Monday food thought....................

"The only irritating thing about eating in France , is that when you are done, you are no longer hungry" - H.E. Lewis

The South Of France - This Side of Paradise...... Found!

This March, in my whirlwind trip, 3 week trip across France, I had the good fortune to be in the South of France and to stay at La Reserve Ramatuelle near Saint-Tropez., Its in a gated community east of St Tropez ( actually the famous beaches of St Tropez are really in Ramatuelle,) it's a true retreat nestled among hundreds of pines and a view of the sea that is to die for. The plus for me here, was the fact that even though it was close to the action of celeb central Saint-Tropez ( in the summer – its season is from June to August and- it attracts hundreds of thousands of people a day) and the pretty medieval village of Ramatuelle, (up the hill) yet it felt a world apart from the tourist crowds with only 23 rooms perched over the Mediterranean. The resort was masterminded by French designer Jean-Michel Wilmotte who focused on creating airy, light-filled spaces that were still very luxurious, the perfect aesthetic for a place where the focus should be on the view. The rooms (all with a fantastic view) are large, and when I mean large; its large!, my room ( #50) could have held a USC football team and yet still had plenty of room left over. The walk in shower was huge on top of that!

The hotel also has a spa, Some European "beauty centers," while they look good are a little lightweight on treatments, but the spa at La Reserve Ramatuelle was a standout. It was obvious that my technician (Isabelle) was just as concerned with my alignment as making sure I was relaxed as I was. And I loved the spa's internal pool, the counterpoint to the huge outdoor swimming pool that also seems to hang above the sea. It was hard to leave my room, but I did manage to make a couple of stops into Ramatuelle for the market and also to Saint-Tropez to admire the über-yachts (if the economy is bad, these seafarers didn’t seem to have gotten the memo). Even in March it was a mad house. So if you are heading to the South of France you'll want to make La Reserve a part of the itinerary.
The staff is phenomenal, from Nicolas VINCENT (the GM),to Lionel, the Matre D to Isabelle, my masseuse. The food is spa cuisine, but not the insipid spa cuisine you find in the United States, after all this is France! Everything is weighted, but its so good and so French, you can hardly call it Spa Cuisine ( but it is). The joke is they hide the croissants in the morning, but if you want some, they will gladly give them to you.
The resort is not for everyone; it’s quite, restful and relaxing and its not cheap, but what is anymore that is luxurious. You’ll need a car to get to the beaches (about 8 minutes away).

Paris - A Paradise for 13 - 19's - Parents Pay Attention!

Paris – secondhand and retro clothes shops - Rue du Roi de Sicile,

This intersecting triangle of streets in the heart of the Marais – the city’s original Jewish neighborhood – reveals all you’ll need to know about what is one of the hippest quarters in Paris. On rue des Rosiers you’ll find a multitude of Jewish epiceries, bakeries, falafel outposts and, among them, the avant-garde boutique L’Eclaireur (01 48 87 10 22), where adventurous and knowledgeable fashion types go for the great collection of brands, including Yohji and Maharishi. Next take a stroll along Roi du Sicile for edgy street duds or head to rue des Franc Bourgeois to discover a mix of well-known and boutique-name brands. Recognized as the heart of the city’s gay district, men’s fashion features highly. Once night descends grab a drink at The Lizard Lounge, just off rue du Roi de Sicile. The quarter’s maze of winding, cobbled streets is in stark contrast to the ultra-mod outfits of the area’s stalwarts. It’s a great, vibrant scene and one of the only areas of Paris open on Sundays.
Vintage Bar.
They will buy your coolest items too, and have a fantastically cool collection of vintage jewelery. There is a downstairs full of items too, don't miss that.
16 rue de la Verrerie
Frip'irium.
The owner of this place is a lively fun guy who went into a long description with me about why his shop was the best on the street. They apparently clean all items before selling them, only sell the nicest vintage items and apparel, and indeed had gone to great lengths to make a clean, organized, nice shop, with oils burning so that even your nose was happy to enter.
2 rue de la Verrerie
Mamz'Elle Swing.
The women working in this place is all decked out in 30s swing attire. It puts you in the mood as soon as you walk in, as does the swing music being played. A nice collection of 30s and 40s vintage items and clothing. Very cool.
35bis rue du roi de Sicile.
The King of Frip.
This place is a bit more disorganized than the other establishments mentioned, and seems to care a bit less about being choosy in what they sell. That said, there are some pretty good finds here, for great prices, if you dig. Don't miss the downstairs too.
33 rue du roi de Sicile.

Vintage Desir.
A cool place to get selected, collected, vintage shoes, clothes and accessories.
32 Rue des Rosiers
Chapellerie Simon.

This is one of my absolute favorite hat shops in all of Paris. They are filled to the roof with hats from all decades. Whether you want that sweet little 30s hat, or a stylish one for your man, or a summer wide-brimmed straw hat...this place has it all.

11 rue Ste Croix de la Bretonnerie

Noir Kennedy:
is a blacked-out dream destination in Le Marais for vintage hunters and rockabillies alike. Aged Converse shoes, choice selections of reconditioned baseball and Levi’s jackets and collections from new brands such as Cheap Monday line the walls and racks of this store. Far from being one of those junk-filled thrift stores overflowing with stretched XXL t-shirts and Mickey Mouse sweaters, the emphasis here is on wearable, quality vintage and the selection simply smacks of cool.The prices are cheap (for a Parisian clothes shop) and the oodles of favorable gems have been tastefully hoarded from vintage outlets far and wide with stock updated and added to regularly. Expect to bump into some of the skinny minnies of Paris’ indie scene as you hop in and out of the lovely old English telephone booths that function as the changing rooms whilst you fashion your new Pete Doherty look against the moody twang of the old school soundtrack.

12 and 22 rue Roi de Sicile 4th arr

Viewing The Famous Bayeux Tapestry - A Secret Way To Avoid The Crowds

Listed as a “Memory of the World” by UNESCO, the Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidery, 70 meters long, made in the 11th century. Celebrating the conquest of England by William, Duke of Normandy, this linen canvas was probably embroidered by monks in the south of England after the Battle of Hastings on October 14th, 1066.Legendary animals, ships, Vikings, Norman and Saxon cavalries illustrate the exploits of William and his opponent Harold, another pretender to the throne of England. The tapestry is a highlight of the Normandy area along with the nearby  D Day beaches. Because it is visited by 460,000  people every year, here is a secret to having it all to yourselves ( well almost).
The museum closes at 5:00pm for entry, but is open for another 1-1/2 hours, SO, arrive at 4:45pm, buy your ticket and then after 5pm,the doors are shut and you'll have a quiet 1-1/2 hours to explore this wondrous Tapestry plus see an informative movie on the history of the Tapestry.

The town of bayeux is a treat to visit and walk around also. So allow yourself time to do that also.

A Day Trip To Strasbourg From Paris - A City Of Flowers and Sauerkraut

I have often told clients visiting Paris on a short stay, to use Paris as a base and do day trips into the French countryside. Provence is only 2 1/2 hours away, Dijon is 1 hour and 30min, and The Loire Valley is an easy hour away. On my last visit to Paris this past March, I did three day trips from Paris , One to Nancy (The Art Nouveau capital), one to Lille ( close to the Belgium Border) and one to Strasbourg (Eastern France). My favorite overall of these trip was my visit to Strasbourg. Just 2 1/2 hours away from Paris, the city of Strasbourg dominates the fertile vineyards and walled towns of the Rhine river plains and the dark, impenetrable Voges pine forests. Wonderful barge trips in the area. The city, French, yet German in feel (the population is bilingual (French and German) is shaped by the gently meandering Ill river which carves islands out the of cities most historic neighborhoods. The most atmospheric area (just an 8 minute walk from the rail station) is the area called: Petite France". Here half-timbered houses are nearly toppled by the weigh of their flower boxes and it looks as much as it did in the 16th and 17th centuries. Here Swans and bateaux-mouches paddle through the tranquil canals and past covered bridges. Strasbourg is a modern capital that has kept a small town feeling.Strasbourg

Cathedral de Notre-Dame is known as one of the most beautiful gothic cathedrals in Europe. The Cathedral stands on the exact site of a roman temple built on a little hill above the muddy ground and is today, the 6th tallest Cathedral in the world! As a world class city,

Strasbourg also boasts its share of world-class restaurants where chilled white Riesling is served in delicate green-stemmed Rhine wine glasses. The 3 Michelin stared restaurant Le Crocodile is the star here, but so are many informal bistros and winstubs located in the central area. Here the luxurious (which I came to really sample) Choucroute Strasbourgeois - is served at the historic Kammerzell Restaurant (within the shadows of the Cathedral). Unlike the traditional Choucroute served with 'tons" of Pork sausages, this one is served with three different types of fish. It was incredible! The restaurant occupies several floors and has been around since (at least the building) since the 15th century. Reservations are a must! All in all, what a great city to visit for a day! It’s an easy trip from Paris and one that hardily recommend.

D Day Beaches In Normandy - An Emotional Journey

A few weeks ago, I visited one of my favorite regions of France - Normandy. I looked forward to my stay at the lovely Norman Manor house - La Cheneviere, located deep in the lush and verdant Norman countryside. I also looked forward to eating the last of the season - red scallops that are a highlight of the Norman winter season. Although I have been to Normandy countless times, I had never really toured the famous D Day beaches and battlegrounds at any length, so I thought that this time I would make a day of it. I used the services of Normandy Sightseeing Tours and had the pleasure to be guided by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable young lady by the name of Aurelie.
My first stop was Pont du Hoc (its  behind me in the photo), Here American Army Rangers scaled its sheer 100 ft cliffs under deadly fire to knock out huge coastal guns they didn't know had been moved. Pocked by huge craters left by naval bombardment, most of the German bunkers remain to this day. The cliff-side battlefield also offers a scenic view of the French coastline that saw some of the war's fiercest fighting.

What I thought at the start of the morning was going to be an interesting trip through World War 2 history, but it turned out to be more than that. It turned out to be an emotional day that I challenge anyone to visit and not come away changed, even if you never served in the Armed forces.

My father, a paratrooper with the 101st, was a participant in the D Day landing ( but never wanted to talk about it), so my knowledge was zero as to what really transpired that early morning of June the 6th, 1944..

After Pont du Hoc, we drove another 10 minutes to Omaha Beach.

Here I found myself under a misty, but sunny sky, amid crashing waves, lush vegetation and pleasant breezes, it created an eerie scene of seaside tranquility at the spot that one D-Day veteran recalled as mostly "darkness and confusion."Standing on this broad 4 mile stretch of silent beach, it was hard to imagine the carnage that occurred some 65 plus years ago. It was a surreal feeling to stand here and know how many American's and Germans were killed in those first early morning hours, over 3,000 on the Allies side alone. It was very humbling and in a way, very upsetting. Next we stopped at the impressive American cemetery at Colleville Saint Laurent and walked in awe among the Christian crosses and Jewish Stars of David markers. Seeing so many young men's graves, most dated during the summer of 1944, was moving for anyone who has been here.. The cemetery overlooks part of Omaha Beach, and is high upon the cliff with a beautiful view of the English Channel. The cemetery is maintained by the U.S. Government. Your tax dollars are certainly at work here, because the grounds were immaculate. A monument on the grounds of the cemetery contains a statue honoring the dead and diagrams and maps of the invasion. There is also a beautiful garden and the Tablets of the missing--a list of all of the soldiers missing in action similar to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC. Our guide walked with me to point out the two graves of the Niland Borthers , a family whose story is memorialized in the movie "The Saving of Private Ryan". President Theodore Roosevelt's son is also buried at Colleville Saint Laurent, although he did not die during the Normany Invasion, but a few weeks later.
More to follow -please check back in a few days......

The French Brasserie - A Love Affair

                   
Gallopin - founded in 1876 - located just behind the Paris Stock Exchange
Just one of my favorties - sit either in the main room or the brokers Lounge.

The French Brasserie:Where the pleasure of the eye is reunited with the pleasures of the table

.A gigantic platter of fruits de mer just outside the entrance door, Art Nouveau décor everywhere, the grand entrance of a diva and as Lyricist Ira Gershwin once wrote “Who Could Ask For Anything More”

Eating out in Paris can be the experience of a lifetime or the ultimate let down. Without an insider's tip for the best bistro or the latest hot restaurant, you could end up leaving the City of Light with a bad taste in your mouth. Fortunately there is the brasserie - one of the great culinary and social institutions of the French capital that has remained unchanged for well over 100 years. A meal in one of these cultural monuments - for they are more than mere restaurants - is always a memorable experience, because not only do you eat well at a reasonable price, but you'll experience at first hand an authentic slice of Parisian life.

These sumptuous dining rooms began life as simple beer taverns - 'brasserie' actually means 'brewery' in French - at the end of the nineteenth century when residents of Alsace fled to Paris as refugees after their region had been annexed by Germany. The good news is that the brasseries are here to stay as most have been classified monuments historiques by the French Government.
The great brasseries boast beautifully preserved Art Nouveau decor. Each one with its own personality and specialities. The dishes on the menu haven't changed much in the past 100 years either: a mountain of crushed ice covered with freshly shucked oysters and shellfish, a steaming tureen of choucroute , sauerkraut garnished with a dozen different sausages, an irresistible tarte tatin , and a chunk of the wonderfully pungent cheese from the village of Munster served with a hot potato and cumin seeds.
I spent the last couple of weeks eating (NO… over eating to be truthful) in the most famous and historic Brasseries of Paris. There are 49 of them in all. I only got to about 15. As one like myself, who feels at times I was born too late and would have preferred to be in Paris during the `1920’ and 30;’s, I can say, that entering one of these historic and 'drop dead' gorgeous Brasseries is returning to that era.
The brasseries of Paris are one of the few places you can still feel, see and smell the real Paris. 

Paris - March Trip Report VIVE La France!

In the following days, I am going to report along with photos on my whirlwind trip around France to check out new and old hotel favorites, restaurant favorites, new areas to visit, new people and old I have meet along the way and interesting things going on in Paris and in France.

Right now, its 3:30pm in Beverly Hills and having just returned last night, I am being hit with jet lag and so I will sign off until Tuesday, when my report begins in earnest.
The photo above was taken at a fantastic new apartment complex (for rental, 3 day minimum) called La Reserve; located in the 16th Arrondissement, just a stones throw from the Eiffel Tower.
The apartments are lovingly looked after by the beautiful and talented young directrice by the name of Stephanie BILLAT. The apartments are very luxurious - 1 to 4 bedrooms and offer great privacy for its VIP and movie clientele , (but it is also available to ‘common folk’ like ourselves. ).
During my visit, a private chef (the apartments all have up to the date kitchens along with the services of a private chef if you wish) prepared a fabulous luncheon for myself and some fellow agents who traveled with me. What a way to start off a trip!
So check back in a day or two and take a trip around France with me.
http://www.lareserve-paris.com/ - La Reserve

An American In Paris - Returns.............And Is Not Happy About It!

It's Sunday, 4th of April and I have just returned from an extended stay in France. My stays are never long enough and it is with a touch (always) of sadness when I have to leave my 'adopted home'. BUT.......life goes on and one must work now and then and so I am home for awhile and have lots to tell and lots of photos to share with you my readers.

Lots of new and wonderful discoveries - restaurants, hotels, new friends and some surprising areas of France, that I fell in love with.

So, dear reader, check back on Monday for the first of my reports.

So..............as we use to say in the movie industry..cue the Paris music and........enjoy!

Give Me Meat, You Philistine, Meat!

I am leaving for France for 3 weeks in a few days and my thoughts turn to some of my favorite places to spend a 3 hour lunch and one is near the spa town of Evian, over looking ( from the French side of course) Lake Geneva.

High on the hill above the lake is La Verniaz et Ses Chalets. A lovely hotel and restaurant run by the 5 generation ,Verdier family.

A treat here is ordering from "Campfire" grill menu - a large wood fire spit in the center of the restaurant that offers grilled meats.

To be honest with you, I have had one to three star Michelin meals all over France, but when it comes to the 'crunch', give me a spit roasted bird or meat dish and you will find no happier person in the world!

Dining here is one of my most cherished memories and something I come back to year after year. The good part is after a 'thrilling' and full filling ,3 hour luncheon, to be able to walk just a few paces to your awaiting room and to sleep and dream of what you just ate, is heaven on earth. Genesis was wrong, we never left the Garden of Eden, it is here in Evian.

The traditional grill room in the campfire of "La Verniaz":

Bavarian beef filet roasted on a spit (minimum of 2 persons) 30 € per person

Rack of lamb roasted on a spit, flavoured with thyme, (minimum of 2 persons) 28 € per person

Bresse poultry chicken «Miéral» roasted whole on a spit (minimum of three persons)(one hour cooking) 26 € per person

J'ai Deux Amours - I Have Two Loves!

The great American/French singer, Josephine Baker, whose signature number "J’ai deux amours, mon pays et Paris" ( I have two loves- my own country and Paris) I certainly do echo.
On Wednesday, the 17th of March I will be leaving for France for about 3 weeks. I can hardly wait! I will spend a week or so in Paris, checking out new and old favorite hotels, restaurants, museums and also taking TGV day trips to Strasbourg, Dijon, Lille and Nancy. Then for a week or so, I am driving to the Loire valley, Normandy, Bordeaux, The Dordogne, Provence and the Cote d'Azur( I don't recommend this for anyone for just a week, but I have limited time and need to see a lot within a short space), doing the same as I was doing in Paris -checking out new and old favorite hotels and restaurants. In Dordogne I am planning to be part of a truffle hunt.
I hope to send back daily reports and photos, but being a tech-no-void with computers and such, that may suffer a bit.

Chocolate-Dipped in Paris - Psst!

Opening this month in Paris, Choco-Story: A Gourmet Chocolate Museum is a delectable, sensual journey through 4,000 years of cacao bean history and everything that’s been done to it and with it since. The exhibits are divided into three parts: the origins of chocolate; its evolution once it was discovered by the Aztecs and Maya and its introduction to Europe by Cortes; and an amazing collection of chocolate “paraphernalia.”
During the visit, whose duration varies between one to two hours, you'll discovered the 4,000 year history of cocoa. Chocolate culinary workshops will be offered for both children and adults. The classes ,dates and prices have not been set yet.
                    (Psst: the chocolate boutique alone is worth the visit!)
28 Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle 
Open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Up a Tree In Provence – Literally!

Located on the flank of a valley, on the edge of a protected wooded zone, with breathtaking views of the perched village of Saint-Paul de Vence and of an untamed forest - devoid of any human habitation or noise.  Orion B & B propeties offers Tree House accommodations near the French Riviera. There are only 4 tree house cabins to choose from, so book early.
http://www.orionbb.com/

Burgundy Cyclorails - A New Way To Sightsee and Relax

Burgundy has an extensive network of waterways and cycle paths, but for someone like me; a French "couch" potato, here is a new way to tour the area without biking or hiking or walking,

its called Cyclorails.

Discover a new way to see Burgundy - try Cyclorail - a company that has railbikes that use former rail way sights. Trips last for  1 hour to all day. You use disused railway tracks and pedal on a 4 - mini train wheels. There are secveral routes in the Burgundy area.

The cost is quite attractive and its something the entire family can do,especially if you can get your children to pedal and you sit back.

Dining Outside in Paris - A New Choice

(outside garden dining)

In the sixteenth arrondissement of Paris, behind the discreet facade of the Marriott Renaissance Hotel ( don't let that bother you) hides another restaurant by Alain Ducasse -The Le Relais du Parc .
Once past the porch, unflods a magnificent garden courtyard with anglo-nomand charm. A little bit of  countryside in the heart of Paris. Great for lunch or dinner, if weather permits, if not,
the interior dining room offers a lovely alternative.
Menus of the day starting from:

Lunch menu - 33€ (entrée, main dish and desert) - Dinner menu – 43€ (entrée, main dish and desert)

                                                                      (Inside Dining)

The Best Gypsy Jazz Bar In Paris

With its upbeat swing of guitars, violin and the occasional clarinet or saxophone, jazz manouche is the music of Paris's Gypsy periphery that made it to the big time. This year marks the centenary of the birth of legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt and Paris has been paying homage to the inventor of Gypsy jazz.
~ Bouquet du Nord
Inhabiting the corner of a busy intersection near Gare du Nord, every Friday this brasserie plays home to some of the best and most authentic practitioners of jazz manouche. Violinist Stéphane Grappelli lived opposite and used to come in for a drink; the older men who play here, some of them tziganes (Gypsies), knew and played with him. Well-lit with friendly staff busily working the large counter, the musicians work their magic next to the cake cabinet. There is a large terrace where you can sit watching the traffic in true Parisian style. Come early to listen while you dine, or later to get these ageing jazz maestros all to yourself.
• 85, rue de Maubeuge, 70010; +33 (0) 1 48 78 29 97. Concerts every Friday from 7pm – midnight. Jam possible for experienced players. Metro: Gare du Nord.
If you have not heard this kind of music before, here are two of the most famous - Django Reinhard and Stephanie Grappelli ( recorded before World War 2)

Le Jazz Hot! - Paris Jazz Clubs

With the outbreak of World War II, the rise of the "Zazous", the gilded youth of Paris kept jazz music alive. Their name is derived from a corruption of Cab Calloway's famous scat singing style. The female Zazous with peroxide blonde hair and bright red lipstick, and their male counterparts with slick hair and zoot suits were often harassed by the Nazis for their music. This forced jazz clubs to go underground, hence why most of the jazz clubs in Paris are in cellars today.
Some clubs serve dinners; all serve drinks and cocktails. The concierge will have a weekly listing of the different jazz clubs and shows.
Here are some favorites with the locals:

Duc des Lombards 42 rue des Lombards 75003 Paris This is a Le Marais favorite with an intimate circular stage; two performances nightly. Highly recommended.


Caveau des Oubliettes 52 rue Galande 75005 Paris A former 12th century prison, this jazz club is situated deep in cellars in the heart of the Latin Quarter. There is a cover charge for Friday and Saturday nights, but the rest of the week, one can catch blues, Latin jam and jazz fusion sessions.


Caveau de la Huchette 5 rue de la Hucette 75005 Paris This divey place was a former 16th century building housing a Freemasons Lodge during the French Revolution and entertained many GI Americans still living in Paris after the war. Excellent international and local acts.


Le 9 Jazz Club 9 rue Moret 75011 Paris This new club in the 11th arrondissement has been claimed by the locals. Singers and spirited jazz piano sessions and €35 three-course dinner with wine option makes this a great place to spend the evening.

Musing On France- Wednesday Evening

“The French are a logical people, which is one reason the English dislike them so intensely. The other is that they own France, a country which we have always judged to be much too good for them.”

~ Robert Morley

THE REAL PARAPLUIES (UMBRELLAS) DE CHERBOURG

In 1963, when director Jacques Demy was making his enchanting musical film Les Parapluies de Cherbourg with Catherine Deneuve, one of the fascinated onlookers was 12-year-old Jean-Pierre Yvon, son of an old Cherbourg family whose tanneries dated back to 1800. After studies in Paris and a 10-year career as a photojournalist, Yvon returned to his hometown and opened a gift and accessories shop. In 1986, with the film and its colorful umbrellas in mind — and the wet and windy weather of the English Channel coast as an added incentive — he decided to make a real parapluie de Cherbourg. He designed three models, had them made and the rest is local history. Now manufactured in Yvon's own Cherbourg factory, Le Véritable Cherbourg has been called the Rolls Royce of umbrellas. Made with fine fabrics, engraved brass, gilt or steel fittings and handles of polished maple, chestnut and other fine woods, it can withstand winds up to 75 mph head on and 34 mph from the underside. Latest update: microcuir, a tough new microfiber fabric with a simulated leather surface. Priced at around €125, each Véritable Cherbourg is embroidered with the company's crest — a shield surrounded by a laurel wreath and a pair of crossed umbrellas.
The Department store on the Left Bank – Au Bon Marche sells these wonderful umbrellas.

Your Table Is Waiting - Alain Ducasse

I am happy to report that I know have a special relationship with the Alain Ducasse group worldwide. If you should ever need a table, a good table for sure! , at anyone of the 20 or so Ducasse restaurants worldwide, I would be glad to assit you. I do charge a small fee for that service.
AND............................
If you are in Paris on the 13th of April, When professional chefs peruse produce for their kitchens, what attracts their eyes? The answer — and insider access — will be waiting at the 2nd annual Alain Ducasse Market at Hotel Plaza Athénée in the heart of Paris . The renowned Executive Chef, who opened Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée in September 2000, has arranged for his 15 favorite food suppliers throughout France to display pick-of-the-season produce and other provisions in the garden courtyard of the Dorchester Collection address on Avenue Montaigne.
A feast for the eyes as well as the palate, the Alain Ducasse Market is open to the public and will unfold as a dream destination for foodies and gourmets. Market-goers will have access to local purveyors as they pay homage to the brilliance of French produce and the freshest products including butter, cheeses, mushrooms, wild strawberries, fish, poultry and a range of fresh-grown vegetables. The market will be displayed in the hotel's courtyard amid a glorious setting created just for the event by Pascale Benhamou, who redesigned La Galerie des Gobelins at Plaza Athénée.
While nothing will be sold at the Alain Ducasse Market, there will be plenty of opportunity to rejoice in the celebration of sustainable food, with tastings and tips on cooking and preservation to bring out the best in the kitchen. Attendees will also receive the purveyors&rsquo addresses where they can directly purchase the freshest products in France.
The 2nd annual Alain Ducasse Market at Hotel Plaza Athénée will take place on Tuesday, April 13, 2010, from 10:00am to 5:00pm. The event is complimentary and open to the public.

From El Greco to Dalí. The Great Spanish Masters - March 12 – August 1, 2010

One of Paris’ finest, yet least-known, museums – the Musée Jacquemart-André – presents a stunning exhibition of Spanish art collected by Juan Antonio Pérez Simón and showcases more than 50 masterpieces by 25 artists. Spanning nearly 500 years, the exhibit features works by El Greco, Murillo, Goya, Picasso, Miro, and Dali, this dazzling collection (appearing in Paris for the first time) represents the evolution of Spanish art through the centuries.

The often-overlooked Parisian museum gem sits just off the Champs Elyseés and houses one of the finest permanent collections of European art in the city. It was once the private home of banker Édouard André and society painter Nélie Jacquemart who left their home and its fine art collections to the Institut de France. In 1913, the home was opened to the public as a museum.

A bit of Trivia - the home/museum was used in the opening sequences for the movie "Gigi"

A Day Trip To Strasbourg - It's Like Eating In A Franco-German Folk Tale

Lunch ( or dinner) at the Maison Kammerzell is very much like eating in a Folk Tale. Located in Strasbourg; it is just an easy 2 hour and 15 min trip on the TGV from Paris. Home to the European Parliament, chocolate-box Strasbourg, France, perfectly mixes French and German culture in the Alsace region. The old town – La Petite France - on the canal-crossed island of Grande Ile, is crowded with timber-framed houses covered in decorative brickwork. Here Try smoked pork sauerkraut, and relax over local Heineken and Kronenbourg beers, or a glass of regional aromatic Gerwürztraminer wine.
Located in a 15th-century wooden faced  historic building, the restuarant Maison Kammerzell is the most arrestingly ornate of many on the cathedral square. Here, in a warren of rooms on four floors, variously vaulted and frescoed, enfolds you in a conspiracy of conviviality. You're beaming even before the baeckeoffe ( a three-meat stew) or choucroute (sauerkraut) with fish arrives. Then you're beaming some more. Beyond the Renaissance windows, the pink sandstone cathedral soars with filigree finesse.
After lunch and stoll through the old section, its a quick trip on the TGV back to Paris.

The restaurant in the 1890's!

The World’s Most Sinful Hotel Suite? In Paris, of Course!

It must be One by the Five, in Paris’s Latin Quarter. No detail is overlooked: champagne and berries to prepare your own love potion; a perfume-stocked dressing parlour; a dedicated salon for dancing; even a naughty bedside camera, so you can play back your horizontal salsa next morning. The main event, though, is the ethereal “floating” bed, which hovers cloud-like beneath a deep blue ceiling twinkling with stars.

Suite starts at  per night, Euro 760 ( based on 3 night stay)

SECRET PARIS: Museum of Letters & Manuscripts

My wonderful agent in Paris has just advised me of this new musuem:
The first museum of its kind in Europe, this treasure-trove of rare letters and historic manuscripts is cloistered away in a lovely 1608 residence in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés quarter. There are more than 250 originals to be ogled, including: letters by Napoleon and Voltaire; calculations by Einstein on the Theory of Relativity; a Mozart score; and General Eisenhower's cease-fire command on May 7, 1945. 222 Boulevard Saint-Germain

Hours: Wednesday, 1pm-9pm; Thursday – Sunday, 10am-6pm.

Zorro Comes to Paris!

ZORRO – LE MUSICAL!
The Folies Bergère hosts the fabulous theatrical extravaganza, ZORRO, complete with Flameco dancing, fencing matches and sword fights, incredible sets, music by the Gipsy Kings, and direction by Christopher Renshaw.WHEN: through April 30, 2010

Prices from E24 – E125 For tickets: http://www.zorro-lemusical.fr./
Note: The best seats always for the Folies ,are the ones that come with dinner, but of course, are more expensive.

A Romantic Apartment in Paris - The Truth

Paris Apartment rentals – The Truth
Renting an apartment in Paris or a Villa in France can be another exciting way to experience the French way of life and sometimes can be a more economical way to budget for a longer stay.
But I must caution you ‘wild-eyed, Romantics” out there -
A serious word of caution. The rental of apartments in Paris can be a delicate affair. In no other area of French property rentals is there so much potential for disappointment and misunderstanding.
The problem, I believe, lies in the gap between American travelers' romantic fantasies of a typical Paris apartment, and the unfortunate reality. When people think of Paris, they imagine a city which more than any other in the world epitomizes style, elegance and unfailing good taste in all things related to the decorative arts. This perception is actively fostered by Parisians and borne out in innumerable ways, from the way Parisian women dress to how galleries and antiquaires arrange their merchandise in store display windows. But alas, when it comes to apartments offered for rental, nothing could be further from the truth.
Having been in the business for over 40 years and I and my agent have inspected scores of apartments in Paris over the years, we have found many to be drab, dreary and not up to normal standards of cleanliness. Even if they are located in fine neighborhoods or are offered at exceptionally low rates, I do not offer such properties for rental. There are many rentals companies, but I only use two agents in France who specializes in rentals and whom I trust and have a good track record with. My apartment rentals are not cheap and I will not sell lower priced, sub standard apartments. My reputation and Protravel’s reputation depends on it. That said, my mission is to turn your fondest dream about renting a home/apartment in France into a living reality.

HOLY RUSSIA EXHIBITION IN PARIS AT THE LOUVRE

From March 05 to May 24. 2010
Russian Art from the Beginnings to Peter the Great. As part of France's "Year of Russia" celebrations, the Louvre is hosting a major exhibition devoted to the history of Christian Russia, from the 9th to the 18th century.

The exhibition begins with the appearance of "Russians" in the historical record and the rivalries and power struggles between Latins, Vikings and Byzantines. There followed the early conversions in the Kievan Rus', culminating in the famed "baptism" of Vladimir the Great in 988. Rus' then became definitively Christian, borrowing its ecclesiastical model from Constantinople. Christian art flourished in Kiev, Chernigov, Novgorod, Pskov, Vladimir, Suzdal and elsewhere, wavering stylistically between Byzantium and the temptation of the Latin West. After a hiatus during the 13th century with the invasion and subsequent domination of the region by the Mongols, Christian art returned in all its splendor in the major Russian centers, notable figures being the painters Theophanes, Rublev and Dionysius. This renaissance was accompanied by an unprecedented proliferation of monasteries and the gradual ascendancy of Moscow. In 16th-century Moscow —the self-proclaimed "Third Rome" and "New Jerusalem"— the reigns of Grand Princes Basil III and Ivan IV the Terrible ushered in a new artistic golden age which reached its high point with the crowning of Ivan as Tsar (1547) and the establishment of the Moscow Patriarchate (1589). After the "Time of Troubles" interregnum came a 17th century of conflict and revival—the rise of the Romanovs, the religious reforms of Patriarch Nikon —then the sweeping political and aesthetic changes imposed by Peter the Great.

The Saucier's Apprentice - Heaven In A Bowl - A French Favorite

It's been a long week at work, good, but long and tonight I am going to treat myself (a Lewis Brother’s tradition,mind you) to a pot of homemade Berrnaise sauce and eat it straight with lots of crusty French bread and of course, a 6 to 1 Gin martini!
I don’t want to hear any oh’s! Out there, it’s my stomach and it has been treated to this tradition for over 60 years.
Béarnaise sauce is a hot emulsified butter sauce made of Clarified butter, egg yolks, and a tarragon, shallot, chervil, peppercorn and wine vinegar reduction.
"A Béarnaise sauce is simply an egg yolk, a shallot, a little tarragon vinegar. but It takes years of practice for the result to be perfect," wrote the restaurateur Fernand Point (1897-1955) in Ma Gastronomie. Béarnaise is a traditional sauce for steak or straight out of the bowl!
The sauce was likely first created by the chef Collinet, the inventor of puffed potatoes (pommes de terre soufflées) and served at the 1836 opening of "Le Pavillon Henri IV", a restaurant at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, not far from Paris. Evidence for this is reinforced by the fact that the restaurant was named for King Henry IV, a gourmet himself, who was born in the former province of Béarn.The sauce has appeared on US restaurant menus since 1882,

Charming Islands Off The French Coast

The newest issue of Conde Nast Travler magazine highlights the many charming islands off of the coast of France.

I have visted two of them ( Ile de Re and Belle-Ile)  and found them charming, BUT, you need to spend at least 3 to 4 days to really enjoy them ( it should be a vacation just in its sefl) and I find that most visitors to France (unless they have been to France many times) do not have the time to spend within their vacarion period for that kind of stay.

Dreamin' Of French Chickens!

Visiting the Ferry Building food hall in San Francisco this weekend, I am reminded again, how much I love the French open air weekly markets. A tradition since the Middle Ages, the many open-air food markets in France are bursting with fresh produce, cheeses, meats and other delicious looking edibles and seasonal foods. Displaying a tempting array of all kinds of food—from a fresh soft goat cheese, to ripe strawberries and freshly picked green beans—browsing the outdoor markets of France is one of my very favorite morning activities.

Especially, my chef brother and I, love, no make that, are mad about the roasted chickens with their dripping’s falling on roasted potatoes. We can stand mesmerized for hours just looking and sniffing that most heavenly scent.

If you have never attended a French open air market, you have not discovered the soul and essence of France and the French people!