French Kiss - A Paris Travel Guide

Life, Wine & E-Love in the South of France by Karen Kindler

Being a tourist can be superficial and unsatisfying sometimes – rather like a one-night stand. You see some pretty things, drink more than usual, and sleep in a strange bed.There may be a souvenir or two in it – hopefully, nothing that requires drugs to get rid of – but in the end all you've really gotten out of it is a couple of kicks and a vague feeling a few days later that maybe it didn't really happen at all. In the case of the trip, of course, you know it did – at least when the credit card bill comes due.

I don't do shallow (well, not very often). When I travel I like to hang out in the same spot for a while, meet some local people, and get an idea of how they live and think. That means a DIY approach that doesn't include the usual hotels and bus tours. The best strategy I've come up with has three basic parts: rent an apartment, sign up for language immersion classes, and register with a local on-line dating service.

This winter's foray took me to the Languedoc region on the Mediterranean coast of France near the Spanish border, an area which boasts over 300 days of sunshine a year. I'd seen the pictures: gold light on rocky shores, vines heavy with deep purple grapes, ancient stone villages nestled in rugged mountain valleys, and fabulous fresh food with an emphasis on wine and cheese. Sign me up!

Le Scarf - The Secret to Hip Parisian Style by Raney Lasusa

If you sit in a Parisian cafe to deconstruct what makes a French girl so stylish, you'll quickly conclude she's made a scarf an integral part of the outfit. Whether for a day at the office or a night on the town, the stylish French girl will have a scarf knotted around her neck.

Anyone who's spent time in Paris can tell you one thing: it's not cheap! And being naturally frugal, the French needn't spend a fortune. She's got a few staples, mostly black. The scarf is a quick, inexpensive way to provide pop. With such panache, who'll know she's wearing the same dress? 

A Rose by Any Other Name

A gem of a discovery while wandering the streets of Paris' Saint Germain-des-Pres was a flower shop dedicated to all things rose. A friend of mine had recommended the shop called Au Nom De La Rose, but I'd managed to walk by it unawares for weeks, but always admiring the gorgeous and colorful bouquets.

Picked up a bouquet of orange, yellow and pink Kenyan roses from the shop for a dinner party. It's whimsical and charming. Loads of great little gifts here too - scented candles and wonderful little perfumes.  They have 43 shops in France, but are also in Brussels, Barcelona, Milan, Moscow, Athens, Beirut, Kuwait City, Shangai, Santiago and London.

Just one more thing to add to a beautiful Spring day.

Check them out online - www.aunomdelarose.com.

- Denise

 

Betty Boop - Out of this World

We're always on the lookout for stylish accessories, and we all love these Betty Boop notebooks. Makes for great journaling or note-keeping with a vintage flair. Betty Boop is a famous cartoon character from the 1930s, and we found this cute cartoon featuring her puppy, Pudgy. 

 

The Sweetest Girl

Desserts are delightful temptations. Ones, frankly, I can't resist and don't want to. Everything in moderation of course. But when you find a place that seduces you with the colors, flavors and aromas of every sweet dessert you can imagine... And, all you have to do is just walk to the next location and burn those calories. It's like finding a bit of paradise.

And for me, that place is Paris with its macarons, pastries and of course chocolate!

MACARONS

I'm not a pastry connoisseur, so when I heard alot of people raving about the macarons from Pierre Herme. I thought big deal. I thought macarons were macaroons. Macaroons are a coconuty type cookie that I really don't like. Macarons, however, are "sandwich-like pastries made with two thin cookies and a cream or ganache" in between.

And Pierre Herme. Well, he's the creme de la creme of French pastry chefs and his macarons are to die for.

Parisian Chic: Bonnie Doon

 

Ok. So let's say you're looking for a little fashion pick-me-up. Don't want to spend a fortune with the economy in mind. But you need a little je ne sais quoi for your inner fashionista.

Well. Add a little Paris to your wardrobe.

One of our favorite discoveries in Paris is Bonnie Doon. Bonnie Doon is based in the Netherlands, but started in the United States in 1957. A truly international company. They have a wild and wide range of designer socks - from knee-highs, cute footies to trendy tights.

Art House - The Life and Work of Auguste Rodin

Museums can be boring. Paintings or sculptures on wall after wall can make a  person giddy with this genius and that genius who added who knows what to civilization as we know it. Somehow those claims are supposed to be the marker of universal truth - mundane artistic details that captivate art lovers. 

I don't buy those universal claims of genius and civilization much and try to avoid most museums, except for a few that are truly stunning such as The Metropolitan in New York City, The British Museum in London, The Kimball Art Museum in Fort Worth, the Louvre in Paris and now another beautiful little gem in Paris, the Musee Rodin (Rodin Museum).

The Belly of Paris: A Walk Through Time

As travelers, every now and then we're granted the privilege of stopping for a moment and peering into the window of time. What is it that time shows us? For one thing, where we've come from, which gives us an idea of where we're going. My time-stopping moment came in Paris where I discovered some of its culinary treasures for the first time.

Food in the United States is wonderfully convenient, sometimes too convenient that we don't take the time to consider what we put in our mouths, nor take the time to enjoy the simple pleasures of eating. I perfected the "eating-on-the-go" lifestyle of business travelers. Caffeine was a staple. A little wine or beer at Happy Hour and food, well, whatever was available. Cooking - not really interested and no time.

 

The best way for me to broaden my perspective and experience of food was taking a walking tour through the heart of Paris' central food market - Les Halles. Les Halles in the 1st arrondissement was "the market" in Paris for 800 years. It's here in Les Halles that you can peer through the window of time into the guts of what makes food such a dynamic part of Parisians' lifestyles.

A Summer Fashion Find: Beautiful Pareos

Summer is just around the corner and that means stopping by your nearest and most beautiful fabric shop for a wardrobe update. What should be on your shopping list? Picking up a simple and chic pareo or as it's also sometimes called a sarong. Pareos are great cover ups for the beach, but they also make great shawls and scarves that look great with light and breezy summer dresses.  If your fabric shop has some ready-made great! If not, pick up your favorite fabric and get it edged with beads. Voila. One of a kind.

One of the things I've learned here in Paris is how a scarf or a pareo for that matter can add just the right touch of style to a pair of jeans and a t-shirt for example or make a simple black dress standout even more. Great style definitely does not require a fortune.

One of my favorite fabric shops in Paris is Simrane in Saint Germain des Pres (23-25 rue Bonaparte). Their fabrics come from Jaipur, in India's Rajasthan region and are made using traditional methods dating from the 16th century.  Their collection is inspired by the colors of India as well as Persian and Mongolian designs. They update their designs every year during the Fall.

Their pareos make for great gifts for yourself and for friends. They are edged with beads, which gives them just the right touch of the exotic.

- Denise

 

And here's a How To Wear a Pareo by fashion editor Rachel Youens of Austinstylewatch.com

Photo by Celine Ruffet.

How to Wear a Pareo -- powered by ExpertVillage.com

Flea Market Shopping - Finding Hidden Treasures

Stumbled upon this beautiful book by Emily Chalmers about Flea Market Style. That's what lazy Sunday afternoons are for - reading beautiful coffee table books and making resolutions to march forward and explore. With Emily's inspiration, I decided to check out Paris' famous flea markets, well at least one of them. I'm not a big fan of ridiculous crowds, so skipped out on the huge Markets of St-Ouen and decided on Puces de Vanves instead.

Puces de Vanves is open every Saturday and Sunday and has about 380 merchants who sell all sorts of things: Art Deco from the twenties and thirties, sixties collectibles, lace, old textiles, African and Oriental art. My favorite were the vintage books and album covers. One of the vendors here is famous for his collection of beautiful buttons. Not that I sew. They had wonderful selections of children's books and old comics. Great movie posters and magazines. There were a couple of musicians playing a 19th century piano. Great atmosphere!

 

Of course, the long-standing rules of flea market shopping apply here as to any other flea markets. Get there early, have cash in small denominations and look over each item you buy carefully. In our global village, it's difficult to find unique items that don't cost a fortune. Drop by your local flea market and see what hidden treasures you find. The hustle and bustle makes for a fun and creative weekend.

- Denise

Websites:

Marche aux Puces de la Porte de Vanves

Paris in A Cup

There is something sumptuously luxurious about spending an hour or two chatting with friends and lingering over a hot cup of tea. It's a delightful decadence of Parisian culture we still enjoy today. According to "Tea Muse," a monthly newsletter dedicated to all things tea, tea arrived in Paris in 1636, almost 20 years before tea made its way to England. And although the tea plant originates from China and the tea cultures of China and Japan predate Europe, when tea got to Paris, it was all the rage for the fashionable aristocracy.

A fun read is delving into the 17th century letters of famous French aristocrat Madame de Sevigne. She wrote deliciously juicy details of life in Paris' tea salons under King Louis XIV's reign where people reportedly drank up to 12 cups of tea per day.

What's to love about tea? The variety of flavors as well as all the health benefits. Of course, there are all the gorgeous tea rooms in which to enjoy it.

I discovered this great little French tearoom in historic downtown Orange, California called Paris in a Cup. The owners were inspired by Paris' tea rooms such as LaDuree and Angelina's. From the furnishings, tableware and of course gourmet goodies. Love it! They even made the Good Day LA's Hot List.

The Provence Cookbook by Patricia Wells

 

I spent three months in Paris this year and one wonderful week in Nice taking some fantastic cooking classes. And one of the things I was trying to get a handle on was how in our very fast-paced world can we balance eating healthy and creating delicious meals? Anyone who has traveled for work extensively knows how difficult it is to cook your own meals when you're in a hotel most nights. And when you get home, well you're so tired.

It was very easy in Paris to head to the local markets for fresh food because that's what everybody did but not so easy in Dallas where it's just more convenient to eat out alot. I fell in love with "The Provence Cookbook" by Patricia Wells. Patricia makes it easy to translate Provencal cooking into American cooking - where to find some ingredients and good substitutes for what we don't have here.  She has some menus at the back of the book that are easy to put together. Makes me feel like a "real" chef. I've also taken the time to check out local farmers markets here and well the ingredients make a big difference. 

Includes recipes such as Raspberry Sorbert, Summer Truffle Salad, Chilled Tomato soup and more.

Here's to Happy Cooking!

- Denise

Website

Patricia Wells - www.patriciawells.com

Photo Credits: Nice, Agency Dreamstime

French Affair - Rendezvous

For a little French Pop, check out the song "L'Amour" by French Affair from their Rendezvous album.I'm not a huge fan of French music, but this song is uptempo and cute. Also, listen to  "Danse avec Moi."

You can find the songs on Itunes or Amazon.

- Denise

A Taste of the Riviera

Take a listen to our podcast! We interview food writer and Cordon-bleu trained cook Rosa Jackson. Rosa lives in Nice, France and runs Edible Paris and Les Petis Farcis. Edible Paris provides custom itineraries to foodies who want to get the best of Paris' amazing cuisine.  Petis Farcis focuses on cooking classes and market tours in Nice.  

Rosa worked in Paris for ten years writing about restaurants for a number of guidebooks and magazines.  She teaches Provencal cooking in her home. But spends a few days in Paris every month, keeping up with restaurants, conducting food tours and sampling the finest patisseries and chocolates. 

Listen here!

Websites

Petits Farcis - Cooking Classes and Market Tours in Nice

Edible Paris - Custom Food Itineraries

Paris Street Style - Summer Days

One of my favorite fashion sites is Garance Dore. Garance is a French fashion illustrator and photographer who takes great photos of street style in Paris or whereever she is. It keeps me inspired, and she now has it translated into English. So, check out her site. 

And after you do that listen to our interview with our very own French girl Raney Lasusa who gives us advice on how to work that stylish French look.

Websites:

Le Scarf - The Secret to Hip Parisian Style - Listen here

Garance Dore - Paris Street Style

Winetasting 101: French Wines

There is an art to wine tasting. This art consists of staying sober and trying to learn something from the sommeliers teaching you about wine. Sometimes, I think it's a hopeless case. I've been to many wine tastings and can never remember anything afterward. But this time, I did it! I actually learned something and only got slightly sloshed after 10 glasses of wine.

Any country or region that produces wine always has a bevy of wine tasting experiences to offer - California, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon in North America. Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, Italy. The list is endless. But there's only one France. France accounts for about 20% of world wine production and about 25% of wine exports come from this country. They have incredibly strict rules about their wine production, which makes their wines oh so delectable and desirable.

Vive La France; Wine Bars; Church and State; Ice Cream Architecture - Good Food on KCRW

I'm a huge fan of Good Food on KCRW.  Keeps me inspired to eat healthy, troll the farmers markets and try new recipes. And this episode they focus on one of my favorite cuisines - that of France. 

Some great interviews with the blogger of Chocolate and Zucchini, a cultural feature with Michael Steinberger centering on the decline of French cuisine in France itself and pastry chef David Lebovitz. We also get the scoop on some great wine bars in LA. Listen below.

Vive la France; Wine Bars; Church and State; Ice Cream Architecture - Good Food on KCRW 

San Francisco's French Flair - Design House Cop Copine

I love French fashion, or rather I should say I love Paris street fashion. There's something about the simplicity and understated elegance of fashionable Parisians that just hits the spot for me. It can be as simple as a scarf or the cut of a dress.  And when I'm in Paris, I go sit at a cafe for hours and just people watch. Every time I do that, I come home with lots of fashion inspiration.  

So, was happy to hear that the avant-garde French design house Cop Copine is opening its first US store in San Francisco's Union Square on Powell Street.  Cop Copine's style is based on an interesting use of fabrics and different textures. I think the website is kind of weird to navigate, but you get the concept. I love their new collection.

- Denise

Website

Cop Copine France  - cop-copine.com