Paris Travel Notes

Paris snapshot in time 1911

2011-05-08T06:59:00.003-04:00

Trocadero 1900 Paris Exposition

2011-05-01T06:57:00.000-04:00

From the US Library of Congress postcard collection.

Pantheon and the rue Soufflot

2011-04-24T06:56:00.002-04:00

From the US Library of Congress postcard collection.

Louvre Paris 1900

2011-04-17T06:55:00.001-04:00

From the US Library of Congress postcard collection.

Hotel-de-Ville Paris

2011-04-10T06:54:00.000-04:00

From the US Library of Congress postcard collection.

Grand Palais 1900 Paris Exposition

2011-04-03T06:52:00.003-04:00

From the US Library of Congress postcard collection.

Eiffel Tower and Trocadero 1900 Exposition

2011-03-27T06:50:00.001-04:00

From the US Library of Congress postcard collection.

A few tips on traveling to Paris

2010-12-31T02:59:00.001-05:00

A few things you've probably already read or heard about traveling to Partis but I'll reinforce them here anyway. I also be adding more over the next few days.

When using the Metro keep your backpack securely sealed and if possible wear it on your front. Trust me on this.
If you're going to be in Paris for at least a week get a Navigo pass for the Metro and busses
If you don't use a Navigo Metro pass always carry plenty of Metro tickets with you.
Carry a good pocket map of the city -- preferably a map arranged by arrondisement. You can find them for just a few euros at nearly any bookstore in the city.
Pick up the latest issue of Pariscope at any newsstand or kiosk -- for .40 cents it will will give you all the details of nearly everything happening in the city for that week. We use it especially to find the free concerts. In French only.
Use your credit card when possible unless your fees are exorbitant but always have plenty of euros.
Unless absolutely necessary do NOT use currency exchanges to get euros. Use your ATM card to get cash just like you would at home. You will have to pay a small fee but it's certainly better than the currency vendors terrible exchange rates.

And for New Year's:

Many if not most sites, attractions, etc. will be closed New Year's Day so plan accordingly. There are still plenty of things to do, like free concerts in many of the local churches and consider spending quality time strolling through the cemeteries of Pere Lachaise, Montparnasse or Montmartre.
No fireworks at the Eiffel Tower but there will be lots of strolling through the Tuleries and along the Champs Elysees.
Unless you're determined to see the inside of yet another gothic church, stay away from Notre Dame. The queues just to get inside or go up in the towers are incredibly long.
Also the pedestrian traffic around the major tourist sites are verging on chaotic and lending toward insanity. Stay away unless you absolutely must go and join a quarter of the planet's population trying to get to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Instead think about the top of the Tour Montparnasse where you can get an incredible view of the Eiffel and Paris, too, of course.

Napoleon's Tomb Les Invalides Paris 7th arr.

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Juliette Recamier

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when you see Juliette, tell her I said bonjour and will stop in Montmartre and pay my respects the next time I'm in town. You have to look hard for Juliette -- ever modest even when she was the toast of Paris she's now quite elusive. You'll find her in Division 30.

Reason 3,426,266 to go to Paris - Degas

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The Dancer by Degas

Gambetta's monument in Place de la Republique

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This monument is now gone.

Dumas monument Place Malasherbes Paris 17th arr.

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Place du Pantheon Paris 5th arr.

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Pont et Place de la Concorde Paris 8th arr.

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Notre Dame Paris 4th arr.

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Place de la Republique Paris 10th arr.

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Saint Augustin Paris 8th arr.

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Paris Panorama from the right bank to the left

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Boulevard de la Madeleine Paris 1st & 9th arr.

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Ste. Marie Madelleine Paris 8th arr.

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Jardin des Tuileries Paris 1st arr.

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Musee de Cluny Paris 5th arr.

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Parc des Buttes Chaumont Paris 19th arr.

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Bois de Boulogne Paris

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Arc de Triomphe in Paris 8th arr.

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Pont de l'Alma in Paris 8th arr.

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Going back -- of course

2009-12-30T10:16:00.006-05:00

How can we not go back? It may not be as exciting as the 1889 Exposition -- when the Eiffel Tower made its "debut" -- but when is Paris not incredible?

So, Susie will be gone for another 7-week stretch, pretty much like the spring of 2009 but no professional development courses at Le Cordon Bleu this time. My hope is she will find plenty of time to spend doing tai chi in the Jardin du Luxembourg.

I'll join her for the last 3 weeks or so. We hope to see Richard and Pauline in Mouchan and spend quality time in Siena (again). That's the plan.

Right now all we have are tickets to get on an Air France flight and go. Next up, lodging -- in the 11th we hope!

Back in Paris and already the food is better

2009-04-07T00:44:00.004-04:00

Well, OK, Providence has great food there's no denying that fact. But the food in Paris, or perhaps I should say the experience of eating in Paris, is really very different. It's simply a part, a critical part of life. It's not treated as something "special," or given some sort of theme park ambiance. Food=Life. simple. Good food=good life. Even simpler.

I recently rejoined my wife in the City of Light, where she has been weighing in on a series of professional development courses in pastry at Le Cordon Bleu. since I arrived last Saturday we have been out three times in the past 48 hours (lunch only though please note).

Anyway, I'm sure there will be more to come but here's the first three:

Candide, on Avenue Parmentier close to Place Leon Blum. A bit upscale inside perhaps for the 11th -- but very cozy. Freindly service, tasty food and good prices. Spring for the formule; it's the best value. Metro: Voltaire.

Cafe Croix Rouge. Located at a curious confluence of several streets, on the corner of rue de Sevres and rue de Grenelle, not far from St. Germain des Pres. Impeccably friendly service. Both of us had a tasty salad with a twist on an old Itlaian standby: mozzarella, tomatoes and green beans (in particular the luscious haricot verts) thrown with olive oil and a bit of vinegar. Yummy! Washed down with a glass of sauvignon what could be better. Metro: St. Suplice or Sevres de Babylone.

Cafe Etienne Marcel (pictured above). Located at the corner of Boulevard Etienne Marcel and Rue Montmartre (to the left in the photo above). We've eaten here several times and have never been disappointed. The outdoor seating is superb, great for people watching since it's in a part of Paris that is packed with wonderful faces and energy; close to Les Halles and the gateway to Monrmatre. The croque monsieurs are scrumptious as are the frites. Service is always pleasant and prices reasonable. Metro: Etienne Marcel.

If you're serious about food even better: you're within spitting distance of Mora, A. Simon, Detou, Bovida and right around the corner up a block or so is the city's best culinary-only bookstore: Librarie Gourmande (no. 92, rue Montmartre).

Paris Dining Guide Updated Early 2009

2009-03-08T11:08:00.000-04:00

Food and Paris are synonymous. Certainly to Susie and me. We spent six months in Florence so she could study pastry at Apicius and ended up in Paris for another eight months while she pursued a Diploma de Patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu. We return again and again to advance not only her professional development but also as a consequence of our love of the incredible dining adventures found on both banks of the Seine. Food, where to buy it, eat it, and share it, has always been an integral part of our travels.

We started in Siena in the fall of 2005, moved to Florence in January of 2006 and from there we moved to Paris in the summer of 2006 and lived in Paris until the end of March 2007. While Susan spent most of her weekdays in school, I wandered the cemeteries of Florence and then Paris and together we had so many wonderful dining adventures.

In September of 2007 we returned for six weeks and then again for 10 days in September of 2008. Using Clotilde Dusoulier’s wonderful guidebook to the culinary and gastronomic world, Clotilde’s Edible Adventures in Paris (Broadway Books, 2008), Susie and I spent nearly those 10 days having our own “edible adventures.” With Clotilde’s book in one hand and a good arrondissement guidebook in the other you can not only find some incredible food but also see much of the city’s side streets and back roads. We did.

Oh, and I should point out that only twice during our 2008 trip did we order a bottle of wine with dinner – or lunch for that matter. There are so many wonderful wines offered by the glass we rarely thought of ordering wine any other way.

So, I’d like to share some of our experiences with you – just in case you find yourself in Paris looking for a good place to eat. . .

1st Arrondissement

LA BOVIDA ~ Spices, condiments

Across rue Montmartre from Mora and facing Café Etienne Marcel. Enormous selection of bulk herbs and spices.

LOCATION: 36 rue Montmartre
CROSS STREET: rue Etienne Marcel
Mº Etienne Marcel
HOURS: Mon 10:00-19:00 and 14:00-16:00; Tue-Fri 0900-19:00
PHONE: 01 42 36 09 99
CLOTILDE: 274

DEHILLERIN ~ Cookware

Well known long before Julia Child started coming in, this is one of the best places to find the hard-to-find cookware in Paris. Located just a stone’s throw (or short walk) from the cook’s ultimate resources: Mora, Detou, A. Simon and La Bovida. We always stop but we don’t always buy. Salesmen are knowledgeable and pleasant.

LOCATION: 18 rue Coquillere
CROSS STREET: rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Mº Etienne Marcel or Louvre-rivoli
HOURS: Mon 09:00-12:30 and 14:00-16:00; Tue-Sat 0900-18:00
PHONE: 01 42 36 53 13
WEBSITE: www.e-dehillerin.fr
CLOTILDE: 273-274

HIGUMA (1) ~ Noodle bar

This place was very basic in the décor – mid-twentieth century squalor but that was deceptive. On the right as we walked in was a row of seats at a counter facing the cooking area, consisting mainly of a bank of enormous woks – and all around us the diners were hungrily eating and slurping their way toward nirvana. This place was clearly basic dining only – but what “basic”! And the smells were incredible! If the food was only half as good as it smelled we were definitely in paradise.

After a few minutes wait a young woman came and ushered us toward the back room, threading our way through a maze of tables and chairs packed with people devouring their food. (My only hope now was to be one of those people!)

The dishes were primarily noodles – stir-fried or in broth -- but there were also steamed dumplings and several rise dishes as well. The food was absolutely delicious and unbelievably inexpensive: €43 for the five of us! For example, I had a large bowl of noodles with pork and a half-dozen steamed dumplings for €10!

LOCATION: 32 rue Sainte Anne
Mº Pyramides
HOURS: open every day
PHONE: 01-47-03-38-59
REVIEWED: 5 November 2006

HIGUMA (2) ~ Noodle bar

The second restaurant to the one above, this place is a bit more upscale in the décor but the menu is the same (and so are the prices we thought). They also have samples in their window, which helps the first time diner. We ate lunch here with friend Beth and enjoyed it immensely. Noisy and crowded when we first arrived, we were soon up to our elbows in noodles – Susan and I each had the Yakisoba sautéed noodles, which I liked more than she did. Order the “set” which includes a noodle dish plus 5-7 “gyoza” (fried dumplings). 2007 3/30

LOCATION: 163 rue Saint Honore
Mº Palais Royal/Musee Louvre
PHONE: 01.58.62.49.22
REVIEWED: 30 March 2007

ISSÉ ~ Japanese

Billed as “tempura and tapas,” we fortunately arrived after the lunch rush, since the place was quite intimate. Pushing the door open we found ourselves inside a sleek, glass and metal interior but felt it warmly inviting nonetheless. Our lunch was simply delicious

We each ordered the Menu tempura and were treated to a several courses of mini treats (miso soup, seaweed, that sort of thing) until they brought out the piece de resistance: shrimp and vegetables dipped in a scrumptious tempura batter, accompanied by a large bowl of rice. Service friendly and prompt.

LOCATION: 45 rue de Richelieu
CROSS STREET: rue des Petit Champs
Mº Pyramides or Palais Royale-Musee du Louvre
PHONE: 01 42 96 26 60
HOURS: Mon-Sun, 10:30-15:30, Mon-Sat 18:00-midnight
REVIEWED: 9 September 2008
CLOTILDE: 16

MORA ~ Bakeware and Cookware

A baker’s paradise. Just about everything a pastry chef or baker could possible need or want. Large selection of silicone molds. We always stop and Susie always buys something for her arsenal.

LOCATION: 13 rue Montmartre
CROSS STREET: rue du Jour
Mº Etienne Marcel
HOURS: Mon-Fri 09:00-18:15, Sat 08:30-13:00 and 14:00-17:00
WEBSITE: www.mora.fr
PHONE: 01 45 08 19 24
CLOTILDE: 274

2nd Arrondissement

BISTROT VIVIENNE ~ French

We had a delicious lunch, located off of one of the few remaining old galleries left in this part of Paris.

LOCATION: 4 rue Petits Champs
Mº Pyramides
REVIEWED: 28 February 2007

CAFÉ ETIENNE MARCEL ~ Café

Located on rue Etienne Marcel right on the corner the cafe wraps around toward rue Montmartre. This café has one of the better outdoor seating locations we have seen in Paris (another favorite is the Café Gran Corona at the Place de L’Alma). Lots of pretty good people watching here; pick a spot near the very corner itself to catch traffic going in all directions. Plus, if you’re a food aficionado, gadgets and condiments, you’re right next within a block of A. Simon, Mora and Detou, serious food purveyers.

Always good food and very friendly service at reasonable prices. Try the Croque Monsieur and pommes frites.

On September 9, 2008, while Susie was shopping for baking supplies, I opted to sit it out and grabbed a table outside. I just sipped a caffe and watched people, notably two young women having an intense discussion that turned into a full-blown argument, bringing tears to both sets of eyes and various other emotive actions. They were each accompanied by friends -- their "seconds" perhaps? -- and one wonders what the argument was about: stolen love, betrayal, lost keys, wrecked car, who knows?

LOCATION: north corner of rue Etienne Marcel and rue Montmartre
Mº Etienne Marcel
REVIEWED: 24 September 2007 and 9 September 2008

DETOU ~ Cooking and baking supplies

We always, and I mean always stop here. While they cater to the professional cook and baker, it is open to the public. The prices are incredibly cheap, service is very friendly and helpful. It’s almost next door to Café Etienne Marcel and a stone’s throw from La Bovida, Mora and A. Simon. This should definitely be part of your day looking for cooking and baking supplies and gadgets.

LOCATION: 58 rue Tiquetonne
CROSS STREET: rue Etienne Marcel
Mº Etienne Marcel or Sentier
PHONE: 01 42 36 54 1467
HOURS: Mon-Sat, 08:30-18:30
CLOTILDE: 200-201

KINTARO ~ Japanese

For dinner we consumed what seemed to be the better part of a 50-lb bowl of noodles each, along delicious gyoza, fried dumplings. Noodles, gyoza, and “riz cantonnais,” very tasty. Inexpensive.

LOCATION: 24 rue Saint Augustin
CROSS STREET: rue Monsigny
Mº Quatre Septembre
PHONE: 01 47 42 13 14
HOURS: Mon-Sat, 11:30-22:00
REVIEWED: 12 September 2008
CLOTILDE: 18

L’OSTRIA ~ Seafood

A wonderful place to eat fish. The restaurant is small, seating maybe 30-55 people, and was operated by two guys the night we were there: one working the tiny kitchen within view of us all and one working the floor so to speak. Very efficient, very smooth operation (at the end of the evening a woman joined them as well). Word is they make one of the best bouillabaisses in Paris (in season however).

For starters (“entre”) Susan and I had a goat cheese and haddock salad: a bed of fresh greens, with slices of grapefruit, apple, and ultra-thin slices of smoked, salted haddock (raw), and in the center were two small pieces of bread each topped with sliced goat cheese and then placed under a broiler to melt. A-M had a salad of greens covered with “crevettes” (small shellfish); and Guy had a mussel (“moules”) salad. The wine for the evening was a crisp Sancerre.

For main course (“plat) we all had the sea bass (“bar”). Fresh? They brought each of us an entire fish, “sitting upright” (rather than on its side), with the head and tail still on, cooked to perfection; and surrounded by a small handful of sliced cooked vegetables: potatoes, fennel, turnip.

LOCATION: 4 rue Sauval
Mº Louvre-Rivoli
PHONE: 01 40 26 08 07
REVIEWED: 18 November 2006

SAPPORO ~ Japanese

A funky, noisy little Japanese noodle bar a bit more upscale than Higuma and equally great food at rock-bottom prices.

LOCATION: 2 bis, rue Daunou
Mº Opera or Pyramides
PHONE: 01 42 61 48 38
REVIEWED: 17 November 2006

A. SIMON ~ Dinnerware and cookware

Plenty of what Clotilde calls “restaurant-grade” dinnerware.

LOCATION: 48 rue Montmartre
CROSS STREET: rue Etienne Marcel
Mº Etienne Marcel
HOURS: Mon-Fri 13:30-18:30, Tue-Fri 09:00-18:30, Sat 09:30-18:30
WEBSITE: www.simon-a.com
PHONE: 01 42 33 71 65
CLOTILDE: 274

STOHRER ~ Patisserie

Very well known in Paris and the UK, too, apparently. What more can you say about a guy that puts a postcard rack outside his shop that has nothing but photos of him giving an enormous egg to the queen of England?

LOCATION: 51 rue Montotgueil
CROSS STREET: rue Marie Stuart
Mº Sentier or Etienne Marcel
PHONE: 01 42 33 38 20
HOURS: Mon-Sun, 07:30-20:30
WEBSITE: www.stohrer.fr.
REVIEWED: September 2008
CLOTILDE: 164

3rd Arrondissement

CHEZ OMAR ~ Couscous

Great for couscous and steak and frites and who knows what else it is deeeelicious.

LOCATION: 47 rue de Bretagne
Mº Arts et Métiers
PHONE: 01 42 72 36 36
HOURS: Closed Sunday noon
REVIEWED: 11 February 2007

GOUMANYAT ~ Spice shop

Friendly and helpful staff make up this family-run business specializing in a wide variety of their mélange of spices, but particularly in saffron.

LOCATION: 3 rue Charles Francois Dupuis
CROSS STREET: rue Beranger
Mº Republique
PHONE: 01 44 78 96 74
HOURS: Tues-Fri 14:00-19:00, Sat. 11:00-19:00
WEBSITE: www.goumanyat,fr
REVIEWED: 5 September 2008
CLOTILDE: 220

L’OLIVIER ~ Grecque nouvelle

This small, unassuming Greek restaurant was recommended to us the very day we arrived in Paris. After we unpacked and unloaded, we walked over to Goumanyat, one of Paris’ oldest spice shops, and recommended by Clotilde. After meeting the owner and sampling some of the spices they put together we asked for a suggestion for dinner and they recommended L’Olivier, just a few minutes’ walk away. Food was creative take on Greek cuisine (I had what amounted to Moussaka but in a gratin with custard on top).

Moderate, friendly and nice wines by the glass. Reservations taken online.

LOCATION: 15 blvd du Temple
CROSS STREET: rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud
Mº Filles du Calvaire
PHONE: 01 42 77 12 51
HOURS: Mon-Sat, 12:00-15:00, 1800-21:00
WEBSITE: www.olivier.restau.com
REVIEWED: 5 September 2008

Pain de Sucre ~ Patisserie

Small, intimate but very stylishly laid out pastry shop and definitely worth a stop. This extremely pleasant and hardworking couple produce some fabulous treats. After standing in line for just a couple of minutes we paid for our pastries and then walked across the street and found a couple of stanchions to sit on, nibbling as we watched the stream of humanity going in and out of the Pompidou Center.

LOCATION: 14 rue Rambuteau
CROSS STREET: rue du Temple
Mº Rambuteau
PHONE: 01 45 74 68 92
HOURS: 09:00-20:00; closed Tue & Wed
WEBSITE: www.patisseriepaindesucre.com.
REVIEWED: September 2008
CLOTILDE: 165

4th Arrondissement

L’AS DU FALAFEL ~ Falafel

World famous fast food. Mark Bittman wrote a piece about this place a couple of years back for the New York Times. Make this a stop. Delicious to go food in the Jewish quarter – and a wonderful part of the old city to just stroll around.

LOCATION: 34 rue des Rosiers
CROSS STREET: rue des Ecouffes
Mº Saint-Paul
PHONE: 01 48 87 63 60
HOURS: Sun-Thu noon-midnight. Fri noon-18:00; closed Fri night and Sat
REVIEWED: September 2007
CLOTILDE: 34-35

CAFE MED ~ French

A delicious lunch. I can’t recall what we had and I failed to keep notes that day but Susie and I were with Susie’s younger sister Joyce and our food was good, service pleasant and prices not bad – given the location.

LOCATION: on rue Isle St. Louis
REVIEWED: 25 February 2007

L’ENOTECA ~ Italian

A wonderful evening of delicious food, the chance to speak and hear Italian, good service and an equally good wine list.

LOCATION: 25 rue Charles V
Mº Saint Paul
PHONE: 01.42.78.91.44
REVIEWED: 10 December 2006

LES P’TITS LOUP ~ French

Run by two middle-aged women (whatever that means), one on the inside, the other the outside. We sat outside. The food was delicious, well-priced and the service remarkable: friendly, charming; obviously a person who enjoyed dealing with strangers in search of a good meal. This is a solid recommendation for lunch. Located just a hundred meters from the Metro and Place Bastille.

LOCATION: rue Saint Antoine
Mº Bastille
REVIEWED: 17 September 2006

5th Arrondissement

L'ARBREA CANNELLE ~ French

Small but intimate, inviting place for late breakfast or lunch – which we had twice in 2006-07. Hearty French fare. Inexpensive. Just a short block from the Jardin des Plantes.

LOCATION: Corner of rue La Brosse and rue Linne
Mº Jussieu
REVIEWED: 30 January 2007

LE BOULANGER DE MONGE ~ Boulangerie

Always a queue here – primarily for the breads but the pastries are incredible as well.

LOCATION: 123 rue Monge
Mº Jussieu
REVIEWED: Fall 2006

CAFE DES ISLES ~ Seafood

This is the sister restaurant to the wonderful COCO DE MER, where we have eaten twice before, and is also located in the 5th arr. Both provide a wonderful gastronomic eye on the Seychelles (off the northern coast of Madagascar). Outstanding seafood (fresh snapper from the Seychelles), with very nice staff and reasonable prices. Highly recommended.

LOCATION: 111 rue Monge
Mº Censier-Daubenton
PHONE: 01 47 07 55 55
HOURS: closed Mon
REVIEWED: 5 January 2007

COCO DE MER ~ Seafood

They not only bring in their fish fresh daily from the Seychelles, but if you get there early enough you can sit in their “tropical room, where they bring sand sans surf to the winters of Paris.

We arrived at about 8 pm, and learned that since we didn’t have reservations for the “beach” room we would have to sit inside in the main dining area. That’s right they have an enclosed front terrace overlooking the street that has sand for the floor! Lots of fake palm trees hanging from the ceiling – and really not tacky looking at all – and even a coconut from the Seychelles that has the shape of, hmmmm, shall we say a smallish but well-rounded derriere? Yes let’s say that.

So we started with 2 daiquiris made with citron vert. Susan ordered the “Menu Praslinois” which started out with an absolutely delicious seafood salade of fish from the Seychelles with fresh vegetables followed by a “plat” of curried chicken finished off with coconut ice cream with caramel sauce. I had grilled Madagascar shrimp on a bed of pureed avocado for an entrée and my “plat” was grilled tuna steak, finished off with what was essentially a brownie (so moist it would melt in your mouth) accompanied by homemade vanilla ice cream (glace”). Our wine was a Petit Chablis from France.

The wine list was very small: two whites (one South African and one French) and four reds (one South African and 3 French). The prices were reasonable, and service was impeccable. One fellow ran the entire front end by himself, and by the time we left that must have included nearly a dozen tables, several with 3 or 4 people, all without getting flustered and remaining calm and smiling the entire time. Impressive.

LOCATION: 34 Blvd Saint Marcel
Mº Saint-Marcel
PHONE: 04 47 07 06 64
WEBSITE: www.seychelles-saveurs.com
REVIEWED: 26 February and 8 March 2007

LES DELICES D’APHRODITE ~ Greek

Outdoor seating just a stone’s throw from the rue Mouffetard, this is the sister to the more upscale (and expensive) MAVROMATIS, another Greek restaurant a block away. Very friendly staff, bistro seating inside and out. Spent two hours eating and chatting, then strolling to the nearby Jardin des Plantes, found a park bench to snooze away an hour or so enjoying a beautiful Sunday in Paris. Moderately expensive.

LOCATION: 4 rue Candolle
CROSS STREET: rue Daubenton
Mº Censier-Daubenton
PHONE: 01 43 31 40 39
HOURS: Mon-Fri noon-14:00, 19:00-23:00; Sat-Sun noon-15:00, 18:00-23:00
REVIEWED: 14 September 2008
CLOTILDE: 39

MAISON KAYSER ~ Boulangerie

World-famous baker. For good reason -- his breads are incredible.

LOCATION: 14 rue Monge
Mº Maubert or Cardinal Lemoine
PHONE: 01 43 07 17 81
HOURS: Closed Mon
REVIEWED: September 2008

LES PAPILLES ~ Wine bar/restaurant

A short stroll up the rue Gay-Lussac and we were standing outside of no. 30, a wine shop and restaurant. We walked inside and were seated near the front, beneath the many shelves of wines -- French of course. The menu was a fixed four-course meal, no choices, no substitutions and you could choose your wine from any in the shop and for a nominal corkage charge (€7) they would pour it for you. The staff is small, serious, friendly and yet very businesslike. We asked for a wine suggestion and were presented with an incredible white burgundy (€34). In fact, you can order any wine right off the shelf.

Not long after we were seated, two men from Salt Lake City were seated next to us (coincidence?), and the four of us chatted amiably throughout the evening, mostly about food and largely about France.

The meal was itself superb. A celery soup with bits of pork belly and fruit in the bottom, which came in a large tureen, a nice touch. Next up were chicken pieces with a pasta, all together in a large pot, again brought to the table and shared by the two of us. This was followed by a cheese course and for dessert was a simple small glass of mascarpone with apples, almonds and pistachios mixed in.

Incredibly good food. €31 per person. Reservations strongly recommended.

LOCATION: 30 rue Gay-Lussac
CROSS STREET: rue Saint-Jacques
Mº Cluny-La Sorbonne or RER: Luxembourg
PHONE: 01 43 25 20 79
HOURS: Mon-Sat noon-14:00, 19:30-22:00
WEBSITE: www.lespapilles.com
REVIEWED: 10 September 2008
CLOTILDE: 39-40

6th Arrondissement

LES BOUQUINISTES ~ French

Susan and I had eaten here in 1998 and had always wanted to return. The food was even better than we remembered. The service was impeccable, and the wines, a red Mersault and a red Volnay, worked really well with our food; three of us had seafood and Stan had veal. The desserts were equally spectacular; and the cheese board (which I had) consisted of four different cheeses, a hard Comte-like cheese, a chevre, a Brie -style and a fabulous blue called “Fourme d’Ambert,” which was almost sweet. Delicious!

LOCATION: 53 Quai des Grands Augustins
Mº Pont Neuf, Od eon or St. Michel
PHONE: 01 43 25 45 94
WEBSITE: http://www.guysavoy.com
REVIEWED: 17 September 2006

LE COMPTOIR DU RELAIS ~ French

Clotilde calls this a “neo-bistro.” Located next door to and apparently part of the Relais St. Germain hotel next door. Le Comptoir is the down-scaled version of its next door neighbor, a restaurant booked months in advance (and whose name escapes me for good reason). Frankly, I don't see what the fuss is about. Good food is good food. Why should I have to wait weeks or months for it? But that's just me.

In our case, we ended up standing in line anyway, waiting more than an hour to be seated -- first come first served. The woman maitre'd (or is it “maitress'd”?) was a study in tension and movement, working several parts of her body at the same time she was watching in three directions and talking to two different people. Fascinating.

At last we found ourselves seated -- outside but under heater lamps. I had conveniently forgotten to bring a jacket so I spent the evening focusing on the red wine for warmth. A successful achievement I might add.

The service was smooth, even and very good. The food was even better. Susie and I both had beef -- I had a steak very rare and very good and Susie had a slow-cooked piece of beef like mom used to make for Sunday roasts, in a delicious beef sauce. Very straightforward and very much to the point: if the point is being delicious of course.

Our neighbors on one side were French and helped us figure through the beef issue while on our on the other side was a Danish woman in town for the annual furniture fair -- some thirty years she's been coming to these things and her English is very good indeed.

The line of people waiting to be seated continued throughout the evening -- and one older gentleman became quite perturbed when he discovered that a “friend” of the restaurant or some such thing had been seated ahead of him. One has to love the bistro experience -- you become fast friends with total strangers.

Food was quite good, service friendly and prices moderately expensive. No reservations.

LOCATION: 5 Carrefour de l’Odeon
CROSS STREET: rue Monsieur le Prince. Mº Odeon
PHONE: 01 44 27 07 97
HOURS: Mon-Fri noon-18:00, Sat noon-23:00
REVIEWED: 6 September 2008
CLOTILDE: 49-51

CUISINE DE BAR ~ Lunch

Delicious tartines, with a very reasonably priced formule and the service was pleasant (at least our waitress was). To the left of the Poilane bakery, this is a Poilane-owned property. No reservations.

LOCATION: 8 rue du Cherche Midi
CROSS STREET: rue de Sevres
Mº Saint-Sulpice or Sevres-Babylone
PHONE: 01 45 48 45 69
HOURS: Tue-Sat 08:30-19:00
REVIEWED: 11 September 2008
CLOTILDE: 60 (she lists this in the 7th but it is in the 6th arr.)

ZE KITCHEN GALERIE ~ French nouvelle

Very creative food, big on multiple flavors with a strong Asian twist. Reasonable prices adequate wine list.

LOCATION: 4 rue des Grand Augustin
Mº Pont Neuf, St. Michel or Odeon
PHONE: 01 44 32 00 32
WEBSITE: http://www.zekitchengaleri.fr
REVIEWED: 29 March 2007

LOMBARDI’S ~ Italian

This place is small – you enter almost in the kitchen and have to walk up a short lifght of narrow stairs to get to the dining room. The food was great, the service slow, and the prices OK. Still, we got to hear and speak Italian.

LOCATION: 29 rue Dauphine
Mº Odeon, Mabillon or St. Michel
REVIEWED: 5 February 2007

LE RELAIS DE L’ENTRECOTE ~ French

A favorite with tourists and locals alike – we had in fact been given the tip from a businessman who eats out in Paris a great deal – this is one place you should definitely go, but if and only if you like beef. They don’t serve fish, pork or chicken, and they only serve one cut of beef one way with one sauce and a side order of potatoes. No frills, no choices, but then no problems making up your mind either.

We arrived at about 8:30 and there was a short line already forming outside along the street. They don’t take reservations and we had been warned that it’s a good idea to come a bit early before they open to avoid the long lines but we figured hey it’s a Tuesday evening plus we didn’t want to eat early so we’d take our chances. The restaurant was quite large with lots of tables spilling outside onto the sidewalk on the little side street of Rue St.-Benoit just around the corner from Saint Germain-des-Pres and just a block off the busy Blvd. Saint Germain. Across the street were two other restaurants, one of which was generous enough to provide live jazz music not long after we sat down.

Anyway, after about a 15-minute wait we were seated at a table just inside but since the walls were gone for the season we were in effect also outside. Tres cool. The waitress then came to the table and asked what we would like to drink (water first) and then how we want our meat prepared: rare, medium or well. That’s it. Oh and yes you have just three choices for wine: red, white or sparkling (we chose red). She wrote our orders on the tablecloth and a few minutes later we had our wine, fresh bread and soon afterwards our salads – all very delicious I might add.

A little while later out came the meat. The meat was swimming in a unique pesto-like sauce -- the basil flavor was distinct but not as strong as a traditional pesto or so we thought – and it had a rich, buttery edge to it. Perfect with the meat, which by the way appeared to be slices of sirloin cooked to a tender perfection. I should perhaps explain how they plate the food since it too seemed quite different from any other experience we can recall. They brought out the meat in covered serving trays which were then placed on portable burners scattered strategically around the restaurant – and these were soon followed by huge platters of “pomme frites” (french fries of course) the only accompaniment to the meat. The fries are spooned on to each plate followed by the meat and sauce and then brought to the table. But only half of each person’s portion is given out; and after you finish that you get the “second” helping of both fries and meat. Interesting, no?

The evening air was perfect, the music coming from across the street just added to the fact that yes, we were in Paris, with good friends eating good food, and, as one at our table that evening is often fond of saying, we’re just happy to be here.

LOCATION: 20 bis, rue St-Benoit; second restaurant at 15 rue Marbeuf
Mº St. Germain des Pres
PHONE: 014 549 16 00
REVIEWED: 17 September 2006

YUGARAJ ~ Indian

Quite close to the Pont Neuf. We ate here in 1998 and nearly 10 years later – the food was equally good both times. Pleasant service, quite pricey.

LOCATION: 14 rue Dauphine
Mº Pont Neuf
PHONE: 01 43 26 44 91
HOURS: closed Mon
WEBSITE: www.yugaraj.com
REVIEWED: 1998 AND 2006

7th Arrondissement

LES COCOTTES DE CHRISTIAN CONSTANT ~ French casual

Opening the door we found ourselves inside a long narrow space lined with a bar with stools on the right and several high tables at the far back end of the restaurant. Clotilde describes this as a snack shop but we thought it much more than that.

Now apparently a "cocotte" is a type of casserole dish, made of cast iron that can go from the stove to the oven with ease, and can be round or oval and seem to come in all sizes. They use the Staub brand and in fact sold them right there in the restaurant. (Curiously, it seems the French use the word "casserole" to refer to a saucepan.)

We each ordered one of their signature cocotte dishes: crispy cod with legumes in an incredibly delicious broth (photo above). For dessert I had the Basque cheese with blackberry jam (Christian Constant is from the Basque part of France) and Susie had the Clafoutis "mirabels" (plums).

NOTES: Lunch, 08 September. Both had “crispy cod” cocottes, essentially small casseroles, and for dessert I had a basque hard cheese with homemade blackberry jam and Susie had a delicious mirabelle clafoutis. Incredibly tasty food. Seating is either at a bar counter or high tables in the back. Very casual, very slick interior. Well-organized and the service was friendly. No reservations.

LOCATION: 135 rue Saint-Dominique
CROSS STREET: rue Augereau
Mº Ecole Militaire
HOURS: Mon-Sun, 08:00-22:30
WEBSITE: www.lescocottesdeconstant.com
REVIEWED: 8 September 2008
CLOTILDE: 64

LA FERME SAINT SIMON ~ French

This was a suggestion by an acquaintance of ours who had enormous experience eating in Paris. Several of Susan’s fellow graduates from the Le Cordon Bleu and I met here for lunch. Most had sea bream (“dorade”), which seemed to be the hit of the afternoon. It was baked with a crust of grains and seeds on the skin-side and made eating the skin a real tasty treat – something which surprised even Pietro!

Reasonable cost. Lunch is served Mon-Thu, dinner Mon-Sat.

LOCATION: 6 rue Saint-Simon
Mº Rue de Bac
PHONE: 01 45 48 35 74
WEBSITE: http://www.fermestsimon.com
REVIEWED: 27 August 2007

8th Arrondissement

L’APPART ~ French

Delicious food in a pleasant, inviting atmosphere – completely lacking the pretentiousness or ostentatious of being so close to the Avenue des Champs Elysees. Highly recommended.

LOCATION: rue du Colisee
CROSS STREET: Avenue des Champs Elysees
Mº Franklin Roosevelt
REVIEWED: 7 October 2007

LE GRAN CORONA ~ Café

Located on the Place de L'Alma, we first came here in 1998 when we had our first taste of what Parisians can do with a simple mix of warm goat cheese, greens and a typical mustard vinaigrette. We have returned ever since for an aperitif and to watch the incredible amount of traffic going every which way and all at once. The café also faces the Pont d’Alma and you can see the clusters of “pilgrims” at the impromptu Diana Memorial, which began its life as a scaled down version of the torch held by the Statue of Liberty in New York. Apparently Diana’s accident took place in the roadway beneath the Place.

For us this is the perfect place to stop, and reflect on how much has changed in our lives since in the past ten years or more. Indeed, how much our lives seem to change on a daily basis.

LOCATION: northwestern corner of Place de L’Alma
Mº Alma-Marceau
REVIEWED: 9 September 2008

9th Arrondissement

ROSE BAKERY ~ Lunch

Delicious lunch, great breads – in fact Clotilde claims the bread is made by Poujauran, one of the best bread bakers in the city who only sells wholesale. The interior is funky, the food is scrumptious and produced using organic ingredients, produced locally when possible. Definitely worth an afternoon stop.

LOCATION: 46 rue des Martyrs
CROSS STREET: rue de Navarin
Mº Notre Dame de la Lorette
PHONE: 01 42 82 12 80
HOURS: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00
REVIEWED: November 2006
CLOTILDE: 87

LA TAVERNE ~ Café

Although we only stopped for an apaeritif on a somewhat chilly, damp afternoon, I mention this place because we liked it so much. That’s pretty much it. Friendly service, very comfortable and cozy interior.

LOCATION: 24 blvd. Des Italiens
CROSS STREET: rue de Gramont
Mº Richelieu Drout
PHONE: 01 55 33 10 00
HOURS: every day until midnight
WEBSITE: www.taverne.com
REVIEWED: September 2008

10th Arrondissement

DU PAIN ET DES IDEES ~ Patisserie

Clotilde describes this as a “beautiful 1889 bakery,” and indeed the interior is worth the drive, as we say. The meticulous care taken in preserving this fantastic interior warrants taking a little time out of your schedule and stopping by. Plus, you can pick up some incredibly delicious sweets for your trouble. We certainly did.

LOCATION: 34 rue Yves Toudic
CROSS STREET: rue de Marseille
Mº Jacques Bonsergent
PHONE: 01 42 40 44 52
HOURS: 06:45-20:00, Mon-Fri
REVIEWED: September 2008
CLOTILDE: 153

11th Arrondissement

BAR BAT ~ Corsican

About 100 meters along rue de la Roquette from the Place Bastille we turned right onto the short rue de Lappe. Once home to a series of dance halls and other venues of dark enterntainment, this short stretch of pavement between rue de la Roquette and rue de Charonne is today dominated by food. It is virtually all cafes/bars/restaurants, and many of them ethnic: Egyptian, Mexican, and the one that appealed to us: Corsican.

The entire front wall of the large Bar Bat was in fact one big open space where the tables and chairs, large easy chairs, all seemed to spill outside onto the roadway. Susie suggested we give this place a try so we walked inside and were seated right away.

The staff was friendly, the ambiance warm and inviting and, in true bistro style we were socially connected with our neighbors. The menu was in Corsican (with French in parenthetical subtitles) and the language seemed to remind us of a cross between Italian and Sardinian, for what that's worth.

But since we've been to college and have spent some time in France trying to decipher the lingo we competently (more or less) made our choices: Susie had a ravioli dish and I had a grilled steak with some of the best “frites” I have ever eaten. Most if not all the wines appeared to be Corsican -- and we had a delicious half-bottle of red with our meal (San Michele was the producer I believe).

The meal was incredible -- our one non-Clotilde foray into the food world on this trip in fact -- and we would easily recommend this place. Oh, and they also have free internet connection.

Very comfortable seats, lots of room inside and out, which tend to flow together. Very friendly service, delicious food. Moderately expensive.

LOCATION: 23 rue de Lappe
CROSS STREET: rue de la Roquette
Mº Bastille or Ledru-Rollin
PHONE: 01 43 14 26 06
HOURS: 19:00-23:30
WEBSITE: www.barbat.fr

LE BAR AU SOUPES ~ Soup bar

Started by Anne-Catherine, a young woman who was impressed with the soup bars in London, the striking yellow front on rue Charonne, the old road leading into the village of Charonne from Paris, was hard to miss. We walked inside to a small but cozy, light and airy dining area and were greeted like old friends. After a quick tour of the soups of the day, which are all made fresh every morning, as are the desserts and iced tea, we made our choice and picked a table near the front window, overlooking the street.

Susie ordered the tomato-ginger and I had chickpeas (with bits of raisins). We also opted for the formule, which gave us fresh baked bread, a little cheese as well as drinks and dessert, and all for less than €10 a person! The food was, to say it again, incredible. Service was friendly and the ambiance worth a stop in its own right: lovely large canvases of “grosses legumes” dotted the walls, which only added to the feel of being in a tiny country guest house.

Good value, inexpensive. Highly recommended.

LOCATION: 33 rue de Charonne
CROSS STREET: rue des Taillandiers
Mº Ledru-Rollin
PHONE: 01 43 57 53 79
HOURS: Mon-Sat noon-15:00, 18:30-23:00
WEBSITE: www.lebarausoupes.com
REVIEWED: 9 September 2008
CLOTILDE: 100-101

FUJI SAN ~ Korean Barbecue

Located right around the corner from the Place la Bastille at 15 rue de la Roquette. Outstanding Korean barbecue, also Japanese yakitori and sushi and sashimi. Three of us did the Korean barbecue where we cooked everything ourselves right at and literally on the table.

We all had the barbecue and after a delicious cabbage salad (we couldn't quite put our finger on the dressing, very mild but still pungent at the same time) the waiter came over and pulled out the middle top section of our table to reveal voila! a small grill beneath. After lighting the grill he left and returned a few minutes later with three plates, two of beef Susie and me and one of chicken for Diane, each plate ringed by raw sliced carrots, peppers and zucchini. It was now up to us to do the cooking and we went at it with a vengeance (hunger had set in before we hit the restaurant). The meat was sliced razor thin and at first presented somewhat of a challenge to get it off our plates and onto the grill -- I kept wondering how did they slice this and put the slices on the plates so neatly?

As each piece came off the grill we would dip it in the accompanying sauce, again we couldn't quite pin down the flavor, rather like peanut-sauce in appearance but not as sweet. But boy was it delicious. And we washed each mouthful down with cold Korean beer. Not too bad a meal we thought.

Normally we don't spring for dessert in an Asian restaurant; the few times I have it's always been a great disappointment. But we thought this might be different so we took the plunge. Susie ordered one scoop of ice cream, I also ordered an ice cream thing and Diane also ordered dessert as well.

When the desserts arrived Susan was tempted to call the police to report the theft of her ice cream -- but after the three of us started looking we found it in the bottom of the cup. The scoop was about the size of a pea, which gives you some idea of the desserts. Anyway mine was OK, rather like an anemic sundae that had seen better days. But when Diane got her dessert she noted the absence of the cherries, which had clearly been in the photo in the menu. We called the waiter over and Diane pointed this out to him and he replied “No, no the cherries are just in the picture. They don't really come with the dessert.”

We had a good laugh on that one for sure. What a crazy idea, that the photo of a thing should actually represent what the thing would look like when it arrived. It was a bit of photographic license, a very useful marketing tool to promote the product. “No sir, the picture of the tires on the car in the brochure just gives you an idea of what it would look like. The car doesn't come with tires.”

Notwithstanding this gaffe of the evening we still would go back there for the food.

Delicious food and reasonably priced too. Highly recommended.

LOCATION: 15 rue de la Roquette
Mº Bastille
REVIEWED: 24 September 2007

MAISON ROUYER ~ Patisserie

Delicious pastries, incredible girl choir behind the counter – and at least one of the most pleasant young women you will ever meet in Paris. A favorite hangout of ours, located directly across rue de la Roquette from Place Leon Blum.

CROSS STREET: Place Leon Blum and rue de la Roquette
Mº Voltaire
REVIEWED: September 2007 and September 2008

LE REFECTOIRE ~ Casual Bistro

Although we didn't have reservations -- it was Saturday night after all -- they still seated us and we spent the next couple of hours talking about . . . what else but food, particularly the baked and pastry kind.

The service was good -- and I wasn't far off the mark in assuming that our waitress had once fronted local bands. Anyway I had duck breast with a gratin dauphinois, Susie had lamb and our friend Valerie had fish. The wine was a light red that seemed to suit our needs just fine. Desserts were light, easy on the preparation and not terribly challenging -- particularly for these two women.

Very funky, bistro atmosphere. Pleasant service and very good food.

LOCATION: 80 blvd Richard Lenoir
CROSS STREET: rue Saint-Sebastien
Mº Richard Lenoir or Saint-Ambroise
PHONE: 01 48 06 74 85
HOURS: Mon-Sat, noon-14:00; Mon-Sun noon-14:00, 20:00-22:30; Sun noon-16:00, 20:00-22:30
REVIEWED: 13 September 2008
CLOTILDE: 105

12th Arrondissement

BLE SUCRE ~ Patisserie

Susie bought a couple of small bags, one of chocolate sablee and the other of mini palmiers, and we headed back home.

LOCATION: 7 rue Antoine Vollon
CROSS STREET: rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine
Mº Ledru-Rollin
PHONE: 01 43 40 77 73
HOURS: 07:00-19:30
REVIEWED: September 2008
CLOTILDE: 173

13th Arrondissement

DEL NAVONA PIZZE ~ Italian, Pizza

They advertised offered “wood-fired” pizzas and we weren't disappointed. Both of us ordered pizzas (mine came with the wonderful “Merguez” sausage), of course, and a half bottle of Valpolicella. One of the two men sitting next to us caught our eye at one point. He casually remarked to us as they received their pizzas that they were big but good. And he was right!

LOCATION: Blvd. des Gobelins
Mº Place d’Italie
REVIEWED: 20 February 2007

LES PISSENLITS ~ Franco-American

After walking to Place d’Italie and then turning down rue Bobillot we went another few hundred meters to rue de la Butte aux cailles, a small side street full of funky little bars, small cafes and tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurants. I had called the day before to make a reservation at Le Jean-Baptiste Clement, according to the Rough Guide for Paris a miniature restaurant tucked away at no. 11. But when we got to no. 11 it was a different restaurant altogether (Les Pissenlits) and after inquiring from a staff person there about Le Jean-Baptiste, she said, “yeah they used to be here but moved somewhere else.” And no she didn't know where.

We were meeting our friend Beth, who showed up while we were trying to figure this out, and so the three of us decided what the heck, we would eat at no. 11 anyway.

The food was pretty good: I had a burger with the first hand-cut French fries I have seen since coming to Paris! Truly amazing! Susie and Beth both had hearty French-style casseroles, which were tasty but filling. The service was good but the wine mediocre. We skipped dessert.

LOCATION: 11 rue de la Butte aux cailles
Mº Place d’Italie
REVIEWED: 5 MARCH 2007

15th Arrondissement

AL WADY ~ Lebanese

Delicious, quiet location, pleasant service. Moderately priced.

LOCATION: 12 RUE DES VOLONTAIRES
Mº Volontaires
PHONE: 01 43 06 82 96
REVIEWED: MAY 2006

BISTROT D'HUBERT ~ French

This was another selection by our friends Pietro and Anna – Italian-Canadians living and working in Paris (it’s complicated). Anyway, Pietro’s business brought him many lunches and dinners in Paris and he kindly shared some of his recommendations with us.

The restaurant is quite small but very nicely laid out with a superb view of the kitchen space to the rear. I should also add the staff were pleasant, attentive and alternated between French and English with ease. Susie, Anna and Pietro had fish (2 swordfish and 1 cod) and I had an Asian pork tenderloin on a small bed of rice with a small side dish of gratin dauphinois potatoes! Pietro chose a nicely acidic white wine.

Cost of dinner with wine (but no desserts) was €60 per person.

LOCATION: 41 Boulevard Pasteur
Mº Pasteur
PHONE: 01 47 34 15 50
WEBSITE: www.bistrodhubert.com
REVIEWED: 4 March 2007

DES GATEAUX ET DU PAIN ~ Patisserie

More like an upscale jewelry store than a pastry shop or bakery, the staff was rude and the layout sterile. Bread was delicious though.

LOCATION: 63 blvd. Pasteur
CROSS STREET: rue Mizon
Mº Pasteur
PHONE: 01 45 38 94 16
HOURS: Weds-Mon, 07:30-20:30, closed Tues
REVIEWED: September 2008
CLOTILDE: 174

LA MAISON DU BONHEUR ~ Chinese and Vietnamese

Very good food.

LOCATION: 33 RUE DES VOLONTAIRES
Mº Volontaires
PHONE: 01 47 34 27 09
REVIEWED: MAY 2006

LE QUARTIER DU PAIN ~ Boulangerie

A favorite hangout for the culinary students from Le Cordon Bleu. That tells you something.

LOCATION: 270 rue Vaugirard
CROSS STREET: rue Maublanc
Mº Vaugirard
PHONE: 01 48 28 78 42
HOURS: Mon-Sat 05:30-20:00

16th Arrondissement

AUX MARCHES DU PALAIS ~ French

The food was very good but the service a bit inattentive. We also missed out on the fixed menu that just about every restaurant in Paris has since when we asked our waitress she said no there wasn’t one and yet it was on a chalkboard on the wall. And we never received the wine list, which was on another big chalkboard brought to the table. Maybe we had to ask. We did order the “vin rouge du maison” and it was actually just fine, and of course inexpensive.

The food was quite good and reasonably priced we thought, although two meals had to go back because they were undercooked. Aside from these glitches one could recommend this place – and particularly if you enjoy a firm grasp of French. Diane had gambas (shrimp), Susan had poulet (chicken), Lorenzo actually had two starters, fois gras and champignons (mushrooms) and I had a small steak (l’entrecote) that was superb – aside from being undercooked, the sauce was very tasty and the potatoes (pommes du terre) just right.

LOCATION: rue de la Manutention
Mº Iena
PHONE: 01 47 23 52 80
REVIEWED: 10 September 2006

18th Arrondissement

COQUELICOT ~ Boulangerie, Café

Located just a block or so from the metro stop, the café looked fascinating from the street and so the food and service proved even more so. Outstanding pastries, and one of the best goat cheese salads I have ever eaten. Seating inside cramped, also upstairs. Friendly staff.

LOCATION: 24 rue des Abbesses
CROSS STREET: Place des Abbesses
Mº Abbesses
PHONE: 01 46 06 18 77
HOURS: Tue-Sun, 07:30-20:00
WEBSITE: www.coquelicot-montmartre.com
REVIEWED: MAY 2006 and 2007
CLOTILDE: 157

LE COMPTOIR COLONIAL ~ Spice shop

Exiting the Metro we came face-to-face with the red hulk of the Moulin Rouge -- certainly a far cry from its original incarnation to be sure. We quickly turned north up Rue Lepic, one of the more interesting streets in Montmartre, filled with all kinds of food stuff, and after a couple of hundred feet, uphill of course, we found our objective: a little spice shop called Le Comptoir Colonial. Don’t be fooled, though. This shop has much more than spices: oils, vinegars, and plenty of Asian condiments as well as an incredible selection of black, white and other pepper from all over the world.

LOCATION: 22 rue Lepic
CROSS STREET: rue Cauchois
Mº Blanche
PHONE: 01 42 58 44 84.
HOURS: Tues-Wed and Fri-Sat, 08:45-13:00, 16:00-19:30; Thurs 16:00-19:30 and Sun 10:30-13:30
WEBSITE: www.lecomptoircolonial.com
REVIEWED: September 2008
CLOTILDE: 222

ARNAUD LARHER ~ Patisserie

After leaving the bustles of rue des Abbesses and rue Lepic we walked along the quiet back streets of Montmartre, turning left onto rue Caulaincourt. We soon spotted the uniquely attractive orange facing of Larher’s patisserie. We stepped inside and after Susie checked out the various selections -- we purchased a couple of items and walked out. Stepping across the street we grabbed a vacant bench in the shade of a tree -- but then this entire rue is lined with shade trees -- and commenced to examine our purchases in greater detail.

I had the éclair caffe and while the choux dough tasted very good we were both unimpressed with the filling; it lacked any of the intense richness we had come to expect from éclairs in Paris. and there was very little hint of coffee. Susie had opted for the “Supreme,” a scrumptious chocolate cake layered with chocolate-blackberry mousse and finished off with a blackberry creme brulee layer. This was good, very good.

Gorgeous shop, very airy and colorful. Located along the tree-line rue Caulaincourt just a stone’s throw from Montmartre cemetery. Delicious, creative pastries and very friendly staff.

LOCATION: 53 rue Caulaincourt
CROSS STREET: rue Juste Metivier
Mº Lamarck-Caulaincourt
PHONE: 01 42 57 68 08
HOURS: 10:00-19:30 Mon-Sat
WEBSITE: www.arnaud-larher.com
REVIEWED: September 2008
CLOTILDE: 176

19th Arrondissement

LA BOULANGERIE PAR VERONIQUE MAUCLERC ~ Boulangerie

We had hoped to stop and grab a pastry and caffe, and sit in their small back room but it was closed when we arrived.

LOCATION: 83 rue de Crimee
CROSS STREET: rue Manin
Mº Laumiere
PHONE: 01 42 40 64 55
HOURS: 08:00-20:00; closed Tue and Wed
REVIEWED: September 2008
CLOTILDE: 159

20th Arrondissement

SUCRE CACAO ~ Patisserie, Boulangerie

Located just off the Place Gambetta, this is certainly an upscale patisserie. Pricey and a bit underwhelming.

LOCATION: 89 Avenue Gambetta
CROSS STREET: Place Gambetta
Mº Gambetta
PHONE: 01 46 36 87 11
WEBSITE: www.sucrecacao.com
REVIEWED: September 2008

Paris 2008 remixed

2008-10-25T11:37:00.001-04:00

You should have been there:

Paris photos, 2008

2008-09-19T06:36:00.003-04:00

Paris September of 2008

2008-09-18T07:14:00.001-04:00

First off the primary reason we went to Paris was to go to Paris. Period. But since we were there we thought we would try to focus on something special. And there's nothing more special in Paris than the food.

As many of you know by now we took only one guide book with us: Clotilde DuSoulier's Edible Adventures in Paris. There is, we think, no better guide to finding your way around the back streets of culinary Paris than Clotilde. She became a trusted friend indeed, giving us suggestions that each and every time proved worth the stop and the money. Toward that end I plan to take my blog notes and Susie's notes in our copy of her book and create a PDF that people can download.

Of course, one might want to just buy their own copy of the book and spend a week or 10 days finding their own way with Clotilde's help.

Anyway, just a few observations from our latest trip to the City of Light.

Food. It's everywhere and most of it is good and I mean really good. Some of it is great and some of it is creative, but believe me it is mostly good. Still one needs to know the places to avoid. Generally don't eat at the cafes/brasseries surrounding the large, the huge places. Sit, have a drink, watch people, but steer away from the food. Generally it seems that the best food tends to be in the more quiet, out of the way streets. We usually steer clear of any place with the words Tex-Mex or American in the title. We're probably being foolishly prejudicial but hey, it's just a rule for us.

Patisserie/Boulangerie. (Pastry shops and bakeries are usually (but not always) combined so we've lumped them together here.) The French are funny people -- they want their baguette and they want it very cheap. But they also, apparently, like artisan breads and these are starting to be found with greater frequency throughout the city. If you like bread, really good bread I mean, the kind that is virtually impossible to find any more in most of the United States, by all means spend some time tasting the different breads available in Parisian bakeries.

As for pastries, well this was the primary reason for our focused touring: for Susie to taste, experience and get inspired by the incredible variety and creativity of the pastry chefs in Paris.

And for that we were not disappointed.

But be aware that pastries, their quality of ingredients and their production do seem to vary widely. A croissant in one shop may not taste the same (read "as good as") one in a shop around the corner or in the next arrondissement. This was a phenomenon we first observed we we came to Paris to live in 2006.

Moreover, different pastry chefs produce similar, traditional items which often vary in quality as well. Take the Religieuse for example. Like eclairs, the Religieuse relies on two main ingredients: choux dough and chocolate or coffee pastry cream (I usually opt for the coffee). And boy, can those two vary widely in quality -- one will have a pastry cream with nice, rich flavor, while anther might be much more subdued, too subtle for my palate. They should be stuffed with cream, the choux dough should have a nice, smooth but firm texture to it and there should be a collar ring separating the "head" form the "body" made of vertical butter cream columns, not the more lazy approach of just piping a ring around the "neck."

Generally, we stay away from the big name patisserie: Gerard Mulot, Eric Kayser, Pierre Hermes and their ilk. Good products to be sure; you end up paying a premium for designer packaging and slick marketing. The most mediocre eclair I've ever had was when we first moved to Paris in the summer of 2006 we had tea one afternoon at Laduret on the Champs Elysees. Grossly overpriced,watery tea and not terribly good pastries.

Also, check out the items in the windows and in the cases: how do "look?" Some things like "rustic" tarts should be mess, but other things like eclairs or Religieuse for example, should have a clean look, as if they were prepared by a professional and not some 10-year-old with a piping bag.

Wine. Wine is everywhere in the city -- the big chain stores Nicolas seem to be in evry block and of coruse there are many smaller shops catering to local clientele. The grocery stores also sell wine and can often be a good value but in our opinion Nicolas often has the largest variety and many of the best deals.

And speaking of deals, wine is really quite inexpensive in Paris, at least French wine (pretty much all there is really). You can find very good quality wine from virtually all regions and in all colors for well under 10 euros.

Wine is also widely available by the glass in most restaurants in the city and many of the cafes bring the bottle to your table and pour the glass, rather than bringing you a glass already poured. In fact, we never ordered a bottle in anyplace we ate, it was always a glass. This allowed us that flexibility of ordering two or three different wines during the meal. And prices of wine by the glass can range from 3-12 euros, depending on quality and type of course.

Other notes. We liked going in September; the weather was starting to cool and we thought it nicer than July to be sure. Great for walking.

Also arriving before the first Sunday of the month was a bonus too, since that is the one day out of the month when the state-run museums are free.

Spending time strolling the back streets, looking up at the buildings, taking your time. Even if you don't have much time to spend, take time. If you're in Paris to rush from place to place then pardon me, but you're in the wrong place. Paris is a place to linger, to stroll, to enjoy and savor the moment and of course to find the unexpected twists and turns of the streets and of the city's soul. You can't rally get lost. when was the last time you read about Americans being lost in Paris?

"The top story of the day is that the Bonger family from Eugene, Oregon were found today huddling by the Metro station in Porte de Clichy after being lost for more than ten years. France's crack 'Tourist Rescue Team' found the five family members who had been subsisting on dirt and baguette chunks found in the trash bins."

Go ahead. get lost for an hour. See where it takes you.

The US tour guide Rick Steves started out years ago appealing to Americans who "thought" they wanted to see Europe through the "back door," as Steves called it, who "thought" they wanted to wander down the side streets of places like Paris -- the same Americans who now religiously carry Steves' guide books like an earlier generation carried Arthur Frommer; who in fact go through the "front door" now.

Ultimately, you have to ask yourself "Why did I come to Paris?" Let your answer then be your guide. And hey, if running around trying to meet a schedule or a deadline is what floats your boat, then by all means do it.

But remember one thing. You're going to be missing something very important along the way: peace of mind.

Paris in September 2009

2008-07-18T08:49:00.001-04:00

So the plan is for the three of us to meet again in Paris in September of 2009. Tome flies when you're having fun.

We can't wait to see what Diane comes up with. . .

Why don't you stop by and have an aperitif? We'll be the three Americans sitting outside at thee cafe just down the street.

How can you tell it's us? We'll be the ones laughing. . .

Traveling in Paris with Diane

2008-07-15T08:47:00.000-04:00

[October 2007]

Hi Steve and Susan,

This program on my laptop doesn't save my written emails unless I tell it to each time and I usually forget so I can't just forward it to you.

Basically, I mentioned La Pagode movie theatre and how beautiful it is. I saw "Un Secret" there. The inside (2 theatres inside and perhaps only one is gorgeous inside--I was in the gorgeous one) and the outside (walk around on the path to the left of the front door). Gorgeous. I suggest a stroll there.

I enjoyed the Cluny and was amazed at how old some of the stuff was. I enjoyed the description of the famous woman and the unicorn tapestries.

I also saw Musee Edith Piaf. Very interesting. It is reservations only. The guy who lets you into the 2 room apartment where she lived for a year at age 18 knew her and can really answer questions. Her furniture is there, etc. I enjoyed it.

Today I do a little church sleuthing regarding the Da Vinci Code and then this afternoon I go to parc Citroen. I decided not to go to Chateau de Monte Cristo--too much train and bus stuff for me. I'll save that for my next trip.

Otherwise, I too had a great time when we were together and look forward to when our paths will cross again.

Enjoy the rest of your time here. I'm sure it can't be anything but great.

My best to you,

Traveling in Paris with Diane

2008-07-11T08:46:00.000-04:00

[Same day as the previous post:]

Hi Again,

I have so many pieces of paper with information on them it is hard for me to keep track of it all.

There is an artesian well in Passy that is supposed to have therapeutic particularities (according to the neighbors). I was getting it together to go see that tomorrow and guess what was at the bottom of that page of notes: I quote:

"If you would like to have a metro ride on Saturday night between 23.00 and 5.20 hours (Sunday) call the firm "Ademas" and ask for Julian Pepinster or Benoit Renard. They are located 17, rue des Abondances at 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt tel and fax 0148251332.
They're the "Association d'exploitation du materiel Sprague". This material (named after the American engineer who conceived the specific electric equipment for the Paris metro) associated with Thomson, delivered its material until 1983. If you are Paris old-timers you will remember the terrible noise that was inherent to the Paris metro wagons. Pepinster and Renard offer for 200FF a journey in the Paris underground like you have never experienced but also a journey in time. At the station "Lilas" where the wagons start, an old-fashioned ticket puncher will punch your ticket (dimpled or not), and "en voiture pour l'aventure"! Closed stations but deserving being visited due to their beautiful decoration will be seen, with all the explaining, as well as the ateliers of the RATP"

This is obviously old since it talks about money in French francs. However, perhaps this telephone number still works. Even if it does and they are still doing the tours, since this Saturday is La Nuit Blanche, I don't know whether they would do one or not. Give them a call if you like. If you find out anything, please let me know. Thanks.

Diane

Traveling in Paris with Diane

2008-07-08T08:45:00.000-04:00

[October 2007]

Hi,

The church address is Eglise St. Gervais-St. Protais, Place St. Gervais. You take the Metro to Hotel de Ville stop. The church is "about" 2 blocks east and one block south of the Metro station (according to my Google map). (If I get a more exact address I will let you know. I'm too lazy right now because I just got home from a long day and in order to check for the address I have to close down my mail program (that isn't how it works at home but if I go online I lose the mail program on my laptop).

It would be fabulous if you came to the Horse Races. The transportation problemfor getting there I don't have figured out yet. There is a bus that goes there but I haven't figured out where to catch that bus. It is bus number 244, Maillot-Suresnes. I purchased my ticket for the horse races on line at FNAC.com (under spectacle) and then picked up my ticket at one of their offices (I go to the Les Halles office on the lower level). It apparently is the biggest horse race in Europe. I can't wait. The doors open at noon and it starts at 1:45pm.

Here are two things to add to the pie:

I have dinner reservations after the horse races at Zebra Square restaurant at 7:30pm which is over convenient to Bois de Bologne (16e). If you want to do dinner we could increase the reservation to 3 people or I could cancel and we could go somewhere else. I am tempted to cancel because I don't know when the horse races end and I hate having time I don't know what to do with but I need to hang out in that area because of dinner reservations. I would rather go somewhere that doesn't take reservations and go when I want. If you aren't up for doing dinner. That's fine too.

The other thing is that in the morning before the horse races I was going to try to get to Le Grand Rex theater, 1 blvd. poissonniere (www.legrandrex.com). I've heard it is an amazing theatre and they are telling the story of the theatre (it might be in french, I don't know) and giving a tour. The tour is only given at 10am the first Sunday of the month. It costs 7.5E for the tour and 7.5E for the story telling and if you do both it is 14.50E (whoopie). Since the tour is apparently at 10:00am, I thought I would do that and then see if I had time for the story. If the story is in French I may not do it anyway--just the tour (although that might be in French too but mainly I want to see the place.) You know the drill--you are welcome to come or not, as you wish. I had planned to do this on another day and then I got more details which told me that Sunday the 7th is the only time they will be doing it while I am here.

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts.

Traveling in Paris with Diane

2008-07-04T08:41:00.000-04:00

[August 2007. We have arranged for us to meet together in Paris in September; we just need to work out the specifics]

Hi,

I plan to do the picnic thing early in the day and end up at L'Arc de Triomphe. First I see Eglise St. Marie Madeleine, then I visit the fancy shops at Place de la Madeleine (Fouchon, Hediard, Maille, Kaspia, Marquise de Sevigne, La Maison de la Truffe). Then I head over to Boulangepicier to purchase nice lunch goodies to eat at Parc Monceau nearby. Then I will walk around the parc before heading off to the Arc de Triomphe. (I guess I feel it will be safer and perhaps even warmer to visit the Parc at lunch time and early afternoon.)

I do like your plan of meeting under the Arc de Triomphe that day. Since they are open until 6:30 in September, can we meet there at 4:00 instead of 3:00? Since most eating establishments aren't open until at least 7 pm, it will probably work better once we finish with our visit to the Arc. I am flexible about where we eat. I found a restaurant called Libre Sens on 33 rue Marbeuf which sounded good. Actually they start serving dinner at 5 pm. I don't care if we go there or somewhere else, however.

Also, after dinner, if we feel like it, we could go to Hotel Plaza Athenees. It is called La Galerie des Gobelins on 25 avenue Montaigne (Metro Alma-Marceau or Franklin Roosevelt). It is open 8am until 1am and it is a lunch/tea/apperitif salon which is supposed to be gorgeous. We could have dessert and whatever there. It is quite near Libre Sens although, again, I don't care if we go there or not. It isn't one of the restaurants I have my heart set on--just something I picked which looks affordable and rather good. You can see the menu at www.menukarma.com/menus/menu-for-libre-sens-in-paris-france.

So--me meet under the Arc at 4:00 or do you have your reasons why you really need or desire it to be 3:00? I will be happy to accommodate you if that is the case. I think we nearly have this one figured out!

Best regards,

Traveling in Paris with Diane

2008-07-01T08:38:00.001-04:00

[April 2007, We're heading back to Paris in the fall and Diane plans to be there as well]

Hi,

Right now I have a tentative plan to go to Pascal's patisserie on Fri., Sept. 21st to get a "view" of where Susie has been working. That's the day I will be in the 5th arrondissement.

My schedule for Sept. 21-25 tentatively is:

21st: Hemingway's Paris tour with paris-walks.com (find it at http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/pariswalking) at 10:30am, Musee de la sculpture en Plein Air/Jardin Tino Rossi, and Musee Curie

22nd: My Le Cordon Bleu class on finishing sauces and then dinner at Dans Le Noir with my last year's apartment landlord

23rd: Fete des Jardin Festival in the morning and then Opera Garnier to see the opera Capriccio at 2:30pm

24th: Place de la Madeleine (Fouchon, Hediard, Maille, Kaspia, Marquise de Sevigne, La Maison de la Truffle; then Parc Monceau to see it and have a picnic from the goodies I just bought; and then climb to the top of L'Arc de Triomphe

25th: Tour Hotel de Ville (you have to make reservations the Friday before); Manufacture des Gobelins-Galerie (tapestries/furniture); and City Fleurie which is where 29 very famous artists used to live--just viewing the outside to get a mental picture of where some of these greats lived.

Does any of that appeal? If there is something else you wanted to do together, possibly I could swap one day's activities with another day's activities. It just gets tricky some days because of days some places are closed or if I already have reservations for a musee expo or something. I would try to make it work. Right now my plan to go to Parc Andre Citroen is October 5th, along with the Musee de Montparnasse and to go to the top of the Tour Montparnasse which apparently has a beautiful view of Paris.

Good luck apartment hunting!

Diane

Traveling in Paris with Diane

2008-06-27T08:35:00.003-04:00

[December 2006; Susan just got word that her request for an internship at Pascal Pinaud's patisserie was approved]

Congratulations Susan!

I am so happy for you. Your internship sounds like a dream! I hope you get
lots of hands on experience as well as lots of laughs. What a great
combination. It sounds like you and Steve continue to enjoy your time
there. (I imagine there are trials and tribulations we don't hear about in
the blog.) I almost have enough frequent flier miles to go back to Paris.
(I opened a business credit card account so I could get 20,000 frequent
flier miles.) However, I don't have enough money to get there for a while.
I'm sure I won't get there while you are still there. So, for now, I live
through your e-mails and blogs. Thank you to you and Steve for them.

There is a woman in Paris who I guess sees herself as a socialite. She has
weekly get togethers on Sundays and one day during the week whereby she
brings in speakers and entertainers, people share a homecooked meal and
mingle and meet each other. It apparently is a group of Ex-Pats (which I'm
not quite sure what they mean by that). However, everyone is welcome.
Anyway, if you are interested in checking her out, here is her information:

Patricia Laplante-Collins
13, rue de Mulhouse, 75002, Paris
www.parissoirees.com
parissoirees@hotmail.com
33 1 43 26 12 88

The Dec. 3rd guest was Therza Vallois, the author of "Around and About
Paris, Vols. 1, 2 and 3" (these are walking guides and each volume covers
1/3 of the arrondisements of Paris so that, if you had all 3 volumes you
would have a walking guide for the entire City.) These 3 volumes are out in
paperback but not easy to come by here. I am considering buying at least
one of them initially but I can't personally vouch for them because I
haven't been able to get my hands on one yet. I can get them from
amazon.com and that might be what I do (used copies of course).

I discovered Patricia and her group on line before I came to Paris. I had
planned to attend and, amazingly, her apartment was directly across the
street from the apartment I was staying in on L'Ile St. Louis. That was
where the Soiree was supposed to take place but when I went over there, she
wasn't there. I found out the meeting had been moved to another location in
the Marais and I was so exhausted that I decided not to go. Now she has
actually moved and lives in the Marais district. I have no way of knowing
whether you would enjoy this or not but since you are there for an extended
period of time, I thought I would mention it to you.

Merry Christmas to you both and best regards,

Traveling in Paris with Diane

2008-06-24T08:33:00.001-04:00

[October 2006]

Hi Steve and Susan,

Have you gone inside the Opera Garnier? It is definitely worth the cost of admission. I think it must be one of the most beautiful buildings on earth. I know the outside is amazing (even around the back and sides) but the inside is too!

Second, your discussion about movies reminded me about La Pagode. Have you been there? It is apparently a tea house/movie theater in one. Actually it is an authentic Pagoda. I thought it would be fun to go there but I never made it--too much to do in Paris. I can't remember if it is La Pagode or another theater in Paris where you can sip champagne from comfortable arm chairs (living room-type furniture) while you watch the movie. I think that is La Pagode but I'm not sure. You could check on line. (Oh--I just looked up La Pagode. Someone wrote a review about it on Sept. 30th of this year saying that it is "wrapped in plastic" because they rated it a historic monument and it is awaiting a complete restoration. Apparently, the cinema is still functioning normally. Perhaps, if you are interested, you might keep your eye on it to check it out in its current condition or see it when it has made some progress--if you are still there.) By the way, the address for La Pagode is 57 rue de Babylone.

Another place which might interest you in Le Musee Francais du Pain. I was excited to discover this place on line but I never made it there. Yes, it is a bread museum. It is located at 25 Vis, Rue Victor Hugo, arrondissement 16 in the Charenton-le-Pont-F-94227 district. It is only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 to 4:30 and it is free. Apparently this guy has wafers (Catholic) from "way back" and other amazing bread-type memorabilia. Since Susan is at Le Cordon Bleu learning baking, that might be up your alley.

Finally, I am sure you have seen the outside of Le Hotel de Ville. Isn't it magnificant! Before I went to Paris I read on line that it is gorgeous inside too. However, when I arrived, they wouldn't let me in. Apparently you have to have official business to get into this administration building. (Perhaps that is recent due to terrorism--I am just guessing.) Since you live there, maybe there is something you could come up with which would allow you access into the building in order to see the interior. Then you can write about it on your blog and I get to view it "second-hand." (smile!)

Looking for a place to stay in Paris

2008-06-23T07:04:00.002-04:00

That's us, all right: Looking for a place to stay for 10 days somewhere inside historic Paris. Right now we're hoping to return to the apartment we rented in the 11th -- but if that doesn't work out we've found a place that sounds quite nice, in Le Marais, in the 4th.

The plan is to fly in to CDG, and take the RER into the city -- if we return to the 11th we'll change to the Metro at Gare du Nord, otherwise we'll transfer at Chatelet -- my least favorite Metro stop in the entire city. It's confusing, loud, long and hot and seems to be where the entire population of Paris can be found together at any given moment during the day.

Traveling in France with Diane

2008-06-20T08:32:00.001-04:00

[October 2006]

Hi Steve and Susan,

Once again, you made my day with your blog! I went to the Loire Valley and saw 3 castles but, because of some choices I needed to make, I didn't see the one I really wanted to see--Amboise. I thought seeing where Leonardo di Vinci lived--and some of his inventions--would have been very interesting. So I want you to know that my morning got off to a late start because I couldn't stop reading your most recent entry to your blog. I loved hearing about the town, the castle, the church, the inventions, the B&B--all of it! It made me feel like I at least got a peek into this castle.

The 3 castles I saw were: 1. Chenonceau, which has 2 magnificent gardens in front--one for Catherine de Medici and one for Diane de Poitiers (the favorite person of Henry II). This castle is beautiful inside and outside. 2. Cheverny, a beautiful castle of the 17th century, splendidly furnished (masterpieces of Le Titien, Clouet, Raphael and Rigaud). Cheverny is the biggest private Loire Valley castle still occupied by a family. Also, I didn't know this until I just read it online but Cheverny has also inspired Herge, the famous creator of TIN TIN. His friend, Captain Haddock's castle is in fact the central part of the Cheverny castle. One of the amazing things about this castle is they still have "Hunts." They have 70 dogs penned up in a tiny pen just barking and dying to get out and run around and hunt. I saw this pen and let me tell you, all I could think of was if PETA saw this they would go beserk! Apparently the hunting dog's feeding times are 3:00 pm in the winter and 5:00 pm in the summer. This castle is beautiful on the inside. You can't see the floor that is being inhabited but you can view the rest. There are photographs all around the house of the family who lives there. They just look like a normal family with 2 (or perhaps 3, I can't remember) children. You can't help trying to imagine what it would be like to live in a real castle where people come to see it every day of the year! Amazing! 3. Chambord, This is the largest of the Loire castles, a sumptuous Renaissance Palace. It was the creation of the king François I and was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci. There is a famous double staircase where you never cross paths with anyone going the opposite direction (one staircase is for going up and the other is for going down)--unique to Chambord, a cool roof terrace where you can see the view in several directions, and last but possibly most amazingly-- 365 fireplaces in one of the 440 rooms of the huge Chambord castle! This castle was so huge that it was never really lived in and it was so big they couldn't afford to furnish it. It was really just used as a hunting lodge and was inhabited for only about 7 months or so. (See I was listening on the tour!)

Happy traveling!

Best regards,

Traveling in Paris with Diane

2008-06-18T08:30:00.001-04:00

[October 2006]

Hi Steve and Susan,

I have a few resources which might enhance your time in Paris as well as your travels to the Digne area.

First, I got some fun suggestions for what to do in Paris from a website article written by Rory Satran in the Washington Post. The article was called: "In Paris, Living Large for Less" written May 8, 2005. (You can find it at the washingtonpost.com site.) She mentions lots of fun things to do, several of which I ultimately did. I went to Angelina's for hot chocolate, I went to Chanel's and bought my favorite color eyeliner pencil, told them it was a gift so they wrapped it beautifully with Chanel ribbon and a silk camilia and put it in a Chanel bag which I proudly carried around all day, and I went to the Hemingway Bar at the Ritz Hotel where they attached a beautiful red rose to my glass of champagne and I drank and ate olives and salted nuts while I sat in Hemingway's library and read the beautiful book La Maison du Chocolat (well, maybe not "read" since it was in Chinese, but the pictures were definitely mouth-watering). Another one of the things I planned to do but didn't was to attend an Art Exhibition Opening (8pm-midnight) at the Palais du Tokoyo. There actually was one while I was there and I had it built into my schedule but I was so exhausted I just couldn't get myself there. It did sound fun though. There were other things she suggested too which sounded like fun.

Well, when I returned home I wrote Rory an e-mail thanking her for the fun suggestions. She wrote me back about another article she has written, also in the Washington Post, all about the 11th arrondissement, the area where she lives. That site is: "In Paris, Eleventh Heaven," The Washington Post, 11/6/05: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/04/AR2005110400570.html. Regarding the music spots, I told her my taste runs more to jazz than to the types of locations she suggests (she is young) but she has some interesting spots to check out in that rather neglected area of Paris.

Also, I have a book to suggest to you. It is called Paris, Paris (Journey into the City of Light), by David Downie (2005). I wanted to buy one book about Paris to read before I went. This book was VERY highly recommended on the bookstore sites on line. I bought the book, read a couple of chapters (which I enjoyed) and then went off to Paris--with the book in hand, planning to finish it on my trip. I had no time to read on my trip so now I am finishing it. This book is sensational. First of all, he and his wife Alison live behind Pere Lachaise Cemetery and he keeps referring fondly to it and his many walks through there (so you, Steve, and he are kindred spirits). Each chapter is about a different aspect of Paris. The chapters are short but each one goes into depth about one topic: Coco Chanel, Les Bouquinistes (the booksellers along the Seine--very interesting!!), Modigliani (famous painter who, by the way, was buried in Pere Lachaise Cemetery--very fascinating!!), les bateliers (the boat people of the Seine--so interesting!!) and on and on. I am not finished yet but every chapter has a fascinating story in it. Fabulous book giving so much indepth insight to places in Paris. Since you love to learn and explore, this book is a must have--the sooner the better!!

Then, regarding a trip to Digne, please go to the library or bookstore and peruse books by Andy Goldsworthy. He has several large art books and he is amazing. He uses nature to create his art. He will line up leaves, or rocks, or sticks and make amazingly simple and yet beautiful patterns. Well, when I was in Digne I stayed at my friend's ex-husband's house (Marc) just outside of Digne. Apparently Andy Goldsworthy found out about this amazing stone house and beautiful piece of property and arranged with Marc, the owner, to rent it for his family for one entire month. While Andy rented it, Marc went off to travel in London. Andy spent the month creating art from the stones/rocks on the property. He created some amazing art which he subsequently photographed and put in one of his beautiful art books. Marc has 3 of Andy's beautiful art books, all with beautiful inscriptions by Andy in the beginning of the book thanking Marc for being able to stay at this amazing property. One of Andy's pieces of art (a large perfectly arranged cone-shaped stack of rocks) is on one of the roads very near the town of Digne. There is another one near the water which is a smaller cone-shaped pile of rocks with a circle of rocks in front of it so only the top of the cone shows. (I didn't actually see that one though.) Anyway, I suggest going to the Musee Gassendi, a wonderful museum in the town of Digne (we really enjoyed it). They have one of Andy Goldsworthy's works on their wall (it looks like a snake) as well as post cards you can buy of some of his other works. Ask them where to find the actual artworks along the road and they could probably tell you. The cone-shaped file of rocks is on the road going up a hill along the river (if that is any help at all!).

Very near Digne there is a little Village named Courbon. It is at the top of the hills and is so beautifully picturesque. You can go up there and look around and feel like you are on top of the world. It is so gorgeous. You see tile rooftops. Many of them are a mixture of colors--yellows, oranges, reds--rather than just the solid red roof tiles. My friend told me these multicolored tiles are the old tiles--the ones they used to use--but they are now so expensive that when people build or replace their roofs they usually buy the cheaper red tiles. The multicolored ones are really beautiful, and I don't know whether I have ever seen them before. At the top of the hill in Courbon there is a house--well, a very large house--. There is a sign out in front saying it is for rent for various periods of time. There is a telephone number to call for people who are interested in renting it. I wrote down the telephone number (dream on): I think it is 06 74 37 07 65. I commented to my friend that this would be an amazing place to stay--maybe for a honeymoon or really for anyone who wanted a beautifully picturesque place. If you call and that phone number isn't correct, I could probably get my friend to contact Marc to find out the correct telephone number.

Lastly, for laughs, and to be greatful you didn't stay there, I thought you might like to read the review I gave of my first hotel in Florence. I must say, though, that it was not funny at the time!! Thank heavens I found the Hotel Victoria nearby where I stayed comfortably and enjoyably for the remainder of my time in Florence. In fact, I became friendly with the woman at the front desk whom I considered as rescuing me from my horrible hotel experience at the Tourist House Liberty and she and I had several "laughing fits" while I would talk about the experience. The site is: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187895-d234771-r5922608-Tourist_House_Liberty-Florence_Tuscany.html. My review is the first one that says "New" and is dated October 6th. The two reviews after mine show that I was not the only one with this experience. Oh well, out of some of the worst experiences come some of the best stories!

Enjoy your adventures!
Best regards,

Returning to Paris!

2008-06-17T05:51:00.002-04:00

That's right, on Sunday we got our tickets -- Delta nonstop out of JFK thank you very much -- for our return trip to Paris in September. Ten glorious nights -- like the marketing agents would say I suppose -- ten grand and glorious nights in the city of light, love and incredible things to see and do.

We not only have a handful of Metro tickets left but Susie and I still have our carte l'orange! We ready baby!! Now, all we need is a place to stay. . . Stay tuned!

Traveling to Paris (and Italy) with Diane

2008-06-15T08:23:00.002-04:00

Only because our friend Diane is the consummate traveler who writes such wonderful trip notes and who, as far as I know, hasn't gotten around to sharing them anyone else, I've decided to share her experiences and suggestions with you.

From time to time I plan to post some of her emails to us when we were living in Paris in 2006-07, letters in which she talks about the places she's going to visit and those she has already seen.

You take it from there.

Hi Steve, Susan,

Have you checked out the restaurant in Paris run by blind people which I mentioned to you--Dans Le Noir. It really sounds like quite the experience--and great food!

Again, I want to thank you for meeting me for dinner while I was in Paris. I enjoyed our time together. It was fun seeing how you guys jump back and forth between Italian, French and English, so eager to learn and be respectful to each language and each culture.

I just returned home last Tuesday. I noticed I had received an e-mail from the Burn Crew that says they were not going to be performing at Le Palais de Tokyo on Sept. 9th. So, whoever, we saw monkeying around apparently wasn't them. That explains the lack of spectacularness. (I made up a new word.)

I have another big thank you for you. In one of your blogs you mentioned that a MUST VISIT in Florence was a mosaic shop. Well, when I arrived in Florence I visited the Pallazzo Pitti. I saw the Costume Gallery, the Silver/China Gallery, the Royal Apartments, the Modern Art Museum, and the Boboli and Bardini Gardens. My favorite by far was the Costume Gallery. The costumes were nice but what I loved so much were the side-by-side paintings and beautiful matching table tops made mosaic-style from stone. I was mesmerized by how they were able to replicate those paintings so accurately. A few days after my Palace visit, I went to the "Mosaico" shop. A wonderful woman who spoke English gave me a tour around the shop and explained how the art form was done. It was only when I arrived that I realized it was the same process as the table tops/paintings in the Costume Gallery which I had fallen in love with. When we went into the showroom I looked around at the pieces which were for sale. I loved many of them and respected them all for the massive amount of talent and effort which went into their creation. My two favorites were two small flowered pieces in a locked case near the woman's desk. One was 2,500 euros and the other was 1,500 euros. There is something about this art form which really reaches me at my core. I love it so much. I wanted to support them by buying a piece of art. At the same time, it was a struggle financially for me to have even taken this trip so I knew there was no way I could actually buy anything. I started crying. I told the woman how much I loved their work and how, if there was any possible way, I would purchase something. However, I just couldn't afford it. She was so touched to see how deeply affected I was by their work. She said "next time you come you will buy something." I said "Yes. I will save so that next time I come I can buy something." After I left, I was so inspired, I was actually telling people on the street about this tiny little, wonderful shop. I would see people just peeking into doorways, looking around, or I would have dinner with someone I had met, and I would tell them all about this wonderful little shop. I had lunch at Mario's one day (I had ribolito--Yumm!) and, because I was alone, I was put at a table with 3 other male college graduate friends. It turns out their appartment was near the Mosaico shop and they were inspired to go see it. I probably told 5 or 6 groups of people about that shop. Thanks so much for the "heads up." I actually think that art form, the Costume Gallery and that wonderful little Mosaico Shop were my favorite things in Florence.

Trattoria Ghirabaldi has fabulous carbonara--I had it twice.

I also looked for the "tiny craft shop" you mentioned on a small street off Tournabuoni. I found the street and walked up and down it. The only small craft shop I found turned out to have only been there for 2 weeks. They said they replaced another craft shop. I did end up buying a beautiful small ceramic cup/glass which I now use as my bathroom drinking glass.

I too went to Dehillerin's kitchen store while in Paris. I wanted a momento from that place so I bought a metal cake decorating spatula. I was planning to buy one anyway so now I have one with special memories attached.

I also went to the Marilyn Monroe Exhibit. I enjoyed it very much. It was fun reading your take on your blog. It matched my thoughts and reminded me of my afternoon there.

I have a suggestion for you as to a place to visit. I spent 3 1/2 days in Digne in the High Provence area of France. It was so beautiful there. Apparently millions of years ago that area was under water. The ground pushed up to form these beautiful and powerful-looking rock formations. In those rock formations are mollusks and other sea creatures which have fossilized. They have been specially protected so that it is a crime to dig them out (people used to do that). The area is just breathtakingly beautiful. We went way up to the top of a hill in a neighboring town called Courbon. At the very top there is a stone mansion which can be rented for a week, month or whatever. I thought that would be a perfect place for a honeymoon or a little get-away. I wrote down the contact phone number if you or anyone you know might want it.

In Florence, on my last night there, I took a Tuscany cooking class. There were three long-time married couples, two young couples on their honeymoons and me, the marriage counselor. We had so much fun. It was a great group and we really enjoyed each other's company. The chef was a nice guy and pretty funny. We made, tomatoes stuffed with hard boiled eggs, anchovies, etc.; gnocci with tomato sauce; chicken cacciatore; and cream puffs (paix de chou--I know this isn't even close to the correct spelling but hopefully you get the idea. It is the dough for eclairs, cream puffs, etc.) Everything was delicious and everyone was so proud of themselves and each other that we had made such a great dinner. I actually didn't learn much in this class but it was a great way to spend my last night in Florence--good entertainment, good food, and good company.

I was eager to go on this trip. I was ready to come home after the 3 weeks was finished. I have been home one week. Last night I watched Ina Garten on Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network. She did her repeat show about her apartment in Paris. They had a picnic on the foot bridge, she walked through a street market--maybe Le Muff. She gave a cocktail party. She went to Polaine Bakery and Le Tartine shop next door. I can't believe it myself but I AM READY TO GO BACK. That place has a wonderful, magical hold on me.

Enjoy you travels and your time in Paris/France.

Thank you for the evening we shared together and thank you for putting me on your blog e-mail list. Even though I am home now, I still don't think your blogs are too long. I am saving every one. Who knows, the next time I go I will look up all those Paris restaurants to be sure I get to the good ones.

Best regards,

Mémorial de la Déportation

2008-03-14T07:49:00.000-04:00

Located at the very tip of the Îsle de la Cité, in the shadow of Notre Dame, is the French Memorial to the Holocaust (called the Mémorial de la Déportation). Built in 1962 on the site of a former morgue -- quite appropriate since nearly all those deported went to their deaths -- this haunting space remembers the 200,000 French men, women and children shipped off to die in Nazi death camps in the East. Claustrophobic, to be sure but incredibly powerful.

This particular image is at the base of the memorial with my back to the tip of the island and looking up the stairs and in the direction of Notre Dame. Aside from modifying the tonal values to enhance the starkness of the image, little manipulation has otherwise been done.

One last trip the Musée d'Orsay

2008-03-13T09:37:00.005-04:00

I suppose the title of this entry needs no further elaboration. This was taken in late October of 2007. Just let me say the next time you're in Paris, skip the Louvre and its lines -- go to the Orsay. Spend a half day and get the audioguide.

Fried rice and egg rolls in Paris?

2008-02-27T11:16:00.001-05:00

All the time we lived in Paris I never once came across "fried rice" or "egg rolls," not in the style that we know in North America.

In the Asian groceries and certainly in the thousands of Asian traiteurs scattered throughout Paris, one sees riz cantonnais, basically steamed white rice with small dice vegetables in it or perhaps a rice dish with tomatoes, and plenty of noodles (noailles) to be sure, but never fried rice. All of it by the truckload.

And as for egg rolls or spring rolls, those wrapped concoctions that Americans consume by the ton, nope, I couldn't those either. The popular "roll" is something called nem, or Vietnamese "spring roll," but with a twist: its filling is essentially a paté of either pork or chicken or vegetable. But nothing remotely like the fried egg rolls so popular in the US.

So, for those of you folks out there who know more about this stuff than I do -- and you are legion -- what gives here?

Thanks!

Nick Sarkozy strikes again!

2008-02-25T07:35:00.002-05:00

OK so Marion Cotillard won the Big O for Best Actress -- now it seems Nicholas de la oh la la Sarkozy is out to win an award for himself: that of the French Bushhole Award -- and you thought the US President would keep such an honor to himself!

Apparently in the video, as Sarko walks around the Agricultural Fair shaking hands, one man draw back and reportedly says: "Oh no, don't touch me, you'll dirty me."

Mr Sarkozy keeps walking but says to hime (according to the BBC): "Get lost then you bloody idiot, just get lost!" which, according to the Brits is "in a mild English translation." Judge for yourself

For more information on this tiny slice of French life, just click here for the BBC take on it all.

90 seconds on the Trocadero, 2007

2008-02-15T18:41:00.002-05:00

Nuit blanche at the Citroen Store, 2007

2008-02-15T18:06:00.002-05:00

Need a Paris movie fix?

2008-02-06T08:51:00.000-05:00

So, let me get this straight: what you need right now, absolutely and utterly, is to see a movie set in Paris, right? Well, you might just want to check these two recent films out (both starring Julie Delpy curiously enough):

2 Days in Paris (http://www.2daysinparisthefilm.com/)
Before Sunset (http://wip.warnerbros.com/beforesunset/)

Ciao,

Steve

Susan and her friend Misato

2008-02-05T10:33:00.000-05:00

When Susan first started her internship (stage) at Pascal Pinaud's patisserie in the 5th in the early spring of 2007 she struggled with working in an environment where everyone spoke either French or, curiously enough Japanese. Well, it really wasn't all that curious since virtually everyone in the shop aside from Pascal and his brother Jean-Marc were Japanese.

But not long after she started a young Japanese woman begin working there and she and Susie became fast friends. One day Misato came by our apartment on rue Polivau to visit and the two of them spent a warm afternoon laughing about the foibles of living and working in Paris. In French of course.

Falafel and eating on the "Mouff"

2007-10-28T03:00:00.000-04:00

Smack in the middle of the Jewish quasrter in Paris, on rue des Rosiers ('street of the roses") you will find several places selling falafels from streetside windows. The one you want is L'As du Falafel. An exquisite sandwich, or salad in a sandwich, it's made with crisp, fresh produce with chickpea balls that are crispy and crunchy on the outside and moist and tasty sweet on the inside, all stuffed inside of a warm pocket bread that serves nicely as a bowl to eat and walk at the same time. Sitting down will require a wait.

if you're in a mood to sit down and are in the Latin Quarter, try Thania on the rue de Mouffetard ("the Mouff").

First Have a drink or cafe outside at one of the cafes on the Place Contrescarpe and imagine you're Hemingway trying to think how you're going to end your latest novel. Then stroll down "the Mouff," a wonderful street packed with restuarants and small funky shops, until you come to a church at the bottom of the hill. Retrace your steps about two-thirds of the way back up -- sorry -- and on your right you will see this tiny bistro, Thania, which specializes in Savoyard cuisine. (Across the street is a shop that specializes in sweets and pastries form the Savoie as well.)

Once seated, enjpoy a bottle of Apremont de Savoie, a crisp white wine, which will go nicely with another specialty of the house, Fondue Savoyard: potatoes and thin slices of ham and bread cubes that you dip into a bubbling pot of reblochon cheese, accompanied by a tiny but very tasty salad.

Just right for lunch!

Hot chocolate and Angelina's

2007-10-26T12:18:00.000-04:00

A habit I've gotten into of late: make your coffee -- Italiano, Americano, whatever and put a few chips of chocolate (good chocolate mind you) into the bottom of the mug, pour your hot coffee over it and then steam and froth a bit of milk; while the milk is steaming stir up the chcocolate and then add the milk.

Well nothing can compare to the hot chocolate served at Angelina's on the rue de Rivoli. The other day we made a point of stopping there for a mid-afternoon sweet and aperitif. it was packed, as usual, lots of (American) English heard in all directions. But we were quickly ushered to a small table. We found the service impeccable, the prices not bad and the food very good; and all right in the heart of Prime Tourist Country. Incredible.

I had a glss of chablis and an assortment of cheeses, Susan had the white hot chocolate with a chocolate tart; very good she claimed and this from a professional.

226 rue de Rivoli. Just look for the huge mosaic "Angelina" on the sidewalk in front. Across from the Tuileries; another reason to stop here for lunch.

L'Appart (8th) and Sukiyaki (11th)

2007-10-09T00:28:00.000-04:00

Two big thumbs up for dining in Paris. Recommendations you can eat.

On Saturday, 6 October three of us had the very delicious experience of dining at L'Appart in the 11th arrondissement. Located on rue du Colisee just off the Champs Elysses one would think the prices would be as exorbitant as the food was mediocre.

Not so.

We arrived right on time, were seated immediately and found our service by "Tania" to be thoroughly professional, courteous and spot-on. The "theme" of the restaurant is to provide you with the feeling as if you are eating in someone's flat. They have done a very nice job of creating that feeling it is true. Still, a quick glance at the ceiling clues you in on the fact that the walls are in fact just partitions, which create the artificial "rooms", each one repsenting a particular room (study, parlor) in a Parisian apartment (assuming a typical Parisian apartment was the size of a large restaurant). But it did look and feel comfortable though, I must admit.

The food was superbly prepared and nicely presented. Diane and I had Tempura de Legumes to start; the vegtables were sill slightly al dente and the tempura batter light and very tasty. Susan had an asperagus risotto which was also very good. For the plats Diane had salmon (outstanding) and Susie and I had cod steaks on a bed of herbed mashed potatoes. (The French love potatoes after all.) The cod filets were indeed steaklike, larger than I've ever had before, very flaky and nicely prepared. The potatoes were subtle but equally delicious. We split a half bottle (demi-boteille) of Sancerre.

Sad to say we skipped dessert, we were so full. Plus we had a long night ahead of us. . . (It was nuit blanche after all).

L'Appart, 9-11 rue du Colisee, 75008 Paris. Phone: 01 53 75 42 00. www.l-appart.com. Open every day until 2:00 am. (Reservations online only for the dinner and show program.)

On Sunday, 7 October, three of us ate at Sukiyaki, just off the Place de la Bastille in the 11th arrondissement.

After spending most of the afternoon and early evening at the horse races in western Paris, drinking wine, watching our bets evaporate into thin air and snacking on finger food, Susan, friend Diane and I were ready for something substantial to eat. We began by heading back in the direction of our neighborhoods (Diane is staying int he 20th and we live in the 11th), near the Bastille. Just off the Place is rue de la Roquette and a seemingly vast number of cafes, bars and the like, many dealing in ethnic cuisines.

(This is just the tip of the iceberg. Just around the corner on rue de Lappe is one long string of numerous ethnic restaurants boasting Corsica, Egyptian, Mexican, Spanish and Cuban food among others.)

Anyway we had eaten Korean barbecue in this area the previous Sunday so we thought it fitting that, among the various Asian eateries dotted around the street, we stop into a Japanese barbecue restaurant this time around. And so we did.

Sukiyaki is a typical asiatique eatery: narrow and long with a huddle of tables against the long wall opposite the bar. Afteer we sat down and looked at the menu the yakitori sounded too good to be passed up so that's what we all had, or rather variants on the same theme. We were thrown a bit at first since they brought the brochettes, food on a stick, out as they came off the flame, and this left us thinking that somehow our order had gotten skewed.

(Get it? Skewed, skewer, brochette?)

We should've known better. Talk about food being prepared to order and coming right off the grill to your table. Anyway we highly recommend this place as well if you're in the mood for something Asian fo dinner.

Sukiyaki, Place de la Bastille, 75011 Paris. No reservations needed. Just go. Eat. Enjoy.

Cafes, bars and places to eat

2007-09-25T02:54:00.000-04:00

Well we're back in Paris and in just a few short days have spent way too much money on food and wine. But then we have to ask ourselves, when are we going to be back here, right? And while we have fixed most of our meals at home and will continue to do so -- I love the Asian markets here -- we do enjoy a meal out once in a while.

For an aperitif we enjoyed Au cadran du XIeme, right on Place Leon Blum in the 11th arrondissement. Also in the 11th, is the Q Baron 50 rue de la Folie Regnault, just off of rue de la Roquette and a block down from the main entrance to Pere Lachaise cemetery. Both are close to our apartment -- probably no mroe than 5 minutes by foot -- and great places to enjoy a late afternoon beverage (or two).

On the Place de la Bastille at no. 7 in the Cafe Des Phares 1er Bistrot Philo. Good view of the place but no credit carge charge for less than €20. For an even better view try Le Grand Corona on Place de l'Alma in the 8th arr. Right across from the improv memorial to Diana (actually facsimile of the torch held by the Statue of Liberty but located we are told over the underground autoroute where she was killed). You'll pay a premium but it's worth one shot anyway. Easy walk down from the Trocadero and right by the noo. 9 metro.

Our only real dinner out so far was at a place we highly recommend: Fuji-San, located right around the corner form the Placee la Bastille on 15 rue de la Roquette. Outstanding Korean barbecue, also Japanese yakitori and sushi and sashimi. We ate there with our firend from Oregon, Diane, and all three did the Korean barbecue where we cooked everything ourselves right at and literally on the table. Delicious food and reasonably priced too.

Our first lunch in the city was right down the street from our apartment, on the Place Leon Blum, at Le Rey. We do NOT recommend this place. Our salads were very wilted and the food not terribly good in general. The quality of service matched the salad.

Our second lunch was infinitely better. We strongly recommend the Cafe Etienne Marcel in the 2nd arr. Located on rue Etienne Marcel right on the corner the cafe wraps around toward rue Montmartre. We had a fanastic lunch of Croque Monsieur very well prepared (this French version of an open face grilled cheese was done to perfection with very tasty, crusty cheese that we both savored), and the pomme frites were equally delicious. Great atmosphere as well (I think WiFi is also available but am not certian of this). Delicious coffee too, I might add. And friendly service.

Another place where we had a very good lunch, and also located on the Place Leon Blum was a traiteur asiatique. Plenty of Asian food to go or eat in, which we did. Superb noodles and rock-bottom prices. You can't miss it, it's right next to the cafe Au Caudran.

Speaking of markets at Drea's recommendation I tried the Asian markets in Belleville, near the Belleville Metro stop, and really quite close to here, but found them to be a bit disappointing, particularly in the selection of condiments and fresh Asian produce. Of course I suppose this was to be expected after spending so much time in the Porte d'Ivry Chinatown. In fact I returned to Porte d'Ivry to stock up on my condiments.

Paris cooking schools, the short version

2007-08-24T06:14:00.000-04:00

Click here for a link to a recent article from the New York Times talking about short, very short cooking classes in Paris.

Then try one for yourself!

Pickles in Paris? I think not!

2007-08-09T12:16:00.000-04:00

Pickles, as we know them in the United States at any rate, are next to impossible to find in Paris.

What you will find are the tiny cornichons.

Pardon moi but these teeny bits of green hardly qualify as a pickle. Their size alone rules them out I should think. But it is the absence of the truly spectacular dill, vinegary, mouth-puckering brine that almost sucks the air out of your lungs that makes a real pickle.

Paris stories

2007-07-18T09:32:00.000-04:00

Here are several stories that came out of Paris recently that struck me as particularly entertaining and enlightening.

Paris calls off Festival of US culture after threats
Paris to pay immigrants to return home
Cemetery at Normandy opens visitors center
Mayor urges Parisians to be more polite

Best Boulangeries in Paris

2007-07-18T08:38:00.000-04:00

Click here for the story on the best boulangeries in Paris. Of course this list is not exhaustive but it'll give you a start.

If you're looking for good travel deals in Paris check out this story in the New York Times.

Liberating Paris by bike

2007-07-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

From the New York Times, dated 15 July 2007:

About a dozen sweaty people pedaled bicycles up the Champs-Élysées on Sunday toward the Arc de Triomphe, as onlookers cheered.

These were not the leading riders of the Tour de France racing toward the finish line, but American tourists testing this city’s new communal bike program.

“I’m never taking the subway again,” said a beaming Justin Hill, 47, a real estate broker from Santa Barbara, Calif.

More than 10,600 of the hefty gray bicycles became available for modest rental prices on Sunday at 750 self-service docking stations that provide access in eight languages. The number is to grow to 20,600 by the end of the year.

The program, Vélib (for “vélo,” bicycle, and “liberté,” freedom), is the latest in a string of European efforts to reduce the number of cars in city centers and give people incentives to choose more eco-friendly modes of transport.

“This is about revolutionizing urban culture,” said Pierre Aidenbaum, mayor of Paris’s trendy third district, which opened 15 docking stations on Sunday. “For a long time cars were associated with freedom of movement and flexibility. What we want to show people is that in many ways bicycles fulfill this role much more today.”

Users can rent a bike online or at any of the stations, using a credit or debit card and leave them at any other station.

A one-day pass costs 1 euro ($1.38), a weekly pass 5 euros ($6.90) and a yearly subscription 29 euros ($40), with no additional charges as long as each bike ride does not exceed 30 minutes. (Beyond that, there is an incremental surcharge, to make sure that as many bikes as possible stay in the rotation.)

The outdoor advertising company J. C. Decaux is paying for the bicycles, docking stations and maintenance in return for exclusive use of 1,628 urban billboards owned by the city. The city receives the rental income, and city officials say they are hoping the program will bring in millions of euros.

Vélib is the brainchild of Mayor Bertrand Delanoë, a Socialist and longtime green campaigner who has set a target for the city to reduce car traffic by 40 percent by 2020. Since he took office in 2001, his administration has added about 125 miles of bicycle paths, at the expense of lanes for cars, prompting accusations from drivers that it has aggravated congestion in the city.

But even the most hardened cyclists still try to avoid some parts of Paris. The Champs-Élysées is not for the faint-hearted. The police have so far refused to grant a permit for a cycle lane along the avenue, fearing hopeless congestion on this main traffic artery.

Jean-Luc Dumesnil, who is an adviser in City Hall on cycling policy, said that while the number of bicycles on the streets increased by 50 percent in the last six years, the number of cycling accidents remained stable.

“It’s the cycling paths, but it’s also a question of critical mass,” Mr. Dumesnil said. “The more bikes there are, the more car drivers get used to them and the more care they take.”

Still, only about 40,000 of the 2.5 million Parisians say they use their bicycles regularly. Mr. Delanoë would like to raise that number to 250,000 by the end of the year.

City Hall is hoping to draw on the experience of smaller-scale rental programs in other cities like Berlin and Stockholm to address concerns about theft and financial viability that ended an experimental program in Amsterdam in the 1960s.

The key, Mr. Aidenbaum said, is to make it easy. “What this initiative does is to take away some of the inconveniences of owning a bike in Paris,” he said, “the lack of storage space in Paris buildings, the issue of theft and the hassle of maintenance.”

First indications are positive. Even before the docking stations opened, 13,000 people had bought annual subscriptions online. On Sunday, some docking stations were so popular that they temporarily ran out of bikes.

Denis Bocquet, 37, an urban planner who divides his time between Paris and Berlin, had to wait in line before renting a bike with his partner, Nora Lafi. From now on, he said, he would use the Vélib to go to work during his stints in Paris.

“It used to be stressful and dangerous to cycle in Paris, but the city has changed, and this could change it even more,” Mr. Bocquet said.

Some residents are skeptical about how long the shiny new fleet of rental bikes will survive unscathed. “There is a lot of gratuitous vandalism that could harm this initiative in this area,” said Marylise Dutoit, 37, a primary school teacher.

But she said she would try to use it to go work every day because it would reduce her 20-minute Métro commute to 10 minutes.

By 2:30, Mr. Hill, his wife, Megan, and their two teenagers were at the Arc de Triomphe, on their third set of bicycles.

“But when we’re done here we might get one more bike to go back to the hotel and swing by the Eiffel Tower on the way,” Ms. Hill said as her son Tommy, 17, rolled his eyes. “This is fun. I never realized Paris was so small!”

See also the same story as reported by CNN online.

Bastille Day!

2007-07-15T06:55:00.000-04:00

We would've loved to have been in Paris for this holiday to be sure: Bastille Day! The Cool thing is how many cities in the US have "Bastille Days" as well: Seattle and Portland and Boston to name just three.

Some folks may not like to hear it but the truth of the matter is that if it hadn't been for the French, the United States might very well not be here at all. So in a way they're partly responsible for, among other things, gas-guzzling, obese Ameericans who elected (more or less), with great pomp of pride and stupidity, George Herbert Walker Calvin Coollidge Henry Harrison Butler Yeats Bush. Is that weird or what?

What's up with "frites"?

2007-07-10T12:15:00.000-04:00

Contrary to the absurd notions floating around some corners of the United States French fries, or frites as they are known in Paris, are probably one of the major food groups of the world.

Like the ubiquitous baguette, frites are also found just about everywhere through the city's culinary world: from upscale restaurants to hole-in-the-wall grec sandwiches to go. Curiously, as we discovered, the quality of these frites leaves much to be desired. Everywhere you see the same frozen French fries -- although one place near Place d'Italie (Les Pissenlits, 11 rue de la Butte aux Cailles) where we ate with Beth G. actually served hand-cut frites.

Maybe you experienced somewthing differently? I'd be happy to hear about it.

Parisian fast food

2007-04-17T08:20:00.000-04:00

The epitome (or nadir) of fast food, MacDonald's burger joints can be found in Paris -- and of course there are more than one of them to be sure. (I have heard the burgers there are much better than the burgers in the US, whatever that means.)

But most Parisians, young and old, still rely on the traditional baguette sandwich for their fast food: jambon et emmenthal or ham and cheese, tuna salad, egg, and a few others seem to be pretty standard around town.

The bread is usually regular baguette although some more serious shops use tradition and even pain au lait for their sandwiches. And most places use fresh ingredients. Some places like Pascal Pinaud's patisserie on Rue Monge near Place Monge prepare their sandwiches fresh every morning and when they're gone, they're gone. No special orders, what you see is what you get; if you don't see it you probably won't get it unless you're a regular or are exceptionally good looking.

Other fast foods that seem to be popular, particularly with the college-age crowds are the grec sandwiches, or the kebaps/kebab sandwiches, also referred to as Doners (a Turkish word I believe). These are usually wrapped in a nan bread with plenty of greens, tomatoes and various sauces, and often topped with french fries. Sounds hefty and it is -- very filling, very cheap and can be quite tasty.

There are scores of small Asian take-out places (traiteurs) all over Paris. In fact there were four of them within 50 meters of our apartment. While most have some space for dining in-house, much of their food is sold as plats emporter, which means "to go" and go it does.

Pizza did not seem to be offered as much by the slice as you might see in Italy, although many shops selling sandwiches naturally sold plenty of pizza-like items emporter as well.

Where we ate in Paris, 2006-2007

2007-03-31T01:50:00.000-04:00

This is a collection of the places we have eaten in Paris between August of 2006 and March of 2007, and recommend. By arrondissement. (This is repeated in my blog Siena to Paris.)

1st arrondissement:

Higuma (32 rue Sainte Anne; Metro: Pyramides; open every day, ph: 01-47-03-38-59) This place was very basic in the décor – mid-twentieth century squalor but that was deceptive. On the right as we walked in was a row of seats at a counter facing the cooking area, consisting mainly of a bank of enormous woks – and all around us the diners were hungrily eating and slurping their way toward nirvana. This place was clearly basic dining only – but man what “basic”! And the smells were incredible! If the food was only half as good as it smelled we were definitely in paradise.

After a few minutes wait a young woman came and ushered us toward the back room, threading our way through a maze of tables and chairs packed with people devouring their food. (My only hope now was to be one of those people!)

The dishes were primarily noodles – stir-fried or in broth -- but there were also steamed dumplings and several rise dishes as well. The food was absolutely delicious and unbelievably inexpensive: €43 for the five of us! For example, I had a large bowl of noodles with pork and a half-dozen steamed dumplings for €10! 2006 11/05

Higuma (163 rue Saint Honore; ph: 01.58.62.49.22; Metro: Palais Royal/Musee Louvre) The second restaurant to the one above this place is a bit more upscale in the décor but the menu is the same (and so are the prices we thought). They also have samples in their window, which helps the first time diner. We ate lunch here with friend Beth and enjoyed it immensely. Noisy and crowded when we first arrived, we were soon up to our elbows in noodles – Susan and I each had the Yakisoba sautéed noodles, which I liked more than she did. Order the “set” which includes a noodle dish plus 5-7 “gyoza” (fried dumplings). 2007 3/30

2nd arrondissement:

Sapporo (2 rue Daunou; Metro: Opera or Pyramides) A funky, noisy little Japanese noodle bar a bit more upscale than Higuma and equally great food at rock-bottom prices. One of Susan's Japanese co-workers didn't much of this place however. 2006 11/18

Bistrot Vivienne (4 rue Petits Champs) We had a delicious lunch here, located off of one of the coolest old galleries left in this part of Paris. 2007 2/28

L’Ostria (4 rue Sauval; ph: 01 40 26 08 07; Metro: Louvre-Rivoli) A wonderful place to eat fish. The restaurant is small, seating maybe 30-55 people, and was operated by two guys: one working the tiny kitchen within view of us all and one working the floor so to speak. Very efficient, very smooth operation (at the end of the evening a woman joined them as well). Word is they make one of the best bouillabaisses in Paris (in season however).

For starters (“entre”) Susan and I had a goat cheese and haddock salad: a bed of fresh greens, with slices of grapefruit, apple, and ultra-thin slices of smoked, salted haddock (raw), and in the center were two small pieces of bread each topped with sliced goat cheese and then placed under a broiler to melt. A-M had a salad of greens covered with “crevettes” (small shellfish); and Guy had a mussel (“moules”) salad. The wine for the evening was a crisp Sancerre.

For main course (“plat) we all had the sea bass (“bar”). Fresh? They brought each of us an entire fish, “sitting upright” (rather than on its side), with the head and tail still on, cooked to perfection; and surrounded by a small handful of sliced cooked vegetables: potatoes, fennel, turnip. We skipped dessert. 2006 11/18

3rd arrondissement:

Chez Omar (47 rue de Bretagne, 3rd arr. Closed Sunday noon; ph: 01 42 72 36 36; Métro: Arts et Métiers) Great for couscous and steak and frites and who knows what else it is deeeelicious. 2007 2/11

4th arrondissement:

Les P’tits Loup (rue Saint Antoine; Metro: Bastille) Run by two middle-aged women (whatever that means), one on the inside, the other the outside. The food was delicious, priced well and the service remarkable: friendly, charming and obviously a person who enjoyed dealing with strangers in search of a good meal. This is a solid recommendation for lunch. Located just a hundred meters or so from the Metro. 2006 9/17

L’Enoteca (25 rue Charles V, in the “Marais” neighborhood; ph: 01.42.78.91.44; Metro: Saint Paul). A wonderful evening of good food (OK outstanding food!), and equally good wine. 2006 12/10

Cafe Med on rue Isle St. Louis -- a delicious lunch. 2007 2/25

5th arrondissement:

Coco de Mer (34 Blvd Saint Marcel, 75005 Paris; ph: 047074188; metro: Saint-Marcel; online at: www.seychelles-saveurs.com). 2006 8/3 and 2007 2/26

Cafe des Isles (111 rue Monge, 75005 Paris; ph: 01 47 07 55 55; Metro Censier-Daubenton). The sister restaurant to Coco de Mer where we have eaten twice. Both are in our neighborhood (the Cafe is on rue Monge and Coco is on Rue Saint Marcel) and both provide a wonderful gastronomic eye on the Seychelles ( off the northern coast of Madagascar). Outstanding seafood (fresh snapper from the Seychelles), very nice staff and reasonable prices; very highly recommended. 2007 1/5

L'Arbrea Cannelle Two great lunches here. 2007 December 2006 and January 2007

6th arrondissement:

Le Relais de l’Entrecote (20 bis, rue St-Benoit; ph: 014 5491600; Metro: St. Germain des Pres. A second restaurant 15 rue Marbeuf.). A favorite with tourists and locals alike – we had in fact been given the tip from a businessman who eats out in Paris a great deal – this is one place you should definitely go, but if and only if you like beef. They don’t serve fish, pork or chicken, and they only serve one cut of beef one way with one sauce and a side order of potatoes. No frills, no choices, but then no problems making up your mind either.

We arrived at about 8:30 and there was a short line already forming outside along the street. They don’t take reservations and we had been warned that it’s a good idea to come a bit early before they open to avoid the long lines but we figured hey it’s a Tuesday evening plus we didn’t want to eat early so we’d take our chances. The restaurant was quite large with lots of tables spilling outside onto the sidewalk on the little side street of Rue St.-Benoit just around the corner from Saint Germain-des-Pres and just a block off the busy Blvd. Saint Germain. Across the street were two other restaurants, one of which was generous enough to provide live jazz music not long after we sat down.

Anyway, after about a 15-minute wait we were seated at a table just inside but since the walls were gone for the season we were in effect also outside. Tres cool. The waitress then came to the table and asked what we would like to drink (water first) and then how we want our meat prepared: rare, medium or well. That’s it. Oh and yes you have just three choices for wine: red, white or sparkling (we chose red). She wrote our orders on the tablecloth and a few minutes later we had our wine, fresh bread and soon afterwards our salads – all very delicious I might add.

A little while later out came the meat. The meat was swimming in a unique pesto-like sauce -- the basil flavor was distinct but not as strong as a traditional pesto or so we thought – and it had a rich, buttery edge to it. Perfect with the meat, which by the way appeared to be slices of sirloin cooked to a tender perfection. I should perhaps explain how they plate the food since it too seemed quite different from any other experience we can recall. They brought out the meat in covered serving trays which were then placed on portable burners scattered strategically around the restaurant – and these were soon followed by huge platters of “pomme frites” (french fries of course) the only accompaniment to the meat. The fries are spooned on to each plate followed by the meat and sauce and then brought to the table. But only half of each person’s portion is given out; and after you finish that you get the “second” helping of both fries and meat. Interesting, no?

The evening air was perfect, the music coming from across the street just added to the fact that yes, we were in Paris, with good friends eating good food, and, as one at our table that evening is often fond of saying, we’re just happy to be here. 2006 9/17

Les Bouquinistes (53 Quai des Grands Augustins; ph: 01 43 25 45 94; Metro: Pont Neuf, Odeon or St. Michel; online at: www.guysavoy.com) Susan and I had eaten here in 1998 and had always wanted to return. The food was even better than we remembered. The service was impeccable, and the wines, a red Merseault and a red Volnay, worked really well with our food; three of us had seafood and Stan had veal. The desserts were equally spectacular; and the cheese board (which I had) consisted of four different cheeses, a hard Comte-like cheese, a chevre, a Brie -style and a fabulous blue called “Fourme d’Ambert,” which was almost sweet. Delicious! 2006 9/17

Ze Kitchen Galerie (4 rue des Grand Augustin; ph: 01.44.32.00.32; Metro: Pont Neuf, St. Michel or Odeon; online at: www.zekitchengalerie.fr) Very creative food, big on multiple flavors with a strong Asian twist. Reasonable prices adequate wine list. 2007 3/29

Lombardi’s (29 rue Dauphine). This place is small but the food was good, service slow, prices OK, and we got to hear and speak Italian. 2007 2/5

8th arrondissement:

La Ferme Saint Simon (6 rue Saint-Simon; ph: 01 45 48 35 74; Metro: rue du Bac; online at: www.fermestsimon.com). 2006 8/27

9th arrondissement:

Rose bakery (46 rue des Martyrs; ph: 01.42.82.12.80) Delicious lunch, great breads, funky interior but overall worth an afternoon stop. 2006 November

13th arrondissement:

Del Navona Pizze (Blvd. des Gobelins) They advertised offered "wood-fired" pizzas and we weren't disappointed. Both of us ordered pizzas (mine came with the wonderful "Merguez" sausage), of course, and a half bottle of Valpolicella. One of the two men sitting next to us caught our eye at one point. He casually remarked to us as they received their pizzas that they were big but good. And he was right! 2007 2/20

Les Pissenlits (11 rue de la Butte aux cailles) The food was pretty good: I had a burger with the first handcut French fries I have seen since coming to Paris! Truly amazing! Susie and Beth both had hearty French-style cassaroles which were tasty but filling. The service was good but the wine mediocre. We skipped dessert. 2007 3/5

15th arrondissement:

Bistrot d'Hubert (41 Boulevard Pasteur, 15th arr.; ph: 01 47 34 15 50; Metro: Pasteur; online at: www.bistrodhubert.com). The restaurant is quite small but very nicely laid out with a superb view of the kitchen space to the rear. I should also add the staff were pleasant, attentive and alternated between French and English with ease. 2007 3/4

16th arrondissement:

Aux Marches du Palais (rue de la Manutention 75016 Paris; ph: 01 47 23 52 80; Metro: Iena) The food was very good but the service a bit inattentive. We also missed out on the fixed menu that just about every restaurant in Paris has since when we asked our waitress she said no there wasn’t one and yet it was on a chalkboard on the wall. And we never received the wine list, which was on another big chalkboard brought to the table. Maybe we had to ask. We did order the “vin rouge du maison” and it was actually just fine, and of course inexpensive. The food was quite good and reasonably priced we thought, although two meals had to go back because they were undercooked. Aside from these glitches one could recommend this place – and particularly if you enjoy a firm grasp of French. Diane had “gambas” (shrimp), Susan had “poulet” (chicken), Lorenzo actually had two starters, fois gras and “champignons” (mushrooms) and I had a small steak (“l’entrecote”) that was superb – aside from being undercooked, the sauce was very tasty and the potatoes (“pommes du terre”) just right. 2006 9/10

18th arrondissement:

Coquelicot (24 rue des Abbesses; ph: 01.46.06.18.77; Metro: Abbesses) Located just a block or so from the metro stop, the café looked fascinating from the street and so the food and service proved even more so. Nor would this be the last time we would visit this wonderful little café -- we returned there for lunch where I had one of the best goat cheese salads I have ever eaten. 2006 May

If you’re looking for more restaurant reviews an excellent website is chocolateandzucchini.com:

Not-so-good sweets

2007-03-29T09:08:00.000-04:00

I recently picked up a brace of delicious baguette sandwiches at my favorite boulangerie near our apartment in the 5th (it's quite close to the Saint Marcel metro stop actually). While I was there I thought I would also grab several sweets for a quick taste test at home. (I mean I'm married to a pastry chef.)

OK so the baguettes were good of coruse, but the sweets. . . well let's just say they were disappointing.

First up was the cookie nougat -- a weak attempt at a large fairly flat toffee cookie. Lots of bits of toffee to se sure but pretty much devoid of any toffee flavor. Also the texture seemed more stiff than chewy. (Susie thought they might be a bit long on the shelf life.)

Second was the Sable amande-noisette (almond-hazelnuts). This was basically a shortbread hunk, fairly flavorless, with large pieces of nut, but really quite bland. Plus I don't care much for shortbread generally. Susan commented that Pascal's were much better.

Finally was a brownie. Quite moist, not very cakelike at all and also we thought not very chocolaty either.

Stick with the puff pastry stuff, and anything with pastry cream or mousseline cream is my rule of thumb now.

Pascal's pastry shop

2007-03-29T07:22:00.000-04:00

The folks at Pascal's pastry shop, on rue Monge, just around the corner from Place Monge in the 5th arr. produce some of the best pastries and chocolates in the city. OK I'm prejudiced since my wife worked there as an intern for a couple of months. But hey that doesn't make it any less true!)

Anyway I had the chance to videotape a a little of what goes on in the back room of a typical Paris pastry shop -- well this being Pascal it's probably not so typical. . . In it you'll see Pascal, Susie and Misato making barquette with Roberto in the background making sandwiches and Miss Chocolate doing just about everything else! (photo above: l-r: Pascal, Miss Chocolate, Susie, Roberto, and Misato.)

A Paris power walk

2007-03-14T02:05:00.000-04:00

We have a favorite walking route that pretty much covers the heart of Paris:

From our apartment on rue Poliveau in the southeastern part of the 5th arr. we walk up rue St. Hilaire to the Jardin des Plantes, entering through the south gate by the Museum of Natural History. Continue on and stroll the length of the gardens toward the Seine.

Leave the gardens and cross the Quai Saint Bernard, walk down to the quai itself, and bear left, past the river police headquarters on your right, and stroll along the imaginative musee de sculpture en plein air, the museum of open air sculpture overlooking the river. Walk along the left bank all the way to Notre Dame, taking in the spectacular views of both the Isle Saint Louis and the Isle de la Cite.

Pass under the Pont de la Tournelle and the ramrod straight statue of St. Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris and then leave the quai at the Pont Archeveche. Crossing over the Isle de la Cite turn right and then go to the end of the island and down the steps to the Memorial de la Deportation. (There may be a guard there so be prepared to open your bag. Closed during the lunch hour.)

Walk up and out of the Memorial stroll over to Notre Dame, and from there walk the length of the island along the Quai des Orefevres to the Pont Neuf, turning right cross onto the right bank. Stroll along the Siene past the bouquinistes to the Louvre.

Cross the street at rue de Admiral de Coligny and then turn left walking down Quai Mitterand. After a hundred meters or so turn right and enter the Louvre proper, cross into the cour caree, the courtyard of the original fortress (return at night when the lights have been turned on). Turn left through the entrance into the central "courtyard" of the Louvre where you can find with little difficulty, the glass pyramids.

Skirt the pyramids and the tourists queuing to get inside, and walk to the Place du Carrousel -- a useful diversion into the huge underground complex of shops, restuarants, theaters, all of which lie just a few meters beneath the Place. Here you can find great bathrooms, food to go, a huge Virgin megastore, Metro connections and another entrance to the Louvre museum.

From here stroll the length of the Jardin des Tuileries. Once an enormous palace complex that connected the two vast wings of Louvre, the Tuileries palace was destroyed during the Siege of Paris and the Commune in 1870-71.

Stroll down the central artery of the gardens, past the artwork, stone and human, found milling about the gardens, and don't hesitate to wander off toward the fringes for there are surprised lurking everywhere here.

As you near the end of the Tuileries look to your left and you'll see the box-like Musee l'Orangerie, home to Monet's enormous "Water Lillies" as well as many other works of art.

Directly ahead as you exit the gardens you will be confronted with the daunting and challenging, if not life threatening Place de la Concorde. Near the the location of the 3500-year-old Egyptian obelisk, is where the revolutionaries lopped off the heads of Marie Antoinette and her husband the king of France. If you aren't careful you might lose your head as well, since the traffic here during the weekday can be ferocious and the Place bears careful anaylsis before attempting to cross.

Once across you and tens of thousands of others can then stroll casually (or down) the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe, where you will find both a delightful view of the city (at the top) and the tomb of the uknown soldier (at the bottom).

From the Arc you can then take the nos. 1, 2 or 6 metros or the RER A line. We like to the take the no. 6 to the Trocadero (only two stops) and get off to catch the lights of the Eiffel tower to round out the evening. Anyway you can plot your own course for dinner, home or wherever; you're on your own now.

Bistrot d'Hubert in the 15th

2007-03-04T02:28:00.000-05:00

(This is a shortened version of a post on my Siena to Paris blog.)

Through emails and phone calls we arranged to meet with friends Anna and Pietro for dinner at 7:30 p.m. at a small bistrot in the 15th, Bistrot d'Hubert, 41 Boulevard Pasteur (yes that Pasteur; his institute is right around the corner). Pietro had eaten here before and knew the reputation of the chef as well as the quality of the food (and we were not disappointed on either score).

The restaurant is quite small but very nicely laid out with a superb view of the kitchen space to the rear. I should also add the staff were pleasant, attentive and alternated between French and English with ease (although of course Anna and Pietro both speak French, it was obvious Susan and I did so very poorly.)

At one point during dinner the conversation drifted back to food in Paris and Pietro said they had just been to one of the finest fish places in Paris and had such a wonderful meal and that we really should try this place. They mentioned the name and it sounded vaguely familiar to me. Well after a few moments of hasty interrogation it turned out the name of the place is l'Ostria, on rue Sauval near Les Halles and we had in fact had one of the best meals in Paris there last November! Friends from New jersey who were here in Paris for a week or so came across the place while out strolling and the four of us ate there that very night! Anyway you can read my Siena to Paris blog entry about this place or just surf over to the archives and look for the entry under 18 November 2006.

So we enjoyed the evening immensely. Everyone had fish (2 swordfish and 1 cod) except for me. I had an Asian pork tenderloin on a small bed of rice and still I got a small sidedish of gratin duaphinois potatoes! Pietro chose a nicely acidic white wine.

Cost of dinner with wine (but no desserts) was €60 per person.

Click here for Bistrot d'Hubert's very nice , very user friendly website.

Asian markets

2007-03-03T01:05:00.000-05:00

There are several neighborhoods in central Paris where you are most likely to find plenty of Asian products and restaurants.

In the 1st/9th arrondissements along the axis rue St. Anne and rue des Petits Champs you can find a half dozen noodle bars as well as several Japanese markets selling just about every Japanese condiment, rice, noodle you can imagine.

In the 1970s a large influx of Laotian, Vietnamese and Chinese immigrants settled in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. Today the area east of rue de Tolbiac, bordered by Avenue d'Ivry and Avenue de Choisy, constitutes the largest Asian population in the city and indeed one of the largest in all of Europe. (photo below: the Continental store on Avenue d'Ivry.)

As you stroll along Avenue d'Ivry it is not hard to miss the sights and smells of Asia, all against the backdrop of late-model skyscraping apartment high-rises.

Still, this is where you come to find fresh Asian produce, unique sauces, incredible condiments, rices, noodles, and plenty of frozen foods. In fact Parisstore has a store devoted just to frozen Asian food right next door to its main market on Avenue d'Ivry. And you can also find plenty of industrial-sized packages of prepared Nem, which are wrapped pates, similar to egg rolls but the fillings are very different in texture, and of course fresh fish, a staple here. (photos below: Parisstore and its frozen food store next door.)

The biggest draw is that here you can find the very best meat prices in town. In fact, meat at the larger markets like Parisstore and the Tang Freres are usually half, that's right I said half, of what the neighborhood boucherie is charging. And the meat all comes from the same place, the huge Rungis wholesale market just outside of the city.

But what about the quality? One of my staples has become the porc filet mignon, very similar in appearance to our pork tendereloin in the US but smaller, more succulent and tender. At the Parisstore the price is €12/kg; at the boucherie across the street from our apartment the same cut of meat sells for €19/kg. (photo below: the message board outside of Tang Freres.)

The Tang Freres ("brothers") store is one of the most well-known in the city but I find their meat selection a bit limited compared to their neighbor, the Parisstore. On the other hand I think Tang has the better selection of sauces and they carry one of my favorite condiments, Pearl River Bridge sweet black vinegar.

Metro: Tolbiac/Port d'Ivry. If you're getting off at Tolbiac as you exit look for the rue de Tolbiac and follow it a block down to where Avenue de Choisy and Avenue d'Ivry split off on your left. You can follow de Choisy down to Boulevard Massena, turn left and stroll past the huge Centre Commerciale to Avenue d'Ivry and turn left again. Follow d'Ivry and both Parisstore and Tange Freres will be on your right across the street. You can continue down d'Ivry until you return to Tolbiac.

In the 19th arr. in the area along rue de Belleville is the "other" Chinatown, the result of another wave of Asian immigrants who settled in northeastern part of Paris in the 1980s.

Compliments of "Drea," we have the following restaurant recommendation for "Thai and Thaish" food: Lao Siam, 49 rue de Belleville, metro Belleville, in the 19th.

"It's a brightly-lit, inexpensive, open-every-day place, short on atmosphere but with a great reputation. But you need to know what to order: the salads are great (boeuf à la citronelle, poulet, vermicelles), as are the Thai soups, the "crevettes sel and poivre", boeuf seché épicé (if you like Asian beef jerky-ish meat), green curry chicken, "liserons d'eau" (a sautéed green, mmmmmm), amok (sp? fish in coconit milk mixture served in banana leaves), "caille ail" (garlicky quails), and plenty of sticky rice. Oh, I love this restaurant! No reservations."

Metro: Belleville/Pyrenees.

Most of the major grocery stores carry a wide selection of Asian products of course. For example, Le Bon Marche's food store carries a number of hard-t0-find, micro-brew soy sauces. Although quite a bit more expensive a little of these soy sauces go a long way and are worth a try. (My personal favorite is Yamato. Very intense and packed with flavor.)

Paris Charles de Gaulle, part 2

2007-02-28T06:02:00.000-05:00

All Paris guidebooks should cease using the term "Roissyval" in talking about transportation connections at Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG), since it is absolutely and utterly meaningless. The next time you read such nonsense check the fine print: they can't tell you exactly where it is (other than some innocuous notation about it being at the TGV station which is of course the B line RER) because it doesn't exist.

There is no Roissyval, nor does it look like there will be one anytime soon. It is simply the same RER B line train the locals use. In fact there is no express train service in Paris whatsoever and the B line train as I noted in my previous post is simply not able to handle passengers and their luggage with any degree of convenience or ease.

Whether you have to go through Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) or decide you want to, either way, check this link out first. After reading the comments posted, you will (a) skip flying into Paris altogether or (b) be better prepared (i.e., heavily sedated) before you arrive.

The upshot of all this is: don't fly into Charles de Gaulle people. Although the destinations are more limited we much prefer Orly (on the south side of the city). Or take the Eurostar from London or the Thalys from Amsterdam or a canal barge from . . .

Steve

Train to CDG?

2007-02-26T00:43:00.000-05:00

If you're thinking about taking the train to and/or from Charles de Gaulle airport, you might want to think again.

We just had our first taste of using the RER line "B" to CDG from Paris and it was not a very pleasant experience.

Of course things can happen to any transportation system and one naturally expects delays, glitches, bugs, what-have-you. But you should be aware that unlike the Heathrow Express in London or the Leonardo express in Rome, Paris, and pay attention here, Paris does not have a dedicated train for travelers in and out of the city, and depending upon where the traveler is getting off in the city it might make 10 or more stops. That's right.

Not only is the train not an express but it is not even designed for people traveling to and from the airport with luggage. Aside from the small and virtually useless overhead bins, there is absolutely no place to put yourluggage. And yet the B line terminates at not just one but in fact two stops for the city's largest airport.

Which brings up another point, which stop to get off at.

If you are getting on or off the train at CDG, do not, and I mean do not get or or off at the "Charles de Gaulle 1". Take the train to the very last stop.

Why?

It is chaos. First the numbers themselves are misleading since they they have nothing to do with Terminals 1, 2 or 3. Second, while there are signs posted pointing you to the terminals they leave you standing in the middle of a shuttle bus parking system that is equally confusing. For example a bus might say Terminal 1 when in fact it is going to one or more of the other terminals. You end up having to ask one of the drivers. And the lines were horribly long for buying tickets from either the one or two human ticket agents or the small number of automatic machines available. (OK so it was Friday morning.)

Once in the airport we found even more confusion: if one went by the electronic monitors available there were an endless stream of "departures" and virtually no "arrivals". (Moreover it had been absurdly challenging to learn which terminal served British Airways.)

Anyway we left CDG by the "Gare", which is the end of the line for the RER B line and the same place where one can get trains servicing much of France. I would recommend you use this stop coming or going. The signage is much better, there are more facilities at this location and you may not be not faced with the need for taking a shuttle bus to your terminal.

Graduation Day at Le Cordon Bleu. . .

2007-02-20T08:33:00.000-05:00

. . . and who better to sing for such an occasion than the Little "Sparrow" herself, Edith Piaf. Just click play to, well, play and like magic you're back in time to December 15, 10026.

Dailymotion blogged video
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If you prefer a somewhat larger version, click here!
Enjoy!

Ciao,

Steve

St. Valentine's Day in Paris

2007-02-15T01:20:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was St. Valentine's Day, a holiday that has become quite popular in Paris. this is, of course, not surprising since the focus of both the city and the holiday is on love and the various means to express that particular emotion.

Susie had to work 12 hours and when I dropepd by to see her in the afternoon she showed me several of the valentine cakes the shop's chocolatier had made and so I had to snap a photo while I was there.

That evening we had a quiet celebration at home: pan-seared steaks "dry" in a sauce of roasted fennel, carrots, onions reduced in a vegetable broth and then pureed by hand, topped with fried shallots, all served with blue-cheese cauliflower mashies (I love it when this stuff runs together) and a 2004 Cote Blonde. For dessert was a scrumptious chocolate layered cake Susie brought from work (actually leftovers from their lunch!).

Ciao,

Steve

Paris is all about bread

2007-02-11T03:37:00.000-05:00

OK, first boulangerie is the bakery while boulanger is, well, the baker.

Boulangerie are everywhere in Paris, in fact it seems that there's one on nearly every other corner. Aside from the various sweets offered (the sole reason we are living in Paris and subject of another post), it's the bread that drives traffic to one bakery over the other.

While many boulangers have their own specialty breads, and some boulangeries do pain au lait and one or two different grain or cereal breads, when you talk bread in Paris, you're really talking about the (drum roll here) baguette.

You'll frequently see people walking down the street carrying a baguette like a drum major's baton nibbling at one end. (In fact the word baguette means "stick" and is synomous with the French word baton). I've even caught myself doing the same thing. You simply can't wait until you get home to start snacking on the thing. A student at Le Cordon Bleu, a young slim Asian woman, confessed to Susan one day that she was addicted to baguettes and would sometimes eat two a day!

Bread is flour, water, yeast and salt. Period. That's it.

Now the way it works here in Paris is that every boulanger uses flour from just one company and its that company that provides the recipe for baguette; it's right on their bags in fact.

There are two basic types of baguette: the long (some really long) thin loaves that are usually sold with a small piece of paper around the middle for carrying purposes, and the tradition, which is usually shorter with narrowed ends and often wrapped in a sleeve marked "artisan" made. The difference up front aside from size is that the "regular" baguette sells for €.85 while the tradition usually sells for €1 or €1.10. Yet the truly remarkable thing is how different (1) the two types of baguettes are from one another and (2) how baguettes differ in taste from one boulanger to another.

Now baguettes, and indeed most bread in general, is made fresh every morning in Paris and really meant to be consumed that day/evening. In fact, nearly every boulangerie makes sandwiches out of their freshly baked baguettes, and the better ones use only fresh ingredients. For example, at Pascal's on rue Monge, he produces sandwiches made with both regular baguette and pain au lait (made with brioche dough), and they make their mayonnaise fresh every day as well!

OK. so why is there such a disparity in bread quality?

I have no idea. I suspect it's the attention to details, the focus on fresh ingredients, the determination to produce a high-quality product at reasonable cost that sets one boulanger apart from another.

I can tell you that in our neighborhood alone there is enormous difference in quality of baguettes. The boulanger on rue Saint Hilaire just a few meters from our apartment produces a medicore, thin and airy baguette (and the tradition isn't much better), while the boulanger a few "blocks" away over on Blvd. l'Hopital, just across from the metro stop Saint Marcel produces an exquisite baguette tradition; the boulanger a block up from our apartment on Saint Marcel is somewhere in the middle.

And Pascal's? His breads are all extremely good as you might expect from an "artisan" boulanger, and his pain au lait is outstanding.

Oh, and we've eaten one already today!

Ciao,

Steve

Market day in Paris

2007-02-09T07:09:00.000-05:00

My market days are Tuesday and Friday. I usually go to the open air market (marche) at the Gare d'Austerlitz, just an easy 10-minute walk from our building. This market is fairly typical of open air markets found in and around the 5th arrondissement. Like the market at Place Monge on rue Monge, which is also close to our apartment, the market at Austerlitz has vendors selling fresh produce, meats, fish , cheeses, as well as clothes and occasionally household items. One stop shopping!

The rationale for taking the time and making the effort to go to one of these markets rather than, say, the neighborhood fruit vendor or convenience store across the street is of course cost -- but also quality. While nearly all the fresh produce and meat sold in the city comes from the wholesale Rungis market just outside of Paris, quality does vary and there seems to be a more heightened sense of awareness by the open air vendors of the importance of providing their customers with good quality at a very reasonable cost. And they do. It's not uncommon to see people standing in line at several of the fresh produce vendors at the Place Monge market. And a quick check of the prices will tell you why: €1.50/kg for clementines and just across the way another vendor is selling them for €3!

Just to give you an idea of the prices at the Austerlitz market, and with some variation these are fairly typical (1 kg equals about 2.2 lbs):

Today I bought bananas are €1.39/kg, apples €2.89/kg, yellow onions €0.69/kg, sweet onions (these are incredible) €4.50/kg, clementines €3.69/kg (the cheapest go for €1.89/kg), tomatoes €2.79/kg and broccoli €1.69/kg. Not too bad at all for the city.

In addition, fish can be found at these markets, but can often be quite expensive: tuna going for over €30-34/kg in some markets and codfish for €24/kg. But there is quite a variety to choose. (One day at the pastry shop where Susan is interning, one of the other chefs went out to the nearby market at Place Monge and bought several rouge barbet, little fish about six inches long, and pan-fried them up just as they were, heads and all, and that's what they had for lunch!)

You can also find fish cut to order at the Asian marekts near Portre d'Ivry as well, where the prices are quite reduced.

I usually buy my meat and poultry at the Asian markets near Porte d'Ivry (Tang Freres and Paris Store): beef can run anywhere from €6-14/kg dpending upon the cut (and the cuts rarely resemble those found in North American), pork tenderloin goes for about €10-11/kg, and boneless chicken breasts for €2.99-3.99/kg.

Markets are well advertised in Paris (Pariscope for example) and most guidebooks also list the major ones as well. After a week or two in your neighborhood you'll figure it out. We did.

Ciao,

Steve

Food markets in Paris, at least mine

2007-02-08T03:47:00.000-05:00

Good morning. It rained much of last night apparently, but the sun has come out at last. Temps are still a bit chilly but I hope to get off to the market later today.

I mentioned in a rpevious post about the conveniences located in our tiny place, I must now admit that, well I don't usually shop in most of them.

Unless I need some last minute fruit or vegetables and go across the street to the smal greengocer, I buy my produce from the same Asian family at the open air market near Gare d'Austerlitz (Tuesdays and Fridays are my days to go), and located directly beneath the trestle of Metro line 5.

Nor do I shop at our "boucherie" across the street either. For meat and speciality produce I go down to "Chinatown" near Portre d'Ivry in the 13th arrondissment. Actually "Chinatown" is a bit of a misnomer since most of the shops and restaurants seem to be Veitnamese or southeast Asian in orientation if not in fact.

I shop at either the Tang Brothers for their great sauces and good produce, or the Paris Store, which has outstanding meat as well as good specialty produce. You'll find the meat is 50-75% cheaper than your corner butcher shop and yet, like all the produce in Paris, the meat all comes from pretty the same source, the enormous Rungis wholesale market just outside Paris. Both take credit cards.

Steve

Snow in Paris?

2007-02-07T02:37:00.000-05:00

Yes indeed my friends, it is snowing right here and right now in the 5th arrondissment! We had been told that it snows here but had yet to see it. Now we have. Or rather I have. Susan is still at the pastry shop . . .

Steve

Welcome to the 5th Arrondissement

2007-02-06T03:58:00.000-05:00

If you're planning on an extended stay in Paris consider the 5th arr. on the left bank and next to the Latin Quartier. We've been staying in a wonderful apartment on rue Poliveau for over six months now and couldn't imagine a more ideal location: very close to the no. 5, 7 and 10 metro lines, a 10-minute walk to the Gare d'Austerlitz and another 5 and you're at the Gare de Lyon; we're a block from the Jardin des Plantes and the Paris Mosque; a 10-minute walk to the funky and tres cool rue Mouffetard (The "Mooff"), another 5 minutes beyond and you're in the Sorbonne neighborhood; a twenty minute walk and you're at the Pantheon and then a few minutes beyond that you're at the Jardin du Luxembourg; or an easy half hour stgroll along the Seine and you're at Notre Dame and the Ile de la Cite.

Restaurants, cafes and food is everywhere. Just in our neighborhood at the corners of rue Poliveau, rue St. Hilaire and rue des Fosse St. Marcel, around the tiny Place de el Kader directly beneath our apartment you'll find a traditional French restaurant, two Asian "traiteurs" (mostly food-to-go), two fruit and vegetable stands (one undeniably better than the other), one Italian speciality food shop, a boulangerie just a few meters down the block next to another Asian restaurant, two cafes (one in our building on the ground floor) and a convenience grocery store! Plus two hair salons, an eyeglasses shop, a couple of women's clothing shops, a pharmacy, a small camera and electronic shop.

Welcome to Paris!