My New Scooter

Just to share some news.  I'm now mobile!  Oui!

I've had my little Peugeot Ludix two full weeks now.  It's been a challenge to say the least.  Here's what I've gotten used to in this short period of time:

• navigating the traffic of Paris, 
• safely driving through some of it's crazy round-abouts (but I still don't feel ready for the Arch de Triomphe yet...),  
• surviving some aggressive traffic (e.g., on strike day when Montparnasse was completely blocked off....let me tell you that the drivers were getting plenty irritated...honking all over the place, and whatnot...), 
• surviving the gas strike (luckily, I didn't run out...but that feeling of uncertainty is not much fun...), 
• driving on two wheels - hadn't done that in a very long time!
• driving with a load after shopping, etc.
• driving with a GPS
• driving during rush hour, but I much prefer driving around on a quiet Sunday morning!
• driving outside of Paris, even...
• driving in the rain
• getting my speedometer fixed (yes, this never happens, said the mechanic...except it did...)
• having perpetual "bad hair";  oh well, something's gotta give!

I'm over the hump.  Have been to several customer events with it & food on hand!  I love the flexibility it brings me.

And I promised Eric to stay out of the blind spot of big trucks & buses....

So, now, my new motto is:  "Have scooter; will deliver!"

/dma

Forest of Green on the Champs-Elysées

Much has already been written about the 2-day transformation of the Champs-Elysées into a bio-diverse landscape of green vegetation, called Nature Capitale (May 23rd & 24th).  We had to go see it, along with over a million other people.  Yes, it was packed, even at 11am on a holiday Monday (Pentecote).  With so many people all converging at the same spot, we only lasted an hour there.  I'm still glad we went.  Here's what we saw, starting at the Arc de Triomphe end of the Champs-Elysées:

This is where we stopped our visit, about half way down to Place de la Concorde.  Along the way, we ran into entertaining street musicians, admired a concept car at the Renault store, did some pretty interesting people watching, got a kick out of seeing all the traffic lights without the traffic, and enjoyed being able to walk down the Champs Elysées amongst all the green, without a single honking horn!  


:/dma

Highlight of last weekend - Johnny Depp spotting!

OK, I just have to write about this. No pictures again. This time intentionally. I had my camera on me. It was just a moment to have some discretion. I'd never make it in the paparazzi world...

(The picture below is something I found on the internet. I just had to include it).

It was late Saturday night, after a rather long day - first at the Europain exhibition at Parc d'Expositions and then to the Swan Bar...finally we ended up at a little Italian restaurant around 9pm for dinner. The long day was coming to an end - my friend and I were heading back to the RER stop at Port Royal. It was frigid cold. We were walking briskly. Then Ali says, "Is that Johnny Depp? I think that's Johnny Depp!!!" I look up immediately, into the restaurant, and say, "OMG, it's him. It's him!" I get a "Don't stare" from my friend. (Kind of hard not to, I tell you!). At that point, there was a full window lending a nice view of the actor.

I won't say where we saw him out of respect for his privacy. Let me tell you why. He was with his partner, who I learned is Vanessa Paradis. And they were with their 2 kids. They were eating in the restaurant like a normal family & all. He was his typical cool self -- hat, glasses, somewhat scruffy-edgy looking. She was in some sort of off-the shoulder black sequin looking top/gown (couldn't get a good look). They were sitting around a square table, laughing & having a good time....that's all. There was another table nearby, a couple, who seemed to be minding their own business, engaged in their own conversation. The place was otherwise kind of quiet & normal looking. Except Johnny Depp was there!

And there we were outside in the freezing windy night, staring through the trees into the restaurant....almost giddy with a star struck, "brush with fame" kind of excitement. Well, I was anyway. I wouldn't say we were jumping up & down with excitement, but we were pretty in to the moment!! It's Johnny Depp after all. We were there a little while, and then it started to feel like we were becoming stalkers or something. It was time to leave. First, we asked ourselves if we should go in & have a drink. Don't ask me why we decided against the idea. I suppose we didn't trust ourselves. If we got silly like that out on the sidewalk, imagine what might've happened if we were within a few tables of him! So we walked away, talking about how cool that moment just was...we talked about Johnny Depp all the way home. I just had to share this story! Have any of your own "brush with fame" stories? Would love to hear them!

:/dma

Sunday's Walk

I like Sundays in Paris. Nobody is in a hurry to get the day started. The mornings are quiet. Very few cars are on the streets yet. Eventually people start to show their heads outside.

Afternoons are different. It's when people are ready to do something. A walk is generally a good idea. E & I headed out ourselves, not quite sure where we wanted to go. We started crossing through the Jardin de Tuileries & then remembered there was an exposition on Clint Eastwood happening on the Champs Elysée. It's a short exposition, but a nice one. It did cover something like 40 years of his career, so it's not that short! (kidding). Here are a few photos:

Ali, I took this picture for you!

You can see the Arche de Triomphe in the distant background

After that, we wound our way around the 8th before heading back home where we passed through the Palais Royale. I was pleasantly surprised to see the construction walls had been removed from « Colonnes de Buren ». They worked on that for a year, at least. And what an eyesore it was, even if they tried to make it "fun" with all the multi-colored see-through windows. Here's what the remodeled area looks like. Not much different altogether - but with new little colored lights, and if I'm not mistaken, you can now see down to the ground underneath, through the grates, in some areas. I don't remember that before. I suppose the columns themselves are cleaner, too! People were back to posing for pictures on the posts, and small toddlers were running from one post to another. It's good to have it back.


Until the next Sunday walk, bonne sémaine!

:/dma

New Patisserie Shop in Paris - Philippe Conticini

A new pâtisserie shop opened this month in the 7th arrondissement of Paris - on rue du Bac - called La Pâtisserie de Rêves par Philippe Conticini. This is no ordinary pastry shop. And one that I could definitely dream about!

This pastry shop is elegant, fun, creative, welcoming...and its pastries are superbe. Most of what they sell are the classics (brioche, Saint Honoré, Paris-Brest, Kouign Amann, madeleines, tart tartin, etc), however, these classics are cleverly re-visited.

Brioche Feuilletée

Deciding what to order here was unusually easy for me on my visit there last Saturday. Although I went into sensory overload just by being there (I absolutely love this kind of thing!), the selection is rather limited. And quite frankly, I prefer it that way! (Who likes going to a restaurant with a hundred things on their menu anyway?). However, I also think the way the pastries are displayed makes it easier to decide. Instead of the usual long glass display cases, they use rather demure bee-hive like glass canapes to show case their products. It's very design. Very cool. And very accessible because you can actually walk around it to see! As silly as that may seem, normally, you wait in line & nudge forward seeing a little at a time until the clerk gets to you....and you may not have had a chance to see everything yet!

And surely, my choice was made easy because I immediately spotted one of my favorite patisseries: une tarte au citron meringué (lemon meringue tart). So I inevitably had to try it ("market research", you know!). An order taker greeted me to take my order. I ordered. I went in line with my ticket. I paid, and my (designer) box of goodies was ready before I knew it. Very efficient. Having someone take your order like this is also novel for Paris....times they are a changing!

Absolutely, positively, the most géant madeleines I have ever seen!

Everything is cleverly color coordinated - from the paint on the wall, to the employee uniforms, and to the packaging. This all contributes to its "special experience" feeling. It is quite apparent that a lot of planning has gone into such a concept. I so appreciate seeing such things - it's forward thinking and modern. Bravo to the chef and his team! I can't wait to go back. I will warn you though - it's not cheap. I would also add that it's worth every cent, considering the artisinal quality and creativity behind its products. Definitively worth a drop in, or even a trip there. Enjoy!

Address:
La Pâtisserie des Rêves par Philippe Conticini
93, rue du Bac
75007 Paris
telephone: +33 (0)1 42 84 00 82

:/dma

10pm in Paris - View from our Window

Notice how light it is ? ....at about 1o:oo o'clock at night. In fact, these photos were taken on the longest day of the year: June 21st. I absolutely love how long and drawn out the nights are at the moment.

Summer in Paris: it's where the evenings take their time, and the days get off to an early start. (The days get an early start....not necessarily the people!) When the sky is clear, and nothing but blue, Paris is as special as we all imagine it to be. Especially if the temperature hovers at a comfortable 20°C (~70°F), as it has been lately. Catch the breeze and enjoy it while you can. Terrasses are in full swing, with some people preferring full sun and others the shade. Parks are packed. Even the perky and peppy dogs are, well, perkier and peppier!

I still can't get used to seeing reflections of sunlight so late into the night because where I come from, dusk hits around 8:30ish and by 10pm, it's totally dark. On second thought, maybe, I can get used to it! Vive la difference!

:/dma

Sushi on the Seine

Thanks to my friend Ayako, I recently started eating maki-sushi regularly...as in more than once a week. I've always loved sushi & I would eat it from time-to-time....just not as regularly as lately. It has all been for a good cause, though: to practice the new sushi-making skills she had so kindly taught me! As we all know, practice makes perfect. I'm still happily practicing this craft! Those around me are happy, too, with all my practice sessions.

Here are some photos of this latest adventure. I think my favorite pictures are those taken on the Quai (quay) of the Seine River, where the sun was setting slowly, boats were passing by, and we had a nice quiet moment together, eating some freshly-made sushi, sipping a nice glass of champagne...and enjoying a summer evening in Paris.

Mis en place

First sushis made!


Vegetarian maki-sushi (cucumber, carrot); Must be Ayako's...it's perfect!

Salmon egg maki-sushi with roasted red pepper, zucchini and carrot

More salmon egg maki-sushi

These are also very, very good with smoked salmon and avocado. Next on my list to try is raw salmon or tuna, if I find a good quality supply. And why not crab meat or shrimp...? It seems as though the possibilities are endless. And if that's not enough reason to love these treats, they taste great, they are light & healthy to eat, and they make a perfect summer meal when you don't want to be turning on the oven. (Very important here in Paris when most apartments are not equipped with air conditioning!) Thanks again, Ayako, for sharing this technique with me. Your generosity is abundant!

Sushi, anyone? ;)

:/dma

Burrata Anyone?

Burrata cheese is so good that I decided it deserved its own post. From yesterday's recipe, you know that I'm a fan. I hope you are able to find Burrata at your local store because this is one cheese worth trying. And I honestly can't see how anyone would NOT love this cheese... It's seriously good.

Here's a link to a definition, if you like: wikipedia burrata (english)

In short, it's an artisinal fresh cheese having a mozzarella-like outside with bits of mozzarella and crème on the inside. It comes from a region in Italy called Puglia....and originally, it was wrapped in a leaf of a tree coming from that region. And the leaf would actually be bright green, proving to everyone and the world that this cheese is so fresh that the leaf hasn't even started to change colors yet! OK, so today they use plastic....tant pis!


Take it out of its packaging & untie it. The shape is very odd, but just set it on its side. It definitely looks better that way. Consider it a "cheese brioche"!

Burrata is best eaten at room temperature and immediately after it's made. And, it's best shared with a few close family & friends, each having a spoon in hand. Placed in the center of the table, everyone can dig into their own little corner of the cheese pouch. And that's when all its rich, buttery, creamy goodness comes seeping out. Take a look at what's inside:



All you really need is a high quality olive oil to drizzle on top. Add a few ripe tomatoes, some sea salt....and you're practically in heaven! Enjoy!



Address:
There are several specialty Italian stores that sell Burrata. There's also a fromagerie located here that is selling it at the moment:

La Fermette de Chloe et Gabriel
86, rue Montorgeuil
75002 Paris
Tél. 01.42.36.70.96
Cost: 23.80€/kg
One Burrata sac (shown above) will weigh ~ 200 - 300 g.

:/dma

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Here are some green macarons. (Pistachio to be exact.) Just in time for St. Patrick's day!

I would love to share the recipe with you for these pistachio cookies, but I asked my favorite macaron maker, Pierre Hermé, if I could post it on my little blog. And his office (not him, really) said no.

Haven't I learned my lesson yet? The one that goes "it's better to ask forgiveness than permission"? I'm really only kidding....when it comes to copyright laws, I'll stay close to the line. It's just too bad they didn't say yes.

In case you're interested, the verdict on the pistachio vs caramel au beurre salé is in: I don't think anything can knock the caramel off its pedestal (for me). Don't get me wrong; the pistachio is "pas mal" as the french like to say (meaning 'not bad'...in fact, this actually means it's good instead of its literal translation!).

Getting back to the 17th of March...instead of seeing the Chicago River turn green, or having a green beer (which might have been the case back in the states), here's a french way to celebrate the day: with a shamrock macacron!

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

/dma

Comfort Food & Real Estate

When you're trying to go down a new path, and you don't know if the road you're taking is the right road....or if you'll ever get to your destination, for that matter, it can feel a little unsettling. Trust me on that. It's how I've been feeling lately.

Today I did something to see if I should "be turning right", instead of left, so to speak. The last road I took wasn't working out like I had hoped. That's been the unsettling part, seeing as I had invested a lot of my time trying to go down that road.

"Turning right", to continue my little analogy, is to re-consider if I should work for myself after all....but this time in a professional kitchen outside our home. This line of thinking is what brought me to the office of a commercial real estate agent who specializes in "locaux" (spaces for rent).

Here's what I learned: it's pretty difficult to actually buy a property outright in Paris (called "les murs", or walls). I was told by the realtor that very few go on the market and it's a waste of time to even look for such a thing. What you buy instead is called a "fond de commerce" (business), and you own it, but then you also pay a monthly rent...to the person who actually does own "les murs". I initially struggled a bit with this concept, partly due to the french, but also because it's just a bit foreign. And I can't tell you how funny this conversation played out in french with the realtor (a true Laurel & Hardy "who'se on first" kind of moment, I kid you not). Eventually, he understood my confusion, saying, "yes, we are more a latin country. We don't do it like the anglo-saxons do". And then I stopped getting hung up on the word "vendre" (to sell), in the "normal" context of what I'm accustomed to. As the agent further explained, "that's OK, this is the system. And when you go to sell it to the next person, it all works out".

I am pretty much a novice at this - it's the first time I'm looking to buy a business in a major European city. (Or any major city for that matter.) And it's only the 2nd business we've looked into buying - the other was in Staunton, Virginia a long, long time ago. Anyway, the realtor gave me two local addresses. One was just off of Place Saint Michel and it was so miniscule & such a tourist trap that I discounted it on the spot. The other one is just down the street from us. This one looks like a possibility. Now it's time to ponder it all, and to do my "due diligence". Is this the road I should be taking? Good question. Where is that magic-8 ball when you need it?

Meanwhile, I made some brownies to help me think this over. A little American comfort food never hurt anyone!

Deep dish brownies with peanut butter swirl & walnuts
(every bit as rich & chocolaty as they look)

:/dma

Christmas in Paris, 2008 - Part 3

Here's what I saw last night on my walk home to our apartment: the blue Christmas tree in front of Notre Dame de Paris. And I almost had la place (the plaza) to myself. Hardly anyone was there. I love moments like that.


Then I passed by our little boulangerie-patisserie. I'm so glad to have this shop right around the corner...and in fact, it's a respected name here in Paris: Gosselin. Nice decorations outside; even nicer decorations inside!! It's hard not to stop and look in the window. The buche de noël are especially tempting...but I said to myself that I wanted to make one at home again this year. We'll see if there is enough time, or not, but it's always nice to have a back-up plan, isn't it?

Finally, on a more personal not...at home - here's our little Christmas tree (and us). The tree is cute, isn't it? Same size as last year...I'm starting to like the scaled down Christmas. By the time I finished decorating it, I was just getting tired of doing the job...which made it perfect timing. Any longer & I would've needed a break....any shorter & I would've felt like I wanted to do more.

Last year it was Eric who surprised me with a tree, all decorated. Mom and I were making the buche de noël in the kitchen without a clue that anything was happening out in the living room. What a surprise we had when, into the room we went, there we found a cute little tree, all lit up and decorated! This year, it was my turn. While Eric was off playing (I mean working) in the French Alps for the weekend, I decided to surprise him. He liked it. And what really makes our little tree complete are those little packages under the tree....sent all the way from Appleton, Wisconsin with hugs & kisses from mom & dad (hidden behind us).

Bonnes fêtes de fin d'anée - Happy Holidays to everyone.

Christmas in Paris, 2008 - Part 2

I think the Champs Elysée is always stylish when dressed in its holiday lights. This year, I think for the first time ever, there is a big Christmas market starting at Place Concorde and going along the Champs Elysée. In Chicago, a similar idea (but on a much smaller scale) is called the "Christkindlmarket". In Strasburg or in Alsace, the real Christmas markets can be found. Oops, that's a faux pas if ever there was one....I guess we need to actually go to Germany to see the real "real markets". (Right, Ulla?!)

Seeing as we have a thing for these markets, we decided to check out what the Champs Elysee has to offer. We heard that each country of the EU would be represented and would be offering specialty Christmas items from its region. Great idea we thought. We started our excursion at Place du Concorde & walked toward the Arche de Triomphe. The beautiful lights sprawling the Champs Elysée charmed us. I especially liked the spheres of lights sitting in a shallow pool of water, showing a spectacularly nice reflection. At Rue Montaigne, we were drawn in by the beautiful red lights lining the street. All of this was great. I do love lights. Here are some pictures - doesn't it look nice?

And it is a very nice idea, but unfortunately, I think the market itself somehow lacked a spirit. The spirit of what we thought it was going to be. Maybe the taxi driver got the story wrong about it having regional products from the EU countries. Maybe the time of day had something to do with our disappointment. First, avoid going on a late Sunday afternoon, like we did. It was absolutely packed with people, which obviously took the fun away from browsing each booth. Second, avoid (if possible), going there after it rains because the dirt path that boarders the relatively narrow paved sidewalk turns into a puddle of mud. This is especially a problem if you happen to accidently step in a big puddle (like someone I know!) trying to get a look at the rather maigre (thin) Santa Claus....! I wish we had seen a lot of really cool hand crafted items, but we only saw a few. And imagine our surprise when we saw a booth hosted by GDFSuez....not selling a tangible thing (or was it energy they were trying to sell? kidding)...well, it was hard to find the symbolism of Christmas anyway. We ended up seeing a somewhat limited view of the market given the dynamics at play that day, and when we got to the metro Franklin Roosevelt, we called it quits. Too many people; not enough energy to fight the crowd, and really only a limited interest in what merchandise we could see, unfortunately. Oh, well, it was worth checking out anyway. For the lights alone.

p.s. I heard that the ferris wheel at Place Concorde is really great -- each cabin is enclosed in glass and they're heated....doesn't that sound like fun?!