Luxury Travel Review
Portland shop for delicious fresh from scratch baked goods without artificial ingredients
By Elena del Valle
Photos by Gary Cox
Foley’s Bakery is on the ground floor of an office building
On a crisp, cool fall morning in Portland, Maine we found Foley’s Cakes (Foley’s Cakes, 1 Monument Way, Portland, Maine 04101, + 207-773-CAKE (2253), http://foleyscakes.com), a small bakery and cake shop on the ground floor of an office building in the heart of the city. It was an easy walk from our accommodations. What drew us back regularly in a city with a high ratio of bakeries was the warm welcome from its owners and some treats that quickly became favorites such as the buttery and flaky ham and cheese croissants.
The reverse chocolate chip cookie was a favorite
We also became fans of the extra large cookies. We sampled the chocolate cookies with white chocolate chunks and the peanut butter cookies first. We loved the shop’s wholesome flavors and were especially pleased to discover everything they sold was made fresh from scratch on the premises without any artificial ingredients or preservatives. Increasingly we encounter stores and bakeries that sell products previously frozen or made or premade by someone else. Finding a bakery that sold only fresh products made onsite such as theirs was a pleasure.
Ed and Molly Foley in front of one of the display cases
Pastry chef Ed Foley and his wife Molly were the owners of Foley’s Cakes, a European-style bakery established in 2011. Previous to that they had owned the original Foley’s Bakery also in central Portland from 1997 to 2002. He made all the well presented and appetizing baked goods sold at the shop facing Monument Square.
In a corner on the right side of the shop, there was a refrigerator with cold beverages and next to it a self service hot beverages section. As we sat at one of a half a dozen tables drinking coffee and tea and munching of croissants and cookies, we watched a steady flow of regular customers stream by, many buying baked goods to go. Molly greeted most by name. She seemed to know effortlessly what everyone’s favorites were from the child celebrating her birthday to the business executive with guests. By our second visit she remembered my preference for the white chocolate chunk cookies and my travel partner’s preference for the peanut butter ones.
The tempting display of pastries
On display in two large cases there was a line of pastries, cookies, and cakes made on site. We could see the racks and baking equipment behind the cash register on the left side of the open room. Wedding cakes were also available according to the shop’s website.
“The fact that all of the baked goods are made from scratch plus the baked goods we offer are unique to Foley’s,” Molly said when asked what makes their shop special.
The ham and cheese croissant was a favorite
Chef Foley, with 20 years of experience, trained with European pastry chefs in the United States. Prior to opening his own shop he worked at The Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan; Gasparilla Inn & Cottages, Boca Grande, Florida; The Tivoli Restaurant and Pastry Shop, Rosslyn, Virginia; and The Watergate Pastry Shop, Washington, D.C.; and was an instructor at the New England Culinary Institute, Montpelier, Vermont.
The cinnamon swirl
There were so many tempting cakes and pastries in the shop I left without sampling I’m hoping for a second visit to Maine’s largest city. For example, Foley’s best selling cake is the Marble Mousse Cake. It is made of two thin layers of chocolate cake with a thick layer of chocolate mousse, a thick layer of white chocolate mousse and a thin layer of pound cake covered in chocolate ganache.
Portland farmers market rich in organic, colorful produce
By Elena del Valle
Photos by Gary Cox
The Wednesday green market in Monument Square
These fall flowers would make a nice display
On a recent visit to Portland, Maine we discovered the city’s farmers markets. Vendors were in attendance from early morning until early afternoon twice weekly. Wednesday it was on Monument Square in the heart of the city, and Saturday it was at Deering Oaks Park, a green corner of Portland.
A wide variety of locally grown vegetables was on display
Cauliflower for sale Saturday
While smaller than some of the farmers markets and green markets we have visited in other locations the ones in Portland stood out for the colorful variety, plentiful quantity and high quality of organic fall produce. In addition, there were dairy products, lamb, pork, poultry, meat and meat products, honey and honey products, herbs, flowers and plants. According to the market’s website (portlandmainefarmersmarket.org) 41 vendors participate regularly.
Small farms brought sheep and goat cheeses and products
Lovely fall flower pots in a variety of colors
The items we sampled onsite or took with us were of high quality and good taste. Examples included purple and green Romanesque cauliflower, broccoli, goat’s milk cajeta (a light brown sweet spread we sampled on a crunchy apple sliver), hard cheese, apples, strawberries, husk cherries, pears, honey, and several types of kale. Vendors, often the farmers themselves, although busy were friendly and helpful. The next time we’re in Portland we plan to return to the farmers markets.
Posh New York City spa left me relaxed with dewy, soft skin
Article and photos by Laura Scheiber
Consumed by the hustle and bustle of New York City, I needed a break, something to make me feel relaxed and pampered. I scheduled two signature spa treatments at the Valmont Spa for Plaza Athenee.
The entryway to the Spa
When I arrived at the spa, on the second floor of the elegant Hotel Plaza Athenee on the upper east side of Manhattan, I stepped out of the elevator, walked down a carpeted corridor and entered the intimate reception area of the spa. My esthetician, Miranda Sturce, met me with a smile at the front desk and escorted me to Suite Number One. The 320-square foot private space was divided into three main areas: a treatment room with a massage table, sitting area and private bathroom. Miranda confirmed the treatments I was scheduled for, a 30-minute Valmont signature Peaks of Slimness Body Treatment and a 60-minute signature L’Elixir des Glaciers Facial Treatment. Valmont is a high-end Swiss skin care products company best known for its anti-aging products and treatments.
My esthetician, Miranda Sturce
Though not mandatory, Miranda welcomed me to take a shower with a special Valmont shower cream called Fresh Dew Cleanser, which complimented the body products she was to use during the treatments. I followed Miranda’s suggestion and enjoyed steaming hot water under the soothing rainwater showerhead while lathering up with the light and refreshing Valmont shower gel.
After I wrapped myself up in a robe, Miranda began the treatment in the sitting area by giving me a footbath. She filled a turquoise water basin that had lemon and lime slices on the bottom with hot water. She massaged my feet and legs with a lemongrass exfoliate. I relaxed as she scrubbed away the stress of city living.
The water basin for the foot bath
I then hopped on the massage table in the treatment area, which was lined with an electric blanket to keep me warm. I was glad to feel so comfortable around Miranda when getting an intimate anti-cellulite full body treatment. Her sweet disposition made her approachable and unintimidating. Miranda started with the body slimming and firming, Peaks of Slimness treatment. For the first part, she applied Valmont’s D. Solution Booster, a gel created to address cellulite build-up. She relied on deep twisting motions in her massage technique to break down fatty cells.
The massage table in my treatment room
While massaging my stomach, Miranda mentioned that the treatment was not safe for pregnant women because of the high concentration of caffeine in the gel. Miranda repeated the process along my arms, legs, buttocks, and back. For the second half of the treatment, Miranda used Valmont’s C. Curve Shaper, an anti-aging firming solution. Using long strokes, mixed with kneading motions she worked her way up and down my limbs, stomach and back. The Valmont slimness and firmness products were icing on the cake, as I would have been happy with this massage alone. Throughout the treatment, Miranda asked if the amount of pressure she applied was to my liking and whether I was comfortable in terms of temperature because she knew the Valmont products would leave my skin cool and tingly. I took her up on her offer for another blanket.
The products she used during my treatment
While the slimming and firming treatment felt nice, I slipped into an even deeper state of relaxation when she began the facial. She began with a cleanser, followed by a toner, exfoliate and rebalancing mask designed to leave my skin glowing and radiant, according to Miranda. She utilized a massage technique called the butterfly motion designed by Valmont to stimulate blood circulation and enhance the effect of the products. Next, she added a moisturizing mask followed by a collagen mask. The extra concentrated formula left me with a tingly sensation as if all of my facial nerves were being softly tickled.
The sitting area of my treatment room
While the collagen mask was doing its magic, Miranda gave me a soothing neck, hand and foot massage. For the grand finale, she applied Valmont’s exclusive L’Exlixir des Glacier anti-aging serum (Sérum Précieux), anti-aging eye cream (Vos Yeux) and face cream (Votre Visage). During each step of the facial, Miranda explained what she was doing and the treatment’s purpose, though, I must confess I dozed off about half way through because it was so relaxing. When all was said and done, my skin felt dewy soft. The effect lasted for several days.
The Spa reception desk
At the end of the treatment, she invited me to relax in a lounge chair in the sitting area and to help myself to the goodies on the table. While an assortment of hot teas was available, I opted for a cold glass of water in a wine glass and worked my way through the mini plate of desserts. I nibbled on dried raisins, dried sweetened papaya and pineapple, as well as tasty bite size chocolate truffles, coconut macaroons, dark chocolates with lemon zest and muffins.
My morning at the Spa Valmont for Hotel Plaza Athenee (37 East 64th Street at Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10065, United States, + 1 212 606 4675, fax + 1 212 772 0958, http://www.plaza-athenee.com/spa-en.html, spa@plaza-athenee.com) was pleasant and soothing respite in the midst of hectic New York City. I appreciated having a private room and not feeling rushed. The staff was friendly and accommodating. The body treatment was relaxing with the bonus of firm feeling skin. I was especially happy with the facial.
New raw foods book recipes worth repeating
By Elena del Valle
Photos: Watermarked photos by Gary Cox, book cover and author photos by Trevor Lush
The SimplyRaw Kitchen
We’re always on the lookout for healthy, flavorful and nutritious recipes to expand our meal options. The SimplyRaw Kitchen (Arsenal Pulp Press, $21.95), an all-vegan, gluten-free 206-page softcover cookbook and lifestyle guide due to be released October 2013, by Natasha Kyssa of Ontario, Canada promised new ideas.
Righteous Brownies with Caramel Frosting
In the first quarter of the book she explains the reasons she prefers a raw vegan lifestyle, outlines the kitchen tools she uses and defines ingredients she favors in her recipes. The remainder of the book is divided into Beverages; Breakfasts; Soups, Salads and Salad Dressings; Pates, Dips, Spreads and Cheezes; Mains; and Desserts & Sweet Treats.
Ingredients for Vietnamese Salad Rolls with Dragon Dipping Sauce
We sampled two recipes, one from the Mains and another from the Desserts & Sweat Treats chapters, with very satisfactory results and plan to try more. The first recipe we tried was for Vietnamese Salad Rolls with Dragon Dipping Sauce. While we had most of the ingredients the rice wrappers and tamari were challenging to find in our suburban town. In the end, a thoughtful neighbor shared her rice wrappers and we used soy sauce in lieu of tamari. I used shredded carrots to complete the red cabbage necessary for the recipe. We made the dish the same day we bought the produce. We chilled the six rolls and the bowl of sauce for about 45 minutes in the refrigerator to cool them down from our subtropical temperatures. The combined flavors of the rolls with the sauce were excellent.
A Vietnamese Salad Roll with Dragon Dipping Sauce
There was some leftover sauce which we sampled the next day in a simple salad of greens, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers and red cabbage. While it was acceptable the sauce had changed; the garlic flavor was more pronounced as was the ginger, making the sauce too pungent as a dressing. In future we’ll plan to eat the sauce the day we make it.
Ingredients for the Righteous Brownies with Caramel Frosting
The next day, we were in the mood for something sweet at the end of the afternoon. We had most of the ingredients for the Righteous Brownies with Caramel Frosting except the coconut flour which we procured easily. The brownie part, mixed in a food processor, still had some chunks when we molded it into the pan. The frosting, mixed in the blender, was smooth and liquid, easy to pour over the brownie. A few minutes in the refrigerator did little to keep the frosting from running. It was rich, creamy, crunchy (from the brownie chunks and the cacao nibs), chocolaty and mildly sweet. While not a replacement for oven baked chocolate and nut brownies the Righteous Brownies were surprisingly filling and satisfying.
Natasha Kyssa, author, The SimplyRaw Kitchen
We are planning another meal of rolls as soon as we find some tamari. The brownies have been well received and we plan to continue sampling recipes.
Kyssa, who wrote the book with her mother Ilse, runs SimplyRaw, a healthy lifestyles consulting company, and SimplyRaw Express, a vegan restaurant in Ottawa, Canada. The recipes in the book, she says in the Introduction, are contemporary interpretations of traditional Eastern European comfort foods. She strives to guide others to achieve a healthy and wellness oriented lifestyle through workshops, her café, and detox program. A past speaker at TedX she also hosts professional seminars and workshops. Her first book, The SimplyRaw Living Foods Detox Manual, was published in 2009.
Author describes her retiree life in Provence
Taking Root in Provence by Anne-Marie Simons*
Anne-Marie Simons and her husband Oscar were self proclaimed gypsy souls who decided to settle down somewhere during their early retirement. In 1998, the couple set out to find a home that offered pleasant weather, culture, natural beauty and access to international travel. They found their requirements in a French urban setting, Aix-en-Provence, where they have been living full-time ever since.
Simons authored Taking Root in Provence (Distinction Press, $15.95), a 208-page softcover book about their life in Provence, France published in 2011. The easy to read book is divided into 40 short chapters followed by 13 of Oscar’s regional recipes. She discusses various aspects of their life in Aix-en-Provence from the market, their apartment chimney, how they buy truffles from a restaurant owner to avoid the ubiquitous Chinese impostors, to Christmas in Provence and more. In the closing chapter, she draws attention to things that may surprise foreigners such as public urination of children and adults so common no one notices, air kisses, bare breasted sunbathers at the beach, well behaved dogs in restaurants, and the “national craze” for food.
She estimates 35,000 anglophones make the region their home. Many of them belong to the Anglo-American Group of Provence.
“They have a bridge club, a hiking club, clubs for gardening, cycling, cooking, etc. This is a great help to those who do not speak French and makes the transition easier. Also, this group tends to favor the countryside over the city, and most have bought homes with gardens and swimming pools which are being put to good use given that the local climate allows you to eat outside during a good part of the year. For many of these people Provence is a second home and they often have held on to a foreign address,” she said by email.
When asked about changes in her area resulting from the economic downfall she responds, “If much has changed since the Great Recession, it seems to have had little effect on Aix-en-Provence and our region. There are as many tourists as ever but perhaps I am hearing a bit more Russian and Chinese (the deepest pockets). If some shops are closing, others quickly take their place; restaurants and bars are still full; and our opera festival sold out, as usual. The change seems to be elsewhere: there are factory closings in France and I hear that the Chinese are buying up French wineries, especially in the Bordeaux area. Real estate has been affected also: houses are not selling like before and there is quite a bit of supply.”
Anne-Marie Simons, author, Taking Root in Provence, and her husband Oscar Rodriguez-Rozic*
“What we like best? Without a doubt: the quality of life. We may have different tastes and interests, but I don’t know anyone who would not like to live in an environment of great natural beauty and a climate with 300 days of sun a year; daily markets; very good public service (national healthcare, education, public transportation), and subsidized culture which is at least partly responsible for the fact that we have five bookshops and three movie theaters in the center of Aix (while they are leaving city centers in the U.S.). Proximity to the Mediterranean and the abundance of healthy fresh produce directly from the farm are added pleasures.”
When asked about the possible impact of taxes on the wealthy she said, “There’s been a lot of talk about the high taxes in France including celebrities that have moved to a neighboring country to save taxes. What has been your experience in that regard?” she replied: “This has not affected us at all. When the Socialist candidate François Hollande won the presidential elections last year, one of his campaign promises had been that he would ‘tax the rich’ by putting a 75 percent income tax on all private income over €1 million per year. Since I am not in that category (nor are most of the retired expatriates here) this threat did not concern us and, in fact, has since been rejected by the French Supreme Court as discriminatory. People like French actor Gérard Depardieu and businessman Bernard Arnault who both moved to neighboring Belgium and applied for citizenship there to avoid this tax hit at home, have become a ’cause célèbre’ and attracted a lot of attention. Predictably, this political issue was called an ‘invitation to tax flight’ by the right and ‘a call to solidarity when the country is in financial straights’ by the left, and has since died down. Ever since this tax on the rich was declared illegal, the French Finance Minister has announced that he will rewrite and resubmit the 75 percent tax requirement to suit the existing tax laws, but this will take time and now that everyone is forewarned there will surely be few “victims”. In short, this issue has come and gone and is no longer talked about.”
Simons work experience includes translator, teacher, director of corporate communications and journalist. She writes ProvenceToday.blogspot, a blog about Provence. Her husband is a former international development banker now dedicated to Provencal cooking among other things.
*Book cover photo courtesy of Taking Root in Provence media page and photo of author and her husband courtesy of Marie Hennechart Photography
New luxury Right Bank hideaway also home to one the hottest bistros in Paris
Article and photos by Josette King
The main entrance of La Régalade
In a city that boasts more than its fair share of venerable grande dame properties, it’s luxury boutique hotels that have been creating a buzz in Paris in recent years. And few have buzzed louder than the recently opened five star Hotel de Nell. What I enjoyed most about my recent visit there was, well, everything! The location first of all, in the heart of the tony 9th arrondissement, a Right Bank neighborhood of understated side streets lined with elegant balconied buildings of quarry stone, just north of the Grands Boulevards on the way to Montmartre. Although mainly overlooked by tourists, the quietly chic 9th has been a hub of Parisian intellectual and artistic life for more than two centuries, and retains to this day its 19th century atmosphere.
The neo-gothic Church of Saint Eugène and Sainte Cecile
One block down the street from the Hotel de Nell is the Conservatoire (music and dance academy founded in 1795) where Paris was first introduced to the music of Ludwig van Beethoven in 1828, and Hector Berlioz premiered his Symphonie Fantastique two years later. Around the corner, is the church of Saint Eugène et Sainte Cécile (Jules Verne was married there), a unique 19th century neo-gothic church, the first in Paris with its interior entirely metallic. The legendary Folies Bergères cabaret, with its 1930 Art Déco façade recently returned to its original gilded splendor, is one street over. And the place where George Sand and Frederic Chopin once lived (in separate apartments across from each other) is just a short walk away.
The newly restored façade of the Folies Bergères cabaret
I thoroughly enjoyed my leisurely exploration of the neighborhood. And I loved even more returning home to the serene luxury of the Hotel de Nell after my forays back in time to Paris’ Belle Epoque. Behind its impeccably restored 19th century façade with its lacy wrap-around wrought iron balconies, noted architect and designer Jean-Michel Vilmotte created a tranquil minimalist retreat that brilliantly combined mid-20th century-inspired furnishings with oriental details. The resulting Zen-like atmosphere permeated every corner of the property. But nowhere was it more in evidence than in my light-filled fifth story room with its romantic view of the neighborhood rooftops and its stunning bathroom with a white marble Japanese-style soaking tub and shoji screen-like unpolished glass windows.
A votive candle cast a soft glow on the bathroom
Then on the street floor, there was La Régalade, one of Paris’ hot new bistros. Here Bruno Doucet, one of the city’s leading young chefs, dished out a cuisine that has become so popular in recent years that a new word had to be invented for it: bistronomy. This is where gastronomy, and the skills Chef Doucet honed in the kitchens of Pierre Gagnaire and Jean-Pierre Vitago, is translated into simpler yet imaginative, more convivial bistro fare offered as a friendly three-course prix fixe formula. Small wonder that whether for lunch or dinner, reservations were strongly recommended during the week and definitely necessary on weekends.
