Tasting Tuesday

 

 

A very special evening with very special friends.

 

 💕

 

 Paris dining can be a gamble - even at revered Michelin-starred spots where atmosphere and reputation sometimes mask uneven execution. Their clientele, often made up of passing tourists, mostly from the U.S. and drawn in by rave reviews, can leave feeling shortchanged and unlikely to return. When complaints surface, the response is often swift but superficial: a polished, formulaic apology (typically in French - “Nous sommes désolés pour votre expérience, nous espérons vous revoir bientôt”) - followed by a bit of digital stagecraft. Suddenly, pristine photos of the very dishes in question appear online, looking nothing like what arrived at the table - or what showed up as an Instagram video when a celebrity chef just happened to have stopped by - paired with a fresh wave of glowing reviews ready to lure the next round of hopeful diners. - BPJ
 
May newsletter: Spotting the right spots 

 

Mocha Monday

 L'Art de... Vivre. Coffee and fruit.

Soaring Saturday

The awe-inspiring nave of the Collège des Bernardins, founded in 1245.

***

If you like to bask in Gothic architecture as much as I do, then this little-known-to-outsiders collège, a former Cistercian college/monastery complex of the University of Paris, hits all the marks. It includes significant surviving Gothic elements from the original Cistercian monastic buildings and cloister area that were part of the dense cluster of religious and scholarly institutions in the medieval Latin Quarter. A vibrant cultural venue today, it regularly hosts a rich program of concerts (especially classical music, chamber music, and sacred music), along with many other activities. Its Gothic nave offers exceptional acoustics, which makes performances feel almost transcendent. - BPJ

Collège des Bernardins

20 rue de Poissy 75005

Floral Friday

 

Coffee and flowers... and iced matcha, pastries, more.

 Café les Artizans

64 rue de Seine 75006

  

Thursday therapy

Cellphones: the portable therapist.

 

Walking the dog Wednesday

 

A golden retriever illuminates Place de Furstemberg on a gray morning.

 

Tête-à-tête Tuesday

 A heart-to-heart with the towers of Notre Dame Cathedral as a backdrop.