A memorable visit of Laos

Shopping in Paris - 15 february 2010

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:43:43 GMT

Fancy store window - Ph. by D. Morrill

Who would go to Paris and not set time aside for shopping? I was raised by a mother who loved to shop! She was convinced that comparison shopping meant that the more expensive of two items was necessarily of better quality: that's the only aspect of shopping that I have overcome becoming an adult. My favorite buys when I go to Paris are handbags, shoes, sweaters, and also things for my house in the United States: I am a bargain hunter and I like to visit department stores when there are sales, better known as "SOLDES".

When stores have sales, you can see the word "Soldes" prominently displayed in their windows: there are two official sale periods in all European Union countries, one starts in the second week of January, the other in June: those are the best bargain times, but informal sales occur at other times too. I tend to prefer deparment store sales because there is more choice and I can browse to my heart's content without pressure from a salesperson, so I highly recommend Le Printemps, Les Galeries Lafayette, both on Boulevard Haussman, Le Bon Marché on Rue de Sèvres in the 7th arrondissement, and Le BHV (Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville) on Rue de Rivoli, next door to the Paris City Hall. The latter is especially good for housewares and it has a basement full of tools and gadgets.

When taking a walk, it's important to pay attention to stores that specialize in "sales": their names incorporate the word "soldes", for instance "Griff'soldes" ("griffe" in this context means "label", such as designer label): choice is limited as to size but worth the effort of browsing along with huge crowds of bargain hunters. Flea markets are also great for clothes, I especially like Les Puces de Montreuil (Saturdays and Sundays only); Les Puces de la Porte de Vanves has become an antiques market, more or less, I have seen great turn-of-the-century (the 20th century) furniture. The former is a block away from the Porte de Montreuil Métro station, while the latter is at the Porte de Vanves Métro Station.

At La Maroquinerie Saint-Honoré, there are very good buys for small leather goods (handbags, wallets, etc.) and some nice costume jewelry: the designs are very contemporary, in a huge variety of colors. The nearest Métro station is Palais-Royal, not far from my favorite restaurant (Le Petit Mâchon), at 334 Rue St-Honoré. By the way, the exit at that station has a really interesting design, it's on Place du Palais-Royal, next to the Comédie Française theater.

At Miracle, contemporary and various objects (blown-glass, exclusively) are available at excellent prices for the quality: and the color choice is dazzling. The shop is at 41 Rue Saint-André des Arts, in the delightful 6th arrondissement on the Left Bank: the streets are crowded, there are cheese stores next door to bake shops ("pâtisseries") next door to butchers next door to fruit and vegetable stands, not forgetting cafés and restaurants.

Eating in Paris - 8 february 2010

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:42:06 GMT

At the seafood stand - Ph. by D. Santal

Once you have a nice room for resting from those long leisurely walks in the city of lights, you will need to indulge in a special meal. And there, I would like to make special recommendations: not all of them are in central Paris, but they are well worth a Métro or a taxi ride. Reservations are usually not necessary, but I recommend them anyway as they are very popular with Parisians; just ask your hotel desk to make the call. Without reservations, arrive before 1:00 pm for lunch on a weekday, as local offices empty at that time and restaurants are very busy; or before 7:30 pm for dinner, Parisians dine at 8:00 pm at the earliest. A little bit of caution: not all wait staff or management speak English, as the clientele is mostly Parisian, but don't be shy, it's part of the fun!

Two city blocks from the Louvre, my favorite, bar none, is Le Petit Mâchon, an informal restaurant I discovered by accident: the cuisine hails from Lyon, and my favorite dish is the "quenelle lyonnaise", it is made with pike, has the consistency of a soufflé, smooth and rich-tasting -- there are daily specials, aim for a fixed price treat, usually two or three courses. Prices are very reasonable indeed for such quality.

158 Rue du Faubourg St-Honoré 75001 - Tel: 01 42 60 08 06

L'Arganier has one of the best brunches in Paris, buffet style, with a "fixed price", eat and enjoy as much as you want, and you can keep refilling your plate; the food is abundant, rich, and varied: it reminds me of Morocco (the arganier is a Moroccan tree). The atmosphere is friendly, informal, very pleasant indeed, and the crowd is young and lively without being overwhelming: not a problem for the not so young bunch.

19 Rue Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie 75004 - Tel: 01 42 72 08 25

A bit out of the way, La Cave Gourmande, a café, has a dining-room in the back. They have a superb chef, so don't let the very informal appearance of the place concern you. And in the same general area, Le 20e Art (in the 20th arrondissement), is a real find: run by a local family, it serves delicious and varied food; when the weather is nice, tables are set outside on the little square under the trees.

La Cave Gourmande 10 Rue du Général Brunet 75019 - Tel: 01 40 40 03 30

Le 20e Art 46 Rue des Vignoles 75020 - Tel: 01 43 67 22 29

On Rue des Rosiers, in the Marais, jewish and middle-eastern eateries abound. L'As du Falafel is noisy, busy, friendly and very crowded; you can buy food to go from the outside counter, but the line is long there too. Further down the street, on the same side, there is a bakery whose name I don't remember, but it's easy to find: it has a small dining-room and on a cold winter day, their soups and sandwiches can restore you to warmth and health, and some of the servers speak English.

And if suddenly you have an urge for Thai food, another family run restaurant is worth a trip from anywhere: Khun Akorn; the manager told me that his family runs similar restaurants in Bangkok and in London.

8 Avenue de Taillebourg 75011 - Tel: 01 43 56 20 03

I must mention my favorite "starred" restaurant, a little more expensive, but superb and still reasonable: Chez Michel. The chef-owner, Michel, is from Britanny, which probably explains why his lobster dishes are so remarkable; everything else is very fine also, I am especially partial to the lamb rack.

10 Rue de Belzunce 75010 - Tel: 01 44 53 06 20

When you occasionally crave fast food French style, give Lina's a try; there are many locations everywhere. A convenient one is at 7 Avenue de l'Opéra (75001) . Oh, by the way, on Avenue de l'Opéra, on the same sidewalk, the very very best chocolate maker in the whole wide world, holds fort: it's expensive, but you MUST NOT miss it: Côtes de France at 25 Avenue de l'Opéra (75001).

I also recommend museum dining rooms, especially at the Musée d'Orsay (19th and early 20th century art): the casual Café du Lion, and a formal dining-room, completely restored as it was in the 19th century when it was a railroad station dining-room. The Musée du Quai Branly (indigenous art, cultures and civilizations from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas) has a cafe-bistrot, Café Branly and a formal dining-room, Les Ombres, both excellent, it's just that the latter is expensive!

Returning to Paris, Florence and Milan - 10 December 2008

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 09:51:16 GMT

Rainy Day at the Tour Eiffel - Ph. by D. Santal

We just spent three November weeks in Paris and also took a side trip to Florence and Milan.

As well as I know my native city, it still surprises me when I return to it. I think that I forget just how spectacular and beautiful it is. Why go in November? Very simply it’s “in season” (en saison) as Parisians call it. And what is the “season”? Any time when theatres and museums are in full swing and when restaurants are at their most creative, usually between late October-early November and late April-early May. If, it addition to that the weather is pleasant, the way it can be in November and in March-April, a Parisian jaunt can be perfect.

This time, with a temperature in the high 40’s and low 50’s, walking and gawking is at its very best. For instance, one day, as we were just walking towards our favorite Oh! Poivrier restaurant, at the intersection of Boulevard Haussman and Rue Lafitte, I caught a marvelous glimpse of the Sacred Heart Basilica in the distance: it was a breathtaking view, and totally unexpected. On another occasion, as we were at the restaurant of the Théâtre de Chaillot -- we were about to attend a performance of Sombreros, by the famed French choreographer Philippe Decouflé : our table had an unobstructed view of the Eiffel Tower; and all of a sudden, the tower turned a magnificent bright blue, and, literally, the whole restaurant gasped out loud, in awe.

In my first blog ever, I had said that to me Paris is not the Eiffel Tower or the Eiffel Tower, Paris. Yet on this visit, I took dozens of photographs of it, from every angle at which I had not noticed it before; not only is it an engineering feat, but it is truly handsome, I might even say “statuesque”.

Other surprises awaited us in Italy. I know Florence almost by heart, having first discovered it in Irving Stone’s The Agony and the Ecstasy which describes, through the eyes of Michelangelo, every street , every building, every stone of 16^th century Florence. As Florence was very rainy, we looked at it from under our umbrellas, thus revisiting the Renaissance city at eye level; I started noticing all its tiny details, from the sculpted door-knockers, to carved wood doors, the sculpted stones identifying various buildings and residences, I also explored the street markets where I found many bargains… it was so entertaining as well as amazing!

Milan, or Milano, had its great surprises too. I had been there before, but thought of it as just another large city with interesting sites, but no particular sentimental or artistic appeal. For the first time, I went inside the Duomo to enjoy the stained-glass windows; I visited the Il Museo Teatrale alla Scala with its memorabilia and collection of fine instruments. We unexpectedly sneaked a peak at a rehearsal of Aida; the opera season was a couple of weeks away so we did not get a chance to attend an actual performance, much to our disappointment. Much to our thrill, we discovered excellent small restaurants, where mostly Milanese eat… but more about that later.

Teatro alla Scala

Paris revisited

A Parisian Walk: Le Marais - 25 March 2008

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:31:46 GMT

Place des Vosges - Ph. by Doug Morrill

I grew up and was educated in Paris. I always took it for granted. Fortunately, my parents did not, and every Sunday we had to go for a family walk. I did not appreciate it at all! I just wanted to take the metro and get to our destination, whatever it was, a museum, my aunt and uncle’s apartment, a monument. I have not so fond memories of climbing all the way to the top of the Arc de Triomphe using the stairs: it would have been so much simpler, so much less tiring, to take the elevator!

Today, I can hardly wait to walk around my native city, rain or shine, in any season; my Parisian nephew amusedly pointed out that he got to know his city because I make him walk everywhere, fortunately he is grateful for that.

I don’t have favorite walks, not exactly… but I love Le Marais best of all, in the 3^rd and 4^th districts, on the Right Bank (marais means “swamp”, as that's what it used to be). It developed in the 17^th century, under King Henri IV, just northeast of the heart of Paris (Ile de la Cité): many of its buildings are in the classical style typical of that period. I love Le Marais because it is elegant, yet informal, the streets are somewhat narrow, very busy with merchants and 20^th century traffic; it has many ethnic restaurants, cheerful cafés, a youngish, yuppish crowd, there are more museums per square kilometer than in any other part of Paris.

A walking tour could start at the Saint-Paul metro station, where Rue de Rivoli becomes Rue Saint Antoine. It would be a good idea to take Rue de Turenne, walk north, and turn right onto the Rue des Francs-Bourgeois which leads to a spectacular square, Place des Vosges. Occupying most of the Place, there is a lovely park (Square Louis XIII, 17th century king of France), and all around it the typical classical brick buildings of that period; also typical of the 17^th century are the sidewalks, protected from the elements under arches; there are many superb street performers who are hired by the city of Paris: they sing opera, or play jazz, or turn magic tricks… it’s all dazzling. Victor Hugo's house, a charming museum about the Romantic poet, playwright and novelist, is in the southeast corner building: I was surprised to discover that he was also a fine artist, and many of his drawings are on display.

From there, I like to wander randomly, taking any street off of the Place. Such a walk affords all kinds of delightful surprises. There is the Museum of the City of Paris, the Museum of Hunting and Nature (where there was recently an exhibit on dogs through history; a dog's armor was on display!, the Picasso Museum, the Jewish Museum, the Musée Cognaq-Jay (18^th century furniture and decoration), the Doll Museum, and so on.

As to eateries, the best known is L’As du Falafel; it is extremely crowded, noisy, informal, fun, friendly, and especially delicious: Jewish food, with a North African twist, is served there. Don’t let the crowds discourage you, just arrive before you are hungry, the wait will not seem so endless: it is worth every minute! Another gem is L’Arganier: the fixed price bufffet, for Sunday brunch, is especially scrumptious and abundant.

As to the shops, they are on the trendy side, especially on the Place des Vosges, but try Rue Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie, Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, Rue des Blancs Manteaux… You might end up at the Place de la Bastille… From there (you are now in the 12^th district), follow the Avenue Daumesnil, the wide street on the right side of Opera-Bastille, and enjoy a walk along another park known as the Viaduc des Arts, up above the street.

For more information, great addresses and terrific ideas, go to:

Le Marais in Paris

A very special meal in Paris - 22 june 2007

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 20:01:15 GMT

Helene Darroze's dining room

For several years, our culinary visits to Paris were limited to our own discoveries, usually accidental. By “accidental” I mean that when we saw a menu posted at a restaurant, and it looked tempting, imaginative, and when it relied on seasonal ingredients, we tried it. That is how we found “Le Petit Mâchon” on Rue Saint-Honoré (the cuisine of Lyon), “La Castafiore” on Rue St Louis-en-l’Ile (Italian cuisine), “Chez Michel” on Rue de Belzunce (the cuisine of Britanny), and “Laurier” at the Galeries Lafayette (Mediterranean cuisine)… We had given up on the starred restaurants as they were too expensive and too traditional: they were excellent indeed, but not "just right" -- mostly, they did not challenge our taste buds enough.

This year, with a huge anniversary on the horizon, we decided to try a starred restaurant again. We selected the Jules Verne on the Eiffel Tower, because Alain Ducasse had just taken it over; but a month before our selected date, there were no tables available. As we were expressing our disappointment to a Parisian friend, she suggested Hélène Darroze’s restaurant on the Rue d’Assas, on the Left Bank: our friend had never eaten there herself, but had heard much praise about its young chef. We were lucky, there was a table available!

The menu relies on French southwestern traditions and ingredients and brings them to a height we had never known before. We selected the “prix fixe” menu which changes every day, depending on what is available at markets. While we waited for our first course (aka “entrée” or entrance in French), we were served a little bit of ham, very lightly smoked, not unlike the famed “jambon de Bayonne”, as well as a pistachio sorbet presented on a caramel crust over a salted flan-like cream: both perfect. My entrée consisted of two different foies gras, one duck and one goose, served with an exotic fruit chutney: perfect with grilled bread; my husband enjoyed the most tender, most succulent white asparagus. For the main course, we both chose the salmon – it comes from the Adour River in southwestern France: a miracle! First of all, the flesh is a pale pink, almost white: the skin is grilled separately so it is very crisp with hardly any fat at all and the sesame seed crust is perfect with it, fresh steamed baby vegetables lent bright color to the presentation. Being in France, we could not resist a sampling of cheeses we had never tried before, but I forgot their names! My desert was an extraordinary chocolate moelleux that melted as it reached my tongue. At Hélène Darroze’s restaurant, guests don’t just order “coffee” or “expresso” at the end of the meal: there is a coffee menu! I still asked for expresso, and after I described to the maître d’hôtel how I like coffee, he suggested the “expresso Caracoli”, fragrant, thick, lingering… I also enjoyed a Saint Aubin glass of wine the sommelier recommended when I said I prefer red wine and had ordered the salmon: it was light and pleasant, just right. The entire staff was superbly trained: informal, helpful, informative, obviously proud of their restaurant.

We will never forget… On second thought, we will be returning, we won’t even need an anniversary to celebrate. Saving a few euros for an entire year or two might help as well.

Hélène Darroze, 4 Rue d’Assas, 75006 Paris (33) 01 42 22 00 11

Paris to a tourist and a native - March 30, 2007

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 07:32:45 GMT

Paris: Ile Saint-Louis

I am a native of Paris: I return frequently, at least twice a year, as my family lives there. Everytime I go back, I feel both like a tourist and a native. Books have been written about the beauty of the City of Lights, there are poems and songs about it... Every time I walk across the Pont-Neuf, the skyline and the light take my breath away, that is Paris.

When a movie takes place in Paris, the first image is usually that of the Eiffel Tower: as a monument, it is striking, both for its architecture and its history. But to me that is definitely not Paris. Today, I want to explore and describe what Paris is all about to the tourist and the native that I am.

When I arrive in Paris, I unfailingly have two tasks to complete after dropping off my luggage at my brother's apartment near the Buttes-Chaumont Gardens: I go to a bistro for a baguette sandwich with ham and Cantal cheese, and then head on to Berthillon's tearoom for the world's best ice-cream, bar none. Then I feel Parisian again!

The freshly made baguette is crusty and fragrant, Parisian ham lean and moist, and Cantal, the cheese of central France has more taste, more bite than Gruyère. As for Berthillon, located on the Ile Saint-Louis, the small island behind Notre-Dame's Ile de la Cité, it must be paradise on earth: whatever your preferred flavor, a spoonful hits your tongue with such smoothness, such richness and such fragrance (the word for ice-cream flavor in French, is "parfum", the same word used to refer to perfume!). My favorite "parfum" is hazelnut, or "noisette", I combine it with a cherry or an apricot sorbet (to be honest, I usually don't limit my serving to just two scoops!)

Ile Saint-Louis is not well-known to tourists, because it is largely residential. It is often ignored, yet it is lovely with all its art galleries, its restaurants and cafés, as well as its beautiful 17^th- and 19^th-century architecture: most residential buildings are within a block or two from the banks of the Seine. It has only two main streets: Rue Saint-Louis en l'Ile and Rue des Deux-Ponts, and it is eminently walkable. Just get off the Pont-Marie metro station, cross the Pont-Marie bridge, and there you are.

Good addresses:

Berthillon Glacier 31 Rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Ile Paris 4^ème (open Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 am to 8 pm, except during school vacations). If the lines seem unsurmountable, go around the corner to Pom'Canelle on rue du Pont Marie, excellent lunch place, but they serve Berthillon ice-cream.

Le Petit Mâchon 158, rue St Honoré Paris 1^er(open every day except Monday, for lunch and dinner - 01-42-60-08-06): very close to the Louvre and Palais-Royal, it is a bistrot serving Lyon specialties; it is very popular a lunch time, try and arrive between 12:30 and 1:00 pm to get a table.

L'Arganier 19 rue Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie Paris 4^ème(open every single day, it is best for a buffet brunch on Sundays, though a bit crowded): it's in the Marais area of the Right Bank, delicious and inexpensive.