Thursday 30 May 2013

Post from Paris

POST FROM PARIS - 
Celebrities and food - (mostly)

We left Boussac early on Sunday morning for Chateauroux where we caught the train to Paris - a two hour trip. I gave Mustique the stray cat, his last meal - a whole tin of tuna.  I have also asked Sarah who helps out in the garden from time to time,  to feed him when she passes through. 



Arriving at Austerlitz station in Paris is sometimes problematic as there are usually taxi issues.  Sunday was even worse, as there was a HUGE demonstration against the recently passed bill allowing same sex marriage.  The streets were packed with families - young and old - babies and children - all carrying printed pink and blue flags.  




It was quite something!  After 45 minutes of waiting, we were extremely lucky to find a taxi!  We were staying at the Hotel Pavillon de la Reine, in the Marais district,  for the first time and we weren't disappointed!



We loved this hotel - and imagine my excitement when standing next to Natalie Portman at the reception desk listening while she demurely asked the concierge whether the restaurant booking was confirmed!... he was a young guy and was all of a tither!!  The Hotel is set back from the street in the Place des Vosges and one enters through a pretty courtyard. I took some beautiful photos of the hotel but sadly,  left my camera in a taxi.  Very sad day for me...



These and all photos this post taken with my iphone





where we had breakfast


which was excellent - a buffet - including scrambled eggs and lots more!

We spent three lovely days strolling around Paris - and an addition to my celebrity spotting happened after dinner at Brasserie Lipp - Brasserie Lipp has been serving it's classy Left Bank clientele since 1880 - The 1926 art deco interior has been maintained - complete with decorated mirrors, Floral Belle Epoque ceramic tiles and a Veronese-style painted ceiling. The service was exceptional,  and the Alsatian style cuisine interesting!  


We sat in a cosy booth - you can probably just make out the yellow/green tiles and mirrors.  Anyway - back to celebrities!  We crossed St Germain after dinner and started browsing the large magazine stand just outside Deux Margot and I suddenly spotted Karl!!!


He was happily adding magazines to a growing pile and I thought how good he looked for a man aged 77!  His perfectly starched collar - and of course, the gloves!

The rest of our time was spent in a a couple of favourite haunts as well as exploring a few new ones!

Laduree of course!









La Cigalle - where they specialise in souffles









The relatively new Hermes shop in Rue de Servres where I was thrilled to buy a new scarf!








I also got these soft leather Campers which are wonderfully comfy!

The last night in Paris was a treat - A friend had recommended Le Train Bleu - a restaurant within the Gare de Lyon.  While eating there,  I could sense the grandeur of the past - could just imagine the elegant travellers with their magnificent luggage eating before or after their train journeys. The restaurant is enormous and very opulent.  The service, is excellent and very friendly.   It was fabulous and do go if you get a chance!




Notice the oak herringbone floors which creaked when the busy waiters passed us by







The Gare de Lyon


We left Paris yesterday for Capri and to the lovely Mamela Hotel.  We have stayed in this family run hotel for some years now and it is always a delight catching up with their news.  More of Capri later!

21 comments:

  1. Jenny, your iphone pics are great! It is a pity you lost your camera but honestly these are great. I am going to confess something, I am not that into Paris anymore. Maybe it's because I live near it but you made it look fun again! I love that hotel - stayed there with my mother a few years ago and I adored it. My mother unwittingly played La Reine Margot perfectly as she is such a dowager but that is another post! Love Karl, did you say hello? Is that the scarf you chose? I love that one -modelling pics please! You are so ladylike - a knife to cut your macaroons? I would have shoved it in my face like cookie monster. PS dont know where you are in Capri but go and have a drink at the ceasar augustus hotel as it really has the best views there - it looks out towards ischia and is cliffside xx

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    1. Thank you for the lovely comments! I've decided that I love Paris because of the feeling of 'neighbourhoods' ... and I am sure that we all have a favourite areas that we enjoy. I am too arthritic to go walking great distances, travelling for me now is returning to the familiar and enjoying the experience rather than the sights... That macaroon was a 'grand' macaroon - almost as big as the saucer!... and the reason for the knife was that I was sharing it and wanted the sharing to be precise !!! :) I have been to the Caesar A. hotel in Ana-Capri... and agree ... it's been SO cold here... but had a day of reasonable sunshine yesterday!!!

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  2. I love your photos Jenny - iphone only they are great. Sad for you that you lost your camera though... That hotel looks beautiful - I will put it on my (long) list of places to visit. Love the colours in your new scarf, and what a lovely souvenir of Paris to take home with you! My husband and I went to Train Bleu last year as we were passing through to catch the train to Venice. I LOVED it - the ceilings are so amazing - can you imagine a train station restaurant like that in Australia??? It really was a spectacular way to start our trip through Italy... unfortunately the sleeper train was rather.. basic. Far from the Orient Express in experience!! Very excited for you to spot Karl, you've really had a fairly complete Parisian experience! xx

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    1. Thank you Heidi for your comments!.... yes Le Train Bleu was quite wonderful... and I dont think that many people know about it... I certainly had never heard about it. We are in Capri for a week and then return home!... The hotel is highly recommended - it's like a hideaway - the service is exceptional too! xx

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  3. A feast for the eyes! Finally signed up to your new blog Jenny and I am looking forward to receiving in my inbox. Such an inspiring way to start the day! See you next week xx

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  4. Lovely post relaying the best of traditional Paris. Interested to know what that other non-chocolate souffle was with the red sauce next to it.... xx

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    1. Thanks Liora ! The other souffle was a chicken something or other!!... the red sauce was 'fruits of the forest' ... It was a little tart so I gave it a miss, but the souffle was very subtle and delicious!...

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  5. Hi Jenny, Thank you so much for sharing your photos. I'm enjoying the trip vicariously whilst in real life I'm doing the school run, laundry and housework, etc! I'm loving your holiday and dreaming of it for myself someday. Bonita

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  6. Lovely to meet you Bonita and thanks for the lovely comments!

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  7. My dear your travel posts are truly transporting! Nothing like seeing a dose of Parisian glamour on a Saturday morning in Southern California. Now I'm off to some gardening and errands... but my heart beats a little quicker as it savors this vicarious little morning get away! Thank you!

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  8. Thank you Tamera!... so glad you enjoyed reading this!

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  9. Hello

    I went o Cigalle with my sister a few weeks ago and LUFFED it 11/10 ! Blogged about it. Then popped into Hermes and bought a scarf and one for Mum too! Jealous you saw Karl. Luff that doco about his life where Amanda Harlech keeps saying his gold leather jacket is Visionary.I'm adding you to my blog roll. Prepare yourself emotionally for an influx of readers. xxx

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    1. Thank you Mrs FF for all your lovely comments - I am continually amused when reading your Blog and am very glad you have stumbled across mine too!! xx

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  10. also we saw that hotel when wandering through Place des V- my friend S had stayed there years earlier. It looked so pretty x

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    1. I prefer the St Germain area but LOVE this hotel - and it's a short taxi ride away... I definitely will stay there again next time! Thank you! xx

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