Over Memorial Day weekend, Tom and I will be traveling to the USA to visit friends and family and we couldn’t be more pumped! We haven’t been there in over a year and a half! What am I looking forward to the most about our vacation in the USA?
GO!
Things I’m most looking forward to in the USA
My friends and family
OK, well duh, this first one goes without saying. Life is too short and it’s so important to carve out time for the ones we love. The whole point of our trip is to see our loved ones and spend a nice little vacation with them. I was very fortunate and saw my parents, brother and sister-in-law back in September when we all went to Corsica so it hasn’t been that long. Facetime is great and I talk to my parents nearly daily but seeing them in the flesh is extra special.
Memorial Day shopping deals
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to the shopping. France sales pale in comparison to the deals you can find in the USA. Memorial Day weekend is a shopper’s paradise and we’ll be stocking up on things we desperately need. Definitely taking advantage of the shopping and so excited to hit up my favorite stores that don’t exist in France. Oh and let’s not forget Target. It’s open until MIDNIGHT!
American habits I lost when I moved to France >>
Getting a real massage
Zoning out on the massage table or in a massage chair is pure bliss and I can’t wait to book a real massage when back in the US. What do I mean by “real?” I mean someone who does more than a relaxing rubdown. I won a “massage” in a contest at my gym in France and all 30 minutes of the massage, I kept wondering when the actual massage was going to start. I want my knots tackled by hands that aren’t afraid to cause a little pain. Get in there, already! In France, massages tend to be more relaxing than anything and there are no membership places like Massage Envy. My back is counting down the days…
Self-serve frozen yogurt
If you’ve been reading Oui In France for a while, you know I adore frozen yogurt. I even wrote a post about why Red Mango needs to come to France a few years ago. While froyo is making its way over the Atlantic little by little, the shops I have seen pop up leave a lot to be desired in terms of flavors and toppings. Can’t wait to part with $7 for a big cup of something cool and yummy.
Fitness studio classes
My gym in France isn’t great. It’s a little run down with old equipment and makes me yearn for the days when I was in NYC and had everything fitness related just a short walk or subway ride away. Here my only option is my gym in town but when I’m on US soil, I’ll be the happiest person ever to shell out cash for classes at FlyWheel and PureBarre. Studio classes are fabulous and there’s such a selection in the USA to keep your workout on its toes. CANNOT WAIT.
Differences between French and American gyms >>
Relaxing in a pool
In France, I don’t know anyone with a pool. But luckily for us, both my parents and my brother have a pool so it’ll be nice to sit back, relax on a float with a cool drink and just chill out… the ocean is also very nice but I’m scared of shark attacks. Really! I know the likelihood of an attack is relatively slim but do you know when the risk is nonexistent? When you don’t swim in the ocean at all. 😉
Hi Diane!
What a fun post! I am headed back to the United States in July and although I was “home” over Christmas I already have my own list of American things I can’t wait for (a real American BBQ!!). I hope you guys have a wonderful trip!
You’re in the wrong part of France! My kiné does great massages, nice and deep. One of the best massages of my life (and I have had them all over the world) was at the hammam of the Grand Mosque of Paris. I swear she took ever muscle apart and stuck it back on, the way it should have been.
And for working out, we have an OK gym complex, about €250 a year for unlimited classes, but I have switched to a small, killer Pilates class (€9 a session).
And everybody I know has a pool. Even we do. But we’re down south.
Personally, what I miss is Mexican food. Fresh corn tortillas.
What am I looking forward to?
Traveling in France of course! A river cruise on the Rhone and 4 days of sampling excellent cuisine in Lyon!
Excellent, sounds like a fun trip!!! Have a blast!
ugh — painful massages. Isn’t that an oxymoron? 🙂 I think I would love massages in France if they are relaxing as you say. New yogurt places are popping up all over Diane, so I think you will be happy with that. Have a wonderful trip!
Yay, can’t wait! Thank you!
That’s funny about how you “can’t wait to part with $7” at Red Mango. There is one in my train station, and I’ve stopped a few times and even skipped the toppings to try to save weight because they charge by weight, but still ended up paying about $7 for a big cup of yogurt, and swore I’d never do that again. I don’t think it’s worth it. But, after reading your comment, it reminded me that it’s a ‘luxury’ that I take for granted. If you see a Freshii, try their frozen yogurt. It’s got a slight citrus flavor, and I get mine topped with blueberries and mandarin oranges, and it’s delicious, and they only charge about $5! 🙂 Still expensive, but worth it!
When I was living in the US, froyo was getting really popular and I thought nothing about popping over to a local shop. Totally commonplace. Expensive but still accessible. Now it really is a luxury… one I can’t wait to experience again. 😉 Will keep an eye out for Freshii!
Have a great trip!! Enjoy every minute of it 🙂
No travel plans for us… we might end up moving away 🙁
Thanks so much and where would you move to? For your husband’s job somewhere new or back to Canada?? Damn I hope I can meet you first!
Can understand that you can’t wait to go shopping. That’s what I miss most about not going to the US regularly any more (I used to be a flight attendant) Target is amazing….I brought a chainsaw home once! (in the days before Sept 11th)
Only six weeks till I come over to France for my holiday…just south of Nantes. Can’t wait! Hope you have a fantastic trip home. x
Bit surprised you can’t get a good massage in France – I found the Europeans to be much more brutal than in the states. (Brutal at the time, beneficial later.)
Hi Jane, I’m sure there are places that do great massages here but not in my area! Also, it’s not the “norm” for French people to have a massage subscription like Massage Envy or similar (doesn’t even exist) or to get regular massages. Not that it’s normal for all Americans either but even in suburbs there are always legit massage places and even stands in the mall where you can pop in for 10 minutes on a chair. Here certain practitioners do medical massages but if you just want a relaxing Swedish, don’t count on them even getting deep enough to touch a knot. I don’t remember if I mentioned this in the post, but I won a 30-min “massage” at a local spa type of place and it was 27 minutes and I kept waiting for the real massage to start. What a letdown. Good part is you don’t leave tips here so at least it was truly free. Thx for your comment 😉
I am also planning to visit US in the coming weeks and looking for more or less the same luxuries on my vacation. I enjoyed reading your article. Thank you!