What's Happening this Weekend?

What's Going On This Weekend?
29 March, 2013
As always there are the brochantes. A brochante is a flea market, not to be confused with the more appreciated Vide Greniere, which seem to be more popular in rural areas. A brochante features mostly professional traders, selling anything from handmade jewelry, vintage clothing, antiques, furniture and trinkets. While I appreciate the brochante, I like to discover real treasures, the things from the attic, so to speak. Previously privately held personal items and treasures.

My favorite brochante in Paris, however, is the one held at Porte Vavnes, down in the 14th and easily accessible by M13. Once arriving at the corner, just following the people with their little rolly carts! It goes on every weekend of the year, rain or shine.

This is an enchanting Marche au Puce, or brochante, as the traders are still professional, but their overheads are lower, hence the prices are much more negotiable. Don't be afraid to bargain and haggle, it's tradition! Offer a fair price and be firm, confident and polite! Keep a look out for the sellers with crates and boxes lined up filled with glorious junk. For a euro you can get a sweet dish or teapot, or random bit of housewares or kitchen gear.

This weekend there is a professional Brochante at Pont Alexandre along the Siene. It will have the professional market traders with fine, more upscale goodies, but since it's been a long, cold winter (with no end in sight, oh my!!) the traders should have plenty of fresh stock, so it's a great opportunity.

I suggest a little walk along the Seine over to La Dauphine at 237 Boulevard Saint Germain - 75007 afterwards for a lovely cheeseburger or pasta. While not an imaginative menu, the service is great, it's very relaxing and offers a respite from the usual tourists. Get a cold beer and a burger & frites and relax!

In the Kitchen

I can be very pragmatic. I like things to be just 'so', for the most part. I have serious issues about closet organization and hangers, all clothing on hangers must face left. I like silverware drawers to be perfect organized in a single, good quality set, no plastic, please! I bought one set of lovely every-day silverware nearly 20 years ago for just under 100 bucks and it's still in as-new condition. Taking care of your things mean they will last forever. When you set out to furnish your home, there are things that are disposable and have a limited time on this planet, and other things are meant to be cared for and looked after. If you buy something that is expensive and of good quality, you should only ever buy it just once. That way, you can shift all that saved money into other purchases.

La Crueset is a fine example of buying something once. To backtrack a bit, I am what My Darling Daughter calls a 'thrifter'. Since childhood I have had a penchant for thrift stores, antique shops and yard sailing. Blessed with a keen eye for top quality, this penchant has enabled me to acquire some very fine things over the years. My favorite example is a gorgeous, classic huge orange La Crueset pot, with the handles forged in, not the plastic attached bits. I found this gem nearly 20 years ago for 10 bucks at a yard sale. It's blessed me with hundreds of onion soups, roasted pork, chicken soups, boeuf bourgignons and so on. It looks as good today as the day I bought it, because I clean it thoroughly and keep it in "as-new' condition. No char marks, no build of of grease, no grunge in the crevices. Learn what the good brands are, and when to spot a real deal.

I love to cook, to having the right tool for the right job is important to me. I like the efficiency and ease that it brings to life and to the art of cooking. I don't waste money on miscellaneous appliances, when what I have in the kitchen can do the job. Kitchen essentials include a good stock pot and a chef-quality large stainless steel sauce pan. A lightweight steel pot for pasta is important since lugging out the La Crueset just to boil water is a lot of work! Smaller good quality pots with handles are essential, and a set of teflon pans for various quick meals is good. A steel dutch oven is great for covered roasting; nesting roasting pans in sizes is really helpful. There is no lack of gorgeous heavy oval and rectangle ceramic roasting dishes at virtually any yard sale or thrift shop in France, most with gorgeous patinas and glazes that look great on the table. They can be bought for pennies and last for years.

Knives are really important. I nearly disowned My Darling Daughter for doing something horrid to one of my favorite knives. I'd left it at her house after the holidays and discovered it sitting in her kitchen drawer with chips in the edge, the point broken off and with rust spots. I didn't speak to her for nearly a week. But that being said, it's a fine knife that holds its edge, so I shall take it to the knife guy to have him grind out the nicks and re-hone the point. Investing another 5 bucks into a 60 buck knife that I've had for more than 10 years is worth the teeny investment and the pleasure I get in using it. It's got great weight and is well balanced and with good honing, slices razor thin.

The ceramic knives that are all the rage are pointless, so to speak. They are fragile and stain easily and don't stand up to the test of time, especially in the larger sizes. The small 4 inch blades are nice if you pay less than 5 bucks, because no matter what, it's going to break and you'll have to toss it out. A fine steel knife for the same price as the large ceramic ones will last a lifetime without shattering at the drop of a hat.

A vegetable peeler is one example of a kitchen item that really doesn't much matter. Get the classic one with the open blade for 2 bucks at the market and when it's dull, toss it out and buy another one.

I have an issue with cutting boards that may get me into trouble. I know, I know, all the trendy kitchen moms think that a huge, heavy wooden cutting board is the mark of a fine chef and master in the kitchen, but... but... no. A huge, monolithic slab of wood is a complete waste of time, space and sanitation. Aside from the huge amount of space it takes up, it's horrifically unsanitary. In a time when mass produced food is causing mass produced gastro-intestinal problems, the last thing you want in your kitchen is a wooden cutting board. You shouldn't ever, ever put raw meat on a wooden surface, as cross contamination is a serious threat. Plastic is definitely the only way to go, and cleans up instantly with hot soapy water and a good rinse. It stores out of sight and only costs a few cents. I love the cutting boards from Ikea, in all their colors. Cheap as can be, easy to clean up, and no possibility of cross contamination. When they wear out, toss them out and buy new ones.

Silicone in the kitchen may actually be a blessing from the gods. When silicone goods first appeared on the market they were very costly and hard to find. Now they are available everywhere in fun colors at good prices. I like the silicone spatulas the best, for their easy clean up. Try to avoid the plastic handles as they break easily, metal is the best. The silicone whisks are interesting, but you can't get quite the rise as you do with metal, but it's all about your own personal needs in the kitchen. I do avoid the silicone molds as they don't release as promised and you're always left with something stuck in the mold and not on your cake.

The Art of Living Well

Coats. Sometimes, it's all about coats. I like coats, I have far, far too many, yet, oddly, never enough. I leave the house several times a day for various work and errands. And it seems like I can never wear the same coat twice in a row. It may be a habit from childhood, obsessed as I was with never wearing the same outfit twice in a week. Or maybe I just like looking good.

Coats, jackets, blazers, sweaters, denim, silk, raincoats, wool coats, fur coats, it's never enough. A coat can make you elegant when you are wearing stretch pants, they cover up the sins underneath! Add a good quality scarf and it's a complete ensemble, no one is any the wiser!

If one lives in a city with seasons, you just can't have too many coats, and they don't have to be expensive. The point is to buy well, buy good quality, the very best possible in fact, and to buy classic or avante garde. The best 50 euros I ever spent was on an H & M black trench coat. I've had it just over a year, got it pre-season, and barely a week outside of summer has gone by when I haven't worn it. I've had it drycleaned several times, but it really stands the test of weather, time and functionality. My second favorite cold weather coat is one that I got at Harrods on a serious splash out. It's black of course and meant to be a rain coat, I suppose, but it's very, very long. I've had it for about 9 years now, at least, and it cost about 300 euros, I think. Lined in satin, it's down to the ankle and very full, so I tend to cinch it in with a nice wide belt. It's been all over the world in all sorts of weather. It was my life saver on a trip in winter to Beijing, I layered up underneath and was warm as could be. It's very elegant flapping around the knees and ankles, quite dramatic.

Since I've been in Paris I have discovered Guarrisol, a killer 2nd hand clothing shop. There is a real art to buying in the 2nd hand shops. I've bought and sold hundreds and hundreds of pieces for over 30 years, from all over the world. From a collection of brightly colored 40's wool coats that I found in Chicago for 2 bucks each, that I later sold for between 25 & 30 bucks, to a really cool London Opera Costume coat I found in Brussels for 5 euros, I make a killing in coats, it seems. This summer I found an exquisite Italian silver, down filled puffy coat, perfect for Christmas! It's brand new, never worn, still had the tags on. I quickly found that similar models from the mark sell new for over 1200 euros, I got it for 15 bucks. I also scored several gorgeous fake fur coats this Fall as well. The secret is first the quality, then wear and tear. If it's a cheap label, Primark, H & M, just don't even bother. Why pay for 2nd hand garbage that's only meant to last a single season when it's already been worn? Ew! Buy the best labels you can find, in classic styles, contemporary colors, and they can last you for years. This past summer I also found Hugo Boss & Prada & Antonelle trousers, all for 3 bucks.

Jeans just plain piss me off. What is it with people buying jeans that look like crap? And why on earth are girls still going around with muffin top and ankle cut jeans? It makes me crazy. It's not that hard to dress well, even in you're on a super tight budget. Never ever buy jeans without trying them on, and look for jeans that don't flatten out your ass and avoid those nasty things that have those tacky bleached out spots. For that matter, try to avoid jeans if at all possible unless it's the weekend and you're not still in school. At least now the trends are to jeans in colored denims, finally, thank goodness.

As far as buying second hand clothes, yes, the coats in particular will often have the Eu du 2eme, but a good airing out, a trip to the dry cleaner and/or a good dousing with Febreeze will take care of that. Look for top condition, or in the very least minimal damage that can be quickly and easily repaired if you're good with a needle.Check the pockets, the lining, the armpits, the collars and the edges, and frankly, if it's not perfect, take a pass, it's just not worth it. You would be rather shocked at the top quality stuff that is out there, if you have the patience.

I never leave the house without a scarf. Rather like a pedicure, don't leave home without it.