Hello old friend.

Hello old friend. 

It has been one year, two months and ten days since I last posted. It has almost been three years since I first posted on Naturally Ginger. 

Where does the time go?

After I hit the year mark of my blog hiatus, I resolved that Naturally Ginger had fully been laid to rest. Life had gotten full, and any free time dedicated to the blog had been filled by some other form of responsibility or busyness. 

But, over the last few months, I have been going through what I would refer to as a sort of personal transformation. I was feeling stuck in many areas of life and sought advice, insight and support to move forward. I was encouraged to really discover what I love to do in life. In my searching, photography, writing, food, wine, travel, fashion, friends and Jesus all found themselves in the mix. I also found a resurgence in interest and encouragement about the blog from faithful readers, friends and even strangers. So, even though I had written off ever starting up the blog again, I found it was an answer to what I had been looking for. 

So welcome to the new Naturally Ginger. As we set out on this journey, I hope to not just paint a picture of perfect awesome life, but create honest and vulnerable (scary word) dialogue about it. I'm striving daily to live wholeheartedly and this journey has not been easy.

"Wholehearted living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the courage, compassion, and connection wake up in the morning and think, no matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough. It's going to bed at night thinking, yes I am imperfect and vulnerable and sometimes afraid but that doesn't change the truth that I am worthy of love and belonging." - Dr. Brené Brown; Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead

So here we go. I hope you will engage, embrace and feel encouraged by the new and improved Naturally Ginger. I won't be posting as frequently but I hope the quality of the content stirs, inspires and starts conversations for all readers.

xoxo

D

L'Arpege

This is my final post from our Frans in France Adventure. We had one of the most incredible dining experiences and I just had to share so I could tantalize the taste buds of all my foodie friends. 

L'Arpege, the brain child of chef Alain Passard, is currently ranked the number 12th restaurant in the World according to The World's 50 Best. Chef Passard uses vegetables in the most unique ways, after this dining experience there are no questions why it has received 3 Michelin Stars. 

Words can not express how much I enjoyed this 4 hour meal. We fully indulged in the 13+ course Chefs Tasting Menu. Food at L'Arpege is art and a must visit in your lifetime. 

xoxo

naturally ginger

ps...this might be my last post for awhile. Thanks for all of those of you who have read over the last couple years. I will be back. 

Saint Germain for Days

With only a few days left in Paris, we spent a beautiful day exploring the Left Bank. Saint Germain des Prés and the Latin Quarter are some of the most idyllic neighborhoods of Paris. Cobblestone streets, alleyways and little nooks and crannies, you can get lost and find yourself here. 

Sidenote...everyone must go to Merci during their stay in Paris. It is a concept shop that sells clothing, accessories, home goods and more. It also has a great coffee shop for breakfast or a break and a quaint restaurant for dinner or lunch.

While visiting the Left Bank, we couldn't help but stop by the Jardin du Luxembourg. If it was not so hot out I could have lounged for hours in the lush grass listening to the children sail boat on the pond. 

We feasted on dinner at Au Passage. Another bar á tapas, this place was packed with people waiting for a table. The food was incredible - unique, flavorful, colorful and fresh to the season. Be sure to make a reservation, they are not hard to come by, but you don't want to get stuck waiting outside!

xoxo

naturally ginger

Frans in France Day Trips - Versailles & Trouville/Deauville

Though we spent most of our time in Paris, a few days were devoted to getting out of the city to enjoy a slower pace of life. The first trip was to the famous Palace of Versailles or Chateau de Versailles. Just 40 minutes from Paris, we gathered the ladies and hopped in an UberVan to the palace. Totally worth it over the train! 

The line to get into the Palace was MASSIVE. Since it was a beautiful day we opted to forgo the 2 hour wait and explore the vast gardens. Fully in bloom, they buzzed with energy and lush greenery. If you visit the palace out of tourist season, make sure you rent a golf cart to explore and feel truly like royalty. The wait wasn't worth our effort but it sure would have made for a great Snapchat (follow me @deeschwiring). 

Who can resist frolicking in a garden? Eventually we made it to Marie Antoinette's estate but were disappointed when her residency was under construction...

(Dress: Joe Fresh / Shoes & Bag: Zara / Sunglasses: Kate Spade)

The second trip we took was to the beach. When we booked the train, I was not entirely sure what to expect but it seriously exceeded my expectations. 

Just two hours by train from Paris, Trouville/Deauville are located in Normandy on the western coast of France. Two very different towns, Deauville reminded me of the Hamptons - high end shopping, pristine beaches, horse races and mimosa filled brunches. Trouville is a quaint fisherman's town with cobble stone streets, local artisans and a more relaxed vibe. We enjoyed our time so much we almost did not go back to Paris...

The beach in Deauville is straight out of an 1940's movie. Parisians flocked to Deauville for the weekend to escape the intense heat of the city.

Now over to Trouville...

For dinner, we decided to try our luck at the Fish Market. Classified as a historic monument, this space is jam packed with fishers selling their fresh fare. Oysters straight out of the ocean, the best I have had in my life. I could have stayed for hours indulging in all they had to offer. It was one of the most delicious and affordable dining experiences we had during our time in France.

Sadly, we had to eventually say au revoir to the sea as the sun set and we reluctantly returned to Paris. 

Bisous Bisous

Naturally Giner