I Prefer Paris

Les Bains

In my hard partying disco days of the late 70s/early 80s in New York, I frequented the clubs Studio 54, Xenon and Area. When I came to Paris during those years I went to a club in an area I had never been before, the Marais. It was Les Bain Douches, a former bathhouse from the late 1800s which was transformed into a nightclub, bar and disco. I remember how fun it was and the coolest thing was they had a swimming pool in the basement. Les Bains Douches was the hotspot during that period with celebrities and models including Jack Nicholson, Naomi Campbell, Catherine Deneuve, Grace Jones, and David Bowie. Unfortunately the legendary club shuttered in 2010. A young, unknown designer Philippe Starck, who later shot up to worldwide fame, designed the interior.

In 2015 Les Bains Douches was revived and renamed Les Bains. The owners took the essence of the old club and updated it for a new generation. Now it’s a club, restaurant and hotel.

I was invited to last month on a tour and for lunch at the rechristened legend. One couldn’t figure what was beyond the commanding entrance of dark wood framed glass doors with iron gates but when looking down, a small, subtle mat had LES BAINS 1885 1978 2015 imprinted on it.

Once inside, the foyer and lobby led to a spacious bar and dining area, Le Salle a Manger, that felt like being in a exclusive club with a dark, low lit atmosphere, mahogany tables, burnt red resin columns and lacquered walls, handsome burgundy leather banquettes and mid-century style dining chairs. The black and white checked mosaic floor with flecks of metallic consists of over two million hand-laid tiny tiles and is a modern recreation of the original Philippe Starck dance floor.

The daytime menu at Le Salle a Manger has a small selection of light dishes. My dining companion had a healthy but delicious salad of beet puree, quinoa, kale, green apple and pomegranate and I had carrot soup followed by house made smoked salmon and cucumber platter. The menu also includes an all day breakfast of omelets, eggs Benedict, French toast and buttermilk pancakes plus fresh energy juices. The dinner menu, under the consultancy of two star chef Philippe Labbe´ and executed by chef Michael Riss, is much fuller with starters, main dishes and desserts plus large sharing plates.

We were shown a few of the 39 rooms designed by Tristan Auer, a promising talent recently who was named one of the ten best interior designers of tomorrow by Architectural Digest. The retro touches in the rooms include replica sofas of Andy Warhol’s Factory, rugs inspired by Serge Gainsbourg and Joy Division album covers. Five junior and two full sized suites are equipped with private hammams.

The downstairs club was smaller than I remember and I was happy to see it still had a pool. It is now also a music and small concert venue and one can rent it for private events.

Other features of Les Bains are the former water tank Le Reservoir, which has been transformed into a private dining space for 12 guests, Le Salon Chinois, an intimate boudoir for afternoon tea, Les Bains Guerbois, the pool and spa, a retail shop and Le Salon Secret, a five room apartment suite with a private elevator.

Opened in 1885, Les Bains Guerbois was a tony private bathhouse started by Francois Auguste Guerbois, a major figure in Parisian society. The bathhouse attracted the most celebrated writers, philosophers, artists and poets of its time including Emile Zola, Manet and Proust.

7 Rue du Bourg l'Abbé, 75003
https://www.lesbains-paris.com/

Eye Prefer Paris Postcards

I am thrilled to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Postcards, a 3, 6 or 12-month subscription service where the subscriber receives three physical postcards of my iconic Paris photos every month. Each month will have a specific theme, from architectural street scenes to romantic outdoor cafes to beautiful gardens to unique shots of iconic monuments. Each mailing will include two postcards in color and one in black & white or sepia, beautifully packaged in a special French Blue postcard holder with a custom designed seal.

Each 6” X 4.25” traditional size postcard is printed on thick matte coated card stock, similar to traditional vintage postcard stock that enhances the vibrancy of every image.

Only $30 for a 3-month subscription plus shipping or

Only $60 for a 6 month subscription (plus shipping)or

$110 for a 12-month subscription (plus shipping)

Click here to order a 12-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 6-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 3-month subscription from my Etsy store

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

Hanging at the Ritz

Having family staying at the Ritz is the next best thing to actually staying there.

My grown niece and her family stayed at the hotel last month for four days and I got to live the Ritz life vicariously through them. She had a suite for her and her husband plus an adjoining room for their children. I met them late morning after they arrived from New York. They were feeling sluggish due to jet lag so we hung out in the room for a few hours. We indulged in the sweets and fruit that came with the room. I snuggled up in the bed for a few minutes for fun to see what the sheets and bed felt like. We loved the room so much, we didn’t want to leave.

I went with my nephew to check out the spa, which I didn’t see on my last visit in June. (click here to read about my first visit) It’s the first Chanel spa in the world and exclusively features Chanel beauty and skin care products. The two story spa has seven treatment rooms. Looking down at the inviting mosaic lined pool, I wanted to dive right in. Afterwards I would have covered up in a white terry cloth robe embroidered with the Ritz emblem and ensconced my self on a chaise lounge with a copy of French Vogue.

The next few days were a whirlwind, as I planned to take them to special places they hadn’t been before. We went to the Musee des Decoratifs, Le Orangerie to see the Monet water lilies, the rooftop of the Peninsula Hotel for a late lunch, afternoon tea at Laduree, the Baccarat showroom and museum, the Palais Galliera fashion museum and dinner in the enchanting outdoor courtyard of Ralph’s restaurant at Ralph Lauren on Boulevard Saint Germain. Our final evening was special, we went to the Fondation Louis Vuitton to see the Daniel Buren installation and dinner out doors in the Parc d’Acclimation.

Chanel me from top to bottom

Esther Williams would be jealous

Vogue please!

My new living room

Sorry for the messy pillows

My great niece Avery at Le Orangerie

Eye Prefer Paris Postcards

I am thrilled to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Postcards, a 3, 6 or 12-month subscription service where the subscriber receives three physical postcards of my iconic Paris photos every month. Each month will have a specific theme, from architectural street scenes to romantic outdoor cafes to beautiful gardens to unique shots of iconic monuments. Each mailing will include two postcards in color and one in black & white or sepia, beautifully packaged in a special French Blue postcard holder with a custom designed seal.

Each 6” X 4.25” traditional size postcard is printed on thick matte coated card stock, similar to traditional vintage postcard stock that enhances the vibrancy of every image.

Only $30 for a 3-month subscription plus shipping or

Only $60 for a 6 month subscription (plus shipping)or

$110 for a 12-month subscription (plus shipping)

Click here to order a 12-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 6-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 3-month subscription from my Etsy store

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

Dinner at Le Table du Connetable, Hotel Auberge du Jeu de Paume

Last February, I wrote about how much I enjoyed my visit to Chantilly and my experience at the Auberge du Jeu de Paume.

I was invited again to Auberge du Jeu de Paume in the end of July to have dinner at Le Table du Connetable, the two star Michelin restaurant, and to stay overnight at the hotel.

Vincent was just back from a three-month stint in New York working on his film After Louie and I thought it would be a nice romantic overnight getaway for the two of us.

We arrived on Friday at about 5PM so we could relax a few hours before dinner and given a lovely Junior suite with a small, quaint salon, where a tasty spread of fruit kebobs and a delectable tea cake along with a bottle of Champagne was laid out on the coffee table. Our roomy bedroom had a high bed with a scenic print backdrop and the sparkling white marble bathroom was the same size as our bedroom in Paris. We opened the glass doors in the bedroom to find a terrace overlooking the grounds of Chantilly castle and a calming fountain. We parked ourselves on some deck chairs and took in the soothing view.

The reason I was invited back to Auberge de Jeu du Paume was to experience the menu at Le Table du Connetable from the new executive chef Clement Leroy, formerly the head chef at Guy Savoy in Paris.

Our reservation was at 7 (tres Americain!), so we were shown to an almost empty restaurant. The spaciously appointed dining room with tables very well spaced apart was especially luxurious with plush dining chairs and sofas, plump orchids on every table, black wrought iron lanterns, chargers with silver rims and Venetian like crystal glasses.

Vincent

Vincent’s extravagant starter of Heirloom tomato collection 2016 was a piece of sculpture with layers of tomatoes swirling into a circle along with another plate of artfully presented multi-colored stewed tomatoes with a savory sorbet in the middle. Lobster salad Bellini style was a plump oversized piece of lobster with charred lettuce, a refreshing and appropriate summer dish.

Fish in many forms seemed the specialty of the chef and Vincent, a finicky eater, raved about the freshness and piquant flavors of the sauce of the Crunchy red mullet. My poulard came from a celebrated chicken farm, La Cour d’Armoise and was served with a crispy outer skin in a pool of Hyssop juice, a rare fruit along with braised lettuce.  

Pastry chef Joachim Bendacha punched up the wow factor with his decadent but also delicate desserts. Chocolate heaven was experienced with ice cream, praline, thick chocolate syrup and hazelnuts. Wedges of apricots soaked in local beer floating along side white mousse cubes topped with sculptural pieces of meringue looked more like an art installation at the Pompidou rather than dessert.

Service was impeccable but sometimes bordered on overstaffing (which is a rarity in restaurants in France) with two or three wait persons tending to us at a time.

After dinner we were invited to have coffee and petit fours on the outdoor terrace in the midst of the crisp country air, a perfect finishing touch to our memorable meal.

We slept soundly on the cushy mattress in our suite and got up early the next morning to explore the chateau.

Vincent had never been to Chantilly and I was eager to show him the chateau. Because I was there in winter, I didn’t partake in visiting the gardens. It was a warm day with mixed sun and clouds and we ambled through the manicured Le Notre garden, the bucolic English Garden and the Anglo-Chinese garden with a hamlet of five small rustic cottages, the model and inspiration for the Petit Trianon at Versailles. We cooled off walking along side the alleyway of trees lining the winding stream.

Even though it was less than 24 hours, our mini getaway was restful and relaxing.

Click here to read my other post about Auberge du Jeu de Paume.

Le Table du Connetable at Hotel Auberge du Jeu de Paume
4 Rue du Connétable,
60500 Chantilly
Lunch Friday and Saturday, dinner Tuesday to Sunday
http://www.aubergedujeudepaumechantilly.fr/en/restaurants/la-table-du-connetable

My Paris Apartment for Rent October 29 to November 16

I am renting my fabulous Paris apartment in the heart of the Marais near St. Paul metro, from October 29 to November 11, a total of 14 nights. It's a spacious one-bedroom 750 sq. ft. loft style apartment with 12 ft. ceilings, decorated in chic Mid-Century Modern furniture and sleeps one or two people in a Queen size bed. Amenities include washer/dryer, 16" flat screen TV, dishwasher, internet connection/Wifi and free long distance calls to the U.S.  The apartment is located on the second floor with an elevator.

The price is $225 a night with a minimum rental 5 nights. Price is negotiable if staying more than 7 nights. Photos upon request. Please email me at rn88@rcn.com if you are interested.

Heirloom tomatoes with sorbet

Lobster salad

Apricot dessert installation

A wedding at the chateau

Eye Prefer Paris Postcards

I am thrilled to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Postcards, a 3, 6 or 12-month subscription service where the subscriber receives three physical postcards of my iconic Paris photos every month. Each month will have a specific theme, from architectural street scenes to romantic outdoor cafes to beautiful gardens to unique shots of iconic monuments. Each mailing will include two postcards in color and one in black & white or sepia, beautifully packaged in a special French Blue postcard holder with a custom designed seal.

Each 6” X 4.25” traditional size postcard is printed on thick matte coated card stock, similar to traditional vintage postcard stock that enhances the vibrancy of every image.

Only $30 for a 3-month subscription plus shipping or

Only $60 for a 6 month subscription (plus shipping)or

$110 for a 12-month subscription (plus shipping)

Click here to order a 12-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 6-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 3-month subscription from my Etsy store

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

Reopening of The Ritz Paris

I’ve been breathlessly waiting for the reopening of The Ritz Paris ever since it closed for renovations four years ago. It was supposed to open in March but a major fire in January delayed the opening till June. What I was most concerned about was whether or not the grandest hotel in Paris would retain its old world luxuriousness or would it cave into modern times with technology taking over, making it into a soulless haven for uber rich tourists.

I had a bit of trepidation about going to the hotel without a reservation at the bar or restaurants or to pick up a client because a number of years ago I spontaneously walked in and was thwarted by a security guard who snootily told me I couldn’t enter unless I was staying in the hotel or had a reservation.

This time I dressed smartly and wore a jacket and dress pants instead of jeans and polo shirt and instead of being dismissed, I was warmly greeted by a lovely young lady who offered a tour of the newly renovated hotel. Sauntering through the venerable corridors once occupied by Coco Chanel, Ernest Hemingway, Proust and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, I was dazzled by the stunningly decorated but familiar looking rooms and breathed a sigh of relief along with a big smile, knowing my grand dame had been treated with love, respect, and TLC. It was as though she had the best kind of facelift- the kind where the person looks almost the same but slightly different and you can’t tell why they look different.

New York based architect and interior designer Thierry W. Despont was in charge of the difficult task of renovating the hotel from top to bottom without changing its essence and the cost is estimated to be as high as 450,000,000€.  

The Ritz now features 142 rooms and a series of newly themed suites including the Mozart, Maria Callas, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and Proust.

The Hemingway Bar is virtually untouched (another big sigh or relief) and legendary mix master Colin Field has invented daring new cocktails to celebrate the reopening including a Bloody Mary where the client chooses their own seasonal tomatoes that go into their drink.

One of the most beautiful features of the renovation is the spectacular inner garden inspired by the formal gardens of Versailles and designed by landscape artist Jean Mur, who planted 24 linden trees and white roses.

Checkout the sexy short film about the hotel, Behind the Door by American director Zoe Cassavetes, starring Ana Girardot and Andrés Velencoso as lovers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuQbYlbedX0

For more details about the new Ritz Paris, click here to read my article published by www.travelagentcentral.com

Eye Prefer Paris Postcards

I am thrilled to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Postcards, a 3, 6 or 12-month subscription service where the subscriber receives three physical postcards of my iconic Paris photos every month. Each month will have a specific theme, from architectural street scenes to romantic outdoor cafes to beautiful gardens to unique shots of iconic monuments. Each mailing will include two postcards in color and one in black & white or sepia, beautifully packaged in a special French Blue postcard holder with a custom designed seal.

Each 6” X 4.25” traditional size postcard is printed on thick matte coated card stock, similar to traditional vintage postcard stock that enhances the vibrancy of every image.

Only $30 for a 3-month subscription plus shipping or

Only $60 for a 6 month subscription (plus shipping)or

$110 for a 12-month subscription (plus shipping)

Click here to order a 12-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 6-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 3-month subscription from my Etsy store

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

 

 

Day in Chantilly and Auberge du Jeu de Paume Hotel

I was invited by the sales manager of Auberge du Jeu de Paume, a Relais & Chateaux Hotel, to spend the day in Chantilly last Wednesday. I’ve only been to Chantilly once to see a fireworks competition in 2006 and didn’t see the inside of the chateau, so I was excited to see it during the day.

I took the train from Gard du Nord, which only took 24 minutes, less time than it takes get to Versailles or Fontainebleau by train.

The hotel arranged a private tour of the chateau starting at 10:30AM. The beginnings of chateau are traced back to 1386 when a fortress was first constructed and later inherited by Guillaume de Montmorency in 1484, who had the first chateau built on the property between 1528 and 1531. He later commissioned the building of the petit chateau in 1560. It was then inherited by the Louis Bourbon, Prince of Conde, inviting the greatest artists of the time to show their paintings at. The chateau was destroyed during The Revolution. Henri d’ Orleans, the Duke of Aumale inherited the property in the 1830s and had the chateau rebuilt as a museum from 1875- 1881. Sadly the duke’s two sons died before him and there were no heirs to the throne, so he bequeathed the chateau to the Institut de France.

Having the most important art collection after the Louvre, I was dazzled room after room of paintings by Raphael, Watteau, Poussin, Fragonard, Corot, Delacroix, Ingres, and Van Dyck. I was shown the library, which contains a collection of 50,000 books and over 15,000 manuscripts, the second largest collection n France. My favorite room was the Monkey Room with chinoiserie figures of monkeys on the walls.

After my informative tour of the chateau I went to the perfectly manicured gardens, designed by Andre Le Notre, who designed the gardens of Versailles.  At a certain moment a flock of birds crossed the horizon of the castle, looking like a fairy tale come true. I later read the design of the Disney castle was partially based on Chantilly. I just had enough time to fit in the famous horse stables and museum, where I got some great shots of the horses. There is also a racetrack on the site of Chantilly and home to two of the most prestigious horse shows in France: Le Prix de Diane and Le Prix du Jockey Club.

Famished after the chateau and horse stables, I met Nicole Wilms back at the hotel for lunch. I was introduced to Nicole through a mutual friend who is a travel agent from Puerto Rico who now lives in Paris. We dined at the Le Jardin d’Hiver Bistro helmed by chef Arnaud Faye, who is also the executive chef at the two star Michelin restaurant La Table du Connetable, also located in the hotel. I feasted on a light and lovely appetizer of crumbled crab with avocado served with a pink radish jelly followed by a hearty wild boar bourguignon served with spaetzle. Dessert was an irresistible flaky pastry with warm apple tatin inside. We discussed our upbringings, and Nicole was born and raised in Germany of German and Dutch parents. She moved to Paris pursuing a career in the hospitality industry, working for various luxury hotels throughout Paris. Nicole was approached by the hotel, which was newly built three years ago on the site of the former police headquarters, to become the sales manager. It’s the only five-star and Relais & Chateau hotel in Chantilly, with an ideal location right next to the entrance of the park where the chateau and the horse stables and museum are located. Nicole I had something in common, we worked with many of the same luxury travel agents in the U.S.

After lunch Nicole gave me a tour of the hotel, showing me the sumptuously designed deluxe rooms and suites. A real treat was a glimpse of the Presidential/ Aumale suite, handsomely decorated with wood, chintz, and silk, featuring a formal dining room, separate kitchen, living room and private dressing room.

The best part of my visit was saved for last: a massage at the spa. I’ve experienced many unusual types of massages and spa treatments over the years but the one at the Valmont Spa was a first: The Thousand and One Chantilly. It starts with an exfoliating treatment where the masseuse vigorously kneads you to get the dead skin off, followed by a relaxing massage and at the end the literal crème de la crème: a slathering of chilled Chantilly cream all over my body to moisturize it. The cream was cold going on but afterwards when I got dressed, my skin felt silky and smooth. I smelled like cream and honey (honey was used in part of the treatment) on the way home on the train.

Auberge du Jeu de Paume is a perfect overnight getaway a stones throw away from Paris, taking you into beautiful French countryside in just 24 minutes. A great way to take your time seeing the wonders of Chantilly along with an excellent meal, a delicious massage, and a lovely hotel.

Auberge du Jeu de Paume
4 rue du Connetable, 60500 Chantilly
http://www.aubergedujeudepaumechantilly.fr/en

Dining room Presidential suite

Eye Prefer Paris Postcards

I am thrilled to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Postcards, a 6 or 12-month subscription service where the subscriber receives three physical postcards of my iconic Paris photos every month. Each month will have a specific theme, from architectural street scenes to romantic outdoor cafes to beautiful gardens to unique shots of iconic monuments. Each mailing will include two postcards in color and one in black & white or sepia, beautifully packaged in a special French Blue postcard holder with a custom designed seal.

Each 6” X 4.25” traditional size postcard is printed on thick matte coated card stock, similar to traditional vintage postcard stock that enhances the vibrancy of every image.

Only $60 for a 6 month subscription (plus shipping)or

$110 for a 12-month subscription (plus shipping)

My offer of a 12-month subscription with an extra month free is good until January  31, so remember to order now before the offer ends.

Click here to order a 12-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 6-month subscription from my Etsy store

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

Hotels in Algarve, Portugal: Bela Vista and Pousada Palacio de Estoi

The other highlight of our vacation in the Algarve last month besides the beautiful beaches were the hotels we stayed in.

The first hotel we stayed at, Bela Vista, is located in Portimao, a small seaside town about an hour’s drive from Faro airport, the main airport of the Algarve region.

The meaning of Bela Vista is beautiful view and one can get the obvious reference by standing on the high bluff the hotel is situated on and looking down at the gorgeous expanse of Praia de Rocha beach and the Atlantic ocean.

The building seemed more like a converted Victorian style home but in fact was built as a small hotel with 15 rooms in 1934, a precursor to the boutique hotel. It was recently bought by a new company and refurbished into a five-star hotel.

The décor of the lobby was a fabulous mix of classic Portuguese features such as the Azulejo tiles lining the walls and the carved dark wood carved stairway along with contemporary accents of black and white wide striped dining chairs and cherry red dining club chairs with swooping arms. The centerpiece of the lobby is the elongated piano with decoupage.

Our room on the second floor with a spot on view of the beach was an ebullient rush of cobalt blue and marigold yellow with a subtle border of mosaic tiles bordering our white tufted headboard. The mattress was heavenly comfortable and the sheets ever so soft, making me seriously think of investing in some new sheets.

We weren’t so fortunate with the weather and only two days of the four days we were sunny and warm with one day pouring rain continuously. The comfort of the hotel was tested on the rainy day, as it was raining so hard we stayed in all day, so we lazed in the room watching videos all day and reading in the perfect chair in the cozy lobby living room with a fireplace.  

We were invited to have dinner in the haute cuisine Vista restaurant in the hotel. The newly appointed 28 year Chef Joao Oliveira trained at some of the top restaurants in Portugal, including the nearby two Michelin star Vila Joya, which I had the pleasure of dining at and will write about in the near future. Oliveira will have a bright future if he continues creating the eclectic and exotic taste sensations we had that night with our five-course tasting menu.

 

Since we had an early flight going back to Paris on Friday, I booked a hotel closer to the airport instead of having to drive an hour back from the Bela Vista.

I reserved at the Pousada Palacio de Estoi, a renovated 18th century palace. The photos on the website looked appealing and intriguing.

We didn’t arrive till late in the day, as we wanted to have as much beach and pool time as possible at Bela Vista. After getting lost for about 45 minutes (silly me I forgot to rent a GPS with the rental car) we followed a narrow street in a small village up to the hotel. Nothing had prepared me for the beauty and grandeur of the hotel. It was sunset and the orange light hitting the pink stucco palace was astounding. I ran back to the room lickety- split so I could capture these final golden moments before it got dark. The sunset reflecting on the pool was also sensational and it overlooked the village and mountains below.

Our large room was ultra modern minimalist design and the common rooms and lobby had a cool mix of modern décor and some of the original Baroque style furniture.

I was now sorry I didn’t come earlier in the day to enjoy the pool and beauty of the hotel.

http://www.hotelbelavista.net/
http://www.pestana.com/en/hotel/pousada-estoi

Eye Prefer Paris Postcards

I am thrilled to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Postcards, a 6 or 12-month subscription service where the subscriber receives three physical postcards of my iconic Paris photos every month. Each month will have a specific theme, from architectural street scenes to romantic outdoor cafes to beautiful gardens to unique shots of iconic monuments. Each mailing will include two postcards in color and one in black & white or sepia, beautifully packaged in a special French Blue postcard holder with a custom designed seal.

Each 6” X 4.25” traditional size postcard is printed on thick matte coated card stock, similar to traditional vintage postcard stock that enhances the vibrancy of every image.

Only $60 for a 6 month subscription (plus shipping)or

$110 for a 12-month subscription (plus shipping)

My offer of a 12-month subscription with an extra month free is good until October 31, so remember to order now before the offer ends.

Click here to order a 12-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 6-month subscription from my Etsy store

 

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

 

Chateau de la Berriere – La Petite Maison de Josephine

In mid-July I needed to decompress for a few days from doing tours nearly everyday since the end of May and wanted someplace out of the city that was easily accessible.

My American friend Ron, who lives in Paris, has been asking me to go with him for sometime to visit his friend Xavier who lives in an authentic 18th century chateau still owned by his family. I finally said yes, a perfect solution for a short getaway from Paris.

The chateau is about 20 minutes from Nantes, so Ron and I took a late morning train, arriving at lunchtime. We had a pleasant lunch and then Ron had some business to take care of outside of Nantes and left me to tool around in the old quarter by myself.

We headed to the chateau at about five o’clock and as we approached the countryside a few minutes later, I noticed rows upon rows of grapevines. Ron told me the area grew sweet grapes for Muscadet wine.

Xavier was not at the chateau when we arrived but I met his brother Gonzalve and his wife Catherine, who live in the chateau. Gonzalve was kind enough to give me a tour of the rooms and the grounds. He told me the rich history of the chateau and how it was in the family since the early 1800s. The chateau was originally built in the mid 1700s but burned down during The Revolution and the current house was rebuilt in the Directoire style in 1804, with a few modifications in the 20th century.

On the main floor of the house were the elegantly decorated reception rooms with handsome chandeliers and ornate moldings. The most intriguing room was a two-story atelier on the top floor, with a wonderful, winding wood staircase going to the top. Xavier and Gonzalve’s grandfather was a painter and designated this part of the chateau as his studio.

The grounds were abundant with mid- summer blooms including a healthy spray of hydrangeas. I caught hens pecking away at the grass, attempting to have a late day snack. The moat had thick moss growing on it and the stone bridge was overrun with ivy. Across the road from the chateau was a curious round brick structure and I asked Gonzalve what it was. He replied it was a pigeonerre, a structure to raise and store pigeons. Pigeons were an important part of life the chateau when it was first built, as not only were they used for food but also for carrying letters, aka carrier pigeons. Gonzalves said the pigeons were quite efficient in delivering letters, sometimes returning within a few hours. We laughed simultaneously when I said it was better and less expensive than FedEx.

I was shown to my petite maison where I would be staying, a most charming country cottage surrounded by a stone wall with seasonal flowers and white iron chairs and café table. The bedroom was painted a cheerful country yellow with a bedspread, headboard, and inviting chaise lounge covered in classic Provencal blue print fabric.

Catherine made a simple dinner of pork roast, green salad, and haricot verts. Sometimes the simplest, unassuming food is the best.

Breakfast was served the next morning on the terrace of my cottage. Fresh bread, butter, homemade preserves, croissants, orange juice, and piping black coffee were laid out on an attractive red and white print tablecloth. Catherine made an extravagant treat of crème caramel for breakfast, which I lapped up happily.

After breakfast, Ron took me on a brief tour of the area, where we visited a small country church. The landscape consisted mostly of sky with layered gray clouds and a stripe of green grass with a growth of hay and neatly coiled hay bales below it, a Van Gogh masterpiece come alive.

Ron had to go back to Nantes for business again that afternoon, so I relaxed and roamed around the property and the surrounding area. Gonzalve unlocked the small private chapel for me to have a look and told me some fascinating stories.

Xavier made a light lunch and we got better acquainted with each other, as I had only met Xavier twice before at large social occasions. We talked about life, love, work, etc., and Xavier explained to me about his decision to move from Paris two years ago to live full time at the chateau. Xavier also told me about his new business venture, sculpting single pieces of precious wood to make table lamps. I will post a story soon about Xavier’s lamps.

La Petite Maison de Josephine, where I stayed is bread and breakfast (gite) and can be rented nightly or weekly. It sleeps two people and is fully equipped with kitchen, bathroom, fireplace, dining table and chairs inside and out, dining terrace and free Wifi. The cost is very reasonable, 80€ a night or 75€ if you book two nights or more. There are many activities and attractions in the area vineyards and wineries, golf, horseback riding, La Boissiere du Doré Zoo, excellent restaurants, and local produce stands.

Gonzalve and Catherine speak English.

http://laberriere.blogspot.fr/
Website is only in French

Tel. +33 (0) 6 70 62 20 67
Email: cpionchon61@wanadoo.fr

 

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

Booking Marais Hotels

As I mentioned a few months ago, I am working on supporting local small businesses. www.parismarais.com is an exclusive website started by my friend Pascal Fonquernie which is the ultmate guide to the Marais. I learned a good deal of the history and cultural things about the Marais from the informative and comprehensive website. Pascal shares with us below his insider information about booking hotels in the Marais. Please use www.parismarais.com if you are booking an hotel in the Marais or other parts of Paris, you will receive the lowest rate possible.

We created the Parismarais.com web site to reflect our lifestyle and our vision of life, and we look forward to sharing it with you. Everyone on the Parismarais.com team has traveled extensively or lived abroad so we have experienced different cultures and different lifestyles.

We strive to create the best possible guide to hotels in the Marais—the historical centre of Paris, where all of France’s history began—as well as other hotels in Paris, in general. Because we are insider residents having lived in the Marais for over 30 years, we know the hippest locations, the most beautiful hotels and what’s around them : restaurants, shops, bars, museums…

We know how it feels to be far from home, and understand the frustration of looking at a new city from the window of an anonymous chain hotel, feeling that you’re not really a part of it all. That’s why we have selected only the most exclusive, charming and welcoming small luxury hotels for you. They offer great service, a warm welcome, and beautiful decor.

They are all located in the middle of the city center, and are clearly rated. There are thousands of boutique hotels in Paris, and less than one hundred in the actual Marais district, so beware of hotels that include the word Marais in their name and are located outside the actual Marais. Many hotels use key words such as Marais so they can be selected by search engines, thus misleading their potential clients. Be careful, don’t book anywhere before checking postal codes and addresses as the Marais strictly includes only the 3rd and 4th districts of Paris (postal codes: 75003 and 75004).

We encourage you to book your paris hotel with parismarais.com, a fair trade local company, based in Le Marais district. Parismarais® celebrates this month its 10th  anniversary and we have had more than 10 million visitors since its inception.

3 star Hotels : http://www.parismarais.com/en/hotels-marais/luxury-3-star-hotels

4 and 5 star Hotels : http://www.parismarais.com/en/hotels-marais/luxury-4-star-hotels

Budget hotels : http://www.parismarais.com/en/hotels-marais/charming-budget-hotels

Click here to subscribe to the Paris Marais newsletter

Click here to download a free Marais map

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

La Reserve Paris Hotel

I was invited to the new luxury palace hotel La Reserve for a tour and lunch last month. Tucked away behind the Champs Elysees near the Elysees Palace, La Reserve Paris Hotel is the ultimate in decadent but refined elegance. Owner Michael Reybier strives to make the guests of his hotels, also located in Geneva and the south of France, feel like they are in a home away from home. A former luxury apartment building built in 1854, it became an office for the Pierre Cardin Company before it was completely renovated earlier this year.

Feeling like I was on the set of the film Gigi, the lobby was more like the salon of a 19th century bourgeois Belle époque Parisian apartment, decorated in sumptuous silk, satin, velvet, brocade, dark polished wood and a touch of fringe just in the right places. Along side the lobby are many comfortable public rooms including a library and card playing room and a cigar lounge.  Decorated by Jacques Garcia, one of the most respected interior designers of France, the décor is unabashedly, unmistakably, 100% Parisian. I’ve visited many newly opened luxury hotels in recent years and although beautiful and tastefully designed, they could have been set anywhere in the world.

More intimate than other hotels of its caliber, La Reserve is mostly a suite hotel, with 26 suites and 14 rooms. I visited 3 of the suites and wanted to move in on the spot. Beautifully appointed, the two things that impressed me most were the over the top free standing bathtubs wrapped in stainless steel in the Carrera marble bathrooms and the handsome writing desk.

In keeping with the current green movement in hotels, there are Versailles style planters with oranges, making it as close to an orangerie as possible.  

The touches of sublime artistry throughout the hotel really show as it took two years, 120 artisans, and 38 companies to complete.

After my whirlwind tour, I was invited for lunch on the terrace, surrounded by high cut shrubs, shutting out most of the nearby traffic.

Chef Jerome Bactel, a Brittany native, is at the helm of the kitchen and worked at some of the finest restaurants in Paris including L’ Ambroisie and the restaurant at Le Crillon Hotel. My lunch was one of the best meals I’ve had in recent memory. A delicate ravioli stuffed with seafood was superb, followed by a most unusual preparation of squab which was dusted in cocoa and a lemon meringue tart, ideally balanced between tart and sweet.

La Reserve Paris Hotel has a small but complete spa with an indoor swimming pool, which I would love to experience another time.

La Reserve Paris Hotel
42 Ave. Gabriel, 75008
http://www.lareserve-paris.com/en/ 

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

Lunch with Lynn/Under 20 Eats-Auberge Flora

Caesar Salad is the go to/comfort dish when I'm hungry but don’t know what I want to eat. I am forever on a quest for the perfect one and unfortunately Paris has mostly disappointed me in the past 10 years. It seems they can’t get it just right, either they add odd ingredients such as tomatoes or green beans, or screw up the dressing or ignore the traditional dressing and get lazy and replace it with vinaigrette.

A happy coincidence happened last week when I found out my friend Stephanie Fray (also The Parisian of the Month for June) was friends with one of my tour clients. The tour clients asked me to meet them and Stephanie at Auberge Flora near the Richard Lenoir market. The place was awfully cute and cozy but I was curious about the food. Stephanie said it was one of her neighborhood canteens plus they had the best Caesar salad in Paris. Since Stephanie has many big chefs in Paris as clients, she obviously knows good food and I trust her judgment.

So the first moment my busy schedule allowed, I eased on down the road to Auberge Flora for lunch. The table of six rowdy teenage boys having lunch, probably celebrating the end of the school year enhanced the warm, genial atmosphere of the restaurant. I sat in the back dining room painted in a cheerful teal blue with white china plates trimmed in silver decorating the walls. I knew I wanted Caesar salad but perused the menu and was tempted by a much better lunch deal, two courses for 19€ instead of 18€ just for the Caesar salad. I stuck to my guns and chose what I had come for.

The salad was served in a most unusual dish: an oval salad bowl. I liked the fact it was chopped finely, so I could just dig in with my fork and not have to fuss with cutting large Romaine leaves using a knife. (I’m all for fork food). Stephanie was right on the money; it was the best Caesar salad in Paris. I’m a patient man and my quest was finally satisfied, having no longer to search every restaurant in every arrondissement for my beloved salad. It was creamy, crispy, satisfying, perfectly dressed, perfectly proportioned between the chicken, lettuce, and bacon. Served with crusty bread and creamy butter, I was a very happy person.

After my meal I met the owner Flora Mikula and she shared with me there's a 21-room hotel attached to the restaurant. I asked if I could see some of the rooms and she kindly asked the front desk person to show me some. Although small, the rooms were well appointed and looked comfortable. They were decorated in vibrant, feel good colors except the more dramatic mostly black suite.

I know most people visiting Paris wouldn’t care so much about having a mundane Caesar salad when surrounded by French cuisine but if you crave a great salad, Auberge Flora is the place to go.

(Lynn wasn't available for lunch this month).

Auberge Flora Restaurant and Hotel
44 Boulevard Richard Lenoir, 75011
Metro: Richard Lenoir
http://www.aubergeflora.fr/en/

Restaurant is open seven days for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Flora Mikula

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.