Professional Croissant Taster and Other Jobs I Wish I Could Have

Scott and I are headed to Asheville, North Carolina this weekend for a quick get-away and to visit his grandparents. Asheville is one of our favorite spots and it's so convienient to travel to from Birmingham. And we've always said that if we lived anywhere else in the Southeast US, it would be Asheville. So, that got me thinking about what I would do if I moved to a different city. Just for fun, here's my plan for a couple different places!

Asheville, NC

I would get a job at the Biltmore Estate, "America's Largest Private Home" (AKA-Castle)

I could be a hostess and welcome people on their visit and tell fun, historical facts. I love history and I love the Biltmore. Its amazing and you should visit one day!

And I would insist upon wearing a period Victorian costume to work. Something like this:

Because I am that ridiculous...

But seriously, I would probably apply to work in one of downtown Asheville's chocolate shops. Our favorite is The Chocolate Fetish! They make fabulous European-style artisan truffles and chocolates. Heaven. May favorite truffle is called Velvet Sin. So great I can't even describe it.

Or I could apply at The French Broad Chocolate Lounge, where they serve coffee only in French presses. How great is that?! They serve what they call Liquid Truffle Sipping Drinks...this is no ordinary hot chocolate!

Scott enjoying his treats at the Chocolate Lounge when we were there in September.

Paris, France

Mais oui, I dream about living and working Paris one day because I am obsessed with that city and French culture. But what would I actually do if I do go to live in Paris?

Would it be acceptable to be a professional Francophile and Student of French Culture? I know I could study language, but what about walking around the lovely streets of Paris or sitting in cafes while wearing a scarf and beret? Will someone pay me to do that?

How chic is she? Source: The HiP Paris Blog

Or what about being a Professional Croissant & Cafe au Lait Taster?

From In Praise of Sardines Flickr stream.

C'est la vie...that certainly would be the life!

So what about you? Where do you dream of living and working (or not working!) ?

J'aime Tout Ce Qui est Francais! (I Love All Things French!)

Most of you reading thins are thinking "Duh Ann Marie...geez". However, this post is to participate in Rhondamum's French Day! I stumbled on her blog somehow last week, and she seems a kindred French spirit!

My collection of French things is varied, and so I have included a few of my favorite things I have collected and a few of my favorite things about France!

One of my truly prized possessions is an autographed copy of Mastering The Art of French Cooking, signed by both Julia and Paul Childs! I scored this jewel in my grandmother's antique store, probably about 10 years ago. I might have paid $10 for it. Shown here is my beloved trio of Julia's French cooking masterpieces: Mastering The Art of French cooking Volumes 1 and 2, and The French Chef Cookbook, taken from her TV show by the same name. While Julia herself was not French, she did indeed master the art, and science, of French cuisine and paved the way for women chefs!

Whoever Ruth Engles was was lucky indeed to have met the Childs! I so wish I could've met Julia before she passed!



This is still one of my favourite photos of Scott and I! I cannot tell you how excited I was to see the Eiffel Tower for the first time! I was giddy like a little girl! We went to the top at night, so we could see the entire city shining below us. This picture was taken the morning we left Paris. Before we caught the Eurostar back to London, I just had to go back! It was one of those classic, misty, drizzly, Paris mornings. The kind of look that I thought only existed in films. Perfect.

While in Paris, we visited the Louvre, fairly running through exhibits to see the highlights. Next time, we will build in a week to visit just the Louvre! My favourite in the vast collection was the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Though she is headless and armless, she bears what I consider the perfect female form, graceful and flowing, even in marble. She was created by an unknown sculptor during the Hellenistic period.