towers !

One last picture, completely off-topic but I wanted to share. How pretty are these decorations on the Place Vendôme ?!

Our French Wedding - The Little Details

2011-01-11T05:35:00.000-05:00

I figured I would try to keep my mind focused on happy thoughts. It seems like the perfect excuse to talk about our little wedding !

Here are some of the details I loved.

Our Paloma's Nest ring bearer bowl. We had a custom version that had "You Are My Sunshine" + our initials and wedding date engraved on it.

Our custom made Evian water bottles. We ordered them from Evian.com and were thrilled with how pretty and cool they turned out to be. Every guest went home with one. It's such a great keepsake since there are our names and wedding date lasered on each of them !

Our cute little favors. I wanted something that would last longer than candy or chocolate so I figured succulents were cute and original.

What happened.

2011-01-09T14:47:00.003-05:00

i wanted to say how good it felt to ride my bike again

i wanted to say how my husband and i had gone for a long walk and bought tea at our favorite stores

i wanted to say how it had felt like spring in Paris for a couple of days

i wanted to say how we had gone to the Champs Elysées

i wanted to blog about happy things

but then i got ran over by a mad driver while on my bike. there was absolutely no way for him to pass me with his big Mercedes, but i guess he got tired of honking at me and couldn't wait to get to the red light 100ft away. so he just ran right into me.

that kind of crushed my spirits.

i'm okay. i have a few bruises. i feel exhausted. but mostly i can't seem to find my happy thoughts again.

eta: thank you for your kind words. there were witnesses and the driver is facing an assault with weapon (his car) charge. the police are taking it very seriously.

{2011} {Resolutions} {Hopes}

2011-01-06T06:25:00.002-05:00

I like the idea of everyone reflecting on their goals and hopes for the next twelve months at the beginning of a new year. I didn't have to think too hard to come up with my resolutions and hopes for 2011.

{Resolutions}

I want to be a better wife to my husband. Our relationship is amazing but I believe there is always room for improvement.

I want to exercise more and to eat better. Not necessarily to lose weight, but to be healthier and have more energy.

I want to read more.

I want to learn more about photography.

I want to be less of a dilettante about blogging. I also want to learn some html and CSS.

I want to be a better friend. I can get a little wrapped up in my routine of going to work and being married and I don't want my friends to think I'm forgetting them.

{Hopes}

I hope 2011 is the year we move to Canada.

I hope 2011 is the year we both find jobs we love.

I hope 2011 is the year we settle all the immigration issues (that's not going to happen, but here's to wishful thinking).

I hope 2011 is the year we buy ourselves an iPad II.

I hope 2011 is the year we travel to Italy, Thailand, and Lake Louise.

Photos: We heart it, Google

One Month Ago

2011-01-04T05:49:00.000-05:00

Into Thin Air

2011-01-02T12:32:00.002-05:00

When my husband gave me this book as a surprise present for Christmas (we had agreed we wouldn't give each other presents this year), I admit I was a little skeptical. Mind you, he is a big New York Time Book Review Podcast fan, and had heard wonders about Jon Krakauer's epic tale of his 1996 Everest ascent.

Mountaineering seemed to me like the most boring topic for a book. However, not one to disappoint my thoughtful hubby, I started reading Into Thin Air on NYE while waiting for the last guests to arrive at my parents' house. (right after I finished Candace Bushnell's Carrie Diaries of course... no comment)

I finished the book this morning. Being sick did give me a good excuse to read all day yesterday, but still. I get bored pretty easily and it takes a truly captivating story to keep me reading from 11am to 2am.

My point is, if you haven't already, read it. I found myself almost fascinated by the world of high altitude mountaineering, trying to understand the crazy and magnetic attraction these men and women have for the mountains. The intensity of the events that unfolded during the 1996 expedition to the summit of the Mount Everest makes it almost impossible to put the book down.

Reading it so quickly allowed me to really "drown" myself in the story, mentally picturing the incredible ascent to the roof of the world, and leaving me quite upset as tragedy struck again and again.

Jon Krakauer's writing is very simple and candid, allowing the reader to really understand what life can be like on such an expedition.

While I admit I now have a newfound curiosity for such a strange and dangerous passion as mountaineering, I cannot say that I understand it. I believe it takes a mad and somewhat egoistical perfectionist to want to take so many risks in order to prove they can do it, they can reach a mountain summit. I discovered that what I candidly thought to be esthetic motivations (I can understand how someone would want to see such a rare and beautiful sight as the Everest summit) is actually often vanity, or plain madness, as if the call of the mountain was one impossible to resist.

Deux Mille Onze

2011-01-01T13:23:00.000-05:00

The Canadian and I wish you a very Happy New Year !

May all your wishes come true in 2011 !

Photo: We heart it

A good year

2010-12-30T09:45:00.000-05:00

2010 was a great year for us

1. We went to a hockey game at the Montreal Bell Centre

2. We went to the beautiful Omega Park in Canada

3. We had an amazing time in my hubby's birth country (Germany)

4. We spent some quality time with Simone

5. We visited the catacombs in Paris

6. We got engaged !!

7. We went on a road trip in the US and got lost

8. We flew all the way to Japan and had the time of our lives

9. We put a lock on our love on the Pont des Arts

10. We went to Disneyland Paris twice

11. We got married !!

12. We spent our first Christmas as a married couple

We can't wait to see what 2011 has in store for us !

"I love you most"

2010-12-28T09:44:00.002-05:00

Since the very beginning of our relationship, the Canadian and I have been playing the silly and cheesy "I love you" - "I love you more" game. I believe he started it. Every time I'd say "I love you", he'd say "I love you more" back. I've always found it a little annoying. I don't think it's cute. I take it as an accusation supposed to make me feel guilty. I don't think he loves me more. I don't think I love him more. I think we love each other and that's all that matters. Ok maybe I do think I love him more. A little. Sometimes.But I think it's how you should feel, too :)

So when we heard Rapunzel and her fake mother play this little game like a well choreographed routine in Tangled, it made us smile.

"I love you" "I love you more" "I love you most"

Especially me, because I now have something to say after his "I love you more".

I love you most, husband. There, you have it.

Photo: Paper Tissue

Christmas is over...

2010-12-26T03:46:00.000-05:00

... but I'm not ready to let go

Photo: Getty

Letter to Santa

2010-12-25T06:52:00.000-05:00

I admit I have been spoiled this year.

I got a fiancé.

I went on a trip to Japan.

I got jewelry from De Beers, and Tiffany's.

I got goodies from Gucci and Vivienne Westwood.

I got the yummiest wedding cake.

I got a beautiful white wedding dress.

I got a husband.

But... if I were to sit on Santa's lap... this is what I would ask for.

This new baby. I love mine dearly but if I were to change him (yes, it's a he) I would go for the new and improved him.

This adorable Maje coat.

A YSL Roady. Because it's the perfect bag. Even the husband agrees. Just not the perfect price...

Beautiful, classic Tory Burch boots.

A loft. With a brick wall. In Toronto.

A girl can dream, right ?

Photos: Google, Polyvore, Tory Burch