Author Archives: andyq

Restaurant Review: Chateaubriand, Paris

Posted on 23 January 2015 by andyq

 For the 2014 World’s Best Restaurants, Chateaubriand is ranked #27. I ate here about four years ago, after reading a story in the New York Times about how French style was turning to upscale bistros rather than the traditional formal … Continue reading →

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Restaurant Review: L’Alsacien, Paris

Posted on 23 January 2015 by andyq

So, I tell my better half that I want to try this Alsatian bar that I pass by to get to my most frequent parking station for my Vélib (that’s free French bike for those not in the know). It’s … Continue reading →

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Do you vélib in life after love? My favourite pastime in Paris.

Posted on 21 January 2015 by andyq

While getting lost, people-watching, and wandering are among my preferred activities in Paris, my singular favourite thing to do has been riding around on the amazing free bikes, the vélibs (vélo = bike and libre = free). It’s an amazing … Continue reading →

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Men’s Clothes in Paris: Resale, Consignment, Thrift & Outlet

Posted on 21 January 2015 by andyq

As a teenager, I always loved thrift shops because of the hidden surprises within, the bargains, and the bargain surprises. So, after developing a taste for nice clothes in Europe (with much coaching from friends who were appalled by my … Continue reading →

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Restaurant Review: Pavillon Henri IV, St-Germain-en-Laye

Posted on 18 January 2015 by andyq

We had the special lunch on new year’s day, and what a view, a sunny clear day. It couldn’t have been better. The formula was 67 euros without drinks. The entree was a foie gras escalopine and a fleurettes of … Continue reading →

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Restaurant Review: Le Pourquois Pas, Paris

Posted on 18 January 2015 by andyq

Paris’s outer arrondisements can seem a little far away, but they’re really not. To get them can also depend on train or bike route. To get home from Bagnolet in the 20th, my Vélib cycle is an easy 20 minutes, … Continue reading →

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Restaurant Review: China (Paris)

Posted on 15 January 2015 by andyq

Ah, you get what you pay for… Let me say first of all that while my better half refused to come to this restaurant with me, I thought: hmm, those dumplings in the window look good. See, I’m addicted to … Continue reading →

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Aftermath: Charlie Hebdo

Posted on 12 January 2015 by andyq

It’s a day after the massive solidarity rally after the Charlie Hebdo killings. Apparently over a million people gathered, with attention given particularly to the world leaders that showed up. The metro was free, to encourage people to come, and … Continue reading →

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Christmas and New Year’s in Paris

Posted on 1 January 2015 by andyq

I haven’t spent a full winter in a cold climate for 15 years. The weather is crisp and clear, and sometimes below freezing, but not particularly cold. Still, it took a long time to remember how to dress in layers … Continue reading →

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Bûche de Noël overload in Paris

Posted on 26 December 2014 by andyq

My better half, S., asks me ‘What’s this obsession with bûches de Noël this Christmas?’ The simplest answer is that my family has been also obsessed with bûches de Noël, or at least one bûche de Noël for about 40 years. But first, … Continue reading →

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