First day :)

Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel greeting the early morning sun

The beauty about midnite flight is u arrive at your destination early the next morning. I guess this apply to destinations like Europe and Japan. The time differences and our Msia GMT is just perfect whenever travlling to these countries.

The flight to Japan is 11.35pm and u arrive the next morning at 7.15am Japan local time. Just perfect to hit the Fishmarket for some awesome sushis!!!! As for Paris, the plane takes off from KLIA at 11.55pm and arrives the next morning at 6.20am. So u will get into the city by 7.30am, dump ur luggages and time for......COFFEE AND CROISSANTS!!!!


Sorry had to stop and check the windows out for a while. We were staying around the Vendome/Opera area so it's rather dangerous to the pocket as we needed to walk through Rue Cambon everyday to get somewhere. Hiak hiak hiak....next to the display window, with its black gate is Madame Coco Chanel's apartment. Yep we will visit it the next trip. It's alwiz our mission to leave something interesting for the next trip, afterall Paris is our annual destination.

Though it's her apartment, the unit upstairs was more of her atelier and lounges. She didn't sleep her though but at the Ritz which was just opposite.

So back to our breakfast, before Monkey could yell CROISSANTS here I come, JS needed to spend some time with his new gadgets bcoz the sun was just so perfect.

so he tested many many shots as the sun rises from behind the Louvre. He's now an expert with taking pics INTO the SUN.

as usual, poor hungry me had to be his test subject.

JS: "Why the face like that??? smile."
Monkey: "I'm hungry~~~~"

JS: "But but....u had so many sticks of satays and your specially ordered Roti Pratha for supper followed by a whopping plate of Nasi Lemak for breakfast!!!!!."

JS: "I demand u to smile now."

Monkey hmmmmm smile. There u go. Can I have my croissants now?"

frustrated, he directed his lens at other subjects and he found his. A japanese couple with the gal in Yukata. Didn't they said that Paris is the Capital of Fashion and ppl here are really trendy? Hehehehehehe it's really nice to dress up for any occasion bcoz it makes ppl happy. Don't u agree?

This picture provokes such emotional on me. It's exactly the same feeling when I was on top the bridge, looking at the Seine River dreamily while basking on the lovely morning sun. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, It's a LOVELY DAY!!!! and it's not only 9am yet. Hahahaha

It's really great to be early, bcoz the Seine River has yet to be filled with traffics. Yes traffics of tourist boats gliding up and down this river, with announcements in German, English, Japanese, CHINESE, Russian. Gosh, how tourism has driven and built this place. At the same time, damaging bcoz there's just too much of pollution and wastage in terms of human consumptions.


Autumn has just arrived, so the leaves were not exactly brown yet, and the trees have yet to shed that much. Otherwise the entire floor would be covered with golden brown carpet.

and we walked to the Left Bank of Paris, famously known as Rive Gauche. The center of Paris artists in the 19th and 20th century. Poets, Artists, Writers and politicians *didn't know that's an art?* gathered here for creativity and sense of belonging. That includes the famous Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso.


and so we headed to my all time favourite cafe for breakfast!!!! Yea tee hee hee *smiling sheepishly* my breakfast number 2 for the day. This place serves the best-est CROISSANTS in Paris :))))


We got a nice table overlooking the Saint Germain des Pres Church. From the pic, u could see that Mr. JS has already mastered his INTO-the-SUN technique.
-_-"


So I made him sat INTO-the-SUN!!! more like facing the sun but he has got no complains at all. The morning sun here is just so so lovely!!!!


Fried eggs with bacons. Frying eggs with animal fats is the bomb!!!


oh yumsss my love!!! Crispy Croissants with chewy inside....u r the reason I walked all the way to the left bank bcoz JS said we must burn some calories after the Nasi Lemak onboard.

Look at the crust, it's seriously so crispy you can hear it when I munch on them. Krok Krok Krok!!!! and bcoz I finished JS's share of croissants once he was done with his Bacon and Eggs, we had to order more :P


and 3 more came :))))))))))
hehehehe....Look at the flaky crust, then the soft chewy thousand layers of pastry. The texture is just great with slight sweetness to it. The secret has to be the butter and technique of rolling the dough over and over with butter quickly, so it doesn't melt. Only melts in ur mouth I guess :))))))

We have eaten at so many places, and nothing can come close to the croissants served at Les Deux Magots. Not even Cafe Flore which was just 2 doors away.

It was a Saturday, the streets were so quiet!!! Perfect for photography :)))))

After our simple yummy breakfast with amazing coffees, we were downing cups after cups to the amazement of the Garcon, we walked over to Musee d'Orsay and got ourself drenched in the emotions and love painted by Vincent Van Gogh. Also I was happy that I found pieces that I've longed to see at the museum. Again the beauty bout being early, there isn't a queue for tickets, and there's lesser people at the museum with zero tour groups. Otherwise u would need to queue up just to have a good view of the great works by these great painters and artists.

by late afternoon, we were quite done. Feeling of great achievement we walked back to the other side of Paris through the parks and reminiscence bout the last visit to the parks.

so much of greenery :))))))) I can't remember how long we sat there and talked and discussed, bcoz we've been doin this almost everyday at our vacation. Idling at the park/lake/river/sea spending time together like this is really such a leisure.

As we were basking in the sun enjoying the sounds of birds chirping, we heard another sound. Kluuu kluuu kluuuu coming from Monkey's stomach....heeeeeeeeeeeee. JS then decided we should head down to our next favourite place for a nice salad with cakes and chocolates :)))))

So tell me how not to put on weight? JS answered that quickly, that's why we need to walk as much as we could every single day, which we did for 23 days :))))))))

La Madeleine, a roman catholic church near to our hotel.

JS said that he can't give me anything nor everything in the world. But he will ROAM the Earth with Notti Monkey together.
:))))))))))) that's a promise :))))))

Angelina Cafe, Paris

Monkey and Eric Choong
It was really a very short notice, 24 hours before. We found that we will be in Paris the same time and decided to catch up for tea. Monkey was on her vacation and just landed from Malaysia not too long ago while the famed and notable celebrity fashion designer the Si Fu of them all, Eric was in Paris for his show, awards and exhibition.

Yea it was soooo difficult to catch up in KL but it only took a few text messages to set a meeting time and place 10,500km away in the city of Love.


and so like the rest of the foodie, we queued up for a table at the exceptional and the place to be for tea - Angelina Cafe. This was also the tearoom where Madame Coco Chanel had her yummy drinks and cakes.

That very same morning, when we walked past, for the first time when it comes to pastries and cakes department, JS stopped, reversed and went back to the display window to check out the strawberry cakes. Monkey was like "Yeah wat?"

JS: "Look at those cakes!!!! all the strawberries are in perfect uniform size."
Monkey: "Yes they are very beautiful."

the beauty about staying around Opera area is, everything is just within walking distance away.....from sights, to great eats, to cafes, to shopping *Vendome and St. Honore* and all the great departmental stores are just within reach. But it's also very dangerous and damaging to pockets. Oh well, when u are on holiday, push all these behind.

Founded in 1903, Angelina Cafe celebrated 110th anniversary last year. Famed for their hot chocolate drinks and iconic mont blanc with towering high whipped chestnuts paste.


He insisted that he's not a chocolate person but he wanted to try the hot chocolate drinks. Yes that's the way to be, be adventurous and everything is experimental that will truly become an experience to remember. Whether u like it or not, u can decide later. That is life :)))

and so he had his hot chocolate. Creamie velvety and rich with an intense chocolatie yummyness. It's composed of 3 selected cocoa from Cote d'Ivoire, Niger and Ghana. Eric conquered that it's really good.


So we ordered a few to share and no Mont Blanc. It ran out!!! Nevermind there will be next time.


Eric: "Can we finish all of these?"




I know that looks like a lot but we finished everything. Hohohohohohoho coz it's so yummy!!!

She looked disappointed. Guess she found out that they ran out of Mont Blanc too!!!! hahahahaha

The grand epoque mirror next to us was really useful. Apart from checking my makeup, and Eric checkin his reflections, we used it for Wefie!!!

After filling our tummy, it's time to take a long stroll. Afterall it was a beautiful afternoon :))))

Eric: "Hey Monkey, stop posing around!!!"

I don't care, I'm in Paris and nobody knows me. Hahahahaha.

Was it a plane? Was it a bird????
Nope we were just admiring the Notre Dame
 

Thank you to Mr. JS for all the beautiful pics. He should consider photography seriously, as in a professional way. Just like cooking, many friends encouraged him to startup a F&B business to which he replied, it's much more fun cooking for friends instead.

So I guess same goes for his photography works. For pleasure and for friends :))))))

and my dearie Eric, thank you for spending time with us. It was a beautiful day, not to mention shopping for vintage stuffs...kekekekeke....

Demel, Vienna

No one can just walk past this classic looking white colored shop without stopping

coz it's window displays were just screaming and squealing at u wif beautiful delights

Demel Cafe, founded in 1786 by Ludwig Dehne

Later in 1857, his son sold it to the Demel family

and it was relocated to this outlet

so we were visiting the very very same historical confectionery of Demel

warning though....do not come here during Peak Hours

bcoz the queue is similar to those ppl outside Apple Shops waiting for their iPad 3.0 in Malaysia.

so we came here for a quick bite during lunch hour

*well in case u didn't know, peak hours are after lunch till before dinner*

however then, there were a few groups of curious onlookers peeping in

coz it doesn't look like a bakery at all

hehehehehehehhe

Demel was the Imperial and Royal Court's confectionery

shows how serious they were towards sweets~~~~~

mimicking the other tourists, we took a peep too

and soon found ourselves squealing over their beautiful creations

its Cakes display

OMG!!!! which one to order?!?!?!!

now I really wished I'm a cow with 4 stomachs!!!!

as I was dashing from display to display in girlie delights, I saw pieces of cakes were being served

customers were fast deciding wat they want...pointing to the glass display

those pretty yummy ones are soon to be gone!!!!

grrRRRRrrrrrrrrr-ing at those men with big tummies

tee hee hee :D yes I'm a notti monkey

then there's some pastries and tarts

and more pretty looking ones

and if u like rolls and sponge cakes they have em too!!!!

also some really crispy looking pastries dust in castor sugar

I was still dashing from display to display 

can't decide!!!!

then dashed back to the cakes display

OMG!!! 

QUICK!!! monkey quick!!! u are usually very good with decisions

but why the retard-ness this time????

I told myself not to let the sugar rush coats my mind

Demel is famous with their chocolate cakes

and they have more than 20 types of it

I was banging my head on the glass display and smacking myself

JS was rolling his eyes

in exasperation, I asked the lady there for recommendations

she told me so many types and in the end, narrowed them down to 5 chocolate cakes

I was thinking, I came all the way from Malaysia....I need to have a degustation of chocolate cakes from Demel

I actually asked her that, for a chocolate cake degustation menu, she gave me the wide eyed look

yeah silly me....no such thing ok!!!!

but frankly I don't think it's such a bad idea at all :))))

then we walked to the back of the cafe

there's the open kitchen, separated with glass for curious onlookers like me

the smell of cocoa buttery chocolate cake baking was enuff to lure anyone to order that damn piece of cake!!!!

I told JS: "I've never smelled any chocolate this chocolatey before!!!!"

JS blinked at me

I thought to myself...wat was I talking about

it has to be the CHOCOLATE!!!

it's so intoxicating and to begin with, I'm not a chocolate person

we got ourselves a table next to the open kitchen

yeah if u do come at non-peak hours, u can sit anywhere u like

also the service is much better :))))

next to where I was seated was this machine that roll out royal icing sugar in lightning speed

u just wham the whole chunk of icing sugar into it, and the machine will roll it left and right

forward and backward

each time coming out thinner flatter and bigger

there's an airwell at this kitchen/ workplace

which gave natural lights

very very nice and cozy ambience

wished our kitchen is like this :)))))

Vienna is also famous with open sandwiches

the sandwich bar is looking so pretty tpp

just drooling looking at them

A bowl of pipping hot Goulash

Demel serves simple cafe food which reflects the true Viennese cuisine

it was so good, must be the beef broth or the paprika

JS had his favourite 2-foot long like a necklace pork sausage

served with a special pickled fennel like sauerkraut and mustard

it was really good with snappy natural sausage casing

I alwiz "nose" my food

coz our sensory is all depends on our dearie nose

I picked up some minty scent....

which surprisingly balanced up the rich broth

served with crispy malty bread

I wonder if they make their own bread too

they were painting the chocolate lollies with eyes, nose and mouth

once done, we saw that the chocolate lollies were rabbits!!!!!

aaaaawwwwwww~~~~~~~~

That's a WHITE Kitchenaid there :)))))))))

u know wat she's making???

a couple making out

hahahahahahahahaha

soon, our slices of heaven came :))))))

creamie vanilla custard sandwiched in between multiple layers of pastry

oh yummm~~~~~~

and a slice of chocolate tart

that was smooth and creamie~~~~~

:)))))))))))

 happy tummies happy us :)))))))

Demel has their own lil retail corner
selling sweets, pastries, chocolates and confectioneries for everyone


Demel
Kohlmarkt 14,
A-1010 Vienna.
Tel: +43 1535 17170
www.demel.at