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)
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.
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
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.
5) Whole milk yogurt in flavors like fig and apricot.
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.
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.
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.
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.
10) Daring to eat Boudin Noir (and loving it) at Aux Lyonnais (32, rue St-Marc - 2nd)
skgr
I had to look up Boudin Noir and, as a recovering vegetarian, I'm gagging a little. You're a lot more daring than I will ever be. But what a great post - thanks so much for sharing.
The only name of a restaurant in Paris that I can remember was the one that I went to on my actual 40th birthday, and it was Les Editeurs (or something like that) near the Odeon stop on the Metro.
Other than that, I kind of let my trip wash over me. But I'm very glad that you guys managed to document your trip so we could all share it!
I love eating yogurt in France. It's so much creamier and tastier (and less sweet) than what you can get in the states.
M - I wholeheartedly recommend the Donvier yogurt maker (I got mine at Amazon for $40). It is so easy to make and no sugar, fillers or preservatives. I've had it a few months and it's easily paid for itself and the difference between my yum yum stuff and store bought stuff is huge.
rr--thanks for the tip about the yogurt maker. I'll take a look into getting one.
At the risk of starting a "Whose dairy is better?" war, I always thought that European dairy products had a different taste (in a good way) because the milk is not homogenized as is ours. I had a Nestle's Crunch in Switzerland that I SWEAR was the best chocolate I've yet to taste.
I'm a bit of an 'oldster' and recall a time in New York (about 30 years ago or less) when one could go to the butcher,coffee story, cheese shop, bread shop and pastry shop all within your New York neighborhood, where ever you lived. In fact, a friend and I were remarking about this the other day, and how one can still do this in Paris. It was good to read about what you appreciated on your fabulous trip to the City of Lights - and to have a moment to remember back what New York once was, too - never as much as Paris, of course, but...I now shop Fresh Direct and Whole Foods..they're not the same but neither is the idea of a NY neighborhood.
Do dairy products outside of the U.S. large manufacturers tend to have a higher fat content? Cheeses, yogurts, butter, whipped cream - it all seems to taste so much better overseas. Closest I can get here seems to be the imported stuff (still not as good it seems) or small local farms and producers.
Talon-- There are neighborhoods in New York where that's still the case. Living in the West Village until two years ago (before deciding I liked more space and Fairway wasn't so bad afterall), I got bread at Zito's, meat at Ottomanelli's, produce at various green grocers and bodegas, pasta at the Italian specialty store (Faiccos?), cheese at Murray's, pastry at two amazing pastry places, coffee at... well you get the point-- and this is ALL within the same 3 blocks. Who needs Gristedes? I take your point though- it's not exactly a typical neighborhood.
I don't exactly understand the appeal of this kind of multi-stop shopping, except perhaps for the odd special occasion. Or Parisian vacation. :)
this specialty store shoping can also be done on the upper west side. my parents did this kind of shopping in new york when in our old neighborhood . they knew each shop owner and i think it meant that they would get the best cuts, freshest catch,etc., for the price. i like to support all my local shops and skip the big chains when i can.
The blood sausage is less disturbing to me than the half-dressed chicken.
Although the optimist would perhaps say half-naked.
That salad looks delicious! Is that cheese on top?
I love the pic of the small marble cafe table with the cup and saucer on top. It says "Paris" to me. I first drank coffee (at least more than a taste) while in Paris, since that's all the small hotel we stayed in offered with it's free breakfast. The croissants literally melted in my mouth. Now, each time I pick up a croissant, I hope - but to no avail.