30 July 2018

Crêpes on a roll


Rolled-up buckwheat crêpe appetizers with different fillings: chorizo, camembert, goat cheese, smoked salmon; tarama dip; chilled brut apple cider from Brittany.

"La crêpe autrement"
1 rue de l'Odéon 75006

28 July 2018

Cool art #2

13 avenue du Président Wilson 75116

Below: entry to the exhibition is through an enormous doll's house


27 July 2018

Cool art #1


Spacious Palais de Tokyo with its eclectic collection of modern art makes a refreshing escape from Paris' current "heat wave" - in quotes because I once lived in Arizona where it gets so hot that skin sticks to the car seat.

13 avenue du Président Wilson 75116


25 July 2018

23 July 2018

3 hours (or less) from Paris: Can you guess?



A Greek island village? Somewhere off the coast of Sicily?

Neither. It's Cadaqués Spain, Mediterranean fishing village of surrealist Salvador Dalí that I once called home, an hour drive into France.

 Below: nightfall w/view of bay and church; cat relaxes on friends' veranda



Recommended: fly/drive

PARIS - PERPIGNAN
Direct flight (1-hr 30 min) + car rental (1-hr 20 min drive to Cadaqués)
 
PARIS - GIRONA
Direct flight (1-hr 45 min) + car rental (1-hr drive to Cadaqués)


Where to eat:

Compartir
(means "to share" in Spanish - see video in link)
Riera de Sant Vicenç s/n 17488 Cadaqués

 We couldn't get enough of this gem launched by sous chefs of Ferran Adrià of mythic El Bulli (named "best restaurant on the planet" five times) after its closure.

- inventive cocktails / ultra tapas -



(click photos to enlarge)

21 July 2018

20 July 2018

Lane remnant


Beside buildings untold numbers of tiny lanes went the way of the horse-drawn carriage during the 19th century Haussmann Renovation.

18 July 2018

17 July 2018

16 July 2018

Back to back


This weekend saw two big reasons to celebrate:

1) Bastille Day Saturday July 14th
2) France's exciting Coupe du Monde win on Sunday

Above: café Le Bastille just outside Bastille métro station

Below: in a surge of unbridled patriotism France proudly celebrates winning The World Cup.
Shortly after the game thousands began to stream into the streets



- More photos in upcoming August newsletter -

15 July 2018

Beating the heat


Icy drinks in the shade at sophisticated Monsieur Bleu with views of the Eiffel Tower through trees across the river.

20 avenue de New York 75116

14 July 2018

Books and more


The Musée d'Art Naïf at Halle Saint-Pierre always has something unusual, and usually wonderful, going on.

Halle Saint-Pierre
- bookstore / coffee shop / museum -
2 rue Ronsard 75018







11 July 2018

New day


France happily wakes up to victory, well on its way to a World Cup win on Sunday.

Above: the Eiffel Tower quietly holds its own after all-night celebrations


10 July 2018

Calm before storm


A pre-game light dinner in Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Above: San Daniele-draped burratas; grilled Mediterranean veggies; avocado crab; Aperol Spritzes with fresh mint

Le Hibou
16 Carrefour de l'Odéon 75006 
 
 

Almost ready


Since early morning pubs, cafés and restaurants have been setting up for the big match tonight.

Allez les bleus!


The excitement in the city is palpable as France gears up to fight Belgium in tonight's World Cup semi-final game. 

Above: chocolate footballeurs created by Arnaud Larher

8 July 2018

3 hours (or less) from Paris: Tasting Burgundy #6




In the commune of Arcenant small batches of Crème de Cassis are lovingly extracted from cassis, the blackcurrant used for the liqueur staple in every French apéritif cabinet and an integral ingredient of rosé-tinted kirs.

Above: a fine toast after a long day's work; bottling the finished crème de cassis; cassis coulis as a complement to grilled meats; a corner café; a terrace gnosh in a medieval village on the way

 ***

Today winds up our gastronomic visit to Burgundy, and I've but scratched the surface. 
Besides enthusiastic visitors to the blog all week (which kept me posting!) there are those I would like to thank - at farms, bar à vins, châteaux, wine caves and restaurants - who welcomed us as family.

Special thanks to:

Gilles Joannet (top photo)
Artisan Liquoriste
(also makes / sells cherry, peach, apricot and raspberry liqueurs)
rue Basse 21700 Arcenant

Abbaye de la Bussière
21360 La Bussière-sur-Ouche

Recommended:

Le Trou
15 rue Vannerie 21000 Dijon
(apéritif and tasting bar-à-vin located in an atmospheric cave)

Caviste La Fine Heure
34 rue Berbisey 21000 Dijon
(traditional escargots and grilled Charolais steak with Epoisses sauce)

 Michelin-starred Loiseau des Ducs
 Chef Louis Philippe Vigilant - Chief pâtissier Lucille Darosey
3 rue Vauban 21000 Dijon
(gastronomical delights in a beautiful setting)

 L'Aspérule
43 rue Jean Jacques Rousseau 21000 Dijon
(new restaurant of Japanese chef Keigo Kamura formerly of luxury Sofitel Le Faubourg Paris)

La Ferme de Rolle
Hameau de Rolle 21220 Ternant
(in the middle of the countryside; chargrilled meats over a huge open fire; rustic)

    Visit:

Wine caves
Château de Marsannay
2 rue des Vignes 21160 Marsannay-la-Côte
(check first for hours)