The month of July marks the Tour de France here and our cycling weeks at the hotel. 4 to be exact. Cycling at the chateau has always been a bit of an adventure. My boss likes to donate these weeks and the combination of guests flying down hills and the rare, “I didn’t know this was a bike trip” always introduces a curious escapade. This year we started out with a full group of 8 purchased by a very wealthy and kind gentlemen at the Sonoma Wine Paridiso Auction. Ken does time-shares and resorts all over Mexico, a resource you know I’ll be taping into later on! After arriving on their private jet from their villa in Umbria, Italy and sending it back empty (who can be bothered when you can afford to pay both ways and only use one, ha). The group, holding the record for most luggage ever received without bike boxes at the villa, got under way. Ken’s wife and sister, after falling the first day (scraped knees only) decided that the area was better spent shopping than exploring by bicycle. After a long week of slow rides they were back to the luxurious life of Puerto Viarta and we were on to adventure numero dos.
Two couples who won the trip from the Lake Tahoe School District Annual auction came ready and prepared to go the distance. These guys actually brought their bikes, who would have thought? Biking trips for people who ride their own bikes? Nooo, it couldn’t be. These guys also came with a hungry appetite for the fine delicacy called Heinekin and managed to drink 100 beers between 3 men in week. Another record breaker for the chateau. Most beers drank in a week! Whoohooo. They did also cycle and had custom Limoux, France 2008 jerseys made to commemorate this marvelous vacation. On the back were their nicknames: The Rabbit, The Goat, The Lightweight and The Water Buffalo (later changed to be renamed The Water Beer Buffalo).
Our next contenders were also participants in Auctions. Quelle surprise? Stan and Susan who purchased their second trip (repeat guests) at the Cedar Sinai Heart Fund Auction and Arnie and Susan who host a fabulous annual gala for The Carousel Fund in Petaluma that financially helps children and their families with life threatening illness. Nothing really to report on these guys although Stan is of notable mention as he’s been feature in the Livestrong Challenge newsletter.
On to my final group of the season and my most favorite Cycling group of all time: Endurance Cycling! Endurance is a fitness center in Mill Valley where you can go pretty much do spinning on your own bike. This year, one of the founders, Matt brought a group of the nicest, funniest, most in shape cyclists we’ve ever had. Not only were they a true pleasure to have around. But the laughs kept coming and so did the crude jokes. They’re going to publish a video on YouTube of the week and have also posted a blog of their adventure that I encourage everyone to read it and check out the great pics. Hilarious! With a quasi-sponsorship for the week from CLIF bar they were off to a running start or should I say cycling! Incredibly fit and kind athletes who concurred two HC Tour de France climbs during the week and were always up for whatever Paul through their way.
It’s off to the states now to catch up with friends, clients and lay on the beach in Mexico. Compliments of my parents and the 3rd vaca of the season :).
A bien tot.
Nathalie
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Liguria is the place to be…
Second vaca of the season down, it’s back to work but first a recap. Holly shit, I love this place! Ok cool, well now that we’ve got that down. Last year on my travels with the fam along the French and Italian Rivera’s, we made a pit stop, two nights and one massive day, in a place I’d like to call home one day. Cinque Terra is a national park housed, as Alex’s coach would say, in the armpit of the boot. Left side, northern Italy, or the Ligurian Coast for the rest of us.
The park is composed of 5 villages literally built into the bluffs of the Mediterranean. The only way to access these villages for 100’s of years was by boat. Today there are trails carved out of the cliffs and a few roads dipping in and out of each village, yet still never connecting them directly.
A fun fact: All the stone walls that have been built to terrace agriculture in the villages equal the length of the Great Wall of China.
Having no car, Alex and I took full advantage of the train systems of both France and Italy. We left at around 10am and arrived at 10pm exhausted from the 6 change of trains we had to endure to get to this beautiful place. We stayed in the center village of Corniglia and arrived around 11 to our apartment…the very last in the village with only a view of the cliffs and the med. SO LUCKY and only 75€ per night! I had my first bowl of pesto pasta and continued the tradition for the next 4 days never really branching off. As Amanda would say, Italian food is made with Magic! Touché.
Village of Corniglia
View from our window!
Our first day was spent with Alex’s mum and Steve her fiancé. They’d been travelling around Europe for close to 9 weeks and had hung out in the area a few extra nights to spend the day with us. We went to Manarola, where Alex perfected his lack of fear whist cliff diving and I practiced my lack of fear while sun bathing. A perfect day and of course delicious food and fabulous company.
Appetizers on the roof terrace
Alex off the top! 
Getting my tanning game on!
The next two days we split up the hikes. 9km from Riomaggiore to Monterroso al Mare. Since we were in the middle we went right the first day and left the second. We’d spend most of the day in the first village and then hike to the second at sunset to have dinner there.
Our little slice of heaven!
It was incredible and a vacation I’ll always remember. Especially the 740 stairs up from the train station to our village and the 4am jog to the train station for the 12 hour ride home. Check out the pics from my whole vaca here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2063659&l=2ac20&id=29903135
Ciao
Nathalie
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Paging McDreamy…
Well not quite but the last week at the chateau brewed more stories than the Private Practice spin-off. Beating this group in the wildest stories category will be difficult! I’ll explain… my most favorite of the art teachers Barbara and her husband Charlie have been regulars at the Chateau and always bring the BEST guests. This year was no different with a brood from Austin, Texas!
Their home town and the location of the sweetest people on earth. Couples, all of them, the most notable being the 53 year old type A woman with the 85 year old husband who tells her she works too hard. They’ve been together 13 years and have an 11 year old together. Lucky # 6 for old man rivers, who has 5 from his previous wife of 40 years. I know what you’re thinking but it couldn’t be farther to the truth. They really DO love each other. After all I spent two weeks with them, I’m the expert ;). This man has his engines a blazin and is the most alert, rambunctious 85 year old I’ve ever come across and the only the Chateau has ever seen. Also in the mix a return couple who warm my heart, Dana and Ed. The two cutest people on earth. I felt as though I was their guest, they’re so kind and adorable. With 26 years of marriage under their belt and a special toast at the first dinner to celebrate, the 2 weeks were nothing but smooth sailing and all laughs.
Now back to the Dr’s. Charlie is one of those people you ask if he knows if there are aliens and he says something like, “I can’t confirm or deny that.” I know it may sound like he’s a bit of a crazy but with 20 years at Nasa, I believe every word that comes out of his mouth. He’s incredible, commands any room but is a total softy and is most definitely the smartest person I’ve ever come in contact with. With his extremely talented and kind hearted wife by his side, it’s a good thing these two never had kids as they’d be running the world. Charlie now works for the U.S. Army and decided that after all the artsy fartsy weeks were finished, he’d bring in the real men of the Excited States and their wives of course.
We were fortunate enough to house and make puke (too much breakfast and a hard bike ride up a death hill) some of the most incredible head of surgeons working for our military today. With stories of Baghdad, trauma unit life changing decisions and Head of surgery GSW’s, the week progressed with little boredom. One of the guests was the head of surgery at a Seattle hospital before working for the Army and I was fortunate enough to sit by him at one of the dinners and the following is what I acquired:
Me: “What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever seen in your whole career as a doctor?”
Fancy Pants’ response: Well this one time this guy shot a cop and then tried to evade the police. When they finally caught up to him, (they always do) they beat the living crap out of him. Rodney King style. This gentlemen, was obviously in need of some medical attention after such a rigorous exercise in Mortal kombat, so they brought him to the ER. Whist waiting, this fine specimen of the human race decided even shackles, handcuffs and a room full of officers was no match for his brawn and intellect. So he decided to get up and slowly inch towards the door. And by slowly I mean you can’t go very fast when you’re feet are handcuffed together. So he begins his long journey and the officers of the ‘peace’ sit and watch him MacGyver his way out of his predicament.
Inch by inch he creeps towards the automated doors of freedom. All the while, the cops sit and watch. Within a foot of his independence, the door opens and too much dismay of the gentlemen, I’m sure, the cops open fire. ONLY IN AMERICA! Apparently once you cross the threshold of the door, you become a dangerous and wanted felon (shackled) evading the police. Now we can’t have that, can we. Being conveniently placed in the hospital, this moran is then escorted into Emergency surgery where his GSW’s are mended and he lives to spend god knows how many year in jail for attempted murder of an officer of the ‘peace.’ Classic. Now let’s hope none of the fractured soles in the waiting room decided to become cops.
BANG BANG
Nathalie
Their home town and the location of the sweetest people on earth. Couples, all of them, the most notable being the 53 year old type A woman with the 85 year old husband who tells her she works too hard. They’ve been together 13 years and have an 11 year old together. Lucky # 6 for old man rivers, who has 5 from his previous wife of 40 years. I know what you’re thinking but it couldn’t be farther to the truth. They really DO love each other. After all I spent two weeks with them, I’m the expert ;). This man has his engines a blazin and is the most alert, rambunctious 85 year old I’ve ever come across and the only the Chateau has ever seen. Also in the mix a return couple who warm my heart, Dana and Ed. The two cutest people on earth. I felt as though I was their guest, they’re so kind and adorable. With 26 years of marriage under their belt and a special toast at the first dinner to celebrate, the 2 weeks were nothing but smooth sailing and all laughs.
Now back to the Dr’s. Charlie is one of those people you ask if he knows if there are aliens and he says something like, “I can’t confirm or deny that.” I know it may sound like he’s a bit of a crazy but with 20 years at Nasa, I believe every word that comes out of his mouth. He’s incredible, commands any room but is a total softy and is most definitely the smartest person I’ve ever come in contact with. With his extremely talented and kind hearted wife by his side, it’s a good thing these two never had kids as they’d be running the world. Charlie now works for the U.S. Army and decided that after all the artsy fartsy weeks were finished, he’d bring in the real men of the Excited States and their wives of course.
We were fortunate enough to house and make puke (too much breakfast and a hard bike ride up a death hill) some of the most incredible head of surgeons working for our military today. With stories of Baghdad, trauma unit life changing decisions and Head of surgery GSW’s, the week progressed with little boredom. One of the guests was the head of surgery at a Seattle hospital before working for the Army and I was fortunate enough to sit by him at one of the dinners and the following is what I acquired:
Me: “What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever seen in your whole career as a doctor?”
Fancy Pants’ response: Well this one time this guy shot a cop and then tried to evade the police. When they finally caught up to him, (they always do) they beat the living crap out of him. Rodney King style. This gentlemen, was obviously in need of some medical attention after such a rigorous exercise in Mortal kombat, so they brought him to the ER. Whist waiting, this fine specimen of the human race decided even shackles, handcuffs and a room full of officers was no match for his brawn and intellect. So he decided to get up and slowly inch towards the door. And by slowly I mean you can’t go very fast when you’re feet are handcuffed together. So he begins his long journey and the officers of the ‘peace’ sit and watch him MacGyver his way out of his predicament.
Inch by inch he creeps towards the automated doors of freedom. All the while, the cops sit and watch. Within a foot of his independence, the door opens and too much dismay of the gentlemen, I’m sure, the cops open fire. ONLY IN AMERICA! Apparently once you cross the threshold of the door, you become a dangerous and wanted felon (shackled) evading the police. Now we can’t have that, can we. Being conveniently placed in the hospital, this moran is then escorted into Emergency surgery where his GSW’s are mended and he lives to spend god knows how many year in jail for attempted murder of an officer of the ‘peace.’ Classic. Now let’s hope none of the fractured soles in the waiting room decided to become cops.
BANG BANG
Nathalie
Friday, June 6, 2008
First Group Down!
Well since my last entry, things have evolved a bit. All the change I spoke of seems to be no more. My very wise Colleague, A, advised me and asks, what is the most important thing to you right now? You must do everything you can to make whatever that is happen. She tells me that being with the love of her life is what's most important. Fortunately, this job affords her that luxury and she has thus decided to stay on full time and continue to plan and organize the year from the US. Although this means I become head chef of running the tours, I can't help but be a bit saddened that I will not be running the whole show as previously decided. Who can complain though? Less responsibility means less ways to screw up and more time spent with what is most important to me!
The week before guests arrived was all prep. Tons of meetings and something dare I say I enjoy...driving around aimlessly in the countryside looking for poppy fields.
Limoux has the second largest sanitarium (coocoo house) in all of France. This is due to it being one of the sunniest (you could have fooled me) towns in France, receiving and I quote over 300 days of sun a year. Bollocks! Anyways, back to the point, all this sunlight produces Vitamin D, which happens to be extremely good for patients of mental illness…thus the Nuthouse. Most of these guys are pretty harmless and tend to just walk around doing their own thing most of the day, while also performing the utmost civic duties; entertainment for the sane of Limoux.
I can say that the dynamic of the staff has greatly improved since last year. The only possible explanation to this bizarre phenomenon is that we all have boyfriends ;) Oh and that we're all a year older ha. So we’re off to a running start and engines are a blarring! With a 4am drop off tomorrow and a new 10 person two week group coming in, my planned vaca with my honey at the end of the month will be well deserved.
A bien tot.
XO
Nat
The week before guests arrived was all prep. Tons of meetings and something dare I say I enjoy...driving around aimlessly in the countryside looking for poppy fields.
Later on this fab field was discovered...
To much dismay, no fields were found, however the amount of rain that has been falling since I got here 19 days ago is so abundant, one can only hope “May showers bring June flowers?” Not such a great notion for the painters who are about to leave rain drenched and with more knickknacks then I have ever seen purchased. Do people shop more when it’s raining? Yes! It’s the only safe place in town.
Tomorrow marks the departure of my first group and I can't tell you how much I won't miss them :) Having artists around you 24/7 for 2 full weeks begins to tilt your perceptions of reality a bit too much for my comfort. The weeks started off well with a woman having a full blown asthmatic attack the minute she walked through our doors. After deliberation with the paramedics and the doctor who made her remove all and I mean ALL her clothing to listen to her chest, we were off to a great start.
Limoux has the second largest sanitarium (coocoo house) in all of France. This is due to it being one of the sunniest (you could have fooled me) towns in France, receiving and I quote over 300 days of sun a year. Bollocks! Anyways, back to the point, all this sunlight produces Vitamin D, which happens to be extremely good for patients of mental illness…thus the Nuthouse. Most of these guys are pretty harmless and tend to just walk around doing their own thing most of the day, while also performing the utmost civic duties; entertainment for the sane of Limoux.
I can say that the dynamic of the staff has greatly improved since last year. The only possible explanation to this bizarre phenomenon is that we all have boyfriends ;) Oh and that we're all a year older ha. So we’re off to a running start and engines are a blarring! With a 4am drop off tomorrow and a new 10 person two week group coming in, my planned vaca with my honey at the end of the month will be well deserved.
A bien tot.
XO
Nat
Thursday, May 15, 2008
2nd Landing...Land of the Frogs - Apr. 30th, 2008
So I made it over to the land of the Frogs! I hate to say this but I really did miss it! Before transferring down to the hell that is work in Limoux, I came a few weeks early to spend some time with Alex and readjust before jumping back into the 12 hour days I really did not miss.
Arriving in Villeneuve St. Germain was a bit of a shock...Funny enough Alex does really live in the ghetto...there are new fancy apartment/condos across the street and he's in a Bronx/projects type building, it even comes furnished with its own drug sales out of a shoe box and a girl that lives above them, they've affectionately named Slut Smurf. The apartment itself is really not that bad, not lots of furniture but it works! His roommates are really nice in their own. There's an Australian named Nick, who it seems, will be providing the entertainment as he downloads about 8 movies every night. He is also overly obsessed with his weight and is constantly pinching himself, weighing his food and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to which sorbet, by flavor, has less calories, along with anything else you need to know. Piotr, Alex's other roommate is quite but kind. Alex's only complaint is that he sits to close to him on the couch. What can you do? His most apparent quality is his height no joke this guy is 7 feet something. The first week was spent sitting in his room trying to fish out a weak internet signal, as Alex had not yet received internet at the house. This being his 6th week living there, he understandably was a bit perturbed. I told him that this was the typical French speed of things and not to worry...sure enough it came the following day. The rest of the teammates are nice enough, some being incredibly quiet. His coach on the other hand was overzealous to meet me claiming that the 'traductrice' was finally here.
After sussing out some translations and going to more long day races than I'd ever hoped for, this week finally brings a period of rest in his ever constant schedule. Last week was time spent apart for us, not something we planned but after I was told there would be a 12 hour drive to the Pyrenees for a one day race and return in the same fashion, I packed my bags and headed to four days in city of love all by my lonesome. Not a problem as you can really never ever be bored in Paris and the entertainment of people watching there is known to be only the best.
A bien tot.
XO
Nathalie
Arriving in Villeneuve St. Germain was a bit of a shock...Funny enough Alex does really live in the ghetto...there are new fancy apartment/condos across the street and he's in a Bronx/projects type building, it even comes furnished with its own drug sales out of a shoe box and a girl that lives above them, they've affectionately named Slut Smurf. The apartment itself is really not that bad, not lots of furniture but it works! His roommates are really nice in their own. There's an Australian named Nick, who it seems, will be providing the entertainment as he downloads about 8 movies every night. He is also overly obsessed with his weight and is constantly pinching himself, weighing his food and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to which sorbet, by flavor, has less calories, along with anything else you need to know. Piotr, Alex's other roommate is quite but kind. Alex's only complaint is that he sits to close to him on the couch. What can you do? His most apparent quality is his height no joke this guy is 7 feet something. The first week was spent sitting in his room trying to fish out a weak internet signal, as Alex had not yet received internet at the house. This being his 6th week living there, he understandably was a bit perturbed. I told him that this was the typical French speed of things and not to worry...sure enough it came the following day. The rest of the teammates are nice enough, some being incredibly quiet. His coach on the other hand was overzealous to meet me claiming that the 'traductrice' was finally here.
After sussing out some translations and going to more long day races than I'd ever hoped for, this week finally brings a period of rest in his ever constant schedule. Last week was time spent apart for us, not something we planned but after I was told there would be a 12 hour drive to the Pyrenees for a one day race and return in the same fashion, I packed my bags and headed to four days in city of love all by my lonesome. Not a problem as you can really never ever be bored in Paris and the entertainment of people watching there is known to be only the best.
This week (May 10) we've travelled to Brussels and are staying with Mary and Alfred, Alex's great uncle and aunt on his dad's side. Mary is everything I hope to be at 60, her freezer is organized, all the cutlery has a place in the dishwasher, her house is incredible and she has the best fashion sense. Alfred has taken the week off to work on building a new shed for their ever growing collection of garden tools and that enables him to entertain us with his knowledge of their newly purchased robotic lawnmower. Daytime has been spent catching the train into downtown Brussels where we’ve seen an abundance of lace, chocolate and diamonds I’d never thought possible. We've been entertained in the evening by great food & drinks, an outdoor fireplace and illustrious stories. 
The awe inspiring robotic lawnmower
Friday brings another quick trip to the city of love, together this time and Monday it's off to Limoux. I'm nervous about what this year's season will bring and how new hires and great friends leaving will change the dynamic of Montfaucon. Only time will tell....
The awe inspiring robotic lawnmowerA bien tot.
XO
Nathalie
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