Canal cruising in Paris

It was definitely not as interesting as the Seine cruises are, but it was good to learn about the Paris canals. We boarded the boat at Parc de la Villette - mistakenly thinking the boat would return there after the cruise. Note: It is a one-way trip between Parc de la Villette and  Musee d'Orsay. It ended up being a long day after that because we'd left the car at Parc de la Villette.
There were parts of the cruise that were interesting along Canal St. Martin, like seeing the urban regeneration happening along the canal in the 19th arrondissement.

Meanders in Fontainebleau

Yesterday was le 15 août - Assumption Day, and my family's one year, two day anniversary in France. I cannot believe that it has been a year already. Last year I was told, tongue-in-cheek that the day was meant as a rest day, to prepare people for the rentrée after the summer vacances. No, it's a religious holiday.  We decided to honour our anniversary with a trip to Fontainebleau. We had lunch then went to see the legendary château de Fontainebleau. I could not entice my kids to go for a tour of the castle.

The dotty collaboration of Yayoi Kusama and LV

"The much-anticipated collaboration between Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama and Marc Jacobs by Louis Vuitton..." reads the Wall Street Journal article on what's trending between art and design. Dotty? Absolutely.
I saw the window display last night, and Kusama's polka dots have taken over the windows of LV's flagship store. I enjoyed her  exhibition at the Pompidou a while back - I hadn't realised I'd be treated to a freebie so soon. Even last night, without the winding queues that are synonymous with LV, the display still drew quite the crowd. There were murmurings of "crazy", "interesting", "weird", "bizarre", "wonderful" abound as I made my way around the crowds to snap a few shots with my iPhone . If anything, the display is eliciting reactions - is that not what art is meant to do after all? Brand watching has just become more interesting.

Books: THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeannette Walls

Title: The Glass Castle
Author: Jeannette Walls
Published: 2005
Genre: Memoir

I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out of the window and saw Mom rooting through the Dumspter. It was just after dark. A blustery March wind whipped the steam coming out of the manholes, and people hurried along the sidewalks with their collars turned up. I was stuck in traffic two blocks away from the party where I was heading.
Mom stood fifteen feet away. She had tied rags around her shoulders to keep out the spring chill and was picking through the trash while her dog, a black-and-white terrier mix, played at her feet.

This is the opening paragraph of Jeannette Walls's book. I read the book a couple of years back  as a book club read, but decided to read it again last week. Let's be honest, some of those book club reads can be very rushed - especially when you realise that 'Oh, oh! Book Club next week and I haven't finished the book.' I felt that a repeat read was needed, and this time at my own pace.

A spot of tea at Mariage Frères

That time of the year again - bidding farewell to friends who are moving on. I had a farewell brunch with a friend at Mariage Frères yesterday. Mariage Frères is a tea house, purveyors of international teas, and a restaurant that serves delectable salads and fish dishes with flavours enhanced with their teas. The last time I was there I had a cabillaud in a beet and jasmine tea soup, delightful desserts, and as I discovered yesterday, they do a simple but perfect brunch.
There was iced tea; fresh juice; toasted brioche with a selection of tea-infused jams; and a savoury plate of scrambled eggs, salmon and prawns.

Simple indulgences at the smoking truck

Image source: www.student-food.com

After the past week's gastronomic hedonism,  I am running every morning to let my body know that we're home now - holiday's over. Halfway through my run today, my thoughts turned to how great a burger would taste after. Yes, I am a hopeless case - the thought of food always creeps into my thoughts somehow. So I got everyone out of the apartment and we scooted off to the food truck that's been getting rave reviews in Paris - Le Camion Qui Fume.

Gastronomy: Le Petit Roi de la Lune, Dijon

We got good food and service at Le Roi de la Lune. It was nestled between other restaurants, that looked just as good. It was the name that drew us; The Little King of the Moon. Prawns, scallops, a lamb and penne pasta with ham, topped with goat cheese. Rounded it off with a tarte tatin.
We sat outside, and even though it was fairly late, the pavement restaurants were still bustling. It was the perfect night to sit back, take in the evening, and enjoy the balmy summer weather. We were exhausted though,  and eager to get an early night for the trip home. We made our way back to the hotel taking in the sights of Dijon at night. A memorable, very memorable short stay in Dijon.

Sights and tastes of Dijon

We walked around the city, taking in the festive atmosphere at the Place de Ducs de Bourgoyne. Ahh summer...something about the good weather that turns the French into overly friendly and positive people. Savouring every moment of this rare bonhomie. After all the wandering, we settled for a late dinner at Le Petit Roi de la Lune. No disappointment there either. Ended the gastronomic tour with yet another great meal.

More images of Dijon here and here.

Sampling the Burgundy region at Le Bistrot

With Milan behind us we made our way to Dijon. From Chamonix to Milan, then Milan to Dijon I alternated between being the driver and passenger, so there are some interesting images taken on the way. The steppes on the hills with vineyards in Italy; the beautiful Mont Blanc mountains again; and then the rolling vineyards as we entered to Burgundy region. Although we were staying in Dijon for just two days, we decided on a day trip to Beaune after being regaled with tales of the tastes of Beaune - by the locals, yet again.

Delicious heaven at Cantina della Vetra, Milan

Faced with restaurant menus for four days, my kids zoned right in for the simplest Italian fare; pizza and pasta, and each time it was the best pizza or pasta ever! One restaurant that came recommended by friends, who had lived in Milan for four years, was Cantina della Vetra. Again that old adage that local knowledge trumps all. Cantina della Vetra is slightly off the tourist trail. We'd made reservations for a late dinner and were greeted by the friendly owner and given a very well-appointed table. From then on we were plied with everything from the cold meats platter, cheeses, fried gnocchi - then a spaghetti with cheese, ham and black pepper, tortellini with ham, perfectly grilled pork with apple and ginger sauce and creamy pea risotto. Verdict: We did not put a foot wrong when it came to food choices in Milan. Glad to be leaving, while I can still fit into my clothes - just barely.

Delighting the senses at Armani/Nobu, Milan

Source: www.styleflavours.com

Housed in the Armani Hotel, it's all minimalistic chic, lounge music and beautiful people. Tripadvisor ranks it at around 300 out of 2300 restaurants reviewed in Milan. So went with relatively-managed expectations. It is Nobu though, so that raises expectations somewhat. It was our night out without the kids, and we wanted to try something other than Italian cuisine. Started our evening with drinks in their lounge bar then moved upstairs to the restaurant.

Discovering the old city of Bergamo, Italy

A mere 40km north-east of Milan, the old city of Begamo is nestled atop a steep hill with  narrow, cobble-stoned pathways. It feels ancient. It is just the bustling tourists and ubiquitous Vespa motorcycles that remind one that it is a 17th century city still standing in the 21st century. We sat to have pizza some non-descript little pizzeria. We were lucky enough that they were even serving lunch, or late lunch, as we discovered that most places close after 2pm and only re-opne for dinner from around 7pm. Again, best pizza ever! Then we walked around the ancient city.

A meal with a view at La Darsena, Tremezzo

We walked in without reservations, and were fortunate enough to beat the lunch time crowd. Minutes after we were seated, the restaurant had filled up. Without reservations, lunch on the terrace was a far-fetched dream. It's no wonder, the view from the restaurant's terrace is stunning. It felt like another world as residents (or perhaps tourists with rented boats) drove up with their boats, moored them below the restaurant and came upstairs for lunch.

Beautiful Lake Como, Italy

A friend had warned me that two days in Milan would suffice, and this was accurate advice. Thanks Silvia. Milan is a large enough city, but even with the various monuments and abundant art galleries, there is not enough to keep one busy for days on end. More famous for its fashion scene, which was of very little interest to us, we decided to explore beyond its immediate borders. We stole away to Lake Como one day for Tremezzo. We chose Tremezzo because it's near the end of the lake so offered the opportunity to drive through the other villages dotted around the famous lake.

Coffee & gelato at Bianco Latte, Milan.

Bianco Latte became our go-to place for the great good coffee and creamy gelato (it sounds so much better calling it gelato and not ice cream when in Italy) during our stay in Milan. We weren't the only one charmed by the easy dining concept where we could either have our coffees and croissants at the counters or sit for a full meal in the restaurant. Stark white walls with charming additions of children's artwork on the walls - the owner's own perhaps? It was busy mostly in the mornings with the locals passing by for their coffee and croissants on -the-go and a smattering of tourists like us.

Places: Duomo di Milano, Italy

The Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milano) is a sight to behold. Europe and its cathedrals: each with its architectural history; with its blunders in poor management; with its anecdotes that have now become urban legend (and part of the history); and with its dedication to one saint  or other. It's in the travels I am making on the continent that I see the role that religion played in the continent's history.
The Duomo is the fourth largest Christian cathedral in the world, and the largest in Italy. We went on a sweltering hot day - probably not a wise decision as the queue was long- but then again, it is one of the main tourist attractions in Milan.

La Calèche Restaurant, Chamonix

Between  Tripadvior, Time Out, and the myriad other online options at one's disposal for travel advice, local advice still trumps all. The desk manager at our  hotel recommended Le Cap Horn and Atmosphere. We decided on La Calèche instead. Le Cap Horn looked too quiet when we went, and Atmosphere  is down a flight of stairs and not above ground like the other restaurants. Atmosphere still has a riverfront view and terrace overlooking the mountains. It looked lovely, and even though it came highly recommended - with its own Michelin-rated chef- we decided on La Calèche. It looked more animated and on a warm summer evening like it was, we were caught up in the general mood above ground.

Chamonix

We stayed in Chamonix overnight on our way to Milan. I love road trips, but with kids they require a bit more planning to make them stress-free. Twelve years ago we'd pick a place, pack a bag, fill up the car and be on our way. The logistics around where we'd sleep and all that took care of themselves somehow. Now it's accommodation booked well in advance, trip mapped out carefully - do not exceed more than x hours of driving per day - and packing that happens the night before. I still love the anticipation and mild chaos that still ensues even with the careful planning.
Chamonix is a six hour drive from Paris. I thought after the last trip we would push the boundaries just a tad. We did well,  only in the last hour of the drive did the the chorus of 'are we there yet' become more frequent. Not being the driver this time I was able to indulge in my happy snapping along the way.
The pretty and quaint town against the beautiful snow-capped Mont Blanc mountains made the six hours of road worth it. Very many pictures of Chamonix here.

Places in Paris: Wine by One

Wine by One: Bar à vins, Caviste, Club de dégustation. We went for late drinks tonight and stayed for longer. If you enjoy your wines, try Wine by One. It is a wine bar, with a wide array of french wines, and a few very good South African wines on offer. A great concept that allows you to taste some of the best offerings in french wines and champagnes. The bar gives you a card that allows you to sample every wine in the house - with tasting size amounts or full glasses dispensed by the machines, according to preference. So if there's that 800 euro (!) bottle of wine you've been coveting - you can drink it, at a fraction of the price at Wine by One.
You get a pre-paid card that allows you to load more credit onto it so that your evening is simply a get-up-and-refill scenario, while you dig into the charcuterie platters on their menu. We went to have a quick drink with the intention to move on to dinner; we ended up staying for the rest of the evening - good wine, good cheese, ham and bread -  dinner was served.

Gastronomy in France: La Mère Poulard, Normandy

The restaurant is the very first into the village

La Mère Poulard's speciality is omelettes. The egg whippers sous chefs make quite a show of whipping the eggs that go into the famed omelettes. The egg whipping draws crowds. Seriously, a crowd gathers just within the entrance of the restaurant watching and photographing. Every now and then the maitre d' comes out to ask people to move outside.
We had lunch there on our last day in Mont Saint-Michel. The restaurant  has a children's menu that serves a small sized omelette or roast chicken. My children had the chicken and roast potatoes and I tried the omelette with scallops. Okay, it was a good omelette; the eggs had been beaten into submission by the sous chefs, and it was fluffy and tasty. It was a good experience, but value for money? Not quite.
La Mère Poulard is the franchise name of Anne Boutiaut, who owned the famous auberge in the 1800s. The branding is not only at the restaurant; the village trades on it with the sale of the famous La Mère Poulard's cookies.