10 Things I love this week

1) Nulla



“Australia” is the most expensive film ever to be shot in…well, Australia obviously. And, despite the fact that the world’s economy is in turmoil and there are people starving across the globe, I think it was money well spent. Baz Luhrmann’s epic film boasts incredible cinematography – the landscapes of Australia and widescreen shots of stampeding cattle and horses are absolutely breathtaking. Nicole Kidman is stunning in her best role yet – she manages to mix off-beat humor with emotional sincerity in her portrayal of strong yet sensitive British woman, Lady Sarah Ashley, aka “Miss Boss”. Kidman’s chemistry with Hugh Jackman is electrical – not only do the two make a physically perfect couple (hear that, Brad and Angelina?), but their love scenes manage to be credible despite the overlying melodramatic cliché à la Luhrmann. Jackman makes a studly cowboy – I’d let him explore my outback whenever he wants, what a hunk ! The actor showed off his French-speaking flare at the Paris premiere of the film on Monday night. Jackman wowed the crowd by reading a scripted intro during which he taught the mostly Gallic audience members some Australian lingo. Nicole Kidman looked radiant as usual in a sparkly silver and black dress as she joined Jackman and director Luhrmann on stage. “Australia” brings us back to the olden days when movies told stories, made audiences laugh and cry within the same breath, and kept everyone tied to the edge of their seats. The “Wizard of Oz” mise-en-scene is a bit over-the-top (or more like over-the-rainbow), but all is forgiven as we find ourselves teary-eyed as the famous "somewhere over the rainbow" song plays in the background and we remember our childhood dreams. “Australia” is a tragedy, an adventure movie and a love story all in one (yes, there’s time for all of that – the movie runs almost 3 hours long). Luhrmann’s re-telling of Australian history is ambitious, epic and highly entertaining. And I dare you not to fall in love with Nulla, the mixed-race young hero of the film, played by the incredible young actor Brandon Walter. Though Kidman and Jackman tower above him in stature, Walter holds his own as the feisty yet emotionally unwavering half-white, half-Aborigenese boy who sings his way somewhere over the rainbow. So follow, follow, follow, follow, follow the yellow brick road….to your nearest theater to see the grandiose “Australia.” (Or if you’re in France, you’ll have to wait until the film’s release on Dec. 24th) Sure, it’s cheesy at times and some of the love scenes are completely ridiculous, but isn’t that what a movie should be? I was ready to leap out of my seat and cheer every time Kidman and Jackman reunited. I can’t remember the last time I felt that way in a theater, and I see quite a lot of movies. Thank you, Baz Luhrmann for bringing the magic back to the cinema and reminding audiences (and me) that there’s no place like … the movie theater.





2) Bubble Tea




While the concept of gelatinous black balls hovering in my tea was a bit strange at first, I am now going bubbles over bubble tea. The Taiwanese delicacy features tea – hot or cold, with milk or without – with tapioca pearls, that one drinks with a large, wide straw. I discovered Bubble Tea at my new favorite Taiwanese tea room (okay, so it’s the only Taiwanese tea room I know, but it’s cool, I swear) Zen Zoo, located on the rue Chabanais in the 2nd arrondissement. Their ginger tea will clear your sinuses – it’s a powerful jolt of ginger-filled energy – and their milk teas combine delectable flavors of sesame, green tea or coconut. While I thought I’d discovered a little unknown hideaway, Zen Zoo gets packed late afternoon with bubble tea-loving Parisians and their take-away counter is always crowded. I’ve never tried the food there, but the dishes roaming by me on my numerous trips there smelled delicious, and sell at ostensibly affordable prices.

3) Nespresso Caramel flavor



Global economic crisis? What? You’d think they were giving away gold for free, the way people are lining up at Nespresso stores across the city. There’s no gold, but there are shiny yellow spheres on sale – that is, the new seasonal flavors of the common over-the-sales-counter drug we call Nespresso. This year’s special holiday season flavors include: mandarine orange, caramel and ginger. While I nearly spit out the mandarine orange during a taste test (read: I thought I’d sample all three scents at one time while waiting on line) (see: my heart rate has hit an all-time high), the ginger flavor is subtle yet delicious and the caramel is stronger, but wonderful. I recommend the caramel “long” with some milk and sugar for a luscious homemade caramel latté. (and, by “homemade,” I of course mean I press a button, wait a few seconds, then add a bit of milk and sugar and – voilà! My kind of homemade cooking!) I’m still waiting for George Clooney to pop up and serve me a coffee just like in the ubiquitous advertisements, but even without George, it’s très bien.

4) “Agathe Cléry”





This musical comedy directed by Etienne Chatilliez stars the funniest woman in France (or shall I say the funniest FRENCH woman in France ;), Valerie Lemercier, as a racist marketing director who develops a rare skin disease that turns her skin black. The musical score, composed by Matthew Hebert, is fabulous and will have you singing about racism all night. Lemercier is fantastic – who knew the girl got rhythm?? She can dance ! – and the supporting cast, wonderful too. It’s far from the movie of the year, but I’m hoping it will perform well here in Gaul – let’s hope Black don’t crack at the box office ! The film premiered in Paris on Sunday night complete with an after-party at Danish restaurant Flora Danica/le Copenhague. The film’s cast, including Valerie Lemercier, Isabelle Nanty and Anthony Kavanagh nibbled on salmon and sipped champagne with a view of Paris from the top of the Champs-Elysées hot spot.

5) Porridge



It was like a scene from “Goldilocks and the three French bears.” My porridge at Rose Bakery was neither too hot nor too cold, it was indeed “just right.” Only my chair was a little too small, there was no bed to sleep in, and I actually had to pay for my porridge (what a little thief that Goldilocks!). While the Rose Bakery variety is fantastic, I’ve also been making my own homemade version of porridge – in America, we call it oatmeal. In France, they call it …. Actually, they don’t call it anything at all. Nobody eats oatmeal here, and most French people don’t even know what it is. Quel dommage! (“What a shame!”) Because oatmeal is not only one of the best ways to keep warm in winter, but it’s also a very healthy food. It’s rich in fiber, helps to lower cholesterol, has phytochemicals that help fight heart disease and… well, it tastes really good with maple syrup, brown sugar, honey and/or raisins. Join the porridge party !

6) Hôtel Bel-Ami




This hidden gem of a boutique hotel in St German-des-pres is unknown to most tourists, but it’s a great left bank spot to crash – whether for a few minutes for just un café in the bar, or for a few nights in the hotel. The Hôtel Bel-Ami, is not only home to the TV shoots of Rebecca Leffler (I’ve filmed shows there almost every other day this Fall), but it also boasts a nice bar/café area, a cute little spa/fitness center, and not too shabby rooms as well. Bring your bel ami to the Bel Ami !

7) The Starter Wife



Welcome to Mollywood! Debra Messing brings “grace” to her role as Hollywood divorcee/Mom/budding writer in this wonderful USA series, now in it’s … well officially first season, but there was a mini-series just last year with pretty much the same cast and storyline. Messing is brilliant – she brings her witty performance savvy from “Will & Grace” and adds more heavy emotion. The show strips Hollywood down to its bare bones for a satirical look at life after divorce in Tinseltown. The supporting cast is fabulous – Hart Bochner is bookworm buff as Molly’s writing teacher/current flame (why did I never have writing teachers that look like him?), and Judy Davis, Chris Diamantopolous and Danielle Nicolet provide wonderful distractions as Molly’s group of eccentric friends. G-d bless the USA…network !

8) Sally Brompton



Dear Sally Brompton, WHO ARE YOU? How do you always know exactly what is going on in my life? It’s uncanny the way my NY Post horoscope is always right on the mark. It’s scary sometimes how you have an eery ability to see what’s really in my stars. What’s your secret? Where are you getting this information? Do you have hidden cameras following me around that you use for material for your “Virgo” section? In any case, keep it up, it’s nice to see the stars and I are on the same page (literally, the same page, I believe it’s page 7 in the Post?) And it’s not just Virgos, apparently. I have a friend who is a Sagittarius and also swears by your prophecies. Keep it coming, Sally B. ! Love, Virgo in Paris

9) Acerola





Acerola, also known as Barbados cherry (which sounds like something young girls do on spring break) or wild crapemyrtle, is a tropical fruit with a high vitamin C content. Acerola juice contains 32 times the amount of vitamin C in orange juice, and is a great way to add vitamins and energy especially in winter when our immune systems are suffering. I get my acerola fix at Bob’s Juice Bar – yes, I FINALLY made it to the original spot on the Canal Saint Martin where I sampled not only a delicious quinoa salad and coffee cake muffin, but also a healthy concoction of carrot, apple, lemon, ginger and acerola. Acerola is the new O.J., haven’t you heard? ;)

10) The fact that le Bon Marché will be open on SUNDAY every weekend in December




If you live in America, you’re probably thinking ‘Big deal, everything is open on Sunday anyway!’ If you live in France, you’re thinking ‘Holy merde! OPEN? On a SUNDAY? No way, I don’t believe it.’ Oui oui, mes amis, despite the fact that the entire city of Paris (other than, perhaps, some stores and cafes in Le Marais – go Jews!) closes on Sundays, le Bon Marche will be opening its doors to local holiday shoppers (and swarms of tourists) on Sundays through the end of December. While I may risk being trampled by Japanese tourists rushing to the Louis Vuitton stand or American tourists rushing to the bread counter in la Grande Epicerie, it’s a small price to pay for such exciting news !

French expression of the day: “Se géler les miches” – to be freezing cold. If you’re coming to Paris anytime in the imminent future, there’s an expression you’ll be learning, whether you like it or not. Welcome to la Tundra…




Street of the day: Via LaFleur in Italy !
(further proof that I do indeed have Italian grandparents hidden somewhere with a fresh bowl of pasta ala norma waiting for me)

BACK TO BLOGSICS

Bonjour mes amis!
Yes, I may have taken a brief hiatus, but I am back and blogger than ever.
Lots to discuss. Let’s start with…
10 people I love this Fall:

1) Jean-Georges




Yes, he does have a last name – it’s Vongerichten (Say that five times fast. No, don’t. Let’s stick with Jean-Georges. Just like Madonna. Or Bono. Or Cher. Only I bet those one-named wonders can’t make a cheesecake like JG.) The French chef has made a name for himself across the globe – from his trendy modern restaurants in NY (think: Spice Market, Vong, Jo Jo, Perry St., Jean-Georges, Mercer Kitchen, Nougatine and Matsugen) to Asia, the Bahamas, Bora Bora, Las Vegas and London. He even made a guest appearance recently on the only reality TV show worth watching, “Top Chef.” I have been a fan of his Paris spot, Market, for years – their cheesecake is the best in the world (sorry, Mom) and the modern French cuisine with an Asian accent has my taste buds singing ooh-là-là every time I go. (Unfortunately, my wallet sings the same tune.) I’ve often dreamed of waking up one day in the Market kitchen, with black truffle and fontina pizzas coming out hot from the oven, hundreds of pieces of cheesecake to wash it down, and Jean-Georges hanging out to supervise it all. Last week, this dream came true …
I was having lunch at Market with a friend one Monday afternoon. It was a typical November afternoon, the restaurant was filled with French businessmen munching on tuna rolls and discussing the financial climate, waiters handing out fresh bread and butter and – wait a second, was that Jean-Georges who just walked by? No way, I must have had too much Chablis 1er cru. Actually, says the waitress who overhears me exclaim “Was that Jean-Georges? Holy merde!”, “Oui, it’s him.” I stood up, walked across the restaurant, and approached the man himself, sitting in a corner talking with the restaurant’s manager. “Bonjour, I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Rebecca Leffler, I simply adore your restaurants …” yada yada yada I will spare you the details of my sycophantic speech. J-G informed me that my timing was impeccable, as he was only in town for one night, to celebrate the seven-year birthday of Market with a private party/cocktail. Would I like to come? He inquired. Is the sky blue? Is the earth round? Bien sûr I’d love to come. Later that evening, I arrived at Market. My new best friend Jean-Georges saw me come in and exclaimed “Rebecca!” before giving me a welcome kisses on each cheek. He then brought me downstairs to the kitchen, where, to my left, black truffle and fontina pizzas were coming out hot and fresh from the oven and arriving directly into my mouth, as hundreds of tiny pieces of cheesecake were being served on platters to my right, and Jean-Georges was hanging out in the middle observing it all. Oh, and may I add, that Jean Reno walked by during this scene.

2) Rose


It seems only natural that a (French) girl named La Fleur would find herself at La Rose … Rose Bakery, that is. And to think I’ve been here for four years and just discovered the wonderful Rose Bakery. Or shall I say, Rose BakerIES because they just opened up number deux in le Marais. The original Rose Bakery is nestled near the top of the rue des Martyrs in the 9th arrondissement. Though it takes a good climb up the steep hill of the rue des Martyrs, the hike is worth it – inside, Anglo-Saxon comfort food awaits. While the mostly English-speaking staff fluctuate between indifferent and just plain rude, it’s worth putting up with the abuse for the fabulous organic cuisine made in the kitchen. Choose from the fresh organic “crudités” made daily – and usually gone by 2 or 3 PM (yes, there is a global financial crisis, but definitely not at Rose Bakery !) such as quinoa or rice salads, roasted seasonal vegetables such as pumpkin or celeriac, and their signature carrot salad with sunflower seeds. Their mini-quiches are excellent, as are their homemade soups, and entrées which range from the risotto du jour, grilled tofu with veggies or, on the weekends, a cheese scone and scrambled eggs. Their scones are the best in Paris – I recommend the maple syrup variety – and their muffins also the best in the city (though that’s not saying much, the competition is far from vast!) The new spot on the rue Debelleyme, filled with Haut Marais hipsters, is a bit bigger, has a cleaner look and the staff actually – gasp! – smile!

3) Bob



Are Anglo-Saxons the only ones with the brilliant idea to bring healthy to the streets of Paris? Bob, or alias Bob, since his real name isn’t Bob, but Mark, had the brilliant idea to make healthy juices, salads, sandwiches, soups and muffins (ok so the muffins aren’t heathly per se, but I’ll continue to tell myself they are.) The original Bob’s Juice Bar is located in the 10th arr. in the hip Canal Saint Martin, and, great news for us Germanopratines – he has a temporary stand set up in the Galerie Imaginaire on the 2nd floor of the Bon Marché department store through the end of the year. You can sip a smoothie and munch on a carrot muffin while you observe the financially unchallenged clientele of the Bon Marché do their holiday shopping.

4) B.O.B.



The second B.O.B. is also American – but this B.O.B. isn’t human, and, as far as I know, doesn’t offer a cook book of muffins. This B.O.B. is a gelatinous blue blob that eats anything in his path (sounds just like the last guy I dated!) B.O.B. is one of the stars of Dreamworks’ latest animation coup – the 3D film “Monsters vs. Aliens.” Dreamworks topper Jeffrey Katzenberg came to Paris last week to present exclusive footage from the upcoming March release (April, in France) featuring the voices of Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie, Rainn Wilson and one of America’s funniest men (only natural, he’s a Dartmouth grad, so his wit and brilliance are to be expected) Stephen Colbert as the President of the United States. The three scenes alone that I saw made me never want to see a 2D film again (not a wise decision for a film critic/journalist, I know). I led a Q&A with Jeffrey Katzenberg as part of Ile de France Film Commission initiative – special effects conference ParisFX.

5) Carine Roitfeld
“You look so chic!” –Carine Roitfeld, Editor of French Vogue, to moi at the Louis Vuitton/Vogue soirée for Vogue’s 2009 calendar complete with Terry Richardson’s photos. Also spotted at the très private cocktail in a gallery with the most amazing view of Paris: Marc Jacobs, Vincent Perez, Estelle, “The Haitian” from “Heroes.” Roitfeld, contrary to her reputation for being the French devil wearing Prada, was actually quite nice. Carine, you mentioned you had a son living in NY? If he’d care to marry me before December 31st of this year when my carte de séjour expires, I’d be much obliged. Merci…uh, can I call you Maman?








6) The lovely people of Sony France



Dear lovely people of Sony France,
Thanks for the new Sony Walkman!
Love, the girl taking photos with men with orange faces on stilts all night at the launch party for the new Sony store on the Avenue Georges V.

7) Nicolas Sarkozy






Dear Nick,
Please let me stay in Paris. I belong here – just look. Rebecca Leffler + Paris, France = love. Please don’t kick me out of the country when my carte de séjour expires at the end of the year. You love America, remember? Just think of me as the female Barack Obama.
Love,
The most Parisian of all Parisians, Rebecca LaFleur

8) Nate
(from “Gossip Girl”)




You might be waay too young for the likes of moi, and you may have an affinity for 15-year old girls (see: the Jenny Humphrey files), but we also know you like a good cougar once in awhile. I’m sort of in between the two categories. You’re gorgeous, I’m … in awe of your gorgeousness. Let’s make out? You’re homeless, come on, even my tiny studio in Paris is a step up from the street. Xoxo Gossip Girl

9) Mon Lapin (my rabbit)
The latest addition to my life, my new Antik Batik rabbit-fur coat has been keeping me warm this winter. Little bunny foo foo, hopping through the Paris forest …




10) Carla Bruni




This former model has not only become the First Lady of France, but has managed to do this – and release an album at the same time – despite a sordid (read: slutty) past that everybody seems to have forgotten about. Let me refresh your memories, or, if you’re American, I’m sure you haven’t even heard this crazy story, so I will regale you with tales of Franco-Italian debauchery. So our dear Carla was dating an older guy (a young woman dating an older man? It’s as common as drinking water for the French) – a well-known literary publisher old enough to be her father. So, let’s call him “Papa Publisher” brings Miss Carla on vacation where she proceeds to sleep with his son, a young, good-looking, well-known philosopher/professor, despite the fact that Papa Publisher and his son’s WIFE were under the same roof at the same time. Said (now former) wife went on to write a book outlining all of the dirty details – titled “Nothing Serious” (perhaps, because, in France, something of this nature is indeed, considered “nothing serious”) in which she calls Carla a “preying mantis” and a “leech of a woman with a Terminator smile.” Well, this Terminator is back and, despite her ostensible inability to keep her pants on, has become a global glamour icon and is married to the most powerful man in Gaul. She’s beautiful AND smart – she’s gone from the runway to hanging out with the Dalai Lama and the Pope. Not to mention, that her sister, director Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, has already achieved my life dream: she’s currently dating the gorgeous Louis Garrel. If these sisters taught a class on the art of seduction, I’d sign up asap.

French expression of the day: Ne vendez pas la peau de l’ours avant de l’avoir tué. (“Don’t sell the bear skin before you’ve killed the bear.”) In English, we say “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.” This is pretty representative of the two culture, don’t you think? In America, we hatch chicken eggs, and in France, you kill bears ! In any case, it means don’t get your hopes up for something until it’s 100% sure it is going to happen. A nice piece of advice for this global economic recession.

FASHION WEAK

Aka La Semaine de la M-OHHHHHHH-DE


It happens around six times a year. Suddenly, the entire city appears to be invaded by tall, leggy creatures with bobbing heads and obscenely dark eyelashes. There are no taxis in sight, no rooms available at the Ritz and not an empty table to be found at the Hotel Costes. And – holy merde! – an alien with a leather skirt is attacking the Plaza Athenée! (oops, don’t worry, that was just Victoria Beckham on her way back from lunch.) Paris Fashion Week - the Fall/Winter 2008-2009 Men’s and Haute Couture collections that is – recently wrapped in the city of lights. For those working in fashion, this meant days of running (or if you’re Anna Wintour or someone of a certain status, not running but rather, driven in a private car by a chauffeur named Pierre-Jeeves) from one show to the next and from one cocktail party to another. For those NOT working in fashion (cough cough) this meant a few days of “really, really ridiculously good-looking” people-watching, a few more fun events than usual and a champagne-induced hangover leaving everyone Haut Cout-SORE.
A few highlights from le week:

Richard Avedon expo at the Jeu de Paume, opening night “Vernissage”

The expo runs July 1-Sept. 28 in Paris at the famous Jeu de Paume (think: the oath of the tennis court, 1789). It’s the first major retrospective of Avedon’s work since his death in 2004 and surveys all of the photographer’s career, including 270 photos taken between 1974 and 2004. The exhibition mixes fashion photos (think: Marilyn Monroe) political figures, artists, authors and his “American West” series. I highly recommend it to those of you able to stop by. (And, while you’re there, check out one of my fave café’s, La Ferme – they recently opened a new mini outpost there.)

Dinner at Armani Caffe… with Giorgio Armani!

Okay, so I didn’t exactly have dinner “with” Giorgio Armani per se, but he did sit just across the room from me. After all of the times I’ve dined there, finally the man himself decided to join me. I asked the waiter to send a message to Monsieur Armani to thank him for feeding me so well over the past couple of years. On the way out, he smiled and waved goodbye to me. We are totally BFF. Now, Monsieur Armani, if you’d like to offer me free meals at your Caffe, please feel free.

Elie Saab Haute Couture show


Lebanese designer Elie Saab presented his Fall/Winter 2008-2009 collection at the Grand Hotel Interncontinental on Wednesday. As usual, his designs were magnificent. Saab’s dresses are typically colorful and feminine and give nice shape (to those of us lacking!). The boutique on the Avenue Montaigne is incredible. And Saab is really expanding internationally – the designer just signed up to design a boutique hotel with Tiger Woods in Dubai. Michelle Yeoh, Lou Doillon and Rachel Zoe were among the guests at the show.

Giuseppe Zanotti party, Mini-Palais

One thing I love about Paris is that there are so many parties in national monuments and museums. There you are sipping champagne and looking up at beautiful architecture with historical significance. Though a bit hot outside (read: I’d been sweating since I woke up that morning under the scorching summer sun), it was a beautiful night and a nice, chill ambiance. The music wasn’t so great, but it was so hot, who wanted to sweat it out on the dance floor anyway? In addition to fond memories, I also walked home with a cute silver shoe-shaped Zanotti keychain.
Spotted: Rachel Zoe looking emaciated and too cool for school, Eva Mendes smoking a cigarette and looking post-rehab chic, (my neighbor) Olivier Martinez trying to avoid being photographed, Lou Doillon snacking on mini-desserts and talking about her love letters tour, a newly blond Melanie Laurent sitting pretty in the VIP section, Sebastien Tellier (who also followed me to the Avedon expo and dinner at the Hotel Amour last week – he’s totally stalking me)

Tilmann Grawe Vernissage, Galerie Adler
German designer Tilmann Grawe held a cocktail at the Galerie Adler for his new art expo “Coiffes, Cristal et Talons Aiguilles: Pour femmes terrestres et extra-terrestres en presence de la sirene Moonlight-Mermaid” (Hair-dos, crystal and high heels: for terrestrial and extra-terrestrial women in the presence of the siren Moonlight-Mermaid). The crystal head-coverings were literally “out of this world,” a mélange of funky art and feminine allure.


Souper Fin cocktail/tasting at l’Eclaireur



“These are a few of my favorite things…” Someone (namely Philippe Di Méo) had the brilliant idea to mix two of my favorite things together – fashion and food (okay, okay three of my favorite things, I forgot to mention it’s all erotic art). Designers paired up with chefs to create an innovative expo mixing “l’art de vivre, l’art de la table, l’art culinaire and l’art érotique” (life, tabe, culinary and erotic art). Baccarat teamed up with Dom Ruinart champagne for a “happiness cork”; Christofle teamed up with Dolloyau for a whip/dessert spoon, with Fauchon chef Christophe Adam for a lip-shaped mirror and a strawberry and chocolate-flavored lipstick and with Angelina for a chocolate-flavored paintbrush; Goyard joined forces with Sebastien Gaudard, dubbed the “Sweet Playboy” in the press book, of Délicabar fame (see previous blog posts for more on my current obsession with his delectable Bon Marche-based fare) for a “hot vanity” collection of sauces for the body; L’orfeverie d’Anjou and Jean-Claude Charlet made a necklace filled with aphrodisiac herbs; Raynaud teamed up with Thierry Marx for a “delicious calyx,” with Claire Smith for an ice cream and vodka baton, and with Lionel Beccat for a “temptation fruit,” an apple of love “banned from men”; Domeau & Peres teamed up with Thierry Burlot for a game and joy table; and Sabine Pigalle made “films-recettes” (recipe movies) bringing together the artistic creations. The opening expo featured tasting of delicious sweets, including bright pink éclairs from Fauchon, calissons d’Aix with “Céline” spelled out over them plus mini chocolate Céline shoes, passion fruit candies, mini macarons, and a number of strange sweet and savory delicacies passing by on trays. It was as if partygoers died and had arrived in sugary heaven. Who knew I had such a passion for erotic food art? The expo is at l’Eclaireur for about one month and Philippe Di Méo plans to bring his erotic food art exhibit across the globe with stops in major cities.


Celeb spottings of the week: Miou-Miou wearing a wacky shirt and funky shades shopping on the Avenue Montaigne… Lenny Kravitz arriving at the Hotel Costes for a late dinner…Vincent Lindon having a café at Flore (okay so that happens pretty much every day these days)… Arielle Dombasle lunching at the Hotel Montalembert…the Barefoot Contessa, aka Ina Garten, and her Dartmouth-grad husband grocery shopping at the Bon Marche épicerie… David Hasselhoff shopping on the rue des Francs-Bourgeois in le Marais on Sunday…Vincent Perez coming over to say hi to me as he left Armani Caffe on Wednesday…

Resto du jour: La Pizzetta


It’s official. I can finally spend the rest of my life in Paris – they have a good pizza place! Pizzetta, located on the restaurant-heavy Avenue Trudaine in the 9th arrondissement, serves delicious, thin-crust pizzas that rival your favorite pies in NY and Italy. No wonder because the owners and chefs are actually Italian (which is more than many Italian restaurants in Paris can say if you can believe it). You’ll feel like you’re a part of the family when the owner (name?) welcomes you with a “ciao! Buena sera” – though I recommend reserving a table in advance otherwise it will be “ciao, come back in 2 hours when we finally have a table free.” You can choose to have your pizza cooked on regular, whole wheat or saffron-infused crust with fresh ingredients including prosciutto, scarmorza (an Italian smoked cheese), white truffles or even this season a “lobster and leek” combo that I have yet to try but has “Rebecca Leffler” written all over it. My current favorite is the saffron crust topped with mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, zucchini flowers, arugula and fresh parmesan. It’s divine. And enormous, so I have yet to sample their desserts, but I’ve seen the panna cotta and tiramisu walk by on occasion and they don’t look bad. If you’re not a pizza person (then I already don’t like you – no, I kid.) (sort of.), then you can also sample the calzones, pastas (raviolis stuffed with goat cheese with a pine nut and fig sauce or saffron gnocchi with a seafood sauce), appetizers (beef carpaccio or bufala mozzarella and veggie napoleon) or main dishes (swordfish or veal Milanese). Tutte bene at this great spot in the heart of a fun neighborhood with a young crowd, laid-back ambiance (a bit too laid back, the pizzas can take awhile to emerge from time to time but all is forgiven once the slices touch your lips, I promise) and affordable prices.

Another resto du jour: Le Dali


Philippe Starck has done it again. The maestro of design has lent his talents – and those of his daughter Ara – to Paris’ timelessly elegant Hotel Meurice. Diners can now enjoy delicious cuisine courtesy of Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alleno under Ara Starck’s 145 square-meter, 250-kilo giant canvas which is sprawled across the ceiling of the lobby of Le Meurice. Named for the surrealist painter himself, bien sur (Dali stayed at the hotel from 1950-1980), the restaurant features an eclectic mix of both traditional and modern French fare. Every dish has a creative title, and half of the menu is “sans” or “without” (for example “without…” “taboo,” “moderation” or “hunger”) and the other half “100%” (for example “100%...” “fresh,” “vegetal” or “cocotte”). My tarte tatin appetizer made with tomatoes, onions and topped with a fresh herb salad was divine, as was the tomato gaspacho appetizer served with a “mustard ice cream.” The risotto with chicken, mushrooms and a satay sauce was a hit as was the quail served with bulgur and dried fruits. There’s also a hamburger and club sandwich on the menu for less adventurous diners, or simple fish and meat dishes served with vegetables. The “100& Elegance” dessert, a macaron filled with cream and raspberries, was absolutely delicious as was the fresh melon soup served in a martini glass with a light cream and fresh basil. It’s a very special experience – all the luxuriousness of fine dining in a fancy hotel without the typical high price of fine dining in a fancy hotel.
French idiom du jour: Jeter l’éponge. Literally, it means “to throw the sponge.” Figuratively, it means “to give up.”


Quote du jour:
“F—k ‘em if they can’t take a joke.”



-from the big screen version of MAMMA MIA! (The best film I’ve seen in awhile. I highly recommend it. I’ve been singing the soundtrack for the past week. The cast is fabulous – Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan – the songs are catchy and it’s pure entertainment from beginning to end. You’ll want to dance and sing in the aisles!)


Interview du jour: BARBET SCHROEDER


He’s spent a lot of time with terrorists, a talking gorilla, Columbian drug lords and a Ugandan dictator, enjoys filming sadomasochistic sex and continues to shock the world with his unpredictable movies. By the time he was 22 years old, Barbet Schroeder had already founded his own production company (Les Films du Losange) that went on to produce some of the greatest films of the French New Wave. His wide-ranging filmography covers everything from auteur French movies to mainstream, commercial Hollywood fare, from brilliant documentaries about controversial subjects (his most recent one explored terrorism over the last 50 years through the eyes of the lawyer who defended some of the history’s most dangerous criminals to give you an idea) to commercial, crowd-pleasing thrillers. Schroeder has worked with Godard, Rivette, Rohmer and Wenders, stayed behind the camera to film Meryl Streep, Bulle Ogier, Faye Dunaway and Bridget Fonda then jumped in front of it on several occasions, including as the President of France in “Mars Attacks!” He was born in Iran to a German mother and Swiss father, then lived in Columbia, France and America. More recently, the nomadic filmmaker traveled to Japan to film the big screen adaptation of Edogawa Rampo’s Japanese novel “INJU,” starring Benoit Magimel as a detective novelist who travels to Japan to promote his new book, and plunges into a world of mystery, revenge and lots of kinky sex when he finds himself face to face with Japan’s most renowned detective novelist. I sat down with the darkly funny filmmaker in Eric Rohmer’s former office at Les Films du Losange to talk about sadomachism, and the secrets behind his filmmaking he never revealed to anyone until he met me …
A few excerpts from l’interview which I’ve translated from French to English (which you can read in the September issue of French Playboy) :
“My passport is Swiss. My nationality is German, but I don’t speak my mother tongue. My culture is French. And my heart is Colombian. “
“I think that the cinema is an adult art. Contrary to music or poetry, the cinema is not an art for adolescents. It’s an art of maturity because it’s an art of reality.”
“French cinema is the only cinema in the world not in crisis. “
“This jealousy, this misunderstanding on the part of the main character who finds himself involved in a love affair with a woman of his own age and who discovers that, in secret, she’s having an affair with an older man, and this drives him crazy because he doesn’t understand the nature of this relationship. This is the theme that we see in “More” and in “Maitresse” also. It’s the first time that I’m saying this. I’ve never given clues to my movies to anyone because I don’t want people to start to follow my auteur clues and try to play auteur themselves. But here, I’ve fallen into the trap of your questions and have given away the clue to what you can see in many of my films.”

How to Live Like a Princess in Paris (without actually being one)

The Euro-Dollar ratio is increasingly depressing (yes, that freshly squeezed orange juice you just ordered at the Café de Flore will indeed cost you enough to feed a family of five for six weeks in most parts of the world) and prices are rising everywhere, but why let that stop you from living la vie de luxury in one of the world’s most glamorous cities? Here’s your guide to living like a princess even without a crown.

How to live like a Princess in Paris (without royal blood)


Let’s start early. (I usually do.) Breakfast anyone?
While the idea of consuming anything other than coffee is foreign to most French people, le petit déjeuner is my favorite time of day, and a great way to take advantage of the city’s posh locations.
Head to the recently opened Hotel Fouquet’s, next to the eponymous restaurant just next door right off the Champs-Elysées. Walk to the first floor bar/lounge area – you can sit on their lovely terrace if the weather is nice, or choose an inside table where you can plug in your computer and work away for as long as you like. For the small price of a coffee – sorry, I meant for the price of a small coffee (namely, €8) (don’t even try converting that to dollars, it will make you cry), you will be treated to a tray of heavenly viennoiseries (and perhaps even another tray if you flash a few pearly whites.)

And what would a day in Paris be without a trip to the Café de Flore? (pause) No really, I’m asking. What’s it like? I’ve never tried it. Anyway, here’s a little secret – the Café de Flore gets their pastries from la Bonbonnerie de Buci bakery just a few blocks away. So enjoy your €4.50 coffee at Flore, people watch, read the International Herald Tribune, then save yourself a few (ok more like 10) euros and pick up your croissant or delectable millefeuille from la Bonbonnerie just before or after. (or if you’re really coy, put your éclair in your handbag then secretly dip it into your coffee when no one’s looking. Luckily, there’s no exact French translation for “tacky.”)



Later, in between shopping – hey, you’re poor, why are you shopping? If it’s during the sales, okay I’ll forgive you, otherwise put down that pretty dress you’re about to try on, and listen up – stop for lunch at Délicabar, on the first floor of the bon marché department store.

When it’s nice out, you can sit on the cute terrasse outside, or you can opt for an inside view of your favorite (relatively affordable) brands – Marc by Marc Jacobs, Paul & Joe Sister, Zadig & Voltaire, Maje, etc. The scene is très “ladies who lunch.” But not just any ladies – during the week, mostly well-dressed, upper crust ladies from the neighborhood who are probably married to retired French politicians or celebrities plus actual celebrities themselves; last week, I watched Meryl Streep enjoy an asparagus tartelette (also my favorite from the menu, clearly Meryl has excellent taste) and have seen Lou Doillon grab a bite there as well. You’ll feel fashionable, eat well thanks to Sebastien Gaudard’s fashionably delectable creations and all for around €11 for a main course. The menu changes every few months - my current faves are the asparagus and parmesan "tartelette," a mini quiche served with a side salad, or the spinach, corn and cheese variety. I also recommend the predictable but light and delicious "salade verte" with a lovely pistachio dressing, the "chou," a cream puff pastry filled with eggplant, parmesan and a light cream or the "fine feuille," grilled vegetables with parmesan cream served sandwiched between two thin layers of pastry and served with a side salad. And don't forget the wonderful desserts - the lemon tart is tangy and delicious, the millefeuille a perfect balance between pastry and light cream and the fruit salad served with a tasty mint-infused sauce.




















If you’re too hungry for mini tartelettes and salads, head to Armani Caffe for a delicious bowl of pasta and orgasmic homemade gelato.

The simple spaghetti with tomato sauce is just €20 and absolutely delicious, and the hazelnut meringue cookies and unlimited biscotti you are given at the end of the meal can be a dessert unto itself. And, if you go on Saturday, you can munch on the chunks of fresh parmesan served when you arrive sandwiched between their amazing breads – delicioso! (and free!) The service is impeccable – ask for the table by the window for a great view of the heart of St-Germain-des-pres (but only if I’m not there that night of course, that’s my table!) You’ll also likely run into PPDA who eats there (almost) as much as me – probably even more now that he’s free at 8PM …


Also in le neighborhood is the Hotel Montalembert, a low-key yet classy spot on the rue du Bac, just next to the Atelier de Joel Robuchon.

Have lunch next to the antique shop owners from the neighborhood, Bernard Henri Levy and Arielle Dombasle and enjoy the great food for not very ridiculous prices. Fill up on the bread basket – you can choose from – unlimited! – baguette, fig, olive or whole grain rolls perfectly complemented by the delicious butter served with them. All of the dishes are offered as both smaller “degustation” portions or larger “gourmand” portions – opt for the “degustation” for half the price. Finish the meal off with a coffee and ask for a tray of their delicious madeleines.

Then, put on your favorite new dress (which I hope you bought during les soldes, which start today and run through end of July) and head down the rue du Faubourg St. Honore. No charge for spraying a Chanel perfume (or deux) and testing out this season’s collection of Hermès scarves.

Stop in la Durée on the rue Royale for a – yes just one, at more then one euro each it’s all you can afford until you can genetically prove that you are indeed the third Hilton sister – macaron. Better yet, if you are brave enough to stand on the long line outside of Pierre Herme on the rue Bonaparte in the 6th, buy the best macaron that has ever touched your lips, then smile at the guy serving you, tell him the macaron you just ate while you were waiting to pay for it was the best thing you’ve ever had ever in life, and he will give you another one – for free! (okay, so it happened to me ONCE, but not impossible! Give it a go. I recommend the classic “infiniment vanille” (“infinitely vanilla”) or rose flavors, or be bold and try the new summer flavor “Isaphan” filled with litchi and rose-flavored cream and raspberry jelly – it’s a sugar-coated orgasm in your mouth.)





Want a scene at night? Hit up la terrasse of the Hotel Costes, bien sur.

Where else can you eat overpriced – but always acceptable – food with Roman Polanski to your right, that girl on the cover of Vogue to your left and, if you go during fashion week, surely an Olsen twin or deux strolling past ? I recommend: eat before, order the €20 penne marinara or the €24 “burrata legumes grilles” (grilled veggies with fresh bufala mozzarella), maybe splurge for a glass of wine and €30ish later, you have the Costes experience, but maybe even be able to afford a taxi to get you home (if you can find one that is.) Also new to this season's menu is a grilled tuna served over a Niçoise salad with eggs, tomatoes, lettuce cups, artichokes and anchovies (but just two dropped on top, easily removed for those of you not big fans of our hairy friends from the sea). Opt for the red fruits sorbet for just €8 served with a huge almond cookie.


Then there’s le bar at the Park Hyatt hotel, place Vendôme. Usually spotted with rich businessmen, the fashion crowd during fashion week and French celebs looking for a quiet place where they can have a drink without papa razzi or a “scene.” The cocktails are delicious, Chablis 1er cru is divine and their mini-cheeseburgers a fabulous snack. However, if you make under $1 million a year, you probably can’t afford said beverages and fingerfood, so I recommend grabbing a spot in the lobby lounge, ordering the €8 coffee (complete with a tray of rich chocolate truffles) and watching the VIPs and VRPs (very rich persons) walk to and from le famous bar. You can even read the day’s newspapers – USA Today, International Herald Tribune, Le Monde, etc – for the price of your café.




Restaurant du jour: LES COCOTTES

Unfortunately, my new “find” is actually not much of a find, but more of a “someone else found it and I’m joining the parade.” Les Cocottes is a charming spot located on “Christian Constant Street” aka la rue Saint Dominique in the 7th arrondissement. Famous for their eponymous “cocottes,” namely fish or meat cooked in ceramic pots, les Cocottes also offers delicious salads (including a mean Caesar) and a delectable dish of slices of steak “à la plancha” with, as our waitress rightfully described them “to die for” potatoes and a small green salad. All the seating is on tall stools, most of which are at a long countertop, but the lighting and modern décor make the experience quite comfortable. Don’t be coquette, head to Les Cocottes for a delicious – and deliciously affordable! – meal.

Pastry du jour: White chocolate brioche from Eric Kayser


Honey, I shrunk the Viennoiserie! While Eric Kayser’s white chocolate brioche has been one of my favorite items at my favorite boulangerie for some time now, the Odeon location has not only revamped its interior décor (yes, they CLOSED for over one month for said renovations – it was the longest month of my life), but they’ve also made some welcome changes to their baked goods, most importantly the addition of mini white chocolate brioche. Ok, so they’re not quite mini, but they’re single-serving sized – just enough to give you the satisfaction that comes from the mélange of light brioche pastry with sprinklings of white chocolate chips. The large size is enough to feed eight people in the morning, but the new smaller version is the perfect snack, breakfast on the go or addition to a complete breakfast – I recommend spreading apricot or strawberry jelly on top, it’s amazing. Vive le Kayser!



French idiom du jour: Il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l’ours avant de l’avoir tué.
“Don’t sell the bear skin before you’ve killed the bear.” In English, we say “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.” It means don’t get your hopes up only to be disappointed in the end.



Quote du jour:

“Just as Carla charmed the Queen of England and Princes Charles and Philip with her demure French schoolgirl look, she charmed George and Laura Bush on their visit, inviting Laura 30 minutes early for a girls’ tête-à-tête, and then sitting next to the American president and keeping him entertained with a spirited conversation in English, one of her three languages and sort of his one language.” –Maureen Dowd on Carla Bruni



Mean French person moment du jour: Circa midnight, Saturday, la fête de la musique. A friend and I leave dinner and see a taxi with it’s light on pass by. We simply attempt to hail said taxi and, instead of stopping to pick us up and take us to our next destination, said taxi chose to drive by and give us the finger (the middle one, that is.)

Festival du Jour: I recently returned from The Land Where Time Stopped, aka Monte-Carlo.


This year’s 48th annual Monte-Carlo TV Fest brought US TV stars, European journalists and Kim Kardashian’s large derriere to the seaside Monaco town for a five-day of small screen schmoozefest. I roughed it at the Fairmont Monte-Carlo – I woke up every morning to a fabulous breakfast buffet on the 7th floor terrace, with a breathtaking view of the ocean – then interviewed a hodgepodge of interesting characters including “Desperate Housewives” leading lady Katherine Mayfair (aka real-life actress Dana Delaney), “Cashmere Mafia” starlette Miranda Otto, “October Road”s Bryan Greenberg (otherwise known as that nice jewish boy from Nebraska who won over Uma Thurman’s heart in “Prime”), Tate Donovan from “Damages” (and for those of you who remember, Rachel’s Joshua – pronounced Joshuuuuaaaa – from “Friends”) and “Law & Order” mastermind Dick Wolf.
A few morsels from Monaco: Tate Donovan is a Jersey boy! Yes, in addition to famous faces Bruce Springsteen, Tom Cruise, Christina Ricci, Kirsten Dunst and Rebecca Leffler (just making sure you’re awake), Tatie D also hails from the lovely Garden State. Tate and I shared some Jerseylove at TF1’s buffet dinner….


…where I learned that “CSI: Miami” actor Adam Rodriguez does NOT have a sense of humor. Rodriguez squeezed past my chair on the way back to his table carrying a tray of mussels. I said to him: “Damn, check out those mussels.” He looked at me like I was either hitting on him or insane (or perhaps insane for hitting on him) and totally missed the (brilliant) pun despite the large plate of crustaceans attached to his arm.
Kim Kardashian and her fellow tight neon-dress-wearing brood stuck out like sore thumbs. Every cosmetics store in Monaco was probably sold out by the time KK and co. left town – all of the makeup in the constitutional monarchy appeared to have been deposited on the Kardashian family. As most of the stars hung out casually at the Grimaldi forum, enjoying the buffet lunch and doing TV and radio interviews, Kardashian and co traveled in a pack and sported tights, florescent orange and yellow dresses and high heels. Kardashian’s buttox battled the sun for title of brightest, most blinding object on the pier.


Prince Albert is the coolest. Big Al hosted the lavish closing night dinner at the Sporting Club d’Ete and greeted his guests with friendly handshakes, telling them “You can call me Al” – no, I kid, but he really was quite friendly and approachable for a Prince. We all waited patiently – read: I was about to eat my arm – for His Royal Highness to arrive, pick up his fork and declare the meal ready to be eaten. Then, after the meal, singing and dancing performers took to the stage to sing Broadway showtunes for what seemed like hours. The Al-ster was dancing up a storm, clapping his hands and shakin’ what his momma (Grace, of course) gave him.


Jonathan Rhys Meyers, in town to accept his prize for Best Actor in a Drama Series for "The Tudors,” opened the door to the main hall just as I was entering, as if fate had brought us together at that very moment. (Turns out, he was just looking for the bathroom and opened the wrong door, but I felt we totally connected in those .004 seconds of looking into each other’s eyes.)
Eric Close is literally “Without a Trace…” … of imperfection. The CBS drama’s leading man is – how can I say this in a classy enough way to fit in with Monagesque elegance? – HOT. I was at the swanky Hotel de Paris for a cocktail when Close walked in, all dapper in a beige suit and blue shirt. He was totally “FBI-ing” me as he walked by the old men smoking cigars and women decked to the nines standing in the lobby. He is truly the “missing person” in my life…

Suburban housewives, a former US President and missing children were honored Thursday night when the Festival wrapped at Monaco's Grimaldi Forum.
ABC/Disney's "Desperate Housewives" won the prize for top drama series. The popular show amassed the highest ratings worldwide for a drama series with more than 61.5 million viewers in 2007, beating runners up "Monk" and "Ugly Betty." "Housewives'" Dana Delaney accepted the award at the lavish ceremony, telling the crowd: "All the other housewives wanted to be here tonight, but as the newest bitch on the block, I told them it was next week."