Paris Eats

Eating in France is serious. If navigated correctly, it can reach beyond the plate into richer memories, inspired creativity and greater understanding of the world. When the French eat they take their time and above all they share their passion for flavors, quality, technique and tradition.  These are some of my favorite spots in an ever evolving guide to Paris.

Practical information for eating in Paris 

The French like to eat at two times in the day and not in-between. This was something that took me a long time to get used to coming from New York and having access to everything 24/7. Lunch is typically served between 12pm – 2:30pm and dinner between 7pm – 9pm. Some places are open later but don’t expect to have much luck if you like to dine at 10:30pm or a late lunch around 3. Of course there are exceptions but in general as a rule of thumb plan to eat at 1pm and 8pm.

Reservations

Another important tip, you must make reservations. Most places in Paris are quite small and as a culture they only order the amount of food they will serve so they like to know how many seatings they have. I have a few places on my list that are more casual that do not require a reservation, otherwise, plan ahead. The websites are always clear on their policy if reservations are needed or not.

Tipping

Additionally, you do not have to tip in France unless, of course, the service was wonderful and you want to give a gesture of appreciation. If you do tip, do not add it to the credit card, leave it in cash on the table. I found this blog post about tipping very useful. And for god’s sake, do not rush through your meal. The French will spend a good few hours over dinner and wine. Enjoy it, savor it. Your waiter is not being rude for not asking you if you need anything or rushing out your dishes, the French let you be and your meal blossoms before you in due time. Your waiter will also not rush you out, so feel free to to enjoy your dining experience and once you are ready to leave flag down your waiter and ask for the check, “l’addition, S’il vous plaît”. Lastly, in Paris, everyone speaks english so don’t be scared, though as custom you should always greet everyone when you walk in with a “Bonjour” and you can never use “merci” enough.

My favorite restaurants in Paris

Le Chateaubriand~ Perhaps this is my number one restaurant in Paris. This is where I dined on my birthday last night. A tasting menu of natural wines and improvisational cooking that tickles your brain all while being set in a warm, unpretentious old French space

Le Clarence ~ I went here for my birthday last year, it is incredibly beautiful and romantic. Set in an old mansion, the lamb was perhaps the best I have ever had. 

Fragments~ My favorite coffee spot, great breakfast foods, PERFECT cappuccino, cozy. It’s quite small so don’t be afraid if you have to wait a bit for a table, I’ve never had to wait longer than 5mins… or just don’t try to do here during fashion week when all the New Yorkers are in town. It’s my favorite place to spend a rainy afternoon reading. 

Candelaria~If I’m in Paris, I’m stopping by here for lunch to get my major taco fix! It’s the only place in France to get a “real” taco IMO. It’s a speakeasy type situation, you can either eat at the super casual taco counter or make your way past the kitchen through a door which leads to a pretty little bar / dining room. I only go for lunch when it’s chill but if you’re young it’s a great night spot where the backroom is for drinking and hanging out with the cool kids. 

Dersou~ One of my favorite modern eats of Paris, it offers only a tasting menu with cocktail pairing of asian fusion world cuisine. It’s the perfect date spot you’re a foodie. 

Double Dragon~ Absolutely LOVE this place! We ordered almost everything on the menu and it was all to die for, especially the crispy fried chicken which will haunt my dreams until the next trip to Paris. Huge benefit to this spot, they do not take reservations (something the French are annoyingly strict about) so you can just show up when you feel the need for really, really, REALLY good asian food. 

Les Chouettes~ Really beautiful interior, perfect place to have dinner when you want something nicer but not “fancy”. Wonderful fish dishes, sophisticated all around. 

Treize~ BISCUITS. Literally Charleston, southern American biscuits in the heart of France. I love their “not fried chicken” and bloody mary. The woman who started it is from Charleston and is always there to greet you from behind the kitchen with a warm “HEY Y’ALL”. But seriously, the hot out of the oven biscuits are life.

La Mary Celeste~ I’ve actually only been here a few times for cocktails but it’s a pretty little candle lit bar. I hear the food is good. 

East Mamma~ Italian, very hip, designed decor, a place you would expect to find in New York. I wasn’t blow away by the food but it’s a fun experience. It is part of Big Mamma’s group which has a handful of cute places all over Paris each with their own vibes. 

Septime~ Ugh, I haven’t actually been here yet but I know so many people who have gone and loved it and it is the #1 recommended place to eat in Paris. It’s been, for me at least, impossible to get a reservation because I don’t plan my trips three months in advance. They got the sustainable restaurant award and came in #35 of the 50 best restaurants. They also have a wine bar, Septime La Cave, and a seafood spot, Clamato.

L’Aprege~ Really one of the most special restaurants in the world, the kind of meal you don’t forget. Watch Chef’s Table on Alain Passard then you will understand why. Also, I still love my dress from that night

Clown Bar~ Great natural wine menu, small but adventurous seasonal menu makes this a spot for the foodies and young chef’s of Paris. It’s next to the old circus and supposedly was were the clowns hung out to drink back in the day. I don’t know about that but I do know the old, painted clown bar and mirrors are magical. 

La Buvette~ The kind of natural wine bar and small plates the foodies of Paris eat at and my friend Caroline‘s favorite spot. 

Verjus~ Perhaps one of my favorite date spots in Paris. Fresh, smart, seasonal food, cozy simple setting. 

Ellsworth~You go for the fried chicken

Carbon~ New spot in Paris opened by a woman from Argentina, this is all about wood fired cooking in a really beautiful distressed French bistro setting. 

Le Servan~ Foodie spot! Inventive seasonal menu, modern and cool, Americans in the know and cool young French chefs love this spot. *closed on weekends (isn’t that amazing?)* 

Kinugawa~ SUSHI!!! This is my new favorite go-to sushi spot, I wish I could eat the entire menu. Must have reservations. 

Balagan~Also new to the scene, Israeli cuisine in a sleek, modern, cool setting. I loved all the starters. 

Miss Bánh mì~ My favorite lunch spot! Very quick and casual and sooooo delicious. 

Derriere~ cool atmosphere. I like to eat in the courtyard when the weather is nice. 

Hotel Costes~ Really beautiful, balances old world glamour with modern cool. Has a wonderful dining courtyard in the center of the restaurant. Food is excellent but the best aspect to this place is that that serve mid-day and late at night when everything else is closed. It’s great for people watching, very chic, hip, fashion crowd. 

Ralph’s~ In the Ralph Lauren mansion, this place is so beautiful. I love it in the summer to eat outside in the courtyard listening to old jazz, very romantic. 

Le Grand Véfour~ Perhaps the most recommended Paris restaurant for special occasions and it’s easy to see why from the historic and beautiful setting to the very best of Parisian table service. The food was some of the most proper, exquisite food I have ever eaten. 

Le Timbre~ Very beautiful, fresh, modern French food in a cozy unpretentious setting. 

Hotel Amour Restaurant~ I love this place for brunch! Seriously the best bread and butter in all of Paris IMO.

Le Dome du Marais~ Pretty. 

Cafe Marly~ I like to eat on the terrace here for lunch and enjoy the view of the Louvre and Eiffel Tower. They do a lot of turnover because of the location so don’t expect attentive or friendly service but they get the job done and the views are wonderful. 

Relay of the Entrecote~ These are all over Paris and it’s the same experience no matter which one you go to and they only serve one thing, steak and fries, and it’s perfect. My dream is to be able to make their steak sauce! No reservations, you just line up outside, the line moves quickly. 

114 Faubourg~ Your typical fancy Michelin Star place but I still dream about the salad I had here. 

Buvette~ Cute little spot 

Les Fines Gueules~ I have been going to this romantic little spot for years. Seasonal chalkboard menu, amazing wine cave, perfect spot for dinner during the week. 

Monsieur Bleu~Very sophisticated chic spot with an incredible view of the Eiffel Tower. A see-and-be-seen spot, lots of politicians, fashion people, and French celebrities here. 

Claus Paris~ It’s kind of the “it” breakfast place in Paris, at least the cool Americans think so. 

Du Pain et Des Idées~ a truly traditional Paris bakery that is magnifique! Real foodies talk about this place as if it is holy. 

La Gambette à Pain~ Considered one of the best bakeries in Paris, worth the journey for to taste authentic French breads made from organic ancient grains. This article explains it all. 

Auberge Bressane~ Two things, cream chicken and soufflé. 

Frenchie~ Everybody loves Frenchie. I’ve actually never been but I want to go but everyone loves it so I feel good about that. 

Le Dauphin~ Great wine bar and tapas, very foodie culture, can get really crowded late at night. 

Le Ruisseau~ I love to come here late at night, a very hole in the wall burger joint that is to die for. You can also order to go if there is a line.

Cafe Charlot~ Cute bistro, hip fashion crowd. 

Tomo~ Great Japanese bakery, wonderful Matcha as well. 

Scaramouche~ Icecream from Provence! 

Jacques Genin~ Wonderful, special chocolates made in house from the highest quality ingredients. 

For drinks only:

Bar Hemingway~ For history alone you have to do this at least once in Paris. Cocktails come with a rose in your glass and it’s just all so glamorous. 

Caveau de la Huchette ~ Amazing jazz club in a cave, perfect place to listen to live music, sip a martini and watch great dancers sway to the tunes. This was the place featured in La-La-Land.

Ballroom du Beef Club~ Underground speakeasy, the unmarked entrance is next door (to the left) of Beef Club. You go in, you go down the stairs and into a very 1920s candle lit champagne and cocktail lounge

Little Red Door~ Cute, cozy little cocktail spot with really interesting house drinks. 

Hoppy Corner~ New to Paris, great craft brew selection 

Cafe de Flore~ I’m putting this in the drinks section because I’ve done both eating and drinking here and I found the food abysmal I guess because it’s so overwhelmed with a high turnover of tourists they don’t have to try? … I think the champagne is over priced and the service is abrasive. However, I do think it is a wonderful spot to have afternoon tea if you can score a spot outside or in the window because the people-watching is fabulous and the Instagram with the Cafe de Flore logo is timeless. 

Coutume Coffee~ A nice sized coffee shop for Paris with really great cappuccinos and a real breakfast / lunch menu! 

Angelina~ Another insanely tourist spot but it has to be said, their hot chocolate is the best in the world and everyone should experience it at least once. Tip, I prefer the one at Versailles. 

L’Etoile d’Or– Supposed to be the best candy store / chocolate shop in Paris! 

Recommended places from people I trust I have not tried yet but are on my list:

Vivant (reservation) or Deivant (bar without reservation) // Petrelle // Astrance // Comice // Clover // Merci-Merci // Au Passage // The Bocca della Verita // Bistrot les Papilles // Chez La Vieille // DAROCO // Lou Lou // Papillon // Jules Verne // QUINSOU // MELT // Guy Savoy // The Grand Restaurant Jean-Francois Piege // La Scene // Mustache // Hero // Cafe Oberkampf // Cantine California //  Sushi B // JIN sushi // Yam T’cha // Okuda // Cafe de la Nouvelle Mairie// Le Verre Volé // L’etiquette // Elmer // Pontochoux // Robert et Louise // Bouillon Chartier // L’Avant Comptoir // TOMY&Co // Lasserre // La Bourse la Vie // Le Gabriel // Rech // Lapérouse // Fichon // Blé Surcé // Rose Bakery // Cibus  // Le Grand Colbert // Poliane (bakery) // Fish la Boissonerie// Wild & the Moon // Chez Omar // Ferdi // Les Enfants du Marche // Le Rigmarole

Did I miss something? I’d love your recommendations in the comments on this post

La Chassagnette

I love discovering. It is the reason I left home, the endless joy I found in New York, then again, why I left it to discover something new in France. When I woke up at Le Mas de Peint I had no idea where to set out for lunch that day. By chance, a French friend messaged me and said, “go to La Chassagnette, you will not regret it.” Without a reservation, which is a big no-no in Provence, I showed up at noon and was pleasantly surprised to discover the most incredible secret garden dining in the Camargue. 

I literally  knew nothing about the space, almost missing the humble sign for the turn off on the road. However, once I walked over the little wooden creek bridge into the world of La Chassagnette I knew this was something special. The host invited me to discover their garden, baskets of herbs, fruits, vegetables, aromatics, roses, and some flowers I had never seen before set in an endless view of farm land. All grown by organic standards, he informed me most of what I would be eating for lunch came from right here, what was picked this morning. A chef who lets the taste of nature be the star.

The setting was beautiful, just as beautiful as the edible art pieces that arrived on our plate. A reinterpretation of natural beauty. There was much to discover, flavors I have never tasted, flowers I had never before eaten. 

I love this quote from their website about Armand Arnal the restaurant’s chef, “La Chassagnette seems to him an oasis which is self-sufficient and for which there is no concept to develop, except that of respecting its authenticity. ” Sounds like heaven, right?

Tip- try the sparkling sake! 

The French Cheese Culture

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France is a culture of cheese, chief amongst the reasons we get along so very well. One of my favorite stops each Saturday at the market is with my local fromager, Clement. His wife’s family raise sheep and have been making cheese for generations. He attends five different markets each week, selling only the finest fromage, has been utterly sweet to me, and is extremely passionate and knowledgeable about his products.

For this particular cheese plate I created on an unexpectedly balmy December afternoon I asked Clement to recommend a variety of cheeses from different regions of France with different textures, colors, and flavor profiles. Some young, some aged, soft, firm, creamy, cow’s milk, goat, sheep.  His suggestions of 5 cheeses (4 of which are available in the US from Murry’s Cheese, my FAVORITE cheese store in New York, and linked below!) led to the most beautifully decedent platter mixed in with a symphony of dried fruits, nuts, olives, tapenades, honey and saussions (cured meats) from the local market.

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Persimmon Holiday Loaf

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As the season has turned and holiday celebrations are upon us, the beautiful shades and tonalities of the produce at my market have noticeably shifted. The bounty is now filled with walnuts, pecans, chestnuts, dried apricots, golden raisins, clementines, a vast assortment of candied fruits for which the region is famous.

Perhaps most spectacular, these deeply rich orange persimmons abound.  I had never tasted a persimmon before, however they were far too beautiful to simply not try. As I was inexperienced in their use I looked to a James Beard recipe and a friend, along with the inspiring colors and flavors abounding in the market to create this absolutely delicious (and super easy!!!) Holiday Persimmon Loaf which I encourage you to try this wintery weekend if you too find yourself standing over a basket of “the fruit of the gods” and wonder just what to do with these orange tinted beauties.

 

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A Provencal Holiday Party with Ecco Domani Wine

If there is one thing to do in Provence it is to eat. The food and especially the ingredients in the south of France, combined with the nearby wine regions both here and in Italy, are insanely good. After being here this past May I swore I could never eat strawberries from anywhere else in the world again. It was a transformative experience and made me rethink the power of good food.

The farmer’s market… NYC vs. Provence

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A Picnic in Provence

 A picnic in Provence

Anyone who has been to Provence knows the south of France has the most stunningly opulent markets. Delicately viened melons, the softest greens and figs so lush they break open in your market bag revealing their dark red seed. Cured meats: wild boar, sun-dried tomato, olive, chèvre. And the cheese… I die for the cheese.

Today’s adventure, a picnic overlooking the ruins of a famed chateau, tucked just above the mountainous village of Lacoste. On the menu: oysters which I shucked myself, washed down with a coupe of Champagne, followed by sticky red grapes, figs, olives, saucisson, and cheese.  I arranged everything on a beautiful blue and white picnic blanket I found in the market and lay peacefully watching the sun fade off the vines of the valley and appreciating the rich flavors of Provence. Delectable. 

Un samedi parfait.

A picnic in Provence A picnic in Provence

A Picnic in Provence

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It was perfect. A picnic in Provence where it is so simple, so easy, it’s practically laid out for you! Bouncing around visiting the little ancient villages perched on hilltops you are bound to bump into one of the farmer’s markets that migrates daily from town to town. Stalls of cheeses, cured meats, fresh eggs, provencal olives, rustic breads, almond based sweets and the most delicious seasonal produce all lined up for discovery. There is no flashy marketing, just the country staples.

It brought me such joy.

We’d pick up a bottle of local wine which, in this region, is treated much more like a casual daily ritual than a precious commodity. More like an expression of joy from the earth and the community, and the simple pleasures of life. I bought an old monogrammed linen sheet from a yard sale which provided ample space for all our accompaniments to rest in afternoons under cherry trees, or hilltop vistas, lying down for a nap or to read a book, or even just listening quietly to my Renoir playlist as I watched the clouds roll by in all their funny shapes up there in that big blue sky.

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Below, caught in the wind under the cherry trees in a Reformation floral dress and Maison Michel hat

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EAT L.A.

EAT L.A., a photographers guide to best and most photogenic restaurants in L.A.

It’s that time of year in which every New Yorker says… “Maybe I should move to L.A.”. I’ve been very resistant to the idea of the perpetual perfect 72 and sunny day, being the proud New Yorker I am I declare things like “I like seasons” and “I hate driving”. But…. when it’s 18 degrees and dark most of the day I find myself singing a different tune.

So, I decided to focus on something I do best: eating well. I love food. I love GOOD food. I love beautiful food. I love weird food. And if I’m going to ever really consider making the popular migration west, I want to know what’s the skinny on one of my favorite activities… and here is what I found when you Eat L.A.


Favorite Food Spots in Los Angeles

Salazar || Cafe Stella || Milo & Olive || Malibu Farm || Alimento || KazuNori || Rose Cafe || Republique || Petit Trois – ||Odys and Penelope || Bestia ||Cassia || Trois Familia || Guisados || Salt Air ||Guerrilla Tacos ||Tasting Kitchen || Verve || Love & Salt || The Bunglow || Salt & Straw ||Redbird || Gjusta || Sqirl || Sycamore Kitchen || Osteria Mozza || Jon & Vinny’s || Rustic Canyon || Maré || Sugarfish || Destroyer || Pizzeria Mozza || Sotto || Eightfold Coffee || Ostrich Farm || Baco Mercat || Las Perlas || Mercado || Father’s Office

EAT L.A., a photographers guide to best and most photogenic restaurants in L.A. EAT L.A., a photographers guide to best and most photogenic restaurants in L.A. EAT L.A., a photographers guide to best and most photogenic restaurants in L.A. EAT L.A., a photographers guide to best and most photogenic restaurants in L.A.

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Holiday Coffee Cocktails with Nespresso

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Tis the season, as they say. With all the up coming parties and family get togethers, I thought it would be fun to do a classic twist on the simple pleasure and ease of  Nespresso coffee as either a sweet delectable treat or seasonal cocktail to keep the party going. Whether it’s through holiday entertaining in good taste among family and friends or savoring a moment alone on the couch, these are great ways to be a stylish host without too much effort but maintaining the best quality. 

The new VertuoLine Evoluo Machine creates both a splendid cup of coffee or shot of espresso with Nespresso’s signature layer of naturally-formed crema. My friend Molly who is a food writer and stylist developed two holiday coffee cocktails based on these functions of our machine. Of course, it would be a great idea to gift an Evoluo for the holidays and break in the machine with a fun treat like these! 

Hot Mocha

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1 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

2 teaspoons sugar

1 shot Nespresso espresso

handful marshmallows, to serve

dusting of white sparkling sugar & edible silver stars

to spike (optional)- add a shot of whiskey or bourbon

Heat the milk, cocoa and sugar in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat until steaming. Whisk to combine. Make a shot of Nespresso espresso in a large mug. Pour hot chocolate mixture over the espresso and top with marshmallows. Serve immediately. *Makes 1 Holiday_Coffee_Cocktail_Nespresso_03 Continue reading “Holiday Coffee Cocktails with Nespresso”

ROE Caviar

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I recently entertained for the first time with caviar. Of course I’ve had caviar on many occasions at parties, but in very small amounts and without a story of what it is or where it came from. It’s funny, every time I think about caviar served at a party I remember the scene from “You’ve Got Mail” where Tom Hank’s character takes all the caviar garnish at a party during the middle of a quarrel with Meg Ryan.

I’ll be honest, I never really knew what all the fuss was about with caviar. Maybe I just never had good caviar? Or maybe it is the fact that I was raised in Texas, far from the glittering crowd that would appreciate such a delicacy, instead, as children, making fake “chocolate pies” in the mud with my brother.

When my friend introduced me to ROE Caviar, a sustainably farmed California caviar only available in November & December,  I decided it was time to focus and decide where I stand on this glossy little black wonder.

Well… now I know.

It’s heavenly. Salty, delicate, fresh, delightful… it’s like the joy of champagne in solid form. It was thrilling to try and even more delightful to serve. How shall I decide on a beautiful way to present it and what to serve it with! Our guests loved it. To my surprise, they loved it more than I even expected, and I think more than they expected as well.

One of our dinner guests is Swiss-German, something I like to call him when he begins to fix anything broken in your apartment or builds the perfect autumn fire, taught us to put a dab of caviar on your skin between your thumb and pointer finger and taste it off the flesh. Sounds weird at first but hey, I didn’t get to where I’m at in life by not trying new things. So I did and tasting the nuances of the caviar was pure luxury and experiencing the cold, wet texture of the caviar against the contrast of your skin and wetness of your mouth was frankly… sexy. I am thankful I do not have a drug habit but I am fearful I might have a caviar one which could possibly be worse!

So here’s to trying new things and sharing it among friends. Below is the recipe from our friend Jared (who also makes Salt Box Cookies) for homemade blinis we served alongside sour cream and chives for the perfect holiday hostess platter of my new love, caviar.

Caviar Blinis

1/4 cup potato starch

1/2 cup flour

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 large egg

1 tbsp melted butter, plus more for skillet

In mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.  In separate bowl, lightly whisk buttermilk, egg and melted butter.  Pour wet ingredients into dry and whisk batter.

Place a skillet over medium/low heat and brush with butter.  When skillet is hot, spoon scant tablespoons of batter on to the skillet about 2 inches apart.  Once pancakes rise and bottoms are golden brown, flip and brown the other side.

Salt Box Cookies

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Living in New York you make friends with the most talented people in a variety of fields. Our friend Jared has a talent for making cookies. Those perfect, warm, soft, crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, addictive chocolate chip cookies that take you back to your childhood of sweet innocence. I will never say no to a fresh baked treat, but one of the reasons Jared’s is so good is that pinch of textured salt that balances the sugar. The last time he sent me a batch not only did I over-eat them for dessert, I had one for breakfast every day for five days. So that happened.

The cookies were in such demand that Jared decided to make it a business, Salt Box Cookies. The business of freshly baked cookies, handmade in Brooklyn using the highest quality, all-natural ingredients and delivered right away through Uber Rush in NYC or shipped overnight out of state. So now, it’s like being able to call up mom or dad and say, “Hey! Make me some cookies!” and just like that, a fresh batch arrives and the sugar rush commences.

Considering the holidays coming up, this is a really easy way to send a homemade gift to friends, family, work colleagues, or bring fresh baked cookies to a party that I promise will be a hit. Honestly, after you have Salt Box Cookies you can never by packaged store-bought again. 

… and hey, you might recognize the photography and cinemagraphs on SaltBoxCookies.com, we did it in exchange for a lifetime supply of cookies. I think we came out on top in this deal.

Now, who wants a treat?

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Le Bristol Hotel

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A child of the 90s I grew up with this fantasy of Paris I found in movies. The hotel suite that perfectly frames the Eiffel Tower in its windows, bouquets of flowers and white walled gardens where fluffy white cats come to lay in the sun before evenings in little chic black dresses and dinners where each course comes with a wine pairing. I found that glamorous Paris I so long ago dreamed about at Le Bristol Hotel.

I have been lucky enough to find myself in Paris quite often, and from time to time I can be caught in a daydream of what it would be like to live in this city that captures my soul. When I come to Paris I mostly just take my camera and walk. Walk for days. It never gets old to me, I never run out of things to photograph or be inspired by. Never, not even when I stayed in the most lovely apartment, have I desired to “stay in”… that is until I stayed at the Le Bristol. Already as I write this at Charles De Gaulle airport the memory of our suite feels more like lying half awake in a garden day dreaming all afternoon.

There is not a single detail of this hotel, which opened in 1925 in the heart of Paris’s fashion district, that isn’t wonderfully glamorous and idyllically French. From the dazzling array of chandeliers to the 18th century Toile de Jouy decor, it is unapologetically luxurious. It’s no wonder it attracts the stylish clientele to match from movie stars to entertainers and (to my pleasure) fashion photographers. It even had a place in Woody Allen’s movie Midnight in Paris.

During World War II the Hotel Le Bristol became the American Embassy and even harbored a Jewish architect who would later design the stunning glass and wrought-iron elevator I described as what it must feel like to travel inside a diamond

Of course they have a beautiful spa, wonderfully opulent bars and restaurants tucked here and there around the hotel corridors, but it was what we discovered on the 6th floor that really took our breath away. A pool designed in the likeness of a large sailboat as imagined by Professor Pinnau, who most notably designed the yachts for the Onassis family, wrapped in walls of windows with sweeping views of Paris and most beautifully, Sacre Coeur. While the pool was a popular spot in the afternoons, it was early in the morning alone with the sunrise I found it to be one of the most peaceful places in Paris.

But perhaps the most surprising feature of this incredible hotel are the two fluffy white cats that live amongst the marble and roses. There is nothing more charming than having afternoon tea in the hotel’s garden with company of a furry little friend at your feet.

90 years after her opening here she stands, a lovely as ever….

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A Cointreau Summer

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 Recently we shot a cinemagraph series for Cointreau, an orange-flavored liqueur produced in Saint-Barthélemy-d’Anjou, France, which brought in a flurry of butterflies and easy summer cocktail recipes into the studio. Light, simple and delicious I found them to be the perfect charming drink to serve your guests and friends this summer holiday weekend without finding yourself spending too much time crafting a cocktail. 

THE ORIGINAL COINTREAU RICKEY

– 2 oz Cointreau

– 1 oz  fresh lime juice

– 4 oz club soda

Pour Cointreau and fresh lime juice into a glass and add ice. Top with Club soda and stir. Garnish with a lime and orange zest. 

 

{styled by Kelly Framel || model by Karolina Wallce || Hair by Casey Geren || Makeup by Porsche Cooper || Manicure by Angel Williams }

More entertaining ideas and inspiration here