Tourist at heart

I recently celebrated my 7-year Parisversaire! Yes, that is 7 years of morning boulangerie runs, nauseating boughts of cultural differences, and a bookshelf unapologetically filled with administrative proof that I do indeed live in this enchanted city of Paris, France. As much as I try to steer away from the Pretty Postcard Paris that is so much better captured by my blogging compatriots, I recently found myself in a giddy state when I saw there was a Ladurée in Megève where I am currently vacationing. Twice removed, Ladurée here has all the charm and appeal it did when I was just a young American navigating the cold cobblestoned streets of Paris. It was no little blue box, but the little green bag worked just as well. Scraping together a few hard-earned euro pieces promises a few glorious macarons and a few moments of pure pleasure. Yes, I am a tourist at heart.

Insert song lyrics here.

1. Jour du Macaron. On March 20th, every cent donated towards cystic fibrosis gets a free macaron at all participating bakeries, pâtisserie powerhouse Pierre Hermé included. The joyous day happily falls on my birthday every year where I join the swarms of frantic gourmandes and Japanese tourists on a passionate mission for macarons and a cure for cystic fibrosis.

http://www.jourdumacaron.com/

Jessie Kanelos Weiner-terraces-thefrancofly.com 2 — Jessie Kanelos Weiner

2. Competitive terraces. When the cafés turn off their outdoor heat lamps, the competition for the best terraces begins. It’s anybody’s game for the most prime real estate in town for people watching and sporadic rays of sunshine. A humble glass of Côtes du Rhône is certainly worth the price of admission.

Le Petit Fer à Cheval 30 rue Vieille du Temple 75004 Paris

Jessie Kanelos Weiner-daffodils — Jessie Kanelos Weiner

3. Daffodil bouquets. This is the earliest symbol of springtime, often peddled outside of every supermarket and Metro stop on the streets of Paris.

Tarte aux fraises — Jessie Kanelos Weiner

4. The return of strawberries. With seasonal produce a prized staple in France, the first sign of anything sweet and fragile is reason enough to swear off root vegetables for as long as possible.

http://lwww.ladurée.com