The lady in black

Walking around the Marais you are bound to meet interesting people.
I particularly like the atmosphere during or around fashion week, as the population of the Marais reflects the stylish trends of the catwalks, and the cafes are packed with fashionable crowds.

Yesterday, I stepped out of the office to go get a falafel and I crossed path with this interesting couple...She is the famous fashion blogger Diane Pernet from A shaded view on Fashion
Very charming and fascinating character...

Paris! Fete de La Musique

I just arrived in Paris last night.
I already saw some of my friends for dinner and I am now heading out for the Fete de La Musique.
More later

P

Shoes vs. Food..the eternal dilemma

What is a woman to do?

Food is becoming increasingly important in my life with Mr. R. We started taking classes from my mom, going to wine tastings...we write about restaurants, we cook together, discuss pros and cons of certain cuisine styles, we experiment new recipes but now we have reached the tipping point.
We are possibly close to a schism...or at least I am.

Mr. R's enthusiasm for food has brought him to demand a proper food pantry. Not a section in the kitchen, not a couple of cupboards but an actual room entirely dedicate to food.

This would not be a problem if we lived in a 200 square meters flat, or if we had two closets in our current apartment, but in order to create a dedicated space for the food, we had to empty the shoe closet.

Now, where am I supposed to store my 96 pairs of shoes????


Mr. R owns about 4 pairs of shoes, so this is no problem of his..but since the pantry idea has popped up I finds myself turning and tossing trying to find a solution.
I bought a shoe storage device, but it only fits 12 pairs. I tried packing away the winter boots, but still there are lots of colorful sandals and black pumps that need a home.

Right now, the apartment looks like a disaster took place. Shoes everywhere, the closed half full of food, Mr. R anxious to get his project going...me distressed about finding a home for my heels.

Pizza..and a new Enoteca

Garbatella is a beauty, and so is pizza...this was served to us along with delicious organic wine from Abruzzo in the new Enoteca 13 gradi:

Piazza Bartolomeo Romano 4
Monday 4PM-9PM
da Tuesday Sunday 10-1PM e 4PM-9PM
tel 06 83601573

at the beach

Ostia is the local beach of Rome. It's only 20 minutes by local train. It's close to the archaeological site of Ostia Antica and for me it's the perfect getaway from the busy streets of Rome.

I am amazed by how quickly the scenario changes, the atmosphere is more relaxed, the air cleaner. I particularly enjoy going to Ostia during the off season, in May for example, when the beach is not crowded and you can walk around catching the breeze and maybe stopping for some fresh fish..

Here are some pics:

Organic in Monti

I guess the craze for organic food has hit also the Rione Monti.
The other day Mr R and I were walking around the posh neighborhood, looking for a furniture shop when we passed a former sushi/ interior design shop now turned into radical-chic-organic mini market- bistro (anything else??).
The place is called Mia Market, it's a mix between a living room and a market, with crates and vegetables everywhere, and still cool furniture and good looking people.

Mr R and I walked in, curious about the space and the offerings, but also intrigued by the possibility of finding some decent tasting veggies. What we found was good but slightly overpriced (like many organic places in Rome). The prepared food (some quiches, tarts and small cakes) and the cheeses looked great but we didn't have any.

Look how pretty it is! I just found out they also organize informal cooking classes and events.
I just missed a frying frappe event! I better put their blog on my RSS feed:-)

Perfect meal in Rome

There is nothing like coming back home, especially when home is sunny and beautiful like Rome.
This time the welcome back has been even more pleasant than usual.

My dad invited A., Mr. R and I out for dinner at I Sardi Due. Mr R and I had been blabbering about this restaurant for quite a while, so papa' Nicola decided to take us there now that mamma Anna is out of town (and he hasn't had a decent meal for a while).

We agreed on an early dinner due to my jet lagged status, so the restaurant was empty when we got there. Our favorite waiter, Jimmy was there and he took care of our party. Mr. R, A and papa Nicola ordered linguine al cartoccio. I went for a gluten free dish: fish in spicy tomato sauce.

Everything was so delicious and flavorful! We cleaned our plates and continued with a portion of semifreddo al torroncino: a small bite of heaven... mr. R already decided he wants to go back for his birthday week, he wants to try a different dish every day!

An homage to Mr Lenotre

The day we arrived in Paris, a couple of weeks ago, the papers announced the death of Monsieur Lenotre. Pastry chef, and head of the homonymous food empire, Gaston Lenotre died at the age of 88.
He was jolly looking man, as chefs often are. The first Lenotre boutique opened in 1957 serving bavarois, charlottes, mousses and macarons. In 1971 Lenotre opened a cooking school for aspiring chefs. As many French magazine and newspapers said, Lenotre will not be forgotten. In order to commemorate Mr. Lenotre's death and his legacy, we went to buy a box of macarons from the Lenotre shop near our house.

They were incredible. They made me wish I could write a letter to Gaston Lenotre and thank him for such a wonderful work of art. I am sure many people feel the same.
I think David Lebovitz wrote not long ago that there were too many macarons around, and that everyone in France was making them.
While I agree with David ( I had some in Fontainbleau that were to say the least, unremarkable), I also think it great to have such wonderful variety at hand. Lenotre, Laduree and Pierre Herme' all within 30 min walk from each other.. Vive la France!

Step 2: the market

So our fridge is empty and we have to stock up for the days to come. Mr R. and I are in the mood for fresh, seasonal produce. Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and anything that looks good on the stands.
Among others, the Bastille market is our favorite. Here we can find amazing fish, a dedicated stand just for apples, a fabulous variety of potatoes, mushrooms, etc etc.
The market on Saturday was a bit sad, not the usual lively- so packed with people you cannot walk-place. Nevertheless still exciting.
It was cold and gray, so not the ideal climate for shopping in the market, but the colors of the vegetables and the smells of the cheeses made the overall experience a real pleasure. Here are some pics. We bought cheese, potatoes, a bunch of veggies, oranges, apples and some meat..yum yum..

Back in Paris. Step 1: the boulangerie

So we are back in Paris. This time is for a short stint. We are here and then, while Mr. R goes back to Rome I fly to the US of A.
At the airport in Rome I bumped into an old friend, someone from my days of crazy clubbing and questionable choices. He was on his way to Paris to see some relatives, we had a nice chat and remembered the good old times. Far from being jealous or suspicious, Mr. R kept reading his book and sipping on his water ignoring me, my friend, and the conversation we were having.
I guess it is refreshing to see that :

A- he trusts me
B- I am so over my past life
C- I can still have conversation with people who belong to my previous life

Anyway, once we got to Paris, and we said goodbye to S. and his traveling partner (we even exchanged numbers again, in case they needed anything in Paris), we jumped in a cab and got home in 20 minutes.

It was lunch time, so as soon as we dropped our bags we ran downstairs to survey the situation at the boulangerie. Did they still have the Gallette de roi? Any rose de sable? What could we (Mr. R mainly) buy?
Before we could even make up our minds about what we were craving for, we were stopped by this sight.

Not only there was a line to get in but they were also delivering bags and bags of flour. It looked like a scene from a WW2 movie. Mr R and I were too hungry for that..turned around the corner and indulged in Breakfast in America

post christmas detox

I had one of the best Christmas of my life. I was with my parents, brother, niece, cousins, uncles and aunties, cousins' babies, friends and Mr. R. In total, between the two families there were around 40 of us.
I had some of the best food, and some of the best conversations. I managed to sit and listen to family tales, to stories about my family and where we come from, and taste the flavor of those roots.
There was a lot of talking and and lot of eating, and now I need to detox. I am enjoying the silence of my apartment and I am craving bland food (at least for a couple of days).
More pics from the feast here

Walking in the cold

A is here! So fun to have friends visiting me.
This morning we went for a great run along the river and Jardin des Plantes. This is by far my favorite park in Paris, not as chic as the Tuileries but with a more authentic feel to it. It's not the place where you meet the people featured in the sartorialist blog, but tt's the perfect park for running, taking a romantic stroll or just simply be. I am looking forward to taking my niece here during the weekend. She is going to go crazy!

After our run- and a generous breakfast- we headed towards the upper Marais. One of our food docents had suggested the area around Rue Charlot and rue Bretagne for fantastic window shopping and supposetly a super chocolatier.
We walked in the cold for about 2 hours, enjoyed this lesser known part of the BoBo neighborhood and actually found some great spots. Among others, we popped into the marche' des Enfants-Rouges. The market takes the name from an Orphan house located nearby where children wore a red uniform.
A and I had just started to be peckish (surprise?) so we took advantage of a lovely Bio stand/ restaurant. We had a gallette made of a weird mix of quinoa, veggies and..something else.
It was cooked on a proper crepes machine and it tasted heavenly..not quite a Thanksgiving meal but definitely delicious..Have a happy Thanksgiving. And thank you to all my friends for being such a special part of my life!

Laotian Food- The Best food

As promised, here are some pictures from out Laotian night. This, along with Laduree is my #1 stop when I come to Paris.
Located in the 13th arr., this Thai-Laotian join is a popular spot for locals, up to the point that arriving after 8PM automatically means standing in line for a while.
I was introduced to this restaurant a few years ago by David Lebowitz , we met there for dinner with some friends. David suggested a bunch of different dishes, but I remember him ordering the crunchy rice salad. This particular dish comes with leaves that range from lettuce to mint served on the side.
Since then, I have been a regular of this restaurant. I have taken my mom and dad, Mr. R, Katie, and anyone else who was in town and up for some good Asian food.

I went back not long ago, and along with the crunchy rice salad, I tried a delicious spicy basil duck dish and a chicken- coconut soup. Everything was delicious!

A. is coming to Paris today..so another guest to share Laotian delish with! Yupppeee


The restaurant is called Lao Lane Xang & Houng Lan
105 Avenue d'Ivry
75013 Paris
No reservations- closed on monday
Metro is Tolbiac

Sunday food

I love waking up late on a cold sunday morning and slowly starting the day with breakfast and the FT.
This weekend K is visiting, she is as much of a food lover as Mr. R and I..so following the lazy breakfast and the FT reading, we all headed to the Bastille market for a little shopping and a bit of food. We walked back and forth the lovely market, plenty of people planning for their sunday meal and buying accordingly.
We got three different kinds of cheese (one goat, one cow and one sheep), meat roulades (with dried figs and bacon), fruit vegetables, and potatoes for the roast.
As we strolled back, we noticed a small stand selling churros (or chichis).
The seller had an ingenious system figured out of mixing the dough, making into churros, frying the churros (about 14 at a time), picking them up, dipping them into the sugar and selling them.
He ran the shop by himself, in the neatest possible way. Not a drop of oil spilled, not a lump of dough fell on the floor. Nothing looked oily or greasy. Rather crunchy and sugary and churros should be.
Well, we could not resist. We had to get them. 6 chichis for 2 euros was the deal.

Curry and Thai

My friend K asked me what was the best thing I had since I moved to Paris. I had to think for a few minutes..
Being gluten intolerant prevents me from trying most of the delicious food in Paris (no croissants, no baguettes, no religiouse for me).
That said, the city of lights and buttery food still has a lot to offer.
Macaroons to name one, are entirely gluten free. And then there are snails, there is the meat, the cheese and so much more. All things that I make sure I have before going back to Rome.
This time around, I haven't yet had my favorite food, so to answer Katie's question I had to say, the best food since I got here last week has been Indian food in London.
We went to Rasa, a very pink, very good South Indian restaurant in Fitzrovia. Rasa was founded by Das Sreedharan in 1994 and is quickly became one of the top Indian restaurants in London developing into a small chain (9 locations in London) with a School of Home cooking and hospitality in Kerala.
Mr. R and I ordered each a feast. He opted for a Fish Feast and I went for the Vegetarian feast. Everything was delicious, spicy and served in a very pleasing manner.
My soup, appetizers and main dish were incredibly fresh and the flavors very vivid. The Uzhunappam was incredible. The best I have ever had.

So now it is time for Paris to step up and give me some real food. Where are we going tonight?
Laotian food in the 13th- I love it!

London days

I was gone for a few days:business trip to London.

Winter and Summer, Fall and Spring a day in London can have rain, sun, wind and fog. I feel like in 3 days I have experienced it all. We arrived on Monday morning and were welcomed by heavy showers and strong wind. 

By the time we left the sun had come out and we were almost sad to go back to Paris.

Mr. R and I had a great time, notwithstanding the constant struggle with London public transportation. We bought our favorite tea from Fortnum and Mason, did some Christmas shopping, had curry and walked in St. James Park. What else can you ask from a three day trip in London? Oh yes, we met our friends. It was lovely!

Christmas window at F&M

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??

Paris Paris

I am back in Paris, this time for quite a while. I will be working a bit from our French office, eating delicious food and shopping more than I should, but hey, this is Paris to me.
I find this city strangely welcoming, even during the winter. I love the shops and the well dressed people. I feel at home, maybe because I can reinvent myself.
This morning I woke up (later than planned) and went to the market on Rue D'Aligre. The stands were colorful and inviting as always, notwithstanding the gray sky.
There were all sorts of grapes, cabbage (chou- I love the name) and mushrooms including a type called Trompette de la Mort ..when I saw them, I realized I had them with my pave' de beuf. Very yummy. I will try to take pics and keep you updated with my November discoveries...

Funghi, mele e zucche..

Last night I had dinner at my parents house. They had just returned froma daytrip in Segni.
They had gorged on amazing food (chestnuts, meat, mushrooms etc etc) and kindly decided to bring some of the goodies back home.
Among other delicious things, their shopping comprised of porcini and ovolo mashrooms. The king and prince of mushrooms.
They were AMAZING. So smooth, pretty, large, the color of gold.
My dad cut the ovoli and served them raw, with just olive oil and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.
My mom cut the porcini , added slices of potatoes, salt, pepper, olive oil and cooked everything in the oven for 20 minutes.
Both results were divine.

We finished out meal with chestnuts. I was in heaven.