Au Natural

Au Natural-- all natural.

About a week ago I decided to try something new. I was not going to wear any face makeup for a week.
At first it was all because i wanted to clear out my pores and just give my skin a rest.

It worked great.

But then it turned into something more for me, I realized how good it felt to take off the mask I put on everyday, and actually be who I was. Everyday we put on a different mask in areas of our lives. We go to the tanning bed to be a different skin tone, we color our hair to make it look ?, then we put on makeup to make our faces look like a mannequin, or we change our face all together, we go to the gym to contour our body a certain way, or go to surgeon for a quicker answer,  we buy nice clothes to make ourselves appear a certain way, and the list goes on and on. Where does it stop being fake and where does it start being real again?
I decided to take on the challenge to be as true to myself as I could be. No more masks, no more being someone who I wasn't. Because if the outside is fake and thats the lifestyle going on out there, how could the inside possibly be real. Or perhaps we replicate whats inside us. I cant decide if the outside mimics the inside, or if the inside mimics the outside. Maybe a combo of both.

                                                 This was challenging.

   As far as how long this will last, or in what areas I will make the change, Im not exactly positive, but as
       for now I am starting with my face in hope of the idea stretching into every corner of my life.

Gros Bisous-
Jessica

Cuisine Francaise- Cafe Bastille SF

So a favorite of mine,  actually my favorite french restaurant in San Francisco.
                                                                                                
                                                                                                                 Cafe Bastille

   It sits on the quaint Belden Lane, a few blocks from union square. This lane resembles a typical french street in Paris where the restaurants are packed in, and the choice of seating is outside.
The minute you step inside, its almost as if you have entered another world. For me, I love to walk in and use my french to order the food(its part of being french, always wanting to use the language whenever possible).





       My favorite seating is upstairs, to the left where you can see the bar, the restaurant, outdoors; (and in the kitchen, which is my favorite).  The restaurant has so much to look at you probably should not bring a date.

When it comes to ordering, if I'm feeling like I can handle the extra calories, which is always when I am there, I start with the fries. Let me warn you, these are not any ordinary fries! The fries come out always hot, and are served with this sauce. IF YOU DO NOT USE THE SAUCE, YOU ARE A FOOL. Its a light, white, mustardy, tasty sauce. I cannot even describe it, but other then ask for extra and load it on.

My next favorite part of the meal is the mussels. I order them every single time, and there is a reason.
First of all the price is ridiculously cheap for the amount you receive.
Second, the mussels are so stinking good. I order them mariniere style because the sauce is light, yet rich at the same time, a perfect balance.
Third, it comes with the toast of the year, and I do mean this is the best thing since sliced bread.

To finish the night off, go straight to the desert menu. and by straight, I mean do not even look at anything else but the crepe with nutella. I could personally eat three of them, but I know my behind could never handle that much, so I order one and be disciplined. It is drizzled with hot nutella and topped with sliced strawberries.


                    Overall this is my favorite place to eat at because it brings me back to my roots. Crepes that remind me of my mom when she would cook them, the atmosphere which reminds of my vacations in Paris, and excellent cooking which has always been a tradition of the French.
                                                     Bon Apetite!

Gros Bisous-
Jessica

Island Time (St. John) (U.S.V.I)

St. John. WOW. breathtaking. AMAZING.

This was unlike anything I had experienced.

The island was so beautiful, but the water was captivating on a whole other level.

I spent most of the time laying down on the downy soft sand. The sand was white and felt like feathers.








The entire day was devoted to relaxing and not doing a single thing.
On the island they had a saying "Island Time" which meant nothing was on time, no one had a schedule, and everyone was in a constant
relax mode. I can understand this living on an island like this one. How could anyone ever have a schedule when everything around you is so peaceful.
Sometimes I wonder if that is why Americans feel so stressed and rushed in life, if its because of not being in a peaceful area. Eh probably not. (I wish that was the excuse)

So I spent the rest of my day, in the mindset of Island Time. I wish I could do that all the time.

Gros bisous..
Jess

U.S.V.I St. Thomas

St. Thomas.
One of the most beautiful islands I have ever been too. It was surreal in every aspect. The ocean. The city. The luscious greenery.

The island was filled with green and blue everywhere. You had only two colors to pick from. The water was crystal clear.


When getting there, we found that the most important place to start the day was out on the water..

But before arriving on the water, there were a few characters to meet.













       The character I loved most was the iguana. There were over 20 different species of rock and water iguanas. When arriving, they were all over the rocks that laid over the edge of the ocean. and I mean everywhere. However, one had to be careful not to get to close, because these iguanas are notorious for mistaking toenails for berries.
In the U.S, there are dead squirrels all over the roads, in St. Thomas there are dead iguanas.







We took the local buss across the island, and got
a taste for what the true island was like. Its interesting when you
get past the main coast and ports, you start to really see the true side of the island that most people won't
venture off to.
Sure enough there were many americans on the island who had transfered there for school, pleasure, or business. Overall we had a taste of the island on a few accounts, and left with this great memory.

Gros bisous..

Jess

Puerto Rico's Secret.

San Juan, Puerto Rico. Typically not anyone's first choice to stop at. But when getting there, we could see that there was one gem in the rough to be found. El Yunque National Rainforest. It is actually the only rainforest on U.S soil currently. A 45 minute long drive, and suddenly your sitting on top of the island, in the most luscious land ever. Green green green. thats all there is too see. The rainforest was so lush, it was hard to take everything in at once.

El Yunque National Rainforest

The day continued on into the night and I found myself at a local bar in the middle of downtown San Juan. To say the least it wasnt the most safe place to be at night but I got a taste of Puerto Rican culture.

The city is booming with culture on every corner. Brick walls, cobblestone roads, and old buildings surround this fort. On the main point of San Juan, there are two different forts. Very detailed and quite the attraction point. Overall, I would not go back to this city, however there were a few found secrets that made the trip enjoyable. 

Bisous-

Jessica

Hope in Disaster: Turks & Caicos

       Upon recent travels in the Caribbean, an island of choice was Turks & Caicos.
At first glance the island is beautiful. Water is crystal clear, turquoise, and soft. The sand was as white as snow and the weather was warmer then imaginable.
I started my day on the side any newcomer would. the side where it is beautiful and pristine. .

to say the least it was..

BreathTaking

            However, the day continued in a taxi ride with a driver named Dan who showed us a whole other side to this vacationer's paradise. On the other side of the island was the reality of what the people of Turks and Caicos live with. A hurricane passed through in 2008 and the remains of the destruction are still there.
the side of the island no one ever sees.. 

  It was devastating to hear that the people of Turks & Caicos are still living way below the poverty line and struggle to make ends. Dan (our driver) was telling us that most parents send their children to the U.S in order to have a better chance to do well in life. Dan's two boys are students at colleges in the U.S currently. 

   Dan was telling us however though that the people of Turks & Caicos live in peace. He said the crime rate is so low that the island rarely use the police. Driving through the town, we noticed that there were numerous churches around. Dan continued to say that 95% of the people attend church, whether it is baptist, methodist or catholic. It was encouraging to know that even though the people live in poverty and are still picking up from the disaster, still have hope and peace in their lives.

[ even though everything around us may be destroyed, we can still have peace in Him]

bisous

jessica

  

Un Nouveau Moi (Detox) (Yoga) (Exotic Himalayan Salt Baths)

 "A New Me" starts with a few changes. A change in emotions, a change inside and a change on the outside. A full regeneration from the inside out.
Here is what I am doing...

❃Detox(change inside)
what: an organic diet plan that consists of eating an apple before each meal, snacking on a pound of carrots, eating salads, vegetables, fruits, and beans. It is paired with a cleansing tea in which a gallon is consumed a day.
purpose: to clean the liver and body of all acids and toxins to become more balanced.

❃Yoga(change in emotions)
what: twice a day of thirty minutes, where it is quiet and alone. soft music to relax.
purpose: to bring balance to the mind and soul. to be quiet and truly listen to whats inside. spiritually, emotionally and mentally.

❃Exotic Himalayan Salt Baths(change outside)
what: two baths a day soaking for 30 minutes in organic, cleansing salts.
purpose: to clean and purify the skin, to make it more radiant. also to relax the body.

                This is all about relaxation, balance and coming back to a neutral state.

so cheers to a new start 

Bisous-

Jessica

Le Premier

Je suis qui je suis. I am who I am. I am french.
I love fashion and style. I love to travel.
I love my heritage. I love to cook and I love to eat.

and thats exactly what my blog will be about.

bisous-
jessica