I Prefer Paris

Door of the Month: 46 rue de Vaugirard

2008-08-20T06:01:00+02:00

This door is a paradox: old & bold on the exterior and steel & modern on the interior. I love the steel gray lacquer color on the front door and the intricate iron work on the gate with the magnifying glass. The mixed use building is across the street from the Luxembourg Gardens.

46 rue Vaugirard
Metro: St. Sulpice or Odeon

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour
includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

My Third Anniversary in Paris at Au Limonaire

2008-08-19T06:02:00+02:00

Friday was mine and Vincent’s third anniversary of moving to Paris, but for some reason I was not in a celebratory mood and in the August pre-vacances doldrums. A new friend, Soloman Lam, who I met through my blog, made plans to go to a restaurant that had live entertainment in the 9th arr. near the Grands Boulevards. Soloman, a law student from Toronto, was living here for three months and working as an intern at the Carnavalet Museum. It was his second to last night in Paris and he wanted to do something festive so we thought this was a good place to celebrate my staying and his going.

Au Limonaire, billed as a bistro of wine and songs, is located in the Cite Bergere, a hidden passage in the 9th arr. off rue Faubourg Montmartre. We arrived at 8:30PM so we could have a leisurely dinner before the entertainment started at 10PM. The bistro was typically Parisian with a dark red façade and beat-up tables and chairs outside with lively people having drinks. We sat inside and had a suitable two -course dinner for 25 euros a person including an excellent red wine. The show started at 10:30PM and the first act was a trio, two female singers/musicians and a male musician. Their catchy name was Juja Lula and their smooth, modern, but definitely French style matched their name. Next up was the gorgeous Romain, a crooner who strummed the guitar, killing me very softly with his sexy, smoldering looks. He had the rare soft but also strong sound of the old-fashioned French pop singers even though his music was totally contemporary. His melodic and haunting voice swept me away. We all swooned over him and when he recited a poem he had written, we almost melted on the spot.

Romantic Romain

Yannick Delaunay, more of a folk/pop singer, closed the show and did a few sing along with the audience songs. Although he had a pleasant voice, he was no match for our sweetheart Romaine.

We left at about 12:30PM and we showed Vincent the Follies Begere theater. We stared at the art deco palace in all its old glory and imagined a bygone era of showy but tasteful showgirls, classy singers, and of course Josephine Baker swinging her then scandalous bananas.

The evening lifted my spirits and I thank Soloman for getting me out of my doldrums.

Au Limonaire
18 cite Bergere, 9th arr.
Metro: Grands Boulevards or Cadet
Tel 01.45.23.33.33
Open 8PM
www.limonaire.free.fr

I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

Meredith Mullins: Cote d'Azur

2008-08-18T06:01:00+02:00

How to beat those days of Paris heat? Think cool. Turn on your fans and imagine umbrellas fluttering near a sparkling sea, dancing laundry that smells like the sun, fish so fresh they're sold mid-sentence, and those intricately carved red-tiled southern roofs that are synonymous with a gentler way of life. If the warm asphalt, aquagym, and boule dust of Paris Plage doesn't quite do it, head south ... like thousands of Parisians do. (Or wait until October when the Côte d'Azur is really beautiful and quiet.) Bon voyage—real or imaginary.

Meredith Mullins is an internationally exhibited American photographer, currently living in Paris. Visit www.meredithmullins.artspan.com to see more of the Paris images. Her award-winning book, In A Paris Moment (click here to order), and her 2009 Paris Calendar can be ordered online or in bookstores throughout the U.S. Original photographs are available directly through the artist.

I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

Vanves Flea Market

2008-08-14T06:01:00+02:00

Vanves flea market is the alternative flea market to Puce de St. Ouen/Clingancourt. I went last Sunday and what I like about Vanves is the small scale and easy accessibility compared to Pte. St Ouen. Although the Puce de St. Ouen/Clingancourt is still one of the best in the world, it can be daunting and overwhelming if you don’t know your way around. I have had many tour clients who went on their own, who came back daze and confused, wishing they had hired me to show them where to go.

Vanves is pretty straightforward and easy to navigate. It’s two long blocks with open stands with everything from buttons & bows to Elvis concert posters. I collect decorative balls and was pleased when I found pretty metal & mother of pearl ball for only 7 euros (It was marked 8 but I fairly bargained down to 7). One stand that I got a kick out of, had rows of eerie headless, naked doll torsos symmetrically lined up all around it, looking more like an art installation than a flea market stand. The stands were eclectic in their selection and there didn’t seem to be any particular sections with one type of merchandise. There was mostly bric-a-brac, jewelry and small items, with only a few furniture stalls. Things seemed fairly priced and the vendors were open to bargaining. In terms of practicality of price and size of things/cash & carry, I think Vanves may be is a wiser choice, than Clingancourt.

Another plus about Vanves is the excellent, fresh food market nearby on the Blvd. de Brune with a good selection of fresh produce, rotisserie chickens, mouth watering fish, appetizing prepared foods, and ripe, smelly cheeses.

Valley of the Dolls

Vanves market will now be one of my Eye Prefer Paris Tours, so if you want to hunt down some good flea market bargains and eat your way through the food market on a Sunday with me, I would be very happy to lead the way.

Vanves Flea Market
Ave. Georges-Lafenestre & Ave. Marc-Sangier
Saturday & Sunday 7AM-2PM

Brune Market
Ave. Georges Lafenestre and rue Général Séré de Rivières Thursday, 7AM to 2.30PM & Sunday, 7AM to 3PM

Metro : Porte de Vanves, line13

Note: Thanks to the two readers who informed me that the left eye on the statue of Luis Vaz de Cameons is not winking. He lost his left eye in a battle.

My seven euro bargain

I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

Poets & Cherubs in the 16th arr.

2008-08-13T06:01:00+02:00

I was strolling through the 16th arr. last Saturday to familiarize myself with an area I don’t know that well. At the base of a stone stairway leading up to the Ave. des Camoens, near the Trocadero, I discovered a striking and amusing statue of Luis Vaz de Camoens, a Portugese poet (1524-1580). His best know work is “The Lusiads”, a modern epic. I did some research but couldn’t find out Camoen’s association with Paris, since he never lived here. What is amusing is his left eye is winking.

Across the street from the statue I noticed on top of an elegant building a group of white stone cherubs on the top floor. It’s as though the angels were up are up there to protect Paris.

Luis Vaz de Camoens Statue
Ave. des Camoens, 16th arr.
Metro: Trocadero

I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

Gyms, Yoga, and Pilates in Paris

2008-08-12T06:01:00+02:00

Parisians are not as workout crazy as Americans. I remember in New York, there were more gyms than supermarkets. Although certainly not the case here, Parisians are now catching on to the fitness craze in a limited way.

If you want to burn off the calories from downing all those rich pastries, croissants, cheeses and foie gras, here is a list of gyms that offer temporary memberships, and day & weekly memberships.

Club Med
Club Med is the largest chain of fitness clubs in Paris and has over 20 locations. The clubs are ultra clean and modern with the latest state of the art equipment. They offer classes and some of the locations have swimming pools.

One-day membership 25 euros
One-month membership 100 euros
http://www.clubmedgym.fr

Vit Halles
This is the other big gym chain with 15 locations. It’s not as nice as Club Med, but still a decent place to get a good workout. Some of the locations are a little cramped.

One day membership 25 euros
One-week membership 100 euros
http://www.vithalles.fr/

L’usine
This fancy schmancy gym is the equivalent of Equinox in the U.S. and you can workout along side fashion celebs Marc Jacobs, John Galliano, and Rick Owens. Surprisingly, there is no swimming pool but there is a luxurious sauna & steam room. Personal trainers are available.

8 rue de la Michodiere, 2nd arr.
Metro:Opera
Tel. 01.42.66.30.30
One-day membership 45 euros
http://usineopera.com/

Yoga & Pilates
Luckily there are Yoga and Pilates classes in English. So if you want to straighten your spine and salute the sun, here’s a list of studios.

Ashtanga Yoga Paris
5 rue Morand, 11th arr.
Metro: Parmentier, rue St. Maur
Tel. 01.45.80.19.96
Single class 20 euros
One-week unlimited pass 40 euros
http://www.ashtangayogaparis.fr

Yoga Bikram- two locations
17 rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 9th arr., door code A4246
Metro: Grands Boulevards, Cadet
Tel. 01.42.47.18.52

13 rue Simon Le Franc, 4th arr.
Tel. 01.42.47.18.52
Metro: Rambuteau, Hotel de Ville

Single class 25 euros
10 day unlimited (one time only) 30 euros
http://www.bikramyogaparis.com

Rasa Yoga
21 rue St. Jacques, 5th arr.
Metro: Cluny-La Sorbonne
Tel. 01.43.54.14.59

Single class 20 euros
10 class pass (one time only) 160 euros
http://www.rasa-yogarivegauche.com

Element- for Pilates & Gyrotonics
16 bis de la Grande Chaumiere, 6th arr.
Metro: Vavin
Tel 01.53.10.86.00
http://www.elementparis.com/

Le Studio Pilates de Paris
39 rue de Temple, 4th arr.
Metro: Hotel de Ville
Tel. 01.42.72.91.74
Single class 29 euros
http://www.studiopilatesdeparis.com

I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

Printemps Suite Stories

2008-08-11T06:01:00+02:00

I went on a personal tour of Printemps last week with the publicity director of the store, Eva Glele. I was intrigued by an email I received about a new promotion the store is having and contacted Eve to see what it was about.

I went to meet her last Monday morning at 11AM, and was all excited about someone giving me a tour for a change. Due to a mistaken calendar entry, I showed up on the wrong day but Eva was gracious enough to take time out her busy schedule to do the tour that day. Her affable manner made it to easy to listen to the extensive explanation she gave about how the store is on a quest to cultivate its customer service and to make Printemps not just a shopping experience but have it be a Paris destination must alongside other top sites.

The store has been transformed into the “Printemps Palace”, a new concept that turns the store into a five-star hotel. Collaborating with eleven of the top luxury hotels in Paris including the Ritz, Crillon, George V, Plaza Athenee, and Le Meurice, the windows each have fantasy photos taken in one of the hotel suites with a fashion silhouette to match the style of the hotel. I marveled at the flowing, gorgeous gowns & dresses by St. Laurent, Gucci, Cavalli, Dior, and Dolce & Gabanna, along with the diamond studded Cartier jewelry. I especially loved the dark, wood paneled suite at L’Hotel with sleek, black stiletto boots and black onyx balls strewn on the handsome bed and the pale, pink, frilly blouse in front of the luscious George V bar bathed in blue light.

The lobby and the common areas of the store have all the luxury hotel trademarks like dazzling crystal chandeliers, thick, plush carpets with the hotel crests on them, and Louis XVI furniture.

For that very special customer or what I call the high rollers, Eva told me that they could be picked up from their hotel and whisked to the store in a chauffeur driven Maybach limousine. A Maybach is now the ultimate luxury car for the rich & famous, making a Rolls Royce or a Bentley old hat. I half jokingly/seriously asked if I could get a ride in one, but Eva smiled ever so neutrally, and didn’t say yes or no.

The other thing that I liked was the hotel product boutique on the main floor that stocks the things you usually like to steal when your stay in one of the hotels but don’t because you know they will charge you credit card. White terrycloth robes, aromatic candles & soaps, and beautifully packaged food delicacies with big price tags beckoned to me.

If you are in Paris this summer and can’t afford to stay in five- star grandeur, do the next best thing and stop by Printemps for the royal treatment. By the way, if call for the Maybach to pick you up, can you have the chauffeur stop my house and I will join you for the ride?

Suite Stories-till August 23
Printemps
64 Blvd. Haussmann, 9th arr.
Metro: Havre-Caumartin
www.printemps.com

Take me for a ride

I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

New York State of Mind

2008-08-07T06:01:00+02:00

Reminders of New York, my former home, have been ever present.

My client Lisa Gissendanner, who did an Eye Prefer Tour last month, sent me this beautiful photo she took of the Statue of Liberty when she was on a Seine cruise. On July 4th, 1889, the ex-pat community of Paris offered a 35-foot high bronze replica of the Statue of Liberty as a gift to France. It’s located next to the Pont Grenelle about a mile south of the Eiffel Tower.

Ave. de New York is an elegant, quiet street that runs along the Seine in the 16th arr. The Modern Museum of Paris, Palais de Tokio and the Mona Bismarck Foundation, the gorgeous private mansion that once belonged to the American socialite, are some of the points of interest.

The only things missing are bagels, delis, and yellow taxis.

Statue of Liberty
Pont de Grenelle

Ave. de New York, 16th arr.
Metro: Alma Marceau

I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

Little Books with Big Paris Ideas

2008-08-06T06:01:00+02:00

I received a big box a few weeks ago with some of the cutest, small books about Paris. Linda Hollick from the publicity department at The Little Bookroom, who publishes- what else? - little travel books, was so generous in sending most of the books in the series.

The books are on all different topics but needless to say I was immediately drawn to the food ones. I coiled up with a strong coffee and a pastry, as I got lost in Patisseries of Paris. Of course the color choice for the cover, an enticing mint green that is the exact shade of Laduree boxes, was probably not coincidental. It’s broken down by arrondissement, and surprises of surprises, there were some I didn’t know about. The authentic, but not too glossy photos, made the pastries look good enough to devour. The short, mostly one-page descriptions usually give a brief history of the shop and what they are known for. The books are an easy read and more of a reference guide. I’m the kind of reader that will methodically go from arr. to arr. and will probably end up in a diabetic coma after I check off the last one. There’s even an interview with the candy and chocolate buyer at Fauchon.

Markets of Paris not only has food markets but also lists stamp, crafts, antique, stamp, book, and fabric markets. A list of daily suggested daily itineraries is a bright idea so you can map out your destinations without being overwhelmed.

Shopaholics will almost overdose on the smart, small clothing and home boutiques in Chic Shopping and Paris Chic & Trendy. The books list mostly shops that are exclusive to Paris and/or France and there are insider tips on how French woman shop. Highlights include a Left Bank shop that only sells umbrellas, parasols, & walking sticks and a boutique with handmade hats worn by Yoko Ono and Justin Timberlake. The authors and I share the same great taste, as some of my favorite boutiques I’ve written about, Canzi, Lobato, and Astier de Villatte, are in the book.

Other titles in the Paris series include The Best Wine Bars & Shops of Paris, The Authentic Bistros of Paris, and The Brasseries of Paris. I’ve delighted in pouring over the books making a list of the places I’ve missed or ones I’ve been to and now inspired to try again.

The books are authentic, charm filled journeys into the best that Paris has to offer. The only drawback is that they are not small enough to fit in your pocket or to pack the whole series in your luggage.

The Little Bookroom also publishes the invaluable, well-revered restaurant reference guide Pudlo.

Checkout the online bookstore at http://www.littlebookroom.com/

I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

Champagne Cruise

2008-08-05T06:01:00+02:00

I was invited on a Champagne cruise on Saturday night courtesy of O’Chateau. I know what you are probably thinking: Oh, that Richard, he’s such a lucky so & so, all he ever does is paint the town and sip free Champagne whenever he gets a chance. Doesn’t he ever work? Having all this fun translates into many hours chained to my lonely keyboard (do I hear violins?) writing about these adventures for the voracious appetite of my readers, so don’t think it’s all carefree fun.

I purposely didn’t get too much information about the cruise, as I wanted to it to be a surprise. I was expecting a small, private boat and was quite disappointed when it turned out to be one of the big tourists boats, and was herded on with hundreds of other noisy tourists. I thought, what is so special about this cruise and why am I here? I was then shown to the front of the boat, where there was a small, intimate area exclusively for the O’Chateau cruise. An ice bucket was chilling three appetizing bottles of Champagne and I sighed a sigh of relief.

Etienne- Start Pouring

A genial young man named Etienne, poured me and my friend Pamela Grant each a flute of Jean Marie Cuve Brut, which was a pleasant start to our journey. It was cool & damp before I left, so I decided to be very French and wear a summer scarf. By the time I got on the boat the clouds gave way to clear skies and it warmed up considerably, so I abandoned my ode to looking French chic.

As many times as I have done this cruise, I’m still awed by the beauty of the city and there is a particular view you have from being on the Seine that is unparalleled. Relaxing and enjoying the view, we eased into our second kind of Champagne, which was a dry, not too sweet Brut Zerodosage (No added sugar) from Demilly de Baere. A group of about seven lively girls in their 20’s looked like they were celebrating a big occasion, maybe a birthday. Winding down the cruise, Etienne served us our final Champagne, and I think he saved the best for last. It was an Eric Phelozon Cuvee Rose Brut, a delicious, and most appropriate summer Champagne. Etienne said that rosé wine was extremely popular now and in England it was now outselling white wine. He also told us that the new controversial extension of the Champagne region’s borders was mostly for production of rosé. It’s funny how pink Champagne, once the joke of Champagne world and only drunk by little old ladies and kids to tickle their noses, is now a respected, well received delicacy.

Light headed and a little woozy, we went for a light dinner on the beautiful terrace at Mini Palais restaurant overlooking the Petit Palais.

Until my next Champagne outing.

Champagne Cruise
Everyday at from 6PM to 7PM
40 euros a person includes a tasting of three different Champagnes
Click here for more info

O’Chateau is a small company that does excellent private wine tastings in a light, airy loft near the Republique. Checkout their website for a schedule of wine tastings.

I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com