The Simple Life in Paris

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms...” Henry David Thoreau, Walden.

To paraphrase Thoreau, we came to Paris to live this summer to ignore the tourist stuff and learn and confront the essential daily life of the French with no preconceived ideas and see what their lifestyle could teach us. We did not want to die without having tried to have an authentic and immersive experience over here. On the one hand, we did not stay in 5-star hotels but at the same time, we were not Spartan-like either. Our apartment was compared to others very large and comfortable and it felt like home. We had hoped to explore one day and rest the next. Nature had other ideas and things to teach us. Instead, we were sick most of the time staying inside, watching TV, reading and researching the area, and getting take away. But I believe we met our objectives and learned many things. Yes, we were sick, but we were sick in Paris. Our needs were met. We could obtain medical and dental care when needed and it was easy to obtain medications. And every French person we met for the most part was happy, helpful, polite, and caring. The average American has over 300,000 items in their home. I spent decades accumulating and now cannot get rid of enough of it. Other than aristocracy, that didn't turn out well for most of them, and their opulent and grandiose mega-mansions, the average French person has much, much less. Their cars are smaller, and their homes are smaller, they have no walk-in closets. Twice a year during sales they buy the good stuff, designer clothes but where we buy 10 they buy 1 and keep it for 5 or 10 years. They have less to keep track of and less to worry about losing. After a month we immediately recognized we had brought 2X what we really needed. I hope we remember that lesson. I have read about it for a lifetime but now I have lived it for a month. Possessions don't make you happy and enrich your life as much as experiences, tastes, sunrises, and sharing those experiences with family and friends lingering over a coffee until the late hours of the evening at some cafe as opposed to watching some stupid reality show on TV.(apologies for the judgemental comment). Yes we were sick. But with friends and loved ones. It was still an experience, just not the one we had envisioned. So as best we could we embraced what we had recognizing that tomorrow brings a new day and a new chance. Tonight prior to dinner we went for a walk realizing the entire month we have been here we only walked down and around Boulevard Voltaire which is one block and intersects with Place Nation. For one month we had been exploring in only one direction. But there are at least a dozen streets that intersect with Place Nation and we could have spent an entire 2 weeks exploring a huge area and no telling what we might have found. We went in the opposite direction for the first time tonight and 2 blocks from our apartment we found an authentic family-operated Moroccan restaurant. We love Moroccan food and have not had it in decades. We totally missed it, but now have even more motivation to return to the same place in the future. We cannot control our age but we need to get home and deal with the health issues cropping up prior to returning. Paris like most of Europe is harder to walk around it, and now drive in, than the USA. Streets and paths are uneven and prone to falling. Metros have few to no elevators and you have to go up and down multiple flights of stairs. Most buildings and Hotels don't have elevators.  It can be hot one day and cold the next. So hopefully next trip we will be well and better prepared. We certainly hope so. I think our main lesson here is life really is and can be simple and even more joyful. But in the end, it is up to you to make it that way, and instead of complaining about what you don't have learn to adapt and use what you do have and have joy in doing it.

Day 4 in Bouregogne, Simply No Wine Left to Buy

 As our trip came to an end in Bourgogne all we could say was thank God we are done.  There cannot be any more wine to buy here.  So it was off to Chateau de Savingny-les-Beaune which I can highly recommend for a visit.  Another old Chateau renovated and improved by a new owner it is a fairly large complex with gardens.  The owner like many collects things, just much bigger than most.  His most prized possession is a hanger full of about 50 full-sized retired aircraft from military jets to large commercial airlines.  inside the house upstairs is about 100 vintage motorcycles, alas, missing a 1936 Indian my favorite,  They have a restaurant so it is a good visit and have a light picnic or lunch while there.  Of course, we were having nothing to do with light lunches so we were off to L'Ouvree(https://www.louvree.fr/)on the way to the Dijon train station for another lunch extravaganza.  They had some kind of fried cheese fritter that we talked them into selling us a half dozen to take on the train with us for snacks.  Of course, the food was outstanding as was the wine.  One of our party really loved the wine so much that they purchased 6 out of the cellar.  

So we arrived back at the Dijon train station totally full of food and wine and planned on shipping half of the wine of Bourgogne back to Florida in November.  Though wonderful, In the end, it was way too much of everything.  At our age, I cannot recommend this kind of schedule.  For one we all needed a 3-hour nap every afternoon we did not get.  I can say now 1, maybe a short second tasting a day is all you should do especially in Bourgogne because once you schedule the tasting the families over there will treat you very well.  They are very proud of their wines and have no trouble sitting down with you for hours to showcase their wines.  Of course, they are much younger than you.  

As I continue to review our options and how to manage our time I have decided on one major tasting in the morning with maybe a smaller minor tasting before or after lunch and then a 3 or 4-course wine paired lunch and then done.  Back to our rooms for a long nap and rest before some light shopping and then dinner, again a 3 or 4-course dinner with wine.  My days of 30 vineyard tastings in a 10-hour time frame and 17-course white truffle dinners are over and will never occur again.  I am too old for it.  I must admit that when I did it when I was 30 years old I probably didn't like it that much then either and I certainly could not remember anything that stood out as exceptional as I had 100% palate fatigue and could have been drinking and tasting sawdust and not known the difference.  But if you are young with an unlimited supply of energy and raging hormones go for it but maybe just do fewer stops and actually have some time to smell and taste the wine.

Day 3 in the Heart of Bourgogne

We started back at it on day 3 starting with a visit to Domaine LeMarche.  My first visit occurred during my last trip 4 years ago before Covid.  I have done the research and discovered that essentially LeMarche owns vineyards next to those owned by the DRC vineyards and continued to make their own label from the same named vineyards, just their own vineyard wines.  I had heard through the grapevine, most likely not true but understandable that decades ago the domain had decided to refuse Grand Cru status.  The story goes the Domaine felt it was a ruse in order to raise taxes and like many in the wine world some vintners flatly refuse to accept any kind of rating system at all feeling as long as they think they are making great wine that is the only rating needed.  There is a well-known vineyard in St. Emillion whose owner ran Robert Parker off his property as he does not believe in ratings.  If you have read Wine Spectator recently some of the first growth Bordeaux's are now not sending in wine to be rated.  Over many decades the vineyard was passed on and today Madam Nicole Lemarche is the sole owner and has renamed the vineyard Domaine Nicole LeMarche.  So four years ago I essentially harrassed Stevie to make an appointment which he could never do so on a lark we drove to the front door and knocked and met Nicole.  She was busy but I guess was impressed I was so persistent and welcomed me back that afternoon for barrel tastings.  So this time Stevie was able to make a follow-up appointment, understanding they initially gave him a hard time.  Ms. LeMarch had prepared a formal tasting for us this time in her home and dining room and we tasted about 10 of her wines including Grand Rue which is adjacent to the DRC La Tache vineyard and for me better than La Tache, except 1/2 the price.  There is another urban legend that sometime long ago Lemarche and  DRC and traded the right side of the vineyard for the left side of the vineyard so the old La Tache was now Grand Rue and vice versa.  I should mention that today these wines now have Grand Cru status.  These are great wines, better than DRC to me, and Nicole LeMarch is a valued friend and great winemaker.  Her wines, like DRC, are hard to find and purchase but are available online and you can purchase them through the usual distribution systems in the US.  Like all vineyards some years there are more available than others but you will not be disappointed in these wines.  They are spectacular.

The next stop was the old Chateau du Clos de Vougeot.  If you have visited Bourgogne you cannot miss it as it is a very old large Chateau sitting in the middle of a very large vineyard.  It has been there since the middle ages and renovated a few times, originally being an Abby, and now owned by the Brothers of Tastavin.  It is an inexpensive visit and worth the visit, if nothing else to see the monster large wine presses.  You have to wonder how they built these things.  Some of the wood beams are 36 inches by 36 inches and 20 or so feet long.  Just building them was an advanced engineering marvel.  But using them you have to wonder how did they do it?

Lunch was at one of my all-time favorites La Toute Petite Auberge owned by Frank Boyer, whom I have been told is Nicole LeMarch's godfather. My understanding is Frank has been close to the Lemarche family for years.  Frank has two wine cellars at the restaurant, one is a retail store and one is his own private cellar in the basement.  I have been in both and he has sold me LeMarch wine from his own private cellar.  He also has many of the top Cote de Nuit wines in the area that he sells in his retail store.  As usual, he sold me a mixed case including Nicole's wine.  If you visit he is a good source to purchase small amounts of LeMarche wine.  After about 10 years I think he is starting to recognize me.  He is probably like me and takes time to get to know you.  This year for the first time he gave me a special new discount.  I really appreciated it.

After lunch, we charged on to the Chateau and vineyards of Edouard Delaunay tasting over 10 wines, red and white including Grand Crus.  I thought I was going to die and hopefully go to heaven.  We tasted and drank way too many wines.  Between all of us we ended up buying 10 cases of wine to ship and ended up running a little late for dinner at:

Caveau Des Arches is our favorite Beaune restaurant.  Caveau des Arches(website https://www.caveau-des-arches.com/)

It's not Michelin, it doesn't show up on a lot of recommended sites, but it is one of my favorites in all of France.  Underground in an old cellar, the ambiance is great.  Most of the time I am there it is filled with locals, always a good sign.  And to this day the best-roasted chicken in an epoisse cheese sauce I have ever had.  I had the same dish in NYC at Daniel Boulards Pavillion at 10X the cost.  They have an extensive wine list at reasonable prices.  They even have the very first White Burgundy Clark and I ever drank Chateau Beauregard Pouilly Fussie, owned by a  cousin and across the street from Chateau Pouilly Fussie where Clark and I visited for a day on our last trip to France.  They have a variety of menu items and what are called formulas along with an extensive wine list with reasonable prices.  Someday I might get something different but as usual, I had their roast chicken cooked in an Epoisse cheese sauce.  Epoisse cheese comes from the village of Epoisse about 50 KM NW of Beaune and it is the only place in the world where the cheese is made.  Sometimes it is difficult to find it.  It has various ages you can buy, the oldest I recall seeing was 75 years old.  I highly recommend Caveau Des Arches.

Home to bed we were beyond exhausted.  Due to exhaustion I am fairly certain this is the day I got sick while over there, but we had another day before the train back to Paris.

Things They are A Changing In France and Paris

We leave Paris in 2 days after being here for a month.  Regrettably, we were sick most of the time and were not able to get out and about as much as we wanted but still, we lived in a nice neighborhood, lived the slower pace of life around here, and I hope came away with better insight on the French people and Nation.  We did have a great time at dinner three nights with our Amelia friends who have a permanent apartment here in Paris and come as much as they can.  The husband has family ties to France and was raised here for many years.  He and his wife both speak fluent French and have as good a handle on local culture and customs as anyone we have previously known.  I thank them for the deep and meaningful discussions we had over a week that has realigned my thoughts here.

The world is changing and it is much younger.  It was the same when we visited NYC, we saw mostly young people and few people our age.  It is a normal progression of Nature.  But like us old folks, the values and desires of young people today are different.  We, not them, are going to have to adjust.  COVID if anything accelerated this change.  For one thing, a majority of the people who died were us old sick ones definitely changing the old/young ratios.  For most of us, COVID changed our outlook on life and sort of forced us to rethink what was important and this was a major event for the young.  So how has this played out, especially in Paris?  For one thing, Bistot's are going away.  We asked our friends what was the difference in all the eating establishment names like cafe, bistro, brasserie, etc.  Their answer was Bistrots served "pheasant" food which for the most part is what all think is classic French cuisine.  Think snails, beef Bourgogne, Coq au Vin, etc.  The young folks don't want this anymore.  They want quick and hip, innovative, less expensive, etc.  We took a cab across the entirety of Paris after dinner last night and the entire way the streets were packed with young folks drinking, talking, and dancing at small establishments with small bites, think tapas.  In fact, we saw many new tapa places here.  Also, Paris more than any city is an international city.  Almost every country in the world is represented here and on every block is a multitude of cheap ethnic food.  Think kababs from Turkey, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Lebanese, and Russian tea houses, African.  Remember I had Madagascar Shrimp.  This is what the young folks buy so the market is trying to meet those demands meaning fewer Bistrots and much less emphasis on Michelin Stars not that to me was important to begin with.  A brief aside here I have mentioned when you come here you are a guest and you should make an honest effort to fit into the culture and language as best you can to show respect.  But while you are trying to fit in with your new French friend, you end up going next door to have dinner with someone from Dubai and you now have to be sensitive to Dubai culture.  I witnessed an American insult an Asian person, actually no different than the USA.

The young are dead serious regarding Climate Change and the Mayor of Paris has instituted a lot of changes to force the issue, primarily by increasing restrictions on automobile access to the inner city.  One thing that COVID did to accelerate this is the city allowed Cafes, Bistrots, etc. to expand table service to the sidewalks outside and overflow into the streets.  If you have been here the streets have always been narrow.  So now what used to be two lanes streets are now one-lane streets further causing traffic to slow to a crawl and encouraging the Mayor to institute more automobile-free zones.  I fully understand the allure of getting into your fancy luxury car or SUV and driving to your heart's content, but in Paris that attitude gets you sitting in traffic for hours going nowhere.  I've already mentioned we had to abandon plans to use Uber, and now G7 Taxis due to the horrific traffic.  The Metro is efficient easy to navigate once you learn it, and cheap.  Yes sometimes at rush hour you are shoulder-to-shoulder packed into a train car, and you have to be able to navigate stairs carrying bags, but most of the time you are not and you can get across Paris in less than 30 minutes.  The young folks take the Metro as well as bikes, scooters, motorcycles, etc.  In fact, something new again those 2 lane streets the Mayor shrunk by adding bicycle lanes everywhere so now when crossing the street you have to first watch for bikes, scooters, and the like and then worry about the cars.

No one likes paying taxes, even the French.  But the older ones who have benefited from programs paid by taxes, like paid parental leave for 6 months for both husband and wife, at least have some feeling of justification for paying the tax.  But young folks in their early 20s and 30s who have not benefited, like Americans, cannot see the future past their next Friday paycheck.  Now the government has told them instead of waiting 42 years to benefit from their taxes it is now you have to wait 44 years so they protest.  It is human nature to react when you hear that for as far as you are concerned there is no hope to ever receiving benefits and now it is even longer.  They assume the government will again raise the time next year and they can never win.  All humans are social animals but from what I have seen the young French are even more so.  Last night I saw hundreds of thousands out at the cafes and bars enjoying the social life.  They are not going to give that up.

Of course old or young at some point everyone needs to deal with these changes.  But it is obvious at least over here that a new revolution is happening in France and Paris with the young people taking over.  I am certain there are business gurus and marketers figuring all of this out to make the biggest buck.  But time will tell how it all will end.  In a gross over simplification expect more fast food and less French food.  Heck one of my best burgers and lunches was at 5 Guys Burgers.  Go figure.

Bastille Market Day and Eating Pizza in France

Today was Sunday one of the biggest market days in Paris. The outdoor market at the Bastille is considered the largest in the city and is open from 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM on Sunday and Thursday so we made it there this morning. It is huge and is the length of two Metro stops starting at the Bastille. We walked the entire length and Clark got 3 stylish new shirts and we bought fresh food for lunch and dinner. We came home with a horn of plenty including a Mediterranean feast with fresh Greek Salad, Hummus, Taboli, and fresh fruits. We found prawns that were true U6 prawns from Madagascar that we will have for dinner. Going to the market in France is a true adventure and should not be missed. There are many of the not only in Paris but every small village around. Most are either Wednesday and Saturday or Thursday and Sunday. You can stock up your home with enough fresh food to last a week easily. You name it they seem to have it. Where I purchased the prawns they had about a dozen different ones from around the world and even had Florida Stone Crabs which surprised me. Going to the market is a great way to immerse yourself in French culture, people, and language. You are surrounded by all of it and frankly, I always feel welcomed and at home in the market. Everyone is smiling and nice to everyone. Last night we had pizza at a great place just 100 meters from our front door called Mat'uzza( https://matizza.fr/). We had to wait for a table and right after we were seated we were surrounded by patrons standing in the street waiting to be seated and they were still waiting when we left. I can assure you when locals are that loyal to a restaurant you well know that the food and service has to be spectacular. The pizzas were stunning. I had a meat lover's pizza that was loaded with all my favorites and the taste was just great. Another in our party ordered a truffle pizza to die for. An interesting cultural difference is the French eat pizza with a knife and fork. The pizza is served not cut and you do it yourself with a knife and fork and eat with a fork, something we are not used to doing. It seemed a little awkward at first but everyone was doing it so as in Rome we eventually got used to it.

Day 2 in the Heart of Bourgogne

Starting early on the 2nd day at Au Pied du Mont Chauve(website HTTPS://www.famillepicard.fr/ with English translation) we tasted multiple Chassange Montrachets as well as one Montrachet, priced at $850 per bottle.  Frankly, I was pleasantly surprised they would open that expensive bottle for us.  It was a well-balanced bottle and all of their wines were good, I just could not justify the price/quality ratio they offered and it being the very first tasting not knowing what to expect I at least passed on buying any wine there.  But I do recommend a visit to try for yourself.  

Next was lunch and OMG what a bucket list kind of place.  An elegant designed restaurant in the middle of a field with impeccable food and service complimented by a vast wine list and a great sommelier whose knowledge to produce a great bottle at a great price matching the food was unsurpassed.  Au Fil du Clos(website https://www.aufilduclos.fr/) I can highly recommend.  The food was stunning and the service was some of the best.

We went to Le Caveau d'Auxey(website: https://www.caveau-auxey.fr/) where we spent way too much on wine.  Le Caveau d'Auxey is a Co-op of multiple vintners in the Auxey Duresses area of the Cote de Beaune with primarily white Burgundy.  The vineyards are somewhat uphill from the valley and sit between Mersault and Monthelie just south of the Pommard vineyards.  I have always liked the wines and I also have enjoyed the Monthelie wines.  You occasionally see them in the USA but they are not a major area compared to others.  But you find great values which led us to buy way too much wine.  The price/quality ratio was great enticing us to buy.  In a future Blog, I will list all the wines I purchased that I can recommend.

The next stop was another Co-op that is privately owned by a long-time acquaintance in Puligny Montrachet Julian Wallerand, owner of Caveau Puligny-Montrachet.  I have known Julian for close to 20 years now and always buy wine from him when I am there.  He concentrates on smaller vineyards with high-quality wines that are affordable to most French people.  Hence I usually find some outstanding wines at fairly low prices.  When I have compared my purchases at Julian's to New York prices of the same or similar wine in general I pay 30% to 49% less delivered to my front door in Florida.  Outside his wine warehouse, he has a nice casual wine bar and when we were there the place was packed.  The place is a money machine.  Of interest, Julian's father, the original owner of the Caveau, was the first Master of Wine in the world and is known for writing the only definitive book on the Montrachet vineyard.  Pretty good pedigree if you ask me.  Our visit demonstrated something that can happen tasting wine that I have written about in the past.  Sooner or later you taste a wine and see God.  You obsessively spend the rest of your life hunting down that experience again and hopefully, the bottle costs $20 or less(used to be $10, inflation).  It is a spiritual experience and I have around 8 of them.  When we arrived the place was crowded and Julian was very busy but he graciously greeted us and cleared out an area to sit down and do a tasting.  He said to pick something out to taste.  His wines are displayed in racks as well as plain cases on the floor and he has a menu to select from.  I noticed a Domaine Bachey-Legros Chassange Montrachet 2021 for $44.50 per bottle, frankly a decent price for a high-quality White Burgundy.  The reason I picked it was at CIBO our first lunch in Dijon we had the same Domaine with vineyards in Santenay 2021 and loved it.  So I figured it would be just as good.  OMG, without exaggeration immediately on tasting the wine all 5 of us went into shock.  Our Eyes opened wide, what just happened!  After tasting close to 25 wines by that time we just hit the motherload and found the holy grail.  What a beautiful wine, with complex flavors on the nose and palate.  Velvet mouth feel.  No heavy oak, extremely well balanced, and a long long finish.  What a quality wine.  It is the first one I can recommend and tasting it made the entire trip worth it.  It has been decades since I have tasted a wine like that that appealed to everyone in the room.  What a joy.  So buy Domaine Bachey-Legros Chassange Montrachet 2021 for $44.50 per bottle from Julian(the latest NY price not including tax or shipping was $96 per bottle).  Also consider the Santenay, the last NY price not including tax or shipping was $60 per bottle.

Our last tasting of the day was at Laurent et Fernand Pilot(website: http://www.vinpillot.com/).  The tasting was scheduled for 6:15 PM in the evening as the winemaker was in the field working the vines and had to come in from work to showcase his wines for us.  He and his wife were very hospitable and he opened barrel samples of his current wines all of which are biodynamic wines.  All of them were good but just not my style so I did not purchase any but others in our group did.

I learned some hard lessons today.  First I am too old to do 4 intense tastings showcasing 12 or more wines per Domaine in a day.  All of us were just exhausted and worn out.  I am too old for this.  Not that it is not fun because it is and you are tasting the top 1% of high-quality Bourgogne wine in the world from producers the majority of the population never sees and the tastings are intimate and personal many times in the winemaker's home.  It sort of sets you up.  I mean you got this far and got an appointment and you are not buying today??  You sort of feel obligated to buy.  Interestingly even with that attitude sometimes you cannot buy.  They either don't sell direct or they sold out of what you just tasted.  You have to ask yourself why did they have me taste that wine when they don't have anymore?  But then it comes full circle.  Yes, there are no more but we do have 3 bottles left, would you like to buy those last 3.  Guess what happens.  In the future, one maybe two tastings in the morning, a formal sit-down lunch then back to the room to take a nap and dinner later.  It really is all I for one can handle today.  All of us decided we could not handle any more food and wine so we canceled our dinner reservations and got together at the Hotel lobby and had some of our leftover wine with a cheese and charcuterie plate that was more than enough.  What a day!

 

Terroirs by Adeline

I am pleased to highly recommend Terroirs by Adeline Bourgogne's cooking class in Beaune, France.  We have been coming to Beaune and the Cote de Beaune and Cote de Nuits for over 20 years and we had heard many times how great the cooking schools are in the area learning the intricacies of great French cooking.  So on our last trip, we did one with one of Adeline's competitors and enjoyed it.  Then Covid hit ending our trips to France for close to 4 years.  In planning this year's trip we told our guy Stevie Bobes of Wineambasseur.com we wanted to do the cooking school this time also but now he recommended Terroirs by Adeline and we are so happy we chose her and her team.    Both schools we have attended follow a similar model.  You start your day with Adeline in the town market which on Saturday is fairly large and you walk around meeting vendors and selecting the fresh ingredients needed to prepare Adeline's recipes for lunch.  You select vegetables, cheese, sometimes fresh foie gras and the list goes on.  You then follow Adeline back to her "lab" as she calls it to start working for your supper so to speak.  Adeline's "lab" is an oxymoron.  It is a full scale fully equipped professional kitchen with all of the most modern appliances and cookware imaginable along with a large prep area and dining area.  Outside is an extensive herb and vegetable garden to use with your lunch.  Once you get started there is a team effort to make lunch and Adeline asks what everyone's skill set is and then assigns duties accordingly.  Having surgical experience I am a fairly decent slicer and dicer so I got to do that prep.  While doing all of this Adeline is passing around glass after glass of wine so frankly when it was time for lunch I needed a nap.  We had a wonderful freshly made gazpacho for a starter, a crispy skin fish with vegetables, and then dessert.  There were 7 of us in the class and we had to have had at least 7 or 8 bottles of wine, many of which were Premier Cru or better.   And then after lunch more wine while Adeline and her helper clean up.  There are many advantages to using Adeline, first of which her prices per person were 30% less than the last school we attended.  We like the group approach as opposed to standing by yourself essentially just preparing your own meal.  As we left Adeline provided us with all the recipes plus some we had not prepared so we left with plenty of information.  The only thing I would have improved as I for one would have liked to remain in the Saturday Market a little longer to see more things, shop more, and meet more locals.  As we age we had way too much wine and could have spent time in the Market instead of drinking so much wine and I recognize many disagree with that.   Overall it was an outstanding day and I cannot recommend Adeline higher to you.  

Terroirs By Adeline

9 Av. de L'Aigue 21200

Beaune, France

06 17 38 46 72 Use+33 first if calling on US Phone

Traveling and living in a Foreign Country with emphasis on France

Benjamin Franklin said all men are citizens of 2 countries and one of them is France and I agree with him.  But that does not mean the cultural and day-to-day activities in those 2 countries are the same and in order to thrive or survive it is up to you to learn the differences and adjust to them.   As they say, when in Rome do as the Romans do.  

Part of the allure of foreign travel is experiencing the differences in culture and day-to-day living that are different from your own.  You learn there are more ways to skin a cat, some of which might be better than your own.  If you are open to that you are enriched by the experience.  Sadly, if you are like a lot of Americans who believe the American way is always the best way(American exceptionalism) and hence the only way you will return home angry, upset, and exhausted at the "rude" foreigners.  It is critical that you read and study and watch YouTube extensively before you leave to visit the area of your choice.  It is simple, people overseas don't live like you do and the terrain, geography, and day-to-day living are totally different.  The quicker you get used to it the better for you.

Let's start with language.  Sitting for a nice dinner in the Marais at Benoit's next to us sat a Texan who immediately announced, "You know I don't speak your damn language".  Well, guess what, they live in France and there is no obligation to speak your damn language.  But unknown to most Americans they are trying.  Every child in France from kindergarten to high school graduation is required to take conversational English every year for 13 years.  Most, but not all citizens of Paris speak fairly fluent English.  In fact, when I try to speak to them in French they want to speak English as they don't use it that much.  But it is not something you can force and in every encounter, you should at least try the polite minimum.  I advise everyone to learn at a minimum Bonjour, Au Revoir, Merci, and Siv vous plait.  I witness a thousand times Americans saying "thank you" in English instead of Merci.  It is not that hard to change and means the world to the French that you tried that small amount.  Just using those 4 words has opened the world of France to us for 20 years.  If you return and try you will be surprised how much French you might pick up.  I am not fluent, but frequently the French think I am and take off with their rapid speech.

Next is transportation.  In America we are "free" so we buy as many cars guzzling gas that we want and as big as we want and can get in the car and drive to where we damn well please when we damn well please.  Not so overseas.  Most places we go overseas use public transportation including buses and trains extensively and getting around by car most time is more difficult, especially in the cities.  Plus when you take public transportation you have to follow their standards and rules, something Americans are loath to do.  I hear Americans complaining about the up and down stairs with no elevators and the rough uneven cobblestone streets demanding something be done about it.  There are few to no luxury limo services where you are joyfully picked up by your friendly driver who carries your items of luggage and you from point A to B.  They are there in small amounts but must be scheduled in advance and the cost is usually higher than you expect.  Especially in the cities you have to know how to buy tickets, how to read a map, be able to walk up and down multiple stairs, walk on uneven payment, and carry your luggage at the same time.  If you are frail and elderly or disabled it is almost impossible.  It is however one of the areas the French shine in politeness and helpfullness.  Every time we navigated the stairs Frenchmen always asked if they could help and carry our luggage on the stairs and no one ran off with it,  and on the subway, most younger people gave up their seats for us.  The key here is to understand the default position has to be you are responsible for taking care of your self so be prepared.  In the past, we were dependent on Uber but today traffic in Paris at least is at a standstill and it took 2X to 3X longer to get somewhere making the Metro the best option.  But you must have the ability to navigate the Metro.  One more thing, once you enter the Metro keep your ticket in your hand or immediately available.  Around every corner, there might be a policeman waiting to check your ticket and arrest you if you don't have it.  To us using the trains to travel to the countryside and other places, is great, but be sure you know what to do from buying your ticket, downloading it on the phone, the current preferred default, locating the train and track to use at the station, and how to get on and get off the train and know exactly where your seat is as even in coach seats are assigned.  We heard about one group of Americans who did not pay attention and on a 30-car train got on at one end when their seats were at the other end and had to walk the entire length of the train with their luggage bumping into every one to get to their seats at the extreme other ends of the train.

You may not believe in climate change or Global warming or environmental issues but they do in a big way and are your worst nightmare tree huggers.  They recycle everything and expect you to do the same.  They have minimal garbage.  Ever notice the very small waste bins in bathrooms that hold about two balls of tissue?  Anything organic is saved for compost.  Everything is smaller to have a lower impact on the environment.  You will immediately notice the emphasis on the transportation system being carbon neutral.  In our apartment, we had multiple garbage cans for plastic, glass, garbage, and organic material and it was up to us to learn what was what and use it correctly.  I did find one thing they seem to be hypocrites on.  When you go to a pastry shop they gift wrap it before you leave.  You can argue with them all you want but for some crazy reason, they believe they have to gift wrap pastries.  I just want to go outside and eat it, but not until I unwrap the gift wrapping.  You also need to be aware air conditioning is not common in France.  You have to be very careful when booking to clearly state you need air conditioning.  As Global warming increases Paris becomes hotter and hotter.  Our apartment was not air conditioned and I was not clear on that.  But with fans and closing windows and shades during the day it was cool enough to work out.  In the winter they have too much heat as the French are cold-natured.  We had separate heaters and controls in each and every room including bathrooms that had to be turned off by us in June.  Here is a picture of the extent and detail and minutia they go to protect the environment.  Pictured is the cap of a standard plastic water bottle that cannot be removed.  You can unscrew it but it stays on the bottle in an interesting engineering idea.  It flips open and closes and you can screw it back on and is recycled with the bottle.  Obviously prevents millions of plastic caps from littering the land and oceans.

There is a long learning curve as everything is different.  One example, for the first time we rented an apartment which was a long learning process in and of itself.  Our apartment was minimalist which was fine but we had few linens and no linens to change so we had to rely on our washer and dryer.  We went out and purchased more towels and pillows to leave behind.  But our washer and dryer were French with the operations manual in French and the first week we could not use them properly.  Yes, the rental agent spent a small amount of time showing us the place and how things worked but not to the level needed.  Again, the French expect you to take care of yourself.  After a week we looked up online the brand and model number and found a manual in English and were able to do OK.  We also had a French induction kitchen which took some time to figure out.   The electrical service is 240 Volt so make sure you are educated in that or you will blow the circuits.  We have done it.  In terms of housing, you need to recognize that especially in France smaller is better.  Apartments, hotel rooms, and restaurants are much smaller square footage-wise than you realize.  Also, the bathrooms are smaller, usually with a small shower and no tub.  You can get a large suite at the Ritz or a nice large apartment with 3 or 4 bedrooms but be prepared to spend $5000 a night or $25,000 to $40,000 a month.  If you can afford that go for it.  I cannot.  For the first time ever we rented an apartment for a month and it was one of the best decisions we have ever made.  We were tired of coming here and rush, rush, rush to see as much as humanly possible in the shortest time frame.  It simply does not work as there is no rush rush rush in France and you leave exhausted.  With the apartment, we had a home to come back to.  We spent 5 days in Beaune buying wine way too busy but came home to a peaceful apartment in a quiet neighborhood where we could rest a few days before returning to the tourist circuit.  We had twice the space of a hotel and much more private, we had a full kitchen so we did not have to eat out every meal.  We had a washer and dryer to do laundry once we figured out how to use it.  All the advantages outweighed any disadvantages and hopefully, if we return we come right back to the same place.  As I speak the broker Paris Attitude has been great so far and easy to deal with. An interesting aspect of France is despite a bloody revolution to overthrow the aristocracy they still seem to like having rich people around and a lot of things are arranged to cater to the rich.  They just expect if you act rich you will be more than willing to pay outrageous prices.  It is how they define rich.   The good news is there are millions of opportunities to eat and live like a king over here at more moderate prices, you just have to look for them.

There will always be glitches, mix-ups, mistakes, and language barriers, sometimes seeming to occur daily.  It is not uncommon to expect something only to have a French person tell you, No No, No that is not what is supposed to happen.  Then comes the fun of trying to straighten it out in a different language and culture.  Interestingly in Chinese culture, they will never tell you no for fear of losing face, they will say "That is not convenient" leaving you to figure out what it means.  Trust me it means no.  In France never get loud, raise your voice, scream, or be aggressive as they will shut down and leave.  That kind of American approach has never been their style.  Remember initially with Hitler their initial approach was to negotiate over fighting.  They are after all lovers and what great lovers they are.  Remain calm, find somewhere someone who speaks English and they will do their best to help you.  On a train ride, one of our party was very tall with very long legs and was seated across a table from another tall man with very long legs and it was not going to work.  Initially, he walked around the car trying to find an unoccupied seat of which none existed but once calmly explained a nice lady got up and said, in English, I have short legs please take my seat and I will sit across from the tall guy.  Win, win for all.  For me at least that kind of polite and nice accommodation has always happened in France when approached calmly.  Our greatest story is with my wife and two children we were at the Montparnasse train station trying to purchase tickets to Versaille and had not yet learned easily the way to purchase tickets at a machine.  A nice Frenchman, probably under 30 said let me help.  He took out his own cash, purchased 4 tickets at his expense, gave the tickets to us and said have a nice day in Versaille and walked off.  Does that happen in America??

And now to the feast de resistance, food, and wine.  To me, 50% of French culture and economy is food and wine, and is the best in the world and the French know it and are extremely proud of it.  In France, lunch is from 12 noon to 2 or now 3 PM and the entire nation shuts down.  Unless there is a cardiac arrest nothing is changing this.  And at dinner from around 7:30 PM onward everyone sits down for dinner.  Do not plan to try and upend this, You will only be disappointed.  One of the hardest things to get used to over here is sitting down for lunch and dinner and learning you are not going anywhere for at least 2 hours so just cool it and enjoy the experience.  Service is painfully slow.  Getting the check is painfully slow.  Over time, possibly years, you will learn to fully appreciate it.  Breakfast is another story.  They don't eat big breakfasts.  Coffee, a croissant, and maybe orange juice but no bacon and eggs.  They eat eggs for dinner.  Interestingly in Paris proper there are three places called "Breakfast in America" and they are always full of French people.  The food in France is wonderful and you will never have a bad meal anywhere.  If you do, the French will immediately stop going there and shut the place down. But you will quickly tire of it as it is extremely filling and rich.  Eventually, you will learn to go to the grocery store and purchase light fare for dinner every couple of days or go to McDonalds as they do exist in France.

I will finish with this.  All men are citizens of two countries, and one of them is France.  They are our blood brothers.  If not for them with their Naval blockade of Yorktown, which bankrupted their treasury, and us and the Russians taking care of Hitler for them, both of us would be speaking German.  I am tired of hearing how rude they are.  They are not.  They are the most polite, caring, and helpful people I have met.  I pray they do not lose it trying to be like us.  I do not know how they do it but to me, they also are the most productive people on the planet because they eat 6 hours a day leaving only 2 for work, yet they have some of the most massive and beautiful buildings in the world, some of the best art, some of the most efficient agriculture and medical care, and a great transportation system.  I have decided because of their laid-back culture which concentrates on time with family and meals, a joie de life, adequate time off, and health care they are so happy they are able to create miracles.  I have a bias I should mention.  My father was an aircrew member on a B24 and along with combat missions, including D-Day, he flew supplies to the Free French in the south of France and the French Resistance where he was at high risk of being captured and shot as a spy.  If he was willing to die for France then to honor him I will always support them myself as my brothers and sisters.

Three Days of the Bourgogne, Cote de Beaune and Cote de Nuit, Day 1

We are back in Paris completely exhausted and overcome with rhinitis from some of the worst pollen counts in Bourgogne in history.  Without exaggeration, I went to the rental car and there was a measurable 1 inch of pollen on top of the car.  Even without allergies, it was miserable just from the irritation.   But like all good soldiers, we slugged it out and made it through an epic 3 days of tastings, food, wine, and cooking imaginable.  

Arriving on the first day at noon, our friend and agent Stevie Bobes of wineambasseur.com met us at the train, packed our luggage in the car, and then did a walking tour of Dijon stopping at the original store that made Dijon mustard famous,  Moutarde Maille founded 1747.  Satisfied with our selections to ship home we proceeded to 1-star Michelin CIBO presented by Angelo Ferrigno who is the youngest Chef in France to receive a Michelin star.  Chef Ferrigno presented a 4-course wine-paired luncheon that was spectacular, featuring Domaine Bachey Legros 2021 Santenay En Charron Chardonnay.  

Buying Dijon Mustard

Wine for Lunch

A Treat for Lunch

After lunch, it was off to the Vosne Tasting Club where we tasted the following exceptional wines purchasing numbers 2 and 3. 

1.  Domaine Jomain Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes 2015

2.  Domaine BxikotPuligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatieres 2015, vineyard is adjacent to the full Montrachet vineyard and one of the best.

3.  Domaine Marc Morey Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts 2016, the best of the tasting by a highly regarded and famous winemaker.

4.  Domaine Michel Caillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles 2010 fading

5.  Buisson-Charles Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Caillerets 2015

Then off to pick up the rental car and check in at the hotel in time for dinner at Le Bistro de L'Hotel just off the Parc Canot in the center of town where we had the famous blue foot chicken with a great red Grand Cru Clos de Vougeot from American Expat Alex Gambel.  Then we passed out sleeping until the next marathon day.  Basically stuffed.

Wine on the Queen Mary 2

 Francois Carillion 2017 Chassange Montrachet Premier Cru Les Macherelles

Immediately upon pouring the wine you notice the golden yellow clear color with an immediate explosion of complex aroma.  The taste follows with the same complexity.  I detected honey, honeysuckle, pineapple, hazelnut, and butterscotch,  Despite being a soft feminine wine there were still some earthy flavors, one of which I tasted mushrooms that I do not recall tasting before in a White Burgundy wine.  In addition, the finish was long-lasting and as the wine opened up with warmer temperatures the finish had a smoky characteristic.  The wine was well balanced with nothing out of place.  I described the alcohol as "cool" as it really did not overshadow the other flavors.  There was some oak but it was very subtle and almost not perceptible.  Overall it was a great wine but softer and with fewer mineral flavors like a Puligny.

Lafite Rothschild Bordeaux 1998

In the cellar for years under fairly ideal conditions I decided it was time to drink it so took it on the QM2 for dinner.  The color was classic dark purple but I thought I might have detected an almost imperceptible slight brown edge meaning the wine is ready to drink.  I was surprised by the amount of complexity on the nose and taste, I just don't remember Lafites being this complex.  I could smell and taste it easily, cherry, figs, eucalyptus, cedar, cigar box, coffee, honey, and licorice.  There was also that earthy complex smell and taste of horsey flavors from a racetrack.  Obviously well balanced and not over-oaked.  A lingering finish that I can still taste the morning after.  An outstanding wine that is hedonistic after 20 years of great storage and maturation.

Laurent Perrier NV Le Cuvee Brut Champagne

My 1st impressions were bubbles and bright.  What a nice value-priced champagne. To me the aroma and bouquet were excellent and the taste clearly demonstrated the tastes of pear and lemon. I detected a faint amount of Cedar. I also described the wine as smooth.  The finish was not lingering but was pleasant. Overall I felt it was an excellent champagne at its price point and is a great value and I recommend it.

2013 Paul Pernot Batard Montrchet Grand Cru

I have always loved Paul Pernots wines.  I was fortunate to meet him a few years ago and do a barrel tasting at his home.  His wines to me are excellent and show a great amount of craftsmanship.  His Batard Montrachet is one of my favorites. The vineyard is on the downslope just across the road from the Montrachet vineyard. The 2013 has a golden-rich color indicating a great complexity along with the idea it is ready to drink.. The appearance and the aroma and bouquet were excellent. There was a complex taste profile along with exceptional balance.   For a grand cru, it had a light body. But other than that it was classic. I tasted a lot of flowers including violet.  Complex tastes of lemon, pear, apple, and pineapple were present.   The oak was not overbearing and I did detect a slight amount of cedar and cigar Box.  The finish was not particularly long but it was pleasant and overall the wine is clearly excellent.

2011 Leoville Les Cases Bordeaux

Robert Parker was not a big fan of this vineyard because the wines are not big and jammy.  The exact reason why I like the vineyard.  The wines are softer and not as tannic as many other Bordeaux.  I was able to do barrel tastings for the 2015 vintage a couple of years ago and fell in love with the wines.  Tonight we had the 2011 which again was excellent. It clearly was lighter body and not as jammy as other Bordeauxs but being feminine like that is an attraction for me.  I have always loved the ladies.   I felt that it was complex with flavors of tropical fruits including pineapple.  There was a lot of BlackBerry and black current in it. I found a hint of licorice. There is a fair amount of Cedar and cigar along with some dark chocolate? I also found a slight amount of sweetness to it somewhat unusual. The finish was excellent. It did have a prolonged finish. I appreciate the softness and the pleasant mouth feel that it offers and I highly recommend this vineyard for those who appreciate a softer lady like Bordeaux.

A tasting of all five first-growth Bordeaux on the Queen Mart 2  Memorial Day 2023

Chateau Margaux 1998

My 1st impression was a strong aroma of fruit that filled the room and I could smell with the glass on the table. The aroma and taste were complex with a taste of honey BlackBerry blackcurrant cherry's Cedar Box cigar smoke and some barnyard hay.  The mouthfeel was very velvety. The wine was still young. There was lots of tannin but it was well balanced with the fruit.  I found it to be a high-quality wine maybe a little softer than most Bordeaux. I think what impressed me the most was the complexity along with the smoky fruitiness of the wine.

Chateau Haut Brion 1998

Another velvet smooth wine with plenty of fruit and plenty of complexity in addition to being extremely well-balanced.  It was an outstanding wine with some very complex flavors. I detected licorice, BlackBerry, raspberry, cherry, prune, fig, eucalyptus,  straw or hay, tobacco,  and mushrooms with some dusty earthy dust.  I found it to be an exceptional wine. I'm most likely biased as Haut Brion is my favorite Bordeaux 1st growth Bordeaux over the years. It was a very unique and pleasant experience to have this wine.

Chateau Latour 1998

Of the first three in this tasting, this was the weakest so far.  The nose was somewhat subdued. You could probably detect a smokey cigar and tobacco aroma but it certainly wasn't overwhelming. The wine to me was more simple. The fruit was there but it was subdued.  I did pick up some BlackBerry and I also was able to taste chocolate in this wine. I could actually taste the alcohol more so there wasn't quite the balance of the other two so far. It interestingly had a very long finish though.  It was a good wine but in truth, I have had much better  Bordeaux's and California cabernets.  I have had the 1961 and the 1970 in this wine and to me, by my memory they were better.

Chateau Lafitte Rothchild 2001

Two nights before this tasting we had the 1998 for dinner. Please see my previous article on that.  My 1st impression of the 2001 was the smell was very much full of tobacco and Cedar and Cigar Box. I found this wine to be a little bit more spicy than the others.  I found a hint of pepper in it. It had plenty of fruit with blackberry strawberry and black current and again the predominant flavor for me was tobacco with a spicy twist.

Chateau Mouton Rothscild 2008

I believe it is common wine knowledge in the wine world that the 2008 Bordeaux were almost as good as the 2009 and 2010 s22 and clearly we're a bargain compared to those next two years. I would agree based on this tasting. The 2008 was different from the others primarily because it was a lot more jammy and much more earthy. It started out with a floral Blossom nose and the aroma and taste were packed with spicy flavors of licorice and cloves with lots of dried fruit of strawberry jam, prunes, and figs.  There was classically Cedar oak and cigar Box that was quite pleasant.  My main comment was that it was earthy and jammy at the same time and you had a great long lasting finish. It was a well-crafted wine. I suspect It's a Bordeaux that Robert Parker would prefer. I have also had the 1986 which for years has been a 100 points and I must admit that the 2008 probably could compete with it.  It had all of it,  complexity balance and finesse.

Israel Yarden Chardonnay 2015

Bright and fruity. The nose and taste had apricot, melon, and light acid with no oak.  It was really nice and well made aging well.  Everyone really enjoyed this white wine. On the initial smell, it was bright and fruity.  After you tasted it you could taste apricot and melon. It has a light acid backbone and overall it was very well balanced. It's a little old for a Chardonnay but it's aging well and it appears to have been stored well.  I was shocked to find such a high-quality Israeli wine. I'm used to drinking Yarden from Israel and I can highly recommend this particular house.

Chateau Kafraya from Lebonon Red Cabernet  2015

A smoky cigar nose with berries black currant and velvet mouthfeel with well-balanced acid and alcohol.  There is some spice, chocolate, and eucalyptus like Lafite.  The wine opens with an aroma of cigars and smokiness. And after you taste it you can tell the berry profile with blackberries and black current.  It has a velvet mouthfeel. It's well balanced with good acid and alcohol again nothing is overwhelming. There's also a fair amount of spice in it and I detected chocolate and eucalyptus.  After I had the wine my impression was that it was very similar in style to the 1998 Lafitte Rothschild that we had brought and in fact, I actually felt that it tasted a lot like the Lafitte. It certainly is a lot less expensive than Lafite.

Opus One 2015

It has been a few years since I have had Opus One.  To me, the quality dropped off after 1985 and I always felt the price was too high for what you got.  But I had the opportunity to drink it so I gave it a go.  It had its usual deep color and opened with a pleasant balanced nose of fruit.  The taste was to me oaky but also complex.  I tasted a subdued blackberry taste  There was dried fruit of fig and prunes.  With the oak came cedar and cigar smoke tastes.  To me, the nose was better balanced than the taste I rated it as fair balance.  It had a good finish but the finish was mostly an alcohol taste which is why I felt the taste was not as balanced as it could be.  Overall I again felt it is more expensive than it is worth.  There are just too many low-priced wines that have a higher quality than Opus One. 

Mad Dash to Paris

We had spent a lot of time arranging to get from Southhampton to Paris.  Originally not knowing what was available we used our travel agent for advice and in the end what happened was we had train tickets from the ship to the Southhampton train station to London where we had to get a taxi and change train stations to catch to Eurostar Chunnel train to Paris.  Turned out it was too complicated and we did not get all the information we needed.  For one thing, there were plenty of taxis and Ubers available willing to take you directly to the Eurostar station and the fee was reasonable and close enough to what we had already purchased.  It is what we eventually did because we had no choice as we were warned in advance on the ship there was going to be a train strike which in fact happened forcing us to order an Uber which worked out well and took us straight there, though it took 4 hours instead of the usual 2 as traffic was gridlocked.  Finding our driver was exciting as the crowd getting off the ship was massive and trying to pick someone out of a crowd is not easy but we matched up by phone and it was off to London.  On arrival again the same shoulder-to-shoulder crowds and a line a mile long to get on the train standing in a queue for about 30 minutes.  Then you went through security with all of your luggage, even the large ones, with no one to help even the elderly or disabled.  You had to pick up your own bags onto the conveyer belt while security personnel were screaming at you to hurry up, even the elderly and disabled.  Then it was through British immigration to leave Britain, and French immigration to enter France.  The waiting lounge was ok and did have a small food and drink vendor so you at least could buy some refreshments.  Once they announced the train departure track it was again a mad dash to the exits pushing and shoving to get on the train while carrying your luggage.  Finally, on the train, we could catch our breath.  On arrival in Paris we had ordered a car to take us to the apartment and other than spending 20 minutes searching for the driver in a sea of humanity we arrived safe and sound.  So what did we learn from this experience?  #1 Going to London or Paris order a car, taxi, or Uber to get you where you finally need to be.  There are also multiple private companies online that have availability at fair prices.  We used Blackberry Transfers and were very happy with them.  If you are going to Paris get a car to take you to the Eurostar Station.  Plan a minimum of 4 hours to transfer from Southhampton to London.  #2  Be prepared for lots of shoving, pushing, and lifting of luggage.  A good recommendation is to travel light.  #3  Unless you are young and strong and can manage carrying heavy luggage up and down stairs preorder a car, taxi, or Uber to get from any station to your final destination.  You will be glad you did.  #4  Carry some food and water.  You will be glad you did when you get stranded which is a decent probability of happening.  #5  Do NOT wait to arrange transportation on the ship.  They offer some at high prices but sold out the first day and then it was zero, nada, no help at all.  They actually turn you away from the desk and say go away we cannot help you rudely.  #6  If you insist on taking a train out of Southhampton obey all rules.  After the fiasco of the train strike, I was told I could obtain a refund for the struck train.  Oops, sadly no.  We were denied a refund because we did not go to the train station and throw ourselves at the mercy of the train company.  I was told the train company had a legal obligation to get us to London(but not the specific Chunnel station) and they would have provided a bus, or taxi, or something to get us there.  Of course unsaid here is no time frame was offered so no doubt we would have waited for hours and by the time they figured it out we would have missed the Chunnel train and been rebooked on a later train, possibly the next day.  Trust me, take some kind of car.

On the Queen Mary 2 to Europe

Embarkation

Embarkation was fairly straightforward no major glitches. We did have to wait a little bit in a very subdued lounge but being one of the 1st ones on the ship embarkation went pretty smooth.   Our luggage was delivered to our room in a timely fashion.  Compared to other ships we were pleased with the embarkation.

Our room

We had booked rooms in the Princess Grill and could not have been more pleased. The YouTube videos and photos online do not do these rooms justice. They are well designed, roomy and comfortable and they are actually bigger than they appear in a photo. They were the nicest rooms we've ever been on in a cruise.   The beds were comfortable. The linens were high quality and the bathroom was spacious even with a tub.  You also get to eat in the Princess Grill.  From what I could determine the Queen's Grill rooms are only slightly larger and you eat in the Queens Grill restaurant which uses the same kitchen as the Princess Grill restaurant.   The only difference I could determine was the selections of foods is slightly less in the Princess Grill, but for the most part you can pretty much get what you want within reason.

Princess grill restaurant

Overall the food and service in the Princess Grill restaurant is excellent. The staff was dedicated to meeting your requests and the food quality was high.  One needs to remember, however that this is a British ship and the cuisine can best be described as British. It is old school continental to some degree. Highlights of the food in the Princess. Grill were the beef, especially the Chateaubrion which was absolutely outstanding.  They also prepared lobster and seafood to perfection and the desserts in general are pretty good. Our immediate table servers however don't know how to read a table.  They could be described as hovering.  Almost trying too hard to make you happy the end result was they frequently. Interrupted our conversation and didn't pay attention to what was going on.  Alternative dining like the steakhouse and buffet were not appealing and the few guests we spoke with gave both poor reviews so we had all of our meals in the Princess Grill.

Wine

The wine selections offered on the Queen Mary 2 are excellent and they are reasonably priced. You can actually circumvent the world of wine based on the selections that they have.  One of the evenings we dedicated to trying Middle Eastern wines and we were able to have a Chardonnay from Israel as well as a Cabernet from Lebanon that were some of the best in the world.  We very much enjoyed our wine selections and again, you really couldn't beat what they have.  They have the opportunity to side-by-side taste all five 1st growth Bordeauxs.  We did it and it was a great idea and you almost will never see that happen. They also had on the wine list one of the rarest wines in the world a Hungarian Tokaji Ezenncia which is the 2nd time I've ever seen it in my life and the evening we had it it was the 1st time I have ever drank that wine and it is phenomenal.  Our wine sommelier Sherwin, is a second level Sommelier in the court of Master sommeliers,  he is learning and young but provided great wine service.

Entertainment

I generally don't attend many of the entertainment venues but the few that I did attend were very good. I also found that the dancing in the Queen's room was fun to watch. I'm not a dancer but there were a few highly trained as well as professional dancers on the ship and when you go and watch them it is quite remarkable.  The main entertainment for us was the wine and the food but I could highly recommend the other venues. They were pretty good too.  There were too many daily activities to mention with many general interest lectures so you could be constantly busy. 

Overall Impression 

The Queen Mary 2 cruise is one of our better cruises.  For us it was elegant and restful.  The seas were calm though we were told it was a little unusual in that most cruises had more swells and motion so we got lucky.  We would go again.