Vinotas

Thanks all, I am sorry if we strayed too far from food (sacre bleu! I am not sure how I allowed that to happen!), but food will be a prime focus (especially as I'm in the wine business). I've used VRBO before and will take to heart the other suggestions people emailed me. You guys are fantastique! Keep the recommendations coming! Cheers!

Well, just watched the show and look at that, another Top Caterer. I am getting a bit tired of these, frankly. Did the producers just run out of ideas? In any case, I too was hoping Lisa would get the axe, as she is rather unpleasant, both in personality and to look at. And throwing Andrew under the bus was just downright wrong. She ignored the rules once and calling him out for doing it this time was just plain disgusting. In the end though I think the judges made the right choice. These were the 3 weakest links and will end up getting the boot in the weeks to come. However, I can see Dale as a real challenge to Richard, everyone's favorite (including mine). Next episode should be fun if Bourdain's on it. Will he be drinking Michelob? Cheers!

Grace3, My wife wasn't crazy of the area around Spring when we ate there for lunch in February. I, however, like that kind of atmosphere (reminds me of the old East Village). Robyn, I am self-employed and my wife would be working freelance, but we're in our mid-thirties and in pretty good health, so for a short stay of 3-6 months health insurance would (hopefully) not be a big issue. But yes, we've thought of that as well. And with the Euro where it is buying is out of the question, sad to say. Sheesh, when I think I wanted to buy a place when the Euro first appeared and was around 0.78... Sigh... PtiPois, Agreed, we find the 15th a bit boring except up near the 7th. Can anyone recommend any good short-term rental agencies? And, of course, any place we decide on would have to be close to good street markets (as I previously said, we love the Rue Poncelet one), have a surfeit of excellent bakeries and cheesemongers (especially those two), and, oh yes, some fruit or vegetable stands. Then again, who wants to eat healthily when in Paris? Merci!

Hi John, Grace3, Thanks for your advice. I agree, I am ready to receive lots of opinions, but that's why I've come asking. As I said, I prefer the 5th, 6th, 8th, and 17th (especially near Poncelet), but am willing to try some other neighborhoods. On my last trip I rented a lovely flat across the street from the Montparnasse tower, and though the Boulevard was so-so we loved the apartment and the little side streets. I've stayed in the 7th and I find it too quiet, reminiscent of parts of NY's far Upper East Side, where things can get a bit staid. That said, if someone offers me a 3-bedroom rooftop apartment with a terrace for 500 Euros a month in the 7th I won't turn it down. Hint... hint... Cheers!

I'd like to add a vote for that tiny dumpling place on equally tiny Mosco Street: Fried Dumpling, where very good ones can be had for 4/$1. I was there a few days ago and did a review on my blog here, with pics: http://vinotas.blogspot.com/2008/05/i-love...hidden-one.html I thought the quality of the meat was excellent, and while the dough was a tad thick in some places, it was such a minor quibble that I was just noticing it because I was looking for something wrong. I will try the other places mentioned in this thread hopefully soon! Cheers!

Hello all, I know Paris pretty well, and love visiting, whether it's for business or pleasure (usually both!). My wife and I have been chatting for the past few years about moving to Paris and we've decided to take an interim step: we would like to rent an apartment for 4-6 months, starting in January 2009. Our preferred areas are around Place des Ternes and in the Latin Quarter. While the 7th is pretty it's far too quiet for our tastes, and the Marais is a bit too lively (God, I've gotten old). So, while I know where to eat & shop well in most of the city, I ask you, my fellow gourmand gourmets, where should we live? And does anyone know of any good places or people to find a one-bedroom that isn't a hole in the wall for a small monthly fortune? Something close to good street markets would be preferrable, of course... My sincere thanks in advance, Cheers!

And thus another episode of Top Caterer... I am getting tired of these, and it looks like the next one will be similar. WTF? In any case, Nikki's gone, which was the right choice IMHO. She was involved in making an Italian dinner, her specialty, yet never really took responsability for it or stepped up to lead the team. While Dale was all over the place, she had a chance to really shine doing something she does all the time and instead dropped the ball. Bye bye Nikki. Still, I liked this episode despite my bitching about another catering event. The cooking scenes were awesome, and my lines of the night would be "culinary boner" and "We aren't going to let Andrew talk to the guests". LOL! Cheers!

What better way to start the week than with a delicious bottle of Champagne and some Vietnamese food? Needing an escape from the stress of another Monday, and with our kitchen still on hold due to the boobs over at the Department of Buildings, we ordered in from a local Viet restaurant and grabbed a bottle of the NV Chartogne-Taillet Brut. Another great QPR (that's Quality-to-Price Ratio for those of you who don't know) at $30, this wine is from the town of Merfy. Though the town vineyards are only rated at 84% on Champagne's 100% quality scale, this family is managing to make some very good bubblies that are silky and smooth yet spicy. They use all three grapes allowed in Champagne, with a majority of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and a smattering of Pinot Meunier. Even though they only have 12 hectares of total vineyards, they make a variety of labels, of which the Brut is the lowest end. Well, if this is the low end, I'd suggest searching for their higher-end ones ASAP. They only make 6,700 cases, so production is rather limited, defining the term "farmer fizz". Upon opening, this was a bit hyperactive, the elements needing to settle down a bit, with brioche and toast and hints of cinnamon. As it breathed it seemed to relax slightly and come into its own, with lovely fine bubbles on a dense structure that hinted at oxydation in a good way. This Champagne was delicious with the various flavors inherent in Vietnamese cooking, matching both our pork and beef dishes as well as the vegetable ravioli with crispy shallots. You can read more about this domaine on their winemaker's blog, HERE. Cheers!

Walked by this place last week on my way to Cafe Cortadito and it looked nice. Maybe I'll check it out someday soon, I LOVE Vietnamese food. Cheers!

Welcome to NYC! For sweetbreads, I'd recommend Casa Mono's, they are usually very good (one time they were over-salted, but that was only once). For cheese, definitely hit Murray's downtown or Ideal Cheese in Midtown, both offer fantastic selections and great service. For good markets, I'd say the Grand Central Market is pretty good and centralized as its name implies. The Union Square Greenmarket is another option, though if you're staying near Central Park then Fairway on the UWS isn't too far. And for a great high-end lunch I'd suggest Jean-Georges, it's got a fabulous $28 prix-fixe lunch, though you should definitely RSVP. Enjoy your time in our little town! Cheers!

I think Jen's dish looked bad and didn't taste good either. And if I hear "I'm doing this for Zoi" once more I'm going to hit someone. I think even though they stuck to the game plan the execution was off. But honestly at this point, as someone above said, I don't care who goes home as my favorites hang around. Richard and Dale are going to be the 2 to watch, unless they really screw up. I get the impression that that would be unlikely as both have stated numerous times how there's no room for mistakes: they're on guard and cooking well. All in all this episode was ok, I liked the improv type but some of it was a little ridiculous. This season is rather weak IMHO. Cheers!

Thank you, I do too (of course, I am biased). The architect meets the DoB on Thursday morning, so hopefully we'll be done sometime next week.

Unfortunately, I _am_ the contractor on this one, so it's my own laziness that's standing in the way of the backsplash--and suicide seems a bit extreme in this case. Precisely why we did not pull a permit. Shhhhh... Don't tell anyone... ← LOL! Well, it's annoying but not that bad as we're still waiting for the stone, the backsplash and the lights to arrive. I'd have loved to do the work myself, but our building is a coop with doorman and they would have noticed the building materials, and more importantly, the noise and dust coming from my place...

I agree, Richard screwed up but his performance until now was excellent. Zoi has been weak since Day One, and she seemed to be on the losing team far too many times. As Scott says, she was warned about under-seasoning and still defended her bland dish. She also annoyed me by always seeming to be on the edge of tears during Judge's Table. And what was up with the fight at the end? As someone above said, the editing seemed choppy. Cheers!

Thanks all, it's been wonderful seeing the room evolve. I've learned a bunch of things and I'll post a list of lessons learned when/if this ends. Bekkim, how can you be so patient???? I'd have killed my contractor with a few weeks. That said, a wrench has been thrown into the process (there's always something, right?). The NYC Department of Boobs, er, Buildings, has randomly audited our work and temporarily revoked the Work Permit until we supply them with some additional information. Are you kidding me? One of the things they want to know is where my ^*#$(*@ smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are on a drawing????!!!! Actually, it's not that big a deal, as no work could be done until the counter and the backsplash arrived, sometime late next week/early next week. Still, annoying to put it mildly.

Yeah, I'm being a pain in the a$$ about this, but man I'm just so excited that this is almost over. Wow. That was my first reaction yesterday when I came home, walking into the kitchen in an exhausted daze and seeing the results. The floor coverings had been pulled up, the pulls installed, and I'm finally seeing what the end result will look like. The effect is amazing and hard to show in pictures, but my apartment just seems to have expanded three times in size and light. The Bosch 700 Series 30" Evolution range is hooked into place, as is its sister the Bosch dishwasher. All we're waiting for now is the backsplash, interlocking light green tiles from, of all places, Costco (who'd have thunk?). There will be a stainless steel sheet behind the range, and a Broan 30" ductless hood will soon be over it. We're also waiting for the lights to be delivered, and of course the granite countertop won't be here until the end of the week. But at least I'm really seeing what things will look like. The dry bar is awaiting its glass shelves and under-mounted wire racks, where I'll hang my umpteen wine glasses (I'm not too modest to say I thought of that one). The walls have been painted to match the rest of the living/dining room, and things are looking seamless. And the peninsula... ah... the peninsula. Something I've been dreaming about for years, something I've wanted to do but couldn't for so long. Well, it's in place and looking great. Four huge, deep drawers will take all my pots and pans, and at the end, that little cabinet with the vertical pulls? Well, that's for all the winegeeks out there: a home for all my decanters (when you're in the business or just a collector, these seem to add up rapidly). How cool is that? It finally hit me yesterday that all the hassles, all the displacement, all the damned dust, were really worth it. Really, really worth it. I can't wait to start cooking. Pictures HERE. Cheers!

Brilliant.

Hummingbirdkiss, I don't know how you do it, this 3 week renovation is killing us. Granted, as I said, we're in a small apartment, but even in a large house, 5 years would be intolerable! You have the patience of a saint! We are now leaning less towards copper tile backsplash after speaking with some architect/designer friends, as it loses its patina quickly and might turn a bit too dark honeyed. Between that and the light maple, the kitchen would be rather monochromatic. Instead, we're thinking of using Costco's green glass backsplash, which can be seen here: http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?...wse=〈=en-US Relatively cheaper and it will add a nice color touch, I hope. We'll see... Cheers!

TSquare, Funny you should mention the copper tiles, I was thinking that yesterday as well. I will hit a few tile stores today and make some decisions. After ten weekdays of hard work, the kitchen has been transformed from a narrow galley to an open plan with an airy feel. I can't believe this is happening, and happening so fast! I really should mention that every day there are 4-5 guys here working their butts off, however. But what got me was yesterday, when I got home after the crew had left: the peninsula's base had been set down, the fridge was in its home, the dishwasher in place and the base cabinets next to them. I finally started realizing what this would look like, and it got me a bit emotional. This renovation is something I've been dreaming about for over 10 years, but couldn't afford for so long. I skrimped and saved and finally managed to get everything together to turn my cramped kitchen into a professional one. Now I'm impatient and can't wait to start cooking and having friends and business associates over. Another bottle of Champagne was popped to celebrate the progress, a lovely pairing with a sausage and mushroom pizza. Pictures are HERE as usual. Cheers!

I have to say, last night's episode was one of the strongest in a long time. I loved having Daniel Boulud, I think he added gravitas and a sense of professionalism to the show. And I loved the film critic saying he liked the food even if the judges were being critical. No great loss seeing Manuel go, I don't think he added much to the show (on a side note, he apparently also lost his gig in NYC a few weeks ago). Spike seems to have taken fashion and acting lessons from K-Fed, though. Ryan needs to get his ass handed to him in a hurry. He's just so annoyingly stupid. On a side note, I would have LOVED to taste the first course dish, it sounded really cool. Cheers!

Hummingbirdkiss, WOW!!! 5 years of renovations???? What the Hell are you doing to your place???? I can't even imagine being another few weeks, let alone years, in this quasi-displaced state we're in. Granted, we live in a NYC apartment, so the only refuge is the bedroom. If this were a house, I'd have multiple rooms or even an outside deck to hide out. The cabinets will be light maple, as you can see, and the countertop is a black granite with tiny copper specks. We're still going back and forth about the backsplash, but I'd love one with 2x2 or 3x3 colored tiles. We'll see... Cheers!

Wednesday, the oven and some of the base cabinets were put in place, though not really installed. That panel in the picture goes alongside the fridge, to make it look like it's a built-in. Things are advancing... I have to say, I didn't realize how much I'd miss cooking. And paying for coffee, even at the small independent roasters (you couldn't pay me to step foot in a Charbucks), is killing me. $2.00 for an espresso, $3.25 for a latte???? I used to make those at home! Worse, I hate ordering in or going out every night, as someone who loves the kitchen it's almost like torture. All my wine glasses are covered in a layer of dust, and it's a pain in the neck not only cleaning them but reaching them. Yes, I am lazy... Oh, man, apparently only about a week and a half left... I can't wait! Pictures are HERE. Cheers!

Thanks for the well-wishes, it's tough to live through but starting to be worth it. That said, I can't wait to start cooking! Another day and more signs of progress. The top cabinets are up and are looking GREAT!!!! The base cabinets and the frame of the peninsula are in the apartment, waiting to be installed. The new floor, made of light bamboo planks, is down but protected and hidden from view. My new faucet just got here, and it's a doozy, and the sink is soon to arrive. Some of the appliances are here, also waiting to find their homes: a Bosch 700 Series Evolution 30" Gas Range, a Bosch Dishwasher. Next comes a ductless fan (ducting is a no-no in a NYC apartment building, apparently... ARGH!), most likely a Broan. So where did all the stuff from the office and kitchen go...? It looks like the kitchen and office puked on the living room. This is what happens when your GC calls at 10am and says the last permit went through and can we start right now? You have an hour to pack up 14 years of stuff and get it out of the way. And this is the result. God, I can't wait until this ends. Happily, my case of NV Champagne Chartogne Taillet arrived on Monday, and two bottles have been sacrificed. Delicious, with a slight cinnamon dough note buttressed by super bracing acidity. Yum. Pictures HERE. Cheers!

The kitchen renovation continues... Or more signs of progress... Look at that! They've put down the floor! And what's this? My kitchen cabinets are on the kitchen floor, waiting to be installed. Yay! By Friday night, they'd set up the walls of the dry bar and installed the small wine fridge that sits at the bottom of the closet. This gave me some hope that things were moving in the right direction, and Monday was another day of hope. The ceiling has been patched over and the electrical boxes and plugs installed. Could the three weeks of displacement, dust, ordering in and eating out be worth it after all...? We'll see... Pictures HERE. Cheers!

Well, after 10 days of destruction/reconstruction in my apartment, I needed some wine. I had opened a few non-descript bottles at various restaurants since I can't cook at home, but Saturday I was at a dinner party with a private chef who also turned out to be a wine geek. And he loved old Champagne... Yay! -1990 La Grande Dame (from magnum) Oooh, wow, this smells so young! A bare hint of oxydation/caramelization added depth to the minerally pears and apples and yeast that filled the nose. Some bread and dough aspects filled out the palate, with a shockingly crisp finish, especially for something this old and from this year. This really lived up to its name, a Grande Dame who's ageing with grace and dignity. Lovely. -NV Jacquesson 731 Vive la Difference! Completely different from the Grande Dame, with riper pear and apple notes on a rounder structure, with some slight disjointed acidity at the back. While this was nice on its own, it seemed to fill out with food and come into balance. I feel this needs some more time in the bottle to really strut its stuff. The ripeness and rounder mouthfeel could be coming from the 2003 vintage in the assemblage. There were a few other bottles, including a 2006 Prager Riesling which was shockingly good and a 2004 Chateau de Maligny Montee de Tonnerre which was quite nice, with chalk, seashells and lemons on a tight frame. In any case, it was such a pleasure to drink well after a long week of kitchen reconstruction. Cheers!