Midnight in Lyon..

It's been one year and a half that I've lived in Lyon, and I realized recently that I've never discovered or lived in Lyon alone!

Bri is in Paris starting his new job and apartment hunting, I'm stuck in Lyon for my Master's program until the beginning of February... and so yesterday I decided to go and venture around my city.

I'd never been to the Musée Gadagne since I moved to Lyon, but I mean a free entrance to a museum for a Lyon Gastronomie display?  I couldn't resist.  I packed a compote and a bottle of water, my journal and my walking boots; off I was on my very own to a Lyonnais museum!

Les Toques Blanches de Lyon (in my garden!)

It was lovely to walk through the city at my own pace, in silence, listening to the people around me.  It was in the actual exhibit that I was enamoured, posters of food, photos of the famous Cuisiniers and Cuisinières, I looked at every single detailed menu, watched every black and white video.  The exhibit is not that impressive, in regards to actual 'gastronomy', but there were a few things I picked up on and tucked away in my journal:

When visiting the musée Gadagne, I can almost imagine myself with the famous Gourmands of Lyon.  A sort of "Midnight in Lyon", instead of the 'high time' with artists and painters in Paris, it is a Golden Age of eating and gourmandises.  Lyon was for foodies what Paris was for artists... while artists and writers were indulging in social abnormalities, the foodies were just doing what they do best... eating!

Even though Julia Child mentions that Paris was an amazing culinary hot-spot, even the great Curnosky wrote, Lyon est la capitale mondiale de gastronomie.  Can't argue with the Prince of Gourmand!

La Mère Brazier

I was amazed at the culinary freedom of the 1920's and 1930's and longed to jetset back in time to sit at a table with Mère Brazier, Mère Fillioux and Curnosky...

What's more incredible is the feminism so prevalent in this era- why do I say this?  Because women truly were the creators of the Lyon Gastronomy!  I stared at the photos, imagining the times... there was respect to these women because they could cook.  These women, the lost generation of the culinary world in Lyon were the epitomy of feminism.  Enormous amounts of respect were doted upon their culinary confections, and they remain important and engrained in Lyon history!

So potentially in France... if you can cook you can earn respect?

But what is up with this whole Lyon cuisine?  What was amazing was the distinctive contrast between the Bourgeois dishes (Brasserie Georges, etc) and the typical Bouchon (la Mère Jean) also known as La Cuisine Guignolesque which was for the hard workers.  One of the videos in the museum shows a report wandering around and asking locals:

Reporter:  Pensez-vous d'être un gourmand?

Man 1: Tout à fait que oui, nous sommes des plus grandes gourmands ici à Lyon... on adore les choses bonnes à manger, les cochonnailles, la viande... du vin.. du fromage...

Report: (Same question)

Older Woman: Mais oui!  Je suis une gourmande.. j'adore à manger!

I am not a personal fan of Bocuse... who has taken the idea of being a Foodie and capitalised it until it's just a bunch of carbon-copy restaurants with little or no creativity.  I love the simple, local, bouchons... with a pot du vins and a tender quenelle.

Les Toques Blanches.. les mères de Lyon.. Oh la la!

This move is going to be tough.

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Story Time: Trip to the Salon

It took me one year and two months to build up the courage to go to a hair salon in France.  I had envisioned total destruction to my hair, as I had read a multitude of angry bloggers discussing their Bad Hair Experiences.  I was almost ready in May when I took a stroll with a good friend of mine from Sweden.  Her hair was tied up, and she mentioned she had recently got it cut.  When she took it down it was horrific.  The layers were mismatched, areas in the back were chunky and short... I put off the cutting until I saw a recent photo of myself and my blah hair:

I had went to a barbeque of a good friend, and after the photos came out I was a bit shocked.  My hair had become shaggy, worse the ends were torn up and abimés. It was officially time to get a hair cut.












The next logical step was to find a salon.  I knew I couldn't rely on them speaking English so I reviewed a blog post I had written a few months prior.  It discussed the typical words we use in the salon.  Alongside this I printed up some color photos to show what I wanted and prepared over a week for the cut.

I ended up calling a salon in the 6ème called, Lounge Cut.  Recommended by the Petit Paumé I was fully aware of the positive reviews of this place.  I called to take a reservation, and got in less than a week.

I was even more excited when I got there, and saw it was a nice little salon, with only 3 chairs for cutting, no giant hair factory.

I showed my photos and hashed through my French.  When I mentioned it had been over a year from my last cut; the coiffeuse was shocked.  She took about 3 inches of hair and said, "On doit les couper, si tu voudrais, car ils sont tellement abimés" I understood that one.  We should cut this much because I failed to respect my hair and I had split ends up the HIZZY.







I agreed.

The best part of Lounge Cut, is they cut it dry, like in many salons in the states.  She washed after, massaged my head, and then spent another 40 minutes styling.  I think next time I'll skip the 'brushing', but it did make my hair feel super soft.  She used scissors, not razors, unlike many French stylists.






Lei Wei, my stylist, also told me that there are a lot of English clients, and that Mark, another stylist can speak English.  So. Any one looking to get their hair cut by an English speaker, check out Lounge Cut and see Mark.  Lei Wei can also speak English, but she is better at understanding.


I felt great.  I promised to come back every 3 months, or 6 months maxi as she told me.

And the results, of my first cut in France?

I am happy.  It's definitely much more comfy for summer, I was smothering in my hair.

What-What: Paul Bocuse

After dinner with my French family last night we watched a documentary on the life and current state of Paul Bocuse.  I recall that the moment I arrived in France I had no idea who Paul Bocuse was and why he was so important.  Interestingly enough he's definitely a famous personality in our little region and our city of Lyon- but he's also got a bit of a juicy history!

Paul Bocuse was born in the 1920's in the mountainous area of Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or near Lyon.  Born into a family of chefs, he began cooking quite young and helped to run his family restaurant "l'Auberge de Collonges".  Bocuse was involved in WWII, and following this went on to achieve a series of Michelin stars in his restaurant before beginning his last 30 years of marketing and branding.

Now, an old man at 85 years old, Bocuse sort of just panders around for money... I say this with a sort of 'gentillesse' but, in reality, the guy knows how to get money.  Once one of the most innovative chefs, now a man who utilizes his name to make as much as a profit as he can.  I'd like to highlight two of his most famous creations:

Soupe aux Truffes:  A simply delightfully rich soup that is composed of those oh-so-expensive truffles.  I probably will never make this at home, but I would love to try it when I have enough cash to eat at his establishments.  RECIPE: http://www.bocuse.fr/recettes/ficherecette.asp?id=199

Loupe de Méditeranée en Croute:  How can anyone go wrong with a sea bass bundled into a feuillité and served with a decadent sauce?  Always the one to push from 'fatty' to 'cardiovascular destruction' this takes a healthy dish and twists it into a buttery delight.  RECIPE: http://www.bocuse.fr/recettes/ficherecette.asp?id=194

However... there is more to this 85 year old dude, not only is he a keen marketer, a top chef and a legend to Lyon.. the guy is a virile as we say in French, or basically a love monkey.  Bocuse has three women that he has been seeing similtaneously for the last 30 or so years, officially married to one, he keeps three houses in order to satisfy his craving for different personalities... way to balance the love boat.

Raymone, Raymonde and Patricia.  Somehow we never truly hear about the fact Bocuse is a polygamist, most likely because his amazingly talent in the kitchen leads us to sort of forget the three-women syndrome.  Why 3?

One of them is his hunting/outdoors partner.  Every day, after waking up next to his wife (Raymonde) he wanders out to his forest home to see his lover (Patricia).  Together they walk around the lake, slowly taking in the scenery.  He makes open-fire meals from the animals they fish or hunt together... a parade of hunting dogs following behind.

Once this gets boring, he heads out with the other one for his foreign affairs, her with her coiffed up hair and pristine young look, perfect for photos and the superficiality.  She loves to travel, so she comes with him oftern around the world.

What about his actual wife?  Well she's there for any official 'local' publicity.  Taking photos with the chef dressed in his toke, smiling and still looking as though none of this is abnormal.

It's strange.. but yet so French?  It seems more of a parisian attitude to have mistresses and lovers, and the Lyonnais tend to be more on the 'stick to one' type of relationship.. but Bocuse opens that for discussion.

Outside of Bocuse's private life he runs a few restaurants in Lyon.  Le Sud, Le Nord, L'Est, L'Ouest.  He also has the original restaurant located on the collonges-au-mont-d'or... for a price.  By far, L'Est is the best restaurant out of his collection.

Want to catch a glimpse of the master?  Try mornings at Les Halles next to La Mère Richard.. that's an old French and cheesemaker so he oftens makes visits to share a coffee and a laugh.

Now I wonder if anyone ever noticed this...

BOCUSE = GUSTEAU?  Perhaps....

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Advice: Gym Solutions

In the States, I am a gym rat, 4-5 times a week I would pound the cardio machines and stress out my muscles with the weights.  About 2 months before I left, my neighborhood gym expanded and turned into a 'Super Fitness Center' for no extra cost to me.  This new gym had a multitude of cardio machines with iPod plug ins and televisions for each person.  All the weight machines were brand new, nothing smelt old and musty and the best part:  steam and dry sauna.  My mom, dad and I would spend at least 2 hours there in the evening... and it felt great.
Zoom 4 months later, July of 2010, and I am in France trying to find a gym in the area.  As I start calling around and getting rates I realize it wouldn't be possible to ever have the gym I had at home.  How much is shocking?  Try 60€ a month... compared to the measly 20$ I paid in the states I knew there was no way.


Now I recently began wondering... why are the prices in the States so cheap for gyms, but so expensive for groceries?  How is it I can go for 20 bucks a month but in France it is upwards of 60€?  What can I do to make up for this?


So I realized I would have to figure out an alternative... and here goes how I keep fit without losing money:


Kinect Fitness

Bri and I received a Kinect for our Xbox360 for Christmas; it's basically like a camera operated game system that detects your moves.  There are two games that I use for fitness:  Kinect Fitness and Dance Central.  The fitness I utilize for yoga, kick boxing and cardio exercises; it is great because it detects your weight/height and helps to provide goals... I burn an average of 200 doing their exercises and I am INCREDIBLY SORE after... meaning it worked.  Dance Central is more for my entertainement workout; the camera detects my moves according to a song... not only am I sweating at the end but I am also learning a new dance.

Home Workout Videos
If you don't own an Xbox nor a Kinect, the next best thing is home videos.  You can find them online or have them sent through a care package from home- I do yoga videos or belly dancing... they are great because you can put them on pause to understand a move... and if you want you can do it in your underwear- can't get that in a gym!  There are also many YouTube channels that are free with these types of exercises.

Inside Home Workouts:
Sometimes we don't need a gym at all to work out... a simple search on Google and here's what I found:  http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/at-home-workouts-0  Basically a listing of some workouts one can do at home... it still works out the body... but without the cost.

Outside Activities: Velo'v
I am personally not a fan of running, I have knee problems due to a fall in September so running is a little to shocking on my knees- however I do love the Velo'v.  I can hop on a bike and go about 5-7 miles a day and it feels like I am zipping along; it still works out your heart and gets your butt/legs in shape.

Avoid the Metro
When running errands try not to utilize the metro... especially if you have some time.  The walking helps to keep the heart rate up... and the faster you walk the better.

Cours de Fitness Collectif
Sometimes you can find special deals on collective fitness classes, like from this:  http://www.cours-fitness-lyon.com/activites.php  They offer September to June prices for only a few hundred euro... much more inexpensive than the gym prices.  Just do a little search for cours de fitness en Lyon and you'll get a listing.. it takes some picking through but there are good deals.


Just Eat Healthy
Staying in shape is difficult.. but it can be even worse when we give into our ultimate French cravings and scarf down the delicious cuisine.  More than 50% of being in shape comes from what we put into our mouths.. while that croissant is good on a Saturday, it's probably best to avoid having one every morning.  I gained the most weight when I ate croissants for breakfast and cheese with every meal... also... cut down the alcohol, this is a huge part... alcohol is heavy on calories and we often don't watch how much we are drinking.  One glass of wine a night is probably the most one should intake on a daily basis.


Good luck.. staying fit is important.. otherwise we return back home and all our families won't recognize us.


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Advice: For the Ladies

*Updated February 21st, thanks to my French friend Caro*

This is going to be a very female-oriented post as I have been having my own personal dilemmas in France regarding many personal things in this category.  I recently had a little worry.. and had to try to hash through my French to figure out where to go, how to ask.. and I realized there was not a lot of helpful information regarding this.. so here goes.

Some 'Female Product' Vocabulary/Explanation:

Tampax/tampons:  Tampons
Serviettes Hygènique:  Pads
Pads and tampons in France are more expensive depending on the brand; for example, Tampax brand is between 3-5e a box.  They offer the same sizings as in the us (from light to super), pads are a bit cheaper and they offers some that are scented- just like at home.  They can be purchased in grocery stores, pharmacies or little open corner stores.

les règles ou j'ai mes règles:  Period (monthly cycle), I have my period

Une crampe/j'ai des crampes:  cramps/I have cramps

Grossesse:  pregnancy
Un test de grosesse:  Pregnancy test
Pregnancy tests are only available upon request from a pharmacy.  It's a bit embarassing, but you basically have to go to the technician and ask for a test (je voudrais un test de grossesse) they cost around 5-6e and work the same way in the States.

Contraception: contraception
Un préservatif:  condoms
Can be found in machines outside of pharmacies, or available at the pharmacy.. not available in small grocery stores, can be available in some larger super stores or groceries.
La pillule contraceptive: birth control pills
Need to have an ordonance(prescription) and can be bought at the pharmacy.  Usually costs 5e for three months of pills.. but apparently, according to my sources, it's more like 30e for three months... reimbursed by the state.  You need to have an ordinance and have it prescrite from any type of doctor.
L'implant:  the implant
placed under the skin in the arm, lasts about 3 years, reimbursed by public health insurance.
Les dispositifs intra-utérins: intra-uterine device
reimbursed by public health insurance

CPEF: les centres de planification familiale:  Center funded by the state to offer contraception free of charge and advice/testing.  Website:  www.sante.gouv.fr

Gynecologue ou Gyneco: Gynecologist
Making an appointment with a gynecologue in France can be unnerving.. and the actual visit (from what I've read) is equally unpleasant.  Upon the visit, you will be completely naked (no nice little dress to cover up) and you yourself will send the results to the laboratory and receive the results at home.  Two names I heard were good in Lyon:  Mme Lavanga, 168 cours lafayette (04.72.61.15.97) and Mme Levallois, 12 rue emile zola (04.78.42.40.16) and Mme Dubost Hocquart close to Foch metro station.
Good gynos are booked quickly, so if it's an emergency try a Women's Hospital.




If you have made a mistake, condom broke, missed a pill.. France is very liberal with options:
Contraception d'urgence:  Emergency contraception

la pillule sur lendemain:  the day after pill
Available from the pharmacy, simply explain that you need emergency contraception in the form of this pill.  The brand is often EllaOne, it will work up to 3 days after the mistake. It's not considered a bad thing in France, but it can be dangerous... so it's not sold freely (meaning without a lot of explanation).


l'avortement: abortion
There are clinics around the city that can help you, I don't know if it is required to make an appointment or not- but I do know the abortion must be done within 12 weeks of initial implantation.  Website:  http://www.ra-sante.com/ivg-lyon.html


That's a lot of information to digest, but it's information I had to figure out myself.  I hope this helps ladies coming to France.  Bonne chance et courage!

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Petit U-Express Next Door

I realized that I hadn't written about this little jewel of a grocery since I moved into the Marronniers apartment.  Living in the center of town poses some difficulties on where to do my weekly shopping (when I can't get to the marché).  When I first moved here in September I was a frequent client of the Marché-U down the street, which was convenient but a total scam.

It killed me every time I would buy my groceries, I realized very quickly that groceries were on average .30 centimes more in price.  My .77 centimes of yogurt was suddenly a whole EURO.  I was buying less and less stuff to avoid the extreme price change; it was really tough to bite the bullet, but biking all the way to Part-Dieu was ridiculous and I hate Lidl products.

One day, we were looking for a shop that was open late in order to buy a baguette.  As we wandered home we came across a little store called U-Express, we thought, eh, what the Hell.  probably gonna cost us an eye to buy anything there, but it's closeby.  As we passed through the sliding doors we were welcomed by the cassière with a smile.  We smiled back and started rummaging through the store buying what we needed.  Baguette, check. Eggs. check.  Meat. check.  With our modest pile of groceries we went to the smiling cassièere and she quickly passed and rung us up.

Ça fera 11.04€.

I stared, bouche bée.  She repeated, this time smile fading, a little annoyed.  I quickly paid for the items and looked over at Bri as we walked out, "Did you notice the groceries here are, like normal priced?".  Everything was normal priced, no sudden downtown price.


That's when our little love affair with the U-Express next door started.  It wasn't the best part thought; they constantly have discounted items (20 to 30% off) due to their misorderings.  I am often able to score a couple of steaks for 30% off and they taste great.  Yogurts, cheeses, butters, you name it and they have it discounted at least once in awhile.  Sadly, no one seems to know about the store.. but that's why I'm writing it down now.

Seriously.

If you live near the center, go to U-Express on 9 Rue de la Charité.  Guaranteed that you can eat cheap and that things are discounted.  We recently bought a load of chocolates for 50% off, great quality products.  If you do go, get a U-Card; you'll get some points and some free things once in awhile.

I'm tellin' ya.  Totally like American-ish discounts.

a+ and happy eating

Story Time: Why Lyon?

I was out surfing, desperately looking for compatriots who also update their blogs; I'd love to see some funny stories or real life examples of what I experience here in Lyon.  In Lyon.  Ironically most Americans don't even know where Lyon is; there's no eiffel tower and no fashion capital.  Why did I even choose to live in Lyon?  Why not Paris.. the dream of every American girl?

In the hearts of every Francophile lies the need to explore this country.. sadly when talking about France the first thing that pops into mind is Paris.  La jolie ville de Paris (the beautiful city of Paris).  I personally don't really like Paris.. I went in the summer of 2009 with Bri.  It was a beautiful time, sunny and warm.. I loved the museums, I loved the gastronomy.. but I truly was not a fan of the hundreds of thousands of tourists swarming around.  Every place I went there were groups of tourists.. along with those tourists were groups of people selling 'des souvenirs'.  Mini glowing eiffel towers (tacky!), necklaces, fake purses, more mini glowing eiffel towers.  Crêpes were costly, food was expensive.. It was just too much.

Then there was Lyon..

Bri is from Lyon, his family raised him in a little area just East of Lyon and he did his Masters in the city.  Lyon , to me, is like what Paris was like in the 1950's.. non pretentious, no swarms of photo clicking foreigners and the gastronomy is to cry over.  The best part for me is when I take a stroll down streets and not one menu is translated into English.. here the whole 'translating everything' fad has not caught on.  Better yet, the laziness of the city.  No rush to work or get through the day in a Westernized way.. in Lyon we have 'la vie tranquille' and we enjoy every minute of it.

I sort of am hesitant to glorify the city so much, the last thing I want is tourists catching the train and high tailing to me city.. but for living in France Lyon is so much better..

Sigh.  I am going to stroll to a bouchon, hike to Fourvière and enjoy.

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Librarie des Livres Anciens: Heaven for Books

Sometimes when sitting around the apartment I get itchy feet.  In the States it was the kind that would push me to pack a light backpack and book a random flight to Europe.  Now in Europe it's the kind that makes me want to hike around my city and find those treasures or streets I haven't discovered.  It was today, on another itchy feet day, that I discovered the 'Librarie des Livres Anciens'.

To preface, I must say that a Librarie in France is not like a 'library' in America.  In the states, the library is the place you go to check out books for a temporary basis.  Often these books are covered in plastic, new editions and sometimes stained by the previous borrow.  A Librarie in France is actually a 'bookstore', while a 'biblotheque' is an American style of library.  Confused yet?  Needless to say, there are hundreds upon hundreds of bookstores scattered around Lyon; same as the multitude of boulangeries, epiceries and wine shops.

I took a big swing around Bellecour and decided to cross over the bridge to Old Lyon.  Old Lyon is a part of the city built around the 1400's.  The streets remained cobblestoned and impossible to walk on with high heels.  The tiny streets compliment the ancient architecture and the equally as ancient- but slightly more tacky- tourist attractions.  Crêperies, marron roasters... all the snaz of a classic city complete with a touring medieval church in the center.  Considered a tourist escape, hundreds upon hundreds of English speaking people pass through here every day- snapping up pictures and saving their memories.  I saw one just today, wandering into a boulangerie (as I was ordering my baguette) and snapping photos of the food, then, promptly leaving.  DO NOT EVER DO THIS... always buy something, a macaron, ANYTHING.  If one gets thirsty in this Old City, there are pubs owned by true Brit Expatriates lining the street.

It was today I was wandering through this city, trying my best to appear as non-American as possible, that I caught a glimpse of a little shop.  I tend hesitate going into shops because I feel guilty I don't purchase.. but this one was an Ancient Bookshop (Rue du Palais de Justice) and I couldn't pull away.  I always wondered what happened to those piles of books I bought.. or were gifted.. and I imagined that books have been around for while... I began to wonder, where do books go when they retire?

I paused and glanced at the window merchandise, scanning ancient copies of maps, a 19th century Lyon Cuisine book.. soon enough I found myself pushing through the solid door and quickly saying, 'Bonjour' to the man at the desk.  It was book heaven.

It smelled pungent... quite opposite from the fresh smell of new books, almost like an aged cheese or a wine- refined.  I followed the signs, up the stairs.. and faced the Gastronomy section.  Every book I pulled of the shelf was old; covers were shredded, some missing a cover.  Of the books I looked at, not one was priced over 25€ or younger than 50 years old.  The oldest book had a simple black cover; it was a cookbook from 1834.  I smelt the inside, and leafed through the pages.  Instructions for the recipes were simple, 'cut, cook, serve'.  Often recipes were in 1 paragraph, and none with the quintessential listing of ingredients/times to cook.  I imagined the housewife who owned this book, pumping the oven with wood to create a warm enough fire to cook dinner.  With every ancient book, the history and life behind it was weighed between my fingers, and I couldn't stop myself.

The old bookstore is more than a place for antique collectors, it's a time machine.  You can spend easily hours, browsing through these books and looking at old writings/drawings.  If lucky you may even find a prize..a book from another time that details 'gastronomy' in France, or 'history of france'.  The very old books are kept downstairs, and some may even date to before the 19th century.

It was beautiful... and I will be there once again- soon.

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What-What: Beaujolais Nouveau

On my street, the Rue des Marronniers, small posters and streamers line the restaurants annoncing, 'le Beaujolais est arrivé!', this part of the season is amazing.  Thanksgiving back home- and the Nouveau in France.  While we're stuffing ourselves sick in the States, here they are drinkin' themselves to a stupor.

Beaujolais is a region just outside of my city here in Lyon- the wine is special because it comes from this region and it is often hand picked at the vineyard.  It's also an event that everyone is excited for, and often, patrons or owners of bars/restaurants will wear a wicker hat.. a symbolic gesture.

Interestingly enough, the wine itself is often very young- fermented only a few months- before placed on the market to drink.  The wine only lasts about a year, and it's better to drink it while it's young and fresh.



Everywhere around Lyon from now (November 18) to the weekend will be celebrating this famous wine.  The packaging is special- comes in a bottle with a very colorful label... very recognizable.







Here's a paragraph from CityVox:

C'est en fait depuis 1985, que le 3e jeudi de novembre est la date officielle du lancement du Beaujolais nouveau. C'est la ville de Beaujeu, entre Lyon et Mâcon, qui a donné ce nom au vin. Quant à l’appellation elle-même, elle remonte au 13 novembre 1951. Pendant la IIème guerre mondiale, l’occupant tentait d'empêcher les producteurs de commercialiser leurs vins en leur imposant de nombreuses réglementations. Mais avec la libération, un arrêté autorisa la sortie des vins détenteurs d’une appellation d’origine contrôlée le 15 décembre, avec une dérogation en novembre pour les vins précoces."

Basically it says:

Since 1985 the 3rd Thursday of November is the official launch date for the Beaujolais Nouveau.  It's the city of Beajeu, between Lyon and Mâcon, that gave the name to the wine.  The production of this wine dates back to the 13th November, 1951.  During the second World War, the Axis tried to impose many restrictions to inhibit production of their wine.  Following Liberation, an order was put forth stopping these inhibitions and allowing the wines to be released.

It's a cultural part of Lyon and Rhone-Alpes... and integral into our heritage and daily life.

Speaking of which, there are a lot of festivals and parties to celebrate this release:

Once again from the CityVox page:

Lyon - 1e - Terreaux - Hôtel de Ville

Soirée Beaujolais primeurs à l'Harmonie des Vins  - Soirée
Le 18/11/10

L'Harmonie des Vins - 69001 - Lyon

Lyon - 2e - Presqu'Ile - Perrache

Soirée Beaujolais Nouveau à la Zone Verte  - Conférence rencontre atelier
Du 18/11/10 au 19/11/10

Zone Verte - 69002 - Lyon

Lyon - 5e - Vieux Lyon - Fourvière

Soirée Beaujolais Nouveau au Phosphore Bar  - Soirée
Le 19/11/10

Le Phosphore Bar - 69005 - Lyon

La Tour-De-Salvagny - Aux alentours de Lyon

Beaujolais nouveau au Casino Le Lyon Vert   - Soirée
Le 18/11/10

Casino Le Lyon Vert - 69890 - La Tour-De-Salvagny

Belleville - Ailleurs dans le Rhône

Nect'art Nouveau  - Musique Jazz
Le 18/11/10
Caribop, La Clique sur Mer
Théâtre Municipal de Belleville - 69220 - Belleville

Fleurie - Ailleurs dans le Rhône

Marathon du Beaujolais Nouveau  - Évènement sportif
Le 20/11/10

En ville à Fleurie - 69820 - Fleurie

There may even be more events... but you'll have to check out blogs, newspapers.. or even just walk into a bar and ask!

a+ and happy drinking!  (bon dégustation!)

Cocktails and November 11

Having cocktails in France tends to be a whole nother experience... sort of.  I was afraid to make my way over to the pub alone at night- I always have this never ending fear that I'll take a wrong turn on my Velo'v and end up in some completely unknown area.  Yes, the pub was straight down 'Rue de la Rupublic' and yes, that street is pretty much just a long street of lit up stores, fountains and restaurants.. but the incessant fear curls in my stomach every time I hop on a bike or head out.

I bisou'd Bri goodbye and set off with multiple layers (10 degrees C yesterday) in tow.  I popped in my Velo'v code, hopped on and whhoooozzzzeee...  riding at night through the 'rue de la Republic' takes some guts and can be stressful.  I whizzed through the crowds, left right, left right.  Sometimes I'd stop and use my feet to 'walk my bike' before an old lady got out of my way.  About 10 minutes later I reached the 'Opera de Lyon' which is really a hub for some nasty characters (ironic, one would think the Opera is.. like fancy and full of richness).

I parked in the one spot available and headed up.  Last time I went to this place it was dead, maybe a scattering of some French people.  This time it was PACKED... and I got to thinking, why?  I asked the girls and they motioned around and explained that "Tomorrow is a feriée" which means a one day off.  French people have so many holidays sometimes I think they invent a day for it.

November 11, 1918
Armstice between Germany and France ending World War I.

Apparently November 11 marks the end of the first World War that ended in 1918; specifically the fact that the Allies and Germany signed for peace and resolution in France.

What I get confused about is why they celebrate the end of World War I when after there was World War II; wouldn't one assume that the end of one WW would trump the end of another?

I think I'm just confusing myself because I watched Inception last night... Hmmm.

In all cases, for November 11 we get a day to relax and do nothing- most places are closed, most people are shuttled outside to the parks or the quai to enjoy the day.

Sometimes there are special events, such as free drinks at the mairie, or a commemoration event at the statues- you'll have to read your local events to know for sure.  I'll be enjoying my day doing laundry, taking out a giant box or two of glass recyclables and going for a nice long walk.


Tomorrow I'll be posting about how to recycle in France- because even though it would seem simple.. in the center of the city simple it is not!

Here's my walk plan...


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Advice: Decorating the Living Space

Either you live in a box (10x10 feet, and yes, it exists) or you live in a large apartment.  Either way, moving to a new place means decorating, and it doesn't have to be expensive.

Apartments in France
Usually come unequipped.  The kitchen often has a sink, the rest is up to you to use creative ingenuity, budgeting and a little imagination.  Here's the places we went to decorate our place and some options of other places to go;

• Ikea:  Of course everyone knows of Ikea, sometimes the products can be expensive and temporary.  I bought a few items that were not expensive but incredibly used.  Remember you'll need to put together the items at home, which is time consuming and annoying.. having a friend with powertools helps.  I reccommend going to their French Website and picking everything out and putting onto a 'lists d'achat', or list of things to buy.  This allows you to see if the product is available at your Ikea, and how many.  It helps.
• What I bought at Ikea:
• Hanging Clothing Dryer: necessity for doing your own laundry.  €5.99.
• Little Kitchen Island:  To put my oven, store some things.  €36.
• Giant Cutting Board:  To put on top of my washer so it becomes a good workspace, €6.99.
• 6 Wine Glasses, for only €3.85.
• Spice Jars:  4 for €3.99, wonderful to store my multitude of spices.
• Black Extending Table:  Because we invite people over, and eating in front of the television really gets old.  €99.
  
• ParuVendu:  A website/newspaper that offers used products for sell.  Sellers create an advertisement in the paper, buyers call direct to the sellers.  Often there are tables, chairs and big objects for much cheaper than it would be new.  They also sell animals and services... :)
• FUSAC: An American friendly website with advertisements of products or items being sold.
• L'Occasions:  Sometimes as you are walking down the street you'll find some occasion shops and even a 'salvation army' where things are cheaper but still good quality.

As an example of our apartment, here's the before in the kitchen...

The kitchen is blocky, the area stuffed.. not very 'chi' for me.

And then I got to decorating.. and here's our new apartment..

My little oven on it's stand, laundry drying.. fridge turned.  MY kitchen!

My Ikea Spice jars, stuffed with smelly good spices..

The Washer.. and work table...

out eating area

This is Miles, my Moulinex.  Not part of the deco- but I love him.

Just to show the difference, this is the OLD apartment.. and yes, that WAS my kitchen

Good luck on the decorating- and remember to be inventive and SHOP AROUND!

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Advice: French Slang Week 1

In France, there is slang.  There is a lot of slang.. and I get to take a class all about French 'argot'.

I want to share my knowledge...

To start, there are two types of French that are commonly spoken- there's 'Français Soutenu' which is like the stuff that comes straight out of a rigid French teacher's books and mouth... and then 'Français Familier' which is the common spoken language.

Even presidents and lawyers use the familier.. that's why often a person is fluent in French but may not understand or even know all the argot (slang).

Here's what I've learned so far:

un mec: A man, (français soutenu:  un homme)

plein des tunes: full of money, (français soutenu:  riche, plein de l'argent)

le fric: money, (français soutenu: l'argent)

Vachement: vraiment, très

du coup: The ability to live well and spend lots of money, 'well-off' (la cabilité d'acheter ou vivre bien)

bagnoles: a car, (français soutenu: une voiture)

bouffait: food, also, to eat...  (français soutenu: manger ou choses a manger)

branchés: really classy, super expensive, (français soutenu: Super classy et chèr, luxe, meilleur)

un canon:  A very beautiful woman, (français soutenu: une fille, femme très jolie)

un boudin:  A very ugly, fat woman, (français soutenu: une femme ou fille très moche et gros)

une meuf:  Chick, 'my woman', (français soutenu:  Ma copine, c'est comme ma voiture)

tranche/mouille: The face, (français soutenu: la visage)

trancher: To kill, or to cut, (français soutenu:  tuer ou couper)

je te kif:  I like you, (français soutenu: je t'adore)

bourré(e):  drunk, (français soutenu: ivre)

sacré descente:  high alcohol tolerance, (français soutenu: la capacité pour boire beaucoup)

la nana:  girlfriend, woman or lover of a person, (français soutenu: une fille/copine/fiancée)

se casser:  to leave someone, or something, (français soutenu:  partir, s'en aller)
   être cassé:  very tired, (français soutenu: fatigué)

sacrément torché:  incredibly, incredibly drunk, (français soutenu: très, même, trop bourée)

péter: explode, break, destroy, also means 'to pass gas', (français soutenu: exploser, expulser des gaz par les fesses, casser, briser, même destruire)

les flics: the police, (français soutenu: la police, les policiers)

se faire embarquer: to be stopped, like stopped by the police, (français soutenu: se faire arrêter)

la taule: prison, (français soutenu: la prisson)

les taulards: prisoners, (français soutenu: les prissoniers)

frimer: to show off, to flaunt, (français soutenu: s'exhiber)

un frimeur (une frimeuse): a person who shows off, flaunts, (français soutenu: une exhibitionniste)

un fauché: a poor person, a person without money, (français soutenu: un personne pauvre, sans de l'argent)
  être fauché:  to be a poor person, or temporarily without money, (français soutenu: d'être pauvre ou sans de l'argent temporairement)

I'll keep posting my 'argot' that I learn every week.. it helps.

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Advice: Party Etiquette in France

Bri & I had the opportunity to host a 'cremaillère' combo birthday party yesterday and I learned quite a bit about proper etiquette both for going to a party, having a party and the different types of parties.

Types of Parties
Cremaillère:  A cremaillère is a house-warming party.  It's typical for invitees to bring something useful such as spice jars, a crepe maker or a recipe book.  Usually snack food/drinks are provided to guests, but it is still polite to bring a bottle of wine.

Apero-Manger: Apero-manger is when everyone invited brings a certain finger-food dish.  For example one might bring a couple bags of chips, a set up of crudité, mini desserts.  Remember to ask the host(s) what you should bring, as they usually dictate who brings what.

Raclette: Raclette parties are absolutely one of my favorites.  It's basically a 'melty cheese party' but not fondue style. 

As you see in the left picture, this is a 'raclette' machine.  What it is is a simple hot plate with a grill on the underside.  You cut cheese (usuall emmenthal or reblochon)  and put it in the small little pans, under the grill for 2-3 minutes.. and then pour over whatever you'd like.

Normal accompagniments with raclette are potatoes, charcuteries and some vegetables.  My recommendation is to use smaller potatoes, grilled veggies and ham/turkey.

(More information on throwing a Raclette Party)

Crêpe Party:  Crêpe parties are a lot like raclette parties (using the same machine usually, but the top part not the bottom part).  It's a big bowl of batter, everyone makes their own crêpe and stuffs it themselves.  It's usually a savory/sucré type thing so it's best to have both options prepared.

Special Parties: By special I mean events during the year.  Here's a great link that describes the holidays... here  and another website to explain the holidays and methods. Birthdays/anniversaries are the same around the word (i believe) EXCEPT, one opens the gift during aperitif, not at the end, and never announce to the birthday person that you are 'bringing a gift'.  I notice in America it's habitual to say, 'I bought you a gift' before seeing the person.. it's a phenomena French people don't understand.

Going to a Party
In France, when invited, always bring a small gift.  It could be some lovely flowers, a simple bottle of wine or even some chocolate.  It's a way of telling your host(s) that you feel very welcome and a thank you. 

Remember when you arrive to always 'fait le bis' at every person. 

If you don't know someone, introduce yourself!  It's very rude to ignore others at a party.

Practice small talk; meaning learn some simple phrases of things to discuss.  NEVER ask the typical questions Americans usually ask:  'what are your hobbies', etc, instead focus on asking what career they'd like to do, what school they went to- where they have been on vacation.

When you leave, ensure you thank the host(s) once more and again, 'fait le bis' at everyone.

Having your Own Party
Doing it at your own home can be a risky business- but it can also be very amusing.  Here's how we did ours...

First I prepared a lot of little snacks.  Picard sells many 'amuses-geules' or little hot snacks that you simply reheat for about €4 for 30 pieces.  I recommend also buying 'pâte-feuillité' and making some yourselfs.

Food
-Lots of amuses-geules such as picard treats, or hot dogs wrapped in pate-feuillité and baked at 220 until golden
-Selection of seasonal vegetables cut into finger foods
-Simple dip (mix 1 container crême fraîche, yogurt, 1/2 cup ciboullette, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, pinch of nutmeg and a small amount of crême liquide.. stir and refridgerate)
-Mayonnaise (the French love dipping veggies in Mayo)
-Lots of chips
-Alcohol (beers, wine)
-Mini bread snacks, (I toast the bread for about 5 minutes, add toppings such as tomatoes or onions or cheese... delicious and it was eaten quickly)
to save some cash, the alcohol can be purchased at Lidl.. it wasn't too bad.

Me putting some 'amuse-geules' on a plate

Later in the Night.. all of us stuffed on the couch

Everyone Digging into the food..

Remember to make the rounds, greet everyone, offer a drink when they first arrive.  Show where the snacks are, explain you might be distracted... constantly make the rounds and talk to people.

Some advice?

Keep lots of toilet paper and paper towels around.  Spills will happen.  People will use the bathroom, all night, and nothing is worse than running out of toilet paper.

Use plastic cups and cocktail napkins if it's a big party (over 15 people) and glassware/plastic plates if it's smaller.  For groups of 3-6 you can use dishware.

Here's some helpful links:
How to Word Invitations in French
How to Host a Raclette Party
How to Host a Crêpe Party
Ideas for Themed Parties
Icebreakers

I also want to mention the concept of 'YouTube' playlists and computers.  If you can attach your computer into the television, or if your computer has a large screen, you can make YouTube playlists so the music has a video attached.  It is really fun for people to interact and add videos, watch the music.. it helps.

Happy parties and good times!

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Story Time: The Ikea Experience in Lyon

In Portland around 4 years ago, Portland, Oregon (my home state) got it's first Ikea.  Everyone came from the mountains, the oceans, the cities and the deserts to see the new Ikea, eat some meatballs and have the adventure.

I love Ikea.  The smell of the fake wood, the meatballs and potatoes you can buy for $5, the knick knacks and fun kitchen items... I even enjoy putting the stuff together (as long as it's not too much stuff of course).

Bri and I decided to go to Ikea in Lyon (the one in St. Priest) yesterday because we absolutely were getting sick of eating in front of our television, we needed a table, chairs and some little organizing things for my kitchen.

Plus, we invited his parents to eat tonight, which means either we needed to buy a table, or we were going to feed them on over-turned boxes.. not really the way to impress the in-laws.

Ikea in Lyon is about a 30-40 minute tram ride from the center.  It's past the Lyon II campus in Bron, it's way out of the city.  Regardless, I was excited as a child going to disneyland.  As we headed over the path I saw the big sign and got even more happy!

Walking in through the doors was already a different experience.  It didn't have the giant escalator to take you to the showrooms, it didn't have the little paper to write down what you want... but it was still Ikea!

We began by touring around.. as normal.  We picked a beautiful black table, two black chairs and two temporary wooden folding chairs.  The rest was just little things, like wine glasses (because I broke all of ours washing them) and a hanging dryer thing for our laundry (which I'll highlight in a later post about doing laundry in France).

The break in the middle entitled us to drink 50 cl of red wine, eat a croque monsieur and have dessert for €4.20 each.  Well boozed and blood sugar fixed, we headed out again through the masses.

Over-all the experience wasn't as magical as usual, and it was still a horror putting the furniture together (we don't have powertools, we have hand tools... just imagine.)  AND we had to carry everything upstairs.  Nightmare.

Luckily now we have a bunch of empty boxes, a bunch of cheap furniture and an actual table where we can eat dinner and actually have a conversation every night.

It's worth a trip if you need to deck out your home for not too expensive.. definitely, but don't expect it to be a big deal to everyone because France has had Ikea for a long long time... it's like Walmart in America.

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Advice: Benefits of Being a Student in France

France likes to take care of their students, which means there are a lot of discounts for students to do cultural things, pay for transportation and even get financial aid.  Allow me to 'partager' some wonderful benefits...




Cultural Passes
There are a lot of cultural passes available for students... available on the Lyon Culture website.  I'd like to highlight some of these and what their benefits are: 

La Carte Musée (the museum card)

Price:  €16

Amount of Usage:  One year from date of purchase

Details:  Allows you to visit the 6 museums around Lyon.. as listed on the website.. as much as you want in one year.

• Musée d'Art Contemporain  (attention : la carte n’est pas valable au Musée pendant toute la durée de la Biennale d’art contemporain, jusqu’au 3 janvier 2010)
• Musée des Beaux-Arts
• Musée Gadagne
• Musée de l’Imprimerie
• Musée de l’Automobile Henri Malartre
• Centre d'Histoire de la Résistance et de la Déportation

How to Purchase: Go to any of the 6 locations with a photo of yourself and prove of being a student, command for the 'carte musée'.

Le Pass'Culture (culture pass)

Price: €16

Amount of Usage: 4 shows at any of the locations on the list following..

Details: Make reservation ahead of time (at least one week before) to use one of the four passes.

• Auditorium de Lyon,
• Complexe du rire,
• Espace Gerson,
• Espace 44,
• Les Subsistances,
• Maison de la Danse,
• Nouveau Théâtre du 8ème,
• Opéra de Lyon,
• Théâtre des Ateliers,
• Théâtre des Célestins,
• Théâtre de la Croix-Rousse,
• Théâtre des Marronniers,
• Théâtre Nouvelle Génération,
• Théâtre du Point du Jour,
• Théâtre National Populaire
• Théâtre des Clochards Célestes
• et Festival Nuits sonores (1/2 tarif appliqué).

Nouveau cette année :

• Choeur et Orchestre XIX - Direction Jean-Philippe Dubor
• Institut Lumière
• Théâtre de l'Elysée
• Périscope
• Théâtre Guignol de Lyon

How to Purchase: at Lyon Campus, 25 rue Jaboulay Lyon 7ème
Au CROUS de Lyon, 59 rue de la Madeleine, Lyon 7ème 9-12h00 et 14-16h00  BY CHECK ONLY


La CarteD
Price: Free
Amount of Usage: Unknown
Details: For use at any of the following, make reservation...

• Le théâtre des Marronniers
• Le théâtre des Clochards Célestes
• L'Espace 44 (théâtre)
• Le théâtre de l’Elysée
• A Thou bout d'chant (café-concert - chanson française)
• Le Marché Gare (salle de concert)
• Le Croiseur (théâtre et danse)
• Le Périscope (salle de concert)
• 6ème Continent (musiques du monde)
• L'Ecole de Cirque de Lyon

Details:  Go to any of the above on the list with atudent proof and ask for 'La Carte D' which should give you a discount card.

Pass 2 places, 4 spectacles
Price: €28
Amount of Usage: 4 times, in the following:

• 
  
  
  A Thou Bout d’Chant (chanson),
• 
  
  
  Théâtre des Clochards Célestes (Théâtre)

Details: Call 04 72 07 63 81 ou 04 78 28 35 19 for more information.


Le Pass Culturel Kiblind
Price: €50
Amount of Usage: 15 times during one year, one in each of the following:

• La Renaissance
• Le Nouveau Théâtre du 8e
• Les Ateliers
• Le Toboggan
• L’Iris
• Le Théâtre Nouvelle Génération
• Le Comœdia
• Le Zola
• L’Institut
• Lumière
• Le Clacson
• Le Hot Club de Lyon
• Le Marché Gare
• L'Amphiopéra
• L’Épicerie Moderne
• L’Institut d’art contemporain

Details: do the inscription for this online:  at Kiblind Website, allows one ticket for each of the above in one year.

L'auditorium in Lyon

Price: €6.00 a month, paid at once, so €72.00

Amount of Usage: An entire year of free entrance... about 50 shows.

Specifically for the auditorium in Lyon, usually a selection of classical music.

Details: Inscribe on the internet, choose all your dates, pay online for the year.  Here's the website.

Les pass' de l'Opéra de Lyon

Price: €5.00

Amount of Usage: Works for a year, one show per spectacle, per date.

Specifically for the Opera Lyon in the 1er arrondissement.

Details:  Purchase at the ticket counter, as for the "Pass'Opéra" for less than 26 years old.. if you are older there are other passes.  Entitles to 50% off of front row tickets, and only €10 for any show in the C-D-E rows.  Available according to what room there is.  Read More.






Eating/Food Discounts
Depending on where you go, normally near the center (near croix-russe, near place Terreaux, near Bellecour) many of the food places offer special menus for students. Example, show a student ID, get a meal at BIEH (Best Burger I Ever Had) with french fries, burger, drink and dessert for only €10.




Transportation Discounts
Discounts on TCL and Velo'v.  A TCL monthly pass is only €22, while a yearly pass is only €187 euro. Velo'v is the same price, but still cheap at only €15 a year.


Keep your eyes peeled, if you are a student, and find the other great deals...


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Recipe: Herbed Salmon Filets w/ Chive Potato Purée

Last Wednesday Brian wanted something not diet-y and delicious.  We were wandering through Super-U and saw two salmon filets for €4.00.  It struck me suddenly to make something with those… so I created this meal.  Here’s what you’ll need…

-Milk

-Butter

-Package of Fresh Mozzarella

-1 lemon

-2 salmon filets

-1 bunch of chives

-1 bunch ofdill

-Around 500 grams of potatoes

-4 Ripe tomatoes (roma or on the vine are best)

-1 cup white cooking wine

For seasonings

-2 tablespoons herbs de provence

-Salt

-Pepper

It will become this:

So.  Let’s begin.

1. Start by the salad, as it needs to marinate for at least 30 minutes… so instructions:

            Herbed Tomato Mozz Salad

a.     Cut the tomatoes in nice sized chunks

b.     Cut the mozzarella in smaller, still nice sized chunks

c.      Mix ¼ cup red wine vinegar and ½ cup olive oil, salt, pepper and herbes de provence.  Shake or whisk in a container, mix with the tomatoes and mozzarella, cover and set in fridge.

2. Now as the salad marinates, we’ll get going on the salmon and the puree.

            Herbed Purée & Salmon Filet

a.     Begin by washing the herbs and the potatoes.  Take the potatoes and either boil or steam until squishy and easy to mash… you can leave it to cook while you prepare the salmon.

b.     Salmon: simply take out of package, lay on cutting board and season lightly with salt & pepper.  Squeeze half the lemon over the salmon filets.  Chop up the (herb) and place aside.  Chop the chives, place aside.

c.      Heat one nice size pan on the stove at medium-high heat, melt butter and a small amount of olive oil, put the salmon filets face down.. sizzle sizzle.  After about 1 minute, turn the salmon over, add the other half of lemon juice, pour in the white wine, add the (herb), reduce heat to medium-low, cover.

d.     Potatoes:  Get the potatoes out of hot water, into a metal bowl.  Either mash with fork, adding small amount of milk (as desired) and about 3 tablespoons butter.  You can also blend with a hand blender… makes it creamier.  Add lots of salt and pepper (potatoes are bland) and mix in the chopped chives.

e.     After the potatoes are done, the salmon should be done (sauce can be reduced more as desired)… serve with the marinated salad, a crusty bread and a chilled white or rosé wine!  Delicious!

Now let’s break down the cost..

Herbs (€1.20)

Salmon (€3.90)

Milk (€0.30)

Butter (€0.10)

Potatoes (€0.79)

Tomatoes (€0.80)

Mozzarella (€1.05)

White Wine (€0.25)

1 Lemon (€0.72)

TOTAL COST:  €9.02, or about €4.50 a person.  Imagine at a restaurant it would be around €13… that’s savings of 8.50!!  YAY!  And it’s super delicious.

 Enjoy!.. and A+