Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Food!


I'm just back from a nice dinner with a bunch of web entrepreneurs, whose company I enjoy a lot. We went to Noura's, a Lebanese restaurant located on avenue Marceau. Everyone - but me - was Twittering, taking photos, posting comments on blogs... I love Lebanese food, even though it's very filling. Picnic update: there is a change in the location. Please visit this link.

73 comments:

  1. Looks like you had a wonderful dinner. Were there any women in the group?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Restaurant? Again? ;) Hope you had a good. I love Libanese food but never found a good restaurant in Paris, thanks for the tip!

    Bad weather?.. No problem, we'll probably me at Eric's place. Héhé.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a lovely gathering, Eric! And you don't twitter (or tweet, or whatever they call it)? Nice wine.

    ReplyDelete
  4. O my god! I'm first. How did this happen? I will gladly accept today's crown!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hey isn't it Loic Le Meur on the left? The famous blogger? Wahou you know some "web stars"! ;)

    BTW, I don't really understand the interest of Twitter...It's probably more for people like you who need to share about works and everything but I don't think that everybody need it and use it in the good way.

    GF Rimabirdgirl!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I've been Tweeting tonight a bit and I didn't see you there Eric! I should have known you were out dining again!

    Yay Rimabirdgirl GF! :) What's on your crown?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Personally, I think all this Twittering and stuff is getting a little out of control. I've got a cell phone, a laptop, a desktop at work, one at home, at leat 3 or 4 personal email accounts, a couple more for work, a blog, a facebook login ... where do you stop?! Too much of a good thing, you know ;)

    Out of curiosity, I wonder how many email addresses people have? I think I have like 5 or 6 active accounts plus 2 phone lines (not including work). How about you guys?

    ReplyDelete
  8. La j'ai aucune idee pour le picnic. Le resto du musee du CNAM qui est sympa pour des rencontres de ce genre ferme bien trop tot. N'y a-t'il pas un endroit comme ca a Beaubourg? Peut-etre il faut laisser tomber l'idee du picnic / pot luck dehors et aller simplement prendre un pot qq part dans un endroit accessible ($$) a tous. Je crois me souvenir d'un restau tout en haut a Beaubourg?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Do you have a kitchen, Eric? It seems you are very blessed to have such friends and acquaintances and go out to eat often. It looks like a lovely place and I hope you enjoyed yourself very much!

    ReplyDelete
  10. There is always a big explosion when "the rules" are pulled out, so yes rimabirdgirl, you are indeed first, but the crown goes to Guille for 2 full lines. That way, everything stays fair. If you have a picture, your two lines get to be shorter! I'm sorry!!!!!!!!

    I feel like I am at the table eating with everybody!

    Eric, when will you post the new place for the picnic?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Tomate, I use and enjoy Twitter, but maybe that's because I don't have a mobile phone, a cable TV subscription, a laptop, or children, and I live in a small town. One of the first things I notice about people who sign up, but then don't "get" Twitter is that they aren't following very many Twitter streams. It's like buying a pen, setting it on your desk, staring at it a bit, and wondering why people use pens.

    It's a tool for anyone to use any way they want. Like any new tool, it can take some time to figure out all the ways you might want to use it. You can also just chuck it across the garage if it doesn't apply to your current interests. One blogger wrote a nifty blog post called "In Defense of Twitter" in response to Maureen Dowd's NY Times opinion piece a while back.

    I opened my account after all the news coverage about how the political campaigns had made use of it last year. I kept mine locked/private for a couple of months, until I could get my bearings. It also took a little while to ferret out the Twitter feeds I wanted to follow, and that is a continuing process of trial and error. I like having a bunch of news feeds in my mix, and I can customize my sources, so I don't need RSS feeds anymore. I've found some celebrities that are entertaining (and some are not), and there are science and museum streams I follow too. There are "micro-fiction" writers I follow as well. If the links are good, the humor pithy, or they are otherwise enriching to me, I keep them on. I've recently discovered how much I enjoy real-time tweets of events of interest to me. That can be similar to a personal note-taker at a fascinating lecture - people who are skilled writers and insightful professionals, who I would never be able to meet and know in meatspace.

    No need to knock it just because it's a ball point pen, and any teenager can go out and use it to write down their naive insights or daily definitions of themselves (you can also follow my tweets if you want that kind of banality @USelaine). Be discriminating, like anything else.

    ReplyDelete
  12. That said, I would luuuuv it if someone or two would "live-tweet" the PDP picnic for those of us who can't be there. You can easily link us to camera-phone snapshots via Twitpic or pic.im, etc. Tweets could be noting who just arrived, what someone just said, anything you observe. The more on-the-spot the better. 8^)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'll try to get someone to do it as my phone can't.

    So, USelaine, you are not the mystery guest, lol?

    ReplyDelete
  14. phx-cdg - OMG, if only! I wanna I wanna I wanna... My money is on Tall Gary.

    ReplyDelete
  15. uselaine -- brilliant explanation! And brilliant idea to "tweet" le pique-nique for those of us (toi et moi for starters) who will not be there (sob). If TG turns out to be the mystery guest and he didn't tell me, I will be un peu cranky!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hey, ma Guille -- GF, it would seem (but if you had a photo it would probably be you rimabirdgirl—so yay! both of you. Guille, would your bar work as a rainy-day venue pour le pique-nique??

    ReplyDelete
  17. Is that hummus I see in this picture in the left? humm love it!

    This table looks very yummy!



    Coltrane: thanks! I love photos with flowers. Actually it's autumn here, but since this time of the year here is better for the flowers - cause it's not sooo hot - the flowers look beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hey don't let that red vino go to waste...Monsieur another bottle of conversation extender please! Merci.:-) Twitter me thumbs but when I'm in the land of the grape I don't think I'll be twittering (not that there's anything wrong with it); however, I'd rather leave the Gidget gadgets behind and enjoy the company of those with whom I'm breaking le pain. Eric, I think you've the right idea.

    Tomate...email addresses? I've only 4 and most days that's too many. Plus, I don't check all of them daily.

    Congrats Rimbaud girl (I mean Rimabird girl...French poets always getting in the way LOL) and congrats to Guille girl too! ciao

    ReplyDelete
  19. phx-cdg, I hasten to add, I'll need to know who to follow in order to pick up the tweets. @etenin has an account. Anyone else?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Speaking of restaurants (since Eric eats at a lot of them), I think you better consider one for the picnic this year Eric. Rain, rain, and more rain predicted I'm afraid.

    Yes Guille, I believe it is Loic LeMeur in the photo. Maybe he'll show up to the picnic. Is that the mystery guest PHX? He does split his time between France and North America. Hmmmmmm

    ReplyDelete
  21. I'm GF? Cool!

    Rain, rain, rain...
    Tomate, you're talking about Le George, not really cheap... ;)
    We have to find a place big enough and where we can stay at least until 12 or something. Any ideas?
    Alexa, my pub could fit, but I would like to spend the night somewhere else, you know?

    Era of technology... Tomate, you're serious, 6 mail adddresses?
    I have only ONE ("they" close the second one I had), a Facebook account and...that's all! No blog or Twitter. Just a laptop, no TV. I feel kind of square. LOL
    But well, I'm still student so don't need all these addresses and computers. It'll probably happen one day!

    Michael, that's a shame, you won't throw me in the Seine!
    Loic Le Meur will show up? He can't be the mystery guest, he's not a regular! ;)

    TG, is it you? I'm not sure I've already asked...

    PHX, if Eric tell us later where we meet, I'll text you.

    Any news from Bettina?..

    ReplyDelete
  22. WOOOOOW... du beau monde!!!!!
    I too love Lebanese food and this table is very inviting!! Very!!!! Or is it the glasses at the foreground :)
    Question météo, aïe j'imagine l'inquiétude d'Eric pour le picnic... Si je pouvais avoir une bonne idée... je vous ferais signe...

    ReplyDelete
  23. So what's new? I've been to dinners where there was a great deal of 'twittering' going on, and not a mobile in sight.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I'm hungry and thirsty.

    Oh wait, this isn't my Twitter account, is it ;)

    Just kidding, I don't have one. I don't need any more twittiness in my life, thank you very much, but those who do seem to enjoy it.

    Alexa, I think un peu de crankiness would be in order if TG is the guest and kept it under his top hat! Though you could be his accomplice and this could all be a clever ruse ...

    ReplyDelete
  25. Alexa!!!! Guille!!!!!!!! What a brilliant idea! The picnic should be at your pub! Tell the boss that you're bringing him or her (but I imagine it's a "he" since it's France) tons of business (ok, "business" might not work either since it's France)...tons of happy people to drink in the pub! What do you think?

    ReplyDelete
  26. HI Eric !! I J'ai hâte de te revoir depuis si longtemps ! J'ai noté la date, et j'y serai !! YIPPPIEEE !!

    Just a little question... Est-ce que c'est Loic LeMeur dans la photo??

    bises, bises

    ReplyDelete
  27. Cool Elizabeth. Stay tuned, pour l'adresse, car je vais être obligé de changer le lieu en raison du mauvais temps.

    Et oui, of course, c'est Loïc Le Meur sur la photo. En face de lui Tariq Krim à qui l'on doit Netvibes.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Wednesday, May 12, 2009

    Messages on Paris Daily Photo ~
    You could say I fell in love in Paris.

    I want to thank Eric for not deleting messages I have been leaving on his site. You may have noticed them under comments over the last ten months. These message were written for a very special man that I am in love with that visits this site. Now I know you may all get a kick out of this. Undoubtedly you will make a game of trying to guess who this mystery man is. I will tell you now he a real gentlemen . He will not be the one claiming these message were for him. Paris Daily Photo is a lovely website and wonderful place to fall in love. As we all know love is not always easy and you can not make someone stay in love with you. It is a choice that the heart makes or does not make. Having my heart broken in Paris seems oh so just and right. C'est la vie. Again, I want to thank Eric as only a true Frenchmen can understand love. Since this is my last visit to PDP, please indulge me this final message. I will love you forever S. {KOTL}
    Au revoir ~ Z

    ReplyDelete
  29. Guille, Bravo pour the GF crown!

    Michael, (and Guille), the Cork and Caven is a good idea, but do you mean a lot of business or a lot of buzyGuiness ;-)

    Coltrane, I love your "bottle of conversation extender"!! And tell me, are you the mystery guest star? I put my bet on you...

    Tomate, I have 3 personal emails (all grouped on one mailbox), 1 email for business, 1 laptop, 1 blackberry, 3+1 blogs, 1 FB account, but no twitter. Is that enough?
    ... Oh! And I'm also totally PDPaddicted ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  30. Ah yes, Phx, of course I concur. Guille is GF, my congratulations were a little previous. Upon consulting the documents which Phx and I hold, it is clear and Guille was the first to complete said two full lines.

    Yay Guille! :)

    Christie: he he, does Eric have a kitchen? LOL of COURSE he does! That's where his office is. His oven is sooooooo useful in which to keep files.

    So - Twitter. I have recently become a Tweet. lol. I have been excellently schooled by USElaine and I enjoy one-liners anyway so it's fun to get some out there. I tweet about serious issues and sometimes humorous (at least I hope someone's laughing) bits and pieces. I like it - a lot! It takes hardly any time and keeps people in touch. I follow major news Tweets too, so I get stuff in immediately from Reuters. Ok that wouldn't excite everyone, but you choose whatever you're interested in. I too want to be Twittered from the picnic if at all possible! I do hope someone is able.

    On Twitter I am LynnCherylEde - I'll let you into a little Twitter secret too.....sssshh....late at night....I sometimes get to say goodnight to Eric!...sigh... isn't THAT worth joining? :D

    ReplyDelete
  31. No Thib I don't think it's enough. I'd quite like to say goodnight to you too on Twitter! :)

    Z how wonderfully romantic. It appeals to the romance of Paris and the romance in me. I have noted your comments and yes have been intrigued. My best wishes for a good solution.

    Elaine: There's micro fiction? This I DIDN'T know! Well, this is tailor made for me...please send me another micro lesson on how it's done. Merci x I can feel a fiction stirring immediately within me ... !

    ReplyDelete
  32. Twittering is baffling and I'm particularly stunned to read that Parisians are doing it DURING A MEAL. Aargh. Is this the beginning of the end of French savoir vivre?

    ReplyDelete
  33. Noooooooooooooooooo.
    J'ai la tête qui éclate J'voudrais seul'ment dormir M'étendre sur l'asphalte Et...

    ReplyDelete
  34. This string of comments is most interesting, including the Anonyme love affair and all that is Twitter (secret life of france, I wondered the same thing you did).

    But I keep wondering: where is Bettina?

    ReplyDelete
  35. I sent Bettina an email and asked her to check in here, just so old busybody Petrea doesn't have to worry.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Guille, my USA phone doesn't work in CDG!
    My FR phone: I can't figure it out because it speaks French to me and I can't tell it to speak slower and with easier words,LOL.

    Post it on PDP, Eric, and I will look at it on the hotel computer, even if I have to lure a pilot off it with a bottle of wine and a cute French woman.

    Thx, UKLynn, glad you have a copy of the Constitution at home!

    Someone has guessed the MYSTERY GUEST!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Anonyme, please for god's sake, don't play the last sentence...
    It's a marvellous song, but so sad!
    Life's worth living ;-))

    ReplyDelete
  38. Wow a lot of posts to catch up with today!

    First, Elaine:

    You make a great argument for Twitter, and the site you linked to is equally inpressing. I didn't read the NYT article, though, will look at that later tonight.

    The only point I was trying to make is that I feel already too connected as it is (I left out a couple of other forums, linkedin, etc.) so personally at this moment, I"m not welcoming another tool to tether me to the Net even more. I already can't keep up with the tools I already have, hardly ever find the time (desire?)to log on to Facebook so ...
    Thanks for the new pen, I can see it's really cool, but I already have 3 pencils, one typewritter, one marker, 1 ball pen, a fountain pen, and a few color pencils. Yeah, I realize they all do different things but what can I say I'm a simple minded person :)

    ReplyDelete
  39. Thib, you're a geek!! (coming from me, that's a compliment! ;)

    I forgot about the blackberry. The only reason I don't have one yet, is because I haven't decided between the iPhone and the Blackberry yet. It's not just the device itself but here in the States, you also have to choose a carrier to go with the phone and sign a contract (usually 2 y). I'm leaning towards the Blackberry curve.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Yeah, I think USElaine has guessed the mistery guess. I don't know anything but it makes sense. I don't think it's Louis LaVache.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Eric is on Twitter? Hmm.. well, that changes everything then!


    ;)

    ReplyDelete
  42. Thanks for the compliment, Tomate ;-)

    My opinion is that BB is much better than iPhone, simply because on a BB you have a real keyboard, not a "tactile" one.
    As my main use of BB is emails, and having tested both, I guarantee BB is easier...
    ... well, at least for me... but maybe I'm not geek enough ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  43. I'd love a Blackberry, in fact I love all gadgets. I'd like an iphone...in fact there are lots of things i'd like! :) I get very impatient to be proficient at them 'yesterday' but I do love them.

    Petrea I worry too and have sent messages on FB.

    Phx oh yes, it's under lock and key, the Constitution, as directed by you. It only comes out in times of dispute and in your absence. ;)

    Somebody has guessed? Is it ME? I guessed Parisian Heart. Is it? Huh, huh? :D

    ReplyDelete
  44. ME!! It's Tall Gary! N'est-ce pas?

    ReplyDelete
  45. Hi Eric!

    My name is Anna and I just wanted to say that I like your blog and the melody in the way you write. Im swedish and usually go to Paris one week every year because my parents in law has an apartment in 18th arr. I'll follow your blog from now on.

    ReplyDelete
  46. We ate in a couple of Lebanese restaurants in the 11eme. We liked them, but the after a couple of times, everything seems to taste the same.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Lynn and Phx - I didn't know about the two full line rule. I was so excited that I was first, I couldn't think what to say. Anyway, I've already decorated the crown with muguet.
    Coltrane - that's funny - Rimbaud Girl. I'll have to use that as one of my onscreen names. Actually, Rimabirdgirl was a character in a rather bawdy novel I read about 40 years ago, so Rimbaud fits.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Hi Anna - can I be your new best friend? I could use a friend with inlaws who have an apartment in Paris.

    I know for a FACT that it is sunny in Paris as I type, so maybe you'll all get to keep your spot on the quai. You can see a bit of the ET from there, right? It will be twinkling for you! I don't Twitter either, but I hope someone does for this picnic!

    ReplyDelete
  49. Sure Suzy, I could use a best friend with an eiffeltower :)

    ReplyDelete
  50. Can I be your next best friend, Anna? Wow Paris connections sure get you new friends... :)

    Ohhh rimabirdgirl I feel sorry now. Try again tonight!!

    It's me isn't it Phx? It is. Isn't it? :)

    ReplyDelete
  51. By the way when IS the picnic? I've lost track. Everyone's talking about where, not when.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Suzy, yes, the sun was shining tonight in Paris, but the forecast for tomorrow evening ins't really brilliant... probably rainy... Arghh ;-(
    Lynn, don't you know The Picnic is tomorrow evening, 9.00 pm (CET!).

    OK, but where...?

    ReplyDelete
  53. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  54. You guys, I´m not going to the picnic but there´s no way you can miss it.
    It´s:

    Date: May 13th (tomorrow)
    Place: The Cork & Cavan (aka Guille´s pub)
    Hour: 7pm
    Metro: Republic or Jacques Bonsergent

    ReplyDelete
  55. @THIB: " opinion is that BB is much better than iPhone, simply because on a BB you have a real keyboard, not a "tactile" one. Yeah, the iPhone's touch pad takes a bit of getting used to but I like how you can "expand and contract" a website with two fingers and how it follows your movement when you turn the phone on its side. On the other hand, the BB is cheaper, and works with carriers I like better than AT&T. My primary use is Internet 1st, e-mail 2d and ... phone, a distant 3rd! :)

    ReplyDelete
  56. Guille: tu bosses pas loin du metro Republique? Ca c'est facile à retenir!

    ReplyDelete
  57. Yay for Monica getting all the details out! When, where, finally it's all there. Now all you need is the weather - and Thib isn't sure about that. OH! There is a discrepancy between times of the picnic. Shock quel horreur! So is it 7 or 9 pm. You'd better all get synchronised you naughty Frenchies. lol.

    ReplyDelete
  58. BTW: Just because you're going to Guille's place, don't get any ideas ... NO ARMPITS PICTURES!!!

    ReplyDelete
  59. My typing mistake : It's 7.00, not 9.00 ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  60. Okay, relax, the Frenchies are all synchronised. So breathe....out.... ;) Hi Thib!

    ReplyDelete
  61. Ew, ew, Tomate! I was just considering cutting my fringe too. Bangs to you ;) I'm not sure I'm in the right spirit now to complete the task...

    ReplyDelete
  62. Lynn, Eric has a link in his post to his latest details...

    ReplyDelete
  63. Consolée de savoir que vous ne prendrez pas la pluie demain...

    Hi Anna, nice to see that PDP is following from Sweden :)

    Starman, hmm I do understand what you mean. But still, I love that food so much... Ok, not the only one... !

    ReplyDelete
  64. * followed (ahem, tough day)

    ReplyDelete
  65. J'adore NOURA!! I also love Lebanese food...amazing flavors!! What a great night!!

    ReplyDelete
  66. beautiful pictures...what camera do you use?

    ReplyDelete
  67. beautiful pictures...what camera do you use?

    ReplyDelete
  68. why don't u guys leave your tech machines and enjoy the dinner?!

    ReplyDelete
  69. Oh, my. We love middle-eastern food. And all the Noura restaurants look beautiful. Thank you for yet another valuable look at life in Paris. Quite an educational website!
    Merci.

    ReplyDelete