Well, just back from Paris. The sad thing is that I was so busy I didn't get to go to any of those bars. The good thing was that I did get a lot of stuff done. I also saw there are two new and rather nice cafes I hadn't seen before. One is by the Centre Georges Pompidou at the corner of the Tinguely fountain. There was a cafe before but the new one is nicer. The other is on the corner of Rue Rambuteau and Rue des Archives. It is called Comptoir des Archives. I think it is yet another Costes operation in the Marais. Anyway, quite nice, too. The only real bar I made it to was that of the Hotel Costes. The service was abysmal. We waited half an hour for the waitress to come. Normally I would have just left and others did do that. But I had just met a friend and we were happy to sit and talk with or without drinks. However, I did complain and gave no tip at all. Probably won't go back.

I did go to a concert on the only evening I had for a bar visit. Salle Pleyel, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Blind Boys of Alabama. Nice concert but definitely not the right venue for that kind of music.

Till