Hello, old friend...

It's that time of the year when my studio apartment turns into a toaster oven, when the beaches overflow with umbrellas, sandcastles, and well-fed pigeons, and when you may think it not possible, Southern California goes even more casual. It's also the time when kids go away to summer camp, which means I go away to summer camp too-- in preparation for providing campers with the best week of their lives. Since while you're at camp, there is nothing more important than nurturing the success of these campers, this also leads to the annual hiatus of Great American Bakery Hunt.

Never fear bakery hunters, I may never write nor call during the summer, but I was able to hunt around a bit during a rare Sunday off. After many hours of sleep, I was able to catch the last ten minutes of the Main Street Farmer's market-- and just before the air horn signaled the end, I beelined it to the Cafe Laurent stand. Their sweet and savory croissants never let me down-- they taste even better, more decadent during a camp food furlough.

A stroll down Montana and a stop into the charming Hoot and Heart Flower shop gave me a new bakery lead: Christine Moore's Little Flower Candy Company. Hoot and Heart's ode to the decadent includes not only beautiful and unique arrangements, but gives flower lovers something sweet to consider by carrying Moore's mallows. After researching more about Moore, I learned she is also a pastry chef, so I'm definitely looking forward to visiting her storefront in Pasadena.

Farewell for now, old friend. My posts are sure to be few and far between in the next couple months, but I promise to return and continue my dedication to spreading the word of the best baked goods around!

the phantom of the metro is here

The Associated Press recently reported that historical and railway buffs can sign up for all-night tours of old Paris metro stations. An organization called ADEMAS facilitates the tours in its quest to preserve the history of the Metro. According to the article, the tours have at least a six month wait, but once inside, participants get to explore "phantom" metro stations that have been closed since World War II.

The mystery surrounding these tours has a certain underground, geeky appeal that I find irresistible. What types of people might I meet on a tour like this? Historians? Train junkies? Documentary filmmakers? Parisian Bloggers? Whoever they are, they are people who find value in observing fragments of the past, and this makes me want to observe them. How did they get there? And why? How long have they been waiting for the chance to see the phantom stations? Perhaps some Parisians go here in pursuit of an alternative to the crowded hustle and bustle of an afternoon at the Louvre.

Unfortunately, it will surely get to the point where Rick Steves covers ADEMAS in his next book, thus truly opening the floodgates of American tourism and wreaking havoc on the whole underground appeal. He means well, but those navy books are everywhere you look. After all, part of the beauty of travel is wandering the unknown.

The best part about the ADEMAS tours?? They serve croissants at the end!