...I can have a daily smile with this lovely Metro ticket glass tray
At 6" x 12", it's a perfect size for desktop paper clips or for bedroom dispensing of loose change or jewelry.
Travel
10/10/2011
06/05/2011
French Macarons in Mexico:Theurel & Thomas
Isn't this airy, shop magical? It's the first "Maison de Macaron" in Mexico and makes me want to travel to San Pedro Garcia, to make a visit. The graceful, fantasy French decor is such a perfect choice to highlight the rainbows of macarons. Impressive work by the design firm, Anagrama.
11/03/2010
I stumbled opon a lovely restaurant in Paris...
Walked by this cute little spot when I was in a fun, artistic neighborhood in the 13th, called Butte aux Cailles. Naturally, I had to stop in and sample their cuisine!
Indian Summer called for a chilled bottle of wine (French but with a wacky English name). It arrived in an unexpected ice bucket, setting the tone for a delightful, informal meal.
...their baby squid sauteed with piment d'espelette was spectacular. That spice is magical--and rarely used in the U.S., so I was eager to enjoy this mysterious blend of special red pepper flavor. It was put to good use here, adding a lovely, earthy zip to the seafood.
This little place is the opposite of traditional French restaurants with career waiters in white and black. The service here is friendly and relaxed with casually dressed young women taking our orders with professional ease. The appealing and imaginative menu is unpretentious, yet refined and offers inspired Global/French comfort food.
Chez NathalieAddress. 45 rue Vandrezanne, 75013 Paris, France. Tel: 01 45 80 20 42.
10/27/2010
10/18/2010
09/21/2010
Wine Find: Domaine de la Solitude
Smooth and luscious from Chateau Neuf du Pape:
I walked into this tiny vineyard by chance a few years ago. We found ourselves in a gravelled back area, greeted by a barking dog. It seemed deserted. A tall, sleepy guy appeared with a half smile. Almost reluctantly, he gave us a brief "tour" of the modest place not at all "done" f or tourists and half heartedly led us to a little tasting room.
This unenthusiastic prelude did not exactly make us have any hopes for the wine. Then with a little pour of the red and quick swirl, he handed over a glass. We were not prepared for the lush delight we tasted. Needless to say a case immediately was placed in the back of the car before we left. I recently found a bottle from that trip and it is still a really nice glass of red.
09/20/2010
09/14/2010
Paris Secret Address: Shopping find
On the way to lunch in Saint Germain, I took a little detour on the rue du Sabot for sentimental reasons and passed by a pretty window display of elegant goodies. My shoe radar registered a pair of especially fabulous Robert Clergerie shoes as I wandered by. I kept walking until I realized I'd seen the price discretly listed beside them. Wait! Did I just read they were 67 Euros??
I retraced my steps and checked again. Yes, 67 Euros. Given that they looked new, I went inside the cozy space. Unlike most Parisian shops, the sales girls left me alone -- actually they completely ignored me-- but I was relieved to be left on my own to explore the perfect, uncluttered racks, arranged by color and size.
It is a re-sale shop with beautifully edited pieces and stunningly reasonable prices. The brands range from Alberta Ferretti to Zara -- but are united by being wearable, memorable and effortessly sylish.
Turns out the shoes in question were not my size but among the notable offerings spotted that day were a mint pair of 2-tone Prada ballet flats and a Lanvin 2009 black silk shift -- in fact, there was a rack set aside filled with a score of chic "little black dresses" along with soft rainbow of cashmere cardigans in muted tones of violet, blue and camel.This is the kind of place that you need to visit regularly in order to find the treasure of the day in your size...guess I need to move to Paris!
In the next room there was an equally curated selection of interesting books, ceramic tabletop and furniture and I made a mental note to consider it as a good source for a special thank you gift.
Be forwarned, the hours here are a little irregular and they seem to open later than expected and close early so you're best bet is to check them out in the afternoon!
Les Ginettes
4 rue du Sabot,
Saint Germain, 75006 Paris
01 42 22 45 14
09/12/2010
More Paris Goodies:Organic Farmer's Market
Because it only sells organic and it's in a quartier chic, Le Marche Raspail is a bit more expensive than other markets...but what a treasure trove of tempting offerings "biologiques" and really worth the trip.
Here's a sampling of everything you'll need for a Paris picnic -- Bon Appetit!
Marche Raspail is located betwen the rue Cherche Midi and rue de Rennes -- it's all organic on Sunday and a mix on Tuesdays and Fridays
