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hauntingthechateau · 6 months

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Wednesday November 29th

Orquevaux>Paris

Low of -2 high of 8. Sunny 🥹

Woof.

Stayed up late packing last night after a night of drinking, the sleep was not primo. Woke up in the middle of the night to pee, hard time getting back to sleep. In the morning I finished packing my toiletries and cleared out my bedroom. Had a good cry. Packing always does it for me.

Headed to my studio, it was frosty this morning with a heavy ist and it was absolutely beautiful. A nice way to say goodbye to this magical place. and started packing all my art and supplies. A bit of a scramble. Went up for breakfast and closing remarks. I was pretty stressed about time given that we were leaving at 1:50. Sylva helped me (both physically and emotionally). Went to ship things with Beulah at the gatehouse and ran into some real technological problems that set us back an hour that made me REAL stressed about the time. By the time we were done I only had time to run up the hill, take my gravol and throw a sausage roll in my mouth while hugging people goodbye.

Made it to the train in time (and thank god for that gravol), Dozed most of the way to Paris which helped with the lack of sleep, but did leave me pretty drowsy when I finally arrived. Hugged everyone goodbye and grabbed a cab to my hotel (easier with all the luggage) and AGAIN was thankful for the remaining gravol in my system because WOOF that driver really wasn't sold on the concept of lanes and rush hour traffic was a lot.

Made it to my hotel around 6, checked in and brought my luggage up to my room in the SMALLEST ELEVATOR I HAVE YET ENCOUNTERED. I barely fit in it. my shoulders touch the walls. Its hard to turn around. Its charming AND terrifying.

Room is small, but all I need as a solo traveler. The bathroom is barely separated from the bedroom, but theres a whole balcony that I wasn't expecting which is really nice (I'm writing from there now). Didn't know what to expect from this hotel, I booked it mostly for the location and price, but the reviews were a little mixed and some of the photos were pretty bleak, I was surprised that my room was freshly renovated, but the cleanliness leaves something to be desired and the attention to detail is a little lacking (toilet paper holder? towel rack?). Wishing I had another couple pillows, but c'est la vie.

Felt pretty crappy and tired, but forced myself to go out for dinner and thought 'fuck it' I'll go to that cute restaurant tonight; its at least close to my hotel. Le Petit Chatelette is right next to Shakespeare and company and right across from notre dame in the goddam cutest little house ever. When I arrived there was only a small group, myself and 2 other solo diners. The kind of service where the maitre de pulled out the table for you and tucks you in, then brings over the chalk board with the day's menu on it. I managed to not speak a lick of english in the restaurant and the waiter (who I think might have been the owner?) thanked me for my efforts. I got a braised rabbit thigh with mashed potatoes (and a baguette obviously), the house red (which was nice for 4 euro) sparkling water and for dessert the dessert du jour which was a tiramisu. There was meet cooking in the open hearth behind me. It sounded and smelled incredible and the food was great. The rabbit especially fell right off the bone.

I did such a good job being a good good french girl, I took myself for a walk through the latin quarter and then to Castor Club for a drink. Really small place, unmarked outside, inside just the bar with wood paneling, cute lamp shades and old country music and french rockabilly and swing. Great atmosphere. My first drink was a fun mezcal drink that was SO BITTER. I think the bitters plus the DOUBLE lime peel really did it. For my second drink I got to chatting with the bar tenders about drinks and spririts and whats good in Paris and France and what I should bring home. I had a genepi and calvados cocktail for my second drink (with a house shrub, fee brothers bitters and egg white). and the bartenders helped me narrow down where to drink tomorrow and where to buy myself some genepi (and maybe some chardonnay barrel aged calvados??). A really great night. Wove around through the Latin Quarter for a while after that and made my way organically back to the hotel. Another really exceptional location for this one; this is how Paris should be experienced.

#france #travel #paris #chateau d'orquevaux #artists residency #orquevaux #cocktails

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philmytummy · 6 years

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This summer Maison 208, opened as Philadelphia’s first open-air restaurant complete with a retractable roof ideal for enjoying the warm weather. Chef Sylva Senat from Season 14 of Top Chef debuted his New American menu with French undertones. Besides being known for its food, the design aesthetic at Maison 208 is truly beautiful and unique. The modern age interior décor has mostly gray and white overtones with beautiful feminine accent touches of gold, velvet, and even birdcages suspended from the ceiling on the first floor. The first floor features a welcoming exposed kitchen, full-service bar and outdoor seating available seasonally.

The second floor, called “The Social” at Maison 208, offers two full bars, tableside cocktails and a bar bites menu. The Social is designed to emanate a “living room” style vibe accented by plush furniture and a sophisticated yet approachable design. The retractable roof allows guests an upclose and personal view of a mural, titled “Sanctuary”, curated by artist James Burns of the Mural Arts Philadelphia Program. The hand-painted, original artwork incorporates natural elements and imagery like the Enso circle to raise awareness of mental and emotional health in the community. The mural begins outside of the building, above the roofline of the restaurant, and continues down into the venue space, visible from the first and second floors.

“We want people to see Maison 208 as an approachable space to eat, drink and socialize while being surrounded by great company,” said Chef Senat. “The goal is to provide guests with a feeling of comfort and familiarity, as if they were invited to an intimate party among friends in an open-air setting, and I think we’ve achieved this concept.”

In addition to his appearance on Bravo TV’s hit series Top Chef, Chef Senat has made a name for himself through rich culinary experience and establishing a portfolio by working with Stephen Starr’s Buddakan, Chef Andrew D’Amico’s The Sign of the Dove, Aquavit, Jean-Georges at the Trump Hotel Central Park, Narula restaurant group’s Tashan and Koco Restaurant in El San Juan Resort & Casino.

The signature dish at Maison 208 is the Island Taro Lollipops, sitting in a truffle foam sprinkled with gold rice pearls , these pops are crafted into balls of potato, Haitian pate curry, and filled with kobe beef. For something a bit lighter we love the salty bite of the Brined Baby Beets. This salad has a bed mesclun greens with laura chenel goat cheese and a honey citrus vinaigrette. When you’re enjoying some drinks and looking to dine on something light we also recommend the Pan-Seared Diver Scallop fennel dusted with Haitian mango, IPA hush-beignet and spicy prosciutto.

At Maison 208, guests will enjoy a casually sophisticated, inviting social atmosphere that features two floors, three full-service bars, outdoor seating, expansive windows and a retractable glass roof that projects a fresh, open-air feel. The restaurant will feature select entrees, small, shared plates and a bar menu that includes specialty, craft cocktails, beer, wine and spirits.

For our main course we enjoyed the free-range Australian Lamb Chops with beautiful purple Okinawa potatoes and hazelnut almond spice crust. The dish which is served with perhaps the most pomp and circumstance at Maison 208 is the Whole Frenched Dorade. Don’t gasp with shock from seeing this lifeless fishy face staring up at your from your plate because you’ll thoroughly enjoy his deliciousness! This beautiful fish is pan-fried and served in a mushroom broth with petit vegetables.

“We put a lot of time, trial and research into creating a carefully curated cocktail menu and all-natural wine list that not only complements Chef Senat’s dishes but also emphasizes the ‘fresh air’ vibe that guests experience as soon as they walk through our doors at Maison 208,” said Director of Operations, Stephen Yaeger. “Because of the intricate details and flavors of our food and drinks combined with the atmosphere of the space, we’re confident that people will walk away with an unforgettable experience and look forward to making their next reservation.”

From a casual night out for dinner and drinks, to planned private events, to after-work “Social Hours” at Maison 208 is the perfect way to unwind on any occasion. Yaeger is responsible for curating an extensive beverage menu that includes beer, wine and craft, tableside cocktails. Maison 208 is the first restaurant in Philadelphia to offer an all-natural wine list, including a selection of wines imported from the Regions of France.

The cocktail menu features a number of signature craft cocktails with detailed presentations that aim to accentuate the open-air concept behind the restaurant. Featured cocktails include the signature Gin Terrarium which is a “DIY” take on the Fishbowl cocktail which can be shared among two to four guests at the table. The glass bowl is served to guests upside down framing a glass beaker with Tanqueray 10 Gin and q tonic, alongside small terracotta flower pots filled with various fresh herbs and fruit accoutrements. Ordering the R.R. Cigar is also sure to turn heads since this cocktail is served in a cigar box, made with house-smoked vermouth and homemade tobacco bitters.

And these drinks aren’t just restricted to happy hour and dinner. Maison 208 is now serving brunch every Saturday and Sunday featuring endless mimosas for only $25. Some of their new dishes include the Truffle Crab Mac & Three Cheese, Crème Brulee French Toast and Chef Senat’s signature (Top Chef, Season 14, Episode 10) Salmon Frittata. So what are you waiting for? Reservations for Maison 208 are easily accessible via Open Table.

Maison 208 This summer Maison 208, opened as Philadelphia’s first open-air restaurant complete with a retractable roof ideal for enjoying the warm weather.

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