#and i loved the loire valley

[goeticarchaeologist]

Château de Saumur et la Loire

[theehorsepusssy]

I need your expertise HP, I’ll be in France next Spring, what French cheese should I try?

All of them.

Take advantage of finding the younger unpasteurized ones you can't find here in the states. Brie de Meaux. Reblochon. Camembert.

I do love big smelly wash rinds..Soumaintrain. Epoisses. Timanoix. Munsters and Livarot.Tappist abbay cheeses

I'm a whore for Loire Valley goat cheeses. Crottin or Sells sur Cher. Lingot from the Pyrennes.

Raw Brebis Pyrennes is a favorite.

Or Cantal, Salers, or Lagiuole

Alpines like Abondance and Beaufort

Or hundreds of others...have fun! I'm jealous

[adore-laur]

FOXTAIL

— two lovers being blissfully domestic while living in the countryside of france 🪴

——

LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE

The melodic humming of his wife faintly echoes throughout the greenhouse kitchen, her voice hidden under the more pronounced noises of glass jars clinking together and the faucet running.

As Harry hunches over the granite countertop and gingerly trims the miniature bonsai tree he proudly helped grow, his ears tune into Nadine's movements. He's acutely aware of the soft padding of her slippers against the tiles and the slight graze of her robe against his sweater vest whenever she passes by. It's as if she's some soundless angel who doesn't like to make her presence known yet can't help but enthrall everyone with her heavenly poise.

He will often glance up while snipping away with his garden shears and follow her figure as she gracefully floats around the kitchen and pickles various vegetables that will eventually be donated to the orphanage on the outskirts of town. The cucumber she's currently slicing is from one of his many gardens on the property. They are Harry's pride and joy. He plants abundant seeds every season, then tends to the soil and sprouts until he can harvest them. Their primary use is to be thrown into either jars or on dinner plates, resulting in whatever his wife wishes to cleverly concoct.

"Nadi, can you please fill this up for me?" Harry asks, fidgeting with the fragile pump of the plant mister in his hand.

In a second, she's by his side, carefully taking the empty glass bottle from his grasp. "Hot or cold water?"

He smiles dotingly at her lack of knowledge about succulent maintenance. She has more expertise relating to culinary uses for fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices, while he takes care of the botanical aspect.

"Lukewarm since we've had sunny weather lately," he replies as he checks how dry the compacted soil in the pot is. "Thank you."

She nods and heads to the sink, turning the handle to the left. Harry pauses what he's doing and admires how her smooth, bronzed skin and silky black hair glimmer in the natural light pouring through the greenhouse panels. He often finds himself wanting to splay his hands on every part of her warm body and let his ceaseless love seep into her, sweet and absorbent like caramel drizzle on a dessert. Whenever she innately reacts to his touch, it melts him into a puddle of molasses the same color as the deep pools of her irises. And when the sun hits her brown eyes just right, he becomes entranced. She's his saccharine daydream.

Once Harry is satisfied with the trimming of his beloved bonsai, he moves on to the second task he planned to finish this morning. A woven basket sits beside him on the floor, holding a bundle of eucalyptus and myrtle leaves he broke off from the trees in the front yard. He had already cut a piece of gold wire to form the brittle blades around it, but he didn't know where to go from there. He wants to make a leaf crown for Nadine. However, he's never attempted a crown with leaves before, only with the lily of the valley and jasmine flowers he grows by the windowsill in their bedroom. The two white blossoms represent femininity and sensuality, a perfect blend of his wife's soul.

"You are standing so still, lover," Nadine says, setting down the filled plant mister. "What are you doing? What are those leaves for?"

"You ask too many questions," he teases with a prolonged kiss on her forehead.

She frowns halfheartedly. "Laisse-moi entrer dans ton jardin de secrets."

Harry's neck flushes from the way she effortlessly switched languages. "Seulement si tu me laisses entrer dans ton pot de secrets," he murmurs against her temple, jerking his chin toward her glass jars, all neatly arranged in a row.

"I'm making pickled cucumber and carrot salad for lunch since I have leftover scraps," she says enthusiastically.

Running his fingertips through her hair, he twirls the short strands and says, "I'm making a leaf crown for you."

"Why?"

"Why not? Are you worried it won't be as good as the ones the kids make you at the orphanage?"

Nadine doesn't answer and just stands on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to pull him down for a slow kiss. Harry exhales blissfully and relaxes in her hold, placing his hands on her waist and moving his mouth against hers. He could kiss her lychee-colored lips for eternity if possible.

When she separates her lips from his with a wet pop, Harry begins swaying her to the mellifluous lullaby from the summer birds and wind chimes outside the greenhouse. He grabs her left hand and interlocks his fingers with hers, his other hand tenderly cupping her cheek. A sunrise dance happens frequently, whether it's in the kitchen, bedroom, or garden. Most of the time, they don't even involve music or the ambiance of nature; just their hushed voices and synchronized heartbeats fill the space.

"Are you planting anything new today?" Nadine asks quietly.

Harry smears another kiss on her lips. "Just some arugula and parsley."

What she doesn't know is that yesterday, while she took a trip down to the valley by herself, he planted her a bed of foxtail lilies in a concealed flower bed behind the tall grape trellises. He precisely calculated when they would bloom into tapered pink and yellow spikes so they could be her birthday surprise when late spring rolled around.

Nadine tilts her head to the side and smiles dreamily. "Can I watch you do it?"

"I'll let you if you smoke with me in the bath later."

She raises her thick eyebrows. "You want to get high before noon?"

"My body will be aching from crouching, and I want to relax before your family visits tomorrow."

"Of course, mon chéri."

Harry hums contently and strokes the pad of his thumb across her plump bottom lip. "Let me finish your crown, and then you can ogle at me in the garden, oui?"

——

"Sacré bleu, Nadi!" Harry shouts dramatically when she walks through the patio door, completely nude.

Her curves and soft skin look ravishing under the European sky, and the sunbeams gloriously cast upon every stretch mark and blemish. He notices she's wearing his misshapen leaf crown from where he sits naked in the outdoor bathtub, reading yesterday's newspaper with a lit joint perched between his fingertips. Thankfully, no neighbors can see them in their vulnerable state since the backyard is closed off with a high wooden fence shaded by clustering chestnut and poplar trees.

Nadine gasps and kneels next to the tub, stealing the joint from him and taking a quick hit. She beautifully exhales two rings of smoke before saying, "You started without me."

"Pardonne-moi, ma reine," Harry says lowly as he flings the newspaper onto the grass and grabs her wrist to help her into the warm water. He plucked some red petals off the nearby rose bush to let them float on the surface, and he also brought out some bars of natural soap that Nadine had handmade with excess fruit peels and herbs. She's craftier than him, but he thinks they make a good pair. He grows the plants, and she makes use of them.

Nadine's back meets his bare chest, and every muscle in his body instantly eases with the pure and healing touch of her skin. He spent hours in the sunlit garden planting autumn seeds and sneakily tending to the foxtail lilies, so the tendons in his shoulder blades feel inflamed and his hands are decorated with new calluses. The dirt under his fingernails had been scrubbed clean while he waited for Nadine, yet there were still scrapes and aching muscles he wanted her to take care of. He's not embarrassed to admit that he likes to be babied by her.

"I brought your razor and shaving cream," Nadine tells him, setting the two objects on the edge of the tub.

Harry's lips downturn with confusion. "For you or for me?"

She turns in his arms to face him, bending her legs crisscross applesauce style. "You, miteux."

"Translation, please."

"Scruffy," she whispers, like it's confidential.

A whiny laugh escapes his mouth. "I thought you liked it," he drawls, stroking circles onto her hips.

"It's too itchy when you kiss me." She takes another hit before passing the joint over to him.

"Like this?" he asks before leaning forward to rub his cheek against hers and puckering multiple kisses against her skin, making a high-pitched laugh bless his ears.

"Oui, like that!" she expresses through giggles and a wide smile.

He lightly nips her jaw and murmurs, "What do I get in return for letting you shave my face?"

Nadine chews on the inside of her cheek, her dark eyes dancing over his entire body. "I think," she says while placing a wet rose petal on his collarbone, "you know exactly what I'll give you."

Harry swallows, his eyes fluttering shut. "Is that right, my darling?"

"That's right. You need to behave right now, though, or I might nick you."

"What a shame that would be, hmm?" His hands flex on her hips. "Can't go ruining my pretty face."

She cups water in her palms and pours it over the petal on his skin until it delicately falls off. "Your reflection in the bathwater is turning you into Narcissus."

"That's funny, considering your crown makes you look like Echo," he says, tucking a loose eucalyptus leaf under the wire. Are you going to start repeating everything I say?"

"No, but I'm obsessed with you like she was.

Who knew mythology could be so erotic? Harry feels his cock throb and harden as he softly kisses her neck and mumbles, "Such a sweet girl."

Nadine has an amount of self-control beyond comprehension because she suddenly scoots back and picks up the razor and container of shaving cream without another word. She begins applying a layer of the foamy cream to his scruff, spreading it on his neck and Adam's apple.

After inhaling from the joint, Harry blows the smoke toward the afternoon sky and casually rests his arms on the tub's edge as his wife shaves the stubble above his lips. She looks adorable with a concentrated furrow to her eyebrows and her tongue poking out slightly. Her body leans close to him, the curve of her breasts touching his chest and the tip of her nose grazing his own every so often. Her unoccupied hand tilts his chin to the side so she can work on his cheek. The soothing nature of her movements and the warm water engulfing his sore body feel more delightful than the weed that permeates his lungs and senses.

"Don't fall asleep on me, moonflower."

Harry's eyes blink open and blearily focus on her. He didn't realize he nodded off. A lazy smile makes its way onto his face when he sees her eyes rimmed with red from the joint she apparently took for herself while he wasn't paying attention.

"Tu me rends le bon genre de somnolent," he replies with a slur of impeding tiredness.

Nadine washes off the remnants of shaving cream on the right side of his freshly smoothed cheek. "You ramble such nonsense when you're high," she says, quickly finishing shaving the rest of his face. "Excusez moi. I'm not high… yet."

"You are. Know how I can tell?"

Harry settles his hands on her thighs. "Humor me, sunflower."

"I know because you are hard, and I haven't even done anything yet," Nadine whispers in his ear.

She's not Echo; she's the goddess of love. His Aphrodite, ironically surrounded by rose petals and wearing a crown adorned with myrtle leaves, sets the razor in a safe place under the tub and then straddles his thighs. She knows exactly how to make him putty in her hands.

Extinguishing the lit end of the joint in the water, Harry flips his palms up in invitation and says, "Do your worst, dove."

——

The euphoric high reaches Harry's fingertips as he touches the blades of grass he lies on. To the touch, they feel as soft as a cloud. To the eye, they are feathery and verdant.

The blue and white striped shirt he put on after the bath warps due to his spinning mind, the lines bending and blurring until they make his eyes cross. He and Nadine went through three joints each. Maybe four. Either way, the aftermath of sex while high and then proceeding to get higher has Harry feeling like he's levitating outside of his body. Although he can't complain when Nadine lies beside him, laughing infectiously over something he doesn't remember saying mere seconds ago.

"What did I do?" he asks, his speech slower and more drawled from the weed that passed his tongue.

"You were going on about"—she pauses for a moment to regain her breath—"your dream that you had last night."

"Oh." He rubs his eyes and begins giggling over whatever is making her so happy. "Where did I… what part did I leave off at?"

"The part where, apparently, our thirty nonexistent children were blooming in the garden, and they were all wailing so much, but the only way to get them to stop was to water them."

"Shit, that's right. What a bizarre dream."

Nadine reaches over and pinches his stomach. "Could you imagine having to take care of thirty children? Oh, mon dieu!"

"We could do it," he says with faux confidence. "Babies are sort of like plants, right?"

She snorts and replies, "I would rethink that statement."

He's thinking ahead and can't stop the thought from crawling across the crevices of his brain like scandent stems. "One day, we'll have little snap peas running around the garden," he muses, the words sounding far away when he speaks them.

"Snap peas, like bébés?" Nadine asks for clarity.

Harry looks over at her, his heart melting like candle wax at the innocence that laces her question. "Oui. Tant de bébés."

"Where is my say in this?" she asks with a prod to his sock-covered foot.

He smirks, rubbing his eyes again. "You have all the say in the world, dove. Just tell me when, and I'll drop everything for you."

"When what?"

"When you're ready for bébés."

He sees it. He wants it. He needs it. He feels a deep yearning for the possibility of them having Nadine's eyes of maple syrup and heart of sweet honey. If they'll laugh in three caught breaths like her and have her lustrous hair, or if they'll cackle obnoxiously like him and inherit his wild curls. He'd like either outcome. A lot.

"I think I will be ready in the spring," Nadine says. "I do not want to be pregnant in the winter."

"How come?" Harry murmurs, dizzily rolling over and nuzzling his face into the velvety skin of her stomach, which is exposed below her cropped tank top.

"I don't thrive in the cold, so it would be a living nightmare for me," she says, tilting his face upwards. "And I wouldn't be able to show off my baby bump if it was cold all the time."

"Nadi baby," he says while letting her poke his dimples, "do you realize that if you get pregnant in the spring, you'll be ready to pop during wintertime?"

"I can't do math when I'm high. Too many months." She uses her strength to switch positions and lay on top of him, squishing his cheeks—her favorite thing to do. "But you have to promise me a bébé in the spring."

He hooks his right pinky with hers and says, "The foxtail lilies should be in full bloom by then. They'll be our good luck charm."

He didn't mean to say that out loud, and now he just utterly ruined the surprise. Damn those three or four joints.

"Hmm? Foxtail?" Nadine bemuses, tracing the slope of his nose with her pointer finger.

Sighing to himself, he knows there's no faultless way to dig himself out of the hole he created. "For you," Harry says shyly. "I planted a bed of foxtail lilies for you that will hopefully bloom in time for your birthday."

She goes silent, spreading her hand on his cheek and parting her lips. Harry wishes he could have kept the details of his romantic gesture locked away in his conscious mind, but the way she's looking at him right now makes the mistake worth it.

"My heart," she whispers sweetly, pressing a long and tender kiss to his lips. "My love. You did that for me?"

"It was supposed to be a surprise," he says with cheeks the color of the peonies by the patio.

"Hey, listen. Don't fret about it, all right?"

"Okay. Oui."

Nadine rests her head on his chest. "Oui."

"Oui, oui, oui," he repeats with a ticklish breath in her ear during each staccato syllable.

"T'es chiant," she grumbles, pushing his face away.

Harry cradles the back of her head, resting his chin on top of it and soaking in her presence, which she graciously allows him to cherish. What a wonder to be able to hold a daydream in his arms.

Idyllic paintings could be inspired by her ethereal face and figure, especially when accented by her smile in the sunshine. She could be sculpted and hidden at the back of the most grandiose museum, yet Harry would always find her under the spotlight. She bears fruits of devotion that are seductive and sweet between his teeth, seeds from pomegranates and nectarines coated in aphrodisiacs.

His goddess of love will soon be surrounded by a bountiful bed of foxtails, and if the spring season is kind to him, little snap peas will grow alongside it.

——

[fabiolajyx]

Y'all, if you have seen Vikings or The Last Kingdom, you NEED to do some research about your hometown, or the city where you live or the cities nearby, to see if they were ever attacked by vikings!

I live in France, and I'm already lucky because I live in the Loire Valley with all the castles and where a lot of Kings and Queens lived. I love my hometown but historically speaking, one nearby town, Blois, is my favorite and was very important. I know a lot of things about its castle and I've read the wikipedia page a lot of times. But last week, when I read it again, the first sentence that I've probably read so many times before, had more meaning to me this time, "In 854, the castle of Blois was attacked by Vikings."

I watched Vikings and The Last Kingdom for the first time this summer. I finished them only a few weeks ago, so when I read this I was like "Wait. What. I need to know more." and after a few more research, I finally found out the name of the viking responsible for the raid: IT WAS SIGTRYGGR!!

[askwhatsforlunch]

Pain Perdu and French Toast

And here are more French Toast recipes! In France, we call it Pain Perdu. It means Lost Bread, and is quite the opposite of that, as what would have been lost (or wasted) bread, becomes a delicious dessert, treat or even an indulgent brekkie. I believe this was the first thing I ever learned to cook, too. My grandma was very fond of it, and I was very keen on doing everything my grandma did! So much so it even became a motto the whole family knew: "Je fais comme Mamie, mais je ne suis pas Mamie!"* As we are visiting the Loire Valley, where she was born and lived all her life, I am sharing a few of my favourite Pain Perdu and French Toast recipes, some I know she would have loved...

Lingonberry and Lemon French Toast 

Blackberry French Toast 

Walnut and Caramel French Toast 

Honey Blueberry French Toast 

Maple French Toast 

Fig and Spices French Toast  

Cranberry French Toast

Chocolate-Stuffed French Toast 

Happy Berry French Toast

Lemon Curd French Toast 

*"I do what grandma does, but I am not grandma!"

[misguidedasgardian]

The Lifeaters (I.10)

X. The Housecup

MASTERLIST

Chapter Summary: It was too good to be true

Pairings: Draco Malfoy x Fem!Reader (platonic)

Warnings: Cursing, magical objects, Mugglephobia, clasism, others.

Wordcount: 2.1 k

Notes: Last chapter of the “season” hehehe

Potter was nowhere to be seen and because of that… Gryffindor had been completely DESTROYED By Ravenclaw… and… putting up the points they both gathered…

You were cheering as the Slytherin Quidditch team raised the Quidditch cup in their hands.

Everyone else looked gloomy, maybe because the team had won with this one eight times in a row! it was great! 

You wondered where Potter went

For Draco, it was one of his best birthdays ever! You sang to him happy birthday in the great hall when dessert was being served, and you used a cupcake as a birthday cake. His mother sent him a big one with his owl, and you sang to him again at night in the common room. He didn’t get many gifts, but the promise to celebrate when he was home when the holidays started! You gifted him a picture of the two of you in your Slytherin uniforms. 

It was great!

But the next day, in the great hall… everyone was talking about where Potter was.

Apparently the forbidden corridor in the third floor hid a magical artifact, some sort of rock that could give the one that squished it? you didn’t know the details but it was important, apparently professor Quirrel tried to steal it, and of course Potter stopped him, AND… he was some sort of hero… apparently

“And professor Quirrell is dead!”, told Blaise, who managed to always know everything about everyone

“He’s dead?!”, asked Mattheo, surprised, then he sighed in relief, “oh, I owed him like three assignments”, he giggled, and you were horrified

He seemed so nice! And he was around stealing rocks? who knew! so Potter, after fighting him, was in the infirmary, that is why he missed the game, and that is why Ravenclaw “flattened” Gryffindor

But this gave you a sense of worry, next year Harry was going to play too, hopefully you too, so you needed to be better and not count on Potter not being there, you needed to win every game!

You had a new sense of determination.

The last mail entered the hall in that minute, Umbra threw you a envelope with your aunt’s seal in it, and you knew exactly what it was, alongside a small package

There were sweets, taking a page of Narcissa’s book you thought

The letter stated what you already sort of new, congratulations on the passing of exams and winning the Quidditch cup, and also, mentioning your coming trip to France to see your family, you were happy. 

Not Draco though, he seemed appalled, he wanted to practice Quidditch all summer

“I’ll be back by the first week in August”, you assured him, while Matthew stole your treats and ate them himself. Everytime you interacted with him, you felt like you wanted to cry, but you didn't want to fight him.

“Well… I’ll bully my parents into going and visit you, your family’s chateau is still in the Loire Valley, right?”

“Last time I checked”, you mocked, and he smiled back, “The gift I got in Christmas came with season tickets, I’ll be attending a few matches for the Quiberons”, you said with a wide exciting smile, “So I can get inspired”, you said proudly

“My dad got us tickets for the Tornadoes”, muttered Draco

“I love Quidditch season”, muttered Blaise

“As soon as I come back, let’s get together and practice”, you said firmly

“Yes”

“What are you going to do this summer?”, it was the question that lingered all over the last week. Everyone had different plans for the three months

You were so happy, winning the Quidditch cup, the House cup, having passed all your exams, looking forward to a summer with your family and then your friends.

It was too good to be true 

“After an entire year, finally!”, you said, as you walked into the Great Hall and saw the entire room decorated in Slytherin colors. It was the last feast, you were even wearing your pointy ceremonial hats! which you didn't love

You took your seats near the end of the hall, close to the main table where the teachers were seated.

When Potter entered the room, everyone got quiet just to look at him, some even stood up to see up close, as if he was some sort of freak. You didn’t know the details of what happened in the chamber, but it had the entire school rattled.

Professor Dumbledore stood up, catching the attention of everyone.

Draco didn’t like him, but to you he seemed… like sometimes he gets lost in what he is saying, he always spoke so cryptically, you wondered if he was very clever… or if he was just really old.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts....”, fair example, was he calling you all dumb or something?. 

"Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy- two."

Oh how you cheered! you had put in yourself like ten points even after that time you got caught and punished. Draco banged his goblet on the table, you could see the Bloody Baron mocking Half-decapitated Nick.

You personally did not like the bloody Baron, but he was your house’s ghost so… there was nothing to pick.

"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account.", oh the cheering stopped really suddenly

Was he going to tell the entire school Draco and you lost the school points? perhaps they didn’t discount them yet… What if? that you had committed something so outrageous that he was going to publicly humiliate you… only to make you an example?

No way, Potter and his friends had been caught too, right?

"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes…”, you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. "First… to Mr. Ronald Weasley..."

You and Draco changed looks

"...for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points". Now it was the Gryffindors’ time to cheer, rattling the table,  "Second… to Miss Hermione Granger... for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points.", what did that even mean? you couldn’t understand it, "Third… to Mr. Harry Potter..." said Dumbledore, “for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

You tried to count, you didn’t even know… but… 

The Gryffindors were being so loud it was hard to think… were they tied with you now?. Dumbledore raised his hand, the room went quiet suddenly

"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. 

“No…”, you whined

"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

You had to cover your ears after the Gryffindors exploded 

"Which means we need a little change of decoration.", he clapped his hands and the entire room went from being beautifully Green and Silver… to boring Red and Gold

The serpent vanished to be changed by the Lion, and you didn’t even understand what was going on! why? What happened? Was that even fair? they broke thousands of school rules, they went to that prohibited place… and you were so frustrated you growled. 

Well, at least you had the Quidditch cup! even though you didn’t cooperate for that one… or that much…

You were starting to fear that… instead of taking the Hogwarts express you had taken the Potter express… and because he was in your same year… they were not going to let you come down from it.

The rest of the feast, once your sadness dissipated, was nice, again, it had all your favorites, but it was a magical school, you didn’t think it odd.

You looked around your table, where your Slytherin class was, and you couldn’t help but feel a bit sad… you were not going to see them in the next three months, and honestly, you were going to feel and be a bit lonely, in your house, with your aunt alone… anyways…

“Don’t be sad Basilik”, Flint was passing by, “next year… other cup to win, and you will be there to help us win the Quidditch cup again, are you?”, you nodded enthusiastically, “that’s the spirit”, and he kept walking, you looked further down the table and Terrence Higgs raised his goblet to you and you felt so nervous all of a sudden

He was the team’s seeker, but your best friend also wanted to be the team’s seeker and there couldn't be two seekers… oh

Well… let the best seeker win, right?

So you tried to push those thoughts from your mind as you kept enjoying the feast

Next year is going to be even better, right?

Right!?

Soon you were packing your trunk, you had to go and pick up Umbra from the Owlery, 

The girls were all hyped putting away their own things

“Are we going to have the same rooms next year?”, asked Millicent

“I hope so”, you said lightly, Tracy Davies, who you had barely seen the entire school year, just twisted her mouth, she was more friends with… she was a lone wolf sort of gal.

You had been an only child, you had a family on your mother’s side, far off, but still, but you didn’t have cousins your age, so… you felt very sad to leave Hogwarts and your friends

“I will write to you every week”, promised Draco, “and once Father installs the international floo in our home, i will go and visit you too”

“I don’t think it works that way Dray”, you giggled, as you sat by his side on the train, “but it could be fun”

“Right?” he asked, “Matthew is spending a couple of weeks in my place”

“Why?”, you couldn’t help but ask, you both had been the first ones on the train

“I don’t know”, he answered truthfully, “his family is kinda weird, you know?”

“How so?”, he looked around worried before he leaned in and whispered

“They are purebloods, but because they… keep it in the family”

“What do you mean?”, you asked back, he looked extremely uncomfortable

“They marry between cousins and such”, you didn't find it very weird… many pureblooded families did, “but no second or third cousins”, he corrected, “cousins cousins”

“Oh”, that was weird

“They are this very ancient pure-blooded family, but a couple of generations back, they lost all their family money”, how did he know all this stuff? probably uncle Lucius, “now they are a bit…well…”, he couldn’t keep talking, Matthew himself sat in front of the both of you

“What are you both talking about?”, he asked, he had this bitter look on his face

“Summer, Draco promised he was going to write me all summer”, you changed the subject

“My eagle-owl is just going to have to… cross the ocean”, he said confidently 

“Well, technically it's a channel? I think”, you mumbled nervously

“Umbra can surely make the journey, right?”, he asked, you weren’t sure

“Sure”, Matthew had this gloomy look on his face

“Well, me, for one, I do not look forwards to this summer”, he mumbled, maybe he felt like you, maybe in Hogwarts he had more people around than at his home

“Relax, we are going to hang around in the manor”, said Draco, “and with Crabbe and Goyle”

“That sounds nice”, you offered, “and I’ll be back in August”, you said with a wide smile. 

As the boys talked, you dedicated yourself to look outside the window, Hogwarts disappearing in the distance. It was a magnificent castle, surrounded by breathtaking views, and looking back at the year, it had been a great year… and… looking forwards to the next one… you were certain it was going to be even better

[trivialqueen]

Do you have recommendations on Georgian (the country not the era) wine

We are drinking a bottle of Vinoterra 2020 Khatsiteli. Blenheim Vineyards (owned by Dave Matthews if you're into that sort of thing) also offers a Khatsiteli. Interestingly the Blenheim bottle is so incredibly pale it looks almost identical to a glass of water, whereas the Vionterra the wine is a delightful amber/orange color.

The reds are equally good, although I can't put my finger on a name at the moment.

The Dude and I discovered Georgian wine thanks to a lovely wine bistro in town and their monthly wine club. As they are not affiliated with any vineyard they can freely flit from theme to theme and region to region. So they featured Georgian wine last summer, this month we just had some wines from the Loire Valley. The very first wine club we participated in the theme was "minerality" and they featured wines that exemplified that tasting note adjective - and I kid you not, it revolutionized how I approached a wine list.

[liminalmemories21]

A nice ask for you!

Do you have any travel plans for this year? What’s a location you’ve been to that you’d love to set a fic in?

ooh, travel. My favorite thing to daydream about.

San Francisco Bay area for a wedding in the Fall, and I think we'll do something before or after the wedding because if I'm flying across the country I'm going to stay a while - so maybe up into Marin? Go cheese tasting?

And, definitely something local for a group anniversary thing in the summer.

Things keep happening that delay the grand trip we have planned to either the South of France or to the Loire Valley. We keep trying to plan it and then things happen (COVID, weddings, conferences). Someday.

I would love to set a fic in Paris, which is my entire heart. I lived there when I was in early high school, and fell in love. We moved a lot when I was growing up and Paris was the first place we lived for more than 2 years, and also it was the first place where I was old enough to have places that I loved and went that were independent of my parents. Also, we moved to Geneva after that, and it suffered in comparison (I mean, most places would, and that's not their fault, but Geneva is a weird international community on top of that).

Or in Edinburgh, where I did JYA in college, and is a city I also fell in love with, but I know both differently and less well than Paris.

[fangirling-tussisque-noncaelatur]

Tag Game 💌

Tagged by @beccaanne814, thanks for the tag, Becca! 💖

Tea, coffee or soda?

Tea (and herbal infusions)

Dogs or cats?

When I was younger, I thought I was a dog person...but now I've two adorable cats, and I love them with my whole heart. 🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛ So I'm not that sure about being a dog person 😅 Let's just say that I love both!

Can you play an instrument?

I play the piano.

What's your sun sign?

Virgo

First song lyric that pops into your head?

"And instinct is stronger than reason, it's just human nature to me" (I'll Be Ready - Jimi Jamison)

Do you have any tattoos?

No (or not yet)

Favorite place you've traveled?

Vancouver, Castles in the Loire Valley, Budapest, Maremma beaches, Dolomites, Drôme Provençale (I can't pick one 🫠)

What's the last movie you watched?

Tár

What languages do you speak?

Italian, English, I also studied French for years but it's rusty now, I spoke a little Spanish (now very rusty) and I speak a few words of Chinese...I would love to resume studying French, Spanish and Chinese.

Do you have any hobbies?

Swimming, reading (fanfictions, manga, books), writing fanfictions, hiking, travelling, talking about movies/anime/tv series with friends.

You can hang out with one fictional character for an hour, who do you choose?

At the moment, I'm pretty sure I would choose Jake "Hangman" Seresin. 💘

Compliment yourself:

I have grown and I am loved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tagging (no pressure and no rush...but a big hug to all of you! ❤️): @earthangel-44 @redfurrycat @emseebeans @itshoneywhatever @occhi-verdi-come-il-mare @midnighterapollo

[swirlwineconsulting]

What am I supposed to smell in this wine?

Your eyes are shut tight and your nose is dipped genteelly into your glass, seconds later your head lifts and you ask “What am I supposed to be smelling here?” “What do you smell?”. Alas, what I smell and what you and your table mate(s) smell are rarely the same, and guess what? It doesn’t matter.

Your wine came with a list of tasting notes including words like: Bing and dried cherries, tropical fruits, cedar, black raspberries and melon, even wet stone, leather, pencil lead and barnyard. You spend precious time that could be spent enjoying your purchase trying to find the experience the reviewer told you to expect. Are you confused, disappointed that you couldn’t discern what you were supposed to? Let it go and let’s move on to all you really need to know to “sacar todo el jugo” as the saying goes in Spanish- “get all of the juice out” of the experience.

Like most passionate students of wine (especially those seeking certifications and advanced degrees), I spend a great deal of time sniffing through spice cabinets, ethnic grocery stores and farmers market stands, blooming flowers and fruit trees, freshly mown grass and hay, the ocean breeze, the wet pavement after summer rain (petrichor), the earthy smell of an open field after a heavy downpour (geosmin). I smell the differences between Oolong, Earl Grey and Lapsang Souchong teas; between Italian espresso roast and Cuban coffee; between uncured and smoked bacon. In other words, I stick my nose into a lot of places where it doesn’t necessarily belong-also looking for signs of faults in a wine like: locker room, dirty laundry, geranium, rotten egg, burnt rubber, cooked garlic, or skunk.  I volunteer at a local farm to smell freshly-dug earth and the growth stages in the lifespan of heirloom tomatoes. I grow seasonal veggies and herbs on my patio so that I can enjoy the scent of my Meyer lemon tree in bloom and the lingering smell of tarragon on my fingers at harvest. Many wine lovers are also great cooks who recognize the variations in aroma of a ripe vs an unripe ingredient, uncut vs sliced, raw vs cooked or a fresh vs fermented one.  I recommend that anyone looking to more fully understand the vocabulary of wine begin by learning to smell, as many of the aromatic characteristics also reveal themselves on the palate.

For example, some well-ripened cheeses smell pungently of dirty socks. Not very appetizing to those who don't enjoy Époisses from France or Dutch Limburger but make sense to those who love them. The nuance of animal fat is especially prevalent in Syrah from France's Rhône Valley. A stone-like scent and flavor (some of us diehards have even licked the stones) are the hallmarks of Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley, Champagne and Chablis. Many southern French reds hint at licorice. German Riesling often smells faintly of gasoline – in a good way.

The Wine Aroma Wheel is a helpful tool for learning to describe the complexity of wines by categorizing their characteristic aromas in relation to fruits, vegetables, flowers, minerals, animals, wood, oak and yeast, etc. However, none of this is very useful to someone unfamiliar with the aromas listed. Sadly, today’s supermarkets offer little help in identifying the scents on the wheel as most fruits and vegetables, especially imported tropical fruits (mango, papaya, guava, starfruit) were picked before prime ripeness and lack smell as well as flavor. I once told someone who didn’t like papaya that they most likely hadn’t had a local, fully ripened one. How many of us have access to fresh gooseberries, green almonds, persimmons or quince whether unripe or ripened? What about boysenberries and dragonfruit? Was that lychee fresh or canned? How many have plucked a fig or olive from the tree, can differentiate between the scent of iris, jasmine or lilac? Ever ride a horse or wear Granddad’s old leather bomber jacket?  Do you smell your shitake, oyster and maitake mushrooms? See what I mean? This is not a game for everyone.

Having a common language for winetasting allows people of diverse backgrounds to communicate fluidly. Learning the basics is desirable and can add fun when sharing wine with others; but should not be stressful for the average consumer. At a recent tasting of wines from Bourgogne and Bordeaux, a heavily Aussie accented presenter swirled the glass before handing a juicy red Burgundy to me. He raised his glass to his nose as I did mine and we both said, almost in unison “Horsehair!”. The scent took us both back to the memories of saddling up a freshly brushed horse, while also hinting at the wine’s age and vineyard location.  A connection was made. A Jamaican-American wine and food writer I know often refers to Barbados cherries, Marionberries, Hibiscus or Sorrel flowers and sea urchin. Do these hold any meaning for you? If so, enjoy these bonus associations when they occur, if not move on.

Detecting aromas is not a parlor trick or for showing off. Your server at a restaurant should be able to detect most faults in the wine before pouring.  Let them examine the cork and discreetly sniff for off odors. If an off-putting aroma or bad taste slips by them, let them know, trust your judgement that the wine shouldn’t smell like a wet dog or taste like your kitchen sponge. A faulty wine is generally identifiable, so if this occurs with a bottle you open at home, cork it up and return it to the vendor, if possible. For this reason, I never tell attendees in my classes what to smell or taste; rather to “feel the sensations” of the wine. The important elements of a balanced wine are in its acidity, tannin structure, residual sugar level, alcohol by volume (ABV%), mouthfeel – assets that most people can detect - tartness, sweetness or the lack of it, the heat of alcohol and the thin or thick texture on the palate. After all, what the average drinker wants from a glass of wine is enjoyment.

If you fancy yourself “not average” by all means join me in exploring all the good and bad smells associated with wine – otherwise, as my class descriptions advise “Smell, Sip, Taste, Enjoy” and leave it at that.

[glugiana]

following up that riesling with a loire valley vibe. this muscadet tastes like "a wine" like what a wine would taste like in a book where they say "they had white wine while watching survivor." it's a lovely wine that doesn't take center stage. unremarkable (celebratory). this wine wants a moderately well paid job that isn't too hard and a chill golden retriever. wouldn't marry it but would hang every once in a while and wonder... why do I want so much from life when I could be like this muscadet?

"taste like grapes, burns a little bit? that's all I can think of" -- buck

wee bit acidity, leaning dry, soft.

[linneatanner]

Debra Borchert Château de Verzat Series #ChateauDeVerzatSeries #HerOwnLegacy #HerOwnRevolution #DebraBorchertAuthor #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @debraborchert @cathiedunn

FEATURED AUTHOR: DEBRA BORCHERT I'm pleased to introduce Debra Borchert as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between March 11th  - 15th, 2024.  Debra Borchert is the author of the Historical Fiction series, Château de Verzat. The two books in her series released by Le Vin Press are as follows: Her Own Legacy (Book 1) released on September 1st, 2022 (568 pages) Her Own Revolution (Book 2) released on July 14th 2023 (422 pages).  Below are highlights of each book in the Château de Verzat Series, Debra Borchert’s author bio with delightful photos of her, and an intriguing excerpt from Her Own Revolution.  Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/02/blog-tour-chateau-de-verzat-series-by-debra-borchert.html   HIGHLIGHTS: HER OWN LEGACY (BOOK 1)   Her Own Legacy (Book 1 of Château de Verzat Series) by Debra Borchert Blurb: A Woman Fights for Her Legacy as the French Revolution Erupts Determined to inherit her family’s vineyard, Countess Joliette de Verzat defies society’s rules, only to learn of her illegitimate half-brother, the rightful heir. Universal Buy Link for Her Own Legacy: https://books2read.com/u/bWYod1 *Her Own Legacy will be only 0.99 in the UK, CA and AU stores from March 5th – 15th, 2024!* HIGHLIGHTS: HER OWN REVOLUTION (BOOK 1)   Her Own Revolution (Book 2 of Château de Verzat Series) by Debra Borchert   Blurb: Woman Forges a Treacherous Path to Save Hundreds from the Guillotine If Geneviève Fouquier-Tinville had the same rights as a man, she wouldn’t have to dress like one. A suspenseful page-turner led by a renegade heroine whose compassion for innocent people leads to both loss and love. Universal Buy Link for Her Own Revolution: https://books2read.com/u/m0aJVl CHÂTEAU DE VERZAT SERIES BUY LINKS: US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B9KN1536 UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B9KN1536 AUTHOR BIO: DEBRA BORCHERT   Debra’s the author of the Château de Verzat series that follows headstrong and independent women and the four-hundred loyal families who protect a Loire Valley château and vineyard, and its legacy of producing the finest wines in France during the French Revolution. Her Own Legacy published 2022, Her Own Revolution published 2023, and Her Own War will be published in 2024. A passionate cook, she also wrote a companion cookbook to the series: Soups of Château de Verzat, A Culinary Tribute to the French Revolution, 2023. A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, she weaves her knowledge of textiles and clothing design throughout her historical fiction. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family and standard poodle, named after a fine French Champagne. Author Links: Website     Twitter     Facebook     LinkedIn     Instagram Pinterest     Book Bub     Amazon Author Page     Goodreads EXCERPT: HER OWN REVOLUTION (BOOK 2)   Paris, August 7, 1793 Geneviève visits Louis LaGarde in prison I took a deep breath and stepped into the dark cell. Straw cracked beneath my boots. The door slammed shut. I jolted. The key grinded in the lock. The sour stink of an unemptied slop bucket made me want to cover my nose. LaGarde stood in the corner, his shoulders hunched, his blond hair hanging in greasy strands. The sound of the guard’s footsteps faded. My legs trembled. I could be thrown into such a cell. “Do you remember me?” My voice was as weak as the light. He peered at me and then a grin slowly emerged. “Who could forget your charms?” My face warmed as the memory of his exposing my breasts rushed me. “So, my execution has been delayed so you—Monsieur Fouquier—could gloat.” I shook my head and held out the wine. He didn’t move, so I placed the bottle near his feet. “It’s not what you’re accustomed to, but the guard enjoyed some of it.” I pulled out bread, sausage, and cheese. He rubbed his forehead. “Ah, a last meal.” I ripped off a piece of bread and offered it. He snatched it and gnawed, catching the crumbs with his hand, and licking them from his palm. I detested the pity I felt. I couldn’t be the only one who cared about him. “Has your family been to visit?” Withdrawing my dagger, I cut a hunk of sausage and tossed it to him. He caught it and waved his fingers at the cheese, which I also tossed. “What family? My brother? Killed defending the King at the Tuileries. My parents? Murdered in the September Massacres.” “I’m sorry.” His losses seemed not to affect his appetite in the least, but still, I would have to break down his defenses to save him. “Any friends visit?” He bit into the cheese and closed his eyes as he chewed. “I have no friends.” That, I believed. He chomped at the bread. But as he turned his head away and stopped chewing, I knew it was not from lack of hunger. He was missing someone. “A lady?” I asked. “Yeah.” He snorted. “My whore.” His low voice rumbled against the stone walls. “What about you, Fouquier? Got a whore of your own?” “Wish I did.” He laughed. Had there been more time I’d have laughed, too. “Has your mistress been to see you?” “Like I, she is a guest of Bicêtre prison.” He tilted his head back as if praying for patience. “For prostitution?” “For Royalist sympathies!” He swatted at a fly on his neck. “She despised the Queen.” He laughed. “Even a whore has more courage to be honest than I have.” It was only a matter of time before her name would appear on another list. The binding around my chest tightened as sympathy filled me. “I can get a message to her.” “Why would you give her a message from me? To taunt her?” He kicked a clump of straw. “Torture us both?” “To let her know you’re alive.” The muscles in his face flinched. He resembled a beggar, a depth to which, I imagined, he had never dreamed of falling. “What should I tell her?” “What else can a dead man say?” He cried a laugh. “Adieu!” He slid down against the wall until he sat in the straw with his legs stretched out. I crouched down and whispered, “Did you tell anyone you’ve been sentenced?” He shook his head. “Guards? Prisoners?” “No.” “You must not tell anyone of your sentence. No one. Do you promise?” He cocked his head and, for a moment, he was the old arrogant LaGarde. “Why?” “Hush.” I listened for footsteps. “So long as they do not call your name, you live. Understand?” “They will call. I have been condemned.” “Your name will not be called. You will not go to the guillotine. Do you understand?” He sat lifeless. I pinched his arm. “Ow!” He jerked his head and looked at me, his eyebrows peaked high above his dark eyes. “Do you?” The taut skin around his eyes began to relax as he stared at me. “Yes.” His voice was hesitant, like a child’s. A feeling of wanting to take him out of this hell swept over me. I should have thought he deserved this punishment after exposing me as a woman at University, but now my compassion surprised me. I gripped his hand. Although filthy, it was still the soft hand of a person who ordered others to do his work. “What’s her name?” “Magdeleine Corrié.” He winced, as if hearing her name pained his heart. “The message?” He stared at the ceiling. I squeezed his hand. “We have but a few minutes more.” He pressed his lips together, his nostrils widening as he sucked in the dank air. I hated pushing him. I softened my voice. “Do you wish me to tell her of your love?” He nodded, then pulled me close. “She is with child. Ask her…if she will marry me.” “That is honorable.” “It is not honor.” The muscles around his mouth quivered. I patted his arm. “I will bring her food and your message.” I stood and prayed I would be the clerk to receive the list with her name. “Remember, say nothing. I do not wish to join you at the guillotine.” He squinted. “You leave me to rot in this hell?” His words hit me like a slap. Why wasn’t he grateful? I’d saved his life, and he was angry? “I’d think anyone would prefer to live, even if among rats.” He lifted his chin. “You get me out of here, or you will go to the guillotine with me.” I was a cowering bug beneath a rock, taunted by the snapping tongue of a warty toad dressed in a ruined golden silk waistcoat. If I could have felt one drop of sympathy for this arrogant bastard, I’d not feel so ashamed. He’d exposed me once, and he’d do it again.     Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub Read the full article

[fabiolajyx]

They cancelled The Serpent Queen and I am so fucking mad!!

I'm french and guess where do I live? In the Loire Valley!! My hometown, Vendôme, is where The House of Bourbon (the one we see in the show) is from. Their full name is actually de Bourdon-Vendôme, because there are three different branches and if we only mention "Bourbon", it's kind of confusing because we don't know which branch we speak of and Bourbon-Vendôme is the one Henri IV is from. Which means, the character that we see in the show lived in the castle located next to my elementary school! I was young but I can still see and hear my teacher telling my class "This castle next to us was a big deal.". Henri IV didn't live here but he came a few times, especially when his mother, Jeanne d'Albret, died and was buried here (along with Antoine and their first born son (and Louis, Antoine's brother)). So when Jeanne died in the show, in the story, they technically should have been in my hometown (and Antoine and Louis should have been already dead lol). Same as when Antoine and Louis went back home to their dads. François I, François II, Marie Stuart, Charles IX and Catherine came here. Sadly, the castle is just ruins now... But it makes me sad that they never mentioned the name of the town once. Even Reign mentioned it. I mean, everyone knows that Reign was more fiction than facts but still, they mentioned Vendôme in one of the latest episodes of the show and it's still one of my proudest moment 🥹

Since I live in Vendôme, it means that I live 30 min away from le Château de Chambord, where they filmed most of the show. I love going there whenever I can but sadly, I never got the chance to go there when they were filming... 💔 It was weird and funny to see how they edited the outsides of the castle. Some editing didn't make any sense but I get it. Also, the big gardens are from a completely different castle located in Villandry. So it was weird to see Chambord edited in the background. And it didn't make any sense when we would see Chambord fully and the gardens weren't there, haha.

Also, le Château d'Amboise was used two times and they kinda disrespected it 😅 I'm not entirely serious when I say this but I kinda I am. The first time is in the season one finale, when Mary "arrives" in Scotland. The second that I saw the location I said "Oh, Amboise" and then I saw the ocean next to it and realised that it was supposed to be Scotland 😭 The second time was in season two when Catherine visits Diane (who is still pretty young and most importantly, miraculously still alive in 1572 😭). When Diane and Catherine talk we discover that they are in "Anet" (where she died in 1566). I was so happy when they mentioned where they were in the story but I was like "but, but, it's Amboise, guys 😭". It's funny and confusing for me because I know those castles but it's perfectly fine for an audience who has no clue. Also, le Château d'Anet is a private property, so I don't know if they would have allowed the show to come and filmed there, but also I've seen a documentary a few months ago and the owner seems very sweet, so I don't know. They also used Amboise, the town, to be Paris, where Catherine's brother was supposed to build le Palais des Tuileries.

And last but not least, I wanna talk about Blois (20 min away from me, next to Chambord) Oooh, Blois is probably my biggest heartbreak from that show. In season one, it made sense to be in Chambord because this castle was François I's baby but he lived there for only a month. Henri II didn't live there but kept the constructions going. When Henri II died, François II didn't live there. Charles IX didn't live there either but just like his father before him, he kept the constructions going and consolidated it. Henri III and Henri IV didn't live there and didn't do anything to it (it's such an Anjou and Henri behavior if you ask me haha). But if Henri II, François II, Charles IX and Henri III didn't live there, then where did they live, you ask?! Well, they lived in BLOIS. Which means that the whole show should have been happening in le Château de Blois, not Chambord. Y'all have no idea how excited I was when I heard that season 2 was filming in Blois. I thought, finally, they are going to aknowledge the most important castle of the Valois! I mean they actually all lived there and this is where Catherine died!! When I say that that castle is important to the Valois' story, it's because it is. Do I need to tell you how disappointed I was when I saw season 2 last week? A) I was expecting multiple scenes in the castle and well, that didn't happen. B) I had to wait the very last episode to see what they filmed there. C) THEY DIDN'T EVEN FILMED IN THE CASTLE!!! We see all the Protestants walking across the bridge, we see a few streets that I'm not even sure if it's actually Blois and then we see the castle, in the background, behind all the protestants who are looking at a cathedral that is not even located there. THEY EDITED THE CATHEDRAL OF TOURS IN BLOIS 😭 It's not fair. Honestly, all the editing stuff didn't really bother me. I understand that they did whatever they needed to for the aesthetic of the show. But not mentioning once the name of the town that was important to the true Valois Kings and Queens is something that I truly don't understand.

The show is about the French history, is filmed in France and guess what? We had NO WHERE TO WATCH IT IN FRANCE. The show arrived like a week ago on Max and it's been n°5 in the top 10 since then. French people want to see their country in a show and support it, we have the proof and THEY CANCEL IT?! I am so upset. They could have give it a third and last season to wrap it up. Season 2 was so much better than season 1. The Valois siblings did bring so much more depth, especially Anjou.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I'M LOSING KING ANJOU. The potential that he had was insane.

Okay, I'm gonna shut up now and cry about it 😭

[fromfaewithlove]

One thing i realized is that I’ve compromised every single aspect of my existence and it’s so unhealthy. It’s turned me into a walking oxymoron. This is a hard thing to put into words but I don’t have real fun yet still I lack discipline.

Having fun makes me feel guilty to my core so I don’t really know what I enjoy or what I like - I never bothered to figure it out. I don’t do what I want. I do what I should. But deep down I want to see the world and learn languages and play video games and go to sports events take risks and be youthful.

But I was ultimately raised to be very passive and puritanical. If I’m not doing work in some way shape or form or I can’t make an argument as to why what I’m doing is productive — I can’t justify spending time on it.

So instead I do boring things that aren’t very healthy in the end of the day. I work 60-70hr weeks (I literally work at a club because going out dancing makes me feel guilty), I hurt my body working out more than I should, and I obsessively read the news all day. Don’t get me wrong, I love journalism but a lot of what I absorb isn’t actually journalism but instead a circle jerk of bad news no one can do anything about (ie old man in Loire valley drives his car into a ravine, stray dog attacks hiker family, etc etc).

Instead of having real discipline that is poised towards meeting goals that make me happy I just waste time having not fun and then I brag about how sophisticated that makes me but really. It just makes me fucking puritan. I don’t even believe in heaven or hell or a god figure why am I working myself into a dead end? I’m a Buddhist I believe in dharma, in Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, and in self reliance! Why is the concept of enjoying my life somehow offensive to me?

And because I don’t actually take time to enjoy myself I am burnt out all the time.There is no real value to discipline beyond paying my bills to support my basic necessities. Why have goals, why achieve anything if it’s not work? I have this burning desire to go to law school even though I don’t want to be a lawyer why? Because im addicted to work, the aesthetic of working, the austerity that comes with of working a lot. When you’re working yourself away you don’t have to think about your happiness you can just keep going on idley.

And all of this because a bunch of Calvinists who were so eager for any sign that they were gonna go to heaven and also believed that everything in their life was predetermined felt too guilty to have fun or take a stand to achieve their own happiness. And this permeated into American work culture and American Christianity as a whole which is how I was raised.

So my 2024 resolutions are to have real fun, practice real discipline and make real progress - not try to do some hodgepodge amalgamation of it all that ultimately leaves me in the same spot year after year.

[ifnowhynot]

Wines of the year, 2023

Given the nature of my work and the fine wine folk I am so lucky to rub elbows with on the regular, I taste thousands of wines each year. These are the ones I remember most fondly: the way they opened the world, the way they centred experience, and all the kind souls that shared them with me. 

I will remember 2023 as the year I really shed my ignorance and fell in love with Bordeaux and a year in which my partner and I continued our love affair with Jura Chards and Loire Chenins and entered into a new obsession with the great dessert wines of the world.

This list probably looks unhinged to the non-obsessed haha. Without having a social media outlet these last few years, it feels like some small gesture to the hardworking producers who crafted these works of art to be able to shout them out and thank them for their work. So here were the gems:

MY TOP 12 WHITES

Dom BELARGUS 2018 ‘Rouères’ Chenin Blanc, Anjou AOC, Loire

Dom STÉPHANE TISSOT 2018 ‘Les Bruyères’ Chardonnay, Arbois AOC, Jura

O'ROURKE FAMILY ESTATE 2020 'Twisted Pine' Chardonnay, Lake Country, BC

LA FRENZ 2011 ‘Knorr Vineyard’ Semillon, Naramata Bench, BC

PATRICK SULLIVAN 2020 Baw Baw Shire Chardonnay, Victoria, Australia

BIEN NACIDO 2020 Estate Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley, California

CLOS DU MOULIN AUX MOINES 2020 Pernand-Vergelesses AOC 'Les Combottes', Burgundy

Dom BITOUZET-PRIEUR 2017 Meursault AOC 1er Cru Perrières, Chardonnay, Burgundy

M. CHAPOUTIER 2018 Hermitage AOC ‘Chante-Alouette’, Marsanne, Rhône

LITTORAI 2013 ‘Mays Canyon’ Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, California

BINDI 2015 ‘Kostas Rind’ Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula, Australia

RAMEY 2019 Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California

MY TOP 10 REDS

Ch LÉOVILLE-LAS-CASES 1975 Grand Vin, Saint-Julien AOC, Grand Cru Classé Deuxième, Bordeaux

Ch LA TOUR DE MONS 1982 Margaux AOC, Bordeaux

Dom MUGNERET-GIBOURG 2020 Échezeaux Grand Cru AOC, Burgundy

HIYU 2017 ‘Aura’, Pinot Gris & Pinot Noir, Columbia Gorge, Oregon

TWO VINTNERS 2019 ‘The Waiting List’ Syrah, Yakima Valley, Washington

AGRI SEGRETUM 2018 Todi DOC ‘Marmocchio’, Sangiovese/Sagrantino, Umbria

TROON VINEYARD 2022 ‘Siskiyou’ Syrah, Applegate Valley, Oregon

CLENDENEN 2018 ‘Bricco Buon Natale’ Nebbiolo, Bien Nacido Vineyard, California

REINE PÉDAUQUE 1978 Savigny-lès-Beaune AOC 1er Cru Clos des Guettes, Burgundy

CA' LA BIONDA 2010 'CasalVegri' Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC, Veneto

MY TOP 10 APERITIF & DESSERT WINES

PATRICIUS 2008 Tokaj Aszú 6 Puttonyos, Hungary

Dom BELARGUS 2018 ‘Quarts’, Quarts-de-Chaume Grand Cru AOC, Chenin, Loire

DONNAFUGATA 2015 ‘Ben Ryé’ Passito di Pantelleria DOC, Zibibbo, Sicily

ROLET 2010 Arbois Vin Jaune AOC, Savagnin, Jura

CASTELLO DI MELETO 2011 Vin Santo di Chianti Classico, Toscana

BARBEITO 20yo Malvasia 'Ribeiro Real', Madeira

COCKBURNS 1997 Vintage Port

Dom BERTHET-BONDET 2009 Château-Chalon AOC Vin Jaune, Jura

MARCEL CABELIER 2008 Château-Chalon AOC Vin Jaune, Jura

THUNEVIN-CALVET 1982 Maury, Vin Doux Naturel, Grenache, Roussillon

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

BUBBLES

LELARGE-PUGEOT 2008 Quintessence Millésime Brut, Vrigny 1er Cru, Champagne

EGLY-OURIET NV Brut Rosé Grand Cru, Ambonnay, Champagne

RIVETTO 2016 ‘Kaskal’ Blanc de Nebbiolo Brut Nature, Barolo, Piemonte

PETER LAUER 1992 Réserve Sekt Riesling, Mosel

MOVIA 2015 Puro, Brda, Slovenia

LELARGE-PUGEOT 2008 Millésime Extra Brut, Vrigny 1er Cru, Champagne

R.C. LEMAIRE 2012 ‘Les Hautes Prieures’ Blanc de Blancs, Hautvillers 1er Cru, Champagne

MONMARTHE NV 'Les Grimpants' Blanc de Noirs, Ludes 1er Cru, Pinot Noir, Champagne

ANDRE CLOUET NV ‘Un jour de 1911…’ Brut, Pinot Noir, Bouzy Grand Cru, Champagne

Dom STÉPHANE TISSOT NV ‘BBF’ Blanc de Blancs Crémant du Jura AOC

Dom MANN 2014 Crémant d’Alsace AOC ‘Infiniment Fou’, Chardonnay

ALBERT BICHOT NV Crémant de Bourgogne AOC Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut

POMMERY 2004 Cuvée Louise, Champagne

LAURENT-PERRIER 2008 Millésimé Brut, Champagne

WHITES

France - Loire

Dom BELARGUS 2018 ‘Coteau des Treilles' Monopole, Chenin Blanc, Anjou AOC, Loire

Dom BELARGUS 2020 ‘Rouères’ Chenin Blanc, Sec, Anjou AOC, Loire

Dom BELARGUS 2019 ‘Gaudrets’ Chenin Blanc, Savennieres AOC, Loire

DAMIEN LAUREAU 2015 'Le Bel Ouvrage' Savennières AOC, Chenin Blanc, Loire

LUNEAU PAPIN 2010 ‘L d’Or’ Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie, Loire

LUNEAU PAPIN 2007 ‘L d’Or’ Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie, Loire

LUNEAU PAPIN 2006 ‘Excelsior’ Muscadet Sèvre et Maine AOC Goulaine, Loire

France - Burgundy & Jura

Dom HEITZ-LOCHARDET 2014 Chassagne-Montrachet AOC 1er Cru La Maltroie, Chardonnay

Dom BITOUZET-PRIEUR 2017 Meursault AOC 1er Cru Charmes, Chardonnay

Dom BITOUZET-PRIEUR 2017 Meursault AOC ‘Clos du Cromin’, Chardonnay

Dom BITOUZET-PRIEUR 2017 Puligny-Montrachet AOC ‘Les Levrons’, Chardonnay

Dom LATOUR-GIRARD 2017 Meursault AOC Cuvée Charles Maxime, Chardonnay

Dom DUREUIL-JANTHIAL 2020 Puligny Montrachet AOC ‘Corvée des Vignes’

Dom DEUX ROCHES 2021 Pouilly Fuissé AOC ‘Vieilles Vignes’

France - Alsace

Dom TRIMBACH 2007 ‘Clos Ste Hune’, Grand Cru Rosacker, Riesling

Dom WEINBACH 2012 ‘Cuvée Ste Catherine’, Pinot Gris

Dom ALBERT BOXLER 2014 Alsace Grand Cru AOC Brand, Pinot Gris

Dom TRIMBACH 2016 Alsace Grand Cru AOC Mandelberg, Riesling

France - Rhône

RAYMOND USSEGLIO 2017 ‘Pure Roussanne’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC Blanc

GRAND VENEUR 2004 ‘La Fontaine’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC Blanc, Roussanne

DOMAINE DE LA SOLITUDE 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC Blanc

Dom CHANTE CIGALE 2011 Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC Blanc

France - Other

LELARGE-PUGEOT 2016 Vrigny Blanc, Coteaux Champenois AOC, Chardonnay

Dom STÉPHANE TISSOT 2018 ‘Les Graviers’ Chardonnay, Arbois AOC, Jura

Dom STÉPHANE TISSOT 2019 ‘Patchwork’ Chardonnay, Arbois AOC, Jura

Dom DES MARNES BLANCHES 2020 Savagnin ‘Les Molates’, Côtes du Jura AOC

Germany

SELBACH OSTER 2007 Graacher Domprost Riesling Spätlese, Mosel

DR. BÜRKLIN-WOLF 1997 Ruppertsberger Gaisböhl ‘R’ Riesling Aisles, Pfalz

HEXAMER 2010 Schlossböckelheimer In den Felsen Riesling ‘No.1’, Nahe

DÖNNHOFF 2015 Wessburgunder Trocken, Nahe

USA

HOPE WELL 2015 ‘Improbable’ Riesling, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon

ALEX GAMBAL / PETER WORK 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay, California

ST. ROMEDIUS 2019 Napa Valley Chardonnay, California

TROON VINEYARD 2022 Vermentino, Applegate Valley, Oregon

TABLAS CREEK 2014 'Esprit Blanc' Roussanne/Gren.Blanc/Picpoul, Paso Robles, California

EVENING LAND 2022 ’Seven Springs’ Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon

CHATEAU MONTELENA 2019 Napa Valley Chardonnay, California

ST. INNOCENT 2017 'Freedom Hill Vineyard' Chardonnay, Willamette Valley

DELILLE CELLARS 2021 'Chaleur' Blanc, Sauv Blanc/Semillon, Columbia Valley, Washington

LIÉGEOIS DUPONT 2021 ‘Le Blanc’, Marsanne/Viognier, Red Mountain, Washington

CHAPPELLET 2015 Napa Valley Chardonnay, California

PATZ & HALL 2016 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, California

Canada

O'ROURKE FAMILY ESTATE 2020 Estate Chardonnay, Lake Country, Okanagan

CAVE SPRING 2004 ‘Réserve’ Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

TANTALUS 2020 ‘Old Vines’ Riesling, Okanagan Valley

PINARD & FILS 2021 ‘Nuance de Gris’ Frontenac Gris, Quebec

NORMAN HARDIE 2014 ‘Unfiltered’ Chardonnay, Prince Edward County, Ontario

Australia

LEEUWEN ESTATE 2002 ‘Art Series’ Chardonnay, Margaret River

TYRELL’S WINES 2013 ‘Single Vineyard HVD Hunter Semillon’

UMAMU 2010 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Margaret River

South Africa

KEN FORRESTER 2016 ‘The FMC’ Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch

HAMILTON RUSSELL 2014 Chardonnay, Hemel-en-Aarde

BOEKENHOUTSKLOOF 2007 Semillon, Franschhoek

Italy

DARIO PRINČIČ NV ‘Vino Bianco’, Friuli Venezia Giulia

SUAVIA 2017 ‘Monte Carbonare’ Soave Classico AOC, Garganega, Veneto

MARRAMIERO 2016 'Punta di Colle' Chardonnay, Colline Pescarese, Abruzzo

Other

LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA 2006 Viña Tondonia Reserva Blanco, Rioja DOCa, Spain

RAUL PÉREZ 2019 ‘Sketch’ Albariño, Rias Baixas DO, Spain

SOUS LE VÉGETAL NV ‘Octave’ Muscat, Samos, Greece

ALTAR ECO 2018 'Edad Media' Blanco, Chard/Chenin/Sauv Blanc, Uco Valley, Argentina

REDS

France - Bordeaux

Ch LE PUY 2010 Barthélemy, Francs Côtes de Bordeaux

Ch D’ISSAN 2009 Margaux AOC, Grand Cru Classé Troisième

Ch LANGOA-BARTON 2015 Saint-Julien AOC, Grand Cru Classé Troisième

Ch GRESSIER GRAND POUJEAUX 1983 Moulis-en-Médoc AOC

Ch FOURCAS HOSTEN 1983 Listrac-Médoc AOC

Ch CANTEMERLE 2019 Haut-Médoc AOC, Grand Cru Classé, Cinquième

France - Burgundy

Dom VINCENT LATOUR 2013 Meursault AOC 1er Cru Les Cras

CLOS DU MOULIN AUX MOINES 2020 Auxey-Duresses AOC ‘Clos du Moulin aux Moines’ Monopole

Dom BITOUZET-PRIEUR 2017 Volnay AOC 1er Cru Taillepieds

Dom BITOUZET-PRIEUR 2017 Volnay AOC 1er Cru Caillerets, Pinot Noir

Dom BITOUZET-PRIEUR 2017 Volnay AOC 1er Cru Clos des Chênes

Dom BITOUZET-PRIEUR 2017 Volnay AOC 1er Cru Pitures

ALBERT BICHOT 2018 Fixin AOC 1er Cru Clos de la Perrière Monopole

JEAN-CLAUDE RAMONET 2020 Monthelie AOC

France - Rhône

MICHEL COURTIAL 1986 Hermitage AOC, Syrah

ALAIN GRAILLOT 1991 Crozes-Hermitage AOC, Syrah

DOMAINE DE LA SOLITUDE 2020 ‘Vin de la Solitude’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC Rouge

MARTIN TEXIER 2021 'Cérouan Vieilles Vigne du Clau' Serrine

FRANCK BALTHAZAR 2020 Cornas AOC, Syrah

YVES CUILLERON 2011 Saint-Joseph AOC ‘L’Amarybelle’, Syrah

YVES CUILLERON 2016 Cornas ‘Les Côtes’, Syrah

Ch DE BEAUCASTEL 2001 Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC Rouge

XAVIER VIGNON 2010 ‘Cuvée Anonyme’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC Rouge

DOMAINE DU PEGAU 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe AOC Rouge, Rhône

France - Other

Dom DES MASQUES 2020 ‘Syrahdictive’, Syrah/Viognier, Provence

J.L. DENOIS 2019 Pinot Noir ‘Grand Vin’, Limoux

Dom BOBINET 2014 'Amatéüs Bobi' Saumur-Champigny, Cabernet Franc, Loire

Dom BONNET COTTON 2022 Beaujolais AOC Cru Brouilly, Gamay, Beaujolais

Dom STÉPHANE TISSOT 2018 ‘DD’ Rouge, Arbois AOC, Pinot Noir/Trousseau/Poulsard, Jura

Italy

ROAGNA 2011 ‘Pajè’ Barbaresco DOCG, Piemonte

CASA RAIA 2018 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Sangiovese Grosso, Toscana

È JAMU 2021 ‘Vertigine’ Canaiolo, Chianti, Toscana

CASA RAIA 2011 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Toscana

CASTELLO ROMITORIO 2007 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Toscana

MASI 1988 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG, Veneto

RIVETTO 2021 ‘Vigna Lirano’ Amphora Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC, Serralunga d’Alba, Barolo

ROCCHE DEI MANZONI 2015 Bricco Manzoni, Red Blend, Langhe, Piemonte

NINO NEGRI 2006 ‘5 Stelle Sfursat’, Nebbiolo, Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG, Lombardia

VILLA PAPIANO 2017 ‘I Probi’ Romagna Sangiovese Modigliana Riserva DOC, Emilia-Romagna

PLANETA 2013 ‘Santa Cecilia’ Noto DOC, Nero d’Avola, Sicily

FORADORI 2016 Sgarzon Teroldego, Alto Adige

SASSICAIA 2015 Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC, Toscana

Spain

ALVAR DE DIOS 2020 ‘Camino de los Arrieros’ Red Field Blend, Arribes

SIERRA DE TOLOÑO 2021 ‘La Dula Garnachas de Altura’ Grenache, Rioja Alavesa DOCa

SCALA DEI 2017 ‘Cartoixa de Scala Dei’ Priorat DOQ, Garnacha/Cariñena

LOPEZ DE HEREDIA 2007 Viña Bosconia Reserva Tinto, Rioja DOCa

COMANDO G 2018 ‘Bruja de Rosaz’ Garnacha, Sierra de Gredos

USA

HIYU 2019 ‘Moon Dog’, thirty different clones of heirloom Pinot Noir, Columbia Gorge, Oregon

MARGINS 2022 Counoise, Santa Clara Valley, California

GROUNDED WINE CO. 2021 ‘Steady State’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Oak Knoll District, Napa, California

BETZ FAMILY WINERY 2018 ‘Père de Famille’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Washington

SKY 2015 Mt. Veeder Napa Valley Zinfandel, California

SKY 2015 Mt. Veeder Napa Valley Syrah, California

HOPE WELL 2019 ‘Sunday’s Child’ Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon

PURPLE HANDS 2021 Haakon Lenai Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, Oregon

LITTORIA 2021 ‘The Pivot Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California

DUMOL 2021 ‘Wester Reach’ Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, California

Australia

BONDAR 2020 ‘Rayner Vineyard’ Shiraz, McLaren Vale

ELDERTON 2018 Command Vineyard Shiraz, Barossa Valley

OCHOTA BARRELS 2017 ‘Fugazi Vineyard’ Grenache, McLaren Vale

Other

GARRAFEIRA 2011 ‘Sidónia de Sousa’ Baga, Bairrada DOC, Portugal

LE RICHE 2011 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch, South Africa

GREYSTONE VINEYARD 2020 ‘Ferment’ Pinot Noir, North Canterbury, New Zealand

BURN COTTAGE 2019 ‘Sauvage Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand

GUT OGGAU 2017 ‘Atanasius’ Rot, Burgenland, Austria

SANTA RITA 1996 Casa Réal Cabernet Sauvignon, Maípo Valley DO, Chile

NICOLUZO 2013 Merlot, Corfu, Greece

HENRY OF PELHAM 2012 Baco Noir ‘Reserve’, Ontario, Canada

APERITIF & DESSERT WINES

Dom DES MARNES BLANCHES NV Blanc Macvin du Jura AOC, France

RABL 2017 Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese, Langenlois DAC, Austria

Dom BELARGUS 2018 ‘Layon’ Moelleux, Chenin, Coteaux du Layon 1er Cru Chaume, France

BARBEITO 10yo Sercial Reserva Velha, Madeira, Portugal

BODEGA DIOS BACO ‘Baco Imperial’ 20 Year Old Amontillado Sherry VOS, Spain

[diya23saini]

Unveiling The World: A journey through global Travel

Hello everyone, welcome back to my new blog. As you all know am making blogs on world travel and I have introduced my favorite supports around the world. So, I already tell you about 5 countries that are my dream countries to visit, and now let's talk about 6th dream country.

Exploring France: A Glimpse into its Beauty

France, a country that conjures images of romance, art, and exquisite cuisine, holds a special place in the hearts of travelers worldwide. Let's take a quick tour through this enchanting destination!

Paris: The City of Love

The capital city, Paris, is synonymous with iconic landmarks. The Eiffel Tower stands tall, offering breathtaking views of the city. The Louvre Museum houses world-renowned art, including the enigmatic Mona Lisa. Stroll along the Seine River, explore charming cafes, and immerse yourself in the city's rich history and culture.

Rich Cultural Heritage

France boasts a diverse cultural tapestry. From the historic beauty of Versailles to the picturesque countryside of Provence, each region tells a unique story. The stunning châteaux dotting the Loire Valley, the sun-kissed vineyards of Bordeaux, and the sunsets over the lavender fields of Provence are experiences to cherish.

Gastronomic Delights

Indulge in a gastronomic journey through France. Sample delectable pastries like croissants and macarons, savor world-class cheeses, and relish exquisite wines from vineyards that have perfected the art of winemaking for centuries.

Natural Splendor

France's natural beauty is captivating. The French Riviera's azure waters and glamorous coastline contrast the rugged cliffs of Normandy. The snow-capped peaks of the French Alps offer thrilling skiing adventures, while the serene countryside is perfect for leisurely bike rides.

Conclusion

France, with its blend of history, art, cuisine, and natural beauty, is a traveler's paradise. Whether you're exploring the iconic landmarks of Paris or savoring the tranquility of the countryside, each visit to France promises an unforgettable experience.