Personal Post: I Love Paris...Texas (Part1)

I Love Paris...Texas

 Circa: 2015

I spent last weekend in Paris....well, Paris, Texas that is! At the last minute, I had the opportunity to head home before the big rush at work this Spring and I took it. While I love our new home and the life we have built in one of the sweetest towns in Texas, it is always nice to get back to my roots and where my heart is... Paris!

My weekend started at my favorite place, Paris Bakery! It has all the charm and beauty of a hundred year old bakery tucked away on one of the many streets of France but or version includes a cowboys on the wall, paying tribute to our rough and tumble past! 

Everything they make is delicious, but I was lucky enough be there for my FAVORITE lunch, the oven-fried green tomatoes with monterey jack on cheddar scallion bread with a cup of chili! Words can't properly express how much I love this sandwich..and really fried green tomatoes in general. I even devoted a blog post to the subject that you can find here. Once again they did not disappoint! And if once wasn't enough I stopped in the next morning for breakfast. If you are ever in the Paris area Paris Bakery is a MUST! 

After a delicious lunch and shopping at some of my favorite stores in beautiful downtown Paris (coming in Part 2) I had to stop and take a few shots of these amazing murals right off the square. It is such a clever and beautiful way to offer a glimpse into the city's past while bringing life to some of the town's older buildings. It makes my heart happy to see how local artists are helping to revitalize and preserve our downtown. 

I personally adore this lovely lady with her bike! 

My next stop was to visit my sister and her husband on their gorgeous farm just outside of Paris. I can't wait for them to finish their guest bedroom so I can spend the night and wake up with the sunrise and have coffee with the cows. While I enjoy the conveniences of the city I love getting away to the country every now and then!   


Ever since I heard that they had a new, four-legged, addition to their family I was dying to meet her. This sweet girl was abandoned by her mother after her birth and my sister and her husband have been caring for her ever since. After a few close calls and long nights I am very happy to report that she seems to be on her way to a happy and healthy life. Who knew my sister's nursing skills would come in so handy on the farm? 

While I was there I took it upon myself to name her Little Miss Elly May Dejoux. I am not sure if the name stuck after I left but that is what she will always be to me. Since she is still a baby and nursing she tends to think anything and everything is a bottle ...including fingers. Someone please get that sweet girl a pacifier stat! Just Kidding! I am still debating on bringing her back to Houston with me sometime while she is still small enough to ride in my car. I think our backyard is big enough! Not kidding! 

After playtime and snuggles with Elly I couldn't wait to see my sister's home and her newly remodeled bathroom. It looked amazing and of course I forgot to take pictures! I am going to just have to talk her into coming on the blog occasionally as a guest writer because she has amazing decorating skills of her own, just with a rustic touch. When I reach for a silver tray or tea cup she grabs a piece of antique barn wood and a mason jar! 

We'll this is where the first part of "I Love Paris" ends and look for part two next week when I can't wait to share some of my favorite shopping spots with you! I hope that everyone has a a wonderful week! 

My Loves: September 2014

 My Loves

September 2014 

       After a little hiatus I am able to focus my attention once again on the blog. As many of you know when I am not blogging I am the Education Coordinator for a museum. This August has been one of our busiest months to date with Summer History Camp, a battle reenactment, special boys only event, lecture series, walking tours...and much more! Thus, the job had to come first and sadly the blog remained quite for several days. However, with fall quickly approaching and schedule that is calming down... a little... I am ready to start again! This weekend I was blessed to have my family come to visit us for a few days. Our days were filled with cooking, reminiscing, shopping, laughing, eating and loving every minute we had together. I am very much looking forward to a wonderful holiday season and more family time! 

     With the beginning of a new month I thought that I would share a few of my current loves! 

  “The Vintage Tea Party: A Complete Guide to Hosting Your Perfect Party” 
by Angel Adoree

      I was blessed to receive this wonderful book from one of my dearest friend's mothers this weekend. I can only consider her a second mother for over the past 20 years she has picked me up from school, taken me to dance classes, let me spend many nights at her house and our families still take regular vacations together to this day. She knows me too well and this book couldn't be more perfect! I think that I actually gasped when I saw it! It includes everything needed to create a beautiful vintage British Tea Party with delicious recipes and beautiful illustrations.  Inside you will find delicious recipes, beauty and styling tips, vintage china, decorations and so much more! Where else can you find tea, roses, foxes, tops hats, crows and more all in the same book? At times it feels like someone took a picture of my thoughts and dreams and placed them into a book!!  Also, it doesn’t hurt that the author is a Ginger too!

http://www.anthropologie.com

Orange Blossom and Walker Tallow Honey

    
      My mother surprised me this weekend with a wonderful gift from Olive Paris located in my hometown of Paris, Texas. I received two bottles of their delicious honey-Orange Blossom and Walker Tallow Honey. I love using honey as a natural sweetener in my tea and on my buttermilk biscuits! They have a delicious variety of flavors including Walker Wildflower Honey, Walker Clover Honey, Walker Huajillo Honey and more! 

     I really can’t say enough about this wonderful new store in Paris. My husband and I use their delicious Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar on a daily basis. Nearly everything we cook is drizzled with our favorite, Garlic Olive Oil! Yummy! For those that won’t be able to visit Paris in the near future I have wonderful news… they ship! Please visit their website and like them on Facebook today!

https://squareup.com/market/olive-paris

https://www.facebook.com/oliveparistx

Alaffia GOOD Soap

       My mom introduced me to these wonderful soaps this weekend. We made a special stop at Whole Foods Market so my mom could restock on one of her favorite products Alaffia GOOD Soap! I fell in love immediately and had to pick up a few for myself. Lavender is one of my favorite scents...some would say that I have a slight obsession. They have a beautiful Lavender soap that I can't wait to use. I also couldn't resist their Fresh Mint scented soap! It's so bright and refreshing and a wonderful way to wake up in the morning! Alaffia GOOD soaps are made with certified trade shea butter and coconut oil and come in a variety of scents including Sweet Vanilla, Prairie Rose, Coconut and African Black Soap. 

www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Feather Quill Pen

        A few months ago my sister and her husband had the opportunity to travel to Switzerland and visit some of his family and take their honeymoon. I loved getting to see all their their gorgeous Honeymoon photographs and hearing stories from their journey. Knowing me all too well my sister presented me with this this beautiful feather quill pen as a gift and I couldn't be more in love!  It is a gorgeous piece they purchased in Italy!  I can't wait to  purchase some ink use it to write my thank you notes! 

Antique Trophy

        On Saturday all the girls went Antique Shopping while the boys headed to the brewery. We headed to downtown Rosenberg, Texas to visit a few of my favorite shops! One of my new favorite stops is D N S Crafts & Antiques. They have a large and varied selection of antiques and collectibles and their prices are great! I have so many great items in this store including two vintage cookbooks, framed prints for our home and this wonderful little trophy!  It will make a beautiful addition to our mantle...and hopefully be the beginning of a new collection! If you are in the area a stop at this wonderful store is a must! 

The store is located at 801 2^nd Street Rosenberg, TX 77471

In closing I leave you with this beautiful and delicious fried (baked) blackberry pie! While it may not be the prettiest pie I have ever baked it's simplicity and imperfections make me love it even more. I was so excited to learn that a recipe that I thought had been lost was found. My great-great grandmother's pie crust recipe is my favorite and I spent many hours in my grandparent's kitchens making countless pies with her crust! After a house fire I thought it was lost forever, however recently my sister discovered a copy I had made a long time ago. These weekend for the first time in over 10 years we made a batch of blackberry and apricot pies! The crust was just as delicious as I remember! 

On that very sweet note I hope that you have a wonderful day!