Feb
28
There is definitely no shortage of bakeries here in Caracas. I can be quite picky about my tarts and croissants, so I’ve tried my fair share.
We recently celebrated my husband’s birthday and since he is not a big cake fan, I opted for a fruit tart. Okay, what really happened is I had a hard time ordering a cake in Spanish and the tart was there in the display, so I pointed to it and said “quiero ese”.
I know this was somewhat of a copout, but the tart looked really good. It was at the Pasteleria St. Honore which specializes in French pastries and their food almost looks too good to eat – almost 
So, the fruit tart was a hit (this picture doesn’t do it justice). I’ve since gone back and tried the pain au raisin, as well as the pain au chocolat – both were fantastic!
Pasteleria St. Honore gets a thumbs up from me.
Subscribe in a reader
Subscribe to Balanced Melting Pot by Email
Balanced Melting Pot on Facebook
Posted in Caracas, Cultural Arts, Venezuela, Venezuelan pastries Caracas Culture French pastries Pain au chocolat Pain au raisin Pasteleria St. Honore Tarte au fruit Venezuela Venezuelan Culture
Feb
17
A year in Haiti without celebrating Mardi Gras is like the US deciding to not observe July 4th – it’s unheard of. According to Haitian history, this is the first time since 
a president in the early 1900’stried to put a stop to the celebration (he was deposed soon thereafter).
The Government of Haiti called for a weekend of prayer beginning last Friday and many people gathered at Champs de Mars in Port-au-Prince to watch. As we watched footage of those praying with strong conviction, I can’t help but think how different their plans were just one month prior.
Venezuelans celebrate Mardi Gras a bit differently. Apparently, most of the parades take place outside of Caracas and some people use the holiday to spend time at the beach. The only other time that I’ve seen Caracas this quiet was during the Christmas holiday. Very different indeed. 
What keeps me hopeful is that I know how resilient Haitians are and there will be Mardi Gras next year. I can’t wait to hear how the musicians will take all that has happened and all that will happen during this year and turn them into catchy tunes.
Photo credits: calix and Paphio
Subscribe in a reader
Subscribe to Balanced Melting Pot by Email
Balanced Melting Pot on Facebook
Posted in Cultural Arts, Culture, Haiti, Mardi Gras, Traditions, Venezuela Caracas Cultural Arts Culture Haiti Mardi Gras Traditions Venezuela Venezuelan Culture
There is definitely no shortage of bakeries here in Caracas. I can be quite picky about my tarts and croissants, so I’ve tried my fair share.
