glasman19

Yes excellent TR. look forward to your New Year Report.

CHSDOC

Looks like they left a lot of food off of the plate at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon .

I like the first place better. I rates very high on my only measure of food quality: price per pound

Condition One

Looks like we were in Paris at the same time! I was camped out at the Westin, and just flew back today. What a beautiful city! The first time I went was in an August with a friend, which unfortunately, was the only time our schedules matched. Needless to say, I wasn't a fan of the place. I'm glad I gave Paris a second chance this winter though! It was a completely different experience!

SFO777

Paris
Night 3

Call us crazy but one of our favorite Paris restaurants is a Mexican restaurant.
Anahuacalli (in the 5th) serves the best (and most potent) margaritas and best chili rellenos I have ever tasted.



For our starter, we shared the delicious Tacitos Dorados.



And another margarita, prompting our waitress to warn "oui, c'est bon mais aussi dangereux monsieur".



The most amazing beef and cheese chili relleno...





And another "dangereux" margarita pour madame.



As if we haven't had enough alcohol, we decided to have nightcap at the Georges V...



... where our two martinis cost nearly as must as our entire dinner at Anahuacalli.



As with most Four Seasons, the Christmas lights and decorations are wonderful.

SFO777

Paris
Last Day

With a short day and a 2PM checkout, we decided to head to the Marais for a few hours. While waiting for Mrs. SFO to get ready, I headed down the street for some Eiffel Tower pics as the temps warmed and the sun tries to make a comeback.













On my way back to the hotel, classic Paris...



Our hotel, finally back in the sun.



Off to the Marais, starting with beautiful Place des Vosges...









... where the sun brings out Parisian families.











More fun at the Bastille than the original residents...





We were both disappointed with our lunch at Bofinger, although the historic decor was very nice.



Up next: Frankfurt, quite possibly the most boring city since Helsinki.

Paint Horse

What was wrong with Bofinger?

SFO777

Thanks Abidjan. Glad you enjoyed.

Maybe next time.

Thanks so much Betteronacamel.

They can probably issue one at A41, which is permanently used by LH. AA uses the gate in the morning and I know for sure that they can't access the computers/printer at A41.

I wouldn't exit security just for a BP. DEN is a major PIA to exit and re-enter unless you have a lot of time.

Thank you bubster. I appreciate the kind comments.

Thanks worldtraveller73. I was pleasantly surprised that I had no problem getting a reservation when I called a five days ahead. L'Atelier is mostly first come, first served but they take reservations for 6:30P, when the doors open.

Thanks very much blr1222. Nice to hear from another Rdl'E lover!

Thanks theplunger.

Thank you glasman19. Hope you enjoy the next one.

LOL. On the price per pound, or maybe ounce of food, they are not shy.

Small world. We walked by the Westin on Friday. We also flew back today on LH 446 FRA-DEN and lucked out again with the New First. Glad you enjoyed this wonderful city.

GetSetJetSet

I'm partial to the one in the 6eme, but that's probably because I'm lazy and it's 3 blocks from my apt.

SFO777

Perhaps on another day it would have been fine, and maybe we were just tired of traditional heavy French cuisine. Old fashioned, not very creative menu, the paté was bland nothing special, presentations lack imagination. Seemed like they were living on past laurels.

That's the one that we had usually frequented. Where is your apt? We were in a third floor walk up on rue des Beaux Arts for a month a couple of years ago.

iceman77_7

When is the women of France series coming?

SFO777

After lunch at Bofinger, we returned to La Trémoille and only missed our late check-out by 15 minutes, bid our adieus and were on our way to CDG. Sadly, our whirlwind 72 hours in Paris was over. La Trémoille was a pleasant hotel in an absolutely fabulous location (perhaps the best location in Paris we have stayed), but there were enough little annoyances that we are unlikely to return.

With little Saturday traffic, our taxi pulled up to T1 departures level some 25 minutes later. Although we were booked on the 6:55P flight, pleasant LH First agent moved us to the earlier 5:55P flight and got us bulkhead seats. 15 minutes later after a maze of tunnels and walkways, we were at an empty security are for gates 60-68. And a few minutes later in the dungeon that is the *A and LH Lounge. Perhaps one of the most depressing lounges I have seen in a long time.























At some point during our visit, the lounge dragon came over to apologize that due to our flight change, there would not be a meal for us on board. After the "meal" on the inbound, I'd say that this was actually good news.

Lufthansa 1041
CDG-FRA
737-300
December 15, 2012
5:55P-7:05P
Seats 1AC

Business class tonight consisted of only 3 rows and 10 seats. There was only one other passenger, another AA EXP (or at least his carry on had an EXP tag), who was either brain dead and/or just unfriendly as he just grunted when I mentioned that the cabin was full of EXPs tonight.

There must have been a no show as there were two meals catered for this flight. FA apologized when he announced only one meal, but was relieved when we both declined. Hey, we're going to Frankfurt and we're going to hit the town.

On time arrival but a tarmac arrival position. Perhaps our last minute flight change didn't make it to operations, or maybe overnight connections don't count, but there was no waiting limo and we were relegated to the indignity of taking the bus with the unwashed masses.

Le Meridien Parkhotel
Frankfurt

After a quick 15 minute 25 euro taxi ride, we were at the Four Seasons Frankfurt. Yeah right, would you believe Le Meridien Parkhotel? The airport Sheraton was booked so I opted for this one at 4,000 SPG points and $60. A butt ugly, 3 star hotel near the train station. Mrs. SFO initially decided she didn't want to go out for dinner so we tried the Café dining room. 15 minutes without seeing a waiter and we decided that this wasn't going to work.

Friendly front desk clerk suggested a German restaurant near the Christmas market, a "short" walk away. Or so it seemed on the map. After near 15 minutes of walking thru quite possibly the ugliest city in Europe, we couldn't find the Christmas market, and opted to eat at Oscar's, a pleasant looking place near the Hotel Frankfurter Hof. Friendly waitstaff served plenty of cold Bitburger Pilsner on tap and a delicious Weiner Schnitzel.



Not fine cuisine, but good comfort food, although Mrs. SFO lost her appetite towards the end when we both saw the cutest little mouse scurrying across the floor a couple of tables away.

fieldeng

Excellent report as always. I'll be bookmarking some of the restaurant suggestions for my future visit to Paris.

Let's hope SFO777 continues his tradition and gives us the "women of .." series

SFO777

Sorry guys, not this time, although I did think about it.
But between the cold, the rain, the bundled up women, the umbrella, the wife (mostly the wife ), I just wasn't up to it.

TheAAdmiral

SFO777 Awesome TR thanks! The FS George V has, IMHO, the best bartenders in the world. We always stop in to enjoy a cocktail on every visit. Mrs. TheAAdmiral's favorite cocktail there is called the Sakura Cocktail. Mrs. SFO777 may also enjoy it.

Thanks again and Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Yahtzee

It certainly looks peppier than Boston.