Lauren Elkin, aka "Maîtresse" is the local go-to girl for learning about the literary side of Paris. Originally from New York, she has lived in Paris on and off since 1999. While working on a PhD in English literature at the Université de Paris VII, she's also managed to finish a first novel. And in her free time, she writes a blog about her bookish life in the City of Light. This is her Paris.  

Photo by unsureshot

After almost a decade, you're something of a Paris veteran. But is there a place that, when you first arrived in Paris, held a certain magic for you?

There are so many places... the whole city has this amazing aura to it, every day I walk around and am thankful that I live here. But probably the Marais is the heart of my devotion to this place. I remember one night in the winter months of 1999, I was walking south on the rue de Turenne towards the rue St Antoine around 5 pm or so, but the sun was already setting and the world was purple and grey, and looking at the houses perched on the rue St Antoine, the way they stood forward against the sky, it really got to me. Every time I'm in that neighborhood now, I walk down that street and look at those houses and remember the feeling of being 19 years old and falling in love with Paris. This is the only city that seems to match my moods with its own, and I think this is most true in the Marais.

Photo by Mu Foo 

What's the most extravagant meal you've had in Paris, and what was it like?

Le Carré des Feuillants, January 2007. I was taken there for dinner on a whim - no special occasion or anything - and it was the most incredible meal of my life. The sommelier recommended the most amazing white wine from Burgundy, Chassagne Montrachet "Morgeot" 1996, Domaine Ramonet - it had so many different layers to it. I think wine people call that "complexity"? And I had a vegetable I had never heard of, topinambour, a kind of artichoke, layered with foie gras and black truffles... it was the kind of meal where the food is so good it's almost obscene to be experiencing that level of pleasure in public! Now we're planning a road trip to Burgundy to track down Monsieur Ramonet and buy several crates of his wine.

What's the most enjoyable high-brow cultural experience you've had in Paris?

To see Berlioz's "Roméo et Juliette" at the Opéra Bastille for my birthday last year. My boyfriend took me, and he wore a suit and tie, and I wore a pretty dress, and the music was beautiful, and the staging and choreography highly original and even quirky. I felt like a little kid, like when my parents took me to my first Broadway show.

Is there any touristy activity or place that's still fun for a local?

Le Refuge des Fondues in Montmartre. Everyone makes fun of me but I love it. The wine is served in baby bottles, the fondue is plentiful, and the waiters make the girls climb over the tables to get to their seats. It's filled with giggling American college students.  You don't walk out of there after a meal so much as ooze.  What's not to love?


Photo: lejeuneétranger

Is there a particular place where you like to go and write?

Le Select, on the boulevard Montparnasse. And the best place to go when I'm trying to write but can't is the Musée Carnavalet... that place really gets my creative juices flowing. And entry to the permanent exhibit is free, which is great for us struggling writers. 

Lauren Elkin is the author of the novel In Dorsoduro (representation by Diana Finch), and is at work on novel number two, set in present-day Paris. In addition to writing the blog Maîtresse, Lauren's writing has appeared in The Guardian, Gridskipper, the Huffington Post, Nextbook, The Forward, Parisist, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and the Paris Voice.

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While he's reported from all corners of the globe, BBC journalist Jerome Weatherald has called London home for the past fifteen years. A former south Londoner who did the "unforgivable thing" of crossing the divide, he now splits his time between the family home in north London and the BBC Broadcasting House near Oxford Circus. His work on Radio 4's weekday program Front Row has him regularly brushing up against celebs - this week alone featured Tom Jones, Bette Midler, Damien Hirst, and Robert Downey, Jr. But what he really loves is spending time in London with his wife (the novelist Louise Doughty) and daughters, or catching a few hours on his mountain bike. This is his London. 

Where do you go for a bit of inexpensive fun?

When the sun shines, being in London is just the greatest thing. Londoners fed-up with the relentless grey skies come out from nowhere, and the streets are suddenly vibrant and full of people relaxing outside pubs and cafes. But the other great thing you see is the bikes. Cyclists just seem to fill the streets. So when the sun comes out I like to head for the River Thames and ride the towpath.

Wherever you choose is a completely different experience - whether out east among the gleaming towers of Canary Wharf, or in central London on the busy South Bank. The ride from Tower Bridge to Westminster Bridge is a great leisurely ride, passing Tate Modern, the Globe Theatre, the National Theatre, the Festival Hall and the London Eye.

If you're feeling a bit more ambitious, head west to Putney or Hammersmith and take the towpath, but make sure you stop off at the excellent pubs that frequently dot the route.

Photo: Jerome Weatherald 

And on the flip side, what do you do on a cold, rainy day?

No question. Wrap up warm, get your muddy boots on and head for Hampstead Heath in north London. Take a walk up to the top of Parliament Hill for the best view in London. Avoid the mad kite-fliers who come out in numbers when the wind's blowing. Stop to admire the view of the whole city spread out before you, then go for a good hard stroll through the woods and end up for a welcoming pint in front of the open fire at the newly-re-opened Bull and Last pub on 168 Highgate Road. (Ooh, that sounds so good I fancy doing it right now).   

Parliament Hill in the snow.                                                                        Photo: Jerome Weatherald

What's the most memorable meal you've had in London?

The Oxo Tower on the South Bank has a dream location, high above the Thames peering down over the city to the north. On the top floor is a modern, beautifully-designed restaurant comprising three different areas - a formal restaurant, a brasserie, and a bar. I don't go for formal much, but on special occasions I have eaten at the brasserie next to the wonderfully tall wall of glass that overlooks the Thames.

The atmosphere is relaxed and very friendly, the food is moderately expensive and exceptionally good, and the views are to die for. You'll need to book ahead, and for me the best time to go is just before dusk while it's still light outside. Then during the course of your meal the daylight fades and London slowly lights up before you to reveal itself at its utterly dazzling best. And if you go in the summer you can dine on the deck outdoors.

View from Oxo Tower.                                                                                             Photo: Bruno Girin

Tell us about a place that's an old favourite, where you've been going for years.

Pubs across the UK, both in the cities and in rural villages, have been closing at an alarming rate in recent years. It breaks my heart because they are so much at the heart of a community, so full of welcome and history. I've spent a lot of my life in a lot of pubs for the sheer pleasure it gives me.

I have two favourites in London. One is my local (a secret I really shouldn't share with you) just round the corner from where I live - the Pineapple on Leverton Street in Kentish Town. Cosy, friendly, tucked away from tourists and offering old-world charm away from the city's frenetic pace. But if it's a pint of London Pride in a small, traditional, wood-panelled pub near work I'm after, my first choice is always the equally tucked-away Star & Garter at the bottom of Poland St, at the edge of Soho. Great atmosphere, well-kept beer, and there really aren't many of these lovely traditional hideaways left in central London.

View from St. Paul's Cathedral.                                                                                    Photo: Aschaf

Is there any touristy activity or place that's still fun for a local?

It's funny that you ask that question, because it's something I think about a lot. Many of the friends I've grown up with have moved out of London and I just don't get it. There is SO much to do and see here, and so much of it is free!

I and my family do love doing the tourist stuff because it's so good. The Great Court at the British Museum with its Norman Foster-designed glass ceiling will take your breath away. A touristy boat ride from Embankment Pier to Greenwich will give you views of London you'd never imagined, no matter how well you know the city.

But my number one favourite tourist activity is to climb to the top of the dome of Christopher Wren's magnificent St. Paul's Cathedral. It'll cost you about 14 Euros each, so it's not cheap, but the climb up takes you first to the stunning Whispering Gallery, then up the stairs to the first outdoor viewpoint and then for the hardy there are a few scary steps that bring you out near the very top of the dome for the utterly breathtaking view of an ever-changing city, where the high-rise buildings of 2008 sit side-by-side with buildings from the 15th and 16th century. And when you get back down you can cross the dazzling Millennium footbridge which takes you directly to another of my favourites, Tate Modern. 

You can listen to the BBC program Front Row online, or download their podcasts here.

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Photo: Laurent Attias

A few years ago, Catherine Sanderson was already one of Paris' most well-known expatriate bloggers. Her site Petite Anglaise had a loyal following of 4,000 visitors who arrived daily to hear the British secretary's stories about Paris, her French lover "Mr. Frog," and their bilingual daughter "tadpole." Then in April 2006, Sanderson's world turned upside down. Her employer, a posh British accountancy firm, discovered her blog and immediately fired her. Sanderson filed a lawsuit, endured a media storm, and eventually emerged with a double book deal from Penguin. She won the lawsuit, launched the first book to rave reviews, and now spends her days writing from a new apartment in Belleville. This is her Paris...

After 13 years in this city, you're now a veteran. But is there any place that held a certain magic when you first arrived in Paris?

My first apartment in Paris was on rue de la Roquette, midway between the place de la Bastille and Père Lachaise cemetery.  It was the closest thing to a park in my neighbourhood, and I often used to take a book and spend a few hours sunning myself on a bench somewhere off the beaten track  (i.e. as far from Oscar Wilde or Jim Morrisson as possible).  I revisited Père Lachaise in the spring - my first visit in ten years or more - and my five-year-old daughter loved weaving in amongst the gravestones and admiring the sculptures.   We plan to make a return visit in a month or two, to see the trees in all their autumn glory.

Photo: Mu Foo 

Where do you go when you're feeling a bit indulgent?

When I want to spoil myself I head to the Marais for some retail therapy.  Branches of many of my favourite shops (Zadig and Voltaire, Et Vous, Les Petites, Comptoir des Cotonniers, Sandro, Muji, to name but a few...) are located in a really compact area (500m2) bordered by the rue des Rosiers, rue Pavée, rue des Francs Bourgeois, and rue Vielle du Temple, with many of them open on Sundays.  For my favourite snack - a falafel with all the trimmings - I head to L'As du Fallafel on rue des Rosiers.  And for dessert, a slice of cheesecake from one of the nearby Jewish bakeries.

Photo: Roboppy

 What's the most extravagent meal you've had in Paris, and what was it like?

For a boyfriend's birthday I once splashed out on a 'menu degustation' at Blue Elephant thai restaurant, which is something of an institution in Paris. I reserved well in advance and managed to snag one of the prized tables for two by the indoor water feature. The setting was gorgeous, the service impeccable and the tiny taster portions of many of their signature appetisers were exquisite - it's really hard to find properly spiced thai food in Paris. However, our dinner was very nearly ruined when we followed our waitress's instructions and began to work our way clockwise around the tray of main courses, intending to start with the mildest dish and work up to the spiciest by degrees. The first dish was the most eye-watering, tastebud-nuking dish I've ever tasted: our waitress had got her instructions back to front. Sadly, my taste buds were in such a state of shock that I couldn't fully appreciate the rest of the meal.

Photo: Mu Foo  

Where do you go on a sunny day in Paris?

If I want to sit and soak up some rays, I usually head for the Parc de Belleville with a book or a picnic. You get a panoramic view of the Paris skyline from the highest point of the park, by rue Piat, and the best lawns for picnicking are just below the belvedère, either side of the shallow waterways where you can dip your feet if you begin to overheat. If I fancy a walk instead, we often stroll along the Canal St Martin. My daughter loves watching the barges negotiate the locks, and there are plenty of cafés with outdoor tables along the way if we want to stop for a bite to eat.

Photo: Mu Foo 

What's your favorite local place that you wouldn't necessarily recommend to tourists?

My favourite haunt in Belleville is the Salon de Thé Wen Zhou. It's a tiny, unassuming Chinese snack bar which I must have walked past a hundred times without giving it a second glance until the day when, on the recommendation of a friend, I stepped inside. Wen Zhou has since become a firm favourite in our family - and judging by the number of other regulars we've spotted there, we're not alone. My personal favourite si the pork and herb ravioli and my daughter always goes for the sautéed Shanghai noodles, or 'fat worm noodles', as she calls them. 

If you were ever to leave this city, what place would you most miss?

I don't think I'd miss any one particular place. But when I travel elsewhere I miss the reliability of the Paris métro, I realise how wonderfully compact and walkable Paris is compared to so many other capital cities. And I'd miss little things like the smell of baking bread as I pass a boulangerie, the way you can linger over a single coffee in a café without anyone passing comment.

Photo: Graphistolage

Catherine Sanderson is currently finishing her second book, due to be published by Penguin in August 2009. Her first book Petite Anglaise is on sale now (UK/USA), and she continues to write about life in Paris on her blog of the same name.

Go further:

Local view: Bob Stanley's London

Local view: Jerome Weatherald's London

Local view: Melissa Maldonado's Berlin

Local view: Lauren Elkin's Paris 

Local view: Sebastian Horsley's London

Local view: Gilles Valentin's Istanbul

Local view: Adam Kuban's New York

Local view: Christophe Abric's Paris

Local view: Maaike Gottschal's Amsterdam

Local view: Jozef Spodniak's Prague

Local View: Dana Boulé's Paris