gabriella & jd (and alex! and vincent!)

A nice vacation to the Loire Valley.  Alex and Vincent have two weeks off for Toussaint (All Saints') so we decided to take a few days this first week and go back to the Loire Valley since we enjoyed our last trip there in 2010.  We were able to visit three Chateaus including Chambourd, Azay-le-Rideau, and Le Clos Luce where Leonardo da Vinci lived for the last four years of his life. We stayed at Chateau de Pintray, managed by a nice couple who also have their own vineyard and wine production.  We had a wine tasting the first night we arrived and met two other couples, one from Geneva and one from the Basque region.  Alex and Vincent enjoyed the pool table at the chateau.  We had some wonderful meals including ris de veau (sweetbreads), pigeon, squash soup, doe, cream of celery root, escargot, couscous, duck with armagnac sauce, and regional cheeses. pictures Rental car, driving to the Loire, lunch at Chambord, touring Chateau Chambord , arriving Chateau...

"The warmest mid-October in Paris in 60 years".  Sunny and warm this weekend, in the mid-70's.  We enjoyed 2 picnics, one in our town on Saturday, and one in Paris on Sunday.  We then visited the Rodin Museum and Garden. pictures pictures Walking to school, park, Salon de Commerce at the Mairie , including a bounce slide for children. pictures Sunny Sunday, picnic, Musee Rodin, walking through the 6e across the river to Les Halles and back home.

pictures A nice day in the village of Auvers-sur-Oise , the town where Vincent Van Gogh spent the last two months of his life.  Other artists also lived in the picturesque village.  We took the train about an hour outside of Paris.  The weather cleared and we had nice day, a big long lunch at the Auberge Ravoux, the inn where Vincent Van Gogh lived and died, toured the museum, including the Absinthe Museum which was really cool.  Also, the walk up the hill to the cemetery where Vincent is buried next to his brother Theo showcased the farm fields from Van Gogh's paintings. more Auvers-sur-Oise pictures pictures A nice birthday, an abricot tart, and an "eyeglasses" cookie that Vincent ate all of. pictures School, park, dinner.

mmm, tapas (left) and goat cheese and red pepper potato chips! pictures Park, piano, soccer practice, Vincent's activities in school (they went to the library, played music, and the escargots ate the carrots), lamb shoulder for Yom Kippur. pictures More snacks, park, school, soccer practice.