Baked Peaches with Pistachios
Peaches are in season and so deliciously juicy right now. I am afraid to eat them in public because of the slurping noises I make and the fact I inevitably get peach juice running down my arms, pooling into my armpits.
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Love Thursday : The Things We Do For Love
**Note, this was originally posted in August 2007, but I thought it would make a great edition to Love Thursday**
Before I left for my first trip to Paris, solo, I asked Chris if there was anything special he wanted me to bring back for him. I was expecting a beret, a bottle of wine, cheese, or something chees-y like an Eiffel Tower t-shirt. But non, he surprised me. He wanted some pictures. And not just any pictures.
There is a famous picture by Brassai, called ‘ The Stairs’. It is a truly lovely black and white photo and one of Chris’s favorites. So, his souvenir was for me to find and recreate this picture. Uh, ok, no problem. I didn’t know a tiny souvenir would turn into a project.
{The things we do for love}
So, I sat at the computer and let my fingers do the walking. After tons of web surfing… I found that the photo was taken in Montmartre. Hmmm, ok, so I need to look for a large staircase in Montmartre. Shouldn’t be too hard. Well, since Montmartre is on a hill, called the butte, there are stairs all over. Back to the computer. More research, more websites. Finally, I narrow down my options, go to Google Maps and discover,’ The Stairs ‘ is actually a staircase that runs alongside the funicular that takes you to Sacre Coeur. The staircase is actually named – Rue Foyatier.
Voila!
When in Paris, armed with the address and approximate location, I head to Sacre Coeur in Montmartre. Mind you, this is several days into my trip and my tootsies have never done so much walking, hurt so bad, or seen so many ugly looking blisters…but off I go to find and climb a staircase.
{The things we do for love}
When I arrive at Sacre Coeur, I head to the left and there I see the funicular, which is like a giant tram that takes you from street level to Sacre Coeur at the top of the hill.
To the left of this, I see some stairs. I move closer, and sure enough…the street sign says, Rue Foyatier!
At last…I am so excited! Until I see how looooong the staircase is. It seems to disappear in the clouds. And that motorized tram is looking mighty fine to my feet that are on fire now. But…I promised.
{The things we do for love}
So I trudge up the stairs, turning back to look down at every landing to take a picture. Part of the problem is that I don’t know the exact angle or how far up or down the stairs the picture was taken from. So, I just keep snapping, and snapping…from the left, from the right to get the best shot.
The Brassai picture, has no people in the shot, which presents a problem. It was really busy when I went. Just when I have the best shot lined up, people begin walking up or down. It was very frustrating. Needless to say -I took at least 50 shots, some with people, some without. In total, I spent about an hour at ‘ The Stairs’.
{The things we do for love}
When I arrived home, we looked through the photos. Chris loved all the shots and chose the one he liked the best. We blew it up to an 11 x 17 black and white and we look at it often. Though it will never be as good as the original Brassai, especially since the conditions were not the same, it does serve as a wonderful reminder of my first trip to Paris, a sign of accomplishment, and above all it represents..the things we do for love.
Happy Love Thursday everyone!!
Photos: Around Rue Foyatier, Paris
Tour del Gelato: GROM
By now you should know how I feel about gelato.
Travel Tip Tuesday : Finding Budget Accommodations in Europe
NYC…What is it about you?
You’re big. You’re loud. You’re tough.
Annie was the first Broadway play I ever saw, and I was lucky enough to play a part in our high school’s production of Annie as a teenager.
My first trip down to NYC to see Annie convinced me that I wanted to live there when I grew up. People rushing everywhere, giant buildings, deliciously creative store windows, lots of shopping, hustle and bustle.
It looked so exciting. Everybody always in a hurry to get somewhere. I wanted to be a part of it.
As I got older, I realized that I am a county girl at heart and am happy living close enough to NYC that I can visit anytime I want. And being that New York City Hotels are no bargain, maybe it’s a good thing that I live so close.
The excitement is only a train ride away.
Our day trip on my birthday did not disappoint.
We arrived at Grand Central Station. I made a bee-line for O&Co. Tasted some goodies, including two of the most delicious and grassy Tuscan olive oils and purchased basil oil and green olive tapenade.
Then it was off to the Central Market. I must tell you, this food market located within Grand Central terminal, has the most wonderful quality produce. I stood in awe.
We gathered picnic fare like cheese from the King of all cheese shops, Murray’s, lobster puffs at Pescatore Seafood, a baguette from Zaro’s, white donut peaches and raspberry plums from Greenwich Produce and a little treat from Li-Lac Chocolates.
From here we hopped the subway to Spring Street and exited up the stairs into the bright sunshine with no plan to speak of.
We wandered around SoHo and shopped at some of my favorites. Sur la Table, Lush, Sabon, Kate’s Paperie, Mango, Zara and of course, Sephora.
What girl’s trip would not be complete without a Sephora visit?
Shopping bags in tow and stomachs growling, we strolled over to Washington Square Park, grabbed our bench and dove right into our most delicious picnic lunch.
You may ask why we picked this park? Here, let me show you…
Unfortunately, they are replacing the sidewalk here, so the area is fenced off. This is the closest I could get.
We stopped often to window shop at boutiques like this. This was a great store and I just loved this retro vintage window display. The church in the background was just as grand.
And people say New Yorker’s are rude. I beg to differ!!
The cafe that once graced your favorite corner, is now an empty space, windows boarded up or whited out. That boutique relocated and a new florist now occupies it’s spot. Businesses come and go, only the best and most well-established carve out their niche and are able to withstand the ever-changing New York market.
We completed the evening with our dinner at Zerza. Our Morrocan meal was just fabulous. The spices, the flavors and the mint tea. All were wonderful.
I would certainly recommend this place for the food. The service is a bit brisk, so don’t go for a leisurely meal, visit for the flavorfully spicy food at a great price. Our dinner, with appetizers, main dish, drinks and mint tea to finish it off was under $80. For two. In NYC. That is a steal!
We were exhausted when we arrived home, after 11pm. But such is life when you spend the day in the big city!
And it goes without saying that we can’t wait to go back and see what the Big Apple holds for us the next time!
NYC: Scenes From the Train
I thought I would share photos taken from the train ride on our way down to NYC. The tracks hug the Hudson River the whole way down.
Love Thursday:Three good souls
It was a dark and sad day when Heath Ledger passed.
Those Crazy Italian Laws
According to a Reuters article published on Monday, Italian governing bodies have been taking some liberties this summer by instituting some strange laws in their towns. Italian newspapers have coined this the "summer of bans."
For example, sandcastles are banned in Ercela, close to Venice.
Sandcastles? What the…
And you cannot mow your lawn on the weekend in Forte dei Marmi.
Alright, maybe it's hard to hear that soccer game with the roar of the mower's engine.
PDA in a car could cost you 500 euros in Eboli.
In a country where love and romance are celebrated, you would think it was encouraged, no? Hmm, 500 euros, depending on the affectioneur/affectionee, could be worth it!
And in lovely little Lucca, feeding the pigeons is not permitted.
If you have ever been to Saint Mark's Square in Venice, you would totally be on board with that one!
My curiosity was piqued by the article and I wondered what else I might find in terms of Italian bans.
So I googled it.
Up popped an interesting story about a couple in Rome that was banned from naming their own son, Vendredi, which means Friday in Italian. It seems they chose the name based on a character from Robinson Crusoe, but the Italian courts deemed that the name "would prevent him from having serene interpersonal relationships".
Ha. Love that one.
Also in Rome, last month the Mayor banned groups of three or more signing, dancing, drinking or eating in the street. You may face a fine of up to 500 euros.
This sounds like what I would do on a good vacation, celebrating in Italy. So am I not allowed to have fun in Rome now?
And how could we forget that at the end of 2006, Italy was one of the first countries to ban women deemed too skinny from fashion show runways.
This is my personal favorite, celebrating normal and chubby girls, worldwide!! We like fashion too, ya know.
One of the most well known Italian bans went into effect in January 2005. The dreaded smoking ban.
As the law states, there should be no smoking in all enclosed public places, which includes offices, shops, bars, cafes and restaurants, unless a sealed off room can be provided for the non-fumatori. Fines range form 275 euros for the smoker, up to 2,000 euros for the business owner. Fines can be higher if the smoking happens in front of children or pregnant women.
Since there are so many stipulations and definitions, many loop-holes are created and different interpretations are prevalent.
Needless to say, the smoking ban is obeyed in Italy about as much as traffic lights, speed limits and the implied fidelity in marriage vows.
That is to say, "just a suggestion."
And the further South you go, the less it is enforced.
In spite of that, as a result of the smoking ban, heart disease and heart attacks in Italians are reportedly dropping every year.
A welcome side effect, wouldn't you agree?
So, what are your thoughts on these crazy Italian laws? Do you think this is a case of local governments trying to take too much control? Are they trying to do the right thing or just collect a windfall in fines? Which laws do you agree or disagree with and why?
Travel Tip Tuesday : Ziploc Bags – The Perfect Travel Accessory
Ziploc bags are to travel, what duct tape is to, well, pretty much everything else. They are reusable, recyclable, come in many strengths and sizes and handy as all get-out, which makes them the perfect travel accessory.
Ziploc bags have become increasingly popular, due to their quart-sized bag becoming the publicized standard for meeting TSA carry-on restrictions for liquids in quantities of three ounces or less.
Hey, if they recommend the sophisticated Ziploc, it must be good!
Here are a some of the many other uses discovered for using Ziploc bags for travel.
- Spa facial. Put a clean washcloth in a Ziploc bag, carry it on the plane. When you get near your destination, ask the flight attendant for some hot water, poor it in – put the washcloth over your face!! (Budget Travel Mag)
- Pack Leftovers. Bring a Ziploc to breakfast and pack leftover bread, pastries or fruit to take along for an afternoon picnic. (Vicki, Jacksonville, FL)
- Organize Accessories. Put a complete outfit together on a hanger, pack all the accessories to go with that outfit (jewlery, scarf) in the Ziploc bag, poke a tiny hole in the bag and place it over the hanger.
- Beach Protector. Bring a few Ziploc bags to the beach. Place your camera and cell-phone in the bag to avoid getting them wet or sandy. Use another to hold your wet bathing suit, so you don’t get everything else in your bag soaked.
- Inflate it! Use your own hot air to blow up a Ziploc bag. Use as a make-shift travel pillow, lumbar support or put some in your luggage to fill up empty space and keep loose items from rolling around!
- X-ray vision. Keep film, digital memory cards and camera batteries in a Ziploc bag. It’s easy to remove from your bag and have a TSA clerk hand check your film, rather than putting it through the x-ray machines and face the possibility of damage.
- Secret hiding place. Make a large Ziploc your go-to place for your passport, airline tickets, and any other special events tickets or itinerary items you may have for your trip. You’ll always know where to find them, and the bag protects them from getting wet, dog-eared or torn.
- Laundry Kit. Pour in some detergent, add water, place your delicates in, close and swish. Voila!! A mini washing machine.
I am sure there are many, many more ways to use Ziploc bags for traveling. Please feel free to share your clever uses in the comments!
Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage
Longer ago than I care to remember I had an Italian boyfriend and his Grandmother used to make gnocchi all the time. I loved watching her make them. She'd whip up a batch faster than I could boil the pot of water.
