Paris Wine Bar: Avant Comptoir

Avant Comptoir is a gem of Paris. It is one extremely small place but is huge on atmosphere and deliciousness! There is a big mix of locals (Frenchies and expats) and tourists in the know (like you!) who cozy up next to the bar and each other for a glass of wine and some really great appetizers and crepes.

With standing room only it gets pretty crowded so try to go early. A lot of people stop in here before having dinner at their restaurant next door. I recommend the foie gras and making sure you get in on their communal bread basket and Bordier butter. On my last visit I discovered how great cheese and JAM are together. Who knew??

 If you are there for food make sure to look up! The menu is on the ceiling.

Location:
3 Carrefour de l’Odéon, 75006
Metro: Odeon
Open every day

Please excuse my exhausted looking eyes in this photo. This was the end of three weeks of visitors! I barely made it! (but always worth the lack of sleep!)

France: Wine Country

After our grand old time in Dublin we headed to Bordeaux, France. France being the number one wine producer in the world, I can say that the vineyards were truly breathtaking. I have had the pleasure of visiting wineries and vineyards in Solvang and Temecula, California which are incredible but the vineyards of Bordeaux stretch as far as your eyes can see. Just imagine looking around and seeing endless lines of vineyards surrounding you. 360 degrees.

The city of Bordeaux is like a tiny, little Paris. Its streets, building, even their Notre Dame cathedral all look just like Paris. It is a small city and my mom and I decided to go sight seeing by running! We needed to get some of the Guinness' out of our system so we put on our running shoes and ran around the entire city. Its a great way to kill two birds, one stone.

The coolest thing in the city was this "mirror" lake thing they have right in the center of the city on the river. It is a little area where they have misters coming out from the ground to spray water for the kids to run through. It collects about 1 inch of water which reflects the sky, clouds, and this beautiful building perfectly. The kids were having the time of their lives in there because it was so hot and at night the sight was so peaceful.

The second day we took the train to a little medieval town called St. Emillion. Now, this is where some of France's BEST wines are made. What a beautiful town. It is unlike anything else I have seen. The city is actually ruins that they continue to live in! I could spend a lot of time just sitting in the sun overlooking the vineyards and ruins with a glass of chilly rosé in my hand. What a life!

after school activities

Our favorite?

Drinking.

We are really good at it. One of the best things about living in France (the #1 exporter of wine in the world) is that wine (read: good wine) is cheap...dirt cheap! I can buy a bottle of decent wine at the market for 4 euro, which is probably why I stock pile the stuff.

One of our favorite places to go after class is a cozy little wine bar just a few blocks away from school. It's close so we don't have to waste a lot of time between leaving the lab and drinking. Just the way we like it. Sometimes we have to go to the place on the corner if it's been a long day, the wine bar is too far of a walk on those days.

Mike's Visit Part 5

The last few days that Mike was in Paris the sun finally decided to show its face. It was a blessing and we enjoyed it so much! Lounging together is one of the things we do best so sunshine + park + us = perfection!

We sat around in the Luxembourg garden and read our books. We walked the streets, drank wine down on the river, people watched and my favorite, had a picnic at the (I know, its cliche) Eiffel Tower. It was something on my "must do when he is here" list and we got it checked off.

We walked down a lovely little market street near the Champs des Mars and went in and out of stores collecting all the essentials for a superb picnic lunch: strawberries, baguette, cheese and wine.

Sitting there under the sun and the Eiffel Tower together was one of the most amazing afternoons I have ever had. It was simple and I was so happy in that moment. I wish we could do it every weekend. I will hold onto that feeling until we are reunited in December.