Larger Paris Arrondissement 6 Apartment recommended

A friend recommended this rental:

"Light, Space, and Elegance in St Germain Des Pres. VRBO # 11407

"it is less expensive only because of the four flight of stairs walk-up, but well worth it when you get there!"

Restaurant Recommendation: Cinq-Mars

This dinner place was recommended by a friend "who liked it so much" that she "ate there twice":

Cinq-Mars, 51 Rue de Verneuil, 6th

The story we all dream of...

Here's a link to The Paris Time Capsule Apartment ...

My favorites spots in Paris

If you're headed to Paris, these are my favorite places:

This cafe in the 7th, Laiterie Sainte Clotilde, has fresh soups, good fish, and "farm-fresh" food at reasonable prices. The staff is friendly and seats at the counter welcome solo diners -- including one with a reading light and a stack of magazines. This neighborhood place is on rue de Bellechasse which runs to the west and south of museé de Orsay (and is just next door to a lovely studio available for rent).

Laiterie Sainte Clotilde

64, rue de Bellechasse

Paris 75007

If I'm around Notre Dame, I head away from the tourists to eat on a patio. Often I've gone there late at night and the same waiter hesitates about making me an omlette but he always does it:

La Brasserie de l'Isle Saint-Louis

55, quai de Bourbon

75004 Paris

Then down the street is best ice cream: Berthillon Glacier

The café you will always find me at since I drop by ever day when I'm in Paris:

Cafe de Flore (hot cocoa, cheese, champagne, people watching, and my favorite cute waiter -- if he's there, you'll know who I'm referring to!)

This crepe place is up by the Pompidou Center:

109, Rue Vieille du Temple

it's a bit of a hike, but the shops are interesting along the way and the crepes are fabulous and inexpensive. busy busy place. has cider 

for a girls' lunch (friend, mother, daughter, niece) -- it's in couture land and flashy and pricey but the most memorable place for girls' lunch:

L'Avenue

41, Avenue Montaigne

Paris 75008

0140701491 (phone)

Le Bon Marche

24, Rue de Sevres

department store with great food court -- highly recommend buying your shopping bag (le sac there) as a souvenir

Big secrets about Paris:

Monoprix - it's Pari's Target and has everything you need for a good price - and the refrigerated food is good

Picard's - this is Parisian women's secret - frozen food you would have made if you had time.

http://www.picard.fr/

Once you see how small Parisian kitchen's are, you will buy cooked food from the farmer's market and everything else from Picard (especially the soups)

Best farmer's market:

wed and saturday

http://parismarkets.net/PresWilson.html

if the irish guy is selling goat cheese, it's the best

best macaroons:

Laduree - make sure to get the pretty boxes

(you can also eat soups, salads, omlettes) I will confess to eating omlettes all the time in Paris -- inexpensive fresh and they do a good job!

chocolate:

La Maison du Chocolat - near George V and Le Bon Marche and especially easy at the Caroussel du Louvre

http://www.carrouseldulouvre.com/W/do/centre/accueil - love it for Agatha's jewelry, the food court, the museum pass, La Maison du Chocolat, and the easiest way to enter Louvre with a pass

La Maison du chocolat has the best chocolate boxes, the best truffles and you won't find better eclairs anywhere. It's all pricey but I save $$ by not eating chocolate anywhere else

Coutume Café is the best place for coffee in Paris and it's in the 7th

http://www.parispatisseries.com/2011/10/19/coutume-cafe/

one of the owners in Australian who is incredibly nice and someone there always speaks English

here's a link to the blog post I did on Coutume:

http://art-crime.blogspot.com/2011/03/mexico-and-canada-at-unescos-meeting-on.html

My vote for best inexpensive hotel in Paris

I've stayed at Hotel La Louisiane.  It's located above shopping in the 6th and is simple in a hip and cool way.  Famous people have stayed here.  If I were to get a hotel and not stay in an apartment (preferred), this is where I would go.

Longchamp messenger bag

I now have this Longchamp messenger bag (from the Planètes line) in blue, black and pink. I slip my iPhone and earphones into the front pouch and manage to put the essentials in the main compartment. Longchamp Le Pliage totes are also super fashionable and light to carry around. I now have them in just about every color. For the money, the Longchamp nylon bags are one of the most pleasurable indulgences to take home after shopping in Paris.

If I am by Le Bon Marché in the 6th, I visit the Longchamp boutique at 21, Rue du Vieux-Colombier. If I am in the 1st, just past the Place de la Concorde, I shop at 404, Rue St. Honoré.

Why are they so popular? Well, for one thing, the best selection is in Paris, the best price is in Paris, and I see Parisian women carrying them around.  While they are not inexpensive, they are also not too outrageous and they wear well and carry light. It's easy to buy numerous colors to match your outfits -- if you're the type of person who needs more than one handbag!