It was my birthday week again and I am a big believer in celebrating birthdays in whatever way, that brings joy to the celebrant. At my age, one day is simply not enough, so now I opt for seeing the whole week as one big birthday celebration! That does not mean nightly parties and gorging …
Strolling along pretty Canal Saint Martin or north along the Bassin de la Villette, makes for a really lovely walk to take along this unique part of Paris. Sometimes you just want to be distracted by either pretty tree shaded vistas, interesting things to see, romantic water views and people. The canals that Napoleon built …
I always find refuge not only in my faith, but in the enormous beauty of churches. Combine that with the sweetness of classical music that resonates off those old stones, and I find transformative moments of joy! Paris has an ongoing smorgasbord of concerts in her magnificent churches and chapels; a fair amount paying, but …
Classical Concerts In The Great Churches of Paris Read More »
I just celebrated Mother’s Day weekend, because in France it is commemorated at the end of May. The celebration started Friday, with a surprise bouquet of very perfumed acacia blossoms picked by my daughter Aimée. I can tell when they are blooming from the delicate sweet honey like perfume that starts to waft in the …
Acacia Blossom Beignets, Men In TuTus And Kumquat Ginger Cake Read More »
I started out at full throttle, full of inspiration to see the free jazz concerts to celebrate Jazz Saint Germain and two museums opened at night for Nuit de Musées European. By late Saturday, the rain started and it became evident that my museum choices were a bust. It was one of those weekends …
Yesterday was one of those absolutely gorgeous days in Paris, that would incite any songwriter to rhapsodize about the thousands of chestnut trees in bloom. What better way to celebrate the Spring season than a leisurely stroll down the Champs Élysées! To make it even more irresistible was that this Sunday, it was without the …
These little birds must be some classy chicks! Falco tinnunculus, aka kestrels have been coming back to roost in the spires of Notre Dame for eons. The view must be absolutely magnificent overlooking the Seine and the garden behind Notre Dame Cathedral . Frankly I had never heard of them, but any birds that love …
Obviously, there isn’t any correlation between any of these, except they all played a very enjoyable part of my weekend. Just simple pleasures that I pursued for joy. Springtime in Paris this year has been held back by dense clouds and daily drizzle except for yesterday when the sun finally reappeared enough to warm up …
Anthropology, Ceviche, Torta Di Nocciole And A Prelude To Spring Read More »
It was one of those perfect late winter Sundays with sunny skies that held the promise of spring, mobilizing Parisians to get outdoors. Bundled up, the sun felt warm on my face, buffering the cold wind as I walked slowly up the very steep cobblestone hill, past the vineyard and Le Lapin Agile towards the Musée …
Museé Montmartre Celebrates Utrillo, Valadon and Utter Read More »
I love seeing all the different cows, goats, and sheep at the Salon de L’Agriculture and I thought that I would introduce you to some who are behind a few of the famous French cheeses. Since there is close to 1200 French cheeses, choosing which ones to present is a daunting and almost impossible task. …
Behind Every Famous French Cheese Is A Cow, Goat, Or Lamb Read More »
I love January in Paris because it is Galette des Rois time! For me, it is something to look forward to that almost makes me forget the inevitable bitter cold wind, grey skies and drizzle. Those luscious disk shaped mounds of buttery puff pastry so unimaginably crisp and flaky, filled with various pastry creams, are heaven …
I generally only buy lobsters once a year, for the New Year’s holiday, and however much I love the taste, the ordeal of preparing them for the pot even once a year is enough. I am envious of those of you who probably don’t give such things a second thought. For a native Louisianian who …