La Vieille Ville de Bordeaux

Through a passageway in

Old Town Bordeaux

bon week end

Bordeaux, France

Des reflets pendant la nuit

Night Reflections

Walking in the empty streets, parapluie (umbrella) in hand, 

long velvet coat, warm gloves,

and holding a single red rose...

...a gift from an unknown young man

yes, she is definitely a French girl

Rue de la Paix

75001, Paris

La Chandeleur - jour des crêpes!

La Chandeleur

Fête des chandelles

(Candlemas - English)

Today is Candlemas, 2 February, and it is celebrated in France with crêpes.

Today I will be making crêpes, holding a coin in my left hand, and flipping the crêpe pan in my right.  If I can catch the crêpe, it means my family will be prosperous for the rest of the year, such is the legend.  Also, one does not eat crêpes until after 8:00pm.

This chef at Crêperie Plougastel on Rue du Montparnasse, allowed me to take some photos of him as he deftly prepared all the crêpes for the lunch crowd.  I have been here three or four times, introduced by French friend Isabelle.  They have both savory and sweet crêpes with quick service and good prices.  On a street full of crêperies, this one is always well attended.

 

 

bon dimanche

 

 

Crêperie Plougastel

47, rue du Montparnasse

75014, Paris

 

 

 

Bûche de Noël - chez moi

Bûche de Noël

"yule log"

Adopting another French tradition, 

we welcome Christmas with a bûche de Noël.

Using a recipe inspired by the celebrated Paris pastry shop Ladurée, the bûche consists of a buttercream icing, a roulade of fine bittersweet chocolate, and a filling of rich semisweet chocolate.  The humidity and rainstorms steered us to marzipan rather than our preferred meringue mushrooms.  Here is a recipe in English and another here in French.  We used the English recipe.

This confection was a collaboration of daughter Holly, 

visiting French girl, and moi.  

...sending you Christmas wishes 

(still have to make Jesus' birthday cake)

Beyond

Rue de la Paix - une fille française?

Rue de la Paix

It was raining on the evening of Beaujolais Nouveau Day,

but this chic French girl with her long black velvet coat 

and red plaid parapluie was content to stroll down Rue de la Paix 

to window shop in Place Vendome.  

The streets were almost empty and the three of us 

enjoyed the lights, the misty rain, and the unbelievable windows.

Yes, she is a French girl

Jaquet Droz

(275 year old watchmaking business)

8, rue de la Paix

75002, Paris

La Chandeleur - jour des crêpes

La Chandeleur

Fête des chandelles

(Candlemas - English)

Today is Candlemas, 2 February, and it is celebrated in France with crêpes.

Today I will be making crêpes, holding a coin in my left hand, and flipping the crêpe pan in my right.  If I can catch the crêpe, it means my family will be prosperous for the rest of the year, such is the legend.  Also, one does not eat crêpes until after 8:00pm.

This chef at Crêperie Plougastel on Rue du Montparnasse, cheerfully allowed me to take some photos of him as he deftly prepared all the crêpes for the lunch crowd.  I have been here three or four times, introduced by French friend Isabelle.  They have both savory and sweet crêpes with quick service and good prices.  On a street full of crêperies, this one is always well attended.

Crêperie Plougastel

47, rue du Montparnasse

75014, Paris

Hôtel du Nord - IV

Hôtel du Nord is one of my favorite restaurants

with a neighborhood setting along Canal St. Martin.

On our last night in Paris this April,

my husband and I enjoyed the company of dear friend Janeen

and our Paris friend Isabelle. 

Leaving Paris is bittersweet, but always holds the promise of trips to come.

 

Hôtel du Nord

102 Quai de Jemmapes

75010, Paris

A city garden

When I met up with my Paris friend, Isabelle, in November, we walked to the park where she once lived.  The cloistered park cannot be seen from the main street (Rue Pernety), but had a walking trail, a playground, little garden plots, and much more which I will show you on another day.

near Place Marcel Paul
Métro Pernety
75014, Paris