Partager Paris - Marché Ave du Président Wilson

Cooking with the seasons

After a night out at the American Library, listening to Susan Herrmann Loomis  talk about seasonal cooking, which I am a great believer. 

I went to bed with only one thought for the next day ...
to celebrate the changing seasons ... be sure to make it to a new market.   Its my bi-weekly outing now.  

So, ...I just got back from the Marché Ave du Président Wilson, Also Called the Marché du Pont de l'Alma, an open aired market in the 16th. It takes place every Wednesday and Saturday morning, from about 7am to 2:30 pm.   Its so close to the 7th, a bus 92 away.  

to be as red as a tomato (to be embarrassed)

What a market.  A real “total senses” adventure, the colors of the flowers, the fruits and vegetables, the spices, the smell of it all, the setting ... in the middle of one of the most affluent areas of Paris, right around the corner form the YSL museum (another something to put in your agenda), the feel of the excitement of what you are going to cook when you get home, tasting the seasonal fruits as you move from vendor to vendor ....  so, with figs, cepes, the last of the heirloom tomatoes, fresh thyme, regional honey, and a bit of autumn color in the form of one large hortensia bloom, I politely pushed my way onto the bus.  Thinking over that I really could have carried that polka-dotted scarf ... 

To put one's two cents in

This market brings me completely alive. I don’t care that it is raining.  I stay excited the whole time I am there.   Its one of the largest markets of Paris, one with the largest assortment of fruits, vegetables, clothing, spices, meats, fish, leather products, undies and socks, that I have encountered.  I have this small rule, not stringent of course,  which is to walk all the way through a market before I pull out my porte monnaie.    I want to see what’s fresh, who has the best prices, and where most of the people are gathered.  

I don't have any money!

I went there particularly to find a certain direct producer, Joel Thibault.  He is famous for his produce and many of the finest restaurants praise his produce.  I never actually found him ... 

la prochaine fois ... next time I will try to follow my own rules !

PPxx

“

Partager Le Ciel Blue

Le Pont de Alexandre III

Today was one of those beautiful days ...

one of those kind of days when it is a sin to be inside.

If you are planning your trip to Paris, September is a wonderful time of the year to visit.

It has a special feel in the air, sort of like "last call" type of feel since we know that cool, rainy weather is near, gray days that I like to refer to as "romantic", much less depressing, I think.  

So, wherever you are,  

this type of blue sky weather won't last forever ... 

so PROFITEZ ! 

PPxx

Partager La Rentrée

La Rentrée - has arrived once again in Paris.  
This will be my 12th, I think ...

Life begins again in France; the stores open, our favorite restaurants are serving again, the sidewalks are full, and places on the bus are harder to find.

It is the time of the year when you review what you want in your life, rid yourself of those activites that didn’t quite work out, and replace them with others that are more interesing, maybe more lucrative, and at least more fun.  A time to begin again ... 

Life is but a dream, you know.

The talk on the street during the first weeks of La Rentrée is called les raconter, bascially to recant your summer vacation.  An adult version of “what I did on my summer vacation” by ... 

Friends and neighbors organize parties around this “Raconter”.    I’ve learned to take notes at these gathereings, so I can begin planning my next bridge weekend.  There are so many holidays in this part of the world, that one should always have a list ready of places to go and things to do in the coming year.  

Do not be caught with No Plan and No where to go.  

and another rule of French etiquette I learned while away:

"Never turn down the cheese course"

Here are a few raconters of my own during some time in the south 

in Ville-les-Avignon and Agde... 

with Mr. T, of course!!

Dream house in Burgundy 

Along the way, we decided to take a small detour thru the Burgundy region.  I highly admire the wines of this region, the land rolls with vineyards in every direction, and the small stone houses make me dream. 

Villeneuve-les-Avignon  La Prieure

A real dream place to stay.  We had never stayed at a Chateau-Relais before, and if La Prieure is an example of the standard of service and beauty of the surroundings, we have been missing it!  The Prieure is a renovated convent in the city of Villeneuve-les Avignon.  A lovely little city with many nooks and crannies to investigate.  The  hotel itself was absolutely lovely, with a Michelin 1- star restaurant available in the gardens of the convent.  The service was pleasant and always present, but carefully hidden from your view.  A sense of calm was felt under the trees in the courtyard that I wish I could have taken with me in a small bottle to be worn around my neck.  In the hopes that one of the "pont weekends"  will bring us back, I've circled it in red on my Where to Go List.

Plus, I turned down the cheese course.  I must make amends.

Avignon Bridge

Famous!!

Rooftop Terrasse in Agde

Agde is one of the oldest towns in France.  I would run up to the rooftop to watch the sun come up ... and search for other roof dwellers like you would find in Istanbul ...
A city with winding streets and a market that takes up the whole town!

Welcome back and hope your Rentrée starts with a bang!

Life is but a dream,

PPxx