Bisous À Toi: January 2012

Missing....

This morning I woke up earlier than usual and decided to take my kids for a walk near our apartment because the weather was so beautiful.. grabbed my phone and took a picture to capture that beautiful feeling. I am missing my SLR camera, but what to do ey.. i used to think it isn’t always practical to carry it around with me but i realised today that the only way for me to hv that feeling is to hv my SLR with me.. its so perfect for capturing those moments when you just have to photograph something! alas.. I am missing my fav SLR and lens... I am such a whiner!

Weekend in Barcelona...

Time: 11:05pm - Saturday
Weather: 10 deg - partly cloudy
Vanue: Barcelona, Spain
Mood: Feel like baking!

Peak Agenda: Its weekend which means hubs is around to take us out.. tmrw hes flying to Dusseldorf and will fly back fm Milan on tuesday night.. I am the captain fm tmrw onwards.. spending time with my kids is really something that i look forward to..

Soo we got into Barcelona safely.. we were running a little late that day and when we got into Barcelona.. hubs realized that he had left his mobile phone at Radisson hotel.. called up the hotel and they found it.. lucky him! got into the rental car that hubs had booked.. he felt uncomfy in that car.. got it changed to Audi and got into the apartment without any hassle.. tks to GPS ey! hubs later went to his first meeting and i was left to unpack all the bags when i realized that my beloved camera bag was no where to be seen.. cant call hubs since his phone was still in Paris.. so had to wait till he got back at night and by the time he called Europcar .. they said the previous car had been rented out.. grrr - the rest is history..

I managed to go thru that frustration and cursing phase.. (thanks to all my readers who took the time to leave all the kind words.. i appreciate it very very much) the word "if only" was constantly being spoken in every conversation i had with my family nevertheless i know things happen for a reason.. last year in Barcelona.. someone stole Sonia's Ipad and this year.. someone stole my beloved camera.. the camera that took me to where i am right now.. taking pics of my loved ones.. taking pics of the places that i hv been.. taking pics of my bakes is something that i really like to do.. never in my right mind did i think i wud willingly lug around a bulky camera.. ahhh well... am not gonna dwell over it.. we made a police report and thats it..

Anywayyy.. yesterday we didnt do much.. we hv been walking non stop.. u know barcelona is equal to walking right?? i also managed to buy a few more mac sheets and at the same time managed to buy fleur del sel that i am planning to sell in my store.. so keep a look out yah.. i guess i will be looking for boxes to handcarry everything.. wish me luck! oh and thank you to all that hv bought their mac sheets.. will send it out once i am back week after next.. :o)

Ok i got to go.. i hv to do laundry.. tmrw morning .. ahem if everyone is awake by 9am.. i wud love to take Hairi on a little mini tour.. hv a good sunday you all!

Sonia who is constantly up to something... she cant keep still even while her Abang is trying out shoes.. oh talking abt shopping.. u dont want to know how long Hairi takes each time he tries on something.. be it clothing or shoes.. i am seeing the all new - vain - side of my son lol... hubs bought him practically everything that he touches! geeeshhh

La Rambla walkway.. i blogged abt this area last year while in Barcelona.. u meet all kinda ppl fm all walks of life here!

A visit to La Rambla market "La Boqueria" is a must in every way.. the coffee here is to die for... i craved for it when i went back to Singapore last year.. i got my dosage yesterday eventho i had to wait for half an hr just to get a table!

Sonia = chocolates = cheese - she loves em all...

The berries... oh my.. they look so fresh that i ended up buying lots plus who wouldnt pay 1 euro for berries.. maybe i can whip up something tmrw?? hmmm

Hehehe.. each time Hairi walks pass it he will pinch his nose and run away :op (Its air dried cured Ham also called Serrano Ham)

Kuala Lumpur?? my heart jumped when i saw the sign.. was hoping i cud find Mee Rebus in there muahahaha - but no this shop sells cheap souvenirs - i buy all my halal meat fm one of the lanes off La Rambla.. so far i hv been there twice .. very hard to find but the moment we walked in the shop the owner cried out and greeted hubs as he remembered him from the last time... he has now expanded: across the small lane he now has a burger shop - where we promptly had our lunch :)

The moment she saw this lion statue she said.. "mama.. remember this lion? remember bibik Silvia?!" - err (in my heart - NOPE!)

Ahuh.. work it girl! hehe (behind Sonia is the Rambla del Mar boardwalk with the leisure craft harbour and right at the back the Mare Magnum shopping center)

Enjoy video budak yg poteng school hehe

Stolen Camera - Macaron sheets available

Picture from google.com

Rima is in no mood to post - Mr Rima posting on her behalf.

As you can see, this post has no pictures. We have no more camera...

We had taken our rental car and I wasn't happy with it even before driving out of the rental car compound. We swapped cars and luggage. In that process we left the camera bag in the previous car.

When we realized and called back 3 hours later, the rental car company said:

The car has been rented and we will call the current hirer to check. - No we did not touch the car after you vacated it as after all there was no need to clean it. We simply gave the key to the next owner and he will return the car tomorrow (26th Jan) by 6pm and we will see.

Today they rang back and said: Sorry, there was no camera in the car.

So I guess the camera was stolen. Either by a rental car employee or by the hirer. Until we get a new camera - obviously not buying one in Europe - no pictures from Rima...

As for the photos we took at Disneyland... all gone :(

ON A POSITIVE NOTE: Rima found a supplier of Mastrad Macaron sheets here who has agreed to the pricing she wants - so that means with CONFIRMED orders from the online store latest by Tuesday 31st January, Rima will buy and handcarry the mac sheets back to Singapore. So it's a one time opportunity if you want mac sheets until Rima figures out how to get the supply to Singapore going again... the link to the Macaron Sheets in her store is:

http://store.bisousatoi.com/Macaron_Baking_Sheets/p739524_3455112.aspx

Dont forget that all other items are at almost half price as the local agent has given up this business!

...ok...now back to consoling Rima again.....

Weekend with the Bachmanns - updated

Time: 12.11am
Weather: 6 deg
Vanue: Radisson Blu Hotel
Mood: Sleepy
Peak Agenda: Euro Disney and La Vallee Factory Outlet

We have an early flight to catch.. so cant stay long.. I hv to get up at 4am and i promise that i will update and write captions when i am settled in Barcelona.. enjoy the photos folks! Pictures were taken in Deauville and in Honfleur on the Normandie Coast...

Deauville (pronounced: [do.vil]) is a commune in the Calvados département in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.

With its racecourse, harbour, international film festival, marinas, conference centre, villas, Grand Casino and sumptuous hotels, Deauville is regarded as the "queen of the Norman beaches" and one of the most prestigious seaside resorts in all of France. Closest seaside when coming from Paris, the city and the nearby region of the Côte Fleurie (Flowers Coast) has long been home to French high society's seaside houses and is often referred to as the Parisian riviera. Since the 19th century, the town of Deauville has been a fashionable holiday resort for the international upper class.^[1] Deauville is also a desired wealthy family resort. In France, it is known perhaps above all for its role in Proust's In Search of Lost Time. - Wikipedia

What Dauville is famous for is their Casinos and also the Festival du Cinema Americain. This festival held since 1975 promotes American big budget and independent films. So every year you see like likes of George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie etc turning up for some R&R during this event.

Interestingly too, many rich Jewish French seem to have made Dauville their second home outside of Paris for week-end getaways and also summer retreats. A lot of money is spent there and as such many high street brands have outlets here.

Promenade des Plances - these are beach closets (used in the 50s and 60s as change rooms by the rich) which have names of famous American actors and movie makers on them who have visited Dauville.

I remember so clearly that it was one of the coldest days that I hv ever encountered.. my ears were painful.. my brain felt as tho i got brain freeze.. yikes! Sonia on the other hand felt all good.. dont know why.. hmmmm

Very wide beach and really nice houses...

Part of the Casino on the right (the white building)... next to it the Hotel Normandy Barriere - one of the most expensive Hotel in Dauville (which allows dogs)... which I still don't understand. Why do Europeans travel with their animals on holidays and why do (many) hotels allow that?!

LV store - nope didnt get anything fm here - it was closed...

Hermes - nope .. cant afford to buy one hahaha BUT i finally bought myself a Venessa Bruno bag hehe

Front entrance of the Normandy Barriere

Sonia and kakak Solenn.. shes our official baby sitter in France ahaks

City Hall

Taking the coastal route from Dauville to Honfleur

Honfleur is one of the oldest Ports in France. First mention of it was in 1027. Many famous explorers came from Honfleur; Quebec (Canada) was founded by a Honfelurais (in 1608). It was an important port until Le Havre (across the Seine mouth) opened up. What you see above is the Vieux Bassin.

The beautiful old building - many made of wood - surrounding the Vieux Bassin

Mr and Mademoiselle Bachmann.... (thinking of doing something naughty to Mrs Bachmann eh...)

Again the Vieux Bassin with la Lieutenance (Building) in the background. It was the home of the former Governor of Honfleur and from 1684 to 1789 was the home of the Lieutenant of the King.

I think hubby bought this boat to sail around the world...

Vero took me to Metro - a wholesale center.. u hv to be a member to get into it and their store only has huge shopping carts which i think is a little over the top cos really how on earth are u gonna push around a huge cart .. anyway i managed to buy what i wanted.. my luggage is full of chocolate right now and nope i didnt get that huge nutella... we dont want hubs to gv me that look right?? :op

... a woman can only dream of this kinda house huhu

Lenotre Macaron Class

Bonjour! I figured I better update my blog bef we drive to Marne La Vallee (home of Disneyland Paris).

Its sunny and today's weather looks promising.. lets hope it will stay this way till we get there.. soooooo bef we flew to Europe.. hubs had surprised me with a piece of paper that he had printed out.. a paper that stated that he had booked me into a Macaron class at LENOTRE.. I was ecstatic of cos... never in my life wud I have imagined attending a baking class in Paris.. I hv never attended any baking classes before and to hv my first ever baking lesson in Paris was just awesome... the class was in English and French but it didnt deter me fm learning .. i understood Chef Gilles Maisonneueve anyway..

It was a 3 hrs lesson.. nothing new to me but to see diff techniques.. diff ways and to learn a few tips fm the Chef was priceless..

Pavillion Elysee Lenotre on the Champs-Elysees (what a location!) - the main restaurant cum a cooking academy next to it..

Macarons... whats with this tiny winy dessert that attracts ppl fm all over the world? the cuteness? the taste? the difficulty to bake em perhaps?? to those that hv baked it.. u shud know the feeling when ur first batch came out perfect.. the feeling is just so so magical and when u finally get to say "YES!!" and see urself jumping up and down in ur kitchen... u know u hv hit the jackpot lol

Our Pastry teacher .. Chef Gilles... hes funny and will answer to just abt any question that u ask...

The students.. there were seven of us ... most were Parisians.. err well except me and this lady in black.. shes Swiss..

The class started almost immediately and bef i knew it i was deep into it... to be able to see it hands on is priceless!

The Chef passed me the piping bag after he did a few and suddenly commented: "I think u have done this before... how about I pay u and u help me conduct the classes in future - excellent!"... (RED FACE)..... :P

Fresh out of the oven..

Drying process...

He taught us to do three types of fillings.. chocolate ganache, coffee buttercream, vanilla buttercream and also salted caramel.

Explaining a couple of things bef we got to do our own macarons.. we got to whip the egg white.. we got to do the macaronage ... we got to pipe em and we got to bake em ourselves...