Day 6: rain-boo, dinner-woo

Our Musée d'Orsay trip got cancelled today due to problems none of us could understand. They say it will be postponed. Thus, we got out of class at 1:30 and it was pouring freezing rain. So, Sonia and I scuttled on home and made a big pot of coffee, lounged around in the warmth and did some homework. By 5 I was feeling antsy and knew that dinner was a ways a way, so I decided to go for a run. What was meant to be a run soon turned into a brisk walk on account of the frigid air and the fact that I became totally and utterly lost. This wouldn't have worried me ordinarily, but as it was getting dark fairly quickly I made sure to keep up the pace. One good thing about this adventure, I further discovered my neighborhood and find it even more charming. There are two Picard's very near by. Now, Picard is a genre of store we most certainly lack in the US. Fact 1: The French are OBSESSED with frozen food. They flash freeze it so it is very often fresher than grocery store food. In addition, pre-made meals here do not stoop so low to the quality of Jimmy Dean or Hungry Man, but are very gourmet, authentic, natural meals that can be grabbed and heated up for a wonderful meal. I also discovered two yummy-looking sushi places.
Oh and I also had my first pain au chocolat today...j'aime beaucoup

Meal:
Sonia and I were very skeptical of the first course today but not for very long. We sat down to a grated carrot salad (no problem) but it was topped with rolled up slices of something we could not identify. I was nearly sure it was steak tartare...one of the few foods I will not eat. After asking what it was, I was still very skeptical: reindeer. I still did not know if it was cooked. So I hesitantly took a small taste. Not only was it cooked, but the thinly sliced Rudolph had been fumée-d...smoked! The carrots had a light mustard dressing and the whole dish was simply wonderful

Next we had smalled salmon steaks wrapped in foil and baked with tomatos, lemon and herbs. Fantastic
Steamed spinach on the side
Candied chestnuts for dessert

one of my favorite meals yet
the salmon and live scallops in shell at a market near my school. they kept opening and closing!