Contrast.

From sand to concrete. From feet to metro. From leisure to fast. 

I've lived in Paris for almost two weeks now. It's clear how much my French must.improve. But it is also clear how badly I want to be fluent. 

I walk up and down streets that I don't know the names of, and many times I go the wrong way, but it doesn't even matter because this city's buildings are standing beauties. I stop and stare at different ones for a long time. 

Or I stare at the people. The people here walk around in their flawless getup with a baguette in one hand and a pain au chocolat in the other. I mean everyone. 

We've been lucky and have had nice walk-for-forever weather. The sun doesn't shine here like Cannes, but the city still glows. There are more cafés here than there are bathrooms. So you certainly never have trouble satisfying your need for a sweet little treat. 

There she is...A classic shot, but it's ok because I'm here. 

L'hôtel des Invalides. Napoleon lies below this golden dome, the biggest in the city. You can still see war veterans roaming in their wheelchairs around the yard. 

Quite spontaneously, I made plans to go to Italy this past weekend to visit family in Milano and Torino and in the middle of that find some time to squeeze my dear Stephanie who is staying in central Milano for a few months. We relished the time we spent together, even if it was short. 

Thanks for smiling even while going crazy looking for my train!

Just what my belly needed...Gnocco Frito with every kind of prosciutto crudo you can imagine.

In Torino, I walked around the same streets my Nonno walked to work to, I sat at the squares and ate where he did, and I went to a 18th century party at La Venaria Reale, a royal palace, where I'm sure he didn't party in. But I wish he had, so fun! My cousins were kind enough to sift through their wardrobe and find me something appropriate to wear. This extravagant event hosted 1,500 guests, all dressed in elegant dresses and serious hairdos. I stepped into a vortex of time and listened to music from that era and danced, and for couple of minutes it seemed like I was on set of Downton Abbey, except I never found Matthew.

All dressed up.

The view from La Mole Antonelliana, Torino.