Heidi Ellison
Mâche Restaurant
Something to Chew On
“Mâche” means “lamb’s lettuce,” and the verb “mâcher” means “to chew.” We didn’t see any of the former when we ate at the restaurant Mâche in Paris’s 10th arrondissement the other night, but we did plenty of the latter, with … Read More
Paris Update Press Review
This Week's Good Reads about Paris and France
WALKING AROUND PARIS A 320-mile hiking trail around Greater Paris takes visitors to an astounding number of architectural and natural wonders. (National Geographic) RIGHT TO ABORTION “For all women, for human rights, we must engrave this acquired right in stone,” … Read More
Festival International de Jardins–Hortillonnages Amiens
The Floating Gardens of Amiens
An immense, watery green paradise called Les Hortillonages lies in the very heart of the city of Amiens, close to its famous Notre Dame Cathedral and traversed by the River Somme. Forget about motor vehicles and public transportation in this … Read More
Bien Élevé Restaurant
Well-Raised Beef
The name of the restaurant Bien Élevé plays on different meanings of the term, which can be both “well-behaved” and “well-raised,” with the latter referring to the quality of the products on the meat-heavy menu. As stated on its website, … Read More
Paris Update Press Review
This Week's Good Reads about Paris and France
FRENCH ELECTION RESULTS What does it all mean? A look at the results of Sunday’s parliamentary elections on June 19. (Euronews) NEXT STEPS FOR MACRON After losing his parliamentary majority in Sunday’s elections, President Emmanuel Macron has refused the resignation … Read More
Le Collier de la Reine Restaurant
Home of the Queen's Scammer
Please note that Le Collier de la Reine has moved from its former location in the Marais to the address in the upper right-hand column of this page. Le Collier de la Reine (The Queen’s Necklace) is a strange name … Read More
Toucher le Feu
Playing with Fire
The exhibition “Toucher le Feu” (“Touch Fire”) at the Musée Guimet rights an age-old wrong: historically, Japanese women were banned from making ceramics. They were not allowed to use a potter’s wheel or “touch the fire” of the kilns. As … Read More
Loupiotes Restaurant
Almost Perfect Bistro
There is nothing loopy about Les Loupiotes, but there is something very loud about it. If ever a restaurant needed acoustic rehabilitation, this is it. That’s my only complaint about this otherwise completely charming little bistro, where I ate last … Read More
Cité de la Gastronomie et du Vin, Dijon
Dijon: Moving Beyond Mustard
There is much more to Dijon than mustard. That’s the point the city seems to be making with its ambitious new project, the Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin (International Gastronomy and Wine Center), which opened at the … Read More
Musée Franco-Américain du Château de Blérancourt
Helpful Heiress Aids War-Torn France
When you are the daughter of a filthy rich Gilded Age banking tycoon, you would probably be expected to find a rich husband, have children and settle down to a life of luxury. Instead, Anne Tracy Morgan (1873-1952), daughter of … Read More