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Kimchi Walnut and Arugula Crostini with Campania Tomato Sauce

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This post is a not for profit collaboration with Mealshare. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

I could sit here and lecture you all about sharing, giving and ending youth hunger but lets be frank. The reality is most of us want to enjoy our first world lives…dinner out with friends and family. But I know We ALL Want to make a DIFFERENCE. Which is why the concept behind Mealshare is brilliant. 

Mealshare is a not for profit group committed to ending youth hunger. Their concept is simple. Basically they partner with restaurants where the restaurant selects menu items to be a Mealshare item. Every time a dining guest orders a meal with the Mealshare symbol, Mealshare will provide a healthy a simple meal to a youth in need. Buy one-Give one. Simple, effective, charitable. 

So far Mealshare has served 2,419,511 meals to hungry youths in need!

Please visit their website for more information and/or to find a restaurant participating in the Mealshare campaign. Or follow their digital channels. 

Facebook – @MealshareTeam
Twitter – @MealshareTeam
Instagram – @Mealshare

Another way to contribute to this amazing cause is picking up a jar or two of Famoso’s Campania Tomato Sauce. Same concept. Buy a jar- give one meal to a hungry youth in need. With the holiday season around the corner, I’ve teamed up with Mealshare to come up with a holiday crostini with a Korean twist incorporating Famoso’s Campania Tomato Sauce. It’s spicy, crunchy, warm and a perfect starter for hungry bellies this holiday season.

Bon app!

Campania Tomato Sauce sold at Famoso

Kimchi, Walnut and Arugula Crostini
Serves 5
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
20 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
20 min
Ingredients
  1. Half a French white baguette sliced about 1 inch thick slices (8-10 slices)
  2. about 4 tablespoons olive oil
  3. 3/4-1 cup Campania tomato sauce
  4. 200 grams or 1 cup vegetarian kimchi diced
  5. 60 grams or 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  6. handful of fresh arugula
  7. salt and pepper to taste
  8. 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
  9. Rosemary to garnish (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F
  2. In a medium bowl, toss the walnuts, arugula, kimchi and 1/4 cup Campania tomato sauce
  3. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper
  4. Lay out the slices of baguette
  5. Brush both sides with olive oil
  6. Spoon more or less a tablespoon of Campania tomato sauce
  7. Place a dollop of the kimchi mix on top of the tomato sauce
  8. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until edges of crust turns golden brown
  9. Garnish with a leaf of arugula and some rosemary and sprinkle some chilli flakes
STEMS & FORKS https://www.stemsandforks.com/

Food Styling and Photography Workshop Paris France-Saturday February 2nd 2019

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POUR LE FRANÇAIS 🇫🇷, VOIR CI-DESSOUS

Elise Dumas from @thepineapplechef and I are thrilled to announce that we’ll be joining forces again to offer an intense full day workshop from the city of love, Paris France.

Join us for a full day of intensive learning – whether you’re a hobby photographer or an established influencer, you’ll get tons of styling and photography advice and inspiration to thrust you to the next level.  We’ll have step-by-step demos, hands-on practice breakouts with Elise and I guiding each participant individually. All our tips and tricks will be shared so come armed with questions. We’ll also have a  practical session on how to navigate social media and treat your blog/social media like a business. We’ll have available food props, boards, fresh botanicals and of course food to style and shoot. 

Spaces are limited so book soon.

Food Styling and Photography Master Class:

When:

Saturday, February 2nd 2019

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Where: 

Gorgeous classic Parisian Studio in the trendy 7th Arrondissement, Paris, France

Instructors:

Elise Dumas, The Pineapple Chef, @thepineapplechef http://thepineapplechef.com/en

Betty Binon, Stems & Forks, @stemsandforks http://stemsandforks.com/

What is this workshop about?

Spend an intense but fun day in a stunning studio in the historically vibrant 7th Arrondissement area of downtown Paris with the Eiffel Tower and the Musee d’Orsay as the backdrop as Elise Dumas @thepineapplechef and Betty Binon @stemsandforks will share all their handy tips and expertise on capturing that picture-perfect shot.

Topics to be covered:

-Shooting in manual with your DSLR camera

-The importance of ISO, aperture, shutter and shooting in RAW

-Using natural light to create light and airy or dark and moody shots

-Exploring various types of props and how to use them to their fullest to elevate your story

-Food styling: Telling a visual story…how to style your product/subject to reflect it’s fullest potential…composition, angles, lighting, tone, colour etc. in a photograph 

-The use of botanicals to truly enhance your subject/product

-Adobe Lightroom editing skills- transforming your image with Lightroom including some tips and tricks

-Navigating social media – and how to grow your followers and engagement

Who should attend?

This program is ideal for food bloggers, floral designers, social media influencers, food stylist and photographers and those interested in photography and/or styling your food, flowers or subject to tell a visual story. Ideal for both the beginner photographer and the refined photographer looking for inspiration and a different edge on styling. We recommend a DSLR camera, however, phone cameras/point and shoot cameras are welcome too.

Languages:

The entire workshop will be taught in both English and French.

Cost:

Total price: €380 (Not included: Travel and accommodations)

This cost will cover snacks, drinks (alcohol not included) and a light lunch

FOR ALL BOOKINGS and inquiries in French please send a message to Elise Dumas  thepineapplechef@gmail.com

For general inquiries, please email Betty Binon contact@stemsandforks.com

We will be limiting the number of participants to a small group of 10-12 to ensure maximal one-on-one time. Spaces are limited so booking early is highly recommended.

Bookings are non-refundable unless you are able to find someone to take your place. 

See you there!

Photo by Elise Dumas @thepineapplechef

🇫🇷POUR LE FRANÇAIS 🇫🇷, VOIR CI-DESSOUS

Elise Dumas de @thepineapplechef et moi-même sommes ravies de vous annoncer que nous nous réunirons à nouveau pour offrir un atelier d’une journée intense dans la ville de l’Amour, Paris, France.

Joignez-vous à nous pour une journée complète d’apprentissage intensif. Que vous soyez photographe amateur ou influenceur confirmé, vous recevrez une tonne de conseils en matière de style et de photographie pour vous inciter à passer au niveau supérieur. Nous aurons des démonstrations étape par étape, des ateliers pratiques avec Elise et moi-même, guidant chaque participant individuellement.

Nous partagerons tous nos trucs et astuces, alors venez armés de questions. Nous organiserons également une session pratique sur la navigation des médias sociaux et sur le traitement de votre blog / média social en tant qu’entreprise. Nous aurons à notre disposition des accessoires culinaires, des planches, des plantes fraîches et bien entendu des aliments pour styliser et photographier.

Les places sont limitées alors réservez vite.

                       ——————//——————

Cours de maître sur le stylisme culinaire et la photographie:

Quand:

Samedi 2 février 2019 de 9h à 17h

Où:

Superbe classique studio parisien dans le 7ème arrondissement, Paris, France

Instructeurs:

Elise Dumas, The Pineapple Chef, @thepineapplechef http://thepineapplechef.com/fr

Betty Binon, Stems & Forks, @stemsandforks http://stemsandforks.com/

De quoi parlera-t-on lors de cet atelier?

Passez une journée intense mais amusante dans un superbe studio situé dans le quartier historique du 7ème arrondissement, en plein cœur de Paris avec la tour Eiffel et le musée d’Orsay en toile de fond. Elise Dumas @thepineapplechef and Betty Binon @stemsandforks partageront leur expertise en matière de capture d’image.

Sujets qui seront abordés:

– Prise de vue en mode manuel avec votre appareil photo numérique DSLR

– Importance de l’ISO, de l’ouverture, de l’obturateur et de la prise de vue en mode RAW

– Utilisation de la lumière naturelle pour créer des photos claires et aérées ou sombres et lugubres

– Exploration des différents types d’accessoires et comment les utiliser au maximum pour améliorer votre histoire

– Stylisme culinaire: racontez une histoire visuelle… Ou comment styliser votre produit / sujet pour qu’il reflète tout son potentiel sur une photo: composition, angles, éclairage, ton, couleur, etc. 

– Utilisation de plantes pour vraiment améliorer votre sujet / produit

– Amélioration de vos connaissances en matière d’édition avec Adobe Lightroom – Transformez votre image avec Lightroom, y compris quelques conseils et astuces

– Navigation des médias sociaux – Et comment développer vos suiveurs et votre engagement

A qui cet atelier est-il destiné?

Ce programme est idéal pour les blogueurs culinaires, les décorateurs floraux, les influenceurs des médias sociaux, les stylistes culinaires et les photographes, ainsi que pour ceux qui s’intéressent à la photographie et / ou au stylisme culinaire, au stylisme floral ou au stylisme de sujet dans le but de raconter une histoire. Idéal pour le photographe débutant mais aussi pour le photographe plus expérimenté à la recherche d’inspiration et d’un style différent. Nous recommandons un appareil photo numérique. Cependant, les appareils photo de téléphones portables ainsi que les appareils photo à prise de vue sont également les bienvenus.

Langues:

L’intégralité de l’atelier sera enseigné en anglais et en français.

Coût:

Prix total: 380 € (non inclus: voyage et hébergement)

Ce coût couvrira les collations, les boissons (alcool non compris) et un déjeuner léger.

                             ——————//——————

Pour TOUTES RESERVATIONS et demandes de renseignements en français, veuillez envoyer un message à Elise Dumas: thepineapplechef@gmail.com.

Pour toute question d’ordre général, veuillez envoyer un courrier électronique à Betty Binon: contact@stemsandforks.com

Nous limiterons le nombre de participants à un petit groupe de 10 à 12 personnes maximum afin d’assurer un maximum de temps en tête-à-tête. Les places sont donc limitées et il est par conséquent fortement recommandé de réserver tôt.

Les réservations ne sont pas remboursables, sauf si vous êtes en mesure de trouver quelqu’un pour prendre votre place.

Photo by Elise Dumas @thepineapplechef

Photo by Elise Dumas @thepineapplechef

Photo by Elise Dumas @thepineapplechef

Photo by Elise Dumas @thepineapplechef

Photo by Elise Dumas @thepineapplechef

Photo by Elise Dumas @thepineapplechef

Mulled Wine Chocolate Cake with Mulled Wine Swiss Meringue Buttercream and Poached Pears

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This post was sponsored by Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Wines. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Please enjoy wine responsibly.

Wine, chocolate and cake. My three Achilles heel, my guilty pleasures, my three best amigos. These three are my food soulmates. I know it sounds extreme but that’s how much I love wine, chocolate and cake. And interestingly all three came at different points in my life.

Cake.

As a child, I’d remember attending birthday parties and seeing my friends crowd around the gift table ogling all the colourfully wrapped gifts shaking, sniffing and guessing what was in each package. I however, would be in the kitchen ogling the cake. Wondering what flavour was inside. Praying the icing wasn’t that flavourless saccharin drenched grease from a can but a fluffy home made butter cream or cream cheese icing. I’d then cue myself up in the line of kids just so, to make sure I got the right piece. That is, the largest piece and the piece from the moist centre. And of course, I always had seconds and occasionally thirds. 

Wine.

My parents are not wine drinkers. Up until the 70’s wine was rarely sold or served in South Korea. So wine was unfamiliar territory for my family growing up. I had no idea until my mid twenties when I worked as a server in a small French bistro that there were various types of red and white wines. It was through Chef Ken at that small bistro where I learned to appreciate different varieties of wine (particularly Red) and learned to recognize the four stages of wine tasting. 

Chocolate. 

Chocolate strangely came last. Everyone has heard of pregnancy cravings. In my case my cravings came postpartum. And it was chocolates. Any type…inexpensive chocolate bars, to fine truffles…so long as it was chocolate I couldn’t get enough. This craving is still running strong 12 years later!

Woodbridge Wines By Robert Mondavi 2017 Merlot

I suppose in many ways this cake for me is like a timeline. It’s a summary of my life in the form of a cake! So you can imagine how thrilled I was when I was asked by Woodbridge Wines by Robert Mondavi, one of my favourite wineries to concoct a recipe using their 2017 Merlot. 

I picked Woodbridge Wines by Robert Mondavi’s 2017 Merlot for the mulled wine recipe for its fruit driven smooth and balanced flavours. Upon opening the bottle, I could immediately smell the rich raspberry, mocha, molasses and vanilla oak aromas. Perfect for poaching pears to soak up all that beautiful ruby hue and flavourful tang! And a perfect cake to prepare for the upcoming American Thanksgiving and festivities during December leading up to Christmas. 

The recipe yields extra mulled wine at the end. Which can be drizzled on the cake or warmed up and enjoyed as a beverage.
Look for Woodbridge Wines by Robert Mondavi in the California section of your local wine or liquor store. 

And for more amazing tips, recipes and pairing suggestions and recommendations, visit https://www.woodbridgewines.com/Food-Wine/food-recipes.php or https://www.woodbridgewines.com  for wine pairing ideas 

Bon App!

Follow Woodbridge Wines by Robert Mondavi

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoodbridgeByRobertMondavi/

Twitter: @Woodbridge_Wine

Instagram: @woodbridgewines

Mulled Wine and Chocolate Cake with Poached Pears With a Mulled Wine Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Serves 10
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Ingredients
  1. For the Poached Pears: (Make day before cake)
  2. 1 750 ml bottle of Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Merlot 2017
  3. 6 or 7 ripe but firm Bosc pears, peeled but keep the stems on
  4. 2 cinnamon sticks
  5. 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
  6. 200 grams or 1 cup white granulated sugar
  7. 1 cup maple syrup
  8. Zest from 2 mandarins
  9. 2 mandarins sliced thickly (the two that were zested)
For the Cake
  1. 260 g or 2 cups of all purpose flour
  2. 95 g or 3/4 cup of cocoa flour
  3. 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  4. 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  5. pinch of salt
  6. 227 g or 1 cup softened unsalted butter
  7. 300 g or 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
  8. 1 1/4 cup mulled wine
  9. 2 large eggs room temperature
For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream
  1. 6 egg whites room temperature
  2. 400 grams or 2 cups granulated white sugar
  3. 450 grams or 2 cups softened unsalted butter
  4. 1/4 cup mulled wine room temperature
For the Poached Pears
  1. In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisk the sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon sticks, cardamom and Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Merlot together and allow to slightly bubble.
  2. Add the zest from the 2 mandarins
  3. Place the pears and mandarin slices in and reduce heat to simmer -no lid
  4. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until pears are soft when pierced with a knife
  5. Once the pears are ready, remove from pot with a slotted spoon onto a plate
  6. Continue simmering just the wine for another 25 minutes until it has reduced to about 2 1/2 cups more or less.
  7. In a measuring container or bowl, pour the reduced mulled wine through a mesh sieve.
  8. Discard the mandarine peel, cinnamon stick etc from the reduced wine.
  9. Pop pears back in the mulled wine, allow to come to room temperature before popping in fridge to chill (cover with lid or plastic wrap before putting in fridge)
For the Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F
  2. Grease and flour two 9 inch spring form pans with bottoms lined with parchment paper
  3. In a large bowl, sift the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom and give it a good whisk
  4. In your stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the sugar and butter at medium high speed for about 5 minutes until creamy and butter has become pale.
  5. Beat in the eggs one at a time
  6. On the stir setting of your mixer (slowest speed) or with a spatula, fold in about a third of the dry flour mix, then about half of the room temperature mulled wine
  7. Repeat by stirring in a third of the flour, then the remaining half mulled wine and ending with the last third flour mix. Do not over stir! Gently until major flour streaks are absorbed.
  8. Pour the batter equally into the two pans. Spread to smooth out with an offset spatula
  9. Bake for 30 minutes or until tester stick inserted in center comes out clean.
  10. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for about 10-15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack
  11. Brush some mulled wine all over the cakes while they’re cooling on their racks (optional)
  12. Once they have completely cooled, wrap snuggly with plastic wrap and pop in fridge while you make the Swiss meringue buttercream
Instructions for the Swiss meringue buttercream
  1. In a medium saucepan filled with couple inches of water on medium heat, place the stand mixer bowl with the 6 egg whites and 2 cups of white sugar and bring water to a simmer while whisking constantly
  2. Whisk continuously until candy thermometer reads 160 F- or check by rubbing a bit of egg white between your thumb and finger. Egg white should no longer be gritty, and sugar has been completely dissolved
  3. Fit the mixer bowl in the stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk until medium-stiff peaks form and the bowl returns to room temperature about 8-10 minutes
  4. Whisk in the 1/4 cup mulled wine in until just incorporated
  5. Change the whisk attachment to the paddle attachment and start dropping in the room temperature butter in a couple table spoons at a time. Make sure the butter is fully incorporated before adding the next dollop of butter.
  6. Once all the butter has been added beat another 5 minutes on medium
  7. Buttercream may look a bit lumpy at times...be patient, it'll smooth out with a couple minutes of beating.
  8. Tips: When making the Swiss Meringue buttercream, makes sure the bowl you whisk eggs in is super clean.
  9. Even after beating, if the buttercream looks lumpy, place back onto pot with simmering water and whisk by hand as the buttercream warms up. Return back to the mixer and beat again. Or blow a hairdryer over the lumpy swiss meringue buttercream while it beats.
Assembling the Cake
  1. First…make sure cakes are completely cool. Refrigerating for at least 2 hours or freezing for about 20 minutes makes icing easier.
  2. Place first cake layer on your cake stand and spread out about 1/3 of the buttercream with an offset spatula
  3. Top with the next layer of cake and spread remaining buttercream with offset spatula on top and on sides of cake until smooth…
  4. Slice and core 1 or 2 poached pears
  5. Place the remaining poached pears on top (with or without other fruits is optional)
  6. Serve with a couple slices of poached pears.
Notes
  1. Tips: When making the Swiss Meringue buttercream, makes sure the bowl you whisk eggs in is super clean.
  2. Even after beating, if the buttercream looks lumpy, place back onto pot with simmering water and whisk by hand as the buttercream warms up. Return back to the mixer and beat again. Or blow a hairdryer over the lumpy swiss meringue buttercream while it beats.
STEMS & FORKS https://www.stemsandforks.com/

Spiced Rum, Date, Walnut, Molasses Bundt Cake with Rum Caramel Drizzle

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Koreans can’t bake.

That’s been my insecurity since starting this baking journey. That I’m Korean. And unlike my fellow caucasian friends, I have no family pie recipe or a mom that baked chocolate chip cookies with me on Saturday mornings. The only things I baked as a child were Pillsbury crescents from a tin or boxed Duncan Hines. Baking from scratch was never a part of my family growing up.

Instead, my Saturdays consisted of Korean language classes followed by math drills with Sargent Shin… and his chopstick wand. After math, my sisters and I would get to watch some TV whilst stuffing thousands of Korean dumplings called “mandu”. Okay. Maybe not thousands but god did it ever feel like thousands! Only after all the mandus were stuffed and our math drills were done correctly, were my sisters and I allowed to bake Duncan Hines Classic Yellow Cake. And if we were really lucky, my mom would have bought the chocolate icing in a carton for us to ice the yellow cake with. As a child, baking this cake and devouring it was my escape, my utopia, my moment of being unkorean. 

Until I was a teen and got a job at an upscale bakery. Cardamom coffee cake…what was cardamom? Hazelnut dacquoise…what was dacquoise? My inner sweet carb spirit was awakened. My Saturday mornings no longer involved memorizing math formulas instead being transported to sugary moments of utter bliss, learning flavours and spices I had never heard of.  In retrospect I should have paid this bakery rather than the bakery having paid me. 

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SweeTango Apple, Chèvre and Cardamom Tart (refined sugar free)

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This is a sponsored post in collaboration with SweeTango. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Apples are the most cultivated and universally recognized fruit and perhaps one of the oldest that has existed on earth. It’s also arguably the most written about fruit in fables, religion and myths. It has been symbolized as both good and evil.

In the western world, we know the story of Adam and Eve in the Old Testament, where the serpent tempts man to eat the forbidden fruit thereby starting the fall of man and the Christian definition of sin. Irish folklore has it that if a woman peels the skin of the apple in one continuous ribbon and tosses it over her shoulder then the initials of her future husband will appear. And the Trojan War? Well, the idea of Troy tossing the golden apple to the chosen goddess soon evolved to an ancient Greek tradition of throwing an apple to the one you love. 

SweeTango apples available early October to mid November. See SweeTango.com for a retailer near you

It’s no wonder this beloved fruit has been developed and bred into such amazing varieties. One favourite variety of mine is SweeTango. Grown in Canada exclusively for the Canadian market, SweetTango is a premium apple variety famed for its crisp, sweet, tangy and juicy bite. SweeTango also holds the Guinness World Record for “Loudest Crunch of an Apple” (March 2016) The bite registered at an impressive 79.1 decibels. To put things in perspective, a normal conversation clocks in at 60 decibels and a vacuum or kitchen blender 70-80 decibels (according to American Speech-Language Hearing Association)

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Food Styling and Photography Workshop

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FOOD STYLING AND PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 3rd 2018

SOLD OUT

One Day Intensive Workshop

This workshop will demonstrate how to style food to tell the best and most appropriate visual story for your food or subject.  Through elements such as props, natural light, angles, botanicals and editing, the simplest food or subject can be transformed into an opulent visual story. Learn how to achieve a bright and vibrant scene or a dark and moody painterly capture.  

There will be a hands on style sessions where you can create a still life scene with cake, food and props. As well as an opportunity to work with a model to learn the art of Rembrandt’s chiaroscuro/lighting and triangle technique in portraits. All this will be followed up with a tutorial on editing your work in Adobe Lightroom.

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FOOD STYLING AND PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

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FOOD STYLING AND PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

SATURDAY OCTOBER 20TH 2018

SOLD OUT

One Day Intensive Workshop

This workshop will demonstrate how to style food to tell the best and most appropriate visual story for your food or subject.  Through elements such as props, natural light, angles, botanicals and editing, the simplest food or subject can be transformed into an opulent visual story. Learn how to achieve a bright and vibrant scene or a dark and moody painterly capture.  

There will be a hands on style sessions where you can create a still life scene with cake, food and props. As well as an opportunity to work with a model to learn the art of Rembrandt’s chiaroscuro/lighting and triangle technique in portraits. All this will be followed up with a tutorial on editing your work in Adobe Lightroom.

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Carrot Almond Cake with Toasted Meringue – Dairy and Gluten Free

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I hadn’t planned on posting this recipe but you asked, so here it is.

I recently had a friend over that was lactose and gluten intolerant that was itching to try one of my cakes. I was also asked by fellow food blogger Andrey Tulsky to collaborate on posting a photograph on Instagram with carrots and one’s pet. And so was born this gluten free and dairy free almond and carrot cake. I love it when I kill two birds with one stone! 

This uber moist, high fibre, vitamin rich cake alone was a bit too “healthy”.  Initially I thought roll cake with orange marmalade to fill. But as I was cutting the cake into mini bite sizes and sampling the cutaway pieces, I realized it needed something fluffy, soft, sweet and naughty. It needed toasted meringue.

And in all fairness, meringue isn’t really “naughty” is it. Its simply egg whites and sugar. It’s the torching part that’s naughty I suppose. Firing up pure white fluffs into a light brown caramelized skin. Totally naughty. But if you’d rather “nice”, feel free to simply dust the sheet cake with some icing sugar. 

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PRIVATE FLORAL MASTERCLASS: DUTCH INSPIRED URN ARRANGEMENT

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PRIVATE 1:1 FLORAL MASTERCLASS: DUTCH INSPIRED URN ARRANGEMENT

Private One Day Workshops:

In the spirit of the Dutch Golden Age floral still life paintings, we will be creating beauty “vanitas” style. The idea that life is transient. As fragile as a large blossom standing tall from a thin stem. As futile as a tulip, blooming to a magnificent bloom only to drop its petals and bear seeds showing a new phase of life that is equally beguiling. The certainty of death, the reality of life for both flower and man is ephemeral. All captured in an unruly yet structured arrangement where every stem and bloom is purposeful. 

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Paris The Goddess of Liberty

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Arc De Triomphe, formerly Place de l’Étoile, honours those who served in French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars

Paris…the city of lights and romance. The first time I went to Paris I was in my mid-twenties – almost two decades ago! It was my second time in Europe but the first time I was awestruck by the sheer overload of beauty. The fashion forward people, architecture (particularly Haussmann’s architectural renovation in the “everyday” structures), the symmetrical gardens, galleries, luxury brand names and food overwhelmed me. It was such an extreme contrast to Toronto. Everything in Paris was made with such artistic detail. At twenty-something years old, I felt I had found my soulmate.

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