Another graduation

Well it had to happen eventually: we turned our heat on in the apartment. It’s a small thing I know but seemed like a turning point for us; as if we had at last crossed the threshold between summer and fall and now officially headed toward winter. That and the fact that the leaves are pretty much all gone now. Of course the key thing is the heat works like a charm. . . .

(For more photos from graduation just click here!)

It’s a foggy Sunday morning here in Paris. The past several days have been a bit cool but absolutely gorgeous with clear blue skies and wonderful bright sun.

And so it was last Friday, 3 November, the Big Day – or rather the ‘second” big day in Susan’s pursuit of the Diploma de Patisserie from Le Cordon Bleu; it was the day she received her certificate for completing the Intermediate level.

It was a beautiful, bright day when we left the apartment and headed for the Metro at Jussieu, just up the street from where we live. We grabbed the no. 10 to Sevres-Babylone where we switched to the no. 12 and promptly fell into some sort of stall pattern. Naturally the one day we really had to be somewhere on time the metro started acting up! At last we arrived at Place de la Concorde, hopped off and walked the several blocks to where the ceremony was to be held.

Unlike the graduation ceremony for the Basic certificate, which was held in the school’s student meeting area, this was held at the "Cercle d l’Union Interalliée", a posh private club on rue de Faubourg Saint-Honoré in the 8th arrondisement, not far from the Opera Garnier. (You know it’s posh when the people working there are better dressed than you are. And I even bought a tie for this!) (photo: diploma students arriving for graduation.)

After Susan registered she and the other students went upstairs to get seated while the guests (“invites”) had to remain downstairs until we were called. (Some some 37 intermediate certificate students were graduating along with I don't know how many "Diplomas" and "Grand Diplomas".)

Fifteen minutes later we were all ushered upstairs – I’m thinking this was probably what it was like at Versailles but without all the digital cameras – and found our seats. I opted to remain in the rear so that I could make a clear getaway if things got out of hand –and to cruise for photos.


Packed house:


And even in the audience one can see that any body can tell a story:


After a handful of speeches and introductions of the chefs (see three of them in the photo below) the ceremony got underway.


The first to receive their certificates were the Intermediate students (both Patisserie and Cuisine), which included Susan of course:


Following the Intermediate class the Diplomas for Patisserie and Cuisine were awarded and then finally the Grand Diplomas (those students who had pursued both diplomas). It was quite an afternoon indeed. (As an aside: I found it curious that while the great majority of the graduates in all classes were female, there is not female chef on staff at Le Cordon Bleu. Oh there are lots of women working the front office but none in the kitchen. Interesting, huh?)

After the awards ended there was a mad scramble for photos with the chefs and each other of course. One imagines the relationships that had grown up around such intense work over the last months and now it was over – for some at any rate.

Tan, Valerie and Tatiana (l-r):


We joined the crowd as nearly everyone walked up another flight of stairs to the reception area where the champagne flowed freely and the finger food appeared like magic. And we had a spectacular view of the Eiffel tower at night: just after we had come upstairs for the champagne the “champagne” lights began sparkling (which they do every hour on the hour for ten minutes until midnight). What a sight indeed.




It was really quite a pleasant evening, the chatter, the laughter, the ubiquitous cameras everywhere, and everyone certainly seemed to have had a grand time of it. (photos, above: Valerie and Susan; and below: Shu Pin, Beth and I'Hsuan)


As the reception broke up Susan and I joined with Beth, I-Hsuan (pronounced “ee-shwan”) and Valerie to head off and find someplace to eat dinner – we needed something to absorb all the champagne.

So the four of us stood on the sidewalk in front of the club wondering where to go? Which arrondisement? Which restaurant?

We soon settled on going somewhere near by and then someone, Beth I think, remembered that there were a number of really good Japanese-style “noodle bars” not far away on rue St. Anne in the 1st arrondisement. (Strange as it may sound the 1st and 8th arrondisements are next to one another.) So off we went, with our trusty pocket map of Paris in hand.

We found our way to rue Sainte Anne and what a street! It was packed with Japanese noodle bars and dining establishments. We found the one that Beth was looking for, “Higuma” and stepped inside.

The place was very basic in the décor – mid-twentieth century squalor but that was deceptive. On the right as we walked in was a row of seats at a counter facing the cooking area, consisting mainly of a bank of enormous woks – and all around us the diners were hungrily eating and slurping their way toward nirvana. This place was clearly basic dining only – but man what “basic”! And the smells were incredible! If the food was only half as good as it smelled we were definitely in paradise.

After a few minutes wait a young woman came and ushered us toward the back room, threading our way through a maze of tables and chairs packed with people devouring their food. (My only hope now was to be one of those people!)

To paraphrase Caesar: We sat, we ordered, we ate.

The dishes were primarily noodles – stir-fried or in broth -- but there were also steamed dumplings and several rise dishes as well. The food was absolutely delicious and unbelievably inexpensive: €43 for the five of us! For example, I had a large bowl of noodles with pork and a half-dozen steamed dumplings for €10! Amazing huh? Thanks Beth!


You can find “Higuma” at 32 rue Sainte Anne (75001, open every day, ph: 01-47-03-38-59).

After paying the bill we walked out of the restaurant past a line of people waiting to get, a line snaking down the street to the corner. And just a half block away was another line waiting to get into another “noodle bar” – although I couldn’t help but wonder: is this really a restaurant or a bar or what would you call this kind of place? Whatever you call it, call it great! We’re coming back to this neighborhood to be sure – and such an easy metro ride from where we live.

In fact the five of us walked 2 minutes to the metro (Pyramides stop on line 7) and we said good bye to Valerie (she had to go the other direction to connect to a different line) and four of us got on the no, 7 toward the left bank. A few stops later we said adieu to Beth and I-Hsuan and soon afterwards we were trekking towards our apartment.

Wish you were here,

Steve