tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30695070239472314242024-02-18T20:39:44.108-08:00BeautyJonesBecause being bold never gets old!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.comBlogger161125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-90119282638470791552013-09-19T08:27:00.001-07:002013-09-19T08:27:33.187-07:00Living Room Redux<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div style='width:600px;margin:0 auto'><div style='position:relative;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/living_room_redux/set?.embedder=4208313&.svc=blogger&id=97933454' target='_blank'><img force='1' border='0' height='686' title='Living Room Redux' src='http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/Zo58ZcffyoDxbQZZTTpQFQ/cid/97933454/id/dFvI4D8h4xGKgQfUjl-AEg/size/c600x686.jpg' alt='Living Room Redux' width='600'/></a></div></div><br/><div style='text-align:center'><small><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/living_room_redux/set?.embedder=4208313&.svc=blogger&id=97933454' target='_blank'>Living 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Their shadows are so subtle and beautifully matched. <div><br></div><div>Iceland Air on lids</div><div>Hampton Waves on outer V and both lash lines</div><div>Seychelles Sand in crease<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBI1VexQcvx7u8kMZdzvdpZeqzqEdVj7jW2Pf6UHNH60ZwPWC9rZMybgpoD4zl6MU8rbAVHGLlN6LDdJAkEEXHWZtHQa3-BPmLyxFeU6qo4c2SgaUGwC-O6kBg30abIqICfBqsd60ZTs/s640/blogger-image--1887135255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBI1VexQcvx7u8kMZdzvdpZeqzqEdVj7jW2Pf6UHNH60ZwPWC9rZMybgpoD4zl6MU8rbAVHGLlN6LDdJAkEEXHWZtHQa3-BPmLyxFeU6qo4c2SgaUGwC-O6kBg30abIqICfBqsd60ZTs/s640/blogger-image--1887135255.jpg"></a></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-3419071171523973772013-06-08T16:37:00.002-07:002013-06-08T16:37:10.083-07:00A Soul's Eye ViewAnother reason I love to travel by bike...<br />
<br />
On any given trip to a new place, usually pretty far into the trip, maybe day four or so, maybe after you've been riding in too much heat, or the route was a bit too long, or went over terrain that was rougher than you liked, you'll come upon a view that just blows you away.<br />
<br />
Now at that point you may be dehydrated, even bonking just a bit, and if you're like me, you didn't skip the wine at lunch, even though it does dehydrate you, but it's Europe—it's France or Italy or Germany or Austria, and you're in the countryside of those wonderful lands, where the grape vines grow in neat pretty lines, and the wine is just so good, so good it never makes it to America, and you'll have been looking at lovely countryside all day long while you struggle up hills, try not to get lost, make sure you know where your next meal and water is coming from, so basically you're bone tired. All of you is aching just a little, and some parts, quite a lot.<br />
<br />
And then you see it—that place that seems to be brimming with God light. <br />
<br />
I'm writing about this because it happened to us in the Loire Valley, this April 2013, and years before, in 2007, in the Veneto, the region near Venice in Northern Italy, it also happened. That golden moment, where two of us stopped, aghast, and wondered, wondered with a big huge sense of WONDER, as in Arthur C. Clarke-scale wonder,<i> What is this place?</i> Can we buy a house here? How would we live? Maybe we could afford just a small place here. And then we'd figure the rest out.<br />
<br />
Since it happened on the last week-long bike trip, and then again on this one, I hazard that it might be a bike tour thing. I'm guessing it also happens on long hiking trips in the Old Country, on any kind of nice rural traveling vacation in which your transportation is, well, you.<br />
<br />
That sense of beauty, of the sublime, is worth the whole trip. And the splendor you see from day one of getting those bikes and the gear, and the road manual, then swinging your leg over the saddle and pedaling toward some new destination, is cumulative. It soaks into you and changes you. It goes hand in hand with the hard exercise you are doing to get where you are going. It's all building toward that tremendous moment of revelation that seems to come, like any good climax in any good story, toward the end of the journey.<br />
<br />
In the Veneto, it came after a long day of up and down past mountains and lakes, through a Belle Epoque town, and then over vine-clad hills like patchwork until we came to the village of Rolle. I've got some pictures below, which don't do it justice. It doesn't look like Shangri-La or Rivendell, but it felt that way when we came to it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbxtcH7fhnETtWyY_m2ssTa4kWZhJSJiDNE3_4LoKf_59QkWztWg-vpvTNGOMl_03hB8yVbopf5RgdOXkZvOsgP3WuxLTUxIf0LwtURJElYJJfeeOMbBg1rNISw5gyMmJkV4mtwgiWo6hc/s1600/10065_Rolle1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbxtcH7fhnETtWyY_m2ssTa4kWZhJSJiDNE3_4LoKf_59QkWztWg-vpvTNGOMl_03hB8yVbopf5RgdOXkZvOsgP3WuxLTUxIf0LwtURJElYJJfeeOMbBg1rNISw5gyMmJkV4mtwgiWo6hc/s640/10065_Rolle1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59vvHlpcv4qFuKp8e4CWWlX7LwXTPYqCEIyTJXlJMgD6XsIsvkc8crPmYcFipynAiKi2NzkYp-srl-ZxiEAZWI4M6h0HX-N_qJUwTsavi94is7QQkIQ7HjOWzaZXuCxiA0wx3zms8Dw2t/s1600/7188180472_b316202302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59vvHlpcv4qFuKp8e4CWWlX7LwXTPYqCEIyTJXlJMgD6XsIsvkc8crPmYcFipynAiKi2NzkYp-srl-ZxiEAZWI4M6h0HX-N_qJUwTsavi94is7QQkIQ7HjOWzaZXuCxiA0wx3zms8Dw2t/s640/7188180472_b316202302.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rolle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwL6riyIW9EeZwEF_IkfidYpP_h0KiZ_8meZ69bsqZoFnartu7bZUmTl5Xtw83Xeu-vELk0tHxvuk9qSpHAbNy-8Cy6NlCeF2P8beGKjWfPgNcDGYrPpO7uo5j1X8-FVKqOJe9D7knw-2o/s1600/art-Italy-Cartizze-620x349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwL6riyIW9EeZwEF_IkfidYpP_h0KiZ_8meZ69bsqZoFnartu7bZUmTl5Xtw83Xeu-vELk0tHxvuk9qSpHAbNy-8Cy6NlCeF2P8beGKjWfPgNcDGYrPpO7uo5j1X8-FVKqOJe9D7knw-2o/s640/art-Italy-Cartizze-620x349.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vineyards around Rolle, Veneto, Italy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Part of the glory of Rolle was the view from it down into a sweeping valley, lined with more patchwork vineyards. The sun was low in the sky, painting everything golden. And then up in the village, there was a shrine, I think to the Virgin Mary, and there were a lot of school kids there to see it. And as we were riding out of the town right by a steep drop and a low stone wall, their tour bus almost killed us. The rest of the ride we were in survival mode all the way back to the hotel.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTqwAufkhobOvM0ldFdE0eAsidrq4_Pwy6sQjVVwCyC9QHqHDxtiCejPsRHcRdZhfDf22PrEMoLGuF3OEJWyRtAdciIERo-wYXMfYISwIzs34VE5FdIJLUHuEJoNImUGu9PrrV58gEP9s/s1600/rolleVillage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTqwAufkhobOvM0ldFdE0eAsidrq4_Pwy6sQjVVwCyC9QHqHDxtiCejPsRHcRdZhfDf22PrEMoLGuF3OEJWyRtAdciIERo-wYXMfYISwIzs34VE5FdIJLUHuEJoNImUGu9PrrV58gEP9s/s640/rolleVillage1.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rolle, Veneto, Italy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On this last trip, the God light place was called Candes St. Martin, right where the Vienne river meets the Loire. We crossed over a busy bridge with trucks whizzing by us, always a bit of a hair-raising proposition, and then turned right, gliding downhill down along a river front lined with stone houses, and down a narrow lane, and came upon this church.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIzxTUq-GolzBcNnnK7I-XqkER5Kq0AgWGiGCe1SpwQHuU3xlTDo4o8Gr2licOhDvKCjRdDA_jAW3fk6t1rv8euN0fpoz7tu34RWnQdRZE5BKWeWDKjDrDuPnkYsAKULHARlHMptFgCk/s1600/IMG_6839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIzxTUq-GolzBcNnnK7I-XqkER5Kq0AgWGiGCe1SpwQHuU3xlTDo4o8Gr2licOhDvKCjRdDA_jAW3fk6t1rv8euN0fpoz7tu34RWnQdRZE5BKWeWDKjDrDuPnkYsAKULHARlHMptFgCk/s640/IMG_6839.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Church in Candes St. Martin, Centre, France</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There it is, the God light - my camera captured it. And there is that little column supporting a fan vault, an architectural detail I'd never seen before in a Gothic church. I think there is a lot of fan vaulting in England, but I'd never seen anything like this in France, or in my medieval architecture class way back during the Punic Wars.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsis9qMDsAmZ3zwoaC93l2kRP1uw3_-u4WRPw0qt9ZUAWvSyL-zc6I9Bq8PBsWyQ2IheQxhL5pmJWFqbWaOYf9r-d8qlbjVxx4QqUGoXSoejz8ftXmgm9WA7V9-Hqd87BgZzZVf8OkQO4/s1600/IMG_6840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsis9qMDsAmZ3zwoaC93l2kRP1uw3_-u4WRPw0qt9ZUAWvSyL-zc6I9Bq8PBsWyQ2IheQxhL5pmJWFqbWaOYf9r-d8qlbjVxx4QqUGoXSoejz8ftXmgm9WA7V9-Hqd87BgZzZVf8OkQO4/s640/IMG_6840.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Square in Candes St. Martin</td></tr>
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There was a charming restaurant right in front of the church, where we could have stopped for a snack, but we were worried about making it to our next destination. I would have loved to tour the church, too, but I could tell my husband was tired, and would feel better just pressing on.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6sUbX6YqG-MjpFJSKAWlyM903xJvr-MV33QAVB_FPv7lU-ui9DjIeC6t7tyO5tLUQrn_RYGyzViQdRdnBrRNdFzcj_YIfVBDM3iHxsK22khJlfPzRyUXh1Fd8HxVnliEzFz9Bo2WgjI/s1600/IMG_6841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6sUbX6YqG-MjpFJSKAWlyM903xJvr-MV33QAVB_FPv7lU-ui9DjIeC6t7tyO5tLUQrn_RYGyzViQdRdnBrRNdFzcj_YIfVBDM3iHxsK22khJlfPzRyUXh1Fd8HxVnliEzFz9Bo2WgjI/s640/IMG_6841.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pricey lunch offering in Candes St. Martin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
These prix fix things are often way too much food for too much cash, but it does look good, doesn't it?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bGaAHaBbUZ0px-6xHqqs4fYM10Zr0cPkn7VVgSXT6jeAGVRrJtW6-tD4MJDiG_NWp_j6Ch2ZGMaofrBJBEhc18Ff3J9L5-vn_9mY6bzlmfvLaM_RxxeRU__8dG7b97uSeGAcVVJPK8E/s1600/IMG_6842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bGaAHaBbUZ0px-6xHqqs4fYM10Zr0cPkn7VVgSXT6jeAGVRrJtW6-tD4MJDiG_NWp_j6Ch2ZGMaofrBJBEhc18Ff3J9L5-vn_9mY6bzlmfvLaM_RxxeRU__8dG7b97uSeGAcVVJPK8E/s640/IMG_6842.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty limestone houses</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHyWKHnuopqrlM8L4b7wQLcMGB2PZICBJtP4v2vd0fl9IIGr_HtBrMwToeORnuMsdVYhjHcUeXpFaDr8OT_3CuZ9JWi4R_NKRtqpRGmRGbXuzAwQ0r4lIZ8k4WtUYErHk4qwOXCI68rw/s1600/IMG_6843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHyWKHnuopqrlM8L4b7wQLcMGB2PZICBJtP4v2vd0fl9IIGr_HtBrMwToeORnuMsdVYhjHcUeXpFaDr8OT_3CuZ9JWi4R_NKRtqpRGmRGbXuzAwQ0r4lIZ8k4WtUYErHk4qwOXCI68rw/s640/IMG_6843.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of Church Porch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9rxLU5gaKiqECGRuOdJ_VpTnhbk7TjoM74CzAMT7dPZz0tpSg6EYQ8qkncXz89Vh3QlqI2ijQBLmKoa2jjxZL7EoxzgTbskA6BEMCzUNKmf1RngKeZXUMs4xeKWY9t7xd5QSAS4ZfMI/s1600/IMG_6844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9rxLU5gaKiqECGRuOdJ_VpTnhbk7TjoM74CzAMT7dPZz0tpSg6EYQ8qkncXz89Vh3QlqI2ijQBLmKoa2jjxZL7EoxzgTbskA6BEMCzUNKmf1RngKeZXUMs4xeKWY9t7xd5QSAS4ZfMI/s640/IMG_6844.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stoney and Me, GoPro and allJ</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Just a few blocks down the road, we turned left and saw this, and both stopped and said, "Whoa!" If we hadn't been on bikes we probably wouldn't have taken this route, and we would have missed this. Even if we had taken this route, we might have been going too fast to see that tower.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8HmdRyqoNpPZTkZzVE1hiHK5FEifAnqOTgYJBWIx1qKwCwYjXTuw0iyV4KRB5c9JoxpJXa7RbZl2eD8fGh9QEWo0BsIlxHwp4mieDjHXdAPEYA5sFO3Yvmbp7Z_2Q2K03H22C4FhZxE/s1600/IMG_6846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8HmdRyqoNpPZTkZzVE1hiHK5FEifAnqOTgYJBWIx1qKwCwYjXTuw0iyV4KRB5c9JoxpJXa7RbZl2eD8fGh9QEWo0BsIlxHwp4mieDjHXdAPEYA5sFO3Yvmbp7Z_2Q2K03H22C4FhZxE/s640/IMG_6846.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tower near Place de la Douve, Candes St. Martin, Centre, France</td></tr>
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I could imagine Snow White's Evil Queen opening the curtains and peering out through that window in the tower every few minutes as she does in Disneyland.<br />
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There were so many random little magical views like this one, but at that moment, the beauty and the serendipitous feeling of the Loire just basically smacked us across the face. Thank goodness France knows what it has in these picturesque castles and has restored them.<br />
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When I was at <a href="http://www.ciclavia.org/">Ciclavia</a> about six month ago, a regular Los Angeles event in which a nice long circuit of road is closed to motorized traffic so people can ride their bikes, skates and scooters, I ran into a guy who told me about touring all around France, and he said the Loire isn't the real France because it's too touristy. That's probably true, but let me tell you, I didn't care. It worked for me.<br />
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If you haven't been to the Loire and are heading to Paris, you can get a day trip bus tour to some of the major chateaus of the Loire, and you absolutely should do it. You just won't believe your eyes.<br />
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Cheers, and thanks for visiting my blog!<br />
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Love, BeautyJones<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-14116662863150211632013-05-21T07:50:00.000-07:002013-05-21T07:50:51.788-07:00New Video with Authentic Bike Footage from the Loire Valley!I was able to pull together the best bits to make a new video of my Loire trip, People!<br />
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This one doesn't have lots of detail on Chenonceau, but you can see that <a href="http://youtu.be/Tk9aOlm6OqY">here at my Chenonceau video</a>.<br />
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Did I mention that DiscoverFrance.com did an amazing job? Altogether, this deluxe trip was a very good deal. We only got lost a couple of times, but the Garmin they lent us fixed that, although in certain lights, it was almost impossible to see the screen.<br />
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The food at each hotel was some of the best I've ever eaten, and I've eaten me some pretty fancy damn food, folks! More on the food later.<br />
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But the route was really amazing. It took us through lovely countryside and often brought us into town along places just lost in time. I had no idea so much medieval stuff was still left in France. But if you don't bike this area, you will miss out on much of its charm. The first time I visited here was on a bus tour, and it was great to see these places at all, don't get me wrong, but you have no idea just how much beautiful old stuff they have everywhere here. Little mills and towns along the winding rivers. It's so quiet and pretty, and you never know when you're going to come upon some thing amazing. You could probably keep going here year after year and not run out of new castles and villages and churches to see.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tzf-dGuR8jz9RBTLV7buFfH0l6xYtOIOSPXGkxyg76Ta4YIKINx0mt5J9-K7OTyxQR36JQ_8-o-Ov2exGpOSJD8BRLRNEZ4RkXCHxOk6nvKaoacL6F04FTocmAnPqno0hVgmBiTXUJk/s1600/IMG_0337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tzf-dGuR8jz9RBTLV7buFfH0l6xYtOIOSPXGkxyg76Ta4YIKINx0mt5J9-K7OTyxQR36JQ_8-o-Ov2exGpOSJD8BRLRNEZ4RkXCHxOk6nvKaoacL6F04FTocmAnPqno0hVgmBiTXUJk/s640/IMG_0337.JPG" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bourgueil and Chinon, local Loire reds - very good - at Le Prieure, Chenehutte</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaySaTqegx28y4NmfWZXFewCQ3NdO3ALtLyPBVM5nAe2y4MdTh1dSfw6v0ssyNw3AAdOBuYyqUQiVNcTX9mfaG72OPZFQS262c3SyqweEZeuS7SX8iJDZD9N5-3WJrZoTIsIliYTPNSH4/s1600/IMG_0339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaySaTqegx28y4NmfWZXFewCQ3NdO3ALtLyPBVM5nAe2y4MdTh1dSfw6v0ssyNw3AAdOBuYyqUQiVNcTX9mfaG72OPZFQS262c3SyqweEZeuS7SX8iJDZD9N5-3WJrZoTIsIliYTPNSH4/s640/IMG_0339.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Veal at Le Prieure</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjkQtYHW0KGIq-HvGjyM77JRf19FG7Vz2JYTxfnqO3P2N9sNqcRR8VEWE_f1PZOPl-B7g_Ev3Ila5LYo8Xk7_beGcO0RbuR7vL25MPsZgN8CUTxNjP-ZB1QTZQrShIIjPLPBmuHnu5n8/s1600/IMG_0341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjkQtYHW0KGIq-HvGjyM77JRf19FG7Vz2JYTxfnqO3P2N9sNqcRR8VEWE_f1PZOPl-B7g_Ev3Ila5LYo8Xk7_beGcO0RbuR7vL25MPsZgN8CUTxNjP-ZB1QTZQrShIIjPLPBmuHnu5n8/s640/IMG_0341.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Souffle with sorbet at Le Prieure</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZeVkv-fzM9Sn9MF50TB0BHxaoiZx7yYVadfo0WXrup3DDwZBiGr_elK-Pcsh3nvpziatqHLhaTYmbyjvHXMcfMa9Q_Ef9DhWWNvnaAk2Y7quIgrjKHh6CjYGGAlybDj7lk75FUHHAzlA/s1600/IMG_6670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZeVkv-fzM9Sn9MF50TB0BHxaoiZx7yYVadfo0WXrup3DDwZBiGr_elK-Pcsh3nvpziatqHLhaTYmbyjvHXMcfMa9Q_Ef9DhWWNvnaAk2Y7quIgrjKHh6CjYGGAlybDj7lk75FUHHAzlA/s640/IMG_6670.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Town of Langeais viewed from Langeais castle turret</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlDvu0nwAb4bg2cVfY3uN1eGcakKD2a0Qkp32YgVRnicTo1uLEhjHUqy9-iSmAgJU9vLjORmttl8M8TSPDZok3L37lhPVpTX6gQpUv16SNmv0_yaYkUGHmaiIi0eoSUMg9Z63L_tqmwGs/s1600/IMG_6688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlDvu0nwAb4bg2cVfY3uN1eGcakKD2a0Qkp32YgVRnicTo1uLEhjHUqy9-iSmAgJU9vLjORmttl8M8TSPDZok3L37lhPVpTX6gQpUv16SNmv0_yaYkUGHmaiIi0eoSUMg9Z63L_tqmwGs/s640/IMG_6688.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A glass of Sancerre at Langeais castle</td></tr>
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The local wines are unusual, and delicious. The local fresh vegetables and cheeses are so much fun to try. I am a firm convert to the wonders of the Loire, and to France as a destination! I'll be coming back and exploring much more!<br />
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Please enjoy the video!<br />
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And don't forget to comment below and let me know what you think, or ask questions!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YvI8Wrj-xdY" width="560"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-38120509178710849482013-05-10T08:14:00.001-07:002013-05-13T08:08:47.691-07:00Loire Valley: Amboise and Le Choiseul<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IozqNn9H5-I" width="560"></iframe>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the reasons I love to travel is that new places offer a sense of wonder, a moment of openness, a sense of exhilaration. Exquisite landscapes, spots that seem to transport one back centuries, delicious food—this latest trip to France included many.<br />
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So now, how to share them with you? How to give you just a taste of what Paris and the Loire were like for us? After our trip to France I have over 1600 images and hundreds of GoPro
video clips to sort through, so I've started breaking things up by day,
and I thought the first day of the Discover France (<a href="http://discoverfrance.com/">discoverfrance.com</a>) Deluxe Loire tour would be a nice place to start. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKInvEsUaLzFNQS8OYZaVwDZ7KLPc4w12LKbgmql43Fj0wmvy1JQe__dlphY5pV4h-NjDkzXnz9PJQBoeEX-bDjZor_XnxozsokIbyIIXqi6haaQg2_RjXhHGw8V6DLQuUU0umlptiTgi4/s1600/IMG_6286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKInvEsUaLzFNQS8OYZaVwDZ7KLPc4w12LKbgmql43Fj0wmvy1JQe__dlphY5pV4h-NjDkzXnz9PJQBoeEX-bDjZor_XnxozsokIbyIIXqi6haaQg2_RjXhHGw8V6DLQuUU0umlptiTgi4/s640/IMG_6286.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amboise Chateau</td></tr>
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Amboise is a town along the Loire topped by a chateau with Gothic and Renaissance elements. What you see today is actually only about a quarter of the size of the chateau at its height. Due to the bloody aftermath of a Huguenot conspiracy that left the chateau festooned with corpses, the place fell into disrepair during the age of the Louis XIV, the Sun King. But in its heyday, the Renaissance king Francois I, a contemporary of the English king Henry VIII, grew up here. In the early years of his reign he made many improvements, turning it into a showplace.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZ5at8uYdK9glyYffFlFBuD7F70GbaL76TeBUjdzFAYGARcbLVV8RQW8mk_yeR6gpD1KiyWVaBmVjkkvhxfly-KFBLuEq3RDSwgBO-_XPgWIxbuqX5cf7NFlpPbUlBzLfsZwGt2JdnDN8/s1600/Jean_Clouet_-_Portrait_of_Franc%CC%A7ois_I,_King_of_France_-_WGA5081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZ5at8uYdK9glyYffFlFBuD7F70GbaL76TeBUjdzFAYGARcbLVV8RQW8mk_yeR6gpD1KiyWVaBmVjkkvhxfly-KFBLuEq3RDSwgBO-_XPgWIxbuqX5cf7NFlpPbUlBzLfsZwGt2JdnDN8/s640/Jean_Clouet_-_Portrait_of_Franc%CC%A7ois_I,_King_of_France_-_WGA5081.jpg" width="502" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portrait of King Francois I, who made the Loire very fashionable for chateau building</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrocDqi4Y7n14DrKBKa-o5nbZOtD5XnMIdVy0-e33XdPxbPdwHsGp_3L-_gybTma5IIVsLXG2Ppg9Y40XheZkAqaj0DVYcnbE0CnI7_PAD0UWHh7NI74IAGtgu_gEkyU__liNIS6yqdYX/s1600/IMG_6319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrocDqi4Y7n14DrKBKa-o5nbZOtD5XnMIdVy0-e33XdPxbPdwHsGp_3L-_gybTma5IIVsLXG2Ppg9Y40XheZkAqaj0DVYcnbE0CnI7_PAD0UWHh7NI74IAGtgu_gEkyU__liNIS6yqdYX/s640/IMG_6319.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amboise, with the ramp up to the Chateau at left</td></tr>
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Francois brought Leonardo daVinci to his court and set him up with an atelier in Clos Lucé, a charming brick and half-timber house that was connected to the Chateau by an underground tunnel. At that time Leonardo was designing cutting edge weaponry and machines, as well as architecture and art. When he moved to Francois's royal court, he brought the Mona Lisa with him, which is how it came to be in the Louvre.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0PNvxcY_x-q5_qE4ktqSP7o-omM0NBn1LaqQwWWdcHzDqmPsE00z5eJOnZwCgy7rlAb7hZQVKcTiJBoidmNdcWp3ibEbo7tFs_BBaUP10uzlr-YL64x5mbTXkpfATMwgVE9iQylvFvLZ/s1600/IMG_6476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0PNvxcY_x-q5_qE4ktqSP7o-omM0NBn1LaqQwWWdcHzDqmPsE00z5eJOnZwCgy7rlAb7hZQVKcTiJBoidmNdcWp3ibEbo7tFs_BBaUP10uzlr-YL64x5mbTXkpfATMwgVE9iQylvFvLZ/s640/IMG_6476.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leonardo's Last Home, Clos Lucé</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7dOUzHFgLSfj8Cz8BgfvEb4HcZ_WReF_J9xit0DRI1-VA2hzsNPkTU7b_Es25Us83ntj9vfQ3xS7SXiUNtkiyTYyjh2JOXU-yX5QaqXxIiZOKXFkkQXZGLIsM3Djvl9VXW8B3z9QnwFv/s1600/IMG_6294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7dOUzHFgLSfj8Cz8BgfvEb4HcZ_WReF_J9xit0DRI1-VA2hzsNPkTU7b_Es25Us83ntj9vfQ3xS7SXiUNtkiyTYyjh2JOXU-yX5QaqXxIiZOKXFkkQXZGLIsM3Djvl9VXW8B3z9QnwFv/s640/IMG_6294.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turrets and towers of Amboise Chateau</td></tr>
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Amboise afforded us many many wow moments. The power of the castle looming over the sweet little village on the river - pictures barely do it justice. To arrive in Amboise we got off the train and walked down to the river, crossing the bridge - all recommendations of Rick Steves, by the way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsWwtEyUCnVq0uEUtVr6EFKhD9p7B0dWnAwmUkQUK8-IoQcVoc6bxfsi_2B6PhsU8FNXVQa6X5feiu132KGVBPIhAi5x6jvBwRlmnB5Z_c8eQpHxjgvQOLd6o52P5q30dO_rjBkZ6VQWF/s1600/IMG_6277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsWwtEyUCnVq0uEUtVr6EFKhD9p7B0dWnAwmUkQUK8-IoQcVoc6bxfsi_2B6PhsU8FNXVQa6X5feiu132KGVBPIhAi5x6jvBwRlmnB5Z_c8eQpHxjgvQOLd6o52P5q30dO_rjBkZ6VQWF/s640/IMG_6277.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Amboise from the bridge across the Loire</td></tr>
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And if you don't know who he is, go to his website, <a href="http://ricksteves.com/">RickSteves.com</a>, and then when you get the chance, watch his travel show on PBS. The man is a genius, because he has made the charms of traveling to Europe much more accessible to us chiefly monolingual Americans. His guidebooks are an invaluable resource. His tips save you frustration, needless waiting on line, and open up unforgettable experiences.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxNxy3PYrPlqI9T-tRGtecU8Mrcy2I_o5VRqQ7GUs3fkq4DUitEbpC_HqM2OHAOkq-J1a40D97yS0n2Ps5VyNBJeoRS59R6KSh5O4D7XnKrevBiGZkJJEUd0nEKrrfi1UgzXXjWKudJEi/s1600/IMG_6296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxNxy3PYrPlqI9T-tRGtecU8Mrcy2I_o5VRqQ7GUs3fkq4DUitEbpC_HqM2OHAOkq-J1a40D97yS0n2Ps5VyNBJeoRS59R6KSh5O4D7XnKrevBiGZkJJEUd0nEKrrfi1UgzXXjWKudJEi/s640/IMG_6296.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pennants flying at Amboise Chateau</td></tr>
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Because history passed it by in the 1600s, the town of Amboise retains a medieval charm. On a major corner is the well-known chocolatier and patisserie, Bigot. As you can see here, they play the Leonardo theme to the hilt. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ40Pipl94ARUVmODbNE5TcGZ0GBYTPHBxThYtJW9JvvdrmvVyElJ_DmIkFh3Lmk3E5wcdaM1TpBuX8WqjvgIzlDVC-_BCl41aCFHmTGZLUFVCY0_JBYCUi07riSMnjT1831Id6Rj8hzsL/s1600/IMG_6305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ40Pipl94ARUVmODbNE5TcGZ0GBYTPHBxThYtJW9JvvdrmvVyElJ_DmIkFh3Lmk3E5wcdaM1TpBuX8WqjvgIzlDVC-_BCl41aCFHmTGZLUFVCY0_JBYCUi07riSMnjT1831Id6Rj8hzsL/s640/IMG_6305.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DaVinci-Inspired Chocolates in Amboise at Patisserie Bigot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_yUREBCs3bpFO9B3E8r-EWxStqJqqoSL199I_72ig8MT2rTQebNzta3l38nB5R3ebz43M-2AF3S9DJTO2CmhxODZowvT0qOigr1D3R8H0ifqg45L6JF2NQbOKx3cVFBMKCzwEnaaaFUw/s1600/IMG_6306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_yUREBCs3bpFO9B3E8r-EWxStqJqqoSL199I_72ig8MT2rTQebNzta3l38nB5R3ebz43M-2AF3S9DJTO2CmhxODZowvT0qOigr1D3R8H0ifqg45L6JF2NQbOKx3cVFBMKCzwEnaaaFUw/s640/IMG_6306.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frozen Desserts at Patisserie Bigot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWOOTMMXNw5rY7ThrfhhnIHFHGtV0iypzriWq-iEmud7GxyhYFy4L_qSMnI49qUU7XWd2o0eGQ4WV6KFJ7bB_2gMkVdEvX8DuroILuDNLHhfWW7ccyfq_3MtHqKh4VvYq85c_A1KdQmel/s1600/IMG_6307.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWOOTMMXNw5rY7ThrfhhnIHFHGtV0iypzriWq-iEmud7GxyhYFy4L_qSMnI49qUU7XWd2o0eGQ4WV6KFJ7bB_2gMkVdEvX8DuroILuDNLHhfWW7ccyfq_3MtHqKh4VvYq85c_A1KdQmel/s640/IMG_6307.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pastries at Bigot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpH6B9lrPOf94yDng_8aSLP9o2VvgIO-WimAcytuQ5O9kbw2tLcVfLEtmTXYLd9gefNKIzIJ1BsD3hF2d61apFt1H7oU3NXLrSw81QELGuhGlOG-tRDV5OGXe0Bp8rLAfKDUEz1r4wnov/s1600/IMG_6308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpH6B9lrPOf94yDng_8aSLP9o2VvgIO-WimAcytuQ5O9kbw2tLcVfLEtmTXYLd9gefNKIzIJ1BsD3hF2d61apFt1H7oU3NXLrSw81QELGuhGlOG-tRDV5OGXe0Bp8rLAfKDUEz1r4wnov/s640/IMG_6308.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More to eat at Bigot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59_K5hvDbI7GMzqd6HVKNmTO7-hnpiH-nM0Kc8glvkpM9WET0U-oAau1hTo939Fj4F7xsZdp57MnbXu4Ez9iXpFuts_mLfZtwpCmeu85LlcuaHAv94oj46x0fAVmUhGhwN3dD_LOH4XVu/s1600/IMG_6324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59_K5hvDbI7GMzqd6HVKNmTO7-hnpiH-nM0Kc8glvkpM9WET0U-oAau1hTo939Fj4F7xsZdp57MnbXu4Ez9iXpFuts_mLfZtwpCmeu85LlcuaHAv94oj46x0fAVmUhGhwN3dD_LOH4XVu/s640/IMG_6324.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful little houses, Amboise</td></tr>
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If you are an architecture fan, you won't run out of eye candy in Amboise. So many little adorable houses.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaKK7CjP1zjVd-o6n5LljoQCATyFcg1FUf5ypXufDFQz9oPBxfPv-yJac-xVab_ZI9oICrtBrThjk60OBWKHQXVmo78M9SNkv9bvH7JjFRDf3PC_kIiUCBAlq_fSJY4WIY-LKqY8iHQpz/s1600/IMG_6327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaKK7CjP1zjVd-o6n5LljoQCATyFcg1FUf5ypXufDFQz9oPBxfPv-yJac-xVab_ZI9oICrtBrThjk60OBWKHQXVmo78M9SNkv9bvH7JjFRDf3PC_kIiUCBAlq_fSJY4WIY-LKqY8iHQpz/s640/IMG_6327.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Room at Le Choiseul, Amboise</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Le Choiseul, our hotel, managed to be humble and four-star all at once, homey and comfortable with lots of little buildings, a pool, and a pretty garden. Our room was in the Hermitage, and it had its own little patio. And even though it was up against a fairly busy road running along the Loire, it managed to be quiet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhni-6xKSAH407VnsnAStN-rPVLcWvuzHNrRLnVYAUX5WFPefO4Qq3xUytpSU0jfmxf0X_lc9hso14zS6dOPLOOFRIu_zJNF2zDFULLZcoxPtxfl0UrIcCrt4EzCfUivv2NG8iNizxeNohu/s1600/IMG_6343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhni-6xKSAH407VnsnAStN-rPVLcWvuzHNrRLnVYAUX5WFPefO4Qq3xUytpSU0jfmxf0X_lc9hso14zS6dOPLOOFRIu_zJNF2zDFULLZcoxPtxfl0UrIcCrt4EzCfUivv2NG8iNizxeNohu/s640/IMG_6343.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brasserie in Amboise - order the petillant, the local fizzy wine. It is delicious, has a flavor profile more like prosecco than Champagne, and it's reasonable.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0NbGRKZ2H6-lCl2oHSjE4gwl-y3Ril4isJaIvaE9v0frMk1OTjmk2J3VnLoxGV5UKzVUiqObrlOYu4o1PBpFy9bvdoC5vTBmG73IWJelz4hNDhr-8eLHXr0vhZCBreyhJsrGbNJZ9Hor/s1600/IMG_6350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0NbGRKZ2H6-lCl2oHSjE4gwl-y3Ril4isJaIvaE9v0frMk1OTjmk2J3VnLoxGV5UKzVUiqObrlOYu4o1PBpFy9bvdoC5vTBmG73IWJelz4hNDhr-8eLHXr0vhZCBreyhJsrGbNJZ9Hor/s640/IMG_6350.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset over Chapel St.-Hubert, where DaVinci may be buried, at Amboise</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQYhjIs68WWdpWueqNbU3MDflIO3oDmB2honO5dPW__rZRw5bp16uQFgY1bHdjtbRSYISeALHO8hcielkZg0ATUTY6MwroHyTqxrzv6y7ZM6nXRQmM0N_BqLDB3sIhjrAbmdECzEEFRnU/s1600/IMG_6351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQYhjIs68WWdpWueqNbU3MDflIO3oDmB2honO5dPW__rZRw5bp16uQFgY1bHdjtbRSYISeALHO8hcielkZg0ATUTY6MwroHyTqxrzv6y7ZM6nXRQmM0N_BqLDB3sIhjrAbmdECzEEFRnU/s640/IMG_6351.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leonardo on an Apocryphal Bicycle - <br />
the bicycle sketch in his notebooks is believed to be a fake.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLIqfMV0kHgu0mU08ONqwYn9P3IBEHQBG9hPrBPeahiZC2nD5TjCvUWuYB6mr84EEFtvmy7F8zG8Fd8NaNPdnza2wmzscj9P5XxE7bvpvqQ-e4bSiHoIv-0Tuo9UqcuUGKdUvT5J3t8sh/s1600/IMG_6372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLIqfMV0kHgu0mU08ONqwYn9P3IBEHQBG9hPrBPeahiZC2nD5TjCvUWuYB6mr84EEFtvmy7F8zG8Fd8NaNPdnza2wmzscj9P5XxE7bvpvqQ-e4bSiHoIv-0Tuo9UqcuUGKdUvT5J3t8sh/s640/IMG_6372.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amuse bouche at Le 36, Le Choiseul</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The food at Le 36, the restaurant at Le Choiseul, was exquisite, bordering on molecular gastronomy. Of all the very swanky food we had in the Loire included - yes, included - in our bike tour, this was my favorite. The view from the restaurant was lovely and peaceful, over the river and its island.<br />
<br />
I could say much more about just this one place, but I will stop here, as I dream of returning to the Loire.<br />
<br />
Cheers, Beauty Fans!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-78410729077592846322013-05-05T15:20:00.001-07:002013-05-05T16:14:30.166-07:00Chinon and Joan of Arc<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUbLkZdq4ZQlVjQ5oez0YgAZQy1zjHlFpYjKWj3CB6jV63QTLVqK1g69RMdrHt3TDpu9KP47Icw8x7ngxy7_3zwpYx4UqbrKXSnwx7vxB_8gp-ECIFwdSOW2g-841z8JS3CTa9QgSmBg/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A18%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Joan of Arc" class="alignnone" height="890" id="blogsy-1367792397060.2727" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUbLkZdq4ZQlVjQ5oez0YgAZQy1zjHlFpYjKWj3CB6jV63QTLVqK1g69RMdrHt3TDpu9KP47Icw8x7ngxy7_3zwpYx4UqbrKXSnwx7vxB_8gp-ECIFwdSOW2g-841z8JS3CTa9QgSmBg/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A18%252520PM.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joan of Arc Statue in Chinon Keep</td></tr>
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We're back in Los Angeles now, and a bit sad because it looks like our girl cat Little, who was wasting away when we left, might not make it much longer. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHk_TwQW4PCcwl7VsEB4R0nM6YW0thIeBajiDoanFnsxoBk_2-HtwRWCuRV9_u1k6GBZON_QpqNwVf9pyDcTPtssWK6ulTTqQ7ReJcfQGW5sF3Fjk6pv3yD9HFt4xI7-_JafeVor1u1Q/s807/Photo%252520Aug%25252014%25252C%2525202010%25252C%2525209%25253A41%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Mister left, Little right" class="alignnone" height="330" id="blogsy-1367792397049.575" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHk_TwQW4PCcwl7VsEB4R0nM6YW0thIeBajiDoanFnsxoBk_2-HtwRWCuRV9_u1k6GBZON_QpqNwVf9pyDcTPtssWK6ulTTqQ7ReJcfQGW5sF3Fjk6pv3yD9HFt4xI7-_JafeVor1u1Q/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252014%25252C%2525202010%25252C%2525209%25253A41%252520AM.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mister left, Little right</td></tr>
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The boycat, Mister, kept waking me up to get petted last night, but I was glad to do it. Thank goodness he is healthy, glossy, fat and pretty, having been well cared for by our wonderful friends at <a href="http://www.acmepetcare.com/" target="_self" title="Acme Pet Car Los Angeles">Acme Pet Care</a>. They took Little to the vet while we were gone because she was not doing well, and we'll be grateful to Sara and Andrew forever. If you live in the Los Angeles area and need pet sitters, they are the best. Click the link above to check them out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhol6KL0CwIWcdqBmC-EycwDxImdp6AzXPKYPdgQcvX_qV9M4cXzgwbEVCMynyyEyrk11lEnm-7qX0z13aQDVa1goqARVbjyZH6Ynnq42PFibplYLYsUEslA-i9APeg7FQLZPO5dXtnD04/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252022%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525208%25253A34%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Langeais Chateau" class="alignnone" height="890" id="blogsy-1367792397102.832" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhol6KL0CwIWcdqBmC-EycwDxImdp6AzXPKYPdgQcvX_qV9M4cXzgwbEVCMynyyEyrk11lEnm-7qX0z13aQDVa1goqARVbjyZH6Ynnq42PFibplYLYsUEslA-i9APeg7FQLZPO5dXtnD04/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252022%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525208%25253A34%252520PM.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sun over Langeais Chateau in Exquisite France!</td></tr>
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All in all, this was an amazingly trip. We have fallen in love with France. It is an incredibly beautiful country, and we've only seen a small bit of it. We know there's much more to explore. I could try to tell you how many chateaux and medieval villages there are in the Loire Valley, but I think you have to go there to believe it. It really knocked us over, and I invite you to discover it. It is a truly magical place. I also think it would be a great area to take school-age children who are learning about European history. But don't see it too quickly. Budget at least a week to soak it in. I'm planning to do a separate post just on the chateaux we saw, and recommend a good plan of how to tour them. Since I've also been to Chambord and Blois in earlier years, I think I'll have a lot of nice tips for you.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-AiRaiVbTjx1shEIvWhrU4yCMOMFOwagQuBE2Wiu4Mpc23gX_dYm7iPzxOGBV1UVFjfSGgZt10aXsNcpy-zRL2yTw81IhBdg86eTiKu0G_XEY6-KNI9ObTN0bthsTWTrubMlmx5Wywfo/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525204%25253A48%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Tower at Chinon, France" class="alignnone" height="640" id="blogsy-1367792397115.2344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-AiRaiVbTjx1shEIvWhrU4yCMOMFOwagQuBE2Wiu4Mpc23gX_dYm7iPzxOGBV1UVFjfSGgZt10aXsNcpy-zRL2yTw81IhBdg86eTiKu0G_XEY6-KNI9ObTN0bthsTWTrubMlmx5Wywfo/s640/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525204%25253A48%252520PM.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tower at Chinon, France</td></tr>
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But in this post, I'd like to talk about Joan of Arc and Chinon. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKoKLInHmmzKDPBzPeXntWVEU8s8ZwsDa7VTonRehu-Up31R2hCodrqJuDr6JsVskogQ24UoU8yp4ead9G9nRES2ZaeawuOO4hUvF3Mv2p__pzX93V0CmmL2StlsG-5o7KR-QlzJJMIFE/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A48%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Bridge between towers at Chinon" class="alignnone" height="358" id="blogsy-1367792397036.563" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKoKLInHmmzKDPBzPeXntWVEU8s8ZwsDa7VTonRehu-Up31R2hCodrqJuDr6JsVskogQ24UoU8yp4ead9G9nRES2ZaeawuOO4hUvF3Mv2p__pzX93V0CmmL2StlsG-5o7KR-QlzJJMIFE/s640/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A48%252520PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge between towers at Chinon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGs9gUVvfscNzj14xbLNDglK-g-ppaQ-F4_Gs-AHdnBnl8GsWvjlLRFZOCckBImgjeGd0zGS_QVv1wPPOrA1L3ZJKgQ1Wt1phZoAEEd1c1goZgdfPozQvKD4eFsGh8yN7DfEKiXLFO5Kc/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A53%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="A view from the Castle of Chinon of the town and the Vienne River beyond" class="alignnone" height="358" id="blogsy-1367792397063.4592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGs9gUVvfscNzj14xbLNDglK-g-ppaQ-F4_Gs-AHdnBnl8GsWvjlLRFZOCckBImgjeGd0zGS_QVv1wPPOrA1L3ZJKgQ1Wt1phZoAEEd1c1goZgdfPozQvKD4eFsGh8yN7DfEKiXLFO5Kc/s640/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A53%252520PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view from the Castle of Chinon of the town and the Vienne River beyond</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThTYItBuoqUqODKaiMx8ddAvqK0FV5Ne5UOyUAy3iVeO-vtfFpJ8CD5sL2HiHCWbha8VlPcdy6y3sCR2wdhzJyc70Qlaj0oq6AK0DaloLnVHalXxpqljhJtTVfdMvrhp8nNZSpL6ZmE0/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525204%25253A49%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="alignnone" height="890" id="blogsy-1367792397042.513" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThTYItBuoqUqODKaiMx8ddAvqK0FV5Ne5UOyUAy3iVeO-vtfFpJ8CD5sL2HiHCWbha8VlPcdy6y3sCR2wdhzJyc70Qlaj0oq6AK0DaloLnVHalXxpqljhJtTVfdMvrhp8nNZSpL6ZmE0/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525204%25253A49%252520PM.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78EXpjofdUxiFMmnXyuGjG2ALXNBHcIy3ibRIP5GQqug9-6_c98Ork04gClYDsnDgqntRLiZtMG3eTMFMUBAjfqTJwDuHwRNg5PE6KoywKssw96mewAJzKRDXhUPgZR8Dk-iWw3tSKfc/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A52%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="The Vienne and countryside from Chinon" class="alignnone" height="281" id="blogsy-1367792397045.781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78EXpjofdUxiFMmnXyuGjG2ALXNBHcIy3ibRIP5GQqug9-6_c98Ork04gClYDsnDgqntRLiZtMG3eTMFMUBAjfqTJwDuHwRNg5PE6KoywKssw96mewAJzKRDXhUPgZR8Dk-iWw3tSKfc/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A52%252520PM.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Vienne and countryside from Chinon</td></tr>
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Chinon is a pretty town that still retains a lot of its medieval character. It sits above the Vienne River, a tributary of the Loire. The keep sits high over the steep slate roofs of the medieval quarter, with gorgeous views of the countryside on all sides. It is a wine town, and you can see the neat rows of vines curving along the soft hills when you look north from the castle. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdeflzesT6lfXdNSXOARZu1S0xCBTRxvmL2bxznNVPf2CglfHsKIIHvPGoy8kjwu3M6sFK7M_VB_MUkYvUjKvQS4aVyF-v20QWMxZM5c_VRtEsn0a3hTwh84Oi1kEVoHDoIvcttg2tjvk/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A14%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Maiolica plate with scenes from the life of Joan of Arc" class="alignnone" height="281" id="blogsy-1367792397092.2305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdeflzesT6lfXdNSXOARZu1S0xCBTRxvmL2bxznNVPf2CglfHsKIIHvPGoy8kjwu3M6sFK7M_VB_MUkYvUjKvQS4aVyF-v20QWMxZM5c_VRtEsn0a3hTwh84Oi1kEVoHDoIvcttg2tjvk/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A14%252520PM.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maiolica plate with scenes from the life of Joan of Arc</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP2i4n65IJmIs7fHXnfBMFIjJwFNXXYM09_UQF0sUvX5GRJkgkG1zXodNejJ_jnkb5xBIicJLJFbXhrgimeeu6n0ejOKCqDhUt7W_Py_QxMqg1JaV8MpR955i4N8TYaqHu9ljBxrDl0RY/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252024%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525203%25253A07%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Beefy Bourgeuil and Delicate Chinon Wines" class="alignnone" height="890" id="blogsy-1367792397041.0127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP2i4n65IJmIs7fHXnfBMFIjJwFNXXYM09_UQF0sUvX5GRJkgkG1zXodNejJ_jnkb5xBIicJLJFbXhrgimeeu6n0ejOKCqDhUt7W_Py_QxMqg1JaV8MpR955i4N8TYaqHu9ljBxrDl0RY/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252024%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525203%25253A07%252520AM.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beefy Bourgeuil and Delicate Chinon Wines</td></tr>
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Our guide told us that in France, Chinon wine, especially the reds, are famous. They have a soft, fruity but slightly minerally quality and are a light red similar to pinot noir, pairing well with veal and game fowl. The types of grapes in it are Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, but coming from this unique terroir, they are quite different from Bordeaux. Do try Chinon when you are in France, because it's not terribly easy to get here in the USA. It's not too expensive, and it's delicious.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7QD1wsRxR2bhvu2eNIKfKbqjExPOGliu3X9RMJDU0FBO84mI58Td_4BbxDZOjzB07JMMBAOYIowaSIDf3TXMgmeoAfwlai4eSAlEM8k16LhD3tx4Qi_KqjirEBdUWbTzzcN1HdzBEnI/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A53%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Chinon Royal Apartments" class="alignnone" height="358" id="blogsy-1367792397065.3088" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7QD1wsRxR2bhvu2eNIKfKbqjExPOGliu3X9RMJDU0FBO84mI58Td_4BbxDZOjzB07JMMBAOYIowaSIDf3TXMgmeoAfwlai4eSAlEM8k16LhD3tx4Qi_KqjirEBdUWbTzzcN1HdzBEnI/s640/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A53%252520PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinon Royal Apartments</td></tr>
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Inside the royal quarters at Chinon, there are several rooms with large scrims upon which are somewhat under-edited films about the various historic lords of Chinon. The films do cry out for a bit of a Monty Python parody, intercut with a Jean-Luc Goddard-style closeup of a medieval cigarette. We thought we could detect the coconut Foley doubling for horse hoof clopping sounds. Expense was spared.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIg6AooBi0st_N7Db0cVCMmhRP8nZCayhAn-chdwpdf8lFx4l2q_OlJK22BJPK0XpSIERkzrVZ94q-6Xv0PFpzFlBF_jElJe_0gAyaRe6zCUhgjMUzT9D4wEmPJZKsj6jgPeYOxfkVaxQ/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252024%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525201%25253A47%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Medieval Chinon" class="alignnone" height="360" id="blogsy-1367792397130.5186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIg6AooBi0st_N7Db0cVCMmhRP8nZCayhAn-chdwpdf8lFx4l2q_OlJK22BJPK0XpSIERkzrVZ94q-6Xv0PFpzFlBF_jElJe_0gAyaRe6zCUhgjMUzT9D4wEmPJZKsj6jgPeYOxfkVaxQ/s640/Photo%252520Apr%25252024%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525201%25253A47%252520AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medieval Chinon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;">Joan of Arc (1412-1431) was a mountain girl who heard the voices of saints, and who ended up putting a French king back on the throne by commanding armies and winning battles. She was then captured by the Burgundians, who sold her to the English, who convicted her of heresy, and burned her at the stake in Rouen. She is that rare thing in history, a medieval woman who appears to have completely transcended the limitations imposed upon her gender. And for that reason, I've found her fascinating since I was a little girl. She was canonized in 1920, and became one of the patron saints of France.</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art Nouveau Joan of Arc</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3zR0zQqVJ4PvMyOJqpRaJpN9IvGIIhQggHMz8lW4N81aOUz_c4wi4nMtkQRFFWUlcLRVBT-QpqTZyzLtC1Bjl6WN8mhDpTx6KNDUAHdEuQlfU-xjLKYr6vxB_NPZitPQSFgTQK_GpDk/s426/Photo%252520May%2525205%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525201%25253A33%252520PM.jpg" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);" target="_blank"><img alt="Joan of Arc War Saving Stamps Poster" class="alignnone" height="426" id="blogsy-1367792397071.354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3zR0zQqVJ4PvMyOJqpRaJpN9IvGIIhQggHMz8lW4N81aOUz_c4wi4nMtkQRFFWUlcLRVBT-QpqTZyzLtC1Bjl6WN8mhDpTx6KNDUAHdEuQlfU-xjLKYr6vxB_NPZitPQSFgTQK_GpDk/s426/Photo%252520May%2525205%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525201%25253A33%252520PM.jpg" width="336" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joan as a War Saving Stamps Poster Child</td></tr>
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The French gave a statue of her to New Orleans, where it now stands on Decatur. When I was little, I saw <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040491/" target="_self" title="Joan of Arc, starring Ingrid Bergman">the film about her that starred Ingrid Bergman</a>, and that was it - I was a confirmed Joan of Arc fan.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaccxNjUqZPbr5a3EAOchOE3_QMZlOWAR4xkxlMj5q51jpMgItYscabfy_zTfu1Zs-XR5M45LNuQ2yJjNBRJaKk_OwW_TLN3aqud8Ssxy1uK2xP7Exo4GHKUcQmZtclMHXZx9_iMGXo8/s479/Photo%252520May%2525205%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525201%25253A22%252520PM.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="alignnone" height="479" id="blogsy-1367792397135.2515" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaccxNjUqZPbr5a3EAOchOE3_QMZlOWAR4xkxlMj5q51jpMgItYscabfy_zTfu1Zs-XR5M45LNuQ2yJjNBRJaKk_OwW_TLN3aqud8Ssxy1uK2xP7Exo4GHKUcQmZtclMHXZx9_iMGXo8/s479/Photo%252520May%2525205%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525201%25253A22%252520PM.jpg" width="330" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ingrid Bergman as Joan</td></tr>
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If you don't know who Ingrid Bergman is, then stop reading this right now, go watch <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034583/" target="_self" title="Casablanca on IMdb">Casablanca</a>, and come back. You're welcome. Later, check out her performance in Gaslight. Wow, she was good.<br />
Inside the royal apartments up in Chinon castle is a room devoted completely to Joan and her legend. There is a tapestry showing the incident, which took place right in Chinon, in which she recognizes the dauphin (the heir apparent and eventual Charles VII) even though he has tried to trick her by disguising himself in humble clothes and his valet in royal garb.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTYbci9-ZFoKG-CxbTJ9HOKLgwrRro6GDM-J5rmjiFj0Sx1h7CJfIopZ9PRQ2H7K80GMAvz2GZywahEOR4N9Jv0Xs-sp_viwFaihlBCOw7frmf1iAU62BQ6jyZ7oj8EtHqT-ErHn5p5I7/s1600/IMG_6793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTYbci9-ZFoKG-CxbTJ9HOKLgwrRro6GDM-J5rmjiFj0Sx1h7CJfIopZ9PRQ2H7K80GMAvz2GZywahEOR4N9Jv0Xs-sp_viwFaihlBCOw7frmf1iAU62BQ6jyZ7oj8EtHqT-ErHn5p5I7/s640/IMG_6793.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joan recognizes the Dauphin in Disguise</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was she who helped convince him to take back the throne. There are many St. Joan statues, plates, and even false relics in the castle. There are interesting displays showing many depictions of Joan, from the one contemporaneous sketch, to the many romantic depictions of the Maid up to modern day.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpuPF_duA4416eJPHCqOxeNAIVMOypCcor6v4HGdpoGXeqS8BPqkzb-q7hGhtIC1Kg-VTW1-EM2gYlBGVUq_HLDaB3SQa1-v9geJjCMufs1SKVRJ2eA0vas7h190UnUuwzx3imkEtGfc/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A15%252520PM.jpg" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);" target="_blank"><img alt="Art Nouveau Joan of Arc" class="alignnone" height="281" id="blogsy-1367792397067.218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpuPF_duA4416eJPHCqOxeNAIVMOypCcor6v4HGdpoGXeqS8BPqkzb-q7hGhtIC1Kg-VTW1-EM2gYlBGVUq_HLDaB3SQa1-v9geJjCMufs1SKVRJ2eA0vas7h190UnUuwzx3imkEtGfc/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A15%252520PM.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Joan a la Art Nouveau</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE00_HZtd0732-rr-SRBGxus44ybL020XZE5aYMCsHy0kZjNCRk44wGUZEKFEl2fEeJ_tMopqNqrt2zT0PlFaBGv0f2VgAXmtiNyLr2UUcW5CKWB_T1y17SMGYHgVrDLLfOrVCBmmVm6U/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A59%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Chinon Fortress Guard Tower" class="alignnone" height="890" id="blogsy-1367792397085.9265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE00_HZtd0732-rr-SRBGxus44ybL020XZE5aYMCsHy0kZjNCRk44wGUZEKFEl2fEeJ_tMopqNqrt2zT0PlFaBGv0f2VgAXmtiNyLr2UUcW5CKWB_T1y17SMGYHgVrDLLfOrVCBmmVm6U/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A59%252520PM.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinon Fortress Guard Tower</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I believe that Joan's popularity is so great because there are few female heroes in history, and the human psyche craves female archetypes. And in medieval France, in particular, male-dominated Christianity replaced goddess-worshipping Gallo-Roman paganism, leaving a void. Apparently in the 1400s there was a courtly fashion in France for female prophets and seers, and Joan was simply one who made good. There's an enigmatic appeal in the figure of a teenage peasant girl putting on armor and convincing a king to take back his throne, in a nobody who could somehow frighten the powerful English elite enough for them to condemn and burn her as a heretic. She must have had charisma, and a gift for words, and maybe she did have something of the purity and piety Bergman portrayed in the film.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8WYMeQ1WERjnNE4h9I-yNqeEw1Jkff_4xI-2aL2LlyMNLTSL6LlZk3F21VZLojykcbZEwII0TNXqTF0zLrVpsoJccj1TsTqKZtlCTvv8RCUN1zmYgWPsJgEtQk9XWHC-oX_crGEAq0XS/s1600/IMG_6770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8WYMeQ1WERjnNE4h9I-yNqeEw1Jkff_4xI-2aL2LlyMNLTSL6LlZk3F21VZLojykcbZEwII0TNXqTF0zLrVpsoJccj1TsTqKZtlCTvv8RCUN1zmYgWPsJgEtQk9XWHC-oX_crGEAq0XS/s640/IMG_6770.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the River Vienne from the Chinon Keep</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When you visit Chinon, give yourself time in the castle and grounds. It has several towers to explore and many evocative vistas. Unless you've taken the right drugs, avoid the historical films and save your energy for the room on St. Joan.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCXv49ANF158S-zVpl49o7UWa-gOSW7LR4UXhhiughBeyfpi8wWBYXKzJPVNYDfDOLgJvxtH5dhEpWLzZRHDbd5m4kwxve74RjVG2ZWyvPi6fH5yj2CiuVZbhhDtzVfhvIxXbadJ6r2co/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A47%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Tower at Chinon" class="alignnone" height="890" id="blogsy-1367792397081.9053" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCXv49ANF158S-zVpl49o7UWa-gOSW7LR4UXhhiughBeyfpi8wWBYXKzJPVNYDfDOLgJvxtH5dhEpWLzZRHDbd5m4kwxve74RjVG2ZWyvPi6fH5yj2CiuVZbhhDtzVfhvIxXbadJ6r2co/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A47%252520PM.jpg" width="500" /></a> </td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tower at Chinon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And if we do lose our sweet Little too soon, I know she'll go and sit at St. Joan's gentle feet, and purr her dear loud purr there for all eternity.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqYTD9KiV0Sqy1Oews259LGJnpwZ4pZSvKPn1LQERHnP6NpnWZzc5jrxPrTqnspHkHRbteZ0QwOnMxFT3-DWujPg1bm39JgHkIVdvmIf2vlFKfDo7xW7qdDnidXxRLZJjR05kgZJtQ4E/s1024/Photo%252520Jul%25252025%25252C%2525202010%25252C%2525205%25253A06%252520PM.jpg" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);" target="_blank"><img alt="Our Girlcat Little" class="alignnone" height="487" id="blogsy-1367792397109.6553" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqYTD9KiV0Sqy1Oews259LGJnpwZ4pZSvKPn1LQERHnP6NpnWZzc5jrxPrTqnspHkHRbteZ0QwOnMxFT3-DWujPg1bm39JgHkIVdvmIf2vlFKfDo7xW7qdDnidXxRLZJjR05kgZJtQ4E/s500/Photo%252520Jul%25252025%25252C%2525202010%25252C%2525205%25253A06%252520PM.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Cheers, and Vive la France!<br />
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-72064728989607167612013-05-01T09:53:00.001-07:002013-05-01T09:53:21.481-07:00A Soupcon of the Loire, and a Touch of Paris<div class="separator" style="text-align: left;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="500" height="305" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pkyCdnirj5w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
<p> Raining in Paris, and this town has us so tired, we got the punchy giggles on the hop-on-hop-off tourist trap bus today. Drinkig progressively more cheap good white wine to justify drying off in bar after bar on the way home. Much more on this later, but for now, how about some nice bike footage of France? Click above.</p>
<p>A few random shots from our desultory travels.</p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-LWKzl0xfIUhd1pjbHAVo2Y8RlIVXui2d73I64_KbkgbfZp5Lhyphenhyphen-9eOc4K2wT1n1knPrLeEeCsaZeMx00BfGMnDzklzOiloLbaqXKLBAg36hwziaQm5qtnlpws-7kWXVlC3D_y5Xd0P4/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252029%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525203%25253A48%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-LWKzl0xfIUhd1pjbHAVo2Y8RlIVXui2d73I64_KbkgbfZp5Lhyphenhyphen-9eOc4K2wT1n1knPrLeEeCsaZeMx00BfGMnDzklzOiloLbaqXKLBAg36hwziaQm5qtnlpws-7kWXVlC3D_y5Xd0P4/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252029%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525203%25253A48%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1367427200174.8735" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="890"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very Fancy Beret</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjISZ6Y5e8YK3I3j7gUNu4UwH52QXrQw-EZYCinIezdr2SJ7aPYyAWohYIfUdPGmTOSVYh4kO8PotzYxcKiqd_Bvx4iOATeFqm_t9vebGvUKwolGmG_gz0Y08y9LVUmfMJEbL2zXWSNU/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252029%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525201%25253A53%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjISZ6Y5e8YK3I3j7gUNu4UwH52QXrQw-EZYCinIezdr2SJ7aPYyAWohYIfUdPGmTOSVYh4kO8PotzYxcKiqd_Bvx4iOATeFqm_t9vebGvUKwolGmG_gz0Y08y9LVUmfMJEbL2zXWSNU/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252029%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525201%25253A53%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1367427200107.218" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute Boy in Front of Famous Book Store</td></tr></tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: none;"> </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfhB0flMBKIEjkw2Q-ICcfg55kMohGvbH7xEUCk4sfTdrXyVySA1AwgA5bQXZskV3VUj1YjKLxAVt0vZDaKkkUOL3eN7dozFxlYHuq5SDHgHPkbhOKlEVrnzCCniO92lx53NXT0QsukI/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252029%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525204%25253A33%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfhB0flMBKIEjkw2Q-ICcfg55kMohGvbH7xEUCk4sfTdrXyVySA1AwgA5bQXZskV3VUj1YjKLxAVt0vZDaKkkUOL3eN7dozFxlYHuq5SDHgHPkbhOKlEVrnzCCniO92lx53NXT0QsukI/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252029%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525204%25253A33%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1367427200181.3855" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="890"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did you hear? Napoleon died, and thought this subtle resting place was fitting.</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p> </p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxqlm2RsQV3yOeD14TaJc9mZWdOCKcFAxVD9_SvmwuOet_rELDLy44wvGUh2Vym2DTpZgE8S9-AIrrBMcR2i4MVHDApYwDiXlDfw5EgDMzxQ_pjQzlrpZp_bH4NXk58RXPJMDbnExcNE/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252029%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525207%25253A34%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxqlm2RsQV3yOeD14TaJc9mZWdOCKcFAxVD9_SvmwuOet_rELDLy44wvGUh2Vym2DTpZgE8S9-AIrrBMcR2i4MVHDApYwDiXlDfw5EgDMzxQ_pjQzlrpZp_bH4NXk58RXPJMDbnExcNE/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252029%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525207%25253A34%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1367427200123.5671" class="alignnone" width="500" height="281" alt=""></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Berthillon Gianduilla Orange and Spice Cake on Isle St. Louis</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p> Thanks for stopping by.</p>
<p>Love, BeautyJones!</p>
<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-36721363091455117422013-04-29T01:29:00.001-07:002013-04-29T01:29:49.366-07:00Paris a Go Go<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XNMTLojorIjmaQ4ioTYjp2cktJBArYj-YOie2HZj4F9BqpIHrCgfMR7Ln-Nh0bLbmUZ6BOpF7i5lhr0EXrAj8McRVcMn962r1JbjwTWYBeTg7VYfdswtWnT57zM5NdWI3oMWjQ1J-5k/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525202%25253A18%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XNMTLojorIjmaQ4ioTYjp2cktJBArYj-YOie2HZj4F9BqpIHrCgfMR7Ln-Nh0bLbmUZ6BOpF7i5lhr0EXrAj8McRVcMn962r1JbjwTWYBeTg7VYfdswtWnT57zM5NdWI3oMWjQ1J-5k/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525202%25253A18%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1367224186742.4922" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="890"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Conciergerie, entrance to the kitchens</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>What a busy day! Today we have started our 6-day Paris Pass, which cost a lot, but you get to go to pretty much all of the major stuff in this town, and take the subway, so today we did six things afforded by it. We are going to max out this puppy, if it kills us.</p>
<p>Here's what we did, like crazies, in only one day:</p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkjFFxIJH7u2foi8LMM8qpQJLkV9Nxn9UUuITSZgndMgjvecaA4bbZnaRi7q7NWfBTmlZIPy-lSeUBt6FDjtG2oQDk0jHx48OXqLelB688yhVZe-dbq0UQNYotsiiP5y2eYhqfNlWb0E/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525203%25253A21%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkjFFxIJH7u2foi8LMM8qpQJLkV9Nxn9UUuITSZgndMgjvecaA4bbZnaRi7q7NWfBTmlZIPy-lSeUBt6FDjtG2oQDk0jHx48OXqLelB688yhVZe-dbq0UQNYotsiiP5y2eYhqfNlWb0E/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525203%25253A21%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1367224186703.942" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marie Antoinette thinks, what if I'd let them eat, maybe some of my cake. I mean, I really had a lot of freakin' cake, and I never was going to eat all of it....</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSmkopv75R0VS5E53bn9mh8ludQX8QA5YuMJrdmI0gVCMj6ifKKOh_aTY8eA4eU6JFBsRCX6EZnNxEC0sIke5E6TNfsEbeMsBHPuKotkihfgWe27F1URsjHFEI-AHbJmFc69hCbtpSJk/s400/Photo%252520Apr%25252029%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525209%25253A10%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSmkopv75R0VS5E53bn9mh8ludQX8QA5YuMJrdmI0gVCMj6ifKKOh_aTY8eA4eU6JFBsRCX6EZnNxEC0sIke5E6TNfsEbeMsBHPuKotkihfgWe27F1URsjHFEI-AHbJmFc69hCbtpSJk/s400/Photo%252520Apr%25252029%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525209%25253A10%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1367224186736.8867" class="alignnone" alt="" width="400" height="300"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3d experience of Paris in Archaeological Crypt</td></tr></tbody></table>
<ul>
<li><strong>The Archaeological Crypt of Paris</strong>, a museum of the History of Paris, about 35 feet under the street in front of Notre Dame. There are Roman ruins and the stones of medieval houses made of repurposed Roman blocks, their latin inscriptions and leafy capitals still visible, and the remains of the old Seine-side docks down there, with plenty to learn about. And this was supercool because it had many interactive 3d models of the city at different times in history, including a detailed reconstruction of the various building stages of Notre Dame. It's fun for me to imagine Paris as a small Roman outpost city, and then a medieval fortress beseiged by Vikings. Rick Steves said the place merited only 15 minutes. We spent 45.</li>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8yhI3kaI2W_ju2q9Qos1G6tNmw4SsqjXeS6VOO4UI9AWpexndwqrfUq-8541tpIGghGVqeM8sbH3HoPiRal4bfdHjLeuG1KFAVrjseO9jQHh1ru7GuJoGm0lwP7T-hm4MlE1ANhpTuh4/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525204%25253A12%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8yhI3kaI2W_ju2q9Qos1G6tNmw4SsqjXeS6VOO4UI9AWpexndwqrfUq-8541tpIGghGVqeM8sbH3HoPiRal4bfdHjLeuG1KFAVrjseO9jQHh1ru7GuJoGm0lwP7T-hm4MlE1ANhpTuh4/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525204%25253A12%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1367224186772.2908" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Conciergerie, the Old Royal Stronghold, and Prison and Court of the Revolution</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br>
<ul>
<li><strong>The Conciergerie</strong> was originally where the kings of France held court, before the Louvre rose up on the Right Bank and was expanded and made progressively more and more fancy and monumental. The Concergerie then became a court and prison during the Revolution, and eventually was the place where Marie Antoinette waited to be bundled off to La Guillotine. A visit to the Conciergerie begins as you step down into a huge gothic space that could have inspired the dwarves' great hall in The Lord of the Rings. It is the first floor of a castle of the Middle Ages with soaring gothic limestone arches above, and it's amazing that it's still here. Then you sit and watch a blow by blow slideshow on the Conciergerie's key role in the Revolution, the experience of an accused, how they would enter the prison, where their trial would take place, where they would be held, and take their doomed and hopeless exercise with the other prisoners, and finally, where they would be prepared for death. Then you walk through these rooms, seeing the place where they prepared the condemned for execution by cutting the hair and tearing open the back of the chemise. There is a table with a beautiful and scary pair of scissors just waiting to be used. And, of course, Marie Antoinette herself is there in effigy with her back to us, praying as she waits for trial. This macabre room is a reconstruction, because her brother-in-law Louis XVIII, when he got on the throne, demolished the old rooms and created in their place an expiatory chapel dedicated to Marie Antoinette, with an altar, and a stained glass window showing her initials, and dark walls decorated with silver tears. Also on the walls are paintings of her last days, and in these there's an idealization of Marie Antoinette that borders on sanctification, with the Queen in glowing white clothes, her eyes toward heaven as if she is St. Joan, while the the bestial revolutionaries send her to her death. There is one room simply lined with large plaques listing the names of those killed during the Terror. It was over two thousand seven hundred people. We looked for Stoney's family name Ledoyt there, and lots of spelling variations, and thankfully, found nothing. But we imagined what it must be like for those who can find the names of their relatives there. The Conciergerie is a great place to get a sense of the complexities of human nature and the challenges of creating a better world from a system of dramatic inequity. At best, it's a cautionary tale.</li>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9s5NJRMLd462PCzvW9zxTWgpelAv3AsC_MX43iZMT7eZIB4vUjxm70q7fxSDjqCHnK2uhBiNE53VsaceRDTPVdeOixX_C9ViPcPG1PKipH11nitS5UT8rgt7nuCLF4U8dbiLkPNm4Ntk/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525203%25253A53%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9s5NJRMLd462PCzvW9zxTWgpelAv3AsC_MX43iZMT7eZIB4vUjxm70q7fxSDjqCHnK2uhBiNE53VsaceRDTPVdeOixX_C9ViPcPG1PKipH11nitS5UT8rgt7nuCLF4U8dbiLkPNm4Ntk/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525203%25253A53%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1367224186712.1113" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="890"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windows of St. Chapelle</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br>
<ul>
<li>Near to the Conciergerie is St. Chapelle, which is a jewelbox of gothic stained glass built by Louis the Ninth to house his fancy new relic fresh from the Crusades, the Crown of Thorns. This is being restored, and there was an interesting video showing all the care that is being taken to brighten and restore the windows, retaining the original look. The view of the tall ceiling with colored light streaming in is eye-popping, and not to be missed.</li>
<li>After a refreshing stop at Quigley's Irish Pub, in which I learned that my last name is Northern and a bit Protestant, from the friendly Irish Catholic barkeep, we had a<strong> wine tasting at O Château,</strong> near St. Eustache and Les Halles. We learned that anything called a 'Domaine' is a small wine producer, and that a white wine in a green bottle is usually dry, whereas a white wine in a clear bottle is usually demi-sweet or sweet. The wines were good, a Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre, a Rose from Provence, and a Bordeaux from the Dordogne, and the tasting was included with the Paris Pass. The prices of the bottles, had we wanted to buy, were at least twice as pricey as they should have been. Our fellow tasters were mostly English speakers, some from Scotland, some from South Africa, and they were a lot of fun.</li>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9btY9sbkjcqB3wtiibcdJlj6VR3XHk2mODX0tIEZIe21KKpPbxvyGRw6OcELsuiU8f4MhSJ1NQ57O_LCZRkpORh0sifM0JMCX1Pz-tnIYyYkuwL1FnzjAu-9C8QBh1RtgoiyNzL_mZk/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525207%25253A05%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9btY9sbkjcqB3wtiibcdJlj6VR3XHk2mODX0tIEZIe21KKpPbxvyGRw6OcELsuiU8f4MhSJ1NQ57O_LCZRkpORh0sifM0JMCX1Pz-tnIYyYkuwL1FnzjAu-9C8QBh1RtgoiyNzL_mZk/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525207%25253A05%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1367224186764.74" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Scottish Jokester Friends at O Château</td></tr></tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"> </div>
<p>After the wine tasting we visited the courtyard of the Louvre at <strong>Cafe Marly</strong> and had a very expensive half bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, which we justified by remembering that we'd shared a lunch of chicken gyro and fries takeaway served to us by Madame DaFarge at the Cafe Soleil for 5 euros 50. The view of the Pyramid at the Louvre was almost worth it. Stoney enjoyed the many willowy waitresses with very long legs and very short skirts.</p>
<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFJ2qtr0PdYTYFxHgY5fLUNjsJ7oAQE2vdEikS-j-gOgfMZS_a3-_Q6PoohPH1RcJ0Qa0NDByZE_WKlNtModtrpIl1XIA_oaypIkPZvAVUO032KyCnSfShuROKZDuTpA_cEJQtY7ODo4/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A18%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="text-align: right; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFJ2qtr0PdYTYFxHgY5fLUNjsJ7oAQE2vdEikS-j-gOgfMZS_a3-_Q6PoohPH1RcJ0Qa0NDByZE_WKlNtModtrpIl1XIA_oaypIkPZvAVUO032KyCnSfShuROKZDuTpA_cEJQtY7ODo4/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A18%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1367224186715.9321" class="" alt="" width="500" height="890"></a><br>
</p>
<ul>
<li> Finally, we took the subway from the Musée d'Orsay stop to the Eiffel Tower to catch the <strong>Bateaux Parisiens</strong> cruise of the Seine, which took forever to load and unload, but was a silly good time, full of French singing and giggling, and gave us pastel sunset views of the key monuments, including the Conciergerie, Notre Dame, the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay.</li>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKy-smo9LNaNtGJMecA2oY_wz2ZUWfRckth8K9sznY9JwFLBz9CVPh4M5ByGAy7APLjbJn4hH0D2gXf4Xj2wPcZLpTVzAaKf2MIP_dcf3V9gGvT5EBpue1DFCpi_Y-oybFkjuVFTcLKE8/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252011%25253A37%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKy-smo9LNaNtGJMecA2oY_wz2ZUWfRckth8K9sznY9JwFLBz9CVPh4M5ByGAy7APLjbJn4hH0D2gXf4Xj2wPcZLpTVzAaKf2MIP_dcf3V9gGvT5EBpue1DFCpi_Y-oybFkjuVFTcLKE8/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252011%25253A37%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1367224186722.5752" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Conciergerie at Dusk</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p> Because we were out until ten pm, we got to see some things lit up as we stumbled back to our digs on the Isle St. Louis.</p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmRkuEqS9N8EzNQwFmJeWCoTrFxLchEm9LhlQKmbpCqT-miFtmmdbz-SeNXRgdp0V5O7Teolh-zHGN8lGvPzmbXdK-Oi_CHcFSGt_JMIe3DgWTxiYG_MDhReAidht491R103uYNut_w0/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252012%25253A35%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmRkuEqS9N8EzNQwFmJeWCoTrFxLchEm9LhlQKmbpCqT-miFtmmdbz-SeNXRgdp0V5O7Teolh-zHGN8lGvPzmbXdK-Oi_CHcFSGt_JMIe3DgWTxiYG_MDhReAidht491R103uYNut_w0/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252012%25253A35%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1367224186729.1377" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="890"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notre Dome in the Blue Hour</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljcgaUM7T4nn48TMGxMzXGehezlzSIoAY599rhkWvonLPvc6eBrlOfNxLSRn7jWfpRm0nt9oHQNS8riI2UtGHh2d2P8tyyOv9OVBfECpDn55NzWFY7zgDaAi-x5s6bvIyDfx0aZvirZw/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252012%25253A43%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljcgaUM7T4nn48TMGxMzXGehezlzSIoAY599rhkWvonLPvc6eBrlOfNxLSRn7jWfpRm0nt9oHQNS8riI2UtGHh2d2P8tyyOv9OVBfECpDn55NzWFY7zgDaAi-x5s6bvIyDfx0aZvirZw/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252027%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252012%25253A43%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1367224186788.7007" class="alignnone" width="500" height="890" alt=""></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Notre Dame from Isle St. Louis</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p> Today, we take on the Louvre. Wish our feet luck!</p>
<p>Au revoir from Paris!</p>
<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-47197452272736105972013-04-26T09:57:00.001-07:002013-04-26T09:57:45.616-07:00The News from the Loire<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwP403h5AhgIGgGfIYCpG51FJdEiDvQ29-3Qz4O8zM3F49TRMfoiMyAKPvwsSlTp4VSPwlXDaRce9igK6h0eYjlO8jTM3O1qOJQ2TWFkCH_6or9bh7-49Oy3GUsNd7SvQ8EMOzzkrtPk/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252024%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252012%25253A38%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwP403h5AhgIGgGfIYCpG51FJdEiDvQ29-3Qz4O8zM3F49TRMfoiMyAKPvwsSlTp4VSPwlXDaRce9igK6h0eYjlO8jTM3O1qOJQ2TWFkCH_6or9bh7-49Oy3GUsNd7SvQ8EMOzzkrtPk/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252024%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252012%25253A38%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366995465310.0696" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stoney and I in front of Chateau d'Usse</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>Sitting in the room at Le Prieure, which is an old priory 40 meters above the Loire and the little town of Chenehutte les Tuffaux. Our view of the river below, the little green island in the center, and the medieval village across the way is lovely, if stormy, with lowering clouds.</p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWFbAaNmkLmlehjHMHa_T0nujSzTofoJ2Ra4KlcE4vScooRdtHwhS89KVJ7-L_pI1tjCmlJKz4iRQKyWArIobcbHi0v8FPglcM6pLtKwNFfSG9i3ZLhGoeXjQZwlsrjGvfJi9dIARzeA/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252025%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252011%25253A12%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWFbAaNmkLmlehjHMHa_T0nujSzTofoJ2Ra4KlcE4vScooRdtHwhS89KVJ7-L_pI1tjCmlJKz4iRQKyWArIobcbHi0v8FPglcM6pLtKwNFfSG9i3ZLhGoeXjQZwlsrjGvfJi9dIARzeA/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252025%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252011%25253A12%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366995465331.305" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Location on map of Le Prieure</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>But the major point of all this, folks, is, we freakin did it! That's right! High fives all around, but especially to my husband Stoney, who biked 235 kilometers over five days of sometime late winter weather, and sometime early summer. He hadn't been able to do the training he wanted due to a torn hip labrum, which sounds painful because it is. He also has a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, whatever the heck that really is, and exercise-related asthma. He is a brave soldier, a trooper. And I think he even enjoyed it quite a bit.</p>
<p>The day billed as moderate, from Montbazon to Luynes, was not as bad as we feared. Really the climbs on the first day, up and down through farmland and forest from Montlouis back to Amboise, were worse. But we were helped by the fact that Wednesday was nice and sunny, with hardly a cloud in the sky. The route along the Indre river, beside green marshes and mills, through small medieval towns with houses and barns made of rough stone, with steep pitched roofs and gothic limestone details, was something out of a Constable painting, if he'd painted France. And it had some of the most evocative and dramatic chateaus of the entire trip. </p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AHAWtjQlqh-yZBkAZU-A6uWuSCO_gIbhm8RLC0x0QSjvljebR5Sgy2yqUS8esbtbXuVw3zv48W4CHatJvhrKV9RgQnMiAS5pEu3E1yrqjGwZb8KtyUooq-rxWPZrcE7VlKyZI3iVWYY/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525202%25253A16%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AHAWtjQlqh-yZBkAZU-A6uWuSCO_gIbhm8RLC0x0QSjvljebR5Sgy2yqUS8esbtbXuVw3zv48W4CHatJvhrKV9RgQnMiAS5pEu3E1yrqjGwZb8KtyUooq-rxWPZrcE7VlKyZI3iVWYY/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525202%25253A16%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366995465366.5735" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Azay-le-Rideau</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzLzxOggYQAZ02R298SAKWqg5Xbvc96QmVDyo2GyACY-KJZgtznBPSOEtTU3x6gOSCM8eg2fdjXhs7eH0klRdq0CwbxoPKo9Z8AN9Q4Rii3EBe1ROWGlxD1c2h9587AWLmTzL-fY_ltk/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525203%25253A00%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzLzxOggYQAZ02R298SAKWqg5Xbvc96QmVDyo2GyACY-KJZgtznBPSOEtTU3x6gOSCM8eg2fdjXhs7eH0klRdq0CwbxoPKo9Z8AN9Q4Rii3EBe1ROWGlxD1c2h9587AWLmTzL-fY_ltk/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525203%25253A00%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366995465349.6187" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="890"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from inside Azay-le-Rideau</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>First we came upon Azay-le-Rideau, a Renaissance chateau with pointed turrets and flamboyant tracery that seems to float over its own reflecting pool. The various rooms are furnished in tapestries and furniture from different eras ranging from the 1500s to the 1800s, and are lined with portraits of the various owners over the centuries. In the attic you can see the wooden structure, which is not only beautiful, but proves that there were some pretty amazing engineers building things in the France of the 1500s. There are displays on the local textiles, tapestries in mint condition, and enough stunning views to fuel years and years of interesting dreams.</p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnWV8H3KTolJezE6HSWoyDUjmFIvFRWQhrBOd8rUfZMu2e4Q5PBeXKC-pAlQzleR9BApECj9CRDsPi5zg3_qzXL69f-jnv3rEObPtuF1eDWvcKDuxOODiqb5mHz2GhFaV1BXB76t0bAm8/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A34%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnWV8H3KTolJezE6HSWoyDUjmFIvFRWQhrBOd8rUfZMu2e4Q5PBeXKC-pAlQzleR9BApECj9CRDsPi5zg3_qzXL69f-jnv3rEObPtuF1eDWvcKDuxOODiqb5mHz2GhFaV1BXB76t0bAm8/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A34%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366995465354.2102" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="890"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chateau Langeais - see the drawbridge?</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlquKxtCcaiQ6rLUMu9wcSg-IHVuizU4zs7dIMGBJUNiiDKxL0bbK4fZSYv13NrxkGx2dMh3Fi-8YqlJ6dS4XczgazwihwhEOkhqcumR6t1vbQl8ytMAG40vs4QFU7xbr5IYCz3B5nmM/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525206%25253A25%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlquKxtCcaiQ6rLUMu9wcSg-IHVuizU4zs7dIMGBJUNiiDKxL0bbK4fZSYv13NrxkGx2dMh3Fi-8YqlJ6dS4XczgazwihwhEOkhqcumR6t1vbQl8ytMAG40vs4QFU7xbr5IYCz3B5nmM/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252023%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525206%25253A25%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366995465378.1445" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="890"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from inside the keep of Langeais</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>Wednesday's second chateau was Langeais, which was introduced to us through a dramatic ride across a river through a twentieth century bridge styled with turrets to look medieval. The chateau of Langeais is massive, its heavy gray towers looming huge and forbidding over the smaller half-timbered and limestone-faced storefronts below. It evokes a sense of awe that one has to experience to believe. And I don't think it would have the same effect if we had approached it enclosed in the metal and glass compartment of a car. On the bike, you can crane your neck back and gawk at the castle as you roll toward it. Biking to these sights, as Stoney has said, gives you the ultimate cinematic tracking shot as you arrive. In a car, much of the view would be obstructed, and the experience would be truncated, too quick to savor. </p>
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<p>And the Loire should definitely be savored. It is so full of chateaus, and other surprising things, like the troglodyte villages along the river, these little towns half in caves, carved from the soft white limestone, and sometimes faced with gothic turreted castle-like fronts. We wheeled our bikes into one, and it just blew us away. I have seen drawings and paintings of little gothic villages cut into rocky ridges, with sweet small windows topped by flattened ogee arches, gnomish caves leading deep into the earth. Surely, I used to think, these are just imaginative illustrations for fantasy fiction. Not so. Those places really exist. And I've seen them.</p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZYz5lP0OfBu1lFc8KP4fVYFBA936z2Of_nKp2osrFdwsBRnotUSG9Of_MLXhF9plgVdMMOObylXhfiJIwgjlYy15pN3LIdqlsLCCYEegnDu0_x2ZLVjS_-VLYeF1Rv1qrkG_E1NJZUQ/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252024%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A25%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZYz5lP0OfBu1lFc8KP4fVYFBA936z2Of_nKp2osrFdwsBRnotUSG9Of_MLXhF9plgVdMMOObylXhfiJIwgjlYy15pN3LIdqlsLCCYEegnDu0_x2ZLVjS_-VLYeF1Rv1qrkG_E1NJZUQ/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252024%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A25%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366995465329.2825" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="890"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stoney and I in front of Eglise Candes St. Martin</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>I could, and probably will, write an entire post on why touring by bike rocks, and is my preferred method of discovering new places. For us, it turned out that 30 miles per day was about right, even in rolling terrain. We enjoyed being challenged by the hills, and the length of time spent on the magical velocipede. I think we probably averaged five hours per day on the bike, because we took it slow, pacing ourselves. And because we wanted to go slowly and really see everything. Even with that, we had a nice sit-down lunch and still got to see at least two major sites per day. But also, having to endure some aches and pains, having to keep finding enough water and food to keep us topped off was a nice way to keep us connected with our most basic selves, and to feel like we were accomplishing things daily, overcoming obstacles in a pleasurable doable fashion. And doing all of this together.<br>
</p>
<p>I will tell you, though, that my cranking on Rosetta Stone French since October, and my mostly forgotten 7 years of French, didn't go amiss. In Montlouis-sur-Loire, a place with its own wine appellation quite close to Vouvray, the waitress told me she spoke not a word of English because she was terrible at languages. I am pretty good at them, and I kept being very grateful about that on this trip. Stoney says my facility with language is my superpower. I probably have just enough French to be dangerous, but I think the key is to try speaking the local language, as a way of showing respect to the natives. They really seem to appreciate it.</p>
<p>Another bonus of going by bike is you get to see foliage and greenery you would miss inside a car. As an example, I stopped for a nature break and nearly stepped into a patch of leafy greens that I'd been seeing for a while beside the wheels of my bike, along with some other somewhat familiar things like chive flowers, mustard flowers, buttercups, borage, and I'm not sure what else. The foliage passing by on this trip has looked at times like flipping pages in Culpepper's Herbal. Just in time, I realized the reason I recognized those particular leaves was that they were nettles, which sting if they touch your skin. Disaster averted, and sense of wonder achieved. I remember from a time when herbalism interested me several years ago that nettles make a healthy tea purportedly to help with feminine complaints, but they must be parboiled first, to remove the sting. Along the bike routes of France in April are all kinds of useful and pretty herbs, growing healthy and green and wild. Our path was strewn with flowers. Come on. That's just plain awesome. And you'd never have that experience by auto.</p>
<p>I have another entire day to talk about, which started in Chinon and ended just downriver from Saumur, the biggest town we've hit so far on the bike. Saumur is full of wineries, with free tastings. As we were 6k from our hotel, we thought better of this, but we have been buying a bottle of wine a day to bring back to the hotel in our panniers, which has saved us lots of hotel surcharges, and made us feel adventurous. To talk about the different kinds of wine in this area would require another post. I'll give it a shot down the road. The wine here is very good, and probably hard to find at home. </p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyPk2mo5sIPM4vLHlpy9xypBSL_vNuoUNkN72fOqwwpLHT7rrZ5Xr9wdjLN-OXLGkEURS898kH6DyrMfeKJx5H9uUJlCf_rikKJcOenWODKiuFesKFur6MUBvcGpyj1m8Usse8KTVlIY/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252024%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525202%25253A52%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyPk2mo5sIPM4vLHlpy9xypBSL_vNuoUNkN72fOqwwpLHT7rrZ5Xr9wdjLN-OXLGkEURS898kH6DyrMfeKJx5H9uUJlCf_rikKJcOenWODKiuFesKFur6MUBvcGpyj1m8Usse8KTVlIY/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252024%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525202%25253A52%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366995465334.8938" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the Keep of Chinon</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>I'll save the Chinon day and more details for future posts. It's almost time to get ready for another insanely fancy hotel meal. Hey, it's included.</p>
<p>Cheers from the Loire! :)</p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvrKu59RwzOs7pXAl4UoxrILYRwF7nRpBcTqbYLDss7GtEbuyF6imMYycj1Ng1QHmPtt9m68aaTIner8Tzw8hwRY6NyV15YlTAwItl_IIJwG5cMefhCLRydu3uiedrIJtlAxkbijaWkQ/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252024%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525202%25253A18%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvrKu59RwzOs7pXAl4UoxrILYRwF7nRpBcTqbYLDss7GtEbuyF6imMYycj1Ng1QHmPtt9m68aaTIner8Tzw8hwRY6NyV15YlTAwItl_IIJwG5cMefhCLRydu3uiedrIJtlAxkbijaWkQ/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252024%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525202%25253A18%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366995465366.651" class="alignnone" width="500" height="890" alt=""></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joan of Arc in Chinon</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-29539565465862304242013-04-23T14:11:00.001-07:002013-04-23T14:11:03.429-07:00Paris - Loire Trip Update 4/23/13<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7L0cPyGhpagqsBL8ZcxI6-QJcUBdhHpuz0ERH0lgQxTnBEDp553n0Zffli4AioiVnM0mBA7dhNg2YHrI0S60hmvMgflTy8yow39ftJ9OGN5VT0-1Bt9d7-X6wPVqGmwb9BWnnpuIBtQQ/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252022%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525207%25253A40%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7L0cPyGhpagqsBL8ZcxI6-QJcUBdhHpuz0ERH0lgQxTnBEDp553n0Zffli4AioiVnM0mBA7dhNg2YHrI0S60hmvMgflTy8yow39ftJ9OGN5VT0-1Bt9d7-X6wPVqGmwb9BWnnpuIBtQQ/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252022%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525207%25253A40%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366751461310.1672" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chateau d'Artigny, our room is on the second floor</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>Sitting here in the room at Chateau d'Artigny, which is an impossibly fancy Belle Époque palace built by the famous French perfumer Coty.</p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzTiG6Jl4zHDUlNh9syTudAataDFEAECmROVbFrVeuJEpgMIUYGtG7K3bTYbhV85RkVWzvD3i1zxUxQvffMSfAL3wAemO9ugxV06I5m9Nt8Z74sPKlkXCeePrT1kWTdsB5j2UCRN_zmiU/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252021%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525203%25253A59%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzTiG6Jl4zHDUlNh9syTudAataDFEAECmROVbFrVeuJEpgMIUYGtG7K3bTYbhV85RkVWzvD3i1zxUxQvffMSfAL3wAemO9ugxV06I5m9Nt8Z74sPKlkXCeePrT1kWTdsB5j2UCRN_zmiU/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252021%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525203%25253A59%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366751461286.4773" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chateau de Chenenceau</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZ2CdRO2QANqCQaYP41Oh767Mg8G4hebKRHLfBbvqILmSAPYUVyZg57w1mOt-hPtO5VEESlEFRijwpR0IJ-LCsbHzuWKDy06qIXSbHxuYGciOOso2kFW52-Tj_jZKiEbe_Yhevhgu0UE/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252020%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252011%25253A13%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZ2CdRO2QANqCQaYP41Oh767Mg8G4hebKRHLfBbvqILmSAPYUVyZg57w1mOt-hPtO5VEESlEFRijwpR0IJ-LCsbHzuWKDy06qIXSbHxuYGciOOso2kFW52-Tj_jZKiEbe_Yhevhgu0UE/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252020%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252011%25253A13%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366751461345.9678" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Loire from Le Choiseul's 36</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPLC69ymWvr9RqOpR3Ob9RmkiTf0qDTWCnds0PtBoIACq0gWCJ5Vy5ZuAc3jYyAMaA8I3jr4W7TBPQklhZPS7G1sAXQkriH0UR-16Ali8-SP_BdBz-IFyXf0XhR98BTj-KU6xGV3-I7I/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252021%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525202%25253A16%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPLC69ymWvr9RqOpR3Ob9RmkiTf0qDTWCnds0PtBoIACq0gWCJ5Vy5ZuAc3jYyAMaA8I3jr4W7TBPQklhZPS7G1sAXQkriH0UR-16Ali8-SP_BdBz-IFyXf0XhR98BTj-KU6xGV3-I7I/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252021%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525202%25253A16%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366751461335.2898" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="890"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chenenceau's Ballroom over the river</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>I know. I should really STFU, because you hate me. But that's OK, wait 'till you hear about the suffering, because there is plenty. You don't want to know how my butt feels right now. You don't. Yes, the food I'm eating on this trip is some of the best I've ever had. But I'm earning it.</p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxQ-6JbQq_yoB8BXC9LuKTjC83aoIK28goedkvPyO0j0ePxRmgu3d38MB9x3G4beD686LeoRt0B7Vp5h1WGV1NXGugAnEywITJ7D2deZKMg1QD3jUPt8SIZEz5XyoRdKLfNnNG2mneQg/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252020%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A57%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxQ-6JbQq_yoB8BXC9LuKTjC83aoIK28goedkvPyO0j0ePxRmgu3d38MB9x3G4beD686LeoRt0B7Vp5h1WGV1NXGugAnEywITJ7D2deZKMg1QD3jUPt8SIZEz5XyoRdKLfNnNG2mneQg/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252020%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A57%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366751461323.4653" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amboise Chateau</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>After the first bike day, from Amboise to Chenenceau, a fairy-tale castle (sounds cliche, but just look at the picture, ok?) built over a river and passed from the famous paramour of a French king to his jealous and severe Medici wife, we had covered 50k of gravel, forest, farmland, and terrain that is not, by any stretch of the imagination, not even remotely flat. Discover France lied. They lied. I can hack it. Not sure my butt can take much more, though. Not sure my husband will survive at all. And there are still two mandatory bike days left, one billed as "Moderate," which means, if you're us and not freakin Lance Armstrong, your ass is really about to be grass. </p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0PnL_cUFzjqEflJO_mQLe5s-ILsT6L-31OBQIyv9e67zIa9y26wvQX9XMXtZsIqiA1ElqRrlkOgSKdYJpgEDcJFEd0cndPnk28Y01Q3YIjWs8SMwDB7E-A7oYdzuGbMI62oChe10edQ/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252020%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252011%25253A44%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0PnL_cUFzjqEflJO_mQLe5s-ILsT6L-31OBQIyv9e67zIa9y26wvQX9XMXtZsIqiA1ElqRrlkOgSKdYJpgEDcJFEd0cndPnk28Y01Q3YIjWs8SMwDB7E-A7oYdzuGbMI62oChe10edQ/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252020%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252011%25253A44%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366751461363.5356" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snails, Hotel Le Choiseul, my new death row dinner</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0w60WP2zsvsvEDAQj_1tawYObm4xdajLjgqI4qQckTp64mQ4jnuWQppHwOiVGJAw_IyJEnbBodCnTx0iUzClGEd2s2Aew2D9CozqfA-5pX6vzE_YbHUYDc6OMEwB1DMOY61AkdjyMYI/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252020%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A30%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0w60WP2zsvsvEDAQj_1tawYObm4xdajLjgqI4qQckTp64mQ4jnuWQppHwOiVGJAw_IyJEnbBodCnTx0iUzClGEd2s2Aew2D9CozqfA-5pX6vzE_YbHUYDc6OMEwB1DMOY61AkdjyMYI/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252020%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A30%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366751461347.1345" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chateau Amboise</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p> The night before last we had this snail appetizer covered in a creamy foam made with the local goat cheese, layered Napoleon-style with crisps of another kind of cheese or pastry. There was also some basil-infused oil in there. I can't fully describe how exquisite all this was. It had at least five interesting layers of flavor dancing on my tongue. This was at Hotel Le Choiseul's restaurant "36". Go there. It's in Amboise, which is such a lovely little town on the Loire topped with a chateau that began as a Gallo-Roman fortress, became a royal French fortress in the Middle Ages, and then was made supercool and flamboyant by King Francois I, with a bit of help from his pet Italian Renaissance artist, Leonardo da Vinci. Yeah, that guy.</p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3QLZhpImXCFfKXMSfPblBr8IWLQfvo2cuxSvkRYxTmD_BI79OKohP9WWHr6YgtQE9gP2PfocY3aptzv3113GNUqbtiuzjI7956SkDRhgPyU7PeU5-B9J_Im8QwnE4TQZNr8WjO04xw2o/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252022%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252012%25253A58%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3QLZhpImXCFfKXMSfPblBr8IWLQfvo2cuxSvkRYxTmD_BI79OKohP9WWHr6YgtQE9gP2PfocY3aptzv3113GNUqbtiuzjI7956SkDRhgPyU7PeU5-B9J_Im8QwnE4TQZNr8WjO04xw2o/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252022%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252012%25253A58%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366751461372.2888" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leonardo's Last Home, Clos Luce</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p> Today we set out from Amboise intending to visit Leonardo's final domicile and workspace at Clos Luce, but alas we discovered they wanted 18 euros 50 each for the entrance, and we are not idiots. Still you can walk in and look at the house. It's very pretty.</p>
<p>So let me outline the suffering for ya. This evening I took a shower and was washing the unmentionable bits, and I realized that my butt wasn't larger because I had been eating too much, although I had, but because it was swollen for being on the bike saddle for hours and hours and hours. The saddles on these bikes are quite hard, not puffy. Very nice quality, fancy brand, but ow. Thank goodness that part of one goes numb after awhile. And then there's the magic cream, the Hoo-Ha Ride Glide that is a bit tingly and lessens the hot spots. Thank goodness for that. My husband joked that he'd like to sit in a bucket of it. If only we'd brought one.</p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPUqIWFecXH3CVliL0ydSs8nE4uFTUHWalljkyjdzUlKJzK3arrgXaDA2aY8smmpoXcaOSv4n3VLQ8fbT3Oz569wnDYTux_boy2lbd46LRf2B2QVd1yHGdnametfmeBvTfvzZDR1sncEY/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252022%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525202%25253A50%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPUqIWFecXH3CVliL0ydSs8nE4uFTUHWalljkyjdzUlKJzK3arrgXaDA2aY8smmpoXcaOSv4n3VLQ8fbT3Oz569wnDYTux_boy2lbd46LRf2B2QVd1yHGdnametfmeBvTfvzZDR1sncEY/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252022%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525202%25253A50%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366751461333.1462" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 Needful Beers in Montlious</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p> Today at lunch, when we'd reached a town that had a little bar, we broke down and had beer at 11:30am just because it would lessen the aches and pains. But what has happened to us? Are we so much softer than when we took that Italian bike tour six years ago? Have we aged that fast? Apparently so.</p>
<p> At the end of the first day, Stoney asked me why we do these kinds of things to ourselves on vacation. We were so tired and in so much pain, and had eaten so much rich food we could hardly speak.</p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadL_Rflk3GaIYeRqRPffKILpmFGVA6HgQYlcPnd52138jznZH2NC74klgmxbSRRAFkuP1MRWYLmsqNf8kN8TsVEhSeFJkeJmM9us3ttDyq7m65n2rAkA-z092Ar8FZt6oac4VpqcVrz0/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252022%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252012%25253A17%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadL_Rflk3GaIYeRqRPffKILpmFGVA6HgQYlcPnd52138jznZH2NC74klgmxbSRRAFkuP1MRWYLmsqNf8kN8TsVEhSeFJkeJmM9us3ttDyq7m65n2rAkA-z092Ar8FZt6oac4VpqcVrz0/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252022%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252012%25253A17%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366751461377.9844" class="alignnone" width="500" height="281" alt=""></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Margaret and Stoney in Ancient Cave, which serves as a bike storage garage at Le Choiseul</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>But the fact was we had bonded so much over these travails, moment after crazy moment, we had laughed so much at our own foolishness and had marveled at the landscape, the storybook fortresses and chateaus. Have we bitten off more than we can chew? Oh, yes. But the sky, when it's blue, has Peter Max Yellow Submarine clouds floating in it. This part of France is just waking up to spring in that exuberant tender hopeful way that only places that have had long bitter winters can. You can still see winter's mistletoe on the leafless oaks, but on every tree and bush there are soft buds, and the earliest blooming trees are in full pink regalia, and the vineyards are sprinkled with marguerites and mustard flowers. We cheer each other through the tough parts, coach each other up the cruelly steep hills, celebrate the glorious descents, moon over the pretty bike paths through the vineyards and rolling farmland. Each sip of wine has new flavors, each new extravagant hotel is shockingly scenic, and too much for us. And we forge ahead. Proving we can do it, even when it's hard, especially when it's hard.</p>
<p>So my answer to my husband's his question, why?</p>
<p>"Because it's fun."</p>
<p> His reply to that? "I suppose that's right."</p>
<p>Tomorrow is that brutal "moderate" day, though, punctuated with magical castles and rivers and forests and charm, and one terrible hill, right toward the end. It may just kill us, so please, wish us luck.</p>
<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-83573414670645709392013-04-19T17:22:00.001-07:002013-04-19T17:35:44.982-07:00Paris Diary 4/20/13<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Jzm5kDY4sfOoKllb97qYlQM3SigMi7L-828bY88OB45qX2Lc8_wO9oRdMDPqig1p14u0EcokdG5ifO6DrXrbHzRKdqHmsSmu4Ft4RrGXM2g0uVktS2SVaWgVsbyhGqXeJx-YK1FLPS8/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A44%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=" "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Jzm5kDY4sfOoKllb97qYlQM3SigMi7L-828bY88OB45qX2Lc8_wO9oRdMDPqig1p14u0EcokdG5ifO6DrXrbHzRKdqHmsSmu4Ft4RrGXM2g0uVktS2SVaWgVsbyhGqXeJx-YK1FLPS8/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A44%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366417377988.1533" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maccarons in St. Germain. Mangez!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviXVyki1c6UTZsumccuNInXAqed0ijh7_ODp1tugJ0JPXpRiDuoGvmf-7dpvNixc48lItGXSsSKV8tmi7ikwd3Zu0wZqOYzrGvWbEAEvVKEJjlEZCpmuaGnt4eYrt1Z6cFmD7Bay1T0k/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A29%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=" "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviXVyki1c6UTZsumccuNInXAqed0ijh7_ODp1tugJ0JPXpRiDuoGvmf-7dpvNixc48lItGXSsSKV8tmi7ikwd3Zu0wZqOYzrGvWbEAEvVKEJjlEZCpmuaGnt4eYrt1Z6cFmD7Bay1T0k/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A29%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366417378026.6143" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="890"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Sulpice Church, key in The DaVinci Code</td></tr></tbody></table><p> I just can't sleep on planes, so here I am, as my husband snores lightly next to me, organizing my photos and thoughts at one in the morning Paris time.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNYV3h-u1MZ8l6KpnMcaekOyqP_nDhBZHn4t1HmiGWXE_SMQkN34pPxQbLr-PTxEhJoxcifnWhbnsLjOfUoOov4eN2yZh1Hed_YjTTB7pYzMugI-80nkukHVzSEejL8Ljx4LHAvWeeTE/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A45%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=" "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNYV3h-u1MZ8l6KpnMcaekOyqP_nDhBZHn4t1HmiGWXE_SMQkN34pPxQbLr-PTxEhJoxcifnWhbnsLjOfUoOov4eN2yZh1Hed_YjTTB7pYzMugI-80nkukHVzSEejL8Ljx4LHAvWeeTE/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A45%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366417378071.3164" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="890"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cour du Commerce St. Andrea in St. Germain</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We are staying in a very cute boutique hotel in the St. Germain area, which is the 6th arrondissement. Paris is divided into arrondissements or little neighborhoods that each have the feeling of little villages with their own unique character. They spiral outward from the original city island in the Seine, called Ile de la Cite, like the swirls of a snail shell. In the 6th arrondissement, you find the area of Paris known as the Latin Quarter, because it's the part of town that contains several universities, including the Sorbonne and the University of Paris. The University of Paris is the oldest university in the world, in fact, the faculty of the University created that word 'Universita', which was the name of the guild they formed for their new trade as educators. In the Middle Ages, the students actually spoke Latin to each other, Latin being one of their main courses of study, which became a common language for students from all over Europe, so that's how this little neighborhood came to be known as the Latin quarter.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHD9DtrJEz8QPw0cEsoOafCL3uRrI1o3UYl03PpSg7qXFUiXGpWgObr43EndWPpxOzvIMEyR1ARxLWxjmfTCC3MFNOf6pcsXzpW1RneAC4eYpWV8YyxATc-AuWBWSbGjt1YTAUXYGqpIs/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252020%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252012%25253A59%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=" "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHD9DtrJEz8QPw0cEsoOafCL3uRrI1o3UYl03PpSg7qXFUiXGpWgObr43EndWPpxOzvIMEyR1ARxLWxjmfTCC3MFNOf6pcsXzpW1RneAC4eYpWV8YyxATc-AuWBWSbGjt1YTAUXYGqpIs/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252020%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252012%25253A59%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366417378001.212" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="375"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hotel Esprit St. Germain</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The hotel is called the Esprit St. Germain, or the spirit of St. Germain, and it's on Rue St. Sulpice, which fans of The DaVinci Code may remember for the church of the same name, where is found the Rose line, which is supposed to be the meridian line of Paris. There is a plaque on the floor where the sun shines through a lens in a window and dramatically hits key points on the summer and winter solstices and the equinoxes. This configuration was designed by the famous French astronomer Sully in the 18th century.</p><p> But enough history! What have I been eating? The short answer is: too damn much. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJOBxzlCD47nA7mQ48zPSqxkYhXcBR2nV78GTyeLc_iNwqPmHgOsQKLq17D3wEMi0ckcMuGMzS5jl3PlX0QnLyTaALQOKXzXLzluT3FiV-voeYL3wg54zaDXQAM0eBi7L80Ms2Uo1xR0/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525206%25253A24%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=" "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJOBxzlCD47nA7mQ48zPSqxkYhXcBR2nV78GTyeLc_iNwqPmHgOsQKLq17D3wEMi0ckcMuGMzS5jl3PlX0QnLyTaALQOKXzXLzluT3FiV-voeYL3wg54zaDXQAM0eBi7L80Ms2Uo1xR0/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525206%25253A24%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366417378009.8198" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duck foie gras at Le Comptoir</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewlLr4WhBkcjgDJ8OMTewoR_tnCX7ixS0PzQYJJhL9aVkW-Yyia6Q6smJfKv82FFJciwFuXxFz1Zd2mHgLOI2BtfN3NMxYKe7PjZmv2eFyXRP7xcZ7q4lwOCaLxJ2JdOeS_jNypVtj10/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525206%25253A24%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=" "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewlLr4WhBkcjgDJ8OMTewoR_tnCX7ixS0PzQYJJhL9aVkW-Yyia6Q6smJfKv82FFJciwFuXxFz1Zd2mHgLOI2BtfN3NMxYKe7PjZmv2eFyXRP7xcZ7q4lwOCaLxJ2JdOeS_jNypVtj10/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525206%25253A24%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366417377998.6282" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Le Comptoir's Filet</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1zo495IVfT0b5SXRjxpf08WiYz4MXbS1uAbE7l_KTrhoT59iXiitqDtJtT7bOVklU5q_0PCuMSJ2GB9B-7aTyWIP6xcU-FjGcSzGX3cTqoovedG4-CHB4H6Fhe-o7pNyvYDyrL1ca-U/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525206%25253A18%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=" "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1zo495IVfT0b5SXRjxpf08WiYz4MXbS1uAbE7l_KTrhoT59iXiitqDtJtT7bOVklU5q_0PCuMSJ2GB9B-7aTyWIP6xcU-FjGcSzGX3cTqoovedG4-CHB4H6Fhe-o7pNyvYDyrL1ca-U/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525206%25253A18%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366417378016.9443" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saumur white wine and crusty bread at Le Comptoir</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The recent Paris episode of Bourdain's The Layover inspired us to wait in line for Le Comptoir, where we ordered the filet of beef because we kept seeing it go by and it looked and smelled so delicious. It was a lot of very pink delicious beef. Amazing poivre wine sauce. The beef tastes better, richer more minerally, and yet lighter than our beef in the States. There was some kind of buttery mashed potato and parsnip wine sauce vat o joy on the side that we simply could not stop eating, even though it seemed to contain an entire stick of butter. I had the duck foie gras because it's amazing stuff, and because L.A. has outlawed it. LIttle baby romaine, caramelized pickled onions, wine reduction, plummy mustardy jam on the side, and some very lovely round Saumur white wine with some tropical fruit and stone fruit notes to wash it all down. The wine was so reasonable! The steak was not reasonable at all. Wow! Yum! </p><p>Le Comptoir has gorgeous mini rack of lamb, lots of different kind of terrines, including Bourdain's fave, the black boudin. We're thinking of going back tomorrow to try more things off the menu, since it's just down the block from our hotel. The Bourdain episode means this place is packed with eager American foodies, so better to eat here late, around two or so, like we did. As we enjoyed our wine and it got later, we noticed the kitchen staff coming in with bags and bags of fresh produce for the impending dinner service. We also saw that as it got later, the English-speaking tourists gave way to lots of passionate French foodies, a good sign.</p><p>Le Comptoir is near a nexus of major streets, so it's an optimal place to people watch. French men really love to rock the brightly colored scarf, and they make it look so good. They are not allergic to pink, as are their American counterparts. I must try to take more street style photos.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowJhOxCD0J1BClsASEmO-3rscSGx7-c4DVTH9U2u9vDTcSkFaQuTMZGhDeY-7qYv7bdavYMagrHYa_vN0HAYJgbS3_889iJvLTs27zFPf66rbGzW_CvKwgPLpETpCtnC4Xp4rPKwmtJY/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252019%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252012%25253A23%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="text-align: center; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowJhOxCD0J1BClsASEmO-3rscSGx7-c4DVTH9U2u9vDTcSkFaQuTMZGhDeY-7qYv7bdavYMagrHYa_vN0HAYJgbS3_889iJvLTs27zFPf66rbGzW_CvKwgPLpETpCtnC4Xp4rPKwmtJY/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252019%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252012%25253A23%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366417378035.4675" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="500"></a></p><p>My husband was so thrilled we ended up on this double decker airbus with Air France. It was very comfortable, even in coach, and there's loads of carry on luggage space. The screens on the back of the seat in front of you have the all-important on demand media center with plenty of TV and movies, and there's also a live map to show you where you are, and views outside the plan from three cameras, one mounted on the tail facing forward, one on the nose, and one on the belly of the plane showing the clouds and landscape below. Very fun! Stoney kept telling me were were not on a plan but a really cool spaceship.</p><p>The chocolate and maccaron stores in St. Germain are ridiculous and tempting and wrong. Yes, I've eaten more than my share of chocolate truffles now and I'm only one day in. Trouble, people. Thank goodness I'm biking for a week starting Sunday.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxdFWwNRDfD9FX3zNCKpjuYO5hnnwfnITNBX1AcxohlPc8RBdovj-2Bk9wqAXxNrw6xbzFSuPx2rbDYus_hc9dhKJrmMblQcLP_tftOtx5lUszQ-lyob2JM12e_BoCYWWMl3dUbufKIs/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A44%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=" "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxdFWwNRDfD9FX3zNCKpjuYO5hnnwfnITNBX1AcxohlPc8RBdovj-2Bk9wqAXxNrw6xbzFSuPx2rbDYus_hc9dhKJrmMblQcLP_tftOtx5lUszQ-lyob2JM12e_BoCYWWMl3dUbufKIs/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A44%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366417378089.598" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate Fishies</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZk-cnSGwldDqdPnESuyavcMX-ULFLMxAmOJn0Gu_dqcAOI7Zl-mmuLhH_hWnwBl-_hyphenhyphenyb_qqUbcVttK3ddWJHyJZsDQRoA3ZtSPDzaBVSgq0LiS5I0SJ5d54d674F0lRBmUhES3BgxIE/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A41%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=" "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZk-cnSGwldDqdPnESuyavcMX-ULFLMxAmOJn0Gu_dqcAOI7Zl-mmuLhH_hWnwBl-_hyphenhyphenyb_qqUbcVttK3ddWJHyJZsDQRoA3ZtSPDzaBVSgq0LiS5I0SJ5d54d674F0lRBmUhES3BgxIE/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A41%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366417378001.73" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Candypalooza in a French Newstand. Buhbye, Diet!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqySvcLpXtG7TAXbfRk4WEadcJh5hojl-RnAOkU751Lk67_jpOL2oCr_RwTACVnJ1EzKCY-8TMtasldZd1r6_PEKB7PoErdarbjrESWCLHx_t_74UgmXhh8OmoFm7kjtYsVAyYWwufnM/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A41%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=" "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqySvcLpXtG7TAXbfRk4WEadcJh5hojl-RnAOkU751Lk67_jpOL2oCr_RwTACVnJ1EzKCY-8TMtasldZd1r6_PEKB7PoErdarbjrESWCLHx_t_74UgmXhh8OmoFm7kjtYsVAyYWwufnM/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A41%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366417378072.1343" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Crazy Candy!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0TFy9RIXF2CSedJGrPbdKzjEcjntZROhaQFLik-eLkJezmBsyYgoABr3JAHVpz5ZFO8-220SalyTf4de86ijqnUZ6XHNlHb7li4xsZ5dNova0O0lD7vMxgd8aA0umn3XOJU6eSHFnWY/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A44%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=" "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0TFy9RIXF2CSedJGrPbdKzjEcjntZROhaQFLik-eLkJezmBsyYgoABr3JAHVpz5ZFO8-220SalyTf4de86ijqnUZ6XHNlHb7li4xsZ5dNova0O0lD7vMxgd8aA0umn3XOJU6eSHFnWY/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A44%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366417378031.6206" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="890"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art de Chocolate</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhdw3XQEP8Gz1MJvK0S5lTm0DGA6-q1wV6ZRx17F-Hqf7NHt9guJFFY-owMFg7mH7LBuafdAJkpaVdMlnaRTpRjxdmLWw6erYSKWKrFOCWpfEaVz6UEL0NmLicWeVB-JGILL5iZXn4MU/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A35%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=" "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhdw3XQEP8Gz1MJvK0S5lTm0DGA6-q1wV6ZRx17F-Hqf7NHt9guJFFY-owMFg7mH7LBuafdAJkpaVdMlnaRTpRjxdmLWw6erYSKWKrFOCWpfEaVz6UEL0NmLicWeVB-JGILL5iZXn4MU/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A35%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366417378084.2153" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="281"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What exactly do they serve at Schmuck's?</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvaieIq7w2mPVg2kniVpAmXjRV6jvR5jKuZkeHQ9jphvIfcMThDfU-5a61LJTwR5mfG9nDsxGmtmFyqY0qJIJ4BoGg6MOLtbwbalozxe9vVvMNCvcHitCAx7zP_kvvb_b1ghhApdmJ-Q/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A35%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=" "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvaieIq7w2mPVg2kniVpAmXjRV6jvR5jKuZkeHQ9jphvIfcMThDfU-5a61LJTwR5mfG9nDsxGmtmFyqY0qJIJ4BoGg6MOLtbwbalozxe9vVvMNCvcHitCAx7zP_kvvb_b1ghhApdmJ-Q/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252018%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525205%25253A35%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366417378091.4626" class="aligncenter" width="500" height="890" alt=""></a><br />
</td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Menu at Schmuck's</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;">Just down the street from Le Comptoir is a restaurant called Schmuck's, which serves something called a Schmuck Burger. Would you try it? Now I do speak a bit of Yiddish, and I'm very concerned.</td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Menu at Schmuck's</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Well, that's it from today's Paris Diary! Thanks for visiting my blog!</p><p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-59653106166526721602013-04-15T18:49:00.001-07:002013-04-15T18:49:37.930-07:00Paris Palette Aquas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBudZTcOqxzWfl6VPlB_Cn8DFqFoq5a3L5lKygeI-5aoGEATuxZamvBJXcmbxe9N4K0N6n6OXiK2EY_RXm7ILdrafnAUcSMWgPAqGk7rYHg-6Ibi8qwbXuFNig_PLDU3m1pUqCa8ZKe0/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252015%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525209%25253A21%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBudZTcOqxzWfl6VPlB_Cn8DFqFoq5a3L5lKygeI-5aoGEATuxZamvBJXcmbxe9N4K0N6n6OXiK2EY_RXm7ILdrafnAUcSMWgPAqGk7rYHg-6Ibi8qwbXuFNig_PLDU3m1pUqCa8ZKe0/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252015%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525209%25253A21%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366076979529.6953" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="667"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ZiKABOLClbOllKIKswfKSFSzfCSL6SSH1J7-L9mNUioth-zJQgEa360hqkbG4TRPMuLxXh1p1_GldMJ7guJD7XITMbm89xkd-4bedEls1_a3vBSo6Qd2E5-VpXmlPvyNnLpYea5pDZw/s881/Photo%252520Feb%25252014%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A43%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ZiKABOLClbOllKIKswfKSFSzfCSL6SSH1J7-L9mNUioth-zJQgEa360hqkbG4TRPMuLxXh1p1_GldMJ7guJD7XITMbm89xkd-4bedEls1_a3vBSo6Qd2E5-VpXmlPvyNnLpYea5pDZw/s500/Photo%252520Feb%25252014%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A43%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366076979580.8274" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="333"></a></div>
<p> Three days until I get on the plane to Paris, and since the beautiful Sigma Paris Palette is too bulky to take with me, I want to use it as much as I can before I leave.</p>
<p>By the way, if anyone at Sigma is listening, it would be so cool to have a small portable version of this palette. The shades are unique and special, and I love them very much. The graphics on the palette are pretty, classy and evocative of the city, but if they made a version that included just the eye shadows and was about the size of the Naked Basics palette, I would so be taking it with me! And I'd buy one for all my friends.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCsGTOOBMfSMicPJrN-zZ9B9NFtEgtV5K-ZgZLiqoY71CusPrJ_g7MaRYql5C8cUNm8WagGyijK5LbpXoL38oU5bVZRpLoOORUTDtWGFC9hAbT6Qt2My7X8y9savxKcLklrgZ6bb_ZYo/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252015%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525209%25253A21%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCsGTOOBMfSMicPJrN-zZ9B9NFtEgtV5K-ZgZLiqoY71CusPrJ_g7MaRYql5C8cUNm8WagGyijK5LbpXoL38oU5bVZRpLoOORUTDtWGFC9hAbT6Qt2My7X8y9savxKcLklrgZ6bb_ZYo/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252015%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525209%25253A21%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1366076979559.3677" class="alignnone" width="500" height="667" alt=""></a></div>
<p> So i used these shades this way:</p>
<ul>
<li>Versailles across the lids to the crease</li>
<li>Peche blush in the crease</li>
<li>Lumiere highlighter on the brow bones</li>
<li>Orsay on outer V of lids</li>
<li>Louvre layered over Orsay at outer edge of V</li>
<li>Seine along both lash lines</li>
<li>L'Oréal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black with Anastasia Lash Genius over it</li>
</ul>
<p> Do you own the Paris palette? How do you like to use it?</p>
<p>One more thing: I'll be blogging about food and travel while I'm in Paris. And biking. We're biking among the chateaux of the Loire Valley. And wine, makeup and shopping, so subscribe and keep watching this blog for more!</p>
<p>Merci!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>BeautyJones</p>
<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-38079495967361286222013-04-09T22:20:00.001-07:002013-04-10T10:47:55.481-07:00Revisiting the NYX "butt" naked Palette<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBlcXG-SD4_Zxlss0swBwWW1VISiFE7615Lo8-kp39To-buZaMQO7HAlzONn97PHFNQtsOzcMUj4b593uOdr-9GhKb5_R2zBTAUMJWTsORlSEaoPjzEw8sZPaLLxDsaVKYbAhGgIjGGn8C/s1600/IMG_1032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBlcXG-SD4_Zxlss0swBwWW1VISiFE7615Lo8-kp39To-buZaMQO7HAlzONn97PHFNQtsOzcMUj4b593uOdr-9GhKb5_R2zBTAUMJWTsORlSEaoPjzEw8sZPaLLxDsaVKYbAhGgIjGGn8C/s640/IMG_1032.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
Say you're going back for your high school reunion and you're thinking about that guy, that cute guy you had a fling with for a few months. He was the coolest, and most fun, the hottest, that twinkle in his eye. And then you go back, and you realize he's only okay.<br />
<br />
That describes my experience this morning with what once was my favorite palette. I'd still use this in a pinch, don't get me wrong. As you can see, it has an impressive array of neutrals, and some lovely and versatile blushes, to boot.<br />
<br />
But it's so weird for me to realize this because I used to do my face with this thing every single day. And now I'm kind of over it.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxH3o1Jjn9S_A57ffZRqbR8Q0H2cYacB2d2xP5a0Z7LU9BbFEA5rVJmekUKhVs8eYP9CIe-xsNye3ak4_VncZC-cRr-rrMKRvKI83i67zOmQEOr9rcdw-pjvGef6xPJqujsgxXEOc1f5J/s1600/IMG_1278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxH3o1Jjn9S_A57ffZRqbR8Q0H2cYacB2d2xP5a0Z7LU9BbFEA5rVJmekUKhVs8eYP9CIe-xsNye3ak4_VncZC-cRr-rrMKRvKI83i67zOmQEOr9rcdw-pjvGef6xPJqujsgxXEOc1f5J/s640/IMG_1278.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NYX "butt" naked palette - lower drawer with blushes, contour and highlighters</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnyBnXuIvA6cHbWrRkPivDWMkSKcat75fzi56hYI_WIavOdy-kBRfC55aNI7xUg1pvWzdVRHLwv-l1hlif2JS9UqzTyenqX4nHWtpa6K96eGDmKbyQLjxrm_VRAqbtbrtBYquY6DrmxAE/s1600/IMG_1274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnyBnXuIvA6cHbWrRkPivDWMkSKcat75fzi56hYI_WIavOdy-kBRfC55aNI7xUg1pvWzdVRHLwv-l1hlif2JS9UqzTyenqX4nHWtpa6K96eGDmKbyQLjxrm_VRAqbtbrtBYquY6DrmxAE/s640/IMG_1274.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NYX "butt" naked palette, top drawer, shadows. I want to reorganize this thang!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lXMDq-0rSUadvdMjjUIHpWhNK7OiFTxoVDKkKTPuRa0bGwz3Q2OSqRH5Lqhfs_pAz6wEdKwmdJaUiM3_5Y61C44LuNplBCaSG4zo3D-NJibF-O1Gp07u9h5c7NIESclEofJ9Rgp-Fu3B/s1600/IMG_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lXMDq-0rSUadvdMjjUIHpWhNK7OiFTxoVDKkKTPuRa0bGwz3Q2OSqRH5Lqhfs_pAz6wEdKwmdJaUiM3_5Y61C44LuNplBCaSG4zo3D-NJibF-O1Gp07u9h5c7NIESclEofJ9Rgp-Fu3B/s640/IMG_1024.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
The trouble is, I've got the Viseart #1eye shadow palette now, and even better, the Mehron neutrals, too. And these blend so very well, and afford the option to create any number of subtle looks, in less time, requiring less blending. So my old friend is just not as good. The shadow colors don't make a smooth spectrum of browns and grays, and the finishes, although interesting, are uneven in their payoff. I wish they were arranged in a more logical fashion. But here is the look I made with them.<br />
<br />
My complaint with the blushes is that they have large chunks of glitter rather than fine-milled shimmer. The thing that ruined me for these is the Sleek Face Form. Especially its highlighter, is so much more luxe. The shiny bits are fine-milled, but it's pigmented and slips onto the places you put it like a whisper. In contrast, the NYX one shouts. I do like the coral-pink blush in the NYX palette, though.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJItbU4J0z8JBOfi4-8E06_6rIvHGkcZqLBM36saum3fpOaqPKG8gOaBp6K_-f0C-mzOsf6K4ssavdGGKY7uwHjrXh2nYJrlw87rhluoWGhRW80Iv_xcms00QVU1yqNw6GVEzt4QJMC1D/s1600/IMG_1027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJItbU4J0z8JBOfi4-8E06_6rIvHGkcZqLBM36saum3fpOaqPKG8gOaBp6K_-f0C-mzOsf6K4ssavdGGKY7uwHjrXh2nYJrlw87rhluoWGhRW80Iv_xcms00QVU1yqNw6GVEzt4QJMC1D/s640/IMG_1027.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzW9BlUoJlCLjGPsRELlrLdurGnl12r-24LBNRcwFsyzdC9zGmH_awprzRW4UsAn-bpL8umFjM_eAq0P3OdzqqcGEAuAyD4-HbTcXBZKXuxIPqZclJmRBIwZubufdul7wkc9aU3YTcHRv/s1600/DG_donger_needs_food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzW9BlUoJlCLjGPsRELlrLdurGnl12r-24LBNRcwFsyzdC9zGmH_awprzRW4UsAn-bpL8umFjM_eAq0P3OdzqqcGEAuAyD4-HbTcXBZKXuxIPqZclJmRBIwZubufdul7wkc9aU3YTcHRv/s640/DG_donger_needs_food.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I put this Darling Girl shade on the eyelids. Gold with a green shift. I had to warm it up with Cocoa from my Mehron palette, otherwise it would have looked <br />
a bit light a healing bruise, on my skin tone.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The smashbox brow tech to go pencil rocks, I must say! Maybe I'm going too far with the brows, like to Audrey Hepburn proportions, but I don't care. I love the romance of these dramatic brow shapes.<br />
<br />
I find I can't go out lately without a winged out black eye liner. My fave is the Maybelline Eye Studio felt tip liner. Get you one!<br />
<br />
So today's makeup was a lot of look, as Tim Gunn might say. One of the things amping it up was the NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk on the lower waterline. It's very showy showgirl. Not <i>Showgirls</i>. Get your mind out of the gutter, now!<br />
<br />
What do you think of this look? Ever been in love with a product, then find, after using others, that you've moved on? Tell me about it below. Let us discuss, elicidate, elaborate, People!<br />
<br />
Did this lip with one of the Cover Girl chunky lip pencils - No. 2340, which is a catchy name - not! Very pretty color, though. Does any drugstore brand not have a line of chunky lip pencils nowadays? And seriously, is it really all that different from just your garden variety lipstick in it's old fashioned tube? But I love the cherry beet red tone. Bit of a surprise, really.<br />
<br />
Anyway, did I mention I'm going to France next week? Hope to video, blog, and all that good stuff! Yay!!!<br />
<br />
Love, BeautyJones! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-57382875694520926782013-04-04T08:14:00.001-07:002013-04-04T08:14:24.624-07:00Spring FOTD Pinks, Lavenders and Raspberries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGvOlUC5n6Bk6ViqkcZ12g2AlZMn9zG9ajgeAKTK4RERGdjBqMJS3ZZ31OPfl-E2RGzGSc88zvmrYLRnam11_UQZaySsuFcgS0CboxfQWVM9fS4B7Zg4fmjVCFmwk6008ChH6tHHFwY4/s1017/Photo%252520Apr%2525202%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A52%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGvOlUC5n6Bk6ViqkcZ12g2AlZMn9zG9ajgeAKTK4RERGdjBqMJS3ZZ31OPfl-E2RGzGSc88zvmrYLRnam11_UQZaySsuFcgS0CboxfQWVM9fS4B7Zg4fmjVCFmwk6008ChH6tHHFwY4/s500/Photo%252520Apr%2525202%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A52%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1365088463423.4878" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="483"></a></div>
<p>Here's a springy FOTD look using a Mac Holiday Glamor Daze palette I got for Christmas. It's got some lovely shimmery mauves, taupes, purples and pinks. I used the Sleek Makeup eye primer palette, the frosty pink shade, to anchor this, and Face:</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgmcipDieEbR4C3R2bUVd_oBeXwRE4D91-HtySbioGmIavpu0HYMgNuzQKqkhG_3t5gtHIZqKiPYkYVPR9bG4EOSTZggUhUi3NYXXes9L5_jex_nNF6G7DmTs0RukWcSWo72lp5hbnx4/s845/Photo%252520Apr%2525202%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A52%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgmcipDieEbR4C3R2bUVd_oBeXwRE4D91-HtySbioGmIavpu0HYMgNuzQKqkhG_3t5gtHIZqKiPYkYVPR9bG4EOSTZggUhUi3NYXXes9L5_jex_nNF6G7DmTs0RukWcSWo72lp5hbnx4/s500/Photo%252520Apr%2525202%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A52%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1365088463396.389" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="490"></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentrée</li>
<li>LaRoche-Posay Primer SPF 50+</li>
<li>Revlon Colorstay Oily/Combination Foundation in Natural Beige</li>
<li>Maybelline Fit Me Concealer under eyes</li>
<li>Dermablend Concealer in Sand on blemishes</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQC5G1X_VjDnH8LUas_M7lxxcS2HogGjqFC1GAz3RvhgNfSbJQSPb5AX6T9RxO7gTQKe9Wb17ys1kYv2bTy01_83gbAxSSVw415i2Jzo4FrPI86LqufoBIhMCvOdcs7yMMtAHcvZ8cJU/s259/Photo%252520Feb%25252013%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525209%25253A22%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQC5G1X_VjDnH8LUas_M7lxxcS2HogGjqFC1GAz3RvhgNfSbJQSPb5AX6T9RxO7gTQKe9Wb17ys1kYv2bTy01_83gbAxSSVw415i2Jzo4FrPI86LqufoBIhMCvOdcs7yMMtAHcvZ8cJU/s259/Photo%252520Feb%25252013%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525209%25253A22%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1365088463388.4875" class="alignnone" alt="" width="259" height="194"></a><br>
</p>
<p>Cheeks:</p>
<ul>
<li>Sleek Makeup Face Form in Light</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRCkoSzOg1HBI3PoPJV9gPMUax3wDhZJv6t1KPX2CEU35FClQXJ5WC66NVkgff4bzS6tcuxb3cZNteKZDW2L2uR40vJAR5WZOLqqiPBhqsAy7AUmzyPSfr1cN-OOuGyXwM-fiYQCa_VQ/s500/Photo%252520Feb%25252018%25252C%2525202011%25252C%2525201%25253A42%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRCkoSzOg1HBI3PoPJV9gPMUax3wDhZJv6t1KPX2CEU35FClQXJ5WC66NVkgff4bzS6tcuxb3cZNteKZDW2L2uR40vJAR5WZOLqqiPBhqsAy7AUmzyPSfr1cN-OOuGyXwM-fiYQCa_VQ/s500/Photo%252520Feb%25252018%25252C%2525202011%25252C%2525201%25253A42%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1365088463397.8438" class="alignnone" alt="" width="500" height="332"></a></div>
<p>Eyes:</p>
<ul>
<li>Base: Pink Shimmery Shade from Sleek Eye Primer Palette (top row second from right)</li>
<li>MAC Fabulousness Smokey Eyes Palette, which contains the shades from left to right: Love Spice (frosty pink), Satin Taupe (frosty taupe with silver shimmer), Taupleless (lustre mauve) Spellcaster (Matte bluish purple black) Black Slip (shimmery plummy black). Love spice on Lid; Satin Taupe in crease. Spellcaster deep in crease and on upper and lower lash line. Black Slip to deepen in crease and along lash line</li>
<li>Smashbox Eye Tech to Go in Taupe on Brows</li>
<li>L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black</li>
<li>Urban Decay 24/7 Pencils in Rockstar and LSD. LSD is that crazy bright purple. I put it just under the eyes in the center, and rimmed the rest with Rockstar, which is a softer bronzier purple.</li>
<li>Maybelline Eye Studio Eye Precise black liner pen. Gotta use this for the right finish. My favorite eye liner.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9oOmz1ZfVi8rs3jE0Qf86BD_3UkgirW1b8Frrx8WOG8nSK5qShPpeGglbvHcNmSgKDGN82EiZQteuYaUwxUnltJg7g53JQ1-tknnIl4A9dIG_qhl0M3yPDFXV0fUnvp_d-znQQpSZe6w/s300/Photo%252520Sep%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525202%25253A34%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9oOmz1ZfVi8rs3jE0Qf86BD_3UkgirW1b8Frrx8WOG8nSK5qShPpeGglbvHcNmSgKDGN82EiZQteuYaUwxUnltJg7g53JQ1-tknnIl4A9dIG_qhl0M3yPDFXV0fUnvp_d-znQQpSZe6w/s300/Photo%252520Sep%25252027%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525202%25253A34%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1365088463438.6218" class="alignnone" width="300" height="239" alt=""></a></div>
<p> Lips:</p>
<p>Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie - such a fun rich fuchsia shade!</p>
<p> NOTES: </p>
<ul>
<li>The Sleek eye primer creased. I have tried the purple one and, unfortunately, it creased after about four hours. This makes it a no-go for me. For my upcoming trip to France, I'm going to depot several of my Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes shades and some Maybelline Color Tattoos into some Cinema Secrets welled palettes so I have some nice colorful bases for me. What would Paris be with out a dark shimmery smokey eye, I ask you? Answer: Unimaginable.</li>
<li>I do like the colors in the MAC Palette. I still don't see what's so great about MAC shadows that I should pay fifteen bucks for each one, rather than five to seven bucks for one equally lovely Inglot or Makeup Geek one. Or four bucks for an amazing drugstore palette like Wet n' Wild Color Icon in Comfort Zone. Still, it's pretty and such cute packaging</li>
</ul>
<p> Thanks for visiting my blog! Please feel free to comment below.</p>
<p>Love, BeautyJones!</p>
<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-3687578961872236752013-04-01T18:45:00.000-07:002013-04-04T08:15:55.735-07:00FOTD Cool Shimmery Neutrals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCS0ns-MhRfDhP2G1uezxUoLByHK8tR8paBZHoDDfHLNEc4F7O9B9e9gSdO-BYK1dqyGDvlYR5GaMixeqsFA06iYVBnpeky5bHa3llypBp18BntzbSLBJjFFzKggBC9wtmWpxXunRgCIQ/s1024/Photo%252520Mar%25252031%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A44%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="alignnone" height="281" id="blogsy-1364846730030.199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCS0ns-MhRfDhP2G1uezxUoLByHK8tR8paBZHoDDfHLNEc4F7O9B9e9gSdO-BYK1dqyGDvlYR5GaMixeqsFA06iYVBnpeky5bHa3llypBp18BntzbSLBJjFFzKggBC9wtmWpxXunRgCIQ/s500/Photo%252520Mar%25252031%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A44%252520AM.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
Here's a Face Of The Day with some subtle shades of pink, taupe and rose. I used pigments from two amazing indie brands you might want to check out: <a href="http://darlinggirlcosmetics.storenvy.com/" target="_self" title="Darling Girl Cosmetics">Darling Girl Cosmetics</a> and <a href="http://www.maddstylecosmetics.com/" target="_self" title="Madd Style Cosmetics">Madd Style Cosmetics</a>. Both of these have such magical subtle interesting shades. The colors go way beyond what you'll find at department stores or drugstores. They are reasonable and so much fun. Like many folks, when I'm pressed for time in the morning, I tend not reach for the loose pigments as often as I'd like, but when I reach for these, I'm always rewarded. The colors are inspiring.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWpc_EzPLd9atay5EJpgYGgl_PUf9WnJAhnB9xoxIx2Q5brTDPnXU0qr12782wrTb0SXvPCA7D7sztSXp5aRHnlgfloF2OLeyDnISKNITi7rjl2S_1vtg6Dz2RT0K0MA3SJfR-5lPw6g/s1024/Photo%252520Mar%25252031%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A44%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="alignnone" height="281" id="blogsy-1364846730024.7095" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWpc_EzPLd9atay5EJpgYGgl_PUf9WnJAhnB9xoxIx2Q5brTDPnXU0qr12782wrTb0SXvPCA7D7sztSXp5aRHnlgfloF2OLeyDnISKNITi7rjl2S_1vtg6Dz2RT0K0MA3SJfR-5lPw6g/s500/Photo%252520Mar%25252031%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A44%252520AM.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
Face:<br />
<ul>
<li>Jojoba Oil</li>
<li>Revlon Colorstay for Oily/Combination in Natural Beige</li>
<li>Cinema Secrets Light Peach Color Corrector under eyes</li>
<li>Dermablend Concealer in Sand on blemishes</li>
<li>Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder in Sand</li>
<li>All products applied and blended with damp Beauty Blender</li>
</ul>
Cheeks:<br />
<ul>
<li>Sleek Makeup Face Form in Light (contour, highlight and blush in one awesome palette!)</li>
</ul>
Eyes:<br />
<ul>
<li>Too Faced Shadow Insurance in Lemon Drop - Watch out how you apply this! I put it under my eyes today and it got patchy at the edges. Make sure to blend this in!</li>
<li>Maybelline Color Tattoo in Tough as Taupe on lids between crease and lash line. It went on well over the Too Faced Shadow Insurance. I love this medium taupey brown shade on my skin and I think it will be fun to try under other shades.</li>
<li>Madd Style Cosmetics pigment in Seedless, a pink with green duochrome shimmer, on lids up to crease</li>
<li>Madd Style Cosmetics pigment in Honey Rose in crease - this is a warm brown-based pink</li>
<li>Darling Girl Cosmetics Cute de Grace pigment in Winter Solstice (alas, this was a Limited Edition Collection and it is now sold out). This is a warm burgundy with a little shimmer. I put just a touch at the outer edges of my crease for depth.</li>
<li>Sleek Makeup Palette Face Form highlight on brow bone</li>
<li>Maybelline Eye Studio Master Precise black eye liner pen. This is still my favorite! It's much blacker than others I've tried from the drugstore.</li>
<li>L'Oréal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black. This one is starting to get clumpy on me, so I have to brush off a lot of the product onto the tube before I use it, but I still love how well it covers and how blackest black it is!</li>
<li>Ofra brown brow pencil</li>
<li>Anastasia clear brow gel</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpOYSnYi1LoY9qOh71JPHg3YfW0G1MiHmvmZjjwQvbAiNER4BX27MZ38WbcCRD6XNp-bf5BsyGYvjwSFglZZo38gIYamKEQqrFTGBIDDMtg2wLGkZ3BFueI9yEv0wYye0oWu8_Tm74tQI/s1024/Photo%252520Mar%25252031%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A44%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="alignnone" height="281" id="blogsy-1364846730107.0754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpOYSnYi1LoY9qOh71JPHg3YfW0G1MiHmvmZjjwQvbAiNER4BX27MZ38WbcCRD6XNp-bf5BsyGYvjwSFglZZo38gIYamKEQqrFTGBIDDMtg2wLGkZ3BFueI9yEv0wYye0oWu8_Tm74tQI/s500/Photo%252520Mar%25252031%25252C%2525202013%25252C%25252010%25253A44%252520AM.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
Lips:<br />
<ul>
<li>Revlon Just Bitten Balmstain in Darling - a lilac-pink. I thought this would be a nice contrast with the super-warm shimmery blush from that Sleek Face Form palette.</li>
</ul>
Thanks for visiting my blog! Drop me a line about anything that strikes your fancy below!<br />
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-73711130088410041442013-03-31T13:16:00.003-07:002013-03-31T13:47:44.750-07:00Biking Silver Lake and the L.A. RiverThis is a little off-topic for this blog, but I am a cyclist, and I love to cycle in my magical little neighborhood of Silver Lake, and the surprising wetlands that is the L.A. River Path. Check it out. Maybe it will inspire you to get out there and cycle, or run. Which, by the way, will make you feel and look a little more pretty.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SLYlvGG_9DY" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
Love, BeautyJones!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-9280902920685907242013-03-27T23:15:00.000-07:002013-03-27T23:15:50.157-07:00FOTD Touch O' Teal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UBick5UhZReynylfbunzmUPoRIDYr78ll_KpbcB843ERftO6e0RRS1BBTFl4QLG7YOJf1s9oivOFdfDWipoLUQXaxPXUElEJk7hTnrQpTwt4W9hgk2m2QB6qNofbtta55J9cr0jN9LVS/s1600/IMG_5892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UBick5UhZReynylfbunzmUPoRIDYr78ll_KpbcB843ERftO6e0RRS1BBTFl4QLG7YOJf1s9oivOFdfDWipoLUQXaxPXUElEJk7hTnrQpTwt4W9hgk2m2QB6qNofbtta55J9cr0jN9LVS/s640/IMG_5892.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
I just love going all neutral and then sneaking some color in at the
end, and yeah, just a touch of sparkle. Witness today's face. Here are
the details.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYp6DVMmoqUvkMOPQE4QIrAqKHPOz-17_RPD9qwgkaMoqMCvHB_DSZN3eU8lMIJamprKPn_uryzbuaGkhrEhb1tKOPnr73FDbaBjAKwIW7LhMD003_sr8MIFHX50fKoQGNYcugvjXW9-r/s1600/IMG_5896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYp6DVMmoqUvkMOPQE4QIrAqKHPOz-17_RPD9qwgkaMoqMCvHB_DSZN3eU8lMIJamprKPn_uryzbuaGkhrEhb1tKOPnr73FDbaBjAKwIW7LhMD003_sr8MIFHX50fKoQGNYcugvjXW9-r/s640/IMG_5896.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4kpUi_WJl_STm7j-dZST_Y_OFHZ0FLQrn8gP-z801kCxnNYyzkbKJxk3-ex6R2FWkbiTfyo8-Uj8NHF-DXlyEqAbfxwj5wLVkaLvcWMOV0m1MUQv6jAwzGW4svjSGEmPKKhl-KKInWh-/s1600/IMG_5901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4kpUi_WJl_STm7j-dZST_Y_OFHZ0FLQrn8gP-z801kCxnNYyzkbKJxk3-ex6R2FWkbiTfyo8-Uj8NHF-DXlyEqAbfxwj5wLVkaLvcWMOV0m1MUQv6jAwzGW4svjSGEmPKKhl-KKInWh-/s640/IMG_5901.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Face:<br />
<ul>
<li>Olay SPF 15 Sensitive Skin</li>
<li>Revlon Colorstay Oil Free in Natural Beige</li>
<li>Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Sand</li>
</ul>
Cheeks:<br />
<ul>
<li>Sleek Face Form in Light (Contour, Highlight and Blush a la Orgasm in one palette!)</li>
</ul>
Eyes:<br />
<ul>
<li>Primer: MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot</li>
<li>All over lids: Mehron Natural Palette, Wheat</li>
<li>Crease: Mehron Java</li>
<li>Lash Line: Mehron Black</li>
<li>Outer V: Java</li>
<li>Center of Lids: Sleek Glory Palette in District Line (Teal Green)</li>
<li>Inner Third of Lids: Sleek Glory Palette in Overground (Shimmery Light Camel)</li>
<li>Eye Liner: Physician's Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Felt Tip Liner</li>
<li>Tightline: MAC Technakohl Liner in Graphblack</li>
<li>Eyebrows: Smashbox Brow Tech to Go in Taupe</li>
</ul>
Lips:<br />
<ul>
<li>Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick in 30 Sweet Watermelon</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2vGL6qNrd0SjtLiCswumsPN7rKoUb8RMdMCu12NbEXkBhUf6P2c-5_L3lyzSWQxVNkAraW1rIPdbSmD0pzS5iTM0JnZpDIUeJLCSA27EjZU347-_yjUUT3xcSqUi1xYfBdMgpvTznwzhd/s1600/IMG_2645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2vGL6qNrd0SjtLiCswumsPN7rKoUb8RMdMCu12NbEXkBhUf6P2c-5_L3lyzSWQxVNkAraW1rIPdbSmD0pzS5iTM0JnZpDIUeJLCSA27EjZU347-_yjUUT3xcSqUi1xYfBdMgpvTznwzhd/s640/IMG_2645.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzuJOqglEO174x1mPCi80DTtkJBVjsIi31Po4tpNR5XFwbFCV3J9lCkAkjZhUozd9jiUke8px962KEXt-KQ0O4h9CkLQJfSBB8N4T7Olpf14DktvdbLZF6u_sxdlTEQ9Hr9PTBQqVTdmPj/s1600/IMG_2647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzuJOqglEO174x1mPCi80DTtkJBVjsIi31Po4tpNR5XFwbFCV3J9lCkAkjZhUozd9jiUke8px962KEXt-KQ0O4h9CkLQJfSBB8N4T7Olpf14DktvdbLZF6u_sxdlTEQ9Hr9PTBQqVTdmPj/s640/IMG_2647.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleek i-Divine Glory Palette, Alas, Limited Edition</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Let me know how you like this look. Do you also sneak in a bit of color into your wearable day look? Do tell below!<br />
<br />
Love, BeautyJones!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-26835277376162297032013-03-27T08:51:00.001-07:002013-03-27T08:51:30.041-07:00Long Time No SeeI've been sick and very very busy at work, so that's my excuse. Sorry I've been away for awhile. I'm preparing for a trip to France for two weeks.<br />
<br />
Going to Paris and cycling the Loire Valley. Please comment below and let me know what you'd like to see. I'm thinking of doing a simple travelogue, and, of course, in Paris, there will be some makeup and some fashion, because that place is modelopolis twenty-four seven - lots of eye candy everywhere.<br />
<br />
Here is a collection of looks from the last two weeks, and some products I hadn't gotten around to photographing, and my little depotted palette of lippies for your viewing enjoyment!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KJTgIdzEcl44stVv2SJ6nSJHqfuCyAL8gucw3fz_CbLbAakXOPmFygjv4Gb83gy052OYSRYGFQpiykxFWuOihCdoK0T8SZiCBqHax7SYFpu3Yak4OmBLIJ4U3df0GnOxQ95WCdkjUboq/s1600/IMG_5842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KJTgIdzEcl44stVv2SJ6nSJHqfuCyAL8gucw3fz_CbLbAakXOPmFygjv4Gb83gy052OYSRYGFQpiykxFWuOihCdoK0T8SZiCBqHax7SYFpu3Yak4OmBLIJ4U3df0GnOxQ95WCdkjUboq/s640/IMG_5842.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I've had this Sleek cream base palette for a while and am finally getting around to using it. Thinking of taking it to Paris, but I'll be test driving it first. Planning on putting it over my MAC Soft Ochre paint pot to see if it will crease or not. I love the variety of colors in there!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7Q8oB4K-Wv8XMjrIFY9WyvGhSCO0z7X0eSmS-yPwjybHcwFhU0dDqvAPp9fp_jwR_TUfIov_o2DD0eTyOt2hEB8CNx0alXO6S6vq_MBcNKU1fyJpkok6yLEV1KqdS67yEJoDvLItABPy/s1600/IMG_5845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7Q8oB4K-Wv8XMjrIFY9WyvGhSCO0z7X0eSmS-yPwjybHcwFhU0dDqvAPp9fp_jwR_TUfIov_o2DD0eTyOt2hEB8CNx0alXO6S6vq_MBcNKU1fyJpkok6yLEV1KqdS67yEJoDvLItABPy/s640/IMG_5845.JPG" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWc-KNuzn9aYKVH2DkA2Lh4HqZJ65-7GKoPUdGKWiDmxDzCvRKSyW6l3uw4mAoSQyD60ihktwrZjm5NB09fwTTRG576eeulFDwBU-WUaaxnCUJMqQ869Rw3RM-Mj3q3XVokd8g560YvH_7/s1600/IMG_5846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWc-KNuzn9aYKVH2DkA2Lh4HqZJ65-7GKoPUdGKWiDmxDzCvRKSyW6l3uw4mAoSQyD60ihktwrZjm5NB09fwTTRG576eeulFDwBU-WUaaxnCUJMqQ869Rw3RM-Mj3q3XVokd8g560YvH_7/s640/IMG_5846.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNLf50yBVzlVPG7UmLxbx_ILnpSX7zX-R73IoKZblVMeOYbHrmbCxkjrsUhKiAIdqC1L5hHpdHJ85bDSzOzaZZCNZDbc-4uWzQ5Z85n6Wz9mY-cNb_0Uy_QUmkB7rX_AW6lNugyJUXKQ-D/s1600/IMG_5847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNLf50yBVzlVPG7UmLxbx_ILnpSX7zX-R73IoKZblVMeOYbHrmbCxkjrsUhKiAIdqC1L5hHpdHJ85bDSzOzaZZCNZDbc-4uWzQ5Z85n6Wz9mY-cNb_0Uy_QUmkB7rX_AW6lNugyJUXKQ-D/s640/IMG_5847.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
On this day I was wearing a cherry-colored cardigan, so I thought I'd pull the blue out of it and onto the center of my lids with some irridescent Naked Cosmetics Twilight action. This Twilight collection has lovely iridescent cool tones. I used the darker periwinkle in this set. These pigments are lovely and I haven't heard enough about them. Go check them out at <a href="http://nakedcosmetics.com/">nakedcosmetics.com</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxODpODuXu97WlKBVOfWWugl-TyxjM0ot7H-D79lc4r3AJelYDLG9TuOGhQtwsC9qI0Ied0G27AEFHqHCVoRaTDJfuq7x7OwtEVIX8B3ZFfdkBM-_xfoFLRm-eOgwLO8zOgr-Phr4FspF/s1600/IMG_5853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxODpODuXu97WlKBVOfWWugl-TyxjM0ot7H-D79lc4r3AJelYDLG9TuOGhQtwsC9qI0Ied0G27AEFHqHCVoRaTDJfuq7x7OwtEVIX8B3ZFfdkBM-_xfoFLRm-eOgwLO8zOgr-Phr4FspF/s640/IMG_5853.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlscxrB_dkv1bx7VSO9PrcX8sq7keTiVLrJrTonUrzbdjIajx2aSgq4__VXfaoTxrdYH45i1K7FVA7AzphRN9KQPV1g9CeTGhSmsb4zjwdosNyOlBcWCWqCbVIlU01cAz-awqe3Zi_M4R9/s1600/IMG_5861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlscxrB_dkv1bx7VSO9PrcX8sq7keTiVLrJrTonUrzbdjIajx2aSgq4__VXfaoTxrdYH45i1K7FVA7AzphRN9KQPV1g9CeTGhSmsb4zjwdosNyOlBcWCWqCbVIlU01cAz-awqe3Zi_M4R9/s640/IMG_5861.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
This was a burgundy eye look using Naked Cosmetics Urban Rustic collection. I just love using burgundy on my eyelids for a bold look. It's a strong look, and yet takes fewer steps to achieve. This kind of round filling in of the eyelid reminds me of the look of silent film stars. It has some mystery and romance. I did very little else on my face, but I think this would look so cool with a similar lip shade for evening.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIL_n0caXKPQWizItGjblCjD9bSLjl7O2K4eU4dh8995k-9TZCgz6rqmCg_jK17o0LvAjJr_MsV2fS4H6oiBIO6P_dRtwhDcxfmSDVFjudzssEQtvwmOBw-xgKw-byB2DLN56HXRwNpAkL/s1600/IMG_5860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIL_n0caXKPQWizItGjblCjD9bSLjl7O2K4eU4dh8995k-9TZCgz6rqmCg_jK17o0LvAjJr_MsV2fS4H6oiBIO6P_dRtwhDcxfmSDVFjudzssEQtvwmOBw-xgKw-byB2DLN56HXRwNpAkL/s640/IMG_5860.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Hooded eyes hide the burgundy when I'm looking at you.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xv_LFd_4f_HW8ELoXTxyllGEcHfM20IYGd7ONuDY7iX-DZo6gXGTBtX4rimiJFb5IU0BMsnMicZlThBQWD7dEalcZWczRnUowE38JIh3GVLFUQC6eDew8BMjBtDP5MZa5kIILmGkkbjO/s1600/IMG_5865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xv_LFd_4f_HW8ELoXTxyllGEcHfM20IYGd7ONuDY7iX-DZo6gXGTBtX4rimiJFb5IU0BMsnMicZlThBQWD7dEalcZWczRnUowE38JIh3GVLFUQC6eDew8BMjBtDP5MZa5kIILmGkkbjO/s640/IMG_5865.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIIyqeEGr2w6wqDxDyufHUz4UzLDRZUGie6wqzpprXga0ZNv9Q3Aqj7UfqKZZ5pzLTg-OsW_cG6G5ecLcffIsKlzPeCBWOHoGOrGV3JXhjl55zdJNsjeCB93DuhOiaLUTts0S7m9Tsw9t/s1600/IMG_5866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIIyqeEGr2w6wqDxDyufHUz4UzLDRZUGie6wqzpprXga0ZNv9Q3Aqj7UfqKZZ5pzLTg-OsW_cG6G5ecLcffIsKlzPeCBWOHoGOrGV3JXhjl55zdJNsjeCB93DuhOiaLUTts0S7m9Tsw9t/s640/IMG_5866.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
I love this black velvet jacket. I got it at TJ Maxx a million years ago, but it's going to Paris with me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbudV6zglf8kTpVVWdDTuBjIdVawzJfwPjiCYdodh5Is7_FeWntBicRuFLjwoVl5wOD7_jboczr9mKo996a0bPDZ2fqGHDUZ7Ebw9jarE06Oss-9EmPwSEUpMEwq04crKKluBtsJ_Adpe/s1600/IMG_5867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbudV6zglf8kTpVVWdDTuBjIdVawzJfwPjiCYdodh5Is7_FeWntBicRuFLjwoVl5wOD7_jboczr9mKo996a0bPDZ2fqGHDUZ7Ebw9jarE06Oss-9EmPwSEUpMEwq04crKKluBtsJ_Adpe/s640/IMG_5867.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
This aqua blue shade on my eyes is also from the Naked Cosmetics Twilight set. It's a warmer blue, slightly dreamy and tropical, but I just use it as a sheer wash here. I'm pretty sure I used the NYX jumbo eye pencil in Milk to get this look.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNRzdnaT0Av9iMVQuHjCU9NvmuI5w1poQX2s28GZV6e08YLSp1VKl4yUn84-HVIl7okSrrCVZJW3QFXHZ5rc9O1glIIpZhgdDkmonSn3PSgmVf1zh9a_VeeLM0oj30OxhK4cGtwdGxzb-/s1600/IMG_5871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNRzdnaT0Av9iMVQuHjCU9NvmuI5w1poQX2s28GZV6e08YLSp1VKl4yUn84-HVIl7okSrrCVZJW3QFXHZ5rc9O1glIIpZhgdDkmonSn3PSgmVf1zh9a_VeeLM0oj30OxhK4cGtwdGxzb-/s640/IMG_5871.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd25hHQHgd10J9tzldt-LaB-fZ8RF6-2sr4bO0OThQovNTN5cCbWibL8Ui0kdKe4nRuoocxlNOfBqjIAMzIk3JNGtZwnscteN1n5G-0idKB-ERSmcmQytdJvcGNxVuvdaIkrvrAHPXGTBJ/s1600/IMG_5874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd25hHQHgd10J9tzldt-LaB-fZ8RF6-2sr4bO0OThQovNTN5cCbWibL8Ui0kdKe4nRuoocxlNOfBqjIAMzIk3JNGtZwnscteN1n5G-0idKB-ERSmcmQytdJvcGNxVuvdaIkrvrAHPXGTBJ/s320/IMG_5874.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
And here's a neutral eye look with some warm browns in the crease. These kinds of shades are easy to find, but I must say, I'm still totally in love with my Mehron naturals palette. The shades are so true, matte, pigmented and blendable, and I can do an entire eye look with one brush - my bdellium 776 in the yellow bambu collection, which is a dupe for the MAC 217 brush.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd43c8TIJyntuwj_gMRx6WWO5CdnIjMoQaGxFS9C4GuOzOh7V9EfNzKzVees3G-Qt4y1NoAbz0z-2bcQhOPA0Ew2ZbZjG1j-UbXHIvJXwp5OzG9MLBEULXpN60EIQwTe0MS1olsLEbNrZ3/s1600/IMG_5881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd43c8TIJyntuwj_gMRx6WWO5CdnIjMoQaGxFS9C4GuOzOh7V9EfNzKzVees3G-Qt4y1NoAbz0z-2bcQhOPA0Ew2ZbZjG1j-UbXHIvJXwp5OzG9MLBEULXpN60EIQwTe0MS1olsLEbNrZ3/s640/IMG_5881.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
A warm pink lip shade brings out the warmth of this neutral eye look.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHMYxI4sKI3b3Da7k4gwOXKipRDS2_b5H6CqECL6aDnSBjAMgIiE10yvlsq6aAmnxc7tGnO_hK74xwW9fanSP8olgi7UwsLkSl1bO_AuoA9_aOcm_UL_8aaiXwP_pWpGnlPUM2nzS0WsW/s1600/IMG_5885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHMYxI4sKI3b3Da7k4gwOXKipRDS2_b5H6CqECL6aDnSBjAMgIiE10yvlsq6aAmnxc7tGnO_hK74xwW9fanSP8olgi7UwsLkSl1bO_AuoA9_aOcm_UL_8aaiXwP_pWpGnlPUM2nzS0WsW/s640/IMG_5885.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBHMwL5L7IcFRitPcBcLQ6NvNKSYz6PWkyl7WymvB788S_IVkTGI3qg5OfmA0cn2oRjvfledNSLIcnS0X3cfrpacYFcFb2cU-8aQWlvbL08crRHVcWCjo83Lim4bcOv6bvEMythc422vU/s1600/IMG_5886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBHMwL5L7IcFRitPcBcLQ6NvNKSYz6PWkyl7WymvB788S_IVkTGI3qg5OfmA0cn2oRjvfledNSLIcnS0X3cfrpacYFcFb2cU-8aQWlvbL08crRHVcWCjo83Lim4bcOv6bvEMythc422vU/s640/IMG_5886.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Here's my Zpalette with all, and I mean ALL of my Revlon Just Bitten Balmstains depotted into it. Each of these little tins is metallic, so you can rearrange the shades to your heart's content. And I used a candle to gently melt the product into the tins, once I'd scraped them gently out of the tubes.<br />
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I also mixed together 2/3 Revlon Cherries in the Snow and 1/3 Revlon Fire and Ice for the one in the upper right hand corner. Top Left is Milani's new lipstick in Red Label.<br />
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I don't think you can do Paris without a few Red Lip days, do you?<br />
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Anyway, thanks for dropping by. Please let me know what you are up to in the comments below, and see you sooner than later, this time, Lovely Peeps!<br />
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Love, Beautyjones!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-48351725703561969342013-03-06T08:22:00.001-08:002013-03-06T08:22:11.122-08:0030 Day Makeup Challenge: Day 15, Blue Eye Shadow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQBSBKATxP7uZVHOyckXnemRkm-CEtQ6ILW_T-yYSQsISwU7Yik2g0i3AX6dWWD-RkC0U533PdDgHWpiWm5N4rBEcHztyCo70e4YWm8ijTZtUprTgg6E38FlFIbDUun2U9NHRMBbQTWZt/s1600/IMG_5695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQBSBKATxP7uZVHOyckXnemRkm-CEtQ6ILW_T-yYSQsISwU7Yik2g0i3AX6dWWD-RkC0U533PdDgHWpiWm5N4rBEcHztyCo70e4YWm8ijTZtUprTgg6E38FlFIbDUun2U9NHRMBbQTWZt/s1600/IMG_5695.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
Blue eye shadow is notoriously hard to wear for day. I think there were some moments in the nineteen sixties and seventies in which is was perfectly fine. I can picture some ladies with big hair and nipped in waists in the typing pool on Madmen wearing it, but those days are gone.<br />
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So color me bold when I put on this matte cool French blue on my lids. What's really nice about having hooded eyes is that when you look straight ahead, mostly folks can't see what color is on your lids. So you can create a dramatic surprise by adding unusual shades and finishes to that area. I like to put some shimmer, some sparkle, one bright color, or even a bunch of colors there as a little gift for folks who are paying attention.<br />
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As you can see, this look is a bit gentler in artificial indoor lighting. I like the way the purple tones come out here.<br />
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So here's what I used:<br />
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<b>Eyes:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot as primer</li>
<li>Urban Decay Vice Palette Chaos on Lid</li>
<li>Urban Decay Vice Palette Disruption on Crease</li>
<li>Urban Decay Vice Palette Lace to blend Crease Color up into browbone</li>
<li>Maybelline Eye Studio felt tip eye liner on lash line</li>
<li>NYX Slide On Eye Pencil in Navy on Water Line </li>
<li>L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black</li>
</ul>
<b>Here are some tips on working with blue eye shadow:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Ground the blue with a neutral in the crease and blend them together there</li>
<li>Finish it off with black eye liner along the lash line</li>
<li>Blend the shadow a lot, and then pack on more. Sometimes blue shadows aren't as pigmented as we'd like, so they can get patchy. If you really want to be sure to get full coverage, start with a white or, even better, a black sticky base like a NYX jumbo pencil or some other creamy shadow base. </li>
<li>Go smoky and put something dark, a blue, gray or brown, in the water line</li>
<li>Restrict the blue to the eyelid if you want to go a bit more stealth on it, and avoid the crease</li>
<li>Use a nice light concealer under the eyes to make your smoky lash line stand out, and to avoid the sense that it's just the veins and circles under your eyes showing through instead of some nice blue eye liner that you chose to rock today </li>
<li>Keep the rest of the face pretty neutral, both to feature the eyes, and to avoid an overall clownish appearance </li>
<li>Since blue eye shadow can be a bit old lady, but it can also be a little Rock n' Roll and glam, wear stuff that fits the Rock n' Roll style - like the black leather jacket I wore here</li>
</ul>
So what do you think, Beauty Fans? Comment below.<br />
<br />
Thanks for coming by my blog!<br />
<br />
Love, BeautyJones Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-44290591458807514092013-03-05T08:27:00.000-08:002013-03-05T08:31:22.734-08:00The Makeup Show LA Buck Wild Haul Video!<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/atGmNcqclv8" width="560"></iframe>
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It's here, people, and it's my longest video to date, so set aside twenty minutes or so of your precious time and watch it! You won't regret it because I show you some pretty awesome stuff!<br />
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I will be taking my official photos, probably this Sunday, so I'll upload them then or thereafter, but in the meantime, here's the video! Thanks for watching, for stopping by my blog. Leave me a comment or two. Let me know what's on your mind.<br />
<br />
Here's where you can find the products I bought:<br />
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viseart.com<br />
nakedcosmetics.com<br />
pursebuzz.com<br />
enkoremakeuponline.com<br />
Paw Palettes: crystalpowder.com<br />
anastasia.com<br />
cultnails.com<br />
eyekandycosmetics.com<br />
smashbox.com<br />
ellisfaas.com<br />
bdelliumtools.com<br />
crownbrush.com/<br />
limecrimemakeup.com<br />
<br />
I will be loading much more info and photos from the show on this blog and on my facebook page, so please check these out and follow and Like at will!<br />
<br />
http://beautyjones.blogspot.com<br />
http://facebook.com/beautyjonestoo<br />
http://twitter.com/beautyjonestoo<br />
<br />
Thanks for watching, and please Like this video on YouTube, and Subscribe for more! <br />
<br />
Cheers!<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-60213225093557179262013-03-04T21:31:00.001-08:002013-03-04T21:31:43.271-08:00The Makeup Show LA Pix<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long line at The Makeup Show LA<br />
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Since it's taking me a while to get my Haul video uploading onto YouTube, here are some fun pix from The Makeup Show LA. Great fun, nice folks, awesome loot!<br />
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More soon! Love, BeautyJones! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Endura Body Paint</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautyful OCC Pigments and Lip Tars</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pursebuzz's Adorable Accessories </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nars Counter</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXlMlwp94164mU9AO-qKbuULsYyglWK1-Zx3E6hh6HFmu84L-95E22RFTkP3MHsESjPLCsJlhdMIaCr1-Ibu8Qpg_L9xx-pAwIMGXtCMLKeejP4B7dbryQfsKN5SJ2ZQMpCr3i54HiKyn/s1600/IMG_5663.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXlMlwp94164mU9AO-qKbuULsYyglWK1-Zx3E6hh6HFmu84L-95E22RFTkP3MHsESjPLCsJlhdMIaCr1-Ibu8Qpg_L9xx-pAwIMGXtCMLKeejP4B7dbryQfsKN5SJ2ZQMpCr3i54HiKyn/s1600/IMG_5663.jpg" height="640" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Body Painting at Mehron</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnVgzU4eqDQWCYJ-fPhUOObZRFbgxoFJXd20G2DKNE3yEK0ZLJVdgd4slGx6tf9UUTPM-mMuFFbUnAIiRLTRZk_UcWQE3nY5W9aSUYzuNPbqcJTjD7S0xPhUimQIl4N3_SLKd_8we0FFQ/s1600/IMG_5664.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnVgzU4eqDQWCYJ-fPhUOObZRFbgxoFJXd20G2DKNE3yEK0ZLJVdgd4slGx6tf9UUTPM-mMuFFbUnAIiRLTRZk_UcWQE3nY5W9aSUYzuNPbqcJTjD7S0xPhUimQIl4N3_SLKd_8we0FFQ/s1600/IMG_5664.jpg" height="640" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeousness at Mehron</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFtqiQ6pWk_ZLybZKoUh4q8CQE7QkqqWfZAkqU2CsodCnVL3OKwLeTq2KD0_cIypV7Rkyi4sIm0A9NOiRAK2Hdj58if38qNCPjA4NiWNEnQaunupvja267afXPAHUhcBXo_OtWMrUP5Fp/s1600/IMG_5666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFtqiQ6pWk_ZLybZKoUh4q8CQE7QkqqWfZAkqU2CsodCnVL3OKwLeTq2KD0_cIypV7Rkyi4sIm0A9NOiRAK2Hdj58if38qNCPjA4NiWNEnQaunupvja267afXPAHUhcBXo_OtWMrUP5Fp/s1600/IMG_5666.jpg" height="640" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Body Painting at Makeup Academy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYP_ZkQpHYOM6TlYtPXADNnI1Vrz6xhr9vqs-3PPZM70CMTSnjog-fKEeO9f0nLzt2RrzGYOtSi3qLbEx_snmSRKx0RFTWAwXzw4Fn1tflY8Zm9FBU3QrIo9lfzxwDwIaY0a27cfiPTXMn/s1600/IMG_5669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYP_ZkQpHYOM6TlYtPXADNnI1Vrz6xhr9vqs-3PPZM70CMTSnjog-fKEeO9f0nLzt2RrzGYOtSi3qLbEx_snmSRKx0RFTWAwXzw4Fn1tflY8Zm9FBU3QrIo9lfzxwDwIaY0a27cfiPTXMn/s1600/IMG_5669.jpg" height="640" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glitter Swatches at Eye Kandy Cosmetics</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcnOeau288zLN4HTTBj6LcQusRKUTkq41TK4eKfAJeZ7LnhpCetLnfOQiWPNjUdGEknfO58eV4FHwt8ZiQdNUyjqkrifHu_nyXAPrtY5tYWvInlh-GvS04BaZCh6lNXCdh0TivpoZqJl4p/s1600/IMG_5671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcnOeau288zLN4HTTBj6LcQusRKUTkq41TK4eKfAJeZ7LnhpCetLnfOQiWPNjUdGEknfO58eV4FHwt8ZiQdNUyjqkrifHu_nyXAPrtY5tYWvInlh-GvS04BaZCh6lNXCdh0TivpoZqJl4p/s1600/IMG_5671.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Eye Kandy Glitter Eye using Candy Corn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDV3TNdWha1etEjo9T2lBWrDTwpiU7QmM29Hu5pvuPmxdjBvkOZo0ckb4HDqkdyauad0Bbx0uF6Bl9TuUHja28dQsZmh1TGBG0fIK6fonoSnbv4ht-ycrv06_ygEUjTod3rZGhuil4eNq/s1600/IMG_5672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDV3TNdWha1etEjo9T2lBWrDTwpiU7QmM29Hu5pvuPmxdjBvkOZo0ckb4HDqkdyauad0Bbx0uF6Bl9TuUHja28dQsZmh1TGBG0fIK6fonoSnbv4ht-ycrv06_ygEUjTod3rZGhuil4eNq/s1600/IMG_5672.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous Eye Kandy Glitter Swatches</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5oKufixCL_Whmi59WN3IgKIoxa9qLLz8vr4aiEeaAra4RSrRwpG1xWmxNaLo-kwdsUCDSMcBrq0dfOHFCuJotFWv2gMnEVZc2QkXqoVT5Won_q7cuyJryqmxKQqmyIvXGJ3ZCKgOfBRXv/s1600/IMG_5673.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5oKufixCL_Whmi59WN3IgKIoxa9qLLz8vr4aiEeaAra4RSrRwpG1xWmxNaLo-kwdsUCDSMcBrq0dfOHFCuJotFWv2gMnEVZc2QkXqoVT5Won_q7cuyJryqmxKQqmyIvXGJ3ZCKgOfBRXv/s1600/IMG_5673.jpg" height="640" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Eye Kandy Swatches</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4EAxKAPLX-c72g-p5pZI6Sgi3XJqUpI_MK65_wBD3ctifLxYR-h7bsPbiisNxjA8iuRBGjDcjj6F7ueWQnG0TMXJgcADu_6A1iPcjc8LGFwH8PCzJjzOxFNebMl2bYWOfHxq1oxfzY9l/s1600/IMG_5674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4EAxKAPLX-c72g-p5pZI6Sgi3XJqUpI_MK65_wBD3ctifLxYR-h7bsPbiisNxjA8iuRBGjDcjj6F7ueWQnG0TMXJgcADu_6A1iPcjc8LGFwH8PCzJjzOxFNebMl2bYWOfHxq1oxfzY9l/s1600/IMG_5674.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make Up For Ever Presentation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGbB1-Xody2DK0KmjrQVvtb15JasMhUvEW125VK4FNync97SsTh8rg9WzWEIBzD1iowbTJDbJ3rNNw5x-EnjAsts1cGaeRK3B8dPT6zOsAAtH711tbQRiU5qrpBLxI4hF4Z9SV_83e9ir/s1600/IMG_5675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGbB1-Xody2DK0KmjrQVvtb15JasMhUvEW125VK4FNync97SsTh8rg9WzWEIBzD1iowbTJDbJ3rNNw5x-EnjAsts1cGaeRK3B8dPT6zOsAAtH711tbQRiU5qrpBLxI4hF4Z9SV_83e9ir/s1600/IMG_5675.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Crown Brush Synthetic Brush Collection</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQlQ7FcSujRy_io94PCTOWBAIRM2DUzJffg20smpO4KqyFAMWqIYnKRSN0lWQVpaczL7wyMhvCL9ntWhbplvjli_7w4DCKinS2-2AESdf6HARvPJNEqWWxh1zEVVfPTNLjxc-i-SBhAQX/s1600/IMG_5679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQlQ7FcSujRy_io94PCTOWBAIRM2DUzJffg20smpO4KqyFAMWqIYnKRSN0lWQVpaczL7wyMhvCL9ntWhbplvjli_7w4DCKinS2-2AESdf6HARvPJNEqWWxh1zEVVfPTNLjxc-i-SBhAQX/s1600/IMG_5679.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Limecrime Counter at Naimie's Cosmetics</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGotPiUAsVh0guvacaar1vhBTo6-h-93HZrf_I_Zqk3HtRxMQK5A6AhxXJOubJXS5HY4-9P-t6Qyu33CG-llbn8Ti7LTdMCeYFEtwLreYev2PH2BYNRByAoRunzftbAI3PMxk1W9Tm_Dre/s1600/IMG_5681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGotPiUAsVh0guvacaar1vhBTo6-h-93HZrf_I_Zqk3HtRxMQK5A6AhxXJOubJXS5HY4-9P-t6Qyu33CG-llbn8Ti7LTdMCeYFEtwLreYev2PH2BYNRByAoRunzftbAI3PMxk1W9Tm_Dre/s1600/IMG_5681.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eye Kandy Glitter Eyes and Limecrime Velvetine in Suedeberry - Wow!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="height: 497px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 529px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UwWZRfNZXqKPRCmnXWEjurAFfBZ9bveIdqtb3qOjxCu9XKi8K4NggWdG_DEP8CUXfrgRTlmJamJ6QDyxw5LJShpAlQn-3fEq3bGHKJx4HIE3WiYRhGHLGWE0bs2hxOUJdZW770N7GXFM/s1600/naked_cosmetics_twilight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UwWZRfNZXqKPRCmnXWEjurAFfBZ9bveIdqtb3qOjxCu9XKi8K4NggWdG_DEP8CUXfrgRTlmJamJ6QDyxw5LJShpAlQn-3fEq3bGHKJx4HIE3WiYRhGHLGWE0bs2hxOUJdZW770N7GXFM/s1600/naked_cosmetics_twilight.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naked Cosmetics Twilight Collection - nakedcosmetics.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBtX6Ydq3cGiSdQcFx0J-1R1aCy3TAAVohff1w7qougst1Ewm_vHXipBETr83zWKfZL3dpU3J5IGygEANnUGdyQ7_NwrYjrEAVTGyMXk7hOumbpLpL8VfZkKr4Wp1-28qlERowHOqfGZ_/s1600/Naked_Cosmetics_Urban_Rustic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBtX6Ydq3cGiSdQcFx0J-1R1aCy3TAAVohff1w7qougst1Ewm_vHXipBETr83zWKfZL3dpU3J5IGygEANnUGdyQ7_NwrYjrEAVTGyMXk7hOumbpLpL8VfZkKr4Wp1-28qlERowHOqfGZ_/s1600/Naked_Cosmetics_Urban_Rustic.png" height="452" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naked Cosmetics Urban Rustic Collection</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hope this was fun for you guys! I really enjoyed the show this year! Can't wait to do the official photos of this stuff so I can get to using it.<br />
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I'm a bit hung up on the Zombie makeup look of the 30 Day Makeup Challenge. I may skip it so I can move on. I like these challenges--they are so motivating.<br />
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Hope you all are well! Keep reading! Nice giveaway coming soon!<br />
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Comment, Subscribe and thanks for coming by!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-25146693018874623592013-03-02T07:32:00.000-08:002013-03-02T07:32:09.876-08:0030 Day Makeup Challenge: Day 13, 4 Colors on Eyes!I'm not going to lie. This one scared me. Wearing four different colors on my eyes, I worried, was going to make my colleagues at work give me some pretty strange looks.<br />
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I could have worn four different neutral colors, I suppose, but that seemed to me like cheating. And not nearly as much fun. A day look with four different true colors? Now that's a makeup challenge, people! <br />
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I have to take my hat off to the color wheel, and my art teachers throughout the years who told me about using harmonious colors. Harmonious colors are the ones that are next to each other on the wheel. They play nicely together. I picked some from the warm side, from the golds and oranges, reds and pinks.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh8x1fRhU5f0dqWKURKWJXe9FLrAbtVZzFmLh6KXIIm0_3-bDs7sGG4t18EgSuyxhiGBZ55SRtOvVYtcwI_XPLcgn2HyeW-7mLkcdDEPy7A6lgi8m5X-snEJxyliiXwqig37RTwxnVymvo/s1600/Color-Wheel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh8x1fRhU5f0dqWKURKWJXe9FLrAbtVZzFmLh6KXIIm0_3-bDs7sGG4t18EgSuyxhiGBZ55SRtOvVYtcwI_XPLcgn2HyeW-7mLkcdDEPy7A6lgi8m5X-snEJxyliiXwqig37RTwxnVymvo/s1600/Color-Wheel.jpg" height="299" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHIAws6ZM3oL3GUrm2tu-R60vGXwPD6prYeBS5yDYiUdWs5AzWyRXiQ-vwQnJ3xaQ3Qi-ovTy3J_t5WFngjY0kFvCMBe-4SMGkbzU_Cb4yrm5BJg0ASUnNS4ZaCv19Z5Rr1DtaLEmevLu/s1600/IMG_0294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHIAws6ZM3oL3GUrm2tu-R60vGXwPD6prYeBS5yDYiUdWs5AzWyRXiQ-vwQnJ3xaQ3Qi-ovTy3J_t5WFngjY0kFvCMBe-4SMGkbzU_Cb4yrm5BJg0ASUnNS4ZaCv19Z5Rr1DtaLEmevLu/s1600/IMG_0294.jpg" height="291" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1.Matte purple crease. 2. Shimmery bronze-orange outer lid. <br />3. Shimmery antique gold in center of lid. 4. Matte ellow toward the tear duct.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNoiMySaXr0NdBv9FqHmY1zcXEfIdtkWHA09d_tsHhvDDwoza5K2llgemQzgUJBNBGCFnyClC8Ivdj-x3ftk3NMJyzPLDSXf6CjLExnk6YCXH97bNANXNgSbGBrJWA8CQK5WPNFCH89bt/s1600/IMG_0894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNoiMySaXr0NdBv9FqHmY1zcXEfIdtkWHA09d_tsHhvDDwoza5K2llgemQzgUJBNBGCFnyClC8Ivdj-x3ftk3NMJyzPLDSXf6CjLExnk6YCXH97bNANXNgSbGBrJWA8CQK5WPNFCH89bt/s1600/IMG_0894.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wore neutral gray clothes with all this color on my face.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBumHTTQLepDS_8xsO5sursM5Bfin0TGHEnLHe5KlvEsdz4mt3L6lLid7vWlZYcJhzieUGc6c-pInfLqi2K3iHRXm2LaWfrVP9QCG8bvPREy9iHeRiK5t63C4uQN2O1yki64t32KIn8F2/s1600/IMG_0898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBumHTTQLepDS_8xsO5sursM5Bfin0TGHEnLHe5KlvEsdz4mt3L6lLid7vWlZYcJhzieUGc6c-pInfLqi2K3iHRXm2LaWfrVP9QCG8bvPREy9iHeRiK5t63C4uQN2O1yki64t32KIn8F2/s1600/IMG_0898.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
Here are the colors I used from the Crown Brush Kaleidescope 180 Palette, which really comes in handy for these challenges. I love knowing I do have pretty much every color of the rainbow.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRACYf2PkmjeXcKQ5dJAzwtf22xOI3jASANEv_cWbEQBXudlumDPsVlKSi0XX4C6BvlMn58ag6jHYQPpIXZkeIhVQ0RIuJeYxye0hADTov1CwJrfTzhuzazOXeksP5rxLQPoWeC4YTfmd/s1600/Purple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRACYf2PkmjeXcKQ5dJAzwtf22xOI3jASANEv_cWbEQBXudlumDPsVlKSi0XX4C6BvlMn58ag6jHYQPpIXZkeIhVQ0RIuJeYxye0hADTov1CwJrfTzhuzazOXeksP5rxLQPoWeC4YTfmd/s1600/Purple.jpg" height="198" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crease Color</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIK-8VNk6QZfocbOJXHqaaksAPYa3At_tjlkjQHTYmOIQ3S7d-0H8hw491GHEicH250uuXknXyZ7nASlskZsL7eB5WgRy-HZD9EIG9IGiYZjlHRo34JbTzEO7M5kA6DozHKy1r3bUrBlwD/s1600/yellow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIK-8VNk6QZfocbOJXHqaaksAPYa3At_tjlkjQHTYmOIQ3S7d-0H8hw491GHEicH250uuXknXyZ7nASlskZsL7eB5WgRy-HZD9EIG9IGiYZjlHRo34JbTzEO7M5kA6DozHKy1r3bUrBlwD/s1600/yellow.jpg" height="200" width="193" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inner Lid and Tear Duct</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRij3WjE-TtJCk70-HxS5GM-Yc9N1SIU5j2imGmHjzvIQbUDrP-0CgHGRCQKWMAN9ubf8GybTe1-8-1XqmviDNrYv5k_uw0afAo0y_0nX-NOcIjy11YAi_imnvwdACPm-tlU9PqeDMpiT/s1600/Lid_bronze_Gold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRij3WjE-TtJCk70-HxS5GM-Yc9N1SIU5j2imGmHjzvIQbUDrP-0CgHGRCQKWMAN9ubf8GybTe1-8-1XqmviDNrYv5k_uw0afAo0y_0nX-NOcIjy11YAi_imnvwdACPm-tlU9PqeDMpiT/s1600/Lid_bronze_Gold.jpg" height="320" width="163" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top: Outer Lid.<br />Bottom: Middle of Lid</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghQAjH55CMNVm40TuZj0FrUD66QUr8wEoOabfnEHQ1XlXu0vk7QRoUB58ocilVyGnpGk9JRjz8Qnsu8Tdra8eIEK8oUlbe2qN-69SpAJDv8IDzTo10bcVuJyfbFk3UTeHSf8LEezYd1Zjr/s1600/Face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghQAjH55CMNVm40TuZj0FrUD66QUr8wEoOabfnEHQ1XlXu0vk7QRoUB58ocilVyGnpGk9JRjz8Qnsu8Tdra8eIEK8oUlbe2qN-69SpAJDv8IDzTo10bcVuJyfbFk3UTeHSf8LEezYd1Zjr/s1600/Face.jpg" height="303" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking straight ahead, who can see those colors?</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9Yrqtx1mVFV3zsyzPUuo0TvRvMU8jwHtFCq2HCq3oZCdZfy0kNILwWW4zDJ8b1ua6zk9cr3Al21ANQcG_TNE9EGTdEbX6M-7tz5VHZVraWV8C_wt_2qRBkSGBHKYIbh_aFUMtlTkC5Qv/s1600/Eye1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9Yrqtx1mVFV3zsyzPUuo0TvRvMU8jwHtFCq2HCq3oZCdZfy0kNILwWW4zDJ8b1ua6zk9cr3Al21ANQcG_TNE9EGTdEbX6M-7tz5VHZVraWV8C_wt_2qRBkSGBHKYIbh_aFUMtlTkC5Qv/s1600/Eye1.jpg" height="295" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colors! A black flick finishes it off.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Last thoughts:<br />
<ul>
<li>Going to the Makeup Show LA today and scared and excited! Scared I'll spend too much, but won't get the right things. Excited to see my fellow beauty fans and gurus there. I'll have plenty of stuff to show you from there, lovely readers!</li>
<li>Loving L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black. Wondering, does it come in waterproof so I can wear it for swimming?</li>
<li>Signed up for the Nautica Malibu Triathlon again this year. Year 5 or 6 for me. Can't remember.</li>
<li>Started cross training instead of just running on Thursdays nights. My quads are killing me and I can feel my abs. Not that they are now rock hard are anything, it's just that I can feel them. </li>
</ul>
The next big thing in this Makeup Challenge is my zombie makeup look. That will take some doing. Hmmmm. Not wearing that to work, that's for sure!<br />
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Have a great day, Beauty Fans!<br />
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Love, BeautyJones Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-68872510886713878812013-02-28T08:03:00.000-08:002013-02-28T08:03:03.277-08:0030 Day Makeup Up Challenge: Day 12 Your ChoiceSince today was my choice, I decided to use a product I have hardly every used, although I love it! The Naked Cosmetics Harvest Moon Collection.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3nbQm7KcGMlatZp9fBHXfxyPWU83U6aaBW7ZYWkBw3r_Zaj2mc6lP4aA1LZJzRtCeRB_9uQQqDkGakHSc91Bg-dk5KsF1cM4mwegYpoEbWxdARZIBQ6XXYf204RPDrwd-0aWnoe6MGtHT/s1600/Harvest_Moon_Eye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3nbQm7KcGMlatZp9fBHXfxyPWU83U6aaBW7ZYWkBw3r_Zaj2mc6lP4aA1LZJzRtCeRB_9uQQqDkGakHSc91Bg-dk5KsF1cM4mwegYpoEbWxdARZIBQ6XXYf204RPDrwd-0aWnoe6MGtHT/s1600/Harvest_Moon_Eye.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUoPYVq8WYzXfcbar_DSbGjaOSztay-vQQdmqJtATdj8uKIOgAafQSjpACHf4E7sDc99jFMtUGc-tfGmI-MuWT8dwMfPcUtK2RJXcLAYbTbidXEKJRdEQi_ld1s4GAdACbY34xc1aEAdF1/s1600/Naked_Cosmetics_Harvest_Moon_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUoPYVq8WYzXfcbar_DSbGjaOSztay-vQQdmqJtATdj8uKIOgAafQSjpACHf4E7sDc99jFMtUGc-tfGmI-MuWT8dwMfPcUtK2RJXcLAYbTbidXEKJRdEQi_ld1s4GAdACbY34xc1aEAdF1/s1600/Naked_Cosmetics_Harvest_Moon_03.jpg" height="258" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyN45YkqOKnOzvnN7pPDttnG7CLn46iSWsfc4qujlCbCnbkGQl0Uir08Hcje7nt7BJazBbmDNo6T6L3zjj27AQPvtot28J2gtGLWuzognG-CPfgLW5P69M3pASXUOlxy1t1EFwiegt7_1m/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-04-19+at+8.06.20+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyN45YkqOKnOzvnN7pPDttnG7CLn46iSWsfc4qujlCbCnbkGQl0Uir08Hcje7nt7BJazBbmDNo6T6L3zjj27AQPvtot28J2gtGLWuzognG-CPfgLW5P69M3pASXUOlxy1t1EFwiegt7_1m/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-04-19+at+8.06.20+AM.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
I used #06 all over my mobile eyelid—you know, the part that moves, that covers your eyeball. In the above picture #06 is in the middle, but this picture is pretty good because you can see that its base is a warm sienna brown, but it has a green gold shift. I applied this with just a touch of water, so it looked pretty strong and foiled. Kind of like that dragon fly wing color I love. The rest of my eye was neutrals from the Mehron palette, and then I finished it off with a pink Revlon Just Bitten Balmstain.<br />
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Hope you like! I love duochromes!<br />
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Tomorrow, the 4-color challenge! Come back and check it out.<br />
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And don't forget to use the buttons up on the right to subscribe to my YouTube Channel, to my Twitter feed and Like my Facebook page.<br />
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Thanks for dropping by, Beauty Fans!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3069507023947231424.post-48602354612187800902013-02-27T07:49:00.001-08:002013-02-27T07:49:35.807-08:0030 Day Makeup Challenge: Day 10, Nude Eyes, Nude Lips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_ngLmVsnvAyxZkXEpSkHIfQ4IlSw-yEoWPxmZ-Yl-mAm7oKQV0SkMrEo5RDNVVaxP6Ks9lUEzTOUcXgsvXP0xq_IfEGUStyJOm1j8ZGXQ6tYUw6wMez2Es6YS95lsyuTRWyKixcQq4jz/s1600/30-day-nude-eye-lip-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_ngLmVsnvAyxZkXEpSkHIfQ4IlSw-yEoWPxmZ-Yl-mAm7oKQV0SkMrEo5RDNVVaxP6Ks9lUEzTOUcXgsvXP0xq_IfEGUStyJOm1j8ZGXQ6tYUw6wMez2Es6YS95lsyuTRWyKixcQq4jz/s1600/30-day-nude-eye-lip-1.jpg" height="367" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sorry for how long these blog post titles are getting. I much prefer short and sweet, but there's lots of info to convey.<br />
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So today's challenge was nude eyes and nude lips, which isn't so hard for me, and probably not for you, either, since nudes and neutrals are kind of the usual daily makeup look for those of us who do wear the stuff.<br />
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To make it more interesting for myself, I decided to use Mr, Wayne Goss's technique from one of his recent videos called "<a href="http://youtu.be/CjyJunTsIEA">How to Blend Eye Makeup Like a Pro"</a>. I subscribe to his channel because his videos are brief and full of helpful info from a pro makeup artist. I also like his British accent, and he's pretty darned cute, as well.<br />
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The surprising tip in his video is to apply your crease color with your eye open so that you can really find the right groove. This is not terribly attractive, but it does work. And so that's what I tried for my eyes. I ended up with a bit darker application than I'm used to, but I like it. What do you think?<br />
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Eye Shadow, in order of application:<br />
<ul>
<li>MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre on upper and lower lids all over</li>
<li>Lid: Mehron Natural Wheat</li>
<li>Crease: Mehron Cocoa and Espresso</li>
<li>Lid Outer Third: Mehron Black</li>
<li>Upper Lashline: Mehron Black</li>
<li>Lower Lashline: Mehron Espresso</li>
<li>Brows: Mehron Cocoa</li>
</ul>
For the nude lip, those of you who follow my blog a lot will probably able to guess what I did. Yes, it's Revlon's Just Bitten Balmstain in Honey! It's a slightly pink nude, but I prefer that. With my small lips and my age, I need some contrast between my lip color and my skin color.<br />
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I used my Mehron neutral eye palette for this, and I finished the look off with my black felt tip pen liner, the Maybelline Eye Studio one, which is my favorite at the moment. I'm finding as I look at my pictures I notice I like how this looks, and without it, my eyes just don't look finished.<br />
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I have started using Revlon Colorstay Oily/Combination Skin Foundation in 220 Natural Beige. Not only does this color match my skin way better than my Tarte Maracuja Oil foundation, or any of my BB creams, but this seems to have a more seamless look on my skin. It doesn't seem to move and get patchy or settle into lines like other foundations I've tried. And it's a drugstore foundation. I love it!<br />
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I like using Mehron Cocoa on my brows when I'm using the other shades from that palette on my lids. It gives the eye look a nice unified feel. Plus I find shadow and an angled brush help me get a more natural but well-defined brow.<br />
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I'm going to <a href="http://www.themakeupshow.com/makeupshow/la/index.html">The Makeup Show LA</a> this weekend. I'll be there at 9 or a little before on Saturday, so I hope to see you there. Remember you need some kind of pro credential to get into this event. I had a great time at this last year, so I'm really looking forward to it. I just figured out that Viseart is going to be there, so I may walk away with this long-lusted after item, the Viseart Eye Palette #1, a favorite of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/NikkieTutorials">Nickie Tutorials</a>, whom I adore. I also want to pick up some Inglot, some Make Up For Ever, and so on, and hopefully I won't go too crazy. The deals are awesome, and the vibe can be intense.<br />
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So that's it, Beauty Fans! More 30 Day Makeup Challenge stuff coming tomorrow!<br />
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Love, BeautyJonesAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716210511408586684noreply@blogger.com0