Jardin des Plantes

So the météo, weather forecast, for the weekend was only semi correct, and it end up being quite beautiful the first half of Sunday. J & I therefore decided to take a little stroll with the Wigglemonster in a garden we don't often go to, the Jardin des Plantes, literally the Garden of Plants. It was about 18 degrees out, and with the sun almost 22 degrees, so there were many strollers out and about!

The Jardin des Plantes is the main botanical garden in France and is situated not too far from the Grande Mosquée de Paris in the 5th arrondissement. It is also home to the Museum of Natural History and the Ménagerie, a little zoo. It is a great place for both adults and kids to appreciate nature and at the same time, learn the science behind it. We were here just for a little walk in the sun, but when Wigglemonster is slightly older we will definitely visit the zoo and museum.

Photos by Me

Metro: Gare d'Austerlitz

Giving Birth In Paris

   

In France, everyone is obliged to have a carte de sécurité sociale, the social security card. This card gives almost free medical access to its holder, and a reimbursement of up to 100% of medication. You can also pay for a supplementary insurance card, called the mutuelle. Depending on which plan you pick, even private hospitals may be free.

I chose a semi-private hospital to give birth at called Insitute Mutualiste Montsouris. Frankly, it was a pretty good experience. Well, I can't exactly compare it to any other, since it was my first and only time. But I must admit, looking back, giving birth was not that bad at all! I know I know, everyone tells me that women secrete a hormone after  giving birth to help forget about the pain, but that aside, I wouldn't mind doing it all over again.

Unlike Malaysia, I didn't see my doctor even once the day I gave birth (she did visit me the day after though). Here, midwives handle all normal deliveries, and I had at least 5 (midwives). This is because my labor lasted about 23 hours, and as the midwives changed shifts, the person who took care of me changed too. The only person that I recognized through the 23 hours was the anesthetist! I wanted to give chocolates to the whole team who helped me, but I didn't even remember their names so J just left a box of chocolates at the nursing station.

Also unlike Malaysia and the US, a normal delivery requires the mother to stay in the hospital at least 3 nights. This is to assure that mommy and baby are healthy, that the mother is not in depression and ready for motherhood, etc etc. We learned in 4 days how to give a bath, feed, change, dress, everything baby. 6 weeks after delivery, I was required to do 10 sessions of réeducation de perinée, reeducation of the perineum. It is not obligatory, but HIGHLY recommended by EVERYONE. We must make sure that Monsieur remains happy! No really. That IS one of the reasons why it is highly recommended.

A week or so after the delivery, a puericultrice, a nurse specialized in babies, is sent to your home to check on how the baby is doing. She also checks her bedroom, to make sure that nothing in the baby's cot can strangle her. I kid you not. We also talked about breastfeeding, sleeping times, and baby behavior with the puericultrice. A puericultrice can also come to your house everyday for a week to help you out with the baby if needed.

All this, for free! With a good mutuelle in hand, we didn't have to pay a single cent. Without a social security card however, hospitalization and medication in France remains very very expensive, so when traveling make sure you have a good insurance that cover everything that happens during your trip. A hospital bill is on average €1,500 per day depending on the gravity of the situation, so stay out of trouble while in France!!

Photos by Google Images

Toutankhamon Exhibition

So the Wigglemonster is now 4 1/2 months old, and J and I decided that its about time to bring her to museums and exhibitions so that she develops the appreciation for art and history. Passing by the 15th arrondissement on Saturday, we saw a poster for the current exhibition at Porte de Versailles. Perfect, we thought. Something interesting for us to do, and shiny things for Wigglemonster to look at (she likes things that shine, kinda like her mother).

The exhibition on Toutaknhamon's tomb and treasures was a spectacular one. 5 years were taken by Egyptian artisans to prepare and reproduce 1000 objects belonging to the legendary Pharaoh. The visitor is taken through the exhibit in the eyes of Howard Carter, the man who discovered the tomb. Original pictures taken by Harry Burton are depicted throughout the exhibition. 

Tickets costs €15.90 for adults and €12.90 for children above 5. A little pricey, but the ticket price includes a video guide in different languages including English. For those traveling with a pram, no problem- there is elevator access from the parking and no stairs to climb. The Wigglemonster slept through the whole time we were there, and woke up just in time for out brownie break (pretty good brownies at the stall outside the exhibition hall, €3 each and very very chewy!)

So if you're around in Paris and it happens to be gray and rainy, check this thing out. The story telling guide makes it easy and interesting to understand, and the controlled  entry times makes it comfortable and not too crowded.

Photos by Me

Metro Porte de Versailles, Tram lines T2 and T3

From 12th May to 1st September 2012

Note to Readers

Hey everyone! I have been MIA for a long long time, but I have a great reason for that :). On December 26th, I gave birth to our first child. Jellybean, as I like to call her, has taken over our lives since then. Life as a young mother was tough the first 2 weeks, but I think J & I are getting the hang of things. Therefore, be prepared for baby-ish related posts, as I now discover Paris with the Little Highness..

Honfleur

Cute buildings line the center of town

The very picturesque old port of Honfleur

A quiet alley way

Honfleur, my favorite stop during our weekend getaway in Normandy, is an old port town in the department of Calvados. Small, picturesque, touristic, and very charming, it is worth a pit stop of a few hours or so. J & I spent about 2.5 hours having lunch and walking around town which was more than sufficient. 

We made reservations to eat in a brasserie that faces the port called La Grenouille. Famous for its mussels and fries, it is a big must if you are into that sorta thing, of course. I was highly contented with my fried calamari and rice! There is also a 2 Michelin star restaurant in Honfleur called Sa Qua Na, a restaurant by Alexandre Bourdas. 

Super cute and romantic getaway, only a few hours away from Paris!

Checkout  http://www.absinthe.fr/ and http://www.alexandre-bourdas.com/

Photos by Me

Terres de Truffes Restaurant

The restaurant also offers a wide array of truffle products- cheese, oil, honey

A part of truffled Brie costs about €18

Grilled scallops with truffled risotto and shavings

Tagliatelles with truffle cream sauce and shavings

Truffled tortellini soup

Again, I was caught unarmed without my camera, so pardon my blackberry shots! This gem of a restaurant is found between Place de Madeleine and Printemps on rue Vignon in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. IT WAS THE BEST MEAL I'VE HAD AFTER Le Meurice. Of course, you must be crazy about truffles like I am, every dish in this restaurant has truffles in it, including dessert!

The restaurant is small, warm and very cozy. It welcomes guests all dressed up and down, no need to slip on your fancy heels here. Even dogs are welcome! The service is friendly and sincere, we highly appreciated our young waitress and even left a very American tip for her. 

In terms of food, make sure you have a very light lunch or none at all if planning on coming here for dinner. The portions are not huge but quite heavy, most dishes are creamy and oh so heavenly. I would suggest sharing an appetizer, and then a main dish. If not you risk skipping dessert like I did since I absolutely could not stuff myself any more. Its the perfect meal for a cold autumn night.. Budget around €70 per person.

On your way out, grab a slice of truffled brie or a bottle of honey and truffles. The restaurant offers quite a range of truffled products for the most obsessive truffle lover.. 

Checkout http://www.terresdetruffes.com/les-restaurants.htm

Photos by Me

Metro: Havre-Caumartin/Madeleine

Cirque du Soleil Corteo

SQUEAALLL It's not only that time of the year, but Cirque du Soleil is also back in town! Corteo opened its tents on November 4th and the show will go on until the 31st of December, so get your tickets quick if you're in Paris! Instead of being staged in a stadium like Saltimbanco did last year, majestic tents were set up in the close suburb of Boulougne-Billancourt. Its getting a little cool in Paris, but worry you not, the temperature in the tent is controlled.

The show was magical as usual. Yet again, pictures were not allowed inside the tent (I did manage to sneak one before the show started however). The stage was majestic, dim lit chandeliers set the ambience to the carnival like background. The tent was smaller that I imagined, and almost regretted getting the Golden Circle tickets as we were very close to the stage. I would've preferred cheaper tickets that gave me a better view of the whole set. But still, no regrets, I could've touched the acrobats if I wanted to!

We were particularly impressed by the chandelier act in the beginning of the spectacle. In fact, all the acrobatic acts lefts our mouths open and begging for more. The clowns, however, I thought were a bit lame and not as funny as Saltimbanco. I must admit, I did yawn during a clown act, but that could also be explained by my lack of naptime that day!

Tickets range from €34 to €375 (for "red carpet" shows), and price also depends on weekday/weekend shows and matinée/night shows. I suggest going for the Categorie 1 or 2 tickets for a nice full view of the stage. It will also save you from neck pain from always having to gaze upwards! The tent is set up on an island, and cars aren't allowed across the bridge. There is a metro nearby, or else parking is available before the bridge, and you will need to walk over for about 10 mins to reach the tents.

For tickets and more info, checkout http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/fr/shows/corteo/show/about.aspx

Photos by Me

Étretat

Étretat is a small town in Normandy, just about 2 hours away from Paris, making it a great weekend getaway for Parisians. It is known for its high clifts and quaint town, very touristy in the summer months. J & I made the trip in October, and the weather was cool and crisp but skies remain clear and sunny.

Being right by the sea, I expected to stuff my face with the freshest seafood money can buy at an affordable price. However, given Étretat's very touristy reputation, the restaurants that line the beach are more concerned about filling up their space rather than offering great food. We ate at a restaurant called L'Huîtrière that had an amazing view of the clifts, but served food that was slightly less than acceptable.

It isn't a big town, and a few hours is more than enough to cover what is interesting to cover. A great find was a store that sells local products called La Rose des Vents. Get a pot of caramel apple compote and your toast in the morning will never ever be the same!

Photos by Me

Restaurant 1728

Ahh.. yet another food blog, go figure. Yet another restaurant? Not so.. 1728 is strategically located walking distance away from L'Elysée, Hermès and Christian Louboutin, right smack in the chic neighborhood of Rue Faubourg St Honoré. It serves as a gastronomic restaurant, tea salon, AND art gallery. Too much for your taste? Same here.. We had mix feelings leaving this restaurant, although there are many good things to be said about the service and food.

Personally, I thought it was a bang for your buck at 1728. For about €100 per person, you get a french gastronomic experience in a true 18th century townhouse, built in 1728 of course. Each room guards in tact its history and charm(read more here http://www.restaurant-1728.com/1728_paris/restaurant.php) However, J felt that the sommelier was not up to par with expectations for a classic restaurant, and thought that the menu had too many fusion elements.

I was very happy with my duck confit millefeuille and carré d'agneau that was cooked to utter perfection. The desserts were nothing great, the restaurant caters ready made dessert from patissier Arnaud Larher, which were super yummy, but simply taken out of a box and placed on a dessert plate.

So do come if you don't have high expectations or a deep wallet, but wish to experience a pleasant and somewhat classy dinner.

Photos by Me
8 Rue Anjou 75008 Paris
Metro Madeleine

La Brasserie Thoumieux

So J&I went out of our comfort zone of Bofinger and Le Chardenoux for our dose of red meat, and decided to bring Iz&M to Jean-François Piége and Thierry Costes's brasserie at Hôtel Thoumieux. Located on a tight narrow street in the 7th arrondissement, the hotel itself is quaint and full of charm. Step in and you are transported into old Paris, the brasserie noisy and dark, its clients chic yet relaxed.

The service was nothing more than what we expected from a brasserie. Our waif blond waitress banged utensils and almost threw our plates onto the table, but was polite enough that she didn't have to receive an earful from J. It didn't matter though, because my well cooked ribeye steak with bearnaise sauce arrived juicy and tasty. We shared (I should have ordered my own however) a Churros n Roll for dessert, a creative presentation of good ol' churros covered with pop rocks, served with melted chocolate and vanilla ice cream. YUMMY.

A highly recommended place for typical french bistrot food. Do however make a reservation, we went on a Sunday night and the place was jam packed until the wee hours.

Photos by Me
79 Rue Saint-Dominique 75007 Paris