Here are a few photos from a lunch we had with friends last weekend at a South Indian food chain called Saravana Bhavan. The rue du Faubourg-Saint Denis just off of the Gare du Nord metro and train station is the heart of "little India" in Paris with shops chock-full of colorful saris, ghee-filled desserts and favorite Indian DVDs. As usual, our friend (and food guide), Animesh, gave us his expert opinion on what to order and we had at it. I ordered a traditional southern dish (that nearly everyone else at the table also ordered) and a mango lassi. The food was excellent, but I think I've learned that North Indian food is more my thing. And so is meat. This place is great for a vegetarian looking to spice things up in Paris, though, so if you haven't been and are into trying something new, I highly recommend it.


Digging in.

Listening to directions from our food guide.

Loving her mango lassi.


Yummy sweet coffee.

Yummy HOT coffee.

Take 1 (pay attention, Guillaume!)

Take 2.

We grabbed a few things at the Indian market around the corner (hair oil and shampoo for me), had a strange and scary encounter with a Hells Angel dude (don't ask) and thus ended a lovely day spent with friends.


The rest of the weekend was spent mostly catching up with friends we didn't get to see before Christmas - one couple who had a baby girl on New Year's Eve and another who surprised us with the announcement of their little one on the way. And then, in keeping with tradition, we stopped by beau-père's place to cut into a galette des rois and determine who would be king or queen for the year. It was my second galette so far this year, the first being the one I had earlier in the week with colleagues where, out of everyone on our floor, I ended up with the crown. This time, we each had a 1 in 4 chance at getting the title, but fate decided that I needed a king and Gui ended up finding the fève in his slice of galette. As King and Queen, we've decided to rule the land with both venerable (but cheerful) reason,


...and upstanding, noble character.