Guest Post: Logan in Paris!

I have a friend. Her name is Logan Tracey. And she’s kind of fabulous.

She just spent some time living it up in Paris (and Ireland) and she wanted to share her eats and drinks on Brunellos. I’m proud to have her be my first ever guest blogger! Take it away Logs…..

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I have the great fortune to be friends with this here blogger, Ms. Whitney (how lucky for me?!) So when I found out that I had an international-celebrity-nanny gig and I was going to Paris and Ireland for two weeks, I sent an email to my favorite Somm and asked her what I should drink. She replied with, “Drink a ton of rose (not the flower….the wine. I am lacking an accent ).” Ok, done. She mentioned other things about natural wine, the Loire valley, and Beaujolais, but when I got the go ahead with the rosé, I was all set. And super excited.

It turns out that I didn’t get a chance to drink as much wine as I would have liked. I mean, I like wine.
A lot.
And I like Paris.
A lot.

But as I was there on a work trip and not a va-cay, I only drank a few wonderful times. [editor's note: sad face.]

So I was off on this crazy adventure. The best story involves the stunning and SUPER French restaurant, Le Relais de Venise son Entrecole. Apparently there are a few of these places in Paris, but I was told this is the original – and the best.

The best what?
Steak Frites.
This is a restaurant where all they serve is steak frites.
There is no menu.
There are only fries and meat.

You can only order rare, medium, or well. Medium-rare is impossible according to the waitress. (And I’m pretty sure that if you order a steak well-done you get punched in the face.)

I ordered my steak medium and a glass of house red because (for this American in Paris) meat & fries & France = red. My waitress was pleased. thank goodness.

Everything was amazing. You get two portions of everything. So as soon as you finished your plate of perfectly cooked meat, crispy fried potatoes and to die for French-y, Herb-y, sauce – you get another. Bring it! I was thrilled. [editor's note: now you know why we are friends.]

There was lots more work and my days were filled with dinosaurs, diggers, and trucks. How happy was I when I found myself with an hour to kill, a 2 year-old boy, and FIRETRUCKS with FIREMEN doing FIRESTUFF right in front of a lovely café.

Score.

Chilled house rosé and a goat cheese salad.

C’est magnifique! [editor's note: the wine or the firedudes?]

The last evening worth mentioning involves time spent in the Bar Hemingway at the Ritz Hotel. The hotel is of course stunning and this bar is a must.

Bar Hemmingway is an American bar in this very French city. The atmosphere is laid back, easygoing, and very unpretentious. For a city with a reputation for surly inhabitants, I must say I had a stellar few hours in that bar. I chatted with the adorable and very famous bartender Colin Field. He makes the most incredible drinks and suggested I have one of the house specialties, a Serendipity – something with Champagne, mint, French-goodness and a whole ROSE in it!

Swoon.

I had another house specialty drink (but as the cocktails are 30 euro each and for me did the trick) I’m not sure what was in it. But it was great. And it came with ANOTHER ROSE.

Double swoon.

Mini sliders were involved in there somewhere but I was busy working on my high school French with my new friend, a lovely French Journalist named Damian, they are only a memory. Speaking in French TO the French was 78% wildly embarrassing, but very fun and I was pretty toasted. The evening was super relaxing, very social and so different from how I was spending my days. I was thrilled to go upstairs to my room and climb in my fancy plush soft bed.

Ireland was not memorable for any food or wine.

Sorry friends.

I understand that there is some great food in that beautiful country, but where I was staying the only edible food was fried. (I ordered a salad and I am pretty sure the dressing on it was mayonnaise. I mean, woah Ireland.) It was the end of my working trip and I didn’t really have much time for drinking anyway. Though I would have enjoyed a glass or two of some good Irish whiskey! [editor's note: no time for drinking?? what kind of slave drivers were these people?]

All in all, the trip was an adventure from start to finish! I was happy to get to eat and drink in such wonderful locations and I learned more about Paris than I ever had before. So if you’re going on a trip? DRINK! Or at the very least email my lovely friend here and see if she has any pearls of alcoholic wisdom for your region of choice.

xo.

[editor's note: you're nice.]

Tagged as: french wine, hemingway bar, logan tracey, paris, steak frites, the ritz