Bonjour, Paris!

Bonjour, Paris!

The summer of 2020 was supposed to be EPIC. My husband and I were planning a European adventure to Spain, Greece, and Italy!

But … we all know how 2020 panned out.

Nevertheless, there’s a silver lining in everything. Last summer, my husband and I traveled to Spain and Italy. That meant this year was dedicated to Greece.

So … why am I sending you a newsletter about Paris?

Our final destination was a tiny island in the Aegean sea called Antiparos, but there are no direct flights from the US to the Greek islands. Instead, one has to land in another European hub along the way … and voila: Bonjour, Paris!

Yes, we added a few days to our trip.

Our first day in Paris was spent exploring the Montmartre neighborhood with its artsy history (Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Renoir all lived here) as we wound our way up the streets to Sacre Coeur Cathedral.

We did less walking on our second day, opting for a lunch cruise down the Seine. This was a great way to see the city.

What they don’t tell you in the brochure is that three full bottles of wine are included with your lunch. Which means I spent my afternoon waltzing around the Eiffel Tower drunk (and in desperate need of a bathroom). No promises, but this may end up in a book one day …

I also really wanted to ride the carousel, but my husband convinced me that was a poor idea in my mid-afternoon drunken state. Smart husband … but a great idea for a book!

Our last day in Paris was spent exploring the area around Notre Dame. My favorite treasure in Paris was the Queen Elizabeth II Flower Market. It had rows upon rows of blooming flowers that had me dreaming of fairyland.

We also met Gilles (your local bookanist) who collects and sells old books next to the Seine. I had fancy pastries at Angelina’s (a high-end French patisserie), and we listened to jazz in the basement of La Cave du Huchette (featured in the movie La La Land). It was a glorious pre-Greece adventure.

And the food! I write books about food, and France is the mecca of culinary delights. So of course, I gorged myself. Here’s some French food porn for you to drool over. Best meal was at Les Deux Colombes. Best dessert was at Angelina’s (the mojito pastry) or the pistachio ice cream at Au Bois Doree.

I’m pretty sure I need to do a series that revolves around traveling Europe, eating food, and falling in love. Who wants a series like that?

Next week, I’ll tell you all about Greece!

Cheers, Elle