Sensuality in Germany? How You Wonder? #munich

Click below to energize your senses with the aromas of homemade German chocolate. Tucked away on a side street not far from Munich's food market where you are mainly faced with sausage, sausage and more sausage, a little gem called Sama Sama sits.

The building itself on Westenriederstr is crooked and crammed inside, every corner filled with homemade delicacies oozing with combinations you are unlikely to have tasted.

Not only do they use the best quality ingredients to create dark and milk chocolate masterpieces but they incorporate pistachios, cherries, lemons, ginger, amaretto, pepper, lavender, violets, roses, blueberries, vanilla, strawberries and more.

Allow yourself to surrender to chocolate everywhere you travel on this magical globe of ours. In one video, you will also see the chocolate in process as well as the finished product.

Sacha Finkelsztayn for a Yiddish Gastronomic Wonder

I ran across legendary Sacha Finkelsztayn in Paris earlier this month. On a mission to find dark chocolate, my tastebuds found taramasalata, mini baguette-like pastries with poppy seeds and some wondrous looking dumpling instead.

Imagine trying to get a shot of the place without 6,000 people coming in and out of its regularly visited door on a Saturday afternoon close to Christmas. As I stood there with frozen fingers trying to shoot -- and waiting to shoot -- more than one Parisian shouted the word "Impossible" at me.

Progress at last.

The area is old, so this incredibly quaint and adorable shop along Rue Des Rosiers isn't your only surprise, but it's so memorable that it had me longing for another visit days later.

Taglined La Gastronomie Yiddish D'Europe Centrale et Russie, it's a Yiddish gastronomic wonderland.

They have their own beautiful description: "On y retrouve les saveurs et les senteurs qui ont charmé l'enfance de Chagall, Soutine, Freud, ou Woody Allen. On y entend tous les accents des langues d'Europe de l'Est, des Balkans aux pays Baltes, et l'on y croise bien des célébrités du spectacle ou des Arts et Lettres."

It's been standing tall through three generations of Finkelsztajn. The colors, its heritage and the smells bring you in.

The collective experience, including the people who show up -- and stay -- are what keep you there.

It was far too busy to shoot video or do an interview despite the urge to do so. Instead, I hung out in the corner and observed for a long time, while sampling one thing after another.

And, each and every time, I was greeted by this man at the end of the shop who took my money and grinned, because clearly I was a newbie.....clearly I wasn't a local. It was not just the camera that gave it away. The must would have been my awe-stricken face in the corner oohing and aahhing after every bite and then again before the next one.

It's shocking to me that I had never entered its walls, despite my countless visits to Paris over the years, which often included a stroll up and down Rue Des Rosiers. All I can think of is that my priorities must have been different in the past. It's like trying to see the color green on shop signs when you are only looking for blue.

After more than a decade living back in the states, where food is not honored and worshipped as it is in Europe, particularly Paris, I now seek out the best of the best on every trip with a goal of having a gastronomic breakthrough each time. Indeed, a fabulous find.

To Taste Paris is to Know Paris

The French have always taken food seriously. They still do. My most recent trip to Paris continued to surprise, amaze and remind me that we still have a lot to learn about presentation and timing. About originality and flavor. About ambience and style. About taste that lasts. Lingers. Fulfills. Adds.

J'Go near the Odeon, which also has a great selection of wine

Fish soup at a restaurant in the Marais on a cold December night

At a pub in Montmartre

Lamb at Les Editeurs on Carrefour

Le Christine on 1 Rue Christine

Le Pre Grill on 17 Rue Saint-Severin

Les Fous De Lile on 33 Rue Des Deux Ponts

Even the most basic catering performs

Les Bougresses in the Marais

To Savor Pleasure is to Know Pleasure

If you've ever spent a considerable amount of time in Europe, you'll notice that your tastebuds 'change.' When you return to American soil, the bread somehow tastes processed as does every other grain in your cupboard. Even the salt and pepper doesn't taste quite right.

It takes awhile but soon your taste buds adapt and ignite and as for the rest? The rest is just full of one magical moment after another.

I found myself having orgasmic moments in 30 degree temperatures, decked out with gloves, leotards, 3 pairs of socks, hat, and a woolen scarf. As my hands turned a deep blue, I stood in the middle of a pedestrian street while diving into triple dark chocolate cakes, paying tribute to the gods above me who introduced me to Paris.

Repeat visits were made to: Girard Chocolatier, La Maison d Chocolat on Carrousel du Louvre, Roger Patrick on Old St. Germain, Jeff de Bruges Exploitation and Las Maison Du Chocolate both on Rue Sevres.

There there's Amorino, which now has a couple of locations in NYC, PSG De Neuville, Les Paris Gourmands on Rue Des Archives and lastly Tunisian specialties from an incredibly creative and colorful little 'bright blue' place along Boulevard Saint Germain called Masmoudi.

Pavlov and the Crepe

Ever have a moment when you hear or taste something and suddenly you’re back in time to a moment and the world disappears?

Pavlov never forgets. The body never forgets – it’s one of the reasons neural linguistic programming works as well as it does.

My first visit to France was to Paris; I was a mere pup with a group of American high school kids and our focus was study. History. Facts. Legends. Wars. Traditions. Art. Food wasn’t even on the agenda.

Still a mere pup and on a budget, I spent a few months in the south of France a year or so later. I ‘camped’ with 7 Europeans and Australians in a hotel room in Nice and my days were spent sampling crepes inland and along the entire coast.

I became an expert of sorts. I could tell whether the eggs were fresh and the cheese was local or imported. What I didn’t realize at the time was that the French crepe had become embedded in my system. Literally.

Since then, every time I set on French soil, it’s as if Pavlov takes over. If I don’t have a crepe in my hands within 24 hours, finding one becomes an obsession.

Ahhhhhh France, I’m craving a crepe.

Ahhhhhh France, where’s my crepe?

Ahhhhhh France, why am I not eating a crepe?

Ahhhhhh France, give me a crepe damn it.

A Chat with Gary Vaynerchuk #leweb #tg09

Below is a chat with Gary Vaynerchuk on LeWeb stage in Paris this past week. As passionate as ever, he takes over the interview, wanting to make sure he doesn't leave the stage without the audience knowing that they 'must do what they love.'

He touts that most people don't although LeWeb audience seemed to respond differently than the typical yank crowd he's more accustomed to addressing. While clearly this isn't scalable, he says - answer every email, answer every direct message tweet. Not only scalable but highly inprobable once success really hits unless you give up ever seeing your child or a tree again. At some point, something has to give.

That said, what he's talking about is the personal touch, the value of connecting with your audience and a large reason for his success. It's not because he's a master of wine above and beyond everyone else.

His success is because of his resilience, his determination, his ability to connect to the every day man - in their language and in a genuine way. he wears his immigrant status on his sleeve and as second and third generation Americans, we can still relate to that. Rags to riches and of course social media makes that reality more possible than ever. The second gold rush is in play.

Traveling Geeks Kick Things into Gear in the Marais

A few visuals to get you in the 'traveling geeks' frame of mind. The Traveling Geeks are getting ready to roll.........and move, non-stop for the next four days.

We had a 'geek' session to ensure we'll stay connected and can create content, anytime, anywhere. Thanks Orange, Skype and MAXroam. Below, Amanda, Olivier, Sky and Robin get the scoop.

Amanda, Beth and Eliane -- on the move. Off to explore the city and well, yeah eat. Night one.

Olivier Ezratty shows up with the Canon 85 mm 1.2 portrait lense. Ahhhhh, what a magnificent lense.

 

Beth Blecherman and Eliane Fiolet en route to the kickoff dinner in the Marais.

David Spark and Tom Foremski (yeah, well, we're still in the Metro)

Ah yes, ambience. Get used to it, she says with a smile. You're not in Kansas anymore. Silicon Valley either. Renee Blodgett, Jean-Xtophe and Eliane Fiolet in ambience-rich Les Bougresses.

 

MobileGlobe's founder Yoann Valensi was our host so typical "traveling geek" style, we looked at toys and saw demos over dinner. Thanks Yoann, look forward to trying out your service. Rodrigo, what was your question again?

 

Thank god for SMS and some of the phones that did work (we've had issues with 'em - unlocked devices can have its complications)....Ewan Spence from Edinburgh made it with luggage in time to join us. A joyous Frederic Lardinois to his right.

 

And as for the food, what can I say? It's Paris after all. We didn't starve nor did we complain. Great job Les Bougresses (located in the Marais.....most definitely worth a try).

Best Table Designs in the Bay Area

Below are a sample of photos taken at this week's Dining by Design event in San Francisco, an effort to help raise money for AIDS and people who don't have healthcare insurance, which has grown this year.

DIFFA has mobilizing the immense resources of the design communities for over a decade and granted over $38 million to hundreds of AIDS service organizations nationwide.

Dining by Design Chefs & Designers Speak Up

Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS is one of the country's largest supporters of direct care for people living with HIV/AIDS and preventive education for those at risk. Merging care and commerce, supporters of DIFFA come from all fields of fine design and the visual arts, including: architecture, fashion design, interior design, photography and consumer product design.

They held their annual Dining by Design event in San Francisco this week.

Part I:

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Part III:

Dining by Design 2009

DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS presents DINING BY DESIGN 2009 at the San Francisco Design Center November 18 and Thursday, November 19, 2009.

I attended last year and it's a fabulous gathering with inspiring and creative artists. The event, which is sponsored by Castello di Gabbiano wines and Stolichnaya ELIT, will bring together the Bay Area's social and design movers and shakers for an exclusive look at dozens of spectacular, table-top design installations by leading architects, retailers and interior designers.

At the event, they'll have exquisite sweet and savory hors d’oeuvres served by 15 of San Francisco’s best restaurants and food purveyors paired with wines, cocktails and the latest music.

DINING BY DESIGN benefits the Positive Health Program at San Francisco General Hospital, America’s oldest and the city’s largest HIV/AIDS clinic serving thousands and currently planning the world’s first HIV/AIDS Museum and Learning Center.

Tickets for the TABLE HOP & TASTE PREVIEW PARTY on Wednesday, November 18th are $100 and on Thursday, November 19th for a 3-course meal and silent auction - available online or by calling (415) 597-4650.

The Galleria at the San Francisco Design Center is located at 101 Henry Adams Street in San Francisco, between Alabama and 15th Streets.