The Biggest Story of November
I’m not going to lie, there were some respectable adventures to report on in the month of November. We’re talking classic nuggets for the loyal readers of the RC blog – sweaty Turkish baths, lavish ancient harems, rich champagne truffles, sky-high city views, and yes, even succulent pumpkin pie. And we certainly will get to that…all in good time.
But first the biggest story of November came at the beginning of the month – and I’m pretty sure that wherever you were in the world, it was a story that we all shared. Regardless of which side you were rooting for, regardless if you were softly cheering or ‘dialing for dollars’ – Election 2008 was a pretty big deal. And even though there is a decent size body of water between Rue Cassette and the east coast of the US, we didn’t feel any less part of the action…just a whole lot sleepier by the time the verdict arrived.
Now, there are parts of the world where one may think twice prior to wearing a politically-motivated piece of clothing to work on the day of a major election. As long as we’re talking about Obama, Paris is not one of those places. So Shannon, who has been quite possibly the biggest political blog junkie on this continent for the last year, was joined by her co-worker Rukiya Cochu (pictured below) to bring the message of change to International School of Paris. I did the same at Microsoft’s Western Europe HQ. It’s a darn good thing that no-one in either of those places are in Joe the Plumber’s income bracket….
And now to address a couple expected questions on this topic…
(1) Did France care much about the election? Yes, profoundly. It’s all that people were talking about. See below cover of the newsstand billboard as an example.
(2) How do you say President Obama in French? Sorry to disappoint – but it is simply Président Obama (pronounced pray-zee-dahnt oh-bah-mah)
(3) Will we continue to carry on with politically-themed pictures and stories on le blog? Not likely. Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you currently live internationally, you probably understand why this was necessary!
A Little November Turkish Delight
Every sixth grade world geography student has a vision of Constantinople – the connection between Europe and Asia; the stunning capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, once ruled by powerful sultans sporting limitless riches and an equal number of girlfriends. Well, maybe not every geography student – but more the ones like Shannon, who were paying attention. The ones like me were found landing at Istanbul airport 15 years later, and getting these factual tidbits not from the concrete memories of middle school – but instead from our good friend Rick Steves.
Soon enough, we discovered that this historic, sprawling city of controlled chaos would have many more little "Turkish Delights" than just ancient history to share with us. And what Istanbul shares with us…we share with YOU. Well, not everything. That whole steamy Turkish bath promise that I gave above, while definitely experienced in its full splendor, will not be shared visually for two reasons: 1) our November complexions, known very well to those of you in Seattle and 2) the fact that our bath’s man-attendant named Gokmen didn’t give me the impression that he was into the concept of playing photographer for the day. He was, however, definitely into the concept of filling up urns with cold water, tossing them onto us without warning, and laughing pretty loudly. All of those good times await you in Turkey!
So what delights are there to be experienced in Istanbul? We are prepared to summarize several "TDs" (Turkish Delights, not Touchdowns) in this blog section. Starting with TD #1: Call to Prayer. What they don’t tell you about the hundreds of highly visible Muslim mosques sprinkled all over Istanbul, is that each of the pointy pillars are packin’ high-powered loudspeakers to announce the religious call to prayer, coordinated many times a day. When you happen to be at a high point in the city, you can not only see, but hear this chant coming from all directions (for the first-timers, this may sounds like a confusing city-wide alert to man your battle stations). The sound hits from all angles – left, right, up, down, and serves as a remarkable reminder that we’re not in Kansas anymore…
Our TD#2 isn’t exactly a hidden gem, but falls squarely in the "exceeds expectations" category: Hagia Sophia, the great church of Constantinople. Built in A.D. 537, this mammoth of a creation has been called the greatest house of worship in the Christian and Muslim worlds. After deep reflection, I call it…."cool."
Inside H.S. (tempting to abbreviate "the Hag", but not recommended) – the size of the structure, and brilliance of natural lighting puts visitors in awe. It should be noted that Notre Dame could be fit inside it’s main dome – and though I’m no expert, my perspective is that this work has brilliance that minimally rivals the late Seattle Kingdome. See if you agree…
You see, what the Kingdome lacked was fancy touches like Byzantine mosaics…
Not to mention interactive entertainment. For example, the column of Saint Gregory aka the "perspiring column." For centuries people believed that this column “wept” holy water. All you had to do to get some perspiration was to put your thumb in this hole and make a complete 360 degree circle. Creepy but it worked for Shannon and I both, who left Istanbul just a little sweatier than we expected. As you can see, the metal surrounding the hole has been polished by millions of hands over the years…
I’m going to take a major, probably slightly offensive liberty by calling TD #3 All the Other Mosques. There are some truly impressive ones, different than H.S. in many ways (think carpeted, for example) – but in my humble opinion you will always be most emotionally attached to the mosque that perspired on you first. Here we are approaching another biggie, the Blue Mosque:
Getting closer…it’s important for people to realize that these are active places of worship, and are closed to tourists during designated prayer times. Apparently the phrase "Do you know who I am?" doesn’t really help this matter either, so best approach is to sit outside and appreciate the exterior…
Inside the Blue Mosque (again, common sense will tell you that the nickname of B.M. is not optimal)…Let’s try "Big Blue" instead…
Big Blue has lots of competitive advantages against neighboring H.S. In addition to the carpet, it has thousands of candles mounted on central chandeliers, not to mention, what gave it its name – friendly pastel blue colored tiles.
In the Other category, we find the "New Mosque" from a view in Eminönü Square. I’m getting an indication from the flags that we were definitely in Turkey… TD #4 was a sight that gives you a perspective on how ancient this place really is. The Underground Cistern., a subterranean water reservoir built in the 6th century A.D – is dark, damp, and perfect for a Turkish date. Unfortunately they are not offering Italian-style boat rides…yet.
You just can’t leave Istanbul without getting into TD#5 - its world-famous markets. Starting with the Grand Bazaar, the oldest shopping mall on the planet. And the only one without a Foot Locker. My approach for avoiding eye contact with the series of vendors that were ‘more than outgoing’? Sunglasses…
Since these stores have been around for generations, I’m assuming the youngest sibling always gets the job of untangling the lamps..
Now for a slightly predictable TD#6 – You guessed it, Turkish Delights! These little tasty confections had me at "hello" (specifically, at the reception desk upon check-in to our hotel). Now – not all Turkish Delights ("Lokum") are created equal given the variety of flavors and "innovations". Much like Sushi, it’s best to start with a safe play and work your way up to the more exotic varieties. Rue Cassette strongly recommends Hazar Baba brand, Double-Pistachio Rich flavor. These can be found in…Turkey. And apparently, Ludgate Farms Gourmet Country Market in Ithaca, NY. If you bring some to me, I will then serve them to you in my silver TD-keeping sultan’s bowl (50% holding fee required)…
The markets are world-class, but a tad on the crowded side. Keep you Hazar Babas close to your hip at all times…
The markets feature all sorts of products, from gold to antiques, clothing to…spices. This 17th century Spice Market offers pretty much any spice around. Unlike Turkish Delights, I failed to gain the art of spice negotiating, since my internal vocabulary of spices pretty much stops after "salt and pepper." At least they were good to smell…
TD #7 was one of the trip highlights, and a must-do for your next visit – a 360 degree city view from…ah I remember, restaurant 360. If you are able to snag the right table, the view of the whole city is exactly as promised…
No better place in the city to relax and enjoy the view (and the bar snacks) while you plot your next TD….
Istanbul isn’t the largest city in the world, but it certainly can compete in the chaos department. To see evidence of this, take a stroll on the İstiklal Caddesi – the jam-packed pedestrian main drag on the new side of the city…
Or not so far from there, go for a meal on the lively Nevizade street – where tables are packed in serving up a variety of Mezze starters & mixed-grill Kebabs (clearly our TD#8), and plenty of licorice-flavored alcohol called Raki. Here is Shannon giving her best Raki-face…
If you think your high school was nice, you should compare the size of its front door to this shimming beauty: Galatasaray High School, located in the very center of the new city. On behalf of my french teacher Denis (more on him to come later in le blog), here I am paying special respects to the school his father attended, but struggling to find the top…
And speaking of old school days, nothing like another Rue Cassette small-world moment than randomly running into a middle-school classmate in the center of Istanbul…not once, but twice! Here you find myself and Joel Miller – a friend, fellow Seattle Public Schools classmate, soccer teammate, and more than anything, a beloved Seattlelite. Joel was cruising around various parts of Eastern Europe with his company specializing in ‘active travel’ (sounding much cooler than my job, and yours too). So we decided to tour the TD#9 together – the Topkapi Palace. Again, not exactly a hidden secret – but plenty of decor and enough crown jewels for a respectable preview of the sultan lifestyle.
And do yourself a favor, pay the extra entrance fee – and opt-in for our TD#10, the sultan’s harem. The guide books will tell you lots of mumbo-jumbo about how the sultan having thousands of woman around him was legitimate, formal, sacred, etc. But let’s be honest, walk around these quarters…and your mind is going to tell you that this operation is anything but sacred. Cascading pools, couches that seat more than a hundred ladies…interesting? Yes. Sacred? No. And my harem of one is there to back me up on that…
Getting Into the Holiday Spirit – The London Perspective Here is Shannon, ready for our whirlwind weekend in London (that’s Green Park in the background)… A good part of getting in the Christmas spirit is seeing good friends. Shannon and I were joined for dinner by Nicola Williams, who was my classmate in 7th grade at Munich International School – but more importantly, an incredibly kind and knowledgeable Londoner! Here we are at a fantastic spot called The Ebury in Chelsea… Since we were about 24 hours premature to get the full splendor of the Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square, we gathered Christmas inspiration from shopping streets in Knightsbridge, Sloane Square, Covent Garden, and Picadilly. One of the classiest establishments in the business, Fortnum & Mason, was a stunning example of a store that was ready for holiday action… Inside Fortnum & Mason, there were almost as many decorated Christmas Trees as shoppers. And while that was expected, a full display of none other than Turkish Delights was not! Unfortunately, as they were not Hazar Baba brand – Double-Rich pistachio flavor, I could not stomach them. The Rue Cassette recommendation is therefore to go with what Fortnum & Mason does best – decadent Champagne Truffles. If you bring these puppies to me, you will not get to use my silver TD-serving sultan’s bowl…but you may get some vintage tawny port to go with them (who said I couldn’t contribute to a partnership?)…. Was Christmas all around London? Well, we could tell minimally it was above us – featuring 100 foot-long hanging stars from Oxford Street… And the spirit was certainly found in the pubs as well – with a well-advertised addition to the draught beer menu: Hot Mulled Wine (not pictured, but definitely consumed). If anyone can tell me the difference between UK’s Mulled Wine, Germany’s Gluhwein, and France’s Vin Chaud – I will feature you and your answer on the next December blog. In any case, Shannon seems to like it… All-in-all, a good pre-season boost, even despite the 35 degrees (F) and raining weather. Thank goodness for the Tube, zipping us around the city while keeping us dry… And thank goodness there was still more time to get in the holiday spirit by returning to Paris – what I consider still the undisputed champion of holiday cheer! Rue Cassette’s #1 Fan Extends Lead; Eats Turkey Upon your fifth visit you are no longer cautiously exploring, but instead you are refining tradition. And that is exactly what we did, because Thanksgiving is about family – and after last year’s visit during the same holiday, Anne had a couple of traditions to uphold. For example, using the real Thanksgiving holiday for a sufficiently swankified meal out on the town. Here are the ladies about to enter the right-bank fixture Willi’s Wine Bar… Followed by overly over-the-top bar atmospheres…. And of course, a properly home-cooked Thanksgiving meal at RC (served on the weekend due to the whole non-declaration of Thanksgiving as a national holiday in France. What gives?). The three of us were joined by three additional special guests – all of whom were great testers due to their lack of experience with Thanksgiving meals. Michelle and Xavier Métail (next to Anne) are Australian and French respectively – and dared to return to Rue Cassette after the "Great Fondue Explosion of 2007", and Denis Hil (next to Shannon) is my friend and French teacher, who dared to sign up for the amount of food and wine that we were going to require him to ingest. As mentioned briefly above, Denis’ father is Turkish (his sister still lives there), and therefore we had quite a bit of local insight on Istanbul prior to the journey. We also may have a steady connection into the fast-paced TD trade for the future, if we play our cards right… Okay so not everything is tradition refinement on the 5th visit to Rue Cassette. Sometimes the fundamentals slip through the cracks on visits 1-4, and you have to do a little backtracking to achieve basic coverage of Paris monuments. Sometimes you are living in Paris for let’s say…1 or 2 years, and you don’t cover the said basic monuments. Such was the case when the three of us woke up on a sunny Saturday morning, and decided to summit the Eiffel Tower. Here Anne and I are found debating the merits of elevator vs. stairs, both good options in reaching the top of Eify… Here Shannon and I are found debating the merits of elevator vs. stairs, both good options in reaching the top of Eify (if making a decision is difficult for two, you wouldn’t believe what it takes for the three of us) … And here we have what seems fun to some, is brutally painful for others. Those specks of dust on the right hand side of the picture? Those are people… But for all my whimpering, this climb was exceptionally timed. A clear day approaching sunset! Looking Northwest, you can see La Défense (including my office building if you squint your eyes hard enough) over the fountain and arches of Trocadero… And while you are still squinting – immediately to the right of the gold dome of Les Invalides, you will see two two pillars of Saint Sulpice (home!)…. The Three Inhabitants of Rue Cassette. (Well, technically Two Permanent + One Platinum Guest…) Now – what on earth is better for getting into the Christmas mood, then riding a magical, holiday carrousel? Okay, maybe listening to the special version of "Oh Holy Night" by N’Sync (a timeless classic)…but other than that, you have to agree, this thing looks pretty cool… And while I envisioned having to bring my own umbrella and hot chocolate to keep out the rain and chill, these new carousels have all the gadgets. Water-tight, heaters, music, the whole nine yards. In fact, the closest Shannon may ever get to an alpine gondola ride… LOVING IT… The near the top of the carrousel loop, you get a fantastically clear view of the Champs Elysées with its innovative "raindrop" twinkle lights, now in play for the second year in a row… Perhaps another tradition has been formed? Talk about tradition refinement – 1664s, kirs, peanuts and olives at Cafe du Metro is about as refined as it gets! Anne – your table at Metro will be waiting for you when you arrive for #6… Wrapping it Up But nothing is growing compared to our love for the holiday Season…so we’ll start attending parties, seeing family, and perhaps even creating some December adventures to fill up next month’s version of le blog. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays…and we’ll see you then!
I made a bold proclamation (as I tend to do on le blog) in last year’s December entry, that "no single city on earth lets you know it’s Christmas time like Paris". Well once in a while, I tend to say things before I really have done my homework. So, Shannon and I took a late November weekend in London to achieve that same level of emotional Christmas spirit preparation, this time from the other side of the Chunnel. The ultimate goal, was to feel the way that the soundtrack of motion picture Love Actually prescribes- that "Christmas is All Around"…
If you are trying to catch up with her number of visits to Paris, I suggest you take the advice of a New Yorker and "Fuggettaboutit"…. Because Anne (aka my sister-in-law, Beauvert) has just successfully completed her 5th visit to Rue Cassette! Shocking. Exceptional. And to use her own words, "Maybe the best yet"…
Before we say goodbye, it is important to call out an important November birthday milestone. Our little chunk of a cat Ole has now reached seven years strong. His veterinarian tells us that, at this age, soon he will become full adult weight. Funny – we’re thinking he is still growing….
Doing TURKEY in NOVEMBER…Brilliant!