Kara Houston and Tim Dessin from Ottawa, Canada came to Paris last year for the first time and did one of my Marais tours. I immediately clicked with them and their fun sense of adventure. They fell madly in love with Paris and were hooked like I was after my first visit,vowing to come back as often as possible.
So they came back in February and we did my tour of the 9th arr. We met at Place Trinité with its beautiful but slightly rundown Italian Rococo style church. After we strolled to the Place St. Georges and visited the Musee de la vie Romantique, while taking quirky photos along the way. Tim and Kara share my penchant to photograph weird signs, odd building ornaments, and funny shop windows.
We needed a sugar rush from all of our walking so we stopped at A L'Etoile d'Or, a very special confection shop which was part of Sweet Week last year. Madame Acabo the owner gave Kara a tray to fill with her amazing chocolates and caramels and kept enticing her with more and more goodies until I told Kara to stop, otherwise she would run up an enormous bill plus go into a sugar coma. Kara left happy but about 50 euros poorer. We got caught in the rain while we waked through Pigalle and the yummy gourmet & food shop street, rue de Martyrs and got completely soaked by the time we got to lunch. Kara and Tim were kind enough to invite me to lunch so I made reservations at L'Office, a place that Alec Lobrano recommended. We got dry while lingering over a long, delicious lunch which was only 17 euros for two courses.
Madame Acabo hypnotizing Kara to buy more, more, more chocolate
Kara happily filling her tray with chocolates under the spell of Madame Acabo
As an extra treat, I added an hour longer to the tour and took them to the charming Galerie Vivienne and then the Palais Royal to marvel at the glorious gardens and gorgeous shops. I introduced them to my friend Barbara at Rick Owens and they got a kick out of Rick's cutting edge designs which they had never seen before. Tim said he would be back to purchase one of the 1800 euro leather jackets after he won the lotto.
A delightful time was had by all and I can't wait to see Kara and Tim again next year.
Hair salon in Pigalle
Passage Jouffroy
Passage Jouffroy
Passage Jouffroy
Skylight at Galerie Vivienne
Coming soon: Eye Prefer New York Tours
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: 185 euros per person (about $240)
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, and Friday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.
Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
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.
Tours cost 195 euros for up to 3 people, and 65 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
Richard: one of your best pictures so far; thank you ;)
Posted by: Yuriy | April 07, 2010 at 11:34 PM
Madame Acabo , sigh!
Posted by: ZSP | April 12, 2010 at 01:38 AM