starrs

I read the OP of the TR.

Tell us, suze. Where did she pick up the food she took on the plane? Please enlighten us.

kerouac

As much food as possible, absolutely everywhere, was definitely a major theme of this report.

That's okay.

starrs

I hope to follow in her footsteps in a few months. Loved watching the trip unfold via Facebook. Her adventures was a main reason I decided to take a Paris detour while on my London trip this spring!

tanoose1

Thanks everyone. Food is a total obsession. Hey, I'm Lebanese, what can I say!

I spoke with Anderson from delta. We have been playing phone tag since I got home from paris. We finally hooked up 2 days ago. He just wanted to thank me for my glowing compliment I sent to Delta when I got home. And speak to someone from his hometown. He's home sick.

Anderson said the Delta crew love when passengers bring them food. He said sometimes it's a real hassle for them to get a decent meal when going from flight to flight or being stuck behind a desk/counter all day. They get it.. Not everyone is a piece of work trying to inflict something mean or poison them. As I said before, I bring food, Krispy Kreme donuts (they go nuts for them) Lebanese food and Pasteries. Ask my Sita would say "you eat"...I'm going to Disney next month with my family "Baby Jesus help me" and I will be bringing food for the crew as I will in May when I head to Cancun.

Some little things from Paris...

The people were awesome. I miss that whole trying to understand and get on the same page as them.

Window licking. My God, Paris is the fashion capital. Next time I am buying some clothes.

The food. The bread. The smells. The eating. I ain't finding that here in Detroit.

Eating. As some of you may know, I have 4 grandchildren, 3 that are triplets. Being at their house for weeks on end makes for not eating a decent quiet meal. And being in the restaurant business you rarely get to sit down and have a meal without interruption. So for the longest time I kept telling myself, When I get to paris I will through down, and I did.

I loved the 6 th. Everything was within walking distance. And yes, I used cabs out of sheer laziness and being pooped. I will stay at the same hotel next November if I can swing it. And that cafe L Atlas is calling my heart and tummy.

I'm truly missing Paris..

Mathieu

I hope I'm on your flight the next time! I have a lot of Lebanese and other Arab friends (including Syrian, Jordanian and just recently a family from Muscat) and we always enjoy the delicious fried, stuffed and fresh foods from the region when we get together. I've visited the Middle East 3 times and food has always been a big and wonderful memory every time. Thanks to these friends, I can now make Mansaf, and a kofta/kibbeh dish that's cooked in tahini instead of tomatoes (can't remember the name), in addition to the basics. Yum!

Don't worry, Paris will be waiting for you when you're ready for your next visit. And we'll await the report too

rialtogrl

tanoose1, the market in the 12th you went to could have been the Place d'Aligre market. Your friend is very lucky to do his daily shopping there.

Does your restaurant serve Lebanese food? If you feel comfortable, can you let us know the name? I want to visit Detroit, especially after reading that article in the New York Times last month suggesting it is the most exciting city in America. And I love Lebanese food. If you don't want to post the name, no worries.

Your report was fun to read. Thank you for taking the time to write it.

Weekender

So enjoyed reading this! I was in Paris last weekend and we had a drink at the Cafe Laurent last Friday night. I have stayed at the d'Aubusson and it certainly is a lovely hotel in all respects.

We stood in line in the freezing cold to get in Pierre Herme. The place is way too claustrophobic but certainly has great stuff to be sure.

barbrn

This was a fun read. You have a great can do spirit.

The Karen Carpenter mention was a bit much for me, I know too many sufferers of her disease, but otherwise I enjoyed reading about all your food adventures. I can only imagine how welcome you make all your guests at your restaurant. And can also only imagine how good all your food is.

I love Paris, but do not know it as well as you or many on this thread do. Paris at anytime is magic though in my opinion. Good on you for helping the homeless. And wow on the Notre Dame light show. That building is so magnificent, I cannot believe it could be even more so.

Enjoy Disney with the grands. They sound like they are at a good age for that destination.

kerouac

<i>I loved the 6th. Everything was within walking distance.</i>

It is really a shame if you really believe that. Paris is so much more than just the hypercenter.

If you love Middle Eastern food, you should really visit Belleville or Barbès or Porte de Montreuil some day, just to name three places. Of course the high end Middle Eastern food is around the Champs Elysées, the epicenter of the high end Middle Eastern tourists.

yestravel

Of course "Paris is so much more than just the hypercenter." Most big cities are, but when tourists go to any major city they typically want to see the major sites. I get whah she says about the 6th "everything was within walking distance." If one wants to go to what woudl be considered the major or main sites in Paris, the 6th is a good location to stay.

Just because the OP said she is Lebanese what makes you think she wants to have Middle Eastern food while visiting Paris? When my french friends visit the last place I would think to take them is to a french restaurant.

Nikki

Kerouac, I know what you’re trying to say, you are an ambassador for the outer arrondissements of Paris. But how can you say it’s a shame for the poster to say she loved staying where she did, she loved walking to the things she could walk to?

She had a great time. Would she have had an even better time in a different location? Who knows? Maybe she’ll try another location another time, although it sounds like she loved her stay so much she would likely plan to go back there.

I have stayed in a bunch of different locations in Paris, inner and outer arrondissements, and I’ve liked them all. It’s a vacation for this poster, a rare chance to relax by herself, and she seems to have done it in great style. No harm, no foul in staying in a part of the city she enjoyed greatly, even if it wouldn’t be your first choice.

kerouac

Nikki, my concern was more specific. Tanoose said (I will repeat it): <i>Everything was within walking distance.</i>

This is an extremely limited view of not just Paris but of many other cities. Perhaps everything she <b>saw</b> was within walking distance, but it means that the view of Paris was tiny. And that's what I saw is a shame.

Frankly, I consider myself to be one of the more open posters about Paris here. Recently I dined with some other Parisians who post on this board and they were sort of snickering as they said "I tell all of them to go to the 6th. That keeps them out of our hair." I really wish that the 6th arrondissement were not such a ghetto for Americans, but that's what it has become. Another (French) person at the dinner said, "whenever I eat in the 6th, the waiters try to speak to me in English." So, yes, I can see why a lot of people think it is a paradise, but they are really missing out on a lot. So be it.

starrs

Well, I agree with her.

I think the breakdown in communication is the reader's definition of "everything". EVERY thing available in Paris may not be in walking distance but the 6th is centrally located and just about every thing I need/want is in walking distance. Hopefully one day I'll have time enough to experience 1/100 of what kerouac has experienced in Paris. But until then, I completely agree with her description of the 6th.

"Recently I dined with some other Parisians who post on this board and they were sort of snickering as they said "I tell all of them to go to the 6th. That keeps them out of our hair."

I have no idea who those Fodorites might be, but I imagine the feelings may be mutual. Snicker away.

yestravel

"Recently I dined with some other Parisians who post on this board and they were sort of snickering as they said "I tell all of them to go to the 6th. That keeps them out of our hair."

I think those posters are pretty identifiable. It's a shame they feel that way about people who want to explore and enjoy their city as well as bring money into their economy. I live in Washington, DC and we get our fair share of tourists. I could not imagine feeling the way these people do. Perhaps that is why Paris gets its reputation for being snooty. (Which I have never found to be the case except by some posters on this forum.)

kerouac

"Explore" ? I think that you have made it clear that exploration is out of the question.

Funny that some of you always think about the money that you bring to the economy. That says a lot about you.

starrs

I'm not on the Europe forum enough to identify them, and for that I am glad. "Snooty" may be a fitting word. I can think of others.

The "snicker" comment really irked me. It reminds me of a story my BIL told about a visit to DisneyWorld. During a long wait for a ride, his family was behind a German family. They spent the time observing and critiquing other park guests. In general, they were very unkind. Just before it was time to get on the ride, my BIL responded at length to their comments. They were aghast. They had been mean in (unplaced) confidence that no one could understand what they were saying. French is my BIL's mother tongue but he is fluent in many languages. I would have loved to be there to watch that unfold. I would happily opt out of interactions with any Fodorites who would snicker at visitors who enjoy staying in the 6th. Who needs that kind of energy in their lives?

yestravel

If one has never been to Paris or anywhere for that matter -- any place you go would be exploring since it's all new territory to you.

Nice for those of you who don't need to be concerned about the economy. Says alot about you.

xcountry

There should be a new smiley to allow the snickerers to communicate with each other.

comes close, but doesn’t quite capture it.

rialtogrl

xcountry, I know who you are now, and I love that you are back! Maybe the new forum will have the needed smiley.

Belinda

Kerouac, why don't you put together a simple plan for "five perfect days" on your first trip to Paris? Or if that's too much, how about just three days? Including some basic restaurant recommendations.