Cappuccino with a chausson aux pommes and pain au chocolat at Au Petit Versailles, called one of the top ten bakeries in Paris
GOODBYE, COMFORT ZONE…..
Last Saturday morning I stopped by a currency bureau to exchange my US $$$ for Euros. Having been in Paris only 3 days, I prepped for the conversation needed for this transaction. As I stepped to the window, I did my spiel en français, and felt quite pleased with my performance. The young man behind the counter smiled…bigly.
“C’est vrai,” I asked. He nodded his head. He understood.
“I guess you know I’m American, huh?”
He laughed…bigly.
The first carousel appeared in France in the second half of the 19th century and quickly became very popular with the Parisians. Today there are at least 20 and one is in my neighborhood. There is also a carousel museum.
Lenôtre has a shop on Rue Saint Antoine. For Easter they are featuring a collection of Les Tortues (turtles). I think this photo of my taking a photo of “Tortue Surfeuse” is fun.
Friday at the Picasso Museum I flipped to English when questioning a guard about an upcoming exhibition. “It’s alright,” he said. “I like to practice my English.”
“Petite fille sautant à la corde”, an assembly of found objects and scraps by Picasso
I’ve shopped so often at Monoprix, the major retail store on my block, clerks already understand my fractured French. For my first Paris meal at Au Bouquet St. Paul’s, I ordered Magret de canard aux figues et miel and, voilà, quack, quack. However, anything revolving around food and drink albeit unpolished, pas de problème. I’ll get there, my friends. Time is on my side.
I pass this gentleman every day. He seems formidable.
THE JOY IS in the JOURNEY, NOT at the JOURNEY’S END
During the past six years I have learned to be comfortable traveling alone. If you make a wrong choice on a solo trip, you fix it without feeling guilty for ruining someone else’s day. In my six years of going solo I’ve never met a problem I couldn’t resolve into a better solution. In my opinion, traveling alone makes you braver. Inspiration kickstarts creativity, expanding your mind. Dealing successfully with the unknown gives you courage. You learn to trust your instinct.
However, as many of you understand like I do, life can turn on a dime. For now, at least, I am privileged and somewhat in a hurry to be able to push boundaries. If not now, when? This 6 weeks in Paris is all about that.
Throughout Paris, if you notice or look carefully, there are small “art” objects stuck to walls of buildings and monuments. Mysterious artists such as Jeff Aerosol, Nemo, Space Invader, Philippe Gerard and Underground Paris create these pieces. John Hamon just posts his photo! It’s fun to be on the lookout for these.
Last Tuesday morning I boarded the Aspen to Chicago flight, beginning a six-week adventure into the Unknown Zone. By Wednesday morning I was unlocking the door to my tiny studio apartment in Le Marais. Unpack. Shop. Explore. Jet lag be damned. My apartment is modest, adequate and within my budget. (Yes, I have one.) It’s safe, quiet and I have already bonded with all 240 square feet.
What is fabulous, of course, is the location, Rue Saint Antoine, a street dating from the 16th century. Directly across from my apartment is the gorgeous 17th century Saint Paul-Saint Louis church, a magnificent blend of French/Italian Baroque architecture. The 170’ July Column of Place de la Bastille, dedicated to the 1830’s Revolution, anchors one end of the area. Christian Vabret’s charming corner bakery/restaurant, Au Petit Versailles du Marais, the other. Since it opens at 7am, who doesn’t need an early morning croissant and cappuccino?
Standing by my building’s doorway I spot boulangeries (5), a fromagerie, dozens of cafes and bistros, chocolatiers (5), Monoprix, grocery stores, fishmongers, flower shops, wine/Foie Gras shops, a bookstore and more. Much more.
It’s been a happy beginning.
Bonne nuit de Paris.
“Boy, those French. They have a different word for everything.” Steve Martin
Chile poblano stuffed with potatoes, requesón (ricotta cheese), Salsa Mexicana topped with crema
MEXICO’S CULINARY EXPLORER
On my last day in San Miguel I took a cooking class from Kirsten West. You won’t recognize her name but this is all you need to know. Ms. West, an international chef/cooking instructor who has studied Mexican regional cuisine for over 25 years, is German. She’s worked closely with the iconic Diana Kennedy, often called the Julia Child ofMexico. During her 8-year collaboration with chef Rick Bayless, she tested every recipe used in his first three cookbooks.
Kirsten West kitchen before class as her assistants prep the ingredients.
I once took a cooking class from Kennedy and had eaten at both Topolobampo and Frontera Grill, Bayless’ first Chicago restaurants. Both chefs are acknowledged superstars so I expected the same from West.
Note the television set in the upper left of the photo. Ms. West provided a power point presentation to coordinate with her instructions and lecture.
It’s gracias to Amy Gordon that I was able to join the class. Amy and her husband, Barry, divide their time between Aspen and San Miguel where she has sequed from a successful 16-year Aspen retailing career to guiding tours in Mexico and Cuba. Since five women from Aspen were flying in for a 5-day tour, she invited me to join the fun.
Amy and her Group of 5, ready to explore San Miguel.
West, who believes Mexican cuisine is misrepresented and undervalued, is passionate about her subject. While pouring us tangy red Hibiscus Flower Coolers she outlined the day’s class schedule. “This is about listening, looking, tasting, smelling and participating,” she explained. “We’ll do it all.”
On a Sunday we spent the afternoon at Zandunga Ranch for singing, dancing and eating.
Thirty minutes later we were already taste-testing crisp jicama chips with peanut-chile dry dip. We also gobbled down sliced chayote, an edible plant belonging to the gourd family, with pumpkinseed-chili dry dip. She varies her dry dips recipes, making them with pumpkin seeds and all kind of nuts.
Moving on to salsas, she chose three, Roasted Tomato-Jalapeno, fresh Tomatillo and fresh Tomato and Chile, playing with them to create various dishes. Each was delicious enough to convince me to check out Rick Bayless’ 1998 cookbook, “Salsas That Cook: Using [6] Classic Salsas to Enliven Our Favorite Dishes.”
Using a variety of her antique and present-day presses, each of us took our turn at making tortillas. We turned them into Quesadillas with Mushrooms and a pungent, aromatic herb called Epazote. After utilizing indigenous ingredients throughout the day, she ended our feast with the most popular, Pineapple Cubes with Puffed Amaranth and Mexican Chocolate. Oh, la la.
Making tortillas.
These were all user-friendly recipes, almost all ingredients are available north of the border, and there’s not a one I can’t replicate in my own kitchen. That, to me, is the true measure of a cooking class well-taught.
DESTINATION: PARIS
Riding the gondola to the top of Aspen’s Ajax Mountain before leaving for Paris.
Two weeks ago I flew back from San Miguel, spent several days with my family in California and then drove back to Aspen. It’s always a joy to be home. Period.
However, there’s still snow in the mountains, the skiing’s spectacular and it’s apparent Winter intends to linger for another month or so. That leaves me just enough time to spend SpringtimeinParis.
Since I leave in two days, there are bags to pack and loose ends to tie! My next post will be from the City of Lights. Someone suggested ‘Paris is generous to the curious.’ For the next six weeks, using Eric Maisel’sA Writer’s Paris as a guide, I hope to spin my curiosity into words.
When I was in Patzcuaro I ordered this soup, Sopa Tarascal, every day. According to the waiters, it’s a Michoacán classic, especially in Patzcuaro. The soup’s base is pureed tomatoes, Guajillo chiles and Flor de Mayo beans.
Today is Flag Day in Mexico. Cue a patriotic celebration, focused around the Plaza Principal, with parades and civic events . I was up as the rooster crowed, dressed quickly and grabbed my camera before heading down to the Centro Histórico.
FLAG DAY 2018 in SMA
As my glorious time in San Miguel comes to an end, a beautifully sunny day and comfortable park bench offered me the solitude to reflect on this month-long journey. If I had aspired to a deep dive into this country’s culture, that wish has been granted.
Just Married: Lauren & Joe
Of course, with any trip to a foreign destination, there’s been bumps and bruises. Those bruises still haven’t healed since my two early on face plants. Regrettably, I probably shouldn’t have ordered that pork belly sandwich! My cash cards don’t work. Memo: Talk to bank. I don’t speak Spanish. French doesn’t work! That’s truly a drawback but police are ubiquitous and very helpful.
There is a school just below the O’Leary’s hacienda. Each morning I love listening to the kids’ happy screams and laughter.
It’s been a safe trip. The only fear I’ve experienced was inadvertently jumping into water deeper than me. Remember? I can’t swim. I panicked before Blanca got me to a safe space.
At first Blanca and Cavanaugh shepherded me to important sites and helped orient me to SMA. I still am graciously included in all their social events. But thereafter I’ve managed to stumble about this city’s very complicated 64-block historic area myself or to meet friends. Thanks, Google.
The Magnificent Monarch
As before, photos best capture the past ten days.
SANTUARIO de la MARIPOSA MONARCA
It won’t surprise you that the highlight of my trip has been going to the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, a 200-square mile protected area and winter home to more than 60 million monarch butterflies. I joined a group of 13 Canadians for the arduous 11-hour trip to El Rosario Preserve. For the monarchs, it’s a 2,500-3,000 mile migration flight from Canada/US to the preserve. For us it was an 8-hour vehicle roundtrip, a 40-minute horse ride up the mountains and another mile-long hike. To see those beautiful creatures? A magic moment.
The third leg of the trip, hiking up the mountain to the butterflies with my Canadian friend, Kathy.
SAN MIGUEL WRITERS CONFERENCE & LITERARY FESTIVAL
From February 14-18 I attended and enjoyed San Miguel’s annual writers conference.
Waiting to hear the incomparable Sandra Cisneros…..Jane, Marcella, Rick and Blanca
I had never heard of Poet Rita Dove but, after her keynote presentation, I will never forget her.
ANOTHER FACE of MEXICO MASK MUSEUM
Owner/Curator of the Mask Museum, Bill LeVasseur
After arriving in SMA I received an email from Aspenite Wendy Weaver who has been our travel agent for 30 years and is an experienced traveler. She urged me not to miss visiting SMA’s mask museum located, incidentally, one block from O’Leary’s hacienda.
Although no photos were allowed to be taken in the museum, I found this image on the Web.
Owner/curator Bill LeVasseur and his wife, Heidi, have spent more than 25 years acquiring an extraordinary collection of over 600 Mexican ceremonial masks. Besides being knowledgeable himself while taking you through the collection, there are also texts, photos, and videos highlighting more than 40 different dance ceremonies.
CRUZ ROJA MEXICANA
Cavanaugh, who speaks Spanish, volunteers three days a week as an ambulance driver for the Red Cross. When in Aspen, he is a Mountain Rescue volunteer.
MORELIO, PATZCUARO, CAPULA and TZINTZUNTZAN
Blanca and Cavanaugh have gathered together an amazing and growing collection of Mexican handcrafts and folk art created with various materials for utilitarian and decorative purposes. We took a 4-day road trip through the central Mexican state of Michoacán in search of new acquisitions. The trip was remarkable in so many ways.
We stopped at the warehouse of a folkart dealer in Patzcuaro. The walls were all lined with masks.
In the back of a Capula pottery shop these artists were at work.
The Ex-Convento de San Francisco, a religious/monastery complex in Tzintzuntzan. It’s buildings date back to the 1500’s and 1600’s The city was founded in 1450.
FAREWELL to SAN MIGUEL
I hope this beautiful but forlorn lady will forgive me this bright smile. San Miguel de Allende is a place to be happy/
My Colorado friends Steve & Donna Chase (L) and Amy & Barry Gordon (R) with Armando and Philamone, the donkey. The Gordons live in San Miguel 6 months of the year. Armando and Philamone are their next door neighbors.
DIA de LOS CASCARONES
On a windy Sunday morning during the pre-Lenten festivities, we had brunch at a roof-top restaurant.
This month New Orleans hosted its Mardi Gras and Rio de Janeiro, the world’s largest Carnival celebration. In San Miguel de Allende it’s Dia de Los Cascarones, the day of the cracked egg. While SMA’s crowd can’t rival the one million revelers of their South American neighbor, this city does a smashing job observing the five days leading up to Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.
While exploring one day, I asked a store clerk for a lunch recommendation. “Go down 2 blocks to a little grocery store,” she said, pointing left. “Climb up to the third floor,” she continued. “They have the best pork belly sandwiches in San Miguel.” The Mom and Pop shop was nondescript with only 4-tables but the pork belly sandwich was the best I’d ever eaten (and, my first)!
A black cat crossing my path has never bothered me. Stepping on a crack breaks no one’s back. If you spill salt, look to avoid any targets before tossing more over your left shoulder. I may not be superstitious but I admit to strongly believing in Luck. So, if someone wants to crack an egg over my head in the name of good fortune, let’s do it.
During the festivities I met Donna for lunch at Nectar, a patio restaurant whose many hummingbird feeders attract our tiny flying friends. This Violet-crowned Hummingbird entertained us throughout lunch.
El Jardin (Plaza Principal) located directly across from the famed La Parroquia (church) is Ground Zero for the gaiety. The Centro Histórico is ablaze in color with mariachi bands staking out their corners. Vendors line the square, selling hand-made puppets, glitzy masks, outsized paper flowers, ice cream, churros and bags of cascarones. Mojigangas, giant costumed puppets from 6 to 18 feet tall, stroll and mingle with the crowd.
On most days I was treated to a lunch created by Cav & Blanca’s talented Senora Trini. Color me Spoiled.
What interested me most during the festivities was the cracked egg scene. Simply put, cascarones are washed chicken eggshells, brightly painted on the exterior, filled with confetti and closed again by small tissue squares glued over the opening. These handmade mini-piñatas are manufactured by local kitchen table entrepreneurs and sold on the streets in bags of 5, 10, 20 and 40. (I went big, buying 40 for 50 pesos.)
Since no one at the El Jardin had cracked an egg over my head, bringing me good fortune and luck in the year ahead, I bought my own stash of 40 eggs. Senora Trini helped me place the eggs strategically in a gorgeous bowl in O’Leary’s dining room.
Every child, teen and even Moms/Dads tote their own personal cache to toss or crush over an unsuspecting head, producing a confetti shower and bringing good luck to the victim. For these 5 days, SMA’s historic cobblestones are a rainbow of colored confetti.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I finally cracked an egg over my own head. Good Fortune reigns. I cracked another open to show you.
EL CHARO del INGENIO jardin botanico
When Donna and I were waiting to begin our nature tour at El Charo, Bob Turner (middle) helped me identify a worm-eating warbler (who knew?). From the small world department… Bob Turner lived in Boulder, Colorado and was the western states’ field director for the National Audubon Society. He assisted Aspen’s renown birder Linda Vidal and other locals in establishing our Roaring Fork Audubon group.
As I mentioned last week, El Charo del Ingenio, located near Casa O’Leary where I am staying, is an outstanding 217-acre botanical garden and nature preserve surrounded by an Ecological Preservation Zone. Besides hiking its many trails, last week Donna and Steve Chase and I took a morning tour to learn about its vast botanical collection of cacti and other Mexican plants many of which are rare, threatened or in danger of extinction due to development.
White-faced Ibis
Canyon Wren
Tropical Kingbird
Donna and I, who are volunteer Rangers in Aspen, enjoyed learning about new plants and birds.
My last night together with the Chases before they returned to Colorado. We had cocktails on the roof of their apartment before doing to dinner.
VALENTINE’S DAY AT CASA O’LEARY
Valentine’s Dinner, Casa O’Leary
Dinner with friends, many who came for San Miguel’s Writers Conference, from Canada, Austria, the USA and Mexico.
I was able to snag Floridian Tim Wheat (R) to be my Valentine. Canadians Tony and Joan Eyton sit nearby. Mr. Eyton, my dinner partner, was the Ambassador to Brazil and served as the Senior International Trade Advisor for the Canadian government. During his long and varied career he was posted throughout the world so our dinner conversation was quite interesting.
Señora Trini made a delicious Valentine chocolate cake for our evening’s dessert.
WELCOME to CASA O’LEARY, my home for the next 5 weeks.
Early every morning I pour a mug of coffee, stand out on the balcony and get my first glimpse of SMA through this oval non-window (located to the left in the above photo).
Seventeen years ago in April 2001, when Michael and I were driving home from an early AM yoga class, we followed a moving van turning into our Silver King Drive neighborhood. As it pulled to a halt at the vacant house near ours, we spotted a cute little guy, standing patiently with his parents, waiting for that truck to spill out the life he’d left behind in Houston, Texas.
We were smitten. And, dear Readers, that’s how I’ve ended up spending 5 weeks of this winter with the O’Leary’s in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Every February 2nd families and communities dress up their image of Niño Dios (Child Christ) with brand new clothes and take them to the church to be blessed. It falls forty days after Christmas, and is celebrated by Catholics as the “Feast of Purification.”
The priest is blessing all the babies brought to the altar.
Everyone picks up their babies after being blessed.
That little 4-year old is now a junior at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. As our lives and the O’Leary’s became intertwined we were able to participate in and celebrate the many milestones of his journey. After Michael died Blanca and Cavanaugh were among the friends who quietly tucked me into their lifestyles and families.
After the ceremony families get together for a delicious tamales feast. We sat down with the whole staff and had homemade tamales and hot chocolate for breakfast.
That evening for my first dinner, Señora Trini, the O’Leary’s talented cook, made me a flan.
More than ten years ago, they bought a hacienda in Mexico and now spend 6 months of the year in SMA. Generous with their hospitality and skilled at entertaining, their home is a revolving door as friends come and go. Although Blanca has often invited me to visit, nothing meshed until this year when I asked to visit for ‘a week or so.’ But five weeks? Who does that?
A UNIQUE FRIENDSHIP
These cactus pads are called Nopales in Mexico. We brought some from this woman and brought them home to S. Trini. That night she made a delicious vegetable that looked much like green beans!
Over the years Blanca, who grew up in El Paso and I, Iowa born and bred, have created a unique friendship. Although I can’t speak to what I bring to her party, I am well aware of what she brings to mine. Strong-willed and intuitive, her passions and gusto for life run deep. Because our cultural experiences were so divergent and my ignorance and naivety about Latinos so great, we’ve never lacked for spirited conversation.
Since Blanca is on the board of San Miguel Pen, the worldwide association of writers with centers in 104 countries, we attended a evening author’s presentation. Later author Sandra Cisneros, who in 1995 received a MacArthur Genius Grant, joined us for dinner.
During our weekly hikes last summer, we discussed this upcoming visit. “If I’m coming for that long,” I said, after remembering that ‘guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days,’ “ I want it to be about learning.”
“Of course,” Cav and Blanca agreed, suggesting that was already a given.
Just a casual Saturday afternoon in downtown San Miguel. Actually these two fine people are headed to a wedding.
After spending one week in SMA I’ve already taken a deep dive into grasping the importance and significance of Mexico, our south-of-the-border friend and neighbor. For the next 5 weeks, with shorter written posts, I’m letting my photos tell the story of meals shared, celebrations observed, activities enjoyed and people encountered.
And yes, after a week of enjoying the O’Leary’s bounteous hospitality, I’ve begun mainlining my multivitamins.
I joined an early morning San Miguel Audubon birding walk at El Charco del Ingenio-Jardín Botánico. Besides seeing this Vermillion Flycatcher I viewed many birds species including the Great Kiskadee, the Chachalaca and the White-faced Ibis for the very first time.
On most mornings we take an early morning hike up to the El Charco preserve near the O’Leary’s home with our neighbor Christina.
