#1 frite…Paris–

The fried potatoes at Le Bistrot Paul Bert make me scream “hallelujah” like my head is popping out of a hunk of Rodin marble. . .WOWEEWOWOW, these things are good.  So potato-ey, so crispy on the outside, so tender on the inside, so delectable.

In fact, as I sit sipping the house Bordeaux while gobbling a hunk of pate at Cafe Varenne the next day I can’t stop thinking about these frites. . .and the amazing bursting busts of Rodin. . .so much stimulation here in Paris–quite invigorating. . .mmmm, aaaahh!

Keep searching for the best of everything wherever you are…so much to see and do and taste and experience, and sooooo little time.

I send you scintillating vibes from the restaurants, cafes and museums of Paris…feel them…they will make your synapses pop.

It’s lovely out there.

Bistro exceptionnel…Paris–

YES!  Bistros are serving bistro fare all over Paris, and this one might be the most exceptional…it’s Le Bistrot Paul Bert…let’s check it out.

Bistros are like diners on massive amounts of steroids…folks clamber in from the streets at all hours of day and evening looking for delicious grub to fill their empty bellies…it’s a good idea to have a reservation for the highly-regarded ones. . .Paul Bert is of the highest regard–we have a reservation–we are good-to-go.

We pop in at our reserved time–8:30 p.m.–we are efficiently greeted and seated.  A giant chalkboard menu is brought to us…we order champagne and peruse the menu.

The champagne is delicious…I don’t really need to peruse the menu because the main draw here is the steak au poivre (steak served with black-pepper sauce)–I am getting this…I am also getting the housemade pate–yes-indeedy-dee!

My wife is having grilled fish, scallops and green salad…nice choices.

We are washing everything down with a 1st Cru Beaune dubbed ‘Jane Eyre’ by the winemaker…this feisty young girl ought to do us just fine, we hope.

The food arrives in a perfectly-timed fashion…we gobble appetizers and sip away…we gobble our mains and sip away…and we end with a lovely Grand Marnier souffle that soothes and invigorates us. . .everything is wonderful.

Please note that the steak au poivre is cooked a perfect medium-rare, and the pepper sauce warms my soul. . .I could eat this again and again…in fact, I plan to–lots more cardio is in my future, oh yeah!

Paul Bert is a wonderful place to dine–lively, rambunctious and welcoming…located over in the border area of the 9th and 11th arrondissements we are surrounded by lots of other places for pre-dinner drinks, after-dinner drinks and future dining spots…not so many tourists over here, lots of French folks simply going about the business of living, eating, drinking, chatting and enjoying the passage of time, Paris-style.

Do your best to do some dining at Le Bistrot Paul Bert the next time you are in Paris…you will love it–I gar-ron-taaaayy!

It’s lovely out there.

Meat, cheese and love–

MMM!  Just walking along here in Paris somewhere near Boulevard Saint Germain, and we detect a delectable fragrance of meats and cheeses wafting through the air…we turn the corner and BOOM there is a dude with sausages, hams and cheeses for sale out in the open cool February air–everything looks and smells great…damn, we could totally live near this corner and gather supplies for lunch each and every day until the end of time. . .no problem at all.

France is home to over 400 types of cheese–we are well on our way to sampling them all. . .and numerous types of saucisson and jambon that we simply cannot get enough of–there is no better lunch item than French sausages, French ham, French cheese with crusty bread, cornichons, moutarde and free-flowing wine. . .throw in some berries and cream or a lemon tart at the end, and we are good-to-go.

It’s February…we just passed Valentine’s Day, and love is still in the air. . .in fact, love is always in the air here along with the fragrance of meats and cheeses and wine. . .wow, it really doesn’t get much better than this.

Paris is Paris…everyone knows this…be sure to return here again and again–this place is good for the human spirit and the human belly.  And if you still have not been here, well, shame on you…break on through to the other side and see what’s what in arguably the world’s greatest city.  She is waiting for you, Paris is. . .what are you waiting for?

To see more stupendous images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .you can go just about anywhere that you like right here, right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.

Gobbletime…Paris–

BAM!  We are wanderin’ around Paris doin’ dis ‘n’ dat, and now we are hungry…so we head on over to L’Avant Comptoir in Saint Germain and put a feed on. . .mmm, aaaahh!

EVERYTHING in this joint is good…charcuterie board, scallops, foie gras, eggs with mushrooms, oysters, and the wine flows as long as you want it to…blanc, rouge, dry, heavy, light…whatever you like, they have it here.

We stand at the counter, chit-chat with fellow patrons, chit-chat with each other, and simply enjoy the passage of time in the world’s top city. . .bing-bam-BOOM!

Pop on over to Paris any time you like…doesn’t matter when you are here–even February is acceptable because it’s always gobbletime…c’est bon.

I send you tasty vibes from L’Avant Comptoir in Paris…feel them…they are good for your constitution.

It’s lovely out there.

Rodin…Paris–

WOW!  Recently read a good biography of Auguste Rodin…now I get to experience his stuff here in Paris–magical.

Born in 1840…died in 1917.  Rodin sculpted for nearly 60 years, and he lives on now and will live on forever and ever…or at least as long as these clays and marbles and bronzes and plasters remain intact here on planet Earth.

All these pieces are magnificent…as a young up-and-coming sculptor submitting works in competitions Rodin was often accused of casting his works from living models–cheating–instead of molding everything with his own hands. . .his work was so good and real and life-like that he had to be cheating, the powers-that-be thought.  But, of course, he was not cheating…he was simply good beyond what anyone had seen before. . .a true artistic titan.

And we can see and feel his magic while walking through his museum on Rue Varienne here in Paris…most wonderful.

This museum was formerly his Paris studio and house…a large and grand space with a big garden and room for all of his works to be displayed here, there, and everywhere.

His main studio remained in the town of Meudon about 20 kms or so outside of Paris…another great location to visit if you have the time.. . .mmm, aaaah!

When you come to Paris do your best to make your way over here to the Musee Rodin…this is a must-see for anyone who has any interest in artistic talent in any form…Rodin happened to be a sculptor, but his work is full of love and joy and music and human vibrations that can make anyone go, “WOW!”

Google “Rodin” to learn more…better yet, read a good biography of his life…and even better yet, get on over here and check this stuff out before you return to the stardust that you are.

Sante!

It’s lovely out there.

 

Extraordinaire Paris dining–

KABOOMY!  Here we are puttin’ on a monumental feed at a quintessential Paris dining joint: Chez L’Ami Louis…let’s check it out.

L’Ami Louis is famous for lots of stuff: gruff ultra-French waiters…a cozy room with shiny rouge walls that could tell thousands of scandalous stories…the glistening gorgeous vent pipe that runs from the wood-burning stove to the opposite wall blowing out who-knows-what to who-knows-where…”outrageous” prices…bricks of succulent foie gras…piles of toasted crusty bread…escargots that make you go “YEE-HAW!”…”the world’s greatest roast chicken for two”…mountainous bloody cote-de-boeuf…occasional celebrity sightings…a lovely wine list…and oodles of charm and atmosphere and je ne sais quoi. . .and you know what?–we love it all!!

In short, this place ROCKS!  Online sites are loaded with complaints about this and that–the prices, the surly waiters, the cramped space, the tourists or whatever. . .believe all of the comments, believe them all, but do know that there is much more to love here than to hate or be annoyed by.

First, we have a reservation…don’t just show up and try to roll on in here…it ain’t gonna happen.  Get your hotel to call a reservation in for you…participate in the full dining experience, and you might have a good time.

Second, my wife speaks French…they like a little French thrown their way upon arrival…our host greets us warmly, offers a choice of seats, and we take the coziest side-by-side seating spot in the house…good-to-go for the rest of the night–c’est bon, baby!

Next, the menu is simple…so we keep things simple: champagne to start, then foie gras bricks, then escargots, then roast chicken for two, then green salad, then berries and cream. . .everything to be washed down with a sweet little bottle of Pomerol…and armagnac at the very end. . .BOOM!…done.  Let the games begin.

Our waiters are lovely, by the way–feelin’ lots of love in here…everything arrives at the perfect time…we gobble the delicious foie gras bricks–none better.  We inhale the escargots after they cool just a bit–none better.  We ingest the chicken down to the last little tidbit on the last little bone–succulent, none better.  The green salad is simple and very welcomed after all of the previous richness–wonderful.  The berries are not as sweet as the freshest ones during April–we are here in February, so understandable–but the cream is rich and gooey and soothing, just as it should be…we are happy, oooooh-sooooooo happy. . .mmm, aaaaahh!

We finish with glasses of armagnac…perfect.

Yes, the prices are high…lots of people comment on this…but sometimes you just gotta say, “what the heck?” and just do it.  If everyone could eat here once, then there would be less conflict in the world. . .this is the way dinner should be…this is magic a la L’Ami Louis in Paris, France.

Eat here some time…you will love it–I gar-ron-taaaaayy!!

It’s lovely out there.

Easter snacking…L’Avant Comptoir–

OH MAN!  Soft-boiled eggs topped with caviar, luscious seafood broth, sardines, oysters, squid, fishes galore, and free-flowing crisp white wine. . .all of this and more can be found at L’Avant Comptoir in the Saint Germaine section of Paris on the left bank–rive gauche, baby!

The spring holiday of Easter sits right smack dab on top of the festivals of renewed life, rebirth, and blooming flowers that go back thousands and billions of years. . .celebrate the coming of warmth in our northern hemisphere however you like, but just be sure that there is some good grub involved. . .mmm, aaaah!

The next time you are in Paris please seek out L’Avant Comptoir…it’s right next to the Hotel Relais in Saint Germaine…you can’t miss it, and once you find it you will never want to leave.

I send you blooming vibes from Paris. . .feel them. . .they are full of light and joy.

It’s lovely out there.

#1 lunch spot…Paris–

WOW!  We are finally lunching at La Tour d’Argent here in Paris, and it is MAGNIFICENT!  Cannot imagine a lovelier urban restaurant on planet Earth to lunch in. . .let’s check it out and see why.

First, this is the restaurant that inspires the setting for the wonderful movie called ‘Ratatouilles’…you know, the one with the little rat that is a fine chef and ends up turning the entire Parisian culinary world upside down by making and serving the best ratatouilles that some hardened restaurant critic has ever had.  Fun movie. . .but the real place is much more enjoyable.

The restaurant claims that it was founded back in 1582, but it more likely has been in existence since the mid-19th century. . .you can Google it to learn more.  But who cares how long it has existed…it exists NOW, and that is all that matters to us hungry travelers.

La Tour d’Argent means ‘The Silver Tower’ in English. . .the building certainly glistens as the sun bounces off of it on the left bank of the River Seine. . .light bouncing off of the river…light bouncing off of the building…soon there will be light bouncing off of wine bottles and food and cutlery and glasses as we lunch the afternoon away.

La Tour currently holds one Michelin star…though it used to hold three, then two for many years.  It has one star now simply because they are not innovating or trying to be original…they are just cooking their classic dishes like pressed duck, quenelle, and fish in the fine simple ways that they have done for many years.  In fact, the restaurant has its own duck farm, and everyone flocks here (wink) for the pressed duck which is fun and exciting and delicious to eat.

Even though the restaurant has only one star it still maintains five red forks and knives in its rating–this means the service and setting are as stupendous as ever…jaaaa!!…we love stupendous service!!

We have 6 or 7 people attending to us as we peruse the menu, determine our wine selection, take in the views, and generally settle in…niiiice.

There are a lot of sensory experiences that have to be managed here: announcing our arrival to the greeter, waiting for our elevator ride up to the dining room, being escorted to our table, meeting our service team, checking out the decor–it’s spectacular!–and taking in the views of the Seine, Notre Dame, and all of the right bank of Paris–TRES TRES SUPER!

This place is a fairly tale restaurant.  The staff are all extremely sweet and helpful to us. . .we order a la carte to just dip our beaks into the wonders that they cook here…we have duckling, quenelle, sweetbreads, cheese, strawberries, and other seemingly endless items that keep arriving–all magical and delicious. . .mmm, aaaah!

And we wash everything down with a Meursault from 1986–my wife’s first year spent in Paris. . .most wonderful to see the old bottle with its fading label falling apart as it is taken out of and returned to our ice bucket–and so delicious to drink, too.

The wine list is gigantic and extremely fun to peruse. . .supposedly the restaurant currently has between 300,000 and 400,000 bottles in its cellar–wrap your heads around this wine lovers and enjoy.

Anyway, I could go on and on here, but I won’t.  All you gotta know is that this place is extremely worthy of your attention–please eat here some time if you get the chance…this is the height of what civilized and lovely humans are capable of in the urban dining world. . .why not enjoy it before you return to stardust?

It’s lovely out there.

Notre Dame is gonna be fine–

POW!  Yes, the fire at Notre Dame took out the roof and many of the interior bits of furniture, wall hangings, trinkets, and other items. . .but the really valuable stuff like the organ, the Rose Window, other stained glass windows, and many precious paintings and statues are safe and will be returned to wonderful working order over the coming years.

Fortunately the walls did not collapse, and the bell towers remained intact and standing as well.  The roof will be rebuilt, the organ will be cleaned up, the entire interior will be restored to its past magnificence, and Notre Dame will remain on planet Earth for another 850 years, if not longer…as long as humans don’t incinerate the third rock from the sun, which, sadly, always remains a possibility.  Though the way things are going, this incineration may just happen all by itself or by a meteor strike or a black hole sucking up our blue dot or something that none of us can imagine…sante!

In any case, all is good for now. . .so please come to Paris, see the sights, enjoy yourself, eat some good food, drink some wonderful wine, and keep doing your best to enjoy what little time we have here.

It’s lovely and ok out there.

Sweet hotel…Paris…meow–

ZOWY!  Hotel Thoumieux in the 7th arrondissement on the left bank in Paris is totally worth your attention.  The building is cozy…the street–Rue Saint Dominique–has magical views of the Eiffel Tower…and the beds are meow-meow nice. . .mmmm, aaaah!

I send you well-rested vibes from the heart of Paris. . .feel them. . .they are good for your ailing back and so much more.

It’s lovely out there.