Paris Missives...

About

"The evolving Francophile..."

My husband Jack has always wanted to live in Paris and learn French. I thought it would be good for him to achieve his life time dream. Hence, we moved to Paris in 2008. My first year was difficult. I started "missives" to relieve some stress and chronicle my life so friends back in the US could read what I am experiencing. I currently write about food in Paris, which is my passion., travel experiences, and "experiences living in Paris."

It is definitely a challenge to live here, but each year it gets easier, and quite enjoyable, in large part because I value friendships over locale. I have a love/hate relationship with Paris as do most Parisians, mais La vie est belle (but life is good)!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Shopping in Paris – expectations and things you should know

I consider myself an expert shopper, since I’ve done a “bit” in my life, OK, I've done ALOT! But I can safely say, with the 1-step program, moving to France, I am no longer a shopaholic, I’ve been cured. In my previous blog about toilets, I made mention that America is the land of conveniences. Not only is it a land of conveniences, it is also a land of consumerism and with that comes a myriad of choices. The American economy depends a lot on how much we spend, and is usually a gauge of economic strength. With that said, let’s move onto Paris.

Brief summary of my food philsophy......

I’ve been in love with food for as long as I can remember—so much so that I once went to the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco… just for fun. After retiring, I started a cooking club where we did live demos, invited home cooks and local chefs to share their favorite family recipes, and hosted plenty of delicious events. Along the way, I’ve helped chefs create menus, joined wine-and-food pairing dinners, written restaurant reviews, worked in test kitchens, and yes—even catered a few weddings. I’ll admit, I have a soft spot for Asian and other ethnic cuisines, but I’m happy to eat just about anything. Whenever I travel, my first stop is always the local market—it’s the best way to get to know a country’s culture and its people. And while I do enjoy French cuisine, I don’t see it as the “be-all and end-all.” There’s a whole world of flavors out there, and I want to taste them all.