Moving...

Hey...I've since moved here, at http://ladymacaron.blogspot.com/ a blog all about french macaron & french itzy bitzy stuff. See you there!

xoxo Emmelyn

Molly Ringwald in The Breakfast Club

I love Molly Ringwald and her teen 80's flicks. The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, and I thought she and Robert Downey Jr. were the perfect couple in The Pick-Up Artist. My cousin who lives in Sydney is the one who introduced me to all her movies and she used to teased me about it. After commenting a few times that Molly always reminded her of me, especially in Pretty in Pink, as we both love making clothes, her curly short bob were like mine when I was small. That aside, I found out that we are pretty moody characters, she in her movies, me in real life. Again, That aside, I thought I'll introduce you to some of the greatest teen flicks of all time. Let's start with The Breakfast Club, a group of five students who had to spend detention together in small classroom and guess what, the whole film is mostly set in the detention room.

John, Andrew, Allison, Clair and Brian, all wondering and thinking what in the alien world do I deserve to be in detention...stuck with all these people! and yet...each has something that they can relate to each other.

What's so ironically fun to watch is that all of them each represent a different stereotype of teens, from the spoilt Claire played by Molly Ringwald, to the geeky Brian played by Anthony Michael Hall who teamed up again with her in Sixteen Candles (and reportedly dated when they filmed together!) Then there's the strange Allison, grungy and slightly mentally disturbed who has a therapist. John, the naughty kid who endears his father's physical abuse and of course it would not be complete without the popular sporty Andrew. Unlikely to be friends outside of detention, they all somehow bond and tells their story, with often hilarious upbeat scenes. The classic teen film of 1985 that made all of them the brat-pack nickname.

The princess of the group, she started off being a very spoilt and arrogant character, who later humbled herself and won the audience.

Aside from the classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off, I think Molly did a pretty awesome job cementing herself as the teen actress in her time with Matthew Broderick as the all time teen actor sensation. Don't you think so?

This is Molly in Pretty in Pink, she is not as wealthy as most of her peers in school and makes her own clothes. She falls for the most popular guy in school, a rich boy who is pressured to be in the same 'rich' group as everyone else. He falls for Andie played by Molly but in doing so he failed to withstand the peer pressure and at one turning point left her. She took it hard and...well you just have to watch the film to find out what happens, don't worry, it's a happy ending...bo-ha!

Anyway if you have not watched any of the films mentioned above, you are missing a huge chunk of your teen years, so to make it all up, do rent them and make sure you are watching them with a bucket full of popcorn! caramel flavor..yum.

Tien! It's 4th of July

Happy 4th of July friends in Paris, french people in Melbourne, francophiles all over the world and for Americans as well for their l'independence! What better way to do than to escape the crowds from the street than a morning scroll through Le jardin du luxembourg and munching on a nice sweet croissant au buerre. Lovely.

Le Multicouleur

Steamed Bun in multicolor craziness, made by my sister and I this afternoon. We decided to go 'imaginative' with the greens...ha ha ha actually she put too much green coloring. I think it should be called Le Monster instead. But they taste yum though. In my native country, they're called bolu kukus. 

R.I.P Michael Jackson

It takes a life to entertained a world.
Michael Jackson, Rest In Peace.

Here are some of my favorite MJ songs that you can see from you tube. Enjoy

Stranger to Moscow

The Just Don't Care About Us

Liberian Girl

Remember The Time

Billie Jean

main picture from zonamusical.net

Le Hamburger Macaron

Mesdames et Messieurs, je te présente, le hamburger. Taa daaaaaa...dripping with ketchup (red strawberry sorbet) stacked with Kraft cheese (white chocolate), patty beef (chocolate cream), fresh sliced tomato (sliced strawberries) and minty peppermint leaf (exactly what it is) and two very delicious buns (do I really need to explain myself?). So here it is, the joke of the day. Enjoy le hamburger macaron only in Melbourne.

Cours de MACARON

Voilà! The winning MACARONS: flavours left - right: Citron (lemon curd) -Chocolat Caramel (with baileys caramel)- Framboise (raspberry coriander infused)- Fidel Castro (w chili flakes) - and finally Menthe Glaciale (peppermint chocolate filling).

Here it is le cours de macaron that I participated today from 8am-3pm at Savours School in Brunswick today! I had such a wonderful time, the chef or le chocolatier by profession, Paul Kennedy guided us (...did most of it actually..ha ha I was told to stay put...) *cough* I'm accident-prone :O

So there were six Macarons flavors, each made differently according to it's country of origin, ranging from Italy, Spain and France. Surprisingly the most widely-used being the Spanish ones, the sugar doesn't need to be dissolved and less ingredients. However the macarons that I saw in Paris had a very nice gloss, and if you want to create that, then you must follow the French recipe, using more Almond flour.

Squeezing the paste from piping bag is tricky at first, you squirt from the bottom of the surface, be still, don't make a snake out of it, when you get the right size, flick the bag. Flick Flick Flick it! It will raise in the oven and it takes only 12-15min tops, bring it out and leave at room temperature for 20 minutes until it's ready for the filling.

Chef Paul said that Pierre Hermé leave his unfilled macarons for 24 hours until they softened, he is the iconic créme de la créme of French patisserie chef, however even the macarons from Ladurée are very chewy whereas the ones we made today are crunchier.


Of course ideally we would leave them for more than half a day until they softened. It's up to you really whether you'd prefer more of an Italian meringue texture or a gooey bite. I prefer the gooey gooey. To get the colours we wanted, you must experiment, trial and error, the raspberry macaron flavour should be in a rich red colour, but the chef opted for something subtle, which I also liked. In the future, I would really like to use natural colouring...from fruits perhaps or jams...??

This is the French recipe, they are flatter, more chewy and is my favourite because we sprinkle them with expensive metallic powder (70 dollar a pop!). The filling today is changed to blackberry, frozen then mixed with sugar, melted to become a liquidy sorbet. Refrigerated and then glazed on top of the macarons.

Aaaah don't they look so beautiful? he he he, these are done, the top rack holds the raspberry flavor with metallic glaze, and the second rack is caramel macaron with baileys cream filling. Next time I'll use a bit amount of butter for the filling as I don't really like that creamy mousse taste in my mouth. I'd prefer the caramel to be pure melted sugar, dark and clear.

I really enjoyed myself today, I wish I could rewind and go back again. I told my friend who came with me that for a day, I felt I was back in Paris. I didn't feel like I was in Melbourne, sorry, I have this love-hate relationship with this city.

Moreover, I can't wait to practice baking them, it'll be a challenge but I'll let you know how it goes of course. Next time, I'll tackle it using natural coloring perhaps, more classic flavors like vanilla, coffee, and pistachio. If you are interested in the course, go www.savourschool.com.au It's worth it! and you'll meet fancy characters while at it!

Bloc Color Magasin

pistache
citron
cerise
menthe glaciale

chocolat

café

Can't stop thinking about macaron flavours...

Le Pain Rustic

Ever since I arrived back in Melbourne, I have been craving for some good ol' rustic french bread just like the ones I buy in Paris every second day from Boulangerie Julien or Eric Kayser down in the 5eme arr. opposite the entrance of Rue Cardinal Lemoine, on Blvd. Saint Germain. Chewy, densey, filled with mix nuts, cranberries and apricots, they sometimes they call it le mixte, le fruits or just a small dollop of goodness for me. I love it as an after-lunch snack, healthy yet still sweet and quite filling with a cup of black coffee. So rather than doing an hour trip to Phillipa's on High Street everyday to get a good brown bread, I thought I should give a hand at making my own bread at home, another plus when you have lots of free time in the afternoon (cough*). So this week, I'm up to my third batch, and getting seriously addicted to it!

Can't wait to have my homemade bread in the morning! So this batch is filled with lots of cranberries, almonds, pumpkin seeds and a few other nameless nuts and sweet raisins. I used self-raising wholemeal flour and a few tablespoons of honey.

My favorite part is always when I'm shifting the wholemeal flour with tiny amounts of water and milk combined, and seeing the whole transformation of paste becoming a small dough in my sticky hands. I can't get enough it! It's quite therapeutic, especially when Desperate Housewives is on!

Stuffed with mixed nuts and cranberries. Really yum with yogurt, or toasted with a smear of honey or jam. A sweet tartine for breakfast.

A similar recipe I found which includes more of the necessary ingredients like yeast and salt can be followed as below (makes one big loaf)

3 1/2 cups of self raising wholemeal flour
1 cups of water
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/8 teaspoon instant yeast
2 tablespoons of honey
1 cup of trail mix with lots of cranberries

Mixed the flour with little bits of water and milk, knead and add all the ingredients gradually. Once it becomes a dough, leave at room temperature for 1 hour for it to rise (cover with a damp cloth) Add the trail mix at the end, make into a round shape and slice two thin lines at the top. Bake at 200 degrees for about 40-45 minutes. Make sure the insides are baked evenly before you take it out.

Lady Macaron

French macaroons at a local boulangerie at Rue de Sevres near Le Bon Marché in the 7eme arr.

Did you know that french Macaroons are slowly making it's mark outside of France? and I have a
feeling it will have similar-like effect of the cupcake phenomena when it first entered the New York scene and burst like waterfalls to every bakery and cake shops around the world. Little did anyone know outside of Paris, what is a french macaroon. Most of you reading this would probably already know what is the true french macaroons and how it actually look like (the image above is a giver) however for a minuscule of you who come across this article by sheer accident, here is a petit l'introduction to the differences of the macaroons you grew up eating - to the french version that for many le boulanger and I will tell you that this little gem is the true flag of France.

Like everyone else, I grew up with this version:
a cracky surface with a chewy texture made from egg whites, sugar and ground almonds. When I was growing up in Jakarta, I blurry remember eating them for the first time as a gift from someone who just came back overseas. I loved it instantly, from the sweet perfumy aroma from the almonds to the way it blends perfectly over a cup of hot milk. This version is called amaretti, originally from Italy and thought to have been made by the Italian monastery way before the 16th century.

The french version...is famously created by no other than Pierre Desfontaines Ladurée in the beginning of the 20th century. Today, Ladurée sells up to 16,000 macaroons each day from their three green painted salons, my favourite one is at Rue Bonaparte and my heart smiles each time I passed it on my way home. With more than 20 flavors and a new one added each month to last only for a couple of weeks until sold out, Ladurée is the true maker of french macaroons.

When I was in Paris, I had the fortunate chance to try many macaroons from different establishments, from the ones at Four Season where the serveuse secretly admitted that they were inferior to Ladurée's. And the different versions at countless local boulangeries in different arrondissements. Each one is beautifully tasty, I remember the rosé flavored macaroon from Jules Verne up above La Tour Eiffel that was uniquely rare in taste and aroma.

www.ladurée.fr

Of course no trip to Paris is ever fully complete without a visit to one of Ladurée salons. It is an experience even just to wait patiently at the long queues of tourists and french people alike waiting for their turn to be serve, and then goes the next daunting task of choosing which flavors you're after. Try the classic ones first if you're confuse, I always go for caramel with a salty after-taste from the au beurre salé, then for your next visits roll out your tonque with framboise, citron and fleur d’Oranger.

I have not seen any french macaroon here in Melbourne since I arrived. However if any of you have spotted these delicious diamonds around town, always leave a comment! Thank you

Warhol Madness

Two different Warhol exhibits at two different galleries in Saint-Germain. One was in Place de Furstenberg and Rue L'Université, is it Warhol season?

I'm Back!

I am back and feeling fresher than ever today eventhough it was raining hail this morning, and my hands and feet are close to freeeeziiingg...yes that's Melbourne!

I thought of doing a new blog and had actually signed up a new one but I deleted it after half an hour. Why? because I made a promised to myself I will come back to Paris and after all I fell in love because of my 90 days stay, so why not continue it...after all I dream of Paris every night...

So here it goes...my day-to-day thoughts on all things related to Paris...

The other day while I was finishing lunch with my cousin at Cooper and Milla's, High Street, Armadale, I found Grapeseed, a little cafe with tolix chairs from Paris! If you have been following my blog, you would know that I have this thing with Tolix, a french company specialising in chairs and is best known of course for their metal chairs. I can't believe I found them in Melbourne! It all started with Potato Head, my brother's restaurant in Jakarta that uses Tolix for their outdoor seating, then when I arrived in Paris, I started noticing them everywhere, in a little creperie, in a really cool boutique/warehouse in the 11eme arr. displayed as art, in markets with killer prices and in the Conran Gallery shop down in Rue du Bac, 7eme arr. Apparently Tolix is a household name there and it's iconic style and metal-made is very much recogniseable. The next time I'm in High Street, I'll definitely try Grapeseed.

Grapeseed is at 1084 High Street, Armadale. Tram no. 6 from Melbourne Central.

MERCI Paris

The owners are the same peeps behind Bonpoint, an exclusive children clothing brand from Paris that has art-like window displays and most of their shops in the seventh arrondissement.

On the way back home, I had kept a note to visit this newly-opened giant boutique, Merci that has been getting loads of favorable attention from blogger and french people as well. The warehouse-like building with high ceilings, combining lots of black steel and aluminium is a very cool shop indeed. At first I was very sceptical because a lot of french has been saying that the clothes are way to expensive and all just 'for show' but you know what, I loved it. Just the way I would imagine it if one day I have my own place. They have vintage furniture, french-designers clothes, perfumery by Anick Goutal and homewares in the top floor. The concept is anything but new, but they did it well and I would recommend it for anyone visiting Paris.

An old fiat, if I'm correct? Stuffed with plants and flowers. A cool display of spontaneous art.

Au Revoir Paris

Yes, malheuresement, my time's up and I'm returning to Melbourne, not anticipating it obviously but I know I will be back soon, not exactly sure as I don't want to jinx it, but I think I've develop a fine relationship with this city. I'm actually surprising my parents back in Australia, they don't know I'm coming back on Monday night. Honestly I'm not too sure how they'll react, shock...and probably wondering why I'm back so soon. But I came here with or without the intention of staying for 90 days, I thought I'd cruise in, see how it goes etc...But it's been pretty intense this couple of days. My landlady didn't take it so well, I'm sad too, she's très gentille, beautiful, elegant and oh she's just a great person. I have a habit of vanishing without telling so I guess I gotta work on that...

Anyway, every blogger on Paris does it...so perhaps I should do it to, no actually I've always wanted to do it...So here it goes

10 Things Why I Love Paris

1. The L'Air. Often I would close my eyes for a moment while I'm walking, it's usually when I feel so at ease with mysefl, in with that particular moment. Everything seem to be in perfect motion, the air of Paris.

2. The Boulangeries, yes not just the bread, but the facade, the beautiful handiwork, the actual place with old ceramic tiles, little cherubs flying over the ceilings of bygone era, and the anticipation of getting your bread, the aroma, the taste and the funny french ladies behind the counter who always says "Bonne Journée" truthfully.

3, The French Women. They walk with an expression of anticipation, like as if they are searching for something, always in the look out for suspension. Their natural l'air de la mode, très naturel, fashion so understatedly elegant.

4. Rue de Buci, Rue Bonaparte, Rue de L'Université Three of my favourite streets in Paris around Saint-Germain that I passed every single day. The cool galleries in Rue de L'Université, the bistro cafés in Rue de Buci, where Picasso used to do his food shopping, and of course the Laduree in Rue Bonaparte with its playful-trademark green walls, a soft candy palette of boxes arrayed on the shelves. I smile whenever I pass it.

5. The Latin Quartier: from the end of Boulevard Saint-Germain on the 6eme arr to the start of Rue Cardinal Lemoine, The Pantheon, Rue Mouffetard, the little old cinemas with just one or two viewing rooms inside, Rue Monge that stretches endlessly with the most authentic boulangeries, the calm feeling I get when I am walking around there opposite to the Institute du Monde Arabe. Yes everything in Paris seem to evoke a sense, a feeling...

6. My room: my polly-pocket room I call it, with the pink toiles de jouy bedspread, tablecloth and a little rack that holds my clothes. The antique green dresser, the high window with red curtain and of course, the violet sky, the night that never turns into a night that sleeps with me every night.

7. The Yogurt: If you never tasted french yogurt, then you don't know what real yogurt taste like! thick, condesed, milky, fresh, it's like having it straight from the cow! I especially love the Caillé brand. Oh how I will miss it.

8. The Brocantes: The fleamarkets, Yes they are actually the same as the ones in Australia, but it's so celebrated here they have themes that go with each event, or they set it up for a week and when you go visit one it's like being in a entirely different world.

9. The Food Market: Each arrondissement has one or two fresh market that's open every couple of days a week, my best-pick so far is the Bastille Market however I passed the Raspail Market on the way to school on most days. I especially love the chocolat chaud à l'ancienne there on a cold Sunday morning. Perfect!

10. Lastly, it's Paris, the city itself. Everything, when my teacher, the lovely Linda asked everyone to express our dislikes of Paris, I could not think of anything. I just love everything about it, it's so strange for a lot of friends I'm sure, they've had some bad experiences I'm sure, but since the day I've arrived, on that cold Sunday morning, coming out of the Eurostar at Gare de L'Est, I knew right there in that moment, that this city is in favour with me, and I am here to enjoy it!

Au revoir Paris, je n'oublierai pas, et je vous voir bientôt!

As requested...

For *Lady Jicky* A photo of the Kenzo satchel/slig bag I got from the Brocante de Printemps du 3eme, with my unsuccessful attempt at bargaining the price down.

I could not resist the logo. Sometimes I wonder why I wasn't born Japanese...I am always assumed a Japanese...I think it runs somewhere along my bloodline...and why can't I be french..?

Comité des Fêtes fleamarket

So this morning I went to one of the biggest event in Paris, that's on twice a year! That is....The antiques & vide greniers in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris. The second biggest fleamarket after Porte de Clignancourt in the 18th. Called the Brocante de Printemps, the venue is a step away from Le Marais and Bastille. By the time all the vendeur spilled their stuff into the table, the whole area looks like a treasure box flipped inside out. Literally. I know my brother who loves vintage and antiques will go crazy if he was here, it's like a little kid who was lost in a giant toy store. He would spend hours and hours for sure.

You can find absolutely anything here, name it and I'm sure you will find it. There is a guy who sells vintage luggages, from Louis Vuitton to nameless brands in immaculate conditions. Not that I'd go for those stuff, but my brother would....I didn't particularly want to get anything in particular, because we have the exact market but in a quarter of the size in Melbourne with almost the same kinds of antiques (a quarter of the price tags too) but I thought if I did found anything I reaaaallllllyyyy like, then I'll get it. And that was just the story with me the whole time I was there. I was kinda subconsciously looking for a nice leather bag, and well I found a nice seaweed (more like very dark muted army green) leather Kenzo satchel that this french lady was selling. I've always been a fan of Kenzo, his collection are very understated yet each are very well thought of, elegantly chic, which is why the French lovveeeess his stuff. So all the time I kept circling the area, then after a few hours of rotating the whole place....in the end I thought, oh well, it's such a bargain and this is Paris after all. So I bought it! Happy, no regrets!

Le Cinema à Paris

At the moment, I'm in that stage where I'm feeling very nostalgic about this place they called The City of Light. By the way, it is originally called city of light not because there is many lights that brightens up this city, although that is also very true, but it started as a city with many poets, writers, artists, philosophers etc that it was nicknamed the city with many smart people, hence where the word light appears. Anyway, back to feeling nostalgic, probably the mood that best describe me at the moment is très relaxé, I don't make a strict plan-ahead schedule I usually made up in my head at the start of the day anymore. If I want to catch a movie, I'll go and see one in the many cinemas around around the Latin quartier, hidden in tiny little rooms where you would probably will not recognise it as a cinema without looking up the address first in the Internet. Little neon lights, an empty booth, the light is usually switch off and there are hardly a living soul in le salle. But so far, I've had great experiences!

Paris Je T'aime, is a great movie, recommended by a cousin who lived in London, who lived in Sydney and came from Indonesia. I think this film represent not just the idea about Paris, but about different culture mixing together and for a foreigner coming to Paris or to another foreign land, there is a lot to absorb and this film transcends all ethnicity and background, that no matter if you're Chinese, Americans, English, Arabs or Japanese, I think everyone can enjoy it, as long as they watch it with the subtitles. It comprises of 17scenes directed by more than 12 directors, each with different actors.

Often I go to a café, read my book for awhile, eat my sandwich and do my french homework in between. I am enjoying my days here very much, although a tiny (or growing increasingly bigger by the day) part of me is always reminding me of future plans, how I can't wait to start a small jersey collections, silky cardigans de soie, soft flowy materials...of my drawings, of watercolours...

A Brazilian friend d'un certain âge, just retired and is definitely enjoying his retiring days of traveling Paris and taking up intensive french class in between with his wife in the other class! bravo! and sat next to me in each class (we all sit at the same table each day, like an automatic habit) so we always partnered up whenever there are conversation role-plays. Anyway...He told me to watch Chéri and said it was very good. So off I went to this tiny little old cinema at Rue Mouffetard today and well well well...what a film. Shock and surprise ending, well that's obvious since it's french, they always leave the audience either feeling bewildered, speechless or just utterly shocked...a film written by one of the most celebrated french writer, Colette, who also wrote the classic GiGi, quelle surprise non? this movie is definitely not for everyone, I liked it but hey I'm a francophile...So beware, I've warned you!

There are over fifty cinemas around the 6eme and 5eme arrondissement of Paris, that starts from the Place St-Germain-des-Pres all the way from Boulevard Saint-Germain, passing Metro Odeon with three cinemas within eyesight just when you reach the top staircase of the metro, then all the hidden ones around the Panthéon, Sorbonne and a handful so small it takes a courage to enter. Good thing for me I live around this area, and I am loving it! An insightful blogger recommended me to watch Villa Amalia with no other than Isabelle Huppert, recently the head judge of Cannes Film Festival and is probably the most celebrated of French cinema second to Catherine Deneuve (who I passed in Melbored end of last year!).

May the cinema force be with you this week! Enjoy a movie or two and don't forget to use a SPF 30 sunblock when you go out to the Sun, don't want to start looking like an orange peel too soon... and I've seen a few around Paris... euh*

Comfort & Joy: a novel

Comfort & Joy by Kristin Hannah.

This book I picked up at Shakespeare & Co. yesterday afternoon simply because I liked the cover, the 3euro bargain price and thought to myself "Oh how bad can a book with a title of comfort and joy be thaaaat bad..." and you know what, I finished the book the same night!! It was so good I could not put it down...The story is truly mesmerizing and teared my eyes a handful of times. It is a story about a librarian who had previously been utterly dissapointed at how things happened between her ex husband and some family members of her, and one day she bought a ticket on impulse just to get away from her past and found herself in a plane accident in a town not far away from Seattle. She encountered a little cottage owned by this guy and his son who had experienced a similar tragedy. She tried to help them and in the process learnt many wonderful lessons from her friendship with the little boy. It is really not one of those romantic novels you'd think it's just about a woman falling in love etc and so on, the victim etc etc... It is about believing and finding faiths in unexpected places and the joy that comes with simple gestures...I love it so much! Now I'm desperate to read a new novel but has too much stacked in my side table...not too sure how I'm going to bring them back to Australia...perhaps I'll give some away... :(

Un Mariage de Rêve

or released as Easy Virtue in the United States.

One of the reason the French Language is utterly intricate and complicated is that some words when joined as sentences and translated, are not what you think they would mean in English or is not as easy to translate as you would think. Such as this. I thought un mariage de rêve is translated as a marriage of dream, a woman's vision of her dream wedding, a film about having a great wedding and all those things wonderful about a wedding. But pas du tout! Not at all, when I looked up the English title, it was Easy Virtue! Woaah, that is so totally different meaning that what I thought the movie is about but when you think harder and search the meaning of virtue and of course have watched the film, everything made sense. In definition, virtue means having goodness, righteousness, and moral excellence. Easy Virtue is something as near-impossible of quality to attain if you are...lets say, a human living in this kinda-world. The film is not what I had expected, but I enjoyed very much watching all the commotions and problems that arises between the character of Jessical Biel as an American newlywed, entering a wealthy 'proper' English family. The fits and fights reached to a peak at the end of the movie, and the ending is surprising and I recommend the movie to everyone, particularly women of all ages.

When you think about it, a marriage of a dream can also means a collections of dreams, hopeful things that one wishes to gain or expects to have, yet often are dissapointed as real life promises the opposites. I guess one must watch the film to really understand why Easy Virtue would be translated to Un Mariage de Rêve. The lead character of Jessica Biel is the centrepoint of the film, for a bit of summary and I hope I don't dissapoint you in telling this, is that she is what the meaning of the film is about, in the end, even though she has the darkest history from all the English aristocrats characters around her, she has the imperfect virtue of a character.

Anyway from French translations to all this definitions, I must stop or I will trail into other dimensions...Hope you get to see this film when it comes out in DVD :)

Festival Jazz à Saint-Germain-des-prés

A group of jazz ensemble over at the corner of Saint-Germain-des-prés. The Jazz festival is until the 25th May. Come over to Saint-Germain to see all the action!

The next door church at the same location that says Easter: Christ Lives - Risen! Oh yeah!

L'Ascension

A photo of the sky in Budapest, around 6 30pm, the day my cousin celebrated her wedding by throwing a memorable dinner in a beautiful old mason. I looked up the sky and saw a trail of what looks like the cloud tail of a plane perhaps? I recently watched a short clip of a French director's view of Paris and he said that when you walk the streets of a city, always look up, the view of the top is as equally interesting as the view below. Paris is one city that has interesting tops!

Today 21 May 2009 is Ascension Day in Paris, a national public holiday that commemorates the day when Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven following his crucifixion and resurrection, according to Christian belief. It the 40th day of Easter and is ten days before Pentecost Sunday. Public holidays in Paris is a tranquil day, there is not much happening, yet it is very lovely to walk the silent streets as you will feel or I usually feel that Paris belongs to me. All mine :)

Pray and Reflect about your life, Thank God and I hope you all have a blessed day.

"The Sweet Life in Paris" David Lebovitz

The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz. His sixth book, his recent was The Perfect Scoop, an ice cream recipe book, I have red great reviews about it, definitely a must-by if you love making homemade ice creams or if you fancy eating it :)

The book's cover is the facade of Laduree in Rue Bonaparte, 6eme arr, about a five minutes walk from where I live. It is a very beautiful corner, and everyone who passes it will slowly paced their walk and admire the colourful Laduree packagings on the glass window and for those who loves macaroons, I mean who doesn't? those cute round little cookies glued together with sweet filings, will go inside and buy a couple to munch on the way home.

The funny, whiney (self-confessed) Mr. David Lebovitz at his book signing today at WHSmith at 248 Rue de Rivoli, 1eme arr. I had a great time listening to his reading of whacky emails he received from fans reading his blog. Since 2002, David L. has been living in Paris, he shares his hilarious and just everyday crazy encounters with the French in his popular blog while writing recipe books, doing chocolate tours and just enjoying Paris and loving it more and more.

Once you love this city, it's hard to leave it behind...n'est pas?

I will surely enjoy my Sweet Life in Paris, Thank You David! All the way from Indonesia... :)