36 Comments

Auto incorrect of 'mobile' for the prep liquid!

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A small hint re downing the mobile as told to me by a wise nurse: use a straw to drink it as it bypasses tastebuds and heads down the gullet toute suite!

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Les piétons n’existent pas - how I love a little french insouciance 💕

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I subscribe to your newsletter (new to it) How do I comment? I AM the one person who wants the recipe for jellied apple juice!! :)) Please LMK. Thankyou.

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Need a little help…So about a year ago I paid for your annual subscription to receive extra content newletters from you (which I enjoy very much) - I'm not sure if this automatically renews and then will convert to your Substack Newsletter. Or do I now need to start a new separate enrollment for Substack. Sort of confused but I definitely want to keep these coming! Many thanks!

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You should receive a renewal notice about a week before your subscription expires. If you don't do anything it'll auto-renew for you. More here! :) https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045091251-Will-my-subscription-automatically-renew-

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Will enjoy your real estate adventures. I have a friend who is an agent there...tough business.

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It's a curious business model in France where only the sellers have agents so it's up to the buyer to do everything on their end, including negotiate, navigate any problems, etc. Fortunately the agents have become a lot better in Paris, although you still have some less-than-stellar apples in the bunch.

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Happy new year David and Romain! I 100 percent enjoy your writing and your books. I lived in Paris for eight years and it took me four years of cycling around the city to be able to understand the traffic mentality enough to get a driving license. I rode my bike across and around the Place d’Etoile and the Arc de Triomphe every day for all four of those years. It was a daily wild ride but in the end I found it totally exhilarating.!

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I learned to drive a stick shift in SF when I worked at the St. Francis Hotel. My husband and I had our first date in the Castro (he grew up in Cupertino) and I had to park his manual truck up hill because he couldn’t do it. We joke about it now but not a way to impress the new girlfriend! I’m impressed with this parallel parking for sure! Happy New Year to you, looking forward to reading up on your endeavors as a new subscriber!

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I remember that hill in Pacific Heights, am not sure I remember the name of it, but it was incredibly steep and at stop signs, cars behind would pull right up to my bumper and it took a LOT not to roll back an inch or two (which is about all the leeway they gave you) to put the car in gear and step on the gas. It was a bit harrowing but I managed to do it. Usually!

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Happy New Year to you, Romain and your followers everywhere! Best wishes for your new adventures in 2022, I’m looking forward to reading about them!

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HNY and thank you for your delightful posts, always invaluable info, and delicious recipes! You have helped me through the past two years more than I can say and I am forever grateful for everything you add to my days!

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I have an even more amazing parking video! Both were taken from a window in Avignon. I was fascinated with how people could navigate the extremely narrow street, and after watching a car get garaged across the street, I was at the ready to capture it the next time it occurred on my watch. https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0ZJ0DiRHJpXSmf

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As a French, and decently savvy cook, I love your newsletter and particularly the idea of your French Spritz. What better cocktails than made with bubbly (delicious and low cal)? How would you substitute the Pineau that I cannot find in NC?

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You could use another white apéritif such as Cap Corse blanc or Lillet blanc, or even dry or blanc vermouth. The taste of course would be a little different but it'd be fun to experiment!

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Thank you! I will experiment…

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Most cocktails are just a standard proportion with the ingredients swapped out so you can toggle most by changing an ingredient. You may have to add a little more of this, or that, but it's fun to come up with something new!

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Happy New Year, David and Romain…thank you for the new format. As always, there is much to absorb and cook. I made your ‘Quiche Lorraine’ and French 75’s for our New Year’s Eve dinner. The crust on the Quiche was wonderful!!! I’d never used Pie Weights before and substituted coins from my purse!!!

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Happy they were a hit - a great way to welcome to NYear!

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As a longtime reader of your blog, I have to admit I enjoy this interaction more. It’s more intimate-more personal. On a selfish note, you keep me in touch with my favorite city which I’ve been unable to experience in person for going on three years. Hope things in 2022 are good for you and Romain and I look forward to updates on the real estate search as well as the new book! Thanks, Claire

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Yes, I've shifted because it's been more fun for me as well, and I can share more personal stories without "the world" dropping by : )

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David-HNY! I love your newsletter and look forward to it and the chuckles (and great info/insight) it never fails to bring!

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Salut David! I’m doubtful you would remember us, but my wife and I did a chocolate tour with you in October 2005 during our honeymoon in Paris. It was an amazing experience that we still talk about today. And we still stop by the shops you showed us (e.g., Patrick Roger, who just had one shop at the time, I believe) when we visit Paris. We have loved following you online and through your books over the years, and feel lucky we have a unique connection with you. Not only do we appreciate and love chocolate (so sad about Fog City News), cocktails, food more now, but it also increased my love of French and French culture, to where I’ve learned to speak (to a pretty good level, at least for an American who doesn’t live in France). Un grand merci à toi! On espère qu’on aura l’opportunité de te voir à Paris un de ces jours - on serait ravis de t’offrir un verre. On vous envoie (á toi et Romain) nos meilleurs vœux de bonheur!

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Glad you enjoyed the tour - I remember when Patrick Roger had that one shop in Paris, that his sister Corinne ran, and now he's got more. Thanks for circling back!

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