A man's home is his castle...

Or, in this case, chateau.

Just got back from a lovely week in the Loire Valley, where the spouse, teenager, and I biked (or vanned) from chateau to chateau.

Following is a sampling of some of the lovely homes fit for a king (and his mistress) -- or a queen -- that we visited.

First up, Chambord, all 426 (or is it 440?) rooms of it -- and not a toilette to be found. Over the course of 32 years, Francois I only spent 72 days here -- and had his servants lug all of his furniture with them when they stayed there as the place was unfurnished.

It's good to be king.

Looking for something a little more cozy? Try Chaumont, which has beautiful views of the Loire river.

Or perhaps you'd prefer something with a moat? (I know I would.) Well then, I highly recommend Chenonceau.

 Is gardening your passion? If so, Villandry is the chateau for you!

Or if you prefer something a little smaller (that doesn't start with the letters ch) with a moat and a nice lawn, I highly recommend Azay-le-Rideau.

And if an entire chateau is too much to handle, you can still be treated like a king (or at least a prince or a count) at the lovely Chateau de Brou, located not far from Chinon, the site of another chateau. (The spouse and I shared the Balzac room while the kid, lucky girl, stayed in Ronsard. Also, the food is superb.)

Sigh. Definitely not your average front-to-back mid-century split level, though their heating and lawn maintenance bills are probably more than ours.

Why some women remain single + how to fake French!

In today's blog post, we reveal the reason why some women, despite being successful and attractive and seemingly doing all the right things, remain single -- and provide helpful tips on how to speak French (without actually speaking French).

First up, why some women remain single. (Hint: It's the cat!)



[H/T to friend of the blog Another David S.]

All I can say is, it's a good thing I didn't have the cats when I was dating the spouse. (Though I have had a strong suspicion for a while now that the cats, who spend most of the day on my lap or on my desk while I type, have something to do with the mysterious disappearance of job offers that would take me out of my home office and away from them -- which that video did nothing to allay.)

Next, how to fake French (when you don't know how to speak it).



Merde. Wish I had known about this one before we went to Paris.

The best little chocolate shops in Paris

So many chocolate shops -- and patisseries -- in Paris, so little time. (Seriously, there must be a chocolate shop and/or pastry shop on every block.) That's why I highly recommend doing a Chocolate Walk and/or Taste of Paris walking tour next time you find yourself in the City of Lights and Chocolate.

We did a Chocolate Walk (with Paris Walks) on our last trip to Paris, in November 2009. So this time we did a Taste of Paris walking tour (again with Paris Walks) -- and made sure to visit a few chocolatiers and patisseries we didn't get to our last visit. My insulin is still recovering. But in the words of Edith Piaf, je ne regrette rien.

Following are some of my favorite sweet destinations in Paris.

With a name like La Maison du Chocolat, it's gotta be good, oui? Oui. And as per usual the truffles, and the chocolate eclairs, did not disappoint. (Bonus: La Maison du Chocolat has three shops in New York City!)














Another must-sample chocolate/pastry shop, Patisserie Stohrer, the oldest patisserie in Paris.


















However, my now favorite chocolate shop in Paris is L'Atelier du Chocolat, whose Feuillants d'or (dark chocolate covered in crushed pralines... shudder)... I have no words for (but my mother is seriously going to score major mom points if she brings me back a bag).


















And if you like your fine chocolates paired with a fine wine, look no farther (or further) than Saint-Honoré Paris Chocolats & Vins at 37-39 rue Saint-Honoré, the first chocolate and wine bar in Paris. (Quick, someone, get this business a website!) It was only because we had been gorging ourselves for two hours on fine cheese, fois gras, and chocolates that I could not choke down more than a couple of pieces of their delicious-looking chocolates and wash them down with a bit of red wine.














Finally, what can I say about the macarons and pastries of Ladurée (without sighing)? They are simply... heavenly. Sigh. (I lovingly carried back a box of two dozen assorted macarons on the airplane, which lasted but a few days.)














Honorable mentions: Jean-Paul Hévin (see my previous Paris chocolate post) and Pierre Hermé (though we prefer Ladurée's macarons).

[Amazingly, despite gorging myself on rich food and pastries and chocolates for eight days, I managed to lose a pound. Must be something about France.]

...I love Paris in the fall

Every time I look down on this timeless town
whether blue or gray be her skies...















Whether loud be her cheers or soft be her tears,






















more and more do I realize:






















I love Paris in the springtime.
I love Paris in the fall.
I love Paris in the winter when it drizzles,
I love Paris in the summer when it sizzles.















I love Paris every moment,
every moment of the year.

















I love Paris.
Why, oh why do I love Paris?
Because my love is near.

Paris, city of pastries and chocolates

Warning: This post contains serious food porn.

On Friday, as is our Thanksgiving tradition (since last year) we went on a chocolate tour, given by Paris Walks, on the Right Bank of Paris. Our guide, Mary Ellen, an expat who has been living in Paris for 17 years, has a Master's in French History and teaches French school children English, was very good -- as were the pastries and chocolates.

If or when you next go to Paris, I highly recommend the Paris Chocolate Tour. In the meantime, here are some highlights.

First stop Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Gosselin à Paris (Jon and Kate bake great?):

















Note: We went to the branch at 125, Rue St Honoré, near the Louvre, and their Opera pastry was the best all of us ever had, which is saying a lot.

Next stop: Le Côte de France chocolatier at 25 Avenue de L'Opera:

Ensuite Chocolat Michel Cluizel:






















Et enfin Jean-Paul Hévin, where we tasted lime-infused chocolates (you put the lime in the choc-o-late you mix 'em all up...):

















Mon mari (aka "the spouse"), ma mère (aka "Granny"), ma fille (aka J-THREE-O), et moi also stumbled across a marvelous (and some say the best) macaron (and chocolate) shop in Paris earlier in the week, Pierre Hermé, where we sampled several different macarons:















Here's hoping you had a sweet (or at least tasty) Thanksgiving....

Next up: My Eiffel Tower obsession.