Today's offering: This kind of travel is for me, a heady mixture of pure rhapsody, luxury and indulgence!  Feasting doesn't always have to be at a table.  There are 4 other senses to be fed……... Tourtour, France is a small commune, I'll call it a hamlet, in southeastern France.  The tiny towns which surround it have a charm all their own, and the views from here are really quite amazing. While we were at Domaine de la Baume, we took … [Read more...]

 from the cruise, later I am going to break my rule of chronology again today.  I think this story is worth it. It was a multi-national humanitarian effort Seine-side…….. On our next to the last day in Paris, George and I decided to take that long-promised but as yet undone boat cruise along the Seine.  This is one of those things you always say you are going to do but the list of things you want and the ability to gaze along the Seine … [Read more...]

 Domaine de la Baume Today's offering: Probably you would have to have just a little question about going to a town that no one you know or some people who know Provence hadn't ever heard of…….. What is so very joyful about my oh-so-lucky travel experiences at this stage in my life is when they present you with the most remarkable of surprises.  Your heart lifts up and you are enveloped, yet again, with wonder and gratitude at all the … [Read more...]

 Dimanche I learned about Marché Bio Boulevard Raspail from Ina Garten.  She has spoken about it often on her show.  I have enjoyed visiting here twice now and, as I strolled along, I looked around to try to imagine where her apartment might be.  I also tried to imagine being so lucky as to live here and do this several days per week. For me, a Farmer's Market is like an art exhibit.  Might I just say, maybe even better?  I can't pass one … [Read more...]

 j'adore - pretty much captures how I feel as soon as I step out Anyone who reads this blog knows that there is a close reflection here of my deeply-needed catharsis.  I am working these days on unquestioningly engaging in obsessive habits that make me happy. These would include taking pictures of pastry, gorgeous buildings of old and seeing glorious photos in my head, all in the living color that so feeds me.  at the Sunday market at … [Read more...]

 avec Chef François Martin One steadfast rule I have for my travel-blogging times is that I write everything in chronological order.  Such is the nature of this pea-sized-linear-minded memory-banking person at the helm here. It would seem that everything arrives and then needs to unfold in the exact order in which it occurred.  Today, I shall break that rule (I guess all rules are meant to be broken) and finish the post I began last week (note … [Read more...]

 "Fireworks" from Union Square yesterday Crescendo - that was pretty much yesterday for me……..  Today is just a stellar day as I mark passing the 500 blog post line.  Who knew?  I guess I have a lot of flour to sift, a lot of dirt to dig, a lot of miles to go……... Yesterday, I trundled into the Farmer's Market at Union Square.  Honestly, September is the best month to take in the bounty of the growing season here in the New York … [Read more...]