Mmmmm... chocolate (insert Homer Simpson voice here)

** Disclaimer, I have been a little lazy in uploading my camera so the following post may seem a bit out of order seeing as I have been back in Paris for almost two weeks now. But as far as I am concerned better late than never.

So if you go searching through the old posts on this blog you will find one in particular that has to do with a day of chocolate tasting at a little place known as, The Chocolate Bar. As far as I am concerned this delightful, little location at the Langham Hotel in Boston is one of the best creations, EVER, in the history of the world. Seriously - what is wrong with a resto that serves nothing but the most amazingly delectable chocolate treats of every size, shape and type possible?? NOTHING , ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!! And what makes it even better?? Going with someone who loves you and your fatness from the bottom of their heart, and I love her and her chocolate loving appetite right back!!! Ok back to the chocolaty goodness... this was my second trip to the Chocolate Bar with my bestie, Miss. Ashlee, we made the trek right before I moved to Paris two years ago (on that note, I seriously cannot believe I have lived in Paris for almost 2 full years! Yikes!) and promised to try and go back once a year. Although we didn't make it last year - an ocean separating us makes it a bit difficult, I made it a point to reserve my last Saturday back home (after spending an awesome week with my friends and family a few weeks ago) before I returned to Paris so we could carry on this tradition. I am so happy we did. This year's theme (each year there is a different one) is Degrees of Chocolate and they did a great job covering every single type of chocolate out there. When we walked in to the restaurant the sweet, sweet smell was overwhelming - it is exactly how I would imagine a piece of Willy Wonka's world, the only thing missing was the Oompa Loompas!! The stations went from lightest types of chocolate to the darkest most intense. It was unreal. Simply amazing and being in a chocolate coma right before a flight back to Paris was just what I needed to have a sweet end to my trip home...

*Warning licking the computer when viewing the below images may cause electric shock or serious damage to your screen...

I wanted to inject that cream cheese frosting from that cupcake directly into my veins

I am still not exactly sure what we were supposed to do with the chocolate powder on the spoon but we tried it anyway!

Bacon in a dessert = genius
Chocolate and Gruyere in a dessert = even more genius
Chase both with a chocolate shot and life is goooooood

These were absolutely one of my favorites, oops, just drooled on my computer a little

Joyeux anniversaire a moi!!

J'ai habité a Paris depuis dix mois!! C'est incroyable comment vite le temps passe.

Sometimes I think about it and it feels like it was just yesterday that I was standing at the gate in Boston crying as I waved goodbye (and got yelled at by the security agent for not paying attention), or waiting outside of the boulangerie until there was absolutely no one around so I could go in and buy my bread without peeing my pants from fear!! It is a little unreal how much change can come and how much progress can be made in just 10 short months. Although I came here for work and to experience some of life’s crazy ups and downs I promised myself before I left that I would speak French no matter how long it took. Even though some days I feel like I should be fluent in this silly language I know that I am getting just a bit closer everyday. My goal is to be able to carry on most conversations in French before May 15th. Why that day you ask ... just because ; )

In honor of these last ten months I have come up with 10 things I am very happy about right here -right now:

 1. The fact that my family and some of the very best friends a girl could ask for have supported me being gone and growing, especially through all my tearful calls home, my stories that probably make no sense because you have no idea where I was or who I was with, my drunk dials and my always present indecisiveness about when I will be home next. Being gone makes you realise who really will be there - bottom line. Thank you.


2. My fantastic group of friends that I have made here. These people have truly become my "French Family". They help me with everything from setting up my cable and internet,  to sharing recipes and little known restaurants, singing cheesy songs over coffee with me, inviting me to meet other people and see things I would never imagine finding if I was just exploring on my own and they always have stand up advise when it comes to being homesick, work and all the other little things that may come up... (including but not limited to shopping dilemas, Mr.Cocktail, interpreting textos and deciphering what they maybe serving at the cafe for lunch...)


3. Coffee. At first this incredibly strong black stuff just kept me up all night. Now I wake up craving it. Two in the morning (usually with some tasty little biscuit or cookie) and one after lunch. And if you throw in sitting outside on a gorgeous spring day you can't go wrong.


4. My Franglais. Yes that is my mix of French and Anglais. This is something I have been working very hard at - as mentioned above and there are days when I literally want to jump up and down and scream YIPPEEEEE when I understand entire conversations... you can't even imagine my enthusiasm when I actually speak in a complete and proper sentence. It's a beautiful thing.


5. My ever-growing dictionary of inappropriate French Words... This actually factors in from Number 4 - but now I will be able to go home and use all the bad words I want and no one will ever know. Sorry Ma but it's going to happen ;)


6. Pain au chocolat - enough said. Seriously how I have lived for 27 (oh snap almost 28) years without this buttery chocolate filled delight is beyond me.


7. Euro Disney - yes maybe this one sounds strange. But I had one of the best days of my life here when ma seur et son copaine were here visiting. My face honestly hurt from laughing at the end of that day. Between the rides, the princess crowns, the crazy people we saw and hearing Disney characters in French - I couldn't have asked for a better day with two more amazing people.


8. Vin Chaud - another one that maybe a bit odd but I have MANY happy memories attached to this cheerful little winter drink. Especially walking around the bitter cold land of Strausbourg with my parents, exploring Hambourg with a very dear friend and of course daring to battle the winter cold still sitting on a cafe's terrace (I live in Paris, I can't say no to a terrace). It makes for a happy little pick me up. This one can also just include all of the other delicious wine I have been lucky enough to experience here in Paris as well. Because let me be honest - I have tried a lot and I have liked a lot...


9. My boot collection - yeah yeah yeah - you were all just waiting for this one. My shoe/boot collection has "matured" quite nicely since my arrival in Paris and yes that makes me a very, very, very happy girl


10. Last but not least - knowing that I still have an incredible amount of experiences to look forward to, more friends to make, laughs to laugh, wine to drink, tasty treats to eat, French to speak without the Franglais, and relationships to build and grow in- with people both here and back home. I am incredibly excited about the last one in the list of many but then again I would be lying if I said I was not excited about the rest of the list ...