Dieting and One More Trip

Well, I lost some weight last week, and then on Saturday I ate "crispy veal head" for lunch... and lost even more.  (Just kidding, it was actually very good!)

I was really glad my veal head didn't arrive at the table looking like that scene in "Temple of Doom".

Find out more in this week's blog post.

We Are Losing Weight!

As I mentioned last time, it's REALLY difficult to diet in Paris; there is just way too much delicious food here. Fortunately, we found a plan that seems to be working for us, based on a book called "The Four Hour Body" by Tim Ferris.

Disclaimer: Tim Ferriss is an Internet blogger and author, NOT a medical professional 

Our new "slow-carb diet" limits the amount of carbohydrates that we consume, while giving us a "cheat day" once per week to satisfy our hunger for the rich French food we crave. The rest of the week we stay away from foods that are high in sugar, carbohydrates and the wrong fats, and focus instead on consuming mostly meat and veggies, which have a low glycemic index. The goal is to avoid most “white” carbohydrates, including corn, rice, quinoa, white potatoes, and anything breaded (like fried chicken, or you know, baguettes <sigh>).

We've been trying to exercise more, too. Melanie goes for long walks while I have been visiting the Pretty Simple gym every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to do some weight training. Melanie doesn't weigh herself, but after two and a half weeks I've already lost ten pounds. So far so good!

As I mentioned, the diet is working for us because of the Saturday cheat days. Two Saturdays ago we had another BBQ day, and last Saturday we had lunch at a bistro in the 1st called "Pirouette".

Chef Tomy Gousset worked under Le Meurice and Daniel Bouloud before opening Pirouette.

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon and, after a lazy morning, we took an Uber to the restaurant, which is just north of Les Halles. They had a nice table outside in a kind of courtyard that was chock full of plants. It was lovely.

The food was delicious, the plating was gorgeous, and the price was very reasonable for a three course gourmet meal. (We ordered a bottle of wine and I think our bill was just over 100 euros.)

This was my starter: crispy veal head with sauce gribiche.

Melanie's entree was a range of beetroots in a duck broth.

We both ordered the same main course: a delicately breaded lobster with a curry sauce.

This started out as my dessert, but we switched. (Lychee and vanilla cookie with tapioca pearls.)

Lemon tart with fresh strawberries and coffee ice cream. Sounds a little odd, but YUM!

One More Summer Trip

We planned a final summer trip for this year, though based on the weather we've been  having it's possible we waited too long. It has been cool and rainy all week -- and it's supposed to continue through the weekend. Oh, well.

Undaunted, Friday morning we're going to catch a high speed train from Montparnasse Station to a walled port city in Brittany called "Saint Malo". (It's in northwestern France on the English Channel.)

Founded by Gauls in the 1st century, Saint GaloSaint-Malo became notorious as a home for French pirates.

We booked a room at a nice hotel and we should have a great view of the ocean from our balcony. Weather permitting our first stop on Friday will be one of the top tourist destinations in France: Mont-Saint-Michel.

This Normandy island commune has has held strategic fortifications since ancient times.

On Saturday, we'll take a bus to the nearby village of Cancale, which is known for having amazing seafood. History reports that Louis XIV had his oysters brought to Versailles from Cancale. Centuries later, the farming of oysters is still a major activity in the port with about 25,000 tons being harvested each year.

You can buy fresh oysters on the pier, eat them with a little lemon, and toss the shells back into the ocean!

It should be a great weekend, and we're excited to experience Cancale's wonderful seafood as part of our next cheat day!