Le Tanksgeeving

In the spirit of True Americans, we celebrated Thanksgiving in style on Thursday, feast included. France wasn't very interested in facilitating our turkey eating and I had class all afternoon on Thanksgiving (my grammar classes have continued even with the strike). I even got homework for which, I have to say, I wasn't very thankful. Amy, Marit and I prepared the majority of our dinner on Wednesday afternoon instead and with a few quick additions we served an enormous, traditional Thanksgiving dinner late Thursday night. It was simply fabulous. Without an oven and rather tiny kitchens we somehow managed to pull it all off. Dario was just thankful that three women had cooked him such a huge dinner and his friend Sophie joined us to help eat it all. Marit started us off with a tasty French Onion Soup (not so traditional), and then followed dinner, good wine, and pie!

Le Menu du Thanksgiving

Soupe d'Oignon Français

Filets de Dinde Poêlé
Sauce de Dinde
La Farce aux Herbes Traditionnel
Purée des Pommes de Terres à l'Ail
Carottes Glacées avec du Vinaigre Balsamique
Patates Doux au Sauce de Thym
Haricots Verts au Beurre et Ail

Tarte au Citrouille
Tarte au Noix de Pécan
Avec de la Chantilly

Having decided to stay put in Montpellier till Christmas to save money, get my health figured out, and not fail my classes (the train strike helps this motivation) I have gotten a bit of a chance to explore my home town. Last weekend I took in an Opera at Le Comedie (our big Opera House) downtown. Maddie, a fellow American student, and I bought the cheapest tickets in the house for the Sunday Matinee of La Cenerentola by Rossini. The view wasn't bad except we were so high up that the chandelier blocked the subtitles. Oh well, I guess that's what you get for €15 Opera tickets, it was still totally worth it. I could have closed my eyes and enjoyed it almost as much. The performance was beautiful as well, but they cast was dressed up straight out of the 60's and Cinderella had a vacuum cleaner with a mind of it's own and a smoking oven!

Maddie and I at the Opera.