Another Baby Girl

My Very Parisian Friend (whose identity I did not reveal in my previous post), just gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. This is the year of baby girls I tell you! 

Joséphine was born on October 17th, right before midnight, and I woke up to a text from the proud papa announcing that both maman and bébé were happy and doing well after a seamless birth.

I am so very, very excited for my friend, who didn't have the easiest of pregnancies. She was put on bed-rest early on and was feeling kind of stir crazy in her Parisian apartment. Though she experienced ups and downs throughout the full 9 months, I bet she'd tell you that her little bout de choux was well worth it! 

Hopefully I'll get to visit this new little person and her happy maman tomorrow afternoon...

Joséphine's doudou

Paris Eats - Bo Bun Nem Style!

My Very Parisian Friend is a genius I say! Yesterday she suggested that we meet up for a Bo Bun over at Saveurs d'Asie in the 5th arrondissement - you see, it's her hood, la pauvre. We had been here together once before, but I hadn't taken photos or taken note for the ol' blog. When I got there, she was already one beer in  while at the same time, sporting her super-chic St James sweater. I love her, I tell you.

Behold mesdames, messieurs - the amazingness of The Bo Bun Nems!

Yummy sauce, beef, vermicelles (rice noodles), mint, lemongrass, cucumber, salad, carrots, nems - and the clincher - peanuts on top! 

Saveurs d'Asie is a funky little place, hidden down in a little niche on Place Maubert. You literally have to go down about 6 steps to get there.  If you're lost, ask anyone who looks chic enough to live in the 5th arrondissement where to find the place with the best Pho soup or the best Bo Bun. I had to do this once and it totally worked! Everyone knows this place - it's that good people.

Besides the whole, hidden aspect of the restaurant, you should also know that there are two sides to it: one side (the left) is a "cantine" - low key, no ambiance, very tiny; the other side (the right, duh) is an actual restaurant.  I've been to both and I'm not sure why, but for some reason, the cantine rocks it so much more than the restaurant. Go cantine all the way!  Take note, however - the cantine is not open for dinner! Also note, if you need to use les toilettes, they are only located in the restaurant, so you may have to take a little trip next door. 

My Very Parisian Friend and I both got the Bo Bun Nems for 11 Euros each - totally worth every euro.  Then, for dessert, we got my favorite, which I have also tried to recreate at home. I can't for the life of me, remember the name of the dessert, but basically it is tapioca, bananas and coconut milk, sprinkled with peanuts and served hot.  To Die For OMG. I only took a few bites because afterwards, I had big plans to eat waffles with my favorite kiddos in Paris! But wow, did I want an entire bowl for myself. 

Tapioca yumminess at the top of the photo, my café crème at the bottom...

Feel like treating yourself to a Bo Bun?  Here you go!

Saveurs d'Asie

29 Place Maubert

75005 Paris

Metro: Maubert Mutualité (line 10)

Paris Eats - Salon de Thé Style

I had plans to meet for un café with my Dancer Friend from Cali on Friday afternoon - I needed girl time, stat. Dancer Friend wanted to go someplace "fancy" and "girly", so I threw out the old staples as ideas: Angelina, LaDurée, Mariage Frères, A Priori Thé. And then I got smart and asked My Very Parisian Friend for her suggestions...

She sent us to La Jacobine on rue Saint André des Arts, near Odéon, for a very 6ème arrondissement approach to café entre copines. 


While we had a bit of trouble finding it - probably because we were gabbing instead of looking for addresses, and also because I had forgotten that it was located in a covered passageway (so charming!), it was worth the search!

We both ordered the same dessert - crumble poire, bananes et chocolat (a pear, banana and chocolate crumble!) - and then threw a slight variation on the coffees: I got a café crème and she got the fancier cappuccino with a little shake of chocolate powder on top. When were were served, we knew we'd made the right choice - the crumble smell was trop, trop bon!

Big ol' crumble with a little bowl of crème fraiche

Mine stuck together a bit more - both were délicieux!

Café crème - with a mini speculoos poking out on the left

Fancy cappuccino

The servers were kind, the ambiance was cosy and the music was just right...we thoroughly enjoyed our crumbles and I will certainly be back.  The prices were in line with the neighborhood norms - so, slightly high if you're just a girl from the 11ème, like me.  But it was worth it!  Crumbles - 8.50 Euros each (we could have shared though), and coffees - 4.50 Euros each.

Want to try out La Jacobine - it comes recommended by My Very Parisian Friend!

59-61 rue Saint André des Arts

75006 Paris

Tel: 01 46 34 15 95

Sidenote - I didn't test out les toilettes, but if it's in the 6ème, I'm thinking they probably pass the test!

My Very Parisian Friend Gets an Iphone

My Very Parisian Friend has recently been introduced to the Iphone world (elle était trop intello pour ce genre de choses!).  When she came running into my office to show me that the image could be viewed horizontally OR vertically, I knew that the Iphone capabilities would keep her amused for weeks if not months.

Her most recent discovery? The built-in camera...

A photo of Paris, courtesy of My Very Parisian Friend (and her new Iphone 4)

Il Faut Etre Parisienne Pour Savoir...

My Very Parisian Friend and I have been secretly passing by the Repetto store for months now, eyeing the beautiful ballerines that we would love to call our own.  She tells me how she wants the electric blue ones and I vary back and forth from practical, classic black and some fun shade of yellow or some boring shade of beige.

Le problème: they cost over 160 Euros a pop. mais oui mes amies, c'est vrai.


I sadly decided that a pair of Repetto flats was not in my future and started browsing the boots for winter,  but just last week my Very Parisian Friend came breezing into the office with a pair of ballerines très chic on her feet!


Behold mes amies:
Une paire de ballerines Hirica


Now, they are not exactly like the Repetto flats, but the leather is supple, the shoe looks great and the best part: they are made for comfort! (they even make Grandma shoes, just scroll down their catalogue). I'll admit that their branding needs a facelift and they have kind of snagged the Repetto dancer theme, but still, they are Made in France and I am getting some!

When I was trying to find information online, I came across this blog - Paris de Maman - who has sworn by Hirica flats throughout her pregnancy. Doesn't that seem promising for a daily Parisian walker with a herniated disc like me? Me thinks oui! (Scroll down the Paris de Maman page to see her wearing them...I can't link to the actual blog post for some reason :-( )


Here's the best part - they cost only 50 Euros (My Very Parisian Friend got them for 45!)

Chouette n'est pas?