First off – Thank you for your honest and encouraging comments on my post about the ideal size and slenderness last Friday. It’s quite amazing how many people share some of the same thoughts, and I appreciate everyone opening up. I’m certainly going to read through those comments when I need a lift 
I spent the weekend soaking up my free time, practicing a different kind of yoga than the physical stuff I spoke of on Friday. This past week was crazy, so I practiced just relaxing and enjoying ever second of the weekend.
I’m still shocked, however, that it’s Sunday. Yet again. Doesn’t it seem like it’s always Sunday!? I feel like I’m constantly ending one week and starting another. And is it seriously the second week of March already!? Time really does fly when you’re having fun.
There was a cold front in Paris this weekend, but it’s a different kind of cold than the frigid, unbearable weather we had in January. The temps were only in the upper 20’s and low 30’s all weekend, but it was a-okay with me. The sky was a gorgeous shade of blue, and the air was crisp, making hints that Spring is just around the corner.
I went all over Paris on foot yesterday starting early at our market, then heading to see some sites in the afternoon. First stop – Cimetière du Père-Lachaise. I actually ran into one of my classmates when I walked into the cemetery – of all the places in the city we both chose Père-Lachaise to visit at the exact same time. Go figure!
I decided to stroll through on my own though, taking myself on a date with my camera as I often like to do.
I wandered around with no direction in mind really – didn’t even get a chance stop by to pay my respects to Oscar Wilde or Jim Morisson. Don’t worry, I’ll pay them a visit soon!
I headed to the metro after a little over an hour there, and what do you know – my friend was leaving at the exact same time. Seriously small world.
I had plans to had to Montmartre…and so did she! Weird! I was headed up to meet up with my roommate, so we took the metro there together. I spent the rest of the afternoon strolling around the area, eventually running into this establishment. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?
(Clearly I have some tiny specks inside my camera – it’s in the camera body, as the specks are there with any lens I put on it…any ideas? I’ve tried cleaning it, but alas, the specks remain)
As much as I’d like to attend a show there, I think I’m gonna have to stick to window shopping on this one. It’s $150 a pop at the Moulin Rouge. Yikes!
Around 4:00pm or so we decided to head to Trocadero, mostly because we saw a bus that said Trocadero on the front and can never resist a gorgeous view of la Tour Eiffel. Why not!?
We never actually made it to Trocadero, however, and found ourselves distracted by a park that I can’t remember the name of, and eventually at the Arc de Triomphe.
Paris in a day? Well, we sure did try!
We wandered down the Champs-Elysees until we found a metro stop, then made our way home to rest for a bit before dinner. I had plans to meet up with another friend at a little French restaurant (where I ate the most delicious salad – imitation recipe to come soon!) so after stopping to refresh at home for a minute, I headed right back out run a couple errands before dinner. I picked up a package at school (Thanks for the coffee Mom and Dad!), and stopped to buy some almond butter since mine is nearing it’s end.
Well, dinner turned into a 2 hour event followed by drinks at a piano bar, box full of coffee and almond butter jar in hand.
Normal. Totally normal. Nothin’ like a little almond butter to go with red wine and jazzy renditions of everything from Edith Piaf’s Je Ne Regrette Rien, to Britney Spears’ Toxic. Good times.
It was such a nice day to spend wandering around, not thinking about school and just soaking up my free time doing whatever came up. Today has been really low key in comparison to yesterday’s adventures – a trip to the Salon de l’Agriculture (stay tuned!), homework, and 21 euros worth of laundry. Gotta love the laundry here.
I took some time to make a delicious dinner tonight given the slow pace of Sunday. Everything I’ve cooked lately is really simple. We don’t have many spices here, even though I keep meaning to go pick some up. Even our cooking utensils are simple – we don’t have a single measuring cup so we make do with what we’ve got. Like tonight – quinoa measured in a leftover yogurt container.
1 yogurt cup dry quinoa, 2 yogurt cups water. Simple.
Along with my quinoa I made a Bok Choy, Red Bell Pepper and Onion Stir-Fry. So good it deserves capital letters.
Once the onions and peppers cooked down a bit, I added the bok choy and a little bit of soy sauce and sriracha. I purposely made extra so I could have lunch tomorrow since the week is going to get crazy again.
Once the veggies had cooked, I moved half of them to a container for tomorrow, and added some rotisserie chicken (see my post Everyday Pantry Staples for more details) to the pan with the remaining veggies for a little protein action.
Et voila!
I’ve really been loving simple and healthy dinners like this lately. I bought vegetables at the market yesterday with no real ideas in mind and it’s always fun to create something with what I have on hand.
I’ve only ever cooked with bok choy one other time and I’m really liking it. There’s a dish back home with soba noodles, bell peppers, bok choy, mushrooms and other veggies in a miso broth topped with salmon at one of my favorite restaurants… I’m thinking I’m going to have to try to replicate that with a gluten free version soon now that I’m learning to cook with bok choy. Perhaps a trip to the Asian district is in order!
Well, I’m off to enjoy the rest of this Sunday evening – the very little bit that’s left. No worries – I’m certain it will be Sunday again before I know it. I’m especially excited about the next one…Spring Break! I can taste it now…
Question: Have you cooked with any new ingredients lately? Do you ever pick out ingredients you’ve never cooked with…just to see what happens?
I have to start thinking of my next new to me ingredient… So many vegetables and not enough time!
Have a good one!
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Lovinggg your Paris posts. I’m studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark this summer and your Paris shenanigans inspire me on days I’m feeling nervous about it. I love cooking with new ingredients! I had never made beets until about a week ago and I’m hooked. I like to roast them in the oven for about 30 minutes which leaves them a little crunchy… so much better than the squishy canned kind. Next on my list is fennel- gotta head to the grocery store today to pick some up. Have a good week!
Pere Lachaise is one of my favourite places…
i adore that shot of the couple on the street corner…i feel like i could write a movie about that one shot! i haven’t cooked with anything new lately…but i’m hoping to bake some bread sometime this week :)
You are a seriously gifted photographer. I’m chomping at the bit to visit Paris and soak up every element of culture, food, and beauty that city has to offer.
Great job on the stir-fy! I hear ya on the need for simplicity. A great cook is someone who knows what to do with very few ingredients.
Enjoy your week!
Sometimes I do pick up new ingredients, but usually I have a recipe first- I am a planner! I have used bok choy and like it a lot- but there are very few vegetables I don’t like! The other day at the Yogathon I did, they served Indian food- and we had what I’m fairly certain was lotus root in the veg. It was crunchy, sweet and different but SO good- I want to find that one now!
xo
K
Oh, you are making me miss my trip to Paris 2 years ago. You are really doing a great job of cooking such interesting dishes with only a stove top. Your pictures are amazing-it makes me want to go back..NOW!
Your photographs are always so beautiful! I especially like the ones in the cemetary.
Also love the fact that you hung out at a bar carrying an almond butter jar! (It rhymes!)
mmm this looks delicious and I love your blog.
I DO cook with new ingredients a lot, comes with the territory of shopping at farmers markets! have to buy whats in season and sometimes what is in season is a little different!
will follow your blog!
Wow, wow, wow. The things that you are getting to see…
I tried to cook mustard greens for the first time ever last night, and they weren’t too bad at all! I’ve never even tried bok choy, and I certainly wouldn’t know how to cook it.
The only new thing we’ve tried is turnips, though we’ve had them before. I have spurts when I want to attempt new things and long stretches of time when I stick to the familiar.
As for your camera, have you tried getting a camera air blower? We have one that we use on our camera once in a while – when you have 5 animals in your house, you’ll need to use the blower!
K
I definitely try new ingredients when I can. The wonderful world wide web makes it easy to google new finds and see what you can do with them. I love the picture of the man holding the woman’s face!