I Prefer Paris

Trip to Venice: Doors and Window Boxes

Two of my most popular posts on Eye Prefer Paris are the doors and window boxes and you sent me such wonderful praise in the last months.

When I was in Venice last month, I was fortunate to capture so many beautiful doors and abundant window boxes brimming over with late summer blooms, and I had to share them with you. Would you like me to post another series? I have plenty more to show you. 

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 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.

https://eyepreferparistours.com/

 

Le Biscuit Alain Ducasse

Superstar chef and serial entrepreneur Alain Ducasse has expanded his culinary empire once again with a new line of cookies. The new shop and bakery (cookies are made on the premises) is located near the Bastille, a few doors down from La Manufacture, Ducasse’s bean to bar chocolate shop and ice cream shop, now a triple sweet threat on the rue de la Roquette. 

I paid a visit the other day and the storefront was designed in typical Ducasse style, elegant but modern, with a touch of the old. The sophisticated packaging, using the look of old-fashioned cardboard, is a continuation of the slightly industrial look Ducasse started to use with his chocolate brand, and some of the displays had glass domes, showing off the cookies. 

As you read in my former posts, I have been dieting as of late, losing approximately 17 pounds since February, and it was excruciating to have to restrain myself to buy just one kind of cookie. As I perused the shelves of beyond appetizing cookies, I took it all in, not succumbing to sweet tooth. There were such interesting flavor combinations, such as rice, Madagascar chocolate and cocoa nibs, corn, smoked vanilla, and chocolate, chickpea, honey and chocolate, rye, coffee, and chocolate, and their signature flavor, butter and buckwheat. There were also a variety of shapes and different configurations including hexagon shaped cookies, cookie bars (basically chocolate tablets with a layer of cookie over them), palets (a round cookie dipped in chocolate, looking like a super sophisticated version of Mallomars), and biscuits with toppings. 

After much hand wringing and mental torture on trying to decide on one item to buy, I chose something simple, the Croc Fin, a paper-thin cookie in a hexagon shape made with wheat and cocoa, laced with fine, slivered almonds. As much as I like rich and extravagant pastries, I love a simple butter cookie. Mind you, they don’t sell individual cookies, only boxes, and the Croc Fin has nine cookies inside. Another excruciating part was I had to split the box with Vincent. 

The taste and texture were exquisite, and they weren’t too sweet. You can taste the butter, but it wasn’t overpowering, and they were as light as air but still substantial enough to be satisfied just eating one or two at a time. 

 The dangerous part is that Le Biscuit Alain Ducasse is only about a 12-minute walk from my house, and hardly enough steps to make a dent.

42 rue de la Roquette, 75011

Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-7:30pm

https://www.lechocolat-alainducasse.com/en/lebiscuit-alainducasse

My final choice-Croc Fin

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Trip to Venice

After working almost every day since the beginning of April touring, I took a much-needed vacation at the end of August with Vincent, and we went to Venice and Trieste.

After Paris, Venice is my favorite place. It has the same magic and beauty of Paris, with magnificent architecture and incredible light, and it’s my happy place, especially for taking photos.

We were there for three days, and the weather was gorgeous, sunny, and warm. Much of our time was spent on the vaporettos (ferries) of Venice, as it’s the only way to get around the city besides walking, so many of my photos were taken on the vaporettos.

One day we went up to a tall tower, which had panoramic views that blew me away.

This is first in a series of posts about Venice, and I will be posting them in the coming weeks.

I can make a photo print of any of these photos. Below are sizes and prices and you can emal email me @ [email protected] to order.

• 10 X 13 inches Price $65 

• 11 X 14 inches Price $95 

• 16 X 20 inches Price $125 

• 20x30 inches Price $175

• Shipping in the U. S. by U.S. Mail is $14 per order 

• Photos are printed Fuji Archival paper 

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3 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.

https://eyepreferparistours.com/

Night and Sunset Photos of the Louvre and Montmartre

I’ve given several evening highlights tour, where I take clients in a car or van and show them the sites at night, including the sparkle lights on the Eiffel Tower on the hours, Arc de Triomphe, Montmartre, the courtyard of the Louvre, Invalides, and Place de la Concorde. Sometimes I take photos, especially if it’s a clear night. 

During the photo shoot with Marichel and Ben last week, I also snapped some of my own photos of the sunset. 

Do you have some favorites here? 

I can make a photo print of any of these photos. Below are sizes and prices and you can emal email me @ [email protected] to order.

 

• 10 X 13 inches Price $65 

• 11 X 14 inches Price $95 

• 16 X 20 inches Price $125 

• 20x30 inches Price $175

• Shipping in the U. S. by U.S. Mail is $14 per order 

• Photos are printed Fuji Archival paper 

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New Mexico Road Trip -Part Two

I posted my first story about my New Mexico Road Trip in mid-August (CLICK HERE to read if you missed it) and I asked if you would like me to post more photos, and your answer was a resounding YES, after I received about 20 emails and many Facebook comments.

The first set of photos today are from Madrid, a super cool, biker/hippie town about 40 minutes from Santa Fe. It was Saturday, late morning, and the town was bustling. There were adorable storefronts in little houses and huts, vividly colored and ornately decorated. Most were local craft shops including art and paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures, turquoise jewelry, and soaps and herbal remedies. My favorite shop was Shugarman’s, a shop with handmade chocolates and I sampled exotic flavors such as dark green chili almond with Thai lemongrass, lime and margarita salt, dark hibiscus flowers with lemon and ginger, and red chili and mango. Lunch was at the Hollar Café, which had delightful southwestern specialties and we had their gargantuan burrito, quesadillas, and fried sweet potatoes. 

A few days later we visited the old town of Albuquerque, with its charming adobe buildings, festively decorated courtyards, and some fabulous doors. 

Harvey Shugarman, Shugarman Chocolates 

The Hollar Cafe

Old town Albuquerque

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3 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.

https://eyepreferparistours.com/

 

 

Photo Session With Marichel and Ben S.

I was booked for a photo session on Tuesday night with a delightful, young couple Marichel and Ben S., who are from Orlando, Florida. They were on a whirlwind trip, first visiting London for four days, and then Paris for another four days. One of the most rewarding things about my job as a tour guide and photographer is that many of my clients are celebrating happy occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, honeymoons, and graduations. It was Marichel’s and Ben’s 10^th anniversary and they wanted to mark the special with a photo session and to make it special, they wanted to do it at sunset.

It was threatening to rain all afternoon and the forecast kept changing hourly. Just as I was meeting them in the courtyard of the Louvre at 7:45, there was a huge rain deluge, along with intense thunder and lightning, the likes of we haven’t seen all summer. As the old saying goes, if you don’t like the weather in Paris, wait five minutes. It was more like 20 minutes, but after the storm there was the most beautiful light and sky. Luckily, we were both under the archways in the front and the sides of the Louvre, so we didn’t get wet.

Marichel and Ben were easy going subjects, and I photographed under the Arc du Caroussel, in front of the glass pyramid at sunset and at night, on the Pont du Caroussel facing the Seine, and in the Tuileries. Marichel wore an electric blue blazer and the color just popped in my lens and in the photos.

Below is a description and price list for my photo sessions.

Award winning photographer Richard Nahem is happy to take the perfect portrait photo of you and your loved ones

in Paris, a lasting memory you will cherish forever. Richard’s photos of Paris have appeared in The Guardian, Fodors, Passport Magazine, Travel Agent Central, Luxury Travel Advisor, France Today Magazine, Travel Awaits, and Bonjour Paris and he was awarded the Merit Award Prize at International Fine Arts Photography Awards in 2013.

The cost of the package is 350€ for a 90-minute photo session, which includes backgrounds, covering up to two areas of Paris, and 25 edited photos sent to the client within 72 hours.

Click links below to view past client photo portraits.

https://www.ipreferparis.net/2017/10/the-marriage-proposal-.html

https://www.ipreferparis.net/2017/06/wedding-photos-of-morgan-pulsifer-and-luke-tompkins.html

Mimosa Rue Royale Restaurant

When the Hotel de la Marine opened last year, they added a café, Café Laperouse, an outpost of the romantic Paris restaurant, and Mimosa Rue Royale restaurant. Both are located inside the grand courtyard and are gorgeously designed.

At the end of August, one of my tour clients, who has become a friend, was in Paris and wanted to meet for lunch. He and his partner like fine dining and I thought they would enjoy Mimosa Rue Royale. 

The executive chef at Mimosa Rue Royale, Jean-François Piège, has racked up numerous Michelin stars and chef awards for restaurants such as his namesake, Jean-François Piège, La Poule au Pot, Les Ambassadeurs at the Hotel Crillon, and the restaurant at Plaza Athenee Hotel, plus he won the much-coveted Ordre national du Mérite.

 For Mimosa Rue Royale, he has taken a lighter and more casual approach, celebrating the energy and flavors of the south of France and Mediterranean cuisine, which ironically, he has never done before, considering his cooking origins were cooking at restaurants in Monaco and Saint Tropez.

It was a warm, sunny day and we dined on the delightful outdoor terrace decorated with white, scalloped awnings, blue and white striped canvas cushions on the banquettes, and white metal chairs. One of the menu specialties is eggs Mimosa, an updated version of deviled eggs or the classic oeufs mayonnaise, with eclectic fillings such as tarama, lobster, anchovy, caviar, and salmon with horseradish. We chose the lobster and caviar, and they were light, fresh, and delicious. For the main course, I had the red tuna burger on a light as air brioche, cleverly presented on a round butcher block, and served with crispy fries and my friends savored their authentic Nicoise salad.

For dessert we shared their dessert specialty, a tiramisu cake, an extraordinary creation of micro thin crepe layers with heavenly tiramisu in between.

The service was gentle and relaxed, and we leisurely enjoyed our lunch.

After we finished, I checked out the festive indoor dining room with emerald velvet banquets and red and green striped velvet dining chairs. 

Mimosa Rue Royale

2 Rue Royale, 75008

https://mimosa-rueroyale.com/en/home/

Please note : Reservations way ahead of time are strongly advised especially at dinner.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 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.

https://eyepreferparistours.com/

 

September 2022 Eye Need to Do’s: Frida Kahlo, Fred Jewelry, Johann Heinrich Füssli, and Jazz A La Villette

Frida Kahlo-Beyond Appearances

The most revered female artist of the 20^th century, Frida Kahlo, is having major retrospective at the fashion museum of Paris, Palais Galliera. Over 200 articles including garments, accessories, correspondence, cosmetics, medicines and orthopedic aids are on loan from the Frida Kahlo Museum, they offer a rare, personal glimpse into the enigma of Frida Kahlo.

September 15, 2022 to March 5, 2023

Palais Galliera

10 Avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie, 75116

https://www.palaisgalliera.paris.fr/en/exhibitions/frida-kahlo-au-dela-des-apparences

Fred Jewelry Exhibition

Over 450 dazzling baubles, bangles, and beads from the legendary French jewelry house Fred will be on display for the first time ever plus drawings, videos, and photos. A highlight is the Soleil D’or”, a 100 carat, yellow diamond ring.

September 28, 2022 to October 24, 2022

Palais de Tokyo

13, Avenue du Président Wilson, 75116

https://www.fred.com/en-int/actualities/edito-expo-fred.html

Füssli, The Realm of Dreams and the Fantastic

 Swiss-born British artist Johann Heinrich Füssli,used themes of Shakespeare, the bible. female forms, dreams, obsessions  and apparitions, in his work in the late 18^th and early 19^th century.  Sixty of Fussli’s works are on display, borrowed from museums and private collections.

From 16 September 2022 to 23 January 2023

Jacquemart Andre Museum

158, Boulevard Haussmann 75008

https://www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com/en/fussli-realm-dreams-and-fantastic

Jazz A La Villette

Since 2002 Jazz A La Villette has been one of the premiere jazz festivals of Paris. The 2022 edition includes concerts by Kokoroko, Jacob Banks, Kenny Barron, Roberto Fonseca, Abdullah Ibrahim, and Angel Bat Dawid & Tha Brothahood.

August 31 to September 11

https://jazzalavillette.com/en/

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3 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.

https://eyepreferparistours.com/