Addicted to Blog

Monday, February 9, 2009

Photo bandit

Last Tuesday we went to "Ladies Night" at the local Trek Bicycle Store. Jeff and Kris provided a great atmosphere for all who attended. The food was tasty and there were yummy treats and drinks for all. Everyone who came received their own swag bag. The night was really informative and we learned a lot from from using the correct type of clothing (in case you didn't know) to how to help alleviate vibrations in your handlebars. The Midwest/Rockies Regional rep of Trek's Women Specific Design (WSD) division was there to instruct us. We give a big thanks to Tori for helping us have such a fun night. Tori opened our eyes to a product that we never have contemplated before: shammy butter! Let's just go with "don't ask us and we won't tell you."

Jeff tried to capture the memories of the night by taking photos. Well, we can't let him get away with taking pictures of us so we were sure that we got a few pictures of him just to keep things fair.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Real Estate Friday

We love, love, LOVE this one. We hope you enjoy it too.

Chateau de Villette

In Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" Villette is featured as the residence of Sir Leigh Tebing. Chateau de Villette is a 185 acre estate located 35 minutes northwest of Paris. The Chateau was designed by architect Francois Mansart in 1668 for Jean Dyle, the Comte d'Aufflay, Louis XIV's ambassador to Venice, and finished around 1696 by his nephew Jules Hardouin-Mansart. The gardens, designed by Le Notre, spread out behind the chateau in the central axis from the spectacular fountain and cascade resembles that of Chateau Marly. There are two rectangular-shaped lakes on each side of the main garden. The chateau and its magnificent 185-acre grounds provide privacy and serenity. One of the most significant historical chateaux in France, Villette is both simple and sumptuous with a great octagonal Grand Salon, an elegant Dining Room with a carved stone buffet, wine cooling fountains and blue and white dessus-de-portes by Boucher, a Music Salon with magnificent boiseries, a stately Library, a stone Foyer and Grand Staircase. The main house contains eleven bedrooms and eleven bathrooms.

The chateau is located in the beautiful Parc naturel regional du Vexin francais, just northwest of Paris between Cergy-Pontoise and Meulan. Within 25 minutes driving distance, there are four golf courses and world class sights such as Versailles, La Malmaison, Monet's home and garden at Giverny, Maison de Van Gogh in Auvers Sur-Oise and Chateau de Chantilly. The City of Paris, Charles de Gaulle Airport, Fontainebleau and Vaux le Vicomte are just 30-50 minutes away.

Thursday Quiz

Tonight I went with my mom and sister to a very informal class about chocolate. It was very informative and enjoyable. I am not usually a person that loves to eat cookies but the instructor had the most delicious chocolate cookie for us to try. I was surprised how completely tasty it was. There were other treats and chocolates tasters for us to try from chocolate cupcakes to chocolate mousse frosting to a choco-mint tingle shake.

The instructor asked how many people like to eat dark chocolate on only about 4 people raised their hands. So we were each given a small tasting of semi-sweet chocolate and then we were given 60% chocolate and last 70% chocolate (in case you didn't know, the higher the percentage of chocolate the darker the chocolate is). We were told to suck on the chocolate and not chew it to really taste the difference in the different chocolates. I was surprised to learn that the dark chocolates were not as bad as I had imagined.

After all that, here is the question of the day. Do you like chocolate and if so what kind of chocolate?

Monday, February 2, 2009

Super Bowl Recap

Can you guess which dog partied too hard?

Friday, January 30, 2009

Real Estate Friday

A classic substantial Victorian rectory 9,723 sq ft of accommodation: 5 reception rooms, 12 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms. Outdoor heated swimming pool, annexe, former coach house, mature gardens. In all about 1.63 acres.

The property is situated in the centre of the village of Doddington which is 5 miles outside the market town of March. There are local facilities within the village and shopping for everyday needs in March. The Cathedral City of Ely is 9 miles away and the high tech University City of Cambridge 32 to the south.