Freckles

Went to the final of the 6 classes of my "Basics of Wine" course at the Cordon Bleu tonight. I have enjoyed the program very much. In case any of you are interested, the next Cordon Bleu wine classes start the week of April 5th. I think I am going to sign up for the intermediate course which will begin on the 6th of April.

No problem, Magnolia! I really appreciated the offer and had a great time even without what would have I'm sure been your excellent suggestions. Off to Switzerland for work tomorrow morning, but quick checkin to say: first night stayed in a cheap and sufficient 2* in Dijon called the Jaquemart Hotel. It was all we required for a late Friday night: somewhere to crash and get a sound night's rest after a long day of work and 3-hour drive from Paris. On Saturday night, we stayed at hotel Chateau de Bellecroix in Chagny, which I found on the Karenbrown.com website. I was disappointed, I must say. It was right next door to a Renault dealership, and the view from our bedroom window was of the neon-lit, 2* Chagny hotel. The bathroom was ugly and small, the decor was mediocre... not what I expected for the price and rave reviews from Ms. Brown. Tried to get a reservation at the Lamaloise for Saturday night but it was booked full. Just looked at the time: it's past 11PM! I'll continue this thread when I return to Paris, this weekend.

I have been in Posting Overdrive lately, I know. I've been in Paris since May, and have only recently felt I had the time/job security/housing stability to get out and travel/eat/learn in Paris and its surroundings. So please, bear with me! My next question is about the value of the Zagats Paris guide. While living in New York in the mid 1990s, I loved the NY Zagats guide. Granted, neither its audience nor writers tend to be real Foodies, but for ideas of where to go in the city and a 2-sentence sense of what the place was like/how much it cost, for someone who isn't a real Foodie herself, it was invaluable. I arrived in France with my Paris Zagats in hand but haven't found it particularly useful and it now collects dust on my mantle. Has anyone else had experience with this guide in our Fair City?

This thread looks very rich and helpful, but is a few years old. Do you think the Jardin des Ramparts would still be a safe bet, 2 years later?

I believe that there are, indeed plenty of diners who are only in search of the latest, trendiest, freshest restaurant. However, perhaps they provide a welcome counter-weight to the numerous diners who insist on eating only dishes they have tried a hundred times before, in a venue they have been frequenting for the past 18 years. It's sort of like the "Does Starbucks belong in Paris, or should we only have traditional cafes?" question... I would say that our city is rich and diverse enough to support both.

Thanks, Bux. As a Canadian and a neophyte to the whole "Wine Thing," I've actually never visited a vinyard in Napa, or anywhere else for that matter. From what I've been told, vinyards in Bordeaux all require an appointment to visit while those in Burgundy are more likely to say "Come on in! Taste and buy our wine!" if you just arrive on their doorstep. We shall see... In any case, I don't have too much time in the region -- just 2 days, in fact -- so I don't know how much I'll have time to see. I'll look up old posts regarding Beaune, etc (thanks for the heads-up on this) and see what I can learn.

Thanks Magnolia! As long as I get them by Friday at noon, any suggestions will not be too late at all. I really appreciate your help! Last went to Burgundy as a college-aged back-packer, more than 10 years ago and all I saw was Dijon. So any ideas would be very welcome.

I guess the answers for this thread are really answered in the "Where to eat on my Honeymoon thread," below, right? Thanks.

Thanks to www.KarenBrown.com, I decided to go to Burgundy this weekend and found two hotels that look lovely -- Le Cep in Beaune and Chateau Bellecroix. Now, it's a matter of finding vinyards to visit, restaurants to patronize and any other things that are worthwhile in that region. Any suggestions for "What to do/Where to Eat/ What to drink/Vinyards to tour" while in Burgundy? Thanks!

Thanks for this information, Lisa! What's the phone # to make a reservation, please?

Gosh. Thanks!

Went to Couleurs after class on Wednesday night. The place was packed at 9:30; only one tiny table for 2 available for the 4 of us. No matter; it was cozy and delightful. People who lived in the neighbourhood -- old, young, yuppies, drunkards -- kept stopping in for a brief hellow and chat with the owner. And he --the owner -- is chatty, friendly and sweet. We tried a peppery bottle of wine called Clap or something like it. Needless to say, the word "Clap" wasn't written on the wine label... other anglo saxons with immature senses of humour like my friends and I would no doubt have too much enjoyment -- as we did! -- saying things like, "I've never had the Clap in Paris before!" or "I must tell my boyfriend that I got the Clap tonight" etc. Thanks for the great suggestion. Next week, I plan to expand my party of 4 to a party of 8!

Okay. Off to les Couleurs after class ce soir. I'm meeting with my darling boyfriend... hope some classmates will join me too, but if not -- at least Xavier and I will enjoy ourselves.

Hey, now. I'm just not that kind of girl! What if money IS a problem. Or, not a problem, but a consideration?

Yes, St. Valentine's day is just around the corner. I prefer to not celebrate it -- crass commercialism and all that -- but it did make me wonder about restaurants all of you find particularly romantic; not just in Paris but all over France. Are there any places that have really struck your romantic fancy?

Oh, lou! I can't imagine that you're not everybody's favourite! You seem very charming... at least your posts do. I can't find les Couleurs anywhere! I asked people at the Cordon Bleu; the teacher, another student who lives in the neighbourhood, the translator, the girl who works at the front desk, a chef-student I saw wandering the halls.... They all just gave me blank looks. Does "Where" have a website? I'd love to see that article. Thanks!

By the way, Lou, I think we would all love it if you were to drop by one Wednesday night to say hello... And perhaps you and I could stir some of my fellow class-mates to action and go en groupe to Couleurs afterwards!

Based on the Accord Territorial method, M. Deluc gave us the following combinations: Cotes du Jura/Arbois+Comte Fruite; Loire Sancerre + Crottin de Chavignol; Alsace Gewurztraminer + Munster; Bourgogne Givry + Epoisses.

By the way, my boy and I joined another couple at "Le Petit Prince" in the 5th last night. I would recommend it more that L'epi dupin, where we ate a few nights before. The food was better and more reasonably-priced, the service was warmer and it was filled with French people rather than the japanese and American tourists of L'epi. A happy experience!

My beau and I went to L'Epi Dupin tonight and I know it's a favourite with many of you, but we were quite disappointed. The price was right -- 30 Euros for a 3-course meal -- but we found the food mediocre.

Thanks, Byrdhouse! Sounds lovely.

I was just in Azay-le-Rideau last weekend. It's lovely there, and our charming, Paris-based hosts had bought their country house there because it's less than an hour by TGV from The Big Smoke. You are surrounded by countless castles and vinyards and I have been told by several teachers that the French spoken in that region is the most clear and pleasant-sounding. (I still can't really tell the difference) Sounds like an ideal compromise to me. Good luck, Bruce and Mrs.!

Hear hear, Bux. I'll drink (a chai latte) to that! And hear, hear to you too, Lou. Maybe you and I will cross paths chez Starbucks un apres-midi.

By the way, what was the great 1-star restaurant in Perigaux, please, Byrdhouse?

Just returned from Les Clos from a tasty dinner with my boyfriend tonight. I was suprised to see that the Avacado Mille Feuille was already sold out by the time we ate dessert a few minutes before 9PM! I guess that if you have your heart set on that dessert, you had better arrive at the restaurant on the early side.