Driving in France

Scary as it may seem at first, to truly "profiter" of some parts of France, you're going to need to suck it up and get a car. (I'm looking at you, Provence). Getting to know a new car in a new land is no simple feat, but totally worth it in your quest to scour every nook and cranny of France's landscape.

Here are some helpful hints we learned the hard way, so that you can learn the easy way!

Maps: dust off those 9th grade cartography skills because your GPS system has the potential to SUCK. Ours was a slow poke and didn't have satellite in many small towns, and of course the iPhones we've become accustomed to relying on were unable to save us. Close to tears from exhaustion and being turned around on the countless roundabouts led us to a gas station where we quickly made our first, most useful purchase of the trip.

Highway numbers: highways are assigned their own codes (D114, N113 for exemple). Check the map before you head out and make a mental note of the major highways you'll be traveling on that day.

Roundabouts: they're everywhere! At first, they freaked us out and we would panic and go the wrong way. Just keep your eye peeled for the highway numbers indicated at the top of the road signs; usually you'll be going straight, which is like a semicircle around the roundabout so that you continue straight ahead rather than veering off in another direction.

Towns you're heading towards: like American highways, French roundabout exits are marked with the next major towns you're heading towards. Check the map and see which towns come between you and your destination so you can have the security of knowing you're heading the right way.

About the cars: even automatic cars are really hybrids! They're not what we're used to. Mom and I had a few heart attacks the first few times we parked and the car seemed to be inexplicably continuing to roll! We figured out that there's a safety break you always need to engage. Also, "A" is forward, "R" is reverse and you have to park and start the car between the two.

Vocabulary for driving:

Rondpoint: roundabout 

Sortie: exit 

Première, deuxième, troisième, quatrième, cinquième: first, second, third, fourth

L'embrochement: Split (in the road).

Tournez à droit/gauche: turn right/left

Ou est ______?: where is ______?

Automatique: automatic

Voiture: car  

Remember: don't stress out! Getting lost is half the adventure. Happy driving!

Gorges Ardèche

Have you heard of the Ardèche region of France? Me neither, until my friend, Constance, invited me to her wedding there. It's in the west and marked by winding paths through the incredible gorges. You really need a car to enjoy this region so you can explore the valleys and crags to their fullest. My mother and I spent an entire day just driving along the highway and admiring the picturesque towns we passed through and discovering the natural beauty. 

Wearing: gap shorts hand-downs, thrifted floral blouse, bed stu brand loafers from Bridge Boutique, vintage sunnies.

In France, lunchtime is over by 2 PM. Restaurants usually close by then, and reopen later for dinner. Our jet lagged tummies rumbling at 3, we had no real hope of finding an open restaurant along the sparsely populated Ardèche gorges, but the trees parted to reveal this precious little spot tucked away along the winding highway. It's called Auberge du Pouzat. To our surprise and good fortune, the kind owner and waitress (and adorable dog) welcomed us. We had some cold white wine and toasted to our delicious salad and our good luck. 

The pies were of course staring at us the entire time, and when the waitress told me the cherries had been picked from her own garden that very morning, we couldn't resist. 

Kind of like we couldn't resist these eyes that said "throw my bone ONE more time?" 

If you'd like to travel in Ardèche, here is some useful vocabulary for you: 

Un carafe du vin rouge/blanc/rosé - a small pitcher of wine. Trust me, you want a small pitcher! SOOO inexpensive and good! Just be careful driving along the cliffs!

Grottes - caves... Famous naturally forming underground masterpieces, really worth a visit.

Carte - map. Get one. Learn to read it. Foreal doe.

"Ça vous a plu?" Servers might say this to you. It means "did you enjoy it?" Say "oui" or "ça m'a plu" if you like a challenge. 

Pack green, pack light, pack right

Holy smokes!  I am going to Europe for 5 weeks.  In that time I will be attending a wedding in the South of France, living large in Prague with my childhood BFF, and presumably walking and biking my tuchus off all across the continent (destinations include Barcelona, Berlin, and Paris). So how on earth does a fancy gal like me manage to pack light, stay green, and overall, remain classy?!  Here are my top packing techniques, honed to near perfection over years of trial and error abroad. 

1. The trusty, dusty Boy Scout roll. There is a reason this is the all American packing method of choice amongst our nation's patriotic outdoorsy youth. (Actually, I can't back that up... any Boy Scouts reading?)

Roll your clothes up tightly instead of folding to make the most out of your suitcase space. This allows you to squeeze clothes into every available square inch. It also reduces wrinkles and makes it easy to see at a glance all the riches you have packed.

2. Ziplock bags are your friend! They buy you beers, they laugh at your jokes, but most of all they help keep your stuff organized. I like to separate mine by garment type; i.e. blouses, skirts, undies. Anything that doesn't fit in it's designated zip lock is left behind, which keeps me honest in the packing-light department. This method has the potential to be wasteful so make sure you hold on to your ziplocks for reuse when your trip is over.

3. Have a gift suitcase. If you are seeing friends abroad, chances are you want to bring them treats from your homeland. Designating a separate suitcase for this purpose also ensures you have plenty of space to bring goodies for yourself and your friends back home, too. 

I like bringing local bath products (these lotions are from the Indie Pendent in Virginia Highlands), and small bottles of American bourbon. I scored these on my recent trip to Kentucky. The dream catchers are authentic (not made in china!) from Cherokee, NC. If you travel a lot, it's a good idea to pick tiny gifts up as you go about life to later share with friends in foreign lands.

4. Throw and go. I originally learned this from a girl traveling in Israel with me. At the end of the day, she threw her gym socks away rather than repacking them moist and stinky in her bag. Anyone who reads this blog knows that the thought of throwing away perfectly good gym socks makes my palms sweat, so I adapted this trick to fit my more green ways. If you have old, worn out undies you've been meaning to toss, save them for your big trip! It's not exactly wasteful since you intended to throw them away anyway, and it saves you the trouble and space of repacking used underwear!

[not pictured because, ew.]

See how easy it is to pack light and go green? It's the only way to travel! Now get out there and start planning your big trip to Europe so you can put my methods to the test.

Btw, hello from MFin FRANCE!!! Nothing tastes better than your first croissant of the trip, even if it is from an airport cafe. These are the faces of happy, green, light travelers. 

Beltline Betty and Keens for Europe Testdrive (part 2)

Did I mention I love my job? This is what I did at work the other day: walked the Atlanta Beltline from the school I teach at all the way to Piedmont Park pool! I had a green tea in one hand, a cute kiddo paw in the other, and sunshine on my back. Basically, life was grand... and I did this all while testing out my Keen Newport H2 shoes to see if they will be invited to Europe with me in a few short weeks!

The results?

They are not invited :( 

As much as I love Keens, the Newport H2s were simply not a match for my feet. I'm a bit flat-footed, and used to thinner footwear with a bit more give. While the Newports offer great protection in their solidness, the firm plasticky interior with the "contour arch" was not a friend to my feet. By the end of a full day of walking in them, my aching arches were branded with a backwards "KEEN" logo. Not a good sign. 

But I am not a quitter! Determined to bring eco-friendly and reliable walking shoes to Europe, I took the Newports back to REI and exchanged them for the much more flexible and cushy Keen CNX. As soon as I slipped my tootsies into those babies, I heard my feet sigh with relief and say "we're home." 

Stay tuned as I take my CNXs for a testdrive in Louisville, KY, to determine if they will earn the coveted position of My Walking Shoes For Europe.

Should you buy Keens for your go-to travel shoe? Here's my rundown of your options based on my experiences.

Newport H2: The classic Keen. Most of my friends have this shoe and LOVE it. It has great arch support and is good for most feet (particularly wide feet). They are very solid and don't bend much with the foot as you walk, almost like a hiking boot. This would be a great shoe for rugged outdoor activities.

CNX: This incarnation of the Keen shoe is more flexible and has a more cushiony, forgiving interior that is good for flatfoots like me. It's a little bit more expensive, but well worth it for quality, ethical shoes from an amazing company with a more than reasonable return policy.

Emerald City Sandal: The blessed walking sandal that turned me on to Keens in the first place! SO comfortable, and NOT overtly athletic at all. Basic, cute, sandals that feel like walking on a cloud. A cloud with incredible, soft support, which I guess clouds don't have, so maybe it's not like walking on a cloud. Maybe it's more like walking barefoot on one of those playgrounds made of cushy recycled rubber. Yeah, that's it.

Do you have a preferred brand of walking shoe? Do share your secrets! And if you do the Google + thing, let's connect!

Breezy green choices for Europe

Uniqlo Slub Maxi Dress (Image Source Here)

I want to move in to this maxi dress from Uniqlo. I want to build a picket fence around it, raise my children in its front yard, and grow old in it. That's how good it is. At first, when I tried it on, I was kind of disappointed that it didn't look as effortlessly glamorous on me as it did on the lovely website model. But I threw on a belt to synch it at the waist, and voila! I had a figure AND a breezy dress option for Europe.


Why you should pack this dress to travel:

• It's made of a light jersey that stands up well to wrinkle.
• It can be rolled up very small. 
• You can dress it up or down with jewelry and shoe pairings.
• It fits loosely around the legs so it doesn't impede walking strides like some maxi designs.
• You can buy it in tons of different colors.
• It's a semi Green option (Uniqlo gets points for recycling and ethically sourcing materials but loses points in possibly questionable labor practices). 
• It's affordable at... holy crap I just checked the website and it's on sale for $7.90!!!!! GET YOU ONE, GIRL!

Wearing:
Uniqlo maxi
Beaded belt from Sole Shoes and Accessories (psst...they have a scoutmob deal on right now!)
Keen Emerald City walking sandals
Vintage thrifted box bag

Holy smokes I love a maxi for a voyage. Do you have any go-to styles for travel? I'd love to hear what's on YOUR packing list!

put a sock in it.

Your hair, that is. 

A friend told me about this super easy trick to get a perfect ballerina bun and easy curls. Wear the bun all day then take it down to have lustrous curls for the evening. Or wear the bun out at night, sleep in it, and enjoy bouncing curls the next day! 

1. Cut off the tube part of a tube sock and roll up into a donut shape. 

2. Place sock around end of pony tail and slowly roll it up towards your head.

3. Fold hair into sock as you roll, creating the same donut shape with your hair.

4. Voila! You have a perfect bun! 

5. Take the bun out many hours later to enjoy cascading curls.

I prefer putting the bun near the crown of my head, so I start with a very high pony tail and slightly damp hair. I wore the bun at work all day and slept in it, which is surprisingly comfortable. 

Once in the hair-down phase, I actually found my curls a little too 80s full (I have very thick hair, this might not happen with all hair types), so I pulled them back with a ribbon for a tamer feel. I am so full of ideas now for different ways to use this trick; Like using multiple child's socks for tighter curls, or starting with a side pony or pigtails!

I hope you will try out the sock bun and let me know how it goes.