Paris, the summer, and I

As it is the last day of summer today, I thought it would be quite fitting to share with you what my summer experience was like in and around Paris.

Fitting photo to begin with: Great shoes, great poster, and a great book: "The Sweet life in Paris" by David Lebovitz. I highly recommend this book, it speaks so much truth about Paris. I read it and giggled to myself almost every page because the experiences David has had in Paris, I myself have had over and over again too... sooo good!!!! And his recipes are fabulous as well!!!!

Well...although I missed B.C.'s lakes and BBQ's... I was able to do some of that myself here as well... Isabelle, Roseni, Segio, Mauricio and I went out to a lake where you have to pay to fish. It's funny because they dump the fish in the lake and you pay them to catch it. The catch is you don't need a fishing license, where as with all other lakes, you do.
Roseni caught the first fish...
Isabelle caught the second....
And I caught the 3rd and 4th... leave it up to the girls to do the work....
The guys caught nothing....
In return...they get the dirty work!

And Roseni put her expert skills into the cooking of the fruits of our labour...
MMMmmmm... SOooo good!!!

There's the wilderness, and there's the city life... here are some random experiences...

Eating a delicious prawn from the famous Stohrer..mMMmmm
Watching La Tour de France....
Going to the INCREDIBLE Yves Saint-Laurent exhibit at the Petit Palais...

A balance is always required... so back out to the nature we go....

Picnics in the park....
A Brazilian BBQ feast!!!!
Yummmmm...this Halal steak was SOOooooOOoo good with salt, pepper, lime juice, and smoke from the BBQ...
Isabelle...finishing the red wine...again...
Diogo and I!
Sergio and Diogo!

Back to the city we go....

Hanging out eating a vanilla macaron with fresh raspberries in the Jardin du Luxembourg with Geoffrey...

Vasco and Nunez getting a bite!!!
Ashley, Yannick, Geoffrey, and I attending ciné en plein air= outdoor theatre!!!

Geoffrey and I making a fabulous meal with fresh veggies from the garden, mini toasts, and all sorts of goodies!

Beautiful!!!!
Opposite side of the spectrum, therefore still emphasizing balance and equilibrium... eating some poutine!!! Isabelle's first poutine experience, but it won't be the last....we will return to the Canadian pub when hockey season's well underway to give her the true experience!!!!

Ashley and I under the Eiffel Tower... it was so fabulous having a friend from Abbotsford in town for a month!!!!!!!
The lack of a lake or the ocean can really get to Parisians, so the city decides to set up "Paris Plages" every year beside the Seine river.

Paris-Plages ("Paris Beaches"; till 2006 Paris-Plage in the singular) is a plan run by the office of the mayor of Paris that creates temporary artificial beaches each summer along the river Seine in the centre of Paris. Every July and August, roadways on the banks of the river are blocked off and host various activities, including sandy beaches and palm trees.

[edit] History

French city-dwellers traditionally escape to the seaside or the countryside during the summer, especially in August. Paris is avoided, as the weather is unpleasantly hot and humid, and the centre is full of tourists. Nevertheless, each summer many residents are obliged to remain in the city, however reluctantly. The Paris-Plages scheme was instigated in 2002 by Bertrand Delanoë, the newly-elected Socialist Party mayor, as a haven for relieving the misery of those cooped up in the sweltering city.

Initially there was a single beach on the Rive Droite. In 2006 a second beach was added on the Rive Gauche, and the scheme's name changed from singular to plural.^[1] Unlike many beaches in France, topless sunbathing is not permitted. Swimming in the Seine is also not permitted, for safety reasons.^[2]

The scheme has proven a major success; the number of visitors has grown each year and topped four million in 2007. Every season, new features are added.^[2] These include a shuttle ferryswimming pool, and another beach area at La Villette, in the northeast corner of the city. linking the two riverbanks, a floating

Le Touquet naming dispute

The name "Paris-Plage" was trademarked in 2002. In August 2006, the mayor's office sued the commune of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage for impinging on the trademark by using the phrase "Paris-Plage" in its tourism marketing. This was greeted with scepticism, since the commune's name dated from 1912, based on earlier popular usage. The case was dropped in 2008.^[3][4]

An Apéritif is generally an alcoholic based drink one has before a meal, but doesn't always have to be alcoholic. I like the concept of chatting over a glass of liquid... a lot of times this is done outside, what better Parisian location than the Seine River itself.

Apéritif and digestif

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Apéritifs served with appetizers.

An apéritif (also spelled aperitif) is an alcoholic drink that is usually served to stimulate the appetite before a meal, contrasting with digestifs, which are served after meals. Apéritifs are commonly served with something small to eat, such as crackers, cheese, pâté, olives, and various kinds of finger food.^[1][2] This French word is derived from the Latin verb aperire, which means “to open.”

A digestif is an alcoholic beverage that is taken just after a meal, purportedly as an aid to digestion — hence the name, which is borrowed from French. If a digestif is a bitters, it will contain bitter or carminative herbs that some believe will aid digestion.^[3] In contrast to apéritifs, digestifs usually contain more alcohol.

Digestifs are usually taken straight (neat). Common choices are amari, bitters, brandy, grappa, herbal liqueur, limoncello, ouzo, tequila, and whisky.

Some wines (usually fortified wines) are served as digestifs — for example, sherry, port, and madeira.

History

The aperitif was introduced in 1846, when a French chemist, Joseph Dubonnet, created a wine-based drink as a means of delivering malaria-fighting quinine. The medicine is a bitter brew, so he developed a formula of herbs and spices to mask quinine's sharp flavor, and it worked so well that the recipe has remained well-guarded ever since. French Foreign Legion soldiers made use of it in mosquito-infested Northern Africa. Joseph's wife was so fond of the stuff that she had all her friends try it, and its popularity spread from there.

Some say that the concept of drinking a small amount of alcohol before a meal dates back to the ancient Egyptians. Main records, however, show that the apéritif first appeared in 1786 in Turin, Italy, when Antonio Benedetto Carpano invented vermouth in this city. In later years, vermouth was produced and sold by such well-known companies as Martini, Cinzano, and Gancia.

Apéritifs were already widespread in the 19th century in Italy, where they were being served in fashionable cafes in Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan, Turin, and Naples. Apéritifs became very popular in Europe in the late 19th century. By 1900, they were also commonly served in the United States. In Spain and in some countries of Latin America, apéritifs have been a staple of tapas cuisine for centuries.

[edit] Types

Five glasses of apéritif.

There is no single alcoholic drink that is always used for an apéritif; fortified wines, liqueurs, and dry champagne are possibly the most common choices.

Sherry, a fortified wine, is a very popular apéritif. In Greece, ouzo is a popular choice; in France, pastis. In Italy, vermouth or bitters (amari) may be served; popular brands of bitters are Campari, Cinzano, Byrrh, and Suze. In the Eastern Mediterranean Arak is served with mezze.

and apéro and a sunset....nothing better than this.
exploring Paris....
Checking out window displays....


Eating famous falafels....from the take-out restaurant L'As Falafel in the Marais. mmmmmm
On August 28th I attended Rock En Seine

The Rock en Seine festival is a two or three-day Rock 'n roll festival, held at Domaine National de Saint-Cloud, Château de Saint-Cloud's park just outside Paris, inside the garden designed by Le Nôtre. It is the festival at which Oasis split up on the 28th August 2009 after Liam and Noel Gallagher had a fight just before they were due to headline the main stage.


I went to the concert alone because nobody else wanted to go with me... and I had to attend an out door concert in Paris! It was great!!!! I watched new and funky bands...

look up Paolo Nutini... he is Scottish awesomenessssss!!!
And of course... I saw K'naan :) ....again. I'll have you know he's performing AGAIN in Paris this November, but I don't think I'll be attending this time :) haha

Sundays in France are fabulous. In every town there is a market which sells fresh fruits, veggies, fish, meat, cheese, etc. I attend my weekly market here in Clamart... and usually invest in goodies such as these...

Luc and I decided one day to explore a famous garden here in Paris... called "Le Jardin des Plantes" it's great, it's got a great outdoor flora display, indoor tropical plants, great outdoor artwork, and a zoo with rare animals.
Here I am making art....
And here I am eating a disgraceful french crepe. If a french person saw the crepe that we were served in the garden, as well as the way I was eating it, they would just bow their heads in shame. We ordered crepes with Nutella for a treat... but instead got raw, sticky, pieces of flour with oozing Nutella coming out... I still ate it... but boy was it messy!
Here's a picture of the boat restaurant on the Seine River
Some lovey dovies enjoying a view of the Notre Dame
Me chillin' beside a door... not just any door, a door with French character...
Beautiful ...
Love locks that you will find on Paris bridges, with little notes like "Pierre et Francine= Amour"
HAhahahaha... me trying to get up on the Hotel de Ville wall... ohhhh goodness.
And I'm up!
And I'm posing....
And a kiss for you, you, and you!
I love these ever so French apartments!


Okay, so Luc and I have a family day every Sunday...because we both don't have family here, every Sunday when we're both in Paris we go for a walk to explore Paris and end our promenade at this fabulous sushi joint in the Marais. It's called Kyo and we are addicted to these salmon cones... Mom...you would absolutely love these!!!! I know you love cones, but these are cones back home times 10.

Luc about to chow down...
The secret ingredient (aside from love) is the creamy cheese they put in them!!!!!! Only in France.....
This is part of my crew... Sergio on the left, me, Isabelle, Diogo, Roseni and another girl who we don't know!
These were taken outside the front of the Embassy!!!
My french besty/sista in Paris.. Isabelle aka Iza aka Izy aka Izo aka Iz!!!!!
It wouldn't be a Canadian Embassy if there wasn't a totem pole inside!!!
MOI! in the outside terrace which is on the inside of the Embassy... The Embassy is in the shape of a square and on the inside is a beautiful terrace. Every Friday there is something called cinq à sept (5 to 7) where they serve super cheap drinks and snacks and people just hang out after a long week at work... it's always a blast!!!!!
This was our night out for Roseni's birthday before she left for Brazil... Yay for birthday girls!
The crew at an Italian Restaurant!!!
Samir, myself, and Iza sportin our sunnies at night!
Watch for it... upside down glasses in the dark... Summer 2011.
Good times :)
Sergio and I!!! I love the picture... my hair looks fabulous!!!
Well... as summer comes to an end... the fun keeps going... good times with good friends in Paris- summer 2010!

Swiss Bliss

So my last day in Switzerland was jam packed with activities as well!!! Noah, Nadia and I took advantage of the early morning and we went for a bike ride down to this castle to feed some fish.
I must say... I would love a bike like their grandmother's... it was so comfortable!!! Cruisers are the best!!!!
We then visited the town next door called Altdorf.
I'll never forget what a friend of a friend told me before my first trip to Europe...she said be sure to visit all cemeteries in Europe, no matter what country because they are like free outdoor museums....and it is so true!!
A beautiful view of the village!!!!
Noah, Ruth, Myself, and Nadia!!!!!! Thank you to all of you for such a fabulous breath of fresh air!!!!!
The cute mini lizzard!!!
So here we are, about to buy a specific type of cheese that Noah adores... the man asks if Ruth is the daughter of Mr. Muller, and she responded yes. He said that she doesn't need to buy that cheese because Mr. Muller just bought some earlier that day! Hehe...small town stories :)
A wonderful little market which sold all sorts of beautiful goodies!!!!
Cute buns!!!
Traditional Swiss buns.....
Traditional Swiss outfit....
Traditional Swiss music...
Traditional Swiss fabric....
A traditional Swiss-Canadian showing his cousin a traditional Swiss experience!!!!!!



Welcome to Lucerne!!!!

Lucerne (pronounced /ˌluːˈsɜrn/; German: Luzern, [luˈtsɛrn] ( listen); French: Lucerne, [lysɛʁn]; Italian: Lucerna, [luˈtʃerna]; Romansh: Lucerna) is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district with the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people^[2], Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and a nexus of transportation, telecommunications, and government of this region. The city's metropolitan area consists of 17 cities and towns located in three different cantons with an overall population of about 200,000 people^[3].

Due to its location on the shore of Lake Lucerne (die Vierwaldstättersee), within sight of Mount Pilatus and Rigi in the Swiss Alps, Lucerne has long been a destination for tourists. One of the city's famous landmarks is the Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke), a wooden bridge first erected in the 14th century. Lucerne has been voted as the fifth most-popular tourism destination in the world in 2010 by Tripadvisor, and it has private hotels and schools mostly shores of Lake Lucerne.

The Kapellbrücke ("Chapel Bridge" in German) is a 204 m (670 ft) long bridge crossing the Reuss River in the city of Lucerne in Switzerland. It is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe, and one of Switzerland's main tourist attractions.

The covered bridge, constructed in 1333, was designed to help protect the city of Lucerne from attacks. Inside the bridge are a series of paintings from the 17th century, depicting events from Luzerne's history. Much of the bridge, and the majority of these paintings, were destroyed in a 1993 fire, though it was quickly rebuilt.Some of the blackened structure of the bridge still remains today,evident from the newly rebuilt parts of the bridge.

Adjoining the bridge is the 140 feet (43 m) tall Wasserturm (Water Tower), an octagonal tower made from brick, which has served as a prison, torture chamber, watchtower and treasury. Today the tower, which is part of the city wall, is used as the guild hall of the artillery association. The tower and the bridge are Lucerne's trademark and form the most photographed monument in the country.

You can't be in Switzerland and not see the kingdom of Swiss Army knives.....


And of course... SUPER EXPENSIVE WATCHES!!!!!!! :)




I couldn't be more grateful for all of my experiences...My favorite quotes of the trip:

Noah:

"Mom, can we show Farida, this, and that this, and that, this and that and we have to do this and we can't forget that?!"

"Farida, you're my favorite girl cousin."
Me: "Awwww, thanks Noah, I won't tell Alyasha, Chahira, or Kamelia!"

"Next time you have to stay for the whole 6 weeks and we're going to do this, that, this, and that and this and for sure that."
Me: "Noah, I would love to, but some people have to work and make a living!"

The tears that fell from his eyes while dropping me off at the airport....

Nadia:

"You have to try 'chicken in a basket', it is so good!!!"

Me: "Nadia, speak German and I will record you saying something!"
Nadia: "No."

Nadia testing out my blackberry key pad sending me a text:
"Hey I got your text message, I'm doing good, what are you up to these days?"
Me writing back:
"Not much! Just visiting cousins in Switzerland! Having the time of my life!!! Going to miss them though :( I had a blast here!!!"
Nadia writing back
"Aww, I'm sure they'll miss you more than you'll miss them, but you'll be seeing them soon... well not that soon, but it has gone by quickly so far, so it won't be long :p"

Soooo sweet!!!!!!!!

The cherry on the cake of the trip was sitting in the middle between them in the back seat of the car on the way to the airport and singing/dancing to all the songs on the radio together... it's moments like that that I will treasure forever!!!

Thank you Ruth, your family, Nadia and Noah... it was a wonderful weekend trip!