January 12, 2011 by Amy Reverdy
Do you know Amy Reverdy, of the wonderful blog C’est La Me? If not, prepare to be wooed. This sweet expat from California charms with her self-deprecating, I’m-too-west-coast-to-take-myself-seriously tales of adapting to life with the Frenchies. In this post she shares her mouth-watering Context food tour in Saint Germain with fellow HIP Paris contributor and fabulous Parisian foodie, Meg Zimbeck.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live like a Parisian? Unless you’re prepared to travel with a dog or take up smoking, I think the easiest and most enjoyable way to experience la belle vie while visiting France is by shopping and eating.
I’ve been living in Paris for five years now. While I’d like to pretend that I spend my days strolling along selecting cheeses and chocolates from small shops, I’d be exaggerating. Sometimes I’m forced to go to the supermarket due to time constraints, hours of operation, or the simple fact that I need to buy toilet paper.
On the weekend, however, I really do try to frequent the farmer’s market and small shops in my quartier. Little by little, you start to develop a relationship with the vendors and they remember you. With my accent, it usually doesn’t take all that long. My second visit to the produce shop on rue Mouffetard, I was greeted with “Bonjour, Miss California.” I’m still smiling. And a few weeks later, after I’d paid for all my fruits and vegetables, I realized that I’d forgotten a lime. When I told him it was for my vodka tonic, he placed it in my hand with a wink and refused my money.
Caramel pastry from La Patisserie des Rêves (Edwardkimuk)
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Posted in Food, Parisian Living, Tours and Classes | 9 Comments »
June 2, 2010 by Meg Zimbeck
Every year, in a closed chamber on the Ile Saint-Louis, a panel of carb-loving judges select the Best Baguette in Paris. The top ten winners of this annual contest – the Grand Prix de la Baguette de Tradition Française de la Ville de Paris – are listed below.
Click here to view these bakeries on a google map.
Grand Prix de la Baguette de la Ville de Paris 2010
1. Djibril Bodian (Le Grenier à Pain Abbesses), 38 rue des Abbesses, 75018
2. Daniel Pouphary, (La Parisienne) 28 rue Monge, 75005
3. Dominique Saibron, 77 avenue du Général Leclerc, 75014
4. Yves Desgranges, 6 rue de Passy, 75016
5. Philippe Gosselin, 258 boulevard Saint-Germain, 75007
6. Xavier Doué, 163 avenue de versaillais, 75016
7. Sébastien and Sylvie Lohézic (Boulangerie Lohézic), 31 rue Guersant, 75017
8. Michel Chorin (Boulangerie d’Isa) 127 rue de Charenton, 75012
9. Mohamed Zerzour (Boulangerie Zerzour), 50 rue de l’Amiral Roussin, 75015
10. Mohamed Zerzour (Zerzour II), 324 rue Lecourbe, 75014
PS: The 2010 winner, Le Grenier à Pain, is located just down the street from Haven in Paris Montmartre apartments Abbesses and Houdon!
Written by Meg Zimbeck. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.
Posted in Food | 6 Comments »
May 28, 2010 by Meg Zimbeck
My boyfriend recently informed me that he had made a dinner reservation: “Someplace new… someplace I think you haven’t heard of.”
“That’s not possible,” I replied, and I meant it. For the past six weeks, in preparing to launch a new website, I’ve been following the restaurant press quite closely. If I hadn’t heard of it, I thought smugly to myself, then it probably wasn’t worth knowing about. I then proceeded to mock his choice. “Rino (the French pronounce this Reeeno)… will there be gambling after dinner?” He looked puzzled, knowing nothing of the Nevada town, and then decided to drop the subject. His redemption would come soon enough. Continue Reading »
Posted in Food, Restaurant Reviews | 3 Comments »
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).
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
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 | 10 Comments »
March 19, 2010 by Meg Zimbeck
Photos by Nichole Robertson
Macaron lovers rejoice. March 20 is the Jour du Macaron in Paris. This annual celebration, dreamed up five years ago by the famed pâtissier Pierre Hermé, finds pastry shops giving their meringue-y little delights away for free.
Customers are encouraged to make a charitable donation on their way out the door. It’s a sweet idea in celebration of spring and in support of research to treat rare diseases.
The crowds will be large this Saturday at Pierre Hermé, with fans lining up to choose any three of his famous macarons. Tempting flavors for spring 2010 include white truffle with grilled hazelnut and foie gras with chocolate, along with traditional favorites like coffee, caramel, and three kinds of vanilla. But Hermé isn’t the only one sharing his cookies…
> For a list of participating pâtisseries, continue reading at Budget Travel.
> For a report on last year’s celebration, check out Dorie Greenspan’s post here.
Catch more of Meg Zimbeck’s fabulous writeups here and here.
View more of Nichole Robertson’s stunning photos here.
Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.
Posted in Food | 2 Comments »
March 10, 2010 by Haven in Paris
Text and photos by: Meg Zimbeck
I panicked, on a recent winter night, when some friends asked me to organize a dinner. Choosing a restaurant is something that I usually enjoy, but the guests for this particular occasion were a couple of chefs. And not just any chefs, but senior chefs working in three-star restaurants.
My anxiety subsided as soon as I remembered Les Papilles. This homey little spot near the Jardin du Luxembourg is a favorite among food and wine insiders. I think it’s something to do with the simple and honest cooking, the well-priced wine selection and the likability of owner Bertrand Bluy. Continue Reading »
Posted in Food, Restaurant Reviews | No Comments »
February 3, 2010 by Tory Hoen
littlebrownpen.com & flickr.com/photos/danske
Meg Zimbeck at Girls’ Guide to Paris knows a thing or two about Paris restaurants. Below, she gives us the rundown on the many options available at neo-bistro Chez Michel: an adventurous diner’s paradise. According to LeFooding.com, it’s one of Catherine Deneuve’s favorite eateries. We’re already impressed!
Text by Meg Zimbeck
In a city with so many incredible restaurants to try, repeat visits are a sure sign of love. Until this week, I could count on one hand the places to which I’ve returned more than three times: Spring, Frenchie, l’Avant Comptoir, Le Baratin and the crêperie Josselin. Chez Michel, the Breton bistro near Gare du Nord, has just joined the ranks and forced me to open a second hand.
My fourth visit on a frozen December evening was nearly perfect. Having arrived early, I waited for my friend with a glass of Cerdon—a sparkling pink wine that’s rarely seen in restaurants (6 euros). The extra time was devoted to studying both the printed menu and the lengthy chalk-drawn list of specials.
photobucket.com
Chez Michel is a single restaurant with many different ways to dine. The foundation of any experience is the prix fixe menu, with three courses for 32 euros. It includes plenty of good pork and seafood options, with eight starters, six mains and seven desserts. You could stick to the plan and be very happy with a good fish soup and a stellar brandade de morue, plus the famous 36-hour Paris-Brest dessert. I don’t know anybody who does this.
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Posted in Food, Restaurant Reviews | 1 Comment »
November 6, 2009 by Haven in Paris
Paris-based freelance food and travel writer Meg Zimbeck (who contributes to the wonderful new blog Girls Guide to Paris) hits up l’Avant Comptoir, a great new wine bar in the 6th…
by Meg Zimbeck
Last night marked my fourth visit to l’Avant Comptoir in just over a week. This new wine bar is nowhere near my apartment, so why am I returning again and again? It’s the ham. To be precise, it’s the deep-fried ham croquettes. Made with jambon Ibaïona d’Eric Ospital (a Pays Basque ham from a legendary producer), these little nuggets are like eating, as the Frenchman next to me observed, “une caresse.” Priced at only 3 euros for a stack of three, they represent the cheapest love for sale in the French capital.
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Posted in Food, Restaurant Reviews | 4 Comments »
October 20, 2009 by Haven in Paris
Paris-based freelance food and travel writer Meg Zimbeck (who contributes to the wonderful new Blog Girls Guide to Paris) highlights Daniel Rose’s much buzzed-about new Paris restaurant Table 28. We are beyond jealous of those who have already had a chance to give it a try…
Daniel Rose courtesy of chow.com
by Meg Zimbeck
Until recently, one of the most delightful (and difficult to reserve) tables in Paris had been Spring restaurant. Tucked away on a side street in the 9th arrondissement, this shoebox-sized resto (French slang for restaurant) was adored by everyone from French critics to visiting foodies. It was hard to find fault with Daniel Rose’s four-course market menu for under 40 euros, and it was difficult to dislike the young American, who pitched in to serve plates and ask each table if everything was delicious. Spring closed its original doors in August and plans to reopen next March around the corner from the Louvre. The new digs will include a vaulted cave (wine cellar) with a walk-in wine bar and highbrow snacks to soak up the Champagne. It will also be around the corner from Spring Boutique, set to open in November, with an array of hand-selected products such as wine, charcuterie, honey and maybe even hot dogs. Continue Reading »
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The Inside Scoop (Photo by Little Brown Pen)
