August 1st, 2012 When In Paris… #2

Here is the second part to my two-part discussion on what you must do, and shouldn’t do in Paris…

8. Laduree:

You can’t go to Paris, and not eat macarons. Every patisserie and brasserie, and just about every place with edible goodies inside will have them, and Laduree apparently has the best macarons in the whole world. I’m not sure about that, but my favourite macarons are definitely Laduree macarons.

Don’t go to Laduree just for the macarons though. It actually is a really wonderful restaurant, with delicious savoury dishes, as well as sweet. The ‘Club Laduree’ is a very heart-warming club sandwich dish; it’s so delicious and wholesome, with so much (almost more than you can eat) on the plate. The highlight for me though, is definitely the ‘Ispahan’, which is the most divine pastry I have ever eaten. It consists of a smooth rose-flavoured macaroon biscuit (you have to understand the difference between macaroons and macarons), soft and velvety rose petal cream, and fresh raspberries and lychee. It’s heaven on a plate.

 

 

9. La Maison Angelina:

I’ve never had anything but the ‘Angelina’s Hot Chocolate’, and I have no regrets, because the hot chocolate is all I’ll ever need. It’s like no hot chocolate I’ve ever had before; it’s nothing but melted Angelina’s chocolate, with a side of whipped cream. The chocolate is dark, and rich as ever, so you definitely need all the cream you can get. No matter how hungry you are, you’ll only need one serving; it’s so filling, and although you may feel sick after all the chocolate and cream, it’s definitely worth it.

 

 

10. Moulin Rouge:

I went to the Moulin Rouge when I was eighteen, and I was not impressed. There were so many expectations, and Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge movie got me very excited. What I actually saw was very flamboyant, and actually very gay; the male dancers were obviously homosexual, so I was not at all turned on by the experience. I expected to see a sensual burlesque show, but I got almost a broadway musical. The costumes were definitely memorable, but other than those, there was nothing about the Moulin Rouge that stuck in my mind (besides the iconic windmill).

If you want to go to a burlesque show (which you definitely should do if you’re in Paris), go to the Crazy Horse. It’s infinitely better than the Moulin Rouge; it’s intimate, it’s sexy, and very alluring. You see many beautiful naked woman, and never have I been exposed to so much nudity in such a classy setting. The tickets are quite expensive, but the show makes it worth it. Get the package with the champagne, so you can get tipsy while you enjoy the show (there’s no need to eat dinner before the show, because it’s overpriced, and you can get just as good a meal elsewhere), and get ‘Gold’ seating, as opposed to ‘Diamond’. Diamond seating is closer to the stage, but the best view for you to enjoy the show and soak in the experience is from Gold.

I don’t know what it’s like in the men’s bathroom, but in the women’s bathroom there’s one cubicle with two toilets. I found it so interesting and humorous… it’s taking going to the bathroom with your girlfriends to a whole new level!