yates apple

During our USA stint, we visited a few friends in Detroit and while they were at work, we made our way to Yates Cider Mill to take in some fall sights and smells. After a stroll along the river through crunchy leaves, we stood in line for hot cider and apple cinnamon donuts. Both were worth the wait!

time flies

...when you're busy! Each month we say "I think it's going to slow down this month" but somehow we find activities to fill the days and before we know it, it's a new month. I'm definitely not complaining. Since I've been ignoring this space lately, here's a few favorites from past few months...

One night we found ourselves at the river sipping wine and watching the lights turn on. The end of August and beginning of September brought six different people living in our apartment. Two of our best friends made in Paris were moving back to the U.S. and they were found homeless for a couple weeks so we offered our extra room. While they made a couple last minute trips around France, some family visited and as they walked out of the apartment, a friend of mine from high school walked in.

The night before our friends left, we had a long picnic at Champ de Mars. So long that the tower turned black after the last twinkle at 1:00am. I secretly snapped a picture of Katie and Derek soaking up their last few moments of their Parisian life and remembering the past three they spent here. It was a pretty sad morning when we had to say goodbye. Unfortunately only a few weeks later, we had to say goodbye to another couple that we spent equally as much time with. One by one, they are dropping like flies! That's one thing that's kind of hard. You make great friends that help you get through the tough days (because they do appear out of nowhere sometimes) and then one of you leaves before the other and you hope you can keep in touch. They are such an important piece of your life.

One very nice Saturday morning, we decided to grab a seasonal very fancy croissant from the famous Pierre Hermé and enjoy it on the lawn behind Invalides.

I spent a day wandering le promenade plantée, an elevated path and park, with friends. After we walked to one of the cafes along the river and enjoyed a bottle (or two) of wine. We decided we deserved it after our long walk.

Unfortunately some pollution came rolling through the city in late September. It wasn't quite as bad as last spring but it heavily coated my roses. Mark spent a lot of the month traveling for work so at the end of September, I decided it was my turn. I took a trip to Dallas to visit my brother and celebrate his birthday before heading to Chicago for a friend's wedding before taking a short trip to Indianapolis to visit Mark's sister before extending my trip for a week to hang out with Mark and his friends in Michigan. There were a lot of stops.

I somehow survived a week with the guys and witnessed a Michigan win. We acted like we were in college and snuck into the student section where some freshman asked what class we were in and none of us could even come up with a realistic answer. After finding out we weren't students, they said "Oh, so you're old, like 23?" Ummm... yes. On Monday morning, we parted ways; Mark jetted to Houston for the next few weeks and I returned to Paris to empty my suitcase.

I met friends on Saturday for a completely cloudless sky picnic at of course, Champ de Mars. I think it was our last picnic day because the clouds and wind rolled in on Monday and it hasn't been too sunny or warm since. I hope I can keep up the French picnicking habit when I move wherever I move!

seasons change

The season is definitely changing; leaves are getting crunchy and falling. The trees in the boulevard outside my apartment are completely bare and there's a cooler breeze in the air. Before I know it there will be men roasting chestnuts on trashcan lids out of shopping carts and Christmas markets will be appearing. Automne est mon favorite!

louvre by night

fall flowers

Jardin du Luxembourg

As leaves on the trees are turning crispy and falling to the ground,

I'm glad this jardin is taking its time and still blooming like the month of June.

mallorca

On Wednesday morning, we headed to the island, Mallorca. Instead of spending the rest of the week in the city, we headed east to a small village called Canyamel. As if we didn't get enough sun in Barcelona, the last few days were spent in swim suits just taking in the breathtaking clear blue waters.

We did visit Cuevas de Arta, the caves, one morning. I hadn't visited caves for a long time; I had forgotten how crazy stalagmites and stalactites are formed. At the end of the tour, the guide asked us where we were from. We got quite the surprised look when we said we were American. I suppose they don't get many tourists from the U.S. to this island in the middle of the Mediterranean.

Spain gets a lot of visitors from Germany so for most our time there we were asked "English or Deutsch" before each meal. When we said English, sometimes they looked surprised. When we arrived to our hotel, we were quickly greeted with "Guten Tag"... I guess our blonde hair and Mark's height is a bit confusing!

Sun kissed, freckly and refreshed, we headed back to fall-like temps in Paris...

sagrada família

 

We visited La Sagrada Familia, a huge church that started being built in 1882. The work was taken over by Gaudi in 1883 and he worked on it until he died in 1926. The church is still under construction and is planned to be finished in 2026. We've toured so many European churches; it was strange to see one so new with bright, clean stained glass!

We also visited Park Güell where Gaudi's house was located. It used to be free to walk around his house and see all the mosaic detail that he was known for but unfortunately, very recently you have to pay. We had other plans for the afternoon so we just walked around the park and looked in on his house from afar.