Architecture is a challenge for me.  I like details and large structures can be overwhelming to me.

But I keep trying and I’m committed to one day buying a wide angle lens to experiment even more.

One of my favorite photographers is Jean-Michel Berts (the French Ansel Adams of architecture).  He says “Architecture is the cultural reflection of a civilization” – so true, especially for Paris.

You can’t visit Paris and not want to be a part of it.  The city is beautiful, imposing, and sometimes daunting (Which I’m sure the kings liked).

Paris is one city by day and another by night.  When the sun goes down and the lights go on the city sparkles, but with more than two thousand years of history it can also feel haunted.

When you have a car in Paris there is nothing better than a “Paris by Night”.  Driving around the city at night with no other reason then to enjoy the city lit up.

Even if the photos aren’t perfection I hope they convey some of the emotion of seeing Paris by night.

Enjoy!

Leslie

PS: Visit the Sous Les Etoiles Gallery through January 29th for an exhibition of “The Cities of Jean-Michel Berts”.

Each time I visit Paris something is different and every visit I make a mental note of the changes I see.

This visit I noticed more Velib bicycle stations – Yeah!

I also noted fantastic improvements in the public transportation system.  Changes included renovated, cleaner metro stations, with improved signage, and new digital panels displaying the current time and estimated time of arrival for your bus or train.

I also noticed American cookies everywhere.  They have become a staple next to the brownies in many boulangeries.  With all the sophisticated pastries and chocolate wonders in France who would have thought a basic chocolate chip cookie could be so popular.

However, there are things in France that never change and in January that is les galettes des rois (the king’s cakes).  The galette des rois are the traditional pastry of Epiphany celebrated on January 6th, but the French seem to celebrate it all month – perhaps an excuse to eat more galette des rois.

If you visit France in January you can’t miss les galettes des rois as they are displayed, front and center, in the window of every boulangerie in France.

This round flaky puff pastry is filled with almond paste or frangipan (a combination of almond cream and pastry cream).  They come in an array of sizes and are purchased by the number of people you will be serving.

If you are lucky enough to celebrate Ephiphany with a French family or friends you’ll know the novelty of the galette des rois is not just the quality of the pastry but the fève (little figurine) that is hidden inside the pastry. The youngest at the table, will hide under the table and call out who gets each slice.

Whoever finds the fève (which can be plastic, porcelain or even a fancy jewel) gets to be crowned king or queen for day.  Paper crowns (alla Burger King) are typically included with your galette des rois.

If you have never tasted a galette des rois, they are worth a try.  Make a note in your January 2011 calendar to reserve a galette des rois from your local French baker to share with friends or family (with or without the crowns).

A trip to France next January would definitely ensure you taste a galette des rois.  If not you can always enjoy the experience right here without the calories or risk of cracking a tooth on a fève.

Enjoy!

Leslie

One of my objectives for this trip was to photograph bicycles but instead I found myself looking at Paris as a village.

The city is divided into twenty arrondissements (administrative districts) and each district has its own personality.

The twenty arrondissements are like a large group of little French villages.  With their own governing body, they service residents with what I consider the French basics; des cafés (cafes), des boulangeries (bakeries), une poissonerie (a fish monger), une fromagerie (a cheese shop), un supermarché (a supermarket), une église ou deux (a church or two), un station metro (a subway station) and a few Vélib bicycle stations.

Many French frequent the same café or boulangerie in their arrondissement – usually because it’s the best quality in the neighborhood.   It also develops the feel of living in a small village – you may never know your neighbor but you will probably know your local baker.

When you live in Paris it’s easy to overlook the enjoyment of having local merchants (especially when you’re in a rush) but as a foreigner it’s a distinct point of difference that adds to the uniqueness and beauty of the city.

Here’s a look at a few of the arrondissements of Paris.

Enjoy!

Leslie

I can’t imagine a January where I don’t see my friends Claudine and Marie-Pierre (Mapie).

If you’ve been following my blog since June or the original site you know about the biannual girls weekend.

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I have a small obsession with travel but I am just as obsessed with travel guides & books.  If I had the space, my apartment would be filled!

Here are a few recent discoveries and old favorites to consider…as travel books are not only a source of information, they are a source of enjoyment.

F R A N C E

Alastair Sawday’s Special Places to Stay French Bed & Breakfast 11th Edition

An amazing, well researched guide on French B&B’s.   Other additions include Paris Hotels, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Mountains of Europe and French Holiday Homes

P A R I S

Patisseries of Paris by Jamie Cahill

This small chic guidebook is essential for anyone who wants to experience Paris through its stylish cafes and mouth watering sweets.  Published by The Little Bookroom, this company does niche travel guides to the world’s best loved cities like no other.

Hungry for Paris The Ultimate Guide To The City’s 102 Best Restaurants by Alexander Lobrano

Not only is this a great guide for restaurants it is a wonderful cultural guide to dining in Paris.

R O M E

Footprint Italia Rome

This guide may be hard to find in the US but it is a concise, well organized guide to Rome.  Their website www.footprintbooks.com is a feast of guidebooks categorized by destinations and activities.  Other additions include Madrid, Tuscany, Sicily and Venice.

The Terroir Guide Food & Wine Rome

Another series published by The Little Bookroom.  This guide is a veritable reference to the local food, wine, markets, artisans and restaurants of Rome.   Other additions include Budapest and The Italian Riviera with more on the way.

romastaordinaria

This guide, a recent discovery, is not easy to find.  Written in English and Italian it is part of a series of guides to Italian cities that are published each summer.  The guide features shops, restaurants, hotels, bookstores, shopping services and new cultural activities that due to their quality and personality are all “extraordinary”.   A visit to their website www.italiastraordinaria.it will give you a taste for this unique series of guidebooks.

So whether you are preparing for a trip, need a gift or simply want a little escape to dream and drool about future adventures a travel book may be just what you need.

Enjoy!

Leslie