A Paris Christmas Stroll

17 décembre 2014 11:56 / 6 Comments / Prête-Moi Paris

In my hometown in New England, we always had an event in mid-December called the « Christmas Stroll ». It was a a time for the residents and those of neighboring towns to come and enjoy together the Christmas ambiance that was always so well exemplified in the decorations. The town (a village really) had a tiny little central « place » that housed the tall Christmas tree and the crèche de noël, and all the black and white façades of the boutiques on Main Street were spruced up with fir greens and red bows with pretty little white lights to accentuate the falling snowflakes that always arrived just in time. The shops opened late for the Christmas stroll and served or sold their best and most festive holiday wares. It was a place to run into your old school teacher, or meet up with past classmates, see old high school pals or towns people that you know and recognize for years.

While that may never happen to me ever in Paris, I did get to experience a different, perhaps more glamorous type of Christmas stroll and although there was no small town charm or reminiscing, there was plenty of holiday cheer and happiness shared between me and a darling friend who was enjoying it all for the first time. I couldn’t have felt a warmer Christmas glow if I had been at the foot of that New England village Christmas Christmas tree. Read more →

Posted in: Activity, Bon Plan, Charm, DIY, Events, Free, Fun, Holiday, Noel, Outdoors, Pretty!, Tourist / Tagged: Champs Elysees, Christmas, Christmas Market, Ferris Wheel, Galaries Lafayette windows, hot chocolate, le meurice, Paris, Rue de la Paix, Tuileries, Villa Madame

Cute Cookies in the Cuisine

28 septembre 2014 15:39 / 2 Comments / Prête-Moi Paris

Article/translation by Melissa Ladd

I needed to make some cookies for someone’s pregnancy announcement, and just as I was thinking about scouring Paris for baby themed cookie making products, I received an email from a German company who has just opened up their website commerce in France for all things pâtisserie : Cake Mart. They asked me if I would like to test some pastry tools. What wonderful timing, I replied! So they shipped me my selection of items, and they do have a lovely collection of baby themed cookie tools. I merely wanted cookie cutters and some fun decorations to make a few batches of sugar cookies, but really I could have gone all out, and perhaps soon will, with cake molds, muffin cups ( good for cupcakes!), cake decoration supplies and on and on…

J’avais besoin de faire des petits gâteaux sablés pour l’annonce de grossesse de quelqu’un, et juste au moment où je songeais à aller à la recherche des ustensiles de pâtisserie pour le thème bébé, j’ai reçu un mail d’une boîte allemande qui vient d’ouvrir leur site e-commerce en France, Cake Mart, pour tout ce qui concerne la pâtisserie. Quel timing parfait! je leur ai dit. Ils m’ont donc envoyé ma sélection d’articles, et c’est vrai ils ont une bonne sélection d’ustensiles thème bébé. Je voulais tout simplement des emporte-pièces et des décorations amusantes pour faire quelques douzaines de cookies sablés, mais j’aurais pu en prendre la total pour le compte, et peut-être je le ferait bientôt avec leurs moules à gâteaux, caissettes à muffins (bon aussi pour les cupcakes), les décoration de gâteau et tout et tout…

I used this recipe from the Food Network for sugar cookies. It’s simple and made great slightly crunchy buttery sugar cookies that were well enjoyed.

Je me suis servie dette recette du Food Network pour des cookies sablés. C’est simple et j’en ai fait des cookies légèrement croutillants avec un bon goût de buerre qui ont été particulièrement appréciés.

Posted in: American in Paris, Creative, Delicious!, DIY, Foodie, Recipe / Tagged: Cake Mart, cookies, france bake shop, patisserie, ustenstiles patisserie

Ringing in 2014

2 janvier 2014 02:39 / 7 Comments /

Chéri and I had a fun intimate party for New Years Eve, at our place with Lisa of Ella Coquine with her chéri and our good friend Sophie. It was nice to just have a small group of good people gathered together to laugh, drink some bubbly, eat decadent delights and be silly until well past the pumpkin hour.

I served some of my remaining champagne from Mon Champagne, Hediard foie gras (splurge!), Lisa brought smoked salmon bites with a totally amazing dairy/soy free creamy dill dip, and amazing sweet marrons marinés from Sophie, and then of course one of my favorite foods, nêms! Read more →

Posted in: American in Paris, Dairy Free, Delicious!, DIY, Foodie, French, Funny story, Holiday, Love!, Paris, Parisian, Uncategorized, Wine / Tagged: champagne, charades, Ella Coquine, foie gras, Happy New Year!, New years in Paris, new years party paris, NYE, Paris, party poppers, Sexy little black dress, smoked salmon, twins

Little Winter Indulgences

17 décembre 2013 02:25 / Leave a Comment /

This time of year, a feeling of fatigue seems almost universal. We are over-worked, over-played, over-fed and over-spent. So I like to find small and simple ways to regenerate my energy and contentment that don’t take much out of either my pocket or my time, but have a maximum positive psychological impact.

Here are three ideas for indulging this winter, that I like to partake in…

1. Filling my home with comforting scents

2. Getting my fill of vitamin C.

3. Giving myself a little « pause beauté » to erase some of the effects of over-doing everything. Read more →

Posted in: Beauty, Bon Plan, DIY, Holiday, Paris, Practical info / Tagged: beauty mask, DIY home scents, holiday home scents, Science & Mer, skin care paris, winter indulgences

Prête-Moi Party

25 octobre 2013 23:04 / 8 Comments /

So the Prête-Moi Paris 4 year blogiversary fête was a hit and a success. Complete with a vintage fashion show, champagne, and a raffle for prizes, it was a feast of pink fluff, cupcakes and DIY!

Sion of Paris Imperfect and Gail of Perfectly Paris ; Meg of De Quelle Planète Es-Tu? Lisa of Ella Coquine Mary Kay of Out And About in Paris and Patricia of Patricia Parisienne have all written posts on the event. Thanks ladies! You make me sound waaay too fab! *blushing*

It was a fabulous gathering of our little blogging community in Paris, most of us expats, but a Frenchy and a best friend or two and the crowd was well mixed albeit largely feminine (yeah girl power!). Chéri high-tailed it far away for the evening. Something tells me all those pink puff scared him a little. But being the absolute chéri that he is, he helped me clean up every last sequin sparkle and cupcake crumb when it was all over. I am truly a lucky woman.

Posted in: Accessories, Blogs, DIY, Paris, Parisian, Pretty!, Vintage, Wine / Tagged: Blogiversary, Cleopatras Bling, Creative expats in Paris, Kasia Dietz bags, Melissa Ladd, Mon Champagne, Paris blogger community, Party, pink, Prete Moi Paris, Sugar Daze cupcakes, Vintage Galerie

Le Brunch…

27 mai 2013 01:56 / 3 Comments /

Image from Blog Alcazar (Click image for link)

♥

…Le Brunch is a big deal here in Paris. Or maybe it is a world wide phenomenon going on. Because Sunday morning my instagram is choc full of brunch images from both sides of the Atlantic and even elsewhere in the world from all the trendy and interesting people I follow. I have gone out to brunch in Paris a few times, but generally I save that for a big occasion. Why? Because I work Saturdays and I just can’t drag myself out of bed (nor Chéri either for that matter!), and get dressed, do my hair (because non, I don’t leave the house and go out into the City of Lights without looking presentable, and yes, you can snicker and call me Parisian, I will take it as a compliment!). Sundays are sacred for me and Chéri. We rest. At home mostly.

But all those brunch photos!!!!! Read more →

Posted in: Activity, American in Paris, Brunch, DIY / Tagged: Brunch, Brunch in Paris, Le Brunch à Paris

The Truth About Chocolate Mousse

21 avril 2013 01:30 / 12 Comments / Prête-Moi Paris

So, apparently I am one of the few who « knows about » this discovery : chocolate mousse doesn’t need dairy -at all-. I came to the conclusion that most people don’t know this truth judging from all the recipes I see that call for all sorts of creams, and butters and crazy dairy requirements, and the fact that I have never met a restaurant that does it sans butter or cream. Even the dairy free recipes out there on the internet all call for the complicated substitutes that I just don’t want to deal with. Chocolate mousse is really quite a simple recipe. 3 basic ingredients are all it takes! THREE! I wish more restaurants would get the concept since it would be nice to have something other than fresh fruit once in a while for dessert when I go out. But then I live in France, dairy land of the world. *sigh* … I suppose that the silver lining is that I have retained my figure.

When I want dessert, I have to make it myself. And usually I have to come up with all sorts of resourceful and inventive solutions to my creations to make them look, taste and feel like the « real » thing.

Luckily for me this is one of the simplest desserts out there!

Posted in: Creative, Dairy Free, Delicious!, DIY, Foodie, Recipe / Tagged: chocolate mousse, dairy free dessert, dairy free recipe, Diary free, mousse au chocolat sans lactose, sans lait

Cake & Bake makes me a cake!

9 avril 2013 18:43 / 5 Comments /

Paul Waters a.k.a. « Pastry Boy » of Cake & Bake invited me over to his boutique on rue Lancry in the 10th for an in depth demonstration of how to decorate a cake in fondant. Little did I know the surprise he had in store for me! He had conceptualized a cake just for Prête-Moi Paris! I was thrilled to watch the « sculpting » happen right before my very eyes, and to capture it all on video for you. In addition to being photogenic and just plain charming, Paul also has an expert hand, it meticulous when creating his masterpieces. He always made sure everything was just perfect! And of course, made it all look sooooooo easy in the process!

See what he is capable of here…and hold on to your bakers hats…this video goes fast!

Cake & Bake from Prete Moi Paris on Vimeo.

Rochers Coco

27 mars 2013 03:49 / 3 Comments /

My boss left a little magazine cutout with some recipes she found for me (she knows that I eat dairy free and my Chéri eats sans gluten). I was so touched that I was inspired to make one particular recipe to share with my colleagues.

Rochers Coco, has go to be the easiest recipe for the biggest taste. Bite sized coconut/vanilla sublime goodness… and my whole house smelled incredible while making them!