The Art of the Cookbook

“Always start out with a larger pot 

than what you think you need.” 

― Julia Child

Even as a child, I remember thumbing through the pages of my parents' cookbooks, discovering new dishes and finding foreign ingredients.  Back then, cookbooks seldom looked the way they do now.  No glossy full-page photographs or food stylists or assumption that the reader was a foodie--just the words of the chef, perhaps a drawing or two and the trusted recipe.  

Playtime in Paris

One of my favorite design bloggers, the always-talented Gabrielle Blair (aka Design Mom), recently posted a sweet video of her daughter Betty exploring Paris.  Once I saw Betty skipping along the Seine, nibbling on macarons and standing in her best Eiffel Tower pose, I began daydreaming of one day taking my daughter to the city of lights.  I can only imagine how much more wonderful my favorite city becomes when viewed through the curiosity and innocence of children. 

Pretty Monday: Noël

When the city of lights is sparkling even brighter with Christmas twinklies, there is no more magical place on Earth (sorry, Disneyland).  

Le Halloween

Halloween ("l'alowine!") is certainly not a major (or even minor) holiday en France.  Perhaps you'll find a pumpkin carving kit in a market or a store front decked out in spooky style, but the French seems far less enthusiastic about Halloween than us Americans.  

Picnicking the French Way: Dîner en Blanc

I recently stumbled upon a delectable social phenomenon that intrigues me. Twenty-four years ago, "Dîner en Blanc" was launched in Paris.  Of course, the pleasure-loving French developed this most lovely of dining concepts.  

At the very last minute before the event, a secret location is revealed for a picnic en masse.  Then, thousands of food-lovers and wine-lovers and just regular old lovers descend on the picnic spot dressed entirely en blanc, in white. But, my cheries, this is no mere salad of pommes de terre kind of picnic.  Dîner en Blanc has very specific rules to create an ambiance conducive to the most chic and civilized of outdoor dining experiences, one in which even Marie Antoinette would delight.

Paris by the Page

“There is never any ending to Paris, and the memory of each person who has lived in it differs from that of any other. Paris was always worth it, and you received return for whatever you brought to it…”
Ernest Hemingway, in A Moveable Feast

Eat like a French Baby

Willy Ronis, Le Petit Parisien, 1952

A few months ago, Pamela Druckerman's Bringing Up Bébé received media attention for her somewhat controversial views on French parenting.  The American living in Paris presented her own experiences with French child-rearing guidelines about sleep, discipline and food.  While I didn't agree with all of her theories, I did find myself nodding "oui, oui" as she discussed how French children eat.

Pretty Monday: Coffee Spots

"A leaf fluttered in through the window this morning, as if supported by the rays of the sun, a bird settled on the fire escape, joy in the task of coffee, joy accompanied me as I walked." -Anaïs Nin

Monday after a holiday week and I'm betting it is a bit manic. Before I even begin to think about my daily to-dos, I prep, percolate and pour myself a steaming cup of French Roast. Suffice it to say, coffee is first on my mind today (and all other days).  It brings me joy.  The routine of it, the taste of it, the smell of it. Ah, delicious coffee!

 

Parisian Poochies

Regular visitors to Paris know that dogs of all varieties seem to have carte blanche in many public spaces.  From restaurants to department stores, from parks to produce markets, les chiens are everywhere in Paris.  

Carrie Bradshaw with one of Paris' lovable dogs

Magic at Midnight

"Imagination creates reality." -Richard Wagner

Today I needed an escape.  I needed to abandon this world and spend a few hours in movie-land.  Even though I was drawn to Midnight in Paris for the promise of a Woody Allen film set in my dear Paris, ultimately, I found the perfect film about escapism and anachronism---precisely what my soul desired after a sad week.

From the outset, I always adore Woody Allen films.  I appreciate the way the crisp clean opening credits tell us the viewers that witty banter and relatable characters are on their way.  And this time, following those trademark simple black and white credits, Allen allowed the real star of the movie to be seen.  There she was, Paris, beautiful Paris, laid out before the screen in iconic shot after iconic shot.  Montmartre. La tour Eiffel. Le Louvre. Les bateaux mouches. Les cafés.  Sigh....cue, the accordion music, I knew from the first scenes, I would be in love with this movie.

Guest Post: Misadventures with Andi

Bonjour!  Check out my thoughts on "The Five Senses of Paris" over at Misadventures with Andi!  What an honor to be featured on one of my favorite travel blogs!

Monday Morning Pastry Pause

What is more simply decadent than a perfectly warm croissant?  Of course the pleasure of this pastry treat is exponentially enhanced by dining on a wobbly little Parisian table while sipping on café crème.   

Just because you're miles away from lovely Paris, you need not starve yourself of pleasure and indulgence. So, why don't you have a little bit of Paris on your plate this Monday morning? How about you forgo your usual, boring oatmeal in a bag or drive-through latte and steer your way over to the local pastry shop?  

Joyeux Noël

One splendid Thanksgiving, my mom and I ditched the stateside turkey, and flew to Paris for a week.  While breaking with November traditions was unexpectedly delightful, what truly enchanted us was seeing Paris reveal her holiday finery.  

As we bundled up and tried to emulate the French woman's perfectly imperfect scarf tie, we explored the city which was then covered under a glistening sheet of ice.  At times treacherous to travel, the ice looked simply magical as it dangled on Christmas lights and danced on roof lines.  Fountains that I had seen gurgling in springtimes past now looked sculptural, suspended in time. 

Though Cole Porter taught us to love "Paris in the Springtime," there is nothing more dreamy that Paris in the midst of a deep winter chill.  

The tourists who remain in the city are huddled in cafés sipping chocolat chaud rather than clamoring to get to the top of La Tour.  The mêtro stations smell of roasting chestnuts instead of tightly packed commuters. One feels inherently more French wearing layers of coats and scarves than milling about in shorts.  

Mapping it out

 

I have a map fetish.  For this reason (and my superb navigational skills---thanks for that gene, Dad), I will never ever ever own a G.P.S.  I am categorically opposed to those little Garmin goodies which tell you to turn here and exit there.  

I love getting my hands on a map, awkwardly unfolding its pages and figuring out where to go.  Plotting a route, veering off course, and seeing the grand design of a city is supremely pleasurable for me.

The Perfectly Imperfect Paris Apartment

Any true Francophile will inevitably dream of having a pied-à-terre in Paris--- a place to put your feet up after long strolls along the Seine, a place to transform your latest market fresh produce into dinner for friends, a place to stash all of those "petits trucs" you've discovered at the Marché aux Puces St-Ouen. 

As much as we may long for our own little piece of dear Paris, often our daily lives and budgets may keep us away from this real estate fantasy.  Until that glorious day when a Paris apartment might be mine, I've resigned to making my own apartment as Parisian as possible. 

Paris Reverie: Le Musée Rodin

"The main point is to be moved, to love, to hope, to tremble, to live. To be human before being an artist!" -Auguste Rodin

Most often, the big museums of the world receive heaps of praise from the press and from art-hungry tourists. But for me, the little collections of art delight my eye and capture my imagination.

While the Met or the Louvre or the Prado boast encyclopedic collections that seamlessly cover any major period or movement in art history, given a choice, I prefer museums with smaller yet carefully assembled collections.

Champs Elysées: Going Vert

The BBC recently profiled a story about the Champs Elysées being covered in tiny plots of land, transformed by French farmers. For two days, the honking of Citroens was replaced by the baying of donkeys. The Jeunes Agriculteurs (Young Farmers) union organized last-weekend's event to underscore the plight of French farmers. Leave it to the French to make plight look pleasing...

Les Rêveries de Paris

"We should read to give our souls a chance to luxuriate." ~Henry Miller



Today I'm experiencing a big-time case of geographic ennui (yes, I know, quelle horreur). As usual, my travel daydreams have taken me to Paris. My mind has wandered to one specific spot: Les Bouquinistes.

Les Bouquinistes are the 250 used book sellers that dot the bank of the Seine, near the Ile de la Cité. Each coveted green metal box (the wait list for a new spot is 8 years) is filled with ragged novels or ancient maps or yellowing magazines, as they have been since about 1500. As a flea market junkie (punk intended), the surprise of discovering an out of print edition of a favorite book or an old copy of Vogue proves well-worth my time.

Café Culture

The French generally excel at carving out time each day for pleasure. Americans do weekend recuperation well, but rarely relish weekday relaxation (say that three times fast).

One of the places where I see this evidenced most in France is in the ubiquitous café. This time of year, on most any street in Paris, at most any time of day, locals linger even longer at their outdoor café tables.

Ode to Monsieur Eiffel

I have a theory: the first foreign country you visit as a young person becomes "your country" and the subject of lifelong fascination. For me, obviously, that country was France.

Other destinations have no doubt captured my imagination and satisfied my soul, but France is the place where my mind wanders in my daydreams.

While I have tried to avoid becoming an Eiffel Tower fanatic with a tower shower curtain or tower t-shirts, I do tend to punctuate my home with a tower here and there to remind me of my city of lights.

Images from around my apartment:And, it would appear that I am not the only one affected by this Eiffel-mania:

Last three images borrowed from HouseBeautiful, ApartmentTherapy & HomesAndGarden.