I stumbled across this recipe at the beginning of the summer as I Googled random ingredients from my fridge.

After tweaking it to fit my preferences and tastes, this is the recipe I ended up with!  It has easily become my favorite meal this summer and is very versatile.  I like having it on a roll with a little mayo or sour cream like a bean burger, while my mom likes it over salad with some lime mayo.  It works as a main dish or as a side, and makes enough to have for the next couple of days too!  Cooking time varies so it's not a real fast recipe to make, but it's really delicious and worth the wait!

Summer 2015 was looking pretty boring as I packed up my freshman year dorm back in May.  It turned out to be anything but that.

My summer had everything: internships, travel, jobs, friends, and chores.  When I was coming home from college though, I could only see chores in my future.

The week after I got home from school, I was asked if I would be interested in interning with Emzingo, a study/internship abroad company that focuses on social impact.  It wasn't the fancy internship I envisioned when I started looking earlier in the year, but it was virtual and although I wasn't going to gain any money by working with them, I wasn't going to lose any either.  Plus, it was good experience, networking, and the other team members were super personable and friendly.  Oh, and I really like their product!  They run awesome and educational trips to places like South Africa, Brazil, and Peru.  Hopefully I'll find myself on one of their trips soon…

Still feeling beat up because I didn't have a fancy (paid) internship like my brother managed all four year of college, I jumped at the opportunity to work with an event planner based in NYC.  Turned out that I worked virtually for her as well and she was super sweet, understanding, and overall: cool.  Again, this position was not paid.  But I got to make connections that I'm sure will pay off in the long run and the flexibility that came with unpaid, virtual internships allowed me some freedom with my schedule.

All year I had been planning on visiting France with family, but those plans weren't solidified until after I got home and finally purchased my plane ticket (after lots of saving).  In early July, I traveled with my aunt and cousins to visit my aunt's family who are from the Bordeaux region of France.  We explored Bordeaux, ate cheese, tasted wine (I'm not a fan), sailed, hiked, and spent a lot of time at the beach.

For the past five summers I've wanted to work at this summer day camp that I attended from age 3 through grade 8.  Disappointingly, those summers I dealt with the camp changing policies and changing the age minimum for counselors, followed by broken bones, surgeries, leadership conferences, summer courses, and this summer I assumed travel.  I was so excited when the camp director, who also happened to be my second grade teacher, reached out to me after I returned from my trip to France and asked if I wanted to work.  I literally started crying tears of happiness.  I had waited for this moment my whole life.  Long story short, one of their counselors was unable to work for a week, so I got to sub for her!  And I was kept on for the week that followed too, the last week.  It was such a fun experience to work alongside my old camp friends, those who used to be my teachers, and at the place where I have more memories than the thousands of days spent there.…and I got paid!

For a summer that I thought would be really boring, it turned out to be very exciting.  I got to do everything I wanted and more!

I move back to Ithaca next week and I couldn't be more excited to see what Summer 2016 has in store for me!

This post is dedicated to Amanda L. because her postcard for which these were compiled for got lost in the mail.

Which was amazing.  Definitely not natural, but delicious smelling.  Only downside is that every time I showered I was reminded of how much I wanted marzipan and I really had no idea where to find marzipan while in France.

Are all French pool noodles solid?  Were these the exception and not the rule?  I'm not sure but I missed blowing water at other people through them.

4.  Everything comes pre-made and packaged.
Chocolate crèpes?  Chocolate croissants?  Raisin rolls?  Pancakes?  Any and all of those come prepackaged.  The fresh versions are better, but the others are there for convenience!

One of the ice cream chains I saw all across Bordeaux and the surrounding area was called ôSorbet d'Amour and they had this flavor called "Cookies" that I decided I should try.  It tasted like everyone's favorite shortbread cookie, a Lorna Doone.

So.  Many.  Roundabouts.  The French love using roundabouts to control traffic flow.  Some towns rely solely on roundabouts and don't have any stoplights.  They were fun to drive around and a lot are decorated interestingly in the middle, so definitely take note!

I recently visited Bordeaux, the Best European City Destination 2015 and retraced my visit of May of 1999.  Sixteen years later, at age nineteen rather than age three, I was able to experience the moments frozen in time through photographs.  I don't remember my first visit, but I can only imagine I enjoyed Bordeaux as much then as I did now.

I only spent a few hours in Bordeaux but easily could have spent days wandering the streets just exploring.  It was my first time experiencing such old architecture and it honestly took my breath away.  I saw stuff Napoleon built, that guy in history books!  I am already saving up to visit again!

If you have the chance, Bordeaux is definitely not a city to miss!