Related links:

• Badaude has also shown us how the Parisiennes dress for snow
• Our Abbesses, Houdon, Livingstone, and Pilleux apartments are all in Montmartre
• Do It in Paris’ guide to everything trendy in Monmartre.

Written by Badaude for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Staying at Houdon was a great opportunity to live life as a Parisian would, with our own neighborhood boulangerie around the corner along with other locally-owned specialty shops.  Two days of our one week stay were spent walking around Montmartre and getting to know the ins & outs of our little Abbesses part of it…

View from the Houdon balcony

Winding 5 floor walk up to the apartment. It became old hat by the second day. My buns thank you

Left: our bright, naturally lit kitchen with lots of helpful amenities. Right: our greeter Evelyn cut a bouquet of fresh flowers to welcome us

The best baguette in Paris, from Le Grenier à Pain

Carousel at the base of Sacré Coeur

Le Montmartrobus

The Love Wall in Place des Abbesses

Tuileries Garden

Tuileries Garden

Tuileries Garden

View of la Tour Eiffel from the Arc de Triomphe

Rue Pierre Lescot, just outside Joe Allen Bistro, where we had Thanksgiving dinner for lunch (note to self: book early next time!)

Left: view of Notre Dame at night from  the east, taken from Pont de la Tournelle. Right: Parisian dog with owner on rue Turbigo

Steak Frites at Les Fous de l’Ile on Ile St. Louis

Left: Southern entrance to rue Turbigo at night, from the steps leading down Eglise Saint-Eustache. Right: Jenny trying to find her way on the Boulevard Saint-Germain

The bartender from A la Pompette

The lively entertainment at Chez Louisette in the center of the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen

Cheese shop on Ile Saint-Louis

Guix Cherta, holging a replica of one of his many paintings. You can find him on rue Lepic in Montmartre

Marché Paul Bert, a mid-century modern focused part of the Marché aux the Puces de Saint-Ouen

One of the handful of bouquinistes open on a November weekday along the Seine

Left: a bouquiniste owner taking a cigarette break. Right: a mannequin at the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen

Framed poster found in Deyrolle, an incredible taxidermy shop found at 46 rue Bac

Left: American icons Woody Allen & John Wayne found at a bouquiniste. Right: one of the many adorable Parisian dogs, this one found on rue des Abbesses

Related Links:

• Jenny Jimenez’ great blog
• Jenny is a Seattle Wedding and portrait photographer
• Like what you see? Stay in one of our Paris apartments in February at up to 30% off!

Written by Jenny Jimenez. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Amy Thomas – Guilo Guilo’s open kitchen and staff

Eight Courses and Four Reviews of Japanese Gem Guilo Guilo

What do you get when four foodie bloggers come together for reservations at one of Paris’ most under-the-radar yet hard-to-get-into spots? A mélange of approving opinions and happy bellies. A review of Guilo Guilo, sliced four ways:

Let’s start with the food

Forest: Chef Eiishi Edakuni concocts beautiful, intricate, tasty, tidy, subtle, little mystery-mouthfuls. Not being certain about all the ingredients is part of the fun— but maybe not for the vegetarians!?

Kim: It was a seemingly never-ending flow of courses presented in bite-sized gems, bursting with flavor. I love this style of eating where you get to try so many different tastes. It’s a real success at Guilo Guilo where you are able to sample a far more interesting side of Japanese gastronomy than you would in sushi-centric joints.

Erica: Creative, original and delicious. The chef expertly pairs diverse and unexpected ingredients to create some of the best food I have had in 18 years of Parisian living.

Amy: Oh, how I love experiences like this. Every little dish was a gift: pretty to look at, thoughtfully constructed and artfully crafted, creative but pure and, bien sur, delicious. And the hits just kept coming! Eight courses? Gift after gift…

Erica Berman – Guilo Guilo delicious morsels

And to go with the food?

Forest: For a nice change from French bubbly, crystal clear sparkling sake isn’t as strong as expected but it still delivered a delicate kick with a dry, clean and refreshing finish.

Kim: I also sampled the sparkling sake, a Japanese take on champagne, which tasted a little like soluble aspirin, but in a good way! The drinks menu seems comprehensive—wine, spirits, sake and beer—but it would be nice to have a longer beer list and maybe even cocktails.

Amy: Starting with the iced prune liqueur was genius. And then, well, I’m so boring—I always wind up with red wine.

Erica: I love the traditional Prune liqueur—sweet and succulent.

Typical Parisian service?

Erica: The all-Japanese team offered sweet and lovely service and, even if they don’t really speak French or English, it is authentic and delightful.

Kim: Top marks for enthusiasm and conviviality to all the waiters. I particularly appreciate how accommodating they were to cater to my vegetarian demands. It was slightly difficult (and that’s a serious understatement) to understand our waiter, which meant we were often guessing what we were eating. But he was so unbelievably adorable that I didn’t mind—and guessing what we were eating was part of the fun!

Amy: How cute was our waiter?? Each dish was explained with an endearing smile. They were totally accommodating, warm and hospitable while remaining absolutely serious and professional.

Forest: The servers simultaneously confused and delighted with nearly incomprehensible food descriptions and utterly lovely comportment.

Erica Berman – Guilo Guilo delicious morsels

What’s the place like?

Erica: Sleek and modern yet comfortable.

Forest: The gleaming black lacquer surrounds a tight ring of patrons, which encircles the brightly lit, vibrating nucleus of a cooking space while envious passersby gaze through the large front window.

Amy: So fun, and so not Paris. What was it, about 20 or 22 seats, around the kitchen? It’s pure entertainment. And because they’re total pros, it’s entertaining without being obtrusive. Loved the black décor and the thoughtfully selected cups and glasses and dishes and accoutrements.

Kim: The bar-style seating looking onto a central kitchen means that eating here is very much a gastronomic-centered experience: you’re facing the chefs masterfully preparing the food rather than looking at your fellow diners. The decor is simple and neutral but not lacking in charm.

Erica Berman – Guilo Guilo sparkling sake and the happy patrons

A note on the company

Chuckles from all

Amy: Just as great as the food!

Kim: Excellent! Although slightly difficult to chat due to the in-line counter seating.

Forest: It’s always a pleasure to catch up with fun and in-the-know ladies—a good meal on top of that is just a bonus!

Erica: I am always amazed at  the fabulous people I meet through HiP Paris and Twitter that I would never have encountered otherwise!

Overall?

Forest: Incontestably enjoyable.

Erica: I have been to Guilo Guilo four times over the course of two years (they have been around for two and a half years), and each time the meal has been a diverse and enchanting experience. This Japanese restaurant is off the beaten track on a quiet little side street in the funky Abbesses neighborhood and a sure thing for a fabulous meal.

Kim: I will definitely be returning as I feel it really is a place to go for a great culinary experience. It is also rather reasonably priced for the quality of the food and the setting.

Amy: When can I go back??

Guilo Guilo

8 Rue Garreau
75018 Paris, France
01 42 54 23 92

Open Tue-Sun 7pm-10pm

Erica Berman is the founder of this lovely little blog you’re reading now, as well as the amazing Haven in Paris. London-import Kim Laidlaw Adrey is the editor of the Go Go guide to Paris and creator of I Heart Paris. Forest Collins is your source for finding the very best cocktail in Paris, and Amy Thomas will take you directly to the best sweets and also give you the inside scoop on Paris.

Related Links:

• Guilo Guilo Restaurant
• More on Guilo Guilo on Amy’s God I Love Paris Blog
• Amy Thomas’  Sweet Freak blog
• Haven in Paris: Vacation Rental Apartments in Paris
• Kim Laidlaw’s I Heart Paris blog
• Forest Collins’ 52 Martinis blog

Collected by Amy Thomas for the Hip Paris blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

View from Pilleux Montmartre Studio

Erica Berman has a gift. She can look at a crumbling shell of a hovel and see its potential as a beautiful apartment. This gift has served her well over her 18 years living in Paris, as she’s renovated upwards of 15 apartments that started out as “blah” (at best), only to be transformed into “wow.”

Pilleux Studio – Murphy bed with antique doors, after and before

Her most recent project really put her abilities to the test, as she and her partner Alain renovated a small studio overlooking the Cimetière de Montmartre. Having stayed in what is now a fantastic apartment, I was stunned when Erica shared the story of its evolution.

“There was nothing there but the bones when we bought it,” explains Erica. “Just a shelf.” Looking at some of the “before” photographs also reveals peeling walls, unremarkable floors and an enclosed bathroom that cut the space dramatically. “There was nothing in there we wanted to keep,” she adds.

Erica and Alain worked with an architect to determine the best way to use the space. Once they agreed on the layout, they got to work with a contractor.

Pilleux Studio, before: bathroom/kitchen

Toilet layout before work

Pilleux studio after renovations: kitchen, bathroom

The old bathroom was completely knocked out. The new plan split the space so that the toilette was enclosed near the apartment’s entrance, with the shower and sink opening to the rest of the apartment.

Pilleux Studio, after: Kitchen

“We decided not to add a door to the bathroom because we thought it worked better,” says Erica. They also decided to keep the glass shower door transparent. “You can see Sacre Coeur while you’re in the shower, which is pretty amazing.” (Note: the W.C. is enclosed and separate)

Pilleux studio bathroom/kitchen: before and after

Pilleux WC: before and after (WC was flipped to face entrance)

The renovation included adding a surprising amount of cupboard and closet space, along with shelves and a modern kitchen with a sink, convection cooktop, oven, refrigerator and a washer/dryer duo. There’s also a sofa that doubles as a twin bed, but the most delightful surprise in this apartment is the Murphy-style bed.

Pilleux window and desk overlooking Montmartre cemetery: before and after

Antique doors Erica found in Provence hide the bed during the day and add a distinctive accent to the space. Alain crafted the bed himself, fashioning “feet” for when the bed is pulled down from the hooks that serve as handles. He also spent countless hours cleaning the tiles that edge the kitchen space.

Pilleux studio murphy bed, made with antique doors (after)

After three months of work, the renovated apartment was completed, filled with wonderful objects Erica found at the Provence and Paris flea markets. The next challenge—or so Erica thought—would be the location of the studio.

Pilleux studio entrance way: before and after

“We thought that because it’s off the main tourist track, we’d have a harder time booking the apartment,” says Erica. “We were wrong.” In fact, the apartment has proved one of Haven in Paris’ most popular. From my experience of staying there, it’s easy to understand its appeal. It offers a magnificent view, has all the conveniences of a modern apartment, and all the charm of what one expects to find in Paris.

But, more than that, this apartment offers an authentic Paris experience. Stepping through the gates of Cité Pilleux and walking past the artisans and artists who set up shop along the path makes one feel like they’ve been afforded insider access to the real Paris. The apartment straddles Montmartre and the trendy Batignolles neighborhood, and a leisurely stroll reveals wonderful restaurants and boutiques frequented by the locals.

This is also something Erica realized when scouting the apartment. “This is the real Paris,” she says. “And that’s something we wanted to share.”

Related Links:

• The Paris Apartment – gorgeous blog on French-style Interior Decor
• Parisien Salon interviews Erica Berman
• Rosa Jackson stays in Houdon, another one of Erica’s Montmartre flats

Written by Linda Donahue for Parisien Salon. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.

I have a vision of my perfect Paris apartment. It would be high up – stairs don’t scare me – with a small balcony and a sweeping view over the zinc rooftops, punctuated here and there with church spires and glimmering domes. There would be parquet floors, big windows on both sides (east and west, ideally) and a sunny kitchen that opens onto the living space. Oh, and it would have central heating.

When I first laid eyes on Erica Berman’s apartment just south of Abbesses Métro station, I felt slightly breathless. That might have had something to do with the five flights of stairs required to reach it, but it also came from the certainty that this was my dream apartment. I loved the antique table and mismatched chairs, I loved the contemporary paintings and well-tended plants, and I especially loved the vintage wooden pâtisserie sign above the kitchen, which Erica found at a market in Provence.

It’s no surprise that Erica’s flat should seem so effortlessly tasteful, given that she is the owner of the hippest apartment rental agency around: Haven in Paris. I first met Erica when she came to do one of my food tours in Nice, and I immediately realized that we had many things in common: our love of Paris, Provence and Italy (especially Liguria), our fondness for off-the-beaten track bed-and-breakfasts, and our insatiable curiosity about new Paris restaurants.

When I dropped by her Paris apartment before a meal at the nearby bistro Le Cul de Poule (here is a report on the Haven in Paris blog), she beckoned me onto the balcony for a glass of Italian wine. Erica has lived in Paris for 17 years and there is almost nothing she doesn’t know about the city, as proved by her frequently updated blog. We chatted about good and not-so-good meals she has had in the Pigalle and Montmartre area: her current favorites are Le Miroir (94 rue des Martyrs, 18th) and Guilo Guilo (8 rue Garreau, 18th), the second run by a renowned chef from Kyoto.

Last November I had a chance to stay at Erica’s apartment for a few days while she was away in Brooklyn – she has cleverly organized her life so that she can live in different countries throughout the year. I knew that I could expect comfort, since Erica doesn’t buy into the it’s-rustic-because-it’s-Paris philosophy: the bathroom fittings are modern, the plumbing works impeccably, and the bed piled with pillows reminded me of a luxury hotel. But nothing could have prepared me for the sunset. I was happily working on my computer at the dining table when the sky started to glow, first pink and then orange, with steel-grey clouds drifting across this tableau that gradually dimmed to shades of blue and purple. From then on I made sure to be at the apartment at the end of the day for the nightly spectacle.

Each morning, I made it my mission to find the best baguette in the neighborhood – and there are many to choose from. I sent Erica an e-mail raving about crunchy-crusted, chewy-centered baguette à l’ancienne at Le Grenier à Pain (38 rue des Abbesses, 18th), and she wrote back saying: “try the boule de pain au levain at Au Levain d’Antan (6 rue des Abbesses, 18th) at the top of my street (if it is warm jump on it!), don’t get it cut and then eat with salted butter… it is the BEST.” I might never have noticed this loaf without Erica’s prompting, but I followed her instructions to the letter and the boule was a revelation. Calories were not an issue, since I had worked them off just by running out to pick up the bread.

I also became enamored with the épicerie Lion (7 rue des Abbesses, 18th) at the end of her street. A newer branch of the charmingly cluttered Graineterie du Marché facing the place d’Aligre market, this bright, airy space is filled with the finest French food products – everything from rice pudding kits complete with candied violets or crystallized rose petals to herbal infusions from Gérald Passédat, the celebrated chef of Le Petit Nice in Marseille. Showing great restraint, I bought only a mix of dried seaweeds from chef Olivier Roellinger in Brittany – these can be used in vinaigrettes or in a bouillon for fish or shellfish (I’ve also added them to potatoes mashed with salted Breton butter).

Walking around the neighborhood, I came across this little square with a wall dedicated to romance. “Love is chaotic,” it says, “so let’s love.” It reminded me that, no matter how long I might have lived in Paris, the city still holds many secrets.

Erica now manages about 30 apartments in Paris, many of which have been gutted and decorated under her supervision. She especially likes Montmartre for its villagey feel and its light-filled, top-floor apartments with their stunning views of the city – but, wherever the apartment, she always looks for plenty of charm combined with modern comforts. She will only work with owners who comply with her strict standards, which include high-speed internet access, flat-screen TVs and free international phone calls.

Owning a Paris apartment like Erica’s will probably remain a dream (at least for a while), but staying there for a few days was the next best thing. Months later, I’m stilldreaming of that boule de levain.

Related links:

• Fabulous vacation apartment rentals in Paris: Haven in Paris
• HiP Paris’ write-ups of Cul de Poule bistrot in Montmartre
• Rosa Jackson’s Food Blog
• The Paris Apartment writes up Erica
• Marjorie Taylor’s Cooks Atelier Food Blog
• Finding the perfect vacation rental apartment
• Hip Paris interviews Interior Decorator Claudia Strasser on French flea-market technique

Written by Rosa Jackson. Read Rosa’s original post here. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Little Brown Pen

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.

As a New Yorker, I find it equal parts utter insanity and totally logical that as soon as I moved to Paris last year—with visions of millefeuilles, pains au chocolat, artisan chocolates and good old Nutella street crepes dancing through my head—I wound up Velib’ing through the back streets of the eleventh arrondissement seeking the city’s then cupcakes-only bakery. It took a few wrong turns down some side streets, but I found Cupcakes & Co, with sunlight happily spilling across the sole café table—an auspicious signpost pointing to the delicious display case of American delights.

Cupcakes & Co

Rebecca and Maggie Bellity, the two sisters who opened Cupcakes & Co in 2008, pride themselves on using natural and organic baking ingredients for their petits gateaux. And even though the concept arose from their travels to the states, their recipes are all French. They’ve dreamed up combinations like jasmine and vanilla, lemon and coconut, coffee and hazelnut and over a dozen others that set my heart racing and ensured many weeks of repeat business.

That was well over a year ago. And as my American obsession has waned (grace à new obsessions with macarons, violet éclairs and salted caramels), the Parisians’ has exploded.

The latest proof is Laurence Kreitmann’s Miss Cupcake, tucked in a corner of Montmartre’s rue la Vieuville. As I was hiking up the stairs last month, I noticed a new pink window with a pink cake stand displaying raspberry-, sprinkle- and jelly bean-adorned cupcakes, many of them pink. Naturally, I had to go inside where I was cheerily greeted by Kreitmann and her crew (in pink aprons, to match the pink interior), frosting new batches of chocolate and pistachio cake. Miss Cupcake’s—er, Ms. Kreitmann’s—treats have a wonderful homemade quality to them: they’re professional, but imperfect, with some puffing out of their paper liners and others barely peeking above. They’re all light, fluffy and full of deliciously balanced flavor.

Berko

Was it a coincidence that Miss Cupcake debuted where she did, or did she mean to go head-to-head with the not-too-far-away second outpost of Berko? After inspiring many sugar frenzies on rue Rambuteau, this American-style French bakery opened a newer outlet on rue Lepic in December (just wait, it’ll inevitably become a mini empire the way Magnolia and Crumbs have in New York). With crazy colors of crimson red, hot pink and florescent green; flavors in banana and Nutella, apple tatin and Oreo; and adornments of gumdrops, chocolate swirls and nougatine, Berko cupcakes remind me of DQ blizzards: totally ridiculous and a wee bit too addictive.

Cupcakes & Co

With a name like Pop Cupcakes, you’d expect the same fantastical creations as those from Berko, but in fact they’re quite sophisticated—and vegan, to boot. Founder Celeste Rhoads doesn’t have a Parisian storefront but rather offers her cupcakes on order, like premier party supplier Little Miss Cupcake and Sweet Pea Bakers, both American bakers who have been supplying Parisians with custom orders for years. Why vegan? Why not. One bite of the Bohemian Roses cupcake, an omigod combination of raspberry and roses, topped with vanilla “cream” (she substitutes ingredients like coconut cream for milk), and you might give up dairy forever.

But wait, there’s more! For the past year, left bankers have been scooping up Synie’s Cupcakes, pretty-as-a-picture creations in irresistible flavors like chocolate ganache, lemon ginger and dulce de leche with sea salt. But, in a surprising twist, Synie’s offers savory cupcakes, too. Red pepper and pine nuts, polenta topped with tapenade, and sesame with herbs and fromage blanc being some of the flavors that go quite nicely with evening cocktails.

And so the cupcake brigade continues. As you read this, they’re infiltrating traditional boulangeries (the seventh arrondissement’s Moulin de la Vierge), gelaterias (Il Gelato in Saint-Germain), American-influenced restaurants (H.A.N.D.), and even your local Monoprix.

Cupcakes & Co

What is it about these fist-sized sweets that make the French flipper? The novelty? The fantasy? The incredible flavor combinations? My guess is that it’s all about the fun. Just like cheeseburgers, cocktails and “le brunch”, other American imports that have become standard culinary protocol for Parisians fond of ennui, there are just some things that are worth letting your chignon down for.

• Cupcakes & Co: 25, rue de la Forge Royale, 11eme. Tel: 01 43 67 16 19.
• Miss Cupcake: 22, rue la Vieuville, 18eme . Tel: 06 63 00 77 77.
• Berko: 23, rue Rambuteau, 4eme. Tel: 01 40 29 02 44; 31, rue Lepic, 18eme. Tel: 01 42 62 94 12.
• Synie’s Cupcakes: 23, rue de l’Abbé Grégoire, 6eme. Tel: 01 45 44 54 23.

Related Links:

• Parisian Party’s Paris cupcake addresses
• Parisian Salon’s review of sweet shop Bogato
• In Paris? You might want to check out Speculos spread… David Lebovitz is a fan…
• In Paris on July 4th? Check out Parisian Events Cup Cake Camp. Yumm. Proceeds go to rebuilding Haiti.

Note from the editor: It has come to our attention, as the comments below attest to, that Miss Cupcake, located on rue la Vieuville, and Little Miss Cupcake, are two separate entities. We apologize sincerely for any confusion this post generated. We wish all parties the best of luck in their baking endeavors, and are certain that Parisians’ love of cupcakes will keep everyone in business!

Written by Amy Thomas for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

I attended my first Paris party last week, and arrived with this apple and rhubarb tart from Les Petits Mitrons. (More on that Paris party in another post soon.) I was so enraptured by the crunchy crust, glazed apples and tender rhubarb that I fell in love on the spot. I carefully prepared for its purchase, visiting the shop a few times to ensure I’d find a fresh one on the day of the party. It was lovingly nestled into this pretty pink box.

The tart was so lovely on this delicate plate, provided by the hosts. No one wanted to cut into it, but everyone wanted a bite.

Up close, I admired the glazed apple wedges and bits of still bright red rhubarb, a fruit that tends to lose its color after being cooked. Les Petits Mitrons must use some sort of magic on their tarts because STILL BRIGHT RED.

The tart was one of the last things we cut into that evening. For me, I just wanted to stare at the glorious site.

And as the sun set, the tart remained intact for a few minutes after I snapped this shot. The setting sun granted us permission to finally cut it up into thick wedges. It was very fruity, and not too sweet. The crust was burnt and caramelized, in the best possible way.

Enjoy these links to other folks who love this tiny shop as much as I do:

• Dig a Cherry: Les Petits Mitrons (in French)
• The Sneaky Magpie: My Little Paris (in English)
• Chocolate & Zucchini: Le Fondant au Chocolat de Tante Amelie (in English)

Les Petits Mitrons is located at 26 rue Lepic, Paris (75018), France. Telephone 01-46-06-10-29. Metro: Blanche or Abbesses.

This post originally appeared on Eat Boutique.

Written by Maggie Battista for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Introduction by Maggie Battista

I’m in love, and it’s not just with Paris.

As a member of the Haven in Paris team, I feel very lucky to get to know amazing people from all over the world who stay in our luxury Paris apartments. Guests are very dear, and it feels as if we let them in on a little secret: they can indeed feel like real Parisians by staying in well-stocked, carefully decorated Paris homes. The saying ‘home away from home’ was coined for our apartments.

While each and every guest is special, I met up with the perfect guest at the perfect moment last week. I’ve been a bit lonely, missing my husband, Boston friends and all my blogger friends. And as I’m still learning French, it’s not easy to make new friends. That’s where our guest Kari saved the day.

Kari happens to be a New York City blogger, photographer and all-around great lady. We met up for a quick drink. Four drinks and four plates later, we were fast friends. She blogged about her Haven in Paris apartment and let us re-post it here. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to stay in one of our apartments, and specifically one of our Montmartre properties, read on. Thanks for the kind words, Kari!

***

Text and photos from Lit-Wit

My first trip to Paris? Accommodations mattered. Were critical, in fact. I had no desire to spend a week in a hotel—although I love hotels—because hotel rooms feel stale after a while (no matter how grand) and I’m not the sort of girl who would ever say, Oh, I won’t be spending any time in my room anyway. I like rooms! Also, I like naps. I have only two feet and two eyes and I find sightseeing, as an hours-long hobby that requires my active attention and participation, fundamentally exhausting. Ditto chit-chatting daily with concierges, bellhops, and maids, and doubly so in a foreign city where I do not speak (or really understand) the language. I wanted freedom of movement and a modicum of space in which to unwind and absorb, to occasionally buy my own food and cook my own meals, and to go or stay at my leisure on a common city street.

(Is there a common city street in Paris?)

(These paragraph breaks are arbitrary, by the way. I am in the mood for e x p a n s i v e t h i n k i n g .)

So when I read about the short-term rental apartments at Haven in Paris on the blog A CUP OF JO last September I signed up immediately, after performing the requisite checks and reading copious online reviews. (Repeat: I’m a planner, and I don’t cut corners when I travel alone. Which explains my attachment to Town Car International, as well.)

I’M SPENDING A WEEK IN AN APARTMENT IN PARIS! I sang to myself daily for six months. Honest, I did. And now that I’ve done it (sigh! it’s done), I sing to myself, I LIVED FOR A WEEK IN AN APARTMENT IN PARIS! Because this wasn’t visiting, this was living. I had an elevator and a huge open space on the seventh floor flooded with natural light and a full bath and shower and a queen-sized bed and a real kitchen and table and a French press for coffee and a stove to scramble eggs on and a corkscrew and wine glasses and a view of Sacré Coeur and all of Montmartre—all of Paris—right there at my feet. And I loved it. I loved everything about it.

And when I go back next year, I’m staying here.

See more great photos and read the rest of Kari’s post.

***

Written by Maggie Battista for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

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. So when I say it’s a very big deal to come to Paris—as it was earlier to get to New York City and then London—I say it because as I sat in JFK alone Saturday night, after six months of planning and wildly enthusiastic anticipation, what every voice inside my head was telling me to do was go home… But I didn’t.

Day 2

Paris, today I found you! In my heart, I mean, outside the camera. Today I wandered through le Marais, and I sat still. It was cold and I sat at Glou and tasted the sea. I sat in the sun at Place des Vosges and felt the spring. I bought books in a little red shop and watched ice skaters outside a gigantic town hall. I turned corners not knowing what I would find there—walking occasionally antithetical to my purpose, just because I could—and around every corner was another small miracle, in some way large or small.

And now it’s official; now we are in love.

For more from Kari, check out her blog.

Written by Tory Hoen for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.