Watch the video here and tell me what you think, and check out the other version I made below.

(If you can’t see the video below, go directly to YouTube to watch A weekend in Paris!)

I also made a version, quite similar to the first version, and included some of my still photo shots from the weekend in Paris between some of the video clips.

(If you can’t see the video below, go directly to YouTube to watch A weekend in Paris…with pictures!)

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Related Articles at Ms. Adventures in Italy:

• A Weekend Vacation in Paris, France
• Video time…
• Help – Your Paris/Edinburgh Recommendations

It’s already December! I can’t believe how fast 2009 is going. It’s time to rush and complete those New Year’s resolutions, buy holiday gifts if you’re into that, and plan where you’ll hopefully spend New Year’s, right?

After this weekend. After I stop thinking about Paris and looking at my photos and start posting them instead of just enjoying a private slideshow at home. After I eat the macarons I have stashed in my suitcase, and the dark chocolate caramel in its silver wrapper, too.

Paris is one of my favorite cities. It’s no surprise, really, as it’s definitely a crowd pleaser. I didn’t want to like Paris, though, the first time I went there 10 years ago. I wanted, somehow, to be able to say “Paris is not for me.”

But it most definitely is. For someone as curious as I am, Paris is a city that constantly manages to surprise and satisfy visually, emotionally, and gastronomically.
I love the cafès and the metro. Using only public transportation for 6 years means I get excited when I take other cities’ systems for a spin.

I spent some time trying to capture some of the moments I saw – many involving people. I’m much more comfortable with still life which is why I’ve been pushing myself to take more pictures of people, and in a way that doesn’t intrude too much on their own moments.

What suggestions do you have for taking pictures of people and capturing moments without ruining them?
Coffee, cigarettes, cool shoes and your best friend(s): what more could you want?

Vin chaud: Mulled / spiced hot wine with cinnamon and/or oranges is a great way to warm your insides when you’re freezing in the brisk weather – I actually drank a lot of this, ok I drank a lot this weekend – wine, vin chaud, microbrewery beer, tequila (that’s another story). All in the name of keeping warm and braving the cold outside all day. It’s a must!

I had fun chasing the fashion choices I saw around Paris: we called it “fashion individuel” which I’m sure is not correct French (anyone?) but we sure had fun saying it.

Wherever there are luxury and riches, there will always be a contrast to remind you to appreciate how much you have yourself. The Champs Élysées is no different.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas – luckily we got there when Christmas started to arrive, too. December is not much different than January in terms of weather, but January is much more depressing when all the decorations come down.

An easy way to bring some holiday cheer into the metropolitan / subway is to bring an actual Christmas tree with you

Navigating Paris can be exhiliarating and exhausting – so much walking, even just taking the public transportation everywhere. This kid had the right idea.

The Batmobile – everyone needs a getaway mobile! I’ll take this Vespa any day.

Nighttime falls on Paris, France – a view from Sacre Coeur Church

I’m not done with Paris…..et vous?

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Related Articles at Ms. Adventures in Italy:

• A Weekend in Paris…the Videos!
• Help – Your Paris/Edinburgh Recommendations
• 2009 Year in Pictures

**Update** Since writing this I’ve made a few kinds of macarons myself: Chocolate Macarons Recipe, Colorful Cinnamon Easter Egg Macarons Recipe, Dark Mint Chocolate French Macarons Recipe, and Hazelnut Macarons with Nutella and Spicy Nut Centers.

When I was in Paris, France several months ago, I took some time to make as many stops as possible on David Lebovitz’ 10 Insanely Delicious Things You Shouldn’t Miss in Paris list.

One of my top priorities was to try Parisian macarons so I could get them straight from the source. I had been reading about them for months on other food blogs. Laduree was across the street from our hotel, so it was the obvious and very dangerous choice for my macaron de-flowering. Inside it was darkly lit and I meekly pointed at first the size box that I wanted and then it was point-by-color to fill up the box. I knew to ask for the caramel which I was definitely missing living in Italy.

The Laduree box before opening. I loved the packaging available in the Laduree and Pierre Herme shops for the macarons. Some were very elaborate and would have made nice gifts. I wanted just a plain box since I was going to be eating them. ALL FOR ME.

More colorful than a bouquet of flowers! And I’ll feel better not having to throw out stale water and dried stems later.

The money shot. Laduree’s caramel macaron was by far my favorite. I was disappointed in Pierre Herme’s caramel macaron as it was a creme de caramel – caramel cream filling and not a pure caramel like Laduree’s.

Inside the caramel macaron. I’m a bit of a messy eater, but these macarons were really fragile so it was hard to get that perfect bite.

Inside the dark chocolate macaron. Excellent.

Much as I wanted to, I couldn’t finish all the macarons that I bought, so I was able to courier them directly to Italy where I shared them with Robyn and Sara. I loved Dorie Greenspan’s interview about how and why to love macarons. I think she’s right you need to experience the beauty and authenticity first-hand in Paris to understand the craze! I do now. So now I’m ready to start making them myself! After extensive “research” I am still deciding if I need to draw circles on parchment paper or use a Silpat or to let macarons set before baking or run cold water under them after baking. The ingredients in macarons are fairly simple, it’s the technique that seems to be the time-consuming part. Until you get it right. **Update** Since then I’ve made a few kinds of macarons myself: Chocolate Macarons Recipe, Colorful Cinnamon Easter Egg Macarons Recipe, Dark Mint Chocolate French Macarons Recipe, and Hazelnut Macarons with Nutella and Spicy Nut Centers. Serious Eats had a “Macaron Week” right after I got back from Paris, including where to find macarons in the U.S. Robyn, who above tasted my macarons, was the mastermind of the list.

• Monday: Introduction to French Macarons
• Tuesday: Where to Find Macarons
• Wednesday: How to Make Macarons
• Thursday: Interview With Macaron Specialist Dorie Greenspan

It wouldn’t be a complete mention if I didn’t mention Tartelette and her macarons. She jumpstarted my own obsession, and she actually used the word “magma” in her recipe, as in “batter that flows like magma.” How cool is that? I think magma should be used more in recipes. You can search the category “macarons” on her blog for her many creations. Other macaron recipes and pictures:

• David Lebovitz does some experimenting for you regarding the “set” or “no-set” macarons with a chocolate filling.
• Shuna from Egg Beater talks about the French macaron and method.
• Kuiadore may not have any recipes of macarons on her site (you have to take her classes for that!) but she’s got some heavenly pictures of macarons for inspiration!
• Chocolate Macarons with Peppermint Ganache from Dessert First
• Some Christmas-themed macarons from Mad Baker
• La Tartine Gourmand has some lovely step-by-step pictures for making macarons.
• Paris Breakfasts does an excellent job of painting these lovely beauties and even toured a macaron shop.

Any tips for me in making macarons? What flavors would you love to see in a macaron?

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Related Articles at Ms. Adventures in Italy:

• Chocolate Macarons Recipe
• Colorful Cinnamon Easter Egg Macarons Recipe
• Hazelnut Macarons with Nutella and Spicy Nut Centers for World Nutella Day

I have already waded through Richart, another French chocolate brand, and Neuhaus, a Belgian one, and spent time in KaDeWe in Berlin, drooling on their chocolate counters.

I won’t pretend that I really “know” Valrhona that well. I imagine that will come after numerous boxes and tastings. The chocolates were of course, excellent, but I had heard so much about Valrhona from other bloggers as it seems to be the favorite baking chocolate. Don’t believe me? Check out how many mentions of the stuff is in the round-ups from Sugar High Friday, Chocolate By Brand. (Parts 1 – 2 – 3 – 4)

And incidentally, it’s Valrhona that plays a part in the most expensive chocolate in the world – the Knipschildt truffle at $2600/pound.

Luckily, I didn’t pay that much for these, and it was a good excuse to again have friends over for a tasting.

Presentation is always key and opening this box up felt like winning the lottery. Pretty gold insides. I wish I had seen these before Richart – after viewing those chocolates, the decorations on these seemed pretty boring.

Any brand of chocolate YOU recommend I try? What about a Swiss brand of chocolate? Ever get so obsessed about the little squares of chocolate that you bought a whole 2 kilo bag of assorted ones to “take home and share with everyone” and it didn’t make it?

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Related Articles at Ms. Adventures in Italy:

• Last Call for DMBLGIT – April 2008
• Habanero, Celery, Valrhona gelato – 100 savory & sweet gelato flavors at Il Gelato gelateria
• Best Gelato in Rome: San Crispino Gelateria’s New Location