Chaos in Paris

[Magnus]

Yep, minced pig's tripe. It's a "cheap" version of andouille which I believe consists of concentric tubes of pig's innards. French cuisine; dontcha just love it?

[BenThere]

You can always touch a nerve if you mention you like McDonalds once in a while. In the instance I mentioned above, it was around 8 AM local and I had worked overnight. I was tired and hungry and didn't feel like wasting time sitting in a restaurant. The layover was about 30 hours and our plan was to take a nap so as to be ready for a grand night out in Paris. My wife slept all night in her first class, lie flat pod, well-fed and rested.

McDonalds fit the bill because you know what you're going to get and it's roughly the same anywhere in the world. It's comfort food, not gourmet; I know that. I like the sausage egg McMuffin, an orange juice, and a cup of coffee in situations like I was in. As it turned out, I think I ended up having a nice patisserie item, a warm quiche, juice and coffee at the hotel restaurant off the lobby, then had my nap while the wife went shopping. Win-win. But I would have been happy with a McDonalds breakfast under the circumstances, and the tab would have been 5 euros as opposed to the 15 or so euros at the hotel, and faster. Pilots are notorious cheapskates.

Later, though, we ate at L'Astrance in the 16th Arr., close to the river, a consistent Michelin 3 star recommended to me by another crew member for a special occasion. I had reserved the table as soon as I bid my schedule the month before, and even that far in advance I could only get an early evening seating, which worked out because we spent 3 hours at the table as the courses kept coming and the wine pairings were exquisite. It was one of the best dining experiences I've ever had, and my wife was over the moon with the restaurant and this being her first and only time in Paris. The only downside was the 700 euro or so tab. I cried a little bit, knowing my fat paycheck was on the verge of disappearing, but looking back, it was well worth it. The wife still talks about it.

It was an evening you can only have in Paris. We walked most of the way home, over the Seine bridge, past the Eiffel Tower, through the Champs to Place de la Concorde, stopping here and there on the way, trying to take it all in. It was a nice finish to a long career, and I remember my mixed emotions. I was looking forward to not having a schedule, but I was also thinking, "God, I'm going to miss this life". So far, two years later, I'm enjoying doing only what I choose to do - a little volunteer work at the Detroit airport military lounge, putzing in the garden, taking little trips to Mexico and our big annual month in Australia. It's all good.

[OFSO]

Magnus, Mrs OFSO goes there every time I have a meeting. She has not visited the restaurant you mention but in a nearby fish restaurant suffered from toxic shock (no, she had not ordered it) and discovered why there was a pharmacy next door which had an instant injectable cure. And she wonders why I will never try a new "this looks good" restaurant ! Rat story coming on...

[OFSO]

- When you are having a meal in a Parisian restaurant
- And from your seat you can see the permanently- open door of their kitchen
- And just as you are settling the bill, a large rat emerges from that door
- And promptly vomits copiously in the gutter....
You have reached the height of the Dining in Paris experience. BTW, the snails were tinned (!) and the deserts came in cute little packets with tear-off foil lids, the price of the supermarket from which they had been purchased on the underside bearing no resemblance to the price the restaurant charged other than in multiples of ten of the (expired) sell-by date.

[Capetonian]

In the old days when you went to restaurants in France the shithouse was at the back of the dining area, with no second door, so the sights, smells, and sounds of the events in there wafted into the dining area to mingle with the smell of garlic, BO, cheap perfume and moules frites. It is worth adding that mostly they weren't what we know as toilets, but the so-called 'Turkish' toilets, oddly since the Turks are fare more civilised than the Frogs.

[BenThere]

I'm sure all these posts about the nastiness of Parisian restaurants are based on experience. But I think the restaurant I posted about, L'Astrance, is well-above that standard. It's the only Michelin 3 star I've ever enjoyed ( I also had dinner at Beaumaniere at Les Baux de Provence when it was a 2 star), and I think it was overall the best meal I ever had. Every one of the many courses were exceptionally conceived, prepared, and presented. The theme was seafood, integration of Asian flavors, and the French flair for everything else that makes a restaurant great. The thought of rats or filthy WCs never occurred to me. Such an environment could not have produced the excellence I experienced. Also, my wife really liked the small lobster course and asked for seconds, it was provided at no extra charge.

I appreciate the attention France gives to food, and it runs from Plat du Jours at the local mom and pop to the Michelin stars, the lofty standard of the world. In New York City, you have the same range. You can dine in a dump or enjoy a sumptuous meal, prepared and served to the highest standard. Prices tend to correspond, but there is fine dining and memorable evenings to be had, particularly if you're on an open-ended expense account.

Someone recently asked me about Detroit's cuisine. The only thing I could think of was Coney Island hot dogs. There are hundreds of Coney Island joints in the area, and they are nowhere else in America. The menu is half hot dog and half Greek after breakfast. No alcohol. A couple can stuff themselves at any one of them for $15. For breakfast you get 2 eggs cooked to order, 3 pieces of bacon or sausage, hash browns or grits, a cup of coffee with free refills - that'll run you about $5. They are classic diners, and all are packed with patrons and always have been.

[OFSO]

Paris possibly. France, no. During 25 years living just south of the French/Spanish border and having business in France, there was no question of staying in France for lunch as 12:00 approached. Every Spanish/Catalan restaurant is full at lunchtime with French every day of the week; avoiding nasty overpriced restaurants in France that slam the doors shut at 14:00.

[Capetonian]

The more touristy and popular the area is, the higher the prices and the nastier the people are. The converse also applies, you can go up into the hills and the little villages away from the vile overcrowded filthy coastal areas and the people are what France should be. So is the food, and the prices.

[BenThere]

The more touristy and popular the area is, the higher the prices and the nastier the people are

That's a universal phenomena. I've dev - developed a phobia for tourist spots - over-priced, service-poor, gimmick-ridden - who needs that? And they all sell the same souvenirs, made in China, with only the logos and location names varying. Trash!

It's interesting that when people come to see America, and we get visitors from Australia, they tend to want to see Las Vegas, New York, New Orleans, Orlando and the like. These places thrive on tourism. But generally when they come to Michigan, not so much a tourist destination, but spectacular in the Summer, to stay with us a while and really experience the hinterland vibe, we get expressions of how much they enjoy their time here.

[Jetex Jim]

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/ ... complaints

Creative writing

Daily Mail removes 'Powder Keg Paris' report after complaints
Article claimed 300,000 ‘illegal migrants’ were living in crime-ridden suburb of Saint-Denis

The Daily Mail has removed a report from its website that described the French capital as “Powder Keg Paris” following accusations that its reporting contained inaccuracies and misrepresentations about the impact of migration on one suburb.

The piece described a “devastating report” that suggested 300,000 “illegal migrants” were living in the suburb of Saint-Denis, north of Paris, where drug dealing, crime and poverty were rising due to the “quite simple” explanation of “immigration on a mammoth scale”.

The article, by the journalist Andrew Malone, first appeared as a double-page story in the Daily Mail’s Saturday edition on 28 July. But it was removed online following criticism from the French activist Marwan Muhammad, a former director of the Collective Against Islamophobia in France, in a lengthy Twitter thread that raised more than a dozen issues with the piece.

On this twitter thread Marwan Muhammad takes it apart point by point.

https://twitter.com/_MarwanMuhammad/sta ... 3040889856

Hello @MailOnline. I've read your "devastating" article on "illegal migrants in Saint Denis". We too in France have tabloïds who couldn't care less about the truth, but I really have to say: you're in a league of your own. Everything in your paper is wrong. A fact checking:

Mistake 1: from beginning to end, your reporter confuses "Saint Denis" (the city) and "Seine Saint Denis" (the département). There's a small difference between the two: "Seine Saint Denis" includes 40 cities, over 236 km2. A simple look at a map would have saved you the trouble.
...
Now let's look at the population data in Saint Denis. Since 1968, the population has only increased 11,5%, reaching 110 733 in 2014, so please explain to us (with all due respect to elementary arithmetics), how could 300 000 of these 110 733 human beings be illegal immigrants ?
...
Mistake 9: There are a dozen mosques in Saint Denis, not 160+. If you have the list of the mosques you've visited, please share. I'm sure Muslims in St Denis would love to enjoy new places of worship, unbeknownst to them so far... And thanks for the discovery (or the creativity).
...
Sadly, it seems Andrew Malone, the "reporter" (@katiba1171) has deleted/suspended his twitter account. It's a shame, I'd have loved to see more of his creative work. I hope the thread has been useful to you guys. And really, thank you @miqdaad for bringing this to my attention. /

You can read the rebuttal in full, if you are inclined to...

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

We did an analysis of UK newspapers whilst at school in 1980, and the Daily Mail was far and away the least accurate, with huge amounts of stuff that could only have been made up.

The most factually accurate was The Sun, but there were only an average of 3 facts per article.

The Guardian's reporting was, and remains, as balanced as a one-legged elephant.

[OFSO]

Your fearless eye-witness OFSO, fresh (ish) from investigating the spread of STDs in Spain, will be in Paris on October 11th and will pop over to Paris St D and investigate further. Wish me luck.

[Capetonian]

The Guardian has the best writing of any UK newspaper. The political bias of the content is a different matter.

The Independent is not bad.

[BenThere]

I agree about the Guardian's quality of writing and editing (it seems they still employ proofreaders before going to press). While the Guardian's slant is not often to my liking, I respect the publication immensely. It has nice US coverage on its website, and 'Comment is Free' is one of the liveliest forums in the world. When I got kicked out of TOP, that's where I went. The problem is there are so many posters that you can't really have a conversation. My other go-to UK site is the Telegraph.

[ian16th]

My other go-to UK site is the Telegraph.

Most of which is now behind a pay wall.

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

'Comment is Free' is short for:
'Comment is Free as long as you agree with us, or we'll ban, block, or otherwise ensure your posts don't show up'

[BenThere]

That could very well be true and I wouldn't be aware since I go there only occasionally these days. To be honest, though, I never had a post deleted there, and I was the American brick in the wall, pleading as best I could against the anti-American bent of the typical Guardian reader. The last time I visited and posted regularly was during the pre-vote Brexit debate and the run-up to President Trump's election. I still take a look roughly once a week, mostly just to keep tabs on what the snowflakes are up to. I haven't posted there in a while, but my handle is the same as here.

As for the Telegraph, I bought into a sale they were having for US internet access almost a year ago. It's on my daily read list and I like it, but I probably won't renew it unless there's another good deal. I used to also like read the Australian, but its internet access fees weren't worth what they were asking, so I only read it during the month I spend in Australia every year. Like the Guardian and Telegraph, I'm happy to buy an Australian, Guardian, or Telegraph in the morning and read it cover to cover. They remain excellent publications, all of them.

[Jetex Jim]

That could very well be true and I wouldn't be aware since I go there only occasionally these days. To be honest, though, I never had a post deleted there, and I was the American brick in the wall, pleading as best I could against the anti-American bent of the typical Guardian reader. The last time I visited and posted regularly was during the pre-vote Brexit debate and the run-up to President Trump's election. I still take a look roughly once a week, mostly just to keep tabs on what the snowflakes are up to. I haven't posted there in a while, but my handle is the same as here.

That's a coincidence. The main reason I come on here (and TOP) is to see what the gammons are thinking without having to deliver clicks to the Daily Mail.

[probes]

McDonalds fit the bill because you know what you're going to get and it's roughly the same anywhere in the world.

Yep, that's an argument if you want just something in your stomach and have no time to figure out menus (in Danish, for example).

Friends of mine from Paris (central regions) say it's totally not what it used to be. Sadly.

[OFSO]

Week before last the :Sunday Times' was sold out and I was reduced buying the 'Mail on Sunday'. There's a whole world out there I never knew existed, and frankly did not want to.