"There You Go, Talking About Food Again."

So it's been quite a while, I apologize. While I've had plenty of time to write, I was sick for nearly two weeks so my oh so glorious life of eating French food and wiping snotty noses was quite uneventful. Plus you can only make so many jokes about French pharmacies and their ridiculous drugs.

Switching thoughts, there is a wonderful little restaurant in Rehoboth Beach called The Porcini House (or as my family calls it, The Mushroom Hut). They make delicious risotto (which I was craving) and  BAM! My recipe of the week. Tonight I tried the Roasted Red Pepper recipe from this lovely gal's amazing food blog. The perfect amount of delicious gooeyness for my food baby (who has officially been named Nelson).

 Mushroom risotto

Last weekend was full of crappy weather but fun company. I met up with some fellow Americans to introduce them to their new best friend, Le Petit Paumé. This free guide book to Lyon is just another reason why my current city reigns supreme. Local Lyonnais go around the city grading everything from restaurants and bars to hair salons to tattoo parlors to lingerie shops. They include everything you could possible want/need to know: the price range, hours, location, and furthermore their experience. Over 4 million copies were distributed out on Saturday!

Et les français disent que c'est nous, les américains, qui abusent!

Camels at Bellecour for the distribution of Le Petit Paumé

After wandering around town under the gloomy gray skies, I made it over to Vieux Lyon. Lo and behold my happy findings!

After one year of cleaning and renovations, St. Jean is as beautiful as ever (and free of scaffolding).

Last week's favorite pastry find = An almond pain au chocolat

Since I was still feeling a bit ill earlier in the week, I decided to procrastinate going to the Lumière Film Festival. For once in my life, procrastination seems to have been my best decision. In the morning I went to see Le Quai des Brumes which was one of the featured restaured films in black and white. I was quite surprised to see how much I understood considering the difference in lingo (1939 vs 2011).  Then, in the afternoon I was able to see this year's Prize winner, Gérard Depardieu! It was my very first celebrity sighting! A friend of mine was so kind to give me her tickets to the closing ceremony/movie, Cyrano de Bergerac.  All I kept thinking of was my high school French class and our Depardieu jokes. A lovely man who seemed just as thrilled to see all of the people giving him a standing ovation as they were to applaud his amazing contribution to French cinema.

:)

This weekend, my roommate Anna and I participated in Table Swapping with Erasmus.  For those that don't know, Table Swapping is when you switch apartments/houses for each course. For example, we cooked a delicious carrot curry soup for the entrée (appetizer in American terms). Two groups came to our apartment and then we all split off into different directions to eat the plat (entrée). You meet two new groups at each course and then at the end of the night you meet up at a bar to have the opportunity to keep chatting with those you already met (or introduce yourself to others you didn't bump into earlier in the night). A ton of fun despite not being able to find our dinner host!

Saturday we woke up a bit late (too late in fact) to make it in time for the famous Croix-Rousse market. Although this particular market is held every day from 9-13, I never get the chance to go because of work. Despite our disappointment in our lazy selves, we did come across other great finds: a fall carnival and a little outdoor book market. I don't know how I missed this last year! I actually can find some of my favorite fall things to do here in France!

Fall Festival at Croix-Rousse

I love Lyonnais graffiti

After a late morning on the hill, we wandered down to Hôtel de Ville for the Beaujolais Festival. Attention! This is not the same as the Beaujolais Nouveau! In fact, I was quite confused when I saw this poster on the metro. Lyon decided to have free dégustations (tasting) of previous Beaujolais vintages (mostly 2008 and 2009). Each arrondissement (borough/district) promoted a different cru (type of wine). For those of you who already consider me a wine snob, let me tell you something, you can never truly understand it all! The varieties of Beaujolais alone are so diverse. Furthermore, looking at the map makes it all seem even more complicated since each grape really does give a different flavor, smell, and color (yet they're all so close in proximity to one another). I'll have to really research my wine before the Vignerons Independents come around here again later this fall!

Always follow the yellow brick road of wine.

Then you can listen to free bands

Eat free grapes

And walk home feeling happy in the sun!

On our way back, we discovered my new favorite bakery, La Rose de Tunisie. Honey and almonds and pistachios and oh my goodness why is everything calling my name. I will never be able to get off the Saxe-Gambetta stop without passing by to get a mini bite of heaven. *cue heavy sigh* I just don't know how this pastry obsession started; I was not like this last year, was I?

Hopefully dancing around to Mika (who never seems to get out of my head nor off the radio) will balance out my pastry intake!