06.02.09
Posted in Expert Advice at 10:13 pm by Paris Ambiance Blogger
From our previous blogs, you might remember our Rue Princesse story. While staying on Rue Princesse in one of the Paris Ambiance apartment listings, we discovered right below our apartment a fabulous French handbag store, also appropriately named Rue Princesse. Our love for these wonderful bags began our adventure of becoming the U.S. Distributor for Rue Princesse.
This spring at the accessories market, we introduced the handbag line to American boutique owners and buyers. And we are happy to announce that coming later this summer, Rue Princesse will be available in the U.S. for the online purchase of the Fall/Winter Collection at: http://www.RuePrincesse.com Until then, you may enjoy viewing the Spring/Summer bags on the website and visiting the shop while in Paris. If you are not able to visit the Saint-Germain-des-Prés shop, Galeries Lafayette has a special section just for Rue Princesse.
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05.28.09
Posted in Expert Advice at 8:59 pm by Paris Ambiance Blogger
For those who follow our blog, you know how much I love the Jardin de Bagatelle in the Bois de Boulogne. This upcoming week is the most splendid time for a visit! If you are in Paris, please do not miss the opportunity to see this beautiful rose garden. See our past blog for more details:
http://blog.parisambiance.com/2009/04/16/jardin-de-bagatelle
Another “don’t miss” while you are there are the peacocks. At least two peacocks strut around the wooded edge of the rose gardens. For our first several visits, we admired them from afar. With their loud calls and proud posture, they can be a bit intimidating. But for some reason on our most recent visit, we were a bit more assertive and began following them.
After a little winding, they lead us to a beautiful pagoda and offered us quite a show! The male seemed determined to try to impress the female peacock and us. Of course, I could have this completely wrong, not being a peacock expert. However, I did read in National Geographic that female peacocks pick their mates based on the color, size, and quality of these tall iridescent feathers. So with a giant momentum the male peacock spread all of his feathers and began to vibrate his tail with gusto. He certainly got our attention. Our cameras were all snapping furiously, though only a video would have done it justice. I hope you will have the chance to enjoy his show. He seemed quite pleased with himself and was very photogenic.
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05.27.09
Posted in Expert Advice at 7:57 pm by Paris Ambiance Blogger
What is the greatest source of all information? Today, most people would argue that the Internet is the best source. But that has not always been the case. When I was growing up, most of my mother’s interesting information came from her weekly visits to the “beauty parlor,” as we called it. For her, it was the source of all reliable “scoop.” So, it should not be a great surprise that today’s blog came from just such a source.
While I was waiting my turn at the hair salon, a lady was discussing what a lifesaver MedjetAssist had been for her and her husband. While traveling in the Cotswold in England, her husband had suffered a heart attack and been rushed to the hospital. As soon as his condition was improved, they were ready to go home. But his condition was too high of a risk for the commercial airlines to fly him back to the U.S. for several weeks.
Fortunately, they had recently become MedjetAssist members. MedjetAssist offers medical transport to the hospital of your choice from virtually anywhere 150 miles away from your home. With this service, she and her husband were flown comfortably in a fully equipped intensive care aircraft back to their chosen hospital.
The whole story really interested me. Our family travels regularly and often internationally. Plus, that summer my son had planned to work in Africa with a nonprofit organization. He would be traveling alone in several countries. The MedjetAssist concept would at least bring me some peace of mind. We had planned to be in Europe during his time in Africa, and the family membership plan made sense for us.
Fortunately, none of us needed to use our MedJetAssist membership, but I had no regrets for making the purchase. The program seems like a reasonable insurance for an unexpected emergency. For more information, you may visit: http://www.medjetassistance.com
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05.15.09
Posted in Expert Advice at 6:52 am by Paris Ambiance Blogger
Late spring or early summer - is there a more wonderful time to visit Paris? And this year, it is even more wonderful with the amazing airfare specials! Though we do not usually offer apartments on our blog, there are a few specials that I could not resist mentioning.
Over the New Year holiday, we stayed in a perfectly located apartment in the 6th arrondissement. We had such an incredible time! We also had the opportunity to get to know the owner of the apartment and her daughter, Cécile Gabillet. Cécile manages six apartments that she and her family own. She does such a great job and booking with her is a pleasure.
Her apartments seem to stay booked, but I noticed she had a few openings that seem too good to pass up. The apartment that we enjoyed so much, the St Germain Buci One Bedroom, has availability from June 12-19, for 1090 EUR instead of 1190 EUR. http://www.parisambiance.com/details.asp?parisID=50
Another lovely one bedroom, the St Germain Luxembourg, has air conditioning, which can be really desirable in July. There is one week left from July 4-12 with the 8 nights for the price of 7 at 1290 EUR.
http://www.parisambiance.com/details.asp?parisID=55
In the Marais, the Marais Village One Bedroom apartment is available for May 23-June 6. When booking for this two-week period, the price would be 150 EUR per night instead of 170 EUR.
http://www.parisambiance.com/details.asp?parisID=67
In addition, Cécile is offering two other apartments in the Marais that are both two bedrooms. The Marais St Paul is available from June 18-23 for 5 nights for 1590 EUR for 4 guests.
http://www.parisambiance.com/details.asp?parisID=61
Also, the Marais Village 2 apartment has availability from May 26-31 for 1490 EUR for a party of 4.
http://www.parisambiance.com/details.asp?parisID=74
Cécile has amazed me with her apartments. Not only does she manage the apartments, but she also researched and chose each one for the location, size, and accessibility, and then she oversaw the remodeling and decorated each apartment to assure their design and comfort. They are a special find in Paris!
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05.08.09
Posted in Expert Advice at 8:23 am by Paris Ambiance Blogger
The gardens of the Château de Versailles are truly alive during the magnificent Les Grandes Eaux Musicales. One can stroll through the gardens with music and the fountains flowing in their most beautiful form. From the current schedule, it seems the shows will be on Saturdays, Sundays, some Tuesdays, and holidays.
For those who have visited Versailles, you know the lines for tickets can be very long. However, the website has a new feature that allows you to purchase your ticket and print it before you visit. On this page you may choose the PASSEPORT 1J+GRANDES EAUX, which includes the music and fountains, and the date you would like to go before printing your ticket. This should assure that you would not miss the wonderful fountains on your next trip to Versailles. The link for the online tickets is: http://billetterie.chateauversailles.fr/online/Manifestations.aspx?langue=en
If you have visited the Château before, but missed the fountains, you may enjoy an enchanting summer evening with Les Grandes Eaux Nocturnes, a display accompanied by fire, water, and Baroque music. I have bookmarked this for my next opportunity:
http://www.chateauversailles-spectacles.fr/en/accueil.htm
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05.05.09
Posted in Expert Advice at 7:59 pm by Paris Ambiance Blogger
There is a long tradition in our family of stretching out the holidays. We laugh at some of our family members who prefer a birthday-week to just a birthday. In addition, we have another ongoing strategy of coming up with any excuse to go to France. So in keeping with these family traditions, I have come up with a very special idea. How about celebrating an extended international Mother’s Day that begins in the US, the second Sunday in May, and ends the last Sunday of the month in Paris for Fête des Mères, the French celebration of Mother’s Day?
I certainly don’t know many mothers who would pass up this offer! May is a fabulous time to be in Paris. I have read that Napoleon began the French tradition of Mother’s Day. Perhaps, the beautiful flowers in May inspired him.
This is certainly one of the most amazing times to visit Monet’s Gardens in Giverny, an easy half-day trip from Paris. My favorite memory of the gardens was on a cool morning at the end of May. France, flowers, and family definitely create a dreamy Mother’s Day! Could we also add dark chocolate in there somewhere?
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04.27.09
Posted in Expert Advice at 4:56 pm by Paris Ambiance Blogger
One Saturday morning, my husband walked into our living room and tossed a book into my lap with a smile. Since the book was about France, he knew I would enjoy it. Then I discovered the secret of his smile, though the story is about a family’s move to France - included throughout the events of their new lives in the town of Louviers are delicious French recipes. Ah, the best of both worlds!
On Rue Tatin is just one of Susan Loomis’ six cookbooks, and she is as excellent a writer as she is a cook. Her down- to-earth style and cultural tales make the recipes all the more inviting. One particular favorite is a simple salad recipe that we often serve for lunch or as a side dish for dinner. Finding a vinaigrette recipe that reminds me of the ones we enjoy in France was a long awaited pleasure.
Apple, Roquefort, and Walnut Salad
For the Vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the Salad:
10 cups mixed salad greens torn in bite-size pieces
1 large tart apple, cored, peeled and cut into ½ cubes
½ cup walnuts, lightly toasted (We substitute pecans.)
3 ounces Roquefort cheese
1. Place the vinegar and the mustard in a large bowl, add a pinch of salt and pepper, and whisk together. Whisk in the olive oil until the mixture emulsifies. Adjust the seasoning.
2. Add the salad greens, apple, and walnuts and toss until they are coated with dressing. Crumble the Roquefort over the salad, toss well, and season to taste. Serve immediately.
We appreciated permission to share this recipe from pages 95-96 of On Rue Tatin. For those with upcoming visits to Paris, you may enjoy a cooking class with Susan. The next one-day classes are May 7 and 8, then again on June 18 and 19 in Patricia Wells’ cooking studio on rue Jacob in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Près. For more information, please click here.
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04.22.09
Posted in Expert Advice at 2:21 pm by Paris Ambiance Blogger
“I never rebel so much against France as not to regard Paris with a friendly eye; she has had my heart since my childhood…. I love her tenderly, even to her warts and her spots. I am French only by this great city: the glory of France, and one of the noblest ornaments of the world.”
~ Michel de Montaigne
1533-1592
This noble city has delighted travelers throughout the centuries. With France as the world’s number one tourist destination, Paris welcomes over 20,000,000 visitors each year. Her streets brim with faces from all over the world that have come to partake of the French experience.
Over the last few centuries, the face of tourism has changed incredibly. With transportation becoming faster, safer, and more economical, visits have become shorter and more frequent. In the 18th century, the Grand Tour of the young British aristocracy might have lasted up to three years, with Paris often occupying several months. Today, the average stay for a tourist in Paris is 2.6 days.
For those who love Paris, it seems hard to imagine spending such a short time in this amazing city. However, many travelers are combining their visit with stops to other destinations in France and around Europe, and these 2.6 days are the time allotted for Paris. In light of these changes, one might ask the question: How can I experience the best of Paris during my stay? Answering this question is the goal of A Paris View. Though there is no way to see it all, there are ways to drink deeply of Paris and taste of her greatness.
For the last few years, I have organized visits for small groups of friends in and around Paris. My desire was not only for them to see all of the things that you have to see, but also for them to enjoy and to love Paris as I do. In A Paris View, I have compiled the best plans and ideas to introduce you to my highlights of Paris in 2.6 days. I have also put together an assortment of information to help you plan and enjoy your trip, and in the process, to make Paris your own!
(Today’s blog is taken from the Introduction of A Paris View, our Paris travel guide. Our updated third edition of this interactive e-book will be available next week!)
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04.16.09
Posted in Expert Advice at 8:46 pm by Paris Ambiance Blogger
In a previous blog, “A Day in Provence,” I referred to our wonderful excursion with Mika from Hotel d’Europe. http://blog.parisambiance.com/page/4/ I also mentioned that thanks to the high-speed TGV train, a few days in Provence is a nice addition to a trip to Paris. Today, I remembered another wonderful visit to Provence.
On this trip, we again booked rooms at Hotel d’Europe, a personal favorite in Avignon. But this time, we decided to be a bit adventuresome and rent a car for a few days. Fortunately, the only challenging adventures were getting in and out of the rental car lot! The rest of the trip was dreamy.
We took off on our outing with a rough map and enough information to keep us going, but not enough to ruin our sense of discovery. We wound past vineyards, villages, and ancient ruins, stopping everywhere our hearts desired. The natural beauty and the sense of history were captivating.
We began with a bite to eat on the patio of Café Déco, in L’Isle-Sur-La-Sourgue, known as the antique capital of Provence for its Sunday morning market. We then drove to Arles and saw the amphitheater built by the Romans ten years before the larger version in Rome. We were amazed at the Roman ruins throughout the area.
From there, with hopes of seeing the beginning of the lavender, we headed to the Abbey of Sénanque near Gordes. It was early July, and the lavender was just starting to bloom; but the fields of poppies were a beautiful transition. Provence always offers season after season of enjoyment.
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04.10.09
Posted in Expert Advice at 2:44 pm by Paris Ambiance Blogger
Every nation seems to have its own piece of the puzzle. The French, among other things, possess an amazing gift of creativity. Whether we consider fashion design, interior design, architectural design, landscape design and the list goes on, French creativity has always inspired the world.
In the art of design, some seem to come by it naturally; others of us must study, look, and learn in hopes of capturing the essence of good design. For those of us that seem to require more effort, Paris becomes a virtual wonder for this study. Whether I am admiring a window display on the fashionable Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré or a beautiful Left Bank antique shop, I am filing away ideas and making mental notes. I remember strolling through an antique market and seeing architectural designs painted on cloths for display and wishing I could bring them all home. With every visit, I hope that I can catch a little more of the flair and seeming effortlessness that is so distinctively French.
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