Accommodation, Australia, Cooking, Food, France, French customs, Lifestyle, Paris, Sightseeing, Travelling, Wine

Favourite Paris Wine Shops – Phone App: Google Translate – Creating a Healthy French Pantry

April 3, 2012 Rosemary Kneipp 2 Comments

Where to buy wine in Paris, a helpful traveller’s phone app and healthy eating the French way are the subjects featured in my Wednesday’s Other Blogs this week. Thank you to Like Home in Paris (vacation apartment rentals in Paris), Femmes Francophiles (fellow Australian blogger with an ongoing passion for France and the French language) and Mademoiselle Slimalicious (a young Sydney-based French blog writer who promotes healthy eating, fitness and exercise based on the principles of the French Paradox).

Sipping on Saturday – Favourite Paris Wine Shops

from Like Home in Paris

I know who I go to ask when I have a wine question or can’t decide which glass to take – Preston Mohr, that’s who. Our favorite drinking partner tells us about his favorite wine shops in Paris and believe me you’ll want to take note. Read more

Phone Application: Google Translate

from Femmes Francophiles

Translation apps are a growing market. No longer do we need to fossick in back packs or handbags for our bilingual dictionary or phrasebook. No doubt there are now young international travellers who have never had to worry about the weight associated with carrying these books with their dog-eared pages. Read more

Creating a Healthy French Pantry

from Mademoiselle Slimalicious

Cooking at home (rather than ordering take-away) enables you to be fully in control of what you eat by being aware of the nutritive value of your meals. In order to manage your weight efficiently (the way French women do), it is important to make cooking everyday one of your priority. Read more.

France, Loire Valley

The Keys at Last!

April 2, 2012 Rosemary Kneipp 11 Comments

Well, we’ve now spent our first night in the new house in Blois. We finished packing the two cars and the (now reinforced) trailer at 2 am on Saturday morning, then added the bikes (which we had forgotten) and all the last-minute stuff, all of which took much longer than expected (isn’t that always the way?). We arrived in Blois at 3 pm, a bit later than planned. The real estate agent and former owners were waiting for us and it was with great emotion that I turned the key in the lock for the first time!

It was marvellous to discover the house at last, empty of all its previous furniture and decorative elements (well, almost). The rooms looked much bigger of course and not quite the same shape. The previous owners then took us on a tour of the house and garden, explaining various things, showing us what they had left for us – many little details that are much appreciated, in addition to a huge collection of clay pots of all shapes and sizes that I haven’t decided what I’ll do with yet!

After the agent left, we broke out the champagne and the four of us talked and joked until we suddenly realised it was nearly 6 pm. Relationnel wanted to find a special slow-acting product to sanitize the house before we unpacked everything, particularly as it had been inhabited by a large number of dogs over the years. On the way to Bricorama, I suggested that, given how late it was, it might be a good idea to find a B&B for the night. Relationnel immediately agreed. On a Saturday night, of course, there was nothing vacant within cooee of Blois so I rang the Mercure. They happened to have a weekend special so I emptied out my swimming bag and used it to pack a change of clothes rather than lug along our large suitcase.

There was a free wifi connection and even a restaurant so we ate there. There was an amusing bilingual menu – the coquilles Saint Jacques (sea scallops) had mysteriously turned into red mullet and you could have house-made pâté. We had our café gourmand next to the heated pool but couldn’t use it of course because the swimsuits were back at the house. We even had breakfast there next morning, with a view of the Loire – one of the best I have had in a French hotel as it turned out. There was even a machine that delivered fresh-pressed orange juice. Excellent choice of viennoiseries (croissants, pains au chocolat and pains aux raisins), bread, yoghurt, dried fruit, fresh fruit, etc. Also a boiled egg machine with no instructions so I didn’t take the chance …

We asked the girl at reception where we’d find a butcher open on a Sunday morning and were directed to a place called Grand Frais. We’ll have to get used to shops being closed on Sundays in the provinces ! Not much of a choice of meat but we still found something suitable for the LONG-AWAITED BARBECUE (our barbecue has been in storage for 7 years as it’s not allowed in the Palais Royal) and went “home”, opening the gate and door on our own for the first time. We were thrilled!

We spent the day unpacking and chasing after a fridge and finally got the (Ikea) bed together at 8.00 pm. By then I’d aleady booked a table at L’Embarcadère just down the road where we celebrated the signature of the final papers two weeks ago. So much for the barbecue. Maybe we’ll strike it lucky tonight. We’ve got a garden table and were able to have lunch outside for the first time. No internet however. Annoyingly, there’s some problem that may not be solved for a few days so we’re off to Le Penalty to have a coffee to use their free wifi.

Italy, Sightseeing, Travel photos, Travelling

Sunday’s Travel Photos – Burano Island in Italy

March 31, 2012 Rosemary Kneipp 3 Comments

It’s easy to take a day trip to the little islands on the other side of the Venetian lagoon – Torcello, Burano and Murano. The most picturesque is Burano, which is actually a little achipelago of four islands, known for its brightly coloured homes and beautiful lacework. We succumbed to the charm of both. Even the dish antenna is painted pink in one of the photos!

Lifestyle, Loire Valley

Blois, Here We Come!!

March 29, 2012 Rosemary Kneipp 15 Comments

I feel like I’m in a sort of limbo at the moment – on the verge of a great new adventure that I can hardly believe is about to become a reality. In just two days’ time, we will have the keys to our late 16th century Renaissance home in Blois. At last we will see it without furniture (well, practically) or decoration (almost). So difficult to imagine.

The previous owners are moving to a slightly smaller and much more modern home so they unfortunately won’t be able to take all their furniture with them. So we are going to inherit (for a pittance) some original pieces such as a dresser with a built-in clock, a maie in which flour used to be kneaded, various utensils connected with our bread oven, a Henri II sideboard and an art deco bedroom suite.

In the meantime, we are making various preparations. To divide the house in two for rental, Relationnel has devised a separation consisting of a series of door panels (photos later!) and we have bought a trailer for which he has made a réhausse to increase the height of the sides. We lost the panels on the highway last time we were in Blois, nearly causing an accident, because it wasn’t secured properly. Very scary. The new system, however, can’t possibly get away!

I have been sorting through cupboards in the apartment to find anything we aren’t using here that might be useful in Blois. Need I tell you that I am amazed at what I’m finding. It’s also giving me the opportunity to throw out things I know we’ll never use again. One of the things I’m getting rid of is my Encyclopaedia Britannica, bought on credit in 1975 when I started freelancing as a translator. Who could have imagined then that those twenty or so volumes, not to mention the Year Books, would be replaced by just one CD-Rom?

All the moving and throwing out is going to give us extra space for our home exchanges as well as I won’t have to play musical shelves to provide room for our exchangers to put their belongings. I’m going to make sure I leave all the top shelves free so that I just have to move our things up from the bottom shelves before we leave each time. It’ll make them easier to find as well. After our Madrid exchange, it took me a while to remember where I’d put things!

Yesterday, we continued our purchases through the second hand site, www.boncoin.fr, with a new 44-piece porcelain dinnerware set for only 15 euros. We’re waiting until we’re in Blois to buy the rest as we’re running out of trailer space and time! We did go to Leroy Merlin though to buy an amazing array of power tools. One of our first tasks, before we move into the main bedroom, is to clean the very sooty fireplace. It seems we’ll be donning masks, hoods and boiler suits and enclosing ourselves in a PVC tent to do the job. I’ll post photos!

So, bear with me for the next few days. We’re supposed to have an internet connection but I imagine things will be quite chaotic for the first few days. I may not be posting as often.

Dieting, Food, Lifestyle

How I lost 20 kilos after 50 – for good: Part 6

March 28, 2012 Rosemary Kneipp 15 Comments

This week has been like mid-summer in Paris, yet we’re only just moving into spring! So I’ve been swapping over my wardrobe from winter to summer. Strange, I didn’t realise that extra kilo or two had sneaked in there. My winter clothes weren’t getting tight but I have a couple of pairs of summer trousers that are more closely fitting. I guess I haven’t been exercising as much lately (I haven’t been swimming for a while) and maybe the trip to Madrid didn’t help either!

So what to do? One of the most important things when you lose weight is to make sure that you nip any subsequent weight gain in the bud immediately. Thinking “well, I’ll just wear some looser clothes for a bit and it’ll come off all by itself” is courting danger! You need to apply the “200 grammes of protein at each meal and no carbs” rule for a day or two. If you’ve only gained a kilo, it should come off pretty quickly. You should then continue the 200 g protein day once week until your weight is stabilised again. It’s even a good idea to do it regularly.

If that extra kilo or so turns out to be a bit more stubborn though, you could start writing down what you eat again as I explained in Part 2. Either you’ll automatically adjust your eating pattern or you’ll be able to see where the extras are coming from. You can also cut out wheat-based products for a couple of weeks. That should be the trick! If it doesn’t, you’ll need to analyse what’s really going on.

Maybe that snack-reflex has come back again recently for some reason – a new source of stress or extra fatigue in your life. Each time you see yourself wandering towards the kitchen, stop, turn around and go into the living room. Sit down, close your eyes and imagine yourself on a beach or in a forest. Breathe deeply and relax. Then go back to what you were doing before you felt like snacking. At mealtime, remember to serve food in the kitchen and take it to the table so you won’t be tempted to seconds.

It usually takes a month to get rid of a habit so you may have to persist a little. You might need to start listening to your hypnosis tapes again too. And if you’ve kept any of your “bigger” clothes “just in case”, it’s probably the moment to get rid of them altogether!

The Natural Skinnies and Us

How I lost 20 kilos after 50 – for good: Part 1

How I lost 20 kilos after 50 – for good: Part 2

How I lost 20 kilos after 50 – for good: Part 3

How I lost 20 kilos after 50 – for good: Part 4

How I lost 20 kilos after 50 – for good: Part 5

France, Italy, Lifestyle, Paris, Sightseeing, Travelling

Pickpockets on the Metro in Paris – Siena – an Italian escape – Burgundy at a Glance

March 27, 2012 Rosemary Kneipp 3 Comments

The posts from other blogs that I’m featuring this Wednesday are by American blogger Mary Kay, from Out and About in Paris, who is a fund of useful and interesting information and will help you have a pickpocket-free holiday, fellow Australian and photographer Karina from Carams who takes us to Siena in Tuscany and Doni Belau from Girls’ Guide to Paris who recommends a visit to Burgundy as a day trip or weekend out of Paris. Thanks to them all!

Monday Morning Musings on Pickpockets on the Metro in Paris

by Mary Kay, from Out and About in Paris

After dodging holiday shoppers and having my foot run over by a renegade baby stroller while visiting the Christmas Market on the Champs-Elysées yesterday, Stéphane, Sara and I decided to take metro line 1 from George V to Tuileries to have some hot chocolate. As we always seem to arrive at Angelina’s just after it has closed for the night, I stood on the metro platform with my back to the wall to check their opening hours on my iPhone. Stéphane and Sara were facing me, we were speaking English and for all anyone knew we were tourists in Paris. Read more.

Siena – an Italian escape

by Carina at Carams

Up until last year when we found ourselves in the area, Siena had never been near the top of my travel list. Yet there we were one morning, driving winding roads through Tuscan valleys, following signs to the old city, named (according to legend) after Senius, son of Remus, of the Remus & Romulus duo. Read more

Le Petit Weekend: Burgundy at a Glance

by Doni Belau from Girls Guide to Paris

As much as all Parisians love Paris, they also adore a petit weekend—a getaway, either a day trip from Paris or an entire weekend. Recently, during autumn, I hightailed it out of the city for a wine-tasting trip to Burgundy. My friend Kelly and I headed for Beaune, which is perfectly situated to explore both côtes, Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. Read more

Australia, France, Lifestyle

Daylight Saving in France

March 26, 2012 Rosemary Kneipp 1 Comment

briare_sunset — Cycling in Briare after dinner

I do, of course, love the long summer days when it stays light until 11 pm. Cycling after dinner is particularly attractive. What I don’t like is the actual changeover because it puts me out-of-kilter for at least a couple of weeks and I’m not a good sleeper at the best of times. Black Cat tells me that everyone in the metro was overly aggressive in the metro this morning because they all had to get up an hour earlier than usual! The changeovers take place around about 21st March and 21st October each year.

Relationnel never manages to remember whether he has to put his clock back or forward each time. In French they say “avancer” or “retarder l’heure” meaning “putting the time forwards or backwards”. Of course with all the electronic equipment we have these days, it’s much harder not to know about the changeover and miss a train or something though I noticed the clock on the car hadn’t changed yesterday.

palais_royal_march_2012 — Unseasonable weather in Paris

We’ve been having unseasonably warm weather too (not that I’m complaining!) which means that no one was very keen on going to bed an hour earlier than their biological clock last night either. I can remember how difficult it was to get the kids onto the new time when they were little. I even joined a lobby group in the hope that daylight saving might disappear altogether, but it didn’t do any good.

It all started of course for purely materialistic reasons. According to the French finance ministry, “Daylight saving (or l’heure d’été – summer time – as they say in French) was implemented in France in 1975 after the 1974 oil crunch with the aim of saving energy by reducing lighting, particularly in the evening. Today, it is estimated that 250,000 tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) are saved each year as a result of daylight saving in France”. So, there’s not much hope of a lobby group having any effect!

It seems that daylight saving goes back to Ancient Times and was resurrected by Benjamin Franklin in April 1784 in a well-known satire. The next person to promote the idea was New Zealand entomologist George Vernon Hudson. He was a shift worker and used to collect insects in his spare time so obviously wanted as much daylight as possible. He presented a paper to the Wellington Philosophical Society in 1895 proposing a two-hour daylight-saving shift. It didn’t catch on though until an Englishman,William Willet (poor man with a name like that), published a pamphlet in 1907 called “The Waste of Daylight”. He thought up this really complicated system of putting the clock forward by 80 minutes in 4 stages in April and then back again in September. No wonder it took another 9 years to be voted in by the British parliament, by which time poor Willet had died of the flu.

Ireland, Italy and France followed suit as did most of the other European countries after the War. But France did away with daylight saving in 1946 and didn’t bring it back until 1975, the year I arrived in France. Having been born and bred in North Queensland, I’d never experienced daylight saving before. Queensland is still holding out against the rest of the country but there’s a lot more lobbying these days, particularly by groups such as the The Daylight Saving for Southeast Queensland Party.

So now, Leonardo (who’s in Sydney) and I are 9 hours apart instead of 10. For the moment, I don’t know whether it’s better or worse.

And thank you, Wikipedia, for all the facts and figures!

Australia, France, Loire Valley, Paris

Gardens I Have Known

March 25, 2012 Rosemary Kneipp Leave a comment

I spent my first 9 years in France living in a flat and biding my time until I could have a house and a garden again. It finally became a reality when I was pregnant with Black Cat and Leonardo was nearly 2 1/2. It was a funny sort of a garden, 10 metres wide by 30 metres long, but typical of the area which used to have a lot of orchards with espalier pear trees. I was into organic food then and we grew apples, hazelnuts, black currants, red currants, tomatoes, strawberries and, best of all, raspberries which the kids loved to pick for dessert. We also had the most wonderful old style rose bushes with the most divine scent.

Before I had my own roses, I didn’t particularly like them but the garden had an enormous variety and I took immense pleasure in picking them to give to my friends who didn’t have gardens. There was a lovely yellow one which started out pink and a red rose whose petals felt like velvet. I was so sad when we grew a hedge of thuya bushes for privacy and it crowded out most of the roses. We realised the damage too late.

When I divorced, I had to give up my garden but I was lucky enough to find a ground floor flat with a small garden that we gradually turned into a mass of flowers. We had trumpet creepers and clematis, hollyhocks and azaleas, columbines and delphiniums, irises and forsythias and even a lilac bush, all of which would all suddenly appear after winter. Every year in November we’d plant lots of tulips, jonquils and hyacinths, tiny pansies and cyclamens. We had lilies of the valley for May Day as well.

In the summer, we’d plant masses of busy lizzies, geraniums and nastursiums. Our hanging pots were filled with petunias and begonias. Just thinking about it makes me nostalgic! Then we moved to our apartment in Paris overlooking the Palais Royal gardens. We couldn’t even have window boxes at first because it’s a listed monument. But I finally convinced Relationnel into letting me have planters on the sills of the French windows that you can’t see from the other side.

So you can imagine how much I’m looking forward to our new house in Blois. I can’t wait to see the shrubs come into flower and discover all the different species in the garden. The little wood at the back is full of daffodils and primroses and even tiny ground orchids. I know there are hollyhocks because I’ve seen the leaves but no one has mentioned any columbines or delphiniums. There’s a climbing rose on the front stairs but it looks a little lonely so I’ll have to see what company I can find. And I can’t wait for the wisteria to bloom in April!

Italy, Sightseeing, Travel photos

Sunday’s Travel Photos – Venice

March 24, 2012 Rosemary Kneipp 9 Comments

Spring is without doubt the best time to go to Venice. The wisteria is out everywhere in April and it’s quite splendid. The photos below capture the essence of my Venice. Since we were there for a week and had a vaporetto pass, we took the time to venture outside the main tourist areas. One thing I remember is the somewhat misty light that pervades most of my photos. I also loved the slightly decrepit look of many of the palaces. And I absolutely adored the masks.

France

Spring in Paris

March 22, 2012 Rosemary Kneipp 7 Comments

My monthly post has just been published on MyFrenchLife. This time, it’s about spring. We’ve been cooped up and wrapped up for so long now that the warmer temperatures, new leaves and blossoms and blue skies feel like heaven!

Spring is hardly a very original subject, is it? But spring will always remain a source of wonderment for me. You see, I come from tropical North Queensland and until I was 22 I only knew about spring from books and poems. Read more.

Aussie in France