Sumptuously insane by the Seine

It is no secret to anyone that Paris is positively bursting with culture. In fact, culture is it's lifeline..it's blood so to speak.  But Paris also abounds with activities and sights that are far less highbrow and to some, including me, are far more interesting. One should always find the time to explore the less refined, to search out the surprising and bizarre and to experience the local elements of any city.  Often it means just keeping your eyes open or turning left when everyone else is turning right...but one is never disappointed.  A long leisurely stroll along the Seine reveals impossibly small studios boasting petit, beautifully tapestried deer to mind boggling  and stylish art supply shops, every nook and cranny of Paris has something to surprise, something to evoke the imagination.  So it was with some thought of the unusual that I sought out an establishment for the evening's tipple that would promise something different, something a little out of the ordinary. Very few establishments outside of the French Basque country stock Izarra, but that is exactly what was was required to complete a most satisfactory day of exploration.  Izarra is fashioned in Bayonne and like Chartreuse, is available in both yellow and green varieties.  I have chose the Izarra Horia or yellow Izarra this evening for its delicious almond taste.  A mouthful of sunshine and most certainly worth the search and shoe leather.  

Paris...welcome to the Culture Club!

Bon chic...bon genre!  You just have to love this City of Light and I certainly do.  Just when you think you can't possibly squeeze one more gallery, museum or concept store in, another one virtually opens before your eyes.  What high jinx and larks are to be had in discovering something new...for that is what Paris does best.  It constantly reinvents itself just as it has year after year after year, and it never disappoints.  I chose to stay in the 11th on this visit and I was more than rewarded for the journey a little further out of the hurly-burly than was once considered chic.  It now abounds with great acoustic music venues and wonderful eateries doing the most amazing things with rabbits and ducks...terrines may just become my new passion! But what is most comforting is the friendliness of those who inhabit the 11th.  Make no mistake, it is very local and more than a little grungy, but the city's bourgeois bohemians...or bobos...have brought  a hip coolness to the area. As such, I have certainly had no difficulty in finding a location for this evening's libations and have suitably chosen one of my favourite indulgences to start the evening. Chartreuse! I have always felt an affinity with this wonderful nectar and I have managed to find one of the few establishments that serve what can only be described as a tonic for good health... Elixir végétal de la grande-Chartreuse...over ice of course.  Far too serious to be imbibed unadulterated and really, not recommended.  In this form, it is more like a cordial than a mere liqueur.  Just remember, drink it with your head held high! 

A Bordeaux in Bordeaux...how refined!

The luxury of proximity is one of the delights of life I really enjoy and appreciate in Europe.  A mere train journey or two from intoxicating San Sebastian and I find myself in the thick of it all in Bordeaux...Spain one day, France the next.  I know, I know...I have a pretty pleasant time.
It has been many years since I was last in this neck of the woods and even then, it was in the thick of a long and cold winter that I found myself in Bordeaux.   The mood and clime was then, one of head down and wintery survival...but now...absolutely amazing.  Apparently, local authorities have invested much time and effort into reinventing Bordeaux as a must visit city, and I must tell you that it has really paid off.  Mind you, there was an excellent canvas with which to work.  Bordeaux is indeed based on grand architecture and intriguing alleyways, all with a fairytale like quality while still maintaining some of the oomph of the past! Of course it has the wines but it also has an excellent repertoire of regional produce to go with them and a number of excellent restaurants that make very good use of it. Mmmm! I could indeed settle in here for a while and lose myself in a reverie of lunches and dinners to be enjoyed. Instead, I have selected a 'more than just fine' bottle of Chateau Carbonnieux  - Cru Classe de Graves '95 to get lost in.  The question is...will one be enough?

Basking with the Basques...

Bilbao

 San Sebastian

Well readers, as you are more than likely aware, I have been somewhat "off the air" for a few weeks. What with a few technical difficulties and a desire to just put my feet up for a while, I have been more than remiss with keeping you up to date with my movements.  I have in fact, been sunning myself and indeed spoiling myself terribly in the Basque country. Let there be no mistake, the Basques are unique...from the language to libations...and from entertainment to cultural pursuits there is a distinct tradition to this 'part' of Spain that is unlike any other.  I was charmed by the shady beauty and strong personality of Bilbao and the sheer beauty and delight of the Guggenheim, but I am totally overwhelmed by the...all...of San Sebastian. And it has it all in abundance: sweeping city beaches, sultry and svelte night life and the most remarkable food to be found anywhere.  The chefs of San Sebastian have taken the once humble pintxo (the Basque version of tapas) to an extreme art form and all are displayed within easy reach...one's taste buds will never be the same.


It is said that the old quarter or Parte Vieja has more bars per square metre than anywhere else.  There is certainly no shortage of choice for a location for my evening tipple...one overlooking Bahia de la Concha I think best serves my purpose.  What better way to start the evening than with a perfect view of the beach in an evening glow and a deliciously dusty 1995 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 in hand. Life is indeed grand.