Heidi Ellison
Jean-François Piège, Thoumieux
The amusing amuses-bouches at Jean-François Piège’s Paris restaurant. My friends Chris and Helen and I had all followed the recent Top Chef series on French TV, so when Chris’s 40th birthday rolled around, Helen and I decided to treat … … Read More
Paquebot France
The original France in front of the New York skyline. Coll. French Lines © French Lines Does anything sound more appealing in the age of agonizing low-cost flights and cramped plane seating than a long, slow ocean crossing in a … Read More
Paléospace L’Odyssée
JURASSIC BEACH Ophthalmosaurus at Paléospace L’Odyssée. Villers sur Mer, a small Norman coastal city just down the road from the famed resort town of Deauville (known as Paris’s 21st arrondissement because of its high population of Parisians on weekends and … Read More
Le Tintilou
The decor of many colors is not to everyone’s taste. Pros: Delightful, original cuisine; charming service; great wine pairings Cons: Decor needs work In many ways, Le Tintilou is still a work in progress – chef-owner Jean-François Renard took over … Read More
Van Dongen & Severini
Paris is hosting exhibitions of two artists, Kees Van Dongen (1877-1968) and Gino Severini (1883-1966), whose work is unintentionally complementary. The two shared nearly identical lifespans, and each chose Paris as his home for long periods of time. Although both … Read More
Savy
A waiter on the run at Savy in Paris’s eighth arrondissement. Pros: Old-fashioned brasserie decor; fast, friendly, efficient service; good, solid food Cons: A bit pricey How many times have I complained that there are no decent restaurants on or … Read More
Les Beaux Mecs
GOOD FRENCH TV: NO LONGER AN OXYMORON Tony le Dingue, played by Simon Abkarian. The French love American TV series, whether schlocky or great. There used to be a regular TV show devoted to American series, and the cable channel … Read More
Messiah
Bass Darren Jeffery surrounded by just a few of the many elements that went into a visually chaotic Paris production of Handel’s Messiah. I couldn’t contain my curiosity when I heard that Oleg Kulik, one of the most outrageously provocative … Read More
Pavillon des Lettres
The trend in Parisian luxury hotels these days seems to be to go to great lengths to achieve neutrality so as not to risk offending anyone’s tastes. Colors are neutral beiges, browns and grays, with the emphasis on rich materials … Read More
Online on the Rails
ONLINE ON THE RAILS France is famous for its excellent high-speed train service, but one high-tech feature has until now been conspicuously absent: the Internet. That will start to change now that a combined Wi-Fi/satellite service is being offered on … Read More