Wet 'n Wild!
It doesn't take much to turn me on around here.
For example, I know that very few of you will be as excited as I was to find this at Tang Frères...
But Alisa and Ms. Glaze?...you know you want it too...
Hot Duo!
Wanna see two Parisian studs going head-to-head in a groovy Parisian loft?
(Click to continue reading, for Adults Only...)
Here's my tips and step-by-step instructions for How To Make The Perfect Caramel.
(You may wish to also read Ten Tips for Making Caramel, which preceded this post.)
Seriously my friends, is there anything better than chocolate and toffee together?
Especially when the toffee has a brown sugar-flavored buttery snap and luscious chocolate is smeared over the top so it hardens and melds with the crackly caramelized matzoh underneath. When a marriage is this good, a picture can only do partial justice to the love that exists between the happy couple.
When a British travel writer asked if I'd like to meet for brunch last week, he also asked if I could suggest a reasonable place for the article he was doing. So I put on my thinking cap, kicked off my slippers, tossed my funky pajamas in the laundry bin, showered and...get this...shaved!...and actually took a break from my project and got a few breaths of fresh air.
Imagine that!
(This is getting to be a habit around here...)
Le Brunch is indeed available at some places in Paris, but je deteste being around people first thing in the morning—and I'm not so fond of Le Brunch either. So we compromised on the more civilized hour of 1pm. Not much is open in Paris on Sunday, which our President is fixing to change, so I suggested Breizh Café a tidy corner spot specializing in galettes de blé noir, commonly known as buckwheat crêpes.
This sparsely-finished restaurant is in the heart of 'bobo' (bourgeois bohemians) land, so there's no shortage of strollers or hipsters hanging out in this part of the Marais on Sunday. Once you get by all the posers skulking on the sidewalks peering in gallery windows, cigarettes perched in the corners of their mouth and the obligatory Sunday am dark glasses...(who unlike me, couldn't bother to shave)...it's a relief to find an inexpensive place to eat where the food is anything but trendy.
Because owner Bertrand Larcher is a true Breton, the Breizh Café focuses on the quality of the products and lets them shine, rather than trying to mess with the originals: there's no red pepper dust on the corner of the plate or twirls of squiggly sauces that have no business being there.
Last night I rounded a corner, and looked up.
It made me realize that sometimes it's easy to get caught up in too many things.
And what's really important is to give myself a moment to stop everything—take a look (and a photo)—and remind myself what a beautiful city I get to live in.
Although I don't think happiness necessarily depends on where you live, I'd say in my case, it definitely has something to do with it.
Last month, I received an invitation to visit the French Sénat. Like most of the government buildings here in Paris, this is one fabulous. Think wildly-ornate with lots of gilding and chandeliers and gardens that are plucked and shaved within an inch of their life. ('Nature' in Paris is meant to be looked at...ne touchez pas!) Plus there was a gorgeous dining room where les Sénateurs dine.
(Well, I should say, the real Sénateurs, since they didn't seem to have my name on that list.)
I don't know why the exhibition of foods and wines from the Lot-et-Garonne, was being held there, but I felt pretty special all the same. And who doesn't like feeling special?
There was a decent selection of foods to try. Lots of foie gras, some nice Gascon cheeses, and of course, pruneaux d'Agen. And lots of 'em. Since they were free, I ate as many as I could, especially the ones stuffed with chocolate-flavored prune filling. I was in prune heaven!
Except the next day—I was in prune hell.
Like Armagnac (take it from me); it's worth knowing your limits.
I decided my entryway was a disaster and got on the stick and pulled everything out and straightened it up.
Actually I didn't get that far.
I did pull everything out, but lost interest and didn't put anything back.
The good thing is, I can't leave.
So I have to stay home and work.
That was really dumb.
This my new mobile phone.
I've nicknamed it Darth Vader since it's dark, scary, and hisses at me a lot.
Carte Navigo
For Paris transit, visitors who are non-residents can buy weekly Navigo Découverte passes, which presently costs 16.30€, plus a one-time fee of 5€ for the cost of the pass, which is reusable for future visits.
You must bring a photo. There are photo machines in some of the métro stations, but I strongly urge guests to bring a stamp-sized photo from home where you're less-stressed, since the machines require correct change, may be confusing, and sometimes don't work. (If you press the wrong button, you might get a 10-inch close up of your nostrils.) It doesn't need to be passport-quality, so any snapshot will do.
Carnets of Tickets and The New Ticket t+
Carnets of 10 tickets, as always, are also available at métro stations for 11.10€ and in Tabacs. Bravo to the new Ticket t+ that allows you 1½ hours to transfer between buses, trams, or métros...although not between the bus and métro systems for some reason. Tickets sold onboard buses can't be used for transfers, which are marked sans correspondance.
Individual tickets are available as well for 1.5€, but the carnet is a better deal and any unused tickets can be saved for your next trip. Or given to a friendly American fellow who lives there.
Where To Buy
Weekly Navigo cards are available at SNCF train stations and métro stations manned by cashiers, as well as métro stations with an actual RATP office.
(Most of the regular métro stations have gone to electronic machines which take cash and some credit cards if they have a puce, or microchip, which replaced human cashiers. Larger métro stations, for the most part, still have cashiers to buy tickets and Navigo Découverte cards.)
What About a Paris Visite Card?
You can also buy a Paris Visite card which costs substantially more but can start or begin on any day. They're available in 1 (8.5€), 2 (14€), 3 (19€), and 5 (27.5€) denominations. The Paris Visite card offers discounts on various monuments, museums, and other attractions, plus 25% off the Bateaux Parisiens boat, so they're not necessarily a bad deal. You can buy them online, in advance from a third-party, or during your stay.
(All prices listed are subject to change.)
UPDATE: You can find updated information my post: Paris Transit Options.
More Paris Travel Links and Tips
Official Navigo website
Transilien French Train Information (in English)
Which Paris airport transfers to use
Some of my favorite Paris Travel and Dining Guides
Navigo to Carte Orange details on the RATP site. (The site is in French, although some information is available in English by clicking on the British flag.)
List and links for Paris Cooking Classes
Confused about how much to tip in France?
10 Insanely Delicious Things You Shouldn't Miss in Paris, according to me
More of my Paris Travel Tips
I'm a deadline for a project and am panicking about it.
So...being a world-class procrastinator—what did I do this weekend?
A. I scrubbed the hose of my showerhead.
B. I contemplated the safety of a wild boar sausage some Roman friends brought me. There were some mysterious things in there that I couldn't cut through as well, but I'll spare you that footage. So far I've eaten one-third of it and nothing's happened to me.
Yet.
C. I realized that I really like to make soup.
But later remembered that I really don't like eating it.
Pierre!
You were, like, so robbed last night on Star Academy.
You rock...and the people who voted you off are complètement nul...
Caramel Ice Cream
If you think making caramel is difficult, it isn't. In fact, when you made your toast this morning, half-asleep, you caramelized something! Enjoying a cup of coffee made from freshly-roasted beans, baking a cake or a batch of oatmeal cookies, grilling tofu, and chugging a beer are some of the other benefits we gain from caramelization.
I'll be doing an upcoming post on making the perfect caramel, and here are some tips that'll help:
1. Caramel is very, very hot. And very sticky. Keep a deep bowl of water with lots of ice in it nearby if you're a newbie: if some caramel lands on your hand, plunge it right into the ice water immediately. And wear an oven mitt just to be sure when handling hot pots.
2. Use a much larger pot than you think if your recipe calls to add liquid to the caramel, since it will certainly bubble up furiously. Don't be afraid to use a Dutch oven.
3. Use the heaviest gauge metal pot you have. Inexpensive or thin cookware heats unevenly, so drag out the most solid pot you've got. I don't recommend non-stick coatings since high-heat can damage them and may release undesirable compounds from the finish. And if you use copper, make sure it's unlined copper, or is lined with something that will withstand the high heat of caramelized sugar. Tin-lined finishes can melt and it's almost impossible to get them re-tinned in the US.
The results are in!
The winners of this year's Menu For Hope IV fundraiser have been announced over at Chez Pim. Head over and see if your name is on the list...the long list...of winners.
(I didn't win lunch at Arpege, but if the winner wants to take me, I can certainly free up some time and pencil it in on my calendar.)
This year, a whopping $91,118 was raised, and if you're the lucky winner of the KitchenAid Mixer, Ice Cream Attachment, and signed copy of The Perfect Scoop (prize EU17), get in touch with me so I can arrange to get you your prize!
Radio Interviews
I'm going to be giving a couple of radio interviews this weekend. You can find out details on my Schedule page. Listen in!
Fun Links
Here's a few things from around the web that I've enjoyed this week:
Why we will always love the French.
Can the $11,000 coffee maker brew up a decent cup of Folgers?
I give it a month. Tops.
No, that wasn't me lying on the floor of that goth bar with an empty glass of absinthe in my hand...
Makes me want to go back to Istanbul.
Saddest note of the week.
Another American chocolate-maker emerges.
And a favorite American candymaker is back behind her stove.
Paris' dirty secrets are open to the public. And the lines are huge!
Take your first nude swim in Paris...it's on the house!
(Link rated PG-13)
Are adding spinach to brownies and avocado to chocolate pudding ideas worth (allegedly) copying?
A billion dollars is a whole lotta carrot-flavored chapstick.
Getting to the bottom of your mixer.
Finally—a game where there aren't any losers.
...now that's my kinda game!
When I was in Méribel avoiding the steep slopes waiting in line at the cheese coopérative, I wasn't alone: the joint was seeing more action than all those gasp-inducing ski runs.
And just about every person ordered a nice hunk of Beaufort. And since they were in front of me in line, being France, of course each person had to have a 5 minute conference with the saleswoman about how to cut it, where they wanted it cut, exactly how much to lop off, if the other hunk on the shelf was better than the one they were getting, did they have another one in the back?...etc...etc...
The person in front of me scared me a bit when he requested a chunk that were as huge as a baseball mitt. It barely fit on the scale!
Naturally when it was my turn, it took me all of 1.3 seconds to tell her what I wanted and I ended up with a nice-sized piece as well—albeit of a more modest size—and could barely wait until I got home and dug into my chunk.
Every other week I'm forced to leave my modest little apartment because my housecleaner comes. I split since it's pretty small and there simply isn't room for the two of us to co-exist. So I leave and let her do her thing, whatever it is.
Oddly, it seems to take her an inordinately long time to clean it. A neighbor once told me she said my apartment was "...very messy." But I don't think that's the reason, since I'm not really messy at all. I've seen messy, and my apartment ain't it. Perhaps she's been pilfering my chocolate stash and when I leave, she slips into my bed, flips on the tv for an hour or so, and armed with a nice box of assorted chocolates on her lap, takes une petite pause.
During that time, although I usually begin with lofty plans to spend those few hours at a museum or do something cultural, invariably I end up at the movies. This afternoon I went to see Gone Baby Gone, which was particularly devastating and quite a difficult film. Paris is a great place to watch a movie: usually people take them seriously and no one talks. After the film, there were plenty of sniffles as the whole audience seemed to have been as moved by the film as I was. When I left, I walked by my apartment, noticed the lights still on, and decided to stop in the little café I like to frequent.
I don't know about you, but I'm a bit ga-ga over anything miniature.
And when it's miniature Paris pastries?
I can barely resist...
These are super-tiny replicas of some of the desserts and pastries from Pierre Hermé. I love the little details...they are just too cute—trop mignons!
You can order them here, and there's even a contest to win a set as well.
(Thanks to Carol over at Paris Breakfasts for tracking these down halfway around the world.)
Here's a list of the various ways for visitors to get to and from the city of Paris from Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), where a majority of international flights arrive and depart from.
In 2008, the airport is undergoing a much-needed renovation, so give yourself a bit of extra time to catch public transit and find your way around once you're dropped off. They've also added an extra security stop (passport control) before you can enter the satellites and duty-free shopping area, which you need to pass before you get to the gate area, lounges, and x-ray screening.
Even though they've made the airport a bit easier to navigate, it's still confusing and things aren't always where you might think they'd logically be. On my last trip, a group of us loaded with luggage followed the signs to the airport from the RER station—which led to a solid brick wall. Ouch!
Depending on traffic, the ride can take anywhere from a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour or more. Because schedules, fares, and hours of service change frequently, I suggest you check the website of the mode of transit you prefer for the most up-to-date information.
Oh, and if you want to be cool, most people call Charles de Gaulle Airport 'Roissy.'
RER Train
The RER is fast and economical, and doesn't depend on traffic patterns so even if you're traveling during rush hour, it pretty much runs on schedule. The RER B line, the one to Charles de Gaulle Airport, travels through some dubious areas on the outskirts of Paris and I've heard third-hand reports of pickpockets and trouble, but haven't experienced any of them firsthand. As always when traveling anywhere, be cautious, but not paranoid.
For the holidays this year, I decided to take up a friends offer to visit their family in Méribel, a village way high up in the French alps. As you can see, it's a spectacular place. And I'm not just talking 'gorgeous sunsets' or 'charmingly quaint' spectacular. I mean, Méribel was mind-blowingly, insanely hallucinante.
Seriously, I wasn't prepared for the awesome beauty of it all. Although I haven't strapped on a pair of skis in over thirty years, there I stood, at the top of the mountain on my first day on skis in decades, ready to slide down.
Let me tell you—skiing isn't one of those things that you get more comfortable with as you get older. *sigh* Especially when you're with a group of skiers that include some crazy teenagers who, at the top of a particularly steep run, simply point their skis in the straight-down position, and shove off with their poles and a banchee-like "On y va, Daveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed!"
And off they'd go...
