Paree

The Red Windmill

The Obelisk in Place de la Concorde

in Place de la Concorde

View from the flat

The  Hangover 2

Visual

Right by the flat in Paris.  We are on Champs-Elysees.

Sacre Coeur

On to the Next Thing: Bonjour France

Now don't be fooled, leaving a job is like ending a relationship. Even though you are the one choosing to end it, it's still hard. My last day of work was a mix of cleaning up my desk and reflecting on the past almost three years of work. It has been great-great people, great professional and personal growth and great experiences. It's surprisingly easy to get nostalgic in this bitter sweet situation. My secret to getting though was friends and free yoga in Bryant Park. Although a cookie wouldn't have hurt :)

If you have to endure a break-up, why not rebound with France? It seems to have it all- style, personality and macarons. Macarons, not to be confused with macaroons. They are these beautiful cookies made with almond flour. That's right, gluten free! I'll be starting in Paris for the first week, moving on to Baeune, northern and southern Rhone, Provence, Bordeaux, Saint Emillion, and hopefully a quick day in Normandy before flying out. As I write this while in the airport, I'm getting more and more excited! I can't believe this day is here and that in mere hours I'll be in Paris! Just for the record this flight will take less travel time than my last flight to SFO. Crazy, right? So if you live on the East Coast, next time you buy a domestic flight just take a second and make sure that's what you really want to do. I'm just saying...

So here I go, I'll catch you on the flip side.

Mama Always Said...(and no, I'm not talking about a box of chocolates)

So you know when you are growing up, and you always being told not to do something dumb?  Well despite what my parents tried to teach me...I did it anyways.  That's right, I quit my job without having another one lined up.  Crazy right?  Between you and me, I think it might be crazier to miss a trip of a lifetime.  I am headed to France for an entire month!  Starting in Paris, on to Burgundy, then Northern and Southern Rhone, and finally Bordeaux.  Quite the line-up, I know, hence all that "trip of a lifetime" talk.  There will be fashion, wine, food, adventuring and did I mention FOOD?   France is known for its pâtisseries (look at that knowledge, and you thought I was going into this trip blindly), here is the big bummer, though.  I'm still in denial.  About two years ago I noticed some joint pain that continually got worse.  I tried resting my body a.k.a not working out as much, fish oil, vitamin D, calcium, multivitamins, until a year and a half later a good friend made a suggestion (Thanks Hotts!).  Apparently gluten can cause joint pain, whoda thought?  Since this pain had been going on for so long, I was willing to try anything. Yep, goodbye wheat, barley , rye and my life...well not quite.  Going on the third week without sanity (I mean gluten), I was feeling a little skeptical since I hadn't noticed much of a change.  By week 4, it was a different story, thank goodness.  All that pain of giving up those wheat filled delicacies was not in vain.  Now I'm no doctor, but the one thing I changed made all the difference, so I chalk it up to being gluten intolerant.  Guess I had to kick that terrible habit sometime...yeah, that's the denial speaking.

So here goes nothing, no job, no gluten, and no turning back.  I'm ready!  Well almost ready, I still need to pack, of course.  Now how many shoes can I fit in one suitcase?