From September 23th, 2009 to January 4th, 2010, on the Petit Palais, will be a retrospective exhibition about Renoir. The exhibition included 200 masterpieces from Renoir. The website of the Petit Palais (only to see it from outside its a wonderful walking trail). http://www.grandpalais.fr/fr/Accueil/p-93-Accueil.htm

"peanut butter maple syrup sludge" - i'm all over this! can't wait to try, and won't wait for my next flight to do so! the apartment swap is such a fabulous idea. i'm already looking forward to your paris posts here.... bon voyage, and of course, bon appetit ! :)

My favorite small neighborhood bistro in Paris, located near the Eiffel Tower, is Cafe Constant, 139, rue Saint-Dominique: http://www.cafeconstant.com And thanks for the blog, Heidi. I'm a huge fan (and a friend of your neighbor, Dan, who went up in my estimation for knowing you!).

Have a safe flight and trip!! Those treats will DEFINITELY be great for snacking while waiting for your next plane :)

I have lived in Paris for a little over two years, close to the Eiffel Tower, so a bit far from Montmartre area. I am sure Clotilde will give you a series of "must-do", "must-visit" that will be a lot more up to date than mine, as I left in 2003. Please report back, and have a ton of fun! Of course, you HAVE to go to Poilane and get one of their beautiful breads :-) Bon voyage!

I love Paris. My favorite restaurant: Le Souk - fine Moroccan food - search the NYTimes.com site for a review. Favorite place: Luxembourg Gardens. Close second: standing in front of the Victoire of Samothrace in the Louvre. Night cruise on the Seine is awesome. Eiffel tower at night. Le Printemps and Galleries de Lafeyette - great place to grab a lunch and view the city from above.

I'm so glad to read that you're travelling to my beloved city: Madrid. Here's a couple of tips: - A place to eat: Viva la vida: it's a veggie buffet, full of colour and good vibes. Food is homemade and delicious. I'm sure you'll find a great source of inspiration! Here's the map (also the quarter is one of the don't-miss... La Latina) http://11870.com/pro/viva-la-vida-madrid - Food: try "salmorejo", it's a traditional southern recipe made with tomato, bread, olive oil and garlic. It's just delicious, and great for this summer time (don't forget your summer clothes!). - A place: there is a place that many guides don't mention but it's actually my favorite. The Debod temple park. The sunset is amazing and so is the city view from here... Here goes the map: http://11870.com/pro/templo-debod Enjoy your visit! And if you need some more help/tips/anything, dont hesitate mailing me. Have an amazing trip!

If you are going to Madrid, you will be in tapas heaven! There is one in particular I recommend -- gulas! Baby eels served on toast with a garlic aioli. Sounds wierd, but it's wonderful. I had it in a great little second -story restaurant just off the plaza with the Bear statue (Plaza del Sol?? hard to remember), but I'm sure you can get it many places. Superb! Also try to find a Basque restaurant if you can. Have a lovely time!

My two top picks have been taken, (Dehillerin, the most amazing cookware store ever, and Chez l'ami Jean for deeply wonderful Basque bistro food). So instead I'll suggest great ice cream at Berthillon, the impressive living wall and gardens at Musee de Quai Branly, and the markets, particularly the Marche des Enfants Rouge off rue de Bretagne in the Marais. Will be off to Paris before Christmas so please post your adventures!

If you're in the neighborhood and just want to sit down and enjoy the view, take Pont Neuf and follow the signs to where the tour boats leave. But - do not take the tour boats. Keep going through the tiniest of parks on the western end of Isle de la CIté to just sit on the edge of the island and take in the view. You'll be sitting in the middle of the marvelous Seine looking at the bridges in front, the Louvre on your right and Notre Dame behind you. Have fun! http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=paris+sacre-coeur&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=40.324283,82.441406&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=48.857549,2.340069&spn=0.001025,0.002516&z=19&iwloc=A

Hullo Heidi! I've been following and loving your blog for more than a year now, beginning when I first lived in Madrid in 2007! It's there (and, by extension, through your blog) that I learned how to cook. I'm back living in Madrid now getting my Master's, so if you're here and in need of a friendly vegetarian to recommend spots to see/shop/eat, grab a bite, or consult for directions and/or museum going, please do get in touch! Hope your trip is fantastic. Hasta pronto! Caitlin email: [email protected] Spanish mobile: 600287276

Hi Heidi, for a couple of years now i've kept your blog in my favourites as a reference for great vegetarian recipes. As a vegetarian living in Paris now for a good few years i thought that i'd warn you that they're really big meat eaters over here and tend to hide meat in things that you kinda wouldn't expect which always annoys me, saying this there are some great finds to be had, one of mine and my (French and meat eating) boyfriend's favs is Galerie 88 just behind to the Hotel de Ville - 88, quai de l’Hôtel de Ville, 75004 Paris, the gazpacho and split pea soup (which i want so desperately to recreate but can't seem to...) are both musts, lovely bohemian style and simple great tasting food. I saw that someone suggested L’As du Falafel - 34, rue des Rosiers, 75004 Paris and i agree, you should definitely try and stop by it's delicious. Tip, at rush hours you'll wait less if you actually sit in to eat and also it's shut on Fri nights. Enjoy the city. Victoria.

Have fun. I don't know how long you're going to be there, but consider getting a Carte Orange for the metro. You can get them for either one week or one month, and they're totally worth it. Definitely stop by Angelina's on the rue de Rivoli for the most decadent hot chocolate on the planet. It's an easy stop when you're at the Louvre. You can also get some excellent North African cuisine in Paris...both Algerian and Moroccan. L'Atlas Blvd. St. Germaine in the 5eme Arrondissement is good, as is Chez Omar in the 3eme. :)

Oh Heidi, I have recommended your site to so many here in KY. I really appreciate your posts and very neat site. It's easy to maneuver around in, your prose is articulate, and your recipes are simple to read. I have not tried many of your vegetarian delights due to lack of items I can get here in rural East Kentucky, but I occasionally have the means to take a city trip, and that's when I rely on your expertise to wow some veggie friends. It's great you post what others do while giving them credit for their tried and trues. I am in awe, but also simply grateful to be able to pass along your quality site to others who are searching in the maze of food info. Cheers!

ditto on Ste Chapelle and Poilane bread on Chercez Midi. Maison du Chocolates, LaDurree on Place Royale for macaroons. Don't miss Berthillon ice creams and sorbets, especially the sorbets - love the cassis sorbet. The main store is on Ile St. Louis, but there will be other places all around Paris that carry some of their flavors. Look at "Sweet Life in Paris" by David Lebovitz for Paris references in the back of the book, also his blog. Bon Voyage

Enjoy Paris, you are going to LOVE it!!!!!!!!!

Fwiw, Marshmallow Fluff (http://www.marshmallowfluff.com/ ) doesn't contain gelatin -- although it does have egg whites -- and makes great Rice Krispie Treats etc.

Just when I'd been mooning over (marshmallow) rice crispy treats I can't have. I was considering making my own marshmallows but this sounds much easier. I'll have to make these really soon.

Try and make it to the Jardin du Luxembourg which is on the left bank... I found it sort of haunting in a good way, at least in the winter. It is not too far from the hotel Relais St. Germain which is a fabulous boutique hotel and right next to it they have a lovely restaurant, which unlike most hotel restaurants is adored by locals. Yummy breakfasts with delicious walnut bread, soft-boiled eggs, organic yogurt, honey, and fruit. Have fun and be sure to wear your walking shoes....!

I'm a faithful reader of your blog. Oddly, I leave for Paris next tuesday. I've been making my own lists for a couple of months now. I will return to a few favorites from 2005. Of course I have Clotilde's book and I'll be packing it. One of my favorite spots was the Rodin garden, I think you'll take some gorgeous photos there. Also don't miss the gardens at Versailles, we biked through them to Marie Antoinette's Petit Hameau. A small stand served amazing organic sorbet there, i chose lemon strawberry and my daughter had green apple. Unbelievable flavor. The Gardens at Giverny are a don't miss too. We took a bike tour there (fat tire), I recommend going on a weekday to avoid the crowds. One restaurant we enjoyed was sept/quinze in the 15eme. Might be a bit far for you. Also Maxim's in the Galleries Lafayette was a great spot for lunch after visiting the Garnier Opera house. The Louvre restaurant served us a memorable tartine. Have a great time and I look forward to your posts afterward.