Paris dogs

After boarding the metro the other day, a towering man slipped into the car just as the doors sealed shut behind him. It was upon closer look that the other passengers and I realized that what was unusual about this man wasn't his height or his lanky stature but rather what he was wearing: a woman's burgundy skirt suit, a dark brown wig, and layers of stage makeup. As the metro lurched away from the platform, he launched into a theatrical monologue - a conversation with someone on the other end of a toy telephone receiver. The scene continued for several stations (likely ended up in a Vine) before he and I both descended.  It was a strange if comical incident, to be sure, but on a scale of surprising sights in Paris it doesn't actually rank highest.

Nor do my Paris gym experiences from a few years ago or the somewhat recent running trend (the pall of outdoor exercise shame has lifted!). But witnessing the scene above, pooches lined in serried ranks patiently waiting for their dog walker to arrive and start the day's adventure, was out of the ordinary. A glorious surprise that elicited a justifiable stream of 'awws' from passersby. I was in the neighborhood for Verjus sandwiches (again) with photographer Valérie Dray and we both couldn't help but admire their astonishing demonstration of patience.

Laura of Verjus explained that these dogs camp out across from the restaurant nearly everyday before their stroll but the kicker is that once they begin, the German Shepherd on the far right takes the beagle's leash in his mouth and leads the pack. Any indecorous barking or tugging and he puts the other pooches in their place with a quick stare.

Having grown up with two large dogs, I often find myself wishing for a bigger apartment to relive the experience as an adult. But with the costly commodities of square footage and green space combined with our hectic schedules, it's not very fair or comfortable for even the smallest dog. Thankfully, I know where I can get my fix when the puppy pangs return.

My favorite spots for dog sightings: Jardin du Palais Royal, Jardin des Tuileries, and Parc Monceau.

*Follow me on Instagram for more Paris snapshots

The Paris Journal

If you only had a day in Paris, how would you spend it? Skipping stones along the Canal Saint-Martin like Amélie Poulain or ambling the cobblestone streets of the Marais? The magic of this city lives within its hundreds of urban hamlets and vibrant neighborhoods. It's there in the innumerable opportunities for inspiration and self-discovery and beating wildly in its mercurial brand of charm. It's that ineffable feeling and collection of moments that 29 million visitors came seeking last year and millions more dream about experiencing for themselves every day.

But to reach it, whether in person of from afar, you must cut through the din of prescriptive travel guides and editorialized stories. The Paris Journal, a new digital, multimedia book from Nichole and Evan Robertson (of the Obvious State creative studio), offers exactly that; an uninterrupted visual journey of one Paris neighborhood, from morning to night.

Volume One, released today for download on iPad, will bring you on an immersive tour through the hillside neighborhood of Montmartre through over 120 fine art photographs and 14 videos. It's armchair travel without the unwanted commentary; a rich escape when you need it most.

Even before the success of Nichole's book Paris in Color, an Amazon bestseller (#1 at the time of publishing this post), the couple wanted to find a way to share the details they love most about Paris without needing to rely on text to narrate the story. In opting for an app versus an e-book, their interactive vision came to life naturally and, in turn, allowed them to offer an experience that is crafted wholly for the viewer.

Download the app, sit back, and visit Montmartre. The result is absolutely stunning.

For more information on The Paris Journal, visit Obvious State.

Lunching at Colorova

I've already sung the praises of Colorova Pâtisserie (which, since it opened last August, has been one of two of my major motivations to go to the left bank), but at the time I hadn't fully discovered their noontime talents.

Friday is typically the only day I'm able to squeeze in a lunch date or meeting and while I try to vary my outings, I'm a fierce creature of habit. I find myself drawn to a handful of favorites - Verjus for sandwiches, Clasico Argentino for empanadas, Al Taglio for pizza, and Nanashi for Bento. All are within the 10-12€ range, all relatively quick. But when I want to linger over a more complete meal and want to be sure I am served something different than the last visit, I book a table at Colorova.

Lunch follows the standard starter + main/main + dessert or you can opt for all three, which I guarantee you'll have trouble resisting. The meal will set you back between 18-24€ (without wine) but when the first dish arrives plentifully adorned with the season's freshest and most colorful ingredients and you experience that beautiful jolt of flavor, you'll ask yourself why you've wasted your precious time with anything else.

Put down the tasteless potatoes, forgo the flaccid green beans that often constitute a side dish and go where the chef understands the value in playing with and shaping seasonal produce. It's rare that a meal meets all the right textural notes, especially at lunch, and even more unusual at this price point. And for me, that's worth the return trip every time. 

Colorova Pâtisserie 

47 rue de l'Abbé Grégoire

75006, Paris

+33(0)1.45.44.67.56

Métro: Saint-Placide (line 4)

Closed Monday, brunch menu Sat/Sunday

Reservations strongly recommended

Related

More Colorova photos in my Flickr collection

My Colorova highlight for Afar Magazine

Felicia of Love.Life.Eat discovers Colorova 

Paris Prints

I've said it countless times but one of the most enriching outcomes to living in Paris has been connecting with some truly inspiring and industrious creatives. Two of them - Jordan (blogger queen of DIY) and Paul Ferney (painter) - lived within a stone's throw from the Eiffel Tower with their two little tots up until a year ago. While they've since settled back into San Francisco, Paris and their former neighborhood are never far from mind.

The pair have just released (in time for Mother's Day!) a new collection of prints based on the series of 40 small oil paintings Paul produced of Paris storefronts and restaurants last year. Paris devotees, you'll want to adorn your walls with a few of these! To browse and purchase, click over to Paul Ferney's print shop.

Spot an instant favorite?

Postcard: Springtime in Paris

There's a lot of ground to cover when your best friend comes to town after a four and half year absence. So I went straight for my no-fail favorites when mapping out our weekend. As all good trips to Paris require, we walked, we ate, we caffeinated, we shopped (mostly for food) and we exhausted ourselves - before hitting repeat and doing it all over again the following day. Here are a few of the stops on our very relaxed itinerary:
[click titles for maps and/or related articles]

//Jardin du Palais Royal 

// Télescope

//Parc Monceau

//Place des Vosges

 

//Sugar Daze Cupcakes

//Merci

(and the Used Book café) 

Dinner (not shown):
Terroir Parisien 
20 rue Saint-Victor, 75005
Métro: Maubert-Mutualité (line 10)
+33(0)1.44.31.54.54.
Reservations recommended

See a few of my springtime in Paris highlights in this AFAR collection! 

Franco File Friday: Carin Olsson of Paris in Four Months

Roiling social debates, pettifogging politics, surging unemployment and a grim outlook on.... well, everything. Ask the French how they are doing and one of the points above may factor squarely into their response. "La crise", as locals generally refer to the global economic crisis, still looms large and at times has the power to cloak the uplifting things around us.

Carin Olsson, a recent transplant from Sweden, offers a daily reminder of the talent and beauty right on our doorstep through her blog Paris in Four Months. Though she's well aware of the gloomier side to life in Paris, she chooses to focus on its assets - food, culture and architecture -  and in doing so, makes longtime residents fall in love with their home city all over again. Having left family and friends behind to pursue the proverbial French life at such a young age, as I did, she shares a bit of what she's learned so far and what she loves most about her adopted home.

Describe what you love about France in three words.

Picture-perfect, pastries and ”joie de vivre”.

Something you've discovered about yourself by living here?

That I have absolutely no self control whatsoever!. There are so many new restaurants to try out, deliciously looking patisseries you have to pass by and so many gorgeous sweets in this city. No matter how hard I try I always end up walking away with a little bag containing a tarte aux framboises or something similar... I’ve tried to come up with several different “rules” to keep my sweet cravings under control but so far without success.

More seriously though, I've discovered that I love to be alone. Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with friends and having all these amazing people around me but I also value the time I have with just myself tremendously. There's nothing better than to pick up my camera and being able to go for a walk around the city with just myself as my company. Now, this has become something that I can’t live without, or well, something I don’t want to live without at least. During these moments by myself (and with my camera) I get the chance to relax, think about the things I see around me and to gather all my thoughts.

The must-do and must-eat for all first timers?

My must-do for any first timer in Paris is (perhaps a little bit boring, but trust me it will pay off in the end) your research! Believe it or not but everything isn’t amazing in Paris and you really get the most out of your experience here if you just read up on a few things before coming. There are so many restaurants, experiences and places in this city that are worth every single penny but there are just as many (if not more so) that aren’t. But I’m guessing if you’re reading this, you’re probably quite familiar with Lindsey’s blog already and have a few amazing places on your mental list that you need to go to due to her reviews!

As for the must-eat… Call me boring but I’ve found a few places here in Paris that I consider to be my favourites and once I find them I don’t mind returning over and over again since I know I’m guaranteed a fantastic meal. For any first time visitor I would suggest going to either LesCocottes or Café Constant for lunch or dinner. What I love about these places is that it doesn’t cost you a fortune, the food is amazing (which can be quite hard to find in Paris if you don’t know where you’re going) and the relaxed yet lively ambiance. Go to Café Constant for a more classic, but absolutely delicious, take on French cuisine and to Les Cocottes for a more modern feeling.

Favorite neighborhood to stroll?

I haven’t been living in Paris for too long so I’m still trying to get comfortable in my closest neighbourhoods and areas, but I also want to discover more of Paris of course. Right now I adore strolling through the area around Odéon, continue around the Luxembourg garden, to Place Saint Sulpice and continue down towards Montparnasse (with a stop at Pâtisserie Sadaharu Aoki of course). I love to find small, and new to me, streets that look so unbelievably picture-perfect that it’s simply impossible not to grab on to my camera.

I also love to stroll from the Champ de Mars toward Rue du Bac and explore all those little streets in between. There are so many cute stores, cafés and boulangeries that just reminds me of why I love this city as much as I do.

Most amusing or frustrating interaction with the French?

From what I’ve understood so far it’s not always the easiest thing to be a vegetarian in a city like Paris, right? I’m not a vegetarian but I’ve had a couple of friends here that are. One day we decided to go for an unplanned lunch in the Marias neighbourhood and ended up at a simple but cosy little restaurant. When my friend kindly asked the waiter if they had any vegetarian options on the menu the waiter pointed to a dish that read poulet. My friend looked confused and asked the waiter if he had understood the menu correctly: “But that’s chicken, no?”, the waiter looked at him and nodded his head. “I don’t eat meat” my friend tried to explain to the waiter. The waiter then looked like he had connected the two dots and said “Ah, sorry! We have fish of course!”. I couldn’t help but laugh!

**

Explore Paris with Carin by following along on her blog, Facebook, or Instagram!

(All photos courtesy of Carin Olsson)