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tokyotwosome · 6 years

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A French Excursion

Toulouse

7/29/2018 - My first taste of Europe began in the south of France, in the city of Toulouse. My expectations of France stemmed from books and movies, which truly limits you to two senses; sight and sound. Naturally I expected to see breathtaking architecture and streets filled with centuries of European history. What I hadn’t anticipated were the other senses we would experience; the smells, the flavors, and the feeling. As I write this segment of the blog, I’m sitting on the terrace of our hotel as the sun rises to awaken the city. You can hear the vrooms of mopeds weaving through the alleys. You can feel the fresh breeze of the crisp morning air with a hint of a summer scent drifting with it. It’s something capable of forcing a pessimist to smile. The temperature is a comfortable 69°F (about 20°C). I’m sipping my morning “café – coffee” as I wash down my “chocolatine - a chocolate croissant”, that we bought just last night while walking around the markets. While other visitors come out to their balcony, you greet them with “bonjour” as if you’ve been saying it for years. There isn’t a skyscraper in sight. Just brick buildings upon brick buildings that look like they all have a story to share. Rob has spent several days already completing an extended business trip at Airbus. While he’s at work today, I am off to spend my first day exploring the city, solo.

As mentioned, Rob had been spending some time at Airbus, providing product support. Through work, he made a friend at Airbus (Julien), who invited us over for a late dinner at his place. Julien’s girlfriend and I spent the day sightseeing in Toulouse. At dinner, Julien, prepared us duck soaked in red wine, served with rice, French pâté, cheeses of all varieties, meats, and more. Then we washed it all down with some rum, where our new friend showed us how to prepare it properly. Julien told us about his home country; a tiny island nestled to the east of Madagascar. A fun and delightful way to spend our last night in Toulouse.

[a free tour inside the Capitole de Toulouse Building, pictured above]

To sum up a few interesting facts I learned in my first few days in France:

There’s a TV tax - used to fund local French TV networks.

Business isn’t always open – With Paris being the exception, hours of operation tend to vary in France. Sometimes it’s too late in the day for a croissant at a café. Or sometimes it’s too early for dinner and all restaurants don’t open until 7:30 PM. A way to avoid this is by going to bakeries for baked goods and then going to a local park. It’s much more efficient if you’re on the go, downside being you miss the outdoor café on the street atmosphere. Apart from food, boutiques are typically not open until 10 AM or so. Oh and Sundays? Forget about it. Many of the French truly live by exercising their day of rest. That goes for shops as well. Need not worry! There may be a local outdoor market open.

Bakeries are no joke – Bread is the staple of this country. It was a major player in the French Revolution. Seeing passersby with a baguette in their bag is in no way unusual. There’s a bakery around every corner, each item a soft, fluffy, piece of heaven. You can smell the bakeries in the street, making it impossible not to stop and snag a pastry.

Cheese is also no joke - The French cheese puts our cheese to shame. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a nice Wisconsin sharp cheddar as much as the next guy...but French cheese is savory on a whole other level!

Bordeaux

7/31/18 - Next stop, that’s right you guessed it; wine country. We decided to rent a car, a manual no less. A French car; a Peugeot. It was about a 2-hour drive north of Toulouse. Having experience driving a manual, I thought what a thrifty idea. Let’s not get into the narrow European one-way streets...eventually, we made it to Bordeaux. The city itself is just that, a city. Where were the acres of vineyards? We would soon travel 20 min east to Saint-Émilion to find out. But before we head out of the city, we stop by the Bordeaux Wine Museum. The Museum included a tasting and allowed you to explore the smells and sights of wine around the world. It was cool to see Yakima Valley (a Washington region) being recognized as a world-renowned wine within the museum. Wine is a big contributor to romance; the museum touched on that countless times. An interesting take on wine. After grabbing a French lunch buffet, we head out towards Saint-Émilion. The streets start to quiet and those vineyards finally make their grand appearance.

Our Airbnb sat within vineyards and the city we’d just left behind was a world away. This is the kind of countryside life where you can really forget about your troubles. The next day we had an electric bike tour planned through the Saint-Émilion chateaus and little did we know what an exceptional experience it would turn out to be.

Our tour consisted of 8 riders and one guide. Our guide Julie was a local French gal, sharing her knowledge of the area’s history as we zigged and zagged through the back roads of vineyards. We learned about the importance of the soil; the area mostly comprised of limestone and clay - the perfect soil suitable for merlot and cab franc. The other 6 riders in our group were all Australian and what an entertaining lot they were! As we made our way through the hills, we eventually made our first stop at Château Panet. Here we walked through the Château where the wine was being made, learning about the process along the way. We ended the tour with an outdoor picnic of wine, cheeses, meats, and breads. We chatted with the rest of the group, learning that they all are from Melbourne. One of the riders complimented me on my accent, which was the first and likely the last time that will ever happen. Who ever thought an American accent could be “charming”?

Our final stop on our tour was Château Saint-Georges, a true castle once owned by the king of France. We walked around the breathtaking grounds, stopping to try the smells and flavors in the garden. Each item in the garden was carefully chosen to help represent different notes within the wine. They also told us about how much the weather impacts the harvest, and why you often hear wine connoisseurs say things like, “2015 is an excellent vintage” or “that’s a good year”. We learned how you identify older wines vs younger by the color. We discovered so much about wine that we didn’t know, in such a short span of time.

Paris

8/3/18 - Paris, the world’s most visited city in the world, is its own breed. Comparing it to the rest of France isn’t a fair comparison really. We stayed at an Airbnb apartment within the heart of the city. Everything was within walking distance, with places like Notre Dame just a short walk away. Sure, in a city like Paris you’re going to come across a few homeless people digging through the trash and you have to be mindful of the possibility of pickpockets. If you’re able to avoid this and/or not allow it to spoil your visit, Paris can be very charming. Keeping a loose agenda and simply walking along the river, stumbling across places as you go, is the best way to do it. We stopped by a cafe, where a friend of a friend had just opened business (Jozi Cafe). He gave us some great advice on things to see and things to avoid. We joked with him about how he’d never been to the Louvre, much like we’ve never gone on Ride the Ducks in Seattle and how you’re often not the tourist in your own city. We visited Shakespeare and Co. bookstore to check out the 1920′s gathering spot for famous writers such as Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. We even bought Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway, a nonfiction that he wrote describing his time in Paris. Don’t forget to have the store clerk stamp your book with a Shakespeare & Co. stamp before you go!

The Eiffel Tower - the symbol of romance in Paris. You can find an Eiffel Tower in the states on shirts, bags, or home decor. Seeing it in person really depicts its grandness. We needn’t bother go up the tower; we simply wanted to see it up close and in-person. Our 4th Wedding Anniversary we spent at a restaurant on the water, just beneath the tower. While enjoying our meal and our view, we did our favorite thing to do when we travel; people watch. We noticed our server speaking Spanish to the table to our right and French to the table on our left. He spoke English to us, so this was pretty impressive how he could just switch gears in a matter of moments. Tipping is not a custom in France, but you can certainly leave one if you feel the service was superb. While the boat tour on the river had been going on for hours, we opted to skip it during the day. The weather was hot, muggy, and uncomfortable. Instead, we did the tour during the sunset which proved to be both romantic and a much more comfortable and rewarding experience.

We spent our last day at The Louvre. We managed to see all of our favorites within 3 hours. The renaissance paintings being our favorite. Liberty Leading the People left the biggest impression on me. It was a must see and I wouldn’t recommend skipping it if you’re in Paris. Overall, we loved France and have every intention of visiting again one day. Travelling really teaches you a lot of lessons and opens your eyes to the big beautiful world out there. You also learn a lot about your own country through the perspective of other countries. Our craving for travel continues so stay tuned! We aren’t certain where our next trip will be. Brazil, Hong Kong, Singapore, Iceland, and the UK are all on the horizon. Thanks for reading; until next time.

#travel #france #paris #adventure #tokyotwosome #love #explore

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tyleroakley-obsessed · 5 years

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Ed. Note: Looking for things to do in Memphis this spring? Here is a list of more than 40 Memphis events, festivals, and things to do with kids this spring and early summer. These events are listed in chronological order. For event series (i.e., the Peabody Rooftop Parties, Redbirds season) I’ve used the start date to determine where this goes int eh list. Got something to add? Tweet at me @ilovememphis and I’ll give you a RT, or add to the blog’s calendar here. I love that there’s something for everyone on this big list – families, music lovers, art aficionados, sports fans, outdoors enthusiasts, foodies. Plus, there are plenty of free and affordable things to do in Memphis we’ve included here. Here’s your 2019 Memphis Spring Events Guide: – Cooper Young Community Farmers Market, First Congo Parking Lot, every Saturday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., free entry, all ages/kid-friendly Cooper Young Community Farmer’s Market meets every Saturday – even in the winter – with local produce, food, handmade goods, coffee, baked goods, and more. Winter hours are from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. – MusliMeMFest, Agricenter International, March 30, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., free, all ages/kid-friendly This annual one-day festival, hosted by Muslims in Memphis, features food, shopping, exhibits, entertainment, and children’s activities. – Faux Fest / Fool Fest, Shangri-La Records, March 30, noon – 6 p.m., free to attend, all ages Buy cheap 45s, CDS, and more, plus free live music starting at 2 p.m., including The Faux Killas who release their vinyl album Chiquita on this very day. – Memphis Express v. Orlando Apollos, Liberty Bowl, March 30, kickoff at 1 p.m., $20, all ages, kid-friendly Our very own Association of American Football team plays at home on Saturday, March 30 in an afternoon game. For this matchup, there’s an Express Challenge fitness competition at 10 a.m., pre-game paint party at noon, and a Celebration of Faith during the game. – Condomonium, The Columns, March 30, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m., $55, 21 and up Local designers create stunning fashion pieces made of condoms as a fundraiser for CHOICES. Check out the living art show, live music, food and cocktails. – Memphis Redbirds 2019 Season, AutoZone Park, starts April 4, prices vary, all ages/kid-friendly The World Championship Winning Redbirds start off the 2019 season on April 4 with a home series against Omaha. Regular season games continue through early September. Go here for the full season schedule. – Memphis Comedy Festival 2019, Various Locations, April 4-7, $10+, 18 or 21+ Dulcé Sloan (The Daily Show With Trevor Noah, E! News Daily) headlines the annual Memphis Comedy Festival, a showcase of standup, improv, games, and more. It’s $60 for an all-access pass, $10 for standup showcases and other shows, and $45 for everything but the headliner. – Broad Avenue Spring Artist Pop-Up, Broad Avenue, April 5, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m., free to attend, all ages/kid-friendly A special First Friday on Broad for April means new spring merch and art at all the local shops and galleries on the street. Check out the new skatepark, Society Memphis, plus live jazz guitar at Maximo’s, and more. – Food Truck Fridays, Dixon Galley & Gardens, April 5 – September 27, free, all ages/kid-friendly Enjoy the spring spectacle of 125,000 bulbs all in bloom at the Dixon Galley & Gardens in late March, and don’t forget Tuesdays are PWYC and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon are free. On Fridays from April through September, there will be food trucks from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and the gardens are free during that time. See the food truck schedule here. – Midtown Opera Festival 2019, Playhouse on the Square, April 6-14, $10 per event, all ages Opera Memphis’ festival returns to Playhouse on the Square this year with a new featured opera, “The Falling And The Rising”, and whole slate of other events during this annual celebration of opera – pre-show dinners, Broadway brunch, aerialist performances, Cartoons & Cereal, and much more. – Memphis Farmers Market Opening Day 2019, G.E. Patterson and S. Front St., April 6, 7 a.m. – 1 p.m., free to enter, all ages/kid-friendly Memphis’ largest farmers market kicks off the season with Opening Day on Saturday, April 6 with food vendors, food trucks, and entertainment. The market happens every Saturday through October. – River Series, Harbor Town Amphitheater, April 7, April 28, May 19, 3 p.m., $5, all ages/kid-friendly This series of shows, curated by Goner Records, bringing Memphians together to see and celebrate live music in an intimate riverfront venue. Grownups can enjoy great music and beer in an environment where the little ones are welcome. Proceeds benefit The Maria Montessori School. – Memphis 901 FC v. Atlanta United 2, AutoZone Park, April 10, 7 p.m., $10+, all ages/kid-friendly Come one, come all to this highly anticipated soccer matchup downtown. Yes, it’s on a Wednesday, but it’s the ESPN USL Championship Game of the Week, so we need to have full stands and look good for the TVs. Plaza gates will open at 4:30 p.m. for the Plaza Party Happy Hour ($3 Bud Heavy and Bud Light). – Memphis Fashion Week, Various Locations, April 11-13, prices vary, 18+ Memphis Fashion Week brings together local and regional designers, models, photographers, artists, and other fashion industry types for days of exciting runway shows, parties, and boutique events. – Rooftop Parties at Peabody Hotel, April 11 through August, $15, 21 + The season kicks off April 11 with Almost Famous. Dance to live music and enjoy drinks and snacks while partying on the roof of the Downtown hotel. The parties are Thursdays from April through August, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Read more here. – Bookstock Memphis Author’sFestival, Memphis Central Library, April 13, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., free to enter The annual local author’s festival celebrates the talent we have in the Mid-South and gives you a chance to meet Memphis writers and buy their books. There’s a keynote speech by Lisa Patton and plenty of activities for everyone. Food trucks! – Southern Hot Wing Festival, Tiger Lane, April 13, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., $17 online / $25 at the gate, kids 12 and under free, all ages Cooking teams compete for $5,000 in prize money for the best hot wings in Memphis, and most teams will give out samples for a $1 or $2 donation to Ronald McDonald House. Expect live music, a wing eating contest, a cornhole tourney, and more. Buy tickets online ahead of time and save $8. Vets and military get in free, as do kids 12 and under – there’s a Kids Zone, too. This year, you can get a combo ticket for $30 (!!) that gets you in to both the Hot Wing Fest, and the Memphis Express v. Atlanta Legends game at the Liberty Bowl at 7 p.m. – Memphis Express v. Atlanta Legends, Liberty Bowl, April 13, 7 p.m., $20+, all ages/kid-friendly For this extra special final Express home game of the season, you can get combo tickets that include admission to the Southern Hot Wing Festival (11 a.m. – 6 p.m.) and the game (kickoff at 7 p.m.). It’s also Pride Night at the Liberty Bowl. – V&E Greenline Art Walk, V&E Greenline, April 13, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., free, all ages Local artists and vendors will line the V&E Greenline in Midtown for the 8th annual V&E Art Walk. In addition to dozens of local artist booths, the festival will have food vendors, kids’ activities, live music and a silent auction. If you’ve never been there, the V&E Greenline is an unpaved trail that starts at Cleveland and North Parkway and runs to Rhodes College. – Overton Square Crawfish Festival, Overton Square, April 13, noon – 6 p.m., free to attend, all ages The annual Overton Square Crawfish Festival is so big that it takes over the whole square, shutting down Madison Ave. for an afternoon of eating, drinking, shopping and live music. Prices for crawfish and drinks vary. – Lucero Family Block Party, Minglewood Hall, April 13, 2 p.m. – 10 p.m., $33+, kids 10 and under free, all ages This is one serious Memphis throw-down. (It’s okay for kids early on, though.) Lucero, plus Will Hoge, Mighty Souls Brass Band, BlackBerry Smoke, and more, plus vendors like Wiseacre and Central BBQ. – Beale Street Wine Race, Beale Street, April 14, 1 p.m., free, 21+ Cheer on your favorite Memphis restaurant workers as they compete in a decidely adult version of elementary school field day, complete with relay races (involving carrying wine over hurdles), a beauty pageant / dance off, and grape-stomping competition. It’s weird and wonderful. Leave the kids at home for this one. – Africa in April, Robert Church Park, April 19 – 21, $5, all ages Enjoy a fun cultural celebration in Robert Church Park during Africa in April. The park will be packed with vendors, food, cultural activities, a parade, live music, and workshops on diversity, entrepreneurship, and health and wellness. This year’s honored country is the Republic of Nigeria. Check out the full schedule here. – Time-Warp Drive-In, Summer Drive-In, April 20, May 18, June 22, dusk to dawn, $10 per person, all ages (parental discretion strongly advised) Black Lodge Video and Malco Theatres present the 6th annual Time Warp Drive In series. April’s movie night is John Hughes themed (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science). May’s movie night is on May 18 and 90s Fantasy themed (Jumanji, Hook, and Small Soliders), and June 22 is weird animated movie night including Heavy Metal, A Scanner Darkly, and more. Do not bring your kids to that one, trust me. – Hopped Festival, Memphis Made Brewing, April 20, 1– 10 p.m., free to enter, 21+ to drink It’s time for the 5th annual celebration of hoppy, springy beers from Memphis Made. If it’s anything like past years, expect a free glass for first few customers, live music, food trucks, and more – and it’s all family and pup friendly. – Kaleidoscope Food Festival, Wiseacre Brewing Co, April 21, 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., free, all ages/kid-friendly The 3rd annual Kaleidoscope Festival in Binghampton is a chance to sample food from the multicultural chefs from the neighborhood – including AROMA Kitchen’s East African cuisine, Ibti’s Soup and Catering Sudanese food, Indra’s South Asian Dumplings, and Inspire Community Cafe. Enjoy Wiseacre beer, of course, plus more vendors and dance and cultural performances. It’s free to attend (food + beer for sale) and kids and pets are welcome. Dining Out For Life Week, Various Locations, April 22 – 28, Prices Vary, all ages Support Friends for Life by dining out at different local restaurants, when 25 percent of proceeds will be donated to their mission of supporting those affected by AIDS/HIV. There are 15 restaurants (and counting) including Beauty Shop, Gray Canary, Dru’s Place, Hog and Hominy, Iris, and more. You must check the schedule, though, it’s not every place very day. Fratelli’s Cafe inside the Botanic Gardens will donate 75 percent of proceeds every day, all week! – Botanical Bars, Memphis Botanic Garden, April 25, 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., $30 members/$40 non-members/21 and up Stop and sip the rosé this summer, while you learn about your rose garden. Enjoy sparkling wine, a “Rosé-rita”, and more, plus speak with experts from the Memphis Rose Society. Botanical Bars continues with other themed nights (cocktails, beer) throughout the year; see the schedule here. – Spirits & Soul Fest, South Main/Old Dominick, April 26 – 27, $100, 21 and up Thirty distilleries from across Tennessee are heading to the South Main Historic Arts District in downtown Memphis for two days of rare spirits tastings, food, live music, and more. Friday night gets you liquor samples at Trolley Night and access to rare bottles for sale. Saturday is a Block Party at Old Dominick with cocktails, music, and food truck food for sale. Read more here. – Roar and Pour, Memphis Zoo, April 26, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m., $125, 21+ This is an exclusive night of dining and drinking with Memphis’ best chefs and mixologists, plus live music. There’s a VIP option that includes hand-rolled Cuban cigars and select bourbons. – Cooper Young Saturday Shop Hop, April 27, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., free to attend, all ages/kid-friendly Local restaurants and shops in the neighborhood will offer discounts, giveaways, and refreshments all day in honor of Independent Bookstore Day. – Overton Park Field Day, Overton Park, April 27, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., free, all ages/kid-friendly Overton Park Conservancy invites you to a day of sun, fun, and games on the Greensward. This event is free to enter and includes field day games, beer, food trucks including MEMPopS, Let’s Be Frank, and Firecracker Grille Foodtruck, live music, Overton Park merch for sale, and a raffle with prizes from local businesses. Plus, guided nature walks every hour on the hour ($10, kids under 12 are free). – Down To Earth Festival, Shelby Farms Park, April 27, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., $5 parking, all ages/kid-friendly Celebrate Earth Day at one of the country’s largest urban parks on Saturday, April 27. They’ll have live music, kids’ activities, crafts, eco-friendly vendors, artisans, and more. Rain date is April 28. – Arlington In April, Depot Square in Arlington, April 27, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., free, all ages/kid-friendly Vendors from around the Mid-South will display and sell handmade crafts and boutique items. They’ll have lots of activities, great music, and entertainment. – East Buntyn Art Walk, Midland Avenue, April 27, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., free, all ages Head to Midland Ave between Prescott Street and Reese Street for the 9th annual East Buntyn Art Walk, where residents will turn their front yards into galleries for local and regional artists. Mingle with the neighbors at this kid, people, and pet-friendly event. (Rain date is April 28 from 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.) – Mid-South Food Truck Festival, Liberty Bowl Stadium, April 27, 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. $8 adults/$3 gate, all ages/kid-friendly The Food Truck Festival at Tiger Lane features dozens of regional trucks (each are serving one $5 item plus their regular menu) and DeAngelo Williams Foundation’s ‘Throw-in for a Cure’” Cornhole Tournament. Tickets are just to get in/parking. You have to buy your food and drink. – Edge Motor Fest, 645 Marshall Avenue, April 27, noon – 6 p.m, free, all ages/kid-friendly The new Edge Motor Museum opens on April 27 with a festival celebrating the neighborhood’s automotive history with tons of classic cars, live music, vendors, food trucks, and more. – Taste the Rarity, Wiseacre Brewing, April 27, 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., $65 + fees, 21 and up Taste rare craft beers from breweries around the country and celebrate the release of the annual Unicornicopia 2019, with music from the Mighty Souls Brass Band, Griz Line, circus acts, food, games, commemorative taster glass and more. Expect this one to sell out, so get your tix asap. Rain or shine, no dogs. – Grind City Flow Festival Showcase, Memphis Botanic Garden, April 27, 6 p.m. – midnight., $10 adv./ $15 gate, all ages The Grind City Flow Festival Showcase is selection of performances with hula hoopers, acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, fire twirlers, dancing, and more, with food trucks, vendors, and live music for the whole family. After 10 p.m., the event becomes 18+. So take the kids home at 10 p.m. Earlier that day, Grind City Flow Fest will host workshops for 18+ in flow aerial, yoga, dance, and more. Those tickets are 75 and that starts at 9 a.m. – 27th Annual Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival, Wagner Place, April 28, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., free, all ages The Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival is the city’s largest, at least by amount of crawfish: during the single day festival, they’ll serve 15,000 pounds. There will also be live music, a gumbo cooking contest, and all manner of crawfish-related activities. Bring a lawn chair and set up camp along the trolley tracks while you eat. Proceeds from the festival benefit Porter-Leath. – Twilight Thursdays, Memphis Botanic Garden, May – September, until sunset, $10 adults/$8 seniors, $5 kids, all ages/kid-friendly Enjoy extended hours at the Gardens this summer, included with regular admission or free for members. Each week will have a different theme, i.e., plant spotlights or pet-friendly night, so stay tuned for that schedule. – Memphis in May International Festival, Tom Lee Park/Other Locations, May 2019, various prices, all ages A few things in Memphis are certain: summers are sticky, basketball is awesome, and the Memphis in May International Festival is the city’s biggest party. This year, it starts on May 3-5 with the Beale Street Music Festival (check out the band lineup here) and continues throughout the month, including the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (May 15 – 18), Celebrate Memphis (May 25) and the Great American River Run (May 25). This year’s honored country is actually a city, our very own Memphis, Tennessee, in honor of our bicentennial. – 40th Annual Blues Music Awards, Halloran Center, May 9, 5:30 p.m., $150+, 21 and up This event brings together Blues performers, industry reps, and fans from all over the world to celebrate the best in Blues music. – Memphis Brewfest, Liberty Bowl Stadium, May 11, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., $48 gen. admission/$100 VIP, 21 and up Try more than 40 local, regional, and national beers at the annual Memphis Brewfest on the field at the Liberty Bowl. They’ll have food trucks, vendors, specialty releases, and Belgian beers from Flying Saucer. – Annual Memphis Greek Festival, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, May 10-11, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. $2 (or canned food donation, all ages/kid-friendly Vendors from around the Mid-South will display and sell handmade crafts and boutique items. They’ll have lots of activities, great music and entertainment. Take a trip to the “little Greek island on Highland” for dancing (don’t worry, there are lessons), a marketplace, tours of the church sanctuary, live music and yes, tons of food. If you can’t stay for dinner, you can always get food in the drive-thru. – 4th Annual Cooper Young Garden Walk, May 18 – May 19, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. $15 before May 5, all ages More than 50 totally unique gardens are on display at homes and businesses in Cooper Young for the fourth annual garden walk on Saturday and Sunday. There will be live gardening demos, educational booths, and garden experts on hand to help you start your own garden. Tickets go up to $20 after May 5. Ticket holders get discounts at select restaurants, too. – Memphis Italian Festival, Marquette Park, May 30 – June 1, all day, $8-$10, all ages Celebrate Memphis’ Italian community with food, games, a cooking contest and more at the Memphis Italian Festival. Similar to BBQ Fest, you have to have an inside connection or be a part of a cooking team in order to eat most of the food or be allowed in a tent. You can also play bocce ball and cornhole and hear live music. Original article by Aisling Maki. Updated by Holly for 2019. Got something to add? Put it on the calendar. About the Author Aisling Maki is a freelance writer, editor, and public and media relations specialist with awards from The Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists and Public Relations Society of America, as well as several awards for fiction writing. Her work has appeared in publications in more than 20 countries. You can usually find her cheering on the Grizzlies, doing outdoorsy things, or traveling with her daughter, Brídín. They live in Cooper-Young with a dog, a guinea pig and a pair of pet mice. Are you a home owner in Memphis, with a broken garage door? Call ASAP garage door today at 901-461-0385 or checkout https://ift.tt/1B5z3Pc

http://ilovememphisblog.com/2019/03/2019-memphis-springs-events-guide/

#I Love Memphis

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isabellelambert1975 · 7 years

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Bloggers’ picks – the best Christmas gifts for gardeners

I’ve asked a range of leading bloggers to recommend the best gifts for gardeners. I set a price limit of under £50.

And by gardeners, of course, I mean ‘anyone who loves their garden.’

Note: There are affiliate links to Amazon in this post, which means I may get a small fee if you buy. But it doesn’t affect the price you pay. I’ve also given alternative buying options wherever possible.

For gardeners struggling with weeds…

That means most of us! I’m starting with Alison Levey’s suggestion for a practical Christmas gift for gardeners. Alison writes The Blackberry Garden blog, which is currently the UK no 1 gardening blog according to Vuelio. She describes herself as an ‘obsessional amateur’ and writes about her garden, garden visits and garden related subjects.

Alison suggested a Sneeboer ‘wrotter’ – ‘a great name and an extremely handy-looking tool. You can never have too many weeding tools.’

It’s available on Amazon as a Sneeboer weeding fork, but the cheapest place I found to buy it is Peter Nyssen, where it is called a ‘wrotter’ (£21 at the time of writing this).

Gifts for gardeners who travel alot…

Michael Perry (Mr Plant Geek) emailed me from China with his suggestion for plant lovers who travel alot. Michael is a ‘plant hunter’, horticultural new product developer, TV presenter and social media expert. His blog posts over the last year have come from China, New York, Japan and more.

Michael Perry – although I think he has since dyed his hair either silver or purple…

‘Gifts for gardeners? There’s just one obvious choice for me – the Plant Messiah book by Carlos Magdalena!’ says Michael. It’s sub-titled ‘adventures in search of the world’s rarest species. ‘I’m sure you know it. It’s an indulgent storybook about some of the world’s most amazing plants and, in some cases, how they were saved! Whilst I am travelling so much I can’t always be around plants, but this book, I CAN!!!’

Michael also has his own range of gardening clothes and accessories, including the Rude Botany range. These are t-shirts and more with slightly ‘rude’ (or even quite rude) sounding botanical names. They’d make good Christmas presents, too.

Christmas gifts for the veg grower

Firstly, a gift suggestion from Michelle Chapman of Vegplotting. She started blogging about her allotment in 2007, but soon found that the blog grew beyond that. Vegplotting now covers most aspects of gardening and grow-your-own, as well as food, travel, lifestyle and her home town of Chippenham.

‘A Christmas gift?’ she said. ‘That’s a no-brainer because I mentioned my choice in my post about Glee – the gardening industry exhibition held every September. It’s the Haws 5 litre metal slimcan watering can. My colour choice would be Claret to match Santa’s jacket, though there’s plenty of other colours to suit every gardener’s taste.’

Michelle Chapman would love to get this Haws metal watering can for Christmas.

‘It’s great quality, not too heavy when full, British made and the kind of thing I wouldn’t buy (I’d go for much cheaper). But I’d be ridiculously delighted if someone bought this for me. What’s not to like? I already have the wellies to match ;).’

Richard Chivers is also an allotmenteer blogger. His blog, Sharpen Your Spades, is a family, allotment and kitchen garden blog. He says that a new fork or spade would always be welcome under the tree, but he has several other suggestions.

‘A seed packet organiser is invaluable for all my packets of seeds – I was given one similar to this by Burgon & Ball.’

‘Wellies’ photo from Richard Chivers’ blog – with an excellent reminder that we could add gardening gifts for children to our Christmas list!

Richard raised the issue of gifts for children of garden-lovers, which is an excellent point. ‘I bought a very nice child size tool set for my daughter Ava earlier this year. Its been fantastic for making her feel part of the gardening – something that’s her own. Unfortunately it came from Wilko and I don’t think they do it anymore. It was £10.’

I’ve had a look for children’s gardening tools on Wilko, but couldn’t find any. However, they may return next summer. The only children’s gardening tools I’ve personally used with children are Kent & Stowe Kids Range.)

For the gardener who loves to preserve & pickle…

…why not get them into brewing their surplus produce? Brew-your-own used to be 1970s hippy, but it’s now 2018 hipster. Nick Moyle is one of the Two Thirsty Gardeners, who blog about growing your own and turning it into wine, beer, lager and more.

Their book, Brew It Yourself, distills (ha-ha) all their best recipes and would be a great Christmas present in itself. I thought it would be mainly aimed at men, but my jam-making and pickling female friends seized upon it (see this review of Brew It Yourself on my YouTube channel.)

And Nick’s suggestion for the gardener that brews, pickles and preserves is ‘a nice selection of Kilner jars and bottles.’

Kilner clip top bottles make a great present for the homegrown brewer, pickler and preserver.

‘I always find that no matter what you’ve been making, the resulting drinks always seem to taste nicer if they’re presented in a lovely bottle,’ he says. ‘And Kilner jars are the best for infusing. If you get a small selection as a gift then, if you’re lucky, you might get a filled one in return.’

The professional gardener’s present

David Marsden is a professional gardener, and writes The Anxious Gardener, winner of the 2015 Garden Media Guild blog of the year.

‘As a working gardener, friends and family almost always buy me gardening related gifts,’ he says. ‘So, a present which has nothing whatsoever to do with the garden would be a delight. Having said that, I rarely spend much on decent work-clothes, so a strong pair of multi-pocketed work trousers, with knee-pad pockets too, would be very welcome. Or else a bottle of excellent single malt.’

Questioned further on what type of trouser he’d like to be given, he sent this link:

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I’m convinced! I’d quite like a pair myself.

For the owner of a large garden

Anne Wareham, the Thinkingardens blogger and author of The Deckchair Gardener says that she’d like a new strimmer. She and her husband, photographer Charles own Veddw, a major garden in Monmouthshire.

According to Alan Titchmarsh, Veddw is one of the ten best British gardens and the hedges alone at Veddw are worth a visit. So strimmers are an important part of Anne’s gardening armoury.

I told her I’d met a parenting blogger who’d moved into a house with a well planted garden. The blogger knew nothing about gardens and had no time (children, job, blog etc…) So she and her partner strimmed the garden all over in autumn, down to the ground in some places. ‘And it sprang up just as good the next year,’ she said.

Anne says that this is very much their approach at Veddw (though I suspect a very much higher level of expertise lies behind it). Certainly there are lots of useful gardening short-cuts in The Deckchair Gardener – it would make a good present for gardeners who’d like to do less and enjoy their gardens more.

Anne wouldn’t be drawn on which brand of strimmer she’d like, as she hasn’t bought one recently.

For the crafty or thrifty garden lover

Emma Varnam is a top crochet, knitting and design blogger and author of several books on knitting and crochet. Her Christmas present suggestion is an enamel mug with a delightful mug cosy you can make yourself.

The pattern for this charming mug cosy is on Emma Varnum’s blog.

She’s created a mug cosy pattern, which you can find on her blog (it’s free).

‘Enamel mugs are perfect for drinking that warming cuppa in the garden as they are more robust than our favourite china,’ she says. ‘However it is always a great idea to have a mug cosy to protect your fingers from the heat of the enamel and keep your delectable brew warmer for longer.’

‘Make the mug cosy with chunky yarn and purchase a lovely Falcon enamelware mug. You can often find enamel mugs in charity shops.’

Emma’s latest book Granny Squares Home – 20 Crochet Projects with a Vintage Vibe would also be an excellent present for a craft-loving garden or interiors addict.

For the urban cottage gardener

Julie Quinn writes The London Cottage Garden blog about small urban gardens where colour and profusion are important. ‘I’d choose the Collier Campbell Archive book for two reasons.

The Collier Campbell Archive – a book of pattern and colour to inspire the colour-loving gardener.

‘Firstly the designs of Sarah and Susan are a history of our baby boomer lives in patterns and colours. They follow in the tradition of William Morris, and since the 1960s their fabrics have influenced fashion and interior decorative design: 1960s Liberty florals, 1970s Jaeger dresses and 1980s Habitat sofas in a Bedouin stripe. ‘

The Collier Campbell ‘Seaside Garden’ fabric – beautiful!

‘Secondly this book full of vibrant patterns is an inspiration to a cottage style gardener – so many different colour combinations and all pleasing to the eye. Whether your taste is a soft tapestry of pastels or deep earthy tones of North Africa, you will find a page in this book that speaks to you.’

The Collier Campbell Archive can also be bought at the Fashion & Textile Museum shop.

My own suggestions for gifts for gardeners…

I’ve mentioned several already, but I’d like to add one more. I think most garden-lovers would really enjoy Monty Don’s new book, Down to Earth. (And the Amazon price is particularly good at the time of writing). I’d particularly recommend it if you know someone who is just starting out gardening, although I think we can all learn from it.

There’s a video review of Down to Earth here:

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Inspiration for your Christmas decorating

I love Christmas so the next few weeks on the Middlesized Garden will be about your garden and festive decorating. But don’t go away if you’re not a Christmas- lover – normal gardening will soon be back!

I’ve kicked the Christmas season off with a short video on Christmas colour themes. Red, of course, is traditional – but see how festive pink, orange, blue or white can also be: