Paris Recommendations:

I have written about Paris before, complete with fairly descriptive recommendations and explanations for said recommendations. . . but with many friends about to embark on a Parisian adventure, I thought it was important to give some current, somewhat succinct, and perhaps more practical suggestions for prospective visitors.

7 Things I Wholeheartedly Recommend in Paris:

These are listed in no particular order of importance, and are all “worth it” in the extreme. If you don’t want to get caught in crazy touristy traps or the crush of an overwhelmingly over-stimulating museum for the duration of your visit, that’s normal. These are my strong suggestions for anybody visiting who wants to catch a good glimpse of what Paris has to offer . . . and I’ve included some helpful practical info for planning your visit!

Le Musée Rodin

What is it? A gorgeous, stunningly-beautiful-yet-manageable, non-overwhelming, highly worthwhile, indoor-outdoor museum that contains MOSTLY the gorgeous sculptures and artwork of François-Auguste-René Rodin.

Practical information:

Entrance fee = 9 Euro, or included with Paris Museum Pass access
Hours of Operation: 10am- 5:45pm (last entrance = 5:15pm), every day BUT Monday
Location = 79 Rue De Varenne (closest Metro stops = Varenne or Invalides)

L’Orangerie

What is it? Have you ever seen the GIGANTOR paintings of water-lillies that Monet did? Like: entire walls? This is that.

Practical Information:

Entrance fee = 9 Euro, or included with Paris Museum Pass access
Hours of Operation: 9am-6pm (last entrance at 5:15pm, also closed on Tuesdays and the morning of July 14th)
Location = Jardin des Tuileries (see below -closest Metro stop = Concorde)

Les Catacombes:

What is it? Lots and lots of bones, stacked eerily underground in a beautiful-yet-terrible reminder of human mortality. It’s morbid, yet memorable; fascinating.

Practical Information:

Entrance fee = 8 euro
Hours of Operation: 10am-5pm (last entrance at 4pm, also not open on Mondays)
Location = 1, avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy (closest metro stop is Denfert-Rochereau)

Le Marché aux Puces

What is it? Pure magic in the form of one of, if not THE, world’s biggest flea market. Antiques, clothing, housewares, art, EVERYTHING. Feel free to poke around on the M.A.P. website for more info.

Practical information:

Hours of Operation: usually open on weekend days, although Sunday seems to be the best bet for the most vendors!
Location: Up and Down and in and around Rue des Rosiers in St. Ouen (WAAAAAY up North in Paris- closest metro stop is probably at the Porte de Clignancourt)
IMPORTANT: make sure you find the real Antique Market and the actual place because there is also a cruddy couple rows of vendors which can be misleading and cause you to be highly disappointed. . . don’t be fooled by this external nonsense. Find the real “Marché aux Puces” Because on the outside it’s all just crappy modern junk, not the antique mecca that I heard so much about. . . . and then I stepped into the magical old fashioned fairy-tale world that is antiques. . . and it was all better.

Versailles – la Domaine de Marie Antoinette

What is it? It’s the place where Marie Antoinette lived out her fantasy of being a peasant/actress/normal human being when, in actuality, she was the Queen of France, and not a popular one. It’s adjacent to the GIGANTIC and opulent chateau of Versailles, and sometimes people skip it because they assume it will just be more of the same opulence and gilt. HOWEVER, it’s beautiful, it’s quaint and it’s akin to setting foot into a setting for an old-fashioned fairy tale.

Practical information:

Entrance fee = 10 euro (although that does not include admission to the big palace of Versailles – the TOTAL “passport” ticket to all parts of Versailles is 18 euro)
Hours of Operation:
Location: Place d’Armes – 78000 Versailles, quickest access for travelers is by RER C, a train quite like the commuter-rail. To quote the website: “To get to the palace of Versailles, make sure to buy a ‘Paris – Versailles Rive Gauche’ ticket for zones 1-4”

l’Arc de Triomphe – CLIMB IT

What is it? To quote Akon’s personal assistant, whom I overheard say this to the rapper himself whilst visiting the Arc: “This is a famous french monument.” To quote Sherlock Holmes: “Do your research.” Aside from its historical and cultural importance, if you climb the towers this is the absolute best view of the city of Paris!

Practical information:

Entrance fee = 8 euro, or included with Paris Museum Pass access
Hours of Operation: 10am to 11pm – cost = to go up – if you’re there this weekend it’ll be crazy b/c the 14th is Bastille day, so there should also be fireworks and such
Location: Place Charles de Gaulle – at the top of the Champs Élysées (closest Metro stops are Georges V or Charles de Gaulle- Etoile)

Les Bateaux-Mouches

What is it? It’s a boat tour that takes you up and down the length of the Seine River, allowing you to see the sights and relax your aching tootsies at the same time. You can see the path/direction of these boat tours in the picture below!

original map via

Practical Information:

Entrance Fee = 13,5 Euros
Timing information: Frequency – a bateau-mouche leaves about every 20 minutes. Duration – about an hour and 10 minutes
Location/Departure point: Pont de l’Alma (on the northern side, or Rive Droite/Right Bank) at a place called “Port de la Conférence” in the 8th arrondissement (le 8ème).

In Conclusion:

There are many sights not included on this list. . .including (but not limited to) La Tour Eiffel, Le Musée D’Orsay, and Le Louvre. These are incredible/beautiful/worth while too, but I tried to keep the list above as succinct as can be. ALSO, there is the question of food. Paris has phenomenal food, but you can fall into the touristy food traps like anyone else and miss the magic. I won’t go into food here, but I STRONGLY recommend you check out Parisian food-suggestions from David Lebowitz [x] [x], whose food-blogging about Paris revolutionized my taste-bud experience of this fine city.

Travel safe, friends, & amusez-vous bien!

Nostalgia and Donuts

When I was little, my family somehow wound up with this novel device . . .

After enjoying the Dazey Donut Factory throughout my childhood, I figured what better day than today, of all days, to mention it and the nostalgia it brings to mind. Today, being the first Friday of June, is National Donut Day. Now, before anybody gets bummed out that this is a post about Donuts and not a post about it being the 70th anniversary of D-Day, which is quite admittedly FAR more important than any donuts, I just wanted to share a really cool piece of history.

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National Donut Day was started by Salvation Army volunteers on the battlefields of France during World War One . . . and then the tradition continued on throughout WW2 until the day was commemorated in 1938 as an official national day that would occur annually on the first Friday in June. These volunteers would go around to military bases and hospitals in the field and give free donuts out to soldiers as a way to bring them CHEER and boost sagging morale!

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In fact, the Salvation Army folks believed so strongly that the soldiers needed a little piece of home that they even fried doughnuts up in soldiers’ helmets! So, if you enjoy a free donut, you should think about how awesome it is that this day was actually invented to honor and support soldiers even before D-day came around!

Delicious Treats You Don’t Want to Miss in the Greater Boston Area

1. ANYTHING from Sugar Magnolia’s in Gloucester

sign image via, french toast via

This is the breakfast place that I take everyone to when they come to visit . . . and also the one that I go to WHENEVER I can come up with a reason to go out for breakfast! The food here is out of control phenomenal. Whether you order Georgia’s French Toast (like French toast and S’mores all-in-one), or the Carrot Cake Pancakes with the maple butter, or the Goatie (an incredible omelette with tomatoes, caramelized onions, & goat cheese), or the AMAZING porridge (one of my favorite things ever!), you won’t be disappointed!

2. Dinner (Try the Kibbeh!), at Kareem’s in Watertown

When you step into this restaurant, it almost feels like you’re having a luxurious Syrian dinner in the home of a friend. . . the intimate setting and novelty of seeing your food prepared before your very eyes is an experience in and of itself, but it is more than simply unusual as a setting. In addition to the setting and service being fabulous, the food is also incredible – like a magical blend of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern goodness. Everything is fresh and flavorful and hits the palate perfectly. They only take cash or check, which is good to know in advance, but it’s worth the pre-planning to have this dining experience!

3. New England Ice Lollies in Newburyport

It feels wrong to just call these incredible creations “popsicles”. These cannot be demoted to the same status as those frost-bitten things in the back of your freezer. . . these are heaven. Refreshing and cold on a hot day, they also are some of the most flavorful and delectable things I’ve ever had the privilege of tasting!

4. Ice Cream at The Cherry Farm Creamery in Beverly

It’s delicious, it’s local, and it’s the perfect creamy, decadent treat for a hot summer night. Or afternoon. Or morning.

5. Cake from D’Amici’s in Lynn

My sister buys birthday cakes here whenever the opportunity arises (and with a rotating door of 5 children in your home, the opportunity arises with happy frequency!). I can honestly say that their cake is awesome, but MORE importantly, the frosting is PHENOMENAL.

6. Tortelloni di Zucca at Chianti in Beverly

This is the only item on this list that is unaccompanied by a photo. . . probably because I usually am FAR more focused on eating it than playing food paparazzi. I wish I could truly and fully describe to you how delectable this dish is. It is homemade pumpkin tortelloni is served with bits of diced pear and caramelized nuts in a creamy Gorgonzola sauce. It can be yours for a mere 16 dollars and it’s worth every penny.

7. Barbecue Chicken Pizza &Key Lime Pie Martinis from Soma in Beverly

These are my stand-by favorites any time I get the chance to go out, particularly when I’m craving barbecue chicken pizza goodness. Top it off with a key lime pie martini (rimmed with graham cracker crumbs!) and you’ve got the best quality comfort food you could ever ask for.

8. Decadent Lemon Blueberry Mascarpone Cake from Jaho’s in Salem

Jaho’s coffee shop in Salem is a wonderful spot. They have an unbelievable array of teas, drool-worthy gelato, some incredible pastries (including the cake, which I adore) AND free wi-fi. It’s the perfect spot – lovely for relaxing, meeting up with a friend, studying, or even just grabbing something yummy to eat.

9. Pastries, Bread, and Coffee at A& J King Artisan Bakery in Salem

This small artisan bakery is tucked into a little corner of Salem, MA, and it has the most incredible breads and pastries you will find outside of France. It is definitely 100% on par with the best I tasted in the year I lived there!

10. Chocolate Orgasms from Rosie’s Bakery in Cambridge (or Chestnut Hill!)

My sister brought me this as a thank-you after I babysat for her. It was out of control delectable.

11. A quite-nice Chicken Kabob Salad . . . but INSANELY amazing PITAS from North Beverly Roast Beef in North Beverly

I kind of already explained it in the title, but let me just explain. . . the salad is good and all, but the PITA BREAD. It is insanely good. They make it fresh and you can see the puffy pillows of pita cooling on the counter right before they get cut and served to you FRESH. They are divine. I always order an extra.

12. The Cinnabun Pancake from The 17 State Street Diner in Newburyport

I recently tried this delicious magical pancake for the first time. It is simultaneously both the most fluffy and the most delicious warm breakfast treat you will ever taste. I don’t even usually like cinnamon, actually, and it is still the best pancake I could ever conceive of.

[Salad] Bar NOTHING

Summer meals are sometimes less-than-appealing to plan . . . particularly if it happens to be on the hotter side. SO, I just thought I would remind you of an option that you may have written off!

lettuce image via

That’s right. Now, salad sometimes sounds less-than-appealing. I mean, salad can just be so blaaaand, right?

WRONG.

Salad is only boring if you lack imagination, friends. The spread above is the delightful smorgasbord of salad accoutrements that I recently enjoyed with friends.

A few things you might enjoy on a good salad:

avocado
sweet corn
chives
peppers of all colors (pan-seared for some extra deliciousness)
chick peas (baked, if you want that extra little crunch!)
bacon
kale chips
sunflower seeds
pine nuts
sugar snap peas
mushrooms (sautéed is better)
dried cranberries
olives (unless you’re me)
basil
snow peas
tomatoes
beans (black beans, kidney beans . . . )
cucumbers
radishes, if you’re into that kind of thing
strawberries
onions (might I suggest shallots?)
cheddar cheese cubes
carrot shavings
hard boiled eggs
croutons (homemade are delicious, if you can manage it!)
crumbled goat cheese
peach slices
apple slices
wheat berries
broccoli florettes
slivered or sliced almonds
candied pecans (or walnuts)
beats (I bake them and cut them into chunks)
orange slices
feta cheese

Anything I forgot?

Happy Friday, Happy Spring!

This flower, blooming outside my sister’s door, is too beautiful not to share! Happy Spring and Happy Weekend, Friends!

Color-by-Conjugation

Let’s face it . . . conjugating verbs is nobody’s first choice activity.

One of my students lets me know exactly how he feels about conjugation, choosing the verb "vomir" (to vomit) every time I give the class the option of selecting their own verb for a conjugation . . . — One of my students lets me know exactly how he feels about conjugation, choosing the verb “vomir” (to vomit) every time I give the class the option of selecting their own verb for a conjugation . . .

As a French teacher, I am always trying to think of new ways to get my students more familiar with verb conjugations. The traditional worksheet tends to be less-than-scintillating, and at this time of the year I find that students have a low threshold of tolerance for tedious activities of any kind. SO, inspired by the traditional concept of color-by-number art . . . and by the awesomeness of conjugart (which blends conjugation and art quite impressively!), I have made a present-tense review color-by-conjugation worksheet. It covers regular ER and IR verbs, as well as the verbs I like to call the “fab four” (être, avoir, aller, and faire – four insanely useful and common, yet highly irregular, French verbs). If it looks useful, I’m including the two links to download it below (one is for the key/cover page, and the other is for the coloring page!)

Instructions Page – Color Conjugations

French Present Tense Color by Conjugations

Because who doesn’t like coloring???

Maya Angelou

A woman of sage words passed away today.

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Rest in peace, Maya Angelou.

Not So Happy. . .

My nieces and nephews are an endless source of delight. . . and also ridiculously fickle water-works.

Anybody who spends time with kids aged four-and-under probably knows exactly what I mean. As easily as they are delighted, they are enraged and as much as they enjoy life, they also become frustrated by it on a very regular basis! SO, as near-constant paparazzi to four of the coolest kids I know, I have gathered my fair share of upset-kiddo footage alongside the happier moments I usually share. Just to keep things in perspective,I am sharing some of those more . . . dramatic moments.

Keep in mind that no children were actually in pain or hurt during the filming of footage used for the following montage. Their reasons for crying are listed at the end of the video, for those of you who are interested.

Also, I obviously make no claims to the music (Happy, by Pharrell Williams) that accompanies this video – all rights and such remain with the original artist.

I might be a horrible person, but I think I’m hilarious.

Baklava-lovah!

I just made Baklava for the first time!

What is baklava, you ask? Well,Google give us this handy definition:

OR, you could just look at this beautiful visual straight from my very own kitchen!

I used the Pioneer Woman recipe, because, after reading her book, I decided that she is a kindred spirit and that I just absolutely love her. Her recipe for Baklava is fairly simple and straightforward. The only thing I might change about the directions would be to melt the butter, or at least let it get very very soft, before putting it on the uncooked/layered Phyllo dough. If you don’t do this, the thin sheets of dough will tear. This might seem like common sense, but (embarrassingly enough) some of us could still use the directive. I might also put a flashing warning sign above the recipe regarding the RIDICULOUS amount of sugar/calories these bad-boys have . . . I mean, let’s just say that you wind up mixing butter and sugar with TWO CUPS of honey at one point. So, maybe don’t eat this if you’re diabetic. Health-factors aside, however, the Baklava was delicious and a smash hit with the crew who requested it!

Baklava

Springtime Magic: Photo Proof

Sometimes the stars collide and I manage to snap a photo at the right moment to show exactly what I am seeing and the magic of this beautiful changeable season that is Spring as it surfaces around me in New England! These are a few of those moments from the past few weeks . . . for your viewing pleasure!

This bubble last for whole minutes on the grass at Lynch Park!

The rain became an impressionist painting through my windshield.

The sand on Wingaersheek Beach looks like frosting.

Even the overcast sky shines with new dimension.

An absolutely idyllic day at Wingaersheek Beach.

A surprisingly hidden and beautifully revealed symbol of love from my watermelon.