Love: The standard "April in Paris" (Sarah Vaughan's version gets my vote) always makes a Spring trip sound alluring. A sun-dappled afternoon on a bench with a book at Place des Vosges or the Jardin du Luxembourg, then a stroll through the city streets, then an aperitif and a late dinner? Oui, merci.
Like: The Sun Also Rises. Read in high school, this was the book that first carved out Paris' space in my imagination. The Lost Generation that the book portrays, literally and figuratively scarred by World War I, had its many issues, but the details of their life in Paris (and on a trip to Spain), were hard to resist. Especially if you were 15 and growing up in Milwaukee.
Discovery: This riff on the classic French 75 Cocktail (which was invented during WWI and named after a French heavy artillery gun): Mix 1 cup of chilled gin with 1/2 c thawed lemonade concentrate. Stir in 2 2/3 c of Champagne. Garnish with a sprig of tarragon.
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/lemon-gin-sparkling-cocktails-50400000111989/
Obsession:Finding a new place to stay in Paris. Next time we go, I'd love to ditch hotels altogether and rent an apartment. This one is beaucoup de bucks but would certainly qualify as living the life.
Complaint: GQ's current issue has an article called "The Liberation of Paris" about the new wave of restaurants that are forging their own non-Michelin-star-obsessed path. The piece has added a bunch of names to my list of places to try, including Chez L'Ami Jean, Frenchie, Le Dauphin, and La Cantine du Troquet. Alas, we have no visit on the horizon.
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