saucybritches

Always On My Mind

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 05:52:00 +0000

I was talking with my folks tonight, and we got on the subject of marriage and thankfulness. It made me realize how easy it is to slip into a place of taking each other for granted, and how that can really unravel your relationship. After 30 years of ups and downs, I think my parents are getting to a place where they realize how much they've been through, and how lucky they are to have each other. So, in honor of their 30 years of marriage, I dedicate this song to Mom & Dad:

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In other news, Barack Obama clinched the Democratic nomination, and I'm happier than a pig in shit! That's right, I'm practicing my colorful down-home expressions in preparation for the rash of red-neck, right-wing emails I'm expecting in my inbox tomorrow from the army of relatives (and military friends) who like to rag on the only democrat in their midst. That's right people! I'm colorful! I'm liberal! Get used to it! :D

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Also, our good friend Nathan made it home from Israel, Jordan, and Egypt all in one piece, with only one potential terrorist kidnapping story to share. We're glad he's home and we had a good chat about his experiences over there. It really piqued my interest about the Israeli & Palestinian conflict and the effect on the young people. It sounds sort of silly to say, but traveling overseas for the first time this past month (even to somewhere so European) really made me realize how isolated we are in the U.S. I mean, I read about what is going on the world, but with no frame of reference, it's hard to picture the effects of all the turmoil in the world. I can see how visiting the middle east, or africa, or some other troubled place would really color your perspective in a huge way.

Nathan put it best by saying that he was able to put a "face" to the problems we read about every day. Anyway, it was inspiring, and also makes me want to travel more and experience life in other cultures. It's so strange how small the world seems to me sometimes...With the internet and all the copious amounts of information available, it's easy to start to feel like you know a lot. Traveling abroad just made me feel so small, and so disconnected. I can see how a hunger for knowledge you can't find in a book can be so consuming. I'm already planning our next trip...perhaps South America?

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Lastly, I'm still struggling with the name of my new blog. I've narrowed it down to two and I haven't figured out which direction I'm going to go yet. I have a feeling by next week I'll have decided and will be ready to launch the blog which will either be called:

Saucy Britches

or

General Lee Fabulous

Thoughts? Are my britches saucy enough? Am I ready for all the responsibilities that come with being a General? and being so fabulous? Stay Tuned!

Too Long For Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 04:59:00 +0000

"The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious."

-Tom Robbins

Who are you anyway?

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Thu, 29 May 2008 19:46:00 +0000

A long long time ago, in what feels like a past life, I had a thing for John Mayer. Not John Mayer, the tabloid fodder/serial starlet dater, but John Mayer, the lanky, talented, perverse, (and perversely talented) musician. I was fortunate enough to see 16 shows between 2001-2005, and really watched his style and success reach fever pitch. I was fortunate enough to meet and chat with him on several occasions, and I was a moderator for sixfeetsmall.com and goodtimescheck.com, both fan-based forums for a number of years. I even chose my online moniker, Villanovababy, based on his high school band's name, which was named after a Jimi Hendrix song...in case anyone was wondering.

At some point, I got off that ship. The shows had gotten too huge, I could barely hear my favorite solo in City Love over the squeals of the teen girls...it felt less personal, and the connection was lost for me. So now, when I see him on t.v. or in US Weekly with whatever girl he's romancing, peddling his wit for fame, it feels like I'm in a different world...I wonder if he's lost, or if this was his plan all along. I still buy the albums, and I still contemplate tickets whenever he comes to town, but as I get older, and he gets older, it feels like the energy that brought me to the scene wanes and becomes less relevant.

I am in the process of changing my online moniker. I think it's time. The forums are gone, the fans I knew are dissipating, and the meaning has become too convoluted to explain anymore. So, Villanovababy will be changing. I'm in the process of designing a new header. I'll probably still stick with the same address, just for ease of use for now...unless blogger makes it easy for me to change. The new header will be unveiled next month, so stay tuned for that.

Come and see the marvelous tattooed lady!

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Wed, 28 May 2008 04:39:00 +0000

Mandy Patinkin makes me hot...

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Tue, 27 May 2008 18:10:00 +0000

I don't spend much time watching movies, but last night I had a wicked headache and lying on my sofa feeling sorry for myself, was really all I could muster. I was checking out the on-demand feature on our cable and saw that Yentl was under the free movies and I decided to give it a whirl.

It was a long, drawn-out, self indulgent Barbra Streisand vehicle with bad songs, but an interesting and relatively well executed premise... AND, Mandy Patinkin plays the love interest, Avigdor. It's a shame Barbra didn't see fit to give him a song or two, since he is actually a wonderful singer. His curly mop and full beard are really sexy (Oh, who knew? I have a thing for bearded dark haired men!). His character is sympathetic and even though his views on women are antiquated, his character is VERY appealing. (The clip below is NSFW as it includes a skinny dipping scene)

The Princess Bride is another one of my favorite movies. Actually, I don't know many people who don't love that movie. Mandy Patinkin's character in that movie is damaged, angry, funny, and HOT. Inigo Montoya totally rocks the leather pants/porn star mustache and makes it work.

Mandy was also in another favorite of mine, Dick Tracy as Madonna's piano man. He only has a minor role in the movie, but he does share a song with Madge halfway through the movie...His hair leaves something be desired in this clip, but his voice makes up for it.

So, let's review... Mandy Patinkin is hot. Talmud studyin', no pants wearin' Jew; revenge seekin', leather pants wearin' drunken Spaniard; or tortured tuxedo wearin' piano man... all hot.

Paris Photos!

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Sun, 25 May 2008 21:43:00 +0000

click here to see the slideshow. If you click the "i" in the center, you can see the captions as well.

Parisian Party Ponanza!

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Sun, 25 May 2008 18:40:00 +0000

Yeah, I know I spelled it wrong. :) Anyway, last night was SUPER fun and I'd like to thank Joe & Megan for allowing us to host the shindig at their house, for cleaning up and making us breakfast...it was SUCH a treat and we hope to pay you back some day soon.

Here are the photos... We didn't take the camera out until things had started to wind down, but the good news is that you got to see all the drunken shenanigans, which is the most entertaining part anyway!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

I know other people were taking photos too, so hopefully I'll have some to add very soon.

ALSO - I will be posting the Paris photos very shortly for all of you who missed the party. But, it won't be quite the same because last night we viewed them while drinking champagne and eating French cheese... and YOU MISSED IT. ;)

Set in stone (or skin)

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:33:00 +0000

The time is rapidly approaching that I will no longer be living in Denver. I have mixed emotions about the transition. I'm excited about our new start and this new phase of our lives, but I'm a little sad about leaving Denver (the city) and even more sad about leaving Denver (the people).

I've made some amazing friends in the last 4 years and have been incredibly lucky. Charleigh was my first non-Air Force friend, and she really brought me into her world and introduced me to all kinds of great people. They have all become my core group of friends... I've also gotten closer with some of Tim's friends, Lena, Jackie, Jeff & Jenny and that has been great too. It will be a major loss for both Tim and I, to not be able to see everyone as often.

I think one of the hardest things will be leaving one of my best friends here, Tiddleywink (also know as Princess Consuela Bananahammock). We've really gotten close over the past two years, and all the hours we've spent shopping, brunching, playing dress-up, planning parties, trying not to buy shoes (and buying them anyway), eating cheese, and arguing with each other, have just been so much fun. I'll really miss her.

We're wrapping up our time here together with a joint trip to get some art from the talented folks at Tribal Rites. She's getting a cool piece done on her back, and I'm getting my stars on my ankles. (Those of you who saw the VLV photos, may have noticed the stars I had Joe do in henna on the back of my ankles. That was just a practice round...)

I'm a little nervous, but also excited to get a little more ink done. The last time I got a tattoo was with (my very best friend in the world) Echo in San Francisco on our 1997 "Freedom Ride". I'm so glad we did that together. Every time I see that tattoo, I think of that amazing trip and feeling so close to her. Since she and I have always lived far away from each other, it's a little reminder of our connection and our dreams about our future.

This set of tattoos will always have major significance for me. This time in Colorado has been a huge growing experience for me, and the happiest moments of my adult life have been spent on these city streets with the man I love, and the people I truly care about. Plus, I'll look badass. ;)

Tim asked me what I would say if people asked my what my tattoos mean... They mean I'm a two star general, and my name is General Lee Fabulous. ;) (thanks to the girls and all the liquor it took to come up with that...)

Jetlag and the real world...

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Tue, 20 May 2008 12:08:00 +0000

It's 6 am and I'm awake. *yawn* It's so unlike me, but this sleep schedule is still a little wonky from the Paris time change. I'm not THAT annoyed with it...If I had to be stuck on someone else's sleep schedule, I'm glad it's France's. :)

Today, I have to get back to work. I need to delve back into projects that I didn't even think ONE IOTA about the entire time I was gone. I'm trying to get back into the groove but it's a little difficult when not just two days ago, I was gallivanting about the most beautiful city in the world and drinking my weight in Veuve Clicquot.

I just had SUCH an amazing time in Paris. I can't even begin to recount every special little moment we had in that place. Every time we'd get on the metro and see some busker or artist performing, every time we'd come home to our hotel and we'd grab each other and go, "Holy Crap! The EIFFEL TOWER! Where'd that come from?" We sat at so many tiny sidewalk tables in wonderful cafes and just watched people go by, living their bustling Parisian lives. We ate so many crusty French baguettes with creamy cheeses, and drank tons of "deux cafe creme, s'il vous plait."

We stared amazed at every delicious little street and ornate historical building. We struggled with our French and wished we'd practiced more before we came. We embraced all the little differences and tried our best to be respectful Americans. We joined the lovers in Paris sitting beside the Seine, limbs entangled, whispering about the sun setting over the water.

And now we're home... We cleaned out the fridge and went shopping for all the basics. (We bought a baguette and some cheese to help ease the transition) We are staring real life in the face. Projects and deadlines are looming, and packing has begun for our new home, wherever it may be. Something is satisfying about having these colorful memories, the longing in my soul for adventure has been quenched and yet somehow made more thirsty. I even have Tim longing for travel! (This is a HUGE accomplishment) This was a major "first" for us and we bonded over the puzzle of Paris. Navigating through town, the exchange rate, how to say "bandaid" in French... It was a tremendous experience and I'll never forget it.

We went through all the photos and chose 520 out of 1500 to upload for our friends and family. I'm not posting the link yet, because I don't want my Denver friends to see all the photos before my birthday party on Saturday. If you want to see them, email me and I'll send you the link.

Back to the grind with a spring in my step and a twinkle in my eye.

~e

Paris Fashion!

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Mon, 19 May 2008 01:17:00 +0000

Well, we made it HOME. It was the longest flight EVER and as I type this, my eyelids are very heavy. *yawn* I just finished talking to my Mother and Sister, giving them the wrap up of the trip and I got lots of questions about what the French people were like, so I thought I'd write about that a little bit.

I spent a lot of time people watching in various neighborhoods and I made mental notes about all the French people I saw. I didn't take as many photos as I would have liked, but in the intimate cafes and sidewalk tables, it just seemed a bit rude to start snapping away. Most of the observations will be clear later when I upload more photos from the trip. One question that people have been asking me a lot is; What are the French people wearing? The answer is...the opposite of all the American tourists. :)

The French women are incredibly stylish and beautiful, generally. The older women are natural and fresh faced. There is nothing "made-up" about them. I saw very little unnatural hair color. Most of the women had these sleek little haircuts and I saw very little that would indicate use of hair product.

Most of the older women had shoulder length hair, or the quintessential French bob. Most of the younger women had longer hair and most of them wore it in an easy wavy style or piled on top of their heads in casual messy buns...and the low side ponytail was all over as well.

They were wearing a little makeup (and always had perfume on...) and definitely not wearing heavy eyeliner or lipstick. I think they probably do their eyebrows, and a little powder and mascara and that's it.

The French women really stand out from their foreign counterparts. They all have a simple and fantastic style that really comes from the accessories. They always seemed to have a great pair of earrings, a simple bracelet or an interesting ring. Their jackets were AWESOME. It seemed like every French woman I saw had a cute jacket of some sort...(the only trench coats I saw were on American women) I saw lots of swing coats with kicky little buttons, a few bomber type jackets, and lots of suit style jackets made with distressed leather, twill, cotton, and even brocade.

French women seemed to be wearing a LOT of dresses and skirts (it could be the balmy Spring weather) and their legs were mostly in great shape. French women have no reservations about showing a little leg. I rarely saw decolletage though.

I really didn't see any prints...maybe on a skirt or two, but generally it seemed like the women were wearing solid colors in the neutral family. I noticed WAY more brown than black. All the clothing had interesting details...creative pockets, buckles and buttons. Oh, and leggings were everywhere! Usually black, but more like tights and they hit about 3 inches above the ankle, not mid calf.

The French do denim, but they do it with so much style! No light colored denim was anywhere except on tourists. The French women wear dark denim, in various faded washes in a skinny fit or straight leg fit. NEVER cropped at the ankle and typically more hip hugger style than high waisted. Jeans wrinkle a bit around the ankle or are tucked into a wicked pair of calf boots (flats - I didn't see any heeled boots).

I saw a lot of older women wearing the super pointy toe stilettos, but many of the younger women were wearing stylish leather sandals, calf or ankle boots, ballet flats, or sleek sneakers in dark metallic colors like bronze and pewter. The shoes really impressed me in Paris. It seemed like every French woman I saw had this great pair of leather shoes that looked slightly worn and comfortable, but also really delicate and sleek. I didn't see ANY French woman in anything clunky or chunky. The shoes, the jewelry, everything is elegant, simple, and unique.

Scarves! They were everywhere! The older women had colorful shawls or delicate neck scarves and the young women had Pashmina scarves and checkered cotton neck scarves...Lots of stylish sunglasses and bags, but the bags are fairly small. You rarely saw any French woman hauling around giant purses. I did see them with little rolling grocery baskets, usually about the size of a carry-on.

The last thing that really impressed me about French women, was the way they walked. They don't swing their arms as much as Americans do...They are always looking up and out and they DO NOT walk around talking on cellphones. They don't look down, but they don't look you in the face...There are many other beautiful things to see in Paris I guess!

That is my style wrap-up for today...I'll write about French Men (& Boys) tomorrow!

France Day 7:

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Sat, 17 May 2008 16:06:00 +0000

We rolled out of bed this morning just in time to take advantage of the buffet breakfast at our hotel. It's insane... This whole restaurant is packed and we always get a table because of our reservations with Go Ahead.

They've got scrambled eggs (scrambled with cream and cheese), lardons (cubed and fried pancetta), croissants (regular and chocolate), fruit of every kind, fromage frais (a creamy cheese with the consistency of yogurt), juice, 3 kinds of cereal, baguettes, sliced meats & cheeses, any kind of cafe, and ONE PITCHER OF WATER. That's right...the French are a little stingy with water... How they get their 8 glasses a day is beyond me. :)

We were so close to just going back to sleep, but we forced ourselves out of the hotel, just to go see the Arc de Triomphe (a word of advice, get this done early in your trip...the 10 flights of stairs almost killed us!) and we ended up staying out in town for the whole day.

The Arc (that we got into for free with our museum passes), was spectacular and totally worth the climb. We looked out over the whole city and the view was so different from that vantage point, as compared with the Tour Eiffel. Something like 11 streets all meet at the circle around the Arc, and the symmetry of the lines is best viewed from atop the Arc.

After that, we meandered down the Champs Elysees and did a little shopping before jumping on the metro at Concord and heading to the Beaubourg district near the Pompidou. We had a cozy little lunch at a cafe and then made our way through the square at Pompidou into the Musée national d'art moderne(we also used our museum passes here!).

Another word of advice, go to the 5th floor first, especially if you're short on time. We wasted too much time on the super modern art (which frankly, even though I love all kinds of modern art, was a somewhat uninspiring collection) and were getting too tired to see everything on the 5th floor. We spent time in the Matisse room, saw everything they had by Pollock, Picasso, Dali and then just took a peek at everything else... But the collections are totally worth looking at and I highly recommend a trip to that neighborhood.

We wandered to the Rue Brismiche and bought crepes from a street vendor and watched all the acrobats perform near the Stravinksy fountain (also known as Fontaine des automates). The Beaubourg district definitely seems more real, and less snobby than parts of the left bank (St. Germaine, I'm talking to you...) and the shopping was much more affordable. I found a cute pair of shoes at a little shop on Rue St. Martin and popped into H&M (I finally got to shop at H&M and was disappointed...it all looked rather cheap and not that cute or interesting. go figure.) to escape a infamous Parisian rain shower. After that we hopped onto the metro at Chatelet.

The Chatelet metro stop should be experienced just for the sheer zaniness of it all. It's not just a series of hallways like the others...It's got fruit stands, book shops and all manner of vendors set up throughout the tunnels...we encountered all kinds of wacky musicians and crazy performers. It was a very colorful underground experience.

So, now we're finally back at our hotel...resting and preparing to pack for our long journey back to America tomorrow. We can't wait to see everyone and share our photos and stories with you. Abientot!

France Day 6:

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Fri, 16 May 2008 23:07:00 +0000

This morning we got up right on time and met our tour director for breakfast before our trip out to Versailles. It was a bit of drag hanging out with everyone in our group, mostly because we were the only ones under the age of 50. I'm not kidding. Go Ahead is a great tour company, but I'm starting to think it is geared mostly to old folks...It could just be the city stays, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, the trip to Versailles was pleasant and educational. Our tour director Tristan, and the tour guide Laurence really worked hard to make sure we saw everything we came to see. I learned even more about French history than I already knew, which is saying something considering how much I love and study French history.

The inside of the palace was exquisite. The photos we took don't even begin to show the opulence and marvelous detail in everything. The entire place was really a work of art, and I'd definitely recommend a tour there. The only downside were the wicked crowds. It was shoulder to shoulder the ENTIRE time.

The gardens of Versailles were incredibly beautiful and I'm sorry to say, I accidentally deleted most of the garden photos. I know, I'm sick about it. It's such a once in a lifetime chance, and I am a moron who doesn't know how to work my own camera. Blargh... :( I missed out on my chance to buy anything from the Marie Antoinette gift shop, due to a snafu with one of our group who got lost. My sweet superman husband (with all the money!) went off to find him, and by the time we reunited, the bus was leaving and I missed my chance.

The fates conspired against me having too many mementos of this morning, but it was a fabulous experience and I'll remember it forever... Even without the photos. I was wishing that I was strolling through Versailles in my Marie Antoinette outfit, when I realized that it is the PERFECT inspiration for an as-yet-unplanned theme party that may never exist. I'm thinking a period garden party complete with feast, dancing and a staged naval battle on the "Grand Canal". :)

This afternoon we waited in line for an HOUR to go up the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower. About 5 minutes before we reached the front of the line, we were informed that the floor at the very top had been closed due to overcrowding. We contented ourselves with the views (and a few romantic kisses) from the second floor, which was also VERY spectacular.

The panoramas of the city were really breathtaking and worth every penny of the 10 Euro we spent for the both of us to travel up. We also splurged a little in the gift shop in the Eiffel Tower, but it was worth it. We were both pleasantly surprised with how well we've done managing our cash on this trip, and we haven't spent anywhere near to the amount that we budgeted.

Then again, we are headed to the Champs Elysees tomorrow, so that may still happen. ;) We are also planning on hitting up the Musee Pompidou and possibly a bit of a walk around the Marais area before we head home to pack. What a week it has been! Still no photos...I'm too tired to slog through the 300 pics we took today, and I think I'm going to save the rest for my birthday slideshow next weekend. I'm definitely planning on uploading a full collection in a week or so, when I'm finished processing them.

Until tomorrow...Abientot!

France Day 5:

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Thu, 15 May 2008 21:22:00 +0000

Today was definitely a more leisurely day, which was good considering how beat up our feet are at this point. I'm too tired to write much about today, but I will say we encountered the worst that America and Paris has to offer today. In the way of people I mean...

We had our first TRULY rude waitress at Cafe Jade. Apparently Americans aren't welcome there and don't even bother trying to speak French, because they aren't listening anyway. We also encountered some LOUD obnoxious Americans, one of whom was proclaiming to the 500 people in earshot that she was friends with George Bush's godson. People actually got up and moved to tables farther away from her. It was terrible.

In other news, I got the rest of my gift shopping done, and managed to find lots of nice little trinkets and things to bring home for everyone, as well as a few little things for myself. We wandered into lots of fantastic little shops in St. Germain, which is a nice area, as long as you get a bit further away from the Seine.

We also FINALLY made it to Pont Neuf for our scenic boat trip that we kept postponing. I'm actually glad we went today, as it was much cooler than the last few days. We made kissing wishes under the Le Pont Marie Bridge.(The Pont-Marie is known as the "bridge of lovers" and legend has it that if you kiss under the Pont-Marie and wish for eternal love, your wish will be granted.)

Well, we have to get up HELLA early tomorrow for our trip to Versailles, so I must get some sleep. Abientot!

(Also, I'll upload more photos tomorrow!)

France Day 4:

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Wed, 14 May 2008 21:41:00 +0000

Today we got up early and took the metro to the Place de la Concorde. This courtyard is smack dab in between the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre. It's in the center of a VERY busy 6 lane street in Paris on the Right Bank. There were tons of people out and about today and the walk to the Tuileries Garden was anything but lonely. :)

We wandered throughout the garden in a HOT morning sun, admiring all the flowers and trees and pausing at the various statues and fountains. We finally made it to the Pyramid and easily passed by the long ticket lines with our museum pass (again, what a great investment!) and on into the museum.

The Louvre. WOW. This place is huge. I didn't even comprehend how huge it was until we got lost several times in the bowels of the building. We saw all the important pieces, which were just as breathtaking in real life as I imagined. Except the Mona Lisa. I wormed my way through the crowd to the very front to look at her, and they had roped off almost 10 feet in front of her. I've had better looks at her face in a book. What a rip off. :) In other news... The Venus de Milo is BEAUTIFUL, as is the Winged Victory.

After traipsing about the museum for about 7 hours, our feet were DYING. The crowds had started to wear on both of us, so we finished up by going to see the Egyptian displays which were TOTALLY worth the trip. They have an amazing collection of artifacts that are thrilling to see. After all was said and done, we still missed at least HALF of the museum... and a lot of the stuff we did see, we just had to glide by. It was intense and if I had a summer here, I'd make sure to go back and give everything it's proper due.

After our exhausting day in the museum, we walked out just in time to be caught in a rainstorm. I asked Tim to grab the umbrella from his bag, and he smile guiltily, admitting that he'd left it in our hotel room. We took cover under one of the arches and then waited for the rain to let up. As soon as there was a break in the clouds, we ran for the metro and zipped back across the Seine to our dinner at La Petit Chaise. It was a wonderful meal, although slightly marred by the fact that the restaurant was full of AMERICANS. LAME-O! ;)

We limped back home to soak our feet, and reformat our plan to see another museum tomorrow. I think we are going to take a break... spend a leisurely morning in a cafe and maybe do a little shopping. We need to give our tootsies a vacation!

More photos from our past two days HERE.

More to come...

France Day 3:

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:54:00 +0000

Well, we overslept again this morning, but woke up feeling pretty refreshed. We axed the Musee Rodin and took the metro over to the Musee d'Orsay. We had a light lunch at Le Dauphin and then walked over to the museum. We skipped the ticket lines and entered easily with our Museum Pass (such a worthwhile investment) and were AWED by the terrific collection of art. We spent upwards of 5 hours in the museum, and a major chunk of that time was spent in the impressionist wing. Most people were crowded into the Van Gogh gallery, so we had the other galleries to ourselves and saw lots of post impressionistic and realistic paintings that were new to us.

After the museum, we walked along the seine down to Rue de Cler, a market district near the Esplanade. It was a lovely cobblestone street with tons of farmer's markets and everyone around had a baguette under one arm and a cigarette on their lips. It was very quintessential. We popped into a perfumerie and Tim bought me some Givenchy perfume to remind me of the trip... it smells fabulous! :)

At 7 pm, we had a leisurely dinner at Le Bosquet squeezed around a tiny table on the sidewalk. We watched all the Parisians passing by with armfuls of wine, flowers and bread. The men in wrinkled (yet somehow still chic) suits, the women in short flowy dresses (some with black over the knee stockings...it was very Can-Can!)and lots of tiny little dogs. Scooters abound everywhere, along with tiny little smart cars...the only regular size cars are Mercedes, and often hired cars.

With the sun setting, we walked quickly to the Eiffel Tower and were greeted by TONS of people and stunning views of the Parc du Champ De Mars. Lovers sat in the grass and under the trees kissing and giggling in the setting sun.

I know it sounds somewhat silly, but Paris is EXACTLY what I thought it would be. It's a stunning city with tremendous views everywhere you look. The details are gorgeous too and the French people are colorful and stylish. Even the children seem to have this air of confidence that is sincere and effortless.

We took a ton of photos that I haven't processed yet, but I'll add a few more to the collection tomorrow night. We are headed to the Louvre tomorrow and we'll likely spend the whole day in that part of town. I've got to get up at a decent time tomorrow, so it's off to bed... until then, Abientot!

France Day 2:

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Mon, 12 May 2008 21:32:00 +0000

We overslept this morning, but still managed to hit all the sights we had planned for today. Riding the Metro here in Paris is exceedingly easy. We're navigating our way across town like Parisians already.

I put up a few select photos HERE that show a taste of what we're up to. I have tons more but I want to edit them before I share them with everyone.

I am suffering from a bit of information overload! It's so amazing here and I'm learning so much about Paris and the people that live here. My French is getting better already and I'm more confident about asserting various things in my travels (like getting tap water instead of mineral water) and I've already had a few occasions where French people asked me a question in French, and I answered in French and they responded back in FRENCH, not English. Maybe they're just humoring me, I don't know, but it's a fun adventure and a wonderful learning experience.

There are so many little things I want to write about, but it's all just too much to share at this point. I will say that yesterday while we were sitting at a cafe, I told Tim that so far, I was disappointed with the Parisian soundtrack. It sure doesn't sound like any French movie I've seen. Lots of techno... Anyway, when we got on the Metro this morning, there was a fat Frenchman who was busking in our car, playing the ACCORDION! :D It was this totally cheesy Parisian movie moment. I took some video that I'll try to upload to Youtube later.

That's all for now! Tomorrow we're going to Luxembourg Gardens, Rodin & Orsay Museums and Rue Cler... Abientot!

France Day 1:

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Sun, 11 May 2008 15:53:00 +0000

After the longest flight is the history of my LIFE, we finally landed in Paris. We met other people with Go Ahead on the plane and they filled us in on their past adventures with what they affectionately refer to as "Slow-Ahead, Snow-Ahead, Blow-Ahead Tours". They also got me hooked on crossword puzzles, which I thought wasn't going to happen until I was at least 60, but hey, it was a good way to pass the time. Well, that and the gin. ;)

Our transfer assistant was almost 40 minutes late picking us up, so it took quite a while to get checked into our rooms. We dropped our bags off at the hotel and wandered around the Eiffel nabe. We found a cute little bistro and had some lunch. We attempted our French with the waiter who seemed pretty unimpressed.

Tim: Parlay Vooz ONGLAY?
Waiter: grunt
(we place our order, he walks away)
Erin: I think he likes us.
Tim: Yeah, I think he wants to hang out later.
Erin: He loves us Americans, and he thinks our crappy French is charming.
Tim: Totally. I think he wants to make out.

When we got back to hotel,some of our party (who kept yelling HAPPY BIRTHDAY every time they saw me) bought us some mimosas at the hotel bar. We chatted a bit and finally got settled in our room. SURE it has two twin beds instead of a full (we just pushed them together, no big deal) and sure this internet costs more than my computer. But the point is, that we are here and everything, even the small things are magical because it's Paris.

We are off to Ponte Neuf tonight for a boat tour on the Seine and then off to dinner at Alcazar. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go walk down the hall to the IRONING ROOM. Why yes, the French prefer to iron in a community environment. Thank you France for that fascinating lesson in our cultural differences!;)

The music in my soul...

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Fri, 09 May 2008 06:23:00 +0000

It was my Dad. He was my biggest musical influence (and in a lot of ways still is). I Love old school rock and country. I like jazz, dance music and trip-hop, but there is something about a stand-up bass and a greaser guitar man that just speaks to my soul.

Tim doesn't always understand, but he's supportive of my rockabilly leanings. I like box electrics and driving country rhythms. I like music I can swing to and I don't like 6 minute long self-indulgent drum solos. So there you go...

Packing for Paris

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:07:00 +0000

In the past week, every time a client or friend hears we are heading for Paris, we get a heap of tourist advice ranging from the classic; "Pack half the clothes and twice the money (or maybe 3 times, because of the euro exchange rate!)", to the random; "Make sure you take a tour of the sewers!", and the sartorial; "Just bring a lot of black and a few scarves and you'll blend right in..."

Packing has been a bit of a stress, but I've settled on a lot of comfortable dresses and skirts all in black, white, and navy. Plenty of tank tops and pullovers, and a few light cardigans (and a pashmina or two). I'm bringing one dressy outfit (though I'm not sure I'll ever have time to go back to the hotel and change into it...) and a pair of jeans in case it gets chilly (the weather is supposed to be warm and sunny pretty much the whole time). I'm also bringing my favorite leopard coat, because every time I wear it, I feel like Brigitte Bardot.

I've been frantic trying to wrap up all these projects and Tim is still working his tail off on a few last minute things. All in all, I think we'll make it just under the wire and not a moment too soon. All the stress of the move and work is really getting to us. I think we really need a break. Where better to vacation than the city of love? ;)

I plan on having wi-fi at the hotel, so I'm sure I'll blog here and there on the trip and I'll be posting some videos to Youtube. So, I'll see you all later! I must go finish packing all my black clothes and scarves. ;)

Young Love...

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Mon, 05 May 2008 02:58:00 +0000

I spent the afternoon today hanging out with my aunt, my cousin and her fiance. It was nice to be out of the house and wonderful to spend time chatting and catching up on the family. I was also informed that they all read my blog and never comment. I was also informed that my Grandma reads my blog almost daily! WOW. I better clean up the language around here... :)

So, HELLO Grandma Louise! And hello all the other lurkers from my family who never comment. Stop being so shy!

Here are some photos from this afternoon:

My First Album

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Sun, 04 May 2008 01:12:00 +0000

I was thinking today about the first record I ever owned. My Uncle Bill gave it to me when I was about 7. It was a little single and somewhere my mom has a photo of me clutching it in my hands outside my aunt and uncle's house in San Diego.

The album, was "We Are The World". I remember being very moved by it. I remember thinking that giving children the job of making the world brighter was kind of a cop-out, seeings as most of us didn't even know our times tables yet, let alone how to solve world hunger.

Watching the video now is AWESOME. I still think Stevie Wonder has the best voice. I am totally cracking up at all these musicians and their fashion. Kenny Rogers is so MOVED by his own voice, it's hysterical. I love the showcase of Bob Dylan later in the song. He's totally singing a different song, just making up the tune. AWESOME.

You have to watch the whole thing... and then tell me what your first album was!

New Header & Contest!

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Sat, 03 May 2008 18:46:00 +0000

In honor of my birthday month and our trip to France, I'd like to have a contest! As you can see, I just put up a new header for the blog today. There is a saying in the header and first 2 commenters to translate it correctly and name the author will receive a special gift from France, when I return.

Thanks for all the kind and encouraging comments and email. You all said some wonderful and supportive things yesterday that really did make me feel so much better. :)

I've got a super busy weekend planned, but no social events. At least not until next week. I've got to get caught up on some Mother's Day shopping and picking up a few final things for the trip to Paris. Tim is working his tail off trying to get together a bunch of spending money for the trip.

Oh! And Mom is giving her final presentation today for her final assignment towards her Masters Degree! Mom, I know you will do AWESOME. Good Luck!

I'd also like to thank Jenny for taking care of the kitties while we're out of town. It feels great knowing they are in such good hands!

À tout à l'heure!

Confession...

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Sat, 03 May 2008 00:52:00 +0000

Well, I'm sorry I've been so quiet this week, but it's been CRAZY around here. I guess the first thing I'd like to address is my abrupt "blogging-break" that I mentioned earlier. Part of it was because I had a lot of work to catch up on, but part of it was also a little bit of my own personal funk. I let someone's criticism of me and my writing get under my skin.

I regret it now, especially because I know that old adage to be true. Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent. (by Eleanor Roosevelt in case anyone was wondering) I have a long history of being highly sensitive, and anyone who knows me well, knows that about me. It's my own personal struggle. But, that coupled with the crappy self esteem that seems to be my legacy can make for some touchy moments with people who criticize me. In a way all my intense self scrutiny is a method of deflection. It's like, if I'm already aware of all my flaws, it won't hurt so much if someone points them out. Yeah, it's a crappy theory and doesn't really work. :)

I think that I've come to accept what my writing is and isn't. I do this for me. I know that almost no one else is as entertained by the things I write about as I am. I try to be honest and connect with my readers, but in reality, I'm doing this for me. I could write about frivolous things all the time, I could try to spend hours thinking of funny things to entertain you with, but introspection and self examination are interesting to me and vital to my growth as a person.

When you read this blog you are getting a lot of the real me. I report on what I've been up to, so my family & friends far away don't feel too left out when I forget to call them. I write about lessons I've learned, so that maybe people will benefit from my mistakes. I write about my cats and Tim, because I love them and find them both to very entertaining. I'm not ever going to have ads, or become a superstar mommy blogger. I'm going to keep doing what I've done with this blog since 2002 and that is reporting on the world around me as I see it.

So, that's the story. I've got more updates on the week and the upcoming trip, but it will have to wait until tomorrow.

~e

Happy Birthday to me!

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:25:00 +0000

Hey Mom...are you there? 'Cause um... I'm ordering your Mother's Day Gift today which means Mother's Day is around the corner, as is my BIRTHDAY. Ahem...*cough* *cough* :D

Erin's Birthday Wish List by villanovababy

Signing Off -

noreply@blogger.com (saucybritches) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 05:49:00 +0000

I'm taking a temporary break from blogging. I need to focus on catching up on my work before our trip and I am being overly distracted by twitter/google chat and all that.

See you all later this week...

~e