Bon Vie, Give Me The Good Life

We woke up on Friday morning to a text from Eric letting us know the Eagles had landed. It was around 9:20 and after customs, a quick train ride and some directions from a stranger, they arrived at the AirBnB by 11:30. Ashley and I were excited to see them. 

After hugs and a quick freshen up we all set off to explore the city.  

Cafe was the first priority so we grabbed a seat at the corner bistro for some dopio espressos and a beautiful cappuccino, complete with cocoa powder. Sitting in the sunshine we had some time to catch up about the last two months and try to map out the day As mentioned, or alluded to, in a previous post, Ashley and I had been to Paris before and this was the Webber's first trip and we wanted to make sure that they made it to.  We decided that we would walk through St. Germain, headed to Notre Dame for the first stop of the day.  Priority number 2 was get Jamie a croissant (#6 in Jamie's Ranking of Croissants). It was about 12:30 so most places around didn't have any left, but we found one before setting out for the day. 

Stopping at a few stores along the way, we made it to the Seine. As we turned the corner on the final stretch to Notre Dame, the face of the church became visible and Eric let out a soft but audible "wow".  

(After traveling for as long as we have, it is easy to get a bit numb to the beauty around you.  Not that we weren't appreciating what we saw in each place, but the initial shock wasn't as great as it had been at the start of the journey. Our time with the Webbber's and listening to them as we went from site was a refreshing reminder of how special it was)

Pausing for plenty of pictures outside and inside, we took the time to walk through the massive church and thought about climbing to the top, but aborted that decision when we saw the line outside. 

With all of us needing a place to pee and a bit hungry we walked back into St Germain to grab some lunch. The boys got salads (not quite as good as Just Salad, where Eric and I typically had our lunch dates at work, but good nonetheless) and the girls ordered Croque Madam and a Croque Monsieur. We discussed some of the priorities in terms of sites they wanted to see and decided that we should catch the metro over to Montmartre and Sacre Coeur. 

We made the trip in no time and made our way over to the base of Scare Coeur. The sheer beauty of the church is breathtaking as it sits atop the hill watching over the city. With each step up the Paris began to reveal itself in curved streets, quaint rooftops church spires.... It really is a must visit spot in my opinion. 

As we arrived at the top we realized that we were in the middle of a wine and food festival. We took a quick spin inside the church (much more beautiful than I remembered), then decided to venture through the festival and the Montemarte area. Picked up a bottle of wine, €37 worth of cheese, some cured meats and macaroons before grabbing a seat at a restaurant to enjoy the late afternoon vibe. 

Jamie had done some research prior to the trip and found a restaurant for us to try. Restaurant Frenchie is a very nice spot in a quiet alley in the 2nd Arrondissemont. Steered by the former head chef at Gramercy Tavern in NYC, it was not easy place to get a table. However, Frenchie Bar and Wine across the alleyway is first come first serve and a solid option for the four of us. The small space has a mix of high top tables and standing room to enjoy wine and a short but delicious menu. We had to wait about an hour and a half, so after a great bottle of wine, a delicious cauliflower dish, a mixture of cheeses and some tired feet, we got a seat near the bar and were ready to try the menu. The vibe had really picked up in the time we had been waiting and as we ordered there was barely any standing room left. Our very nice waitress let us know a few dishes that were done for the night and we quickly put in our orders. We shared everything instead of ordering full individual meals. 

First to arrive was another helping of the cauliflower. The dish was incredibly simple but delicious. The vegetable was steamed, roasted with a dash of salt and served atop some quinoa and a lemony purée of some sort. We actually order two of these so each couple could split one. 

Next up was the outstanding Paparadelle Ragu. I feel that my words can't do it justice, so I'm not going to try. Last to arrive were the lobster rolls. The lobster was in a buttery hollandaise(ish) sauce and served in a toasted white bread bun. It was an interesting and delicious interpretation of the Connecticut style lobster roll (hot with butter). We tried to order another round of the Paparadelle, only to sadly learn that it too was now done for the night.  The girls opted to split another lobster roll and I ordered a fourth round of cauliflower. Full, happy on wine and wallets drained we decided it was time to make it way home. 

We had decided earlier that it would be cool to see the Louvre lit up a night so we dance-walked from Frenchie to the museum. It was beautiful to see all lit up and we took plenty of pictures before making our way back across the Seine and into St. Germaine. By the time we made it to the AirBnB it was about 12:30 and time for bed. The Webber's had been espresso fueled all stars their first day in Paris.

 

London à Paris

Thursday was another easy morning. Woke up early to say our goodbyes to the girls and Emma before they headed off to school. We made green juices, eggs with ham and cheese and last but never least, espresso. We also had to shower and pack up our bags again because we were off to Paris that afternoon. Our friends Eric and Jamie were meeting us on Friday morning and the plan was for us to arrive the night before and get the AirBnB set up. 

Packed up, we left the London Habeck's house around 11:30 in order to make it to St. Pancreas with plenty of time spare. It was an easy tube ride from their house and we used the extra time to grab some food for the train. 

We arrived at Paris's Gare du Nord after a slight delay, made quick moves to find the Metropolitain, jumped on the 4 line and were in St Germain in no time. 

We picked St Germain for our base of operations (read AirBnB location) because it was an area we wished we had spent more time in the first time around back in 2011.  Our building was a short walk from the Metro at St. Placide. and was easy to find. 

However this was the first time that a host wasn't there to welcome us to the apartment. They informed us that the apartment was on the second floor and the key would be under the mat.  Through our travels we learned that the second floor of a building is what we would refer to as the third floor. This can cause some confusion, especially when the wrong apartment also has a key under the mat. Luckily we figured out we were at the wrong door before we managed to open it and made our inside. 

Confusion sorted out, we were into our apartment and quickly began the ritual of putting our bags down and immediately getting wifi. As I mentioned before, this was the first AirBnB where a host didn't greet us so we we expected a welcome book of some sort to be in the apartment.  Nothing crazy but a little info on the washing machine, wifi codes, etc.  This place had none of that so we had to figure it all out on our own. The wifi in particular was a problem and we couldn't get it to work, even after inputting the 30 character code. After about 40 minutes of failure we unplugged the modem for a reboot and went off to explore St Germain. We wanted to find some gold areas to show the Webber's when they arrived the next day. 

After a quick espresso from a corner brasserie, we wound our way to Ave St. Germain.  We checked out stores, restaurants, little alleyways. Bought some wine, saw Notre Dame after sunset and finally sat down for a bite. 

We both opted for the cheeseburgers which came out mooing at us. I ate mine and Ashley's got a little extra time on the grill. While at dinner we took advantage of the free wifi to connect with the Webbers as we were afraid we would be unable to at the apartment.  Well fed we made our way back to the apartment, where the wifi was now working, and called it a night... well we watched a few episodes of Orphan Black first and had a FaceTime with the Webbers at the airport, but we eventually made it to bed.

London - coca cola picture

Friends, Family & an Anniversary

Our time in London was something we had been looking forward to for some time on our trip. By the time our plane touched down we had been traveling for a hair under seven weeks, been to eight countries and many more cities. We had been moving at a fast pace (with some slow days mixed in) and we're excited to spend time with some friends and family at a relaxed pace.

Two of our close friends Casey (aka Kevin) and Taylor had moved to London for work two years ago and we wanted to make sure we had some time to see them. We planned to stay with them on our first night in town before spending the rest of our time in London with my Brother and his wonderful family. After 45 minutes in the customs line we made it to the Heathrow Express to head to Paddington Station. It was a fairly quick ride and within about an hour of clearing customs we were at Kevin and Taylor's door in Notting Hill. They also had two other friends, Erin and Paul from Atlanta in town. We did some quick intros, laid our bags down, did a quick clean up and were ready to head out for dinner.

We arrived at Kurobuta and were quickly sat at a table for six. The restaurant served up Asian Fusion fare and seemed to only have Aussies on staff. We ordered some drinks and a few rounds of delicious food. Highlights were Pork Buns, a lemon chicken dish and the beer with a frozen head. Pleasantly full it was time to head out and check out the town. Our first stop was the German restaurant, Bodos Scholss, that turns into a club later on in the night. It is right off of the Kensington Garden so we were hoping for a royal sighing or two. After about a 15 minute "que up" we decided to cut our loses and check out the piano bar around the corner. This was a great decision as we were let right in upon arrival and had the chance to belt out some classic tunes with the rest of the bar.

After the pianists last song we decided to head back to the house for some more music and dancing. The night went long and we even FaceTimed with another former friend, Rohit, that worked at MediaVest with all of us and now lives in LA.

The next mornings wake up call came way to soon. Ashley and I were headed to my Brother's house to get some much need family time. We opted to take an uber instead of the Tube and it ended up about the same price. Upon the arrival the previous nights activities required me to take a nap before getting ready for play time in the afternoon. We took our bags up to the attic bedroom and got some rest.

(View on a sunny clear day)

(View on a gray rainy day)

Fully rested and showered it was time to join the family Sunday fun. Dolph and Emma live on a short street in North London that is slowly being occupied by more and more families like theirs. They have recently instituted a great ordnance for the street that closes it to all traffic on the first Sunday of each month from 1-4p.  The idea being that it creates a few hours each month for the kids to enjoy the neighborhood without the concern of cars.  On this Sunday, the sun was shining bright and the kids were out in full force. Everywhere one turned there were scooters, bikes, "artists" creating with chalk, hoola hoops, a few footballs, and even a light saber battle. The air was filled with screaming laughter from the kids and the sound of parents following close behind. As the afternoon wore on the parents settled in and talked on the sidelines whilst (a little of the Queens for yas) keeping an eye on the kids. 

A little past 4pm they opened up again and it was time for everyone to get home to start dinner prep.  Our group was headed our to Victoria Stakes for a roast instead and we were very excited. 

Dolph and Emma have spoken about roasts for many years now, but we had yet to actually experience one. I know that each pub or family does a roast a bit different, but the easiest way to describe it would be Thanksgiving Dinner... every Sunday. The meat can vary from Roast Beef, Turkey, lamb, etc. and will is accompanied with hearty veggies like potatos, turnips, beans.... On this night Ashley and I started with the Carrot and Cardamom soup (amazing), whilst (again) Emma selected the salmon and Dolph ventured for the Beef Cheeks. The main course was beef all around as we had heard it was fresh out the oven. The meal was amazing and so much food. Even the "kids" meals were incredible. Basically the same sides we had with a few less pieces of chicken.

After dinner we went back to the flat, caught up some more and enjoyed a little TV for a few hours.

Monday was the two year anniversary of our wedding day, so I planned a night out in Central London. We woke up early to see the little girls off to school, made some very welcomed green shakes for breakfast (thanks again Emma) and got ready to take the tube into town.

We were staying at a hotel in Soho and arrived around 3p for checkin. 

After a quick check of the room we went to explore the area. With some help from the TV in our room we found an interesting restaurant, Jackson & Rye, specializing in American dishes. It was a quick walk from the hotel and we thoroughly enjoyed the Pulled pork Tacos (Ashley) and the Fried Chicken Sandwich.

Unfortunately the weather was wet, but we decided to explore none the less. We ended up in some little shopping areas before stumbling across The Liberty. This former hotel had been transformed into a high end department store near Regent Street. Upon entering the main door the original wood beams and open atrium are quite a sight. We walked round inside but quickly realized the currency exchange rates would bankrupt us (slight exaggeration) if we made any purchases. It was about two hours before dinner so we went back to the hotel to rest and clean up before the 7:30 reservation at Little Social.

(Animals made out of chocolate)

Little Social is an offshoot of another restaurant on the small Pollen Street in Soho. The French bistro vibe with leather benches and dark wood was a welcomed sanctuary from the rainy, chilly night. We were sat towards the back of the restaurant and ordered a great artichoke soup and spit the
Aged Ribeye for Two. Dinner was delicious and we even had room for desert. We went with a blackberry and apple crumble that had its moments, but was a bit overpowering on the sweet spectrum.

We headed back to the hotel in the rain and got caught up on some Netflix.

Tuesday morning woke up and checked out of the hotel. Ashely had found a spot for breakfast but when we arrived the line was around the corner. We set out for option two and had a great meal complete with red juices before jumping in the tube to check out the area of Shoreditch. With a little bit better weather we were able to explore a bit more freely and spent a few hours walking around. As we were about to head for the Tube, Ashley "stumbled upon" (I'm still not convinced it wasn't her plan all along) a cat cafe. For those that don't know it's a place that serves coffee and cakes in room (s) that has cats freely roaming around. They started in China and are slowly gaining ground in other countries.  The only thing outnumbering the crazy cat ladies are the cats themselves... barely. So for £10 we spent about an hour in Ashley's heaven.

London, Cat Village - snaps from October 6, 2015 from Ashley Habeck on Vimeo.

As soon as her sneezes started we began the trek to the tube and back to Dolph and Emma's. We arrived at the house and all the girls were there as the oldest daughter had been sick that day. It was really nice to get some extra time with the two little munchkins (and of course Emma) as we played until dinner time.

After dinner and baths, Dolph was home to put the girls to bed. He and I read stories, really just Dolph though, while Ashley and Emma put together a great meal for the four of us. Throughout dinner we were able to enjoy some time catching up about our days and the trips we have all been on. Dinner over and dishes being done, I was sent to pick up some ice cream for desert and we spent the rest of the night on the couch.

Wednesday was a nice slow start. We made breakfast, watched some TV and then decided the rain wasn't going to keep us from exploring Crouch End. The timing was perfect as Emma pulled up when we were closing the house door. She was kind enough to give us a lift into the area. We walked around for a bit and then grabbed lunch a coffeeshop. Emma picked us up about two hours later so we could surprise the oldest with a pick up from school.

All the kids in tow, we picked up the dinner we would make later and headed back up for some afternoon fun time. We played a few games and eventually settled in to watch The Princess and The Frog. 

Dinner came soon after and the girls were in bed by about 7ish I think. Dolph was home soon after and we all sat down to dinner around 8p. A great meal of haduck and sweet potato au graten followed by some trashy English TV.

Those five days were exactly what we needed. Low key, no real plans and surrounded by friends and family. Can't thank you all enough for the recharge and love you showed/ shared with us. We miss seeing you and can't wait to see you all again soon.