I Prefer Paris

Vincent’s Christmas Gift 2018

As many of you who have been reading Eye Prefer Paris for a while, I write an annual post about Vincent’s Christmas gift to me. Some of you already emailed me yesterday, asking what the gift was. 

In case you are new to EPP, Vincent my partner, creates an art piece for me every Christmas, now going on 41 years. It’s taken on many forms: paintings, portraits, drawings, sculptures, tapestries, boxes, and books.  It’s always a surprise, as he gives no hints whatsoever about what it’s going to be, as he works like Santa into the night when I am sleeping. 

This year it’s an abstract portrait; me in silhouette with small colored and metallic squares applied on top to create a mosaic. For a bit of humor, Vincent inserted a few frames from Snoopy comics into the mosaic. (We are both HUGE Snoopy and Woodstock fans. In fact one year, our Christmas tree was decorated with only Snoopy and Woodstock ornaments). The inscription on the upper left side reads: You are Gold- 9 12-18. The 9 indicates this is the 9^th in a series of ongoing works named You are Gold. It’s inside what’s called a butterfly box or frame. It now sits proudly on a shelf in our living room, along with some pieces from other years. 

You are Gold 9

The other question I am frequently asked is what did I give Vincent for Christmas? (As if anything I can give him would matchup to his gift). 

I gave Vincent a designer leather belt, a silver ID bracelet with his initials on it, and for stocking stuffers, a cookbook, his favorite skincare products, and a measuring cup that has a scale built into it. 

We had a quiet but lovely Christmas Day. First we went to see an excellent film, Wildlife, a period piece taking place in Montana in 1960, starring Jake Gylenhall and Carey Mulligan. After the film, Vincent made a delicious dinner for us and a friend, of chicken and cashew meatballs served on a homemade flatbread, followed by an arugula and parmesan salad. A goats milk Gouda was the cheese course and dessert was Christmas cookies and a chocolate and raisin bread. 

How was your Christmas? 

I want to thank all of you who sent me personal emails wishing me a Merry Christmas.Sorry I couldn't answer all of you personally. 

Please watch my latest A Bite of Paris video, Honey Tasting at Famille Mary, where I taste a bunch of yummy flavored honey's. 

Click here to watch or link below. 

https://youtu.be/oR2LLlFSjeM

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 

 

Merry Christmas 2018

Holiday Dinner at La Bauhinia at Shangri-La Hotel Paris

I was invited last week to sample the holiday menu at La Bauhinia Restaurant at the Shangri-La Hotel Paris. 

Walking through the lobby, a grand, festive Christmas tree set the mood for our dinner. 

We were seated on the mezzanine of the two-story dining room with an opulent crystal chandelier hanging from a glass-domed roof. The décor is a mix of elegant French; a red velvet circular banquette in the middle of the room and Chinese inspiration; soft mint green velvet chairs and the same color on walls with painted cherry blossoms and birds. 

The first course was the freshest lobster meat with the most delicious ginger lime broth poured over it. I could have downed a quart of the broth right then and there. Medallions of tender, roasted deer was served with sampling of various colored roasted beets. Vincent opted for the regular menu and had an excellent Asian style codfish with a soy and citrus glaze. 

In the beginning November, I was emailed a press release from the hotel about the upcoming holiday events and menus. The thing that made me salivate was a buche de Noel from pastry chef Michael Bartocetti, made with chocolate mousse infused with lemongrass and candied banana and the outside garnished with chocolate and lime truffles, peanut praline and white chocolate. The buche was inspired by Michael Bartocetti’s vivid remembrance of a toy train given to him as a child. In fact, the original buche is in the train shape on display in the lobby.(The train can be ordered through the hotel). 

You can imagine my anticipation for dessert, with the buche still fresh in my mind. 

It went way beyond my expectations on every level, especially mixture of the peanuts, banana and chocolate. 

The holiday menu is available through December 30. 

http://www.shangri-la.com/uploadedFiles/Shangri-la_Hotels/New_Website/La-Bauhinia-Diner-de-fete-2018-FR.pdf

Click here to read about my first visit to the hotel

Please watch my latest A Bite of Paris video, Honey Tasting at Famille Mary, where I taste a bunch of yummy flavored honey's. 

Click here to watch or link below. 

https://youtu.be/oR2LLlFSjeM

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 

 

Christmas in Paris 2018: Le Bon Marché

I’ve saved the best for last for my Christmas windows for 2018. 

Le Bon Marché continuously creates the most clever window and in-store displays all year round. 

This season, Christmas trees literally come to life. Initially seeing just a bunch of trees lined up in the window, I spouted “What an understated bore! About 20 seconds later the trees spun around and were shaped like a woman’s body, outfitted in a white tutu and white beaded top; then they started kicking up their wooden legs like ballerinas. The next window had the same thing but this time it was can-can dancers outfitted in feathers. Below are photos of two other dancing windows besides the ones I just explained. 

Inside in the center atrium in the cosmetics department, full green trees with simple lights were dangling from the ceiling in different heights, created a stunning effect. 

I didn’t look around too much at the merch, as I knew I would get in trouble and buy something if I lingered. 

Le Bon Marché

24 Rue de Sèvres, 75007

Metro:Sevres-Babylone 

https://www.24sevres.com/fr-fr/

Thanks so much for your supportive responses about my photo exhibit at the Pont Royal Hotel. More news about the exhibit coming soon. 

Please watch my latest A Bite of Paris video, Honey Tasting at Famille Mary, where I taste a bunch of yummy flavored honey's. 

Click here to watch or link below. 

https://youtu.be/oR2LLlFSjeM

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 

 

 

SAVE THE DATE- February 5, 2019

I am beyond excited to announce that I am having my first official photo exhibition in Paris! 

The Hotel Pont Royal, a lovely five-star hotel in Saint Germain, has invited me to display and sell my photos in the bar and lounge area on the main floor. 

The opening date is Tuesday, February 5, at 6:30PM so please mark the date on your calendar. I will post more information about the exhibit in January. 

I have to run now, I have SO much to do for the show and SO little time! 

February 5, 2019 @ 6:30PM

Hotel Pont Royal

5-7 Rue Montalembert, 75007

AFTER LOUIE Now Available on DVD 

I am happy to announce my partner Vincent's film After Louie is now available on DVD. 

Click here to order on Amazon. 

 

Please watch my latest A Bite of Paris video, Honey Tasting at Famille Mary, where I taste a bunch of yummy flavored honey's. 

Click here to watch or link below. 

https://youtu.be/oR2LLlFSjeM

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 

 

Christmas in Colmar 2018

As I mentioned in my post about Strasbourg yesterday, I also traveled to Colmar last week. 

Colmar is one most festively decorated Christmas villages I’ve ever visited. The narrow streets in the old town are brimming with Christmas market huts selling everything from hot chocolate to thick woolen socks to handmade ornaments to Santa Claus dolls. Colored half-timber houses each had the most delightful decorations adorning their facades, which I couldn’t stop photographing. Every so often there would be a square with a carousel or kiddie ride in riotous colors. The brilliant sunshine that day heightened the already saturated color of the buildings. 

The Colmar holiday markets are open until December 30. You can take a non-stop train from Paris to Colmar in 2.5 hours. Click here for low cost train info. 

AFTER LOUIE Now Available on DVD 

I am happy to announce my partner Vincent's film After Louie is now available on DVD. 

Click here to order on Amazon. 

 

Please watch my latest A Bite of Paris video, Honey Tasting at Famille Mary, where I taste a bunch of yummy flavored honey's. 

Click here to watch or link below. 

https://youtu.be/oR2LLlFSjeM

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 

Christmas in Strasbourg 2018

This is going to be a bittersweet story today. 

Last Tuesday, I went to Strasbourg and Colmar to report on the Christmas festivities for Eye Prefer Paris and for another website I write for. 

I arrived in Colmar first on a sunny, cold crisp day and for the next few hours I was happy as can be, enjoying the markets, the decorations, and the joyous holiday spirit. I was also in photography bliss, snapping away at the gorgeous scenery. 

Late in the day, I took the train from Colmar to Strasbourg and arrived about 4PM. Sunset was at 4:30PM, so my timing was perfect to experience the Christmas market and the city lit up at night. The streets were filled with adults and children soaking up the holiday fare. The scent of mulled, hot wine wafted through the streets, while drinkers toasted each other, downing the wine to warm them up from the cold. I strolled the city for a few hours, and the highlight was the sight of the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral bathed in golden lights. 

Tired and a bit chilled, but happy I had such a wonderful day, I called it quits about 6:30PM. I was staying with a friend overnight who lives just outside of Strasbourg and I arrived at about 7PM. At about 8:15PM my friend was on his computer and told me there was a shooting at the market. We glued ourselves to the TV the rest of the night, as the story unfolded. A single man shot into the crowd at the Christmas market, killing four people and wounding approximately 12. In the mayhem proceeding the event, terrified people ran for cover and the police force shot the suspect but he got away in a taxi. 

A range of emotions and thoughts ran through my head in the subsequent hours after the shooting: I was lucky; I can’t believe I was there an hour before it happened; I witnessed and survived 9/11, November 13 in Paris, the riots in Paris the last four Saturdays and now this? Do I have nine lives? What is the world coming to: Is there no place safe anymore? Are we all at risk now? 

I also felt hopeless, scared, helpless, and vulnerable. What if next time I wasn’t so lucky? 

The next day I woke up still feeling vulnerable. My train to Paris was at 1PM, so I decided to walk around the city. It was eerie, roaming the deserted streets with almost all the businesses closed. I tried going to a museum but all museums were shut. 

Arriving back in Paris, I was thankful to be home. But news of the possibility of more demonstrations and possible riots this Saturday by the gilets jaunes/yellow vests put me in an emotional tailspin again, making me feel trapped in my own city. 

As I am writing this story, my spirits have improved for the moment. I think it’s more important than ever now, to continue on my path of sharing the beauty, joy, and perhaps some of the innocence still left in the world. I still believe goodness, kindness, and generosity will prevail, transcending the evil and dark. I am not Pollyanna and well aware of the dangers of the planet now, but I still believe what I just said. In fact I went out on Saturday afternoon, not giving in to the gilets jaunes, and had a great day. 

So I now give you the wonderful holiday gift of Strasbourg. 

I’d like to thank all of my Facebook friends for your concern and your caring comments. 

AFTER LOUIE Now Available on DVD 

I am happy to announce my partner Vincent's film After Louie is now available on DVD. 

Click here to order on Amazon. 

 

Please watch my latest A Bite of Paris video, Honey Tasting at Famille Mary, where I taste a bunch of yummy flavored honey's. 

Click here to watch or link below. 

https://youtu.be/oR2LLlFSjeM

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 

 

Christmas in Paris 2018: Printemps

Jules and Violette are the fictional child heroes who grace the windows this year at Printemps. Disaster strikes when Father Christmas goes missing and it’s up to Jules and Violette to drop anchor on their ship to search for him. They finally realize he’s already left to deliver his gifts and along the way travel to the The Frosted Valley, The Golden Dunes, The Prairies of the Four Winds, and The Land of Sweet Delights, amongst other places. 

Printemps Haussmann 

64 Blvd. Haussmann, 75009

Metro: Havre-Caumartin 

http://departmentstoreparis.printemps.com/

Please watch my latest A Bite of Paris video, Honey Tasting at Famille Mary, where I taste a bunch of yummy flavored honey's. 

Click here to watch or link below. 

https://youtu.be/oR2LLlFSjeM

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 

Holiday Gifts 2018

It’s the holiday shopping crunch now and you are still figuring out what gifts to buy your loved ones and work associates. Choices can be overwhelming, so I am offering some timely gift ideas for all you Francophiles. All items listed below can be delivered to the USA and internationally in time for the holidays. 

Petits Tresors a France 

Petits Tresors a France, offers imaginative, beautifully packaged gift boxes featuring exclusive specialties and delicacies made in France. Owner and creator Celine Alias kindly met me in a cafe  last month to show me a selection of her gift boxes, which I was quite impressed with. 

If you go to the website, you can order pre-made boxes or customize your own. 

http://www.petitstresorsdefrance.fr/shop/?lang=en

Paris Waiter T-Shirt

My good friend and wonderful painter Blair Pessemier has put one of his classic Paris paintings of a waiter serving breakfast at a Saint Germain cafe on a T-shirt. 

 https://inktale.com/artnotes-tshirts/paris-waiter-1 

Eye Prefer Paris Photos & Postcards 

What better way to share the beauty of Paris than with an iconic Eye Prefer Paris photo. My Etsy page features a wide selection of photos in three sizes, starting at just $35 per print. I am also offering 3-month, 6-month and 12-month subscriptions of Eye Prefer Paris Postcards. 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/EyePreferParis?ref=search_shop_redirect

Angels of Paris: An Architectural Tour Through the History of Paris

Angels of Paris by Rosemary Flannery, is a fascinating written history and beautifully photographed book about the public and sometimes hidden architectural angels of Paris. The book is published in French and English. 

For English version https://amzn.to/2C0SYoN

For French version https://amzn.to/2SBdEt9 

Please watch my latest A Bite of Paris video, Honey Tasting at Famille Mary, where I taste a bunch of yummy flavored honey's. 

Click here to watch or link below. 

https://youtu.be/oR2LLlFSjeM

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 

Christmas in Paris 2018: Ave. Montaigne & Champs Elysees

This season, the Champs Elysees is lit up with micro red lights cascading down the trees, giving the avenue a ruby glow. 

On the Avenue Montaigne, home to a host of luxury fashion houses, the windows are more toned down than the glitz of the Champs Elysees but still festive. 

Dior
Dior

Dior

Please watch my latest A Bite of Paris video, Honey Tasting at Famille Mary, where I taste a bunch of yummy flavored honey's. 

Click here to watch or link below. 

https://youtu.be/oR2LLlFSjeM

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