None of us were looking forward to an early morning wake-up call to catch our train from Paris to Milan to Florence, but that is what had to be done. Since train travel is less expensive then air travel, my mom and I decided to splurge on business class tickets.  Since we were on the train most of the day, it was a good move. Our seats were comfortable and the train car was less crowded and quieter.  That made for a great day to relax and enjoy the view. I just spent time to write in my journal and enjoy the view out the window.  One of my goals in taking the train was to get lots of pictures to use as references for paintings.  Taking pictures out of a train is a tricky business.   You have to start to feel the rhythm of the train and the cadence

Before we leave Paris and head to Italy, I thought I would share the “souvenirs” I purchased.  For me, I like to bring things home that I will use.  When I interact with them, they will remind me of my trip and, hopefully, a great memory that accompanies them. I already shared about the antique fountain pen and the lesson I learned about giving a situation a second chance. I also purchased a reproduction of a French handwriting primer… ..and my beret and books from Shakespeare & Co.  With my beret, I’ll remember being physically shown how to wear them properly.  Those books will always bring me back to the narrow aisles of the bookshop frequented by Hemmingway. The last items I purchased were from Charvin Arts. I selected items that I haven’t come across before or I most likely couldn’t buy at an art store in the US. I

We got a late start to our last day in Paris.  It was the only day we didn’t have to wake up for a tour, so we slept in and were slow to eat breakfast and get ready.  When traveling, there is always a tension between wanting to see as much as you can and wanting to stop to take a breath.  This morning, we took that breath. There were a couple of stores I wanted to visit, so mom and I decided we’d take a slow walk to get there, just enjoying the city along the way. The morning was chilly and I wanted to buy a beret anyway, so the gray and cold weather was a good excuse.  I picked a black, wool beret, put it on and paid for it.  My mom and I took a few steps when I encouraged her to buy one.  It helped

As I was planning out our France leg of the trip, the number one thing I wanted to do was take a day trip to Champagne.  For me, it wasn’t about the grapes or the tastings, but it was about seeing the French countryside…seeing tiny villages nestled in lush green hills and checkerboard fields. So, I booked a private tour for our group with Artventures.  If you’re planning a similar trip, private tours are more expensive than group tours, but they offer a lot more flexibility.  Since both John and I wanted to be able to stop and take lots of pictures, this was going to be the best option.  Also, when you split the tour between four people, the price is more reasonable. (As an aside, this is a tour we paid for and this post is not sponsored.) We were picked up at our apartment early in the

One of my favorite experiences in Paris last year was a private walking tour (The Sweet Side of Paris), so I decided to schedule another tour for this visit.  These small tours are a great way to see the city and learn new things.  My mom, John, Wendy, and I decided to do the Treasures of the Marais Walking Tour.  We were all interested in the architecture and history of that district. It was a wonderful tour! Our small group of eight learned a lot about some of the key buildings and squares in that district and it was fascinating. Our guide pointed out marks from the past, like damage from WWII bullets… …and an 1830 cannonball stuck in the side of a building… One of the most interesting places our guide pointed out was Campagnons Du Devoir…  (Ah, stupid broken iPhone camera.) I was attracted to the blue facade

I’m ho-ome!  For those who haven’t been following on Instagram or Facebook, I spent two weeks in Europe and arrived back in the States yesterday.  I didn’t want to work on blog posts during my trip.  Instead, I took lots of pictures and kept a detailed journal, so I could share it all with you when I got back…and, boy, I have a lot to share!  I filled my entire journal and then had to turn it over and start writing on the backs of the pages because I ran out of paper.  (I’m a one-sided page writer.  It’s just tidier to me.) Anyway, before we dive into the trip, I wanted to let you know that this will be a series since I have so much to share.  I couldn’t possibly fit it all in one or two posts.  I’ll share the posts in chronological order and try to

Last week, I got all of our final plans in place.  Our Italy leg is all planned out by Inspired in Tuscany, so I only needed to make travel arrangements and schedule some tours for Paris and for one day in Florence. One thing we wanted to do this visit was to see the French countryside, so our big excursion is a day trip to Reims-Champagne with Artventures France.  We’ll be visiting a couple of champagne houses for tastings, an old village, and a cathedral.  I am so excited for that day! We are also doing two tours in Paris with Localers again.  We did our Flea Market Tour and Sweet Side of Paris tour with them last year and both were excellent.   We did the Sweet Side of Paris tour on a whim and it was such a wonderful surprise and memorable way to experience the city. This year,