…is nowhere near enough time. We barely scratched the surface and never even set foot in a museum. One guide told us we’d have to spend 3 months and go to the Louvre every day for 8 hours to see all of it’s exhibits. So next time we’ll spend a week which will also give us time to get into a lot more restaurants. These shots are the high points from this trip…

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For me, travel is all about the food. I’m checking reviews and hot spots and menus months before we arrive at our destination, and this time was no different. And when at all possible I’ll sign us up for a food tour.

Paris By Mouth is a company that specializes in food tours, and our lovely guide Isabelle broke out the croissants on a Sunday morning as soon as our small group was assembled at our meeting spot on Boulevard Saint-Germain. The bakery had a long line, no doubt due to the designation Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (or MOF), which is a prestigious award bestowed upon the best, and once received it is a permanent designation. The fromager Isabelle took us to, Laurent Dubois, had achieved the same designation. Both were well deserved. Once we’d taken the edge off of our appetites with butter croissants and bichon au citron, or croissant pastry with lemon curd, we could peruse the other artisans for what would become the rest of our lunch. The highlights included Eric Kayser’s baguettes, Patrick Roger’s chocolate (his shop had oversized chocolate sculptures in the window for which he is known, as well as Halloween candy depicting Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron), pastry from Un Dimanche a Paris, charcuterie from Cul de Cochon, and wine from La Derniere Goutte. The wine shop had a private room where we could spread out our bounty, and where Isabelle paired wines with cheeses, rillettes, charcouterie, and dessert. Isabelle was knowledgeable, and imparted some interesting facts. Such as while it’s well known that France clears out in August when the French take their holidays it is less widely known that the bakeries must coordinate their vacations in each Paris arrondissement so no one has to walk too far to get their bread. They obviously have their priorities straight.

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We only had a couple of nights to enjoy restaurants, and this may seem really lame, but I’ve always wanted to go to the restaurant at which Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson meet in Paris in the movie Something’s Gotta Give, Le Grand Colbert. If you haven’t seen the movie I do recommend it, but the clip of the restaurant scene is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKcaY2jJTFQ

And I got to sit right next to her spot on the banquette when we dined there. Our meal was classic French from foie gras to frog’s legs to frites, and all of it was delicious. The service was excellent as well.

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Our other spot was a casual neighborhood place that came highly recommended by Paris by Mouth, Chez George. It’s been in existence since 1964, and is frequented by locals, always a good sign. It’s cozy, we sat cheek by jowl with other diners giving us a peek at their meals before we ordered our own. I had a beautiful appetizer of girolle mushrooms, which I’d seen at the market in Bordeaux. Steve has a celeriac salad with remoulade, not a combo I’d have put together, but I will now.  My entrée was Sole Chez George, a beautiful filet of sole with a cream sauce to die for, and my dessert a chestnut crème topped with crème fraiche. Steve followed his salmon with the most chocolate of chocolate ice creams I’d ever seen. The gentleman at the next table ordered the rum baba, which they brought with the BOTTLE of rum so he could douse that baby with as much as he wanted, and a BOWL of whipped cream to top it with. It was big enough for a family of 4, and I think he polished it off. Chez George is on our return trip restaurant list, for sure.

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Like I said, we have to go back for the museums, and for Rue du Douai, which we spotted on our way to the airport. Why this street? Two solid blocks lined with new and used guitar shops. Steve may need the whole week just for that. It’s okay, I’ll just meet him at Chez George for dinner.

Deborah