Blog Love

Check out the too cool for school blog, Paris vs New York - a tally of two cities.  Graphic designer Vahram Muratyan describes the blog as "A visual but friendly match between those two cities seen by a lover of Paris wandering through New York's infinite details, clichés and contradictions."  Enjoy!

And my absolute favourite -



Having just visited the Big Apple and having a well known love of all things French, I understand the humour.  I think it is just so clever.  Genius!

It's beginning to look a lot like ...

The official lighting ceremony of holiday decorations along the famous Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris took place on the evening of 22 November.   The Avenue is now awash with Christmas lights and flashing LED lights have been hung on the trees to create a "snowflake" effect.



French actress Mélanie Laurent (Inglorious Basterds) was this year's guest to illuminate the Champs-Elysées.  She was accompanied by Bertrand Delanoë, the Mayor of Paris.

So pretty!  (And, wish I was there ...)

Photos courtesy of Zimbio.com

Obsession?

As you can probably glean from previous posts, I have a little obsession.



I am a little obsessed with the Eiffel Tower.



Particularly when it's sparkly.



It is only a little obsession.



Really (!)



Photos are my own.

Cop an Eiffel

I thought I would treat myself, being my last day in Paris and all, with lunch up the Eiffel Tower. But I was sorely disappointed ...

1. Order
2. Take buzzer
3. Wait for buzzer to buzz
4. Take a wire basket
5. Collect meal, each course packaged in a separate container
6. Take basket back to your table and hope no one has stolen your prime position at the window.

(The only redeeming feature of service is that your wine is poured at your own table.)

By now you're probably wondering what I ordered:

Soupe à L'oignon Gratinée?
Boeuf Bourguignon?
Crème brûlée?

No. (Remember I said sorely disappointed?)

No French fare ... a Cheeseburger and strawberry cheesecake were the pick of the bunch.

It was about now I found out the fine dining restaurant, Le Jules Verne, was closed for renovations. Oh well, there's always next time.

Lucky the views are worth it ...

Photos are my own.

Chocolat ...

Debauve & Gallais ... French chocolatiers ... mmm!

Sulpice Debauve, pharmacist to King Louis XVI and official purveyor to the French royal court, opened his first chocolate and tea shop on the left bank of Paris in 1800. In 1819 the company received the royal warrant as purveyors to the French court and was the official chocolate supplier of Kings Louis XVIII, Charles X and Louis Philippe. The company adopted their current name after Debauve’s nephew Antoine Gallais joined the company in 1823.


Introduced by Debauve, this range of chocolate "coins" was first developed for Queen Marie Antoinette in order to ease her distate for taking medicines. She was so delighted with them that Monsieur Debauve was commissioned to create an entire collection called the Pistoles de Marie Antoinette.

Their range of “Bonbons” – equally delectable! The bonbon assortments are encased in Debauve & Gallais' official trademark blue, gray, and gold embossed box and were handmade exclusively for royalty before finally becoming available to the public in 1913.





For the extreme chocolate fan, “The Louis XVI” is for you at just $900 USD (=$1,025 AUD). The Louis contains the Royal 70 assorted bonbons, Pistoles de Marie Antoinette collection, Les Annes Folles, as well as an assortment of bouchees, Carres, and Mini-Tablettes.


Don’t forget what else is on offer – Tea, which, according to their website, the Debauve & Gallais teamaster sources by “traversing continents, crossing oceans, and braving mountains to bring you only the rarest and the finest in your cup”…




Thé Marie Antoinette - Combination of a delicate China White Tea and White Chocolate


Images courtesy of Debauve & Gallais