book talk: can I have my birthday in Paris? Pretty please?

Continuing my stint of French-themed reads, I'm now almost done with My Life in France, by Julia Child.

Julia Child's tone is warm--if somewhat scientific or brusque at times--and she has a deft sense of humor that glows subtly throughout the book. She talks about food in a way that makes me certain she and I would've gotten along famously. In fact, the way she comes across in the book reminds me an awful lot of my own Grandma Guinot, who's liberal politics, love of gourmet cooking, and no-nonsense way about her made their impressions on me growing up, and made me love her fiercely. 

Julia's descriptions of dishes, and her experiences eating them, are clear and crisp; not an overwraught phrase in sight. The effect is minimalistic genius, and has stoked my desire to return to the City of Light into a bright blaze. I am burning for Paris, man. But not just my Paris, I want to see (and eat in!) Julia Child's Paris.

I want to go here,

 and here,

and here, three of the Childs' favorites that Julia mentions in the book...

...aaaand, since I am turning the big 3-0 this year, I wonder if I might not ring it in in Paris? I've already got some good advice from chic things to do in Paris on a budget, to where to find Jean Paul Sartre's favorite cafe. I think I may have finally  figured out how to celebrate this milestone! (*cough* Ok. Um, now I just need to find the airfare...)

book talk: accessing my inner french woman

image

I've attempted it before. This time, it seems different, somehow. In the past, it's been abandoned due to to distraction, crushing food-guilt or just plain non-French-ness. But now, reading Mireille Guiliano's now-classic opus of French eating "tricks" and pleasure-willpower balance, I feel like I'm sitting at the feet of a wise oracle. 

Have you read it? If you have, what do you think? On this, my third attempt, I think I'm finally in the right head space to embrace my French heritage and cultivate my own je ne sais quoi.