Monthly Archives: May 2010

And then we made it to Paris. What an amazingly lovely city on the Seine, rich with history and culture . . . and FOOD! I'd wanted to go to Paris for at least the last 10 years. With our fourth anniversary approaching, Weston and I decided France would be our anniversary gift to each other. So, arriving in Paris was interesting. We again rented a flat through VRBO, and although it lacked the charming owners of Villa Margarita, it had its own appeal. At 123 Rue Saint Honore, it was so close to the Louvre that we were able to walk the grounds ever day. We were also above a very highly rated patisserie (that appeared in our Paris Insight eating guide) and every morning we were greeted with the smell of baking bread.

I know, I know. It's been a long time coming. Since about October, W and I have been excitedly awaiting our trip to the Cote D'Azur and Paris. The culmination of every birthday and holiday since last October. We skipped a big vacation last year to finally upgrade our backyard and get our garden started. This. This was the trip I'd been waiting for since our amazing experience in Italy and the Amalfi Coast. It did not disappoint. If Italy was the trip that broadened my horizons when it came to food, this was the vacation that validated my love of simple, local, and extremely fresh ingredients, and that although presumably biased, the Michelin star actually means something, from the level of food preparation to the flourish of presentation. Our first visit to a Michelin starred restaurant was Melisse in Santa Monica, CA in October, and after that experience, we committed to making an attempt at visiting a Michelin star in France.