I just want a pickle...

Ever since visiting John’s grandparents in Italy I’ve been intrigued about growing my own vegetables. At almost every meal we had salad provided by John’s grandfather’s garden. This is partly what made buying my own hot-pepper plant so appealing but it’s also, perhaps, what made me come up with the great idea of making my own pickles!

If you know me well, you know that I love pickles. There is just something great about them. So this isn’t as random an idea as it might seem to someone who doesn’t share the same love for pickles. Besides: part of my adventures in Paris is about trying new things, right?

First step: research. I spent a significantly more time than I ever thought I would researching on how to pickle cucumbers. Which cucumbers are best? What method should I choose? How long does it take? In case you ever decide to do this: there are a million different ways to make pickles. My method: brining overnight followed by the refrigeration method.

Step two: not getting lost in translation. I figured out everything I needed, which is easy in English. I almost forgot that I had to figure out how what things like Mustard & Celery Seed are in French! This part was not as easy as I had hoped. Luckily, I’ve been cooking here long enough to know what most of the ingredients were and where to find them.

Step three: the search. Let me just say that looking for small cucumbers is not only hard but not so much fun. Not to worry: it took a morning but everything was found.

Step four: the brine. I chose to brine my pickles because it would help speed the pickling process. This may come as a surprise but I don’t always have the patience to withstand time. Making the brine was simple but rather stinky. It took 24 hours of the apartment smelling like pickle but we could finally move on the interesting part.

Step five: preparing the jars. Once the brining is complete you have to then decide what seasonings will accompany your cucumbers in the jar (in my case it’s onion, garlic and fresh dill). You also have to prepare the sauce, which is less potent than the brine, and then pour the mixture into jar. I have to admit I now understand why purchasing pickles is appealing: it not only takes less time but consuming the pickles is less messy.

And now we wait. I still have a week, at the earliest, until I can taste my pickles. I’ll be sure to let you know how it happens but so far so good.

UPDATE:

John and I opened up the pickles last night. Sadly, I learned the distinct difference in vinegars. Substituting one for another didn’t work so well and the pickles were a little too sweet for my taste. But it worked. I made pickles! Definitely not something I think I’ll do on a regular basis but a pretty cool thing to say I’ve done.

J'adore Paris... c'est vrai.

I would like to think that after four months in Paris I am becoming a savvy visitor. I try to find out the secrets of the city: remember the boat ride on Canal Saint Martin? I would also like to think that I am genuinely trying to embrace Parisian life: remember the Fete de las Musique? Over the last few months I have come to respect France for more than its socialized healthcare. This past weekend is a great example of why I love living in Paris… it was relaxing, fun-filled and, best of all, free.

Saturday night was the Nuit Blanche. Started in 1997, the European idea of Nuit Blanche is an all-night event where the city opens its doors to art. Similar to the music festival, art (in all forms) are exhibited throughout the city (in museums, courtyards, streets, etc.). The idea is that you can walk around the city and see different types of art until dawn (for free). John and I had a little trouble finding the bulk of the planned exhibits but wound up taking a great tour of the Marais/Chatlet/Hotel de Ville/Notre Dame areas. The things we did see were really cool, especially the suspended wire Spiderman on a side-street. We also stopped and watched a few street performers, which were surprisingly impressive.

It also happened that it was the first Sunday of the month which has come to mean one thing to me: free museum entrance! John and I decided to go to the Pompidou. I’m not the biggest fan of modern art but must admit that I liked it more than I thought. At first I couldn’t help but say, “Ok… I don’t get it.” But eventually I realized you don’t have to get it. We spent the entire afternoon looking at the permanent exhibit (two floors)!

And there you have it, ladies & gentlemen. Two educational & cultural activities that cost me nothing… even as a visitor. Paris (and I’m sure France) is full of these little things that make all the difference. I’m continually impressed by what the city does for its residents. This is just one of the many reasons why I love living here. I would hope that by now my blog has given you an idea of my other reasons.

Beinvenue Colombe

I am honored to report that the newest addition to the de Vitton family, Colombe, was born at 8:21pm on September 28th. Perhaps my extreme enthusiasm stems from the fact that this is the first time I've followed someone's pregnancy and anxiously awaited their baby's arrival. Or perhaps because this was the first time I've met such a young person and will be able to tell her one-day (en francais) that I met her when she was five days old.

Biased or not I think her story is really amazing. Daphne moved to Paris back in August so she could have the baby in Paris but Guillaume didn’t come until the 26^th. Guillaume came into Paris on Saturday morning and by Sunday night/Monday morning Colombe must have known her parents were ready. Her timing could not have been better!

Contrary to American custom, Daphne stayed in the Hospital (but in more of a hotel-like accommodations) for five days after Colombe was born. During these first days Guillaume was our connection to them because of the strict no visitor policy. I believe this is because of the flu but am not entirely sure. Guillaume would give John some pictures and we would look at them and gush over how cute Colombe is. Come the 3^rd we were so anxious and excited to finally meet her!

I have to admit that Colombe is perhaps the cutest baby ever. I continue to be amazed at how quiet she is (though I’m told she cries more now). I could watch her forever; her expressions, movements, and tiny features hypnotize me. Though even more beautiful than Colombe (if that is even possible) is the amount of love and support she already has. Her entrance into the world has been met with a family that could not be happier. It is so obvious that Daphne & Guillaume already love her more than words can say. And already there are hundreds of pictures of family and friends meeting her for the first time where you can actually see the love.

Congratulations to Daphne & Guillaume, you have a beautiful daughter. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this. I may not be family but I already care for Colombe as if I am. If you ever need a babysitter you know where to look!

I would also like to congratulate John for becoming an uncle. From the amount he speaks about Colombe I can tell she is very lucky to have an Uncle who will be bragging about her to anyone who will listen. As well as Grand-maman (Christine) and Grand-pere (Joseph) for becoming first time grandparents. And of course big congratulations to the rest of the Morel-Silva-de Vitton family… Your newest addition to the family is so precious. I look forward to seeing all of the things Colombe accomplishes as she grows up (though it would be a-okay with me if she took her time growing up!).

Hot Peppers for a New Start

Taking French classes for seven weeks has equipped me to make educated guesses on what’s being said/written. I can carry on an elementary conversation and follow conversations about limited topics. Imagine having only seven weeks of English…

I suppose it’s only natural that I still feel lost and self-conscious when it comes to French. And so I am officially enrolled to start two months of classes next Monday. I’ve decided to attend a different school: The Alliance Francaise. It felt incredibly rewarding to be able to say, honestly, that I am not a complete beginner. Though after the placement exam, I must admit that I could have fooled even myself… I can’t imagine I scored very high though I know, with certainty, that I got a handful of the questions correct which is something I would not have been able to do last May.

For the remainder of my work experience I’ll be part-time. I’ll attend French class Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9-12 and then go to work.

This past weekend I went to check out the location and didn’t realize it was so close to Saint Sulpice. John and I took advantage of the location and found ourselves not only visiting the Church but also wandering around the neighborhood. We walked by a flower shop and saw that they had great plants. At first we were just commenting how pretty everything was until I saw a plant that seemed to be growing hot peppers. When I realized it was a hot pepper plant I knew I had to buy it and try it out! And so I made John ask the florist a million questions: when do I know the peppers are done, how often do I water it, does it need sun, do I put a stick in the center for extra support, etc. Hopefully, in two months I can talk freely about how I take care of this plant in French!

Check out the pictures from this weekend here: we not only went to Saint Sulpice but also to the Orangerie (to see Monet’s Lilly pads!).

שנה טובה: Happy New Year!

I was a little hesitant about observing the High Holidays alone this year but have been reminded that, as Safam would say, “wherever you go, there’s always someone Jewish!”

I didn’t even think of getting tickets until September! Yes, there are tickets for High Holidays. It may seem like a strange notion that you need to purchase a ticket to pray but it’s true. Just like there are Catholics who only go to Church for Christmas, there are Jews who only go to Temple for the High Holidays. So many that it makes the most sense to have tickets. This not only generates an income for the congregation but must allow the congregation to prepare for the number of people about to flood their sanctuary. Many Temples even have ways to open up and expand their sanctuaries to allow room for more people. I wasn’t even sure if I’d be able to attend services this year but took it as a sign when Kehilat Gesher not only welcomed me (two weeks after the application deadline) but also gave me a just-graduated-from-college-and-on-a-tight-budget discount.

I was told ahead of time to bring my passport for identification. What I wasn’t forewarned about was that there would be rather hefty security. Now that I’ve attended guarded and unguarded services I have to admit that I’m definitely more at ease when there is no need for security to consist of multiple people standing guard with weapons. I can’t fathom that becoming a norm.

Not only is there always someone Jewish but we all have the same prayers. I was comforted to recognize the same tunes I’ve sung since a kid. With a piano and a small choir the service was both intimate and beautiful, something I thought Charlie would have really appreciated.

In his D’var (sermon) the Rabbi urged the congregation to not only take the next ten days to repent (before Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement) but to think about the person we are right now, about how we are living our lives and to be honest with ourselves about what we have fallen short on. On my way home I couldn’t help but think about these things. Here I am celebrating the High Holidays because I made the conscious decision to, when to be honest it would have been easier to call it day by eating an apple with honey. Here I am exploring another culture and trying to learn another language all while learning new things about myself. What a perfect way to ring in the New Year. I may not be in an academic setting but I am, once again, a student. I am learning about myself and about how I want to live my life. This year will certainly be full of new beginnings.

When I came home there was a beautiful basket filled with fruit, candy and wine from Daphne. I’ve not only had plenty of sweet fruit but, as always, had apples and honey. I hope you have a happy, healthy year 5770. L’shana Tova, may you all be written in the Book of Life.

Did you know Monet's middle name was Oscar? It's true!

My Mom used to give my sisters and I special time, with just her and one of us, to do whatever we wanted while growing up. I remember

begging her to play the diversity game, seeing the “Lollipop” show in New York and wandering around the MET to see every Monet painting

they had.

Come to think of it, I think it’s safe to say I was obsessed with everything Monet. I knew all the trivia. I dressed up as him for Halloween one year (not something I would suggest… everyone thought I was a homeless man.) I could even tell you everything about his paintings. In fact I remember walking around the MET with my mom once, telling her all I knew and pointing out my favorite parts. After awhile we noticed that people were actually following us around, listening to me! Okay so if you ask me now I’m lucky if I remember how many different versions of the Haystacks there are (I believe 24 or 25) but I still love his artwork.

After admitting this, I find it a little embarrassing to say that in all the time I’ve spent in France I have only recently made the trip to Giverny. With the weather getting more unpredictable, John and I decided it would be best to take chance and go to Giverny earlier rather than later. The weather was perfect and even though we overheard someone say that this late in the season we wouldn’t see all of the flowers it was beautiful. We took a tour of his house. Which I have to admit was different than I had expected. Each room was a different color. With the sun beaming off the bright yellow, the dinning room was my favorite. We spent the rest of our time walking through the gardens. I can’t imagine that we saw everything but it felt like the property went on forever. I think I would take up painting too if I had gardens like that!

After seeing everything (I hope) John and I took a tour of the rest of the town. Giverny is cute, but I wonder if much happens after Monet’s house closes for the public in November. While wandering down the main street, John stopped me and we saw these really impressive sand sculptures. You would think they belonged to a park or an exhibit but instead they were in the artist’s front yard with an explanation. The sand contains some clay with helps keep the sculptures sturdy enough to last an impressive two months!

We ended our tour of Giverny at the Church (which was under construction) and cemetery where the Monet’s are buried. Sadly, the cemetery wasn't very well kept up but it was nice to honor Jewish tradition by leaving a stone on his grave stone.

I was sad to leave Giverny but delighted that John liked it enough to suggest going back! After all these years, I suppose I can still say I'm a loyal Monet fan.

I always post a link to our pictures but this time I really suggest you take a look. I spent the whole time in awe of how beautiful was I didn’t even notice John was taking pictures the whole time. They turned out great! (Click here to see our pictures)

Finally... I have a job!

And so part two of my adventures in Paris has officially begun. On Wednesday I called the company I was supposed to start working for and was told to come in on Friday to meet everyone. Little did I know that Friday would be my first full day of work but it worked out well and I’m glad to be employed. I’m glad I thought that might happen and planned accordingly!

The office is in a great location, across the street from the Louvre. It’s definitely different than any office I’ve ever been in because instead of having cubicles there is a large open space with shared desks. I’m still not convinced that’s the most productive way to work but I’m sure it will be a good way to meet my co-workers. Ironically, my first real job outside of the Pharma industry has me working on a project dedicated to conducting market research on Pharmaceutical & Biotech Companies. At least I have some background knowledge to work off of!

After day one I can honestly say that the next few months are going to be quite the experience. I’m excited, though, because it looks like I’ll continue to improve my French after all. At least I hope so considering I don’t know how to change the language on my work computer.

Instead of acclimating myself to Paris, I look forward to gaining a better perspective on what it’s like to function “as a real person” in France.