Bordeaux is city in the southwest part of France and boasts a million residents and probably just as many great bottles of wine. Bordeaux is one of the world’s major wine producers, dating back to the 8th century, and although the historic part of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, I think of the vines. I thought that Bordeaux wines were always red, but it turns out that’s not the case. Most of the wine produced there is red, (ranging from every day table wine to some pretty prestigious bottles), but there are also white, rosé and sparkling wines produced. I don’t order Bordeaux when I’m out for dinner, probably because I don’t speak French, and it can be a little intimidating to order a bottle of something that you can’t pronounce correctly. That was true when I […]
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Julia Child’s Paris
During the holiday season it seems like I watch lots of movies. Whether it’s catching up on television, renting videos, or indulging in pay-per-view, it’s an enjoyable way to spend some lazy winter days. Assuming you like the movie, of course. I like a variety of movies, but the ones at the top of my list are those that give me a sense of time and place. Movies that make me want to be where the movie is, and sometimes even when the movie takes place. Earlier this week I watched Julie & Julia, a great movie, and one that made me long for a return trip to Paris soon. Julie & Julia was written and directed by Nora Ephron, and stars Meryl Streep as the famous chef Julia Child and Amy Adams as Julie Powell, a young, and somewhat […]
Read MoreParis Museum Pass Helps Save on Admission Fees
Since I’m a big museum buff, I knew that I’d be spending a lot of time visiting museums while I was in Paris. As part of my pre-departure research, I prepared a pretty long list of museums that I’d like to visit, and while I knew that I would only be able to see a fraction of those on the list, I quickly realized that admission fees were going to add up right quick. Further research turned up the Paris Museum Pass, a multi-day, multi-admission pass, that would save both time and money. Since time was at a premium while I was there, the saving time part grabbed my attention. Museums in Paris are notorious for long lines, and the ability to bypass the line for immediate admission meant the potential for a big time saver. With only five days, […]
Read MoreWhat to do When you Can't Find a Hotel in Paris
When I headed off to Paris a couple months ago, it was a bit of a last minute trip. I had been wanting to make the trip for quite some time, but had to make some changes to the actual travel dates at the last minute. You can make things work at the last minute, so if you find yourself in this position, don’t abandon your plans, just dig in and make it work. When I set my travel dates, I set them around my schedule, and didn’t pay attention to what was going on in Paris. It turned out that the Rugby World Cup was being held during the time I planned to be there. The downside of that was that all the moderately priced hotels were booked up. In fact, I couldn’t find hotel availability at all, even […]
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