Baskets and Bonnets...and Motorcycles? Oh My.

This Easter was the first one I've ever spent away from my family.  No egg hunts, no cinnamon rolls, no Reese's Eggs; I knew it would hardly feel like Easter.

In light of this, I decided to fill my day with things I love.

First, I got dressed up in my Easter best.

I got to skype with my family while they looked for Easter eggs and they showed me all the goodies the Easter Bunny left in my basket.  Apparently Santa and the Bunny share an address book; I was home for Christmas and I forgot to send my change of address, so my basket ended up in Michigan.  I'm not sure my candy is going to survive until the end of June...

I made my favorite French food: Tarte Flambee.  It's like delicious French pizza. The best part was making the dough.
I love to knead.

I had to make some time to decorate eggs.

Those markers were not made for egg decoration.

But they worked.

My poor little town was overrun with motorcycles and motorcycle fanatics for a motorcycle flea market. I wandered down to take advantage of the sunshine and to indulge in a faint daydream I have of hopping on the back of a bike and seeing the world fly by, of being one of the girls walking around in sundresses, casually carrying their helmets, gorgeous and hardcore.

e e cummings took me on a picnic to the park.

I mean...I took a picnic and my library books to the park.  I'll let you decide whether it's likely that I read e e cummings poems aloud, considerably weirding out some Frenchies nearby.

My Easter treats.

What did you lovelies do for Easter? Are you still sleeping off your Peeps induced sugar rush?

A Travel Outfit

Spring Travel by e.cordes featuring leather shoes

Before I come home, I'm going on a few more big trips with people I love this. I've been blessed to make so many memories with old and new friends during my time here, and I can't wait to make some more.

Because I'm planning these trips,  I've been thinking about my ideal spring and summer traveling outfit.  Actually dreaming about my ideal outfit, as I'm saving all my money to pay for these trips.  But if I had some disposable income right now, this is what I would buy for drinking tea in Bath or traipsing around Rome:

1. A stylish leather backpack, like this one from LeMode accessories, to carry all my necessaries, but keep me from looking too much like a tourist.
2. A light summer scarf in a fun color. If you want to look more European, the easiest thing to do is throw on a scarf. (Warning: in France, you will fit in better with a more muted color. But I've worn black all winter, and I'm ready for some color.)
3. A comfortable, cute dress that can be dressed up or down, in a suitcase-friendly material, like this one from Five Bamboo.  
4. Some basic jewelry that I could wear with other outfits, too. I've been learning to pack lightly this year.
5. A light spring jacket with a hood. Travel doesn't stop for a chilly evening or a sudden rainstorm.
6. Sunglasses.  I find it's easier to people-watch when they can't tell where your eyes are looking.
7.  Comfortable, cute sandals. I love how basic these ones are.
8.  Okay, I know a DSLR camera is not fashion.  But it's the one accessory that I've wanted to add to almost every outfit I've worn this year.
9. I like to carry a small fan to keep cool when I travel in the summer; my current one was purchased for one euro in Italy six years ago. It's starting to break, so I might be looking for a new one when I'm there this summer!

Anything else you think is necessary for fabulous spring and summer traveling?  I just realized I forgot to include my Nalgene water bottle, another summer travel must.

for the leaping greenly spirits of trees// and a blue true dream of sky;

{e e cummings}

A recipe for a lovely, lovely spring day starts with sunshine on my very own square.

+ My Chacos in the lush grass.

+ This view above my head.

+Painted nails.

+ My journal and my (sister's) ipod (and my new Shakespeare and Company tote)

= This Happy Face

Spring is my favorite.

I'mmm Baaaack!

Oh my poor baby blog.

I've abandoned you out in the cold, without even sticking you in a basket and leaving you on some kind person's front stoop.

I'm sorry, blog. And I'm sorry to the 3 people who actually read this blog. I'm sure you've been barely able to live without updates on my pink toilet paper and pastry addiction.

If it makes you feel better, I've been having a fabulous time…no? That doesn't make it better? What if I tell you all about it? In list form?  With numbers?

Things I've done in the past two months, instead of updating my blog:

• 1 week on the Côte D'Azur, near Nice
• 1 day snowshoeing in the French Alps
• 1 day trip into Italy, including pizza and gelato
• 3 weekends in Paris, plus other assorted days
• 1 night out in Paris, that lasted the whole night
• 1 restaurant fire in Paris...but just a little one
• 2 visits to Versailles
• 1 weekend in Belgium, supplemented by fries and mayonnaise, beer, chocolate, speculoos, and waffles.
• 1 discovery of Audrey Hepburn's birthplace in Brussels!
• 100s of pictures of the Eiffel Tower
• 1 fabulous bike tour of Paris
• 1 French car rental and drive to Mont-Saint-Michel
• 1 sunny Monday in Giverny, exploring Monet's gardens
• 2 good-byes to friends heading back to the States
• 1 last day at school

If any of that sounds interesting and you want to hear more details, shout it out in the comments! I'm trying to get back to a more regular blogging routine, where I both have adventures and make time to write about them.