*The best pizza I had in Italy was right off the Campo Fiori, open for dinner only, Balestrari. There are many little one-way streets off the Campo Fiori. I can’t remember which one and there is no sign of it during the day (its all closed up-no sign or anything). But it won’t be hard to find, I promise.

*There is a chain of salad restaurants all over Rome called Insalata Rica. A great pick for lunch.

More Italy

Lerici, Liguria
The best secret on the Ligurian/Tuscan coast. Very charming with wonderful restaurants and shops. Stay with our friends, Joan and Luciano Lombardo in a very private room with bath and patio. $60 a night (in '01) including an American breakfast and incredible hospitality. For a reasonable fee Luciano will drive you wherever you want to go. Lerici is a good base to visit Florence, Lucca, northern Tuscany. Click here for a link to their e-mail: Joan Lombardo.

Lucca, Tuscany: climb one of the towers for the view; have lunch at Caffe di Simo.

Lunch or dinner at Vecchia Trattoria Buralli: the owner seems to love Americans, doesn’t seem to speak English but communicates perfectly.

Wonderful cookies (just point at what looks good) at the famous Taddeucci. I saw the best “fake” purses sold by North Afraicans here. I would have bought one or two if I knew I wouldn’t see them anywhere else.

Siena, Tuscany: Antonio De Miccoli: Di Citta 9395 owner of one of the best Salumerias in Italy, look for the boar's head above the entrance to his shop. He speaks excellent English, is good looking too. He might remeber us. He dated a girl from my hometown of Santa Barbara.

Ravello, Amalfi Coast: I would go back to this town just to eat at the restaurant Trattoria Cumpa Cosimo, Via Roma 42. The owner’s name is Netta. Tell her Fred Plotkin sent you (that’s the author of the so called bible of food we love so much, "A Gourmet's Guide to Italy). You must have the Crespolino. The pizza was as good as Balestrari in Rome. The salad was to die for. The homemade gelato was a 10. Everything was a 10. Also in Ravello see the Villa Cimbrone. There is a view that will make you silly.



this is only a start......I could go on for pixels and pixels

*Another favorite area is above the metro stop, “Mabillon”. Lots of restaurants, cute hotels, galleries, and people watching.

*The area around the famous Ritz hotel is hilarious. Lots of Americans wearing khaki pants and blue blazers. But check out the shop windows near the Ritz. It's like a museum of VERY expensive jewelry. Even Ted was mesmerized.

*The museums, Musee Dorsay and L'Orangerie are wonderful.
*Take a short cruise along the Seine.

Here are some places to go and things to do in Paris according to "James". A good friend of a good friend. He travels to Paris often

HOTEL
Hotel Le Lavoisier
21 Rue Lavoisier
Paris, Ile-de-France 75008
France
phone 01-53-30-06-06 fax 01-53-30-23-00.
toll free: +1-877-246-9781
rates $170-213

RESTAURANTS:
Quasi Expensive:
**Da Gigi - 01 44 07 17 13 4 Rue des Fosses St. Jacques
(Very Romantic-A personal favorite. Ask for “Luigi”” Tell him James the American sent you)
**Buddha Bar - 01 53 05 90 00 (near the hotel Crillon – Place de la Concorde)
**China Club – 01 43 43 82 02
*Café Flore (Blvd St. Germain – Paco Rabanne & Karl Lagerfeld are often here)
**La Ferme St. Simon – Very traditional, Gourmet French Cuisine (Great food)
Moderate:
**Leo le Lion - 01 45 51 41 77
**La Gare - 01 42 15 15 31
**La Cafetiere – 01 46 33 76 90 (Tracy’s favorite)
Inexpensive:
*Dame Tartine - Need to look this one up with the concierge
(it is near the Centre Pompidou)
Others:
Le Poli d’Or: Typical French Restaurant
Bofinger: Oldest Bistro in France

*Asterisk indicates my preferences for lunch
**Asterisks indicate my preferences for dinner

BARS/PLACES TO GO AT NIGHT:
Buddha Bar (a fun place to go either for dinner or to the bar for a drink after dinner)

PLACES TO SEE:
Rodin Museum: (on a sunny day, this is the place to go.)
Musee D'Orsay : (best museum in Paris to see impressionistic works)
Tour Eiffel: (a must see – go to the 3rd floor for panoramics of Paris)
Sacre Coeur/Mont Martyr: (great place to see the artists)
Notre Dame:
Arc de Triomphe:
Le Louvre: (Other than the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo, this is quite boring – there’s much more at the Musee D