What an absolutely wonderful day! Day 3 entailed a cooking class that I had read rave reviews of. It was a bit pricey, but I decided to go ahead and splurge.
James and I woke up early, grabbed a very quick bite to eat (and light – we were warned if we ate a regular breakfast we wouldn’t “make it” through the day by our instructor) and headed back on the hiking trails to Ravello. The wind was blowing mightily, and we were better prepared for what the walk entailed, having already done it once on Sunday. We made our way to Ravello center and people watched as the town woke up and started to come alive.
So much less sweaty this time.
30 minutes before the class was scheduled to start, we started weaving our way through the streets of Ravello and finally arrived at Mamma Agata’s Hidden Treasure.
We were ushered into the family’s home and out on a terrace that overlooked the Amalfi coast. The views were absolutely breathtaking.
The table we sat at, which overlooked the above picture. You can see in the mirrors they’ve positioned on the wall.
The rest of the class arrived and Chiara – our host and trusty translator – started serving us lemon cake and cappuccinos. Chiara did an absolutely STAND OUT JOB with my gluten intolerance. She took great care to ensure that I was able to try everything – and that it was made for me specially. I felt such warmth and happiness from this experience. Compared to our dinner last night – which did not offer me a lot of flexibility – this was a warm welcome.
My little gluten free lemon cake.
Following the light snack (ha ha), we huddled into the kitchen to meet Mamma Agata – a woman in her late 70s who speaks only Italian, but enough of it to ask all of the newly weds when our bambinos were on the way (ha ha again). We started the morning with a demonstration on how to make the eggplant for eggplant parmesan, as well as a tomato sauce (a staple in all Italian cooking). While the sauce simmered, we returned to our seats with eggplant to try along with bread, homemade olive oil, red hell (a red pepper spread) and smoked provolone cheese. Everything for me was made gluten free. It was divine. The wine was also made onsite by Chiara’s husband – and it was amazing. Low alcohol content, not too sweet and very refreshing.
Italian breakfast.
While the sauce simmered, we were able to roam the property, which boasted lemon groves, a farm, animals galore and an amazing lawn with chairs and couches facing the sea. It was truly magical.
My new friend, Moppa.
We were herded back into the kitchen to start preparing the lemon chicken and finish our eggplant parmesan. This time we were asked to try the tomato sauce, and top with parmesan cheese and red hell. Once again, they provided me gluten free bread so that I could partake. Next up we prepared two sauces – one that cooked down all the tomatoes and included sausages and peppers; another that was a much faster cooking time that included capers and olives.
Another short break back on the wonderful property, more wine, lots of water and breathtaking views.
We returned to the kitchen a final time to finish off the sauces, try the olives added to the sauces and tomatoes that were used throughout. We finished the lemon chicken, make zucchini fritters and finally sat down to enjoy a late lunch.
The food was absolutely delicious. Everything tasted amazing, and for me, everything was gluten free! I wish I could have taken all the food back to the hotel with me. The meal ended with more lemon cake and homemade limoncello. It was divine.
After saying a sad goodbye, we embarked on our journey back to Minori through the mountain hiking trails. We immediately changed at the hotel and ran to the beach for a quick swim. It took some coaxing, but eventually James joined me. The water was refreshing and I was even able to get in a little swim. We returned to the hotel, showered and walked down to the patisserie for some gelato for dinner – because who really needs to eat more food after consuming a four course late lunch plus snacks and dessert?
The weather gods were in our favor, and so we set off on Day 2 in a yacht (though small in comparison to most yachts around here) to tour the Amalfi Coast and explore the island of Capri for a few hours. The boat picked us up at the end of the Minori jetty (which is really just a pier, or a dock) and we took off to Maiori to visit Pandora’s cave. Afterwards, we jetted back across the coastline, and stopped at the Emerald Grotto. It was a bit cloudy, so not as ideal to see the green shimmering water inside this cavern in the middle of the ocean, but we paid the five euros each anyway. There were a few patches, and we enjoyed the miracle of nature.
Emerald Grotto entranceEmerald water
We stopped between Positano and Capri for a quick swim. The water here is the purest blue. It’s absolutely breathtaking. And eerily clear. Needless to say, I’m glad I packed my goggles on a last minute whim.
The “tour” part of the boat ride was a bit comical. The first mate was in charge of telling us facts about the coastline. Instead of telling us how this massive cavern appeared in the middle of the cliffside, he instead shared that Amalfi’s best hotel (5 stars!) was directly beneath it.
We arrive at Capri around 1pm and had three hours to explore the island. Unfortunately, there was a lot of Capri I wanted to see (like an ancient Roman villa) that was just too far to get to in the time we had. So we took the funicular up the cliff to what I will describe as rich people Disneyland. The Kardashians are currently vacationing in Capri, if that helps set the stage for you. The town itself reminded me of Miami or Naples, Florida – palm trees, lots of color and way too much glitz. We people watched outside a cafe, enjoyed surprisingly decent salad (me) and pizza (James), and eventually made our way to Giardini di Augusto.
View from the Garden
On our return back to the pier, we stopped for some amazing gelato (toasted almond, crema and strawberry), got lost in the maze of streets and eventually climbed down the cliff (if only we had known there was a foot path to go up!).
We fully expected the boat to drop us off in Minori, so when they docked in Amalfi and told us we were on our to figure out how we were going to get back, James and I did a bit of a “oh crap” dance. Taxis were 35 euros (for a ten minute drive!!). The buses just look terrible. So we took a ferry and made it on with a minute to spare.
At the hotel, we showered and got dressed in our fancy clothes for a very nice dinner in Ravello at Rosellinis. The weather app told us rain was imminent. The doppler showed nothing. So we grabbed some umbrellas and decided to brave the walk (it’s about 40 minutes, but breathtaking views) and figured we would cab back. Driving here is just not an option for us. We make it up the first layer of stairs, it’s raining lightly, but nothing too bad. We feel embolden by this and start walking with some purpose. And then… the heavens (maybe the hells!) opened. It was pouring so hard that the streets started flooding. I ran underneath someone’s garage for cover and we realized that we were defeated.
So I did what any respectable girl does. I took off my shoes and started to make my way back to the hotel.
I saved my shoes by doing this. I figured anything bad on the ground was washed away by this flood. *Hopes*
James did not fare as well as I did. I would say I was damp. James was soaked. His one sole pair of pants was soaked from the ankle to thigh. Covered in mud. His shoes were another color of brown. We asked the hotel to call us a car while we dealt with this outfit disaster. The hairdryer and hair straightener did nothing for the pants, so I used a Tide to go stick to get out the mud stains and James put on his only other pair of “pants” – his new lululemon athletic pants. Shorts weren’t going to fly at this restaurant. We died laughing. He put on his soggy shoes and a new button down and we went downstairs…
This is where we met Ambrosio – our driver. Not a taxi, a private driver who lived up to every Italian stereotype. Super tan. White capri pants. Fancy shoes. A light blue racing jacket. Aviators. Perfectly oiled back hair. And an “A” tattooed on his neck. He spoke about as much English as James speak Italian. So this made for an interesting drive. But he got us to the restaurant in one piece, and we essentially figured that we should only call him to drive us around because the other guys steal your money (we later realized this is true).
Our dinner continued our trashy American theme. Now soaked, and in athleisure, we proceeded to wrestle with the menu. The sommelier kept trying to convince me to get a glass of rose until I told him I didn’t want to spend 40 euros for a glass of wine (so he only charged me 10…) and everything gluten free on the menu was tuna, prawns or spaghetti. So I got the tuna and spaghetti (no, I don’t want a meat course.. you eat too much… I am content with this amount of food….) and James had a four course tasting menu: egg foam soup, rabbit ravioli, suckling pig and a hazelnut box with cream inside.
Ambrosio picked us up afterwards, and we made our way down the winding roads of Ravello. He charged us 80 euros – which yes is outrageous, but he saved the day, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but we’ll probably call him again later.
We arrived in Naples on time and made our way to the car rental agency. 45 minutes later, we climbed into a rather large automatic vehicle (for Italy that is) and took off. Everyone warned us about driving in Italy. It’s awful. People are horrible. We felt it wasn’t really that much different than congested cities in the US… that is until we reached the Amalfi coast. 15 kilometers took more than an hour. The curves were insane to begin with. The drivers? On another planet. We crawled (sorry to those behind us!) and even that didn’t help. Honestly, if scooters were banned, this would have been a breeze. Or if the cars on the road weren’t just parked there (in not a spot, just parked on the side of a very narrow road). It was stressful and horrendous and I would highly recommend hiring a car to drive you here.
We arrive at the hotel, quickly changed and headed out to explore a little Minori and find something for dinner. We ended up at Pasticceria Sal De Riso (which sells more than just pastries – though we’ll get to those too!). We sat outside, facing the ocean, I ordered a “SparkLady” which was a cocktail made from limoncello and prosecco and some other array of citrus. For dinner I ordered gluten free crepes filled with ricotta and herbs. James had a trio of mini pizzas. The food was surprisingly good (we had low expectations, especially because this place had everything you’re warned about avoiding – pictures of food, over the top decorations, outdoor patio seating…). But the real gem was inside the bakery. For dessert James got some strawberry cake and I had a gelato sundae with coffee and dark chocolate flavors. Divine.
We crawled back to the hotel and promptly got ready for bed – only having to deal with the sounds of those horrific scooters buzzing past every few minutes.
The following day we had literally nothing on our agenda, and purposely. The sun was out and we decided to hike to Ravello, which is the city next to Minori. Some things we didn’t take into account: mountains, stairs and more stairs! Google Maps said it would be a 45 minute walk (more like 90!!), but the views were breathtaking and it was fun to meander through a quaint neighborhood that did not have any roads or cars. We paused outside a church (it was Sunday) and listened to locals sining hymns in Italian. Stray cats were everywhere. It was truly remarkable and very, very sweaty. When embarking, we had little concept of the amount of water we needed. I am here to say that the random water spigots on this trail are indeed water and I have lived to tell the tale. Also, we purchased a trusty guide book that helped us navigate our way through the countryside and they called these out.
Very sweaty.
My friend, the hissing gato.
Ravello itself is absolutely charming. There are very few roads, almost everything is entirely walkable, and it was quiet. I was determined to find the Terrace of Infinity, and so after recognizing a few names from my research, we set off towards Villa Cimbrone. We were surprised by the 7 euro cover fee, but it was hands down, totally worth it. Also there were public restrooms and this is always important. We weaved our way through a beautiful garden that was restored by an Englishman after his wife passed away. The views are spectacular, and the though a bit late in the season, there were still some flowers in bloom. Infinity Terrace is stunning – and even better than every picture taken of it and posted online.
After the gardens, we strolled back through the streets towards the center of town. We stopped at a limoncello factory and a ceramics shop. James was hungry but we quickly realized that the cafes here are definitely tourist traps and definitely don’t have anything I can eat. So we headed back into Minori. James was hangry – I’ll spare you of the details – but we eventually were able to pick up some olive oil, prosciutto, fontina and bread (I had my trusty gluten free pitas at the hotel!). We enjoyed a leisurely lunch in the hotel, and then went to the pool for a few hours.
For dinner, we went to Ristorante Giardiniello in Minori, and only a few minutes from our hotel. We were seated outside, under a roof of trees. For dinner, I had the seafood salad and seafood risotto (so much seafood!). James also had the risotto and tuna for his appetizer. I stuck with the house white wine (so good) and at the end of the meal, they brought complementary limoncello. It’s a good thing I like this stuff!
We opted to do dessert at Sal Del Riso. James had a pear and ricotta cake while I had a dome of chocolate and almond mousse, filled with a cherry jam and covered in chocolate. It was delightful.
PS Italian mosquitoes are a real thing. They do not seem to be deterred by American bug spray. I’ll keep trying though.
When one of your best friends calls you and asks you if you want to go to Miami for the weekend, you say yes. When you’re nervous about your preexisting jet lag and how you’ll survive the heat, you just have to let it go.
This past weekend I spent in the land of hot, hot, hot Miami with my dear friend Amanda for some rest and relaxation. I will admit I was intimidated because of my previous travels, but the weekend was ultimately restful and filled with delicious food and lots of time by the pool.
We stayed at Kaskades, a boutique hotel part of the Gale in South Beach. The rooms are gorgeous, the staff is great (when they remember who you are!) and the amenities are clutch. Our flight here was a bit of a nightmare, having to be diverted due to weather. We spent a few hours circling the airport until we “ran low on fuel.” Ultimately though, as soon as we had checked into the hotel and situated ourselves by the pool, it was as if none of the bad weather had occurred.
For dinner on our first night we went to Beach Craft, located in the 1 Hotel. The rooftop of the 1 is absolutely breathtaking, and fabulous. Lounge chairs and couches everywhere, a stunning pool and great views of the ocean and city. Our dinner was downstairs, where I enjoyed beet salad, roasted octopus and blackened grouper. I had the most amazing glass of sparking rose (Lallier Rose), which I later discovered was $35/glass. Luckily we had a friend who paid for our drinks!
The following day, I woke up early and went for a very sweaty, hot run through South Beach (it ended of course at Starbucks). I strolled around the board walk, and eventually made my way back to the hotel. Once Amanda woke up, we grabbed lunch at the hotel restaurant (omelettes) and headed straight to the pool. We spent a few hours relaxing, and decided to check out the board walk and head over to Bodega for a late lunch.
Bodega is a fabulous taco bar (and a nightclub later in the evening). I had the mahi mahi and mushroom tacos. The mahi mahi taco was out of this world. Feeling indulgent, we also split a peach margarita before walking down Lincoln street on our way back to the hotel. Lincoln Street is like Newbury St. in Boston or Fifth Avenue in New York. A quick pit stop at both MAC and BCBG and we returned to spend another few hours at the pool before our dinner reservations at Jose Andres’ tapas restaurant, Bazaar.
LN2 Caipirinha
I’ve been to Jaleo before (another Jose Andres restaurant in DC) and was thrilled that we were able to get a reservation at Bazaar, albeit super late. Even more exciting, was that they had a gluten free menu! The meal was amazing, and filled with surprises throughout the night. Including the LN2 Caipirinha (a rum drink that is frozen at the table with liquid nitrogen), extra courses (including the Japanese tacos and bite size rice cups filled with deliciousness) and fabulous complimentary desserts at the end (the banana mojito and s’mores dessert).
For my meal, I had patatas bravas (of course!), Brussels sprouts with lemon and raisins, the garlic sautéed shrimp and endives filled with tangerine segments and goat cheese. Every bite was fantastic and I left completely stuffed (and ready for some sleep!).
On our last day in Miami, I woke up early again and went for a walk along the board walk while enjoying a large iced coffee. After Amanda woke up, we headed to the pool for a final hurrah, before packing our bags and heading to brunch. Luckily I had looked at where we were going beforehand, because we discovered that there are two restaurants called Hyde Beach. One was around the corner from us, the other one was 13 miles away! We ended up having brunch at the restaurant at the Raleigh hotel. The food was fabulous, the service was meh. My favorite was that they brought over a whole avocado as a side.
We opted to spend our final afternoon at the rooftop pool and bar at the 1 Hotel. The views here are breathtaking. There is a live DJ throughout the afternoon, and plenty of sun and shade. We decided a repeat visit was in need, but this time we’d stay here! Best part? The people watching. Our final meal involved poke and sushi from the 1 Hotel’s menu, and we made our way back to Boston in one piece.
Overall, Miami is a vibrant city. It reminded me a lot of an American Barcelona. The people are beautiful and fascinating to watch. The food scene is crazy and delicious. I had the best tacos of my life here, and will definitely dream about them until I return. It’s a perfect long weekend getaway.
Work has brought me to Copenhagen for the week – and while I did not have hours upon hours to explore the city (like I typically blog about), I figured I should at least pass along what I did have time for!
Copenhagen is a very small city, and fairly walk-able, though the public transportation system is pretty easy to use (and unlike France, they won’t try to arrest you!). The food scene is simply amazing – though I recommend breaking up the Nordic cuisine with a few other varieties, otherwise you’ll never want to see asparagus, radish, fish or dill again. More on that later…
Flying
I flew Icelandair again, but this time had a seat in the Saga class. The difference between Economy and Saga? You actually sleep on the plane (5 out of 8 hours of flying!), they bring you a hot meal (breakfast was scrambled eggs with chorizo, chives, potatoes, asparagus and peppers) and it was simply quiet. I know there are better airlines to fly a red eye on, but I was pleased and relieved to not be 100% spent upon landing. Even better? The airport is surprisingly close to the city center – maybe a 10 – 15 minute drive. On the return trip, I was able to use the SAS lounge – which has everything from Wifi, food, showers, meeting rooms and more. Connecting in Iceland? Don’t make the same mistake I did and go through customs before realizing that the lounge was on the other side, and two hours was between you and boarding.
Food
The food scene in Copenhagen is a foodie lovers dream. It’s simply amazing. I was fortunate to be traveling with someone who did all of the research, and made reservations for each night we were there. The Danes favor fresh ingredients, simplicity and an abundance of radishes, asparagus, peas, fish, beef, fresh herbs and rhubarb.
I ate breakfast at the hotel every morning, and I will admit, the last two times I had a visceral reaction to the idea of soft boiled eggs, radishes, cucumbers and peppers. Unfortunately the gluten free bagels I brought went moldy before I could enjoy them and break it up a bit. But otherwise, everything was delicious and it was fun to experience a new type of cuisine.
Another thing to note – every single place I went to was incredibly accommodating of my gluten sensitivity. Every waiter I talked to understood what I needed, and were able to relay this to the chef. This was critical because I didn’t make any of the reservations and so I hadn’t been able to give anyone a heads up!
Paleo
On the first day here, after I checked into my hotel, I decided to walk to Torvehallerne, Copenhagen’s food market. It was about two miles from my hotel, so a decent walk through the city, and the first time I navigated a foreign country on my own. I did fairly well! Since I didn’t land until 1:30, I didn’t end up eating lunch until after 3 p.m. I was determined to try Paleo – a place I knew I could eat anything off of the menu. I chose the salmon wrap, which was a paleo wrap filled with smoked salmon, avocado, herbs, spinach and cabbage and paired it with a ginger carrot juice. For street vendor food, it was excellent and refreshing after a long flight.
Radio
For dinner on my first night, I went to Radio. The concept of this restaurant is to use local, fresh ingredients – and ancient grains and legumes. Essentially, everything was naturally gluten free (except for the bread, but they brought me some delicious crackers so I could try the caramelized onion butter). The menu is a tasting menu where you can get three or five courses. We opted for five, and it did not disappoint:
Scallops with thinly shaved carrots and a yogurt sauce
Mackerel with asparagus
Fingerling potatoes in a cheesy foam sauce with “glass” potatoes on
top (very thinly sliced potatoes that were translucent and tasted like a
potato chip!)
Barbecue cream sauce with pork and pickled onions
Cucumber and celery ice cream with thinly sliced cucumbers and
licorice meringue
Everything was incredibly flavorful and different. It reminded me a lot of Dill in Reykjavik. Plus, the chef was the former sous chef at Noma (which has been rated the best restaurant in the world and impossible to get reservations at).
This was definitely my favorite.
Maven
Maven is in a restored church, but in the summer, they open a large patio outdoors, complete with heat lamps and fluffy fur blankets. The food here was good – though definitely not as good as some of the other places I went. For a starter I had white asparagus in hollandaise sauce with crumbled bacon, shrimp and herbs. My main course was lamb with new potatoes. Dessert was rhubarb sorbet with a gelatinous white chocolate pudding. I could see this place being excellent in the winter time – it was cozy inside!
La Vita e Bella
Having filled up on lamb, fish and dill, we decided to switch things up and try Italian. The restaurant itself had a cozy familial feel, and the wait staff was excellent and occasionally yelled “Mama Mia” much to our amusement, throughout the evening. For my appetizer I had the caprese salad and for my entree the mushroom risotto. Both were good, and definitely a nice change from the (amazing) Nordic food I had been consuming.
Studio at the Standard
Studio was a truly unreal experience. We went for lunch (and it lasted three and a half hours!), and ordered the seven course menu with snacks. In total, we were brought 10 plates of food, plus bread. As I mentioned, because I did not make any of the reservations, I did not have a chance to alert chefs to my gluten sensitivity. Studio went above and beyond to ensure that I had a gluten free, enjoyable meal. While most food in Denmark is naturally gluten free, Studio even pulled out some homemade buns and gallettes for me to enjoy. It was definitely appreciated!
Each course is definitely an experience – and full worth the time and price. I didn’t take pictures of every course, but hopefully you get a sense of how whimsical it was from those that I did.
Snacks
Potato chip with cream and herbs sandwiched between (it looked like a
hamburger)
Soft boiled quail egg with truffle (the waiter instructed us to just
“pop it in your mouth” and “let it explode”)
Buckwheat gallette with a cream cheese roe and herbs
7-courses
Scallops with snow peas, pea sauce, elder flower and yogurt snow
Danish flounder with new onions and a sauce of white wine butter and
elderberries
Danish new potato salad (eaten with a spear they crafted out of a
stick)
Veal sweet bread wrapped in cabbage and burnt garlic emulsion
(beautiful dish, incredibly hard to eat this)
Dry aged beef, braised beef tails, beef broth sauce, a milk patty (it
was like a milk gelatin), asparagus and herbs
White asparagus ice cream with herbs, green strawberries and a
strawberry sauce
Rhubarb mousse covered in dark chocolate and marzipan
Rhubarb fruit roll up
Potato saladVeal sweet breadAsparagus dessert
At the close of our meal, we ordered coffee for the table, to which we were delighted to find out it was made with a siphon. Our waiter humored us as we took photos and videos.
Overall, this is a definite must try – especially if you can’t get into the coveted Noma (we were unsuccessful – but there are many, many wonderful options!).
Fuego
Our last night in Copenhagen we had a larger group that wanted to go out to dinner – which meant our reservations at Cofoco were null and void. We ended up at Fuego, an Argentinian steak house. I had super low expectations of Fuego and was literally shocked when we arrived. It was a high end Argentinian restaurant. We were given a private room in the wine cellar, with candle light and a beautifully arranged table. My mouth dropped.
The meal was excellent. For my starter, I had an avocado soup with herbs and shrimp. For my entree I had steak with bacon mashed potatoes, peas and asparagus. For dessert, the most amazing creme brulee I have ever eaten, paired with a dark cherry ice cream.
Sightseeing
The Little Mermaid
During a break between meetings, a few colleagues and I went for a walk through Copenhagen with the intention of seeing the famous Little Mermaid statue. We weaved our way through the city, stopping at the famous Nyhavn streets, passing through the courtyard of Amalienborg Castle (sadly we had missed the changing of the guards ceremony) and wandering through the park that the Little Mermaid is located in.
We spontaneously decided to climb the Round Tower on our way back. The tower, which is located dead smack in the middle of a shopping district (known as Strøget), is Europe’s oldest functioning astronomy observatory. The tower was built in 1641, and is today open to the public for a fabulous view of the city. For less than five dollars, you can climb the winding ramps up to the top and are greeted with a blast of fresh air and views all the way to the ocean.
Inside the Round TowerView from the Round Tower
Strøget is filled with tons of boutiques, designer and your typical run of the mill shops. I stopped by quickly one afternoon to pick up a notebook I saw in the window for my sister and some chocolates from Summberbird for my mom. Apparently chocolate is also big in Denmark – and is typically filled with marzipan, licorice and caramel.
Botanical Gardens
One afternoon, I headed to Copenhagen University’s botanical gardens. It was incredibly beautiful. I wish I had more time there – and a book and blanket! I strolled around a pond, filled with lily pads, spent a few minutes watching a crane fly across and preen itself on the shoreline and peering into the massive green house (which sadly closed a few minutes before I arrived).
On my last day, I stopped by Carlsberg brewery. A coworker was picking up some souvenirs, and while we didn’t go on the tour, the brewery itself is very cool. It was a Saturday afternoon and the courtyard was filled with people drinking, laughing and having a good time. The brewery, which was built in the 1800s, is expansive and even offers gluten free ciders! (including, you guessed it, rhubarb cider).
Stay
I stayed at the Radisson Blu Scandinavia. The hotel itself was fine – and the location is superb. It’s on the outskirts of the main part of town, but you can walk there within 10 minutes. Running paths are plentiful, and if you were brave enough, there is even a swimming pool in the harbor nearby.
Back at home! Thank goodness for Daylight Savings because I felt less guilty about waking up at 5 a.m. due to jet lag (it was actually 6 a.m.!). Our last day of the trip was a travel day – and not much to report on there. Icelandair made our plane to Boston wait 15 extra minutes so we didn’t miss our connection. We made it home around 6:45 p.m., proceeded to make a frozen pizza and then pass out around 9 p.m. Not bad, considering our bodies were thinking it was 4 a.m.
Because there is so much to do in Paris (I didn’t even get to check everything off my list!), here are some of my recommendations/tips:
Getting Around: Buy a metro card for whatever time you’ll be there. They sell these in daily, weekly and monthly increments. When you land at CDG, follow the signs to the metro (the line you’ll be taking is RER B). When you get to the station, you will see kiosks. Don’t go to those, you need to purchase a pass from the office, which is the enclosed glass area to your right. Someone will likely be on the floor to help you too. By all means, keep your metro card and the plastic sleeve they give it to you in together. Do not separate them!! Or you may end up like me and have to pay 50 euros. The card also requires a small photo (like a passport photo but even smaller – probably 2 cm by 1 cm) to adhere to it. I’d bring one along and affix it as it will just save you a lot of headache if you are stopped.
Keep these two items together! Everything you are handed at the Metro station shouldn’t be separated. It’s bulky and won’t fit in your wallet but it’s required.
Sign up for a Walking Tour: Usually James and I like to explore cities on our own, but there are some neighborhoods in Paris that are so rich in history and facts that will remain secret unless you find someone to tell you. We opted for Discover Walks, which is free, but it’s customary to tip your guide at the end. It was one of the highlights of our trip, and better than any museum.
View of the city during our Montemarte walking tour.
Rent an apartment: Want to get a feel of what it’s like to live in a city? Rent an apartment. We’re frequent users of AirBnb but there are plenty of other rental services out there. Not only will you save money on accommodations (the entire week was less than $600), but you’ll have the opportunity to cook at home too. We ate breakfast at the apartment every single morning and four dinners (I know, we were in the city of food, but sometimes you just want a break from all the butter and duck!). If you’re into cooking, it’s also fun to explore the neighborhood grocery stores and markets. I made a lot of recipes I would do at home, but with French ingredients, and a baguette and cheese as a side dish to every meal is not a bad way to end the evening.
In case you are wondering, this is the place we rented. Location was excellent – the size was a bit tight for two people, but we made it work. My real gripe was the kitchen, but this is my fault, I should have known that cooking on a hot plate was going to be tricky!
Don’t waste money on the Moulin Rouge: It’s tacky. The dancers aren’t coordinated. Spend your money on a play or opera (if only I knew what I knew today!).
Take the opportunity to visit another country: Europe is really not that big, and it’s fairly easy to take a train to neighboring countries. We did a day trip to Brussels – a 90 minute train ride through the French countryside. We could have gone to London too. Or the south of France. Explore your options! Train travel in Europe is nothing like it is in America. It’s enjoyable, relaxing and you see parts of the country you never would have otherwise.
The reflection was so bad I couldn’t snap a pic of the countryside, but then I thought this was a hilarious selfie 🙂
Skip the Louvre and Versailles and check out smaller museums: Both the Louvre and Versailles were beautiful – and I’m glad I went, but ultimately I don’t feel that my life is any richer because of it. If you really want to go, go! You won’t be wasting money, but in my opinion, it is not as satisfying as some of the smaller museums that are in the city – such as the Musée de l’Orangerie, Musée des arts et métiers, the Paris sewer system museum and the Catacombs. Also, if you are there on a Sunday, check to see if your museum is free. The first Sunday of each month is free to the public. Arrive early (as in when they open) so that you don’t stand in line for too long.
Learns a few French phrases: In Spain, James and I felt pretty comfortable getting around, because we spoke enough Spanish to understand the locals, read menus and maps/signs. French is another story. We listened to Michel Thomas’ introduction to French series. I highly recommend this. It’s about two hours long and you’ll be able to make your way through the country with less anxiety. But, all being said, learn to say hello and goodbye, please and thank you and ask if they speak English. Typically, as soon as we said “bonjour” they switched to English. Having an accent is quite helpful! I even tried ordering a glass of wine in French (thanks Michel Thomas!) and the waiter switched to English immediately, but you could tell he appreciate my efforts.
Take a food/cheese/wine course in the beginning: Our second day there I signed us up for a cheese and wine tasting course through Paris by Mouth. This was FABULOUS. Cheese and wine are plentiful in Paris, but knowing what to buy can be intimidating. I was able to order wines off the menu with ease after that (they name everything by region – so a red Sancerre is always pinot noir and a white Sancerre is always sauvignon blanc). We went to a cheese shop and knew exactly what to pick out and didn’t feel intimidated.
This was a great trip overall. Going in March was perfect – there were almost no tourists, the weather was amicable for walking around (most days were 50 – 55 F) and we had an easy time make reservations and buying tickets to museums. April is likely prettier, as more of the gardens will be in bloom, but I believe that’s when it starts to get busy. One day I’ll go back, but until then, au revoir Paris!
Our last full day in Paris – also known as the day I was almost arrested.
We had tickets to Versailles, which is outside of the city limits. Lucky for us, the train that runs by the apartment we rented goes straight there. We also had purchased a week pass that would allow us to travel to any zone without paying additional fees. It was perfect. The weekly pass had been incredibly useful all week and I was glad to have something that allowed unlimited train travel throughout the city. Especially when we walked so much and needed a break.
The train ride itself was uneventful. Typically when you leave a station on one of the larger lines (RER B, C, etc.) you have to tap out once you arrive at your station. Today, there were a line of uniformed officers checking everyone’s cards. James strolled up and I heard the person say something to him about needing a photo on his subway pass but let him through. I was stopped by a woman who spoke no English and she wouldn’t let me through. I thought maybe it had to do with the lack of a photo on my card. Then she started rather aggressively yelling at me. I asked if she spoke English. She said no. I asked if her colleagues spoke English. She said no. She was clearly frustrated with me too and I couldn’t imagine what I had done wrong! She started telling me I owed her 50 euros. And then 80 euros.
Eventually I saw the woman that had let James through. She spoke English and explained to me that I was missing a plastic case that my card slipped into. This was punishable by fine because I stole the card and was pretending to be someone else. The case was on the kitchen table at the apartment. It is literally a piece of plastic. That’s it. James had to come back through and pay the fine – and they said we could probably get our money back if we wrote and took a picture of the case and my card together. I was completely shaken up by the experience. It felt like an opportunity to take advantage of tourists. I would rather they had taken away my card. It would have been much less money.
That said, I really didn’t want to walk around Versailles too much. We strolled through the palace, but it was underwhelming (probably because I had been to the Spanish royal palace, which is dripping with wealth). Versailles is empty, most of the furniture is gone, and you’re left with the walls. The outside is over the top in gold, but that was about it. After going through the main palace, I opted not to do the other two houses on the estate. Instead, James and I ate our respective loaves of bread with some leftover cheese in the gardens, and then departed back to the apartment to find that pesky plastic case.
Wanting to bring back some bread with me, we made the pilgrimage back to Helmut Newcake, and purchased two loaves of the GF bread, along with some cookies and a pistachio pear bread, which is cut up and ready to go on the plane with me. We then headed to Montemarte – a neighborhood in Paris where the Moulin Rouge is located. I had signed us up for a walking tour, which was the saving grace for our day.
The group had about 10- 15 people in it, from all over Europe and the U.S. Our tour guide was a Parisian who spent a significant amount of time in the U.S. and currently lived in Montemarte. He guided us through the neighborhood, which is absolutely fantastic. On my own, I would have never discovered the small, winding streets. It was where Amelie was filmed. It was where all of the artists from the 1920s lived and thrived – Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, Van Gogh, Gertrude Stein, etc. There was a hotel that artists used to live in, when they couldn’t afford an apartment, and street art everywhere you looked. We went by a famous windmill that every impressionist painter has painted. The tour ended at Sacré-Cœur, a beautiful white church that was built in the mid 1800s.
Following the tour, James and I headed back to the department stores for one final round of shopping (mind you, we’ve not really purchased a lot here!). I picked up a pair of pants, a blazer, a sweater and a scarf. Since we had dinner in an hour, and it didn’t make sense to go back home, we ducked into a bar nearby for a glass of wine (and a mocktail for James).
For dinner, we went to Le Florimond, a little restaurant tucked near the Eiffel Tower. The food was good – very rustic and homey – and the atmosphere was perfectly French. I had a pumpkin ginger soup, a piece of beef with risotto and creme brulee. James had lobster ravioli, cod and a massive puff pastry tower.
Following dinner, we walked back towards the Eiffel Tower to finally see it sparkle – something we had neglected to do every night we were in Paris because of sheer exhaustion at the end of the day. Following the 4 minute light show, we headed to the train and took it back to our apartment, packed and got ready for a day of travel.
First up? The Museum of Natural History (specifically the Hall of Evolution). A massive museum with taxidermy animals of about every species filled this space. Nearly everything was in French, with the exception of a few special exhibits, so we mostly wandered around. Because it was a week day in March, we had the museum almost entirely to ourselves up until we were about to leave (at which point all of the school groups arrived for field trips).
Following, we headed to a creperie that was highly recommended and had buckwheat crepes and galletes (meaning I could eat them). I had one with gruyere, smoked ham and a sunny side up egg. James had the same without the egg. For dessert, salted caramel with whipped cream. I have never tasted something so incredibly amazing in my life.
We left and walked around the area, making our way to the Notre Dame. A cheese shop, which is known for being one of the best in the world (and not mean to tourists), was on the way. Now armed with the knowledge from our class earlier in the week, we were confidently able to walk in, point (because our cheese monger didn’t speak English) and walk away with the most amazing cheeses. Sadly I cannot bring any of these home because they aren’t pasteurized.
We arrived at Notre Dame, took a quick loop around inside, and left to bring our cheese home to the fridge. Stopping of course to get dessert for later, and a croissant for James.
Home we devoured the cheese. I cannot even tell you. It was so good. We had a brie, a funky goat and a little wheel with a heart of fig jam in the center. Now in a cheese coma, we lounged around for a few hours, glad to have a break in one of our days that are typically filled with walking. Around 4:15 we headed back out to see the Catacombs.
The Catacombs are passages built 20 meters under the city of Paris. Originally, they were limestone mines, which often caved in, taking the homes and parks above with it. In the late 1700s, the city finally started to fix the tunnels and built supports. When the death toll from the French Revolution (pre and post) were getting out of control, they used the space as a mass grave – naming it the Catacombs. It is both eery and beautiful. If you are at all the littlest bit squeamish, I advise you to stay home.
On our way back to the apartment, we decide to walk through the Luxemborg gardens which literally were closing as soon as we arrived. So we walked along the edge, looking in. Back at the apartment, we feasted on a homemade soup, some baguettes and treats we purchased earlier in the day.
The train unions went on strike Tuesday night until Thursday morning. Right smack in the middle of this strike, James and I were supposed to take a train for a day trip to Brussels. Lucky for us, our train (both ways) was not impacted, and were able to embark on our journey. We pulled into Brussels a little before 11 a.m. Unlike Paris, it was sunny with a cold bite in the air.
We decided to walk instead of figuring out the subway system. Brussels is a tiny city and were able to walk through a good portion of it during the day. We headed to La Quincaillerie, a hip bistro in an old hardware store. Since we arrived early, and restaurants here don’t open any earlier than noon, we wandered around the neighborhood and came across cool shops, patisseries and more. We were definitely in the Williamsburg Brooklyn of Brussels.
For lunch, I decided to give oysters another try. They were also on the tasting menu and sounded like the least filling option. I’m still not completely sold, but they were probably the best I’ve tried thus far (and no, I have not had any from home yet so I know there are many, many more varieties to tackle!). James also had the oysters. For my entree, I had the steak and frites, James had duck served atop of a perfectly formed pile of potatoes. We left and made a beeline for the patisserie around the corner, with the most beautiful display of treats. We had them boxed up and started making our way to the city center.
Along our journey, we came to a ledge – a huge overpass looking over the city. In fact, you could take an elevator down if you preferred to not walk down the steep streets and stairs. From here, you could see the entire city of Brussels, including the cool atom structure which is located much further away from city center.
At the bottom, we found a sunny bench and decided to enjoy our treats. Both of us had chosen a raspberry macaroon, but it was much larger than your typically macaroon, maybe the size of a chocolate chip cookie, with filling the incorporated a layer of raspberries and cream. It was heaven. The closest I can compare it to is the Haagen Daaz raspberry vanilla frozen yogurt swirl – but better, and less sweet.
During the rest of our journey through the winding streets, James stopped for a waffle, topped with whipped cream and strawberries. We finally came to the city center, the “Grand Place.” I had forgotten how truly amazing this section of the city is.
Each of the buildings ornate, covered in gold, and breathtaking. We opted to go into the Brussels History museum, which was one of these ridiculously orante buildings. Here we learned about the different periods in Brussels, saw how the city expanded from the 1200s to today, and the best part, every costume that Mannekin Pis has ever worn. Mannekin Pis is this tiny little boy peeing (it’s supposed to be Cupid) that was constructed in the mid-1600s. He’s situated outside the main square, and every time someone important comes to visit Brussels, the city creates him a special costume and dresses him up.
We left the museum and headed over to see the actual Mannekin Pis. He was dressed up (I think for Australia, but I have no idea!). We then made our way to a chocolate shop, purchased some goodies, and headed to the Comic Museum.
The Comic Museum is very cool. Tin Tin was created by a Belgian artist, along with some other famous comics, and so there is of course an entire museum dedicated to these folks and others. We saw the process of how comics were invented (monks used to tell bible stories in the same format that we see comics in today!). There was an entire section dedicated to the Smurfs, graphic novels, etc. It was a very cool spot, and highly recommended if you are in the city. Again, I wish I wasn’t so tired by the time we got here!
We made our way back to the city center for dinner at Aux Armes de Bruxelles – one of the city’s historic spots to eat their most famed dish – mousels and frites (mussels and fries). To get here, one must travel through the slippery snakes of tourist trap spots. Men outside yelling for you to come in, trying to veer you in a different direction. It reminded me of the tapas and paella places in Spain, but 100 times worse. We ducked inside the restaurant to be greeted by possibly the worst waiter in the world. At least the worst I have had! But the food was good and it was a solid 90 minutes of sitting. I had moules in a tomato sauce, and James had his in a wine cream sauce.
We walked slowly back to the train station, enjoying the quietness of Brussels at night, and arrived at our apartment in Paris before 11 p.m.
The intent this morning was for James to run and me to lounge around in bed. Instead we lazily lounged around until we decided to do something before lunch, but just late enough that the lines for the Modern Art Museum were out of control (also the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays and the masses flock elsewhere!). Instead, we sat outside a carousel, eventually rode it, and stalked a couple who had a pair of backpacks we desperately wanted (only to find out you can get them in Spain, but pretty much anywhere else they are nonexistent).
For lunch I made reservations at Le Jules Verne, a restaurant located dead smack in the middle of the Eiffel Tower. From the ground, you can see a restaurant, which we assumed was JV. Nope. This restaurant is literally tucked away on the second observation deck. A terrifying elevator ride, and we arrived to about 40 waiters all greeting us. Our seats were incredible – on the outskirts of the room, which meant we were next to a window the whole time. Similar to Top of the Hub, for those who have been there before – but with a piece of the Tower blocking your view (even cooler).
I let them know that I was gluten free and they brought the usual olives to the table. I’ve become accustomed to eating olives, which I used to detest, simply because its the only thing I can often have while everyone else is gorging on bread. And then they brought out warm, delicious gluten free bread. I don’t know what they do here to their bread, but it is nothing like you get the in the States. Nutty, and complex, soft in the center, but not crumbly. Unless you’ve eaten gluten free bread, none of this will make sense – but trust me on it. The amuse bouche was a piece of fish served on a cabbage and purple potato salad. For my appetizer I had warm asparagus with ham, peas and a massive pot of hollandaise sauce (I ate all of the sauce, spreading it on my vegetables and my bread of course). James had a mackerel tart. For our entree I had the duck and James had the beef. Dessert we both ordered what we thought was mango sorbet. It was not. It was literally a pile of mango with some sort of passion fruit sauce on it, with a small side of sorbet. Then they brought out chocolate, homemade marshmallows, cream puffs, macaroons and more. It was literal heaven.
We left lunch, satisfied and completely full. Next stop? The sewer system museum. I had read this was a cool, off the beaten track place to go. After the mornings experience where we were unable to get in, I was a little nervous about the lines. I don’t know why. The sewer museum is not in an old part of the sewer that’s unused. No, this is in an active area of the sewer, where waste from the Eiffel Tower region is flowing under our feet. It was…. disgusting. I walked around with my scarf covering my face. In fairness, we learned a lot, but I would not advise going after eating. Ever. It smells like your worst nightmare.
Following, we headed to the Technology Museum (Musée des arts et métiers). I heard there was a subway station underneath that was abandoned during WWII. Sadly I didn’t find this subway. But the museum was really cool – a thermometer invented by Galileo. The original Foucault pendulum resides here, and is active. I wish I wasn’t so tired. Oddly enough, it was the only place I spoke entirely in French to the staff and they didn’t bat an eye. I still can’t do a very good job – but have gotten down the basics.
Afterwards, we meandered the streets. We headed to a famed chocolate shop, but when entering, it was the most overwhelming and sterile place. And the chocolate was insanely priced (130 euro for 1 kilogram). I opted to buy my chocolate in Brussels and left. We went to Merci next – a concept store that is everything Urban Outfitters wishes it was. Incredibly expensive, but definitely fascinating. We wandered around for a good 30 – 40 minutes before our dinner reservation. There were many books I wish to purchase, but of course they were only in French. Hopefully I can find the English translations back at home.
For dinner, we had made reservations at Frenchies – a highly recommended place by multiple people. Frenchies serves a tasting menu, and everyone receives the same five courses. I stopped taking notes after the second course, so here it is from memory: a thinly sliced fish with some sort of citrus salad, foie gras with beet and rhubarb jelly, monk fish with a coffee cream, duck, blood orange sorbet and the most amazing mint chocolate dessert (think a sort of ice cream on the bottom, melted brownie in the middle and sugar circle on top). We left satisfied and I would echo everyone else’s sentiments: go to Frenchies!
During dinner we heard that the unions that work for the trains were on strike – so here’s to getting to Brussels tomorrow. According to our train’s website our train is unaffected. Fingers crossed. I have chocolate to buy and James has waffles to eat.
