The 18.8 Mile Day (30.2 KM)

Today my new gal pal and I embarked on a walking frenzy like no other. We spent the entire day on foot, me a bit more crazy than her but madness none the less. We set off to explore all of our favorites of Paris, each in small but effectively sufficient doses. It only took 18.8 miles (30.2 km) and 14 stops:  5 restaurants, 4 bars, 2 sweet treat spots,1 park and 1 firehouse and 1 national landmark. All this in honor of  Bastille Day aka French National day, celebrated every year on the 14th of July. How you ask can you fit this all in one day???....

La Maison Angelina

Starting off with a bang, we ventured to Angelina’s for the legendary hot chocolate and pastries. A wildly famous tea salon open since 1903 and made famous by the likes of Audrey Hephurn and Coco Chanel. They are well known for their decadent hot chocolate. I surmised it in Season 1’s blog as a cross between a diabetic coma and an orgasm. The hot chocolate is in fact a cup of melted semi-sweet chocolate with heavy cream on the side. This time I opted for the white chocolate which was surprisingly less intense and perfectly portioned with crème to make it a lighter delight. Paired with a Pain aux raisins cannelle et oranges aka cinnamon, orange, raisin croissant like cinnamon bun it was bliss. My friend went full throttle with the milk chocolate and while she tried to keep a straight face, I could see the jittery flinches of distress setting in towards the end. A lady will never let a chocolate win!


226 Rue de Rivoli
75001 Paris 


Legrand Filles et Fils

The only possible way to follow-up a chocolate and pastry indulgence like Angelina’s is with champagne. Although, there is never a bad time for champagne and there is no better place to class it up than in a gorgeous covered courtyard like Legrand Filles et Fils. It’s a wine shop, tasting room and restaurant that will make you want to be a better person. We stopped in to enjoy. May I recommend the best Rose Champagne I’ve ever tasted, Champagne Oeil de Perdrix. It’s one of the lightest rose’s I’ve had with a grapefruit twist that is mind blowing. The perfect dance between sweet and dry.

1 rue Banque
75002 Paris

Restaurant Le Voltaire
We then head south of the Seine to try out a place recommended by the blogging universe, Restaurant Le Voltaire. Promised to be a tradional French cuisine. No such luck today, it was closed for Bastille. Another  day.

27 Quai Voltaire
75007 Paris

Chez L'Ami Jean

Then to another trending spot, Chez L'Ami Jean. We approach the waiter and ask for the menu. He hands us a business card. We ask for the food menu and he nearly chuckles explaining that there is a 10 day wait for dinner reservations. Mind you the place was packed at 3 o’clock. So you have to wait 10 days to dine at 3? That’s right.

27 Rue Malar,
75007 Paris 

Brasserie Balzar
 Good thing we have backup! A traditional Parisian Brasserie open since 1886 and up to World War II it refused to serve unescorted women. The service was great and while the onion soup was better than most, there was something about the ambiance that left me at 3 stars. You can hear the loud clamoring from the kitchen, the decor is old and drab, and there is construction on the exterior. Everything is overpriced. Seems like a place taking advantage of their fame to stay subpar.

49 rue Ecoles
75005 Paris

The Long Hop

My pal Diana had been given direct orders that when in Paris to meet a bar man named Killian. So we did, he was great and we rested up in this Irish like pub for a beer. Surrounded by young French boys. Note: Irish pubs have the cutest boys. This place is in a great local and a perfect after work relaxed hangout.

27 Rue Frédéric Sauton
75005 Paris 

Berthillon Glacier
The most famous ice cream spot in France and located on a small island in the center of Paris, il Saint Louis. The servings are the size of a lychee fruit so don’t come hungry. The salted Caramel was top notch!

31 rue St Louis en l'ile
75004 Paris

Candelaria 
 Well known to be one of my favorites. It’s an inconspicuous taco bar in the front and trendy lounge in the back. Stopped in, met some American’s enjoyed the swanky scene and the top notch cocktails and fled like bandits into the night. We’ve got 10 more miles to walk ;)


52 rue de Saintonge
75003 Paris

Jacques Genin


Ubber posh Caramel, Chocolate factory and tea lounge. World famous and Jaques Genin himself comes in every morning to make them, so they are never more than a few hours old. A single caramel will run you about $2 but it buttery richness is like nothing else. The passion fruit mango one will help you understand.

133 rue de Turenne
75003 Paris
  
Champ de Mars
 Now to celebrate Bastille day with the big boys. A firework and light show from your wildest dreams with disco party sing alongs. That’s right! This year’s Eiffel Tower party was disco themed and apparently the frenchies know way more about that than us at home! They knew the words to songs I hadn’t even heard of even though they were all from the good ol’ US of A. There was even a ginormous disco ball hanging from the center of the Eiffel Tower.

2 Allée Adrienne Lecouvreur
75007 Paris

Sapuers Pompiers (Firehouse)

Every year on Bastille Day the firehouses turn in to huge parties. DJ's, dancing, drinks, etc. This is no 4th of July like block party with hot dogs and cake. This is all out, open til 4 am dance til you drop celebration. Unfortunately, only as many people as can fit in the firehouse square are allowed and although every little neighborhood has one it's obviously not enough room to meet the demanding crowds. There was no less than 400 people waiting in the line for this one and they were at capacity. They still waited, drinks in hand (that's legal here).

11 Rue du Vieux Colombier
75006 Paris

Les Etages

 Since that didn't work out, we headed to the first busy place we could find. I recalled after I had sat down that I had been there once before and experience a crappy sugery drink, but we'd already ordered. This one was no different but we were happy to sit and enjoy the people watching and the company of a nice Swiss Banker. 

5 rue Buci
75006 Paris



Café L'Etincelle

Capped it up with a stop at my favorite late night spot only to shatter my dreams. This was always my sure fire onion soup spot. Failed! They increased the price from 9.50 euro to 11.50 euro, decreased the portion, half the cheese, burnt the top and the service stunk! Crying shame. They get one more chance.

42 Bis Rue Rivoli
75004 Paris

Place de la Bastille
 

As romantic as poetry, the night ended at Bastille square. The very place where back in 1789 on July 14th, crowds stormed the Bastille fortress to mark this day forever in history. Today, it was the closest place to hunt for a taxi. No such luck! Welcome to Paris, the land of taxi drout. After 45 minutes, I took a deep breath and walked all 3.1 miles (5 km) home. That .1 was the death of me. 4am, tired, pissed at the world for the one moment I needed transport and fed up of an hours worth of endless man advances. At 4 am everyone woman on the street is the most beautiful woman a man's seen. But I guess that's why we never do this under normal circumstances. Never be too far from home at 4am unless you are prepared for the consequences.

So there you have it 18.8 miles in the heart of Paris! And I'd do it all over again.

The honeymoon is over.

It occurred to me while cruising on the shores of the amalfi coast, somewhere between Capri and Positano that I was on my honeymoon. My first thoughts, Holy Crap! Am I this pathetic? Or this awesome? But then I looked around at the bickering couples who were truly on their honeymoon.

A few favorites:

•  “Honey, can we go shoe shopping? Just a little? I have to have  something for that new dress.”
• “Honey, why’d you have to pick that place for dinner? Trip advisor said it was only 107 out of 275?”
• “Babe, I don’t want to take any more pictures today! For fucks sake!”
• “It looks just like the last town. I’ll wait for you at this bar.”
• “Couldn’t we have gone to an all-inclusive? I’m f**ing tired!”

So I may not be here with "the special someone" but I'm sharing it with you guys! All 137 -189 per day to be exact.  And I can’t say I’ve ever been alone. There are always people around ready and willing to share the moments with you. Want a pic? Ask the person standing around with a camera. They'd be glad to. They need one too. Want to talk about the sites? Tell it to the one standing just beside you. People are shy but no one wants to be lonely. Proven.

Capri- Reeks of money and success. Classy, clean, stunning coastline, bougainvillea hanging gardens and quaint pedestrian streets.  Most gorgeous place I've been to date. 

Positano- Epitome of Mediterranean coastal charm. A fairytale of a town.

Sorrento- A real working city but with the charm of the tourist towns. Again, great pedestrian streets, shopping, clean, not overpriced, on the coast, close to the quainter towns. Great place to retire!

Pompeii

I for one have never dated a man that would be up for a 6 hour stroll in the burning, shade-less heat of the Pompeii ruins. So I was glad to come alone and undisturbed of too much walking, too hot, lets go to the beach complaints. But I will admit, I am a bit of sucker for the not so adventurous, not always intellectual lookers.  It just happens, kind of. I was in astonishment. You can imagine societies 2100 plus years old and read about them in history books but it’s not until you are standing at the foot of an ancient stove, dining room, food store that it goes from a story to life. An entire village preserved down to the surgical tools, earrings, graffiti on the walls. Casts of dogs, people, gold coins with minting as fine as I’ve ever seen. I hope you all get to go. It’s a life altering historical elixir.

Best pick-up lines of the week.

• Capri Restaurant Manager: Wow! You are delicious. Really delicious. You can come use the bathroom here whenever you want.

• Napoli: (Hands wide open. Pasta sauce dripping from his cheek. 60ish) I’ve been waiting for you! I’m sorry you had to finally find me so old! We can still marry.”

 

The Mafia heard me talking shit!

And I mean that literally, figuratively and all other forms of iterally. Ladies and gentleman, the garbage has cleared here in Napoli, Italy.  If you recall from my last post, the streets were in utter filth and it turns out it was because of a power struggle between the Mafia and the government. 2 days after, all the trash bins were emptied and have been every day since. There are people sweeping dog shit in the streets and men with hoses spraying down the sidewalks! Incredible. 

Lines at the first pizzeria EVER.

I went to lunch at the first Pizza place in Napoli. The very same one that Julia Roberts dinned at for the filming of Eat, Pray,Love, L’Antica De Michele.  It was phenomenal! Charred just right, cheesy with a delicate not too bitter sauce, just the right amount of sweet and fresh tomato tasting  and the place smelled like heaven.  When you arrive as a party of one, they just add you to any table that is not full. I was lucky enough to join some Neapolitan's. Josepi, Vincente and Anne...A medical student, Lawyer Uncle and his teenage daughter. It was fantastic to hear about all the musts straight from the source. And it's been confirmed, dangerous. Both men had been robbed in dark allies at least once in their lives. 

Marriage

Vincente: Are you married?

Me: Nope

Anne: But then you must be in love? 

Me: Not today. Maybe tomorrow.

Vincente: That's wonderful! I envy you. It's good to be married it's better not to be. 25 years and 4 children. I know.

Josepi: I'll never marry! 

Followed by a high five's all around!

 

 I asked them about the trash and they informed me of another peculiar rule. There are driving zones in some of the major cities, Rome included, that make it so that non-resident cars are forbidden called ZTL’s.  And these rules are heavily policed. All day long you see cops in sets of two’s walking up to each and every car checking their decals.  And to top it off, some of the roads are closed entirely to auto traffic when the boats come in and out of port. The rule does not apply to motorcycles and mopeds, hence the motorini frenzy.

Before

It turns out there is just not enough landfills to meet the demand and the Mafia was burning it and causing toxic air and soil pollution. Turning a hefty profit doing so. No one ever said they were humanitarians! Then the government decided to build some incinerators but they abandoned that, probably too pricey. So now they ship the shit to the Netherlands at the rate of a shipload per week. Pollution and Politics. 

After

Here’s a Wikipedia link about the Mafia and government trash struggle in Napoli in case you are eager for more:

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naples_waste_management_issue

Romance for one :) Not too shabby.

Napoli Q&A

Is the Pizza in the motherland all that it’s made out to be?

Pizza was said to be invented right here in Napoli in 1889. A few claim to be the first.  Not just anyone can make a “true” pizza. In order to be recognized as “La Vera Pizza” the  following guidelines must be followed:

• MUST be cooked in wood burning brick ovens
• The dough is made the day before allowing the yeast to rise for at least 10/15 hours in order to get the soft and light crust.
• The pizzaiolo (pizza maker) must apprentice for 2 to 3 years to become a maestro of the dough stretching technique which is essential. 

Today I had my first taste of the famous Pizzeria’s. I went to a place that is frequently listed in the top 5 of all time, Pizzeria Gino Sorbilla. The family has 21 children, all pizza makers. In my world, there are 4 types of Pizza: Italian Pizza, New York Style, Chicago Style and Retail. I’m trying to appreciate the Italian style but it’s never really been my thing. Pizza is much more sentimental for me. I’m a New York Style, cheesy, doughy yet crispy kinda gal and no other combination of the two can compete with that garlic roll scent, just sweet enough saucy big apple taste. I disqualify myself from judgment. Sorbilla was very good just not for me. I can’t enjoy pizza with a fork and knife? I can’t enjoy that dainty crust?

Have any Italian men pinched your ass?

I think maybe they made that up for the movies. Haven’t seen it. Haven’t felt it. I will say they have an interesting approach. The whistle and call from a distance with snake like hissing. As they approach you in passing they turn their heads just at the moment they are next to you, as if to whisper in your ear and say things like “Ammoooree”,”Bellisima”. It freaks me out every time. Sneak attack pickup. They say it in a low voice, in case of rejection they can always be like, “What? I said Olive oil.” Or that’s my guess. It could be they are mimicking pillow talk. The best is when they are on the phone. They take full advantage to say all kinds of things as they turn their heads and watch you walk away. Translations…”My love!” The things I would do to you” , “I want to kiss you all over.” Again, my guess is, if confronted with rejection they could say ‘What? I’m talking to the Pizza guy!”

 Is Napoli as dirty and dangerous as everyone said?

It has come to my attention that the Mafia controls the trash system here and they are in a power struggle with the government so the whole place is full of overflowing trash heaps. As for the copious amounts of dog shit, I’m not sure if the mafia is in charge of that too but picture steamy piles of shit and warm smell of piss toasting in the hot sun. Yup! Dangerous? Nothing, I've seen yet but there are cops everywhere. Never a good sign.

On EVERY block. This full EVERYDAY.

Can you go in the water?

I went to the shore today and saw the locals bathing in their little bit of sand and sunbathing on the rocks. It’s summertime and it’s hot as hell and they are enjoying every minute of that gorgeous blue Mediterranean sea.

Napoli! You are such a gorgeous city was such a picturesque backdrop. Gorgeous people, great shopping, delectable food and pastries. I wish they would take care of you. Graffiti for days on EVERYTHING and filth, utter filth. Shame. Damn,shame.