December 14th is my 40th birthday, and I dedicated the last year of my thirties to complete a wishlist of things I want to do before turning the big four-oh! My list changed, evolved, and grew as I went through the process of completing 40 activities. I wanted to push myself outside my comfort zone…
Quiche is a savoury open faced pastry filled with eggs, cheese and vegetables. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Total Time: Under 1 hour Pastry Ingredients Buy pre-made pastry or make your own. 1 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup oil 1/4 water Mixture Ingredients 3 beaten eggs 1 cup milk 1…
Leonardo Da Vinci’s Canal Lock is his longest standing most successful invention. Centuries later, the miter lock is still used in most canals and waterways around the world including Panama Canal. It replaced the old Portullis Lock which was basically a door placed directly across the canal. Da Vinci’s is 2 gates placed together at a…
How much does it cost to furnish a house in France? Lucky for us, we caught the SOLDE sales in France, and saved about 35-50% on all our household goods. Instead of buying the best deal, or the lowest price, we tried to get the best value for our dollar, buying higher quality items…
Carnaval is an event that usually takes place before lent in most Catholic communities. Monsieur Carnaval, a giant paper-mache man, represents all the bad that has gone on during the course of the last year. The community celebrates Carnaval by parading Monsieur Carnaval through the town, and symbolically eliminates the bad by burning him at…
“I’m a big believer in to-do-lists. I think of five things in the shower. I set goals and I get my work done, but I have to plan for fun things too. I’m always thinking about what will make my family happier. So I set playdates and trips.” Heidi Klum At the beginning of 2011 Alfonz and…
You are always a student, never a master. You have to keep moving forward. Conrad Hall We had a short but sweet visit from Laurene our student from Toulouse FRANCE! She was visiting her friend in Budapest who is attending university here on an exchange program for one trimester. Laurene was here for a very exciting…
One of the great pluses of being an immigrant, you get to start again in terms of identity. You get to shed the layers of narrative that cling to you. Joseph O’Neill Nearly 8 weeks in, it is November 1st and we are still loving our new Hungarian life. I love the freedom to start again, to try…
BAvid A short video of Bastille Day in Capestang! July 14th is the biggest national holiday in France and it celebrates the beginning of the revolution. More commonly the holiday is called La Fête Nationale or Le Quatorze Juillet by the locals. In 1789, July 14th is the day that the…
What does France mean to me? Delicate pastries and buttery croissants, scarves and berets fashionably worn, baguettes tucked under arm as people rush home for their afternoon meal. Creamy foie gras spread over toast, sun ripened grapes hung heavy on a vine, then winemakers press their grapes into world renown wine paired with 400 varieties…