Emily in France 🇫🇷 There's No Air Conditioning in Paris
Summer in Paris is... hot.
While Paris certainly boasts a few things that America lacks (including an excellent array of raw milk cheeses), the city also lacks a few staples that most Americans, including this one, are used to... to varying degrees of agitation.
Clothes dryers.
Portabello mushroom caps.
Corn on the cob.
Easy return policies.
Customer service worth a damn.
24-hour drugstores.
Oh... and air conditioning.
Paris tends not to get quite as hot as New York in the summertime, so the lack of air conditioning doesn't always bother me. Most of our buildings are old and made of stone, and they hold the cool air quite well, even when it's hot outside.
But on very hot days, when it's too much to bear, everyone in the city scrambles for a spot on a breezy outdoor terrace or at one of the city's public pools.
I also have a few air conditioned spots of predilection for moments of weakness: certain Prêt à Manger outposts, WeWork (if I can find a buddy with a pass), the métro line 2, and or movie theaters. I once spent a summer watching Harry Potter films on repeat just to get out of the heat. (... And yes, because Harry Potter is awesome.)
Of course, you could always just get a bottle of rosé, sit on the edge of the Canal Saint Martin, and call it a day, too.
Where I'm Eating
I went to Marso&Co twice in one week, and that's saying something. This braised lamb dish with yogurt and apricots might be my favorite bite in Paris right now – though the rice pudding with pomegranates and pistachios was incredible too.
As always, you can find my list of top Parisian restaurants here.
Where I'm Going
1. This Friday is Fête de la Musique, a yearly, nation-wide, outdoor music festival celebrating the beginning of summer. While there will be bands set up all over the city, I always find myself at the Irish Cultural Center for beer and folk music.
2. I didn't get a chance to check out le Jardin Suspendu last summer, but I'm definitely going to be spending some time there now that the weather is nice.
3. I'm excited to settle into one of my favorite terraces in Paris, Martin, to enjoy the sunshine and some natural wine and yummy small plates.
What I'm Writing
Nothing new this week, but there are some fun things coming down the pipeline featuring bread, pastry, and more. Stay tuned!
What I'm Reading
1. Not exactly reading, but these pictures of mechanics staged like Renaissance paintings are awesome.
2. This illustrated essay in the New Yorker called "How to Draw a Horse" is not at all what you would expect it to be.
3. On a more serious note, this scientific look at why it's so hard to move past our mistakes in the New York Times.
A bientôt !
Emily in France