I spent last week in Berlin shopping, eating and just generally relaxing with my friend The Antiques Diva. Since I’ve been to Berlin many times already sightseeing was not on our must-do list (although our 3rd travel friend Stacey is pretty confident I never have been sightseeing in Berlin, or I’ve just forgotten every monument and historic sight we passed). As we visited in late November I was lucky enough to enjoy the beautiful city of Berlin all dressed up for the holiday season. And as my photography skills never seem to improve, I was lucky that The Antiques Diva shared her photos with me…and now with you.

Of course we visited Berlin’s glamorous department store KaDeWe, not once but twice

and enjoyed the early sunsets  window shopping around the city.

Stores were dressed for the season

We chanced on holiday shop Käthe Wohlfahrt, which we’ve visited many times on trips to Rothenbourg ob der Tauber

And though the famous Berlin Christkindlmarkts didn’t officially open until the day we left Berlin, we were fortunate to visit a Christmas market at Potsdamer Plotz that didn’t read the official holiday calendar, with plenty of wurst and sauerkraut, glühwein, potato pancakes and stollen (I carried a stollen home with me to Chicago for our Thanksgiving brunch!)

Auf wiedersehn, und Frohe Weihnachten!

What’s the 1st stop for every ex-expat returning to Paris for a visit: Monoprix, bien sur! I need to stock up on all the French kitchen essentials that I’ve depleted since my last visit, and see what’s new. Plus, Christmas is just around the corner and maybe a few gourmet French foods can be checked off my list!

Moi Monoprix essentials:
1. La Petit Marsellaise soap and refills
2. Salt: grinder and fleur de sel
3. Seasonings and spices
4. Olive oil with peppers (for pizza!)
5. hard sausages
6. cheeses
7. Breakfast cereal
8. Cookies: Madelines and Speculoos
9. Yogurt (I ate the yogurt: I wanted the lavender clay pots!)
10. Cornichon
11. Chocolates
12. Throat lozenges (sore throat )
13. Blinis

I have a 50lb weight limit: I may have to leave some clothes behind!

Christmas around the world: I’m watching Paris dress for the holidays.

This afternoon we shopped Passy Plaza and had to stop and mire the shimmering gold and white lights. It’s not yet Thanksgiving, but it’s beginning to feel alot like Christmas…

The past 6 weeks we’ve hosted 5 different sets of overnight guests. Our guests use the guest bathroom, aka TBG’s bathroom. Other than checking to see that it’s clean and fully stocked, I pretty much never go in there. But after the 4th guest commented on the jars of salt scrub TBG has in there (the 5th guest was a 10 year old boy and I’m guessing not alot of scrubbing took place in there) I decided to actually go inspect his shower and sink.

I was with TBG this August in Charleston when we ate at Hyman’s Seafood Restaurant. As they don’t take reservations – and the food is worth the wait – we spent alot of time browsing the Hyman’s Gift Shop, and TBG found the wet bar and started sampling the Holy City Sea Salts. In the end, he purchased 2 jars of the sea salts: Eucalyptus and Lavender. Holy City Salt Scrub leaves your skin feeling clean and soft and moist and smelling wonderful!

Made with all natural ingredients:

• Dead Seas Salt
•  Other Sea Salts
• Coconut Oil
• Grape Seed Oil
• Other Essential Oils

Holy City Sea Salts come in a range of scents:

• coconut
• vanilla lavender
• Ed Hardy
• French Lavender
• chamomille

(I remember sampling something citrusy, but not sure which one that is.)

If you’re not in Charleston any time soon, you can purchase Holy City Sea Salts online at www.holycityskinproducts.com or at 888.456.0382. About $20. Each jar comes with a wooden spoon. Warning: the jars are glass, not my favorite for the shower.

Lucky for me my shower is broken and I’m showering everday in TBG’s bathroom…and using up his supply of Holy Sea Salt Scrub.

I’m not really an early adopter. But I am a big reader. So back in the 90s, with my first Palm Pilot (I hated cell phones, but with a job requiring travel and 2 kids and a husband: necessary!) I discovered eReader: I could download books to my Palm Pilot, and read them wherever, whenever. Back then the selection of e-books was pretty limited, so I pretty much read classics and trashy novels, which kept me entertained for hours on planes, trains and automobiles…and subways, buses, doctors’ offices and cafés. I adjusted to the small screen easily, the only inconvenience was I had to download the books to my computer, and sync my Palm Pilot to load the books, so I had to plan ahead. A small inconvenience with a huge payoff.

screenshot of my iPhone: outdoors

Fast forward 15 years, I was gifted the brand-new cutting-edge Kindle  e-reader (OK, I bought it myself, wrapped it, and handed it to TBG with instructions to gift it. But still…). And I was happy to spend all my spare change on ebooks at Amazon.   Then, I graduated to the iPhone. And the Kindle App. Could life get any better? Yes, in fact it could. This Christmas TBG gifted me the iPad, and he thought of it all by himself.

Kindle: outdoors

The first app I downloaded? The Kindle App, bien sur! So I could be reading a book on my iPhone, Kindle and iPad: wherever was convenient. And some magical mystical amazon internet god saved my place and let me open my book to the correct page, whichever technology I was using. And I can download a book from anywhere, nowadays even planes are offering WiFi…for a price.

Kindle and iPad side by side: outdoors

And so you ask, why do I continue to use both the iPad and Kindle to read? (The iPhone is easy: it’s always with me!) Blame the sun gods.

iPad outdoors: see the palm trees... behind me!

You’ve probably read alot about the e-reader glare factor. If, like moi, you read outdoors…or in the car…, sun glaring on your e-reader screen converts that screen from a reader to a mirror. I’ve purchased the adhesive glare screens for my iPad, and while they reduce the glare, its virtually impossible to be outside in the sun reading for more than a few minutes. So my Kindle remains close-by for dedicated reading, and my iPad is ready for multi-tasking.

Kindle and iPad side by side: indoors

I like travel. And food. And books. And best of all, combining all 3! Having lived in Paris for 7 years and last year traveled and tasted my way thru India, my friend Suzanne – another adventurous traveler and food sampler – gifted me the book The Hundred-Foot Journey – A Novel by Richard C. Morais. I had too much going on to do more than read the accolades on the back cover for the 1st few weeks, but then I had time to open the book and drift into other worlds and flavors.

The Hundred-Foot Journey is a culinary travelogue from India (with a quick stop in England) to France. J’adore the contrasting colors, smells, sounds and tastes of both these fascinating yet so extremely opposite countries. The writing is exceptionally good: the words evoked tastes and smells I’ve missed these past months, yet simply and clearly and charmingly written.

the food markets of Udaipur

In fact, for the first chapters I didn’t realize the author wasn’t in fact Indian: he’s a well-traveled white American! I hadn’t read the author bio.

The plot is simple: a young Indian boy and his extended family of restaurateurs in Mumbai experience tragedy and travel first to England, then settle in the fictional Alpine village of Lumière in southeastern France, where his taste buds and cooking skills have a gastronomic collision, then fusion as his gift for cooking propels him from country kitchens to Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris. My love of both French and Indian foods had my appetite in over-drive as each page introduced Hassan to new insights about his ancestral cooking and discoveries about his adopted country’s cuisine.

Tea at the Ritz Paris!

The only thing missing: recipes! I’ve been spoiled by the autobiographical stories Under The Tuscan Sun, Lunch in Paris, The Sweet Life in Paris, and so many others that not only share the authors story, but also share their favorite recipes! This sent me off in search of Indian cookbooks (I have many French cookbooks, see some favorites below). I finally settled on Julie Sahni’s Classic Indian Cooking… and a reservation at a nearby Indian restaurant.

Moi tip: The Hundred-Foot Journey is perfect for book clubs! And why not bring an Indian or French dish to share while talking. The author’s website, while not providing a reader’s guide, provides commentary and life stories about his inspiration for the book that will be sure to keep the conversation going. And a surprise: the book may soon be made into a movie!

Moi tip encore: I have alot of French cookbooks, but there are a few I continuously return to:

French: The Secrets of Classic Cooking Made Easy by Carole Clements and Elizabeth Wolf-Cohen

Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten

Je Sais Cuisiner: I Know How to Cook by Ginette Mathiot translated by Clotilde Dusoulier

and my new favorite:

Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan

bon app!

I’ve been fortunate to have visited Vatican City several times, but I took advantage of the opportunity to see Vatican Splendors: A Journey through Faith and Art at a special exhibit at the Fort Lauderdale Art Museum.

The over 200 pieces of Vatican Art on display can be easier to appreciate out of their natural setting: everything in the Vatican is so oppulent and overwhelming. As a traveling exhibit with well-written signage and an informative- if slightly boring – audio guide TBG and moi really enjoyed re-discovering pieces we’ve previously seen. For an art lover, or religious adherent, the exhibit is a wonderful introduction to the wealth of historical art in Vatican City; and the foundations of the Catholic religion. The 4 minute film introduction sets the stage for Vatican Splendors representing two thousand years of Christianity, and lays a foundation for the paintings, maps, statuary, documents, mosaics, stonework, precious metals and vestments, including:

• relics of Saints Peter and Paul
• reliefs from the the old basilica, replaced in the 16th century
• Bernini’s Two Angels sculptures
• a papal throne
• portraits of recent popes, including a life-size sculpture of the hand of Pope John Paul II
• the 1975 cast of Michelangelo’s Pietà

The Vatican Splendors is only exhibiting in 3 cities. It has already left St Louis and Pittsburgh: Ft Lauderdale is the final opportunity to see this stunning collection of religious artwork.

Moi tip: be sure to visit the exhibit’s gift shop. In addition to souvenirs of the exhibit, there are Vatican Library pieces seldom available in the US, including rosaries, jewelry and religious memorabilia.

the details:

I’ve been lucky to shop the souks of Morocco, Tunisia, India, South Africa, Asia…when I travel, I shop. But there are times when I’m looking for some special item I’ve seen on my travels…but didn’t buy, or want to buy again as a gift.

I’ve been lucky that luxury travel site Indagare has hosted shopping souks I’ve attended in NYC and Chicago…but they are only a few times each year. Now, Indagare is launching Indagare Souk: an online marketplace of global finds. Indagare will continue to host shopping events in cities around the country: Indagare Souk is coming to LA: a live Indagare Souk shopping event will take place on April 12th and 13th at The Peninsula, Beverly Hills.

But if you’re not able to attend a live shopping event, and aren’t traveling to any exotic global shopping locales this year, shop Indagare Souk online: what could be easier!

Some of moi favorites from the site (which just launched):

Panchachuli Kasardevi Green Lambswool Shawl $55  Love the colors!

Single Stone Bracelet: $95 Leather and gemstones: flashy and classy

Positano Dress with Sari-inspired Fabric: $248 The girl at the next table won’t be wearing this

Lalla Clutch: $110 Handmade in Morocco, this is the perfect summer neutral bag

See You at the Souk: I’m Shopping Now!

the details:

Indagare Souk: An Online Global Marketplace: http://indagare.com/info/souk

I was gifted this tres mignonne Brazilian coin purse, but how to use it? I don’t keep coins in my purse, only in my pockets (in the city) or car cup holder (in SoFlo) so I can easily give them to street people on the corner or in front of my shops (don’t like to dig through my purse).

Of course: To hold my iPhone earbuds! I’m always looking for a way to organize the messy cords, and I’ve purchased several Chinese coin purses to hold my earbuds (why won’t someone make a retractable iPhone earphone?) This lavender cloth coin purse fits easily in my car console: perfect for when I’m driving with a small purse and don’t have everything I need with me. I don’t have hands-free bluetooth speakers in my car. I have a blue-tooth headset, but it always seems to be elsewhere. If I’m driving with the top up, I can easily put my iPhone on speaker and carry on the conversation. But when the tops down I can’t hear, so I need the earphones.

Moi tip: I NEVER use both ear buds when I’m driving: it would interfere with hearing traffic. I just insert one earbud, and let the other dangle.

Not on your calendar? Well, then you’re not in France. February 2 is the national holiday La Chandeleur, a Catholic feast honoring the Virgin Mary. Tradition says that the Pope offered crêpes to pilgrims who came to honor Mary. And the French have been eating them ever since.

Crêpes are a very large thin pancake with all types of fillings and rolled (like a sausage) or folded (like a blini) or stacked (like a cake) for serving. Crêpes are a popular dish through out France. Sweet crêpes (crêpes sucrées) made with wheat flour are filled with fruits, preserves, or moi favorite nutella, are served as a dessert or snack (not typically breakfast); and savory crêpes (crêpes salées ) are made with buckwheat and filled with vegetables, cheese, meats, seafood or eggs: sort of pizza-style!

These yummy crêpes are from Clotilde at Chocolate and Zucchini: moi favorite French food blog! I won’t be making my crêpes until tomorrow!

Although crêpes are easy and fast to make they are a popular street food in France: crêpe stands are easily found, offering a variety of fillings from bananas and nutella, to sugar and lemon, to ham and cheese, and everything in-between, typically starting at about €2. Crêperies are sit-down restaurants specializing in sweet and savory crêpe, often also featuring cidre, the apple cider from Brittany where crêpes also originated.

Growing up in my house, the Queen Mum often made crêpes on meatless Fridays. Hers were the sweet version, filled with jelly and dusted with powdered sugar. Living in France, TBG and I were regulars at the local crêperie, where he typically ordered the savoyarde (basically a fancy ham and cheese, using raclette cheese) and I usually had some sort of seafood or vegetable crêpe, followed up by a shared dessert crêpe oozing vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, and a large pouring of liquored fruit. At our local crêperie in NYC, TBG’s favorite was the pizza crêpe: filled with mozarella, pepperoni and tomato sauce!

Crêpes take minutes to prepare, and only a bit of practice to learn the technique. Any large flat-bottom pan or skillet can be used, but a crêpe pan is easy to use because it has a lower rim, making it easy to swirl and spread the batter, then flip the crêpe over to cook the other side. I bought mine in Paris at Monoprix for about €10, but they are easily found at Bed Bath and Beyond or Williams-Sonoma.

Recipes are easy to find too, but I’ll share my favorite recipe below. If you’re really rushed and want the end result without the whole crêpe-making experience the grocery store sells a not-bad pre-made package of Melissa’s Crêpes for just a few dollars, usually in the refrigerator section. I’ve bought them, and they’re OK: I prefer hot, fresh made crêpes, but nuked for about 30 seconds these will do. (FYI: I could buy pre-made crêpes at the grocery in Paris, too!)

Basic Sweet Crêpe Recipe

My first cooking class in Paris was at the home of cooking teacher Eve Bark, and my first lesson: crêpes! We made sweet crêpes filled with fruit and folded into triangles, and savory crêpes spread with a shrimp and mushroom cream sauce, and stacked like a cake.

• Lightly beat the eggs, set aside. Mix together flour salt and sugar. Beat in eggs. Slowly whisk in milk and butter. Allow batter to sit for at least 2 hours.
• Heat crêpe pan over medium heat. Brush pan with butter. Check batter: should be very thin. Thin with a little water if needed (or orange liquor or flavoring, if preferred).
• Quickly pour approx 2 tbs of batter into pan, tilting pan and spreading batter over entire surface. Crêpe will be thin!
• Cook about 1 minute, then slip thin spatula under crêpe, and flip over. Continue cooking about 30 more seconds.

Note: the first crêpe is usually for the cook: it doesn’t turn out right but check for taste!

• Continue cooking until all batter is finished, stacking crêpes.
• Fill with desired fruits, jams, cream or other sweet filling, and serve.

Moi tip: Home-made crêpes can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to use. If layered crêpes stick together, separate them with sheets of wax paper or cling. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Bon appétit!