Not ideal for someone who loves their iPhone camera.

Thankfully my new iPhone arrived just in time to join me for a few days off.

I normally use the iPhone with a Polaroid effect but this was my first time using the camera and the countryside is so beautiful I shot straight from the camera, no special effects.

Not bad for a camera phone!

Enjoy!

Leslie

But there are a lot of them in Bar Harbor.

Let’s just say these were the best of the worst.

Enjoy!

Leslie

Waiting, anticipating the food’s arrival, and watching other people eat, can be rather painful.

Fortunately, the wait wasn’t that long.

And the lobster roll… definitely worth waiting for.

Hope you got to enjoy lobster this summer too.

Enjoy!

Leslie

And a little bit of back to reality gloom…

Until we start planning the next girls weekend.

I think we are ready to start the planning.

See you soon girls!

Enjoy!

Leslie

But this recent visit to Washington D.C. seems to make up for it.

I had a little time to walk the mall, discover new monuments and take a few shots.

I would have liked to rent a bike from the city’s public bike program but I couldn’t find a station with a working bike.

This one was taken from a terrace, not a bad view.

Enjoy!

Leslie

Maschere (Masks), costumes and festival sweets, chiacchierare and tortelli, were everywhere.

What I didn’t expect was the silly string spray fights and a piazza covered in confetti.

An unexpected site in front of Milano’s imposing Duomo…

And this was just the beginning of the party.

Two hours later this piazza was a battle field of silly spray, that unfortunately forced me to keep my camera in it’s case.

But hopefully these photos convey some of the day’s atmosphere.

Leslie

When you have a large camera in your hands there is little room to hold an iPhone at the same time… which is a shame because I love my iPhone camera but often forget to use it.

But when I do remember it and turn off the sound people usually don’t know I’m taking their picture and in this case spying on what they ordered for dessert.  Tarte Tatin, Panna Cotta, no one was dieting at that table.

Except my French boyfriend, you can’t fool him, he doesn’t let a photo opp get away.

A big camera is a lot of fun but even a small camera can catch a big moment.

Enjoy!

Leslie

The original goal was for me to discover new regions of France but now it’s really about finding a place where we will enjoy our time together.

Each year is completely different and this year I had another incredible discovery… On the coastline between Cassis and Marseille in the Bouches-du-Rhône département of France is the area of Les Calanques.

A calanque is a formation of limestone inlets in the form of a valley, with hair raising-cliffs, that are partly submerged in the sea.

Between Cassis and Marseille there are thirteen different calanques varying in difficulty to reach and enjoy the Mediterranean Sea down below.

We visited one of the easier calanques to hike, picnic, and swim.

You won’t see all the photos (the girls would throw me to the guillotine) and given the rocky terrain the pictures with no watermark were taken with my Point and Shoot.

Last year we visited the village of Cassis but I never would have imagined that just beyond its port would be one of the most beautiful regions in France.

Physically speaking, hiking Les Calanques is not for everyone (there are also boat tours) but if you don’t mind working up a sweat on rocky terrain (where foot trails are not always well marked) the stunning landscape and clear blue water will definitely reward your efforts.

If you decide to hike be sure to bring a picnic, a lot of water and avoid the week-end crowds (My French team knows how to prepare, thanks girls!).

If you haven’t gotten away this Summer, I hope this gives you a quick visual getaway or maybe an idea for your next vacation.

Enjoy!

Leslie

A big thanks to Rachel for a fantastic (un)workshop but an even bigger thanks to my parents who trusted me with their car (scary considering I can’t remember the last time I drove a vehicle with four wheels) and offered me points to stay at a local hotel.

I’m not sure I would have done the trip without their help and I’m so glad I did!

Thank you!!!

Les

This week’s theme is “Bundled Up” to celebrate the cold weather that many of us have been experiencing (we need to find the good in the freezing temps, right?).

These photos were taken in London, crossing Millennium Bridge on the way to the Tate Modern.   It was FREEZING but my friend Riccardo was about to bust out in a huge smile.

The smile may be because he is sporting a fancy new winter coat or simply because Italians love to have their picture taken but either way I love these photos of Riccardo – He knows how to find the good in everything even freezing cold temperatures.

Baci e Abbracci Ric!

Enjoy!

Leslie