London's Best Fish & Chips

August 15, 2016

While recently visiting London, I was on the hunt for London's best fish and chips. To visit London and not have fish and chips is a shame. It should be a box to check on your travelers declaration sheet - and if you check 'no', you should be sent back to London to grab an order! Seriously, it is that essential. So where are London's best fish and chips? I found my favorite spot in the most unlikely of places.

When I studied abroad in London a few summers back, I had my fair share of fish and chips. Some were good, some were bad, but one particular order of fish and chips was a knock out. While back in London, I went searching for the best fish and chips once again.

Normally, I shy away from eating near touristy locations. When sightseeing, I would rather walk up the road and find a hole-in-the-wall cafe than eat at the food court of a big tourist destination.

However, in 2012 when walking around the Tower of London with a few friends, we decided to eat at, literally, the most touristy restaurant possible - just feet from the Tower of London ticketing booth. I thought to myself "I'll just order the fish and chips" not expecting anything life changing to happen. I was wrong. I ordered the best fish and chips I have ever had.. ever!

So of course, while visiting London again, I had to revisit this magical place and try the fish and chips once more.

I hopped on the underground and made my way to Tower Hill and scoured around for that memorable restaurant. And then I found it, and the Tower Hill Diner was exactly how I remembered it. Yellow touristy banners and all. So I ordered the classic fish and chips, takeaway (to-go), and found a nice bench along the Thames River overlooking Tower Bridge. It was the perfect place to enjoy a beautifully British lunch.

Then, it was time to enjoy my fish and chips! And good news, they tasted exactly like I had remembered! After drizzling my fish with lemon juice, I pulled apart the flakey, battered crust. Mmmm. It was everything you look for in a fried and battered fish and chips combo. The fish had the perfect balance of crispy, crunchy outside, yet moist, hot and flakey inside. The chips (fries) were fresh, soft, and steamy - absolute fried potato perfection.

And then, while minding my own business, enjoying my delicious fish and chips, the unthinkable happened. It started snowing.. on April 29th. The news said that it hasn't snowed this late in April since ... like the 90's. While people ran for cover, I just opened up my umbrella and kept eating, completely unfazed that ice chunks were falling from the sky.

The fish was so hot that I didn't even mind a little chill.

When traveling around London, you have to be prepared and always, always carry an umbrella! You never know when it might snow 😉 Even in late April.

Tip: There are several different fish and chips joints around the Tower of London entrance, but I have only tried the Tower Hill Diner. So be sure you have the right place before venturing over to sample the menu!

Also, a friend who grew up in England told me that Toffs has excellent fish and chips! It was a little far for me to travel to, but if you are in the area, let me know how it is. I would love to try Toffs next time I am in town!

Mmm, French Food

August 12, 2016

French food has a special place in my heart. Baguettes, butter, cheese, wine, more butter, champagne - the list goes on. The French know good food and I was lucky enough to be on the receiving end of all of their famous French deliciousness. And don't worry, I tried everything! Especially all things preserved, aged, and fresh out of the oven.

It seems like every Parisian street is dotted with the iconic restaurant or cafe sidewalk seating. The cute wicker chairs welcoming you to sit down, order a glass of wine and people watch for hours.

The food we enjoyed at these delicious curb-side restaurants included all of the French classics.

Like this perfect Charcuterie board to share - with jambon de Bayonne(French prosciutto), Pâté, hard cheese, and a small pickled gherkin.

And seared Duck à l'Orange (duck breast with a sweet orange sauce).

We also ventured over to the 'Chef special' section of the menu and blindly ordered the bisque of the day, excited about what would be served. With our appetite in the Chef's hands, out came a bowl of steamed cabbage and shrimp with a glass of tomato bisque. We held our breath and dramatically poured the delicious bisque soup over the top. I have never seen a bisque quite like this but it was so fantastic! This dish was a show stopper for sure.

We managed to hunt down French crepes - this one was served flambé (on fire) using Grand Marnier liquor.

And it took some time but I found a pork terrine! We talked about terrines in culinary school and I always wanted to try this French food classic. The dish is like a hodgepodge of pork best described as a fancy textured hotdog, served cold and in the classic terrine square shape. I loved every bite!

Psst - can you spot the snails below?

I loved this slow roasted baby lamb leg served with mashed potatoes. Absolutely beautiful, fall-off-the-bone, and paired with a rich espagnole sauce.

And finally, a classic Crème brûlée!

But if you don't have hours to spend sitting at a restaurant, there are street venders on almost every corner and park entrance. They serve up cheap eats that are oh so satisfying,

We had baguette sandwiches at least once a day, sometimes twice. By the end of our trip, the loafed French bread was coming out of our ears we ate it so often - I couldn't get enough! Most sandwich stands offered the classic Jambon et Fromage combination which translate to ham and cheese.

Some food stands sold this beauty, a toasted baguette stuffed with a hot dog and topped with cheese. I never ordered it but I always drooled a little bit when I saw it teasing me through the glass.

And this cheesy bread, which I did try, made me drool too! This halved baguette was topped with cheese and caramelized onion bits, then sinfully toasted for a crunchy, gooey snack.

Now, Let's talk crepes. I can't believe it took me about three days to get my hands on one, but when I finally did, it was everything I had dreamed of. I ordered the Nutella crepe with banana slices from a pop-up stand by the Grande Roue de Paris. It was filled with warm, chocolaty goodness wrapped in a light and fluffy crepe with hints of sweet banana. Unbelievably dreamy! The French enjoy crepes as not just sweet, but savory too and you can usually order either one at most crepe stands.

We also found a pop-up stand carrying these fancy French macaroons. They were so beautiful and colorful - worthy of being displayed in any fine pastry shop.

Speaking of pastry shops .. These intricate cakes and tarts are edible works of art - real French food classics! We found ourselves wandering into random bake shops while walking the streets of Paris just to peek at these delicate desserts. Some of the shops also sold cute personal quiches, perfect for a breakfast on the go.

One bake shop I highly recommend is Ble Sucre. After spending time at Marche d'Aligre, Mark and I headed over to this popular bakery. This shop was recommended to me by my French relatives who told me this place has the absolute best croissants in Paris. They suggested we order an espresso and dip our flaky, warm and buttery croissant into the freshly brewed shot of coffee.

With croissants and espresso shots in hand, we found a cute park right across the street from the bakery to enjoy our bites of French heaven. It was divine!

Because we were visiting some of my French relatives, we got to see first hand how the French eat at home. One of the first meals we had at my family's home was a (catered) Moroccan couscous dinner. The curried chicken was tender, the vegetable stew was hearty and the fluffy couscous took hours to prepare. I loved the regional food choice for our first meal in a French home!

A few days later, after the wedding festivities, we also enjoyed pâté and caviar on toast, champagne, and cheese - so much cheese!

I also spotted this machine translated to 'the mill' in my family's kitchen. Now anyone can make perfect beef tartare at home!

I also managed to pop into a few convenience stores, which is where you find some of the best cultural foods. I spotted canned kiwi, Pâté, preserved meat slices, and sausage.

The Rillettes du Mans below is a type of pork Pâté that is slow cooked in fat until the meat can be shredded. Grab some crusty baguette slices and smear it on - mmm, sounds so yummy!

Some convenience stores also had fresh and vibrant fruit and vegetables at the front of the store. I always stopped and snapped a few pictures because they always looked so gorgeous!

And there is no way I could end this French Food post without mentioning this gorgeous Eiffel Tower cake (again)! It's just so pretty. Click here to read the full post about my relative's wedding in France (more pics of the cake included!).

Did you spot any of your favorite French foods? I will accept Nutella as an answer!

A Wedding to Remember, France

August 6, 2016

There are few times in life when you drop your plans and head to France. This time my reason was for a family wedding. And while France is amazing and Paris is delightful, I absolutely love spending time with my French relatives, cousins, and extended family.

Friends and loved ones flocked from all over the world to the suburbs of Paris to witness Martine and Eric wed. My parents, Mark, and I were so excited to experience a true, French wedding! French weddings are a little different from American weddings - from the multiple ceremonies to the 2am dance party. I must say, the French know how to throw a wedding.

In France, it is customary to have two ceremonies, one legal and the other religious. Traditionally the wedding festivities start at the courthouse where a civil ceremony takes place.

After the civil courthouse ceremony, we gathered into the town's intimate Catholic Church for the second religious ceremony. The church's vaulted ceilings curved from wall to wall and the marbled stone kept the church nice and cozy, keeping out the chilly spring air. Before the ceremony began, everyone exchanged hugs and kisses, giving the Groom well wishes.

Traditionally, the french weddings don't have bridesmaids or groomsmen - only flower girls and ring bearers, which was the job of their two younger children who took their job very seriously.

After the religious ceremony, we filed out of the church, threw rose petals, and exchanged even more hugs and kisses. I was loving all of the French fashion with lady-like hats, fur coats and leather gloves.

We then hurried off to the reception dinner in a line of cars that seemingly wrapped around the town's square. Every crooked one-way street was blocked with a honking wedding parade.

After arriving at the reception restaurant, overlooking the famous Seine River, we were greeted with champagne and canapés (hors d’oeuvres).

The intricate hors d’oeuvres were almost too beautiful to eat. Almost. We enjoyed champagne, champagne, some wine, and even more champagne.

After chatting and mingling for a bit, it was time to start the dinner feast.

The first thing you might noticed in the picture below is that there are missing bread plates and the mini baguettes are placed right on the table. This is typically seen throughout France and parts of Europe. The idea is that the tablecloth is so clean, you can eat off of it. If you are in someone's home or out at a nice French restaurant and you place your bread on your plate, you are basically saying you don't think that their table cloth is clean. Eeek, how rude!

Then the first course started - half lobster flambé with cognac. Next was Duck confit with potatoes and provencal tomatoes (cooked tomatoes topped with bread crumbs). Not pictured were the next two courses, which included a 'peasant' salad and an assortment of cheeses - cut fresh off the block.

Then, it was time for cake. And to call this dessert anything less than grand is an understatement! After the sparklers died down, it was then time for the champagne fountain toast. It was such a magical moment!

The Eiffel Tower cake was made out of a nut brittle with whimsical cream puffs. Mmm, I can still taste the stickily, delicious desserts now! We also munched on les dragée, sugar coated almond candies, which are a staple take-away wedding candy.

A few more notes about traditional French weddings. It is common to be invited to specific parts of the wedding ceremony or reception. You could get an invitation to only the hor d'oeuvres and after dinner dance party. Or you could only be invited to the ceremony but not the dinner - and it's totally fine! (Usually) No one is offended if they are only invited to one and not the other. Naturally, the closer you are to the couple, the more wedding events you get invited to.

Also, typical French weddings last until 2am and sometimes later. After 11pm, dinner is usually wrapping up and everyone is hitting the dance floor, dancing to the classic wedding songs - including the YMCA. And no French wedding is complete without a small off-leash dog. This tiny pooch wandered everywhere from the kitchen to the kids table getting a front row seat to the best party in town!

The Saturday wedding reception rolled into the following day where the wedding festivities kept on going. The bride and groom hosted a beautiful Sunday brunch where under a blooming cherry tree we enjoyed warm, cheesy pizza baked out of a food truck parked in their drive way. The bride's bouquet was on display along with her bridal gown and groom's suit.

The pizza brunch was so relaxing. It was nice to catch up with everyone you saw shaking it on the dance floor the night before. After washing everything down with even more champagne, we toasted one last time wishing Martine and Eric continued success and love in the next (married) chapter of life.

What are some interesting wedding traditions you have experienced? What are some of your favorite American wedding traditions? I would love to read about some of your experiences!

Château de Fontainebleau, France

June 7, 2016

Before I tell you how amazing, spectacular and delightful the Château de Fontainebleau is, you absolutely must know this one unique secret about the château. Ok, brace for it.

You can rent princess gowns at the château and wear them while you wander around the castle. Yes! You can actually live out your dream of dressing like a queen with a fluffy, intricate gown and walk the halls of your regal home. I kid you not, it's magical! I showed up a little too late to be able to rent a gown but I would absolutely make a special trip to Fontainebleau next time just to rent one.

Ok, now that you are in the know, I can move on and tell you more about my adventures at the château.

I absolutely fell in love with this grand castle - I actually liked Fontainebleau more than Versailles! Fontainebleau was much less crowded, more intimate, and just as extravagant as Versailles. You can walk up close to the royal throne, get right up to Napoleon's apartment, and actually spend time in the Chapel of Trinity. I also really enjoyed the wood paneled rooms - a unique feature to this château, inspired by the Italian Renaissance (lots of pictures below).

I adored the brick accents, cobble stones, and gorgeous stone arches. We walked through the garden entrance, in awe of how quiet and striking the grounds were.

Museum of Napoleon I

Tucked away in a quiet wing is a small museum where you can admire small, intricate items that once belonged to royalty. Like an antique clock (restored by Rolex), delicate china, and sculptures of Napoleon's family.

The Grand Apartments

This is where not only the royals lived, but also the Pope! I was obsessed with the stunning floor-to-ceiling wood rooms, vibrant wall papers, and carved ceilings.

Chapel of Trinity

This quite, dark chapel was so beautiful, with the white stone, shades of blue/green and pops of gold. The chapel was cool and musty, with painted ceiling as spectacular as Versailles.

The Gardens

We walked outside, just before it began to rain, strolling past the pond and through the château's regal backyard. The courtyards were quiet enough to hear an echo bounce off the enormous stone walls - with no other wandering tourists to be found.

Making our way back to the entrance, we promenaded through the garden one last time, snapping a few last pictures.

Thinking of visiting Château de Fontainebleau? Click here for more information!

House of Claude Monet, France

May 31, 2016

Tucked away in the small French town of Giverney is the home of the famous painter, Claude Monet. His adorable pink home sits in a gorgeous garden, the inspiration for many of his paintings. During our visit, everything was in full spring bloom, exploding with tulips! Literally, thousands of tulips. Monet's blooming, vibrant garden was also his muse and was where he painted the iconic Water Lilies series, hanging in galleries all over the world.

Wide–eyed tourists travel down tiny, twisted French village streets just to stand on the bridge from the painting Water Lilies with Japanese Bridge and sit in the garden where Claude had once laid his eaisle to paint his floral masterpieces. It was quite a sight.

Before stepping into the garden and entering the house of Claude Monet, we grabbed a few baguettes for a late lunch and enjoyed the French village-style town.

Stepping into the garden you are greeted by rows and rows of colorful blooms, then overwhelmed with their fresh floral scent. I found flower varieties I have never seen before with unique colors and shapes.

Vising the quaint home of this famous impressionist painter was a dream. Unlike many famous classic painters, Claude Monet wasn't a struggling artist, which allowed him to afford this charming home. And 7 gardeners. Walking into the restored home is like entering the late 1800’s with stylish yellow wallpaper and electric colors. Each room had tons of personality!

Walking down the teasing path, flowers lining the walkway, we made our way to the famous lily pond. My Mom joked that it’s hard not to be inspired to paint because everything is so picturesque. Walking through the garden, you definitely feel everything slow down with the warm sun glowing and the floral colors catching your eye.

And then, you are face-to-face with the lily pond! The water looked like mirrored glass, reflecting the trees and flowers all around. It looks just like the paintings! We walked all around the pond, then up and around the Japanese bridge, where we stopped to get a picture.

Before leaving, Mark and I bought the perfect souvenir – a small hand painted replica of Claude Monet’s Lily Pond, which is the perfect size for my desk! The shop had many great gifts but having a tiny oil painting replica is the absolute perfect gift. I can look at it at home when the stress of life consumes me and I will be transported to the dreamy Monet gardens.. or something like that.

Note, I found some sleepy tourists (including my dad in blue) who soon became part of the scene, almost blending in with the couch.

With the sent of fresh flowers still dusted on our clothes, we stopped by a flower shop on our way back to the house. Looking through the bouquets, it was hard to narrow down exactly which bunch to buy - they were all so gorgeous!

As my Mom and I picked out flowers, the shop's parrot, Woody, climbed onto Mark’s sweater and started to dance around. The shop owner told us Woody the parrot only liked boys (go figure..) and would screech if us girls got near. We had a laugh and as Woody climbed back into his cage, we settled on a nice potted plant. We then zipped back to the house, soaking up more views of the French town along the way.

Planning a trip to this famous home? Click here for ticket information!

Q: How Do I Make Easy Cold Brew Coffee?

May 26, 2016

Do you have any idea how easy cold brew coffee is to make? No, like seriously, it's so easy! And deliciously smooth. While I am still editing photos and writing upcoming posts about my recent trip to France, I wanted to share this super easy drink recipe along with a few tips for making cold brew coffee at home - just as the weather starts heating up.

If you are someone who chills previously brewed hot coffee (faux cold brew), this recipe is for you. Refrigerating previously hot brewed coffee turns the coffee very bitter, which does not make for a delicious drink. Making cold brew coffee the right way lets you enjoy the coffee flavor nuances, with it's rich and smooth taste. Yum!

Respect the coffee beans, follow the steps below, and never look back.

Cold Brew Coffee:

Ingredients:

-3 Tablespoons Ground Coffee

-Cold/Room Temperature Water (enough to fill your mason jar)

Equipment & Tools:

-Mason Jar (12-16 oz)

-Kitchen String, 20 inches long

-1 Disposable Coffee Filter

Step 1: Gather and prep your ingredients

Step 2: Make your cold brew coffee pouch

This is key for my cold brew coffee method. You are essentially making a 'coffee tea bag', allowing the coffee grinds to seep in the water, slowly, just like a tea bag. Place the coffee grinds in the filter, gather the edges of the coffee filter and bring them together, slightly twisting the top of the filter.

Lastly, wrap the kitchen string tightly around the top of the coffee pouch, making sure no coffee grinds can escape. Keep a few extra inches of string loose when tying the kitchen string so you can easily fish out your coffee pouch from the jar later.

Step 2: Add water and cold brew pouch to the mason jar. Attach the lid and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

This is where the magic happens. The longer you let the bag steep, the more intense the flavor will be. You can experiment with different steep times and the intensity of the coffee. The cold brew will keep for a few days after the cold brew pouch as been removed, so make a big batch and store it for later.

Take your cold brew game up a notch and click here for my Spiced Cold Brew Coffee recipe! I promise, it's delicious.

Easy Cold Brew Coffee

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Easy Cold Brew Coffee

Author: Michele Rinck
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 12 hours
Total Time: 12 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 2-3 cups 1x
Category: Drinks
Method: Steeping
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

3 Tablespoons of ground coffee
12-16 oz Cold or room temperature water
12-16 oz Mason jar or container
1 Paper coffee filter
20 inches of kitchen string

Instructions

Place coffee grounds in the center of the paper coffee filter. Gather the top of the filter to make a pouch with the coffee grounds secure inside the pouch. Close the top of the pouch by tying the top of the pouch with kitchen string.
Fill mason jar with water and place the tied coffee pouch in the jar, making sure it is submerged in the water.
Put a lid on the jar and refrigerate for 12-24 hours. The longer the coffee steeps, the darker and richer the coffee flavor.
Remove coffee pouch before you enjoy.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 1
Sugar: 0 g
Sodium: 3 mg
Fat: 0 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 0 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 g

Keywords: easy cold brew coffee

Palace of Versailles

May 23, 2016

The Palace of Versailles is dripping in luxury with royalty embellishments everywhere you turn. Portrait paintings spanning two story walls, gold crown moldings, and (gasp) glass windows and mirrors - which were luxury items in the 1600's. With every step you take into the King's bedroom, Battle Gallery, and Royal Chapel you are overwhelmed by its beauty, shocked by its grandness.

After a leisurely morning strolling through the Gardens of Versailles (click here for Garden post), we entered the Palace, which was (shockingly) a former hunting lodge first built in 1623!

While walking through the Palace of Versailles, you find yourself saying things like "the parties would be too wild, I couldn't live here" or "I would get tired of seeing all the gold". You walk around daydreaming about life as a French monarch along with thousands of your tourist friends by your side.

The Royal Chapel

The Royal Chapel is two stories tall, with high ceilings and gorgeous detailing. Passers-by are only able to get a glimpses of the Chapel through open doors around the Palace. And trust me, there was a line to get the perfect picture of this magnificent in-home Chapel!

The Royal Apartments & Chamber

These were the spectacular Royal private bedrooms, with all of their dazzling, gold embellishments.

The Hall of Mirrors

This is where lavish parities would take place and people would put on their best gown and dance the night away.

The Battles Gallery

This room was my favorite part of the Palace. I felt like a tiny observer looking up at massive snapshots of epic and gruesome battles. Vive la France!

After finishing our Palace tour, we walked around the town of Versailles, scoping out a place for dinner. The town was so adorable, with little clothing boutiques and cafes literally feet from the grand Palace.

We then hit the road, heading back to our little house, tucked away in the small French town of Vernouillet. We hope to be back again soon, Versailles! Next time, we are coming back with enough Euros to buy the place 😉

For tickets and tour information click here!

Gardens of Versailles

May 20, 2016

A day trip to Versailles was the perfect activity while Mark and I visited the small French town of Vernouillet, just 30 minutes North-West of Paris. We woke up early, strolled down to the town's pastry shop and planned out our day. With croissants in hand, we drove our super French Peugeot 308 up the autoroute (freeway), around countless roundabout intersections and right up to the front gates of Versailles.

On this sunny spring day, the flowers were in bloom, the air was crisp, and I had a new SD Card ready to go. We decided to start Versailles with the formal, French-style gardens before entering the Palace. The picturesque gardens span almost 2,000 acres, so we had a lot of ground to cover! Sipping on fresh cups of coffee, we started our leisurely stroll through the garden, arm in arm, excited about what we might find.

What makes the gardens of Versailles so spectacular is how meticulously manicured the grounds are kept. Each tree and bush all looked a certain way with nothing looking out of the ordinary. Everything is pruned and trimmed to perfection - even the trees were perfectly in a line, all leaning in the same direction. I also loved getting little glimmers of the Palace through the rows of trees and between the bushes.

There were also many beautiful fountains throughout the garden, with 50 total on the grounds. Although the fountains were not running while we walked around, they were still spectacular.

We then came across the Grand Canal in the center of the garden. And just like a fairy tale we rented a row boat and floated around the pond. Mark was the boat captain and I laid back and pictured myself ruling the Palace of Versailles while my King steered us around our grounds. Just hand me a glass of champagne and it would be the perfect day dream.

After we finished with the Grand Canal, we stumbled upon the Petite Trianon - a small, more 'livable' château. The Petite Trianon was, however, built for the King so there was nothing unpolished about this 'petite' home.

We exited the Petite Trianon, from the back into the lush and flowering gardens. We couldn't resist the urge to walk along the intimate paths, smell the flowers, and gaze at the waterfall. We ended up getting a little lost with so many intersecting paths crossing over each other, but we certainly didn't mind the view.

Around lunch time, we headed back to the Grand Canal and found the perfect place to grab a bite.

I ordered an arugula salad, which came with pasta, olives, chicken, and capers (the size of my pinky nail), and a side of the classic olive oil and balsamic dressing. I also enjoyed a delicious chicken sandwich, with no frills, just tasty bread with the perfect chicken and tomato fillings. It was divine! I felt so Parisian.

And just as the Parisians do, the meal was finished off with a pastry and espresso. We just couldn't resist the tempting pastries!

Walking back through the gardens, approaching Versailles for our Palace tour we got one last look at the manicured gardens. Everything was always in its place with no weeds, rogue branches, or unkept corners found.

This was absolutely the world's most perfect garden - built for royalty.

Tip: Rent a bike and ride through the gardens! You have to return the bike at the same location where it was rented, but it would be the best (and quickest) way to see all of the gardens. Not feeling very active? They also have golf carts you can rent to drive around the gardens - although I don't think this would be as fun as walking or biking.

Lafayette Gourmet – A Modern Market

May 18, 2016

Lafayette Gourmet is the crème de la crème of French grocery stores. This particular store is modeled like a department store with floors and floors of only the highest quality groceries, home-goods, and eateries - seriously a foodie's wonderland! Lafayette Gourmet is located just blocks from (my favorite) the Opéra de Paris and is also walkable from a few touristy locations, like the Louvre Museum.

Before walking around the store, we pre gamed with lattes, looking over the Lafayette Gourmet floor map, strategizing our next move (and bite!).

We began with the pastry and dessert counter, and it was dreamy.

Then a gorgeous display of spices caught our eye. We sifted through dry spices, loose leaf teas, and salts, getting a nose full of everything.

We strolled by some beautiful gourmet salami and cured hams, all dangling like decorations.

And then, we turned the corner and I gasped. There, on the ground floor, someone was carving fresh prosciutto from a hoofed ham leg. It was so beautiful! The precision and skill needed to carve each slice is enough to stress anyone out but the butcher was calm, cool, and collected. Even occasionally smiling - hey, he's got a good gig!

Hand carving prosciutto is the most difficult but preferred method for slicing a preserved ham hock. Fun Fact: because of the way the ham is vertically hung when preserving, the meat towards the foot tastes sweeter, while the thigh meat tends to be more salty. When hand slicing, you are able to get super thin, uniform slices and get a better variety of both the sweet and salty flavors.

While continuing around the store, my Mom picked up some loose leaf tea, appropriately named 'Happy Birthday', in preparation for her big upcoming 60th celebration.

We checked out some of the lunch selections, with plenty of options to choose from. Picking between warm crusty pizza, fresh cured baguette sandwiches, and Asian dumplings was difficult, with each location sporting a hefty line of hungry customers.

We then glided down the escalator to see the produce, seafood, cheese, and fresh meat selections.

I saw so many unique tomatoes and bunches of white asparagus, just like at Marché d’Aligre. I am starting to think they are the national produce of France!

Entering the seafood section, I came face-to-face with a massive, live, spiny lobster! The tail alone was about a foot long with no claws, and extremely thin and spider-like legs. The spiny lobster was very ~~scary~~ majestic.

The cheese and cold cuts counter was making my mouth water. I held myself back from grabbing some crackers and digging in!

Our last stop was to the La Cave wine cellar, housing more than 2,500 wine labels and spectacular champagne displays. We spotted bottles from 1945 and others priced at 15,000 Euros! La Cave felt like a wine museum.. but you can actually buy the artwork!

Planning a trip to Lafayette Gourmet? Check out their website. It's worth a trip if you are in the area - even if you are just grabbing lunch!

Notre Dame & Opéra de Paris

May 15, 2016

The theme for this post is dark and intricate spaces. The Cathédral de Notre Dame and Opéra de Paris are both gorgeous, elaborate, and historic buildings, with very similar features. Each sights have high ceilings, gold trim, and detailed sculptures throughout - even gargoyles! You could sit on a bench and stare up at the complex detailed architecture for hours, always finding new carvings and designs.

Opéra de Paris

The Paris Opera is one of my absolute favorite historic sights in France and ironically is not as crowded as some of the other iconic locations - like the Louvre or Arc de Triomphe. Here, you have a little more elbow room and get to see some pretty extravagant and spectacular things.

What's also fun about the opera is that sometimes you can catch a free show out on the front steps! Once, when walking by, a whole high school band was playing along to some song, all in formation on the front steps. The crowd cheered, it was really exciting.

With every step inside the opera house, each view became more incredible than the last.

When walking into the performance center, someone was singing a beautiful melody that bounced off the walls and amplified all around the hall. Outfitted to hold almost 2,000 guests, the gaudy gold trim and velvety private booths would make for a nice performance experience indeed.

One of the most amazing things about the Paris Opera was the former drawing room, Le Grand Foyer. Resembling Versaille's Hall of Mirrors, this room is dripping with 1800's luxury. Gorgeous lit chandeliers line the room with hand paintings all along the ceilings. I could spend all day just staring at the walls and ceilings!

Our final room was the library, where we found replicas of performance stages, books, program letters, and photographs all documenting the spectacular shows that would take place at the opera.

Tip: There are two opera houses in Paris - don't get them confused! The Palais Garnier is the historic opera site (where we visited), while the Opera Bastille is the new, modern opera house. If you are hopping in a cab, make sure you specify which one you are going to. We almost ended up at the wrong opera when heading over! Unfortunately, this is a true story.

Click here to get more info for each opera house.

Cathédral de Notre Dame

Before entering into the cathedral, we decided to take a stroll around the grounds to check out the blooming trees and gorgeous flowers. The trees were so full and beautiful!

When walking into the cathedral, a sense of hush and quite immediately comes over you. It might be because of the 'Silence, Please' signs everywhere or perhaps the views were so incredible, they take your breath away. Either way, the cathedral is stunning and you find yourself quietly floating around checking out every nook and cranny.

I could not stop staring at the classic, French vaulted ceilings, they were so beautiful, with their high arches and immaculate detail.

There were a few prayer candles scattered around the cathedral, I couldn't stop staring at their beautiful colors.

Tip: The views from the Towers is supposed to be spectacular. You have to get separate tickets and climb over 350 stairs but it is supposed to be completely worth it. So if you have the time (which we did not) I would put this on your list of things to see!

For Tower Ticket into, click here!