Yesterday at 5:15pm, I parked my tired body at Café Mabillon and indulged in a nice glass of Chardonnay and the little dish of peanuts and olives that you see here.  Those little goodies are pretty much standard when you order an apéritif.  For 5.oo€ that’s a good deal.  It could almost be dinner for me!   This café is on rue St-Germain-des-Pres, not too far from its famous neighbor, Deux Magots.  I have found that the waiters at the latter can have some serious attitude issues and there are days when I really am not willing to deal with that.   I can relax with friendly service and people watching is just as interesting here as it is down the road a bit.

 A little bit later, I ended up having dinner at this very adorable restaurant, La Bastide d’Opio, in the 6e.  I found this last November and couldn’t wait to come back.  It’s menu is very Provençal based and the food is amazing.  I had gratin d’aubergine and a salmon dish that was laced with–lavender.  The service is warm and friendly and they are very helpful to English speaking patrons.  I think it is important to know about places to dine that aren’t in all the guide books.  Those tend to be over priced or historically interesting perhaps but your meal may not be that memorable.  Here, I guarantee you will not be disappointed!

 La Bastide d’Opio, 9, rue Guisarde, 75006 Paris

Post from: The Paris Traveler

 Taschen, on rue de Buci in the heart of St-Germain-des-Pres, devotes itself to publishing out of the ordinary books on art, architecture, fashion and other topics, that are works of art in themselves.  Some,  like their city guides are utilitarian, hopefully becoming dog-eared during your visit.   Others command center stage on your coffee table, prompting mini get-aways over a cup of coffee or glass of wine.

For my birthday, one of my daughters, Taylor, gave me a copy of Paris Interiors, a 25th anniversary look at unique apartment dwellings around the city.  I love to look through it just to be inspired.  My other daughter, Lindsay, just helped me take, upload, download, crop, resize and post this picture.  I love my girls!

The store, designed by Philippe Starke, is so sophisticated and pulls you in, making sure you don’t miss a thing through its layout, lighting and displays.  It is so conducive to just staying and making oneself at home, as if you were in someone’s personal library.  

 Some of my favorites are: this Paris guideto restaurants that has companion guides for shopping and hotels for a number of major cities throughout the world.  These will be your buddies in both planning your trip and your days in Paris.  

 The Finest Atlas of the Heavens, is a collection of celestial atlas’ based on the works of Copernicus, Ptolemy and Brahe.  The illustrations are breathtaking,  taking the reader back to the Golden Age of cartography.  The book could actually be a table, it is that big, so be sure you have a special place for it!

 And last, but not least by a long shot:

La Tour de 300 Mètres provides sketches and actual photographs of the Eiffel Tower under construction,  exploring its design and the process of bringing this amazing structure to life.  

All these books are certainly timeless, gifts that would keep on giving.  The great thing about the location of this shop is that the minute you walk out, there are countless cafés to stop at, order a coffee and spend some time discovering  your new purchase.   

For more information visit:  Taschen 

Post from: The Paris Traveler