Ups and downs and sideways in Paris

We've had a quiet week here in Paris.

The stage, or internship rather, at Pascal's shop continues to provide Susan with plenty of emotional ups and downs, the struggle to communicate being the primary culprit. She is now working with four Japanese women in the shop, two of whom seem to know pretty much what's going on, what needs to be done and so forth. While that continues to present it's own unique set of challenges, Susan has so much to learn from both Miss Chocolate and Miss Bread.

One of the new additions to the shop, 25-year-old Misato has been working in a pastry shop in Japan for about four years and is now here for ten months in Pascal's shop. She is so cheerful and friendly and she and Susie get on very well together. But they're really all very nice and Susan finds she comes away most days with a headful of new things to try and new ways to try them.

Little news of note here: this past Thursday, there was a day-long strike by teachers, railway workers, tax collectors and other public servants but our lives were largely unaffected. The same day Luisa Tampone got married in Cerignola, Puglia.

We had planned to attend but with Susan's schedule it became impossible. As some of you may recall we met Luisa and her family in March of 2004 when we went to Puglia to try and find the WW2 airfield that Susie's dad Tunis flew out of and Luisa's grandfather Vito was our guide. And we've been back to visit them every year since, but sadly not this year and what a year it was! We truly missed seeing them all, particularly on such a special occasion! There was probably one great party afterwards, too.

Auguri Luisa e Elio!

I continue to find missing busts from Pere Lachaise. Earthshaking information I know. Right up there with world hunger and AIDs. But hey you'd think differently if it were your bust. . .

This next Sunday, the 18th, is Chinese New Year and the word on the street here is that there will be quite a celebration with lots of festivities along the streets between Place d'Italie and Porte de Choisy, in the 13th arr., and just south of where we live and an easy ride on the no. 7 metro. In fact I often do my shopping in Chinatown and have come to enjoy the trips down that way, so we're both looking forward to checking out the "fireworks"!

Today Sunday has been a catchup day for household chores and the like. Aside from lining a bunch of small tart shells for the freezer Susan is not doing any major baking this weekend for two reasons: one is we already have plenty of treats in the freezer, and second she's started a policy of bringing two treats home from Pascal's every other evening so we can run our own taste tests on the professional product. Not bad, eh?

(OK, she did make four tarts today, two with sliced pear and two with sliced apple, and all four with almond cream. I mean we have a gallon in the reefer and it's got to go!)

Tonight we're meeting up with Beth for dinner. (We had dinner with her at our first Parisian Italian meal experience a couple of months back.) Beth and Susan did the Intermediate course together at LCB last fall and she's back doing the superieur right now. So in an hour or so we'll head off to a place in the 3rd arrondissement called Chez Omar for couscous and steak and frites and who knows what else but it sounds deeeelicious.

I hope to update this later on after we return!

Last a bit of news concerning my blogs.

Since so much of what I have been writing tends to go on and on and on . . . well you get the point, I'm splitting the information. This blog will continue to be a repository for news of a more general nature whereas my two new blogs (did he say TWO?) are designed to focus on (1) food and travel notes from our neighborhood and its surroundings, and (2) information, tips and helpful (I hope) notes on Siena and central Tuscany.

I've also tweaked the blogs themselves so now you can also find links on them to the various photos I've taken over the past couple of years in Italy and in France.

Oh, and as always I welcome any comments, suggestions or criticisms you may have regarding the blogs. No, really I do!

Anyway, check them out for yourself:

Paris Food and Travel Notes from the 5th arrondissement
Siena is Tuscany

Which I think pretty much sums up our lives right now. And later?

Who knows?

Wish you were here,

Steve