Hiatus

For those who haven't figured it out, this blog is on summer hiatus. I may be back for a fall season, I'll keep you posted.

If you just can't stand to be without, the Twitter is being updated ----------------->
You can follow me there.

Been Around the World and I-yi-yi-yi

Yes my people, I am back from my whirlwind word tour. As much as I would love to just leave my lovely Parisian dinner as the top entry, I realize that fresh content makes the world go around...so I am back, blogging my life away.

A few things I learned:

• Paris is a good time even when you work an 80 hour work week (including the 4th o' July, Saturday and Sunday).
• Fois Gras makes everything better...and wine makes everything better than fois gras.
• Flying 12 hours with a hangover is the single best and worst way to travel. The whole "I can't sleep on a plane" issue really becomes a non-issue. However, the whole "need to stand in a 45 minute line to get through passport control" issue really is much more difficult than you could have ever previously imagined.
• The Foo Fighters ROCK...I mean serioulsy. They rock.
• Even if it's sunny and warm in Paris and Seattle it can still be mind numbingly cold in Anchorage. Always bring a sweatshirt and coat. Even in JULY. You will need it.
• Driving an F-150 kinda suits me. Srsly. You really can't take the Alaska out of the girl.
• A day trip to Homer, Alaska is not all it's cracked up to be
• Baby moose and bald eagles are all they're cracked up to be.
• I have a deep seated fear of pretty much everyone shopping at the Safeway in Homer.
• Freaks and Geeks does live up to the hype. I am now joining the ranks of those who are very sad there were only 18 episodes. Pure television awesomeness.

That is all.

Last Night's Dinner in Paris

Skipping over the calf's head and the pig ears, we went for a bit of a more mainstream meal.

On the recommendation of a lovely person named El Jeffe, we ate at Le Cafe du Commerce and enjoyed every lovely bite. A smattering of what I ate from either my plate or the plates of others is below:

• Foie Gras
• Crab Mousse avec avocat puree au harcort verde
• Tendre grillade du Commerce au sauce Marchand de vin (Steak with wine sauce)
• Creme Brulee
• Profiteroles with chocolate sauce.

It's not anywhere central so you have to make an effort to get there but make note for the next time you are in Paris!!

The Reason I Love Paris...

...is because it's Paris. Cherry, Titus, you were totally right. What the hell was wrong with me? It's PARIS.

Today we got out of the hotel to the opening event ceremonies at the Hotel de Ville (city hall) and as we drove past the Tour de Eiffel and le Louvre and the shops de Tabac, Le Poste, the Seine, I remembered how much j'adore Paris.

Regardless of the fact that I spend most of time in the staff work room and the hotel conference center...the traffic and honking cars. The history. The tourists. The locals. The variable weather. It's Paris. It's awesome.

And I forgot that Paris looks so...Parisian. I know it's a lame statement, but it's true. The level architecture with cream colored buildings, the iron wrought window patios, the shops along the street. The people walking everywhere. Napoleon would be proud. His boulevards are very much in tact and his city remains as vibrant as it ever was.

I ate carpaccio and frites for dinner and drank vin rouge de Cote de Rhone. My salade vert avec fromage from the non-descript bistro was super yum. In fact, I am already looking forward to tomorrow's dinner...but for now, it's off to bed.

Vive la Paris!

"I Bet They PARTY on the 4th in Europe!"

That sentence was actually uttered by one of my college roomies. Bless her heart. It took a moment of explanation before she realized why the 4th of July might not be the biggest party Europe (and especially the UK) has ever seen.*

So yes, I am off to Paris today for work and will spend the next week or so working my butt off. We have some great locations for our event - a hotel in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre - but I won't see much of either one. Long days, long hours in press rooms...I can actually already feel that ache you get in your legs when you have been standing all day.

Hopefully, I'll manage to have at least a moment or two to peek my head outside. The one good thing about having to go to Paris for this event is that I've spent quite a bit of time in Paris, so at least I won't be sad about not having any play time.

The thing I am most sad about is missing the 4th of July again. This year was to be my first 4th spent in the USA in over 3 years. I actually have spent the 4th of July in France more recently than I have spent it in the USA. It was with my mom, on a beach in Nice, eating fresh mussels and caprese salad while the sun set behind us and a big bottle of wine chilled next to us.

Yes, my mom and I do take some good holidays...

And yes, I know that the Fourth Of July brouhaha is really celebrating the fact that a bunch of slave-owning, aristocratic, white males didn't want to pay their taxes...but I was looking forward to the fireworks over Lake Union, a bbq of some type at a friend's house somewhere, and also a day off of work (instead I will be working the 4th and Saturday and Sunday too). The 4th of July is my type of holiday - it involves rest, relaxation and a party with food and drink. No gifts. No guilt. Just good times.

I know, I know, I will be in Paris! I don't expect your pity. I know I don't really deserve it. But on the 4th - do me a favor - watch at least one firework for me...I'll eat some cheese for you. A baquette or croissant if you prefer?

*Although, in my 3 years in London we did manage to get the office on board with celebrating Thanksgiving - how can you not love a holiday that's main purpose is to eat and drink?

Random Stuff from All Over

Yes, I know I have been slacking on the blogging. I've been trying to make up for it by Twittering like a mad woman...but I know it's not the same.

In an effort to catch all y'all up quickly, a random smattering of my recent highlight activities:

• Boating on Lake Washington - Considering how long I have lived in Seattle, I had never gone boating on either Lake Union or Lake Washington. I drive across Lake Washington every morning and night on my way to Bellevue, always jealous of those boating people mocking me as I sit in gridlock. Well, we can now check off Lake Washington thanks to Cheech's man friend and his fast boat. It was a glorious and happily unexpected way to end a Monday and I have now decided a boyfriend with a boat is the only way to go.
• Summer Solstice - one of my favorite holidays in Seattle - was spent at the Center of the Universe (please set your watch back 5 minutes) in Fremont. Nekkid bikers kicked off the parade as they always do and creativity on the body pant was high this year. The parade itself was better than last year and the festivities lasted well into the evening. Highlights included actually getting a table at Tacos Jomama's (even if Cheech forgot to order my tacos), buckets and buckets of ice cold beer, making lots of new random friends, meeting a girl who didn't realize that putting ice down cleavage is NOT funny, a man I had just met (named Jeff) trusting me with his credit card, and losing Kelly in the woods only to find her again 10 minutes later.
• Spontaneous Camping - I called Brea on Friday night at about 5.30 to see if she was up for some spontaneous Happy Hour (the sun was out, the wine was calling) only to discover she was on her way out of town to camp at Lake Kachess in Snoqualmie Pass. "Why don't you join us? It's only an hour away." she asked. "Hmm...ok!" I replied. Fast forward an hour when I am $150 poorer but cruising out I-90 with a newly purchased sleeping bag, sleeping pad and camping pillow. The location was gorgeous, the company entertaining (to say the least), and I was home in time the next day for a shower and lunch date. That's my kind of camping!

Am off to Paris tomorrow for work for 9 days...I will (hopefully) catch you up on the rest from the other side of the world...

G'Bye Billy Boy

In honor of Mr. Gates last day, I offer you the following Friday clip of the week:

What I Learned This Weekend

Well, actually, you can see it all here but I'll give you a hint:

...it involved nekkid bikers, robots, zombies, belly dancers, a giant doobie and a ham sandwich!

What I Learned this Weekend

• A Mariner's game is always a good time. Even when they are having an uber crappy season, even when they don't win. Give me good weather, a ballpark and Safeco field and good times are guaranteed.
• You can get good parking around Safeco for $7 for a Mariners game. You can get a beer inside the game for $7. The parking may be the last reasonably priced thing in Seattle.
• My dad watches a lot of sports, but only the "majors" or the "finals" are important to him. Needless to say, he was happy as a clam to watch the US Open and the Basketball while I carried on doing what I needed to get done.
• I can procrastinate on things I actually WANT to do as well as I procrastinate on things I don't want to do. Go figure.
• I really really really want a dog. I may even settle for a small one if that's all I can have in my space.
• I really really really want my own space. I may even settle for a small one if that's all I can afford.
• There's plenty of crazy in Seattle...and it can be found walking around Green Lake, talking to trees and squirrels and helping set up tents.