Getting Goodies in Gordes

 

 The ever jaw-dropping entrance to Gordes in Provence

 It’s been almost a year in the making, but one of our Paris Provence trips kicked off today in Provence, and the other one is kicking off Friday in Paris!  It’s an exciting time for us although a huge lesson in coordination.  Luckily, some of us are more organized than others (not me!) and so between us, we hope we’ve covered all the bases.

 

 Linda loves figs more than anything and she said these were so sweet, they tasted like fig newtons!

The fun part started for me a few days ago.  I’m the lucky one who got to prep the house for the prep.  I arrived to glorious sunshine on Saturday, and just had to prep and fluff for Linda’s arrival.  Then Linda breezed in with more gorgeous weather in tow, and the two of us set about to prep and fluff for the week of ladies:  It’s a great and eclectic group that spans four decades, includes two mother and daughter combos, and has a smattering of northern and southerners.

My first stop, when I arrived, was to one of the local farmer’s markets, where I found fruits and veggies that I knew Linda would love.

 Do you know about this sweet delicacy, Cavaillon melons? And the price? 10 euros for the entire plateau. Take that, Paris!

 A little display of Linda’s favorite things to greet her upon her arrival, including the happiest sunflowers!

Then, after she arrived, we went to the fabulous Gordes market and stocked up on more goodies for our girls.

It was a lot to carry, but we managed … and then we had to take the requisite photo to document it.  Ooh la la, will this be enough wine for the week?  Doubt it!

 

 We’ll take three bottles of this, four bottles of that, 6 bottles of this one over here … and yes, that should get us through the first night or two!

 Wedding reception anyone?

 

 We love to give our ladies lavender sachets … and this is one of our favorite vendors in Gordes.

 Oh and let’s also tuck a little sweet smelling soap into their welcome “kit.” It will make their suitcases smell so good!

 We were lucky to find the prettiest monograms for our lavender sachets … and luckily we got everyone’s initial!

 

 Oops, we’ve bought a little more than we’d planned. It may be time for a new market basket (or two!).

 

 It’s so tempting to stock up on pottery, especially these adorable shapes and colors.

 Obviously, with all this hard work, a girl’s gotta eat … so we headed to one of our top favorite restaurants in the area, Le Jardin du Quai, and indulged Chef Hebet’s wonderful menu of fresh ingredients cooked to perfection.

 

 We just love everything about the restaurant at Jardin du Quai, especially the garden setting.

 

 Cheers Madame, and has anyone ever kept track of how many of these poses we now have?

Then it was just one more stop, to the florist for a couple of welcome bouquets:

 

 Ahhh … just love the cabbage roses.

And a touch of color to brighten the living room.

Is our driver booked every day?  Check. Are our restaurant reservations all made (it’s not always easy to get in to some of our favorites, like the Bistrot du Paradou or Le Fournil in Bonnieux).  Check.  Are the rooms pretty, prepped and welcoming to our ladies? Check!

 We know someone will sleep very soundly in this bed tonight! Notice the foutah at the foot of the bed. They’ve replaced all of our pool towels at Les Murets, and we just love them. They get softer with every wash.

 

 Bienvenue! Welcome!

Is the terrace welcoming and ready for the big arrival? Check. After all the t’s have been crossed, the i’s dotted and the checks checked, it’s time for me, sadly to depart.  Because we get to do this fun check list all over again in Paris, as we await another group of ladies from the U.S. in Paris, before the giant change over on Monday, when they go to Provence with Meg and Linda brings her group to Paris!  Oh it is complicated.  And there will be lots more to organize in the next two days with Meg.  But somehow I don’t expect anyone to feel to sorry for us.  We love these trips for everything that they give us:  A chance to bond with new friends, a way to show off some of our favorite parts of the world, and an opportunity to get away and see what’s out there …. that might catch our attention for the store or the gallery.

So how’s Linda doing, greeting the group in Gordes?  Looking good! One mother daughter team has just arrived, and another guest has already dipped her feet in the pool.

 The first adorable mother/daughter team and our fabulous driver Christophe, in his colorful converses and his signature Lacoste shirt. We are soooo lucky to have him!

 Aaah …La vie est belle! We hope you have a wonderful week in Provence and Paris!

 Check, check!  Can’t wait to see these ladies in Paris in a few days!

Ta ta,

HH