Pavillon des Lettres for Lovers of Literature

With 2 books and lots of articles under my belt, I love discovering Paris literary connections. The new literary-themed boutique hotel, Pavillon des Lettres, (a cousin of the Pavillon de la Reine, which I adore) allows you to immerse yourself in the work of a favorite international author.

Twenty-six rooms are named for as many writers, from Hans Christian Anderson to Baudelaire, Shakespeare, Tolstoy and Zola. Decor is modern, with ties to the room’s author, such as wall paper bearing text.

Want to commune with more than one scribe? Read a contemporary novel on your room’s iPad, or cozy up to the library fireplace with a book from the hotel collection.

The bar is the place to discuss story arcs with a friend; or mine the city for character ideas as you stroll the nearby Champs-Elysées.

Mind you, ideas don’t come cheap: doubles from about $375.

Where do you enjoy literary connections in Paris?

Amorino for Gelato in Summer, Hot Chocolate in Winter

The ice cream at Bertillon, near Pont St Louis, retains its reputation as the best in the city – and shops have sprung up in several spots on the islands. But a relative newcomer, Amorino, is giving it a run for its money.

Instead of scoops, Amorino doles out delicious gelato shaped into a rose. Of the 16 flavors, which include hazelnut (with whole hazelnuts), coffee (with chocolate covered coffee beans), marron glacé, and pistachio, choose 2, and your server will create the center of the rose from one, the petals from the other.

Too cold for gelato? They also have delicious hot chocolate.

Want compare flavors at Bertillon and Amorino?  Stroll along rue St Louis en Ile, 4th, where you’ll find them both. (Cash only.)

Which do you prefer?

L’Autruche 2 for Luggage

One of my goals for 2012 is to pack lighter, and I’m already a minimalist – so I’m looking to my luggage to help me out. I found a great selection of bags at L’Autruche 2, just behind the Luxembourg Gardens.

They carry several lines, including Samsonite, Marina Duck, and my favorite, French-manufactured Lipeault. Sizes range from weekender to carry-on to trunk size, with stylish duffles, lots of bright colors, padded handles, and smooth rolling wheels.

The saleswoman was eager to help, and knowledgeable. I was considering a hard-sided bag, for instance, and she recommended against it, citing expensive repairs. New fabrics were just as durable, she assured me – and lighter, too.

I changed my focus from a sleek, hard purple case to a soft bag made from orange nylon twill. I liked the fabric’s smart sheen – and the retractable handle made from aircraft-grade steel.

The name of the line is “plume” as in “light as a feather.” Prices, even in euros, seemed reasonable.

What’s not to like?

“Lipeault are nice,” she said. “But my most popular are Samsonite.”

Hmmm… I guess I have more research to do.

What’s your favorite piece of luggage?

76, rue de Seine, 6th, M: Odéon

Les Pipos Bar à Vin in the 5th

Family-friendly, well priced, with a great wine selection, fresh shellfish and French comfort food, Les Pipos is one of those cozy, neighborhood gathering places that you’re happy you stumbled upon.

I first arrived mid-afternoon, hungry at a time of day when it’s not always easy to find lunch. But they serve nonstop, and midday diners were still lingering at square wooden tables, finishing plates of boeuf bourgignon and devouring platters of perfectly ripe soft cheeses.

My meal was simple: soup of the day, charcuterie platter, glass of wine. The last was chosen by my smiling server, and all three were excellent. Beside me, a family of 4 finished a bowl of aligot (potatoes whipped with Cantal cheese, a specialty of the Auvergne region), wiped their plates clean with slices of baguette, and said they were too full for dessert.

The atmosphere can be hectic in the evening, when things are in full swing: regulars crowd the carved wooden bar and tuck into Brittany oysters and wine; every table is full; servers slip in and out of the kitchen carrying trays overhead; and the low ceiling traps the considerable number of voices.

But dine early, or stop for a glass of wine mid-afternoon.  You’ll want to linger over classic dishes and the excellent wine list in a congenial setting.

They do not take credit cards.

Fabrice Bijoux on rue Bonaparte

Of the two Fabrice boutiques on rue Bonaparte, I knew the larger one, had stopped in often and admired their gorgeous clothing. But the jewelry shop, a multi-layered, multi-colored sliver of a shop a bit nearer the Seine was a recent – and welcome – discovery.

Multi-layered because bracelets, necklaces and pins are displayed at every level from table to ceiling. Glittering woven bracelets cozy up to vintage-looking resin bands and metallic beads on stacked hangers made from wood and steel. And don’t think you’ll get away with just one bracelet! They are meant to be worn together in groups of 3, 5 or 7.

Necklaces hang in multiple strands; many are collars, made from an exquisite layering of contrasting pearls that range in size from beads to small balls (and are surprisingly light).

Some necklaces incorporate pins, but the selection of stand-alone brooches is dizzying. They are attached everywhere you look – bright resin flowers on pillows, sophisticated, bejeweled metal sculptures on black velvet.

Plan to spend time here – trying pieces is encouraged, and the owner puts pieces together in original and stunning combinations.

Le Buisson Ardent, Bistrot Gastronomique

Last month, wandering around my apartment in the 5th, I stumbled upon Le Buisson Ardent – a restaurant that a member of my Food Lovers group wanted to try, but didn’t get to. With Jim in mind, I made a reservation for lunch.

The “Burning Bush” takes its name from antiquity, but is delightfully modern in its cooking. My starter (from the 3 course, 24 euro menu) was tarte à la Provençale, with 3 sauces – carrot, red pepper, what I think was parsley.  I had the feeling that the veggies in the tarte had been cooked separately, there was such depth of flavor.

Next was fondue de poireaux aux émiettes de lieu – small pieces of pollock (also translated as scaithe) in a rich sauce of cream and leeks and dusted with paprika. Pure comfort food.

When the man next to me ordered biscuit à la pistache for dessert, I followed suit. Normally, biscuit means cookie – but what arrived was a moist, rich gâteau with a pistachio center, topped with chantilly and drizzled with a sauce of passion fruit.

If the food was worth writing home about (and I did), that was just the beginning. Service was attentive and genuinely friendly. The front room is lovely, with rural frescoes painted in 1925, and Art Nouveau chandeliers, with gleaming wooden tables that are comfortably close together, and simply but beautifully set.

A welcome surprise, and an excellent value (the midday and evening formules, 24 and 35 respectively, include wine and coffee). Thanks so much for the recommendation, Jim!

25, rue Jussieu, 5th, Métro: Jussieu, 01 43 54 93 02. Closed Sun dinner

Fra Angelico et les Maîtres de la Lumière at Musée Jaquemart André

It really doesn’t get much better than Renaissance art, and Fra Angelico et les Maiîtres de la Lumière, at Musée Jaquemart André, is a wonderful reminder of this.

The expo traces the career of the 15th century Dominican monk and painter, Fra Angelico, from his first illuminated manuscripts, to his highly narrative paintings and alterpieces, and, at the height of his career, his splendid frescoes.

The colors are amazing, with gilded halos, backgrounds of gold leaf, lots of vermillion, and lapis lazuli. As time passes, we see increased use of perspective and realism.

The show also recognizes Italian painters who influenced Fra Angelico, and features superb examples of his assistants, who developed their own styles. The results aren’t just stunning in terms of craftsmanship, but surprisingly modern.

My favorite work is a painting owned by the museum – Saint Georges terrassant le dragon, by Paolo Uccello. It could be in a modern video game.

Until Jan 16.

Le Tabarin

From the outside, Le Tabarin seems unremarkable, one more awning-fronted café near the Bastille. But look in the window, and you’ll see soft light coming from table lamps, red banquettes lined with mirrors, and jazz posters plastering the ceiling.

A slate easel near a window lists daily specials, and a smaller ardoise catalogues the wines. Gathered at square tables on weekdays are young people who work in the neighborhood; Sunday brunch attracts shoppers from the Marché Richard Lenoire.

Salads are a good bet here. Salades composées – main course salads – are rich in charcuterie, fruit, cheese. My favorite, though, was a starter: émincé de boeuf cru avec gingembre et citron vert. The beef was in fact not raw, but seared and sliced super thin, atop endives. Light and refreshing, it made me eager for the next course.

Confit de canard was just as I was hoping for: a dark, rich thigh that came with crisp fries and a pile of greens. I don’t remember the name of the wine, except that it had a nice smoky flavor that complemented the duck beautifully. (As usual, I asked the staff to choose.)

The crême brulée was crisp on top, creamy and warm inside, and a delightful way to end the meal – which cost less than 20 euros!

Jacques Génin Chocolate

There is chocolate – and then there is Chocolate, with nuanced flavors, delicate exteriors, and mouthwatering presentation. Jacques Génin, off the beaten path in the Haut Marais, makes Chocolate.

The shop, with vaulted ceilings, stone walls, and long, low, glass display cases, reminds me of a jewelry store. The cases contain meticulously crafted, gleaming ganaches. Flavors are refined and subtle, with sweet and savory equally accounted for: Chinese teas, Tonka beans, raspberry, cinammon, Espelette pepper, violet, basil, ginger, vanilla from Tahiti. Tucked into slim, silver metal cases, they make elegant gifts.

In the spacious boutique, tones are hushed, even when the place is packed on Sunday afternoon, and a line forms for a table in the café. Exquisitely flavored ganache is not your only choice here – add the address to your list of places that serve a wonderful chocolat chaud.

Cézanne et Paris at Musée du Luxembourg

There are so many block-buster (read overcrowded) art expos in Paris that it’s a treat to see a small show in a small museum. Organized in collaboration with the Petit Palais, and drawing on private collections from around the world, Cézanne et Paris at Musée du Luxembourg is a gem.

Eighty major works are organized thematically, to give an idea of Cezanne’s life in Paris. Dimly lit rooms are dedicated to his friends (among them Zola), compact urban scenes, still lives, and the countryside around Paris, where his new language for rendering landscape began to take shape.

One painting, Les Toits de Paris, has never been shown in public before; another, La Pendule noire, was only shown once, in 1939. The Musée du Luxembourg has its own interesting history. As you climb the steps to the museum, take a minute to look at the superbe bronze doors at the entrance.

Until Feb 26.