Casa de Berry

Paris Vacation – part 3

December 4, 2014December 3, 2014by casadeberry2 Comments

The day after my birthday I had the most amazing food tour with a long-time favorite blogger — Clotilde Dusoulier from Chocolate & Zucchini. I am a fan of Clotilde’s style of cooking and her storytelling, and when I found out she does these two-hour food tours around Paris, I had to schedule one during our vacation.

Our tour took place in Montmartre, we met at a Metro stop and began walking around, stopping at various bakeries and food shops, and ending with a cheese course that was out of this world.

Our tour started at Le Grenier à Pain, a bakery that won the top prize for best baguette in Paris in 2010. This means, aside from the title and prestige, that they get to provide the bread for the Elysee, the home of the French President.

Clotilde showed us what to look for in a good quality baguette compared to a more industrially made one. As with many things, imperfection or unevenness is a sign of a hand-made bread. Also the bottom of the baguette can show you whether it was machine or hand-made. Ours was delicious, of course.

Next we stopped at one of the locations of a celebrity baker’s chain. Gontran Cherrier makes an amazing croissant, and that is saying something in Paris. We also tried a roll made with squid ink — perfect to accompany a seafood meal — and I purchased some brioche for the next day’s breakfast. So good. You can see the croissant and the squid ink roll on the tray between Steve and Clotilde, and my brioche were in the bag.

Our next, delicious “lesson” was at another bakery where we sampled a rustic plum tart. Let me just say that I have tried making plum tarts since we have a plum tree in our yard and my creations did not come close to the crumbly, sweet and tart loveliness that was this one from Les Petits Mitrons.

We stopped at a fancy foods store, where you might get a gift for your Parisian hostess if you were invited for dinner. So many pretty and delicious things! I am a soup fiend and wanted one of each of these bottled soups:

Last but not least was the cheese shop, La Fromagerie Lepic. Cheese is a huge deal in France. Like Champagne, which can only call itself Champagne if it is made in the region of Champagne (otherwise it’s called sparkling wine here in the US), French cheeses can only be given their regional name if made in the specific region by a specific method. We sampled a cheese course’s worth of cheeses, from mild to strong, as you would present at the table.

Because I was too busy stuffing my face with baguette and cheese, I only took pictures of four of the five cheeses we tried, but Clotilde kindly sent me the list of what we sampled:
– Banon (the goat cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves)
– Moelleux du Mont Revard (creamy mountain cheese with small holes)
– Morbier (with a layer of ash in the middle)
– Comté (mountain cheese)
– Roquefort (blue sheep’s milk)

The one picture I missed is the one of the Comté, but in the collage you can see the other four in order of listing, clockwise starting from bottom left. My favorites were the Banon and the Comté, but they were all really good. Clotilde brought a knife and plates and we sat on a bench to enjoy our cheese course.

Clotilde kept up a running commentary on what we were purchasing, along with various tidbits on the shops and traditions in Parisian food life. Like her blog and books, her way of speaking is full of knowledge but approachable. There is no condescension here, you feel like you are walking around with a long-time friend. I would highly recommend taking one of her tours if you are planning on visiting Paris.

Uncategorized

Paris Vacation – part 2

November 29, 2014November 25, 2014by casadeberry1 Comment

Ladies and Gentlemen, I humbly present to you — the Louvre.

I’m not even going to try and tell you about this museum because a) there is so much to cover and b) there are many, many places where you can read about all its treasures, where the narrative will do it the justice it deserves. Here are a couple of my favorites:

THAT said, both Steve and I had been to the Louvre before and while I had spent a lot of time here, he had visited during a remodeling, so some areas had been closed. We chose to only cover those areas since we’d both seen the rest and you can really spend an entire day, or more, just at the Louvre.

By the way, it was my birthday and my darling love was so confused about what day it was that it was only after I told him twice that it was November 12 that he went “oh hey, happy birthday!” 😀

Our place was really close to the Louvre, so much so that in fact we went through the courtyard a few times as a short-cut. As you do.

Speaking of our place, we chose to rent an apartment rather than stay in a hotel. First, it ended up costing us much less than a hotel room for 10 nights. Second, we had amenities like free phone calls to the US, a washing machine and drying rack, kitchen, etc. The apartment was located super close to the Louvre, as I mentioned, and there were some bakeries and restaurants on the same street, plus a Christian Louboutin store. Hello!

We also visited the Musee d’Orsay where there was a very interesting exhibition on the Marquis de Sade. Ahem. I was bummed that my favorite painting in the world – Cabanel’s The Birth of Venus — was on loan in Tokyo.

Despite that personal setback, it was a day filled with gorgeous artwork and our first full day in Paris, and we enjoyed it so very much.

Paris Vacation – random

November 26, 2014November 25, 2014by casadeberryLeave a Comment

As I’m editing my pics from Paris, I find little moments that I loved, that I want to highlight for you.

I’ve made no secret of my love for chocolate. I’m completely happy with a cheap old bag of Hershey’s kisses or a cup of Swiss Miss, but I’d heard that in Paris there was a place that served some seriously kick ass hot chocolate. So off we went.

Angelina’s has a few locations throughout Paris — we went to the one on the Rue Rivoli because it was the closest to us. I paid my Euros and got my greedy little hands on a cup of delectable, smooth, velvety liquid silk.

My husband isn’t a huge fan or chocolate, or hot chocolate, but even he was impressed by Angelina’s hot chocolate.

One of the things I purchased to bring home was a bag (the big size) of hot chocolate mix. They sell the hot chocolate in bottles, ready to heat up, various pastries, and dry mix. There is also a restaurant where you can have lunch, but it’s pretty pricey for what you get, and let’s face it, I was only there for the hot chocolate.

That picture brings me to another subject: my hair. Yes, that’s all mine in its un-tame-able curlage. I brought a hair dryer, curling iron, frizz tamer, smoothing cream, hair spray, etc. The only thing I used during my trip was a BB product thing from Pantene to deal with the frizzies. I didn’t see a single woman sporting the ubiquitous “beachy waves” or straightened hair. Parisian women have pretty, polished hair and pretty, polished makeup, but don’t look like they spent half an hour on either. So I didn’t, either.

And yes, that’s an Avengers t-shirt I’m wearing. Even though I’m Team Loki.

2014, bags, paris, travel

Paris Vacation, part 1

November 25, 2014November 23, 2014by casadeberry4 Comments

Yes, I know, it’s been a long time and I’m starting to blog again right after we get home from Paris. Boo hiss.

This was a long-awaited trip for us, we’d both been to Paris before, but never together, so we’d been looking forward to this BIG TIME. We spent eleven glorious days on vacation, two of them travel days, and nine days left to explore this gorgeous city. We took our time, slept in when we wanted, and had a wonderful trip.

First things first, though – I’m sharing with you what I wore on the plane:

I layered a tank top under a light sweater and also had my coat with me on the plane, plus a super soft scarf. I wore comfortable slim jeans and riding boots, adding my “personal item” (crossbody bag) and “carry on” (an expandable bag from Stella & Dot) that held a ton of things and was still within the limits set by airlines. In my carry on, I had a change of clothes, leggings and a long sleeve top, underwear, bra, and socks, and basic, travel-sized toiletries. I’ve experienced lost luggage and canceled flights before and tried my best to plan for the worst. Thankfully, all our flights were on time and nothing was lost.

I will add this amazing trip we had to my list of things to be thankful for, I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving if you celebrate it, and a wonderful week in any case 😀

2014, boys, costume, halloween, husband

Right in the “feels”!

July 14, 2014by casadeberry3 Comments

Okay, so I’ve shared plenty of my husband’s amazing creations for our boys – be it cakes, costumes, or piñatas. Something completely unexpected happened recently and I can finally share it with you all – one of our boys’ homemade costumes will be making its debut on the big screen!!!

This is the costume our youngest wore 3 years ago – he was obsessed with Godzilla and daddy obliged. Alex had some sensory issues at the time and didn’t want his hands covered, and he loved being able to see out of his costume:

A couple of weeks ago, my husband was contacted by a lady on behalf of Make a Wish Illinois – a young boy’s wish was to be Godzilla, and a movie would be made with him starring as “Madzilla”. She had found his costume and inquired about getting it for the movie. We donated it and have been waiting to see some pics of sweet Maddex wearing the costume. Now, you can see a series of pictures at the Chicago Tribune. People like Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel and football legend Mike Ditka will also be appearing in the movie.

To say that we are beyond happy is a complete understatement. It’s so gratifying to see the looks of wonder and the smiles on our boys’ faces once Steve completes a costume, but to have helped make this sweet boy’s wish come true? Indescribable.

Have a wonderful week!

2014, friends, nails

Patriotic Mani

July 1, 2014by casadeberry2 Comments

Just in time for today’s soccer game AND for the 4th of July, I bring you a couple of red, white, and blue manis.

One is pretty awesome, full of creativity and gorgeousness.

The other one is mine.

Seriously. that ONE NAIL took me 45 minutes. And it chipped like, 2 minutes, after I took this picture. Thankfully, it was AFTER.

But enough of that, let’s look at the pretty 😀

Girlfriend’s just too critical of her art. I think it’s gorgeous. And glitter! I should have added glitter. Duh.

Carina is a dear friend from college, we got back in touch a few years ago and of course, then she moved to Seattle. Sheesh. On the plus side, it meant that I got to see her when we went on our recent road trip. She’s just awesome and does amazing nail work.

Thank you for convincing me to do this, even though I massively sucked at it! Love ya, C!!!!

2014, accessories, books, chocolate, cosmetics, gifts, green, jewelry, nails

40th Birthday Swag Bag Blog Hop

June 2, 2014May 28, 2014by casadeberry2 Comments

My sweet friend – and Brit lit author – Pauline, contacted me about joining a blog hop and, considering my love of putting things together, I had to say yes! The idea is that you’re gifting a few items to your best friend, sister, etc. and money is no object. That sounds right up my alley 😀

The categories are: book, beauty product, snack food, music album, and “my choice.”

Book – It would have to be Outlander, the first in a brilliant series by author Diana Gabaldon. I gave away a copy a few months ago, and if you’ve been thinking of reading it or need something new to read, I urge you to give it a try, especially because Starz will be airing the miniseries starting on August 9! Here are the protagonists of the series, as portrayed by Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan.

Beauty Product – I have been completely won over by Nail Butter, a nail and cuticle enhancer that has turned my nasty, dry, cracked cuticles into soft and smooth skin. Love this stuff, love the gardenia smell, and it’s all natural and cruelty-free, which is also a great thing. Here’s the gross before, and I apologize in advance:

And the lovely after:

Snack Food – Being the complete Hershey bar-loving peasant that I am, I cannot possibly suggest something like Pauline’s choice of Hotel Chocolat’s Chocolate Dipping Adventure, but I do have something from England – McVitie’s digestives.

Of course, being me, I prefer the ones with milk chocolate. They are wonderfully filling and during my first trip to England, often kept me fed and happy during long days of sightseeing.

Music Album – Hmmm. This one is kind of tough. I like all sorts of music, from Classical to Country, and what I listen to often depends on my mood. I absolutely love the voice of one Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, aka Lorde, so I will suggest her smash album Pure Heroine.

My Choice – Hmmm, trip to Paris? That would always be my choice, but if I had to pick a thing instead of an experience, I would choose something beautiful and endlessly versatile:

The Sutton Necklace in green.

2014, birthdays, cats, forty, friends, husband

Brain Dump

May 28, 2014by casadeberry1 Comment

It’s been a while since I posted – life has gotten super busy but also, there was a bit of news I was dreading to share. Our sweet Willie-Boo, our Egyptian Mau, passed away a few weeks ago. We had the pleasure of his company for over a decade, and will always remember him as the most loving kitty we’ve met.
willie1

He brought so much joy to our home and is sorely missed. Our other cat, Bernie, also misses his buddy of 11 years, and has become a lot more active in wanting attention and love.

In happier news, I threw a small party for Steve’s 40th birthday – he’s a voracious reader, so the party was book-themed. If you follow me on Instagram, then you got to see various shots of the party prep:

I had Steve create a list of books he wanted to read in case anyone asked what to get him for his birthday. He got a bunch of new books and our friends were kind and generous in other ways as well. It was a fun afternoon with lots of good food and even better conversation.

The boys are almost done with school. Part of me wishes they would bundle all the no-school days at the end so they could be done a couple of weeks early, mostly because of Alexander. Autistic kids, especially, rely on routine, even more than regular kids, and having days off here and there really mess with him and make it harder to go back to school. We have been lucky with a group of teachers and therapists that have worked with us to help Alex get the most he can out of school.

Last weekend we had a wonderful time with Steve’s sweet cousin, she is an amazing riding instructor and was great with both boys, getting them to ride and trot, and do pre- and post- ride work on the horse:

Thank you so much, cousin T.!!!!

I will be bringing a “virtual swag bag” post next Monday, sharing with you some ideas for cool gift items.

Hope the rest of your week is amazing!

2014, accessories, boys, clothing, jewelry, kids

Unexpected dinner date

May 5, 2014by casadeberryLeave a Comment

The thing with autism is, the unexpected becomes routine.

We were thinking of going to an Italian restaurant for dinner last night, the boys both love filled pastas and we’d gone there before and had a good time, but nope, Alexander wouldn’t have it. So it became my husband staying home with him and me and Aidan going out to dinner and bringing food back for the troops.

Thanks to this super cute and comfy dress from Old Navy and my trusted Sutton necklace, I was dolled up in five minutes, ready for a dinner date with my sweet son. We had a good time and actually worked out a solution to store his assortment of Nerf guns. He loved the pictures I showed him from Pinterest (if you look up Nerf gun storage you’ll see many ideas using pegboard) so I think that might be a project that is tackled soon. He inhaled his adult-sized portion and then we drove home.

As a busy mom, I value pieces that let me get dressed and feel like I am put together without a lot of fuss. Steve picked out the dress for me, and I got it in the gray as shown and in a stripe as well. When I call him my own personal Tim Gunn, I am not kidding 😀

It was an unexpected chance to spend some one-on-one with Aidan and I loved it. Hope your week is a wonderful one!

2014, accessories, green, jewelry

Styling the Sutton, part 2

April 30, 2014April 29, 2014by casadeberry2 Comments

Last time I showed you a few ways in which you can style Stella & Dot’s Sutton necklace. This time I will show you a few ways the removable green strand can complement a variety of outfits.

As you might guess, the whole Sutton necklace makes for a bigger impact than one single strand, but these sweet green stones pack plenty of punch on their own. Added to neutral pieces like grey and white dresses and tops, it adds a pop of color. Added to a piece in an analogous color (a color next to it in the color wheel), like the pale blue top, it makes for a cohesive look. The only color I would recommend you avoid is, you guessed it, green. If it matches exactly, it becomes a little twee; if it clashes, it can be jarring. And this green strand deserves to be showcased.

Now, to style the Sutton WITHOUT the green strand:

I would use the multi-strand Sutton (without the green piece) for a bigger impact, wither with some stronger color pieces or with items, like the dress, that have a pattern that can stand up to it. The shirt at bottom left is not a dark color, but it is a saturated color, it can handle not only the multi-strands but the variations in color. Same with the dark blue pieces. Whereas I would pair the single green strand with more delicate colors, I would add the multi-strands to darker colors that will not be overwhelmed.

I hope you’ve enjoyed these looks, I will be showcasing some other pieces from Stella & Dot in future posts. I am absolutely loving being a stylist and the vibrant, fun pieces in the current collection.