I'm going to pretend it's hot and sunny in Paris and just ignore the pools of rain collecting on my terrace. I think that's a good plan because this wet blanket weather is seriously grinding my gears. And even though the recipe I'm about to share is most satisfying sipped seaside, it can be equally as refreshing when days upon days of rain are dragging you down. Maybe even better because one gulp of this smoothie and you're ready to scrunch your toes in the nearest strip of sand. Watch out dirty park sandbox on blvd. Richard Lenoir! I'm comin' with my umbrella worthy smoothie!
Remember when the awesome yogurt folks at FAGE sent me a package of their products after I wrote them about my love affair with their yogurt? Well this smoothie is thanks to that small act of God or should I say Apollo, THE Greek god of dairy skills. Dairy skills folks. I think that might be more important than Apollo's claim of reigning over the sun. Just maybe... With or without Apollo's role in this yogurt miracle, Greeks are the ones to praise for this smoothie being worthy of a cabana on Santorini. The quality yogurt in this smoothie makes it a cut above the rest. It's beachy, brain freeze-inducing, and your best bet to beat the heat on the hottest of days (with a punch of protein no less) so big kudos to Jen DePalma for thinking up this recipe. I owe her for helping me will away the clouds blanketing Paris and transporting me to an island oasis. FAGE Island Smoothie from Jen DePalmaMakes: 2 large servings Ingredients 1 banana 1/2 cup chopped frozen mango1/2 cup chopped frozen pineapple 2 tablespoons honey1 container FAGE Total Instructions 1. Put all ingredients in a blender and get that blade workin' ! (I found the ingredients blended together better when the frozen fruits weren't totally rock solid. Let them defrost a bit to keep your blender from going into overdrive. Lesson learned when I caught a whiff of appliance smokiness in the air...)Slurp that smoothie and come back soon for a talk about guac and a recap of my trip to Berlin! Later gators.
Pin much? Some days I feel like a pin maniac, virtually hopping from one site to another pinning images left and right. Photos of recipes, clothes, home decor, and jewelry all find a home on my obsessively organized Pinterest page. But in an attempt to be a doer and not just a pinner, I started prioritizing my pins on a "to be completed sometime in this lifetime" list. You could call it my own little Pinterest Challenge. I've only tried and tested a teeny, tiny sliver of the cooking, crafting, and beauty projects floating around on my virtual bulletin board, but I've learned some crucial lessons: ---> Things aren't always as pretty or tasty on Pinterest as they are in real life. Life doesn't look like a magazine? Say what?!---> Pinterest is the ultimate "hint dropper." I may or may not have given mon mari my account password. Here's to years, possibly centuries of awesome birthday presents! ---> Pin boards = gift guides. If you pin it, I might buy it or make it. Pin wisely or don't be upset when you get DIYed center pieces for your nonexistent wedding. ---> See below...Argh, Pinterest! You're so diabolical! As much as I wish 99% of the images and ideas on Pinterest were my everyday reality, the truth is that I've had just as many Pinterest failures as successes. Suffice it to say that recipes need to be tested multiple times before serving them at dinner parties and hair tutorials should be saved for the days when you're not working. Here are my discovered on Pinterest, tried in Paris boom and bust pin experiences: Pinterest LOSSES1) One not so sexy hair tutorial. Bed head hair that shouldn't be seen by anything other than your pillow. 2) Green goblin smoothie --> Aptly named because it tasted like swamp monster. Maybe I read the proportions wrong? 3) Strawberry yogurt kamut cake --> vom. It went moldy before I ate it. Kamut failure. 4) Cauliflower crust pizza --> This I blame on our bum oven, but Lauren Conrad should stick to novels. Pinterest WINS1) Overnight oats --> Don't mind eating this for breakfast 7 days a week. Nope not at all. 2) Framed dry erase board --> Way too much fun to have in the apartment. 3) Passport holder tutorial --> Hello 2011 Christmas gifts! 4) Shower cap shoe bag --> Pinterest organization freaks making me more OCD than I already am. 5) Gluten free brownies --> Oh so good and oh so simple. Are you on the Pinterest bandwagon? Do you pin more than you do or are you all over completing Pinterest projects? Tell me!
I love yogurt. You might even say j'adore yaourt. Yesterday I ate 2 cups of yogurt and that's not counting the yogurt I hid in the slice of cake I scarfed down for my afternoon goûter. France is a yogurt addict's heaven. Walk into any grocery store and you're immediately overwhelmed by the sheer number of yogurt brands and flavors lining the shelves. But despite the food marts being stocked to the brim with different varieties of yogurt, there's only one yogurt for me: FAGE natural strained Greek yogurt. It's my one, true yogurt love. You can imagine the separation anxiety I experienced when I thought I couldn't find FAGE in Paris. Imagine going from one pack a day to nothing for weeks that then dragged into months. It was a painful withdrawal process that was only mildly alleviated by hours spent with a spoon and tub of full fat fromage blanc. Even the famous yogurt from our Turkey trip couldn't fill the growing holes in my stomach and heart. That's until this lady told me she found some. Not only that, but she found FAGE in the grocery store next to my work. Cue cries of joy. The Greek gods had answered my prayers. Life in France would be revolutionized. One FAGE at a time.After this life altering discovery, I emailed FAGE a love letter in which I waxed poetic about my obsession with their yogurt and asked where exactly I could find their products in Paris. My supply was running low and I wanted to know which grocery store brands were wise enough to stock FAGE. They must have found my email equally endearing and desperate because they offered to mail me several packs gratuitement. Free FAGE? Yes please! FAGE's generous response ranks right up there with finishing the Paris marathon--basically the best feeling e-v-e-r. While I could have consumed every yogurt FAGE sent straight from the packaging, I decided to use the yogurt in a few recipes and show just how excellent a product it really is. From today's recipe for Olive Oil Orange Cake (gluten free!) to guacamole, I'm convinced that FAGE has a place in all of your favorite dishes. But it really shines in this cake. The FAGE addition in this recipe kicks the moisture to a new level and creates a citrus, dairy combination usually reserved for sorbets and ice creams. The trio of orange, yogurt, and olive oil give this cake some versatility too. It's sweet enough for a slice at breakfast or for dessert, but I can imagine it working just as well with a fruity summer salad or meat soaked in a syrupy OJ marinade. Give it a try and tell me what you think!
Gluten Free Olive Oil Orange Cake adapted from Dorie Greenspan's EVO and Yogurt Loaf Cake
Makes: 1 loaf cake Ingredients 1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour mix (I used Bob's Red Mill.)3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum 2 teaspoons baking powder pinch of salt zest of 1 orange1/2 cup FAGE Total 3 large eggs1/4 teaspoon orange blossom extract 1/2 cup olive oil Instructions1. Preheat the oven to 180° Celsius/350° Fahrenheit. 2. Butter a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan (I used the European equivalent.)3. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. 4. In a separate bowl combine the sugar and orange zest. Using the back of a spoon, repeatedly smush the zest into the sugar until you have a orangey sugar mixture that smells like a citrus grove :-) Next, whisk in the FAGE, eggs, and extract. Once the mixture is well blended, add in the dry ingredients. 5. Using a spatula, gently fold in the olive oil. 6. Pour the batter into your buttered loaf pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes depending on your oven. 7. Let the cake cool and then make your tummy happy and eat a slice! More FAGE inspired recipes to come! P.S. Here's where to find FAGE in Paris: Monoprix stores, the Galeries Lafayette food department, and La Grande Epicerie de Paris. Miam, miam, miam!
As a daily subway commuter with a 40 minute ride to and from work, I have a lot of time to reflect on the good, bad, and downright rage-inducing qualities of the Paris métro system. Too much time really. As soon as my train makes an unscheduled stop or there's the slightest flicker of the lights in my train car, my mind jumps to doomsday scenarios and I'm mentally calculating how many days I could live off the granola bar in my purse. Maybe one I think, and then I start whispering merde over and over, imagining the ferocious Frenchies clamoring after my food supply. Just before code red panicking commences, the lights switch back on and the train is on its way just a tad en retard. Whether I'm imagining catastrophic métro disasters or just trying to squeeze into a train car, riding the Paris subway system has always seemed a bit Darwinist to me. Riders' survival instincts come out in full force as they're coerced into playing the seat wrangling game by their fellow métro passengers or are required to hold their breath for fear of intoxication by body odor. Most métro rides are downright dirty, figuratively and literally. With many pleasant and not so pleasant métro experiences under my belt, I started mentally compiling a list of tips for getting from point A to point B without wanting to scream a loud stream of English profanities or body check someone with my bag (because it's come waaaay too close to that). A bottle of red and two friends helped get the list on paper, but it's about time I publicly presented my semi-ridiculous métro survival tips. To maintain your own sanity...- Pee before you ride. Don't do the "I can hold it 'til I get there" routine. You'll pay if that train gets stuck. Not that you couldn't pee right there because people do do that...which leads me to #2...
- Carry the following items with you at all times: water, snack (a decent croissant should do), hand sanitizer, tissues, and a pen. In a pinch you can use the pen and tissues to write a farewell note when you find out you'll be stuck on the track for eternity.
- Don't step in anything. If you can't confirm the identify of a substance then you should swiftly steer yourself the other direction, preferably upstream.
- Use your backpack or purse as a shield. If I'm wearing a backpack, I place it in front of me so that if the train car fills up a) no one steals anything out of it and b) no one can get too up close and personal.
- Score a prime seat and don't give it up unless an ancient person or pregnant lady is giving you the stink eye. Best seat/space? 1) Anywhere enclosed. Go after those puppies like your life depends on it. 2) Standing against the back door. 3) Up against the seat furthest from the opening door. 4) Standing in the enclosed area. Avoid getting caught in the standing area in front of the doors at all possible costs.
As a courtesy to other passengers...- Don't put your fingers anywhere near your nose. No one likes to see you digging for nose gold. Stop.
- Personal grooming should happen in your own space. Nail clipping, nail cleaning, hair untangling, skin picking--these are all things that no one else needs to see you do. Try and flick nail grim in my direction and see what happens.
- Mascara wands rank just under BB guns for eye injuries when you try to apply one last coat of lash lengthener mid-métro journey. You're going to jab your eye out.
- Manage your hair. No one likes getting a stray hair caught in their mouth because their face happens to be at the same level as your cheveux.
- Wear deodorant and don't overdo it with the perfume.
- Keep your music to yourself. Not everyone wants to listen to Rage Against the Machine at 8am.
- Try saying pardon or excusez-moi before jamming your elbow into somebody's ribcage.
- Let people off before you bully your way on. Waiting those two seconds to jump on and find a seat is mildly painful, but at least you're not being a jerk.
- If the people around you are squished like sardines and you're still sitting snug in your seat, GET UP (unless of course you've got a real deal excuse). The people around you are probably cursing you under their breath.
Beware of...- Pick pockets. They might even crawl around your feet if it's a particularly packed car. Watch yourself.
- Piggybackers. I slow play it when I know they're trying to get through the ticket turnstile with me. If you take your sweet time, they won't make it through with you. I live to see rule breakers get busted so don't try to hop in behind me.
And just for the record...Line 6 is my favorite because you can't beat the view going across the Seine from Passy to Bir-Hakeim. Line 13 is my least favorite. I'd rather eat boudin noir than ride line 13 at rush hour. The Strasbourg St. Denis stop makes me want to never ride the métro again, but Concorde makes me want to live in Paris forever. As soon as your step out of the exit, you've got an incredible cityscape. What are your métro tricks? Do you have a favorite line or métro stop? Maybe an awesome/heinous story or two?
Paris is a safe city, but every big city has its unsavory bits. And when you're under the magical glow of the Eiffel Tower, it's easy to get googly eyed and lose your common sense. Unfortunately, that's exactly when shady characters take advantage of you. Get scammed (or worse) can put a big, fat damper on any travel experience so for the final installment in my Study Abroad Series, I thought I'd share a few of the strategies I use for keeping myself safe and sound in the City of Light. Whether you're strolling along the Seine, dancing the night away at Corcoran's Irish Pub, or taking a snooze in the Jardin du Luxembourg, there are a few tactics you can use to keep you and your belongings out of harm's way. None of what I'm about to share with you is rocket science, but in the excitement of traveling abroad, it's easy to get lost in the little details (i.e. what to pack:-) and while trying to determine which shoes go with the most number of outfits, you can forgot important pre-trip to dos. So before you get on a plane, take a moment to make sure you've crossed the following items off you're list:
1. Sign up with the U.S. State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. It takes two seconds and in the event of a serious emergency you'll be glad you did. 2. Make multiple copies of identification documents and credit cards (back and front of both) that can be given to someone responsible back home. You could also scan all of the documents so that they're at the ready electronically. 3. Give all of your trip details (including hotel information, train numbers, emergency contacts, etc.) to a reliable friend or family member that could be your go to person in an emergency. 4. Inform your bank and credit card companies that you'll be traveling out of the country. 5. Determine how you'll contact family and friends back home--phone card, cell phone, etc. 6. Know ahead of time how you'll get to your first destination upon arrival and how much local currency you'll need to get there (i.e. can you use a U.S. credit card at the metro ticket machine or will you need cash?). And once you're out and about in Paris... 1. Ignore any random people who try to talk to you or get you to sign something. Just keep walking! You don't need to humor them with a hello or a no thank you. Mind your own beeswax and carry on your way. (Read here and here about pickpocket tactics and common scams you'll see in Paris). 2. Keep your smart phone, iPod, etc. in your zippered, padlocked pocket ;-) Don't tempt fate and take it out on the metro no matter how much you want to check Facebook. DON'T DO IT! 3. Don't hang your bag on your chair or leave it under a table. Keep it looped around your arm or on your lap. Just because you're bag is hidden under a jacket or tucked under a bar stool does not mean it's safe. 4. Lower your voice. Americans tend to talk more loudly than the French and it draws attention in public places. It puts you in a more vulnerable situation when others realize you're from out of town. 5. If you're standing watching some weird circus/dance troupe act on the Champs Elysees or elsewhere, know that while you're watching the talent, pick pockets are rifling through the bags of the distracted audience. 6. Be conscious of where you store your passport. Hotel safes are a good idea, but if your hotel has unreliable security and no safes, I wouldn't leave it there. On the other hand, if you're going on a Seine booze cruise, you probably shouldn't keep it in your pocket. The bottom line is avoid putting yourself in vulnerable situations. This is simple to do as long as you know what to be aware of and aren't in a silly drunken stupor from taking advantage of the lower European drinking age...you know what I'm talkin' about, tss tss ;-) Perhaps as the final note and to really cover all of the bases, memorize local 911 numbers for Paris because who ya gonna call isn't the Ghostbusters. Bon courage to all my future study abroaders and Paris visitors!
Okay, maybe I didn't win the mega million, but that's what it felt like last week when my mom showed up at my work totally and completely unexpected all the way from the U.S.A. Talk about the best surprise E-V-E-R. I'm pretty sure flying to Europe to surprise someone usually only happens in movies so of course I acted like I was in a movie and promptly burst into tears.
I'm still not sure I'm over what an amazing gift it was to have my mom in Paris this past week. Anytime family and friends visit I feel lucky, but I was particularly excited about my mom's surprise visit because it meant she got to see me run my very first marathon!
Last Sunday, my friend Jayme and I, along with mon mari and our friend Brent, completed the 2012 Marathon de Paris. We trained and fretted for months and months getting our bodies and minds ready for those 42 kilometers, and I honestly can't believe the marathon has come and gone. The physical and mental toll of preparing for such a big event made me an emotional basket case on race day. I was more nervous for this race than I was for my wedding day! I even teared up a couple of times (okay, three times...) along the course just so happy and relieved that I was accomplishing a goal that had once seemed so distant and unattainable. Running the race was made even better knowing I had my mom cheering me on. She deserves a medal for all of the running she did trying to get to different spots along the route. She hightailed it from Bastille to L'île de la Cité to the finish line shouting words of encouragement at every point. Fortunately we had outfitted her with a pirate flag so she was easy to spot :-) I can't thank her enough for making the trip over and being there to see me cross the finish!
Contrary to what mon mari thinks, I do read things other than celebrity gossips rags. I read a lot in fact. I even belong to a super dorky website called LibraryThing where I track all of the books I read. And while I adore books, there's nothing like snuggling in bed with a new magazine. Life can't get much better when you're wrapped up in cozy blankets and have 40+ glossy pages of articles and photos to read and admire or, even better, when you're soaking up the sun on a beach towel with a cool glass of lemonade to sip as you flip page after page and bask in the glow of magazine R&R...ahhh, that's relaxation! Lucky for me (and you, you'll see!) a wonderful individual at France Magazine knew about my passion for magazines and asked if I'd like to receive a copy. Bien sûr I replied, and in two weeks time I was relaxing on the couch with a cup of tea and an issue of France Magazine hot off the press. And, wait, it gets better...I received the magazine's special food and wine issue, miam, miam. France Magazine, published by the French American Cultural Foundation, celebrates French culture and fosters a shared sense of joie de vivre between North America and France. In addition to well written and illustrated articles, each issue of the magazine includes details on cultural events happening on both sides of the pond. If you're a Francophile through and through and have been to France many times or are dreaming of your first visit, France Magazine will fuel and replenish your passion for the land of cheese and wine. I know I was nearly licking the pages of my food and wine issue! As someone who can't help but compare the cultural differences between France and the United States (remember my cranky rant USA vs. France or my endless American cravings?), reading the magazine reminded me just how vibrant a cultural current the two countries share and the importance of learning from and exchanging the best qualities of each nation. I mean, the U.S. definitely needs more quality croissants, don't you think?! Of course, when I think of cross culture exchange I think of food. Can you blame me when my issue of the magazine did spreads on famous chef Jean-Louis Palladin and Alain Ducasse's new culinary program? I've worked my way through the food and wine issue, and am now totally hooked on the magazine, if for no other reason than to keep me positive about just how great living in France can be. It's an opportunity I often take for granted, and don't appreciate enough because I got lost in the day to day struggles of functioning in a society different from my own and in a language I can't seem to master. I'm excited to sign up for a year long subscription and France Magazine would also like to offer you a very special subscription rate plus an additional issue included free of charge. This is a 33% reduction off the newsstand price. To get this great deal, visit the magazine's subscription page and enter the promotion code USGIRLFM. If you decide to sign up, I hope you enjoy reading the magazine as much as I do!
That's what my attempt at a gluten-free diet has been-- one huge hot mess. I told myself that after my party in the U.S.A., I'd stopping falling off the gluten-free wagon every time I walked past the boulangerie. I thought I'd done a good enough job of scaring myself by reading the The Gluten Free Bible that I'd return to France with a shield of armor that would protect my mind and mouth from all things gluten, but apparently my armor has some serious chinks. First, Eric Kayser did me in with a praline brioche (which I guilty ate 90% and then shamed myself into throwing the last bite away, ugh). Then I was sidelined by a particularly delicious looking, floury bread basket and soon after, a work event had me stuffing slices of Picard's sandwich dome into every spare crevice of my mouth. Finally just last week, my gluten-free pasta caught on fire mid-boil and I was "forced" to eat regular bow tie pasta (like I minded). Don't ask how it happened. We still don't know how the pasta magically turned into a fiery kitchen spectacle (I'm just glad we have a smoke detector). Mon mari is blaming it on my weird quinoa rice spaghetti. Not fair. There you have it. Major gluten failings. And that's not even all of them. I just can't decide which way to go with the whole thing. One minute I'm freaking out about the effects of gluten on my body and the next minute I'm inviting all the baguettes in Paris to a gluten party in my stomach. I can't pick a team. It's worse than Edward vs. Jacob. So I've decided to play on both sides until I feel compelled to go fully one way or the other. Halfsies you could say. And in the spirit of straddling the gluten line, I thought I'd share a few of my recent gluten-filled and gluten-free Paris adventures. Enjoy!
1. Gelato from VasaVasa (34 Avenue de la Bourdonnais, 75007 Paris). Thank goodness dairy is gluten-free.
2. Gluten Free Pantry's Favorite Sandwich Bread Mix brought back from the U.S. There are only 4 more slices left in my freezer. Someone, anyone, send more mixes! The French gluten-free breads smell like mold. 3. The not so gluten-free mhajeb and pastries from La Bague de Kenza make mon mari's face say MIAM. 4. Heart shaped almond butter cups made using a Mama Pea recipe. I sort of didn't want to eat them they were so cute. 5. Totally gluten-filled cupcakes made for a friend's birthday. Truth? They looked fun, but they're weren't so delicious. Baking fail. But once the party-goers had a beer or two or four, I don't think they noticed.
6. And the best gluten-free adventure of all? Realizing Monoprix sells FAGE. MY LIFE IN FRANCE IS NOW COMPLETE.
Do you have any gluten-free products that make your stomach swoon?
Mon mari's sister is coming to Paris with one of her university's classes, and I'm playing virtual tour guide by answering questions she and her classmates sent my way. Unfortunately, I'm not the Paris guru that I pretend to be so I've enlisted the assistance of mes amies to give my sister-in-law's class (and you!) the most genuinely helpful, honest responses possible. Before jumping into suggestions for what to do and where to go in Paris, I need to share a secret...I never really studied abroad. Not in the semester long sense. I did study in Europe though, and boy oh boy I wish I had had my act together during those eight weeks I spent traipsing around. I have always been a crazy organized person, but for some reason I was feeling my "go with the flow" side while I was studying abroad and really didn't put any effort into preparing for my trip or thinking about what I would do with my time when I wasn't in class. Instead I participated in the "mall mob." You know how American middle schoolers hang out at the mall and shuffle around in slow moving groups that resemble a giant mush of Gak? Well, young adults on study abroad revert to mall mob and walk around cities in meandering blobs wondering aloud what they should do, where they should eat, and where they can go out. I was part of that mess of uncertainty when I visited Paris and wasted so much time looking like an idiot trying to figure out where the hell I could get a good crepe. If only I had been more on top of my game...so my big tip is this: PLAN, PLAN, PLAN. Flying by the seat of your pants and wandering around cobblestone streets in blissful ignorance is fun to a point, but if you have limited time or this is your one BIG trip to Europe (or in my case, you were with some folks who drank the cheap French wine for breakfast), get the most out of your experience and put in some planning effort up front. Is eating your thing (because it's mine, we could probably be friends...) or are museums and the sights more up your alley? Think about that stuff now else you'll be sucked into the study abroad blob of aimlessness. Now for the helpful part...your questions, my (and my friends') answers: How should I plan? Peruse and read books, blogs, travel sections of newspapers and magazines and start getting a general feel for what you want to do. (See here for my favorites Paris books.) Next, make a "must see/do list." A good list is a flexible list. You don't want to be married to it, but instead use it as a guide and a way to help plan your time. Don't forget about making reservations (Eiffel Tower anyone?!), booking museums passes, and checking schedules. Some popular sites are closed on random days! What are the top 10ish places to visit in Paris? Eiffel Tower and Champs de Mars (Go to the Palais de Chaillot at Trocadero for a great photo opp or even better, go into the Cité de l'architecture & du patrimoine, walk all the way to the back of the entrance, get a coffee at Cafe Carlu, and sip your drink on the portico while soaking up the Iron Lady in all of her glory.) Metro Trocadero or Bir Hakeim Montmartre Metro Pigalle or AbessesMusée d'Orsay Metro Solferino, Tuileries or Musée d'Orsay RER C Notre Dame Cathedral--arrive early and do the tower tour Metro St. MichelSainte Chapelle Metro CitéThe Catacombs Metro or RER B Denfert-RochereauLuxembourg Gardens multiple Metro stops or Luxembourg RER B Walk around the Marais--take a tour with Paris Walks (I've taken 4!) Metro St. PaulOpera Garnier (You can visit the inside without going to an opera, but check the website for closings.) Metro Opera Champs Elysées--especially at night (It's nice to get off at Metro Franklin Roosevelt and walk up to the Arc de Triomphe or at Metro Charles de Gaulle Etoile and walk down the avenue.) Pompidou Center (See the outside at least and if you like modern art, check out the inside.) Metro ChâteletTuileries Gardens and Pyramids of the Louvre Metro Palais Royal Musée du Louvre or Tuileries Louvre (If you have time, it's huge.) Pere Lachaise Cemetery Metro Pere Lachaise or Philippe AugusteTake a river cruise (I recommend the Les Vedettes du Pont Neuf, not Bateaux Mouches. I've taken both and prefer the first.) What are some good things to do or places to go at night?
Rue Oberkampf Metro Oberkampf or Parmentier
Rue de Lappe Metro Bastille or Ledru-Rollin
Latin Quarter (very student centered) Metro Odéon, Cluny La Sorbonne, or St. Michel
Rue Mouffetard (again student friendly) Metro Place Monge or Maubert Mutualité
Rue de la Butte aux Cailles Metro Place d'Italie, Corvisart, or Tolbiac
Go to the Eiffel Tower for a picnic at twilight! Metro Trocadero or Bir Hakeim
Sit along Canal St. Martin and waste the night away Metro Republique
Picnic along the Seine (best spots: the eastern nose of Île Saint-Louis and the green space along the river by Quai Saint-Bernard) Metro Sully-Morland or Jussieu Where are the dance clubs? Bars that have dance floors are your best bet. Try Hideout at Châtelet or Le Violon Dingue on rue de la Montagne St. Genevieve. If you're looking for a nightclub go with Duplex. My friend who runs study abroad programs in Paris said her students gave this one a thumbs up. The funny thing is mon mari's office had a work event there. Awkward...it definitely felt inappropriate for a work function so that probably makes it an awesome club. What are some good expensive and inexpensive places to eat? 3 pieces of guidance regarding eating: 1. Go to this website (it IS the end-all-be-all of Paris foodie sites). You can search and find whatever your stomach desires. 2. Do not eat at the Hard Rock Cafe. Just don't. A little piece of me will die inside. McDonald's would be better, especially because they are sort of fancy schmancy here. 3. Do not get suckered into eating in the Latin Quarter at one of the restaurants where there's someone at the door trying to sweet talk you into eating there. Those restaurants aren't necessarily bad, but you can do better than a tourist trap! Less Expensive Le Relais Entrecote (multiple locations) Les Petite Indécises 2 Rue des Trois Bornes 75011 Paris Plougastel 47 rue du Montparnasse 75014 Paris Paladio 2 rue Lavoisier 75008 Paris (quick sandwiches) L’As du Falafel 34 rue des Rosiers 75004 Paris Le Petit Cler 29 rue Cler 75007 Paris Au Pere Louis 8 rue Monsieur Le Prince 75006 Paris Sur un Petit Velo 82 Avenue Parmentier 75011 Paris Heureux comme Alexandre (multiple locations) Expensive Les Olivades 41 Avenue de Segur 75007 Paris (01 47 83 70 09) Les Ombres 27 Quai Branly 75007 Paris Le Chateaubriand 129 Avenue Parmentier 75011 Paris (01 43 57 45 95) L’Hotel du Nord Canal St. Martin 102, Quai de Jemmapes 75010 Paris (01 40 40 78 78) La Cigale Recamier 4 rue Recamier 75007 Paris (01 45 48 86 58) La Fontaine de Mars 129 rue St. Dominique 75007 Paris (01 47 05 46 44) L’Esplanade 52 Rue Fabert 75007 Paris (01 47 05 38 80) La Fermette Marbeuf 5 rue Marbeuf 75008 Paris (01 53 23 08 00) Diep 55 rue Pierre Charon 75008 Paris (01 45 63 52 76) Tante Louise 41 rue Boissy d’Anglas 75008 Paris (01 42 65 06 85) Restaurant Astier 44 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud 75011 Paris (01 43 57 16 35) What is the best bakery? Best bakery? That is probably THE most difficult question to answer, so I'll give you my pastry list instead. If you'll have an iPhone while you're here, download the Paris Pastry App. It basically dictates my weekends. Le Comptoir d’Oberkampf 54 rue Oberkampf 75011 Paris (pain au choclat) Desgranges Yves 6 rue Passy 75016 Paris (croissant) Café Angelina 226 rue de Rivoli 75001 Paris (hot chocolate) Stohrer 51 rue Montorgueil 75002 Paris (baba au rhum brioche, éclair) Berthillon 31 rue St. Louis en L’lle 75004 Paris (ice cream) Benoit 20 Rue Saint-Martin 75004 Paris (hot chocolate, chocolate, nougat) Gerard Mulot 76 rue Bonaparte 75006 Paris (raspberry tart, caramel mousse) Pierre Herme 72 rue Bonaparte 75006 Paris (macarons) Jean Millet 103 rue St. Dominque 75007 Paris (pain au chocolat) La Patisserie de Reves 93 rue de bac 75007 Paris (kouign amman) Fauchon 24-26 Place de la Madeleine 75008 Paris (madelines) Bonjour 16 Avenue Rene Coty 70014 Paris (éclair) Lenotre 48 Avenue Victor Hugo 750016 Paris (brioche pralines rose) Ganachaud 226 rue des Pyrennées 75020 Paris Les Halles (aurure-capucine) Banette multiple locations; check website www.banette.fr (la figue) Laduree multiple locations; check website www.laduree.fr (religieuse violet, macarons) Dalloyau multiple locations; check website www.dalloyau.fr (praline cake with almond meringue) La Bague de Kenza 106 rue Saint-Maur 75011 (EVERYTHING, my version of heaven is this place) This post is growing unruly and I'm starting to salivate on my keyboard so we'll save safety and speaking Franglish for the next study abroad post.
Bon week-end everybody and be sure to comment if you have a recommendation to share!
P.S. Why didn't any of you smart Penn Staters tell me about all the typos in my last study abroad post? You've got to have a few grammar freaks in your class who were cringing! Don't be shy. You can call me out.
Want to know how a blog post develops? I'll tell you.
RED WINE
+
LISTS
+
FRIENDS
Red wine gets the creative juices flowing, lists are formed, and friends make those lists sound ridiculous. Maybe I made them ridiculous. It was a Monday night blur. You may even notice there's a list titled "shittiest" and the word pee in capital letters. You probably don't even want to know where this post is going. Or maybe you do. I promise the post will highlight Paris at it's very, very best...
In other news, Monday evening's blog post brainstorm was scribbled on the envelope that contained my acceptance letter into pastry school...ack! You might not hear or see me freaking out, but I am, like a crazy person. I'm excited and ready to throw up at the same time. You'll probably read more (potentially a lot more) about this life-changing, anxiety inducing development, but it's safe to say I need some time for this news to really sink in.
On a less joyous, but equally dramatic note, one of my mice lost an eye today. Tragic. Going to try to repair my one-eyed mouse shoe and turn that envelope scribble into something more legible. Might even eat a celebratory pastry or two...
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