From Paris with Love

It has been a little over a week since the Chef and I renewed our vows. I have no idea where to start when it comes to talking or writing about this whole experience, because it was all a little overwhelming. 

I had not told him about the priest coming to the house to bless our marriage and our family. He knew our friends and family were coming over and that was enough. When the priest arrived, he just went with the flow, all low key, a little teary and all, well, perfect. 

I caved and told him about Paris on Sunday evening. I could not keep it a secret any longer. Needless to say, he was thrilled to bits.

I have had a really hard time collecting my thoughts in order to put words with my photos. Visiting Paris with my handsome Chef was kind of like being with 'Jack unleashed in a sweet shop'. He grabbed one of his past issues of his favourite rag 'The Art of Eating - Paris (again)' and lined up a few places on a MAP! Seriously, he (the luddite that he is) sat down on Sunday evening with a map of Paris. He drew and he dotted each little restaurant and bakery and delicatessen that he wanted to visit. By the time he hit the streets of Paris, he knew exactly where he wanted to go and how to get there (well kind of - thank God for GPS on my iPhone).

Of course, the first stop had to be at a knife shop. (When in Paris?). This is not the first time we have bought a knife when on holidays. As we strolled through the streets making our way to the shop, we both commented on how 'everyone in Paris still smokes'. It was kind of nasty actually.

Thankfully, the have passed a law where you are not allowed to smoke inside! So, here we are bright and early on our first day in Paris in this cavernous knife shop and immediately we are transported back in time. Since 1820 E.Dehillerin has been supplying the parisians with everything they need for their kitchens. I reckon Julia Child probably walked these aisles looking for a few items too. 

Of course, the Chef saw a million and one things that he HAD-TO-HAVE, but thankfully did not want to carry all over the city, and we spent quite a bit of time just meandering around and poking about in all the little cubby holes.

Some items were quite large and even a little intimidating to the seasoned Chef!

Totally exhausted were we after all that shopping, so we got a recommendation from the Knife-shop-man-from-india as to where one might enjoy a lovely lunch. Steering us away from the touristy spots and telling us to let them now 'he' sent us, we plopped down in a tiny little corridor-style restaurant and started to feel like we were on holidays. You could not spend more than €6 on a bottle of wine. Even if you wanted to.

It did not matter what you were hungry for, because every single meal that flew out of the fridge-size kitchen looked so appetizing we were slobbering all over our plates by the time ours arrived.

Although he is a gourmet-for-life-kinda-guy, there is nothing quite as pleasing as a plain old ham n'cheese toastie for lunch. Of course, this was a little more than just a plain old toasted sandwich. He did not even offer me a bite to taste!

I went all the way to Paris to order the tartare. Yes, raw meat for me. I love it. I would eat it every day if the chef would make it for me. It was perfect. Spicy and savoury and very, very fresh.

Of course, the next stop had to be at one of the best bakery's in Paris. (He had a list of at least TEN-BEST-BAKERY'S in PARIS). Picking up a few croissants for later, he made a mental note (I pin dropped the location) as to 'how we might find' the bakery the next day so we could get a baguette and lunch al fresco.

Although I am certain that all the bakery's in Paris are amazing, I can confirm that the few we visited were the 'dean and deluca' of the bunch. Top notch quality and shockingly all priced right!

Of course, when in Paris, one can't help but take notice of things like how fashionable the street sweepers are as they sweep the sidewalks with their silicone sweepers - all colour coordinated! 

We walked everywhere for three long days. I choose sensible footwear knowing we would be hoofing it most of the time. The Chef choose to wear his cowboy boots and cried like a girl each night as he nursed his blistered toes.

This was as close as we go to all the sight-seeing people might do. We stayed on Saint Louis en isle - a teeny tiny quiet island plopped dead in the middle of the city. Quiet that is until Notre Dame, who is on the adjoining Island, let's her bells toll. Funny, but that is a sound that would never annoy you.

There are no photos from the inside of a few stores because they waved away my camera lens as we entered the shops so I assume they do not want publicity for all their goodies. 

Of course, that did not stop us from shopping!

All in all the Chef and I and a fantastic little mini-break. We were fortunate that Granny, my cousin Jamie and my BFF from college (Becca) held down the fort for us and everyone was still alive when we got home!

So, now that we know we can 'get away' for a few nights, how about London or Rome for the next little getaway! Who's with me?

Those are all the WiseWords I have for this evening,

WiseMóna

(for those of you on Facebook - I have finally uploaded all the photos!)

I've got a secret

We all have those moments where all we can do is sit back and ponder where all the time has gone. I am feeling that way alot lately. Mostly because the kids are just slipping away from my grasp more and more. Instead of popping into my bed for a snuggle or a quick snooze in the mornings they are bolting down the stairs and hooking up their iPods to the speakers to 'rock the house' into awakeness.

Also, I have been with my handsome Chef for the best part of FOURTEEN years this month and to be honest, it feels like only yesterday when I caught a glimpse of him for the first time. Speaking softly with his smiling eyes, at the other end of the bar in his denim overalls and long ponytailed hair tucked under a navy blue beret, ' hubba hubba - I'm gonn marry that guy'  I said to myself and so I did!

He wanted nothing to do with me of course. It took me several weeks of coercing and a lot of Irish Coffees to convince him that I was the one for him and I am pretty sure he has finally resigned himself to that idea.

Having spent a lot of our time (and money) traveling before the kids came along, then pouring our life and love into the restaurant before finally ' upping shticks' to move back home to Galway, I can tell you that when I stowed away those suitcases in the attic I became one of those people that really 'loves' home. OK, I still like to get away for a day or two, but the wanderlust has been cured.

So when he decided that we 'had to go somewhere'  to celbrate or ten year wedding anniversary (looming on September 30th for all of you who remember sharing all that food and wine) I had a few mild panic attacks. I tried several great excuses like:

1). We can;t leave ALL THOSE Kids with Mum for a weekend, it is just too much for her to cope with (forgetting that my Mother would do anything for my Husband).

2). We have more than 15 feathery members of our WiseFlock and at least one or two dogs that need caring for too. (Again, Granny offers to stay at our place.....)

3). My passport has expired. (There is an instant 'walk-in-pick-up-a-new-one-office' not too far from home).

By mid-summer he gave up begging and pleading with me and we let sleeping dogs lie. I hate that I have turned into that person considering we never ever as much as made hotel reservations when we traveled as young lovers, we just packed our bags and 'went'.

So what is this big secret then?

Well, I love Paris in the Autumn. Due to the fact that we both love Italy and have spent more time holidaying there than anywhere else (by choice), we have family living in very cool cities accross Europe like Zurich, Switzerland and Alsace, France (slap-bang in the middle of the wine country), the Chef has never made it to Paris.

So armed with my class schedule, my mother's blessing and the hopes that I can convince a few of my BFF's to help relieve my Mum when needed, I took the plunge and have stolen some time the first week of October to take my honey to Paris for some second-honeymooning!

Considering it is just about a month away I am taking a huge risk that he will actually see this on the blog and the surprise will be secret-no-more. Wait, who am I kidding, he does not READ THIS BLOG (or anything on a computer!) so I reckon he will not have a clue about the trip until I drive him to the airport and whisk him away.

I know he is working on his own little secret himself, searching for something I 'want and need' and can't wait to report back to y'all just how much fun a girl can have surprising her hubby and heading of the the city of lovers for a few days in Autumn. 

Those are all the WiseWords I have for today,

WiseMóna

(who is estatic to be back in college and have time to WRITE!)