Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Crown (2017), Edition: First Edition, 368 pages
Description
"A chef buys an apartment in Paris and endures the headaches and excitement of renovating his own corner of paradise in the City of Light"-- "Bestselling author and world-renowned chef David Lebovitz continues to mine the rich subject of his evolving ex-pat life in Paris, using his perplexing experiences in apartment renovation as a launching point for stories about French culture, food, and what it means to revamp one's life. Includes dozens of new recipes. When David Lebovitz began the project of updating his apartment in his adopted home city, he never imagined he would encounter so much inexplicable red tape while contending with the famously inconsistent European work ethic and hours. Lebovitz maintains his distinctive sense of humor with the help of his partner Romain, peppering this renovation story with recipes from his Paris kitchen. In the midst of it all, he reveals the adventure that accompanies carving out a place for yourself in a foreign country--under baffling conditions--while never losing sight of the magic that inspired him to move to the City of Light many years ago, and to truly make his home there"--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member gincam
As his life in Paris continues to unfold, world-renowned chef David Lebovitz discovers that living in his adopted country of France requires not only learning how the French think, but thinking like a Frenchman himself. He details his trials and tribulations, along with humor and acquired patience
Book Copy Gratis via Blogging for Books
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and acceptance in “L'Appart: The Delights and Disasters of Making My Paris Home”. Seeking to renovate his apartment and create his dream kitchen finds encounters with local bakers, chocolatiers, and fresh market sellers giving way to negotiations with building codes and contractors. Interspersed with his adventures are delicious recipes (with helpful index) such as these: Cherry Flan; Bacon-Green Pea and Tarragon Quiche; Swedish Meatballs; Lemon-Yogurt Cake; Chocolate Soufflé; Mojito Sorbet; Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies; and Swiss Chard Gratin. While it took Lebovitz several years to fully recover from his experiences, he states that in the end, “L’appart”, renewed his Francophile status, and he is fulfilled by his instinctive life choices. The following quote from the author himself paints a telling picture: “Lastly, the story and descriptions are of a certain time in Paris. Paris changes frequently, so some of the incidents, social and business customs, and places mentioned in the book may not be the same as they are today.”Book Copy Gratis via Blogging for Books
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LibraryThing member juliecracchiolo
I love to cook, especially bake. And I love to read recipes, especially desserts. When I can combine my love of baking with my love of reading by reading about chefs and their cooking, it’s a match made in heaven.
Author David Lebovitz is a cookbook author and expat living in France sine he gave
After 10 years in Paris, Lebovitz decided it was time to make Paris his true home, so he wanted to buy an apartment. I guess here in the States we would call them condos. I’ve bought several homes here in the States, and while I thought the American process was daunting, it is easy-peasy compared to our French brethren. In France, and much of Europe I understand, there is no MILS system where prospective buyers can access all the available properties in a chosen vicinity. The seller can list with as many, or as few, agents as they desire, asking varying prices for the same piece of property. It’s enough to make a buyer’s head swim. I was really surprised that the buyer must submit to a health physical before the actual purchase can be completed.
Lebovitz must have spent a year trying to find the place he would call home. That was the easy part. Then the renovation was to begin. Lebovitz had his chosen apartment gutted down to the walls in order to create the perfect kitchen and living space.
I can’t really remember where he found the contractor who was to do the renovations, but The Property Brothers, he and his crew weren’t. Sometimes they would work for three or four days in a row; sometimes once a week; sometimes once a month. That was bad enough, but everything they touched was done incorrectly. It was a pure living hell that last about two years.
Eventually, Lebovitz found someone who could do the work correctly and his dream was coming true. I laughed, I cried, I shook my head in wonder and amazement at the hurdles Lebovitz had to jump over. Then I thanked God for American laws. At one point, Lebovitz wanted to sue the first contractor, but a lawyer advised him against it. Not that he wasn’t in the right, but that it would drag through the courts for so many years, that Lebovitz could go broke before the case was settled.
I loved the recipes at the end of each chapter. I copies them and hope to try them soon. The chosen recipes were supposedly reflective of that chapter, but I didn’t often make the correlations, which is the main reason that l’appart: The Delights and Disasters of Making my Paris Home receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review.
Author David Lebovitz is a cookbook author and expat living in France sine he gave
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up the restaurant business in the United States in 1999. From the little he described his Paris apartment, it sounds like it was a cozy place, high in the sky. Very romantic, dashing and a charming lifestyleAfter 10 years in Paris, Lebovitz decided it was time to make Paris his true home, so he wanted to buy an apartment. I guess here in the States we would call them condos. I’ve bought several homes here in the States, and while I thought the American process was daunting, it is easy-peasy compared to our French brethren. In France, and much of Europe I understand, there is no MILS system where prospective buyers can access all the available properties in a chosen vicinity. The seller can list with as many, or as few, agents as they desire, asking varying prices for the same piece of property. It’s enough to make a buyer’s head swim. I was really surprised that the buyer must submit to a health physical before the actual purchase can be completed.
Lebovitz must have spent a year trying to find the place he would call home. That was the easy part. Then the renovation was to begin. Lebovitz had his chosen apartment gutted down to the walls in order to create the perfect kitchen and living space.
I can’t really remember where he found the contractor who was to do the renovations, but The Property Brothers, he and his crew weren’t. Sometimes they would work for three or four days in a row; sometimes once a week; sometimes once a month. That was bad enough, but everything they touched was done incorrectly. It was a pure living hell that last about two years.
Eventually, Lebovitz found someone who could do the work correctly and his dream was coming true. I laughed, I cried, I shook my head in wonder and amazement at the hurdles Lebovitz had to jump over. Then I thanked God for American laws. At one point, Lebovitz wanted to sue the first contractor, but a lawyer advised him against it. Not that he wasn’t in the right, but that it would drag through the courts for so many years, that Lebovitz could go broke before the case was settled.
I loved the recipes at the end of each chapter. I copies them and hope to try them soon. The chosen recipes were supposedly reflective of that chapter, but I didn’t often make the correlations, which is the main reason that l’appart: The Delights and Disasters of Making my Paris Home receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review.
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LibraryThing member 1Randal
Lebovitz is an American chef and cookbook author who moved to Paris to advance his career. I have read his previous books, and he is a talented and engaging author. This particular book is about his search for, purchase of, and renovation of a home in Paris. And what a great story it is!
I found
I cannot believe what Lebovitz went through. His stamina and perseverance are amazing. I am sure that I would have gave up many times, escaping back to the safety of the United States. Kudos to him for his overcoming of all the obstacles thrown at him.
I found the book to be fascinating, and could not put it down. I literally devoured it in two evenings. The author is very engaging, writes extremely well, and manages to keep the reader "pulling for" him. I highly recommend this book, even if it does lay to rest my "House Hunters International" fantasy of moving to France!
I found
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myself surprised at the difficulty in even locating a property for sale in Paris (House Hunters International makes it look so easy and fun on TV!). Upon finally finding the property, the author experienced the infamous Paris bureaucracy in the purchase of it. And then, just when you think it should all be smooth sailing, the real trouble begins in the renovation stage! I cannot believe what Lebovitz went through. His stamina and perseverance are amazing. I am sure that I would have gave up many times, escaping back to the safety of the United States. Kudos to him for his overcoming of all the obstacles thrown at him.
I found the book to be fascinating, and could not put it down. I literally devoured it in two evenings. The author is very engaging, writes extremely well, and manages to keep the reader "pulling for" him. I highly recommend this book, even if it does lay to rest my "House Hunters International" fantasy of moving to France!
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LibraryThing member Judiex
I recently hired a gardener to do some yard work. I was supposed to get 40 hours of work for a little over $1,100. I knew I was in trouble when the first question he asked when he came here to work was when he pointed at something growing in the yard and asked“Is that a weed or a plant.”
It
A native of San Franciso, Lebovitz moved to Paris because he loved cooking, especially French cooking, and loved the country. Everything went well for the first decade. Then he decided he to buy an apartment. The first obstacle he faced was having to get a physical examination before the bank would lend him any money. It wanted to ensure that he would be healthy enough to repay it.
Finding an apartment was not easy. Many are not listed. Real estate agents show only those that they have listed. There are no arrangements to show the properties from other companies. While he eventually did find a suitable place, the process for buying it was quite complicated and then he learned it needed a lot of remodeling before he could move in. Imagine having to wait four hours before talking to a staff member at an Ikea store. His biggest mistake was acting like an American. By the end of the ordeal, he had learned a bit more about working under the French “rules.”
Levovitz writes cookbooks. Not surprisingly, much of the book deals with French food. There are twenty five recipes (with very complete direction) mixed in with his story. Often, the recipes tie into what is happening in the purchasing and renovation process. They range from breads and pastries to soups and main dishes to desserts. They are a welcome addition to a story that could have stood by itself. Kind of like the frosting on a cake. I think I gained five pounds just reading them! I was surprised that he didn’t mention using microwave ovens, especially for such things as melting chocolate.
He compares putting together a real estate deal with making cookies. Things “may crumble when extra things are tossed into the mix. But you should be able to push them all back together. To avoid that with your cookies, it helps to squeeze the balls of dough together with notaire-like authority to get everything to stay in place.”
As the book progressed, I became as frustrated as he did with all the obstacles he faced trying to find, buy, and refurbish his apartment. I kept wondering why he didn’t fire the contractor and start again with someone new. Unsure how to handle the situations as an expat made a lot of difference.
There are a lot of French words in the book. He translates many but not all of them.
Tidbits:
When he worked in the San Francisco Bay area, he found the residents were as interested in food as were the French. One favorite was “dewy goat cheeses which, in the 80s, people... thought were tofu.”
Leftover croissants are stuffed and baked again to create a new treat.
“Mais oui, monsieur!” she responded, with enthusiasm the French usually reserve for when they get close to meal time.”
“Most people are quick to invoke the rules, but those rules don’t necessarily apply to them. Thus, skirting the rules is a national pastime.”
“The French get locked into how things should be rather than seeing how they could be. That strategy is great for preserving the grandeur of the past, but hasn’t been as successful for envisioning anything beyond it.”
“Americans go into situations expecting things to go well. When they don’t we have meltdowns. The French go into situations expecting things not to go in their favor, so they’re prepared when they don’t.”
All the forms that people have to keep, e.g., to prove you purchased something, must be archived and saved in a binder. Mitt Romney was a missionary in France for several years so his comment about ‘binders of women’ made sense.”
My favorite description, one I don’t think I’ll ever forget is when he wanted a clothes dryer “so my towels wouldn’t make me feel like I was drying myself with a piece of matzoh after a shower.” I thought of the difference between when starting with the rough matzoh and ending with a soggy, crumbling mess.
I read a uncorrected proof of this book.
It
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went downhill from there: Compared to what David Lebovitz went through when he bought an apartment in Paris, I should be very grateful that I got away so easily.A native of San Franciso, Lebovitz moved to Paris because he loved cooking, especially French cooking, and loved the country. Everything went well for the first decade. Then he decided he to buy an apartment. The first obstacle he faced was having to get a physical examination before the bank would lend him any money. It wanted to ensure that he would be healthy enough to repay it.
Finding an apartment was not easy. Many are not listed. Real estate agents show only those that they have listed. There are no arrangements to show the properties from other companies. While he eventually did find a suitable place, the process for buying it was quite complicated and then he learned it needed a lot of remodeling before he could move in. Imagine having to wait four hours before talking to a staff member at an Ikea store. His biggest mistake was acting like an American. By the end of the ordeal, he had learned a bit more about working under the French “rules.”
Levovitz writes cookbooks. Not surprisingly, much of the book deals with French food. There are twenty five recipes (with very complete direction) mixed in with his story. Often, the recipes tie into what is happening in the purchasing and renovation process. They range from breads and pastries to soups and main dishes to desserts. They are a welcome addition to a story that could have stood by itself. Kind of like the frosting on a cake. I think I gained five pounds just reading them! I was surprised that he didn’t mention using microwave ovens, especially for such things as melting chocolate.
He compares putting together a real estate deal with making cookies. Things “may crumble when extra things are tossed into the mix. But you should be able to push them all back together. To avoid that with your cookies, it helps to squeeze the balls of dough together with notaire-like authority to get everything to stay in place.”
As the book progressed, I became as frustrated as he did with all the obstacles he faced trying to find, buy, and refurbish his apartment. I kept wondering why he didn’t fire the contractor and start again with someone new. Unsure how to handle the situations as an expat made a lot of difference.
There are a lot of French words in the book. He translates many but not all of them.
Tidbits:
When he worked in the San Francisco Bay area, he found the residents were as interested in food as were the French. One favorite was “dewy goat cheeses which, in the 80s, people... thought were tofu.”
Leftover croissants are stuffed and baked again to create a new treat.
“Mais oui, monsieur!” she responded, with enthusiasm the French usually reserve for when they get close to meal time.”
“Most people are quick to invoke the rules, but those rules don’t necessarily apply to them. Thus, skirting the rules is a national pastime.”
“The French get locked into how things should be rather than seeing how they could be. That strategy is great for preserving the grandeur of the past, but hasn’t been as successful for envisioning anything beyond it.”
“Americans go into situations expecting things to go well. When they don’t we have meltdowns. The French go into situations expecting things not to go in their favor, so they’re prepared when they don’t.”
All the forms that people have to keep, e.g., to prove you purchased something, must be archived and saved in a binder. Mitt Romney was a missionary in France for several years so his comment about ‘binders of women’ made sense.”
My favorite description, one I don’t think I’ll ever forget is when he wanted a clothes dryer “so my towels wouldn’t make me feel like I was drying myself with a piece of matzoh after a shower.” I thought of the difference between when starting with the rough matzoh and ending with a soggy, crumbling mess.
I read a uncorrected proof of this book.
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LibraryThing member deborahk
David Lebovitz, I love you! Otherwise I would never have slogged through your book about buying and renovating a home in Paris. We all have had nightmares with contractors, this is not good reading material. You need something juicy, not painful details of being ripped off, that has happened to me
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and I don't like thinking about it. Somehow I cared about Lebovitz enough to finish the book. I am such a fan, the man taught me how to bake and it's something I pride myself on. Thank you David but next time you try a memoir, make sure something interesting happens. Happy your place turned out well. Keep writing -- cookbooks! Show Less
LibraryThing member kerns222
Easy read with hints on apartment hunting in Paris. Tips on survival. Tips on buying veggies and meat. Amusing. And many cooking/baking adventures with recipes. I skipped those.
LibraryThing member rakerman
It is what it says on the cover: the story of buying a house in Paris. Unfortunately, unlike in the previous book The Sweet Life in Paris which was entertaining, it turns out that house buying in France is complicated and tedious and frustrating, which doesn't make for a particularly humourous or
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uplifting tale. Show Less
LibraryThing member murderbydeath
If you are secretly (or not so secretly) fascinated by the sight of car wrecks (where no one is injured, of course), you might really like this book.
That's not why I bought it, or course; I thought I'd be reading a breezy memoir about moving to Paris and buying a fabulous, though a tad run down,
Not even close. In fact, looking at the title, I'm not at all sure where the "delights" come into play. Maybe book 2? Because I gotta tell you, after reading this, I have a lot more sympathy for people who burn the house down for the insurance money. I also have a new appreciation for just how much worse Australian real estate could be. I've always tried to be positive or, at least tactful, about my current home country, but I've never held back on how bent I believe their real estate industry is, particularly Melbourne's (I'm not wrong either: Victoria has been cited numerous times for fraudulent real estate practices; not that it slows anybody down). But boy howdy, Paris makes it clear Aussies are in the minor leagues.
But the buying dramas (did you know you need a medical examination to get a home loan?) were just the amuse bouche; the real nightmare, the one you can't stop reading because it's like a train that just keeps on wrecking itself, a metal snowball gaining mass and spreading destruction, is the renovations. There. are. no. words.
This is where I stop to give a heartfelt thanks to my Daddy, an electrical engineer, and for the grace of god that I was born curious. Foreign country or not (and you can't discount how big a difference that makes - even if the foreign country speaks your language), I'm fortunate that I know enough about electricity, plumbing, and (very) basic building construction to suspect when something isn't right, or safe. Lebovitz was not so blessed and neither was his partner, although he was at least Parisian, and so was able to bridge the language - and sometimes the cultural - gaps, as well as throw well timed fits of temper. But even so, what happens, what they end up with... nope. Still no words. I cannot imagine what I'd have done in his shoes, but it probably would have been neither legal or sane.
It ends well enough, but, though he doesn't give any real figures, one has to assume he had a shit ton of money somewhere because by my rough reckoning, that renovation cost him more than 3 times the original budget.
Throughout this nightmare, he does paint a vivid and gorgeous picture of Paris markets and food, both of which, from what I read here, are better experienced as a tourist. And most of the chapters end with a recipe; some easy, and some for the experienced baker. At some point in the future I'll be giving his Swedish meatball recipe a shot.
And Swedish meatballs leads me to this final thought: there is nothing on this earth that would ever compel me to stand in line for 4 1/2 freaking hours in Ikea. Nothing. Not if the kitchen cabinets were made of solid mahogany and gilded in solid gold. Omg...4.5 hours in Ikea...
That's not why I bought it, or course; I thought I'd be reading a breezy memoir about moving to Paris and buying a fabulous, though a tad run down,
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old apartment and the joys of renovating it. I imagined living vicariously through the author as he haunted the flea markets and found fabulous old doors, lamps, hardware, crockery, etc. Sure, the title says "disasters", too, but they're probably the run of the mill disasters everyone faces when building/renovating, right? Someone painted the kitchen the color meant for the baths, or switched the hot and cold taps. Not even close. In fact, looking at the title, I'm not at all sure where the "delights" come into play. Maybe book 2? Because I gotta tell you, after reading this, I have a lot more sympathy for people who burn the house down for the insurance money. I also have a new appreciation for just how much worse Australian real estate could be. I've always tried to be positive or, at least tactful, about my current home country, but I've never held back on how bent I believe their real estate industry is, particularly Melbourne's (I'm not wrong either: Victoria has been cited numerous times for fraudulent real estate practices; not that it slows anybody down). But boy howdy, Paris makes it clear Aussies are in the minor leagues.
But the buying dramas (did you know you need a medical examination to get a home loan?) were just the amuse bouche; the real nightmare, the one you can't stop reading because it's like a train that just keeps on wrecking itself, a metal snowball gaining mass and spreading destruction, is the renovations. There. are. no. words.
This is where I stop to give a heartfelt thanks to my Daddy, an electrical engineer, and for the grace of god that I was born curious. Foreign country or not (and you can't discount how big a difference that makes - even if the foreign country speaks your language), I'm fortunate that I know enough about electricity, plumbing, and (very) basic building construction to suspect when something isn't right, or safe. Lebovitz was not so blessed and neither was his partner, although he was at least Parisian, and so was able to bridge the language - and sometimes the cultural - gaps, as well as throw well timed fits of temper. But even so, what happens, what they end up with... nope. Still no words. I cannot imagine what I'd have done in his shoes, but it probably would have been neither legal or sane.
It ends well enough, but, though he doesn't give any real figures, one has to assume he had a shit ton of money somewhere because by my rough reckoning, that renovation cost him more than 3 times the original budget.
Throughout this nightmare, he does paint a vivid and gorgeous picture of Paris markets and food, both of which, from what I read here, are better experienced as a tourist. And most of the chapters end with a recipe; some easy, and some for the experienced baker. At some point in the future I'll be giving his Swedish meatball recipe a shot.
And Swedish meatballs leads me to this final thought: there is nothing on this earth that would ever compel me to stand in line for 4 1/2 freaking hours in Ikea. Nothing. Not if the kitchen cabinets were made of solid mahogany and gilded in solid gold. Omg...4.5 hours in Ikea...
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Awards
NPR: Books We Love (2017)
Original language
English
Original publication date
2018
Physical description
368 p.; 8.55 inches
ISBN
0804188386 / 9780804188388