Right now in my home country an ongoing demonstration is taking place in a private park in the financial district of lower Manhattan. You may have heard of it….Occupy Wall Street. Over the past 28 days the movement has spread across the great US of A, and is also said to be trickling into other countries (although no word of an “Occuper Paris” pas encore). From what I understand, the grievances of the protestors run the gamut from global warming to high gas prices to corporate greed and financial inequality. Their mantra, “We are the 99%”…which is a distinction from 1% of the richest individuals in America.
Since I am clearly also part of the 99% and largely not a fan of corruption in general :), I thought I would show my solidarity and support for my countrymen’s right to express their discontent by doing a little occupying of my own right here in Paris! However, my occupation will decidedly not be in a park nor will witty hand held signs, tarps or port-a-potties be involved. In fact, I am not going to take to the street at all…I am headed to the most famous bar in the world, Hemingway Bar at the Ritz Hotel in Paris. My occupation will be a bar stool watching the world famous bartender, Colin Field, mix custom cocktails for guests who likely are in the 1%…..ah, c’est la vie!
The front of the Ritz in the beautiful Place Vendôme…which is one of my favorite places in Paris.
(I took this picture right before I walked in. As you can see last night was an absolutely lovely evening.)
Just walking into the Ritz is a treat. Upon entrance I was greeted with a myriad of smiles and “Bonsoir, Madame!” from all the men and women in their perfectly pressed uniforms. Bar Hemingway is located on the other side of the hotel which allowed me my own personal escort, a fresh faced, adorable young French man and Ritz guest relation employee, to guide me from the front part of the hotel through “Temptation Gallery” and then finally to my destination.
A slendid fall flower arrangement near the front of the hotel
Immediately after this display, my escort and I turned left into the never ending Temptation Gallery…
…which was lined with many display cases like above, all dazzling and sparkling with their gold gilded or diamond encrusted luxury, must-have items. One case even displayed the Ritz’s private label champagne that they serve in their bars and restaurants and sometimes leave for guests in their room. I asked my escort if I should come find him if I decide that I want something at 2am…he smiled and hesitantly said, “yeah.” I winked at him back. 🙂
At last I arrived! It was about 8pm when I stepped into the cozy, wood paneled bar which use to be a favorite hangout for its namesake (who also lived at the Ritz for a spell). It was busier than I expected for the dinner hour, but I spotted an open stool at the bar…my stool! I asked the woman who greeted me, whose name later I learned was Caroline, if I could take that seat. Bien sur was her reply, and within moments of becoming situated, maître in his field and grand host, Monsieur Colin, begin working his charm and mixology magic on me. Occupy Bar Hemingway had officially commenced!
“Welcome to our small bar!” Colin said as I was taking off my coat.
“Thank you.” I replied, “You may be small, but your reputation is big.”
“You are very kind.” He responded with a gentle smile.
And then before I had time to consider a drink or find the hook under the bar to place my coat, the Dominican woman from Texas next to me began talking to me NON-STOP! Don’t get me wrong, she was lovely…and I think just sooooo excited to be in Paris and at Bar Hemingway…but wow, I am not sure she took time to breathe between sentences. I sat there listening trying to be polite and interested, but so wanted instead to take a moment to soak in my surroundings…and, well, order a drink. Colin is famous for creating perfection in a glass based on what you feel like…I was feeling a little suffocated at the moment. I wonder what that drink would taste like? Colin noticed the dispair and thirst in my eyes, and came over to hand me a note. I tilted my head side ways and looked at it. He told me to open it. Inside it read, “Don’t worry you will get a drink SOON!” Ah, now I know why he is the best in the world!
He further sealed his reputation for me when he came back and proceeded to tell me what I liked and didn’t like in a drink. He must have made the assessment off my look and demeanor…because at that point we hadn’t exchanged too many words. He noted I didn’t like drinks that were too sweet or with alcohol that was too strong. Rather I preferred champagne cocktails or cocktails with citrus notes. He then began to animatedly describe in wonderful and extravagent detail three custom creations he thought I would like. I just sat there looking starry eyed once he wrapped up the description of drink option #3 which was a cocktail with a flavor he described as “biting through the skin of an almost ripe pear to reach the tender, white succulent flesh.” Uh, one of those please.
Colin wouldn’t let me take a picture of the picture-perfect beverage which was dressed up with a beautiful red rose, because apparently people have gotten a bit out of control with picture taking in the bar (although by the end of the night I was taking pictures of everything…so perhaps it is an early evening rule!). But a picture won’t capture the flavor anyway, which was perfectly balanced between pear, apple and a soupçon of lime over grey goose vodka. Melody in glass! However, the most sublime drink at Bar Hemingway is their signature drink and problably Colin’s chef-d’œuvre, The Serendipity. It is a magical mix of mint leaves, a touch of sugar, calvados, apple juice and Ritz champagne served in a high ball glass (still dressed in a flower if you are a dame!). I was introduced to this, what is now probably my new favorite drink, later in the evening when Colin introduced me to another lone bar attendee, Kelil…perhaps he had seen my OBH fliers :), Ha! (OBH = Occupy Bar….oh, you get it!) You can pop over to this website if you wish to start your own organic juice business.
The Serendipity!! And some of the bar’s interior.
Colin has decorated much of the walls with his personal items (there are some antelors from some of his hunts in South Africa) and still hang about 20 photos that Heminway took himself.
Once he learned I was in Paris to learn French, Colin became very interested and inventive in ways for me to practice my French (Colin is an Englishman, but speaks several languages fluently…he has been at Bar Hemingway since 1994). He guessed that I was an equestrian rider (seriously the man is amazing) and recommended I take some riding classes at L’Ecole Madrid on the outskirts of Paris. There, he said, no one speaks English…and you will have to speak French…which is indeed the key. I was intrigued by the idea as well as one of his other ideas…take fencing classes! He offered to introduce me to a friend of his who teaches…and, yep, only speaks French. Might be kinda fun! However, more immediately he got me to start conversing with a very nice French-Lebonese man sitting next to me who is living in French Guiana, Kelil, who spoke limited English and was a regular guest at the hotel. It was great fun and practice…and before the night was over Kelil and I were also friends with the couple from Georgia, Annie and Matt, next to us as well as the lawyer from Michigan, Mark.
4 flowers means I was ordered 4 drinks…but I had ample help consuming them!
BUT that doesn’t mean I was able to rise with the chickens this morning. In fact, I probably got up around the same time as all my friends in Seattle…and it is a weekend there!!!! :)))))
This is me being artistic at 2am :). My new friends, Kelil and Mark, are still widly animated in the background for this hour!And since we didn’t have a chance to say good-bye to Colin last night…we are all going back tonight! My new favorite drink awaits!!!
Although my occupation my not have been as long and steadfast as my counterparts in NYC, I did my best and my goal was accomplished…I made new friends, spoke French and had intersting discussions with interesting people about life and politics in a beloved Paris bar. I hope the participants of Occupy in the US feel as satisfied as I do once their occupation ends as well.
Occupy Bar Hemingway is officially complete! Now I need to figure out what I am going to wear when I go back there tonight…just as a patron though…not an occupier! Bisous a tout!
UPDATE: The magic continued the second night. Kelil and I met at Bar Heminway (alas Mark was a no show!). Kelil also invited some of his friends from French Guiana, an executive from Renault, his beautiful Brazilian wife and their adorable 10 year old daughter. We shared drinks and conversation at the Ritz before heading to the new Mandarin Oriental hotel and their restaurant, Camelia. French was the dominating language for the evening (although Angela, the beautiful Brazilian wife, and I would communicate in Spanish), and I couldn’t have been more pleased to be part of the group…even if my conversational input was limited. They were so warm, so welcoming and so patient :)…and I could tell Kelil was quite pleased about all the French he was exposing me to :). The evening’s highlight for me was when the little girl wouldn’t stop giving me hugs when it came time to say good-bye back at the Ritz. Wonderful! Kelil and I wrapped up the evening at another one of Paris’ palace hotels, The Park Hyatt. We recalled the highlights of our last 2 evenings together over a final glass of champagne, and then said our good-byes. He had to leave for home in the morning.
….another incredible evening and experience in this city that always leaves me breathless.
Plan YOUR Adventure: Ritz Paris 15, Place Vendôme 75001 Paris Hemingway Bar Website * The Ritz Paris will be closing for 27 months starting the summer of 2012 for major renovations.