Angelina | 1er

There are some reliable chains that you can count on when traveling through Paris. Paul was my favorite place to grab a quick bite and of course the above, Angelina. We went to the one next to the Tuileries. Between the two of us we just had the breakfast which included four croissants and two pieces of bread with an assortment of jams to share between two people. Andrew tried their famous hot chocolate--which was delicious but a bit too heavy after the first few minutes. I had orange juice and coffee. All in all, a comparable experience to brunch at Ladurée and surprisingly filling too! The macarons were really good but I'm still ever faithful to Chantal Guillon macarons in Hayes Valley!

Angelina

226 rue de Rivoli

75001 Paris

France

Concorde/Madeleine, 1er

Paris, at last.

We left Lyon and its oppressive heat and escaped to Paris via the TGV. I visited Paris for the first time back in March for a weekend when I was in London for work. But here's the thing--I didn't love it the first time.

Paris might not be for everyone, but for nearly half of my life I was a staunch Francophile. I took French language classes for 8 years, read Le Clézio, studied French culture, became deeply fixated by its immigration problems, their penchant for les gréves and complaining for the sake of complaining. I loved all things French yet had never gone until this past year.

Perhaps it was too much of my idealization of France clashing with the realities of arriving for the first time as an American. Heck, it was my first time out of the country back in March as an adult. Needless to say, I felt like an outsider. Despite all its charms, Paris greeted me with indifference in the end. This time around, I ended my two week vacation in Paris. There's always a comfort in returning to a place even if it spit you out the first time around. We were elated to just have been out of Lyon. We were beginning to go a little stir crazy, especially because of the heat wave.

This time around, Paris revealed herself to me for the first time ever. I fell in love with how beautiful it was. The light truly is different. But I had amazing experiences as well. The food this time around was far better than the first. The people were not quite as friendly as the Spanish, but welcoming still.

When we got off the train, it was pouring. We checked into our hotel looking like wet dogs, but were elated nonetheless. Promptly after cleaning ourselves up, the sun came out and we went outside for a stroll. We walked from our hotel near Sacré Coeur over to the Tuileries and just walked and walked. We stopped by the Eiffel Tower and snapped photos before heading over to Les Cocottes for an early dinner. After dinner we just kept...walking and talking. Walking and talking.

Revenir.

"...I fell in love with Paris. Paris--and this is the tricky thing--though it is always and indubitably itself, is also in its nature a difficult city to love for itself alone. What truly makes Paris beautiful is the intermingling of the monumental and the personal, the abstract and the footsore particular, it and you. A city of vast and impersonal set piece architecture, it is also a city of the small and intricate, improvised experience." ~ Adam Gopnik, Paris to the Moon

Beaujolais & Perouges

If you're ever in Lyon, you must make it out to wine country. It's an easy thirty minute drive out of the city. We booked a small tour in advance so we could avoid the hassle of renting and driving a car in a foreign country. If Lyon has one thing over all of the other cities we visited, it is the wine. We did a wine tasting at Dominique Guillard's winery and it was amazing. Everything was delicious. I especially liked the gamay rosé and some of the lighter reds that were perfect for drinking on hotter summer days. Each bottle was only 5 EUROS. I wanted to walk away with an entire crate full, but you can only drink so much wine between two people. We ended up choosing to drink in moderation and purchased two bottles.

I learned that the Beaujolais wine isn't aged in oak here. They actually use vines that can go up to 100 years old. It was really interesting to see the flower covered fields that were left out to lay fallow until it was time to replant again. I also learned that the quality of the wine is largely determined by the soil--soil that is best suited when the terrain is very hilly--hence all of the dramatic views as seen below.

The views were incredible. We drove throughout the Beaujolais region and made pitstops in Perouges and Oingt--old towns that contained buildings all made from yellow stones from the quarries in the region. It was cherry season at the time as well. We passed by trees swollen with cherries ready for picking. I wanted to just stick my arm out the window and grab a fist full as we passed by on those rolling hills.

There were a lot of castles in the area as well; many which are still occupied and remain private residences. Doesn't that sound nice? There are of course newer buildings as well, but they must all be painted yellow to follow the regional yellow stone tradition. I thought the funniest bit on the tour was when we learned that in the past, vinters were forced to pay taxes to the churches in the form of wine grapes. Of course, they would only hand over the crap grapes which angered authorities. So they demanded wine next, which produced the same result: crap wine. Eventually, the churches were allowed to determine which time of year and exactly when they could go and choose the grapes themselves. Those tricky vinters, I like them. All in all, I had a blast that day sightseeing and sipping wine with Andrew.

Next stop, Lyon.

Arriving to Lyon was a bit disheartening at first. The side of town we were staying in vaguely recalled Los Angeles with its modern structures and congested roads. But I grew to love Lyon in a way. It was the part of our trip where I started to feel as if I were living in France rather than just passing through on stolen time. Shopping at the open air market for supplies for dinner, browsing aimlessly at Monoprix to escape the heat briefly, and watching dubbed American shows like Friends in the early evening hours. This is what I imagined an alternative life to be like if I were Lyonnais.

We flew into Lyon from Barcelona and took the train to our AIRBNB on Rue Vauban. This was the first time we had ever rented out an entire unit through AIRBNB. The apartment was really quaint and quiet compared to the place we stayed at in Barri Gotic in Barcelona.  A quiet student welcomed us into the apartment with a neat set of directions and a basket of pre-packaged croissants.I let out a sigh of relief when we arrived because it was exactly what we needed at that point. A place to recharge and take it a bit slow, especially since Andrew came down with something of a summer cold. 

With the sweltering heat, we moved a bit more slowly throughout our stay. Days were spent walking rather listlessly across the bridge to the main part of town. This is what I imagined summer to be like for residents--enjoying the sights around as much as possible while bearing with the heat. It would be 90 degrees even after sunset...easily 100 or over at noon.

I liked how carefree everyone seemed around the river. Students would be lounging on the grass amongst friends, half emptied bottles of wine with baguettes and saucisson aplenty. After our dinner at a bouchon (one of many to come), we walked along the Rhone and returned home. The sun doesn't set in the summer easily until past 10 PM. There was an eccentric older man doing his evening exercise. Every time he ran through, the crowd would hilariously (and I hope not mockingly, because that kind of breaks my heart) cheer along like fans at a soccer match. 

In Lyon, we started establishing some rituals. Walking through those quiet streets back to Rue Vauban. Stopping by the little market to buy some fruit or ice cold cans of Coca Cola. Browsing Les Halles de Lyon for groceries. Padding around the apartment barefoot. Watching random segments on the television (like this strangely engrossing French fry documentary) and hastily attempting to translate so Andrew could follow along. I think that's what ultimately made me appreciate Lyon more. Dublin too. It made me nostalgic for the time when we weren't in a long distance relationship. Not to say that Lyon was god awful and that you should never visit. But it just didn't resonate with me as a vacation spot as much as Barcelona and Paris--I guess, for the very reasons I listed above for appreciating it for what it was. In any case, more updates to come.

Parc Güell | Day 2 in Barcelona.

Our second day in Barcelona started out at the beach. After leaving our AIRBNB in the gothic quarter, we grabbed a quick bite at Taller de Tapas next door before walking to the beach. In order to get there, you have to cut through Barceloneta, which I imagine could be potentially dicey after dark, but it was bright out and calm in the neighborhood. I whined briefly and partially jokingly to Andrew for always dragging me through sketchy places, lol.

Next time I'm in Barcelona, I'll have to remember to bring a bathing suit because their beaches are absolutely gorgeous. Crystal blue waters and plenty of space to stretch out in the sand. We lounged for a bit in some beach chairs before realizing that you actually have to pay for them, oops. After cooling down with some sangria, we left the beach and started walking back towards the central part of town to catch the metro to La Sagrada Familia. I feel pretty silly now for not bothering to go in just because the line was too long, oh well.

From there, we trekked on over to Parc Güell, not fully realizing how far and how uphill the walk from the church would be but we made it--as evidenced by these photographs. The park was really breathtaking and a good place to relax after walking in the heat. I enjoyed listening to all of the musicians throughout the park--it felt like a scene out of Vicky Cristina Barcelona. I love watching films set in the cities you're about to visit--it makes you feel romantic about your trip.

In any case, we had to wait for an hour before we could enter the "monumental" part of the park. They now charge to enter. I think in the past it used to be free. But all in all, just gorgeous mosaic work everywhere along with the unforgettable views. This was probably my favorite day in Barcelona. After strolling through the park, we left to make our reservation at TICKETS. You can read my previous post to hear about how amazing Tickets was. So delicious.

After the incredible meal we went to the Magic Fountain and waited until sunset...Unfortunately the fountain never turned on (Thursdays through Sundays, only). I hope I'll always remember how it felt to sit along the wall with other visitors waiting eagerly for the fountain and having a good time nonetheless.

Barcelona is for food lovers.

"People who love to eat are always the best people." - Julia Child

When we planned our trip, we added Lyon because of its reputation for being France's gastronomical capitol. However, it really did not hold up to the incomparable Barcelona. Everything in Barcelona was delicious, almost pornographically so. We spent a lot of time researching where we wanted to eat (as one does) before taking off for our trip. I knew I wanted churros con chocolate, because uhm. Because. In any case, I spent most of the visit stuffing my face at every opportunity and then walking it off. I'm grateful for a boyfriend who really relishes eating because as Julia Child said, people who love to eat are the best people!

If you are visiting Barcelona soon, you must visit the following three places:

• TICKETS - This was by far the fanciest meal I've had to date. You have to make your reservation months in advance. Expect really inventive tapas, excellent service, and a most memorable meal. I was really glad my boyfriend went through the trouble to snag a reservation way back in March. My favorite tapas was the grilled octopus with kimchee. Best. Octopus. Ever.
• PINOTXO BAR - My brother and a coworker had recommended Pinotxo to me as I was researching joints to eat at. We actually didn't find it our first time wandering through the Boqueria but I am so glad we did. We should have eaten here daily because it was just the freshest, most delicious food. The old man that presumably owns the place is adorable. You just tell him if you want meat or fish and he takes it from there. 
• CAL PEP - This also came as a recommendation from a coworker. Come here if you love seafood. We waited in line for seats at the bar. Go with the recommended courses from the chef and they'll just take it from there. I really loved the fish here. I have no idea what kind of fish it was, but oh my god, I'm drooling at the thought of it.

Northern Ireland

During my first weekend in Ireland, I had the chance to visit Northern Ireland with Andrew. We didn't want to rent a car, so we went on one of those Paddywagon Tours that a friend had suggested. The tour takes you through Belfast and up to cross the Carrick-A-Rede rope bridge and Giant's Causeway.

It was a really beautiful day and so clear out along the Northern Coastline. I was really impressed with it all, having been taken primarily with California's coastline. If you look below, you could almost imagine this being out somewhere along Highway 1 don't you think? In any case, I actually liked the rope bridge visit more so than Giant's Causeway. The Causeway is really fascinating but aesthetically speaking, I didn't think it held up to what you see below.

As for the tour itself, we had a ton of fun. We had really awful seats on the bus (poor Andrew's legs barely fit in the aisle), but overall it was a great value. We had lunch before heading to the causeway in a tiny mom and pop restaurant (I had seafood stew) and then we returned to Dublin around 5 PM to catch our early reservation at Pearl Brasserie. This was one of my favorite days on the trip. I didn't feel stressed out. I didn't think about the e-mails coming through for work. I just had a blast visiting new places with Andrew. All in all an unforgettable start to my trip abroad.

The feeling of being truly carefree.

Ireland was a home away from home. I cannot begin to describe the comfort of having a place rendered familiar by virtue of the fact that someone you love lives there. It was so enjoyable for me to see the place where my boyfriend has been spending his year abroad from the moment I hopped into my cab to the second I arrived in his neighborhood and rang the doorbell at that bright blue Georgian door.

Of course, I got ripped off by my cab driver. But you live and you learn I suppose.

I spent my first day exploring Trinity College solo. It resembled Berkeley's campus in many ways, but I guess we can't boast of having the oldest book in the world in our library. Seeing the Book of Kells was incredible. The thought of being in the presence of a book from 800 AD still sends chills down my spine. Following the exhibition, I continued along into Trinity's long library too. Oh to be able to actually have access to such a magnificent library for research! It was so romantic in there thinking of the students and scholars using such a beautiful library.

I lucked out with the weather during my stay. Not a single drop of rain. I miss it so much already. It was just one leg of my trip but I would do anything to be walking around in Ballsbridge right now hand in hand, enjoying the extra long days; the feeling of lightness knowing that I had no obligations the following day. Vacation is such a precious thing.

Santa Cruz Itinerary.

Brunch at Cafe Brazil | 1410 Mission Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Order the Avocado a Cavalo and share their famous Acai Bowl for dessert.

Hike at Wilder Ranch State Park | 1401 Coast Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

If it's not crowded, park on the main road outside the entrance to the park and save yourself $10. It's just a short walk to the start of the trail. Mostly level trails make for an easy hike and gorgeous ocean views.

Shopping in Downtown Santa Cruz | Pacific Avenue

Hat tip to Sunset Magazine for recommending Penny Ice Creamery. Grab a cone and walk around Pacific Avenue. There are stores like Urban Outfitters and Forever 21, but take the time to look at some of the smaller shops. If you're hungry, grab a slice of pizza at Pizza My Heart. So. Good.

Drinks at Soif Wine Bar and Merchants | 105 Walnut Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

We stopped by Soif around 5 PM to enjoy some wine before our dinner reservation at 7:30 PM. They have a nice communal table and airy space for you to enjoy your wine in. Next door you can even do $5 wine wastings during their happy hour.

Dinner at Lilian's Italian Kitchen | 1116 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95062

We weren't terribly hungry by the time dinner rolled around. But if you want great italian food, Lilian's is your sure bet. Make a reservation ahead of time otherwise you might be looking at a two hour wait. Reservations can only be made day of starting at 11 AM so call in early. We shared the Caprese to start and shared the Sunday Gravy with meatballs as our main entree. These were all delicious. The meal was finished with tiramisu for dessert and two coffees. I think the bill came out to be something like $60 for the two of us, so it was a great value too. 

I definitely want to come back another time for a day trip. There are lots of state parks near downtown Santa Cruz that I want to check out. I'm always down for coastal hiking on a gorgeous day.

Santa Cruz.

My brother came up to visit this weekend for his Spring Break, so we decided to spend Friday in Santa Cruz. Fortunately, the forecast was inaccurate once again and we were greeted with a sunshine filled day.

Seriously, who knew Santa Cruz could be this gorgeous? Just a few minutes outside of town lies Wilder Ranch State Park. While the name and the entrance can be slightly misleading, it is a several mile stretch of completely beautiful and primarily level coastal hiking along the ocean. We saw seals, one otter, and several pelicans during our hike. But most of it was spent in awe of how a beautiful hike was just a 5 minute drive away from Brasil Cafe, where we had brunch moments earlier.

This made for a really great opportunity for me to test out my new lens as well! Since purchasing my Canon Rebel T3I in December, I've been using the lens that the camera came with. After some light research, I decided to get the Canon F/ 1.8 lens that retails for about $100 on Amazon. I know a few other bloggers who use this lens and get phenomenal results. And much to my delight, the author of READ THIS IF YOU WANT TO TAKE GREAT PHOTOGRAPHS recommended the same lens to me without knowing I had just purchased it! The lower F stop gets gorgeous images like the one above. It made all of the photographs I took during this trip seem totally ethereal from all the sun-drenched backgrounds.

2 Days in Paris.

I've never truly experienced something quite so surreal as arriving in Paris for the first time--especially after having studied French for almost 10 years. I kept telling Andrew that nothing felt real. And it's such a shame, because the reality that I was in the City of Light for two days didn't hit me until I returned to San Francisco!

I went to the UK for business recently, and had the opportunity to spend the weekend out of town. And what a wonderful weekend it was. Absolutely gorgeous weather for two days spent marveling at how beautiful a city could be.

It was interesting observing Parisians carrying on with their day to day lives. I just have to believe that there is so much more appreciation for art and design when you live in it! There is beauty to be found everywhere in the city. It's no wonder that there are so many more European-based websites and design publications than there are stateside.

So we took the Eurostar from St Pancras International in London into Gare du Nord Friday night. After checking into our hotel in Montparnasse, we walked around in search for a very late night dinner and ended up at a somewhat mediocre place called Au pied de cochon. They open 24 hours. In California, that conjures up images of poorly lit and dingy diners. But the restaurant was still really something else. Quite lively in fact considering it was nearly 2 AM when we left.

The following day was spent in pursuit of the perfect croissant, which is pretty much available anywhere. Bread in Paris is incomparable to what we have back home. I fear what might happen to me if I had access to such great breads all year round!

We started at the Eiffel Tower and made our way down the Seine on one of those hop on hop off boats over to Notre Dame. But most importantly, we made a pit stop at Shakespeare & Company! I am a total Before Sunrise/Before Sunset devotee and naturally an indie bookstore nutcase, so this was at the top of my list for this weekend. What a privilege to have a bookstore like this one at your disposal for studying in! I saw someone quietly working at a table on the top floor in one of the reading rooms. I am sighing to myself right now just thinking of it.

The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring Montmartre. Sacre Coeur was predictably overrun with tourists, so we didn't spend too much time there. We ventured into Le Pigalle by accident and ran into an active protest. I kind of chuckled to myself thinking how very French that was.

The rest of the weekend was a bit of a whirwind. We were totally beat by the end of each day after all of the walking. Sunday was spent mostly relaxing in various courtyards and gardens after visiting the Bastille Sunday Market. Needless to say, I am aching to return. But until my next visit, I'll leave you with more photos of my weekend.