The Loire Valley in the Mist
While driving south with my mom and 13-year old sister on our epic French road trip, we passed sign after sign for the châteaus of the Loire Valley.
“Want to stop at one of the Loire Valley châteaus, mom?”
“Sure. I think it would be good for your sister to see one.”
Thus began the most random road trip stop of my life- the Château de Chambord.
Read MoreThe Start of a French Spring: In Photos
Spring is here! Seemingly overnight, Paris bloomed, bringing forth delicate blue forget-me-nots, chirping swallows and soft, greener than green grass. It has literally been sunny every single day for a week, and I can feel my spirits lifting each day. Winter, it seems, is over. May picnic season begin.
Read MoreOffbeat Paris: A Guide to Paris’ Canals
While it hasn’t made too many appearances on my blog just yet, the 10th arrondissement, or the Canal Saint-Martin, is actually one of my favorite Parisian neighborhoods. Gritty, residential and tourist-free, there’s nothing I love more than the canals in summer, when everyone comes out to drink wine by the water, listen to music, smoke and soak up the sun.
Read MoreAn Au Pair’s Day Off in Paris
As an au pair, I work a relatively small amount of hours (30) but I work six days a week. So on Saturday, my only true day off, I try to squeeze as much goodness into it as possible.
Like waking up to Indian food after a long night out at the pub…
Read MoreWhere to Stay in Paris
Like most things in Paris, accommodation is outlandishly expensive. And this spring, when my mom and sister booked their tickets to come visit me in France, I immediately panicked- where was I going to lodge them for four days? As I have worked here for the last six months as well as the last three summers, I have always stayed with host families and therefore was basically clueless on how to find an acceptable hotel.
After an absurd amount of time on my Macbook, I finally found a hotel that would suit us both comfort and budget-wise… but now I know better than anyone that finding accommodation in Paris is a daunting task.
Read MoreMy Mom and Sister Come to Paris!
So two weeks ago a long-awaited dream came true- my mom and sister came to visit me in Paris!
While my mother has been to Europe several times before, it was my 13-year old sister’s first time on the continent so I was particularly excited to give her a taste of life in Paris. And by taste, I literally meant taste. This is Paris we’re talking about after all.
Read MoreIreland- The Perfect Country for Your First Solo Trip
My first solo trip was to Ireland when I was 19, a six-day vacation in the middle of working as an au pair in France for the summer. After several Guinness and live music filled days, Ireland had earned the a place as one of my favorite countries- it really is a beautiful, surprisingly rugged place with lots of good-hearted (and handsome) locals.
Read MoreGetting Bogged Down by the “Things You Have to See”
Though I did make time for some delightful shopping and neighborhood scouting on my trip to London, I have to admit- my itinerary was definitely bogged down by the dreaded, “Things You Have to See.”
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