AT PLAY

For the home enhancers, the foodies, the wanderers

Shhh! I have a secret!

But first, take this quiz:
A) Do you fight small anxiety attacks when choosing from a delectable dessert menu?
B) Do you enjoy scintillating your taste buds by throwing them regular surprise parties?
C) Do you find yourself wishing you could try just a mouthful of every dessert on that menu?
OR
D) None of the above, pass the cheese please

OK ‘D’s’ you can leave now. But as for the rest of you…I have a secret!

It’s a well known fact that I’m a girl with Champagne tastes on a lemonade budget. Lesser known that I’m a dessert piglet too (is there a three step program for this?). Enter the ‘Café Gourmand’.

A ‘Café’ is just a coffee right? Whereas a ‘Café Gourmand’ is a coffee accompanied by several petite dessert surprises. Slender shot glasses, mini ramekins, spoons brimming with creme brûlée, mousse, macerated fruits, home made ice cream and sorbet; generous slithers of flan, cubes of cake, macarons, mini tartlets, berries and twille – Chef’s choices artistically anchored on large plates with generous swirls of chocolate or berry coulis. And all for little more than the straight up coffee. Sweet! (pun intended). And fast – two birds with one stone, which is how the idea originated. A secret to us tourists unless we’ve been informed by a local or we ask.

So far I’ve spooned my way through enough ice-cream to deprive a two year old’s birthday party; cake and tart to hold my own at a London high tea; creamy concoctions and mousses to want to press all those gifted shot glasses into action and twilles to research how to perfect these paper thin, haughty crisps for future posterity. And in the interests of reporting, my ‘research’ will continue. You can thank me later.

Please Aussie restaurants, please add these to your repertoire? It can be our little secret just like here in France. Otherwise ordering a mere coffee will never be the same again.

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Vaisselle Techôtel

Born again with dessert spoon in mouth…

Today’s top three from gay Paree…

20131005-091654.jpgChecked out the National Archives. Aside from housing all the public docs from the state of France since the seventh century AD to 1958 did you know that Napoleon’s will is also stored there along with the rules of tennis, keys to the dungeons of Bastille and the declaration of human rights? A whole lot more of course. Interesting.

Could have lingered a few days and risk being personally filed under the curious Dewey system. Stately building too.

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‎Walked the length and breadth of Île de la Cité, the island on which Notre Dame sits. And then it’s smaller sister the Île Saint-Louise. Did you know that all road distances from France are calculated from the 0 km point in the square facing Notre Dame’s western towers? Tried to push the tourists off the marker and take a selfie for posterity but no joy.

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Lunched in a lovely little restaurant where a British born-again Christian (post adultery) tried to save me. Jesus was our only savior said he (between hoovering up great mouthfuls of frites because they’re forbidden back home). Nope. We are our own saviors said I (between spooning down great mouthfuls of a very nice Cafe Gourmand selection in preparation for taking flight). Did you know that if you order a Cafe Gourmand you’ll get your coffee PLUS three or four small desserts? Nice! 20131005-092138.jpg

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Tomorrow, the Passages…the quaint kind between buildings.

Posted in AT PLAY, Explore | Comments Off on Born again with dessert spoon in mouth…

Nana on a Scooter?

Saw a Nana whizzing down the Avenue de la Republique footpath on a Push Scooter and I reveled in her joy. Saw authorities taking away a homeless man’s puppy and I cried with empathy. Saw the Eiffel Tower just as the clouds made way for her hourly sparkle and I gasped in awe. Paris. City of lights and lovers and tragic and magic moments.

Six weeks to explore under the guise of ‘local’, six weeks to seek out the interesting, less touristy locales, six weeks in which to bring you, my beloved subscribers (all 441 of you whomever you are) and dear FB fans…a daily top three. Since you can’t be here beside me, a vicarious holiday will have to do. Your welcome!

Now where would you like to go and what would you like to see with me? Please share.

Meanwhile…a lovely little florist I found today.

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