L'Eiffel Bistrot and Crêperie {A Bit of France in the Chicago Suburbs}

**Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post. All opinions are 100% my own. The restaurant was candlelit during our visit so the pictures reflect that.

If you are looking for a taste of France in the suburbs, L'Eiffel Bistrot and Crêperie is the place to go! We have been frequenting L'Eiffel for a couple of years now for a variety of occasions--birthdays, anniversaries and even those days when you just can't figure out what to eat but you know you want something special.

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Join Language Stars for their Open House weeks {through August 17}

**Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Language Stars. All opinions are 100% my own.

Recently, my family went on a trip to Paris. My daughter has been enrolled in the Language Stars program for the past four years and it seemed like the right time to go. It was great to see her absorb the French culture and experience everything that she had been learning about. She was so excited to go and use her French! She was able to order in French at the cafes and made sure to say bonjour and merci. While she still has much to learn, I was proud that she used what she knew. The hardest part about learning another language often is getting over that fear of making a mistake and just speaking. I was proud to see her do that and Language

Stars helped her get there!

If you have been interested in learning about Language Stars, they do have Open Houses going on right now. Their Open Houses are going on now through August 17, 2013. During the Open House weeks, you may tour your local Language Stars location, try a sample class, meet the international teaching team and learn why childhood is such an important window for language learning. We were hooked the first time we attended a sample class. My daughter looks forward to her French classes each week and is always eager to share anything that she has learned about French culture or the French language over the week with her classmates. Language Stars teaches through Funimmersion--a play based method allowing kids to learn through doing projects, playing, singing and more. In the spring and fall, parents attend a session with their children and join in the fun!

If you would like to join Language Stars during their Open House weeks, you may request a time for your visit through their Open House page or calling 866-557-8277. While at the Center, you can enter to win an Ipad mini loaded with fun foreign language apps. If you enroll during the Open House weeks, you will receive $100 off of your tuition. If you are already a Language Stars family, you will receive $100 off of tuition for every family you refer that enrolls by August 17.

It doesn't cost anything to check Language Stars out, so take a peek! There are 15 Chicagoland locations including a new Wrigleyville location! Nous aimons Language Stars!

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What I learned while visiting Paris

Paris has always been on my list of dream destinations. With my daughter taking French, I really wanted to be the one to take her to Paris. My husband and I decided that this year would be the year--we would go to Paris to fulfill a dream. We were a little apprehensive about going at first. My husband and I are usually fans of diamonds in the rough, cities that are up and coming, not cities that everyone seems to visit. We were worried that Paris would be a little too much for us. To our delight, we loved it. Absolutely loved it!

As with any trip, we learned a few things along the way:

You will not be able to see everything. Paris is a city--a big city. If you truly want to enjoy your visit, try not to pack your schedule too tightly. We tried to keep our schedule flexible.

You will miss Paris. Paris is such a beautiful city. When I left, I definitely had culture shock. What do you mean I don't have a boulangerie right across the street? Also, since I had spent so much time on researching for this trip, I felt an immediate let down when I returned home. I actually have time to myself. Instead of feeling relaxed, I feel like I am missing something.

Spend time just absorbing your surroundings. Eat at a cafe. Take a boat ride on the Seine. Sit and enjoy a gelato. Do this without frantically snapping pictures. It is truly an amazing feeling when you feel part of the city, not just a tourist. Photography is actually prohibited in some of the sites. To me, this was liberating in a way. You really spend more time enjoying when you aren't trying to get the perfect shot.

You may be surprised by the things that you like. Climbing the Eiffel Tower is the tourist thing to do. Of course, we had to. However, if you would have asked me a couple of months ago if I was excited about visiting the Eiffel Tower, I would have said no. We actually loved our visit to the Eiffel Tower. We ate lunch on the first floor and climbed to the second floor to take in an amazing view. What a wonderful afternoon!

The museum gift shops are definitely worth a visit. We actually found some unique souvenirs to bring back with us at the museum gift shops. If you are tight on time and would rather take in museums than shopping, a stop in a museum gift shop may be the perfect way to still bring something home.

Watch out for the pickpockets. No, we did not get picked. We took precautions with our valuables before traveling. However, we were approached by a couple of scam artists asking us if we "spoke English." Basically, this is a scam to steal money. You will see signs warning you about pickpockets at the major tourist sites. Definitely, protect yourself. This is not to say that we ever felt scared. You just need to be cautious.

Beware of scooters. Scooters zoomed by us while walking on the sidewalk a couple of times. I was not expecting that!

Learn some French phrases. This was not an issue for us since my daughter and I both speak French. However, French is the language of France and knowing some key phrases shows your respect. People will definitely be more willing to help you if you start with basic French. A "Bonjour!" will get you a long way. Plus, it was priceless to see the French light up when you speak to them in French. Your effort will be appreciated.

You will walk and walk and walk and love it! We walked all over and had a great time! My daughter actually did a wonderful job of keeping up with us without too many issues. There is so much to see and do, you do not even notice how much you have walked.

You will miss Paris. Yes, this warrants a second mention. Paris is so unique. When you hear mention of Paris, you will find yourself wistfully recalling your trip--and wanting to return!

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