So, I've started to move down the fridge. I have almost tried all of the soft cheeses from France and Quebec, and am now moving across the fridges towards the harder and other European cheeses.
I'm not sure if I've had Gouda before. It tastes, like cheese. Seriously, it tastes like basic orange cheese. Kinda salty. Kinda like those Kraft singles slices that I would fold up into a cube and eat as a kid.
So, the Old Amsterdam 18 months is from North Holland, Huizen to be exact. As the label from the shop says, "Fromage a pate ferme pressee et cuite vieilli 18 mois." (Google translation here)
Meh, nothing too special for this cheese. I'd eat it again, but I'd try other cheeses first.
Monday, August 29, 2016
Tuesday, August 02, 2016
Coming home
I'm in Neuch right now. I feel like I'm home.
While I only spent three years of my life here, they were formative ones. I moved here to start my (first) career. It was my first job and I had just graduated from university (the first, wait no, actually the second, time). I was young, effervescent (I've recently worried a lot about whether or not I've lost this characteristic), and eager to take on the world.
Everything was wonderful and an adventure.
And here I am again, all these years later. The same person, but so very different.
Even taking my first steps in the Zurich airport felt so good. Getting on the train and hearing the familiar announcement over the intercom made me feel more relaxed (which I needed). Disembarking the train in Neuchatel and been surrounded by such familiar sights, sounds, and smells was so lovely.
I've spent the past two days trying to slow down. And just be. Here.
I'm searching for that inner glow that I haven't felt for awhile. It's gotta be somewhere in there. Being here is helping, I think. I feel like I've got this thick layer of something that's taking away the shine to everything. I'm hoping it's just been a build up of some things over time, and these next couple days in Neuch will help to peel off some of the layers. I feel small glimmers every so often, but I'm not quite where I want to be.
Yesterday and today were pretty great though. Actually, things have been just dandy since I arrive Sunday night. In addition to just feeling like I'm home, I made myself comfortable in the place where I will call home for the rest of this week. It's a beautiful space with a beautiful view. I shall have to take a picture of the view that I wake up to. And then I had fondue for dinner.
Yesterday was a quiet day culminating with a walk to my old neighbourhood, walking by my old apartment, walking to the bus stop as I always did and then to a dear family's house for a raclette dinner. And then back downtown for the fireworks (c'etait la fete nationale). They put on a great show. I've seen quite a lot of fireworks recently (Montreal has them regularly in the summer), and this was so much better. There were some really interesting ones, including one shaped like a teddy bear's head!
Today, I went to the market. I walked around downtown. I walked near the lake. I ate a crepe. I also ate yogurt.†I went to Migros. And Coop. And Denner.
I don't want to live here (forever), but I would like to spend more time here. It's a place that rejuvenates me and feels good. I guess that's because it's home.
While I only spent three years of my life here, they were formative ones. I moved here to start my (first) career. It was my first job and I had just graduated from university (the first, wait no, actually the second, time). I was young, effervescent (I've recently worried a lot about whether or not I've lost this characteristic), and eager to take on the world.
Everything was wonderful and an adventure.
And here I am again, all these years later. The same person, but so very different.
Even taking my first steps in the Zurich airport felt so good. Getting on the train and hearing the familiar announcement over the intercom made me feel more relaxed (which I needed). Disembarking the train in Neuchatel and been surrounded by such familiar sights, sounds, and smells was so lovely.
I've spent the past two days trying to slow down. And just be. Here.
I'm searching for that inner glow that I haven't felt for awhile. It's gotta be somewhere in there. Being here is helping, I think. I feel like I've got this thick layer of something that's taking away the shine to everything. I'm hoping it's just been a build up of some things over time, and these next couple days in Neuch will help to peel off some of the layers. I feel small glimmers every so often, but I'm not quite where I want to be.
Yesterday and today were pretty great though. Actually, things have been just dandy since I arrive Sunday night. In addition to just feeling like I'm home, I made myself comfortable in the place where I will call home for the rest of this week. It's a beautiful space with a beautiful view. I shall have to take a picture of the view that I wake up to. And then I had fondue for dinner.
Yesterday was a quiet day culminating with a walk to my old neighbourhood, walking by my old apartment, walking to the bus stop as I always did and then to a dear family's house for a raclette dinner. And then back downtown for the fireworks (c'etait la fete nationale). They put on a great show. I've seen quite a lot of fireworks recently (Montreal has them regularly in the summer), and this was so much better. There were some really interesting ones, including one shaped like a teddy bear's head!
Today, I went to the market. I walked around downtown. I walked near the lake. I ate a crepe. I also ate yogurt.†I went to Migros. And Coop. And Denner.
I don't want to live here (forever), but I would like to spend more time here. It's a place that rejuvenates me and feels good. I guess that's because it's home.
Paris, France (July 18-23, 2016)
Paris is (one of) my happy place(s).
It's been five years since I've been here, and it feel like too long. I know that's such a privileged thing to say, but it's the my truth. My first and last day in the city were pretty much for recuperating or traveling, so I really only had 4 days in the city. Four days is not nearly enough.
I did lots of amazing things (might update this post in the future with pictures and more details), but here is a little recap of the highlights:
Colette - This was literally, my first stop (after checking in to my hotel). I love this shop so much. It's a lifestyle store, but for me, what I appreciate is the "curated" clothes/fashion and their presentation. Each time I go upstairs in the shop, I feel like I'm entering a gallery space. The mannequins artfully dressed, it's great. I don't really consider myself a fashion nut, but I guess I'm slightly interested in it.
I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of everything that's in the store. Whomever the buyer is does a great job. I really enjoy the fashion in the store. Touching and taking a close look at the fabric. It's art.
L'As du Fallafel - I don't tend to each much while I'm in the city. I'm too busy walking about and doing different things, that I forget to eat, or just couldn't be bothered. Or, in the summertime, when it's so hot, I usually don't feel like eating. AND, a baguette can take you a long way. I usually just pick up a couple things from a grocery store and snack on the road or back in my hotel with my feet up (my feet REALLY hurt from walking so much). But, I did go (back) to L'As du Fallafel in the Marais for some yummy falafel (hmmm, I guess there are different ways to spell it?). Their falafels (the whole she-bang, but just the falafel pieces) are massive and in my shrunken stomach state, I couldn't finish the whole thing. I ended up eating everything in the pita and then saving the pita itself for a snack a little bit later on in the day. The best part of the falafel is the roasted eggplant. So tasty.
Macarons - As I said, I don't eat a lot while in Paris, but I do always prioritize the eating of macarons. There are two companies that I get my macarons from: Laduree and Pierre Herme. They are both awesome, but different. Laduree has very classic flavours. Par example: vanille, chocolate, pistache, cafe, rose. Pierre Herme has just one or two of the classics, but really experiment with different flavour combinations. Their classic is Mogador, which is chocolate and passion fruit. They have seasonal flavours too. Their theme for the summer is Jardin Enchante, and they've got a lot of citruses and yogurts. My favourite seasonal flavour was citron vert, framboise & piment d'Espelette. It was SO good. I usually try different things each time I return to a restaurant/shop, but I actually went back to get the same flavour. I'm telling you, SO good.
Centre Pompidou - I went to the Paul Klee exhibition at the fun looking building. It really is unique. I only visited the one exhibition. I'd been to the museum before and I'm sure that I'll go again, so I didn't feel the need to visit the regular collection this time around. My brain could only handle this one exhibition.
Foundation Louis Vuitton - Opening in 2014, this was my first chance to visit this museum. It seems to show only one exhibit at a time, and I happened to be in town for "un choix d’oeuvres chinoises de la Collection". Actually, there were two exhibitions happening I suppose, as there was also the L'Observatoire de la lumiere. Both were quite fantastic. I will have to upload some pictures soon (and update this post accordingly). It is a beautiful building and says Frank Gehry all over it. If you know the new AGO building, you know what I'm talking about. Even if you're not keen on the art that's being exhibited when you're in town, I would highly recommend going to visit the building because it's pretty incredible. It really is like a sailboat plopped into a park. There is a lovely water feature beside the building which is so calming too. And with your ticket to the museum, you get admission to the Jardin d'Acclimatation.
Shopping - Of course this would be an important component of my time in Paris. Window shopping is key. When wandering Rue St. Honore and Av. Montaigne (for example), for me, it's akin to Colette. I just go into the boutiques and appreciate what's there. Paris is special for many reasons, and going to the homes of many of these designers is a treat. I was hoping to splurge on something while I was there, but while I did see many things that I liked, there wasn't one item that leap out at me or that I felt comfortable with the price. It may sounds completely ridiculous, but I wasn't in the best emotional state while I was there (due to my fatigue and such), and that negatively affected my purchasing power.
Anyway, it was pretty great to be back to Paris. And I didn't spend nearly enough time this time. I've actually been thinking a lot about vacations (I'm finishing up this post, now, two countries later - although, not completely feeling like I've had any vacation) and how I should try to make them a priority (or, at the very least, some sort of break from work/life). While in Paris, I was actually chatting with someone in a boutique, and she was telling me about all of the vacation time that the French get. That it's part of the culture. Vacations, that is. It really made me reflect on their lifestyle as compared to mine and how each culture/person values different things.
As I've said a couple times in the past little while, I'm a work in progress.
It's been five years since I've been here, and it feel like too long. I know that's such a privileged thing to say, but it's the my truth. My first and last day in the city were pretty much for recuperating or traveling, so I really only had 4 days in the city. Four days is not nearly enough.
I did lots of amazing things (might update this post in the future with pictures and more details), but here is a little recap of the highlights:
Colette - This was literally, my first stop (after checking in to my hotel). I love this shop so much. It's a lifestyle store, but for me, what I appreciate is the "curated" clothes/fashion and their presentation. Each time I go upstairs in the shop, I feel like I'm entering a gallery space. The mannequins artfully dressed, it's great. I don't really consider myself a fashion nut, but I guess I'm slightly interested in it.
I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of everything that's in the store. Whomever the buyer is does a great job. I really enjoy the fashion in the store. Touching and taking a close look at the fabric. It's art.
L'As du Fallafel - I don't tend to each much while I'm in the city. I'm too busy walking about and doing different things, that I forget to eat, or just couldn't be bothered. Or, in the summertime, when it's so hot, I usually don't feel like eating. AND, a baguette can take you a long way. I usually just pick up a couple things from a grocery store and snack on the road or back in my hotel with my feet up (my feet REALLY hurt from walking so much). But, I did go (back) to L'As du Fallafel in the Marais for some yummy falafel (hmmm, I guess there are different ways to spell it?). Their falafels (the whole she-bang, but just the falafel pieces) are massive and in my shrunken stomach state, I couldn't finish the whole thing. I ended up eating everything in the pita and then saving the pita itself for a snack a little bit later on in the day. The best part of the falafel is the roasted eggplant. So tasty.
Macarons - As I said, I don't eat a lot while in Paris, but I do always prioritize the eating of macarons. There are two companies that I get my macarons from: Laduree and Pierre Herme. They are both awesome, but different. Laduree has very classic flavours. Par example: vanille, chocolate, pistache, cafe, rose. Pierre Herme has just one or two of the classics, but really experiment with different flavour combinations. Their classic is Mogador, which is chocolate and passion fruit. They have seasonal flavours too. Their theme for the summer is Jardin Enchante, and they've got a lot of citruses and yogurts. My favourite seasonal flavour was citron vert, framboise & piment d'Espelette. It was SO good. I usually try different things each time I return to a restaurant/shop, but I actually went back to get the same flavour. I'm telling you, SO good.
Centre Pompidou - I went to the Paul Klee exhibition at the fun looking building. It really is unique. I only visited the one exhibition. I'd been to the museum before and I'm sure that I'll go again, so I didn't feel the need to visit the regular collection this time around. My brain could only handle this one exhibition.
Foundation Louis Vuitton - Opening in 2014, this was my first chance to visit this museum. It seems to show only one exhibit at a time, and I happened to be in town for "un choix d’oeuvres chinoises de la Collection". Actually, there were two exhibitions happening I suppose, as there was also the L'Observatoire de la lumiere. Both were quite fantastic. I will have to upload some pictures soon (and update this post accordingly). It is a beautiful building and says Frank Gehry all over it. If you know the new AGO building, you know what I'm talking about. Even if you're not keen on the art that's being exhibited when you're in town, I would highly recommend going to visit the building because it's pretty incredible. It really is like a sailboat plopped into a park. There is a lovely water feature beside the building which is so calming too. And with your ticket to the museum, you get admission to the Jardin d'Acclimatation.
Shopping - Of course this would be an important component of my time in Paris. Window shopping is key. When wandering Rue St. Honore and Av. Montaigne (for example), for me, it's akin to Colette. I just go into the boutiques and appreciate what's there. Paris is special for many reasons, and going to the homes of many of these designers is a treat. I was hoping to splurge on something while I was there, but while I did see many things that I liked, there wasn't one item that leap out at me or that I felt comfortable with the price. It may sounds completely ridiculous, but I wasn't in the best emotional state while I was there (due to my fatigue and such), and that negatively affected my purchasing power.
Anyway, it was pretty great to be back to Paris. And I didn't spend nearly enough time this time. I've actually been thinking a lot about vacations (I'm finishing up this post, now, two countries later - although, not completely feeling like I've had any vacation) and how I should try to make them a priority (or, at the very least, some sort of break from work/life). While in Paris, I was actually chatting with someone in a boutique, and she was telling me about all of the vacation time that the French get. That it's part of the culture. Vacations, that is. It really made me reflect on their lifestyle as compared to mine and how each culture/person values different things.
As I've said a couple times in the past little while, I'm a work in progress.
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