#ochateau

After landing at Charles de Gaul airport early in the morning and driving through the outer suburbs I felt a growing sense of homecoming and as I grew closer to the second arrondissement of Paris, a sense of burgeoning joy quelling my anxiety. That anxiety had been fuelled by the concern that perhaps after my three year absence, Paris and I would be unable to re-stoke the embers of our love. My concerns were unfounded. It was my first time visiting Paris in the winter and it was magical- snow had fallen the week before but had cleared, leaving the city crisp and bright, the Seine overflowing and sommeliers happy to recommend a heart-warming burgundy. With my friend Amy I revisited old favourites; Frenchie (Bar a Vin and To-Go) Cafe Constant, Poule au Pot and the O Chateau wine tour (followed by dinner in the bar) and I am thrilled that they are still at the top of my list of recommendations. We went to the shambolic Le Tambour and I had at least a years worth of onion soup all across the city. Wandered Le Marais, indulged in brunch at the newly reopened Holybelly, lost myself in the shelves of Shakespeare & Co and renewed my appreciation for the grandeur of Galleries Lafayette as I saw it through Amy’s eyes for the first time. We also went to the Moulin Rouge, which was an experience for sure, but not one I want to repeat. Some people think that coincidences have meaning- for me, they are often signals that I am exactly where I am meant to be. On my last night in Paris, I revisited my favourite wine bar, Frenchie Bar a Vin. I had come across Frenchie years earlier, when a friend who cheffed at my favourite Bondi hang out had put me in touch with Harry and Laura, two of the Frenchie crew who he had worked with at Fifteen in London. These guys had a side hustle- Paris Pop Up- which held an event that I went to at the now closed 11th arrondisement restaurant Bones. The chef at Bones, James Henry is an Australian who opened my favourite Hong Kong restaurant, Belon. When I was seated at Frenchie on my last night in Paris it was at a communal table already occupied by a bunch of Australians, one of whom was: James Henry. Small, small world. Annanotherthing’s Updated Paris Address Book To do O’Chateau Wine Tour To eat

Frenchie Bar a Vin, et Frenchie to Go

Poule au Pot

Cafe Constant

Holybelly