Comments on: Caramelized Pear Salad with Goat Cheese Toast

By: Ashley Rodriguez

Ashley Rodriguez — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 16:29:06 +0000

Here’s the link! http://www.electroluxappliances.com/live-love-lux/got-goat-cheese-broil-it/

By: KD

KD — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 00:35:57 +0000

The livelovelux site seems to have removed your recipe; i’ve used it before and love it. Please post it!

By: Ginger M.

Ginger M. — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 12:54:55 +0000

Oh that leopard-coated face! I’ve seen that face a thousand times. I’m not going to give you travel ‘go here…don’t go there’ advice, the previous posters have that covered. I want to help you drink that wine at your own pace. I will give you the sad news that my family of four have travelled extensively with our two girls, now 19 and 13. It’s the 13 year old who for the first seven or so years of her life thought sitting down at a restaurant and having to WAIT??? for our food was the worst idea ever!! So for those many years my husband would take her outside, yes even in winter, and let her run, climb, hopscotch whatever, until the food came. Listen to this part though- occasionally we would get her to sit down with us by employing one of the following methods: a game of find the penny, nickel, whatever, where we would have both girls take turns closing their eyes and we would hide said coin somewhere on the table, say under a napkin, ketchup bottle, salt shaker. You’d be surprised how this never got old, we would repeat it again and again. Other ‘games’ included 20 questions of which animal am I? Highly successful, endless possibilities. Last but not least were multiple games of Hang Man, Dots and drawing contests. You may have noticed that all of the above ‘distractions’ involve using what you have in your purse. You could also bring little pots of play-doh, cards etc. We also used to fill a mini lunch box with crayons, index cards and stickers, anything that would occupy them. Having said all that my husband is watching me type this, asked what I was doing and said you’re crazy to travel to Europe with young kids…lol. Back to that wine. At the end of the day you just have to realize that you will have successes and you will have failures. If you know that going in, then you’ll be fine. I also don’t think it’s a bad idea to tell the little dictators (mine certainly were) that they’re lucky to be on such a wonderful trip, it isn’t all about them and Mommy and Daddy would like to finish their dinner in their own good time and if you don’t behave ‘NO ICE CREAM!!’ ‘Nuff said!!

By: Laurel

Laurel — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 18:49:44 +0000

I find that interspersing ‘regular’ days in between ‘touristy’ days helps a lot when traveling with littles. If you throw in a day here and there where you just spend time at the park and wandering around aimlessly, instead of with an agenda of sites to see, it breaks things up nicely for everyone.

We haven’t done a transatlantic flight with ours just yet, so best of luck to you! It is something we’re hoping to do in the near future, though, so please share your experience here!

By: Laurel

Laurel — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 18:46:14 +0000

I second this. 🙂

By: Jasmin Bleeks

Jasmin Bleeks — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 01:20:17 +0000

This dish sounds like a total delight.

By: Ashley Rodriguez

Ashley Rodriguez — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 19:07:18 +0000

Oh my word. SO helpful. Thanks!

By: Ashley Rodriguez

Ashley Rodriguez — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 19:04:04 +0000

Amazing amazing amazing. Thank you so much for this!

By: Amy

Amy — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 18:38:29 +0000

I don’t have any tips for you myself, but check the blog Aspiring Kennedy. She’s got 2 littles, lives in London and travels all over Europe, especially Paris, with her family. She’ll have great tips.

By: Taste of France

Taste of France — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 17:56:31 +0000

That leopard and the little furry one in the other photo make me think of “Where the Wild Things Are.”
I highly recommend renting an apartment or villa so you can put the kids to sleep nice and early and have a place to have a glass (bottle?) of wine without being in the same room. Hotels are rough unless you’re rich enough for a suite. I am not someone who will put my kid to bed in a hotel room and then go down to the lobby to have a drink. Yet, I really don’t want to have to sleep for 12 hours. Hence, an apartment!
I live in France and have a kid, so here’s my non-Paris low-down: there are carousels in every town; they are pretty cool. My town, Carcassonne, is an incredible medieval fortress that looks like a Disney set. In July there’s a cultural festival with various concerts, ballet, theater, etc. And in August there’s all kinds of medieval stuff. I prepared a post (look for it soon) about the medieval “rodeos” that take place between the fortified walls. You also can ride bikes or take a boat ride on the Canal du Midi, visit several different, totally cool caves (the Grottes du Limousis and the Gouffre de Cabrespine–also very agreeable breaks from the summer heat). The beach is only half an hour away–and unless you’re a beach nut, it’s SO much nicer to stay in Carcassonne than at the beach (we go to the beach at 4 p.m. to avoid the sun and crowds, splash a little, have dinner, then head back). There are TONS of cool things for kids to do here. I accompanied my kid’s class to the Visigoth cemetery–WAY COOL. There usually are “Ferme en Ferme”–Farm to Farm–tours where you can see and taste artisanal products and pet animals. There’s Space City in Toulouse, about an hour away…..
Re London: not my fave. Crowds, lines. Tough for kids. Ours was about 8 when we went, but still, after standing in line for the British Museum all goodwill was gone (and this is a kid who LOVES museums, but we usually go in Brussels–no lines!).
Re Paris: avoid the most popular parts of the Louvre (mummies, for example) because it will be a miasma of sweating humanity and no matter how much your kid is into the topic it will be a disaster that is difficult to escape from. There is an area in the museum’s underground shopping gallery (btw, enter the museum here rather than via the Renzo Piano pyramid because the line is shorter. I am going to regret divulging this) where you can see the archaeological traces of all the Louvre’s ancient foundations. This is an excellent place for kids to run and scream and blow off steam, especially if it’s raining and they can’t go outside. You will bother a maximum of three other people. Place des Vosges has a nice playground with very chic kids and parents.
I went to Italy with my entire family, 13 people, ages 2-76. It was, um, interesting. They liked the “bending” tower of Pisa and the Coliseum. They loved the food, the beach near Pisa. We stayed in a villa near Florence and had a pool, and that was probably the best part.
francetaste.wordpress.com

By: Taste of France

Taste of France — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 17:55:23 +0000

By: Grace

Grace — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 20:56:54 +0000

That salad looks and sounds AH-mazing! And the pic of grumpy little I is priceless. 🙂
I am so excited for you guys and your travel adventures! I agree 100% with everything Elissa said. Really, everything she said is so right on. And I would add to it:
Turning routine travel moments into a challenge for the kids engages them and gives them a sense of purpose. For example, asking them to navigate you from the ticketing counter to your gate by following the signs without mom and dad’s help (if you have the time) – so fun! Also, getting them a colorful, illustrated map with landmarks from the tourism office when you arrive, having them pick out a couple sites that look interesting to them and helping the group navigate to those sites. And later tracing your path from the day on their map.
If you can find cheap digital cameras for each kid that’s an awesome way to keep them creatively engaged. You can do photo scavenger hunts for each day. Or they can even use your phones to take the pictures on their list.
Learning about destinations beforehand and talking through expectations like Elissa said – so good.
And for me, the biggest thing is checking my own expectations that travel with kids will not be like my travels in college, but is still full of incredible, rich, priceless moments. And kids open doors to talk with locals and other travelers like nothing else.

By: Joy

Joy — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 18:50:23 +0000

don’t forget about jetlag… kids really don’t adjust to time change quickly. try the ‘beach’ part (if there is one)first. ps. they also don’t care much for sightseeing. (i moved 22 times as a diplomat’s wife. spent a lot of time finding hotels with swimming pools)

By: Ashley Rodriguez

Ashley Rodriguez — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 17:30:42 +0000

Wonderful tips! Thank you.

By: Ashley Rodriguez

Ashley Rodriguez — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 17:30:25 +0000

Oh my word, I can’t wait! Thank you.

By: Ashley Rodriguez

Ashley Rodriguez — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 17:30:08 +0000

Thanks for that lovely bit of encouragement. I’ll admit, there have been times when I think we are crazy and we should call off the trip but I really want them to get a confidence in traveling and a love for it because really, I think it’s the best possible education.

By: Ashley Rodriguez

Ashley Rodriguez — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 17:29:03 +0000

Meghan, This is so great. Thank you so much. I’ll let you know if we wander up north but I think our time in England is going to be brief.

By: Ashley Rodriguez

Ashley Rodriguez — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 17:28:28 +0000

Yeah yeah yeah! I can’t wait. Thank you.

By: Ashley Rodriguez

Ashley Rodriguez — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 17:28:10 +0000

We are juuuuuust eeking into that phase and it’s glorious. Hang in there. It’s still tough and exhausting but the benefit of showing your children the world is *I think* totally worth it.

By: Ashley Rodriguez

Ashley Rodriguez — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 17:27:22 +0000

Yes, very entertaining. 🙂