The Tooth from Barcelona

The Tooth from Barcelona (sung to the tune of "The Girl from Ipanema") is now in the UK, in the lovely seaside resort of Eastbourne.  We are near to Brighton and the White Cliffs of Dover.  It is definitely not yet "The Season".  Temperatures are in the 50's, the sea is an angry gray/green with lots of whitecaps, and yet people are in shirt sleeves, shivering, holding their holiday ice creams.  You have to admire these stiff upper lips.

The hubs found an amazing dentist to complete the root canal that was begun in Barcelona at the British Dental Clinic, and they were warm, friendly and reassuring over the phone.  Apparently they specialize in anxiety patients and children.  Perfect place to complete a root canal.  We are very impressed with health prices in general in Europe.  Root Canal is $400 here for the full, but he's had some of it completed already, so we shall see.

Our newest Airbnb has a view of the sea.  Eastbourne's a lovely seaside town, on the brink of spring, and the Markets are already open, on Sundays and Wednesdays.  We left yesterday morning to do some exploring and grocery shopping, and to head to the more major Tesco Extra (grocery store) on a bus, it is one mile away.  We have a Tesco Express a 5 minute walk from us and had picked up a few items the day we got in.  And we got sidetracked!  We headed toward the bus stop and ran smack into the bi-weekly Market!  All the produce you could want, lovely local sausages, a French cheese stand with quiches, and a Brat on a Bun to munch on while we perused the offerings.

There is also a major mall just five minutes from our new location, right along the street that the Market sets up on.  Rain jacket, check!  I can throw out the pesky umbrella now that sticks sometimes when I try to open it.

Our holiday apartment/hotel room is odd.  Really weird, narrow layout, with three steps up from the front door and bathroom area, and mismatched furniture from somebody's attic (several somebody's from the looks of things) and a hodgepodge decorating approach that is reminiscent of nothing and no one I have ever met.  We must pay £1 or £ 2 coins on an ongoing basis to pay for electricity for our five weeks here.  It's a trip.  The shower is push button "Start" and "Stop" with a dial to set the temperature.

I'm clear no one had stayed here anytime recently, and the kitchen looked like it had been seriously raided of silverware and pots and pans.  Each switch in the house has an on off switch that needs to be thrown so that individual outlets work/don't work.  There are purple plastic chandelier type sconces on the two otherwise bare lightbulbs in the living area.  Which has a twin bed in it, a china buffet, a very ornate dining table for four and a TV and stand that faces a wall.  Seriously.  I can't make this shit up.

It is like living in a thrift store's bargain basement area.  It is jarring having come from the sweetest French apartment EVER.  My sensibilities are in revolt.  The art is early tapestry or Dali and all three objects hang within inches of the ceiling, up very high on the wall.  The carpet is a beige, shit brown that defies description other than, OLD and MATTED.  The wall papers (yes, there are more than one) are a maroon and glittery gold concoction, or a modern London black, red, and white.  I cannot make this shit up:)

And yet.....There's the ocean.  Scant meters away.  It is mesmerizing.  And the table works, the chair and small love seat are comfortable, and it has fiber internet.  Nice, stable internet.  Which was missing for both our Paris and our Barcelona locations.  It's vital for us to work, so we will overlook a lot to make sure the internet works well.  And the kitchen is serviceable.  There are four burners, two ovens, two microwaves and a teensy, tiny refrigerator.  That works just fine when you throw the switch on the outlet:)

Fine French Dining

From time to time we like to wander aimlessly.  With the advent of good GPS technology, this is massively safer than it was 10 years or even 5 years ago, when our iPhone's new Siri couldn't "find French restaurants in Paris".  We are leaving here in 48 hours, and rather than have yet another delightful Indian food experience at Nawab, we decided we would like to have a fine French dining experience. Something the locals would like.

The lovely but lunch only bread bowl restaurant was out of the question.  The zany and quirky restaurant hidden in the maze that is the Paris Flea Market is only open Sat, Sun, Mon.  Which left it up to me.  The hubs had previously identified a lovely area near us (turn LEFT, not RIGHT) that had a number of shops and restaurants and a lively bustle that was winding down to a close when we had last hiked around it.

We set out in that general direction after discovering a highly recommended local favorite on the Google.  And it was delightful.  The menu was three starters, three entrees and two finishes.  Hand printed daily.  Beloved by locals.  And Pork Cheeks were on the menu.  At first, I thought MULE was on the menu as well, but we were ecstatic to discover it was actually Poisson/Fish instead.  Mulee translates to both, according to Google.  The stepson opted for a Beef Ravioli starter as he had already consumed two yogurts and an entire box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch after 5PM:)

Like many restaurants, it was mostly empty at 7:30 and packed by 8:00PM.  We had gotten there at around 7:30 and were treated to some of the best sauces we have had this month.  I have never had a more satisfying risotto, even in Italy.  The fish was served with a citron sauce, with caviar and white asparagus.  Even with a glass of wine, and three of us dining, we got out of there for only 75 Euros.  I highly recommend this place if you're ever near the 18th Arrondissement.

Restaurant Montcalm, Rue Montcalm, Paris

You don't know what you don't know

We are nearing the end of week four on our travels and it's been a lovely journey for us all.  Getting into routines that work for both school and work related activities, and finding all of our favorite places to eat, hang, shop and drink coffee.

I've been cooking quite a bit since we arrived, as we are "living" not "vacationing" over here and that also provides me with one of my favorite ways to contribute to my family.  I love cooking.  I love designing new dishes and following set recipes.  I even brought my own collapsible measuring cups and spoons in case there were no American measuring cups over here.

One of my prized possessions is my cook book collection, which I stored.  It is one of the few things I stored instead of downsized.  Imagine my total surprise, to find out one month later, when I discovered HANDLES for the pots and pan set.  In a drawer.  Stored separately from said pots and pans.  Le sigh.  Genius for storing though.  I covet them.  http://www.beka-cookware.com/ranges/evolution

Also, I just fired up the Espresso maker here.  Hubs has a mediation tonight and is desperate for caffeine, although he has been mostly caffeine free for months.  Almost good enough to have me give up PG Tips Tea.  Which I could not find in the stores here.  But they had a two pound-ish sack full of my beloved triangle tea bags in Barcelona, so I brought that back to Paris with me!

Not speaking the language can be a burden, and a financial one as well.  The stepson and I went to the Left Bank this week, and our metro cards apparently came with a paper card to paste our photos to.  Which only step son even has because I either threw out the paper or it was stolen from me with my wallet on day two in Paris.  Fines for using cards without photos?  $50 Euros apiece.  $100 Euros for not knowing the language and being able to follow directions upon landing at Charles de Gaul airport.  I'm surprised it took them a month to catch us.

Barcelona

We loved the old buildings, passageways, and "La Rambla" that is a giant street/square with kiosks for vendors.  There are an amazing assortments of restaurants, representing so many cuisines.  We loved the Tapas, the ability to eat and share small plates, which we did quite often.  The metro and bus services are fantastic and we had no trouble getting around once we loaded new SIM cards into our phones.  It is a priority to get to a new area, get a SIM.  You never know how much you rely on technology until it doesn't work:)  Vodafone for the win this time.

The cabs in both Paris and Barcelona were professional, clean and courteous.  Such a change from NYC and Denver.  These are professionals with pride in their cars, their service and their capabilities. I just can't say enough.  Maybe it is the steep competition from great public transit systems.  But I digress.

We did another bus tour, buying a two day pass, and while stepson was in his Magic the Gathering, we were touring the city.  We recommend the hop on hop off Turista, they were very easy to find, clearly marked and hit all the highlights.  We also bought the museum pass, but we're keeping it for our next visit, as the National Museum was free on the day we went.

This was a weekend getaway and we all slept in one big studio with a private bath and kitchenette.  I cooked dinner at home most nights, and we ate breakfast at home as well.

Finally, stepson was done and we were able to show him more of the city than the inside of an exhibition hall!  We took him to Sagrada Familia and up to Park Guell.  Lovely Gaudi everywhere and a fantastic outdoor experience, plus those harbor views from the mountains above Barcelona.   Just gorgeous.

Never skip New York City

And we didn't.  Although I did neglect to do a blog posting on our "oh so short" stay there.  We had two nights before our flight left for Paris, post babysitting up in Carthage, NY.  We have a few friends who live here, including one who is temporarily here for work training.  And the other couple is Richard's high school drama teacher and his wife, formerly of Memphis.

They saved up and trial ran a year in the city, right near the theater district, and absolutely loved it, and have even stayed an additional three months beyond their lease.  Unfortunately, family illnesses are causing them to have to return to Memphis to lend a hand on both sides of their family.  They may return, but in the meantime, we got to spend some quality time in their upteenth floor apartment with a gorgeous view of the city, and hear a couple of really great stories.

They are helping the landlord, who owns their condo, to find new renters.  Friends of theirs have college graduate kids with internships in the city, and they were asked if one of the dads, who was in town, could swing by and take a peek.  Oh, and the name of the dad?  Stephen Colbert.  Yes, that one!  So 24 hours before we were there, Mr. Colbert was there!  They said he was unassuming and delightful, had on a down coat and a baseball cap that said Stephen Colbert, and they told him that they had seen his show twice as audience members.  Unfortunately, both times they saw his show, Bill O'Reilly was the guest.

Mr. Colbert told them he knows how they are feeling post election, so many Americans share those hopeless feelings and that he had a pleasant surprise scheduled for the next Monday's show.  So they knew in advance that Jon Stewart would be appearing on the show.  It is a very small world out there folks.  We had a great dinner with them and vowed to visit again when in Memphis.

The next night we were able to connect with a friend and former work colleague from Denver who is doing some training in the City for her new job.  Had a blast at dinner, then spent a cool hour or so listening to my second night of big band music right next to the hotel we were in.  The Riu Times Square is a great hotel location, by the way.  We were walking distance to both our friends places as well as the Theater district and Times Square.  Good bye bagels, hello baguettes!

Magic Grand Prix

The stepson loves "Magic The Gathering, a role playing card game similar to the old Dungeons and Dragons.  It's been around for 20 years and has grown in popularity around the world.  He's been playing the game for about three years now, and for the past year or so, participating in pretty intense games at a local Denver shop called "The Wizards Chest".  Sort of the equivalent of going from poker in your living room to poker up at Black Hawk.  Pre-Vegas poker.

Internationally, he checked out Europe before we arrived and found Grand Prix games in four cities over the course of this year.  Stop one, Barcelona.  A city I have longed to visit for decades.  The architecture, the food, the culture, all have appealed to me.  So I find myself in a quaint, 15 foot ceiling apartment built about 300 years ago.  It's a studio conversion with it's own separate bathroom and kitchenette.  Plenty big enough for the three "single" beds we needed, a small bistro table and two Juliet style balconnettes.  It is gorgeous and we are loving the location, close to the waterfront and La Rambla.

They have a robust metro service as well.  After traveling in on Wednesday we were able to get two solid workdays in on Thursday and Friday afternoon, spending the mornings traversing the city and one evening at a lovely Lebanese restaurant.  It's definitely different from the middle eastern food I am used to, with rich combinations of flavors, liberal use of chick peas and peppers, fresh herbs including cilantro and a grilled aspect to it all.  The mint tea was absolutely delicious.  So if you are here, eat at "Beirut", near the La Rambla section of Barcelona.  You will not be disappointed.

While out yesterday though, the hubs got a ferocious toothache flareup, and worried that it was his recent root canal.  Off he went to British Dental Clinic, and it turns out it is the one next to the recent root canal, also needing root canal.  And it's only $450 if he were here for the three sessions.  They did session one, then packed it and put him on antibiotics, sessions 2 and 3 to be done in Paris upon our return.  And my blood work, over $800 in US was $276 in Paris.  This was not intended to be a medical vacation but it's nice to know the care is there and the price is right!

We purchased Cigna Global medical coverage with a high deductible so all receipts are being saved.  And I don't think we'll come close if costs keep showing up to be so low.  Happy dance!

Oh and Paella and baked Sea Urchins!  Yum.

How to live like a French person

Always conserve.  Everything.  Always buy top quality so that it lasts forever.  Always wear lipstick and perfume.  Always walk everywhere, and take Metro when you can't.  Always turn the lights off, drive small cars if you have to drive, keep the heat turned down and the windows open when appropriate.   Pick up your delivered packages from the optics store.  Seriously, we had Amazon ship something and it was delivered to a shop in a nearby mall.  The eyeglass store. Always have very small dogs that you can take into the neighborhood cafe, onto the subway and into most shops.  Always have cash on you, many small shops and restaurants do not take credit cards. The further away from tourist sites, the more likely this is to be the case.  Always greet the shop owners with a hearty "Bonjour"! and a smile:) Do not own a microwave or a clothes dryer, they are energy hogs.

So on that note, how to heat things up quickly?  As it turns out, the induction stove top is as fast as a microwave, or nearly so.  It takes me 1.5 minutes from cold water fill to stove top bubbling for my morning tea.  Ditto for reheating leftovers.  There is a small oven on the counter-top in our apartment, but many people don't have ovens.

We are getting used to the time zone, finally:)  Keeping fresh fruit out, and trying new ones we had not seen before, we stumbled upon the "custard apple".  As it turns out, it's a Mark Twain favorite and one of ours now, too. Mark Twain called the Cherimoya "the most delicious fruit known to men". The Cherimoya is a green hued, pear sized fruit with the skin of a dinosaur and a luscious, white, custard like interior that you can spoon out.  Large, black seeds are easy to discard as you plunge into the creamy, vanilla-like goodness.  Look for a slightly soft one, similar to a pear in ripeness.  Get you one of these asap.  They are divine.

La femmes mangent une pomme

We have been practicing French using an app called Duolingo.  It's a great free product, but what I'm noticing is that the common phrases are not helping me very much in shops.  We need to order meats, or fruits, or cheeses, and it's the quantities and sizes of things that I cannot say.   I am relying more on google translate to get that information so that I don't hold up the lines in the shops.  We could and do also go to the supermarkets, but we so enjoy going to the little individual shops and supporting the private business owners.

What has been exceedingly gratifying is the many, many strangers who have leaped in to help us.  I choose to believe it is their generosity and not their impatience that has them lend us a hand:)  And I know this is true for some cases, as we stand bewildered at a five point intersection and a lovely woman comes up and asks how she can help and points us to the correct street.  She approached us and we were not in her way in any case.  This is our experience of France.  Kind and generous strangers.

We accidentally stumbled upon a political rally where all the participants were older white folks.  They looked just like the Trump rally supporters that the hubs and step son had stumbled onto in the US late last year.  We were handed a French flag and had our bag checked before being waved onto the rally point at the Trocadero, from which we were planning to show the stepson a lovely view of the Eiffel Tower.  We promptly looked for a way out, circled a large building, entered a park and hightailed it out of there, following the State Department guidelines to avoid large crowds.  Later we discovered the candidate is a scandal stricken candidate who is against immigration in a wildly diverse country.   Rumor has it if he could generate 50,000 supporters at this rally, his party will keep him in spite of nepotism and lies.  Le sigh.

In the fish market, I pointed to the King Scallops, not even recognizing them for what they were, they just looked like scallops with a funny, orange appendage.  But the "how many" question threw me.  He knew no English.  I responded with my La femmes mangent une pomme?  (The women eat an apple), which usually gets a laugh.  The young woman behind me then jumped in with "I can help, I speak English".  We got our 500 kg of fish and off we went.

King Scallops have a lovely crescent orange roe attached to the main body of the scallop.  They are used in the dish "Coquille St. Jacques".  Instead, I seared them in butter with garlic and shallots.  We approved this dish.  Keeping it simple and fresh.

Shoulder Season in Paris

The tourist advisers recommend traveling to high traffic areas in "shoulder season".  Usually spring and fall for Europe.  You can get better deals, and suffer less from crowds.  And we decided that would be a good time to go to Paris, trying on our new Airbnb homes.  We negotiated a great rate on a lovely Montmarte area apartment.  It is lovely!  One bedroom with a sofa/sleeper for the teenager.  And it's a big enough bed for both the hubs and I to sleep on comfortably.

With a small home office in the bedroom to work from and a separate work area out in the living room for the hubs, it has everything we could need, including high speed internet and close access to cafes, shopping and public transit.

It is also chock o'block full of lovely antiques and bric-a-brac.  The owners of this fine location are archaeologists by occupation.  Their home is full of lovely objects, including some ivory, crystal, antique oil paintings and pottery items.  It is stunning and everything we could have hoped for.  My "home and food karma" has prevailed.

We have been here less than 24 hours and I've already gotten a new job order from a previous client and the hubs has worked on several mediations.  The "we can work from anywhere" is in action.  And we will be enjoying the city of Paris during the mornings, beginning our workdays at 3PM, 8AM Mountain standard time.  What a perfect city for the teenager to begin his art appreciation class in his new online school!