Steak with Giant Foie Gras Hat in Chartres
This perfectly cooked medium rare steak came with a three-quarter inch thick slice of sizzling fois gras on top. It’s one of those foods that just melts in your mouth, and to have this copious slice on top of a grilled steak was a meat-lover’s heaven. We helped cook our […]
She’s Making the Big Leap Next Week
This is Stephanie Le Donne’s last week of working at her day job. She met our van at the Hotel de Ville in Orleans, where she took us on a city tour that included the city’s famous cathedral, which is a monument to the heroin of this city, Joan of […]
There is Chocolate…and There is Chavanette
Since 1765, The Chavanettes have been making chocolate from scratch here in Orleans, France at Chocolaterie Royale. Standing in front of a life-size mermaid made of carved chocolate, we met the master of chocolate, the handsome 43-year-old Charles Chavanette, who arrived on his motorcycle and quickly changed into his chef’s […]
Chartres’ Famous Blue
Chartres is a jewel among religious shrines of the world. These panes are among dozens of intricate stories that are told by images made by glass pieces. It’s hard to do justice to the famous “Chartres blue” which is the most dominant color on the 12th century windows that face […]
Chartres Shows Clever Ways to Avoid Driving a Car
I’ve found a slice of time to share some first day thoughts on Chartres, home of the world famous cathedral as well as a neat little compact town of about 42,000. They have built a lot of underground parking, here, you walk back from the 12th century cathedral and see […]
Their Move Out of Town Was Guided by Their Commitment to Amherst?
It’s hammer time in Amherst. Larry Kelley is merciless on anyone who has the temerity to be elected to town government. His latest victim are a couple who serve on the selectboard but who have bought a house in, gasp, South Hadley. Anne Awad and Robbie Hubley also own a […]
He Has No Home, Just a Gulfstream Jet
Nicolas Berggruen doesn’t have a home anymore. But don’t pity him–he still owns a Gulfstream IV jet. He’s a reclusive billionaire who has decided that he doesn’t want to own a house any more. Or a car. So he lives in hotel rooms and does most of his work running […]