Author: Sylvia Sabes
A longtime favorite in Saint Germain, Le Bon Saint Pourçain reopened its doors under new ownership this spring, two years after its sudden closure. Striking the right balance between traditional and modern, this little gem has reclaimed its place among the classic Parisian bistrots. …read more
With my youngest child leaving the nest, American friends send me “awws” and sad-faced emoticons, declaring, “Now you’ll be empty nesters.” My Parisian friends raise glasses in a toast, asking if I plan to follow Mr French on his business trips and enjoy long weekends across the globe. …read more
Every Sunday the city of Paris inhales deeply, taking a break to live life at a different rhythm and wander the cobbled streets. The 15th century canals in Paris’ 19th arrondissement, Canal St-Martin and Canal De l’Ourqc, are a great areas to slowly drift into the relaxing weekend beat. …read more
The eye-arresting Fondation Louis Vuitton was built to celebrate contemporary art and French crafts. Designed by architect Frank Gehry, the Fondation rises from the trees of the Bois de Boulogne, its glass sails reflecting the nature all around, while embracing it at the same time. …read more
The day we moved to Paris, I had pneumonia and my eight-year-old had a confirmed case of strep throat. Snow fell, the thermostat plummeted to historic lows, and the by the next morning my very Californian five year-old was sick too. Here’s how I became the expert on seeking medical attention in France. …read more
The first date arrived and panic set in. What should I wear? What would I say? What had I gotten myself into? I turned to the source, my elegant, size 0 Parisienne friends and fired off my questions. They took me by the hand, sat me down at the nearest café, and ordered a round… …read more
After the lighting of the trees along the Champs Elysées and the perfume of hot, spiced wine from the Christmas markets, everyone is ready to pull on their party shoes, aka ice skates, to enjoy some sensational ice skating rinks that have rolled into Paris for the holidays. …read more
I know many expat women living in Paris who have met their match online. And I know even more who have used it as a way to meet people before coming on holidays. Perhaps they’ve heard that the locals say the best way to learn French, is from the pillow! …read more
10% of all Parisians live in the 15th arrondissement, making it the most populous arrondissement in the city, with more citizens than the city of Bordeaux. They come because it’s easy, with spacious boulevards and lovely buildings. They stay because it is a vibrant neighborhood away from the hustle and bustle of all the tourist… …read more
There is nothing more Parisienne that underwear that oozes sexy attitude with understated elegance and there is no where better for a decadent splurge on intimate underthings than the area around the Carrefour de la Croix Rouge on the the Rive Gauche. …read more
In France, cinema is the 7th art, as culturally important as painting or literature and like museums or libraries, movie houses play a key role in local culture. Netflix has not yet come up the Seine, and according to the Office de Tourisme there are 84 theaters in Paris with well over 350 screens. …read more
The good King Dagobert would hunt bear and wild boar through the forest that is now the 2000-acre Bois de Boulogne on the western edge of Paris. That was over 1000 years ago, but the woods are still alive with adventure and excitement, thanks to Napoleon III who returned from exile in London full of… …read more
This area, centered around the charming village of Passy where genteel manor homes used to fill the bucolic countryside, is now the 16th arrondissement and is made for leisurely strolls full of excellent museums, remarkable food, and views with the Bois de Boulogne just steps away. …read more
