cuterie and fresh bread. We goofed around with Patrice and Canaan, and Marie Eve made a nice little speech about our AWESOME our group is and how well the semester went. It's sad leaving Grenoble, what a wonderful city. I love being in Centre-ville, but looking up, around the corner of an old building, and seeing snow-capped mountains ringing around, like they're all holding hands and hugging us in tight, the city nestled into the arms of the mountains.After dinner, we sang Bon Anniversaire notamment to Patrice, our fabulous academic advisor and maybe one of my favorite people in the world (!) For cake, we ate la buche!, like a French version of a yule log hehe it was pear flavored and so so delicious. I took some last fun pictures with group, while Canaan, Patrice and Marie-Eve. We were all so jolly and giddy, mostly to be together again but also excited about the holidays and the future. After dinner, me, Marion, Max, Lauren and Evan went for beers at our FAVORITE bar- "The one with the tree inside." That's the thing with the bars in this city- some of them don't have actual names written anywhere, so we call them by events that've happened there. Par exemple, there's "the bar where Evan fell off his chair"- where, believe it or not, Evan literally knocked over his chair, while still in the chair, and took out some innocent passer-by. And since no one actually knows the name of this great bar, that's become the new name. There's also the "Wine Bar," the "Sand Bar" and the "bar with all the cool flavored shots in it" where Evan and I took FLAMING shots! They light the bar on fire and light the shots on fire, and then you suck it down! Awesome!
Anyway, we went to this cozy little bar and each ordered a delicious, caramel-y, frothy, crisp brown beer and washed it down with bubbly conversation. Evan was telling funny stories from Memphis, TN while Max and Marion made out while Lauren and I bonded on a new level over our love of cats. Yes, cats. I stayed up until 4:30 in the morning painting the platter for Daniel and Françoise, in her little atelier, listening to my kick-ass Beatles mix.
Thursday I freaked my way out through the day, mostly because I had left all my studying for that morning for my Art History exam at 14h. I nearly shit a brick when Anna wrote me saying the exam was cumulative and a whole semester's worth of artists, oeuvres and mouvements. Merde! That's over 60 artists to memorize, and 150 oeuvres. Oh crap. But ça y est, it was OK, I did well in the end. After my exam, quick home to finish my picture collage for Daniel and Françoise. And then, one of the BEST meals I think I'll ever eat. Ever. It was our planned Repas de Noël, a kind of Last Supper with the fam before we're partie, me and Xio. It's different for her because she'll be living with them next semester, so
I feel much more sentimental about everything, right down the creaking third stair that I always hit on my way up. I love it! (although it's my enemy when I'm coming in at 4 in the morning).
The table was all decorated with red and white, with the table mats that I bought them in Provence that weekend.
For our apetizer (coincidentally called an entrée here), Francoise made a truffle mousse, eaten with a spoon and oh-so delicieuuuuuuse. Next up, foie gras and salmon, spread on toast with coarse salt and butter..mmmmm. I've acquired a taste for foie gras and now I absolutely love it! Next (so French) were escargot, finally! My French experience is now complete hehe. It was pretty legit too, the snails looked like the ones in Dad's pond, and we scooped them out from the inside with little forks. Francoise actually called it a bête (critter) , and I yelled that's dégueulasse!
Next was probably the most amazing dish I'll ever eat, I don't even know how to describe how rich the flavor is. It was a gratin Dauphinois, from the region, with sliced, roasted potatoes and foie gras between the slices to give it so much flavor. I was in heaven, and just couldn't get enough! This is my favorite though- Francoise cooked the piederot bird that we plucked back in September. Daniel went hunting one weekend, and comes back with two tiny birds that kinda look like pigeons, called pedrots. Francoise was sitting down, plucking the feathers and preparing to cook it- I couldn't resist so I got my own bird to de-plume! And she finally cooked it for our last meal together, very appropriate. It had a strange but rich taste. Like nothing I've ever tasted before, but delicious at the same time. Finally, for dessert was la buche, it's not a Christmas meal without it. Afterwards, we opened presents; Francoise gave us each a beautiful necklace and earrings, right in a homemade box. I gave them the handpainted platter, and gave Daniel a little ashtray bowl, where I painted "N'Importe quoi Daniel! Inadmissible!" because he always says that! hehe he loved it, made him chuckle. 
From me and Xio, we gave them the picture collage with a pic of the two of us as a centerpiece. It came out very well, I'm happy with it.Out with the crew afterwards, first to Bukana for tequila shots and dancing to good ol' American music. My man Farid was behind the bar and was very generous with the free shots :) Around 2am, me, Lauren, Max and Marion chased each other all the way to Le Vieux Manoir for some kickass dancing to really fun music.
By the end of the night, vers 4am they were playing old revival music, like "It's Rainin' Men" and "Freedom." Said goodbye to Max, he's off to Africa next semester, to Niger! So I wished him safe travels and er, good luck. Marion is off to Brazil for a summer New Years, but I'll see her in a MONTH cuz we're living together in Paris (!!!!) And Lauren is pure awesomeness, and she'll be here in Grenoble next semester.Friday was great- I got to close my shudders, which block out any trace of light and SLEEP IN. Oh, what a treat. I watched Love Actually with D, F, Xio and Anna Friday night. Packing was a bit overwhelming, but I talked with Mom and Dad for over an hour and heard how COZY and sweet the house is-- last night, they were baking gingerbread cookies while the snow was piling up outside. How darling! I miss home...but ready for new adventures! Off to Paris for the night tomorrow, and then off to SWEDEN!
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