A Montreal Fall

Just when I thought we'd had our international fix for the year, Hubby whisked me off to Canada for a fun and fast weekend in Montreal. We're not used to being in driving distance to Canada, so of course we were happy to take advantage of our (relatively) insane proximity.

The trip was perfectly timed for some excellent leaf peeping along the way. I'll never forget my "first fall" last year - I was totally enchanted by the perfectly golden, coral and flaming orange trees around Cambridge, and I'm pleased to say the fixation has not grown dull. Montreal offered a grand display, and though the day was otherwise dreary, this lovely foliage offered life and vibrance to the city.

It is really a great city and I only wish we had more time to spend there. Because time was precious, our  goal in Montreal was simple: relax and eat tons of poutine. 

We were first introduced to this to-die-for dish during our summer in LA. Braised succulent meat atop delicious french fries and accessorized with cheese - if this is an excuse for a meal, I'm totally game. So for Hubby's birthday, we went to a fantastic spot called Animal - and the name basically tells it all. Those in the WeHo area must check it out. Don't get freaked out by the menu: pigs ears, bone marrow, braised oxtail, etc... the dishes are made to taste delicious and each new order is a true work of art. As you might guess, our hands-down favorite dish was the braised oxtail poutine - drenched in rich gravy and cheddar cheese, this spin on the classic Montreal treat really hit the spot and left us wanting more.

So, four months later, thanks to lots of research and first-hand recommendations, we found our palace of poutine at La Banquise. As our photos will show, this is no delicate dish. Now that we've tried a few varieties, we're dying to make our own version.

Just looking at the pictures makes me full. Hopefully we can follow through this fall/winter - you know I'll share the recipe!

Europe Part III: Barcelona and Nice

Let's get on with our Europe trip already!

Departing Valencia we headed straight to Barcelona. The city was nothing short of amazing from the architectural wonders of Antonio Gaudi, to the beaches, to Las Ramblas and oh-so-much more. What struck me most about this city was our incredible journey inside La Sagrada Familia - the city's famous cathedral which is still under construction, which originally commenced in 1882. No longer can we complain when home renovations take three weeks instead of three days! Continuing with the Gaudi theme, Parque Guell was another sight I'll never forget. Have you ever experienced an escalator on a hiking trail? Yeah, me neither - it was equally weird, mesmerizing and much appreciated at the same time... and I found myself still strangely exhausted upon reaching the peak, even though I had taken full advantage of our modern "trail." It was rewarding to reach the top and bask in the view of the sprawling and crowded city spread out for miles. It was a lovely sight at sunset, only fading into the bright Mediterranean... just waiting for us to come swim the next day.

And swim we did. In Barcelona:

and... flash-forward one train ride... in France:

Behold, the French Riviera. Maybe it is beacuse I am a life-long Grace Kelly enthusiast, but traveling to the French Riviera has always been a dream and something I'd imagined since I learned of a land called Monaco. Not far down the coast, we had our own Riviera experience in Nice. Nice was nice, let me tell you. It was like a gorgeous Pantone color palette for my eyes - everything bright and beachy, while at the same time subdued and natural - my mind was feeding on the colors like candy... if only my stomach had done the same. Instead, we found much more sustainable fare, from the expected pastries and gelatos, to a lovey foie gras dinner at a little mom-and-pop shop where we became like family with the owners after just one dinner.

And this is our highlight story - perhaps of the entire trip. Route du Maim - seemed simple enough to make a little dinner reservation at this well-reviewed locale in Nice, so we did. Had to borrow our English friend's phone number to secure the confirmation, but that is beside the point - we were in. We knew we better be on time for our reservation, but by pure accident we re too early, showing up at about 7:45 for an 8:00 p.m. reservation.... in France. How embarrassing! We tried to play it cool by bypassing the restaurant at first, however, clearly standing out as tourists and finding ourselves in a very.. em.. local looking neighborhood, we decided it would be best to head on over. Outside sat a lady and a man. Both smoking. Both sweating. Both speaking loudly.

"Alo?" they said to us.
"We're here for a dinner reservation at 8."
"You book through Top Table?"
"Yes!" (thank goodness they speak English!)
"Oh, we have cancelled dinner tonight. No reservations."

Our look of confusion and disappointment must have resonated because almost as soon as we started to sulk away, the lady pulled herself into hostess mode and said "I kid, I kid," and brought us right inside. Well, that is another story. Inside were approximately three tables, set for 4-6 each. One young couple was already there, enjoying some yummy olives. We naturally started heading toward an empty spot, but to our surprise, we were escorted right next to the other couple - visiting from Russia, we learned.

No sooner did we sit down than the lady pulled up a chair right in between us couples, whip out a notepad, give us hand-written menus (only two options... hot or cold foie gras). She explained that her husband, the chef, was going to make us our dinner and we should have some wine in the meantime. So we did. We chatted with the Russians, played with the restaurant owner's puppy, Sushi, and finally received massive plates of the local fare. It was quite possibly most delicious and intriguing meal of our lives. Mid-way through dinner, Hubby and the Russian husband joined the chef outside for a smoke, while us ladies stayed inside and talked about plans for travel and babies - "you must make beautiful babies" we were instructed. Noted. I was also told that I reminded the lady of her daughter - we shared a touching heart-to-heart, a hug, and a promise to stay in touch if we returned.

Awwwww. Now. On to Provence, Annecy and London! Coming later this week :)

Europe Part II: Valencia

Good morning, Valencia.

I was so glad to get a first-person tour of the city Hubby lived in while we fell in love. Valencia is equal parts historic, bohemian, natural and delicious - a pretty good combination I think!

Those roofs!

Aquarium.

Great colors everywhere.

Paella - Valencia's pride and joy (this pan is about 2 feet wide, btw).

Gorgeous Mediterranean.

What more could a girl ask for? The great story from this city is our dinner with one of Hubby's former study abroad professors. Augustin met us at a true Valencian locale for a traditional dinner of cured meats, cheese, omelette, pan y tomate - the list goes on. We decided on 9 p.m. to meet for a leisurely dinner (we were so proud of ourselves for being so cultured as to wait until 9 p.m. to eat dinner!). Upon arrival, we were both interested to see that the restaurant was fairly empty. We didn't give much thought, however, because we were so excited to meet Augustin and catch up on the past four years of life. Meanwhile... our dinner commences and after about 1.5 hours, couples started pouring into the restaurant for date night. We were clearly baffled, because it was nearing 11... post-dinner drinks? Gelato? Augustin later told us that he was trying to accommodate us by choosing an early dinner time - what a champ for catering to our Western ways!

Off to Barcelona next!

Oh, hello!

Where do I begin?

We took a little hideout this summer in sunny California and I was a bit too distracted to be blogging. Understandable, right? More on that later.

To win you back, I'm offering a shameless bribe: new iPhone backgrounds.

Shallow?

Maybe. But consider that these are inspired by our recent European vacay (more on this later too) - particularly our stint in France - and I think you'll be quick to (forgive me and) download them as your own little piece of Provencal prettiness.

Here's the inspiration from a darling shop in Nice:

And now a version for you:

Happy September!

Enjoy :)

Wifey Wednesday

I know I'm supposed to be taking the household by the horns and sharing some healthy recipes to get your 2011 started off on the right track, but how could I possibly overlook what I am about to show you...?

My new cousin (!) Mallory showed me the ropes.

Seriously. You should make these cookies. Even if you don't ever make it to the actual baking, I can't blame you. The dough alone is worth whipping up just for raw cookie dough's sake. These cookies are simple and maybe that's the beauty of them. The cinnamon flavor is undeniable, though, and incredibly festive for enjoying on a cozy New Year's Day night - just like we did last week!

Ingredients

2 1/4 C flour

3/4 + 3/4 C granulated sugar (another option is to use 1/2 granulated and 1/2 brown - your choice! Our brown sugar was past prime, so we made a game-time substitution for another serving of granulated - still delicious!)

2 tbsp cinnamon (or more... don't be shy!)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

2 large eggs

1 stick butter

1 12 oz. package milk chocolate chips (we got these extra-large chips at Whole Foods)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350

Combine flour and sugar

Melt butter, add to mixture

Crack eggs and add to mixture

Add baking soda, salt, vanilla and cinnamon (use a lot of cinnamon - it should thinly coat the other ingredients siting in the mixing bowl; see how the batter has a brownish tint? That is solely from the cinnamon, if that gives you an idea of quantity)

Add chocolate chips (the entire bag!)

Bake for 8 minutes and promptly remove from oven to cool on baking sheet

Serve and enjoy!

Do you even want to see what we ate for dinner before this decadence? 

Wish I was kidding just a little bit.

Thankfully, over the course of the weekend, we developed a timely and special motto: diet starts Monday.