Top 10 Culinary Finds in Paris

February 21, 2019February 21, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Traveling with a rather picky 12 year old doesn’t really lead itself to a culinary adventure, but we did have a few of my Parisian favorites and a few standbys to get me through!

10. At the airport upon our arrival, the child was starving! With a classic mixte brioche sandwich with ham and cheese and an eclair, we were ready to tackle the train to Paris!

9. Beef hot dogs. OK – well…what can I say?! We were at Disneyland Paris and needed a pick me up!!!

8. Speaking of Disneyland Paris…did you know they serve MEAT IN A CONE as a snack?

7. Gelato. Need I say more?

6. Coffee? Tea? Nope. Vin Chaud, or hot mulled wine. Only in Paris, people!!!

5. Dinner our first night. While Charlotte enjoyed a hamburger (ugh!) I marveled at burgundy braised beef with shallots, button mushrooms, whipped potatoes and FOIS GRAS that absolutely MELTED in my mouth!!! I’m hungry now!!!

4. Lunch for day 2 – a Hawaiian Poke Bowl! Confession – I do not even LIKE some of the things in this bowl – the avocado and mangoes in particular BUT…sitting outside in a Parisian cafe inspired me to try new things! It was delightful! I did NOT, however, eat the cilantro. I think it tastes like soap and you cannot tell me otherwise!! hahahaha

3. Well, I am not generally a wine drinker but I was in PARIS!!! A glass of wine was a requirement. And they don’t have wine types that Americans are generally familiar with – no Chablis, Chardonnay and pino grigios on every menu. I cannot tell you what this one was named…but it was lovely!

2. The Macaron. NOT a macaroon!!! The macaroon is made from coconut and generally does not have a filling. The French MACARON is wonderfulness in your mouth. A delicate dance of almond flour cookie shell and buttercream or ganache filling. Traditional French flavors include lavender, rose, pistachio, lemon and chocolate. If you haven’t ever tried this bit of magic in your mouth, check out La Maison Navarre in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. You will be delighted with authentic French cooking, macarons, crepes and the most amazing French Onion Soup on the entire planet!!!

1. Last but certainly NOT least – my absolute favorite, most amazing French culinary staple….the crepe! And my crepe of choice is nutella and banana!! Every day/night of our visit involved at least one crepe! Our go-to crepe stand was just around the corner and was a part of an Gyro shop! The guys there were fantastic and I endeared them immediately with my elementary Arabic skills – we were fast friends and they were happy to see us daily!

Our last crepe of the trip!!!! It was kind or our lunch that day!

I hope you enjoyed this picture journey of our culinary experience in Paris. We weren’t fancy, but really enjoyed each meal we took together and really, isn’t that the point?

Tips for Traveling to Paris, Part 2

February 18, 2019February 4, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Did you read Part 1? These are some basic tips for traveling to Paris – but really, when you plan to travel anywhere!!!

Decide on a basic plan of touring and prepare. We bought our tickets ahead of time to save waiting in long queues. During the winter months, this isn’t as important, but there still were lines for the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. We didn’t have to wait in those – we just walked right in!!!! Also, figure out how you are getting from the airport to your destination. Explore mass transit options – they are usually VERY user friendly, as the whole continent of Europe is accessible by train and many people use them. Trains tend to be less expensive and an adventure all on their own. Also, we have downloaded on to our phones city maps from Google Maps that can be accessed even if we are off line. These have been fabulous for Paris and Italy for both driving directions and walking city streets! I highly recommend doing this as you prepare for a trip!

Don’t be afraid of the unknown – life is full of them – they make the ride more interesting! You hear about pickpockets in airports and train stations and tourist sites. There are pickpockets in the US, too. Just be aware or your surroundings. Hold your important things close and pay attention. For Paris, I had a little pouch I carried around my neck under my jacket that had my Euros, copies of our passports, keys to the apartment and my ID/credit cards. For Italy, we had cross body purses that had IFR protection for credit cards and anti-theft straps so they couldn’t be cut. Also – be sensible. Don’t venture off the beaten path and if you are worried walking at night, get a cab. Don’t be sacred! Live life!!!

This is the wonderful street action just around the corner from our AirBnB!

Be flexible – I am a planner, but even the best laid plans can take a sharp right turn! Learn to roll with it! I have found that the greatest character building, memory making experiences have come out of adversity. On this trip, we faced with some unexpected closings, some inclement weather (although I loved the snow) and pockets of protesters. We had Plan Bs available when necessary and turned any lemons into lemonade – and hopefully Charlotte learned that there can always be a positive outcome if you look at a situation the right way.

What do you do with fresh snow in Paris? Build a French snowman at Notre Dame!

Off seasons – I had some amazing deals come up this past summer for European travel this winter. People were afraid to jump on board because it was going to be cold weather. They really missed out! Winter in Europe is generally milder (is was 35 degrees here to the 3 degrees at home while I was gone) and the crowds are way thinner. What does that mean? Fewer queues, better prices and more opportunities to experience something different. Don’t be afraid of the off season – it makes travel affordable for many!

I love this one with the Eiffel Tower in the background!

Learn some French – or whatever language is spoken where you are visiting. I learned some French in high school and have since been using it here and there when I have the chance. To prepare for this trip, I have been listening to French lessons on my phone via Audible (an app) from a company called Pimsleur. I used them to learn some Italian before my trip to Italy. Want to know why some Americans think the French don’t like them? Because we travel to places like Paris and don’t even attempt to speak the language. We try to engage everyone in our loud American voices and think if we speak English louder the French will understand. Guess what? Most of them speak a little English – if you at least attempt some niceties and smile, it will go a long way! Learn how to greet people and say, “thank you”, “please”, “where is the……”, “I would like……” and “goodbye”. Your experience will be must better!!!

These tips can be used in most new situations. I hope you find them helpful and maybe a bit entertaining!!!

Tips for Traveling to Paris – Part 1

February 12, 2019February 4, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

I have to admit that six years ago when I made my first trip to Europe, I came to Paris reluctantly. I had heard it wasn’t friendly for Americans and I just wasn’t excited to visit. I couldn’t have been more WRONG! Here are some tips for traveling to Paris – but I think the info applies to any trip you take!

Plan, plan, plan! Being a Travel Professional, I have access to thousands of great opportunities out there to get YOU to the destinations you want to visit! In fact, I have had a couple of clients take advantage of great deals through one of my favorite vendors for 6 nights in Italy or Paris/Barcelona. Hotel, round trip airfare and breakfast included for the bargain deal of approximately $800 per person. YES – you read that right! Want to know the catch? It’s winter travel. Guess what? It’s winter at home….but the Notre Dame won’t come visit you!

9. If you do your own planning, search everywhere and start early – our flights on Norwegian Air cost us a TOTAL for direct, round trip flights between Boston to Charles de Gaulle, $670 TOTAL for both of us!!!! That included us paying for a bag to go under the plane! It’s not a scam. Pack a backpack and go for it!!!

8. Pack light – Packing is always a challenge. I actually start packing a month ahead of time by slowly collecting things in my bedroom that I don’t want to forget. They start a hill of random items on my window seat and I slowly weed out the things I really don’t “need” and keep the things I can’t live without.

7. Packing for Paris – For this trip, since we were traveling on a low-cost airline (Norwegian Air), we had to be overly aware of our luggage. With the lowest fare, we each got a carry on (like a backpack or small rolling suitcase) and a personal item (like a small purse) – both items not to exceed 10 kilograms (22 pounds). I brought 3 pairs of leggings, 3 tunics, something to sleep in and my unmentionables plus the clothes on my back. One of the tickets we purchased was the slightly upgraded fare and for that we got a piece of luggage to stow under the plane. Low cost airlines are FABULOUS – but read the fine print! Seriously!!!

6. Where to stay? If you don’t know, ask a professional (ME) or someone who has been – Paris is HUGE! And there are definitely better places to stay than others. Our AirBnB was in Saint Germain-du-Pres – an awesome location with a lot of street life and close to EVERYTHING! Our AirBnB was around $150 per night (others were less expensive but we loved the location and wanted a place with its own washer and dryer). There was a gorgeous hotel right across the street for about $150 per night if staying in someone’s apartment isn’t your style. You can find deals, too – like getting a package price from a Travel Professional (ME). Just ask! I’ll give it to you straight!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Up next, Part 2! Don’t go too far!

Lights and Sights of Paris in Winter – our trip in a nutshell!

February 7, 2019February 1, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Paris is known as the City of Lights – and Paris did not disappoint! With a glittering Eiffel Tower and some Christmas decorations still on display, we enjoyed the beautiful twinkle that Paris had to offer. We also enjoyed a LOT of sight seeing in a short amount of time.

We visited the Louvre (bought tickets ahead of time on line and printed them out) on our arrival day to help us get through the jet-lag. We have always flown overnight to Europe so arriving around mid morning and staying awake until bedtime has been great advice for concurring jet-lag! We visited the Louvre in the late afternoon – around 3:30pm and this was a great time to visit – the crowds were thinner and we didn’t feel rushed anywhere. Of course, we saw the Mona Lisa and roamed around aimlessly for about 2+ hours before we got board and headed out. I’m just not a museum person but you can’t go to Paris and NOT go to the Louvre!

The next morning, we walked to a rendezvous point to meet up with a great guide named Peter. We took a 2.5 hour bike tour of Paris with another couple and had a fantastic time! It was a Sunday so many cars were off the road and we felt safe enjoying the morning seeing some pretty cool places. We popped into the Marais – a trendy and chic neighborhood on the right bank of Seine. We rode through the plaza of Notre Dame and learned some history there. We rode to and through the courtyards at the Louvre. We rode to the Place de la Concord and saw the glitz and glamour of the set up for Fashion Week! We rode over to the Eiffel Tower and our guide shared some great tips about the city, the history, and what Parisians do!

Monday we went to Disneyland Paris – I already wrote about it so all I will say is that we planned ahead, got our tickets on-line the week before the trip, knew where we were getting the train in Paris to take us directly to DLP. It was a super fun day and I am glad we took the trip!

Tuesday – our last full day – we scooted around the city on electric scooters for much of the day!!! It was snowing so the city was magical! We scooted to Notre Dame, fed some birds and walked into the cathedral. We wanted to go up into the towers but they were closed because of the snow. We picked up the scooters again and took them to the Eiffel Tower to check out the snow! We took some pictures, then scooted all the way back over to the Jardin des Plantes where we visited the small zoo they have there! It was pretty fun and we saw some beautiful creatures enjoying the snow! After a bit of a rest in our apartment, we walked to the Latin Quarter (about 8 minutes away from us) and walked through Saint Severin church (one of my favorites for it’s Gothic style) and finished up some shopping in the narrows of the Latin Quarter.

Wednesday, we woke up late, packed up and headed out to Notre Dame one last time for some bird feeding! We scooted back to the apartment, had our last crepe, finished packing and hoofed it to the train for the airport!

We had a fantastic quick trip and SO worth every single minute and penny spent!!!! We made memories we will never forget!!! Check out some of our funny selfies and be sure to keep and eye out for my Hints for Traveling to Paris!

Our last crepe! Nutella and banana, of course!

I didn’t know she stuck her tongue out until I looked at the pictures that night!!!

Our first selfie in Paris!

Well, who doesn’t eat hot dogs at Disneyland Paris?

The arrival!!!!

Eiffel Tower!!!!

Sleeping Beauty Castle was so pretty!!!!

From the other side!!!

Top 10 Favorite Pictures from Paris

February 1, 2019February 1, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Many of you followed my fantastic mother/daughter adventure to Paris this January. You can catch up on the highlights in my Travel Diaries, but I wanted to take a minute and post my favorite pictures from the trip.

I love so many things about travel, and one of them is making memories that turn into the stories of our lives. Being able to share this special time with my daughter was precious in so many ways and I hope she will look back on it with as much fondness as I know I will!

Our first selfie in Paris!