Monday, August 07, 2006
It’s a Dog’s Life!
In France, dogs are beloved! They’re welcome in shops, restaurants, and just about everywhere except most parks! Why not parks?? My own suspicion is that few owners pick up after their pets, despite a law which imposes a fine of 185 Euros for failing to ‘stoop and scoop’. Judging by what’s left on the sidewalks and streets, enforcement is not a high priority. Stepping outdoors in Paris can be tricky sometimes. Here on Ile St. Louis where the sidewalks are narrow, the human and car traffic heavy, we’re constantly dodging something or someone. The locals seem to have a knack for doing this, especially when it comes to avoiding the deposits left by the dogs! It’s uncanny to watch a local, cell phone at their ear, arms full and walking a top speed, avoid the droppings - almost like there’s a built in GPS system that sparks a ‘poo’ alarm. With the magic cleaning apparatus and early morning gutter washings, the situation does not get completely out of hand. The dog above belongs to the owner of that butcher shop. He’s there every day making his own selections and keeping customers entertained.Guarding the car! I saw him on my way home today .
Sunday, July 30, 2006
SpiegelPalais
This summer, we've ventured far afield to see what is available, not only in the Berkshires, but further afield. The results have been mixed, but with a few surprises along the way. Thursday night we headed to Rheinbeck to check out the entertainment at the Bard College Summerfest. The Fisher Center is a VERY modern stainless steel futuristic construction that is impressive when you come upon it. Our destination however, was the 'Spiegeltent' constructed for this summer's cabaret performances. The tent looks very like old fashioned circus tents with ballooning velvet canopies. Inside there's an ornate bar, posters and mirrored glass on the walls and intimate booths around the perimeter. The cozy tables facing the stage can be moved for the nightly dancing following the performance. The 'spiegelpalais' was popular in Europe in the 30's and gets it's name from the giant mirrored ball reflecting light throughout the tent. (Spiegel is the German word for mirror).
This night we were entertained by Maria Tecce, an American living in Europe, who was making her American debut. She was great--reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn in looks and style with a voice that seemed influenced by Eartha Kitt/Marlene Deitrich. Her songs were both traditional jazz and original creations including a guitar solo in Spanish of 'Bessame Mucco'. We really like the intimacy of cabaret and go often.
The bar served beer and local wine (stick with the beer) and light food which turned out to be a tasty surprise. Both Paul's lobster roll and my softshell crab on a bun were fresh and delicious. The accompanying cole slaw and potato salad tasted home made and for the ice cream lovers, the local "Jane's" homemade flavours are available at the entrance to the tent.
Spiegeltent has been extended through the middle of August. It's a fun evening and there are lots of interesting B&B's if you want to stay over.
This night we were entertained by Maria Tecce, an American living in Europe, who was making her American debut. She was great--reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn in looks and style with a voice that seemed influenced by Eartha Kitt/Marlene Deitrich. Her songs were both traditional jazz and original creations including a guitar solo in Spanish of 'Bessame Mucco'. We really like the intimacy of cabaret and go often.
The bar served beer and local wine (stick with the beer) and light food which turned out to be a tasty surprise. Both Paul's lobster roll and my softshell crab on a bun were fresh and delicious. The accompanying cole slaw and potato salad tasted home made and for the ice cream lovers, the local "Jane's" homemade flavours are available at the entrance to the tent.
Spiegeltent has been extended through the middle of August. It's a fun evening and there are lots of interesting B&B's if you want to stay over.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
World Cup Fever
Picture this....two weeks ago, I get a phone call from Scott who says, "mom, wanna go to the World Cup with me?" Yah sure, first of all how do we get tickets and then there's the question of flights and rooms once we get there. But, that's exactly what we did. Scott was given two tickets to the Brazil/France game in Frankfurt and two more for the quarter finals to see Germany play Italy in Dortmund! After a little fancy footwork on his part, and a call to relatives outside of Frankfurt, we were on our way.
I've liked soccer since Scott was a 6 year old playing on the fields in Canada, but I wouldn't say that I was a serious fan. The World Cup, however, is something quite different. Every four years there's a fever that's infectious, especially strong amongst the European's in this city. The excitement we saw as we passed some of the bars here in the city couldn't quite compare though with sitting in the stadiums in Germany watching the actual games. To say that there was excitement in the air is an understatement. The flags, painted faces colourful outfits and the crowds all attested to the excitment of the matches. The sound of the fans could be heard from a distance and in the stadiums themselves, the chanting, singing, waving of flags and beating of drums was constant throughout the entire game. We have never seen anything like it and were especially overwhelmed by the crowd which numbered 65,000 in Dortmund. The game there was really exciting but it was somewhat sad to see the German team loose in the last few minutes of play. We sampled a LOT of beer, ate wurst, and a variety of local goodies and even got to spend some time in the town where I was born. All of my mom's family still lives there and no matter when we go, we're always made to feel welcome. For Scott it was the first time back in almost 15 years and it was fun to see him practise his German. We made a side trip to Colongne and thought it would be worth going back to. We both thought of Jory and all our friends who love chocolate during our tour of the "Chocolate Museum".
This Sunday is the final game between Italy and France. Popular opinion is that Italy will win, but I'm routing for the French. If you've never watched a game, tune in at 3:00pm--it should be fun.
I've liked soccer since Scott was a 6 year old playing on the fields in Canada, but I wouldn't say that I was a serious fan. The World Cup, however, is something quite different. Every four years there's a fever that's infectious, especially strong amongst the European's in this city. The excitement we saw as we passed some of the bars here in the city couldn't quite compare though with sitting in the stadiums in Germany watching the actual games. To say that there was excitement in the air is an understatement. The flags, painted faces colourful outfits and the crowds all attested to the excitment of the matches. The sound of the fans could be heard from a distance and in the stadiums themselves, the chanting, singing, waving of flags and beating of drums was constant throughout the entire game. We have never seen anything like it and were especially overwhelmed by the crowd which numbered 65,000 in Dortmund. The game there was really exciting but it was somewhat sad to see the German team loose in the last few minutes of play. We sampled a LOT of beer, ate wurst, and a variety of local goodies and even got to spend some time in the town where I was born. All of my mom's family still lives there and no matter when we go, we're always made to feel welcome. For Scott it was the first time back in almost 15 years and it was fun to see him practise his German. We made a side trip to Colongne and thought it would be worth going back to. We both thought of Jory and all our friends who love chocolate during our tour of the "Chocolate Museum".
This Sunday is the final game between Italy and France. Popular opinion is that Italy will win, but I'm routing for the French. If you've never watched a game, tune in at 3:00pm--it should be fun.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Communing with nature
Many of you know that Christina and I have different views of nature. When we're in Otis, Chris is most happy up to her elbows in the garden planting something. I am most happy in the screened porch watching her from a rocking chair. I see no point in getting dirty and bitten to plant something you can probably buy a whole lot cheaper. As a general rule, our paths do not cross during this time except for my occasional "very nice dear" from the safety of the porch. Somehow, the gardening gene so prominent in my father and sisters, missed me completely. I remember my father desperately trying to coax anything out of the small square of dirt in front of the house on Leland Avenue in the Bronx. He was never happier than when they moved to New Jersey and he finally had a small actual garden with flowers and shrubs. My sisters Pat and Joyce (and Bob) share that devotion.
However, this weekend something happened that had us seriously (?!?!?!) considering selling the house and hiding in the City - the invasion of the tent caterpillars! I can honestly say I have never seen anything so horrible and creepy - we were invaded by tens of thousands (I'm not exaggerating!) of large and small caterpillars that hatch and then fall from trees only to march across the lawn looking for a place to make a cocoon and 'morph' to the next stage. We know this because we came up a little later last year to find the house covered with firmly attached small white cocoons.
This year the numbers have exploded! When we looked down at the ground, along the roof line and on the siding, we faced masses of marching caterpillars. We tried blowing them off the house and deck but they just came back. Chris suggested "ShopVac-ing" them. At first I thought she was kidding, but by the next morning we stood shifts Vac-ing them up. At one point we had cleared the back of the house and went in to eat. When we came back out Chris Vac-ed up another 208! When we went to the theater in Pittsfield and parked on the street, we foolishly left the top down and when we came back the car was full (at least 50) of caterpillars. They also got on our shoes and clothing. On Tuesday, we left and stopped for dinner in Litchfield. When Chris went to the bathroom I heard a piercing scream. There was one in her pants. We've been dreaming about crawling things for days.
We've been asking everybody we see about how to deal with the caterpillars. The general consensus is "live with it, they'll be gone in three weeks". Other suggestions include cutting down all the trees or burning the nests (which are 50 feet up in the trees). It's not clear how much damage they will do other than leaving an unsightly mess and causing nightmares.
Ain't nature wonderful!
However, this weekend something happened that had us seriously (?!?!?!) considering selling the house and hiding in the City - the invasion of the tent caterpillars! I can honestly say I have never seen anything so horrible and creepy - we were invaded by tens of thousands (I'm not exaggerating!) of large and small caterpillars that hatch and then fall from trees only to march across the lawn looking for a place to make a cocoon and 'morph' to the next stage. We know this because we came up a little later last year to find the house covered with firmly attached small white cocoons.
This year the numbers have exploded! When we looked down at the ground, along the roof line and on the siding, we faced masses of marching caterpillars. We tried blowing them off the house and deck but they just came back. Chris suggested "ShopVac-ing" them. At first I thought she was kidding, but by the next morning we stood shifts Vac-ing them up. At one point we had cleared the back of the house and went in to eat. When we came back out Chris Vac-ed up another 208! When we went to the theater in Pittsfield and parked on the street, we foolishly left the top down and when we came back the car was full (at least 50) of caterpillars. They also got on our shoes and clothing. On Tuesday, we left and stopped for dinner in Litchfield. When Chris went to the bathroom I heard a piercing scream. There was one in her pants. We've been dreaming about crawling things for days.
We've been asking everybody we see about how to deal with the caterpillars. The general consensus is "live with it, they'll be gone in three weeks". Other suggestions include cutting down all the trees or burning the nests (which are 50 feet up in the trees). It's not clear how much damage they will do other than leaving an unsightly mess and causing nightmares.
Ain't nature wonderful!
Monday, February 06, 2006
A Wild Women's Weekend:
In 1997, six women met at a lakeside cottage in the Muskoka area of northern Ontario. It was a meeting of three work buddies who each brought a friend, but within an hour, it was as if we had known each other forever. The common thread then was, that we were all without a man in our lives--some newly detatched, and others more experienced in this lifestyle. It was a weekend of shared stories, side splitting laughter, and great outdoor activity. I especially remember a canoe trip on the lake by the cottage which ended at a small inlet where we picniked on some rocks. Mostly, I remember the laughter and joy of being in the company of these women. That weekend we made t-shirts that proclaimed us "Wild Women" and we vowed to make this an annual event.
Over the years, we have been together in various combinations, but never all together as a group of six. Our lives have gotten more complicated (some of us are with men again) and the distances that keep us apart have grown greater.
This past week, three of us gathered again at a cottage, but this time on Long Boat Key in Florida. Whenever we meet like this, invariably, rememberances of that long ago weekend crop up. It always seems like yesterday that we were all together, the conversations flow, the laughter continues and we enter the dance of those who have been connected in intimate ways that span many years. In other ways, there are noticeable differences. Our shapes have changed and we bemoan the effects of gravity on our bodies. There are other changes too -- Linda tells me that I snore (I can't imagine this!) and we definitely go to bed earlier - well, some of us anyway! It seems that a little of the 'Wild' has gone out of the 'Women' - just a little though!
At the end of these times together, I'm always struck by how fortunate I feel to have these women in my life and what a shame it is that we can't make these gatherings happen more often - with more of us present. For those who weren't there, you were missed but I'm sure your ears were ringing!
In 1997, six women met at a lakeside cottage in the Muskoka area of northern Ontario. It was a meeting of three work buddies who each brought a friend, but within an hour, it was as if we had known each other forever. The common thread then was, that we were all without a man in our lives--some newly detatched, and others more experienced in this lifestyle. It was a weekend of shared stories, side splitting laughter, and great outdoor activity. I especially remember a canoe trip on the lake by the cottage which ended at a small inlet where we picniked on some rocks. Mostly, I remember the laughter and joy of being in the company of these women. That weekend we made t-shirts that proclaimed us "Wild Women" and we vowed to make this an annual event.
Over the years, we have been together in various combinations, but never all together as a group of six. Our lives have gotten more complicated (some of us are with men again) and the distances that keep us apart have grown greater.
This past week, three of us gathered again at a cottage, but this time on Long Boat Key in Florida. Whenever we meet like this, invariably, rememberances of that long ago weekend crop up. It always seems like yesterday that we were all together, the conversations flow, the laughter continues and we enter the dance of those who have been connected in intimate ways that span many years. In other ways, there are noticeable differences. Our shapes have changed and we bemoan the effects of gravity on our bodies. There are other changes too -- Linda tells me that I snore (I can't imagine this!) and we definitely go to bed earlier - well, some of us anyway! It seems that a little of the 'Wild' has gone out of the 'Women' - just a little though!
At the end of these times together, I'm always struck by how fortunate I feel to have these women in my life and what a shame it is that we can't make these gatherings happen more often - with more of us present. For those who weren't there, you were missed but I'm sure your ears were ringing!
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Bachelor for a week!
Christina left this morning for a "Wild Women" week in Florida with her friends from Canada. I'm flying down to meet her in Palm Beach next Thursday. I know all of you are wondering, "what wonderful things will he be doing while SHE'S away! A week in the "Big Apple" as a bachelor!
Unfortunately, in our family the situation is reversed. Christina is more likely to be the "party animal". My big celebration was to skip exercise and have chicken wings for lunch - woo hoo! Without Christina to plan our outings there are no outings. When I go to Barry's for our annual "Bronx Boys Weekend" our nights are spent smoking cigars and drinking scotch on the terrace (I don't smoke cigars but make up for it with the scotch). One year the neighbors complained we were making too much noise and we were thrilled! We're sooo bad...
On the other hand I am looking forward to this time. I have a number of projects I am working on:
While it may not be a thing of envy for everyone, it's works for me.
Christina left this morning for a "Wild Women" week in Florida with her friends from Canada. I'm flying down to meet her in Palm Beach next Thursday. I know all of you are wondering, "what wonderful things will he be doing while SHE'S away! A week in the "Big Apple" as a bachelor!
Unfortunately, in our family the situation is reversed. Christina is more likely to be the "party animal". My big celebration was to skip exercise and have chicken wings for lunch - woo hoo! Without Christina to plan our outings there are no outings. When I go to Barry's for our annual "Bronx Boys Weekend" our nights are spent smoking cigars and drinking scotch on the terrace (I don't smoke cigars but make up for it with the scotch). One year the neighbors complained we were making too much noise and we were thrilled! We're sooo bad...
On the other hand I am looking forward to this time. I have a number of projects I am working on:
- I've bought a couple of books on "Blogging" and hope to finally get my act together. Two things in particular interest me RSS (news feeds) and "Moblogging" where you can post text and pictures directly from your phone. That should be great when we are traveling.
- I'm also trying desperately to learn how to do "cryptic crosswords". Those are the UK-style puzzles a la The Times. I can't believe how difficult they are. I have read books on how to solve them and I still can't figure them out even when I have the answers available!
- I've also got some books I want to read; George Eliot's "Middlemarch" (the Classic Comic was great) and a couple of current events books George Packer's "Assassins Gate" about how we got involved in Iraq and John Lewis Gaddis' history of "The Cold War". I always seem to find time for mysteries and not for the more "serious" books; even though they are often fascinating to me when I do read them.
While it may not be a thing of envy for everyone, it's works for me.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
I am not bored
I am NOT bored…
The most common question people ask me about retirement is… “Aren't you bored?” It’s a fair question, I was obsessed about it myself when I was deciding whether to retire. Retirement has made it possible to concentrate on all the things we never had time for: museums, galleries, reading, movies and all the other wonderful sights and sounds we were never even aware of before. We are even taking courses at NYU (in World History and Movies) and looking at opportunities to volunteer (Chris at the YMCA).
However, while I think I can be described as “boredom-avoidance obsessed”, what interests me may not interest others. My interests are much more “city” than “country. This got me thinking about all the things I do to “keep busy”. Maybe some of them will sound familiar to others (maybe not, and maybe I’m weirder than I thought!).
The most common question people ask me about retirement is… “Aren't you bored?” It’s a fair question, I was obsessed about it myself when I was deciding whether to retire. Retirement has made it possible to concentrate on all the things we never had time for: museums, galleries, reading, movies and all the other wonderful sights and sounds we were never even aware of before. We are even taking courses at NYU (in World History and Movies) and looking at opportunities to volunteer (Chris at the YMCA).
However, while I think I can be described as “boredom-avoidance obsessed”, what interests me may not interest others. My interests are much more “city” than “country. This got me thinking about all the things I do to “keep busy”. Maybe some of them will sound familiar to others (maybe not, and maybe I’m weirder than I thought!).
- First, I hate walking in the woods. It’s not the walking. There are no people or stores. After the first ten minutes its boring. One bush or squirrel looks pretty much like any other. In my opinion, beautiful vistas are best seen from a car (preferably moving).
- I do love walking in the city. Preferably New York or Paris, but even Great Barrington . There are shops and people of all sorts. It’s a Winter Wonderland! We walk a mile or two every day in the city and I’m never bored. Walking with Christina is even better – she sees things I would never notice. It’s like going to a brand new place every time.
- I also hate exercising. That 35 minutes on the bike is an eternity. Watching TV doesn’t help because there are so many commercials. Thank god for Books-On-Tape (or CDs) and public radio.
- I cannot go to the bathroom without something to read. The more urgent the need, the more urgent the need for something to read. I have already read every medicine, lotion and shampoo bottle. I may be the only person to know the proper way to wash and condition your hair. I also cannot eat alone without a book or paper. That’s why I rarely eat out when Chris is away.
- I drive Chris crazy by always having the radio (or TV) on when I am home. I need at least two, preferably three things going on at once to make sure I always have a backup if my attention wanders. This drives Chris crazy. She frequently runs away to another room to be able to concentrate on one thing. It may also be driving me crazy. I’ve been working on turning everything off and just sitting and thinking. I’ve made some progress but I have a long way to go. In the meantime I am reading 4 or 5 books a week and doing crossword puzzles.
Monday, October 31, 2005
Home Again, Home Again
One of the wonderful things about living in NY is, no matter where we've been, we're always happy to come home again. There are as many exciting things to do here as wherever we've been.
Chris studies magazines, newspapers and web sites; filling a notebook full of things we just have to do. We are home less than a week and have already been to the cabaret at the Algonquin and the van Gogh exhibit at the Met and have tickets next week for Lion King and the opening of the Darwin exhibit at the AMNH. Fortunately, Chris is in Canada visiting her mother, or I wouldn't have time for this journal.
On a more serious note, we went shopping the day after we returned and found the experience not quite as satisfying as in France - the selection of cheeses was sad - and no Camembert! It's my favorite cheese and you can't get real Camembert in the US because its made with raw milk (and not aged). We also missed not having a "boulangerie" on every block. The French have bakeries the way we have nail salons. The average Parisian visits a bakery more than once a day - in the morning for a baguette and croissant - in the afternoon for a sandwich for lunch and in the evening for a baguette for dinner.
On a positive note, we've been out to dinner a couple of times. We haven't had much game (unless you count chicken) - but we have had good and interesting meals at a third to a half less than in Paris! It is clear that NY restaurants can stand up with the best of French restaurants. We have the best meats and some fish. Where we don't measure up is the variety and quality of fresh fruits and vegetables and game and organ meats. We're making progress in artisinal cheese, (even in Otis) but these don't show up in restaurants. The one type of restaurant that we don't have much of are the super-formal, super-expensive, 2 and 3 star Michelin restaurants. I know Michelin has started a NY red guide. I hope it doesn't catch on here. The standards they use for rating restaurants are very rigid and lead to huge overhead. You can see that in the first guide, none of the wonderful "ethnic" restaurants in NY were rated well. It is very biased towards traditional cooking styles.
One of the wonderful things about living in NY is, no matter where we've been, we're always happy to come home again. There are as many exciting things to do here as wherever we've been.
Chris studies magazines, newspapers and web sites; filling a notebook full of things we just have to do. We are home less than a week and have already been to the cabaret at the Algonquin and the van Gogh exhibit at the Met and have tickets next week for Lion King and the opening of the Darwin exhibit at the AMNH. Fortunately, Chris is in Canada visiting her mother, or I wouldn't have time for this journal.
On a more serious note, we went shopping the day after we returned and found the experience not quite as satisfying as in France - the selection of cheeses was sad - and no Camembert! It's my favorite cheese and you can't get real Camembert in the US because its made with raw milk (and not aged). We also missed not having a "boulangerie" on every block. The French have bakeries the way we have nail salons. The average Parisian visits a bakery more than once a day - in the morning for a baguette and croissant - in the afternoon for a sandwich for lunch and in the evening for a baguette for dinner.
On a positive note, we've been out to dinner a couple of times. We haven't had much game (unless you count chicken) - but we have had good and interesting meals at a third to a half less than in Paris! It is clear that NY restaurants can stand up with the best of French restaurants. We have the best meats and some fish. Where we don't measure up is the variety and quality of fresh fruits and vegetables and game and organ meats. We're making progress in artisinal cheese, (even in Otis) but these don't show up in restaurants. The one type of restaurant that we don't have much of are the super-formal, super-expensive, 2 and 3 star Michelin restaurants. I know Michelin has started a NY red guide. I hope it doesn't catch on here. The standards they use for rating restaurants are very rigid and lead to huge overhead. You can see that in the first guide, none of the wonderful "ethnic" restaurants in NY were rated well. It is very biased towards traditional cooking styles.
Lastly, I'm sure you're all well aware of the recent rioting in the Muslim housing projects. The causes are complicated and the result of years of 'doing the wrong thing'. But whatever the immediate causes some things are clear. The French government provides much superior education and housing as compared to our inner cities but makes no effort to better integrate them into their society. Unemployment is over 30%. They get the same generous unemployment and welfare as native-born but that doesn't deal with the lack of feeling a part of, and having a stake in, the system. There are no affirmative action programs in France because they reject any cultural or religious differences as anti-French. Having come from a history of government-sponsored religion and intolerance, they have a strong bias against religious or ethnic identification as separate from "French-ness". It's unclear how this can ever be resolved without the government making some concessions and making a good faith effort to give these people a stake in the system.
Chris is due back from Canada this evening and we will be going to Peter Luger with Jory and Scott. Then we'll be heading up to the Berkshires for the weekend. We will be truly "home again".
Is “dawdling” a word?
Earlier this week, Christina called me from the Metro station to say she was back from her cooking adventure and would be home in 10 minutes (its only 2 blocks). When she showed up 2 hours later, I asked what had happened. She replied that she was “dawdling” - and had discovered a beautiful courtyard in the building across the street; met the nicest woman with a cute dog; and bought me lunch.
The dictionary defines dawdle as “verb {I}. to do something or go somewhere very slowly, taking more time than is necessary:. -”. Under “usage” there is a small picture of Christina.
If an observer could watch Christina and I leave the apartment in the morning on our way to get breakfast she would see us leave the building holding hands and setting off firmly on the path to Bread and Roses. What she couldn’t see was that I had carefully plotted out the shortest possible walking route and was holding Christina’s hand in a vain attempt to keep her on track. Within 50 feet, something “interesting” catches her eye and the progression slows. At some point I give up and sit down on a bench or step to wait. By the way, dawdling is not limited to walking. When she’s in front of a computer it’s the same thing – hours pass and she returns with arms full of printouts of things for us to do!
Fortunately for both of us, the world is a very different place seen through Christina’s eyes. It’s full of interesting sights and things to do. Every open door is an opportunity to explore a new courtyard; every info display has lots of museums to visit and courses to take; every magazine is full of movies and shows to see. We can’t walk down a block without meeting someone new (usually a shop owner or a dog). When Christina is around there’s never a shortage of interesting things to do.
I’m convinced that “dawdling behavior” is related to gender. I tend to go view life (like most guys I suspect) as a series of tasks or missions to be completed as quickly as possible. Christina views life as a series of wonderful potential opportunities. One of my jobs is to come up with a list of restaurants for us. I approach this by getting Zagats and the Michelin Red Guide and cross referencing them by “arrondisement”, ambiance and food type. I then give her a list of “acceptable” restaurants by type and travel distance. I am also responsible for getting the newspaper and providing books for us to read. Christina’s job is to plan everything else – walks, museums, movies, jazz clubs, stores, etc. She also is responsible for planning, marketing and preparing one home dinner a week (per our negotiated agreement). She then wonders why I have more time for reading than she does!
Part of the reason that we both love Paris and New York is the shear diversity of things to do. You can easily spend a day (or 2 or 3) just walking around looking at interesting buildings, parks, shops and markets. The big museums and tourist sights are often just icing on the cake. I can’t imagine living anywhere else but one (or both!) of these cities.
Well, I’m off. Christina has a busy day planned for us. We probably won’t get to half the things on the list but there’s always tomorrow.
Paul del Balso, Paris Journal
October 25, 2005
Christina’s aside:
When you dawdle, there’s no telling just what you might find. Have a look at this wonderful Wallace fountain which dispenses drinking water in many parts of Paris. These cast iron fountains are named after Richard Wallace, the Englishman who paid for their construction in the late 1800’s and the water dispensed today is still good to drink.
Don’t let Paul fool you--he dawdles as well, but he calls it shopping!
Earlier this week, Christina called me from the Metro station to say she was back from her cooking adventure and would be home in 10 minutes (its only 2 blocks). When she showed up 2 hours later, I asked what had happened. She replied that she was “dawdling” - and had discovered a beautiful courtyard in the building across the street; met the nicest woman with a cute dog; and bought me lunch.
The dictionary defines dawdle as “verb {I}. to do something or go somewhere very slowly, taking more time than is necessary:. -”. Under “usage” there is a small picture of Christina.
If an observer could watch Christina and I leave the apartment in the morning on our way to get breakfast she would see us leave the building holding hands and setting off firmly on the path to Bread and Roses. What she couldn’t see was that I had carefully plotted out the shortest possible walking route and was holding Christina’s hand in a vain attempt to keep her on track. Within 50 feet, something “interesting” catches her eye and the progression slows. At some point I give up and sit down on a bench or step to wait. By the way, dawdling is not limited to walking. When she’s in front of a computer it’s the same thing – hours pass and she returns with arms full of printouts of things for us to do!
Fortunately for both of us, the world is a very different place seen through Christina’s eyes. It’s full of interesting sights and things to do. Every open door is an opportunity to explore a new courtyard; every info display has lots of museums to visit and courses to take; every magazine is full of movies and shows to see. We can’t walk down a block without meeting someone new (usually a shop owner or a dog). When Christina is around there’s never a shortage of interesting things to do.
I’m convinced that “dawdling behavior” is related to gender. I tend to go view life (like most guys I suspect) as a series of tasks or missions to be completed as quickly as possible. Christina views life as a series of wonderful potential opportunities. One of my jobs is to come up with a list of restaurants for us. I approach this by getting Zagats and the Michelin Red Guide and cross referencing them by “arrondisement”, ambiance and food type. I then give her a list of “acceptable” restaurants by type and travel distance. I am also responsible for getting the newspaper and providing books for us to read. Christina’s job is to plan everything else – walks, museums, movies, jazz clubs, stores, etc. She also is responsible for planning, marketing and preparing one home dinner a week (per our negotiated agreement). She then wonders why I have more time for reading than she does!
Part of the reason that we both love Paris and New York is the shear diversity of things to do. You can easily spend a day (or 2 or 3) just walking around looking at interesting buildings, parks, shops and markets. The big museums and tourist sights are often just icing on the cake. I can’t imagine living anywhere else but one (or both!) of these cities.
Well, I’m off. Christina has a busy day planned for us. We probably won’t get to half the things on the list but there’s always tomorrow.
Paul del Balso, Paris Journal
October 25, 2005
Christina’s aside:
When you dawdle, there’s no telling just what you might find. Have a look at this wonderful Wallace fountain which dispenses drinking water in many parts of Paris. These cast iron fountains are named after Richard Wallace, the Englishman who paid for their construction in the late 1800’s and the water dispensed today is still good to drink.
Don’t let Paul fool you--he dawdles as well, but he calls it shopping!
We Love Paris in the ……… time
In just a few short days, we’ll be packing our bags and heading home! The past three weeks with almost perfect weather have contributed to our sadness in leaving! Why is it we love this place so much???? We talk about it all the time. Sure the food is great—we’ll really miss those morning “tartine’s”, croissants and “tarte au pomme” washed down with a perfect ‘”café crème”. What could be more romantic then a walk along the Seine with the million twinkling lights on the Eiffel Tower in the distant night sky. Even the language is music to our ears. We love the gardens (despite the lawn police) and the unlimited access to art in the museums and galleries all over the city.
Are there frustrations?? Sure—it’s not much fun when it’s raining (it usually rains a lot), and our language skills can sometimes cause us grief; but we’re spared some of the daily bureaucratic frustrations of people who have to make a living here because we can just enjoy the good things—it’s a dream life and we feel very fortunate. But, what is it that keeps us coming back year after year??? We can’t seem to come up with a definitive answer. Maybe it’s the opportunity to discover this wonderful and diverse city—the excitement of coming back to the same places or seeing something new for the first time—maybe looking for secrets behind those massive doors that are so representative of Paris. What’s behind all those doors anyway? We’ve had glimpses of beautiful gardens, courtyards, shops, even a church – sometimes just parking and garbage. We’re sure that there are mysteries we haven’t yet discovered and we’ll be looking for them!
In our search for the answer, the closest we’ve come is our amazement and delight at the beauty of so many things large and small. People here take such pride in their places and there’s attention to detail by the smallest shop where items are arranged artfully—everyday! The smallest restaurants take pride in setting up their décor ‘just so’. Window displays are changed on a regular basis—often with humor as well as beauty. We’re constantly delighted by imaginative and meticulous displays – the “boulanger” changes her whole window 3 times a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) to feature different products. The fish market has a huge outside display that features the fresh catch lovingly displayed – set-up every morning and torn down every night. We’re accustomed to large department stores having exceptional displays in NY, but here many small retailers take just as much care. Imagine if every Korean grocer tried to look like Dean and Deluca!
Staying in an apartment rather then a hotel makes us feel part of a neighborhood and gives us permission, we think, to just hang out and do ordinary things, like laundry, shop for groceries, go to the park or sit in the living room with the window open listening to life going on around us. Perhaps this gives us a feeling of ‘belonging’ and contributes to the pull that Paris seems to have on us!
Tomorrow we’ll go to the Ile St. Louis in the center of Paris to look at possible apartments for our stay next Fall. It will be our third neighborhood and we’re already anticipating the adventures to come.
A bientot,
Chris & Paul
Paris Journal, October, 2005
In just a few short days, we’ll be packing our bags and heading home! The past three weeks with almost perfect weather have contributed to our sadness in leaving! Why is it we love this place so much???? We talk about it all the time. Sure the food is great—we’ll really miss those morning “tartine’s”, croissants and “tarte au pomme” washed down with a perfect ‘”café crème”. What could be more romantic then a walk along the Seine with the million twinkling lights on the Eiffel Tower in the distant night sky. Even the language is music to our ears. We love the gardens (despite the lawn police) and the unlimited access to art in the museums and galleries all over the city.
Are there frustrations?? Sure—it’s not much fun when it’s raining (it usually rains a lot), and our language skills can sometimes cause us grief; but we’re spared some of the daily bureaucratic frustrations of people who have to make a living here because we can just enjoy the good things—it’s a dream life and we feel very fortunate. But, what is it that keeps us coming back year after year??? We can’t seem to come up with a definitive answer. Maybe it’s the opportunity to discover this wonderful and diverse city—the excitement of coming back to the same places or seeing something new for the first time—maybe looking for secrets behind those massive doors that are so representative of Paris. What’s behind all those doors anyway? We’ve had glimpses of beautiful gardens, courtyards, shops, even a church – sometimes just parking and garbage. We’re sure that there are mysteries we haven’t yet discovered and we’ll be looking for them!
In our search for the answer, the closest we’ve come is our amazement and delight at the beauty of so many things large and small. People here take such pride in their places and there’s attention to detail by the smallest shop where items are arranged artfully—everyday! The smallest restaurants take pride in setting up their décor ‘just so’. Window displays are changed on a regular basis—often with humor as well as beauty. We’re constantly delighted by imaginative and meticulous displays – the “boulanger” changes her whole window 3 times a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) to feature different products. The fish market has a huge outside display that features the fresh catch lovingly displayed – set-up every morning and torn down every night. We’re accustomed to large department stores having exceptional displays in NY, but here many small retailers take just as much care. Imagine if every Korean grocer tried to look like Dean and Deluca!
Staying in an apartment rather then a hotel makes us feel part of a neighborhood and gives us permission, we think, to just hang out and do ordinary things, like laundry, shop for groceries, go to the park or sit in the living room with the window open listening to life going on around us. Perhaps this gives us a feeling of ‘belonging’ and contributes to the pull that Paris seems to have on us!
Tomorrow we’ll go to the Ile St. Louis in the center of Paris to look at possible apartments for our stay next Fall. It will be our third neighborhood and we’re already anticipating the adventures to come.
A bientot,
Chris & Paul
Paris Journal, October, 2005
Just Another Day in Paris
It’s Tuesday and we had nothing really planned. It’s market day in the 6th and we had decided to cook at home today and catch up with some of the household chores. In the early afternoon we headed out to walk along a block that we dream about owning a flat on. Rue Reclaimer—a beautiful dead end street off the rue Sevres that ends in a Park and has a lovely restaurant in the middle. In al the years we have been here, we have never seen a for sale sign once!
Now noon, our wanders lead us straight to “Paul” a shop which makes the most incredible sandwiches. While Paul opted to eat at his name sake, I decided to forego bread for an Amarone gelato: Amerena (black cherry) and Nutella—what a great mixture, and how easily I can give up bread for this!
Sitting on Rue du Buci is a delight in terms of people watching. During our 20 minute stop, we watched the homeless man with his dogs, and any number of colourful and local tourists cross our path. Our favourite was the older guy with the bright orange shirt and matching shawl sporting a salt ‘n pepper Mohawk!
The afternoon was a delight strolling along rue du Seine filled with art galleries on either side. This was better then visiting a museum and it was free. We saw everything from contemporary canvases to African tribal art and masks. Our favourite discovery was an artist by the name of Marc Perez who paints and sculpts and who’s art has quite a sense of humour.
It’s Tuesday and we had nothing really planned. It’s market day in the 6th and we had decided to cook at home today and catch up with some of the household chores. In the early afternoon we headed out to walk along a block that we dream about owning a flat on. Rue Reclaimer—a beautiful dead end street off the rue Sevres that ends in a Park and has a lovely restaurant in the middle. In al the years we have been here, we have never seen a for sale sign once!
Now noon, our wanders lead us straight to “Paul” a shop which makes the most incredible sandwiches. While Paul opted to eat at his name sake, I decided to forego bread for an Amarone gelato: Amerena (black cherry) and Nutella—what a great mixture, and how easily I can give up bread for this!
Sitting on Rue du Buci is a delight in terms of people watching. During our 20 minute stop, we watched the homeless man with his dogs, and any number of colourful and local tourists cross our path. Our favourite was the older guy with the bright orange shirt and matching shawl sporting a salt ‘n pepper Mohawk!
The afternoon was a delight strolling along rue du Seine filled with art galleries on either side. This was better then visiting a museum and it was free. We saw everything from contemporary canvases to African tribal art and masks. Our favourite discovery was an artist by the name of Marc Perez who paints and sculpts and who’s art has quite a sense of humour.
Paule’s Kitchen—A Taste of French Culture and Cuisine!
On Friday, I participated with 4 others in a half-day cooking/marketing/cultural experience in the home of Paule Caillat. The experience started with an e-mail questionnaire of likes and dislikes to help her customize a menu for the participants that would be taking part that day.
MENU
Salad aux chevere chaud
Souffle au Roquefort
Cul de Veau a L’Angevine
Carottes carmelisees au cumin
Tarte aux pommes chocolatAt 9:00am three of the 5 participants eagerly awaited our French chef who began our cultural lesson by telling us that she was always surprised to see that most of her out of town students were always early; “in Paris, we NEVER arrive early!” After brief introductions, we walked the short distance to a local market where we proceeded to purchase many of the items we would be using that day. Paule, like many Parisien cooks, prides herself in using products that are in season and seeks out merchants she is confident will provide her with the freshest ingredients at reasonable prices. Our tour through the market was punctuated by more questions then we had time. Along the way, we learned that it’s important to know where produce comes from (would you eat anything grown near Chernobyl?), what to look for when selecting a chevre and the names of some greens (Sorrel) and how they might best be used.
Goods purchased, we went back to Paule’s intimate, but modern, well designed, kitchen to
create our fabulous lunch. Hands washed, and dressed in our white aprons, we immediately
got to work scraping carrots, dicing onions and learning little tricks which make cooking
easier; (e.g. to chop parsley efficiently, put stemmed leaves in a tall glass and use kitchen shears to cut them into small bits inside the glass—it couldn’t be easier and there’s no mess)
The time together went quickly as we got to know Bill from Victoria, B.C., Joey and her mom Elizabeth from New Jersey and Dorty from California. Another American, Domenica from Minneapolis
was Paule’s able kitchen assistant and rounded out our group. We traded our own Paris
stories as we worked and enjoyed picking Paule’s brain about her culinary know-how. By2:00pm, when it was time to sit and enjoy the fruits of our labors we happily raised a glass to toast our host and teacher!
We rounded off the afternoon by visiting a wonderful spice shop where the owner delighted in giving us whiffs of blends he had created and telling us about his family’s long history selling saffron.
Del Balso Paris Journal, October, 2005
RESOURCES:
Cooking Classes & Tours: www.promenadesgourmandes.com
Spice Shop: Goumanyat & son Royamaume: 3, rue Charles-Francois Dupuis. 75003 Paris. www.gourmanyat.com
On Friday, I participated with 4 others in a half-day cooking/marketing/cultural experience in the home of Paule Caillat. The experience started with an e-mail questionnaire of likes and dislikes to help her customize a menu for the participants that would be taking part that day.
MENU
Salad aux chevere chaud
Souffle au Roquefort
Cul de Veau a L’Angevine
Carottes carmelisees au cumin
Tarte aux pommes chocolatAt 9:00am three of the 5 participants eagerly awaited our French chef who began our cultural lesson by telling us that she was always surprised to see that most of her out of town students were always early; “in Paris, we NEVER arrive early!” After brief introductions, we walked the short distance to a local market where we proceeded to purchase many of the items we would be using that day. Paule, like many Parisien cooks, prides herself in using products that are in season and seeks out merchants she is confident will provide her with the freshest ingredients at reasonable prices. Our tour through the market was punctuated by more questions then we had time. Along the way, we learned that it’s important to know where produce comes from (would you eat anything grown near Chernobyl?), what to look for when selecting a chevre and the names of some greens (Sorrel) and how they might best be used.
Goods purchased, we went back to Paule’s intimate, but modern, well designed, kitchen to
create our fabulous lunch. Hands washed, and dressed in our white aprons, we immediately
got to work scraping carrots, dicing onions and learning little tricks which make cooking
easier; (e.g. to chop parsley efficiently, put stemmed leaves in a tall glass and use kitchen shears to cut them into small bits inside the glass—it couldn’t be easier and there’s no mess)
The time together went quickly as we got to know Bill from Victoria, B.C., Joey and her mom Elizabeth from New Jersey and Dorty from California. Another American, Domenica from Minneapolis
was Paule’s able kitchen assistant and rounded out our group. We traded our own Paris
stories as we worked and enjoyed picking Paule’s brain about her culinary know-how. By2:00pm, when it was time to sit and enjoy the fruits of our labors we happily raised a glass to toast our host and teacher!
We rounded off the afternoon by visiting a wonderful spice shop where the owner delighted in giving us whiffs of blends he had created and telling us about his family’s long history selling saffron.
Del Balso Paris Journal, October, 2005
RESOURCES:
Cooking Classes & Tours: www.promenadesgourmandes.com
Spice Shop: Goumanyat & son Royamaume: 3, rue Charles-Francois Dupuis. 75003 Paris. www.gourmanyat.com
Eating out in Paris!
There are 900 restaurants in the Paris Zagats, so you might be surprised to know that Parisians in increasing numbers are eating more junk food then ever. In fact, in the paper this week, there was a story concerning a push to get the French back to a diet with less fat. How could there be less fat in all those cheese courses?????
Making the decision to eat out requires thoughts about not only where, but the type of experience: Bistro, Brasserie, Restaurant, Café. Which you choose will determine when and what you want to eat, how the reservation is handled and what you might expect in the way of service.
France operates by different rules than the US in many ways – 35 hour work week, highly centralized and pervasive government, ……. But restaurants take this to a further extreme. In the US, most restaurants are open 6 or 7 days a week - vacations are uncommon. The following schedule is fairly typical for a better restaurant in Paris. Closed all Mondays and Sunday lunch; Feb 14 – 22; Apr. 5-13; Oct. 25 – Nov. 2; AND ALL HOLIDAYS! While the level of diversity is typical, every restaurant is unique. Also, while most US restaurants have multiple seatings, French bistros and restaurants typically have only one seating. Only brasseries and cafes offer continuous seating.
Most people are aware that Parisian Cafes allow you to sit as long as you want. But most people may not be aware that most Cafes also have a bar where you can get the same food or drink at half to a third of the price at the tables. Each morning as you walk past the Cafes the bars are lined with customers drinking their coffee, eating their tartine or croissants AND depositing all trash, cigarette buts etc. at their feet under the bar!
Yes, the rules and customs are certainly different. It’s not uncommon to see the family dog sitting at the feet of the owner or even on the banquette beside him. It’s been our experience that like French children, the dogs are also always on their best behavior when dining out.
Fall is an especially wonderful time to be here because of the variety of foods and game in season. We’ve indulged ourselves with “les huitres” (oysters), “cepes” (Portobello mushrooms), “perdreau” (partridge), pigeonnau (guess?), and phaisan. It’s all wonderful and we missed having it when we were here last spring.
Apart from the variety of eating establishments, we are taken with the fact that the French eat EVERYTHING but vegetables; which they eat sparingly. Menus list traditional fare but it’s not uncommon to find every sort of offal including tripe, “ris de veau” (veal sweetbreads which I adore), “tete de veau” (veal head, something we’ve decided we won’t have to try again), bone marrow (which we love), “pied de cochon” (pigs trotters) and veal hoofs. It’s all an adventure and fun to try even if it means missing the odd meal. Many times we’ve surprised ourselves with the discoveries.
When all is said and done, and time to pay “l’addition”, the waiter appears tableside with a hand-held gizmo that allows him to swipe your credit card right there at the table. This is important, because with the prices in Paris restaurants, they don’t want you to get out of sight after you get the bill. New York restaurants will seem like a bargain when we get home.
Yes, we love to eat, and nowhere is the experience so eventful as here in Paris!
Bon Appetit,
del Balso, Paris Journal, October 23, 2005
There are 900 restaurants in the Paris Zagats, so you might be surprised to know that Parisians in increasing numbers are eating more junk food then ever. In fact, in the paper this week, there was a story concerning a push to get the French back to a diet with less fat. How could there be less fat in all those cheese courses?????
Making the decision to eat out requires thoughts about not only where, but the type of experience: Bistro, Brasserie, Restaurant, Café. Which you choose will determine when and what you want to eat, how the reservation is handled and what you might expect in the way of service.
France operates by different rules than the US in many ways – 35 hour work week, highly centralized and pervasive government, ……. But restaurants take this to a further extreme. In the US, most restaurants are open 6 or 7 days a week - vacations are uncommon. The following schedule is fairly typical for a better restaurant in Paris. Closed all Mondays and Sunday lunch; Feb 14 – 22; Apr. 5-13; Oct. 25 – Nov. 2; AND ALL HOLIDAYS! While the level of diversity is typical, every restaurant is unique. Also, while most US restaurants have multiple seatings, French bistros and restaurants typically have only one seating. Only brasseries and cafes offer continuous seating.
Most people are aware that Parisian Cafes allow you to sit as long as you want. But most people may not be aware that most Cafes also have a bar where you can get the same food or drink at half to a third of the price at the tables. Each morning as you walk past the Cafes the bars are lined with customers drinking their coffee, eating their tartine or croissants AND depositing all trash, cigarette buts etc. at their feet under the bar!
Yes, the rules and customs are certainly different. It’s not uncommon to see the family dog sitting at the feet of the owner or even on the banquette beside him. It’s been our experience that like French children, the dogs are also always on their best behavior when dining out.
Fall is an especially wonderful time to be here because of the variety of foods and game in season. We’ve indulged ourselves with “les huitres” (oysters), “cepes” (Portobello mushrooms), “perdreau” (partridge), pigeonnau (guess?), and phaisan. It’s all wonderful and we missed having it when we were here last spring.
Apart from the variety of eating establishments, we are taken with the fact that the French eat EVERYTHING but vegetables; which they eat sparingly. Menus list traditional fare but it’s not uncommon to find every sort of offal including tripe, “ris de veau” (veal sweetbreads which I adore), “tete de veau” (veal head, something we’ve decided we won’t have to try again), bone marrow (which we love), “pied de cochon” (pigs trotters) and veal hoofs. It’s all an adventure and fun to try even if it means missing the odd meal. Many times we’ve surprised ourselves with the discoveries.
When all is said and done, and time to pay “l’addition”, the waiter appears tableside with a hand-held gizmo that allows him to swipe your credit card right there at the table. This is important, because with the prices in Paris restaurants, they don’t want you to get out of sight after you get the bill. New York restaurants will seem like a bargain when we get home.
Yes, we love to eat, and nowhere is the experience so eventful as here in Paris!
Bon Appetit,
del Balso, Paris Journal, October 23, 2005
PARIS, OCTOBER 2005—THAT SAME OLD FEELING!
We’re back after an 18 month absence and in many ways it feels just like coming home! After a week, we’ve barely gotten over our jet lag so it’s comforting to know our way around, at least in this neighborhood. For Paul there was the excitement of having that fresh crusty French bread; for me the prospect of an Amarone ice cream made my mouth water. So far, we’ve satisfied both these urges.
Being in Paris and staying in the same apartment on rue, L’Abbe Gregoire has meant a very quick re-entry. We know were everything is, how it works and where to go to get the essentials. The important thing for me is the nearby market, just down the street, and so on Sunday I headed off to get the fixings for our first home cooked meal. I never have a definite shopping list in mind because I like to see what’s available and make my decisions based on what looks good. The cepes (porcini mushrooms) are plentiful at this time of year so the menu went something like this:
Fresh fruit and cheeses to start (the French would never serve this course first)
Rabbit in white wine with shallots and cepes
Vegetable Couscous (with more cepes) Green garden Salad
Fresh berries with yogurt
As you’ve probably guessed, food is one of the major draws for us especially at this time of year when restaurants are serving incredible varieties of seasonal sea food, shell fish and the game—oh la la!
We delight in the variety of produce, meat and poultry in the shops and the markets and wonder how long the French government and the EU for that matter will be able to sustain the subsidies that make this possible. We hope it lasts for our life time.
Yes, it’s great to be back. We’ve enjoyed revisiting a few old favorite restaurants and have discovered that sometimes the memories are better then the real thing. Tomorrow is Sunday and we’re off to Benoit for a traditional Sunday Lunch. The last time we ate there it was with friends Sheila and Joe and the meal was incredible.
For our Canadian friends, we hope you enjoyed a happy Thanksgiving and to all, bon appetite.
A bientot—Chris & Paul (October 15, 2005)
Note: The man in the picture is at a local market each week demonstrating the effectiveness of his magical ‘salts’ which he claims can cure any number of ailments. One year I bought a pkg. but have yet to make use of it.
We’re back after an 18 month absence and in many ways it feels just like coming home! After a week, we’ve barely gotten over our jet lag so it’s comforting to know our way around, at least in this neighborhood. For Paul there was the excitement of having that fresh crusty French bread; for me the prospect of an Amarone ice cream made my mouth water. So far, we’ve satisfied both these urges.
Being in Paris and staying in the same apartment on rue, L’Abbe Gregoire has meant a very quick re-entry. We know were everything is, how it works and where to go to get the essentials. The important thing for me is the nearby market, just down the street, and so on Sunday I headed off to get the fixings for our first home cooked meal. I never have a definite shopping list in mind because I like to see what’s available and make my decisions based on what looks good. The cepes (porcini mushrooms) are plentiful at this time of year so the menu went something like this:
Fresh fruit and cheeses to start (the French would never serve this course first)
Rabbit in white wine with shallots and cepes
Vegetable Couscous (with more cepes) Green garden Salad
Fresh berries with yogurt
As you’ve probably guessed, food is one of the major draws for us especially at this time of year when restaurants are serving incredible varieties of seasonal sea food, shell fish and the game—oh la la!
We delight in the variety of produce, meat and poultry in the shops and the markets and wonder how long the French government and the EU for that matter will be able to sustain the subsidies that make this possible. We hope it lasts for our life time.
Yes, it’s great to be back. We’ve enjoyed revisiting a few old favorite restaurants and have discovered that sometimes the memories are better then the real thing. Tomorrow is Sunday and we’re off to Benoit for a traditional Sunday Lunch. The last time we ate there it was with friends Sheila and Joe and the meal was incredible.
For our Canadian friends, we hope you enjoyed a happy Thanksgiving and to all, bon appetite.
A bientot—Chris & Paul (October 15, 2005)
Note: The man in the picture is at a local market each week demonstrating the effectiveness of his magical ‘salts’ which he claims can cure any number of ailments. One year I bought a pkg. but have yet to make use of it.
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