Semaine Deux

 I can't believe we've only been here a little over a week. We already feel so comfortable here and into a groove with our days and lifestyle. To me, it all feels so familiar and nostalgic from when I lived in Spain. Every time I step out, I flashback to walking the streets of Seville and it fills it me with so much happiness and gratefulness for the time I had studying abroad. The tiny streets, ancient buildings, cigarette smoke, bustling avenues, and immersion in another language all bring me back to Spain and I just LOVE it! 

It's been interesting to compare our experience here to New Zealand. So many things have been different: Jay has to commute to work on the city bus; it takes about 30 minutes door to door. Another option he can use is to check out a bike from a local bike stand (Velo Telouse) then ride the canal path to his office. It takes him about 20 minutes to bike. He also has been very social at work with people and has lunch with them everyday! Compared to NZ where he walked two minutes to his office and only occasionally went to coffee or lunch with one of his coworkers, but not really anyone else. He also is "collaborating" here and giving a handful of seminars. In NZ he was teaching a class three days a week; another major difference. 

For me, I felt a little lonely in NZ and unsure of how we would fill our days when we were in Christchurch. But here, it seems like there are endless places to walk to and explore, not to mention shopping and shopping and shopping. It's also so different having our friends here and spending time with them. And, Jay has three former students here, who we will be seeing and spending time with. Not to mention all of our visitors who are coming! 

Another big "milestone" was signing Maggie up for ballet. I found her a private ballet instructor from a local studio, only a 10 minute walk from our place. Thank goodness for google translate! I was able to email the dance studio and make the arrangements for her lesson. Juliana is Maggie's teacher and she'll be going once a week for a 1.5 hour lesson. 

I tried to sneak a picture from outside the studio...

Getting ready to start 

I was good and only bought two things from Mango...but I will be back! One of my favorite stores from Spain! 

Experiencing Midica for the first time - a four story store with anything home you could possibly need / plus arts and crafts. Like a Target minus the clothing section and groceries. And, there's a cafe on the top floor called Gigi Land :)

Grabbing a baguette sandwich on the way home from a day in the city center - Finn and I had Jamon et Raqulette and Maggie had lox on hers. Both so, so good (and cheap!) - still amazed at how good all the food is! 

No dryer, really living the French life 

Date night for Jay and I at La Mesa de Lola - two blocks from our apartment. We had a lovely chat with the owner, who was also our server. She was from the Nederlands but has lived in Toulouse for 23 years and spoke English. She was so nice and welcoming, giving us lots of suggestions for places to visit around France. We will be back! The sangria and tapas were delicious! 

Diamond painting - a craft we picked up at Midica

Finished product

More silly times with Mara

Our first French dinner out at Les Enfants Terribles with Jay's former student, Ben. The last time we saw Ben was in 2019 in Boulder when he came to our house and taught us to make crepes! Ben works in Toulouse and lives in Bordeaux now - another place we plan to visit soon.

I forgot how small and intimate European restaurants are; this place had quintessential Parisian decor

Slow roasted pork belly deliciousness

Lemon Meringue Tart heaven 

Finn and I had the duck and Maggie the beef. For the next few days Finn couldn't stop saying, "I can't believe how good that duck was...and those carrots!"

Picard! France has a supermarche dedicated to all frozen food, but like really good quality. We found a Picard cookbook at our apartment with recipes using all frozen products from the store. The kids had fun choosing a few recipes and going there to get the ingredients to make them. Maggie found this delicious pineapple tart that she made and we made a ravioli dish with veggies for dinner. 

Busy cooking and watching The Simpsons....

We ended the week with an adult dinner out a local Venezuelan restaurant just down the block - Everybody grab your scarf and say "fromage"

Sunday - Saint Aubin Market - every Sunday there's an outdoor market that sells everything from food, to mattresses to knives to jewelry to wine! Really anything you could imagine; it's there. It was bustling and lots of people were drinking wine on the steps of the church and enjoying food they had picked up at the market.