"The sweetness and generosity and politeness and gentleness and humanity of the French has shown me how lovely life can be if one takes time to be friendly." - Julia Child
My Paris fantasy is coming to an end. I fly back tomorrow. This has been an amazing experience. I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity to spend this month in Paris. I know how fortunate I am and how special this experience has been. For all of the debates I went through in my head (too pricey, too much time away from David and Davey, etc.) I'm really glad I spent this time on my own in Paris.
Every day has had lots of new stuff to figure out. Sometimes it's fun, sometimes it can be frustrating. This was expected. To paraphrase the lyrics from a song by my beloved Edith Piaf, "I have no regrets. For the things That went wrong, at last I have learned to be strong."
The French
For their crusty exteriors, I find the French utterly charming. Once they warm up to you, it's like you're part of a secret club. By the end of week two, I felt like they'd shown me the secret handshake. As I'd walk down Avenue de La Bourdonnais and Rue Saint-Dominique heading toward Rue Cler, the souvenir shop guys and the crepe guy at the patisserie began to regularly call out, "Bonjour Madame." With all the tourists, I had been taking the quieter side of the streets. This daily exchange was so much fun that I began taking the busier shop-lined side.
By the time I was wrapping up my month in Paris, I exchanged Bon Jours and Bon Soirs with neighbors and the local shopkeeps on a regular basis. Even the experience of stopping to get a sandwich at the boulangerie on the corner (a great option following a long day of exploring) changed. After a week or so, they didn't sell me one of the pre-made sandwiches. They would make one fresh in the back. My favorite florist on Rue Cler would take the bunch of roses I'd selected, say "One moment," then duck in the back and appear with a bunch of larger, fresher looking roses. He'd smile and whisper "better."
Although my Paris fantasy comes to an end, I am so very fortunate to return to Half Moon Bay, my dear husband and sweet son, our good friends and our life by the sea. I'm also grateful to have discovered work that I love and a great company to work for (with a wonderful sabbatical program). I think I'll pinch myself.
Bonne Nuit
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Sat May 22nd - Evening Cruise on the Seine
Lady Gaga in Paris
Lady Gaga had a show in Paris last night. At about 1am, the post-Gaga concert goers started to arrive at the Eiffel Tower. There were a few groups loudly chanting Gaga. It was nice when they left. This morning, I enjoyed videos from the concert on Youtube. Yes, I'm a Lady Gaga fan.
Too Much Shopping?
My little shopping trips over the past month seem to have added up. I started staging stuff on the beds in the 2nd bedroom. I hope I can get it all in the suitcases. In addition to the goodies from E. Dehillerin and Le Cordon Bleu, I have four books signed by chefs (Chef Stefane and David Lebovitz). Some of the books are pretty big.
Most of the stuff I have accumulated is cooking related (spices, sel du mer aka Sea salt, towels, aprons, pans, little cookware utensils and a few knick knacks).
Please Air France, take pity on my. If I start crying and sing my own version of la vie en rose do you think they'll be sympathetic? I don't think so either, but I'll give it my best shot.
Yesterday was the last prime time day. With all the weekenders, I wouldn't get close to the main attractions over the weekend. I still can't believe that I closed the Louvre last night.
What to do
At one point I had a list of things I wanted to do and see in Paris. This weekend is an antiques fair at Rue Cler. Every morning, I drink coffee and think about what I want to do. By the time I finish my coffee, I usually have a few things picked out. Then, by the time I actually leave the apartment all of my plans can change. For today, I decided that I didn't really want to go to the antiques fair.
Yesterday afternoon as I waited for the bus to the Louvre, I think I finally found Princess Caroline's apartment. Not in the location described but nearby.
This afternoon I went back to the Champ du Mars, feeding the birds. Yes, I'm fairly certain that I found Princess Caroline's apartment. Had a god time walking through the 7th, picked up a baugette on the way back (that's how I wind up with so much bread to feed the birds).
Bateau Mouches (night cruise)
It was hot again today, in the 80s and humid. Later this evening I decided to head over to the Bateaeux Mouches for an evening boat cruise in the Seine. I planned to take a taxi (my feet were stil sore from yesterday's walking and the Louvre). After five minutes of trying to get a taxi, I decided to walk.
I was crossing a bridge over the Seine and remembered that I had a Paris beret in my bag. I don't know if it was the heat or the "Minneapolis girl tribute to Mary Tyler-Moore" kind of thing. I decided to wait in the middle of the bridge for a passing cruise boat. I timed it just right, tossed the beret and it fell near the feet of a surprised woman. She looked up and thought it had flown off my head. I smiled, waved and walked on.
The Bateaux Mouches area was buzzing with activity. There were a lot of tour buses, hordes of people and I was concerned that I might not be able to get on a cruise tonight. I got my ticket, got into line. It got jam packed with people before the boat arrived and we began boarding. Once on the boat, the cool air on the Seine felt good (I brought a jacket along because the weather can change so quickly). We left the dock as the sun was setting. The sun sets surprisingly late here - - almost 10pm. We had just started moving when the first Eiffel Tower light show of the evening began.
Paris is the city of the lights and there's no better way to experience them on a warm evening than on a boat on the Seine. The gorgeous buildings and monuments are well lit. On warm evenings, people gather next to Seine and have picnics and parties. I was shocked that there were so many people out. Hundreds and hundreds...areas along the Seine near the Universities were like one big party. The partiers were havng fun but weren't rowdy or wild and there were a lot of families out.
Moon over Paris
At one point, we passed a small group of guys (some areas along the Seine are dark and the cruise boat has bright lights) and one of the guys decided to moon us. Extremely funny. We went all the way down the Sene past the Notre Dame then back up past the Eiffel Tower, turned around and parked. As we got past the Eiffel Tower, a cold wind suddenly came up and most of the people on the upper deck headed downstairs.
After seeing so many people walking along the Seine, even though it was 11:30p, I decided to walk back to the apartment. It was a nice leisurely walk and I arrived just before midnight.
Paris Trivia - Why was Jim Morrison buried in Paris?
This was a question I had been thinking about. Didn't his family want his body sent back to the states?
The answer: Jim Morrison's music career had declined and he moved to Paris in March 1971. He was going through a weird phase in his life, wasn't on speaking terms with his parents and he had grown a beard which made him unrecognizable. In July 1971,he died of an overdose in Paris. At the time of his death, Jim Morrison had a trial pending n Florida for lewd behavior. It seems like it was easier for his family to simply have him buried in Paris. Also, Jim Morrison's father, a retired navy admiral, thought it was an honor for Jim to be buried in the same cemetery as Chopin, Oscar Wilde and other music and literary notables. Note to those in the Bay area - one of Jim Morrison's brothers was born in Los Altos (thank you Wikipedia).
Eiffel Tower Cam
Here's a link to the live Eiffel Tower cam: http://www.paris-live.com/paris_webcam/eiffel_tower_webcams.htm
Tomorrow is my last day in Paris. I have no specific plans.
Bonne Nuit
Lady Gaga had a show in Paris last night. At about 1am, the post-Gaga concert goers started to arrive at the Eiffel Tower. There were a few groups loudly chanting Gaga. It was nice when they left. This morning, I enjoyed videos from the concert on Youtube. Yes, I'm a Lady Gaga fan.
Too Much Shopping?
My little shopping trips over the past month seem to have added up. I started staging stuff on the beds in the 2nd bedroom. I hope I can get it all in the suitcases. In addition to the goodies from E. Dehillerin and Le Cordon Bleu, I have four books signed by chefs (Chef Stefane and David Lebovitz). Some of the books are pretty big.
Most of the stuff I have accumulated is cooking related (spices, sel du mer aka Sea salt, towels, aprons, pans, little cookware utensils and a few knick knacks).
Please Air France, take pity on my. If I start crying and sing my own version of la vie en rose do you think they'll be sympathetic? I don't think so either, but I'll give it my best shot.
Yesterday was the last prime time day. With all the weekenders, I wouldn't get close to the main attractions over the weekend. I still can't believe that I closed the Louvre last night.
What to do
At one point I had a list of things I wanted to do and see in Paris. This weekend is an antiques fair at Rue Cler. Every morning, I drink coffee and think about what I want to do. By the time I finish my coffee, I usually have a few things picked out. Then, by the time I actually leave the apartment all of my plans can change. For today, I decided that I didn't really want to go to the antiques fair.
Yesterday afternoon as I waited for the bus to the Louvre, I think I finally found Princess Caroline's apartment. Not in the location described but nearby.
This afternoon I went back to the Champ du Mars, feeding the birds. Yes, I'm fairly certain that I found Princess Caroline's apartment. Had a god time walking through the 7th, picked up a baugette on the way back (that's how I wind up with so much bread to feed the birds).
Bateau Mouches (night cruise)
It was hot again today, in the 80s and humid. Later this evening I decided to head over to the Bateaeux Mouches for an evening boat cruise in the Seine. I planned to take a taxi (my feet were stil sore from yesterday's walking and the Louvre). After five minutes of trying to get a taxi, I decided to walk.
I was crossing a bridge over the Seine and remembered that I had a Paris beret in my bag. I don't know if it was the heat or the "Minneapolis girl tribute to Mary Tyler-Moore" kind of thing. I decided to wait in the middle of the bridge for a passing cruise boat. I timed it just right, tossed the beret and it fell near the feet of a surprised woman. She looked up and thought it had flown off my head. I smiled, waved and walked on.
The Bateaux Mouches area was buzzing with activity. There were a lot of tour buses, hordes of people and I was concerned that I might not be able to get on a cruise tonight. I got my ticket, got into line. It got jam packed with people before the boat arrived and we began boarding. Once on the boat, the cool air on the Seine felt good (I brought a jacket along because the weather can change so quickly). We left the dock as the sun was setting. The sun sets surprisingly late here - - almost 10pm. We had just started moving when the first Eiffel Tower light show of the evening began.
Paris is the city of the lights and there's no better way to experience them on a warm evening than on a boat on the Seine. The gorgeous buildings and monuments are well lit. On warm evenings, people gather next to Seine and have picnics and parties. I was shocked that there were so many people out. Hundreds and hundreds...areas along the Seine near the Universities were like one big party. The partiers were havng fun but weren't rowdy or wild and there were a lot of families out.
Moon over Paris
At one point, we passed a small group of guys (some areas along the Seine are dark and the cruise boat has bright lights) and one of the guys decided to moon us. Extremely funny. We went all the way down the Sene past the Notre Dame then back up past the Eiffel Tower, turned around and parked. As we got past the Eiffel Tower, a cold wind suddenly came up and most of the people on the upper deck headed downstairs.
After seeing so many people walking along the Seine, even though it was 11:30p, I decided to walk back to the apartment. It was a nice leisurely walk and I arrived just before midnight.
Paris Trivia - Why was Jim Morrison buried in Paris?
This was a question I had been thinking about. Didn't his family want his body sent back to the states?
The answer: Jim Morrison's music career had declined and he moved to Paris in March 1971. He was going through a weird phase in his life, wasn't on speaking terms with his parents and he had grown a beard which made him unrecognizable. In July 1971,he died of an overdose in Paris. At the time of his death, Jim Morrison had a trial pending n Florida for lewd behavior. It seems like it was easier for his family to simply have him buried in Paris. Also, Jim Morrison's father, a retired navy admiral, thought it was an honor for Jim to be buried in the same cemetery as Chopin, Oscar Wilde and other music and literary notables. Note to those in the Bay area - one of Jim Morrison's brothers was born in Los Altos (thank you Wikipedia).
Eiffel Tower Cam
Here's a link to the live Eiffel Tower cam: http://www.paris-live.com/paris_webcam/eiffel_tower_webcams.htm
Tomorrow is my last day in Paris. I have no specific plans.
Bonne Nuit
Fri May 21st - From Paris with Louvre
The clock is ticking... I have three days left in Paris. At times I want to do everything, other times nothing at all and hang out in the Champ du Mars.
My Social Experiment
Part of the fun of being on my own is trying new things. Knowing that if it doesn't go well, there are no witnesses.. at least ones that will remind me of it in the future. as an experiment, I decided to try saying Bonjour to complete strangers. I would select someone walking by themselves, usually middle aged or older. Each and every time without fail they have responded with a bonjour. It's as though it's the law or at least a well respected custom. I love it.
Marche Visit
Today was the first time that I swiped my credit card correctly on the first try at the super marche. I also had my things bagged up before the cashier had begun checking out the next customer. It was a proud moment. Now that I know the drill, it's almost time to go home.
Quiche
I was determined to cook again in the kitchen of the apartment. I wanted to make another bacon leek quiche like I had at the Cordon Bleu. Since there wasn't a tart pan at the apartment, I found one at the marche for the bargain price of 6 Euros. Yes, it's coming home with me.
It was a warm afternoon and I had the windows opened as I pre=baked the crust and prepped the filling. I enjoyed listening to my Paris music mix on my iPhone as I cooked. Strains of Edith Piaf and Nat King Cole (wonderful French versions of his songs) filled the air.
I took a break as the quiche cooled and then got ready to head out to the Louvre.
Something very weird happened today. Just before leaving for the Louvre, I felt a little light headed. I drank some water (it has been a warm day), then I realized all I'd had today was coffee and water. It was almost 5pm and I had absolutely forgotten to eat all day. I had a slice of the yummy quiche before I headed off to the Louvre.
Evening visit to the Louvre
This was my second visit to the Louvre for this trip. I was determined to see the Richelieu and Sully wings (I'd already visited the Denon wing when the family was here). As I approached the Louvre, I saw that the line was pretty long and there wasn't any special signage for groups. I had resigned myself to a bit of a wait when Madame came by and and motioned me through the special security entrance nearby. "Merci, Madame."
Most of the people entering the Louvre headed to the Denon wing (Mona Lisa, French paintings). I was pleased that I could skip the Denon. I looked for the wing with the least people, aha, Richelieu.
Richelieu
I spent some time exploring the area of sculptures which is located under Richelieu's glass pyramid. The light was amazing. It had been a very warm day and parts of the Louvre were positively HOT.
It felt good that I didn't have any "must see" items for this visit to the Louvre. I meandered through the sculpture area and entered the rooms with smaller sculptures (mostly religious). There is so much to see at the Louvre that it can be overwhelming. In a typical museum, I'd expect to see a few gorgeous sculptures not hundreds and hundreds.
I saw a sign that said "Napoleon's Apartment" and decided to check it out. Napoleon's apartment and residence had been preserved. It reminded me of Versailles and looked like Liberace would have been right at home. Napoleon's bedroom was interesting. The bed was rather small (not to surprising), there was a large area that looked more like a meeting space.
Medieval Louvre
Medieval Louvre is an area below the Louvre that I've never seen before. Long wooden plank walkways take you along the exterior of the medieval Louvre (remains of moat of the Louvre of Philippe-Auguste and Charles V, 12th to 14th century). Cool to see but a really long walk.
Sully
The Sully wing has the Egyptian collection. The artifacts are great, there's just so much, dare I say too much. The sarcophogus room has rows and rows from simple wooden to elaborately painted to huge stone monstrosities. My eyes were glazing over. The heat didn't help. I'd brought along my souvenir fan from Versailles (thank you Connie) as well as water.
I wrapped up the Louvre just before closing time. It felt good to get out in the fresh air. The sun was still setting over the Seine and the colors were positively amazing. Pinks, purples and reds that I knew I'd never be able to capture. So I walked for a bit and caught a taxi as the lights of Paris began their nightly show.
Bathrooms
When we first arrived in Paris, I warned my sister, Connie, that you never knew what was on the other side of the door until you enter the restroom. Also, be prepared to go on a hunt for the restroom in bistros and cafes. You may have to navigate a metal circular staircase to a dark, dank, basement hallway that looks like it was used as a shelter during the war.
In better establishments (such as Laduree on the Champs Elysees) the bathrooms are beautiful small condos ensuite with your water basin and towels right there.
For the most part, public bathrooms in Paris are rare and there's usually a long line. Last weekend, I counted sixty people (then stopped counting) in the queue for le toilettes at the Eiffel Tower.
The biggest surprise was the restroom at Versailles. This was not the main palace area but a building with a gift shop, very nice take-away restaurant near Marie Antoinette's "cottage." There were two stalls in the women's room. According to Connie, the handicapped stall was pretty ordinary. The second stall was not. I encountered what was essentially a large porcelain bowl affixed to the ground. Yes, it had a flush mechanism. Very bizarre and truly unexpected at Versailles.
At a small cafe in Montmartre, the woman showed us to the first floor restroom. It was past a bunch of cleaning supplies perched at the top of the landing before a steep staircase to the basement. On second thought, I can make my way up two flights to the other restroom. "Non, non, c'est bon." This is good. It was an acrobatic feat when Connie and I passed each other on the landing.
The bathroom at Au Pied de Cachon was very nice and had a wonderful view. Cynthia, my dinner companion, also noted that the handle on the bathroom door was a pig's foot. So sweet.
Too Good to Use
At the book signing, David Lebovitz recommended going back and using something considered "Too good to use." You know, that basket of little strawberries that are absolutely perfect. How did he know I had a basket of those very special strawberries?
On our last trip to Paris, we left an unopened bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne and caviar for the housekeepers. I was determined not to do that this time. After returning from the Louvre, I enjoyed Veuve champagne, blinis with caviar and some of the wonderful little strawberries.
Bonne Nuit
My Social Experiment
Part of the fun of being on my own is trying new things. Knowing that if it doesn't go well, there are no witnesses.. at least ones that will remind me of it in the future. as an experiment, I decided to try saying Bonjour to complete strangers. I would select someone walking by themselves, usually middle aged or older. Each and every time without fail they have responded with a bonjour. It's as though it's the law or at least a well respected custom. I love it.
Marche Visit
Today was the first time that I swiped my credit card correctly on the first try at the super marche. I also had my things bagged up before the cashier had begun checking out the next customer. It was a proud moment. Now that I know the drill, it's almost time to go home.
Quiche
I was determined to cook again in the kitchen of the apartment. I wanted to make another bacon leek quiche like I had at the Cordon Bleu. Since there wasn't a tart pan at the apartment, I found one at the marche for the bargain price of 6 Euros. Yes, it's coming home with me.
It was a warm afternoon and I had the windows opened as I pre=baked the crust and prepped the filling. I enjoyed listening to my Paris music mix on my iPhone as I cooked. Strains of Edith Piaf and Nat King Cole (wonderful French versions of his songs) filled the air.
I took a break as the quiche cooled and then got ready to head out to the Louvre.
Something very weird happened today. Just before leaving for the Louvre, I felt a little light headed. I drank some water (it has been a warm day), then I realized all I'd had today was coffee and water. It was almost 5pm and I had absolutely forgotten to eat all day. I had a slice of the yummy quiche before I headed off to the Louvre.
Evening visit to the Louvre
This was my second visit to the Louvre for this trip. I was determined to see the Richelieu and Sully wings (I'd already visited the Denon wing when the family was here). As I approached the Louvre, I saw that the line was pretty long and there wasn't any special signage for groups. I had resigned myself to a bit of a wait when Madame came by and and motioned me through the special security entrance nearby. "Merci, Madame."
Most of the people entering the Louvre headed to the Denon wing (Mona Lisa, French paintings). I was pleased that I could skip the Denon. I looked for the wing with the least people, aha, Richelieu.
Richelieu
I spent some time exploring the area of sculptures which is located under Richelieu's glass pyramid. The light was amazing. It had been a very warm day and parts of the Louvre were positively HOT.
It felt good that I didn't have any "must see" items for this visit to the Louvre. I meandered through the sculpture area and entered the rooms with smaller sculptures (mostly religious). There is so much to see at the Louvre that it can be overwhelming. In a typical museum, I'd expect to see a few gorgeous sculptures not hundreds and hundreds.
I saw a sign that said "Napoleon's Apartment" and decided to check it out. Napoleon's apartment and residence had been preserved. It reminded me of Versailles and looked like Liberace would have been right at home. Napoleon's bedroom was interesting. The bed was rather small (not to surprising), there was a large area that looked more like a meeting space.
Medieval Louvre
Medieval Louvre is an area below the Louvre that I've never seen before. Long wooden plank walkways take you along the exterior of the medieval Louvre (remains of moat of the Louvre of Philippe-Auguste and Charles V, 12th to 14th century). Cool to see but a really long walk.
Sully
The Sully wing has the Egyptian collection. The artifacts are great, there's just so much, dare I say too much. The sarcophogus room has rows and rows from simple wooden to elaborately painted to huge stone monstrosities. My eyes were glazing over. The heat didn't help. I'd brought along my souvenir fan from Versailles (thank you Connie) as well as water.
I wrapped up the Louvre just before closing time. It felt good to get out in the fresh air. The sun was still setting over the Seine and the colors were positively amazing. Pinks, purples and reds that I knew I'd never be able to capture. So I walked for a bit and caught a taxi as the lights of Paris began their nightly show.
Bathrooms
When we first arrived in Paris, I warned my sister, Connie, that you never knew what was on the other side of the door until you enter the restroom. Also, be prepared to go on a hunt for the restroom in bistros and cafes. You may have to navigate a metal circular staircase to a dark, dank, basement hallway that looks like it was used as a shelter during the war.
In better establishments (such as Laduree on the Champs Elysees) the bathrooms are beautiful small condos ensuite with your water basin and towels right there.
For the most part, public bathrooms in Paris are rare and there's usually a long line. Last weekend, I counted sixty people (then stopped counting) in the queue for le toilettes at the Eiffel Tower.
The biggest surprise was the restroom at Versailles. This was not the main palace area but a building with a gift shop, very nice take-away restaurant near Marie Antoinette's "cottage." There were two stalls in the women's room. According to Connie, the handicapped stall was pretty ordinary. The second stall was not. I encountered what was essentially a large porcelain bowl affixed to the ground. Yes, it had a flush mechanism. Very bizarre and truly unexpected at Versailles.
At a small cafe in Montmartre, the woman showed us to the first floor restroom. It was past a bunch of cleaning supplies perched at the top of the landing before a steep staircase to the basement. On second thought, I can make my way up two flights to the other restroom. "Non, non, c'est bon." This is good. It was an acrobatic feat when Connie and I passed each other on the landing.
The bathroom at Au Pied de Cachon was very nice and had a wonderful view. Cynthia, my dinner companion, also noted that the handle on the bathroom door was a pig's foot. So sweet.
Too Good to Use
At the book signing, David Lebovitz recommended going back and using something considered "Too good to use." You know, that basket of little strawberries that are absolutely perfect. How did he know I had a basket of those very special strawberries?
On our last trip to Paris, we left an unopened bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne and caviar for the housekeepers. I was determined not to do that this time. After returning from the Louvre, I enjoyed Veuve champagne, blinis with caviar and some of the wonderful little strawberries.
Bonne Nuit
Thurs May 20th: E. Dehillerin, Au Pied de Cochon
I woke up to the sound of sirens this morning... lots of sirens. Discovered later that there was a big art heist at a nearby museum last night. My alibi - after yesterday's grueling day, I couldn't walk through a museum. I didn't see anything unusual (no stocking masked guys, no big canvas bags with dollar signs painted on them) last night as I headed back from the book signing.
E. Dehillerin
In Preparation for my second visit tp E. Dehillerin, I have this phrase ready, "Quie est le prix?" (what is the price?). Nothing has price marked. One of the gentlemen needs to look in the book. I love this shop. Today, despite sore muscles, I was determined to venture to the downstairs area.
Today's experience was very different thanks to an especially sweet young man named Kim who helped me. Kim kiddingly accused me of being a spy for Williams Sonoma. I overheard a woman talking with Kim. She wanted a pepper grinder and she was very specific (and didn't want to spend a ton of money). I was curious about what Kim would recommend and followed. When Kim got the pepper grinders down, I admitted that I had been listening to their conversation and I would like one as well. The woman was a kick, "Don't you love this place?" "Yes I do. It's my second visit," I replied. Cynthia started telling me about her culinary quests in Paris. I was spellbound.
As we made out way up to the table and cashier area, we stopped and spoke for another 15 minutes or so. Her name was Cynthia and she was from Toronto. Although she'd had two weeks in Paris, she had a visitor that stayed too long and she had been sick. She had three days left and was determined to make up for lost time. After checking out, Cynthia asked if I'd like to get coffee. I told her that I was headed to Au Pied de Cochon for dinner. She shrieked, Au Pied de Cochon was on her list. We were definitely kindred spirits. I was ready to break my rule about going to Paris and hanging out with English speaking people.
Dinner at Au Pied de Cochon
Au Pied de Cochon sounds oh-so-romantic and it translates to "the foot of the pig." The restaurant is near the original Les Halles (wholesale food area) and it is where Julia Child would regularly stop to have their famous onion soup.
Cynthia pulled out her print-off to show me that Au Pied de Cochon was on her list. Cynthia had a treasure trove in her bag. She pulled out multiple varieties of sel du mer (sea salt). One was infused with vanilla bean smelled heavenly. I told Cynthia all about the cooking classes and the Julia Child tour. Cynthia also follows David Lebovitz. Yes, we definitely are kindred spirits.
The Special Menu
Cynthia speaks French very well. I was a bit tired and having a tough time navigating the menu at Au Pied de Cochon. Cynthia looked at it and started laughing, "This isn't French, I think it's Russian." "That's great, at least they didn't assume I'm American," I laughed. Once I had the English menu, I was set.
Au Pied de Cochon is a beautiful restaurant with a quiet park setting out front. So much more relaxing than the sidewalk cafes on busy streets with noise and exhaust, Cynthia noted. I couldn't agree more. The conversation flowed effortlessly and we had probably been there over an hour before we ordered.
Cynthia and I each had a bowl of the onion soup (considered one of the best in Paris). It did not disappoint, it was excellent. Cynthia had fresh oysters and I had the specialty, the Pied au Cochon - a pig's foot with a special spice rub. I'm not sure if it was fried or braised. It was served with bearnaise sauce and frites (fries). It was very good but very rich. David (aka Mr. foie gras) would absolutely love this.
By the time we finished our meal, and we had both started yawning, we exchanged email info and headed to the corner. I knew it was late but I was shocked that it was almost 11pm. We had been at the restaurant for over five hours. n all that time the waiter never stoppped by unprompted. We weren't rushed (and the restaurant was very busy). Most of the diners were French, which I always think is a good sign.
Cynthia and I walked to the corner hugged before parting ways. I felt like walking for a bit before heading back to the apartment.
Walk on the Wild Side
Later in the evening, some areas in Paris are very quiet, very dark. After venturing a few blocks, the cafes and bistros were less frequent. The streets got darker and some of the people I passed by were, let's say, interesting. At one point, a woman walked up to me to ask something As she began to speak, I looked at her, definitely a crack you-know-what. "No Francais."
I have done a good amount of traveling on my own and my instincts kicked in. I headed back toward the brighter, busier areas. I passed a very busy upscale nightclub called Le Cab. There was a long line of very well dressed people behind the ropes waiting to get in. There were also some gorgeous cars parked out front including a red Ferrarari and a yellow Lambhorgini. Definitely a happening place, I thought.
I walked a bit further and grabbed a taxi in front of the Hotel du Louvre.
It felt great to get back to the apartment.
Bonne Nuit
E. Dehillerin
In Preparation for my second visit tp E. Dehillerin, I have this phrase ready, "Quie est le prix?" (what is the price?). Nothing has price marked. One of the gentlemen needs to look in the book. I love this shop. Today, despite sore muscles, I was determined to venture to the downstairs area.
Today's experience was very different thanks to an especially sweet young man named Kim who helped me. Kim kiddingly accused me of being a spy for Williams Sonoma. I overheard a woman talking with Kim. She wanted a pepper grinder and she was very specific (and didn't want to spend a ton of money). I was curious about what Kim would recommend and followed. When Kim got the pepper grinders down, I admitted that I had been listening to their conversation and I would like one as well. The woman was a kick, "Don't you love this place?" "Yes I do. It's my second visit," I replied. Cynthia started telling me about her culinary quests in Paris. I was spellbound.
As we made out way up to the table and cashier area, we stopped and spoke for another 15 minutes or so. Her name was Cynthia and she was from Toronto. Although she'd had two weeks in Paris, she had a visitor that stayed too long and she had been sick. She had three days left and was determined to make up for lost time. After checking out, Cynthia asked if I'd like to get coffee. I told her that I was headed to Au Pied de Cochon for dinner. She shrieked, Au Pied de Cochon was on her list. We were definitely kindred spirits. I was ready to break my rule about going to Paris and hanging out with English speaking people.
Dinner at Au Pied de Cochon
Au Pied de Cochon sounds oh-so-romantic and it translates to "the foot of the pig." The restaurant is near the original Les Halles (wholesale food area) and it is where Julia Child would regularly stop to have their famous onion soup.
Cynthia pulled out her print-off to show me that Au Pied de Cochon was on her list. Cynthia had a treasure trove in her bag. She pulled out multiple varieties of sel du mer (sea salt). One was infused with vanilla bean smelled heavenly. I told Cynthia all about the cooking classes and the Julia Child tour. Cynthia also follows David Lebovitz. Yes, we definitely are kindred spirits.
The Special Menu
Cynthia speaks French very well. I was a bit tired and having a tough time navigating the menu at Au Pied de Cochon. Cynthia looked at it and started laughing, "This isn't French, I think it's Russian." "That's great, at least they didn't assume I'm American," I laughed. Once I had the English menu, I was set.
Au Pied de Cochon is a beautiful restaurant with a quiet park setting out front. So much more relaxing than the sidewalk cafes on busy streets with noise and exhaust, Cynthia noted. I couldn't agree more. The conversation flowed effortlessly and we had probably been there over an hour before we ordered.
Cynthia and I each had a bowl of the onion soup (considered one of the best in Paris). It did not disappoint, it was excellent. Cynthia had fresh oysters and I had the specialty, the Pied au Cochon - a pig's foot with a special spice rub. I'm not sure if it was fried or braised. It was served with bearnaise sauce and frites (fries). It was very good but very rich. David (aka Mr. foie gras) would absolutely love this.
By the time we finished our meal, and we had both started yawning, we exchanged email info and headed to the corner. I knew it was late but I was shocked that it was almost 11pm. We had been at the restaurant for over five hours. n all that time the waiter never stoppped by unprompted. We weren't rushed (and the restaurant was very busy). Most of the diners were French, which I always think is a good sign.
Cynthia and I walked to the corner hugged before parting ways. I felt like walking for a bit before heading back to the apartment.
Walk on the Wild Side
Later in the evening, some areas in Paris are very quiet, very dark. After venturing a few blocks, the cafes and bistros were less frequent. The streets got darker and some of the people I passed by were, let's say, interesting. At one point, a woman walked up to me to ask something As she began to speak, I looked at her, definitely a crack you-know-what. "No Francais."
I have done a good amount of traveling on my own and my instincts kicked in. I headed back toward the brighter, busier areas. I passed a very busy upscale nightclub called Le Cab. There was a long line of very well dressed people behind the ropes waiting to get in. There were also some gorgeous cars parked out front including a red Ferrarari and a yellow Lambhorgini. Definitely a happening place, I thought.
I walked a bit further and grabbed a taxi in front of the Hotel du Louvre.
It felt great to get back to the apartment.
Bonne Nuit
Weds May 19th: Pere Lachaise, David Lebovitz Book Signing
One of the great things about being on my own in Paris is deciding moment by moment what I want to do. I have a list of thing I'd like to while I'm in Paris (you know me, of course I have a list). I consider everything on the list optional.
As I was drinking my second cup of coffee this morning, I took a look at the list and spent a bit of time online looking at more info regarding the Pere Lachaise cemetary. The weather is great, that's where I will go.
My Favorite Park is Paris
After the hustle and bustle of the Champ du Mars area, I longed for some peace and quiet. My new favorite park is sprawling green space that's quiet, the sounds are song birds and buzzing bees, The trees and vines are lush and flowers abound. The monuments have lovely architectural details and there are loads of sculptures. Yes, this is the Pere Lachaise cemetary.
Pere Lachaise is the largest cemetary in Paris. It is full of hills and winding narrow cobblestone roads. The cemetary is divided into divisions and plots. I ws in search of my beloved Edith Piaf. After entering, I located Edith's division on the map near the guard shack. There were a handful of others I'd see if convenient. One of the mausoleums caught my eye. It was in the general direction of Edith so I headed over.
Many of the family monuments and mausoleums looked similar to the beautiful apartment buildings in Paris. I suppose you'd call is an art nouveau style, a small building adorned with black iron gates. An eternal chateau. A number of plots have life-size sculptures or busts. I suspect these were very important businessmen of their time. Even though the plots are for the family, the busts and statues are invariably the family patriarch. I suppose it's because he paid for the plot.
Rick Steves recommended good walking shoes for Pere Lachaise and we wasn't kidding. The old cobblestone walkways are very uneven and once you're off the walkway, you need to watch every step. Even with being careful, I turned my ankle twice with mis-steps.
I took my time, enjoying the peaceful surroundings and taking photographs. Eventually, I resumed my quest - looking for Edith. The afternoon got very warm and the hills started to take their toll. Two older German couples approached. Since I don't speak German and only a bit of French, I braced myself and mentally preparea a "Non parlez vouz Francais." Then, one of the women said, "Edith Piaf?" Yes, we spoke tha same language. Although we were in the right general area, we spent the next 20 minutes working together to find Edith. I heard a loud and excited, "Madame, Madame."
Edith is buried in a modest family plat marked Gassion-Piaf. It's easy to miss. There were a few flowers but not the scores I'd expected. There isn't a special marker or plaque discussing Edith's accomplishments, There isn't a portrait f Edith etched into stone. A simple, black stone sarcophagus type of thing, so common for the Pere Lachaise. I left the roses I'd brought with me.
The German woman offered to take a photo of me and I eagerly accepted. After the Germans left, I decided to take a video of the plot. Then the wheels started turning, I had my iPhone with all of my music. How about a sound track? Ordinarily, it would have seemed gauche. But today, there were tree trimmers nearby and their noise was very loud. A little sweet music would be a relief. I fired up my favorite Edith Piaf song, "La Vie en Rose" and took my video.
I didn't realize how many people were nearby looking for Edith. The music seemed to be a beacon. A steady stream of people trickled over. I finished my video and packed up. If I don't find Oscar Wllde, Jim Morrison or Chopin, I'm good. I found the little sparrow, my beloved Edith.
I decided to meander in (what I thought was) the direction of the main entrance to the cemetary. The quiet peace of Pere Lachaise was relaxing. After a long uphill stretch, I saw some amazing views of Paris. My feet and back were starting to ache. In the distance saw a couple of young guys with backpacks, the a young goth couple and an older hippie guy. Jim Morrison must be nearby. I saw four people huddled near a grave. Yes, it was Jim. I'm still not sure why he's buried in Paris. When I have the time and desire, I'll find out.
Jim Morrison's grave is downright austere. A non-descript cement slab. Today, there were a few flowers, a couple of handmade tributes with photos. No whiskey bottles. There is an interesting Greek quote on the tombstone: "Kata ton daimoma eaytoy" which translates to "True to his own spirit."
After another 45 minutes or so, I finally found my way out of Pere Lachaise and headed back to the apartment. It was 4pm and I was ready for a late lunch and a nap.
David Lebovitz Book Signing
I'm a great fan of ex-patriot pastry chef and author David Lebovitz. He worked at Chez Panisse in Berkeley and he's liven in Paris for almost ten years. His blog is witty, irreverent and full of valuable info about Paris (DavidLebovitz.com).
Unfortunately, David's culinary tour for May sold out in a matter of minutes. I was thrilled to find out that David has a new book that's just come out and he's doing a book signing event here in Paris during my stay. Unlike the states, the event at W.H. Smith required an RSVP. Paris is so civilized.
David's book "A Sweet Life in Paris" helped prepare me for my time here on my own. There are so many funny anecdotes about everyday life in Paris. I was well prepared for the Parisians to cut inline at the market. There were times when I let it slide and other times they met "Monsoir Elbow." I'm still polite, I'll give you a "Pardon" or two, then gently push my way through.
In defense of the French, especially the Parisians, it seems like the tourists that come to Paris temporarily lose their minds. They'll stop in the middle of a busy narrow sidewalk and gather the whole family around for a look at a map. To Clarify, when I say tourists, I mean all tourists, not just Americans.
I arrived at the book signing event a few minutes late. A woman was in the process of introducing David. The main level of the bookstore was jam packed and incredibly HOT. Once David took the mic, I could finally see him when the tall guy in front of me moved to the left. David was as witty and personable as I'd hoped. The volcano had delayed shipments so David hadn't seen a copy of the new cookbook until today.
David also mentioned that he mailed his check to Schwab six weeks ago and still wasn't sure if it had arrived. That was too funny. After a half hour or so of anecdotes and acknowledgments, David began signing. I was surprised that half of the people left
When I finally got a chance to have my books signed, I mentioned that I work for Charles Schwab and that I'm on sabbatical. David absolutely gushed about how much he loves Schwab and that "the people at Schwab know what they're doing." This was good to hear. David was not at all heppy with the financial institution he was in the process of moving his accounts out of.
I removed my "Schwab Ambassador to the World" ribbon as I left WH Smith and walked down Rue de Rivoli. The fresh air felt wonderful.
As I was drinking my second cup of coffee this morning, I took a look at the list and spent a bit of time online looking at more info regarding the Pere Lachaise cemetary. The weather is great, that's where I will go.
My Favorite Park is Paris
After the hustle and bustle of the Champ du Mars area, I longed for some peace and quiet. My new favorite park is sprawling green space that's quiet, the sounds are song birds and buzzing bees, The trees and vines are lush and flowers abound. The monuments have lovely architectural details and there are loads of sculptures. Yes, this is the Pere Lachaise cemetary.
Pere Lachaise is the largest cemetary in Paris. It is full of hills and winding narrow cobblestone roads. The cemetary is divided into divisions and plots. I ws in search of my beloved Edith Piaf. After entering, I located Edith's division on the map near the guard shack. There were a handful of others I'd see if convenient. One of the mausoleums caught my eye. It was in the general direction of Edith so I headed over.
Many of the family monuments and mausoleums looked similar to the beautiful apartment buildings in Paris. I suppose you'd call is an art nouveau style, a small building adorned with black iron gates. An eternal chateau. A number of plots have life-size sculptures or busts. I suspect these were very important businessmen of their time. Even though the plots are for the family, the busts and statues are invariably the family patriarch. I suppose it's because he paid for the plot.
Rick Steves recommended good walking shoes for Pere Lachaise and we wasn't kidding. The old cobblestone walkways are very uneven and once you're off the walkway, you need to watch every step. Even with being careful, I turned my ankle twice with mis-steps.
I took my time, enjoying the peaceful surroundings and taking photographs. Eventually, I resumed my quest - looking for Edith. The afternoon got very warm and the hills started to take their toll. Two older German couples approached. Since I don't speak German and only a bit of French, I braced myself and mentally preparea a "Non parlez vouz Francais." Then, one of the women said, "Edith Piaf?" Yes, we spoke tha same language. Although we were in the right general area, we spent the next 20 minutes working together to find Edith. I heard a loud and excited, "Madame, Madame."
Edith is buried in a modest family plat marked Gassion-Piaf. It's easy to miss. There were a few flowers but not the scores I'd expected. There isn't a special marker or plaque discussing Edith's accomplishments, There isn't a portrait f Edith etched into stone. A simple, black stone sarcophagus type of thing, so common for the Pere Lachaise. I left the roses I'd brought with me.
The German woman offered to take a photo of me and I eagerly accepted. After the Germans left, I decided to take a video of the plot. Then the wheels started turning, I had my iPhone with all of my music. How about a sound track? Ordinarily, it would have seemed gauche. But today, there were tree trimmers nearby and their noise was very loud. A little sweet music would be a relief. I fired up my favorite Edith Piaf song, "La Vie en Rose" and took my video.
I didn't realize how many people were nearby looking for Edith. The music seemed to be a beacon. A steady stream of people trickled over. I finished my video and packed up. If I don't find Oscar Wllde, Jim Morrison or Chopin, I'm good. I found the little sparrow, my beloved Edith.
I decided to meander in (what I thought was) the direction of the main entrance to the cemetary. The quiet peace of Pere Lachaise was relaxing. After a long uphill stretch, I saw some amazing views of Paris. My feet and back were starting to ache. In the distance saw a couple of young guys with backpacks, the a young goth couple and an older hippie guy. Jim Morrison must be nearby. I saw four people huddled near a grave. Yes, it was Jim. I'm still not sure why he's buried in Paris. When I have the time and desire, I'll find out.
Jim Morrison's grave is downright austere. A non-descript cement slab. Today, there were a few flowers, a couple of handmade tributes with photos. No whiskey bottles. There is an interesting Greek quote on the tombstone: "Kata ton daimoma eaytoy" which translates to "True to his own spirit."
After another 45 minutes or so, I finally found my way out of Pere Lachaise and headed back to the apartment. It was 4pm and I was ready for a late lunch and a nap.
David Lebovitz Book Signing
I'm a great fan of ex-patriot pastry chef and author David Lebovitz. He worked at Chez Panisse in Berkeley and he's liven in Paris for almost ten years. His blog is witty, irreverent and full of valuable info about Paris (DavidLebovitz.com).
Unfortunately, David's culinary tour for May sold out in a matter of minutes. I was thrilled to find out that David has a new book that's just come out and he's doing a book signing event here in Paris during my stay. Unlike the states, the event at W.H. Smith required an RSVP. Paris is so civilized.
David's book "A Sweet Life in Paris" helped prepare me for my time here on my own. There are so many funny anecdotes about everyday life in Paris. I was well prepared for the Parisians to cut inline at the market. There were times when I let it slide and other times they met "Monsoir Elbow." I'm still polite, I'll give you a "Pardon" or two, then gently push my way through.
In defense of the French, especially the Parisians, it seems like the tourists that come to Paris temporarily lose their minds. They'll stop in the middle of a busy narrow sidewalk and gather the whole family around for a look at a map. To Clarify, when I say tourists, I mean all tourists, not just Americans.
I arrived at the book signing event a few minutes late. A woman was in the process of introducing David. The main level of the bookstore was jam packed and incredibly HOT. Once David took the mic, I could finally see him when the tall guy in front of me moved to the left. David was as witty and personable as I'd hoped. The volcano had delayed shipments so David hadn't seen a copy of the new cookbook until today.
David also mentioned that he mailed his check to Schwab six weeks ago and still wasn't sure if it had arrived. That was too funny. After a half hour or so of anecdotes and acknowledgments, David began signing. I was surprised that half of the people left
When I finally got a chance to have my books signed, I mentioned that I work for Charles Schwab and that I'm on sabbatical. David absolutely gushed about how much he loves Schwab and that "the people at Schwab know what they're doing." This was good to hear. David was not at all heppy with the financial institution he was in the process of moving his accounts out of.
I removed my "Schwab Ambassador to the World" ribbon as I left WH Smith and walked down Rue de Rivoli. The fresh air felt wonderful.
Tues May 18th: Quiet Day
Today was a low-key day. It felt good to sleep in, drink coffee and relax. Later in the day I went for a walk and bought some fresh roses for the apartment. I also ventured into a produce shop, the kind where you don't touch the produce.
Produce Market
I asked for the raison noir (dark grapes). I'm so used to touching, squeezing and smelling produce before I select. This is very different and requires an element of trust. The gentleman in the lab coat (one of three at this busy shop) holds of a bunch of grapes, "Oui, c'est bon. D'accord." I think I just said "Yes, it's good. ok." He shakes his head in agreement and wraps them up. I prepare to pay, no, I need to pay the lab coat guy at the counter. "D'accord, merci."
Although I'm not sure what he just said, I know that the lab soat guy at the counter doesn't want a 10 Euro note (for a 8.10 purchase). Do I have change. I eventually dump out all my change and he takes most of it. I can live with this.. at least my entire exchange was in French.
Souvenir Guys
One souvenir shopkeep who speaks very good English likes to ask, "Where is Madame headed today?" My regular answer, "In this direction." Smile, laugh and walk. Even the souvenir guys at the Champ du Mars have stopped trying to sell me stuff and would simply exchange a polite "Bonjour" or "Bon Soir."
The souvenir guys seemed to have their turf / areas of the Champ du Mars. I noticed that I'd see the same guys as I entered and left the front door of the apartment building. When the souvenir guys would ask "Are you American," my answer was always, "Not this week." At first they looked perplexed by the response. Later, they seemed to find it very funny. It has become a running gag.
Bonne Nuit
Produce Market
I asked for the raison noir (dark grapes). I'm so used to touching, squeezing and smelling produce before I select. This is very different and requires an element of trust. The gentleman in the lab coat (one of three at this busy shop) holds of a bunch of grapes, "Oui, c'est bon. D'accord." I think I just said "Yes, it's good. ok." He shakes his head in agreement and wraps them up. I prepare to pay, no, I need to pay the lab coat guy at the counter. "D'accord, merci."
Although I'm not sure what he just said, I know that the lab soat guy at the counter doesn't want a 10 Euro note (for a 8.10 purchase). Do I have change. I eventually dump out all my change and he takes most of it. I can live with this.. at least my entire exchange was in French.
Souvenir Guys
One souvenir shopkeep who speaks very good English likes to ask, "Where is Madame headed today?" My regular answer, "In this direction." Smile, laugh and walk. Even the souvenir guys at the Champ du Mars have stopped trying to sell me stuff and would simply exchange a polite "Bonjour" or "Bon Soir."
The souvenir guys seemed to have their turf / areas of the Champ du Mars. I noticed that I'd see the same guys as I entered and left the front door of the apartment building. When the souvenir guys would ask "Are you American," my answer was always, "Not this week." At first they looked perplexed by the response. Later, they seemed to find it very funny. It has become a running gag.
Bonne Nuit
Mon May 17th - Cooking Class at Le Violon d"Ingres
I fly out next Monday morning. As it gets closer to the end of the trip, time seems to be passing at a faster rate (maybe it's just my sense of time).
Cooking Class at Le Violon d"Ingres
Chef Stéphane Schmidt, formerly of the Hotel Crillon, teaches the class and he speaks fluent English, so there were no ‘Lost in Translation’ problems.
This was a very small class with a total of five students. I was really looking forward to this class since it takes place in a working kitchen and it is truly hands on. Our class was at a table in the middle of a working kitchen. There were eight people working in the kitchen as they prepped for the lunch.
Le Violon is one of four restaurants Christan Constant has in Paris. They are adjacent to each other and each has a different persona. Le Violon is fine dining and considered Chef Constant's flagship restaurant.
After a good sup of coffee, our class began. Stations had been prepped around a table in the kitchen. I enjoyed periodically watching the prep staff. Each of the seven had specific assignments. One was assigned to artichokes (cutting out the hearts). He was at it for more than an hour. Things move very quickly in a working kitchen. You have to be aware of what you are doing and who is nearby. There are a lot of busy knives and many boiling pots.
My fantasy chef world involves finding the best produce at the market and developing an inspired menu. It never includes the real world of "dues paying" and being assigned to prepping things like celery, onions and artichokes for months at a time.
Chef Schmidt handed us sheets with our menu: quail stuffed with foie gras (served on a bed of vegetables) and creme caramel. Chef also decided to include a pea soup since the peas looked especially good at the market that morning.
Pea Soup
We all worked at shelling the peas (approx 2 lbs). We saved the shells and got rid of the bad bits/ end bits. The peas were boiled in salted water then immersed in cold water which helped them retain a vivid green color. immersion had helped them retain their texture and vivid green color. The shells were boiled in chicken stock.
For serving, a few of the blanched peas were placed in the bottom of the bowl along with matchstick slices of the chorizo sausage, a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley and some of the tiny croutons. Then, a spoonful of the mink infused foam was placed on top. The bowls were all placed at the table. The soup came out in a large tureen and was ladled into each bowl.
Vegetable Mixture
The vegetable mixture included potatoes, onions and mushrooms. The small golden round potatoes that were from a special island off the coast of Great Britain (note to self - small yukon golds will work fine). We used paring knives to scrape the potato skin away and dropped our cleaned potatoes into a stainless bowl that had cold water.
The spring onions were about the same diameter as a quarter and still had the greens attached. We removed the outer layer and left approximately an inch of the green with the onion.
The chantrelle mushrooms were quartered. Chef recommends rinsing mushrooms in water and drying them on a towel.
The onions were sauteed with bacon, potatoes boild for 5 minutes in salted water for about 5 minutes then adder to the onions along with parsley and fresh thyme sprigs. After the potatoes and onion started to brown the mushrooms were added. They all cooked together for about a minute then were moved off the burner to cool.
We added salt and pepper to both sides of the quail and the chef gave each of us a slice of the foie gras (about half the size of a deck of cards). I was tickled that we were given wooden skewers to secure the quail after we'd folded them up. I use wooden skewers for turkey at home.
The quails were sauteed in peanut oil and butter. Interesting note - the chef used peanut oil to brown the quails. He prefers peanut oil because it can handle a high temp and it's priced well. Also, with olive oil at a high temp, the flavor cooks off. For times when you'd like the flavor of olive oil, chef recommended adding a bit of good olive oil at the end.
About a cup of the veg mixture was placed in the bottom of a very small oval cast iron covered pan. The browned quail was placed on top (breast side up) and brushed with butter. The top was placed on the pan and the pans went into a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.
Creme Caramel
The creme caramel was a fairly standard recipe (eggs, whole milk, sugar and two fresh vanilla beans). Chef Schmidt had a large non-stick metal mold. The browned sugar syrup (caramel) was poured into the bottom and allowed to rest. Then the egg vanila mixture was poured on top and it was placed into a pan with about an inch of very hot water. Some of the flecks of vanilla were visible at the surface of the mixture as the chef transported it to the oven. Since it needs at least three hours to cool after baking, chef had a pre-made creme caramel for us to have with our lunch. Chef also noted that creme caramel is great made a day ahead.
Q&A with Chef Schmidt
Q. How do you select peas at the market?
A. You open a few and make sure that the peas are good sized (not tiny, not too big).
Q. How do you determine the specials / menu for the restaurant?
A. Based on what looks best at the market in the morning.
We headed out to the restaurant and took a break as the quail finished cooking. The entire group was ready and more than willing when Chef Stefane asked, "Would anyone like a glass of wine?" After a bit of white wine and discussion, we headed back to the kitchen to check on the quail. Yes, they were ready.
For lunch, we ate what we'd prepared; pea soup, quail stuffed with fois gras and had the creme caramel for dessert. The soup was excellent and something I may make at home (maybe without the mint foam). The quail was flavorful and after cooking the foie gras had melded with the meat providing that special something that you couldn't quite identify. The vegetables were amazing. They had taken on a bit of the quail and foie gras flavor (sorry, David, I probably won't be making this dish at home).
The creme caramel was light and the vanilla beans provided an excellent flavor. I haven't used vanilla beans before but I am ready to trek to Draeger's when I get back. An option for the creme caramel is adding a bit of Grand Marnier and orange zest. That I can do!
At the end of the meal, Chef gave each of us a copy of the new Christian Constant cookbook. I love the inscription, "Cooking is feeling."
Opera Garnier
After the cooking class, I headed back to the apartment. Instead of feeling ready for a nap, I felt surprisingly energized. Okay, maybe it was the espresso at the end of the meal. After freshening up, I headed to the Opera Garnier for another look. When I got there, I started taking photos of the exterior and discovered that my camera had no charge left (yes, I took a lot of photos during the cooking class).
The combination of knowing I'd have to commit details to memory along with this being my final visit to Opera Garnier during this trip forced me to take time, walk slowly and really take it all in. The main auditorium was closed for rehearsals which was fne since I'd already spent two hours in there. Since I didn't have my camera, I bought a book of photos in the gift shop.
After Opera Garnier, I wanted to keep going and get one more stop in so I headed to the Grande Palais. It's a beautiful building and I wanted to see the inside. The line wasn't too long. After waiting for 30 minutes and noticing that the line hadn't moved, I asked an American woman if whe knew why it was taking so long. Apparently there are tickete with entry times and people with those can enter immediately. Those in the general admission queue would wait. It was going to be another hour before I'd get in.
Since it was after 4pm and the Grande Palais was open until 6pm, I decided to leave. The Palais wasn't quite grande enough to warrant a long wait at the end of a long day. If I get back, I get back. Otherwise, I'll see it as I'm heading places during the week and I can always check out images on the Web.
It felt good to get back to the apartment!
Cooking Class at Le Violon d"Ingres
Chef Stéphane Schmidt, formerly of the Hotel Crillon, teaches the class and he speaks fluent English, so there were no ‘Lost in Translation’ problems.
This was a very small class with a total of five students. I was really looking forward to this class since it takes place in a working kitchen and it is truly hands on. Our class was at a table in the middle of a working kitchen. There were eight people working in the kitchen as they prepped for the lunch.
Le Violon is one of four restaurants Christan Constant has in Paris. They are adjacent to each other and each has a different persona. Le Violon is fine dining and considered Chef Constant's flagship restaurant.
After a good sup of coffee, our class began. Stations had been prepped around a table in the kitchen. I enjoyed periodically watching the prep staff. Each of the seven had specific assignments. One was assigned to artichokes (cutting out the hearts). He was at it for more than an hour. Things move very quickly in a working kitchen. You have to be aware of what you are doing and who is nearby. There are a lot of busy knives and many boiling pots.
My fantasy chef world involves finding the best produce at the market and developing an inspired menu. It never includes the real world of "dues paying" and being assigned to prepping things like celery, onions and artichokes for months at a time.
Chef Schmidt handed us sheets with our menu: quail stuffed with foie gras (served on a bed of vegetables) and creme caramel. Chef also decided to include a pea soup since the peas looked especially good at the market that morning.
Pea Soup
We all worked at shelling the peas (approx 2 lbs). We saved the shells and got rid of the bad bits/ end bits. The peas were boiled in salted water then immersed in cold water which helped them retain a vivid green color. immersion had helped them retain their texture and vivid green color. The shells were boiled in chicken stock.
For serving, a few of the blanched peas were placed in the bottom of the bowl along with matchstick slices of the chorizo sausage, a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley and some of the tiny croutons. Then, a spoonful of the mink infused foam was placed on top. The bowls were all placed at the table. The soup came out in a large tureen and was ladled into each bowl.
Vegetable Mixture
The vegetable mixture included potatoes, onions and mushrooms. The small golden round potatoes that were from a special island off the coast of Great Britain (note to self - small yukon golds will work fine). We used paring knives to scrape the potato skin away and dropped our cleaned potatoes into a stainless bowl that had cold water.
The spring onions were about the same diameter as a quarter and still had the greens attached. We removed the outer layer and left approximately an inch of the green with the onion.
The chantrelle mushrooms were quartered. Chef recommends rinsing mushrooms in water and drying them on a towel.
The onions were sauteed with bacon, potatoes boild for 5 minutes in salted water for about 5 minutes then adder to the onions along with parsley and fresh thyme sprigs. After the potatoes and onion started to brown the mushrooms were added. They all cooked together for about a minute then were moved off the burner to cool.
We added salt and pepper to both sides of the quail and the chef gave each of us a slice of the foie gras (about half the size of a deck of cards). I was tickled that we were given wooden skewers to secure the quail after we'd folded them up. I use wooden skewers for turkey at home.
The quails were sauteed in peanut oil and butter. Interesting note - the chef used peanut oil to brown the quails. He prefers peanut oil because it can handle a high temp and it's priced well. Also, with olive oil at a high temp, the flavor cooks off. For times when you'd like the flavor of olive oil, chef recommended adding a bit of good olive oil at the end.
About a cup of the veg mixture was placed in the bottom of a very small oval cast iron covered pan. The browned quail was placed on top (breast side up) and brushed with butter. The top was placed on the pan and the pans went into a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.
Creme Caramel
The creme caramel was a fairly standard recipe (eggs, whole milk, sugar and two fresh vanilla beans). Chef Schmidt had a large non-stick metal mold. The browned sugar syrup (caramel) was poured into the bottom and allowed to rest. Then the egg vanila mixture was poured on top and it was placed into a pan with about an inch of very hot water. Some of the flecks of vanilla were visible at the surface of the mixture as the chef transported it to the oven. Since it needs at least three hours to cool after baking, chef had a pre-made creme caramel for us to have with our lunch. Chef also noted that creme caramel is great made a day ahead.
Q&A with Chef Schmidt
Q. How do you select peas at the market?
A. You open a few and make sure that the peas are good sized (not tiny, not too big).
Q. How do you determine the specials / menu for the restaurant?
A. Based on what looks best at the market in the morning.
We headed out to the restaurant and took a break as the quail finished cooking. The entire group was ready and more than willing when Chef Stefane asked, "Would anyone like a glass of wine?" After a bit of white wine and discussion, we headed back to the kitchen to check on the quail. Yes, they were ready.
For lunch, we ate what we'd prepared; pea soup, quail stuffed with fois gras and had the creme caramel for dessert. The soup was excellent and something I may make at home (maybe without the mint foam). The quail was flavorful and after cooking the foie gras had melded with the meat providing that special something that you couldn't quite identify. The vegetables were amazing. They had taken on a bit of the quail and foie gras flavor (sorry, David, I probably won't be making this dish at home).
The creme caramel was light and the vanilla beans provided an excellent flavor. I haven't used vanilla beans before but I am ready to trek to Draeger's when I get back. An option for the creme caramel is adding a bit of Grand Marnier and orange zest. That I can do!
At the end of the meal, Chef gave each of us a copy of the new Christian Constant cookbook. I love the inscription, "Cooking is feeling."
Opera Garnier
After the cooking class, I headed back to the apartment. Instead of feeling ready for a nap, I felt surprisingly energized. Okay, maybe it was the espresso at the end of the meal. After freshening up, I headed to the Opera Garnier for another look. When I got there, I started taking photos of the exterior and discovered that my camera had no charge left (yes, I took a lot of photos during the cooking class).
The combination of knowing I'd have to commit details to memory along with this being my final visit to Opera Garnier during this trip forced me to take time, walk slowly and really take it all in. The main auditorium was closed for rehearsals which was fne since I'd already spent two hours in there. Since I didn't have my camera, I bought a book of photos in the gift shop.
After Opera Garnier, I wanted to keep going and get one more stop in so I headed to the Grande Palais. It's a beautiful building and I wanted to see the inside. The line wasn't too long. After waiting for 30 minutes and noticing that the line hadn't moved, I asked an American woman if whe knew why it was taking so long. Apparently there are tickete with entry times and people with those can enter immediately. Those in the general admission queue would wait. It was going to be another hour before I'd get in.
Since it was after 4pm and the Grande Palais was open until 6pm, I decided to leave. The Palais wasn't quite grande enough to warrant a long wait at the end of a long day. If I get back, I get back. Otherwise, I'll see it as I'm heading places during the week and I can always check out images on the Web.
It felt good to get back to the apartment!
Sun May 16th: My Last Week in Paris
I'm about to begin my last week in Paris. Today is quiet. A bit cooler and cloudy. Good day for a load of laundry in the mini washer and dryer that doesn't dry. The last load of socks (load = six pairs of cotton crew socks with padded bottoms) took more than eight hours to dry.
Bird Show at the Champ du Mars
After prepping the trash, I decided to take my old baguette pieces to the champ du Mars and feed the birds. The pigeons came over as I pulled out the first piece of bread. They seem to enjoy small bits rather than chunks. The black birds are aggressive. After about five minutes, there were 6 pigeons and 20 + blackbirds gathered. The blackbirds were able to catch a piece of bread while in flight. I had a lot of leftover bread (I think there's a law that you can't eat old baguettes in Paris).
I didn't realize that there was a small group gathered for the bird show. The children cheered as the blackbirds caught bread while in flight and sped off to enjoy it as they relaxed under a distant tree. If I lived in Paris, I'd eventually become known as the bird lady of the Champ du Mars.
This evening, I had dinner at a local brasserie (something with Tour Eiffel in the name). The entree was a veal dish with mushrooms and vegetables. Very good meal. I am consistently impressed with the quality of the house red at the local bistros and brasseries. In the states, house red is typically barely drinkable (especially at a busy place in a touristy area). Not in Paris.
When you walk into a brasserie, after exchanging the required "Bonjour," the first question is meal or drink? If you're having a meal, you can typically select any table you'd like. Drinks only, you won't get a window seat.
Bonne Nuit
Bird Show at the Champ du Mars
After prepping the trash, I decided to take my old baguette pieces to the champ du Mars and feed the birds. The pigeons came over as I pulled out the first piece of bread. They seem to enjoy small bits rather than chunks. The black birds are aggressive. After about five minutes, there were 6 pigeons and 20 + blackbirds gathered. The blackbirds were able to catch a piece of bread while in flight. I had a lot of leftover bread (I think there's a law that you can't eat old baguettes in Paris).
I didn't realize that there was a small group gathered for the bird show. The children cheered as the blackbirds caught bread while in flight and sped off to enjoy it as they relaxed under a distant tree. If I lived in Paris, I'd eventually become known as the bird lady of the Champ du Mars.
This evening, I had dinner at a local brasserie (something with Tour Eiffel in the name). The entree was a veal dish with mushrooms and vegetables. Very good meal. I am consistently impressed with the quality of the house red at the local bistros and brasseries. In the states, house red is typically barely drinkable (especially at a busy place in a touristy area). Not in Paris.
When you walk into a brasserie, after exchanging the required "Bonjour," the first question is meal or drink? If you're having a meal, you can typically select any table you'd like. Drinks only, you won't get a window seat.
Bonne Nuit
Sat May 15th: Marche Day and Down Time
Weekends are especially busy in the area with an influx of visitors for the Eiffel Tower. After a few busy days, I decided to relax and hang out in the 7th.
Had a leisurely morning with coffee and prepping post cards. The closest postal box is at the Eiffel Tower.
Since most markets are closed on Sundays, I headed to the marche (market) today. For the first time, I took the trolley - a large marketing bag on wheels and a staple for Parisians. There was no was I was going to carry bottled water (the small water bottles are convenient for long walks) and a couple bottles of wine back to the apartment.
I placed my bag inside the trolley and headed down the Avenue de la Bourdonnais past the bistros, cafes and souvenir shops. The locals are much friendlier when you have le rolling cart. I wasn't sure what I should do with the trolley once I got to the market. Do I place all mu stuff in it as I shop? Do I struggle with a small cart and the trolley? Once I got inside the marche, I had the answer. There was a line of trolleys along the aisle (after the cashiers). I parked mine in the middle. After the marche, i stoppd by the butcher shop for a fresh rotisserie chicken. I didn't feel like dinner out and I didn't want to cook.
Doing the Cannes Cannes
The Cannes film festival began this week. The best part of the broadcasts - the American film people speak in English. I'm not sure if all the quotes get back to the states.
Woody Allen's advice for life: "Be young and get the girl." Do you really want to go with that one, Woody "married your stepdaughter" Allen.
Oliver Stone: His wierd moustache makes him look very pervy. He was on a panel with the cast of the new "Wall Street" movie (Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeof, etc). Right out the gate Oliver did his best Beavis and Butthead impersonation as he conveyed that he didn't speak French, "He he, he he."
Michael Douglas: I was surprised that Michael Douglas appears to speak and understand French pretty well. He either had a recent facial peel or a bad sunburn. I have a personal theory about actors and actresses. If they're really good at playing a particular role, I'll bet that's the way they are in real life. For Douglas, it's the powerful, wealthy master manipulator. I'd love to discover that he's a nich normal guy who loves puppies and cries during sad movies.
A beautiful French woman with quite the bouffant (a contemporary French beehive) stepped onto the stage with a big cigar. That set off Stone and Douglas as they had a drooling contest. She delivered the weather report for Cannen, then Douglas asked her to put the cigar in her mouth again. Right on cue, Stone added, "He he, he he."
American Movies and Music
The French love American movies and music. For the music part, I'll swap Green Day and Lady Gaga for Edith Piaf... at least during this month. In reality, I'm a big fan of Green Day and Lady Gaga. Surprise.
Searching for Princess Caroline
Princess Caroline of Monaco has an apartment nearby. I have a description so I thought I'd take a walk this evening and go looking for it. After searching for a bit, I didn't find it and decided to return to the apartment.
Bonne Nuit
Had a leisurely morning with coffee and prepping post cards. The closest postal box is at the Eiffel Tower.
Since most markets are closed on Sundays, I headed to the marche (market) today. For the first time, I took the trolley - a large marketing bag on wheels and a staple for Parisians. There was no was I was going to carry bottled water (the small water bottles are convenient for long walks) and a couple bottles of wine back to the apartment.
I placed my bag inside the trolley and headed down the Avenue de la Bourdonnais past the bistros, cafes and souvenir shops. The locals are much friendlier when you have le rolling cart. I wasn't sure what I should do with the trolley once I got to the market. Do I place all mu stuff in it as I shop? Do I struggle with a small cart and the trolley? Once I got inside the marche, I had the answer. There was a line of trolleys along the aisle (after the cashiers). I parked mine in the middle. After the marche, i stoppd by the butcher shop for a fresh rotisserie chicken. I didn't feel like dinner out and I didn't want to cook.
Doing the Cannes Cannes
The Cannes film festival began this week. The best part of the broadcasts - the American film people speak in English. I'm not sure if all the quotes get back to the states.
Woody Allen's advice for life: "Be young and get the girl." Do you really want to go with that one, Woody "married your stepdaughter" Allen.
Oliver Stone: His wierd moustache makes him look very pervy. He was on a panel with the cast of the new "Wall Street" movie (Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeof, etc). Right out the gate Oliver did his best Beavis and Butthead impersonation as he conveyed that he didn't speak French, "He he, he he."
Michael Douglas: I was surprised that Michael Douglas appears to speak and understand French pretty well. He either had a recent facial peel or a bad sunburn. I have a personal theory about actors and actresses. If they're really good at playing a particular role, I'll bet that's the way they are in real life. For Douglas, it's the powerful, wealthy master manipulator. I'd love to discover that he's a nich normal guy who loves puppies and cries during sad movies.
A beautiful French woman with quite the bouffant (a contemporary French beehive) stepped onto the stage with a big cigar. That set off Stone and Douglas as they had a drooling contest. She delivered the weather report for Cannen, then Douglas asked her to put the cigar in her mouth again. Right on cue, Stone added, "He he, he he."
American Movies and Music
The French love American movies and music. For the music part, I'll swap Green Day and Lady Gaga for Edith Piaf... at least during this month. In reality, I'm a big fan of Green Day and Lady Gaga. Surprise.
Searching for Princess Caroline
Princess Caroline of Monaco has an apartment nearby. I have a description so I thought I'd take a walk this evening and go looking for it. After searching for a bit, I didn't find it and decided to return to the apartment.
Bonne Nuit
Fri May 14th: Monet's Garden at Giverny
After seeing so many of Monet's paintings at Musee D'Orsay, I decided to do take a trip to Monet's house and garden in Giverny. I booked with a small group/ mini-van tour. Frank, our guide/ driver drove the seven of us to Giverny. Giverny is about an hour outside Paris, in the Normandy region. Normandy is France's Wisconsin - famous for cheeses and dairy products.
Since it's May, I wasn't sure if the garden would be in bloom. I was hoping that the trip was worth the time. Once we got beyond the Paris suburbs, the countryside was beautiful, green and lush. The hillsides were suddenly acres and acres of farms as well as lots of cows.
Monet's Estate at Giverny
Monet's estate and gardens are much bigger than I expected. You actually have to take an underground tunnel from the entrance / house area to the gardens. After you exit the tunnel and begin the walk of the gardens (traffic flos is one way), it's a feast for the senses. It literally felt like I had walked into one of Monet's paintings.
Monet designed the gardens and did the initial planting himself. As his wealth grew, th garden got more lavish. At one point, Monet had seven full-time gardeners. Although the garden looks lush and wild it was a great feat of landscape architecture and maintenance. Each day, Monet would prepare precise instructions for the gardening staff.
Lost in the Garden
I was taken with the beauty of Monet's garden and focused on getting some good photos. So focused, that I made the entire garden loop three times. There's not much signage and if you aren't watching closely, it's pretty easy to miss the exit. By the third time around (and no staff or English speaking people in sight) I was convinced that I would still be in the garden at closing and some staffer would find me.
Monet's House
Monet's house has none of his artwork. Here is the shocker - the house is full of Japanese woodblock prints, which Monet collected. Monet started collected Japanese prints in the 1860s. Continued collecting for thirty years. By the end of his life, Monet owned 231 Japanese engravings. The walls of Monet's home at Giverny are full of Japanese prints.
True confession: I skipped Monet's house. By the time I finally found my way out of the garden, I stopped by the house and saw the line of people waiting to get in. It was worse than Disneyland. Frank ensured that we bypassed the lines for the garden since we were able to use the group entrance and walk right in. After seeing the incredible gardens and ponds, I was just fine without waiting in that line to see the house. Instead, I decided to take a little walk toward the village of Giverny. Two of the ladies from our group provided the account of the house. According to them, the house was pretty ordinary (and a bit of a disappointment.
My husband, David, thinks I have an uncanny sense of what to skip. He calls it my "Nubian folklore dancer instinct," since that was when he first became aware of it. We were in Egypt on a Nile cruise in the mid 1990's. That night, the Nubian Folklore dancers were providing entertainment for the passengers. I was tired (and it didn't sound compelling). We skipped the performance and by all accounts it was a good call.
Monet Trivia
- Monet's parents wanted him to be a grocer.
- After the death of his first wife, Monet remarried. He and his second wife had a total of eight children (two from Monet's first marriage). The family lived at the Giverny estate.
- Monet's son Michel bequeathed the family estate (home, garden and waterlily pond) to the French Academy of Fine Arts in 1966. Through the Fondation Claude Monet, the house and gardens were opened for visit in 1980, following a lengthy restoration effort.
- Why was Monet special? When Monet arrived in Paris and started painging, it was customary to paint a copy of a painting done by a master. Monet was a renegade. He looked out the window and painted what he saw.
- Monet painted a series of paintings with willow trees as a tribute to fallen French soldiers in WW1.
- Monet suffered from cataracts. The paintings he did in the time before his cataract surgery have a reddish hue.
- After his cataract surgery, Monet repainted some of his paintings.
- Monet's style of painting got more impressionistic and less focused as he got older, Why? Because he was losing his eyesight. That's the way everything started to look to Monet.
- Monet loved to paint the same scene over and over again during different times of day, with different light conditions and during different seasons.
Driving back to Paris, we stopped near the Seine where Monet regularly painted before he moved to Giverny. The area has amazing natural beauty.
If you're a fan of Monet's art, I encourage you to make the trek and see Giverny. I thought the lines were long for the garden and extraordinarily long for the house. This was a weekday visit and it wasn't the high-season for visitors.
Bonne Nuit
Since it's May, I wasn't sure if the garden would be in bloom. I was hoping that the trip was worth the time. Once we got beyond the Paris suburbs, the countryside was beautiful, green and lush. The hillsides were suddenly acres and acres of farms as well as lots of cows.
Monet's Estate at Giverny
Monet's estate and gardens are much bigger than I expected. You actually have to take an underground tunnel from the entrance / house area to the gardens. After you exit the tunnel and begin the walk of the gardens (traffic flos is one way), it's a feast for the senses. It literally felt like I had walked into one of Monet's paintings.
Monet designed the gardens and did the initial planting himself. As his wealth grew, th garden got more lavish. At one point, Monet had seven full-time gardeners. Although the garden looks lush and wild it was a great feat of landscape architecture and maintenance. Each day, Monet would prepare precise instructions for the gardening staff.
Lost in the Garden
I was taken with the beauty of Monet's garden and focused on getting some good photos. So focused, that I made the entire garden loop three times. There's not much signage and if you aren't watching closely, it's pretty easy to miss the exit. By the third time around (and no staff or English speaking people in sight) I was convinced that I would still be in the garden at closing and some staffer would find me.
Monet's House
Monet's house has none of his artwork. Here is the shocker - the house is full of Japanese woodblock prints, which Monet collected. Monet started collected Japanese prints in the 1860s. Continued collecting for thirty years. By the end of his life, Monet owned 231 Japanese engravings. The walls of Monet's home at Giverny are full of Japanese prints.
True confession: I skipped Monet's house. By the time I finally found my way out of the garden, I stopped by the house and saw the line of people waiting to get in. It was worse than Disneyland. Frank ensured that we bypassed the lines for the garden since we were able to use the group entrance and walk right in. After seeing the incredible gardens and ponds, I was just fine without waiting in that line to see the house. Instead, I decided to take a little walk toward the village of Giverny. Two of the ladies from our group provided the account of the house. According to them, the house was pretty ordinary (and a bit of a disappointment.
My husband, David, thinks I have an uncanny sense of what to skip. He calls it my "Nubian folklore dancer instinct," since that was when he first became aware of it. We were in Egypt on a Nile cruise in the mid 1990's. That night, the Nubian Folklore dancers were providing entertainment for the passengers. I was tired (and it didn't sound compelling). We skipped the performance and by all accounts it was a good call.
Monet Trivia
- Monet's parents wanted him to be a grocer.
- After the death of his first wife, Monet remarried. He and his second wife had a total of eight children (two from Monet's first marriage). The family lived at the Giverny estate.
- Monet's son Michel bequeathed the family estate (home, garden and waterlily pond) to the French Academy of Fine Arts in 1966. Through the Fondation Claude Monet, the house and gardens were opened for visit in 1980, following a lengthy restoration effort.
- Why was Monet special? When Monet arrived in Paris and started painging, it was customary to paint a copy of a painting done by a master. Monet was a renegade. He looked out the window and painted what he saw.
- Monet painted a series of paintings with willow trees as a tribute to fallen French soldiers in WW1.
- Monet suffered from cataracts. The paintings he did in the time before his cataract surgery have a reddish hue.
- After his cataract surgery, Monet repainted some of his paintings.
- Monet's style of painting got more impressionistic and less focused as he got older, Why? Because he was losing his eyesight. That's the way everything started to look to Monet.
- Monet loved to paint the same scene over and over again during different times of day, with different light conditions and during different seasons.
Driving back to Paris, we stopped near the Seine where Monet regularly painted before he moved to Giverny. The area has amazing natural beauty.
If you're a fan of Monet's art, I encourage you to make the trek and see Giverny. I thought the lines were long for the garden and extraordinarily long for the house. This was a weekday visit and it wasn't the high-season for visitors.
Bonne Nuit
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Thurs May 13th: Tuileries, Opera Garnier, John Malkovich
After a leisurely cold and rainy morning, I took a bus ride over to the area near the Jardin du Tuileries (Tuileries Garden) - a beautiful park with statues and pond. Great place to sit and relax for a bit. A zillion monuments nearby.
I spent some time exploring the area around the Tuileries and took a lot of photos. It was after 5pm when I finally got back to the apartment. later than I'd expected. I took a break then started getting ready for the performance at the Opera Garnier (opera house).
Opera Garnier
The Opera Garnier is a phenomenally beautiful building (in a city of beautiful buildings). This is the place where the chandelier fell and inspired the story for the Phantom of the Opera (my favorite musical).
Before I'd ever stepped inside, the opera house was on my short list of Paris favorites in terms of architecture. Arriving at Opera Garnier in the evening and seeing it fully lit was a great start. As I walked inside, it literally took my breath away. Since I arrived early, I decided to check out the opera house.
I don't have enough superlatives for this place. The statues, embellishments and details are beyond words. This is over the top, even for Paris. Check out Palais Garnier on Wikipedia.
I thought I had a good seat for the performance. When I was directed up another flight of stairs I started to wonder. Then, I saw a series of doors and each one had a number. A woman with a key looked at my ticket and let me in one of the doors. My seat was at the front of one of the private loge boxes to the left of the stage.
It was like a little condo inside with a place to hang coats, a mirror and three pairs of chairs with dark wood and red velvet seats. After I got settled, I looked up at the ceiling of the opera house and remembered that Chagall had painted it. Amazing. Three loge-mates arrived just before the performance began.
Le Comedie Infernale
There was a special performance tonight (one night only). It was Le Comedie Infernal Confessions of a Serial Killer with John Malkovich. When I booked, I wasn't quite sure what I would be seeing. The description was "classical music with narration by John Malkovich." I'm not a big time opera fan so this looked like a good option.
The performance was comprised of a conductor, a 30 piece orchestra, two sopranos and John Malkovich doing, what was essentially, a one-man show about Jack, an Austrian man who is a a paroled killer who becomes a writer then goes back to murdering and becomes a prolific serial killer. Jack commits suicide just before his conviction for additional murders.
The sopranos represented women that were part of Jack's life at different stages (mother, girlfriend, prostitutes, murder victims). The music was classical, Malkovich spoke English with a Bavarian accent (there were French super titles above the stage). It sounded like the sopranos were singing in Italian. Despite some too long arias, it was a good show. After two hours with no intermission, it felt good to walk for a bit.
Light Show at the Eiffel Tower
In the evening, I can hear people cheering as the the Eiffel Tower light show begins (on the hour from 9pm until 1am). After hearing the cheering every night, I decided I wanted to experience the light show first hand while I'm here. After grabbing a late supper at the our Eiffel cafe on the corner, I stopped by the Eiffel Tower plaza just as the 11pm light show began. It was fun to witness first-hand.
Ratatouille
On the way back to the apartment I cut thru the Champ du Mars. With all the military guys around, it's pretty safe at night. Guess who is out late at night raiding the trash cans of the Champ du Mars? Ratatouille and his friends. Good thing I'm not squeamish about rodents.
Bonne Nuit
I spent some time exploring the area around the Tuileries and took a lot of photos. It was after 5pm when I finally got back to the apartment. later than I'd expected. I took a break then started getting ready for the performance at the Opera Garnier (opera house).
Opera Garnier
The Opera Garnier is a phenomenally beautiful building (in a city of beautiful buildings). This is the place where the chandelier fell and inspired the story for the Phantom of the Opera (my favorite musical).
Before I'd ever stepped inside, the opera house was on my short list of Paris favorites in terms of architecture. Arriving at Opera Garnier in the evening and seeing it fully lit was a great start. As I walked inside, it literally took my breath away. Since I arrived early, I decided to check out the opera house.
I don't have enough superlatives for this place. The statues, embellishments and details are beyond words. This is over the top, even for Paris. Check out Palais Garnier on Wikipedia.
I thought I had a good seat for the performance. When I was directed up another flight of stairs I started to wonder. Then, I saw a series of doors and each one had a number. A woman with a key looked at my ticket and let me in one of the doors. My seat was at the front of one of the private loge boxes to the left of the stage.
It was like a little condo inside with a place to hang coats, a mirror and three pairs of chairs with dark wood and red velvet seats. After I got settled, I looked up at the ceiling of the opera house and remembered that Chagall had painted it. Amazing. Three loge-mates arrived just before the performance began.
Le Comedie Infernale
There was a special performance tonight (one night only). It was Le Comedie Infernal Confessions of a Serial Killer with John Malkovich. When I booked, I wasn't quite sure what I would be seeing. The description was "classical music with narration by John Malkovich." I'm not a big time opera fan so this looked like a good option.
The performance was comprised of a conductor, a 30 piece orchestra, two sopranos and John Malkovich doing, what was essentially, a one-man show about Jack, an Austrian man who is a a paroled killer who becomes a writer then goes back to murdering and becomes a prolific serial killer. Jack commits suicide just before his conviction for additional murders.
The sopranos represented women that were part of Jack's life at different stages (mother, girlfriend, prostitutes, murder victims). The music was classical, Malkovich spoke English with a Bavarian accent (there were French super titles above the stage). It sounded like the sopranos were singing in Italian. Despite some too long arias, it was a good show. After two hours with no intermission, it felt good to walk for a bit.
Light Show at the Eiffel Tower
In the evening, I can hear people cheering as the the Eiffel Tower light show begins (on the hour from 9pm until 1am). After hearing the cheering every night, I decided I wanted to experience the light show first hand while I'm here. After grabbing a late supper at the our Eiffel cafe on the corner, I stopped by the Eiffel Tower plaza just as the 11pm light show began. It was fun to witness first-hand.
Ratatouille
On the way back to the apartment I cut thru the Champ du Mars. With all the military guys around, it's pretty safe at night. Guess who is out late at night raiding the trash cans of the Champ du Mars? Ratatouille and his friends. Good thing I'm not squeamish about rodents.
Bonne Nuit
Weds May 12: Yellow Bus, Champs Elysees, the Great Flood
Today, I took the double decker bus (hop on/ hop off). I went upstairs and really enjoyed the vantage point until it got cold and began to rain. There is an audio guide / headphone which helps.
The Great Flood
Something I learned about during the bus ride was the great flood of 1910. A Katrina-esque disaster that devastated Paris. The water level was so high, it flooded the plaza of the Eiffel Tower. There are a some great photos online (search Paris flood 1910). In January, Newsweek ran an article to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the flood. Looking at Paris today, I couldn't imagine seeing the rising waters flood the streets.
Champs Elysees
I decided to take a walk on the Champs Elysees. Way too many shops like the ones we have in San Francisco (Gap, Espirit, Starbucks). Hordes of people. I actually stopped into McDonald's. Why? Because I knew they'd have a bathroom.
Laduree
The Laduree Tea Salon has been around since 1862. It's a Paris institution and one of those places I haven't had time to visit on previous trips. A colleague recommended Laduree. The corner seating room upstairs is beautiful. It looks like the kind of place Marie Antoinette would have tea at. Historical timing-wise, Napoleon could have eaten a Napoleon at Laduree.
After hours of walking, exploring and taking photos and a bit of shopping at Monoprix, I caught a bus and headed back to the apartment.
National Police at the Eiffel Tower
When I returned (the bus stop is on the other side of the Champ du Mars) there were five National Police vans at the Eiffel Tower. One officer had a ring of Eiffel Tower souvenirs... not sure if they were rousting the vendors or if one of the vendors caused a problem.
After a long day it felts so good to get back to the apartment.
The Great Flood
Something I learned about during the bus ride was the great flood of 1910. A Katrina-esque disaster that devastated Paris. The water level was so high, it flooded the plaza of the Eiffel Tower. There are a some great photos online (search Paris flood 1910). In January, Newsweek ran an article to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the flood. Looking at Paris today, I couldn't imagine seeing the rising waters flood the streets.
Champs Elysees
I decided to take a walk on the Champs Elysees. Way too many shops like the ones we have in San Francisco (Gap, Espirit, Starbucks). Hordes of people. I actually stopped into McDonald's. Why? Because I knew they'd have a bathroom.
Laduree
The Laduree Tea Salon has been around since 1862. It's a Paris institution and one of those places I haven't had time to visit on previous trips. A colleague recommended Laduree. The corner seating room upstairs is beautiful. It looks like the kind of place Marie Antoinette would have tea at. Historical timing-wise, Napoleon could have eaten a Napoleon at Laduree.
After hours of walking, exploring and taking photos and a bit of shopping at Monoprix, I caught a bus and headed back to the apartment.
National Police at the Eiffel Tower
When I returned (the bus stop is on the other side of the Champ du Mars) there were five National Police vans at the Eiffel Tower. One officer had a ring of Eiffel Tower souvenirs... not sure if they were rousting the vendors or if one of the vendors caused a problem.
After a long day it felts so good to get back to the apartment.
Tues May 11: In the Footsteps of Julia Child
A few years back.. must be 7+ because it was before Davey was born, we had an all day "Godfather Party." We started at noon, friends brought little props and Italian food and we watched the entire Godfather trilogy back-to-back. Seeing all three movies during a single day was very different than seeing them separated by long intervals. There were so many nuances and tie-ins that it was a great experience. We had a few intermissions, though none were lengthy. We wrapped up at about 10 or 11 pm.
You probably know by now that I am a great fan of Julia Child's. I was positively giddy to discover that, coincidentally, Julia's apartment was on Rue de L’Universite - the same street as the apartment I'd booked for the trip. As I was planning for my time in Paris, I knew that I wanted to visit Julia Child's haunts and see where Julia and Paul lived.
As I compiled the list, I realized I didn't want to do this in a "catch as catch can" fashion and get to two or three locations (best case). After gving it a great deal of thought, I decided to hire a driver. I contacted our wonderful guide Christophe (from our tour of Versailles and Paris). Christophe loved the idea of doing a half-day "In the footsteps of Julia Child" tour and graciously offered a very good rate.
I provided the list of locations and descriptions and asked Christophe to sequence them in the best way for driving. I think Americans would love this type of tour. Christophe isn't sure (he hasn't had any requests). So here, for the first time ever, I present you with "In the footsteps of Julia Child."
Note - I'm stll having some problems uploading photos. I took photos at each location and, worst case, they'll go up after I return to the states.
In the footsteps of Julia Child
1. Julia and Paul’s Paris Apartment; 81 Rue de L’Universite
In her book, "My Life in France," Julia talks about the Paris flat that she and Paul lived in from 1948 to 1954. Paul had been transferred to a position at the U.S. embassy in Paris. Julia had never been to France before and spoke no French. In the movie Julie and Julia, upon entering the apartment, Julia gasps and exclaims, "It's Versailles."
Located at 81 Rue de L'Université (which Julia shortened to 81 Rue de Loo), the Childs lived in the top two floors of the old building. This is where Julia first began to really cook. This is where she tested and refined recipes for her first cookbooks. While living here, Julia attended Le Cordon Bleu. This apartment is where Julia practiced and learned the French styles and techniques of cooking that changed her life. She would eventually bring these techniques back to America.
Standing in front of the building, you'd never know that Julia had lived here. On the apartment building, there is no historical plaque. Most French people that I talked with aren't aware of Julia Child (they vaguely recall the movie "Julie and Julia" but that's about it. Dear French people - it's because you didn't need Julia Child!
In 2000, Julia was awarded the French Legion of Honor. This is the highest decoration bestowed by the nation of France. I'm thinking about starting a petition to get a brass plaque placed on the building.
2. Rue de Bourgogne
Julia routinely shopped at her neighborhood marketplace on rue de Bourgogne since it was close by, just around the corner from her apartment.
Today, the area is full of art galleries as well as bistros and brasseries that do a busting lunch trade due to the nearby government offices. Fortunately, there is now a street market on the cobblestones of Rue Montorgueil which is open daily (except Sunday afternoons and Monday).
3. Les Halles (Rue Montorgueil)
This was the original location of the Paris's massive wholesale food market where chefs would make a daily trek to get supplies for restaurants. You know the whole thing about a restaurant menu based on seasonal, fresh produce and seafood? Well, this is ground zero (sorry, Alice Waters).
Julie loved walking thrugh Les Halles and seeing all the exotic seafood and produce. This is where Julia came to shop for various meats and fresh produce. In the wee hours of the morning, Les Halles was a bustling place. Chefs are a picky bunch, I can imagine them closely inspecting a crate of white asparagus and making a mildly negative comment as they negotiated.
In the 1960s, Les Halles moved to the Paris suburbs. Today, the cobblestone streets, an underground shopping area and parking are here. Once in a while they feature the new Les Halles on the Food Network. It's absolutely massive.
4. E. Dehillerin (18 Rue Coquilliere)
Located in the Les Halles area, right across the street from the famous "Au Pied de Cochon" restaurant, E. Dehillerin had just about everything a French chef would need.
E. Dehillerin is the kitchen/cooking supply shop that was Julia's favorite. She adored coming here and seeing the floor-to-rafters selection of every utensil and pan imaginable.
E. Dehillerin hasn't changed much since Julia shopped here. Once you figured out how to enter (yes that old door is the main entry), it's as though you've stepped into a hardware store from long ago. The creaky wooden floore, the staff which is entirely comprised of middle aged and older gentlemen (no Gap kids here).
There are two floors of kitchen gadgets from a basement filled with copper pots and an entire wall filled with whisks. The prices are all listed in a book that's located in the front of the store. It was great walking around this place, I understood why Julia was in love with it as I lost myself in the tart pans.
I have heard stories of people that came to E. Dehillerin and denied the knife they wanted to purchase (the gentleman determined it wasn't suitable for their purpose). Yep, I could definitely see these guys doing that.
The section for madeleine pans is in the back. Yes, it is a section and today it has dozens of different styles and sizes of madeleine pans. Need a melon baller? There were at least 20 different styles. English is not spoken here. Prices are in a book on the desk in the front. This is scary shopping. I had no idea how much anything was and my limited French didn't enable me to ask.
I decided to find a paring knife. The section is near the front of the store. I tried five or six different knoves, holding each in my hand and slicing an imaginary something. Why? Because all of the gentlemen were watching. Apparently they approved of my thoughtful selection. I also found a very small covered metal pan.
Checking out is a very unusual process. The gentleman at the front desk checks the price book, notes the prices and wraps up your coods. He placed a cork on the tip of the paring knife and wrapped it in brown paper. As this was taking place, I was given a slip of paper (old fashioned receipt type of thing) and the gentleman behind the main counter asked me to write my name and address. About five minutes later, my items were in a bag and and I was set. "Merci, Madame. Auvoir." "Merci Monsoir. Au Voir."
5. Au Pied de Cochon (6 rue Coquillière)
This is a legendary brasserie as popular today as it was when Julia would stop in for a bowl of their traditional onion soup. Inside, Au Pied de Cochon has a charming decor with white tablecloths and cute pig details. The restaurant is open around the clock and reminiscent of the hustling and bustling glory days of Les Halles.
They are famous for their seafood platters as well as pig-based foods (the dancing pig on the sign out front shouldn't be quite so happy). Here you'll find their signature seafood platters, breaded pigs' trotters, beer-braised pork knuckle with sauerkraut, and cheese-crusted onion soup.
6. Shakespeare & Company (37 rue de la Bûcherie)
"Be not inhospitable to strangers lest they be angels in disguise." This quote is painted on a wall upstairs and prominently displayed on the home page of Shakespeare & Company's website.
Shakespeare and Company is a Paris institution that specializes in books in English and is popular place for tourists and ex-patriots alike. The original store on rue de l'Odeon opened in 1919 and was closed during the Nazi occupation. Shakespeare and Company has been at this location since the 1950's. Young writers live in rooms upstairs and in return work part-time in the store.
Legend has it that Julia came to this shop looking for a French cookbook in English. She was shocked to discover that there wasn't one written for the average housewife/ cook. The wheels started turning.
The shop has stacks of titles with ladders for accessibility. The English speaking staff was very helpful. Since I'd forgotten to bring my copy of Julia's "My life in France," I checked to see if they had it. Unfortunately, they were out and it was on backorder with thirty copies due next week.
7. Le Grand Véfour (17 rue de Beaujolais)
Christophe parked and directed me, "It's just around the corner." The very narrow rue with cobblestones and a mini sidewalk looked interesting. I turned the corner and saw the sign. The restaurant is tucked away under an arched area. It sits adjacent to the Palais Royal park and there is a beautiful tree lined square in front of the restaurant.
Julia and Paul dined at Le Grand Vefour once a month. This is a pricey restaurant, as it was then. The reputation for fine food has not diminished over time and neither has the decor. The building has been here since 1784. Napoleon dined here. Le Grand Vefour walks the fine line of being opulent without being garish. It's a step back in time with crystal chandeliers, muted tones with architectural embellishments and fixtures that are simply gorgeous. Le Grand Vefour is like a movie set.. it's like a place that can't really exist.
The staff was getting ready for lunch. I could see the staff inspecting and polishing silverware and glasses. The waiters were perfectly coiffed, black slacks, white shirts and black bow ties perfectly aligned. It looked like they were inspecting each other before the final check for the lunch show. The red carped out front was getting one last vacuum. Across the rue, the staff area and lockers are located. Lots of foot traffic back and forth.
Since their early days, Le Grand Vefour has consistently been a contender for the title of most beautiful restaurant in Paris. I felt kind of like a puppy with his nose pressed against the glass as I stared in, transfixed. Everything was perfect. I couldn't imagine a more charming place to dine. On our next visit to Paris, I hope that David and I will be able to dine here.
8. Le Deux Magots (6 pl. St-Germain des Prés)
This is the most famous cafe in Paris (maybe the world). This is also where Julia and Paul went on their first Saturday in Paris. The cafe overlooks the St-Germain des Preés church. On a sunny day, the outdoor seating is jam packed. This is one of the cafes Parisians and tourists love.
9. BHV (52–64 rue de Rivoli)
Living in Paris, you need a place to buy the essentials for your apartment. Once Julia and Paul got settled into their apartment at 81 rue de l'Université, Julia discovered that she enjoyed her shopping trips and keeping house.
BHV is an abbreviation for Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville. This is where you'll find everything from a canape (sofa not an appetizer), to lampshades, doorknobs or art supplies. Need a special bolt or screw for your weekend handyman project? This is the place. BHV is a massive department store with extensive section devoted to things like lampshades as well as the usual linens, clothing and housewares. If Macy's and Home Depot moved to Paris and had a love child, it would be BHV.
Visiting all of the Julia Child locations in a single day was a rich and personally rewarding experience. One pleasant surprise was that most of the locations haven't changed since Julia and Paul lived in Paris.
I hope you enjoyed our tour.
Bonne Nuit
You probably know by now that I am a great fan of Julia Child's. I was positively giddy to discover that, coincidentally, Julia's apartment was on Rue de L’Universite - the same street as the apartment I'd booked for the trip. As I was planning for my time in Paris, I knew that I wanted to visit Julia Child's haunts and see where Julia and Paul lived.
As I compiled the list, I realized I didn't want to do this in a "catch as catch can" fashion and get to two or three locations (best case). After gving it a great deal of thought, I decided to hire a driver. I contacted our wonderful guide Christophe (from our tour of Versailles and Paris). Christophe loved the idea of doing a half-day "In the footsteps of Julia Child" tour and graciously offered a very good rate.
I provided the list of locations and descriptions and asked Christophe to sequence them in the best way for driving. I think Americans would love this type of tour. Christophe isn't sure (he hasn't had any requests). So here, for the first time ever, I present you with "In the footsteps of Julia Child."
Note - I'm stll having some problems uploading photos. I took photos at each location and, worst case, they'll go up after I return to the states.
In the footsteps of Julia Child
1. Julia and Paul’s Paris Apartment; 81 Rue de L’Universite
In her book, "My Life in France," Julia talks about the Paris flat that she and Paul lived in from 1948 to 1954. Paul had been transferred to a position at the U.S. embassy in Paris. Julia had never been to France before and spoke no French. In the movie Julie and Julia, upon entering the apartment, Julia gasps and exclaims, "It's Versailles."
Located at 81 Rue de L'Université (which Julia shortened to 81 Rue de Loo), the Childs lived in the top two floors of the old building. This is where Julia first began to really cook. This is where she tested and refined recipes for her first cookbooks. While living here, Julia attended Le Cordon Bleu. This apartment is where Julia practiced and learned the French styles and techniques of cooking that changed her life. She would eventually bring these techniques back to America.
Standing in front of the building, you'd never know that Julia had lived here. On the apartment building, there is no historical plaque. Most French people that I talked with aren't aware of Julia Child (they vaguely recall the movie "Julie and Julia" but that's about it. Dear French people - it's because you didn't need Julia Child!
In 2000, Julia was awarded the French Legion of Honor. This is the highest decoration bestowed by the nation of France. I'm thinking about starting a petition to get a brass plaque placed on the building.
2. Rue de Bourgogne
Julia routinely shopped at her neighborhood marketplace on rue de Bourgogne since it was close by, just around the corner from her apartment.
Today, the area is full of art galleries as well as bistros and brasseries that do a busting lunch trade due to the nearby government offices. Fortunately, there is now a street market on the cobblestones of Rue Montorgueil which is open daily (except Sunday afternoons and Monday).
3. Les Halles (Rue Montorgueil)
This was the original location of the Paris's massive wholesale food market where chefs would make a daily trek to get supplies for restaurants. You know the whole thing about a restaurant menu based on seasonal, fresh produce and seafood? Well, this is ground zero (sorry, Alice Waters).
Julie loved walking thrugh Les Halles and seeing all the exotic seafood and produce. This is where Julia came to shop for various meats and fresh produce. In the wee hours of the morning, Les Halles was a bustling place. Chefs are a picky bunch, I can imagine them closely inspecting a crate of white asparagus and making a mildly negative comment as they negotiated.
In the 1960s, Les Halles moved to the Paris suburbs. Today, the cobblestone streets, an underground shopping area and parking are here. Once in a while they feature the new Les Halles on the Food Network. It's absolutely massive.
4. E. Dehillerin (18 Rue Coquilliere)
Located in the Les Halles area, right across the street from the famous "Au Pied de Cochon" restaurant, E. Dehillerin had just about everything a French chef would need.
E. Dehillerin is the kitchen/cooking supply shop that was Julia's favorite. She adored coming here and seeing the floor-to-rafters selection of every utensil and pan imaginable.
E. Dehillerin hasn't changed much since Julia shopped here. Once you figured out how to enter (yes that old door is the main entry), it's as though you've stepped into a hardware store from long ago. The creaky wooden floore, the staff which is entirely comprised of middle aged and older gentlemen (no Gap kids here).
There are two floors of kitchen gadgets from a basement filled with copper pots and an entire wall filled with whisks. The prices are all listed in a book that's located in the front of the store. It was great walking around this place, I understood why Julia was in love with it as I lost myself in the tart pans.
I have heard stories of people that came to E. Dehillerin and denied the knife they wanted to purchase (the gentleman determined it wasn't suitable for their purpose). Yep, I could definitely see these guys doing that.
The section for madeleine pans is in the back. Yes, it is a section and today it has dozens of different styles and sizes of madeleine pans. Need a melon baller? There were at least 20 different styles. English is not spoken here. Prices are in a book on the desk in the front. This is scary shopping. I had no idea how much anything was and my limited French didn't enable me to ask.
I decided to find a paring knife. The section is near the front of the store. I tried five or six different knoves, holding each in my hand and slicing an imaginary something. Why? Because all of the gentlemen were watching. Apparently they approved of my thoughtful selection. I also found a very small covered metal pan.
Checking out is a very unusual process. The gentleman at the front desk checks the price book, notes the prices and wraps up your coods. He placed a cork on the tip of the paring knife and wrapped it in brown paper. As this was taking place, I was given a slip of paper (old fashioned receipt type of thing) and the gentleman behind the main counter asked me to write my name and address. About five minutes later, my items were in a bag and and I was set. "Merci, Madame. Auvoir." "Merci Monsoir. Au Voir."
5. Au Pied de Cochon (6 rue Coquillière)
This is a legendary brasserie as popular today as it was when Julia would stop in for a bowl of their traditional onion soup. Inside, Au Pied de Cochon has a charming decor with white tablecloths and cute pig details. The restaurant is open around the clock and reminiscent of the hustling and bustling glory days of Les Halles.
They are famous for their seafood platters as well as pig-based foods (the dancing pig on the sign out front shouldn't be quite so happy). Here you'll find their signature seafood platters, breaded pigs' trotters, beer-braised pork knuckle with sauerkraut, and cheese-crusted onion soup.
6. Shakespeare & Company (37 rue de la Bûcherie)
"Be not inhospitable to strangers lest they be angels in disguise." This quote is painted on a wall upstairs and prominently displayed on the home page of Shakespeare & Company's website.
Shakespeare and Company is a Paris institution that specializes in books in English and is popular place for tourists and ex-patriots alike. The original store on rue de l'Odeon opened in 1919 and was closed during the Nazi occupation. Shakespeare and Company has been at this location since the 1950's. Young writers live in rooms upstairs and in return work part-time in the store.
Legend has it that Julia came to this shop looking for a French cookbook in English. She was shocked to discover that there wasn't one written for the average housewife/ cook. The wheels started turning.
The shop has stacks of titles with ladders for accessibility. The English speaking staff was very helpful. Since I'd forgotten to bring my copy of Julia's "My life in France," I checked to see if they had it. Unfortunately, they were out and it was on backorder with thirty copies due next week.
7. Le Grand Véfour (17 rue de Beaujolais)
Christophe parked and directed me, "It's just around the corner." The very narrow rue with cobblestones and a mini sidewalk looked interesting. I turned the corner and saw the sign. The restaurant is tucked away under an arched area. It sits adjacent to the Palais Royal park and there is a beautiful tree lined square in front of the restaurant.
Julia and Paul dined at Le Grand Vefour once a month. This is a pricey restaurant, as it was then. The reputation for fine food has not diminished over time and neither has the decor. The building has been here since 1784. Napoleon dined here. Le Grand Vefour walks the fine line of being opulent without being garish. It's a step back in time with crystal chandeliers, muted tones with architectural embellishments and fixtures that are simply gorgeous. Le Grand Vefour is like a movie set.. it's like a place that can't really exist.
The staff was getting ready for lunch. I could see the staff inspecting and polishing silverware and glasses. The waiters were perfectly coiffed, black slacks, white shirts and black bow ties perfectly aligned. It looked like they were inspecting each other before the final check for the lunch show. The red carped out front was getting one last vacuum. Across the rue, the staff area and lockers are located. Lots of foot traffic back and forth.
Since their early days, Le Grand Vefour has consistently been a contender for the title of most beautiful restaurant in Paris. I felt kind of like a puppy with his nose pressed against the glass as I stared in, transfixed. Everything was perfect. I couldn't imagine a more charming place to dine. On our next visit to Paris, I hope that David and I will be able to dine here.
8. Le Deux Magots (6 pl. St-Germain des Prés)
This is the most famous cafe in Paris (maybe the world). This is also where Julia and Paul went on their first Saturday in Paris. The cafe overlooks the St-Germain des Preés church. On a sunny day, the outdoor seating is jam packed. This is one of the cafes Parisians and tourists love.
9. BHV (52–64 rue de Rivoli)
Living in Paris, you need a place to buy the essentials for your apartment. Once Julia and Paul got settled into their apartment at 81 rue de l'Université, Julia discovered that she enjoyed her shopping trips and keeping house.
BHV is an abbreviation for Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville. This is where you'll find everything from a canape (sofa not an appetizer), to lampshades, doorknobs or art supplies. Need a special bolt or screw for your weekend handyman project? This is the place. BHV is a massive department store with extensive section devoted to things like lampshades as well as the usual linens, clothing and housewares. If Macy's and Home Depot moved to Paris and had a love child, it would be BHV.
Visiting all of the Julia Child locations in a single day was a rich and personally rewarding experience. One pleasant surprise was that most of the locations haven't changed since Julia and Paul lived in Paris.
I hope you enjoyed our tour.
Bonne Nuit
Monday, May 10th: Exploring, Geocaching
Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it - Ferris Bueller
Today, I'm stopping and looking around. Decided to get out early. Alright, the housekeepers stop by on Monday morning and I wanted to be dressed and ready to go before they arrived.
Tomorrow is a busy day with a schedule. But today is Carpe Diem ... no itinerary, no plan, walk out the door with my map, iPhone with GPS app and camera. Take photos and check out the architecture.
Geocache
Geocaching is like a high-tech treasure hunt. Using an iPhone app, we can find the approximate location of a small hidden box. You find the box, take a trinket/ leave a trinket and sign the tiny log book. Back in Half Moon Bay, David, Davey and I have begun geocaching on weekends and it's great fun.
For the Paris trip, I brought along a geocache (small fake rock with a hidden compartment with trinkets and log book). I'm planning to hide it in the Champ du Mars and map the GPS location on line. Can't be close to the Eiffel Tower... don't want to set off any security alerts.
Baron Haussmann
When I'm walking or riding through Paris, I think of Baron Haussmann. Haussmann was a man with a plan, literally. In the early 1800s, Paris was densely populated with a tangled web of narrow streets and alleys. The cramped quarters, virtually unchanged since the middle ages, facilitated the cholera epidemic of 1832.
In the mid-1800's, Haussmann developed the plan for the modernization of Paris. Grand boulevards designed to highlight monuments (Champs Elysees and the Arch d'Triumph is a great example) and beautiful apartment buildings (ornate facades, wrought iron embellishments) that are now referred to as Haussmannian or Haussmann style. The grand boulevards included plenty of sidewalk space for cafes. Haussmann's approach to urban planning had plenty of critics.
Hermitage
n. place where a hermit lives; retreat, isolated dwelling
The name of the apartment is "Hermitage." A fitting name for a beautiful space in this Haussmann-style building.
Parisian Etiquette
Most Parisians (I heard 98% earlier this week) live in apartments. Most are privately owned residences (what we would call condos). Most kitchens have a window facing an interior courtyard and the kitchen windows of neighbors.
There seems to be an etiquette rule regarding the kitchen / courtyard windows. Never look directly, certainly don't watch. I suppose it's tough to find privacy in Paris. A couple of times I have been cooking and noticed one or two were in their kitchens. I made sure I was looking down and, heaven forbid, ensured that they didn't catch me looking. Sometimes I feel like I'm doing an anthropological study of the Parisians. It would be hilarious to make generalizations based on a handful of neighbors. I simply do not have a statistically relevant sampling size.
French Broadcast Television
I'm used to relaxed standards regarding nudity and adult situations on European TV. Last night, on what I think is broadcast television, there was a director's cut of Basic Instinct (the movie where Sharon Stone forgets to wear panties to her police interrogation). That scene was fairly mild compared to some of the other scenes. Ayy Carumba.
The French Jerry Springer
Cavase Savoir is the French version of Jerry Springer. Kind of surprised to see a show like this in France. These look like working class people.. no Chanel models, no socialites. I have no idea what they're saying but I know exactly what's happening .. too funny.
Today, I'm stopping and looking around. Decided to get out early. Alright, the housekeepers stop by on Monday morning and I wanted to be dressed and ready to go before they arrived.
Tomorrow is a busy day with a schedule. But today is Carpe Diem ... no itinerary, no plan, walk out the door with my map, iPhone with GPS app and camera. Take photos and check out the architecture.
Geocache
Geocaching is like a high-tech treasure hunt. Using an iPhone app, we can find the approximate location of a small hidden box. You find the box, take a trinket/ leave a trinket and sign the tiny log book. Back in Half Moon Bay, David, Davey and I have begun geocaching on weekends and it's great fun.
For the Paris trip, I brought along a geocache (small fake rock with a hidden compartment with trinkets and log book). I'm planning to hide it in the Champ du Mars and map the GPS location on line. Can't be close to the Eiffel Tower... don't want to set off any security alerts.
Baron Haussmann
When I'm walking or riding through Paris, I think of Baron Haussmann. Haussmann was a man with a plan, literally. In the early 1800s, Paris was densely populated with a tangled web of narrow streets and alleys. The cramped quarters, virtually unchanged since the middle ages, facilitated the cholera epidemic of 1832.
In the mid-1800's, Haussmann developed the plan for the modernization of Paris. Grand boulevards designed to highlight monuments (Champs Elysees and the Arch d'Triumph is a great example) and beautiful apartment buildings (ornate facades, wrought iron embellishments) that are now referred to as Haussmannian or Haussmann style. The grand boulevards included plenty of sidewalk space for cafes. Haussmann's approach to urban planning had plenty of critics.
Hermitage
n. place where a hermit lives; retreat, isolated dwelling
The name of the apartment is "Hermitage." A fitting name for a beautiful space in this Haussmann-style building.
Parisian Etiquette
Most Parisians (I heard 98% earlier this week) live in apartments. Most are privately owned residences (what we would call condos). Most kitchens have a window facing an interior courtyard and the kitchen windows of neighbors.
There seems to be an etiquette rule regarding the kitchen / courtyard windows. Never look directly, certainly don't watch. I suppose it's tough to find privacy in Paris. A couple of times I have been cooking and noticed one or two were in their kitchens. I made sure I was looking down and, heaven forbid, ensured that they didn't catch me looking. Sometimes I feel like I'm doing an anthropological study of the Parisians. It would be hilarious to make generalizations based on a handful of neighbors. I simply do not have a statistically relevant sampling size.
French Broadcast Television
I'm used to relaxed standards regarding nudity and adult situations on European TV. Last night, on what I think is broadcast television, there was a director's cut of Basic Instinct (the movie where Sharon Stone forgets to wear panties to her police interrogation). That scene was fairly mild compared to some of the other scenes. Ayy Carumba.
The French Jerry Springer
Cavase Savoir is the French version of Jerry Springer. Kind of surprised to see a show like this in France. These look like working class people.. no Chanel models, no socialites. I have no idea what they're saying but I know exactly what's happening .. too funny.
Sunday May 9th: Champ du Mars, Bateau, Cooking
In 1906 France established Sunday as a mandatory day of rest. I love the French.
It's springtime in Paris, chestnuts in blossom (right outside my window). I can see boats on the Seine out another window. Heading over to Champ du Mars to take some Eiffel Tower photos.
The vendors and gypsy women near the Eiffel Tower can be a bit pushy. The vendors seem to be harmless, just trying to sell you Eiffel tower souvenirs they carry on a large ring. There are just so many of these guys. They swarm lke locusts on anyone approaching the Eiffel Tower area. Walking across the plaza, it's not unusual to be approached 5 or more times. They race to see who can get to you first.
I gotta give these guys credit. They're trying to make an honest living, they arrive early (some are out at 7am) and they are here until past midnight. When I am walking up Rue de L"Universite toward the front door to my building, there are typically 4-6 of the souvenir vendors at the end of street/ entrance to Champ du Mars. They get so excited, then I enter the building.
The gypsy women are another story. I have no time for them, they are close cousins to the gold ring con artistes and will do anything to engage you in conversation. "Do you speak English?" is always met with a loud, surly, "Non."
It would be convenient to cut through the Eiffel Tower plaza but I have avoided it because of the souvenir guys and gypsies. Today, I decided to try an experiment. Since I get to look at the Eiffel Tower most of the time, what if, as I walk through the plaza, I'm the one that doesn't look at the tower. I scan the plaza, don't even head toward the ticket lines and periodically talk into my collar. What would happen? It was amazing. Not a single souvenir vendor, one gypsy lady started to approach then ran off. Think I'll go back tomorrow.
The thing I don't understand is why the Paris police haven't cracked way down on the con srtistes (gold ring, 3-card Monty, gypsy women, string bracelets guys, etc.) and packs of gypsy thieves. There are periodic sting operations in the Metro, but beyond that, the city seems wide open to cons.
On Friday, lookng down from my balcony, I actually saw a gold ring con artiste try his spiel on an Asian tourist sitting on a bench. Les con artiste finally bummed a cigarette and walked off. What about the poor schlub that comes to Paris and actually loses his gold wedding band. He'll walk into the police station and be very confused when everyone starts laughing.
I do have to give kudos to Paris and the Parisians for the clean sidewalks (very little doggy doo). When we were here in 2005, that wasn't the case. With little Davey and his stroller, there seemed to be a road hazard every few feet.
Mother's Day Cruise
It was a beautiful afternoon so I decided to take a cruise on the Seine. The have a little shuttle train (like something from Disneyland) that takes you from the Eiffel Tower area to the boat. The cruise was awesome, lasted a little over an hour. I decided to walk back (about 1.5 mi) along the Siene. Stopped at the gold statue near the tunnel entrance where Princess Di crashed. It was so relaxed walking along the Seine, stopping to take photos as the mood struck.
Cooking Practice
For dinner, I made risotto with mushrooms and artichoke hearts (the recipe I learned at the Cordon Bleu). I also prepared a duck breast; scored the skin, rendered the fat as it cooked in the pan to a beautiful brown and crisped up the skin, then finished it in the oven. By the time it was cooked (still rare in the middle) the duck was pretty lean with crispy skin, The risotto was phenomenal. Can't wait to prepare it wen I get home. This was as good as any meal I have had in Paris.
Bonne Nuit
It's springtime in Paris, chestnuts in blossom (right outside my window). I can see boats on the Seine out another window. Heading over to Champ du Mars to take some Eiffel Tower photos.
The vendors and gypsy women near the Eiffel Tower can be a bit pushy. The vendors seem to be harmless, just trying to sell you Eiffel tower souvenirs they carry on a large ring. There are just so many of these guys. They swarm lke locusts on anyone approaching the Eiffel Tower area. Walking across the plaza, it's not unusual to be approached 5 or more times. They race to see who can get to you first.
I gotta give these guys credit. They're trying to make an honest living, they arrive early (some are out at 7am) and they are here until past midnight. When I am walking up Rue de L"Universite toward the front door to my building, there are typically 4-6 of the souvenir vendors at the end of street/ entrance to Champ du Mars. They get so excited, then I enter the building.
The gypsy women are another story. I have no time for them, they are close cousins to the gold ring con artistes and will do anything to engage you in conversation. "Do you speak English?" is always met with a loud, surly, "Non."
It would be convenient to cut through the Eiffel Tower plaza but I have avoided it because of the souvenir guys and gypsies. Today, I decided to try an experiment. Since I get to look at the Eiffel Tower most of the time, what if, as I walk through the plaza, I'm the one that doesn't look at the tower. I scan the plaza, don't even head toward the ticket lines and periodically talk into my collar. What would happen? It was amazing. Not a single souvenir vendor, one gypsy lady started to approach then ran off. Think I'll go back tomorrow.
The thing I don't understand is why the Paris police haven't cracked way down on the con srtistes (gold ring, 3-card Monty, gypsy women, string bracelets guys, etc.) and packs of gypsy thieves. There are periodic sting operations in the Metro, but beyond that, the city seems wide open to cons.
On Friday, lookng down from my balcony, I actually saw a gold ring con artiste try his spiel on an Asian tourist sitting on a bench. Les con artiste finally bummed a cigarette and walked off. What about the poor schlub that comes to Paris and actually loses his gold wedding band. He'll walk into the police station and be very confused when everyone starts laughing.
I do have to give kudos to Paris and the Parisians for the clean sidewalks (very little doggy doo). When we were here in 2005, that wasn't the case. With little Davey and his stroller, there seemed to be a road hazard every few feet.
Mother's Day Cruise
It was a beautiful afternoon so I decided to take a cruise on the Seine. The have a little shuttle train (like something from Disneyland) that takes you from the Eiffel Tower area to the boat. The cruise was awesome, lasted a little over an hour. I decided to walk back (about 1.5 mi) along the Siene. Stopped at the gold statue near the tunnel entrance where Princess Di crashed. It was so relaxed walking along the Seine, stopping to take photos as the mood struck.
Cooking Practice
For dinner, I made risotto with mushrooms and artichoke hearts (the recipe I learned at the Cordon Bleu). I also prepared a duck breast; scored the skin, rendered the fat as it cooked in the pan to a beautiful brown and crisped up the skin, then finished it in the oven. By the time it was cooked (still rare in the middle) the duck was pretty lean with crispy skin, The risotto was phenomenal. Can't wait to prepare it wen I get home. This was as good as any meal I have had in Paris.
Bonne Nuit
Sat May 8th: Rue Cler, Cheap Eats and Benjamin Bolay
Last night I was tired and feel asleep at a close-to-normal time. Woke up this morning at 8:30 (close to regular and definitely the earliest since Weds). Feels good to be up in the morning.
Rue Cler
This morning, I am on my way back to Rue Cler - the lovely market street here in the 7th. Yes, it's not unique, but it's charming and it's here. Rick Steves loves Rue Cler and he likes to stay nearby and spend time there. He's written up Rue Cler a number of times which some people frown upon (too toursty). I think Rue Cler is still charming and it's a nice walk for a Saturday morning.
Yesterday, on my way to LCB, I was thinking that I haven't been doing enough meandering - just walking around without a particular destination. Today, I blocked out time for just that. No day pack, small money pouch and camera in hand.
I purchased a bit of cheese and produce at Rue Cler. Stopped by my favorit florist and picked up a dozen gorgeous pale pink roses. Walked back via Rue Grenelle and stopped at Picard.. the palace of frozen foods.
Cheap Eats in Paris
Option 1: You and your amour can stop for a Coke at a cafe on the Champs Elysees (8 Euros each/ 16 Euros total plus 1 Euro for good service) : Total Cost: 17 Euros
Option 2: For a bit more (assuming you have an apartment with a microwave or oven and fridge/ freezer) you can:
- Purchase a good bottle of French red wine: 10 Euros (readily available at supermarkets and wine shops)
- Stop by Picard, Purchase Escargot (12 for 4.70 E), Two packages of buckwheat crepes with Jambon (ham), cheese and wild mushrooms (2 crepes for 2.40 E/ total of 5.80E), a large container of Picard's house brand Tiramisu ice cream for 3.40 Euros: Total Picard = 12.90E
- Purchase a baugette at your local bakery (or supermarket) for .90 E
- Purchase a small wheel of Normandy Camembert for 1.5 E at your local supermarket
Total cost: 25.40 E
You have three for meals for two people:
- Breakfast/ brunch for two: Baugette with Camembert
- Lunch for two with a glass of Red Wine: Crepes and Tiramisu ice cream for dessert
- An awesome Dinner for two with Escargot appetizer, Crepes and a glass of red wine Red Wine, bread and cheese course and Tiramisu ice cream for dessert.
French TV
Benjamin Bolay is a popular French singer. Umkempt, kind of greasy, looks like he just rolled out of bed and put on whatever clothes were laying on the floor. The mic is squeezed against his lips. He closes his eyes and between puffs on his cigarette, he sings with a deep whispery voice full of emotion. If Edith Piaf and Maurice Chavalier had a child (at his age, maybe Grandson).. you've got BB. Oh no, for my taste, he just ruined the concert. "Here's a new track...."
Bonne Nuit
Rue Cler
This morning, I am on my way back to Rue Cler - the lovely market street here in the 7th. Yes, it's not unique, but it's charming and it's here. Rick Steves loves Rue Cler and he likes to stay nearby and spend time there. He's written up Rue Cler a number of times which some people frown upon (too toursty). I think Rue Cler is still charming and it's a nice walk for a Saturday morning.
Yesterday, on my way to LCB, I was thinking that I haven't been doing enough meandering - just walking around without a particular destination. Today, I blocked out time for just that. No day pack, small money pouch and camera in hand.
I purchased a bit of cheese and produce at Rue Cler. Stopped by my favorit florist and picked up a dozen gorgeous pale pink roses. Walked back via Rue Grenelle and stopped at Picard.. the palace of frozen foods.
Cheap Eats in Paris
Option 1: You and your amour can stop for a Coke at a cafe on the Champs Elysees (8 Euros each/ 16 Euros total plus 1 Euro for good service) : Total Cost: 17 Euros
Option 2: For a bit more (assuming you have an apartment with a microwave or oven and fridge/ freezer) you can:
- Purchase a good bottle of French red wine: 10 Euros (readily available at supermarkets and wine shops)
- Stop by Picard, Purchase Escargot (12 for 4.70 E), Two packages of buckwheat crepes with Jambon (ham), cheese and wild mushrooms (2 crepes for 2.40 E/ total of 5.80E), a large container of Picard's house brand Tiramisu ice cream for 3.40 Euros: Total Picard = 12.90E
- Purchase a baugette at your local bakery (or supermarket) for .90 E
- Purchase a small wheel of Normandy Camembert for 1.5 E at your local supermarket
Total cost: 25.40 E
You have three for meals for two people:
- Breakfast/ brunch for two: Baugette with Camembert
- Lunch for two with a glass of Red Wine: Crepes and Tiramisu ice cream for dessert
- An awesome Dinner for two with Escargot appetizer, Crepes and a glass of red wine Red Wine, bread and cheese course and Tiramisu ice cream for dessert.
French TV
Benjamin Bolay is a popular French singer. Umkempt, kind of greasy, looks like he just rolled out of bed and put on whatever clothes were laying on the floor. The mic is squeezed against his lips. He closes his eyes and between puffs on his cigarette, he sings with a deep whispery voice full of emotion. If Edith Piaf and Maurice Chavalier had a child (at his age, maybe Grandson).. you've got BB. Oh no, for my taste, he just ruined the concert. "Here's a new track...."
Bonne Nuit
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Friday May 7th: Le Cordon Bleu Part Deux
Today was a hands on class at LCB: Tarts and quiches. I was ready for the sharp knives (thank you to Chef Stuart at Toque Blanche in Half Moon Bay for the knife skills class). There were 14 students in our class, Chef Bruno Stril, an English translator and 2-4 chef assistants (for prep, placing trays in and out of ovens and clean-up). Most of the students were Americans, there were a few French and two Japanese students.
Our menu:
- Salmon and spinach tart
- Leek and bacon quiche (with Gruyere cheese)
After checking in at the front desk, we recieved our packets as well as an LCB apron and towel. After walking to the top level of LCB (I think it was four flights up), we entered the training kitchen. Once we reached the teaching kitchen, we suited up with our LCB aprons, washed our hands and manned our stations. The center of the room was a massive rectangular marble topped work surface. Our stations each had a chopping board, 12 inch chef's knife, large metal bowl, wooden spoon, spatula/ scraper, large metal spoon and a whisk. Below each of our stations was a large stainless fridge unit. It was oh so very Iron Chef.
To save time (and since this wasn't a pastry class), LCB students had prepared the pastry crusts for the tarts and quiches in advance. The crusts hadn't been baked yet and they still needed to be lined with parchment paper (on top) and filled with "baking beans" so that they would cook evenly and didn't develop bubbles.
This was very different from Tuesday evening's demonstration. Once the pastry crusts were baking, the instructions came very quickly. "Go and find a pan like this." The scavenger hunt was on. The chef's assistants came around dispensing cooking ingredients.
All that we were given our packets was a sheet of paper with ingredients in metric amounts. I stared at my ingredients list. I have absolutely no idea how much 200 grams is. In addition, Chef Bruno is a chef. Cooking is an art, baking is a science. After all, you cook something until it looks, smells and sounds right. You adjust the temp as needed. Browning too fast, take it off the burner for a moment. At times, the instructions from chef Bruno were rapid fire and a few times I asked for a repeat or clarification. Then I relaxed, about this much butter, okay, that's close enough for me.
One very big surprise - all of the stoves at LCB have electric burners. My bacon was cooking, once it browned, I added the leeks and worked on my egg mixture. Three aggs and one yolk. The medium brown eggs were a bit of a challenge. I was very happy with my separation technique for egg number four. Add the cream, milk and whisk. For my second egg mixture, I decided to be a rebel and separate the egg in my hand (again, the way I do it at home). Chef Bruno wasn't fussy, he was pragmatic. He had no problem with me using my hand to separate the egg.
Chef Bruno was very patient with us. I learned a few new things during our class:
- What is the difference between a quiche and a tart? Before the class, I thought tarts were sweet and quiches were savory. The only difference is that a true quiche has bacon.
- Blind baking: Baking the pastry / tart shell without filling to ensure a crisp crust
- Cool down the cooked ingredients before adding to the pastry shell.
- Tart / Quiche Tip #1: Don't overfill the pastry - the crust will get soggy.
- Tart/ Quiche Tip #2: Gently place solid ingredients in the baked shell (don't mash down). Then, add the egg mixture. Pull the filling away from the edge.
- If the eggs don't puff enough, you should have used more cream (the French cure for everything).
- Boiling bacon: The LCB chefs like to boil bacon in salted water before sauteeing it (in butter, of course). Why? It's like a quick brine for the bacon and removes the impurities, making it more flavorful.
Drying the Spinach
When using spinach, Chef Bruno advised us to blanch it first (for one minute) then cool it down with cold water. Squeeze as much water out as possible. Chef Bruno used his hands. I used mine and still wasn't happy with the amount of water remaining in the spinach. I decided to be daring and do what I do at home - - use paper towels to squeeze out the rest. The room went silent for a moment. The chef spoke, then the translator translated, "That's a pretty good idea." Whew, no international incidents and I didn't get kicked out of Le Cordon Bleu.
When my quiche and tart came out of the oven, I felt extremely proud. They looked as good as any that I'd seen in Paris. Also, I noticed that many of the salmon & spinch tarts had liquid setting on top. Should have used the paper towels.
We were given cardboard boxes for our quiche and tart. As soon as all had been boxed (and the helpers had cleared the work surface) the chef handed out our certificates. I told chef Bruno that with my diploma from LCB, I was ready to apply to the finest restaurants in Paris. He played along and offered to provide a personal recommendation.
It was kind of cool to take the items I'd prepared home. Two full size quiche / tarts are very big (fortunately they freeze well). At the front desk I asked for a bag. "A blue bag?" yes, I think all of the LCB bags have blue on them. It turns out, LCB has these very cool insulated bags (I'd seen some of the students carrying them). Cost 9 Euros but is was way cool and something I can really use.
I was exhausted when I got back to the apartment. Had a slice of quiche and a glass of wine for dinner. Yes, I'm bias since I made the quiche (and yes, I was very hungry), but it was the best quiche I've ever had. So far, I haven't met any of my neighbors in the building or I would have offered them some quiche. This is the only rental unit in the building so I'm keeping a low profile.
The cooking classes at LCB have been terrific, especially the hands-on class. I have one more cooking class on the 17th in Christian Constant's kitchen.
Time for sleep.
Bonne Nuit
P.S. - - Updated photos (including the quiche, tart and my "graduation" from Le Cordon Bleu are now online. Here's the link:
Just click on "The photos are here"
The photos are here.
Our menu:
- Salmon and spinach tart
- Leek and bacon quiche (with Gruyere cheese)
After checking in at the front desk, we recieved our packets as well as an LCB apron and towel. After walking to the top level of LCB (I think it was four flights up), we entered the training kitchen. Once we reached the teaching kitchen, we suited up with our LCB aprons, washed our hands and manned our stations. The center of the room was a massive rectangular marble topped work surface. Our stations each had a chopping board, 12 inch chef's knife, large metal bowl, wooden spoon, spatula/ scraper, large metal spoon and a whisk. Below each of our stations was a large stainless fridge unit. It was oh so very Iron Chef.
To save time (and since this wasn't a pastry class), LCB students had prepared the pastry crusts for the tarts and quiches in advance. The crusts hadn't been baked yet and they still needed to be lined with parchment paper (on top) and filled with "baking beans" so that they would cook evenly and didn't develop bubbles.
This was very different from Tuesday evening's demonstration. Once the pastry crusts were baking, the instructions came very quickly. "Go and find a pan like this." The scavenger hunt was on. The chef's assistants came around dispensing cooking ingredients.
All that we were given our packets was a sheet of paper with ingredients in metric amounts. I stared at my ingredients list. I have absolutely no idea how much 200 grams is. In addition, Chef Bruno is a chef. Cooking is an art, baking is a science. After all, you cook something until it looks, smells and sounds right. You adjust the temp as needed. Browning too fast, take it off the burner for a moment. At times, the instructions from chef Bruno were rapid fire and a few times I asked for a repeat or clarification. Then I relaxed, about this much butter, okay, that's close enough for me.
One very big surprise - all of the stoves at LCB have electric burners. My bacon was cooking, once it browned, I added the leeks and worked on my egg mixture. Three aggs and one yolk. The medium brown eggs were a bit of a challenge. I was very happy with my separation technique for egg number four. Add the cream, milk and whisk. For my second egg mixture, I decided to be a rebel and separate the egg in my hand (again, the way I do it at home). Chef Bruno wasn't fussy, he was pragmatic. He had no problem with me using my hand to separate the egg.
Chef Bruno was very patient with us. I learned a few new things during our class:
- What is the difference between a quiche and a tart? Before the class, I thought tarts were sweet and quiches were savory. The only difference is that a true quiche has bacon.
- Blind baking: Baking the pastry / tart shell without filling to ensure a crisp crust
- Cool down the cooked ingredients before adding to the pastry shell.
- Tart / Quiche Tip #1: Don't overfill the pastry - the crust will get soggy.
- Tart/ Quiche Tip #2: Gently place solid ingredients in the baked shell (don't mash down). Then, add the egg mixture. Pull the filling away from the edge.
- If the eggs don't puff enough, you should have used more cream (the French cure for everything).
- Boiling bacon: The LCB chefs like to boil bacon in salted water before sauteeing it (in butter, of course). Why? It's like a quick brine for the bacon and removes the impurities, making it more flavorful.
Drying the Spinach
When using spinach, Chef Bruno advised us to blanch it first (for one minute) then cool it down with cold water. Squeeze as much water out as possible. Chef Bruno used his hands. I used mine and still wasn't happy with the amount of water remaining in the spinach. I decided to be daring and do what I do at home - - use paper towels to squeeze out the rest. The room went silent for a moment. The chef spoke, then the translator translated, "That's a pretty good idea." Whew, no international incidents and I didn't get kicked out of Le Cordon Bleu.
When my quiche and tart came out of the oven, I felt extremely proud. They looked as good as any that I'd seen in Paris. Also, I noticed that many of the salmon & spinch tarts had liquid setting on top. Should have used the paper towels.
We were given cardboard boxes for our quiche and tart. As soon as all had been boxed (and the helpers had cleared the work surface) the chef handed out our certificates. I told chef Bruno that with my diploma from LCB, I was ready to apply to the finest restaurants in Paris. He played along and offered to provide a personal recommendation.
It was kind of cool to take the items I'd prepared home. Two full size quiche / tarts are very big (fortunately they freeze well). At the front desk I asked for a bag. "A blue bag?" yes, I think all of the LCB bags have blue on them. It turns out, LCB has these very cool insulated bags (I'd seen some of the students carrying them). Cost 9 Euros but is was way cool and something I can really use.
I was exhausted when I got back to the apartment. Had a slice of quiche and a glass of wine for dinner. Yes, I'm bias since I made the quiche (and yes, I was very hungry), but it was the best quiche I've ever had. So far, I haven't met any of my neighbors in the building or I would have offered them some quiche. This is the only rental unit in the building so I'm keeping a low profile.
The cooking classes at LCB have been terrific, especially the hands-on class. I have one more cooking class on the 17th in Christian Constant's kitchen.
Time for sleep.
Bonne Nuit
P.S. - - Updated photos (including the quiche, tart and my "graduation" from Le Cordon Bleu are now online. Here's the link:
Just click on "The photos are here"
The photos are here.
Thurs May 6th: Le Con Artiste, Deux Musees
It's been a busy day and I'm heading to bed early. Tomorrow is my hands-on class at Le Cordon Bleu.
I decided to stop by the Branly Museum since it is close to the apartment and they sell Paris museum passes there. I desperately wanted to avoid the long lines at Musee d'Orsey which is open late tonight.
Les Con Artiste
Enroute to the Branly, walking along the Quai (along the Seine). I spotted a gentleman and noticed a glance. Figured it was because I was dressed so very nicely. As he got closer, he stopped in front of me, glanced down and lo and behold, he found a gold ring. He held it up to me, as if to offer. Thanks to Rick Steves, I was prepared for the gold ring scam. Without pausing, I shook my head, called out a harsh "Non Monsoir" and walked on to the Branly. He actually seemed surprised.
Musee Branly
Musee Branly specializes in African art, which isn't my cup of tea. I stopped in only because of the convenience.. and my museum pass. Much of the artwork was not African. There were some very interesting Incan, Colombian and North American Indian pieces as well as a bit of Egyptian and Jewish art. The long, white entrance ramp at the Branly reminded me of the Guggenheim in New York. There were loads of school children in the museum.
Musee d'Orsay
The Musee d'Orsay has been on my list for awhile. The last two times I attempted to visit, the crowds were enormous. Jean and Joan, who I met at LCB on Tuesday, recommended an evening / late afternoon visit when the d"Orsay is open late. I arrived at the Orsay at 5pm. There was a line for regular admittance. Thanks again to Rick Steves, I had my museum pass in hand and headed to the "C" entrance (on the right side, facing the museum) and walked right in. The Monet area was a bit crowded but the rest of the museum was not.
The paintings and sculptures were amazing. I prefer not to rent the audio tour, since it feels like it interferes with my enjoyment as I'm told what I should notice. I like to take the art in at my own pace.
Something I noticed about many of the impressionist paintings is that they included a brush stroke that I would have tried to correct... one stroke that, to me, didn't look like it belonged. Who am I to send guess Monet, Manet and Degas. Too much photoshop.
The d'Orsay is bigger than I expected. I was ready for a break after I left the museum. Decided to stop by my favorite brasserie near the apartment and had a sandwich and vin rouge (red wine).
Ugly Americans at the Brasserie
About halfway through my meal, a group of five Americans stopped in. They were so stereotypical it was almost funny. They were seated at the table adjacent to me. At first I was annoyed because they were so loud, then I was thoroughly amused. Maybe it was my second glass of vin rouge. Here are some of the comments I overheard:
- Y'all, that taxi driver took us somewhere that looked like New Jersey.
- Did y'all see the two guys making out over by the river? No, did y'all get a picture?
- Is "Oy Vey" French or Jewish, y'all? Oh that's right, Jewish isn't a language.
- Did y'all see the police guys at the museum? I thought they were going to make me leave. They were just guards, I guess. Did you get a picture of them, y'all.
- My favorite place so far y'all was that soft serve place. Ya know, the one on the square.
- The French are so rude. I think it's a city attitude thing.
- Well, y'all, I think the French are rude because they're jealous of us.
I can't make this stuff up. Yes, I took notes.
Bonne Nuit
I decided to stop by the Branly Museum since it is close to the apartment and they sell Paris museum passes there. I desperately wanted to avoid the long lines at Musee d'Orsey which is open late tonight.
Les Con Artiste
Enroute to the Branly, walking along the Quai (along the Seine). I spotted a gentleman and noticed a glance. Figured it was because I was dressed so very nicely. As he got closer, he stopped in front of me, glanced down and lo and behold, he found a gold ring. He held it up to me, as if to offer. Thanks to Rick Steves, I was prepared for the gold ring scam. Without pausing, I shook my head, called out a harsh "Non Monsoir" and walked on to the Branly. He actually seemed surprised.
Musee Branly
Musee Branly specializes in African art, which isn't my cup of tea. I stopped in only because of the convenience.. and my museum pass. Much of the artwork was not African. There were some very interesting Incan, Colombian and North American Indian pieces as well as a bit of Egyptian and Jewish art. The long, white entrance ramp at the Branly reminded me of the Guggenheim in New York. There were loads of school children in the museum.
Musee d'Orsay
The Musee d'Orsay has been on my list for awhile. The last two times I attempted to visit, the crowds were enormous. Jean and Joan, who I met at LCB on Tuesday, recommended an evening / late afternoon visit when the d"Orsay is open late. I arrived at the Orsay at 5pm. There was a line for regular admittance. Thanks again to Rick Steves, I had my museum pass in hand and headed to the "C" entrance (on the right side, facing the museum) and walked right in. The Monet area was a bit crowded but the rest of the museum was not.
The paintings and sculptures were amazing. I prefer not to rent the audio tour, since it feels like it interferes with my enjoyment as I'm told what I should notice. I like to take the art in at my own pace.
Something I noticed about many of the impressionist paintings is that they included a brush stroke that I would have tried to correct... one stroke that, to me, didn't look like it belonged. Who am I to send guess Monet, Manet and Degas. Too much photoshop.
The d'Orsay is bigger than I expected. I was ready for a break after I left the museum. Decided to stop by my favorite brasserie near the apartment and had a sandwich and vin rouge (red wine).
Ugly Americans at the Brasserie
About halfway through my meal, a group of five Americans stopped in. They were so stereotypical it was almost funny. They were seated at the table adjacent to me. At first I was annoyed because they were so loud, then I was thoroughly amused. Maybe it was my second glass of vin rouge. Here are some of the comments I overheard:
- Y'all, that taxi driver took us somewhere that looked like New Jersey.
- Did y'all see the two guys making out over by the river? No, did y'all get a picture?
- Is "Oy Vey" French or Jewish, y'all? Oh that's right, Jewish isn't a language.
- Did y'all see the police guys at the museum? I thought they were going to make me leave. They were just guards, I guess. Did you get a picture of them, y'all.
- My favorite place so far y'all was that soft serve place. Ya know, the one on the square.
- The French are so rude. I think it's a city attitude thing.
- Well, y'all, I think the French are rude because they're jealous of us.
I can't make this stuff up. Yes, I took notes.
Bonne Nuit
Weds May 5: 7th Arr, French 101, French TV
Today was slower paced and I hung out in the local area. Did a bit of marketing so that I can practice the risotto with vegetables Chef Marc made at LCB last night. Although I found pre-made bouquet garni (herbs tied together), I wasn't able to find some of the vegetables. Tomorrow, I'll head to Rue Cler in search of artichokes and chantrelle mushrooms.
With the Eiffel Tower right here, the 7th is always full of tourists. I have reached the point where I find myself a bit impatient as they block the sidewalk reading maps and looking up... always looking up. Move aside, I have somewhere to go .. and this week, I know where I'm going (at least in the 7th).
French 101
Just before we left the states, we took two French lessons via Skype with Charles Perry, an instructor based in France (booked nn VerbalPlanet.com). The phrases we learned during our mini crash course have been very helpful and, for the most part, I am pleased with my pronunciation.
This afternoon, I rehearsed my baguette request, spoke well as I placed my request and placed the money in the tray. Madame at the local boulanger did not scowl today. Victory!
French TV
The news gets pretty dull in any language. I don't want any updates on the stock markets or financial sectors. There's always turmoil in some country, this week, it's Greece's turn.
The Simpsons is funny in any language, especially French. I'm not sure what they're saying, but it's hilarious anyways. Marge has a raspy French voice and Ned Flanders, ooh la la okaly dokaly. The French commercials are pretty darn funny too. You gotta love the French. They are so, well, French.
I am absolutely hooked on 90 Enquettes (90 Enquiries). Here is a description of tonight's program: 90 ENQUIRIES: Police cons offenders: The hunt for all trades
"In France, only last year the police have constantly to be on the alert ... Ready to brave the danger to intervene at any moment ... In only one goal: To fight against crime. Results: crime fell by more than 1%. What are their means of action? What solution to stop this violence proximity? How to maintain order against the offenders getting younger who will stop at nothing?"
This is great stuff. Crime fell by more than 1%.. they must be doing something right. Cops, in France. I love it!
With the Eiffel Tower right here, the 7th is always full of tourists. I have reached the point where I find myself a bit impatient as they block the sidewalk reading maps and looking up... always looking up. Move aside, I have somewhere to go .. and this week, I know where I'm going (at least in the 7th).
French 101
Just before we left the states, we took two French lessons via Skype with Charles Perry, an instructor based in France (booked nn VerbalPlanet.com). The phrases we learned during our mini crash course have been very helpful and, for the most part, I am pleased with my pronunciation.
This afternoon, I rehearsed my baguette request, spoke well as I placed my request and placed the money in the tray. Madame at the local boulanger did not scowl today. Victory!
French TV
The news gets pretty dull in any language. I don't want any updates on the stock markets or financial sectors. There's always turmoil in some country, this week, it's Greece's turn.
The Simpsons is funny in any language, especially French. I'm not sure what they're saying, but it's hilarious anyways. Marge has a raspy French voice and Ned Flanders, ooh la la okaly dokaly. The French commercials are pretty darn funny too. You gotta love the French. They are so, well, French.
I am absolutely hooked on 90 Enquettes (90 Enquiries). Here is a description of tonight's program: 90 ENQUIRIES: Police cons offenders: The hunt for all trades
"In France, only last year the police have constantly to be on the alert ... Ready to brave the danger to intervene at any moment ... In only one goal: To fight against crime. Results: crime fell by more than 1%. What are their means of action? What solution to stop this violence proximity? How to maintain order against the offenders getting younger who will stop at nothing?"
This is great stuff. Crime fell by more than 1%.. they must be doing something right. Cops, in France. I love it!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Tuesday, May 4th - On My Own and Le Cordon Bleu
This morning I helped David, Davey and Connie get ready and out the door for their 7am ride to CDG and their flight to San Francisco. I had planned to get dressed and walk downstairs. Alas, I have become a wimp and it was oh so cold out. Kisses and hugs took place upstairs.
There were a few trips to get the luggage down with the teeny tiny elevator. (My joke - When the apartment bldg elevator grows up it wants to be an airplane bathroom.)
Last night, I wanted more time with Davey. I held him as he fell asleep and gently waked him this morning. I hope he doesn't grow much or do a lot of new things before I get home. Just when I'd gotten used to the pace of apartment life with the family, I am alone in the apartment, alone in Paris. It feels very strange.
Ash Cloud
Per CNN, the ash cloud is back for parts of England and Ireland. Makes things a bit more interesting.
Le Cordon Bleu (LCB)
This afternoon was my first cooking class. It was a demo at the Cordon Bleu. I mapped out the route and committed the major streets to memory before I left the apartment. After a few blocks of walking in the biting cold, I opted for a taxi. The driver spoke no English and he had never heard of the Cordon Bleu. I helped direct him (with my iPhone map app) and I was very relieved when we found LCB.
I arrived very early and decided to check out the neighborhood around LCB. It was different from the 7th Arrondissmont/ Eiffel Tower area. Very working class, very diverse.. lots of families. There were some interesting shops nearby. Cookware, children's clothing, reasonably priced jewelry. I discovered that none of the shopkeeps spoke English.
I stopped off at what I'm now convinced is the Parisian version of Denny's for a bowl of tomato soup and a glass of wine. The TV above the bar had a surfing competition. I thought to myself, if this is Mavericks, I think I'm going to cry. Fortunately, it was the Hawaii surfing competition... crisis averted
Still early for LCB, I decided to stop by and check in for the class and perhaps check out the gift shop. The woman at the LCB front desk was rather curt and admonished me for arriving early. I was looking for the Julia Child experience and this was it.
There were 4-5 LCB students outside, chatting and smoking. They spoke English and I spoke with them for a few minutes regardng their studies at LCB. Sounds like the coursework is intense. None of them had been hit with celery by a surly chef/ instructor. I told them it was great to hear English. One of the students (a young woman) said they were happy to hear English as well. All was good.
The class/ demo at LCB was part of their "Tribute to Julia Child" series of monthly classes. Chef Marc Thivet had two assistants helping with the prep work (ahh, that's what I need). The dishes Chef Thivet covered included Boeuf Bourguignon, rice with seasonal vegetables and flan. The rice was actually a risotto style preparation and the flan was closer to a souffle (with a good amount of flour added). I learned a few tricks for the Boeuf stew and vegetable preparation and had a few aha cooking moments. Most of the students were Americans (we had an English translator for the class). We were provided with a tasting of each dish and, of course, a glass of red wine.
I met two lovely women as we waited for our class to begin. Joan and Jean are twin sisters from Niagara, Canada. Joan and her husband are starting their retirement with 10 weeks in Paris (don't give me any ideas) and Jean is visiting for a week. After the class, Joan and Jean offered to walk me to the nearby Metro station where I could get a taxi. Their apartment was nearby. I was grateful to get a taxi very quickly.
When I finally got back to the apartment, I did something I haven't done since my childhood in Minnesota. I warmed my frozen backside on the radiator.
There were a few trips to get the luggage down with the teeny tiny elevator. (My joke - When the apartment bldg elevator grows up it wants to be an airplane bathroom.)
Last night, I wanted more time with Davey. I held him as he fell asleep and gently waked him this morning. I hope he doesn't grow much or do a lot of new things before I get home. Just when I'd gotten used to the pace of apartment life with the family, I am alone in the apartment, alone in Paris. It feels very strange.
Ash Cloud
Per CNN, the ash cloud is back for parts of England and Ireland. Makes things a bit more interesting.
Le Cordon Bleu (LCB)
This afternoon was my first cooking class. It was a demo at the Cordon Bleu. I mapped out the route and committed the major streets to memory before I left the apartment. After a few blocks of walking in the biting cold, I opted for a taxi. The driver spoke no English and he had never heard of the Cordon Bleu. I helped direct him (with my iPhone map app) and I was very relieved when we found LCB.
I arrived very early and decided to check out the neighborhood around LCB. It was different from the 7th Arrondissmont/ Eiffel Tower area. Very working class, very diverse.. lots of families. There were some interesting shops nearby. Cookware, children's clothing, reasonably priced jewelry. I discovered that none of the shopkeeps spoke English.
I stopped off at what I'm now convinced is the Parisian version of Denny's for a bowl of tomato soup and a glass of wine. The TV above the bar had a surfing competition. I thought to myself, if this is Mavericks, I think I'm going to cry. Fortunately, it was the Hawaii surfing competition... crisis averted
Still early for LCB, I decided to stop by and check in for the class and perhaps check out the gift shop. The woman at the LCB front desk was rather curt and admonished me for arriving early. I was looking for the Julia Child experience and this was it.
There were 4-5 LCB students outside, chatting and smoking. They spoke English and I spoke with them for a few minutes regardng their studies at LCB. Sounds like the coursework is intense. None of them had been hit with celery by a surly chef/ instructor. I told them it was great to hear English. One of the students (a young woman) said they were happy to hear English as well. All was good.
The class/ demo at LCB was part of their "Tribute to Julia Child" series of monthly classes. Chef Marc Thivet had two assistants helping with the prep work (ahh, that's what I need). The dishes Chef Thivet covered included Boeuf Bourguignon, rice with seasonal vegetables and flan. The rice was actually a risotto style preparation and the flan was closer to a souffle (with a good amount of flour added). I learned a few tricks for the Boeuf stew and vegetable preparation and had a few aha cooking moments. Most of the students were Americans (we had an English translator for the class). We were provided with a tasting of each dish and, of course, a glass of red wine.
I met two lovely women as we waited for our class to begin. Joan and Jean are twin sisters from Niagara, Canada. Joan and her husband are starting their retirement with 10 weeks in Paris (don't give me any ideas) and Jean is visiting for a week. After the class, Joan and Jean offered to walk me to the nearby Metro station where I could get a taxi. Their apartment was nearby. I was grateful to get a taxi very quickly.
When I finally got back to the apartment, I did something I haven't done since my childhood in Minnesota. I warmed my frozen backside on the radiator.
Monday, May 3rd - Le Brrr and Au Revoir
On Monday, it started to get very cold and damp. Quite a change from last week when it was 77. The housekeepers arrived at the apartment unexpectedly (I had been waiting for a call to confirm their schedule) and we quickly got ourselves together and out. This was probably for the best since we could have spent more hours lingering over coffee on a cold Paris morning.
We spent the day near the apartment, David and Connie helped carry provisions (paper goods, bottled water and of course some wine) back to the apartment so I'd have them on hand for my remaining three weeks.
Davey wanted to find the "Chateau du Fromage" since he had seen it on an episode of one of his favorite animated shows, Toot and Puddle. We walked to the the fromagerie on Rue Cler and discovered it was closed. In general, we were surprised that many of the small shops are closed on Mondays.
We did find Picard. This is one of my favorites because it is so unusual and unexpected in Paris. Picard is a supermarket that only sells frozen foods. You walk in, look around and there are aisles of freezer cases with the most unusual exotic and very French frozen foods imaginable. I had to get the pre-made escargots (this is as close as I get to making Escargot).
When we got back to the apartment, I helped with the packing then made (ok heated) the escargot. We enjoyed a nice farewell supper of escargot, cheese, pate and bread with a good bottle of champagne. Davey opted for his favorite, chicken nuggets (yes, they have them at the super marche).
We spent the day near the apartment, David and Connie helped carry provisions (paper goods, bottled water and of course some wine) back to the apartment so I'd have them on hand for my remaining three weeks.
Davey wanted to find the "Chateau du Fromage" since he had seen it on an episode of one of his favorite animated shows, Toot and Puddle. We walked to the the fromagerie on Rue Cler and discovered it was closed. In general, we were surprised that many of the small shops are closed on Mondays.
We did find Picard. This is one of my favorites because it is so unusual and unexpected in Paris. Picard is a supermarket that only sells frozen foods. You walk in, look around and there are aisles of freezer cases with the most unusual exotic and very French frozen foods imaginable. I had to get the pre-made escargots (this is as close as I get to making Escargot).
When we got back to the apartment, I helped with the packing then made (ok heated) the escargot. We enjoyed a nice farewell supper of escargot, cheese, pate and bread with a good bottle of champagne. Davey opted for his favorite, chicken nuggets (yes, they have them at the super marche).
Sunday May 2nd - No Musee, Plan B, Jules Verne
On Sunday, we planned to go to Musee D'Orsay. It turns out the first Sunday of the month is free museum day. The crowds were absolutely massive (we saw them from 3-4 blocks away). Plan B, to the Bateau (boat). We arrived at the Bateau Mouches launch 5 minutes before departure.
The boat was nearly empty. The wind was brisk and it had begun to sprinkle ... tt felt good to be inside. We enjoyed a one hour boat tour. It was relaxed and the views were great. We walked back from the launch, crossing the Seine and staying parallel to the river as we made our way back to the Champ du Mars area.
We stopped for lunch at the Bistro on the corner and had just gotten settled when it started to pour outside. Ahh.. great timing. The coffee helped me warm up.
On Sunday evening, David and I celebrated our 18th anniversary with a special dinner at Jules Verne (2nd level, Eiffel Tower). It took us less than five minutes to walk over from the apartment. There is a special entrance and elevator for the restaurant. Once your reservation is confirmed, you are allowed to go in. The plaza at the Eiffel Tower was still busy. In the middle of the plaza we looked up to see a rainbow. Good omen.
There were two other couples on the elevator (American and British). Based n the conversations I overheard as we were lead to our table, Jules Verne seemed to be very popular with Americans (which always makes me a bit suspicious).
There are four quadrants of seating areas at Jules Verne. I'm cnvinced that there's not a bad view in the place. We had a marvelous view of the Arch d'Triumph and Paris city skyline.
The service was outstanding, the meal was superb. David and I each started with the lobster salad. David had a beef entree (extraordinarily tender and tasty), I had the sole and spring vegetables. For dessert, I had fresh berries with sorbet and meringue leaves. It was sumptuous and a perfect ending for my meal.
For his dessert, David had a chocolate creation. I could go on and on about David's dessert.. because, well, it was astounding. He shared two bites with me and that was plenty (it was very rich). I'm not a big sweets fan, but I wanted to kiss the chef that came up with this concoction. The chocolate dessert was shaped like a large bolt from the Eiffel Tower, it had layers of crisp cookies with bits of hazelnut, a hazelnut chocolate mousse in the center then coated in dark chocolate and a streak of gold dust across the top. This was a magical dessert and I would recommend it to anyone visiting the Jules Verne.
The one other thing I'd like to mention about Jules Verne is the restrooms. The entry is very Star Treky. A gentleman pressed te button to show me the entry to the restrooms. Doors parted. When I returned to the table, I sent David to check it out. He agreed.. and said that Jean Luc Picard had pressed the button for him as well.
The boat was nearly empty. The wind was brisk and it had begun to sprinkle ... tt felt good to be inside. We enjoyed a one hour boat tour. It was relaxed and the views were great. We walked back from the launch, crossing the Seine and staying parallel to the river as we made our way back to the Champ du Mars area.
We stopped for lunch at the Bistro on the corner and had just gotten settled when it started to pour outside. Ahh.. great timing. The coffee helped me warm up.
On Sunday evening, David and I celebrated our 18th anniversary with a special dinner at Jules Verne (2nd level, Eiffel Tower). It took us less than five minutes to walk over from the apartment. There is a special entrance and elevator for the restaurant. Once your reservation is confirmed, you are allowed to go in. The plaza at the Eiffel Tower was still busy. In the middle of the plaza we looked up to see a rainbow. Good omen.
There were two other couples on the elevator (American and British). Based n the conversations I overheard as we were lead to our table, Jules Verne seemed to be very popular with Americans (which always makes me a bit suspicious).
There are four quadrants of seating areas at Jules Verne. I'm cnvinced that there's not a bad view in the place. We had a marvelous view of the Arch d'Triumph and Paris city skyline.
The service was outstanding, the meal was superb. David and I each started with the lobster salad. David had a beef entree (extraordinarily tender and tasty), I had the sole and spring vegetables. For dessert, I had fresh berries with sorbet and meringue leaves. It was sumptuous and a perfect ending for my meal.
For his dessert, David had a chocolate creation. I could go on and on about David's dessert.. because, well, it was astounding. He shared two bites with me and that was plenty (it was very rich). I'm not a big sweets fan, but I wanted to kiss the chef that came up with this concoction. The chocolate dessert was shaped like a large bolt from the Eiffel Tower, it had layers of crisp cookies with bits of hazelnut, a hazelnut chocolate mousse in the center then coated in dark chocolate and a streak of gold dust across the top. This was a magical dessert and I would recommend it to anyone visiting the Jules Verne.
The one other thing I'd like to mention about Jules Verne is the restrooms. The entry is very Star Treky. A gentleman pressed te button to show me the entry to the restrooms. Doors parted. When I returned to the table, I sent David to check it out. He agreed.. and said that Jean Luc Picard had pressed the button for him as well.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Link to Photos
FYI - - I am having problems including photos with the blog posts.
Here is the link to the photos and they have not yet been edited, captioned or rotated.
Just click on "The photos are here"
Enjoy!
The photos are here.
Here is the link to the photos and they have not yet been edited, captioned or rotated.
Just click on "The photos are here"
Enjoy!
The photos are here.
Saturday May 1st - Labour Day
May 1st was a relaxed day for us. Much of Paris was closed due to Labour Day. The only attraction open is the Eiffel Tower and the area was crowded. We spent time playing with Davey at the Champ du Mars.
Although we had received some of the warnings regarding May 1st (marches, protests, police action) we didn't see anything near the apartment or Champ du Mars. We did notice a lot of police patrolling the Eiffel Tower/ Champ du Mars area.
We ate in and I did my first cooking in the apartment. The European appliances are challenging (it took me 10 minutes to get the electric burner going to boil water for the pasta). Everything went well and we enjoyed a dinner of chicken Provence with egg noodles.
Although we had received some of the warnings regarding May 1st (marches, protests, police action) we didn't see anything near the apartment or Champ du Mars. We did notice a lot of police patrolling the Eiffel Tower/ Champ du Mars area.
We ate in and I did my first cooking in the apartment. The European appliances are challenging (it took me 10 minutes to get the electric burner going to boil water for the pasta). Everything went well and we enjoyed a dinner of chicken Provence with egg noodles.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)