Calling my name

G Unit and I went to the Prague Food Festival today. It was a glorious day. Sun, big fluffy white clouds, a nice breeze, food, booze and a lovely park setting. What more could a girl ask for?

An opportunity to wear my new dress from Paris! Funny story about this dress. Or maybe just a typical story. Every morning when I was in Paris I walked by a little store called Vincenzo on Rue des Petits Champs and a little dress in the window called my name. I stopped, I stared. I checked the opening and closing times. Not open on Saturdays?! I continued walking thinking I'll make it out of work early today. I'll stop by before they close. And then every evening after staying late at work I walked back to the hotel and looked in all the windows of the closed shops. And every night the little dress in the window taunted me. Just stared me in the face claiming I'd never be able to buy it.

So one of my last days in Paris I skipped out on lunch and told my colleagues I had to go see about a dress. There were of course a few other dresses calling my name but I ended up with the one that was in the window. And look how happy it makes me.

Or maybe that's the ice cream.

Or the shoes. I bought those in Paris too. At a store called Minelli. I'm all sorts of coordinated today

Or maybe it's just the company

And the best part of said Food Festival. They sent us packing with a six pack of beer. Yeah. It was a good day. 

A Breath and a Word About Macaroons

G Unit's parents left us for Poland yesterday. While I can say that it was a joy to have them for the week G Unit and I just about died from the joy of sleeping in our bed last night.

But not to worry the Fishers are back in a week and then we're all off to Vienna and then back to Prague and then off to France for the Fishers and off to Italy for the Mansard-Fishers. Can you tell we're not hibernating anymore?

Speaking of France. Shortly before I left for Paris a friend mentioned she was jealous at all the macaroons I would be able to eat. "I forgot about the macaroons" I declared. But after that it was the only thing I could think about.

I had read about Laduree before arriving and on multiple occasions I was asked by my fellow co-workers if I had made it there yet. Cause it was around the corner and if I liked macaroons well..... I assured them it was on my list but with the late nights at the office the first opportunity I had to go was shortly before G Unit arrived on my last working day. But even before I stepped foot to go towards the shop my colleagues surprised me with my very own box of Laduree macaroons. One of the best gifts ever.

G Unit and I were in heaven all weekend. I hogged the raspberry ones but generously let him have the pistachio ones and split the caramel ones with him evenly. We tried to go to the store over the weekend but it was overrun with tourists. Probably good for my waist line but sad for my taste buds.

Just writing about them right now is making me reveal over the gooey filling and soft crisp egg white almond cookie outside. I'm going through macaroon withdrawal. So if you find yourself in Paris or in some fancy pastry store that sells them. Eat one for me.

I'm heading back to Paris before the end of the year to eat more Parisian food in general and my weight in macaroons.

Whew!

It's been a long two weeks.

Paris was great. Fabulous. But it was long hours and then the weekends were spent packing in as much of the city as possible. And then getting back to work in Prague. Well you can imagine what my desk looked like. Papers everywhere with me in the middle and me tearing my hair out.

And G Unit's lovely parents Mark & Leslie arrived this past Thursday. And now we're in Bavaria just over the Czech border in Germany. Whew. I'm tired just thinking it over.

I got a lot of sleep last night and now it's raining so the options are to read, watch a movie, blog or sit and look out at the lovely scenery at the rain. All excellent options. Although taking a bike ride on the trails in the National Park wouldn't be a bad thing either. Maybe the rain will clear up. I see some blue skies out there.

If you're interested we're staying at Bavarian Forest Holidays in Peter Haus. It's a great place run by a British couple and man is it fully stocked. Self serve grocery supplies, booze, movies, books, huge screen tvs, schnapps, bike rentals, tennis, badminton, games and in the winter, skiing. The owners have put together an entire binder of information on the area and things to do. It's insanely impressive. This is the kind of place G Unit and I would love to run.

ANYWAYS. I just wanted to let all you loyal readers know that I'm alive and well. More blogs on Paris as soon as I can upload pictures as well as more information about Bavaria and the Fisher visit.

And now back to relaxing.

Every kid's dream

I had gelato for dinner tonight. I can because I'm in Paris and I said so.

After having drinks with my Parisian counterpart earlier this evening I headed back to my hotel to drop off my stuff and change. I decided to head out and walk around the city just to finally get a chance to see it. On the way I picked up a pasta salad at the grocery story in case I got hungry. I have vouchers to eat at a few cafes but it was 9:30 and I wanted to try to see the city.

So I headed over to the Louvre, stared at the pyramid and then headed up along the Siene and crossed over the "party bridge" or Pont des Arts. There were, as always, people picnicing on the bridge as well as along the Siene all the way up to Notre Dame. I crossed over the river again after pausing to view the Cathedral and then started making my way back towards the Louvre.

I somehow ended up in Le Marais or perhaps just the start of it. I had no idea where I was but I heard some guy mention Le Marais and my ears perked up as it's where my sister is going to be living this summer. Or in the general vecinity anyways. Lots of bars, sister of mine and lots of gay men. I'm sure you'll have a grand old time.

As I was wandering by all the bars, pubs and cafes I passed Gelati d'Alberto and couldn't resist. It has been so long and I'm sorry to say there's no real good ice cream in Prague. There is some ok ice cream but not gelato. So I got my stracciatella and coffee flower shaped ice cream and enjoyed the walk home. Bliss. I managed to find my way back without a map. G Unit thinks I have no sense of direction but the truth is I do, just not when he's around as it is easier to rely on him.

Tomorrow's agenda? Catch up with a friend and maybe do a little shopping and Sunday I may head to Versaille. We'll see. I'll be sure to let you know how it all turns out.

My Tea is Rich

Just a quick post to let you know I made it to Paříž safe and sound. It was a pretty uneventful trip. I'm in a budget hotel in a nice part of town and I got presents upon arrival. More mugs! And info about Paris. G Unit is so excited he's going to steal a mug for work. I would take pictures so you could share in the joy but well I forgot to bring the cable to connect the camera to the laptop, so you're all just going to have to wait, but I promise to take pictures, of Paris and not just the mugs and maybe even send some postcards.

My room basically feels like Harry Potter's closet, but I suppose a little bigger. And a shower that is meant for a tiny person. I think the shower head is as high as my chest. There is a window in this Harry Potter sized space. Looking at the back of some buildings and into someone's home. And Sacre Coeur. I think. I mean it's a big white building on a hill right? They're can't be something else that looks like that right? So worst room ever, or best room ever?


Full disclosure - This is not my picture



My French is still there and it's seems more readily avaialble than it was in Morocco. I wonder why that is? I wonder if it has anything to do with being surrounded by Czech and not being able to answer. Because my brain wants to answer any language that is not English with French. Maybe my French language has just been waiting for someone to understand what it's saying. Either way I'm feeling a bit more confident about it all.

It's time for bed. More info to come. 

Spring in Prague

The weather has turned gray since I took this picture last week but Spring is definitely here. Next week? Spring in Paris. It is officially a go with tickets purchased and everything. Only a week and a half instead of three weeks in Paris but G Unit will come for a weekend visit. Stay tuned

Bunnies and Chocolate

I have fond memories of Easter growing up. Mostly revolving around eggs. Painting eggs, easter egg hunts (while singing christmas songs - apparently my sister and I were confused children), posing with the easter bunny, cadbury eggs, jelly beans, so much chocolate I'm amazed I never feel into a sugar coma. The typical American experience, I would think.

Here in Central Europe there are many similarities. Images of baby chicks, bunnies and chocolate shaped everything are everywhere. Painting eggs is a tradition as it is in the States but it's done in an elaborate fashion here and is an art form in its own right.

Compare the above to the Easter eggs I made this year. I will admit I did not spend much time on mine. It was more just to do it.

Here in Prague they even have what I've heard is not traditional but prevalent Easter Markets. The below photos are from the market near our apartment.

The whole atmosphere in Prague around Easter feels to me like a celebration of the Spring season and it is even more enjoyable with the work holiday it provides for the Monday following Easter. Apparently Easter Monday is the true holiday in Central Europe, but it is my co-workers unequivocal least favorite holiday. When it came to deciding who would work the Monday holiday both co-workers said, "I'm working. I hate Easter Monday. I don't want to go home." When I asked why they mentioned being hit with a stick and/or drenched with water. Say what? How did we go from eating too much chocolate and painting eggs to being wet and beaten?

Apparently the Central European Easter tradition involves unmarried women being awoken by being drenched with a bucket of water or hit with a pomlazka which is a braided whip made from pussy willow twigs and decorated with ribbons. All this is supposed to bring luck and fertility in the new year. These willow whips are on display and available for purchase everywhere in Prague at the moment from the Easter markets to the grocery stores.

There are variations of this tradition. I've read that the ladies are whipped on the legs in the morning and then in the afternoon they dump water on the men. But in Slovakia the ladies get water thrown on them in the morning possibly combined with the whipping. And in return for this blessing the ladies are supposed to give them men easter eggs and chocolate treats. Either way to me it seems like the ladies are getting the short end of the stick. I can't really blame the girls for not wanting to be at home for these particular traditions. 

Thankfully for me my Easter traditions still just include painted or dyed eggs, chocolate and enjoying the Spring weather. G Unit and are will be making our first trip to the beer garden today in celebration of Easter. I think that's better than being wet, shivering and having whip stung legs, but maybe that's just me.

Happy Easter!