Au Revoir, Paris! A tout a l'heure! - Saturday, 20 April

Mini Mini Envy - Thursday, 18 April

After being out-and-about much of the day, I returned to my 'hood to find a beautiful little girl driving a bright pink "toy" electric Mini Cooper down rue Tiquetonne.  I must say that what she lacked in accuracy she made up for in cuteness.  Her mom/sitter was having a hecuva time keeping her from running into people.  Then another little girl of the same age who just happened to be in the vicinity really wanted to go along for a ride.


Honestly, I tried to take several photos, but passers-by kept getting in the way while they stopped and oohed and aaahed, or the girls suddenly darted in some other direction.

And once they headed straight for me.  Happily, mom kept them from knocking me over, but are these kids cutie patooties or what?!?  Love love love the casual Parisian scarf tying technique on the girl on the left!

I have a real Mini but gotta say that I'm a bit jealous because it's not nearly as fun as this mini Mini.

When DO these Kids Sleep? - Thursday, 18 April

I had evening conference calls for "Save Our SPCO" last night and tonight that required me to be alert from 2am to 4am my time.  (In truth I was a bit groggy ... yesterday I took a short nap at about midnight and today I just powered through ... and guess what ... there is not a magic wand for this!)  So I went out to dinner late both nights to give me some nourishment for the meetings.

Now, you probably know that it is gauche to eat dinner before 8:00 here.  Restos open for dinner around 8:00, but you might find yourself pretty much alone.  Good service, though!

But this neighborhood is, like, totally hip and the cafes are still packed with happy-hour patrons at 9:30.  Last night I ate at a place around the corner at around 9:45 with mixed results food-wise, but that's OK ... my main objective was to stay awake!

Tonight I headed out at 11:30, and after wandering up and down rue Montorgueil for a while, settled at the cafe right on the end of my street for a giant Salade Nicoise at around midnight.  No worries ... kitchen was still open.  The salad was huge, but I managed to eat all of the potatoes, lettuce, green beans, olives, eggs, tuna, tomatoes, red peppers, and a really tasty mustard vinaigrette ... enough for a family of five, but I was hungry!

Maybe I'm not hip enough for this 'hood.  Or maybe I just need to let the hipsters rule from 9:00 on, and I can take the midday hours.  Actually, it just occurred to me that I should do an informal socioeconomic analysis of the various times-of-day on rue Montorgueil.  Maybe next trip.....

A Stroll in the Jardin - Tuesday, 16 April

This afternoon I needed to run some errands in the Sevres-Babylone neighborhood (in and near the Bon Marche department and food stores).  Switching from bus 85 to bus 84 took me right past the Jardin du Luxembourg, and it was a lovely day and the park is so huge and well organized that it rarely feels cramped even if thousands of people are there.

So I decided to take a little stroll and, while I was at it, visit the statue of Sainte-Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris, who saved Paris from Attila the Hun.   (In 451 Attila and his Huns were sweeping over Gaul, and the inhabitants of Paris prepared to flee. Genevieve encouraged them to hope and trust in God; she urged them to do works of penance, and added that if they did so the town would be spared. Her exhortations prevailed; the citizens recovered their calm, and Attila's hordes miraculously turned off towards Orléans, leaving Paris untouched.) 


The leaves on the trees in town responded enthusiastically to Sunday's warmth and sun, are now starting to unfurl.  Tulips and other bulbs are just starting to bloom, so although the garden doesn't yet display a riot of colors, the glorious freshness of hundreds of shades of green and the whites and pale pinks of flowering trees absolutely delight the eye.

I wish there was a way to record "a walk in the park" on a beautiful day to replay it on some future day when it is severely needed.  The warmth of the direct sun, the slight breeze, the clay paths under one's feet, the cool dappled shade under a canopy of green, the hoop edging on the grassy areas, the sculptures, people talking quietly, a mercifully small number of joggers bouncing past, people dragging two comfy metal chairs (one for their butt, one for their feet) to a good spot, pigeons pecking along the paths for crumbs of bread, classes of schoolkids chatting as they follow two-by-two behind their teacher, the splash of the fountains, unhurried haven from the mad rush of the boulevards.  Aaahhhhh...contentment.

Imports to the Paris Food Scene from - YIKES - the U.S.! Tuesday, 16 April

American-style food trucks seem to be catching on in Paris (for better or for worse!) - mostly gourmet burgers and fries but also tacos, salads, sandwiches, etc.  I haven't sought one out yet, but will report if I encounter one.  The somewhat strange thing is that the first time I heard of food trucks was back in 2001 when I was studying with Patricia Wells in Provence.  There pizza trucks were fairly prevalent in the small villages on market days.  So did the idea jump over the ocean from Provence to the US before showing up in Paris?  Hmmm.....

Another recent innovation is the lobster roll.  Restaurant Spring has been selling them "take out" on an occasional basis for a couple of years.  But just recently a tiny resto (about 20 seats) called Lobster Bar opened in my 'hood, owned/run by a guy who doesn't have resto experience but who lived on the east coast of the US for a while and became totally enamored with these simple and elegant sandwiches.  He knew that the coastal waters of France produced excellent lobsters (albeit a bit different in flavor and texture than Atlantic ones) so he thought hey, I can do this!

He should have thought a little longer.  Apparently Lobster Bar was so swamped during its first few days of operation that it had hours-long lines and at least once actually ran out of lobster.  They didn't let those standing in line know that supplies were running low, and they really only have lobster rolls on the menu, so the waiting diners got quite surly.

I decided to wander over to the place today...if there was a long line, I could easily head elsewhere.  It's on rue Coquilliere, just a couple blocks west of E.Dehillerin (for those of you who know the area and my favorite cookware shop!).  Well, there was no line and someone had just departed a table for two, so I nabbed it (or should I say clawed it?!?). The smallish bread roll was sweet - I think it was brioche.  It was lightly spread with tarragon mayonnaise and then filled with nice chunks of slightly cool lobster, barely dressed with a little mayo.  I think the lobster had been steamed and chilled - its flavor profile was somewhat flat, leading me to believe that it hadn't been poached in a court bouillon or with herbs.  The fries were a bit overcooked yet slightly soggy, so I think that they had been sitting a while after frying.  There were three wedges of really tiny Romaine dressed with a vinaigrette containing a large amount of whole grain mustard - very tasty, and a wonderful contrast to the lobster roll.  With my coffee they served a complimentary small cube (about 3/4") of homemade brownie, perfectly just underdone and deeeeelicious!

The owner stopped to talk to me, ask me where I was from, how I heard about his resto, if I enjoyed the food, if I had lobster roll frequently in the US, etc.  He was clearly stung by the bad press after he opened and seems to be working hard to correct things.  He still has a way to go, but it's worth checking out if you're in the 'hood.  My lunch (lobster roll, fries, salad, beer, coffee with tiny brownie) was 34 euro, so it's not cheap.  But interesting and new. Wonder if it will catch on, minus the startup bumps in the road.

Lazy Bones - Monday, 15 April

Since I didn't have to worry about finishing my taxes today (!) and since I was feeling slightly congested (must have been over-exposure to yesterday's sunny-and-75), I hung around the apartment much of the day and watched an old (1969) Truffaut / Catherine Deneuve / Jean-Paul Belmondo movie called "La Sirene du Mississippi" on a DVD that was here in the apartment (hey, I might as well use what I'm paying for).

I also wandered around the 'hood a bit, and explored a portion of rue d'Aboukir, just a few blocks from the apartment.  This used to be a very happenin' wholesale fashion-and-accessories street, but now apparently much of that action has gone elsewhere or online.  Some of the stores do wholesale only (you will see 'vente en gros' on their door), and some of them allow or even welcome retail ('vente au detail').

The purse, lounging
on my sofa.

In the section I explored I saw jeans, fur coats, cheap jewelry, hats, whimsical synthetic purses decorated with bows, polka dots or flowers, luggage, dresses, skirts, blouses, silk tops, colorful leather purses, sweaters, belts, etc.  Not all of it was all that fashionable, but then neither am I!

I succumbed to a large-ish orange leather shoulder bag at a store that welcomed retail.  It was only 59 euro.  I only explored a portion of the street, so I just might have to go back and explore the rest.  And maybe pick up the deep blue leather purse that was calling my name as well!  If I do, I'll take some shots of the street and post them here.

Ahhh...the joys of a long vacation when every day doesn't demand some sort of "accomplishment!"  Perhaps this is what retirement feels like!

Suddenly Summer! - Sunday, 14 April

What a difference a day makes!  Today it was in the mid-70s and there was nary a cloud in the sky.

Scarves were nowhere to be seen.  Girls were out in their sleeveless tops and their flowing skirts.  Some guys were even wearing shorts.  Little kids had on their summer outfits and cute sunglasses.  Everyone was out in the streets and parks.  Sidewalk cafes were absolutely jammed, especially the ones on the sunny side of the street.  Market vendors were singing out to passers-by.  People were drinking rosé wine.  Good moods prevailed.

Windows were open.  Cats were sitting on windowsills.  On my street, the sound of someone practicing piano wafted out of an open window.


In the evening I attended a free organ recital by Jean-Baptiste Monnot at Saint-Eustache, a huge church just a few blocks from my apartment.  It has been a Paris parish church since 1223.  The current building was started in 1532.  One of my favorite sculptures, "Ecoute," was on the plaza outside the church until just a year or so ago when it was removed (to be restored later) for the razing and rebuilding of the Les Halles gardens.

Saint-Eustache has the largest pipe organ in France (8000 pipes) and oh, my goodness, can they ever make the place rumble!  Today's concert included works of Bach, Frescobaldi and Prokofiev.  The 30-year-old Mr. Monnot is a recitalist, a professor at the Paris Conservatoire, a church organist in Bordeaux, and one hecuva player!

As soon as the concert ended, preparations began for a Vespers service.  I hadn't had enough, so I hung around for a while!  I believe that the prelude was something by Messiaen.  They had a great cantor, and I was able to "get" enough of the music and liturgy up until the sermon, at which point I understood nothing, so I left to wander the neighborhood a bit more before heading back home.

Aaahhhh...the hazy lazy crazy days of summer!

A Ball of Escargot, Inside-Out Quail, Tropical Temptations - Saturday, 13 April

Today I attended a lecture/demonstration at Le Cordon Bleu.  Anyone can do this for 45 euro, and typically there is no need to pre-register.  You're just attending the 2.5 hour lecture portion of a lesson along with the regular students (they later make the same dishes in their "practical" - this portion is not available to the public) and you get to taste the end results.  LCB publishes a quarterly schedule of these classes and you can call ahead to get your name on the list if you like or just show up at least 15 minutes before class starts (it can get pretty crazy busy in their lobby).  You can pick up the quarterly schedule at the school (8, rue Leon Delhomme in the 15th arrondissement) or request one from their website www.lcbparis.com (although finding it is a bit tricky) or write them an email at paris@cordonbleu.edu  Classes are taught in French, but they are fully or partially interpreted in English.

Even though I've taken dozens of classes and worked my way through their published curriculum, I always learn something new and worthwhile or just plain fun!

Today's first course was escargot in a "crust" served with small "St. George's" mushrooms 2 ways (some of the caps were gently fried and the rest of the mushrooms and stems cooked into a veloute - a creamed soup that was used as a room-temp garnish).  Chef discussed a few ways to prepare and encrust the snails, but the one he demo'd was absolutely delightful.  He softened some butter and brushed a fairly thick layer of it into hemispherical silicone molds.  He then froze these.  After frying cleaned/prepared snails with butter and cognac and a tiny bit of garlic, he cooled them and combined them with finely sliced parsley.  Then he filled each hemisphere of the butter "shell" with the snails and sealed the hemispheres together with more softened butter.  Then back to the freezer to completely harden.  Then they were rolled in flour, dipped in an egg/water mixture, then rolled in very fine fresh breadcrumbs and back to the freezer.  Then egg & crumbs two more times, with a rest in the freezer between one.  Then the spheres were deep-fried.  Result: a breading "crust" with butter, escargot and parsley inside.  Dramatic and yummy!

The second course was deboned quail stuffed with a "forcemeat" of veal sweetbreads and shiitake mushrooms, served with glazed pearl onions and small potatoes.  Lots of interesting and complex stuff here, but maybe the most fascinating was watching Chef debone the quail from the inside using a very small knife - it actually looked like a scalpel.  Quail are the smallest in the poultry family, less than 6 inches long, so this was quite a feat!  They have some lovely-looking quail in the meat market around the corner, so I might just have to give this a try before I leave town.  Chef removed the wishbone, then broke the wing joint, then pushed back the skin and started gradually scraping the flesh away from the backbone, turning the bird inside-out as he went.  (The backbones were set aside to use as a "rack" under the birds when they were roasted later - they also contributed their flavor to the pan sauce that was eventually painted on the plate and served with the dish.)  When he got to the leg he broke the "hip" joint and removed the thigh bone.  Then he turned the whole bird back rightside-out.  It almost reminded me of the technique required to sew a blouse, understanding the geometry and how things are placed inside-out and rightside-out!  Each quail took maybe 5 minutes to debone, and I haven't even mentioned all of the complexity of the stuffing, so this ain't no "30-minute meal" dish!  But oh, so worth it!  I also loved the glazed pearl onions.  Normally these are made by braising the skinned onions in water, butter and sugar in a covered pan and, once tender, removing the lid to evaporate the water and brown them slightly.  Today they were glazed with maple syrup, butter and a bit of salt using pretty much the same technique.  Yummy!

Finally, the dessert course - baby pineapple pan-roasted with butter and vanilla bean and a little sugar, served with honey-glazed spicebread, coconut sorbet and a coconut/rum/saffron sauce.  Deeeeelicious, although I think I would leave the coconut flesh out of the sorbet so that it was completely smooth. I absolutely love the spicebread you can buy in Paris (it's served with everything from foie gras to cheese courses to dessert to ...), and I'm always looking for better ways to make it myself.  Today's mix of 5-spice powder in addition to the usual ginger and cinnamon was really good, and the butter was cooked to the "noisette" stage, adding a nice complexity.  Also the loaf was glazed with a heated honey-orangezest mixture when it was 2/3 baked and after it was removed from the pans.  The aroma that wafted across the room when Chef removed it from the oven made everyone swoon!  (They use vented convection ovens here, so you usually don't smell things while they're baking.)  Gotta try it when I get home!

After all of the food is prepared and presented, Chef's assistants divide it up and serve it to the students and visitors so that we can understand the expected taste and texture.  Here's a shot of today's tasting.

At one point during today's class (I think it was while he was preparing what he called the "dinosaur egg" escargot shells), Chef looked at me and asked if I was French.  I said no, I was American.  That was it.  It was the first time a chef has ever addressed me during class, so gotta say I was a bit stunned!  I should have gone up after class and asked him why he asked - did I just look that knowledgeable or sophisticated (ha ha) or something, but we were running overtime and the next lecture/demonstration was about to start and the students were getting restless out in the hall.  And I was chicken...er...quail! 

Necessity is the Mother of Invention - Friday, 12 April

Cafes often have freestanding electric or gas heating umbrellas, or building-mounted heating lamps, under the canopy that shields their sidewalk tables.  These are very welcome on a cold and rainy day when one wants to eat or drink outside in the fresh air.  But I saw this new invention a couple days ago, and just had to test it on my way back home from dinner tonight.

It might be hard to see from this photo, but it's an electric heater that wraps around the pedestal of the table!  I'll take another shot of it from a distance and add it here so that you have a better perspective.

For now, though, I can tell you that it was nice and warming!  My kneecap next to the heater was much warmer than the other one by the time I finished my espresso. Quite a few people stopped to admire the table and ask me if I was warm and (I'm sure) wish that I would move on pretty soon so that they could try it!

And I need to modify (a bit) what I said in my last post about people not entertaining friends in their apartments.  It was about 11:30 when I got back to my apartment, and there was a large (from the sounds of things) party going on in the apartment next door!  I should have crashed it so that I could see how these things work, but - duh - I just let myself into my own door.  The party suddenly stopped at midnight and everyone left and the music ended.  I normally like quiet, but I actually found myself missing the music and the laughter!

Running for Cover - Friday, 12 April

Some friends of mine from the Twin Cities, Maureen & Curt Fischer, are in Paris this week.  This evening they came over to my 'hood to check out my apartment and surroundings and to have dinner together.

We met at the cafe on my corner.  It had been drizzling, but just as they arrived the wind picked up with great intensity (I've rarely experienced the like here in Paris) and then it started raining very hard and then it started hailing!  Wow.  I have never seen people run for cover under awnings and in doorways so quickly!  And there were lots of people out and about on rue Montorgueil, so we were packed like sardines (or like Metro riders at rush hour) for a couple of minutes.  But, true to form here, the storm passed quickly and we were all off to our appointed errands or to just continue hanging out with our friends in favorite cafes. (As we observed, the apartments here are quite small so friends tend to gather at cafes after work and in the evenings rather than at homes, making the street scene a very lively one!)

For the Fischers and me it was up to my apartment to put our feet up for a few minutes, then out in the 'hood to pick up a few supplies and check out some sights and shops, then over to Pirouette (a new resto near my Metro stop, Etienne Marcel) for dinner and gabbing.  We had a delightful young waiter who seemed eager to describe every dish (they had a prix fixe menu with 4-5 options for each course) and to practice his English. And the food was very fresh and tasty.  I was half way back to the apartment when I realized that we forgot to have someone take a photo of the three of us.  So photos of my food will just have to do!  5, rue Mondétour   http://www.oenolis.com/pirouette/pirouette-english/

Perfectly poached egg with warming
and deeeelicious carrot veloute with
herbs and buttery croutons  Check
out the very finely diced chives!

Very tender and subtle Iberico pork
(as veal is to beef, so this Iberico is to
typical pork) with potatoes and herbs
an veal demi glace. 

Passionfruit ice cream with bananas
and filo pastry - nice and tart, with just
the right sweetness from the banana
slices (although I would have enjoyed
more of them).

A Kodak Moment ... Missed! - Friday, 12 April

There are good reasons (I think) for keeping my camera tucked away while I'm wandering around town, but sometimes I just can't pull it out fast enough to capture one of those ephemeral "Kodak Moments!"

Take today, for example.  A little old lady - certainly in her 80s - with slow but firm & steady gait - walked past my cafe table.  It was drizzling a little.  She was carrying a Marilyn Monroe umbrella.  Yup, just like the one in this picture.  If only I had snapped a picture of HER with it!  

I imagined her as a young Parisian beauty in the early part of the 20th century. What a world it must have been.....

The Apartment - Friday, 12 April

Some of my correspondents have asked for photos of the apartment I'm renting this trip.  I rented this from a firm in New Jersey, "Vacation in Paris" - here's the link to their listing:   http://vacationinparis.com/apts/id_79.htm

Here's my photo of the street and entrance - it's the little red door just to the right of the fence in the center of the picture.  It's at 12, rue Marie Stuart just off the great market street of rue Montorgueil in the 2nd arrondissement.  The rest of the photos are from the Vacation in Paris website, and are better than ones I would take (especially since my stuff is laying all over the place now!) and completely accurate.

This is VIP's most popular apartment - when I wrote them last June inquiring about its availability for two weeks this March/April, these were the only available dates.  So I took them!

An all-too Familiar Sight - Thursday, 11 April

As in any huge international city, one sees people of every race and age and socioeconomic condition every day.

But it still is a bit of a shock to see homeless people amidst the apparently prosperous and having-their-lives-together majority. These two guys were near my cafe table when I was having my Orangina break this afternoon.  I really admired the one man's ingenuity in carrying his mattress on a collapsable luggage cart. He also had a small dog to entertain and protect him.  It didn't appear that these two knew each other, but the guy with the shopping cart full of his possessions (with a shiny gold waterproof sheet to cover it all) ran into the McDonalds right there on the corner to get something for the other guy while he and his dog watched the shopping-cart-of-possessions.  Hey, maybe they do have their lives together more than we know.

Maps are Meant to be Used, Silly! - Thursday, 11 April

My legs were really irritated with my brain this afternoon.  They were so looking forward to taking me on a walking tour of the renovated historic greenhouses at Jardins des Plantes.  http://www.francetoday.com/articles/2012/06/14/the_jardin_des_plantes_flora.html

But rather than taking a few minutes to confirm exactly where the entrances to this gigantic garden were (it's been a few years), my brain thought it remembered an entrance on the northwest side and so it sent me to the Jussieu Metro.  And my silly brain was so sure that it was right that (even though it couldn't see the entrance in the distance from the Metro stop), rather than consulting my map more carefully for the exact location of the entrances, it sent me down the rue Jussieu hill and around the thick walls on the east side of the garden (that's where the zoo buildings are, duh, so of course there are solid walls!) and along the fences on the quai Saint-Bernard (how I could have used one of those doggies and the refreshments he carried!) before I got to the main entrance a LONG walk away (for me).  The hills and the sloping sidewalks weren't friendly to my knees, but I did finally reach the Jardin for a sit-down.  I pulled up an online map and discovered that the greenhouses were at the very far end from where I was sitting - another long walk away.  Huge sigh, and it wasn't a sigh of relief.

So I sat for a while, contemplating my folly and deciding what to do and enjoying bits of the garden in my general vicinity.  This garden and its zoo and its natural history museum (and its conservatory) really do deserve a good long visit, so I decided to go to a cafe close to the main entrance for a restorative Orangina and then jump in the Gare d'Austerlitz Metro entrance that was right there (yup, less than a block from the Jardin's main entrance) to go back to the apartment.  I'll tackle Jardin des Plantes another day.  Happily, I'm here for another week so there will be time.  But aren't you glad that you weren't trudging along with me today?

And remind me.  What again is it that I'm supposed to do with all of the detailed maps and websites at my disposal?!?

The SPCO they Ain't - Wednesday, 10 April

Tonight I went to a concert of Orchestre de Paris at the Salle Pleyel concert hall.  It was good to be at a live professional orchestral performance again, but The SPCO they ain't (nor the MN Orch, for that matter!).

The main attraction for me was the legendary pianist Radu Lupu, who I haven't heard for many years.  At 67 he supposedly is still in good form, but I gotta say that his performance of the Bartok Piano Concerto #3 left me flat - of course it isn't the warmest and most cuddly of concertos, but I thought that his playing was uninspired and dry.  And the orchestra wasn't any better accompanying him (or playing in tune).  The applause struck me as courteous, although its persistence brought him back for three bows and one encore.  Even the musicians in the orchestra were barely applauding.  Sigh.  Hope it was just an "off" night for him.

The concert opened with the Szymanowski "Concert Overture" which is big and bombastic (you know you're in for something loud when you see 4 trombones and 4 trumpets and 6 horns on stage!).  I don't think I've heard this piece before...it reminded me of some of Richard Strauss' music...it definitely got things cookin', but probably isn't something that I'd go out of my way to hear again.

After intermission we got Robert Schumann's Symphony #2.  Aahhhh...now we're on much more tuneful and familiar territory.  It was OK, but conductor Thomas Hengebrock seemed determined to not let it become romantic.  Such a shame.  It has some glorious long lines that are wonderful when not played dryly and matter-of-factly but rather with a sense of ensemble and style and heart (and in tune).  The horns did pretty good (yea!) and of course it's a marvelous composition, but overall I left with less of a feeling of satisfaction than I had hoped.

I'm guessing that about 1/4 of the seats were empty.  And I was amused to observe a substantial number of patrons running for the doors while applauding at the end of the concert - worse than is traditional at MN Orchestra concerts - and given the layout of the hall, they were very visible.  It totally cracked me up!

This is a pretty highly-regarded orchestra, of course, but they aren't close to the level of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Minnesota Orchestra.  (Or I should say, The SPCO and the MO before they were locked out by their nasty managements last fall.  What a loss to the world of classical music.  Let's all heave a big unison sigh and then figure out what we can do about it.  I have some suggestions!  At this point I'm not convinced that recent news from the negotiations is good for The SPCO.)

The good news: it was an easy Metro ride, with just one transfer, to the Ternes station which is just a couple blocks from Salle Pleyel!  And it wasn't raining too hard!  And it was an evening in a lovely concert hall, even if a slightly disappointing one.

My Afternoon "Coffee" Break - Wednesday, 10 April

Hey, who needs coffee when you can have a Leffe and a bowl of herbed olives for 4.6 euro (about $6)?  And a lovely seat at a sidewalk cafe for a half-hour or so, with a nice awning and heater over your head, and a parade of humanity and doggies walking right past you?

Free Cars! - Tuesday, 9 April

OK, now, don't get TOO excited!  This is just a post about the "Autolib' " system of rent-by-the-hour electric cars in Paris.  I happened to see a parking/charging station across the street from my bus stop this afternoon, so it seems like the right time to write about it!

This system is modeled after the spectacularly successful "Velib' " system of bicycle stands and rentals all over town (and I just noticed that the cars are pretty much the same color as the bicycles).  Gosh, some days it seems as if bicycles are the second most common mode of transportation next to feet, and the Velib' bicycles are a huge percentage of the ones you see around here.

Anyway, back to the cars.  Assuming that one is brave enough to drive in Paris, one subscribes to this service on a daily, weekly or annual basis.  You present your driver's license when you subscribe.  Then you just find one of these charging stations when you need a car, enter your credentials, drive the car to your destination (which is hopefully near another charging station), and hook up the car at your destination station.  You pay between 6 and 8 euro ($8-10) per half-hour.  Of course, part of the trick is finding stations close to your locations and finding available cars there (and having the aforementioned guts to drive in Paris), but it must be a handy service for people who meet those criteria!  (Not for me!)

50,000 Americans - Tuesday, 9 April

Today I learned that about 50,000 Americans live in Paris.  Over two dozen of them were at a monthly gathering called "Après-Midi" ("afternoon") today, and I heard this statistic from Denise, formerly of Chicago, who was sitting next to me.  These events are organized by Adrian Leeds, a gregarious New Orleans transplant who has lived in Paris since 1994 - she helps Americans (and other foreigners) in the quite complex logistics of apartment searches/purchases, hosts an apartment vacation rental service, is a regular on "House Hunters International," publishes a wide-ranging blog and e-newsletter called "Parler Paris" (http://adrianleeds.com/parler-paris/parler-paris-nouvellettre), writes e-books, and is a pretty well-known fixture in the American community in Paris. She is on the left of this pitiful photo (sorry...I was shooting into the sun streaming in the windows).  You can find much better photos (including one of me and Denise, who sat next to me) here:  http://www.adrianleeds.com/parler-paris/apresmidi/pastapresmidi/509-apresmidi-9-4-13

There is a speaker each month, and the 2-hour events are comprised of 45 minutes arriving and drinking (the price of admission is merely the cost of a cold or hot beverge) and chatting with whomever you're sitting near, then 45 minutes devoted to a presentation by the speaker, then 30 minutes of Q&A. Amazingly, this is the first one I've attended, but if I'm ever in Paris again on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, you can be sure that I'll be there!

This month's speaker was William Jordan, Retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer, on "The changing nature of diplomacy, what it's like being a diplomat in a country like France."  Mr. Jordan served for 30 years (1981-2011) as a high-ranking "political officer" in the U.S. Foreign Service. His last posting was as Deputy Chief of Mission in Algiers. He specialized in the Arab world and in prior positions he played a key role in responding to the terrorist threat in northwestern Africa, normalizing relations with Libya, and seeking to achieve progress toward resolving the longstanding dispute over the Western Sahara.  Fascinating!  (That's him, standing on the right of the photo above.)

These events are held in the upstairs room of a cafe called La Pierre du Mariais, located just across from the southeast corner of Square du Temple, a gorgeous park in the 3rd arrondissement (today complete with little girls jumping in mud puddles!).

If you join the 50,000 Americans in Paris regularly or occasionally, be sure to subscribe to "Parler Paris" e-newsletter and attend one of these monthly gatherings if you happen to be here on a 2nd Tuesday.  And look for me!

Looking Less Like a Total Idiot at the Checkout Stand! - Tuesday, 9 April

I encountered a new payment system at the fruit market around the corner this morning ("Le Palais du Fruit") and got rid of a heavy pile of coins in the process!  The cashier weighs and packages all of your purchases while the system tallies it all up on an easy-to-read screen.  Then you toss your coins in one little bin and slide your bills in another slot (and there must be a slot for credit cards ... I just didn't look) and it counts up everything speedily and returns your change in both bills and coins. For someone like me who manages to accumulate a coinpurse chock-full of small change, it's fabulous!  I don't have to stand there hunting for the right change, I just throw all my coins in the coin bin and it counts them fast and tells me how much more I need to add in bills.  I no longer have to look like a total idiot and irritate the real Parisians behind me in line!

OK, I know that Home Depot has a similar system on their self-checkout lanes, but the other beauty of this is that the cashier can handle your fruits and do the scanning/weighing/packing for you without also handling your and other people's money.  Nice!

I didn't have the presence of mind to take a photo of the system, but when I go back I will do so and add it to this blog entry.  I might even add a shot or two of the lovely fruit (and veg and greens and olives and nuts)!

Move Over, Fruit Rollups! - Monday, 8 April

Confession:  I am a sucker for decorative tin boxes.  They are so useful for storing and hauling all kinds of treats.  I have WAY more of them than I need.

But still, this box containing fruit jells just called out my name at G. Detou this afternoon.  I stopped by to get some chocolate, jam and chestnut puree (sort of like peanut butter except more complex, sweeter and runnier), but I couldn't leave without this.  It was 15 euro, but hey ... the box is very cute, and the jells inside are made with pureed fruits (and pectin and a non-trivial amount of sugar!), and are as tasty as they are cute.  Move over, fruit rollups!

Duck, Duck, Yummy Duck - Monday, 8 April

Pretty much my favorite lunch is confit de canard with sauteed potatoes and a green salad with mustardy vinaigrette dressing.  Sorry that part of the photo got cut off, but it's exactly what I had for lunch today at a little place down the street. This plus a glass of wine and an espresso put me back just 21 euro and gave me the fuel I needed to pound the pavements!

I'm continually mystified as to why nobody in the Twin Cities can seem to make a decent confit.  Most places seem to just slowly-roast the duck leg & thigh, but it lacks the brilliant juiciness, tenderness and rich flavor of the French version, which is cured with sugar and salt, then roasted slowly in duck fat, then packed in a crock with the fat from the roasting process.  When you want to serve it, you merely remove a leg/thigh from the crock, wipe off the excess fat, stick it under the broiler to crisp up the skin and reheat it, and ~voila~ there you have it!  I think I'm just going to have to go into the confit de canard business back home!

Across the street from my lunch table I saw this sign above the awning. What do you suppose it means?  "No unaccompanied children" or "do not fail to hold hands with your child" or what???  Gotta say this was a first for me!  [UPDATE:  my pal Dale, the world traveler, tells me that this sign indicates the end of a pedestrian zone.  And he's right, it's at the very southern end of rue Montorgueil, a pedestrian street, where it intersects with rue de Turbigo.  Dale wins a prize; I just need to figure out an appropriate one!]

On my way back to the apartment I stopped by Comptoir de la Gastronomie to pick up a thinly-sliced smoked "Magret de Canard" (the breast of ducks specially bred for foie gras) - tender, succulent and lightly smoked over beechwood (according to the package).  Some lunchmeat, hey?!?  And just 8 euro.  The 250g package (1/2 pound) might last me for the rest of my stay, but no guarantees!

Déviations - Sunday, 7 April

I was worried that there would be traffic "déviation" on my way to church this morning given the Paris Marathon that started around 8:30 and wound down the right and left banks, including right in front of The American Church in Paris (read about my favorite Sunday haunt here: ACP post from 2012), so I took the Metro instead of my usual bus route.  But no worries...the runners were apparently on the Voie down next to the river rather than up on the Quai.  (Makes sense now that I think of it!)  I got out at the La Tour Maubourg Metro stop, and was able to wander past some old haunts along the way, including the very first apartment I rented for a vacation in Paris back in 1997 on Passage Jean Nicot!

The worship service was great as usual, and it's always nice to see familiar faces among the preaching staff, musicians and congregation (even though they don't know me from Eve, I feel as if I know them).  But what really blew my socks off was the vocal solo of Ralph Vaughan Williams' "The Call" by baritone choir member Philip James Glenister.  I have never heard it sung more beautifully or with more heart-felt conviction.  Here is the text:

Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:
Such a Way, as gives us breath:
Such a Truth, as ends all strife:
Such a Life, as killeth death.

Come, My Light, my Feast, my Strength:
Such a Light, as shows a feast:
Such a Feast, as mends in length:
Such a Strength, as makes his guest.

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
Such a Joy, as none can move:
Such a Love, as none can part:
Such a Heart, as joys in love.

So I just had to look him up, and I found the reason why he sings so beautifully.  Check out his website: Glenister Vocal Studio  This is inspiring!  Maybe something I know how to do would actually be useful to other people and I could set up a studio in Paris to teach it!  Must ponder....

But back to "déviations."  I caught the #63 bus right outside the door of ACP to take me back to the Place Saint-Michel neighborhood where I could catch the #85 to get me back to my 'hood for lunch.

Unfortunately, according to the little lighted sign in the bus stop, the #85 wasn't running at all today - not sure why, but that's the way things go here sometimes.  So I decided, since I was just 1/4 block from my favorite little raclette resto on rue Saint-Severin (one that I try to hit once every trip) and since it was kind of chilly out, mountains of melted cheese with potatoes, ham, dried beef, sausage, cornichon, pickled onions and bread might be JUST the thing for lunch.  When I say mountains of the stuff I really mean it!  One could feed a family of five with the food they bring.  As usual, I couldn't finish it all.  http://www.laluge.fr/index2.htm

At least I was able to wander through the narrow winding streets of the Latin Quarter to burn off some of the calories before jumping in the Metro for a quick trip back to my 'hood!  Enough déviation for today!

Another Art Installation in my 'Hood - Saturday, 6 April

Fashion is an art form, right?  Even (or especially?) bustier fashion?

This installation greeted me on rue Montorgueil when I got out of my cab after my class at Le Cordon Bleu.  There must have been two dozen mannequins in fanciful ... um ... outfits lined up along the street.

And, of course, it being a Saturday afternoon, there were bands and street performers and the regular parade of life to entertain us while we stopped for refreshments at one of the many cafes lining the street.  I was at the one just under the red awning on the right.

Béchamel - Saturday, 6 April

Le Cordon Bleu featured their new teddy bear, "Béchamel," in a recent e-newsletter. I knew I just had to have him, so I put him on my shopping list immediately and planned to buy him when I attended my terrine class at LCB today.  Well, lucky me, I got the LAST ONE!

Here he is, lounging in the nice leather chair back at the apartment.  Hey, a hard-working bear chef needs to put his feet up from time to time! And who better than me to give him a place to do so?

Tremendous Terrines and Terrific Training - Saturday, 6 April

First, the end results of my day's labor, unpacked back at the apartment and displayed!

Potato and Mackerel Terrine
with Horseradish and Dill

Country Pork Terrine
with Rabbit Livers

Vegetable Terrine with Tomato Coulis

Happy Mariellen!

This really is a hecuva deal.  We arrived at about 8:15 and were given our recipes, aprons and towels (which are ours to keep) and were escorted up to the student dining room for coffee, tea, juice and getting to know each other.  Then  up to the top floor student kitchens at 8:45 for instruction by Chef Patrick Terrien, the head teacher at LCB.  [UPDATE: one of my correspondents asked if Chef's last name was pronounced "terrine!"  I didn't listen closely enough.  Must go to another class of his and ask him to say his name!]  We worked right along with him, prepping ingredients and making our first terrines until about 11:30.  Then it was back to the dining room for lunch (terrines (!), salads, breads, cheeses, wine, coffee) and relaxation (we had been on our feet all morning) and chatting with fellow students and popping more ibuprofen!  Then back up to the student kitchens at 12:30 for more instruction, prep, tasting and fun with Chef and classmates until 3:30 when we got our certificates and shook Chef's hand.  We packed up our terrines and sauces and headed to our various corners of Paris.  I treated myself to a cab - I would have been hard-pressed to spend any more time on my feet!  

Where else can you get a day's worth of training from a world-class chef, cooking apparel, food with which to impress your friends (assuming they're in Paris with you), meals, a day's entertainment, and aches and pains worth writing home about for a mere 190 euro (about $250)?  Pretty much nowhere else!

By the way, the terrines are deeeelicious!  From the sweet-subtlety-with-a-kick of the mackerel & potato terrine to the intensely concentrated flavors of mushrooms, red bell pepper, confited tomatoes, spinach, zucchini and chicken of the vegetable terrine, to the earthy-salty-garlicy-meatiness of the country terrine - these three terrines cover all the bases!  What a treat.

Here are a few more shots from the class.  Now, be careful that you don't drool on your keyboard!

Chef and translator

Chef introducing himself and the
plan for this class just after we
arrived in the student kitchen

We got to use Chef's ancient
but very effective mandoline
for slicking our zucchini

Baking parchment is used
constantly.  I loved this way
of storing it in tall cans in
the windowsill!

Our country terrines, just out
of the oven

The confited tomatoes

Assembling the vegetable
terrine

Holy mackerel!
Gorgeous fish being prepped