Le Parfum

Why don't they make perfume bottles like this anymore?
Panthere de Cartier circa 1987 miniature bottle.

From Porte de Vanves market, 15eme arr.

Muesli Date Yogurt

Fruits in Spring seem to look brighter and happier in Paris. I have notice just recently that strawberries and blueberries are in. Every fruit grocer in the markets seem to be in a contest with each other, of who has the shiniest, most gigantic looking strawberries, their red skin glistening with the reddest of hues. For me, I just love seeing them, piled high in their carton boxes, so clean without a speck of dust. Now, I've been asked what sort of fertilizers those French farmers use, but I've actually just found out that, most of the markets I've visited are organic-friendly.

So...lets just say, they were born perfect.

The fruits display here are from Rue Poncelet Marché Alimentaire in the 8eme arrondissement. A small pedestrian street, tucked between Avenue Wagram and about 15minutes from Arc de Triomphe, closest Metro is Ternes.

Slurp, I can just gulp them down in one minute! I remember an uncle who had a bad case of diarrhea when my sister and I gave him a box of fresh blueberries we just picked from this little forest near our late-grandmother's house in Vancouver. Since that day, the sight of blueberries and fruits that ends with berries always reminds me of the Vancouver incident. Nevertheless, I still love them.

I was slightly dissapointed of this bakery so highly praised in David Lebovitz's blog, first of all, the colour green didn't appeal to my taste as I was picturing a more antique traditional looking bakery. I guess it's due to this new location, as the original is at the 20eme arrondissement, also this is more of a salon de the. They didn't have old-fashioned baguettes or simple stuffed sandwiches. The ones I saw were prepacked in transparent foil and started from 4.80euro! Trop cher!


The ricotta tarts weren't impressive either. :(
Though, I like the pink-paper packaging.

Dinner was the highlight of the day I'd say :))))) plain natural yaourt with almonds stuffed dates, a good throw of muesli mix with raisins and crunchy little things I got from MonoPrix. YUUUM

and the french conversation class I took with a friend at this church near l'Hôtel de Ville. Weather was terrible though today. Oh well tomorrow is Sunday! which means....cereal bread from Bastille Market!.............and church :))))))

Hold Steady There

The Mini Coopers and The French

I think The Mini Coopers represent The French People in so many ways. And I have seen so many of these minis parked in the tiniest imaginable space in the streets of Paris, often I wonder how it managed to park itself or unparked. The mini coopers are eccentrics little cars, with their own funny streaks of colors, deceptively fast when one needs to be, quick little machine that has their own little funny characteristics.

Don't underestimate the mini coopers.

Grocery

Nothing exciting really happen today, other than I studied and did my French homework and some other exercises for four hours in the library with a friend apres la classe. On my way home I stopped at Monoprix at Rue de Rennes and shopped for a few daily food items, such as

Milk, Orange juice, Riz au lait Nature, and fiber biscuit with Fig and bran called Figue et Son. After reaching home and eating my biscuit with my yaourt, I had a thorough read at the back of the box. Apparently one in three French women suffers from intestinal problems...well that is 75% of women. Ahem*...if you know what I mean, the product called it la paresse intestinale, lazy intestinal. Ha-ha-ha. I am definitely not one in three French women suffering from 'lazy in and out'...I have a very smooth le transit every morning thank you very much from eating those fiber stuff two weeks in a row now!

Apologize for some of you eating while reading my blog. But this* has always been a fascinating topic for me. *healthy food, diet, vegetarian, etc etc...

I find most biscuit shelves in French supermarche are packed with these sort of products yet they don't have all the big labels on the box saying "Fibre-Diet-Healthy-Fat Free" unlike the products in Australia or in America. Everything seem to be very discreet, not obvious to the amateur eyes and presented in the most appealing ways so you are not embarrass when you get to the crowded counter at peak hour. I find the French here are very serious people, very reserved, they don't show the slightest....how do I say it...la gêné..My virtual dictionary described it as: uncomfortable, shy, akward, ashamed, ill at ease...you get my point?