Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg, Photography, Video, Cinemagraphs, New York City
You don’t have to think about Rodin to feel Rodin. Perhaps, even, it is what you feel first that stays with you after. How can someone sculpt the thoughts of man, the memories of love, the history of humanity with seemingly such ease?… take a walk through the Rodin Museum in Paris on a sparkling afternoon and find yourself haunted by the beauty of his immortalized humanity…
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!
I feel fortunate enough to be able to say I have been to Paris more times than I can count and have navigated accommodations from hotels high and low, staying with friends and renting private apartments.
If you are planning a trip to Paris looking at hundreds of apartment rentals on AirBnB can be overwhelming and time consuming. You also never know if it’s really going to look like the pictures or even who to expect will greet you. I’ve had great experiences that way and horrible ones. This time in Paris I used Paris Perfect, a short term vacation home rental site. It’s curated to a standard quality with properties that have historical relevance to Paris and perfect locations married to modern day comforts (wifi, obviously). I say wifi obviously because I stayed in an AirBnB once that the owner hadn’t paid his internet bill and I had to track him down and ask him to do that so I could get online and work! They have an English speaking office in Paris available for you 7 days a week should anything occur. Check in was great and flexible and the apartment came with an amazing guide to the area from restaurants to museums to just cool streets to walk down. But really… it was all about experiencing that bourgeois view of the Eiffel Tower from bed.
Other things to know – the company has been around for 20 years, each property listed has gone through a vetting process to makes sure it’s Paris Perfect standards, and they offer gourmet add ons like a private chef to come cook in the apartment, cooking lessons, and food tours of Paris. And, since Americans sometimes don’t realize this is a thing in France, the apartments they list come with air conditioning and elevator service, two things which are actually rare in private residences. I have stayed in a 6th floor Parisian walk-up without A/C in summer… it was very “authentic”.
Here are some photos from our stay…
As the skies wept, I walked and walked…
whisperings from the streets of Paris talk.
Through the viewfinder framed a city of soul
a place of wonder, a world to behold.
With precision I took what I came to see…
the gifts she has given to a girl like me.
I am the Victory, I am the love…
I am all that Paris can be to someone.
-Thoughts from a birthday in Paris
Another autumn has come and gone, another year of memories with fleeting snapshots from Paris to add to my archive. I love Paris in the fall, the dynamic sky, the ease of getting lost in the day just wondering and watching, and the romantic nights when she beings to sparkle like no other. With each passing year I always reset my eyes on this city of photographic love.
“There is never any ending to Paris and the memory of each person who has lived in it differs from that of any other. We always returned to it no matter who we were or how it was changed or with what difficulties, or ease, it could be reached. Paris was always worth it and you received return for whatever you brought to it. But this is how Paris was in the early days when we were very poor and very happy.”
― Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast
I was so thrilled last week to attend the book launch of fashion illustrator Megan Hess at the Le Bristol Hotel in the heart of Paris. Her new book “New York through the Fashion Eye” was a wonderful walk down memory lane for me with all the sparkle and glamour that makes New York the fashion capital it is. Flipping through the book brought back a rush of memories and made me, for a moment, homesick for the city that had become my adopted hometown. Even as I spend this extended time in France, I do still feel like a New Yorker and this book was a reminder of all the beauty she bestows.
The fashionable event was held at the historic Le Bristol Paris, a five star luxury hotel in operation since 1925 and is one of my absolute favorite Parisian hotels. The hotel is part of the Oetker Collection which has announced the Australian born illustrator as their ongoing artist in residence and will be traveling the world to all Oetker properties creating exclusive fashion and lifestyle illustrations for the luxury brand.
After the event I checked into my room on the 8th floor. Always breathtaking, the Le Bristol is classically French from the linens and drapes to the Louis XV and Louis XVI furniture and of course, the Eiffel Tower views her windows gaze out upon. What The Carlyle Hotel is to New York, the Le Bristol is to Paris…. that perfectly Parisian dream.
Up, up and away we go around the world. Here I am in Paris, a city of never-ending inspiration for me. The past month I have been to Bali, Maine, New York, Germany, Reims, Provence and my favorite city on earth ‘bien sur’, Paris.
There is something about her perfect corridors and boulevards that simply takes my eyes down an endless journey of dreams. There are so many reasons why I love Paris, but mostly it is because she can leave you feeling enchanted, eyes wide open, like watching a beautiful ballerina floating weightless, as if being held up by the dancing musical notes projected from the orchestra below.
In my memories of Paris she remains this white coral shell, precious and valuable and under the full moonlight, absolutely glowing. I stood on the balcony of my Four Seasons Hotel George V suite, jetlagged from my marionetting around the world, and watched her there, quiet and asleep, and completely translucent from the night’s light. It is a gift of travel at times to deliver an altered view of life, be it warped time or foggy daydreams, that puts you in a place you might not have ever been mentally or physically and all the sudden, you see the world in a way that is neither familiar nor dishonest. You see the truth in the beauty of where your body rests at that moment, a clearer present, observing through a mirror that which will again disappear with time. When the lost hours of airplane travel caught up to me, I drifted to sleep wrapped in a French dream of crown modelings, baby blue brush strokes of color and ornately draped curtains whose edges giggled with a can-can line of tassels.
I can’t even remember arriving to Paris that day, having travelled for 24 hours. Did a driver pick me up or did I Uber? I don’t know. The first thing I do recall however, was walking into the lobby of the George V and being hit like a tidal wave of beauty with a wall of flowers exploding in crimson and purple, unforgiving and spellbinding. I gasped, my eyes awake for the first time in hours as I took off my sunglasses and did a full 360 degree turn absolutely breathless at the beauty of this hotel lobby. There are not a lot of hotels that are beautiful enough to distract you from the alluring fact that Paris herself is waiting. This is one of the exceptions. Like only a handful of other Parisian hotels, she is so ingrained in the history and culture of this city that being here feels just the same as being outside. As decadently rich as French culture.
Built in 1928, the Four Seasons Hotel George V is positioned in one of the most luxurious blocks of Paris. A stone’s throw from the Champs-Élysées and the Effiel Tower, her location in the world is among the most prestigious. I felt like royalty swanning around her private balconies with the setting sun. Dining in her restaurants, the modern and feminine L’Orangerie, the elegant and traditional three Michelin starred Le Cinq with the most unforgettable “deconstructed French onion soup” paired with Madeira wine that imprinted my tastebuds so impactfully that I have literally dreamed about it since.
A moment ago I found myself in the glamorous world of the Four Seaons Grand-
It’s hard not to fall in love with Paris. Her architectural streets, her dancing light, her chalky tonality bathing you in softness and drowned in French accents. It was a weekend away, short but everlasting in my memories, swept up in a hotel suite from a dream and made simple with long afternoon walks with nowhere in particular to go… just the way I love to see Paris.
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….
The elevator doors opened onto the fifth floor of the historic Rafael Hotel in Paris, most notably the place where Grace Kelly & Jacqueline Kennedy called home, and there sat this beautiful woman in a blush colored dress with an explosion of satin roses cascading over her shoulder like a vision of what women looked like so many decades ago. The woman was designer Julia Voitenko and like what all modern women battle with, she was searching for a wifi signal. Not knowing who she was at that moment of meeting did not stop me from showering her with compliments and inquiring about every detail before me. When she realized I was there to see her collection, was the moment I realized the collection I was about to see was hers and into the suite we went.
She walked me through the idea of the “new wardrobe” for the modern day woman where she needs only own a few pieces that can be mixed and matched to create a variety of classic looks, one in which Julia describes as “beauty made to wear”. Pulling inspiration from the 50s and 60s the silhouettes remain timeless and flattering to all body types while being hand constructed in Italy from the most prestigious Italian silk {something we know a thing or two about}.
In suite fit for a Princess, overlooking that dreamy view of Paris, I fell in love with ESME VIE and her idea of dressing for ladies.
For the past 4 years we’ve have the greatest pleasure of enjoying Paris in the fall. First with Esteé Lauder, then for MAC Cosmetics, following with Ralph Lauren and this past trip with CHANEL. I feel so fortunate to be able to shoot for clients who see the magic in this city of lights as much as we do. After work we always stay as long as possible to eat, drink, shop, get inspired and take epic long walks in the enjoyment of life. I’m happy to have french friends and favorite restaurants. I adore how things never seem to change here- the same woman sells me my favorite chocolates, the same waitress serves us that day’s seasonal dish, though this year her english is much better… which kind of makes me sad. Then there is always the thrill of discovering something new. The rooftop of the Raphael Hotel was enchanting. Dinner on the terrace of Monsieur Bleu with this sparkling view was so elegant. And the home stores where on. point. this time.
Standing under the watchful eye of time I looked out over Paris thought about the years that have passed and how one day I’ll look back on this time in my life and say… “now wasn’t that just magical.”
A couple of days before we left for Paris we got a call from Chanel. “Karl would like a few photographers to participate in the show, and Kevin, since you’re already filming from the riser, would you be interested?” Sweats nervously.
“Of course, as long as it’s not public humiliation.” Assured this was not the case, I arrived at Paris’ Grand Palais at 6am for rehearsals, along with a handful of other photographers and waited for instructions. A very French stage director walked the models through a mock protest, led by an enthusiastic Cara Delevingne, which would close the show. The photographers would run out from the sides to “cover” the protest and do our best not to trip over ourselves and each other while running backwards.
Everything went off without a hitch. The models rebelled and disregarded the prescribed protest chant in favor of their own. No one tripped, and it was all an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime, Parisian morning on Boulevard Chanel.
