Paris Culinary Tour 2019
The 2019 Paris Tour was a great week--probably the best Paris tour ever! We had a super cohesive group that seemed to be up for everything I had planned. The weather cooperated 100%, and the humidity that had encased Paris for months was no where to be found while we were there.
Once everyone arrived, they went on a tour of Paris with a friendly, fun guide in each of these adorable cars.
After this, we went to the breathtaking Luminere de Vincent Van Gogh. This is the second exhibit of this kind in Paris; last year was Gustav Klimt. If you are traveling to Paris and it is going on--even if they feature someone else next year-- please go. It was in an old nightclub. The sound system was perfect and songs they chose to go with the paintings enveloping us were amazing. I loved it. it was my very favorite thing that we did. Van Gogh's paintings and/or portions of his paintings swirled around us on the walls, the ceiling, even the floor.
After this, we went to our rooms in the beautiful 5 star boutique hotel Regina right across from the Tuileries. A golden statute of Jean d'Arc on her steed, flag raised, held held high, guarded us in the square day and night. Then we walked down to Le Meurice for an excellent dinner in the Dali room, with a server who spoke such perfect English I thought he was American. (His mother was American though.)
Monday brought beautiful weather for a free morning in Paris. In the afternoon we met at the Ritz hotel for a private cooking class with our Chef and his kind assistant, where we made a great dinner and learned how to filet and de-scale our white fish, make a precisley cut ratatuoille to go under it, and make a classic chocolate souffle. We sat down to eat with some wine, bread, and France's outrageous butter. We were all full and happy, ready to cruise down the Seine for an evening Paris light show.
On Tuesday, we went to Giverny to see Monet's house and gardens. They were in their full glory. I have been to the gardens a few times, but never at this time of year and I was speechless. His love of nature showed in every inch of his planned gardens. The flowers and trees tumbled with color and flow, not too restricted like many French gardens. Monet had made his ponds by digging a canal from a nearby river and diverting the water. That was genius. The gardens are surrounded by the little village of Giverny and a sweet field where white vaches rested in the sun. Maybe they were sunbathing to get more vitamin D into their milk haha.
Wednesday we visited L'Orangerie and Le Musee D'Orsay to see works and sculptures we have all seen in books and in magazines by famous Impressionists. But my favorite was probably this sweet sculpture of Jean d'Arc over in the corner.
After this, we headed to Van Cleef and Arpels and had a primer in Gemstones. Alas, no diamonds, but we did learn a lot about gemstones: what to look for in quality, cut, and carat, how to really use a loop, where they are found, and which ones are the most precious.
That night we split up for dinner in various groups. Some of use went to L'Avenue and it was pretty darn cool. Tres sexy waitresses!
Thursday we went to the Champagne region a few hours outside of Paris, spending the day in the Billecart-Salmon winery. Our guide was very serious as he explained the care and diffulties involved in making a fine champagne. We were invited into their Clos- an area that must be protected on three side- and holds their very best grapes for their highest end cuvee and grand cuvee champagne. They were going to begin harvesting Monday so it was very exciting as they were preparing. We went down to see how the champagne is made. A cleaner room could not be found in the universe! The air is purified with positively charged ions as it flows about to keep it very pure. The floor and walls were made of granite so no bacteria nor mold can grow to infect the champagne in any way. It is washed and dried every day.
After all of this, we were treated to an excellent, and I mean excellent, lunch by a very handsome rising young chef on his way up in the culinary world. Everything was excuted to perfection and served beautifully.
Our final day in Paris began with a 3 hour private tour of the Opera Garnier by one of their principal dancers, Alexandre Carniato. We learned so much from him. He showed us two of the three rooms where the dancers practice. The Opera season was beginning Monday, the same day of the grape harvest interestingly, and much was going on when we were there! They were in final rehearsals for an Opera and we got to go behind stage and watch them wait for their turn on stage and view the huge sets. He also took us behind that area to the seldom-seen room where the dancers wait for their entrance, which he said is rarely shown to the public. It was beautiful. Long ago, a ballerina was little more than a prositiute and had to be sponsored by a wealthy man. These sponsors could go to the upstairs of that room and watch their proteges practice below. The walls were painted in lovely scenes, there were mirrors everywhere, and ballet bars lined the walls for stretching. It was quite something. The curtains on the stage can be pulled back in a certain way so that room can still be viewed by the audience, although it is rarely done. It makes a really deep stage and usually there are sets in the way. We saw the "private box" of the Phantom and the oh so famous chandelier. After our tour, we went to the Opera restaurant and had champange and appetizers where Alexandre chatted with us about his private life. He did not bite one morsel of food nor have one teeny sip of champange because he had to practice that day. Their lives are very disciplined and difficult. They work out for several hours before they even begin to practice, which goes on all day and into the evening. We saw the gym where they were working out, the masseuse, and the physical therapist's office. When they turn 42, they must retire. It was our dancer's last year.
The rest of our day was free for shopping or exploring before we met for a fun farewell dinner at Fellinis, a family owned Italian restaurant right by my old apartment. Every one left the next day with fond thoughts of how they made Paris their own city and hopefully with plans to return soon. Well, almost everyone left---more to come on that in the next newsletter...
I hope you enjoyed this brief summary of our week and I hope to see YOU on the next La Dolce Vita culinary tour in Portugal and Spain 2020!!!!!