Newsletter #112: November 1, 2011

* A Note from the Editor
* Introducing the Paris Pastry App
* Other Parisian Pastry News
* Staying in Paris...Indefinitely?
* The Gallo-Roman City of Lutetia
* Them Bones...
* Another Look Below the City Streets
* Occupy Paris...in Latin
* Fall Flea Markets
* Budget Travel Passes for Europe
* CoLunching with Heather
* Pre-Order Discount for Naughty New York

* A Note from the Editor *
Bonjour from Paris Orly airport, where I'm waiting for the spooky fog to clear before my early morning flight to San Francisco. After one of the busiest Paris tour seasons that I've had since 2004, I finally get to take a little break myself. But don't worry, I'm taking Secrets of Paris on the road with me as I travel around the country. I've scheduled a few fun events in various cities over the next six weeks, some mentioned below and in the Secrets of Paris calendar, some that I'll be announcing in the next newsletter  on December 1st. I do hope I can meet some of you in person, and that you can tell me a bit about YOUR city!  - Bises, Heather

* Introducing the Paris Pastry App *

Earlier this year I spent a full day giving a tour of a few of the city's best pastry, chocolate and gelato shops. But there's just never enough time to see them all, so i made my client a "short list" of about 20 more she should try on here own. When she suggested I create an iPhone app of Parisian pastry shops, of course I thought it was a great idea, but I couldn't do it on my own. After all, I know where they are and which ones I like, but I'm hardly the expert. But I happen to know someone who is: pastry chef and Paris-based author David Lebovitz. For the past six months, David and I visited over 300 shops in Paris with our assistant Bryan Pirolli to taste, photograph and write about the city's best pastries, chocolates, candies, ice cream, gelato and hot chocolate. The trick is getting it into the iTunes store. And I'm thrilled to announce that our Halloween treat from Apple is the announcement that Paris Pastry is now in the App Store! Have a look at it on the Paris Pastry website (www.paris-pastry.com). The price for all this yumminess is just $4.99. A steep price for an app, you might say, but it's less than the price of buying David a chocolat chaud, and a real steal when you consider the cost of a private tour! We're very proud of our sweet little creation, and we think you'll like it, too.

* Other Parisian Pastry News *
There’s just something about Parisian pastries that inspire people. Susan Hochbaum spent a year in Paris photographing the city’s sweets and their matching monuments. The result is her adorable new book, Pastry Paris: In Paris, Everything Looks Like Dessert (Little Bookroom). She presented her book at WH Smith Paris earlier this month (with some pastries by La Cuisine, the bilingual cooking school in Paris). The extent of international adoration of Parisian pastries could be witnessed three days ago when the famous Ladurée Pastry Shop & Tearoom on the Champs-Elysées almost burned down. Renovation works in the kitchens caused a fire that spewed thick black clouds of smoke from the windows during lunchtime on Wednesday. No one was hurt, but the historic 19th-century interior decor was badly damaged. But don’t fret. While they’re closed for lengthy repairs, you can still get your macaron fix at their original Rue Royal location near the Place de la Concorde, or their Rue Bonaparte location in St-Germain-des-Prés. Ladurée’s products can also be found in Au Printemps, at the Château de Versailles, and in both Paris airports (although the new one in Orly isn’t open quite yet, but perhaps in November).

* Staying in Paris...Indefinitely? A (Rather Morbid) Real Estate Tip *


Did you know you can buy your very own Parisian pied-à-terre for just under €12,000, tax included? Of course, you can’t live in it, but you can stay forever once you settle in. Yes, I’m talking about your very own cemetery plot in Paris. Sure, most of you have visited one or more of the city’s historic 19th-century cemeteries such as Père Lachaise, Montmartre, or Montparnasse. But have you ever considered how you, too, could take your place amongst the many illustrious and anonymous Parisians who occupy the often elaborate tombs and sarcophogi? It’s both easier and more complicated that you might think. Read my article with more photos here: A Cemetery Plot in Paris

* Before Paris: The Gallo-Roman City of Lutetia *

There’s a popular French phrase , “Sous les pavés, la plage” or, “Under the cobblestones, the beach”. But if you dive a little deeper, you’ll find there’s more beneath your feet than just sand. There are also traces of the earliest civilizations who inhabited Paris long before it became the capitol city of France. You can discover vestiges of the Gallo-Roman city know as Lutetia in the Crypte Archéologique du Parvis Notre-Dame. Follow the steps down from the square in front of the cathedral and you’ll find a fascinating peek into how each successive generation inhabiting the Ile de la Cité built their homes, streets, quays and ramparts on the ruins of the people who came before them. It’s a great alternative to the Catacombes for those who get creeped out by bones...and long lines! See the photo essay of my recent visit here: Beneath Your Feet at Notre Dame Cathedral

* Them Bones... *

November 1st is Toussaint, or All Saints’ Day in France, a bank holiday where families traditionally take flowers to the graves of their loved ones. Less popular than Toussaint, but more original than Halloween, is the All Souls’ Day, aka Le Jour des Morts, aka Day of the Dead. It’s a typical Mexican festival that celebrated the departed in a more colorful fashion, with a parade of good-humored skeletons and an abundant offering of flowers and fruits on the ceremonial altar. You can visit the annual exhibition of artworks inspired by the Jour des Morts at the Association pour l'Estampe & l'Art Populaire in Belleville (20th), through November 6th, or brave the lines to get into the Catacombes de Paris at Place Denfert-Rochereau (14th). The one good thing about the line is that it makes it easier to find. If you get there well before it opens at 10am, you might not notice the discreet entrance. It’s in the center of the square in what looks like a dark green garden shed. If you come out the right metro exit at Ave Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, you’ll be facing it. If you come out of the RER or come by bus, you should look at the immense Belfort Lion in the intersection: it’s left ear is cocked towards the entrance, as if it’s listening for any signs of life. While all of the cemeteries will be open November 1st, the Catacombes are closed on holidays (and Mondays), so you’ll have to wait until Wednesday the 2nd. But don’t wait too long: the Catacombes close at 5pm, but the last admission is 4pm. Not recommended for sensitive souls...it’s a mass grave containing the bones of six million Parisians, not Disney’s Haunted Mansion!

* Another Look Below the City Streets *
Most Parisians go underground to get around town quickly and efficiently. And although most of them look bored out of their minds during the daily commute, the free "behind the scenes" tours during the Journées du Patrimoine were so popular that RATP now offers regular tours of its facilities for just €5. The catch is that it's only in French, but if you can figure out the tour registration process on the Seine-St-Denis Tourism Office website, and get to the meeting point, just seeing the inner workings of the Paris Metro would be worth it. Be warned, they fill up fast!

* Occupy Paris...in Latin *

Did you know that the Latin Quarter got its name because Latin was the only language spoken in churches until the French Revolution? And because the Sorbonne, as well as many of the other colleges on the Left Bank were primarily teaching Theology to students from all over Europe, their common language was Latin. When Napoléon re-consecrated the churches after the Revolution, he decided the mass should be performed in French, the language of the people. Not everyone agreed with this, and there are still a few churches in France where priests still conduct the Tridentine Mass, or mass in Latin. One of them is the Eglise St-Nicolas du Chardonnet, at 23 Rue Bernadins (5th), which has been occupied since 1977 by a group of ultra-conservative Catholics known as the Society of St Pius X who conduct Tridentine Mass every day (and several times on Sunday). If you'd like to read about the whole fascinating story behind this occupation, see the article by Theresa Marie Moreau, Recaptured Paris Church Preserves True Mass.

* Fall Flea Markets *
There's something about the crisp fall weather in Paris that makes it particularly pleasant for browsing the city's flea markets. One of the bigger upcoming "brocantes" takes place November 25-27 in the painfully hip North Marais district, along the Rue Spuller, Rue Perrée, Rue Debelleyme, Rue Caffarelli, Rue de Bretagne and Rue de Picardie. There will be about 500 stands selling a mix of junk, antiques, and crafts. The courtyard of the Mairie du 3ème will be specially dedicated to children's toys. You can find listings for other brocantes and flea markets around Paris at the websites vide-greniers.org and www.brocabrac.fr.

* Budget Travel Passes for Europe *
It’s not very glamorous to travel by bus, but at least it's cheap. And when is the last time you've heard of bus travelers getting stranded from volcanic ash clouds, union strikes, or ice on the tracks?  Check out the Eurolines specials for rates as little as €12 one way to London, or €43 one way to Barcelona. A 15-day travelpass good for 50 European cities (including Edinburgh, Florence, Budapest and Madrid) is just €205 in low season (now through Dec 9th, then Jan 4th-Mar 25th). Book as early as possible and travel in the middle of the week for the best prices. Check online or visit their Paris ticket office at 55 rue St Jacques (5th).

* Shall we meet for lunch, or dinner? CoLunching with Heather *
Started in Paris earlier this year, the CoLunching concept has now come to the United States: Meet new people and discover great restaurants. I'll be hosting the inaugural CoLunching event in San Francisco this Thursday (November 3rd) at noon at The House (1230 Grant Ave; seven spots open), and the inaugural CoDining event on Tuesday November 15 at Revel in Seattle from 7pm (403 N. 36th St; three places left; Leslie of FreshPickedSeattle.com will be co-hosting). To attend, just create a free account on the CoLunching Network website and click "join" next to the meal that you would like to join. You can see who already has RSVP'd, and also invite your friends. It would be great to meet the Secrets of Paris readers, come eat with me!

* Pre-Order Discount for the Naughty New York Guide *

As a Secrets of Paris subscriber, you have the chance to save up to €15 by pre-ordering your copy of my latest book, “Naughty New York: A Lady’s Guide to the Sexy City”(official launch date January 1st).  Can’t wait for your book to arrive in January? Order the eBook (PDF) for instant gratification, just €10 instead of €15. The discounted prices are good  through November 25th. Just click on this link to get the special rate: www.naughtyparisguide.com/pre-order-naughty-new-york Stay tuned for the official pre-launch party in Manhattan this December in the next Secrets of Paris newsletter!