dinner in Amerrrrrica

Having been in Paris for almost a year now I should have already learned my lesson about “American” restaurants in this city. The French think they have the best chefs in the world and yet I find myself constantly marveling at their ability to screw up a hamburger. If you can’t master ground beef then I’m not sure you should be allowed to call yourself a chef. That said, Paris is chalk full of American-style restaurants, most of which are terrible. There are a few exceptions, one of which is HAND, which stands for Have A Nice Day. With that type of trite cheery sentiment you might be surprised to learn that the owner is an impossibly beautiful French man who always turns out classic comfort food with a cheeky grin and a wink. Hier soir I died of happiness while we munched on mouth-watering bacon burgers and hand cut crispy French fries. For dessert we spoiled ourselves with cupcakes, crumble, and milkshakes. After our decadent meal we lingered until closing chatting with the owner and sipping Côtes du Rhône. I just discovered they do take out. So indulgent. So dangerous.

HAND
39, rue Richelieu
75001

upgrade

Kong is a beautiful restaurant on top of the Kenzo building right by the Pont Neuf. Made famous by its appearance on Sex and the City, it maintains its popularity among trendy Parisians and wealthy tourists. Alright it's a little ostentatious, but I love the kitschy decor and the udon noodles. Now that the weather has warmed up the restaurant has added a semi-terrace to their top floor. A gorgeous bar sans roof, with a roaring fireplace and heated chandeliers to keep you cozy. Order some of the delicious appetizers to nibble on while you sip your Bellini, and enjoy the view.

Kong
1, rue du Pont Neuf 75001 Paris
01 40 39 09 00

house of ralph

When I was in prep school I - like every other student - developed a mad obsession with Ralph Lauren. I owned the classic polo in practically every color. Now that I'm a little older my fixation is more on the perfectly cut blazers then sportswear, but I digress....

This week Ralph Lauren finally unveiled their new mansion on St. Germain and it is gorgeous beyond belief; Americana classic meets Versailles opulence.

French and American Voguettes have already been spotted checking out the new digs. The store is rapidly becoming the new place to see and be seen. On the 26th fashionistas will start clamouring for a table at Ralph's, their new gourmet restaurant. I can't wait.

It happens to be right around the corner from Sci Po, so I intend on being first in line for the 30 euro hamburger.

impossibly trendy

One of my favorite restaurants in Paris is housed in one of the best museums, Palais Tokyo. Tokyo Eat is where I go when I’m sick of French food and nothing else seems right. The chocolate and banana milkshakes are impossibly wonderful as is the ever-changing seasonal menu. The restaurant was designed by a multitude of contemporary artists including the ever-fabulous Mr. Andre, who also curates the museum store, Black Block. In the warmer months you can eat on the patio, which boasts on the best views of the Eiffel Tower in the city. Along with ridiculously delicious dinners, you can often find us grabbing a quick drink here before we wander down the street to Baron. LOVE THIS PLACE.

Tokyo Eat
13 avenue du Président Wilson
75116 Paris

Dave dining

During fashion week it's always a challenge to find the best places to eat. There are certain establishments that the fashion set always frequent, one of them is Dave. Dave is located right by the Louvre which is where many of the shows are held. Editors and models go to graze on bok choy and judge eachother's shoes. This Chinese restaurant is notoriously hard to get into especially if you want to eat downstairs, and you do want to eat downstairs. If you're dining upstairs you might as well not go at all. This is the restaurant there Gisele Bunchen and Leonardo Dicaprio where once told they would have to wait 20 minutes for a table.....on the street! My advice: dress to the nines and play nicely with the owner.

ps sorry there's no photos of the restaurant, but taking out a camera near Carine Roitfeld is a huge faux pas.

caffeinated

Coffee and cigarettes is to the French what fast food and apple pie is to the Americans. I’m a pretty pathetic excuse of a smoker but I do love drinking cup after cup of steaming hot coffee. In order to appease the cultural desire for moderation but secret love for excess, the French consume caffeine many times a day but they drink it out of cups the size of shot glasses. Every now and then when I’m at Sciences Po and want a cup of coffee that doesn’t look like it was designed for Barbie I hit up Lili’s Brownies a few blocks away. This adorable little shop was clearly designed with the expat in mind. Inside you can buy American sized coffee, gourmet muffins, donuts, and slabs of carrot and lemon loaf topped by thick white icing. This coffee shop is cute, overpriced, and exactly what my non-French soul needs when I’m stuck at Sci Po from 10 in the morning to 9 at night. Not only will they serve you normal sized coffee but, horror of horrors, they will actually put it in a cup so you can take it to go. (The French have a stark aversion to eating and drinking while not at a table. It’s considered very déclassé). When my uncouth self walked into my history class this afternoon holding my piping hot latte I was bombarded with questions from the American students about where they could find “normal” coffee. Lili’s should give me a cut for spreading the good word.

Lili’s Brownies
35 rue du dragon
75006

yums

Sciences Po has a serious space shortage. There are thousands of students crammed into buildings that are always bursting at the seams. Study and eating space is limited so we generally all head down the street to Le Basile our unofficial student café and hang out there. Having eaten everything on the menu countless times I was finally forced to search the area for somewhere new to eat, which is how I found Cuisine de Bar. 4 blocks away from Sci Po there is the most adorable restaurant that specializes in Poilâne open faced sandwiches known as tartine. Poilâne is actually France's signature bread, not the classic baguette as most people believe. The best sandwich has my favorite cheese St-Marcellin cheese with French ham. They stick the sandwich under the broiler until the cheese is gooey and the bread is crunchy. At lunchtime for 12 euros you can get a sandwich, salad, café, and a glass of wine or sparkling water. It's like Subway, but better.

Cuisine de Bar
8 rue Cherche-Midi
75006

the not so well kept secret

Rose Bakery in Montmartre
cakes by the pound or slice
mini quiches, galette des rois, and sticky cinnamon buns

Rose Bakery is hands down my favorite brunch place of the moment. It seems I'm not alone. Everyone in Paris is nuts for this place so you can definitely expect a line on a lazy Sunday. There are two locations, one in Montmartre and one in the Marais. Montmartre is the original and the one I prefer. Both restaurants are teeny whitewashed spaces where you will undoubtedly end up sitting next to someone impossibly chic (I ate eggs next to the editor of V Magazine last week). The bakery functions as both a restaurant and a take-away joint. At the front, there are boxes of fresh produce crowding the narrow aisle and a glass display of cakes, pastries, and take out offerings. Everything they sell is certified organic and locally grown. (this makes the bakery very popular with the New York fashion set, all of whom seem to be afraid that French food is not "pure" enough for their delicate sensibilities). I'm attempting to try everything on the small but delicious menu. So far, I've had the cheese scones, scrambled eggs with mushrooms and bacon, fluffy pancakes, fresh fruit compote, and the tomato and ham mini quiche. Don't even get me started on dessert...Round individual carrot cakes with the creamiest frosting, slices of lemon orange loaf, chunky brownies, scones, scones, and ummm, more scones! The also have the best drinks, signature house teas and vats of fresh fruit and vegetable juices. Orange, banana, and prune is my favorite but many swear by the tomato or carrot.

Writing this post is making me hungry again....

It's only 5.......

I think I'm going to go make dinner......

Rose Bakery
46 Rue des Martyrs, 75009 (Montmartre)
30 Rue Debelleyme, 75003 (Marais)

Home suite home

Hotel bars in Paris are extremely popular, the Hemingway at the Ritz, the courtyard at the Costes, but recently everyone has been heading up North to l'Hotel Particulier in Montmartre. From Thursdays to Sundays they operate a semi-secret bar in the hotel. Even if you can't stay in one of the 5 gorgeous suites you can certainly grab a glass of wine while you gawk at the amazing contemporary art that litters every room.

After chatting up the owner, Morgane Rousseau, I got a peek at one of the guest rooms. SPECTACULAR. The mini loft on the top floor is a fantasy. Housed in an aristocratic mansion this hotel aims to be a step above a B&B, providing personal trainers and meals cooked by a local chief for their guests. The mansion also boasts a private leafy courtyard that was designed by the same man who revamped the Tuileries gardens.

Take a trip back to the time of Dali and van Gogh and wander the twisted streets of Montmartre until you find the secret alleyway entrance. When you see the black iron gates you'll know you've arrived. Literally and figuratively.

l'Hotel Particulier
23, avenue Junot
75018

What dreams are made of

With all the wonderful pâtisseries in Paris I marvel at the fact that I can eat anything but sweets. I walked past Pâtisserie des Rêves on my way to school and it looked so delightful that I popped back after class for a closer inspection. The owner of the store, Philippe Conticini, is the legendary and wildly successful Parisian pastry chief. The cakes and pastries are displayed in the center of the store like works of art. Each one is self-contained in a temperature controlled glass bell. You place your order with the staff and then it arrives fresh from the kitchen. I had a caramel and peanut butter profiteroles that made me weak at the knees. This place will satisfy any craving you have.

Pâtisserie des Rêves
93 Rue du Bac
75007 Paris

Warhol would approve

I've lately found myself obsessed with the idea of Morocco. One of my friends just got back from Marrakesh today and I cannot wait to hear about her fabulous adventures. In lieu of of being able to jet off to Africa, I joined friends for dinner and drinks at my favorite Moroccan bar, Andy Wahloo. "Wahloo" is Arabic means "I have nothing," which must be some cultured attempt at sarcasm because this place appears to have everything but the kitchen sink. Wahloo has kitsch in spades, but that's what attracts both the jet-setters and the locals.

If you show up famished (as I did last night) indulge yourself with something from the tapas menu. My friend and I both fiend the lamburger, which goes perfectly with a tall minty mojito. You can also sample a bottle of North African wine. Ask your server for a suggestion, they're all adorable and uncharacteristically friendly.

The music is a mix of middle eastern beats and classic rock, a surprising charming combination. Around midnight the DJ cranks the volume and everyone packs the dancefloor. ENJOY.

Andy Wahloo
69 Rue des Gravilliers
75003 Paris

All you need is love

Pigalle is traditionally the red light district of Paris so it's appropriate that I saw more then one "working girl" on my way to dinner last night. What was I doing in such an area you may wonder? While many of the locals may be women of questionable morals, Hôtel Amour in the 9th is one of my favorite places to grab late night drinks, meet friends for brunch, have an intimate dinner, you get the idea.

Owned by hotelier Thierry Costes and nightlife king André, this hotel is breeding ground for Parisians in the know and artistic jet setters. The stylish clientele appreciate the hotel's quirky charm and Keihl's coriander moisturizer in the bathroom. Having been designed by a slew of talented artists, the decor is cheerful and unpretentious. The place has a homey feel that I just love.

Everything on the menu is delicious. Choose anything that comes with the amazing french fries, or a plate of perfectly prepared salad. Order a bottle from the carefully selected wine list and spend your evening locking eyes with the gorgeous regulars who drift in and out.

As with most places worth eating in Paris, reservations are recommended. Especially if you want to eat on the heated terrace.

Hôtel Amour
8 Rue de Navarin
75009 Paris
01 48 78 31 80

Dinner dates

Saturday night I celebrated the return of one of my favorite girls with dinner at Curieux Spaghetti Bar. Located right across from Beaubroug, this restaurant has Paris trendy written all over it. The decor is eclectic, the people are beautiful, but what else is new in the Marais? Order the bruschetta samples to start, followed by old fashioned spaghetti and meatballs. It goes without saying that ordering steak at a joint like this is pointless. The pasta comes in metal pots, the alcohol come in test tubes, and they provide you with a bib to protect your ensemble (not that you should even consider wearing it). Make yourself a reservation, and be sure to request a table in the back, preferably a banquette; the front area is social Siberia.

14 Rue Saint-Merri
75004 Paris
01 42 72 75 97

I guess times really are rough

Tavern on the Green is bankrupt and on January 13th all the contents of the opulent restaurant will be put up for auction. All those spectacular Waterford and Baccarat crystal chandeliers, bronze cherubs, and stained glass will be unceremoniously stripped and sold to the highest bidder.

It kind of breaks my heart.

Yes Tavern was a little tacky, and always full of tourists snapping photos in the Spring, but there was also something beautiful and nostalgic about it. I have such fond memories of long strolls with mumsy in central park followed by late lunching in the Crystal Room.

Tavern managed to survived over 70 years in a city where most restaurants don't last a year. It was the original home of ladies who lunch, including Grace Kelly who used to stopped by every time she visited New York.

RIP Tavern

I'll miss you and your plush upholstery.

One of the few LA movements I support

Rodarte has landed at Colette! One of my favorite Paris concept stores is currently paying homage to the emerging talent of the American Mulleavy sisters, who are showcasing their latest wears in the second floor exhibition space.

Colette is a Parisian institution, always chalk-full of interesting fashion, amazing music, and gizmos you never knew you wanted until you saw them in their perfect little glass cases.

The store is located just a stone's throw from my front door, so Saturday afternoon I couldn't resist sneaking in for a quick peek and of course a quick bite at the Water-bar. The restaurant serves up light fair and offers over 80 different types of bottled water from around the world. A favorite stomping ground of celebrities, you may often find yourself parked next to Kanye West or Gaspard Augé.

Order yourself risotto aux cèpes Davoli and sparkling Voss water with rose nectar.
Yummmmy.

Left Bank living

Paris like many other major cities is composed of many different neighborhoods all with their own distinct personality. The area where my school is situated, la rive gauche, was traditionally associated with a more bohemian lifestyle, but has since been transformed into a breeding ground for the white upper-middle class. Regardless, the 5th through 7th arrondisements are considered to be the birthplace of modern post-war existentialism. Some of the greatest French philosophers have made their home in this particular area including Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir who used to meet regularly at the famed Café Flore. Right across the street is les Deux Magots, another famous café that has counted Ernest Hemingway, Albert Camus, and Pablo Picasso among its most loyal patrons. While I’ll admit I feel like a pretentious tourist sipping espresso and reading The Stranger, I cannot help but feel inspired by the profound scope of intellectual discourse that this street has seen. Some of the 20th centuries’ greatest academics and artists have sat in these very chairs. I suppose that’s what gives the café license to charge 18 euros for a salade. Merde.