Notre Dame & lots of food!

The Notre Dame Cathedral

These two were photos were taken at a restaurant

that we had drinks and an appetizer at.

It's around the corner from the Notre Dame.

It was built in the 1500's and has it's original wine cellar.

We walked down to the cellar and picked out our wine.

This is where we had my birthday dinner- Boullion Racine.

It was FANTASTIC!

It was built in the early 1900s.

When we arrived it was quite empty,

but soon filled up completely.

I loved the floor!

I had the duck confit with homemade mashed potatoes.

It was absolutely delicious!

J had the steak with pomme frites and loved every bite.

The real star of the meal was the appetizer- Asparagus Soup.

We INHALED it so fast that I couldn't take a picture.

It was one of the top three best things that I've ever eaten.

In. my. life.

Yes, it was that good.

J had the very authenticly French creme brulee while I had the

dark chocolate praline cake. It was divine. Rich, chocolately,

and creamy.

Mimosas and presents in bed on my birthday!

I LOVE my Stella & Dot starfish necklace!

We had brunch at a well known restaurant called Angelina.

They are famous for their hot chocolate and sweets.

The food was very tasty and the hot chocolate was sinful.

It tasted like a melted Hershey's chocolate bar with whipped cream.

So rich that I could only have one cup.

The Louvre & Parisian Palaces

One of my favorite places in Paris

was the Louvre.

It is majestic and intriguing.

We did not have enough time this trip to

go in and explore.

When we go back, I want to spend at least

half a day wandering the halls.

The gardens outside of the Louvre are gorgeous!

We sat and enjoyed the sun and beauty around us

before continuing with our Parisian tour.

The Champs Elysees

This reminded me of the Washington Monument.

The Petit Palace

The Grand Palace

The Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe

Paris is one of the most wonderful cities on Earth.

It is absolutely breathtaking.

The architecture, the history, the beauty.

It is a very luxurious city, so rich in culture.

It is our new favorite city.

The Eiffel Tower is without a doubt, spectacular.

One of the most recognized, interesting and special landmarks.

It is a must-see for those of you who like to travel.

I recommend buying your tickets online.

We did and bypassed waiting in line for 3 hours.

The first & second levels offer gorgeous views of the city.

And the elevator ride isn't bad at all.

We walked down the ~700 stairs and our legs were wobbly by the end.

There are restaurants, cafes, an ice cream shop.

Boutiques selling overpriced souvenirs.

(Which of course we bought!)

We didn't make it to the third floor this time.

I was sweating & a little nauseous from the height on the 2nd floor.

And the line to the top was crazy long.

But maybe next time.

We started our Parisian tour at the Arc de Triomphe.

It is a gorgeous site to see.

Almost like a gateway to another world.

The carvings and inscriptions are mesmerizing.

An eternal flame burns bright

for the solider that never returned.

It reminded me of Washington D.C.

A memorial to another soldier

in another land.

The Arc stands in the middle of an enormous intersection.

The largest that I have ever seen with

TWELVE different exits.

There are no marked lanes,

so it's sort of like a free for all when driving around it.

We had the pleasure (or misfortune) to

drive inside this crazy circle.

Our exit was number seven.

We made it.

=)

Christmas in September

It's time for my last Birthmonth giveaway!

My second most favorite month (after September of course)

is December.

J's birthday, Christmas, New Years, holiday movies, presents,

eating, baking, celebrations with friends and family, decorations.

I love it all.

And now that I live in Germany,

I'll get to experience the famous Christmas markets.

So, to get ready for the holiday season I've got a

Christmas themed giveaway.

Here's what you get:

Cranberry tart lotion and body gel

Two Yankee Candles in "Christmas Wreath"

A bite of German Chocolate

Two Christmas cookie cutters

Santa's Little Helper napkins

and what's in the box? ...

A Kathe Wohlfahrt ornament!

(Santa's a pilot of course! =)

Here's how to enter:

Be a follower of my blog (1 entry)

Follow my on Twitter @kmack143 (1 entry)

Blog about this giveaway (1 entry)

Leave a comment telling me what your favorite holiday movie is (1 entry)

Four ways to enter.

Be sure to leave a comment for EACH entry or it won't count!

The winner will be chosen by random.org on Sept 30th.

There are only 95 days left until Christmas!

I'll leave you with one of my favorite pictures from Paris...

The Countdown is On!

Im thinking that nothing is going to live up to Pumpkin spice in the creamer department. The International Delight White Chocolate Mocha is good, but not great. I am however really liking their Skinny Caramel Macchiato. Its fat free, but tasty.

We are moving to Germany in FOUR weeks! Time is flying by. I cant believe it is already May! We have been planning our first trip once we get to Europe...PARIS! Of course. We're hoping to be able to go within the first couple of weeks of our arrival. Paris is only a 2 hour train ride away from our future German hometown! =) The sites that are a must-see for us are: The Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Cathedral of Notre Dame, and The Louvre. Ill have to make a few trips to the Louvre to see all that I want to see, but a brief overview would be nice for this first trip. Has anyone ever been to Paris? Any must-see sites, or restaurants that we should not miss? I actually found a couple of affordable hotels, near all the sites, but we arent going to book until we get over there. If anyone has any advice, let me know! Of course once we actually go, Ill post photos!