Flash Mob Gare du Nord

I am so mad that I missed this!


This was the introduction for the festival "Orchestres en Fête". Maybe next year I will try to go to this!

The Vegetable Orchestra

I do not know how many of you have heard about this orchestra. I stumbled upon them when I was prospecting French national theaters. They are a group from Vienna who will perform in France at the Arsenal Metz in January 2012.

I am really interested  in seeing them in concert and also trying this with vegetables of my own. Particulary by making a flute from a carrot. How cool would that be? I imagine that there will be a flux of new orchestras after lots of people have seen the video. Is there a fruit orchestra in the making???

Check them out! and let me know what you think at the end. Enjoy!

Holidays in Paris

My sister was here for the past few days visiting after studying abroad in Jordan. So here are a few holiday photos I would like to share with you.

a shot of Notre Dame

a shot from the Pantheon

French Debt Calculations

An article that I found today in the Direct Matin just in time for the holidays.

A qui la France doit-elle rembourser sa dette? To whom does France have to repay her debt?

Now, I really didn't read the article! I was more intrigued by the picture that showed how to best represent the 1,700 billon euros of French debt.

Translation : 
in bills - 34 billon bills of 50 euros

in distance - 373 times around the earth basically 4,760,00 km of billets laid next to each other

in surface - 3 times the surface of Paris basically 362 k2

in pounds - 5000 elephants basically 30,600 tons of bills

I am pretty sure if I translated and represented the US debt, it would be like 3-4 times each one of these.

How do you feel about these numbers?

Starbucks à la Française

Coffee Break @ Starbucks

Starbucks in France do not have the same drinks as the ones in the states. This one was a Hazelnut and Caramel latte (Latte Noisette Caramel). It was perfect for my relaxing mental health day.

But the day would have been better if it was Pumpkin Spice or Peppermint Mocha, but sadly France doesn't have these saveurs.

What is your favorite Starbucks drink either American or French ?

It's Beginning to Look alot like

Christmas!

So there were lights and trees up before Thanksgiving, but I decided to hold off just as we do in America.

Our Christmas tree isn't up yet, but here is one that I saw in the mall next to our house.

A little blurry, but I was in a rush to get and out of Carrefour aka. French Walmart.

Spotted Post-It War 2

 Surprisingly my blog gets a lot of traffic thanks to the post-it war, so I decided to join in on the post-it war.

Thanks to my friend, Allison, she sent me a pack of post-its! I was going to do a multi-color one but I didn't have enough time.

My husband was like "wow are house is just like the building at the Stade de France!" There is a train on one of the buildings, I just have never had the chance to take a picture.

Happy Thanksgiving !

In France, Thanksgiving isn't really celebrated. My boss scheduled a meeting for today and I was like "Thursday is Thanksgiving" and he said "Oh I know, but that doesn't mean you get the day off!"

My husband and I will not be celebrating Thanksgiving til the weekend. I am not sure if I am actually going to cook something. I might make a pie with the pumpkins I bought in Versailles.  But I really want us to go out and eat sushi, is that un-American??

Last year we went to an indian restaurant with our Korean friend, SK. Maybe we will do that again this year. Or maybe I will buy a turkey from turkish boucherie! haha a turkey from the turks.

 Also, this has nothing to do with Thanksgiving, but I signed up to make dessert for our work Christmas party. They all said they wanted baklava, but I want to make an American Christmas dessert. I know I will be making buckeyes (for non-Americans, these are peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate), because my generous Amerian friends have sent lots of jars of peanut butter. I want to make a second thing in case they don't like the buckeyes (The French are used to nutella sandwiches and not pb&j).

Do you have suggestions on what to make ???

Baklava

I finally have some time to post a recipe for Baklava, that I know people have been waiting for !
The Baklava that I have known to make is the Turkish one (I wonder why that is, haha!) I usually make baklava for special occasions like the end of Ramadan or the Eid. But sometimes I just make it to make it.

There are two different kinds that I usually make : rolled up ones that look like catepillars and regular squared baklava.

Here is the recipe for the squared :
Ingredients : finely chopped walnuts, 250g of melted butter, and phyllo (usually 40 sheets)

1. Open up the phyllo, be careful because it tears easily 

If you are not fast at putting each layer on, cover the phyllo with a towel. Because it tends to try out fast.

2. Butter the pan, preferably round. and layer 8 phyllo sheets brushing butter on each layer

3. after 8 layers, generously put walnuts on top and then do another 8 layers and lightly sprinkle walnuts.

4. After the second 8 layer phyllo, place another 8 layers on top and add the additional butter. You might have sheets left, so save those for later, I will post the catepillar recipe soon. If you get confused about the 8 layers think about this : 1. 8 2. walnuts +8 3. walnuts + 8 4. Butter and oven

5. Cut square pieces depending on how small and big you want them. A sharp butcher's knife works best. Put in a hot oven at 350°F and let cook until tops are golden brown or almost burnt. Make the sugar sauce while the baklava are in the oven

6. Sauce : For every cup of sugar add a cup of water. For the baklava that I did below I used 10 cups of sugar. Boil the sugar and then simmer the sugar also add 1 tsp of lemon juice (this prevents the sugar from crystalizing), I just guess on the time.

7. Pour on top of the baklava and cover with aluminum foil and stick somewhere where your husband won't eat them. Baklava is good the next day.

8. and then enjoy!

Guess what this is : Pumpkin Answer

It's French name is potimarron and it's English name is a Red Kuri. Thanks to this website I was able to learn more information about the red kuri.

I decided that I was going to treat it like a pumpkin anyway. A food blog that I like to check out "The Pioneer Woman" had perfect ideas on how to make pumpkin puree and roast the seeds. The only thing I have to say is that the red kuri had a lot of water in it and the skin didn't want to come off.

I ended up making red kuri pogaca (like a scone/biscuit) but I put brown sugar on top, thanks to another recipe found on "Almost Turkish" (I will post the other pogaca I made later).

I also made muffins and roasted the seeds. I bought some more at the market in Versailles, possibly I will soup or a red kuri bundt cake! or red kuri pumpkin spice lattés - since the Starbucks here is way too cool to make them.

What do you do with pumpkin ?

Beep Beep : Road Rage

Every morning when I take the train into the city only get onto another to out of the city, I have to fight the traffic. I often feel like I am in a car, I have to pay attention to my blindspots, look behind me and change speed. Changing speed is awful because I am usually running to catch my train and people are just snailing along.

The amount of people at Haussman Saint Lazare in particular is ridiculous. It's like an over-packed amusement park on a summer day, but everyday. People push and shove without a "pardon", it's like the French are becoming an Americans! Something they probably do not want to admit.

Another thing is the fact that people run towards their train when the sign says "acces interdit" meaning "do not enter the train is about to leave and the doors might just close on you". But people just go and don't look back. I always wondered how many of them really make it.

I have always wondered as well if everyone was on time (we all know the french are notorious for being 20 minutes late) for their train, would there be pushing and people running  towards trains? I guess only in the perfect world, everyone would be calm and kind. So I just kind have to live with people who are running later than I am.

Thoughts??

Clue : Pumpkin

This is no pumpkin, but it looks like one and has a similar taste 

Do you know what this is ?

I bought two of these at a market in Versailles.

Thoughts from the RER B : Suck it in

In reference to the post, I wrote earlier about the RER B and it's problems. I have a little story about why not to squeeze and shove people onto the train or even to get on unless you are ready to face the consequences.

My husband was on the train one night and it was packed. The train decided to stop in a station for over an hour, and the driver didn't even make an announcement as to why ! Anyway there were these girls standing next to him, who were trying to impress some guys next to them. The girls kept pushing him and he said "If you don't stop I am going to get sick". Well they laughed at him and were like "Right". They should've taken him seriously because two minutes later he puked on them. I would have liked to see their faces then! Thankfully there was a doctor standing right near him and was able to get the girls to move, probably with some harsh words. and I am thankful that he is ok.

Thoughts from the RER B !

A few days ago when I was coming home, as if my trajet isn't long enought, the RER B decided to shut down. Ok not completely but it seemed like it. I was able to queeze on at Chatelet, only to discover the train would be leaving in 38 minutes !

The police were there circulating in case there were problems, but they didn't have information about the status of the train. And they really didn't help out when 2 men in my car started screaming and shouting at each other, because the one wanted to pull the alarm. But obviously the alarm was not going to work because the train wouldn't be moving anytime soon.

Finally after 15 minutes, the train started but it was only going to gare du nord and not to Aulnay Sous Bois, my stop.

Gare du Nord was a zoo, the police were blocking the entrances and exits to the train that would eventually leave (who knows if the train actually ever left the station, I didn't stick around to see) the platform. I went up to the floor where the train would be leaving and found it to be a mob scene. So, I was forced to take the rer e and the tram, meaning an extra hour and a half and then the bus !

Sometimes living in the suburbs is nice because life is not so busy and stressful as Paris. But it sucks when the transportation system fails because its like "let's see how many people we can squish in a train!"

Do you have any RER B stories ?

Pulled Over

Don't worry, I was not pulled over, I don't even own a car but neither did this guy !

I wish I had a photo to prove that it was true, but I got nothing. So picture this, a guy around 20 on a 4-wheeler trying to pop a wheelie, while the motorcycle cops arepulling him over. This pop-a wheelie is a trend on our street, the dirt bikes go flying up in down day and night. I can never figure out why they do this. Does this really attract and impress  girls ?

Anyway back to the story, I wish I was withing hearing distance to hear how this guy explain to the police what he was doing. Because I am pretty sure they thought the guy was load of crap (excuse my language) !

After about 20 minutes and checking papers, the police decided to search his "car". They were probably looking for drugs, our area doesn't have the best reputation. Obviously they didn't have much luck, I mean where are you going to hide drugs on a four-wheeler?

They told him to go home and walk the bike back on the sidewalk.

Yeah the kid went 500 yards, made sure the police were gone and went right back to doing what he wasn't supposed to. What an idiot !

Commute to Work

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think about communiting is a scene from Paris je t'aime.


I feel a lot like this woman, because now that I have the job at rejoyce my commute has changed dramatically. But I am glad that I don't have my own child and have to take care of another, my job involves taking care of musicians (don't know which one is harder, haha). My husband and I have decided that we will figure out our work situation when the time arises to have children.

My commute is crazy ( the bus to rer B to the E to a train at Hausmann saint lazare to Versailles Rive Droite and walk 10 minutes, it's always about 1h30) and most people, probably you, are like why do you do it and not find something closer to home. Well that is a good question, but the answer goes like this : I couldn't find a job in the field I wanted closer to home, especially with the prefecture taking it's lovely time getting back to me on my own future project. But enough complaining, the time in the train gives me enough time to work on my professional and personal projects even if it means being squished between people.

But that's life, we can sleep when we are dead right?

The French Office

I enjoy my job and it is quite different than that of Florence Brunel's. Particulary because there are more people in the office, even though we all are working on different taks. There about 9 of us, and all are men except me and the secretary. So that means all they talk about are soccer, rugby, cars and the lates gadgets, (thanks to the geek squand below us). To be one of the only women in the office is quite the experience.

Now on to the parts that confused me for about the first week. Everyone flocks around the coffee pot around 10 am and it's not optional. My first day, I got there around 9:45 and I was ready to get started but they were like aren't you coming for coffee and I said "no, I'm fine."  But then the secretary was like you have to come. So it was kind of awkward.

Then, around 2 pm is lunch. One person is in charge of making lunch, another sets the table and another washes the dishes.  But because I have a specific eating plan and their favorite meal is pork, we cannot eat the same things. But I am willing to eat with them at their table.

The second coffee break comes about an hour after lunch and it as well is a requirement. It's like everyone flock to the pot because they need a pick me up. But what if I just want to keep working and not lose 20 minutes of my work?

I am not sure if this is what all offices are like but it's all new and French to me! haha!

Do you have experiences to share?

Rejoyce !

 Yes let's REJOYCE ! It's like a real hallejuah (check out the link before continuing any further) because I had two interviews before finally signing a paper saying I would be their intern.

What is Rejoyce?  First, it's an events organizer (anything from a student or business event and weddings), a music label (pop to christian, children's to classique), a music produer and the part where I come in a music agency. For the moment, I am working for Le Parnasse Francais, a baroque French instrumental and vocal ensemble, that I will write about later. Also I am working for one of my artists (my agency is still on the hold, thanks to the Prefecture!), Maude Gratton, who will signing with Rejoyce next week. So let's just say my boss is really happy with me because I already have contacts of my own.

Alos, I will be helping them out with philanthropy and donations particulary from American businesses in France who would like to support the artists. These businesses can host galas or events at many cultural institutions, Invalides for example, around Paris, with the help of Rejoyce.


 So if you are interested in having someone help with your event, do not forget to call or check us out!

Suggestions are welcome !

As you can see by the lack of blog posts these past few months, I have been crazy busy. I work Mondays-Fridays.  Then the weekend is dedicated to spending time with my husband and cleaning the mess in our house that was created during the week.

But no need to fret, I am going to publish when I can. And if you are want to hear about something specific do not hesitate to say something !

Fun Fact!

66 % of French people change their socks everyday according to the directmatin.

My question did people who wore sandals all during the summer answer this survey? or are there this many non-sanitory people?

What about you?

Diploma Exam

Last week, I defended my thesis and my "Rondo à la Flûte" festival from May in front of a very difficult jury and need I remind you it was all en français. Preparing for the presentation that needed to be convincing and studying for an article that was to be drawn out of a hat was hard toaccomplish especially when French isn't my first language.


The dossier turned out to be 90 pages in French, all wrote by me but corrected by a nice friend. The presentation in front of the jury went great, except they asked questions about French copyright law. I tried to hold back saying, "I don't know", and say something like "it seems to me that ..." but the answer "je ne sais pas" just kept coming out. I thought for sure they were going to tell me that I failed.

But I passed! I got a 10/20 - don't freak out that doesn't mean a 50%. It means average, there were quite a number of other people in my class who got around the same grade and also there were students who didn't pass about 30% out of the 20 or so that took the exam.

I am really proud of myself and cannot wait to tell anyone that I have a Masters in French.

Hope that you check out my new posts about my exciting projects to come!


 

I am finally back!

The past month has been hectic!! I had a friend visiting and my parents too, also I was studying for my final Masters exam, and looking for a new job. So, check out the new posts coming in the next weeks, because a lot has happenned during this time and lots of photos to share!

Vacation

Sorry for the lack of posts lately,  between my parents and a friend visiting, and my big exam coming up, I just haven't had time to write. But after September 24, I will write about the adventures I had.

Turkish Recipe : Köfte

Another staple of Turkish cuisine is köfte : usually a meat-based or grain-based dish that can be from hamburgers to meatballs to vegetarian ones eaten with salad.


This recipe is really easy to make.

Ingredients :
Ground Beef
3 eggs

3 tbs tomato sauce
and as many spices you would like
flour

Mix all the ingredients except the flour well. And then add enough flour that the meat will be able to stay together.  Put in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Then form in little round hamburgers

cook in a little oil, until brown all the way through. And enjoy !

Turkish Recipe : Stuffed Grape Leaves

These are better than the ones in the can or those found in a restaurant. And most of the ingredients can be found right in your pantry.

The only ingredient that might take some time to find our the grape leaves, but if you are in Europe, these will not be that hard to find. A pack of 50 can be found in any Turkish grocery story for about 2,50 euros or you can pick them fresh while in Turkey. My mother-in-law sent me home with a bag of 200.

The term sarma derives from Turkish verb "sarmak," which means to wrap or to roll. It can be prepared with rice and spices (vegetarian) or with rice and ground meat. Both are delicious. To find a recipe with ground meat check out this one. I prefer to make my grape leaves the vegetarian way, because I usually make dolma (stuffed peppers, another interesting recipe to come) the same night.

There are no set ingredients to this recipe, I usually just eyeball and pour in the ingredients and taste it before "stuffing them."

1-2 cups of rice washed

1-2 onions grated

1/2 tomato grated

2 tbs. tomato and/or pepper paste - I usually add lots

parsley chopped finely

salt

mint and other spices

1. Mix well all of the ingredients

2. Boil the grape leaves for 10 minutes to clean off the excess salt. Then cut off the stems and "hang" them to dry around a strainer

3. Put one leaf (the shiny side down) and a little of the rice mixture in the leaf and fold tightly.

 

Put in a pot, until they look like the picture above, I usually line the pot with parsely stems or lettuce. Fill the pot with water about half-full and then cover with a small plate and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Feel free to post your pictures or comments on any recipes that you try out!