Long Weekend in Paris
May 30th, 2010, 01:18 PM
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Long Weekend in Paris
This is a long overdue trip report of a long weekend that my husband and I spent in Paris last November. We had each only been to Paris once, and both wanted to go back, so we bought the plane tickets and off we went!
Day 1
We arrived at the airport, with only roll-aboard carry-on bags, and purchased 3 day travel cards (I think it was 3 days) for the Metro and took the RER B train into town, changed from the RER to the Metro, got off at the Maubert-Mutualite stop and walked to our hotel, the Residence Henri IV in the Latin Quarter. They told us our room would be ready in about 10 minutes, so we waited in the lobby and then went up to the room. It was a nice sized room on the top floor, with a large bed, sitting area, small balcony and good sized bathroom. It even had a little kitchenette area, with a small fridge and microwave. We were very impressed, since I believe it was about 150 Euros a night. The staff person on duty was very friendly when we checked in. We put our bags down, took showers, changed clothes and headed off to look around.
We walked around for about half an hour and wound up by the Pantheon. We decided we were ready for lunch, and set off to find a restaurant. We stopped at a place called Le Berthoud on rue Valette. I had a gateau de champignons with oeuf poche, & jus au cepes (like a mushroom flavored quiche with a poached egg on top) and dorade fish dish. My husband had the dorade and a pot au creme vanille et chocolat. We each had a glass of wine. All was very good and cost 43 Euros.
We then walked over to Saint Germain and wandered around. We went into St. Germain de Pres church. The painted ceilings there were very beautiful. We stopped and bought some pastries for breakfast the next morning and walked back to the hotel to rest and look at our notes to try to decide where to go for dinner. We went down to the front desk at the hotel and they kindly called to make a reservation for us at Petit Pontoise. We went back upstairs and took a brief nap. We headed out for dinner, which was maybe a 5 minute walk away. I had a rack of lamb and my husband had the filet mignon with bordelaise sauce. We had a bottle of the new Beaujolais, at the suggestion of the waitress/owner? I believe she was the only person working in the front of the restaurant. The food was excellent -meat was extremely tender and flavorful-and it was warm, cozy place. After dinner, we were revived and wanted to take advantage of our time, so instead of heading straight to bed, we took a little walk along the Seine and looked at Notre Dame all lighted up and reflected in the Seine. Very, very beautiful!! Finally, we headed back to sleep in what was a very comfortable bed.
Day 1
We arrived at the airport, with only roll-aboard carry-on bags, and purchased 3 day travel cards (I think it was 3 days) for the Metro and took the RER B train into town, changed from the RER to the Metro, got off at the Maubert-Mutualite stop and walked to our hotel, the Residence Henri IV in the Latin Quarter. They told us our room would be ready in about 10 minutes, so we waited in the lobby and then went up to the room. It was a nice sized room on the top floor, with a large bed, sitting area, small balcony and good sized bathroom. It even had a little kitchenette area, with a small fridge and microwave. We were very impressed, since I believe it was about 150 Euros a night. The staff person on duty was very friendly when we checked in. We put our bags down, took showers, changed clothes and headed off to look around.
We walked around for about half an hour and wound up by the Pantheon. We decided we were ready for lunch, and set off to find a restaurant. We stopped at a place called Le Berthoud on rue Valette. I had a gateau de champignons with oeuf poche, & jus au cepes (like a mushroom flavored quiche with a poached egg on top) and dorade fish dish. My husband had the dorade and a pot au creme vanille et chocolat. We each had a glass of wine. All was very good and cost 43 Euros.
We then walked over to Saint Germain and wandered around. We went into St. Germain de Pres church. The painted ceilings there were very beautiful. We stopped and bought some pastries for breakfast the next morning and walked back to the hotel to rest and look at our notes to try to decide where to go for dinner. We went down to the front desk at the hotel and they kindly called to make a reservation for us at Petit Pontoise. We went back upstairs and took a brief nap. We headed out for dinner, which was maybe a 5 minute walk away. I had a rack of lamb and my husband had the filet mignon with bordelaise sauce. We had a bottle of the new Beaujolais, at the suggestion of the waitress/owner? I believe she was the only person working in the front of the restaurant. The food was excellent -meat was extremely tender and flavorful-and it was warm, cozy place. After dinner, we were revived and wanted to take advantage of our time, so instead of heading straight to bed, we took a little walk along the Seine and looked at Notre Dame all lighted up and reflected in the Seine. Very, very beautiful!! Finally, we headed back to sleep in what was a very comfortable bed.
May 30th, 2010, 01:32 PM
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Day 2
We woke up and ate our pastries (yummy!) and headed out. I had missed Sainte Chappelle on my previous visit, so that was a priority for me. About 8 years ago, while getting my master's degree, I had taken a course in Romanesque and Gothic art and architecture, so I have a long list of cathedrals, chapels and churches to see in Europe and this was on my list. The stained glass there really is amazing. They had scaffolding around the altar end, as cleaning/renovations were underway, so one day, I'll have to go back again to get the full effect. We looked around the little gift shop in the bottom and bought a CD of music that was recorded there. We then walked around to Notre Dame and got in line to climb the towers. Just as we got in line a huge herd of people showed up-we got there just in time! We had a clear, sunny day that was only a little chilly and we had great views from the top! We then went down into the cathedral and purchased the audio guide. We spent perhaps between an hour and two hours in the cathedral, then went to lunch. We walked over to Ile St. Louis and found a restaurant called Au Lys D’Argent at 90 Ile St. Louis. We both had a salad with walnuts and Roquefort cheese and I had a ham, egg and Gruyere cheese crepe and my husband had a crepe with sugar. I also had a little dish of white cheese. The bill was 30.60 Euros. We then walked down the street to Berthillon and I had a gingerbread ice cream and my husband had a white chocolate ice cream. Very tasty!
We walked on across the river to the Musee Carnavalet and spent several hours there. What an interesting collection that is! It reminds me a little of the Museum of London-has something for everyone, no matter what your interest is. I particularly enjoyed the Marie Antoinette artifacts and the models of the medieval city. We then took the Metro to the Champs Elysees and walked down from the Arc de Triomphe, stopping in Cartier to have a look and in Paul to buy pastries for the next morning’s breakfast. We then got back on the Metro and went to the Eiffel tower to see it sparkle at 6:00 pm. I thought about buying some of those light-up Eiffel towers for my nephews from the guys selling them, but decided the nephews might only end up stabbing each other with them!
(They are all under 5 and rambunctious!)
We then went back to have dinner near our hotel at a seafood place we had seen earlier in the day. It is called La Criee and is at 15 rue La Grange. We were seated at a table right by the front window, which was fun, as we could watch the foot traffic on the street. For starters we both had a little plate of fried prawns, fried fish and a little salad. The fried seafood came with a yummy sweet chili dipping sauce. We also both had the moules mariners w/ frites and shared a bottle of Bordeaux. Two young men came to sit at the table next to us when we were about halfway through our meal. They ordered raw oysters, which were brought out on a very large platter. They worked their way through two more of these platters while we were there, and were still going strong when we left! Our bill was 57.50 Euros total. We really enjoyed our meal here-the mussels were delicious-and the service was very friendly and efficient. Funny thing-when we left, I walked across the street and took a photo of the restaurant. When we got back to the hotel and looked at the picture on the camera, we zoomed in and there were the oyster eaters right in the window, and you can see one of their hands reaching in for another oyster!
Again, we took a walk along the Seine before heading back to the hotel.
Right before we had gone into the restaurant, we had walked across the street to an "8 a Huit" grocery store and got some Bolognese potato chips, bacon French fry chip things and a bottle of Bordeaux wine. We had this as a snack when we got back to the room, as if we hadn’t eaten enough already! We watched some tv and went to sleep. Good thing we had gotten our exercise in with all our walking and our tower climb!
We woke up and ate our pastries (yummy!) and headed out. I had missed Sainte Chappelle on my previous visit, so that was a priority for me. About 8 years ago, while getting my master's degree, I had taken a course in Romanesque and Gothic art and architecture, so I have a long list of cathedrals, chapels and churches to see in Europe and this was on my list. The stained glass there really is amazing. They had scaffolding around the altar end, as cleaning/renovations were underway, so one day, I'll have to go back again to get the full effect. We looked around the little gift shop in the bottom and bought a CD of music that was recorded there. We then walked around to Notre Dame and got in line to climb the towers. Just as we got in line a huge herd of people showed up-we got there just in time! We had a clear, sunny day that was only a little chilly and we had great views from the top! We then went down into the cathedral and purchased the audio guide. We spent perhaps between an hour and two hours in the cathedral, then went to lunch. We walked over to Ile St. Louis and found a restaurant called Au Lys D’Argent at 90 Ile St. Louis. We both had a salad with walnuts and Roquefort cheese and I had a ham, egg and Gruyere cheese crepe and my husband had a crepe with sugar. I also had a little dish of white cheese. The bill was 30.60 Euros. We then walked down the street to Berthillon and I had a gingerbread ice cream and my husband had a white chocolate ice cream. Very tasty!
We walked on across the river to the Musee Carnavalet and spent several hours there. What an interesting collection that is! It reminds me a little of the Museum of London-has something for everyone, no matter what your interest is. I particularly enjoyed the Marie Antoinette artifacts and the models of the medieval city. We then took the Metro to the Champs Elysees and walked down from the Arc de Triomphe, stopping in Cartier to have a look and in Paul to buy pastries for the next morning’s breakfast. We then got back on the Metro and went to the Eiffel tower to see it sparkle at 6:00 pm. I thought about buying some of those light-up Eiffel towers for my nephews from the guys selling them, but decided the nephews might only end up stabbing each other with them!
(They are all under 5 and rambunctious!)We then went back to have dinner near our hotel at a seafood place we had seen earlier in the day. It is called La Criee and is at 15 rue La Grange. We were seated at a table right by the front window, which was fun, as we could watch the foot traffic on the street. For starters we both had a little plate of fried prawns, fried fish and a little salad. The fried seafood came with a yummy sweet chili dipping sauce. We also both had the moules mariners w/ frites and shared a bottle of Bordeaux. Two young men came to sit at the table next to us when we were about halfway through our meal. They ordered raw oysters, which were brought out on a very large platter. They worked their way through two more of these platters while we were there, and were still going strong when we left! Our bill was 57.50 Euros total. We really enjoyed our meal here-the mussels were delicious-and the service was very friendly and efficient. Funny thing-when we left, I walked across the street and took a photo of the restaurant. When we got back to the hotel and looked at the picture on the camera, we zoomed in and there were the oyster eaters right in the window, and you can see one of their hands reaching in for another oyster!
Again, we took a walk along the Seine before heading back to the hotel.
Right before we had gone into the restaurant, we had walked across the street to an "8 a Huit" grocery store and got some Bolognese potato chips, bacon French fry chip things and a bottle of Bordeaux wine. We had this as a snack when we got back to the room, as if we hadn’t eaten enough already! We watched some tv and went to sleep. Good thing we had gotten our exercise in with all our walking and our tower climb!
May 30th, 2010, 02:04 PM
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/50181201@N03/4654262630/
Le Berthoud, this restaurant is a very good place to try out for a meal. I got pigfeet pate and it was wonderful !!. the wine is very good also !!. I won't forget it !!. nice trip report and thanks for sharing !!
Le Berthoud, this restaurant is a very good place to try out for a meal. I got pigfeet pate and it was wonderful !!. the wine is very good also !!. I won't forget it !!. nice trip report and thanks for sharing !!
May 30th, 2010, 02:18 PM
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Day 3
We got up and headed to St. Denis, another church I had studied in my art & architecture class and was just dying to see. It sure didn’t disappoint! It really felt like a magical place. We purchased audio guides and listened to nearly everything-we were there for several hours. The audio guide was well worth the extra money, as I find they usually are, unless you are very knowledgeable about the location. We both felt like this was one of the highlights of our trip and we were so glad we had made the trip to see it.
We went back to St. Germain, and had lunch at a place called Le Danton on Boulevard Saint Germain, which was a very busy diner-like restaurant. I had a croque monsieur and my husband had a chicken club sandwich and we each had a glass of Beaujolais. Service was very fast and the food was good. We headed to Shakespeare and Co. bookstore, then headed back to the Latin Quarter to walk down the rue Mouffetard. It was about 4:30 or so and I think everyone was purchasing their groceries to cook for dinner. There was so much fresh, delicious looking produce, fish, chocolates, etc. I wished I lived there and had a large kitchen---I’d cook up a storm!! We passed several churches on our way there, and on the way back, we stopped in. One was St. Etienne du Mont and I think the other was St. Menard or St. Medard? I always enjoy seeing the different architectural styles.
We went back to the hotel to change for dinner, then went to the Tour Montparnasse to go up for a nighttime view of the city. We went on the outside terrace at the top (windy and very chilly!) and watched the Eiffel Tower sparkle again-so pretty! We then went back inside and each had a glass of Chardonnay with some salt & vinegar chips while sitting and admiring the view over Notre Dame and the Pantheon. In the gift shop, I saw a funny postcard that I regret not buying-it was a little rabbit with bandages on its feet and it just said “Metro Rabbit.” I got so tickled over it, but figured I didn’t need it. We came back down and headed to dinner at L’Ilot Vache, where we had reservations.
We walked along the Seine and across the river to Ile St. Louis. We were glad we had reservations, as it is a small place and every table was full! We were greeted warmly and seated right away. We had a bottle of wine, escargots, brochettes de boeuf. I had the tarte tatin and my husband had the mousse de deux chocolates. We absolutely loved our meal here. It was just warm and cozy and the service was excellent and friendly. I didn’t write the price of this meal down, but I think the 3 course meal was 38 Euros. I think it must have been a little under 100 Euros. We walked along the Seine one last time, as the next day we were to fly home.
Even though we just had three days in Paris, we felt like we saw so much. At the same time, we somehow never felt like we were running from one place to another. We had time to just wander and stop in at places that caught our eye. The food we had was unbelievably good and I think extremely reasonable cost-wise. I had the impression it would be much more expensive than it was. We were also very, very happy with our choice of hotel (with both the room itself, the location and the staff). We’ll definitely stay there again….in fact we have a reservation there this summer, on a leg of our round the world trip (we’ll spend 3.5 days in the Loire Valley, then spend the remainder of that week in Paris). We were very lucky weather-wise as well. It was sunny and cool, but not very cold. In fact, the last day, I put my coat in the hotel room in the afternoon, as it was too warm for it!
Paris is one of our favorite cities and we can’t wait to go back again this summer! I would like to do a little looking in the shops this time. Maybe we'll go up in the Tour Montparnasse again and I'll get that Metro Rabbit postcard!
We got up and headed to St. Denis, another church I had studied in my art & architecture class and was just dying to see. It sure didn’t disappoint! It really felt like a magical place. We purchased audio guides and listened to nearly everything-we were there for several hours. The audio guide was well worth the extra money, as I find they usually are, unless you are very knowledgeable about the location. We both felt like this was one of the highlights of our trip and we were so glad we had made the trip to see it.
We went back to St. Germain, and had lunch at a place called Le Danton on Boulevard Saint Germain, which was a very busy diner-like restaurant. I had a croque monsieur and my husband had a chicken club sandwich and we each had a glass of Beaujolais. Service was very fast and the food was good. We headed to Shakespeare and Co. bookstore, then headed back to the Latin Quarter to walk down the rue Mouffetard. It was about 4:30 or so and I think everyone was purchasing their groceries to cook for dinner. There was so much fresh, delicious looking produce, fish, chocolates, etc. I wished I lived there and had a large kitchen---I’d cook up a storm!! We passed several churches on our way there, and on the way back, we stopped in. One was St. Etienne du Mont and I think the other was St. Menard or St. Medard? I always enjoy seeing the different architectural styles.
We went back to the hotel to change for dinner, then went to the Tour Montparnasse to go up for a nighttime view of the city. We went on the outside terrace at the top (windy and very chilly!) and watched the Eiffel Tower sparkle again-so pretty! We then went back inside and each had a glass of Chardonnay with some salt & vinegar chips while sitting and admiring the view over Notre Dame and the Pantheon. In the gift shop, I saw a funny postcard that I regret not buying-it was a little rabbit with bandages on its feet and it just said “Metro Rabbit.” I got so tickled over it, but figured I didn’t need it. We came back down and headed to dinner at L’Ilot Vache, where we had reservations.
We walked along the Seine and across the river to Ile St. Louis. We were glad we had reservations, as it is a small place and every table was full! We were greeted warmly and seated right away. We had a bottle of wine, escargots, brochettes de boeuf. I had the tarte tatin and my husband had the mousse de deux chocolates. We absolutely loved our meal here. It was just warm and cozy and the service was excellent and friendly. I didn’t write the price of this meal down, but I think the 3 course meal was 38 Euros. I think it must have been a little under 100 Euros. We walked along the Seine one last time, as the next day we were to fly home.
Even though we just had three days in Paris, we felt like we saw so much. At the same time, we somehow never felt like we were running from one place to another. We had time to just wander and stop in at places that caught our eye. The food we had was unbelievably good and I think extremely reasonable cost-wise. I had the impression it would be much more expensive than it was. We were also very, very happy with our choice of hotel (with both the room itself, the location and the staff). We’ll definitely stay there again….in fact we have a reservation there this summer, on a leg of our round the world trip (we’ll spend 3.5 days in the Loire Valley, then spend the remainder of that week in Paris). We were very lucky weather-wise as well. It was sunny and cool, but not very cold. In fact, the last day, I put my coat in the hotel room in the afternoon, as it was too warm for it!
Paris is one of our favorite cities and we can’t wait to go back again this summer! I would like to do a little looking in the shops this time. Maybe we'll go up in the Tour Montparnasse again and I'll get that Metro Rabbit postcard!
May 30th, 2010, 02:20 PM
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The Carnavalet is great, isn't it? I too like the medieval city models and the Marie Antoinette stuff. But the latter I find rather sad, especially some of the final paintings of the royal family. But you can't beat the price! Not enough people manage to find their way there. Love Sainte-Chapelle too and share your interest in Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
This would be useful info to give others who are wondering what to do with only 1 or 2 days in Paris. Many people try to scramble to see as much as possible but I liked your relax and enjoy the atmosphere approach. See some sites or museums, eat/drink some good French food/wine, take a stroll, take a nap, eat/drink more good French food/wine and stroll around some more and soak up the ambiance while seeing the sites and just get the vibe of the beauty of the city. Then get a good night sleep and wake up to pastries for breakfast. Sounds like you made the most out of your 2 days here.
This would be useful info to give others who are wondering what to do with only 1 or 2 days in Paris. Many people try to scramble to see as much as possible but I liked your relax and enjoy the atmosphere approach. See some sites or museums, eat/drink some good French food/wine, take a stroll, take a nap, eat/drink more good French food/wine and stroll around some more and soak up the ambiance while seeing the sites and just get the vibe of the beauty of the city. Then get a good night sleep and wake up to pastries for breakfast. Sounds like you made the most out of your 2 days here.
May 30th, 2010, 06:04 PM
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''but I liked your relax and enjoy the atmosphere approach. See some sites or museums, eat/drink some good French food/wine, take a stroll, take a nap, eat/drink more good French food/wine and stroll around some more and soak up the ambiance while seeing the sites and just get the vibe of the beauty of the city. Then get a good night sleep and wake up to pastries for breakfast. "
This is the most smartest comment that I have ever read on this forum !..this is what I did last year for 30 days and I hope that I can do that again in the future...
"Those who say that money is not important are lying," "People say that money does not buy happiness. It doesn't?"
This is the most smartest comment that I have ever read on this forum !..this is what I did last year for 30 days and I hope that I can do that again in the future...
"Those who say that money is not important are lying," "People say that money does not buy happiness. It doesn't?"
May 30th, 2010, 07:28 PM
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Very nice easy-going, relaxed and balanced trip report with just the right amount of interesting information, food details (!) and quirky anecdotes (oyster eaters in your pic) to make for a very enjoyable read. Thanks very much.
M
M
May 31st, 2010, 01:23 PM
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I still don't understand why someone would pay a high airfare and only stay around 3 days. you can find a hotel 40 or 50 eurs a night to just take a shower, sleep, and change clothes. walking around the city in the streets enjoying the sites is free. why not stay longer instead of cramming the whole city int 3 days and not really getting to enjoy and experience the city at a normal slower pace. you can make out a very good cheap budget for wine and food if you do your research before you go. staying longer is much cheaper. I know that everyone is different but, to me, 30 days in Paris is minimum and that still isn't long enought. happy travels !!. see you in Paris !!
May 31st, 2010, 01:51 PM
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Glad you have all enjoyed the report! It was a fun three days and was fun to re-live it writing the report!
sicilyan-money really isn't the issue, it's a matter of vacation time. With our jobs, we don't have that much-30 days is pretty unusual in the US. I sure do wish it were different! This summer, I'll have longer because I'll be between jobs, but don't know when that will happen again.
So, I'd rather go and have three great days than not go at all. We have a direct, non-stop flight from where we live, so it's easy to do. I could spend 7 hours sitting at my house in the evening, and wake up at home for a long weekend, or I can sit on a plane for 7 hours and wake up in Paris. The money is the only issue, and we just looked for an acceptable fare for us, and went. I certainly can understand how others might not want to spend the money on just three days, however.
Happy travels to you too!
sicilyan-money really isn't the issue, it's a matter of vacation time. With our jobs, we don't have that much-30 days is pretty unusual in the US. I sure do wish it were different! This summer, I'll have longer because I'll be between jobs, but don't know when that will happen again.
So, I'd rather go and have three great days than not go at all. We have a direct, non-stop flight from where we live, so it's easy to do. I could spend 7 hours sitting at my house in the evening, and wake up at home for a long weekend, or I can sit on a plane for 7 hours and wake up in Paris. The money is the only issue, and we just looked for an acceptable fare for us, and went. I certainly can understand how others might not want to spend the money on just three days, however.
Happy travels to you too!
May 31st, 2010, 02:15 PM
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DH and I have done several long weekends in Paris from NY (3 - 4 days), it's a 6 hour non stop flight and plenty worth it for us. We have always had such a great time. We've been there about 21 times, so no need to do all the tourist things at this point. When we get there it feels like home, and we don't have to think. At this point, 4 days is just perfect for us! Besides, I'd still would rather be in Paris.
May 31st, 2010, 02:16 PM
#16
Two young men came to sit at the table next to us when we were about halfway through our meal. They ordered raw oysters, which were brought out on a very large platter. They worked their way through two more of these platters while we were there, and were still going strong when we left!>>
lol florida, if we'd been sitting next to you, we'd have been donig the same thing. we just love oysters.
glad you got to St. Chapelle - on our recent trip we got there AFTER the crowds had arrived, and turned tail at the sight of the queue. [sigh]. hopefully next time.
lol florida, if we'd been sitting next to you, we'd have been donig the same thing. we just love oysters.
glad you got to St. Chapelle - on our recent trip we got there AFTER the crowds had arrived, and turned tail at the sight of the queue. [sigh]. hopefully next time.
May 31st, 2010, 02:28 PM
#17
Enjoyed your report of our favorite city. You seem to vacation as we do, taking our time and not rushing around.
L'Ilot Vache is one of our "go to" restaurants. It's just so cute with good food and service. We eat there 1 or 2 times each trip. I made notes of your other dinners for future use.
I wish we could go to Paris for a few days, but as we live in the Midwest, it's quite a long flight for us so we always go for 10-14 days.
As others have said----I just can't get enough of Paris.
L'Ilot Vache is one of our "go to" restaurants. It's just so cute with good food and service. We eat there 1 or 2 times each trip. I made notes of your other dinners for future use.
I wish we could go to Paris for a few days, but as we live in the Midwest, it's quite a long flight for us so we always go for 10-14 days.
As others have said----I just can't get enough of Paris.
May 31st, 2010, 03:32 PM
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TPAYT--I read about L'Ilot Vache from you on a thread here on Fodors!! I have a feeling we'll end up there again on our visit there this summer!
annhig--we love oysters too, but I've never seen anyone eat so many!!
Lori-glad someone else does the wild long weekend that we love so much!
annhig--we love oysters too, but I've never seen anyone eat so many!!
Lori-glad someone else does the wild long weekend that we love so much!
Jun 1st, 2010, 12:32 PM
#19
annhig--we love oysters too, but I've never seen anyone eat so many!!>>
normally, my oyster comsumption is limited by my wallet, not my apetite. I would certainly not balk at eating at least 12 at a sitting. If I were lucky enough to be able to go to paris more often, I might manage more!
normally, my oyster comsumption is limited by my wallet, not my apetite. I would certainly not balk at eating at least 12 at a sitting. If I were lucky enough to be able to go to paris more often, I might manage more!
Jun 1st, 2010, 01:41 PM
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I'm with Annhig on the oyster thing ! I love them too.
We once had an impromptu work night-out for our group of 16 and our generous boss (it was on the company tab lol) decided that we'd be going to a well known oyster bar noted for its inconspicuity but excellent selection. The private room was reserved and bucket upon bucket of all types of the shellfish from around the world were ordered, together with an unlimited flow of the beverage of choice (since we were all either bankers or lawyers, it was beer and chablis). What a feast ! I stopped counting after I consumed my 36th bi-valve from New Zealand or Japan or the Pacific West coast. Some were briny, others sweet.
After a few hours, and in a moment of spirited misjudgement, one of the waiters decided to help us toast one of my colleagues who had recently become engaged, by suddenly producing a pair of scissors and with great fanfare, cutting his Hermes tie in two ! We were shocked into silence by his audacity. The tie-wearer was not pleased but being very diplomatic, didn't say a word, even though one of the ladies then showed him how to fashion a bow tie from the pieces. I think it was around that time that we all left. Satisfied and bemused.
We once had an impromptu work night-out for our group of 16 and our generous boss (it was on the company tab lol) decided that we'd be going to a well known oyster bar noted for its inconspicuity but excellent selection. The private room was reserved and bucket upon bucket of all types of the shellfish from around the world were ordered, together with an unlimited flow of the beverage of choice (since we were all either bankers or lawyers, it was beer and chablis). What a feast ! I stopped counting after I consumed my 36th bi-valve from New Zealand or Japan or the Pacific West coast. Some were briny, others sweet.
After a few hours, and in a moment of spirited misjudgement, one of the waiters decided to help us toast one of my colleagues who had recently become engaged, by suddenly producing a pair of scissors and with great fanfare, cutting his Hermes tie in two ! We were shocked into silence by his audacity. The tie-wearer was not pleased but being very diplomatic, didn't say a word, even though one of the ladies then showed him how to fashion a bow tie from the pieces. I think it was around that time that we all left. Satisfied and bemused.
