In my entry level course ‘how to holiday like a pro’ I cite visiting the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (Savoie) region of France. And while I work to capture the experience in prose, sometimes the pictures are all you need.
If you want to bike, hike, run and boat all day and then eat cheese and drink wine all night, you should probably visit Annecy.
Summer ingredients are overflowing at the Union Square Greenmarket. When you visit the market and see the city’s chefs purchasing their ingredients for the day, you know you are in the right place to stock your refrigerator.
One seasonal ingredient I particularly enjoy is lamb’s quarters (sometimes referred to as wild spinach.) It has a nice earthy flavor and can be added to a variety of dishes.
Spoiled for choice is the best way to describe Annecy in the Savoy region of France. A year-round travel destination with unlimited activities ranging from swimming and hiking to cross country and downhill skiing (and everything in-between.)
I went at the start of summer and spent 5 days taking in as many outdoor activities as possible.
An overnight flight between New York and Paris is around 7 hours. If you find a good flight deal and have a long weekend, what is stopping you from packing a couple shirts, grabbing your best walking shoes and picking up your camera for a quick trip across the Atlantic. (Note: this is not like my 48 hours trip to Iceland, but a few curated pictures I took while strolling around Paris to inspire you to book that plane ticket.)
GreenThumb Community Gardens started in New York City in the 1970’s. These gardens are located throughout the city and while they are fenced have access to the general public. The spaces are maintained by individuals who live on the block and have a range of styles and layouts.
Located in Long Island City, next to the East River, the museum does take a little effort to get there but the the traveler will be happily rewarded.
It was 11pm on a Sunday and 4 balls of sourdough dough sat on my counter. They had been rested, stretched, rested again and were nestled in their baskets ready for an overnight proof in the refrigerator.
Then I felt the urge to bake. But why turn the oven on when most people are going to bed? Because I had some very special loaves to work on.
Claude Monet’s Garden is located about 1.5 hours outside of Paris. If you are spending some time in Paris or the north of France, this striking garden is something to put on your travel itinerary. I had spent an afternoon in Giverny visiting the grounds and taking pictures as quickly as my camera would allow. It is a gorgeous space and if you are looking to bring back some concepts for your own garden (or purchase some seeds to plant) Monet has you covered.
There is a large kettle of water right behind the counter, in plain sight of everyone in the store. Bagels are boiled and go through their preparation right as patrons are placing their orders.
We all recognize some of the historical or interesting places in the cities where we live. And we all fall into the pattern of being comfortable excusing ourselves as being too busy to go or rationalizing we will visit another day. Those days turn into months which turn into years. I am guilty of this and the Morgan Library is a prime example. It’s right on Madison Avenue and I have literally passed it 1,000 times. And finally, one rainy Friday evening, I forced myself to walk through the doors and couldn’t have been happier.
