I took the Eurostar to Paris on Saturday morning, a last-minute trip booked when I knew my friend Katie would be there as well. I contentedly watch the grey countryside on both sides of the channel during the short 2 hour, 15 minute train ride there and even did work most of the time to catch up on some document reviews. I arrived to a windy and very wet Paris, drenching my jeans and suitcase as I traipsed across town to the hotel where Katie and I happily chatted in the warm hotel room and I even took nearly an hour nap to help recover from my cold and have the energy to go out for a night on the town!
Katie's coworker Don (a Dutch guy with an Australian accent) met up with us in the early evening as we found a great little wine bar, La Robe et le Palais, with the best wine menu I have ever seen. It was like a wine rolodex and each page listed all the wine information including tasting notes. You simply pulled out the card for the wine you wanted and showed it to the waiter. If you wanted just a glass, you asked and they said yes or no depending on the price, their mood and presumably if a bottle was already open and they liked the look of you or not. Paired with a cheese plate and oysters, we tried a few Rhone reds and a few Gamays from Burgundy before heading out to our actual dinner reservation.
Katie and I went to La Table de Fes, a Moroccan couscous restaurant near Montparnasse on recommendation from a friend. We received more than we could eat of couscous with raisins, chickpeas, stew, spices and the meat of our choice (lamb of course!) paired with a surprisingly excellent bottle of Moroccan red wine. Bourdeaux in style it was very well structured with strong but not overpowering flavours. And for the life of me, I of course don't know what it's called. I will be sure to pay more attention during my trip to Marrakesh over Easter.
After dinner we enjoyed a final drink and several songs at the live jazz club inside our very own hotel, Le Meridien Etoile, just off the Champs Elysees. We didn't go to bed until nearly 3am, and therefore enjoyed a nice sleep in well past noon....
...leaving not much time on Sunday to do anything except for eating and shopping, and then eating again. A day well spent! We had lunch of savoury crepes and cafe cremes in the Rue du Bac area near St Germain at La Jacobine. We then shopped at a handmade leather stationary store, my favourite wine shop La Derniere Goutte, back to the stationary store and then it was nearly time for dinner! Loaded down with 1/2 case of wine and several other purchases, we made our way back to the hotel and were lucky to get a seat for dinner at the nearby Le Relais de Venise where the only thing on the menu is steak frites. The restaurant is legendary, doesn't take reservations, but I also learned has a London location in Marleyborne as well. The 'secret sauce' was amazing, as was the well-priced 18 Euro Bourdeaux with the meal.
Since it was our last night, we did have one final drink nearby (I introduced Katie to her first kir royal and I tried a Gamay from Touraine in the Loire) before walking down to the Arc de Triomphe for photos at nearly 1am. Asleep at 2, up at 4:30 and on the Eurostar back to London by 6:30am...I slept on every mode of transport into the office (train, tube, train and bus). It's now nearly 5pm and although tired, I really do feel re-energized by a weekend away to one of my favourite cities, where I was able to practice my meager French, enjoy beautiful food and wine, and spend quality time with an old friend away from our typical busy lives.
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A week out from what one could call a breakdown (although I prefer the term epiphany), I've already taken steps towards what I want my new goals to be. I've investigated taking a leave of absence from work (not right away, but wanted to understand the request process and ramifications on promotions, salary increases, work permits, etc); I've started to research European-based MBA programs; I am going to start studying for the GMAT (after New Years :) as well as actively re-learn French. I have also joined a few wine social groups in London where I hope to meet other people with my interests, possibly others in the industry and where I may develop more of a leadership role in organising wine events for not just my immediate circle of friends. And then there is the wine certifications, but those aren't cheap and it's debatable which ones are best, so more research is required.
I'm also talking to people about all this, which for me is one step towards making things real. I generally do 'stew' things over in my mind, without consciously realising it, and then make what might appear to be quick decisions, but in reality are things I had been thinking about for a long time. Case in point: moving to London. Many people were surprised at how fast I decided on it and then moved, but I had always had a goal to move to Europe. And look, here I am!
There is much more in development, but it will all come with time. For now, I'm looking forward to being home for Christmas in less than two weeks.
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