Good evening :)
Our Champagne tour yesterday was really fun. We got to tour a couple wineries and learn about how everything is made. The best part of course was the tasting…and a close second was the scenery of Champagne Country. Just breathtaking.
Here are a few more pictures…
My second favourite picture so far:
Lunch was here:
Mom had a curry risotto:
Kristi had a smoked salmon and shrimp salad:
The chef was an old school, ‘I don’t cook anything that is not on my menu’ type of chef, but I turned on the charm and amazingly, I was brought a delicious meal.
It just took A LOT of effort at this restaurant. Nothing I can’t handle though. ;) I’m a tough cookie.
It was potatoes, zucchini, cabbage, carrots, and parsley in a balsamic reduction. Pretty sure he also used butter, but there was nothing I could do at that point except eat it and smile. :)
We arrived back to the hotel around 6:30pm and we were absolutely pooped. We mustered up the strength to head downstairs for dinner in the hotel. No gussying up last night!
Knowing that the food in the hotel was already superb (breakfast buffet!), we had no worries about eating there. I had full confidence the chef could prepare me something.
We started with bread and trail mix and devoured both.
So good.
I was brought a Ratatouille type dish with Edamame and it was pretty much the best thing I have tasted in a long time. I don’t know what he did, but I was one happy girl!!
Words cannot describe how good that meal was.
Also happy were OSGMOM and Kristi with their pizzas!
It was a great meal.
This morning my sister and I headed to the gym and busted out a quick 5-6 km run. After showering it was time to eat another amazing breakfast before we started our busy day of sightseeing.
My sister got me to try my very first coffee complete with caramel flavoured sugar and soy milk.
It was SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh no, I might be hooked on Coffee!!!! lol.
My sis drinks it a lot and she said the coffee here is out of this world.
I had leftover Edamame from last night, so I got it to go knowing that it would make an awesome addition of protein to my breakfast this morning. I LOVED it!!
Along with sautéed mushrooms, tomato, grapefruit, mango, and kiwi.
Fresh veggie juice!!!
I like big breakfasts. :)
My sister’s breakfast (she always tries to make her plate look so nice and wants me to take a picture. So cute!)
Then we were off to Musée du Louvre!
If you ever come to Paris I strongly recommend the Paris Pass. You not only have access to all the tourist attractions, but you get to skip all the long lines!
We posted some Operation Beautiful notes around Paris!
It says you look beautiful today.
The Louvre was spectacular!!!!!!!
Then we arrived to the MOB SCENE!!!!
Who could it be?
Celebrity sighting!!!!!
I’m such a nerd, but I got so giddy when I saw Mona. My heart went a flutter. I refrained from posting an Operation Beautiful note on her…(I think I would have been shot!)
I
Awesome, awesome, awesome.
Then it was time for some authentic French Crepes!
A blog reader told me that Le Sarrasin et le Froment is one of the best places for crepes AND I could find a vegan crepe!
It had so much charm! Tiny, creative, and so French.
The sign above means ‘Smiles are free’ :)
Yes we went to town.
I had the Mushroom + Provencal crepe and it was out of this world! I have to try to recreate this at home. I LOVE crepes.
My sis had some kind of goat cheese one with walnuts, tomato, and salad.
Mom had ham and cheese. They both raved about them!!
I have many more fun pictures to show you, but we are heading out to dinner and the Eiffel tower tonight!
By the way, voting for the Foodbuzz challenge begins today! My first entry can be found here. Head on over and place your votes for your favourite entries.
I’ll be back! (said in Terminator voice).
So glad you are having such a great time!!! :)
I’m curious… when you are ‘convincing’ chefs to make you a vegan meal, do you say that you are vegan, or do you tell them you are lactose-intolerant? I often find that this little white lie is more effective than explaining veganism – and no restaurant wants to get a patron sick or have an allergic reaction!
Such a beautiful city and the food looks amazing.
Crepes are amazing… it’s especially fun to watch them being made on those crepe-surfaces.
I love that you’re using Westin postits for your Operation Beautiful notes! Aren’t they they best! My bestie works at Westin and is always bringing me their postits when she comes home to visit….nice to see they have them in Paris too :)
I am so jealous of you right now it is not even funny…
You are making me want to go to France so badly! When I went to the Louvre, they weren’t allowing pictures of the Mona Lisa–but now I see they are. Hope your time at le tour eiffel was fabulous. Can’t wait to see more pictures.
When I saw the Mona Lisa I couldn’t believe how SMALL it was! I think I was expecting it to be huge after all the fuss people have made over it over the years…but it was definitely really cool to be standing in the same room with it, even if it is behind flash proof and bullet proof glass.
So glad you are having such an amazing trip!!!!
I can’t believe you never had coffee before!!! I’m addicted!
I agree with Jessica. So. Durn. Jealous.
I loved the Louvre! I’ve been there twice now and I always have to go in and check on the Mona Lisa. Very hot and crowded room… but you have to see it in person… very important to do that if you go to the Louvre! Did you get to see the Venus de Milo? I love Nike of Samothrace (Winged Victory). I want to go back to the Louvre and Europe in general now that I know a little more about the art there!
Have fun and keep on exploring!
The Louvre?! The Eiffel Tower?! Crepes?!
You are living a charmed life, missy! ;)
Amazing views, amazing eats, amazing trip overall so far! So jealous. I would LOVE to travel there someday. Seriously very happy about your first coffee experience right now, that’s too funny. Oh boy I love my coffee. I don’t think there could have been a more perfect way for you to experience it for the first time! Though standard old coffee pot java probably won’t do anything for you once you’re back home haha.
ohhhh. i want to be there, those crepes – mmmmmm
Though substantial vegan eats seem somewhat difficult to find, it looks like you’re having a wonderful time. Traveling is the best!
By the way, I think those beans you had at dinner are actually fava beans, not edamame. I could be wrong but I wanted to put it out there in case you wanted to create something similar at home :)
I agree…those do not look like edamame. I was going to say they’re either favas or limas, but they do look more like lima beans.
You tried coffee!!! Ohman, after trying the french stuff, you are going to be so dissapointed when you come home and try Tim’s :P Mona Lisa was a mob scene when I saw her too. And the glass case kind of took away from the whole experience – still neat through! I had a ham & cheese crepe a couple days ago, but have a sneaking suspicion it wasn’t *quite* as good as the one your mom & sis got. Loving these recaps! What a great bonding experience for you girls!
I can’t think of which one, but your sister reminds me SO much of a certain actress!! UGH I wish I could think of it…anyway, I’m having a history test tonight including the life of DaVinci! SO COOL/COINCIDENTAL that I got to see the actual Mona Lisa through your post today! Thanks for sharing, dear! I want to see it for myself someday too! Look slike you had an amazing time!
xo.
I wish you could stay in Paris forever ( w/ Eric) I love all the AWESOME vegan food that you have been eating :)
I am in Paris for the weekend and went to the crepe restaurant from your recommendation. It was fabulous! I am so stuffed! Thx for posting about it.