Rose Bakery: 46, rue des Martyrs, 9eme; 30, rue Debelleyme, 3eme
Went with: Erica for Sunday brunch—early Sunday brunch
Had: Une tarte salée accompanied by two house salads. The tarte was a wonderful greenie mixture of veggies; the salads, incredible. One was grilled tofu and tomatoes; the other was an electrically vibrant mélange of roasted root vegetables that made me do flips.
Impressions: Rose Bakery is one of those places that I want to go to all the time but is just a little too pricey to eat at regularly (my lunch was 13,50), and, besides, a little trop occupé on the weekends, which is the only time I can make it to either the Marais or the Ninth. But I adore the menu of fresh salads, heavenly baked goods, plus Anglo standards like scrambled eggs and pizzas.
Lémoni: 5, rue Hérold, 1er (merci, Patricia!)
Went with: With Opal on a Friday
Had: Le formule of a hot lunch (hot lunch!), side salad and juice (yep, opted for fresh fruit juice over dessert. Some days, I really do try.) They offer four hot options—usually gratins and casseroles and other combos that can be baked into giant batches of deliciousness. Both of us got the ‘gratin de bonne mince’—or something like that—which included layers of sweet potatoes and grains and cheese. My side salad, which I ate for dinner that night as it was too much food, was orzo and eggplant. The juice, orange-peach.
Impressions: I love this petit bio spot. Another place that’s a bit too pricey to frequent daily (said formule is 12,50), but always satisfies me. Opal and I were laughing though—eating something called ‘gratin de bonne mince’ in a joint that pumps up the bio message makes you feel all healthy and saintly but that lunch was no doubt laden with calories. Oh well.
La Cuisine de Bar: 8, rue du Cherche Midi, 6eme
Went: For a solo treat on Saturday afternoon
Had: Le formule: a wee green salad, glass of red, and a tartine of mozzarella and tomato.
Impressions: Mmmmm. Personally, I think Poilane is a titch overrated. But this slender café next door to the historic bakery was friendly, welcoming and just the ticket. It was indulgent but not decadent. Completely satisfying, not gut-busting. I loved watching their really simple system of preparing and toasting the tartines, and also cleaning up (looked like they kept a little compost bucket—yay!) I found myself in the middle of two pairs of traveling Americans and was in a chatty enough mood to swap love stories for Paris. It was just a nice little respite in the middle of a busy weekend. And next time, I’ll try the apple tart for dessert.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
An early start
6 a.m. Can’t sleep (thanks, Milo). What do you do?
Walk the dark, sleepy streets of Paris.
Admire the rosy streets lights.
Again and again.
Wonder about all the guests sleeping inside the Crillon.
Pause for a moment to dream about the jewels in Place Vendome.
Go window shopping.
Stop for a croissant.
Hmmmm... or a pain au chocolat?
And watch everyone else start their days.
(Morning, world.)
Walk the dark, sleepy streets of Paris.
Admire the rosy streets lights.
Again and again.
Wonder about all the guests sleeping inside the Crillon.
Pause for a moment to dream about the jewels in Place Vendome.
Go window shopping.
Stop for a croissant.
Hmmmm... or a pain au chocolat?
And watch everyone else start their days.
(Morning, world.)
Monday, October 4, 2010
My Vegan Mondays (oops)
Well, I blew it, mes amis. I started the day like any other Monday: mindfully avoiding dairy. Then I went for lunch with colleagues and forgot all about Vegan Monday. It wasn’t even Veggie Monday; I had smoked salmon. Where are my principles??
But, if you’ll forgive me, I rebounded and made good on Vegan Monday the rest of the day. I cooked my own dinner, even.
Morning
Coffee and soy milk
Half a grapefruit
Soy yogurt (blech, not a fan)
Banana
Afternoon
Roquette salad with fresh tomatoes
Smoked salmon
Baguette and goat cheese
Handful of peanuts
Banana
Evening
Wheat salad with spinach, pumpkin and pistachios
But, if you’ll forgive me, I rebounded and made good on Vegan Monday the rest of the day. I cooked my own dinner, even.
Morning
Coffee and soy milk
Half a grapefruit
Soy yogurt (blech, not a fan)
Banana
Afternoon
Roquette salad with fresh tomatoes
Smoked salmon
Baguette and goat cheese
Handful of peanuts
Banana
Evening
Wheat salad with spinach, pumpkin and pistachios
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Viktor & Rolf (and Bill and Grace)
I can’t even tell you how excited I was when I received my invitation for the Viktor & Rolf défilé. Ever since Chris and I saw the exhibition on this extraordinary Dutch duo at the Barbican a couple years ago, I’ve been a huge fan. They’re visionary and wild and blend beauty and irony and fantasy in such a revolutionary fashion cocktail. I knew their show would be a spectacle.
Seeing as it was in the Jadin des Tuileries and I had a little extra time, I stopped in my favorite bookstore, Galignani, to browse the latest titles. And who did I see? Bill Cunningham! I was too shy to ask him if I could take his photo, so, at the risk of looking like a stalker, I covertly snapped him leafing through the giant photography books.
Then I was off to the show! Outside the tents is always its own form of entertainment.
Photographers, lookie-lous, wannabes. You do see some good fashion and characters and all the fabulous editors (like Kate Lanphear). But I always feel like such a loser. Just one of the plebes.
But inside, it’s a thrill. I wish I could take good enough photos, or even record clips to give a sense of the energy and excitement. But these are the kind of photos that my crummy camera and me manage to capture.
Good thing there are plenty of pros with heavy-duty lenses to get the good shots.
And at least I could hone in on Grace Coddington, Hamish Bowles and Lynn Jaeger.
The music was incredible, building up a super cool remix of Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” to showcase their wild “wedding gowns”. Trop cool.
And outside, voila! Bill again!
And Grace!
They made my day and didn’t even know it.
Seeing as it was in the Jadin des Tuileries and I had a little extra time, I stopped in my favorite bookstore, Galignani, to browse the latest titles. And who did I see? Bill Cunningham! I was too shy to ask him if I could take his photo, so, at the risk of looking like a stalker, I covertly snapped him leafing through the giant photography books.
Then I was off to the show! Outside the tents is always its own form of entertainment.
Photographers, lookie-lous, wannabes. You do see some good fashion and characters and all the fabulous editors (like Kate Lanphear). But I always feel like such a loser. Just one of the plebes.
But inside, it’s a thrill. I wish I could take good enough photos, or even record clips to give a sense of the energy and excitement. But these are the kind of photos that my crummy camera and me manage to capture.
Good thing there are plenty of pros with heavy-duty lenses to get the good shots.
And at least I could hone in on Grace Coddington, Hamish Bowles and Lynn Jaeger.
The music was incredible, building up a super cool remix of Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” to showcase their wild “wedding gowns”. Trop cool.
And outside, voila! Bill again!
And Grace!
They made my day and didn’t even know it.
French phrase of the day: A plus tard, mon canard
Def: See you later, alligator
Obviously, ducks and gators are different species, but the sentiment is the same. Cute, cute. And in response?
On dit: A demain, mon lapin.
Obviously, ducks and gators are different species, but the sentiment is the same. Cute, cute. And in response?
On dit: A demain, mon lapin.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Dining in Paris
Le Louvre Ripaille: 1, rue Perrault, 1eme
Went with: Josephine on a Tuesday
Had: Veggie lasagna!
Impressions: A modestly hip café—I loved it. I haven’t found too many cafes in Paris that strike a happy balance of hip and traditional. They’re either too studied or too cool or school, or they’re just like the café next door. All the same. And if you love a classic French café, there’s nothing wrong with that, but sometimes you want something a little bit different. And this place is it. With a wall painted with logs and antlers in the bathroom, there’s a slight Nordic vibe. Ricky Lee Jones and Steely Dan were peppered in with good electro background music. And the few other diners were younger and stylish, but not tragically so. And though there was traditional fare on the menu—un oeuf mayo, par example, lentil salad with bacon—they also have less common plats, so I had to take advantage. I had a very indulgent veggie lasagna in a creamy parmasan sauce, and Jospehine had cod cooked in a cocotte with coconut milk, leeks and citrus. Both were meals were delicious and both diners, contente.
Robert et Louise: 64, rue Veille du Temple, 3eme
Went with: Peasley & da Butchie on a Wednesday
Had: An omelette, roasted potatoes and green salad
Impressions: If you like your meat, this is your place. I obviously don’t like meat, but da Butchie is a big fan. In fact, Chris and Butch had serendipitously found this beloved Parisian meat cave on their way through town and wanted to go back for seconds. I’ve always wanted to go for the experience, so, voila, there we found ourselves before platters of pink and grisly meat and blood sausages. I averted my eyes and put away my omelette, which was pretty good. As were the roasted potatoes and the salad. But it sort of left a bad taste in our mouth when our waiter let it slip that the dressing was store-bought. So much for French home-cooking.
Les Fines Gueles: 43, rue Croix des Petits Champs, 1eme
Went with: Michael on a Thursday
Had: A lovely steamed salmon, so tender and cooked perfectly, served atop spinach with clouds of high-falutin’ foam… perfect for dipping the thinly sliced country bread in. Miam.
Impressions: Michael texted at three in the afternoon about having dinner that night. After a few phone calls, Les Fines Gueles was the only place I could book a table. Thank goodness. I’ve always wanted to go here. I’d heard great things. And they’re all warranted. The space is this cozy corner spot with hidden rooms and crooked staircases (they could stand to dim the lights, but most restaurants in Paris are too bright for me). The staff was super harried but also super friendly. And it was such a relaxed but dynamic atmosphere—very neighborhood-y but chic—we extended the meal by ordering the cheese plate and more wine. The waiter recommended a white wine to go with the cheese, both of which were fantastic. Everything was relaxed, friendly, delicious, inventive and top-quality. A gem, for sure.
Went with: Josephine on a Tuesday
Had: Veggie lasagna!
Impressions: A modestly hip café—I loved it. I haven’t found too many cafes in Paris that strike a happy balance of hip and traditional. They’re either too studied or too cool or school, or they’re just like the café next door. All the same. And if you love a classic French café, there’s nothing wrong with that, but sometimes you want something a little bit different. And this place is it. With a wall painted with logs and antlers in the bathroom, there’s a slight Nordic vibe. Ricky Lee Jones and Steely Dan were peppered in with good electro background music. And the few other diners were younger and stylish, but not tragically so. And though there was traditional fare on the menu—un oeuf mayo, par example, lentil salad with bacon—they also have less common plats, so I had to take advantage. I had a very indulgent veggie lasagna in a creamy parmasan sauce, and Jospehine had cod cooked in a cocotte with coconut milk, leeks and citrus. Both were meals were delicious and both diners, contente.
Robert et Louise: 64, rue Veille du Temple, 3eme
Went with: Peasley & da Butchie on a Wednesday
Had: An omelette, roasted potatoes and green salad
Impressions: If you like your meat, this is your place. I obviously don’t like meat, but da Butchie is a big fan. In fact, Chris and Butch had serendipitously found this beloved Parisian meat cave on their way through town and wanted to go back for seconds. I’ve always wanted to go for the experience, so, voila, there we found ourselves before platters of pink and grisly meat and blood sausages. I averted my eyes and put away my omelette, which was pretty good. As were the roasted potatoes and the salad. But it sort of left a bad taste in our mouth when our waiter let it slip that the dressing was store-bought. So much for French home-cooking.
Les Fines Gueles: 43, rue Croix des Petits Champs, 1eme
Went with: Michael on a Thursday
Had: A lovely steamed salmon, so tender and cooked perfectly, served atop spinach with clouds of high-falutin’ foam… perfect for dipping the thinly sliced country bread in. Miam.
Impressions: Michael texted at three in the afternoon about having dinner that night. After a few phone calls, Les Fines Gueles was the only place I could book a table. Thank goodness. I’ve always wanted to go here. I’d heard great things. And they’re all warranted. The space is this cozy corner spot with hidden rooms and crooked staircases (they could stand to dim the lights, but most restaurants in Paris are too bright for me). The staff was super harried but also super friendly. And it was such a relaxed but dynamic atmosphere—very neighborhood-y but chic—we extended the meal by ordering the cheese plate and more wine. The waiter recommended a white wine to go with the cheese, both of which were fantastic. Everything was relaxed, friendly, delicious, inventive and top-quality. A gem, for sure.
Friday, October 1, 2010
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