Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris by Train - RER

Lately, many crew members are seeking information on how to best travel from Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport to the layover hotel with their family members. This, since the crew pick-up bus no longer is permitted to swing back to the terminal for additional pick-up's.

So, what can you do? You can take the RER from Charles de Gaulle to the center of Paris. It's fast and it's relatively cheap. How to do it? Read on, it's really pretty simple.

-First, you must clear customs and immigration. Then, look for the signs in the terminal (you're in TERMINAL 1) that say AIRPORT SHUTTLE. Photo enclosed. Follow the arrows and go down a level.
-Once there, go through the sliding glass doors and up a level via a set of
electric ramps - photo enclosed of doors.
-You will now be on the Tram Station. Take the tram from TERMINAL 1 to TERMINAL 3 -
(Roissypole/RER station)
-Once in TERMINAL 3, go to the ticket booth and purchase a "billet to Paris" - It will
cost you $8.50 Euros.
-With your ticket in hand, look for the RER/Blue line B - direction PARIS.
-The ride will take about 35 minutes to Paris and your first stop in "downtown" Paris
will be GARE DU NORD; the second stop will be CHATELET DEL HALLES.
-Either station will have options to connect to the Paris Metro for your final destina-
tion.
-If you're going to the layover hotel, the closest Paris Metro Station is BIR-HAKEIM -
part of line 6 of the green line.
-The same applies for a return to Charles de Gaulle airport, if you need to return via
RER.

If you want additional information about the RER - Schedules, instructions, etc., in
English, please click on the enclosed link of the official RER website.

Safe journey!
Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) to Paris by Train | Paris by Train

Geneva - The Ariana Museum

On my last trip to Geneva, Switzerland, I visited the lovely Ariana Museum. The museum is located right next to the Palais des Nations (United Nations of Geneva) and the Parc de L'Ariana, right across from the Red Cross Museum.

For those who have never heard of this small museum, it was Gustave Revilliod's (1817-1890) private collection of kilncrafts, donated to the city of Geneva upon his death. Today, it is considered one of the most important collections of it's type in the world containing around 20,000 historical artifacts. It is a collection that reflects the last seven centuries of glass and ceramics developments, including early Chinese and European porcelain as well as Roman, and European Glass.


The museum is housed in a splendid two floor neo-clasical mansion surrounded by lush gardens. There charge no entry fee to view the main collection and there are pre-recorded tours (highly recommended) available for a fee. Trust me, once you go through the collection while listening to the recorded tour, you will never look at a set of dishes or glasses in quite the same way again. So much human effort and intrigue went into the development of porcelain and glass around the world throughout history. It sounds more like an international spy novel with all the crucial elements like lying, stealing of secret recipes, betrayals and killings, all in an effort to protect secret recipes from other nations. Riveting stuff, I promise.


If you wish to visit the Ariana Museum, you must first walk to the main train station a few blocks away from our hotel. Right in front of the station, you will catch the #15 Tram in the direction of the airport to it's last stop in front of the Palais des Nations. This is the same square where the "Broken Chair" statue is located - a huge chair with a broken leg. Look for the signs that say "Ariana Museum" and walk a couple of blocks away from the square in the directions of the arrows. The museum will be on your right. To return to the hotel, retrace your steps and take the #15 Tram from the same stop where it dropped you off. Get off right in front of the train station where you began, about 5 stops down from where you start. Use the courtesy free Tram ticket the hotel gives you with your room key. It's good for 24 hours.

Check with the concierge before leaving the hotel for museum hours of operation. They open from 10am to 5pm and they are closed on Tuesdays. The museum also has a cute small coffee shop in it's second floor with a veranda open deck for sunny days. A great place for a coffee and a small break.

Enjoy and if you go, let me know what you think of the Ariana Museum!

Dry Lips No More!

Let's face it, if one flies enough like we Flight Attendant do, one has dry lips. It's an occupational hazard. To address this ongoing (inflight) problem, I have discovered a couple of lip products that offer both, color and lip hydration in one lip balm/lipstick. These products work so well, they have me smiling lately on my flights. So what small lip miracles are these?

My first recommendation is Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer- A natural lip balm that feels delicious on dry lips, tastes minty and comes in eleven lovely colors. My personal fav's are the Fig and Rhubarb colors. These lipstick/lipbalm combination sticks sell in most drugstores for about five dollars each. They taste amazing, look wonderful on lips and last forever!

My second recommendation is the Nivea Lip Balm with color called Nivea Lip Care - A Kiss of Flavor Cherry Tinted Lip . This colored lip balm also sells in most drugstores for about three dollars a stick. Despite it's humble price, it packs a huge punch - SPF 10 and UVA protection, Jojoba oils and Shea butter to moisturize the lips, a fruity taste plus a lovely cherry color for your lips. A perfect, healthy, rosy, summer lip color!

My last recommendation, the most uptown option, is - The Bobbi Brown Treatment Lip Shine. It comes in gorgeous colors with SPF 15 protection and extra moisturizing elements for your lips. I purchased the Rosy 7 color and it feels incredible on my lips plus the color is amazing and the stain is made to last a long time on your lips. Perfect for our inflight demands. This Lipstick goes for $22.00 and it can be found at any Bobbi Brown cosmetic counter in most upscale department stores. By the way, this Bobbi Brown lipstick was featured in the September 2010 edition of More Magazine.

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think about them? Can you add any additional recommendations?

Amsterdam - Free City Guide by Design Sponge

Here's a pretty hip city guide for Amsterdam published by the folks from the design blog, Design Sponge. Print it before you travel to Amsterdam and enjoy!

By the way, they've also published other fantastic world-wide city guides on their website which is www.designspongeonline.com. Take a minute to visit them. To view the Amsterdam Guide click on the following enclosed link -
Design*Sponge � Blog Archive � amsterdam guide

Photos courtesy of Design Sponge

Paris - Fun Home Shopping at the BHV

Look at some of the humorous/colorful home items that I discovered on my last shopping outing in Paris at the BHV - Le Bazaar de l'Hotel de Ville. I think they would make lovely gifts or interesting conversation pieces?

If interested, they are made by a company named Pylones and they can be found in the main floor of BHV's department store, right next to their book department.

BHV is a much loved home goods store in central Paris where one can find just about anything for the home. To get there, take the Metro to the Hotel de Ville stop (Yellow line 1). Once outside of the Metro, look across the street from the Hotel de Ville (City Hall) and on the corner, you will see the main entrance of BHV. (photo enclosed)


Adress - 52 Rue de Rivoli (corner of Rue de Rivoli and Rue des Archives).


A dust Pan and Brush...


An Eiffel tower Grater...


Winged cups...(love these!)

A stapler in the shape of a skull...


Kitchen brushes...


Salt and Pepper Shakers...


Cat Nail Brushes...(various colors)...

Do you have a favorite store in Paris?

Geneva - Broken Chair Monument

Have you ever noticed as you drive in from the airport to the layover hotel in Geneva a monument of a giant chair with one leg missing in a small square? (photo enclosed). Ever wonder what it means?

On my last trip to Geneva I took a city tour that finally explained the meaning of the mysterious three legged chair.

The Broken Chair monument, represents the terrible destruction caused by land mines and cluster bombs on human lives (and limbs) all over the world. It measures 12 meters (or 39 feet) and it sits right in front of the main entrance of the United Nation's office in Geneva, Switzerland in the Place de Nations Square.

For more information on this amazing monument, check out the Wikipedia entry for The Broken Chair here :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_Chair

Paris - What are we Buying at the Monoprix in Paris?

Chocolate tarts....

Herbs from the South of France...for cooking...



Delicious French Vinagrette - with mustard and with onion and parsley...yum...


Anything by Fouchon...gourmet French goods...

Grated Emmental cheese for crepes...


Flavored salts...great with fish...


Lemon Tarts...

Vinagrette - pre-mixed oil and vinegar...


Sweet Crepes...


Alioli - garlic mayo...



Cornichons...excellent with french bread, butter and ham....


Nuttella...creamed chocolate with hazelnuts...great filling for crepes or on toast...


Delicious French butter...


Butter from Normandy with salt crystals....delish...


Confit de Canard...can of duck legs...


Reduced Balsamic Vinegar - creamy/tangy sauce for meats and vegetables...


French Wine for cooking...


Spicy oil for pizzas


French mustard...

A sample of French items that we buy at the Monoprix (Supermarket) in Paris during our trips to France.

Here are some prices:

- Confit the Canard (duck legs) 4 servings can - $10.55 Euros
- El Presidente Butter - $1.80 Euros
- Speciale Pizza Oil (flavored pizza oil) - $1.70 Euros (photo)
- Mini Six Pack of "La Villageoise" cooking wine - $3.95 Euros (photo)
- Balsic Glaze - Balsamic Glaze - $6.00 Euros (photo)
- Nutella (creamed chocolate)
- Normandy butter - Beurre Breton (demi sel)
- Gros Sel Gris Aux Epices (magic salt)
- Le Vinagrette ( French vinagrette dressing bottle "a la moutarde") - delicious! (photo)

What food items do you purchase while in Paris? Send us your list with a note to postcards@me.com and we will gladly publish it.