Tomorrow night my Mother and Sister In-Law are going to Paris. My SIL lives in Vancouver and will be here for the day tomorrow before they embark on their adventure. And since I have not been to Paris since I was a little girl, I thought it would be fun to serve a Paris style lunch. I thought of serving Croque Monsieur and when searching for a recipe came across a funky recipe book called, “The Paris Café Cookbook” by Daniel Young.

I got a good idea of what to serve and wish it were Hubby and I going to Paris and not my In-Laws, but alas, our turn will come. On the menu for tomorrow:

Fruit and Cheese platter – grapes, strawberries and three cheeses all from France.

Croque Monsieur – with a side of mixed greens salad and French Vinigrette (both of which are from the Cookbook)
And Vanilla Pots de Crème (this too from the book) for dessert.

The only thing I forgot was what to serve to drink. Typically it would be wine, but since I won’t be having any and they are going to be flying I figure it’s best to stay away. And they will be getting authentic limonade while there, so I am stumped. I have some regular North American soda on hand or some juice, but somehow it seems like I am missing something. Hopefully I will figure it out before they get here.

Here’s to lunch in Paris, in Ottawa.

It is not so often that we read of good customer service. Usually we read or write rants about how badly we were treated. This is why today, I feel like I have to make a few mentions of awesome service. So good that I just want to buy more from them.

The first one is for Apple. I have heard so many people talk about their Apple products with such love over the years, that I thought it was a big joke. I was a die-hard PC person until last year. My Littlest Sister let me play on her MacBook, and I got hooked. I did a little research, Hubby did a little research and viola, I was a proud owner of a MacBook myself.

When I got my new computer, Apple was releasing a new OS, which was not on my computer, but I qualified for an upgrade. All I had to do was fax off a requisition and voila it would appear in my snail mailbox. Well, Hubby faxed it for me, got a confirmation and we began to wait. And wait… and wait…. I figured it was never coming but I wanted my copy before I called. When Hubby pulled it out of his bag he realized that the confirmation was exactly the opposite, it was a printout saying it hadn’t gone through. My time was up, I wasn’t getting my new OS.

One day while I was catching up on all the little things around here I decided to call Apple. Thinking I would be on hold for ever I waited until My little Apple was napping. Well, within minutes I was talking to a very nice help desk agent. I told her what happened, figuring I would have to fax her a copy of the fax and she said, “Sure thing , we will mail that off to you today.” I was shocked. Never have I had such wonderful, no questions asked service. I had an email confirming the shipment within an hour and another email the day after it arrived. Now, I know exactly why everyone has raved about this company for so long. I am sure there are horror stories to tell, but I haven’t heard any yet. So, Apple. Today I salute you.

The second shout-out I have is for the store Milkface.   I needed a new carrier for Apple.  The one I had from when J was a baby was ok for J because I only carried him once every few days in it and I only did it for three months.  He was so big we had to switch to a backpack way earlier than Apple.   I carry Apple at least twice a day around the house as well as at friends and outside.  So my carrier with one strap that went over my shoulder was really starting to give me kinks in my neck.

I did a little research and decided to visit the Milkface store here in Ottawa.  They have a wonderful website and an even cuter store.  The two women who took care of me and Hubby and Apple and J were just wonderful.  It is so rare to get such great personal service these days that there was no way I was leaving without a carrier.  I found one that I truly love and even Hubby thinks he might use it.  Apple can face in, out, sit on my hip and on my back.  It is good up until 55lbs, which is what J weighs, so I don’t think I will be using it that long but, it is good to know.

They also have these cute reusable bags (see photo above) and I got some wonderful non-lanolin cream for my chest as it has been giving me trouble.  So, Ladies at Milkface, today I also salute you. Thanks for the wonderful service, I will be back.