Through a window: Chantilly

Chantilly is a chateau outside of Paris. 
Chantilly is also the french word for whipped cream. 
I played tour guide for some friends and because Versailles was closed we went here.  We ate in the garden with the ducks and had Strawberries and chantilly for dessert. 
It was more like a sweet heavy cream the just lighter than sour cream.  
The memory of it is going to last me a least a couple of months. 

The view out the side of the castle

Things you don't know if....

If you've never lived with a man or you don't have a toilet room (i.e. a small room/closet, separate from your bathroom with NARROW walls and a toilet)

you might not know about splashback.

I grew up with all girls, who sit on the toilet.  This man-standing up thing  with Splashback?  I had the pleasure of discovering here in France while doing my own business only to see some yellow marks on the white walls.
um gross.

I am the first to admit that I would totally write my name in the snow if I had the proper equipment. But dude - if you are in a house? sit down or pick up a cleaning wipe.
While the French government pays to clean up after you on the street, I don't have one of these guys for my toilet room!

I love a good belly

Another one of my friends here let me take photos of her awesome 8-month belly

Through a window: Prâlon

Today

The fading sun on St Eustache through the travaux in Châtelet

 Bikes & Sunset

The Cheese Plate at the end of dinner

Sundays are for...

• French toast made with brioche and eggs with milk, vanilla and little bit of molasses.

• Walks in the Marais (Mar-eyh)

The Marais is one of the only places with open shops on a Sunday

A nice walkable Jewish/Gay/start-up-clothing-designer neighborhood.  Somehow this works.

• And then there are the pitas.  

At least 5 different pita shops that also sell to-go through a walk-by window.  Strange for the country where sit-down dinners are a national sport. 

But these pitas, they are divine. Every bite is different. They seem to hit every flavor and texture on the palette.

Start with a toasty pita bread, spoonful of garlicky hummus, 3 piping hot crunchy-on-the-outside falafels, sweet shredded carrots, fresh shredded cucumber and purple cabbage, then red tomato sauce, grilled eggplant, a white yogurt-tahini sauce and a  dill pickle.  (the only place in all of Western Europe I have found real dill pickles). 

photo from saltandspatula.com

 It is a crying SHAME I didn't take a picture of mine.  I am pretty sure it was 50% bigger than this girl's

• AND Sundays are for warm September sunsets

The truth about McDonald's

I don't LOVE fast food. 
I cook a lot
I like strong flavors
I'm a big fan of being a guest at long dinners
but being the chef at long dinners just sucks

Do you ever just want to eat.  Like put something in your stomach so it stops screaming at you?  So it stops making you HANGRY at everyone.  Yea me too

I don't love McDonald's
but sometimes when I am tired and hungry.
or when I've been in 6 grocery stores + Primeur and in the micro-kitchen with no dishwasher for 3 days straight - surprisingly - I don't want to make something creative.  I don't want to find some new fancy thing to cook and then go on a hunt for the ingredients, come back home, cook, and eat 3 HOURS LATER. 
Sometimes I JUST WANT TO EAT and NOT DO DISHES.