We're finalizing our plans

This time next month, we will be in Paris.  Now doesn't that sentence have a nice ring to it?  We're are counting the days.  This will mark our first time as Paris Tour guides.  We are taking a group of ladies to Paris who have never before experienced this thrill.  We plan for this to be the first of many tours, so stay tuned to learn about our next one, which is likely to be in the Fall.  We have been so busy planning the itinerary based on questionnaires the gals have answered.  So much to do there, so little time.  Is there anything in particular that you would like for us to bring back?  Let us know.  We will be visiting Antiques Shops, Flea Markets, and other little gems we have discovered through the years.  We look forward to hearing from you, and to bringing back treasures for you.

Å Bientot, Mes Amis

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love is the same around the world but it seems

more so in Paris!

Reading French Menus

As Duchess and I finalize our tour to Paris in April we are trying to prepare our guests as best we can.  This has always been either the bane of our existence or the making of great stories on our return!  We would love to hear from you with your tales.

 One of the most challenging things we find in France is reading the menus.  Not only are the words and sauces foreign to us, they eat things we would never dream of!  Birds are featured a great deal as are all sorts of fish and seafood. Many restaurant feature a regional cooking style and depending on which French region it can be very strange!  All restaurants and bistros have their menus posted outside so you can what they offer and what the prices are for dishes.  If the menu is all in English it might be a tourist place and that's one we try to avoid.  We want to eat with the french!  We do try and stick with the PRIX FIXE menus- the "specials" of the day. They are usually the best price and include a starter, main dish and dessert. By the way, the water is fine to drink!  So do ask for a carafe of plain eau and ice is not generally used.  On one trip I stayed with my favorite salade nicoise  for every lunch as I can't make it like the French do!... Here's an example of one menu:

Choice of Starter

•Lapin en gelée aux feuille's d' estragon
• Chevre frais et fond d'art poele
• Os a moelle gratine
• Maquereau marine aux muscadet et aromates

Main Dish
• Duo de rognon et ris de veau flambes au cognac
Plats mijotes
Tete et langue de veau sauce ravigote
Pied de porc pane, grille

Dessert or Cheese Selection
• Pruneaux a la Vigneron
Millefeuille facon Pomponnette
Charlotte au fromage blanc et coulis de fruits rouges
Coupe Pomponnette

Coffee

Warmly,

Bird

Bonne Annee!

We wish the brightest of New Years and 2011

Warmly,

Duchess & Bird

Preparing for Our Company

Besides all the tree trimming, baking, entertaining and decorating that is d'rigeur for this time of year, Duchess and I love to prepare the guest rooms for our guests.  We have traveled widely and know what pleases us besides fresh sheets, a stack of fluffy towels and an array of pillows.

We have a few rules we follow to ensure our guests feel like VIPs.
Lighting~ a bedside lamp should be tall enough to read by (the above photo has a low lamp that would just shine in your eyes!)
Comfort~ The closet should be well stocked with extra blankets or quilts in case your guest get chilly during the night.  Try and find some pretty padded or wood hangers for their clothes.  Get the wire ones out of there!  A book you know they will enjoy and a few magazines of their interest is a well received treat.  If you don't have room for a chair and ottoman try to have a luggage rack for them to use while unpacking.  You don't want dirty suitcases on your lovely bed.

Hunger pangs~ It is fun to fill little boxes with treats for your guests to nibble while they read in bed.  We use our florentine boxes and just line them with wax paper.  Y Hard candy, chocolate and homemade cookies would be sure to delight them.  A basket of fresh fruit is welcomed.  Water in a carafe with its own glass is a necessity.

 Things not to forget~  We always have a pretty stack of stationery and a pad of paper and pens beside the bed or in a drawer nearby. With everyone using smart phones it is nice to have a docking station so they can listen to their music selections and charge their phones.  A spare robe and slippers is very well appreciated when theirs is  just too bulky to bring along.

Of course there is always the possibility your guest will not want to leave!

Bon Soir!

Bon Anniversaire a Nous

Today marks the one year anniversary of Duchess and Bird.  What started as a "what if" between two old friends has become a  delightful reality.
This year has seen us in San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, Denver, Dallas, and towns in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire searching for treasures for you.   We are branching out in 2011, adding "Tour Guides" to our resumes as we endeavor to introduce Paris to a group of women going for the first time.  We will be at their beck and call, but are going early to scour the French and Belgian flea markets for Duchess and Bird.  We anticipate adding more tours to Paris in the future, so do check in with us if you are interested.
We hope you have been in touch with your Pierce Brosnans and Gerard Butlers, ( see post below) to whisper your Christmas wishes to them.  You must remember, however, that Pierce and Gerard belong to US, and will be getting us something special again this year.  So you will need to find your own guys who are eager to indulge you.   You can be sure that they have all been in touch with us, and  have put your specially chosen gifts right here on Duchess and Bird. Go to "Gerard's Picks" to find the very one that has your name on it.  They want to spoil you.  Let them!

Thank you, one and all, for helping to make our first year such a grand and exciting adventure. We hope you will return to visit us often, and we look forward to meeting new friends.  We sincerely hope you enjoy the beginning of this wondrous holiday season.

The Purse That Gerard Bought

Okay, yeah it's big.  But I don't hear Bird complaining when she has "flea market" blisters and wonders if I happen to have a Band-Aid.  Or has a little foie gras in her teeth and desperately needs floss.  Or how about a stray hair on the chinny chin...  Tweezers?  Mais oui!  But the poor shop-keepers!   They are horrified as they watch me meander through  tiny aisles of crystal and china, and I believe I hear sighs of relief when I leave.  But here's the thing:  Gerard Butler bought me this huge purple leather bag.  When we were kids, Bird's mother used to wrap up a lovely gift for herself and put it under the Christmas tree, "from Frank Sinatra."  Bird continued this tradition with her annual gift from "Pierce Brosnan."  Last year I believe it was a lovely cashmere throw, but don't tell her husband.  I saw this lovely bag and just knew that Gerard wanted me to have it.  He loves me this much, you see.   So, walk softly and carry a big bag.  Your friends will thank you.
A bientot, mes amis
The Bag Lady