Another fun-filled weekend here! PA was in town Friday, so we got to hang out. Saturday was Katherine day! She came around 10am to go to the market, and then we ran out to the library and did some shopping throughout the day. It's nice out again, so skirts were welcome! I also had my first galette saucisse and an AMAZING falafal sandwich from Le Mont liban, right across the place from my apartment! Mmm...
Caitlin joined us, and we headed over to Kelsey's for a little asisstants' party. Chatting and dancing with a finish at Le Delicatessen for more dancing :) Katherine left for home, and Caitlin stayed with me for Sunday. We ran errands, finally checked out the interior of the church that I see from my windows, and ate another falafal sandwich. The afternoon was spent in the grass at the park with a million other people because there is a music festival going on in town with two stages set up in the park as well. It was delightful!
Now it's a quiet Monday, still sunny! I'm doing laundry and preparing my lesson on line dances for my students this afternoon... The Cupid Shuffle and the Cha Cha Slide! It's all because I had a dream about teaching them dancing! I figure, it's the last week, so why not?!
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Monday, April 18, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Weekend in Fougères!
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| Peek-a-boo from Fougères castle! |
Basically, this weekend we did a lot of eating, dancing, and wandering. Friday night we drank wine, ate a platter of cheese and falafal, and went bowling until 3am. Saturday we spent mostly outside--buying food at the market, picnicking at the foot of the castle, napping in the grass with Pride radio on, walking around the castle, sitting at a cafe, napping in the apartment, watching youtube videos together, and eating mussels and fries and ice cream while finishing a mini-keg. Dancing was interspersed throughout the days. Sadly, I did get a touch of sunburn, so I was sore on Sunday morning. We ate a breakfast of coffee, eggs and sausage à la américain and chilled until taking an afternoon bus home. It was low-key but very satisfying--good company, gorgeous weather, and great fun! I was so content in that park on Saturday!
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| Caitlin, Katherine and me--my France clique |
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| Fougères' castle! |
Sunday, April 3, 2011
My last month of working in France!
Friday was one of the sadder days of my French children teaching career--three students just cut my class! I was in my room at 11:30 and waited for twenty minutes before going to ask the teacher if I had the right hour. Apparently, she had sent three students to me and they decided to leave campus for an early lunch instead of working with me :( It was rather heart-breaking...
I had another class where the prof asked me to prepare them for presenting texts for their final oral exam. The problem is that no one explained to me how it works, so I couldn't really answer their questions! Ugh. Only eleven more workdays to go.
Friday evening I went to Vitré to hang out with the ever-cool Caitlin and Katherine. We ate spicy chili, made brownies and pumpkin bread, and danced. The next morning was when we ate the pumpkin bread... Then we had to catch the train to Rennes.
At 5, assistant Kelsey was hosting a party to exchange clothes and books and just mingle in general with other assistants. She made a delicious champagne, vodka, and pineapple juice punch, and I brought White Russian fixin's. The offical invite was from 5 to 7, but we all stayed until 11ish, dancing and eating up all the snacks available because we had all missed our dinner! The last group of me, Caitlin, Kelsey, and Kelsey's French boyfriend Steven went to my place for hookah, then us girls went to the nearby club Delicatessan to dance awhile. I think we only made it to 2:30am this time, but we also didn't spend money getting in or buying drinks at the club, so it worked out just fine.
This morning, Caitlin and I are relaxing over leftover spicy chili and fresh pico de gallo with tortilla chips. It's gonna be a lazy day because her next train home isn't until 7pm. So movies, books, chillin'... My abs and legs are soooo sore from the hours of dancing I've put my body through this weekend.
Also, I officially enrolled at George Washington University! Hooray! Come visit me in Washington, D.C. next year!
I had another class where the prof asked me to prepare them for presenting texts for their final oral exam. The problem is that no one explained to me how it works, so I couldn't really answer their questions! Ugh. Only eleven more workdays to go.
Friday evening I went to Vitré to hang out with the ever-cool Caitlin and Katherine. We ate spicy chili, made brownies and pumpkin bread, and danced. The next morning was when we ate the pumpkin bread... Then we had to catch the train to Rennes.
At 5, assistant Kelsey was hosting a party to exchange clothes and books and just mingle in general with other assistants. She made a delicious champagne, vodka, and pineapple juice punch, and I brought White Russian fixin's. The offical invite was from 5 to 7, but we all stayed until 11ish, dancing and eating up all the snacks available because we had all missed our dinner! The last group of me, Caitlin, Kelsey, and Kelsey's French boyfriend Steven went to my place for hookah, then us girls went to the nearby club Delicatessan to dance awhile. I think we only made it to 2:30am this time, but we also didn't spend money getting in or buying drinks at the club, so it worked out just fine.
This morning, Caitlin and I are relaxing over leftover spicy chili and fresh pico de gallo with tortilla chips. It's gonna be a lazy day because her next train home isn't until 7pm. So movies, books, chillin'... My abs and legs are soooo sore from the hours of dancing I've put my body through this weekend.
Also, I officially enrolled at George Washington University! Hooray! Come visit me in Washington, D.C. next year!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Brussels, Bruges, and Back to Work
Ah! Here is a quick catch-up on the last few days!!
Wednesday, I took the train into Brussels, Belgium, where Katherine and Caitlin were awaiting me at the station. We visited a brewery of sour gueuze (sp?) beer, ate fries and waffles, and saw Autoworld, a museum of old cars! We found an awesome cafe with the best chai tea lattes in Europe. Dinner was at an Irish pub that I've been to many times, including this past summer where I watched a World Cup game there, standing in the crowd for two hours!
The next day was a leisurely outing to Bruges under grey, drizzling skies. It was an hour train ride, then a long, slow stroll up to the center of town with lots of photo ops. We had tea/coffee, cupcakes, and chocolates at a tea shop. I made them stop to see the Michelangelo, the Jesus Blood, the canals, and my favorite chocolate shops. We also had a yummy pasta lunch and an afternoon Bruges Zot beer. Oh, and I managed to buy a necklace in a funky little shop. Back in Brussels, we ate more fries for dinner, then Caitlin and I got hookah and drinks before hitting the hostel.
For Friday we just met at the chai tea cafe to hang out before our trains left. We all had different itineraries, so I ended up on one train with C and the next with K! And I was back in Rennes by 5:15pm to hang out with PA a bit.
Why I like travelling with C and K: We eat/drink/chill a lot. We can speak franglais. We can just be happy strolling.
Saturday to Sunday, I was in Vitré to hang out with Caitlin--make baked brie with fig jam and veggie soup and watch movies. It was a nice chill weekend :)
Started work up today, and my schedule was very messed up! Two of my classes were not even there... including my 8:30am one :/ For a class I did have, I did Two Truths and A Lie, and this girl wrote "I like scream" instead of "I like ice cream," lol!
Back to the grindstone... 23 days of work to go! Then family and friends visit! Hooray! And spring is arriving, so life is getting much happier around here :)
Wednesday, I took the train into Brussels, Belgium, where Katherine and Caitlin were awaiting me at the station. We visited a brewery of sour gueuze (sp?) beer, ate fries and waffles, and saw Autoworld, a museum of old cars! We found an awesome cafe with the best chai tea lattes in Europe. Dinner was at an Irish pub that I've been to many times, including this past summer where I watched a World Cup game there, standing in the crowd for two hours!
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| Chocolate Mickey sculpture for Ma! |
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| Note the grey skies of Wednesday... |
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| Latte, chocolates, and a red velvet cupcake! Mmmm! |
Why I like travelling with C and K: We eat/drink/chill a lot. We can speak franglais. We can just be happy strolling.
Saturday to Sunday, I was in Vitré to hang out with Caitlin--make baked brie with fig jam and veggie soup and watch movies. It was a nice chill weekend :)
Started work up today, and my schedule was very messed up! Two of my classes were not even there... including my 8:30am one :/ For a class I did have, I did Two Truths and A Lie, and this girl wrote "I like scream" instead of "I like ice cream," lol!
Back to the grindstone... 23 days of work to go! Then family and friends visit! Hooray! And spring is arriving, so life is getting much happier around here :)
Thursday, February 10, 2011
The Strike Strikes Back!
Let me summarize the last few days for you...
Monday (night): Finally ordered Speed Rabbit Pizza, the place under my apartment! It was really good--tried a barbecue/onion/ground beef/pickles and a chicken/curry/potato/bacon bits. Both yummy!
Tuesday: Went to Vitré in the afternoon to get my haircut with Caitlin! It was 19euros at a walk-in place... I have some funky layers at the moment, but it looks and feels soooooo much better short again! We spluged and bought 16euros worth of fancy chocolates at a shop we passed and spent the evening eating chocolates and these gratin potatos:
Thursday: Another STRIKE day! It's about the same things as back in October, but recently, the government said that all retiring professors will not be replaced in order to cut jobs... One prof was saying that next year was going to be all messed up since they won't have enough profs for their current student grouping system. So out of my three classes, I had three students, two, and zero... I bought groceries and then went to the CAF office to sort out why I am not yet getting my housing aid money. I was there almost an hour, and the lady just made yet another photocopy of my salary bulletin (I had already mailed them two). Hopefully, nothing else will be messed up.
I was so happy to have a busy day! I really am not a person who is content doing nothing :/
So now I am enjoying some tea with my new favorite snack of baguette with fig jam and brie cheese. SOOOO DELICIOUS! All of my high-class blog readers should jump on this bandwagon!
Pictures to come when my camera is recharged, lol!
Monday (night): Finally ordered Speed Rabbit Pizza, the place under my apartment! It was really good--tried a barbecue/onion/ground beef/pickles and a chicken/curry/potato/bacon bits. Both yummy!
Tuesday: Went to Vitré in the afternoon to get my haircut with Caitlin! It was 19euros at a walk-in place... I have some funky layers at the moment, but it looks and feels soooooo much better short again! We spluged and bought 16euros worth of fancy chocolates at a shop we passed and spent the evening eating chocolates and these gratin potatos:
Serves 6
Baking time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- 3 pounds (1.5 kg) Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1/2 pound (225 g) Gruyère cheese (either Emmental or Comté –Comté being stronger, or Beaufort if you can find some –it's very expensive in the US)
- 8 oz. (225 g) crème fraîche (french cultured cream), or heavy cream if you can't find crème fraîche
- 1 egg
- 1 cup (20 cL) milk
- salt and black pepper
- butter (just enough to butter the dish –no oil please!)
- 2 garlic cloves
- Peel the potatoes. Slice them thinly (about 1/8") and place in water to remove excess starch.
- Butter a deep oven-safe dish. Peel and press the garlic cloves or chop them very finely. Spread at the bottom of the dish.
- Preheat your oven at 390F (200C).
- Dry the potato slices in a clean cotton cloth. Place a first layer of potato slices in the dish. Season with salt and pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon of crème fraîche. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
- Add a new layer of potato and proceed as described above. Repeat until all the potatoes are layered. Make sure to keep 1 tablespoon of crème fraîche for later. Finish with cheese.
- Pour the milk on the potatoes.
- Bake for 1 hour at 390F.
- Beat the egg with the remaining crème fraîche and pour this mix on the gratin. Bake for 15 more minutes.
Thursday: Another STRIKE day! It's about the same things as back in October, but recently, the government said that all retiring professors will not be replaced in order to cut jobs... One prof was saying that next year was going to be all messed up since they won't have enough profs for their current student grouping system. So out of my three classes, I had three students, two, and zero... I bought groceries and then went to the CAF office to sort out why I am not yet getting my housing aid money. I was there almost an hour, and the lady just made yet another photocopy of my salary bulletin (I had already mailed them two). Hopefully, nothing else will be messed up.
I was so happy to have a busy day! I really am not a person who is content doing nothing :/
So now I am enjoying some tea with my new favorite snack of baguette with fig jam and brie cheese. SOOOO DELICIOUS! All of my high-class blog readers should jump on this bandwagon!
Pictures to come when my camera is recharged, lol!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Everybody's working for the weekend!
Nothing much happens around here except for the weekends, and this one was rather exciting! Friday I tidied up the apartment and made rum punch and jello shots with PA for a party at my place. Had a mix of Americans, French, Germans, a Brit, and an Australian. We hung out, danced, played the Apples to Apples game that PA translated into French. It was so chill and fun!
Saturday was busy again. Caitlin, Katherine, and I joined the visiting assistants from Fougères, Amanda and David, for lunch at a vegetarian restaurant. It was DELICIOUS! Tons of unidentified veggies and tofu with yummy flavors! They even gave us a free dessert :)
From there, we went directly to Le Haricot Rouge for lattes, hot chocolate, and cookies. We played War and talked American politics, which was so fun. We got to wandering the streets in the unusual sun after that, stopping in the 2euro store (I guess a bit classier than a $1 store at home). I discovered a scalp massager that looks like a whisk whose loops got cut at the ends—it feels soooo good!
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| Scalp massager! |
We split up around four. Caitlin and Katherine hung out at my place for awhile, but Caitlin had to catch a train back to Vitré to get laundry done. Katherine stuck around to go out for Indian food, which was AMAZING! Lamb buryani with actual spiciness! And samosas! I was in heaven ;)
So I spent tons of money on food Saturday, but the flavors and conversations that accompanied it were priceless!
Last night, there was a party in the apartment above me, so I managed to sleep from 11pm-3:30am and then again 5am-noon! I've got to plan some lessons and clean from the party, *sigh*
Other recent photos that I've just uploaded:
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| Katherine and my rotisserie chicken lunch! |
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| Part of Vitré's castle! |
Monday, January 24, 2011
Keeping myself busy
I tried to keep myself busy and around other humans this weekend! Friday I met up with Katherine and Anna, a visiting assistant from Normandy. We wandered a bit, then we met Julia for some aperatifs and a crêperie dinner. Half the group went to a feminist club lecture, and Katherine and I just went up to my apartment to chill and watch How I Met Your Mother online.
Saturday, Katherine and I met up with a big group to visit the market. We wandered off into the crowd ourselves and left with a whole roasted chicken and potatos for lunch--SOOOOOO DELICIOUS! The potatos are cooked right under the roasting meat, so they have yummy grease all over them :) Again, a few hours of relaxing and people watching from my window...
Sunday afternoon was spent in Vitré at Caitlin's for an eggplant parmesan and cookie making/eating extravaganza! Unfortunately, the 6:30 train back to Rennes was horribly crowded, and I was in a bad mood from it.
PA and I spent the evening watching the Bears v. Packers game online, and it was way too sad... That was the only football game I've watched this season! How strange...
Only one class today... Now I have some time to prepare my American High Schools lesson to educate these children! And I just want to spend some time reading too... People are fun to hang out with, but I need to study and grow some more wrinkles on my brain.
Fun French fact: "To go window shopping" is "faire du lèche vitrines," which translates literally to "do window licking." HAHAHAHAHA!!! xD
Saturday, Katherine and I met up with a big group to visit the market. We wandered off into the crowd ourselves and left with a whole roasted chicken and potatos for lunch--SOOOOOO DELICIOUS! The potatos are cooked right under the roasting meat, so they have yummy grease all over them :) Again, a few hours of relaxing and people watching from my window...
Sunday afternoon was spent in Vitré at Caitlin's for an eggplant parmesan and cookie making/eating extravaganza! Unfortunately, the 6:30 train back to Rennes was horribly crowded, and I was in a bad mood from it.
PA and I spent the evening watching the Bears v. Packers game online, and it was way too sad... That was the only football game I've watched this season! How strange...
Only one class today... Now I have some time to prepare my American High Schools lesson to educate these children! And I just want to spend some time reading too... People are fun to hang out with, but I need to study and grow some more wrinkles on my brain.
Fun French fact: "To go window shopping" is "faire du lèche vitrines," which translates literally to "do window licking." HAHAHAHAHA!!! xD
Friday, January 14, 2011
Business as usual
Quick life update for my faithful followers:
Wednesday was a Vitré outing to hang out with Caitlin--I saw her open her Christmas presents in her newly returned suitcase that AirFrance lost over the holidays! I got to eat chili, rice crispie treats, and chicken nuggets with fries while watching Teen Mom. It was like being a kid in America for an afternoon :)
Two early 8:30 workdays were draining for Thursday and today... One of the teachers has the flu, so I got out two hours early today (good for me, horrible for her!). I did, however, spend another extra hour at school being interviewed by the Graphic Industries class for the school paper! It should be exciting to see what the article ends up being like... They asked questions in English, so hopefully it won't be translated back to French awkwardly. They're even going to take my photo for it next week! I'll be sure to share it all with you when it is printed :)
I've also been talking with Ma about when the family is going to visit. Remember, folks, I'm on vacation here February 26 to March 14 and then April 23 to June 7! (Though, PA and I were just talking about visiting Prague for a few (cold!) days at the end-of-Feb/beginning-of-March part!) Will let you know how things work out, of course. All are welcome!
Tonight, I'm meeting up with a few assistants for dinner and movies. Caitlin is staying over so we can go to the market and/or Irish brunch at Apple Pie. As long as I can sleep a lot this weekend, I'll be happy.
Bisous to you all! :*
Wednesday was a Vitré outing to hang out with Caitlin--I saw her open her Christmas presents in her newly returned suitcase that AirFrance lost over the holidays! I got to eat chili, rice crispie treats, and chicken nuggets with fries while watching Teen Mom. It was like being a kid in America for an afternoon :)
Two early 8:30 workdays were draining for Thursday and today... One of the teachers has the flu, so I got out two hours early today (good for me, horrible for her!). I did, however, spend another extra hour at school being interviewed by the Graphic Industries class for the school paper! It should be exciting to see what the article ends up being like... They asked questions in English, so hopefully it won't be translated back to French awkwardly. They're even going to take my photo for it next week! I'll be sure to share it all with you when it is printed :)
I've also been talking with Ma about when the family is going to visit. Remember, folks, I'm on vacation here February 26 to March 14 and then April 23 to June 7! (Though, PA and I were just talking about visiting Prague for a few (cold!) days at the end-of-Feb/beginning-of-March part!) Will let you know how things work out, of course. All are welcome!
Tonight, I'm meeting up with a few assistants for dinner and movies. Caitlin is staying over so we can go to the market and/or Irish brunch at Apple Pie. As long as I can sleep a lot this weekend, I'll be happy.
Bisous to you all! :*
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Disneyland and work
I last left you nearly a week ago. Since then, I've been far too busy to sleep until last night! Thursday and Friday were early work days with four hours each. In one, I had a deaf student with a translator which was interesting but made me feel bad for talking so much... I often had to translate my English to French for the woman to turn into sign langage for the student. Luckily, I also got off an hour early on Friday so I could pack for Disneyland!
PA and I took the TGV to Marne-la-Vallée, the train station right between the Disney parks and the Disney Village with the hotels just beyond. Disneyland Paris is really like a small-scale Disney World--it was a great break from life-as-usual here in Rennes.
Friday night we just checked in to the hotel and enjoyed some CNN, sine we arrived around 10pm. On Saturday, Disneyland Park, the Magic Kingdom-esque one, opened some attractions at 8am for Disney resort guests and then everything at 10am for all visitors. We got to go on Space Mountain twice (I lost my phone the first time :/), Buzz Lightyear, and some Fantasyland rides.
We stopped in a restaurant for a drink and left via a side door that went into Adventureland. No one was around, presumably because the rides weren't opening for another ten minutes, and we decided to head to the Indiana Jones roller coaster to wait. A woman came up to us demanding to know how we got in because that section of the park wasn't open yet--we explained that we just walked out of a restaurant, but she made it seem like we scaled the walls to break in to Adventureland! She escourted us half-way out and told us to keep walking, but then the announcement for the park openeing came on over the loudspeakers and a crowd of people appeared, running towards us! We joined them and went about enjoying our Disney day on all the classic rides :)
Another great part of Disney was the American foods--foot-long hot dogs for lunch and a big Rainforest Cafe salad for dinner!!! A super cute French touch was the Brioche Mickey, a Mickey-shaped pastry with Nutella inside, YUM!
After the long park day and an early dinner, we took an evening nap. We had planned to go to the nightclub in the Disney Village, but it was apparently closed for the season. We had dressed up and walked through the rain at 11pm for nothing :( Instead, we peeked in the still-open shops and then returned to the hotel room to enjoy more CNN.
A bit of a sleep-in for Sunday because the Walt Disney Studios Park didn't open until 10. We managed to go on the Tower of Terror and the Rock'n'Roller Coaster multiple times, see the Moteurs Action! stunt show, and go to a few of the other attractions. Sadly, the wait for Crush's Coaster was always above an hour, so we never tried that. But the big rides we did were satisfying!
After that was one of the best meals I've had since I moved to France: steak and veggie kebab, potatos gratin, and a warm chocolate cake at Ludwig's Castle. Delicious!!! We killed some time around the shops and took our 9:30 train back to Rennes, arriving after midnight! I slept pretty soundly that night...
I worked three hours yesterday, got a new phone, ate lunch, and napped for three hours! I even went to bed before 11pm and woke up at 9 this morning feeling so much better! I love sleeping :)
PA and I took the TGV to Marne-la-Vallée, the train station right between the Disney parks and the Disney Village with the hotels just beyond. Disneyland Paris is really like a small-scale Disney World--it was a great break from life-as-usual here in Rennes.
Friday night we just checked in to the hotel and enjoyed some CNN, sine we arrived around 10pm. On Saturday, Disneyland Park, the Magic Kingdom-esque one, opened some attractions at 8am for Disney resort guests and then everything at 10am for all visitors. We got to go on Space Mountain twice (I lost my phone the first time :/), Buzz Lightyear, and some Fantasyland rides.
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| Don't fall off Space Mountain!!! |
We stopped in a restaurant for a drink and left via a side door that went into Adventureland. No one was around, presumably because the rides weren't opening for another ten minutes, and we decided to head to the Indiana Jones roller coaster to wait. A woman came up to us demanding to know how we got in because that section of the park wasn't open yet--we explained that we just walked out of a restaurant, but she made it seem like we scaled the walls to break in to Adventureland! She escourted us half-way out and told us to keep walking, but then the announcement for the park openeing came on over the loudspeakers and a crowd of people appeared, running towards us! We joined them and went about enjoying our Disney day on all the classic rides :)
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| It's a Small World and the grey sky that stayed dry until we left the park! |
Another great part of Disney was the American foods--foot-long hot dogs for lunch and a big Rainforest Cafe salad for dinner!!! A super cute French touch was the Brioche Mickey, a Mickey-shaped pastry with Nutella inside, YUM!
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| Brioche Mickey and and a café au lait :) |
After the long park day and an early dinner, we took an evening nap. We had planned to go to the nightclub in the Disney Village, but it was apparently closed for the season. We had dressed up and walked through the rain at 11pm for nothing :( Instead, we peeked in the still-open shops and then returned to the hotel room to enjoy more CNN.
A bit of a sleep-in for Sunday because the Walt Disney Studios Park didn't open until 10. We managed to go on the Tower of Terror and the Rock'n'Roller Coaster multiple times, see the Moteurs Action! stunt show, and go to a few of the other attractions. Sadly, the wait for Crush's Coaster was always above an hour, so we never tried that. But the big rides we did were satisfying!
After that was one of the best meals I've had since I moved to France: steak and veggie kebab, potatos gratin, and a warm chocolate cake at Ludwig's Castle. Delicious!!! We killed some time around the shops and took our 9:30 train back to Rennes, arriving after midnight! I slept pretty soundly that night...
I worked three hours yesterday, got a new phone, ate lunch, and napped for three hours! I even went to bed before 11pm and woke up at 9 this morning feeling so much better! I love sleeping :)
Monday, December 27, 2010
Christmas with the Levillains
I last wrote to you on Thursday before PA and I visited the Christmas market one last time and took in the sights and sounds of the Mayor's office illuminaton! Here is a phot I captured for you at the risk of freezing my fingers off! (I'll post the video once youtube uploads it.)
Friday was a great day of French Christmas activities. PA and I made a batch of date balls to bring to the party that night. At 7pm, we metroed to meet his mom to drive to his aunt Therese's house. It was the Levillain side of the family with three of PA's aunts, a cousin, her two kids, and then PA's immediate family.
We were a bit late, having gotten lost on the way to the small town outside Rennes. The kids were eating already so we just chilled. When they went to the kitchen for their desserts, Pere Noël or Father Christmas dropped off their presents! The kids scrambled back out and went crazy! PA and I then spent a good a good amount of time assembling a parking garage for little Loic.
Dinner was seafood, the preference of the hostess Therese. We started with platters of raw oysters, shrimp, whelks, and winkles, all served with mayo. The main course was salmon and rice with a yummy red sauce. Then was a huge cheese course of six or seven varieties. Dessert was a sampling of my date balls (which went over very well), pistachio cakes with white chocolate on top, and a chocolate mousse log covered in ladyfingers. All soooooo delicious! And after that was a coffee and tea course with more chocolates... Phew!
The party lasted late into the night, so PA and I were dropped off at my apartment around 2am. It was officially Christmas, so I didn't feel too weird about opening gifts at night. The family sent me warm socks, sweaters, a new dress, and crafty things like knitting to keep me occupied. PA got me a French press, an awesome black vest, and another gift that hasn't arrived yet. For PA, my parents sent a bunch of Lakers gear, and I got him personalized M&Ms, cologne, and a meerkat shirt!
No sleep for the weary--we had to get to a lunch party on Christmas day at Aunt Beatrice's house in Rennes. We took the bus at noon and were the first to arrive. There was an aperatif of champagne, bread with meat and crab spreads, nuts, different purées to try. Lunch was the same crowd as the night before minus the kids, Nathalie, and Samuel who were with the other side of the family.
On to the food: a real Christmas food tradition is fois gras, which we ate on toast with fig jam and ham and beef strips kind of like prochutto. Sweet white wine was served with that. Christmas day lunch was a chapon, a nurtured chicken the size of a turkey. This was served with farce, a delicious mix of sausage, raisins, and onion; cooked chesnuts; and potatos gratin with cream and cheese. I was so full, but we had to power through more cheeses with red wine and dessert--all of the leftovers of the night before, plus a chocolate cake! I ate so much: it was delicious!
PA and I went to his apartment for awhile so that he could check things online and I could nap. We bussed back to the same place for a dinner of leftovers, which were still good but I was still full from lunch. After some last conversation and some playing with Clémentine and Martin and their new toys, PA's immediate family and I returned to Vitré to see if Santa had passed by there too ;)
He had, in fact, and he even left some cute things for me--placemats, a bath towel, a soap dispensing girl, a French dessert cookbook, and a bracelet with a dog charm! Samuel and I put together Clé's vanity, and we all danced along with the "Jingle Bell Rock" Santa in the living room a few last times before bed.
PA and I then had the Lakers v. Heat game to watch (sadly lost). The next morning Nathalie's family left for Nancy and we spent a quiet day in Vitré. That was nice after a whirlwind Christmas!
Now it's time to try out some French desserts!
Friday was a great day of French Christmas activities. PA and I made a batch of date balls to bring to the party that night. At 7pm, we metroed to meet his mom to drive to his aunt Therese's house. It was the Levillain side of the family with three of PA's aunts, a cousin, her two kids, and then PA's immediate family.
We were a bit late, having gotten lost on the way to the small town outside Rennes. The kids were eating already so we just chilled. When they went to the kitchen for their desserts, Pere Noël or Father Christmas dropped off their presents! The kids scrambled back out and went crazy! PA and I then spent a good a good amount of time assembling a parking garage for little Loic.
Dinner was seafood, the preference of the hostess Therese. We started with platters of raw oysters, shrimp, whelks, and winkles, all served with mayo. The main course was salmon and rice with a yummy red sauce. Then was a huge cheese course of six or seven varieties. Dessert was a sampling of my date balls (which went over very well), pistachio cakes with white chocolate on top, and a chocolate mousse log covered in ladyfingers. All soooooo delicious! And after that was a coffee and tea course with more chocolates... Phew!
The party lasted late into the night, so PA and I were dropped off at my apartment around 2am. It was officially Christmas, so I didn't feel too weird about opening gifts at night. The family sent me warm socks, sweaters, a new dress, and crafty things like knitting to keep me occupied. PA got me a French press, an awesome black vest, and another gift that hasn't arrived yet. For PA, my parents sent a bunch of Lakers gear, and I got him personalized M&Ms, cologne, and a meerkat shirt!
No sleep for the weary--we had to get to a lunch party on Christmas day at Aunt Beatrice's house in Rennes. We took the bus at noon and were the first to arrive. There was an aperatif of champagne, bread with meat and crab spreads, nuts, different purées to try. Lunch was the same crowd as the night before minus the kids, Nathalie, and Samuel who were with the other side of the family.
On to the food: a real Christmas food tradition is fois gras, which we ate on toast with fig jam and ham and beef strips kind of like prochutto. Sweet white wine was served with that. Christmas day lunch was a chapon, a nurtured chicken the size of a turkey. This was served with farce, a delicious mix of sausage, raisins, and onion; cooked chesnuts; and potatos gratin with cream and cheese. I was so full, but we had to power through more cheeses with red wine and dessert--all of the leftovers of the night before, plus a chocolate cake! I ate so much: it was delicious!
PA and I went to his apartment for awhile so that he could check things online and I could nap. We bussed back to the same place for a dinner of leftovers, which were still good but I was still full from lunch. After some last conversation and some playing with Clémentine and Martin and their new toys, PA's immediate family and I returned to Vitré to see if Santa had passed by there too ;)
He had, in fact, and he even left some cute things for me--placemats, a bath towel, a soap dispensing girl, a French dessert cookbook, and a bracelet with a dog charm! Samuel and I put together Clé's vanity, and we all danced along with the "Jingle Bell Rock" Santa in the living room a few last times before bed.
PA and I then had the Lakers v. Heat game to watch (sadly lost). The next morning Nathalie's family left for Nancy and we spent a quiet day in Vitré. That was nice after a whirlwind Christmas!
Now it's time to try out some French desserts!
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Christmas at home
I didn't even realize what I loved about the holidays and my family before I came here:
How my dad offers to bring us slices of pie.
How my mom gives us news updates on the most random things.
Everyone in their pjs in the parents room to watch tv.
Nick's jokes.
Copper shaking so that his collar jingles and his toenails scratch the floor.
Or going to Chicago and actually having to wear boots and gloves to go outside.
Seeing snow.
Eating delicious meals at Cathy's or out.
Kids running up and down the basement stairs.
Apples to Apples and other games played around the kitchen table after dinner.
Catching up with the aunts.
Home videos being pulled out.
Family gift exchanges as people drop by.
Going downtown to a play or for shopping or for eating somewhere wonderful.
Aunt Chris's delicious food as the Oschman brothers are reunited for an afternoon-long comedy sketch.
Gretchen chatting and laughing.
Old stories told again and again and again, especially if a newcomer is present.
Christmas is almost the worst part because then the anticipation is gone, then people leave again...
Until next year!
How my dad offers to bring us slices of pie.
How my mom gives us news updates on the most random things.
Everyone in their pjs in the parents room to watch tv.
Nick's jokes.
Copper shaking so that his collar jingles and his toenails scratch the floor.
Or going to Chicago and actually having to wear boots and gloves to go outside.
Seeing snow.
Eating delicious meals at Cathy's or out.
Kids running up and down the basement stairs.
Apples to Apples and other games played around the kitchen table after dinner.
Catching up with the aunts.
Home videos being pulled out.
Family gift exchanges as people drop by.
Going downtown to a play or for shopping or for eating somewhere wonderful.
Aunt Chris's delicious food as the Oschman brothers are reunited for an afternoon-long comedy sketch.
Gretchen chatting and laughing.
Old stories told again and again and again, especially if a newcomer is present.
Christmas is almost the worst part because then the anticipation is gone, then people leave again...
Until next year!
Monday, November 29, 2010
The Christmas Market, or Marché de Noël
On Sunday, Caitlin and I spent most of the day working on our grad school applications since we were still feeling stuffed from Thanksgiving. In the evening, we decided to venture out into the cold to get a little exercise. We window shopped and walked around the old town for photo opportunities. Click here for my Rennes Hiver/Winter album.
We started seeing people in the streets with food and drinks, so we followed the crowd to Place de Parlement where the Marché de Noël (Christmas Market) was up and running! Like you can find in Germany, the stands are little wooden cabins selling Christmas gifts and food. I got a sausage, tomato, and onion sandwich with the spiciest mustard ever (seriously, it felt like eating wasabi!), and Caitlin waited in a super-long line for chichis, basically churros but with only sugar, no cinnamon. Apparently, it will be open during the week too, so it should be less crowded than that grand opening Sunday evening!
And now I'm headed back to the classroom to teach some English texting abbreviations and acronymns...
We started seeing people in the streets with food and drinks, so we followed the crowd to Place de Parlement where the Marché de Noël (Christmas Market) was up and running! Like you can find in Germany, the stands are little wooden cabins selling Christmas gifts and food. I got a sausage, tomato, and onion sandwich with the spiciest mustard ever (seriously, it felt like eating wasabi!), and Caitlin waited in a super-long line for chichis, basically churros but with only sugar, no cinnamon. Apparently, it will be open during the week too, so it should be less crowded than that grand opening Sunday evening!
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| Me digging into a sausage sandwich! |
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| Rennes' Christmas Market |
And now I'm headed back to the classroom to teach some English texting abbreviations and acronymns...
Sunday, November 28, 2010
A Wild Turkey Day
Double meaning in that title!
1) The only whole turkey we could find was an expensive, happy, free-range one for 70 euros (fed 10 people).
2) Last night was one of the wildest and silliest Thanksgivings that I've experienced.
The evening started out when Caitlin arrived, and we headed down to the food section of Galeries Lafayette for fancy foods. I couldn't find celery or sage at my usual grocery store, and Caitlin needed chutney and tobasco sauce from the store's extensive international aisle. We also found some flowers as a hostess gift because my mother trained me so well.
We chilled in my apartment for awhile, putting together my dressing and her spinach and apple salad before we went out the door. Dinner was supposed to start at 8, but the turkey, of course, took longer than expected, so the time was changed to 9. We got there around 8:45, so I could use the oven to back the dressing. In the end, we had nine Americans, one Canadian, and one Guatemalan to celebrate with. We had a long appetizer phase while the foods were being reheated, so dinner started at 10:30. Caitlin and I were the turkey carvers!
Now, the food!
-Appetizers: Bread, pâté, cheese, baked brie with fig jam.
-Main meal: Turkey, mashed potatos, gravy, stuffing and dressing, sweet potatos, brussel sprouts, spinach salad, cranberry sauce.
-Desserts: Pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, apple pie, apple brownie goo (didn't cook properly), ice cream.
-Drinks: Ten bottles of wine for eleven people!
After dinner, we were stuffed, so we took a long break to chat, listen to music, drink wine, and play the game Cheers Guv'nah. Dessert was served around 1am. After that, everyone was either falling asleep, taking silly pictures, or doing dishes. I did some dancing and tipsy yoga in an effort to stretch my stomach out (didn't work... I still feel full at 12:20pm the next day). Caitlin and I were the second and third to leave around 2:30am. A good night, even though I felt so full that it hurt to breathe. In France, you have to take advantage of these American moments to get you through all the French times!
I forgot to take photos, but I'll steal some from others when they pop up!
1) The only whole turkey we could find was an expensive, happy, free-range one for 70 euros (fed 10 people).
2) Last night was one of the wildest and silliest Thanksgivings that I've experienced.
The evening started out when Caitlin arrived, and we headed down to the food section of Galeries Lafayette for fancy foods. I couldn't find celery or sage at my usual grocery store, and Caitlin needed chutney and tobasco sauce from the store's extensive international aisle. We also found some flowers as a hostess gift because my mother trained me so well.
We chilled in my apartment for awhile, putting together my dressing and her spinach and apple salad before we went out the door. Dinner was supposed to start at 8, but the turkey, of course, took longer than expected, so the time was changed to 9. We got there around 8:45, so I could use the oven to back the dressing. In the end, we had nine Americans, one Canadian, and one Guatemalan to celebrate with. We had a long appetizer phase while the foods were being reheated, so dinner started at 10:30. Caitlin and I were the turkey carvers!
Now, the food!
-Appetizers: Bread, pâté, cheese, baked brie with fig jam.
-Main meal: Turkey, mashed potatos, gravy, stuffing and dressing, sweet potatos, brussel sprouts, spinach salad, cranberry sauce.
-Desserts: Pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, apple pie, apple brownie goo (didn't cook properly), ice cream.
-Drinks: Ten bottles of wine for eleven people!
After dinner, we were stuffed, so we took a long break to chat, listen to music, drink wine, and play the game Cheers Guv'nah. Dessert was served around 1am. After that, everyone was either falling asleep, taking silly pictures, or doing dishes. I did some dancing and tipsy yoga in an effort to stretch my stomach out (didn't work... I still feel full at 12:20pm the next day). Caitlin and I were the second and third to leave around 2:30am. A good night, even though I felt so full that it hurt to breathe. In France, you have to take advantage of these American moments to get you through all the French times!
I forgot to take photos, but I'll steal some from others when they pop up!
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Time and food
Recently, I've really started to feel at home in my apartment and in Rennes. I know where things are, I have 'usual' stores and restaurants I frequent, my apartment is completely set up, I have a regular work schedule, etc. I've also found ways to take up the free time I have, like yoga, running, reading--and thank God for nytimes.com for keeping me in-the-know! Plus, I have exciting travels planned for the next month! Things are looking up this holiday season :)
Since my cultural lessons have been absent awhile, I'd like to share some observations with you on how the French eat. Breakfast when I was in Versailles was last night's leftover baguette with jam, sometimes a croissant. That lasted you until lunch at 1-ish where I usually grabbed a baguette sandwich (ham and cheese, tuna salad, camembert) and sometimes a dessert like pain au chocolat or flan. Now that I have my own place in Rennes, I more commonly eat there or at Pierre-Antoine's place rather than outside. What I have seen a lot here is that the French grab a snack, or gouter, around 4 or 5pm--I see people with little pastry bags on the main squares and shopping streets every day. That works because dinner isn't until 7 or 8pm, a fact that shocked my family the other day when I hadn't eaten before 8!
Thinking about all of these meals has made me rather hungry! I'm going to a Thanksgiving dinner party of assistants tonight to get my fill of turkey and all those sides!
Also, I added some photos to the Rennes Automne album. I'll start a Winter albumn after Thanksgiving tonight!
Since my cultural lessons have been absent awhile, I'd like to share some observations with you on how the French eat. Breakfast when I was in Versailles was last night's leftover baguette with jam, sometimes a croissant. That lasted you until lunch at 1-ish where I usually grabbed a baguette sandwich (ham and cheese, tuna salad, camembert) and sometimes a dessert like pain au chocolat or flan. Now that I have my own place in Rennes, I more commonly eat there or at Pierre-Antoine's place rather than outside. What I have seen a lot here is that the French grab a snack, or gouter, around 4 or 5pm--I see people with little pastry bags on the main squares and shopping streets every day. That works because dinner isn't until 7 or 8pm, a fact that shocked my family the other day when I hadn't eaten before 8!
Thinking about all of these meals has made me rather hungry! I'm going to a Thanksgiving dinner party of assistants tonight to get my fill of turkey and all those sides!
Also, I added some photos to the Rennes Automne album. I'll start a Winter albumn after Thanksgiving tonight!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
The French lifestyle myth
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| The view from PA's apartment balcony-- the building in the center is part of the University of Rennes 2 where PA studies |
I miss the varieties of foods in the
For example, yesterday I tried to make my famous oreo cupcake recipe, but I had to convert the measurements and reduce the quantities from 24 cakes to only 6… I forgot baking powder and they came out as short, super-dense cakes of an almost flan-like consistency. PA reassured me that they tasted just fine, but they could not in all honesty be called cupcakes :/ Trial and error with ingredients and figuring out the little table-top oven I have. At least my buttercream icing tasted the same, even though I had to stir it by hand for 10 minutes for lack of an electric mixer!
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| The Oreo Cupcake attempt |
I’m still waiting for work to pick up… So I’m still trying to listen to French tv and the conversations of my hosts to learn more French. Last night was spent comparing childhood cartoon theme songs in English and French (Pokemon, Digimon, Denver, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), listening to music (French and American), laughing over youtube videos, assembling shelves for PA’s room, seeing Alexandre and Wajd have a boxing/slapfight, and watching Wajd burn himself, the table and the carpet by dropping a hookah coal. No baguettes or berets in sight! ;)
Cultural note: Have you seen those Windows 7 commercials where the person tries to convince you that Windows 7 was their idea? They have them here too, and the premise is that a French exchange student is at a barbecue in
I'm only updating because I'm bored and pensive at the moment. Enjoy all my attention while you can ;)
Bisous!
L
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