Anyone Can Cook (Except Me)

     Tonight we had a cooking class at Tours de Cuisine. We were divided into partners and each pair had to make three plates. Diana and I made choux (pastries filled with chocolate), a vegetable tiramisu with layers of black olives, tomatoes, cheese and cucumbers in a small glass, and then bacon-wrapped turkey with a layer of chestnut stuffing inside. It was really difficult because the recipes were in French and we were told to just start. First thing I did was spill half of the ingredients on the hot plate, which set the theme for how the rest of the cooking went. We weren't taught how to do it, so when we made mistakes, it was too late. It was like Top Chef for people who don't cook. We were rushing around with eggs and raw meat all over our hands and had absolutely no idea what we were doing. I also realized how many foods I'm not familiar with when cooking (Most foods). We mostly just laughed through the whole thing and everything turned out sloppy.

Our choux that we made! They were actually really good!

Me with Fiifi, Diana, Anna and Pili- we love cooking, obviously!

    Being the world's pickiest eater, France has made me try so many new things already...black olives, chestnuts, salmon, and now...mushrooms! I ate an entire mushroom- it was HUGE -for the first time in my life! It wasn't bad, but I definitely felt like I was eating a cow eyeball on Fear Factor. Such a baby, I know! It was fun learning how to make such fancy cuisine, but at heart I really just prefer comfort food like a good ol' steak and fries. Anything on the grill and I'm happy! As Gusteau in Ratatouille says, "Anyone can cook." But should they? Probably not. Just go to a restaurant.

Rachel

The Devil Wears Zara

     This weekend I was dying to have my first real Parisian shopping experience and I definitely got it. Right now, it's les soldes, which are the sales that happen twice a year- once after Christmas and once in the summer- and are put in place by the government. Apparently shops can't have sales whenever they want to, like at home. We went to Galeries Lafayette, which is like an extremely ritzy Macy's that makes the Mall of America look like a dump. I also got my first taste of Zara and I, right away, wanted to buy everything in the store, but settled on a nice cardigan for my internship.

The ceiling of Galeries Lafayette- gorgeous!

    Shopping made me feel like a dump. For the past while, I've felt like I can dress pretty well in this town, but I was wrong. I was in an H&M and some girl just had this giant Miu Miu handbag and Louboutin heels. No big deal. Women in Paris look amazing without even trying. I work on my hair every morning and still don't look half as good as the parisiennes who don't even touch theirs. And they all wear high heels all the time, which I've started doing too. There are very few escalators and close to zero elevators, yet everyone just prances up the steps in their teetering heels. No big deal. One of these days I'm going to tumble down the cement stairs and that Jean Dujardin poster will just be smiling at me, as usual. Psh.

On the chilly terrace- look it's the Eiffel Tower!

It was just too cold outside! (Note: That's my new Zara cardigan)

     It's been ridiculously cold here, like -5 celsius, yet last night we cracked open some bottles of wine out on Mary Kate's terrace at Foyer International, which has a perfect view of everything in Paris. It reminded me of the view when Remy first gets to the rooftops of Paris in Ratatouille. Paris really is merveilleux!

Rachel