Hey All! I am taking a Bistro Chic hiatus! I have huge projects to tackle at work – yes, I have a real job! So I’m focusing all (or most) of my energy on that.
In the meantime, you’re all welcome to follow my daily musings posted on my alter ego blog – Running With Cake. See you all in November – just in time for the holidays!
Ciao!
Want to add a little European flair to your dinner table? Williams Sonoma’s new European-inspired serveware will take you around the world without leaving your home!
No doubt inspired by the popular new film, Julie & Julia, Williams Sonoma launched a new French line this year that is sure to add beauty and inspiration to any feast. But it has also introduced two Mediterranean-themed serveware sets, showcasing the cultures of Italy and Portugal.
France – WS’s new Marché line of serveware celebrates France’s open air markets and their colorful displays of produce.
The collection includes serving bowls, salad bowls, and dipping bowls, all imprinted with vegetable-inspired paintings.
WS also has a new Wine Paring line of French-wine inspired dishes, including platters and appetizer plates, displaying beautiful images of the wine regions in France.
And last, but not least, WS has also introduced its new Paris Café dinnerware that includes bowls, plates, and mugs, all depicting the colors and sights of the Parisian French bistros of yesterday and today.
Although not new, WS also has it’s popular Provence line of bowls and platters depicting castles, forests, animals, and other elements of European folklore.
Italy - Designed by a French artist, the images in WS’s new Paysage line illustrate the picturesque countrysides of Italy and other Mediterranean landscapes. The line includes pasta/risotto bowls, a serving bowl, and dipping bowls.
Portugal – To keep with the Mediterranean theme, WS offers its new Tile serveware. The striking blue and yellow tile was inspired by 17th century Portuguese tile and celebrates Portugal’s rich tradition of ceramic artistry. The set includes individual bowls and a serving bowl.
Whether planning a Mediterranean-inspired dinner party or celebrating a romantic Italian dinner for two, Williams Sonoma’s European dinnerware will surely add a little something extra to your plans.
Bon Appetit everyone!
What Do French Women Know That We Don’t?
Photo Courtesy of debraollivier.com
For decades, American women have wondered how French women can stay thin, sexy, and so incredibly chic with unbelievable ease. Now, a tell-all book by author Debra Olivier reveals these French secrets in one tasty read!
According to Olivier, it’s not how French women dress, what they eat, or what lipstick they use that makes them femmes fatales – Psst …. it’s all about what French women know (and what American women don’t!) that gives them their most elusive je ne sais quoi – that extra something that sets them apart from all other women around the world.
Keeping this one key notion in mind, Ollivier appropriately titled the next book in her French series, What French Women Know. The book, already available online and on the shelves, gives us a fresh look into the mystique of a French woman. And, more importantly, a look at how French women navigate through life, particularly in the areas of love, sex, and other matters of the heart.
On her Web site, Olivier explains that:
It’s not the surface glam that gives French women their allure. It’s this: French women don’t give a damn. They don’t care about being liked or being like everyone else. They don’t expect men to understand them or like things to fit into a neat, tidy box. They reject notions of packaged beauty and enjoy breaking the rules…and they prefer having a life to making a living.
This, she proclaims, is the complete opposite of how American women view love, sex, and life.
Just like her book, Entre Nous: A Woman’s Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl, (one of my favorite French books!), Ollivier will no doubt pepper What French Women Know with super sexy humor among her delicious French facts and secrets, making is this an irresistible addition to any American woman’s personal library.
Whenever I travel out of the country – or out of the state for that matter – I try to pick up a few keepsakes to take home. For me, choosing the right keepsake is a very delicate process. I am not one for tchotchkes or knick knacks, so I stay away from key chains, shot glasses, and such. But, what I do love are little things I can use around the house. The items can be fancy soaps, high-end teas, or other gourmet edibles to savor with friends or just by myself.
Because I am not able to get to Europe as often as I would like, whenever a friend is heading overseas, I politely remind her how much I love European goods. Ok, I actually beg and bribe my friends to bring me back something! So, when I heard that a girlfriend of mine from work was heading to Central Europe – Prague, Vienna, etc. – I promptly slipped her 10 Euro to pick me up some goodies.
So, on Tuesday of this week, I arrived at my desk to find that Central Europe had arrived to brighten my morning. And my goodies came in the form of:
Little scented guest soaps, shampoo, and hand cream – Budapest and Prague
Lip balm and a bath bar – Prague
Chocolates – Vienna
The chocolates were actually Belgian chocolates, but the box was purchased in Vienna. The box included seven pieces of dark chocolate-coated nougat (like marzipan), all wrapped in gold foil displaying a prominent picture Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of Austria’s primer composers.
Seeing a chocolate-covered Mozart (well, sort of) was a little wacky. But as I sat there taking a bite out of Mozart, I wondered … if New York or Chicago did something similar, who would the city include on the foil? President Obama? Abraham Lincoln? Michael Jackson? One thing is for sure, it wouldn’t be Kanye West!
Well, no matter who is on the cover of American chocolates, I sure am enjoying my Belgian chocolates and all of my other Euro fancies. These very simple trinkets are all I have to keep me physically connected to Europe – and that will have to do, at least for now.
Nostalgia for food and other comfort items have become increasingly popular in Britain, particularly during the recession. The troubled economy combined with terrorist threats and assorted wars have left the British longing for a sense of calm and familiarity.
According to the Daily Mail, the British want to pretend that they are living in another time. And, in doing so, they are eating and drinking retro foods and beverages, like Wagon Wheels and Cadbury Wispa Bars, to fool themselves that everything is fine.
Even in America, foods can conjure up all kinds of memories from childhood, taking us back to a time where we had little worry and few responsibilities. Pizza may bring back thoughts of your first homecoming date; pot roast may remind you of Sunday dinners at grandma’s house; or Cookie Crisp cereal might take you back to Saturday morning cartoons.
Like in Britain, these nostalgic foods can do more than just remind us of the “good ole days”. They can also help carry us through difficult times and give us hope that things will soon get better.
As a child of the 80s and 90s, there are so many foods that remind me of a much simpler time. But, if I had to choose, here are my top 10 picks for feel-good foods from childhood. Just thinking about them makes me smile and reminds me that times were not always this tough.
Bistro Chic’s Top 10 Retro Feel-Good Foods
So, if you’re feeling a little down due to the recession or other hardships in your life, why not take your cues from the British? Try indulging in some of your old favorite foods that made you smile as a kid. You never know, they may just make you smile again!
@bistrochic
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