no map

i moved!!!

2009-06-16T22:15:00.001-04:00

ok, so i didn't actually move...as in moving house. i'm just moving webpages. for me, just as fun though! :-)

i've decided that i am going to continue blogging but feel that i need a new page, a new name and a new look. i enjoy writing and exploring my thoughts through my blog and hope you all continue to join me!

if you want to stay with me, please change your links, shortcuts or bookmarks to my new blog called "sans map".

you can find me here: www.sansmap.wordpress.com

and just as i like to mix french and english in life, my new blog name is just that. sans in french means without. and map, well, no explanation needed.

please bear with me as i move everything over...i still have to setup e-mail notifications, make some formatting changes, etc. as always, it's a work in progress.

see you over there!!!!

turning the pages

2009-06-10T12:05:00.000-04:00

i bit the bullet and am officially going for it. i bought 3 books from amazon today as my first step.

these are 3 books that have been sitting in my amazon.com wishlist for too long.

for those of you with amazon.com wishlists, you know what i mean. you want the books, but maybe not right now.....need time to think about it, or just dreaming of having more books and click the little 'add to wishlist' button - forever saved in the list? (can you see me smiling from there? more books!!!)

are you dying to know what i got? can't stand the anticipation? (or are you just wishing that you knew the contents of my wishlist? hmmm....the curiosity!)

perhaps you are thinking that i got yet another book about the south of france or something in french, (my favorite topics), or a witty novel? a book about running, knitting or making soap? maybe even on gardening or something 'green'?

nope, nope and nope.

you know that one game, 'getting hotter'...'colder', 'getting warmer'.
well, you're very cold. freezing even.

i bought study guides. 3 of them. and i sure hope they help.

i am taking the GRE general test for admission into graduate school.

(now i know you can see me smiling from there...)

why should i only dream, hope or wait when i can do, accomplish and achieve?

i am turning the pages of my own story...a new chapter, perhaps a true beginning? stick with me to see what happens next...

......hmmmm, the curiosity...

go green ! !

2009-06-04T11:59:00.008-04:00

you may be confused by this title, me being a spartan and all.

truth is, i don't even own anything anymore that even mentions michigan state. or the spartans. and i don't bleed green. (i think i heard your gasp from here...)

what i do want to talk about is about BEING green. not bleeding, or wearing or shouting green.

image by lisa wood, 2009

courtesy of www.associatedcontent.com

and i want to hear from you.

what do you do to help the environment? what part do you play in reducing, reusing and recycling?

share some pride about what you do to help mother earth by letting everyone know what you do, big or small. you may even give someone else a fabulous idea, or inspire them to do the same!!

leave your thoughts in the comments box by clicking on 'comments' below this post....be the first to start the discussion!

we can all make a difference!

reduce, reuse, recycle....
lower consumption, lower emissions, lower greenhouse gasses

i know i'm doing my part to help :-)

no map

2009-06-03T12:10:00.000-04:00

inspiration comes in many forms. sometimes it may even literally be handed to you.

the new name of my blog came as inspiration, on my behalf, to my talented sister. she always has good advice....and is unrelentingly supportive, i thank you a million times over.

so as i turn a new page, a new chapter, i will think of her kind words:

"may the map you follow continue to be uncharted"

our lives aren't already mapped out for us....we must make our own.

no map.

in the eye of the beholder...

2009-05-28T13:00:00.000-04:00

two full weeks have passed since i tearfully left the magnificent south of france. i almost had to be pushed onto the plane. dragging heels, frown and a pit in my stomach.

almost 6 months living, experiencing, taking in the wonderful life of the french; it's significant. perhaps life changing...

i truly do believe that there is beauty all around us, no matter where we go. i will make that beauty apparent, live it, breathe it...or chase it if it flutters too far away....

in my temporary suburban dwelling, this beauty i speak of is oftentimes clouded by life's many tragic distractions. i won't let that stop me though. perhaps i can even help others to see it too...

everything is in the eye of the beholder. you just have to look. if you don't see it at first, look again. i promise it's there.

in my first real attempt to actually grow something edible, renewable, to soothe my conscious, we started a pseudo-garden on the back deck. it's small, somewhat amateur, i admit.

we have delectable vine tomatoes, fragrant basil, thyme and rosemary. ohhh, the scents! i wait with child-like anticipation the day i can sink my teeth into a juicy tomato; the beginning lives of my tomatoes below....

i thank you all, loyal readers, for riding along with me thus far. i think i have gotten used to having you here, listening and reading.

it's like a gentle push forward, a reassuring nudge into the unknown. we are all always moving forward, and isn't it nice to have people come along?

beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

i know you see it too....

au revoir, for now.....

2009-05-11T16:04:00.000-04:00

after 5 months in what i can only describe as paradise, tomorrow marks my last day. we fly out at noon...

in the midst of hundreds of workers scrambling to setup the stages, tents and advertising screens for the infamous cannes film festival....david and i took our last walk along the croisette...for now.

the daily habits, food, sights and sounds of this lovely place will be missed. ever-present in my mind, the experience of being here for such a time pushes me forward on to new and exciting things.

i can only say thank you, lovely south of france. thank you for all of your beauty.

merci infiniment.

au revoir, for now.....

stick with me, my friends, to see what happens next....what beauty i will find in my next location, wherever that may be.....

could be here or there...

2009-05-05T09:05:00.000-04:00

can i merge here with there and not have to bother? best of both worlds?

wish things were that easy, right?

in my head, i tend to justify things accordingly. and it's not like i can change every little aspect of life. it keeps me moving forward and i'm happy about it.

for me, standing still is no way to live....but moving forward is. evolving, growing, learning, extending beyond my comfort zone....

like an old friend that sticks by my side no matter what, i have this inventory of memories and experiences that keep building up, over time - catching me when i fall, and lifting me up when i'm down.....

and for all of that i am thankful, grateful and consider myself one lucky gal.

it is said that cats have 9 lives. i think we can too.
(although let's hope far less dramatic than the old saying goes...)

i think it's okay to go where the wind takes you....
so far i like it's path,

could be here or there...

joyeuse fête du travail ! !

2009-05-01T14:00:00.001-04:00

today, may 1st, in france is the 'fête du travail', equivalent to labor day in the u.s.
stores are closed, people have the day off work and most people spend time with their families. or, as did we, flock to our gorgeous southern beaches in hoards!

anyone visiting on this day, not familiar with the 'premier mai' in france, may wonder why so many street-vendors and the markets are overflowing with 'muguet' flowers, ((pronounced mew-gay):lily of the valleys) for sale? it is customary to give muguet flowers to your loved ones, family, friends, etc. as they 'porte du bonheur', they bring luck!

i bought this muguet pot (my photos above and below) from the market here in cannes for my mother-in-law...pretty!

we got up decently early today to hit the local market. we bought tons of fresh fruit and veggies. yum! we also picked up some ham cut by hand off the bone and also some pâté called 'pâté de grand mere' - - delicious! we lunched outside on the balcony with our market finds and opened a bottle of red wine. what a way to spend lunch!

the rest of the day, we spent on the beach in théoule-sur-mer and driving along the road that is 'board de la mer', along the sea. a photo i took along the path shown below...

we had a wonderful day and if i could, i would have bought muguet flowers for everyone to wish everyone 'beaucoup de bonheur' ! ! !

joyeuse fête ! ! ! !

théoule-sur-mer, une vrai beauté

2009-04-27T07:55:00.001-04:00

théoule-sur-mer is a mere 15 minute drive from cannes if travelling along the seaside road. although it is easily accessible by train and bus, it always seems to be quieter than say, cannes city centre.

on this rainy monday, i am happy to post a few photos from théoule that i took on a hike this past weekend with david. we hiked up a huge rolling hill on a super windy day....there were actually points along the hike (when we were waaay far up) that i was actually a bit frightened! doesn't help that i have a phobia of being up too high, at times the path was tiny and felt as though it was a little too close to the edge of the hill (i'm hesitant to say mountain, but i truly think it is a mountain...not a hill).....

after asking a random shopkeeper in town how to get to our starting point, la plage de l'aiguille (shown below), we started towards the hiking path. we passed a few public beach spaces, gorgeous, but vacant, because it was an outrageously windy day.

about half way up the hill/mountain, there were various path's jutting out into the ocean. below is a snapshot of some of the rocky decent towards a 'hidden' beach...which apparently is only accessible from these paths. it was a gorgeous site. i was terrified to get to close to the edge of the path, it was viciously windy and i was scared like a little baby. david was laughing at me....

shown below are two photos of the hidden beach, one from the left of the beach and one from the right of the beach, further along the path along the mountain.

after another 30-40 minutes along the path, along a winding road and into another off-the-beaten-path hiking trail, we arrived at the summit. it was windy, and when i say windy, i was almost tempted to actually sit on the ground for fear of being swept out into the sea from the top! again, david was laughing at me, he wasn't concerned about the wind in the least.

the view was beautiful and we could see for miles and miles, even as far as the lérins islands!

we crossed back into the hillside, where the path flattened out giving us the fresh scent of pine, eucalyptus and wildflowers. ahhh, the sweet smell of fresh air and countryside....

the path then took us back onto the opposite side of the mountain, giving us breathtaking views of the towns below, as well as insight into the lives of some of the most rich and famous....and their secret french hideaways.

the photo below is looking towards cannes. you can even see the cruise ship that docked in town for two days. this time of year it's very common to see gigantic cruise ships docked just off shore. they hover for a few days, out of town tourists crowd into town by hoards, and then jet off to their next mediterranean destination.

i took this next photo looking down onto a spectacular house privately nestled into the side of the mountain...i always wonder who owns the house, what they do for a living and if they know just how fortunate they are to have their house.

i mean, the view itself is worth a million dollars.....

we continued along the tiny winding roads oooing and awing at the houses...all of the infinity edged pools overlooking the french riviera, magnificent balcony's and vine-covered terrace's owned by who i can only imagine to be celebrities or the rich and famous.

looking down over the city centre of théoule-sur-mer, we descended back to where our little twingo was waiting for us.

it was a beautiful day to hike (although crazy windy) and i'm glad we were able to explore some more of the region!

out and about in cannes

2009-04-23T16:25:00.000-04:00

some photos i took out and about the town....

iles de lérins - st. honorat

2009-04-18T11:40:00.000-04:00

the lerins islands are made up of ile de sainte margeurite and ile sainte honorat, they are located just off the coast of cannes. we visited st. honorat a few weekends ago and it was a gorgeous escape.

the island itself is owned and inhabited by 30 monks from the Abbaye de Lérins, but they allow visitors on their island year round. they live, work and worship on the island, it is their home. to get there, you can take a quick boat ride from cannes - the shuttle boats depart hourly (or so) from early morning until 5 or 6pm.

so a quick boat ride from the city and you land on the shore of paradise. st. honorat is the smaller of the two islands that make up lerins islands. there are marked footpaths, benches and picnic tables scattered throughout. thankfully we went before the height of tourist season, so it was not too busy.

there are plenty of boats that we saw anchored around the shallow waters in the calm sea between the two islands. here are some photos of the rocky shoreline and boats.

we packed a picnic lunch, although there is a restaurant and 'snack' bar on the island too. we preferred to hike around, find a nice spot to eat and continue on exploring the island. the east side of the island is actually quite dense and somewhat like a forest, we found a nice shady spot near one of the many chapels on the island. we had a little picnic ;-)

the monks have various vineyards where they grow syrah, chardonnay, pinot noir and some sort of rosé grape also. the footpaths are throughout the fields, however it is not permitted for guests of the island to walk too close. the sell their wines (as well as handmade liqueurs) at a store near their monastery and also in surrounding cities on the mainland. this is part of the way they support themselves financially on the island. some of their wines are such good quality, that they are offered at some of the best restaurants nearby.

the island is such a beautiful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, you almost feel as though you are thousands of miles away. it is serene, quiet, wildflowers and bugs and birds (including beautiful pheasants - we even saw a few!) flutter around you while you walk along the shore. we saw jellyfish, butterflies, bunnies and all!

as we headed around the back of the island, we came across the old fort tower, and then the actual monks monastery and working distillery where they make their wine and spirits (delicious natural alcohol drinks). it was so beautiful and on top of the tower was magnificent, i was swept up in it all as the wind wrapped around us.

the monastery itself is gorgeous....

at the end of a wonderful relaxing day with my sweetheart, we stopped for a drink at the beachside bar, i had a glass of wine, david had some of the monk's liqueur. deeeelish.

then we had to head back to reality. *sigh.

more adventures, spring has sprung!!

2009-04-13T11:42:00.001-04:00

i apologize in advance that it has been almost 2 full weeks since i have last posted an entry. i have been a busy little bee indeed. above is a photo i took at st. honorat island, makes me want to jump right in!

between immigration procedures, visiting friends, boating to nearby islands and enjoying this gorgeous weather (not to mention birthdays and easter)...i have managed to keep surprisingly occupied while unemployed.

i actually have lots to write about, it is just a matter of finding the motivation to sit down and just do it! (note to self: step 1 = get out of bed early). for those of you who know me pretty well, also know that i love to sleep....a lot.

i am finally at the last leg of my immigration process, whew! what a haul. well, i still have small things to do like exchange my drivers license and translate some documents...but nothing major. this thursday will be the final 'full day' learning about ma vie en france. not to mention that it includes a full hour and a half sit-down lunch in the middle of it. typical, ha! typical.

so i promise that i will write about the lerins islands, our recent visit to marseille and also what life is like in cannes now that the beginning of tourist season has begun. out on my run today i played 'spot the tourist' to keep myself occupied. residents of cannes (including me and david) are still wearing jeans/long pants and cardigans/sweaters in the evening. tourists have shorts, flip-flops and tank tops. but i don't mind, i was one of them not so long ago ;-)

this purple little guy was happily swimming around in the shallow water with some other buddies and he was so cute i had to snap a photo. just watch out and don't get to close! they are cute, until you touch them. ouch!!

happy birthday today mom :-)

here's me opening up an easter egg, france-style. delicious!!!

springtime in cannes, trés jolie!

gorgeous purple flowers are in full bloom right now - - they smell heavenly!

please check back soon, i'll have more posts up this week and next....
thanks for always staying tuned :-) the adventure will continue, no doubt about that.

no poop for you!!

2009-04-01T10:53:00.002-04:00

did you know?

since it's april fool's day i find it appropriate to share something that i find funny.

lots of people in france have dogs, little tiny dogs. dogs so small that sometimes i actually laugh when i see them; can it be real?

and they poop a lot. well, i guess all dogs poop a lot. but even so, in france you'll see more poop on the sidewalk than anywhere else. and today it's raining. think of sliding over on that, huh? just like a banana peel in a cartoon. sidewalks here are slippery enough on their own when wet......

did you know that it is apparently a law here, not to mention since 1974, to pick up after your dog? but you would never know, because, well.....

people just don't.

just in case, as to not forget, signs are posted. they are everywhere. always the same sign.

they are hilarious! and for your viewing pleasure, you even get a little cartoon turd shape too. how can you not laugh at this?

NO POOP FOR YOU!!

take a deep breath, relax.....

2009-03-23T15:37:00.000-04:00

in a world of uncertainty, constant change and self-discovery where the road can be long and winding.....we may sometimes feel lost, many times worried or unsure what the future may bring us. if you are like me, and find the search exciting and very much worth the effort, you may also feel the pressure (even if only our own on ourselves) weighing in heavily.

we all need to take a break, take some deep breaths and realize that everything works out in ways sometimes we don't, or can't, understand. the outcome may not even matter - - we are not reader's of the future, of our own or others. happiness is not fleeting....it sticks around, if you let it.

in those times of self-doubt, which i know everyone has, albeit probably more often than we like.....a break, an escape, a parting with life's bothers is greatly needed.

let me take you to a place that can make those worries a faint whisper, a long parted trouble and taken away in the wind. a place that has the ability to pull out of you those nagging troubles, no matter what they may be - - however insignificant or faint.....

beauty has that affect on me, at least. i arrive with more than what i leave with. the hands in the wind grab at what nags at me at takes it away, lifts it off my shoulders. launches it into the horizon, far, far away.....

i can only be eternally thankful for what i have been lucky enough to experience in my life. the sights, the sounds, the people. and these i will hold dear and never let go......

for they provide me with solace, escape and utter happiness. they have given me insight into myself and they are part of the pieces of me. what makes me who i am.

so let me take you to a place that can make those worries a faint whisper...

take a deep breath, relax...

inhale the beauty and let your worries drift far, far away into the wind....and beyond.

it works for me......and that is why i love cap d'antibes. this one gets tucked away for safe-keeping. i know i'll need to look on it again, when i just need to relax.

did you know?

2009-03-18T08:45:00.002-04:00

any american that watches any portion of television in france is bound to notice a remarkable difference in the way that france advertises commercials on tv.

let me make a comparison (based solely on my opinion of course):

summary of american commercials: buy lots of stuff you don't need because we say so and you need it; our food is good to eat so go and buy it you need it (and we don't really care if you get fat eating it); you need to watch this movie because it's the best ever; drink lots of beer - it's really good, and cold; call this number on the screen for something free and then we'll take you for all you've got; buy this car so you can be better than your neighbor plus it's the biggest one on the road (we don't care if it is too expensive and harms the environment).......the list could go on and on, right?

summary of french commercials: protect your clothing with this detergent, they will look better over time; eat this wonderful food, but not too much and be sure to exercise; buy this perfume because you will smell like a flower and waltz through life; spend time with your family and cook our food; eat this yoghurt for your health and to keep your body and internal flora in harmony; buy this body lotion to smooth out your skin so it looks it's best ever......sounds a little softer and less 'in your face' huh?

you get my drift i'm sure.

and i'm not saying that france doesn't advertize to get people to buy stuff, that is the bottom line of advertising of course, i'm not debating that. (or that france is better than the u.s. - - not saying that either). it's just the way in which advertising messages are portrayed to the public and what responsibility is being taken (either by the actual company themselves, the broadcasters or the government).

did you know that in france, there are many types of tv commercials that are banned?
for instance.....anything advertising:
- alcohol
- tobacco
- prescription medicine
- anything specifically geared towards children

i'm sure there are others, however these are the most common. how many commercials are there in the u.s. for prescription drugs? think about it....

and a recent law here that went into effect last year in february, states that one of the following messages must be shown on food ads or the company is subject to large fines:
- "avoid snacking between meals"
-"for your health, eat at least 5 fruits and vegetables per day"
- "practice a physical activity regularly"
any of which must be followed to a reference to visit the website http://www.mangerbouger.fr/

mangerbouger.fr (stands for moving eating), has tips on healthy snacking, what to eat if you are a child, adult, adolescent, pregnant, etc. it is chock full of information on healthy eating and exercising for fitness and wellbeing! it's great, and it's not sponsored by a supermarket chain or a nationwide brand.

how great would that be for everyone living in the united states if a responsibility would be taken over the knowledge of what goes in peoples mouths and how it affects a person's wellbeing?? in commercials!!!! i'm sure advertisers wouldn't hear of it and the government would be hassled that they are too involved in people's rights.....

many people don't realize how many calories are in that frozen meal that is advertised on t.v.; or that if you buy too many snack foods like crackers, doritos, peanuts, etc. you may end up overweight and a big ball of salt; or that if you eat out at that chain restaurant you'll walk out having consumed your calorie allowance equal to two day's worth; or that even though a product is advertised that is 0% fat, an extra 100 chemicals have been added to make it edible.

perhaps people do know this.

perhaps there just isn't enough of someone telling them,
"put down the dorito, man!!"

we all need a little help sometimes.......right? ;-)

(found this interesting article on french commercials in the new york times - - click here to read)

hiking the circuit des chateaux, mandelieu

2009-03-16T12:25:00.000-04:00

(i made some new changes to my site - - to expand any of my posts and stay on the main page, click on the [...], to open in a new page, click on Read More)

another amazing day of hiking yesterday. i think this route is up there in the top 2 best hikes we have taken so far! it was part hillside/rock path (literally up the side of a hill, it was gorgeous!), part city/beach and part summit/hilltop. my photos are in order of what we saw (minus some of the beach parts in the beginning because i already took some of this same beach earlier...no need to repeat).

the first photo: this was our ascent into the side of the hill - - david was barreling ahead of me!

here is me, posing for a photo (it was my turn to carry the bag...i always manage to get out of carrying it....water is necessary though ;-) glad we had it!

the first sign that let us know we were on the right path! i love to see the signs...we moved forward!

this was at the top of the first hillside/rock path. quite a beautiful sight....it was overlooking the port just past the mandelieu castle...we we able to hang out for a few minutes, take photos and drink some refreshing water...then on towards the next part of the hike!

this was a even further up the hill, i love the arches at this port - - quite unique and very picturesque..

this arch caught my eye - - you can actually see the coast directly through the middle of the gates. this was part two of the hike, we descended a bit and then walked along a main road. we wrapped around a few bends to get to the next major hillside part of the hike

in a hidden little pathway, between a bench (and near a bustop, oddly enough) this scene caught my eye. the water looked tropical - - i just wanted to dive right in!

just around the bend the second part of our hike continued. i snapped this photo because it almost took my breath away when i turned around after we crossed the road. it was actually quite a busy roundabout with lots of cars. the angle that we were at made it look so wide open and serene. i just had to snap a photo....

typical signpost. quite obvious which way you would need to go, right? always cracks me up.

hhmmmmmm, go left? yup, i think that makes sense.......

this was a quiet street about halfway up towards the summit of the hill - part three of the hike. if you look on the left of the photo you'll see a gate. this is actually someone's house.

spectacular.

the view from the tower (on old castle ruin).

wow. i was breathless.

(but still had enough breath to take photos......) cheese ;-)

this was a map of 360 degrees of view that we had. we were literally standing on the top of the hill (not sure when a hill is considered a mountain, we were as high up as you could get for miles around....). beautiful.

the map showed all of the ports, including cannes off in the distance towards the far left and behind us, some of the mountains.

the view on the way down......again, breathtaking endless blue ocean....

(sigh....if i could look at that forever.....)

follow the path....

and go down the stairs, you'll find your way home ;-) we did!

did you know?

2009-03-14T10:54:00.007-04:00

so i thought of something new and fun for my blog today.

i manage to write an entry once or twice a week, sometimes more, sometimes less.....but i realized that i don't really share a lot of everyday things, factoids, etc. about living here. probably because it's difficult to make an entire entry on something like french pharmacies, sort of boring right? plus i believe in always providing a photo or image with every entry. as a resident here, i feel silly snapping photos at my local neighborhood pharmacy....as you can most likely understand. there are interesting things about french pharmacies that i would like to share though, so i do feel i need a fun way to talk about it......

but what happens if i write small paragraphs, with one or no photos, providing 'did you know' facts and or everyday things about france? i may use images other than my own (i will always say as such either way) as some things are just awkward to take photos of myself.

i figure that this is a fun way to help everyone uncover the small little things that make life different here, without feeling like i have to write a long entry. just a quick snippet.

so i'll start off with this as:

DID YOU KNOW??

each time you go to any grocery store, you will be expected to provide your own bags. you can purchase reusable bags most of the time, however, they are more solid than lets say, a meijer bag, and last for many, many trips. most places offer 3 types of bags: cheapie tiny plastic bag (only lasts one or two additional trips) for 10 cents, sturdy plastic, larger bag for 40 cents or less and then the largest, sturdiest bags normally cost 60 or 70 cents (they last a long time and can carry a ton of stuff). i also rotate using three canvas-type bags from a company called muji, that i got for a present from my big sis, they are great!! they are good to use also when not at a supermarket since they are prettier.

as well as bringing your own bags to the store, you will never, ever encounter a 'bagger' anywhere. literally. you pack your own groceries into your cart. i love this. nothing gets squished or broken (depends on who's doing the packing though, i guess!!) and you know that you are getting as much into the bags you paid for too. you are also more engaged in what you are purchasing.

try it out one day.....bring your own bags and pack them yourself, you'll see, it's fun!

and not to mention, great for the environment ;-)

(photo i took of 2 of the larger grocery store bags and one of my canvas-type bags that has a pouch to keep it in too!)

nissa la bella

2009-03-10T07:22:00.000-04:00

nissa la bella, nice the beautiful

we hung out all day in nice, walking around, enjoying the gorgeous, beautiful weather on saturday. i, as always, took tons of photos (with the help of david, thanks!).

now that the carnaval is over, spending the day in nice is much easier. not to mention parking! i don't have much to say today, so i thought i would just share some photos.

i hope you can enjoy them as much as i do!

colorful buildings surrounding the port of nice

marché aux fleurs - this famous market takes place on the cours saleya in the heart of the old town nice

i took this photo for aaron and carla
(this restaurant, Restaurant du Gesù is a small gem in old nice)

aaron & carla: we had some socca and beignets at Chez René Socca for ya! (oh, and a pression also) ;-)

i'll write all about socca and food unique to nice another time....unfortunately we were so enthralled with eating our food, i actually (if you can believe it) forgot to take photos of the food so i could write about it.....but don't worry, there'll definitely be another time. yummm.....!!

i was intrigued with this building. such rich and happy colors. i just wanted to reach out my hand and touch the building, it looked "soft", if that even can describe how i felt when i took the photo....

a view of the end of the beach, looking towards the quai des etats-unis (the united states quay/waterfront) just in front of old town nice

another couple of the beach / surrounding buildings near the quai des etats-unis

until next time my friends......

all from a cup of tea...

2009-03-04T13:48:00.001-05:00

it's wednesday, nothing special happening. it's raining outside. and this afternoon, i decided to make a cup of tea and i love tea.

i'm not exactly a worldclass tea connoisseur nor am i a tea snob, however, i do appreciate good quality (organic fair trade if possible!) loose leaf tea anyday. but today i just grabbed one of my favorite teabag herbal teas from the states. it's called Organic Sweet & Spicy Herbal Tea, by GoodEarth. it's spicy, cinnamon-y and is my cure-all when i'm feeling blue or just want to relax...today i just needed a nice relaxing cuppa.

and as if the tea isn't a good pick-me-up in itself, each teabag has a quote. you can't resist but to read.

okay, okay, you are all probably thinking 'wow, how cheesy?' but i am fueled by these small thought-provoking things in life, not to mention i am terribly sentimental, and i oftentimes find inspiration in weird places....even things as simple as a teabag. sometimes that's all it takes, right?

standing in our blue-toned kitchen near the window, with the rain methodically tapping against the panes of glass and windowsill, i stood and dunked my teabag as it steeped. i turned over the teabag pull, as i normally do, to read the quote:

"What we play is life" - Louis Armstrong (1900-1971)

normally i read the quote, smile for a minute, and continue on and toss out the teabag. but for whatever reason today, this quote struck a chord. i tore the teabag pull off of my teabag and shoved it into my pocket for safekeeping.

what we play is life. perhaps you may not interpret this the same as me. but for me, when you play something, you are the operator, the creator, the one in control, so to speak. whether you are kicking a ball, playing an instrument, throwing something, you are in control, you are making the plays, running the course, creating the music. you are the one playing. so if you play life, you are in control of your life.

seems pretty obvious, you say? some people stay in situations in life, unhappy situations, and never change or take control of life because sometimes it's scary. the unknown, the difficulty perhaps, or the fact that sometimes it takes sacrifices. oftentimes big sacrifices. but in the end it's for the good. what is possibly better than happiness?

i guess that the quote struck a chord because it has lots of meaning to me right now. it was a reminder to not let life pass me by, i am in full control - choosing my destiny. and it's not easy by all means, yet never too late and with no regrets. with a little inspiration and the feeling that change can make all the difference, i am playing my life. not as a game, but as a journey.

i like to think that i challenge the everyday stuff, shouldn't we?

challenge what you've got. and i don't mean material possessions. this isn't about how many suv's you can cram into your driveway. it doesn't have to cost money. it's about quality of life, things that make you happy, a job or hobby that you love to get out of bed in the morning for, education, travel, love.......and go get more if it's not enough. but don't let the moment pass you by.

and it's okay if your inspiration comes from a teabag. today mine did.

carnaval nice 2009 ~ roi des mascarades

2009-03-02T15:51:00.001-05:00

david and i went to the 'bataille de fleurs', the flower parade, at the carnaval de nice last saturday. it was amazing!! i felt like a little kid again...the atmosphere was so jubilant and festive, musicians playing, confetti flying everywhere and flowers, flowers, flowers!!

and if you happened to get a stream of silly string flung at you, you just shoot it right back - - silly string wars were happening constantly to our left, to our right (and some sneaky little kids behind us that kept spraying the crabby lady in front of us!).

confetti was flying everywhere, as well as flowers being thrown from the floats and the people in the parade, it was great! it was all in good fun and it was made all the better with the amazing weather we had!

i was literally like a little kid, i kept saying to david (who has seen the carnaval a million times when he lived on the promenade for years...he's totally 'over it') "look at that one!", "oh that is awesome!", "oh wait, i like that one better!!", "look at her costume!".....and it went on and on.....photos and all. he just smiled and let me take in all the fun, as annoying as i probably was...

a little bit of history i found:

"The most widely-believed origin of the word "carnival" is from the old Italian "carne levare", meaning "away with meat". By the Middle Ages, the people of Nice, before fasting forty days, as appropriate for the Catholic tradition of Lent, enjoyed rich and plentiful dining....

The first reference to a carnival in Nice in the history books dates back to 1294 when Charles d'Anjou, Count of Provence, mentions having spent "some joyous days of carnival" in the city. But In the 17th century excesses were brought under control by the "Abbés des Fous" whose role was to regulate the population. At this time, under the influence of the famous Venice Carnival, balls become more common that street entertainment...

However, the first carnival parade, which is typical of the modern carnival, was inaugurated in 1830 in honor of Charles Felix and Marie-Christine, sovereigns of the Piedmont Sardinia Kingdom. The parade involved a display of thirty carriages before the king and Queen to announce the start of the carnival.

The carnival in the form we know it today was started in 1873, with the founding of the "Festival Committee" which would organize the carnival and massively increase it in size under the patronage of the city's governors. Now parades and floats, paying stands and a more organized event made their appearance. It was at this time that one of the carnival's most spectacular and fascinating features was born. The local artist Alexis Mosssa together with his son Gustav Adolf brought a surprising particularity, at once both fabulous and grotesque - the now famous giant models which have become its hallmark.

The first Flower Procession was started in 1876 on the Promenade des Anglais. The same location has been used ever since and it has developed into a glorious show, an important part of today's carnival."

"The Carnival of Nice, the largest winter event on the French Riviera, will be held for the 125th time, and will return to Place Massena, one of the city's historic squares...."

"This year's theme, "King of Masquerades", will be stages in a Carnival Parage with twenty monumental floates, accompanied by more than two hundred 'big heads'.

"The theme evokes the art of concealment in every sense : wearing a mask, changing one's appearance, staging, in short the art of deception. From a simple disguise to plastic surgery, from manipulation to celebrity press & the Carnival is no longer the only realm of fancy dress and device in all its forms, represented in a modern and outrageous fantasy..."

the ladies on stilts were so whimsical and beautiful, and one can't help but wonder, how do they not fall!

the dinosaur was amazing - - it was probably 50 ft long - - 'breathing' fire (ok, we so it was fake smoke, but it was really cool)...and it was fully animated, so they would tilt it's head up high and swing back across into the crowds, it was very well done and quite fantastic to look at!

this is an example of one of the flower floats, at the end of the parade (and somewhat throughout), the ladies on the floats would throw flowers (mainly mimosa's) out into the crowd. you'd better be quick to grab some or you'll miss out!

i loved the feathers on this group of gals, bright pink! david said that this alone was worth his 10 Euro admission fee......oh wait, i think he said that about the other scantily clad ladies, the one's wearing the thongs! (haa haa!)

oh there you go....one of the thong ladies!

amazing african style music and dancing!

we had a fabulous time, i highly recommend it to everyone - - it's one of those things that you just need to see once in your life ;-) i am happy we went! (and i managed to catch some flowers too!)

hiking high up in the hills of mandelieu

2009-02-27T11:26:00.004-05:00

our furry neighbors

2009-02-23T15:04:00.005-05:00

we often sit out on our balcony, which overlooks the front garden of the hotel next door. it's a small, quiet hotel in it's down season - probably just picking up a bit, now that the weather is nicer. they have a huge orange tree and a tiny fragrant lemon tree that bring brightness and cheer to our daily view.

we have seen the cats come and go, lounging around in the sunshine taking in the breeze...scurrying about, jumping from one front garden to the next. then one day, we saw something that, at first glance, was furry, fluffy and.....wait, is that, a....bunny?

yes, it was indeed a bunny. and it has a strange resemblance to an old bunny friend we used to have in our family as kids, harlequin. he was a boisterous little thing - always trying to get away and escape from his bunny house. sadly, harley won the battle one day - he succeeded. he ran away. all for what we think was in search of a lady friend. little bugger.

i do hope that everyone had a nice weekend, as we did here. we went on a new hike yesterday, gorgeous views - i'll post some photos soon. the weather here is getting warmer and the sunsets setting later and later as the days go by ;-)

this past weekend felt very much like springtime or even the beginning of summer.....warm sunshine in the afternoon, fresh cool breezes in the evening.

we were not the only ones enjoying the beautiful weather this weekend, our furry friends were too....and i was happy to see them all frolicking about together.

perhaps they were posing just for me....

hiking in the south of france

2009-02-19T14:30:00.001-05:00

ok, i feel better today. back to normal, back on track ;-) happy self!! thank you to everyone wishing me well after being so sick!!

so david and i are on a new kick. every sunday, for the past couple of weeks, we have taken a walk or hike in a nearby city or village.

i wrote about Pégomas already, and this past weekend we went to visit Vallauris (pronounced val-lure-eese)

we aren't just randomly taking walks or hikes, that would not be advisable, we would most definitely get lost, knowing us.....we would have to leave breadcrumb trails in order to find our way back.....

we are actually pretty organized with our hikes, and it's so much fun - - i'll tell you how we do it...

in france, there are a myriad of organized, documented and marked hiking trails and excursions all overseen by the Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre (FFRP) - which is a recognized public body (utilité publique). basically everything in france has a governing body, that creates rules, guidelines and is the central govern for that association or federation.

there are more than 160 different trails, hikes and marked tours on their website. you can buy maps, join clubs, get gear - - apparently it's a huge thing here for the outdoor'sy types, and we are just discovering it for ourselves (are we becoming outdoor'sy types?!?)

we didn't quite know all of that information last weekend when we went out, but we were able to find a great website. for our region specifically, Des Alpes-Maritimes, there is a fantastic website with specific information for our area, RandOxegéne, maps and all. perfect directions and great routes.

we are total amateurs though. it's sort of funny. really.

last week we decided to go on this hike ---> Circuit de Cordula. since it's in french, let me summarize:

this is what the 'key' said about the hike (translations are in brackets)

Caractéristiques (characteristics of the hike)
Vallauris (this was the city it was in)
Longueur 3.5 km (Length, 2.18 miles)
Montée +150 m (Climb up, 492 feet)
Descente -150 m (Climb down, 492 feet)
Durée 01h30 (Length of hike, 1 1/2 hours)
Difficultée Facile (Level of Difficulty, Easy)
Période conseilléeJanvier à Décembre (Best time to go, January through December)

sounds pretty easy, right?

haa haa. joke's on us. what amateurs. perhaps we should try to find out if they have a 'very easy' category next time! ha!

it was so hard - - the climb to 'the top' was seriously taxing. i had to stop and literally sit on a rock fence to stop and breathe a little. plus, we were up so high in the mountains - - i think it's harder to breathe up there (or maybe i was just being a big wimp?!?)

david was giggling at me the whole way, but he was carrying the bag so i was okay with that.....perhaps i had one too many glasses of rosé at our valentine's dinner the previous night? hmmmm. could be.....

anyway, i should probably start back at the beginning of our hike, i'm missing important parts of the story here.

so the first part of the hike says this:
"Du centre de Vallauris (parking de la mairie), prendre vers le Nord l'avenue de Grasse pour remonter bientôt à droite l'ancien chemin de Biot (petite route) qui longe le cimetière; on remarquera au passage la monumentale tombe de l'acteur Jean Marais décorée de grandes sculptures"

which means (hopefully my translation is suffice):
"From the parking lot at the town hall in Vallauris, take the street Avenue de Grasse going northbound. You will see on your right, chemin de Biot - a small street by the cemetery. As you pass, you'll see the marked tomb of the actor Jean Marais decorated in large sculptures."

ok, great. we made it to the cemetery. didn't see the grave of the actor, no bother, carrying on.

next step:
"Déboucher plus haut par un escalier sur la RD 435 qu'on traverse avec prudence face à la chapelle St-Bernard; continuer en face par une petite route calme qui s'élève en direction de la Chèvre d'Or (aven naturel), puis contourner toute la colline des Encourdoules par la gauche (Ouest) tantôt sur sentier, tantôt sur route, jusqu'à un bassin d'eau"

which means:
"Across from the St. Bernard Chapel, by a staircase, you'll run into the RD 435 by; cross the road with care. Continue in straight ahead of you to a small calm road that goes up towards the Chevere d'Or. Then go around the hill of the Encourdoules on the left, stay on the route until you see a basin of water."

ok, this is where we first messed up. if you could have seen the choice we had you would understand. a staircase? i mean, literally? oh wait - - we actually see a sort of staircase, that must be it!

so we look up this staircase, which is more of a tiny path almost like an alley, it doesn't quite look right. oh well, we figured we would try it out. all of a sudden "BARK> BARK> BARK>" ooooweee. we bolted right out of there.
must not be right - - a crazy semi-rabid dog? i don't think that was on the map.....!

so we kept walking down the street we were on and found another way up to the RD 435 road. and surprisingly found the next step of the hike - the calm road towards the chevere d'or.

nice......we were having fun.

so we climbed up the road - - it was literally wide enough for one car, and at an angle upwards that was seemingly difficult!

so we passed some beautiful multi-million dollar homes secluded and nestled into the side of the hills, with breathtaking sea views, infinity edged pools, verandas, vines and bmw's. (cue corey into a dream-state.....sigh) oh, not to forget me snapping photos......

hang on a minute, is that the low battery signal flashing?!?! oh crap, i forgot to charge my batteries........

on to the next part of the hike:
"Un chemin commode sous les yeuses conduit au sommet de l'oppidum de Cordula (248 m), plateau arboré où se déroulent des fouilles archéologiques"

which means:
"An apparent path underneath the oak trees will take you to the top of the l'oppidum de Cordula (the archeological site of an ancient city). Mostly flat and filled with trees where you can see the archeological site."

so after passing some more crazy guard dogs who barked ferociously, at the millionaire's houses, we were beginning to wonder if we were on the right path. seemed sort of strange and we really didn't know where we were going. nonetheless, we kept walking upwards.

the whole way, i was getting more and more tired and this is where i had to stop....take a break, sit on a rock fence and have some water. we were up so high in the hills, it was beautiful!

all of a sudden we see other hikers! oh, we must be on the right path then, huh? but how pathetic must we have looked....me semi-hunched over, sitting on someone's rock fence, guzzling water? i suddenly became embarrassed, such amateurs, this is a facile (easy) route!

to our surprise, the lovely couple stopped and asked us "vous êtes venu faire le tour?", "you're taking the walk?" we explained to them that we weren't sure if we were going the correct way, they assured us that the rest of the loop is just up to the right - - where we'll see the archeological site. they also warned us that the path isn't always apparent once you are in the forest. they wished us luck and off they went. and up the hill we went.

at first, the path was well laid out, marked and easy to follow. well, we knew it was a loop - our small map on our printout said that, so we just have to keep turning right until we end up back here again, right?

not quite. we kept coming to forks in the path - - and normally one way will always look less travelled so to speak, and you can sort of use instinct to follow through. i have a pretty good sense of direction, am pretty good with maps, reading directions.....but, in a forest, tall trees surrounding you, no frame of reference (oddly enough, we did have a constantly barking dog for direction).......

so at one point, i turned around. have you ever had that feeling of 'oh shit' which way did we come from? well, i did. i don't normally get the feeling of being lost. i normally have a map or just plainly remember where i am going or came from. but this time, the forest started making me slightly claustrophobic, high up there in the mountains, no frame of reference to see...........am i starting to sweat?!?!

this one of the last photos i could take before my battery crashed, it was the only one i have of the forest...

david grabbed my hand, and we barreled forward towards what we thought was the right way. he assured me he knew where he was (i don't really think he knew at all). then all of a sudden, david was like - - oh look, do you see that yellow mark on that tree? i think that looks like the right way!

again, total amateurs. how could we have not known that since this is an official hiking route that it would be marked using the official hiking route markers used in france.

all this time, there have been balises (route waymarkers) posted on trees, fences, etc. and we missed them all. could have saved us a horrific run-in with a semi-rabid dog, almost getting severely lost in the countryside and for me a moment of complete claustrophobia.

once we realized that we could follow the yellow markers we were home free. we found our way back easily and had a wonderful time on our hike. although the archeological site wasn't actually anything more than a forest with a few piles of rocks here and there. it wasn't exactly like any ancient ruins i have ever seen elsewhere in europe.....

it was fun and we are excited to learn more about the many, many different types of routes there are, waymarkers you will see to help guide you and terrains we can discover.

this photo give you an idea of our view on the opposite side of the ocean, facing inland, gorgeous....

missing....

2009-02-18T06:25:00.003-05:00

this photo was taken last september in chicago.......audra, margo and i were all together and went walking along lake michigan just after a big storm. it was beautiful, we took tons of photos and they make me happy whenever i look at them....(for this one, we setup the auto timer and then jumped in the air - - we were cracking up - - it was hilarious)

i have been very sick for the past two days. actually, this is the sickest i can ever in my entire life remember being. and i feel far from home.

i think when people are sick, they really go back to the basics - - besides feeling horrible, it wrecks havoc on your senses and your emotions. we all search, and need, that comfort feeling of home and warm and safe.

i'm not sure how long it takes in a new place for that to become 'home' - - but i'm not there yet. do you think it's a frame of mind? an event that causes the flip in thinking? the people you are surrounded by? a steady job?

i am not sure......

but just for today, i'm taking a pause....thinking about things, and wishing i could transport myself - - even if for one day - - to the place i call home.

i don't know how lots of things work here - - i don't know how to say things politely in french, or at least i feel like i am going to sound rude, and fear offending people constantly. everything is so different and i never know what to do or what to say. and it makes me uncomfortable. on a daily basis.

but, to reassure myself, this is quite normal. i'm not sure there is a person on earth who wouldn't have these feelings once in a while if living in a far away place........

so tomorrow is another day, a new beginning and don't worry - i'll keep moving forward.....

everything will be okay ;-)

(and i promise i'll write lots of fun and happy stuff in a few days......)

plane trees in cannes

2009-02-11T10:33:00.007-05:00

our gorgeous plane trees in cannes are now naked. sigh.
they must be chilly......

every year, before spring, the gorgeous plane trees are trimmed bare naked - - ready for their new leaves to sprout out in the springtime. this is actually their second trimming though. their first trimming, a few months ago, was to remove all of the crispy dried and dead leaves.

now, only a few 'whiskers' remain.

this is the time of year, when they are naked, that they look like upside-down trees.

almost as if someone came along and planted dozens of trees into the earth, but the wrong way up!

i couldn't resist taking some photos to share - they are absolutely eye-catching with their tangly, knotty branches spindling upwards into the blue sky....

you can find these trees in many, many towns in the south of france - not only in cannes. most of the year they are filled with beautiful leaves, full of life and green as can be....and they provide needed shade in the heat of the summer months.

here is an excerpt i found from rick steves' book 'Provence and the French Riviera' about the plane trees of southern france:

"Stately old plane trees line roads and provide canopies of shade for town squares all over southern France. These trees are part of the local scene. The plan tree is a hybrid of the Asian and American sycamores - created accidentally in a 16th-century Oxford botanical garden. The result was the perfect city tree: fast-growing, resistant to urban pollution, and hearty (it can survive with little water and lousy soil). The plan tree was imported to southern France in the 19th century to replace the traditional elm trees. Napoleon planted them along roads to give his soldiers shade for their long marches. Plane trees were used to leaf up grand boulevards as towns throughout France - including Aix-en-Provence - built their Champs-Elysees wannabes."

i'm not quite sure why i am so fascinated by the trees here in cannes, i just think they are all so beautiful.....they transport me to another place, another world and jump-start my imagination.....

to dream and to imagine..........thank you plane trees, thank you.