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July 3, 2009
Wherever you are this fourth of July weekend, I hope it is a glorious celebration filled with great people and great fun. See you back here in a few days. Photo credit: stuck in customes@flickr
 July 1, 2009
The good news about coming home from a book store in my world is that generally, whatever I purchase will get read numerous times. We all have similar tastes in our reading selections so our library has a number of dog-eared volumes that have been loved over and over. It does my heart good to see coffee stains, underlining or folded over corners in some of my favorite titles as I know they have been a source of inspiration and entertainment for others. And should I lend a book to someone, I let it go, not expecting to get it back but hoping its journey is a good one wherever it ends up. This weeks selection is of the dog-eared variety. My daughter just finished reading it and we have had numerous conversations about its message over glasses of wine these last few evenings while I fixed dinner. Bel-Ami by Guy de Maupassant, is the author’s second novel written in 1885. So obviously a social commentary on fin-de siecle Paris, it follows the cavortings of Georges Duroy, an absolute cad with an insatiable thirst for upward mobility. Owning no sense of decency, the reader holds one breath throughout thinking Monsieur Duroy could not possibly sink lower….yet he never disappoints. Or should I say, he is a complete disappointment Contemporary politics and journalism are woven throughout only adding to the amount of deception that a society is capable of. Nothing that we don’t see on a daily basis in cheesy tabloids or “news” sites splashed throughout the Internet. Clearly, this stinging but oh, so entertaining tale illustrates all that de Maupassant wrestled with and condemned in his current moment. I have saved the best for last on this one. While looking for a book cover photograph, I came upon the news that Bel-Ami is being made into a film starring Rob Pattinson from Twilight. He is perfectly cast as the lead in my mind. Depending how you feel about books being made into movies you might want to enjoy all that this one holds before heading to the movie theatre. For me, the movies are always watered down versions after having read such rich text. Pick your poison on this one. Photo credit: amazon.com June 30, 2009
Cocktails, apéritifs, whatever you want to call them are a favorite past time of mine–or should I say enjoying the company of others while drinking them is what I enjoy. We don’t really do apéritifs very well in the states. Generally, one orders a beer or a favorite glass of wine while waiting for a table in restaurants. There’s not always a thought process involved in the enjoyment of the cocktail or the moment. In all fairness, if I find myself in a Chili’s or TGIFridays, I’m not thinking about the moment. Just thinking about getting the meal over with and moving on. In Paris, and all of France, there is a ritual involved in the ordering of drinks. Surely, as one sits down, a “pre-dinner” drink would be suggested, such as champagne or a Kir, followed with a glass of wine or better yet, bottle, paired with whatever meal is being served. That may sound all wine-snobby, but it’s accepted practice and I love it. As a result, I always find myself starting things off with a glass of bubbly before I get into the nitty gritty of what to drink with my dinner. Once your body gets used to consuming twice the amount of alcohol you normally would, it’s all good. I found this fun interactive webpage called My French Cocktail Hour that will take you on a tour throughout France showcasing drinks popular in different regions, how to make them, what foods to pair them with and where and how to enjoy them throughout the country. For example, I am a fan of Kir, a cocktail of créme de cassis and white wine or Champagne (Kir Royale). When I click on the word Kir, the website whisks me off to Burgundy of all things and suggests I enjoy this delightful drink while lazily barge cruising on the Canal de Bourgogne while nibbling on gougère, savory little cheese puffs made from choux pastry. There is absolutely nothing not to like about this advice as far as I am concerned. I like Kir, I like cheese, I like dough…..I’m there. This would be a wonderful exercise in how to tour the entire country and I just may have to put this little plan into action. Who’s with me? Photo credit: jmvnoos@flickr June 29, 2009
Currently, a much different green space has been created temporarily illustrating gardens of the moment, bio-diverse urban spaces. Jardin Éphémère, located in the square directly in front of the Hôtel du Ville has been transformed into an Earth friendly exposition showcasing ways and means in which to garden with a green thumb that even Mother Nature would approve of. Eleven jardinets as they call them have been laid out providing information on how to create a kitchen garden, what types of mulch to use and how to make your own compost. The result is beautiful as the pictures and video show although I am hardpressed to think of Parisians talking about or comparing notes on compost recipes. I am a believer of never saying never, however. If Karl Lagerfeld decides to design great looking gardening outfits and accessories, perhaps this homespun garden thing has a chance.
Le plus bio jardin de Paris, parvis de l’hôtel de ville ! envoyé par mairiedeparis. - Découvrez plus de vidéos créatives. Additional information:
Jardin Éphémère
Parvis de l’Hôtel de Ville
June 13 through July 14, 2009 Métro: Hôtel de Ville 8:00am-8:00pm June 28, 2009
Photo credit: *Yaya@flickr June 26, 2009
This Saturday and Sunday, June 27 & 28, Nike is sponsoring Jordan Brand’s Quai 54, an outdoor basketball tournament featuring 16 of the worlds best streetball teams. Players from around the world will be competing for the Quai 54 trophy amid street culture that is unique to Paris. Qualifying games are being played all day Saturday from 10:00am to 5:30pm with playoffs starting Sunday morning culminating with the finals at 7:00pm. Current champion La Fusion (a French team) defends its title against competition coming from the US, UK, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Japan. In addition to great basketball there will be a slam dunk competition, musical guests, contests and special activities that anyone can participate in. There’s always a little give and take in this world and I see this as a golden opportunity to make everyone in the family happy campers. Additional information: Quai 54 International Streetball Championship June 25, 2009
The lines forming in Paris are for less ‘heart dropping into one’s stomach’ encounters, unless of course the woman in front of you manages to get her paws on a pair of Roger Vivier shoes 50% off before you do. You see, starting yesterday and continuing through July 29th, the annual summer SOLDES (sales) has officially kicked in and prices everywhere, on all kinds of items will come crumbling down. Twice a year, January and July, retailers are given the opportunity to slash prices and pass savings on to the French consumer. Traditionally, these soldes periods were indeed the only time that prices were cut during the year. The month long sale discounted all merchandise by 10% initially with deeper cuts throughout the month. Holding out for a better price on say, home appliances or a Chanel jacket, was similar to playing roulette. You better hope no one else in the neighborhood wants clean clothes or wears a size 6. Clearly, by the time substantial savings are made available, most of the good stuff is gone. Recently, as consumer spending has sagged along with a sagging economy, discounts have been offered in the guise of “promotions” to help get shoppers shopping again. Soldes are regulated by a government agency, that tells department stores, chain stores and larger distributors when they can drop their prices. Smaller shops that don’t fall under this jurisdiction can advertise promotions to move merchandise that big retailers cannot. As you can imagine, a whole host of problems are created between the little guys and big giants, muddying up the waters of the twice yearly event. But that is France’s problem. Bottom line for you the reader and traveler to Paris; get some comfy walking shoes on, clear the credit cards or take a stash of euros out of an ATM machine, sharpen your claws and get in line. Photo credit: reel aesthete@flickr June 24, 2009
I would recommend pouring oneself a glass of wine (or tea or whatever your favorite beverage might be) find a quiet moment and get absolutely lost in the beauty of this book. Truly, you will feel as though you have been on a most magnificent get away. Photo credit: barnesandnoble.com June 23, 2009
Ordering a coffee in Paris should be easy but it isn’t. At least for those of us Americans addicted to this drink it isn’t. My body, as I may have mentioned before, craves the endless cup or at the very least a pot in the mornings to get me going. Unless you have your own coffee maker with you in Paris (no little 4 cup machines in hotel rooms my friends) you are out of luck. So you make the grand effort of getting all ready to greet the day and run downstairs to the buffet breakfast that the hotel serves up to throw back a thimble full of coffee. Seriously, what is that? Where is the vente size cup that is like carrying a full pot with you? I love, love, love everything about Paris except their stingy sized coffee portions.
Why a post about one type of coffee, Café Noisette in particular? To save those of you from making the same mistake that I kept making upon my arrival to Paris. My old self (long ago self, NOT old self) drank weak American coffee with cream. This baffles me in the current moment. I must have felt that coffee was undrinkable without being a pale almond color. When I arrived in Paris, my option (so I thought) was to order café au lait, coffee served with steamed milk…..or steamed something. Dairy products in France are so very different from the ones we consume in the states and the taste was, well, awful. Someone told me they used unsweetened condensed milk which makes my gag reflex kick in a little just thinking about that in my coffee. Clearly, the die hard java drinker that I am found herself in a pickle. The girl who was teaching me French at the time of all this coffee confusion saved me. We met at Les Deux Magots(map) for one of our weekly classes and started talking about coffee and the drinking and ordering of it (all in my pathetic new found French of course) and she was the one who enlightened me to Café Noisette–a shot of espresso with a tiny bit of steamed milk in it. ”Noisette” refers to the color of the drink which is a toasty hazelnut. Voilà. Two good things happen–the insane, intense espresso is tempered for those of us in need of some tempering AND the volume of liquid is increased giving me something a bit bigger and more satisfying to drink. Many months went by and café noisette was my drink of choice, unless of course it was a glass of Bordeaux which is a topic for another post. One day, I wanted to feel particularly French…which you really can never feel because they won’t let you, but I was going to try. I felt if I had just the right shades of black and grey on, tucked my jeans into my boots (which American women cannot do without coming off looking a bit like a pirate) wrapped a big ratty scarf around my neck, not wash or comp my hair upon awakening and had a Marc Levy novel with me, for a moment, I might pass as French. Sitting at my local café, I surprised myself when asked what I wanted and the words “je prends un espresso” came out of my mouth. That was my undoing. I felt French–I was drinking bitter coffee grounds, reading and comprehending a French novel, looked like a messy pirate and would never look back. Photo credit: chez loulou@flickr June 22, 2009
Think Kentucky Derby, minus the horses. Maybe some mint juleps to get things started…no wait, those are vile. In this venue a glass of the bubbly would do nicely. Throw in a strawberry for good measure. Dress in gauzy white linen from head to toe, channeling your very best memory from F. Scott Fitzgerald novels read on steamy summer afternoons. Then take this entire scene and transport it to the Place de la Concorde on a star-lit summer evening and you have Dîner en Blanc. A tradition here in Paris since 1986, it is one of those events that has taken on a life of its own and grows exponentially every year. Initially, a group of friends planned a dinner party, picnic if you will, the location of which would be revealed to those “in the loop” at the very last second. Guests showed up dressed in white, perhaps making it easier to identify the other special members of this tiny dinner fraternity. Eventually, tout le monde wanted in. Twitter and text messaging made it possible to join in whether one was invited or not as the similarly outfitted group got bigger and bigger–somewhat hard to keep a growing group of people all dressed in white under the radar. This year 6,000 Parisians in the know made their way to the “secret site”, a spectacle that French wizardry was able to pull off at the largest intersection in the city. Next year, one long table along the entire length of the Champs Elysées might be required. Let’s put it on our calendars now. I’ve got the wine. Photo credit: Zir/Signatures |
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Paris, FRANCE