I Prefer Paris

Rugby World Cup 2007 Fever

The Rugby World Cup 2007 officially started last Friday with a major upset- Argentina won France 17 to 12 at the Stade de France. The streets of the Marais were quiet, but bars and restaurants were packed with people anxiously holding on to their seats and glasses of red wine only to be disappointed by the end result.

The city is bustling with events planned for the Rugby World Cup 2007. Many of them are food related including a cookbook “Hors Jeu” (off side) with recipes form rugby loving countries, restaurants offering rugby inspired menus, and even my favorite local chocolate shop, Vannier, has a chocolate oval box with a rugby ball on top.

The most visible celebration is at he Eiffel Tower, where a giant inflatable rugby ball hangs between the second and third tier.

You don’t have to be a rugby fan to appreciate the players. One of the most eagerly awaited events is the Thursday launch of 2008 "Dieux du Stade" calendar, which features steamy nude & semi nude photos of the hottest rugby players.

Culturally, The Festival Ovale in St. Denis has 30 free concerts featuring performing artists from the countries that are participating in the games.

Koomurri Aboriginal Dancers at Festival Ovale

Twenty teams from around the world will be competing and over 2 million tickets will be sold for venues all over France. Security will be tight with force of 38,000 police, firemen, and soldiers watching over the festivities.

I had a funny rugby moment as I watched 7 cheering fans from Wales in full gear try and negotiate getting into one taxi in front of the Bastille.

World Rugby Cup 2007
September 8th to October 20th
Official site http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour
includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

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

 

Fouquet

I could spend hours browsing in gourmet food shops with out even buying anything. I was walking by Fouquet today, off of the glamorous Ave. Montaigne, and had to stop to give my senses a treat.

And what a treat it was!

Founded in 1854,Fouquet is an old-fashioned food shop that only the French can do. They just do everything right: presentation, packaging, quality, and of course taste. They have a dazzling array of simply the best food products including chocolates, candies, vinegars, oils, spices, mustards, liqueurs, coffee and so much more, I can’t even remember.

The colors are a delight to the eye: the glistening gum drops in bright hues, pretty pastel dragees in spring bridesmaid’s dress colors, the shiny espresso brown paper packaging with white and satin oversized bows, and even the ordinary color of the peppercorns seemed to pop. The rows of enamel colored tins stacked against the dark wood shelves stood out the most.

Even though I’m not a big jelly candy fan, the jewel colored candies appealed to me so much that I had to try them. I munched on strawberry and lemon ones. And they were more than delish. Now I have yet another product to add to my very long sweet tooth list.

Fouquet is definitely one of those shops I fantasize having an unlimited budget to buy out the store.

I will gladly accept any donations from my readers to indulge that fantasy.

Fouquet
22 rue François 1er - 75008 _
Tel: 01-47-23-30-36
Metro: Franklin Roosevelt
Open Monday- Saturday 10:30AM-7PM

36 rue Laffitte - 75009 _
Tel: 33 (1)-47-70-85-00
Open Monday-Saturday 10:30AM –6:30PM
Metro: le Peletier
www.fouquet.fr

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour
includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

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

 

Metro Station of the Month:Notre Dame des Champs

There's nothing particularly distinctive about the Notre Dame des Champs station except for the fact that it's about to be renovated and there's something intriguing about the state it's in.

The station looked abandoned and had a feeling of a lonely grand dame who had fallen from grace. The last remains of my grand dame were about to be painted and tiled over probably in some characterless, modern design.


My Imaginary Grand Dame

The station is named after a nearby church that was first a monastery for Carmelite nuns from Spain and became the most famous monastery of its time under the rule of Louis XIV. It was destroyed during the revolution and rebuilt in 1867, where it still stands today.

Notre Dame des Champs literally means “our lady of the fields”.

Area Attractions
Zadkine Museum

Notre Dame des Champs
Line 12
Mairie D’Issy, Porte de la Chapelle

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour
includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

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

 

Le Loir dans Le Theiere

I have a confession to make: I have purposely withheld sharing my favorite Marais café with you.

The already popular Le Loir dans La Theiere has hands down some of the best home made desserts in Paris. I’m not talking about fussy French pastries- I’m talking down home warm apple crumble, peach clafouti, fresh fig tart, Rosemary & peach tart, and the tallest lemon meringue pie (you have to turn it on its side to eat it) this side or on any other side of the Atlantic.



Taste me. Taste me!

Going backwards, the rest of the menu selections are excellent and their hearty savory tarts are their other specialty. Yesterday’s selection was onion & tomato, zucchini & Chevre, eggplant & tomato, and fresh Chevre and capers. The large slice is served with a light green salad and the crusty crust with the creamy vegetable fillings make it a perfect prelude to dessert. Some other menu choices include large fluffy omelettes, club sandwich and classic French lentil salad.

The dark, cozy interior looks like a flea market with a mish-mosh of beat-up tan leather club chairs, old-fashioned school chairs with attached desks and your grandmother’s quaint couch. The walls are filled with dance and theatre posters, abstract paintings, and amusing Alice in Wonderland murals.

They offer a special brunch menu on the weekends but go before 12PM to avoid the lines spilling out the door. Afternoon tea is served from 4-7PM and the 9.50-euro price includes a pot of tea and dessert.

I am sorry that I have withheld this place till now, but if I go there and they run out of my favorite dessert, I will blame you.

Le Loir dans La Theiere
Open Monday to Friday 11:30AM-7PM
Saturday & Sunday 10AM –7PM
3 rue de Rosiers, 75004
Metro: St. Paul

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour
includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

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

 

September Eye Need to Do’s- Vincent Gagliostro, Bobin'o, and Techno Parade

If I Should Lose You…

The season’s first important art opening, Vincent Gagliostro’s provocative images include paintings, videos, and drawings and are about loss on a personal and global level. The phrase “deleted scenes,” informs all the work with influences from William Golding’ s “Lord of the Flies”, Peter Pan, Jean Luc Godard, and CNN.

If I Should Lose You
Galerie NEC/Nilsson & Chiglien
Opening- Thursday, September 13- 6PM-9PM
117 rue Vielle du Temple
01.42.77.88.83
Tuesday-Saturday 11-7:30PM
Exhibit till October 13
Metro: St. Paul, Filles du Calvaire
gagliostro.com

Techno Parade

There will DEFINITELY be dancing in the streets at the 10th Annual Techno Parade. The party kicks off at 12PM with 20 floats and 100 DJ’s pumping up the house, trance, techno and drum n’ bass music. Later the party continues at the clubs including the official techno parade party at Bataclan.

Techno Parade
Saturday, September 15 12PM-8PM
Starting at the Bastille
www.technoparade.fr
www.bataclan.fr

Monkey Journey to the West

Don’t be a monkey’s uncle and miss this classic Chinese opera based on 9 ancient paintings. It tells the magical story of the Chinese’s favorite literary character, the monkey king, who achieves the same status as Buddha.

Monkey Journey to the West
Theatre du Chatelet
Place du Chatelet
Sept. 26-october 13
http://www.chatelet-theatre.com/
Metro: Chatelet


Bobin’o- Life’s a Cabaret

40 Performers! 20 Sets! 250 Costumes!
Go see one of the best and entertaining cabaret shows in Paris with everything from sexy showgirls to tarted-up drag queens.

Bobin’o
14-20 rue de la Gaite,75014
Metro: Gaite, Montparnasse
Prices 120 to 195 euros(with dinner)
www.bobino.fr

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour
includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

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