Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Meandering in the 6th Arrondissement

1776 was a a big year in the US, and the same year Cour du Commerce was built in Paris. Yes, while the US was literally being born, this street was already home to the Procope restaurant, which was established 90 years earlier in 1686 and frequented by people like Voltaire and Robespierre. You can eat there for a very reasonable 29€ menu of classic dishes like escargots and duck breast, or chose one of the other newer places in the passageway.
Today the street has some new additions like this marvelous shop, Première Pression Provence, which specializes in olive oils from Provence used in everything from cooking oils to soaps and lotions.
Next door is the hip spot Un Dimanche à Paris where brunch will set you back 38-54 € ($45-70 USD) for things like omelets or Scottish salmon. Of course you can also just buy something at their tea salon or chocolate shop to take home like the woman in the picture.
If I want to buy overpriced gourmet goods, I would rather do it in the Grand Épicerie, which recently remodeled and installed all kinds of high tech gadgets like these so you can scan your groceries and have your bill ready at the cash registers!
Where else could you find peanut butter for 15.40€ ($20 USD) next to Marshmallow Fluff for 4.30€ ($7 USD)?

I must admit I loved perusing their wine selection no matter how much more they were than the same wines from my local Nicolas.
They say the best things in life are free, like this tiny park, the Square du Vert Galant
which must be the cutest park in the middle of the city,
rivaled only by the one next to Notre Dame, the Square Jean XXIII, especially when viewed through cherry blossoms :)

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