oh joy in france / part 3: what we did in lyon...

During our trip to France, we spent five nights in Lyon which is just a couple hours of outside of Paris by train. Bob had a conference for work there, so it was mostly Ruby and I hanging together most of the day, and Bob joined us in the afternoons when he was done work (hence why he is wearing such fancy outfits in most of these photos).

We rented an apartment in the 6th district in Lyon through airbnb. It was perfect for what we needed—spacious, cozy, relatively toddler-safe, and close to grocery stores, parks, and restaurants. Since it was on the 6th floor, we made sure that it had an elevator so that we wouldn't be huffing it every day. However, the elevator was comical. It just barely fit the three of us when all squeezed together.

Once we crammed ourselves in and out of the elevator, here's a what we did while in Lyon...

3rd District

One of my favorite places to visit in any city is an indoor food market with various vendors and purveyors of every kind. Similar to the Reading Terminal Market in Philly or the Ferry Building in San Francisco, Les Halles de Lyon is a food lover's dream with stalls aplenty. We bought some amazing cheese and charcuterie there that topped any cheese and charcuterie we've ever had in the States.

We even found the tiniest macarons in all the land at the Richart shop there. Ruby loved them because they were just her size!

Les Halles de Lyon | 102 cours Lafayette, 69003 Lyon

oh joy in france / part 2: what we did in paris...

The last time I visited Paris, I was 20 years old and visiting my college roommate who was studying abroad. I had a lot of time to myself, so I shopped and ate while my friend was in class. Coming back almost 15 years later, I had such a different (and even more special) experience this time because I shared the experience with my family.

This trip wasn't about what I wanted, but about what would be fun and entertaining for our whole family— including a very playful almost-two-year-old. A toddler can only walk, sit in a stroller, or shop for so long, so each day we'd put just a couple things on our list of things to do and left plenty of cushion time for Ruby to play in a park, playground, or do something kid-focused at least once a day. 

1st District

The Jardin des Tulleries is mostly known for it's beautiful gardens, but it's also full of some amazing areas for kids that you just stumble upon while walking through...like this gorgeous carousel...

...this playground with the coolest swing/hammock ever...

...and this trampoline area for kids. Ruby was in heaven and cried when we said we had to leave to go get dinner. The parks of Paris are seriously the coolest I've ever seen! And I love how so many landmarks have playgrounds nearby.

Jardin des Tulleries | Place de la Concorde, 75001 Paris

And soon after all that jumping, someone succumbed to a nap...

oh joy in france / part 1: what we ate in paris...

Over the next couple weeks, I'll be sharing photos from our recent adventures in Paris and Lyon. Since we did so much, I'm going to break it up into three different posts starting today with...what we ate! I went to Paris with the plan to gain 10 lbs. from croissants alone. The food in Paris is certainly indulgent and amazing so I had no intentions of leaving anything on my plate. We took Ruby out with us to every meal, so our eating experience this trip did not involve any super fancy restaurants or fine dining but instead a lot of pastries, lunches, and early dinners.

Here are a few of our favorites spots during the trip—with everything organized by the arrondissement (or district) they're located in...

3rd District

We rarely saw French kids out to restaurants in Paris and were often the only ones seen with children while dining. So our trip to The Merci Canteen was a true exception as it was the only restaurant we went to that had a high chair. We met up with my friend Julie from Famille Summerbelle and her daughter Ophelia for a lovely lunch. If you can believe it, this restaurant (located in the design store Merci) was one of my favorite meals of the whole trip. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and so beautiful.

Merci | 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais, 75003 Paris

happy friday + unpacking...

Happy Friday guys! We flew home from Paris yesterday, and it was a pretty exhausting flight. 11.5 hours later, we were all loopy and tired and in bed by 7:30pm last night. I could barely keep my eyes open, let alone get to my computer. We had an amazing trip, and I'm looking forward to sharing more photos with you next week!

As I'm unpacking, I wanted to share a peek at a few of the little things I bought in Paris. I'm especially in love with these little insulated zipper pouches by Maison Georgette I got at Bonton and this owl cuff by Medecine Douce (the Weird cuff is from Mr. Kate here in the states). And, you can't leave Paris without bringing home some Ladurée macarons...

Have a great weekend all!

P.S. For those of you who subscribe to Oh Joy by email. We had some hiccups last week with our server and the email didn't go out for several days. Sorry for any inconvenience—it's back to normal now!

{Photo by Oh Joy}

happy friday + hello from lyon...

What do you do when you're in France? Eat baguettes the length of your body, that's what! We're enjoying the sights, sounds, tastes, and playgrounds of Lyon this week and head back to Paris tomorrow for the rest of our trip. I've been trying to Instagram here and there when I can, but I'll share more photos and adventures from our trip when we return.

Have a great weekend!

bonjour!

Happy Friday, friends! We leave for Paris tomorrow, and I'm so excited for our getaway and the chance to experience a new place and culture with my little family. The other day, Ruby and I were talking about our upcoming trip, and some of the French I've been teaching her finally surfaced. So I had to share this moment with you (please excuse her full mouth and fork juggling!).

There will be normal posts as usual while I'm away, and I am sure I'll be checking in from France as well to say "Bonjour". Have a great weekend, guys!

a year of fauchon...

If there was ever a book I wanted to eat, the French book, Une Année de Fauchon {A Year of Fachon} would be it. The French patisserie makes such beautiful edible delights that can even be appreciated just by looking at them. I especially love these fancy pants eclairs.

{photos by Fachon}

a sweet comparison...

Last weekend, the macaron gods shined upon me and granted me some extra special delights. A friend {just back from a trip to Paris} brought me boxes of French macarons from the classic Ladurée as well as another much talked about, Pierre Hermé. Then, two days later, a dear friend visiting from LA bestowed a box of Paulette's colorful gems upon me. So I did what any normal macaron-loving human being would do and had a taste test. The final verdict...while all tasty, Pierre Hermé was the winner in my book. Though the direct-from-Paris versions were a bit damaged from travel, PH gets my vote for most creamy, rich, and delicious filling of the bunch.

{photo by Oh Joy of Paulette's sweet rainbow of colors}

in paris, everything looks like dessert...

An adorable and sweet film by Susan Hochbaum...

the flavors of ladurée...

...this flavor chart looks delicious! a fun representation of the real thing...

Happy Tip: for macarons stateside, my favorites are: Miette in San Francisco, Paulette in Beverly Hills & SF, and Miel in Philadelphia.