Paris: The Sweetest Part

Reflecting on our 6 days in Paris - the most romantic city in the world known for its incredible architecture, top-notch museums, and scenic river walks - my favorite part had to be...

... the macarons.  

Have you ever had one?  Let me tell you, these little morsels - when done right - are just to die for.  

Actually no, the macarons were not quite my favorite part.  Don't get me wrong, they were good.  In fact, Fritz and I stopped to eat one every time we passed a macaron shop.  You won't believe how much variety you can find in a vanilla macaron.  But the truth is, we couldn't find a single Parisian macaron that could top Laura's macarons.  She is our lovely Berlin friend whose macaron shop is known to be one of the best bakeries in the whole city.  

For those of you who are thinking, "Wait, does she mean macaroons?"  The answer is no, I'm not confusing the two confections.  A macaroon is a yummy coconut morsel.  A macaron is a French, meringue-based pastry made with egg whites, almonds, and sugar.  They are usually made into colorful little sandwiches with some kind of frosting or jelly in the middle.  Generally speaking, they are a perfectly satisfying little treat, but our mission to find The Best Macaron in Paris lead to our discovery that not all macarons are created equal and, in fact, no macaron is better than Laura's in Berlin, Germany.  

In summation, if you are going to Paris for the macarons, you will surely find them and you will undoubtedly enjoy them.  However, if you are seeking The Best Macaron, you might consider Berlin instead.  

So if not the macarons, what was the sweetest part of being in Paris?  

Jardin du Luxembourg

Simple.  Sharing it with Fritz.  

We made a concerted effort to maximize our time and cover the most ground possible while we were there, hitting all the "must see" spots.  But the moments that my heart was just filled to the brim were the times when Fritz and I were sitting quietly in a garden on the little green chairs that seem to furnish every Parisian park.

Jardin des Tuileries with the Louvre in the background

Luxembourg

The Luxembourg Gardens were stunning and it felt only natural to explore them while carrying a French Baguette to supplement our picnic lunch.  

Luxembourg

Fritz and I watched tiny sailboats race around the large fountain at the top of the park.  

We made several trips to the Tuileries - the garden just in front of the Louvre.  

Tuileries

On our first evening in Paris, we settled into a pair of green chairs at the foot of the Tuileries fountain where little ducklings paddled around in circles hoping someone would toss them a piece of bread.  A few vendors were set up behind the fountain where Fritz and I purchased our first Parisian chocolate crepe along with a bubbling glass of champagne.  As we sipped and munched, we listened to the words of Adam Gopnik in his book Paris to the Moon.  Gopnik is one of Fritz's favorite essayist who frequently writes for the New Yorker.  I've referenced him several times already in this blog, which you may take as a sign that he is a writer really worth reading.  Paris to the Moon is a book of Gopnik's reflections as a New Yorker who lived in Paris for 5 years.  

Fritz and I downloaded the audiobook.  With our heads tipped in toward one another and our fingers laced together and dangling between our two chairs, we listened to the first chapter.  Around us people posed for pictures, children tossed crackers to the ducks, a light breeze rustled the spring leaves, and an old man dozed, a golden blanket of sunlight illuminating his wrinkled face.  It wasn't complicated.  It was a bit fancy - we did have champagne after all.  It was simply perfect.  Because right beside me sat the man of my dreams.  

I've always been a girl drawn to fairy tales and happy endings, but I didn't know I'd ever find myself the real Prince Charming.  My life is better because Fritz became a part of it.  And I hope 50 years from now, I will remember how it felt to sit in the Tuileries Garden holding Fritz's hand and sharing these quiet moments with my heart so full of love. 

Tuileries

Goethe Champagne Party

Ok, it was technically a Christmas party, but Fritz and I had been calling it "The Champagne Party" for months since that is how it was originally described us.  

Professor Plumpe, Fritz's advisor at Goethe Universität, throws an annual Christmas party at his swanky downtown Frankfurt apartment.  All guests come bearing a bottle of champagne so the merriment and bubbly delights can last the whole night long.  

Here is our host, Professor Plumpe, making sure the champagne flutes stay full.  

Fritz and I had originally planned to leave for Berlin the day before.  We didn't want a repeat of the housing challenges we had when we first came to Frankfurt, so we planned to spend the last week in Germany before heading back to the US securing a place to live in Berlin.  But with talk of a Champagne Party and minimal arm twisting, we altered our plan to spend one more night with our Frankfurt friends. 

Professor Plumpe's apartment was pretty fantastic.  His study was lined with books (and I'm pretty sure he has actually read every one of these).

He is quite an art collector with stunning pieces adorning his walls.  I was treated to a private tour by Professor Plumpe himself where he explained each piece and it's significance.  When decorating his apartment, Professor Plumpe applied the Theory of Colours, a concept explained by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.  It's an interesting idea that establishes a kind of "color psychology" where colors can be associated with the components of human cognition.  For this reason, Professor Plumpe's dining room is painted orange, which is associated with the "noble".  His sitting room is a cool blue and his living room is a "useful" green.  

I am no champagne expert, but we drank Veuve Clicquot most of the night, which was quite good.  There was one blinged-out bottle that made an appearance, because after all, what's a champagne party without a little glitz?

It was difficult to see the party end, not knowing when we would next clink glasses and share a toast with our friends.  We feel so lucky to have started our Germany adventure in Frankfurt and to have met the historians of Goethe Universität.  We will look forward to the next time our paths cross.