FNAC, the French equivalent to Best Buy or Circuit City, memorializes the protests of May 68 on all of their shopping bags, replacing their usual logo with a revolutionary fist. May 68 court toujours ≈ May 68 is still alive.
Galeries Lafayette has paired up with Hello Kitty as part of their "Asiatic" theme, and the results are irresistible. Stuffed animals, coffee mugs, reusable shopping bags, stationary products: they all feature that famous Japanese cat against the Paris skyline and Galeries Lafayette logo. Yes, I bought the big shopping bag. And it took all my willpower not to buy the mug at the same time!
R and I had been running around all day, and we needed to stop and breathe before we rushed on to dinner with friends. We first went by l'Epicerie, but as usual it was totally packed, so R suggested this place. Loved it! So cute, great menu, great atmosphere, great happy hour specials, ok service: a keeper for sure.
I got my usual pot of earl grey, while R took advantage of their happy hour special of tartine + 50cl beer for 3.90€. His "flambeur" tartine was true to its name, basically a tarte flambee -- melted cheese, cream, onions, and bacon, served piping hot on a wooden cutting board -- and so good that it was gone by the time my camera was out. They also have afternoon tea specials: for the same price you get your choice of hot beverage and dessert. And not to mention their lunch specials and enormous salads! I can't wait to try this place for lunch. AND it's open on Sundays!
This replica of the Statue of Liberty is right outside of Colmar, where Frédéric Bartholdi was born. It's actually in the middle of a traffic circle, and I did a double take as we were going around it, but was still able to take a photo in time. Just not what I expected when traveling along a French road.
and that church
We didn't go into the museum, but I did treat myself to one each of these meringues from their adjoining bakery:
Mmmmm.
(Felin Hargneux, mal nourri means Bad-tempered Cat, malnourished)
So I'm not a huge fan of foie gras, but this was ok with me since it was more like a delightfully buttery spread. That I can do, especially when I'm hungry!
The herbs and slow-roasted tomato vinaigrette were fabulous, fabulous enough for me to stomach the cold salmon (again -- just got unlucky with set menu, but hey, I liked the stuff I normally don't so it all worked out).
OK, so the slimy, salty, oysters didn't go over so well. R liked them fine enough though.
Only...I like my lamb medium rare! And the waiter had asked, and we had specified this. But by the time we got it, a few pieces were properly cooked but most were brown through and through. This is how I like my lamb. It seem silly for me to be making such a big deal out of this, but is it so wrong to expect things to be properly cooked in a one-star restaurant?
Souffle and grapefruit sorbet. Simple and sweet.
Here you see the thin cookies on the right, the mini-madeleines and rose marshmallows in the middle, and the sugar, candied orange, and chocolate truffles to the left. I liked the truffles the best, but I also enjoyed the marshmallows.
make Expat Directoryyour first port of call
