On Paris

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSdeDJUxF-0[/youtube]

(Is there a bit remix / cover (whatever it is) in the world than the Aeroplane remix of Friendly Fires 'Paris'?)

I've been to Paris a couple of times most noticeably once to interview Daft Punk and then once to see them. The first of these was an 8 hour trip spent running round the capital trying to find the hotel basement we were meeting them and eating somewhere particularly gross. The second involved much more sight seeing but a disappointment in the hotel which I'd spent about 400 hours on trip advisor trying to choose.

The best part of that trip though was our night out in The Marais, Paris' gay village. We discovered that clubs in Paris have volume monitors with the maximum volume being extremely quiet, danced to Sophie Ellis Bextor's 'Catch Me' for the first time in a very odd house club, and went into the tiniest club we've ever found whereupon a gorgeous French boy called Guilleme became very attached to me because I was wearing a star of David and tried to get me to join some kind of French, jewish society.

I do think that I've never quite got Paris though. When I went last year with Tom & James it was better probably because we found nice food, but I think I'd pick everywhere over Paris. Maybe I just need to do the right things.

Anyway I'm writing this because last week I was asked to ponder what I would do with 1,000€ on a weekend in Paris thanks to a competition from Le Nouveau Paris. I do often think about just jumping on a train from Kings Cross as it's so handy but the £££ element of it is off-putting. I know if I was given money for free though I'd spend the first £10 on a Chicken Caesar Salad on the Eurostar. I know that sounds utterly ridiculous but it was amazing when I had one on the way out last time and when told they didn't have any on the return journey I actually nearly cried.

If I went again though, I'd make sure I took more time to explore and see things I'd like. I've never been up the Eiffel Tower or The Louvre. I'd return to the awesome Pompedieu Centre and drop into trendy cafe L'Autre that I clocked but didn't have time to drop into and then head over to the other side of the city to the Dalston-like vibes of the fun, but cramped Pop Inn. If I had the confidence I'd hire a Vespa on the Left Bank and whizz through the city on a bike, making like VV Brown with less good hair.

As far as accommodation goes, I've always got lots of amazing, weird hotels bookmarked on delicious. I'm not sure I will ever stay in any of them though, but one of the most fun sounding is Hotel Everland which was a art installation style pod hanging on the edge of the River Seine. It's been de-commissioned now though so instead I'd love to rock up to the ridiculously high end Angelina's in Paris is a famous tea salon, and my new love of afternoon tea (acquired at the Dorchester with Golda) can be compared to the Parisian style. Alain Ducasse's school of food has long been bookmarked on my computer and can you imagine how much fun it would be to be taught French cuisine. I'd feel like I was in Julie & Julia! Steak though has to be the big find and I'm yet to figure out the best steak in Paris. Le Relais de Venise didn't impress me much with their London branch, but there are lots more to try.

(written in an attempt to win a holiday to Paris)