I'll never forget being out for dinner with my girlfriend Cécile and, upon ordering a bottle of sparkling water, the waiter asked if we preferred our water très pétillante ou un peu pétillante - meaning very sparkling or a little sparkling? It had never occurred to me to consider the sparkle factor ...
Travel
Decoding French Dining: A Guide to Restaurant Classification
If there's one thing I've learned about the French, it's that they have a knack for classifying everything. I vividly remember my college French professor explaining the distinctions between a café, a brasserie, a restaurant, and more. I was about to visit Paris for the first time, and French ...
Heritage Days in France
Can you imagine taking a tour of the Paris Opera costume warehouse? Or, how about a backstage tour of the Comédie-Française theater? Or, maybe you would like to visit Elysée Palace, home to the president of France.
Well, if you're in Paris on the third weekend of September, you're in luck. ...
72 Hours in the Loire Valley
One of my favorite destinations outside of Paris is the Loire Valley. Known as the Garden of France, this stunningly beautiful region is emblematic of so much of what I love about French style.
The history of the Loire Valley is closely associated with the 100 years war. From 1337 to 1453, ...
Five of My Favorite Left Bank Hotels
I take pride in recommending venues I've experienced. While I don't often stay in hotels in Paris, I've stayed at these and highly recommend them. All are in my preferred left bank neighborhood of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and walking distance to major tourist attractions.
Hotel Pont Royal ...
Five of My Favorite French Restaurants in Chicago
Let's face it, winter in Chicago isn't much fun and doesn't provide much opportunity for outdoor activities. It is, however, a great time to try new restaurants or go out to a favorite place for delicious comfort food. Given it's February, I thought it would be a good time to suggest a few of my ...
