Newsletter #89: February 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009 IN THIS ISSUE:
* Farewell Ric!
* Read This Before You Purchase a Eurail Ticket
* Helping Others
* A Very Unique B&B near the Flea Market
* Ten New Dining Reviews
* Où sont les toilettes?
* Bilingual International Directory Assistance
* New Postal Rates
* Nightlife News
* Computer Help in Paris
* Secrets of Paris Blog & Calendar
* Naughty Paris is coming to Geneva!
* Gold in Them Archives
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* From Heather’s Desk *
A short newsletter for a short month! I spent much of February on the road updating the Loire Valley and Champagne regions of the Fodor’s France Guide 2010 while, back in Paris, the newly formed Secrets of Paris Posse have been reporting on the latest happenings around town. The weather in Paris is still grey, damp, and pretty chilly for the most part, and many parts of France are still cleaning up from the storms of January, but the spring bulbs are starting to poke through the ground, so let’s hope sunny weather isn’t far behind! :) - Heather
* Farewell Ric! (and save me a spot on the terrace) *
After 32 years of living in Paris, Canadian-born expat writer Ric Erickson, editor of the much-loved Metropole Paris website (since 1995!) finally decided to move South. Not that I can blame him. As he explains on his site, while watching the weather one wet November evening, “Night after night the little corner right around Perpignan just above the border with Spain was highlighted with sunballs and temperatures at least twice the Paris average...Sunnier and warmer, sunnier and warmer. Then I went online and looked at apartments for rent down there. Bigger and cheaper, bigger and cheaper. Yes. And perhaps best of all, right beside the sea of dreams, the friendly and cozy Mediterranean.” So Ric has moved south and all of his fans are now reading about sailboats and the Pyrenées. No doubt he’ll cause a tourist stampede not seen since Peter Mayle wrote about Provence. I promise to behave, Ric, if you save me a spot on a sunny terrace!
* Read This Before You Purchase a Eurail Ticket *
So as I was updating the Fodor’s Guide, I noticed that the prices of the Eurail passes had actually gone DOWN since last year (and I’m referring to the Euro price), and mentioned it to my friend Cynthia, who knows a thing or two about train travel after almost a year of traveling around Europe. She told me to check out the site The Man in Seat 61 to read his argument against Eurail passes (as well as his fabulously helpful tips on train travel in general). It’s true that you can usually get around cheaper by purchasing point-to-point tickets. Perhaps what you’re buying with a rail pass is security (or laziness) of not needing to decipher ticket-buying methods in each country. But really, is it that hard? Also check out Rail Europe’s “Train FAQ” which tells you how to choose between a pass and tickets (and sells them cheaper than on Eurail.com).
* Helping Others *
(A moment while I climb up on my soap box...) If you, like me, are lucky enough to be living in France as an expat even for a short time, then perhaps now, while the world economy seems to be going down the drain, is a good time to give back to the community. There’s an excellent site, Je Veux Aider which makes it super simple to find out how you can help, starting with three donation categories: time, money, and “other” (like used clothing or computer donations). You can find, using their search system, volunteer opportunities in your neighborhood for health, education, children, international, social, environment, etc. Sign up for their newsletter to keep up with opportunities throughout the year.
* A Very Unique B&B near the Flea Market *
Longtime Parisian Bertrand went to England and brought back a bit of that British quirkiness with him to design Chez Bertrand: a bed and breakfast like no other. He converted an old factory in the heart of the Marché aux Puces into a super-contemporary B&B with three rooms: Le Loft (with a Citroën 2CV converted into a bed), Le Studio (every surface covered in silver, for astronauts at heart), and L’Appart (colorful...very). Each has a cooking area, free parking, and room for up to five people starting at €125/night (2 night minimum, digressive rates). Perfect for those looking to spend their vacation sifting through the largest flea market in France.
* New Dining Reviews *
The Secrets of Paris Posse have been eating out a lot this month! There are Paris dining reviews for Café Med on the Ile St-Louis, the famous Entrecôte steakhouse, Le 404 North African restaurant, Part des Anges in Montmartre, Hôtel du Nord on the Canal St Martin, the Italian restaurant Buron in the 15th, Petit Baigneur next door in the 14th, an Italian trattoria Toscana in the 7th, a raving Sushi Shop review, and the very Parisian Table des Oliviers in the 17th.
* Où sont les toilettes? *
There comes a time when you’ll need a restroom, and if you happen to have internet connection on your portable techie device (formerly called a phone), then you can find a list of the public ones throughout France at www.toilettespublics.com.
* Bilingual International Directory Assistance *
Another handy, if expensive number for those who, despite many years of French in school, still can’t understand French telephone operators. Dial 118 700, and for the not so small fee of €3 you will be connected with a bilingual operator offering international directory assistance. A good number to know when you can’t figure out how to make an international call home from France.
* New Postal Rates *
In March the rates at La Poste are going up. Letters and postcards (up to 20 grams) sent within France are up one cent from €0.55 to €0.56, but are up five cents to the European Union & Switzerland from €0.65 to €0.70. No change for letters to the rest of the world (including North America and Oceania), which are still at €0.85.
* Nightlife News *
The young and sleepless Posse correspondent Christopher Bonnett has been writing up nightlife reviews of the latest Parisian hotspots including Régine, NY Club and the Paris Social Club.
I actually went myself to check out the opening night of the Coliseum (59bis rue de Ponthieu, 8th), and for now I’m going to wait to see it on a “regular” night to do a full review. The décor is odd, with faux white stone cladding on the walls and floors, and framed zebra prints. The space is claustrophobic and the staircase between the three levels vertigo-inducing. The crowd seemed fun, though, so maybe there’s hope for something better once they settle in.
If you’re looking for something more low key, the stand-up comedy nights in English are back at Le Java (105 rue du Faubourg du Temple, 10th) organized by Laughing Matters with Paul Sinha on March 24th.
* Computer Help in Paris *
My friend Cynthia of Juju Journey came through Paris for a two-week stay during her European year abroad this month, and much to her horror (and all of her blog fans as well), her Mac laptop computer died a painfully drawn-out death. If your computer is on its last legs you can try contacting www.Parisit.com “We help you solve your computer problems at your home or office in Paris and suburbs. Our technicians speak English & French and are
Microsoft Certified professionals. We take care of all computer problem
like Virus, Windows errors, Mac errors, Internet problems, slow computers,
Laptop troubleshooting, data loss, file errors, etc.” Best of all, they work 7/7 from 9am-9pm.
* Secrets of Paris Blog & Calendar *
Don’t forget to have a peek at the Secrets of Paris blog, where you’ll find news and photos from the Salon d’Agriculture, the Yves Saint Laurent “auction of the century”, the Robert Frank exhibition at the Jeu de Paume and some insider shopping ideas. The calendar has also just been updated with some events that you won’t want to miss.
* Naughty Paris Tour coming to Geneva! *
I'll be hosting a book party at the bar of the Eastwest Hotel in Geneva (Switzerland) on March 12. For more info check out the Events page. If you can't make it to the event, Naughty Paris is available at American and Canadian bookstores (just ask if you don’t see it, they can usually get a copy faster than Amazon can send it), at every major online bookseller, and in Paris at Red Wheelbarrow Bookstore, Nuits Blanches Boutique, Brentano’s, WH Smith, Abbey Bookshop, Shakespeare & Co., George V Four Seasons Gift Shop, The Five Hotel, Yoba Boutique, and the Yoba Luxury Lingerie stand at Printemps Haussmann, and the Boutique Dèmonia. For more info, visit http://www.naughtyparisguide.com/buy-the-guide/
* Gold in Them Archives! *
Browse the Secrets of Paris Archives for more insider tips and tricks to getting the most out of Paris: http://www.secretsofparis.com/newsletterarchives/
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Reader Comments (1)
L'Entrecote was busy (as I hear it always is), cozy, close eating with your neighbors which I love.
Both we will return to!