Travel

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

- Mark Twain

Afterward

I originally thought people would want to know why.  Why we did it.  Why we took two small children traveling around Europe for three months.  I find it fascinating that not a single person has asked me this question.  Instead, folks seem more curious as to HOW we survived.  How we managed to stay alive and well on the road, constantly in motion without the comforts of home and the security of a routine.

The truth is, that is exactly how we made it work.  By not forcing ourselves to adhere to a specific schedule or succumb to the typical day-to-day pressures of parenthood we held a golden ticket to wing it.

For the first time as parents, we had the freedom to do the best we could with what we had and embrace uncertainty in a way that is often difficult at home.  We had the permission to make things work to the best of our ability and to actually feel good about it.

For better or worse, I have always felt tremendous tension to be organized, to be on time, to be consistently bright eyed and bushy tailed with well behaved, well dressed, well rested and well fed children.  I am not sure where this comes from specifically but it seems to be something we as a society like to propagate. 

Guess what?  I learned that life can be a lot more fun when you relax a bit and take things in stride.  Being on an extended holiday affords you this precious opportunity without explanation.  What an incredible gift!  It really just goes to show that, despite our best intentions to consistently intervene, kids will eat when they are hungry and sleep when they are tired.  Amazing.

We were challenged to be creative and imaginative with our children and use whatever life put in front of us to not only survive a given situation but to find pleasure and enjoyment through the experience.  In any case, if things did go wrong, we were still in France (or England, or Spain or Sweden).  Seriously, how bad can it be?

I am starting to feel like that motivational speaker that gets you all pumped up and excited ... and just when you raise your hands to clap enthusiastically you knock a full glass of water onto your lap.  Don't get me wrong.  There were definitely moments of stress and frustration.  It isn't easy to completely throw caution to the wind and let it all hang out. 

We all had our tantrums (each and every one of us) and we lived through more than a few larger than life dramatic moments, but overall, there was more happiness than not.  I believe with all my heart this experience has made us a stronger, richer family.  I am grateful for having had the opportunity to teach my children to "explore, dream and discover" at such a young age.  I am hopeful a tiny piece of this mentality can carry over to reality, aka real life back at home.

The L words of advice
(for traveling with kids)

Before you go ...

Less is lovelier.
1. Lay out everything you think you want to bring in separate piles for each person traveling (clothes, toiletries, toys, etc.)
2. Now, reduce each person's pile by 50% (Yep, that means cut it in half.)
I know this sounds difficult but it is mission critical. You really don't want to be weighted down with unnecessary stuff.  You'll be surprised how fun it is acquiring new things along the way.  As long as you aren't traveling to a third world country you will be able to buy diapers and infant Advil and colouring books, and new favourite toys.  The kids will be fine, trust me. In fact, everyone will be better off traveling with less.

Limit the last minute.
The most stressful parts of our trip were when we had to make plans on the road.  It may seem like overkill to arrange nearly everything in advance but we found our time more enjoyable when we weren't worrying about where we were going to sleep the next evening and/or how we were going to get there.  Traveling with kids is much different than our footloose and fancy free days in college.

Language lessons.
Read travel books, search online and talk to people who have been where you're going to find out the best options for communication.  For me personally, language is a big deal.  Meeting and sharing experiences with others while traveling is one of my greatest pleasures.  I truly enjoy small talk with strangers and prefer to memorize a few fun phrases to help break the "Do you speak English?" awkwardness.  There are numerous apps out there to help with this.  The most important thing is to be prepared and have some idea what to expect.  For a parent traveling with children it sucks to find yourself suddenly isolated by the inability to communicate.

Once in motion ...

Last one on.
When traveling via plane we found it helpful for one of us to stay behind with the kids while the other went on early to "set up" our seats, store bags, pull out the toys, etc.  The gate agent would let us know to bring the kids on for the final boarding call.  Before doing this it always seemed like the first twenty minutes prior to departure were the worst, mostly because I myself am typically stressed and the kids can sense this better than anyone.

Liquids later.
Do everyone a favour and don't order a beverage while traveling on a plane or a train. I know it may seem like the right thing to do at the time (the kids are miraculously quiet, one just fell asleep, life is good and would only be better with a plastic glass full of Chardonnay, etc) but just don't. It will inevitably end poorly.  Even water should be purchased before you board in an "easy squeeze" bottle with a pop top.

Let it Lie.
Just lie.  It feels a bit awkward at first but I promise it gets easier with each go. This is an essential magic trick you can pull out of your pocket as often as needed. A little white lie can save time, heartache and embarrassing breakdowns like nothing else. Tell them you're almost there, nod your head enthusiastically tell them they can have whatever it is they want when you get there and, for goodness sake, yes, the ice cream is on its way.

Lost Leader.
"Lead, follow, or get out of the way." -Paine
We found it helpful to pick one person to lead during transitions from Point A to Point B.  While one person is in charge of guiding the group the second falls back to keep everyone following.  You likely still get lost but on average things should run slightly more smoothly.

Leave it to a local.
Hiring a local nanny was brilliant.  Not only did it give Darrin and I the opportunity to take breaks and experience some of the local nightlife, it was a huge blessing for us to reduce the stress for Darrin to get set-up to work in a city (internet, SIM card, phone card, etc), knowing how to get places, where to go, etc.  Often I would have the nanny go with the kids and I to museums, etc.  Everywhere we traveled the apartment rental agency or hotel was able to refer us to a well-known, trusted nanny agent or a private list of certified babysitters.  We had amazing luck and felt so fortunate to have the advice and recommendations of someone who lives there and knows the city.

Learn to Laugh.
When things start to get stressful find a reason to laugh.  Look for the silliness, it will be there somewhere.  It helped me to think about You may not be able to control what happens on the road but you can sure control how you react to it.

Lastly, Love Life.
The instant you stop loving life on the road the trip might as well be over. As soon as you start to feel it fade make a change, take a break, quickly eat something delicious or find a few hours to nap.  Whatever you need to do, JUST DO IT and do it quickly.  Each and every moment is simply too precious to waste feeling stressed.  You are on holiday damn it.

Au revoir

The following two photo are awesome.  They were taken on my iPhone at lunch the day we left.  I worried so much about taking the kids into the city for nothing.  We found a wonderful little cafe and thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience.  The server could not have been more friendly.  Not only did he speak perfect english he politely offered to store our stroller in back and promptly brought a high chair for Evan.  He even brought Ava a darling dessert after her meal, complete with coloured feathers.  It was such a pleasant ending to Paris.

After lunch we returned to the hotel, retrieved our luggage from the bell desk and hoped into a town car toward the airport.  Bah-da-bing.  Our final transition had begun.

I find it rather impressive that I took 4,518 photos on the trip and this was the last one before we arrived in Vancouver.  Other than a rushed connection through Heathrow (just three days before the opening ceremonies) the return travel was rather unremarkable.

We had nearly two weeks to spend in Vancouver before our big migration across the border to Oregon.  We rented a very spacious furnished two-bedroom apartment in False Creek overlooking Science World.  It worked perfectly as a home base for wraping up loose ends and catching up with friends and the 2012 Summer Games.  I have to admit it was pretty incredible to think "we were JUST there" while watching it on tv.

We managed to squeeze in several medical appointments for Evan as well as one final therapy session under the incredible benefit of a socialized health care program.  I was starting to have serious doubts about your decision at this point.

I guess I kept putting off the fact that we were moving away.  It really didn't hit me until a day or two before we left.  We were so warmly welcomed back to Vancouver that it felt as much like home as anywhere.  It is a spectacular city packed full of warm memories and life-long friendships.  Words can express how deeply were are going to miss it.

I had been stressing for months about what it would be like to cross the border with the car, cat, two small children, a husband and the key to a POD of stuff that would follow in a couple of days.  After a few brief (and slightly confusing) conversations and a quick stop to drop-off some paperwork documenting our "unaccompanied personal belongings" we were in Blaine getting gas.  In less than ten minutes our move was officially offical.  Ready or not, we were back in America about to play seven hours of "I spy with my little eye" on the road to the City of Roses.

The end.

Midnight in Paris

Here we are pictured with our first glass of pink champagne in Paris. This marked the beginning of our eight hours of grown-up freedom, as well as the final hours of our trip.  We would be flying back to Vancouver in the morning.

It was hard to believe we didn't have dinner reservations, a set schedule or even a map.  No, for the first time in ages were off to explore the essence of the city with fate and happenstance as our only guide.  We told the sitter we'd be home around midnight and set sail.  It was ridiculously exciting.

What isn't there to love about the city of lights?  Seriously.  It is comforting to know this place is alive and well, just as I remember it.

Rarther last minute we decided to hop on a boat and experience the sites from the river.  I purchased two cheese crepes from the on board concession along with a bottle of bubbles which we sipped from plastic glasses.  I have to admit, the experience was on par with any michelin star. 

I can still close my eyes and vividly remember the amazing pink and purple sky at sunset that night.  It was incredibly lush and vibrant.

Tick, tock, tick, tock.  The hours passed quickly and with tears in our eyes we attempted to summarize our feelings and remembrances from the past three months.  The bright golden glow of the Eiffel Tower behind us made it impossible to focus on reflection.  We were still in it.  Still soaking it up ... seeing, hearing, smelling, breathing and tasting these precious final moments. 

We sauntered back to the hotel around 11:40pm and didn't have the heart to return to the room.  So, naturally we stopped in the hotel bar for a night cap.  We both took our final drink in complete silence.  As millions of fond memories flooded in, the clock struck midnight.  Just like that, tomorrow became today.

Forget Paris?

"Paris is always a good idea."
-Audrey Hepburn

Back in the early planning stages of this trip, before we purchased plane tickets, coordinated train trips and reserved accommodations Darrin and I were certain we would avoid Paris.  It was simply  too stressful to consider the thought of managing two small children in a french café, in the echos of Notre Dame or even on a stroll down the Champs-Élysées.  No, it simply wasn't going to happen.  A bad idea.  Paris is one of the those places (romantic, magical, perfectly balanced) that doesn't mix with kids.  We both have extraordinary memories of Paris and were afraid to let go of the nostalgia.

The timing for all this coincided with the introduction of that silly book that has everyone buzzing about how you can bring up your baby "the French way" where they sit perfectly still at the table, don't pick their noses in public, blah, blah, blah.

Anyway, when it came time to book flights it turned out that British Airways was running a special on their Paris to Vancouver route.  It was very strange that adding first class tickets from Paris to London, to connect to Vancouver, saved us several thousand mileage points and almost $1,4000 in taxes.  With a few clicks, Paris was slated as our final destination.

Okay, okay ... we'll just skip downtown Paris and spend our time at Paris Disney.  No one will think twice if we spill our milk and colour outside of the lines at Mickey's pad.

The truth is, the more time we spent traveling Europe the more we thought about Paris.  Did we really want to come all this way, experience so many amazing, inspiring and enriching things and write the final few pages of our adventure with the free wifi at McDonald's?

We started thinking it through and decided not only were we going to go to Paris proper, we were going to embrace it wholeheartedly.  We envisioned an afternoon with the kids and then a grown-up evening out with food, wine and aimless wandering.  We searched until we found a decent hotel that offered english speaking babysitting service.  Found it.  Problem solved.

After a few days at Disney our transition into the city began with one final adventure through the Park.  The kids thoroughly enjoyed the rides and attractions as well as the hype for the 20th anniversary.

Ava had a fun encounter with Pluto and both kids soaked up some serious lovin' from the cousins.  I am thrilled we were able to coordinate one last rendezvous.

Anthony, Laetita and crew were catching their train back to Montpellier that evening.  They were kind enough to escort us to our hotel - Hôtel Bedford.  The train ride into the city was quick and easy (especially with all the kids hanging out together) and we were most appreciative for their excellent navigation skills.

The sun was shinning brightly when we arrived at the station, and I must say, the Persian streets looked pretty damn good on us.  Our hotel was charming, clean, spacious and included a helpful english speaking concierge who arranged our babysitter.  Très perfection.

It was a teary-eyed goodbye as we parted ways with our travel companions on a small sidewalk overlooking the Eiffel Tower.  Family is precious and we have been truly blessed to share this time together.  These memories will last a lifetime.

Princess Party

These photos pretty much speak for themselves.  We celebrated Ava's third birthday with a visit to Auberge de Cendrillon in Fantasyland where we enjoyed lunch with some pretty princesses.

While the experience was quite expensive and, to be totally hoenst, I was hesistant to finally "giving in" to the whole Dinsey princess thing.  However, the look of pure joy on Ava's face was absolutely precious. 

She was completely over-the-moon that Snow White kissed her hand.  She demonstrated the kiss ever so gently back to me over and over again. 

I think there are much bigger battles to fight in this life than a little girl falling in love with a few shiny ladies with bright smiles and long eyelashes.  It was worth every penny.

I've honestly never seen her more happy than when her chocolate cake was delivered.  She simply could not believe the "Princess and the Frog" was there to help her blow out the candles.  What an amazing stroke of fate!

Even baby brother Evan got in on the action.  Good times, good times.

It's a Small World Afterall

Train à Grande Vitesse

Our transition from London to Paris took just over two hours on the train.  It was clean, family friendly and even surprised us with coffee and a light breakfast.  We purchased a seat for Evan so we had an entire pod for four.  It was perfect and, despite a few whiny moments, pretty much painless.

The train took us straight to the doors of Paris Disney.  From there we hoped a free shuttle to the Hotel Cheyenne.  Darrin's brother and family were anxiously waiting for our long anticipated rendezvous.  After spending so much time together the kids really missed each other.  It was really fantastic that we were able to bring everyone together one last time on this trip.

That evening we celebrated with Mickey and friends at Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show.  Cowboy hats, music, horses, a big Texas style meal, and a whole lot of Americana brought smiles to all our faces.

We took full advantage of our early bird passes and hit park the following morning.  The lines were short and the rides were a blast.

My favourite, of course, was It's a Small World.  What a fun way for Ava to connect with some of the amazing places she visited.  I cried when I saw the Canada section.  Seriously.

Goodnight London

After the festival we headed back to London for one final night in England.  Our muddy feet were warmly welcomed at the drop dead gorgeous St Pancras Renaissance.  The hotel has been voted the number one in London (and among the top 100 in the world.)  In short, the place is spec-tac-ular. 

It took more than a decade of restoration to uncover this Victorian masterpiece, that originally opened in 1873 to accommodate rail travelers through the St. Pancras Rail Station.  Designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, this is no ordinary hotel. The architecture, the decoration, the mixture of classical and hip create a 5-star that mingles historical splendour with contemporary. 

I was fascinated by all the textures.  Below are some photos of simple things like the room key and in room dining menu.  The most brilliant thing of all, however, was waking up @ the train station where we were scheduled to board an early morning TGV to Paris - priceless!

Medieval Dirt (I mean mud)

The next morning we gathered our prince and princess and prepared them for the journey back to the late 1400's in a village not too far, far away. 

Before heading off to find cannon fire in Tewkesbury the little miss enjoyed some free time in her new dress on the castle grounds, among the "wishing flowers." 

These are just a few of the several dozen photos I took to capture this momentous occasion.  It was too precious for words.   I kept thinking to myself, this can't possibly be real.  Someone pinch me, pinch me now, please.  My daughter is an angel.  I just wish I could name the Shakespeare play I was living.

The Tewkesbury Medieval Festival is a 25 year old tradition.  It is entirely volunteer run and involves over 2,500 re-enactors and entertainers.   It is currently the largest medieval fair in the United Kingdom.  Even Robin Hood himself made an appearance this year.

In addition to new friends, roaming dragons, enchanting music, storytelling, cider and roasted boar...

... the main attraction was a massive dramatization of the famous Battle of Tewkesbury, which was fought on 4 May 1471 between the Houses of York and Lancaster.

The Royal Family

The memories gathered at Thornbury will last a lifetime.  A huge thank you to Uncle Jim and Aunt Lynn Allen for bringing everyone together for this extraordinary experience.  Quite honestly, I could not have dreamt it any more magical.

Below are some additional behind-the-scenes pics from the photo shot with photographer Adrian Gaynor (www.gaynorphotography.com).  The lighting was spectacular and even Mr. Gaynor was a little giddy with delight as the sun began to set behind us.  So many god rays, glorious god rays.

A Feast Fit for a King

That evening we headed off to a private dining room in the castle's main building.  We were treated like royalty from the moment we arrived.  No stone was left unturned.

Not only was the food and wine exceptional the atmosphere was straight out the movies.  I kept thinking that I must be living someone else's life.  It was truly unforgettable.

Following dinner we returned to our chambers to freshen up for photos.

Queen for a Day

The next day we boarded a luxury mini-coach and headed off to explore a bit of the English countryside.  In addition to posh leather seats and large viewing windows this Mercedes came loaded with a tour guide.  Her knowledge and fun facts keep us interested and curious as we rolled along toward Stonehendge.

While I know this prehistoric monument is miraculous I still don't quite understand all the details of how these giant stones came to be what they are, where they are or by who they are.  I guess no one really does and that's the awesome thing about it. 

It was raining pretty hard when we arrived and Evan was hungry.  So I didn't actually get up close and personal to the thing.  Perhaps I would have felt differently if I did but it was still exciting to soak up a bit of the buzz and admire the massive stones from afar.

As we headed toward our lunch destination we passed through Bath.  This historic town, located about 100 miles outside of London, is full of history and fame.  The most famous being the author Jane Austen who lived in the apartment photographed below with the white door.  The place originated at one big spa, what isn't to love?  The photo is the far left corner is Pulteney Bridge built in 1773 to cross the River Avon.

We proceed on through the rolling green Somerset hills to the old George Inn where we stopped for lunch.  The mullion windows, tiled roofs and stone facings of the cottages date back more than 700 years.  It was charming in every way possible.  

With the details of the day so carefully managed we were able to enjoy one of our first and only totally stress-free transitions.  It was an incredible gift.

Little did we know, however, that the real gift was about to be revealed. 

As we curved around the corner into the castle our mouths dropped and our eyes widened.  This was the real deal.  Well, hello Thornbury.  What an honour and a pleasure to meet you.

Above everything else we've experienced on this trip this takes the cake for the ultimate "WOW factor."  I hesitate to say once-in-a-lifetime experience again but that is the only way to describe it.  With a quick blink of an eye I became queen for a day.

Opulent doesn't come close to describing our accommodation in the Bedford Suite.  Wow.  Just wow.

There was an aura about the place that words can't explain.  Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn walked these rooms and grounds 500 years ago.  Princess Mary, later Queen Mary I, also lived here for several years.  It was georgous, pure and authentic.  This most certainly was not a Disneyland castle.

Needless to say, the kids loved it.  Princess Ava could hardly believe her eyes.

London 2012

A quick n' dirty EasyJet flight from Scotland and we were happily back in London. The best part of this landing was that Uncle Bob was waiting for us. He’d flown from Korea the day prior. Uncle Jim (and his entire family) would be arriving the following day.

This was Bob's first meeting with Evan and it was truly touching. I have many happy memories of time spent with Uncle Bob when I was a wee lassie. It was awesome to see him interact with my own bundles of joy. After being out on our own for several weeks it felt fantastic to connect with family again.

Thanks to Jim, we checked-in to the Cavendish for a three night stay. This upscale boutique hotel is located in St. James, walking distance to many lavish things and right in the middle of all of Central London's Olympic excitement.


However, the best part of this location was the "across the street" proximity to Fortnum and Mason. 

This has to be one of the greatest shopping experiences in the world. If I lived in London this place would be serious double trouble. I later discovered it is the official grocer for the Queen. Did I mention I got spritzed with the same purfume Kate wore on her wedding day? Yea, they sell that kinda fancy stuff here and ONLY here. It. is. pure. awesome. Google it.

Okay, I am pulling ... pulling ... pulling my head back into reality. Trying to focus.

Okay, I was talking about the hotel. Yes, the Cavendish staff were all very kind but I was especially impressed with the housekeeping. They worked magic to quickly and efficiently create a family friendly guest room out of an executive suite in about ten minutes. They even provided Evan a hooded baby towel and a darling bib. Ava was equally delighted with a mini robe and matching tiny foot slippers. Simply adorable.

That evening I managed ro check off one more "dream come true box" as I experienced the craftsmanship of the culinary genius Heston Bluementhal.  I’ve watched his shows for a couple of years and have thoroughly enjoy all of them. 

I had tried and tried to find a way to eat at the Fat Duck but the logistics were too complicated.  I was absoutley thrilled to learn Heston had recently opened a restaurant in central London called Dinner by Heston.  After some research I discovered they book seats 90 days out and promptly marked my calendar for 9am on July 11, minus three months. 

The menu was created from historical recipes dating way back to the 1500’s.  While the appetizers were crazy unique and inventive the entrees (yep, back in England) were somewhat simple.  Darrin ordered the steak and I remember thinking to myself, why order a steak at Heston’s table?  One bite answered that question.  The idea of ordinary food done extraordinary was the name of the game.  Dessert was an experience all on its own.  Made to order ice cream, tableside.  Served in a homemade cone with an array of delicious toppings. In a word, perfection.

The next day uncle Jim and aunt Lynn arrived with the entire Allen Family. We reveled in a "Love Acutally" type reunion in the hotel lobby.  Sleep deprivation and jetlaggedness didn't really matter for a few moments as fourteen of us were together for the very first time.


That evening we left the kids with one of the amazing nannies we'd met during our first visit to London and rocked out with an incredible stage production of the Lion King. I haven’t been in a theatre for years and I have to say it felt darn good. What a fabulous show! I am still reminiscing of the miraculous sets, gorgeous costumes and incredible music. Here's our "all grown up and out to the theatre without kids in London" photo.


The following day we stepped back in time. The afternoon started with happy hour at the Dickens Inn. They've been serving beer and the like here since the 1700's. No big deal.

Afterward were invited to a Medieval Feast.  While dining among kings, queens we were served by wenches who brought all the beer and wine we could drink. Burp. www.soberbanquet.not

Highlife in the Highlands

After a week of pampering we decided it was high time to sneak off the grid and retreat. Darrin agreed to take four days off work so we could share quiet quality family time in the highlands.

While we’ve been with each on the road for nearly ten weeks a majority of our time has been spent doing things, seeing things or transitioning between things. We thought it might be nice to relax and chill out for a bit. Even if only for a few days, I was looking forward to wearing dirty cloths, playing outside on the grass, rediscovering the glory of a consistent nap time and preparing my own meals. Basically time to recharge our engines.

It was a few quick Google searches that lead us to Lochaber Lodges. Located seven clicks (still not sure if they use miles or kilometers in Scotland) outside of Fort Williams it felt appropriately like the middle of nowhere we were looking for. 
Darrin splurged big time and upgraded our rental to a brand new black Mercedes Benz. As you may know we drive a tiny 2004 Kia Rio at home so this was a serious treat for everyone. But, let’s be honest, it was Daddy who couldn’t wait for the ultimate test drive through the Scottish countryside. We plugged in the GPS, locked down two safety-seats and chanted the words “keep the white line on the right, white line on the right.”
 
This was all fine and good until the white line went away. Depending on whom you ask the slick, single-track roads were either super fun (Ava and Darrin) or not fun at all (Elaina and Evan).

For me, sitting on the opposite side of the car while driving on the opposite side of the road was a challenge. Blend in tight twists and quick swerves while weaving through sheep fields, past bright yellow bushes of Heather and over a tiny cobblestone bridge I’m not entirely sure I’d feel comfortable walking across and the chaos was just too much.

By the sweet graces of God we arrived safely. We received a warm welcome wave as we slowly rolled down the gravel street off the "main road" onto the property. Frank and his best friend Suzie (the dog) are the official greeters and they do a wonderful job looking after the place. I am sure I looked pale as a ghost as I exited the vehicle, stage left.

It is a simple hideaway with a dozen or so cabins situated along a river. Each has a deck with picnic table facing the water. A team of three or four mountains in the distance set the backdrop; the one on the end is apparently the largest in Great Brittan.

The lodges themselves are small but well equipped featuring three tiny bedrooms and two bathrooms with stand-up showers. While clean, modern and smartly designed nothing (except the glass-cubed light fixture in the kitchen and the fake ambient glow fireplace) was overly fancy.

Aside from a few short excursions we played games, read books, watched movies, had tea parties and simply hung out.

Darrin had a chance to escape for an afternoon by himself to visit the Talisker Distillery. He picked up a beautifully aged 25 year old. (Whisky. A beautifully aged 25 year old, whisky. What were you thinking?)

The whole family took a quick trip to Fort Augustus to search for Loch Ness monster. NO luck but we enjoyed the cute little town sans monster.

We stopped in at the Inverlochy Castle on the way back to take a quick peek and have a cup of hot chocolate. I don't think uninvited visits are really welcome here, however, this is where my uncle and family will be staying after our meet up in London. We couldn't drive by without stopping to see it. As you can gather from the photos below, it is absolutely amazing.  The "walled garden" was like wandering through a dream.

Crieff Hydro Resort

As I was scrambling to pull together our travel path for Scotland Darrin's friend (a father of three young girls) emailed a link to a resort an hour outside of Edinburgh.

He mentioned the building was historic, the location was lovely and a few other interesting details my eyes quickly scanned. It wasn't until the words "kids club" popped off the screen that I started paying attention.

After a closer look, the place seemed too good to be true. Family suites, kid-activites, an extra warm kiddie pool, pony rides, all-inclusive high end dining and complimentary childminding. By the time I had finished browsing their website my heart was racing as I searched for availability. What were the chances this place could accommodate us on short notice?

Luck was on our side and I instantly booked a suite for four nights, five days for half the cost of a standard room at the Marriott in London. I was slightly nervous that I had set my expectations too high. It is really possible to blend luxury and children?

Sure enough. They've done it. It didn't take long once we arrived for life to get awe-some!

This is the kind of place I would plan an entire vacation around. In fact, I hope this post will inspire someone to do just that. If you are going to Europe with kids I seriously recommend a visit to Edinburgh followed by five days at the Crieff Hydro Resort. You can thank me later.

The hotel has been around for 140+ years and has a reputation of being Scotland's leading leisure resort. We had a chance to meet a lovely woman who came here for her honeymoon fifty years ago.

Overall, the food was quite good. They offered a decent variety of choices and there were three different dining options for each meal. The fancy restaurant was called the Meikle and we happily ate dinner there three nights in a row. Another highlight was the kid's high tea where healthy and fun finger food was available from 4-6:30pm every evening.

The staff was exceptional, especially if you consider how many kids are running around. I don't know how they do it to be honest. Everyone seemed happy to clean up messy tables after messy tables. I'm talking peanut butter and jelly with a side of jiggly jello messy. I heard that a majority of them live on site and have great fun hanging out together after their shifts are over. You can just tell there is a wonderful sense of team commoderie.

I could go on about all the great features (and I will) but the real value was the kids club. Six hours of childminding per day for children two and older is included. They call the centre "Big Country." It is enormous (think about the size of ten IEKA playrooms.)

It is divided into different areas for kids of all ages. Ava's section had a giant indoor castle, a play area with colourful climbing structures as well as a dress up station, a large play kitchen and even an over-sized tractor. Additionally, there is an adjacent enclosed jungle gym outside. They feature a new theme each day and incorporate stories, art and games. Pure heaven for restless little travelers.

We payed a small supplement to put Evan in their beautiful nursery called the "Creche." It was worth every pence. Also well equipped with soft sheepskin rugs, wooden mobiles and all natural sensory toys as well as high chairs, buggies and a crib. They absolutely adored Evan and I have no doubt he was extremely well cared for. 

While the kids played mommy booked herself two visits to the spa. On that note, I must share a funny story about my pedicure. It was just a few days earlier that Ava said to me, "Mum, your toes look terrible." My last appointment was in Vancouver back in April before we left. The polish was all chipped now and my feet were desperate for some TLC.

So, I scheduled an appointment for the "Ultimate Fish Pedicure." The description said something about offering the latest and greatest under water massage, etc. When I arrived I was a quite surprised to see a tank of real fish (Garra rufa) waiting to nibble my toes.  Eeeeek!

Apparently these little guys were hungry and wanted to lunch on my dead, dry skin. I thought about it for a all of two seconds and just couldn't bring myself to do it. After reading up on this afterward I learned that this treatment is actually illegal in most States, however, it has become a common trend in Europe. In fact, some spas offer much larger tanks where you can submerge your whole body. Ummm, yeah, NO. Thanks. Note to self: Always read the fine print.

At any rate, the spa was a welcomed treat and my toes left very happy. No tiny carp required. I also enjoyed a facial as well as a much needed neck and shoulder massage.

The other activities for the kids were very cool. Every day there are different things for families to do. They have an outdoor trampoline, lawn bowling and croquet but unfortunately it was too wet to partake. Some of the sheltered events include special art projects and scavenger hunts. They even have a small cinema with movies playing back to back. Ava loved the face painting and quickly made friends with a little girl about the same age.

In the evenings they offer family friendly dancing - with lessons! Ava had an absolute ball. She would have gone ALL night if we let her.

 

They have several horses and ponies on property and offer rides throughout the day. Ava took a turn on Timmy and rode like a champion. She really does adore animals and has taken on a particular passion for horses.

Ava celebrated her third birthday while at the resort. While Evan was being spoiled in the nursery I took Ava to the spa for a "pretty in pink princess manicure." I confirmed in advance that no fish would be involved, however, the funny thing is she saw them and wanted desperately to put her hand in the tank. LOL

Darrin and I took her to a special birthday dinner at the hotel. Her evening was filled with flowers, pink balloons, lots of presents and of course an edible chocolate bear.

It wasn't until the second to our last day that I wandered off the resort into the darling town of Crieff. I followed a sweet man with his dog (see photo below) down the hill from the Hydro property. I was confused at first as to why he kept crossing the street, back and forth from one side to the other bending over every so often. I soon realized he was collecting trash along his walk. He knew exactly where the garage cans were located and deposited his findings every block or so. What a kind neighbor. The world needs more of these.

This was just the beginning of my adoration for the darling little town. To be frank, I fell in love. It has just enough of everything to keep a person happy. The shops were so sweet and there were a few bars, restaurants and cafes. In addition to diapers I picked up a couple of steak pies fresh out of the oven for our picnic lunch.

While staying here Darrin made reference to Kellerman's Resort in the film Dirty Dancing. Add a toddler's ball pit, a whisky bar and throw a kilt on Patrick and that pretty much sums it up. One thing is for certain here, nobody puts baby in a corner.

   

Enchanted Edinburgh

I had a feeling Edinburgh would be wonderful. It seemed everyone who talked about it had their eyes roll back in their head with nostalgia. Now, after having experienced it first hand, there is no question. It is magical.

It is one of those photogenic places that is difficult to capture in a snapshot. Everything is so large and dramatic that a single image can hardly do justice.

Having spent my entire life in Cascadia I thought I had a pretty good idea of what lush green looked like. Enter Scotland. There is something about the richness of the trees in contrast with the grey sky and stone buildings that creates an entirely new and vibrant shade of what I am calling "movie screen green."

While I knew Scotland was a part of the United Kingdom I didn't anticipate how "English" it would be. I was delighted to learn I could have some of the same simple pleasures that came easily in London.

For example, Marks & Spencer was down the street making it easy to get healthy food to go. I once again enjoyed scones and clotted cream from Costa Coffee, hooked up the iPhone with affordable data from 3 and found accessible nanny service without any trouble at all. (Thank you Lisa with Butterfly Personnel.) Life is good here.

We stayed in a nice two-bedroom apartment on Princess Street, across from the St. James shopping centre and just a short walk to the Royal Mile. It was perfect. Our building had a shared rooftop garden with amazing 360 degree views. I had hopes of spending a lot of time there with the kids but the rain had other plans for us. A real killjoy as Cinderella would say but then again we have to pay for the green somehow.

Another pleasant surprise was experiencing the first signs of excitement surrounding the 2012 Summer Games. As the UK prepares to welcome the world in the coming weeks little bits of branding is starting to pop up all over town.

The only thing more gratifying than photographing these giant rings on "The Mound" was watching them bring smiles to the faces of others who posed for picture after picture. 

Having personally been involved with Vancouver 2010 the Olympics will always hold a special place in my heart. Once again, I find myself deeply touched by its powerful messages of hope. This event pays tribute to the timeless triumph of the human spirit. There truly isn't anything else quite like it.

I was also happy to see that UK's National Portrait Gallery has installed an outdoor exhibit titled Road to 2012. It features beautiful photography of athletes and key figures. Below are a few photos I took of the images while my first official 2012 happy tears were shed. I look forward to more blurry eyed moments as we head back to London next week.

During our walk along the Royal Mile I reluctantly shuffled a "need to nap" toddler and hungry baby into the Queen's Gallery. At first it was a simple an attempt to get out of the pouring rain but my interest quickly turned as I saw they offered tours of the Palace of Holyroodhouse (The Queen's official residence in Scotland.) Much to my dismay, however, they were both closed that day. I enquired further to find that we couldn't go in because they were in use being set up for a garden party. OMG! What I would give to be a butterfly in that garden.

It turns out Prince William and Henry were in da house. We didn't actually see them but it was still awesome to think they were there hanging out doin' their royal things just a few hundred meters away. Perhaps they too were staring up at the same tiny patch of blue sky that decided to make an appearance for the first time since our arrival.

As far as kid friendly goes, Edinburgh rocks it. From the "Our Dynamic Earth" science museum to eateries with play areas this city is dialed in for family travel. 

We enjoyed (yes, I did conscientiously write the word enjoyed in this scentence) two meals with the kids. The first was a darling family friendly cafe called Hemma just a hop, skip and jump from the Dynamic Earth museum.


Owned by a couple from Sweden this place offers high chairs, a kid menu and a prize for anyone who draws a picture for their wall. The best part is the treasure chest of toys for wee ones to play with while mommy and daddy drink their wine.

As much as my mind tells me to stay away from five star properties with kids, my heart seeks them out. The truth is they can make traveling with children a heck of a lot easier, especially when you are in a non-english speaking country.

As it was, we couldn't spend the weekend in the UK without enjoying a proper Sunday roast. We were all having a particularly good morning and I decided it would be nice to go out as a family somewhere special. So, I booked a table at the gorgeous Balmoral Hotel next door to our apartment.

All I can say is THANK YOU! Thank you to the manager (Mr. Nair), the service staff, the chefs and even the other guests. What an incredible gift you gave us that afternoon. We have never felt more welcomed at a fine dining establishment.

We were seated towards the back of the restaurant where they had set up a kid's table with toys, books and a video player with the movie Ice Age. They also brought Ava an activity book with crayons. Throughout the entire meal multiple people came by our table to talk with Ava and pointing out various pages, etc. The strange thing is that they all seemed genuinely interested in talking with us. The food was incredible but the kindness they showed our family will never be forgotten.

At one point an elderly woman, dressed in her Sunday best, saw me walk to the washroom with Evan. On my way back she waved me over and asked if she could hold him. Her face radiated with happiness when I passed him into her arms. "Go eat" she said without taking her eyes off him. "Go eat."

I noticed the first time I walked by the hotel that they have a gold square plaque outside the entrance that reads, "Children Welcome." I thought it was novel then but now it has an entirely different meaning. I can assure you the next time we find ourselves in Edinburgh I know where we'll be staying.

While we're talking food I should mention a few other meals. Haggis is the thing here and, yes, we tried it. You can Google the details but here's proof it was on our plate.

On our final night in town I went out by myself for fish and chips. I have no idea what this place is called but the walkway was alluring and the restaurant was cozy and comfortable. They served homemade tarter sauce in tiny mason jar and lemon in a little net tied with satin ribbon. Enough said.

My ultimate goal was to find a bar on the Royal Mile with free Wi-Fi to do some travel planning without family distractions. Several pubs (and coincidentally several drinks later) I had nearly given up when this kind gentleman at The Bank Hotel climbed a latter (in a kilt) to reset their server for me. Brilliant!

Not more than five minutes after I had started working a giant screen above my head clicked on as an important football match was about to begin. The place was suddenly shoulder to shoulder packed. I gave up, ordered another "Highland Bouquet" martini and started cheering.

The photo below makes me smile for several reasons. First off, I went into this shop (located next door to M&S) to buy a wool scarf. I was dumb to the fact that they have one of the best whisky collections in town. More important than the bottles, however, is the incredible knowledge of the man on the far right.

Mike knows whisky. Not only does he know whisky, he loves it. His passion is contagious and exhilarating. You can point to any bottle on the shelf and he can share a handful of interesting details without taking a moment to pause. He isn't all talk either. During the course of our half hour conversation the guy had me sippin' three different samples.

Another cool thing about this photo is the guy in the middle. It just so happens that he is an industry colleague of Darrin and his brother. It was a total coincidence that we bumped into each other and started chatting with Mike the Whisky Man. It is a small world.

One of the things I enjoy about travel is the permission it gives me to wander. The free "hall pass" to be out walking the streets or to simply sit quietly without the need to explain a sense of purpose.

I am sure there are people who are comfortable doing this anywhere but as it stands, I'm not one of them. Only when I am away do I feel content being completely present in the moment. I need distance from the familiar to transition from passing through a place and time to observing as life passes by. Incidentally, travel gives me this golden ticket. It allows me to accidentally be in the right place at the right time.

This particular right moment took place on the Royal Mile outside a quintessential stone church with a traditional celtic style red door. I was sitting there nursing Evan and thinking to myself how angelic it looked through the lightly misting rain. I had just decided to reach for my camera when the magnificent sound of bagpipes filled the air. The door of the church flew open and out walked a breathtaking bride and groom.

Time stood still while I witnessed a private and heartwarming scene unfold as the couple tenderly kissed one another as husband and wife for the first time. I was utterly and completely captivated.

As with many girls, I have spent countless hours dreaming, hoping and wishing about my wedding day. Even after seven blissful years of marriage, I still occasionally think about being a bride in a fairytale setting such as this.

In this whimsical moment, however, I wasn't thinking about myself. In fact, my attention wasn't on the bride at all. As I cradled my baby boy in my arms I looked up to make eye contact with the groom. Tears of joy were gracefully streaming down his face as he turned to embrace the well dressed woman behind him. She held him ever so tightly for several long seconds as only a mother can do.

It was then that a glimpse of my son's bright and promising future flashed before my eyes. There on a wooden bench outside a little enchanted church in Edinburgh I fell in love deeper than ever before.

Absolut swEDEN

Long story short, we got on well with Stockholm. In fact, I personally felt more at home than anywhere else we’ve traveled thus far.

From the moment we arrived people were incredibly kind. I am a bit embarrassed to admit it but when we landed with Ryan Air (yeah, good times, Ryan Air) we were more than 100km from the city and didn't have a clue. If it weren’t for the lovely blonde woman sitting behind us on the airplane we would have ended up with one hell of an expensive taxi ride into the city. Thankfully she took us under wing and guided us onto the bus that brought us one metro stop away from our accommodations. 

Without fail, every person we encountered spoke flawless English. More importantly for me is that they were graciously happy to do so. 

I learned quickly that all I really needed to do was respond to an initial greeting by saying “hello” with a smile their language immediately and seamlessly switched over. This happened so smoothly and effortlessly that neither of us would miss a beat. Words can’t express how wonderful this feels after having to take a few seconds (and in some cases minutes) to build up a small ounce of courage before every attempted conversation in both France and Spain.

Strangely, the weather was also a welcomed change. Despite a few seldom blue-sky moments it was grey and drizzly the entire time. I am sure you’re thinking I am crazy for finding comfort in a bit of cool, wet weather but for whatever reason I found it downright cozy and constantly reminded of home. 

There really isn’t anything more romantic than the ambiance provided by the gentle, warm glow of a taper candle. Much to my pleasure, Stockholm has them everywhere. I now understand why IKEA has such a large and fantastic candle section.

I distinctly remember the hour I had to myself snuggled into a crowded coffee shop just around the corner from our flat. I ordered a simple cup of coffee and was delighted when a darling French press arrived just as Tom Waits started in with my all time fav song.

As he sang “I hope that I don’t fall in love with you” I gazed out as a heavy downpour pummel the cobblestone street through the glow of a tall single ivory candle. As with most of my most memorable moments, this was what I call a five sensory experience. For a few brief moments my eyes, ears, mouth, nose and fingers were fully engaged and alive … hearing, tasting, smelling and touching life.

Our two-bedroom apartment was absolutely brilliant and one of the nicest places we’ve stayed. It had all the amenities (i.e. a dishwater, washing machine, comfortable beds, nice towels, reliable Wi-Fi, etc.) but best of all, it had filtered water (sparking and still) in the door of the fridge with an automatic ice maker in the door of the freezer. Yes! Ice readily available day or night. Mix this with an abundant supply of Absolut vanilla vodka and elderflower syrup and you have a one hell of a happy hangover. At any rate, we were totally comfortable the entire nine days. 

I highly recommend the booking company we used called – City Living Apts. Not only were they helpful and prompt but also referrred us to a lovely babysitter named Roberta who worked with our family for several days.  She was a breath of fresh air and delightful in every way. In honour of the Mid Summer holiday she made Ava a crown of pink flowers. It was an impressive work of art and princess worthy without a doubt.


I would suggest Stockholm to anyone traveling Europe with kids. It is just so easy, clean and friendly. It may have been a crazy coincidence but I saw children everywhere. The Swedes seem to be reproducing like crazy on these rainy days and thank God because the world can use more blonde hair, blue eyed babes. (Let's just say the Swedish folk are not ugly.)

The activities available for wee ones are all over the place. We spent two days on Djurgården island where there is a giant amusement park called Gröna Lund as well as the aquarium and the ultimate kid’s activity Junibacken.

All three are worth a visit and the ferry bus to get there is definitely part of the fun.

The aquarium is actually quite small but it is rustic and funky. I especially appreciated the integration of a real salmon hatchery.

I was also very happy to see a holding place for strollers/push carts/buggies. I'm surprised how many attractions don't offer this. Sometimes the smallest things can make a big difference in your experience traveling with kids.

The amusement park is large, clean and well maintained. There are rides for all ages and numerous activities, games and restaurants. We heard there was a petting zoo are but despite two visits we never ended up there. That's sayin' something.

Despite this, Ava had a great time. Her and Darrin road the boat through a fairytale world and we spun round and round on the pretty tea cups.

Junibacken was also incredible. Apparently the main attraction is a storybook train ride through the house of Pippi Longstocking and other loved characters from Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. I wish I could remember more about the story of that cute little red head with braided pigtails and mismatched socks but I'm afraid I don't. I've added it to the infamous download list.

The funny thing is that we never actually made it to the ride for our scheduled departure. Our time was better spent enjoying the opening activities and exhibits. The cafeteria was like a high-end IKEA restaurant serving a variety of freshly prepared sandwiches and salads as well as meatballs and pancakes (BTW - I adore Swedish pancakes). They also had a selection of baby food with spoons and bibs, etc. I was truly impressed. The gift shop is one of the best I’ve seen at a touristy type place. It sells everything from elaborate costumes to books, puppets and toys.

Another personal highlight was the spirit museum. Less than a month old this installation is cool and modern. It shares the story of everything from the Absolut brand to the simple process of distilling alcohol. I've always thought Absolut nailed the flavoured vodka thing and for a little extra you can enter with a sampler "tester pack" in hand to sample a few drops of each vodka while sniffing away at the scent.

The truth is, you don’t have to travel far to entertain little ones in this sweet city. There are parks with playgrounds in all directions. Where there isn’t a formal park all the apartment buildings have created garden spaces with sand boxes and play equipment.

We joked several times about the frequency of hair salons and 7-Elevens in Stockholm. If you fancy a trim followed by a slurpee you are in luck. We took advantage of the convenience and brought Ava across the street for a Swedish cut.

Make new friends, but keep the old.
One is silver and the other is gold.

One of the main inspirations for our visit here was the opportunity to see my dear friend Viktoria and her family. We met 20 years ago in high school while she was on a foreign exchange. We have casually stayed in touch during the years. It was so fun to share an evening catching up at her beautiful home near Hagaparken (where the real princess lives with her new little princess). Any time you have the opportunity to visit a residence for a home cooked meal on the road it is a blessing.

Speaking of meals, I should talk for a moment about the food in Sweden.  Fish is the big thing and Herring seems to be the swimmer of choice. There is also a selection of game meat, such as reindeer. We didn’t eat out much but the one meal we did share was charming.  We stumbled onto the place totally randomly. Darrin had salmon roe (aka caviar) for the fist time and loved it. For me, well, you had me at the candles in the rain alongside comfort food.

It seems only fitting that in preparation for the next leg of our journey Darrin and I stumbled onto the Ardbeg embassy during a visit in old town. The gentleman behind the bar was most helpful and guided Darrin through a taste of whisky from the year he was born. We also learned that the golden liquid is priced per centiliter (cl), not per shot, and three of these little drips is commonly called a liquid dram. Watch out Scotland, we're armed and ready for you and your distilled oats.

I close with these random reflections:

• Meatballs with jam make me happy
• Vodka sales controlled by the government(system bolaget)are silly
• The IKEA brand totally nailed Stockholm (or vice versa)
• Mid Summer's Eve should be on the global list of annual holidays
• Extra hours of daylight make us stronger
  

Bilbao, Spain (Welcome to Beautiful Basque Country)

So, the story goes something like this:

Beautiful beaches, lush green landscape, friendly people with a rich language and unique culture ... ohhh and some of the best food in the whole wide world.

Our time in Basque was dedicated to three spots - Bilbao, San Sebastian and Biarritz. To begin our travels we hoped a quick one-hour Ryan Air flight from Barcelona to Bilbao. This is the capital of the region and is also the largest.

We stayed two nights here at Hotel Miró, located across a pleasant park from Frank Gehry's Guggenheim museum. I have nothing but nice things to say about the hotel. It was clean, friendly and hip. It reminded me of a boutique W hotel. I especially enjoyed the contemporary art. The small lounge with complimentary drinks was a nice touch but most important was the staff. They were awesome and extremely kind to us.

We had a large one-room suite on the top floor where they set up a roll-away bed for Ava and a large pack n'play for Evan. We were delighted to find welcome gifts on the kid's pillows. Overall it worked well. 

As luck would have it the hotel was offering a special "sweet treat" tea service as well as a cake decorating competition. Ava and I had a special date together as she enjoyed her first tea party. She was a big hit and was even featured on the event's Facebook page.

In a nutshell, the town is well organized and spotless. The big feature for us was the Guggenheim museum. It was inspiring to get our art on for a few hours. Not only is the building itself exceptional but the installations are awesome. They give you a hand held device so you can punch in the corresponding number for the piece you are looking at to hear commentary from the artists, etc. It added a wonderful dimension to the experience.

My personal favourite was Richard Serra's installation entitled Snake -"a work made for the inauguration of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, consists of three enormous, serpentine ribbons of hot-rolled steel that are permanently installed in the museum's Fish gallery."

Below are just some random shots I took around town. If all shopping malls had a "Sala de Lactancia" for nursing moms the world be a better place. The playgrounds and the parks were also exceptional.

With 24-hour room service we spoiled ourselves by staying in to eat most of our meals. We did make it out for the daily special at the pub next door. Nothing really special but boy oh boy did it tickle our tongue for more good eats.

We could have easily enjoyed a few more days here but our agenda (and more importantly our appetites) had us heading to the next town over.

Donostia-San Sebastián (More Basque-ing in the Sun)

After soaking up art in Bilbao it was time for some surf and turf. We rented a car and drove an hour to our next stop in San Sebastián, or Donostia depending on your language. The beach is truly lovely here and the landscape is gorgeous.

Our apartment was about a ten minute walk up into the hills from Ondarreta Beach, one of the three big ones. The view from the suite was worth the hike (pictured below).



The locals seemed a bit distraught with the wet weather. It rained every day we were there. To be honest, I didn't mind one bit and actually found the change refreshing after experiencing a few hot days in Barcelona. As I always say, you don't get the green for free.

Ava enjoyed the sandy playground and yet another merry-go-round. She was absolutely delighted to see a dolphin to ride.

The local aquarium was the perfect way to spend a few hours out of the rain. The location is impressive (right on the edge of a cliff at the end of a pier, overlooking the sea) and the exhibits are great. I enjoyed the opening section that focuses on the fishing industry. The shark tank is also spectacular. It gave me goosebumps to see a real live diver inside at feeding time.

While the beaches were pretty n'all, it is the eats that make this destination a foodie's paradise. The old town area feautres several dozen casual pubs with unique tapas (called Pintxos) served on toothpicks in a "help yourself" buffet style.


The way you eat here is also special. Txikito is the act of pintxo bar hopping and a cuadrilla is the squadron of revellers on a pub crawl. This idea is brilliant. It is such a fun way to mingle. Every bar you walk past looks like a private party is happening inside ... and guess what? You're invited!

I found it funny that when we asked for a cocktail around 10pm we were told that they didn't start serving mixed drinks until 11pm. Below is a photo of the dining room being "set" for dinner service that also began at the time. Ahh, youth is so totally wasted on the young. We were of course just finishing our night and preparing to head home. While very novel, this idea of midnight dining, it isn't our time and place.


A special thanks to Romy (or as Ava called her "Aunty Rhonda") for taking such good care of Ava and Evan while mommy and daddy got their Txikito on.

Twinkle, twinkle, twinkle litte star

By some strange celestial coincidence there are three restaurants in San Sebastian that have been awarded the prestigious three Michelin star crown. In fact, there are 14 stars in total here. With a population of only 186,122 people that makes it the shiniest little place on earth.

After watching the documentary titled "El Bulli: Cooking in Progress" at the Vancouver Film Festival I have an entirely new appreciation for what it takes to pull off a cutting edge, gastronomic menu crafted to inspire all five senses. The feature of this film is a small restaurant located in Roses, Spain near the French border. It held the honourable three star title for 14 years. In all, it employed over 40 talented chefs and actually closed for several months of the year to invent, create and prepare the season's spectacular menu.

Our similar Spanish star studded experience took place at Chef Pedro Subijana's Akelare.

Situated high up on the hill, overlooking the Bay of Biscay, the location is breathtaking. While the service was excellent it was much more laid back than our two star experience in Reims, France. While I adored the rock star modern French approach of multiple servers gracefully swooping in and swooping out to maintain absolute perfection at the table, I appreciated Akelare's peaceful demeanor. It paired naturally with the tranquil surroundings.

I am kicking myself for not writing this post immediately following our meal. Sadly the flavours and ingredient details have started to fade from memory. While I may not retain the intricate details of each bite I will never forget that warm sunny evening in San Sebastian when my mind, body and soul were totally and completely delighted with culinary pleasure. I may never understand how each dish was carefully crafted but the overall impressions will last a lifetime.

In saying this, I am reminded of one of my favourite expressions:

“People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.”
-Maya Angelou

To begin I present our first course: An Edible Sea Garden
Codium seaweed "coral", beach pebbles of shallot and corn, sponge of sea urchin, oyster with "shell" made with cacao, oyster leaf, in prawn's sand with dried shrimp powder with even some tiny baby shrimp lost in the sand

Details are delicious. I can't help but wonder how long it took some chef to create and produce those two tiny black dots on the oyster leaf that I devoured in less than two seconds.

Next ...

Top photo: Piquillo and Iberico Carpaccio
Looks can be deceptive. This appears to be raw meat while it is really a thin pasta made with Piquillo (a local chili pepper) that has been kneaded with Iberico ham stock to absorb the color and salty flavor of jamon. The carpaccio pasta is topped with mushrooms and parmesan. 

Bottom photo: Molluscs and Fisherman's net of Pasta
Open mollusks baked on charcoal fire, with a cream of rice and borage, covered by a net made of rice flower in which there are also some remains of the sea. Full sea flavour comes from a melody of clams, squid, mussels, scallops and oysters.

Prawns and French beans in “Orujo” Fire
These pretty prawns were cooked tableside in a sexy black Le Creuset dutch oven filled with volcanic rocks that had been smothered with a powerful pomace brandy called Orujo. This firey juice is locally made from the distillation of the solid remains left after pressing of the wine grape.

Top: Razor Clam with Braised Veal Shank
This play on texture is served with white woodear mushrooms that have been entirely created from cauliflower.

Bottom: A bite
of something delicious from Darrin's plate.

"Desalted" Cod
in its original box with edible shavings and cod tripes in tomato water

Crab Essence
its Coral Blini and "Gurullos" pasta which is shaped like rice grains

Top: Turbot with its "Kokotxa"
A local, flat white fish. It is traditional in Basque cuisine that the Kokotxa, the cheek, be served with the fisth.  However, Turbot doesn't have kokotxa, so this one has been carefully constructed using a Japanese root and fish broth. Alongside was an olive oil and fish gelatin emulsion and a fish chip made of bones and skin, and parsley powder.

Bottom: Hake in Monkfish "Habit" and Mussel's Beans
A white fish simmilar to cod or haddock

"Whole grain" red mullet
accompanied by three translucent jelly fusilli infused with parsley (green), soy sauce (red) and "ajo blanco" garlic sauce (white) - aka totally fake pasta. So creative!

Carved Beef, Tail Cake
"Potatoes and Peppers" tiramisu with extremely fancy potato chips

My awared for the most beautiful dish of the evening:
Roasted wood pigeon
with spicy mexican mole, presented on patterned cacao powder

Milk and Grape, Cheese and Wine in parallel evolution
- Grapevine, curded sheeps milk & walnut
- Powdered fresh cream with chives & grapes
- Quark cheese with nutmeg and pink pepper aroma, must of tapoica & tomato
- Idiabazal semi-matured cheese with quince jelly & wine dust
- Torta of Casar’s grape with soaked raisins in Pedro Ximenez
- Brandy sirpo with Gorgonzola cheese ice cream

Xaxu and foaming Coconut Ice Cream
A traditional Tolosa cake served with permission of Gorrotxategui pastry chef plus egg and almond with side of foaming coconut ice cream

A different apple tart
Puff pastry toasted-apple cream-puff pastry praline with house-made eatable apple paper

Layered Strawberry and Cream

Chef Pedro Subijana

Biarritz, Frantzia

After five days in San Sebastian we carried along on our journey through Basque country. Another short one hour drive and we found ourselves sneaking our Spanish rental across the border into France.

Asking which of the three places was my favourite is a bit like asking me to choose Italian Gelato flavours or French cheeses or Spanish ham. They are all awesome, however, I have to say that Biarritz wins the prize for my top pick.

While the Biarritz Ocean Hotel was nothing fancy it was affordable and centrally located. Our suite had a bedroom, plus a little alcove with bunk beds and a small but efficient kitchen. The real highlight, however, was the friendly english speaking front desk manager. From printing our Ryan Air boarding passes to providing restaurant recommendations and directions around town she was most helpful.

Ava and I stopped to chat with her for a few minutes on our way out to buy some groceries. I asked her where the closest market was and she directed us four blocks straight up the hill. I had to smile when we quickly approached a real "market" a dozen times better than the tiny grocery store I had envisioned. Only in France.

Pintxos are better in France thanks to the addition of goose liver at the buffet. Hello foie, I missed you.

While up in the Champagne region I fell head over heels for this little dessert called canelés. For being so delicious it is a fairly straight forward pastry in the shape of a cylinder with a soft and tender custard center and a dark, thick caramelized crust. You can imagine my joy when I found this at a local bakery.

Biarritz is an immaculate city with a definite resort feel to it. There are several high-end boutique shops mixed among pretty churches and random art.

Darrin and I took a pleasant stroll along a seawall path that clung to the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. Thus far, it was one of my most favourite scenes. There is just something extraordinary about raw, natural beauty. It reminded me of the view point at Ecola State Park in Oregon.


The ultimate memory, however, was spending a few hours with the sand between our toes and salty water in our hair. There is just nothing in the world quite like a refreshing swim in the ocean. It does a mommy good.

Barcelona Baby

(Waiting for the train to Spain)

I have been slow at posting this week. My first excuse is that the internet has been unreliable on this leg of the journey. The pig products in Spain are amazing, however, the WiFi doesn't bring home the bacon.

I have a SIM card for my iPhone but I don't have a clue how it charges for voice or data. Every few days I walk into this funky little store on the corner, give them my local number along with ten euros and suddenly it works again for another couple of days, give or take.

Keeping a constant internet connection, however, has been a challenge ... and posting photos has been next to impossible. We haven’t been able to use Skype or FaceTime either. I hesitate to admit that, for the first time in nearly two months, I have started to feel homesick. I guess I can’t really say "homesick" since we don’t have a home. Hummm, perhaps it is that I miss feeling connected and (yes, I am going to publicly say it) the convenience of receiving Facebook and Twitter updates.

At any rate, I move on to my second excuse. We have now officially entered Darrin’s segment of the trip. Keeping with a long-standing tradition, I was responsible for the beginning and the end of travels while he was responsible for the middle section. Our original plan was for me to be writing this from a little cottage in Austria but somehow I am typing in the car as we twist and turn along the northern coastline of “green Spain.” It will come as no surprise to many of you that Darrin presented a lovely rough sketch of our path and I have been working tirelessly to colour in the details.

Allow me to share the broad strokes. After a four-hour train ride from Montpellier we spent a week in Barcelona. It was just enough time to get our feet under us before hoping a small flight to Bilbao. Our current plan is to spend the next week wandering our way through this beautiful Basque country to the border town of Biarritz, France.

I have to vent a moment and share that while this is exciting and adventurous, it is also exhausting. We have a mantra we say over and over on travel days to help us cope with the stress of dragging two small children around unfamiliar terrain: “Transitions are hard. Transitions are hard.”

This time it is not only the physical act of packing, moving and unpacking involved but there is intense planning required to actually have a place to go and a way to get there. Hours and hours have been dedicated to searching for accommodations, translating websites, studying Google Maps and reading review after review. The slow internet has lengthened the process. The days of hoping along with a backpack and a wrinkled map in our pocket are so far gone it is almost funny. Simply put, traveling with a family (and high standards) is not easy. I have definitely learned that this is not my preferred method. I am a planner through and through.

At any rate our six days in Barcelona felt quick after spending nearly month in Montpellier. Nonetheless, it was enjoyable. We settled into a nice apartment located in the Eixample Derecho area which came highly recommended. We (by "we" I mean "I") found an awesome three-bedroom penthouse at a very reasonable price through a website called Barcelona Point.

 
To further enhance our experience I found a site called "Tender Loving Canguros" that provides local resources for kids as well as english speaking babysitters. The owner of the company (from London) is organized, friendly and trustworthy. She contacted me immediately to explain how she personally hires and trains all of her nannies who are held to very high standards. This is how we met Romy who has been a huge blessing for many reasons. Not only is she amazing with the kids she is fluent in English and Spanish. This has helped us obtain everything from the scent-free laundry detergent to data for our iPads and a rental car with child seats. The essentials.

Back to Barcelona.  We basically had four days to explore. We, of course, found the aquarium first and foremost and dove into an unforgettable underwater experience.

We also toured the famous La Rambla strip and the market (La Boqueria). Trying to manage two small children, a husband, a cup of fresh watermelon and a camera with two hands in this situation was incredibly difficult. The photos below will give you a tiny glimpse inside but this is simply one of those places that you must experience with your own eyes.

After a whirlwind tour of the market we sat down at a nearby cafe to have lunch. Those who knew my friend and former colleague from VANOC will appreciate what happened next. Leo had been on my mind the entire day. It may sound strange but I heard his voice in my head over and over again and saw his face several times amongst the crowded smiles walking the market. His passion for life was alive and completely surrounding me. Goosebumps. 

When we sat down to eat the waiter automatically brought us a small plate of tapas to welcome us. It had two items, Pan Con Tomate and Tortilla Española. These were the same two things I helped Leo meticulously prepare for our team meeting almost exactly three years ago at the HQ for Vancouver 2010. Of all the tapas in Spain this was the dish we were served without even asking. It was perfect. Gracias Leo. I miss you.

Thanks to Romy, Darrin and I were able to escape one evening for dinner and a stroll through the heart of Barcelona. France and Spain are very different in their approach to culture, food and overall attitude. I am still developing my thoughts on how to articulate this but it has been a pleasure to experience both first hand.

Dear Spain,

You had me at Sangria.

XOXO

-Elaina

While I love the French for their sophisticated sexy chic approach to life I have to admit it was refreshing to feel more a bit more relaxed, casual and even a little sloppy for a few hours.

Dolphins + zoo = happy Ava

Sand + ocean = happy Ava


Thanks to Google, we had the chance to visit the city's science museum. I highly recommend this to anyone (young or old) who visits Barcelona. The building itself is gorgeous and the exhibits are all beautifully done. We had a great time and even learned a thing or two. It is hard to believe the entry fee was only three euros.

On our final day we went to the natural history museum. While the building itself is incredible the exhibits are quite small. Nevertheless, Ava enjoyed seeing the stuffed animals up close and personal. She even kissed the lion through the glass. With several hours to kill before our flight we ended up heading to the playground by the beach and then to the large centre across the street to do some shopping and have lunch.

Much to my surprise both children decided they'd had enough and in some "out of this world" miracle moment they both fell sound asleep. In. The. Middle. Of. The. Mall. At. The. Same. Time. What are the chances? I only wish I had a photo of me sleeping next to Evan on the couch. LOL.

On a rather random note, I end this gigantic post with this ham shop that was located across from Zara in the middle of the freakin' mall. There is something priceless about smelling cured meat while shopping for shoes. Only in Spain.

"Come quickly, I am drinking the stars" ... and eating them!

"Joie de vivre"

I haven't posted for a while and, to be honest, I am not sure where to begin with this one. I have 106 photos flagged and have an overwhelming desire to publish every one of them.

The past few days have been a dream come true. It is no secret that I enjoy bubbles in my beverages. If you scroll through my photo albums you'll seem me holding a flute containing golden sparkles, more often than not. What can I say other than I LOVE the way it makes me feel. I love how it almost always makes people smile and I love how it transforms ordinary situations into extraordinary ones. Most of all, I love how it reminds us to celebrate life's simple moments as well as the grand ones.


With a previously booked appointment, we kicked off our “viste des cave” adventure with Moet & Chandon’s one hour tour and tasting. At the entrance to the house stands a statue of Mr. Dom Perignon. It is said that this famous monk accidentally created the world’s first sparking wine more than 300 years ago.


Our tour began with a short video montage narrated by Scarlett Johansson. One stunning image after another helped define and establish their high-class brand of rich wealth and extreme luxury. After a quick promenade around we were introduced to a tiny section of their exquisite grand estate. It doesn’t take much to see, however, this place is money.



Just moments after being inundated with scenery surrounding life’s finest pleasures we started our decent to the underground. The lights that glittered so brightly were instantly transformed into dim yellow patches between the darkness. The sounds of corks popping and crystal clinking behind laughter became damp echoes of cold caverness tunnels. The effervescent gold and silver accents were now grayish mold and mildew clinging off the side of drab green bottles. It was as if we had suddenly been shrunk down and thrown inside the greasy gritty engine shaft of an Aston Martin.


Having previously studied champagne making I knew enough to understand why some bottles were stacked high upon each other and why some were tilted at an angle, etc. What I found incredible was the sheer size of the operation. Literally millions of bottles were stored in these caves, each suspended at a different point in the process.


The restaurant at the hotel was closed for the evening. The front desk crew recommended we try a place nears Reims that was featuring "modern french" cuisine. They booked us a table for 7:30pm; early by French standards, but we told the babysitter we'd be home by 10:30pm.

I didn't do any research before going and couldn't even remember the name when we got there. I didn't have any expectations walking in, however, it became quickly obvious that we were in for something special. To be honest, the size of the wine list was all it took.


It turns out we were guests at the top rated restaurants in the region and one of the best in France. L'Assiette Champenoise has been awarded TWO Michelin stars and is featured in the Les Grandes Tables Dumonde which crowns the top 149 restaurants in the world. (Did I mention that Darrin was wearing jeans and sneakers? LOL)

It was out-of-this-world. The flavours that developed were seven layers deep at every bite. The sauces. Oh my god, the freakin' sauces. (Enter photo of shiny siver, salt and sauce)

The service was synchronized past the point of perfection. Every dish was presented and placed at precisely the same time. I pretty much have to call it as the most memorable meal of my life. It was like eating art.


Having entered without any preconceived notions or expectations made the experience that much more spectacular.


Ohhh my the dessert. I felt like Meryl Streep in that scene in the movie Julia & Julia where she tries to speak after taking a bite of some delicious thing but the words simply don't come and she is left gasping with her hands gesticulating all around. It was pure heaven.

I am enamoured by the pre-dessert they do here featuring little bites, before the real deal arrives. It is like some kind of amuse bouche for the sweet teethe. My main finale was a deconstructed black forest cake (this is precisely where the words disappear in thin air.)

I brought a chuckle to the service staff (yes, plural, as in there were always more than two people at our table at a given time) when I asked if the beautiful silver case containing homemade lollypops was engraved with the word "lollypop" in french. They looked at each other and the kind gentleman just smiled and politely replied in flawless english, "No madame, that is the chef's name."

For future reference, the french word for lollypop is une sucette.

bubble finesse + brand

In addition to Moet & Chandon we visited three other big "houses" and a few small ones. Each offered a unique and creatively "branded" experience. I'll let the photos speak for themselves. 

Veuve Clicquot
Founded in 1772. Madame Clicquot not only ran the company for many years but is said to have created the first "riddling rack" that is still used today. The next time someone asks who I would most like to "bring back from the past" to have dinner with I know how to answer.



Pommery
Founded in 1852. This company was also run by a kick-ass woman (Louise Pommery) for many years. She purchased 120 limestone and chalk pits, so-called crayères, carved underneath 12 miles of city. These unique cellars allowed her to store and age over twenty million bottles in a temperature-controlled environment. Today a rotating modern art exhibiting frequents her caves. What a way to make history POP!

The top photo is one of the many modern art installations that can be enjoyed throughout the tour. The bottom left photo is showing some sedement in a bottle of champagne. The bottom right is an ancient statue of the Virgin Mary who is watching over the 25 million bottles of bubbles.

I love top photo with all the mold. It is amazing to think this same bottle could be served to the Queen in crystal on a silver platter one day. The bottom right are the oldest bottles in the collection - one from 1874 and another from 1898.

These amazing and elaborate stone carvings by Gustave Navlet were commissioned by Madame Louise Pommery are quite a contrast to their modern art theme.

Taittinger
Founded in 1734, the third oldest Champagne house. Practice makes perfect. I remember seeing a slogan printed on one of their ad campaigns that translated to "I hold the light of my heart in my hand." It featured a beautiful woman delicately holding up a glass of champagne. Beautiful.

The names of all the international distributors for Taittinger are posted on a large wall in the tasting room. Ahhh, the good old BC Liquor Board is showin' up in high places.

Champagne Royale

Our home for four days has been Relais & Chateaux's Royal Champagne Hotel near Épernay. It is a five star property surrounded by vineyards (including some used to make celestial juices for Dom) in a gorgeous location, with lovely amenities.

Upon arrival we enjoyed a glass of champagne to welcome us to the hotel. While we sat sipping in the lobby, members of the staff came to "present themselves" and say hello. You certainly can't bid for that on Priceline.com. Evan was a totally ham and adored the attention.

Our suite was top notch. We enjoyed a king size bed (two over-sized twins combined) a beautiful bathroom with a tub and separate shower, ample storage as well as a spacious private balcony.

I've been fortunate to stay in a few high-end properties around the globe. While fancy soap and high thread count linen has its place ...


ultimately it is the people who make the difference.  Genuine hospitality is priceless.


The folks here have a true passion for making their guests happy. Not only did they help us with all our arrangements, including cellar tours and childcare for Evan, but the front desk manager brought in her own daughter's stroller so he could venture out for fresh air. Talk about going above and beyond. Evan’s nanny (named Sandra) was so kind and caring it was a true pleasure to trust her with my son.

We ate dinner in the hotel's restaurant twice during our stay. The first evening was mother’s day and we enjoyed the special “Fete des Meres” tasting created by the talented Chef Franck Fuchs.



The starter course was my personal favourite as it quite literally sparkled on the plate. The house made terrine of foie gras (photo below) was dressed with shimmering salts and a pretty pink champagne jelly that popped with the touch of mineral sugar. It was fabulous and blended beautifully with our 2002 vintage by Pol Roger.


The second course featured a filet red mullet with seasonal asparagus (photo above.) I quite enjoyed the frothy sea foam that surrounded the lovely white and pink fish. The meticulously diced and sliced vegetables were fresh and delicate, adding texture to the plate. My final bite was the petite yellow roasted tomato, sitting alone in the corner. It was beautiful.


Ginger and pear blended with beetroot to glaze a breast of fowl for yet another winning dish. The cheese tray did not disappoint and for dessert I finished with a decadent champagne inspired soufflé (photo above.)

We returned to enjoy dinner a second time with this talented kitchen crew. The foie gras was even more amazing the second time around and I savoured every bite of a white fish very similar to what I had on the first encounter. 

A Weekend in Reims

On June 1st, five years ago, Darrin and I got married on the rooftop of our apartment in Vancouver's west end. 


It was a glorious day, shared with treasured friends and amazing wine. To celebrate the joyous occasion we opened a rare and precious bottle of Domaine Leroy, Meursault, Perrières from 1969.

While in France, it seemed appropriate that we visit Champagne for our anniversary. So, we jumped at the opportunity to leave Ava with her cousins and head to the land of luxurious bubbles.

Our first two nights were spent in Reims, coronation city of kings and cradle of the world's most prestigious real deal sparkling wines.

The city is full of history. There is a giant Notre Dame Cathédrale that took our breath away.

I don't really know how the the whole candle lighting thing is supposed to work in a giant church, but I dropped two euros into the pot and bought one for my mom (and all the other loved ones I've lost.) It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside to see it shine so brightly.

The attention to detail on this structure was out of this world. I have been trying to wrap my mind around the sheer size and simply can't do it. It defined amazing.

We stayed in a suite at the Hotel Grand Continental in the centre of Reims. The staff were incredibly friendly and the room was spacious and comfortable. It is perfectly located, right on the main drag, and had everything we needed for a pleasant stay.

The hotel staff pointed us toward the office de Tourisme who pointed us to the lovely folks at Family Sphere to provide babysitting services so we could enjoy a evening out. Thanks to Google translate we were able to work out a happy baby and happy parents for six hours.

We had grand plans to hit the town (this place is happening with overcrowded bars and clubs that spill out onto the pedestrian only streets), however, we ended up in the hotel's restaurant to enjoy a quiet and peaceful meal. The days of bar hopping are either long gone or waiting for us at some point in the future.

There was a large medieval festival happening while we were there. It gave me goosebumps to see all the Renaissance costumes and decor.

Everything looked entirely too real with the massive cathédrale as a backdrop. I quickly fell in love with a particular cheese fondue booth. What a brilliant idea! Watch out Portland's Saturday Market. I think you need a little hot melted cheese, ham and bread to go with your rain.

Below are a few more interestings things we saw around town, including my favourite pic in the bottom right corner of a living green wall. The local bakery served four different homemade Nutella style spreads with breakfast that were sweet and ohhh so wonderful.

Here's more foie gras from our diner and some roasted tomatoes on the vine. Delicous! I am totally going to steal this idea. The french think of everything.

La famille

Mammy and Pappy returned home to Florida today after spending three weeks with us here in France. What a blessing to have everyone together again.

Star Struck

This evening Darrin and I experience our first (and only) Michelin star dining establishment.

For this incredible meal we shared four leisurely and delicious hours with the talented staff and chefs of Le Jardin des Sens in Montpellier.

Upon arrival we were asked if we'd like to have apéritifs on the garden terrace. But of course monsieur! I can think of nothing we'd enjoy more.

After a poor attempt to hide our broken french we ordered two Kir Royals. Within minutes of sipping bubbles petite plates of food started to arrive. Four in total. It was unexpected and wonderful. I felt like a true honoured guest, being served delicious things straight from the kitchen. I personally enjoy not having to think too much about what to order, especially when the options are in a foreign language.

After browsing the menu for a good fifteen minutes we decided the only way to do this was to indulge in the multi-course "MENU SENS & DECOUVERTE" tasting journey. This meant food was going to just keep coming and coming. And. It. Did.

Plate after gorgeous plate we ate. The service was as graceful as a well rehearsed ballet. There was always someone standing within view ready and waiting to top up our water, straighten our engraved silver or sweep away the crumbs.

There was one special server who seemed the most comfortable speaking english. He appeared like magic every time a new dish was presented. As soon as the waiter finished describing it in french he would chime in with the english translation. It was much apprecited.

I am trying to think of all the things that set this experience apart from the many other memorable meals we've had. It really isn't one thing in particular but the whole package in its entirety.

From the personal greeting at the door; to the sensual surroundings of the garden and the radiant ambiance of the natural lighting; to the incredible plating and presentation and beautifully balanced flavours that were so carefully timed. It was just perfect. Totally and completely perfect from beginning to end and every bite in between.

We're all Sète, thanks!

This afternoon we packed up and drove about 45 minutes to the sea-side resort of Sète on the Mediterranean. Known as the Venice of the Languedoc region, this port town features an enclosed salt water lake used primarily for oyster and mussel fields.

These are a staple food group here and sold everywhere. They are also known for a tomato and octopus pie called "la tielle" - featured below in the bottom right photo. 

The large indoor market (Halles Centrales) has everything from fresh shellfish to gourmet candy. When we were there the food court was packed with folks enjoying trays of oysters while leisurely sipping wine.

The side opposite the lake features 12km of nice sandy beach. Evan wiggled his toes and fingers in sand for the first time and Ava swam like a dolphin.

Livin' the dream

We haven't been out much this week. The pressure to do touristy things has started to soften and the past few days have been spent simply living life. We are settling into a bit of a routine ... healthy home-cooked meals, doing laundry and navigating around without getting lost.

I've actually come to recognize familiar faces at the local bakery, the pizza place down the street and the corner market. In a world where I can't make conversation with with people how I am used to, it is nice to casually get to know someone through simple encounters. Maybe it is just me but their smiles seem to get bigger each day as my pronunciation slowly improves.

Home is where your pizza is.  Here's a pic of our favourite pizza and salad from our pizza place in town. Love. Love. Love.


Despite all the differences, our day to day focus is strangely similar to what we knew in Vancouver. Baby boy has starting eating solid food. So far, he is liking everything.

Below are a few of the happy, messy smiles that I can't help but share. It is such a pleasure to have these "baby's first" experiences with family around.

From the moment we started feeding him rice cereal, Evan starting rolling over on his own. Hurray! This is another major milestone. We are grateful that he continues to show signs of healthy, normal development. Did I mention that he looks cute with applesauce on his chin? Bon appétit!

Ava is having an absolute blast with her aunt n' uncle, her cousins and her grandparents. Thanks to a collaborative effort, she is starting to learn to ride a bike for the first time.

She asks about her friends in Vancouver often and reminds us every time we see a cat that "Riesy is staying with a friend" and that needs his nails cut so he won't scratch her when we get home.

Grandma and Grandpa France (aka Laetitia's mom and step-father) came to visit us from Limoux. Grandma France and Evan got along just fine. He didn't mind at all that she doesn't speak a lick of english.

I'd like to close with a few random photos from the large grocery store located just outside of town. There is an entire aisle of yogurt and pudding. (I am now totally addicted, btw)

Can you say fromage? The cheese aisle is insane. Just insane AND STINKY. Ohhh boy does it stink.

A little jambon anyone?

The aisle that has inspired our next excursion ... OMG.

Now it is FINALLY time to pour a glass of wine, sit back and catch up on some television. I can't believe we still have five remaining episodes from Top Chef Canada. Where the heck have I been?

To market, to market

As promised, I've included some additional photos from the public market in Montpellier. My nieces, Alicia and Angelina, went with Mammy and I on Saturday to do some shopping for dinner.

I was so impressed with the girls. Not only were they polite and well spoken, but they saved us on numerous occasions with their smooth translation. Thanks to them, we were able to put together a delicious spread for the evening. I was equally inspired by their creativity and enthusiastic party planning when we set everything up. The photos speak for themselves.

The final results ...

Ohhh laaa déjeuner

Located in the same small village as Anthony and Laetitia (Monferrier sur Lez) sits Cygory restaurant, named after owners Cynthia and Gregory Sarkissian. The ambiance, decor, service and food here is simply extravagant.


Thanks to a kind neighbor lady who agreed to look after the kids we headed to the village to enjoy a lavish late lunch. (Side note: The french typically take two hours to eat their lunch and drink their wine. Everyday.)

The "compression de foie gras" starter was almost as delicious as the waiter who served it. His voice was so beautiful I politely requested that he "répétez s'il vous plaît" after he spoke the words my finger was pointing to on the menu. He obliged gracefully and it brought an appropriate chuckle to the table as well as a giant smile to my lips.

Since one serving of duck liver in France is never enough, I followed my entrées with a beautiful piece of beef, with escargot (a first for me) and a some seared foie on top.



A heartfelt thanks to Laetitia for once again planning another perfect memory.

Les poissons, les poissons ... how I love les poissons

The giant outdoor shopping complex called the Odysseum is home to the Montpellier Aquarium Mare Nostrum. The exhibition is clean, modern and well organized.

There are several sections with interactive areas. In the photos below Ava was steering a large ship through an intense rain storm. The images in front of the boat are a series of high definition video screens that look incredibly real. As rain water begins to fall outside the windows, the wipers move back and forth and the ground starts to sway and shake. The entire experience is awesome.


Another highlight was the "Le theatre ocean." Here, theater seating encourages people to sit back and enjoy beautiful music while a dozen different sharks and fish dance around each other. The sharks here are nothing to joke about. Some of them are enormous (the biggest I have ever seen) and they swim right up to the glass, big teeth and all.


Conveniently located at one end of the blue tram line, this attraction is a must see for folks traveling with kids. In addition to the aquarium there is an ice skating rink and two different indoor playgrounds. Not to mention everything from a major sporting goods store (with an outdoor playground), hundreds of boutique shops, a giant grocery store and IKEA.

The Avignon Dance

Sur le pont d’Avignon 
(On the bridge of Avignon)

l’on y danse, l’on y danse 
(we all dance there, we all dance there)

Sur le pont d’Avignon
(On the bridge of Avignon)

l’on y danse tout en rond.
(we all dance there in a circle)

(Darrin and Ava doin' the Avignon dance)

Nearly every child in France knows Avignon from the famous nursery rhyme noted above. Our Lonely Planet guide describes it as the "belle of Provence's ball" with a treasury of magnificent art and architecture. As the mother of a two and a half year old little girl, I confirm. The place is magical.

In 1309, Pope Clemnt V (from France) was urged by the French king to get out of unholy (and downright dodgy) Italy and move to Avignon. So, he did. Seven different popes resided here in the years that followed. The centre of town now features the massive medieval fortress and papal palace (Palais des Papes) that was once their lavish home.

This amazing structure remains the world's largest Gothic palace. Ava helped put it into perspective as she commented that the castle was "beautiful" but she could not understand why the King doesn't have pink gummy bears in his tall tower ... for princesses.

Avignon was the perfect weekend getaway from Montpellier, just an hour and a half drive.

Thanks to the giant historic carousel we were able to enjoy a peaceful and pleasant dinner outside the evening we arrived. We took turns taking Ava for a spin. Why more eating establishments don't think of this for families I'll never know. ;>

I've also included a photo of the theatre building near the town square. The outdoor facade gave me goosebumps. While a courtyard dinner was made possible by a purple horse on pole, a proper visit to this theatre for a show remains in the future.

Our home for the weekend was incredible. Laetita found a hidden gem in this historic hamlet. From the moment we arrived at Sabine's home (A l'ombre du Palais) she was gracious and kind. She welcomed us with open arms and an absolutely fabulous pair of Chanel earrings. They say your mind creates an entire profile of a person within eight seconds of meeting them. In this case, it took all of three for me to know we were in good hands.

The accommodations were exceptional. Sadly, my photos don't do it justice but I will try to explain. The outdoor terrace overlooking the Pope's Palace was breathtaking. It made us feel like true VIP's in a place that is larger than life. We enjoyed breakfast, wine and an evening night cap here.

Our rooms were also fantastic. All three were clean, artsy and comfortable. I adore her use of bright yellows and oranges as the primary decorative colours. Having formerly worked in the fashion world her sense of style is top notch. She is able to blend contemporary with comfort at an affordable price.

My only regret is that we didn't purchase her table d'hotes dinner or commission her for a cooking lesson. It is one of those things you kinda want to know what you're getting into before you purchase, however, once you know ... it is too late. So, let me save you the trouble. Do it. Come to Avignon. Stay here. Book her house dinner your first night in town and a cooking lesson for the next afternoon. Trust me, you will be doing the happy dance.

I leave with the ultimate compliment I have to offer. "Au revoir! I look forward to seeing you again one day."

... and when we do return ... our suitcase WILL BE half full upon arrival. There is so much to bring home.

Farewell Avignon, my new french friend! Thanks for sharing the weekend with us.

House wine

Only a small ruin remains of the summer house (aka château) that belonged to seven French born popes from the 14th century. Today, the tiny medieval village, located five minutes from Avignon, is the epicentre of some of the world's most famous grape juice.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a true "Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée" in the southern Rhône region. Working with extremely strict regulations this area produces mostly red and a handful of white (less than 6% of the overall production.) Irrigation is forbidden.

Why is it so good? Some say the secret is the "rocks, pebbles and sand" that retains the sun’s heat during the day and release it at night. Regardless, some 8,000 people "like" the Facebook page. They must be doing something right after all these years. 

In brief, it is delicious liquid. It has always been a special occasion wine for us. I've been fortunate enough to enjoy a few memorable bottles in the past decade. While visiting this magical place for real, we carefully selected six bottles to kick start the cellar at our future château in Portland. I wonder how many will actually make it that far. Stay tuned.

Joyeux demi-anniversaire!

Bienvenue grand-mère et grand-père!

(Photo taken by Ava while waiting for the tram)

"One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things."
- Henry Miller

As I've mentioned, one of the best things about traveling with children is seeing the world through their eyes. They have such a fresh and innocent approach to people, places and things. I know it is unlikely that Ava or Evan will remember anything specific about this trip, but I believe the overall experience will influence them. Somehow. Someway. If nothing else, they have come to lean that life isn't always about routine, predictability and familiarity. Well, that and the fact that ice cream and chocolate taste a little bit different everywhere you go.

Below are a few photos from our little stroll to the toy store in town. Ava marched right in and said, "bonjour" without a prompt. After picking out her toy (a dolphin sponge) she waited while I paid for it, and said "merci" with a smile and a wave. The shopping experience was followed by pink ice cream down the block where she did the same thing.

Grandpa Paul and Grandma Jane Eden arrived from Florida on Monday. It is fantastic to have them here and the kids are so happy. Below are a few photos from our exploration around Montpellier. We seem to discover something new everyday.

Tuesday was the day of the public market. It was pretty darn extraordinary (as you would imagine an open air market in France would be.) Unfortunatley, we arrived a little late and things were already starting to shut down. There will be more to come next week.

Lunch = steak frites and a kids's meal

I haven't written much about our apartment just yet. The place is "super" but I am still soaking it all in. I'll do a seperate post featuring the highlights a bit later but for now, here's a sneak peak of the petite gardener at Nid'Oiseau. 

(Look closely and you can see Darrin inside our apartment on the left)


It is good to know that laughter and playgrounds aren't that much different in France.

We were absoutley delighted by our visit to the Montpellier Zoo. It is enormous, well maintained and wild. It feels like you're inside a giant nature park with lots and lots of animals. The price is right as well. I've never met a free zebra I didn't like. Seriously, there is not entrance fee thanks to some rich guy who donated the land to the city.

Those of you who know Ava will be absolutely amazed and astonished by what you see you below. I promise, this is not the work of Photoshop but several non-stop days in the french sunshine with her cousins. Yes, my daughter, Ava Spring Eden, did indeed, finally fall sleep in her stroller for over an hour. Before now, I have really only dreamt about this day. It is so ironic that she did it at the entrance to the zoo. The image on the left is her waking up from a dead sleep to seeing the giraffes. It was adorable.

An apple a day. I close with this photo of the dinner table at Chez Eden. At one point, I counted over a dozen apples out and about (ahhh come on, say it like a Canadian ... "out and about" LOL) Thanks Steve for keeping us all so beautifully connected, when we are at the same table and when we are scattered around the world. Life simply would not be the same without you.

Church Bells

If you have a bucket list I strongly suggest adding the following:

"Spend the night in a tiny french village where you wake up to church bells."

It is difficult to have a bad day after waking up to the unforgettable sound of church bells. I mean the real deal. The hunchback of Notre Dame type thing. Basically, I'm talking about a giant bell that someone has to climb an ancient staircase to manually ring with their entire body in play, slowly and rhythmically. Honestly, no matter how tired you are ... you cannot be pissed off at 7am when thing chimes.

Laetita grew up in a tiny village a few kilometers outside of Limoux. Her grandfather bought a home there and has completely rebuilt it over the past few decades. The most amazing feature is that it shares four walls with a giant stone church. We were fortunate enough to stay there.

Below is the view out our bedroom window when we "opened the shutters" in the morning. (I put opened the shutters in quotes because it is something I am just now getting the hang of. France has shutters and you have to open and close them, every day.)

Laetita told us the story of the fountain that sits in the centre of the village. Pure and precious "source water" previously flowed freely from the sprocket. This is the same H20 people pay a pretty penny for all over the world.

Folks would come from everywhere to fill their bottles and buckets (and trucks) with the water. It was a real nuisance for the village. So, they created a sign that read the water here is "not appropriate for human consumption" ... in a much more eloquent, fancy french way. The sign had no impact. So, they turned the thing off one day and it has never been turned back on. Leave it to the kids, however, to find another use for the dry fountain.

Ava loved every minute of her special getaway with the cousins. She seems so happy here. Oh, do you think the train of ponies might have had something to do with it?  LOL.

Evan is growing by the minute. Oh boy, that boy is getting big, fast! It must be all the delicious french food he is eating through mommy's milk. It is wrong that his first solid food just might be foie gras? I am kidding, JUST joking.

While growing up Laetita worked at a local bakery in Limoux called Pujola Serrat. We happily enjoyed both pre-dinner and post-dinner treats during our stay.

Anyone who knew my mother will understand the significance of the fact that this little tiny village in the middle of southern France, randomly held a "clean out your attic" sale the same day Mother's Day was celebrated in North America.

For those who didn't know my mom, she spent the final years of her life digging for hidden treasures in other people's junk. She basically earned a living by running a booth at an antique mall in a small town on the Oregon coast. She found great joy in dusting off unwanted items and making them precious again.

Honestly, she would have gone wild at this sale. I have to believe she had something to do with the fact that it was happening while we were there.  It was just too perfect. I would have purchased everything and shipped it home in a container if I had a home to ship it to. It was amazing.  Let me just say, I paid 2€ (Option + Shift + 2, BTW) for a Burberry shirt for Evan. I walked away with several amazing outfits for each kid and spent less than 20€. My mom will forever be in seventh heaven. :>

The final highlight of the trip was meeting Laetita's aunt who lives a short drive away. She was such a gracious and graceful host. We were fortunate to be invited to participate in her beautiful 71st birthday celebration. Once again, we enjoyed unforgettable treats from the Pujola Serrat bakery and many happy memories.

Beautiful Blanquette Bubbles

I know what you've been thinking. "Geeze get to the wine already. You've been in France nearly a week and we've hardly anything to sip on."

Don't worry friends, the grape goods are flowin'. As you can imagine, we've been enjoying wine since the moment we arrived. It is just that our consumption has been somewhat casual and perfectly paired with delicious food.

It is a wonderful thing when a brilliant bottle of locally produced vin is available for under ten euro (Yeah, I keep spelling out euro cuz I can't find the stupid symbol. I'll get there.) Recently we had an awesome bottle for less than four euro. I am realizing that wine is so affordable here it is actually meant to compliment a meal ... not the other way around. Take that Vancouver!

The "Re-think Pink" movement is in full swing here in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. Several local producers have a shinning star rosé in their proudly raised glass. The growing region surrounding us is huge. So big that three Bordeaux regions could fit inside. I just learned that one in ten of the world's wine is sourced here. That said, we have a lot to taste (cough, cough) I mean learn.

On our journey this weekend my five month old son experienced his first winery tour. (I know, what the hell took so long?) While he was sound asleep for our arrival, he woke up just in time to charm the ladies behind the counter, providing service with a smile and extra large pours. That's my boy!

Famous for its sparkling wine called Blanquette de Limoux (or Crémant de Limoux) one of the largest producer is Aimery Sieur d’Arques. It is the oldest sparlking wine in the world. It is said that a Benedictine monk first planted vines here but was kicked out for bringing his naughty ways to the area. Dom Perigon, during a pilgrimage to the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Hilaire, discovered this wine and was inspired to drink stars.

We simply came, we tasted and bought. One case, plus a magnum, for under a hundy. Not bad - eh Canada?

Sparking wine tip!
So, you've got a cheap bottle of "BRUT" and you just popped it open. If you're anything like me, you'll be searching for some orange juice or a little splash of cranberry to soften the punch. I've got a better idea. Simply drop in a sugar cube and watch it sparkle. Not only will the wine taste better but it is fun to drink the continuous bubbles. BTW, sugar cubes are awesome. North America needs more of them.

Clink, clink.

The Castle of Carcassonne (Aude)

This weekend the king and I packed up the little prince and a princess to do some exploration outside of Montpellier. With Laetita as our guide (thank goodness) we set our sights for the médiévale castle of Carcassonne.

We could have just sat back with a bottle of wine and the board game, but we thought it would be exciting to see this bad boy for real.

So, after a fairly smooth two hour drive we arrived at the ancient fortress founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century (Yes, five ... fifth century. Damn old castle indeed.)

We enjoyed a delicious country picnic before heading over the drawbridge, inside the gates. Once again, Laetita prepared an incredible feast. So simple, but incredibly fresh and flavourful. (As a side note, I heart french food.)

The castle was cool. After all these years, it remains a functioning city with a post office, school, etc.

Inside there is everything a knight could ask for from chocolate to soap. There is a five star hotel, too many wine bars to count and a famous michelin star restaurant. We must find our way back here one day sans de prince et princess.

 

It cost about ten euros to park but entrance to the castle is free. We got extremely lucky with the timing and the coblestone wasn't too crowded during our visit. At one point we were able to all sit and enjoy some crepes ... filled with Nutella of course. As they say ... "When in Rome!"  Oppps, I mean "France."

Magnifique Montpellier

We took the morning to explore Montpellier today. Thankfully, Laetita attended law school here and is familiar with the city. She was a wonderful tour guide. It is much larger than I expected and, although we spent a nearly three hours out and about, there is still much to explore. I look forward to calling it home for the next month.

She took us through the market where delicious things were all around. As Julia Child once told us, “In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport.” My mouth was watering the entire time. I plan to post more on this once we get a chance to sample more of the offerings.

Today, it was fresh baguette sandwiches and a park bench near a cool music themed playground.

Ava was a little disappointed that she didn't find pink flowers to pick in the park. So we fixed that with a small detour on our way back to the apartment.

We returned to Anthony and Laetita's home for another fun evening with the cousins. We ordered pizza (which was served with a lovely local Rosé and a fresh herb salad from the garden of course) and the kids (aka the entire next generation of Edens - wow!) all cuddled up on the coach to watch WALL-E. In a word, it was priceless.

Château Eden

For those who don't know the story, Darrin's brother Anthony lives outside of Montpellier in small village called Montferrier-sur-Lez. He and his lovely wife Laetita have four children ... the triplets, plus a four year-old son. This is our first visit to see them and Evan's first time meeting everyone.

It has come as no surprise that they have been exceptional hosts. We've been spoiled since the moment we arrived on french soil. Anthony pick us up at the airport and has been transporting us all around. They even bought a small, used Fiat so we have a car to drive. They also borrowed car seats, a stroller, a baby bath and a pack and play from friends. (Seriously, how cool is that?) Laetita is an amazing cook and has prepared two delicious meals, each paired with local wine.

We also arrived to a special gift box of wines and local foods. Such a thoughtful gesture and greatly appreciated.

Words can't describe the feeling I get when I see Ava and Evan enjoying play time with their cousins. It brings tears to my eyes.

If this isn't trouble ... I don't know what is. ;>

Evan and I took a stroll today along a lovely bike path less than five minutes from the home. Look what we found! Where there are grapes ... there is wine.

As Hilary Clinton reminded us in the 90's, "It takes a village to raise a child." I've always liked that expression and have repeated it rather randomly on several occasions over the past three years to thank people, etc. Today, however, it took on a whole new meaning.

My sister-in-law asked if I'd like to go along to meet her neighbor. I agreed and walked out into the sunshine with baby boy in my arms. It took all of five seconds for the darling woman next door to reach out and embrace Evan as if he were her own. I don't think she even made eye contact me before she stretched out her arms for him. Once she had him, she simply could NOT stop adoring him. I don't mean in the "ohh, isn't he cute" kinda way. I mean in the whole hearted, totally, completely, all encompassing, uncontrollable, all-in passionate kinda way.

In those few seconds, this complete stranger gave Evan a more concentrated dose of affection than he had ever experienced. It was truly extraordinary.

A few moments later another neighbor appeared and within seconds she whisked him into her arms ... and before long there was a third. Honestly, it was like a scene from a movie. Evan was loving every minute of it and was glowing from ear to ear as these woman literally doted over him. This just made their ohhh and ahhh's grow incessantly louder and more intense. He looked more handsome than ever and I felt such a rush of emotion ... pride, love, honour, appreciation and most of all ... joie de vivre! 

Part of me wishes I had a photo but honestly it couldn't do justice in representing the scene. At one point he dropped his teething ring onto the pavement and one of the ladies quickly rushed off to wash it and brought it back carefully wrapped in a paper towel. The whole experience was so surreal. The women were speaking french a million kilometers a minute and I couldn't understand a word they were saying but in all honestly, I didn't need to. It was so obvious from the smiles on their faces that they were filled with delight. For a moment, I thought to myself, this just wouldn't happen in North America. Somehow, on a random street in the middle of southern France, I've found a village who adores my son as much as me.  Bless this place.

Rendez-vous France

After a little research we found it was going to be half the price (and much quicker) to hop a flight to Montpellier from London instead of boarding a train. We ended up paying just over 60 Euros each for an Easyjet flight.

We booked another car online with TotallyDriven.com and were, once again, extremely happy with the service. The driver was well-dressed, well-spoken and very courteous. He showed up five minutes early and was happy to help with bags, etc. The most important part was that he had properly installed a baby seat as well as a toddler seat, free of charge.

It was a bit of a rush at the airport and we were running at one point, but we made the flight with ten minutes to spare.  One hour (and a quick on-board tantrum) later we found ourselves kissing the cheek (x3) of tonton in Montpellier.

Keep Calm, Carry On

We are just starting to get our feet up under us and now it is time to pack up and carry on. Isn't that the way? I am excited about the next phase of our journey but I am happy we'll be back for a few days later in the trip. There is still so much to see and do.

On our final day we took the Tube into Central London to do a little sightseeing and visit the aquarium. We were a bit nervous about taking the kids on the train but we got extremely lucky with the timing and there was plenty of room to chill out. The key is to try and avoid rush hour by a large margin.

(Look closely at Big Ben in the photo above and you'll see that it is straight up noon. Cool - eh? We got to hear the chimes and everything.)

Having been members of the Vancouver Aquarium for three years, the bar has been set high for aquatic life observation. I will say, however, that we enjoyed our visit to the London Aquarium.

The exhibit is centred around one gigantic tank with huge sharks and other interesting swimmers. Upon entry, you walk over top of it with an all glass plank at your feet.  You have the opportunity to see it from nearly every angel and end up at the bottom of it looking up. It's awesome and damn those sharks are big. Overall, it was larger than I expected and we definitely got our money's worth.

We had talked about doing the London Eye (the entrance to the aquarium is at the foot of the ride) but the lines were way too long. If you're interested in taking the trip buy your tickets a head of time. Instead, we stopped for lunch at a nearby Wagamama's for delicious noodles. There was a kid's menu and the place was exceptionally family friendly. Good, fast, cheap ... I think it actually nailed all three. Something I don't get to say very often.

After lunch we took a leisurely stroll along the River Thames. I stopped to nurse Evan on a little bench overlooking Big Ben and the Parliament while Ava and Darrin went off the explore a nearby park.

As I held baby boy, I started thinking to myself how lucky we are to be doing this. It has been a challenging, but most things worth doing typically are. Our family is stronger and closer than we've ever been. We may end up killing each other by the end, but if not, the reward is going to mean something special for all of us.

A friend of mine recently reminded me how life takes a whole new pace when you have children. You get to see things in an entirely different way. It made me think about those precious 15 minutes I spent sitting on a bench experiencing life, right in the heart of London. I would have typically just walked quickly through that spot to get from one place to the next. Instead, for a few short moments, I paused, breathed the air, listened to the chatter and quietly observed as I became a part of the world around me.

That afternoon while the kids were resting I was able to sneak away by myself for an hour. I found a darling bakery up the street and sat with a few postcards to enjoy a cup of proper English tea. I can't believe it took me this long to do this! Why does tea taste so much better in England? Maybe it's the water. ;>

I've enjoyed catching up with some friends (and friends of friends) during our visit. Everyone has been nothing but extremely gracious and kind. Good people rock.

In closing, I'd thought I'd post a few random photos. The first is Darrin's "home office" from our flat in London. He did an awesome job coordinating with multiple time zones across the planet. None of this travel would be possible without his dedication to finding a work-life balance that adapts to the road.

Here is a picture of the lock on our door. At one point we managed to lock ourselves into our flat. We had to call the housekeeper to free us. Note: If you want to actually leave your apartment, do not let your toddler play with the cool british keys. Good times.

Below are a few of our favourite pre-packaged foods. As much as we loved Whole Foods, Marks and Spencer and Melrose and Morgan sure gave it a run for our paycheck.

See ya in France.

Roasted

My first Sunday roast! Complete with duck fat roasted maris pipers. Where have you been all my life? Talk about the ultimate meat and potatoes plate. The best part? Sharing it with a dear friend.

London Eyes

Darrin and I jumped the Tube and headed into Central London for some kid-free exploration. Without much of a plan, we walked past the bustling circle of Piccadilly Circus a bit awe struck by all the people. The next thing we knew, we'd wandered into the National Portrait Gallery. What luxury to instantly surround yourself with art and culture without paying a pence.

Afterward a quick peek inside the museum, we stumbled into the Victoria Embankment Gardens and enjoyed a breath of fresh air away from the crowded streets.

It is Darrin's first time in London so we both got giddy as we approached the river Thames and saw a slice of Big Ben and the London Eye. It is similar to running into a celebrity. It feels comfortably familiar yet magical at the same time.

After a short stroll along the water we found our way to Soho where our focused quickly changed to food and drink. It was easy as a meat pie to find a charming local pub for a pre-dinner pint. We thought about having tarragon pickled eggs and a Rubin for dinner, but decided to march on to a place a friend suggested. 

We found the restaurant Nopi and secured a seat at the bar to enjoy a lovely tasting style meal.

Per the handsome bartender's recommendation we ordered three small plates each and shared bites. Everything was delicious but the duck was out of this world.

For a night cap we found a swanky hotel bar called POLO. Darrin's heart melted when the server asked him if he'd prefer his Manhattan dry, sweet or perfect. Perfect - of course! It was the first time he'd ever been asked like that. My heart melted when they brought us "mini-versions" of the other person's drink so we could have a taste. How cool is that?

We both agree that London feels good. Yeah, we could live here. Something exceptionally fun to say when you find yourself homeless in one of the world's most amazing global cities.

Happy Feet at the ZOO

Located in Regent's Park (just a hop, skip and a jump from our flat) the London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was cold and drizzly for our visit, but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.

Although the zoo is not terribly big there is plenty to see and do to keep the young ones happy for a few hours. Some of the highlights for us were the butterfly paradise, penguin beach and of course, the Carousel. A special thanks to Franzie for joining our adventure and serving as our local tour guide.

Toy Story

To Hamleys and beyond ...

The next time you find yourself in London with a toddler, I recommend a visit to Hamleys. This flagship toy store is among the largest in the world. We caught a two-level red bus from our flat and enjoyed a short and comfortable ride into London's West End to explore the 54,000 square feet of toy box treasures.

With five floors of childish delights one can weave their way through different themed areas up to the "sweet shop" at the top. We stopped here to enjoy a couple of mini-cupcakes and swirly pink ice cream.

We told Ava she could pick one toy to take home with her. It took her all of two minutes to latch on to a brown bear she quickly named Franzie (after our German nanny.)


On the first floor of the store there are literally thousands of stuffies and, although she was very happy to point them out one by one, she was not letting go of her new friend for anything. Even Paddington couldn't compete for her affection. Her beloved Beary road home in Dad's backpack.

Of course no trip to Hamelys is complete without a quick stop at the toy store for Daddy. Located just a few blocks away, Apple's flagship is bustling and beautiful. It also boasts one of Steve's favourite things - an all glass staircase leading up to more toys.

The Keys to Happiness

Wahoo! We scored. Got lucky. Or, as I like to remind Darrin, I'm just that good. :> Our flat is awesome. We are situated on Primrose Hill just a few blocks from Regent's Park. There is everything we could want, and more, just a few struts away.

Not only is there plenty of space inside the unit (two bedrooms, plus a den) but it is well lit, clean and modern. We have all the necessary amenities and comfortable beds, including one true King (even by North American standards.)

We were pleasantly surprised to find a bathtub as well. Ava spent almost an hour enjoying british bubbles as soon as we arrived. (We've been telling her that she will need to learn to take a shower which inevitably generates a look of terror.)

The washing machine located under the sink in the kitchen is efficient and much appreciated, but we were a bit confused about how to dry our clothes. However, it didn't take long to get the "hang" of it.  LOL

Whole Foods is a short five minute walk away. Although the store is tiny, it has everything, including nappies. They also sell wine and beer which is a big bonus. Much to our delight, even with the conversion, the prices seem more reasonable than in Vancouver. Shocking, I know.

Darrin's plan to slip a SIM card into my new iPhone worked like a charm. For just under $15 I have a local number, tons of free text messages and data. He did the same with his iPad. We're wired. Bada-bing.

For our first family journey we took Ava to test out the local playground in Regent's Park. The weather was nothing to write home about but nevertheless it was easy to "swing" into action. The park is lush and beautiful.

Like most things, yogurt tastes better in Europe. So far this brand is my favourite. It also comes in a darling little clay jar that I love. Branding baby, branding. Now I just need to convince myself not to pack a set of four to go. My plan to leave a suitcase half empty didn't work out so well.

They say it takes one day for every hour of time change to adjust to a local schedule. Seeing that we are going to be in London seven days, I am not really sure how that's going to work.

That said, we are doing our best not to stress about it too much. For me personally, as the mother of a five month old, I am totally exhausted anyway and used to waking up every two hours. So, it really isn't that big of a deal to be upside down on my sleep schedule.

It is no secert, however, that Ava is a terrible sleeper. It has come as no surprise that she contines to be sleepless here in London. The last few nights she has gone down around her normal bedtime (8pm) which translates to her nap time at home. Both nights she slept for three hours and then woke up, ready to rock and roll. 

We couldn't get her back down again until 5am. Yesterday she slept in until 3pm the following day. Because she's been sick, we just couldn't bring ourselves to wake her. Today we are planning to try to get her up around noon. Wish us luck with that one.

I'd pay good money for a magic pill to break the jet lag but then again, I'd pay good money for a magic that would help my child sleep naturally under normal circumstance. I will never understand why she fights it so hard. Evan on the other hand has almost completley adjusted to the local time. He is a rockstar through and through.

Anyway, we decided to take advantage of the situation and hire a local nanny to look after the kids for a few hours. Ava was wide awake and apprecaited someone to play with while we snuck out for a long-awaited date night. As the home to Mary Poppins, nannies are easy to come by in London. We've found them to be extremely affordable as well. We actually spent less per hour than we would have back home.

Per the nanny's recommendation, Darrin and I wandered up Regents Park Road to the charming stretch of shops and restaurants on Primrose Hill. We found a popular greek restaurant called Lemonia where we enjoyed a fabulous three course meal with a beautiful bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.  All this ran us $150 CND. (This meal would have cost double in Vancouver.) We both left feeling happy and relaxed for the first time in weeks. Clink, clink.

London Actually

We did it. By some combination of good karma and blood, sweet and tears we made it to London. Ava was of course still sleeping when we landed so we did our best to keep her that way.

As we disembarked, it was nice to see that the airport was well organized and clean. There were happy airport greeters at every turn. Darrin found an empty wheelchair to plop Ava in for the walk to customs. It only took a few steps before I saw the first giant British Airways ad for the Olympics. It was awesome.

For several days leading up to our departure we'd be hearing horror stories about the line ups at Heathrow. Several trusted sources were reporting four to five hour wait times. Apparently new security measures have been added in preparation for the Games. So, we had no idea what to expect as we turned the corner. Much to our surprise the lines were practically empty.

I am guessing it was because of the kids that a nice volunteer took us through a dedicated lane with only one person in front of us. Darrin had filled out all four of our customs declaration cards on the plane but he didn't have time to write down our passport info. We apologized to the border guard several times and were fully prepared to get yelled at as we carefully wrote the info down in front of her. She was super friendly and patient and simply told us not to worry.

She asked us a few easy questions and warmly welcomed us to England. I loved the fact that she actually said, "brilliant" and smiled when she handed us our stamped passports. What a pleasant change from the border crossing experiences we've had back home. It truly does make a difference. I actually felt all warm and fuzzy inside.

The kids both had soaking wet diapers and were still in their PJs. So, we quickly found a washroom near baggage claim. It was easy to spot the one labeled "family" and ... what a sight for sore eyes! The room was large and sparking clean with ample counter space. There was a roll of paper available to lay down over the soft and comfortable changing pad. It also had a private sink and toilet. Absoluely fabulous! Thank you LHR.

I had pre-booked a car through a company called Totally Driven. We didn't know how long it would take to clear customs so I left a big question mark for our specific pick up time. Within ten minutes of us walking out of the customs hall (following a complete change over for the kids) a well-dressed man walked by with a sign displaying our name. He was courteous, well-spoken and extremely helpful. He had been checking on our flight and following our arrival so he could greet us appropriately. Perfect timing!

His car was parked just a short walk away. As requested, he had both a baby seat and a toddler seat installed for the kids. In mere minutes we were safely on our way. For 60 pounds, it was money well spent.

Airborne

It was a short and simple Canada Line ride to YVR from the River Rock. Security was a breeze and we immediately hit up the British Airways Club Lounge for the best kid friendly meal around. Cheese and crackers, bagged veggies and dip, fruit and even crust free sandwiches were a welcomed site. Darrin and I quickly helped ourselves to the complimentary cocktails and wine. It definitely helped take the edge off and settled our nerves. Ava was moderately well behaved (thanks to the iPad) but in an effort to avoid overstaying our welcome with the real business travelers of Vancouver we didn't stay long.

I took both kids in the lounge and changed them into their pajamas to prepare for our slumber party in the sky. The accommodations were lovely with plenty of space and a change table.

Waiting ... waiting ... and more waiting ...

... after a 40 minute delay, we were called to board our flight to London!

I suppose spilling a full glass of chilled champagne as the flight attendant lifts your baby out of your arms so you can "settle down comfortably" into your business class cube is a first world problem. Probably not going to get a lot of sympathy here but nonetheless we didn't make it two minutes on the plane before our first incident. It eventually dried up but I did smell a bit like a frat party for nine hours. That said, I don't know if I will ever be able to fly coach again.

Anyone who has spent any time with Ava over the past three months will know that we promised this little girl a "pink lolly pop" for the plane ride to London. She has been dreaming and talking about it every day since. Here's all the proof you need that dreams really can come true.

After successfully loading our toddler up with sugar we proceeded to encourage her to go to sleep. Perhaps not the best sequence of events but we gave it a go. We did get there ... eventually.

Evan on the other hand sleep like a baby the entire flight. Darrin and I enjoyed a three course meal, paired with wine as well as a nice cheese plate and port for a night cap among the stars.