With Love, From Paris. Day 2

Day 2

The following morning, I woke up at 3:30 am!  I mean, how could I sleep?  I was in Paris!!  And only for a few days!  I decided to get up, take a shower, get dressed and plan out our day.   We were going to go climb up the Eiffel Tower, then navigate our way to Ile de la Cite and Ile St-Louis.  This of course, could take a full day.  And that, we had.  So here we go...

This was our first breakfast in Paris. Four, flaky, warm, and buttery croissants.  The girls had milk to drink and Nuno and I had coffee.  I have to tell you that Parisian croissants are the best I've ever had.  They are flaky on the outside, but buttery and almost doughy on the inside.  Every morning, no matter which bakery we went to, the croissants were warm from the oven.  Utter perfection!

This man in the above photo became known to us as "the pigeon man".  Most mornings and evenings, we would see him feeding flocks of pigeons.  He was a homeless man.  I never saw him asking for money, only feeding the pigeons. I'm sure he's still there, feeding them.  

By the way, if you plan on visiting Paris, know this: it is nearly impossible to find an available taxi during morning and afternoon rush hour in Paris.  We walked halfway to the tower on day 2 before we got hold of one.

Inside the Eiffel Tower

Breathtaking views of the Seine river and the city of Paris!

In the center, you can see the Arc de Triomphe!

 

 The Seine River

A dream come true for me! 

Spectacular views of the city!

Overlooking Parc du Champs de Mars

Having fun!

Okay, I promise, no more Eiffel Tower pictures!

After spending most of the morning in and around the Eiffel Tower, we decided to go back to our studio for a little afternoon nap with the girls.  My early morning rise was not such a great idea after all!  We took a little  nap, and then headed out for another walk, this time, towards Ile de la Cite, across the bridge, over the Seine.

This is Hotel de Ville - Paris's City Hall

City Hall boasts fountains and gorgeous early 1900s lamp posts. 

This is the famous Notre-Dame Cathedral, located on Ile de la Cite.

The stone exterior of the church is incredibly detailed!

Notre-Dame's Rose Window

Take a look at this gorgeous door and the handsome man in front of it! ;o)

So we walked from our studio in the 4th Arrondisement down towards the Seine, saw Hotel de Ville, crossed the bridge over to Ile de la Cite, and saw the famous Notre-Dame.  Next, we are going to cross another bridge to the Island called Ile St-Louis - my absolute favorite!

We passed through this pretty little park on our way to the Island.  Unfortunately, I don't know the name of it.

This cute boulangerie on Ile St-Louis was our first stop for a sweet treat.  

Their donuts are much smaller than ours. Fillings include apple, strawberry, and chocolate!

And look what else they had - Paris's famous macarons! This was the first time any of us had tried macarons! Mmm!

La Cure Gourmande - 55 Rue St. Louis en L'ile

They sell the most delicious French biscuits here!

Coconut filled, strawberry jam filled, orange filled, chocolate chip, shortbread, chocolate shortbread, just to name a few of the flavours!  As a treat, we brought some home with us to enjoy!  They are incredibly rich and delicious!

After browsing around the small, quaint island, we decided to walk towards Place des Vosges, one of the many city squares.  Here are some of the things we saw along the way...

Window shopping

Another boulangerie we stopped at along the way.  Isn't this lovely?

And here we are, Place de Vosges Square - Paris's oldest square.  Victor Hugo used to live in one of the homes here.  His home is now a museum.

There was a playground for the children (and adults too)!  We spent some time here, playing with the girls.  Then, we headed back to our apartment.

Newspaper/magazine stand

Annabel wanted a picture standing in front of the fruit stand.

Fabulous flower shop!

This is moi, picking up some hot baguettes from a local boulangerie.  We went to the supermarche and bought salami, goat cheese, butter and a nice bottle of wine!

I fell in love with the studio's tiny kitchen.  Don't you just love the red?

And that, dear friends, was day 2 in Paris.  I have many more pics of this day, but I only put up the ones I think you'd most like to see.  I hope you enjoyed coming along with me.  We are getting closer and closer to London now.  Stay tuned for more!!

With Love, From Paris. Day 1

It has been a life-long dream of mine to visit Paris.  Ever since I was a little girl, Paris was always at the top of my list of "Places To Visit".  It always had a certain "je ne sais quois" for me.  Was it the allure of the Eiffel Tower? The breads and pastries?  The French language?  The romance?  The City of Lights?  I guess it's all of the above and more. Finally, the opportunity arose, and I took it!  After all, how can a girl say no to Paris?
On September 10th, Nuno, the girls and I, boarded a plane headed for Paris, France.  Come along with me...I'll tell you all about it! 

Day 1

For our very first meal in Paris, we went to a Bistro called, Le Petit Marcel, recommended to us by a local Parisian man who lives near the studio we stayed in, in the Marais district.  We started with escargots.  They were absolutely delicious! This was my first time eating escargots at a restaurant.  Even Anita loved them!

My steak and fries dish was not so great.  The cut of meat was very tough and dry, although, it looked beautiful on the plate.  To make up for it, the owner was very friendly and welcoming!  Call me crazy, but I was not impressed with any of the meals we ate in Paris (except breads and pastries, of course).  I was thinking I would be wowed by the food, but I wasn't.  It was pretty disappointing.  I left wondering what all the hype is about.  Should I have to dine at an ultra expensive restaurant, where dinner for one can cost over $200, to be able to enjoy the food?  If Paris is famous for their food, I would have thought I could find delicious food, in at least one of the restaurants we dined at. Aside from the food disappointment, everything else about Paris was extraordinary and exceeded all of my expectations! 

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After lunch, we decided to go for a walk to explore our surroundings.  We stayed in the Marais area of Paris, in the 4th Arrondisement, only a few minutes walk from the Seine river.  We walked all along the Seine,and eventually, all the way to the Eiffel Tower.  Here are some photos from our walk...

 

 This was my first peek at the Eiffel Tower, in the distance! 

 

This is Pont des Arts bridge.  Hundreds of padlocks adorn the fence on this bridge.  They are placed here by tourists and lovers who write their names on the locks and throw away the key, as a pledge of love to one another!

Look at the full moon!  You will notice the sky getting darker and darker, the further we go on our walk.

September 11, 2011. 9 pm

The Eiffel Tower's twinkling light show takes place every hour, after it gets dark.  It really is a sight to behold!

Up close and personal

I will never forget my first encounter with the Eiffel Tower.  It took my breath away!  The full moon next to it, made it even more special! 

I heart Paris!

After taking in the magnificence of the Eiffel Tower, we took a cab back to our neighbourhood.  This Crepe stand was just outside our studio.  You will find these crepe stands all over Paris.  Anita and Annabel enjoyed one filled with Nutella! 

Goodnight moon, goodnight stars, goodnight Eiffel Tower!

I have so many more pics to share with you, so I will have to do this in several posts.  Hope you enjoyed following us on our first day!  More to follow soon!

What's Cooking Wednesday

Hello everyone!  Although, it isn't quite Fall yet, I can already feel it's presence all around me.  The temperatures have dropped, students are back at school, and my mood is changing.  I'm looking for the warm, cozy, comfort food only Fall can bring!  Here's a little taste of what's been cooking in my kitchen...

Beets are in season from Summer through to Fall.  This is a beet salad.  First, I roasted beets in the oven, sliced them and then added crumbled goat cheese, parsley, a little extra virgin olive oil, salt and freshly cracked pepper.  It is DELICIOUS!  Give a try...I think you'll like it (even if you don't love beets).

Crispy baked chicken drums together with fresh, Ontario bi-coloured corn, and mashed sweet potatoes (with a sprinkle of cinnamon & nutmeg)

Oven-roasted paprika chicken served with medley of white and sweet potatoes

My garden basil, pine nuts, shredded gruyere cheese, olive oil, ready to be made into pesto

Grilled chicken breast served with pesto Penne and grilled skewer shrimp.

A little inspiration for last night's dinner...

...Julia Child's french onion soup!

Farmer's market onions

 

Julia-inspired french onion soup, served with toasted french baguette, topped with melted Gruyere cheese

Late August + Pizza

Vine-ripened tomatoes are a sure sign of late August.  For over a week now, our tomatoes have been ripening and were ready for picking.  I would love to tell you their proper name, but Nuno planted them early in the Summer, and I never did figure out their variety.  I can tell you they grow very big and sweet-smelling.  Those who know me well, know that I do not enjoy raw tomatoes.  Yes, I know, it's awful, isn't it?  I do wish I loved tomatoes, but unfortunately, no matter how many times I try them, I feel no appreciation.  But don't get me wrong, I LOVE cooking with tomatoes!  They are the main ingredient in tomato sauces and delicious butter chicken.  I really couldn't live without them.  And as long as they're diced small enough, I will eat them on bruschetta, in tacos, etc.  I just wouldn't be able to take a great big bite out of a tomato.  Do you see what I'm saying?

Tomatoes growing on the side of our house, where we get lots of sunshine!

Within the last week, there has been an abundance of tomatoes ripening every single day.   So, on Monday, I decided to make it a Pizza night!  We divided pizza dough into four equal parts.  Nuno and I, rolled out the dough, mostly with our hands.  A woman we know, who owns an Italian bakery in Toronto, told us not to roll the dough, she says it "kills" the dough.  It is best to work it with your hands.  So, I tried my best to do that.  Nuno, is better at it than I am.  He's usually the one who makes pizza at our house.  Once the dough was rounded out in the pans, the girls got to add the tomato sauce and any toppings they liked. 

This is the tomato sauce I made using fresh garden tomatoes, chopped garlic, chopped, fresh oregano, salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil.  Beside it, is some crumbled goat cheese and fresh basil for the toppings.  All the tomatoes, oregano, and basil, came from our herb garden!

This is Anita, adding tomato sauce to her heart-shaped pizza.

And here is Annabel, sprinkling grated mozzarella cheese on hers.  Notice the beautiful pearl bracelet (Nancy, this one's for you)!  She wears it all the time! 

Annabel and Daddy working on their pizzas!

Daddy's pizza looks awesome, topped with pepperoni, basil leaves, kalamata olives, and anchovies. 

The pizzas turned out so yummy.  Of course, we couldn't finish them all.  So, guess what?  We had leftovers the next day and Daddy took some to work.  I am so thankful for my little herb garden, where I can gather so much deliciousness and inspiration for our daily meals.  I will surely miss it once the garden gives way to Fall and the colder temperatures.  

Thank you again for visiting my kitchen.  I want to wish you all a happy September!  When the colder weather comes around, and we are all wearing coats, hats, and mitts, remember that there is one place the cold must never enter - our hearts.  Wishing you all a cozy heart season!  xo

The foliage has been losing its freshness through the month of August, and here and there a yellow leaf shows itself like the first gray hair amidst the locks of a beauty who has seen one season too many.  ~Oliver Wendell Holmes