Day Trips From Paris: The Champagne Region

If you're in Paris and have even the slightest interest in wine, making a day trip to Champagne should be on your list of "Must-Dos". The terrain is gorgeous, the wine and food are magnificent and it's a relatively easy region to access....once you figure out to get there.

The first time we tried to visit Champagne was in June 2013. I consulted a number of my friends who work in the wine industry and represent the likes of Dom Perignon, Moët & Chandon and Ruinart in the states for help. They told me it would be impossible to get into of the Champagne houses for a tasting. Taking that into account, we didn't make any advance reservations. We ended up visiting not one but two houses without any advance reservations on that trip but it cost us. A lot.

On Thanksgiving 2014, we visited Champagne again having learned our lessons: we made tasting reservations in advance for only one house and took the train to get there. It was a much more enjoyable experience and affordable to boot.

Visiting Champagne

There are 320 houses (and growing!) Champagne houses in the region. Gaining access to these houses is, for the most part, different from typical tasting experiences in the states. In Napa, for example, you can pop into most wineries without a reservation or make a reservation the day of your desired tasting. (Click HERE to learn about visiting Napa Valley with kids).  In Champagne, most tours are by appointment only and it is suggested that you make reservations a few weeks in advance.

This can be done easily online at the Champagne house's website or you could work with a tour company.

Getting to the Champagne Region

The 1st Time
When we went in 2013, we hired a driver to take my husband, my daughter and me from our rental apartment in Paris to Moët et Chandon in Epernay and then on to Tattinger in Reims. This cost us a fortune. Like $1,000 for the day. Jaw. Dropped.

A salon at Moët et Chandon

Granted our driver was able to finagle all three of us into Moët et Chandon and Tattinger without a reservation but the cost was ridiculous. (btw...and I almost divorced my husband over this).

The 2nd Time
In 2014, there was no way I was forking over that kind of cash for a private car. We booked two TGV tickets (our 2-year old daughter traveled for free) on Thanksgiving Day from Paris' Gare d'Est station to Reims, the older station in the heart of the city, which takes about 45 minutes. This cost about $92 per ticket. You can also take the train to the Champagne-Ardenne station in Bezannes. We met a couple from Houston on our train who bought a tasting tour which included train tickets, transfers to the chateaux and entry fees. They had priced out the package and determined it was comparable to piecing everything together on their own.

Reims train station

Having gone the private car route and the train route, I can wholeheartedly recommend using the train. Once you exit the main entrance at train station in Reims, there is a line of cabs waiting to take you anywhere. Beyond that, cabs are easy to get throughout Reims. Any restaurant or Champagne house will call one for you.

Visiting the Champagne Houses

For our visits to both Moët et Chandon and Tattinger in 2013, we did not have reservations. Our driver, Amadeus, was able to get us into a group tour at each house. These tours were informative and thorough but they were packed with about 20 people in each group.

The grounds at Ruinart

For our visit in 2014, we made reservation at just one house: Ruinart, the oldest house in Champagne producing the bubbly since 1729. They were quite specific as to when we could visit and at what time. We were invited to enjoy either a 10am or 2pm tasting.

When we arrived in Champagne, it was a cold, rainy, French day. Our cab took us straight to Ruinart which got us there around 9:30am. The guard at the gate would not let us in, even simply to sit and wait for our appointment. This annoyed the heck out of me. I pleaded with him in my bad French to accommodate my daughter, husband and me and let us just stand in a covered area out of the rain. He wouldn't budge. So we paid the cab driver to drive us around the city.

Moving on.

Once we did get into Ruinart at around 9:50, we were greeted by a lovely young woman named Kelly. There were only two other people on our tour, a couple from Brazil. This made for an intimate, educational and overall much better experience.

The Ruinart Visit 

Any chateau in Champagne is impressive but Ruinart was stunning. The house had recently been renovated but the "sprucing up" resulted in timelessly elegant French style that can withstand another 100 years.

There are 38,340 bottles of Ruinart aging here!

Sediment in a Ruinart bottle

We learned about the family history of Ruinart (started by Nicolas Ruinart), the reason behind its bottle shape (it results in a better product) and why Ruinart is in a class by itself (the Blanc de Blanc is made exclusively of chardonnay grapes, for one).

Climbing down to visit the caves at Ruinart

Riddlers turn 50,000 of these a DAY

Our tour took us deep into the caves beneath the beautiful Ruinart gardens where we saw a glimpse of Champagne's heritage. Ruinart bottles are aged on decades old racks, where riddlers twist them 1/8th of a turn daily. Kelly claimed Ruinart's two riddlers can manage 50,000 bottles a day!

The visit concluded with a tasting of our choice of two of four wines offered: Blanc de Blanc, Dom Ruinart, Dom Ruinart Rosé and R de Ruinart. I went with the R de Ruinart and Dom Ruinart.

Where to Eat in Reims

On our first visit, we had lunch on the patio at the popular Brasserie Flo centrally located on the main promenade. It's one of those places you can't miss.

For our second visit, we had a stunning lunch at Au Petite Comptoir. I couldn't tell you how to get there to save my life. Kelly at Ruinart drew directions for us but it's located on one of those typically French side streets that disappear the moment you blink. When I stopped at a police station to ask for directions, the station chief smiled and told me I was in for a phenomenal treat. God, I love how the French flirt! I simply ordered the specials. My daughter was asleep in my lap while my husband left his phone at Ruinart and had to run back there to grab it. While I enjoyed my meal alone, alas, there are no pictures to capture the experience as my phone's battery was dead. #1stWorldPains.

EVERYONE recommends Les Crayeres, the 3-star Michelin restaurant located in the Relais et Chateaux property, Chateau Les Crayeres. We couldn't get in there for lunch.

There are a number of decent places to eat on the main promenade in Reims, Les Basses Promenades.

If you're on the fence about visiting Champagne, don't be. Go! It's an easy day trip from Paris! 

France is full of stunning, historic and magical places. Champagne's beauty is in a class by itself. If you are in Paris you should, without question, try to visit this region.

My suggestions to approaching a day trip to Champagne: 

• Find a producer that interests you and start from there. I have always loved Moët et Chandon and Ruinart. I would love to visit Krug and Veuve Cliquot on my next trip.  
• Email the maison about reservations a few weeks prior to your trip. You will likely have pay at the time of booking. 
• Do some Googling about your trip to get a general sense of where you will be going. The train and cab route was a breeze but it might not be for you. 
• Tentatively schedule your day but bring an open mind. You never know where the day may take you. 
• Most maisons will accommodate children. Check, though, to ensure they do. At both Moët et Chandon and Ruinart they provided juice and snacks for our daughter. 

Find More Stories About Paris on TheGinaMiller.com:

• My Paris Travel Tips Video
• 5 Observations About Paris
• 58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant Review
• How To Rent A Great Apartment In Paris
• The Best Paris Restaurants Right Now (4/2015)
• Paris Travel Tips
• How To Do Paris With A Baby
• Paris Travel Tips | VIDEO

Resources

• A definitive guide to getting to Champagne.
• Comité Champagne trade association - a US-based organization that has tons of useful information on Champagne.
• TGV - the train we used to get to Champagne.
• Reims Tourism Office
• Epernay Tourism Office
• Via Champagne Ardenne - a tour company that arranges visit to Champagne. 
• Ruinart
• Tattinger
• Moët et Chandon
• Brasserie Flo 
• Au Petite Comptoir
• Les Crayeres

Super Bowl XLIX Weekend Survival Guide

Twitter.com/EliteDaily

Whether you're a passive fan or a rabid one, here's all you need to know about the Super Bowl XLIX matchup between the Patriots and Seahawks. 

As for Deflate-gate/Ballghazi (which name do you prefer?), the NFL says the 108 balls used during Super Bowl XLIX will be under extra security before the game.

Here are 19 of the craziest Super Bowl XLIX prop bets including:

• What will halftime performer Katy Perry be wearing at the start of her performance? 
• What kind of hoodie will Bill Belichik be wearing?  
• How many times Tom Brady's wife Gisele Bundchen will be shown?
• Will Marshawn Lynch grab his crotch after scoring a touchdown?

YouTube.com/10Everything

A ton of Super Bowl ads are already on YouTube. You can watch 10 of them in the box above, including the Victoria's Secret one. You're welcome, gentlemen.

Are you going to a Super Bowl watching party? Here are the 25 rules for Super Bowl parties.

My Super Bowl XLIX Plans & Prediction. Share Yours!
I'll be watching the game at home. We're leaving for Beaver Creek on Monday to attend the Alpine World Ski Championships in Vail. We won't be cooking anything special. Our menu will likely be a takeout salad or Tex-Mex.

I believe this will be a phenomenal matchup and think the Seahawks will become the first team to win back to back Super Bowl titles since the Patriots did in 2004 and 2005. I like Seattle's edge. Given how closely matched up these teams are, I am going with the one that has the better defense. Good defenses usually beat good offenses. I can hear my old coach now:

Defense wins championships. Seahawks win 24-21. 

What are your Super Bowl plans? What's your prediction? Please share in the comments section. 

Valentine's Day Gifts For Her

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Guys, I'm here to help. I told all my gals what you REALLY want for Valentine's Day. Now, it's your turn to step up to the plate.

I'm the aberration: I think this is a lame holiday. Maybe it's because I was never much of a dater. I was always too busy working to date much. But for 75% of the women out there, Valentine's Day and its gifts are a big deal.

I have had girlfriends complain about getting Tom Thumb carnations, cheap jewelry and bad dinners. If you focus on these categories when it comes gifts, you will likely have the best Valentine's Day ever.

Purses & Jewelry

Purses and jewelry are great gifts. Most women go crazy over a new purse. They go even crazier over a designer one. Think Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Tory Burch (a relatively affordable designer brand). You can't go wrong.

TIP: if you're at the point in your relationship where that engagement ring might be expected, go with a purse. She'll be heartbroken if you give her some earrings and she was expecting an engagement ring. That's happened to three of my girls.

If you're married, get some bling. Designer stuff is better. She can get the cheap stuff for herself. A simple Kendra Scott necklace is a nice touch. A Cartier Love Bracelet? Amazeballs. Anything in between, ranging from David Yurman to Lagos or gorjana, would be awesome.

Nice Flowers

Women really do love flowers. Don't go the cheap grocery store carnation route. Get some nice flowers. In Tom Thumb's defense they have lovely bouquets. The thing is you will probably have to order them in advance because most guys who wait until Valentine's Day are stuck with those cheap carnations.

If she is a girlie-girl, you can get the bouquet of roses (Gilt City is running a special HERE). If she kills weeds or has a more sophisticated eye, a gorgeous orchid bouquet will knock her socks off. Bonus? Orchids last forever.

Good Champagne and Chocolate

I am not an advocate of dining out on Valentine's Day (AKA Amateur Night). Restaurant menus are usually dumbed down to appeal to the folks who dine out only a few times a year. Get creative and cook dinner or order something. Buy some good champagne (Ruinart, Moët & Chandon or Veuve Cliquot are all wonderful) and chocolate or chocolate covered strawberries (Gilt City has a deal on them HERE) to end the night. My favorite Valentine's Day memory involved a bottle of Krug and chocolate covered strawberries.

Have Fun

Don't be afraid to have some fun with your gift. If she's not into the holiday, like me, this cute pajama set or something else that will make her laugh is perfect.

What Are Your Plans?

Thinking about something for Valentine's Day? Don't be afraid to share your plans in the comments section.

Shop Valentine's Day Gifts For Her

What He Really Wants For Valentine's Day

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I have worked with men my whole life. I am more comfortable having cocktails with a group of guys than I am with a group of girls. They tell me things they don't tell their girlfriends or their wives.

Girl, I'm here to tell you:

He doesn't want a tie or cologne for Valentine's Day. 
He wants your booty.

He's buying some cute trinket or purse for you. All he wants for February 14th is some V-Day action. Sorry. 99.8% of the men I know complain about the lack of booty. So to make your man's Valentine's Day, or any day for that matter, give it up. Give something up.

Now that we have that out of the way, these are fun gifts he might actually like. Again, this is from years of mingling with guys who complain about the lame gifts (most of them) and brag about the cool gifts (rare) the women in their lives give them.

Do you celebrate the Hallmark holiday? Personally, we stay in on Valentine's Day. It, like New Year's Eve, is another amateur night when people who never go out venture out for dinner at restaurants that dumb down their menus to feed the masses. Man, I sound old and bitter.

What are you Valentine's Day plans?

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SkinPen Review: Dynamic Results With Little Downtime

Press play for a sneak peak of my SkinPen facial at Luxury on Lovers

If you're anything like me, you're over wasting money on beauty treatments and products that don't work. I am at the point where I'm willing to spend a bit more to get results from a treatment versus some bargain procedure that doesn't really do anything. That's why I am always on the lookout for beauty innovations that work. Friends, the SkinPen facial does the job.

RELATED: DermaPlane Review: A Simple Way to Get Glowing Skin with No Downtime

What Is The SkinPen?
The SkinPen is a micro-needling device, created by Dallas-based Bellus Medical, featuring 12 tiny surgical-grade needles that produces microscopic punctures in your skin. That, in turn, stimulates the production of collagen and elastin which give you a more youthful appearance. There are no lasers or heat involved. It mimics what a fractional laser does but with little downtime.

"(There is) no risk of burning, hypo or hyper-pigmenting the skin," says Lisa Cobb, owner of Luxury on Lovers, a leader in the SkinPen treatment.  "We can do it any time of year. Sun exposure should be limited for a week or so after but one does not have the risk of photo-sensitivity like with lasers."

Interested other beauty gamechangers? Read my photofacial review, DermaPlane facial review find out about 10 instant beauty treatments that work.

The Nike Training Club App Review: A Butt-Kicking Virtual Trainer

The Nike Training Club App is the nuts. It's a booty kick and personal trainer all rolled into one downloadable package of workout brilliance.

A hair dresser introduced me to it when she told me she simply exercised at home. She had a phenomenal figure and was around 40. I took her advice and downloaded the app with extremely low expectations. 

It blew me away, literally and figuratively.

Is This The Week New Year's Resolutions Die?

The third week of January is critical when it comes to New Year's resolutions. It is the week most of them die, according to the Wall Street Journal. Gym attendance declines, that commitment to eat better weakens, you know the routine.

The thing is, three weeks is barely enough time to give a resolution a chance to stick. A 2009 study by University College London found it takes about 66 days to develop a habit (Tweet this).

How can you stay committed to reaching your 2015 goals? 

• Stay Focused. Being focused on a goal can help you reach it. How do you do that? Read blogs, websites, magazines and news articles about the particular area in which you're interesting in improving. Want to get in better shape? Read Shape or Women's Health. Want to cook healthier meals? Make Eating Well part of your regular reading. Shameless plug: sign up for The Real Skinny, a digest of diet and fitness tips for the real world, like this one. Or check out my blog every Monday for News To Help You Have A Healthier Week. Reading about it, helps you think about it and keep those goals present in your mind. 
• Write It Down. Research repeatedly shows that writing down your goals helps you reach them. Failing to write your goals means you will forget them or won't focus on them. Put them somewhere you will see them every day. Here's a 2015 goals worksheet.
• Be Specific. Don't be vague in your goals. For example: "I will wake up by 6am five days a week" is one of my goals for 2015. That's a better and more specific goal than "I will wake up earlier this year".  In fact, according to experts, being specific about when, where and how you will take action can set you up for success. 
• Be Realistic. You probably won't lose 25 pounds in one month. Five pounds? That's doable. Don't set goals that are completely unattainable. Take it a step further and create that specific action plan (see above) for you to achieve this. 

So if you do abandon your 2015 goals this week. Don't stress it. You can always start again next week.

How You Doin'?
How are you doing with your 2015 goals? Are they too tough to attain or are you rolling along? Please share in the comments section.

Me? I am struggling with the wake up at 6am thing. I am getting up about 6:30am which is at least a step in the right direction.