Dang, y’all really like lists of restaurants. I mean, I do too, I just don’t usually make them myself. Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the post of the email of recommendations I send to people. Your likes and comments and shares helped me surpass the 1k subscriber threshold and earn my highest performing post to date, stats which don’t really matter except that I worked in social media marketing for a billion years so I’m still deeply moved by a vanity metric. My usual content editorializes or narrativizes a bit more than that post did, but I sprinkle in advice and recommendations here and there, particular in this monthly newsletter. Hopefully you’ll still feel right at home here. Let’s get to it.

Around Paris

Summer Camp: I recently took a watercolor class presented by artist Jessie Kanelos Weiner as a little birthday treat to myself. It was so dang fun, it made me wonder why I don’t try new things, paint, do little creative projects for myself more often. This is why I was so pleased when I saw this concept by Zeva Bellel in my inbox: Creative Camp, “a series of playful, pressure-free experiences designed to help you dabble, connect, rediscover joy, and start experimenting with a medium that peaks your curiosity, even if you have no intention of doing anything more with it.” I want to do every single class, especially the one where you make a caftan.

Continuing Education: For the same reasons, I was really pumped when I saw that the relatively new cafe Off Campus in the 11eme hosts a curated collection of lectures on a range of topics including: géopolitique, littérature, histoire, philosophie, écologie, cinéma, astronomie et plus encore. I was devastated to realize I missed the class on Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey (I’m more of a P&P and Persuasion girl but still, who would turn down an Austen lecture). Many are hosted in French, to which I say: cool, bonus French immersion lesson.

Guide to Les Grands Boulevards: I really enjoyed the deep dive into the Grands Boulevards that was resurfaced over at Paris Unlocked, and I concur that anything on the rooftop/upper levels of Printemps is worth a visit. This area of Paris is one of the few that still feels like the mythical, exciting, fantastical Paris of my imagination (before it became the normal Paris of my reality). Highly recommend checking it out if you’re going to be visiting the area or if you want to reawaken your appreciation for the zone.

Stuff You Should Check Out

On moving to France: Based on my Substack insights, I know that if you’re reading this, there’s like a 60% chance that it’s because you live in the US and really want to move to France. I might be biased, but I think you totally should, even though it can be a struggle in its own right. Treener Consulting’s Parisian Chronicles recently let me share the story of my move, the ups and downs and ups of it all. You should also check them out if you’re considering a move yourself and don’t know where to start.

Getting Real About The Fantasy: I’m glad to see more of a dialogue about how uprooting your life is actually trading one set of dilemmas for another. Moving abroad isn’t about plopping down in a new country and living there like you’re on permanent vacation; it’s not that easy, and also that’s freaking annoying for the locals. That’s why I liked this piece in The Cut that explored the fantasy of moving the family to Europe, but wisely balances it with the reality that is filled with visas, short term rentals, the tough search for friendships, the uphill battle of learning a new language and culture. It also gives a nod to the delicate dance we do do retain our sense of self while not steamrolling the culture that we’re potentially pushing into… or that some of us do. Some folks just pave away. Anyway, worth a read if you are considering the “Euro-mom fantasy.”

Around Substack

Up Your Dinner Party Game: While this is not directly France-related, it is in a way because I feel like I go to and host more dinner parties here than I did in the US. Regardless, I loved this latest installment of The Trend Report’s How To Be A Creative series on how to host a dinner party. Everything Kyle does at The Trend Report is genius for its immediacy, relevance, creativity, taste, I could go on. But This post made me think hard about some of my dinner party best practices, how many I just kind of arrived at out of habit, which of them need to be shaken up to ensure my dinner parties don’t suck. I especially like the rule that dinner parties should be rowdy and messy by the end; I agree.

Recently on Franchement

Thanks For The Recs: I went out on a limb and posted almost word-for-word the email I send to people who ask for Paris recommendations. It’s not even a real article, it’s bulleted brain vomit, but people seem to be digging it. I was really excited to see that a few of you hit up restaurants I mentioned that you’d never heard of before. Even cooler was that so many of you shared recommendations in the comments to add to the list. Based on your contributions, it appears we should also have the following on our radar:

• The Cluny came highly recommended by a few people, some even going twice in one trip.

• For photography: Le Jeu de Paume and Maison Européenne de la Photographie aka La MEP

• For cocktails: Les Ambassadeurs at the Hôtel de Crillon

• Get outside of Paris and visit Parc de Sceaux, Jardin Bossuet, or the canal paths running through Esbly

• Parc André Citroën in the 15th, yes it used to be a Citroën factory

• Ploc in the 20eme for natural wine and small plates

• Pizzeria Peppe in the 9eme and then over to Sacre Coeur for a 9:30pm service

• Le Chardenoux in the 11eme for a pretty dining room and contemporary French food

• Le Square Trousseau in the 12eme for a very Parisian terrace

• Passager in the 11eme for good American/Australian breakfast: bagel sandwiches, pancakes, etc. (I have to say though I got a latte there the day I gave birth and it was so bad, I can remember it more vividly than anything else that day, that’s really saying something. Food is good though.)