Paris March (3/1-31)

Such an exciting month! We (finally) visited the Louvre, took a Jazz cruise on the Seine, enjoyed a picnic at the Eiffel tower, had a good friend, Sebastiaan, in from Amsterdam, and discovered the amazing Musee des Arts decoratifs and Musee Nissim Camondo.

Kimberly

For photos, click here.

Paris in March

After months of living in Paris, we finally really got around to sightseeing! This was the month when we finally visited all the museums we had talked about for months and explored the parks an neighborhoods we kept hearing about. The fact that spring was finally starting to come probably had quite a bit to do with it...and that we had yet more visitors!

Musee du Louvre: Neither of us really like the Louvre, but it's one of those things that you just really need to see in Paris. Perhaps it's because it is so large and overwhelming? Certainly because it's just not our style of painting (we much prefer the Impressionism in the Orsay)? And definitely because it is usually so crowded! Should anyone be planning to visit the Louvre, I have two recommendations for you. 1) Choose the day you go wisely: Don't go on Tuesday, as it is closed. But don't go on Monday (when all the other museums in Paris are closed...because everyone has the same idea). We went on a Wednesday, and it was practically empty! 2) Don't try to do the whole museum. Choose a wing, a style of art, or something special you want to see -- and limit it to that. Or, take a walking tour of the museum that focuses on the highlights. We downloaded Rick Steves audio guide off his website (www.ricksteves.com/news/travelnews/0602/audiotour.htm) (you can also get it off iTunes) and found the commentary to be quite good at giving context to the works and bringing the installations to life.

Musee d'Orsay: This is both of our favorite museum in Paris. We love Monet, Manet, Renoir, Van Gogh...so that is a big part of it. But also the building itself is just amazing. They converted the old train station, Gare d'Orsay, into this incredible museum. A monument to the Industrial Revolution, the Orsay is covered by an arching glass roof allowing in floods of light. They even left parts of the station and attached hotel in tact, the heart of the museum is the restored main station (complete with its clock) and you can enjoy coffee, tea, or lunch in the hotel's grand dining room!

Musee des Arts Décoratifs: There will probably be many other sights on your list before you can get here. But if you are interested in furniture or interior design, don't miss this place! It is attached to the Louvre, but with a separate entrance (and far fewer visitors). The audio guide is very engaging and provides a really good overview of the history of French furnishings from medieval times through today. The highlight for us was when we were exploring the "contemporary" furniture section where they had hundreds of different chairs on display from the 50s-70s...we looked over and saw a chair that we swear my family has. (They are the plastic chairs that the Haimsohns lend and borrow from each other for big family dining occassions.) Too funny!

Musee Nissim de Camondo: We had never heard of this museum, and we had lived here for several months...but what a hidden jewel it is! This has become one of my favorite museums in all of Europe, as it does a great job of conveying the life and decor of the 18th century. The museum is was the home of an aristocrat -- rich with needlepoint chairs, tapestries (many from Beauvais or Aubusson), antiques, paintings, bas-reliefs, silver, Chinese vases, crystal chandeliers, Sèvres porcelain, Savonnerie carpets, and even an Houdon bust. The pre-World War I town house was donated to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs by Comte Moïse de Camondo (a Jewish banker) in memory of his son, Nissim, a French aviator killed in combat during World War I. (Highly recommend a picnic or walk around the nearby Parc Monceau before or afterwards!)

I also surprised Dan with a jazz cruise on the seine. Every Wednesday evening, the Melody Blues has a jazz cruise with different live music. You can go for just drinks or also for dinner (which is kind of mediocre). But the experience of listening to live jazz while cruising by floodlit Parisian buildings and monuments was really cool! www.melodyblues.com (Porte de Bercy, 75012 Paris - Tel 01 56 95 03 15)

We also were lucky to have a good friend come visit from Amsterdam. Sebastiaan went to school with me at the Stanford GSB and also works at Bain (the company that I worked for before school...and will go back to once this dream year is over). We had been talking about visiting each other for months -- and this month we made it happen. We went to see him in Amsterdam, and he came to visit us in Paris. So much fun to show visitors around such a great city!

We also just walked around and enjoyed the lovely Parisian spring. Definitely take a look at our photos, as we have some nice shots of everyday Parisian life: children playing in the Champ de Mars on a Sunday, rugby fans standing outside a bar in the 4th watching "Six-Nations," Zookie in a cafe on Ile St. Louis...

And now, my commentary for the month:

I have already referenced one of my favorite books on the American experience in France, Paris to the Moon, by Adam Gopnick. During his time in Paris, he (to his own surprise) ended up not only participating in, but somewhat spearheading an infamous group that created quite a legend of the French passion for food and antipathy towards business people, corporations, and things seen as American.

As a writer, Adam found company in the Brasserie Balzar in the 5th arrondissement when he moved to Paris. He was welcomed into the French club (surprising as he was an American) and joined forces with the other regulars when the Balzar was bought out by a chain of Parisian restaurants, the Flo Group.

The business model of the Flo Group typifies everything "American" about business -- they buy up restaurants, find ways to make them more efficient, cut costs, simplify the menu....and make more money. (but usually taking away the character of the place that made it special to begin with) The tension between the traditional, family owned and run, restaurant and the corporation seeking profit exemplifies the stereotypicial tension in Paris between things seen as French and those seen as American. The French hold onto their traditions and idealize them, while putting down anything seen to represent change, modernization, and (god-forbid) profit/money. This is obviously an over-simplification...and there definitely is something to be said for all the wonderful restaurants that have lost their soul due to the search for profit. But I do feel that it summarizes the tension that the French people feel towards America, Globalization, and Capitalism today.

After the Flo Group announced their takeover plans for the restaurant, a group of regulars, which included author Gopnick, banded together to create Les Amis du Balzar (the friends of Balzar) and literally organized ambushes of the restaurant to force the new prospective owner to meet with them and make concessions about how the Balzar would be run after the purchase. Only in France...really, only in France! I'm really not kidding about this, to read more, here is an article from the International Herald Tribune, titled the "Struggle for the Soul of a Parisian Restaurant" www.iht.com/articles/1998/08/08/balzar.t.php

Gopnick, as member of Les Amis du Balzar finds himself torn at times between empathizing with his colleagues passion to "save the soul" of the brasserie and understanding the mechanisms of the market and realities of business. The guy is a New Yorker... Here are some words from his book, Paris to the Moon, on the topic, especially the French love-hate relationship with America:

"The anti-Americanism that lent a piquant, alarming note to the Balzar wars had been as anti-Americanism most often is in France, not quite real, an abstract idea, a speech act with very few barbs in it. Anti-Americanism in France at the end of the twentieth century is in fact in some ways like anti-Catholicism in England in the nineteenth century. It is a powerful, important, influential, official doctrine, but it is also not entirely real: English people imprecated against the Catholics and the Pope, but that didn’t stop them from loving Venice, traveling to Florence, worshipping Raphael, and filling their houses with Italian pictures. Even the much-publicized fusses about American mass-produced food and French peasants “trashing” McDonald’s are almost pure media events. The French farmers knock down a McDonald’s for the benefit of the French media, which publicize it in Le Monde in order to see what The New York Times will have to say about it the next day. Anti-Americanism has enormous life as an abstract ideological principle and a closed circle of media events of this kind, but outside of a tiny circle on the elite left and, surprisingly, a slightly larger one on the elite right, it has almost no life as a real emotion..."

Now, the good stuff, restauarants!!

Brasserie Balzar
www.brasseriebalzar.com
49 rue des Ecoles - 75005 Paris - 01 43 54 13 67
(If you are looking for an authentic, mediocre, Brasserie meal, this place will hit the spot. But it is just that...mediocre (meaning average, nothing special, not bad, just not great). And it's quite expensive for what you get. But come on, we had to eat here after hearing about the story of Les Amis de Balzar and their fight to save the soul of the restaurant!)

L'Os a Moelle
3 rue Vasco-de-Gama - 75015 Paris - 01 45 57 27 27
(A remarkable place, well worth the trek down to the 15th. Even if we did have trouble along the way as the metro broke down due to a "situation grave" (a serious situation). The six course prix-fixe menu for 38 euros has to be the best deal in all of Paris...especially for such gourmet, beautifully presented, and incredibly delicious food. Highly recommended.)

Le Fumoir
www.lefumoir.com
6 rue de l'Amiral Coligny - 75001 Paris - 01 42 92 00 24
(If you are looking for a trendy restaurant where all the hip, young Parisians go...then look no further. It was quite a difference from the crowd we had joined for dinner the previous night at L'Os a Moelle, but refreshing to be around some folks are own age. :) Seriously this place has quite a reputation for not only cool ambiance and the "in-crowd", but also for some great food. Our experience at brunch definitely confirmed that. Eggs benedict, pancakes, fresh orange juice, coffee, and a bread basket for 22 Euros...I can think of worse ways to spend a Sunday morning/afternoon in Paris!)

La Flore en Ile
42 quai d’Orléans - 75004 Paris - 01 43 29 88 27
(A beautiful, traditional cafe on Ile St. Louis, this is a great place to spend an afternoon sipping coffee and enjoying one of their great cakes or pastries.)

Cafe Laurent
www.cafe-laurent.com
33 rue Dauphine - 75006 Paris - 01 43 29 03 33
(OK, not a restaurant, but a really cool bar/lounge where you can hear live Jazz on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. Inside the Hotel d'Aubusson, a great kind-of pricey, but not too bad for Paris, hotel right around the corner from our apartment in the 6th.)

Provence (3/30-4/2)

Roman ruins, wine tasting, the Papal Palace...and a French bullfight (think more like tag with a bull)! Read below for the fun exploits of our long weekend in Provence!

Daniel

For photos, click here:

Provence

After another fun TGV train ride with Zookie in tow, we found our quaint hotel in the town of Arles. The owners were friendly and happy to offer dining recommendations (it helped that we could speak a little French). Plus, the coffee was fantastic! Hotel du Musee

One of the best parts of being in Arles was wandering the streets and alleyways. Scattered around town are copies of various paintings by Van Gogh while he lived in Arles. It's easy to see how he was inspired by the local cafes and squares. The colors are still vibrant - we found a bright blue door down a narrow street. It was a perfect photo opportunity for Zookie.

An unexpected highlight was the ancient colosseum that sits at the center of town. Amazingly intact for its age, the colosseum is beautiful to walk around and admire the architecture. The best part - they still have bull fights inside. Of course we found a way to catch the Sunday showing. The majority of bull fights are very different from the typical blood and gore killing fest. Rather than a one-on-one showoff, two teams of locals challenge each other. The goal: grab the ribbon (which is tightly wrapped around a bull's horns) and race to safety beyond a wooden barrier without getting trampled by the bull. It was fun to watch and interesting to learn about the history behind the game.

During the action (we watched the teams try to get the ribbon on 4 different bulls), the overhead speakers blasted out Carmen whenever the bull made an extraordinary move or chase. Also, in the background a man's voice rattled off numbers and names, which apparently were wealthy spectators offering bets if one of the players could grab the ribbon at that instant. Essentially, a little motivation for the men on the field to get aggressive. Finally, when time ran out Carmen would come on and the bull would proudly trot through the main gate. A fantastic way to spend the afternoon.

Here are two short videos to give you an idea of how the Course Camarguiase works: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3078201512749035185&hl=en and http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8114115027640534373&hl=en

One day, we took a quick daytrip to Avignon, to see the Papal Palace. This was the residence of the Pope from 1309 to 1403. It originally came to be when Pope Clement V was elected. Italy had been unstable and somewhat dangerous for a while, so the idea that it may be best to leave the Vatican wasn't so crazy....but only a Frenchman would really have the audacity to suggest that the entire head of the Catholic Church be moved to his homeland. As if that weren't enough, when Pope Gregory XI moved back to Rome in 1378, that should have been the end of the Avignon papacy. But after he died, the French decided they were in charge now, and recognized their own Pope instead of the one in Rome. Hence the great Papal Schism: during which there were actually two Pope from 1378 until 1417. Crazy!

On our last day, I finally braved it and we rented a manual car. We had wanted to explore the French countryside, specifically the Cote du Rhone wine region. I needed to finally learn how to drive stick, especially because we were planning a trip to Turkey (where, in some regions, you cannot even find an automatic car). So we decided this was the best time and place for a nice little adventure. All-in-all, it wasn't so bad. I somehow managed to drive the car for two hours before stalling it once -- but after that first stall I had quite a bit of trouble. I think Kim's text message (stating no stalls yet) to our friend was the fatal jinx...Thank god France has so many roundabouts!

Touring the countryside was a wonderful way to really get a feel for the region. The small cities of France are full of character and each their own, but once you get out into the more rural towns, it is a completely different feel. We visited Les Baux, a beautiful city with a castle perched right on top of white cliffs. The view of the surrounding olive groves and vineyards was amazing.

I had been looking forward to wine tasting for months, especially as Cote du Rhone wines are my favorite. We visited several caveaus (local wine store for the town) and some vineyards and wineries. The small town of Gigondas has an excellent caveau, and Zookie could even join us on our tasting quest! We also tasted at Domaine de l'Amandine in Seguret and Didier Charavin's place in Rasteau. The French are much more laid back about their wine tasting than we are in Napa or Sonoma. There is no tasting fee, no fancy tasting room, and far fewer people rushing from winery to winery. And the purchase process is completely different too -- bottles, of course, are much cheaper. But you can also just bring a large jug or container to the winery and they fill fill it up directly from the tap! (I think that has to be illegal in the United States or maybe Two Buck Chuck is working on it)

Our last stop on our countryside adventure was the old Roman aqueduct, the Pont du Gard. It was built as the critical link of a 30 mile canal that supplied nine million gallons of water per day to Nimes -- one of ancient Europe's largest cities. The remaining part of the aqueduct spans a canyon like a massive bridge, and is actually the second-highest standing Roman structure. (Rome's Colosseum is only 2 yards taller.) A feat of engineering, especially when you remember that this was built thousands of years ago.

Restaurants: The food in Provence is amazing. We actually liked the restaurants here better than most of the places we had tried in Paris. It's a different style of cooking, based on olive oil (not butter, which is the style in Paris) and very fresh ingredients and herbs. Oh, and your value for money goes much farther here. (Think 25-50% less than Paris prices.)

L'Entrevue
(Place Nina Berbenova - 13200 Arles Tel: +33 (0)4 90 93 37 28)
www.restaurant-lentrevue.com
Kimberly had eaten here six years ago when she came to Europe with her best friend after college. She had been raving about this Moroccan restaurant for years: as it was the first place she tried pastilla. It is a pie which combines sweet and salty flavours. Made with a crust that is similar to the Greek phyllo pastry, it is stuffed with pigeon (sometimes chicken), almonds, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. It was pretty amazing (as was my couscous).

Lou Caleu
(27 Rue Porte de Laure 13200 Arles Tel: 33+ (0)4 90 49 71 77)
www.restaurant-lou-caleu.com
If you are looking for a traditional Provence meal, look no further. This is probably the best place to try Gigotin de lapereau roti aux jus d'herbes et son ail confit (leg of young rabbit roasted in an aux jus herbs sauce with a garlic confit) or longe de cochonnet de lait laqué au miel d'oranges douces (loin of young milk-fed pig laquered in orange-flower honey). In provence, the meat will taste more flavorful and flowery even with the same cooking preparation as other parts of France -- because the animals are fed a diet of flowers and herbs to give them a different flavor from within. We enjoyed a great lunch here. But take note, the menus are in French only...and our waiter didn't speak enough English. (So we ended up serving as translators for the many Americans in the restaurant!)

La Cigaliere
(53, Rue Condorcet 13200 Arles Tel: +33 (0)4 90 96 56 20)
www.restaurant-la-cigaliere.com
This place is just exceptional. Again, wonderful fresh food in the Provenve cooking style. Come hungry!

La Paillote
(28, Rue Doct Fanton 13200 Arles Tel: +33 (0)4 90 96 33 15)
We enjoyed a great Provence meal here as well. It was surprisingly empty, which meant we got the chef's attention all to ourselves. I think it was relatively new, so that may have explained why it was so quiet. The prix-fixe meals were a really good value.

Amsterdam (3/24-27)

We spent a long weekend in Amsterdam visiting a good friend Sebastiaan, from both Stanford and Bain. It was a real treat to have a local show us around this beautiful city and surrounding countryside. Yes, canals, windmills, and pancakes it was! (Though we did also visit the Red Light District one afternoon.)

Kimberly

For photos, click here.

Amsterdam

We had been planning to visit Amsterdam for months. Dan had never been to the city, and I hadn’t been there since my first trip to Europe with my grandparents when I was 12. But the real treat was that we were visiting our good friend Sebastiaan, who I became very good friends with at Stanford and is also a Bain & Company consultant (for the Amsterdam office).

Sebastiaan lives in an adorable apartment just north of the Vondelpark in a quiet part of the city that is still full of character. In some ways the area reminded us of Lincoln Park in Chicago, probably because so many of the houses were brick. But a striking difference is that all the houses here have different gables on top. Needless to say, the entire city was rather picturesque.

Our first afternoon, Sebastiaan took us on a walking tour of the city and its various neighborhoods. Yes, we did venture into the Red-Light District…and yes, it was quite odd to see prostitutes standing in their windows advertising their services in the middle of the day. We had an amusing discussion wondering how exactly the process works…do you just negotiate? Is there a price-list?

The Netherlands has a tradition of “looking the other way.” They are an incredibly tolerant country, as long as they don’t see “it.” This tolerance applied not only to drugs, prostitutes, and Jews (during the 16th-19th centuries)—but also to Roman Catholics after the Reformation. Catholics were officially allowed to stay in the country, but they couldn’t practice openly or have cathedrals. Thus, the “Secret Church in the Attic,” which Sebastiaan took us to. This amazing little church is actually hidden on the upper floors of a canal house. It must have been an architectural feat to create such a large open space in such a small, old building.

On Sunday, Sebastiaan took us to the countryside south of Amsterdam to see a bit more of the country. We visited the Haarzuilens castle, which is the largest remaining castle in the country. The grounds are enormous too…and Zookie truly enjoyed himself wandering around them. And an added treat…Sebastiaan graciously taught Dan how to drive a stick-shift on his car in the parking lot of the Castle. I know it’s really silly that neither of us know how to drive a manual car, but we really have never had a chance to learn. Sebastiaan was a great teacher—so now, hopefully, we won’t have to pay extra to rent automatic cars anymore!
After our adventure at the castle (and in the parking lot), Sebastiaan took us to a favorite place from his childhood for Dutch pancakes! I can’t quite explain how they are different from American pancakes, but imagine something in between a pancake in the U.S. and a crepe in France. And then there are fillings that are baked into the batter. We had bacon, cheese, and apple pancakes… yummy! If you are in the Netherlands, you must try them!

On Monday, Sebastiaan had to work, but he sent us off with plenty of things to explore. We first visited the Van Gogh Museum, with its impressive collection of paintings by this amazing artist. I had completely forgotten that he was completely self-taught and painted for only ten years before he committed suicide at the age of 37. After an incredibly tasty lunch at Buffet van Odette & Yvette (see below), we set off for the Anne Frank House. Dan and I were both incredibly moved by physically being in this space where Anne wrote her famous diary. I hadn’t realized how influential her book was, that it inspired people like Nelson Mandella during his prison time on Robben Island, and that it had been translated into more than 50 languages.

We spent the rest of our time walking along the canals, admiring the quaint houses, and eating very well. We found the food in Amsterdam to be incredibly good…and cheap compared to Paris! (Really, I think Paris is about 25% more expensive for eating, and the food is often of significantly lower quality.) Any visitor here should definitely go to a bar for a drink and some Dutch snacks. Our favorites were Bitter Balls (kind of like a Spanish croquette…deep fried mashed potatoes and bits of meat and gravy), Cheese Sticks (again deep fried, but Gouda), and Applecake. Sebastiaan also made sure we had a traditional Dutch breakfast one morning, which consisted of slices of bread with either his favorite cheese (Zaanlander Extra Belegen—similar to a Gouda, but tastier!)

RESTAURANTS:

Villa Zeezicht (Torensteeg 3) –Great applecake! Also very good sandwiches.

Buffet van Odette & Yvette (Herengracht 309)—amazing sandwiches! Goatcheese, honey, and thyme…

Harkema (Nes 67 - 020 428 2222) –amazingly large restaurant that is a very stylish converted warehouse. Very trendy place for dinner.

Paso Doble (Westerstraat 86 - 020-4212670) http://www.dobson-uzcudun.com/tapas/pasodoble-en.htm Really good authentic Spanish Tapas.

De Bakkerswinkel (Warmoesstraat 69, Roelof Hartstraat 68, & Regulateurshuis 1, bij entree ophaalbrug Polonceaukade 1) http://www.debakkerswinkel.nl/ Amazing sandwiches and really tasty afternoon tea! come between 2-4pm, and then you can order off both the lunch and tea menus!

Brix (wolvenstraat 16 - 020 639 0351) – bar with great “tapas” style food (meaning small plates)...trendy scene with very global cuisine Live music many evenings

Viaamse Friethuis (Voetboogstraat33) – Famous for the best French fries in town (served with mayonnaise…or another sauce of your choice.)

Zermatt (2/24-3/3)

After skiing in very organized, purpose-built, Courchevel, we were eager to compare the picturesque and historic Zermatt in Switzerland. Again, it was great to take a European Ski vacation...centered around food and relaxation, rather than daredevil skiing!

Kimberly

For photos, click here.

Zermatt

In many ways Zermatt is the antithesis of Courchevel...certainly anything but a purpose-built resort....which means it's much cuter, but also horribly inconvenient...and the planning that went into the design of the mountain lifts and ski runs...well, there apparently wasn't any planning. To get to the top of the Sunnega mountain, we had to walk for 10 minutes in our skiboots to get to the bottom of the funicular...where we had to walk the length of a football field through a tunnel into the mountain...after the funicular ride, we had to climb a bunch of stairs to get out and then actually had to take an elevator to get to the gondola...yes, it really is that crazy. And the mountain isn't organized in any meaningful way...there are intermediate runs mixed in with blacks, sometimes an easy run leads you to a place where your only option is an intermediate one...

One afternoon, we decided to be adventurous and try a "yellow" run on our way home...yellow means that it's a designated off-piste run...which used to be either intermediate or advanced and is now just marked and not maintained....so we thought it would be OK, but it was the worst thing I have ever seen. We got to this one point where I thought it was a cliff we were supposed to ski around, but no...it was the piste where we were supposed to ski down...all covered in moguls. Then there was another part where I tried to go the "easy" way...only to discover that it led me to a 10 foot rock faced cliff. So I took off my skis and tried to walk/slide back up the mountain and to the side...but I ended up falling off the side of the cliff...probably only a 3-4 foot fall, but enough to scare Dan quite a bit. I was totally fine, just screamed because the freefall was a little scary, but thought it was funny more than anything else...

Oh, and the flat spots! It seems almost every run ends with at least one kilometer of pushing along the flats! We have decided that Zermatt created the phenomenon of "uphill skiing"...I'm not joking. You will ski down a run and then all of a sudden you get to a really flat part...and then at the end it actually goes uphill! And this happens on almost all the runs, even the black ones! (we found only one intermediate that isn't like this.) So apparently your choices are to push your way up the mountain or fall down it....

While the skiing was honestly less than ideal, the mountain is beautiful and the town wonderful. The ambiance is superb and the resort maintains much historic character...and the food is amazing! We rented an apartment, so we have been cooking dinners, but even those have been super tasty! (One night, Dan made roasted potatoes with Raclette cheese to go with our rotisserie chicken!) And just like Courchevel, we are dining like kings at lunch on the mountain!!! Our first day, I had what might have been the best truffle ravioli ever at Findlerhof (027 - 967 25 88 www.findlerhof.ch), on the Sunnega mountain. Another day, we enjoyed a truly gourmet meal at Zum See (027 / 967 20 45 www.zumsee.ch). And yet another day, we finally skied across the border to Italy and enjoyed polenta and gnocchi at Restaurant Bontadini. And the other days we have enjoyed treats like Matterhorn shaped pizzas, rosti, and other funny swiss dishes involving lots of melted cheese. As with Courchevel, you need to reserve a lunch table in advance...preferably a day or two in advance, especially at the more popular places.

Unfortunately, the weather wasn't perfectly for us. We were quite lucky to get so much fresh snow during our stay (they hadn't had hardly any the entire month beforehand). But with the fresh snow everyday, came clouds and limited visibility. We lucked out on two days though, when it was sunny and beautiful so we finally got to see the Matterhorn. We lucked out, and one day the links to the Italian side were open, so we skiied down to Cervina (It's an 11 kilometer run!) and had some great pasta and polenta for lunch.

Our last two days, we decided we were too tired to ski anymore (and most of the high elevation lifts were closed due to 88 km/hour winds), so we took Zookie on some Alpine adventures. On Thursday, he rode the train with us up to the Gornergrat, where we went sledding...yeah, dogs and sledding, not such a good match. I don't think he liked it very much. We took the gondola down the other side of the mountain, where we enjoyed some marmot and venison for lunch, followed by the most hilarious apres-ski ever...imagine a hundred quirky europeans in a mountain-side bar, all singing along and dancing to 70s, 80s, & 90s music (like Getting Jiggy With It and YMCA)...and imagine me, Dan, and Zookie in the middle of this...when one of them decides to tease Zookie with an entire bratwurst...yes, our entire side of the bar was watching Zookie as Zookie watched the bratwurst eagerly and sat all prettily and patiently for it...when he asked if he could give Zookie some, we had to say yes, "yes, but just a little bit." (This was Zookie's second bratwurst treat on this trip, and he had already gotten popcorn on a previous apres-ski excursion...or apres-sleep as we like to call it for him!)

Our last day, there was no bratwurst for Zookie, but he was thrilled with the incredible three hour hike we took in the snowy mountains this morning. We hiked to a fabulous mountain hut restaurant (come on, you're not surprised, you know I only hike to gourmet food!), where we indulged on pasta and chocolate mouse, and the owners brought Zookie out his very own water (in a doggie waterdish!)

And then, sadly, it was time to go home. So, two trains, one bus, and nine hours later, we finally arrived in Paris...but with a fabulous souvenir. A French family was sitting next to us on the train to Paris....and their children decided to draw impromptu portraits of both of us...it was way too hilarious when the little boy excited handed Dan his portrait and said "Voila!"...the best part was that he accurately depicted Dan's sad, but continued, attempt to grow a beard!

As with Courchevel, skiing in Zermatt requires a bit more planning than going to your typical US Ski resort. We highly recommend buying one of the very useful resort guides to help you find good restaurants on the mountain, plan your ski route for the day, hire an off-piste guide, and just learn the ins & outs of the place. Our top choice is the Mad Dog Ski Guide, though Zermatt has not been published yet, you can get all the content online. www.maddogski.com/resorts/switzerland/zermatt Another good resource is the Snowmole Guide to Zermatt.

ON MOUNTAIN DINING:

Findlerhof
+41 (0)27 967 2588
A superb restaurant in every way, Findlerhof is situated in the beautiful hamlet of Findeln amongst the barns (stadels), with fantasitc views towards the Matterhorn. As well as many rooms inside and several layers of terracing outside, there is also a conservatory for colder weather. The food is exemplary and Franz and Heidi themselves make sure your meal is nothing but perfect. Truffle Ravioli!!

Zum See
+41 (0)27 967 2045
Set amongst ancient barns (stadels), Zum see is one of Zermatt's most famous and favourite restaurants. A must-visit for any foodie; the cuisine, décor and situation won't fail to impress even the hardest critic. Dishes include lamb fillet, homemade pasta and their infamous Napolean (an amazing pastry and cream dessert).

Marmottes
+41 (0)27 967 8282
Lots of game and innovative preparations. This new restaurant feels fresh, especially compare to the other "alpine decor" options.

Chami-Hitta
+41 (0)27 967 1096
Lovely warm atmosphere with friendly staff and excellent traditional dishes such as Käseschnitte with tomato, onion, egg and ham.

Riffelalp Pavillion Terrace
Matterhorn shaped pizzas and a view of the Matterhorn itself! (No reservations, only outside seating)

Ristorante Bontadini
+39 335 25 03 12
The links to the Italian side (Cervina) were open only one day, so we had the opportunity to eat lunch in Italy only this once. It was tasty, don't think that the Italian food isn't good on the Swiss side...we actually found it even better!) Bring some Euros!

IN TOWN DINING (like I said, we cooked a lot, but here are two recommendations)

Brown Cow
+41 (0)27 967 1931
Hotel Post
(A great place for apres-ski, an afternoon or late night snack of pizza or burgers or bar food. Or even a casual dinner.

Le Mazot
+41 (0)27 966 0606
www.lemazotzermatt.ch
Famous for their lamb dishes: saddle of lamb with rosemary crust (38chf) and other meat dishes like duck breast with orange sauce (37chf), this carnivore-orientated restaurant won't disappoint. Advance booking is key.

APRES-SKI AND NIGHTLIFE

Hennu Stall
www.hennustall.ch
Without a doubt, the most happening apres-ski spot on the mountain. Imagine cheesy 80-90s music, lots of drunk Brits, Germans, and French, and a dog begging for a bratwurst! Great terrace/patio outside with amphitheater seating and dancing to a DJ, live music inside.

Hotel Post
On the main street near the alpine centre, definitely the epi-center of Zermatt nightlife is the hotel post complex. Dance to all the latest hits from international DJs at the Village Dance Club, Open 11pm-3.30am.
Enjoy live music every night of the week, from pop to gospel to rock to jazz in an upmarket sophisticated venue. The Pink Live Music Bar Open 8pm-2am.
Or dance away to a variety of tunes on a wine barrel at the Broken Bar Disco, Open 10pm-3.30am.
When you get the munchies, stop by the Brown Cow for some pizza and burgers -- or come for Apres-Ski and live Six Nations Rugby, Open 9am-2am.
Or for something a bit more upscale and low-key, relax in the cosy lounge bar on the first floor enjoying a cocktail or two at Papa Caesar's Lounge Bar, Open 6pm-2am.

Vernissage
+41 (0)27 967 6636
For a more high-class, trendy experience, check out this combination bar, restaurant, movie theater, art gallery. Very cool place.

Papperla Pub & Schneewittchen Disco
+41 (0)27 967 4040
www.papperlapub.ch
Every time we walked by here, it was completely packed...like uncomfortable and crowded packed. So we never went...but clearly, it is a popular place to go! Especially for in town apres-ski.