menton1

Herb, sounds like a very good day.... Possibly we could have you take over for Rachel Ray-- I'm sure you don't have that obnoxious laugh that she has, and you sound a lot more interesting. Is Food TV listening?

See my previous message, up about 3 from here-- cheap car rentals!! All taxes and insurance included in the rates!! I have personally used them, so it is for real.

For a car rental, I suggest renting before you leave on the web. Just came back from 3 weeks in France and this company blew away all the others, was about 35% cheaper, included insurance, and prices were in Euros so there was no room for discussion over there. Got a Peugeot 206 which was excellent, got about 50 MPG, handy because gas is so expensive there. But they have many categories of cars if you need automatic, or whatever. Here is the site: Car Rentals in Europe Also, if you use the Autostrada, it has the highest tolls I've ever seen. A 100 mile drive costs about 12 Euros in tolls! If you have time, take the back roads.

"International" covers a lot of ground. Could you be more specific? What items are you looking for, and/or what part of the world do they come from?

Amen!! Her entire show seems like one big commercial! I guess it has made her successful, and the sponsors like it, but she is impossible to listen to without getting nauseated. (She still might be a nice person)

I must say I am not a huge fan of Whole Foods. Very pretty place, but a lot of deficiencies. I remember the old Fresh Fields in Montclair, that was a much better place before it evolved into WholeFoods. Some of the produce is good, but you need to be selective. Got some very mealy organic apples there once. Fish & meat depts are quite good but VERY expensive. The prepared foods used to be excellent, but they are now made en masse in a central kitchen that supplies all of the Wholefoods in the Northeast; the soups and prepared dishes are very ordinary now. As far as the cheese, a good selection, but the prices are out of sight; I've compared the exact same cheeses at Jerry's in Englewood, and the prices ranged from 1/2 the price to 1/3 the price for the same cheese!! All in all, I would say Wholefoods is a bit disappointing.

Jonathan, we tried to go to this place the first week of September, on a Tuesday, but I guess they feel that September is "out of season" so they were closed. The good news is that your directions were perfect, I found it with no problem, no wrong turns. The other good news is that right next door is a place called Restaurant Simon. A beautiful outdoor courtyard was 3/4 full, so we decided to go. Also, a very interesting hillside neighborhood, high above Nice towards the back country. We had a very nice meal, we had moules as an appetizer, then we had a stockfish dish, and a carre d'agneau that was perfect. It seems this restaurant has been serving food for over 200 years, all in the same family, back many generations. When we left, it was dark, of course, and the neighborhood is very atmospheric, very quiet, yet so close to Nice. Thanks for directing us up to Rimiez, even though your place was closed, Simon made it worthwhile!! Restaurant Simon 182 Avenue Rimiez Nice (Use Jonathan's directions!)

Robert, the wine shop is Robert Bessi, and the address is 3, av. Henri Barbusse. I would also like to put in a good word for the Hotel Frisia, in Beaulieu-sur-Mer. We stayed there for 6 nights in the beginning of September, and it was super. We looked right at the sea, had a very large room, a very large terrasse, a brand new giant bathroom, a/c, easy parking on the street, and the staff was possibly the most friendly and helpful we've ever experienced in France. I will definitely go back!! All this for the UNBELIEVABLE price of 125 Euros!!

The Country Pancake House in the center of Ridgewood on Ridgewood Avenue has huge breakfasts in a country-style environment, like you would see in upstate NY or New England. About 100 types of pancakes and waffles, all kinds of eggs and omelettes. Portions too big to finish. Big lines on weekends, go on a weekday if you can. Country Pancake House 140 East Ridgewood Avenue Ridgewood, N.J.

Does the favorable review of this place mean that we can now get in to Saigon without an advance reservation?

Sorry, Margaret, but all of these 08 telephone #s can only be called from within France. They are Vert, Azur, and Indigo and are either free or at a reduced rate. Regular France phone #s begin with 01 through 05 and 06 for portable phones. (I tried for 2 weeks to call them) By the way, the days of expensive calls to France are over-- at home we use a 7 digit access code (No Monthly fee) and pay 7.9 cents/minute for France-- at work or on the road, I use a CVS calling card for 12 cents/minute. But you can't call any of the 08 phone #s unless you are in France.

A less talked-about jewel is the Jean Cocteau Museum in Menton (My namesake!!) a quirky building with many of his works including the famous Innamorata series. Menton itself is also a breathtakingly gorgeous seaside town, and the inner streets of the old town wind up to the fantastic square on high with 2 churches, the St-Michel and the Penitents Blancs with a spectacular view of the bay and the Port. A visit to this often-neglected-by-tourists Village and you will discover why I chose it as my nickname!!

Well, for we US residents, the site was very difficult. Try to find trains between Lyon-Tours and you will see our difficulty. Also, they do not publish a normal phone #, only an 0800 number, so if you are not in France you cannot call them. Don't you think 85 Euros is a bit expensive for a 250 kilometer trip? (2nd class) I thought it was. As little as 6-7 years ago, the trains were 50% less expensive.

I have found that the sncf-voyages.com site to be useful only when going between major routes. We found ourselves needing a ticket from Lyon to Tours 2 weeks ago, and when I tried the site back before I left, they insisted on sending me through Paris, going in to one Paris station, and then having to transfer to another Paris station to get our second train!! (Paris has about 8 railway stations) The SNCF also only provides a "Numero Vert" which is the equivalent of our 800 numbers, and cannot be accessed from abroad. I finally found a route through Massy (A suburb of Paris) where I could take a train from Lyon to Massy, wait 40 minutes, and catch a train to Tours on the same platform!! There is really no need to buy a ticket on the web site; it is easy enough at the station at a machine (billeterie), or if you have a car, pick a small town station and go to the ticket window and they will devote all their time to you-- you usually won't have to queue at these small stations. One note: Train travel in France has become quite pricey nowadays-- this ticket cost 85 Euros! Easy Jet Airlines is advertising a Nice-Paris air ticket for 30 Euros!!!

None of the good restaurants in Nice look at the water. You will need to take a taxi or train (1 Stop) to Villefranche sur Mer, with about 20 restaurants draped around the port. One of the ones we have enjoyed is Le Nautic; it may be quite chilly when you go, however!!

You may be a bit ambitious for 2 weeks. And for Tuscany you would need a car. If you don't like museums, be advised that Venice IS a museum. Good restaurants in Venice require a lot of research, there about 15% good ones and 85% not so good ones. The food in Florence and Rome is very very good, though. The Italy board should have a wealth of info for you, much more than we could say on one thread. Also, beware of the star rating of hotels in Italy-- they mean very little-- sort of like a restaurant rating in the Bergen Record!!

Too bad we missed you! Just got back yesterday from 3 weeks in France, the last 4 days in Paris. We were so exhausted in Paris, however, that we did not do very much. They had a tremendous event going on, the Journee de Patrimoine, where many public buildings not normally open to the public were made available. We did see the Mint building, right on the Place de la Concorde, where Marie Antoinette spent a lot of her time. One place that was highly recommended we missed, having failed to make a reservation several days in advance. Perhaps you can eat there for us and we can live vicariously through your report. The place is called Dome du Marais, 53 Rue des Francs Bourgeois, in the heart of the Marais, right off the Rue du Temple. Tel. 01 42 74 54 17. Just won a "Coup de Coeur" award as well, accounting I guess for the need for an advance reservation. We passed by and it is in a gorgeous courtyard with an atrium well off the street and the noise. Also in that area is the new Jewish Museum, a very wonderful place only 5 years old in an old mansion. I think they are at 71 rue du Temple. It's great to be back in my own bed and bath, but I do miss the cafe life so much. Oh, to sit everyday and have a Kir at 4PM!!

Jason, have either of the 2 new Thai places in Englewood opened yet?

IMHO, Petak's food blows away the Kosher Nosh. But it is take-out only, no tables. Sol & Sol has tables, and is also much better than Kosher Nosh. (The Pickled Herring at Petak's rocks!!)

I assume you mean Jewish delis, not the generic kind that appears on every corner.... It is difficult to find a good one in NJ, they proliferate in Manhattan and usually pale by comparison. A decent one is Petak's on Fair Lawn Avenue in the Radburn section of Fairlawn. Good pastrami and corned beef on one side, and a very good fish section on the other side of the store with herring, nova, and whitefish. Glatt kosher, so don't go on Friday night or Saturday... Also, Sol & Sol on Palisade avenue in Englewood, just next to It's Greek to Me, has very good sandwiches and Matzo Ball soup. I think they were better in their old grungy location on the other side of town before they -moved, though. Petak's 19-03 Fair Lawn Avenue Fair Lawn, NJ Sol & Sol 34 East Palisade Avenue Englewood, NJ

I absolutely LOVED every word of Michael Saunders "From Here, You Can't See Paris". Probably also because I love the South-West of France, as well. Thank you for mentioning it! I don't know if you aren't being a little unfair, Gopnik's book did point out some interesting cultural differences, particularly the one where his wife took care of the son's medical emergency on her lunch hour! His writing style may be a bit uppity, but I think this is a very interesting issue, the Anti-anti Americanism in France. Any word about Bernard Henri-Levy is of great interest, the man is a jewel. I thought that Gopnik's article had some very salient issues and was also quite informative.

Well, according to Méteo France, for the next few days Paris will have highs of 16 and lows of 11. So I guess they will be taking out and firing up those outdoor heaters!!

Very ironic, Mastori's was featured last night on Food Network's "Best Of" series. Seems like it's very popular with the truckers. Giant portions as well....

If you can find it, "Gini" from France is one of the best grapefruit flavored sodas ever. Haven't seen it in NJ though.

If you are looking for a non-ethnic place late, this one fits the bill, and is open until 11 on weeknights and 12 on weekends. Coffee Tree Cafe in Fort Lee offers soups, sandwiches, salads, and a few entrees in a lovely European-ambience. Desserts are quite good, as well. Burgers are excellent with steak fries and a little mesclun salad served with it. This is really a great alternative to a diner with better food and nicer ambience; prices similar to most diners-- Coffee Tree Cafe 1636 Palisade Avenue Fort Lee (Same shopping center as Its Greek to Me & Sally Ling's) Outdoor seating too!