One Wine Please

I was staying in Paris at an Airbnb. Everything worked out perfectly, if you haven't used this service, I definitely recommend it.  Although you have to remember that you are not staying at a hotel, it is definitely somebody's apartment. Here, there were a couple of roommates. I spoke with them when I checked in and gave them my "story". I let them know that I was a Sommelier and one immediately said, "Oh, my sister's boyfriend is a Sommelier. He just opened a wine bar. You should check it out." Absolutely!

So I walked about 25 minutes in a light rain to the neighborhood where this wine bar was. I found it and opened the door to find a very quaint little "wine bar". Wood racks containing various bottles, a high top wood table with five guests enjoying a glass, and behind that three guests resting on stools at the bar. A young man approached me and asked, "May I help you?" Apparently I don't even look French. I replied, "Bonsoir, I am staying with Emilie and her sister, Stephane who is the girlfriend of Mathew." "Yes," he said. Nothing huh? Ok. "Um, I am a sommelier and they told me I should come and see this wine bar. Um, do you have wine here?" "Yes of course, how many?" "Um, just one wine please," I replied. "Alright, right this way." He then proceeded to lead me to the back of the "wine bar" where there was a single table set up. So I sat down and he brought me the list. When he returned, I asked him for a recommendation and he offered me the Pinot Noir from the Loire Valley (a great recommendation).  He delivered the wine and said, "Enjoy," and left.  So there I was, sitting at a table by myself in the back of a french wine bar having a single glass of wine by myself. Classic.

I ended up trying to engage with the Sommelier a little further to discuss wines and wine tasting and the difference between Sommelier in the US and France.  The conversation was mostly one sided (as you can imagine) and lasted about five minutes. So I had my single glass of wine, but provided myself with my own notes...2014 Chinon by Domaine N. Grosbois: bright vegetal characteristics, jalapeño, spicy, bell peppers, red underripe cherries, delicate on the palate, light finish, young with minimal acidity, soft and delicious. Serve with Braised Lamb Shank with a subtle mint sauce.   

---

Paris in the Rain

The Impressionist mindset: the moment is fleeting, light, movement and change surrounds us, the fragility of time is ever present and the pleasure of the moment should bring joy to the artist and subject alike.  These guys (and girls) were on to something.

An empty park on a rainy day in Paris

My second day in Paris was raining, which offered me the glorious composition of Paris in a different light. I love Paris in the rain (it's not just cliché, it really is beautiful). I decided to utilize this rainy day to visit the Musée d'Orsay. If you have never been to this museum, it is an absolute MUST. A tip for the wise, purchase your tickets online and skip the line that starts to form before the doors open. Also I recommend getting to the museum right around opening to enjoy the Impressionist Wing before the throngs of tourists arrive. While the entire museum is spectacular, the 5th floor (The Impressionists) is really the crown jewel of the collection.  Shhh, you're not allowed to take pictures...

"La Classe de danse" by Edgar Degas

Monet, Sisley, Boudin, Manet, Renoir, Pissarro, Cezanne...the rogue masters creating (arguably) not only the most iconic and identifiable art ever, but also the most strikingly beautiful pieces you can ever see in person.  It is a must.

One panel featuring the lily pond at dawn by Monet at the Musée de l'Orangerie

With your ticket to the Musee d'Orsay, you also have the pleasure of visiting the Musée de l'Orangerie (just across the river). This museum was commissioned by Monet. He wanted to create a space where a viewer can actually immerse themselves in his garden at Giverny (or his vision of the garden), where he painted some of his best known works. This museum or rather installation consists of two large oval rooms where four panels stretch around the entire interior of each.  You understood that correctly, two large oval rooms with soft light entering through oval skylights, with full length Monet murals surrounding the viewer. It is breathtaking and absolutely worth a visit.

Paris in the Sun

With only two days in Paris, I decided to take one day for the Musee d'Orsay and one day to "act like a local." The weather on my first day was absolutely gorgeous, so I decided to walk from my apartment (rented on Airbnb) to Le Jardin du Luxembourg. This was the right idea. I made a quick stop by Église Saint Sulpice. This cathedral is absolutely remarkable with gorgeous vaulted ceilings and towering stained glass windows and is often (very) less crowded than Notre Dame, offering one a welcome reprive from the warmth of the day and the stifle of tourists.

Le Jardin du Luxembourg was the perfect image of a French park. Old (and young) men playing chess (I also saw groups of four playing cards, I miss my sister!), grass tennis courts, shaded benches with young coeds laughing (how old am I?), pristine grass to picnic on, and a marvelous center fountain where children played with toy boats. Honestly, it was like a flim.

From Nice to Paris

A blanket of blue unfolds to the horizon. A deep gorgeous opal of ocean draped upon the earth. Hard to describe the beauty of the scene as early morning light makes the molten glass waters sparkle, a gentle Mistral adds soft caps of frosted snow to the undulating sea. Small hamlets tucked into coves, Nice, Antibes, Cannes, and then they become smaller names, known only to those that seek destinations that still allude to that timeless Provencal dream. Pastel colors of pink, chartreuse, and sienna spread like the palate of a Monet and I sigh knowing that my train will not stop to leave me in this vanishing wonderland. I am bound for Paris.

The landscape changes quickly. Green rolling hills. Pastures. Sheep! Sparse forests and vineyards, row upon row, and then they break revealing a small isolated cottage. Who lives out in this pristine countryside? Our train is moving faster now and the landscape scrolls by offering only fleeting glimpses of a simpler gentler life.  Paris is soon approaching.

French of the Conchords

This video by the Flight of the Conchords seems to mirror my experience with French exactly.

French of the Conchords.

Menton and Ventimiglia

My lovely friend Kylie and I

Menton is the first village you encounter in the French Riviera. A stone's throw from the Italian border and ten minutes from Monaco. It is nestled firmly into the foothills of the alps, affording you spectacular (contrasting) views of the graceful blue waters of the Côte d'Azur and the striking Alpine mountains. Growing up so near the Italian border as well as near the affluent crowd of Monte Carlo, Menton offers tourists a unique combination of French and Italian flavors.

Just across the border, a mere 15 minutes by train, is the small Italian village of Ventimiglia. Ventimiglia has benefited from its proximity to the border, yet has remained firmly rooted in its Italian upbringing (you'll only find people smiling and speaking Italian here). This village also hosts one of the best and most sought after farmers' markets in the region (Chefs from as far as 50mi come to find the choicest ingredients for their restaurants). If this is your sort of thing, it is a must visit if you are staying along the Côte d'Azur. Best days to visit are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday when the old ladies from surrounding villages bring their hand-picked produce.

I had the great fortune of staying with Kylie (my first roommate when I lived in Shanghai!) and her husband Ricardo, who happens to be the Chef de Cuisine at Mirazur (#11 on the World's Best Restaurant list.). Unfortunately I didn't get to visit the restaurant (this trip), but Ricardo did take me to the farmers market (which was almost better). His entire cooking philosophy is based around fresh local ingredients, so this market is like a toy store for him. There is nothing quite like going to a traditional farmers market with a Chef, they taste, they touch, and they speak a different language (Ricardo also speaks Italian, French, Spanish, and English, which helps). I ended up with my bags full of artisanal cheeses, cured meats, and deliciously fresh fruits.  It was awesome.

---

Villa Kelada

To get to Saint Vallier-de-Thiey, a mere 31km from Cannes (I’m trying to start thinking in terms of the metric system, although my mind’s eye is still having trouble visualizing the distance, it’s about 19mi), up about 800 meters in elevation (about 2600 feet) into the foothills of the Alps. The little stone town is located about 15 minutes from Grasse along the famous route Nepoleon, which stretches from Cannes to Grenobles, and is a busy throughway for travelers.  Saint Vallier-de-Thiey is quiet and quaint, consisting of a main brasserie (French café where everyone knows your name), a boulangerie (the bakery), and a few restaurants (none of note). On Sundays they hold a market providing various odds-n-ends and fresh produce. It is a small and beautiful country village, but the real gem of the town is Villa Kelada!

Villa Kelada is located off the main drag, just far enough that you don’t pick up the noise from traffic or the white light from the town (billions of stars cascade overhead at night), but near enough that you can stroll easily into town in the morning to pick up fresh croissants (It is one of my goals to unlock the secrets of the French Croissant, it's gotta be the butter or the water, or the dough or the knuckles of a fifth generation baker?? Further posts pending). The villa was a dream house created from scratch by Madame Blum in the ‘80s. It was constructed completed from stone quarried from the surrounding area and sprawls with arching walkways, balconies overlooking the valley that catch the setting sun over the Alps, and gorgeous facades on all sides.  Yet, as beautiful as this four bedroom, two story structure is, it is complemented (if not overshadowed) by gorgeous grounds comprising of a backyard garden, interspersed evergreens, delicately trimmed bushes, wild-flowers, stone pathways, and a full-length salt-water pool.  This vision was all laid out meticulously by Mme Blum and has been superbly maintained by my beau-perè, Asaad Kelada, who took over ownership in 1990.  The last five years, my mom has been putting to work her exceptional taste adding design touches to the kitchen, livingroom, downstairs “media room” and throughout the outside, creating a distinctive style and grace to this traditional Provencal Villa.  It is truly a dream vacation home.

The past three weeks have been all about relaxing and enjoying the down time with family. Days have been filled with sitting by the pool (Jay trying desperately to hang on to her Sardinian tan), playing cards (endless games of cards), day trips to Juan-les-Pins and Grasse, and dinners both at home and out at restaurants. Mom is a phenomenal cook and she utilized the fresh ingredients from local farmers' markets to whip up dazzling charcuterie platters for lunch and traditional Provençal dishes for dinner (grilled lamb, boiled artichokes, sautéed veggies, yum!). I haven't enjoyed this type of luxury since high-school, thanks Mom! It has been a very relaxing and much needed respite, perfect to recharge the batteries with ample time to spend with my family, couldn't ask for a better vacation!

Mom, Jay, Asaad, and Me