We would love to think that we'll have the opportunity to go back to Paris a dozen times in our life time. There is too much to imagine exploring in one trip. Making a top-ten list of food experiences is even more intimidating.

But in the spirit of Apartment Therapy, here are a few starters. Consider the 10th good thing about Paris just the beginning...

1) Discovering our favorite French Cafe supplies like mustard pots at A. Simon (36, rue Etienne-Marcel - 1st)

Dehillerin.jpg
2) Oooing and aaahing over (and almost getting knocked over by) extremely large copper cookware at E. Dehillerin (18, rue Coquillière - 1st) and leaving instead with a bag full of house-brand professional knives.

2005_12_poilane.jpg
3) An early morning Pain au Chocolate at Poilâne Bakery (8, rue du Cherche-Midi - 6th) to eat on the way to the Jardins du Luxembourg

second-saladeJPG.jpg
4) Screwing up our already extremely poor French and accidentally ordering both a salad for our first course and a salad for our second course. The two salads (and the expression on the waiter's face when I did my ordering) were unforgettable.

picnic-with-yogurt.jpg
5) Whole milk yogurt in flavors like fig and apricot.

Le-Mesturet-skgr.jpg
6) Lunch at Le Mesturet (77, rue Richelieu - 2nd) which, like most of our favorite restaurants, is technically a bistro. It felt like a fusion between a casual bistro, hip diner, and luncheonette for the business suit set. We lingered for two hours, savoring every bite, sip and sight.

butcher.jpg
7) Buying wine from the wine shop, cheese from the cheese shop, meat from the butcher, bread from the bakery... and realizing it's possible to live without supermarkets or Fresh Direct.

2005_12_costes.jpg
8) Pink Champagne and olives at the bar at Hotel Costes (239, rue St-Honore - 1st) under a black velvet ceiling and ivy-framed skylight.

2005_12_magot.jpg
9) Sure, it's on every tourists' list, but the very strong coffee at Les Deux Magot (170, blvd St-Germain - 6th) is excellent, and by sitting there between 7:30am and 8:30am, you have a chance to watch adorable French children walking to school.

boudin-noir.jpg
10) Daring to eat Boudin Noir (and loving it) at Aux Lyonnais (32, rue St-Marc - 2nd) skgr