Wednesday 28 March 2007

Powder

It was amazing, beautiful and all around fantastic. Sunday was a day filled with powder skiing and I loved it. My legs hurt and I was absolutely exhausted by the end but it was completely worth it. We were going to ski at Saint Gervais because there was a big snowboarding competition at the snow park but Charlotte convinced me to ski in Les Contamines. Good thing she is persuasive. It started with a couple of long runs on Hauteluce in the sunshine before lunch followed by a short pause for a ham sandwich and a little coffee and some fantastic people watching.

Sidenote: I love the French use of the combinaison, the one piece ski-outfit most I see are from the seventies/eighties but somehow they are still making them and they are still selling like hotcakes today.

So back to it, Charlotte and I met up with another friend just as we were about to head out for more skiing and did a couple hors pistes runs where things were pretty well skied over. Then we hit the jackpot on a hidden spot and skied the same run about 5 times in pristine powder. It felt so good. I am finally able to keep up with the locals. It's nice to be with everyone that has been skiing since they were 2.

Thursday 22 March 2007

joyeux anniversaire

I just celebrated my 26th birthday. It was one of my best yet. AM organized a surprise party with all of our friends. It started off with delicious champagne, the same that we had at our wedding and fantastic hors d'oeuvres prepared by my sister-in-law and her boyfriend. The whole evening was hilarious and all the boys were pulling pranks left and right. My friend, Jen, from L.A. and her mom were in town to enjoy the festivities as well. It was one of those evenings where you just don't stop laughing. After drinking and more dancing late into the night, it ended with Jen and I eating oreos and all-natural peanut butter from Ashland, Oregon at 4 in the morning. Delicious!
We woke up to a beautiful day and went up skiing. A day where the Alps stretched out forever and one that made me remember why I love it here. A very happy birthday.