A Few Parisian Hot Spots

Good news! I have more great Parisian hot spotswomen. Beauty products and foodstuffs are on
yet for the readers of Read on, I believe youthe ground floor, along with many shops selling
won't be disappointed.indoor and outdoor house accessories and a host
Monastica - craftsmanship steeped in traditionof other things: old style photos albums with
This is a fantastic place where you can get yourpictures of Paris, pillows with your own black and
hands on authentic French handmade products,white photo printed on them, dinner sets, wine
crafts and souvenirs steeped in tradition -- and dobottle boxes, lights, linens, art, etc. You can also
a good deed at the same time. If you wander atshop for gorgeous rustic pieces of heavy wooden
the tip of the St Louis Island, you'll discover onfurniture and wrought-iron (and typically Parisian)
Rue du Pont Louis-Philippe a boutique calledbenches. These items are of course unlikely to fit
Monastica, owned and run by the nuns of "Lesinto your suitcase, but they are rather nice to
Fraternités de Jérusalem" (Thelook at anyways.
Brotherhoods of Jerusalem), a religious orderPrices are all over the place, but there's plenty of
originally founded in 1975 at the Church Saintaffordable stuff for bargain hunters.
Gervais in Paris, which has now spread outLe Grand Comptoir is located at 116 rue du Bac,
internationally.75007 Paris, and can be accessed from the
Most products sold by the shop are made by the'Sevres-Babylone' metro station. Their phone
Order, the rest by lay craftsmen, but all profitsnumber is: 33 (0)1 4049 0095.
go to the Order. Their products are typicallyFree concerts in an awesome setting!
French: stoneware crockery, jams, biscuits,Free music anyone? While in Paris you can attend
chocolate, marzipan, Provence honey, perfumes,free concerts twice a week at Saint-Merri Church
hygiene and beauty products, fine Catalan housein downtown rue Saint-Martin. This church dates
linen, statues, decorations, etc. Their Catalan linenback to 1550. Its architecture has been inspired
is particularly valued, and they have an incrediblyby Notre-Dame's, and in fact it is known as
wide array of soaps.'Notre-Dame la petite' (the little Notre-Dame). It is
You can lay your hands on country jams forchock-a-block with impressive stained-glass
around € 5, essential oils fromwindows, frescos, bas-reliefs, sculptures,
€ 4 to € 8, post cards fortapestries and paintings, not to mention its
€ 0.80, soaps for € 2.75. Pricesbeautiful musical center-piece, an awesome organ
are very moderate.with a long and distinguished history.
Should you want to buy gifts, your purchases canConcerts last around an hour and start on
be beautifully gift-wrapped. The nuns speak EnglishSaturdays at 9:00 pm and on Sundays at 4:00
too.pm. Although the musical genre is predominately
Once again, the address is 11, rue du Pontclassical, they do play jazz from time to time, and
Louis-Philippe, 75004 Paris. You can reach them at:even rarer kinds of music: classical Indian, Chinese,
33 (0)1 4887 8513 and 33 (0)8 7455 6685.Armenian, and medieval music. Donations are
Loose yourself at Le Grand Comptoirappreciated but entirely at your discretion.
If you find yourself in the 7th district, take someOn the first and third Sundays of every month
time to stop by 116 Rue du Bac and check outthe Church offers a guided visit of the building
the Grand Comptoir (the Big Counter), a luminousafter the concert.
and refined shopping place filled with a motley ofThe Saint-Merri Church is situated at 78 rue
weird and wonderful Parisian items.Saint-Martin, 75004 Paris. The phone number is: 33
The entrance courtyard is lined with a variety of(0)1 4271 9393. The two closest metro stations
cow pictures in tribute to "Vach'art", the Frenchare: Hotel de Ville (take exit Rue du Renard); and
version of CowParade, a movement that startedChatelet (take exit Place Sainte Opportune).
in Zurich in 1998 and now spans the entire globeDon't miss my next issue of
(and for cow fans, you'll find some miniatures forParis-Eiffel-Tower-News newsletter, with yet
sale inside).more discoveries of hot spots, shopping gems
The top level of the Grand Comptoir offers a fulland the best in authentic Parisian eateries.
array of ready-to-wear clothes for men and