STITCHING WITH IRIS

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Bridge In Monet's Garden

I finished page 31 last night. Only 4 more pages to go.

Page 31 completed
Started 9/9/2014
Completed 11/4/2014

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Silent Night by Barbara Ana Designs

I finished it into an ornament over the last 2 days

Silent Night
Barbara Ana Designs

I don't keep many of the ornaments I stitch but I think this one is a keeper.

I finished this little freebie from Facebook, Candy Cane Stitchers in just a couple of hours of stitching. Now I need to decide how to finish it. This was a fun and easy stitch and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Christmas Alphabet
by Heart in Hand Needleart
Stitched on 16CT white Aida
using DMC Floss
Started: 11/2/2014
Finished 11/3/2014

I just counted how many stitching finishes I have had this year. Including 4 pages of Bridge in Monet's Garden I have stitched 32 projects.

Have a good evening and I hope you all went out to vote today.

Paris - Tuesday, September 30 and Wednesday. October 30, 2014

Tuesday September 30, 2014

After breakfast at the hotel it was off to meet for our Eiffel Tower tour. Yes we bought tickets in advance because we didn’t want to stand in line to get them. Took the Metro and then walked a few blocks to the office of the tour company. Then once everyone was assembled the guide led us to the Eiffel Tower. As we walked the couple of blocks to the Tower she had us introduce ourselves and tell where we were from. Then she stopped just behind the Tower to give us a history lesson, when it was built, why it was built and why it still remains in Paris. It was suppose to be disassembled a few years after it was built in 1889. So we passed through security and took the elevator to the 2^nd landing. We were suppose to immediately take the elevator to the summit. Oops there is a problem. The elevator to the summit isn’t working. They have no idea how long it is going to take to repair it. So first we stand around in a line waiting to get on the elevator to the summit. We probably stand there for a good half hour and still no word on when the elevator will be repaired. Se we walk around the second level and take some pictures. Buy a few post cards and then take the elevator down to the first level and take some more pictures. The elevator was still not working so we decided to leave. It was a shame because poor Bob has never been able to get good pictures from the summit, in two other visits before, because of the weather. Today would have been a perfect day.

So we left the Eiffel Tower and walked around the corner and up the street for a bit of lunch. We went to Restaurant Ribe, a place we had eaten lunch in at least twice when we were in Paris in 2008. The onion soup is the best.

Lunch

Restaurant Ribe

Bob and I both had a bowl of Soupe Gratinee aux Oigon

We shared an order of Foie Gras de Canard

Our wine was Pouilly Fume

And for dessert we shared Café Liegiois (it was like a coffee ice cream sundae)

Absolutely wonderful lunch

After lunch I sat on a bench down the street from the restaurant while Bob walked up the street to a wine shop he had visited in 2008. He did pick up a couple of bottles of wine to bring home.

Then it was back to the hotel. I spent the afternoon packing and Bob walked down the street to a little candy shop we had visited a couple of days before to buy some more candy.

Then we got ready to go to our last dinner in Paris.

We took a taxi to the restaurant but we were a little early. So we decided to walk around a little bit. As we were walking down the street I saw a little jewelry store and stopped to window shop. I saw a couple of watches in the window that I liked to Bob suggested that we go inside and see if there was anything I liked. I picked out a watch and several pairs of earrings that I liked. Bob told me to go ahead and get the watch and then he made me leave the shop while he bought me some Christmas presents. Can’t wait to see which earrings he actually bought me.

Dinner

Au Trou Gascon

Entrée:

Bob – Steamed Cooked Brittanh Lobster, Coral Custard Perfumed Infused with Fresh Herbs

Iris – Duck Foie Gras Paste Pie – Bitter Sweet Fruits

Plats: We both had Cassoulet, a dish of white beans, duck confit, veal chop and saussage

Dessert:

Bob – Postachio Cream cake, Raspberries and Pistachio Ice Cream

Iris – Instant Dainty Chocolate Ice Cream, Vanilla Meringue, Mango Chutney

After dinner we took a taxi back to the hotel and finished packing.

The Eiffel Tower

One of the many views from the 2nd level of the
Eiffel Tower

Champs de Pars from he Eiffel Tower

A wonky view of the tower

Me on the Eiffel Tower

Bob on the Eiffel Tower

Café Ribe

Bob, me and bowls of Onion Soup
Oh it was so good

Me and the Onion Soup

Wednesday October 1, 2014

Up early to get the shuttle to the airport. We had no problems getting our boarding passes and finding our gate for departure. We flew from Paris to Frankfurt, Germany with a short layover in Frankfurt. Then flew from Frankfurt to Philadelphia. Our flight was uneventful. Arrived in Philadelphia and went through customs, retrieved our luggage and found the ground transportation desk. We only waited a few minutes for the shuttle and then off to Collegeville. We were the last passengers to be dropped off. We packed our luggage in the trunk and then Bob tried to start our car. It wouldn’t start. He tried several times but no luck. Luckily for us the shuttle driver hadn’t left the parking lot and he saw we were having problems. He came back and jumped our car and it started right away.

It was wonderful to get home.

Paris - Monday, September 29, 2014

Monday September 29, 2014

Yesterday when we had breakfast we took a couple of extra croissants as we have to be up and out of the hotel early for our tour to the Chateaux of the Loire Valley.

Patrick gave Bob instructions for the Metro and except for having to ask someone on the street which way we should walk once we got off the Metro we got to our meeting point early.

This tour of the Loire Valley is a bus tour we arranged from home several months before our trip. Bob spent time in the Loire Valley when he went to France in high school and he has always wanted to go back.

It took us a couple of hours to get to our first Chateau, Chambord. It was a beautiful drive through the French countryside on an early fall morning.

Chambord is one of the older Chateaux in the Loire Valley. It was built by Francis I as a hunting lodge. It is mostly unfurnished. The staircase is absolutely amazing. We got some good pictures of the countryside from the “balcony” at the top of the stairs.

Then back on the bus for an hour drive to Chateau Chenonceau. Again, beautiful countryside between the two Chateaux. I think this was my favorite of the three Chateaus we visited. While the owners do not live in the Chateau itself they do have a cottage on the property where they do spend time. There is a maze on this property. The gardens were absolutely lovely. I walked around the ground floor rooms but decided not to go upstairs. I waited for Bob and the rest of the group outside enjoying the gardens and looking down the river at the changing leaves.

We ate lunch at a restaurant on the Chateau property.

Lunch

Chateau De Chenonceau

Bob: Terrine de Poisson, Soda

Iris: Hamburger, soda.

After lunch we still had a little time so Bob stayed around the Chateau to walk through the garden and I walked back towards the gift shop. Yes every Chateau has a give shop as you leave. Another way to help finance the upkeep of the Chateau.

Then it was back on the bus for an hour trip to our next Chateau, Chateau Cheverny. This Chateau is still owned and operated by the family who built it. The family lives in one wing of the Chateau and the rest of the house I open for tours. It is completely furnished.

After Cheverny it was back on the bus to head back to Paris. I enjoyed the trip back. The scenery was beautiful and it was a chance to just sit for a couple of hours.

This was a long day. We left our hotel about 6:30 AM and got back to Paris after 7:30 PM.

We decided to have dinner at the same Café we had lunch in on Sunday. The food we had on Sunday was good and it was close to our hotel.

Dinner

Le Canon De La Nation

Bob: Risotto Champignon, Affligem

Iris: Shrimps Et Salmon Cesear, Iced Tea

Chambord

The young woman in the middle of the
picture is our tour guide, Cecile

Bob and me on the balcony at Chambord

Driving through the French countrysice

Chenonceau

Me at Chenonceau

This is the view most people know of
Chenonceau

Bob at Chenonceau

Some of the gardens at Cnenonceau

Walking through the village to get to
Cheverny

Cherverny

Some flowers outside the gift shop
at Cherverny

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Paris - Sunday. September 28, 2014

Sunday September 28, 2014

Ok by now you know we had breakfast at the hotel. This morning we had to say good-by to our tour director, Patrick. We have extended our stay beyond the normal three days so we are on our own completely at this point. Patrick did tell us that if we needed anything we could call him and he also introduced Bob to another tour director that would be there for a couple of day and we could go to him if we needed anything. Patrick helped us arrange our transportation back to the airport on Wednesday and gave us some directions to help us get to the pick-up point for our Loire trip tomorrow.

After breakfast it was off to Musse Armee. We went there because when we were in Paris in 2008 Bob went there by himself because I had a really bad cold and decided an afternoon of sleep and rest would be the best thing for me. I wanted to go to see Napoleon’s Tomb. Bob didn’t see the tomb in 2008 as he had only a few hours and many other things he wanted to see. The French don’t really know if it is really Napoleon in casket or not. The body was not returned to the French by the British until many years after his death and there is no proof that the body returned was really Napoleon. After spending some time in the tomb area we visited other parts of the museum. We saw artifacts and military uniforms from the late 1890s, WWI and WWII. This was interesting. After that we went to see armor from the medieval period, 1100 – 1300). This was Bob’s forte but I did find it interesting.

After leaving the museum we walked around looking for a place for lunch. Unfortunately we couldn’t find anything close. We took the Metro back to the area of our hotel and stoped at a café on the corner for lunch.

Lunch

Le Canon De La Nation

Bob: Smoked Salmon in sour cream cheese - WONDERFUL! - , Affligem which is a beer from Belgium

Iris: Smoked Salmon and an iced tea.

Then we walked back to our hotel and just hung out until dinner.

Dinner

Le Bouillon Racine

Iris: Cream of Cauliflower Soup, Duck Confit, and Maple Crème Brulee

Bob: Chilled Avocado/Spinach soup,, Duck Confit and Maple Crème Brulee

We had eaten at Le Bouillon Racine when we were in Paris in 2008. It is the only restaurant we returned to on this trip, besides Chez Ribe, our lunch place on Tuesday.

Back to the hotel for a good nights sleep.

Napoleon's Tomb at the Musse Armee

The Rotunda above the tomb

A statue in the area around the bomb

This is one of the double doors that lead into
where Napoleon's Tomb is

Bob in front of some Medieval armor in
Musse Armee

Armor for a knight and his stead

The garden outside Musse Armee

This is the entrance to Napoleon's Tomb

Bob at lunch with his 1st beer since we
have been in Paris

Smoked salmon in sour cream cheese
WONDERFUL

Le Bouillon Racine

A picture of the inside from our table.
When we were here before we sat upstairs.

Duck Confit
It was a great meal

Paris - Saturday, September 27, 2014

Saturday September 27, 2014

We had our usual breakfast at the hotel.

Then off to Montmarrte and Sacre- Coeur. I had a terrible time there with the cobblestone streets and sidewalks so we really didn’t stay long. We walked from the Metro up to the Vinnacular and rode that up to Sacre- Coeur. Walked up to Sacre-Coeur and took lots of pictures. Saw a bride having pictures taken on the street beside Sacre-Coeur. Then we walked down to the artist square and on down the street. Stopped in a macaroon and biscuit shop. Bought some for ourselves and some for gifts. Then walked back to the Vinnacular and on down to the Metro.

We took the Metro on a long ride to the south of Paris, the 16^th district so we could have lunch at a Vietnamese Restaurant that Bob had seen on The Cooking Channel cooking/travel show, Luc Nguyen in France. Long walk from the Metro to the restaurant

Lunch

Bistro Indochine

Bob: Canard Basilic

Iris: Benh xeo – It was a crepe with pork, shrimp and bean sprout and a salad (it was delicious)

Wine: Rouge (rose)

Then Bob wanted to go to a flea market that Patrick had told him about. So we took the long walk back towards the metro and beyond by several blocks. Found the street of the flea market but they were closing up. Every vendor was packing up their wares. So we walked back to the metro and headed back to the hotel.

When we got to the hotel our room keys didn’t work. Bob had to go down to the front desk twice before we could get into our room. The keys had become unmagnified. Then we were getting ready for dinner and Bob wanted his camera for something and we couldn’t find it. He opened our room and there was his jacket, camera and our bag of cookies sitting on the floor right where we left them. I guess we were lucky that no one had picked them up.

Dinner

La Bastide d’Opio

Iris: Entree – Gratin De Tomate A La Mozzerela, Plat – Brochette De Boeuf, Desert – Orange Crem Brulee

Wine: Masion rouge

Bob: Entree - Raviole De royan, Plate – Cocotte de Poissons (fish Stew), Desert – Orange Crème Brulee

Wine: Gasogne Blanc