Paris1972-Versailles2003

This is time for the parties at year’s end and the preparation. For now, we will be away from Paris for ours, but as Paris is central, here are some of the tops to go to if you are around ::)

The Famous New Years Party at the RedLight 19h to 07h, 50€ per person and 10 drinks included as well as breakfast! you can reserve here soireeresa@gmail.com ,and the place is near my old office in rue de départs, Montparnasse. http://www.leredlight.com/

Concorde boat party , at the boat or bateau Atlantique, 20h to 06h  59€ per person with 3-10 drinks included and Champagne. You reach it at facing  23 quai Anatole France  Metro Assemblée Nationale (12) or Musée d’Orsay (RER C); resa at  boat@soiree31decembre.fr / http://www.bateauconcordeatlantique.com/

American Borderline , from 20h, 49€ with 10 drinks, at Châlet de la Porte Jaune, Avenue de Nogent ;  Métro: Ligne 1 (Station Château de Vincennes then  bus 114/ 210  stop/arrêt Porte Jaune) or  RER (A2 direction Boissy-Saint-Léger, Station Fontenay sous-bois) ;you can park by car free along the site; resa at american@reveillonaparis.com  ; site at http://www.chaletportejaune.com/fr/index.php

Régine’s New Year, 22h to 06h ;50€ per person open bar champagne,  and two drinks: over 25 yrs and well dressed, you are at Regine’s. Chez Regine, 49 rue de Ponthieu Metro Franklin Roosevelt (L1, L9); resa at regines@soiree31decembre.fr , and webpage here  from one i write in French :http://www.cityvox.fr/discotheques_paris/regine-s-club_11774/InfosPratiques

Manoir de Bagatelle, 20h to 06h, 39€ , drinks ,buffet included, Le Manoir des Jardins de Bagatelle,  42, Route de Sèvres, Neuilly;  Métro : Pont de neuilly or les sablons;  Parking free along the Manoir, resa at  soireeresa@gmail.com

Roofstop at L’Electric, 21h to 06h, 55€ and 3 drinks, 1 Place de la Porte de Versailles, Metro Porte de Versailles (Line 12 – T2 or T3a tramways)  Parc des Expositions – Porte de Versailles Hall 7 – Niveau(level) 4; well dressed. resa at rooftop@soiree31decembre.fr , and webpage http://electric-paris.com/#about-1

Bateau Maxim sur Seine at the foot of Eiffel tower, (our favorite boat) 20h to 06H, 55€ per person all included! Port de Suffren, down the river Seine,  Métro : Bir Hakeim, line 6,and great  300 Places parking next to it, we do here for wine and produce tastings too!!  The owner is Pierre Cardin. resa at soireeresa@gmail.com

Aquarium’s New Year, 22h to sunup, 49€ champagne, drinks and breakfast included. This is at 5,avenue Albert De Mun metro Trocadéro line 6 or Iena line 9; resa aquarium@soiree31decembre.fr ; webpage on the aquarium of Trocadéro. http://www.soiree31decembre.fr/soirees/aquariums-new-year-tour-eiffel,24.html

Generation 80-90 at Globo; 22h to 06h, 45€ and 3 drinks, resa at  generation@soiree31decembre.fr: located at Le Globo,  8 Boulevard de Strasbourg,  Metro Strasbourg Saint-Denis (L4, 8, 9),site http://www.leglobo.fr/

Of course , these are not all, just my favorites over the years . The prices above are minimum you can always get a better package when reserving.

One near where I used to lived in Versailles is the La Ferme du Manet at 45, Avenue Du Manet, Montigny Le Bretonneux, 78180, resa at celiloisirs@free.fr ,and you must be younger than 41::) ,and contact for reservation the email. the place is now used for banquet but its historical, webpage http://www.ferme-du-manet.com/index.php?key=4_38_0_0_0_1

And we will have a nice dinner at a grand place near La Rochelle at the 123 Restaurant here, http://hotel-du-chateau-la-rochelle.com/  and this menu http://hotelpreference.com/_upload/H384/files/menu%20st%20sylvestre-01.pdf

la vie est belle en France je dit ::)

Cheers and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2015!!!!!

As we are in the subject of Christmas, what are the latest best pastries, cakes, sweets we will be serving in our homes here or in restaurants. I know it will be a Bûche de Noêl for sure.

Some of the ones to try are:

Lenôtre, with the Maison Pierre Frey; a bûche with sugar Windows and walls of white chocolate. The chair and sofa are in chocolate and the carpets and curtains in almond paste. 130 euros for 8-10 persons get it from December 13 to 24 ,2014. http://www.lenotre.com/EN/e-shop

À la mère de famille , ice bûche done with caramel and chocolate on a bed of crusty nuts and streusel with a croking black chocolate and the boots and bonnet are in almond paste , 47 euros. http://www.lameredefamille.com/#/home/

Burgundy Paris , the pastry maker  Stéphane Tranchet  created this Wonder with a star of Christmas, bavaroise in pears with dusty flour and added an almond biscuit with eyes of a pine tree; 90€ for  6 persons. This one you need to ordered it.http://www.leburgundy.fr/chefs.php

Café Pouchkine , the chef  Damien Piscioneri,that created the  bûche « Place Blanche ».  This one is covered with a mousse de chocolat  with a fondant heart of caramel, cookie of cacao with a point of salt. 96€ for  8 persons. http://www.cafe-pouchkine.fr/

Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme ,here Fabien Berteau, Chef Pâtissier du Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, created a dessert in Art Nouveau poetic style. This  bûche is a mix of flavor textures with a cookie of sweet almond, covered with a fine white chocolate garnache and  absinthe, with a cream of vanilla from Tahiti. Bûche de Noël 6 parts, 110 euros.  You need to ordered it at +33 (0) 1 58 71 10 60. http://paris.vendome.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining.html

Shangri-La Hotel Paris, the  Chef Pâtissier du Shangri-La Hotel Paris, François Perret, has created the  traditional bûche in a sleight of papa Noël . Cissel in the black chocolate, the deers go around a forest of pines decorated with a silver leave. La Bûche Enchantée du Shangri-La Hotel, Paris, 5 persons for  108 euros.  You can try it as well at restaurant La Bauhinia  up to the 25 December .http://www.shangri-la.com/paris/shangrila/dining/

Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal, here the chef Jean-Yves Bournot du Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal has created a  bûche de Noël  inspired by a giant glove, 2,60 m high byr 3 m wide,done with a sugary recipe compose of garnache au chocolat  on a mona lisa cookie. Give for  4-6 persons for 60 euros. http://www.grandhoteldupalaisroyal.com/en/restaurant-bar/dining/

Le Mandarin Oriental à Paris, chef pâtissier Pierre Mathieu  inspired by the white peaks created this  bûche with the association  for each an  Everest. The base is almond streudel, posing on top of it creamy mousse au caramel. Limited supplies from Dec 15 to 25 2014 at the Comptoir des Pâtisseries  and with reservation 48h in advance. Price of 118 euros  for 6 persons. http://www.mandarinoriental.com/paris/fine-dining/

Ladurée, sign off by the  Ladurée house this bûche is done witha sirop of rum and vanilla, enclosed in a heart of creamy green lemon and  puff pastry, as well as battered cream of vanilla. price  97 euros for  6 -8 persons. Available from December 16 2014. https://www.laduree.com/en_fr/#!collections/collections19

Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris, the collection for  2014 at the Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris proposes a new salty  bûche de Noël, « RUBY ».  Created by  Laurent André, Chef Exécutif  of the hotel. It has  foie gras in a pan with vinager and raspberries. 110 euros for  6 persons. Available to take home with 72h advance notice at the restaurant  La Cuisine. http://www.leroyalmonceau.com/restaurants-bar/la-cuisine/

The Westin Paris, my sentimental favorite and chef Ken Thomas, created a graphic bûche with the flavors of exotic fruits such as ice fruit from passion fruit and orange enrolled in a milky chocolate. All put in black chocolate crumbled base with zests of orange and salt flower, covered with a golden leave.  6 -8 persons for  65 euros. Direct sale to take home by order at 01 44 77 10 20 until December 20. We did and here they deliver ::) http://www.thewestinparis.com/#

Trianon Palace, right up my old alley near the Château de Versailles,and the cake inspired on the gardens of the castle with a triangular pine and arabesques in black chocolate. On top some scoops of chocolat, covered with jams and a green camaïeu symbolising the wooded bird cage showing the elegance of a French garden. There is also the gourmande ball in candy attach to the pine tree to offer. Price bûche 70 euros for 8 persons. Available from December 15. The ball of  Noël, price 12 euros.  http://www.trianonpalace.com/

Peninsula Paris, here the Chef Pâtissier du Peninsula, Julien Alvarez, takes its inspiration on the architecture and elements of the building to create a bûche de Noël limited edition call  « Christmas Leaves ».  Price 120 euros,for 8 persons.  ON sale by advance order in  48 hrs from December 22ne to December 28th 2014. http://paris.peninsula.com/en/fine-dining

Arnaud Larher , this  bûche represent the sleight of papa  Nöel,created by  Arnaud Larher. It is composed of a cookie streudel of almonds, a crusty praliné with  nuts with black chocolate cream  70 % cacao ,and a cream chantilly of gianduja hazelnut. On sale on the boutiques of Arnaud Larher,and by internet from today Price 78 euros. http://arnaudlarher.com/en/

And,

La Maison du chocolat, the marvelous bûche here is a fine chocolate with nuts,  mousse au chocolat pure of  Venezuela, a chocolate génoise with cacao syrup and praliné fondant of nuts and eclats of chocolate. Price 95 euros,for 6- 8 persons. Available from Dec 21 to é’ 2014. http://www.lamaisonduchocolat.com/en/boutiques.php#1/1/4

Enjoy the desserts  , the Bûche de Noël is the best family tradition of France.