AurelleA: La Regine, etc.

Okay, so finally an exciting update with pictures. My life was less boring yesterday.

Anne and I met for drinks at Cafe Le Baron. Their happy hour is legit -- 5 euros for delish champagne or huge cocktails, tapas included. After a few drinks and once Tahra joined us, we sat down for dinner and wine. I love that place. I had the house salad, Tahra had this amazing risotto, and Anne had the salmon tartar. And we had the same hot waiter as the last time we were there, although I think he hated us because we kept bugging him when he took awhile to seat us. But like really, he took about 40 minutes longer than he said he would to get us a table. Alisa joined us too for dessert and more drinks -- I had the cafe gourmand (coffee, a creme brulee, chocolate mousse, and this almond whipped cream), Anne had pain perdu (french toast with caramel and apples), and Tahra had this great mango coconut thing.

Anne's salmon tartare

Tahra's delish risotto with balsamic sauce. You can tell I'm getting drunk by the very crooked photo.

Alisa came!

The creme brulee was on fire!!

Mmm dessert.

After we finished dinner, we went to Monop to pick up some more alcohol. These stupid pimply boys were chasing me around the store harassing me. Anne and I kept yelling at them to stop, and running to different aisles. But they kept chasing after. Finally the manager chased them out. But the cashier was laughing. Mean.

When we got back to my place, we found Carla, Liz, and Maria all trying to get ready for their early train to Strasbourg tomorrow. Of course, we distracted them with our drunkenness. Anne and Alisa ate the brownies she'd made the other day and sold some to Liz and Carla.

Then Anne decided to freeze the brownies...which required cleaning out Annie Benoit's freezer because no one has ever used it. She took scissors and started hacking away at the ice, which turned into Anne and Liz playing catch with the ice. Anne also found frozen cauliflower, Tigger, and a popsicle. Weird.

Finally we decided it was time to leave for La Regine (it was almost 1am at this point). First we took some hallway pics, and Liz and Alisa bonded.

We had to take a cab to La Regine cause the metro was closed. Ugh. When we got there the bouncer asked us for our ID's and Maya had forgotten hers. The bouncer was an ass and didn't believe she was over 18. So dumb. We went in, sadly, but Maya actually went home and returned with an ID! Thank god. Made the night that much better when she came back.

La Regine has mirrors everywhere and low ceilings and cool, vintage, 40's style lounge chairs and wallpaper. The drinks were kind of expensive, but the people there were cool and the music was the perfect mix of American pop/indie and European techno. We took some shots, made some friends, and danced and danced and danced. I got home around 4 or 5 am, I don't really remember.

Reunited!!

I met this guy, Mateo, but my stupid phone didn't save his number. So upsetting. Mateo, where are you???

Then today Anne and I had our reservations at Ripaille (I definitely got the name wrong in the other post, my bad)! The place was tiny, but the food totally lived up to our expectations. 15 euro prix fixe for 2 courses and coffee! So good. Even though we were hungover. It was rustic and kitschy and warm and cozy.