paris on my mind

what I wouldn't give for:
a madeleine from rue Vavin
a glass of kir with France
a metro ride to tuilleries
a gallette from Marche Raspaille on Sunday morning
a midnight snack with Gino at hotel de chevreuse
a dance at v.i.p. room
a trip to chinatown
a paris raindrop
a moonlit jardin Luxembourg
my blue pantheon, my pont neuf promenade
bus-ride through Odeon, I see galleries, Japanese teapots, my eyes wide open
oh my city, bon vivant!

le Marais - petite histoire

Old Paris as one might remember from idyllic French movies or past excursions can still be found today in Le Marais. Layers of history enliven this culturally eclectic quarter in the 3rd arrondissement with avant-garde style, color, and an ancient wisdom that goes beyond the facades of bright bistros and funky shops. The energy is entrancing and the artful way of life—the small baker where you go every morning for croissant, the shop owner who sells beautiful paper, the petit restaurant down a hidden side street—unforgettable.

Le Marais, meaning “marsh,” has seen countless transformations: from a river swampland to an elite fashionable district for 17th century nobles, to a deteriorated wasteland after the Revolution. The Nineteenth century and first half of the Twentieth century saw industry, immigrants, and wartime hardship. Finally in the 1960s, the beautiful, historical buildings were rebuilt and placed under protection by the city. Today Le Marais is once again a center of culture, fashion, and growing prosperity.

Essential Visits

Place des Vosges –
Oldest square in Paris surrounded by a picturesque arcade and 17th century mansions, including Maison Victor Hugo.

Rue Franc Bourgeois –
Small designers, shoe shops, galleries, home decorating boutiques.

Centre Pompidou, Beaubourg–
Museum of Modern Art, exhibits, cinemas, library, and restaurant with a fabulous panoramic view from the top floor.

Musée Picasso –
Lavish 17th century mansion housing several thousand diverse works: paintings, sculptures, drawings, ceramics, engravings, and manuscripts, with several works by Cézanne and Matisse.

Mariage Frères Tea Salon–
Teatime luxury elevated to an art: fine teas, elegant colonial décor, and waiters all in white.

Temple, Jewish quarter –
Rue des Rosiers: yiddish markets, bakeries, bookstores, menora shops.

Cacao et chocolat –
36, rue Vieille du Temple. More types of chocolate than you knew existed from all over the world, plus hot chocolate and ice cream.

édéa –
47, rue de Turenne: Beautiful wooden décor from Cameroon, produced in an eco-friendly and ethical way.

Le Loir dans la théière –
3, rue de Rosiers. Small tea salon, amazing quiches (tartes salées) and omelettes for brunch. Funky décor and kid-friendly.


Travel Tip- Visit Le Marais on Sundays when many other neighborhoods are closed—but beware of the weekend crowds. If you prefer less people, choose a weekday.

(this article was first published in the fall 2004 issue of April Cornell - The Art of the Everyday)

hankering for haute couture

I recently saw the movie "The Devil Wears Prada" and walked away wondering what is so wrong with fashion anyhow? The beauty of a well-tailored piece seamlessly styled has the power to make any right-minded individual look--and feel--good. And what's so wrong with looking good these days? In the delirious campaign to shine their light of "inner beauty" from the highest of rooftops, we've lost sight of the importance of outer beauty--the art of self-presentation. It's not an issue of personal tastes; it's an issue of laziness. Anne Hathaway's character in the movie displays a sense of excitement and confidence with her new makeover. That confidence allows her a certain level of independence as she's faced with some tough decisions and circumstances. And yet, though she keeps the heeled boots at the end of the movie, she chooses to lose all of the wonderful clothes as though the clothes themselves were a symbol of her wayward path, and I have to ask why? Is this to teach us a lesson in the superficial? In the needless industry of fine threads? That's just one side of the story. With some imagination and resourcefulness, a nice presentation doens't really have to cost anything. And the result can make you feel like a million bucks.

new summer cocktail

I love happening upon a treasure and the other day was no exception. While shopping at IKEA of all places, I laid my eyes upon a glistening bottle of elderflower concentrate, stuff which I thought was only available back in Europe. My mind brought me back to summers in the English countryside, in my grandmother's garden where we made bucketfuls of the sweet citrusy stuff and saved it in the larder. So I bought the bottle (a Swedish commercial version of that favorite summer cordial) for $4.59. When I got home, however, the taste--even watered down--was so acrid, I almost tossed it, until I arrived at a brilliant idea: what if I used it to make a cocktail?

So I poured over ice 1 part cordial to 1 part white rum, added a splash of sweetened lime juice, a sprig of fresh mint, and topped it off with sparkling water. Voila. And the result was, well, the New Summer Cocktail (n.s.c). My sister will kill me for divulging the secret. But I had to write it down somewhere. Two days later, the cordial was almost gone, so I watered it down with some Grand Marnier and the result was just as sweet and refreshing.

Here's to summer cocktails.

elderflower cordial

Summer always brings to mind the elderflower, a wonderfully fragrant English blossom that preceeds the berries of the elder tree. The floral citrusy bouquet of a New Zealand sauvignon blanc, often described as grapefruit or leechee, is in my mind very similar to the elderflower. As a child, my sisters and I would make a sweet, syrupy cordial from the blossoms that grew behind my grandmother's garden on The Avenue in Sherborne, Dorset.

Don’t mistake the store-bought cordials or concentrates for the real deal. The only true elderflower cordial is that which you make yourself.

ingredients:
2kg (4½lb) Sugar
1.14lt (2 pints) Boiling Water
20 Elderflower Heads
80g (2¾ oz) Citric Acid
2 Lemons, grated rinds, sliced

to make:
Shake elderflower heads to ensure they are free of insects.
Place the water into a large saucepan and ring to the boil.
Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
Add the grated rind and sliced lemon, plus the citric acid.
Place the elderflower heads in a bowl, pour over the boiling water.
Leave for at least 12 hours covered with plastic wrap.
Sieve the liquid, to remove the solids.
Strain the liquid through muslin or even a coffee filter to clarify.
Dilute and add to sparkling water or Gin and soda.

Recipe couresty of the Foody.com