Marseille, la cité phocéenne

I know, you were afraid, what is Kelsy doing, where is she, is she even continuing this adventure in France still ? WELL, I have the response to these questions and much more!

Let's be honest, you guys know how bad I am at keeping this thing updated. But I have a goal to update at least once a week (I am starting a master's people, so let's not set crazy expectations). In addition, I wanted to give you the link to a new tumblr account I created, which will allow me to share photos/little moments with you more easily than long-winded blog posts about culture, food, and life.

http://kelsyexpatlife.tumblr.com/

Ok, so, WHAT am I doing?

Jonathan and I moved to the South of France, to the city of Marseille in the Provence region (I am still in France! the adventure lives on). I've been here for almost 3 weeks, and it already feels like I've been here longer (maybe from all the trips up and down 3 flights of stairs with heavy Ikea boxes).

Leaving Paris for me was not as bittersweet as I thought it would have been.  I had been waiting to find a city that was both big with opportunities to eat out, go out, etc. and close to a lot of outdoor opportunities in the mountains, sea...While I miss my friends who are back in Paris (and even more those back in the states!), I feel that the change of city has done me good, and I really couldn't be happier in our new place (pictures to come soon).

Our first weekend in the new city, to be honest, was a pain in this girl's rear end. We had ikea furniture to build, we were missing half of our stuff, I felt like we were surrounded by boxes that we would never get rid of! Here we are, two-point-5 weeks later, we have all of our stuff, all boxes are done, now we just need to decorate a bit to fill in the enormous white space that is our walls.

Marseille, some of you may not know much about it, here are some quick facts (some via wikipedia, so...grain of salt) :

• Cité Phocéenne? The Phocaeans, from Phocaea, an ancient greek city in Turkey, had many major sea colonies (they were a strong, way-faring people), Marseille (Massalia in 600 BC) being one of them
• "Marseillais" identity is strong, and each area of the city has a distinct "vie de quartier." For example, Jon and I live in the 6th arrondissement (there are 16 total), and more specifically in the Préfecture quartier. In Marseille, your quartier is more important than your arrondissement.
• Population about 850,000, probably a bit more, it's the second biggest city in France, and the biggest in terms of surface area
• It is on the sea, with a big, beautiful, old port
• It is surrounded by some of the most beautiful spots in France, including the Calanques, Cassis, Sainte Baume, Mont Ste Victoire and the Aix en Provence area, and a bit further (2 hours drive), the Gorges du Verdon 
• It gets a bad rep. for banditism and mafia (which exists, but is 1. not as rampant as the media makes it seem and 2. is between them and not random people in the street), it also gets a rep for being "dirty," due to frequent strikes by the waste management services (frequent=1 per year...so not that frequent)...I honestly see just as much dog poo and garbage in the streets as I saw in Paris

I am excited about getting to know this city, and am excited for the adventures to come. Jonathan and I have started hiking, swimming and other various activities (soon rock-climbing, I hope!) and I will soon be starting a master's program at the Université de Provence in Aix. It is a degree in Anthropology and Jobs in Development, the goal is that after this first year of courses and next year's internship in a developing country, us young buck master's students will be primed for the development, ngo, non-profit rich world we've got out there.  Hey! You, 50 page bibliography? It's go time.

Ok, ta-ta for now, time to go to the library,

Kelsy

View from our window

Montpézat

La Sainte Baume

le Baron Rouge: A wine bar to make Snoopy proud

Yikes! I have 2 months left to tell you about some fabulous eateries in Paris before I move! That's right, you 30 fabulous followers, I am moving from Paris to the sexy, seething south...of France, to Marseille! I couldn't be more excited, Paris has been such an excellent place to learn and grow (and to discover culinary greatness), but it's time for me to move on and try new things (and get my Master's). I will be taking this blog on the road as I discover flavorful provençal cooking along with the many other flavors that make up Marseille's diverse culinary landscape. 

Now, on to the real point of this particular blog, the Baron Rouge...

Hidden in the gently curved streets of Paris, tucked between the 4e and 12e arrondissements stands inviting, 'Le Baron Rouge,' a wine bar by trade that serves up no frills french culture by the glass. 

Upon stepping inside, you are instantly transported from the bustling metropole to the french wine-country. From wine casks full of 2 euro per litre wine to the hundreds of bottles decorating the walls, ceilings and floor, you better be ready for some serious "degustation".

Courtney and I were unsure what to drink, so many options at such a good price! We asked the bearded barman for his advice, knowing that we wanted something fruity and a bit light on the palette (we weren't quite in the mood for a heavy Bordeaux). He led in us in the right direction with a 2010 Sancerre  Red (3.50 euro the glass, 16 euro for a large carafe); it was light, with a fresh berry taste. The friendly barman (along with his 2 other barfellows) are truly artisans. You can attribute half of the excellent ambiance to their jolly demeanor and wine knowledge.

Court and I were so pleased with our wine and our tasting experience that we decided to order again, for me a true Kir (crème de Cassis from Bourgogne and a white wine, Aligot, also from Bourgogne) and Court a glass of Sancerre white. To accompany these new wines, we ordered a half round of creamy, salty chèvre cheese that paired perfectly with the cool, crisp drinks.

Tips for coming to the Baron:

• There are limited tables, so be prepared to bump elbows with your wine-loving neighbor if you arrive around lunch time or before dinner (around 7/7:30pm in France)
• By 7:30, locals and foreigners alike arrive by the group, try to get there around 6/6:30 at the latest
• They are also open during the famous (and worth a visit as well) Marché d'Aligre, which passes right in front of the Baron. Market visitors often stop in for a glass before continuing their shopping

Price:

• 2-4 euros for a glass of wine (maximum 4 euros!)
• 8-16 euros for a pitcher of wine to share between friends
• 6 euros for a large portion of tasty cheese or 12 euros for a massive assorted meat plate

Le Baron Rouge, 1, r. Theophile Roussel, 75012 Paris, France