The Olive Theory

31 05 2009
Olive mixed with olive oil, some herbs, and garlic

Olive mixed with olive oil, some herbs, and garlic

Recently, I’ve become a big fan of How I Met your Mother (OK, Nats, you win – you were the 1st one who watched this series – but still). Anyway, there was an episode about The Olive Theory. Basically, it works this way – the theory is based on that one partner has to hate olives and so the other one has to like them and to eat all the partner’s olives too, which creates a perfect balance.

Alain used to force feed me olives and I used to hate it – the smell, the grease, and the taste. I just think that there are other fruit appetizers that taste better than this one.Well, the good thing is, he really loves olives.

But in the time we spent here in France, I hate to admit it – but I’m getting fond of its taste. It’s a perfect, healthy appetizer or snack – especially when that time of the month is near and all you could ever think of is the saltiest thing you could put in your mouth – like potato chips OK! Olives are even better.

The taste is just perfect – but what does it mean now that we both really like olives? Anyway, call me a freak for giving too much interest in this theory, but in the end of the episode, Marshall (my favorite character) turned out that he really liked olives and that he just hid it from Lily (his gf of 9 years that time) because Lily loves olives.Ans this made me happy.

Is it that obvious that I’m spending Sunday afternoon at home doing a marathon of HIMYM, without having any plans to put on my jeans and go out even for just a whiff of air?

I’m acting like a bum – and I better get used to it pretty much soon.


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Hot Stuff

26 05 2009

Yesterday was the hottest day I’ve ever experienced here in France. The weekend was quite hot as well, but I was in Alsace – the air was clean and if I needed to cool down, I would just go back inside the big big house and drink a big bottle of fresh water. I even went biking for 10 kilometers – on shorts and bikini top (woot! i love alsatian summers!) and I got a great tan!

But anyway, here in Paris is different. We live in an attic apartment so we get all the heat – and yesterday, we totally felt like we were inside an oven. For the first time in months, I began to experience the headache only a summer heat can bring (or a Philippine heat). It was painful – and we need to do something about our living conditions.

At least in the Philippines, there’s an abundance of air conditioners. Walk down the Greenbelt 3 area and if you get hot, go inside the super cool mall. If the sun gets too hot and heavy, we go back to our apartment and turn on the air conditioner and put it on 16 degrees.

Yesterday, I had a dentist appointment. Usually, I dread this kind of stuff, but when we entered the office, it was heaven. Air condition galore. I couldn’t believe myself when I had to drag my ass off to go home after. I found it awesome hanging out in the reception area – reading awful dentist magazines.

Most of what I see here are heaters and open windows. Even at work, it’s too hot – windows are always open, but it ain’t enough. I’m beginning to miss winter – or at least, the beginning of spring.


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A Rollercoaster Ride

24 05 2009

I love rollercoaster rides. They give me the feeling that I’m on top of the world even there are twists and turns and ups and downs. The truth is, the exhilarating feeling that I get from these rides is pretty addictive. We went to Europa Park last Thursday with friends. Though the rides were not as high or fast as the ones in Six Flags (Kingda Ka, anyone?) – it was still awesome. The park, located in Germany, is the 3rd biggest in the world – and one of the prettiest I’ve seen. Each area has a different country theme. One minute I was in Greece, the next, I’m somewhere in the Scandinavian area.

greece area

greece area

greece area

greece area

greece area

greece area

Waiting in line was very long. Average was 45 minutes. Yawn. No DJ to play some music and keep us entertained. At least there were some fake horses that looked real to stare at while we were in line.

matterhorn

matterhorn

This ride was OK – well, kinda lame, but it had unexpected turns also. I wanted to ride the new one – Blue Fire – but some of my friends were too lazy to wait in line for 2 hours just for a 2 minute thrill. Or maybe secretly scared. Anyhoo, since I have ridden the Kingda Ka before, I no longer feel scared of any coaster ride. (It was the highest and fastest in the world back in 2006 – I dunno now).

roller

roller

europa park

europa park


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Lazy Sunday

17 05 2009

Today, we were supposed to get up early to go to the Invalides area of Paris – do some biking, sit down somewhere to make a picnic, and just have a good Sunday morning. Here’s what happened:

I woke up around 8 and it was drizzling. The weather was really sucky – so I went back to sleep and then woke up at 11.30AM. Super huh? Since I’m always hungry every time I wake up, I gobbled up a box of cookies and swallowed 500 ml of milk. What’s for lunch?

I shared some egg salad with my boyfriend and since going to Invalides was kaput, we headed down to the Champs Elysees to reach the Warhol exhibit, which we never made because it was around 4PM already and since the exhibit closes at 7PM, I don’t think 11 euros per person is worth spending during that time. Maybe another day.

Around Champs Elysees

Around Champs Elysees

Andy Warhol exhibit

Andy Warhol exhibit

So guess what we did? We strolled down the Palais d’Elysees. I wanted to see if the guards standing by the gates are like the ones of the Buckingham Palace – never moves, never breathes obviously, never smiles. Anyway, we just stood there for a while and then suddenly, police motorbikes were coming and one of the guards was shouting something in French. I got very excited because it means someone important is coming – like Sarko himself…

And it was him! He went down from the black car full of bodyguards inside – and well, I didn’t see him inside the car coz obviously the bodyguards were blocking my view of him. It was weird though, that the car was not tinted.

Anyway, I saw him walked to the palace and he waved to the people crowding across the Palais d’Elysees. And the people were shouting. Actually, it wasn’t a lot of people – I think we were 7 all in all. Still, it was cool to have seen Sarkozy in person – waving to the people on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré

Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré

Sarko arrives

Sarko arrives

Glimpse inside

Glimpse inside

Walking away from Palais d'Elysees

Walking away from Palais d'Elysees

The 8th district of Paris is really beautiful. We walked away smiling after seeing the President of France. Woot! Then we hopped into a metro station in Concorde to go to a Filipino store, buy pancit canton packs, and ate a good dinner.

Below is the Obelisque de la Concorde, given by the Egyptians to France.

Place de la Concorde

Place de la Concorde


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On Top of Galeries La Fayette

5 05 2009

These photos were taken from the top of the store.

This is during the winter season. I guess people were doing last minute shopping for Christmas. It’s crazy how crowded this pedestrian lane was.

Crowded

Like ants

Round and Round

Round and Round

Front of Galeries Lafayette

Front of Galeries Lafayette


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When the French Dine

4 05 2009

food

Why is it that a French birthday lunch or dinner take so long – and then I feel so full after? It’s alway a five course meal  – we were eating from 11AM to 5PM.

Around 11AM, we were having champagne, sandwiches, and pistachios – or what the French calls amuse-bouche. This was my breakfast since I woke up late and didn’t have time for my usual morning yogurt. I was stuffing myself full, which was not a good idea at all – but drinking champagne on an empty stomach is even worse.

At the restaurant – wherein we had another amuse-bouche and white wine. I kept on drinking, so I had to keep eating. The service was really good – and fast. After the amuse-bouche, the entree was served – smoked salmon with salad, some bacon, bread, and a block of foie gras. I was really starving, but I had to save room for the main course. I left out 1/4 of the block of foie gras and all the bacon.

It was pretty satisfying and I admit that I got a little bit stuffed, but thanks to some kind of digestif – lemon ice cream with calvados – I was able to prepare myself for the main course – steak with fries, vegetable omelette, and some kind of Alsatian flour/pasta, and of course, red wine. Had to skip the red wine – I think 1 glass of champagne and 2 glasses of white wine would be enough to last for the whole meal. I looked at the time – 15 minutes before 3PM. Amazing.

After eating everything very slowly, I was craving for dessert. What was happening to me? In Pinoy parties, I usually get a plate, go to the buffet table, and take everything in moderation – then eat everything in 30minutes. These Frenchies eat sooo long. I remember all the French lunches and celebrations I attended – and yes, it usually lasts this long. This time though, cheese was not served before the dessert. Thank God.

The dessert consisted of 2 chocolate muffins – oozing with chocolate fudge inside, strawberries and cream, chocolate and apple ice cream, and kiwi cuts. It was excellent.

Coffee followed.

At 5PM, everyone was done eating and talking. My rusty French was used to the maximum and I was tired. We still have another kaffee klatch to attend – I swear I couldn’t eat another bite anymore. But when we arrived, I couldn’t say no – I had 2 cups of coffee and a very small piece of cake.

When we went home, I did a little bit of sports – went biking around the village to burn off some calories and played some basketball. Then we began to prepare for dinner – *nod* *nod* – and ate what’s left of the 11AM amuse-bouche. Well, this time, I just had coffee. Again. And that, my friend, is the reason why I’m still up now.


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Categories : Ramblings, Rub a dub grub