Bookmarks of Paris

"Escalate"

crux is
if i think about anything long enough
it grows feathers
it walks

green and blue
drift
ice on the roads
turns into bends into
shovel becomes toque gets into shape-of-hand





"Les Boissons"

in the south we have Bayou
in the north we have River
at the ocean we have Estuary
and in the middle we have arcs

in the east we have Acre
in the west we have Range
in the far north we have Glacier
in the far south we have maps











Lately I have been thinking a lot about Paris. It's one of those places that just gets into you. I've been thinking about the time I bought some ice cream by the Louvre and wandered into all of the stores that fit into closet sized spaces. I love people watching from a table for two outside cafes. For pretty much the whole year, I just wanted to hop on a plane, find a little bistro and enjoy a cappuccino, while reading Dickens and doing a bit of writing. I would also really like to visit some of the neuro labs linked to École des Neurosciences de Paris. I thought I had died and gone to heaven the time I bought a _giant_ plate of creme brulee and went on a Seine river 'cruise.' So much fun!


Place to visit: Ile St. Louis

From Paris Woman:

"Île Saint-Louis is famous for it's ice cream - Berthillon ice cream, of course! There isn't one restaurant on the island that doesn't serve some of their 33 flavors of ice cream and 30 flavors of sorbet.

What is amusingly French about Berthillon, in a way that many of us still can't grasp, is that their main shop on rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Île is closed for the month of August, quite possibly the busiest month for ice cream consumption. Fortunately for you, there are other vendors in the neighborhood that can serve you two scoops of caramel-ginger ice cream that will sustain you on your stroll along the quai.

Île Saint-Louis is probably one of the prettiest neighborhoods in Paris, with its elegant 17th century townhouses lining the quais next to the Seine. At just the right moment in the afternoon or early evening the sun hits the Quai de Bourbon and the Pont Marie and you're left breathless on the sidewalk. Stop a few meters further along on the Quai d'Anjou in front of the Hôtel de Lauzon and marvel at the gilded balconies.

Rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Île, which runs the length of Île Saint-Louis, is full of fabulous shops, one more tempting than the next. So I am just going to tell you about a few that I like.

Starting at n° 22 is Poudre des Couleurs, a tiny boutique which sells mainly women's accessories. I love the pretty embroidered silk handbags in a rainbow of colors.

On to slightly more grown-up pleasures at n° 51. You will be hard pressed to walk out of L'Epicerie without buying something. The first thing you notice about the shop is the very pretty blue painted shop front. Once inside you're then struck by the impeccable order of the shop, nothing is out of place, all the shelves are perfectly stocked. And oh, the goodies they are filled with: dozens of flavored mustards in small jars (4 € per jar), flavored sugars to decorate cookies or perfume a cup of tea, garlic pulp in a variety of flavors to add just the right touch to your dinners."

Also from Paris Woman:

* To de-stress, I shop at Le Printemps near Opera Garnier and then eat lunch at La Terrasse Flo on the 9th floor. It's a self-service restaurant with a large outside area that you could seat, eat, relax and watch Paris from the top while getting some real sunshine.

* To have a candlelight dinner with a great view of Paris by night, I go to Le Ciel de Paris. It's on the 56th floor of Montparnasse tower. Jazz concerts are held on Thursday nights.

* To chat with friends at lunch in the summer time, the Zyriab: Institute du monde Arabe restaurant is an ideal place for fine Mediterranean cuisine with a great view of the Seine River and Notre-Dame. A huge terrace where you just sit and enjoy a nice hot and sweet Arab-style tea.

* To drink a sexy cocktail with your hubby, boyfriend or lover late at night, I go to panoramic cafe on the 33rd floor of Hotel Concord La Fayette near Palais de Congres. Try to get a table by the window--you won't be disappointed. I especially like the leather chairs and the upscale clients here are...tres hot and sensuelle.

What's fun and original stuff to do in Paris by night?

* Go play bowling. I googled on the net and found this fantastic link of 5 places in Paris that you can go for a bit of sportif mais sympa. There is one near the center of the city: AMF Bowling Montparnasse 27, rue du Commandant Mouchotte, 75014 Paris. 01-4321-6132.

* Go eat and dance. Has anyone been to Barramundi in the 9me? It's a resto-lounge, bar-club, cuisine Mediterranean and ethnic, music Chill-out. I went there with a friend and found the place very cozy with dim red and yellow lights. I loved their comfortable chairs and the African decors. I usually don't like the ambiance of a night club filled with cigarette smoke, but I got this place under my skin. It's warmth, chic and romantic...don't miss it!

Place to visit: Bowling in Paris!
http://pagesperso-orange.fr/bowlingsympas/products.htm

Place to visit: Opera Garnier


Place to visit: Used bookstore
Boulinier Books and Music
18, bd Saint Michel, 75006 Paris, Métro: Cluny-la Sorbonne

Place to visit: Cite des De Sciences (The Science Museum)