There are many languages besides French spoken here.

And along with it as many perspectives that come when traveling afar, exposing yourself to others outside your world.

The last few days in the countryside of Loire Valley have given us much more to ponder than what simply meets the eye. More than the beautiful views of quaint medieval villages separated by rolling fields of glimmering wheat or rows of sunflowers, their heads bent in prayer towards the wind or the thick green forests surrounding centuries-old chateaux or even the massive stone manors themselves their bombastic edifices resting on the tree tops like a throne.

We arrived at Chateau De Le Barre in the late afternoon on Saturday after taking a train from Paris to Le Mans, then renting a car and driving the rest of the way. 

Three things you MUST have while navigating this part of the country by car with little knowledge of the language:

1. A Garmin for your car (that will consistently pick up a satellite out there)

2. A good map

3. A good sense of humor 

If you have one without the other, basically, you are screwed, and there were moments we lacked the third.

The directions given to us by the proprietors of Chateau de Le Barre, Comte and Comtess de Vanssay, or "Marnie and Guy" as they preferred to be addressed, though written in english were a little confusing to say the least. Luckily we navigated our way, David marveling at how well he was doing driving manually (must be just like riding a bike?), and pulled into the single lane road through fields of forest and a herd of sheep to the chateau at the bottom of the hill. Sophia perked up right away at the sight of the two house dogs, Diva and Pomme, trotting out to greet us. The park-like grounds and gardens are incredibly beautiful, and certainly inviting to little ladies that like to explore.

Chateau Le Barre has been in Guy de Vanssay's family since 1404, and yes he is the real deal, from an aristocratic lineage with scores of massive oil portraits on every wall of his stately home to prove it. We were greeted by his wife Marnie and her son Daniel, a handsome young ranking officer in the British military who was visiting his Mum for the week while on holiday. 

At first I found Marnie's presence aloof and slightly affected or perhaps it was the fact that she had saw fit to wear her  best anti-Obama Tshirt featuring the leader of the free world dressed as chairman Mao as appropriate dress to greet her American guests. David thought it was funny. I saw it as some sort of passive aggressive protest of our presence. What I soon realized was it was neither. Marnie just has a lot of opinions, and isn't afraid to voice them. And as we began to understand, she did have her own legitimate reasons for this.

While I didn't agree on all accounts, I did find her approach refreshing. whether you agree or not, I think we've become too damn nice, sacrificing our personal convictions in favor political correctness, often suppressing first amendment rights we hold so dear. 

We were not the only guests invited to the Grand Siècle dinner hosted in their grand dining room that evening. A family of five from Belgium and a couple from the UK were also staying at Le Barre, and we gathered for a tour of the place given by Guy and then moved outside in front of the Chateau for a champagne reception and lite horsd'oeuvres. It was all very civilized- a very Downton-Abbey style evening. I loved it, until....

"Ca-koo", the family parrot perched on Marnie's forearm, was introduced to the group, entertaining us by bobbing his head in rhythm with her voice singing a rendition of Shalom Aleichem, a Jewish greeting song, until Sophia tried to pet him, and Ca-koo abruptly shot around nearly tearing off her finger. I let out an uncontrollable shriek, my champagne now a fountain down the front of my black blouse. 

So much for civility. 

We were then formally seated for dinner separately, our hosts centered across from each other. The girls were seated at one end of the table with the Belgian children, silently protesting the Vitella Tonato set before them with perplexing grins.   I resorted to telepathy and sign language as means of correcting any etiquette mistakes. I'm happy to report Sophia only used the edge of the fine linen tablecloth stamped with the family crest as a napkin once during this meal. Well, that we know about. Unfortunately, the only one to bear witness to this was Guy.

To our relief, he found this endearing.

In between courses, Marnie held court on such safe conversational dinner topics as questionable American politics, how the French government rapes its business owners with high taxes that pay for a myriad of social programs enjoyed only by those who don't work (sound familiar?), her concerns about the burgeoning Muslim population in the south of France sprinkled in with bits about french history, especially WWII.  Even the Belgians chimed in on American politics, David and I now shooting looks of concern to each other across the table as we were questioned as to why as a society we were so litigious, why we Americans complain about our gas prices and our taxes. Don't we Americans know how good we have it?

Don't be alarmed. My husband as many of you know, is one smart cookie. He's also got an arsenal of useful and sometimes useless facts at the ready, and soon dominated the rest of the conversation, explaining and enlightening our foreign friends on the American way. 

And what we learned is this. We know the US isn't perfect, but no matter how complicated and frustrating our government is, we still live in the greatest nation on earth, and our way of life both fascinates and continues to be the envy of the rest of the world. 

David and Guy did bond on two subjects- their mutual appetite for 70s and 80s punk music and fine french wines. This led to one late evening in the drawing room fueled with aged rum listening to Guys colorful playlist at top volume followed by a personal tour of his wine cellar. Guy (pronounced "Gee" with a hard G), it turns out, is a very good-humored playful Frenchman who enjoys life and knows how to have a good time. He and Marnie make a unique couple, and oddly complement eachother. We enjoyed them both, and appreciate the pride they put into preserving traditions and great effort and expense they make in maintaining this historical property. At the end of our stay, we had gained much respect and admiration for the pair and were impressed by their hospitality and experiences afforded us during our time in the Loire Valley.

Here are a few photos of the many beautiful Chateaus we toured and other points of interest we saw this week:

Photos still downloading- will post soon I promise!

We learned something very enlightening about the French the other night while dining with blogger, Corey Amaro, at the loveliest of old bistros in Paris, Jospehine Chez Dumonet, on Wednesday evening.

Some of you may have heard me talk about Corey's blog, Tongue In Cheek (see link under Blog Amour page on this site) which she began writing 8 years ago on a whim (and a bet from friend), and today, has over 5,000 readers every day.

Corey, an American & California native, married her "French husband" 25 years ago and has lived in Provence ever since. Her blog combines rich poetic descriptions of her life in France along with her love for searching the brocantes (French antique/flea markets) for treasures which she offers for sale through her site.

I was immediately drawn to her powerful and often personal insights on life to her readers, and reached out to her. I'm so thankful I did.

Corey explained to us that when the French dine, they consider this a "moment", a special time for friends and family to gather, share a good meal and conversation. That's one reason service in France may seem slow. It has nothing to do with inattentive or rude service, it's that the French simply don't want you to feel rushed and respect your time dining as if it were an event, a celebration of life if you will. And it sort of should be this way, if you think about it.

We Americans often eat alone or rush through our meals to get onto something more important. Here, a meal is a time to cherish those you are with,unplug, appreciate the fine food set before you, the wine poured in your glass and the efforts of the Chefs and waiters serving you. In the traditional bistros and fine dining establishments, great pride is taken by these true professionals who often have an investment in the restaurant, but also understand the importance of creating a special meal, an experience, a moment for their customers that fosters goodwill and a loyal clientele.

Our evening with Corey was more than a moment, it was one of those rare life events we will remember fondly forever. Corey is both an amazing writer and an engaging storyteller. The girls hung on her every word, her facial expressions warm and animated, and listened intently to her stories. Afterwards, they both agreed, "She was really cool!"

We look forward to possibly seeing Corey again in Provence.

Here are a few photos reflecting on the past few days and the many incredible "moments" we've shared as a family. I hope you enjoy them, too!

Our plan for Tuesday morning was to race bright and early to get into queue at the side entrance of the most famous cathedral in all of Paris, Notre Dame. This queue is not to get into the church but rather to get to the top of it. I wasn't so sure but David had done the research and was hellbent on climbing the hundreds of narrow spiraling stairs just to get a glimpse of Quasimoto's view of Paris from the tower and belfry. I wasn't so sure about this,with my thighs burning and an acute case of claustrophobia setting in, but by the time we got to the top, it was immediately clear why tourists line up for hours for this special opportunity.

Our first full day in Paris began with a lovely breakfast at Angelina's - an absolute must for hot chocolate lovers! We met David's cousin and accomplished commercial photographer, Ron Gould, there who's been teaching photography here in Paris since mid-June to a group of students from Chicago. His photos are amazing! The girls enjoyed their hot chocolat (more like fondue it's so thick)with croissant, but it was hard to finish it since the cafe is not air conditioned. And Paris is one hot place this week!

In the afternoon we met Ryan and Crystal Demay for a private tour of the Louvre museum. Ryan and Crystal have recently moved from NYC to Chicago (Ryan is joining David's team at work) and happen to be on holiday in Paris at the same time. We enjoyed looking at all the masterpieces again through our children's eyes, who were amazed by Mona Lisa, Venus De Milo and Winged Victory to name a few. Our guide Flora reminded us that it could take up to three years to see every piece in the Louvre! I would to spend a day here alone someday just to take my time, sit on the benches and reflect on the mere expanse of the canvases, the meaning and symbolism woven into the portraits.

Ryan and Crystal also met us for dinner at 110 Taillevent, known for its suggested wine pairings for each course. Standouts included: Lobster salad, Crab parfait, Veal T-Bone and for dessert a chocolate sphere that the waiter poured hot molten chocolate over, melting the sphere to reveal a special raspberry ice cream hidden inside. Such a fun treat!

Au revoir for now!

Well, folks, I'm having some technical difficulties, managing to delete my two last posts before being ably to publish them which is the reason I'm a little behind.You can only imagine my frustration in not being able to share our fantastic first day in Paris with you!

So for the sake of time, I will just share a few highlights of our arrival here:

-Took a train through the Chunnel- was an easy and very comfortable ride to Paris

- Our hotel (Le Meurice) is on Rue de Rivoli across from the Tuillerie gardens and steps away from the Louvre

- The final stage of the Tour de France came right past our hotel and up the Champs Élysées- we enjoyed watching the parades and revelry of the event

- We ended our evening with a late night meal at a nearby brasserie. The girls enjoyed the most amazing French style of "Mac and cheese"they ever had topped with thinly sliced ham and soft boiled egg. David's escargot were tres magnifique!

Au revoir for now!

The weather was a bit chillier on this day, sending us to a local souvenir shop for sweatshirts for the girls. Looking ahead at their forecast I think we got the best end of their weather for awhile. 

Our last day in London allowed us to sleep in a bit while David left early to meet a tour guide to see the palace that houses Parliament.  He highly recommends this for people to see how the British government conducts their political affairs, and he puts it on the top five historical attractions he's seen. Aside from the incredible history of the building,one can actually get to stand in the middle of both houses (lords and commons).

The  girls and I met up with David mid-morning to tour the incredible Westminster Abbey.  There are nearly 3000 people buried or memorialized there to include kings, queens, poets and important philosophers like Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. The staff at the Abbey are very helpful, and the audio tour is excellent if you aren't privately guided through.  I was overwhelmed by the weight of history this sacred place has held, the intricate beauty of its architecture, and what this church has endured over time between wars, power struggles within the church and the immense additions and renovations that have been done over time. Some of the tombs are so elaborate (bigger was definitely considered better back then), I suppose besides memorializing it must have been a way to ensure one's place in history and status within the church for future generations to come. 

 I sat quietly for a moment reflecting on my memories of watching on TV both Princess Diana's funeral procession and then 15 years later her son William and his bride, Catherine making their way down the grand aisle of Westminster. It is a powerful experience and one that I highly recommend you add to the top of your list on your next trip to London. 

This also  makes one realize that for all of us royalty or not, life is a fleeting prospect. Relative to history we really don't have long to make our mark on this world. Most probably there wont be a shrine in Westminster Abbey to memorialize our existence, but that doesn't  mean we cant make just as important of an impact on those around us whether it affects the world or just a few. 

What mark are you making on the world right now?

The rest of our day was spent shopping near Harrods and taking an afternoon nap- something that for me only happens on vacation! 

Foodie Alert!!!! 

(As we go on with this blog, we will write a paragraph or two at the bottom of our posts for our foodie friends on some of our more unique culinary experiences.)

David booked one fine dining  experience for London.  At the recommendation of the fantastic Goring Hotel  concierge, John, he chose Hibiscus primarily because the food is outstanding, but also for the fact they will cater to kids who might not find foie gras appetizing.  Of course we do.  The kids went with a custom three course tasting menu while we went with six.  We are both proud and horrified at the fact that Emily has taken a liking to lobster, and  our little lady Sophia is gaining some refined tastes.  Sophia's starter was Cornish Winkles with girolles and cured pork cheek.  Very adventurous for an 11 year old.  For the record, she loved it.  Winkles are small snails.  While there are currently more decorated fine dining establishments in London, I highly recommend Hibiscus.  A fine meal with exceptional service that attends to children.  Hard to get all three under one roof, but i suppose you should expect this from a restaurant that was at one time ranked in the top 50 in the world.  

Meal highlights: Hibiscus & Elderflower Soda (served in a frosted glass before the meal), Poached Cornish Skate with brown butter and capers (this was remarkable thick cut of this fish), Adore Foie Gras on a Liquorice stick with pear purée (we were in heaven here) and Barbequed Goosnargh Duck in coriander and mint.

By the way, Elderflower anything is huge here in London. I had the elderflower liqueur known as St Germain nearly every night added into my champagne cocktail. I even found a sparkling elderflower soda at Harrods that was wonderful. It makes the perfect summer drink!

Yesterday was another stellar day for the Zimbler's here in London.

We allowed ourselves to sleep in a bit to help conquer the last remnants of our jet lag. 

Every morning at about 11:30am you can witness the "Changing of the Guards" ceremony in front of Buckingham palace. The trick though is to arrive early enough to stake a good spot for viewing which we were not entirely aware of upon arriving at 11:00am to massive crowds  already packed in around the castle gates several feet thick. David took matters into his own hands and asked a "Bobbie" or policeman manning the traffic and he directed us to what he felt was the best spot to watch. I'm not I agree with his opinion unless of course you only want a good view of the band marching in from the Mall or like the challenge of balancing on your tippy toes in order to see something.  Nevertheless we enjoyed the excitement and rich pageantry of this daily London tradition.

The girls and I spent the afternoon shopping at the shopping Mecca in all of Europe known as Harrods. Everyone says you must go to Harrods when visiting London, but until two dashing uniformed fellows opened the gilded doors under the signature forest green canopied entrances we thought we were just going to some fancy department store. 

No, we were wrong. Harrods is an institution, a retail dynasty on four floors! Your every whim or fancy is fulfilled at Harrods from the finest couture designs to the finest caviar, nothing is too rich or too rare to be gotten here if you're willing to spend the cash. As much as miss the formalness of the old State street Marshall Fields of my youth, I know realize even old MF had nothing on this place. We floated up and down Egyptian escalators marveling at the sights, sounds and aromas wafting through each glorious level of the store.    Even pets get the royal treatment here with a full pet salon and rooms filled with the latest in canine fashion and accessories. 

But what impressed me the most was the series of food courts linked together of the first floor. Don't think Burger King and Subway here, no. Think fresh shellfish and every kind of seafood you can imagine displayed on ice, every type of cuisine your heart desires, and meringues and pastries the size of your head to name a few. The girls found the candy room and could hardly contain themselves as you can imagine. 

Yes, in case you're wondering, my wallet got a thorough work-out.

That afternoon we rejoined David who was busy working to pay for all these indulgences for afternoon tea here at The Goring Hotel which was recently named the top spot to have tea in London, an incredible honor if you know anything about Brits and their tea. What a lovely experience for the girls first formal tea experience which of course involved constant reminders to keep knees glued together and ankles crossed in such situations . I enjoyed teaching them how to properly drink their mango raspberry tea  (pinkies out and all) and the order in which to enjoy the three tiered delights set before them (bottom up). 

The Goring has a beautiful garden in the back of the hotel with a porch you can enjoy on days like this. We ventured out to take a walk after tea to find a croquet set in the grass. Sophia went right for it not knowing a thing about the game, but with all that pent up energy we was ready to take a whack or two around the yard. I think this was just as entertaining for onlooking guests as it was for Emily and I to watch.

No trip to London is complete without a night at the theatre, so we took in Daniel Radcliffe's new play, "The Cripple of Inishmaan" at the ? Theatre. The cast was incredible, the story clever and very witty, but at first their thick Irish accents were difficult to understand for the girls. They kept up though, and we all found it wonderfully entertaining. During intermission, Sophia made it a point to turn on the charm for an older gentlemen usher by asking him (dimples fully displayed) if he could direct her to the best place to meet Mr. Radcliffe after the show so she might get his autograph. We saw lots of nodding and negotiating going on between them, and when she returned she said something to the effect of, "Mommy, I got this." 

Program in hand we dashed outside after the show only to find a large group already packed in tight around the back stage door. Guess the secret was out. The security guard at the back door seemed to feel for "Miss Dimples" and motioned for us to go around to the other side so we could move in closer. A couple of young women in front of us took a liking to Sophia and told us they would let her squeeze in front with them, her chances of meeting the real Harry Potter Increasing measurably. One of the girls warned her though, "Whatever you do, don't call him Harry, and don't mention anything about Harry Potter at all. He absolutely hates that and he won't sign a thing."

Well, the pictures below will tell you what happened next.

Emily's comment on the whole thing: "Its not like its One Direction."

Still on a high from our brief encounter with Harry, we decided to take a stroll through Leicester Square (think Times Square at night) and stopped for late night dim-sum in nearby China town. Getting a cab home from this area on a Friday night proved challenging and we considered riding home on the only mode of plentiful transport  that time of night. Luckily, we finally flagged a cab avoiding having to resort to a rickshaw home.

London- Accidental Tourists

Moving aimlessly through long tiring lines waiting for the next exhibit, the next tour to begin, the next boat ride, the next cab to stop..... All this waiting, standing or sitting, and waiting, and waiting again can only mean one thing: We are officially tourists.

Even the cabbies here tell us the congestion in London at the moment is beyond what one would naturally expect even during the summer holiday months. A mind-blowing number of cars, buses and the occasional wailing ambulance charge back and forth across town at breakneck speeds at all times of the day, making for the scores of tourists and other pedestrians on foot a nerve-wracking periless journey. Crossing a street here is like playing a high stakes russian roulette style game of dodgeball.

For example: Number of times I've almost led my children to certain death by crossing a London street at the wrong time.

Lisa   0

David   2

Thankfully, we had a wonderful guide this morning named Leia of Essentially London to safely navigate our way to Old London for a private tour of the impressive fortress known as the Tower of London. Boy those kings sure loved their weapons and custom fit suits of armor. And their torture devices. Sophia was fascinated by a pop up replica of a guillotine and the "rack", you know that table they used to strap poor souls, stretching their limbs right out of their sockets? Yes, such a wonderful keepsake toy for a child don't you think? Mankind back then was obsessed with war, weapons and overthrowing kingdoms. 

I guess some things haven't changed.

We also went through the Crown Jewels exhibit and this what we learned:

1. The Queen is celebrating her 60th anniversary on the throne which is why purple banners are hanging across every royal street in London this year.

2. During her coronation ceremony in 1954, the Queens donned a 40 lb gold cape, sat in an extremely old and uncomfortable looking chair throneall while balancing a jewel encrusted orb in one hand, a gold scepter in the other, and a large crown on top of her head. 

3. She didn't smile once during the whole ceremony.

We then moved on for a tour of St. Paul's Cathedral (church where Prince Charles wed Princess Di and many war heroes are buried). We climbed to the first level of the dome of St. Paul's called the Whispering gallery. If you are opposed to endless staircases or afraid of heights in the least bit, you should skip this part of the tour. When you finally get up to this point (and this is only halfway to the top of the dome) you are encouraged to sit on the benches in this no more than 6ft wide circular balcony. The novelty here beside getting a more Birdseye view of the incredible frescos on the ceiling is the fact that if you lean back, turn your head to the side and whisper a message, supposedly someone clear across the balcony on the opposite side will hear you.

So what did we whisper?

David: Hellooooo.....

Emily:  Giggle,giggle, laugh....

Me (in my creepiest Voldemort voice): Harry, I'm coming for you...

Sophia (in her creepiest Voldemort voice): Luke, I am your father.....

I can't imagine why no one answered back. 

For lunch we took in a traditional English pub lunch at one of the oldest pubs in the city off of Fleet street called Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. Sawdust still covers the floor of this historic pub rebuilt in 1667 after the Great Fire and is comprised of a series of cozy 18th century wood paneled dining rooms. Several influential writers like Charles Dickens, Mark Twain and Alfred Tennyson have had a pint or two here in their day, and I can see why. We had fish and chips served with mushy peas all around along with a couple of pints for Mom and Dad-an excellent meal after a long morning on our feet. 

After that we headed to Hamley's,  London's equivalent to FAO Schwarz toy store in NYC. This place is a literal playground for kids young and old, but I'm not sure it tops FAO. The girls loved it, of course. 

We finished off our afternoon with a boat ride with 600 of our hot and sweaty tourist friends down the Thames river, sitting on the sunny top deck which afforded the best views of the London Eye, Big Ben and various other points of interest on the way.

Dinner was at Nobu. I've been wanting to go here for years. David has dined here several times so I let him do the ordering which of course did not disappoint. Highlights of our meal:  Miso Black Cod (Nobu's signature dish- the cod marinates for three days in Miso and tastes like butter), Yellowtail sashimi with shaved jalapeño in lemon soy, rock shrimp and king crab tempura and Beef tataki with scallions and garlic chips over ponzu sauce. The girls enjoyed passion fruit and Lychee fruit kiddie cocktails. 

Another great day for the Zimbler's!

London - Day One

Everything has been smooth sailing since we left Chicago, and here we are safe and sound in merry old London! 

The weather is hot and sunny here today, not a cloud in the sky. Like  Chicagoans, days like this are hard earned for Londoners, so the parks were packed with locals enjoying picnics and the street cafes overflowing.

Our flight from O'Hare was miraculously on time ( well, by O'Hare standards 15 minutes late is more or less on time), and we sailed over the Atlantic in good time, tail winds in our favor. The girls did well being this was their first overseas flight ( 7hr 45 m) although Emily was only able to settle her excitement long enough for two hours sleep, leaving her feeling a bit jet-lagged even before we landed.  Nevertheless, she rallied upon touching down at Heathrow, and after an amazingly quick stop through customs (no lines at all) we were off to The Goring Hotel!

Those of you who know me well know it takes a lot to impress me when it comes to hotels. We chose this 103 year old family owned quintessential English hotel because of its history, charm and location to Buckingham palace. I might add the fact that it wasn't lost on me that Princess Kate chose the Goring Hotel above all other hotels in London to stay on the night before her wedding to Prince William. Hey, if it was good enough for that bride-to-be, than its good enough for me!

Though I could, I won't spend too much time going on about the Goring, but let's just say I am thus far incredibly impressed by its boutique feel and formal, but extremely warm, friendly service. This place still runs like the grand hotels of yesteryear, complete with real keys tucked into wooden slots behind the concierge desk and staff that appear right out of central casting for Downton Abbey. From the moment we stepped into the marble lobby, we have been made to feel welcome and treated with almost royal interest.

By the way, despite its age the rooms are impeccably designed and lovingly maintained. Yes, mama is happy!

Www.goringhotel.com

After we checked in and had lunch at a nearby gastropub The Orange in west London we wasted no time and hopped on a traditional double decker open air bus to get the lay of the land . 

We walked the Mall which is impressively lined with the Union Jack flying proudly leading to the gates of Buckingham palace. It is quite apparent the world is officially on "Royal Baby Watch" as scores of TV networks have already staked their places around the palace in anticipation of the blessed event and official royal announcement of the birth of Prince William and Princess Kate's first born child. 

The girls were amazed by the royal Queen's guards standing still as statues at the palace. As impressive as they are they couldn't help feel sorry for them being stuck for hours in over 93 degree heat, in their heavy wool uniforms with those tall bearskin hats!

For dinner that evening the concierge sent us to a local Italian restaurant called Santini (www.santini-restaurant.com) If you are ever here on a warm summer evening, do request a table on the patio. We enjoyed a late night meal of forest mushrooms with pecorino and truffle oil, fusilli in veal ragout and Lamb in Barolo sauce surrounded by sautéed grapes. Lovely!

An all-around tip-top day for the Zimbler's!