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All Powerful Albi

9/29/2014

Albi is one of the most astonishing small cities I've ever visited in France.
It's a city of conflict - at once utterly captivating - and completely unnerving.
Best known for its landmark site, Sainte-Cécile Cathedral, Albi's architecture,
history, and hair-raising mystique wowed me right out of my shoes.

Situated in the Tarn department of the Midi-Pyrenees in southwestern France,
Albi isn't exactly a household word for travelers.
But it should be.

If you have time to get off the beaten path on your next trip to France,
this UNESCO World Heritage Site
is definitely worth a detour from Toulouse or Carcassonne -
or, with a bit more effort, from spectacular Paris.

Albi is nicknamed The Red City for the unusually red local brick that's used
for practically everything, including its most famous landmarks,
the Cathedral of Sainte-Cécile and the adjoining Bishop's Palace
(Palais de la Berbie), home to the Musée de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Nearly everything in France's beguiling Southwest is
handsome and inviting and Albi certainly fits that mold.

But you'll forever remember this town for something else.

The story of Albi is a gruesome tale that is unconditionally terrifying.
When you stand outside the imposing facade of its one-of-a-kind cathedral,
you're likely going to feel small and inadequate, intimidated by the
sheer size and fortress-like structure of the solid brick mass.
It's unlike any other cathedral in France.
I'd call it frightfully beautiful.

Once you enter the solemn house of worship, you're greeted again by stature -- unbelievable height and depth - but here, austerity gives
way to a wonderful world of color, pomp and pageant.
The colors are arresting, mostly blues, golds and silver.
The ceiling seems to go on forever, a good thing because it paints a
picture of practically every high and low of The Bible,
both Old and New Testament.

Some of the decoration is surprising, at times outright contemporary with
touches of striking geometric design carefully assigned here and there.

It's absolutely breathtaking.
And then, just when you start to calm down and get used to the infinite
size of the cathedral, out of nowhere you'll get a swift kick in the derrière
-- and you know you'll never look at cathedrals in quite the same way again.

What will stir your imagination and make you long for a
good stiff drink is the mural of heaven and hell on Judgement Day.
Heaven is, of course, quite wonderful.
Angelic proportions and white robed apostles provide a calming sedative.
But your thoughts won't linger here for long.

In the blink of an eye, you'll want to start working on your own end journey,
making sure that when your time comes,
you'll end up "upstairs" instead of "down".

And I do mean down.

The vision of Hell is dark and unimaginable,
worse than your most vexing nightmares.
The punishment that Hell doles out is beyond anything
Hollywood has ever dreamed up on its best day.
Godzilla is a kitty-cat compared to the depths of everlasting fire.
Based on the seven deadly sins of The Church, punishment
is assigned to the unlucky according to their particular sin.

The torment is absolutely hideous - yet you won't be able to tear
your eyes off the suffering of the damned.
A disaster movie that is thousands of years old.
That's when it hits you.

This is not a church of love.
It's a church of wealth and intimidation.
It's not a house of God.
This belongs to a dictator, a disciplinarian, a despot.
The oppressor rules and it's a wretched place if you don't play by their rules.
You are nothing but a minion, less than insignificant.

And the hypocrisy doesn't stop there.
The cathedral was designed so that the masses were kept from "seeing" the monks and other church superiors in the central choir.
A rood screen separates the commoners from the anointed one percent.
This cathedral was definitely not built for the people.

Why build a church so obviously overdosing on testosterone?

The Catholic Church was losing its grip on the locals in the region.
A new Christian religion was born, one that didn't answer to Rome.
It was a church of love, no membership required, unpretentious & common.
They called themselves Cathars, preferring the simple life, humble & homegrown,
shunning the material world and the trappings of Rome.

The Pope and the King of France conspired to whip the Cathars in shape
and assert their authority over the region.
In 1208, they made war on the whole region, boldly proclaiming,
"Kill them all and let God sort them out."
Between gouging out eyes and burning "heretics" at the stake,
they got rid of the sect one way or another.

The Catholic Church then needed to leave a reminder of their absolute power,
one that projected unabridged authority.
The Cathedral of Sainte-Cécile was born.
The building began in 1282 and was completed 200 years later.

Imagine living at that time, watching with awe as the massive
fortress-church rose high over the peaceful southern landscape.
Envision a local peasant walking into the great cathedral for the first time,
taking it all in, engulfed by beauty --- and then facing the creepy crawlies of Hell.
That'll teach them.

The Inquisition finished off any thoughts of cheating on Rome.
The massive, combat-ready Cathedral of Sainte-Cécile
reminded every living soul of who's da' boss every single day.

Are you intimidated yet?

Luckily, you can escape your thoughts of Judgement Day just as quickly
as a walk across the courtyard where you'll find the museum that houses the largest collection of paintings and posters by local genius Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

The intimate Musée de Toulouse-Lautrec is housed inside
the Palais de la Berbie (Bishop's Palace).
It feels more like a home than a museum, warmer than most art installations.

Expect to see a lot, including the slow development of Lautrec's style,
beginning as a traditional but talented realist and evolving
into his glory days as famed graphic illustrator.

Other artists are exhibited, including Matisse, Gauguin and Georges de la Tour.
But my money is on the colorful namesake of the museum.
Frustrated with his physical ailments, the descendant of the Counts of Toulouse
is best known for his portraits of prostitutes, dancers and the
bohemian lifestyle of the down and out in Paris.

I couldn't get enough of this museum; it's that good.
Filled with portraits of gaudy and colorful characters,
this isn't just another art museum.

The views of the river and garden, too, make for a total experience.
The mansion itself is a spectacle.
I saw it before the re-vamp in 2012 so I'm hoping the floors
still creak - at once intimate and a bit funky.
I especially fell for the rooms that held his unprecedented posters,
feeling as if I had lived in another day and time.
Allow at least two hours for your visit and feel yourself transported back
to the days of the Moulin Rouge and absinthe orgies.

As a matter of fact, as you plan your trip to Albi, I suggest you mix up
a cocktail that's been attributed to the little French artist.

Le Treblement de Terre (The Earthquake):
Take 3 parts Absinthe and 3 parts cognac; shake with ice; serve in a wine goblet.
Feel the earth move and prepare for a headache in the morning.

Toulouse Lautrec's contribution to the art world came on strong like good drink. Death came far too quickly, but luckily for us,
we have the city of Albi to thank for sharing the wealth.

Happy travels to Albi!

The bridge (Pont Vieux) is a stunning sight, especially at night.
The red brick changes color depending on time of day.

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Napoleon in Texas?

9/24/2014

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Napoleon Bonaparte in Texas?
This improbable idea is not as far-fetched as it seems.

Try to imagine our favorite little corporal in a coonskin cap -
or maybe even a pirate's tricorne and earring......

Sounds crazy but if 400 soldiers of the French Grande Armée had their way, Napoleon Bonaparte would have escaped his island-prison at St. Helena
and headed to the Americas, specifically to Texas, to begin afresh
in the empire building business.

When the British captured the legendary military commander, they held on to him for dear life, stashing him on the isolated island of St. Helena where he was sentenced to live out his final days as far from Europe as possible.

Napoleon's devoted followers, mostly made up of men who had
loyally served him on the battlefront, were also exiled from Europe.
As they made their way west, they crossed the ocean,
hatching a scheme to resurrect their champion.

The military men plotted to rescue Napoleon from the rugged and remote
St. Helena, where the Brits had him stowed some 1200 miles off the
coast of Africa, his days dark and filled with despair.
The fighting French, in turn, plotted to whisk their wizard still further away,
to another barren outpost, Texas, with the implied reward of a leadership role,
bargaining he would again become ruler of a new world empire.

Surrounded by water and more water, living his few remaining years on land
made up of volcanic ash, Napoleon likely had a few visions
of the chance for redemption himself.

Why Texas, U.S.A.?

Texas wasn't even part of the U.S. at the time.
It was still a district of the Mexican state of Coahuila, light years away from
declaring its independence at the Battle of the Alamo and future statehood.

But back to our favorite French emperor.
We love to think of him under his six layers of mahogany, ebony and oak, lying in state under the magnificent dome of Les Invalides, guarded by stone angels.
He brings to mind the glories of the past, the majestically patriotic
Arc de Triomphe, a time when (in war) you were either a winner or a loser.

And Napoleon won a lot.

Considered by some to be a military genius, others regarded him an
enemy of God. He was a complicated mix of ying and yang.

If you could wipe out the bloodshed during his reign,
Napoleon's achievements were huge, changing the world forever.

His Napoleonic Code created a virtual Middle Class by ending feudalism.
He demanded freedom of religion while denying the privileges of birth.

The right to own property became law, no matter
the status of birth or religion.
He embraced Jews, Catholics and Protestants equally
and promoted education for all (men).

Bonaparte promoted the Metric System, building roads and
bridges to connect and strengthen his realm.
Preserving the Louvre and other institutions that had been trashed during
the French Revolution, he seemed to understand the importance
of saving both art and history for future generations.

And yet....
He had visions of an empire that made the American
concept of Manifest Destiny look mild.

Westward expansion in America at least had some pretty identifiable borders.
Napoleon was not just the emperor of France but the King of Italy,
and Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine.
He fought wars in Egypt and Russia and likely would have fought to
the death on the battlefield, given the chance for such glory.
Never tiring of the chase, his flawed genius finally met its Waterloo, literally.

For many, the blood-lust made mincemeat out of the positive accomplishments.

Everything is bigger in Texas -- even their belt buckles.

Maybe the coonskin cap would have become "de rigueur" in France if Napoleon had worn one in Texas.

So why Texas?

Jean Lafitte had left France many years before, creating a legend
for himself alternating mostly criminal behavior (pirating and slave trading)
with heroics, helping Andrew Jackson defeat the Brits at New Orleans.
Lafitte had moved on to Galveston,Texas, well entrenched in the art of smuggling in the same years that our defeated emperor was languishing away on volcanic ash.

If a French gangster could win the new world over, why not a statesman?

Westward expansion was gaining momentum in the Land of Opportunity.
Preachers likened it to a new religion, insisting America had
the right to stretch its borders.

Could Napoleon have gained a foothold in the rush to the West?
Given the chance, would he have traded the Croix de Guerre
for a Texas belt buckle?

There are compelling reasons the distinguished Corsican
may have conquered the future Lone Star State.

Jews had been living in Texas since the 16th century.
Spanish Texas had never embraced them but they arrived anyway,
escaping the pogroms of Europe, finding tolerance in small doses.
Napoleon was revered by European Jews who, under his rule,
earned concrete rights to the same liberty and equality
as the rest of the country.
He granted them permission to leave their ghettos behind,
to purchase property, to work for the government, to engage in
normal commerce for the first time in European history.

The Jews of Texas may have welcomed the leader as champion of their cause.
Taming the Wild West and building an empire as large as France (Texas
and France are similar in size), perhaps Napoleon would have been the
original Comeback Kid, beating Bill Clinton to that title.
And who knows, maybe they would have shared the same House.

Texas was remote and sparsely populated in the 1820's, its boundaries
mangled by competing interests. They needed a tough guy to
manage them away from Spanish and Mexican influence.

That's why it's not as far-fetched as it seems to
imagine Napoleon Bonaparte doing "his thing" in Texas,
building a legacy in America, great-granddaddy, perhaps to another
memorable imperial despot we all love and hate .... J.R. Ewing.....

Pirates operated openly off the coast of Texas "back in the day"

Had Napoleon successfully found shelter in Texas, perhaps today we'd be saying:

"Rappelez-vous la Alamo!"

What do you think, c'est possible?
As Napoleon once said,
"Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools."

Shades of Napoleon ...... Texas Style.... J.R. Ewing's empire - ruling with an iron fist and perhaps a Napoleon complex?

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Paris Pipe Dream

9/21/2014

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"I am accustomed to sleep and in my dreams to imagine
the same things that lunatics imagine when awake."
Rene Descartes

I'm not a French philosopher, but will humbly admit the great French
philosopher and I are on the same page when it comes to dreams.

Half the time, I don't remember my dreams -- mostly made up of
mundane activities and people I barely know.
Those dreams are easily forgotten, but others -- particularly
those of Paris -- give me fresh inspiration in the light of morning.
Sometimes I think surely they're just daydreams, wishful thinking
plain and simple, a yearning for my beloved city.

Dreams count for something.
They're often the spark, the madness,
that keep us motivated to return again and again.

To prepare your mind for GOOD dreams, here's a short list
guaranteed to smooth the way for enchanted imaginings
in full Paris color night after night.

Mr. Sandman, listen up!

Begin each dream with the thought:
"On my next trip to Paris, I'll have enough time to....."

-Try every single pastry at Gerard Mulot, starting with the chocolate tart in the
top left hand corner and ending with a coffee macaron.

-See everything in the Louvre. Everything.

-Master the language or at least be able to take part in a typical student
debate about the difference between 1968 political unrest and today.....

- Identify every French king in the order of his reign.

- Write a deep and absorbing novel at the Café Le Select.

-Taste every single flavor of Berthillon ice cream.

- Take the Metro every day for a year without needing to change
at Châtelet or Gare du Nord.

- Vélib' fearlessly, never stressing over the threat of instantaneous death.

- Schlep every single bridge - at least twice.

- Enjoy leisurely walks in all 20 arrondissements, forming an
opinion on the best local wine shop, florist and fromagerie in each.

- Figure out how to get inside the Hotel de Ville
(most people have figured this out but I can't seem to crack the code).

Other dreams range from the improbable to the outrageous:

- Inherit enough €€ to buy a wardrobe of outrageous undies from Cadole.

- Fly a jet over the Champs-Elysées during the Bastille Day Parade.

- Purchase a 1-bedroom apartment in The Elegance of the Hedgehog building.

- Win a $10,000 gift card from La Dernier Goutte wine store.

- Sing at The Opera, then boogie the banana dance at the Folies Bergere.

- Swim in a tub of chocolat chaud from Jacques Genin.

- Catherine Deneuve calls to ask "Who does your hair?"

- Throw an intimate little dinner party -- and only
Jean Dujardin, Romain Duris and Gilles Marini show up.

- Draw a crowd at a book signing at Shakespeare & Company.

- Rollerblade on Friday night - fast, faster, fastest - with the pros.

- Beam as Eric Kayser launches a new sandwich -- named after me.

- Remember to kiss from left to right (or is it right to left?)

- Demonstrate how to tie a scarf at Hermès.

- Climb to the top of Notre Dame to enjoy coffee with the hunchback.

- Get locked up overnight in a chocolate shop.

- Get locked up overnight in a cheese shop.

- Woody Allen calls to ask if I can replace Scarlett Johansson
in his next Paris-based movie.

- Win the final stage of the Tour de France,
beating all the sprinters on the Champs-Elysées.

Then there are the truly silly, cockeyed dreams -- usually involving time travel -- and maybe too much Calvados.....

- Have lunch with Napoleon & Josephine at Le Grand Véfour. He pays.

- Tell Picasso he got it all wrong in his 'blue' period.

- Sip coffee with Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson at Cafe Procope where I convince them to write a letter to the future Tea Party to clear up their apparent confusion over The American Dream.

- Do the cancan at the Moulin Rouge where
Toulouse-Lautrec BEGS to paint me.

- Twirl Salvador Dali's moustache.

- Ride in a jeep with General Omar Bradley to review the troops
before celebrating the liberation of Paris at the Victory Parade.

- Teach Julia Child how to make a proper omelet.

- Tell jokes and curse with abandon with Hemingway and Buchwald.

- Wipe Cole Porter's tears as he confesses he penned
"It's de-lovely" - for me.

- Cast in gold, I sit alongside Jean d'Arc at Place des Pyramides.

- At the end of my long & fruitful Parisian life, I am buried
in the Pantheon as adoring onlookers sob.

Roy Orbison had it right when he sang Johnny Mercer tune:

Dream, when you're feeling blue
Dream, that's the thing to do
Just watch the smoke rings rise in the air
You'll find your share of memories there

So dream, when the day is through
Dream, and they might come true
Things never are as bad as they seem
So dream, dream, dream

Dream, when the day is through
Dream, and they might come true
Things never are as bad as they seem
So dream, dream, dream

Read more: Roy Orbison - Dream Lyrics | MetroLyrics

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Lalique and Pretty Little Things

9/18/2014

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I love pretty little things.
Doesn't everyone?
The kind of stuff you don't need, things that take up space
and provide no practical use other than looking pretty.
Eye-candy, therapy for the eyes.

Jewelry, vases, china and crystal fall into that category.
The very personal effects that seem essential to life.
When I walk into my dining room or steal a glance at my jewelry stash,
I rarely miss a chance to look at my treasure, my personal objets d'art, my.... stardust junk.

I think many of us, faux collectors, lovers of estate sales and flea markets,
spend our days looking for odds and ends we don't need because
we're sentimental types, searching for significance outside ourselves.
Isn't it easier to look outside than inward?
Making memories, embracing imagination and sharing emotion
adds a layer to our everyday ordinary lives.

René Lalique was one of the most significant glass and jewelry designers of all time.
He was the quintessentially French architect of pretty little things.
But was he as popular in his own day?

The answer is yes.
Monsieur Lalique was very popular in his day, in a life long lived.

Born in 1860, he lived and worked until 1945. The reason for his acclaim is clear.
He loved making pretty things, deftly transitioning his art form according to fashion whim.
He fluidly moved from the art nouveau period to the art deco movement,
always keeping up with whatever enriched and enlivened the so-called modern woman.

Rene Lalique continues to win new admirers, even long after his death.

Encouraged by his mother, he began his days as a jewelry maker,
seizing on new ideas and uncommon techniques.
Lalique adored unconventional hardware such as enamel, horn, coral,
opals and amethysts, preferring their slightly uncultivated character to the more
conservative and familiar gemstones like diamonds and emeralds.

He had an eye for the irregular, the unexpected.
Above all, he loved curlycues and flourishes that became standard in art nouveau design.
You had to look twice at his creations, suddenly seeing the tiny nude form
of a woman hidden within the expert blueprint of untamed nature.

Art Nouveau was popular from the 1880's until WWI.
As soon as Lalique saw the tide turn against the curvy style, he transitioned his work
toward the more modern Art Deco movement, leaning toward cleaner, more geometric lines.
Never behind the times, he created style, never one to follow someone else's lead.

Monsieur Lalique also had a head for good business practices.
As jewelry started losing widespread popularity - after all, these were troubled times full of economic hardship - he looked for practical ways to embrace his art.
Jewelry too highbrow for you? How about an ashtray?
A tablespoon of practicality mixed with winning design made everyone happy.
Lalique experimented within his own aesthetic.
He kept the themes the same, but felt free to pursue his dream outside the jewelry vault.

Insects, jungle animals, flowers, frogs, swans and dragonflies
were frequent themes --- often capped off by the nude female form.
His designs were complicated, usually one of a kind.
He used a cire perdu (lost wax) technique for casting one of a kind jewelry.
Once he found his direction, he started producing perfume bottles, vases,
hood ornaments for extravagant autos, chandeliers and more.
He even created a wall of lighted glass for passenger ocean liners like the famous
Normandie and drafted daring design for the Orient Express.

Useful?
Maybe that's debatable.
But beauty over practicality still ruled, no matter the economic circumstance of the day.

There is a Lalique Museum in Wingen-sur-Moder (about 28 miles from Strasbourg),
just miles from the factory where they continue to turn out their branded specialties.

Lalique latched on to the perfume craze early (creating their own perfume beginning in 1992) and continues to develop new scents to fill their matchless bottles.
It's still a family business, now run by a 3rd generation ready to compete in today's world.
You can even find their perfume at Target and on eBay.
I wonder what Monsieur Lalique would think.

In Paris you can find Lalique artistry in specialty stores, galleries,
the Musée des Arts Decoratifs and special exhibitions.
I still remember a spectacle at the Musée du Luxembourg
where I'm pretty sure I drooled on the carpet.

His designs are priceless and rare.
Expect to pay somewhere around $18,000 for a Fleur de Cristal perfume decanter
if your heart desires something original.

Completely authentic, the name Lalique stands for beauty and harmony.
Delicacy, refinement and glamor are in short supply today.
It's fun to look back and admire the exquisiteness of that age.
It makes you forget the tough times and devilish history of the day -- and that's ok for awhile. That's why we enjoy our pretty little things.

In today's world where tattoos and smartphone cases pass for art,
it's nice to look back at the startling achievement of someone
that seemed to effortlessly combine taste with imagination.

Next time I put on my yoga pants and drink coffee from a cardboard cup,
I'll think of the beautiful world of René Lalique.
I need more of that. This world needs more, too.

Come to think of it, I'm going to burn the mom jeans, ditch the five and dime
and pull on my cashmere sweater.
Add some red lipstick, a dab of real perfume ---
And dream of a Lalique hood ornament gracing the top of my Hyundai.....
I love pretty little things.
Don't you?

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Restorative Rambouillet

9/16/2014

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The Chateau and grounds are stunning, especially on a sunny day

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority,
but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
Marcus Aurelius

Power has its privileges but also its own brand of hysterical theater.
Where do the Presidents of France go to relax & restore their battered spirit?

Presidential entitlement offers plenty of options for retreat from the capital
but the "official" choice is the Chateau of Rambouillet,
just a hop, skip and a jump away from the unholy politics of Paris.

Once inauguration day has come and gone, it's not much fun being head of state.
Today, French President Emmanuel Macron is in the hot seat, skewered by both
the press and the public, his popularity eroding at an alarming pace.
Think you've had a bad day at the office?
Tant pis!
Try being President!

If the embattled head of state decides to "run away" for the weekend,
he can easily make his way to the official weekend residence of the chief executive,
Rambouillet, its chateau and welcoming breath of fresh country air.

Surely a change of pace from disagreeable Paris can do wonders.
Since 1896, the CEO of France has been privy to
escape Parisian political pinball to his own peaceful refuge.

Perhaps as a visitor to fast-paced Paris, you're ready for a quick get-away, too.
City life is fast, noisy and polluted and for some, even the siren song of
Parisian treasure and merry-making gets to be too much after a while.

Imagine a place neighboring Paris that's green and quietly beautiful.
Restore your inner quiet and take a break from the big city lights.

Chez Château de Rambouillet. You're not just seeing a museum-palace but
an actual working residence, one that's a mix of present-day & old lang syne.
It's used as a Presidential retreat that's part work / part play
for the commander-in-chief but pure indulgence for you.

Located in the lovely Yvelines department of the Île de France,
Rambouillet is just 30 miles outside the capitol, easily accessed by train
(SCNF from Gare Montparnasse - makes a lot of stops along the way).
The trip takes a little less than an hour and there's an
abundance of options for your day "off.".

Napoleon's Last Stop Before Exile

General de Gaulle Made War inside the Chateau

Heads of state from King Louis XVI, Napoleon, Charles de Gaulle,
Dwight D. Eisenhower, George Herbert Walker Bush, Harold Wilson,
Helmut Schmidt and even Nelson Mandela have visited
or spent the night in this special residence.
Oh yes, and Putin and Hemingway, too.

In 1975, French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing summoned the top
industrialized nations for the first ever G6 summit, a Who's Who of heads of state.

King Francois I allegedly died at Rambouillet, in the same tower
currently used as the official guest bedroom. Yikes.

Napoleon spent his last night at the chateau just
before committing to his exile on St. Helena.

Charles de Gaulle set up "shop" here just after the Allies' D-Day landing,
using the exalted quarters to plot the liberation of Paris.

And you, too, are invited to navigate the halls -- well, some of them anyway --
the same byways where emperors, kings, generals and outlaws
enjoyed a mix of work and R & R.

The forest of Rambouillet is well known and loved.
Full of game, the forest has always been the incentive that
attracted VIPs, yesterday, today and tomorrow.

The castle, too, boasts stunning French formal gardens
as well as refined and gentle English-inspired greenways.

Canals and islands dot the landscape to complete the idyllic oasis.

The Laiterie de la Reine -- the Queen's Dairy, is part of the package.
Built for Marie Antoinette's amusement, the little dairy originally boasted
buckets made from -- what else - Sèvres porcelain.
Today you can see the cooling room with its stunning decorated grotto.

Also worth a look (and a walk) is the Chaumiere des Coquillages,
a thatched roof picture postcard of a cottage that boasts a stunning
interior of marble, shells and mother-of-pearl decoration.

Because it's the 2nd home of the President, security is tight.
Wandering unaccompanied through the chateau is not allowed.
There are several tours daily so make sure to check tour times before you go.
Even if your guide doesn't speak your native tongue, there's a printed guide
to help you along and offer fascinating insight into the life of the palace.

There are many sightseeing experiences nearby.
The National Sheepfold (Bergère Rambouillet) can be visited as well as
a miniature train museum, the Musée Rambolitrain.

The area is a golf course heaven so if your mate doesn't enjoy
a chateau excursion, send him/her on a golf outing.
There's more than one way to skin a cat.

There's even a memorial to nine fallen American soldiers
who gave their lives in August 1944.
France remembers and we love the chance to pay our respects.

Important to any French adventure is embracing a wonderful dining experience.

Just 4 miles from Rambouillet, you'll find a restaurant I can personally recommend.
I usually leave these recommendations to professional food tasters like Alec Lobrano and Patricia Wells, but what the heck, this is outside of Paris and
a good opportunity to enjoy a pretty village and a worthy dining experience.
Several years ago, I dined at Villa Marinette in nearby Gazeran,
a classy, well-rounded French restaurant in a lovely village.
The chef and his wife have created a marvelous experience for their guests.
From the moment you walk into their warm home-based restaurant to the minute
you finish dessert, you'll feel spoiled and utterly satisfied.
It's not an inexpensive escape from Paris
but it is a complete experience in the art of fine dining.
Gazeran is a delightful village, worthy of the effort to get there.
Call the restaurant for reservations as it's usually full.

Rambouillet is not a destination for a first-time visitor to Paris.
It's an ideal addition to your itinerary if you're someone who has made the rounds of Paris and searching for a well-rounded taste of what's just outside the capitol.

I hope you'll enjoy a bite of a different side of the Île de France.
Paris may be the icing on the cake, no arguments here.
But a closer look outside your Paris back door reveals new layers.
As you build your French experience into an epic adventure, you're gaining
insight into the true picture of this wonderful country.

Rambouillet, stop-over for VIPs since the 14th century, continues to make memories.
Make some of your own!

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Candy Craving

9/12/2014

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Don't Miss Le Bonbon au Palais in Paris -- ask for Georges!

Who hasn't found themselves enamored of the French statistic
that boasts production of over 500 different types of cheese?
Imagine my surprise to learn that our favorite fromage nation
offers some 600 different varieties of CANDY.

Like so much of France's legendary cuisine culture, each region
of La Hexagone has given birth to its own sweet specialty.
As if you need one more reason to visit .....

Anise, nougat, calissons, pâte de fruits, betises de cambrai,
salted butter caramels, bergamotes, dragées, marrons glacés, cachous,
babeluttes du Nord, the list is long and delicious.

"When I'm good, I'm very good. But when I'm bad, I'm better." -- quote by Mae West.

It's doubtful the screen siren was referring to candy but if you think
about it, those famous words describe some of our best-loved sweets.

What's better than a coma-inducing,
teeth-rotting piece of salted caramel from Brittany?
Or maybe you've tasted a REAL marshmallow (not the nasty grocery store variety). Licorice lovers will walk a mile for an authentic bite of the herbal black confection. And I've heard from online game freaks that Candy Crush
is the most addictive game app ever.

Why are we so enthusiastic about candy?
It starts when we're children.
Often, candy is used as both punishment and reward.
Were you a bad girl today? No candy for you!
Were you a good boy? Here's a new Pez dispenser.
Life is just sweeter with candy.

The word bonbon is one of those lovely French words
that sounds as delicious as it tastes.
Bon-bon = double good or good times two.

The artisanal achievement of French candy-makers began at court,
where royals expected and got the best of everything.
Candy made from essence of roses? You betcha!
Provins, (about 50 miles from Paris) known for its rose cultivation harking back
to the Crusades, proudly produces confections made from rose petals.

That's the thing about France, they take regional cooking to its highest level. All things produced from the terroir are transformed into something lip smacking good.

REAL Marshmallows!

Delicate crystalized flowers come in a range of choices from rose to violets,
mimosa, lilac and verbena leaves. Candied fruit such as clementines and melon
are always popular, along with les marrons glacées (chestnut) - oh so French.

Nougat from Montélimar, betises de Cambrai, marzipan, praline -- all do justice
to the name bonbon -- without question, they're doubly good.

Coussin de Lyon have quite a heritage.
The little marzipan candy cushion, filled with a curaçao tinged chocolate ganache, was inspired by Lyon's storied history dating back to 1643.
As plague-ridden citizens lay dying in the streets, the elders of Lyon
implored the Virgin Mary to save the city.
Laying a gold crown and a candle on a silk cushion to pay their respects,
they walked to Fourvière and saved their city from complete annihilation.
The unique candy was invented in 1960 by Voisin, a chocolatier from Lyon, and is sometimes sold in velvet boxes to remind customers of the wonderful local legend.

Candy as medicine -- I like the sound of that.
French mamans have long known the benefits of employing
certain sugared confections as digestive aids.

I still remember a bowl of unusual tasting candy in my French aunt's dining room -- sort of minty with a hint of either pine or eucalyptus -- Tata encouraged me to try a piece after dinner. It's still one of my most vivid memories of life at her home.
To a girl accustomed to Sweet Tarts and M&Ms, it was a surprising & inspired treat.

Pastilles de Vichy were developed by a pharmacist.
Supposedly, the minerals in Vichy water aid your digestion.
I'll buy that kind of gimmick -- they taste good while they allow you to eat more.
What could be more French?

The French Word for Cotton Candy is Barbe a Papa -- literally Daddy's Beard!

Delicious Candy from Nancy is Found Here!

Then there's the expression 'eye candy' -- another salute
to our favorite sweets in any language.
We refer to bonbons in other distinctive ways in popular culture --
How about Ricky Martin's 'Shake Your BonBon'.

Any way you look at candy, it's definitely an upbeat distraction
guaranteed to bring out your fun side.
Here in the South, when we refer to getting 'sweet-talked' into something,
we say 'you'll catch more flies with honey than vinegar.'

Go ahead, Sugar, eat one more bonbon!

Shakin' Their Bon-Bons Near the Eiffel Tower

Just in case......Don't forget to brush!

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Saint-Eustache Cool

9/10/2014

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For thousands of years, people have turned to The Church for inspiration and answers.
Daily life can be hard, often full of troubling and perplexing moments.

What if you could find the spiritual guidance you seek combined
with cutting edge art that knocks you off your feet?
More Keith Haring than Peter Paul Rubens.
Oh wait, what if you could see both Rubens and Haring in one place?
Now that's diversity!
You'd want to see it, right?

Saint-Eustache is one of the great cathedrals of Paris.
It's hard to believe such a temple exists within easy walking distance from the more recognizable Notre Dame, but there it is, soaring upwards, reaching to the sky.

The neighborhood is cool, the music is cool, the art is cool.
Can a cathedral breathe new life into your Paris vacation?
You better believe it.

Near famous market street rue Montorgueil, Saint-Eustache
quickens your pulse as soon as you approach it.
The architecture is mixed, mostly late Gothic and early Renaissance
but that's only half the story. Its welcoming position on Place René Cassin
surrounds you with greenery, smiling people and happy voices.

You're immediately drawn into a world of old and new.
A ginormous head and hand greet you.
The L'Écoute sculpture by French artist Henri Miller seems to let you
know your prayers will soon be answered.
The Listener seems to listen, really listen with his ear to the pavement.
Pretty refreshing in a world where so many of our conversations are one-way.
All around people stare at their phones when we want them to look into our eyes.
Multi-tasking schmulti-tasking, the world has become deaf and we welcome an open ear.

Children (and fun adults!) climb all over the magnificent sculpture.
We don't typically associate touchable art with a big cathedral.
A listening giant is tonic for the soul, even if he is made of stone.

So far so good?

Saint-Eustache is renowned for its concerts but few realize
it boasts the largest pipe organ in all of France.
With over 8,000 pipes, it was home to a special recital of Franz Liszt's Messiah in 1886.
Wrap your head around that -- cathedral acoustics & a giant organ playing The Messiah.
I'm not turning on the radio for the rest of the day.

Between the art and the music, you can't help but feel help God's presence nearby.
Walk into this great holy art gallery to "see" a sermon
and witness the calm and beauty of its art.

Artistic creativity makes us feel the artist's message, subject of course to personal interpretation -- but especially remarkable in a church devoted to iron-clad "truths".

As French author and Nobel Prize winner André Gide once said,
"Art is the collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does the better."

This is the Keith Haring most of us recognize

This is Keith Haring's Saint-Eustache triptych

Like many other French cathedrals, Saint-Eustache is blessed with an abundance
of traditional church art as well as beautiful stained glass windows.
But more than that, you'll be amazed to see a traditional Catholic edifice filled
with not just time-honored, acceptable artistry but also several contemporary
works of imagination and artful genius that will catch you off guard.

Keith Haring was an American artist and social activist who captured New York City's 1980's
street culture by daring to express concepts of birth, death, sexuality and war.
His work was often political, considered daring by some who read into the visual
suggestion of fear and confusion framed in his work.

Waring's Saint-Eustache triptych -- a three-paneled hinged work of art -- is
immediately recognizable to any student of his brand.
It's a departure from tradition - a zap to your senses rooted in this saint-like warehouse,
and yet there is something very traditional about it, too.
His battle to create awareness about the Aids epidemic, drug addiction and everyday real life reminds us, that even in a church that shies away from human sexuality
(especially homosexuality), art is often the leading edge for
a personal conversation with parishioners.

Another chapel contains a surprising and fun look at the local
Les Halles neighborhood the cathedral calls home.
The complex sculpture by Raymond Mason with the longest and most improbable name -- "Le départ des fruit et légumes du coeur de Paris le 28 février 1969" -- commemorates the
loss of the legendary Les Halles food market from the local community in the '60's.
It's an amusing departure from traditional religious art, quite cartoon-like in character.
The artist pays tribute to the "Belly of Paris", especially the market traders
who toiled long hours to bring fresh food to the people of Paris.

Another unexpected delight in a city filled with unpredictable charm.
Tickled pink in a Catholic church.
Gotta love that.

Is this fun or what? Raymond Mason's tribute to Les Halles

It took over 100 years to build St. Eustache.
It won't even take you 100 seconds to be cast in its magical spell.

Please, on your next trip to Paris, make sure to find this landmark cathedral
and walk the walk into a heavenly paradise of artistic and joyful pleasure.

It makes me think of a favorite old Beatles tune:

"Happy ever after in the market place
Molly lets the children lend a hand
Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face
And in the evening she still sings it with the band

Yeah, ob-la-di, ob-la-da life goes on brah
La la how the life goes on
Yeah, ob-la-di, ob-la-da life goes on brah
La la how the life goes on

And if you want some fun take ob-la-di-bla-da"

Songwriters
LENNON, JOHN WINSTON / MCCARTNEY, PAUL JAMES

Published by
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Saint Eustache is where life goes on and on and on....
Ob-la-di and Hail Mary, side by side.

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Ravenous for Roquefort

9/8/2014

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The food police have returned.

The FDA (U.S. Food & Drug Administration) has found a new way to punish us.
Our penchant for Roquefort cheese is again being tested.
They've imposed new regulations concerning that old fiction
about raw milk and the need to reduce bacteria, blah, blah, blah.

Singling out my lifelong friend Roquefort, the celebrated blue cheese has been
burdened with yet another cross to bear in the U.S.
New guidelines have recently been enacted, demanding that Roquefort
producers reduce the amount of bacteria in their cheese.
Give me a break.

The blue vein (penicillium roqueforti) is what gives Roquefort its character.
Mankind has been consuming this cheese since around 79 A.D.
so how can it be bad for you?
Piquant and exotic, I refuse to throw in the towel on beautiful blue Roquefort.
FDA, listen up! Your restrictions are totally out of bounds.

That's like calling my mother ugly.

Roquefort is France's second most popular cheese, an esteemed ranking
in the pecking order of a country that boasts 500 different types of fromage.
Produced in the department of Aveyron, the cheese (by law) must hail from
the caves surrounding a little village called Roquefort-sur-Soulzon.
These caves produce a natural type of fungus which give the
cheese its characteristic twang.

The cheese begins as raw ewe's milk and packs a wallop as it slowly develops
its characteristic deep blue-green veins during the careful aging process.

The legend of Roquefort goes something like this.
A beautiful young lady caught a shepherd's attention as he sat down
to his usual lunch of cheese curds and bread.
Leaving his lunch in a nearby cave in order to pursue the young lass, he returned
much later, discovering a moldy cheese unlike anything he had ever seen.
His hunger overtook his fear and he tried a taste, discovering
the fantastic flavor and punch of the blue cheese.

So maybe now we know why cheese and love go hand in hand.

My husband and I visited the Papillon factory in Roquefort-sur-Soulzon several years ago.
The adorable little town, dedicated to the art of cheese making,
made us love our favorite blue even more.
The Papillon tour was both lively and educational, with a memorable reward
at the end --- a sampling of their delicious product.

The best part was seeing how they bake the large round peasant loaves --
purposely baked at high temperatures until the crust is very dark, almost burnt
but still a bit underdone on the inside in order to promote the mold --
and allow the natural process to take it course.
It inspired us to find a nearby country auberge, where we enjoyed
a Roquefort omelette for lunch, always a good idea.

This is what makes France so special.
Tradition, pride, ingenuity and the horse sense to know what's good.

Roquefort cheese has been lauded for its anti-inflammatory properties,
contributing to the legend of The French Paradox.
There are some who dare to claim that it actually promotes cardiovascular health.
Seems more believable than the bunk that this particular bacteria may be bad for you.
After all, haven't many of us started adding bacteria (via probiotics) to aid digestive health? Roquefort tastes far better than adding one more supplement to our daily ritual.

Think of all the good things in life that are blue:
the beautiful blue sky, the deep blue sea, Cookie Monster, Paul Newman's eyes,
bluebirds, sapphires, ...... the list goes on.
Perhaps LeAnn Rimes' hit "Blue" could be our anthem, "Blue, oh so lonesome for you."

Perhaps I should thank the F.D.A.
I guess I'll be forced to go to Paris to fulfill my cheese dependence.
Time to start making plans for a Roquefort soufflé at La Cigale Recamier
or a cheese platter at Astier, or (insert favorite here!)......

Suddenly, I'm not quite so blue!

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Personalizing Paris

9/6/2014

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Coco Chanel once said,
"The best things in life are free. The second best are very expensive."
She could have been talking about Paris.

Paris is an expensive city, no doubt about that.
Some of us scrimp and save to get there.
So why in the world do we follow a borrowed formula for what to do in Paris?

Following a guidebook is like wearing a suit that doesn't quite fit.
I'm all in favor of professional travel guides -- but the key word is guide.
Tailor your trip to your own frame. Adjust the line, let out the seams.

It takes some work to personalize a trip.
Start with time and budget parameters, consider bucket-list must-sees.
Think about how you can get the most out of your time, money & walking shoes.

Don't just stick to the big themes . Do stuff you'd never do at home. Go rogue.

Don't do what's expected.
Confuse the well-ordered, follow directions side of you and go for broke.
Use both the Left Bank and the Right Bank of your brain.
Listen to your inner voice.

A personalized trip to Paris always begins with good planning.
Making a list is good but remember it's just a road map.
Just because it says 'use red here' doesn't mean you can't use purple.

Vacation isn't meant to be a competition.
Don't try to outdo your neighbor's five star vacation.
Better to hit the bulls-eye on your own heart than throw the dart
at a board that someone else brought.
It's your party.

Fearless exploration is fun. Get lost. Forget about the photo op. Let it happen.
Whatever keeps you awake at night is there -- waiting.
Sweat a little.

Your personal Paris is going to be a delicious mix of Paris-discovery and self-discovery.
Paris is expensive but your options for free and cheap are endless.
The list of museums that offer free entry are mind-blowing.
Musée Carnavalet, Le Petit Palais, Musée Bourdelle just to name a few.
Parks are free and you won't find a better place to count your blessings.
You can sit at a café for hours, nursing one cup of coffee.
Cemeteries will make you feel more alive.
Flea markets, Tati, and vintage stores offer inexpensive entertainment.
Free concerts, free festivals, bookshops, Friday Night roller-blading, it all fits into not just cheap or free but into the real Paris, the Paris as locals enjoy it.
Put your own stamp on it.

I'm one of the millions of baby-boomers who flew the coop from corporate life.
I miss the paycheck .... but not much more.
When I said au revoir to that chapter, I knew from the get-go what I wanted to do.

I wanted to travel, to see the world.

Dictionary.com's definition of travel:
"the act of visiting and seeing places and objects of interest."

Dullsville. Definitely not what I had in mind.

I want to be equal parts Indiana Jones / Ferris Bueller / Tina Fey.

Less than perfect, what a relief!
Real life is silly enough.
And too short not to pay attention to the voice in your head that says
THIS IS MY TRIP.
THIS IS FOR ME.

I call it Paris Time.
Time to re-invent yourself.
Confuse your friends, make them wonder what you're up to.

"Wherever you go, go with all your heart." - Confucius

Paris is an antioxidant, a serving of kale and a martini all wrapped up in one pretty package. It's good for your soul, bad for your pocketbook and worth every effort to get there.
Thank you, Paris, for showing the way.

Paris was made for you and me.
Except that I prefer it my way. And I hope you get it your way.
Make it personal.
BON VOYAGE!

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Cognac is King

9/4/2014

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Cognac is both a spirited beverage and a small city.
Cognac, the spirit, and Cognac, the municipality, are close relatives.
It's a family reunion I personally enjoy attending.

American actress Susan Strasberg said it best,
"I meditate, I do yoga and I have a lot of friends who are healers ... And if none of that works,
I go buy a chocolate bar and a bottle of cognac."

I can skip the yoga and the healers. Sign me up for the chocolate and cognac.

What makes cognac so special?

Color, aroma and taste all contribute to the power of cognac.
Warming is the first word I would use to describe the tasting experience.
The process from vineyard to bottle is long and expensive. But well worth it.

The French governing rules for cognac production are long and stringent.
What separates cognac from brandy is the double-distillation process
(brandy goes through just one distillation). Its production methods, by law, favor
specific requirements which include a short list of white grapes (most cognac is
made from the Ugni grape) and specialized equipment to finish the process.

Copper pot stills, sometimes called Charentais stills (named for the region),
are used for the distillation process. This is just the jumping off point
for a winning recipe to procure grape to bottle quality.
French oak barrels (made from oak trees that are at least 60 years old) are home
to the distilled eau-de-vie for a minimum of two years.

Most cognacs are aged much longer than the minimum, contributing to color and taste.
The old saying of 'worth the wait' definitely applies here.

Strict rules also apply to marketing the beverage.
The assigned names help the consumer understand the contents:
VS (Very Special), VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale), Napoleon XO (Extra Old) designations help determine not just price but also expectation for color, aroma and taste.

There are many popular brands.
You may recognize some from this short list of mainstream monikers:
Otard, Hennessy, Camus, Remy Martin, Courvoisier, and Martel just to name a few.
Cognac has been described as the drink of kings and the king of drinks,
one of the few times a marketing gimmick is truly spot on.

Cognac is the birthplace of King Francois I, one of the more popular and well-known French monarchs. The Chateau de Cognac, Francois' fortified castle, is now home to Otard Cognac.
Curious and thirsty visitors get a great history lesson along with a tasting.
Francois Premier, as the king is popularly known, was born in this chateau in 1494.
He converted portions of the castle from medieval hull to Renaissance beauty
as visitors today, treated to the grand tour, will bear witness.

Like all the cognac houses, it sits near the Charente River for easy access to the Atlantic Ocean to reach customers worldwide. It's a pleasing way to spend a few hours and you'll soon understand how the nearby chalky soil (thanks to the micro-climate caused by
close proximity to the ocean) paired to the perfect temperature and humidity
of the lower vault contribute to your taste buds.

Cognac bottles often resemble perfume flagons more than most
receptacles you typically see in "lesser" spirits.
Baccarat and Lalique are just two names associated with the premium beverage.

Then there's the debate over which type of glass to use.
From what I've read, most cognac connoisseurs prefer the tulip glass for its large
surface area that narrows near the rim to help intensify the flavor.

Personally, I love the balloon glass because it's sexy and it's traditional.
I feel special just holding it.
Either way, if you find a good cognac,
pause to enjoy the color, then the aroma and finally the taste.

Savor the flowers (honeysuckle and clover come to mind, although I'm sure this is very individual to both the cognac and the taster), the spice (vanilla, toffee, tobacco, and many other nuances here) and the fruit (pear, orange, and many more).

You will relish the high quality and luxury of every sip..

Steak Diane enjoys a healthy dose of cognac

The United States imports more cognac than any other country in the world,
far out-guzzling both the French and the Chinese.

Beloved by many, the spirit of finesse and nobility has contributed to the swagger
of a number of rap artists in the U.S., including Jay Z who famously drank it
from the Grammy he collected in 2013.
Eminem and Busta Rhymes have promoted cognac in song as well but
it was Flo Rida who sang these lyrics:
"She had Hennessy hips and Belve eyes, Grey Goose on her lips and cognac thighs."

Even James Bond, yes, that Bond of "shaken not stirred" martini fame, enjoyed cognac.
In Ian Fleming's "Casino Royale" (the book) he writes of Mr. Bond enjoying
an Americano (cognac mixed with water).

In spite of all the cognac the United States imports, the largest consumer
is right in Cognac itself and it seems thieves are the culprit.
Much has been made of the "Angel's Share", the portion lost by natural evaporation
as the alcohol content ages.
The angel part may sound pretty and poetic but it's not a laughing matter.
It's estimated that over 20,000,000 (!) bottles a year are lost to this avenging angel.
Sounds like a Stephen King thriller to me.

Director Martin Scorsese got it right when he gave a shout out to his favorite - Hennessy:
"Sip, sip, think, talk."

I'm all in. Bottoms up!