First thing is first- Thank you everyone for the various forms of hate mail and declarations of canceled friendship we received after many of you read and saw the journeys of April 2008. Some of you were incredibly delicate with your struggling emotions ("I feel a slight sadness")…but others of you were just downright transparent with the foreseen consequences ("I am not sure I can talk to you anymore…"). In order to prevent such widespread cross-Atlantic ill-will in the future, I vow to significantly limit any pictures of belly dancers, camels, and in general…photos taken bare-chested**.
**photo selection restrictions may not apply to summer seasons, future spring breaks, or geographies of Italy or Lake Chelan.
The Glorious Art of Two-Timing…
But this is le blog of May and for those of you loyal RC readers that remain, we don’t have time to look back and think of what could have been. Y’all loyal readers are here (I’m assuming), because you want to hear about what makes this much-talked-about town of Paris…so darn special. Well friends, I am used to making controversial statements in this blog – and since I haven’t been shut down yet…I’m about to make another few of them.
You see – Finding what really makes this town so special unfortunately can’t really be fully revealed to the readers of a blog (yes – even le blog of rue Cassette!). And…as much as it pains for me to tell you, it cannot be even fully revealed to the first-time visitors – who usually spend their time here frantically navigating a list of monuments and museums as long as the Seine itself. No – the real beauty…the stuff that makes this city come alive to the sound of "Oh la la" – that material is best discovered by the "Glorious Art of Two-Timing" this city, which is to say – coming back a 2nd time, without any set agenda -to experience the lesser-known, but finer points of la vie Parisian. In our time here so far, there are only a handful of such experiential scholars (all well-commemorated in past entries)…but in early May, we had the distinct privilege of elevating another soldier to this status upon entry of rue Cassette…no surprise – it was Demetri Heliotis.
"What, me worry?" No need to rush when you’ve got everything you need within an arm’s reach, right in the armchair of rue Cassette. Crunchy granola, cup of Illy coffee, and a fluffy 16-pound cat with more love than love-handles….
"What Entry Fee? What line?" The finest way to enjoy the Champs de Mars is horizontally – armed with a crusty loaf, 4 cheeses, cured meats, fresh fruit…and yes…bien sur…a bottle of Champagne…
Lots of people discover the joys of le Metro during their first visit – and for a good reason. It zips you around the city with amazing efficiency. But Paris Two-Timers are known for their uncanny ability to learn other types of available transportation – such as le Bus, which is equally dependable…but comes with an unobstructed view of the city! (Note: One must beware of ‘tough guys’ in the back of the bus)…
It’s a all-too-typical captured moment of bliss for the Two-timer! Taking in the sight and sounds of Paris, bathed in spring sunlight – Does anyone know which way the bus leads? No biggie…but we’re in the heart of the capital, viva la France!
In terms of afternoon activities – d‘Orsay vs. Louvre is a good question. But a much better question is one that has been pondered by cafe-going locals since the beginning of time, and that question is simply…Kronenbourg 1664 vs. Cafe Noisette after lunch? As Demetri sits by my side at our home base Cafe Du Metro, the answer is obvious "les deux"….
What about seeing all those manicured gardens and historic buildings? Well, when you trek around the city as much as we did, you are bound find yourself in the midst of them…such as this little public garden in the 5th. Vive la unknown gem!
One of the best aspects of the Two-timer? After all of that relaxation and rejuvenation – when the sun goes down, there is plenty of energy left over to put the "N" back in Nightlife! So we broke away from the routine of the well-known Saint Germain pubs – and headed to far-away frontiers (even if it meant riding our bikes)! As for this gritty pub, I don’t exactly remember the criteria we used to determine it was worth visiting….
And when night life calls for something more refined, it would not be uncommon to catch a Two-timer having secured the most optimal people-watching, wine-tasting table at a ‘sufficiently swankified’ terrasse at the neighborhood hotspot Alcazar…
But all of those experiences previously described were really just corollary to the primary objectives of Demetri’s trip. You see, I’m reminded all-too-often that success in life is predicated upon having clear goals – even when it comes to concrete trip goals for the second time Paris visitor. Personally, when I think of clear goals, besides the motivational speeches given by our group Vice President at work, I often think of the famous quote from the 1993 classic movie Dazed and Confused…featuring an overly-aggressive high-school student at a late-night party, expressing his "clear goals"… "I only came here to do two things, kick some [butt] and drink some beer". Well if those were high school party ambitions, I think Demetri’s ambitions would have sounded slightly different, but equally well-defined… "I only came to Paris to do two things…spend time with my friends…and eat this entire town, bite-by-bite."
Well, those were goals that we could support. Especially with a pursuit of Paris’ best Steak & Frites – a quest that just-so-happened to be featured on the cover of last month’s bon appétit magazine (yes, they deliver to Paris as well). So, we set out for Bistrot Paul Bert in the hip and upcoming 11th arrondissement to see if the picture that was on the cover was equally as juicy in person….
When we saw this specials sign in the restaurant we had a hunch we were on the right track…Filet, house fries, with salad! Two items were worth noting however – 1) for all you well-cooked steak lovers in the house, this quest is not for you. "Bleu ou saignant" represents the two choices of cooking for the steak being rare, or just plain bloody. "!!!!" tends to represent "don’t even try to ask for more heat". 2) Was the "bon appétit" just there to wish people a good meal, or in fact, was it calling out to all people on a similar quest for the magazine cover, almost as if to say "Oui, you have arrived at the right spot!" Which interpretation is right…perhaps we will never know:
A man with clear goals, with nothing but pure victory in front of his eyes. "Bite-by-bite"….
How good was the steak & frites? Well, perhaps so good that when I ignorantly held up my fork to pose with the picture-perfect bite, I almost lost it to a highly-suspect predatory Velociraptor across the table….
Lucky for all of us there was more than enough boeuf for the whole crowd, so we left the classic french meal…..classically pleased…
And Demetri, left even more Parisian, shown here giving a mind-blowing French expression that can only be summarized as….Pffttt! (sorry, there just is not English translation for that expression. To see a good example of it, one must view the French comedy film L’auberge Espagnole.
And while the photos shown only represent a sliver of Demetri’s visit – I think this one is the quintessential shot, a capturing of the rewards of a Paris Two-timer. Two friends, closing down one of the city’s finest bistros together- sure, it’s 5000 miles from home, but from the outside looking in- it actually doesn’t feel that far from home at all. A trip almost good enough to consider becoming a Three-timer…. 
Perfection: An "In-Tence" Wedding in Rhode Island
Few love stories are as chronicled in le blog of rue Cassette as that of Eric (aka "Le Tence") and Gen (aka "La Vievre"). Although their story began years ago at Duke, a certain correspondent of le blog was there documenting their Paris engagement in the April 2007 blog, and then the subsequent "North of the Border" bachelor party in the March 2008 blog. And if history is any indicator of the future, one or two months after the bachelor celebration (and barring natural disasters)….we enter a period of time known simply as "the main event". And therefore Shannon, myself, and scores of Dukies and non-Dukies alike – arrived into Newport, Rhode Island to see these two "devilishly" good looking (I know, that is bad) lovebirds tie the knot. And here they are, the night before the big event…
And here is a fairly familiar cast of "dual-grads" – first from Duke University in 2001, then each individually from the Gauntlet of rue Cassette during their respective visits (starting with the left: Ryan VanGrack, moi, Eric Tencer, and Jon Krisbergh)…
The Paris visitors club grew stronger when including the significant others (from left: now including Rachel Sherman, the lovely Ms. Cassette, and Tracy Zuckerman)…Don’t be fooled by the smiles, here we are taking a break from an incredibly heated debate on Pierre Herme vs. Laduree…..
Nothing ever changes with this crew – this picture of the groomsmen might as well have been taken at a college fraternity formal 10 years ago (well…almost everything except the backdrop of pink Victorian floral)….
The wedding took place at the completely stunning Blithewold Mansion & Gardens in Rhode Island – a paradise from the grand mansion (in this case one could say "chateau" without hesitation) to the waterfront arboretum and gardens where the wedding ceremony was held….
And although it was forecasted to be a "less than optimal" set of conditions for the outdoor event – the weather gave way to an absolutely banner sun-drenched day…just complete perfection for these two that so deserved it. Here we find a preview of the Bride and Groom celebrating this historic turnaround!
I promise I didn’t use Photoshop for this one…it really did look that good!
And this wasn’t your average party tent -perfect illumination, haut-cuisine, DJ that knew his west coast rap…yep, the night was shaping up to be a "rager"…..
And I had one hot date, featured here in Maje Paris couture. I on the other hand, was dressed in rented tuxedo couture…
And speaking of fashionable, we were among some very good company at the rowdy but respected Table #21. in addition to the previously named Dukies, there was Jeremy Crystal (far left), co-best-man Daniel Perl (center, apparently my wife’s temporary date), and reoccurring RC blog featured, Toronto-based Jeremy Zuker and Melissa Beth Zalev (far right).
As for the Bride and Groom…if pictures are any indicator…were having a pretty good time themselves! That may in fact be me in the bottom left corner – fulfilling my responsibilities of "burly man who doesn’t let the groom drop"….
And very shortly after the lights went out in that magical tent, it seemed as if we were already packing it up for our departure back to far-away lands. Krisbergh and Rachel – back to NYC. VanGrack and Tracy – back to DC. Eric and Gen – honeymooning in Central America. And the Parisians….well the rest of the blog will tell you the answer to that. But with the departure sadness came overwhelming appreciation of a fine Bride and Groom with a fittingly fairy-tale wedding…and also knowing that without question- there will be more blog entries featuring this very same cast…
Does the Action Ever Stop? Non, Madame!
It’s amazing how quickly Air France can transport you between two very different worlds - from a New England Victorian bed and breakfast to – a mere 6 or so hours later…this view of Eify from Les Invalides (coming together nicely with the renewed green of spring time!)…but as much as we would simply like to concern ourselves (and therefore the readers of le blog) with nostalgic Paris scenery…there was action waiting around the corner…
Because there was not 1…but 2 additional Paris Two-Timers waiting to be crowned in the wings for some more Paris-based memories! Firstly – you may remember a couple of previous mentions of the Sweden-sensation Jasmine Chai, who Shannon first met in Romania for PYP teacher training – then put in some quality lady-time at RC in the October 2007 blog…well here we find Jasmine and Shannon reunited once again at Le Pub Saint-Germain…
and second…you guessed it, those globe-trottin’ Winchesters! You may remember these two ‘cafe-life-for-me’ trouble makers from their first appearance, dating back to June 2007. These guys are just plain great fun – they love nothing more than to help us have an outlandishly joyous (and therefore undeniably loud) time at nearby favorite spots. Here we are starting our ruckus at Le Christine restaurant…
And here is, well…"Steve being Steve" – making a mockery of the build-your-own layered millefuille dessert …and eventually causing us to be the final set of couples escorted out of the restaurant. Winchesters – come back anytime!
And although the next visitor did not technically qualify for a two-timer (meaning yes, she was a virgin visiteur) – I can truly vouch for the fact that the one and only Shanan Kelley did everything within her power to live out the French Dream. Shoe shopping, side-trips to the French Riviera, sniffing cheeses from the Farmer’s markets…"Shay-K" was a new mademoiselle in this City of Light! Here we find her strolling the streets of le Marais, with pre-falafel anticipation on a Sunday afternoon (impressively legit for a first-timer…).
To understand their most fundamental Paris preferences – we tend to put first-timers though a little rive gauche (Left Bank) vs. rive droit (Right Bank) restaurant showdown…to figure out where they land. With all of the artsy-funky-ness of the left vs. the riches of the right – this commonly is a comparison (but not a general rule – please don’t send me exceptions) of traditional french vs. new french. But this certainly was the case in the showdown we took Shay-K along for…putting newly discovered left-bank Le Louis Vin against the sophisticated right-bank BON…
After the charming, un-assuming nature of the Louis Vin setting – and exceptional three-course fare, we thought for sure it would be a dead-lock for the left-bank classic (that is not a frown…)
But I was quickly reminded from just peering into the exterior of BON, that there is no time like Swank time! The girls were giddy with anticipation even across the street…
But that awe just kept growing as we sat among Philippe Starck’s simultaneously “trendy and romantic” decor…an evening that one could only describe as "Bon!"….and no, that couch (unfortunately) is not intended for post-dinner napping. Trust me, I asked…
And so Shanan Kelley did what many other wise mademoiselles have done before her – when asked to pick left vs. right, she simply said "je prefere les deux" and left it to be a battle decided upon her next visit…but you have to admit, that she blended nicely with the brushed steel candelabra…
May’s Departure is an Arrival!
And with a few days left in the month – we received some fantastically blessed news at rue Cassette that makes left bank vs. right bank showdowns seem…let’s say slightly less relevant. Because my brother and Krysia welcomed to the world their newest member of the family…daughter Paige Susannah Johnson to the world!!
You didn’t think I would do a whole version of le blog without showing you a video featurette, did you? Well, this is a 21st century family…and Bjorn, the new father – has graciously provided a video account of their daughter in the following "digital short"…
Look at this happy family, the bundle of joy with two proud parents, and Wynne, the newly appointed big sister!
And of course, the equally pleased Aunt and Uncle – waiting to see their newest niece on their next trip "out West" (and many video conversations on Windows Live Messenger in the meantime)! Until that point – we’ll keep making memories, and if we’re lucky…you’ll keep reading them. Let’s get summer rollin’ and we’ll see you on the June version of le blog!
You guys truly are globe trotters! Hopefully your June weather is better than ours…it appears to be Juneuary here in the great NW. Wishing I was in Paris! – J.
I miss it already so much…I find myself hoarding my stories, as if sharing them will make them less special. It doesn\’t even make sense, I know. FYI, I\’ve started my "Two Timers" piggy bank. Miss you-thanks for all the exposure on le blog. PS-those shoes are still comfortable…(though sadly, my jeans are NOT).
That video makes me look way bloated and the shot where I\’m covered in blood was gratuitous. That said, I\’m on board with Le Blog.