Phone: 01.42.36.70.13

Metro Station: Etienne Marcel (Line 4)

Type of cuisine: American

Days & hours of operation: Sun to Wed noon – 12:30 a.m. Thurs to Sat noon – 1:00 a.m.

Credit card: Visa, American Express, MasterCard

Joe Allen’s restaurant is a distinctive American brand, having opened first in New York and Miami before making its way across the pond to London and Paris.  It seemed the perfect place to spend Thanksgiving, and the 45€ menu included an apéritif cocktail, ½ bottle of wine, a selection of seven starters, three main courses, seven desserts, and coffee or tea to finish.  It was a wide and varied banquet from which to choose.

The interior of the restaurant is in brick facing with framed posters of program covers for theatrical and dance performances.  Round tables with red-and-white checkerboard tablecloths and low lighting complete the scene for intimate New York style bistro dining.  In the dining room in the back, a jukebox spins out American songs over the sound system.

We were seated in the back room and, because our party was large, we were split between two large tables.  The seating around the tables was rather confined, but most of the diners seemed to enjoy the evening in spite of the constraint.

We were offered a choice of three apéritifs.  My partner and I chose the Cranberry Kir Royal made from cranberry juice and sparkling white wine.  It was a fitting beginning to a Thanksgiving feast!

For the starter, the Joe Allen foie gras with five peppers, Maker’s Mark bourbon and sautéed apples was particularly tempting.  I found the foie gras to be not only smooth and silky, but tangy due to the infusion of bourbon.  It was served sliced from a terrine and was topped with crunchy bits of pepper.  Baked cubes of apple were served alongside in a small, square goblet.  Lightly flavored with cinnamon, they accompanied the foie gras well, although I found their texture to be spongy.  I like cooked fruits and vegetables to have some resistance to the bite.

My partner ordered the Creamy wild mushroom and parsnip soup with white truffle oil croutons.  It was a thick, creamy, perfumed soup with a round of toasted bread topped with morsels of cooked mushroom and parsnip.  Flavored with white truffle oil, the soup was sublime!

For the main course, I selected the Roast Thanksgiving turkey with quince, apple and walnut stuffing, candied yams, green beans and cranberry sauce with orange and juniper.  The serving of turkey included slices of both white and dark meats.  Tender and succulent, they were accompanied with crushed, baked, sweet yam and sautéed green beans cooked slightly firm to the bite.  This was an entirely satisfying dish.

My partner ordered the Baked ham with wine-soused pear, ice wine and sweet mustard sauce, maple-glazed butternut squash and Thanksgiving mashed potatoes with crème frâiche and chives.  She found the fruit and vegetables to be sublime, but said that the ham fell short of her expectations as it had the texture of charcuterie used in French sandwiches.  She had hoped for more robust texture and flavor.

We served ourselves from the bottles of Wente Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 from Livermore Valley, California that had been placed on the table.  It was a round, medium-bodied wine with a hint of vanilla.  I later learned that it had been aged in oak, which would account for the note of vanilla.  No one on our side of the table was enamored of this wine – we wished for something more complex with the meal.

The waitress placed a basket of small cornbread muffins and sliced bread on the table at the start of the meal.  The muffins were warm, tender, and light – not dense as some cornbread is made.  They were delectable!

I opted for Apple cranberry crumble with vanilla ice cream for dessert.  Although I found the slightly-sweet dessert satisfactory, I was disappointed that the apples had the texture of apple sauce—they had not been sliced and baked slightly firm as I had imagined that they would be.

My partner’s dessert, the Pecan pie infused with Maker’s Mark bourbon and crème anglaise, was dense with pecans and had firm texture.  She was quite pleased with this traditional Thanksgiving treat, though she noted that the crème anglaise that was served with it did not add to its appeal.

Overall, we were satisfied with the food and service and left the restaurant in good spirits.  It was a hearty Thanksgiving feast to remember!

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Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975.  A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992.  Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris.  His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.”  He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.

I had, like most of the Paris expat community, known of Terrance Gelenter long before I actually met him, on a beautiful spring day at a (now defunct) café in St. Germain. It was a chance meeting. I was having lunch with my dear friend John, and Terrance was sitting a table by himself. Because he and John were friendly (bien sûr), we sat down at the table next to his, and spent the next hour or so chatting away. Terrance was holding court, for both us and the café staff who knew him well.

Terrance offers tours, travel planning, tours, accommodations, and some of the most popular events in Paris — from literary readings to private dinners to movie screenings. His website, Paris Through Expatriate Eyes, is a wildly popular read, as is his first book, From Bagels to Brioches: Paris Par Hasard — the story of his beginnings in post-war Casablanca to the Western Pennsylvania coal mining country, and how he ended up in Paris.

Terrance — known as “Mr. Paris” to many, shares some of his favorite places in the French capital.

Paris Neighborhood

The 6^th because I live there and it offers the quiet of my neighborhood near the 7^th, the energy of Saint-Germain des Près where I’ve cultivated many friendships and the Café Flore where I hold office hours for my visiting readers every Sunday from 11:30AM-1PM.

French Restaurant

Astier in the 11th (44 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud). It’s the perfect bistro with a menu of classics dishes, friendly, professional service, affordable wines and the 15-cheese course.

Ethnic Restaurant

I’ve become very partial to the Mandarin in the 6^th for an affordable mixture of Chinese and Thai dishes-elegant surroundings and lunch menus under 14 euros. (5, Rue Montfaucon 75006)

Cheap Eats

Falafel in the Marais.

Food/Gourmet Shop

Quatrehomme Fromagerie , 62 rue de Sevres in the 7th. Walk in and try to resist — the aromas are seductive.

Patisserie /Boulangerie

Au Delices de Sevre (70, rue de Sevres in the 7th) — The best baguette de tradition in the city-super crunchy.

Breakfast Spot

Chez moi. I make great omelets, bio oatmeal, strong coffee and spicy Bloody Mary’s on request.

Chocolatier

There are many good ones but since chocolate is not my thing, I feel confident that, when bringing along a gift of chocolate, I won’t go wrong.

Department Store

Le Bon Marché on the Left Bank has elegance and beautiful women — both buying and selling.

Women or Men’s Boutique

Façonnable. I love their color palette.

Cocktails

The Duke’s Bar at the Hotel Westminster is like a Mayfair Club, and I sing there on Thursday nights.

Music Spot

I love the Atelier de la Main d’Or for eclectic programming from classical to jazz.

Quiet Spot

The gardens of the Palais Royal.

Paris Indulgence

A leisurely, pampered evening at a starred restaurant where I’m known and treated like royalty — champagne, foie gras, wonderful wines, a diverse seasonal menu and a fine Calva or Armagnac … and if a terrace beckons, a Cuban cigar.

Day Trip From Paris

Normandy for the Calvados, Camembert and cows.

Phone: 01.58.62.10.08

Metro Station: Rue du Bac (Line 12)

Type of cuisine: French

Days & hours of operation: Tues to Sat noon – 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – midnight Sun to Tues noon – 3:00 p.m.

Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express

On the outside, arched windows with Art Nouveau fanlights give a hint of the elegance within this building that was once the Maison des Dames des Postes, Télégraphes et.Téléphones. Step inside to view tall ceilings, slender columns, and more Art Nouveau archways.  It would appear that the female workers of the former PTT dined in sumptuous surroundings!  The architecture of the dining room is reminiscent of the types of stylish salons that one finds in Venice.  It is a pleasure to eat in a place like this in Paris.

We were at Le Télégraphe to dine on a specially-priced, four-course menu that we had reserved through lafourchette.com, an on-line reservation service.  For this meal, there was no choice to be made—after we were seated, the waiter simply announced what we would be served.

For the apéritif, the waitress brought us a kir, a refreshing, sweet beverage consisting of white wine flavored with currant liqueur.

An amuse bouche of two tiny, lightly-toasted salmon sandwiches came next.  Amuse bouches are not meant to be filling—they are served to whet the appetite.  These sandwiches fulfilled this role admirably—the salmon was moist and flavorsome.

Vélouté de potirmaron, a pumpkin soup served in a shallow, stylish bowl with a swirl of olive oil and light cream, was served as the first course.  While mine was hot, my partner was dismayed  that her soup was only warm. Nevertheless, we were both satisfied with the flavor of the savory dish.  It was not heavy with cream as some véloutés are.

Declaring antipathy to seafood, my partner forewent the second course, a serving of two succulent prawns on a bed of sautéed green beans.  I neglected to ask the waiter what kind of sauce the prawns were served in, but it had a slight lemon flavor that went well with the crustaceans.

The third course was a serving of a tender lamb chop (having foregone the seafood course, my partner received two), thinly cut and cooked medium-rare.  They were accompanied with tender, diced, sautéed potatoes and served in delicious gravy.  It was a simple, yet excellent main course.

Bread rolls similar to sour-dough bread were served alongside in a dish.

We selected a carafe of red Hubert Veneau Côteaux du Giennois 2008 to accompany the meal.  When we first tasted it we detected animal notes, but these mellowed over the course of the meal.

Dessert was a serving of four sweets:  a scoop of red-current sorbet, a small vanilla macaron filled with chocolate cream, a small crème brulée, and a petite gâteau tout-citron.  We were pleased with these desserts except the latter, which was lacking the assertive, tart flavor of lemon that we had anticipated.

I ordered an espresso to end the meal.  Along with the coffee, we were served two mignardises, each consisting of a madeleine topped with pistachio cream and a large, fresh raspberry.  It was a nice finish to a mostly satisfying dinner in a beautiful restaurant.

The service was friendly and helpful.

The bill for two, including two four-course menus, a carafe of wine, and an espresso, came to 79.30€.

We think that travelers to Paris seeking to dine in elegant surroundings without having to pay upper-end prices will enjoy this restaurant.  Brunch is served on Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975.  A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992.  Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris.  His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.”  He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.

With all this talk about disappearing bee colonies, few realize that there’s one place in Paris where the bees have a thriving home: the Luxembourg Gardens.

Few know that there has been both a bee house (known as an apiary) and a beekeeping school permanently ensconced in the Jardin du Luxembourg since 1856, and it wasn’t until I met a few friends there last November that I learned about the Rucher Ecole. The school is currently led by Jean Pauchon, who learned that bees could thrive in Paris after temporarily storing a hive on the roof of the Opera House 20 years ago, where they collected an abundance of pollen to make honey. Pauchon’s classes include a beekeeping outfit (with a netted hat) and a smoker.

Those who’ve visited the Luxembourg Gardens can attest to the colorful blossoms found on the various fruit trees that surround the former Medici Palace — currently home to the French Senate. As it turns out, the bees are used to pollinate these trees, many of which are named after senators.

The bees at the Luxembourg Gardens are healthy and strong, with no signs of the well-publicized “colony collapse” plaguing bees around the world.  That may be because they live in a pesticide-free zone. Whereas most commercial hives in the U.S. replace their queen more than once a year, the queen of the Luxembourg Gardens lasts for 2-3 years, a remarkable sign of health.

While you’ll see a collection of antique hives, the bees have moved to more modern housing, populating the wooden hives with copper roofs surrounding the gazebo. And who knew that bees need water on a regular basis? That’s why there’s a fountain in the bee area exclusively for them.

You’ll find the bee house located near the rue de Fleuris entrance of the Luxembourg Gardens.

Richard Nahem is a native New Yorker who now lives in Paris. A successful New York City event planner and producer of cultural events, he has worked with many celebrities including Sarah Jessica Parker, Whitney Houston, and Joan Rivers. After a teenage trip to Paris made him an instant Francophile, he visited the city frequently until he made it his home (in 2005). With 25 years of rave reviews from friends and colleagues, Richard decided to take his own private tours of “his” Paris public. His goal for Eye Prefer Paris Tours is to provide fun, adventurous, and exciting tours of Paris for the independent-spirited traveler.

Phone: 01.48.07.48.98

Metro Station: Parmantier (Line 3)

Type of cuisine: Modern French

Days & hours of operation: Mon to Fri 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Sat 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Credit card: Visa, MasterCard

A grey façade with white trim; curtainless, wide, tall windows; and a tall entry door give this restaurant a rather austere appearance.  Inside, the décor is also austere—the walls of the room are dressed in light-grey and the tiles of the floor are black slate.  Chairs with crimson backs and cushions add color.  A bar and a semi-open kitchen stand at the far end of the room, and one can see Thomas, the chef, working there.  In the front of the room, a curious mechanism stands to the right of the entryway.  It is a hand-operated monte-charge (service elevator) that once served to raise and lower material when this space was a print shop.

If the ambiance is industrial, the food is far from that.  The night that we dined there we were served copious portions of delicious, modern French cuisine.

A list of Chef Thomas’ imaginatively-prepared dishes are displayed on chalkboards affixed to the wall. The restaurant does not offer a fixed-priced menu.

To begin the service, the waitress, Mélanie, presented us each an amuse bouche—a small goblet containing morsels of carrot confit, apple, pineapple, and red pepper.  The warm, spicy delicacy piqued our appetites.

For the starter, I decided to order the Aubergines parmesan, mozzarella dish.  In trying to imagine what this dish might look like, I thought that it might be a cold salad of roasted eggplant served with grated Parmesan and slices of mozzarella cheeses.  I was surprised when it turned out to be a hot dish:  a ramekin containing baked, thinly-sliced eggplant topped with these melted cheeses.  It was rich and delicious.

My partner’s starter was also satisfying.  Her soup, a Velouté potimarron, radi noir, was served in a wide-brimmed, shallow bowl.  The smooth, thick purée of pumpkin was garnished with a mound of shredded black radish and bits of parsley, and dotted with olive oil.

The menu offered seven choices of main dishes from which I selected Filet de bar cuit à l’unilatéral et fenouil parfumé au romarin.   The pan-seared filet of bass had been cooked on the skin side only.  The succulent, flaky fish was served on a bed of moist, tender fennel that had been flavored with rosemary.

My partner chose Cuisse de poulet farcie en robe de larde, gratin dauphinois, but requested that the stuffed chicken be served with vegetables other than potatoes (gratin dauphinois).  The plate contained sliced chicken thigh stuffed with pistachios and ground pork and wrapped in bacon.   Served with firm-to-the-bite cooked carrots, parsnips, celery, and turnips, the chicken was tender, the bacon wrap crisp, and the stuffing not overly salty.  A copious and nicely presented dish!

To accompany the meal, we ordered wine by the glass.  My Sauvignon Blanc, dry with notes of citrus, went well with the fish, and my partner’s red Côte du Rhône was smooth and silky.

Fresh, thick-cut baguette was served alongside in a basket.

Dessert was a reminder that life can indeed have its pleasant moments.  My La poire, vanille, crème, chocolat tested the limits of self-indulgence.  Served in a tall sundae glass, it consisted of morsels of poached pear drizzled in chocolate and topped with a generous dollop of heavy whipped cream.  Calorific to the extreme, the sweet dessert was a treat that I will not soon forget!

My partner equally enjoyed her Douceur de speculoos.  Eight strawberry halves were arranged around the inside perimeter of a goblet that contained a layer of crumbled Speculoos cookies.   The strawberries were held into place by a dollop of dense, whipped cream.  A single large strawberry topped the dessert.  The strawberries were sweet, the cream unctuous, and the Speculoos delightfully crunchy.

While we dined, New Orleans jazz, old-time jazz (Billie Holiday) and more recent music (Frank Sinatra) played over the speaker system.

The service was friendly.

The bill for two, including four glasses of wine, two starters, two main courses, and two desserts, came to 72€.

We think that travelers will enjoy dining at this restaurant where the portions are generous and the food imaginatively prepared!

Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975.  A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992.  Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris.  His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.”  He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.

Thierry Breton had every intention of studying veterinary medicine when he arrived in Paris in 1985. Instead, the man who was born in Senegal, and who grew up in Africa and Martinique, fell in love with clay.

Though he didn’t come to Paris to be an artist, his exposure to the art of sculpture led to a life-long devotion to the medium.  His talent was immediately apparent, and invitations to exhibit his work came quickly and frequently. In addition to galleries in Paris, his sculptures were exhibited and sold across Europe: in Barcelona, Gstaad, Milan and Deauville. His work — including clay and bronze sculptures, and a series of stunning paintings — even found its way to the shores of the U.S., with exhibitions in New York, Boston and Palm Beach.

I met Thierry by chance one afternoon, in the boutique of our mutual friend, jewelry designer John Agee. He was full of excitement about the latest exhibition of his work at 6, Mandel, a gallery located within view of the Eiffel Tower and near the Trocadéro. “It’s an exhibition on the theme of wonderful gardens,” he explained, “gardens of land and sea gardens. I offer portraits of the sea and still life on the theme of ‘plant organs’. Each piece is glazed terra cotta.”

A few days later, Thierry invited me to his atelier near Stasbourg-St. Denis, where I was able to see his incredibly vast array of work from over the years — from sculptures to paintings to drawings. Every space in the studio was occupied by his remarkable pieces, even the walls.

With his two young daughters in tow, Thierry proudly shared the pieces that would be going into his exhibition, delightful sculptures that were at once whimsical and contemplative. “My artistic process is based on the strange yet unassimilated, infinitely small or the unknown, brought to our scale to allow us to see ‘the marvelous real world’,” Thierry offered. “This helps blur the boundaries. These works are meant to project an imaginary humanization of a large formal abstraction, despite their absolute reality.”

What struck me most about Thierry, though, was his genuine enthusiasm in helping others tap into their love of art. This is a man who sees beauty in the most unexpected of places, and loves to share that unique view with others. He’s led workshops and classes for those looking to bring out their latent talent, from native Parisians to visitors from abroad.

While he toured me around the atelier, I couldn’t help but notice a collection of exquisite multi-strand necklaces sitting on a nearby table. “I made those,” he said as he moved toward his dazzling creations.  One by one, he showed me each necklace, taking the time to explain the various stones he used and his reasoning behind each piece. It was clear he saw this collection as another form of art — a wearable form.

His daughters are also clearly inspired by their father. As we chatted about his work, both were busy creating their own artwork, hunched over sketchbooks with pencils and pastels. As Thierry began to lock up the studio before our departure, I stole a quick glance at their handiwork.  Whether they choose to follow their father down his professional path, it’s clear that both girls have the talent to be just as successful as he is.

If you’re in Paris, visit Thierry Breton’s exhibition at 6, Mandel (6, Avenue Georges Mandel, Paris 75116, Métro: Trocadéro) through February 25th.

For a private art workshop with Thierry, visit P.S. Privé.

And to purchase his collection of jewelry, visit Shop.ParisienSalon.

All photos courtesy of Thierry Breton.

Phone: 01.45.48.48.08

Metro Station: Saint-Germain-des-Prés or Saint-Sulpice (Line 4), Mabillon (Line 10)

Type of cuisine: Georgian

Days & hours of operation: Open every day from 11:00 a.m. until midnight

Credit card: American Express, Visa, MasterCard

La Maison Géorgienne is a gorgeous theme restaurant located in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés quarter.  We entered here unsuspecting, and soon found ourselves dining like aristocrats!

The restaurant is spacious with four floors for dining.  We were ushered to the top floor by elevator and found ourselves in a large room exuding old-world ambiance:  large, cloth-covered tables—each set with a candelabrum; glass chandeliers; gilded-trim chairs with padded, beige cushions; and an inlaid wood floor.  Save for the modern art on the walls, the room looked like a parlor where an old aristocrat might receive his guests.

Although the restaurant offers a number of fixed-price menus, we ordered à la carte.

For the apéritif, we each ordered a glass of Bagrationi, a Georgian sparkling wine.  Priced at three euros less than French champagne, it was refreshingly dry and had a slight toasty flavor.  We were so pleased with this wine that we ordered a second glass to accompany the meal.

For the starter, I selected the Stumari, a plate of finely-sliced salmon that had been marinated in tchatcha, an eau-de-vie distilled from grape pomace.  Served with crushed avocado and red caviar, the moist, delicious salmon had a fresh, melt-in-the-mouth texture.

My partner selected the Soupe Tchikhirtma, a large bowl of hot soup containing bits of egg and parsley, and generous morsels of chicken breast.  It was an appropriate dish for a chilly day.  She was so pleased with the soup that she dared to tip her bowl to drain the last few drops into her spoon so that she could consume every bit.

For the main course, I thought that the Chakhokhbili au Lapin would be appropriate for the Bagrationi that I determined to continue drinking.  The waiter produced a shallow, square bowl containing three morsels of tender rabbit that had been stewed with herbs in Georgian white wine.  A molded, steaming-hot, carrot purée was served on the side.  The rabbit and carrot purée were delicate, as I had anticipated.  It was a dish fit for an aristocrat!

My partner’s dish, Tchakapouli d’Agneau à l’Estragon, was a stew of lamb that had been marinated in white wine and flavored with fresh tarragon.  It was served in a clear broth in a glazed terra cotta bowl.  A small serving of medium-grained rice with bits of yellow and red pepper was served on the side.  The surprise for her was that the lamb had been prepared in white wine, not red.  She found the dish to be quite flavorful, and was intrigued by the quantity of tarragon used to prepare it.  The herb reminded her of the greens (mustard, collard, kale…) that she used to eat in the southern U.S.

Long loaves of warm, spongy bread topped with sesame seed were served alongside in a basket.  This was a type of bread that we had never seen before—each loaf looked like a large, flattened sausage and vaguely resembled the shape of a boomerang.  We had to restrain ourselves from eating too much!

Normally, I like to have a very sweet ending to my meal, but when I spotted Matsoni, a traditional Georgian yoghurt, on the menu, I thought that I would try that.  A generous portion of the yoghurt was served in a yoghurt cup and topped with a spoonful of honey.  The yoghurt was not consistently smooth as one finds in commercially prepared yoghurts.  It was clotted and quite sour, but not unpleasantly so.  Hooray for artisanal yoghurt!

My partner ordered Medogui, a four-layered torte flavored with caramelized sweet milk and praline.  A layer of frosting separated each thin layer of cake, making this a delicate-looking dessert similar to the kinds that one is served at high tea in London

While we dined, we listened to a live performance by Elga Porchkhidze, who sang in Georgian, as well as in French and Italian.

The service was friendly and helpful.

The bill for two, including four glasses of sparkling wine, two starters, two main courses, two desserts, and one espresso came to 151.50€.  Our lafourchette.com discount brought the price down to 90.90€.

We were pleased that our evening at this restaurant brought us into contact with the culture of Georgia, a distant country that we may never have the opportunity to visit.

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Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975.  A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992.  Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris.  His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.”  He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.

Kasia Dietz has exquisite taste — evidenced in her own personal style and the fabulous bags she designs. She also has a thirst for exploration and adventure — she spent 13 months traveling through 32 countries. This, after spending 10 years in New York City as an art buyer in the ad agency biz.

But after returning from her extended voyage abroad, Kasia literally bumped into the Italian who was to become the love of her life and would, five months later, follow him to Paris. That was nearly three years ago, and in the time since, Kasia has gotten to know the French capital inside and out, delighting in new discoveries and familiar haunts alike.

And, it should be noted, Paris has fallen in love with Kasia. Her collection of bags is sold in the oh-so-prestigious Le Bon Marché … but for those who cannot make it to Paris to, they’ll find the Kasia Dietz collection online at Shop.ParisienSalon.

In the meantime, pour yourself a glass of wine or tea, sit back and let Kasia share her favorite places in the City of Lights.

Kasia in the Marais.

Paris Neighborhood

Le Marais. It’s cobbled streets, hidden courtyards and endless charm always felt like home, even before it was.

Restaurant (French)

I adore everything about Le Petit Marché. It’s exceptionally good French fare with a touch of Asian influence and just the right ambiance, steps away from Place des Vosges. (The mille feuille au thon is a must!)

Restaurant (Ethnic)

I have yet to discover a favorite ethnic eatery (where’s the Chinese takeaway in Paris?) but often find myself table hopping at Le Marché des Enfants Rouges with plenty an ethnic option including Japanese, Italian, Moroccan, Caribbean and Lebanese.

Cheap Eats

There’s a single crêpe stand at the Saint-Germain-des-Prés metro stop that I frequent when I’m craving a local taste followed by a stroll in the rive gauche. (Yes, I do cross the river on occasion.)

Food/gourmet Shop

Aside from occasional morning marketing, my weekly trips include Marché Saint-Martin, a covered market in the 10eme, filled with a wide array of fresh produce, regional wines, foreign delicacies and most importantly, many a smiling merchant.

Patisserie /Boulangerie

I have great loyalty for my little neighborhood boulangerie and always feel privileged when I happen upon a fresh, warm baguette. As for patisserie’s, I cannot easily walk past a Ladurée without tasting at least one macaron, preferably rose-flavored.

Breakfast Spot

My latest favorite breakfast or rather, brunch spot is Coutume Café. (And not merely for its breakfast burrito, in accordance with all the rave reviews the coffee is one of the best in Paris!)

Chocolate Shop

I recently discovered a little gem called Meert in the Marais. It’s a quaint 18th century chocolatier which truly feels like stepping into ‘old Paris’, filled with divine handmade chocolates and various other confections. And, it’s close!

Department Store

I enjoy strolling through Le Bon Marché, as it’s never too crowded and has the appeal of a gallery, each carefully selected piece waiting to be admired.

A hidden garden.

Specialty Boutique

One of my secret passions is interior design with an affinity towards Danish modern. Conveniently close to home sits the Nordik Market, with a selection of Scandinavian furniture and housewares that I dream to furnish a Paris apartment with.

Boutique (Women’s or Men’s)

A boutique combining my three loves of fashion, literature and art is Ofr., located in the ‘Haute Marais’. There is always a book or two to peruse, often followed by an exhibition in the back gallery.

Place for Cocktails

Since moving to Paris I rarely indulge in cocktails, but do love a well mixed drink at neighborhood haunt Candelaria as well as La Conserverie.

Music Spot

The streets of Paris prove the most fitting spots for music to be heard, particularly on one of Paris’ most enchanting nights, La Fête de la Musique, when musicians take to the streets, and out of every hidden corner is heard song. As for a proper venue, La Cigale is a classic.

Quiet Spot

Where I most love to lose time is in Village Saint-Paul, a hidden world of inter-connected courtyards in the Marais, revealing antique shops and one particular cafe that I am very fond of as it does indeed taste like home, Comme à la Maison.

Paris Indulgence

Tea at Mariage Frères is a luxury. I feel quite like being on the set of Casablanca. (Tastings at the various chocolatiers doesn’t count, does it?)

Day Trip from Paris

For a day lost within a magical setting, Monet’s gardens at Giverny. For a day of regal hedonism, a tour of the champagne houses at Epernay. And for a proper mix of the two, the Loire Valley.

All photos provided by Kasia Dietz. You can follow Kasia’s adventures in Paris and beyond at her blog, Love in the City of Lights.

It’s been half a century since black & white movies were made virtually obsolete by their technicolor counterparts, save for the occasion art house release. And except for a handful of homages to the genre, silent films went silent in the late 1920s.

But French director and producer Michel Hazanavicius wanted to make a silent film for years, having been inspired by the filmmakers of that era and, from an artistic standpoint, the image-driven nature of that format. And after finding success with a series of French spy spoofs, he found the financial backing to bring that dream to the big screen.

Hazanavicius also wanted to work again with Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo, the former the comedic star of the spy movies, and the latter his actress wife. And after writing the script, the director took his two French stars with him to Hollywood, where a combined French-American cast and crew created The Artist.

Dujardin plays silent screen star George Valentin with a level of charm that requires no words. This is a man at the top of his career, with the confidence and delightful swagger to go with it. With his Jack Russell terrier devotedly at his side, whether as his movie sidekick or off-screen best friend, Valentin is the man that woman love and that men unabashedly admire. His smile … oh that smile … lights up the screen in a way that makes you forget that it’s black and white film.

Bejo’s character, Peppy Miller, is introduced as an aspiring actress who is thrust into the public eye after accidentally bumping into Valentin outside his new film premier. He later makes sure she has a small role on the set of his new movie, which sets her career in motion.

But it’s the end of the Roaring 20s, and “talkies” are now the talk of the town. Valentin’s producer, played by John Goodman, cuts loose all of his silent film stars to bring in a new wave of actors who are young and can talk on screen. So while Peppy Miller’s star is ascending, George Valentin’s is imploding.

That’s all I’ll say about the plot, because there’s no need to give it all away. But what I can tell you is that Jean Dujardin conveys more story and emotion without uttering a single word than most actors do with two hours of loquacious dialogue. I dare you not to fall in love with him. The same can be said for Bérénice Bejo, whose energy and joyfulness is simply infectious. The two leads are complete unknowns in the U.S. (but I guarantee we’ll be seeing much more of them on our shores), but the supporting cast reads like a who’s who of Hollywood. In addition to Goodman, James Cromwell plays Valentin’s valet, Penelope Ann Miller his unhappy wife, Missi Pyle his overshadowed co-star, and Malcolm McDowell even has a cameo as a film extra.

While a movie’s soundtrack is often lost in the background, in this case, the nonstop score by Ludovic Bource is almost a main character in itself, perhaps serving as the film’s narrator, leading the viewer along the path of the characters’ emotional journeys. The actors propel the story forward wordlessly, pulling you in to their charming performances and, along the way, have you laughing and crying. Even the dog, played by a Jack Russell named Uggie, deserves an Oscar for his performance.

Make no mistake, this is a feel-good movie at its core, despite a fairly heavy midsection, and by the end, you may just find yourself on your feet cheering. And it’s that final scene that makes it clear that, while this is a movie about Hollywood, it is in fact very, very French.

Phone: 01.42.55.01.03

Metro Station: Jules Joffrin (Line 12)

Type of cuisine: Trendy French

Days & hours of operation: Tues to Sat 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Credit card: Visa, MasterCard

Le Preum’s is located on the north side of Butte Montmartre, an off-the-beaten-track location where most tourists do not venture.  Opened in November 2009, it is operated by two young women:  Julie as chef in the kitchen and Sabina, who welcomes diners, takes their orders, and serves the food.

The restaurant is narrow and long and has two dining rooms, one in the front and the other in the back.  Textured chocolate-colored wallpaper; dark, wooden chairs with cream-colored vinyl cushions, terra cotta floor tiles, and an avocado-colored green archway dividing the two rooms give this restaurant a reposing feeling.  I was disappointed to note, however, that the windows were not sparkling clean.  In my mind, this is one of the first things that distinguishes a good restaurant from a mediocre one.

After being seated, we ordered before-dinner drinks.  My partner chose a white port and I a Leffe beer.  Sabina took care to explain that the Leffe that she was serving was a Ruby, flavored with red fruit.  I found the beer to be slightly sweet and very refreshing.

The restaurant offers a three-course 15€ menu, but we chose to order à la carte.

To begin the meal, I chose the Verrine de feta et tomates cerise au pistou de poireaux.  It arrived in a clear glass serving dish, which permitted the tomatoes, the cubes of feta cheese, and pesto to radiate their splendid colors.  The feta was moist, the tomatoes juicy, and the pesto strong with garlic.  An appetizing salad!

My partner was pleased with her decision to order Ravioles de Royans gratinées aux Parmesan.  These are not Italian ravioli as the name would imply, but rather are ravioles, a specialty from Dauphiné, an area in the southeastern part of France.  Stuffed with ricotta cheese, placed in a ramekin with light cream and Parmesan cheese, and passed under a broiler, they were simply delicious!

I was intrigued by the Pavé de saumon en croûte de Satay et wok de légumes, and ordered that for the main course.  The narrow, thick cut of salmon that I received was tender and moist.  It had been prepared in peanut sauce and then cooked in such a way that the sauce formed a crisp coating around the succulent, flavorful flesh.

My partner was not as pleased with her Croustillant de poulet, sauce vin rouge et galette de polenta.  The chicken breast was served in a brick pastry garnished with a reduction of red wine sauce.  Two sautéed polenta cakes were served alongside, also garnished with the sauce.  The disappointment came with the temperature of the chicken and polenta:  they were served tepid, not hot, as a hearty dish like this should be served.

As a beverage accompaniment, I ordered another Leffe Ruby, while my partner ordered a 25cl pitcher of Savignon blanc — La Cave des 9 Clés.  Balanced between sweet and dry, the white wine had a passing licorice flavor.

Fresh, warm, thick-cut baguette was served alongside in a basket.  The crust was wonderfully dark and crispy.

Dessert returned the meal to a high point on the pleasure meter for my partner.  We both ordered Cheesecake, a New-York style cheesecake that Chef Julie told us was prepared with Philadelphia cream cheese.  It was served with strawberry sauce and garnished with a fresh, half strawberry.  The sauce was an unusual and welcome treat, as most red fruit sauces in Paris are made from raspberries, a fruit that my partner does not care for.  Complete with a thick sablé crust, the cheesecake was dense and moist and revealed a hint of lemon.

The bill for two persons, including two 25cl bottles of beer, one 25cl pitcher of wine, two starters, two main courses, two desserts, and an espresso, came to 79.50€.  Our lafourchette.com discount reduced the bill to 55.90€.

Although the service was friendly and helpful and the meals appetizing, I would not return to this restaurant because of its unwashed windows, which, in my mind, give the establishment a “greasy spoon” feel.  Getting to the restaurant requires a long metro ride from the center of town, and we can find lots of good restaurants with windows that sparkle closer to the center of Paris!

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