Can you believe it? This weekend marks one year since we started our expat journey in France. So what has it been like as an American living in France for one year? Scary, challenging, exciting, and delicious are the first words that come to our minds. According to Jordan, "fortunately, I've been able to mask my emotions." … Continue reading Living in France for a Year
French macarons are one of the most widely recognized items alongside croissants, berets, and baguettes. I’ve always loved eating them but recently enjoyed making them. These colorful pastries are perfectly smooth on top with raised feet, a chewy bite, and a decadent filling. But were they always this picture-perfect? Let’s explore the history and origin … Continue reading The History of French Macarons
Choose your side. Are you team "Valentine's Day is an artificial holiday created is a holiday created by candy and card companies to sell more products?" Or are you team "Valentine's Day is the most romantic day of the year" and think of grandiose plans to spend the day? For me, I'm more of the … Continue reading Valentine’s Day in France
February 2 is a day rooted in different traditions all over the world. It's a day for many that determine the outlook for the upcoming year. Americans look forward to February 2 every year to see if winter will be extended or determine if spring is on the way. Certain religions celebrate this day as … Continue reading French Traditions: Chandeleur and Crepes
The pandemic is raging on in France. News outlets remind us of the grim situation. Confirmed cases are higher than they should be, a third lockdown is looming, and vaccinations are delayed. The death count is high, and the number of beds available in hospitals is decreasing. Each day, we are required to be in … Continue reading Living With a Curfew in France
The message widely shared by the France government is "ski resorts are closed." While the actual ski lifts are not running, the resorts are still open. Nevertheless, take away the ski lifts, the bars for a relaxing apres-ski drink after a long day on the mountain, the restaurants for warm soup and fondue, and what do … Continue reading Snowshoeing in the French Alps
They say when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. But what happens when you drink too much of it? Is too much of a good thing actually a bad thing? All that acidity is sure to damage your teeth, and there's a lot of sugar in lemonade. We've been making a lot of lemonade lately in Lyon, … Continue reading How Much Lemonade Can Be Made From Lemons?
Have you ever had a love-hate relationship with something? Maybe you love your new haircut, but you hate all the maintenance required to keep it looking like it did when you walked out of the salon. Or maybe you love cooking, but you hate that it takes one hour to cook something devoured in five … Continue reading The Maldives: Paradise is Waiting
Jordan and I spent the majority of our trip in the Maldives under the sea. Each day we found ourselves exploring the teal waters of the Indian Ocean through snorkeling or scuba diving. We even woke up at 5:00 am one morning to do a sunrise dive, and we are not morning people! As Disney's … Continue reading Under the Sea in the Maldives
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Shanes! We are wrapping up our week in the Maldivian sun and will return to France to ring in the New Year. We hope everyone got to spend time with family, whether in person or virtually. Here’s to hoping 2021 will bring more time with friends and … Continue reading Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
