Posts tagged: Travel in France

Nutmeg’s parents (Hot Sauce and Chili) love to travel.  Last year, they put a mere 6000 nautical miles on their boat doing the Great Loop Miss Bim’s Adventures.  This year they have decide to take on Europe in 7 weeks and do a driving road trip.  They start the adventure in Gothenburg (Sweden), at the Volvo factory, with a tour and a new car.  They will have a GPS and are fully equipped with the latest technology to get from point to point.  However, Nutmeg is concerned they may not have done all their research, on the food and drink options that await them in the next few weeks.  So, the following is an overview of the trip and Nutmeg’s food guide to help them narrow down the endless possibilities:

City
Country
Food Possibilities

Copenhagen
Denmark
Frikadeller (meatballs), with cabbage and beets

Kristiansand
Norway
Smoked Salmon, Gravlax, Open faced sandwiches, Meats served with juniper berries and lingonberry jam.  One interesting  thing is that Norway is the world’s…

Recipes & Travel:
European Travel Tips, Road Trip Planner, Travel in France, Travel in Hungary, Travel in Sweden

How can it be Paris eating – buyer beware? Extra charges for bread, expensive bottled water, 15% built-in service charge, “tourist” menus, snooty wait staff…

So armed with that knowledge and a list of Zagat rated restaurants recommended by Saffron, Nutmeg and Ginger venture out.  Her suggestions are all fabulous from the outside! The lesson?  Make a reservation!! Nutmeg and Ginger are zero for three so far (this might be good news for the Visa balance):
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Recipes & Travel:
Paris Food, Restaurant Reviews, Restaurants in Paris, Travel in France

No matter how many times you have been to Paris there is always something to do.  If you have never been before the must-do list includes; Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, The Opera, Bateaux Mouches, L’Arc de Triomphe, Montmartre, Champs Elysees, Notre Dame and St Michel.  After you have hit the must do list there are endless museums, galleries, great shopping and fantastic neighbourhoods to explore.

Nutmeg’s favourites include:
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Recipes & Travel:
Museums, Paris, Travel in France, Travel Tips

Nutmeg and Ginger are staying in the Novatel in Paris, needless to say it is not the Four Seasons nor the Ritz.  What is interesting is the coffee service, or lack thereof at breakfast.  The hotel serves a breakfast buffet and in an attempt to cater to international tastes, serve everything from croissants and baguette to powdered scrambled eggs.  Generally speaking they do a decent job (stay away from the eggs).  The two “coffee” waiters for a room of 60+ have the following task; to serve coffee.  Nutmeg is amazed how these guys (she has tested her theory on both of them) have the classic Paris waiter attitude often found in street side bistros…. just because you are seated in my restaurant in my section and look like you might want a coffee does not mean you deserve one. When you finally do get a coffee you are so darn thankful you drink it.

Out on the streets of Paris…

Recipes & Travel:
Paris Coffee Shops, Paris Food, Restaurants in Paris, Travel in France, Travel to Paris

Nutmeg and Ginger are in Paris for Gingers’ school trip. The great thing about Paris in February is the hordes of summer tourists are absent.  This does not mean there are no crowds but rather that the crowds are made up of more locals, French tourists and Asian school trips.  The weather is pleasant at about 5 degrees Celsius, however, it is not spring so requires a good heavy jacket, hat and gloves.  There is no snow on the ground so the ladies are all strutting their boots.  Nutmeg, as some might agree has a boot fetish so this is a bit like being in a candy store.  The boots cover all styles although there is a higher percentage of the black flat sole, zippered, laced or both. Nutmeg packed light so must be content with the one pair she did bring along.

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Recipes & Travel:
Coffee, Museums, Paris, Travel in France