lunch, shopping, Saturday

Posted on July 1, 2021 by julesparis2013

One of my favorite places to rendezvous is at the fountain in the Jardin du Palais Royal. I’ve been enjoying the graceful splendor of this hidden garden for ages.

There are restaurants and elegant shops under the arcades. Or you can just sit on a bench or chair and enjoy the sound of birdsong and the splashing fountain.

The garden is a perfect starting point for shopping and lunch. My friend, Monique, and I rendezvoused at the fountain at noon. We headed north to the Galerie Vivienne, built in 1826. See this splendid mosaic tiled floor? It’s the original floor created by Giandomenico Facchina, an Italian mosaic artist who did much of his work in France.

It was lunch hour, but we got waylaid by some linen clothes in a boutique called Manuelle Guibal. We chatted awhile with the woman who worked there. She gave me the address of their boutique in Lisbon where I can find the same clothes.

We then headed towards the Place des Victoires where I wanted to visit the English boutique that I rave over in London, The Designers Guild. This one had just opened. It was a lot smaller and, I’m sorry to say, the customer service didn’t hold a candle to the service you’d get in London.

Directly across the road was this restaurant where we sat at an outdoor table. I ordered a tomato mozzarella salad and a tiny glass of wine, Monique ordered a grilled chicken niçoise salad.

When you think that you can buy a decent bottle of French wine for 6 euros and you’re charged 6 euros for a tiny glass, it’s a little bit scandalous. But this is the price you pay for the privilege of eating in a chic Parisian neighborhood.

Speaking of chic, directly around the corner and located on the Place des Victoires is this gorgeous little boutique where I’ve been shopping for decades.

Upon entering, we spied a bunch of gorgeous scarves. Italian made, some were silk, some were a blend of silk and modal. A type of rayon, modal is a bio-based textile made from the beechwood tree. Modal fabric feels silky-soft on the skin yet is hard-wearing and colorfast when dyed.

A woman can never have enough scarves, is my opinion. Again, we spent a long while talking to the friendly saleswoman and trying on scarves.

I ended up taking this (blurry) photo of myself in the mirror because no-one could figure out how to work my camera. Sigh. I always end up doing everything myself. The scarf I ended up buying – half silk, half modal – is a gorgeous swirl of mauves, greens, pinks and yellows. It’s lightweight, soft and warm and you can scrunch it up (great for travelling.)

Our last stop was Dehillerin, the kitchenware store located off the rue du Louvre. I was in search of a strainer, called une passoire in French. I have a cone-shaped chinois and a colander but, as you know, a strainer is a different animal entirely. I was also in search of a teeny-tiny strainer for my jasmine tea leaves. Not easy to find!

The place is a sort of Aladdin’s Cave for people who like to cook. Before tourists discovered it, it was a sleepy dusty place. Now it’s super-popular and has a new lease on life.

a perfect summer’s day

Posted on August 21, 2018 by julesparis2013

The weather was so perfect I wanted to preserve it in a bottle: cobalt-blue sky, blazing sun and a cool breeze blowing in from somewhere. Impossible to stay indoors! So I jumped on the metro and crossed town to my favorite large park in Paris.

I make only one change on the metro, from the number one central line to the number 14 line. There are two metro stops that serve the Parc de Bercy, one at either end: Cour Saint-Émilion which takes you directly to Bercy Village, and Bercy, at the far end of the park. Personally, I prefer Bercy because it allows me to walk through the elongated, beautiful park that runs parallel to the river Seine.

Bercy Village is located at the end of Bercy Park (metro stop Cour Saint-Émilion on the number 14 line.) Tastefully designed and spread out along a single pedestrian street, it houses an even number of shops and restaurants. It’s what I call a “feel good” place.

Here’s a favorite shop of mine. Fragonard sells gorgeous soaps, bath products, body creams as well as clothes, jewelry and a few home furnishings. If you’re looking for gifts, this is the place to go. It’s also beautifully air-conditioned.

Their signature glycerine soaps cost 5 euros apiece. I bought a green one (Verveine which is lemon verbena). I also bought a gift box of four jasmine soaps for only 12 euros per box. The prices at Fragonard are reasonable, the quality excellent.

To see more photos of Bercy Park (and the open-air swimming pool on the river Seine) from a blog post written three summers ago, click here –

https://julietinparis.net/2015/07/18/too-hot-to-stay-indoors/

the hidden passages of Paris

Posted on March 11, 2018 by julesparis2013

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When I first moved to this city, I lived in the 9th arrondissement and worked in the Paris bureau of the Reuters news agency. Imagine my delight when I discovered that the hidden passage located near my apartment snaked through the city and led directly to my place of work. Fresh from North America, I was utterly charmed by the historical aspect of these late 18th-century and mid 19th-century conduits. I imagined myself in an Emile Zola novel. In fact, Zola wrote about the passages in his novel, Nana. Here’s a brief excerpt (published in 1880!)

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“One December evening Count Muffat was strolling in the Passage des Panoramas. The evening was very mild, and owing to a passing shower, the passage had become crowded with people. There was a perfect mob of them, and they thronged slowly and laboriously between the shops on either side. A perfect stream of brilliancy emanated from white globes, red lanterns, blue transparencies, lines of gas jets, gigantic watches and fans, outlined in flame and burning in the open. And the displays in the shops, the gold ornaments of the jeweler’s, the glass ornaments of the confectioner’s, the light-colored silks of the modiste’s, seemed to shine in the crude light of the reflectors behind the plate-glass windows.”

Here is the Passage des Panoramas today:

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Each passage has its own character; some a bit shabby and run-down, others well-tended. Here’s the Passage Verdeau, near rue Cadet in the 9th arrondissement, that was my starting point when I walked to work all those years ago.

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There used to be a restaurant-deli in the Passage Verdeau called Le Stube which sold divine German pastries (strudels, poppyseed cake, Sachertorte, etc.), pastrami and Black Forest ham sandwiches on rye, hot dishes of sauerkraut, bratwurst, etc. I once had a delicious potato and herring salad followed by warm cherry strudel and a double espresso there. They used to sell those irresistible Niederegger marzipan chocolate-covered loaves that I love. Sadly, Le Stube is no longer there.

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Here’s the next connecting passage. It’s Sunday, so this bookseller’s shop is closed. For several years, twice a day, I walked this route, dawdling in the shops on the way home, never tiring of its appeal.

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Exit the Passage Jouffroy, cross the boulevard Montmartre, and into the next stretch of passage. For anyone wanting to come here, the nearest metro station is Grands Boulevards.

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Further south, on the other side of the Bourse (the stock exchange) is another, independent passage called the Galerie Vivienne. This is the most elegant and well-tended of the glass-roofed shopping arcades. At Christmas-time it’s all lit up with fairy lights. Notice the gorgeous mosaic tiled flooring.

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This is a great shopping area. Inside this passage and outside on the rue des Petits Champs heading towards the Place des Victoires are dozens of small clothing boutiques. There’s a shop inside the Galerie Vivienne called Nathalie Garçon which sells original one-off pieces. Directly across from it is another shop that sells exquisite scarves.

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Further up is a second-hand clothing shop called La Marelle where I’ve bought and sold many shoes, handbags, clothes and accessories over the years. You can pick up a gorgeous pair of Prada shoes, a Fendi handbag or items of clothing with Miu Miu, Hermès, YSL labels and other luxury brand names, depending on what’s in stock.

This lovely-looking restaurant (below) is overpriced and a bit precious.

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Instead, I recommend the Bistrot Vivienne at number 4 rue des Petits-Champs, just at the entrance of the Galerie Vivienne. It’s much more down to earth and serves delicious, hearty meals and good carafes of wine. Remember the movie, Something’s Gotta Give, with Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton? The Parisian brasserie where they and Keanu Reeves ate at is Le Grand Colbert, located just around the corner at number 2 rue Vivienne.

If you’re a wine lover, you must visit LEGRAND wine merchants. From their website: A wine cellar, gourmet grocery store, a bistro, a tasting bar — visit Legrand’s many ideal spaces in which to share our passion for wine. You can have a meal there, drink a fabulous glass or bottle of wine, and buy some sweets afterward (and a few bottles of wine, bien sûr!)

Before you click on this in-depth link below of these shops, I just wanted to add that there’s a lesser known passage, very chic, that I haven’t been to yet, but intend to explore. It’s tucked away in a backstreet near the Louvre, and it’s called the Galerie Véro-Dodat. It’s a hidden gem, I hear, with a good French restaurant inside called the Restaurant Véro Dodat. (P.S. There’s a Christian Louboutin boutique inside this gallery, so it must be très chic indeed.)

https://julietinparis.net/2014/04/15/shopping-food-and-sightseeing-itinerary-2nd-arrondissement-part-i/

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the Marais, hot chocolate, a new shoe store, and two wine bar bistros

Posted on February 25, 2017 by julesparis2013

I met a friend the other day for hot chocolate at Pozzetto, the Italian café located at 16 rue du Vieille du Temple in the Marais district. Their hot chocolate is straight out of Italy: deliciously unsweet and so thick it’s almost pudding-like. They also serve tasty sandwiches and pastries. I like this place because it’s super-clean, friendly, and reasonably-priced. The nearest metro station is Saint Paul on the number 1 line.

As we were leaving Pozzetto, I spied a shoe shop directly across the road. My radar lit up. Gorgeous shoes. I made a beeline for the place. I had to try on those blue suede boots I saw in the window.

Gawgeous, no? The last time I bought a pair of boots for myself was in December 2013 when I was in Antwerp.

I’ve always loved beautiful footwear. When my mother bought me new shoes when I was a young girl, I wouldn’t wear them straight away. I’d stand them on my dresser so that I could admire them while lying in bed, just before sleep and when I woke up in the morning.

The store and the brand name is WHAT FOR.

WINES BARS AND RESTAURANTS (reasonably-priced)

Here are two tried and trusted favorite addresses of mine in the Marais, right near Saint Paul metro station.

La Tartine is an authentic, atmospheric wine bar (bistro style from the 1920s) that serves open-faced sandwiches, called a ‘tartine’, onion soup, salads and other dishes, hot and cold. The wine is good and served in different-sized carafes. I’ve read that sometimes the service isn’t great with the occasional surly waitperson, and other times it’s the opposite. Located directly on the busy rue de Rivoli, number 24.

Another cozy, authentic place that calls itself a true Parisian bistro. Located at number 12 Rue du Bourg Tibourg, 4th arrondissement. Because it’s a small place, reservations are essential (but you can always try to get in without one.) Lots of wood: wooden bar, small wooden tables, tiled floor. Excellent wine list.

UPDATE – Le Coude Fou is no longer. It’s a Mexican restaurant now.

an afternoon of shopping (and eating) in the Marais…

Posted on March 12, 2016 by julesparis2013

Below you’ll find a few of my favourite addresses in the lower half of the Marais district.

Yesterday was one of those perfect winter days…cold, sunny and dry…and I had half a day off work. So at 12:30 pm I walked away from the skyscrapered skyline of La Défense business district, jumped on the Metro and headed straight to the Marais, getting off at Saint Paul metro station.

My intention was to spend a relaxing hour or two in the Maison Européenne de la Photographie, one of my favourite centers for photographic art, but a long line snaked around the building. “What are people lining up for?” I asked a man.

“The Bettina Rheims exhibition.” he replied. As much as I would have loved to view the exhibition, I didn’t want to stand in line, so I left with the plan to return another day. Inspired by Diane Arbus and Helmut Newton, Rheims is a French photographer known for her provocative portraits of famous women.

Next on my To Do list was lunch. But where? Spoiled for choice, I stood in a patch of sunlight and contemplated my options. Mexican at La Perla? A full French meal at Le Coude Fou bistro? A plate of salmon – gravlax, tartare, Scottish smoked and sashimi – at Autour du Saumon? I decided on street food so I could stay outdoors and enjoy the sunshine. Walking up the rue Vieille du Temple on my way to Chez Marianne for a take-out falafel sandwich, a shop sign on my right caught my eye. Pozzetto. I knew that name. It was the Italian place that sold the divine hot chocolate and gelati on the rue du Roi du Sicile. But this was a new and sleek Pozzetto located at 16, rue Vieille du Temple. Pushing open the door and stepping inside, I was greeted by one of my most favourite sounds – the steam and hiss of a real espresso machine.

“Buon giorno!” said a smiling man from behind the counter. “Buon giorno!” I replied. I could feel myself being pulled in to the sounds and smells of my favourite country, Italy. Operation seduction, as the French say. They serve food in this shop whereas the other shop serves only ice creams and hot chocolate. I perused the menu and decided on a cold-cut sandwich. “The mortadella is good,” suggested the man behind the counter.

I decided on bresaola which he served on a plate with a small bread roll called a rosetta. And because it was cold outside, I ordered a cup of cioccolato caldo, irresistible not-too-sweet hot chocolate that’s so thick it’s almost like pudding. As I ate, I spied a plate of Italian pastries sitting on the counter. I recognized one of them from my visit to Naples last year. Pointing to it, I asked him what it was called. Sfogliatelle, he replied, sing-songing the word. Sfo-lya-tell-eh. It’s a flaky clam-shaped shell filled with a custardy-mixture of ricotta, semolina, candied citrus and cinnamon. I’ll have one, I said.

On my way out, I purchased a hunk of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, direct from Parma, and ordered a double espresso to go. For everything I paid 23 euros.

The street running parallel to the rue Vieille du Temple is the rue du Bourg Tibourg. This is where Mariage Frères is located (as well as the authentic French bisto, Le Coude Fou, that I recommend.) Serious tea lovers, upon arrival or departing, should genuflect in reverence because this is truly a Parisian tea temple. Even if you don’t like tea, step across the threshold and just gaze around you. Wooden walls have deep shelves filled with large black canisters. Inside those metal canisters are hundreds of different types of tea leaves. A lot of smelling goes on here. Inquire about a particular tea and the salesperson will take down a canister, remove the lid, and hold the canister towards you. Stick your head inside and deeply inhale the magnificent fragrance.

My current favourite is Marco Polo, a fruity and flowery black tea that I find very refreshing, especially around 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Here’s how they describe it – Fragrances of Chinese and Tibetan flowers lend it a unique taste. Its extraordinary bouquet makes Marco Polo the most legendary of flavoured teas.

They also sell tea pots, tea cups, mugs, canisters, gingerbread and other items. There’s also a small in-house restaurant that’s always crowded (and expensive.)

Back on the rue Vieille du Temple at the corner of rue des Francs Bourgeois is Fragonard Parfumerie. The perfect place for inexpensive gifts (hand and body creams, perfumes and eaux de toilette, candles, soaps and shower gels, etc.) I always pick up several transparent glycerine soaps with a floral scent that cost only 5 euros apiece. They make perfect gifts, stocking stuffers, and I take one with me when travelling.

soaps

Mariana, my Brazilian work colleague, told me about Natura Brasil cosmetics and hair and skin products. Responsible for the environmental impact of their activities, Natura Brasil is now recognised as the second most committed business to sustainable development in the world. They have two boutiques in Paris. I went to the one located at 35 rue Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie and bought shampoo and conditioner enriched with murumuru butter, known for its restorative and nourishing benefits. Native from Amazonia, the murumuru palm tree has a rich pulp that that contains extraordinary regenerating properties for hair. I also bought a tube of non-greasy hand cream containing maracujá (passion fruit) oïl rich in Omega 6 and a bottle of toner containing horse chestnut extract and Vitamin E. All of their products have a fresh, fruity fragrance and I love their eco-friendly packaging. However, the products are not 100% natural and chemical-free. I’ll be doing a post in the near future on natural skin products such as Weleda, Dr. Hauschka, REN and other names.

My last stop was at a small boutique that sells fabrics, jewellery, rugs and clothes from India. The prices are the lowest I’ve ever seen. I purchased a huge scarf in hand-printed batik cotton for only 20 euros (whose colours remind me of Delft porcelain) and an ankle-length skirt in Indian cotton (49 euros) that you can twist and throw in a suitcase. The boutique is called Bada Bunta, the Frenchman who owns it is adorable, and the address is 18 rue de Jouy. We chatted for a long time. He’s passionate about India, he learned Hindi and travels to India twice a year on buying trips.

I hadn’t planned on doing any shopping at all…but, once a shopper always a shopper, I guess. In exactly 3 weeks I’ll be in New York City doing more of the same.

http://www.mariagefreres.com/UK/welcome.html

https://www.fragonard.com/en/

https://www.naturabrasil.fr/en

http://www.mep-fr.org/ Maison Européenne de la Photographie

http://www.museepicassoparis.fr/en/

Around Town – Shopping, food and sightseeing itinerary, 2nd arrondissement.

Posted on April 15, 2014 by julesparis2013

Come with me and discover some of the fashion, food and shopping hotspots in Paris: some well-known, others less so; some central, others off-the-grid. These are places that I (and other Parisians) visit regularly.

Our first destination is the Place des Victoires, territory of the fashionista and far from the crush of the 8^th arrondissement. Compared with the oh-so-crowded Marais district, Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the big department stores on the boulevard Haussmann, this understated yet fashionable neighbourhood is far more spacious and quieter on Saturday afternoons. Wedged between the opera house, the Grands boulevards and the Palais Royal, with the Stock Exchange smack dab in the middle, the 2nd arrondissement is perfectly positioned in the central core of the city.

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The best way to get to the circular Place des Victoires is to take the metro to Palais-Royal then walk through the Palais Royal gardens. When you come out of the gardens at the north end, turn right onto the rue des Petits Champs. As you walk along the narrow sidewalk, you’ll see the elegant 19th-century shopping arcade, the Galerie Vivienne on your left. Why not have lunch at the reasonably-priced Bistrot Vivienne? Or, even better and if the weather is nice, stop for lunch in the actual garden of the Palais Royal where there are a few reasonably-priced restaurants under the arcades. The Palais Royal garden is my most favourite spot in Paris. So much so that I have dedicated a blog post to it (the link, entitled Secret Garden, is at the bottom of this post).

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Here’s the inside of the gallery which, in essence, is an early 19th century shopping mall.

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A note for wine buffs: don’t miss Legrand wine merchants (photo below), a delicious Paris institution. When I’m feeling flush, I come here to buy a bottle of plummy Chinon. Legrand has selections not only from prestigious vineyards, but from small and independent vineyards as well.

Make your way to the front to the original shop and you’ll find chocolates, gourmet food items and old-fashioned candies on sale. Ask for négus which are stored in a big glass jar; these are my favourite (crackly on the outside, soft caramel inside). Still made in the Burgundy town of Nevers, négus are dark brown bonbons created in 1900 in honour of the official visit of Menelik II, the Emperor of Abyssinia (now called Ethiopia). Imagine that! Everything has a story.

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Walk further along and on your left you’ll come to a second-hand designer clothes shop called La Marelle. Depending on their stock at the moment, you can pick up some real gems. As well as designer clothes, they also sell handbags, shoes, belts and some jewelry.

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I fell in love with these shoes but they were a size too small!

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People seemed to be enjoying this café, so I went in for a fuel stop. I stood at the bar and ordered an espresso.

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It was awful. And it cost me 1 euro 40. Here’s the barman making it for me. I should have said to him – Monsieur, votre café est dégueulasse! – but on that particular day I was feeling mellow and let it pass. The majority of Parisian cafés serve pretty foul coffee which explains the coffee revolution that took place a few years ago. Today there are a number of quality coffee bars dotted around the city, most of them run by Australians and Americans.

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https://julietinparis.net/2014/07/28/the-secret-garden-2/

Juliet in Paris

A journey starts with a single step.

Category Archives: SHOPPING