Valentine's night

Looking back:

February saw the Feast of Saint Valentine, and high on the butte behind the doors of a once private mansion awaited a surprise evening.

Above: arriving at the Hotel Particulier; inside, special décor for a very special night

Hôtel Particulier Montmartre

Pavillon, 23 Avenue Junot D, 75018

More in March newsletter

Wine time

Paris wine restaurants and wine bars: why are they so special?

March newsletter

Palatial

Baby sister of the Grand Palais just across the street, the Petit Palais is one of the grandest museums in Paris.

Le Petit Palais

Avenue Winston Churchill 75008

Tea?

At Twinings tea room above W. H. Smith English bookstore, rue de Rivoli.

Below: a cheddar and chutney plate

"Le salon de thé le plus secret de Paris..."

Love locked

Love locks atop the highest point in Paris.

Ralph's is always a good idea

A cozy respite, a lingering lunch, a wintry day. 

Above: my truffle cheeseburger, frites maison and cocktail du jour (champagne, Cointreau, rosé); entry courtyard

Below: view from our table near the fireplace that dominates the main dining room

RALPH'S
173 Boulevard Saint-Germain 75006

For Ralph

Louvre-ing

In the grand courtyard of the Louvre on a sunny day in February.

Fashion Week 2/2020

This Monday the city becomes a (fun) madhouse as designers present their collections.

Monday February 24 - Tuesday March 3

Starters

Above: snails in parsley garlic butter

 

Below: foie gras de canard on toasts, as entrées

Le Comptoir du Relais

5 Carrefour de l'Odéon 75006

Chef de cuisine: Yves Camdeborde

Leonardo

Last days for the Leonardo di Vinci exhibition at the Musée du Louvre.

- Ends February 24 -

Below: The Last Supper

Strike up the band

A small band set up on Place des Abbesses.

Feet first

King François I and Queen Claude de France repose side by side within the Basilica of Saint Denis.

Sideways heart

A chocolate heart tops my chocolat chaud.

Saint Valentin 2020

Joyeuse Saint Valentin

Wintry

It's winter in Montmartre. Will there be snow?

Holiday crumbs

All the month of January and even into February traditional galettes des rois were king.

Above: almond and butter cream pastry frangipane filling

Gérard Mulot

78 rue de Seine 75006 

Dalí: tout simplement

At the age of six, Salvador Dali (1904-1989) wanted to be a cook. At the age of seven, he wanted to be Napoleon. "Since then," he later said, "my ambition has steadily grown, and my megalomania with it. Now I want only to be Salvador Dali, I have no greater wish."

Dalí. The Paintings

Authors: Robert Descharnes and Gilles Neret

TASCHEN

2 rue de Buci 75006

Better with beer

Shellfish platter lunch at our local café.

Morning toast

A pink Champagne "Welcome To Paris" toast from the window of a Montmartre apartment.

Café fleuri

Bright flowers at this Left Bank corner café cheer up a winter's day.

Café Cassette
73 rue de Rennes 75006

Tartine lunch

Simple, light, beautiful lunch entre Parisiennes on the Left Bank.

Above: jambon cru, house mayo on grilled Pain Poilâne; miso soup starter

Hello dolly

An antique doll in a storefront window in the Marais district.

***

Tonight and every Wednesday:

Live music starting at 7 p.m.
Le Grand Comptoir d'Anvers
2 Place d'Anvers 75009

Then, and now

Back wall in local café-restaurant before its overhaul.

Below: same wall, after

Couper le souffle

Does chocolate soufflé get any better than this?

February newsletter
 Nouveautés 

 

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Merci Jean-Marc

Farewell, Monsieur Bleu

Yesterday saw the funeral of Michou, a living legend whose cabaret on rue des Martyrs was a Montmartre fixture since 1956 and inspired the film, "La Cage aux Folles." 

 Below: Michou's portrait precedes his hearse painted in his trademark sky blue; mourners arriving; crowd at cemetery door

 ***

  From "Out On The Town: Best Offbeat Performance” - USA Today Paris City Guide
by Barbara Pasquet James

Best Offbeat Performance - Chez Michou. Ancient drag queens cavort in a tiny, elegant and expensive boite de nuit on a tiny, elegant stage. The show is decidedly French, and, depending on who’s up when you go, you’ll see everyone from Edith Piaf to Sammy Davis Jr. who incredibly morphs into Shirley Bassey mid-number. Phone: 01 46 06 16 04, 80 rue des Martyrs, 75018. (Métro: Abbesses or Pigalle)

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Adieu Prince Bleu de Montmartre