Paris...The Flat.

It's night three of dinner on the patio in Paris. Why does everything taste better here? Why does yougurt taste better than any full fat kind you can find at Whole Foods? Why do eggs taste better, mushrooms...I'm sure there's an argument but I don't care. And it's NOT just because I'm in Paris. And I'm sorry..you can't get $4 bottles of yummy french wine anywhere else but here.

So I booked this wicked cool flat on homeway.com which just happens to be based in Austin, only 3 miles from where I live. This little flat couldn't be more perfect: hugely inconspicuous colbalt blue doors at 43 rue Charlot in the Marais district (3rd Arr.), open up into a breath taking courtyard full of blooming pale pink roses w/ grape vines growing over one of the terraced rooves. The building is so old I can't begin to comprehend what it looked like in the day...Inside has been completely renovated with the exception of the plumbing and the dark timber beams in the high ceiling.

There are cool stone walls in the rooms, a contemporary kitchen, convection micro, oven and stove top it took me an hour to figure out how to use. Forget words, just symbols. Note to self: if in europe faced w/ the same...put a POT ON THE STOVE TOP then mess w/ the buttons. "F" doesn't mean FAIL..well kinda...or ferme, it means put a fucking pot on the stove then I'll work.

The bathrooms are two: one to pee and poo, the other to shower and dress. The shower is not typically french in that it's a walk in, no bath, but does have lots of heads and options. WAY cool. It's the reason I complain about not being able to find cool shit in the US to remodel my bathroom. (pix to come).

Outside there is the most fab patio - two olive trees, an american sized patio table and chairs. One does not need to eat out..just by at the local market and do it at home. It'll save you un beuacoup d'argent.