A Chanel Summer Rainbow

Chanel croc handbags come in a rainbow of colors!

Ooh, la, la. I love these Chanel summer handbags!

Perfect for a night out in Paris!

I want the turquoise one.

Which Chanel do you want?

Le Palais Des The's

Le Palais Des The's, Paris

I used to be an English "tea snob". For years, I only drank English loose tea (OK a tea bag, now and then). Once my husband and I started travelling to the UK, I fell in love with the tradition of English tea and tea rooms. I loved finding new brands and new flavors of black teas whenever we travelled to England.

Well, my tea story changed after my second trip to Paris. On my first trip (my honeymoon) I stayed loyal to my English heritage and was not tempted by all the pretty tea caddies I saw in the Parisian department stores. After all, wasn't it the English that popularized tea? Well, their Duchess of Bedford may have invented their famous afternoon tea time but I discovered that in 1636, it was fashionable to drink tea in Paris, 22 years before tea even came to England.

I fell in love with French tea at a branch of Mariage Freres, in Paris. To this day, they are still my favorite tea purveyor in the entire world! They offer over 500 of the world's finest teas. (Oui, a future post.) On my last trip to Paris though, I decided to check out another famous French tea company, Le Palais Des The's, in the 3rd arrondisement of Paris.

If you are thinking you may have heard of Le Palais Des The's, you are probably right! Oprah Winfrey is a big fan of this tea company. Their tea sampler has made her "O" list. I am a big fan now, too!

Going into Le Palais Des The's was totally a different experience than stepping into an "old fashioned" Parisian Mariage Freres tea store. Le Palais Des The's store has a bright Chinese red exterior along with a very modern interior. There was a definite "hip" vibe with it's young Parisian staff.

I made Le Palais Des The's my destination for my the's vert (green tea) shopping list. I purchased Chinese Gunpowder Tea, Jasmin, Sencha Superieur and Fleur de Geisha from Japon (Japan). The tea clerk measured my tea and put them in modern, shiny silver packets with a vacuum seal. This wonderful packet keeps your tea fresh and safe from air and light.

I hope I have enticed you to try their wonderful teas. I know you won't be disappointed.

And, if you can't get to Paris you can shop online

(in your jammies with a cup of tea) at: Palais des Thes.

Chinese Gunpowder Tea

Chinese Gunpowder Tea

I had never heard of Chinese Gunpowder tea until I experienced Moroccan mint tea in London. After London we took the Euro Star over to Paris. I decided to buy my Chinese Gunpowder tea in Paris at Le Palais Des The's (the' is tea in French). They are famous for the finest teas imported from all over the world.

Chinese Gunpowder tea is a green tea from the Zhejiang Province in China. It's production dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). In Chinese it is called Zhu Cha. In English it is called Gunpowder because the green leaf is tightly rolled into a tiny pellet which explodes into a long leaf steeped in hot water.

It is popular world wide. It is a staple in North Africa for the traditional preparation of Moroccan mint tea.

Buying: A tip when buying Chinese Gunpowder tea is to look for shiny pellets. This indicates that the tea is fresh.

Brewing: Steep 4 minutes.

Try the wonderful teas at Le Palais Des The's and let me know what you think!

Moroccan Mint Tea at the Mo Tearoom

Moroccan Mint Tea

I love having tea in England. No matter where I am travelling in England, you can be sure I am checking out that town's tea rooms! On our last London trip (2006) I read about a North African tea room where they serve Moroccan Mint Tea. I wanted to experience it made properly so I could later make it at home.

So one day during a shopping break we ventured over to the Mo Tearoom just off Regent Street. It is part of a wonderful exotic restaurant called MoMo's. The inside is decorated to look like a Moroccan souk (open air marketplace) with ornate lanterns, exotic carpets, low stools and brass tables. I was ready to experience tea in a new way!

Making Mint Tea for the Silver Pot

I ordered a pot of mint tea. Our server came back with an ornate traditional silver Moroccan tea pot. She then lifts the tea pot high into the air and pours the tea into my small Moroccan glass. It was quite a show! The tea was delicious! I now make it at home regularly. You must use Chinese gunpowder loose tea to make it authentic!

Here is my recipe for Moroccan Mint Tea:

1 T. loose Chinese Gunpowder Tea

2 small bunches fresh mint leaves

1/3 to 1/2 C. sugar

5 cups boiling water

Combine tea and 5 cups boiling water in your tea pot. Steep for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add mint leaves and sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Steep another 3 minutes. Stain tea and serve immediately or chill for iced mint tea.

Traditionally Moroccan mint tea is served hot and it is customary to drink at least two glasses as to not offend your host.  It is one of my favorite teas to enjoy iced in the summertime.

MoMo Tea Room

25 Heddon St.London

MoMo's has become one of London's hippest resturants and tea rooms.

Check them out at http://momoresto.com/

General Lafayette and Freedom

General Lafayette and George Washington Statue

Paris, France

The French love the Marquis de La Fayette (1757-1834).

He is best known to Americans as General Lafayette. He was a French military officer and aristocrat who served as a General and diplomat during the American Revolutionary War. Alongside George Washington he helped America win the American Revolution. The two became lifelong friends.

I am honored to say that my French ancestry has a link to Lafayette!

My Dad was told growing up that he was related to the Marquis de Lafayette. Fast forward to when I started going to Paris, my Father told me that I was related to Lafayette. I was fascinated with this connection. In checking my genealogy, I am not a direct descendant of Lafayette but from his Mother's Sister's line. That's good enough for me!

In 2005, at a Paris flea market, I was searching for old post cards of Lafayette. The French antique dealers spoke English and loved hearing of my Lafayette connection! They were very kind and told me where there were two statues of Lafayette in Paris. I couldn't wait to explore more of Paris and find them.

The Place des Etats Unis

The Place des Etats Unis is a street in the 16th Arrondissement in Paris. It is a wealthy residential neighborhood with stately homes. In its public park is the statue of Lafayette and Washington in the center of the park's square.

General Lafayette & George Washington Monument
The Place des Estats Unis

The statue of Lafayette and Washington (1873) is by French sculptor, Frederic-August Bartholdi (1834-1904). The same sculptor who did the Statue of Liberty for America! Interestingly, it was Lafayette's grandson, Edmond de La Fayette and a group of Frenchmen in 1865 Paris, that came up with the idea of the Statue of Liberty as a gift of friendship to America.

The Childrens Statue of Lafayette

Right Bank, Paris

The Americans love Lafayette, too. This statue of Lafayette was a gift to France in 1908 from American school children. It is by sculptor Paul Wayland Barlett. It is along the Seine on the Right bank in Paris between the Pont de l'Alma and Pont des Invalids. The inscription on the base reads:

Erected by the school children of the United States
in grateful memory of Lafayette

statesman, soldier, patriot.

Lafayette is buried in Paris, France. Since the 1890's an American flag has flown at his grave site. He loved America!

The Statue of Liberty and Freedom

The Statue of Liberty.

A symbol of friendship and democracy between France and America.

Did you know that the Statue of Liberty was made by a French sculptor and was a gift from the French people to the American people?

Her official title is Liberty Lighting the World. She is the most recognizable monument and symbol of democracy and freedom that is recognized throughout the world. She commemorates liberty and friendship between France and America.

The Statue of Liberty was constructed in Paris by French sculptor, Frederic-August Bartholdi (1834-1904) and 50 workmen. He began work on her in 1871. She was transported to the United States in 350 individual pieces in 214 crates. She was reassembled in four months time and erected on Liberty Island, New York. She is supported by an innovative metal framework by Gustave Eiffel, the designer of the Eiffel Tower.

Lady Liberty's base is 65 feet high, her pedestal 89 feet high and she is 151 feet and one inch to the tip of her torch. She proudly holds a torch in one hand for freedom and clasps a book of laws in the other inscribed with the date July 4, 1776.

On October 28, 1886 thousands of spectators watched as she was presented and dedicated in a ceremony to the United States of America.

The Statue of Liberty

Liberty Island, New York

The French people intended the Statue of Liberty to represent the French contribution to American independence. That original intent seems to be lost and unknown to many. Instead the Statue of Liberty gained fame as a sign to immigrants from all over the world as a promise of a new life in America and a symbol of political freedom.

To me the Statue of Liberty symbolizes freedom. In 2005, I took my oldest nephew Taylor to New York City. We stood in line forever to make the ferry journey across the harbor to see Lady Liberty in person. I'm glad we did. Now I know how my ancestors from Europe felt as their ship pulled into the harbor on their way to Ellis Island. I can only imagine that when they saw the Statue of Liberty and the United States of America for the first time, that one thing came to mind. Freedom.

Farmers Markets & Summer Baies (Berries)

French Framboise (Raspberries)

There is nothing like fresh produce from the farm, to the farmers market, to your kitchen. The French love their fresh produce and so do we in California.

Here are a few photographs for you to see what Farmers Markets look like in Paris, France and in Northern CA (where I live).

French produce stand, Rue Cler, Paris, France

This is what a food market looks like in Paris, France. On the pedestrian only Rue Clear street there are permanent food stands open every day of the week. The French are famous for planning their meals based on what is fresh at the market that day.

California Strawberries (Fraise)

California is also know for it's abundant produce and love for food. Back in the early 1970's, famed Chef, Alice Waters started the culinary trend "California Cuisine". She introduced the French tradition of using fresh-in season ingredients, locally grown, at Chez Panise her Bay Area restaurant. She is a big advocate for Farmers Markets.

California Berry Farmer

This is what a small Farmers Market looks like in California on a Sunday morning. The berry farmer's strawberries were gorgeous today since it is peak season. They are grown organic with no pesticides.

No matter where you live in the United States, there is a good chance that you, too, are enjoying California strawberries. California supplies our nation with 83% of its strawberries!

Farmers markets are nothing new. I come from a long family line of farmers. Back in the 1800's my ancestors in Pontefract, England would sell at the town's market square. My Dad grew up on a 100 acre farm in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. As a young boy he remembers his Dad loading up the truck and going in to town to sell fresh produce.

I am a city girl but there are times when I wish I had a little farm. I guess it is in my genes. For now, I shall be content with my little herb garden on my tiny suburban lot and shopping at my local Farmers Markets.