Trip Tip a Day

Tip of the day:  However it presents, enjoy a macaron from La Duree After a semester abroad, my daughter brought each of us a handpicked macaron of a flavor to match our tastes from La Duree in Paris.  When it's just one macaron, handpicked, and when it's flown in from Paris, and when it's such a pretty pink, and when it tastes so delicious, smashed has no bearing on the situation!

Tip of the day: Try the chocolate at Jeff de Bruges While walking up the rue Vavin in Paris, on our way to an Yves Delorme shop, we happened by the lovely Jeff de Bruges shop and stepped inside. It's a beautiful and pricey shop. Since it's my habit to bring chocolate home for tasting, I purchased a few different dark chocolate 100 g bars. http://www.jeff-de-bruges.com/rubrique/Chocolat/2.html Recently I broke into the bars, starting with the 43% Cacao which uses Criollo and Trinitario Cocoa beans from Venezuela. Venezuela It was good, but not at my preferred dark chocolate Cacao percentage. So, I had to move on to the next level - the 64% Cacao bar using Criollo and Trinitario beans from Peru. Ahh, dark chocolate bliss - the dry crack of the chocolate as it breaks, the slow melt in the mouth, the bitter delicious taste, the aroma. That's my favorite. I love how it crumbles a little in your mouth before melting - it's an exquisite sensation. Next up - 85%....

Tip of the day: Visit the Chanel shop at 31, rue Cambon, Paris My daughter had some very kind help picking out the perfect Chanel lip color and making her purchase at 31, rue Cambon. We visited this location to see the original Chanel property and view the famous staircase. We could view the staircase from the foyer - but NO photos allowed! Window displays July 2009 Watch Vogue's video "Inside Coco Chanel's Private Apartment": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpinr4Uts-8 Some Coco apt.photographs including the mirrored staircase at: http://www.notcot.com/archives/2007/09/chanel_finale.php

Tip of the day: To see Paris by bicycle, get a credit card with a chip I had heard about the Paris Velib bicycle system on a radio show and was eager to try it out. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14429468 . This bicycle system was attributed with making Paris more friendly. The Velib bikes stood out and could not be missed - long racks of bicycles near the great tourist destinations, Parisians picking up bikes, dropping them off at the racks, tourists and citizens riding around the city. At this point I was ready give my feet a rest and cover some ground on a bike. We looked bewilderedly at the rental kiosk at the rack we happened upon. Then a kind citizen gave a half hour explanation (in French) to Kurt -our Swiss travel companion, guide, friend, and linguist. Kurt said "she tells me you need to have a chip in your credit card to place the deposit on the bicycle." Air rushes out leaving me deflated like a balloon smashed empty on the sidewalk. B...

Tip of the day: Enjoy a fresh perspective Travel - always brings out my fresh perspective. Like these petals on flowers that look nothing like any other flower petal I've ever seen before. Fresh. Gotta love that.

Tip of the day: Enjoy the view from a bridge over the Seine in Paris Day Night

Tip of the day: Enjoy another Paris fountain!

Tip of the day: Enjoy the fountains! What do I love? Fountains. And Paris has some beautiful fountains.

Tip of the day: Find the Medici Fountain at the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris The Jardin du Luxembourg is very large and very beautiful. Within it, you may find the Medici Fountain. It will feel a bit like a scavenger hunt, but a challenge is always fun. There's lots of history - but I'll leave that to you to discover!

Tip of the day: Celebrate the 120th birthday of the Eiffel Tower http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/ There are some fun views of Paris on the Eiffel Tower website. This view of the Tower is from the Trocadero.

Tip of the day: Enjoy a coffee at a neighborhood cafe

Tip of the day: Have a Breton-style crepe at Creperie Beauborg Paris Enjoy the delicious breton-style buckwheat crepes as you watch the animated goings on of la fontaine Stravinski (see previous post). It's a nice place to sit in the shade on a hot July day and visit.

Tip of the day: Visit la fontaine Stravinski near the Centre Pompidou Paris This wonderful colorful automated fountain spews water, rotates, and moves. Hard to appreciate in these still photographs. But really fun in person. The Pompidou was closed for 14th July when were there, but we had a nice crepe lunch with a fountain view. (future post)

Tip of the day: Walk from the Jardin des Tuileries to the Louvre (or the other way around). See the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel (ADTDC - see previous post) in the background of the above photograph? And the glass and metal pyramid of the Musee du Louvre in the foreground? The 2 are so close. You'll enjoy sitting and re-collecting by the water at either spot. How to get there (and begin orienting yourself to this area ripe with so many Paris treasures): From the Jardin de Tulieres, stand near the "little" Arc (ADTDC) and face so that your back is to the LARGE ferris wheel (great for orienting your location). Point left and just head that direction to visit the Louvre and this wonderful fountain. http://www.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home.jsp?bmLocale=en . Check the "visit" tab on the website for a guide to the different locations and entrances to the Louvre.

Tip of the day: Experience the "mini" Arc de Triomphe - in the Jardin des Tulieres Yes, more to tell you about the many treasures of the Jardin des Tuleries. This one is just west of the Louvre, 1806, Napoleon, rose marble, victories, anyway...fun to see and walk around.

Tip of the day: Pull up a chair at le Jardin des Tuileries The column in the background is the Eiffel Tower. This is the place to soak in the people and the atmosphere - by the water in a chair. Ahh.

Tip of the day: Visit the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris More to come in future days on the Jardin des Tuileries - one of my favorite places. For today, take in 2 classic scenes at this beautiful location - the large ferris wheel and the children playing with the sailboats. The boats float all around this little pool with their colored cloth sails. The children have sticks, so when the boat gets too close to the side, they can give it a push off and let it catch the wind again. Just restful enough for you to catch the wind in your sails again for more Paris sightseeing!

Tip of the day: Visit the Galeries Lafayette 40 blvd Haussmann (near the Opera) Enjoy the spectacular steel and glass dome and shop for some fun Paris souvenirs on the top floor. Plus, you may have a chance to purchase your french striped shirt! http://www.galerieslafayette.com/ The rooftop observation deck closed within minutes of our arrival. (If only I hadn't stopped at the Longchamp purse area to check the sale prices). Thus, the pictures below are shot through the glass on the 7th floor of the store. Imagine these views unobstructed by glass and make your way to the Galeries Lafayette!

Before I left for Europe, a friend clued me in to Paris Macarons and recommended that I find the shop of Pierre Herme www.pierreherme.com. I never made it to Pierre Herme, but found Laduree http://www.laduree.fr / and sampled the french macaron. Delectable. Flavor guide and brochure: http://www.laduree.fr/_docs/produits/_brochures/laduree-flyer-macarons.pdf Brought home an assortment box to share with the family. Raspberry, carmel and coconut were favorites. Something new - always fun.