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IT—Inside Traveler
By Jessie Johnston and Emily King

September 14, 2006:

Choc and Awe

We've all played Around the World with booze and basketballs, but who's tried it with chocolate? The Chocolate Sophisticate pitched us the idea and, well, since it involved free samples of chocolate, IT acquiesced.

Michel Cluizel's World Tour includes "flights" of chocolate from five locations: Madagascar, the Dominican Republic, São Tomé, Papua New Guinea, and Venezuela. We weren't given samples of the last two, but the three "countries" we tasted, did, in some sultry way, pique our wanderlust. Traveler contributing editor Andrew Nelson found the Caribbean chocolate "silky, like having your cheek lightly brushed by a woman's fingernails." IT's own Jessie Johnston called the São Tomé cocoa "complex—first smoky, then acidic, and buttery at the end." And her counterpart, Emily King, was drawn to the "tart, lemon-like flavor" of Madagascan chocolate, whose "lingering aftertaste transported my spirit to a sunny beach."

Now, if only this chocolate gave us a tan too...

IT's Reader Roundup: Insider Edition

What didn't we cover in the Insiders Montreal in our May/June 2006 issue? A lot! Here, our readers (and true insiders) send us their suggestions and tips.

Kevin Spreekmeester says that his city "is known for its haute cuisine, but for many locals it's the 'sous-cuisine,' that makes day-to-day life so fattening and fun! For a delicious sandwich (with a great kosher pickle and fries), try Schwartz's, Bens, Dunn's, or even newbie Moe's for the authentic deal. Also try the famous ribs at Bar-b-Barn. Why these ribs you ask? I can only answer by asking why gouda from Holland, a baguette from France, or beer from Copenhagen? One other must: a late-night stop for fries and a steamy (spelled 'steamé') hot dog at Lafleur (3620 St. Denis; +1 514 848 1804), part of a chain of bare-bones, street-corner, open-all-night eateries. Once done you'll likely need to roll around the floor of your hotel room while your belly digests the grease in which the fries were double-cooked. But, you'll be blissfully happy in your discomfort."

Raluca State writes about the best way to spend a day in Montreal: "La Croissanterie Figaro is the quintessential spot for a café au lait and a croissant (my favorite in the city). Once the weather finally warms up, the terrace is ideal for people-watching and flipping through the paper. After your morning meal, walk through Jeanne Mance Park—reminiscent of Poet's Walk in Central Park—and make your way over to St-Laurent Boulevard. Stroll down St-Laurent for shopping just as good as on Rue St-Denis. For dinner, eat at one of the amazing Greek restaurants in Mile End (which you covered). Try Lotus Bleu (350 Av. Duluth; +1 514 843 6183), an amazing Vietnamese restaurant that serves heavenly crispy spinach; or Fondue du Prince for a three- to four-course fondue dinner that takes hours. Cap your day with drinks at Boa (5301 Boul. St-Laurent, +1 514 270 3262), a cool, funky spot where the people are some of the friendliest in town. On Friday and Saturdays, the dance floor is packed!"

Father Christopher Beaudet—a resident of McLean, VA—has made uncounted visits to Montreal since childhood. He emphasized the religious importance of the city: "The name of the city comes, of course, from Mount Royal, atop which sits St. Joseph's Oratory. This magnificent structure has commanding views and, given its location, obviously says something about the religious nature of the city's history. Furthermore, the Notre Dame Basilica in Old Montreal is not to be missed. Famous for Pavarotti's recorded Christmas concert, and for its sublime interior (carved woods decorated in gold) and intricate detail, the basilica is at the heart of the city's history."

Michelle Roche, who's lived in Montreal her entire life (73 years), names her favorite restaurant: "I would suggest that visitors have dinner at a fabulous little restaurant, Le Jolifou. It's a little out of the way, but an experience in itself. The food is mostly French, with a Southwest influence from the chef/owner's New Mexican training. His wife is the maître d' and a wine connoisseur. Wonderful food, reasonable prices, unique decor (each table has a different bibelot)."

IT's getting hungry and there many more restaurant suggestions from our foodie readers. We'll post more next week.

From September 12, 2006:

Louvre Schmouvre

IT loves Paris. When contemplating our beloved, we generally dwell on her more venerable delights—bridges across the Seine, winding Marais sidestreets— leaving it up to less storied destinations to tempt us with the next big thing. This fall however, the city of lights is forcing us to turn our historically inclined gaze beyond the Mona Lisa to a pair of brand-spanking-new museums.

Technically, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs isn't new; it first opened next-door to the Louvre in 1905. It's been closed for a decade-long, $46-million renovation, though, so it's certainly new to us and will likely be unfamiliar even to old hands. For starters, the museum (whose doors will officially re-open Friday) has had the concrete removed from its exterior windows, so the exhibits will be naturally lit for the first time in a century. And what exhibits: Longstanding devotees of London's Victoria and Albert Museum, IT is psyched for the ten period rooms, ranging from a Gothic bedroom to a 1925 library. Other draws include the 12,000-piece toy collection (189 train sets! 44 doll houses!), the thrones of Napoleon and Josephine, works by Alexander Calder, Le Corbusier, and Phillippe Starck, and a nine-story cupola featuring 360-degree views of the city and the museum's contemporary collection.

National Geographic Traveler art director Jerry Sealy already expounded on the virtues of the truly new Musée du Quai Branly but we want to point out some of the niftier aspects of this museum, which are only now available. In addition to the impressive collections of anthropological and cultural artifacts from around the world, the museum has an enticing slate of performances, tours, lectures, and interactive experiences starting this month. Coming soon: an "encounter" with Indian choreography, a performance by contemporary artist Yinka Shonibare, and a film series on emigration. Best of all, this weekend's Patrimony Days include free admission to the entire museum for all. Allons-y!

Open Your Golden Gate

IT's already shivered on cable cars on a summer day and visited Pier 39 a dozen times. Wondering what we should do on our next trip to the City by the Bay, we asked San Francisco resident Andy Isaacson to send us his anti-Alcatraz tips. The catchy headlines are of his own device:

"Room with a Helluva View—There are hostels (college students, large backpacks), and then there's Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel, perched dramatically on a bluff outside of town. Where else on the California coast can you book a private room under a 19th-century beacon and then soak alone in a secluded hot tub above the pounding surf for a scandalous $50 a night? Even knowing locals happily cough up for the privilege.

"Chantey Jam—Forget phony living history: Relive San Francisco's maritime heritage on the main deck of the Balclutha (a 19th-century cargo vessel docked at Hyde Street Pier) on the first Saturday night of each month, when a mostly regular crowd gathers to sing and strum traditional sea chanteys. Free admission gets you cider and a high geek factor, but when the bawdier tunes start around 11 p.m., you'll think you're part of the crew.

"Sunday Celebration at Glide Memorial Church—It doesn't really get any more San Francisco than Glide's Sunday Celebrations: non-denominational, multi-ethnic, rockin' gospel and compassion among rich and poor, gay and straight. The services held at the Tenderloin institution (run by San Francisco icon Rev. Cecil Williams) stir up the spirits of those in the packed pews for 90 minutes twice each Sunday morning.

"Leave Your Heart on Vallejo Street—For the best undesignated picnic spot in San Francisco, head to the corner of Vallejo and Jones in Russian Hill, walk up Vallejo until it dead ends, and step over the low stone fence (it's legal, I think) onto a grassy hill that offers knockout views of the city and Bay. Afterward, head down the stairs, admiring a row of houses that survived the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire, for a coffee in North Beach.

"Double Feature—If you're in San Francisco and must see a movie, skip the Metreon cineplex downtown and head to the lavish Castro Theatre. It doesn't matter what you see—the films are always good—but the thing to watch for is the nightly organ performance, which always ends with the crowd-pleasing 'San Francisco' (the title song of a 1936 Clark Gable romance) with the audience singing along as the long-time organist sinks dramatically (two stories!), still at the keys."

E-mail your feedback and tips to InsideTraveler@ngs.org.

Bookmark IT! www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler/extras/blog/blog.html

Emily King, Traveler's assistant to the editor, likes her chocolate dark, melted, and mixed with uncooked oatmeal. Researcher Jessie Johnston prefers 400-gram (massive!) Cadbury bars purchased in Heathrow airport.

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