Halloween Blog Hop!

Starting Friday, and continuing over the Halloween weekend October 28-31, Jeremy Bates is hosting a Halloween Blog Hop. All the details are at his site (or you can use the Linky list at the bottom of this post):

Join in the fun and discover a few new blogs.  You've got four days to browse the list and see who's who. . . in between the fireworks and pumpkins and little ghosts and fairies.


Participants are requested to:


• Visit as many of the other blogs as you can in the Linky List below

• Follow the site or comment when a blog appeals to you

• Tell us your favorite monster movie or book

• Share what your Halloween costume will be

 
My answer to Jeremy's blog hop requirements:

• Fave monster/Book: God Emperor of DUNE - the part human, mostly sandworm creature of Frank Herbert's DUNE series who tries to 'become' the Worm.
• The Lady in Black costume (this covers many variations:  the deadly black widow, the dark witch, the French Existentialist, the retro Beatnik, the vampy Goth, you get the idea. . .)

Have a look around at either of my blogs (they're on the list), and follow if it appeals to you.  Hope you have a great weekend!


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LINKY LIST:

Pay it Forward Blogfest - October 14, 2011

BLOG HOP!   Blogfest day has ended, but you can still check out the links below if you haven't yet.   If you have time over the weekend, keep hopping about.  Who knows who you might discover?



I'm participating in the Pay It Forward Blogfest hosted by:

Matt - The Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment
http://theqqqe.blogspot.com/2011/09/pay-it-forward-blogfest.html

and

Alex J. Cavanaugh
http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/2011/09/paying-it-forward.html

The linky list is below, as well as on the host sites shown above.


From Matt's blog:

"Here is how the blogfest will actually work: The idea is to introduce everyone to everyone else. We want this to be an easy post that allows you to meet and follow as many other bloggers as you can. In your post, we would like you to please list, describe, and link to three blogs that you enjoy reading, but that you suspect may fly under the radar of a lot of other bloggers. Or they can be famous blogs, as long as they're awesome.

But don't stop there! Certainly visit and follow all the blogs that are featured in people's posts the day of the blogfest, but those don't have to be the only blogs you visit. You can visit everyone who enters in on the fun, and signs up on the linky list. In the interest of time you don't even have to leave comment. You can just follow, and come back another time. After all, we all know we don't have time to visit every blog we enjoy every single day."


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Check out these 3 writer blogs:

The Alchemy of Writing
http://alchemyofwriting.blogspot.com/  features short flash fiction one day of the week, has excellent custom cartoons and great photographs.  This is a great blog to visit often.  Owner: Bryan, aka INK likes to surprise.

Funds for Writers
http://hopeclark.blogspot.com/  offers something for everyone from the freelancer to the fiction writer with a dash of southern spirit thrown in. Info on grants, contests, and submissions in her newsletter.  Even more info resides on her website, Funds for Writers.  Owner: Hope Clark

Raising Dogs and Training Children http://raisingdogstrainingchildren.blogspot.com/  looks at the practical side of both.  A young writer mother explores what to do to keep a toddler learning and to give herself time to write.  Join her as she learns how to balance it all.  Owner: J. Burroughs

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Have fun, and drop in again soon.  

Paris Bistros and Sidewalk Cafes
http://dghudson-rainwriting.blogspot.com/2011/10/paris-bistros-and-sidewalk-cafes-of.html 

Thanks again to Matt and Alex!!


Linky List follows:

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Paris - Bistros and Sidewalk Cafés of Interest



Iconic Paris photo-Eiffel tower, Seine River, bridges, streetlights-DGH

In October 2010, we were in Paris, France, trying to immerse ourselves in the City of Light as much as two Anglophiles can. I was also gathering material for a future novel based in Paris. This city surpassed my expectations. It draws you into its charms. One of those charms is the local food, the tiny bistros, the many choices of places to eat.

We walked, or used the Hop-On Hop-Off buses (Les Cars Rouge). Cost = about 24 Euros per person, and covers two days of use.  Here are some of the places we discovered.


 
 

Cafe Louis Philippe, Paris, Right Bank by DG Hudson

Cafe Louis Philippe - Right Bank, Paris, France
http://www.cafelouisphilippe.com/

What we had:  Andalusian sausage, Lamb rib chops, frozen nougat with raspberry coulis.  Great service, and the place was well-filled with locals (always a good sign).  We were never rushed and due to the rain outside, we sat warm and cozy under cover.  A very pleasant experience.

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Bistro Marguerite, Right Bank, Paris by DG Hudson

Bistrot Marguerite - on the Right Bank across from Hotel de Ville and next to the lovely Seine River.  A favorite.

What we had:  Baked cod dish - French style with onions and  potatoes, grilled salmon, steak and frites, French onion soup with cheesy toast salad.  The waiters were friendly and helpful.  We went back three times and were never disappointed. Average cost for two people with house white wine, entrees or plats and cafe lattes=48 Euros.

Update April 1, 2015:
The video of this bistro which previously was here was removed as it was no longer a valid link.

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Le Voltaire Restaurant, Paris, by DG Hudson

Le Voltaire Restaurante - Left Bank, Latin Quarter

What we had:  German beer, Quiche and salad, and raisin pie (for those with a sweet tooth).   A real old world atmosphere.  Voltaire used to hang around here.  That's per the plaque on the building in the photo above.  No link for this one, but many reviews can be found.  We were there for lunch so meal cost about 50 Euros.  Use what French you know in this one for better service, it helps as they get lots of tourists in this area.  We had great food and enjoyed it.

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Les Arts and Metiers, Left Bank, by DG Hudson

Les Arts and Metiers - Arts 'n' Letters  Left Bank, Latin Quarter. 

A great people watching restaurant where we spent a very pleasant couple of hours.
What we had:  Fluffy omelettes, chantilly custard, macarons, coffee, and wine with water on the side.  We had a lunch break while walking in the Latin Quarter looking for 'Shakespeare and Co.', Les Deux Magots, and Cafe Flore.


Other Notable Eating Establishments: (mostly in the Marais and Latin quarters/arrondisements)

• Resto Med (Cafe Med), Ile St. Louis small family run cafe with excellent food, friendly staff, and cozy atmosphere; found on a side street tucked between small shops
•  La Pause Beaubourg - in the Marais district, just down from the Hotel de Ville, on the Right bank
• Pizza Le Valentino - in the Marais, across the street from La Pause Beaubourg, Excellent meals; local families sat next to us, very attentive service, tolerant staff
• Pizza Sant'Antonio  - in the Marais, in a small square off the Rue de Rivoli.  A variety of plats (meals) and fresh pizza.  UPDATE: Refer to A Pizza Place in Paris, for more information about this excellent spot to eat. Feb. 2013.

Important notes: 
Prices can vary by high and low season.  We found eating out at the local restaurants gave us a chance to sample the fare that the Parisians were eating. This is easy to do in the Marais and on the Ile St. Louis, where many family owned restaurants prosper in the small side streets. 

Reference:  Immerse Yourself in the Moment (A sensory tour of Paris)
http://dghudson-rainwriting.blogspot.com/2011/02/immerse-yourself-in-moment.html

Additional posts on PARIS - Refer to DG Hudson's 21st Century Journal for a post on Paris Walkabouts:
http://dghudson.blogspot.com/2011/12/paris-walks.html

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Do you take notes when you travel?  Has any particular location or city found its way into your heart?

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