FrenchWards: La Saison des Fêtes

While we may not have been doing much traveling lately, we are managing to continue to eat and drink very French-ly and to be tourists in the lives of our French friends.

In an effort to buy local gifts for people back home and send it for the holidays, we have spent quite a bit of time shopping in Lyon, which continues to be a welcoming and beautiful city.

Some firsts this month included the kids going to the "cantine" at school. Which is school lunch French style. Items on the menu include such things as the terrine de poisson, which had something to do with fish in cubes we were told, and duck pate, which was not a favorite but apparently was eaten by my children.

Another first was Bob preparing foie gras with our friend Aimé and his compaines. It is unclear if Bob's creation is up to specs, we'll see when we eat it. (Get ready Joe and Kathy it's on your itinerary). After the day of prep, the femmes were invited to join the foie gras-ers for a spectacular osso bucco dinner. It has been proved over and over again for us what a delightful and thorough process meals are here in France. Typically, such a dinner is a 3+ hour process. We were even given a demonstration of a traditional song, although I have no idea from what region of France, I chance to say Lyon.

The kids had their first French sleepover. With the aid of iPads, it seemed successful. The sleepover was a babysitting scheme so that Bob and I could attend Christophe's (and Cathie's) 40th birthday bash costume party. (Costume in french is "deguisement" pronounced "degeezmo". That's up there with my favorite french words.) As far as the party went, Ouahou! (French for WOW!) I can't recall the last time I danced that much. There was one moment when it was uncertain if I would be trampled and suffocate from laughing so hard during a traditional song and "dance". We knew perhaps 30% of the songs, the rest were french, mostly 80s and 90s. It was good stuff, even some very decent nods at punk rock. I probably shouldn't be surprised that the music was that good, it was very similar to what I listened to at those times.

Okay, blah blah blah, or in french bla bla bla.

PHOTOS>>>>>

Around home

The guest room view..hint hint

Rosée vert, a little farm with righteous produce and fresh oysters from the north.

Ein bitschen deutsch

Jardiland is Home Depot meets Michaels meets Petco.
I only post this because this is a creche in a terrarium...

Rue de Ramparts fête de Marrons
This is the area in front of the property where we live.
Every year the neighbors get together for toasted chestnuts and hot wine.
We heart the Rue

Happy Hannukah!!

If you are not a grandparent-type, you may want to skip this section...

Calvin and Hobbes en francais

Jasper-vision

Micah's yamaka

Encore Lyon

Tourists in Lyon

As you may recall, Lyon was one of Europe's main producers of silk. This is an historical silk shop circa some time that I will look up if you really need that info..