Mar 8th, 2010 by haveninparis
Text and Photos by Tory Hoen
It’s easy to eat well in Paris, but to truly eat like a local is a whole different endeavor. At the heart of the Parisian culinary experience are the city’s markets, and eating like a Parisian means knowing where to get the “best” of everything—the freshest produce, the most interesting wines, the best baguettes, the most unique specialty products. The preparation of a perfect at-home meal is a nuanced process that involves the assembly of carefully selected puzzle pieces—not to mention the actual cooking, plating, presentation and consumption rituals.
Luckily, there is a short-cut in the form of Paule Caillat’s Promenades Gourmandes: personalized culinary excursions that allow anyone—from novices to gourmands—to access the pleasures of French home-cooking done right. Continue Reading »
Tags: cooking classes paris, David Lebovitz, French recipes, market tours paris, paris cooking, paule caillat, Promenades Gourmandes
Posted in HiP Eats, Tours and Classes | 2 Comments »
Jan 22nd, 2010 by haveninparis
Mathilde, my local friend
Text and photos by: Geneviève Sandifer
Think back to that moment when you first landed in a foreign city and disorientation set in like a thick, heavy fog. If you were a girl or boy scout, maybe you could tell north from south, but buildings, perspectives, businesses and squares of sky blended together to form an impenetrable net of All Things Foreign. Armed with your map and your pocket translator you bravely approached passersby with questions ranging from the unavoidably inane (“Where can I buy a loaf of bread”) to the philosophically complex (“Where can I buy a good loaf of bread”). Animated discussions ensued, followed by an exchange of friendly smiles and you were left feeling more desperate than before because not only were you lost and hungry, you failed at survival challenge #2: communication.
Fear not! The Hip Paris team has just stumbled upon the aptly named “Rent a Local Friend”, an alternative tour service that sets you up with a friendly native to help you get over those first few moments of feeling like the city is an impenetrable mass of tourist traps and indistinguishable side streets. Continue Reading »
Tags: Alternative Tours Paris, Le Loir dans la Theiere, Lemon Pie Paris, Marais Tours Paris, Montmartre Tours, Paris tours, Rent a Local Friend, Romantic weekend Paris
Posted in HiP Travel, Tours and Classes | 3 Comments »
Dec 11th, 2009 by haveninparis
Photo: LIFE
Text by Tory Hoen
Our friends over at Context Travel are offering awesome discounts on some wintery walks this month. Tell them Haven in Paris sent you and get 15% off on these tours: Continue Reading »
Tags: boulevards of paris, Context Travel, culinary tours, Montmartre, oscar wilde, Paris tours, pere lachaise, walking tours, walking tours paris
Posted in Tours and Classes | 1 Comment »
Dec 1st, 2009 by haveninparis
Our friend Linda Donahue (of Parisien Salon) had the opportunity to try out a baking class at La Cuisine Paris. Below, she recounts the mouth-watering results…
Text and Photos by Linda Donahue, Parisien Salon
Ever since Julia Child launched her famous cookbook, Paris has become a magnet for aspiring chefs. Even those not looking to make a professional foray into the culinary world find the City of Light to be the perfect place to pick up a new skill. La Cuisine Paris was created just for these people.
Tucked away in a courtyard on the boulevard St-Michel directly across from the Jardin du Luxembourg, La Cuisine Paris attracts Parisiens, expats and visitors alike with its diverse range of classes. French cuisine isn’t the only thing on the menu here. Students can learn how to make dishes from around the world, from Thai to tapas to tantalizing desserts. Continue Reading »
Tags: Diane Anthonissen, Jane Bertch, La Cuisine Paris, linda donahue, Olivier Pugliesi-Conti, Parisien Salon, Pierre Hermé
Posted in HiP Eats, Tours and Classes | No Comments »
Nov 27th, 2009 by haveninparis
Lemon tart courtesy of: cookbookcatchall.blogspot.com
Text by Tory Hoen
As the holidays approach, why not brush up on some new cooking techniques that will wow your guests and provide a little variety to your holiday menus. If you can make it to New York City on December 13 or 14, we have two French-inspired cooking workshops you won’t want to miss.
Our Provence-based friend Rosa Jackson (of Edible Adventures) will be teaming up with popular French chef Paule Caillat (owner of the Promenades Gourmandes cooking school in Paris), to share their regional cuisines with home cooks on this side of the Atlantic. Friends and collaborators, the two will teach participants a variety of recipes from their “home” towns (Nice and Paris) and will feature a powerful trifecta of ingredients: olive oils, truffles and sea salt. The women will infuse traditional recipes with modern flair—truffles will make their way into savory madeleines, olive oil will enrich desserts, and sea salt will add Mediterranean flavor to colorful vegetable dishes. Continue Reading »
Tags: edible adventures, paule caillat, Promenades Gourmandes, Rosa Jackson, The Culinary Loft, tory hoen
Posted in HiP Happenings & Events, Tours and Classes | 2 Comments »
Oct 12th, 2009 by haveninparis
Photo: gralon.net
Text by Tory Hoen
Now that Paris Fashion Week is over, we can all get back to what we really love… food. Paris’ 20th annual Semaine du Goût (”Taste Week”) kicked off on Saturday and runs through next Sunday, the 18th. During this annual event, Paris becomes even more food-focused than it normally is, celebrating its culinary traditions and spotlighting up-and-coming talent.
Continue Reading »
Tags: alain ducasse, ecole du cuisine alain ducasse, l'ami jean, l'epi dupin, le meurice paris, paris fashion week, semaine du gout, semaine du gout paris, taillevent, Willi's Wine Bar
Posted in HiP Eats, HiP Happenings & Events, Tours and Classes | No Comments »
Sep 19th, 2009 by haveninparis
Gargoyle on Notre Dame – www.photosfan.com
by Tory Hoen
While Paris is the perfect city for aimless ambling, there is a time and a place for directed exploration. Earlier this summer, I had the pleasure of taking Context Tours’ “Art and Architecture of Gothic Paris” walk, led by American architect and Paris resident Michael Herrman. While Context always keeps their tour groups small (usually 6 people max.), I was fortunate enough to have the tour all to myself, and—as is typical of Context tours—Michael was happy to customize the experience to my specific areas of interest. Continue Reading »
Tags: architecture tour paris, context tours, context tours paris, ile de la cite tour, michael herrman, Notre Dame, paris architecture, sainte chapelle, tory hoen
Posted in Art, Film, Music, Literature, Tours and Classes | No Comments »
Aug 28th, 2009 by haveninparis
Text Geneviève Sandifer
Although Paris isn’t quite as bike-centric as Amsterdam just yet, bicycles have definitely become the hip and green way to get around. As Sarah pointed out earlier, the now-ubiquitous Vélibs’ have converted Parisians over to the scenic joys of gliding along tree-lined boulevards as an alternative to the soul-crushing rush hour metro.
www.flickr.com/photos/16nine/2489449704
But this picturesque approach to Paris isn’t just reserved for natives and those who are able to get their foreign cards to work in the Vélib’ machines. Fat Tire Tours, a bike-and-segway specific tour company, was among the first Paris-based tour groups to offer bicycle tours of the city. They are a friendly and entertaining way to see the city.
Continue Reading »
Tags: Fat Tire Bike tours, Fat Tire tours, Fat Tire Tours Paris, Paris bicycle Tours, Paris Bike Tours, Paris by Bike, Paris Segway Tours, Paris tours
Posted in Green, Bio, Eco Paris, Tours and Classes | No Comments »
Jul 3rd, 2009 by haveninparis
All photos courtesy of O-chateau.com
Text by Tory Hoen
It’s no secret that wine is a fundamental part of life in France, and it’s no wonder that wine lovers throughout the world hold French wine in particularly high esteem. From production to consumption, the rituals and processes associated with French wine reflect the essence of what life in this country is all about: quality, tradition, and of course, joie de vivre.
But for many visitors to France—wine novices and aficionados alike—the world of French wine can be as intimidating as it is enticing. The seemingly simple act of navigating a wine list is, in fact, anything but simple when you consider the many factors involved—region, grape variety, vintage, and the ever-elusive concept of terroir. Luckily, sommelier Olivier Magny and his dynamic team at Ô Chateau have set out to demystify the world of French wine and to remind us why we love it: it’s fun. Continue Reading »
Tags: O Chateau, o chateau france, O Chateau paris, olivier magny, tory hoen, wine paris, wine tasting, wine tasting france, wine tasting paris, wine tours france, wine tours paris
Posted in HiP Blogs, HiP Eats, Tours and Classes | No Comments »
Jun 10th, 2009 by haveninparis
Photos Courtesy of Rosa Jackson
Text & Interview Erica Berman
We recently found ourselves in Nice for a night and were fortunate to be able to book a morning tour of the Nice food markets with Canadian food guru Rosa Jackson. I had heard about Rosa’s food tours of Paris and Nice from numerous clients and was intrigued, and ready, to discover.
Olive Photo Erica Berman
We met Rosa at the Cafe La Civette du Cours on the edge of the central market - Cours Saleya. A cafe noisette and a brief history of Nice and the old marketplace which started in 1861, and we were on our way.
Tags: Add new tag, Arlequin Gelati, Cours Saleya, Edible Paris, Food tours, Food tours Nice, Gelato, Liberation market Nice, Nice, Nice markets, Petits Farcis, Rosa Jackson, socca
Posted in Erica's Escapades, HiP Blogs, HiP Eats, HiP Travel, Tours and Classes | No Comments »
