Recently in Travel Tips Category

I just spent a long weekend in the French countryside, trying to enjoy the last bits of summer before the rentrée, when everyone in Paris returns en masse, usually bronzed to an unsavory crisp.

And because last Friday was a national holiday, I spent a prodcutive morning at a vide grenier, an enormous and pretty fabulous flea market in the town of Esterney.

Like anywhere, once you get out the big city, prices drop substantially and I can't believe the stuff I hauled back to Paris!

I recently received a desperate message from a reader, whose subject line read "Coffee Emergency!!"

She and her husband were in Paris, desperate for a good cup of coffee. Feeling her pain, I compiled this short-list of places where one can be pretty much assured of having a properly-made café express.

A few tips:

• Check and see if the place uses an Italian brand of coffee. This isn't always the most reliable trick, but is an indication they're not just pulling coffee from the easiest-available (and cheapest) brands.
• Look and see if they're grinding the beans fresh, firmly packing the coffee into the tamper, and keeping the filter holder in place when the machine isn't being use to hold in the heat. Those are indications they're somewhat interested in doing things correctly
• Peer into some of the cups that are being passed over the bar before ordering. A real espresso should be about a tablespoon of coffee with a layer of lighter froth floating on top.
• If you want the closest approximation of a true espresso, ask for café serré, a "tight" coffee. The French normally drink their café express with more water than a customary espresso.
• It's hard to avoid, but most cafés use sterilized, ultra-pasteurized milk in milk-based drinks, which tastes horrible and will ruin even a decent cup.
• When in doubt, such as on the autoroute or train, resign yourself to ordering a café noisette; an express marked with a bit of steamed milk, which'll tame any bitter or acrid flavors.

Clotilde Dusoulier is the ultimate Parisian insider, one shares her tasty tales of life in Paris on her blog, Chocolate and Zucchini. In this very handy guide, a native Parisian happily leads us around Paris, taking us from little-known specialty food shops and classic bistros to authentic Japanese noodle bars and wine tasting venues.

One of my favorite parts of Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris are tips on how restaurants and food shops work here. For example, knowing that you're not a "customer" but a "guest" explains a lot of things to foreigners, who are used to the Customer is King attitude.

Other cultural tips, like keeping your hands on the table while you're eating and not resting your bread on the edge of your plate, are explained so you can avoid making a faux pas, as I did shortly after I arrived in Paris and was scolded for my bread infraction by the host at a dinner party.

And I always thought it was rude to scold guests! Who knew?

The other evening I was having dinner with a group of folks from out of town, and not one of them was staying in a hotel. Each had rented an apartment and were having a great time—and saving money, while doing so.

There are scores of websites and companies that rent mid- to high-end apartments, which are great places to stay if you're looking for more plush surroundings. But while many owners will rent a short-term vacation apartment from an agency, the most economical way to stay in Paris is to find an apartment that's for rent by owner. (FRBO). These deals may require a bit of digging, as residents will often post to online bulletin boards or send out e-mails to friends to pass on rather than listing them with agencies.

A quick glance through a few of the sites I've listed below reveal many Paris apartments in the 250€-400€ per week range, especially the FRBOs. Aside from being less-expensive than a hotel, another benefit of renting an apartment is that you can save big-time by skipping hotel breakfasts and get your own freshly-baked pain au chocolat from that charming little pastry shop on the corner.

Here's a list of some restaurants in Paris that are open on Sunday. Note that some are quite basic while others may fall into the slightly touristy category. Nevertheless, I still think they're worthy of a visit. All but the most basic restaurants prefer that diners make reservations.

Another Sunday dining option is to visit one of the outdoor markets and make up a picnic. Markets open on Sunday morning (9am-2pm) include Richard Lenoir (M: Bastille), Aligre (M: Ledru-Rollin), Raspail (M: Sèvres-Babylon), and Place Monge (M: Place Monge).

Feel free to add any favorites restaurants of yours in the comments.

Breizh Café
109, rue Vieille du Temple (3rd)
01 42 72 13 77

Excellent buckwheat crêpes served in a casual, yet sparse setting. Especially busy at prime lunch hours.

Chez Paul
13, rue de Charonne (11th)
01 47 00 34 57

This traditional French bistro flies under the radar of many but is a great choice for Sunday lunch, especially after a visit to the nearby Richard Lenoir market. Hearty fare.

I've been reading through a nifty, new guidebook to the bakeries, chocolate shops, and tea salons, called The Pâtisseries of Paris. This handy little book is full of great addresses and tips, and is just small enough to slip in your shoulder bag when hitting the streets of Paris, should you come to Paris on a mission for sweets.

I was surprised at how in-depth this guide takes you. Naturally, the usual suspects, like Ladurée and Stohrer, are in there. And chocolatiers like Jean-Charles Rochoux and Patrick Roger are always a stop whenever I'm on the Left Bank, so I was happy to see the nods toward them.

There's few places that aren't worth the trip. Such as Au Panetier bakery, where the dry cookies don't make up for the glorious art nouveau tilework.

This guest entry is from my friend Gideon Ben-Ami, who graciously stepped in and wrote this post about vegetarian dining options in Paris..Enjoy...dl

A you can imagine, being a vegetarian in Paris can be a challenge. During my 5 years in Paris I've witnessed many die hard veggies succumbing to the sins of the flesh. The usual excuse is that it's just too hard (or the temptations too great) in the self-proclaimed food capital of the world. "I never ate meat till I tried the duck," one friend told me while another announced, "Technically I'm still a vegetarian, though sometimes I do eat steak."

If you're dining at a neighbourhood bistro, you'll probably get by okay if you eat fish. But if you're vegan, then you might need to smuggle in a nut cutlet or two under your raincoat as you'll soon get tired of munching on side salads. Unlike many other European capitals, restaurants here don't necessarily have a vegetarian option on the menu.

Paris does, however, have its fair share of vegetarian restaurants.
Are they any good?

While Paris is a meat eater's paradis, there are pockets of places that are vegetarian-friendly, or are completely vegetarian. As a sideline to my guest post Vegetarian Restaurants in Paris, here's my tips for dining out and getting by:

If you're coming to Paris and have special needs, such as access for a wheelchair, here's a list of resources that will help you plan your trip. Please note that I haven't used many of these services, especially the tour outfits, so ask as many questions of them in advance as you need to get the most information about the services they offer before you sign on.

Paris is a very old city and although new construction includes accessibility for wheelchairs, the older buildings and narrow sidewalks aren't always easy to navigate. Below I've put together this list of websites and services that I hope will help. If you have limited time and want to make the most of your trip, hiring a guide or at least a van for the day may allow you to see and do more, and the additional expense might be mitigated by the convenience.

A few things to remember:

I thought I'd take a moment to answer the question of several readers who've sent me inquiries about the fate of the Carte Orange, which I recommended for visitors on the My Paris page of the site for getting around Paris.

So what's happening with the Carte Orange?

Here's a list of the various ways for visitors to get to and from the city of Paris from Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), where a majority of international flights arrive and depart from.

In 2008, the airport is undergoing a much-needed renovation, so give yourself a bit of extra time to catch public transit and find your way around once you're dropped off. They've also added an extra security stop (passport control) before you can enter the satellites and duty-free shopping area, which you need to pass before you get to the gate area, lounges, and x-ray screening.

Even though they've made the airport a bit easier to navigate, it's still confusing and things aren't always where you might think they'd logically be. On my last trip, a group of us loaded with luggage followed the signs to the airport from the RER station—which led to a solid brick wall. Ouch!

Depending on traffic, the ride can take anywhere from a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour or more. Because schedules, fares, and hours of service change frequently, I suggest you check the website of the mode of transit you prefer for the most up-to-date information.

Oh, and if you want to be cool, most people call Charles de Gaulle Airport 'Roissy'.

RER Train

The RER is fast and economical, and doesn't depend on traffic patterns so even if you're traveling during rush hour, it pretty much runs on schedule. The RER B line, the one to De Gaulle, travels through some dubious areas on the outskirts of Paris and I've heard third-hand reports of pickpockets and trouble, but haven't experienced any of them firsthand. As always when traveling anywhere, be cautious, but not paranoid.

I've received a number of questions about cooking classes in Paris recently.

If you're coming to Paris and would like information about cooking classes, whether you're looking for professional or classes geared towards the home cook, you'll find a comprehensive list that I put together at: Paris Cooking Classes

You can use the links provided to find out which are taught in English and/or French, as well as their schedule.

Bon Appétit!

If G. Detou didn't exist, I couldn't live in Paris.

Seriously. The overstocked, but impeccably neat shelves at G. Detou do indeed have everything, as the name implies in French (J. Detou is a play-on-words, meaning "I have everything".) But when you're someone like me that does an inordinate amount of baking, plus loves...and I mean loves...to discover new and unusual foods and chocolates, a place like G. Detou is truly pastry paradise.

This little shop near Les Halles is stocked, literally, floor-to-ceiling with everything a cook or baker could want. There's chocolates from across France, including a huge (and I mean huge) selection of bars including Michel Cluizel, Valrhona, Voisin, Weiss, Bonnat, Cacao Barry—the best of l'hexagone.

But even better are the big tablets and sacks that range from 3 to 5 kilos, that hard-cores bakers like me depend on. Although I'm not the only avid chocolate baker in town: When I was in last week, a tiny, meek little old lady came by and left hefting a 3-kilo sack of white chocolate, and a man in a hurry, who didn't remove the cell phone from his ear while he rattled off his order to the red-coated salesclerk, left with five enormous sacks of chocolate, as well as assorted other goodies.

Here's a few tips for those traveling to Paris, or around France, who are avoiding gluten.

France may present more of a challenge than other countries, which was confirmed when I tried to find some tips online for gluten-free dining in France and turned up almost nothing

So here are a few helpful hints that will help you navigate French restaurants and dining, how to deal with waiters, and where you can find gluten-free products in Paris.

I'm not sending you in search of wasabi-carrot-pistachio-veal verrines topped with fennel-durian marshmallows or raw sesame-crusted tuna towers with filo triangles served on square plates with a dusting of dried porcini powder and a scribble of sauce in the corner. Instead, these are some tried-and-true places and things that I like to eat around town and confidently recommend to all visitors.

And seriously, you shouldn't miss them if you come.

1. Arabesque Macarons at Pierre Hermé

I love les macarons and although I still think the classic ones at Ladurée are tops in town, Over at Pierre Hermé, he's always experimenting with unusual flavor combinations so you never quite know what you'll find here. But if you happen to be there and see pastel-orange cookies the color of apricot with a soft, creamy filling oozing out, hiding a nugget of crackly almond croquant covered with fine pieces of pistachio dust, I urge you to try one.

Although each time I go in, the amount of filling seems to be increasing to the point of excess, I can't resist popping one in my mouth. And in fact, when I go in now, my favorite saleswoman there instinctively hands me one over the counter.

(And people ask me why I live here all the time as well...)

One tip: The shop on the rue Bonaparte is usually mobbed and it's difficult to see anything or linger. Head over to the Pierre Hermé shop at 185, rue Vaugirard, which is much more spacious. And while you're there, stop in at des Gâteaux & du Pain at 63, boulevard Pasteur; the pastries and breads are drop-dead gorgeous there as well.

le ticket "t"+

There's a new transit ticket which allows you to ride for 90 minutes and transfer if you're taking the bus or métro. Previously you needed to use one ticket per ride if you were taking the bus, which was a hassle for bus-takers, like me. It's also terrific news if you'd like to make a quick round-trip visit somewhere—you can use the same ticket. This also means there's a slight fare hike and the older tickets, while still valid, will be phased out.

Unfortunately even though they're the same system, the new tickets still won't allow you to transfer between bus and métro. Only bus-to-bus, or bus-to-tram. And visitors should be warned that in most of the métro stations, the human cashiers have been replaced by machines and the machines don't take US-based credit cards; you either need to have cash to slip into the machine (ayor...) or a credit card with a puce, or smart-chip.

I did learn that if the machine eats your money, you can use your powers of persuasion and the agents in the booth can check the machine to verify the last few transactions on the machine's computer.

More info about the new transit tickets can be found here (in French).

Velib'

As part of the mayor's plan to reduce traffic and congestion, starting July 15th, the city of Paris is commencing with a program where you can borrow one of their 20,000 low-cost bicycles (forget that the name is a derivation of the word libre, or free). The city has installed lots of bike lanes in anticipation, although pedestrians (and dogs) make such frequent use of them that bicyclists usually have a bit of tricky maneuvering to do.

I am not a good traveler and I get whiny and irritable when I'm the least bit uncomfortable.
Even more so than usual.

There's nothing I like better than tucking into my own bed every night and arranging the jumble of pillows just-so in my own very-special configuration. So unlike the rest of America, I sympathize with Paris Hilton and am not keen on sleeping in strange places or being cooped-up either.

But unlike Ms. Hilton, when I'm not comfortable, I don't have any fancy lawyers to call so I have to fend for myself. Since summer travel season is revving up, I thought I'd share my top five travel items that I find indispensable for sleeping and keeping yourself in the best shape possible on your journey to Paris, or wherever else you might be heading.

Tempur-Pedic Eye Mask

If you're a light sleeper, chances are just the slightest amount of light will wake you up. There's lot of flimsy eyemasks on people's faces out there, but they don't fit very well and if you're like me, any morning light entering can jolt you into an early-morning reality that you might not be reluctant to deal with.

The Tempur-Pedic Eye Mask is made out of that fancy memory foam and after wearing them for a minute or so, they conform to your face and block out every single itty-bitty morsel of light. If you're trying to block out the world and get some sleep, to adjust quickly to the local time, get yourself a pair of these. Pronto.

Noise-Canceling Headsets

While they're yet to come up with a model that will eradicate the noise of all those people screaming into their cell phone at the airport, strap these over your head and prepare to sink into a world of bliss. You never realize how loud those airplane engines are until you switch on these headsets, and most annoying noises (the airplane engines, not the jerks on their cell phones) simply disappear.

Find a treasure...after uncovering where all the flea markets in Paris are.

Float down the Seine at a bargain price.

Shocked by melted cheese on sushi?
Eat in restaurants Japonais recommandes and certified authentique.

Make new friends at the biggest dinner party in Paris.

A nice, brand-new pocket guide to the Markets of Paris.

Learn French by listening to the news in 'easy French' while reading the script.

Don't wanna sleep on my Aerobed?
Paris hotels for 35€...or less!

Curious juxtaposition.
(Oops!...Warning: PG-13)

Love Paris bistros?
Good tips and reviews here.

Hate the smoke in Paris bistros?
Here's a list of places non fumeur. And here too.
(My favorite? La Cerisaie; great food, sans fumeurs.)

Wanna get outta town on the cheap?
Finally. A decent search engine to the discount airlines in Europe.

Take the quiz: How French are you?

One of the most confusing things for visitors to Paris is figuring out the tip system. Unlike the US where tips are expected (and considered part of the wages paid), in France by law a 15% gratuity is always included in the price wherever you eat or drink. No matter what anyone says, a service charge or tip is always included. Period. Guidebooks often underscore this fact, reminding you that the tip is included. But also they add that it's okay to leave extra.

Which, understandably, leaves a lot of people confused.
Even the French.

Spring in Paris is truly a glorious time.

Even though this winter was relatively mild, it's nice to peel off the wool scarves and mittens that we've all been bundling ourselves up in to ward off the damp, chilly air and start packing them away.

Deep-scarlet strawberries start appearing at the market and cafés waiters across the city slide extra seats outside as all of Paris starts to stir from its winter hibernation.

Unfortunately, that includes the pigeons too.

Those wicked beasts that coo outside our windows, who wake us up at the crack of down with their incessant warbling on windowsills and ledges everywhere. They soil and permanently damage all of the magnificent churches and monuments of Paris. And like the rest of the city, I suppose, they're celebrating spring by enjoying more time outdoors socializing with their friends.

But unlike (most) civilized Parisians, they don't care where they let loose.

During this week and the next few, they're poised high up in the trees, causing much fear of being the recipient of their crotté droppings. (And whatever they're eating doesn't seem to be agreeing with them.) It seems to be pretty well-known amongst the locals to avoid standing under trees at all costs, but I've seen plenty of unsuspecting tourists and a few newcomers get nailed by those feathered foul lurking above.

Consider yourself warned.

(Sorry about the icky picture, but if I have to see it, then so do you.)

Taillevant & Le Cave Taillevant

Last month I had a fabulous lunch at Taillevent, the recently-demoted three-star restaurant, courtesy of some good friends from the states. But if our lunch was any indication, I don't know who's plucking the stars. And at 70€ it's the deal of the decade: Three courses and lots of little extras. Plus they were very pleased to substitute any of the desserts which didn't appear on the fixed menu for the selection offered. And to make the lunch even more special, another recent guest kindly bought me a bottle of lovely champagne...what's not to get all starry-eyed over?

But whether or not you can make it to Taillevent, the restaurant, you should definitely visit their wine shop in the main Printemps department store. Run by Alison Vollenwider, with the help of Stéphanie (aka la petite), this wine cave is one of the most interesting in Paris.

Alison trained as a sommelier at Windows On The World with famed wine expert Andrea Immer, then worked in Bordeaux as a sommelier before settling here in Paris. Stop by and say hi—you'll find plenty of reasonably-priced wines, starting at less than 10€, and lots of good advice from Alison. She's friendly and knowledgeable...what more could you want from a caviste?

What's that? You do want more?
Then visit Alison's blog on the Taillevent web site.

Silly Illy

Ever since I got my new espresso machine, I've been trying to learn as much about the complex art of making espresso as possible.

When I moved to Paris, I was pretty shocked at how expensive things were. And I don't mean Louis Vuitton suitcases or Kelly bags. Something as simple as a sponge at the supermarket would cost 4€ or a plastic storage container at BHV might run you 15€ around here.

Ouch!

Then I learned about the Paris pas cher stores all over town. Although concentrated mostly in the less-chic neighborhoods, they're sort of 'catch-all' shops that sell everything from scissors, thongs, cookware, hammers, luggage, lice shampoo, and old Nicole Kidman movies she made when she was a teenager, when her face was far rounder (and she had the ability to move it), and her hair was a mess of long, unruly curls and she wore ratty red-hooded sweatshirts. (I'm kicking myself ever since for not buying one. That would have been perhaps the best 1.5€ I ever spent.)

Since discovering the Paris pas cher stores, in spite of the frightening Nicole Kidman DVD's you sometimes might run across, I've found they're great places to scratch your shopping itch. You never know what you're going to find exactly, but they're great fun to wander through and see what they've got if you pass one. You'll know you've found when if there's lots of stuff hanging from the ceiling, stacked out front, and piled high if you peek inside. Frequently there's an overwhelming smell of insecticide or mothballs, but you get used to it after a few years, I guess. (Judging from the people who run them, who seem to be oblivious.)

Paris pas cher, in case you didn't know, means 'Paris Not Expensive', and the term is also used to denote bargains in the city. Since the dollar is tanking, I thought I'd share a few of my money-saving tips with you I've learned along the way:

Drink Like a Parisian

If you're sitting in a café, you'll notice that few people are drinking soda. Most are lingering over tiny coffees, which cost about 2€ instead. You can stay as long as you want without having to order anything else once you've finished, no matter what you ordered. My theory is people order coffee because it's the cheapest thing you can get. I'm often guilty of that too. (If they ask you to pay, it's usually because the waiters are changing shifts, so don't fell obligated to split.)

Standing at the counter cuts the prices roughly in half so if you're just looking for a quick thirst-quencher or a shot of caffeine, you might want to stand.

(I'm a total rube myself. One of my first times in Paris, I ordered a coffee at the counter, then carried it over to a table. That got quite a response!)

In a café, order wine by the carafe which is usually drinkable and inexpensive. Don't feel like you need to spend a lot of money on wine in a regular restaurant either. Unlike in America, it's easy to find good wines in the 15-25€ range. Don't be afraid to order the Vin du mois or something they're featuring.

The Time Out Paris: Eating and Drinking is one of the most up-to-date dining guides to Paris, and the reviews and information are snappy, solid, well-researched, and remarkably up-to-date.

The newest guide, Edition 8, has essential information on over 850 restaurants, and included are chapters on Bistros, Brasseries, Classics, Haut Cuisine, Trendy, and Regional cuisines, as well as a good section for les Vegetarians. But my favorite is the section on Budget restaurants, which are fun to explore...especially if you're interested in veering slightly off-the-beaten path.

There's also chapters packed with addresses directing you to gourmet stores, tea salons, and an enormous amount of information on ethnic dining. Plus sidebars directing you to gastronomic specialties around town; where to find cheese, ice cream, or where to take a wine tasting.

The index is particularly excellent, as it allows you to search for restaurants alphabetically or by arrondisement, where the restaurants are also broken down by cuisine. There's city maps and a lexicon of French-English culinary translations too.

Although I have little space on my book shelf for lots of guidebooks, I always buy the new Time Out Paris Dining guide as it gets updated. It's easy to carry, compact, and truly the most useful culinary guide to Paris in English that I know of.

Very highly-recommended if you live here or are planning a visit!

If you feel the need to work off that croissant au beurre you're likely to indulge in every morning, or the daily éclair au chocolat or financier you've been treating yourself to each afternoon, for visitors to Paris that practice yoga, there's plenty of places scattered about the city with classes all day long so you can downward-dog all that buttery richness away.

You'll find most of the yoga studios in Paris tucked away in old courtyards while others are sleek and modern. In my experience, you're less-likely to find a 'power yoga'-style class which feels like a heavy-duty workout in Paris as you'll find in many US cities, but it probably best not to overexert yourself too much...after all, you're on vacation!

Most yoga classes in Paris are Vinyasa or Ashtanga-style, with lots of variations. Here's a list of a several studios that are centrally located, with some notes about their classes and styles. Most studios require regular students to pay a cotisation annuelle, an annual fee, although they waive it for short-term visitors. Please note that class prices are the current rates, and you should check the individual studios web sites for updates. If you like to have water handy, it's best to bring a small bottle along with you.

Most yoga studios in Paris don't offer showers and although classes are in French, most teachers speak a bit of English and if you regularly practice yoga you shouldn't have a problem following along. Expect to pay more than you would for an individual class in the US, although most places offers series of multiple classes, which is worthwhile if you plan to be in town for a while. Mats are available, but changing rooms in most of the places are non-existent, so be prepare to 'see-and-be-seen' (and believe me, I've seen everything)—so don't be shy!

Last night, celebrating my good health, I took advantage of an invitation I received to meet the Paris Bloggers.

Unlike the Paris Food Bloggers, my friends who are a fine, upstanding bunch of citizens, the Paris Bloggers are a wanton, hedonistic tribe who didn't have a clue who I was. So they tried to ply me with Cosmopolitans anyways in hopes of getting a picture of the newbie in some sort of Cosmopolitany altered state.
Since they don't know me all that well, they thought they could tempt me with vodka and raw vegetables with dip. But they were wrong.

At least I hope so. I don't recall much near the end of the party...

And here's the bloggers who attended. Don't let any degenerate pictures on their sites fool you; many of their blogs have great inside tips on Paris, and make good reading.

Hillary Keegin & Aaron Ross of 13

Eric of Paris Daily Photo

Seth from The Paris Times

Pascal Fonquernie of ParisMarais.com

Polly of Polly Vous Français

Amy Alkon of Advice Goddess

Susie & Cesar of Ivy Paris

Richard of Eye Prefer Paris

Elliott Hester, guest blogger of Postcards from Paris/LA Times
(who they should keep, please!)

Heidi of The Paris Update

Catherine, the Petite Anglaise

Jennifer of No Place Like it

Le Meg of Leblageur

Laurie of The Paris Blog

After spending years learning the language, I'm pretty comfortable with menus in French and I'm rarely in for any unpleasant surprises when waiters bring me food anymore. But on my trip to Italy, I was completely baffled when handed an Italian menu, scarcely knowing stinco from souris d'agneau. Stinco I Iearned the hard way: a Fred Flintstone-sized hunk of roasted veal knuckle was plunked down in front of me, after a hearty pasta course, and there was no chance of leaving until I finished it off. All of it. And you might want to be careful ordering souris d'agneau in France, since a 'souris' is a mouse, which doesn't sound as appetizing as lamb shank, which is actually what you'd be ordering.
Well, hopefully...just don't forget the 'd'agneau' part.

So I carried along Andy Herbach and Michael Dillon's Eating and Drinking in Italy on my trip. Although I need little help deciding what to drink, many times I was stumped when presented with a menu. Luckily I had slipped this slender guide into my pocket, which is one of the most appealing features of these guides, so one could discretely refer to them without looking like a total rube.

These guides are inexepensive too, and the Paris menu translator has everything from pibales (small eels...ew) to pithiviers (puff pastry filled with ground almonds and cream...yum).

It's rather difficult to find a good, comprehensive, and compact menu translator, so most people resort to tearing pages out of their guidebooks, which are rather broad-based don't get into the nitty-gritty of the difference between congre (big eel) and colin (hake). Then they end up facing a heaping platter of something they'd prefer not to encounter either on sea or shore. Another bonus is both books also have loads of information about European dining customs, like never filling a wine glass more than halfway full in Paris, as well as restaurant suggestions and the Italian guide has brief descriptions of the regions of Italy, and what to order when you're there.

Both are highly recommended, so much so that I plan to take their Berlin Made Easy guide with me on my trip this winter, so I end up with gegrillt jakobsmuscheln instead of gekockten aal.

In this month's Hemispheres, the magazine of United Airlines, I was their guest author for their popular series, Three Perfect Days, where I share some of my favorite tips for three perfect days of travel, sightseeing, and...of course, eating.

If you're flying on United Airlines this month, be sure to pick up a copy.
The article is also online at the Hemispheres web site, and will be archived there as well.

France, one of the last countries to ban smoking in restaurants, is ready to ban smoking, alledgedly on January 1st, 2007. Like most things here, it's not quite a 'done deal'...(in French, there's le conditionelle, a verb tense that gives politicians a bit of wiggle room, like shoulda-woulda-coulda).

Restaurant and café owners feel the ban will hurt business. But I'm wondering: Won't it help? People will tend not to linger, smoking 4-5 cigarettes après dinner, and clear the tables sooner. Will smokers really stop going out to dinner? That same arguement was brought up in California and New York, and hasn't proved to be true. And smoking will still be allowed in bars, nightclubs, and Tabacs.

Since there's a big election coming up next spring, the issue's rather touchy. No one seems to want to ruffle any feathers and alienate anyone, as Prime Minister Villepan learned when he snuffed out his chances of becoming the President of France when he imposed new employment laws for students, who reacted rather fiercely a few months back, forcing him to backtrack and lose much of his political clout. And French folks aren't necessarily fond of change; Ségolène Royale, a candidate for President, had to backtrack recently when she mistakenly said that French workers need to be flexible, and quickly changed, saying workers needed to be souple, or supple, instead.

Here's two articles (from the thread at eGullet):

From Le Figaro, in French, and at Expatica, in English.

Any guesses as to what's actually going to happen?

If you're traveling to and within France, many folks like to stay in touch with home, or want to be able to make and receive phone calls and get messages. So why not pick up a pay-as-you-go phone? You purchase the phone (most start at 69€) then buy minutes in increments from 5€ to 100€, which are good anywhere from a few weeks to several months, although they do expire at a certain point.

The three principle phone companies in France that offer pay-as-you-go mobile service are SFR, Bouyges (which I avoided since I couldn't pronounce it), and Orange (which, of course, I went with since it was the easiest to say.)

You'll need to show your passport when buying your phone and signing up for service. When you buy your phone, there are certain phones that are compatable with pay-as-you-go services, while others aren't, so you'll need to let them know what kind of service you want.

If you're French isn't very good, many of the young people that work in the France Telecom or Orange boutiques (the France Telecom mobile division) that are all over Paris are often interested in practicing their English (yes, really...) and if you get a good one, they can be really helpful. My success rate is about 50/50. And unless you like lines, avoid going first thing in the morning or during lunch hour(s). The other companies mentioned offer similar pay-as-you-go as well at the same price but Orange seems to have the most locations around France.

Once you buy the phone, you'll need to buy minutes. You can do this at any phone store and most Tabacs, as well as at some guichet automatiques, or ATM machines. With Orange, for example, you'll get a receipt with a 16-digit number which you enter into the phone (dial 224 first).

You get three tries, so don't mess up!
If you do, quelle dommage...you lose the minutes.

Advantages

• You get your own phone number (all mobile numbers in France begin with 06) that you can hang on to as long as you want. If your minutes expire and you don't recharge after a certain period of time, you lose your number and will get reassigned another the next time you visit.

• You can receive incoming calls from anywhere in the world, free. (In France, you only pay for outgoing mobile phone calls.) You can make calls internationally at the same rate that Mobicarte calls cost, currently .55 centimes per minute.

• All calls within France are included at the same price.

• You can buy as much, or as little time, as you wish. If you're here for 2 weeks, you can just buy 45 minutes worth of calling time. If you need more, just stop in any Tabac of phone store and buy more in a few minutes.

• Since none of the public phone booths take coins anymore, you don't need to make a special trip to the Tabac to buy a phone card to use one.

• You can use the phone over and over, on every trip during your lifetime. In other countries, you can buy a SIM card to transfer the phone service to their system.

• You can have the phone set in English, so the on-screen instructions are in easier to understand.

  Disadvantages
  

• French cell phones can be notoriously quirky. I've had several different phones, and many times my phone doesn't ring if someone calls. More often, there's no notification that I have a new message, so I have to call and check my voicemail every so often.

• For American who are used to very low-priced cell phone calling, the price here is 6 times more expensive, so you may not want have a long, leisurely phone conversation. But remember, you only pay if you initiated the call.

• France uses 220V, so you'll need to recharge your phone in France, not in the United States. I recommend fully-charging it before you leave, so you can use it when you step off the plane on your next visit, if you need to.

• The mobile phones are overly complicated. You have to scroll through a gazillion menus to get to what you want and press a lot more buttons too. And your phone number isn't displayed, so you need to write it down elsewhere. (When I asked why, I was told it was "For security." When I asked what kind of security that provided, they simply shrugged.)

• The functions are not always explained with on-screen commands, so it can be frustrating to figure out how to do simple tasks like how to change your outgoing message or delete messages, which took me 2 years of asking at the different Orange boutiques to figure out...which no one seemed to know, oddly enough.
  

Competition, gasp, has come to the French mobile phone industry and Virgin Mobile, as well as others, are entering the fray. The prices are similar but worth checking out. There are also companies that rent mobile phones for a moderate fee if you don't want to buy one.

And there's talk of lowering prices too, but I just recharged my phone and the price actually went up. So I guess someone didn't get the memo.

Here's a listing of a few favorite hotels in Paris that you might want to investigate if you're planning to come for a visit. I've been traveling to Paris for many years before moving here, and some of the hotels listed I've stayed in, while others have been recommended by guests and friends. There's a pretty good selection, including one located on the top of the public hospital!

There's a few caveats to remember, which I've listed below, since everyone has different standards and concerns when staying in a hotel. Only you know if you'll be comfortable in a 'budget' hotel with few services, possible street noise, and standard bedding. Price makes a big difference and a hotel that's less than 100€ per night is likely to offer few amenities, while one in the higher range is, of course, going to be a nicer place to stay.

Finally, if you have any suggestions that you'd like to share, or tips, please leave them in the Comments area.

Hôtel Le Sainte-Beuve
9, rue Sainte-Beuve
Tel: 01 45 48 20 07
Fax: 01 45 48 67 52

Charming hotel near Montparnasse with 22 rooms. Air-conditioning and close to Le Timbre restaurant. Rates start at 135€ for a standard room. No internet.

Hôtel Saint Pierre
4, rue de l'Ecole de Médecine
Tel: 01 46 34 78 80
Fax: 01 40 51 05 17

Good budget option in the student-oriented Latin Quarter, free hi-speed internet in the rooms and television. Rates start at 63€ per night. Just down the street from my favorite hot chocolate place in Paris, Pâtisserie Viennoisserie, where you can take breakfast too (closed weekends.)

Hôtel Bourgogne-Montana
3, rue de Bourgogne
Tel: 01 45 51 20 22
Fax: 01 45 56 11 98

In the relaxed seventh, very popular, good quality for the price. Good breakfast buffet and excellent staff. Rooms start around 180€ with breakfast included.

Hôtel Hospitel
1, Place du Parvis Notre Dame
Tel: 01 44 32 01 00
Fax: 01 44 32 01 16

Located on the top floor of the historic Hôtel Dieu Hospital (Mon Dieu!) It's just next Nôtre Dame in the center of Paris. Single rooms start at 93€ per night.

Mama Shelter
109, rue Bagnolet
Tel: 01 43 48 48 48
Fax: 01 44 54 38 66

This new "concept" hotel, designed by Philippe Stark, up in the 20th, offers low prices (rooms start at 79€) and trendy fixtures.

Hôtel Bourg Tibourg
19, rue Bourg Tibourg
Tel: 01 42 78 47 39
Fax: 01 40 29 07 00

In a lively area, the Marais, but on a quiet street. Chic rooms designed by Jacques Garcia. Rooms that start at 160€. Wi-Fi (pronounced wee-fee, in French), interior garden, and air-conditioning.

Grand Hôtel Jeanne d'Arc
3, rue de Jarente
Tel 01 48 87 62 11
Fax 01 48 87 37 31

In the Marais, close to Place des Vosges, this hotel is an outstanding value for its location (and it's just a short stumble from (Vert d'Absinthe) Consequently, this hotel books quickly. No air-conditioning or fancy services. Doubles are around 75€.

Hôtel Castex
5, rue Castex
Tel: 01 42 72 31 52

Air-conditioning and free Wi-Fi. Rooms start at 85€. Well-located on a quiet side street near the Bastille.

Regent Hôtel
44 rue Madame
Tel: 01 45 48 02 81,
Fax: 01 45 44 85 73
Email:regents.hotel@wanadoo.fr

This nice hotel is located right on a quiet street in the 6th. There is a elementary school next door, however, so expect happy kid noises outside during school hours. The place is really clean and decent, and the staff is friendly. The prices are great too: between 80-100€ for a room, depending on size.

Hôtel Chopin,
46 Passage Jouffroy
Tel: 01 47 70 58 10
Fax: 01 42 47 00 70

In a passage near Montmarte. Inexpensive, lively area near the major department stores. Upper rooms have more light; request the forth floor.

Hôtel de la Place des Vosges
12 rue Birague
Tel: 01 42 72 60 46
Fax: 01 42 72 02 64

Rooms 100-140€ per night, with Wi-Fi No air-conditioning, but perfect location on small street leading into Place des Vosges.

Hôtel Duo
(Formerly the Axial Beaubourg )
11 rue de Temple
Tel: 01 42 72 72 22
Fax: 01 42 72 03 53

Very nice, modern hotel in the heart of the Marais, near lots of cafes and nightlife. Mid-priced.

Hôtel Britannique
20 avenue Victoria
Tel: 01 42 33 74 59
Fax: 01 42 33 82 65

Located near Chatelet. Clean and soundproofed rooms. Air-conditioning, flat screen tv and Wi-Fi on request. Great breakfast buffet (extra). The rooms are a tad on the small side but located overlooking a nice square in the center of Paris. Rooms start at 139€.

Hôtel des Chevaliers
30 rue de Turenne
Tel: 01 42 72 73 47

Great location in the Marais, just blocks from the Place des Vosges. Recent renovations mean double-glaze windows, Wi-Fi, and air-conditioning. Rooms start at 94€.

A few tips to keep in mind when researching hotels...

• I never travel anywhere without my Tempur-Pedic Eye Mask. It's simple the best travel product ever! Super-comfy, it blocks every bit of light so you can get a decent night's sleep in hotel rooms or airplanes.

• You get what you pay for. Any hotel under 100€ per night is likely to be a bit flimsy, the decor a bit tired, and the rooms may not be a quiet as you'd like. Or may not be centrally located.

• Many visitors insist on staying on the Left Bank, in the 6th or 7th, since those areas get the most attention. True, you want to be close to attractions, but there's other areas of Paris to explore so don't necessarily limit yourself to those quartiers.

• In general, rooms on the inside are far quieter than rooms overlooking the street. Take note, especially if you plan to come in the summer. The downside is that inside rooms can face neighboring apartments, and often garbage cans rumble around in the early morning.

• Don't judge a hotel by the lobby. Many places have a splendid lobby, which can be deceiving. It's cheaper to make the lobby look amazing rather than the rooms. Look at the room before you accept it.

• The 'star system' can be misleading. Hotels pay taxes based on how many stars they have, so places are reluctant to accept four-stars. So don't let stars be the sole judge. Two-stars or less generally means there are shared bathrooms, however.

• Print out and bring your confirmation. I've had friends staying in lower-priced hotels in Paris who were told their room was booked mid-way through their stay and had to leave. Always bring the paperwork.

• Does the hotel have an elevator? Although most do, some older ones may not, which is something to consider if you have a lot of heavy suitcases.

• If you like your hotel, befriend the manager and go back. They'll remember you and you'll get better treatment each time. Bring them some chocolates on the last day or a little gift.

• Most of the time, breakfast is extra; it may be expensive and can make your budget hotel not such a great deal in the end. You can have a croissant and coffee at a local café for a couple of euros, although sometimes it's nice to treat yourself the hotel breakfast once in a while. Many places charge up to 15€ per person (or more), so it may or may not be worth it to you.

• Air-conditioning in France is not like American air-conditioning and can be weaker than you're used to, something to consider in the summer. Normally the air-conditioning in the lower-priced hotels can be weaker.

• If you're staying for around a week, it can be more interesting to rent an apartment, and there's lots of them out there. Some are professionally-run places with services and concierges. Others are privately-owned apartments that the owners either rent out habitually, or rent when they're not there. Prices are similar to many of the hotels I've listed. The advantages are you can do your own cooking after you've explored the markets and wine shops and you can save on meals (although you have to do the dishes...) You can read some tips in my post: Renting an apartment in Paris.

• The French hotel chain Citadines rents 'apartment-hotel' suites with mini-kitchens. Although the décor is rather Ikea-like and lacking in Parisian charm, the rooms are clean and well-kept, but if you want housekeeping or extra towels, you'll pay extra. You can get find deals if you stay in a neighborhood that's not-quite centrally-located (but it's so easy to get around with the métro, who cares.) Search their site, or other travel sites, to find deals, especially off-season.

• Lastly, there's a whole other world outside of the Left Bank. Many guests think they have to stay there, and are comfortable surrounded by lots of tourists and English-speakers. But other neighborhoods in Paris are great to explore and staying in one for a few days can give you a better sense of what Paris is about.
  

Here are other places to look for information on Paris hotels:

I've been wondering lately why I live here.

Winter is freezing cold. You can barely go stay outside for more than a few minutes without the icy blasts (which sound good now) sending you back indoors, to get under the covers, snuggly with a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

Then we have spring.
Which this year lasted 4 days.

Then summer comes, and Paris melts down. You can see it on every face of everyone in the city. From people waiting for the bus, straining to stand in a tiny sliver of shade, to the women fanning themselves furiously on the buses and métro, everyone here is hotter than heck. Yesterday I went to the movies just to get cool, but unfortunately the film (The Squid & The Whale) was a measly 1 hour long. Who makes a 1 hour movie? I was tempted to stay and see it again just to bask in the coolness of the cinema but it was hard to stay awake the first time around.
Anything to escape my rooftop apartment, just under a zinc roof, which yesterday was104 degrees F. A few friends of mine have similar rooftop apartments, and I decided that no one's allowed to complain to us how hot they are, since we're invariably 10 degrees hotter than they are. So there.

But this time of year, visitors start coming to Paris in droves. I don't know why so many people choose to come to Paris in the summer, but everyone's surprised when I tell them that many of the shops are closed and it's really hot. And I'm leaving.
But come, they do.

So if you are planning to come to Paris in the next month or so, here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Drink rosé.

For some reason, Americans are reluctant to drink rosé, which is inexpensive and delightfully served icy-cold. Rosé in France, for the most part, is dry and very drinkable. And it goes down very well in the summer, speaking from recent experience. Order it by the carafe since there's little difference between that and what comes in the more expensive bottles.

You'll be drinking it so fast that it doesn't really matter.

2. Never order anything they call 'iced coffee' or 'iced tea'.

It's invariably very, very sweet. If you order iced coffee, no matter what you're thinking it's going to be, stop before you do. No matter how tempting it sounds to you, just stop.

If you order something called 'iced coffee', you'll be served a very small amount of dark liquid (very sweet) in a large glass, with a straw, and it will be really sweet. And expensive.

Iced tea is inevitably from a can. And flavored.

And very sweet as well.

(Disclaimer: Yes, that was me you saw on the Boulevard St. Michel at, gasp, Starbucks drinking a Frappucino. It was so hot, we had no choice. But I have a question: Is there any coffee in those things? You'd think if they're gonna charge 4.50€, about $5.50, they would at least taste the slightest bit like coffee. Would it kill them to toss in an extra espresso without charging extra for it?)

3. There is no ice.

You may get a cube or two in your drink, but French people don't use lots of ice and few places have those jumbo ice machines like in America. When I worked in restaurants in the US, the worst thing that could happen was when the ice machine broke. People freaked. I mean, they really freaked. It was like they couldn't deal with drinking room-temperature water. And now, some places in America are charging extra if you don't want ice. It's like there's this vast conspiracy to get you to use lots of ice or something in America. Perhaps someone's putting something in the ice?

(Because whenever I request "No ice" in the US, the waiter gives me this funny look, and I can see him thinking, "Oh great. Why do I get all the ass#%$les in my section?")

Speaking of drinking: You'll notice that it's customary not to fill wine or water glasses to-the-brim full. In France, glasses are generally filled half-full. And in some places or in homes you're expected to use the same glass for both wine and water, so if you fill it too full with wine, you gotta finish all of it before you get any water.

And vice versa.

4. Don't expect air-conditioning.

Or I should say, very little is air-conditioned, especially like the icy-cold turbo-blasts experienced in the US. Electricity is very expensive in France. That, coupled with a general dislike of cool breezes (or open windows...or any kind of ventilation in general) but it can get uncomfortably and unbearably hot and people will sit in restaurants and apartments with the windows firmly closed.

That includes the métro, which can be downright intolerable in the summer. Especially when it's jammed full and your face is directly in some dudes hairy armpit who forgot to take his weekly shower. but you can't move. Most of the buses aren't air-conditioned (except I got on the #63 recently, and it was un peu de paradis), nor is the RER from the airport, which is downright miserable in the summer and you should avoid it. Spring for a cab or a shuttle.

5. Spring for some decent sandals.

Parisians do wear sandals and flip-flips (les thongs, except you don't pronounce the 'h') but in general they wear rather sporty ones. If you want to wear rubber flip flops, stop at Pay-Less and get pair that doesn't look skanky.

(And while you're at it, make sure your feet look decent. Like mine do.)

5a: Don't ever wear dark socks with sandals.
5b: Don't ever wear dark knee socks with sandals.
5c: Don't wear socks with sandals, period.

And remember, you can only wear two of the following at the same time: sandals, shorts, or a tank top. Never all three (if you do, then it's obligatory to add a fanny pack and carry a Rick Steve's guidebook.)

6. Spring for some nice shorts.

Parisians do wear shorts, in spite of what you hear, but do not wear them if you're planning to go into sophisticated places or nice shops.

Do not wear your ultra-short shorts, or anything that looks like something Mariah Carey would wear...unless you're trolling for les clients on the rue St. Denis.

(And men: If you're planning on doing any shoe shopping during les soldes, please remember to wear undershorts. A friend of mine was a shoe salesperson and was always amazed how few men didn't wear undies and whenever she looked up to ask about the fit, she was greeted with an eyeful.)

7. Take time to relax.

I've seen too many people coming to Paris who want to take in six museums in one day, rush from place to place with a rigid schedule, and generally make themselves and their friends crazy. You'll notice that Parisians sit in cafés for lo-o-o-ong periods of time, thinking, reading, or doing absolutely nothing. It's a skill I've finally mastered.

Just sit around and watch the world go by. Remember that citron pressée that you paid 6€ for? It's for the privilege of doing just that. And it's hot, so just relax. Or go to the movies. Paris is a great movie city. And most cinemas are air-conditioned.

8. Get out of the Left Bank.

While there's lots of interesting things to do in Paris; fabulous chocolate shops, great bakeries, and shopping galore, there's other neighborhoods in Paris worth exploring besides the Boulevard St. Germain-des-Pres.

Have you been to Belleville and Boulangerie 140 at Place Jourdain?

What about the Canal St. Martin for a stroll in the evening?

9. Parisians eat much later in the summer.

The sun doesn't go down until around 11pm, so things happen later. No one will be eating dinner at 7 or 7:30pm, and many restaurants won't even be open before that.
So plan accordingly.

If you want a seat outside (en terrasse, make sure to specify that when you reserve, as they're the first to go. Otherwise, if you want a seat near the window, those go second and it's best to show up earlier in the evening rather than later.

And if you're staying in a hotel in a popular neighborhood, and need to keep the windows open, bring ear plugs to block out noisy Brits getting pissed or the Aussies and their birds drinking cans of 1664 under your window.

10. Prepare for les vacances.

Realize that lots of places close for a month, mostly in August but starting in mid-July. It's said that Americans "live to work" and Europeans "work to live", which is rather true, and they are outta here.

The upside is that you'll have Paris much to yourselves and it's very pleasant and uncrowded. But expect many, many places to be closed.
Any other tips?

Paris is always full of little surprises, like any major city. It's always fun to poke around and find something new and unusual. And there's plenty of the unusual in a big city like Paris, as I often report. I think of Paris as a big village, full of colorful characters with lots of stories to tell and unusual offerings. And getting the know the people in your neighborhood, especially the vendors selling fine foods and drink, can be especially rewarding since often if you stay for a while and talk to them, there's always something fascinating to learn.

...and, of course, taste!

I've been meaning to take you to visit one on my favorite shops in Paris for quite a while: Vert d'Absinthe. This little shop is located in the Marais, but a bit removed from the busy tourist streets, just off the Place St. Catherine. Owner Luc-Santiago Rodriguez tells me his shop was the first boutique anywhere dedicated just for the purpose of selling absinthe, that wickedly suspicious elixir that's recently been getting a lot of attention lately.

Although the drink was originally produced as a cure-all medical tonic in 1792, Absinthe became a rather popular drink amongst Parisians in the late 1800's, mainly with hedonists living in Montmarte who would sip it in cafés and clubs, like Le Moulin Rouge, before it was ultimately banned by the French government in 1915.

Although experts are as unclear as a cloudy glass of absinthe on exactly why it was banned, the most colorful theory was that people went mad drinking absinthe due to the rotten wormwood used to make the drink. It was dubbed le fé'e verte or 'the green fairy', since it was said to inspire hallucinations as well.

(Absinthe was banned in the US in 1912, and so far, it's still technically illegal to import into the US.)

But nowadays, most people, including Luc-Santiago, agree that the powerful French wine industry at the time was upset that people, especially the artsy bohemians who lived in the north of Paris, were drinking cheap, hi-test absinthe (at 70% alcohol) instead of pricey wine (around 12% alcohol), in an attempt to get a better buzz for their buck. Since the French wine industry had suffered a severe set-back from the phylloxera infestation which killed most of the grapevines in France, the price of wine had gone up enormously. So it's thought that the wine industry pressured the French government to put the kabosh on absinthe production.
And that was that.

In 1988 absinthe made a comeback and the French government once again made it legal to sell and drink the anise-scented exilir, absinthe attaining a bit of a cult status in the process. With all the ceremony of pouring something previously forbidden in a fancy glass, pouring water over a sugar cube to make it cloudy (called louching), then slowly sipping it while staring into space in a deserted café...how could anyone not be entranced by the romance of absinthe?

If you come to France and want to try or purchase absinthe, be aware that not all drinks that look and sound like absinthe are indeed absinthe. You'll come across 'absente' (missing the 'h'), which has a bleary picture of Van Gogh on the packaging (it was said he went mad drinking absinthe and cut off his ear because of it, which to me is a rather iffy marketing move), but these impostors use a wormwood that's different than the variety of wormwood (artemisia absinthium) used in true absinthe.

The wormwood used to make true absinthe contains thujone, the most important compound in real absinthe.

Anyone interested in absinthe should make the trip to visit Luc-Santiago's little shop Vert d'Absinthe, where 25 different kinds of absinthe are stocked. All are French except for one, which is made in Switzerland, and most of the French absinthe varieties are made near the Swiss border. Monsieur Rodriguez stocks all the proper paraphernalia for properly preparing and drinking a glass of absinthe, from vintage to contemporary; spoons, glasses, fontaines, and, of course, the bottles themselves.

And perhaps you'll get a demonstration and a taste-test. Although drinking absinthe French-style means louching the drink by pouring water over a sugar cube through the special spoon before it clouds up the absinthe, the more flamboyant Czech-style method involves lighting the cube of sugar dramatically on fire, which I've yet to see him do.

Vert d'Absinthe
11 rue d'Ormesson
Paris
Tél: 01 42 71 69 73
Open daily, from 11am to 8pm (closed Monday)

(Although absinthe is technically illegal in the United States, a source for online ordering is eAbsinthe, who ships internationally.)

Heather at Secrets of Paris notes a few unusual places for les amis of absinthe in, or near, Paris:

"The Hotel Royal Fromentin (11 rue Fromentin, Paris, tel. 01 42 81 02 33) serves absinthe at their historic bar, a former cabaret at the foot of Montmartre. Visit in the evening for a presentation by the staff of the history of Absinthe.

The Musée de l'Absinthe (44 rue Alphonse Calle, 95430 Auvers-sur-Oise, tel. 01 30 36 83 26, about fifteen minutes outside Paris) is open on the weekends and holidays and sports all sorts of memorabilia and paraphernalia from absinthe's heyday. Take the train from the Gare du Nord."

For more information about absinthe on the web, here are some interesting articles and sites to read and learn more:

Matt Bites: Here's Your Bottle

Absinthe Online: Liquors de France

Chubby Hubby: The Green Fairy

Accidental Hedonist: Of Poets, Absinthe and Coffee

In Absinthia

The Wormwood Society

La Fée Verte

Absinthe: The Myth and The Reality

Cantada: One of the few bars in Paris to serve a wide selection of absinthes.

Coming Soon: A dessert with absinthe?...

As any American knows, procrastination is a way of life. For example, I'm nearing the end of a big project, yet am having a hard time bucking down to finish it. I even got so desperate in my procrastination that I pulled out my oven and cleaned all behind it, the sides, and scrubbed off the baked-on sugar around the knobs. I'm looking for other projects to tackle next. I am a procrastinateur, if such a word exists. (And I'm not above making up words around here.)

When I was taking French classes shortly after I arrived a few years back, my teacher who was insane, (which is another story, including how he just freaked and starting punching-out the blackboard, but at least it wasn't me...although I'm sure he was thinking it was) but spoke, like, nineteen languages. With complete fluency. I hate those people. But he had never heard of the world 'procrastination'. So I pulled out the immense French dictionary at the school and sure enough, there it was, in French and English, spelled the same way.

But if you mention the word 'procrastination' to any French person, most likely they've never heard it before. I don't know why. A friend here offered, "It's because French people don't procrastinate." When I looked the word up today in my Robert Collins French Dictionnaire which sports 120,000 traductions, the word 'procrastination' only appears in the English-to-French translation, not in the Français-to-English translation.

Coincidence...or conspiracy?

So here I am procrastinating.
Speaking of things that are Too Good To Use, in France, you can get the most superb sunblock in the world. I was told about it by a friend who told me about this non-gloppy formula that she liked. So I went and bought some.

Then the plot thickened.
I was telling another friend about it, and she said,"Oh! That's the stuff all my society friends from New York come over and hoard."

Hmmm. Really? So I did some searching on the internet and found out that yes, Anthelios XL, or any suncress with Mexoryl® isn't available in America, even though it's considered the best, most effective sunscreen on the world. They refuse to give a reason, but FDA has banned the sale of it in the US.*

Paris has been hotter than heck lately. One blogger who shall remain nameless, Susan, pointed out that little weather icon I've added to the site said it wasn't as hot as I was leading on.
So while she sits in her glamorous pool down on her farm, I offer indisputable proof...

So now I have a sneaking suspicion that the weather icon I added is part of a large, right-wing conspiracy to make us believe that global warming isn't happening and that yes, George W. Bush was a far better choice for president than Al Gore.

And never mind my photo of my chocolate thermometer.

Anyhow...I need to get back to work.
But I did try the sunscreen and it's truly amazing. It's thin, light, and didn't leave my face feeling like a pruneaux after a day of walking around Paris during the heatwave. Since it's not available in America (another right-wing conspiracy so all the sun-worshiping leftists get face cancer and can't vote?), if you come to France, you can stock up (although check the legality with the authorities to make sure it's okay) on La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL Fluide Extreme for the visage, the face.

Don't procrastinate.

La Roche-Posay products are available in many Pharmacies and Parapharmacies in Paris.

*Update: La Roche-Posay sunscreen is now available in the United States legally.

Paris is reported to be the most popular tourist destination in the world. Each year people come from all over the world for their vacations. I'm sure they spend months and months making arrangements, searching the internet looking for a charming, affordable hotel, scouring web site for decent airfares, and searching my blog for places to eat.

So after all that, what do most people depend on to get around this most fabulous of all cities? The free maps from Galleries Lafayette that the hotels give out. Not that there's anything wrong with those maps...ok, yes there is.

They suck. Yes, they're free (so is herpes), but they only show, like, 19% of the streets of Paris. And the ones they do show, they only list the names on the major streets. I mean, if you're going to go through the trouble of drawing two parallel lines that resemble a street, would it kill them to put little lettering between those fine black lines saying what the name of the street is?
I guess those maps are great if you're planning on confining yourself to Monsieur Haussmann's grand boulevards, but if you're planning to go anywhere else in Paris and spend more than 24 hours here, you should buy a Guide des Arrondissements.

Let's face it, Paris hasn't changed much in the past 100 or so years or more, and it ain't gonna be changing much in our lifetime either. So next time you come, on your very first day, stop by a Presse, or newstand, and buy one of these booklets. They cost about 5 to 7 euros, and are available in various sizes and formats. Few Parisians leave the house without this handy little booklet in their handbag or man-purse. It easily slips inside a coat pocket as well.

Mine lists all the outdoor markets in the city by day and location, addresses for all the cemetaries in Paris, the location of gas stations and taxi stands, where all the big department stores are, schools and universities (ok, you probably don't need those), and a complete overview and map of the extensive métro system. And the last kicker: you can use it each and every time you come back to Paris. No need to buy a new one.

A bargain at twice the price!

Get your Paris Visite Pass for Métro Travel and More here, before you arrive.

Many of you have asked me about culinary classes in Paris so I've compiled a list of cooking programs offered around town. Some are professional-level classes lasting a week or several months, while others are for dedicated home cooks where you can prepare a meal with a local cook in their Parisian kitchen. Click on the links to find their scheduled classes and what language they're taught in.

You should be able to find something whether you're a dedicated professional or just a visitor seeking tips from a knowledgeable French cuisinière!

Atelier des Chefs

Atelier des Sens

Daniel Rose of Spring restaurant

Atelier Gastronomique de Alain Ducasse

The cooking school of super-chef Alain Ducasse.

Cordon Bleu

Ecole Ferrandi

Paris' school for professionals who want to cook. Also featured are week-long courses by Pierre Hermé. Special long-term professional program offered for English-speaking students.

Ecole Bellouet Conseil

Ecole Lenôtre

The Paris Pavilion of Ecole Lenôtre offers one-day classes for home cooks, while professional bakers and pastry chefs come from around the world to attend their school outside of Paris. I've attended several classes at the Ecole Lenôtre and recommend them highly.

Elegant Home Cooking

Leçon Gourmande Gaggenau: 7 rue de Tilsit (17th) Tel: 01 58 05 20 20

No website, but chef demonstrations, with tastings, are given monthly in this designer kitchen.

Françoise Meunier

Chef Martial

Cucina di Terresa

La Belle Ecole

L'Atelier de Fred

Gourmet Promenades with Paule Caillat (in English)

La Cuisine de Marie Blanche

L'Atelier Saveur et Savoir

Ecole Escoffier at the Ritz Carlton

On Rue Tatin with Susan Loomis

Cookbook author Susan Loomis teaches week-long classes at her home in Normandy as well as classes in Paris.

Patricia Wells

Patricia Wells, author of The Food Lover's Guide to Paris, is a popular instructor of classes at her Left Bank kitchen.

Ecole Chocolat

Pam Williams offers an online course in chocolate-making, with the option of coming to France (and Italy) and learning with selected professionals.

Chocolate Academy of Barry-Callebaut

Cuisine et Tradition

Learn chocolate making with pastry chefs from one of the largest chocolate makers in the world, Barry-Callebaut. Most classes are 2-day offerings.

Ecole du Grand Chocolat at Valrhona

Located well outside of Paris, Valhrona's chocolate programs are available at their factory.

David in Paris

Musée du Vin

Paris' wine museum offers classes in their 14th century cellars.

Ecole du vin

Jacques Vivet's Centre de Désgustation

Lavina

Wine tastings at this enormous wine emporium just off the Place Madeleine.

O-Château

Wine tasting and appreciation classes in English, in the loft of sommel