See... French Markets

One of the most wonderful things about living in France for the year is the markets!

Because they mostly take place from about eight in the morning till midday or maybe one, I have not been to as many as I would like. Saturdays (and every other day, but especially Saturdays) are days for lying in. With only a few weeks left here though, I plan on being an early riser for the next few Saturdays, at least. 

Yesterday was the start of my Early Morning Saturday Activity endeavour. It went extremely well. I got up at half past six to go to Avignon with my Canadian friends. woooo

On the way though, we had to stop over in Arles. Not complaining! I love Arles. We had about two hours to kill before our train to Avignon so we went to the market. In fact, if you happen to be in Arles on a Saturday morning you can't avoid going to the market, since the whole town transforms itself into MARKET HEAVEN.  

One side of the main street was gastronomically inclined while the other was dedicated to clothes, art, flower and pretty much anything else you can thing of (mop heads, foam, those clips you can get for holding your bra straps together at the back...). 

Here are a few (A LOT) of pictures that I took yesterday and at the market in Aix during the year. 

 There you go, the beautiful markets in Aix en Provence and Arles. Imagine what a yummy dinner you could make with all those fresh, delicious ingredients! Maybe I should have a dinner party at mine on Satuday? Give me a call when ye are on yer way and I'll give ye directions! 

XXX

Presenting Vienna's Best Cupcakes

Living in a capital city, everyday brings a new discovery. One of the best ones we've come across here in Vienna is "Cupcakes Wien". Situated on a lengthy street off Dr. Karl-Renner-Ring, "Cupcakes Wien" is the kind of sugarsweet store that actually stops people in their tracks when they pass by - even joggers! 

As you enter, the smell of cake mix baking is everywhere and completely mouth-watering. The team of women,who are responsible for this enterprise, bake the cupcakes themselves right in front of you so you know that they are the real deal. The cake mix itself is amazing to taste but the winner is the icing. Oh man, the icing. I'm an icing junky. Cakes just aren't the same without it. The variety of cupcakes is astounding but the icing is even more impressive. It is literally perfect. It's a pity to even want to eat one. Here are some of their big sellers;

Oreo Cupcake

Red Velvet Cupcake

Schoko Orange Cupcake

Caramel Cupcake

Chocolate Mousse Cupcake

Banana Cupcake

Blueberry Cupcake

White Chocolate Cupcake

Retailing at €3.90 each but you may also order in bulk at a cheaper price. Considering they are baked everyday, they go stale within 24 hours so really you'd have to come to Vienna to enjoy them. They even offer a Cupcake Course for kids. How fun would that be?

Bless.

For further information if you live in and around the Vienna area, check out their website:

http://www.cupcakes-wien.at/

NOM.

S

The Cupcake of My Eye

With blogging, you can't blog about EVERYTHING interesting in the entire world and keep your blog logical and coherent. That's why some blogs devote themselves to specific interests. Cakes are an interest of mine. And of yours according to our stats. Here are some drool worthy pictures;

AND my personal favourites with Christmas coming up [or at least in Vienna] ... 

My work here is done.

S

Source: Cute Cupcakes

What the Schnitzel?

Well, what do ye think of the revamp? Girls? Too pink? Suggestions welcome but for the mean-time, I think it's ok.

So I've been here in Vienna for over 2 weeks and me, oh my, how it has flown! I absolutely love the city. I am delighted with myself for having picked such a cultural, historical and fun city to live and study in. I haven't began classes yet which will be a challenge in themselves as my German has become incredibly poor but hey, that's what I get for being ein bisschen faul for the last 2 years. I won't get into everything now but I think the first thing I should share with you all is the Schnitzel. 

Wiener Schnitzel. We've all heard of it. But how many of us have ACTUALLY had a Wiener Schnitzel. I had originally thought, back in the day, that Wiener Schnitzel was bread-crumbed veal or chicken or pork. Ohhhh nooooo. You haven't had a real Schnitzel until you have gone to one of the best, inner city Viennese restaurants, Figlmuller. Wow. For about 13euro, you get pure Viennese Schnitzel. But it's not just that. Did I mention it's the size of a small child? 

It's literally twice as big as the plate it is served on and while we had starved ourselves that day to make room, it was a herculean task to even make a dent on it. Add in some gemischte Salat and Sturm and it was the yummiest [lecker, lecker, lecker] meal I have ever had. Just wish I'd done a Joey on it and worn some extra stretchy pants...

S

boohoohoo

I went to Cassis on Saturday to spend the day at the beach. It was class. Here's some photos that my new Canadian friend Hilary took. I forgot to put the memory card into my camera that day and so I could only take 6 photographs. I kept deleting them one at a time so I could take a "better" photograph. When I got home I looked at them and they were all crap. 

Yesterday was a productive day. I went to college and signed up for classes. Then I went to open a french bank account. I signed so many sheets of paper in such a short space of time that I don't know what I have signed up for. BNP Paribas could send me the orphan I signed up to look after for the year in the next few days for all I know. 


I even made two new French friends yesterday while waiting for the bus, but they're probably about 140 years old between them. I offered them a raspberry, they didn't take one but said that I was 'gentille'. I might add them on facebook. 

That's how happy I imagine my old friends would have been had they accepted my offer of the raspberry. Obviously you have to replace the watermelon in the picture with a raspberry because that's the closest thing that came up when I googled 'old people eating raspberries'. 

Anyway, today I woke up with no voice and a mighty sore head (no, I wasn't hungover...for once)so I skipped my translation class. Had an awful 3euro meal in the cafeteria. 3euro meals are hit and miss but also my favourite thing because you get 3 courses for 3euro which is pretty terrific. Here's one of the worst 3euro meals I have had...

I honestly have no idea what that even was.

The sickness combined with bad 3euro meals is resulting in my feeling homesick for the first time since I got here. boooooo. Oh how I would love a cuddle from my mommy and a 4in1 from the almighty Emerald House.


xx

I got a new camera recently. It's so lovely and I'm actually so delighted. I have had really awful luck with cameras in the past though. I broke a camera belonging to my sister at Oxegen. I broke two family cameras on two separate holidays with friends. I hope I don't kill this new baby too. 

I'm happier than Michael Landon was when he got his first Kodak, SRSLY.

So anyway, today I decided to go exploring my new town and to take some pretty pictures using various "modes" on my camera. There's 25 modes on my camera...There's sport mode, which undoubtedly I will never use. There's sunset mode, self portrait mode, candle light mode, children mode (I know, wtf kodak?).

Here's some of the places I saw. Take note of the modes, guys. 

This is on my way from college to town...I wandered down streets I hadn't been down before and I found my new favourite shop in Aix; BOOK IN BAR

There's my sneaky picture of Book in Bar. There's a café and they let you sit around reading their books. I bought The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster. woowoo

fountain #128219057429w39211e3ejsmxdskanjd

They are so obsessed and proud of Cezanne here. I knew that they liked him before I came but they have these little C's all along their roads. I cannot begin to count how many schools, restaurants, hotels and shops are named after him. Fair play to him.

The doors of this church were all closed when I walked past so I couldn't look inside but somebody was having a serious jamming session on the organ, I could hear. 

I guess it's kind of like once you've seen one little cute street you've seen them all but I still think they're all beautiful. Prepare for lots of pictures of the same looking street.

La Rotonde...the centre of the town...at this point I had gotten totally lost and found my way once again and I was starving so I bought my new favourite food. A POULET FRITES. It's pretty self explanatory. It's poulet...and frites...in a baguette. I get these on the drunken walk home at ludicrous times of the morning but now also sober. 

So that was today's activities. Over and out, amigos!

megan xx