Around 1:00 pm Friday, it was decided by my french girlfriends that the apéro would take place chez moi and not on the bank of the Seine “si le temps continue à etre aussi degueu”--if the weather continues to be so disgusting. I looked out my window at a bright blue sky. The temperature was only in the high 60s, though, which meant that by 7:30 pm, it could possibly be in the low 60s.
Cue horror music from Psycho.
The low 60s--when I lived in Chicago, my friends called this “rooftop weather,” the weather for BBQs, bottled beer, and flip-flops. Meanwhile, during our “rooftop weather” parties, I typically quivered in a borrowed Northface jacket, positioning my companions as human wind-blocking barriers.
I can’t say it doesn’t please me to know which parent can be blamed for my various delicate sensibilities.
If I had understood this as a child, when I was failing at sports like volleyball and being called “prissy” on the playground, I would have said, “I can explain. I am not a priss, I AM JUST FRENCH.”
As for the party, if you're guessing it was super fun, you would be guessing right. Thanks to blog friends Katia and Aimee for stopping by. And an enormous merci to all who advised in response to Cake 911. Grace à Miss Stefanie, I found a passably American cake at an Asian bakery near the métro Belleville. Who knew? (Stefanie, that's who.)
After the apéro, we forged ahead to a decidedly un-chilly place--a place called the Favela Chic where the people are hot, the food is hot, and the temperature is, um, let’s just say it looked like I'd been slathered in a vat of vaseline when I finally rolled out of there. Let us also say that, in response to the question, “Have you ever danced on a table at the Favela Chic?” I can now answer in the affirmative.
Kindly don’t show me a caipirinha until my next birthday.
Happy Birthday (again) Mlle Coquette!! So glad it was so memorable.
And, had to laugh at the "I'm not a priss, I'm French"--- that be a t-shirt, non?
Gros bisous.
Posted by: bluepoppy | 11 May 2005 at 10:41 PM
That Chicago "rooftop weather," no matter how sunny and deceptively warm, is usually accompanied by a cold, constant 20 mile an hour wind. It chills to the bone. You have my sympathy on that.
And how about the cake! It does look pretty authentic. Kudos to Stefanie for coming to the rescue. If you had them put "La Coquette" on there, you wouldn't have had to eat your name. ;)
Happy Birthday!
Posted by: DDJ | 11 May 2005 at 10:47 PM
DDJ, where I come from, my friends always said it was good luck to smear your name on the cake. It's also just ridiculously satisfying, touching icing. I love how those Publix's cakes have super stiff icing--more like you're *denting* your name than smearing it. Anyway, Caro and Sophie decided to smear, too.
Aimee (who's also american) and I noted that the cake part was pretty close, but the icing was lacking that feel-the-grains-of-sugar-between-your-teeth quality.
Posted by: Coquette | 11 May 2005 at 11:06 PM
Happy birthday Coquette! The box looks pretty, but what did the cake look like? I assume no pics were taken before you gobbled it all up...
I totally agree with you on being cold sensitive. But my family's from Russia; what's my excuse?
Posted by: Lady Amalthea | 11 May 2005 at 11:22 PM
Bon anniversaire!
Posted by: R J Keefe | 11 May 2005 at 11:29 PM
Lady Amalthea, click on the link that says "American Cake" for the highly glamorous picture-of-cake-with-ashtray. Please remember, it was supposed to be a pre-party by the Seine. My little table was a bit...crowded.
Posted by: Coquette | 12 May 2005 at 12:20 AM
Glad you had a fun birthday. But I think there were too many candles on that cake, judging by your legs.
"A woman is only as old as her knees"
Posted by: Asian Leprechaun | 12 May 2005 at 02:26 AM
i second the leps. nice stems, coquette.
Posted by: zane | 12 May 2005 at 04:04 AM
Favela chic. Merde. Too many drinks had there. Happy birthday - I'm glad you found a cake!
Posted by: Gloria | 12 May 2005 at 05:33 AM
Had a great time and yes, the cake was a good stand in but lacked that grainey frosting feel. Do you think there is a market for selling sheet cakes in Paris? The thought of the sweetness of the frosting on a sheet cake and it's giving me chills. Good or bad... I won't tell. ;)
BTW, I must confess that I did see the sepctator shoes IN PERSON and they are, indeed, fab. FAB!
Hi Jeanne! *waves*
Posted by: flare | 12 May 2005 at 09:24 AM
I am in TOTAL agreement about the fabulousness of those shoes.
It was a delight to meet Jeanne too - to finally put a face to the name!
Posted by: Katia | 12 May 2005 at 12:03 PM
*curtsey*
Ps: I agree about the frosting not being quite sweet enough...hélas.
and what did the Frenchies think of the cake?
Posted by: Stefanie | 12 May 2005 at 12:33 PM
Stefanie, they liked it! (Thank god their palettes had been numbed by wine at that point) :)
Asian, I was pissed to see that the candles only came in packs of 24, so we were a candle short for me and Sophie, and two candles short for Caro, but hey, never too early to start shaving a year or two off, right?
Posted by: Coquette | 12 May 2005 at 02:35 PM
Publix most certainly has the best cakes ever. Nothing like crisco icing!
And I would assume that your distaste of the cold comes from growing up in Florida. I know that's how I got mine.
Happy Birthday!
Posted by: Jenny | 12 May 2005 at 03:30 PM
Happy Birthday from Chicago, Coquette! Just so you know, it was 80 degrees here on Sunday from Mother's day, but it's 40 today..Chicago could be a capricious French woman as well! Anyway, happy B-day from your Second City.
Posted by: Mica | 12 May 2005 at 05:02 PM
We share a birthday!
Happy Birthday! I am so glad it was lovely!
Posted by: suzanna danna | 12 May 2005 at 07:37 PM
Happy Birthday Coquette. Glad you had a fun night out. The cake looks great... just like home... even if it didn't taste quite that way.
Posted by: Auntie M | 12 May 2005 at 09:23 PM
Belated Happy Birthday!!
Posted by: Marilyn | 13 May 2005 at 06:12 AM
Hello, coquette !
a late piece of news (still useful for next year, or another american birthday, who knows?) .
american birthday cakes make me think of the altman's movie that takes place in LA (Short cuts), there's a whole story about a bakery making personnalized birthday cake.
Anyway, I found, surprisingly, that in Carrefour supermarkets, they have cakes quite close to what you long for. It's mainly chocolate cakes decorated with Omer and Bart Simpson's figures or disney toons. Quite funny for us, french people, since we are more used to Lenôtre or Ladurée. I guess french kids, seeing so many american movies, became addicted !!!
Posted by: phano | 14 May 2005 at 09:10 AM
Happy Belated Birthday! Sounds like you had a great time, especially with that yummy looking cake. (and congrats on the fabulous shoe find!)
Posted by: Jillian | 16 May 2005 at 02:54 PM
Hi, I just finished reading your Blog in the San Diego Reader section called Blog World. And all I can say is Wow! I really liked it. I will read the rest of your site in the next few days. Your observations about your "foreign Boobies" were right on. I have been an expatriot several times over the years and found a lot of my own experiences in your writing. Feel free to contact me any time.
My very best, Nels
Posted by: Nels A. Olson | 12 July 2005 at 08:35 AM
I like to the town.I live in a crowded town.This park is (the safest) park in our town.Born in this beautiful town, he hates to leave it.
Posted by: UGG Suede | 03 November 2010 at 07:53 AM