happy French Friday – a new dream itinerary

Bonjour! TGIF! It’s been a slightly long week pour moi, being the first full week I’ve worked in awhile. So to fill in the time that is going by ever so slowly, I’ve been daydreaming of Paris, mais oui. It’s the Earful Tower’s fault, in a way. They just posted a new podcast – Paris Bucket List 2021: Ten fun things I want to do where they each listed 5 things they’ve never done before. So I’m thinking of my Paris bucket list. Some of these will be things I’ve dreamed of before on le Blog, some will be new. Here it is, ascending in order of difficulty. Happy French Friday – a new dream itinerary!

pas difficile

1 It’s Friday so let’s just start with pizza today. Some place I haven’t talked about before. I’m going for Uno Paris, right around the corner from the Louvre. The reviews are glowing and I found the perfect pizza on la carte pour moi, the UNO with crème d’artichauts, mozzarella, artichauts à la romaine, roquette & parmesan. And you know I’m making that tonight – perfect for my first homemade pizza of 2021!

2 Du Pain et des Idées – I believe I’ve mentioned it several times. For some reason, I’m obsessed. I will not rest until I have a chocolate pistachio escargot.

3 Musée Marmottan Monet I love Monet. I have yet to see the Musée de l’Orangerie and the room where I could be surrounded by his Water Lilies. Musée Marmottan would be over the top though, with over 300 works, all by Monet.

4 A drink on a rooftop bar. Will it be the Le Perchoir? Or perhaps the rooftop at the Pullman Hotel? Maybe Le Quarante Trois Bar & Rooftop at the Holiday Inn Paris-Notre Dame, with views over the whole city? I’m thinking I’ll have plenty of time to think about it…

plus difficile

5 Bike Tour I’ve been following Bike About Paris Tours on Instagram for awhile now. It would be so cool to ride a bike through Paris. Seeing as I haven’t been on one in a very long time, it will take a little working up of my nerves for sure. This Blue Fox Travel Tour looks fun as well!

6 Frenchie I have wanted to go here forever. All the trips with Mark and Mom where I called and called beforehand, as soon as you could try for a reservation, and never got an answer. Now I’m pretty much obsessed with this too, must eat at Frenchie!

7 Anniversary in Paris We said we were going to spend our 10th anniversary in Paris – that would be April 2022. Impossible? Non. But who knows what the world and travel will be like then. All I can do is have hope and faith and pray. And maybe make up a dream itinerary while I wait. 🥰

keep dreamin’

8 So basically, these are things I would love to do, if we won the lottery. Alain Ducasse at Plaza Athénée would be my first stop. I’m thinking it has to be one of the most beautiful restaurants in the world. And the philosophy of their cuisine, naturalness. Chef Alain Ducasse has teamed up with Alain Baratan, the head gardener at Versailles for vegetables and fruit grown exclusively for the restaurant. “Naturalness cuisine is respectful of our planet’s resources. Facing nature and cooking must be modest and adapt itself.” Le sigh. No, seriously, check out this dream menu.

9 A class at Le Cordon Bleu. Year’s ago I dreamed of a degree from Le Cordon Bleu… double sigh. But even a class seems intimidating now. But if I had the time, and money, in Paris I would like to take at least one class. Of course there is the Pastry Workshop, or the Traditional Bread Baking four day workshop – oh that would be awesome. What about Cordon Vert Vegetarian Cuisine for something different? Look what class is on my birthday – Mushroom cappuccino, ‘golden’ chestnuts with celery and Yellow curry of root vegetables with spices, rapeseed oil, basmati rice with cardamom & lemon grass – oh la la la la, that would be so nice. Maybe I’ll try to make a version at home anyway.

enfin et surtout…

10 Buy an apartment in Paris. How about this one in the 7th? Or this one right in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Près? See what I mean? Dreamin’… How about a stay in the Eiffel Suite instead, at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Paris? Might as well go for the apartment…

Just reading over this happy French Friday – a new dream itinerary makes me so grateful for the many things I have been able to do in Paris. It was actually a little difficult to make a list of things I haven’t done, because I’ve already done most everything that I’ve dreamed of doing. Who would have thought I would stay in an apartment on Ile St. Louis? Or brought home books from Shakespeare and Company? A dinner cruise on the Seine? Lunch with Maman and a view of the Eiffel Tower? Discovering the Palais Royal – first with mom then Café Kitsune with husband? I am truly blessed. Wishing you a blessed weekend also. À bientôt!