Back in the Big D

So I suppose that this is the official end of my vacation...we safely arrived home in Dallas and are back at Aurora. We are excited to be back and to see some Dallasites come in. As I look back at my vacation now and over my entries, it is a whole new experience for me to see Cap Ferrat and the rest of France -- The Samuels' way. I only hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I did putting it together (well and there was that being in France part that was pretty grand too.)

As I sit inside Aurora I feel like I am looking at it through a new set of eyes or at least I am looking at it in another way. I know Avner is too - you should see the sparkle in his eyes...Its most apparent when I look at the crystal portrait of Aurora. As much as I have always seen through it to the kitchen, I am now seeing the picture of the Goddess Aurora and the new dawn she is bringing. It is exactly the way I felt at Cuccia Noya - but now I really understand what it means. Perhaps this epiphany is the same Avner is having? It is that patience, calmity and energy I thought was from the Mediterranean but in reality has always been here. However, somehow it is different - but at least I can say it is a new dawn at Aurora.

Come by sometime, we will be happy to share our experience of France with you.

The Last Dinner

By the time you probably read this I am sure we will be either packing up our stuff or already on our way to Dallas...we love Dallas and our eager to be home, but as you have hopefully seen, Cap Ferrat is beautiful and the mood here is appreciative, humble and inspiring.

To celebrate our last dinner, we dined at Cap Ferrat's Chateau Eza. Our view was picturesque (see the picture below with our amuse bouche)and the meal was memorable and a perfect way to end this fantastic sabattical/vacation. We had a wonderful amuse-bouche that was more like a platter than a small tasting.

And although I didn't have enough room to show you every course we had (we opted for more of a tasting than regular courses), we did have to show you how the diver scallop with foie gras looks over here (one of Aurora's famed dishes.)


Which of course, what brings me back to think about Aurora...I know Avner has been thinking about it ever free chance it gets...there is a look that he gets when something is really got his mind churning. And I suppose, this place has gotten my mind thinking about it too. However, I think the plane ride home will give me the opportunity to really put it all together...you know that feeling you get in your stomach when something is going to happen - something exciting and new. I just can't put my finger on it...