PE I too am really enjoying your report. I will be in Paris this March and I am for sure having tea at Hotel Atheena. I would love to stay there, but OH LA LA, the price of a room.

Can't wait for more.

Theresa in Detroit.

Great report, looking forward to the rest.

My wife and I sat in 21H&J both directions on our last trip. One direction we had an equipment swap, but at least we had it on our return.

United 777 XC or XI (not all UA 777s, though). The rows in front of 21H&J are crew rest seats, which is why there's so much room.

But the key is to check seatguru.com or seatexpert.com once you know what kind of plane you're on. You might be able to score great seats, but you'll at least (hopefully) be able to avoid the worst seats on the plane.

Don't know if these will still be desirable when UA finally gets around to reconfiguring the business and first class cabins on their 777s, but that may be a couple of years off.

Addendum: Actually, seatexpert shows that on the newly reconfigured UA international 777s, the desirable seats will be 24J&K, but some newly configured 777s won't have crew rest seats.

Love, love, LOVE your trip report. I especially love the mental pic of you sliding around every which way on your 21J seat. Thanks for the laugh! :))

Thanks everyone for your kind comments. The next chapter is coming soon.

Zooey 91 is right. Seat 21J is on some United 777's. Check seatguru to see if its available.

looking forward to the next installment!

Great report! Anticipating the next installment! :)

Chapter 4: Crazy for Costes Cafes and the Enormous Profiterole

The Costes brothers own a ton of cafes in Paris (really around 40) and one very "chi-chi" hotel, the Hotel Costes. Being an A-list celebrity and one of the beautiful people does not guarantee entrance to the Hotel Costes bar on a Saturday night. Its that exclusive. They are so exclusive that their web site has nothing on it - just the name of the hotel and a phone number for reservations. No, Samantha and I did not crash the gates there yet.... we always have next year. Instead, we hung out at two of my favorite Costes cafes in Paris, the Cafe Marly and the Cafe Beaubourg.

The Costes formula is simple - a wide variety of dishes with something for everyone, strikingly modern interiors, and wait staff that are as gorgeous as they are indifferent. Sounds overpriced and pretentious? Why do I like to hang out there? For the views of course, and I don't mean looking at the models moonlighting as waiters :)

Cafe Marly

After a long day of window shopping, Samantha and I jump on the Number 1 Metro line to return to our apartment. Since we are jet-lagged and not great at keeping time in the best of circumstances, it is rush hour. And, the metro is packed. We feel like sardines. I grab Samantha's coat and motion that I am getting off at Palais Royal. Samantha stumbles off behind me asking "Why are we getting off here?"

"Cafe Marly" , I smile.

"Great idea. Beats being crushed on the metro."

I love the Cafe Marly. It is actually housed in the Louvre. The tables on the Louvre's towering terrace are a stone's throw from the famous I.M. Pei pyramid. Sitting at the Cafe Marly, I like to look at the scale of the buildings, and try to imagine that at one time this was the royal residence. I've read that it would take you 24 hours to walk through every passageway/room in the Louvre - it is that huge.

My favorite time to visit the Cafe Marly is right before sunset. I watch the sun set behind the palace, with the light dancing off of the reflecting pools and gray stone of the surrounding buildings.

Just as the courtyard is enveloped in dusk, "poof", the golden lights of the pyramid come on. Stunning and an experience that I never get tired of.

Samantha and I stand on the terrace, doing the chit-chat, waiting to be seated at a table. We wait and wait while three waiters are enjoying their own chit-chat.

Finally, after much hand waving, we get their attention. The waiter is apologizing for the delay while I motion at the table I would like to sit at. My favorite spot is at the small tables at the edge of the stone balcony with an unobstructed view of the glowing pyramids.

Samantha sees where I am pointing. "No way. Its too cold there and there is no heaters. We'll sit back here, " She directs the waiter.

"Come on Samantha. We need to see the pyramids." I whine, "It's not that cold. Just put your hat and gloves on".

"You're crazy. Its around 40 degrees out. I'm sitting under a heater." We sit at a table directly underneath a heater. "See this isn't that bad. You can still see the Pyramids. No one is sitting in front of us. " I notice that absolutely no one is sitting at the prime tables.

Chilled, I sink down into my warm, white, linen padded armchair and sigh. Since I've had kids, sitting on white anything when food is involved seems very decadent. I notice that I have a view of the pyramids, and Samantha is sitting across from me. This is not good.

"Samantha, you have to move."

She looks up from the menu.

"You can't see the pyramids. You're staring at a stone wall. Move over here so you can see the pyramids."

She looks at me like I am crazy. "I'm fine. I've seen the pyramids a hundred times. I just took a freaking movie of the pyramids." She waves her cell phone at me.

"But the view is the best part of this place. And, who knows we may never be here again." I pout dramatically.

"You are being ridiculous. You always act like this may be your last time here, but nothing can keep you away from Paris. " She drags her chair around the side of the table to humor me. I smile contentedly. When our champagne arrives, I toast to "carpe diem."

As we drink our glasses of Lanson champagne (11 euros), and split a large chicken satay appetizer (14 euros), I mention "Did you know that when I.M. Pei designed the pyramids that a new type of glass had to be developed. There was no existing glass in the world that had the strength, and clearness needed. And the glass couldn't be reflective, so that the pyramids are transparent against the other buildings. Isn't that amazing?"

She looks amused. She is used to me being an encyclopedia of esoteric facts about Paris. WT marvels that I can remember architectural details of monuments six thousand miles from my home (like there are 698 glass triangles in the pyramids - not 666 - that's an urban legend), but I can't remember our wedding anniversary. I know that its Feb. 13... I mean 11th, or maybe its the 12th. Its definitely in February though.

We turn our attention to trying to flag down a waiter to bring back my credit card that he disappeared with 30 minutes previously. I don't really mind the wait as long as I can look at the pyramids.

If you're more into sculpture than architecture, sit inside in the strikingly elegant, but modern, dining room.

Many tables overlook the Louvre's sculpture garden, filled with priceless artifacts from Grecian and Roman times. The menu is a mix of elegant French cuisine like grilled lamb tenderloin with haricot verts and truffle endive salad, and more normal fare like penne pasta and burgers with fries. If you're getting tired of French fare, Samantha swears that the Marly's hamburgers are the best she's had in Paris. The wine selection is good with wines starting at 7 euros a glass.

And, don't forget to peek into the elaborate stone and glass bathrooms upstairs. Even the bathrooms fit the "royal residence" theme.

For budget travelers, BYOB and sit in one of the many built-in stone benches on the ground level of the Louvre. You'll miss the cafe elegance, but the view is the same.

Address: 93 rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
Tel: 01 49 26 06 60

For great pictures of the Louve pyramids and Cafe Marly, links to menu and other facts, please visit my webpage at http://www.parisescapes.com/paris_tr...v07_chap4.html

Coming Soon Chapter 4 Continued: The Enormous Profiterole.

I am LOVING this report. Paris is my favorite place on earth, and your report is making me very "homesick". Although I've never lived in Paris, I can dream...

Parisescapes,

Love, Love, Love your trip report! How is it that I only caught your thread today? It seems like the same lame threads keep on getting upped, yet you have to dig around for gems like these!

I might have only flown once to Europe on a UA 777, but have never heard of 21J...makes me extremely jealous! The leg rooms seems huuuge, but was it a busy/noisy area due to it being near crew rest seats?

I'm a big tea drinker(never liked the taste of coffee), and I'm a bit bummed that I never heard of the two tea salons that you just mentioned...especially since we were just there in May :(

Was was the tea list at La Fourmi Ailée like? I'm guessing you can just walk in an order, no need for reservation?

Your tea at Hotel Plaza seems intriguing - no reservations required? Tea and treats for 20 euros seems like a bargain compared to the outrageous prices in London!

Loved your story about the taxi ride...at least it will be a ride you and your friend will never forget - nor will your pocketbooks!

Just clicked on your link at parisescapes...is this your website? I remember being directed here when researching our trip to Paris. I have to hunt around your site more, but I do remember that I loved some of your trips for shopping around Paris!

What a fun read! Can't wait to read more. Merci, PE. ((#))

No, you don't need reservations for tea at the the PA's Galerie des Gobelins (I've never had them, and I wonder if they even take reservations for it...it's just a lobby salon). But if you plan to be there at a certain time, it wouldn't hurt to call.

Fun to be there late in the afternoon as everyone comes back from their day's sightseeing and/or shopping.

http://www.plaza-athenee-paris.com/r...a_galerie.html

Thanks everybody for reading and commenting on my Travel Tales from Paris. Since I've been getting such great feedback, I'll keep posting. Look for more next week.

Anna - Yes, Paris Escapes is my web site. I'm glad that you found it helpful on your trip to Paris last May. I hope that you can travel back soon. I lived briefly in Paris thinking that it would cure me of my "Paris bug" - you know the "grass is always greener" and "living somewhere and vacationing somewhere" are different. Nope, I am even more obsessed, and started my website to live vicariously in Paris every day and to help people have a great trip experience.

I started writing these tales when I was updating my website and was bored with writing in a dry, research oriented tone. I showed them to my husband and friends and they encouraged me to post them here and I'm glad that I did. Of course, my husband was a little concerned that I was letting out his "21J" secret :)

Seat 21J is on a United 777.The crew seats in front of 21J are for crews that are required to rest on long haul flights, so it is very quiet. I think this seat has so much legroom, so that you can't kick the seat in front of you and keep the crew awake.

I didn't have reservations at either of the tearooms. You can walk right in.

Here's the link to the menu at Fourmi Allee. I really love this place - it was like an oasis from the hustle and bustle of the Latin Quarter.

http://www.premiumwanadoo.com/parisr...MenuFourmi.php

Thanks again for the positive feedback. I'll be offline for the weekend, and post again next week.

Thanks Btilke and Paris escapes for the info on not needing reservations...even better! One can just waltz right in when you feel like it - although I'm guessing tea time is just for certain hours of the afternoon?

Paris escapes -

I'm so glad you decided to keep posting your trip report! I can't imagine what it would be like living in Paris, but I'm sure it was a dream come true! I looked at your walk around Ile Saint Louis - we just stayed on the Island, and I almost fell out of my chair laughing at your comment about the cheese shop! DS and I walked in, sooo happy that we could finally enter a french cheese shop, only to exit in about 30 seconds due to the smell. I'm extremely sensitive to smells(I can't even walk near the Lush soap stores) - do all the cheese shops smell the same way? I may just have to buy all my cheese at the open air markets :)

There were a few stores that you mentioned that I'm a bit bummed I didn't come across - if I could be so bold, I didn't notice Amorino on your list.

Can't wait for Monday(and we will be holding you to that!) for you to continue your trip report. I noticed on one of your older threads(maybe ending 2006) that you said you would put up a trip report for that trip, but I didn't see any. If you ever want to put up that trip report, I'm sure we would all love to hear about it!

At most places in Paris, tea isn't the tourist "event" that it is in London. Which means you're usually able to just walk in. The Mariages Freres spots might are among the few exceptions...they can get very crowded.

Another "cheap luxury" spot for tea or afternoon drinks is L'Esplanade over by Les Invalides on the Left Bank. Plush, comfy seats, good service. Serves a variety of Mariages Freres tea by the pot. But it's not a child friendly spot...I go there often by myself or with my husband. But I made the mistake of taking my brother-in-law, his wife and their toddler in there. The staff weren't thrilled. "Pas de poussettes!" they told me emphatically (no strollers). My 2 yo niece was well behaved (for her age, that is, meaning she was a cute, chirpy, tiny barbarian). But it was pretty clear we weren't being encouraged to linger. OTOH, when I was back there on my own in December 07, I had a warm welcome and spent a lovely hour just relaxing, enjoying the view, atmosphere, and a couple of glasses of champagne. Reservations definitely needed for meals, but not for afternoon drinks.
http://www.fra.cityvox.fr/bars-et-bo...035/PhotosLieu

Forgot to add, both spots are pretty good for celebrity spotting. At the PA's Galerie des Gobelin, every time I've been there I've been seated next to (or across from) famous American rap, hip hop, or R&B stars. At L'Esplanade, it's mostly French celebrities, particularly TV presenters.

Thanks so much for the info Btilke! Makes me a bit nervous now to go to PA's Galerie des Gobelin. I think if I actually ran across celebrities, I would be half trying to seem ambivelant and half staring at them with sideway glances :)

Thought it was funny the type of people you see there - it didn't really seem like a place you would find a bunch of rap/hip-hop people to be!

Topping in the hopes of Parisescapes putting in another segment for her trip!

ditto!