I Prefer Paris

Taxes for Expats

I was approached with a free offer to do my U.S. taxes last year by Taxes for Expats, a service that specializes in preparing tax returns for U.S. expats. Every U. S. expat living abroad must annually file a U.S. income tax form even if they have made no income in the U. S.

I was already happy with the services of another accountant in Paris, but decided to accept the offer from Taxes for Expats.

Once I accepted I went to their website and filled out an initial form. I received an email from one of their tax consultants who would be handling my tax returns with a brief outline on how the process worked. Once I filled in all the paper work, the turnaround time was fifteen days. Although it was a little complicated, the forms were very thorough. There were a few things I didn’t understand and asked the consultant to explain. She was very prompt with her responses and she explained things clearly. There were also a few things I learned that I didn’t know before, like the IRS requires that you (or your tax preparer) prepare your return according to the U.S. tax year, which means taking your tax statements from your host country for two years and extracting the appropriate information to then plugging it into your U.S. tax return and I have to keep up with all the tax legislation changes happening from one tax year to the next. I also learned there is a special form you have to fill out and send with your foreign bank account info.

My tax accountant here charges 500 euros plus 19.8 VAT. Taxes for Expats charges only $350 and they do a thorough and professional job. I was pleased with their services and would use them again without hesitation.

http://www.taxesforexpats.com

Thanks to everyone who "liked" my Facebook page and for leaving comments yesterday.

The winner of The French Kitchen Cookbook by Patricia Wells is Hilary from Australia and the winner of Flyover Lives by Diane Johnson is Harriet from the U.S.

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: 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,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
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 210 euros for up to 3 people, and 70 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

City Locker

Have you ever been in this dilemma when you come to Paris from overseas: You arrive early or late morning, exhausted and jet lagged and you can’t check into your hotel yet. You may not trust them to hold your luggage or feel comfortable asking them or your hotel is nowhere near where you want to go that day and you don’t want to waste time going all the way there.

Now there’s a new smart solution: City Lockers. City Lockers is a service that lets you store your luggage in secure lockers with three convenient locations in the center of the city. The cost is only 10 euros a day. You can only reserve it through their website and the process is super simple:
1.    You select the date, the location you want and how many lockers you want
2.    You pay for your locker with Paypal or by credit card.
3.    A secret code is sent your email and texted to your phone
4.    You use the code on the locker assigned to you to store and pickup your luggage
5.    City locker will automatically text you two hours before they close to remind you to pickup your luggage

Each facility is safe and secure with 24-hour camera surveillance  and is open 8AM to 10PM.

It’s also a great service if you are traveling by train to and from Gare St. Lazare as they do not have luggage storage.

Locations:
Gare du Nord 9 rue deux Gares, 75010

Marais 82 rue des Gravilliers, 75003

St. Germain/Latin Quarter 6 rue des Bernadins, 75005

http://www.citylocker.fr/mobile/index.php

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: 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,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
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 210 euros for up to 3 people, and 70 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

Free Marais Map and New Perfume from PARISMARAIS

My friend Pascal from the popular site www.PARISMARAIS.com has generously supplied me with maps of the Marais for my tour. I give one to each client and I have found the map invaluable during my tour, as it is the best detailed and most comprehensive map of the Marais you can find. It has big, readable type and points of historical and cultural interest, restaurants, shops, metros, and hotels.  Best of all it’s free and is available in hotels and shops in the Marais. You can also download it and print it out.

Click here to download the map.

PARISMARAIS has just launched a limited edition perfume, which captures the essence of the Baroque Hotel Particuliers/private mansions of the Marais. The scent has notes of amber, lavender, and wood. Composed by Katia Bielli, the perfume is on sale exclusively at Senteurs de Fée, 10 rue de Sevigne and in luxury hotels in the Marais.

With nearly 8 million visitors from around the world since its inception, PARISMARAIS is by far the most complete and most consulted site dedicated to the Marais.
http://www.parismarais.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.

Tours cost 210 euros for up to 3 people, and 70 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: 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,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

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

New Eye Prefer Paris Photos for Sale

I am happy to announce the sale of a new set of prints of my Eye Prefer Paris Photos.  I am offering 20 of my most popular and iconic images for sale including my doors, architectural details, statues, and monuments. They will make great gifts for all your Francophile friends, relatives, and colleagues but don't forget to buy some for yourself.

Click here to see photos and for full details including sizes, prices, and shipping. Here is a sample of some of the photos.

 

 

Happy Moving Memories

When I moved to Paris in August of 2005 there were so many things to do to establish myself as a new resident. The first thing I had to do was to find an apartment as I had my temporary apartment near Oberkampf for only six weeks.

I was lucky and found my Marais apartment, the one I still live in eight years later, within two weeks.

Next I had to make arrangements to have all my furniture and personal items shipped over, then set up cable, phone, Wifi services and gas and electricity.

But then I realized before any of that I needed to open a French bank account, as many of those services required me to have a French bank account. I didn’t have a clue as to where I would set one up, as a saw banks on every corner. I asked some friends which would be the best bank for a new foreigner to setup an account. I received as many answers as I had friends, which made it even more confusing. One friend had a smart idea, he said we should open two accounts. He said to open a French bank account and then also apply for an off shore bank.

I was surprised how painless it was to open the accounts. I also learned that in France it’s all about personal banking, even if you don’t have a lot of money. In the U.S. you usually have to deposit a minimum of $100,000 to have a personal banker. In France it doesn’t matter.  The officer at the French bank gave me his card and said I can call him anytime or make an appointment, which made me feel more at ease. My friend said to also look into opening an offshore savings account.

We moved into our apartment in mid-September and within 10 days we were all set except for our furniture, which took about another five weeks to receive. We lived very sparsely, with just a bed, two tables, and a few chairs, like poor but happy newlyweds. We bought some cool pony skin dining chairs at the flea market, so we could start cooking at home. Our furniture and personal stuff arrived in the mid-October and after many days of trying to fit all of our stuff from our 1500 square ft. New York apartment into 700 square feet here, we made it work.

Big Apple Yoga Studio/Yoga Classes in English

I have been doing yoga regularly now for over three years privately at my house with some friends every Thursday night. I was looking for another class in English to supplement my Thursday class and was lucky to find a new studio that recently opened.

Big Apple Yoga was opened by American Janelle Watters-Oliel last December. Janelle is an ex-New Yorker like myself and when she moved to Paris she couldn’t find a yoga studio that matched the spirit and energy plus the community feel of yoga studios in New York. So out of frustration and need Janelle opened her own studio, which embodies the dynamic approach to yoga she missed from New York. The studio is a welcoming atmosphere for every one of all ages at all levels of yoga.

As quoted on her website
Our Mission: Our goal is to offer a yoga rooted in real life and the dynamic, fun and relaxing for the body as for the mind. 


Our desire is to make yoga accessible to all working with each individual as they are.

My first class was with Simon, who teaches a 90-minute Ansuara class in English on Monday nights at 6:30PM. The class was small with only six other students and Simon was patient and taught a vigorous, physical class balanced with enough relaxation. I have been going back regularly to that class, always feeling great afterwards.

Big Apple Yoga is clean and serene with two studios and is conveniently located in the second arr. close to the Etienne Marcel metro. They offer other types of yoga classes including Ashtanga, Bhakti, Vinyasa, and Prana flow and also classes for children. Classes are taught in English and French and classes run regularly Monday to Saturday. Private one on one classes are available. Price start at 20 euros for a single class plus one euro for a mat. They offer a special introduction price of 35 euros for a 10-day unlimited card including the mat rental. After that, they offer a 10 class card for 180 euros, 20 classes 340 euros, monthly unlimited 150 euros, and three month unlimited 370 euros.

Please note, the studio will be closed August 10 to August 22.

Namaste!

Big Apple Yoga
20, rue Dussoubs, 75002
Metro: Etienne-Marcel
http://translate.google.fr/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://bigappleyogafrance.com/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dbig%2Bapple%2Byoga%2Bparis%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den
Tel. +33 (0)142367611
Email [email protected]

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 210 euros for up to 3 people, and 70 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: 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,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

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

New Eye Prefer Paris Photos for Sale

I am happy to announce the sale of a new set of prints of my Eye Prefer Paris Photos.  I am offering 20 of my most popular and iconic images for sale including my doors, architectural details, statues, and monuments. They will make great gifts for all your Francophile friends, relatives, and colleagues but don't forget to buy some for yourself.

Click here to see photos and for full details including sizes, prices, and shipping. Here is a sample of some of the photos.

 

Vocabulary Trainer on Languagecourse.net

I am still not entirely fluent in French and every little tool helps.

I was sent a link a month ago from http://www.languagecourse.net about a new online vocabulary trainer. I tried it and it is very easy and effective. You type in the language you want to learn along with the language you speak. You then receive a series of eight words with their meanings by audio and on the page along with an image. The list of words is repeated again, and then another set of seven words appears using the same process. After 28 words, you are given a multiple -choice test to see if you learned the words. The ones that you missed are repeated in the next set of words. There are five thousand words to study. You can also create your own online flashcards.

The site also has an extensive list of over 4,000 language schools worldwide with the lowest price possible guaranteed and the ratings are from students who attended the schools.

http://www.languagecourse.net

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 210euros for up to 3 people, and 70 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

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: 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,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

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

New Eye Prefer Paris Photos for Sale

I am happy to announce the sale of a new set of prints of my Eye Prefer Paris Photos.  I am offering 20 of my most popular and iconic images for sale including my doors, architectural details, statues, and monuments. They will make great gifts for all your Francophile friends, relatives, and colleagues but don't forget to buy some for yourself.

Click here to see photos and for full details including sizes, prices, and shipping. Here is a sample of some of the photos.

 

Rudeness Alert: Pom’ Cannelle

I didn’t want to write this blog today, as I usually write about the good and wonderful things of Paris. But I feel it is my duty and owe it to my readers to be aware of certain unpleasant things in the city.

My partner Vincent and his mother, who is visiting from New Jersey and here for Vincent’s art opening this Thursday, were waiting yesterday for a table at Pom’ Cannelle, a popular café on the Ile St. Louis that specializes in many varieties of quiche. The restaurant was full and the manager told them they would get the next table. It was a cold day and there was no room to wait inside, so Vincent and his mother patiently waited outside. About ten minutes later a family walked right past them, completely ignoring their presence and sat at the table that was supposed to be theirs. On top of it the manager didn’t say a word to them and served them. Vincent asked him why they weren’t seated first and he sheepishly shrugged his shoulders without explanation or apology. I met them a few minutes later and they relayed the story to me. I went inside and asked the manager why did he let those people take the table and he replied, “We are busy and there are lots of people in here”. Then when I asked him again and challenged him, and he said, “Well, do you want to make a scandal in the restaurant ?”. As furious as I was at this point, I knew I was in a no win situation. He was not going to apologize or acknowledge any wrong doing on his part no matter how much I tried. Yes, the family that ignored us and took the table were rude and obnoxious but I take issue with the manager who didn’t have the common courtesy or was too cowardly to say to the family that the table was for us and they would have to wait. Maybe the family dismissed us as dumb American tourists and the waiter the same, I can’t really say.

At the core of this is my intolerance for bad or rude behavior especially without apology. So in my fury yesterday, I decided the best way to vent and perform a public service for my readers was to publish a cautionary tale in today's blog. In fact it inspired me to write a new feature, “Rudeness Alert”, and this is the first in hopefully an infrequent series about rude or unacceptable treatment at public venues.

If you are on the Ile St. Louis I highly recommend NOT visiting Pom’ Cannelle.

27 Rue des Deux Ponts, 75004

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 210 euros for up to 3 people, and 70 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

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: 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,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

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

New Eye Prefer Paris Photos for Sale

I am happy to announce the sale of a new set of prints of my Eye Prefer Paris Photos.  I am offering 20 of my most popular and iconic images for sale including my doors, architectural details, statues, and monuments. They will make great gifts for all your Francophile friends, relatives, and colleagues but don't forget to buy some for yourself.

Click here to see photos and for full details including sizes, prices, and shipping. Here is a sample of some of the photos.

 

Expat Tax Preparation

A company called Taxes for Expats has offered to do my taxes this year. As a person living in France I am still required to file U. S. taxes every year but luckily the deadline is June 15 instead of April 15. Taxes for Expats are full service tax accountants specializing exclusively in taxes for expats and have over 20 years experience. I also find their prices reasonable, charging $350 for a basic tax return, which is less than the 500 euros I paid last year. Their standard expat services includes US federal tax return preparation, state tax return, and a mini-phone consultation. They will also work with you if you receive an IRS notice. Another great service for only $25 a year is Check My Return, where they will check your last three tax returns to see if there are any errors.

 They also assist American expatriates in the following complex tax areas:

• Alternative minimum tax foreign tax credit
• Due dates of tax returns and payments
• Exchange rate conversions
• Exemption and dependency allowances
• Foreign earned income exclusion

◦           defining what is foreign earned income

◦                     qualifying for the exclusion

◦                     treatment of housing costs

◦          meeting the bona fide or physical residence test

◦  filing within the deadline to qualify for the exclusion

• Foreign tax credit

◦                     How to qualify

◦                     Calculating the credit

◦            Carry-backs and carry-forwards of the credit

• Non-resident alien married to U.S. citizen
• Reporting depreciation
• Reporting foreign financial accounts
• Tax treaties with foreign countries
• Totalization agreements
• Tax treatment of

◦         Contributions to foreign charitable organizations

◦                     Military personnel

◦                     Ministers serving abroad

◦                     Moving expenses

◦                     Social security pension

◦                     Students studying abroad

• Transferring property to a foreign trust
• Treatment of controlled foreign corporations
• Treaty-based return position disclosure
• W-9 vs. W-8BEN filing requirements

Withholding rules on global investors of U.S. securities

Even if you prepare your own taxes, the Expat Tax Preparation website is a great resource for pertinent information about filing your taxes. For instance, there is information about a new form TDF 90-221 also known as FBAR that you must fill out separately from your taxes if you have more than $10,000 in a foreign bank account.

Check out the website

http://www.taxesforexpats.com/index.html

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

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: 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,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

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

New Eye Prefer Paris Photos for Sale

I am happy to announce the sale of a new set of prints of my Eye Prefer Paris Photos.  I am offering 20 of my most popular and iconic images for sale including my doors, architectural details, statues, and monuments. They will make great gifts for all your Francophile friends, relatives, and colleagues but don't forget to buy some for yourself.

Click here to see photos and for full details including sizes, prices, and shipping. Here is a sample of some of the photos.

 

Short-Term Paris Apartment Rentals

Many of my tour clients stay in furnished, short-term rental apartments in Paris. I think it’s a terrific way to experience the city. Most hotels in Paris have small rooms and for the same amount of money or even less, you can rent a furnished apartment with the same comforts as home including a washing machine, WIFI, microwave, dishwasher, flat screen television, fully equipped kitchen, and some come with air-conditioning.

Some people are hesitant to rent apartments because they won’t have a hotel concierge to help or other hotel services, but many apartment rental agencies either come with a concierge service included in the price or for a small fee. Also, some of the more upscale apartments can include a daily maid service.

There are thousands of short-term apartment rental apartments in every arrondissement in Paris and for every budget, from a cute studio in Montmartre for $600 a week to a private four story sixteenth-century mansion in the Marais for $10,000 a week.

The nice thing about staying in an apartment is that it is ideal for families to spread out in. For instance you can get croissants from the local boulangerie every morning instead of going to a café, or get a spread of cheeses, bread, and charcuterie and have an indoor picnic instead of going to pricey restaurants every night. Some apartments have fully equipped kitchens, so you can live like a native Parisian and shop at the local outdoor market or local food shops and whip up a feast.

Most rental companies have a minimum of five nights but sometimes will make exceptions for shorter stays. The rental companies require an insurance deposit (fully refunded after your stay) in addition to the price of the rental.

I say for sure you get a much bigger bang for your buck/euro by renting an apartment than a hotel.

One agency with reasonably priced and well-located apartments is All Paris Apartments.

New Eye Prefer Paris Photos for Sale

I am happy to announce the sale of a new set of prints of my Eye Prefer Paris Photos.  I am offering 20 of my most popular and iconic images for sale including my doors, architectural details, statues, and monuments. They will make great gifts for all your Francophile friends, relatives, and colleagues but don't forget to buy some for yourself.

Click here to see photos and for full details including sizes, prices, and shipping. Here is a sample of some of the photos.

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: 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,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
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

Paris Toilette to Toilette

As I mentioned before, I have received a slew of books about Paris to review for my blog. From romantic memoirs to obscure guidebooks to precocious novels, they have made a dent in my bookshelves. Some are frivolous, some are useful, and many are inane or redundant.

One came my way the other day that is one of the most bizarre but practical books I have ever been given: Paris Toilette to Toilette, A Weak Bladdered Guide to Paris. Author Juliette Andrews has done extensive research over the past 10 years compiling a list of the best and worst public toilets in Paris. The book is broken down by arrondissement and then by metro stops. The listings are clear and concise in large type, starting with her rating (Julie cutely uses a toilet roll rating system from one to four), the name and type of establishment, address, opening hours, directions from metro stop, and a short description. Below is an example.

4 Roll+&
Hotel
The Westin
3 rue Castiglione
Daily 24 hour
Sortie, cross street; walk left two blocks to rue Castiglione. Enter hotel, go to left and the rig, toilets are there. They have cloth towels and Thierry Mugler hand soap.

Not totally devoid of charm and personal tidbits, Julie offers highlights of each arrondissement every few pages.

Paris Toilette to Toilette also has a list of sanisettes, the self-cleaning public toilet kiosks locate on the city streets.

Julie is one of the legions of the weak-bladdered and has suffered the frustration of searching for a toilet while in mortal pain instead of enjoying the pleasures of Paris.

So don't waste time holding it in and pretending everything is all right, because you don't want to embarrass yourself, buy a copy of Paris Toilette to Toilette, A Weak Bladdered Guide to Paris so you can avoid the dilemma.

Paris Toilette to Toilette, A Weak Bladdered Guide to Paris is available in either paperback or Amazon Kindle.

Click here to order

 

In addition to my Eye Prefer Paris Tours, we now offer Eye Prefer New York Tours, 3-hour walking tours of New Yorkís best neighborhoods including Soho, Meatpacking/West Village & Tribeca. Tours cost $195 for up to 3 people and $65 for each additional person.Come take a bit of the Big Apple on an Eye Prefer New York Tour!

Come experience my blog ìliveî with my Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I lead. 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. www.eyepreferparistours.com
 

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 Charlotteís 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.