August in New York

When New York is empty in the summer, it can be quite pleasant, easy to park, easy to get a reservation, so we ended up on a non-raining Saturday night at a favorite bistro - Chez Jacqueline in the West Village (not to be confused with Chez Josephine on West 42d St.). It is small but friendly, a typical bistro menu, so Moules and Frittes, salade, and tart tartin for desert. The owner is French and our young charming waitress was from Nice. The wine by the glass list included a white wine which is (I'm told) excellent with fish and comes from the town where our dog came from - Pinet - outside Montpellier and has maybe 750 residents.

Chocolate wars

After our return from France, we were in New York and D. felt like a splurge on chocolate. We have in the past greatly enjoyed Maison de Chocolate in Paris and in New York for truffles or a box of mixed chocolates. I prefer dark and D. prefers milk but dark is growing on him, as it is more pure and rich. I always find the studies interesting regarding cultural preferences, Europeans prefer dark (which is high in anti-oxidants and is high in actual cocoa content) while Americans usually prefer milk, which has a waxy texture and has much less actual chocolate in it.

The last several years in Provence, we have truly appreciated the originality of Joel Durand in St. Remy, and his chocolate creations, with truffles, and unusual flavors from lavender to basil.

So, we returned to Maison de Chocolate thinking we would find Joel's equal if not superior, but were vastly disappointed. While the chocolate was good, it was not surprisingly good. We often buy truffles from Whole Foods for $6.99 per box which are equal if not better than the $50.00 box we purchased at Maison de Chocolate. We realized that spending the $30.00 for a box of mixed truffles (with flavors by the alphabet complete with a menu) is entirely worth it. So we can say goodbye to our old favorite and look forward to next year in Provence for more Joel Durand.

I am also posting pictures D. took at the local Cave for his favorite Rose', including a photo of the "pull", where you bring your own bottle (often a plastic 2 litre water bottle) and they fill it with either a 12% or 13% alcohol for less than $4.00, while here in the US, to buy a reasonably good Rose' which he prefers in the summer, D. will pay sometimes as much as $12.00 due to import fees, taxes, and costs for bottling, and the dealers, rather than buying the wine from the vineyard.

Provence markets article gets it partly right

Attached article from CNN is only partly right. The article describes the fragrance and feeling of many Provence markets but omits much.

The Isle sur le Sorge market described in a great fun, but extremely crowded. To enjoy it you must get there early - certainly by 9 a.m. otherwise you will be struggling not just to park, but also to walk, to find a spot for a drink and lunch, it is that crowded, but charming. Of all towns to pick beyond that one, I have no idea why he would be Arles. Although it is a town made famous by artists, particularly Van Gogh, and has some historical value (like the Roman coliseum) that is still used for bullfights, there are many more beautiful towns with better markets than Arles. To me, Arles is rather run down, not attractive, and not what it should be and could be. It is certainly a tourist mecca where one can find an overpriced and inferior lunch.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/getaways/08/20/provence.market/index.html?iref=werecommend

French facts

Here is a link to article about wealth and work around the world. Not surprising, the French work the least.

http://www.cnbc.com//id/3247287

Went recently to a favorite store White Toque in the outlet district in Secaucus. White Toque is a French restaurant supply outlet, with a store and mail-order for non-professionals. In the store, we usually buy frozen sliced mushrooms, vinegars, prepared deserts, frozen spices like chopped shallots and basic, quiche, and so many other prepared foods. It is always a fun expedition.

One of the give-aways was something new - Hot Guide 2009 - French Culture New York for July to December. It contains listings of French bakeries, restaurants, clubs, and other services catering to French expats and internationals in NYC. Website www.frenchcultureguide.com.

Bon appetit and don't work too hard.

Statistics

As we often do, D. and I reduce many things to statistics.

How many meals I have probably cooked for us in the last nine years - more than 4000.

How many days spent in Europe in the last nine years - more than 220.

How many miles driven in Europe in the last nine years - no idea.

How many trips to Europe in the last nine years - 17.

Tuscany in NJ

For a little Tuscany feel in NJ the restaurant ABOVE, which is above Eden Market in South Orange was a nice surprise for a light lunch, with a lovely terrace, fresh decor, nice and efficient servers, a restaurant trying hard to succeed in an area which would benefit from it.

Bathing suits at public pools in France

Last year when we were in Salon de Provence, D. and S. wanted to swim at the public pool complex which is very new and modern. They were informed they could not swim unless they had on regulation swimsuits (essentially Speedos) but not told why, just that it was required.

Here is an interesting article today which explains it - very strict health regulation in France for swimming pools. Not a bad idea but would never work in the US.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090812/ap_on_re_eu/eu_france_burquini_banned

It's not France part 2

Sunday we spent the day in Princeton, had lunch sitting outside on a terrace, walked the Princeton University campus, and drove through some of the residential areas. S. was attending a program there for three weeks and this was parents visiting day.

D. and I often discuss what communities in the US are most European. Boston has elements of it because it is old by American standard, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and certainly Princeton. It is a beautiful community with many old, elegant homes, some quite palatial, including the governor's mansion (Drumthwacket) as well as the former governor's mansion (Morven). Although it is missing a tradition European town square, it does have a very attractive main street, Nassau Street, along with the university campus which is beautifully maintained.

Another thought on "Julie and Julia", made me think of some favorite food movies, "Babette's Feast", "Blood and Chocolate," "Chocolate," and of course another film with Stanley Tucci - "Big Night," the last being the only American film in the grouping. Probably top of the list is "Babette's Feast" which is a really enchanting picture, involving lost love, lost opportunities in life, and how memories can be revived amid incredible food.

Also attaching a very good article about saving money when exchanging currency on international travel.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/traveltips/08/06/europe.currency.fees/index.html

Another interesting article about the current Mayor of Paris and his plan to bring electric cars to Paris, similar to zip-cars and the Parisian bicycle lending program.

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/JustOneThing/story?id=8291655&page=1

it isn't france but . . . .

So this afternoon D. and I spent a few minutes in our local farmer's market. It wasn't France but it was pretty with fresh produce and sunflowers.

Then this evening we did go to see "Julie and Julia" which was charming and fun, a tour de force for Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, especially when considering them both as such different characters in "Doubt". To see some French scenes and contemplate French food, I hope to be inspired to do more cooking this year, since I had recently acquired via Ebay, copies of Julia Child's Vol. I and II of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." One can forget that Julia Child has such joie de vivre, a beautiful energy for life and food. It is easy to lose joy when we get bogged down in our daily grind of survival.

The rain in Spain is Mainly in the Plain

I don't know why that phrase is in my mind, must be the rain, and constant threat of rain we have had since returning from Provence. We were contemplating going to Martha's Vineyard for a few days next week, but the weather forecasts for wherever we could drive have been horrible, rain, rain, and more rain. (we were hoping to travel before the Clintons and Obamas descend on the island and it becomes too crowded and impassible). We looked at weather in the Hamptons, and Delaware, and Rhode Island, the Berkshires, and everywhere was rain. Thus, we are left with the dilemma we face each year before we travel, at least if we put forth the effort to travel to France, we know we will have days and days of sunshine and beauty. We know if we had the time and money to return right now we would.

Similarly, if we were to travel to Spain, we would have similar weather, particularly in Madrid and south. So, like in "My Fair Lady" the rain in Spain is mainly in the Plain, or the rain in New Jersey is everywhere, everyday, endless and unending.

around the world in 90 minutes

One of our favorite places to enjoy is the Metropolitan Museum in New York. We always take an annual membership because we go, particularly in the winter, at least once per month, to see different new exhibits or walk familiar ones. We go on a Saturday in the late afternoon, 5 p.m. and walk for an hour or two, then go for dinner because on Saturdays the Museum is open until 8:00 p.m. It is wonderful to watch the people from all over the world, to enjoy the live music played in the gallery above the main entrance, and sometimes to stop for a drink (for me just a sparkling water) and enjoy the atmosphere. Our first date was spent at the Museum and it holds a special place for us, it is like traveling through five different countries and cultures in an hour (a typical American experience).

So today I was reading another articles in the New York Times about how the pace of life has gotten so busy that when going to a museum such as the Louvre, people no longer stop and really contemplate the art, they just move through it and past it.

here is link to the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/03/arts/design/03abroad.html?hp

I recall when I was younger, working for the Associated Press in New York which had this rather quaint custom of holidays and personal days which included your birthday. Clearly, it would be a rarity that a friend would be able to share that day with me, so I would often spend it at the Frick Museum, an incredible Fifth Avenue mansion, which an indoor pond and fountains, walking through the museum and having the time to really enjoy it, to contemplate the art, the decor and design of the house, and to sit and think of nothing by the pond, or sit and write.

So here I am more than 20 years later trying to rediscover that, not working in an office every day for the first time, working for myself, and trying to unwrap my mind from logical, linear thought.

Is it the end of an era?

An interesting article on the BBC website about fewer women going topless on French beaches, how the tradition evolved and why it may be dying. An educational read from a historical perspective, a feminist perspective as well as a cultural one.

here is the link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8178818.stm

In New Jersey, still dreaming of France.