Extreme Paperwork

It’s an ordeal this time. I’m sure everyone has experienced the hassle of paperwork at any government departments. I know that and I detest it so much that I’m beginning to be frightened by it. The long queues in the wee hours of the morning, the rigid guidelines, the unfriendly staff and everything you name it, I have been there and done that.

 

Well, my point is not emphasising the weaknesses of the public services. It’s about my situation. I’m currently dealing with the renewal of my French carte de séjour and soon, the renewal of my Malaysian passport and in about a month’s time, my Singapore PR Re-Entry Permit. All is happening at the same time but with different governments.

 

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear….it’s stressful just thinking about them!

 

 

Weather and boots

It was snowing in Paris today and I was a little surprised. I haven’t seen snow in a big city until today. Luckily the snow didn’t stick around for too long. The melted away as soon as it hits the ground, which might be a good thing after all. Though I didn’t have my boots on, my feet remained dry throughout the walks. I learned that boots do not necessarily keep my feet warm and dry unless it has good thick soles. You could wear any shoes with a good sole, with a pair of leg warmers, and it would just make your day in a gloomy weather.

La Maison du Chat

I’m shouldn’t be surprised by how extensive consumerism could be nowadays. But I find the products made available for cats, a bit unnecessary. Not to mention how much it costs. I read that our furry friends actually don’t quite mind the look of their habitat. What counts most is the warmth and dryness of their “home”. My neighbour’s cat is contended when given a simple cardboard box and an old scarf and I don’t think she minds it at all as she makes herself comfortable on our balcony.

Wish List

As a child and as always, December is a month of festivities and celebrations. First my birthday, then Christmas. It’s a month of parties and dinners. As a child, I had the privilege of celebrating my birthday during our yearly family holiday. On top of that, December is a school holiday month in my hometown.

 

This is also the time I receive many presents for both occasions (‘cos I don’t accept 2-in-1 deal…hehe!). I really appreciate people around me who think about me and I also understand how agonising sometimes it can be trying to guess what the other person is wishing for. So this year I have decided to prepare to wish list (http://www.wishlistr.com/mengsun/) to make everyone’s shopping quick and easy. I know the horror of doing Christmas shopping at this time, with all the crowd and traffic jam. Have fun shopping!

 

J'IRAIS DORMIR A HOLLYWOOD

(sortie le 19 Novembre)

Nous avons eu l’opportunité d’assister en avant première à la projection de ce film, qui fut suivi d’une séance de questions/réponses avec le réalisateur, Antoine de Maximy.

Le principe est un peu le même que la série d’émissions TV du même Antoine de Maximy, « j’irais dormir chez vous », à savoir partir dans un pays, seul, sans préparation, équipé de 3 caméras, dans le but de rencontrer des gens et, si possible, d’être invité à dormir chez eux.

Le défi, ici, est de taille puisqu’il s’agit de traverser les USA, de New York à Los Angeles, avec, en guise de déssert, l’objectif de se faire inviter chez une star hollywoodienne.

Au-delà d’un road movie, somme toute hors norme, c’est surtout à une découverte des différentes composantes de la société américaine, souvent bien loin des clichés en vogue chez nous, que nous convie Antoine de Maximy.

L’humanité et la bonne humeur du personnage lui permettent des rencontres surprenantes, cocasses, parfois même un peu inquiétantes, mais qui ont le grand mérite de toujours être emplies d’une vraie sincérité.

Ce film, loin du simple documentaire, est une totale réussite qui mérite d’être vu par le plus grand nombre, à l’heure ou l’Amérique est sous le feu des projecteurs, tant pour l’espoir que suscite mondialement l’élection de Barack Obama, que pour son coté sombre du à son rôle dans la crise financière.

Enfin, le débat qui a suivi nous a permis de confirmer qu’Antoine de Maximy est un personnage attachant, comme le film ou la série TV le laissait supposer, et d’apprendre quelques petites anecdotes sur le voyage ou le tournage fort intéréssantes.

En résumé : COURREZ LE VOIR !

Cats & scents

I recently found that cats probably like the smell of argan oil. I used some to massage my foot last Sunday afternoon. Then the scent stayed on my palms the whole day. So when I went out in the evening, I ran into two stray cats at different occasions. On approaching the cat, I reached out my hand and it smelled my hand and seemed to like the scent. I knew that cats like and dislike certain scents and it didn’t surprise me that they like argan oil. But what really surprised me was when I read that cats like the smell of bleach!

Summer Action Movies

You probably already knew from our earlier posts that we are movie buffs and we like watching different genre of movies.

This summer, most of the movies that we saw were “action” or “adventure” movies.

Some are quite good while some others are just entertaining.

This a short review of these “summer specials”.

“The Mummy – tomb of the dragon emperor” staring Brendan Fraser and Jet Li, is quite fun and based on some historical points, like the real tomb of the first emperor and its buried army.

“Wanted”, with Angelina Jolie, James Mac Avoy and Morgan Freeman is the story of a fraternity of assassins, with a lot of action. It’s so unreal that it becomes finally very funny.

“The incredible Hulk”, with Edward Norton, Tim Roth, Liv Tyler and William Hurt is probably the best “Hulk” film ever made. Special effects are really impressive and the characters, especially Dr Banner, are quite intense.

“The dark knight”, the latest Batman, with Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman.

A great movie, 3 years after “Batman begins”, Christin Bale is back in Gotham city.

This episode is probably the darkest one; the main characters (Batman, the Joker, and Harvey Dent) are particularly interesting. It’s probably the masterpiece of this summer.

“In Bruges (bons baisers de Bruges)”, with Colin Farrel, Ralph Fiennes and Brendan Gleeson. It’s a totally crazy movie, where two “hit men” are sent by their boss in the wonderful city of Bruges, in Belgium, after a disaster in their previous contract. Collin Farrel is absolutely incredible, very funny, and the city is really a part of the story.

We also particularly liked this one.

Our Little Neighbours

Our neighbour, Miss Cat, has been mentioned in our blog several times. But recently, we had (I'll explain later why a past tense is used) a hedgehog our new neighbour!

Here, he was spotted from our bedroom window at night. He's probably taking his supper, at this time of the night.

In fact, we have seen him several times in one week. Until one unfortunate day, we found him in broad daylight (something is very wrong to find a hedgehog out in the open in the day). So we approached him to check if he's ok. He didn't move when we tried to catch his attention with a broomstick. So my husband went out to him, only to find him injured and bled to death. Poor guy.

We don't know what happened to him. Perhaps he got himself caught in some hazardous objects usually found in cities. We live near the countryside but not quite there yet. So it's not really a hedgehog-friendly place for him.

I later read up about how to make our environment safe for these little garden-friendly creatures. Some tips and advices are found on this site and I hope that those who can and who have a garden, contribute to the preservation of hedgehogs.

Forest gems

This summer, we have a better weather compared to last year's. Despite that, we stayed back in our region most of the season as we are only taking our long holiday at the beginning of autumn (as it's less crowded and less expensive to make holidays when everyone returns to work).

We are fortunate to live near one of the preserved forests in our region. On some lazy weekend afternoons, to avoid direct heat and stuffiness in the city, we like to take some fresh air in the forest. As it is protected, its natural habitants live freely and safely. We even managed to spot a rarity in the forest - wild stawberries.

Wild strawberries found in the forest near Port Royal. It's very small compared to our usual strawberries. However, it is very fragrant and sweet.

Colourful butterfly

Blackberries

BRIGANDVILLE- our kind of place

We all have some favorite places where we like to go from time to time.
Bringandville is one of these places, a cute restaurant located in a small village near home, in the regional park of “Vallée de Chevreuse”.

This review will be in French, as it’s probably more useful for our friends in France.

J’ai découvert ce petit restaurant il y a quelques années et Meng-Sun a également été immédiatement séduite.

Par le cadre, tout d’abord, une maison ancienne, au cœur du village de Rochefort en Yvelines, niché dans le parc régional de la Haute vallée de Chevreuse.
La salle est décorée de créations d’un artiste local (miroirs en mosaïque, lampes), qu’il est possible d’acheter. Elle est très agréable et chaleureuse, particulièrement l’hiver.
Pour l’été, les tables sont dressées dans le jardin ombragé, au milieu des fleurs, au pied de l’église du XIème Siècle.

L’accueil, ensuite, presque familial, est également très sympathique et participe à l’ambiance détendue qui rend cet endroit attachant.
La carte, enfin, si elle n’est pas très fournie en quantité, recèle des trésors gustatifs.
Un seul menu présentant 5 entrées, 5 plats et 5 desserts, qui évoluent au gré des saisons et de l’humeur du chef, à l’exception d’un plat, spécialité de la maison, le poulet « saint pierre », inamovible.
Il s’agit d’un poulet gratiné, à la crème et aux champignons, servi avec du riz.
Pour le reste, les mots d’ordre sont créativité et découverte de nombreux mariage de saveurs.
Nous y avons, par exemple, dégusté une soupe de melon à la cannelle et copeaux de jambon de Parme, un Loup de mer à l’huile d’olive sur lit de fenouil et oignons braisés, servi avec un flan de chou-fleur et un cake de légumes, ou un tajine d’agneau aux herbes.
Quand aux desserts, on y trouve aussi bien un classique fondant au chocolat qu’un crumble aux pêches, des sorbets divers ou un clafoutis d’ananas.

Et qu’il est bon, après le repas, de flâner dans le vieux village ou dans la forêt voisine.
Nous y revenons donc régulièrement avec plaisir, en sachant que nous y passerons à chaque fois un bon moment, à deux ou entre amis.

Brigandville
1 Rue Eglise78730 ROCHEFORT EN YVELINES Tél. : 0130414831

The French Paradox

Among the questions which the natives of my adoptive country pose to me, this is interesting and yet most delicate to answer. What do I think of the French?

For a start, they are paradoxical.

Camping (the movie)

At first impression, they are to me, creative and open-minded. On the contrary, there is also a portion of the population that is stubborn and fermé. Not long ago, the French people only started to travel out of France. They are at least 2 generations behind in terms of travelling and having international exposures. I have not many acquaintances here, and out of 30 people that I know, 4 are afraid of taking the plane. That makes 13.33% in statistics by simple population sampling. There is even one of them who have never been out of France….ever.

My grandparents emigrated from China to Malaysia in the early 20^th century. Even after they have settled down in Malaysia, I remember that my grandmother travelled occasionally to China and the neighbouring countries in Asia for holiday. My grandmother is not any different from an average south-east Asian. However, it is not a norm in France. That’s what I meant by the 2-generations analogy. We just beginning to see my French peers tipping the statistics; being savvy travellers, discovering countries that offer something other than Alps, lavender, cheese, and Renaissance.

I like the movie Camping. It’s about regular holiday-makers who spend their summer religiously in the same camping ground year after year. The funniest line I have heard from the film is when an unusual face who stumbled upon the camping park, asked the regular guests: “why don’t you just buy a holiday home here since you like the place and come here every year?” The answer was: “we like moving about with the camping car to see different places”. Ironic, isn’t it? The answer was absolutely logical. But what about the part on “seeing different places”?

Camping is a microscopic analogy of what was mentioned in the earlier paragraphs. I don’t deny that French people travel a lot. But, I mean yes, they do travel a lot around France. Yes, France the same giant camping park. 

David Guetta & Croquettes

What is the difference between David Guetta and Croquettes? Guetta is French and the croquette (even au fromage) is foreign. And what is common between the two then? Both are new ideas and not easily acceptable in France. House music is now beginning to get the attention in Paris, however I think we are about 10 years late in accepting new music. This is an analogy that I like to use to illustrate that new (and foreign) things are not easily acceptable in France. Furthermore, something French (e.g. Guetta) may not be readily acceptable by the average French. By the way, the famous DJ has nothing to do with croquettes. A comparison is made just to amplify the point.

We are about 10 years behind in appreciating foreign cuisine. I remember when I was in England between 1995 and 1998, sushi and Japanese udon (noodles) were beginning to be popular in London. Yet, many Parisians today have never frequented a sushi bar.

The Forefathers

So how did we have in the same population, the “camping people” and the sorts who spearheaded the high-speed train, philosophy and haute couture? Who are the ancestors who discovered that frog’s legs can be a delicious dish? I’m certainly awed by the geniuses who founded Renaissance and the European Union.

I adore the country and am trying to learn more about the people (is there anything else hidden that I don’t know about them?). For one thing that I hope is that the French people continue to be “so French” and for more of them to look beyond the camping park. As your forefathers have proved that you can be marvelous, I’m convinced that not all French people are camping people.

Cat on a tree

Here’s another episode inspired by the stray (but cute) cats in the neighbourhood. I bet this would please our friend’s 4-year-old son, Jordan, as he was absolutely fascinated by the Sly and Tweety story a few weeks ago.

 

One night while we were reading on the bed to help us doze off, we heard a sudden cry outside our window. It was a cat’s “scream”, a very angry one. Out of curiosity, we opened the volet to see what was happening. We were surprised to see no cat on the grass or anywhere nearby. Then we heard a noise coming from the tree just in front of our window. Up there, we spotted a cat! I have never seen a cat up on a tree before (as I have always lived in cities). I often hear about the firemen in the countryside rescuing silly cats who managed to climb up a tree but not having the courage to come down.

 

It seems that our neighbourhood’s cats are pretty courageous and savage. They roam about, climb the trees and hunt the birds freely in our compound. The next day, I checked the tree again and was relieved that he wasn’t there anymore.

Dream kitchen

Given a limited budget (I guess it’s always the case for everyone) for renovation works, I would prefer to spend a major proportion in the kitchen. For most French as well as Asians, we love food and we have most our meals at home. As the kitchen evolves from a “work” room to a family room nowadays, it is nice to have a comfortable and cosy, and yet practical space to cook and converse with family members and occasionally, guests.

During our visit to the Foire de Paris, we visited several contractors’ booths and one particular show-kitchen designed by a Belgian ébeniste attracted me most. I noted down the name of the brand and then later on, I found their lovely website.

How to Superpoke without Facebook

Simple.

 

Open your email application. Click on “New Message”. Insert the email address of the persons you want to Superpoke. In the body, type “Somebody has just Superpoked you”. Click “Send”.

 

Voilà.

 

This is how we do it in the office ever since our company’s IT security geniuses inserted a spy application to block all kinds of networking and blogging applications on the internet.

 

This method is just as versatile and dynamic as the original applications on Facebook. You can update your status real-time, send a gift, send a message, etc.

 

Have fun!

I taw, I taw a putty tat!

I always have a picture in mind that cats love hunting birds, recalling Sylvester and Tweedy bird. I thought that the love and hate relationship between cats and birds exist only in cartoons. Until yesterday evening, I realised that it’s not a myth after all.

So yesterday evening, we got home at the usual timing and found that our neighbour’s cat wasn’t at his favourite spot. Surprise, surprise…. We saw him sitting in a discreet corner behind the hedge, eating a pigeon! The “murder” sight was rather gross but I must say that his “job” was done in a rather organised manner. He removed all the feathers in one corner and then brought it to another place for bouffer. When he realised that we were watching him, he looked as if he blushed. We called him and he wanted to approach us but instead, he gave sort of a Cheshire Cat grin before leaving the scene. I guess he needed a little sieste…..

First Anniversary

It feels like it was only yesterday we had celebrated the most memorable day in our lives. No, it was actually 360 days ago. We are beginning to count our wedding anniversaries…. like many married couples. Some fortunate ones have counted their jubilee, golden and diamond. It’s so amazing to see how two people can live together for so long.

Human beings are born selfish. People in general have so many disputes and wars among themselves and self-interests are taken above anything else. Most of us are anything but as told in the commandments “love your neighbours as yourself”.

As our anniversary approaches, I take the opportunity to self-reflect. My spouse is my closest “neighbour”. To make the marriage strong and solid, I shall love my spouse as commanded “loving him as myself. With that level of love as a basis, we are building the strongest type of partnership ever known to man. It is the most sophisticated form of relationship (after self and God). When we love our spouses as ourselves, we break down most of our self-made barriers and interests to contribute towards the partnership and family.

To us. Happy Anniversary!

Nominate a cake!

In France, we’re spoilt for choice when comes to pastries and sweets. That is why I have decided to nominate a specific cake to be my birthday cake every year from now on. Bernard just had a Succès for his birthday this month. I have already chosen mine for this coming December. It will be an Opéra.

Energy prices!

As mentioned in an earlier blog, we’re getting more and more price-conscious, especially concerning energy consumption. I found a useful website to check the current prices of diesel and petrol in all stations in France. The differences may be small but if you fill in a full tank every time, you should choose the cheapest in your neighbourhood. The savings do turn out to be significant.

http://www.prix-carburants.gouv.fr/

Soldes d'été 2008

It’s time for our second major shopping of the year……the summer sale starts on 25 June!

Pouvoir d'achat

This is no doubt a popular topic in France lately. We have been promised by our leader that policies will be implemented in order to give us back in terms of improved purchasing power. The French people have been, for a long time, silent about the issue…. high taxes, expensive retirement packages and a stagnant economy. It's strange for me to witness this as I have known them as people who are outspoken. I understood later that money is a taboo subject. People are not "hard up" about concepts such as value-for-money, savings, economy, etc. Money matters are handled discreetly and nonchalantly. It is grave to be seen or being presumed to be a miser even though you may not be one. It becomes a pitfall for many who, unconsciously, are losing out what could have been saved or economised.

My point is, don't count on the government to improve your purchasing power. There are many little actions that you can take everyday in order to make the best out of your hard-earned money. Here are some things we can do without looking like an avare.

• Buy products under house label/brand. They are cheaper and give you loyalty points which are convertible into cash vouchers.
• Do your major shopping twice a year – at the summer and winter sales
• Buy imperishable products in bulk – it's cheaper in terms of cost per unit
• Buy perishable products in amounts according to immediate consumption – to avoid wastage
• Buy whole chicken and whole rabbit – it's cheaper to buy an entire animal. Chop it up and freeze the rest
• If perishable products can be frozen, buy them in bulk and freeze the rest
• Don't buy CD and DVD just after release. If you wait for a little while, Virgin and FNAC stores slash the price from 12,99€ to 6,99€
• Get loyalty cards – registration is free of charge. Most cards give permanent discounts on non-sale purchases.
• Choose a credit card that gives you additional perks – discounts, invitation to private sales, mileage, telephone bill reduction, etc.
• Buy your own principal residence. Since you are paying a significant amount as rent, why not pay the money to own it. It's yours at the end of the day and the best part is there is an END of payment!

Exotic food in France

I find it quite surprising to have found some tetra-pak Ribena drinks under the exotic section in Carrefour. I discovered only recently that my husband (and perhaps 99% of the French people) didn’t even know about this famous drink in England and in most (or probably all) of the Commonwealth countries. I have always known this drink, since young. Everyone in Malaysia and Singapore knows what it is. Children love it. The drink is made of blackcurrant juice. It is tasty, full of vitamins and refreshing.

Actually, the funniest part is that it is classified as “exotic”, and under the same section, I found myself even more surprised and tickled! I found baked beans! Just like Ribena, baked beans became part of the life of Malaysians and Singaporeans and they use baked beans frequently in their local home-cooked meals. For information, baked beans are available in the “Chinese mixed rice” stalls hawker centres.

France must have been, at one moment, been rather enclosed. Foodstuff from across the Channel is rather unknown here. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that the English cuisine does not appeal at all to the French (and to most of us), hence the French people ignored the options all together. But it’s a real pity to have not known Ribena......

MUSEE DU QUAY BRANLY

We like to go to the museum from time to time and we are very lucky to live near Paris, as it offers plenty of choices.
Lately, we went to one of the biggest museums, recently-opened in Paris, Musée du Quai Branly, located near the Eiffel Tower, by the river Seine.
The museum was inaugurated 2 years ago, and it’s dedicated to the ancient civilization.

The first interesting thing with this museum is its architecture.
When you first arrived, you will notice a cultivated wall (where plants literally grew from the wall) at the corner of the building.
You will then enter into a rather savage garden (where the access is free-of-charge) to find some bench to rest and a café with a terrace, and by crossing here you will reach the museum entrance.

It also offers a gastronomic restaurant, “les ombres”, on the top floor, with an open-air area and a great view over the river and the tower. We took the opportunity to spend a day at the museum to have a good lunch there. The place is nice, the service is friendly, the food is quite original and the price is reasonable if you choose the set menu.

The museum has a very important and interesting permanent collection, classified by Continent. The visit is like a world tour. You start normally by Oceania, continued by Asia, from South-East to Middle-East, then arriving in Africa, from North to South, and finishing by the Americas, from South to North.
You have also access to the temporary exhibitions. When we were there, we had a chance to check out these exhibitions: “Batak of Sumatra”, “Ivories in Africa” and “Elena Izcue”, a Peruvian artist.

We spent the entire day at the museum and, even though we were quite tired by the time we get home, we were very pleased as it was interesting and diversified.
It’s a very nice place and we strongly recommend it.

Foire de Paris

It's something that the Parisians do it, either every year or not at all. After my first encounter yesterday, I understand why. This yearly exposition is very popular actually because of the variety. It caters for almost everybody, from the young to the old and to any culture. At the "foire", you"ll find furnitures, multimedias, ethnic food, rare jewelleries, jacuzzi pool, etc. The most interesting part I find is the World Culture section, where you can find things that you don't normally get in France. For example, Indian saris, pre-Colombian jewelleries, traditional Chinese furnitures, spices from the far east, Afrikan masks and many more.

I also understand why some Parisians have never been to the exposition. The CROWD! You need to queue to get the tickets to go in and the car parks are usually full by the late morning. It's always crowded during the weekends and public holidays.

Big City Life

One of our favourite channels these days is the Voyage channel. We stumbled upon a programme called "Big City Life" yesterday and we found it very interesting. I think it is a weekly programme on the channel and each episode presents the life of 3 habitants of a city. Yesterday's episode was on the life in Stockholm. An interesting part, I found is that, at the end of the presentation by each "citadine", he/she is asked by the producer to recommend an address (of a restaurant, bar, shop, etc) to be discovered in the neighbourhood in which he/she lives in.

I find that question interesting and I started thinking on applying that question in the cities that I have lived in.

I know some places of charm and rather undiscovered.

In Singapore:

• Axis Lounge at The Oriental Hotel - where you get a great view of the Esplanade, Fullerton Hotel and the Central Business District, quiet, lounge music



• Azhang Restaurant at Mohammad Sultan Road - where you'll be warmly welcomed by the restaurant owners



• Chez La Mamie (it used to be at Ann Siang Hill but they have moved) - where you can get authentic French food

In Kuala Lumpur:

• Citron Café - its premise is a converted colonial bungalow, with an enormous private garden. food is good and original. quiet place but you'll be surprised to find yourself in the heart of the city. view of the twin towers from the terrace.



• The Curve - where it makes shopping with husband and children a manageable thing to do. spacious, mid-range brands for you, comfy cafés for husbands and a pet supermarketfor the children.



• Sky Bar at the Traders' Hotel - fantastic view of the twin towers at night

In Paris:

• Too many to list.... to start with, most of the cafés, shops and roads that I find most charming are in the 6th and 7th arrondissement.

Vlaminck Exposition

We went to the Musée du Luxembourg a couple of weeks ago to see the Vlaminck exposition. It is still running and will end in July. For those who enjoy the works of Cézanne and Van Gogh, I would recommend you to see Vlaminck's paintings as well. The style is essentially expressionist.

The exposition features the artist's masterpieces from 1900 to 1915 (a relatively short period). You will see that his early paintings are very colourful and projects a strong sense of "fauvisme".

Fauvism is the first of the major avant-garde movements in the European 20th century art; it is characterised by paintings that used intensely vivid, non-naturalistic and exuberant colours. The description fits perfectly with Vlaminck's paintings.

RESTAURANT - MONTPELLIER AND AREA

During our Easter week-end, we discovered some nice restaurant in Montpellier and around that we want to share with you.
As it’s more helpful for our friends in France, I will write the review in French (anyway, Meng Sun said that this kind of review is my job on this blog!).

MONTPELLIER

- L’acolyte: 1, rue des trésoriers de France - 04 67 66 03 43
Ce petit restaurant de charme, à deux pas de la Place de la Comédie, présente une carte originale, à base de produits frais, pour un prix raisonnable. Bonne carte des vins, que l’on peut commander au verre. Ambiance romantique, particulièrement dans la salle du haut. Accueil très chaleureux. Une très bonne adresse (ma préférée !). http://www.acolyte-restaurant.com/

- Roule ma poule : 20, Rue Candolle – 04 67 60 36 15
Petit resto sympa, un peu à l’écart sur une jolie petite place avec terrasse. Clientèle jeune et étudiante, carte intéressante, vins au verre, service sympathique. Un bon moment.

- Le vieux four : 59, Rue de l'Aiguillerie - 08 26 10 10 86
Ouvert uniquement le soir, un petit resto de caractère, l’un des plus vieux de Montpellier,
à la déco originale, très fréquenté. Il est donc conseillé de réserver, surtout le week-end. La carte est variée et assez originale la aussi. Les vins peuvent se commander au verre la aussi. Un endroit très agréable. http://www.levieuxfour.fr/

- Le Thé des Muses : 14 rue collège - 04 67 63 10 22‎
Petit salon de thé bien agréable pour reprendre ses forces autour d’une bonne pâtisserie maison, d’inspiration autrichienne, suisse ou allemande et d’un des nombreux thés disponibles. Les décors sont délicieusement « kitsch » et le patron très amical.


NIMES

- Dolce Italia : 1, Rue Corneille - 04 66 21 03 03
Restau italien assez « trendy » sur une petite place proche de la Maison Carrée. Carte assez large et inventive, décor sympa, un lieu agréable pour déjeuner.

An Easter weekend in the south

We were in the south during the coldest part of winter this year. The snow and rain storm that hit France was a surprise and we managed to escape it by chance as the trip was planned.



Montpellier, Nimes, Camargues, Aigues Mortes and so on....the medieval towns, Roman structures and natural landscapes are just magnificent.

Place de la Comedie, Montpellier

Les Arenes de Nimes

Le Pont du Gard

Agde

Palavas

La Camargue

Les Saintes Maries de la mer

Neighbours' Cats

The curious siamese cat looking out of the window to check out the passers-by. Bernard caught him looking at him while he was taking photos of the blooming plants outside our apartment.

This one is naughty. Once he came to our balcony and played with the fresh soil that we prepared for the spring plantation, leaving traces of its footprints and soil all over the balcony.

Real Copy

I'm referring to real copy of the works of grand masters such as Da Vinci, Cézanne, Monet Van Gogh, etc. Reproducing the masterpieces in oil on canvas is real physically. The only element copied is the imagination of the grand artists. In other words, real reproductions are painted by hand by authentic artists and its material, colour and odour resemble the original works.

We can find these reproductions easily and the prices are reasonable. But beware of print reproductions as the current technology allows high quality printing on textured paper to imitate the look and feel. Do ask the workshop whether the paintings are "fine art prints" or oil on canvas. You can also tell the difference by looking at the price.

You might be wondering also whether the reproduction of an oil painting breaches the laws of copyright. In France, the copyright laws do not restrict reproduction if the author is dead for more than 70 years. This should not pose a concern if you are interested to purchase (or even reproduce, if you have the gift of painting!) an impressionist work of the 19th century.

Easter eggs and bunnies....and all other animals

When one (especially a child) thinks of Easter, the picture of colourful eggs and bunnies come into mind. In fact Easter is more than just chocolates and packaging. To many people who share the same faith as us, it is the symbol of birth.

In any case, it is also a celebration of the arrival of spring. It's a relief after braving the cold for a couple of months, and a joy seeing the blossoming plants. For many children, it is time to hunt for the eggs and bunnies (and even chickens, ducks and some other animals, thanks to the enterprising chocolatiers) in the garden, and the best of all...feasting on chocolates!


We are seeing more and more beautifully-wrapped easter gift products. Some notable brands like Godiva, Chocolate Trading Co, Leonidas and Jeff de Bruges have a wide range of ideas this year. My favourite is always the easter bunny. I just have to have one for myself despite the fact that it's rather a thing for the children.

Bons plans pour les vacances

In three weeks' time, we would be in the south of France soaking the sun, I hope. We are seeing the first signs of spring, yes, even in Paris. Days are longer, buds are appearing on trees and our neighbours' cats are taking more walks outdoors.

We are heading to Provence! It may be too early to dive into the vast lavender beds but we're going back to Provence in September for a real holiday.

To be exact, we'll be stationed at the Montpellier city during the long Easter weekend. We found a reasonable package of flight + hotel + rented car through Voyage SNCF, which is a good substitute for a train package deal as the flight is not costing much more than the train from Paris to Montpellier.

As I did some research on vacations in the south, I stumbled upon gîte lodgings that are let by the week. The good thing about staying in a gîte is that you have the option of making your own meals as it comes with full kitchen facilities. In anywhere in the world except Asia, eating out is usually more expensive than preparing your own meal. With this possibility, you have more room to manouevre your holiday costs within your budget. This is perhaps more important to those who are determined to spend within their budget and yet still able to enjoy their holiday.

We didn't hesitate to book a gîte right away for our holiday in September when we saw Mas de Grasset. The gîte is an individual house with a private garden in the heart of Provence, between Saint Rémy and les Baux de Provence. The prices are reasonable and the owners are friendly. This is perfect as we love the countryside and it is not far from the historical Avignon.

Half of the vacation is planned for visiting monuments and natural sites, and we will spend the rest of the time enjoying the local produce such as discovering, tasting and buying aromatic herbs, olive oil, lavender soap, wine and pottery and textile directly from the farms or producers.

Photography

A friend of mine recently told me that she's interested in photography. I feel very pleased that she's keen to take up a new hobby especially in a creative area. I have always enjoyed some of my friends'photos which they have started taking since college days. Many of them are passionate, dedicated and ardent (in my own words, "crazy" or "totally in love") about photography.

ASIAN FOOD IN PARIS (bonnes addresses)

As this article is mainly for our friends in France, I have writte it in French.

Pour satisfaire nos envies d’authentique cuisine asiatique, autre que celle que nous cuisinons à la maison, nous avons recherché des restaurants de divers horizons et spécialités de toute l’Asie à travers Paris.
C’est le résultat de nos expériences que je vous livre ici.

Vietnamien :
Suave – 20 rue Providence – 75013 – 01 45 89 99 27.
Petit restau, plein de charme, à la Butte aux cailles, pour une authentique cuisine vietnamienne originale et inventive. Il est préférable de réserver car c’est petit et assez peuplé.

Malaisien :
Chez fung – 32 rue Fremicourt – 75015 – 01 45 67 36 99.

Le seul restaurant Malaisien de Paris, à notre connaissance !
La aussi, c’est petit et il est sage de réserver, surtout le week-end.
Pour ceux qui ne connaissent pas, c’est l’occasion de découvrir une cuisine riche en saveur, épicée, inventive. Ca change des standards de cuisine asiatique que l’on connaît le plus en France.

Indonésien :
Indonesia – 12 rue de Vaugirard – 75006 – 01 43 25 70 22.
Quelques similitudes avec la cuisine Malaisienne, au niveau de l’utilisation des épices, notamment. De nombreuses formules de « rijstaffel » (ou table de riz), qui vous permettront de découvrir plusieurs spécialités pour un prix raisonnable.
C’est assez fréquenté et il est donc, la aussi, souhaitable de réserver.


Cambodgien :
La Mousson – 45 av Emile Zola – 75015 – 01 45 79 98 52.
Petit restaurant très agréable pour découvrir les richesses de la cuisine Khmer, à mi-chemin entre Vietnam et Thaïlande. Des épices, du lait de coco pour adoucir, un mariage réussi et original.

Nouilles japonaises :
Sapporo ramen – 276 rue Saint Honoré – 75001 – 01 40 15 98 66.
C’est tout petit, c’est à mi-chemin entre une cantine et un fast food, mais ces soupes de nouilles japonaises sont à découvrir car il n’y a pas que les sushis au Japon !

Nouilles vietnamiennes :
Pho Banh Cuon 14 – 129 av de Choisy – 75013 – 01 45 83 61 15.
La aussi, c’est tout petit et ça ne ressemble pas au dernier endroit à la mode, mais, d’une part, les soupes de nouilles (« pho ») y sont excellentes et, d’autre part, si on se laisse un peu emporter par l’endroit, on se sent vite transporté au fin fond de Saigon.


BON APPETIT !

What a view, what a joy!

It's not good to leave the blog silent for too long. It is just like leaving your house empty for too long. The air becomes stale and dust shows up at every square centimeter of its surface.

Even a short post is good. So I just put up a picture of what happened during the one-month long silence.

In the picture : Here I was sitting by the infinity pool overlooking a river and a jungle in its background, gulping down iced water with a hint of fresh lime while absorbing heat from the 30 degrees tropical climate. Thinking about how jealous our comrades in France got.

Not a grumpy persian!

Compared to the grown-up persian cat of our gardienne this kitten certainly looks a lot friendlier. Like all persians, it has an owl-like face. But what I like about persian kittens is that they have a very cute and innocent look. But once they grow up, they somehow turn grumpy.....

Less for More

I know that's not usually the case when it comes to the price of quality cashmere. But in terms of warmth, a cashmere pullover keeps me well from the cold and yet I don't feel suffocated by its volume and weight.

My favourite is Les Ateliers de la Maille. This shop specialises in knitwear and I love their light cashmere pulls and its prices are reasonable.