France Series - Côte d'Azur: Top Cinq

No.4 Antibes
The first time we went to the Côte d'Azur we stayed one week in Antibes. They have great markets, restaurants and shops. And if you have the time, swing by the Musee Picasso and the Absinthe Bar.

Cheers,
Charysse

France Series - Côte d'Azur: Top Cinq

No.3 The Beaches
The Côte d'Azur definitely has a wide selection of beaches. From white sand and turquoise water to red rocks and emerald green waters - they each have a unique feel. The red rock beach we went to, there was so much salt in the water it lifted you up making it even more easy to relax. Then if you felt like a little adventure, climb one of the rocks and jump off (bottom photo).

Cheers,
Charysse

France Series - Côte d'Azur: Top Cinq

No.2 Beach Chairs in Juan-les-Pins
Renting beach chairs on the French Riviera can be expensive, and sometimes over rated. But if you find a gem, be prepared to feel like a million dollars. I'm not sure if it's the being served champagne in my chair or having lunch with white table cloths while your feet are digging into the sand - but there is definitely something special here. The whole time, I felt like I could have spotted a young Cary Grant pull up in a boat in little shorts - that would have been the icing on the cake - but hey, we can't have it all.

Cheers,
Charysse

France Series - Côte d'Azur: Top Cinq

No.1 Château Beaupré Deleuze
In a small town in Provence lays one of the most unique Château's. I had the pleasure of staying at the Château Beaupré Deleuze in Saint Laurent des Arbres for two nights. It works as a B&B - but if there are more than two of you, you might consider renting one of the cottages which is what we did. Drinking pastis while playing a game of boule is perfection.  It was romantic and picturesque.

All guests receive breakfast in the parlor room, but since no one else was staying there, the Château was ours for the taking.

Cheers,

Charysse

France Series - Paris: Top Cinq

No. 5 The Food
I've heard mixed reviews about food in Paris. But lets be honest. Every single city in the world is going to have some bad, some good and some fabulous restaurants. Thankfully I've only experienced the latter in Paris. In Vancouver, we are definitely spoiled when it comes to around the world flavours. But when in Paris, eat French. From croque-madame to roast chicken - C'est Magnifique!

Cheers,
Charysse

France Series - Paris: Top Cinq

No. 4 Flea Markets
Flea Markets are such a treat and you never know what you'll find. I love getting little things for my house that remind me of where I've travelled. The flea markets are a great place to do this. Practicing your french with these ones can be a lot of fun and not intimidating. There are many flea markets throughout Paris, but knowing where and when can be a little tricky. For detailed information, there is a book called Exploring the Flea Markets of France by Sandy Price. Most likely you'll need to jump on the Metro. It's easy and you can go early, sit have a croissant to fuel up, and shop!

PORTE DE VANVES
Time and Day: Saturday and Sunday
No. of Vendors: 200
Metro Line: 13
Stop: St-Denis-Basilique
Exit: Porte de Vanves


Cheers,
Charysse

France Series - Paris: Top Cinq

No. 3 Jardin du Luxembourg 
I thought the Jardin du Luxembourg would be just a regular park. Nothing special. But it was something special. Palm trees and a pond with miniature sailboats being floated around by children. Perfection. The Fontaine de Medicis is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Ducks and fish occupy the fountain which was built in 1630. Leaves falling from the trees above make for the perfect spot to stop and slow down (with a bottle of wine that is). There is a lot of depth to this park, and I never thought visiting a park could be what Jardin du Luxembourg is.

Cheers,
Charysse

France Series - Paris: Top Cinq

No. 2 Galeries Lafayette
Galeries Lafayette has two things going for it. First: The view from the top floor and Second: the goods. Even if you can't afford a single thing, the floors and floors of beautiful clothes, home-ware and shoes is uh-mazing!) Then finish it off on the rooftop with a espresso or tea and macaron looking over Paris and enjoy! I sure did.

Cheers,
Charysse

France Series - Paris: Top Cinq

No. 1 Île Saint-Louis
Île Saint-Louis is one of the two islands in Paris. There are a couple reasons why I absolutely love this this place. First of all, La Maison Berthillon. Literally the best ice-cream I have ever had. They have flavours like: Apricot, Rhubarb and Salted Caramel. And let's be honest, it's pretty darn cute to get an ice-cream in Paris. Second. I want to recap the last day I was in Paris on Île Saint-Louis in May. It was overcast with a perfect breeze. We just got our ice-cream from La Maison Berthillon and decided to walk to the water and look at Notre Dame from across the way. As we were sitting on the steps by the Seine, La Vie en Rose started playing nearby on an accordion. I'm actually not joking. This type of stuff actually happens in Paris! As cheesy as it is, I can't help but shed a tear. 

Cheers,
Charysse 

France Series - Paris: Ladurée VS. Pierre Hermé

Our Mission: Visit, in the same day, two famous Macaron houses and put this ongoing rivalry to an end in the Jardin des Tuileries with a bottle of rosé. 

In Ladurée you get a traditional vibe. The women stand in a line with matching white aprons. There are ornate chandeliers above, and a basic selection of flavours of macarons and treats. If you're looking for a traditional uber girly experience - I believe Ladurée is for you.

When I arrived, it was extremely busy, and found it pretty stressful to order. I couldn't take time to choose carefully (which I believe is half the fun.) Hopefully if you go, it won't be as busy.

Flavours: Raspberry, Pistachio, Chocolate, Vanilla, Orange Blossom, Black-current Violet, Rose, Coffee, Madagascar Chocolate, Lemon, Licorice, Caramel with Salted Butter. (There are seasonal flavours as well depending on the time of year you go.)

In Pierre Hermé, it's quite the opposite. It's definitely more contemporary and less traditional in style. The flavours do branch out a bit more and are much more exciting. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxing. This allowed me to take my time looking over everything. I was delighted.

Flavours: Lemon, Apricot and Pistachio, Pistachio, Coffee, Milk Chocolate and Passion Fruit, Pure Origin Venezuela Porcelana Dark Chocolate, Matcha Green tea with Azuki Red Bean and Lime and Ginger, Quince and Rose,Rose and Rose Petals, Olive Oil and Vanilla, Creme Brulee, Fresh Mint and Sweet Peas, Licorice and Violet, Green Asparagus and Hazelnut Oil, Salted Butter Caramel.

Conclusion

It just comes down what you're looking for. If you want a traditional experience with a traditional macaron, Ladurée is your place. If you're looking for the 'new' Paris,  I would say Pierre Hermé. For flavour I prefer Pierre Hermé (the debate continues) - but in saying that, the Ladurée ones were delicious. I really can't complain - nothing tastes bad when you're in Paris. Am I right, or am I right?

Salut,

Charysse

L'affiche Infâme de Perrier

The year was 2009. Just landed in Paris early on a Sunday morning. My husband and I were pretty tired, but thought we should get out of our little Parisian apartment and try staying awake on the red bus. I literally nodded in and out of sleep while seeing the Arc de Triomphe, Tour de Eiffel, Notre Dame...then I saw it. I woke up just in time to see to the right of me a 12 x 18 inch poster of a green perrier bottle. I said to my husband "I must have that poster."

Not only do I have a serious addiction to Perrier, but also because I am a graphic designer I very much so have a love for print ads and layouts. Everything about it was me. But little did we know how hard it would be to find. We walked up and down the bank of the Seine - stopped at every kiosk selling posters, books, postcards. Not one had the exact one I saw. Until the third day when I almost gave up. Every poster I had seen up to that point was around 3 - 10 Euros. The man informed me it was 65 Euros. This poster turned out to be an original print from 1932. Of course the one I spotted for 5 seconds off the bus had to be from 1932. My heart sank as it was the beginning of a three week trip, and I could not bare to drop that much money so early on. So being a good wife after three days of searching for this thing - I put it back. I picked up three prints for 11 Euros and that was that.

When I got back from that trip I realized that I had made a huge mistake. Since then that stupid poster has haunted me.

Which brings me to now. In less than three days I am going back to Paris. It is my mission to get that poster at any cost.

Fingers crossed my friends!

Salut!
Charysse

You 2 Are Just Like...

I was out shopping for an anniversary card for close friends of mine, and everything I came across was so bad it made me want to stick a pencil in my eye. I decided to go with a safe choice - a card with two owls in love. Awww. I left frustrated because 90% of the cards to choose from were birthday cards and the other 10% were just no fun. So I thought I'd attempt a card that you could get your favourite couple in love. Whether they are baby boomers, rockers or romantics - I hope you find one to suit that special couple that you love to hate.

Dimentions: 5.5 x 4.25 inches

Cardstock: 110lb Matte 

For the Baby Boomers in your life:

For the Hardcore Rockstars in your life: 

For the Romantics in your life:

Hopefully my online store will be up early 2012. 

I'd love to get some feedback, so please comment on what you like or didn't like. I'm still in the tweaking process.

Cheers,

Charysse

Event Series: In Conclusion

 

So I hope everyone has learned a couple tips by the Event Series! I know the more parties and dinners I throw, the more I learn. It's an ongoing process. I haven't showcased all the parties I've thrown (as I'm sure you have noticed from the photos above) but I just wanted to recap and add some things that I didn't get to share in the series.

Playlist: Building the perfect playlist is like a science. Even though I love the Genius feature on my iTunes, I really don't think it's appropriate on special occasions. No one wants to listen to the same type of music for hours on end. The key to a great playlist is to start off on the generic upbeat side and build the energy up as time goes on with a variety of genres. Also, think of who you are having. Don't just play what you want to hear or just what you think your guests may want to hear. People need to branch out, and its a great source for conversation.

Rentals: If you haven't noticed already, I put a strong emphasis on rentals. All you need to do, is bite the bullet and do it once. You will then realize it's not that big of a deal. If the rental place you are dealing with doesn't have exactly what you are looking for, go to another place. Some rental businesses are focused more on plates and generic things, while others are more focused on specialty items. I use about two different rental places all the time. They all have showrooms and online catalogues. Remember, by renting, you don't need to clean the dishes or glassware. This reduces both stress and cleanup time. Well worth the money.

Tents: In my opinion, tents are worth every penny. Especially if it's an outdoor summer party (pictured above). If it's too hot, it will shield you from the heat, and if it's raining - well you have shelter. Either way you are covered. No plan B needed.

Photos: After the setup, and before company arrives, enjoy the fruits of your labour and take some sexy snap shots. If you think you won't be up for it, get a friend to come early and do it for you.

Keeping your Cool: When the night is done, we want people remembering what a fun time they had - not how stressed the host looked. Your disposition sets the tone for the night. If there was a big mishap in the kitchen, don't lead on. With that in mind, the key ingredient to not being stressed out is the next point;

Keeping it Simple: I've touched on this a bit, but we need to remember to keep things simple. Even if you just made the most decadent meal, but you were stressed out the whole time - um...well how do I put this...the night will suck. Everyone won't remember that perfectly seared tuna, they will remember you being stressed to the max. In contrast, if you make things that can be mostly prepared before hand, it will free up your time and relax everyone. I enjoy eating in courses. That way I can just beetle on into the kichen for a couple mintues and assemble the next course. Preparation is key.

Thinking Outside of the Box When Planning: There is nothing wrong with thinking traditionally. Tradition is great! But once and while promise me you will try something new and different. Get inspiration from movies, magazines or other sources and bounce ideas off of your friends. Lots can happen in those brainstorming sessions. My sister-in-law just threw a dinner party, and she put soup in a tea pot which was poured into vintage tea cups. In a anniversary party I threw a couple years back, we put chandeliers in the trees and brought throw rugs out onto the grass (pictured above). There are so many ways to make your party stand alone.

The Focus: Bottom line. What is the point off these functions? FUN. Good ol' fashion fun. If getting together isn't fun. Then really, what's the point?

Cheers,
Charysse

Event Series IVb: The Romantic Pirate Sailboat and Dinner

...Continued from previous post (April 4, 2011).

Since there was a pirate undertone to the whole day, we thought rum should be included. To start the night, we decided a mojito would make a perfect apéritif, and for a nightcap, chocolate rum cake with skull and crossbones.

Description: An anniversary celebration rooftop dinner party.

People: 8

Rentals: Louis ghost chairs x 8, Wine glasses x 8, Champagne coupe glasses x 8, Salad/side/dinner plates x 8, Rectangle table with linen, Silver candelabras x 2, Chrome guard posts x 6.

Menu: Tuna tar tar, Caesar salad, Lasagna, Chocolate rum cake.

Drinks: Mojito's, Champagne, Red wine.

Playlist: Marvin Gaye, New Order,The Flamingo's, Van Morrison, David Bowie, Blondie, Al Green, Sondre Lerche, The Smiths, The Kinks, Thievery Corporation, Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Cure, and many more.

The whole night was to revolve around eating at the dinner table. We needed to make the dinner simple, as we had been on a boat all day and had to run up and down stairs to get to the rooftop. So how do you make a simple dinner last all night? The answer is courses. We had three, plus dessert, which meant each couple was in charge of making a course and serving it. We had so much fun and were so relaxed, that we were dancing between courses.

Let's talk decor. As I was setting up, a man from a building across the way yelled over to me, and told me how beautiful everything was - but what was with the wooden sailboat centre piece? I laughed out loud, because for onlookers that might seem like an odd choice. I told him we were on a sailboat earlier that day. He seemed satisfied with that answer.

Another decor piece that I had to get my hands on, was lace. I was lucky enough to find some vintage lace off Craigslist. It was beautiful. It helped give it a 1800's feel. The only thing missing was Captain Hook. A classy well behaved Captain Hook.

In the last post, I mentioned how we secretly took oyster shells that we shucked from the boat, for a later use. The purpose of doing this was to use two for each place setting, on top of the napkins (pictured below). It gave the day continuity.

Since we were on a rooftop, there was no lighting, which meant it would get pitch black. We needed a good lighting system: Candelabras. They actually give off a lot of light.  How beautiful it was to see the wax dripping down the sides. (Some people use fake burning candles. No mess, no fuss, but unfortunately no ambiance. They should be illegal. If you can't have wax candles, figure out a different solution.) Now, because it was going to be dark, we thought it would be smart to set up guard posts so no one would get lost and fall off. So we rented 6 chrome posts, and wove nautical looking rope through it.

The final thing I want to discuss is name cards. This actually deserves a whole blog post on itself. Because the special couple are not just your average Joe's, I wanted to spice it up with name cards. I gave all our friends pirate middle names. My card said "Charysse 'Walk the Plank' Carlson" (pictured below). Some other middle names we had were Treasure Chest, Peg Leg, Cannonballs and Yarrr! Each person also had a different picture - all with the same feel.

All in all, it was the least stressful dinner I have ever put together. Everything was delicious and relaxing. All night, the neighbours were taking pictures of us - and well, we all felt pretty darn special.  What a night.

I remember so clearly my girlfriend saying to me how that whole day was so romantic between friends. And she was right. Just call us The Romantics.

Yaarrrr!

Charysse

Event Series IVa: The Romantic Pirate Sailboat and Dinner

Since this anniversary day was a full day event, done in two parts, I will do the blog in two parts. We will start with the sailing. The second posting will be about the dinner that followed.

Description: An anniversary celebration on a sailboat.

People: 8 and a Captain!

Menu: Different variety of oysters, freshly grated horseradish, two different types of tabasco, lemon wedges.

Drinks: Fiji water, white wine, beer.

Playlist: Beach Boys, Marilyn Monroe, James Brown, Henry Mancini, Bob Marley, The Faces, Sublime, Weezer, The Killers, and many more.

The special couple knew we had something planned, but had no idea what we were doing. At 9am we dropped a little treasure chest out front of their door. It had instructions on what to bring and wear, and all things pirate: eyepatch, rope etc.

We met at the Marina, in all our navy's and whites, and as they arrived we played our summer song Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. The boat we rented was a 50 foot wooden sailboat. The weather was perfect. We started in Coal Harbor (Vancouver, BC) and headed towards Jericho Beach. On our way, the boys helped sail as the girls helped with drinking the wine. Then came out the fresh oysters (pictured above). The boys shucked them and we all enjoyed a leisurely snack. (Secretly I took 16 oyster shells in a ziploc bag for later - the purpose will be revealed in the next posting). Once we anchored at Jericho, we jumped off the boat, swan dives and all. Soon enough it was time to head back.

I have never been on a sailboat previous to this, but this was something I enjoyed immensely. I bought a pair of white canvas boat shoes (pictured above) and now I understand the purpose of them. They aren't just a fashion statement, but they certainly make one.

Our Captain, Captain Evan, was a pleasant surprise. He was the perfect host, and had so many wonderful stories to share.

I honestly thought things couldn't get better than that. We said our goodbyes and dropped the happy couple off to have a nap and get glammed up for the dinner that was to follow.

To be continued...

Cheers,
Charysse