spoonman's Journal

[spoonman]

@cmonkey: Haha, you are quite the chicken connoisseur! Something that I've noticed is that brown eggs require a wee bit more time to boil, and they're also harder to peel.

[cmonkey]

@cmonkey: Haha, you are quite the chicken connoisseur! Something that I've noticed is that brown eggs require a wee bit more time to boil, and they're also harder to peel.

Are your eggs super fresh (as in a few days old) ? Eggs under 2 weeks old are very hard to peel after boiling. We found this out the hard way!

[spoonman]

@cmonkey: I haven't noted how fresh they are, but I suspect they are quite fresh.

[spoonman]

#136 10/02/2015 -- September Expense Blurb

For the month of September we received $1896 in income. That amount includes an $11 check from our health insurance company and a $25 from credit card cash rewards.

We spent a total of $1892, so just underneath our allotment for the month. I'm very proud that we stayed within budget because this is our first month in Europe. It could have blown up very easily like it did during our first month in Montreal.

The month of October will prove to be another challenging month because we will be continuously tempted by great food and activities. I suppose that's not a bad problem to have. =)

[cmonkey]

Way to fully utilize all that dividend income. And staying in budget. I think I'd be tempted by all the new foods and drinks and such as well, I like experiencing new tastes.

[spoonman]

Worry not, that'll be the topic of a future post. We're on our way to succumbing to some nice ice cream right now!

[Solvent]

#135 09/28/2015 -- Paris, Here and There
All the eggs are brown

France is home to the Cuckoo Maran, which gives dark brown eggs. So that makes sense.

Regions can be strange with their egg preferences. When I came to Switzerland I was surprised by all the white eggs. But go thirty minutes to the French border and they're all brown! In Australia, most eggs are brown, and I prefer that... I don't think they're harder to peel.

[Dave]

It sounds like you guys have been having a great time experiencing what Paris has to offer - and on budget . Glad it is going so well for you. I have toyed with the idea of living in Paris for a brief period at some point in the future after achieving FI, so it is enjoyable to hear of your adventure!

[spoonman]

@Dave: It's definitely feasable if you're willing to make some sacrifices. It's amazing what you can do when you don't have a job to go back to (in order to fund a mortgage, cars, luxuries, etc).

[FI Bound]

I like how you have used air B&B but as I look at prices the daily price for a lot of locations are high. Do you contact them and negotiate a better price for a 6 months stay?

[spoonman]

@FI Bound: The trick is to indicate that your stay is at least 30 days long when you do your search, then it will automatically show you the monthly rates, which can be as low as 50% the daily rate. We've never haggled with the host, I think you would have to work out a deal with them directly in order to get a whole different rate.

[spoonman]

#137 10/05/2015 -- The Père Lachaise and Montparnasse Cemeteries

One of the places high on our list to see in Paris was the Père Lachaise Cemetery, the most visited facility of its kind in the world. It's the place of rest for numerous famous people, such as Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde. As I might have noted in the past, I love gothic and macabre architecture.

This cemetery takes the prize as the coolest one I've ever visited. The place is jam-packed with all kinds of beautiful tombs and sepulchres. Everywhere you turn there's something intriguing to look at. Even the tombs that are not so well kept are still beautiful because they have authentic spider webs and wild growth. Additionally, with the onset of autumn the place has some extra charm because the leaves on the trees are starting to change color.





Our first objective was to swing by Frederic Chopin's grave. It had a nice bas-relief profile of the great musician and had various fresh flowers.



After wandering around a bit, we made our way to the grave of Jim Morrison. The site is so popular that it has a metal barricade to stop groupies from doing stupid things. Needless to say, there were lots of people crowding the grave. We only lingered for a moment before moving on. From what I've read, the tomb used to have a bust of Jim Morrison, but someone stole it and supposedly put it up for sale.



The grave of Oscar Wilde was not as hectic and located in a more open spot for visitors. It's surrounded by a barrier made of thick transparent glass, but that still doesn't stop some people from kissing the sculpture and imprinting it with lipstick!



The tomb had a beautiful engraving in the back that reads: "And alien tears will fill for him. Pity's long broken urn. For his mourners will be outcast men. And outcasts always mourn". I have a feeling he would approve of our lifestyle.

The following day we spent the afternoon walking around the Montparnasse neighborhood and ended up at the local famous cemetery. As it happens, that's where one of my favorite philosophers, Jean-Paul Sartre, is buried so we paid the site a visit.



I know the somberness of cemeteries is not everyone's cup of tea, so next time I'll write about food or beer. I swear!

[cmonkey]

I think cemeteries are fantastic places to visit and that one looks extraordinary. I always feel at peace and quite contemplative when I am in one. Being its October it makes it all the more appropriate. Thanks for sharing.

[spoonman]

@cmonkey: The timing worked out great, the halloween feel was palpable.

[spoonman]

#138 10/09/2015 -- Parisian Craft Beer, Ice Cream, and Baguettes

Spending six months in the PNW right after reaching FI allowed us to taste fantastic craft beer. The PNW is host to one of the most vibrant beer scenes in the world. I was thoroughly spoiled by all the amazing options that we had. There was one particular red brew that had me reaching nirvana...it was a sublime experience (can't remember the name of the brewery).

Going abroad has been great in many respects, but good local craft beer is not something that can be easily found in your typical, touristy menu. So it was with great delight that I came across a craft beer dealer in the Montmartre district of Paris. The name of the place is "A la Bière Comme à la Bière", a very charming little store in the beautiful, tree-lined Rue Custine. They sell beer by independent brewers from all over the world, including Montreal's Brasserie Dieu du Ciel.



I was excited by all the awesome options they have available, but I eventually asked for brews from Parisian Brasseries. I settled on the two IPAs shown below. Ain't they pretty?



We had spent the afternoon exploring the Sacre-Coeur cathedral and the Montmartre district, so by the time we got home I was really needing a beer. The two IPAs really hit the spot. I tip my hat to the local craftsmen. I will continue to walk the earth, tasting exotic brews everywhere I go!

We now turn to the subject of ice cream. I'm not one to seek out great ice cream most of the time, but I made it my mission to go try the critically acclaimed Glacier Berthillon, located in Saint Louis Island near the center of Paris. I ordered a cone with two scoops: raspberry and dark chocolate. I wanted to order their awesome salted caramel flavor, but they were all out by the time we got there. Spoongirl decided to go with scoops of pistachio and coffee, the latter had a very strong taste.



Finally, I'd like to report on a particularly popular boulangerie that we tried the other day. It's called Le Grenier à Pain and apparently it's part of a chain of boulangeries around Paris. We got a traditional Polish bread loaf for one of our daily treks, it was delicious. They used a special machine to cut the bread for us, it was really neat to watch. I'm not sure if the photo below does it justice.

[cmonkey]

This is not the kind of thing I need to see while sitting through all day meetings.

That ice cream I will admit I have a weakness for a good dish.

[spoonman]

@cmonkey: LOL! The ice cream was pretty darn good and lived up to its reputation. I wonder if they'll ever go to the dark side and "go global", wouldn't be the first time that's happened.

[heyhey]

I've been to that ice cream cafe! Happy memories
There's an amazing cheese shop on the Ile St Louis too.

[Kriegsspiel]

Like I was saying, beer is the bread of the liquids. You can sip it, chug it, bong it, shotgun it, slug it. Dey's, uh, bacon beer, craft beer, seasonal beer. Beer in a bottle, beer in a can. Beer in a stein, beer in a funnel. Beer shrimp, beer pancakes, beer chicken. That... that's about it.

[spoonman]

@hehey: If we're out that way again we'll be on the lookout for a cheese shop. There's no shortage of those in Paris!

@Kriegsspiel: Haha! That about sums it up.