Summer cafés

Less people in Paris means squares can be turned into terraces with tables and chairs.

Below: with room to spread this café takes up an entire square

Good starts

All over Paris the traditional French breakfast of coffee, or tea, and a tartine is being pushed aside for more substantial fare.

Above: 1) fruity chia bowl of grains, strawberries, blueberries and raspberry coulis 2) organic eggs, spinach French toast, crisp bacon 3) poached egg atop sweet potato purée, toasted hazelnuts, fresh herbs and button mushrooms 4) feta and shredded zucchini "quiches" with peaches and tomato

Thanks to:
Le Pain Quotidien
Hardware Societé
Frenchie To Go
Ten Belles

The dance

The original of this sculpture on the façade of Opéra Garnier is in the Orsay Museum.

Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux
La Danse (1868)

Three top chefs

Three great men.

Paul Bocuse, Anthony Bourdain, and today, Joël Robuchon.

R.I.P.

"Cooking is an act of love..."

Day trip: La Piscine #2

Along with a small group of French journalists I recently had the unique experience of a behind-the-scenes exclusive look at the ongoing expansion work of La Piscine Museum, site of a former municipal swimming pool in an Art Deco building on the outskirts of Lille.

Above: artisans at work reminiscent of Caillebotte's Les Raboteurs at the Orsay Museum


Below: boxes of artworks yet to be unpacked; display bases for sculptures; 19th and 20th-century art fills back-room ateliers during construction works

(click to enlarge)

La Piscine Museum
23 rue de l'Espérance 59100 Roubaix
 Scheduled re-opening date: October 20, 2018


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Day trip: Lille

[The museum restaurant / café is managed by Méert of Lille, famous luxury chocolate and pastry makers] 

Day trip: La Piscine #1

A ten-minute train ride from the city of Lille (2 hours from Paris), La Piscine - an early 20th century municipal swimming pool transformed into an astonishing art exhibition space - expands and readies for re-opening this October.

La Piscine Museum
23 rue de l'Espérance 59100 Roubaix

Monday: behind-the-scenes

Où est la clim?

Paris has noticeably cooled down but should la canicule return there are plenty of places where AC is in full force.

We almost needed coats at L'Avant Comptoir, an indulgent wine+tapas bar dear to my heart that I wrote up in The Good Life France Magazine.

Above: macaron of boudin noir

Below: caramelized pork belly; photos of choices hang from the ceiling

L'Avant Comptoir / Chef Yves Camdeborde

3 Carrefour de l'Odéon 75006

(no reservations; casual; eat standing at counter)


- This + 14 more ideas to beat the heat, in August newsletter -
Nouveautés