Home sweet home

View of downtown Minneapolis from a zeppelin.

When you're busy jetsetting around the world, it's easy to forget that there are things worth staying home for. As a little girl, going to "The Cities" (what we northern Wisconsin folk called Minneapolis-St. Paul) was a big deal. The lights, the skyscrapers, the traffic - it was all magical (well, my dad never thought the traffic was so magical, but my sister and I did...) Years later, when I moved here to go to college, it was hard to focus on going to class when there was so much to see and do.

I've lived here for 13 years now and admittedly, some of the luster has worn off (I no longer find the traffic magical whatsoever). But I've developed a deeper appreciation for the Twin Cities as the years have gone by and I've had a chance to really explore.

Now, if you asked me where to go or what to do, I most certainly would not send you to a chain restaurant or shopping at the Mall of America. (The horrors!) So where would I send you? Here are just a few of my favorite places - or at least the ones I'm willing to divulge...

Lake of the Isles - There are three main lakes people talk about in the heart of Minneapolis - Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet and Lake of the Isles. The last is my favorite. Not only is it the smallest (by far) but it's the most picturesque. It makes for an easy walk-and-gawk experience. The homes surrounding the lake are a-mah-zing and you'll be close enough to see all the enviable details- like baby grand pianos- right from the path. You might even catch a glimpse of one of the celebs that live on the lake. I haven't seen Josh Hartnett yet, but I keep looking...

Stone Arch Bridge

Stone Arch Bridge - In my opinion, the Stone Arch Bridge has, hands down, the best view of downtown Minneapolis. The picturesque old railroad bridge is now a pedestrian walkway that spans the Mississippi River. On one side is the Saint Anthony Main area with a handful of restaurants, condos and a theater. On the other is old mill ruins, the fancy new Guthrie Theatre and the gateway to the downtown. The bridge is popular with walkers, joggers, bikers and even Segway tours, but you'll be so entranced by the scenery, you probably won't even notice.

Pantages - If you're lucky enough to score tickets to a concert at this downtown Minneapolis venue, you're in for a real treat. The Pantages is small and intimate - there are literally no bad seats. But the big draw here is the acoustics - they will blow you away.

Rose Garden at the Arboretum

Landscape Arboretum - OK, so 1,100 acres of gardens may not sound exciting to everyone, but the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska is beautiful. If it can grow in Minnesota, you'll find it here and in spectacular form - from groves of trees to fields of flowers, the sheer volume is a sight to behold. There are miles and miles of trails to walk and explore or you enjoy Three-Mile Drive from the comfort of your car. Each season brings something new to see here.

Murray's - Everyone has their favorite Minneapolis steak house, but this one is a family favorite. My grandparents started dining at Murray's in the 1950s and spent decades raving about it. I knew I'd make the trip eventually and when I did, I understood immediately what the fuss was all about. The prices are not for the faint of heart, but I think the cost fits the pleasure you experience when that famous Silver Butter Knife Steak hits your tongue. It's pure heaven.

Pizzeria Lola

Pizzeria Lola - People will wait as long as it takes to snag a table at Pizzeria Lola and for good reason - this pizza is just that delicious. Wood fired in a gigantic copper oven in South Minneapolis, you'll have your choice of traditional pizzas or more exotic/experimental fare. I've never tasted a more perfect pepperoni and sausage pizza than the Ma Sha-Roni, but the Korean options (the Korean BBQ and the Lady ZaZa) are the most popular here. I'm not sure there is a dud to be found on this menu.

Acqua - White Bear Lake couldn't be any farther from where we live in the Twin Cities metro, but as long as Acqua is in business, we'll make the long trek. This intimate restaurant boasts a great view of the lake and Italian food so good, even the butter is noteworthy. For my money, it doesn't get any better than the Ragu alla Bolognese here.

Apple pie from Terra Waconia

Terra Waconia - Among the pioneers in the Twin Cities farm-to-table movement is Terra Waconia. This tiny restaurant in Waconia on the western outskirts of the metro is dedicated to cooking up the most delicious food the season has to offer. Each night's menu is unique and limited, but oh-so-good. If you can save room for dessert, you won't regret it. Their apple pie is one of the best things I've ever devoured.

Victor's 1959 Cafe - I've never been to Cuba, but I have to imagine that on a hot summer's evening, Victor's 1959 Cafe is as close as it gets. This hole-in-the-wall joint in South Minneapolis has a menu you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the Twin Cities. From empanadas to Ropa Vieja to Xango Chango (fried cheesecake bites), Victor's is the real deal.

*If you'd like to see more of my local restaurant recommendations, you can follow me on Yelp - user name: MolleeF.

King me!

Versailles' famed Hall of Mirrors

One of the few requests the husband had when I was planning our trip to Paris was that he wanted to see a castle. I knew this would not be a problem. It's hard to spit in Europe and not hit a castle - especially in France's Loire Valley which boasts more than 300 castles over 310 square miles (You can do the math - that equates to almost one castle per square mile!) 

So with so many castles in striking range from Paris, why pick just one when we could see several? That's just what we did. Over two days, we visited four very different French chateaux - the over-the-top Versailles, the masculine Chambord, the quaint Nitray and the romantic Chenonceau. 

Our first stop was the Palace of Versailles - once home to Louis XIV, Napoleon, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. This is an easy trip from Paris. In fact, the Metro will take you right to there from the heart of the city in about a half hour. We checked their website before heading out, realizing that to get the most out of France's most visited castle, we'd have to get there early. We arrived just as Versailles was throwing open its doors for the day. And man, if this was a non-busy time, we couldn't tell. Thousands of tourists shuffled slowly from room to room, packed in like sardines. Enjoyable, it was not. 

Gorgeous ceiling at Versailles.

In truth, the furnishings in all the castles we saw were not all that unique. You're probably picturing in your head exactly what we saw - gilded desks, beds so high they require a stool to get into, ornate armoires, etc. The design style seems to eschew comfort and functionality for oohs and ahhs.  At Versailles, it's best to turn your gaze to the ceiling (you'd have to elbow your way to the front to see the furniture anyway). Charles Le Brun is responsible for the majority of the ceiling art here and it is masterful.

The Versailles Orangerie. 

When you've had enough of the crowds, head outside to explore the grounds. This was the highlight of Versailles for us. Beautifully manicured gardens extend on three sides of the palace, each one more beautiful than the last. Our favorite was the Orangerie with more than 1,000 orange trees. It was the quietest and it looked like something right out of Alice in Wonderland. 

On the back side of the palace, you'll find the largest of the gardens at Versailles with towering mazes of hedges, statues and the Grand Canal - a cross-shaped, man-made canal big enough to hold rowing events. This garden is also home to some of the most iconic palace fountains including the Apollo Fountain.  

The Apollo Fountain at Versailles.

The grounds are expansive and if Paris has worn you out (like it had us by this point in the week), I'd recommend renting one of the golf carts to explore. We didn't, but I really wish we would have. 

Later in the week, we took a bus tour to the Loire Valley to check out the other three castles on our list. It's about a two-hour drive from Paris to the Loire Valley. Unfortunately, it's not particularly scenic along the way. Once you get off the highway though, the French countryside will enchant you. I can't count the number of towns we drove through that we would have loved the chance to explore. Maybe next trip...

Chambord

Our first stop on this day was Chambord. This massive chateaux was built as a hunting lodge for King Francis I. It was apparently the inspiration for the Beast's castle in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." There are no gardens here and many of the rooms are unfurnished (we learned that staff had to bring in the furniture when the king was scheduled to visit).

Double-helix staircase

But what the chateau lacks in creature comforts, it makes up for with interesting architectural elements like the roof inspired by an alliance with the Ottoman Empire and the central staircase. The castle features a unique double-helix spiral staircase that is rumored to have been designed by Leonardo Da Vinci. It is impossible to see one staircase from the other, making it ideal for a king with both a wife and a mistress... So scandalous!

Gate at Chateau Nitray

From Chambord, we traveled to Chateau Nitray for lunch. Chateau Nitray is a privately owned working vineyard (helps pay for the upkeep on those drafty old castles). It's a very good example of the actual size and scope of many of the Loire Valley chateaux. Our tour did not include any time inside the actual chateau (since it is occupied by the family) but we were able to enjoy the grounds which included a chapel and a pigeonry in addition to the vineyard.

Red table wine

Naturally, wine was a big focus of our stop at Nitray. It's seriously ridiculous how cheap wine can be in France. The most we paid for a bottle there (you can bring up to two back to the U.S.) was 8,50 euro. Most bottles were 4 euro making it more reasonable to buy a whole bottle of wine than a glass of Coke in a Parisian restaurant. Vive la France!

Chenonceaux over the River Cher

Our final stop that day was at Chenonceau. I feel like I have been dreaming of visiting this picturesque castle since the first day of French class eons ago. Chenonceau is on the River Cher - quite literally. A portion of the main building (the gallery) is built over the river to stunning effect.

This castle has an interesting history to it. (And if you're watching "Reign" on the CW, you'll recognize some of the names involved.) King Henry II (son of Francis) gave the chateau to his mistress Diane de Poitiers who lovingly cared for it and added some spectacular gardens. Upon the death of Henry II, his wife Queen Catherine de Medici secured it for herself and forced Diane out. Fiercely jealous of Diane, Catherine later added more gardens, leaving her own mark on the property.

H for King Henry

Chenonceau gardens

Chenonceau is a small castle - the kind you could almost envision being able to clean on your own. The inside is easily viewable in an hour or so. Make sure to check out the grounds, too. The gardens are really something. I wish we would have had more time to explore them. I think next time, we'll take a train out to Chenonceau (there is a stop right on the property).

Mile high majesty

A climber takes in the view after making it to the top at Garden of the Gods.

Don't worry - I'm not done blogging about France (there's still food and castles to cover!) No, this is just a short break to bring you this report from Colorado.

Colorado is beautiful. End of story.

OK, OK, Colorado deserves more that that. Here goes: We spent a long weekend in the Denver area for a wedding and it's the first time I've really fallen for the city. Well, not the city itself as much as the surrounding area and all the amazing sights it has to offer.

Coors Brewery in Golden

We stayed in Golden on the western edge of Denver. It's a quaint city that sits nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Most people recognize it as the home of Coors Brewery, which sits on the same Clear Creek that runs through the historic downtown. Believe me, there isn't a bar or restaurant in the area that doesn't proudly offer Coors to its customers. I don't blame them. If you've got it, flaunt it.


Golden is beautiful this time of year. It may be named after a gold rush miner, but the city might just as well be named after the hue the trees take on in the fall. They are gorgeous.

Red Rocks Amphitheatre

One bonus to staying in Golden is the close proximity to Red Rocks Park. It takes about 15 minutes to drive there and it's totally worth it. Red Rocks is full of hiking trails with stunning vistas, but it's primarily known for its amphitheatre. The open air stadium is built right into the red rock. You can see downtown Denver in the distance. It's just cool. I'd love to see a concert there sometime. It just has to be the right artist. Counting Crows were playing the day we were there, but I'll get enough of a long December this winter in Minnesota...

We followed up our jaunt to Red Rocks with a drive to Colorado Springs (about an hour south) to check out the Garden of the Gods. This is one of those places I've seen in a million people's photos on Facebook so I wanted to see it with my own eyes.

Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak

The Garden of the Gods seems to come out of nowhere. Suddenly there are these majestic red rocks reaching towards the sky and demanding your attention. We got there in the late afternoon which was awesome for photos. The sky was blue and the way the sun was hitting the rocks seemed to light them up.  Just awesome.


Garden of the Gods (which is FREE!) is a relatively small park so it's an easy walk or a quick drive around. We opted to park and hoof it around for an hour or so.

A climber at Garden of the Gods

The park is super popular with climbers. You can spend the whole time watching them risk their lives scaling the colorful rock face. Did it tempt me to strap on a harness and have a go at it? No. Not at all. Especially with ALL the signs telling me to stay on the sidewalk if I wasn't a professional with a permit. No problem there. I'm much happier with my feet on solid ground.

Garden of the Gods reminded me a lot of Arches National Park in Utah. The colors, the rocks, there are even a few mini arches at Garden of the Gods. The bottom line is, if you like one, you're bound to like the other.

The Denver Biscuit Company
in the Atomic Cowboy bar

My restaurant recommendation for this blog entry is the Denver Biscuit Company. This place (which is located in the Atomic Cowboy bar) has been in my Yelp bookmarks our last three trips to Denver, but this is the first time we actually made it there. It was definitely worth the wait for this southern comfort food. Big flaky biscuits are the main attraction here. Go hungry because this is gut busting food. Get the cinnamon roll - it's huge and delicious. Get something with the buttermilk fried chicken - it's pure peppery goodness. Get half of everything you order to go or you'll be miserably full for the rest of the day (lesson learned).

While we only had a few days in Colorado, I'm already making plans to go back. Pikes Peak (which is just west of Garden of the Gods) is at the top of my return trip to-do list. I'm taking that cog railway to the top! I'm also dying to check out the nearby Manitou Springs and Santa's Workshop among a million other things the Colorado Springs area has to offer.

North of Denver, I'm bound for Rocky Mountain National Park. Unfortunately, those monster rains Colorado got last month had closed some roads, making that side trip impossible this time around. Mesa Verde, with those cool Pueblo cliff dwellings in southwest Colorado, is also calling my name. So much Colorado to see, so little time to see it.

Garden of the Gods

Paris: Simply monumental

One of Paris's many carousels

When you've been dreaming of Paris as long as I have, you amass quite a list of must-see monuments along the way. My poor husband could hardly begin to imagine what unique brand of torture I had in store for him. Luckily, he broke in his shoes before the trip began, thus avoiding the inevitable blisters from walking many, many miles each day. (I was not as fortunate, but I powered through nonetheless.)

We started our first full day in Paris with a trip to the Arc de Triomphe - Napoleon's present to himself following his victory at Austerlitz in 1806. After a short ride on the Metro, we emerged at the Place Charles de Gaulle - home to that massive traffic circle. One might be tempted to play their own version of tourist Frogger to get to the Arc, but it's not necessary. There are a couple tunnels that run under the road and provide safe access for pedestrians.

For 9,50 euro, you can trek to the top of the Arc where you'll find some great views of Paris (especially the nearby Eiffel Tower). We arrived shortly after the Arc opened for the day (10 a.m.) to avoid the majority of the crowds. It worked as there were only a handful of people to contend with.

Looking up from underneath the Arc de Triomphe

It's a long walk to the top - some 300 steps up a spiral staircase (the elevator is reserved for those that really need it). If you're not winded by the time you get to the top of the Arc, I applaud you - you're in great shape. Apparently, we are not. But the views more than made up for all the huffing and puffing we did to get up there.

Back down on the ground, we marveled at the size of the monument and all of the intricate carvings that decorate it. It really is a thing of beauty.

Arc de Triomphe at night

Later in the week, we returned to see it all lit up at night. There are far fewer crowds at night so you can get some nice photographs, including those iconic ones where the traffic is blurred around the Arc. Sweet.

From the Arc de Triomphe, it's an easy walk to the Eiffel Tower so we headed there next, walking through one of Paris's nicest neighborhoods to the Place du Trocadero. The Trocadero- surrounded by the impressive Palais de Chaillot-  offers the best view of the Eiffel Tower. As a result, the plaza is always buzzing with tourists. If you're looking for a miniature replica of the Eiffel Tower (in literally any size), this is the place to go. You'll have your choice of guys to buy it from. Don't accept their first offer - they will always go lower. If one doesn't, another will undoubtedly be waiting in the wings to make you a deal.

View of the Trocadero and the Palais de Chaillot
from the Eiffel Tower

We pre-purchased our tickets (14,50 euro) to go up the Eiffel Tower. It was a gamble because we didn't know what the weather would be like, but it sure saved us a ton of time in line. Instead of waiting 2-3 hours, we just showed up at our assigned time and up we went.

If you're a first-timer like we were, you really ought to go all the way to the summit. It involves two separate elevator rides (the second of which seems to go through the clouds), but it's so worth it. On a clear day- which we were fortunate to have- you can see for more than 40 miles - all of Paris and then some. For photos, however, the "second" floor has the best views (as well as a whole lot more space to breathe). Nothing will give you a better idea of where things are in Paris than these views. They also serve to illustrate my first blog posting point about the sheer size of some of these buildings. They're huge!

The Eiffel Tower by night

Like the Arc de Triomphe, we returned later in the week to see the Eiffel Tower all lit up. On the Metro ride there, I realized that it's not just visitors that are enamored by the tower. It's beloved by many a Parisian as well. Case in point - when the train emerged from the dark of the subway tunnel to cross the Seine, every head in our car - every single person - turned to look at the glowing icon outside. It's hard to fathom that this iron lady was only supposed to stand for 20 years. Almost 125 years after it was finished, the Eiffel Tower remains the most enduring symbol of Paris.

When we got to the Trocadero it was one big party. A crowd had gathered to catch the tower sparkling (which it does for five minutes at the top of every hour after dusk). A man was playing a pan flute. Vendors were launching glow-in-the-dark Eiffel Towers in the air. I could have set up camp there for the remainder of our trip if there wasn't still more to see.

The Notre-Dame

No trip to Paris is complete without visiting the Notre-Dame. This 850-year-old Gothic cathedral sits on an island in the middle of the Seine, in the heart of the oldest part of Paris. The church was immortalized in popular culture with Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and it is not difficult to imagine Quasimodo lumbering along the South Tower to ring the bells.

While you can't ring the bells, you can go up into the towers and you totally should. Yes, you'll endure a spiral staircase with 400 increasingly narrow steps, but you'll also get up close and personal with those carved critters at the top.

Chimera

For 8,50 euro, you'll trek up in small groups of 15-20 (probably the least amount of people you'll ever be surrounded with at a Parisian tourist site). The views are great, but you'll likely have a hard time taking your eyes off the gargoyles and chimera.

Gargoyle

These personality-packed creatures - many half man, half beast - are fascinating. I've always thought of the statues as gargoyles, but you'll learn that the gargoyles are actually the carvings that act as water spouts. The chimera are the bigger pieces scattered around the towers as decoration. Each one was so unique and looked as though it had its own story to tell.

After you lumber back down the stairs, make sure to check out the inside of the Notre-Dame as well. (It's free!) There are services held most of the day so you'll want to be as quiet and respectful as possible - though it may be hard to quell the oohing and ahhing with all the spectacular sights like when the sun hits the Rose Window just right and the stained glass lights up in a glorious display of brilliant colors.

Inside the Pantheon

The Pantheon isn't the tourist magnet that the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame are, but it's a worthy diversion. Located in the Latin Quarter, the Pantheon was built in mid-1700s. It was originally intended as a church dedicated to Saint Genevieve, but amidst the French Revolution, it became a mausoleum housing some of France's most distinguished people. Today, you can visit the crypts and pay your respects to the likes of Hugo, Marie Curie and Louis Braille.

Upstairs, don't miss the Foucault pendulum - physicist Leon Foucault's 1851 experiment to easily demonstrate the rotation of the Earth. Although the current pendulum (which wasn't on display when we were there) is a replica, the original (a 62-pound brass covered lead bob) did hang from the building's domed roof until 1855.

A note about Paris's popular monuments: While we felt totally safe throughout our trip, we were also well armed with information about how pickpockets and scammers target tourists in the city. Around the Arc de Triomphe especially, you'll likely encounter young girls adamant about you signing their petitions. Think it through - what nob is going to accept a petition signature from a foreigner? None. It's a scam. While you're busy signing the petition, someone could easily use the distraction to pick your pocket. Also keep an eye out for men that want to "give" you a souvenir bracelet or ring made of string (we saw this most around the Sacre Coeur in Montmartre). Once that "gift" is secured, a demand for payment will follow. Refuse to pay and you're sure to be harassed into doing so. In some cases, the routine is also a front for pickpockets. In all instances, it's best to just be firm with your no and keep walking.

An awe-inspiring alcove inside the Notre-Dame.

Paris: Je t'aime

The Eiffel Tower as viewed from the Trocadero

The long line of cars seemed to snake all the way from the airport to the city center. It was the early afternoon hours of Sunday, Sept. 1 and everyone - I mean everyone - was returning from their month-long holidays. Except us. Our vacation was just beginning.

I have had my heart set on going to Paris since the first day of French class in seventh grade. After eight years of French lessons, my desires had not waned one bit. The grandeur of the Eiffel Tower, the mystique of the Notre-Dame, the magnificence of the Arc de Triomphe - it had all bewitched me from a world away.

In the ensuing two decades, there were plenty of trips to be had, but, ironically, Paris was not one of them. The closest I came to France was a couple of trips to western Germany. Paris eluded me.

I started telling people that I'd marry the man that took me to Paris. First comes Paris, then comes marriage... But, as most of my plans go, I got that all wrong. I married him first.

Five years after we said 'I do,' Chad surprised me with a pair of earrings and a French-English dictionary. (The earrings had nothing to do with the dictionary, but I believe in always acknowledging the gift of jewelry.) The dictionary was his way of saying that he had finally given in to years of  hinting, begging and flat out demanding to be taken to Paris. I hugged him and thrust the dictionary in his hands. "I won't need this - you will," I told him as I scampered off to the computer to begin the planning.

The Arc de Triomphe surrounded by a massive traffic circle

Fast forward three months and we were in an airport shuttle hurtling towards Paris. My heart could have burst with excitement as I caught a glimpse of the Sacre Coeur off in the distance. Then, all of a sudden, we exited the motorway and we were darting through the streets of Paris. The Arc de Triomphe was directly ahead and I knew we were about to take on the daunting Charles de Gaulle traffic circle. Twelve streets empty into the 10-lane wide roundabout and yet, somehow, we zipped in and out in mere seconds.

We weren't counting on getting a tour of Paris when we booked our airport shuttle. It was pure luck that the others in our van were scattered around the city allowing us to catch glimpses of the Louvre, the Palais Garnier and the Eiffel Tower. It was wonderful and overwhelming all at once.

View of the Pantheon from the Hotel des Grands Hommes

We stayed at the Hotel des Grands Hommes - a boutique hotel with just 31 rooms located in the fifth arrondissement. (Paris has 20 arrondissements- or neighborhoods- that make up the city. They spiral out from the center with the majority of the big monuments situated on the banks of the Seine, right smack in the middle of it all.) We were just seven blocks from the Seine, in the heart of the Latin Quarter. Our hotel looked right out on the Pantheon - a church-turned-mausoleum that now serves as the final resting place for some of France's biggest names including Voltaire, Emile Zola, Rousseau, Victor Hugo and Pierre and Marie Curie.

I'm sure most tourists fall in love with the first arrondissement they stay in when they visit Paris. We definitely did. This area of Paris is one of the city's oldest and it's full of narrow, winding cobblestone streets that are lined with shops and cafes - everything you imagine when you think of Paris. We were happy to call it home for the week.

Notre Dame across the Seine

When we arrived at our hotel, our room wasn't quite ready so we took the opportunity to ditch our bags and take a stroll. I had committed the city's layout to memory before we left and I knew that the Notre-Dame Cathedral was within easy walking distance. Down the Rue Saint Jacques we went, passing by many of the city's impressive universities - including the massive Sorbonne. We quickly reached the Seine, glancing across its waters to take in our first view of the Gothic beauty.

The French have this tourism thing down pat. Right in front of the church's western facade, they had set up bleachers that were perfect for sitting and contemplating all that stood before you. We took our seats and poured over the incredible architectural details - everything from the intricate carvings and the stunning rose window to the packed-with-personality gargoyles and the flying buttresses.

One thing we couldn't get over - and this went for our entire trip - was how seriously large some of these buildings are. The tower tour at the Notre-Dame (which we took later in the week) involves climbing 400 increasingly narrow steps to get to the top. One branch of the Louvre art museum is a half-mile long! And the Eiffel Tower is so tall it takes two elevators to get to the summit. These are all things I would have never had an appreciation for had I not seen them with my own eyes.

Hotel des Grands Hommes

One place that did not fall into this seriously large category was our hotel room. We were prepared for something significantly smaller than we were used to, but I don't know that we anticipated things being as "cozy" as they were. We had to unpack our big suitcase right away because there just wasn't any room to open it up. Despite the tight quarters, the room was actually well-appointed. I still haven't quite figured out how they managed to fit in two chairs, a desk, a mini fridge and television in that small space, but they did.

We didn't spend much time in the room aside from sleeping, but we ended up loving all of its charms - especially the two sets of floor-to-ceiling windows that opened to a striking view of the Pantheon. Those were as Parisian as it gets.

Chad at Restaurant Perraudin

Our first night we faced the daunting task of trying to pick a restaurant among the 10,000 or so the city has to offer. We had read some good things online about a little place around the corner called Restaurant Perraudin so we decided to head over there just as they were opening for the evening. It was around 7:30, a good half-hour yet before any sensible Parisian would even begin to think about dinner. Only one other table was occupied.

We went full-French for that first meal, ordering three courses from the formula - essentially the prix fixe menu. It was entirely too much food, but we were determined to have the quintessential dinner experience. Over several hours (for the French, dinner is the evening activity) we gorged ourselves on baguette, foie gras, sausages, veal, boeuf bourguignon, profiteroles and apple tart. It was gluttony at its very best.

Profiteroles

After dinner, we walked back to our hotel, pleasantly full and overly tired from the long day's journey. Bed was calling, but Paris had one more surprise in store for us. There, at the end of the street and right in front of our eyes, was the top of the Eiffel Tower, all lit up for the evening. It wasn't a dream. I was in Paris at last.


Observations: The Charles de Gaulle airport has these strange ramps/shoots that take travellers from one area of the terminal to another. I've never felt more like a gerbil in my life. I didn't get a picture, but you can check one out on this blog.

Ooohhh, aaahhh, Iceland

The gorgeous blue waters of the Blue Lagoon

Normally, I detest long layovers. Usually, you're stuck sitting around in a generic airport, eating overpriced food and waiting to get on a plane only to sit some more. On our recent trip to Paris (more on that in another blog) we connected through - of all places - Iceland. Talk about a place I thought I'd never see.

On our way over, we only had an hour-long layover so we didn't have a chance to do much more than get off one plane and hop on another. On the return, it was an entirely different story though. With a seven-plus-hour layover awaiting us, a trek outside the Keflavik Airport walls was definitely in order. Bonus trip!

Before we left, my online research seemed to say that Reykjavik - Iceland's capital - was out of reach for our layover because the ride into the center of town takes about an hour. Instead, we made arrangements to visit the Blue Lagoon in nearby Grindavik. The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa located amongst lava fields. Seemed as good an introduction to the wonders of Iceland as anything could be.

After a 20-minute shuttle drive into what appeared to be the middle of nowhere, we arrived at the Blue Lagoon. It was about 44 degrees outside with a wind strong enough to whip your hair into knots. The idea of donning a swimsuit in that weather seemed a little crazy, but we forged ahead nonetheless.

A short trek through mountains of lava rock led us to the main building where we checked in and picked up some towels and bathrobes (you can rent them, along with swimsuits, there). We were also outfitted with a special futuristic bracelet that controlled our lockers and allowed us to buy food and drinks at the pool. So groovy.

After a quick change and shower, we were ready to test out the famed waters. The Blue Lagoon is a man-made wonder, fed by the water output from the nearby geothermal power plant (you can see steaming it in the background of the photos.) The water, which ranges from 98 to 102 degrees, is rich in silica and sulphur (and yes, it does smell like it's full of sulphur). The minerals are responsible for the beautiful blue color of the lagoon.

Like a hot tub time machine

If you think it looks pretty, you should spend a few hours sitting in it. Talk about the world's best bath- it never gets cold. And the chilly air temps provided the perfect contrast to the deliciously warm waters.

Something about this out-of-this-world experience seemed to put everyone at the lagoon in a good mood. People were jovial and friendly. It was like one big hot tub party. At one point there was even a DJ (in a bathrobe) spinning on the pool deck. You had to pinch yourself to make sure it was all real.

For those looking for the full spa experience, there are a ton of services - massage, facials, body scrubs- you can take advantage of for an extra charge. For free, you can fashion your own face mask with some of the silica mud provided in buckets around the lagoon. Everyone does it. You might as well look ridiculous, too. After the mud dries (10-15 minutes), you rinse it off and then marvel at how amazingly smooth your skin feels. I honestly couldn't believe the difference. If it hadn't been 44 degrees out, I would have slathered my entire body in the stuff.

We spent about two hours in the water before it was time to get dried off and back on our shuttle to the airport. We perused the Blue Lagoon gift shop, but everything in Iceland seems absurdly expensive so we opted to take home only photos and memories (and great skin!).

The Blue Lagoon is surrounded by lava fields.

It cost 33 euro (roughly 44 dollars) to spend the day at the Blue Lagoon (not counting the airport shuttle or towel/robe rentals), but for our one Iceland outing, we honestly thought it was worth it. We got back on the plane so refreshed and relaxed - it didn't seem like we had a layover at all.

I don't know if we'll ever make it back to Iceland, but if we happen to get sidelined at the Keflavik Airport again, I'll be ready to head back to the Blue Lagoon.


Observations: 
* So many of the words in the Icelandic language contain mind-bending combinations of letters and vowels. Beyond "hello" and "thank you", I was totally lost.
* The conversion from Icelandic krona to U.S. dollars was something like 109 to 1. I wasn't the only one who couldn't wrap my head around it - we overheard one woman lamenting about getting the decimal point wrong - a mistake that could have meant the difference between paying $10 and paying $100.
* If airplane food is any indication, fish is the main component of an Icelandic diet.
* The Keflavik Airport may have been ordered straight out of an Ikea catalog.

Bonus shot from the plane of when we flew over Greenland. How gorgeous!

Utah: Pretty as a postcard

Fisher Towers along the Colorado River

I never really thought much about Utah. As terrible as it sounds, in my mind, it was just a big, boxy state filled with Mormons. As usual, my assumptions were dead wrong. I mean, there certainly are Mormons, but there's also a whole lot more to this state.

The husband and I drove through on a road trip from Reno, Nevada last summer. We hadn't even crossed the state line yet and we were already in awe of its beauty. From the snow-capped Rocky Mountains around Salt Lake City to the riveting red rocks of the Moab area, this state is as pretty as a postcard.

Armed with sodas and beef jerky (for the husband, of course), we set off across the Bonneville Salt Flats. You'll recognize the scene from pretty much any commercial featuring a fast car in the desert. Mountains give way to a flat expanse of blinding white sands that go on for miles and miles, giving the illusion that you are on a road surrounded by water.

Bonneville Salt Flats

Eventually the sand turns into scrub brush and the mountains return and you hit the Great Salt Lake. You'll probably smell the Great Salt Lake before you see it. The odor of sulphur lingers in the air for quite a distance. I guess there are also brine flies. I don't like the sound of brine flies so we stayed in the car and kept driving.

We stayed in Provo, just south of Salt Lake City that night. Thanks to Yelp, we filled our bellies that night at  Four Seasons Hot Pot & Dumplings - a hole-in-the-wall place that specialized in hot pot and dumplings. I love dumplings. I was really looking forward to dumplings, but seriously, the dumpling guy is never there. Everyone noted this on Yelp and we found the same. He was in China when we arrived. Boo! Hot pot it was...

Mormon temple in Provo

I normally hate having a restaurant all to myself (on the flip side, I also hate waiting for a table in a full restaurant) but this was actually good. We'd never done the hot pot thing before so the owner walked us through the process. It's similar to the Mongolian barbecue concept where you have a bunch of raw meats, vegetables and noodles that you throw together and cook, but in this case, instead of throwing them all on a hibachi, you throw them in a pot of boiling broth.

The timing is crucial on this. The meats go in first based on their density, then the veggies, then the noodles. It's a fun concept that I wouldn't mind trying again. Also, they made their own special dipping sauce there. It was a delightfully tasty combination of  soy sauce, ginger, garlic, peanut and sesame. If they sold that by the bottle, I would have loaded up. But alas...

Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway

The next morning, we headed south, detouring to Arches National Park for the day. The three-hour drive from Provo to Moab is one of the most stunning I have ever been on. The extreme green of the Provo area gives way to dry desert mountains and eventually morphs into this spectacular red rock that is nothing short of captivating. Houses are few and far between out here.

We were on the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway. It wasn't hard to imagine dinosaur bones buried in the hills around us. For budding archaeologists, there are plenty of opportunities to see dinosaur bones along the way. We didn't stop, but perhaps on our next trip...

Arches National Park

The temperature hit 105 degrees that day. Even with low humidity, it was not the most ideal temperature for visiting Arches National Park. Also, there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Shade would be hard to come by. My husband- who claims that he can't be cold enough- was determined to stay in the Jeep. I was resolute that we'd brave the heat so we could really see the park. After all, we don't live anywhere near Utah so who knows when the opportunity to visit would come by again. We bought some comically large bottles of water and entered the park.

Photos don't do Arches justice. I know, bizarre rock formations don't sound exciting on paper, but this place just has to be seen in person. And when you're gazing out at the Courthouse Towers or the Towers of Babel, don't be surprised if an image of Indiana Jones appears before your eyes. "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" was one of several movies that have taken advantage of this stunning backdrop in film.

Tourists congregate
under Turret Arch.

There are over 2,000 natural stone arches at Arches National Park. Most of them are quite large. They don't look that big from the road, so you have to get out of the car to appreciate their size.

Delicate Arch

Arches' signature sight is the famed Delicate Arch. It's so beloved in Utah that it appears on their license plates. Take that McDonald's. After taking a hotel pool break during the intense heat of the day, we returned to the park to see Delicate Arch in all its glory. It's a hike just to get to the upper viewing point for Delicate Arch. We waffled on whether or not to tackle the 1.5-mile trail to the actual arch. It was hot. It was uphill. We were already pretty wiped from the day. Maybe next time.

If you're staying in nearby Moab (really the only city nearby) you can time your Arches visit to take advantage of the best lighting for pictures. Early morning is great, sunset is even better. The reds of the rock intensify and the shadows dance on the formations. It's breathtaking.

The following day we decided to take the Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway as we left. It didn't seem like anyone else was on this road so having those sights to ourselves was awesome. The Colorado River raged on our left-hand side. Sometimes we caught a glimpse of rafters tackling the white water. On our right, was red rock as far as the eye could see.

Along the Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway

After this brief stint in Utah, I'm bound and determined to come back. For one, I'm going to hike up to Delicate Arch. But I'm also ready to hit the other parks in southern Utah. Canyonlands (which was within an easy distance of Arches), Bryce Canyon, Zion, Capitol Reef - consider yourself warned.

I'm coming for you.