A Romantic Day in Paris

The last trip to Paris has been a really romantic journey. From arrival to departure, Luc really made me feel like a princess. I arrived on Air France to CDG at 6am and had to wait for my luggages for 40minutes (even with SkyPriority) and that is the longest wait I ever had for a holiday trip. That is one part of traveling that I dislike. As I walked out of the arrival hall, there was already a guy waiting for me with my name and he carried my luggage, and then drove me to the hotel in a nice Mercedes. I was relieved that I don't need to queue for a taxi after a long flight! It was really thoughtful of Luc to arrange that.

We stayed at Hotel Du Louvre which is just next to the Louvre because I told him that I would like to visit it. It was a small, nostalgic but cosy hotel with windows that opened to the streets. That morning I arrived, he arranged for a typical Parisien breakfast to be served in the room. The croissants were really crispy and delicious. And in the evening, after we returned from dinner, a surprise awaits me in the room. There were rose petals on the floor and also on the bed, forming a nice heart shape. On the table, there was a bottle of chilled Krug champagne and it was all arranged by my sweetheart. He knows I like Krug and that was so lovely!

Since Luc knows Paris pretty well, he took me to some places that I had not been. First we wanted an afternoon drink and light food and he took me to Harry's New York Bar which is celebrating its hundredth year anniversary. I know that the name doesn't really ring a bell especially it's located in Paris but this bar is no ordinary bar. This place is filled with old and rare whisky goodies. It's also one of the favourite bar for the whisky boys. The selection that they have is amazing with Macallan dating back to the 50's. They do not serve food before 6pm and they also do not have a menu for the whisky. If you want to know what they have, you will just have to walk to the display cabinets and also the bar. Everything from the deco to the bartender is vintaged.... *smiles

In the evening, Luc made a reservation at Le Baudelaire at Le Burgundy Hotel at Rue Duphot which is just 10 minutes walk from the hotel where we are staying. The restaurant serves a gastronomic cuisine with Parisian influences and it received its one Michelin Star since its opening. We took the Tasting Menu which costs € 210 comes with wine pairing and I must say that the wines are pretty good and I am very satisfied with the wines they served. 

The 1st course of Joel's summer vegetable salad with celery salt, aigo boulido and young salad leaves was well executed and I like the creativity of the chef in the ingredients used as well as the food presentation. He plays with a lot of different salt and soury flavours which unfortunately does not make a tick in my palate. I always like more natural tasting food that uses less salt and that night, I found some of the dishes like the turbot and wagyu beef were a little too salty and some too sour. His style is indeed for the adventurous. But I'm glad the amuse bouche, starters and wines were really good.

When in Paris, do what the Parisiens do. I had to shop. Not to satisfy my shopping cravings but more because I really need to buy some autumn/winter clothing. The weather has not been very kind and it does not help when I arrive there with a suitcase full of summer clothes. We went shopping at Galeries Lafayatte and I came out with a nice fashionable black Moncler jacket and an electric blue Karen Millen coat. Then I wanted to stop by Longchamp and we bought a foldable travel bag which is in their new collection and it came in really handy during our trip to Marbella.

 A customary visit to the Louvre.

People say if you really want to visit the whole Louvre, it will take at least a week!

It was indeed my best trip in Paris. Despite our leisure schedule, we also managed to meet some of Luc's friends and seriously, a few days in Paris seemed too short and we didn't even went on a cruise trip on the Seine river. Well, Paris would still be there and we have already planned to return in Dec!

In the City of Love

It's good to be back in Paris again. This must have been my 4th time in the City of Love but of all the times I have been here, this is the only time I felt the romance of this city. People always say that Paris is romantic but trust me if you come here alone or with your co-worker, there is no air of romance but probably only shopping atmosphere.

Luc booked us a room at Hotel Du Louvre which is situated just next to the Louvre and it's very convenient (especially for shopping) because the Galleries Lafayette is just within walking distance and Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré  the shopping street filled with big brands is just in front of the hotel.

One of the must-eat in Paris would be its macarons. The last time I went to Laduree, I was like a little kid in a candy store and this time, they have even more flavours. My favourites remain such as the ones with framboise and lemon. Although they say Pierre Herme is the best, I've yet to try them.

This time we were a little more adventurous going for flavours such as black peppercorns like this one here in the picture and also another one with ice mint. My god... these macarons are really expensive. I think we paid like almost 2-3 euros for one macaron. I've once written about Laduree here in Dec 2010.

 

 One of my favourites - The Citron (with lemon)
The sweetness and texture is just perfect!

 Guess what's in the box?

Luc indulging in a chocolate eclair! That's one of my favourites in Paris...

Just a few macarons and an eclair is enough to fill us up during the afternoon because the chocolate filling is quite rich and creamy. Lucky we both decided to share.

One of the beautiful sights around the hotel we stayed in is the Paris Opera House. On the second morning, we decided to walk to towards the Opera House and to have breakfast around this area. There was one nice and traditional Parisien cafe next to it and it's called Cafe de la Paix. This is a very popular cafe and it's always busy.

Luc and I decided to have a simple Parisien breakfast of 2 croissants and a cup of coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice. You know you are in Paris when the bill comes! For that breakfast, we paid 40 euros. I told him that for 40 euros, I maybe can even have a seafood dinner in KL. Of course there are many other places for breakfast but this place is great for people watching and the cafe is very beautifully decorated.

What a wonderful day in Paris!

The Best Secret Location @ Paris

One of the best places that I've ever been in Paris (I've just made a return to the city after being there last winter in December 2010) and I've just realised it after 3 trips is actually having coffee with a view of everything! I didn't know about this place until during this recent trip where I had to visit Printemps and then i discovered this secret place...

It's a brasserie called Le Déli-Cieux. It's a roof garden self-service restaurant on top of the adjoining Printemps Beauty/Home store where you have to take a lift to the 8th story and then an escalator at the travel/luggage department to the roof top. Déli-Cieux simply means "deli under the sky". What a hidden gem!



The food is simple—sandwiches, snacks, coffee, tea, pastries and nothing fancy but if you're on a tight budget, you can still enjoy the 360° panoramic view for free! I had a cup of cappuccino there and it was great. I love the strong brew and with the cold breeze, a cuppa really does the trick. Or you can sip a glass of champagne here from 9.35am until 8pm and 10pm on Thursdays.

Spot the Eiffel Tower

The view from atop is just picturesque. I enjoyed every bit of the magnificent baroque and roman styled architectures. Paris is really a land of man-made architecture marvels. Just staring at the buildings is enough to make me fall in love with the city of love!



Although views from the terrace aren't as breathtaking as those from the Eiffel Tower or the Tour Montparnasse, they are equally interesting. It's like having a view with a closer perspective.

Fantastic view, beautiful breeze and it's FREE...

And after admiring such a wonder view, I embarked on my shopping journey before flying home the next morning. Guess where did I go? I found my way to Franklin D Roosevelt Metro station and walked down Avenue Montaigne where all my favourite stores are located. You'll find brands from Gucci at the start of the street to Paul & Joe at the end with Dior, Chanel, Pucci, Versace, Salvatore Ferragamo, Fendi and LV all in between. Shopping haven!

Ermm... they all are not mine!

Le Déli-cieux
9th Floor, Printemps
66, Bld Haussmann
75009 Paris
Tel: +33 1 42 82 62 76

Métro: Havre Caumartin or Opéra
RER: Auber or Hausmann St-Lazare

Quick Meal in Paris?

Not everyone who goes in to Paris is actually interested to feast on French cuisine. There are a lot of reasons why people visit the City of Lights.

The first reason being:

Louis Vuitton Flagship Store at George V

Must I need to explain further? Of course the ultimate reason was to buy a LV (no matter how small the bag is, there must be a LV purchase!). The last time I was there 4-5 years ago, I had to line up 30mins to get into the store and I came out empty-handed. However, this time around, there were no queue!

The second reason being:

Sight-seeing of course! One of the major reasons why I like to travel is that I like taking pictures of buildings and the wonderful architectures. Although I am no architect and I have no knowledge on how to view a structure from their perspective, I actually do like appreciating these big concrete structures!

Oh well, then there is the food! This time around, although as much as I would love to try to feast on a good French meal, we actually ran out of time. There were just not enough time for us to scout around for a good meal. It was snowing in the morning and we had so many travel disruptions that we lost a lot of time. This is actually more like a shopping trip as I have visited almost everything that I have to see in Paris - Lourve, Notre Dame, Sacré Cœur and Eiffel Tower.

That is why we can only afford a quick meal. Our meals shouldn't last for more than half an hour and there's no time to sip coffee and watch the Parisians walking past. Moreover, it's so freezing cold, who the hell would want to have an alfresco dining?!!

And so while walking along Champs Elysées after a round of excessive shopping, we were hungry and we need to eat! So we decided to dine at this place...

Quick is an European Fast Food Chain just like McDonalds. Here in France, they call McD as MacDo since it's difficult for them to say the full name. Quick (pronounced as kwik)is the biggest competitor to MacDo and they serve burgers, and Little Magic Boxes (similar to Happy meals) with toys. I was however attracted to one of the burgers on the menu. It's probably something I would never be able to get it here.

The Supreme Foie Gras Burger

Why this burger is so special is because it's done with a Quick's Suprême Tender Beef base burger and then topped with Foie Gras. The foie gras is actually frozen and then defrosted two hours before serving and there were a generous amount of bitter arugula and onion confit. Okay, it's supposed to look like the picture on below but of course the final product you always get differs from the picture on the menu.

One might think that the French idea of noblesse du produit is really questionable as we all know how foie gras is actually made... however, since this is not coming from an endangered species, I have no qualms about consuming my favourite foie gras once in a blue moon. Foie gras to be is like the best invention in food after century eggs!

I paid €7.50 for a set meal together with fries and a drink. Their fries are nothing fantastic compared to MacDo but the burger is indeed interesting. It's one of the most complex burgers I've ever had in terms of taste. First there is a sweetness to the taste due to the onion confit, then you had the melting foie gras together with the taste of the beef patty with the bitter arugula. I like the slight bitter note of the arugula. The whole combination came up pretty good but it wasn't good enough for an "awesome" rating.



So, I did in fact had French cuisine (with foie gras) and all I need to do is to picture the above and it'll be perfect with a glass of red wine!

Quick Hamburger Restaurant
122 Avenue des Champs-Elysées,
75008 Paris, France
Tel: +33 1 53 75 38 49

map

Macarons at Laduree in Paris

I did some research just before my trip to Europe and I was searching where I could get hold of some delectable and melt-in-the-mouth macarons in Paris. French macarons is afterall, the most sought after confectionery novelty in France just like foie gras.

A macaron is a sweet confectionery which is meringue based. Its name is derived from an Italian word "maccarone" or "maccherone". This word is itself derived from ammaccare, meaning crush or beat, used here in reference to the almond paste which is the principal ingredient. Macarons only need four ingredients - egg whites, ground almonds, powdered sugar and granulated sugar. And the fillings can be anything you like ie. ganache, buttercream, fruit fillings and etc.

In Paris, the French pâtisserie Laduree is reputed for making quality macarons in traditional and new flavors. Other reputed French patisseries on Macarons includes Pierre Hermé and Fauchon.

The tres chic giftboxes for Macarons @ Laduree

After a search, I found that I need to visit one of the Laduree outlets in 75 Avenue des Champs Elysées which house the bakery section, a restaurant and a bar. When I first stepped into the shop, I can't help but feel an air of classiness and exclusivity about the shop. It was dark with dimmed lighting, there was already a queue for the delicatessen counter, the restaurant is upstairs where you can have a meal or breakfast and there's also a bar just behind the delicatessen counter.

Besides that, you can definitely sniff the Parisian attitude. We were served by an Asian girl because some of them couldn't possibly speak English (or I supposed they prefer not to). What's wrong with these French people? Don't they know that customer is king? But I suppose it's the other way round when you're in France. They are just snobs of the highest order.

It makes me wonder why are we still so crazy over buying LV's and Chanel's when they treat us like sh*t. They don't give a f*ck to the Asian customers. Sorry for my obscenity and profanity but there seemed to be no other vocabulary I can find in my limited mind dictionary to replace that word. I am to be blamed partly for being in the foie gras frenzy and not forgetting the uncountable French champagne and wines that I have shamelessly sipped all these years. BUT... I am proud to proclaim that I have yet to own a LV nor Chanel.

Well, I am not generalising that every French is like that but some of them whom I knew are quite nice and friendly. I have also made friends with one of the staff at the Tax free department and we have been keeping in touch through emails.

The palette of colours is just stunningly beautiful..

Ok, sorry for going off the tracks talking about the French and not the macarons. Oh well, I have heard of the raving reviews of why one should have a go at the macarons at Laduree when in Paris and thus I have to go there for myself to test it out. The proof of the pudding is in the eating and thus I am prepared to pay whatever amount to get my hands on some macarons!

Found a flavour you like?

If I'm not wrong the price range from €13 to €20 euros for a box of 9 - 12pcs depending on the giftbox of your choice. Since I am not giving it out as a gift, I took the normal box and paid about €14 for a box of 12 petit macarons. The bigger macarons are sold for €3 each.

I came out satisfied like I have just accomplished a mission...

Once I reached the hotel room, I couldn't wait but to pop one into my mouth. I chose the pistachio one as my first choice. Well, it was tacky, a little chewy and crunchy, tasted like a fine macaron to me! It gets soften very fast and it's easy to crack due to the delicate texture. I do like how it melts on my palate like how a fine piece of chocolate should be. The filling does compliments the macarons very well. There is not a single piece that I do not like from my box but then again, it didn't appeal to me like it was a prized confection that was out of this world. They still tasted a little too sweet for my liking.

My box of precious petite macarons...

I brought some back for my friends to try and they loved it too. It's one of the better ones that they have tried despite the burgeoning of macaron outlets here in KL. However, I think I would still stick to croissants as one of my most sought after delicacy in the snobbish country.

It wasn't cheap but I guess nothing is too expensive when you consider how much you would have lost out considering your airfare to just go there and not try the things that you should! I would even pay €5 for a petite macaron if I have to just to get a taste of it! Just too bad I can't buy a tasting portion of Chateau Petrus 1985.

Championing the Arc de Triomphe.

And that's how you feel after a satisfying one of the must-try list I have when in Paris.

Ladurée Champs-Elysées

75 Avenue des Champs Elysées Paris 8ème
Tel. : + 33 1 40 75 08 75
Metro: Station Georges V
Open Daily
www.laduree.fr