April 16, 2010 by Maggie Battista
Taking photos of the Seine and Sacre Coeur are a must when visiting Paris, but my camera is filled with images of gorgeous meal after gorgeous meal, thousands of food photos bursting with freshness, color and deliciousness. As my time in Paris winds down – I leave later this week! – I promise to share every last morsel, starting with part one below that originally appeared on my food site, Eat Boutique. Bon appetit! -Maggie

Let’s be honest. Paris may be a foodie mecca, but all that amazing food isn’t a breeze to find. You have to research, ask the locals and scout out those hidden gems (far away from all the tourists). I did a lot of those aforementioned tasks and have produced my first “Paris Foods You Must Eat” list. Expect many more parts to come, but give me some time. I’ve got about two thousand photos to sort through, and many more neighborhoods to explore before I sleep, err, leave!
Growing up along the East Coast, I thought I had had the best seafood in the world. Um, that was until I tasted the scallops and oysters in Paris. Both are far sweeter here, with a lot more character and taste. The above scallops were caramelized and served on a beautiful plate with spring asparagus, carrots, beets and mache at one of my favorite restaurants in Montmartre called Le Miroir (94, rue des Martyrs, 18ème. Tel: 01 46 06 50 73. Metro: Abbesses or Pigalle.) If they are serving scallops the day you dine there, order them. Continue Reading »
Posted in Food, Restaurant Reviews | 9 Comments »
March 12, 2010 by Tory Hoen
For Parisians, lunch is where it’s at. Breakfast usually consists of coffee and cigarettes (and maybe a tartine), and weekday dinners are often simple affairs as well. But lunch is the moment when many kick back and enjoy every last second before returning to the office. Weekday lunches can extend to 1.5 hours and weekend lunches are nearly interminable. Both often involve wine, philosophizing, and simultaneously savoring / complaining about life (a finely tuned Parisian art). But unlike dinner, you then have all afternoon to walk, nap, or work it off. In case you couldn’t tell: I am a fan of lunch.
Le Miroir – Maggie Battista
More importantly, lunch is also the best time to sample some of Paris’ best cuisine at reasonable prices, as many restaurants offer a prix-fixe lunch menu that highlights the day’s specials. While your options are limited, they will likely feature the freshest, most seasonal ingredients. So kick back and relax, knowing that you are in gastronomically capable hands. My top 5 picks are as follows. Continue Reading »
Posted in Food, Restaurant Reviews | 11 Comments »
February 17, 2010 by Haven in Paris
Blogger Kari Geltemeyer is currently staying in Haven in Paris’ Livingstone Penthouse, and we were so excited to find that she’s been writing about her experience on her blog Litwit. It’s always so fun to see this city through someone else’s eyes, and first-time visitors like Kari often have a knack for recognizing the obscure details and nuances that are often overlooked by more seasoned Paris dwellers. We’ve selected some excerpts from her blog that highlight her decision to come to Paris and some of the discoveries she’s made here. We’re glad she took the leap!

Text and photos by Kari Geltemeyer
Day 1
When I say it’s a very big deal to come to Paris, I don’t say it because I’m an idiot, I say it because where I come from people stay in their places. And this can’t be understood, perhaps, unless you grew up in exactly the same way, in a town of 8,000 people and a family of seven in the middle of Wisconsin surrounded by dairy farms, where—when I was young, at least—nobody seemed to stray too far. It wasn’t done, it wasn’t much considered, and if it was talked about, it was something impossibly foreign and unbelievably expensive and certainly too far away to actually be real… (To this day my parents’ reaction is “Ack! Paris! Alone??! Aren’t you scared!”) Of course I’m scared! That’s why I’m doing it. Continue Reading »
Posted in Parisian Living | 5 Comments »
February 9, 2010 by Maggie Battista
Erica Berman
My first week in Paris has been hard. I don’t know the language and my French classes aren’t making me a master anytime soon. I don’t know the city at all, and the Metro system has felt nothing like the subway systems of New York or Boston, probably due to all those darn French words I just don’t understand. My neighborhood in the 18th is fine and my apartment is sweet, but they just don’t feel like home.
(I know, I know. I’m super lucky to be spending three glorious months in the City of Light, but sympathize with me for a few more paragraphs, okay?)
Yesterday, I wanted to pack it in, give in to this beautiful but totally foreign city. I was about to shut myself away in my little apartment and venture out only when I had to finally get to French ecole (school) on Monday morning. Working against the little voice inside my tête (head), I forced myself out into the city. And with sore feet from all these vicious hills and rough pavement, I found myself completely lost.
Then, my phone rang. Continue Reading »
Posted in Food, Restaurant Reviews | 9 Comments »