My Mélange

Hudson with A European Flair

This past weekend, we celebrated Valentine's Day by taking a little trip to Hudson, NY.

Hudson is only about an hour, due north, from where we live.  You can take Amtrak, which we really, really wanted to do- but they don't make it very cost effective.  We are all about going green, but when it costs about $50 per person for a round-trip ticket and about $12 for the gas in the car- you do the math. 

It was a beauty of a sunny day for a drive and we hugged the river while admiring gorgeous views of the Catskill Mountains on the way up.

Hudson has gone through quite a bit of transformation over the years.  The big attraction for us, other than food is antiques.

There are 65 antique stores in Hudson.  (cue choirs of angels singing, here) Yep, sixty-five!

So while that kept us very busy- it certainly wasn't the only thing we did that day.

Leave it to me to find the European flair-everywhere I go.  I was able to celebrate quite a few of my favorite things on Sunday.

France

The Frenchie in me found Le Gamin, a perfect little French cafe on Warren Street in Hudson.  Part French cafe, part boutique.  Huge bowls of steaming cafe au lait are served in their signature bowls, made by the well-known Pillivuyt company- are also for sale.  

This place is the real deal-complete with French antique signs and an old post office counter behind the bar.  The crêpes were amazing as was the cafe au lait and cappucino.  We will definitely be heading back there- for the omlettes, salads, croque monsieur, citron pressé, croissants and every French classic crêpe imaginable- even Nutella!

Wine 

The wino in me found the coolest wine bar in Hudson. (p.m.) Wine Bar is a tiny nook with a long white and grey marble slab atop a black bar.  And if the candles don't light the place up enough for you, the chatty, friendly Irish owner, pouring excellent wines and comparing European trip stories, will.

Oh and tapas, lots of tapas!!  What more could a girl want from her wine bar?  Oh, maybe a cool loo with blackboard paint and chalk- to write p.m. your own p.m.(personal message).  I have never had the opportunity to shamelessly p.m. (promote myself) or my blog in the john before- other than talking on the phone, while, uh, on the throne, but in the end, though I was tempted, I decided against it. 

Instead we left a good luck wish- in Italian of course.

We enjoyed some of the best wine here. Chris a chilled Reisling and I a smooth and smokey Spanish Rioja, each for $8.  For tapas we enjoyed a plate of pecans, herbed olives, peppered potato chips and caper berries.  And the never-ending glassful of grissini was a nice touch.

Not only will we be back, but we'll bring friends.  Isn't that what you do when you like a wine bar?  In my opinion (p.m) was p.m. (positvely marvelous).

Italy

Our original reason for heading north, was to try an Italian restaurant.  Actually it serves Tuscan cuisine. The chef has cooked in Tuscany, specifically in the Chianti region.  Vico, which means village in the Tuscan dialect, is only steps away from p.m. Wine Bar, which is a combo that packs a one-two punch if you should decide to visit both in the same evening.

The prix-fixe, which includes an organic green salad with shaved pecorino cheese and a sweet balsamic dressing, an entree or pasta and any dessert on the menu is a great deal at $29.

The beautiful dishes that stuck out from the menu were Bistecca Florentine (I could kill Chris for being a vegetarian as you need 2 carnivores to be able to properly devour this side of beef), Pollo Toscana, Osso Bucco, Butternut Squash Ravioli and Lasagne al Chingiale.  The homemade Vahlrona Chocolate and Pistachio Gelato were rich and creamy and the Bood Orange Sorbetto was intensely flavored.  The Cioccolato Sciolto was heaven on a plate.

Though we loved our dinner here, we decided that we would probably not make the trip just for Vico due to the fact that we have such other great Italian restaurants like Mercato and Il Continori, right around the corner.  

That being said, we had a great dinner all the same and a wonderful day together treasure hunting and eating.  We look forward to visiting Hudson again soon.

So, which is your favorite flavor of the day?  France, Wine or Italy?

***

Le Gamin (Country)

609 Warren Street

Hudson, NY  12534

(518) 828.2885

(p.m.) Wine Bar

119 Warren Street

Hudson, NY  12534

(518) 828.2833

Vico

136 Warren Street

Hudson, NY  12534

(518) 828.6529

French Glassware

photo is courtesy of Tongue in Cheek.

It is no secret that the French love them some deliciously set tables. 

Whether a table setting at a bistro, a fancy Parisian restaurant or a casual home in Provence, there is always a cetain simplicity and elegance to a French table.  A certain je ne sais quois, if you will.

There are so many facets to setting a beautiful French table.  Flower arrangements, candles, ornate silverware, crisp linen tablecloths and the dishes themselves, all contribute to a French table setting.

You can easily recreate a French tablesetting, no matter where you live.

Leave no doubt in your mind that we will talk about each facet of these over time.  Today, I'd like to talk about one of my favorite items on a French Table. 

French Glassware.  Oh la la.

I am a sucker for French Glassware.  And while there are many elegant, engraved, scalloped, sculpted and hand-blown styles, I prefer the most simple, durable and understated.

It took me weeks of clever Internet searching to seek out one of my all-time favorite bistro glasses.  Used since 1927 in cafes all around France, the Picardie glass is made by a French company called Duralex. This classic tumbler is both durable and versatile and perfect for hot and cold beverages. 

Who wouldn't love a glass that would look classy, resist breakage and hold water, wine or your favorite coffee drink-all at a rock-bottom price?

Oh, and did I mention they are stackable?  An awesome bonus to someone like me, who has hardly any kitchen cabinet space.  

But, to my chagrin, the Duralex factory had closed up shop and the once ubiquitous glasses that retailed for about $2-$3 a piece, were no where to be found.

Except of course on Ebay where nasty people were selling them for about $10/glass, because said money-hungry sellers knew that they were in high-demand.

But, I didn't get discouraged and I let my fingers do the walking and found that Cost Plus World Market was carrying them, at obscenely low prices.  I quickly scoffed-up a few sets in each size- just for good measure.

These serve as my everyday glasses and I use them for water, wine, juice, iced-tea, lemonade, cafe latte and other coffee drinks.  They look great as part of a casual table setting.

Another popluar French company that makes tons of delicious French Glassware is La Rochere.  La Rochere, established in 1475 is the oldest glass factory in France!  Again, they specialize in crystal clear, durable everyday glassware, achievied by a special recipe of sand, lime and soda. They have a plethora of styles available.

Most of their styles incorporate raised-relief designs that ooze frenchness-like the Eiffel Tower, the Napolean Bee, the Fleur de Lys, and the Dragonfly.

These glasses have a really nice heft and just feel really good in your hand.  

Though the designs they offer are lovely, I prefer the classic lines of the Perigord and Richelieu styles. They look wonderful in a more elegant or French country table setting.  I adore the shapes, simple little indent pattern and the fact that they are footed.

I prefer to save these goblet and tumbler glasses for a nice table setting, rather than for just everyday.  I use them for both wine and water.

And though you could spend beaucoup bucks on high-end French glasses or elegant stemware, like Riedel, I (and my wallet) still prefer the classic durability of La Rochere and Duralex.  

And since I hand wash my glasses, and tend to be a bit clumsy when it comes to clanking around the kitchen, I must say that I feel much better knowing that I will have a harder time shattering this French glassware to shards, than an expensive fancy-shmancy hand blown wine glass.

And it is also nice to know that if on the off-chance that I do break a glass, it won't take me six months to save for another glass.  

Do you like French Glassware?  What is the favorite part of setting your dinner table?

***

And it just so happens that I have 2 of the Fleur de Lys and 2 of the Bee La Roche tumblers for sale.  $20 for all four.  Contact me at mymelange (at) yahoo (dot) com, if interested!

La rue du Trésor

There are lots of things I saw during my trip to the province of Quebec that reminded me of Europe, specifically France.

Last week I showed you the Jean-Talon Market.  Today, my selection has to do with art.

We all know that some of the most famous artists were from or spent time in France.  Monet, Manet, Toulouse-Latrec, Renoir, Cezanne- and the list goes on and on.

But, the lesser known amateur artists still frequent a spot in Montmartre where they come to paint portraits of tourists and the picturesque storefronts surrounding Place du Tertre in Paris.  It is a fun, lively and yes, *touristy* place. One that I am so glad I didn't skip over.

Here are some examples of what local artists create and sell on a daily basis.

So, as I was strolling along Old Quebec City, I was so surprised to stumble across, what looked just like a local open-air artwork gallery on a tiny alley called rue du Trésor.  Immediately my mind raced back to the memories of the Place du Tertre.

The resemblance was uncanny. Well, except for the fact that it was only one small street, as opposed to a huge square, and there were not hoards of tourists lining the rue du Trésor.  But the fact that we were there in the off-season could have something to do with it.

And what a perfect little name for this street.  Trésor means treasure in French, so it seems very fitting that you could stop by and pick up a hand-painted treasure as a souvenir from Quebec City.

Rue du Trésor was founded in the 1960's by two artists who displayed their wares hoping to attract tourists passing by on the way to the local monuments.  Currently, there are 36 artists who display their wares on this little alley.

You can get more info, including the contact information for all the artists, here.

If you are planning a trip to QC, make sure you take the time to stroll down La rue du Trésor.  You might just find that it reminds you of the Place du Tertre.  Or better yet- you might find that one-of-a-kind treasure to hang on your wall back home.

Have you ever been somewhere that reminded you of another place you have visited?  Where is your favorite open-air art gallery ?

On My Favorite French Memoirs

I love to read.  I especially enjoy other peoples travel experiences and accounts of their lives in my beloved France and Italy.  

Today, I have decided to share some of my favorite memoirs that any francophile will love.  

I should preface the list by saying that Peter Mayle was the original Provence memoir author and it goes without saying that his series is the the best of the best about Provence.  If you haven't read any or all of his books, than they should top your list!

A true story of an English girl who sets up a life in Paris and ends up starting a blog of the same name, Petite Anglaise is a recent favorite.  Catherine Sanderson has a way of making the City of Light come alive in her writing.  She reveals all of herself in this honest look into cultural differences, her life, her relationships, her blog, and her daughter, adorably referred to as Tadpole in the book, and of the city that she loves so much.

Cookbook author and cooking school teacher, Susan Hermann Loomis writes candidly about her love of France in On Rue Tatin.  The book covers many years of her life from attending Culinary School in Paris, working and living with a family in Normandy, meeting her husband in the States, and finally settling with family in her beloved quaint village of Louviers, where she restored a dilapidated convent into her dream home.  Her words mingle with some of her classic French recipes from the Normandy region, which makes it even more delicious.

A stunning book series, of Carol Drinkwater's delicious and inspiring life in the South of France, includes The Olive Harvest, The Olive Farm and The Olive Season.  Movie actress by trade, famous for her role in the BBC's All Creatures Great and Small, she moves with her then French boyfriend, Michel, to their newly acquired property in the hills above the French Riviera.  Together they restore an abandoned villa and its property, make friends with the locals, experience the woes of French home ownership, nurture their olive vineyard and entertain countless friends and family. It reads like a French-country dream come true.

Australian native meets the love of her life and moves to France.  Almost French is fun read about an outsider's struggles to fit in, in France.  Stories about trying to get work as a journalist (her trade) in France, struggling with the language barrier, attempting to understand and fit in with her boyfriend's life and friends, making her own friends, and making sense of the cultural differences while living in both the country and right in Paris, are told with wit and humor.

Georgeann Brennan, cookbook author who also runs a seasonal cooking school in California, writes about her experience of moving with her husband from California to Provence in the 1970s.  A Pig in Provence focuses on food and food adventures in the South of France.  Among the highlights are deciding to buy, raise and milk goats, attempting many times to make goat's cheese and the joy of finally getting it right, selling said goat's cheese at the local markets and cafes and joining the neighbors for a centuries old ritual of killing, gutting and preparing a pig.  Many of her delicious recipes are woven throughout the pages.

I need a few more to add to my list.  What are your favorite French Memoirs and why?

My Inner French Girl

Last week it dawned on me that it has been a little over a year since my last trip to Paris.  

*Sigh*

It is sad.  I miss the city, I miss my friend, I miss the food and the language. 

So, I have to get creative in order to bring back that lovin' French feeling.  To get in touch with my inner French girl, if you will.

Here are some of my favorite ways to keep France alive in my heart:

Pop in my favorite French movie, Amélie, for a tour around Montmartre, like no other.

Practice speaking French.

Throw five French CDs  in the stereo, hit shuffle, close my eyes and allow myself to be transported.

Make some crepes. Anything with Nutella.

Splurge on some expensive French wine.

Drool over a slideshow of my hundreds of Paris pictures, pausing to savour memories.

Delve into a new French Memoir.

Buy a bouquet of all-white roses or tulips for the kitchen table.

Visit one of my  favorite local French cafés or restaurants for an authentic French meal.

Treat myself to some French skin care, Caudalie is my favorite.

Leaf through my many French Décor books and magazines, longing to make the changes in my own home.

Visit The Paris Apartment- she always has the best trade pictures.

Go shopping for stylish chic clothes, with that French flair.

Throw on a black trench and a scarf and go for a walk in the rain.

By a new French cookbook.

Take a trip to my local flea-market and scour it for Frenchie finds. 

Visit gourmet markets, scooping up all the French products I can find.

But,the most exciting thing I am currently doing is planning a new trip, but not to France.  I am going to Montréal and Old Quebec City.  Three weeks and counting.  

It's not France, but hey, it is French.  French-Canadian counts right?!

It is only a six hour drive, the dollar is actually worth something, I'll have no airline stress to deal with and it will be a great way to get in touch with my inner French girl.  And hopefully it will hold me over for yet another year.

Hopefully.

***

So, what do you miss most about France?  What are some of the things you do to keep your Frenchness thriving until you can visit again?

Armchair Travels: Stunning Venice

Photo courtesy of Earth Photography.

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.  Really good pictures, that is.

Mine, well, sometimes I think they are not worth a hundred words.

For those of you who have not visited, Venice is a city like no other.  It is hard to capture that special feeling without actually spending time there. 

I was perusing the internet, as I often do, and found a photographer who has managed to capture the magic of Venice, through his lens.  Whether it be stunning night shots on the canals or a rarely captured shot of the Piazza San Marco, without a soul in sight, these photos will take you on a magical tour of Venice.

This site, called Earth Photography, also has great photos of Rome, Florence and a few others in Italy.  And if you are sucked in, like I was, you can visit other countries like France, Greece  and Morocco.

It's like eye-candy for travelers.

Enjoy!

NYC...What is it about you?

You're big.  You're loud.  You're tough.

Some of you might remember those lyrics.  They are from a song from the Broadway play, Annie.  They hold a special place in my heart.  

Annie was the first Broadway play I ever saw, and I was lucky enough to play a part in our high school's production of Annie as a teenager.

My first trip down to NYC to see Annie convinced me that I wanted to live there when I grew up. People rushing everywhere, giant buildings, deliciously creative store windows, lots of shopping, hustle and bustle.  

What is not to love?

It looked so exciting. Everybody always in a hurry to get somewhere.  I wanted to be a part of it.

As I got older, I realized that I am a county girl at heart and am happy living close enough to NYC that I can visit anytime I want.

The excitement is only a train ride away.

Our day trip on my birthday did not disappoint.  

We arrived at Grand Central Station.  I made a bee-line for O&Co.  Tasted some goodies, including two of the most delicious and grassy Tuscan olive oils and purchased basil oil and green olive tapenade.

Then it was off to the Central Market. I must tell you, this food market located within Grand Central terminal, has the most wonderful quality produce.  I stood in awe.

We gathered picnic fare like cheese from the King of all cheese shops, Murray's, lobster puffs at Pescatore Seafood, a baguette from Zaro's, white donut peaches and raspberry plums from Greenwich Produce and a little treat from Li-Lac Chocolates.

From here we hopped the subway to Spring Street and exited up the stairs into the bright sunshine with no plan to speak of.

We wandered around SoHo and shopped at some of my favorites.  Sur la Table, Lush, Sabon, Kate's Paperie, Mango, Zara and of course, Sephora.

What girl's trip would not be complete without a Sephora visit?

Shopping bags in tow and stomachs growling, we strolled over to Washington Square Park, grabbed our bench and dove right into our most delicious picnic lunch.

You may ask why we picked this park?  Here, let me show you...

 

Look familiar?  It is a replica of the Arc du Triomphe.  

Always looking for signs of Europe.

Unfortunately, they are replacing the sidewalk here, so the area is fenced off.  This is the closest I could get.

After lunch, while walking along the park perimeter, I spotted this lovely facade.

Upon closer inspection, the plaque told me it was Eleanor Roosevelt's home.

Look at the delicious doorway.  Just lovely.

And another facade.  In honor of our upcoming Moroccan dinner, I thought seeing this was a good sign.

Those colorful mosaic tiles really stood out from the red brick.

Those ornate sconces and detail on the awning completed the look.

Next stop was gelato at Grom.  I will have a review on this in an upcoming post, but I can tell you, it was downright scrumptious.

We strolled toward the East Village in order to get to dinner and we passed some other tempting restaurants.

Oh, if we didn't have reservations already.

We stopped often to window shop at boutiques like this.  This was a great store and I just loved this retro vintage window display.  The church in the background was just as grand.

We were approached many times on the street by people either asking directions or in one instance, looked a bit lost ourselves, a gentleman actually offered to help us.

And people say New Yorker's are rude.  I beg to differ!!

Another observation revolves around change.  New York is a living, breathing, changing being.  

The cafe that once graced your favorite corner, is now an empty space, windows boarded up or whited out.  That boutique relocated and a new florist now occupies it's spot. Businesses come and go, only the best and most well-established carve out their niche and are able to withstand the ever-changing New York market.

We completed the evening with our dinner at Zerza.  Our Morrocan meal was just fabulous.  The spices, the flavors and the mint tea.  All were wonderful.

I would certainly recommend this place for the food.  The service is a bit brisk, so don't go for a leisurely meal, visit for the flavorfully spicy food at a great price.  Our dinner, with appetizers, main dish, drinks and mint tea to finish it off was under $80.  For two.  In NYC. That is a steal!

We were exhausted when we arrived home, after 11pm.  But such is life when you spend the day in the big city!

And it goes without saying that we can't wait to go back and see what the Big Apple holds for us the next time!

NYC: Scenes From the Train

I thought I would share photos taken from the train ride on our way down to NYC.  The tracks hug the Hudson River the whole way down.

Bear Mountain bridge

Old box cars

Sailboats at the Peekskill station

A lighthouse near Croton-Harmon

Can you guess which bridge this is?

It's the Tappan Zee bridge, taking many commuters from New York to New Jersey.

And there it goes...

This is a cool drawbridge near Spuyten-Duyvil.  The actual span moves up and down.  You can see Columbia University to the right.

Coming into the Bronx

Near 125th Street station, right before we go underground headed for Grand Central Terminal.

If your tootsies hurt after walking in the city all day, I found this for you.

Join me on Monday to hear and see what we did in the big city.

 

Have a great weekend!!

On Pastis

photo credit: enjoyart.com 

Vintage Pastis posters, like the one pictured above, scream classic French Riviera to me.

With summers arrival in the south of France, there is a good chance you'll see an increase in the Pastis being passed around the tables at local Provençal cafes.

Grab your slice of real estate on the terrace, overlooking the square, or the Côte d'Azure if your lucky and order a glass of Pastis to take the sting out of the blistering sun.

Pastis is a close relative of Absinthe.  When the French outlawed Absinthe, some manufacturers, like Pernod and Ricard, changed the formulation to be more anise-forward and less alcoholic.

Typically, Pastis is consumed diluted with water, as drinking it straight would most likely singe the hair off your esophagus.  

The waiter will pour a generous amount of the cloudy chartreuse liqueur in the bottom of a glass and bring it to the table along with a separate carafe of cool spring water.  This allows you to add the proper amount of water for your palate to the Pastis and create your own strength of the beverage.  

I love the anise, herbaceous,black licorice flavor.  It is pure refreshment on a hot day.  More subtle and lighter than the Italian Sambuca, which is usually sipped straight up, with out anything to dilute it, as a digestivo, after dinner drink.

Nothing in the south of France should be rushed and Pastis is no exception.  It should be sipped and savoured, like a French meal a fine wine or a summer romance.  Perfect for an apéritif.

It may be more of a fashionable French statement, rather than the best tasting drink on earth. But, as they say, when in Rome Provence! 

Have you ever had Pastis?  What did you think of it?  

Newport : Chateau-sur-Mer

When I heard that there was a mansion on Bellevue Avenue in Newport called Chateau-sur-Mer.  I flipped!

What true Francophile wouldn't?

Chateau-sur-Mer translates to mansion by the sea and that it is.  That it is.

The mansion itself was originally built in an Italianate-style, but converted by the owners in the 1870's to the Second Empire French Style.  It is in under a bit of construction, but I took it upon myself to sneak around and snap some pictures anyway.

That delicious blue-green trim just exudes French decor to me, not to mention the Mansard style roof. It is known for its high class Victorian architecture, furnishings and wallpaper.

The mansion was the grandest residence in Newport, for almost forty years.  That is until the Vanderbilt's came to town and constructed The Breakers.

I snuck around back and found another little cottage.

And some beautifully manicured gardens.

As I came to the end of the property, I saw this gate.  Trés French non?  I walked up slowly and heard men's voices.  I took the shot, but hurried away, as I did not want to get caught.

I did wonder what was on the other side.  Guess I will never know.

Through the trees, I saw the neighboring mansion.  Same delicious French blue.

These massive graceful trees are scattered about the property.  They are European Weeping Beech trees and the pictures don't do them, nor their size, justice.

You could fit your head in that hole.  I think it is only fitting that the birds living on the grounds of these mansions have a bird-house fit for royalty too, don't you?

This side of the house showcases a lovely covered veranda, complete with a wooden awning painted to coordinate with the trim on the house.  I imagine that this is the side of the house where the Fete Champetre, an elaborate country picnic for over two-thousand guests, took place.  

The weathered white stone urns, aged with sun-ripened green moss, stand symmetrically in a row, just begging to be filled with flowers cascading down the sides.  Ivy, petunias, bacopa perhaps? 

A closer look reveals the back of a gold French cane chaise, elegant window dressings, creamy white shutters and a gold curtain tie-back as big as my forearm, in the living room.

A peek through another window shows the small slice of a candelabra with crystal garland and clock resting on a fireplace mantle.  A gold mirror reflects a rose pattern wallpaper on the other side of the room.  I wonder if this is the way it looked in 1889 for Miss Edith Wetmore's debutante ball?

An upholstered ivory linen french chaise is centered in the window while an ivory silk balloon valance is pulled up to let in some light, while a second layer of cream draperies pool on the floor below.  

And this is the adorable little guest house, located in the front of the property.  That little French green garden bench is calling my name.  That would be plenty of room for me to live.  I wonder if they need a gatekeeper?  Or a caretaker?

You leave with the same elegance in which you arrived.  Those arches and urns are just so graceful.

Though I always prefer to tour the outside, tours are available inside as well.

If you are just interested in touring Chateau-sur-Mer, one ticket is $11.00.  You can tour five mansions in the Preservation Society Group for $31.00.

Click here for more information on tours and hours of operation.

Chateau-sur-Mer

474 Bellevue Avenue

Newport, RI  02840