The month of March hosts many happenings. There is bud break in the vineyards (lovely), the Ides (scary), the first day of spring (good), college students in Cancun (stay clear), a wedding anniversary (ahh), and a trip to France (Mais oui, non?).
Here is a quick tour of what follows in this month’s Field Notes.
I catch up with a dear friend, Sarah J. Halstead. She is a wine-savvy comedian and actor in Hollywood. Her most beloved role was the officiant at our wedding five years ago, March 18th. You’ll get a peek into the mind of a funny girl in the chitchat that follows.
Jeff and I are meeting our friend Stan in Paris this week. In addition to a slew of restaurant reservations (on mange bien à Paris), I have made time for some new obsessions.
My friend and performer in New York, Corvette Le Face, made a few recommendations for the City of Light. We have reservations at Le Crazy Horse to not only see a burlesque show but to spend some time backstage. I was informed by email that a performer would give us a tour and tell us, “…all about the underside of this emblematic place.”
Internet research and planning brought me to a storied European house of magic, Le Double Fond. It is where we will not only see some action but also get some.
Speaking of eating well, we cook up a Spanish version of French croquettes, ¡Croquetas! These little fritters can stand in as a simple snack, fancy hors d’œuvres, or a light meal with a dressed green salad. Paired with a glass of rosé or Chardonnay, it makes for the next best thing to a sun-kissed getaway.
Thanks for reading, tell a friend, on with the show.
In sorcery news, my application to the Society of American Magicians was reviewed and accepted. I am now a card-carrying member of the oldest fraternal magic organization globally. I have sworn an oath to elevate the art of magic and uphold some obligatory ethical stuff; no dark arts, raising the dead, messing with the time continuum, etc.
One perk the society offers is “…liability insurance at a low discounted rate for [my] magic endeavors,” upbeat news for Jeff and my nascent “sawing the man in half” trick.
Now that this magic thing has taken a life of its own (no, it didn’t take someone’s life, see sworn oath), I face the reality that I need to improve my game if I’m going to make it as a serious magician.
I reserved seats for us to see magic up-close with cocktails at the famed magic house Le Double Fond in Paris. I also signed up for a couple of hours of private magic instruction at this institution. There is also a supplément option for an additional hour of instruction in Showmanship. I am curious. Who wouldn’t want formal training in being a canny showman?
Notwithstanding apprentice ringmaster, soon I will be able to drop nonchalantly, referring to the gems they will teach me at Le Double Fond, “This is something I picked up when I studied magic in Paris.”
Tada.
Occasionally, I like to pair wines with some sort of snack rather than an entire course. I have been playing with making croquetas and croquettes, the former hailing from sun-soaked España, the latter being the serious French cousin, sometimes with the whiff of pretense.
I love them both: today, I’ll share my version of croquetas.
To make the béchamel, I use olive oil instead of butter and swap out nutmeg and clove, favoring paprika and cayenne.
These are lightly breaded fritters, fried, and served snack-like. They are a popular tapa in Spain and work so well with the acidity and sunny disposition of our Rosé.