Adventures on the Continent

Last week I was supposed to host a dinner party, attend two screenings at the Mill Valley Film Festival (thanks to my friend Jessica, I did get to the opening party, where I rubbed elbows with Clive Owen), enter another pie contest, get a tattoo, and go to a dirt tasting... but instead I ended up hopping a plane at the last minute to go to Europe for a little over a week in London and Paris. I went to hang out with a friend who was there, and my parents also happened to be in London, but this was by far the most impulsive and risky thing I've ever done! It had been 4 years since my last visit to London, and 17 since my last one to Paris. Highlights from my adventure include (yes, it's mostly food...):


Drinking in Brick Lane, followed by the requisite late night Salt Beef Beigel.

Being treated to dinner by my parents at the Wolseley, where we were seated next to Jason Schwartzman and Wes Anderson!!!

Bean cakes from my favorite bakery in Chinatown.


Victorian jewelery at the British Museum and the V&A.


Eating pies at Pieminister in Oxford with my friend Matt.


The scarf department at Liberty of London.

A truly magnificent dinner at River Cafe: Bagna Cauda di Bartolo with pumpkin, beets, carrots, fennel, cima di rape, and an anchovy-Nebbiolo sauce, Malfatti Verde with swiss and rainbow chard, marjoram butter and Parmesan, and Stinco di Vitello (veal shin) slow roasted in Pieropan Soave Classico with sage, carrots, celery, saffron risotto and gremolata, and an insanely good lemon tart for dessert, served with sour cream.... yummmmmmm.


Our ridiculously hip, Phillipe Starck-designed Paris hotel, Mama Shelter.

Discovering what might be my favorite bar in the world: the Curio Parlour.


A visit to Deyrolle, which is still amazing after the fire.



Two amazing David Lebovitz recommendations: Le Rubis (the pear clafouttis was insanely good) and Le Nemrod, home of the "Croque Poilâne" above.

A morning at the big antique market (another post about that to follow).

Flaky, buttery, pastry perfection from Poilâne.



Gorgeous glaceed fruits from Christian Constant- don't they look like something right out of a Renaissance painting?


Browsing through the ephemera at Les Archives de la Presse.

The olive sauce on the Filet de Bar at Le Petit Prince.

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