Bonjour Paris

The Recipe for a Successful Holiday

BY ELYSE GLICKMAN

The perfect way to make Paris your own is to allow your personal passions and a dash of common sense to drive your itinerary. Its reputation is solidified by centuries of history, an always-vibrant fashion scene, and of course, the gastronomy. However, to savor Paris as the locals do, it’s always good to be open to newer eateries and retail powered by those respecting old traditions yet pushing French cuisine and design in new directions. While it’s fun to spend an evening in a picturesque brasserie people watching (there are many good ones), strolling the city’s most exclusive shops and grand avenues, you’ll have bragging rights if you check out places operated by a new generation of restaurateurs, chefs, and retailers generating a buzz with the locals. Regardless of your reason for planning a Paris getaway, you may want to approach it as a multi-course experience— mixing and matching favorite destinations with the kind of spontaneity that will allow you to discover something that’s “only in Paris” in the here and now.