Dinner in Paris at Hidden Kitchen w/David Lebovitz & Meg Zimbeck

May 17, 2010  by Claudia Strasser

When I heard that the lovely Lily of Context Travel was organizing a dinner at Hidden Kitchen hosted by David Lebovitz and Meg Zimbeck, I jumped at the occasion. I was lucky enough to attend Hidden Kitchen over a year ago and was itching for the chance to return and experience Braden’s cooking again … The problem? It’s always sold out! This particular dinner was to be a combination gourmet meal and chance to get to know David, Meg, and Context travel in an intimate setting (there are only 16 guests at a time at Hidden Kitchen).

Erica Berman

The lucky guests were to hear all about David’s decadent new dessert cookbook and the inevitable trials and tribulations of his life  amongst the frenchies. We also got to learn about Meg and her culinary adventures. Meg is a Paris food writer and is currently in the final stages of developing (along with quite an impressive team) a new Paris foodie website, “Paris by Mouth” to be unveiled on June 1…..more on that soon on the HiP Paris Blog! As my friend Claudia from Miami is in town doing decorating wonders for a client, I invited her to join in the fun. It was an evening of fabulous food and conversation galore – one to remember and hopefully repeat. Below Claudia reminisces about this unique Parisian experience.  Enjoy! – Erica

Meg Zimbeck

Bonsoir everyone!

Friday night was truly one I will never forget and feel privileged to have been invited to such a soiree magnifique. It felt like we stepped back in time to a salon gathering of some of the great young minds and talents residing and making their marks in Paris.

From the moment we walked into the foyer and were handed champagne, the night was pure magic. As the 16 guests arrived, we mingled and chatted and the air was palpable with what our palettes were about to experience!

If you’re in Paris, I highly suggest you make a reservation at hidden kitchen. Our host and hostess, Braden and Laura are the most charming and talented American couple you could hope to meet on your trip, and the exquisite beauty of everything from the decor of their apartment to every morsel served was sublime! Continue Reading »

Posted in Events, Food, Parisian Living, Restaurant Reviews, Tours and Classes | 9 Comments »

Wintery Walks in Paris with Context Tours

December 11, 2009  by Tory Hoen

Photo: LIFE

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 »

Posted in Tours and Classes | 1 Comment »

Following the Chocolate in Paris

June 4, 2009  by Tory Hoen

photos courtesy of laduree.fr & chocolatezoom.com

There are many ways to experience Paris, but one of the more decadent ones is, simply, to follow the chocolate. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of doing just that when I tagged along on Context Tour’s “Chocolate Walk,” a chocoholic’s dream that took me to many of the Left Bank’s most delicious (and gastronomically prestigious) addresses.

We began the tour in front of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés church, where our docent, Camille Labro, pulled an actual cocoa pod (which she had recently brought from Brazil) out of her handbag and gave us a quick rundown on the plant’s important role in world history.  Over the next few hours, we would learn the ins-and-outs of chocolate production and consumption, from its historical roots in South America to its modern incarnations in Paris and throughout the world. Continue Reading »

Posted in Food, Parisian Living, Tours and Classes | 10 Comments »

Context Walking Seminars and Tours Paris + Italy

March 11, 2009  by Haven in Paris

Walking Seminars:

Context’s walking seminars of Paris are much more than a typical walking tour. Their network of historians, architects, curators, writers, sommeliers and chefs help the intellectually curious traveler understand and investigate Paris on a deeper level. They have a diverse weekly calendar of small group walks (limited to 6 people) or they can organize any of their walks for a private party to suit individual schedules. Continue Reading »

Posted in Tours and Classes | 1 Comment »