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Perusing the streets (and past memories) of Paris

With the COVID-19 chaos among us, all I can think of is traveling. Last Monday I was supposed to venture off to Banff National Park for some solo adventuring, yet here I am soaking up some sun on my couch…

While I may not be educating myself on wolf-dogs, tubing down mountains or glacier hiking, I am currently lost in past travels. I recently spoke with one of my best friends who I met while we studied in France, so I’ll continue my French-inspired posts for now.

One of my favorite photos from the weekend…

Carolyn and I spent one weekend in Paris during over summer abroad; for both good and bad reasons, it was a weekend we’ll never forget. I can only explain our weekend mishaps by sharing a piece of my matron of honor speech from September 2019:

“During our time in France, there was only one moment when I feared that Carolyn wouldn’t want to be my friend anymore. We were lost in Paris for a while, wandering the outskirts in the middle of the night. Let’s just say that it brought out the worst in us. Our phones weren’t working and we had no clue how or when we would find our way back.

For once, there were no stories about our significant others, no rants about Veronique and her subpar cooking, and most importantly, no laughter. Thankfully, things went back to normal once we found our hotel, and I’m incredibly thankful for that.

In fact, we’ve had a reunion every year since that summer, and in 2015 we were also lost in Chicago late at night. We laughed while we struggled to find our way back to the hotel, and it brought me back to that hectic night in Paris.”

I hope you’re all staying safe, healthy and happy with your loved ones (and favorite TV series!) ❤️

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Fond of France (2014)

I officially started this blog in 2015 by being forced into it as a class assignment. I thought, “no one is going to care what I have to say,” but thank you for reading and following my journey anyway. 

With this gratitude, I will be sharing my first study abroad experience with you: Aix-en-Provence, France (2014). I have shared some photos way back, but it’s time you saw and heard about one of my favorite countries to this day. I’m feeling just as grateful for my summer in southern France as I am for all of you! 
Thank you for all of your love and support, always. 
Cate
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January Jazz

We’re one month into the new year and 2020 has already proven to be a roller coaster. Despite being hit with a viral infection during the holidays and the flu last weekend, January was a fantastic month overall! 
In early January, Juan was finally able to meet two of my closest friends from work, Zachary and Bethany. That might seem crazy, but I actually live two hours away from our headquarters. And THAT is the crazy part 🙂 
The four of us went to the Purple Door Tea Room in Ferndale, Michigan to celebrate Zachary’s birthday the fanciest way possible. The tea was nice and all, but we were still hungry and obviously needed to visit the Detroit Cookie Co. for the goods! 
Après cookies à la mode, we walked around the Detroit Zoo to see the infamous Zoo Lights show. It was nice because I’ve never been to this festival with Juan, and it was awesome to have such a good evening with great friends. 

Another cool thing I did in early January was visit Toronto’s Horseshoe Tavern for some upbeat, eclectic jazz music. The secret is out: I LOVE JAZZ!!! Seeing two unique bands perform – who have clearly been friends since they were in diapers – was a fun, ‘dance like no one’s watching’ experience. I highly recommend this bar if you’re ever in Toronto. 

The jazz continued throughout the month as I recently bought an alto saxophone, which is an instrument I’ve wanted to play for over ten years! I’m slowly but surely getting the hang of it… 
My inspiration grew even more because Juan and I treated my parents to a birthday dinner at Cliff Bell’s, Detroit’s best jazz club (and one of my all-time favorite spots on earth!). The four of us had an unforgettable night together – we’re still talking about it as though it happened yesterday! 
Aside from all the jazz music and Detroit shenanigans, I’ve also been blessed to have quality time with some of my best friends. I was able to see two of my best friends from college, KayLee and Madison, earlier in the month as well as one of my best friends from home, Danielle. I’ve been chatting it up while indulging in all the ice cream and tea lattes a gal could wish for. 
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My Dorky Dog

I am IN LOVE with my dorky dog! Linley is a good boy with a little bit of sass every now and then…

During the holidays, Linley was not a fan of his new PJs or the fact that I donated some of his old toys to pups in need.

He also poses around the house and looks at me with disapproval when I eat too much chocolate!

Linley is also the side-eye expert, especially when I’m taking photos of him or when he’s my copilot.

Did I mention that my pupper is tired of all the photos?

But did I mention that it’s tiring to carry him around while I’m trying to cook dinner? Lin is a needy pup!

I love my dorky, sassy, high-maintenance pup! Linley is truly my best friend.

PS: yes, that is a toy with my husband’s face on it 😂

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Fall Feels

Autumn is a wonderful time of year; the air is brisk, the colors are vibrant and the clothes are cozy as can be. This weekend truly felt like fall with my loved ones.

Witches Night Out

My parents live where I grew up (Fenton, Michigan) and recently moved into the oldest home downtown. On Friday night, we dressed up as witches and spent the night shopping, drinking and dining in costume!

Pumpkin Patch

My little sister and I went to a giant pumpkin patch in Saginaw. Aniya and I escaped from the corn maze in 40 minutes (our new record!) and had lots of hot cider on such a cold and windy day!

Brunch in Downtown Flint

Say what you want about Flint, but their downtown is booming and better than ever. The Flint Crepe Co. never disappoints, especially when you can order all of the gluten-free goodness your heart desires. The company didn’t hurt either, because my best friend Danielle always has me crying from laughter! There’s even some new murals downtown.

Apple Orchard

Nothing screams fall more than visiting an apple orchard, getting some donuts and strolling around with your mom and pup!

I hope you’re enjoying autumn as much as we are!