You may be asking 'With all the good food in Paris, what is the Ultimate Parisian Lunch? How can there be one ultimate lunch?' Well, it's quite simple really; the Ultimate Parisian Lunch is whatever you want it to be. Allow me to explain: Since spring is here and nearly gone, and summer is knocking on the door it's time for Parisians to flock out side, and try and find a little refuge in a city with little green space. Unlike London which has about 25% green space I feel like Paris has 2.5% green space in the center core. Sure there are 2 big forests on the East and West sides, but that is too far. Parisians don't usually like to go very far, and when they do it's for their famously long vacations, like in August when the city basically shuts down, except for the tourists, but I digress. So, what to do in a densely populated city to find a quiet bit of refuge and enjoy the UPL? The first thing to do is to find the closest market that is open. Most markets are only open a few days a week, so do your research ahead of time. If there isn't one within walking distance you can use the metro or rent one of the city bikes for 1euro per half hour - a fantastic way to get around. The best thing about the UPL is that it is completely up to you, you get to make it up exactly as you see fit, what you feel like eating and what is available at which ever market. We have done this the past 2 weekends and have had a great time. The first weekend we went to the Marché Port Royal and this past weekend we hit up Marché Edgar-Quinet with Mack and Petra who just moved here from San Francisco. We bought a random assortment of bread, cheese, cured meats, olives, fruits and vegs and of course a bottle of wine. Another tip when visiting Paris: bring a few bottle openers (and cups) from home and keep them in your bag, or jacket. But even if you find yourself without one, chances are someone near you will have one. Then the real work begins: if you aren't near on of the main jardin in the city (Luxembourg, Parc Monceau, Les Tuilleries or Jardin des Plantes) finding a bit of greenspace can be tricky. So the next best solution is to find a bench (sometimes easier said than done) on a wide street with some trees, or a bench in a little square or plaza where a few streets intersect. The fist weekend we had to settle for the bench under a tree but last weekend we went to Jardin du Luxembourg and shared a postage size piece of grass with the rest of Paris! It wasn't really that bad - but definitely not like the wide open spaces in Canada.
Mack, Petra and KimSince most of you reading this aren't in Paris right now that's ok. You can still accomplish the same thing in your local city. For those of you in Vancouver head to your local farmers market on Saturday or Sunday, if you can walk or take your bike there then all the better, as that is also part of the journey and you'll want to get to your picnic spot quickly to enjoy all the good food you just bought. You can also head to Granville Island, pick up the things you need at Oyama, Duso's and the bakeries and either head towards Kits of the other direction along False Creek. Find a nice quiet grassy spot in the sun or under a tree in the shade, spread out your food, crack open the bottle of wine (who cares if it's illegal in Vancouver), sit back and just enjoy.
