Cows, cheese, chocolates, all things good!

Once again the Salon International de l’Agriculture is rolling into Paris. The 54th salon takes place from February 25-March 5 at the Parc des Expositions de la Porte de Versailles. This isn't just a massive showcase of France's prized livestock and its world-renowned agriculture, the salon is an opportunity to eat and drink your way around this food-obsessed nation.  Each region sets up in the food hall with stands and tastings galore. And, you'll find kids games, educational activities, chef's classes, cow beauty pageants, wine and beer tastings and more. If you're in Paris, this is a delicious way to experience the rich agricultural traditions and even richer array of products.  Great for gifts, great for you!

Gorgeous textiles for your home and you from Istanbul

Tulu Textiles is one of my favorite shops in Istanbul.  The multi-level small building is packed with beautiful textiles for the home and for wearing (beautiful scarves, bags) and the upper floors have magnificent rugs, kilims and other textiles from Turkey and around Central Asia.  Tulu designs cottons and linens with contemporary designs that have their inspiration in traditional Ottoman patterns.  They are lovely and unusual.  Tulu now offers online ordering in the US, so, if you aren't going to Istanbul any time soon you can still treat yourself to these lovely products.  Check them out.

  www.tulutextiles.com
        info@tulutextiles.com
        binbirdirek mah. peykane sk.
        no:38 ersoy han kat:3 d:7 sultanahmet 34122
        istanbul- turkey
        90.212.518.8710

More fabulous chocolate... and cakes in the Marais

The 'haut' Marais (upper Marais) just keeps getting better.  While you browse the alluring shops along rue Charlot and surrounding streets, be sure to indulge your sweets-loving-self at a new chocolates and patisserie shop,  Chocolats Matthieu Bijou.

Matthieu is a fine chocolates maker with a good selection of irresistible chocolate confections.  He also makes 'sweets for children' including beautiful fruit guimauves (marshmallows) and yummy paté de fruits.  Also known for exquisite lemon cakes and other small cakes, this shop at 28 rue Charlot is worth a detour, or a beeline to go right there!

Open Tuesday through Sundays.

Icons of Modern Art at the Vuitton Museum

The Gehry-designed Louis Vuitton museum is hosting a remarkable show of 130 masterpieces from the Shchukin Collection in Russia.  Collaborating with the Hermitage and the Pushkin museums, and celebrating a year of Franco-Russian collaborations, this show is packed with works rarely seen outside of Russia.  This is an important show and one that won't be replicated any time soon.  So go!

Through February 20.  Works by artists including Monet, Matisse, Picasso, Derain, Rousseau, Cezane, Sisley, Gaugin and numerous other noted artists are included.  The Vuitton museum is located in the Bois de Boulogne on the west side of Paris.  The museum is a work of art in itself.

Black Sea Cusine and Culture in Istanbul

I am an advocate for exploring the communities on the Asian side of the Bosphorus in Istanbul... Kadikoy, Uskudar, Beyerbeli , Kuzguncuk and more.   Culinary Backstreets, that estimable collection of culinary bloggers obsessed with authentic food and dining experiences (to all of our beneftis) has just written up a cultural center and restaurant in Uskudar that highlighting the Black Sea area and its distinctive culture and cuisine (and Butter!!).  Here is the link.

If you are in Istanbul and want to go, best bet is to take the Marmaray or the ferry over to Uskudar and then take a taxi to this wonderful sounding place.  Unless you are fluent in Turkish and can figure out the local buses, a taxi is probably the best and would not be terribly expensive at all.

Read and enjoy!  http://culinarybackstreets.com/cities-category/istanbul/2016/trabzon-kultur-dernegi/

Dine like a French King and Queen at ORE, new at Versailles

Famed chef Alain Ducasse created a dinner in honor of Princess Diana and former French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing in 1994 and since then he has been on a mission to tell the history of the Château de Versailles via the table.

Set in a space overlooking a magnificent courtyard this is Ducasse’s riff on a chic gastronomic café by day (estimate 35 E plus drinks per person.) At night, the space is booked for  private“dîners d’exception” when guests can dine like a King (from the kingly starting sum of 500€).  So if you have a group of gourmands with a budget, this is an unforgettable option.
Ducasse and Executive chef Stéphane Duchiron delved into Versailles’ archives and, inspired by the past and the bounty of today, created dishes such as hot and cold starters, amuse bouches such as snail croquettes, foie gras cromesquis, beignets of frogs legs,  main courses such as sole with shrimp, turbot au champagne and quail pâte en croute – followed by regional cheeses and a multitude of incredible desserts including, Les Délices de Marie-Antoinette, seasonal soufflés and Ducasse's famous baba au rhum.
There’s also authentic Croque Monsieur de jambon de Paris et Comté (14€) or roast chicken sandwiches with courgette, aubergine and basil – paired with a glass of Cider or a bottle of Champagne BRUT Alain Ducasse available at any time of day for a royal snack.
Château de Versailles, Pavillon Dufour, Place d’Armes, 78000, Versailles. Tel: 01 30 84 12 97

New cafe in Kadikoy. Tea and Ferries...

Late September in Istanbul was eerily tourist-free.  You can walk up to the Hagia Sophia or Topkapi Palace and get in with short waits.  You don't hear European or American accents in the streets of the Old City or other major tourist venues.  Too bad this... Istanbul is arguably no more dangerous than any major world capital these days.  And the the lira is so low that a trip is incredibly inexpensive. Hotels are offering nice rooms at great prices.  How about a four star opposite the Hagia Sophia for $47 per night?  In normal times, $175.

One of the delightful finds from my trip was a new café on the top floor of the Kadikoy ferry pier.  The city of Kadikoy has developed this lovely cafe with stunning views over the Bosphorus to the Old City with the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and Blue Mosque on the skyline.  The ferries which go back and forth constantly provide endless visual entertainment.

The cafe is a fabulous place to hang out.  There is no alcohol, but very good tea, coffees and light snacks are served. Glorious at sunset.  A big cup of tea is 2 lira or about 66 cents.  And no one rushes you!

Magic slippers, antique kilims and more

On my flight back from Istanbul I had the good fortune to sit next to Millicent Armstrong, of Artemis Design Co.  Millicent works with high quality artisanal specialists in Turkey to craft gorgeous, one of a kind shoes made from antique kilims.  She also imports kilim bags and some stunning Moroccan rugs made by women in small cooperatives in Morroco.  www.artemisdesignco.com

Check out Millicent's website.  Her products are gorgeous, unique and well worth a look!

Making croissants from scratch with a baker in Paris...

One of my favorite culinary colleagues in Paris is now offering a private croissant making class with a professional boulanger.  Making croissants from scratch is time consuming and requires lots of folding and layering the buttery dough, but, the results are absolutely worth it!

These folks also offer private market walks in various atmospheric markets and talk with you about how Parisians shop and eat.  They offer cooking sessions as well, with all that bounty from the markets.  And, another popular possibility are family baking classes where kids, parents and grandparents can bake Parisian classics like madeleines in a lovely Parisian apartment with a big kitchen.

Email Sally if you would like a referral.  s.peabody@verizon.net

Musée Carnavalet to close for major renovation in October

The beautiful and beloved Carnavalet museum of the history of Paris has started undergoing a major renovation and many galleries are closed at present. In October the Carnavalet is scheduled to close until 2020 for a major renovation of its heating, cooling and lighting systems, along with other efforts to stabilize this Renaissance era mansion and to enhance the visitor experience of the various collections.

The Carnavalet is a major draw in the Marais.  Fortunately the Picasso has re-opened after its renovation and the Cognac Jay are open.  The Center for European Photography, the Jewish Museum remain open, as is the Museum of the 'Chasse' or the Hunt.

And that is just in the Marais.

Andalucia. Taste. Explore.Experience.

Well, its not Turkey or France, but I am planning another intimately sized tour in magical Andalucia next spring.  From April 22 to May 1, starting in romantic Seville and ending in Granada, this is your chance to enjoy the culinary, cultural and architectural treasures of this fabled region of Spain. 

We are partnering once again with our Seville-based Andalucia expert colleague to offer this tour and it will be a terrific experience.  Highlights included visits to food artisans (the best jamon, olive oil, local cheese, vintage sherry wine in Jerez and a fine winemaker in Ronda), a 'fighting bull' farm, the Royal Andalucian Equestrian Stables, and dining ranging from a Sevillan tapas crawl to bodegas and restaurants of note for delicious local cuisine. 

We will, of course, enjoy guided tours of Seville's ancient juderia, the glorious Alcazar and the old city,  spend a day in Cordoba and visit the great mezquita and Medina Al Zahara, and, the Alhambra in Granada.  Flamenco?  Yes, we will have a private performance and chat with an up and coming young flamenco guitarist and enjoy a flamenco performance in an intimate venue in Seville.  And there's more.... a visit to luminous Cadiz, to romantic mountain side Ronda and other 'white towns', a visit to a private palace in Seville.  Lot's of great and unique experiences are guaranteed, on and off the beaten track!

Call 781 391 6183 or email me for a tour flyer and the daily itinerary.  Price is $4,650 double occupancy.  Minimum 8, maximum 12 persons.    s.peabody@verizon.net

Creativity, Inventiveness, Contemporary Art: SALT Istanbul

Salt Beyoglu, #11 Istiklal Cd. is one of my favorite contemporary art venues in Istanbul. This multi-floored building hosts several exhibitions at any one time and is always 'out there' in the most honest, exploratory sense of contemporary art and inventiveness.  There is also a theater which screen films and other media.  Free admission. Make it a point to stop in.   Artistic freedom is increasingly important to pro-actively support in Turkey.

Just about right across the street is one of KOC University's buildings.  There is a small gallery in the rear left side of the ground floor (free admission) that always seems to have a thought provoking photography exhibition exploring Turkey's cultural heritage.  Having this and the edgier SALT so close by is wonderful.

Note that SALT Galata is a second SALT exhibition and research center in Karakoy, closer to the Bosphorus shores.  11 Bankalar Cd.   This SALT, in a restored Ottoman Bank building also has beautiful views over to the old city.

Enter this link in your browser for an interesting article on the SALT galleries.
http://www.theguideistanbul.com/location/salt-beyo%C4%9Flu

Kumkapi. A World of Tastes in Istanbul

One of the many great pleasures of Istanbul is enjoying the vast range of flavors and tastes.  As the city rockets forward many of the atmospheric older neighborhoods are modernizing in ways that aren't all wonderful.  Character is lost, small shops close, food carts disappear, authentic tastes get watered down.  Kumkapi, a densely jumbled quarter in the Old City near the Bosphorus shores is a great little neighborhood to loose yourself in for a few hours. 

Culinary Backstreets www.culinarybackstreets.com just posted an excellent piece on Kumkapi. Check this out, and you might also want to book a foodie walk in Istanbul or buy their app on delicious 'real' places to eat all over Istanbul.

http://culinarybackstreets.com/cities-category/istanbul/2016/kumkapi/

Andalucia. One More Time With Sally & Sam

If you have always wanted to explore the glorious south of Spain, sunny Andalucia, consider a ten day very small group tour with me and my Seville-based colleague, Sam Lister of Tailormade Andalucia, in late April of 2017.  Travelers remain deeply interested in Spain and Andalucia is a top destination with its superb flamenco tradition, delicious food, wine and tapas, exquisite buildings remaining from Spain's Golden Age such as the Alhambra & the great Mezquita in Cordoba.

Andalucia is home to beguiling small cities like Seville, Granada, Cadiz, Jerez de la Frontera (home of Sherry wines), Cordoba, Carmona.... and to beautiful 'white towns' like Ronda.  And the food artisans, wine makers and olive oil producers are non-pareil.  We will be experiencing all of this and more...  the details of the tour will be announced by early July.  Ten people maximum.

Take this opportunity.  It will be a delightful immersion in a wonderfully beguiling part of Spain.

Call or email me if you have any questions please.  781 391 6183 or s.peabody@verizon.net

Greece and the Netherlands

I've spent most of April and early May traveling, personally, not with a small group, in the Netherlands and in Greece.  In the Netherlands I reacquainted myself with Amsterdam and its world-class museums.  I loved the multi-cultural Albert Cuypmarkt market area and its affordable restaurants, including Albina, a Surinamese find.  I agree that the best Appeltarte is served a the convivial Cafe Winkel just off the Nordmarkt square.  We were able to get tickets for the landmark Hieronymous Bosch exhibition in Den Bosch and it was stunning.  Loved Haarlem and the zillions of tulips at the Keukenhof gardens. 

The main purpose of our trip was to explore the Peloponnese penninsula in Greece for 12 days.  This is an area of Greece that seems to be mostly visited by Greeks, other than the occasional tours coming to see Epidaurous or Mycenae, two outstanding ancient sites.  We loved those but also loved ancient Corinth, the 'Cyclopean' walls of Tiryns and various other smaller ancient sites we discovered along the way.  Hill top Mystras is a wonderland of Byzantine Churches (near Sparta) and as you work down to the isolated, rocky Mani penninsula at the very bottom of the Peloponnese the scenery is rugged, wild and absolutely beautiful.  Napflio is a lovely small Renaissance era city with a big harbor and nice nearby beaches. 

Very convivial, pretty town to spend a few days in.  Gytheio, further down the penninsula is a cute small town on the water with multi-coloured buildings and some nice small hotels and good fish restaurants.  Unpretentious and welcoming.  One of the finds of the trip was the Eumelia Farm and Agriturismo where the young owners are endeavoring to build a completely environmentally sustainable farm and also a locavore network of high quality artisanal food producers.  They have olive and fruit trees at Eumelia and the setting, in a plateau of ancient olive trees ringed by mountains, is simply glorious.  Eumelia also hosts yoga retreats and can host small groups so if you want a tranquil get away with superb local uber-fresh food check this place out.

Medieval Monemvasia on the eastern coast of the Peloponnese is a magical walled town set on a huge rock... the Gibraltar of Greece.  Good wineries nearby too.

Then, four days in Athens and four days on lovely, unspoiled Milos in the Cyclades chain of islands. Lots of sun, too much good food and wine.  And many good conversations about Greece's political issues and the European Union.  A great trip all in all.

Coffee and perfect 'Chou' on the Ile St. Louis

La Maison du Chou, a gem of a specialist bakery on the Place du Furstemburg in the 6th has opened a second branch on the Ile de la Cité.  Specializing in chou, or puff pastry 'cream puffs' this beautiful little shop is well worth a stop.  They fill the cream puffs when ordered to assure maximum freshness. The cream is made with fromage blanc, vanilla and other goodies keeping sugar to a minimum and flavor to a maximum.  The shop offers a full range of quality coffees to accompany that delicious pastry.

Perfect for a spring stroll!

La Maison du Chou – Saint Louis
5 Rue Jean du Bellay, 75004 Paris
Metro Pont Marie (line 7) or Cité (line 4)

Ephemeral cooking classes with Alain Ducasse

Bonjour Paris, an excellent free weekly e-news posting about Paris just published a story about several one of a kind and one time only cooking classes at concept shop L'Eclaireur in partnership with Alain Ducasse.  These will surely sell out very quickly.  Here is the link... price is 240 E per class, they are in early April on various dates, and you must call to register.  Attendance is limited.

https://bonjourparis.com/culinary-classes/alain-ducasse-cooking-classes-famed-leclaireur-concept-store/

Trip Advisor Picks Istanbul #2 Destination in the WORLD for 2016

Trip Advisor has released its list of top ten destinations for 2016.  London is #1, Istanbul is #2.  Istanbul's tourism has taken a massive hit from the slow down in tourists from Russia and from the west due to concerns about safety.  While there are never guarantees of safety in our chaotic world, Istanbul is, at present, a city without lines for the major sites and the entire guiding and hospitality industry is more than available to be of help in crafting a magical experience.  Talk with me about guides, activity clusters, foodie walks, cooking classes, shopping and more.

While I would not travel to the southeast and to the cities along the Syrian border now, certainly the Istanbul area, the Aegean coast with its world class archaeological sites, Cappadocia and the Mediterranean coast with its blue cruises and splendid beach towns are all pretty good bets for a terrific vacation in a hospitable country with excellent food to boot!

Watch Turkish Airlines for fare sales.  They offer very competitive rates.  I'm a big fan of their nonstop to Istanbul from Boston.  Just in case you are curious, here are TripAdvisor's top 10.

Top 2016 Travelers' Choice Destinations

1. London

2. Istanbul

3. Marrakech, Morocco

4. Paris

5. Siem Reap, Cambodia

6. Prague, Czech Republic

7. Rome

8. Hanoi, Vietnam

9. New York

10. Ubud, Indonesia

Our hearts go out to the people of Istanbul (and Ankara)

Once again violence has struck innocent civilians in Turkey.  Our hearts go out to the people of Istanbul and Ankara, and to visitors to Turkey, who have been victims of cynical and vile terrorist attacks designed to kill, harm and sow fear and uncertainty. 

Poetry in the Palais Royal

Only in Paris.  Montreal-based sculptor and artist Michel Goulet has taken discarded green iron French park chairs and turned them into poetry-points, gracing the beautiful gardens of the Palais Royal.

Goulet redesigned the classic chairs and made them into 10 love seats. The back of each chair is engraved with a quote or short verse  from a world-famous poet with their name below. And to complete the experience there is a portal to plug your headset into and listen to the poems in their entirety.  Goulet's objective was to make poetry more accessible to the public.

So take a seat and immerse yourself poetry, within a public space that is amongst the most beautiful in Europe.  The image is from David Leibowitz's Eye Prefer Paris newsletter.