Currently August 2023
Currently | 08.20.23
It's been hot in my little corner of North Carolina and we have not done a lot of traveling. We had a fun camping trip planned in Roan Mountain, Tennessee, but on the drive up we were met with weather that just makes camping no fun…thunder and lightning storms, plus smoke from Canadian fires had settled into the campground as well. We drove the 4 hours there, had a picnic dinner next to the Doe River, and returned home.
As I really needed a break from work (my last vacation being during January when we were still in Lisbon) I did a staycation. It turned into “the week we returned to the movie theater” as we went to see both Mission Impossible 7 and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. It was the first time we had been in a movie theater in the US since the pandemic (the last movie we saw was Bad Boys 3 in March 2020 when we were living in a hotel in Raleigh waiting to move into our new house).
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We had been to the movies in France to see Eiffel (a movie I loved!) but not in the US. It was during the week, it was the first showing, and it was basically empty. When Oppenheimer came out, we thought we could just roll right in on a Saturday and do the same thing. Nope. Barbenheimer and a heat wave sent everyone to the movies in droves and we haven't seen either yet.
Maybe if we have a rainy day in Paris, as we are heading there in less than a month and the weather anywhere in the world at the moment is unpredictable!
Now, onto August and what's happening in the Misadventures world.
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Monthly Musings | Staycations + Happiness
Taking a staycation which I have rarely done (although I am reconsidering) as we love to travel so much, and spending last weekend mapping out our daily plans for France, I have had an opportunity to reflect on filling time. I appreciated this Medium article: Time Isn’t Meant to Be Filled.
Despite the fact that it is perfectly normal to feel a little grumpy on super hot days, if you have been reading Misadventures with Andi for a while you will likely know that I believe in the practice of happiness. It is a choice and one I make every day. So when I stumble across good articles on happiness, I like to share!
- I’ve written 10 books on happiness—here are 5 tiny habits that make me feel happier and healthier every day [CNBC]
- Nine Books That Will Actually Make You Laugh [The Atlantic]
- This one was FASCINATING: How America Got Mean [The Atlantic]
- The psychological immune system: four ways to bolster yours – and have a happier, calmer life [The Guardian]
My Frenchie Friday emails (subscribe to receive them!) are full of links I love connected to all things Paris, France, and a Francophile lifestyle, so I am adding a few others here that are not French-forward:
More musings:
- I do!!! Remember What It Was Like to Travel Pre-Smartphone? [The Slate]
- Forever a SATC fan! Sarah Jessica Parker on the Realities of Aging: “I'm Not Delusional” [Allure]
- And: I Just Rewatched ‘Sex and the City’—Here’s How Adulthood Changed What I Think of the Series [The Everygirl] > Team Smith for the win!
- We are big bear fans in the Misadventures household as well, so I found this article very interesting: In the Northern Rockies, grizzly bears are on the move [HCN]
- Gen X Is in Charge. Don't Make a Big Deal About It. [NY Times]
Watching | Strange New Worlds
We are all about Star Trek chez Misadventures! We have watched and re-watched the various series countless times. Traditionally, my favorite has always been Next Generation. For Mr. Misadventures he toggles back and forth between Voyager and Enterprise. Now we are both in agreement, Strange New Worlds is IT. Season 2 just finished and we absolutely loved it.
We also re-watched 1883, 1923 and am now starting Yellowstone. We only watched until Season 3 the first go around, so we will be catching up on the seasons we missed after we re-watch 1-3. Needless to say, I am now a big Taylor Sheridan fan and that includes Lioness!
Also watched:
- Finished Hijack, and started season 2 of Foundation (although I will have to re-watch it because, from week to week, I don't remember many details of this complicated story.
Can't Wait to Watch:
- Finally, the flight to Paris is less than a month away and I can watch And Just Like That!
- Barbie when it comes to streaming
Reading | Famous For Living
I haven't done a lot of reading as of late. I finished Same Time Next Summer (it was a fast read) and started in on Famous for a Living. I skipped over Meet Me at the Lake which I will get to. Has anyone read Daisy Jones & The Six? I am worried there is too much hype around it.
Francophile alert: Martin Walker, author of the beloved Detective Bruno series set in the Perigord region of France has a new book coming out August 29th! I already pre-ordered it! A Chateau Under Siege is the 16th book in the series.
I also added several new books to my Frenchie Finds Summer edition if you are interested.
Up Next…
Best Bite | Going bananas!
I wasn't a big banana eater growing up. Which is probably why my mother made a lot of banana bread. No complaints because I loved banana bread! As an adult, I would make it all the time. Thankfully when I started dating Mr. Misadventures, he loved it too! When we were RVing for 18 months we didn't have an oven and my mom would bake us loaves and send them to us when we stayed in a location that longer than a week!
True story. Bananas are good for you but they have a lot of carbs so I rarely eat them. But I love banana flavor food which there was very little of when it comes to low-carb picks. Now I am 2 times happy as we have discovered 2 low-carb banana treats that make me so happy! Oikos Triple Zero Banana Crème yogurt is to die for, I absolutely love it! And since I love bananas with chocolate, I throw in a tablespoon of Whole Foods 365 zero-sugar chocolate chips.
The other one is banana-flavored IQBAR Brain and Body Keto Protein Bars. This is the closest I can get to banana bread with my low-carb lifestyle. And it thrills me!
Now for camping when I am hiking a few miles, I can also have Wild Zora's Baked Banana Bread Instant Grain-Free Cereal – yum! Not low carb, but not a ridiculous amount of carbs either. The baked apple and carrot cake ones are delicious too.
Working On | Our Trip Plan
By the time this monthly post comes around again, I will be in Paris! We will be in France, and I will have a lot more time off than usual. For the most part, when we visit for a month or more, I work at the same time. (My day is full-time remote, and I can do it from anywhere.) We get up early and enjoy the spot we are in until noon, and then I start my work day.
This time, I am taking days off every week sprinkled throughout the trip, should be fun!
This is what our trip looks like:
- One week in Paris
- 3 days in Chantilly/Senlis
- One week in Fontainebleau
- One week in Loire Valley
- 4 days in Vichy
- 1 day in Versailles
New Things I Am Loving This Month
Vitapod
I use hydration tablets not only when I exercise but also during the day when I am stuck there for 3-4 hours at a time for work. This month I am trying out Vitapod. Every morning I fill up my Vitapod Go Bottle with one of the hydration pods and drink it until lunch. I got the sampler pouch so that I can try all the flavors! [Gifted]
For my trip to Paris…
TRAVEL ACCESSORY
FlipBelt Running Belt
This accessory is marketed to athletes and fitness buffs, BUT I think it is AWESOME for travel! A more modern version of the old money belt that our parents or grandparents used when they traveled, the FlipBelt is light and moisture-wicking. You can wash it too! Fit money and credit cards, your cell phone or passport, your important docs on a USB key, or just your room key and some spare taxi money. It comes in multiple sizes so you can get one that really fits you! Love this thing!
Published or Updated this month
- NEW: Where to Find the Best Chocolate in Paris
- NEW: The Best Chocolate Tours in Paris for Chocolate-Lovers
- NEW: The Best Hot Chocolate in Paris
- Updated: The French Edit is updated for this week with Francophile delights for the closet!
- Updated: My Picks for the Best Eco-Friendly Beauty Products for Travel & Home
- Updated: J'adore: Camping Gear
- Updated: Frenchie Finds Summer 2023
- Updated: Your Guide to the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris
- Updated: Your Guide to Parc Monceau Paris
- Updated: Your Guide to Parc des Buttes Chaumont
- Updated: Paris’s Luxurious Relais Christine
- Updated: Relais Christine Hotel – A Parisian Garden Paradise
- Updated: What to Wear in Paris: Tips for How to Pack for Paris
- Updated: What to Wear in Paris in the Fall: Tips for Packing for Paris in the Fall
- Updated: The Best Bags for Walking Around Paris
PARIS LETTERS
August 2023: Summer on the Seine
This month's Paris Letter takes us to summer on the Seine River. It's a beautifully illustrated 4-page story that will transport you to a summer day along the river in the City of Light.
That’s my month, what’s CURRENTLY going on with you?
Don't forget to pin this for later!
Staycations are the best! Our August is super busy though, packed with weddings and parties and all things summer. So staycations will have to wait!
Yum, I love banana treats!
Barbie is such an awesome movie. You’ll love it.
Charming update! Your account of canceled camping plans turned into a lovely staycation and movie theater adventures is engaging. Your genuine writing style captures the essence of your experiences. The mix of personal anecdotes, recommendations, and insights into your upcoming Paris trip is a delightful read. Looking forward to more misadventures shared!
I haven’t been out of the country for so long, just the neighboring one, which is 1 hour away lol. I’ll surely travel again once home situation gets better. I have the flipbelt,it’s an awesome running “bag”!
I can’t believe August is going to be over soon. Sounds like you’ve had a good August so far. I haven’t seen Barbie yet either, but can’t wait to see it.
It has been hot here with temps over 100. We are finally in the 90’s and it feels so much better.
It’s intriguing to get a glimpse into August 2023 through your post.
I’ve not done much reading myself. I can claim to have read 1 book this year but have plans to read 2 more next week. I can’t wait!
Can’t believe that August is almost over! As for me I’m glad that my August is full of surprises
I’ve been enjoying the series “And Just Like That” too. I’m so glad they created this spin-off, I really enjoy my time with the “girls”.
How fun that you are going to Paris! Sounds like a lovely time of year to go.
You have been using some neat products; I will have to check out the banana bar and the hydration drink.
Wow! Looks like so far your August was full of happiness and a blast
I’ve been to see Mission Impossible too. It was nice and special to return to watch a movie in a cinema!
That’s unfortunate that the camping trip was cut so short, especially since it had been a while since your last vacation but it seems like you were able to turn it around with the lovely staycation you ended up having instead!!
Enjoyed this update from you and I love to read happiness articles too so thank you for sharing those here. The book series you mention are new to me but I’m intrigued and will look for them for sure
We have had a brutal summer this year in DFW metroplex. No rain in sight. The ground is cracking very badly (I live on a old rock quarry or something like that). I’m hoping we get some cooler temperatures and lots of rain this fall.
The month of August seems to have started well for you, full of enjoyment and happiness. Thank you so much for sharing!
It’s always exciting when you have a trip coming. Hope you have a wonderful trip.
August has been so hot. I can imagen a trip that I can consider taking. But a staycation is something that I look forward to too. Thanks for sharing this with us.