I first found this line of sun protection products at Topsail Beach a few years ago in a surf shop and am so glad it’s widely available now!
The Sun Bum sunscreen lotion I use is SPF 30 which helps protect you from the nasty stuff (sunburn, skin cancer) and smells amazing. Very beachy. Goes on smooth and rubs in easily.
What really makes the Sun Bum collection tops on my list is that the products won’t clog your pores and most importantly – are not tested on animals!
You can find the sunscreens in lotion and sprays for about $16.00 – I recommend stocking up toward the end of the summer retail season (now-August) when major retailers discount. Especially if you’re in NC like me and it’ll be sunshiny hot through the first few weeks of October.
PS: This is a non-solicited, non-compensated blog post. But if the fine folks at the Bum wanted to send me some more Sun Bum, I wouldn’t refuse the delivery. ?
Bailey’s has released a vegan almond milk liqueur and with the impending snowmaggedon coming for Raleigh, I decided it was a great option for experimenting with to come up with a cocktail that I’m going to enjoy from the comfort of the couch.
I blended a shot of Ketel One vodka, a shot and a half of Bailey’s Almande, and several heaping spoonfuls of Talenti Hazelnut Chocolate Chip gelato. (Garnished with a shake of nutmeg and a cinnamon stick.)
I’m calling it “Chance of Accumulation” in the spirit of tonight’s forecast.
Today’s breakfast/lunch (truly brunch without the boozy drinks) combo I whipped up in my small but mighty kitchen here in Antibes inspired this post. I used leftover bread from last night’s dinner as the base; layered in leftover sauteed Brussels sprouts, a few slices of mozzarella cheese, and frozen spinach; and topped with four eggs scrambled with about a half cup of water and voila — I have brunchy goodness that’ll be easily re-heated for the next several days and not an ounce of waste in sight.
That’s got to be one of the best habits I’ve picked up living here in the South of France: just how little food I’m throwing away on a regular basis. Back in the States, it’s pretty normal for us to hit the grocery store about every week to 10 days, spend $100+ with the best of intentions of cooking a ton of meals at home, and then inevitable, every two weeks or so… I’m cleaning out the refrigerator and throwing a solid chunk of that $100 into a trash bag.
Here in Antibes, the refrigerator in my apartment is the size of most dorm room units, and I’m also only cooking for one. I also have the better part of six+ grocery stores and markets within walking distance and a farmers market two blocks from home that’s open every day from 6:00 a.m. until 1 p.m. So I’m buying fresh items, every two or three days, and making the most of them. I’ve thrown away so little while I’m here and hope this is a habit I can stick with when I return home in May. The only complication is that it might mean more occasional trips to the grocery store, which is not nearly convenient at home as it has been here.
Speaking of the grocery shopping aspect: I do a pretty solid job of utilizing both Lowes Foods and Harris Teeter’s online ordering services, though… so I think I can easily maximize the return on the $4.99 convenience fee charged AND save the time of having to actually shop in the store, too. I’v also been stalking the inventory of RelayFoods.com and am constantly drooling over their selection, so I see a lot more of that in my future, too. I think the saved cost of not throwing away so much of our inventory week after week will well make up for any additional costs in my convenience shopping ways.
Raleigh, be warned. As much as I miss you, a girl could really get used to waking up near the water. The views on my last few days of runs and walks in Antibes have been too good not to share. These pictures are from the beachfront in Antibes, Fort Carre, and Port Vauban.
Thank you to Elizabeth Galecke of Elizabeth Galecke Photography for capturing these perfect family photos at our home in Raleigh!
Feb. 2017 Update: In the past year, we lost both Mason and Tank – two of the furry faces gracing this photo – due to cancer. They were devastating losses as Johnnie and I both spent much of our adults lives loving, and having the return love, of our trusty companions. We cannot say enough positive things about the team at NC State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine’s Oncology program who we trusted their care to – learn more about the program here… and here’s to hoping we one day live in a world that’s free of cancer.
I knew Monaco was one of the places Johnnie Bud was most looking forward to while visiting Europe, so we had to get a visit in before he had to return to North Carolina… even if that meant visiting on a Monday. We were a little underwhelmed at the lack of glitz and glamour… and any real activity at all… but maybe that can be attributed to visiting on a Monday afternoon and evening in January (the off-season).
Regardless of the lack of things to do, we took in some spectacular views, drooled over more impressive yachts, checked out a casino (SO very different than Vegas: slots and tables in different buildings, had to pay to get in, no free drinks, and less than 20 people in the casino playing at tables), strolled through the luxury shopping area, and hopped on the train back to Antibes with some great memories and pictures in tow. PS: It wasn’t all a total bust! While in the casino, I hit with $5 on 29… my birthday day. Show me the money!
A week ago Sunday, Johnnie Bud and I headed to Cannes with GLM classmates Daniel, Sarah, and Stephanie. Taking the SNCF train for $12 round-trip, it was about a 30 minute ride (with stops included) and we couldn’t have asked for better weather.
It was fairly quiet in Cannes on the day we went, missing the film festival the area is known for that takes place in May, but we walked from the busy town streets down to the beautiful waterfront and enjoyed a super fun lunch at restaurant called o’key beach that is literally situated on the sandy beach and mostly porch seating.
Word to the wise: there’s nothing speedy about dining in France. (Or really anything speedy, except bus and train service, in the south of France.) Luckily, we were day tripping and enjoying good food and drinks with great company – with absolutely no rush needed. Many service staffers speak a good deal of English, so we haven’t had any challenges dining out… but they certainly appreciate and it usually entertains them when you try to speak French and order off the menu as its written. Also to note, tax and gratuity is included in menu prices and when you try to tip your bartender extra for speedy service, they look at you funny.
I would love to see this place during the film festival, but I’ll be back in Raleigh by then. Put it on my bucket list to return soon, though! 2017, perhaps?
Can I take just a second to brag on my wonderful manfriend who accompanied me over the pond for the first week to help me get adjusted to life here in Europe – and to enjoy a mini-vacation, too?
While I was joining 41 other NC State GLM students here in the south of France, I elected to rent a private apartment for myself, so it was nice not to feel incredibly alone and have Johnnie here while the rest of my classmates were all arriving on different dates and getting settled themselves. Luckily, we found out quickly that many of my GLM gang are all staying in apartments super close to my place, which makes it easy to get together for brunch, shopping, bar hopping, day trips, sight seeing and the like.
Back to the topic of this post, Johnnie Bud and I spent our first two days here just sight-seeing in Antibes – where I live and will be spending the most of my time. This place is stunning and approachable at the same time. Dripping in old world charm on the exterior, everything is visually beautiful but has all of the comforts of home easily available – great wifi in my apartment, lots of shopping and dining, and a store called Monoprix that is basically Euro Target… it’s short walk from my apartment and every time I walk in, I spend at least $75 on all the random things one collects at a wander through Target.
We’ve also found lots of great food, but Antibes really feels like a vacation destination in that a lot of smaller businesses are currently closed for an entire month for holiday and vegetarian menus aren’t the most widely available. However, there are several markets, including an open air farmer’s market within steps of my apartment, so I’m doing lots of cooking now that I’m settled and shopping several times a week for fresh food rather than a weekly stock-up trip like at home. (That’s also partly due to the fact that most apartments here have refrigerators that are a fraction of the size of one back home.)
My street in Antibes!
Other side of my street in Antibes
Coke is the soft drink champion here and served with lemon
First meal in Antibes – pasta dishes for me and Johnnie Bud at Cafe des Chineurs
Port Vauban in Antibes
Dinner at Ancre de Chine – that is a carrot flower!
Pizza lunch at Le Duplex
Checking in for our Skema tour – NC State GLM present and accounted for in Sophia Antipolis!
Cool use of educational technology to welcome master’s students to Skema’s programs in Raleigh, Paris, Sophia, and even Suzhou, China!
Cool use of educational technology to welcome master’s students to Skema’s programs in Raleigh, Paris, Sophia, and even Suzhou, China!
Cool use of educational technology to welcome master’s students to Skema’s programs in Raleigh, Paris, Sophia, and even Suzhou, China!
First dinner at “home” in Antibes with Johnnie Bud
Another beautiful street in Antibes
Waterfront Antibes!
Waterfront selfie in Antibes
Rocky beaches in Antibes
Love the building exterior and shutters
Villas along the coastline
Port Vauban at dusk
Port Vauban at dusk
Port Vauban at dusk
Port Vauban at dusk
Port Vauban at dusk
Port Vauban at dusk
Uplighting in France’s national colors
Fantastic dinner at Le Jardin – can’t wait to go back when it’s warmer and enjoy the expansive back patio. Truffle ravioli for the win!
Add a little shiplap and this place is Joanna Gaines perfection! at Le Jardin
We had to laugh at this sign. No kids? No walking with kids? Who knows…
Up Next: Pics from Sunday Funday in Cannes and a Monday in Monaco/Monte Carlo!
I’m living in the south of France through the end of April 2016!
Living abroad and not having the time commitments that go along with being in town (household stuff, social engagements, bridesmaid/baby shower duties, etc.) means I’ll have a lot more downtime and I’m hoping that means updating this blog regularly enough to share some updates from my time in France. Specifically, I’m living in a beautiful coastal town called “Antibes” and attending school at Skema Business School’s Sophia Antipolis campus. For those of you in the Triangle area of NC, I liken Sophia to RTP… but only 7 miles from my apartment in the center of Antibes.
I’ve got a killer apartment location (snagged via AirBNB!) – a five minute walk to the waterfront and literally on a beautiful street that is within walking distance to anything you might ever want… restaurants, grocery stores, cafes, the bus stop (which takes me right to the front door of Skema), and more. I’m sharing on Instagram via #SouthernGirlInFrance if you want to follow along in real-ish time.
A speedy flight from JFK to Nice, France – I’ll see this view often as I’m coming back to Raleighwood once a month to see family, manfriend, pups and check in on my consulting business clients face-to-face.
One of the streets in Antibes – this is 10 steps from my front door. Old world beauty!
A five minute walk from my apartment – Port Vauban
We got to Antibes just at the end of the extended holiday season – loved seeing the lights at night!
The view at the bus stop that carries me to Skema Business School’s front door in Sophia Antipolis
Skema Business School – Sophia Antipolis campus
Stay tuned as I share more of the European adventure this semester!
