Zen Mama

My kids are spoiled. They have not only come to expect birthday parties each year -- they also have started to request the exact theme of the party and the design of the birthday cake that they want to have. So, this year, as Jean-Michel is about to turn 4 years old, he requested a dragon cake. But he loves dinosaurs as well. So, I made this dragon/dinosaur cake! After sharing this photo with a number of friends and acquaintances here, I've started to get orders for other children's birthday cakes! Why not? I can do something I love to do, and start a little business! Strangely enough, in the pastry and gourmet mecca of the world, there IS a shortage of places in Paris where one can find novelty cakes and cupcakes that Americans are used to. So, let's see where this may lead...

I can't believe it's been 1/1-2 years since we moved from Hong Kong to Paris! It's hard for me to answer the question: "So how do you like Paris?" Where can I start? It's a beautiful city, and I've met a diverse group of people from all over the world, mainly tapping into the local, international community through our children's bi-lingual international school, and through a group of Asian women living here. But, as anyone who lives or has lived in Paris before, life here comes with its frustrations...