39Vaugirard

Means that it’s no longer a best-kept secret. Oh well! This particular secret has already been found as it is right next to our place on Rue Vaugirard. Sadaharu Aoki, the pastry wizard. The French are passionate connoisseurs of patisseries. Really, only in Paris, do people line up around the corner for gateaus. So, it’s a testament to Japanese-born Sadaharu Aoki. The appeal is his mélange of Japanese ingredients like macha (Japanese green tea powder), sesame, and yuzu (Japanese lemon) with French elements. My favorite, Macaron au macha, and the kitsche looking, beautifully coiffed, mannequin like Japanese girls who serve at his Patisserie. Only in Paris!

If only the US were advanced as Europe: great subway systems, Velib bikes, the latest mobile phones, universal healthcare, satellite TV that is truly global, and surprisingly more and more free flowing WIFI (or “wee-fee” as it’s pronounced in France). While in the US, Starbucks is just announcing a few hours of WIFI with purchase after years of that T-Mobile racket, and hotels are still gouging us for $10 plus for a few radio waves, many cafes and hotels in Paris let the WIFI run wild, run free. And that’s as it should be. Increasingly, the world depends on interconnectivity. Who can afford to be away from work, family or personal obligations for even a few days without knowing of when and where to find a connection. Here are a few tips to make sure you are internet-satisfied when traveling.

1. Many many cafes have free wifi allowing you to indulge in an afternoon coffee along with your internet. Try the cafe at the intersection of the rue de Buci and the rue Mazarine, which has outdoor tables. Watch for “Free Internet” or “internet gratuit” signs to guide your cafe choices, especially if you want a quick connection with a Treo, Blackberry or iPhone. Kids feel like an ice cream? All Haagen-Dazs Paris locations are WIFI enabled.

2. Be careful with hotel and apartment rental listings. Many still say, “internet connection,” when what they really mean is that the telephone has an input jack for a dial-up connection. In this case, you’ll need a modem and a local dial-up number (does AOL still have these?) This solution is almost completely useless for most Americans.

3. Look for hotels with free internet, like the Hotel Villa d’Estrees, which has free wifi, using a card system. They hand out the cards for free. Given the state of American tourism, don’t be afraid to ask for free internet when you’re booking, if there is a charge at your chosen hotel.

4. Look for apartment rentals with free internet or wifi. Many private rental apartments, including ours, come with unlimited wifi access. Additionally, many of these data plans come with free telephone service to the United States, which can be a real money-saver. Note, if you don’t have free telephone, apply for a Skype account before you go. You can use Skype for literally pennies a minute, and for free to another Skype user. It’s very simple to use.

5. Be very careful using your mobile phone’s data roaming plan while overseas. The iPhone, especially, uses up enormous amounts of data as it provides up to the minute weather, pedestrian google maps, or web searches while you stand waiting for your spouse at another shoe store. While the phone companies are amazingly understanding about reducing some of these shocking charges (way over a few thousand dollars in many cases), it’s better to be forewarned. Turn off the automatic email downloading and don’t use the other web services unless you are in a free WIFI zone.

Few tips for those who want to continue to roam the world, en famille. Why not? Our daughter had been to 14 countries by the time she was about 18 months old, and both of our kids don’t think twice about long haul flights. The greatest compliment was when our son was merely two, he was sitting in a Business Class seat with a Frenchmen, returning to SFO from Charles de Gaulle airport. After we landed, the Frenchmen turned around and gave me the ultimate compliment, that our son was the perfect traveler! I digress

Really, continue traveling but think about renting apartments instead of hotels. One, you get to live like locals and really get to be exposed to another level of a culture and society. Two, it’s more economical and often, more luxurious, in space and in intimacy.

Few tips to consider when renting apartments, especially in France, and specifically in Paris.

1. Time limits
Be aware that many apartments require minimum stays of one week or one month, or even longer. If you’ll be in a city less than a week, a short-term rental is unlikely to be practical. There are now more rentals for less than a week but you’re likely to pay a premium which will make it not as economical to staying at hotel.

2. Book early
To get the best possible prices and selection, try to reserve at least four to six months before your trip. Many people who have been to a location many times tend to rent apartments, because they are in the fashion business or the design business, or certain industries that have seasonal events that always bring them to Paris. So book ahead as peak seasons go really fast.

3. Reputable Agencies
Agencies should provide references. Also, many sites now have reviews and ratings. Some of the most reputable sites for luxury apartment rentals in Paris: www.timeandplace.com, www.parisianflat.com, www.chezvous.com. They all have own agents or proprietors who are fluent in English and English speaking travelers. We have stayed at many of their properties. (Full disclosure: so much that we have Parisianflat.com manage our own property, 39 Vaugirard)

4. Numbers game
How many people an apartment can sleep is not necessarily the same as how many it sleeps comfortably. Find out the number of full rooms and beds a place has before you commit. Don’t rely on photos, which can be deceptive, to get a sense of the size of an apartment. The square footage is a more precise measure (one square meter is approximately 11 square feet). Finally, ask about elevator service, especially if you’re traveling with anyone who may have problems climbing several flights, especially little kids. Also, make sure about # of bathrooms. Often, the French list two bathrooms, but this only means two toilets, and not necessarily two full bathrooms that many Americans assume. Also, clarify floors. First floor in French means second floor in American. That can make or break whether you will require a place with an elevator or that you will be lugging all of the family’s luggage up two flights of stairs. Most important, ask for WIFI or HIGH speed internet. Even in the 21st century, many apartments do not have high speed internet. They will list ‘internet’ meaning only dial up. Most American laptops no longer have dial up modems so very important. Also, inquire about whether there is a local phone installed in the apartment. This will save you some roaming charges while calling local establishments and friends.

5. Cooling agents
Inquire about air-conditioning which isn’t standard in most European apartments. Also, many Americans, who are used to about 69 degrees temp inside buildings are surprised that the air conditioning within French offices do not kick in until the temperature reaches above 74/75 F degrees. I’ve never needed it in our place but my husband insists on it

, and you may want it for ventilation and to drown out any street noise if the rentals are located on grand boulevards, such as Blvd St. Germain.

6. Read the fine print
To ensure that your vacation isn’t a horror story of confused dates and missed expectations, read the contract carefully before signing. Also, check for cleaning fees and security deposits that most agencies require in cash, in local currency prior to getting access to the apartment, especially luxury apartment rentals. Also, don’t be surprised if there are specific number limits to children that may occupy the apartment, as well as arrival times and departure times. Often, there may be a surcharge if you arrive after normal business hours.

8. At your service
Most rentals include a onetime housekeeping fee, but if you are staying more than a week, you may want to arrange for additional maid service. Some agencies can also arrange for the kitchen to be stocked prior to your arrival. Also, ask if any concierge service is included. Even the most veteran of travelers many need some advice if there is a medical emergency or need to access medicine at the local pharmacie, which often there are when children are involved.

9. Phone home
Telephones in rental apartments are often restricted to local service. If you plan to make long-distance calls, get a country-compatible cell phone with prepaid minutes, or a phone card. One inside note. Often, when you arrive in Paris, you can purchase a SIM card that makes your American phone a local French phone. There is usually a 35-50 Euros one time registration fee, but it maybe worth it if you’re often in France and/or Europe. The best advice, launch SKYPE onto your computer and the phone calls are virtually free. You just have to purchase a headphone prior to traveling or can get one at the FNAC for about 10 Euros.

10. Plan ahead
You will be exploring on your own—exactly the fun of renting an apartment, but also the challenge. Unless you plan on using a private concierge service, no one will be there to score you reservations, so book restaurants and theater tickets far in advance and come with good guidebooks and maps. Use Gayot.com for your local restaurant guide. I find it incredibly useful. And really, iphone google map is the greatest. It cost us a bundle the first time we used it since our kids were having a field day mapping out their footprint, but used sparingly, it’s the great guide.

Funny to come across some of MY confidential list of favorite neighborhood places printed up in the Bon Appetit magazine. This is only for friends who truly appreciate these little finds. So, friends, here is my current list. But please, keep it to yourselves. C’est confidentiel.

SUPERB SPECIALTY SHOPS

Pâtisserie Sadaharu Aoki (literally a stone throw from our apartment
Sadaharu Aoki’s talent is huge, but his pristine white shop is the size of a cream puff (he has two other locations in Paris; this is my favorite branch). Sada, a hero in his native Japan, is one of the most creative pastry chefs working in Paris, where he was trained. While his black sesame éclairs rightly have a cult following, I can’t get enough of the Bamboo, a slender chocolate cake with a green tea filling. Ditto the Brooklyn, an über-classy cheesecake.
35 rue de Vaugirard, 6th; 011-33-1-45-44-48-90; sadaharuaoki.com

Da Rosa Épicerie-Cantine
When José Da Rosa set up shop five years ago, I couldn’t believe my luck. At last, we ordinary mortals could buy the same Spanish hams, mustards, and fine oils that Michelin chefs trusted him to supply. Now life is even sweeter — there’s the cantine, where we can nibble foie gras, great cheeses, a few hot dishes (try the risotto), and wines, too. And don’t leave without a sack of chocolate-coated Sauternes-soaked raisins. I’d call them Raisinets, but they’re in their own universe of wonderfulness.
62 rue de Seine, 6th; 011-33-1-40-51-00-09

Pierre Hermé
Pierre Hermé is widely considered the greatest pastry chef in the world, and has some of the most interesting chocolate in town. Mostly, his shoe box jewel of a store on Rue Bonaparte is exquisite and has people lined up around the corner at all hours. His chocolate provoke, and though his provocations don’t always hit the mark, his work is always interesting. The combination of lavender and Chinese tea, chocolate with yuzu, the fragrant Japanese citrus, make it always an interesting event to experience his brand of gourmandise.
72, rue de Bonaparte, 6th; 011-33-1-43-54-47-77, www.pierreherme.com

Christian Constant
37 rue d’Assas, 6th; 011-33-1-53-63-15-15
Another place in the neighborhood, and not to be confused with the chef of Violon d’Ingres. This is the chocolate shop. Opened in 1970, Christian Constant sells some of Paris’s most delectable chocolates by the kilo. Each is a blend of ingredients from Ecuador, Colombia, or Venezuela, usually mingled with scents of spices and flowers like orange blossoms, jasmine, the Asian blossom ylang, and vetiver and verveine (herbs usually used to brew tea).

Mariage Freres Salon de Thé
13, Rue Grands Augustins, 6th; 011-33-1-40-51-82-50
My all time favourite place to spend time in the neighborhood. Actually, in Paris. Sitting and sipping tea at this jewel box of a tea salon, along with a Comptoir du Thé where its virtually a museum to the art of tea. It’s hidden in an alley way, tucked in a wonderful section of our neighborhood. This elegant salon de thé serves 500 kinds of tea, along with delicious tarts and cakes. In the upstairs salon, you’re transported back to a Chinese pagoda environ, with waiters dressed in elegant Chinoise uniform with beautiful Mandarin chairs and decor. On the main floor, one feels like you’ve stepped into a Chinese tea master’s apothecary with floor to ceiling tea cans and glass cases showcasing the most beautiful iron teapots and accoutrements for sale. They have another Salon in the Marais. www.mariagefreres.com

LADURÉE
21 rue Bonaparte, Paris, 6th; 33 (0)1 44 07 64 87
They say the history of Parisian tea salons is intimately tied to the history of the Ladurée family. Well, this Salon was reinvented in 1997, though you think it’s been there for centuries. This is my daughter’s favorite afternoon treat. The place is so special. They invented macaroons. Pistachio, Rose, Orange Blossoms, Lemon, Mint, in addition to the traditional Chocolate, Vanilla, Raspberry and so forth. The menu goes on for 24 pages with Petit Dejeuner, Salades, Les Viennoiserie, et al. The salon is exquisitely decorated to transport you back to some kinds of an exotic, exquisite luxurious, Oriental tent atmosphere, with requisite tromp l’oeil paintings of wild animals and flora. www.laduree.fr

STLYISH BARS, PERFECT BISTROS, GORGEOUS RESTAURANT

The Restaurant at L’Hotel
L’Hotel, where Oscar Wilde died “above his means,” is one of the coziest settings in Paris. Enter, walk past the small sitting room and the intimate bar, and you’ll reach the restaurant, formerly known as Le Bélier, which is like a luxurious salon, with silks, swags, sofas, and throw pillows, a setting so relaxing it clears your mind of everything but thoughts of a fine meal — which you’ll get here. The food is modern, refined, and beautifully presented (you must have the chocolate dessert plate), and the service cossets as much as all those pillows.
13 rue des Beaux-Arts, 6th; 011-33-1-44-41-99-00; l-hotel.com