Monday, July 29, 2013

Is there a Doctor in the House?

Of late I've been indulging in all manner of goodies.
Sometimes bad things happen to good people.

Eating SIX apricots a day is bound to have some effect, like turning you orange for one. Or giving you an itchy rash on your arms and the tops of your ears for two. Was it an Excess of ripe apricots that set my arms ablaze?

I must make an embarrassing confession. Though I never touched potato chips in the states, for some unknown reason they've become a daily habit from the vending machines in the Metro. Chilled chips! Were they the cause of my rash?
I know these desserts didn't do it. They did give me a tummy ache but that was entirely my own doing.
On Friday Louise and I shared a tarte au pomme rustique from Secco and a clafoutis from Maison Pichard (only a 1/4 each by the way) so I don't think these were the culprit. PS they were the small size too.
FYI, Louise being raised in Nice, felt it her duty to introduce me to the TRUE Nicoise salad. Please note* No green beans. No potatoes. None. Not if you want the TRUE Nicoise salad. Tuna yes. Anchovies yes. Poached egg yes.
Can cheese cake give you hives? I don't think so...
The French are crazy for our Philadelphia cream cheese. There was even a special event on June 5-9 called, La Marque de Specialites Fromageres Philadelphia in Paris, but sadly I missed it. And I'm a born and bred Philadelphian. I'll bet ya there's nothing like that in Philly...
The cheese cake from Frederic Cassel is simply called "Philadelphia".
Pâte sablée, crème légère cheese-cake, biscuit cuillère aux fruits de la passion     
Back to the cause of my arm rash...could it be the moving process?
Which is taking me forever?
At last I concluded my brand new spiffy French sunscreen spray was the culprit, since I mainly applied it to my arms. Go figure.
And the antidote?
In desperation I tried everything and finally gave my foot powder a whirl. Ca marche! as they say here. It seems to work. I'm holding my breath...
On Wednesday I'll be having another 3-day solde/sale of the watercolor demos of late on Etsy. I found a nice smaller envelope at the post office,that's supposed to be faster and costs less too. Stay tuned.

26 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:12 PM

    I think you should tell us the name of the quarter you're moving out of - the one with all the great patisseries, please. So gorgeous and so tempting! I understand your need for the bird/bells. I cannot imagine what I would do...such a decision!
    Helena

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    Replies
    1. The 15th Arron.
      Maison Picard
      Secco
      R. Maeder
      Pierre Hermé
      Des Gateau et du Pain
      Frederic Lalo
      Lenotre
      Poilane
      Sadaharu Aoki
      Laurent Duchene
      Max Poilaine
      I found even more than I knew about!

      Delete
  2. don't take this the wrong way, but might it be time to start calling it:

    "Paris Desserts, Desserts, Desserts!!!!!"

    The world of French pastry, it's the gift that keeps on giving, n'est-ce pas?

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  3. Buster hopes that the rash has abated!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Abated...not
      Maybe I shouldn't have eaten the apricots and tomates in the 1st picture ;(

      Delete
  4. Stress could certainly be causing your rashes:

    http://www.webmd.com/beauty/skin/the-effects-of-stress-on-your-skin

    It happened to me (when I had to start giving my elderly cat injections - that was my very stressful period of time).

    Hope you feel better!!
    Thanks for sharing your "dream life" with us!!

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  5. Some of your best food shots ever! And, of course, I'm hungry :)
    Good luck on the rash.....

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  6. Probably a particular ingredient in the sunscreen is causing the rash. Did you ask a pharmacist about an antidote? They are pretty good at giving advice. We've had some pretty hilarious times describing symptoms to French pharmacists (in English).

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  7. Carol, just a thought:did you wash the apricots (and other fruits) well before eating them?
    I learned to do this the hard way;picked right out of belle Tante's garden and gobbled. She sprayed them with a (natural) ingredient but I still broke out.
    Hope you get better,SOON!
    Beautiful watercolors and pictures!

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  8. I am loving the thumbnails :) Just so mini cute w/ the real deal:)And love the real deal..
    Thanks for the tips to the shops in the 15th.
    I keep thinking one day we will just go..just book a 10 day thing and go.Last minute.
    Life's too short.



    Hmm..
    Could it be the sunscreen?
    If I get sunscreen close to an eye..I am done..powerful stuff .
    I just made Apricot jam because of you.
    Thank you for the intro to Louise:)
    And I still remember when you painted the red ballerinas..now gold..and you did away w/ the gold Kremer?
    Bon Courage Carol..for the rash..and the move..
    Prompt rétablissement~

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  9. Oh my!
    Hungry now!
    I've already been craving all kind of junkies, but now...you've almost confirmed I must indulge in SOMETHING. :)

    Manda from Eat Cake

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  10. Love the gold ballerinas! It is probably the sunscreen combined with the sun. Stop using it! Hope you feel better pronto.

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  11. What a sleuth! Have never heard of anyone having probs with LaRoche sunscreen - well maybe with the exception of just being able to FIND it and the PRICE. (I really must learn how to get text bold and italic).
    Anyway, I'm hoping some really BAD things happen to me - in the form of patisserie. :-)

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  12. PS. benadryl pills are often helpful for rashes...but may make you sleepy. In fact, I have a friend who takes one every night at bedtime just for the sleep factor!

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  13. ... WOW, what a post .. I'm hungry ...

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  14. Just catching up with your recent exploits Carol- wow, what a post so much there. I certainly hope your rash is improving, itchy rashes are awful. Preservatives in sunscreen can certainly be allergenic, try googling the ingredients, and so much a better cause than fruit. I've never heard of patisserie causing itch so that can't be it! Antihistamines may help with your itch, but the nonsedating ones are much better for daytime. I'm not a chip fan either- the sweet stuff is so much better, but laughed at your cool chip spree. I do love the look of your true salade nicoise, it looks delicious- and fits in the leaves and dust category to which I am sadly now re-relegated to fight the effects of 6 weeks of holiday making.

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  15. Anonymous2:09 AM

    had the same problem....with just about every sunscreen, even brands sent from Canada which I knew we're OK.
    Just this year I have solved the problem....Clinique has a great product and the city screen is amazing.

    The reason this is happening apparently is the higher content of zinc and other minerals used in the blocks....
    Hope this helps.....certainly I've been able to go out in the sun more...and just as well with the heat wave here in Ireland.

    So enjoy your blogs each day....
    Cilla

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  16. nice thumbnails, feel hungry now.
    I also have some delicious recipes on my page.....

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  17. Bonjour Carol. I returned home yesterday after a 32-day trip in Europe. It feels good to sleep in my own bed, even though I confess I already miss France! :-) Sorry to hear about your rash. I have had to deal with skin rashes most of my adult life, and feel for you. I was looking at your photos, and the irony is that the sunscreen brand you show here (la Roche Posay,) is actually one of the brands French pharmacists recommend to people with extra sensitive skin. This does not mean you weren't allergic to one of the components, though.
    Sorry I could not meet with you this time. I could not meet with many blogger friends since relatives "hogged me." :-) Next time, I promise... A bientôt,
    Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

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  18. Hi there
    Few words about your feet problems =)
    You should buy & use some Nok cream. You can find it in parapharmacies or sports stores.
    It is a cream against friction and heating, ideal to be comfy in every shoes.
    I am using it in summer with high heels, as a Parisian I am always running everywhere !!

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  19. cyndi from SD10:37 AM

    I agree with Ginny...Thanks for sharing your "Dream Life",sans the rash,with us.
    The apt that I rent every year is in the 15th, a great area.
    Good luck with your move
    Cyndi

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  20. Poor itchy you! Really weird since my daughter had an itchy rash on her face today. Could it be that the weather has cooled down suddenly in Paris? Get thyself down to a Pharmacie for some hydrocortisone cream and a one-a-day comprimé of Cétirizine - that's what our local gave us, anyway. Hope it's calming down!

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  21. Oh, yikes! No fun with the itching. I can attribute my stomach issues to overdosing on black sweet cherries and Queen Anne's, too -- right in season for another week, maybe. Ah, well. Cleansing is good. So long as I keep my distance from the rest of the world.

    I really should stop visiting here at lunch. I always leave this post very hungry!

    Well, glad the itching is under control and you're clearing up! And, that it wasn't the pastries!

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  22. Well, I'm certainly relieved to hear that you've discovered the cause of your ailments. Thank God it wasn't all those goodies! Hahaaa. YOU eating potato chips??? I can hardly believe my eyes. I'm smiling ear to ear, Carol. Too funny. Love the watercolors--so juicy and lovely.

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