Catching up a bit late here, but our second week in Paris included a lot of teaching, a lot of logistics fixing wifi, a lot of walking around trying to connect the dots on where we lived, and a lot of grocery shopping cooking trying to freshen up our standard dinner game. There's nothing like a foreign grocery store full of random meat cuts and void of all your comfort ingredients to push you to try new things. (I'm happy to report- no disasters yet!)

We went to the Loire Valley and got to visit the three most famous chateaux with my students last week- Chambord, Chenonceau and Amboise. (Find my favorites for the Loire here, if you're looking for any advice.) Our fingers were so cold they were near chipping off by the end of our day out, but spirits were high and the skies were clear.

The weather here is conflicted- it's hoping to be better than it is, but almost as if constant sunshine is too much to constantly sustain, the sky will randomly break with hail and rain. Soon after, we get sunshine again- but it has me hoping for those warm, sunny spring days to stay for good.

And beyond cooking, work and weather... well, life is good. My students are happy, my kids are doing great (despite finding that Harrison is getting 6 teeth at the same time yesterday) and Tyler and I have even had some time to get back in sync after a crazy few months.

Each day, we have a thirty minute walk to work together that gives us a chance to get coffee, talk and enjoy being alone for a bit. I think it feels like a romantic getaway for both us... though I always have to stop in the nearby boulangerie and, I have my suspicious that the site of me with croissant flakes all in my scarf and hair probably kills the mood. He never lets on, but one can only assume.

La vie est belle here in Paris. Looking forward for the weeks to follow, too, as we will get to see some faces we love arrive to Paris in the weeks ahead.

A few great places that I'll be adding to my Paris travel guide from the week are...

AUX MERVEILLEUX DE FRED | While walking home one evening, I saw people flooding into a bakery. Now, I know a few things in life- and one of them is to get in line immediately in such a situation. This bakery- which has several locations around the city- makes perfect meringue creations filled with cream and coated with chocolate and nuts. I know it sounds underwhelming, but everyone that tried one looked around in amazement. Plus, they are one of the cheaper treats you can find in Paris. Also, their freshly baked brioche is SO good. We bring home two loaves several days a week: one to eat while it's still warm, and the second to keep for breakfast. I've told all my friends here about it and they all just nod in agreement that this place is "incroyable!"

CAFÉ LOUSTIC | This place is close enough to our apartment to create a really bad habit. Luckily, we already had the bad coffee habit (as anyone who knows me at all will agree), so the proximity is just a bonus. The tiny space is a quiet space to sit around for a day, and the owner, Channa, honestly makes the best café crème in Paris. Luckily, he moved from Britain 13 years ago- so even the least French speaking American/British tourist can feel at ease. They also have killer donuts brought in from a local baker that are amazing. Today, Tyler had the old-fashioned and I had the strawberry with black pepper (which was surprisingly addicting).

LA MAISON PLISSON | I stumbled upon the sleek exterior of Maison Plisson while walking home the other week from work. It looks very... Gwyneth, which I know is a ridiculous adjective, but I dare say that most females 18-45 years old will know what I mean with that adjective. With half of the premise as a gorgeous grocer and the other half a restaurant/cafe- there really is something for any mood you may be in. When I was, the mood was for coffee and lemon cake.

BUBBLE TEA CUP | I first tried bubble tea 5 year ago, and was traumatized by the experience that I had written it off entirely. However, my students gave me the push to try it again and coached me through the ordering experience. One assam-tea-with-coconut-milk-and-passion-fruit-bursting-bubbles later, I'm a convert. In fact, they're so delicious, I'm going to have to get one immediately after writing this.