This Weekend I

this weekend i

ate a dozen of these Brownie Cookies.

helped my crony bake 6 hens in front of two cameras.

cleaned my closet.

drank a giant potion of wine as well as ate a gianter play of cereal. stomach ache.

learned which i need just 3 hands to successfully have peanut brittle.

mopped my hardwood floors with a beach towel. dont discuss it my mom.

got a kitten.

i discuss it we all of this since i just thought we should know.

on mondayafternoonim making onion rings. i skipped dinner tonight so i can eat the entire batch tomorrow. which creates sense, right?

hallelujah as well as amen.

Living & Leisure Buzz

On The Road - The "Hautes Alpes"

from Tartelette

View of the Durance Valley.
This past week I took a much anticipated trip down South with my parents. It had been many years since we had taken a trip just the three of us, something I have always loved to do as they love to discover new places and old ruins as much I do. We were to meet my brother and his family in Toulouse but decided to take the long way there via the Alps and Provence. They indulged me in a trip down memory lane.

Saint Crepin. Life is simple here.

Small village - lots of hospitality.
Being as close as we are, I also like this quieter time together to talk about serious things and catch up (I’ll always be their baby after all). French highways and a little trip under the Southern sun were perfect for that. I hope you enjoy the photographs below and maybe discover or re-discover other facets and areas of France.

Everything has a past & a present.

Streets of Guillestre.
Our first stop was the Hautes Alpes where we have had a chalet there for more than 30 years. I grew up spending every summer and winter there from the time I was four until I left for the US. Every major step of my life as a person, child to adult was pretty much spent there (and Provence). This is there where I learned how to bike without training wheels, swim without swimmies, took my first glider ride, learned how to build a fort,...

Cute little restaurant "Dedans Dehors" - Great food.
Our chalet sits at the foot of the little village of Saint Crepin which has changed in so many ways and at the same time remains the same. Everything in that curvy main street is a witness to the changes of time and economics. Being resilient and adaptable is not an attitude here, it’s a necessity.

Small town - lots of character.
Here I would watch my grandfather wait for the rain to stop and get out with his cane in the woods behind the chalet and hunt for snails. Here, we would sleep in the front yard to watch meteor showers and we took many hard turns and falls on our bikes, down the stairs or in the woods. A place for growth. A place for change.

Old barns turned into homes.

The Citadel of Mont-Dauphin.
This is also where Bill met my parents for the first time and assured my dad of his best intentions in spite the challenges or age difference and the distance between us could bring to this new relationship. A special place for sure.

The village inside the Citadel.

There are places I crave. This is one of them. As you can see, mountain villages are as sight to be seen. Colors. Flowers. Wood. Old stones. The green pastures and clear meadows of the Queyras behold such beauty. There are places that just put the world right by you. This is one of mine.

Life in the mountains.

In the village.
We only stayed a couple of days but it was enough to get a fill for all the things I missed. The town of Guillestre with its typical narrow streets and old barns now renovated and turned into homes or restaurants. The Citadel of Mont Dauphin, built under Louis XIV, still intact (never attacked!) with its cobblestone streets, gorgeous blues and artisans (pottery, leather, painters,…).

It was pretty darn perfect to notice my body instinctively repeat moves and turns or my brain to remember missing stones and oddities I only knew as a child. I could have stayed there an entire month but we had more to see and more highways to cover. Next stop was the town of Aix En Provence and the small village of Calas where I grew up but that will be for next time.

I leave you with a snapshot that my dad sneaked of me while in Fontvieille, one of my many favorite places in Provence. I have so many though…stay tuned!

Southern California

Im home from the initial part of the Cake Pops book trip. Portland, Seattle as well as San Francisco were initial as well as below have been pics from dual stops in Southern California.This week Ill also get pics up from Utah as well as Chicago if we were there as well as wish to see them. And afterwards this Saturday is Atlanta. Yay!

But initial So Cal. So most fun!

I was during the Williams-Sonoma stores in Costa Mesa as well as Santa Monica. One was bigger as well as in the mall as well as the alternative smaller in more of the neighborhood. Loved them both. Below have been the handful of pictures from each signing as well as during the finish of the post, we can click upon the single of the slideshow graphics to see more photos from each if we like. If we see yourself, feel free to make use of the photos from my flickr photostream.

This is the Costa Mesa store.

Lots of people revisit this mall.

Lots of happy people.

This is so most fun for me. To see people smile. we customarily only suppose we guys upon the alternative side of the mechanism hopefully smiling when we see something lovable upon the site. But this is surreal. Thank you. Big hugs all around.

Blushing. we heart we guys too.

These girls work during My Sweet as well as Saucy in Long Beach as well as brought baked sweat bread pops. we was so vehement they came out because Ive been ! wanting to revisit the bakery. Hopefully next time.

Such honeyed faces as well as good hair. we consider we need the pink streak. But we dont have the nerve.

A boy. Ive essentially met several boys over the last few days. Some have been watchful in line for their mom, girlfriend, wife, mother-in-law, as well as the little for themselves. Its super sweet. we didnt expect to see so many.

Friends come out together too. we love it.

Moms as well as daughters. Umm good cut by the way.

And Cakespy if youre readingLook who stopped by for the visit.

P.S. Cakespy we need this shirt in your shop. Cuteness.

Wow we consider everybody in Costa Mesa has good hair.

Ive decided cave looks most appropriate from this angle. Now we only have to master walking around with my conduct down during all times.

Look during these lovable kiddies. And those eyes. Oh my.

Okay Im adding this photo because my hair never looks this good. It must be something in the water.

This is the opening to the Santa Monica store. we longed for to pierce in here. So cozy.

Look the cutter which proposed it all. The flowering plant cutter in the small tin is the a single we used to make the cupcake pops.

Hi!

Oh my gosh. This creates me so happy.

Hand in the air side smile.

I cant stop it. we consider it happens mostly when Im by myself though. Weird, huh.

Look how lovable these dual are. So stylish as well as such good glasses.

Oooh we wish this Fuji instant camera. Fun for days.

This is Alpha. Sweet Alpha. She came to the signing as well as gathering in from Mexico. She said the most beautiful difference to me. You can see by my eyes the outcome they had. we consider we scared everybody behind her when we proposed crying it was the single of those embarrassing cri! es, too. The shrill kind. But her difference were value each tear.

Im sorry if we were in line after that. we didnt meant to be all red-eyed in your photos. At slightest we demeanour super lovable in your apron.

Kids. we love how most young kids came out as well as were only as vehement as their parents. So sweet.

See what we mean.

Hey Jen. It was good articulate with you. You give good party.

Jen helped devise the Pioneer Woman, Steamy Kitchen, Simply Recipes closing night Blogher party. It was fantastic.

This is Louis with my mom. Love his store. Look in the background. See which display?

Yeah, this one. Talk about surreal. They put Cake Pops upon the same arrangement with Sprinkles Cupcakes. Very cool. And unexpectedly tone coordinated.

Look these dual even made baked sweat bread pops. So nice.

And during the very finish yes, we altered garments : ) we had the h! oneyed s urprise. A baker named Joy stopped by. Do we know Joy? Joy the Baker? If not, let me deliver you.

Shes super cool as well as cute. Plus she bakes.

Below have been links to more photos if youd similar to to see them.

And now which Im home for the integrate of days. Ill try to bake something this week. Something quick. Im having withdrawal.

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