Paddle and chill at the Bois de Boulogne

Now here's a fun thing to do on one of the rare hot days in Paris….head over to the Bois de Boulogne, hire a raft with a group of friends and paddle around the lake.

Perfect opportunity to take in the wonderful views – and I'm not talking just about the natural scenery but also the 'dynamics' between couples on a raft - some get romantic, others showoff muscle power – either way, its mostly where Parisians just chill and pretend they are in the country-side. The Bois de Boulogne is just a very cool spot for a picnic, some touch rugby and of course paddling on the lake. It is located in the 16^th aarondissement and apparently is bigger than New York's Central Park, it is the subject matter of one of Edouard Manet's paintings and apparently by night, it is one of Paris's most renowned red-light districts! Ooolala!!

(by the way, for non-French speakers, this name can be a bit of a mouth-full to pronounce, so here is some phonetic help "bwa de boolon")

A "Home Maid" treat in the city

Situated just a few minutes walk from the famous luxury department store "Printemps" is a perfect little yummy retreat called Home Maid restaurant and take away. This little place opened less than a year ago and has a real authentic charm about it. Walking in, one is greeted by a very cool and cheerful staff all wearing orange aprons and name-tags! The vibe is comfy with a snug indoors and a very pleasant outdoors seating area. Along one of the walls are 3 large lively paintings depicting a hip Parisian woman looking very chic and at ease – I secretly think it's a reflection of the joint's charming owner, Cynthia who seems to run the little place with such flair!

But wait, there is more! A little staircase on the side leads to the basement level where one is greeted with a very chic, trendy little room – enough to seat about 16 people or perfect to hold a private event. The room is simply yet strikingly decorated with white brick walls, black and white tables and chairs, a plasma screen and one small chandelier. This room has already hosted the likes of private parties, luncheons and an art exhibition.

So what's on the menu? Everyday boasts something different, but it goes something like this: The take away dish would be chicken skewer and an assortment of vegetables and rice. The main dishes would be tomatoes and mozzarella and vegetables and ricotta. The soup of the day would be cauliflower with nuts, the dessert a mix of red fruits and apple, and a fruit juice of grape, apple and orange. Simple, healthy, tasty and light!

Prices are very reasonable and range from €2,90 to €8,90

Home Maid is open Mondays to Fridays from 12:00 – 15:00, serves lunch only and is also a wi-fi zone. It is located at 97 Boulevard Haussmann in the 8^th aarondissement, nearest metro is Miromesnil on lines 9 and 13.

Sacré Coeur is pretty, but what surrounds it is even better!

Big fat warning – visiting the Sacré Coeur and its cute little alleys and artists square is very picturesque, but completely over-crowded, and just way too touristy. I recommend going there just to have your photo's taken with the Sacre Couer as your background, then turn around and snap another this time using as your background the famous setting from the French movie Amelie (make sure to get the carousel in the shot) – then get out of there as fast as you can!

Break away from the crowds of the artists's square (right to the Sacré Coeur ) and wind your way downwards through the little streets and soak in the fabulous, quieter side of Montmartre.

Go down to Place Marcel Aymé – a square named after French novelist, children's writer, humour writer as well as a movie and theatre playwright. Marcel Aymé's most celebrated short story is Le Passe-Muraille or The Walker-Through-Walls. At this square once can see a sculpture of the story's protagonist 'Dutilleul' literally walking through a wall.

Moving along down the curving roads one comes across Place Dalida – a square named in honor of the Egyptian born, Italian origin, French singer Dalida. This square is situated right in the heart of the Montmatre and is the area where the 55 golden records and recipient of a diamond disc singer chose as her home for its heights and space. The city of Paris erected a bronze memorial there of Dalida's face over-looking the neighborhood she lived in for 25 years where her legacy reigns in this tranquil square. This 'sensuous lady of disco' has become a cult figure to a new generation of fans and is considered to be one of the most influential people who left the greatest impact on French society.

These are just 2 highlights of an abundance of esteemed attractions in this area, such as the house van Gogh and his brother Guillaumin lived in, in 1886 – 54 rue Lepic.

There are many structures to climb in order to get an aerial view of Paris (Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Arch de Triumph) – and nearly all of them charge an entrance fee. However, I highly recommend the (free) view from the top of the Pompidou Centre. Not many people are aware of this little treasure, but riding the 6 flights of escalators right to the very top, one is greeted with a breathtaking view of the city – and what's more, one of Paris's trendiest restaurants is nestled at the top, known as Chez George – giving one a fabulous excuse to pause for a coffee, lunch or dinner while taking in the view…

Just some facts, the Pompidou Centre is named after Georges Pompidou who was the president of France from 1969 – 1974 and as it so happens, this original cultural institution was his brainchild too.

Of course there is so much more to the Pompidou Centre and it's really worth a visit to see it's exhibitions, films, stores, live street performances in its pavilion, and much, much more….. it's a real cultural bliss! The Pompidou Center is open every day, except Tuesdays and its address is Place Georges Pompidou found in the 4th aarondissement - nearest metros Rambuteau and Les Halles

I just happened to stumble upon L'Hotel while taking a walk along the Rive Gauche – and what an enchanting find!! Other than the cozy-chic vibe one gets just by walking inside, what makes it really special is that it's the place where play writer, novelist and poet Oscar Wilde spent the last year of his life and consequently, it's also the very place where he died. It was also a frequent hang-out for Argentinean writer Jorge Luis Borges until the 80's.

L'Hotel is a luxury 5 star boutique hotel with only 20 rooms - each room done up completely different with its own character and style. There is even a room called "the Oscar Wilde" which is made up in a traditional English style and it even features framed letters from the hotel staff urging him to pay his hotel bill (which he never lived to do).

This year (2008) Harpar's Bazaar declared it as winner of best urban hotel in the world and its restaurant "Le Restaurant" has been awarded one Michelin star!

This is another fabulous example of Paris's hidden gems that simply makes you understand why some of history's most renowned artists chose these specific spots and found their inspiration. If you're not going to book a room there, then it's a great place to just go for a drink at their snazzy bar (dress cool though!) - there is definitely something crazy but beautiful about this hotel.

It is situated in the heart of the cultural and artistic center of Paris and a stone throws away from St Germain at 13 rue des Beaux-Arts in the 6^th arrondissement.

So I recently discovered (and took part) in what is called Ventes Privees, or in English, Private Sales. To just hear about these sales you really have to be in the 'in' crowd so to speak or at the very least join their facebook groups (sometimes Google searches for them helps too). How these things work is simple- at the end of every season private outlets hold exclusive sales of elite clothing brands (sometimes as much as 75% off!!) and sell them to the public via private sales. These usually take place in a small outlet store that is packed with all the 'last season' goods and usually run for about 3 days until all stock is virtually sold out. Also, these outlets generally don't have change rooms, so expect to see people trying on clothes behind clothing rails! Be warned - one can't just arrive and hope to get it, one has to have registered to attend these sales (such as through facebook!) or be in possession of an invitation or have your name on the 'guest list'. If you've done all this, then arrive early because the waiting line can be long and only a limited number of people are allowed in the store at one time. Also be aware to expect the line to stretch far with many beautiful French woman all with one thing on their mind! So for those wanting to come to Paris for some exclusive shopping, yes this could be quite the production, but it's kinda worth it - especially if you are into buying from brand names such as Chloe. Expect to pay something around 600 Euros for a bag that was initially 1300 Euros - but at least you leave with the handbag you've always dreamed of (until the next season that is!) and can beautifully boast your Parisian purchase to friends and family back home ...

Paris Metro's first line came to life in July 1900, endearingly called 'Line 1'. This is my favorite (most central and one of the cleanest) metro lines in Paris which runs from the very west, La Défense to the very east, Château de Vincennes. While the Parisian metro system is a very good one in terms of frequency, there are also a number of metro stations that simply scream for you to get out and just admire them from one end of the platform to the next. Such is the line 1, and my very reason for favoring it over the others, where for example, one of its stations Louvre-Rivoli is made to look like an extension of the Louvre itself with art works and sculptures coating the magnificent marbled walls. Continuing along line 1 to the Bastille station, one can also admire the walls of this platform which were bedecked with tiled imagery in 1989 to celebrate the bicentenary of the French Revolution. Another station worth a cultural visit is line 13's Varenne showcasing exhibits from the Rodin Museum like an imitation of The Thinker. Keep in mind that there are plenty more stations that boast great works of art in murals, staircases, displays, etc (but definitely not all, so don’t get too excited!). Another thing to totally look out for is architect Hector Guimard's enchanting Art Nouveau entrances to the metro stations which grace the sidewalks with beautiful curvilinear floral motifs. Incidentally, Guimard is considered to be the most prominent representative of the French Art Nouveau movement at the turn of the 20^th century. Now how is all that for the price of a €1,50 metro ride?