gabriella & jd (and alex! and vincent!)

We just spent 5 days in the French Alps in the Haute-Savoie region of France for vacation and Alex's 9th Birthday.  We took the TGV (2 hrs) to Lyon and then rented a car and drove 2 1/2 hours to the town of La Clusaz.  Each day we ventured around the mountain towns and on Friday went to Chamonix. We had fabulous weather and enjoyed the traditional food, wine, and cheese of the region. Alex drove a Go-Kart for his birthday which he loved. Make sure you check out the videos of Go-Karting and swimming: https://www.youtube.com/jddphd https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeoAO8AMpUg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmD7m3el4GM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BssL-YmAtrA Tues April 21 TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lyon.  Lunch and a walk around the Old City of Lyon.  Drive to La Clusaz and our " Residence Les Grande Alpes " apart-hotel.  The first room had bunk beds and a sofa bed so we switched rooms to have a separate room with beds. The first night we...

Our last week of school and activities in April before the 2 week Spring vacation.  The weather was exceptionally warm, high 70s, for several days which was great. pictures School, park (Vincent found Joseph from his class), Saturday in Paris (it was still gray and chilly), Parc Batignolles, American Day Tuesday April 14 was American Day in the nursery and elementary schools of Levallois.  Previous years included Ireland and Great Britain Days.  The children were requested to wear red, white and blue.  For lunch they were served a hamburger, fries, brownie, and Coke.  They sang songs - Vincent came home singing "head, shoulders knees and toes" and "baa baa black sheep' (this one with a French accent on the English words it was hilarious).  Alex took in US money to show his class he was very proud.  Dinner outside at L'Anjou it was so warm. pictures School, artwork, flowers, park, cheese. pictures A warm sunny Sunday.  Lunch out...

Last week was Passover.  Our menu included deviled eggs, meatballs, matzoh stuffing, turkey, and two kinds of charoset.  It was delicious!  The meatballs were a big hit.  Almost as good and Aunt Adele's. pictures Seder 1st night.  Meal preparation.  Eggs and turkey from our favorite poultry people at the market. Beef and lamb shank bone from Philippe the butcher.  We missed everyone in the US but talked to them on Skype. This is a kohlrabi we found at the market: pictures Saturday, gray and rainy, a walk in Paris through the Jardin du Luxembourg, then lunch at La Verlaine near Rue Mouffetard (which we later realized was the building where Ernest Hemingway had his writing loft 1921 - 1925.  A French poet also died there.  I care more about Hemingway. )   Then to a pub to watch the Manchester United game. pictures Sunday lunch including cheese with matzoh.  To Montmartre to meet some friends to watch the Paris St....

Vincent is wearing his favorite striped shirt -  Petite Section 10, Silvi and Catherine

During Vincent's school check-up they could not tell if he was having trouble seeing the images or did not know the words in French, so we took him to the eye doctor, and sure enough, he has inherited the Deitch/Banyasz astigmatism.  He loves his glasses since we all have glasses, so why not? pictures Park, soccer, new glasses and sunglasses (Alex), flowers starting to bloom. pictures Delicious meal at Au Coin de la Rue, school, piano, Vincent's book "Toutes les couleurs", taco night, park, and Alex's new "appareil dentaire" (palate expander).

"I'm hungry.  My legs hurt.  Can we go eat now?" Last weekend was nice and sunny (and 70 degrees!) so we decided to visit the  Musée archéologie nationale in St.-Germain-en-Laye, a short train ride from town.  Alex has been studying the paleolithic and neolithic periods at school.  He was supposed to go there on a field trip in January but then it was cancelled due to the "Plan Vigipirate".  After the museum we found a really good Mexican restaurant for lunch - the best we've had so far in France. pictures from Alex's camera more pictures Park, soccer, games, haircuts, museum, Mexican lunch. pictures Park, lunch, cheese, more lunch, pâte à modeler (playdoh) to make escargots, more park.

We just returned from four days in Porto for vacation.  We really enjoyed Porto, even more than Lisbon a few years ago.  Excellent food(fish, octopus, cheese, wine), and sights.  We stayed in an art deco hotel with a cool vintage car and toy collection.  We can't wait to go back. A lot of the townhouses in the city are abandoned as folks have fled to the suburbs for more space for the money and the overall economic conditions.  The outside of the townhouses are preserved as a frame or shell, but the inside is vacant and crumbling.  You can see this in the pictures.  It's almost like a movie set. pictures Arriving Porto Tuesday evening.  Delicious meal around the corner from our hotel.  The waitress Sandra was so nice we went back there the next evening. pictures Double decker tour bus all around Porto.  Traditional Portuguese lunch at Brasao near our hotel, including the famous "Francesinha" sandwich from Porto - 4 kinds of mea...

Paris Opera Some days in the park before the two week winter break.  More travel for JD - Nashville and Amsterdam. pictures Park, Vincent's artwork, King Cake from one of JD's work vendors in New Orleans, dinner at a Corsican restaurant, and a rainbow. pictures We had a nice sunny Sunday this past weekend and went to the Tuileries and then for nice long lunch in town.

We've had some very cold weather the past two weeks, but no rain which is good.  There were snow flurries one day but they didn't stick.  We were able to go to the park for a short time on two occasions. pictures Vincent saw his classmate Sandro at the park and was happy to play with him.  Alex made friends with a little boy. pictures More park, another great meal at Au Coin de la Rue, Parc Monceau, an odd warning including graffiti regarding fines for letting your dog poop on the street in Paris (fine 35 euros),

We're back in the swing of things in Paris.  Sadly, due to the events in early January in Paris, we are still on vigilant alert (Plan Vigipirate) with armed soldiers guarding sensitive buildings and no school field trips. pictures Vincent was chosen to bring home "Lily" for the weekend, the baby doll in his class.  He was responsible for taking care of her the entire weekend.  We had a good time. Park, art, Lily chez Vincent, galette des Rois (and Alex found the prize in his piece), soap/vinegar/baking powder volcano for Alex's homework. pictures More Lily, meal at Au Coin de la Rue, park, toys, cheese, reading. more reading

A jam-packed two week trip back to the US, with a side trip to Florida.  We had lots of fun visiting Grannie and the rest of our family and friends.  We miss everyone already. more pictures: Delaware visit, Christmas Safari park and pool time   Florida Kennedy Space Center pictures Preparing to leave, arriving US, rental car, stop by Carrie's, dinner at Guapo's, to Grannie's. pictures Weekend visit to Toots and Poppie with Aunt Shana.  Hanukkah gifts!  Brandywine River Museum train exhibit. pictures Visiting with friends, lunch in Bethesda, visiting with Kathleen, Mrs. Mudd, Maureen, Maisie, John, and the Cahoon's on Trailway Drive.  Christmas Eve dinner at Bistro Provence in Bethesda.  Alex was so tired he fell asleep at the table. pictures Christmas Day at Grannie's.  To the Cahoon's for afternoon Christmas meal. pictures DCA to West Palm Beach to visit Aunt Adele and Uncle Ed at their new house and Z and GG in their RV...

  Enjoying the festivities for Noel before we head back to the US for a visit. pictures Artwork, school, Marche Noel de Levallois, and a delicious meal at our new favorite neighborhood restaurant "Au Coin de la Rue". pictures Walking to school, art, red balloon at soccer practice, pictures Vincent's cahiers from school and "Magic Noël… sous les étoiles."  Alex and Vincent wanted to do the rides after school.  Vincent loves the large Mickey and kept giving him hugs. Rides included: • L’Express du Père Noël : La luge géante du Père Noël version Roller Coaster  • Le Palais des glaces : Pas facile de trouver son chemin dans le palais mouvementé des bonhommes de neiges  • Les Voitures du Père Noël : Pour les pilotes en herbes • Les Chaises volantes : Un voyage proche des étoiles • Les Trampos élastiques : Un indémodable pour sauter de joie parce que c’est Noël  • La Luge du Père Noël : Sensations garanties pour tous ceux qui aiment la gl...

Alex, Max, and Vincent pictures Alex's soccer game Saturday November 8 at the local stadium (also where he practices every Wednesday). pictures Park, food, school, day off school for Armistice Day we spent in Paris in the Marais (the reopened Picasso Museum was mobbed so we didn't wait), and Parc Monceau. pictures School, soccer practice, Marche Noel down the Champs-Elysees (even though it was 60 degrees), meal at a bisto on Boulevard Haussmann. pictures Vincent art projects at school, and bringing "Max le bebe" home for the weekend from his school. Vincent had to take care of Max, get him dressed, and then tell the story of his weekend when he went back to school on Monday.

It's school picture time...more pictures to come, eventually.  Our home computer gave up the ghost so we had to buy a new one.  Ah, technology.  We spent November enjoying some fabulous weather before it turned cold. Vincent, petite section, ecole maternelle Jules Ferry 3 1/2 years old Alex, CE2 (third grade), ecole elementaire Jules Ferry 8 1/2 years old Alex, CE2 (third grade), ecole elementaire Jules Ferry Teacher:  Mlle PLUMET    Principal:  Monsieur LO BELLO 8 1/2 years old et "La Grimace" (make a funny face picture):

Last week of school vacation.  We rested a lot, ate, slept, went to the park, enjoyed Halloween and the new zoo. pictures Alex went to work with JD one day last week, and really enjoyed eating in the work cantine.  Halloween windows and hanging the Christmas decorations in our town. pictures Park, a nice meal at a really good restaurant in Levallois, "Je L'M", Halloween - since we left 2 years ago, more people of France seem to be celebrating Halloween by dressing up and getting candy from the cafes and restaurants.  Good thing we had our costumes from the US. pictures Parc Zoologique de Paris, a trip across town to the brand new Paris Zoo in the Bois de Vincennes and a beautiful, warm, sunny Saturday.  Then a walk back through the Gare de Lyon and Bastille area and a stop for hamburgers at "Starvin Joe". more zoo pictures back to school

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.

more pictures Food, Vincent, Lincoln, WW1 exhibit at the town hall . Saturday -more beautiful weather, exhibit at our town hall on Levallois during WW1, lunch at our favorite Indian restaurant "New Mathura" pictures -a friendly cat at the vet, finding Alex's old friends in the park afterschool, sushi, bracelets, Rosh Hashanah, more park pictures -Alex's first Saturday soccer practice game pictures -picnic in the park, walking around the town, food, fits, Alex soccer practice more picnic pictures