A Fork And A Suitcase

In her deliciously wonderful book "My Life in France", Julia Child reminisced about her first lunch at Le Grand Vefour.  Julia and Paul, her husband, happened upon this grand restaurant after strolling through the stunning gardens of the Palais Royal.  They were not dressed for the occasion but ventured in nonetheless at the urging of the maître d'.  The lunch was spectacular and expensive but as Paul said "you are so hypnotized by everything there that you feel grateful as you pay the bill".   My husband and I have made lunch at Le Grand Vefour our more or less annual tradition.  This place is so special that we change out of our "schlepping around" clothing and into something much more dignified, befitting the old world grandeur of the restaurant. This beautiful seventeenth century building has witnessed great changes, much like so much of Paris.  In 1815 the galleries surrounding the Palais Royal held fifteen restaurants, twenty cafes, eight...

With two more pastry places to cover, (three if I count a dessert cafe), I am tackling La Patisserie des Reves, a pastry shop of dreams.  Coincidentally, the two remaining patisseries are within steps of each other on rue du Bac, and a very short walk from Le Bon Marche. La Patisserie des Reves, opened in 2009 by pastry chef Philippe Conticini and entrepreneur Thierry Teyssier, is a very unique looking boutique.  The stunning pastries are nestled under temperature-controlled domes on a circular island in the middle of the shop. Each bell jar contains two sizes of the dessert; a small personal size pastry and a larger cake/tart meant for sharing. Viennoiserie and other sweet treats like marshmallows, jams, cookies, candies, and truffles are displayed on shelves along the walls. I like how the pastry is secured in the pretty pink boxes. Over the years I've had the pleasure of sampling most of their delicious pastries, I wouldn't be a...