patw

Just curious if any Fodorites have ever gone to one of Jim's soirees? I am going on Sunday night, July 16 and looking forward to it. Maybe I'll see some other Fodorites there?

SeaUrchin

oh, give us a report, Barb and I are going to a dinner in September!

Nina66

I've been curious about his soirees, please be sure to post all about it. If you use his name in the heading as you did this time, it will be easier for us to find.

Have fun.

Nina

MelissaHI

I read about this once....but lost the link. Do you have a link to his site? I'd love to hear your report as well.

patw

HI all,
Wow, what quick replys. I will do a complete trip report upon my return. I am doing 4 nts in Paris, a river cruise on the Rhone and Saone Rivers and then 3 nts in Provence. I do not have his website handy but just google him and you will find it.
Cheers,
Pat

Nina66

I just googled him at 'jim haynes, paris'. Then I emailed him to see if he would be having dinners on either Christmas Eve or New Years Eve. Maybe if the Fodor feedbacks from patw and SeaUrchin, we'll finally go to one. We're counting on you guys!

Nina

Nina

msm4

Email: www.jim-haynes.com
I haven't been, but read about the soirees just today in the July-August issue of "France Today". Sounds like alot of fun and I'll be very interested in hearing about it if you go!
-mimi

MelissaHI

OK found it! So how much is the donation for the dinner, usually? I wonder what the demographic age bracket is for this event?

jody

A friend and her daughter just went a few months ago and had a wonderful time. You can find the trip report and pictures here..

http://tinyurl.com/j9bd5

jody

BTW..it was 20 Euro per person

parisonmymind2

We went in April. It was a lot of fun. We called Jim on Sunday morning to get directions and the gate code. We arrived at 8 sharp and joined the diverse group of guests. Dinner was prepared by a "guest chef" from Pennsylvania - Columbia 1905 salad, jambalaya with rice, a yummy creamed spinach and a TERRIFIC bread pudding. Dinner was served one course at a time - keep your fork. And there was plenty of wine.

The people were interesting and diverse - tourists, ex-pats (from the US and other countries), students, Parisians and more.

We brought some Euros in an envelope (give to Jim) to help pay for the meal. It was worth every bit. We will try to include a Sunday night stay on future trips to Paris so that we can go to his dinner.

Bon appetit!

plafield

I took my 2 daughters, 18 and 21 to Jim Haynes's in May on the first night of our week in Paris. We had a great time and I highly recommend it! Most of the guests were between 30 and 65 but my daughters still had a great time (they are quite social and well traveled.)

I sent him an email a few weeks before and then called him the day of and he gave directions to his place. He asks for 20 euros per person to cover the cost of food (it's catered, decent food, plenty of disgusting cheap boxed wine) and great company. There were folks from all over the world there, plenty of English speaking people from England, South Africa, Ireland and France as well as the US. It's a wonderful party and we met lots of folks who invited to us to join them for numerous other fun activities later in the week.

You can click on my name to see my Paris trip report with more details if you like. Do go and give us all a report when you return!

starrsville

I had forgotten all about this. I am so glad this question was asked again. I hope to do this the next time I'm in Paris.

WallyKringen

Was there on a very crowded Sunday in May - it is very much about chatting and meeting and greeting and exchanging tips and such, with conversations being struck up easily.

The food was nice (a fresh and copious salad, Greek style, and I can't remember what else), various wines etc., but this is not a "dinner", it's a social event where you squeeze into the kitchen, get a dish, then find a place to stand (a few lucky ones sit where they can) and juggle dish and drink while socializing.

Lots of interesting folks from all over the globe, many but not all Americans, and from all walks of life including a fair share of artsy types. Sharing travel stories seems to be a big part of the conversations, and you can glean useful info in the process, a bit like on this board.

It makes for an evening well spent, just don't think of it as a "dinner" in the usual sense or you will be disappointed.

Jim holds sway as the gracious host and will sell you one of his books if you are so inclined.

Hope this helps those who are wondering.

WK

luveurop

I can't remember if it was one or two years ago when I went, but yes it was a good time. Good food, cheap wine which I did not touch, great socializing. I'll definitely go again another time.

starrsville

topping for single traveler

xplors

jody:

thx for the link to your friends trip report. im just curious about her comment that "The Jim Haynes dinner is not for the faint of heart, but then again it isn't scary either". i wonder if you know what she meant by that, in more detail. the food sounded good, and innocuous enough!

xplors

Christina

I went to one of those dinners this summer, and enjoyed it, but it wasn't exactly what I expected, and there are caveats. The main thing is it was really really crowded. It was a buffet-style dinner, but really there were only a couple chairs or places anyone could sit, so you basically had to stand the entire time and try to juggle plate, drink, utensils, etc. I think maybe he allows too many people and it could be better if he cut back on that. The food was good, but I don't enjoy eating under those circumstances that well, so as someone said, don't go here for a great dinner experience. The wine was box wine, not good. I did meet a couple people I enjoyed talking to, especially a music student from London who was a pianist (as am I, although I'm just a dilettante), and we could discuss some of the teachers we had in common from London, and we had coincidentally both seen the ballet at the Garnier which involved a Chopin score, so there was that to discuss. I really could only talk to a few people due to it being so crowded, and the usual problems with groups like there where some people may know each other already and stick together, etc. A lot of the group appeared to be folks that lived there and knew him or others and sort of socialized with each other.

I don't know about the faint of heart remark someone else made, but I can tell you from my point of view, as I was there alone. I am not always comfortable with any kind of event, party, dinner, etc., where you don't know anyone and have to try to mingle and make small talk, and find someone to talk to. Sometimes it's not that easy, as people did form groups, some knew each other already, etc., and it's not always that easy to walk up to a group and break into their conversation and there wasn't any natural means of introduction.

FYI someone above made it sound like a contribution was discretionary and up to you, and that they brought euro to help out as if it wasn't standard, but that's not the way it works. It is very clear what you are to pay and the method, and that is told you when you call to confirm. He keeps track of that by name, when you pay. Now I don't know what he does or can do if someone doesn't pay, but he made it very clear that you are to pay 20 euro, and put it in an envelope and you should put your name on it. I don't blame him, it would be very expensive to do that.

So, I enjoyed it, but it's not the kind of thing I think I would want to do regularly or that I really enjoyed for the meal, exactly.

Danna

I'm Jody's friend with the faint of heart comment. I think as Christina points out, if you aren't up to just striking up a conversation and super mingling it may not be for you. I did meet a couple who were very nice, but not assertive enough to join a group and I think they missed out on a whole lot of the experience.

I highly recommend it! I don't know how I missed this the first time around.

xplors

okay...this is strange. i responded this aft, and i even saw my post...but now it doesnt seem to be here.

thx for your help. i emailed jim to see if he has availability on sept. 17th. im an extrovert, so i have no problem in a room full of strangers. we shall see what mr xplors thinks!