Happy New Year!
Now that everyone's back from vacation and
all of your family and friends have gone back to their hometowns, the daily
routine of life is going to try to grab hold and make 2014 go by just as
quickly as 2013 did. Before you know it, it will be December 31, 2014 and
you'll be saying, "Where did the time go and what did I even do this
year?"
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| Holiday window display |
Instead, let's make 2014 a year filled with enjoyable memorable
moments. In spite of all of our personal and professional time-consuming
responsibilities, we can all still make room for inserting a bit of pleasure
into our lives at least once a week. Go to that restaurant that you keep
hearing about. Go alone to that art exhibition that none of your friends
are interested in. Attend a classical music concert, held in one of
Paris’ many beautiful churches. Have a glass of champagne, not to
celebrate a life milestone, but for the simple pleasure of spoiling yourself
with a drink of liquid artisanal beauty.
Here are a few ideas to get you started on keeping a good
work/play balance in 2014:
1) For the sweet tooth:
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| Galette des Rois |
To celebrate Epiphany (January 6, 2014), it's time to get your
Galette des Rois (King's cake). In addition to being delicious, this
puff pastry dessert filled with frangipane contains a small hidden surprise.
The fun of this dessert is trying to get slice with the hidden fève (which
is usually a small ceramic figurine). To ensure that everyone has a fair
chance to get the fève, tradition has it that as the Galette des Rois is being
sliced, the youngest person hides under the table and calls out who should
receive each slice. Once everyone begins eating, the lucky person who
finds the fève becomes the king (or queen) and gets to wear the crown that came
with the cake. Galettes des Rois can be found in most boulangeries and
stores this week.
Pro tip: The Galettes des Rois are surprisingly easy to make, if
you'd like a homemade touch. And kids with siblings love it when they
find that their mom (or dad) actually snuck in several fèves.
2) For the shopper:
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| Printemps holiday window display |
On your mark, get set, go! Wednesday, January 8th is the
start of the Official Winter Sales (Les Soldes) in stores across France.
For five weeks, until February 11th, you'll be able to find what you
really wanted for Christmas but didn't get, all at a lower prices. In
anticipation of the crowds, many stores have extended hours during the soldes,
especially during this first week.
Pro tip: Prices continue to be marked down over the duration of
the sales period. Look for signs stating 'deuxième démarque and
troisième démarque' (2nd markdown and 3rd markdown).
3) For the animal lover:
The Paris Dog show will be held this weekend January 11 & 12
at the Parc Floral in the Bois de
Vincennes. Around 4000 dogs representing 300 different races are expected
to compete and put their best foot (paw) forward in front of the judges.
Come and learn everything that you've ever wanted to know about all of the
various varieties of dogs. Admission is 8 euros or free for children
under 12. more info: Paris Dog Show 2014
Pro tip: Do not show up with your own dog as only
registered participants can attend. Also, dogs will not be on sale at
this event.
So there you have it. Now it's time to go out and start enjoying 2014!
Post by Veronica Kugler