October 27, 2014 Photo (300/365): "Indian Summer"
"There are days which occur in this climate, at almost any season of the year, wherein the world reaches its perfection, when the air, the heavenly bodies, and the earth, make a harmony...These halcyons days may be looked for with a little more assurance in that pure October weather, which we distinguish by the name of Indian Summer." - Emerson
October 26, 2014 Photo (299/365): "Laughter"
"Earth laughs in flowers. " - Ralph Waldo Emerson
October 25, 2014 Photo (298/365): Ghosts and goblins, spooks galore; Scary witches at your door; Jack-O-Lanterns smiling bright; Wishing you a haunting night!
October 24, 2014 Photo (297/365): "Sail la Vie"
And so the sun sets on the 2014 sailing season. I'm so grateful for the time we spent with friends and family on the water this year, but the weather this weekend is supposed to be perfect and I would have loved to go sailing just one more time. Why is it that the boat launching could be delayed for bad weather in April (OK, ice on the lake is a real hinderance), but the haul out couldn't be delayed for beautiful weather in October?
Oh well, "to everything there is a season," and sailing season is officially over. Just like fashion, "one day you're in and the next day you're out" - Sail la Vie!
Friday is a good day to indulge a little bit -- if not literally, why not virtually? Let’s enjoy a decadent treat at Angelina on the rue de Rivoli. [Time out! The French teacher in me can't pass up this opportunity to provide a vocabulary lesson. In French you visiter le Louvre (a place), but you rendre visite à la Victoire de Samothrace (a person). While in the Tuileries, you may use the verbs, se balader, se promener, or the very stylish flâner: Je me balade aux Tuileries. Je me promène aux jardins. J'adore flâner parmi les sculptures et les belles fleurs. And, although the nearby Chanel boutique on the rue Cambon is very posh, one is encouraged to "lick the windows" -- faire la lèche vitrine.]
Founded in 1903, Angelina's famous tearoom was a favorite of Coco Chanel. For years, Mademoiselle indulged in a daily cup of Chocolat africain at table #10 while coyly observing the tearoom's chic patrons in the surrounding mirrors. The tearoom's Belle Epoque interior projects an elegant, romantic atmosphere. Le Chocolat chaud l'Africain, Angelina's famous hot chocolate, is composed of three varieties of African cocoa from Niger, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast. A pitcher of rich, thick chocolate is served with a cup of fresh whipped cream.
The gilded boutique showcases Angelina's colorful pastry collection.
I find it impossible to choose from among the gorgeous confections.
The Saint Honoré is named for the nearby, fashionable Faubourg-Saint-Honoré.
(Puff pastry, caramelized choux pastry, Bourbon vanilla pastry cream, whipped cream).
The millefeuille is one of my favorites. (Layers of caramelized puff pastry, light Bourbon vanilla cream)
The Mont-Blanc is Angelina's signature pastry. (Meringue, whipped cream, and chestnut cream vermicelli)
Of course, Angelina also features the iconic macaron. (Mont Blanc, Chocolat grand cru, Vanille, Café, Pistache, Caramel, Chocolat-Passion, Cassis, Framboise, Citron) Go ahead -- Feast your eyes! Bon appétit!
October 23, 2014 Photo (296/365): "Wishing Well"
"It's not enough to just wish well; we must also do well." - St. Ambrose