Monday Moods: I Feel... Toasty.

Besides the weather being over the top sunny

and all together lover-ly,

I can honestly say,

our weekend in England recharged me 

in a way I wasn't expecting.

As I sat down on the Eurostar last night to return to Paris,

I reveled in the feeling of being completely relaxed after our trip.

{Editor's Note: This is not a normal feeling for me. Trips typically leave me exhausted.}

I guess it just felt good to be "home."

Walking by the Pret A Manger in our neighborhood,

saying "hi" to the desk clerks at our office,

meeting up with friends for dinner...

The simple pleasure of being in a familiar place just felt really nice.

And the food...

mmm, 

I have really missed the food in England.

{Editor's Note: Where are the vegetables, France??}

As I sat with a cup of tea & piece of toast

yesterday morning while checking emails,

I couldn't help by feel myself sliding into a state of euphoria.

If you are waking up

and needing the day to start off with an easy win...

it might be time to dust off the toaster, 

 dredge the jar of jam you got at Christmas out of the cupboard,

& indulge in something dependably tasty.

Today, let's toast the glorious pairings one can enjoy 

with just a single slice of crunchy bread...

HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR TOAST?

cinnamon toast (my favorite way featured on hello splendor) | egg & soliders (the cutest way to eat toast)
toast & jam (this is tiptree tiny tip raspberry is amazing) | toast with butter & Charbonnel et Walker hot chocolate

images via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

ps. yup. just realized it is actually tuesday. oh well.

Monday Moods: I feel... like an insider.

In these quiet days of February

that fill the lull between holidays

and warmer tourist seasons...

the city of Paris is a bit dimmer.

These pictures can't show the freezing temperatures,

but trust me, they are there.

Though while the windy streets are empty,

the foyer to the Louvre a bit quieter,

and the line at Laduree historically shorter...

Don't be fooled.

The city of lights is still twinkling

with the everyday beauty 

that is woven within this place.

You see it in the old women walking by in their fur coats,

the husband & wife chatting to each other as they stock their store,

or the family rushing to unlock the entry door to their home...

In these cold and quiet days,

I feel like I have stumbled upon Paris off-stage...

the Paris before me is in a natural state of la vie quotidienne.

I get to see Paris with her hair down...

and it's beautiful.

PS. Lauren Smith- you won the giveaway!

Who wouldn't want to try coffee in Ethiopia?

Email me and I'll have some cute espresso cups 

sent your way from France!

*all images original to aspiring kennedy

Monday Moods: I feel... ruined.

This morning has been full of exploring

the ancient Roman ruins in Arles.

We have climbed the steps of the ampi-theatre

that used to host gladiators & wild beasts

and today is the meeting place of bulls & matadors....

We have sang on the stage

that once welcomed ancient performers

and today hosts famous celebrities....

And now?

I'm taking another cue from the Romans

and am headed into to take a hot bath.

If you are visiting Arles,

you can visit both the ampi-theatre & theatre for €5...

plus, you are surrounded by French restaurants.

Nothing about that combination can ruin your day!

*If you visit during the warmer months, 

you'll have a good chance of seeing a bull-fighting event in the stadium

(a favorite sport of Arlesiennes)

or catch a performance or classic movie in the theatre.

*All images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Monday Moods: I feel... off.

After one month in the US,

our bags are once again packed

and stuffed with the splendors

of Christmas morning & American retail prices.

Delicacies such as chile rellenos & fried okra

have made our jeans fit a bit tighter,

but the time with our loved ones has made our heart swell, too.

So as I anxiously await touching down in London

and moving on to a glorious stint in Paris,

I'm also saying goodbye to a few aspects of life

that I've been enjoying so much in the States.

Hunting through my mom family's abandoned grocery store for buried treasures. I found some good ones!

Roasting s'mores with family and watching Downton Abbey.

The retail craziness in the US. So much of everything... Is that 24 species of Pop-Tarts?

Decent burgers- because let's be honest: England kinda sucks at making burgers.

Spending time with my grandma...

And surprising her with dinner on her wedding china. (She wanted "spaghetti with a big glass of milk." ha!)

And of course, playing with my sweet niece. Good grief, I love that girl.

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Monday Moods: I Feel... Golden

England may be known for it's perpetually grey skies...

but back in the US, 

I'm squinting and smiling in the sunshine.

 i can only assume my love for gray's papaya stems from my mom eating these when she was pregnant with me.

i feel like a lady in these shoes... and girls under the age of 5 love me.

trying on jeans is much more fun when its someone else trying them on.

bubble bath to the max.

eataly. where dreams come true.

in-n-out a la texas. burgers never tasted so good.

*all images original to aspiring kennedy

Monday Moods: I feel... like a bear.

Maybe it's the colder weather...

this wolfgang puck potato soup was delicious. the recipe is here. 

Maybe it's the naps & sleeping in...

(or "lie-ins" as they like to call them in England)

Maybe it's the obscene amount of fur-trimmed items

I've been wearing lately...

Or maybe it's the obnoxious bear hat that I have

that never fails to shame my husband & friends...

Oh sorry... did I not tell you? I'm ridiculous.

I'm not sure.

Either way, I am coming out of the cave tonight

for the London Blogger Party!

I may even shed my winter coat

{aka shave my legs}

for the special occasion...

which, if you saw my shower,

 is a feat of Olympic grade flexibility.

See you there!

Monday Moods: I feel... childish.

Drinking a "racer" from a bottle & straw 

at brunch at The Riding House Cafe...

Desperately wanting to be a ballerina

after seeing the (incredible!) Degas exhibit...

Seriously asking my husband for permission

to buy the coloring book as a souvenir...

Opting to ride on the top of a double decker-bus,

even when the lower level was empty...

Going crazy over the sparkling windows & lights

debuting their Christmas wares....

It's days like yesterday that make me ask:

How can I have kid (someday)

when I still (so often) feel like one myself?

After walking by Christian Louboutin off Knightsbridge,

it seemed they were leaning towards the juvenile, too...

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Monday Moods: I feel... Fawkes-y.

... Remember, Remember The Fifth of November ...

This Friday, I got to celebrate my first Guy Fawkes night

in a proper English fashion:

A night in Battersea park for the festivities

sandwiched between hanging out in a pub with friends.

{The pub, The Prince of Wales, was actually really great.}

If you aren't a British History buff,

in the 1600's Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up Parliament 

by stashing gun powder underneath the main building.

His plot was uncovered at the last minute

and was promptly... "snuffed out,"

Guy Fawkes was hung, drawn & quartered 

at the Tower of London as punishment.

Err... oops.

Today, Britain celebrates the foiling of his plans

by building bonfires and throwing "faux Fawkes" on top

and setting off fireworks to symbolize the (could have been) gun powder explosions.

fireworks make everyone happy.

It's all pretty funny & medieval, actually.

Last year, we skipped town to try out the Canary Islands,

but this year, we couldn't miss out on a night in London

meeting up with some of our friends from Oxford.

{We miss our friends!}

We went to Battersea Park and were amazed

by the crowds of people...

oh my goodness, it was insane.

At the end of the night, the gates were so full and crowded,

the crowds opted to climb over the high fences 

and jump to the outer road.

Watching hundreds of people scale these wrought iron poles 

and jump to the pavement below

was like watching the last 30 minutes of "Titanic."

While I can't say Guy Fawkes was the most exciting event

- consisting mainly of standing in a field and waiting in the cold-

the fireworks were great

and the bonfire was a really fun (and redneck) way

to change up our London scene.

*You can also watch V for Vendetta for a modern remake of Guy Fawkes plot.*

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

*images 6 & 7 shot by Alanna Petroff

Monday Moods: I feel... scared.

No, but seriously.

I am feeling a little jumpy.

After an eery tour of London's East End...

also known as "White Chapel"

to trace the tale of Jack the Ripper,

I'm sleeping with one eye open.

I mean, 

I may not be a prostitute like all of Jack's victims

{regardless of what impression you may get from my affinity to leopard print}...

RipperVision... Portrayed images at the scene of the crimes!

and it's pretty much settled that the unknown killer is dead 130 years later...

But still.

It was creepy!

We took this Jack the Ripper tour

for £8 per person.

Our guide, Amy, was really animated

and kept the whole group interested for the whole tour....

though, man, that story gets VERY gruesome. 

It took about 1.5 hours 

and showed us some really quirky parts of London

we had never visited.

If this looks familiar, Harry Potter's Diagon Alley was partially filmed here.

While it may have given me the heebie-jeebies,

it also felt like the perfect way to celebrate Halloween in London.

Tonight, I'm hosting a party...

my costume is yet to be determined.

What are your plans?

(And any easy costume ideas you can send my way?)

*all photos original to Aspiring Kennedy