Holiday Windows

The holiday windows at Printemps in Paris provided a good opportunity for lèche-vitrines {window-shopping} this past weekend. Dozens of animated mini Karl Lagerfeld marionettes designed by Jean-Claude Dehix were photographing, drawing, and directing. Entitled Noël: Rêves d’Évasion {Christmas: Dreams of Far Away}, 11 windows encapsulated Chanel's fashion inspiration drawn from Los Angeles, London, Paris, New York, the Byzantium, Biarritz, Moscow, Venice, Shanghai, Tokyo, and the Cap d’Antibes.

Bonne Journée

Baguettes at Gosselin

I'm heading to Paris this weekend. I'll be hunting for Christmas gifts. Be back next week with lots of sweets.

Stuttgart

Calwer Strasse

Part urban metropolis, part Swabian culture center, Stuttgart is a beautiful city in southern Germany. It’s easy to take in all the sights near the historic core, catch a ballet at the State Theater, taste wine at the summer festival, or just wander down the pedestrian streets.

Markthalle

Domkirche St. Eberhard

Sights

Altes Schloss: Old Palace

Neues Schloss: New Palace

Staatstheater: State Theater

Staatsgalerie: State Gallery

Shops

Breuninger: department store, Marktstrasse 1-3

Klettpassage: underground shops, Arnulf-Klett-Platz

Markthalle: covered food market, Dorotheenstraße 4

Eats and Sweets

Confiserie Selbach: Amadei chocolate, candies, Dorotheenstrasse 2

Hafendorfer: cakes, pastries, Werastrasse 141

Feinkost Böhm: gourmet food store, Kronprinzstrasse 6

Schlemmermeyer: gourmet deli, Konigstrasse 4

Schloss Linderhof

On the way back from Garmisch, we stopped at the Linderhof Palace. Modeled after Versailles, of course I was in love with the formal gardens, gold fountains, and expansive views. The other highlight was the Venus Grotto, constructed to mimic the blue grotto in Capri. Afterwards, the benches facing the ornate fountain were the perfect spot for a late afternoon picnic.

Blouse: vintage

Skinny jeans: J Brand

Ballet flats: Repetto

Handbag: Chloe

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest in Munich is always a spectacular event, with a sea of people wearing lederhosen and dirndls filled in tents, a traditional German band playing while hundreds of people sing, and of course, liters of beer. We arrived early and found a table in the Augustiner tent {packed with 6,000 people}. How could we not have good time.

Pumpkin Festivals

Photo from here

From September to October, towns in Germany hold pumpkin festivals with a dizzying array of pumpkins. The idyllic markets also offer specialties such as pumpkin seed oil, roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin soup, and even pumpkin strudel. Here are some of the best festivals.

Ludwigsburg Kürbisausstellung

Amazingly, there are even boat races using giant hollowed-out pumpkins.

Altendorf Kürbisfest

Rows of pumpkins, gourds and squash.

Wurzburg

Alte Mainbrücke

In a region dominated by breweries, Wurzburg, at the northern tip of Bavaria, is a German wine capital. Fortress Marienberg presides over the town. Dating back to 704AD, it is a towering reminder of the princes that once lived there. From the fortress, it’s easy to wander over the Alte Mainbrücke {Old Main Bridge} back into the baroque old town, sit at an outside café, and have a glass of Franconian wine.

Fortress Marienberg

Old Downtown

Wurzburg Cathedral

A Field Guide to French Patisseries, Part Deux

Caramel: sugar and cream confection

Best Specimen: Jacques Genin

The first Field Guide to French Patisseries showcased the classics-millefeuille, saint honoré, mont blanc, religieuse, and macarons. Of course I had a list of lovely sweets to try on this past trip to Paris, but I also ventured out to try some non-traditional combinations. While caramel is nothing new, Jacques Genin has taken the flavor to a different level, with caramel éclairs, caramel paris brest, caramel walnut tart, and a dizzying array of soft caramels {including passion fruit, noisette, and chocolate}. For modern takes, Ladurée had a pistachio and cherry saint honoré while Pierre Hermé’s ispahan croissant combined rose, raspberry, and litchi. Here are some of my favorites.

Pistache-Griotte Saint Honoré: puff pastry crust, cherry custard cream, cherry compote, pistachio Chantilly cream, studded with small profiteroles

Best Specimen: Ladurée

Ispahan Croissant: buttery puff pastry filled with rose, raspberry, and litchi pâte, glazed, and topped with candied rose petals

Best Specimen: Pierre Hermé

Madeleine: a moist tea cake with a distinctive shell pattern; Secco’s are non-traditionally sweetened with brown sugar

Best Specimens: Secco, Blé Sucré

Tart Citron Avec Meringue: not your average lemon meringue pie, buttery crust, a thin layer of tart lemon custard, and a mound of airy meringue

Best Specimen: Le Loir Dans La Thiere

Perle et Rubis: almond crust, white chocolate mousse flavored with rose, raspberry coulis, fresh raspberries

Best Specimen: Gérard Mulot

Frenchie

Not since we ate at Le Grand Vefour before our wedding, did we have such a divine meal. Frenchie lives up to the rave reviews. The modest menu descriptions are only a glimpse of the complex layers of flavors that came with every course. Grégory Marchand’s cooking is bold but unpretentious. Even more enticing, an entrée, plat, and dessert is 38€ {+7€ supplement for foie gras}. First, a traditional starter of foie gras flecked with sea salt was paired with sweet cherry chutney. Next, creamy risotto, pomegranate seeds, caramelized beets, sliced radishes, and braised yellow carrots came together like abstract art painted on the plate with a paintbrush. For the plat, melt-in-your-mouth braised lamb was adorned with shaved truffles alongside mint and artichoke puree. Luckily, I still had room for dessert, a lime tart complemented with blackberries and crème anglaise. Also intriguing, the sommelier, Laura Vidal, was not only lovely but at the top of her game in a male-dominated sommelier world in Paris.

Long Weekend

I'm off to Paris this weekend. I'll be back next week with lots to share.

Valencian Esplendor

Plaza de Toros

Valencia, Spain, is a flourishing city of contrasts. The core flaunts its storied past, from the Plaza de Toros {bull fighting arena} to the Lonja de la Seda {former Silk Market}. Then, outside of the center, the massive City of Arts and Sciences is a modern architectural and cultural focal point. My favorite part was l'Oceanogràfic, an oceanographic aquarium designed by architect Félix Candela. And of course, the trip was punctuated with delicious Spanish food {more on that Monday}.

City of Arts and Sciences

Valencia Cathedral

Mercado Central

Blouse: Yves Saint Laurent

Skirt: J Crew

Handbag: Chanel

Bologna

Via dell’Independenzia

Much calmer than nearby tourist-driven cities, Bologna is a cultural focal point of the Emilia-Romanga region. While Bolognese sauce may be the most easily recognized export, the city also houses the oldest university in the world {founded in 1088}, beautifully-preserved medieval buildings, the headquarters of Lamborghini, and UNESCO City of Music venues. These images bring me back to the serene atmosphere of a recent trip.

Piazza del Nettuno

Near via Clavature

Here are some of my favorite spots.

Sights

~Piazza del Nettuno for the massive bronze fountain
~Palazzo Communale for the seat of government affairs
~Bologna Cathedral for its stunning baroque interior

Shops

~Strada Maggiore for antiques
~Via dell’Independenzia for the main arcaded thoroughfare
~Via dell’Archiginnasio for jewelry

Eats

~Atti for gourmet foodie gifts, Via Caprarie 7
~Ceccarelli for aged balsamic vinegar, Via Pescherie Vecchie 8
~Mercato di Mezzo for an outdoor market, via Drapperie and Via Clavature

Dolce Vita

Torta della nonna at Robiglio

My beloved sweets, there’s no shortage of desserts in Florence. A few standouts were the caramel gelato at Perchè No!, the torta della nonna at Robiglio, and the profiterole at Rivoire. And don’t rule out the savory bistecca Fiorentina, a savory t-bone steak that melts like butter in your mouth. The best specimen can be found at Il Latini. For added atmosphere, a meat slicer is on display in the center of the dining room, where a waiter slices paper thin prosciutto for every table. Don’t worry, they won’t run out, there are plenty of cured pork legs hanging from the ceiling.

Profiterole at Rivoire

Cantinetta dei Verrazza

Tank: Tibi

Skirt: 3.1 Phillip Lim

da Rocca food stand at Mercato Sant'Ambrogio

Il Latini

Florence Sweets
~Dolceforte for Amadei chocolate, Via della Scala 21
~Perchè No! for caramel gelato, Via dei Tavolini 19r
~Rivoire for hot chocolate, profiterole, and zabaglione pastry, Piazza della Signoria 5r
~Robiglio for biscotti and torta della nonna, Via dei Servi 112r

Florence Eats
~Mercato Sant’Ambrogio for lasagna at the da Rocco food stand, Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti
~Cantinetta dei Verrazza for potato rolls, Via dei Tavolini 18r
~Forno Sartoni for arancini {fried rice balls} and sfogue {spinach and ricotta puff pastry}, Via dei Cerchi 34r
~Trattoria Mario for pasta and bistecca, Via Rosina 2r
~Il Latini for prosciutto, bistecca, and house-made dessert wine, Via dei Palchetti 6r
~Il Pizzaiuolo for Napoli-style pizza, Via de’ Macci 113r

Market Day

Mercato Centrale

Outside the Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella

View from the Ponte Vecchio

Silk geometric blouse from the Prada outlet

If you have the time to spend the day taking the train 45 minutes from Florence to a nondescript building marked “Space” in the small town of Montevarchi, the payoff of shopping at the massive Prada outlet is worth the effort. From the Montevarchi train station, just ask a taxi driver to take you to the Prada outlet; it’s only about a 10-minute drive. You will be overwhelmed with last season’s lambskin leather handbags, silk printed blouses, jewel-toned patent sandals-need I go on.

Inside the city, there's an abundance of markets and shops. My favorites are the Mercato Centrale for Alimentari olive oil from the Baroni family and the Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella for magnolia lotion made by Dominican monks. Here are some of my other picks.

Florence Markets
~Mercato Centrale for a wealth of foodstuffs and perfect gifts for foodies
~Mercato Cascine for pottery {Tuesdays only}
~Mercato di San Lorenzo for leather goods

Florence Shops
~Ditta Luca della Robbia for hand-painted pottery, Via del Proconsolo 19r
~Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella for lotions, perfumes, and soap, Via della Scala 16
~Raspini for Italian designers, Via Roma 25r
~Ponte Vecchio for glimmering windows of gold and cameos
~Via de’Tornabuoni for luxe designers

Ode to Florence

Duomo and Battistero

Florence holds a special place in my heart. I spent a semester there studying architecture during undergrad. So when I return to the city, I seek out old favorites. Whether it’s a café seat to admire the Renaissance buildings {and a bombalone donut} or an outdoor flea market with hand-painted ceramics, everything brings back memories. Here are some of my favorite sights {and tips for easy access}. I’ll share more on Florence this week.

Boboli Gardens and Palazzo Pitti

Loggia degli Uffizi

Santa Croce

Bargello

Florence Sights
~Bargello for Donatello’s bronze David
~Boboli Gardens and Palazzo Pitti for expansive views of Florence
~Galleria dell’Accademia for Michaelangelo’s Statue of David
~Galleria degli Uffizi for Botticelli’s Primavera
~Santa Croce for the tombs of Galileo, Machiavelli, Dante, and Michelangelo
~Santa Maria del Fiore for the iconic Duomo, Campanile, and Battistero

*Tickets for the Bargello, Accademia, Uffizi, and Medici Chapels can be booked directly through the Florence Culture Ministry official website

Basta Pasta

Princi

Tank: Claudie Pierlot

Bag: Chanel

Pasta is not in short supply in Italy; it is often eaten as a primi {first course} before a secondi {second course} of meat or fish and contorni {vegetables}. From ricotta-filled mushroom ravioli or penne Bolognese, each offered a distinctive flavor combination. For lunch, I took a detour to Princi, where marinated chicken salad and colorful vegetables took center stage. Then for a sweet treat, there were plenty of traditional desserts. I took my time sampling the dainty butter cookies {biscotti} from Pasticceria Marchesi.

Ristorante Papa Franceso

Pasticceria Marchesi

Milan Eats and Sweets

Eats

~Luini for fried panzerotti {similar to a calzone} with tomato and mozzarella, Via S. Radegonda 16

~Peck for gourmet deli items, Via Spadari 9

~Princi for fresh lunches cafeteria-style, multiple locations

Sweets

~Pasticceria Marchesi for Panettone and butter cookies, Via Santa Maria alla Porta 11a

~Laduree for a macaron fix outside of France, Via Spadari