Monday, July 14, 2008

Bastille Day on 60th Street, New York, July 13, 2008

Yesterday I attended the Bastille Day celebrations on 60th Street in Manhattan. 60th Street is home to the New York branch of l'Alliance Francaise, the largest world language school in the United States. The FIAF has lots of cultural events, movies, and goodies to sell, in addition to language lessons.

The FIAF was selling tickets to a "Wine and Cheese" tasting all day, which took place in their building. By 3:00 they had crossed off the word "cheese" from their signs. Malheureusement, I did not purchase a ticket, since my tummy was full on a chocolate crepe and some pommes frites. These weren't as good as their Parisian counterparts (the crepe was made with HERSHEY SYRUP--or at least it tasted an awful lot like it!), but it was still a noble effort, and made me want to return to La Belle France in the worst way. Time to save my pennies!

Anyhoo, enjoy these pictures from the event. This was the first thing I saw when I got off the subway.

Crepe makers were the first chefs I saw when I stepped onto 60th Street. My mouth started watering--it had been years since I had a good chocolate crepe!

Here's my crepe in its finishing stages...

...and here's the finished product, une crepe a la americaine. For it to be authentically French, it would be served in paper and not on a plate.

There were lots of yummy pastries along the way.This could very well be one of the next books I read. I'm a foodie, and I speak French, so that would be perfect!

In addition to the great food, there were lots of beauty treatments along the way, such as mini facials.

Here are some more French goodies, made with monoi and tamanu oils. According to the brochure I got, Tahitian women use these oils for hair and skin ailments.

I saw this little French tea party set at one of the vendor booths.

At the end of 60th Street, right at the entrance to Central Park, there was a car show full of antique Citroens...

...and Peugeots. My mom had a friend who drove a model similar to this one.

No French street fair would be complete without a mime...

...or can-can dancers!

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