Strongrrl: Life, with muscle

Trading spaces

2013-04-19T09:16:00.000-07:00

This summer, for the third time in six years, we're participating in a home exchange. The first two times (winter of 2008 and summer 2012) were both in Northern France, in a town called Rouen, in Normandy. This summer we're heading south, to the Mediterranean town of Arles, in Provence.

Whenever people hear that were doing a home exchange, they ask a lot of questions about the details: how we find swaps, how we work out the details, if we worry about our stuff, etc.

Here, in a nutshell, are my answers:

How do we find swaps?

Our first swap was pure chance. I was looking for a French class on the Portland Alliance Francaise website and noticed a little ad mentioning that an instructor with the school was looking for a swap for her parents, who lived in Rouen. It happened that they wanted to come during the winter holidays and that Anna was young enough then that time of year (i.e. school schedule) wasn't an issue yet. The same family contacted us three years later to ask if we'd be available to swap again, this time in summer. We gladly accepted that offer as well.

Now, I do have to point out that my own personal philosophy comes into play here. It is this: if the universe (or a random French family) offers you an opportunity, you take it and figure out the logistics later. I'm a firm believer in saying “YES!”

This year I decided to go ahead and sign up on HomeExchange.com. One nice thing about these kinds of websites is that they allow you to be very specific about what you're looking for. We are willing to consider any destination, which gives us a lot more opportunities, but we're only available in the summer.

We received a lot of inquiries through HomeExchange.com, but most of them didn't really fit our interests or timing. Then I heard from Peter, whose location sounded great but the timing was off. Nonetheless we corresponded and it turned out he was flexible with the timing. A little bit more talking and a house swap in Arles for this summer was arranged. :-)

How do we know it's legit?

Honestly, we don't. Here's where trusting your gut comes into play. There's a certain amount of due diligence that one can put in (asking for, and calling, other folks they've swapped with, for example), but you really can't know for sure. There is always the possibility that when we get where we're going, it won't be what we were expecting. That said, so far those types of issues have been minor, and always unintentional (like the bizarre bathtub issue we had in 2008!) Ultimately it's chalked up to part of the adventure, and is always something we laugh about later.

How can we afford it?
The biggest advantage we have is that David is able to work remotely. The first time we swapped, David and I were both freelancers, and we both had active client work we took with us on the trip. Currently David is an employee at the fabulous iovation, and they've understood and supported our desire to have this flexibility (thanks, Kurk!).

Because we're trading homes (and cars), the expenses stay very much the same as at home. We continue to pay our mortgage, utilities, etc., and our hosts pay theirs. Where it can (and does) get expensive is with plane tickets. In the few years we've been doing this we've seen costs rise dramatically. That said, we've found a few workarounds:

Frequent flyer tickets: We have, and use, Delta Amex cards. Delta partners with Air France, so we've been able to accumulate miles over the years. Of the six tickets we've had to France over the past years, I believe we've only paid for 2 of them.
This year we had some major sticker shock looking for tickets, so we decided to try the new website, FlightFox.com. Their angle is that they make a game out of your travel plans, inviting “experts” to compete to find the best rate/route for you. They claim to save most folks an average of 30%. We took a chance and paid their $24 fee, which definitely paid off — ultimately they saved us over $1,000. Yes, we have two layovers instead of one, and it's not on Delta so we won't get those frequent flier miles (we will get them on British Airways, however). But for a $1000 savings it was well worth it to us.
Consolodators: Through FlighFox we learned of ticket consolidators, specifically GetAwayASAP.com. Though their tickets are nonrefundable, the savings are impressive.

Don't we worry about our stuff?
In a word, no. This is an easy one for us, but I think very difficult for most folks. Doing this has really brought home the idea that our stuff is just stuff. That said, shit happens. Things can and do get broken, and that goes both ways. We did some minor damage to our host's car last summer and we felt terrible. We explained the situation, had them get an estimate to fix the damage, and paid up. It was a bummer for everyone, but no one was hurt and no one was angry.

The one thing we do worry about is our cats. So far we've asked that whomever stays here takes care of them, and that hasn't been a problem, yet. I wouldn't let our cats be a dealbreaker as far as working out a swap, but it would definitely be harder to pull off with someone who couldn't, or wouldn't, be okay with them staying at home.

So now what?
Well, we're off to Arles for two months this summer (late June to late August). We've never been to that part of France and really didn't know much about it, but it sounds amazing. Roman architecture dating from the 5th-6th centuries, the Camargue (a marshland populated with wild horses and flamingoes), and the quality of light made famous by Van Gogh (he made over 300 paintings there, including Starry Night and The Night Café). I'll be blogging about this new adventure, which promises to be very different than our times in Normandy. Arles is very much a Mediterranean town, with a population made up from Northern Africa and Spain as well as the French.

I first posted the quote below last June, but it really sums up my attitude about these adventures, and about life in general. I hope you've found some inspiration here for cliff jumping:

“Jump off the cliff and build your wings on the way down.”
— Ray Bradbury

Happy travels!

70

2012-12-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

My dad would have been 70 today. I can remember him talking about how weird would be to be 70, back when he was 64 and thought he could outwit his body indefinitely.

I have little ways of dealing with the gaping hole of his loss; little games I play with myself. One of them is not to look very closely at those folks who, out of my peripheral vision, look a little like him. I'll see someone, or more accurately some part of someone, and I'll let myself pretend, just for a moment, that my dad is there. The curl where their hair meets their collar can do it every time.

And I still have those crazy dreams — the ones where I know my dad is dead, and yet here we are talking. And I can tell it's really deep and meaningful and then I wake up and remember nothing. I'm just left with the feeling that we had a really amazing visit. I'm still not convinced that those are just dreams.

A few weeks ago, I came across a previously undiscovered box of old photos and other ephemera from my dad's family. There were scraps of paper that belonged to my great grandfather, my grandfather, my grandmother, my dad. Gone, gone, with only the bits and pieces left behind. I savored every minute of sifting through out-of-focus photographs of people I didn't recognize, my father's elementary school report cards ("talks too much"), and a few real gems. Among them are the photos here. I'd never seen them before, and I absolutely adore them. I love how in the series at the top my dad is cut off in every single photo. So classic of bad, old pics and yet I love the quirkiness of them now.

And this last photo of my dad and I when I was about 21. I don't remember ever seeing this image before, but it says it all.

Dad, you have my heart. I hope one day you hand it back to me.

Take-aways from our summer abroad

2012-08-16T10:30:00.001-07:00

At the Jardin des Tuileries, Paris.

We've been back from Europe for a week now, but it feels like longer. Funny how that works. The 7 weeks there feel like a dream already. There are several things though that I've brought back with me: things that I want to hold on to. In no particular order, they are:

Be less busy. Without realizing it, we completely changed our pace to match those of our friends in Europe. It's easy to do when you don't have school, camps, work, and other commitments. Coming back and seeing how overbooked (and often stressed) our friends are here makes me realize I don't want to get back on that treadmill.

Linger over meals with friends. Every single meal we had with our friends in Europe lasted hours. With kids, regardless of their age. There was no stress, no pressure: just good food, good wine, and good company (thank you Curtis & Leila, Eric & Rebecca, Clinton & Chavi, Anne & Theirry!). This one will be harder, because it depends on our friends here to try to let go a bit and relax the pace. We'll see if anyone's willing to play.

Be inspired. Man oh man was it great to immerse myself in art again. I've got a tendency towards art snobbery and so I don't bother much in Portland with museums, galleries, etc. And, in reality, there's nothing here that compares to the museums in Paris or Barcelona. But there is inspiration to be found, and I need to make more of an effort to find it.

Walk more. For 7 weeks I didn't worry about what I ate or drank. I ate tons of amazing cheese, patisserie, wine/cider, butter. I also walked an average of 20 hours a week, with a major hill every single day. I didn't do yoga or pilates or the elliptical. I also didn't gain an ounce. In order to make the time for this, I have to honor my first goal of not being so busy. It was easy to walk for hours when I had no where I had to be at any particular time.

Be late. I am chronically early. I am also chronically stressed out about being late. The truth is, I am never late, and my stress about doesn't help anything. In Europe, everyone's late. So much so that I had to force myself to wait 15 minutes past the time our friends told us to come for dinner just so that we'd be late enough to be socially acceptable! (It was really hard.) In truth, I'll probably rarely be late anywhere, but if I try to be late maybe I'll be on time and less stressed/rushed. And if I'm late to meet you somewhere, I apologize in advance (and you should congratulate me!).

Julia for a day

2012-08-06T12:38:00.002-07:00

Julienne of leeks and carrots.

Last week, our good friend Eric invited us to dinner at his house. His father, Michel, was in town visiting and they offered to make a special meal for us. Michel happens to be a chef and teaches at a French cooking school, so we were especially excited to accept their invitation.

When making our plans for dinner, I asked if it would be possible to observe part of the meal preparation, or maybe do some prep work for Michel. Several days later Eric got back to me to discuss plans for the menu. Eric mentioned several courses, all of which sounded both fabulous and totally new to me. Then I was told that I should plan on arriving without David or Anna, four hours before dinner.

At this point I should mention that neither my French nor Michel's english are fluent, and that I was totally intimidated. But Michel is a sweetheart and didn't wince once as I clumsily attempted the various tasks he set aside for me. Let's just say I did more observing than actual cooking, but I learned a ton and can't wait to reproduce everything I learned (except, of course, the decorative handwork done to turn fruits and vegetables into things like flowers and baskets. That remains beyond my capabilities!)

In the blink of an eye, a carrot becomes a rose.

Grapefruit basket with carrot and mushroom blossoms and parsley. He made this for Anna, just because.

Preparing the insides of les aumenieres ("monk's pouches": pastry filled with shrimp, scallops, braised leeks and carrots.

Les aumenieres are tied with strips of blanched leeks.

David and Eric, waiting patiently by the kitchen door.

A final brushing of butter before going in the oven. I'm not even going to tell you how much butter was used in this meal! By the way, butter from Normandy is the best in France. True story. It's its own food group.

Anna's seat, complete with lily made from fennel and carrot, her basket, and the menu she wrote for each of us.

French radishes with butter and salt before the meal.

Pretty.

Plating and saucing.

From upper left, aumenieres served with a sauce made from shrimp shells and heads, whisky (which was set on fire), white wine, saffron, tomato sauce, garlic and carrots; zucchini drums filled with a garlic cream made from tons of garlic which was cooked 3 times to reduce pungency; potato pancake; eggplant cakes made with too many things to list here, which were cooked in moulds and then topped with a tomato confit. It was all crazy good.

A selection of cheese Michel chose for us. Cheese here is also its own food group!

We finished the meal with assorted pastries David, Anna and I brought from our favorite patisserie. And yes, you can come over for dinner!

Barcelona: reflections and textures

2012-07-31T13:29:00.001-07:00

Layers of paint on an exterior wall.

Reflected light cast through stained glass at Sagrada Familia.

Reflected towers of Fira de Barcelona.

Lampshade.

Awesome exterior walls.

Reflected archways at Muesu Picasso.

On the roof of Arenas de Barcelona Multicines.

Looking at part of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya reflected in a modern building.

Sagrada Familia

2012-07-29T13:24:00.000-07:00

Barcelona has been an amazing whirlwind. Somehow seven days have gone by and we're packing up to head back to France already. I have to say, we have all fallen in love with Barcelona, and are already talking about what we'll do when we return.

I have tons of photos to go through and post, but none quite as breathtaking as those of Sagrada Familia. Neither words nor images can do justice to what Antoni Gaudi has created here. Construction began in 1882, and is still underway. I believe the current completion date is set for 2026.

Although the architecture is mind-boggling, for me it was the stained glass and the play of light and shadow that captivated my attention.

Dinner with Clinton and Xavi

2012-07-27T02:17:00.001-07:00

View from the front balcony (photo by Anna).

I know I've said this before, but without exception the best experiences we've had when traveling have been when people invited us into their homes. This summer, we've had the privilege of making many new, lifelong friends over a meal and a bottle (or four!).

When David tweeted that we were coming to Barcelona, he immediately received a response from Clinton, a fellow Perl programmer living in Barcelona with his husband, Xavi. They invited us over for dinner, sighed heavily over our dietary restrictions, and then treated us to an amazing evening.

Their home is beautiful. They have turned a 200-year-old flat into a modern oasis. I was beside myself taking pictures and asking questions. Xavi is a jewelry designer and has created or modified many of the details and fixtures. I was incredibly inspired and plan on stealing lots of his ideas!

I love everything about this room. Notice the painted picture frame hanging from the ceiling — brilliant!

Again, it's in the details. See how the picture over the bed only fills half the frame and then there are lights filling the rest of the space? Love the wall color, too.

Clinton on the back balcony. This was my favorite space in the house — an outdoor sitting room complete with astro-turf!

Sitting on the back balcony, lost in their respective Apple devices.

Anna modeling a ring designed by Xavi. It is encrusted with Swarvorski crystals.

Xavi hard at work over dinner while the others sipped Cava. The sink is the original marble.

Gazpacho with asparagus. Catalan gazpacho is amazing. One of my new favorite foods from this summer.

Xavi's homemade Romesco salad dressing is also a new favorite!

Salmon with fresh-squeezed orange juice. Ok, everything from this meal is a new favorite!

Perhaps the focus (or lack thereof) is due to the four bottles of wine??

The finishing touch. Nougat ice cream with stewed cherries. Killer.

The meal lasted til almost midnight, at which point David carried Anna to the Metro!

Barcelona

2012-07-24T14:13:00.000-07:00

I'm writing this post from the balcony of our flat in Barcelona. It's 11pm, and the city is hopping. We're in a pretty lively area, though it seems like all of Barcelona is a pretty lively area!

Yesterday after we arrived and got settled into our place, we took a walk to get the lay of the land in our immediate vicinity. Little did we know we'd stumble upon one of the most beautiful landmarks in Barcelona, the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. The museum, and the various buildings around it, are just breathtaking. Also breathtaking: the heat. It's actually not blazing (it's in the mid 80s), but the sun is intense.

Here are the first few visual impressions we had of Barcelona:

View of La Sagrada Familia. We haven't been there yet, but it's on the list.

Reflection on a modern building across the street.

Today we went to Parc Guell and strolled on La Ramblas (pics of those places soon). Tomorrow, the beach!

Paris in July

2012-07-22T13:24:00.002-07:00

At Hotel de Ville.

We're back in Paris for a long weekend and finally the sun came out for us! The weather has been glorious. We did a lot of walking, a lot of eating, a lot of drinking. Here are some highlights:

On the train from Rouen to Paris.

Some girl time with Leila. Love the Dior signs behind her. She's always so elegant.

First ice cream. Vanille.

At L'As du Falafel in the Marais. Best falafel outside of Israel.

Off to Barcelona in the morning!

The Satie Museum in Honfleur

2012-07-19T23:25:00.003-07:00

Honfleur is a small port town dating back to the 11th century. It's a little over an hour drive from Rouen, and has an interesting combination of very old and relatively modern attractions.

For me, the thing that really stood out about our time in Honfleur was our trip to the Satie Museum. I wasn't really familiar with the French composer before, but I will certainly be learning more about him. Located in the house where Satie was born, the museum feels like a senior thesis at art school, but in a good way! Visitors wear headsets that integrate experience through Satie's music and writings. Honestly, I can't do justice to it here, because it's such a sensory experience.

Unrelated: As I write this I am waiting to board a train for 3 days in Paris followed by a week in Barcelona! My excitement about all the new experiences we're going to have, coupled with a (hopefully) better internet connection, means lots more posts in the coming days.

Halfway

2012-07-17T01:41:00.001-07:00

At the Sunday marché in Place Saint Marc.

Somehow we've arrived at the halfway point in our trip. A little more than halfway, actually.

As I mentioned in my previous post, the weather here has been unexpectedly Portland-like. In winter. And we Portlanders are in desperate need of some heat (though we will probably wilt like the delicate flowers that we are once we're exposed to anything over 80F!).

So, thanks to airbnb, I've found us a lovely apartment for a week in sunny Barcelona, Spain. We've never been to Spain, and I'm very excited about the combination of great art (Picasso, Gaudi, Miro) there combined with an opportunity for some mediterranean beaches.

In the mean time, we're spending this week hosting David's 18-year-old cousin, Kaylin, who happened to be traveling around Belgium and Switzerland this summer. On Friday, Anna and I are going to head into Paris (David will join us Saturday) for another weekend with our awesome friends, Curtis, Leila and Lilly-Rose. From Paris we'll fly directly to Barcelona for a week. And then, finally, back to Rouen for what will be the last week of our time here.

Reflections in a doorway (including Anna!).

A strawberry (fraise) éclair, with cousin Kaylin.

Another amazing meal at Jam.

Local, handmade macarons at the Sunday marché (his table is in the background).

Friends, food, and (a bit of) frustration

2012-07-12T01:23:00.000-07:00

As our time in France hits the halfway point, I'm feeling a need to reflect and reevaluate my plans for our time here.

On the one hand, the simple pleasure of having/making good friends here cannot be understated. With the exception of our time in Bruges, I can't remember the last time we weren't busy visiting with someone. The lovely Leila and her baby girl, Lilly-Rose, stayed with us for several days last week, and now our good friend, Duncan, is here. Mixed in with them were a bunch of get-togethers with Eric, Rebecca and Emmanuelle, with whom we have shared way too many calories lately!

The weather, unfortunately, has not been nearly as welcoming. It seems that France in summer is much like Portland the rest of the year. Although we've had a few nice days (mostly when we first got here), and although the sun does break through regularly, it's been mostly a grey, soggy, cool mess here for what seems like an unreasonably long time. I know that much of the world is suffering temperatures over 100F, and I much prefer this to that, but we sure could use a sun break.

This lack of expected sunshine has meant that I've been much more challenged as a mama. Playgrounds are soggy, promised beach trips are postponed, and a lack of friends has made for an understandably homesick and grumpy little girl at times. Hence the need to reevaluate. We do have a long weekend in Paris planned soon, and more surprise visitors joining us (David's 18-year-old cousin! to play! with Anna!)

In the mean time, here are some highlights from the past week or so.

Chez le médecin

2012-07-10T10:52:00.000-07:00

Back when we first got here, when we were jet-lagged and trying to find our way around here again, Anna woke up with a bug bite. It looked like a typical spider bite, but it was hurting her. We did what I think most parents would do: we ignored it.

Over the next few days the bug bite got bigger and redder, and she cried anytime it was touched or bumped, but we still ignored it. We assumed it would go away on its own. After about 5 days, after the neighbors gave us various medicines, after the pharmacist recommended a cream and an antihistamine, I started thinking maybe we needed to find a doctor. We happened to be having dinner with our friends Rebecca and Eric that night, and they recommended their doctor, who was located in the center of town.

The following morning I called the doctor's office. A woman answered and in my best frenglish I explained the situation and that I'd like to get Anna in that afternoon. She took Anna's name and scheduled us for 3:15.

The doctor's office was tucked into a mixed residential and commercial building, but that implies it looked modern or that one could even tell there were offices there. In fact, it looked like a somewhat run-down apartment complex, with no noticeable signage anywhere. After making some educated guesses, we climbed up some stairs and ran into an older woman coming down. I asked if there was a doctor in the building and she pointed to his door.

We walked into a small hallway with a few chairs along the wall. There was no one waiting, nor was there any type of reception desk. We could hear voices behind a door, so we sat down and waited. After about 15 minutes a couple came out, and we were invited in by the doctor. The room was his office, and he sat down behind a desk with Anna and me opposite him. In the office were doors which opened up onto a tiny balcony festooned with red geraniums (pictured here on Anna's blog). Again, in my best frenglish I explained the problem. He asked Anna's name and birthdate, and if she was allergic to any medications.

His office had an adjoining exam room and we walked the several steps from his desk to the exam table. He looked at Anna's bite, asked a few questions, weighed her, and we went back to his desk. He told us that she had an abscess, and that she needed to be treated with antibiotics. He wrote a handful of prescriptions, including those for the gauze, tape, etc needed to treat the bite. He then charged me 23 euros, which I paid in cash. 23 euros. That's just under $29 US dollars. The prescriptions, which included both oral and topical antibiotics, as well as a lifetime supply of bandages and antibacterial wash, set me back about $40.

No one asked me for more than Anna's name and weight. No one gave me pages of forms to fill out, asked for copies of insurance cards, etc. The contrast to our own doctor's offices at home was stark. There, every single time we go we're faced with a barrage of forms, have to once again show proof of insurance, even give our phone number and address again, even though we haven't moved.

While one never wants to find themselves in a doctors office thousands of miles from home, trying to explain the problem in another language, I found the experience fascinating.

Anna, by the way, is perfectly fine now.

5 years

2012-07-04T09:10:00.000-07:00

When you were still alive, you used to joke that one day I would miss all of those annoying, idiosyncratic little things you did. You were right.

Not long before my Dad died, he read several biographies of Joan of Arc. I'm not sure what the catalyst was, but he was really fascinated by her story. Today, on the fifth anniversary of his death, my little family went to the church in Rouen where 19-year-old Joan was burned at the stake. Now there's a beautiful, simple, modern church on the site.

What can I say but that my heart feels like it's being squeezed in a vice and my eyes fill with tears if I spend too long thinking about the loss of my Dad. So, I don't. I light my candle, shed my tears, and celebrate the life that we are living today. Always in gratitude.

Bruges

2012-07-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

Bruges, with a view of the Belfry in the distance.

For our first mini-excursion, we decided to drive to Bruges, Belgium for a long weekend. Neither David nor I had been to Belgium before, but whenever we mentioned the idea, people responded by saying how incredibly beautiful Bruges was. Given that it's only a 3-hour drive from Rouen, it seemed like a great choice.

Driving through the French countryside.

At the half-way point between Rouen and Bruges is a little town called Bologne-sur-Mer, where we stopped for lunch and a stroll to break up the drive. This whole area is known for it's moules-frites, so I had to partake, of course!

Moules-Fristes at Chez Jules in Bologne-sur-Mer.

Bologne-sur-Mer.

Our arrival in Bruges was a bit fraught. Because the town evolved over centuries, much of it dates between the 12th-17th century, driving is just this side of impossible. Finding our hotel required something like 17 turns, much of them on streets no wider than the car and which were shared by cyclists, horse-drawn carriages, swarms of people on foot, and cars going in the other direction. The upside is that once we found our hotel, we were right in the middle of it all. We left our car in an underground lot several blocks away, and didn't get in it again until we were headed back to Rouen.

The first thing we did was take a ride in one of those horse-drawn carriages. Yes, it's totally touristy and yes, totally magical to a 7-year-old. Actually, it was a great way to see many of the sights and plan how we wanted to spend our two days there. Brugge actually has a canal encircling the city center, as well as several running through it, which adds to both the beauty and the impossibility of having any sense of direction whatsoever. My Portland tendency to expect the water to run in two directions (North/South for example) just worked against me.

Anna got to ride up front with the driver and Krystal, the horse.

In 2000 the city of Bruges was made a World Heritage Site of UNESCO. The town is beautiful, with much of the architecture dating from the 12th-17th centuries. It is so well preserved that I felt like I was at a theme park at times. There are 17 churches (16 of them Catholic), as well as multiple government buildings and former hospitals, many which house amazing art collections. And of course the buildings themselves are marvels.

After discovering that there was an exhibit of 150 Picasso works on paper, I ducked away for an hour. The show, which also included a few dozen by Miro as well, was housed in what was once Saint John's hospital, which dates from the 12th century.

Afterwards, we strolled arounds for a while, stumbling upon the Saturday flea market in the process.

On Sunday we tripped around here and there: Anna and I went to the Folklore Museum, where they had reconstructions of life in Bruges housed in 17th-century single-room homes. While we were there, David went to De Halve Maan, the city's last working brewery (dating from 1856). We also visited the Chocolate Museum, which was really interesting and informative (as well as delicious!).

Before leaving on Monday, we visited two amazing churches: Welcome Church of Our Lady (13th-15th century) and Saint Saviour's Cathedral (Bruges oldest parish church 12th-15th century. The churches were just breathtaking. I just can't comprehend the skill, dedication, and creativity involved in creating buildings as magnificent as these with the resources of 800n years ago.

Welcome Church of Our Lady.

Welcome Church of Our Lady.

Saint Saviour's Cathedral.

Taking photos in Saint Saviour's Cathedral.

And, of course, no trip to Bruges would be complete with waffles! Yeah, they were pretty amazing.

Making New Friends

2012-06-29T14:45:00.000-07:00

Our delightful hosts, Rebecca, Eric, and Emanuelle.

One of the best things about this trip has been finding friends with whom we clicked instantly. When we were here in 2008, we had several friends visit throughout the trip. It was fantastic, but it did nothing to help us integrate better into life in Rouen.

As with most things relating to both of our trips to France, this new relationship is largely kismet. After finding out that we had another opportunity to come to Rouen, I again signed up for French classes. On the first day of class we introduced ourselves and talked about why we were there. Because I mentioned coming to Rouen, a man in the class mentioned that his daughter lived there with her husband and daughter. The following week he brought me an index card with her contact information. I never saw him again.

A month or so later, I emailed Rebecca. We exchanged basic information and spoke of getting together when my family arrived in France. We emailed a few times after that: she told me she has a 2-year-old daughter and that her husband was French.

A few days after we arrived in Rouen. I invited Rebecca, Eric, and Emanuelle over for dinner. That was last Sunday. In the past 6 nights we've had dinner together 3 times. What can I say other than that we've found people with whom we feel totally connected, totally comfortable. I am so grateful for this little family who has welcomed us to Rouen in ways that were totally unexpected. The only downside is that Rebecca and Emanuelle are leaving in mid-July, to go to Portland of all places! The good new is we'll get to visit with them there as well.

Hors d'oeuvres and champagne. Apparently, there's a French market that sells all this stuff frozen. Just thaw and serve. Gotta go there!

Sula.

Anna and Emanuelle have become fast friends.

So many choices.

Showing her inner Beastie!

Random

2012-06-28T08:25:00.002-07:00

Mediterranean delights at the grand marché.

I've gotten behind on posting, but I wanted to show you some of my photos from throughout the last week. They are truly random, but I think give a decent sense of how we spend our days. Everything in the photos is walking distance from our home. I'd say I walk about 3-4 hours most days.

Anna was fascinated by the architectural models of new apartments in the window of a real estate office.

Poupées at the grand marché.

Stained glass at Saint Maclou.

One part of one aisle of rosés at the supermarché. The French are serious.

Sometimes I have to be sneaky to get a photo.

Little known fact about me: I always light a candle for loved ones in cathedrals.

Pretty sure I took this same shot in this same church last time we were here, but how could you not?

What's left of that GIANT hunk of cheese we bought last week. It doesn't seem that bad until you realize we've gone through about 6 other hunks of cheese in addition.

How the French do lunch

2012-06-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love about France is that meals are an experience. No one is in a hurry.

Today David and I asked Maite to babysit for a few hours so that we could finally go to the big supermarché to stock up on basic supplies for the house (toilet paper, soy milk, cider, wine — things too bulky and heavy to carry on our mile+ walk to the smaller shops).

The supermarket itself deserves its own blog post; literally half the enormous store is refrigerated for the many, many kinds of cheese, yogurt, creme fraiches, etc. on offer.

Afterwards, we had time for a lunch date, so we headed to Rue L'Eau Robec where I spotted a cute little place called Jam. Like many places here, they had a very limited selection, but offered a prix-fixe menu, where you get the daily specials at a very reasonable price.

Over the next 90 minutes or so we had the great pleasure of enjoying an amazing bottle of cider (the producer has revived an ancient variety of apple), followed by one lovely dish after another. The proprietress was very interested in talking with us, and even brought out a photo book about an area of Normandy we weren't familiar with.

This actually brings up another point, which is just how lovely everyone has been to us. From the vendors at the marché (farmer's market) who all handed Anna pieces of fruit to try (one even gave her a little ring she was admiring), to the shop owners who let us come in to look at something that caught Anna's eye (but invariably has nothing to do with what they actually sell in that store). Everyone has been really interested in learning about who we are and how it is that we're here. And since no one has been speaking English, they've been incredibly patient with my French!

Of course, the down side of all this is that I think it officially takes 1 1/2 weeks of eating in France to gain back all of the weight one loses after eating mostly raw/vegan for several months. But when in France…

Return to Rouen

2012-06-21T14:27:00.000-07:00

The city center.

Our front door.

A typical street in Rouen.

Our return to Rouen, after 3 1/2 years away, has been amazingly smooth. Having been here for 6 weeks the last time, David and I are quite familiar both with the house and with the lay of the land. The most noticeable difference this time is the light. When we were here before it was from Thanksgiving through New Year's, and it was perpetually dark (much like Portland). This time both David and I were shocked by how much light floods the house, because we never experienced it that way before. It was a very welcome surprise.

David and Jean Paul, looking over their/our plot in the community garden.

Another difference between our previous visit and now is that already our dance card is getting full with things to do and people to do them with. Tomorrow I am going to the Alliance Française to take the placement exam and then having coffee with a fellow francophile, Austrailian blogger Kathy of Femmes Francophiles. We've been following each other's blogs for a couple months and she happens to be in Rouen for a couple days! Love that. And earlier tonight our former babysitter, Maite, knocked on our door. She's back from université for a few weeks and wanted to make herself available to us. There's also Rebecca, an American who's father I met in a French class in Portland. She, her husband, and daughter live in Rouen and are coming for dinner Sunday. It's amazing how small the world seems to be getting!

Yesterday we spent much of the day wandering: gathering our fruit, veggies and cheese from the local markets, having crepes and cider for lunch, and taking photos. I found myself drawn again to textures, colors, and doorways. I love taking photos where one is looking through portals — I guess the layering appeals to me. I want to make some time to explore that with paint this summer as well.

Cider at lunch.

Just another neighborhood church.

Love the textures of the stone and the reflected blue sky in the window here.

Of course, all is not sunshine and cider. These journeys always have a learning curve and we've started ours. In our first 24 hours here we managed to fry both electrical gadgets we deemed important enough to bring with us: my immersion blender and the baby monitor. All electrical currents are not created alike and we simply didn't pay enough attention. Also, for those of you who remember our previous adventures in bathing, we may once again be sneaking over to the neighbor's house for a quick bath. At the moment we have no hot water whatsoever, though we have hopes of getting that resolved tomorrow. One never knows since it involves me speaking on the phone with a plumber who speaks no english. But somehow none of it seems to bother me when we're here. Perhaps that's why I keep wanting to come back. Something about being here mellows me. Maybe it's that I have nothing else to worry about here except how much cheese 3 people can reasonably eat in 7 weeks!

What happens when you leave David alone to buy the cheese!

Home cooking.

À Paris

2012-06-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

View of Paris from the Centre Pompidou.

Mmm hmm. It's like that.

We are here! After months of anticipation, and a fairly uneventful trip over, we have arrived in France!

Already, this time feels so different from our previous adventure three years ago. Everything has been so much easier. Our friends Curtis and Leila hosted us for our first two nights, which meant spoiling us rotten with everything from driving us to and from the airport/train station to wining and dining us night and day.

This is what they served before the meal!

The lovely Leila with her beloved pipe.

Une petite tarte.

Lily-Rose.

Nothing but blue sky.

Round Two. This time with champagne.

(Yes, I've already eaten more bread and cheese than in the previous 6 months combined. No joke. I am dying for a green smoothie! And yes, I packed my immersion blender! It's no Vitamix, but it's better than nothing!)

Because we arrived in the morning, we got the benefit of two full days and nights in Paris. Curtis and Leila live in a great area, just a quick trip by subway into the heart of Paris. By chance, on our second day, I was able to catch the final day of a Matisse show at the Centre Pompidou, one of my favorite museums in the world.

Leila's gorgeous Desigual coat.

Curtis and Artur.

La petite.

Chillin at the playground.

Waiting patiently.

The budding photographer. Watch for her blog. No joke.

Le Centre Pompidou.

Although Leila is French (Curtis is American) we spoke mostly English during our visit with them, so my French didn't get much of a workout. All that changed yesterday, though, once we arrived in Rouen.

We were met at the train station by Jean Paul, who doesn't speak a work of English. We spent the afternoon with him, visiting the Alliance Française (where I'll be able to take classes!) and checking out their vegetable plot in the community garden. Later, joined by Janine, we were once again treated to a welcome gathering. This time, however, we knew many of the faces from our previous visit. We also got to meet Julianna, the 16-year-old who will be our babysitter while we're in Rouen.

So, today is our first real day here in Rouen. I awoke at 4:45am and waited until I heard Janine and Jean Paul stirring around 6:45. I joined them for coffee and a last visit and about thirty minutes ago they left to catch their flight to Portland. David and Anna are still upstairs asleep. I am dying to get out and revisit this beautiful town.

Words to Live By

2012-06-08T11:22:00.001-07:00

“Jump off the cliff and build your wings on the way down.”
— Ray Bradbury

The verdict

2012-05-29T09:34:00.001-07:00

I've officially completed my 15 days of raw/vegan eating and I wanted to give you a final summary of my experience.

Just to recap, here are all the ways in which I cheated:

• I continued to have my morning cup of coffee with soymilk

• I had 2 meals (out of 45) that were not raw and/or vegan

• I had wine on a couple occasions

• I did not stick strictly to the Phase 1-3 system. Instead I used the recipes as a guide and mixed and matched ingredients (but it was always raw/vegan).

That said, I loved eating this way. I did get bored a bit, but I felt so damn good that I didn't care. My energy levels were through the roof. I slept better than I've slept in years. And I honestly didn't really miss anything that I wasn't eating/drinking.

As for external results, I've lost 2-3 lbs. My waistline is definitely smaller and I feel lighter. I fit into my clothes better and feel great about the way I look.

My plan going forward is to continue eating this way as much as possible/practical. In France I'll definitely be eating a lot differently, but that doesn't mean I can't take what I've learned here and work it in. For example, incorporating a higher balance of raw in my daily diet regardless.

I highly recommend that most anyone try this diet for 2 weeks. Whether or not you have weight to lose, the increase in energy and better sleep is so worth it. I will say that having a good blender helped a lot, but it's definitely not necessary.

The Raw/Vegan Way

2012-05-21T13:52:00.000-07:00

Now that I have my replacement blender, it seems a good time to actually talk a bit about how I feel a week into a raw/vegan diet.

First of all, to a mild extent, I cheat. I have not given up my morning cup of coffee. Also, since I had blender issues, I didn't only do smoothies for the first 3 days as prescribed (Phase 1). Instead I did a mix of mostly blended shakes and soups (using my handheld wand), along with a daily salad (Phase 2). Finally, I have to admit I'm not a strict recipe follower. Life is too busy to make a million different things each day. Instead, I found a couple recipes I like and I repeat them.

All that said, I have eaten almost exclusively raw and vegan for the past 7 days. I eat whenever I'm hungry, which varies. Somedays I'm ravenous and some days I'm frustrated because I really want to eat something, but I have to admit that I'm just not hungry. I am getting a bit bored, but I'm about to start Phase 3 of the diet, where you expand into raw patés, wraps, etc.

Ok, but how do I feel? Have I lost weight? Honestly, I feel fantastic. My energy levels are through the roof. I'm awake and productive all day pretty much until bedtime. I feel like my thinking is clearer. As for weight, I really don't have a lot to lose. I'm more interested in fitting into my snug pants, and that has already happened within the first week. I've lost enough around my midsection (where I gain) to make my clothes fit better, which is my goal. I suspect that by the end of the second week I'll be fitting into most everything that had gotten tight over the winter.

So now what? Am I going to be a raw vegan from now on?

Um, no. I'm probably going to gain every ounce of it back eating bread, cheese and wine/cider in France this summer. However, I cannot deny how good my body and mind feel eating this way. I can definitely see boosting my raw levels daily and doing a raw/vegan cleanse regularly. I may be an energy junkie, but I'm also a hedonist!

Eat this

2012-05-14T20:46:00.000-07:00

This was originally going to be a post about how I'm starting Ani Phyo's 15-day raw, vegan cleanse. You know, the kind where I tell you what I'm doing so that a) I have “accountability” and b) you might choose to join me. What fun we could have, being hungry together (I joke. One is not supposed to be hungry, though I do find myself missing chewing a bit).

Anyway, today is my official Day One, but that's not what I'm writing about. What I'm writing about is Customer Service. Perhaps Apple has spoiled us all, but it seems to me like there are companies who get it, and those who don't. Unfortunately Vitamix, the company who makes my 30-day-old, very overpriced blender, does not.

I've gone through a lot of inexpensive blenders. I make smoothies almost daily and after a year or two the cheaper blender's motors just burn out. This time, after much nail biting, I decided to pony up for a blender that was reputed to hold up. Honestly, I debated between Vitamix and Blendtec, but the fact that the Vitamix was less loud (they're both loud) was what sold me.

So, after a month of successful smoothie making, I was ready to embark on a dietary journey. Fifteen days of raw, vegan food, largely blended (solely for the first 3 days). I read the recipes, I shopped for my produce. I timed it for when David would be traveling, as it's easier to do this sort of thing when I don't have to watch someone else get to chew their food.

And then, out of nowhere, my brand new Vitamix died.

Did I freak out? Perhaps, but only briefly. Then I called Vitamix. And I called again. And I called a third time, which was when I got to speak to someone who had the ability to help me. What I wanted was for her to say she'd ship out a replacement tomorrow. That she felt my pain. Instead she said I'd have to send the broken one to them (they'd pay for Ground shipping, but I'd have to pay myself for Express). She'd send a return label which had to be printed on a color printer, or it'd be considered a fake. She did say they'd expedite the repair and would express it back to me. If all went well, I'd have my old one back in a week. But I didn't want my old one back. An expensive blender with a 5-year warranty shouldn't die one month out, and I wanted her to acknowledge that.

I made it clear that I was not happy with this solution, but she was adamant that that was the best that could be done.

Still with me? Almost there.

Then I called Amazon (through whom I bought the blender). I spoke to a happy-sounding woman named Stephanie, who listened to my whole sob story and then said “Can I just make you really happy?” Um, yes please? Then she told me she was overnighting me a new blender. And she said the return label for the old one could be printed in black & white. I offered to marry her.

So yes, I am doing the 15-day Fat Blast (unfortunate name). I wish I wasn't having to depend on a Vitamix (go for the Blendtec) but I couldn't be happier with Amazon's service. Nice to know there are still some companies who get it.

Escape

2012-04-16T16:03:00.004-07:00

About a month or so ago, I jokingly said to a girlfriend that we should run away for the weekend.

A few days later, train tickets were purchased and we had a plan to spend two nights in Seattle. Other than checking out the Gauguin exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum, we didn't make any plans. Mostly we just walked and ate and enjoyed being unencumbered adults for the weekend, where nobody needed anything from us and we were free to roam at will.

In no particular order, here are some images I captured of our time there:

I confess that the train travel and the opportunity to snap some candid photos with my new camera has got me itching to get to France. We leave two months from today!