return of de krat

After two weeks without de Krat (due to holidays), it was such a thrill to hear the doorbell ring on Saturday morning. This week's box of local, organic food contained a bottle of apple juice, a head of lettuce, two ears of corn, a loaf of whole grain bread, fennel, round zucchini, smoked mackerel, plum, apples, potatoes, broccoli, tomatoes, and a pot of fresh basil. The week ahead will be filled with salads, zucchini bread, plum and fennel compote, and much more goodness.

A Weekend in Paris, Part II

The second day took us to the neighborhood of a friend from Berlin who had recently moved to Paris. Time to sit and enjoy the sun. The third day was filled with sights of the city as we biked around. I'll leave the photos of Notre Dame and the Louvre behind, in favor of these quieter images of small scenes from the day. Above, a characteristic sign above the metro, with the rising sun shining on the house behind.

A friend from Berlin recently moved into a flat in Paris, with a lovely stairwell.

Early Sunday morning on the Seine.

Browsing through the bookstands along the Seine on a Sunday afternoon.

A small door on a quiet street.

Planning for Paris

Next weekend, we're off to Paris. My first time! Most people find this fact unbelievable, but when I chose a holiday destination in the past, it was more likely to be Berlin, Zurich, Krakow, Budapest, Prague... really anywhere other than Paris. Most people either love Paris or hate it and my experience with many non-French Europeans is that they don't see the appeal.

Still, I live just a few hours away. Why not spend a weekend in Paris and see what I think? For those of you who fall into the 'love Paris' category', I'd be happy for some tips. Favorite spots to sip coffee, best breakfast nooks, favorite areas to walk around. Merci! (images from karigee)

A Weekend Away

Feeling an itch to get away for a weekend. The only remaining question: where to go? Floating through my head are ideas of France, Italy, Spain, and Ireland. Paris is only a train ride away, the other locations probably require a short flight. Just a chance to walk over some unfamiliar cobblestones and breathe in the air of another city.

(Above: Image of Venice from here. Below: Image of Paris from here. Image of Madrid from here. Image of Dublin from here.)