For People Who Love Antiques...and Ham

Billing itself as the largest and perhaps oldest antique and collectibles fairs in France (it dates to the Middle Ages), the twice-yearly Foire de Chatou is coming up in Paris March 7 to 16th. 

Organizers say the event--like a little pop up village--has just had a makeover and will be more colorful than ever this time around, with a Pop Culture theme, a recreated 1960s/'70s apartment on display, experts on hand to help, new amenities such as valet service, a Facebook contest and, as in years past, a wide range of high-quality French regional foods for sale...which explains why it used to known as the the Foire a la Brocante et aux Jambons (yep, the Collectibles and Ham Fair!). On the fair's Boulevard Voltaire, you'll find oysters from Brittany and Normandy, foie gras and confit from the Gers, Corsican charcuterie and saucisson from Lyon, andouilles from Guéménée or Vire, cheeses from the Savoie, traditional oils and mustards, wines from Mâcon, Burgundy, Bordeaux and Alsace...and much more.

As always, the fair is organized by the 1,500-member SNCAO-GA (Syndicat National du Commerce de l’Antiquité, de l’Occasion, des Galeries d’Art moderne et contemporain), the country's largest antiques trade group.

The 88th Foire de Chatou will have 700 vendors from all over Europe and roughly 25,000 visitors. It's ten minutes from Paris on the RER line A and there's a shuttle from the station exit. Hours are 10 am to 7 pm and admission is 6€.  All the info is on the fair's website (foiredechatou.com)...and you might enjoy all the pretty pix and fun vendor profiles in the English press kit, which I've uploaded here. 

SWF Seeks Date for El Bulli

So is this the next big foodie romantic comedy waiting to happen or what?

Jules Clancy is a cookbook author and food blogger in Sydney, Australia and the type of girl who plans her holidays around restaurant reservations. "I'm always thinking about my next meal and have excellent table manners!" she says.

More than a year ago, Jules and her boyfriend somehow got themselves a reservation at chef Ferran Adria's Michelin three-star El Bulli on the Costa Brava in Catalonia--thought by many to be the best restaurant in the world. They made plans for a trip to Spain and dinner on December 15th.

It's notoriously difficult to snag a table at El Bulli: in 2008 there were more than 2 million requests for 8000 reservations.

Then then the couple broke up--and Jules got custody of the reservation. "Last month, sadly, the Irishman and I parted ways," Jules wrote on her blog. "And so I found myself with a ticket to Spain, a reservation at the best restaurant in the world--and no one to share it with."

So Jules has decided to hold a competition to find herself a blind date for the evening. To enter, you email her (jules@thestonesoup.com) and tell her why you would be her best dinner companion. "Points will be given for humor and creativity," she says. The deadline is Sunday November 15th. For all the details, click here: thestonesoup.com/blog/2009/10/help-jules-find-a-date-for-el-bulli/

Bon Chance and Bon Appetit!