THE FAB DAY

MUNICH ⎪ FALKS BAR IN BAYERISCHERHOF

2012-01-31T21:17:00.000+01:00

In the prestigious Bayerischer Hof hotel, you will find this elegant and trendy bar opened every day from 11.00 am to 2.00 am. My favourite cocktail is the Amaretto Sour : 75 % Amaretto + 22 % Lemon + 3 % Suggar. Then you can add an orange slice for the deco or a cherry ...

FALKS BAR
Bayerischerhof Hotel
Promenadeplatz 2
80333 Munich - Germany

Tel. +49892120956

MUNICH ⎪ CAFÉ DUKATZ

2012-01-26T21:14:00.000+01:00

After fighting with such polar temperature I had to go to the Café Dukatz (Glockenbach district) in order to get some well-desserved rewards ... coffee and cakes. No doubt it was the best and sweetest part of the day !!!

CAFÉ DUKATZ
Klenzerstrasse 69
80469 Munich - Germany
Tel. +498920062893
Opened Monday - Saturday from 7.30 am to 7.00 pm
Sunday from 8.30 am to 1.00 pm

RELATED POST : CAFÉ DUKATZ

MUNICH ⎪ BRANDHORST MUSEUM

2012-01-26T18:36:00.002+01:00

BRANDHORST MUSEUM
Theresienstrasse 35
80333 Munich - Germany
Tel. +4989238052286

RELATED POST : BRANDHORST MUSEUM

MUNICH ⎪ PINAKOTHEK DER MODERNE

2012-01-26T17:55:00.000+01:00

Just in love with this fabulous museum and marvelous architecture. Definitely the must see museum in Munich !!! If you want to catch sight of the museum inside ... have a look on our Munich Episode on Youtube.

PINAKOTHEK DER MODERNE
Barerstrasse 40
80333 Munich
Germany
Tel. +498923805360

RELATED POST : PINAKOTHEK DER MODERNE

MUNICH ⎪ KÖNIGSPLATZ

2012-01-26T17:26:00.000+01:00

Nearly a performance to make these pictures today ... the temperature is close to - 5°c. Anyway, I just wanted to present you quickly the beautiful Königsplatz which was as usual a command of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria. It sounds like the Prince was influenced by an expedition to Athens ... Nowadays the two buildings below are of course presenting a collection of Greek sculptures and vases.

MUNICH ⎪ KIRSCHBLÜTE

2012-01-24T18:03:00.000+01:00

After a long journey abroad you normally need landmarks reminding you that you are finally back home. This small Vietnamese restaurant is one of mine in Munich. For nearly 10 years the Kirschblüte proposes a minimalist menu based on only 2 starters, 2 main courses and 2 desserts. I concede that I hate restaurants with endless menus ... here it is much easier and faster to choose. I normally go for a starter (around 5 €), a large soup (around 8 €) or the main dish (around 10 €). Some of my friends can not resist the yummy Panna Cotta !!! The menu is changing every day so you can come back tomorrow without hesitation. In the evening you better reserve a table due to the success of the restaurant and the limited number of seats ( 26 ). The german word "Kirschblüte" simply means "Cherry Blossom" which explains the bubblegum pink lighting used inside the restaurant. This is hopefully not a touristic address (even if we are only 10 minutes from Munich downtown) so you will probably meet and chat with friendly locals ... and mainly regulars. To summarize I would say that the food is delicious, the prices absolutely reasonable, the atmosphere really homy and I should not forget to mention the charming and friendly team who is always smiling despite my horrible german pronunciation. For those who unfortunately forgot to book a table, you may also think about the take away alternative ...

KIRSCHBLÜTE

Ickstattstrasse 26

80469 Munich - Germany

Tel. + 49 89 20 20 76 50

Opened Monday to Friday

Lunch time from 12.00 am to 3.00 pm

Evening from 6.00 pm to 10.00 pm

Closed on Saturday and Sunday

COPENHAGEN ⎪ KODBYENS FISKEBAR

2012-01-03T22:10:00.000+01:00

Photo Credit // Mikkel Bo

Sometimes I feel like having illuminations or simply brilliant ideas. The last great revelation I received in 2011 told me that I should definitely spend the New Year's Eve in Copenhagen. So you may ask me why I should follow such weird Nordic hallucinations ... simply because the city is recognized internationally for its iconic furniture designers and more recently as a gourmet destination. In order to start my mystic investigations I reserved a table last friday night (December 30th, 2011) at the fish and seafood restaurant Fiskebar in the Vesterbro district. The danish casual restaurant is hidden in the "meatpacking" hip area of Copenhagen. The contrast is striking between the off beaten track or cold warehouses surroundings and the warm atmosphere developed inside the restaurant. Anyway, it could be really freezing outside, the Fiskebar has many resources to warm you up ... A minimalist modern deco using industrial raw materials, a dim sexy light, a lovely service (yes everyone here in Copenhagen is really friendly and speaks perfectly english), a delicious cuisine simply based on fresh local ingredients and an incredible wine list. Oups ... I forgot the Carlsberg draft beer. To start the festivities we ordered the fabulous Danish Oysters (180 DKK for 6 pieces) and a large pot of blue mussels steamed in apple cider (145 DKK). The bred and salty butter served beside is also delicious. Then we ordered a flavorsome fresh Cod (215 DKK) and a Ling fish (235 DKK) as main courses. For the beverages we selected a Chablis (500 DKK) and a pitcher of water (35 DKK). The nordic cheese plate was also excellent (105 DKK). Finally the espresso (20 DKK) was necessary to get back to the check and the denmark painful reality. Yes it's now time for me to specify one financial sad aspect about Copenhagen ... The city is part of the top 20 most expensive cities in the world (Copenhagen remains at 17th place according to Mercer's 2011 survey). So you should be aware that moving from the Euro currency to the Danish Krone is kind of surprising and expensive. A good tip to save money is to pay most of your expenses in cash ... in order to avoid the extra costs charged by banks while using your credit card !!! Nevertheless my first evening in Copenhagen was a great success and a fabulous introduction to the Danish cuisine and hospitality. Check it out ... and do not forget that reservation is recommended !!! Sitting at the bar sounds also like a good alternative for the last minute visitors.

KODBYENS FISKEBAR
Flæsketorvet 100
1711 Copenhagen V - Denmark
Tel. + 45 3215 5656
Closed on Sunday and Monday

Photo Credit // Mette Helbæk

Photo Credit // Thomas Ibsen

Photo Credit // Mikkel Bo

COPENHAGEN - MEYERS DELI

2012-01-01T16:22:00.000+01:00

After the fabulous New Year's Eve party we had last night at the Nimb hotel it was imperative to find a cosy, traditional and healthy spot for our first 2012 Brunch. After a short 30 minutes walk from the city center we found seats next to very welcoming local people. Meyers Deli is a bio cafeteria, a restaurant, a take away, a grocery store and a bakery situated in the Frederiskberg western neighborhood of Copenhagen and opened in 2005. On weekend they serve a delicious brunch (135 DKK) including vanilla yoghurt with oats roasted in honey, fresh fruits compote, grilled sausages, fried eggs, bacon, salami, ham, spinach, cheese, butter, jam, pancakes and a basket of home made breads ... The strong black coffee and the fresh squeezed orange juice were also very helpful. Definitely the best medication against my hangover !!!

MEYERS DELI
Gammel Kongevej 107
1850 Frederiskberg
Tel. + 45 3325 4595
Opened daily from 8.00 am to 10.00 pm

PS : You should know that Claus Meyer is one of the most famous Danish chef, co-founder of the restaurant Noma with René Redzepi, author of 14 cookbooks and also animator of a cooking show on the Danish National TV.

COPENHAGEN ⎪ NIMB BAR 'N' GRILL

2011-12-31T20:00:00.000+01:00

Souvenir of the New Years Eve 2011 in Copenhagen

COPENHAGEN - CAFE VICTOR

2011-12-30T17:17:00.000+01:00

What is the most silly thing the French frogs do when visiting Copenhagen ? It's clearly entering a Parisian style brasserie with a beautiful zinc bar, some old french posters and a french speaking waiter. But who really cares about this french egocentric problem ... it would be even more stupid to miss this local chic and fashionable bistro. Doing shopping and sightseeing in the city center, you definitely have to stop in this elegant café restaurant in order to observe and chat with the Copenhagen upper class indigenous. This is exactly what we have done last friday after three exhausting hours of shopping in the Kristen Bernikows Gade ... I needed to reload the batteries with some fresh danish omega 3, phosphorus, iodine and malted barley. So we chose on the lunch menu the delicious herrings served with capers, onions, sour cream and boiled egg (125 DKK), the fried tuna salad served with beans, olives, potatoes and anchovies (165 DKK) and the smoked eel served with scrambled eggs and chives (135 DKK). Sorry I forgot once again to mention the draft Carlsberg. I will of course taste the attractive evening menu during my next trip to Copenhagen !!! Talking to the neighboring tables we also learned some basic danish sentences : Mange tak (Many thanks), Hej (Hello), God dag (Good day), God morgen (Good morning), God eftermiddag (Good afternoon), God natt (Good night) and ... Farvel (Goodbye). And just before going to the Café Victor I would only wish you ... Velbekomme !!!

Before or after visiting Café Victor, you should also cross the street and have a look at the Summerbird Pure chocolate shop ( Ny Østergade 9 - 1101 Copenhagen K - Tel. + 45 3313 9254 ). They have three shops in Copenhagen and the Grand Cru Flødeboller Dark is a dream !!!

CAFE VICTOR
Ny Østergade 8
1101 Copenhagen K
Tel. + 45 3313 3613
Opened daily
Reservations recommended

PS : Do not forget my previous post about credit card payment in Denmark !!! It is much better to pay cash in order to avoid the outrageous extra costs charged by banks while using your credit card.

COPENHAGEN - SUMMERBIRD PURE

2011-12-30T10:32:00.000+01:00

I mentioned in a previous post the Summerbird chocolate shops in Copenhagen and their addictive homemade ... Grand Cru Flødeboller Dark. The Flødeboller (Snowballs) is a delicious traditional danish speciality handmade with marshmallow, dark chocolate and marzipan.

SUMMERBIRD

Ny Østergade 9
1101 Copenhagen K
Tel. + 45 3313 9254

Kronprinsensgade11
1114 Copenhagen K
Tel. + 45 3393 8040

Shops opened
Monday - Friday 10.00 am to 6.00 pm
Saturday 10.00 am to 4.00 pm

MUNICH ⎪ BAVARIAN NATIONAL OPERA

2011-12-20T17:03:00.000+01:00

Photo Credit // Wilfried Hosl

The Bavarian National Theatre is located at the end of the Maximilianstrasse or directly on the Max Joseph Platz. Last time I went there they presented the ballet Romeo and Juliet from Prokofiev. Great evening with Sophie and Gildas !!!!

BAYERISCHE STAATSOPER
Max-Joseph-Platz 2
80539 Munich - Germany
Tel. 089 21 85 01

ACAPULCO ⎪ CHRISTMAS 2011

2011-12-20T02:26:00.000+01:00

WHERE SHOULD WE GO ?

MUNICH ⎪ KRANZ

2011-12-19T07:46:00.000+01:00

In the Glockenbach super stylish area of Munich you will find this very good restaurant opened in 2006 by Petra Kranz and serving delicious organic food. First course around 9 euro + Main course around 19 euro + Dessert around 8 euro + Bottle of wine around 30 euro. It goes normally between 40 and 50 euro per person. I love to go there for a romantic dinner, a sunday brunch or a nice summer aperitif with friends on the terrace. You may also have a look on their small theater in the back room. I took yesterday a yummy goat cheese salad (10 euro), the fabulous tuna (19 euro) with spinach (3 euro), a Crème Brulée (8 euro) and a bottle of Grüner Veltliner (29 euro). Ah what would I do without this healthy bio / organic food ?

By the way, did you know the difference between bio and organic ? This was part of the topics discussed yesterday night and internet was once again very useful. It seems that the term "bio" is excessively used by industries and agribusiness without any control and guaranty. The word "bio" can be in fact written on a package without any regulation or legislation. Thus some green farmers decided 70 years ago to create a more credible and more regulated label named "Organic". Today the organic food production is heavily controlled and requires the following production method. I will try to make it short ... the product is free of artificial additives (synthetic hormones, pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics ... ) and is not genetically modified. The animals are exclusively fed with organic food and are offered sufficient freedom for movement on pastures. Oh my god, I don't want to think about what is in my plate most of the time ... Anyway, tonight we are totally safe !!! I should not forget to mention that the Hans-Sachs street is one of my favorite in town ... small shops, lively bars, comfy coffee shops, a mini cinema and Freddie Mercury (the lead singer of Queen) who lived on this street !!!

PS : before leaving you should ask for some of the delicious fresh eggs sold on the counter ... they are directly coming from Petra's private henhouse outside Munich. A perfect idea for your breakfast tomorrow morning.

KRANZ
Hans-Sachs Str. 12
80469 - Munich - Germany
Tel. + 49 89 21 66 82 50

MUNICH ⎪ FEI SCHO

2011-12-19T00:28:00.000+01:00

First we were thinking about having a classical take away and spending a cosy evening at home ... but this mini Asian restaurant was so warm, colorful and lovely that we decided to stay there. The Fei Scho restaurant opened in fall 2011 and proposes a menu mainly based on small bite-sized Dim Sum (portions of 2, 3, 5 and 9 pieces). They have a wide variety of handmade Dim Sum including beef, duck, pork or vegetables. Tonight we ordered a steamer basket containing 5 Dim Sum Mix ( 8.90 € ) and a Pho Bo soup consisting of rice noodles and beef (8.50 €). Following the Cantonese tradition we also drank a cup of tea while eating the delicious Dim Sum ... Did you know that Dim Sum means "Point of the heart" in Cantonese and that it is usually served at breakfast in China.

FEI SCHO
Kolosseumstrasse 6
80469 Munich - Germany
Tel + 49 89 55 06 22 99
Monday from 5.30 pm to 10.00 pm
Tuesday - Friday from 11.30 am to 3.00 pm // 5.30 pm to 10.00 pm
Saturday from 2.00 pm to 10.00 pm
Closed on Sunday

Photo Credit // Jan Schünke

PARIS ⎪ REPETTO

2011-12-16T11:41:00.000+01:00

Have you ever tried to figure out what is the fashion object all official parisians must have in their wardrobe ? I should point out that it nearly looks like fetishism !!! And the answer is ... at least one pair of Repetto. Repetto is a french ballet flat shoes company created in 1947 by Rose Repetto at the demand of her son dancer and choreographer Roland Petit who was looking for more comfortable ballet slippers. More recently, to understand the success of this product made in France you only have to remember two legendary names : BB and Zizi. Rose Repetto created in 1956 the ballet flat model "Cendrillon" especially for the french actress Brigitte Bardot. The shoes have been immortalized in the movie "And God Created Woman" and became instantly the iconic Repetto BB (initials and nickname of Brigitte Bardot). The Repetto Zizi model was originally created in 1970 for the french dancer Zizi Jeanmaire (stepdaughter of Rose Repetto and wife of Roland Petit). But the biggest Zizi ambassador will be the french musician Serge Gainsbourg who used to wear more than 30 pairs every year. Today many boys and men (rock and roll attitude) dare wearing the Zizi model ... thanks to Mr Gainsbourg.

REPETTO
22, rue de la Paix
75002 Paris
Tel. 01 44 71 83 12
Metro Opera

PARIS ⎪ LE CITIZEN HOTEL

2011-12-15T15:19:00.000+01:00

Have you ever heard about the phrase explaining that "Small is beautiful" ... this is exactly what comes to my mind visiting this new hotel located on the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris. In fact Le Citizen Hotel proposes 12 small and minimalist rooms in this authentic and not touristy parisian district. If you are sick and tired of the modish conventional shopping districts ( E.g. St-Germain, Vendôme, Madeleine, Opera ... ) and you are more searching for the real parisian lifestyle ( off the beaten path ) with small lovely shops, original bistros and addictive wine bars ... then this hotel is the perfect base camp. Being a new member of this BoBo (Bourgeois Bohème) trendy area you will surely add to your list the following addresses : Du pain et des idées (delicious bakery), Chez Prune (Bistro), Le verre volé (Wine bar), Sésame (Brunch), L'Atmosphère (Bistro) and Artazart (Bookshop). You are also 15 mn walk from my favorite Moroccan restaurant (Martel) in Paris. After such a buzzy program in this lively neighborhood you could almost forget to return to the hotel.

More seriously, it's up to you to decide about the size and the budget 15 m² (180 €), 30 m² (220 €), 35 m² (250 €) or 50 m² (400€). I personally recommend the City K room overlooking the Canal St-Martin. The interior designed by architect Christophe Delcourt is based on natural materials and wooden wall panels that give a scandinavian relaxing and bright atmosphere.

LE CITIZEN HOTEL

96, Quai de Jemmapes

75010 Paris

Tel. 01 83 62 55 50

Metro Jacques Bonsergent

PS : I am so proud of me ... writing a post about the Canal St-Martin without mentioning Arletty and the movie Hôtel du Nord. "Atmosphère, atmosphère ... est-ce que j'ai une geule d'atmosphère ?" If you did not see this very old french film, you could may be download it on the iPad supplied by the reception upon check in.

MUNICH ⎪ TUSHITA TEEHAUS

2011-12-14T19:37:00.000+01:00

Today looks like a weird and freaky day ... not because the weather is absolutely freezing ... but simply due to my extremely unusual desire to drink a cup of tea. You have to know that I am more an espresso aficionado and that I drink tea maybe once a year ... and that uncommonly event has occurred this afternoon around 5.00 pm. That's how I got into the Tushita teahouse (Glockenbach district) and ordered an Earl Grey teapot ( 4.20 € ). Me in a teahouse ... it's like a bull in a china shop !!! How can they be so zen and calm ? Here you should not be in a hurry as you may have to wait 20 minutes before getting your aromatic beverage but it's like a decompression chamber ... they maybe wanted me to be completely relaxed when drinking my tea. In addition to their impressive selection of teas you should also taste their delicious vegan meals freshly cooked by Daniele and Toni. The large salad bowl based on japanese rice, fennel, tofu, avocado, spinach and mushrooms is absolutely healthy and yummy ( 11.00 € ) !!! This time I have chosen a black tea ... so next year I will go for green ... unless coming back next week-end.

TUSHITA TEEHAUS
Klenzerstrasse 53
80469 Munich - Germany
Tel. + 49 89 189 755 94
Monday to Friday from 9.00 am to 8.00 pm
Saturday from 10.00 am to 8.00 pm
Closed on Sunday

PARIS ⎪ 3 ROOMS - 5 RUE DE MOUSSY

2011-12-12T16:06:00.000+01:00

One of the objective of THE FAB DAY is to speak about amazing and secret addresses mainly known by local people. The 3 Rooms concept is definitely one of them. Here we should not speak about a classical hotel ... it's more an intimate "pied à terre" project developed few years ago by the fantastic fashion designer Azzedine Alaïa next to his couture atelier. You will find here 3 fabulous and spacious apartments decorated with contemporary furnitures designed by jean Prouvé, Jean Nouvel, Marc Newson, Arne Jacobsen and Serge Mouille ... In order to feel home each apartment is fully equipped with a modern kitchen and all the electronic devices needed during your stay in Paris (printer, scanner, internet access, flat screen, B&O sound system, etc.). Just like a fashion bespoke collection, the daily rates are also tailored to your demand : 400 € for one person, 450 € for two persons and 500 € for three persons. For the Continental breakfast they will charge an extra 28 € per person. By the way I forgot to mention that the apartments are located in the heart of Paris ... Le Marais district ... so you may also spend a lot of time outside !!! In this Christmas season, it might be a marvelous gift for an unforgettable weekend in Paris. I only hope that the waiting list is not too long ... but as you may know ... nothing ventured, nothing gained !!!

3 ROOMS
5, rue de Moussy
75004 Paris - France
Tel. + 33 1 44 78 92 00
Email info@3rooms-5ruedemoussy.com
Metro Saint-Paul
Metro Hôtel de Ville

PARIS ⎪ HOTEL THOUMIEUX

2011-12-09T12:11:00.001+01:00

Hey it's time to be nostalgic and report about one of my favorite district in Paris. I lived here (rue Saint-Dominique) for over 5 fabulous years and humbly announce that I know the area like the back of my hand !!! After the complete changes and the big success of the Thoumieux brasserie, Jean-Francois Piège and Thierry Costes decided to open a modern and comfortable country house in the heart of Paris. The contemporary luxury hotel is designed by interior architect India Mahdavi ( yes she is quiet famous for renovating the Connaught in London or the Townhouse in Miami ). The parisian hotel proposes fifteen rooms designed as you can see on the pictures with warm colors, wallpapers and materials. Prices between 150 € and 400 €. After tasting the Thoumieux brasserie, I would also quickly recommend the following local addresses :

Le Café du Marché - 38, rue Cler
Restaurant L'Ami Jean - 27, rue Malar
Restaurant Léo le Lion - 23, rue Duvivier
Restaurant La Poule au Pot - 121, rue de l'Université
Irish Pub - O'Brien's pub, 77, rue Saint Dominique
The parisian atmosphere and the food stores on rue Cler ... specially the italian trattoria Davoli (34, rue Cler) ...
One small tip ... the bus ligne 69 is great to go to Saint-Germain and Le Marais !!!

HOTEL THOUMIEUX
79, rue Saint-Dominique
75007 Paris - France
Tel. + 33 1 47 05 79 00
District Invalides // Tour Eiffel

Photo Credit // Stéphane de Bourgies

PARIS ⎪ LE TRAIN BLEU

2011-12-08T11:57:00.001+01:00

Inaugurated in 1901 the "Lyon Station Buffet" is opened daily from 11.30 am to 3.00 pm for lunch and 7.00 pm to 11.00 pm for dinner. It's an incredible experience dinning in this historical Belle Epoque restaurant surrounded by stunning paintings and sculptures. Coco Chanel, Brigitte Bardot, Jean Cocteau, Salvador Dali, Jean Gabin, Marcel Pagnol and many others have been regulars here. The restaurant also inspired Luc Besson, who filmed here a scene from Nikita. As you can see on the picture, this is a luxury brasserie and the bill matches the décor ... and it's worth it.

LE TRAIN BLEU
Gare de Lyon
75012 Paris
Tel. + 33 1 43 43 09 06

MUNICH ⎜ BAR CORSO

2011-12-06T23:21:00.000+01:00

Do you want to have a great relaxing evening with a Mediterranean inspired cuisine ... enjoy a classical goat cheese salad, a delicious steak tartar, a fantastic chocolate fondant cake and a perfect Tuscany bio red wine ... budget around 45 euros pro person. Then move your sexy body to the Bar Corso in the Glockenbach district (close to the Sendlinger Tor). Do they refer to the Via del Corso in Rome, one of the main street in town ? Anyway, this breakfast club, lunch bistro, diner restaurant or night bar opens from 9.00 am till 1.00 am. The Corso Bar is warmly run by Sophie Lloyd, Michael Dietzel and Leo Kertes. As all typical french men, I am just trying to find something to complain about but all went very well tonight !!! The delicious diner, the good friends, the charming service and the relaxing atmosphere. Even the fresh bred and the espresso went absolutely good. Now I am nearly sure I will meet you there tomorrow !!! Bis Morgen ... Yes it nearly looks like my new headquarters in Munich.

BAR CORSO
Müllerstrasse 51
80469 Munich - Germany
Tel. + 49 89 2421 6115

THE FAB DAY ⎜ PARIS

2011-12-02T15:23:00.000+01:00

ELMAU ⎜ SCHLOSS ELMAU

2011-11-28T19:16:00.000+01:00

You had a stressful week at your office, it is now time to find a fabulous place where you can relax. This heavenly traditional bavarian spot is closed to the modish winter olympic postcard village of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in southern Germany. From Munich, driving south, it will take you around one hour and fifteen minutes. Or 55 km from Innsbruck. From Paris, it will be another story with approximately 900 km ... So you can have a short historical background, you should know that in 1542 and for more than 350 years, it was only a tiny farm. Then mister Johannes Müller bought the properties and the surrounding pastures in 1912 and started building the castle in 1914. The Schloss Elmau (The castle surrounded by water and mountains) was completed in 1916. Dr Johannes Müller wanted the Schloss Elmau to be an intellectual and spiritual retreat for his friends, musicians and artists. In August 2005 a short circuit sparked a major fire. Nobody was injured but 2/3 of the castle had been completely destroyed. After many years of reconstruction and family disputes, the Schloss Elmau is now a 5 stars hotel, a luxury Spa, a one Michelin star restaurant, a cultural spot and a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. It's still today a privately family owned hotel managed by the heirs of Johannes Müller.

So just after booking the hotel modern and comfortable junior suite, we jumped last thursday morning in the racing car in order to spend some easy days next to the green forest and the white mountains (altitude 1008 m) ... As I am more a city fan than a countryside adventurer, I love the concept of natural environment in a 5 stars hotel !!! The double room rates will start around 380 euros including access to the Spa, a nice diner in the Kaminstüberl restaurant and a giant buffet breakfast. With more than 130 rooms and suites, the hotel is quiet big. That's maybe why the receptionist proposed us after the check-in a quick tour of all the hotel labyrinth accommodations (four spas, two concert halls, six restaurants, two libraries, four shops and one gym club).

Some friends who spent some days here advised us to make a small forty minutes easy promenade nearby the hotel in order to find a great miniature mountain hut (altitude 1203 m). The perfect lunch spot during sunny days !!! So we arrived at 1.30 pm at the Elmauer Alm Hütte. Our efforts have been rewarded by a delicious and copious bavarian meal (sausages, cheese, ham, bred and butter). Dating back to 1924, the hut offer a panoramic view of the Wetterstein mountains. They are opened in good weather days between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm. In order to avoid any "sorry we are closed" disappointment, you better call them before starting hiking : Tel. + 49 88 23 91 80. After this delicious no calorie lunch and few beers, the way back to the hotel went much faster.

Following such struggling sports and physical efforts it was absolutely necessary to organize a visit to the famous hotel Spas. They built next to the castle a complete complex dedicated to your body and your mind : The Badehaus. As you can see on the picture, my favorite spot is the top roof outdoor swimming pool (30° C in summer and 32° C in winter). A dream to swim on the second floor, facing the mountains. The only stressful moment is when you have to make a decision such as : which savory tea should I experiment ? Should I start another length in the pool ? It is so confortable, you do not want to leave the swimming pool ! Another very positive point, the Badehaus is an absolutely calm oasis reserved exclusively to adult. If you had the idea to spend the weekend with your spotty juvenile descendants, they also propose a Family Spa in another wing of the castle ... far away ... so they do not disturb your serenity and healthy retreat.

The first floor proposes the spa reception and different vitalizing, regenerating, rejuvenating, healing and beauty treatments. Do you need such a program ? The ground floor proposes a restaurant, a relaxation room, an outdoor saltwater swimming pool, a cold / iced 12° C bath and a Finnish sauna. By the way, the saltwater pool is at 35° C. It's so good to feel like a lobster. Last but not least, the basement floor proposes a fabulous 500 m2 oriental hamam with a great tea lounge. I should also mention the concert halls for regular events, concerts and festivals but we had no time to see it. Might be a good reason to come back !

Speaking about lobster, it's now time to have diner. After such a relaxing day in the spa, your body needs some calories. You have to choose between six different restaurants. It's up to you to decide the atmosphere you are looking for ... Families with children will select the spacious and not really intimate buffet of La Salle (looks like a chic canteen) ... For a more romantic evening you may try the Luce d'Oro gourmet restaurant, the Fidelio italian restaurant, or the Kaminstüberl chinese fondue restaurant. Before going to bed, you will surely appreciate an amaretto sour in the smoking bar (yes you can smoke cigars), playing backgammon sitting next to the piano and the fireplace. Bonne nuit !!!

SCHLOSS ELMAU
82493 Elmau - Germany
Tel + 49 88 23 180

PARIS ⎜ HOTEL DE POURTALES

2011-11-27T09:26:00.000+01:00

Today, I am writing the following post to the attention of my BFF : Mick Jagger, Jay Z, Prince, Brad Pitt, Paris, Tom Ford and Madonna. Last time we met in LA during the Oscars academy awards, you told me that it was always difficult for you, whenever you come to Paris, to find a luxurious and discreet hotel. A place to stay in Paris where you can relax, organize diners and feel home during a blockbuster production, a photo shooting or an album recording. I found the best hidden solution and the best VIP address in town. In fact I am not talking about a five stars hotel ... the concept is much closer to a very luxurious bed and breakfast. Ok a BB for millionaires, rock stars and Hollywood actors ! A NO address establishment ... With such a concept, Brad (apartment n°6) can go every morning to the next corner bakery and buy a baguette and some butter croissants for Angelina. He can even toast the bred and squeeze the orange juice ... "Bonjour Angie today we have the breakfast at home". Mick (apartment n°8) can organize a pasta party for his friends Keith, FX and Carla ... Home sweet home !!! The address is so secret that you will not find any information on internet. They have no website, no flyers, no telephone number and no street sign. The only way to find them and to reserve an apartment is to use the old and classical word to mouth system. If you were interested by such exclusive address and if you had a solid bank account, I know someone ... who knows someone ... who knows Laila ... And Laila knows certainly the hotel manager ... The Florentine style hôtel particulier is situated in the 8th arrondissement, close to the Madeleine Church. Constructed in the early 19th century the building has been restored recently by the group Allard (Royal Monceau). They propose 9 apartments decorated by Philippe Starck. My favorite refuge is the apartment n°8. So Mick ... I am looking forward for our next pasta party in Paris. I will bring a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino. I will also bring some red roses in case I meet Angelina in the elevator. Today the No Address concept is more or less an open secret which is widely known in Paris and on Internet. So it's time to to give you some additional information.

HOTEL POURTALES
GROUPE ALLARD

7, rue Tronchet

75008 Paris

France

PARIS ⎪ LES CANONS

2011-11-23T00:31:00.001+01:00

What about a bottle of wine or some glasses of absinthe this evening. Let's go to the Abbesses district in Paris in order to have a great bohemian night chatting with people landing from all over the world. This tiny café proposes to its regular customers an interesting selection of wines (at reasonable prices) served with good italian appetizers. Sophie and Mamma Lucia ensure the crazy atmosphere behind the counter ... while the musicians take care of the vibes on the first floor. I am sure you will quickly get addicted to this Montmartre night landmark.

LES CANONS
17, rue Tholozé
75018 Paris - France
Metro Abesse
Opened daily from 6.00 pm to 2.00 am

BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU 2011

2011-11-17T10:37:00.001+01:00

Hurraaaah the Beaujolais Nouveau just arrived !!! Happy Birthday to this 60 years old french institution. From Tokyo to New York via Paris hundreds of thousands of bottles will be opened today in order to celebrate one of the most famous and marketed french red wine. Please note that I said famous ... not marvelous ! The notorious red wine made from Gamay grapes is produced in the Beaujolais region. Since 1951, the Beaujolais Nouveau is released for sale on the third Thursday of November. It is a French tradition, but 40 percent of the bottles will be exported (mostly in Japan, USA and Germany). The beaujolais nouveau is a really young fruity purple wine ... a primeur supposed to be opened only 6 / 8 weeks after harvest. Not to be confused with Brouilly, Juliénas and Saint Amour (better Beaujolais wines for aging). This afternoon in all Francophile offices, cafés, bistros or restaurants the main topic will be : "What flavor, aroma do you feel ... banana, fig, black fruits ? ..." In 2011 I would personally answer raspberry ... and you ? For many years I usually taste the Beaujolais Nouveau with friends in a traditional parisian bistro called LE RUBIS. L'abus d'alcool est dangereux pour la santé ... sachez consommer et apprécier avec modération !!!

LE RUBIS
10, rue du Marché Saint-Honoré
75001 Paris
France

LONDON ⎜ POPPIES FISH AND CHIPS

2011-11-03T17:31:00.000+01:00

As you may know, Froggies have Cassoulet and Boeuf Bourguignon ... Yankees have Hamburger ... Samurais have Sushi and Sashimi ... Berbers have Tajine and Couscous ... and Brits have Roast Beef, Pudding and the mythical Fish and Chips.

Fish and Chips normally consists of a battered fish (cod or haddock) which is deep fried and accompanied by thick chips (french fries), salt and vinegar sprinkled on. The thicker the healthier ... yes it's biology ... simply because thick chips absorb less oil than thin ones. Anyway for those expecting a steamed omega 3 fish I have to point out that it's a bite greasy. Every rose has its thorn. But it's all relative : a Fish and Chips portion has "only" 500 calories, a normal italian pizza has around 900 calories, a Big Mac meal with medium french fries has more than 950 calories and a classical Doner Kebab exceeds 1300 calories ... Breathe deeply ... Bon appétit !!!

For literary and history buffs, English author Charles Dickens mentioned some fish warehouses selling fried fish and bread in his novel Oliver Twist. Twenty-two years latter (1860) the first "Chippie" Fish and Chips shop opened in London. Today there are approximately 11,000 shops in the UK.

Spending some days in London we definitely had to taste this popular, national and traditional British culinary flagship. Of course in one of the best Fish and Chips shop you can get in town !!! After a short online research, I found the buzzing Poppies Fish and Chips shop located in the Spitalfields district (London East End). The retro style "Chippie" was recently opened by septuagenarian Pat Newland (Poppie) who has been serving Fish and Chips in the neighborhood since 1945. The authentic 1958 jukebox in the corner and the vintage objects give also a fantastic and original atmosphere. Attentive and friendly waitresses (with lovely kitschy aprons from the fifties) recommended to start with delicious calamari rings (£ 4.95), homemade Fish Cake (£ 3.90) or hand peeled prawn cocktail (£ 4.95). It sounded so good that we ordered the 3 starters. We were hungry ... and it was worth its while ! About the main course we loved the fried Cod (£ 11.40) and the grilled Dover Sole (£ 18.90) served with thick chips, Heinz Beans (extra £ 2.45) and homemade tartare sauce. Then we did not dare to bite the Toffee Pudding. An improvised diet was a good and tactful pretext. May be next time ...

PS : As it is really difficult to find a seat at lunch break and dinner time, the take away option might be required. No worry, the Fish and Chips will be traditionally wrapped in a newspaper (greaseproof paper).

POPPIES FISH AND CHIPS
6-8 Hanbury Street
London E1 6QR
England

Opened Everyday
Monday - Thursday : 11.00 am to 11.00 pm
Friday - saturday : 11.00 am to 11.30 pm
Sunday : 11.00 am to 10.30 pm

LONDON ⎜ HOME HOUSE

2011-10-30T20:00:00.001+01:00

Today the trend is all about clubs, networks, confidentiality, privacy and exclusivity. As I previously mentioned here the Soho House in Berlin, I should reveal today another upper class club in London : the Home House. Before reading the following paragraphs I should also inform you about the club's two restricting and painful conditions : A joining fee ( £ 1840 or 2100 euro ) and yearly fee ( £ 1840 or 2100 euro ).

In the late 18th century, Elisabeth Countess of Home (also known as the Queen of Hell) commissioned architects James Wyatt and Robert Adam to build a sumptuous Georgian town pavilion right in the heart of London (next to Oxford street) in order to organized memorable and immoral parties. After many notorious tenants, the house was acquired and restored in 2004 by a small group of private investors (Quintillion UK Limited) in order to open a very exclusive club and one of London's best kept secrets. The members only private club occupies three large adjoining townhouses (n°19 - n°20 - n°21) overlooking Portman Square. For those holding a membership card, number 21 Portman Square will be the place to be tomorrow evening (tuesday 1st november 2011) in London due to the official opening of the new jet set disco THE VAULT which will undoubtedly be one of London's hottest nightspot to drink champagne and dance after 1 am.

The Home House offers members and their guests the following interesting accommodations ... the perfect modish space to socialize, work, rest, play and stay. Six different bars and lounges creating an intimate neo-classical atmosphere : The Drawing Rooms, The Bison Bar, The House Bar, The Vestibule Bar, The Gloucester Lounge and The House Lounge. The House Bar located on the ground floor of n° 21 was designed by Candy and Candy and features the silver bar sculpture made by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid. In summer the club members will definetely spend some afternoon at the champagne bar in the courtyard garden. One smoking lounge : Le Fumoir Snug is a cosy outdoor smoking den transporting smokers to the 19th century. Two restaurants : The main restaurant (80 seats) is situated on the first floor of n° 19 and proposes a menu inspired by classic British and French cuisine. The 600 gr. Cote de boeuf (no worries ... it's for 2 persons), the Dover Sole (grilled or Meunière) and the Marinated Black Cod are among favorites. The Octagon Dining Room is a beautiful little restaurant (20 seats) situated in n° 21 and presenting Asian dishes (E.g. delicious filet of beef Teriyaki with jasmine rice).

Twenty bedrooms and suites : Each spacious outdated room has been luxuriously furnished in a unique 18th century style transporting guests to a world gone by. The Earl Grey Feature Room (above pictures) rates around £ 300 (approximately 342 euro). Staying there will maybe teleport you in the Pride and Prejudice's stories (novel by Jane Austen). A fitness club : A small mosaic pool, a steam room, a sauna and a gym run by Madonna's ex-trainer Jonathan Goodair. Speaking about Madonna, I heard that she occupied some of the rooms a few years ago when she was waiting for her house round the corner to be finished. The Home House is also the perfect venue for its exclusive members to organize special events, company meetings and fabulous parties. Being invited by a member is probably the best way to discover this exclusive high society club. More than two centuries later, the "Queen of Hell" would certainly approve the club debauchery !!! The only rule of the House being that nudity is discouraged ...

HOME HOUSE
20 Portman Square
London - W1H 6LW
England

THE FAB DAY SURVEY ⎜ PARIS

2011-10-24T15:25:00.000+02:00

Tour Eiffel

Dear Fab readers, what do you think about the 2.2 million Parisians ? Are the "Parigots" egocentric, stressed, nasty, elegant, charming or gastronome ... You should visit our Facebook page in order to vote for the main quality and the main weak point of Parisians. If I had forgotten some good ~~or bad~~ points, feel free to add them in the "comments" area. Please be gentle ... we may latter continue the investigations in your city (Munich, London and so on ...). Stay tuned, we will publish in some weeks the first results of The Fab Day survey. I know that some of you would like to answer that Parisian is a combination, a mixture of all the following points ... but in order to make the survey more accurate you will have to select only one response. Vote now on Facebook and do not hesitate to share the questionnaire with your friends. In the meantime, I suggest below my very personal perception of Parisians ... of course the opinion expressed below is binding only on its Parisian chauvinist author ...

Stylish, chic and elegant : The Parisian really spends some time and money for dressing but you won't see it. When she mentions "Ah this small black sweater" ... it's in fact the absolutely favorite best loved cashmere sweater she bought last year in London. It's all about top quality, emotions and small details. They are always mixing up rock and roll pieces with luxury accessories. Blending chic and cheap outfits gives unlimited combinations ... and a feeling that each Parisian is unique. A kind of Coco Chanel wearing pink Converse or Jane Birkin carrying a Birkin. Be aware that it's obviously an illustration ... you do not have to go automatically to Chanel and Hermès. Monday to friday, the Parisian runs all day long (between metro, café, office, bistro, shopping, aperitif, restaurant and taxi) so the dress has to be really resistant, elegant and comfortable. In any cases, the labels must remain hidden or discreet. You might follow the example of Inès de La Fressange, Charlotte Gainsbourg or Mélanie Laurent ... so "Parisiennes".

Centre Georges Pompidou

Educated, cultured and smart : The city of Paris offers a large number of museums, operas, theaters, cinemas, landmarks, concerts, bookstores and galleries. The city is undoubtedly today one of the world's leading cultural centers. You can be sure that Parisians take advantage of all these intellectual wealth. But Parisians do not have so much spare time and the best strategy is to make a pre-selection reading french magazines such as Télérama, Libé Next, Le Nouvel Obs, Figaroscope and Les Inrocks ... Why not doing a Parisian press review next saturday morning in your neighborhood café in order to plan and organize the coming seven days. By the way you should also develop a passion for something or someone completely weird and unusual ... it is so chic to discuss about an unknown eccentric artist during dinners in town. In any cases, Parisians do not hesitate to share / show their culture ( étaler sa culture / flaunt one's knowledge ) ... I remember the Mahatma Gandhi said once : "No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive" ... so share it !!! Now you should know everything and have an opinion about every topics ... and if this is not true ... just pretend.

Funny and charming : Some online dictionaries would describe charming as the human quality of pleasing and delighting. If you are able to do it with a hint of funny touch ... it's even better and you might become a charming Parisian. Be careful, you have to be really precise with dosages : overly means hilarious and you are a clown - not enough means serious and you are flirting and boring. Edouard Baer or Audrey Tautou are french comedians who I believe represent perfectly the Parisian charm and humor. Now the question is whether you have many people like that in your Parisian network ? Of course I do ... would you like me to introduce you ?

Le Petit Fer à Cheval

Festive, convivial and bon vivant : The small size of apartments in Paris is probably a good reason to go out and meet friends. Official statistics mentioned that 24 percent of apartments in Paris have one room (studio), 32 percent have two rooms, 24 percent have three rooms and 20 percent of apartments have four and more rooms. You feel squeezed in your chambre de bonne ... so let's go outside ! A second explanation is the quantity of clubs, cafés, bars and restaurants inside Paris. I think you could easily go out every evening in a different and a good restaurant during at least one year ... for all budgets and for all tastes. So why do without it ? A third explanation is the percentage of single people in Paris ... around 50 percent. Then of course you have to go out in order to meet friends. These are three good reasons for Parisian to party and mingle. I am may be wrong with this cheap sociological analysis ... in fact Parisians take any good justification to party ... because they simply like it. Cheers ...

Innovative and creative : This point could have really been discussed in the weak points category. Should we ring the bell ? What happened to the country that invented mechanical calculator, hot air balloon, champagne, automobile, pressure cooker, metronome, telegraph, tin cans, mayonnaise, camembert, parachute, refrigerator, photography, cinema, aspirin, radioactivity, helicopter, Concorde, TGV, Airbus and so on ... But it seems nowadays that french inventors are becoming increasingly rare. Are we doomed to survive only with the tourism and the fashion industries ? I know that we are moving in the tertiary and quaternary economies, but where are the french IT firms ? I wish I were wrong ... Never mind, I will comfort myself with the most excellent french innovation ... a glass of Bordeaux.

Sociable, friendly and easy going : Here it's more about the co-existence between 29.2 million persons (2.2 million inhabitants + 27 million tourists visiting Paris every year). Each one of them has a different history, provenance and goal ... and this diversity is the main source of wealth about Paris. The cliché of the Parisians not liking neighbors and tourists is absolutely outdated and passed, simply because most Parisians were born outside Paris (approximately 30,000 "Parisian" births each year). So in fact the Parisian is just like you and me ... multicultural. They are really proud to be part of this melting pot society. Simply break the ice and talk to them ... you will quickly find some common points and new friends. And please forget the coldness of people on the subway, the bad mood of the waiter or the aggressive drivers. Oops !

Déclaration des Droits de l'Homme et du Citoyen

Tolerant, liberal and open minded : This is one of the best benefit of metropolis like New York, London, Los Angeles and so on ... tolerance and open-mindedness. This point is surely linked to the previous one (sociable and friendly) and Parisians are taking care of it. If you are part of a ~~minority~~ subordinate group, Paris is the place to live (may be with the exception of people with disabilities for whom much remains to be done. e.g., infrastructures). Do never forget that France established the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) and all Parisians know this fundamental document. May be some arrondissements are much more tolerant and opened minded than others ... Blymey, I am becoming intolerant !

Gourmet and gastronome : Food and wines are very sensitive issues for Parisians. It's genetic, love to ~~cook~~ eat and drink must be part of the Parisian DNA. It's due to the geographical position of Paris ... the headquarter of France. Staying in Paris means being in France. So you have to develop and practice your culinary knowledge. As I mentioned in the Educated, cultured and smart category this is one of the topics you need to know perfectly (if you do not ... just pretend). No worries verification will be exclusively limited to evening conversations ... yes to be honest I should confess that Parisians do not cook. That's right, they have no space and time for it. Have you ever done a dinner for ten friends in a kitchenette and having left your office at 8.30 pm ? There is no such word as "can't" ! And here are the two undisclosed Parisian solutions ... Restaurants and Picard home delivery ! The taboo problem is today the quantity of restaurants cooking frozen dishes. Do you think they even know how to prepare a sauce mayonnaise ? It's like the "Boulanger / Boulangerie" controlled label, we should give the "Restaurant" label only to the restaurants cooking fresh food with fresh ingredients. But that's another story. To summarize I would say that Parisians do not often cook but are strongly demanding on quality products and ingredients.

Modest, humble and discreet : Sorry, I have no idea about this category ... What does it mean ?

Dynamic, punchy and active : To understand my point of view, you have to follow the typical parisian manager during one working day ... Waking up at 6.30 am, preparing a delicious breakfast, dropping children at school, taking the overcrowded and stinking subway (Parisian do not drive ... no parkings and too much traffic), arguing with your boss and your clients about the next show in Milan, fighting at lunch for a seat in the next door café or taking away a vegetarian sandwich, catching a grumpy taxi to go to the Charles de Gaulle airport, waiting one hour in the Périphérique traffic with your non stop ringing Blackberry, nearly missing your plane (economy class) to Berlin, getting home around 11.30 pm, giving 90 euros to the babysitter that picked your children at school (no I did not forget them) and finally eating a frozen ratatouille in front of your computer. Did I forget something ? I am sure many people around the planet share the same urban lifestyle and will agree with me ... Parisian have to be dynamic, punchy and active to come through it !!!

And you what do you think about Parisians ?
Please vote on Facebook

MUNICH ⎜ KRAFTWERK at LENBACHHAUS

2011-10-17T13:19:00.003+02:00

Kraftwerk - Florian Schneider

Kraftwerk means "power plant" in German. It is also an excellent and leading electronic music band formed in the early 70s in Düsseldorf. The synthesized repetitive sounds, the purely instrumental melodies and the vocoded vocals are easily recognizable ... For over 40 years, the techno albums Kraftwerk, Autobahn, Computer World and Techno Pop have strongly influenced many artists such as David Bowie, Daft Punk, Coldplay, Depeche Mode and New Order.

After three fantastic 3D video shows in Munich, the robotic band is now programing the art exhibition "Kraftwerk 3D Video Installation" at the Kunstbau Lenbachhaus. Using the 3D special eyewear and sitting on the floor, you will enjoy their electro work of art on four large screens with an amazing illusion of depth. You will therefor understand that my pictures are not always focused due to the 3 dimensional system. One more reason for you to visit the exhibition live. I personally loved the Autobahn single and projection describing the feeling of driving on the A 555 from Cologne to Bonn (the first highway ever built was approximately 20 km long).

Kraftwerk - The Model

Kraftwerk - The Robots

Lenbachhaus Kunstbau - Munich

KRAFTWERK 3D VIDEO INSTALLATION

Lenbachhaus Kunstbau
Luisenstrasse 33
80333 Munich - Germany

15th October - 13th November 2011

Opened from 10.00 am to 10.00 pm

Closed on Monday

Ticket : 5 euro

MUNICH ⎜ Theresa Grill

2011-10-14T14:48:00.001+02:00

What about eating tonight a good steak or a charcoal grilled fish in Schwabing. It is sometimes necessary to shift your own district (Glockenbach) and trek in some mysterious territory (Schwabing). This is exactly what we did yesterday following the advice of daredevil friends and overcoming our fears. In the immediate neighborhood of the Pinakothek museums and many art galleries, you will find this vintage urban canteen. The deco is based on an industrial retro chic style reminding me the workshops of our grandparents. A blend of raw materials (wood, steel and aluminum) and ancient accessories. So what is on the menu of this trendy factory ? As a starter I would recommend the 6 oysters (12 euro) or the bull meat tartare (12.50 euro). For the main course, do not forget it's a grill restaurant, so you should order the T-Bone steak (6.50 euro / 100 grams), the beef burger (14 euro), the lobster burger (22 euro) or the catch fish of the day. If you are still hungry you may taste the homemade cheesecake (6 euro). It's also funny to see some mussels / french fries (13.50 euro) on the menu ... I will surely try next time for lunch. To accompany the dish we reasonably opened a bottle of Cahors (35 euro). At the end I would say that the 120 euro bill (for 2 persons) do not correspond to a vintage canteen atmosphere but this is now the price to pay for a delicious evening in Schwabing.

PS 1 : Please note that the charcoal grill opens unfortunately only at 6.00 pm.

PS 2 : I forgot to mention that Schwabing and Glockenbach are two famous rivalry boroughs in Munich. Here you will always find some Schwabing's supporters kindly criticizing Glockenbach ... and vice versa.

THERESA

Theresienstrasse 29

80333 Munich - Germany

Tel. + 49 89 28 80 33 01

Opened everyday

LONDON ⎜ THE MOST BUSINESSLIKE CITY

2011-10-13T12:26:00.000+02:00

According to the international real estate brokers Cushman and Wakefield, London remains the most attractive European city for the leaders of the 500 largest European companies. As you will see below, Paris and Frankfurt are competing in second and third position. Congratulation to Germany ... with 3 cities ranking in the top ten. The main criteria taken into account by the study include the quality of telecom networks, the transport infrastructures, the costs of labor, the quality of life offered to employees and the global environment. The survey mentioned the fact that London may take benefit from the 2012 Olympics ... I personally do not think that you will move your complete multinational to London due to the Olympic games and its indirect repercussions. Anyway for the other european citizens (which are not listed below) such as Austrian, Bulgarian, Cypriot, Czech, Danish, Estonian, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Luxembourgers, Maltese, Polish Portuguese, Romanian Slovak, Slovene and Swedish ... do not be offended, it's just like other surveys ... it must be taken with a short reserve. 2011 Ranking : (1) London - (2) Paris - (3) Frankfurt - (4) Amsterdam - (5) Berlin - (6) Barcelone - (7) Madrid - (8) Bruxelles - (9) Munich - (10) Zurich.

MUNICH ⎜ OKTOBERFEST 2011

2011-10-04T11:40:00.000+02:00

Oktoberfest 2011 - Schützen Festzelt Tent

I can't believe it ! I really survived 16 days of Oktoberfest. You must read the following numbers in order to understand my position. A little compassion and a rehab treatment would be really appreciated. Simply 6.5 million visitors drinking approximately 7.1 million liters of beers and eating 506,000 chickens. As you'd expect, I modestly participated to this world record. Everything here is extreme ... for example, some very large tents such as Paulaner (Winzerer Fähndl) have about 8,500 seats inside and 2,500 seats outside. It must be seen at least once to be believed !!! The Schützen Festzelt tent (left picture) has 4,442 seats inside and serves Löwenbräu beer.

To beautifully conclude the 2011 season, we went yesterday evening at the chic and tiny Käfer tent ( 1,000 seats inside and 1,900 seats outside ). You are surrounded by celebrities and it is more intimate, you however still have to follow the Wiesn pleasant rituals : eating delicious chicken and pork, drinking some beers and dancing on the bench. Bis nächsten jahr ... Oktoberfest 2012 ... from saturday 22nd September to sunday 7th October. Do not forget to book your table nearly 10 months in advance.

PS : as we normally say in France "L'abus d'alcool set dangerous pour la santé, consommez avec moderation" ... "Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, consume in moderation".

Käfer Oktoberfest
Hippodrom Oktoberfest (my favorite)
Schützen Festzelt
Löwenbräu Festzelt
Paulaner
Schottenhamel ⎜ Schottenhamel Festzelt
Hofbräu ⎜ Hofbräu Festzelt
Augustiner
Hacker Pschorr ⎪ Hacker Festzelt
Armbrustschützenzelt

Oktoberfest 2011

MUNICH ⎪OKTOBERFEST 2011 - MEINDL LEDERHOSEN

2011-09-17T08:46:00.002+02:00

Meindl Lederhose

Do you know the common point today in Munich between a male banker, a male taxi driver, a male teacher, a male football star and a male politician ? No beating around the bush ... they are all wearing leather pants. No they do not all belong to the Bavarian fan club of Village People, but it's simply because Oktoberfest starts today ... Cheers ! And guess what a man has to wear in Munich during the next 17 days ? A Lederhose of course !!!! Oh dear a leather trousers or even better a leather knee breeches. Formerly, lederhosen were mainly worn by the Bavarian and Austrian working class men for hard physical jobs due to their durable and easy cleaning fabrics. I should not forget to mention our italian friends living in South Tyrol (previously part of Austria). But times change and the lederhosen affect today all social classes.

Be aware that there are three things a man should have in Munich : A Porsche 911 ... a yearly subscription to FC Bayern in order to support Schweinsteiger ... and a Meindl Lederhose. Some of my Neanderthal friends would add a blonde girl to the list. As I am not a big football fan, my first investment arriving in Munich, seven years ago, was to drive in direction of Kirchanschöring (133 km from Munich) in order to buy my first Lederhose. Attention ... I am talking about one of the best leather manufacturer. This is were you make the difference between amateurs and professionals. Originally, Meindl is a German footwear company producing high quality hiking boots since 1683. The anecdote says that they are more recently also providing the combat boots to the British army. Using the best deer leather quality Lukas Meindl tailored his first leather garments and pants collection in 1935.

It is some kind of costly, but please remember that this is something you will really keep all your life. Unless you drank too many beers and can not fit in anymore. I would compare it to the usual girl's bikini diet preceding summer ... Some men should also consider a small lederhose regime before attending Oktoberfest. Keep cool, did I hit the nail on your head ? Please don't bother ... Wishing you all a fabulous Oktoberfest. Cheers !!!

MEINDL

Dorfplatz 8-10

83417 - Kirchanschöring

Germany

PS : For those who do not want to take the road, you may find some Meindl products at the LODENFREY department store : Maffeistrasse 7 - 80333 - Munich.

Screenshot from the Oktoberfest's website

TOKYO ⎪ PATRICK STEPHAN

2011-09-16T14:12:00.000+02:00

Dear Fab readers and absolutely Fab followers, it's friday two o'clock and I have to make now an official statement. Yes the time as come for me to start a new career ... to change my life and to do what I always wanted to do !!! A male Top Model. No this is not a freaky caprice ... it's a long term meditation and introspection. Like few people I need to have this jet-set life between New York, Milan and Paris surrounded by rich and famous cougars. So now I have to send my Photoshop completely retouched lookbook to some trendy fashion designers.

What about this french fashion designer based in Tokyo ? The online biography of Patrick Stephan mentioned that after performing with Mr Pearl, Galliano and Dior he decided to launch his first line in 2005. I really love his slim, pure, androgynous (David Bowie) and rock and roll (Keith Richards) collections. The kind of modern and comfortable clothes dynamic people (just like me) want to wear everyday. In addition to the menswear collection, Patrick Stephan is now developing beautiful and practical accessories such as a range of soft leather bags funnily called "Body Bag". Patrick and I (in fashion you must call everyone by their first names) are also sharing a noble passion for Brittany and Japan ... By the way do you find some good crêperies in Tokyo ?

Oups, speaking of cider and galettes complètes, I digress from my main concern ... my new depraved catwalk life. So Monsieur Patrick Stephan, if you were looking for a male top model for your Fall Winter 2011 fashion show and photo shoots ... do not hesitate to contact me, I will feel like a bull in a Chinese shop but we eventually could discuss the price sipping a glass of cider. More seriously you will find more details, pictures and addresses on the website shown below.

PATRICK STEPHAN

PS : for those who do not have the pleasure to know me ... I am unfortunately not yet appearing on the attached pictures.

Patrick Stephan ⎪ Body Bag

MUNICH ⎜ OKTOBERFEST 2011 - ESCADA DIRNDL

2011-09-15T15:24:00.001+02:00

As you all know the world's largest fair is starting within 2 days and there is still some time to check out if you are well prepared. For those who put a foot in Bavaria in the next two weeks, the first and most important investment to do is a good wardrobe. Yes indeed here in Munich it's a very serious topic and you'd better follow the etiquette unless you want to look like a tourist who just landed from Mars. Now you can leave your ordinary clothes in your suitcase and you must learn the two following words : Dirndl and Lederhosen. In today's lesson, we will talk about girls and beautiful dirndl (ladies first). A dirndl is a traditional alpine dress usually worn in Bavaria and Austria. It is nowadays often used during formal occasions and traditional events. It's not a cliché ... most of the elegant women I know here in Munich have at least one or two dirndl !!! And it is each year obviously a girl's contest for the best outfit. You will normally find a dowdy store at every street corner ... but your high priority objective is to find the most charming and the fanciest dirndl. Do not panic, I have the solution to your existential problem.

The international luxury fashion group ESCADA is based in Munich and recently launched a gorgeous collection of Dirndl. Of course the global companies have to think sometimes local. I am sure you will find here the fitting corsage, blouse, apron and skirt in splendid colors and fabrics. Now girls, you have no more excuses ... and I omit to mention that men really love it !!! By the way ... do not forget to buy a foulard or an handkerchief for your beloved in the same color as your apron. Just like the former romantic knight your lover must wear your colors. Do not laugh ... mine will be pink this year ... Ouch ! I also heard some local rumors about the node's position : left means single and right means married. Wishing you all a fabulous Oktoberfest 2011 ... Cheers !!!

ESCADA
Maximilianstrasse 25
80539 Munich - Germany

Tel. 089 21 99 650

TEGERNSEE ⎜ PARK HOTEL EGERNER HÖFE

2011-09-05T16:26:00.007+02:00

If you were looking for a definition of the bavarian hospitality you should definitely make a pit stop at the Park Hotel Egerner Höfe located at the southern end of lake Tegernsee. Some online encyclopedia also confirmed my diagnosis by writing the following definition : "The quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly and generous way". The marvelous adventure started last thursday ... I was supposed to spend a stressful weekend in Paris when I received a call from an old buddy asking me to pack my bag and catch the first plane back to Munich. The message was clear and precise : "Time for a relaxing and oxygenated weekend in Bavaria ... will pick you up friday night at Munich airport". This is how ... after 30.000 Lufthansa Miles and a 50 minutes drive ... I woke up surrounded by mountains, pastures and photogenic cows. The first thing you will notice entering this 5 stars luxury hotel is the perfect balance between authenticity and modernity ... between spaces and details ... or between clients and friends.

Authenticity and Modernity : Everything here reminds you of the Bavarian pastoral traditions. The classical alpine farmhouse style, the architecture based on natural stone and wood, the romantic fireplaces, the team's traditional outfits and the hotel decoration. Of course the old plows have been slowly replaced by more powerful Porsches, Ferraris and Aston Martins. In fact, being at the countryside should not make me forget that we are now living in the 21st century. Obviously the hotel meets here all my contemporary expectations : outstanding comfort, wireless internet access, flatscreen TV and so on ... Spaces and Details : The Park Hotel Egerner Höfe is a large complex of five different houses ( Stammhaus, Catherina Höfe, Valentina Höfe, Egerner Alm and Alm in Park ). Each of the 114 rooms and suites is completely unique and decorated individually. Due to many small details it's in fact a spacious hotel that has managed to maintain its warm and homely identity. Before doing the check out, I almost forgot that I was staying at the hotel ... Oups. Clients and Friends : All the points developed above should be mandatory in a 5 stars hotel. Nevertheless there is a point which is becoming rare in the luxury hotel industry ... a friendly service that makes you feel at home. It seems that the numerous regular and privileged guests are sharing my point of view. You surely feel here the precious influence of Klaus Dieter Oechsner Graf von Moltke who received and treated a French guest in a warm, friendly and generous way ... Just remember the definition of hospitality mentioned before !!!

I wanted above all to describe a feeling that is difficult to show on pictures and booklets. If you want a more precise perspective of the hotel's abundant services and outdoor activities ... please refer to their english website indicated hereafter. I may only add that I had an extraordinary evening in the Hubertusstüberl restaurant (Tegernsee Schnitzel) and more tardily in the smoking lounge (cognac, rum and cigars). Next time I will for sure taste the one starred Michelin gourmet restaurant (Dichterstub’n) in order to challenge the chefs Achim Hack and Matthias Beck and the French sommelier Julien Morlat. Another good reason to come back is the Egerner Gold Blonde ... A malt beer brewed by the Park Hotel Egerner Höfe. I can't believe it ... the souvenir box of five bottles we bought yesterday is already empty. By the way, the Park Hotel Egerner Höfe celebrated last weekend its 19th anniversary ... Cheers and happy birthday to the hotel team !!!

PARK HOTEL EGERNER HÖFE

Aribostraße 19 – 26
83700 Rottach Egern
Germany
Phone +49 80 226 660

MUNICH ⎜ WIR MACHEN CUPCAKES

2011-08-13T19:32:00.007+02:00

The summer season ... and all the fashion magazines are talking about new and revolutionary methods to fit in your pink bikini. What a pity, so many privations only for two weeks holidays on a rainy beach ... it's a waste of time !!! So you better stay in town thinking about a delicious cupcake in order to cheer you up. Forget about culpability and summer resolutions ... your brain needs definitely some pleasure and spiritual nourishment. We may of course consider doing some sportive activities later.

A cupcake is a little cake designed to serve one person and frenquently baked in a small thin paper cup. The cupcake became famous worldwide due to its appearance on american sitcoms and films such as Sex and the City, Spin City and The devil wears Prada. Following the New York trend, the first cupcake shop arrived finally last winter in Munich. Wir Machen Cupcakes (an English German bilingual person would easily understand "we do cupcakes") is a tiny cupcake store opened in december 2010 by Iris Wagner and Sheloian Tonedo. The sweet candy boutique is located between Viktualienmarkt and Gärtnerplatz. Iris and Sheloian are inventing new recipes and cute models everyday ... Chocolate Decadence, Vanilla Cloud, Strawberry Kisses, Black Forest Cherry, Wedding Cupcake, etc. They are so dynamic and creative that you can also take some special bespoke orders for catering, anniversaries and big parties. Judging by the smiles of the numerous clients, the mini shop will soon become very large ...

WIR MACHEN CUPCAKES
Utzschneiderstrasse 12
80469 Munich - Germany
Tel. + 49 176 668 552 58
Opened tuesday to Sunday from 11.00 am to 06.00 pm.

MUNICH ⎜ ALTE PINAKOTHEK

2011-08-08T19:20:00.002+02:00

As shown in the brochure, the Alte Pinakothek is one of the oldest gallery and museum in Munich and could we even say in Europe ? Not so sure ... Founded by the prolific collector King Ludwig I and designed by german architect Leo von Klenze, the museum was inaugurated in 1836. As a comparison, the Louvre Museum was opened in 1793. Yes it appears once again that the French do it better !!! The Alt Pinakothek museum was badly damaged by bombing during World War II and the building had to be reconstructed in the late 1950s. Today, the museum covers obviously the old master paintings from the 13th to the 18th century. Here you will admire one of the most important collections about italian, german, spanish, french, dutch and flemish paintings. Approximately 700 paintings are exhibited in the Alt Pinakothek. In the next hours, you will walk and pass in front of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces made by Rogier van der Weyden, Albrecht Dürer, Raphael, El Greco, Rubens, Rembrand, Poussin and many others. One example among many is the following painting made by Dutch artist Ferdinand Bol in 1663 : The "hilarious" governors of the Wine Merchant's Guild of Amsterdam. Students in art history will very quickly notice the influence of his famous teacher ... Rembrandt.

New stairwell made by Hans Döllgast

ALT PINAKOTHEK
Barer Strasse 27
80333 Munich - Germany
Tel. 089 23 805 216
Closed on Monday
Opened from 10.00 am to 06.00 pm
Regular admission 7 euro - Sunday admission 1 euro

Do not forget the 12 euro day Pass in order to visit the three Pinakothek museums, the Brandhorst and the Sammlung Schack museums !

RELATED POSTS
PINAKOTHEK DER MODERN
NEUE PINAKOTHEK
BRANDHORST

Ferdinand Bol // Die Vorsteher der Amsterdamer Weihändlergilde

PARIS ⎪ KOOKA BOORA

2011-07-23T13:53:00.018+02:00

One of the best concept that can be imported from the USA is the Coffee Shop. It's so good to find here in Paris some places where you can laze drinking a delicious Cappuccino or a Tchai Latte while working on your MacBook. Speaking about the classical parisian coffee you normally face two difficulties ... the undrinkable and horrific espresso they serve (in French you would say "un vrai jus de chaussette") ... and the impossibility to order in most cafés a simple coffee cup around lunch time or dinner time ("we are sorry Sir, the tables are all reserved for the restaurant activity"). First we had the arrival of the Starbucks chain in France (avenue de l'Opéra in 2004) with its numerous fans and also its fast food controversies. Nowadays some small independent coffee shop establishments are opening in Paris. Yippee, the coffee geeks and addicts like me are finally delighted !!! I just discovered by chance yesterday the Kooka Boora coffee shop in the south Pigalle district, at the corner of the square Lino Ventura (very famous French actor). The cosy coffee shop was opened in 2010 by Nicolas Piegay and proposes also a large terrace (a very good point on sunny days ... unfortunately not today). The passionate barista will compose the faultless espresso (02.50 €), latte (04.00 €), cappuccino (04.00 €), chocolate (04.00 €), teas (04.00 €) and fruit juices (05.50 €). Of course you may order some additional delicious muffins, brownies and home baked cakes. By the way the Kookaburras are large Australian and New Guinea kingfisher birds best known for their unmistakable laughing calls. The Kooka Boora coffee shop is opened daily at 08.30 am on weekdays and 09.00 am on weekends. The coffee shop is closing daily at 09.00 pm.

KOOKA BOORA
62, rue des Martyrs
53, avenue Trudaine
75009 Paris - France
Tel. + 33 1 56 92 12 41

Metro Saint-Georges / Pigalle / Anvers
Free Wi Fi access (the password is shown on the cash desk).
Visa payment accepted

PARIS ⎜ THE ART OF AUTOMOBILE - RALPH LAUREN COLLECTION

2011-05-30T13:17:00.002+02:00

Bentley "Blower" 1929

Looking for a new car ... Why not taking a look in the Ralph Lauren's personal garage. Of course we do not speak about ordinary cars and greasy engines ... here the words automobile, moving art, luxury and masterpieces are much more appropriated. The Ralph Lauren collection contains some of the most extraordinary pieces (around 60 cars) in the history of automobiles. Some of them made the trip from Westchester County (New York) to Paris. The Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation are actually presenting 17 cars from the prestigious collection : Bugatti, Bentley, Alfa Romeo, Mercedes Benz, Jaguar, Porsche, Mc Laren and Ferrari. You should not be a big fan of cars to appreciate such exhibition ... it is more like visiting an art gallery. So if you are passing by Paris you should stop in the Arts Décoratifs museum located in the western wing of the Louvre museum. It might be the last chance to contemplate very closely one of the best and exclusive automobile collection. I will personally select the exceptional Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic and the massive Bentley "Blower" ... Lightness versus heaviness.

Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic 1938

LES ARTS DECORATIFS

Masterpieces from the Ralph Lauren Collection

28th April - 28th August 2011
Ticket = 9.00 euros
107, rue de Rivoli

75001 Paris - France

KITZBÜHEL ⎜ HOTEL KITZHOF

2011-05-23T23:53:00.009+02:00

After reading only defeatist news in the media it was absolutely necessary to organize a small weekend retreat in the austrian mountains. The village of Kitzbühel (Tyrol) proposes the ideal luxury base camp. The small medieval modish town provides all services and products to make you forget about the actual social crisis ... here in fact the world's difficulties seem so far away. In order to start the "amnesic" program we selected the hotel Kitzhof. The hotel (mountain design resort as they mentioned on their web site) offers all the indispensable facilities I needed : two restaurants, a large bar, a relaxing spa, an indoor swimming pool, two saunas, a steam bath, an ultra modern fitness room and a great view on the Tyrolean mountains. The hotel is located only 8 minutes walk from the village center and the luxury shopping street (Vorderstadt) ... so it is best to leave your car in the hotel's parking.

Now it's up to you to decide about the program. A relaxing afternoon at the hotel spa, a long backpack hike in the mountains, a golf swing at the Eichenheim Golf Club, an off road bike promenade, a costly shopping excursion in Kitzbühel or of course a ski day on the 168 km surrounding ski runs. Please note that the last option is preferable during the winter season. Whatever you choose ... after such a backbreaking day ... you will be happy to rest next to the swimming pool and the bar. Anyway, do not relax too much ... you now have to organize the evening program. We had the brilliant idea to reserve a table at Rosi am Sonnberg ( a local institution ). It's much easier to ask the hotel's reception to book a table for you. As usual we got lucky and got a last minute table ... normally you have to reserve weeks in advance !!! I slightly understood that Rosi Schipflinger is a local famous folk singer ( yodeling ) and she performs sometimes for her guests ... so do not complain if some people start playing guitar and accordion next to you. The grilled river fish, the spare ribs and the Wiener Schnitzel have been purely excellent ... and I do not have to specify that the Kaiserschmarrn for dessert is mandatory. A Kaiser (Emperor) Schmarrn (Mess or Crumbs) looks like a crashed pancake served with a fruit compote and is one of the best known Austrian desserts. To escort the dishes, a bottle of Grüner Veltliner is always a good Austrian white wine option. Nevertheless be careful with alcohol, the way back to the hotel might be dangerous (steep road). A taxi could be a good alternative if you were planning a big party. After such a fab hearty evening I definitely had to spend on the next morning some times on the hotel's high tech fitness equipments ... I must also say that I was happily surprised not to sink in the swimming pool !!!

After nearly two hours in the spa and the sport studio I felt again top fit to assault the hotel's delicious breakfast served on the sunny terrace. No worries, in the afternoon we have taken a long walk in the mountains (Wildpark of Aurach) in order to burn some calories. The only small critic I would post about the Hotel Kitzhof concerns the lack of meal outside the breakfast, lunch or dinner hours. The kitchen is closed ... so no chance to get a club sandwich at 5.00 pm sitting in front of the pool. However thanks to this fab wellness break, I feel now strong enough to face the tough coming weeks. Oups, I must leave you as I have to catch the first flight to Paris tomorrow morning. Bonne nuit ...

HOTEL KITZHOF
Schwarzseestrasse 8
6370 - Kitzbühel
Austria
Tel. + 43 5356 632 110

ROSI AM SONNBERG
Oberaigenweg 103
6370 Kitzbühel
Austria
Tel. + 43 5356 64652

PARIS ⎜ LA PÂTISSERIE DES RÊVES

2011-05-14T01:00:00.002+02:00

Attention ... Achtung ... Atención ... Attenzione ... Be aware that we are now going to speak about pleasure and beauty. These are the two words that immediately come to my mind when I am pushing the door of La Pâtisserie des Rêves in Paris. You do not have to feel guilty ... such inclinations are authorized by all the moralist organizations. You may hear some critics from your doctor ( always the same refrain about calories ) ... but I am sure that he is also visiting such a place regularly with his / her family !!! The pastry chef Philippe Conticini in collaboration with entrepreneur Thierry Teyssier developed this creative concept in 2009. I mention pastry chef but I could also say designer, artist, couturier and innovator. His cleverness has been to create a completely futurist bakery based on the traditional and classical french pastries. I would add that he has put under modern refrigerated glass bells all my pastry childhood souvenirs. On one side you have the modern displays using refrigerated domes which allow you to contemplate very closely each composition individually ... a minimalist store presenting only one specimen of each creation (a classical bakery has normally to show a large quantity of cakes in order to be attractive) ... and a pulleys mechanism used to lift the glass bells which reminds me of the theater's backstage and decor. It could be actually a modern show room presenting the next spring / summer fashion collection.

On the other side you get the most famous and traditional french pastries such as Saint Honoré, Paris Brest, Tarte Tatin, Mille Feuille, Eclairs au chocolat, Financiers, Chausson au pommes, Choux à la crème, etc... My old sunday pastries looks now so modern, perfect and beautiful. Philippe Conticini removed the spider webs out of these aged pastries. By the way, do you know that the Paris Brest pastry (shaped like a bicycle wheel) was invented to celebrate the 1200 km bicycle race from Paris to Brest and back to Paris (1891 / 1951). The comparison with a Haute Couture boutique or a jewelry is easy but appropriated. I know I just mentioned the modern store and the atmosphere ... what about the cakes ? As you can see on the video they are absolutely beautiful, tempting and seductive. There is however one important detail difficult to catch on the film ... the pastries are definitely delicious, tasty and yummy !!!! I have a slight preference for the Saint Honoré and La Tarte au Citron ... a dream. They have today two stores in Paris. The pastry we filmed is located at rue de Longchamps and proposes also a small tea room / terrace in order to taste the pastries on site. I am sure that we will see some new stores around the world very soon ...

Sweet dreams !!!

LA PÂTISSERIE DES RÊVES

111, rue de Longchamps

75016 Paris

France

93, rue du Bac

75007 Paris

France

PARIS ⎜ MERCI CONCEPT STORE

2011-05-13T18:25:00.004+02:00

As you did see on the video Merci is a philanthropic project developed in 2009 by Marie-France and Bernard Cohen. After selling the profitable Bonpoint brand they decided to create a new business generating funds without calling for charity. Do not worry, you won't find 50 beggars in front of the door claiming for money. No it's a classical retail, a normal trendy shop making profits ... the only difference is that the MERCI founders are reversing all their benefits (after break even) to a foundation helping children in Madagascar. You should also know that most of the staff works here as volunteers. Thinking about a yearly turnover of 12 million euros (2010 figures), it's a great lesson in generosity !!! Here you will find spread on three levels eclectic products ... objects ... vintage clothes, design labels, books, cosmetics, home deco, kitchenwares, garden accessories, jewelries, furnitures, fragrances (Annick Goutal), flowers, notebooks, pencils and much more ... "A general store" as they said. Some designers (such as Isabel Marant, Yves Saint Laurent, Azzaro, Stella Mc Cartney, Paul Smith, Christian Tortu, Kris Van Assche, etc.) are generously producing objects and models especially for MERCI forgetting their margin calculation (which means 30 to 40 % cheaper than in their official boutiques) ... E.g. you will find here a fab reedition of the timeless Saharan jacket designed by Yves Saint Laurent. A new way to shop ... You can dress or decorate your apartment participating in a good deed ... for once your credit card will unknowingly be charitable. The american author Mark Twain said ... "they did not know it was impossible ... so they did it". Just like Marie-France and Bernard, we should all follow this humanist idea. You may also spend some time in the library café overlooking the street or in the bio canteen located in the basement.

Thanks or I should better say Merci !!!

MERCI

111, boulevard Beaumarchais

75003 Paris - France

PARIS ⎜ LE MARTEL

2011-05-12T10:37:00.035+02:00

Couscous

If you are passing by the 10th arrondissement, you should have lunch or dinner in this Moroccan restaurant. Do not expect the classical Marrakech / North African deco ... Le Martel looks more like a New York bistro (black furnitures and white walls). You will find here a generous and delicious Berber oasis ... a friendly service and the irreplaceable Mehdi. Most of the journalists, designers, photographers and models sitting next to you are locals and regulars. For beginners, I would recommend to make a reservation minimum one day before. The first courses are around 10 euros and the main courses around 20 euros ( the Couscous, Tajine and Pastilla are purely fabulous ). I know it's really basic and not exotic but I always start softly with artichoke and vinaigrette ... yes it's absolutely smart to keep some space for the main course !!! The arabic pastries ( prepared by Les Délices de Micha ) are also a dream for you and for your dentist. Unfortunately, the wines are less reasonable (around 30 / 40 euros). So you should expect a diner around 50 euros per person. It is always difficult / impossible to find a parking in the lively neighborhood. At night, the metro is not that charming ... so you better take a taxi !!! Thanks Mehdi for this great and colorful evening. You should come urgently in Munich and open a subsidiary ... Bavarians have no idea about a good Moroccan restaurant ...

One block from the restaurant you will find the famous New Morning concert hall specialized in jazz and blues. A great idea to prolong the groovy evening. You can buy the tickets on their web site. By the way did you know that a Tajine is a North African dish wich is named after the special pot in which it is cooked. The lamb, chicken or fish tajines are slowly cooked resulting in a tender meat with aromatic vegetables, spices and sauces.

LE MARTEL

3, rue Martel

75010 Paris - France

Tel. + 33147706756

Closed on Sunday

Tajine

Pastries

PARIS ⎜ LE GRAND COLBERT

2011-04-30T09:26:00.021+02:00

Developing The Fab Day project is quiet interesting and exciting. I have to report about fantastic cities and addresses ... I am always discovering new things ... and I frequently meet passionate people. The fabulous moment we spent at the restaurant Le Grand Colbert is a perfect example of such positive adventure. And I am not the only one supporting this famous address ... I just heard that the US Vogue team came here one day before our shooting in order to celebrate the end of the Paris fashion week. Too late ... it would have been marvelous to film Anna Wintour eating snails and frog's legs. Anyway Le Grand Colbert is still a great address even without any fashion gurus ...

The Belle Epoque parisian brasserie offers a journey through time. In fact the restaurant situated next to the Palais Royal and the Place des Victoires opened in 1900 as a bouillon (a really cheap and popular restaurant serving a boiled mixture of meat and vegetables). Of course the old man made a big renovation in 1985 and proposes today a more sophisticated menu based on traditional french cuisine : Snails, onion soup, choucroute, frog's legs, andouillette, roasted chicken, roasted Châteaubriand, fillets of herring, sole Meunière, seafood and oysters ... As you can see on the video we selected the excellent seafood platter served with a bottle of Sancerre (Loire valley). The oysters, the pink shrimps, the scampis and the crab were so good that I forgot I had to work ...

This typical parisian atmosphere attracts tourists, models, businessmen, actors and comedians working in the neighborhood. You will find indeed many theaters nearby (Les Bouffes Parisiens, La Michodière and Le Théâtre du Palais Royal) and many spectators are coming here after the show. For the Dianne Keaton and Jack Nicholson's fans, they also filmed here the 2003 romantic comedy "Something's Gotta Give".

Before lunching or dinning in the brasserie, I would strongly recommend to have a small promenade in the Palais Royal and its garden ( a good opportunity to discover the Buren's columns ). I can confess that few years ago I used to bring a bottle of champagne in the Palais Royal's garden in order to organize small aperitifs with friends before going out for dinner ... So romantic !!! I am sure it is still authorized if you are discreet.

Palais Royal and its fountain

Le Grand Colbert is opened everyday from 12.00 pm till 01.00 am (last order at midnight). I would like to add that the restaurant's team has been really sensational ... many thanks for your hospitality !!!

LE GRAND COLBERT
2, rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
France
Tel. + 33 1 42 86 87 88
Metro Bourse - Line n° 3

PS : In the evening, the valet parking might be really useful in this difficult to park area !!!

PARIS ⎜ HOTEL SEZZ

2011-04-26T09:26:00.002+02:00

Could someone give me the definition of a Boutique Hotel ? What ... they are not selling clothes, cosmetics and shoes ... are they proposing a rehab program to the shopping aficionados ? After some research and late discussion, I discovered that we are in fact talking about a small intimate luxury design hotel providing personalized services and facilities. The original boutique hotels are generally operated by small companies with a limited quantity of establishments. Unfortunately the Boutique Hotel successful concept has been copied today by many multinational large hotel groups. That's why we find this name at every street corner. So let's check out if the Hotel Sezz belongs to the boutique hotel category !!! The hotel is managed by Shahé Kalaidjian - The company owns two hotels : one in Paris opened in 2005 and one in Saint-Tropez - The parisian hotel offers 27 modern luxury rooms on 7 floors - The contemporary interiors were designed by Christophe Pillet - A good range of commodities : Free Wi Fi, flat screen TV, CD and DVD players, Safety box, mini bar ... An interesting relaxation area in the basement : Hammam and Jacuzzi. Absolutely useful after an exhausting shopping day in Paris - Small Breakfast room - 24 / 7 room service - The usual hotel lobby and receptionist have disappeared ... they have been replaced by a friendly personal assistant - No restaurant - Only 4 parkings.

Hotel Sezz

It seems that we are entering the boutique hotel criteria. The room you can see on the video is the 70 m² Suite Eiffel with a direct view on the Eiffel Tower and the parisian roofs. Located in the fashionable 16th arrondissement, the hotel's position is perfect to organize a visit to the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Quai Branly Museum, the very chic rue de Passy and the Trocadéro. However, please note that the hotel neighborhood is relatively quiet (not a shop or restaurant in this residential area) so you will have to make a move ( taxi, bus or metro ) in order to feel the parisian classical distractions !

HOTEL SEZZ

6, avenue Frémiet

75016 Paris - France

Metro Passy - Line n° 6

Bus n° 72

PARIS ⎜ THÉÂTRE DES CHAMPS ELYSÉES

2011-04-08T16:33:00.008+02:00

Going out in Paris is quiet simple due to the abundance of interesting theaters and shows (the French metropolis offers more than 150 theaters). It's only a question of time and organization. Yes I do have both ! And do not mention extravagant prices ... due to a good investigation you can either find inexpensive tickets ( around 5 euros ) or less reasonable cards ( around 165 euros ). Anyway the french author Edouard Bourdet said "In life you must choose between making or spending money ... you have no time to do both". More seriously among my favorite cultural spots in Paris is the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. The art deco theater inaugurated in 1913 was designed by french entrepreneurs Auguste and Gustave Perret and the belgian architect Henry Van de Velde. Before the concert you must definitely look up to the paintings, sculptures and cupola made by Antoine Bourdelle, Edouard Vuillard, Jacqueline Marval, Henri Lebasque, René Lalique and Maurice Denis. Unfortunately it was difficult to capture the paintings on the video due to the lack of lights. One more reason to visit for real the theater. The last architectural precision is that you are entering the first parisian theater entirely built with reinforced concrete ... really minimalist and modern at that time the Perret brothers !!!

The building hosts 3 stages. The Théâtre des Champs-Elysées is the largest hall with 1,905 seats. The main theater which received 300,000 spectators last year is devoted to music, opera and dance. The Comédie des Champs-Elysées and the Studio des Champs-Elysées are performing smaller theatre plays. Since its first controversial representation ( 29th may 1913 : Stravinsky's ballet "The Rite of Spring" ) the Théâtre des Champs-Elyéees has presented the most prestigious artists and orchestras in the history of music, opera and dance. I have a slight preference for Mozart so I should buy some tickets for the Idomeneo opera that will be performed next june. After the show you just have to cross the street and enjoy a last drink / supper at Le Bar des Théâtres (6, avenue Montaigne).

THÉÂTRE DES CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES

15, avenue Montaigne
75008 Paris - France

PS : As you have noticed, the Théatre des Champs-Elysées is located on avenue Montaigne and not on the avenue des Champs Elysées !!!

PARIS ⎜ RESTAURANT PRUNIER

2011-04-05T19:18:00.006+02:00

Dear friends and fab readers, today we are modestly going to speak about preconceived ideas, French caviar and outstanding seafoods. Relax, The Fab Day is not becoming a luxurious and elitist blog ... I promised to keep the traveling and epicurean editorial lines and I will prove it in the following paragraphs. Nevertheless, organizing The Fab Day Paris shooting, I have been looking for an exceptional and a typical parisian restaurant ... an address you can only experience in Paris ... a place where everything is remarkable and unforgettable : meal, service, atmosphere, traditions, deco, people and time. Based on all these requirements I finally selected the seafood restaurant Prunier. No I did not win the lottery and I still have disastrous relationship with my banker but today I would like to break the high society rules putting one foot in this temple of luxury. In fact the idea came during a discussion with some friends about restaurants, budget and going out frequencies. My dumb theory is that it's sometimes much better to do one extraordinary dinner instead of three ordinary restaurants. Do you remember the name of this nice restaurant you tried three weeks ago ? Did you forget ? In order to fight this routine life and alzheimer's disease I decided last week to cancelled two regular evenings and reserve a table at the restaurant Prunier. Was it a good investment / strategy ? I definitely say yes as I will be able to recall this evening in the next 30 years ... I love my dumb theories !!! As you can see on the video, each piece of the restaurant is history. What you can contemplate today is exactly the same as it was 86 years ago. The restaurant's founder Emile Prunier would feel home today recovering the building's mosaics made by Auguste Labouret, the Art Deco marble interior designed by Louis Hippolyte Boileau, the frescoes made by Léon Carrière and the copper plates engraved by Alexeï Brodovitch. Even the plates are noteworthy due to the drawings made by Mathurin Méheut. More recently the minimalist aquarium designed by Bob Wilson in 2000 fits absolutely to the Art Deco style.

Oeuf poché au caviar

Speaking about plates, the menu orchestrated by Eric Coisel is perfectly combining a century of traditions with contemporary desideratum. Sitting next to businessmen, politicians, newspaper editors, designers and world leaders you will discover the most exclusive seafood menu in Paris. I personally enjoyed the Royal Prunier with blue lobster (seafood platter prepared by Arnaldo) and a bottle of Pouilly fumé (Domaine des Berthiers). My two colleagues tasted the Oeuf Christian Dior, the "Très grosse sole Bretonne / Belle Meunière" and the Caviar Menu. The average ticket (including wine) went to 160 euros pro person. I know this is expensive ... but everything is relative ... it's a fair price for the entering ticket to the seafood nirvana. And you do not go to nirvana every day !!! Such as the royal couple conversing next to us ( prince and princesse from a Northern country ... sorry ... no name dropping ), it seems that some fortunate people are coming here more regularly.

What more natural than eating caviar in the company of a prince ... tradition remains ... Since 1872 the Prunier family was importing and serving russian caviar to its aristocrat clients. To replace the Russian production eradicated during the Bolshevik revolution (1917), Emile Prunier developed in the 20s modern sturgeon farms (aquaculture) on the banks of the Gironde, the Garonne and the Dordogne. Many thanks Emile for producing the first caviar "Made in France" !!! To talk about business, Pierre Bergé bought the restaurant in 2000 and founded in 2004 the group Caviar House & Prunier in association with the Caviar House company. A good way to distribute worldwide our french caviar. In 2006, they opened a store and a design café on place de la Madeleine where you can taste caviar, oysters and the famous Balik salmon.

Wishing you a fab evening !!!

RESTAURANT PRUNIER

16, avenue Victor Hugo

75016 Paris - France

Tel. + 33 1 44 17 35 85

CAFÉ PRUNIER

15, place de la Madeleine

75008 Paris - France

Tel. + 33 1 47 42 98 91

PARIS ⎜ COLETTE

2011-04-01T00:42:00.007+02:00

Starting the episode about Paris and being ambitious ... so why not filming one of the coolest, innovative and prestigious store in town !!! Then it was clear for me to opt for the renowned Colette concept boutique. Most of the designers, fashion victims, bling bling groups or even normal people ( Yes I do know some ) are always passing by the rue Saint-Honoré during their stay in Paris. Few people will buy a limited, exclusive and costly Ikepod watch ... some will find the new Thom Browne shirt with funky Nike ... some will get the last Dazed issue ... many will spend some time at the Water Bar ... and the remaining population will simply find inspiration in the 740 m² store. I personally would love to buy the Leica M9 Titanium ... and then read the camera's instructions drinking some bubbles at the Water Bar ... Meanwhile I will enjoy more reasonably a bottle of Berg (iceberg water from Canada ... with parisian ice cubes it's even better) reading my lachrymatory bank statements. To tell you more about the fab day, we had 3,600 seconds to film the store and its 3 floors ... no I should say only two floors ... the basement (Restaurant and Water Bar) was closed in the morning due to the setting up of tables and it was impossible to film downstairs. So please don't even start saying : they did not film the Water Bar ... Be sure we will catch it another day ... In fact the time has passed too quickly and I did not even have time to buy some small souvenirs : teeshirts for my friends and a titanium camera for myself !!! Hey no worries, I should be there in two weeks. Small precision ... because we are here using the words trendy and exclusive, many people may think "expensive" ... just like The Adventures of Tintin (from 7 to 77 years old), you will find at Colette products and gifts from 3 to 36,000 euros. So I am sure you will find an original gift depending on your wallet ... of course a Thom Browne wallet.

For the freshmen I will do the history catching course ... Colette Roussaux and her daughter Sarah Lerfel opened the concept store in March 1997. At that time they were comparing their business to the management of a luxury bazaar where you can find a large selection of products ( music, photo, video, gadgets, books, magazines, clothes, accessories, cosmetics, high Tech, art and design art food ). The main divergence with a classical bazaar is that Colette has a yearly turnover of 19 million euros (2010 figures) and offers only exclusive, limited and cutting edge products. The iconoclast label became so famous that they are now developing brand cooperations with other labels such as Chanel, Reebook, Nike, etc. By the way ... March 1997 / March 2011 ... Happy birthday Colette !!!

COLETTE

213, rue Saint-Honoré

75001 Paris - France

PARIS ⎜ HOTEL ARVOR

2011-03-18T11:19:00.004+01:00

In the last weeks, we had many friends coming to Paris (participating in the fashion week, and shooting The Fab Day new episode) and we always got the same request : Could you find a nice hotel, central and not so expensive ? Mission accomplished ... Hey my friends, simply call the lovely boutique Hotel Arvor in order to reserve a room. Or just keep this insider tip in your iPhone address notebook !!! Between the boulevard Haussmann and the charming Montmartre area you will discover this small hotel in the quiet and picturesque Laferrière street. Metro Saint George. The hotel owned by Nadine Flammarion proposes 30 bedrooms simply and lightly furnished in the heart of the 9th arrondissement. Just like us, I am sure you will also appreciate the delicious breakfast or a glass of wine on the tiny patio (obviously not at the same time). They have reasonable rates between 100 euros for the standard bedrooms and 200 euros for the suites. I must add that the hotel team was also very nice and helpful. Yes, it is important to mention such evidence because this is not always the case in Paris. At night you should visit the Abbesses district ... actually becoming the Bo Bo headquarter. Bo Bo is a short way to describe the Bourgeois and Bohemian parisian way of life. My former market research director would use the less romantic terms : new parisian upper class. You will find really nice food stores, bars and restaurants in the rue des Abesses or the rue des Trois Frères ( definitely love the restaurant / Mojito bar : La Famille). The only critic I could make about the Hotel Arvor is the lack of parking ... unfortunately it's not so easy to find a parking in the area and the public parkings are often full.

Hôtel Arvor

8, rue Laferrière

75009 Paris - France

Tel. + 33 1 48 78 60 92

Metro : Saint Georges

PARIS ⎜ RESTAURANT L'OPERA

2011-03-09T22:19:00.000+01:00

Breaking News : It's only a question of days and nights ... Yes this is the parisian summer buzz ... after 136 years and three aborted projects the Opera Garnier is finally opening its first restaurant at the end of june 2011 (inauguration on monday 27th June and public opening on friday 1st July). L'Opéra will propose 170 seats inside on two levels and a huge terrace (180 seats). The concept is designed by french architect Odile Decq, managed by Jean-Philippe and Pierre-Francois Blanc (the brasseries empire in Paris) and orchestrated by two Michelin stars Christophe Aribert. I will come back with more pictures and details in the coming weeks ... For now I only can reveal that it took over four years and six millions euros to materialize this challenging project. Due to to the National Commission of Historic Monuments all the facilities, pillars, mezzanines and equipments have to fit within the site without touching any stone. Not really easy for the architect !!! Speaking about the traditional and the modern menus (starter + main dish + dessert) you will disburse around 40 euros at lunchtime and 60 euros for dinner (not including wine).

L'OPERA

Place Jacques Rouché

75009 Paris - France

Tel. +33 1 42 68 86 80
Opened everyday from 07.00 am untill midnight

MUNICH ⎜ SCHWITTENBERG

2011-03-06T02:34:00.003+01:00

Do you remember this old advertising from the soft drink Canada Dry ... it has the color of alcohol, it smells like alcohol, it tastes like alcohol, but it's not alcohol ? Today I had the same feeling visiting this "new" fashion store in Munich. It has the color of Serie A, it smells like Serie A, it tastes like Serie A, but it's not Serie A ... In fact you just take the Serie A store ... you keep the very friendly team, the urban trendy clothes (Margiela, Acne or APC), the minimalist deco, the same street and you simply reshape the front sign name ... Then you get the Schwittenberg store.

This is nearly the best news of the week in this small village. I absolutely love the capital of bavaria for its easy lifestyle, its italian restaurants, its austrian Grüner Veltliner, its popular beer gardens, its bio markets, its parks and its mountains ... However there is one weak point in my veneration !!! Yes I have to confess tonight that I am not a big fan of the inhabitant's boring outfits. Here it's almost the stations of the cross when you search for some nice fashion stores. The closure of the Serie A store was a tragedy for the fashion victims living in Munich ... The opening of the Schwittenberg store is now a resurrection. So if you were looking for a nice dress, suit or shirt ... you can either buy a 500 euros ticket to Paris / London or you just can pass by the Hildegardstrasse in Munich. By the way, speaking about Paris we are going to shoot there next week nine fabulous addresses ... So I can show you very soon a new episode of The Fab Day ! Stay tuned ...

SCHWITTENBERG
Hildegardstrasse 2
80539 Munich - Germany

Tel. 089 260 190 55

PARIS ⎜ PAPIER +

2011-02-19T19:39:00.004+01:00

We are all today communicating at speed via internet, emails or SMS ... Hopefully you still find some artistic and glamorous persons composing their letters, billets, missives or drawings on the highest quality pieces of paper. Here we are not speaking about a boring white classical A4 page. Since 1976 Laurent Tisné proposes in his small store an incredible selection of colorful papers, envelops, pencils, notebooks, photo albums and storage boxes. All you need to bring some joy on your desk and in your life. So next time you have to send an important document, you should make a move in the Marais district and think about the finest papers and their colorful envelops. The rue du Pont Louis Philippe is also proposing many lovely craftsman retails such as Calligrane, Kimonoya, Orphée and Mélodies Graphiques ... so it's absolutely worth a visit on your next trip to Paris.

PAPIER +

9, rue du Pont Louis Philippe

75004 Paris - France

Tel. + 33 1 42 77 70 49

BERLIN ⎜ SOHO HOUSE

2011-01-06T18:30:00.007+01:00

Question of the day ... Where would you stay if you had to spend some days in Berlin ? This is the inquiry email I received yesterday from my friend Laïla. There are approximately 800 hotels in Berlin, but I would mainly suggest her to reserve a room at the private members' club and fortunately not private hotel Soho House. Its central location in the Mitte district is perfect to discover the city shops, the museums and the historical neighborhood. The bulky building opened in 1928 as a department store. Following the wall construction in 1961 the property situated on the east side was then used to house the communist party archives. After German reunification in 1990 the building was finally returned to the descendants of its original owners. The club hotel opened in may 2010 proposes today 40 bedrooms, a restaurant with a bistro menu, a bar with two fireplaces, a 30 seats screening room, a library, a fitness club, a small spa and a rooftop heated pool. As a funny detail, most of the bedrooms have a traditional vintage record player and selection of custom vinyl LP’s. The Soho House club was founded in London in 1995, as a private members’ club for those in film, media and creative industries. The group has since expanded to include clubs, bedrooms, restaurants and spas, spanning across Europe (London, Babington and Berlin) and the US (New York, Los Angeles and Miami). The 1200 euros yearly membership is notoriously difficult to obtain and its members are mostly drawn from the media, arts and fashion industries.

SOHO HOUSE BERLIN
Torstrasse 1
10119 - Berlin
Germany
Tel. + 49 30 40 50 440

PARIS ⎜ KUNITORAYA

2011-01-05T19:51:00.001+01:00

Tempura Udon

You all know my passion for Japan and the Japanese traditional cuisine ... Among the popular recipes you get some fabulous Udon ... a thick wheat flour noodle served hot or sometimes cold in a mildly flavored broth. So whenever I am in Paris, my friend Olivier wants to present me a new japanese restaurant. For more than twenty years we were used to sip some delicious Tempura Udon, Kitsune Udon or Kunitora Udon in the really tiny restaurant Kunitoraya located in rue Saint-Anne ... Therefore we definitely had to test yesterday the new and much more sophisticated Kunitoraya in rue Villedo ... As I don't want to be complicated, I will designate the old address as Kunitoraya 1 and the new address as Kunitoraya 2.

Kunitoraya 1

Kunitoraya 1

39, rue Saint Anne

75001 Paris - France

The original Kunitoraya is opened everyday from 11.30 am till 10.00 pm. With only 17 seats on ground floor and 20 seats in the basement you may have to wait twenty minutes before noisily enjoying the ancestral wheat floor noodles. Yes just like any fast food this japanese canteen does not take any reservation. So you must be patient and do not forget to watch out your white shirt while you are sipping ( tsuru tsuru is the loud sound you will make while eating noodles ) the best hot and cold Udon in Paris !!! Menus are around 15 and 20 euros pro person. Please do not expect here any sushi, maki or sashimi menu ... it's now time for you to make a new culinary experience !!!

Kunitoraya 2

Kunitoraya 2

5, rue Villedo

75001 Paris - France

Tel. + 33 1 47 03 07 74

Between the two addresses you only have 50 meters and however a large pricing gap. Installed in the former restaurant Chez Pauline, the deco based on white faience and mirrors makes me think about a New York style bistro. Here in addition to the delicious Tempuras and Udon you must try some japanese tapas !!! The bento lunch menu is around 40 euros. In the evening you should expect a dinner around 70 euros pro person. Oups it's slightly too expensive for such a popular Japanese cuisine ... but it's worth and delicious !!! Do not forget to reserve a table. Kunitoraya 2 is opened between 12.15 pm and 2.30 pm for lunch and from 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm for dinner. Closed on Wednesday. Now it's up to you to make a choice between a popular Japanese canteen with affordable prices (Kunitoraya 1) or a restaurant proposing Japanese traditional menu around 70 euros (Kunitoraya 2). I will personally keep on visiting the first Kunitoraya for a nice low cost lunch with a good friend and will come back to the second Kunitoraya for a great and cosy dinner with my girlfriend.

PARIS ⎜ AU PETIT FER A CHEVAL

2010-12-20T17:26:00.006+01:00

Doing some Christmas shopping in Paris it is now necessary to make a break at my favorite café or pit stop in order to savor a belgian blond beer (Leffe) with a traditional french dish (Andouillette). Snow does not stop falling outside so I will spend some times today at the counter reading few chapters of the life of Keith Richards ... it is less dangerous than slipping on the icy parisian streets.

If you do not want to take risk with the perfumed andouillette (16 euros), you may taste the beef steak (17 euros) or the salad of Petit Fer à Cheval (13 euros). Reading my former POST, I noticed that they have increased slightly their prices since my last visit ... shame on them !!! The standard 25 cl Leffe will cost you 3.50 euros at counter or 4.50 euros in the restaurant ... my german and belgian barfly friends will be shocked by such inflation. Please give my regards to Sébastien and his fabulous team. By the way the counter is shaped like a horseshoe ... influencing the name of the bistro.

PETIT FER A CHEVAL

30, rue Vieille du Temple

75004 Paris

France

Au Petit Fer à Cheval - May 2010

LOUIS VUITTON CITY GUIDES

2010-12-08T01:29:00.009+01:00

It's Christmas time and you are looking for an original idea and a practical gift. So you should push and open the door of the Louis Vuitton store. If you do not find one at your next corner you can still visit their official e-commerce website. Why are we talking about the french luxury monogram founded in 1854 ? Simply because they are proposing one of the best travel guides I ever read. For more than twelve years they have been publishing guides about the most interesting cities around the world. Of course they are mentioning luxurious and expensive addresses ... nevertheless they are also disclosing reasonable hotels, surprising restaurants and fabulous locations. I am betting that your globe-trotter friends will love it !!! The 2011 version proposes different boxes about different cities ... in French or English ... and for every budgets. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and many beautiful journeys around the globe !!! May be next year we will enlarge the city guides family with some fabulous videos ...

European city guides ( 30 cities ) = 100 euros.
Paris guide = 25 euros.
New York guide = 25 euros.
Berlin guide also in German = 25 euros.
London guide = 25 euros.
Rome guide also in Italian = 25 euros.
Los Angeles guide = 25 euros.
Tokyo guide = 25 euros.
Kyoto / Nara guide = 25 euros.
Miami guide = 25 euros.
Numbai guide = 25 euros.

MUNICH ⎜ GOSSIP

2010-12-04T12:28:00.014+01:00

We had six month ago the excellent idea to buy some tickets for the Gossip's concert in Munich ... and finally we had yesterday a Fab evening with Beth Ditto. With that electric girl you can only use superlatives in order to describe her one hour and thirty minutes performance. The amazing voice, the exceptional energy on stage, the provocative personality and the generous complicity with the audience. Beside all the famous hits (Standing in the way of control - Heavy Cross - Love long distance), she also accomplished a remake of Tina Turner and an extraordinary a cappella version of Whitney Houston (no hesitation ... it was much better than the original). In fact I would only love to know what mysterious beverage she is drinking during the all concert ... is whiskey the source of energy ? May be a bottle of Southern Comfort like Janis Joplin ... another great voice ! Looking for some concert tickets in Munich, you should visit the following web sites : Muenchen Ticket and Zenith die Kulturhalle. Gossip is on tour with the funky disco house band Hercules and Love Affair. By the way the first part reminded me the concert of Deee Lite I saw in Paris twenty years ago ...

MUNICH ⎪ KONIGSPLATZ

2010-11-15T19:27:00.000+01:00

PARIS ⎜ VILLA DIAMANT

2010-10-28T16:01:00.006+02:00

After few weeks of rebellion and strikes in France, it's now time to share with you some good and prosperous news about Paris. And this lovely 3 bedrooms apartment hotel is really an excellent information ! The Villa Diamant is a 210 m² hidden apartment centrally situated close to the Pantheon and the Latin Quarter. They are proposing equipments and optional services worthy of luxury hotels : Wi-Fi, flat screens, iMac, fax, cooking chef, butler, 24/24 concierge service, tutor for children, airport limousine, etc.

I love this concept simply because you can discover a city lifestyle from the inside ... just like authentic parisians you can do some sightseeing during the day, visit the farmers market on Place Maubert-Mutualité and organize a nice dinner at "home" with some friends or family. When I am travelling abroad, I love to discover local food markets and amazing regional products, but it's nearly impossible to buy the ingredients and improvise a dinner party in your hotel room. Here everything is possible ...

I forgot to mention that the Villa Diamant is principally targeting top executive businessmen and wealthy designers ... one week in this sumptuous diamond will cost you around 15,000 euros (to be negotiated). I will personally wait for my giant bonus coming next January. By the way, do not forget to take off your banker austere outfit before going to the Maubert Mutualité market ... you better catch the bobo (Bourgeois-Bohème) attitude !!!

VILLA DIAMANT

Rue de la Montagne Sainte-Geneviève

75005 - Paris

France

Tel. + 33 3 26 85 28 36

THE FAB DAY ⎜ MUNICH

2010-10-05T04:36:00.007+02:00

The Fab Day is a new type of city guide based on video featuring remarkable addresses in the world most attractive cities. An 8 minutes episode presents one city and 8 different locations such as hotels, sport and wellness centers, stores, restaurants, landmarks, cafés, nightlife spots, cultural locations or significant events. It’s a daily exploration of a city ... a road movie starting at 8.00 am and finishing around midnight. By the way, the Munich episode shows the 8 following addresses :

➀ Cortiina Hotel
➁ Mullersches Volksbad
➂ Serie A Store
➃ English Garden - Chinese Tower
➄ Pinakothek der Moderne
➅ Bar Centrale
➆ Alpenraum
➇ Schumann's Bar

PORSCHE DESIGN ⎜ FORM AND FUNCTION - THE BATTLE

2010-10-01T12:03:00.007+02:00

Oh men, I am absolutely glad to present you here ... on The Fab Day's blog ... the new Porsche Design communication campaign. Yes I am proud, first because it's really exclusive and worldwide. It's an authentic scoop you are going to watch. The Porsche Design group will officially launch the four minutes video this weekend and in the meantime they decided to use the blogosphere in order to kickoff their innovative campaign. Porsche Design is finally approaching the web geeks and the social media platforms. Welcome aboard ... it's never too late.

I am moreover enthusiast because the film gives a completely different vision of Porsche Design and I feel much closer to this new image. I am convinced that you will have a totally new idea about the brand after watching the film ... a before and after opinion. The video is tough, rough, creative, dark, virile, cynical and strongly visual. I dare to say just like me ... LOL ... The synopsis is about the controversy between two essential aspects of Porsche Design : The form and the function ... can you get both within one object ?

In order to get this revolutionary concept they contacted a crazy bunch of people. The german photographer and director Charley Stadler is behind the camera. He is famous for shooting great commercials and also the comedy Dead Fish in 2004. The battle is played by Hollywood actors Billy Zane and Karel Roden. Of course you know the two men, at least the bald one. Billy Zane is best known for his bad guy role (with some more hairs) in Titanic in 1997. No way the boat already sunk 13 years ago. Billy also played a creepy sailor in Dead Calm. I think I would not navigate with that unfortunate man. The second character, Karel Roden, took many roles in theaters and movies such as Largo Winch. He immediately makes me think about the weird Gary Oldman.

PS : Please note that I did not get sponsored to write this post ... I know it almost remains outside The Fab Day's traveling editorial but I just received the video ... and I love it so much that I had to share it with you. In french we say it's a "Coup de coeur" or " Coup de foudre". Enjoy the amicable and verbal battle !!!

MUNICH ⎜ OKTOBERFEST

2010-09-18T01:30:00.017+02:00

Here we go again ... the most famous event in Munich and the largest fair in the world will start tomorrow morning. The city is already breathing and living on the Wiesn cadence. The tourists are invading all the city hotels and you can be sure that there is not even one room free in town.

Oktoberfest 2009 - Hyppodrom Tent

My favorite facet of the Oktoberfest (maybe after the fresh beer) is the local outfits. Going to the Wiesn, most of the people here play the game and dress with the traditional bavarian costumes. I really love it. The Lederhosen for the boys and the absolutely sexy and charming Dirndl for the girls. My Lederhosen is now laying outside the wardrobe for the next 17 days ... Part of the training, I also registered myself last week in a fitness studio in order to prepare my right arm biceps to carry the extremely heavy one liter mass. It's unbelievable ... but regrettably true.

Tomorrow the official opening ceremonies will start at exactly 12.00 pm when the lord mayor of Munich will tap the first barrel of the Oktoberfest 2010. Looks like a cool and easy job ... May be I will see you in one of the 14 huge tents opened by the 6 major breweries in Munich ( Spaten, Löwenbräu, Augustiner, Hofbräu, Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr ). Can you believe that some tents have around 8.000 seats inside !!! My favorite tents are the Hyppodrom, the Löwenbräu and the modish Käfer. This year the one liter mass will cost you between 8,30 and 8,60 euros (prices varying in every tent). They will serve approximately 7 million liters of beer to 6.5 million visitors ... and I do not mention the 600.000 poor chickens. The herculean waitresses and waiters will serve beers on weekdays from 10.00 am to 10.30 pm and weekends from 9.00 am to 10.30 pm. I don't understand how they can survive to such exhausting effort. The tents are closing daily at 11.30 pm. The Käfer tent will be opened until 1.00 am.

Did you know that they started the Oktoberfest in 1810 at the wedding of Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxe. They had such a good time at the kinglike wedding that they decided to commemorate the same party every year. As time went by they forgot the royal marriage and kept the beer celebration. I love such vital traditions. This year the Oktoberfest is 200 years old ... Happy birthday ! To celebrate the bicentenary anniversary, they brewed this year a special beverage using the old 1810 beer recipe. Should be stronger ...

PS : Do not drink and drive !!! The city organization is so good that you will find a taxi nearly everywhere ... Hopefully it's not like Paris and the impossibility to find a taxi on a saturday night. OK ... I stop complaining. Cheers ... or ... you better sing with a glass of beer in your hand ...

Ein Prosit, Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit

STUTTGART ⎜ PORSCHE MUSEUM

2010-09-11T00:36:00.017+02:00

Life is not always that easy ... One English rock band said in 1969 "You can't always get what you want" ... Sorry Mick, today I would prefer to say "You can't always go where you want". The nasty mission I had to accomplish this week is certainly not a piece of cake !!! OK it's like an unpleasant vaccination, I will not try to save any time and will divulge the confidential code immediately. Please no torture ... The mission will last 48 long hours and is called Operation Stuttgart. Now you understand the pain. You may have a careful look on the unexciting description made in Wikipedia about what I usually call the Men In Black City and then you will surely have compassion for me and mercy for the Stuttgart inhabitants. Hopefully just before driving there my friend Thomas ( a car fanatic and expert ) suggested that I visited the Porsche and the Mercedes Museums. It's a great idea ... Saint Thomas just saved my life !!! So last wednesday at exactly 9.00 am I was without doubt the first visitor to push and open the door of the Porsche Museum. The 100 million euros building dedicated to one of the most beautiful racing car in the world was opened in january 2009 next to the Porsche headquarter and factory in Zuffenhausen. The daily entrance ticket costs 8 euros and will give you access to an impressive collection of glorious numbers 911 - 356 - 64 - 718 - 956 ... and many more such as the James Dean's 550 A Spyder Porsche ... of course not the one he crashed ... My favorite digits are the legendary 356 Speedster Convertible and the sublime 911 Targa 4S. Between 1948 and 1965 Ferdinand Porsche produced exactly 76,000 exemplars of the 356. At that time the first 356 was moving around 140 km/h. But do not compare with the actual performance of the 911 GT2 RS ... 330 km/h. On the way back home ... please do not forget the speed limit on the highway ... the german police patrol received also some 911 models. After seeing all this racing cars, the funny moment of the day is when you go back to the underground parking and start the engine of your lovely old french vehicle ... Vroum ... Vroum ...

PORSCHE MUSEUM
Porscheplatz
70435 Stuttgart
Germany
Tel. + 49 711 911 20911

Opened Tuesday through Sunday
From 9.00 am to 6.00 pm
Closed on Monday

Porsche 356 Speedster

Porsche 356 A

Porsche 356 Speedster

Porsche 356 / 2

Porsche 911 GT1 / 1996

Porsche 956 C Coupé / 1982

Porsche 356 Speedster

MUNICH ⎜ BRENNER

2010-09-04T17:55:00.000+02:00

One of my favorite spot in town, for the giant place, the friendly service and the yummy food. Have a look on the fireplace / open grill in the center and go for a Dorade or an Entrecote with potatoes and spinach. Tonight, I reasonably ordered a bottle of Nero d'Avola at 28 euro. By the way Mr Rudi Kull, it's really not fair to increase by 40 % the fees on the wines menu ( E.g. Grüner Veltliner 42 euro ...). Never mind, I will catch this opportunity to reduce slightly my expensive addiction. Cheers.

Anyway let's not be stingy, you can reserve your table directly on the Brenner website. Opened every day till 01.00 am. I am also used to go there for lunch and simply take good tagliatelle Scampi (10.50 euro). They accept Visa and Master Card payment ... also a good and uncommon point in Munich !!! You have 3 spots inside this restaurant : The Bar for the cocktails, the Pasta area for the fast and casual lunch or dinner and finally the Grill for the chic lunch or dinner. In summer the back terrace is also a must. In any case, you enter the main Munich bonfire of the vanities (Did Tom Wolfe come to Munich ?) ... but it's so funny ! Enjoy the fashion show and the bling bling défilé.

BRENNER
Maximilianstr. 15
80539 Munich
Tel. + 49 89 45 22 880

MIAMI ⎜ THE WEBSTER

2010-08-31T12:34:00.005+02:00

The Webster Miami looks exactly like a multi brand fashion concept luxury boutique I have seen in Paris ... Sorry I am going may be too fast or too deep for the fashion neophyte ... Let's go briefly back to the main points ... Do you know the Colette concept and modish store in Paris ? Yes of course ... if not, just pretend you do. Now you should definitely know that mister Milan Vukmirovic, creative director, main buyer and cofounder of the famous french store Colette in Paris has finally opened a new concept store in Miami South Beach. You keep the creative man, you make a migration to Miami and you maintain the functions (creative director, interior designer and main buyer) ... and you get a new multi brand fashion concept luxury boutique in Miami. A virtual barman would mix the following ingredients in order to obtain The Webster ideal cocktail : Colette + Paris + Vukmirovic + Miami + Fashion + Design. Multi brand means that the variety of fashion labels you will find is enormous (nearly insane) ... the quality is also excellent ... APC, ACNE, Alaia, Balenciaga, Balmain, Celine, Givenchy, Choo, Lanvin, Jacobs, Margiela, Miu Miu, Barrett, Hardy, Rossi, Ford, YSL, Victor and Rolf, Prada ... and many many more haute couture, ready to wear, accessories, shoes and jewelries ... for men and women. As we got in the new store we have to follow the same strange Parisian procedures ... No photos ... No iPhones. That's why the following furtive pictures are dark and not that handsome. From the outside the store looks like a banal art deco miami building with the classical parking valet service. You will quickly change your mind visiting the 1900 m² (or 20,000 square foot ) store and its 3 spacious and luxurious levels. Even their elevator is great ... Lots of clothes are absolutely fabulous and your girlfriend may spend the all day in The Webster. No worry, the good and "reasonable" alternative is to stand by in the lobby where they opened a twin restaurant to the Parisian Caviar Kaspia ... Yes, caviar means that it might be much more costly than the cashmere YSL coat she wants to buy. The bottle of vodka will be then imperative !!! Once you are familiar with caviar and vodka ... you can also have access to the elegant roof terrace where lunches and dinners are served for up to 20 people during Kaspia restaurant hours.

THE WEBSTER

1220 Collins Avenue

Miami Beach

FL 33139 - USA

Tel. + 1 305 674 7899

Monday to Saturday : 11.00 am - 8.00 pm

Sunday : 12.00 pm - 7.00 pm

MIAMI ⎜ PUERTO SAGUA

2010-08-28T04:22:00.010+02:00

If you were looking for a casual, a typical, a local and a popular Cuban restaurant, you must absolutely go to Puerto Sagua on South Beach. Let me say it differently ... if there is one restaurant to check out in Miami ... it is without hesitation Puerto Sagua. Do not be anxious about the modish and design restaurants such as Nobu and Mr Chow. They all serve the same Asian specialities you also can find in London, New York or Tokyo. If you do not trust me ... just do like me ... go to Puerto Sagua on Friday and Mr Chow on Saturday ... It's so chic to be moody !!! Anyway, you must not forget to ask your hotel concierge to reserve a table at Chow. Do not expect something fancy and elegant. They have served for more than 40 years an authentic and simple Cuban cuisine at a very reasonable prices. It might be one of the best spot to catch on the multicultural atmosphere of Miami. Here you will encounter all the nations composing Miami ... Spanish, Haitian, Indian, Jamaican, Black, White, Cuban and Asian ... and of course many tourists. Be sure to order the 6 croquettes platter, the flavorful roast beef served with Moro rice, black beans and Plantains (bananas). The fish aficionados can opt for the grilled Tilapia with grilled shrimps. For the refreshing drinks, I selected the Presidente Beer imported from the Dominican Republic (do not forget the american embargo on Cuban products : beers, cigars ...). Before starting a long night in the Miami bars and clubs, you should also order a real Cuban coffee. It's so strong that you will be awake for the next 24 hours. After 8.00 pm the place is getting super packed. Nevertheless it's a Cuban canteen with a quick and friendly staff so the waiting time is never too long. For the breakfast it's also nice to grab a seat at the counter. They are opened seven days a week for breakfast (starting at 7.30 am) , lunch and dinner (closing at 2.00 am). Buen Provecho ...

PUERTO SAGUA
700 Collins Avenue / 7th street
Miami Beach
FL 33139 - USA

MIAMI ⎜ ATLANTIS CONDOMINIUM

2010-08-27T17:31:00.006+02:00

The Atlantis Condominium is one of the most famous building in Miami Downtown. It was built in 1982 and was designed by the architectural company Arquitectonica. We all have seen the red spiral staircase, the blue jacuzzi and the lonely palm tree in Miami Vice and in Scarface. The condo has 96 units and is located at 2025 Brickell Avenue.

MIAMI ⎜ SOPHIE AND NATHAN GUMENICK CHAPEL

2010-08-27T16:57:00.004+02:00

The original chapel immediately makes you think about Gaudi. However it was designed in 1969 by architect Kenneth Treister and you will find it between the Design District and Downtown on 137 NE. 19th Street.

MIAMI ⎜ BUENA VISTA BISTRO

2010-08-26T15:57:00.014+02:00

After few hours in the fitting rooms it's always good to have a small refuge in the Design District where you can appreciate a tasty meal and sip some good wines. It's a charming little New York style bistro from the fifties serving french dishes daily from 11.30 am till midnight. Going there you will probably meet Claude Postel the lively french chef and owner taking actively care of his kitchen as well as affably chatting with his international guests. It's 4.00 pm and we can finally make a fashionista break and start looking at the chalk board menu !!! It's a typical french bistro ... so do not expect any printed menu. Today the Rillette du Mans and the Escargot à la Provençale look like the appropriate appetizers. The crunchy home made bred is crucial with such starters. For the main course the arbiters will select without hesitation the Jumbo Scallops Provençale and the Bavette served with traditional Ratatouille (thanks to the Pixar movie ... you all surely know what is a ratatouille). For the dessert we followed the waitress recommendation and tried the yummy home made apple pie. After such a good pause it's time to do some physical exercises ... the best would be to shop again ... or to visit Downtown. By the way as the restaurant is usually packed at night, you better call and reserve a table in order to enjoy a french evening in the B.V.B.

BUENA VISTA BISTRO

4582 NE. 2nd Avenue

Design District Miami

FL 33137 - USA

Tel. + 1 305 456 5909

After this delicious lunch, Claude wanted me to see the new baby he opened next door with Corentin Finot. A french bakery called Buena Vista Deli ... The perfect location for a great breakfast just before invading the Design District !!! There you will find all the classical french products such as breads, croissants, duck pâtés, rillettes, Quiche Lorraine, Salade Niçoise and the inevitable french pastries (Paris Brest, Eclair au Chocolat and Mille Feuilles). Bonne Journée ...

BUENA VISTA DELI

4590 NE. 2nd Avenue

Design District Miami

FL 33137 - USA

Tel. + 1 305 576 3945

MIAMI ⎜ TOMAS MAIER

2010-08-26T12:04:00.004+02:00

Whenever we are in Miami, the first fashion temple we have to visit is located in the Design District. It is so weird that people living in Munich have to fly to Miami in order to buy clothes made by a German designer. Must be joking or it's obviously a good ruse / pretext to fly to Miami once a year !!! Tomas Maier has worked with some of the most prestigious fashion brands in France, Italy and Germany. He started his own label in 1997 and additionally became the Creative Director for Bottega Venetta in 2001. Since then, he opened few stores in Miami, Palm Beach and The Hamptons. It's not only a men and women chic fashion boutique ... you will discover upstairs a mini art gallery and downstairs an interesting design bookshop.

TOMAS MAIER
Design District
170 NE. 40th Street

Miami
FL 33137 - USA

MIAMI ⎜ THE RALEIGH

2010-08-25T20:15:00.017+02:00

After two healthy and relaxing weeks in Saint Augustine (North East Florida) I had to say goodbye to my Bingo buddies. It's now time to make a move south to Miami and exhibit my sexy shape in the body and bling bling holy place ... South Beach more precisely. Just like last year we have booked two nights at The Raleigh hotel on Collins Avenue. Our room 512 is unfortunately not viewing the beach and the pool. But it's not a big issue thinking about the time we will spend outside. Within the next 72 hours we have to pop in the Design District, the Art Deco District and Downtown ... and I am not speaking about the restaurants and bars we will delightfully check out during the two evenings. Maybe next year we will ask for the Pool View King room or even better ... the Penthouse with its 360 degree exposure for city and ocean views. If you were looking for a luxurious hotel in Miami it's quiet easy, really expensive and the list is long enough on the Collins Avenue : The Delano - The Setai - The Shore Club - The W ... I think they all look like a massive, unfriendly, glacial and handsome white container designed by worldwide renowned architects. The best recommendation is to discover all these hotels at night drinking some cocktails in their stunning bars and lounges ( especially the famous 15 years old Delano and the ultra fresh W ) !!! I personally and definitely prefer the calm ambience, the human size, the glamourous atmosphere, the Art Deco style and the friendly service of The Raleigh Hotel. After driving 4 hours on the Interstate 95, we made a quick jump in the pool and spent the all afternoon shopping in the Design District (more info in the coming posts). Tonight I will definitely put one's feet up sympathizing with some mojitos and a Cuban cigar on the hotel terrace. If I got lucky I will also discuss with Houssein about the last gossips in town (Houssein is polyglot, a great person and my favorite waiter in town). By the way, if you want to go out in some trendy and selective addresses, the best is to ask the concierge to call ahead to make sure you will get in. This year we also spent some lazy times on the magnificent beach. The biggest risk is to feel far out comfortable on their deck chairs and you may fancy spending the all day next to the pool or next to the sea ... without visiting the city hotspots. The legendary pool bar is a dream ... With a temperature around 40 degrees celsius it's nearly impossible to keep away from the mojito and the chicken club sandwich !!!

Hotel The Raleigh

1775 Collins Avenue

Miami Beach

FL 33139 - USA

SAINT AUGUSTINE BEACH ⎜ BINGO

2010-08-24T16:41:00.007+02:00

What kind of events would you organize for an unforgettable birthday in florida ? A big party on a sunset beach ? A traditional restaurant ? A barbecue in front of the swimming pool with some cold beers and many bikini girls (Hugh Hefner is doing the same on the west coast) ? This is not my cup of iced tea ... I need some real adrenaline ... I need something more exciting !!!

Last thursday, as we were driving on the A1A, I suddenly noticed this large billboard. It took us less than two minutes to modify our evening projects in order to have my first and probably my last bingo birthday party. First you need to buy the minimum package $18 cards and the essential $1.5 marker. Some bingo professionals have the complete equipment ... a bingo bag with ten side pockets for ten colorful daubers, a central pocket for the food and drinks and a safe secret pocket for the dollars. I should really find one Gucci bingo crocodile bag for the next christmas !!! Getting into the white and cold hall you immediately feel like an astronaut entering a Pygmy tribe in central africa ... all my seventy years old new BFF started observing us. After finding a seat, we realized that we had no idea about the bingo scientific rules. Hopefully you have one volunteer in charge of explaining the basics to the beginners. It's easy to catch on the main procedures ... it's more difficult to understand his Texas slangs and the bingo terminology : Then you break the bubble ... Never jump the gun ...

The game started at 6.30 pm. The cards are in lines in front of me, I have my bingo red dauber in my right hand and my eyes are focused on the TV screens. Ready Steady Go ... G55 ... B7 ... I24 ...

Tonight the winners get $50 and $250 prizes. I just have to stay concentrate on the drawing numbers and complete the appropriate bingo pattern. Regular pattern, Letter pattern, Square pattern, Six Packs pattern, Frame pattern, Full House pattern, etc. Now it's just a question of patience and optimism ... I will call BINGO very soon ... of course the $250 jackpot will be mine ... it's my birthday !!!

I have to admit that the game is really funny during thirty to forty minutes. The atmosphere is quiet and the players take their job very seriously. By the way, do not forget to turn off your mobile phone ... they would kill you. Then it's like watching the lottery drawing on TV during more than two hours ... kind of boring. Ok I did not call Bingo tonight but it's one experience you should try once in your life. Then we decided to make a discreet move at 7.30 pm ... the astronauts had reserved a table in a romantic restaurant (Cap's on the water). I really had a Fab birthday and the Bingo experience was part of it !!! Posted by FXH for The Fab Day ⎜ Photos by FXH for The Fab Day.

SAINT AUGUSTINE BEACH ⎜ SUNNY FAB DAY

2010-08-18T04:00:00.010+02:00

OK it's not the official Baywatch TV program with David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson but we had such a Fab Day on Saint Augustine florida beach ... 35° / 40° celsius and hopefully no white sharks ... The heat is on !!! As we are moving to Miami South Beach within 2 days ... I am actually working on my 6 packs and on my surfer sun tan.

SAINT AUGUSTINE BEACH ⎜ SALT WATER COWBOYS

2010-08-17T15:59:00.011+02:00

This old fish camp has been proposing for more than 45 years fishes (catch of the day), shrimps, BBQ ribs, alligator tails, frog legs, oysters, crabs and chicken wings. As you want, it can be boiled, fried, grilled or steamed. Surrounded by the marsh (and all its unfriendly wildlife inhabitants ... snakes), I would not put a foot outside this traditional restaurant !!! Just stay inside the wooden house and enjoy a great and original dinner. As they say on their menu, be sure you will recapture the charm of old Florida with local dishes. The price for this Crocodile Dundee experience is around 35 dollars pro person.

SALT WATER COWBOYS
On the Intracoastal

299 Dondanville Road

Saint Augustine Beach

32080 Florida - USA

Tel. + 1 904 471 2332

SAINT AUGUSTINE ⎜ CAP'S ON THE WATER

2010-08-11T05:19:00.003+02:00

AUGUST 2010 Last year I forgot my camera ... so yesterday I made sure to have it with me before driving to Cap's on the Water. It's one of my favorite spot and I really want to share it with you !!! If you were spending some times in Saint Augustine, you must absolutely organize one evening in this awesome address. It is located more precisely in the very chic Vilano Beach. You will get there all ingredients for a romantic and unforgettable florida evening ... the excellent seafood and the breathtaking sunset view. As an appetizer we started with the spicy shrimps and calamari Vilano. For the main course we chose the catch of the day : a sesame seared tuna served with plantains bananas, bean salad and fried spinach. A good idea to accompany this fresh fish is to drink a bottle of Pouilly Fuissé ... then it's heaven !!! Before starting this perfect diner you may also appreciate an aperitif at their oyster bar. A last tip ... they do not take reservation so you should be there around 7.00 pm.

CAP'S ON THE WATER

State Road A1A

4325 Myrtle Street

Saint Augustine

FL 32084 USA

Phone + 1 904 824 8794

AUGUST 2009 The restaurant located between Ponte Vedra and Saint Augustine is not that easy to find. Sitting on the deck next to the water and enjoying a delicious fish and some shrimps. What else ? After your romantic dinner, just take a glass of wine and enjoy the postcard sunset from the pier !!! You can also go there with your boat via the Intercoastal (So chic). Do not forget the american easy rule for the perfect tips ... just double the taxes ! Do you know that Saint Augustine was founded in 1565 and is officially the oldest city and harbor in the United States of America. Many years latter (1963 and 1964), the city became also famous for the struggles, the protests and marches in order to implement the Civil Rights Acts (outlawing segregation in all public places and facilities).

SAINT AUGUSTINE BEACH ⎜ STIR IT UP

2010-08-09T22:09:00.008+02:00

Have you ever heard about this love song composed by Bob Marley in 1967 ? I assume that the lunch bar Stir It Up has been inspired by the Jamaican singer. You will find there healthy lunch cuisine and divine smoothies. All sandwiches, salads and burritos are made with organic ingredients such as mixed greens, beans, fresh ripe avocados and homemade hummus. As you can see on the following picture, I personally love to seat under their porch and to order the $ 6.25 Greenrito Burrito (Hummus, beans, rice, avocado, diced cucumber, greens and salsa) and the $ 3.25 small size Gabe's Escape strawberries smoothy. Just give your order via the blue door and they will call your name within 5 minutes. Stir it up is located at the corner of the A1A Beach Boulevard and the A street ... Just 100 meters from the beach !!! So might be the best spot between two surfing courses ... Have a good one ...

STIR IT UP

A1A Beach Boulevard / 18 A Street

Saint Augustine Beach

FL 32080 - USA

Tel. + 1 904 461 4552

SAINT AUGUSTINE BEACH ⎜ BEACH COMBER

2010-08-09T15:31:00.015+02:00

August 2010 - Nothing changed within one year ... the classical tuna burger, the american blond beers and the 40° C sunny weather. It's a great pit stop during your promenade on the beach. Have a good one ...

August 2009 - The Beach Comber in Saint-Augustine (Florida). After a long and relaxing promenade on the beach, it's always a pleasure to make a stop in this small beach bar and enjoy their tuna hamburger and their shrimps. The service is cold but you will have compensation with the food, the draft beers and the sun ... The bar is nearly impossible to see from the beach (hidden by dunes) ... The first time you should start your research from the street ...

BEACH COMBER

2 A Street

Saint Augustine Beach

FL 32080 - USA

Tel. + 1 904 471 3744

MUNICH ⎜ NYMPHENBURG PALACE

2010-08-07T11:02:00.004+02:00

Nymphenburg Palace

The former bavarian royal family summer residence is situated on the west part of Munich. The italian architect Agostino Barelli started the construction in 1664. Today the baroque palace is opened to public and its one of the most famous sights of Munich (around 300.000 visitors every year). If you have no car, the best is to catch the tramway line n° 17 ... using the public transport the Nymphenburg Palace is only 15 minutes from the city centre. I personally think that the interior visit of the castle is not that impressive nor astonishing so I would recommend to focus mainly on a long promenade in the Nymphenburg park ...

NYMPHENBURG PALACE

NEW YORK ⎜ RESTAURANT REVOLUTION IN NEW YORK CITY

2010-08-02T13:44:00.013+02:00

Choosing a good address to eat in New York City will be much easier in the coming days ! The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene ( why do they use the word Mental ? ) is starting this week a completely revolutionary restaurant graduation system. Approximately 180 city inspectors are conducting examinations over the 24,000 restaurants and food establishments in New York City. Accredited inspectors will check for compliance in food handling, food temperature, personal hygiene, facility and equipment maintenance and vermin control. Each violation of a regulation earns a certain number of points. At the end the Health Department totals the points and the number becomes the official restaurant's inspection score : The lower the score ... the better. Since July 2010, each restaurant in town has to post its letter grading card on its front window or in a place where it can easily be seen by people passing by. I am sure you will be really surprised by some of the scores. Your favorite restaurant or coffee store may get a B or a C ...

The blue A card correspond to 0 to 13 points. The green B card correspond to a less sanitary 13 to 27 points. The orange C card represent 28 points or more. A black and white card will be delivered to restaurants that are waiting for their graduation. In some C grading cases, the Health Department may directly close the restaurant. In fact the examination process is not really a big revolution ... each big city has its own Health Department investigating on the restaurant's hygiene. The fundamental good news is that each restaurant has now the transparency obligation to publish its score !!! The first restaurant inspections conducted between June 1st 2009 and May 31st 2010 gives the following results : 37 percent got the ideal A card, 42 percent got the must improve B card, 16 percent got the terrifying C card and 5 percent had to close.

The graduation results are listed online on the New York City Health Department website. So now you can search for restaurants by name, zip code, neighborhood, inspection scores or cuisine type. They even built a widget to add on your web page ... Of course there are some criteria that will not be taken into account by the Health Department such as the quality of the meals, the creativity of the cook and the atmosphere inside the restaurant. So you will still need to check out some more details in your favorite city guides !!! The grading concept was first developed in Los Angeles ... then it moved to New York City ... I really hope now that more and more cities will follow this good and transparent idea. Posted by FXH for The Fab Day ⎜ Photo by Michael Appleton for the New York Times.

PARIS ⎜ LE FUMOIR

2010-07-22T19:17:00.018+02:00

My journey in Paris is over. I will have to fly back tomorrow morning to Munich. It's so sad, I will definitely have to drown my sorrow in cocktails ... Let's meet some friends in Le Fumoir in order to drink some Mojito, malt whisky and Amarreto Sour. Don't worry, I will do a small break with one or two Club Sandwiches. Owned by the China Club group, this café bar and restaurant is inspired by the 1930s. Set opposite to the Cour Carrée du Louvre and closed to the beautiful church of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, Le Fumoir is one of the busiest and most trendy cafes in Paris. Really difficult to get a seat during the Paris fashion week as PR and journalists converge here for interviews and business meetings. Its large sofas, leather armchairs, cocktails, books and international press make it an ideal and practical meeting place. Cocktails around 10 euros. I also appreciate the sunday brunch ( prices between 21 and 26 euro ). Opened from 11.00 am till 2.00 am.

LE FUMOIR
6, rue de l'Amiral de Coligny
75001 - Paris - France
Tel. + 33 1 42 92 00 24

PARIS ⎜ HIGUMA

2010-07-22T01:41:00.010+02:00

There is one pilgrimage I have to do every time I spend some days in Paris ... and it's a twenty years old tradition ! I have to go in the rue Saint-Anne (the japanese fast food area) in order to sip some Lamen (a special variant of Ramen). I started this really strange habit many years ago after watching the fabulous Nippon comedy Tampopo. Some people said it was the first noodle western. One of my favorite restaurant is Higuma. They serve popular japanese meals such as Gyoza, Lamen, Itamemono and Donburi. Just like in Tokyo, you will have to wait outside in order to get a table. Do not worry they are very fast and the street line always means it's a good address. The first time you better sit behind the counter and observe the cook show. By the way, do not wear your best cashmere outfit ... the atmosphere is really greasy and you will regret it for the rest of your life !!! The popular and very simple canteen is opened daily for lunch from 12.00 pm to 3.00 pm and for diner between 6.00 pm and 10.00 pm. I paid tonight 5 euros for the delicious Gyoza and 8.5 euros for the spicy Kimuchi Lamen.

HIGUMA
32, rue Saint Anne
75001 Paris - France

No reservation
Tel. + 33 1 47 03 38 59
Metro : Pyramides

FIXIE OR NOT FIXIE

2010-07-21T02:02:00.012+02:00

You won't believe me ... but I spent the all night discussing with some good friends about sport. Of course someone started to talk after some bottles of red wine about the Tour de France, then we tried to find out what would be the best bike to ride in Paris. Many years ago I would have answered a mountain bike in order to climb the parisian side-walks and to struggle in this urban jungle. Fortunately time goes by and maturity comes up. So today I would prefer to recommend a fixie bike. Some of you will then ask me ... what is it ? Mister Wikipedia would tell you that it's a fixed gear bicycle without freewheel meaning that pedals are always in motion when the bicycle is moving. You may have seen such bikes on velodromes or in the streets of New York as being led by bicycle messengers. The main advantages of a fixie are the simplicity of maintenance, the easy customization and the control of the back tire in slippery conditions. Personally I would add the minimalist design, the beauty and the lightness of the frame. Today it's the perfect trendy, urban and ecological means of transport that will fit to your Hermès suits. At midnight, we all agreed about this marvelous stylish object ... I only complained that I would prefer to use it in Munich instead of Paris ... Much safer !!! The above picture shows my next investment ... a Bertelli completely assembled by hand bicycle. As a start, I may add a handbrake. By the way, thanks to fixie you can do sport and remain chic. Posted by FXH for the Fab Day ⎜ Photo Credit Internet.

PARIS ⎜ TOYO

2010-07-19T21:01:00.008+02:00

You may know my passion for Japan and its fascinating culinary culture. So let me narrate you a beautiful fairy tale I heard this weekend ... Once upon a time Mr Toyomitsu Nakayama was working in one of the most famous japanese restaurant in the rue Saint-Anne (Paris). It was the canteen of many renowned japanese designer such as Issey Miake and Kenzo. The food was so good and tasty that Kenzo proposed Toyomitsu to become his personal cook. This is of course an offer he did not refuse. After 8 years of savoury exclusive services, Toyomitsu wants to open his own restaurant in Paris. With the benediction and the assistance of Kenzo, he opened few months ago TOYO in the Montparnasse district. I am sure you will love his french cookery made in japan ... You will discover a new way to prepare scallops, sea urchins, turbots, risotto, bulots or pot au feu !!! I may say that you will enter a haute couture japanese restaurant inspired by the french cuisine. Be careful ... everybody in Paris is talking about this gem restaurant ... so do not forget to call them many days before !!! One more tip is to be seating on the stools next to the long bar ... much better for an unforgettable diner. The lunch menus are around 35 and 45 euros. The diner menus are around 55 and 75 euros. They also have an incredible wine cellar ... so pay attention to the Grand Crus temptation !!!!! Opened from tuesday to saturday. Lunch from 12.30 pm to 2.00 pm. I would personally recommend the diner from 7.30 pm to 10.00 pm. By the way, the painting you will see in the entrance is a portrait of Toyomitsu made by Kenzo Takada. Now you absolutely must pick up your phone and reserve two stools for your next parisian journey !!!! Posted by FXH for the Fab Day ⎜ Photo Credit Internet.

TOYO

17, rue Jules Chaplain

75006 Paris - France

Tel. + 33 1 43 54 28 03

PARIS ⎜ HOTEL PARTICULIER MONTMARTRE

2010-07-17T16:34:00.013+02:00

What's going on in the parisian hotel industry ? It looks like a new trend. We are suppose to be in the multimedia and the worldwide communication century ... where every hotel dreams to be on the Wallpaper cover and to be known by every traveller. Paradoxically you will find in Paris more and more addresses that want to stay really discreet and confidential. I mentioned few weeks ago the hotel de Pourtales ... today I had the chance to visit the Hotel Particulier in Montmartre. In a private hidden path you will be impressed by this incredible five luxurious rooms hotel (the house was previously owned by the Hermès familly). The small garden is also splendid. It might be the best idea to order some champagne in this peaceful address far away from the paris agitation ! If you are not sleeping in one of their suite, you must absolutely reserve a table in order to have access to the bar. The bar is opened from thursday night to saturday night. By the way, the starting price for the junior suite is around 390 euros. This autumn the hotel will become an ephemeral private bar in collaboration with the pretty muse Dita Von Teese. It will be the hot and sexy spot to see in october 2010. During one month, each room will be privatized and transformed in 5 different bars with specific cocktails. It will be difficult to get the chic access bracelet !!! If you want to have more details, you should visit in september the Cointreau Privé website ...

Hôtel Particulier Montmartre
Pavillon D - 23 avenue Junot
75018 Paris - France
Tel. + 33 1 53 41 81 40

MUNICH ⎜ STRAND BAR CORNELIUSBRÜCKE

2010-07-09T19:51:00.008+02:00

It's around 7.30 pm and after a long working day without air conditioning you think it would be great to relax on the beach, taking your shoes off and drinking a mojito. This metropolitan dream comes true every summer ... on the Cornelius bridge. Close to the Deutsch Museum, they opened a small and a temporary beach bar with sand, deck-chairs, a beautiful sunset view and some DJ animations. As you can see on the pictures, it looks like a sunny balcony over the Isar river. So you should call your girlfriend and tell her that you will meet at the beach club ... in the city center. She will love this fab idea. In fact I will follow my own suggestion and will organize a romantic evening tomorrow on the Isar balcony. Some more practical information : The Mojito will cost you 6 euros. They are opened daily from 11.00 am to 11.00 pm and this year the momentary Strandbar will close on sunday 22nd August 2010. Do not forget the sunglasses and the sun cream !!!

MUNICH ⎜ EISBACH BAR

2010-07-06T12:26:00.000+02:00

Trekking and shopping on the luxurious Maximilianstrasse, I always unconsciously think about having a lunch break at the restaurant Brenner. But today it is worth changing this old fashioned routine ... Following my intuition, I will walk 100 more meters in order to seat at the Eisbach Bar and Küche. The name of the bar makes an allusion to the surfing spot on the Isar river. It's too bad they do not show any surfer photography. I think it would create a great atmosphere. On a bright afternoon, I should suggest that the best tables are outside on their huge terrace. The basic menu offers nevertheless a delicious and a large choice of soups, salads, omelets, risottos, pastas, sandwiches, fishes, chickens and steaks. I am sure you will find something you like in this modern bistro ! Personally, I chose the tomato ginger soup (5,50 euros) and the salmon filet (16,50 euros). Of course like many local politicians, business men and women organizing meetings, you could also come earlier and enjoy their international breakfast carte. A good way to start your Fab Day ! They are opened daily from 10 am to 1 am.

Eisbach Bar and Küche

Marstallplatz 3

80539 Munich - Germany

Tel. + 49 89 22 80 16 80

MUNICH ⎜ MAXIMILIAN JOSEPH GRAF VON MONTGELAS

2010-06-30T10:40:00.003+02:00

I am sure you have passed by this aluminum sculpture many times, but do you know who is this giant guy ? Let me introduce you to Maximilian Joseph Graf von Montgelas. He was born in Munich in 1759. Coming from a French Savoy noble family the Count von Montgelas was speaking French even better than German. So I have one common point with Max ! As an influential politician and minister he did a great job for the independence and the modernization of Bavaria. He was also a big fan of Napoleon.

The sculpture was made in 2005 by the German artist Karin Sander. You will find Max on the Promenadeplatz, next to the hotel Bayerischer Hof.

MUNICH ⎜ PAVILLON 21

2010-06-29T15:40:00.008+02:00

You can be sure this will be the place to be in Munich in July 2010. A temporary structure is growing on the Marstallplatz and will bring together music, theater, arts, films, fashion, design, clubbing and even yoga. The Mini Opera Space is a cooperation between a car manufacturer ( do you have any idea ? ) and the Bavarian State Opera. The structure was designed by the austrian architect Wolf Prix and has a maximum capacity of 300 seats. Hurry up, the Pavillon 21 will close on sunday 25th July 2010. More details about their program on the website of the Münchner Opernfestspiele.

TUTZING ⎜ WIRTSCHAFT IM NORDBAD

2010-06-27T20:08:00.006+02:00

We get finally a 27° sunny weather ... So why not finding a great place only twenty minutes from Munich in order to do four funky activities at the same time : ➀ Swimming in a blue lake ... ➁ Drinking a bottle of italian white wine ... ➂ Watching the football world cup ... ➃ Supporting the German Mannschaft (this year my favorite player is Mesut Oezil) ... Of course you do not have to be a big football fan to enjoy such a nice beer garden. A cold white Lugana and a jump in the Starnberger See will make your day !!! On the next sunny weekend you will just have to choose between driving your racing car or cruising your Riva boat ... Ok it's not the Nikki Beach but it's a good Bavarian way to practice before moving to Saint Tropez ...

Starnberger See

Wirtschaft im Nordbad

Nordbadstrasse

82327 Tutzing - Germany

MUNICH ⎜ PIZZERIA GRANO

2010-06-27T11:00:00.005+02:00

One of the best pizzeria in town ! For a diner there, you better reserve a table one day before. Inexpensive prices around 8 euros for an excellent crispy and tender pizza. The pizza is even better when you get a seat outside on their small terrace. Next to the new Synagog and the Viktualienmarkt. At the corner of the Sebastiensplatz and the Nieserstrasse.

PIZZERIA GRANO

Sebastiansplatz 3

80331 Munich

Tel. + 498923269939

District Zentrum