Year in Review 2019

Every year when the last week of December comes into view on my calendar, I stop to reflect on the year behind me.  It's the best way I know to really appreciate all of my adventures throughout the year to really love and appreciate my life, taking a minute to revisit the memories from local hikes to trips abroad.  These posts are highlight reels - my life in snapshots - a way to savor some of the best memories of each month.  

Because it's the end of the decade, this year in review is a little special.  I went back through all my years in review (2014 to now) and relived some of the memories of the last five years.  In those years I moved across the country and yep, I moved back. I loved and I was loved. I broke my own heart and I experienced loneliness in its different forms from holidays alone to the pang of a Sunday morning for one.  

Paris Eats - Travel Through Food

When Amanda and I were planning our trip to Iceland (the land of insane scenery and expensive food) we had very different priorities when it came to where to dine, what to eat, and how much to spend on food.  I'll never forget when Amanda told me that all my money goes to my stomach.  I laughed because of just how true it was.  While food was more of refueling between destinations for her, it was so much more to me.

Visiting the Paris Catacombs

If you've been reading along, you know I've been gushing about how lovely Paris is.  I've been talking about the City of Lights, about walking the streets of Paris with someone you love (and a crusty loaf of bread).  I've been painting this picture of strolling through steep cobblestone streets in an authentic Parisian Village with stops for espresso.  Well, today?  It's going to be a little different.  Okay, a lot different.  We are going underground and digging into some of Paris's history (all the puns intended).  Today we are talking about the Paris Catacombs.  

It was my brother Philip, Adam and I on the tail end of our 4-day tour of Paris.  We had loose plans to see some sites but there was one thing we all agreed was a must-see, the Paris Catacombs.  We had heard about this tour of the tunnels, of the ossuary underground and were eager to take advantage of this unique way to learn about the city in a different light.  We were told the catacombs were must-see and to spend the few extra euros on the audio tour.  This attraction was the only thing I had agreed to wait in line for and we opted for a traditional pass at a lower cost versus a "fast pass" at a steeper price for a specific time.  And so, we headed to our spot in line, waiting our turn to enter the bottom of Paris.

A Walk Through Montmartre (Paris)

Picture this...

An authentic little french village perched upon a butte. Steep cobblestone streets weave their way cutting through tall apartment buildings dotted with endless windows and teeny balconies. Some of the building walls are tastefully decorated with various murals and in the town square, artists are perched over easels, painting cityscapes and fields of flowers.