For Laura (and anyone else lucky enough to visit Paris)

I am finding there is too much to say in one facebook post about what to see in Paris, so consider this the reference list. It could officially be entitled:

Nancy's Official Guide (and accompanying unofficial commentary) to Visiting the Greatest City in the World and Getting the most out of the experience so you can love it like me rather than just being able to say "yeah, I've been there" 

Or more succinctly:

Nancy's Paris Advice

I shall break this up into manageable categories. Installment one is on food.


I recommend that people do the fancy eat-in-a-French-restaurant experience just once.  It is marvelous.  and expensive.  And the server wil bilk you out of every penny they think you have.  Do not order a croque monsieur here.  That's just an expensive grilled cheese sandwich. Order something like boeuf bourgingon or some other expensive dish you recognize from watching Julia Child.  Go all out, run up a tab, and really experience it. Just once. Its fun if you go in knowing that it will cost and it is an experience. Chew slowly and really taste the food.  But under no circumstances should you ever return to the states and chew slowly or really taste a McDonalds hamburger.

The rest of your trip You can eat food that is as good as or even better than the fancy restaurant stuff if you follow one simple rule. Eat like a Parisian.  Find a Boulangerie (bakery) and grab a croissant for breakfast. Try the pain au chocolat (thats a croissant with chocolate running through it) or a croissant aux amandes (croissant with almond paste baked between layers....mmmm decadent) or, my personal favorite, a viennoise au chocolate. That's a soft milk-bread with chocolate chips in it.  actually, you could look for pain au lait (pan o lay) which is a sweet soft bread that will change your life.

For lunch you should find another bakery and ask for a baguette avec jambon et fromage. Its a ham and cheese sandwich. Don't gawk at the simplicity.  The French credit themselves with inventing food, and after eating there for a year and a half, I'm inclined to agree.  The more simple, the more you get to taste and cherish the flavors and appreciate what is really happening with your food.  (Think of it this way: Who are you more impressed with, the self-made simpleton who comes from nothing but succeeds at life or the silver spoon who makes it on daddy's dime and inherits the trust fund as well as the jobs?) Yeah, that's what I thought.  We love the underdog.  Think of basic ingredients and ideas as the underdog.  Anyone can make a perfect cut of steak taste decent, but there is art in making a ham and cheese sandwich that really shines.

While we are at it, little street corner cafes are the place to try that croque monsieur.  And don't underestimate the street vendors with crepes and waffles (gauffres).  get them filled with something delightful. You can't go wrong.

Now, Paris is a very ethnically diverse city, so I recommend a not-so-French meal once as well. (You know how ethnic food in America is really a blend of American and whatever other ethnicity?  Same thing in France.  Its that ethnicity mixed with French influence.) Look for middle eastern men selling something called a "Grec".  Its a hard French roll filled with lamb and onions and cucumber sauce then crammed with french fries and catchup.  You will feel your heart slowing down after about halfway through.  (Health advisory: Never, and I mean NEVER, eat more than one of these in a week. Never.)

Go to a grocery store.  Monoprix is the equivalent of Target and Carrefour is the equivalent of Walmart.  Otherwise, keep your eyes peeled for little corner markets.  In the grocery store, find the cheese.  Fromage. France has over 400 varieties.  I recommend: Caprice des Dieux, Tomme Noir, colommiers, and emmental. In the cheese section you are likely to see some sweet old french lady selecting cheese for her next meal.  The most authentic french adventure you can have will be to say to her "Bonjour, je suis american.  Je voudrais gouter un bon fromage.  Lequel fromage recommendez vous?"  (bo-joor. je soo-eez american. je voo-dray goo-tay uh bo fromage.  Le-Kel fromage recommend-ay voo?)  Congrats.  You just said "Hello, I am an american. I would like to taste a good cheese.  What cheese do you recommend?" in a lousy accent.  The old French lady will be delighted that you are trying to speak her language and that you are doing more than taking pictures of the eiffel tower, and making an effort to really experience France.  She will probably respond to you in English that is as bad as your French.  Here's the best kept secret about French people.  They will give you the shirt off their back if you show you are making an effort to appreciate the things they love.  She will probably give you two or three to try.  She will show you how to choose the best cheese, and she will probably recommend which wines and fruits to pair it with.

While you are at the store, pick up a few other things that look interesting.  Cookies (pims, with pear in them. Two words: culinary orgasm) or candies (even the cheapest chocolate will ruin hersheys for you), cereal (pleaase get chocopics and send me a box) and orangina or fruit juices (look for peche-framboise- peach raspberry).

next up: sights to see and tours to take.