Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Running Route -- Before Thirty Degree Nights Set In

This one's for you, Kate.

Our apartment is situated right on the edge of the Fontainebleau chateau grounds, which provides a picturesque running route for me each day. Here's a look:


Dirt path lined with trees





A field to the left of the path




I've arrived at the Fontainebleau chateau!








Another view of the chateau




Beautifully manicured garden









And yes, there are lots of swans here. Good thing Karim's not with me

Monday, October 4, 2010

Liz Versus The Salmon Filet

I've never considered my culinary abilities to be a great strength and up until now Karim has ruled our kitchen. Out of pure necessity, this has started to change since we arrived in France. Karim is generally in class for 8 hours a day and then on to rugby practice for a few more hours. This means I've begun experimenting in the kitchen.

I've mastered egg white omelettes (thanks Becca!) and can now make a mean chicken paillard with a side of bulgur. Last week I decided to venture into salmon filet with zucchini and quinoa. It seemed easy enough.

The quinoa was simmering away and the zucchini were sauteeing. I heated up some olive oil in another pan and put the salmon filet on. Things were still going just fine.

And then came time to flip the salmon.

Apparently I didn't handle it gingerly enough and hot, popping olive oil lept onto my hand. I shrieked and the spatula landed on the kitchen floor. At that moment I really wished my mom was here - she always knows how to handle every first aid emergency (I think it's thanks to her tenure as a girl scout leader). And then I realized I better figure out what to do. The only thing that was running through my mind was that I didn't think I was supposed to put water on it.

My hand, now branded by the salmon filet

As I desperately started searching the internet for remedies, our next door neighbor Sele stopped by to drop off our bike pump (thanks Ann and Nehdi!). I looked at him with wild eyes and told him what happened. He didn't have any suggestions but went to get his wife Caroline. By the time she arrived I had already slathered toothpaste all over my hand. She suggested that I pee on it and then offered to run to the pharmacy.

The pharmacist suggested that I soak it in cool water after all (now I know!) and Caroline came back with an arsenal of first aid supplies. Over the past week it's started healing and miraculously doesn't hurt too badly. Washing the dishes with a plastic bag over my hand is starting to get a little old though. But I'll grow up and I'll forget about it, as Nehdi says.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Running out of gas en route to Barbizon

After several days of rain last week we've been treated to some lovely fall weather this weekend. So yesterday we decided to take a trip over to Barbizon, a quaint little village full of art studios and galleries.

Everything started out just fine as we putt-putted through the Fontainebleau forest in Orangina behind our friends Caroline and Sele and their adorable 3 year old son Aletor. And then Orangina started to sound a bit funny and began to lose steam until she came to a stop on the side of the highway. Whoops, she was out of gas.

Orangina, out of gas on the highway in the Fontainebleau forest
Thank goodness for Caroline and Sele. They took off in their trusty, gas-filled little Renault in search of enough gas to get us to the nearest gas station. There wasn't much to do as we waited for them to return so we opted for a photo shoot...


Taking advantage of Orangina's roll-back top

Why hello there

And then Sele and Caroline reappeared with gas in tow! We were saved! And this isn't the first time this week that Caroline came to my rescue, but that's a story for another blog post.

Fillin' her up


Our saviors!
Once we got a little gas in Orangina's tank, we were off to Barbizon for real!

Walking down the main drag in beautiful Barbizon

Karim is Aletor's favorite babysitter
One of the adorable restaurants here
Bon appetit!
After a leisurely walk through Barbizon we treated ourselves to a delicious salad with a massive hunk of cheese and a savory crepe. Yum.

Aletor also made sure to show us the chicken coop behind the restaurant that also contained two of the fattest pigeons I've ever seen. Great day overall and a big thanks again to Caroline and Sele!