"He told me of Champolay..a child's champagne, I guess."

The name is Champomy, it is fizzy and it is made with fruit juice (mainly apples). The bottle tries to look like a champagne bottle. It is THE drink for little kids' parties.

OMG, I want that salad!!

So happy you are having a great trip, Joan. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with your friends tomorrow.

We leave tomorrow night for a short trip to see the Christmas lights and decorations. Merry Christmas to me!

Jo

Yes, re the spelling..I just looked at the bottle. Well Sondra can have the little kids champagne!!

acacia...that is just what is often served..the combination..

Jo..yes, the grande salad at Au Petit Sud Ouest is really great. You will have to put it on your list of places. Chantelle is lovely. A nice place. If you want to know about foie gras, it is a must do. They also have goodies to go and quite a wine selection..you mightwant to give it a try..the one on Bourdonnais..very near St. Dominique..tell her you know me!!

a bientot...

Joan

Bonjour,

Went out for some shopping..bought a cute cute brass chat..always buy a chat in Paris! Don't know why!

Had light lunch at Les Cocottes. Chistian came in and we visited. 3-4 months for Toulouse. Told him I was going to be in a Violon cooking class on Monday and remeinded him of our group for T/G this evening. He bought me a glass of wine and visted with the French gentleman next to me. Christian and I have a difficult time communicating!

I also met a nice American couple on the way out who were a staying in an apartment familiar to both of us..Chamapagne. He told me that Stu had referred him to me earlier in the year and that he had called me. I don't remember the particular person. Nice couple though. We will be in touch with one another. I would have invited them to join us this evening but they have plans with others.

Dropped in to Petit Sud Ouest and told Chantelle how much her great salad was enjoyed online! She was pleased.

Here are my lunch pics:


http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...00_00012-9.jpg Mussels, langoustines, scallops

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...00_00024-1.jpg figs


a bientot...

Joan

Again your pics are just making me drool. And looking at my list food still out numbers places.

Hi, Joan

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner this evening. Say bonjour to Florent and Michael for me. I'm emailing you Art Buchwald's classic "Jour de Merci Donnant" column which is his explanantion of Thanksgiving for the French. I don't know if you have printing capabilities there. If not, perhaps you can forward it to Florent and anyone else who knows a bit of French and English.

Joan,
Have a great Thanksgiving in Paris. I am looking forward to hear about what they served!!
Lloyd

OMG, that dessert with the figs! I'd give up my pumpkin pie any day.

Joan--have a wonderful Thanksgiving. It sounds as if you have the meal to end all Thanksgivings to celebrate. We are off to our son's home shortly for the traditional feast with lots of family--always enjoy your exciting days and beautiful meals. We will miss our annual trip to France this year due to the move--but always love hearing about yours. All best wishes to you and your friends.

Bonsoir,

Just home from Violon and what an evening!! Super, Super!
I will add the photos tomorrow.

Vilon outdid itself. Christian was there and have photos with him, too. A special rolled and tied menu for each of us at our table. I have photo of it. Guess what..we had a turkey!! I have picture of it, too. Alexandre brought it out to show us before carving it!Special, special evening. All enjoyed. The Rish family was a delight to meet and to know. I hope to get to see more of them in the future..Florent and Michael are always a joy to be with. I think we all had a great time.

I must write Catherine in the morning to thank them for a wonderful evening. Really nice. I am most appreciative.

I will see Florent and Michael at l'Obe on Sunday. That should be fun, too. They are so fun to be with because they are so enthusiatic about their enjoyment of places that we go to. A great help with the language, too... yes, Lilia you will appreciate that. I tell everyone how critical you were of my French...did you call it French?? Florent talked with Christian at great length. He will be at my cooking class on Monday and help me cook...poor guy he does not know the challenge!

a bientot until morning...

Joan

Joan- I bet it was fabulous...can't wait to see and am living vicariously through you until I get there for Christmas. I am certain it was a most memorable Thanksgiving!

Looking forward to seeing the pictures when I wake up tomorrow morning! It sounds like such a super time.

Bonjour!!

Just got the photos for you. What a special evening and how wonderful Violon was..thank you, thank you to them! Alexandre is truly a star. He remembered a wine that he introduced Florent to last year on T/G!!

Wine did flow generously!! The whole restaurant took notice when Alexandre brought out "our" turkey to show us! It was pretty spectacular! It was very good, too!

What a special touch for a pumpkin flavored flan!! Now that was a real surprise!

All in all, I would say it was a pretty special evening for all. The Rish family from Alabama are such nice new people to know. I do hope that we will see one another in the near future..they are not that far from Asheville and everyone loves to spend some time in Asheville!!

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...0001_003-1.jpg Apartment gathering before Violon d'Ingres..Michael, Florent, Byrd, John and Hannah

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...0002_003-2.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...00_0005-21.jpg This was soo nice! Each received this rolled and tied "special" menu for our table only!! They did add some extras that you will notice..like the millefeuille

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...00_0006-20.jpg We are now seated...Christian arrived and joined our table with nice long visit and got in pics too!

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...00_00072-5.jpg another

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...00_00082-4.jpg and the food begins

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...000_0010-8.jpg Our very own turkey!!

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...000_0011-4.jpg Delicious and nutritious!!

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...000_0012-3.jpg This was such a surprise. It was a PUMPKIN flan!! Now wasn't that a thoughtful touch!!

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...000_0013-2.jpg Did we still look hungry? This was added!

Enjoy, enjoy as we did lat night!

a bientot.....

Joan

Now that was a down right treat for the whole night. Thank you again.

Wow, it all looks de-lish! Pumpkin flan sounds soooo good-I need to have your friends! That is really spectacular to get to have Thanksgiving "done special" for you at a Christian Constant restaurant.

re: Asheville-such a lovely city and the spa at the Grove Park Inn is a definite fav for me!

Yes, it was special and I sent a big thank you to Catherine for all at Violon. Alexandre is a real star!!

Met another nice couple who are staying in the area. He actually told me that he had contacted me earlier this year, via Stu, and I helped in a bit in choosing between some apartments. They want to return and be here for T/G and join the now 'Annual T/G at Violon' group!! Don't know how it could have been better. We all did enjoy!

Let me know when you will be in Asheville next....

a bientot..

Joan

Yes, Asheville is a good place to live and people do enjoy the Grove Park

Joan,

What a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner! Christian and Catherine really took care of you - so special!!!! What a great chef Alexandre is.....
And to think, I have to cook our turkey this year......

Can't wait to hear about Monday's cooking class. Don't forget to take lots of pictures.

bisous,
Lilia

P.S. - I was never critical of your french; I just repeated what you said, remember!!!

Joan,
What a wonderful Thanksgiving, love those menus!! I can't wait to go back to Paris so I can visit Violon again. It was the highlight of my trip!

-Roberta

Oh wow, your Thanksgiving dinner looked amazing.

You've had snow? I just saw on Facebook that a good friend of mine is in Paris now. She posted that she was sitting in a cafe, drinking coffee and watching the snow. I can only imagine how lovely Paris is under a blanket of "neige."

My friends might be staying in your neighborhood - they often stay in the 7th. If you run into a couple from California named Ron and Connie be sure to chat them up. They are devoted "foodies" like you, Joan.

Thanks again for your wonderful trip report.

Debra

This is such a delightful report! Thanks for keeping us all entertained with your marvelous food excursions.
I just spent a luscious hour or more devouring your food photos, as if I'd never eaten in days! Luscious!
Your report is helping me prepare and get in the mood for our next trip to France next September (which I hope will include some days in Paris, as we are now booked for a country house in the Perigord with friends!)
Many thanks...