Bottoms Up: A beer tasting

The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind.

- Humphrey Bogart

Sometimes ordering the usual at your local watering hole can become a bit stale. If you’re feeling adventurous and looking to try something new, requesting a flight of beer may be the best way to excite your taste buds and to wake your palate up!

Traditionally, flights of beer are served on a sleek, wooden paddle with an array of frothy beers to sample. The best way to achieve an honest taste of each variety is to work your way down the line starting from the lightest beer and ending at the darkest. If you start at the other end or pick randomly from the line up, you will risk over saturating your palate, losing the nuances of each sample. Many pubs and taprooms provide the option for you to customize your flight, allowing you to choose any beer they have on tap.  

Now that we can bring the long-standing tradition into our home with our new beer flight set, we have chosen to fill our glasses with our favorite cold beers from all over the world. 

Cheers!

Postcards from Paris: { l e - j o u r - d e - l a - t e r r e }

The majority of my routine is around the north and northwest of Paris.
 For this reason I find it difficult to make it to the centre of the city, and the most central being Ile de la Cité where one finds La Sainte-Chapelle and Notre Dame.  Just off from Le Pont Notre Dame, there is a bird and flower market. I’ve walked passed it, around it, and near it on several occasions, but never taking the time to stop and smell the roses.
Completely unplanned and taken over by an unwilling force, I was drawn to the radiant floral set-up.
With green herbs so fresh that would make anyone want to simply pick and eat, an array of full-blossomed hydrangeas placed in a gradient colour scheme, geraniums already planted in flowerboxes and ready to be installed on an ornate-ironed balcony, and the beautiful lilac trees making their presence known visually and aromatically.
Every turn of the head there was a photo opportunity, but everything in moderation. I packed up and continued my Earth Day walk, collecting moments that shined like the spring sun:
I walked by a middle school where students were congregating in their courtyard. At first I assumed it was a small pause, but I noticed there were flowers involved. The students were planting and writing identity cards for each plant. The most curious clique of students was a group of boys, unsure and slightly awkward in their adolescence phase of life they seemed to be the most involved, taking particular notice to the tulips.
A young girl, maybe around the age of 10, was carrying a tennis racket. She had picked a dandelion for each little square slot, and placed the flowers stem down. The nylon strings were completely covered with tiny yellow petals. She was proud of her creation, and couldn’t stop smiling.
Installed on the sidewalk near rue Jacob, an artist with his wooden easel, shining white hair, and linen paint-tunic was painting the apricot blossoms with such delicate brushstrokes. There are the artists who paint in public and have their work for sale, but he seemed on the contrary; just taking advantage of the moment and embracing the bloom.

A good day to be on this planet.

  Bisous,
Reba