Heidi Ellison
Il Etait une Fois l’Orient-Express
All Aboard The Fantasy Train
Is there anyone in the world who doesn’t wish he or she had traveled from Paris to Istanbul on the Orient Express, the fabled train of James Bond movies, Agatha Christie novels and many, many other literary and cinematic works? … Read More
Les Déserteurs
No Squabbling With This Chef
Desertion of one’s post is a serious offense, but in the case of Les Déserteurs, no court martial will be required. In fact, I think a medal of valor is in order for Daniel Baratier and Alexandre Céret, who left … Read More
What Parisians Are Talking About This Week, June 18, 2014
Strikes, the Baccalaureate, Actors’ Livelihoods Train strike Today is the eighth day of a strike by some 14 percent of French railway workers, the longest action since 2010. They are protesting a proposal to open the SNCF, the French railway … Read More
What Parisians Are Talking About This Week, June 11, 2014
Anti-Semitism, Love Locks, Museum Scandal, Clinton Love locks. Photo by David Jaggard. Bald anti-Semitism The latest anti-Semitic remark by Jean-Marie Le Pen, honorary president of the far-right-wing National Front party, has led to a public spat between him and his … Read More
Clown Bar
No Clowning Around In the Kitchen
The Clown Bar, located next to the Cirque d’Hiver (Winter Circus) in Paris’s 11th arrondissement, was my local for five years when I lived around the corner, and I returned often over the years to enjoy the unique decor of … Read More
International Garden Festival, Chaumont-sur-Loire
Seven Deadly SinsIn the Garden “Le Domaine de Narcisse,” Photo © E. Sender A summer pilgrimage to the International Garden Festival at Château de Chaumont, a couple of hours from Paris, has become a ritual for many Parisians. Each year, … Read More
Spring & Café des Musées
Old Favorites Revisited: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
Editor’s note: Sadly, after 10 years in business, Spring is now closed. Daniel Rose’s recipes can still be found, however, at La Bourse et la Vie. The Café des Musées is under new management. Whenever I’m asked to name my … Read More
Le Sot-l’y-Laisse
Wine-Infused Lunch Clears the Mind
You never know anymore who might be toiling away behind the stove in an anonymous little neighborhood restaurant far from the center of Paris (a shining example is Jin Xin Lou, where a gourmet meal can be had for €20). … Read More
Café Pinson
Berkeley Brunch In Paris’s Marais
THIS CAFÉ IS NOW CLOSED. Brunch has never been my favorite meal in Paris. The French have a strange idea about what makes a good brunch: lots of different stuff, which might include an egg cooked one way or another, … Read More
Paris Horribilis
Legendes Urbaines
The dark side of the City of Light is a subject of never-ending fascination. A new book, Paris Horribilis, by Marie-Agnès Moller (Le Texte Vivant, €17) treats readers to a few dozen entertaining legends about the macabre underside of Paris. … Read More