Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

I live so close to Notre-Dame, that I see it on a daily basis and hear the church bells ring every hour. And none of it ever gets old. It has become my church of choice and I often find myself visiting on Sundays. Although, I will admit, waiting on a large tourist line to get inside to say a prayer will never feel normal.

This Sunday, I decided to become a Notre-Dame tourist, because, why not? Notre-Dame de Paris, French for Our Lady of Paris is one of the best examples of French Gothic Architecture and one of the most well known Cathedrals in the world. The Cathedral is one of the first buildings in the world to build flying buttresses (the arched exterior supports). Originally, they were not planned for, but the walls of the Church are high and thinner than usual due to the Gothic Style. This combination  caused stress fractures to appear during construction. The flying buttresses were placed around the choir and the nave to give support to the outer walls and as construction continued the architects added more to continue the pattern.

View of Notre-Dame and the flying buttresses

The inside of the Cathedral is beautiful. It's made up of long halls and high vaulted ceilings. The many stained glass windows allow just enough light to trickle through, providing a calming effect. You cannot access the second floor of the Cathedral, which forces us to stay on the ground and only gaze upwards. This was done purposefully, to represent how people in the Medieval time saw humanity and divinity.

Looking down the main Aisle

Near the rear of the Cathedral you can visit the Treasury. Housed inside are intricate crosses, crowns, chalices and monstrances made of gold and other precious materials. Continuing behind the apse there are many little chapels that you pass by, dedicated to certain Saints with beautiful stained glass windows.

The Chapel that I visit

After, I decided to head up to the top of Notre Dame. It was quite windy on the ground and the line took a good 40 minutes but the view from the top was breathtaking. Hiking up 387 spiraled steps provides a great view of Paris and the famous gargoyles. The Gargoyles were built into the ends of the gutters to drain rainwater off the roof. They were built extending far away from the roof, allowing the rain water to fall away from the church walls, preventing water damage. The chimeras are used as simple decorations and most of them are on the façade, watching the people below and scanning the city. The gargoyles and chimeras are all unique and the sculptors really used their imaginations when creating them.

Gargoyles and Chimeras

View from the top with the Eiffel Tower &
La Défense in the back right (where I work)

Sacré-Cœur

The other day, the "What City Should You Actually Live in" Buzzfeed Quiz caught my eye. Always on the lookout for new places to explore, I figured I would take it. I totally expected to get some random city that I either have never been to or that I couldn't see myself living in. Well, kudos Buzzfeed, I couldn't have said it better myself! I know it's just a random online quiz, but it made me smile. I totally agree, I absolutely adore this city and love living here.

The quiz got me thinking, as I'm living here, I should probably see the major sites. When I arrived in October I made sure I went to see something once a weekend. However, a few weeks in my weekends became more focused around running errands and seeing my friends. In order to change that I made a list last weekend of a few of the places I would like to see and went on my first adventure.

Sunday afternoon, with blue skies and the sun shining I headed to Sacré-Cœur, a Roman Catholic Church and minor Basillica dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Located in Montemartre in Northern Paris I jumped on the metro and headed over. Sacré-Cœur, located on the top of Butte Montmarte, is the highest point in Paris and the church is actually higher than the Eiffel Tower. The Church stays extremely white and clean due to the stones, as rain cause the stones to secrete calcite ensuring the Church retains its white color!

Construction of Sacré-Cœur began in the late 1800s after the war of 1870. The project was initiated by a group of influential people who vowed to build a church if Paris escaped unscathed from the war. They believed that the defeat of the French was due to the moral sins of Paris and not political ones. The Church would be their act of penance for their sin.

The inside of the church was stunning. It was decorated with copious amounts of gold and a ton of intricate and vibrant mosaics. The mosaic in the apse, "Christ in Majesty" is one of the largest in the world and is absolutely stunning. Created in 1922 by Luc-Olivier Merson, it depicts Christ with a golden heart and outstretched arms, surrounded by various people, including the Virgin Mary and Joan of Arc. Sadly, photos weren't permitted, but I found the one below online.

Beautiful Mosaic

I must have flowers, always, and always

When I came to Paris for the first time in 2000, I fell in love with the city. Between the croissants at breakfast, the trip to Versailles and all the flower shops we passed I was in heaven. Before the end of the trip, my mom bought me a bouquet of roses. One rose safely made the trip across the Atlantic Ocean. I still have that dried Parisian rose in NY with a little note written by my 10 year old self that reads: "Mommy bought me roses in Paris." Upon my return to NY I couldn't get Paris out of my head. I loved Paris so much, I told my parents, "when I grow up I want to move to Paris and be an artist." As soon as I came to the realization that my artistic skills were not going to get me anywhere, I dropped the artist idea and with it Paris. Little did I know that I would actually fulfill my dream of "growing up and moving to Paris."

My handwritten note and French Rose

A lot has changed in Paris over the years, but a lot as stayed the same. The architecture is absolutely beautiful and even with globalization the Parisian feel is still very much there, with specialty food stores, crêperies and cafes at every corner. When I was here in 2000, we went to the same cafe every morning for breakfast and by the end of the week the waiters knew exactly what I would order. It was before my coffee drinking days but I loved the foam on my parent's cappuccinos so the cafe started making me a cup of steamed milk/foam every morning! Today, my boulangerie is beginning to recognize me as a local. I can say this with confidence as the other day when I asked for a baguette they gave me one fresh out of the oven rather than one that was a few hours old, which is a HUGE deal. I'm pretty sure the majority of the things that captivated me then still do today, with the addition of coffee, wine, cheese and champagne. However, the thing that stands out the most from my first trip and still always catch my attention today are the beautiful flowers!

My favorite, I want them

Flower shops are located all over Paris. Unlike the states, flower shops are not few and far between, and you do not order your flowers online or buy them at your local grocery store. Here, you have flower shops in every neighborhood. Each arrangement is more beautiful than the next making it quite difficult to choose a favorite. The best part is, I can gaze at the flowers almost everyday. With any stroll I am almost guaranteed to stumble upon flower shop and their beautiful arrangements, as the florists set up a selection of their arrangements outside their shops every morning.

Floral Arrangement

A popular arrangement seems to be a petit bouquet. It usually consists of a handful of flowers arranged in a small silver bucket. They are so simple and beautiful.

Four different petite bouquets

The flowers are always in pristine condition and the colors are so vibrant they pop. On a rainy and grey winter day, they always have the ability to brighten the moment. I can't pass a flower shop and not slow down, even if just for a moment. It's amazing how something so simple, can be so beautiful.

Beautiful roses

Title quote: Claude Monet

There's no place like home for the Holidays

After my successful OFII appointment on December 23, I was able to go home for the Holidays. The time leading up to the appointment was a tad stressful as I couldn't go back to the states until my passport was stamped. On December 23 at 7:45 (45 minutes prior to my appointment which was the first time slot) I arrived at OFII. I was the second to arrive and was so glad that I arrived early, as we approached the 830 opening the line snaked around the block! While waiting, I met another American in the same position as me, but her flight was that day! At exactly 830 they let us in and the appointment began. One hour and one painless and successful doctor's appointment later I was all set to go!

On the morning of Christmas Eve I got up early and headed to CDG airport for my flight home. The weather channel and air lines were all predicting delays and cancellations from European airports due to bad weather. The rain and wind were picking up right before my flight, but luckily my flight was early enough that we were only delayed 30 minutes! I landed safely in NY a little before 2pm.

Curled up by the fireplace

After driving home and picking up some coffee I quickly got ready for Christmas Eve dinner with my dad's family. I thought I would be exhausted, but I surprisingly wasn't due to the festive Christmas mood. After dinner, Santa joined us for our gift exchange. Since some of my cousins have kids, Santa was a little tamer than usual this year. The kids are at the age where Santa is quite terrifying so there were a few tears and freak outs, but overall it was a success. When gifts and dessert were over, my parents, brother, sister-in-law and I headed back home and I crashed around 10!

Christmas day I was up at 4:30 due to jet lag and felt like a child waiting for it to be an appropriate time to go downstairs. James and Teresa were coming over on the earlier side to open gifts, so luckily I didn't have to wait that long. :) We all enjoyed breakfast together and then sat around the fire handing out gifts. In the afternoon we spent Christmas Day with Teresa's family at her parents' house.

The rest of my time home flew by! However, I was lucky enough to be able to see my home and college friends and spend time with my family. I also spent some quality time bonding with Baloo! He is such a good puppy and James and Teresa have done a great job with him. He is the cutest little thing and such a love bug.

What a cutie

I arrived back in Paris on Sunday and was able to meet up with my cousin Katie and her husband Amit who were in town for a few days! We met up for drinks on Sunday and then again on New Years Eve! New Years Eve we met on the lock bridge behind Notre Dame, so that they could place their lock on the bridge. After, we headed to Bastille for a lovely dinner and to ring in the New Year. The night was filled with good food, fine wine and amazing company! It was so good spending time with them here in my new home and be able to share a little part of my life in Paris with them.

Lock on the bridge

One of the appetizers we ordered was Foie Gras, which I have never had and thought that I never would have. If someone told me I would try it, I would never in a million years believe them. However, as they say, "When in Rome," right!? So, I decided to go for it. I was then handed a piece of toast with some Foie Gras and fig jelly and there was no turning back. I nervously ate it, and guess what? It wasn't bad! It actually didn't have a real distinct taste but maybe the toast and fig helped mute it. I'm not saying that I would order it the next time it's on the menu, but I won't rule out trying it again.

2013 has been an amazing year. I got my masters in Switzerland and moved to France. I have met lifelong friends throughout my journey who have helped me get to where I am today. Most importantly, I wouldn't have been able to accomplish everything without my family's support and cannot thank them enough. Here's to another amazing year! Now, after the holidays, it's back to work, learning French and exploring this beautiful city!

Lock bridge behind Notre Dame

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

This past Sunday, Shelley, Emma and I took an afternoon trip outside of Paris to Château Vaux le Vicomte, located just outside of Melun, France. Nicolas Fouquet, the head financier of King Louis XIV, bought the small castle in 1641. Within 20 years he had bought the two small adjacent villages and transformed the small castle and its surrounding land into a beautiful château and garden. Fouquet enlisted the help of the architect Louis Le Vau, the painter Charles Le Brun and the landscape gardener André Le Nôtre to create a comprehensive plan that encompassed their three expertise. This was the first time that three different crafts were employed together to create one collaborative design. Louis XIV was so taken by the design and aesthetics he hired the three men to design a much larger and more elaborate château: Versailles. The style of both Châteaus is known today as the "Louis XIV style" and you can see that the similarities between the two are vastly apparent, especially in the gardens.

Château Vaux le Vicomte

Shelley, Emma and Me

For the month of December the Château is completely decorated for Christmas inside and out! Christmas music plays in the foyer and the smell and feel of a warm fire softly burning in the fireplaces envelopes you as you enter the rooms.  Each room was decorated according to a theme, one room prettier than the next. The whole place felt like Christmas and it was so nice to leave Paris for a little and enjoy the fresh air and scenery. The photos don't do the Christmas trees any justice, but hopefully you'll get a little idea of how beautiful it really was!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Markets

Christmas markets start popping up in European Cities in late November/early December. The Markets are always open for the four weeks of Advent and most continue through Three Kings Day (January 6). Dating back to the Late Middle Ages, Christmas Markets began in the German speaking region of Europe. The markets are usually held in the Town Square or along large pedestrian areas and can be quite large! While wandering past the many stands you will always find food, drinks, gifts and seasonal Christmas items. Today, Christmas Markets have grown in popularity and can be found throughout Europe. The Markets stick to traditional food and drink and homemade goods, allowing the visitors to experience an old world Christmas feel.

Christmas Market Stands from Germany, Copenhagen and Paris

Over the past few years I have been to a couple of Christmas markets and they always seem to get me in the holiday spirit! These include:

• Prague- Held in the Old Town Square, we were there the opening weekend and it really put my friends and me in the Christmas spirit. They had a petting zoo with the cutest animals and  these really amazing pastries that they made over a fire in front of you.
• Berlin & Munich- Berlin was the first stop on my Dad's and my 2010 Winter European road trip. It is also where our impromptu Christmas Market tour began. In Germany, each Market has its own Glühwein mug, with the Market name, year and design. We now have quite the collection!
• Salzburg- Held in Cathedral Square, this market was rather cute. Performances by traditional choirs and school groups throughout December add to the allure of the Market and add to the spirit of Christmas.
• Tivoli (Copenhagen): The Tivoli Gardens are transformed into a winter wonderland for advent! The decorations (the light plan is designed by Tiffany's head designer), planning and thought that go into this market is insane and a must see!

Christmas Market Decorations

A staple in Christmas markets across Europe is Glühwein, or mulled wine. It is typically served hot and made with red wine and an assortment of spices such as cinnamon sticks. cloves. star anise, citrus zest, sugar and sometimes vanilla. Glühwein, which means "glowing wine" in German, got its name from the hot iron stems that were once used to warm the wine. It is uncertain how long Glühwein has been around, but the first Glühwein tankard, or mug, dates back to 1420!

Bratwurst & Glühwein: Christmas Market Staples

This past Sunday, I added a Parisian Christmas Market to my list and headed to the Champs Élysées! Meandering up and down the street I passed by stands selling handmade Christmas handicrafts, made in France products and tons of food and drink stands...everything looked so good! Needing to continue my Christmas shopping and wanting to make sure that all gifts were made in France, the market proved to be the opportune place to pick up a few things while practicing my French.

Handmade soap, French Chocolate & fresh lavender

Christmas Markets represent what the Christmas season means: spending good, quality time with friends and family and enjoying the moment. As much as I enjoyed the Paris Christmas Market, I prefer the markets in Germany and Copenhagen.There is something extra special and Christmas-y about enjoying warm food and drinks huddled around a fire pit watching the snow fall and the people pass.

Eat every macaron as the last

France is well known for its amazing food and pastries, especially the Macaron, that petite, delicate and colorful confection composed of two almond meringue shells surrounding a flavored filling.

Ladurée Window Display

The history of the macaron may be contested but most believe that the macaron cookie was introduced in 1533 in Italy by Catherine de Medici's chef around the time of her wedding to Henry II, the future king of France. However, it was not the "sandwich" that we know today, but instead a simple cookie made of almond powder, sugar and egg whites. It wasn't until the early 20th century when Pierre Desfontaines, Louis Ernest Ladurée's second cousin, decided to sandwich two macaron cookies together by filling the center with a ganache that the modern macaron was created. Today, they are the most popular selling "cookie" in Paris and you you can find them in nearly every flavor and color imaginable at most patisseries and shops. Two of the most famous Macaron shops in Paris are Ladurée and Pierre Hermé. Therefore, for the sake of the blog, a macaron taste test was deemed mandatory. Shelley and I set out to discuss which ones we prefer.

Carette Macarons
(L-->R salted butter caramel, coffee, vanilla & Gianduja)

It is very difficult to get a perfect macaron. Not only do the measurements need to be extremely precise but a little bit of "know-how" is also needed, which is why the same quality macaron is almost impossible to find outside of France. Typically, the shells are made with egg whites, sugar and almond powder and the filling is usually made up of a ganache, butter cream, or jam. When made right, the macaron is crisp on the outside and slightly moist in the interior, allowing it to melt in your mouth.

The Anatomy of a macaron (Le Nôtre Chocolate macaron)

Ladurée is one of the top shops, boasting sales of over 15,000 macarons per day! In 1862 Louis-Ernest Ladurée opened a bakery in Paris, which later burnt down and was rebuilt. During the time of the rebuilding, cafés were gaining in popularity. Therefore, to adapt with the changing times, Ladurée’s wife came up with the idea to blend a patisserie and café, opening the first salon de thé. However, it wasn't until the 1930s when Pierre sandwiched the macaron, that Ladurée became famous. Ladurée's macarons are delicious, light and airy. They continuously come out with new flavors for the changing seasons. Some of their flavors are a little too sweet or strong for my taste and the idea of a marshmallow filling doesn't sit well, but I have yet to find a vanilla macaron I like better than theirs.

Praline, Rose Peppercorn, Café, Gingerbread, Pistachio & Vanilla

Pierre Hermé is tied with Ladurée for the best macarons. Hermé originally worked for Ladurée and when he left he opened his first store in Tokyo, as his contract forbid him to open in Paris. However, he returned in 2002 and has since gained quite the reputation. Here is where you can try macarons with a twist such as violet-vanilla blackcurrant, passion fruit, truffle or even foie gras, He is not afraid to blend flavors and because of this, it is quite the experience to visit. As I tend to air on the side of caution and this was a comparison test, Shelley and I stuck to his classics and twists on the classics. His macarons were light and airy and provided just the right amount of flavor without being too overwhelming. I really enjoyed the violet-vanilla blackcurrant and we both liked his salted-butter-caramel. When I return I may opt to go a little more out of the box (although the foie gras macaron will take a lot of convincing). 

Pierre Hermé Macarons
(L--R Salted butter caramel, violet-vanilla, rose & chocolate)

Ladurée and Pierre Hermé are obviously not the only Macarons, but they are the most well-known and worth the splurge when you're here. One thing is for certain, when in Paris splurge and have a macaron (or a few) as they are not the same elsewhere!