France's transportation workers went on strike Thursday, Friday, and part of Saturday, ... this put a big hold on my plans to visit London during my the long weekend off.
Note on strikes/French "work mentality": This is going to be long. Look for it as subject of the next entry.
Fortunately, while cruising Facebook, I noticed my ol' boyo Matt Spears was "chillin' in Lyon." I dropped him a note, and before I knew it he was stopping through Paris before going back to Castelbar, Ireland, where he is studying abroad.
Eager to hear a voice from home, Jeff and I met him out at Chatelet-Les Halles and walked to St. Germain-des-Pres. On the way we witnessed a couple hundred roller-skaters on an swarm and take over the Boulevard St. Germain. A couple fresh brews later, at the Frog & Princess and Le Mazet, we called it an early night and save tommorrow for an all-nighter.
Saturday evening, we met Matt and his group of friends near the Bastille, at a Moroccan restaurant named Le Souk. The group included his roommate Guillaume, who used to live in Paris, Guillaume's girlfriend, his uncle/cousin Charles and other friends. The restaurant was no bigger than my apartment and I realized I would have never found it unless I was looking for it. Debating on whether to stay and eat, we sat and thought, "Why not?!"
It was a great thought.
The meal began with Pastis. Pastis is an anise-flavored liqueur and apéritif from France, typically containing 40–45% alcohol by volume.
Note on Pastis: When absinthe was banned in France in 1915, the major absinthe producers reformulated their drink without the banned wormwood component, a heavier focus on the aniseed flavor using more star anise, sugar and a lower alcohol content creating pastis, which remains popular in France today. Pastis is normally diluted with water before drinking. This was not clearly explained when I first placed the glass to my lips. Normally its served, 1-part Pastis to 5-parts water. The intense anise extract, rendered my lips senseless until the main course arrived.
Jeff ordered the Tajine Lamb and I ordered the Tajine Cannette (Duck) and it was paired with a Moroccan red wine that shared it's name with the region of its creations in Ksar, Morocco.
Note on Tajines/Moroccan cuisine: Tajines in Moroccan cuisine are slow-cooked stews braised at low temperatures, resulting in tender meat with aromatic vegetables and sauce. My tajine is included whole caramelized sweet figs, onions, almonds, and a thin but savory broth. Cooked and served in glazed earthenware, the dish was bubbling from the onset. The portion was plenty and delicious.
It was nearing 1 a.m. when coffees were finished and l'additions were settled. Matt, Jeff, Guillaume, and Charles (Guillaume's cousin/godfather) and I lurched down la rue to a subway to Rue Oberkampf, and a street-full of bars.
Note on how to plan your night when going out in Paris: The Flash team has provided us with free transit to all of the cities public facilities in and around Paris. The RER and Metro finishing running at 1:30 and don't begin again until 5:30. So each night we go out, there comes a moment where Jeff and I must look at one another and cast the die. What type of night it is going to be?
Night A: An early, easygoing night. A few drinks here and there and leaving the bars with plenty of time to make it home safe and sound on the 1 a.m. B-RER.
Night B: A night whose events will transpire in the wee, shady hours between 2-5 a.m. These events will incorporate mass alcohol consumption and foreign athletes who speak little of the native tongue and know little of native social norms.
We stayed in the Oberkampf and met Guillaume's Parisian sister and friends. They gave us some good instruction on areas to eat, drink, shop, and explore. We also did our fair share of trying to build a Flash fan-club by passing out schedules and explaining to people that, "Yes, there is American football in Paris."
We took it easier then they did at the bar in Oberkampf and hopped the first early-morning train home, that is after a fresh 5 a.m. croissant from the neighborhood boulangerie, of course.
Night B, Exhibit 1: Photo Below.
Eager to hear a voice from home, Jeff and I met him out at Chatelet-Les Halles and walked to St. Germain-des-Pres. On the way we witnessed a couple hundred roller-skaters on an swarm and take over the Boulevard St. Germain. A couple fresh brews later, at the Frog & Princess and Le Mazet, we called it an early night and save tommorrow for an all-nighter.
Saturday evening, we met Matt and his group of friends near the Bastille, at a Moroccan restaurant named Le Souk. The group included his roommate Guillaume, who used to live in Paris, Guillaume's girlfriend, his uncle/cousin Charles and other friends. The restaurant was no bigger than my apartment and I realized I would have never found it unless I was looking for it. Debating on whether to stay and eat, we sat and thought, "Why not?!"
It was a great thought.
The meal began with Pastis. Pastis is an anise-flavored liqueur and apéritif from France, typically containing 40–45% alcohol by volume.
Note on Pastis: When absinthe was banned in France in 1915, the major absinthe producers reformulated their drink without the banned wormwood component, a heavier focus on the aniseed flavor using more star anise, sugar and a lower alcohol content creating pastis, which remains popular in France today. Pastis is normally diluted with water before drinking. This was not clearly explained when I first placed the glass to my lips. Normally its served, 1-part Pastis to 5-parts water. The intense anise extract, rendered my lips senseless until the main course arrived.
Jeff ordered the Tajine Lamb and I ordered the Tajine Cannette (Duck) and it was paired with a Moroccan red wine that shared it's name with the region of its creations in Ksar, Morocco.
Note on Tajines/Moroccan cuisine: Tajines in Moroccan cuisine are slow-cooked stews braised at low temperatures, resulting in tender meat with aromatic vegetables and sauce. My tajine is included whole caramelized sweet figs, onions, almonds, and a thin but savory broth. Cooked and served in glazed earthenware, the dish was bubbling from the onset. The portion was plenty and delicious.
It was nearing 1 a.m. when coffees were finished and l'additions were settled. Matt, Jeff, Guillaume, and Charles (Guillaume's cousin/godfather) and I lurched down la rue to a subway to Rue Oberkampf, and a street-full of bars.
Note on how to plan your night when going out in Paris: The Flash team has provided us with free transit to all of the cities public facilities in and around Paris. The RER and Metro finishing running at 1:30 and don't begin again until 5:30. So each night we go out, there comes a moment where Jeff and I must look at one another and cast the die. What type of night it is going to be?
Night A: An early, easygoing night. A few drinks here and there and leaving the bars with plenty of time to make it home safe and sound on the 1 a.m. B-RER.
Night B: A night whose events will transpire in the wee, shady hours between 2-5 a.m. These events will incorporate mass alcohol consumption and foreign athletes who speak little of the native tongue and know little of native social norms.
We stayed in the Oberkampf and met Guillaume's Parisian sister and friends. They gave us some good instruction on areas to eat, drink, shop, and explore. We also did our fair share of trying to build a Flash fan-club by passing out schedules and explaining to people that, "Yes, there is American football in Paris."
We took it easier then they did at the bar in Oberkampf and hopped the first early-morning train home, that is after a fresh 5 a.m. croissant from the neighborhood boulangerie, of course.
Night B, Exhibit 1: Photo Below.
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