Hot chocolate in a cold sunny day

walking around Rome is on of my favorite activities especially when the sun is out.
Yesterday and today have been exceptionally beautiful, with a great light and a strong cold wind cleaning up the air. The air felt crisp and made walking particularly pleasant (in a strange masochistic way).

After a stressful day and after witnessing a robbery in front of my office, I took off for a brisk walk in the direction of the Spanish Steps. Mr. R and I were on a mission to go check on a friend's apartment in that part of town. We walked and talked, discussed ideas and projects, propositions and suggestions, until we got to Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina. This piazza is by far one of my favorites in the city, it's a little pocket of peace and style in the sea of chaos that is Via del Corso.
Here we meet our clients for the Orientation Walk, and here I bought my first Luis Vitton item. The Bottega Veneta Rome boutique in on this piazza as well as Pomellato and the famous Profumeria Materozzoli, all dear destinations to style seekers.

Among all these boutiques sits a cafe of equal relevance: Ciampini.

Ciampini has the best of everything, best location, best ice cream, best cornetti and cornetti salati, best iced tea (along with La Caffettiera) and I recently discovered best hot chocolate.
Not only the consistency was perfect, but the flavor was full and round just like what it should be.
To top it all, my favorite barista added a spoon of panna (cream) feshly whipped. No words can describe the warm feeling I got inside when I sipped on the dark drink...

the chocolate tree

I just realized I had a picture of the chocolate tree. Unfortunately I too it from my phone, so it is not the best..but you get the idea.
Both tree and decorations are made of chocolate. I know this one would not last long in my house..

Macaroon and Cheese-your new aperitif snack

Last week I went along one of our Chocolate walks in Paris. During the stroll, discussing the new up and coming trends in chocolate making, our docent Camille mentioned the name of Jean Paul Hevin. She told us about the new adventurous road that this maitre chocolatier was taking, by mixing chocolate with cheese. I was intrigued and disgusted at the same time. I love chocolate and I love cheese, but the idea of mixing the two was not exactly mouthwatering.
A few days went by, I realized I didn't remember the name of this revolutionary chocolate master but Camille was on vacation and I did't want to bother her just to satisfy my curiosity.

Then today, on my way to the accountant I noticed a new (to me) shop. A shop with a beautiful Christmas tree dipped in chocolate on display in the window! Blame it on the rain, or just simply on my curiosity but I went in. Mr R. was with me and he was definitely not holding me back!
Once inside the shop I noticed a section of the display case dedicated to a "special breed" of macaroons. The cheese macaroons! Yes, I accidentally bumped into JPH' s boutique on Rue St. Honore!

Needless to say we bought a mini box of these round delights and had them as aperitif..my verdict? Interesting, some actually very good. I particularly liked the curry-roquefort and the Epoisses - cumin, Mr. R is still uncertain and claims he needs another round :-)

Fashion and Food

While my friend J is at the Fendi outlet doing some shopping (I hope you get some good stuff) I am perusing the windows of boutiques in Paris, looking for a new pair of shoes. I want them with a medium- high heel, black, not sure about patent leather or not, but no laces.
They have to be classy yet fun..I have poked into my usual stores, and even ventured to Martin Margiela but haven't found anything appealing yet.
What is a girl to do? Find refuge in some chocolate? And what if the chocolate comes in the shape of shoes??
These right here are 100% edible shoes, made of pure chocolate by one of the artisian chocolatier in the Marais..to eat or not to eat??