LBD

If you're always the last one standing at baggage claim waiting for giant bags that require a stevedore to lift, you need help from the little black dress. Packing for the long trip does not require steamer trunks with the packing space of a New York apartment closet.

Yesterday we drove to Dijon. Had a fabulous lunch at La Maison Milliere, a small cafe in a fifteenth century building just behind the Eglise Notre Dame. This was perfect because the famous owl of Dijon, La Chouett, is on that church's north wall.

We're staying in Le Richebourg Hotel & Spa just outside Nuit Saint George. It's a very nice place with huge rooms and comfy beds. We're finding that while traveling in early January comes with a few issues, there are some definite advantages.

Today we drove through the lovely towns and villages of the Rhone Valley and into Burgundy. Everything was covered in snow until we reached Macon and then there was nothing at all. It didn't diminish slowly--there was a lot of snow and then none at all.

Dropping off Alex and Erin meant dropping off the monster van. We were sorry to see the kids go, but the relief of seeing the end of that van almost made up for it.

The last full day for Alex and Erin to be with us. We had big plans. Got up early and went to the Saturday morning market. We checked out all the cool stuff they had for sale.

Fabulous day touring Avignon. We visited the Pope's Palace and learned more than anyone ever really needs to know about the popes in exile. We had coffee with the truckers in a shady little cafe off the square. Then we went to see the bridge.

This morning early I went over to put money in the car parking meter. As I walked through the town, shops were opening, people were beginning to move around, and it reminded me of the town in Chocolat.

We left Nice and Cagnes Sur Mer today and headed west. We started out on the scenic route only to find ourselves up in the hills with roads so tortured that hairpin is too straight to describe them.

We spent the day in Nice. Overcast and cooler than the forecast, it never rained and we had a great time. In the photos the sea and water look very much the same shade, but there's so much beautiful color in the ocean that in person, the difference was clearer.

We went to Monaco today and toured around town. The skies were overcast, but the sea was a beautiful blue-green and we managed to miss the rain.

Our trip from JFK to Nice took all day, but it was worth the journey. After all the weather forecasts we'd been watching for weeks featuring rain and chill temps on the coast, we arrived to full sunshine and mid-sixties temperatures. There are five of us traveling and I rented a large vehicle to hold us and our luggage. When we arrived at the rental place, all they had left was a scraped up 8 passenger van.

Our last day in New York was warmer, but the rain was steady. We left early for the airport thinking the combination of holiday traffic and the latest airline security issues would require extra time.

The subway cars were uncharacteristically empty today as we traveled to the grandparent's home in the Bronx. We had a wonderful visit with relatives, a delicious meal, and fun gift exchange. For the heat encountered in New York apartments, the LBD was the perfect choice.

Today wasn't quite so cold as it has been, but I was glad I wore my warm green sweater. It's a terrific layering piece and works well with the LBD. Tights, boots and a pearl necklace finished off a look that went from early morning errands to lunch, and shopping.