Delectable You: The French Alps, 12 600ft up the top of Auguille Du Midi, The Eiffel Tour, The Moulin Rouge, La Duree, Me and lots of pastries...

I’m back from Chamonix and Paris, and despite working out and skiing everyday, I’m quite certain I am a few pounds heavier than I was when I left (last night instead of saying, “Hi love!” my boyfriend said, “Hey love handle!” Should I take this personally? hm…). All I can say is: Oops! I suppose I was naïve to think this wasn’t bound to happen…wishful thinking at its best!

Are there ever moments in your life where things are just so beautiful and surreal that you think, “Who AM I? And how the heck did I get so cool as to be here?” I had at least a dozen of such moments this trip. One of the best of them was when I skied past a glacier at Les Grands Montets in Chamonix. One wrong step of the ski, and down the glacier you go, never to breathe again. Sort of takes your breath away, doesn’t it?

I might be smiling but I assure you, I am scared out of my mind! Also notice that I look like a small 12 year old boy in my ski gear. HOT!

Dean Decas - one of the top 100 ski instructors in the world - I got to ski with him - um - WHAT????

Another of these glorious moments was standing under the vastness of the Eiffel Tour. This was my second time to this stunning piece of architecture, but it was just as humbling as the first time. Perhaps the bigger magic of it all is knowing that the whole world knows about the Eiffel Tower. So standing there in a weird way made me feel connected to the whole world…is that crazy? Perhaps, but it certainly was a nice thought as I stood staring at the beauty of the structure, my face lit and my eyes shining in the reflection of the light.

Tony and Ted - lovers - dance and sing in the rain on the way to the Eiffel town - isn't it sweet?

There is so much more to say about this trip, but let’s skip to the important stuff, shall we? FOOD!

So you know you have a serious obsession with chocolate and all things pastry when your boyfriend starts worrying and is genuinely concerned that you are an addict:

“Lauren, I just think you should know that it’s not normal behavior to have an éclair for breakfast.”

Thanks, tips! But you cannot tell me that life is normal when I’m in Paris, the land of beautiful pastry shops and arguably the best sweets in the world! He tried to educate me on delayed gratification: why couldn’t I wait until after lunch to eat the pastry that was sitting right in front of me, taunting me, begging me to eat it and all its beauty? Well, I would argue that I had indeed practiced delayed gratification – all that time I spent waiting to go back to Paris to eat again? Delay. Getting to eat pastries for breakfast in Paris? Gratification, baby! Hence: delayed gratification – I do believe I am an expert :)

I’m back in North America now, and though I haven’t had a single pastry since I’ve been back, much less one for breakfast, I do encourage you to! Throw caution to the wind, tilt your head back, and chow down on that delectable breakfast pastry! Just don’t tell anyone but me :)