Paris

We made it back from our whirlwind tour of Europe with lots of good memories and no mishaps or complaints. The best part was 16 straight vacation days with Tim! The worst thing was a delayed final flight from Boston to Denver, but that didn't really have anything to do with Europe. We made it home after traveling 24 ferocious hours for my brother's wedding with smiling faces and a touch of jet lag. We have lots to blog about in the coming week, but for now we will discuss where we spent most of our time, in Paris.

One of the reasons we went was to visit some of our coolest friends from Boston who now live there, Nico and Alexis. They graciously opened their home to us and provided superb meals, advice and company throughout our stay.

They were able to share in some of our highlights, including a night river cruise along the Seine, a rainy Bastille day morning watching the parade online, a Japanese ballet at the Opera Bastille, the modern art museum Dreamlands exhibit, a sunset picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower, quaint walking tours visiting exquisite Parisian cafes and restaurants, and daily breakfasts at their home.

Other favorites for us included the Orengerie museum where Monet's Water Lillies are on display in breathtaking panoramic force, descending the sparkling Eiffel Tower at midnight, the D'Orsay, walking through the old Marais and Montmarte neighborhoods, crossing paths with Boston friends Soren and John (also on vacation), nutella banana crepes, and Badoit sparkling mineral water. We loved Badoit - as much as we could get! We even tried escargot, and Tim ate all of his Steak TarTar...WowWow.

So now for an overall tally between Paris and Vienna, Tim's final verdict:

Food: Paris - 1 point (Not even close)
Friends: Paris - 1 point

Coffee: Vienna - 1 point

Palaces: Vienna - 1 point (Sorry Versailles. Schonnbrunn forever.)
Romance: Paris - 1 point (Did you see that silhouette picture above?)
Music: Vienna - 1 point (Edelweiss, edelweiss and the unshaven Puchberg marching band.)
Language: Paris - 1 point (No ichs, achs, puchs, or bachs.)
Art: Paris - 1 point
Nature: Vienna - 1 point (The hills are alive!)
Ice Cream: Vienna - 1 point (If only Berthillion hadn't been closed.)

Total Vienna 5, Paris 5. Tim says this, "Although I initially fell in love with Vienna, Paris will stay with me longer. Paris truly is 'a moveable feast'."

For a more complete compilation of Paris pics, click here.

On the Colorado home front, it's good to be home. I've been feeling the altitude, but getting plenty of chances to rest. My parents have sold their house in Monument and are going to be moving into a rental in Highlands Ranch until they can find the house they really want. This means, at least for awhile, we'll be living close to Denver, right by my prenatal care and hospital, much closer to Tim's potential store (still unknown), and just a few minutes from our long-time Tacoma friends, the Broweleits! The adventure continues!

Next up: Our trip to Mont Saint Michel in Normandy.

Wien

Gruss Gott! I think it's time for a Vienna update. (We finally took a night off and have a few free minutes to relax. We may make it to bed before 11pm!) Once I get my Paris photos organized there will be a super-blog, but Vienna was only a few days so I think I can get started. Here are a few highlights from my old undergrad study-abroad stomping grounds.

First, Tim loved it way more than I thought he would. So much so that I'm not sure he's giving Paris a fair running. You'll get to see a competition breakdown list at some point from his perspective between the 2 cities, but for the moment, Vienna had way more points. Paris is catching up quickly though.

We stayed at a Pension in the 8th Bizerk where I lived in 2001 with Steph. The first day we started off by going the wrong way on a Strassenbahn street car (oops!), until we found the correct tour of the Ringstrasse. That's the road that formerly was the old city wall around the city center. We got off walking by the Rathaus (city hall), where that discovered that we could enjoy a free giant outdoor screening of a modern Don Giovanni that night. We came back at 10 and ate a formidable pancakey desert called Kaiserschmarren while watching the Italian opera. Mmmmm! After a quick stop for ein melange (Viennese coffee) and topfenstrudel (cheesy dessert), we climbed the 343 steps up Stephansdom church for a great view of the city.

Over-caffeinated from the melange, Tim tried to wrestle this oar away from a statue.

Next, we continued to the Hofburg palace where the Hapsburg family ruled much of Europe way back, oh I don't know, when. There were lots of Herculean statues around the palace grounds, and this ferocious fountain.

We also toured the family treasury, wow. Talk about bling.

And couldn't forgo a world reknowned geback (pastry) cafe, Demel, with blueberry violet ice cream. Yes please!!

Day 2 was palace day, starting at the Belvedere palace and Austrian artist museum (Klimpt's Kiss - stunning - is there), breaking at the Naschmarkt for kebabs. After lunch we stumbled upon my old favorite cafe Sperl for a Groser Brauner (double espresso) and my soda Himbeer (raspberry), and finished at Schonnbrunn palace. We also found this cute street where Tim looked at antique books.

Our pension was by Tim's favorite church, Votivskirche (see below). Votivskirche was built supposedly in thanks of teenage Emperor Franz Joseph's survival of an assassination attempt. Tim says if someone tried to stab him as a teenager he could have only afforded to build God a "thank you" diorama.Day 3 was on to Puchberg (read: pook-berg) am Schneeberg, a 2 hour train ride west toward the Alps. We took the Salamander Schneebergbahn up the mountain for an incredible "hills are alive" mountaintop experience. Once we escaped the massive crowds for some lesser traveled cliff trails, we were pleasantly refreshed. Puchberg itself, at the base of Mt. Schneeberg, was a little sleepy but we are really glad we went.
On the eve of the world cup final, we were engaging in our own fussbol tournament at an outdoor restaurant. Tim won the dramatic tie-breaking second game!

(25 weeks)

Our last afternoon back in Vienna, Day 4, we had enough time to stop for the best ice cream in the world, if I do say so myself, Zanoni and Zanoni. Ausgeseich-Yum!
After the 4 day Austrian adventure we're a little tired. We're not slowing down much in France either. But you only Baby-moon once.
More to come!!! We miss everyone and are excited to make it back home!

au revior, Boston!

We've turned a corner. July 1 seemed to mark the first day of the rest of our lives! The first day of the second half of the year, which will look very different for us, and my first day unemployed for an indefinite amount of time. My boss held a small farewell party for me and gifted me with a swatch watch; I think I'm super hip now:

Tim still has one more day of work on the 4th and a couple goodbye parties from his coworkers, including a pretty cool poster from all the Boston area managers:

We moved out of our apartment early this week, thanks to the help of some very muscular men (Soren, Alex, Paco, Chris) and my coworkers Allyson and Sheila, not to mention the awesome unexpected company of Kathy Johns, one of my old college roommates I hadn't seen in years who lives in TN but happened to have a business meeting in Boston and surprised us!! She made all the potential stress of (not) selling our furniture disappear. We will have good memories of setting up our entire living room out on the sidewalk below our apartment, the warm summer breeze starting to cool us down, enjoying our favorite Venezuelan food one last time, with a couple of friends. We'll miss our street!

For our last few days we're house/dog-sitting in Cambridge, catching some last friend times, will enjoy a big bang fireworks show our last night in the city before boarding a plane to Paris on Monday. It's really happening! Boston, you've been good to us. When we come back, we'll find out where we're living:), watch my brother get married, try to buy a car, and then go to Tacoma for 10 days. Whew! Come on, July!

the stash

Remind you of anyone?

23 weeks

Baby is 23 weeks today and still living up to karate kid status, especially at night. I had my last dr. appt in Boston today, minus a final ultrasound next week. Weighs about a pound and a foot long, the size of a large mango? Is that smaller than a spaghetti squash from last time? Curious comparisons. Anyway I didn't have a Mango, so it's just me this time.

Baby's next stops: Paris, Vienna, (Ireland), then CO and Tacoma! Wowie. What a traveler.

3 more days in the apartment! This could be the last blog entry, but my guess is I'll get one more in if we get some good stories and pics from our going away party tonight. Bon Voyage givaway, just like 2 years ago in Tacoma!! How time flies.

Mr. Strong

a new view

Well, along with everything else changing in our lives in the coming year, why not change the blog too? We'll probably be doing some experimenting in the future until we land on a good 'feel' for the growing Isaacson family.

And while we're on the topic, hopefully some of the images shared on the blog will have a new look as well: BETTER! That's because I upgraded my camera in celebration of becoming a Master, traveling to Europe, and upcoming baby and CO move. I still have a LOT to learn about it, but I'm already loving it so far. Here are some examples with my portrait lens:

The one and only, number one love of mine, Super dad-to-be, TI
(happy Father's Day, Babe!)

Around Boston, our last Freedom Trail tour with special guest Drew LaForge

Off to Gloucester, Beverly, and Cape Ann with Soren to meet Miriam and Pete for dinner!

GORGEOUS decaf cappuccino, mmmm!


Pete and Miriam

the gang wolfing down some pizza (I was already done)

Miriam's apple pie she whipped up!!

And back in Boston on today's 90-degree day


Garlic scapes!! Haven't tried them yet but like green onions, from the first day of the farmer's market across the street!

And finally, the first box packed (of MANY, including the ones calling my name as I procrastinate with photos.). Back to the boxes, and then to bed!

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there. Way to be.

20 weeks, baby!

It's banana baby time!

Karate kid's kicks and punches abound, ligaments are stretching, pants aren't fitting, I keep eating, headaches are coming, sleep is leaving, and there's still not a whole lot of evidence of it all! October seems far away but is getting closer and closer.

Baby is about 6.5 inches long, about the length of a banana, and 10 oz (and size of canteloupe?). It's swallowing a lot, forming taste buds, and beginning bowel buildups - gotta start sometime. I found a midwife in Colorado (I hope), and the advice-seeking on baby stuff has begun (anyone have any favorite must-have's as new parents?) I have to say I've been overwhelmed by all the things people/books say you need, especially new. We are hoping to recycle as much as is reasonably possible by buying a lot used. We'll see what we find once we get to CO!

In the meantime we have one month left in Boston, believe it or not. We'll miss it here, but we are excited for the next phase of life. Time to focus on organizing and packing, and planning our trip to Europe starting July 5 (!!). This baby is going to have been a world traveler before it arrives :)