The Porsche Stuttgart Museum

Most of you who know me well, know that I am passionate about my little Porsche Boxster!  I love my car! I never cared about cars, or anything that I drove,...the only thing I cared about was that it had to run well...I hate being broken down on the road!...Well, the Boxster changed all that!

The Porsche museum gave us another opportunity to go over to the Black Forrest area of Germany.  It is in Stuttgart.  We would have preferred visiting when we could see the factory, as well; but we had we were not up to buying another Porsche just to see the museum.  Hence, no tour!  Didn't matter!  We booked a reservation in their EXCELLENT restaurant, and enjoyed the museum, immensely!  Take a look!

This picture is from a position of looking UP into the reflective surface at the entrance of the museum....cool!

Paris - A Bresse Chicken - January 30, 2016

Well, last year, before we arrived in France, I read an article in my "France" magazine where they discussed chicken from "Bresse", and how, YES, it was very special.  Rather than going to an expensive restaurant to get a Bresse chicken, I decided to make a dinner with one.

Our dear friend, Louis, is coming to dinner tomorrow, here in Paris.  SO...I decided to make one in his honor!   Our lovely specialty gourmet market in the Gallerie Lafayette has chicken from Bresse, along with others that are Blue (!) and about 4 other types.

OK...so Bruce was home helping with the cleanup of the apartment, so I decided to walk to the store...about 1/2 hour away.  When I got there, the store was nicely populated with customers...NOT like at Christmas, when it was SO crowded it was unpleasant!  I went down to the lower level where they have every manner of meat, poultry, cheese, charcuterie, sea food, spices, produce, and on and on.....
The man at the meat counter undoubtedly recognized me as the koo koo lady who had him grind up a perfectly gorgeous pork roast at New Years, so that we could make a beautiful Chili!  I think I heard his eyes roll back into his head from where I was standing 4 feet below him!

I asked for the Bresse chicken, and pointed to the one I wanted.  He asked me something in French, which I could not understand.  The chicken was layed out so that they looked much like they do in California, except when he picked up the chicken, and held it up quite proudly for me to see.............the head and neck (with numerous feathers still attached) and the legs and feet which had been tucked under the body came folding out....I did my best to smile.  Then, to be sure he knew that I wanted him to prepare it for me....I made the universal body language sign of ....Off with her head!  YIKES!!!

I anxiously watched him prepare the chicken, to be sure that he had taken the parts off of my beautiful bird.  When he handed it to me, cleaned, trussed and wrapped in clean white paper,  the price was 68 Euros or about $75.00 US.   All in all, another interesting experience here in France!

BOTTOM LINE - the chicken was delicious!  I roasted it in our little electric oven.  As was suggested in a recipe, I didn't stuff it, or put spices in/on it.. we just wanted to taste the pure flavor of the chicken.
I put a little bit of water in the bottom of the pan, and basted it every 20 minutes.  It was succulent, and one of the most flavorful chickens that we have had!  The soup should be fabulous too!

Here is what makes Bresse chickens special:

Palais Royal French Show and Dinner

For those of you who did not know, I used to live in Las Vegas!  I worked for a bank, !  as an officer, we got tickets to many of the shows in the Casinos....very fun!  So, I must say, even though
we heard from several French friends, that the dinner and show were terrific...I was skeptical in my heart.  But, I have learned to trust our friend Louie when he says something is good!  We wanted to thanks Louis and his wife Lilli Anne, for all their kindness.  So, we made a reservation for the dinner and show in the Palais Royal,  in a small French town, north of Strasbourg.  And, I must say, it was superb!

Louis never met a French person that he did love...so when he chatted with the person making the reservations, he told them he was bringing two American friends with him!...and we had the best table in the house.  The other tables were all long, with about 20 people each...ours was a table for 4 in the middle of the room.

The lunch, was a fabulous French lunch, which began with a glass of Crémant ( sparkling white wine) and after two delightfully small palate teasers of a warm soup and a toast of smoked salmon, we had a serving of Fois Gras.  This was followed by a two course meal.  The first was lobster on a bed of roe, with a creamy sauce with hints of coco and curry, and the second was filet of veal, with a lovely
 demi-glace, and small roasted vegetables.  We had two wines, a Puilley Fuisse with the lobster, and a Chateau neuf du pape with the veal.  Outstanding!  We had coffee after the meal, and went off to see the show, knowing that dessert would follow.

The show was fantastic!  It included gorgeous topless girls (tastefully done) and a variety show of dancers, acrobats, strong men, and team of basketball wizards, and a dog show act that had everyone laughing and amazed!  We all loved it!

After the show, we were handed a glass of champagne as we entered a large club lounge.  There was a full band playing, and a lead singer in a bright red sequined long dress was serenading us!  Dessert was served, and we got to dance for about an hour!  What a GREAT show!  Just a great experience, that lasted about 5 hours!   We are so glad Louie and Lilli Anne wanted to go!  We had a ball!

Here a a few pictures!

We found IT!!! Lake Como, 2015

Well, we found IT!!!  IT is the most gorgeous place ever!  Lake Como has been on my list for a long time, so, Bruce and I left Alsace, and drove about 5 to 6 hours, thru Switzerland to the lake district in Northern Italy.  We booked a room on the lake, across from the town of Bellagio.  It is one of the most beautiful places we have ever been!  We went after about 5 or 6 days of rain; the lake was serene, the clouds were still big puffy white marshmallows, the sky was New England Blue, and the light was so brilliantly strong, it turned the leaves transparent and the shadows dark purple!
We must share the photos with you!  First, the drive thru Switzerland....then, the lake...

Driving thru Switzerland...AND can you believe a TEN Mile long tunnel!  Incredible!

The approach to Bellagio by Ferry!

A windy day....awaiting the ferry!

Bruce in Bellagio - an iItalian food lunch!

Suzan's Alsacian Visit

Many of you know our friend Suzan...if not, you should!  She is a fun loving, crazy Hungarian!...not really...fun loving is true, but more than crazy, she is a sophisticated, kind and sweet person who can light a room on fire!

Suzan came to see us in Alsace.  We picked her up in Strasbourg at the Gare...what a long trip from LA to Paris, then a train to Strasbourg!  Bless her heart, to be sure she, and everyone around her,  has fun!  During her visit, we took a boat tour in Strasbourg, went to see the Cathedral and the Rohan museum,  the Monastery at St. Odile, the town of Obernai, got a tour of a fabulous winery along the Alsacian Wine Road, went to the Frenchman's ball (more on this later!)..went to Baden Baden Germany, saw a fabulous Faberge museum there, and visited the the quaint Alsacian town of Requhire!  WOW!  She kept up with it all, and we had a wonderful time!...and then, she was off to see her family in Budapest!

One of the very fun things we did was what I am calling the Frenchmen's Ball!  The second day Suzan was here Bruce went to play in a Petanque (French Bacci ball) tournament, with our friend, Louie!  Meanwhile, Suzan and I went to Strasbourg for the day.  To the French, Petanque is a social event.  Everyone, from little kids to old men and women play.  After the tournament, there was a dinner and dance....now, every town has a Sports facility, with a soccer filed and a Petanque court, and every sports facility has little buildings around it where you can gather and have a meal!  (But of Course!!!)  After the tournament, the men all went home to pick up their wives if the wives hadn't played that day.  We joined the boys at 7:00 for a dinner of Wild Boar roasted over a wood fire, and white beans flavored with herbs de Provence and little bits of lardon (like Canadian Bacon).  Good wine, very inexpensive...and lovely people....Long tables of couples, all chatting and laughing!  After dinner, a guy came in with a keyboard, sang, and played great dance music!  All in French...dancing like we don't do...some dances, almost like a polka, and every other style you can imagine!  Very French! s Very fun!  Always, sports, food and wine!  A lovely way to live!  Suzan fit right in...(ate the food), and talked/flirted with our friends, and even danced!

Here are some pictures from Suzan's visit.

A gorgeous dinner with Louis & Lillians' family

Our friends, Louis and Lillian have a wonderful family.  We had met their daughter, Clarisse, and son-in-law, Gilbert,  3 years ago at Louis and Lillian's birthday party.  Clarisse and Gilbert have raised two wonderful boys.  When we met them the boys were teenagers, one mid-teens, and one, late-teens.  Now, three years later, Louis' older grandson, Nichola,  has gone into the Gendarmarie, a branch of service in France, that is a cross between NCIS and the national police.  His corps has maritime-related duties, and he is a medic.    The younger grandson, Benjamin, is in high school, and is just learning how to fly.  If you have read the previous blog about Louis' family, Benjamin is the one who made the entire family Tarte Flambe when we first got here.

Yesterday we were invited to a family dinner, because Nichola, is home from duty in the Gendarms.  We assembled for lunch (which went on for 4 hours)...then, the boys went to see motorcycle races.  Afterwards we got together for a glass of crémant, snacks, and to see Nichola's collection of military caps....extensive and impressive, to say the least!

The mid-day dinner was delicious!  Two long grills were laid on the table, with a fabulous German potato salad an assortment of raw sliced meats and different veggies to grill.  It was fun because it was active, with everyone grilling their own dinners, and because the boys interacted beautifully with their parents, grandparents, and us!  Just a treasure to see such a nice family, and to be invited to participate in their joy!  We hope they come to visit us in the US!

Check out the wonderful family, including the handsome Gendarme in his uniform, (He wore it just for us!).......then, the dinner picture, and a picture from the motor cycle side car races!

Our new walking path! September, 2015

The weather has turned, and we are now experiencing days, generally in the 70's...and nights in the 40's!  I am still healing from my rib and subsequent leg problem, but continue to gain strength.  I have begun to walk for exercise again, and we found the most bucolic walking path! It is along a canal of a small river that flows into the Rhine.  I managed to walk a full 3 miles the other day, and although my leg gave me some pain, I felt accomplished!  The path is amidst farms and corn fields.  The canal has swans, ducks and swallows and an occasional giant egret to keep you entertained.  To my surprise, and pleasure, I found a boat house.  Quite infrequently we see rowers on the canal, but they are there!