Bong: Not Exactly a Reference to Drug Paraphenlia

When I told some friends that I was going to go to Chez Bong's on Saturday evening they stared at me quizzically trying to pinpoint my secondary life as a drug abuser behind the façade of a hard-working intern.  I waved my hands around, no no no. Bong's.

The joy of moving to Paris was the undoubted capacity to find ethnic and cultural cuisine a few steps from my apartment.  While living in Lyon I was constantly disappointed- there was a fine selection of bouchons hanging around my little street on La Rue des Marronniers but nothing quite like the gastronomic warphole surrounding my time living in Portland.

The front of Bong

The story of Bong started last Saturday.  Bri and I decided to walk around our backstreets in an attempt to hustle up a new restaurant par hasard.  IT was turning the corner on Rue Blomet in the 15ème that a sudden fierce and meaty odor overcame our senses and we began to blindly walk towards a small decrepit restaurant with simple lettering: Bong.

Bong, as we came to discover, was a Korean eatery, specialising in a Korean meal known as Korean Barbeque.  Basically a sort of table top barbeque of a pungent marinated meat grilled by the customer and then eaten with a variety of sauces and fermented vegetables (namely the Kimchi).

We wanted in. Except, désolé, pas de place ce soir, proved that this place was a place you had to reserve in advance.

The next Saturday, 8:30 pm, we wandered in to a bright, smiling host, almost hugging us to enter into the establishment and feed us an incredibly decadent meal.

As the owner explained, Eat bite is a journey for your mouth, you take a little rice, a little meat, a little sauce.  If you like spicy, a sliced green hot pepper.  Wrap in the rice, eat, and continue.  We always have soup and a bowl of rice... but you do the work.  Please enjoy.

Bri grilled, as the "korean tradition" called for, I simply stuffed myself.  The meat has a sort of 'melt-in-your-mouth' quality... as if the marinade had literally allowed the meat to become so tender eating it required no chewing.  The marinade itself was pungent, sweet and yet carried that evervescent undertone of a slightly salty and nutty flavor.

Each condiment had it's own variety of flavors, that fermented bitter and spicy taste of a well-made Kimchi, large slices of green jalapeno peppers that burned the lips on contact, but was insatiable when eaten.  A spicy red sauce that although was hot on contact has this neverending flavor that only enhanced the flavor of the meat.  Even Bri, a Frenchman, sucked down each morsel rolled into a batvia leaf staring adoringly at the meat, proclaiming, "Where has this been all my life?"


If you've never tried Korean food, or if you are simply dying to find a good Korean place... I highly recommend Bong.  From the honest smile an owner can give (no extra charges for our second plate of Batvia) to the simply said, succulent marinated meat grilled in front of your very eyes- it's simply a culinary experience.


I don't think you will be able to turn around once you get within 1/2 mile of the restaurant... the smell will simply pull you in and for a few hours, somehow, you will no longer be in Paris but in a small crowded restaurant in Busan or Seoul.

How to Sound French: The Film References

When I first moved to France, I was thrown blindly into a completely different pop culture.  I came from the culture where we quoted Jay & Silent bob (Not one French person I know gets it), Dude Where's My Car, references to flutes an inappropriate things along those lines.  Quotables are the basis of a good pop culture, and France, in her own glory, has her own quotes from films.

Mastering the quotes and watching the movies will assure that you will understand what someone means when, for example, you say something... you are contradicted, and then everyone in the room waves their right hand maniacally and shouts, "Cassséeeeeeee!!!!".

Here we go....

Bienvenue Chez les Ch'tis - Dany Boon
A film that simply details a French from the south who is forced by his job at the Post Office to relocate to the North of France, specifically, in the region of Nord-pas-de-Calais, considered to be our version of the "Backwoods" in France.

From the disgusting habit of eating a stinky cheese smothered on bread for breakfast, to the incomprehensible French dialect... the
main character Philippe Abrams (Kad Merad) eventually settles into the city and makes friends with Antoine Balleuil (Dany Boon).

Quoteables
-"C’est pas compliqué de parler le ch’timi. On ne dit pas : « pardonnez-moi je n’ai pas bien saisi le sens de votre question », on dit : « Hein ? »."
-"C'est le Nord!"

Dîner de Cons - Francis Veber


En gros a film about a high-rolling French man who gets his kicks with his buddies by inviting the stupidest person he meets to a weekly dinner.  Whoever brings the most idiotic guest wins... until one day an idiot comes that is not so much as idiot as he thinks... 


Some really quite funny scenes (better in original French with subtitles if French isn't your strong point), some involving adding vinegar to wine in order to trick a tax inspector, an obsession with match stick creations...


Quoteables
-"Il a une belle tête du vainqueur" - Reference used when they go hunting for the "idiots".


"-Il s'appelle Juste Leblanc.
-Ah bon, il n'a pas de prénom?
-Je viens de vous le dire Juste Leblanc... Votre prénom c'est François, c'est juste? Eh bien lui c'est pareil, c'est Juste."

Les Visiteurs - Jean-Marie Poiré


Typical time travel, misplaced group of knights put in the 20th century.  A re-make was done by Americans, Just Visiting, which follows about the same plot-line.


Quoteables
-"Je suis Godefroy Amaury De Malfète, comte de Montmirail, d’Apromont et de Papimcourt, fils d’Aldebert de Malfète et de Thibaude de Montfaucon... Je suis ton aieul."


-Et on lui pèlera le jonc comme au bailli du Limousin !
Qu’on a fendu un beau matin.
Qu’on a pendu ! Avec ses tripes !"

Brice de Nice - James Huth
Jean du Jardin has become a household name since the Oscar's glorification of The Artist, but before Du Jardin was a grand actor, he as a comedian.  From Un Gars et Une Fille to the movie Brice de Nice, he was never really that serious.


Brice de Nice, is just that, a 30 year old surfer from Nice named Brice who is constantly hunting the perfect "wave".  However, he doesn't really KNOW how to surf since he lives in Nice where the waves are totally calm.  Travelling around and finally ending up in a competition for surfing, there are endless, and really strange, references and jokes.


Casser
While there is not a specific quoteable, the most important concept is to understand "Cassée", literally, "broken".  Brice de Nice constantly is able to basically pull out French versions of yo mama jokes, and when he wins, he swings his right arm from shoulder to crotch, in a cutting fashion, proving that you, indeed, have been "broken".


French people tend to do this everywhere, if you are proved wrong, "T'es cassé", if you are saying really stupid things, "cassé", Political pundants having a debate and one says something totally off-handed, "CASSE".


Voilà, that's the start to French culture.. of course there are more to come.  American movies still are popular, but often under French names (ie: le sixième sens, le Projet Blair Witch, SOS Phantpmes (ghostbusters), etc)


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Real Tapas in Paris

Last weekend we were craving tapas, the sort that we remembered in Barcelona.. one day we were on vacation down south and went to a very local Tapas Joint in a small quarter of the city.  One bottle of cava rosa, fried chorizo, fresh seafood, bocadillos smeared with a garlic and tomato spread, stuffed to the hilt with fresh Pork charcuterie.. That's what we were looking for.

We figured since Paris is so international there would have to be a tapas bar of quality in the area, and we were not wrong.

It happened on a sunny day, strolling around the 8th arrondissment and we spotted the tiny joint, covered by a plastic sheet, not too fancy but idealistic.  El Cerventes was our going to spot and we called to make a reservation, already the home-style type, there is no fixed line.  Cell phone direct, he said, "No way. We are booked up." Ah.

So to avoid the same problem we called on Wednesday to book for Saturday, and same thing, booked, at least 2 weeks in advance.. but come to the 2nd service and we'll find you a spot.

We arrived in the Paris rain, waiting just outside their plastic covered entrance.  10 minutes.

The best was walking in, the place could only seat maybe 30 people at most, and we were tucked away in the corner and began snapping off orders.

Chorizos Fritos
Pulpa Salada
Tortilla Patatas
Queso
Pan


Our two other friends ordered a main dish, a salmon and a large steak.  Large is an understatement, it was massive.  The salmon that perfect under cooked texture, moist and incredibly flavorful.

We ate and ate, it was amazing.  The flavors were authentic, so spicy and yet well balanced. The queso manchego was exactly how I remember, that slight picanto taste, washed down with a sangria.

The best was the prices, four people ate at a price of only 56€ total.. and when I say ate, we were full and practically rolling back home.

So, if you want some authenticity and a little Espagnol escape, try:

El Cervantes
46 Rue Daubenton 75005
http://fr.nomao.com/2104005.html

But remember, call 2 weeks in advance... AND they do not accept cards, so pull out cash or get your check book ready.

Viva l'Espagna!

The Little Things...

Recently I was just about to cross the street, it was around 9pm in the evening and Bri and I had ordered Chinese takeout.  We stepped onto the street and noticed something very odd, the guy in front of us had whipped out his zizi and was taking a whizz, in plain public, on the crosswalk.

Now, I've seem some oddities in my life abroad, but this is probably a moment that took the cake.  To have the balls (excuse the pun) to pee in public, and I mean, show the wares to everyone and everything...

It got me thinking... There have been many moments that I've said, that would never happen in the states. And thus, this blog is going to be dedicated to those little things that are just cultural.

Homeless Dudes and Cheap Wine
I remember back in the states, many of the Homeless people had cans of cheap PBR or even whisky or vodka.  In France, these homeless, while 10x stinkier than in the states, are also a bit classier.  I happen to observe the homeless around the city, instead of avoiding, and most of them tend to have a bottle of wine in their hands.  How very French for the homeless people to get exceedingly drunk on a bottle of wine.  Of course, glasses are not needed.

Teaching Kids to Pee on Walls
I actually wrote this down in my journal once, scribbled quickly as if I was shocked.  Due to a lack of public, clean toilets, many people end up peeing in public (although rarely in cross-walks), and thus arrives the "teaching your child to pee in front of everyone on this very public wall" moment.  The kid was maybe, 5 years old, mom huddled over showing him how to do his business.

The Soft Porn of Cheese
I watch a lot of French television, it tends to help me keep up my comprehension, plus dating a Senator's assistant means lots and lots of political news pundits.  I always prepare myself mentally when the commercials come on, notably the cheese commercials.  They always start the same, soft beating music lulling and enticing the audience to watch what's happening... suddently a hand reaches over to a cheese, Roquefort, Caprice de Dieu, St. Agur, slices a piece off and takes a bite.  The minute the presumabely French person bites into the cheese, suddenly they are transported to a paradise... rain falls, and it seems as though they love it so much they could marry it.  If you don't believe me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YEmgb7ZCWE

Seriously, he grips the wood as though eating St. Agur provides such an immense pleasure... total soft porn.

I think I could make a whole separate post on just marketing strategies in France.

Get In Line at 6pm For Baguettes
Without fail, I receive a text every night before I leave work from Bri, "Do we hav bread?" because he knows I forget.  So as I haul my bag of work home, I end up in like at 6:20pm with all the other French after-work crowd.  As addictive as cigarettes, the baguettes is an absolute requirement in order to eat any French meal.  So there is always an insane line of at least 10 people, each one ordering the same or a variation,

Une baguette s'il vous plaît,
Une banette s'il vous plaît....


The line seems enormous, but it passes quickly and we all retreat home with a long and crispy baguette under our arms.

My Dog Poops EVERWHERE
I notice it more in Paris than I did in Lyon, but people let their dogs squat anywhere and let it loose, thus resulting in a sort of Indiana Jones commute to work.  I feel like I'm avoiding piles of the stuff every day, luckily I always was the type to watch my feet... so mess avoided! I have yet to step in a pile of crap (knock on wood).

More to come...

Advice: Buying Groceries Online

Alright, so we are not all novice-internet users, so I imagine you've already heard of the fabulous services proposed everywhere around Paris.  "Retirer vos courses!, Achetez en avance!"

I never saw so many proposed services in Lyon and so I immediately decided to try a nifty service offered by Monoprix, a large grocery chain in France, which enables you to purchase online and then pick-up in the store.

I decided to avoid the surcharge and costs associated with delivery and opt for the retrait courses service offered for FREE from 30€ worth of groceries.

So basically it all starts from their website: http://courses.monoprix.fr/ where you create a user login and pick the magasin de retrait close to your area.  Since I'm near Cambronne in the 15th, I was lucky to get one 1/2 mile from my home.

Most all the products I use are on the site, conveniently located down the e-aisles, much like any online service.  I created a list and just starting saving away, quickly adding up all the groceries and compiling 35€ worth of food to pick up on a Tuesday night after work.

Next, you pay, just like any service a little area to pop in a debit card, and *poof* there is even an option to replace any item unavailable with the next best thing, which I chose not too.

Two days later you show up in the store, head to the "retrait courses" telephone box and press the button.  Name, order number, and while you watch the painstakingly long line in the evening hours, the groceries show up within 10 minutes ready to be taken away.  Sign on the dotted line, head home within 10 minutes.

The benefits are obvious, but to list a few:

• Weekends not being spent hauling groceries and waltzing around the store
• Extra "chocolate" doesn't suddenly get bought
• More points are available on online products, so I've been able to get 5€ off on groceries after a few purchases
• Easy to keep track of consumption times (to know when to order things)

I believe many of the other grocery stores offer the same type of service, but it depends on the area you are located. 

I still recommend Boucheries for meat products, simply for the quality.

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Everyone's Sick in Paris: la Pharmacie et le Medecin

It started about three weeks ago, I was still packing up from Lyon to move to Paris and I felt I had an uncomfortable fever, slight cough and a stuffy nose.

Fast forward three weeks later and I'm now getting over one of the most annoying colds that I've ever had.  It was about a week and a half ago that I started coughing, it was a raspy and productive cough.

See but Sasha from two years ago wouldn't have known how to handle such a situation.  In the States I'd be zipping down to the local Kaiser clinic and getting a 10 dollar check-up.  In France, there are normally a few ways to handle it, but the first is always a visit to the Pharmacy.. which is exactly what I decided to do on Monday evening after I was coughing so hard during a business meeting I thought okay, this is just ridiculous.

Pharmacy Signs from here

Pharmacies in France can be found in every farm, city, village and large tourist areas.  You can tell from about  a mile away, there is often a neon green cross symbol floating above a shop that states, clearly, Pharmacie.  Of course, it should be noted that even though there are Pharmacies on every street corner, not every Pharmacie has the same pricing.  In fact, each one is owned and managed by a different pharmaciste, and some like to hike prices upwards of 120% of average price.

Some medications are completely regulated by the French government, disallowing the practice, called les medicaments génériques or generic drugs.  Often a drug has a générique counterpart which reduces the cost by quite a bit.

Take for example birth control, while there are the various methods, la pillule rests the most common form.  For a price of 5€ a box (3 month supply) and 60% reimboursable if prescribed by a doctor, that's an average of .60 cents a month for protection!

So when getting sick, the norm is to pass by the Pharmacie before going to a medécin.  On Monday I swung by my local pharmacy (243 rue vaugirard 75015), and explained my symptoms.

Me: Bonjour messieur.
Pharmacist: Bonjour madamoiselle (still not sure when I will hit the "madame" status, but that's for a whole nother post)
Me: Je voudrais savoir si vous auriez quelques choses pour une toux grasse, et un nez tout bouché.
Pharmacist: Bien sûr, (he goes and shuffles around pulling various pills and bottles) ceci est très efficace, prennez 3 fois par jour.


6€ later and I had a small bag full of medicine.  Just for future reference, "un toux grasse" means basically a cough that's productive, and a "un nez tout bouché" means a stuffy nose.

Now if it gets worse, the best option is to hit up a medecin generaliste by looking up a local name.  My personal doctor is M. Missonnier at 81 bis Rue Blomet 75015, totally a great doctor... in fact now he's my medecin traitant.

Doesn't matter which one you choose really.  Each time you go to the doctor, if you don't have a Carte Vitale (which often exchange students don't) it's important to ask for a feuille de soins, basically a sheet that will enable you to receive a reimboursement.  Same for the prescribed medication, at the pharmacy as for a feuille de soins and they'll type up the price.  Send this in to your chosen insurance and presto! A check for a percentage.

The doctor can also give a certificat médicale if you are sick, allowing for days off from work or school with no penalties, and often with pay.

If you want the doctor you visited to be your main doctor, ask for a feuille de medecin traitant and then send into your chosen insurance or mutuel.

All-in-all la bronchite, le rhume and all these lovely sicknesses are prevalent in the large cities in Paris.  Sort of normal considering the recent the sudden drop of temperatures from the last few weeks and the lack of local hygene (métros).  If you live in Lyon or in Paris, remember to:

1. Wash or disinfect your hands after every metro ride
2. Don't wander out in the cold if you're already a bit sick
3. If you are sick, don't go out and spread it around

And of course, some fun and useful sick terms:

• Je tousse (I am coughing)
• Je suis malade (I am sick)
• C'est contagieux (it's contagious)
• Une allergie (an allergy)
• Je dois moucher (I need to blow my nose)
• Un mouchoir (a tissue, usually a Kleenex)
• J'ai de la fièvre (I have a fever)
• J'ai une mal à la tête (I have a head-ache)
• au ventre (stomache-ache)
• à la gorge (sore throat)
• aux yeux (sore eyes)
• au nez (hurting nose)
• etc

Soignez-vous and try not to catch the epidemie de maladie in Paris!

Life as a Stagiaire in Paris

So since I've finished the first part of my Master's degree (all the courses part) it has now begun the official "stage" part, or internship for Anglophones.

Being a Stagiaire in France is much like being an intern in America- long hours, low pay, brain and back breaking work... except I have been lucky enough to be accepted for an Intern at the AmCham.  Even though the pay is still the minimum required by France (436,05€ a month), I have the possibility to meet and network for my job hunt coming up in October of this year.

So what's it like?  Well I'm sure every internship is different, according to the sector, mine is a development and membership focused internship.  Basically I have to meet important people, do some member retention, fundraising challenges.. every day is a little different but always interested and down my path.

Of course, being a Stagiaire I am on the "stagiaire diet", meaning because I can pretty much only afford my rent and groceries, eating out is not an option nor a luxury.. so I end up eating:

My poor intern lunch, 1,50€

Which is all right, I normally am so busy leaving for an hour to eat at a fancy place wouldn't be really possible.

Stage Culture
Because Universités in France are so intense, most students don't end up working during school sessions.  In the States I pulled a full-time job in order to pay for rent and food, but in France it's impossible.  Believe me, I tried, last year when I started the program I was working 20 hours a week, it was impossible.  School is about studying, intensive and repetitive classes, unclear professors... because the culture is not one that provides "books", the information is pulled from going to the classes themselves.

Thus, students tend to pick up summer jobs to get some pocket money- and then in their 4th and 5th year rely on internships to get professional experience.  That is a big problem as well, since most jobs after University have a paradox (you need experience to work, but you need to work for experience), so many French graduates work a few years in terrible positions in order to build the experience.

"Ouais, je n'y resterai pas, j'y quitterai dans quelques années après je ramasse suffisamment d'éxperience..."

Now for those of you who aren't from the expensive schools that will hold your hand and find you an internship, here are some sources of internships, I'm not sure how it works overseas, but through a French université it is required to be paid if it's more than 3 months.  Also, internship cannot be a direct copy of a salaried position (meaning interns can't be receptionists).

Here are some sources:
http://www.directetudiant.com/theme/stage - Stage source, in French
http://www.stage.fr/page/accueil.aspx - Stage offers, in French
http://www.frenchamericancenter.com/english/internship.asp - American Internship resource, in English

One Last Thing...
Even though I hear about a lot of Americans hopping planes and installing themselves in Paris because they believe that it's so "international" French isn't obligatory.. it is.  Every position you will be in will expect a level of French.  I've seen many American wives (usually the ones that end up dragged over) stuck because they can't find work.  Some of them don't need work, their husbands tend to make enough, but they feel useless.  (Like Julia Child says, "All these wives, they do NOTHING here, it's terrible") So if you find yourself in this position, enroll IMMEDIATELY in French classes.  Learn the language or else your career won't advance.

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81 Rue de Loo

Alright, I am getting way behind on my blogging... so much for my New Year's Resolution!  I think I'll just have to spend my free Friday's prepping up some hot stuff to discuss... especially since my recent move to Pah-ree!

So, as a super die-hard, probably born in the wrong time period FAN of Julia Child, I was just ravie to have #1 on my "To Do in Pah-ree" list "Visit Julia Child's 81 Rue de Loo Apartment Building".

Well, because my hours are usually between 9am to 6pm Mon-Thurs, and Bri isn't free until 7pm on Fridays; that leaves us the weekends to run errands, visit, enjoy a bit and discover Pah-ree.

Thus the reason we found ourselves at a little Café in the 8ème plotting our mission to see the infamous 81 rue de Loo.

First off, Pah-ree is amazing.  I keep finding these incredible little pockets of America and cultures popping up all over different areas of the city.  I have discovered that the 8th Arrondissement is sort of evolving into an American sub-culture.

Take for example the whole onset of Cupcakes in Paris; I remember cupcakes were big when I left the States- all the big fund raising events would have the classy Cupcake Jones; and now Paris has caught the drift.  A search for these American delights leads us to many American cafés located, none other than, the 8ème.

Which is how we found ourselves in the Sugar Plum Café, located at 68 rue Cardinal Lemoine.. yup... 8ème.

My horribly shot photo of the barista at Sugar Plum Café

As soon as we entered the shop my ears were buzzing... something wasn't right.. everyone was speaking in.. ENGLISH!  All the menu- English!  All the people spattered about- English!  Amazing experience that I hadn't had in over a year and a half.. so of course I did the first thing I could think of.  I ordered a slice of good ol' American style Carrot Cake.

Cake 4€, bottomless crap coffee 2€

And did I chow down?  I forgot how much I loved carrot cake until I was downing fork after forkful of the stuff.  Bri ordered some weird chocolate thing.. was a bit dry- but his Valrhona Hot Chocolate? To die for.

After I was all fattened up and American-ed out, I decided it was time to go see Mrs. Child.  A quick métro ride later we found ourselves in the Métro leading up to Julia's street.. I imagined her taking the métro everywhere.. she had walked where I was walking. Her and Paul had strolled where WE were strolling.

Métro Roo de Loo

I was almost beside myself with excitement!

As we climbed up onto the street I started feeling like I did when I visited her exhibit in the Smithsonian, excitement... sadness (wishing she was still around and that she'd wanna meet me.  She'd like me, I'm no Julie Powell!)

On the corner, why was it TAGGED?

And then, of course, I got to my destination.  Ladies, gentlemen, die-hard fans of Julia Child, I present to you 81 Rue de Loo, her residence during 10 years when she begun The Book in France:

81 Rue de Loo

It was amazing.

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Life in the 15th

The last day in any city tends to be a bittersweet experience.  I'm no stranger to saying good bye as I've lived in several different cities.  I lived in Forks until I was 14 years old, packed bags and moved to Portland, moved all around the city and then jet-setted at 23 to France.

Before Bri + I were a couple, we were just party-buddies in Portland

I was looking through photos and realized that in the 3 years Bri and I have been together we've visted a pretty decent list of place, always with a smile and a back-pack.

One of our backpacking trips

• 2009
• Roadtrip from Portland to New York
• New Orleans, LA
• Savannah, GA
• Washington DC
• Maryland
• New York
• Lyon (first time)
• 2010
• MOVE to Lyon
• Venice
• Paris
• Barcelona
• 2011
• MOVE to Paris

Today is our third year anniversary, and now we start a new life once again in a new city.  We're going to Le Lutin dans le Jardin, a restaurant that has a fabulous discount through 'La Fourchette' (21€ instead of 42€).

This is about 1 year after we got together

View from down our street

Our new life means a new apartment of course, and one that is about 35m2 (half that of the last apartment in Lyon) and 1100€ a month.  Ridiculously expensive. Our apartment is in the 15th in Paris, a quiet neighborhood outside of the bustle of life, towards the south end of the city..

Suprisingly, despite the 30 minute crowded metro rides, I feel suprisingly calm in this city.  It is very similar to life in Lyon, but much much larger.  I was warned before moving about the gens impolis but so far I've only came across kind and gentle people.

I was asked 3 times if I needed help dragging my giant suitcase up the metro steps (including a woman!), I was caught by a nice businessman when I was about to fall over trying to elbow out of my metro stop.

Actually so far, Parisiens are quite pleasant outside of rush-hour.  During rush-hours (9am-10am, 12pm-1pm and after 5pm) they tend to be pushy, but you kinda have to be in order to get INTO the metro.

In the area I live I am 5 minutes away from buses, a step away from a boulangerie, boucheries (3 of them), fruit stands, grocery stores, 2 métro lines... in fact I am even better situated than my first apartment in the center of Lyon.

The air feels much drier in Paris, and my contacts feel polluted after half a day wandering around.  I carry hand sanitizer for after my metro rides, and wash my face as soon as I get home.

There are differences, but they are differences that I can share with my blog, things to discover, things to report about.

So, I'm off for a "Gastronomique Expérience" and get ready for some experiences!

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10 Commandments of Living in France

1. Thou shall eat carbs:
1. Baguette
2. Croissants
3. Pain au Chocolat
4. Cookies
5. Toast
6. Biscottes...
2. Thou shalt say "Bonjour" and "Au revoir" every time thou enter and leave a commercant
3. Thou shalt wash thy clothes and dry thy clothes during a period of 3 days, or more.
4. Thou shalt wear high heels,
5. Thou shalt NOT in ANY circumstance wander around in hiking boots and mis matched knee high socks*
6. Thou shalt look where thy walkest or else face the wrath of dog poop
7. Thou shalt bike meniacally and ring thy bell over, and over, and over.....
1. Thou shalt do the same if driving
8. If there is bread, thou shalt eat cheese, if there is cheese thou shalt demand for more bread
9. If thou feelst full, thou shalt eat two more courses, AND digestif.. to induce a crise de foie
10. Thou shalt kiss the cheeks of thy neighbors, once on each side, upon arrival and departure.

*Yes I've done this.

House Hunter's International: Video!

So, I have a fabulous Cousin in California who was able to figure out the DVr to Internet thing and, guess what... The video from my House Hunter's International experience is now online!!

Now all those in Europe without access to HGTV can see who I am exactly.

A warning, the video portrays me as a bit "catty"; in fact at times I seem like an outright Princess- they decided to cut it in that way and take out the parts where I seemed nice... at least that's what I tell myself.

Any ways, in watching myself and feedback... I've considered starting a video blog from the beginning of February (my move to Paris).  Internet is such a fabulous thing, I feel like I can give advice better via a visual process.

Enjoy!  (The video takes a few minutes to load)

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/kmGlwRnh7IR7NN2FaWu

Voeux de 2012 (2012 wishes)

First of all, Happy New Year's to all across the globe.. tomorrow marks the beginning of a new year.. and like every new year since I was old enough to write, it's time for my year "wish list", or "to do list".

Shall we?

1. Redesign blog, since I'm moving out to Paris it is time to change it all up and start fresh!
2. Blog 3 times a week, I think Monday, Wednesday and Friday sound appropriate..
3. Find a 'liveable' apartment in Paris
4. Finish my Master's with at least a 13/20 average
5. Continue my French practice
6. Get an awesome Internship and work my butt off for the job
7. Lose the 10 lbs I lost last year and regained for Christmas
8. Be an active part of the expatriate community in Paris
9. Learn how to make Sushi
10. Invite 'Drunk Kitchen' to film an episode in my tiny apartment in Paris
11. Watch the episode of House Hunter's International with myself in it
12. Visit family in September for at least 6 weeks (that'll be reculture shock)
13. Play Kinect at least 30 minutes a day, if no television in Paris:
14. Do some yoga or SOMETHING to get butt in shape
15. Find an awesome job by the end of the year
16. Build up a professional network in Paris
17. Clean out closet (get rid of the tons of clothes I have)
18. Get to the top of the Eiffel Tower
19. Visit Greece
20. Get the "Culinary Institute of America" textbook and work through it
21. Visit the Julia Child "Roo de Loo"
22. Drink a café in a typical Parisien café

I'm sure I'll think of even more... 2012 holds many opportunities!

a+

Noël in France: Typical Christmas Meal

It's that time of year again, I almost can't believe it myself.. as I look back through photos it will officially be my 4th Christmas in Europe.  First was in a tiny town in the Eastern side of Germany, then the consecutive three were here in Lyon with Bri's family.

I realized, however, I never actually detailed a typical Christmas meal!  So here goes from decadent 'apéritif' to the intense dessert.

First Course: Champagne + Petit Fours
Often a high quality champagne, well chilled, served in Crystal flutes.  A typical french meal offers heated up appetizers, often snack sized bits, hot dogs rolled in some puff pastry.  Some snails stuffed into puff shells and baked until tender.  Christmas time marks a very 'fishy' time, while there is often some puff pastry snacks, there is also a fish egg tapenade spread over toasts.

I am personally not a super fan of the egg-tapenade, but it starts a great meal... plus the champagne (in a true French family) is usually a good quality.


Now at this point we are starting to get hungry, so the best part comes next-






Second Course: Huitres and Champagne
To cleanse the taste buds and to prepare for the evening, we usually have a basket of raw oysters after apéro.  Another bottle of champagne is usually popped open at this point, and *SLURP* goes the oysters.

Raw, we slurp them down with a 'shallot, red wine vinegar sauce' or simply a squeeze of fresh lemon.  I never loved oysters until accompagnied with a chilled champagne, and now I couldn't live without my shooters.

Of course... at this point we get a bit full, but allez! we continue.

Third Course: Sauternes, Foie Gras and Saumon Fumé
So about 3 cups into bubbly, stomach's getting tight, but next is the best.  Some toasted brioche toasts, butter smeared and melted with foie gras.

Now, for some in the States, foie gras is horrible.  Yes it's true that the poor birds are force-fed.. but it's equally true that Foie Gras is one of the most amazing things that I have ever tasted.


For those who avoid 'cruelty' we have some saumon fumé or smoked salmon, a little lemon zested and some buttered toast... simplicity!

Fourth Course: Main Dish
From this point we take a small break, usually a 15 minute digestion break before the main dish is presented.  Normally this is a roasted turkey, a game animal... My favorite Christmas dinner was a slow roasted wild pig in a red wine reduction.  Normally served with some time of a purée, it's difficult to get through the 4th course.. only to get to..



Fifth Course: Fruits, Cheese and Nuts
To help with digestion, usually a bowl of fruits and nuts (fresh) are accompagnied with the cheese platter.  A typical French Christmas cheese is the Mont d'Or, as well as the Petit Basque.

Usually we continue from our switch to red wine, and the cups of wine are in the 10s.

We try to eat a little bit of all the cheese... of course some just give up at this point.

Sixth Course: La Bûche de Noël
Finally, after shoving our mouths full of deliciousness, we get to the typical 'Bûche de Noël', the log-shaped cake covered in chocolate ganache.  I usually can only handle a small piece at this point.  It's very rich and often comes in different flavors.





Seventh and FINAL Course: Digestif and Papilottes
In France, during Christmas, all the grocery stores stock up on these chocolates called, papilottes, very rich chocolates individually wrapped with inspirational messages.  Around 12am we finish stuffing our face, and then out pops the chocolate and strong alcohol to help digest.  A verre of Whiskey, Mar or any alcohol will do.. and then..

Well..

You can imagine.  Here is me after dinner last year, no joke, I literally sprawled on the couch and couldn't move.

Then, wake up, open gifts and at 1PM the next day dig in for LUNCH.  That's right, we repeat all of this the next day.

Then one week later.

That's why the average French person gains between 2-4 pounds in a week between the 25th of December and the 1st of January.

Bon Appetit!

a+

Not so Green Lyon

When I was living in Portland I always considered Europe to be this magical place- I was told by an exchange student that lived with us when I was 16 that Public Transportation was abundant, recycling not simply a concept but a way of life.

I had a fabulous presentation in my Master's program late Friday afternoon from a renowed Quebecian nature lover and guest teacher.  Fabien Durif flew in from his corner of Canada, his slightly twanging Quebecois accent and a slew of ideas my fellow collegues had never heard.

Movement Vert
Green Washing
Consommation Responsable
Ecotourism
Organics

After saying 'Vert' about 20 times someone in the class finally raised his hand and inquired, "Messieur, qu'est-ce que c'est cette chose verte que vous parlez?" The teacher stopped short, and explained briefly.  Of course this movement doesn't EXIST in France, it's simply a way of life... or is it?

Portland was always sort of top when it came to the Green Movement of the early 2000's, we had electric busses, a sort of recycling system that was foreward-moving.  I was taught how to maintain a compost in my apartment when I moved off by myself at 19, a lovely plastic box that magically transformed my waste into useable plant dirt.

Bri made me throw this away when he moved in with me May of 2009, he said it was disturbing to sleep in the apartment knowing there were worms in a vox- well to each his own.

You can imagine my shock when I moved to Lyon and was struck by a city that knew little of recycling or even how to lighten the carbon footprint.

Now, Europe, specifically Lyon, has their own methods and styles of what they call 'green', or in French éco.  I am constantly being pointed out that the Americans leave the water running during showers, or our wasteful use of electricity when we leave the house.

So in what ways does Lyon recycle and in what ways really need to be improved?


What They Do Well:

Organic Produce

Tuesday through Sunday are the market days, vendors, farmers and local producers haul out their natural and edible goods for us to purchase at a normal price.  The positive is that many of these producers are naturally organic or bio and leave us with a fabulous, non-treated product.

Recycling
An automatic response when I see someone throwing away a carboard box or can is, That is recyclable! My mother had ingrained it into my head, she would fish out any paper I would throw away and I was disgusted... of course now 7 years later I do the same.  In Lyon we have a recycling system in our apartment building, nice because you can toss all recyclables together into a giant container... the issue?

Showering in France
Water is truly seen as a resource in the eyes of a European so much so that when showering we have a five step process:

1. Turn water on, get water all over
2. Turn water off
3. Lather up with soap while water is off
4. Turn water on
5. Rinse

Usually the water only remains on for a total of 7 minutes, unlike our 20-30 minute showers in the United States.  This is the argument from most French people when I mention the 'green'ness of Americans, they can't see how we are green if we are so wasteful with a resource.  They are right.

The next is the consumption of electricity,

Lights Out
Bri was appalled at our waste of electricity in the US, and I see why.  In France we shut everything off in the evening, when we leave the house, when we are not in a room.  Electricity is very expensive so wasting it tends to not even be an option.  It's almost an anal-rententive reaction, every time you leave a room switch it off.  Eventually, it becomes ingrained into your mentality and you feel strange if a light is on in a room and no one is in it.

Velo'v System
Probably one of the greastest innovations in Europe, the Velo'v system, which originated in Lyon, has revolutionized public transportation by facilitating a bike-share system that is affordable and convenient for users.  For a fee of 15€ a year, a user has 30 minutes each trajet and the possibility to return at any depot.  Still waiting for an effective system like this in Portland.

Public Transportation
Europe is truly the master of public transport, never have I had an issue with a bus or a tramway or even an underground subway.  Fabulous system, mediocre priced... again much more adept to the green movement than in US.

To Be Improved:

Recycling
These containers are non-existant around the city.  When you drink a disposable coffee cup you have no choice but to toss in a normal trash can on the street.  There are more and more "dual trash cans" with the choice between yellow and green (yellow recyclable, green waste) but many people don't use this system effectively.

Organic Produce
Like in America, there has been this movement for Bio and Green Washing; this movement has left many store brands to stick a green label on the product without really even having proof... this label guarantees an augmentation of price between 10-25% above market price and... well needless to say it's not truly the concept of the green movement.

Composting
There is a non-existent system of composting in France that is left to be improved, while in San Francisco there are canisters of composting buckets that accepts any organic material to be composted, in Lyon I have found no way to get rid of material of this sort.

Over-all Lyon is ahead, but not the best in Europe... in fact I see piles of plastic cups sitting around in canisters and no composting... but I think the Green Fever is going to catch on and it won't be just a fad. 

Mime Land: Bri-Ism #1

Bri tells me:

There is an area in Paris called mime land in a banlieu where all the Mimes live.

He tells me that the bread must be bought daily but- it's imaginary bread. I asked, "it's not a scam paying for nothing?" he says, no that's the thing you mime that you are paying.

Bri says that's the reason mimes are so thin- they mime eating. That's also why the lifespan of a mime is limited to a few weeks. Once a mime decides to become a mime they have a few weeks.

He says: don't come across a mime before they die because they tend to smell terrible and look emaciated since: they mime showering, all personal hygiene, and eating.

Home Made Latte in France

I live big coffee, those little pinky sized cups do me no good! Lucky enough I have a fabulous mother who understands this need and had smuggled over about 6 lbs of coffee now safely nustled away in the cupboard.

So how do I make my traveler latte?

Stars needed:
Creme anglaise
Coffe type French press
Hot water
Traveler cup

I simply make the coffee.
Pour in the creme.
Close he lid on the traveler.

Voila! Delicious and not the horrifying price of Starbucks in France.