The Great Parisian Plate Debate

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I don’t know how we managed it, but we did. We found what may very well be the only bar in Paris that does not serve wine by the bottle. Not that we didn’t try. And by “we,” I mean Christian. While the rest of us watched, made bets and baited him along, Christian continued to try valiantly for a good 45 minutes to convince the bartender to give him a bottle. She was a good sport, but was having none of it.

This brought up a most unexpected, in fact existential, question threatening the very foundations of The Challenge. Christian and I debated for the next hour, boring the hell out of everyone sitting around us. If we did not have a bottle of wine, could this count? I will spare you the details, but I believe that even though there was no wine, we did find a new bar in a new neighborhood and are documenting it. Even more importantly, it’s an establishment I would recommend, further strengthening my case.

The bar itself, like most British pubs, was full of Anglophones. It probably would be a good place to try to meet other ex-pat, but as we were in a pretty big group, we just stuck to ourselves. I’m told it’s a great place to watch matches on tv. The beer was fresh and there was a good selection. Not a bad little place.

Christian:

The Great Parisian Plate Debate was initiated with a solitary, fundamental principal leading the charge of its creation.  Admittedly, the rules of the Challenge managed to become a slightly bloated lists of commands, some useful and others not, but ultimately the essence of the challenge can be distilled down to one thing - and that thing is to drink three bottles of wine in each arrondissement, two at a bar and one at a fine Parisian restaurant.  Somewhere along the way, like a misguided rabbit leaping off a cliff, Dan lost his way. 

When one looks back to take stock of his or her life, the hope is that there are no regrets.  I am not really a huge believer in this - why, just today I purchased a Snickers and several hours later I regretted not choosing the Twix option instead.  But I had no more coins, so I just dealt with it.  Like my Twix experience, Dan will sadly at least have one regret - not fully completing the 7eme stage of the Great Plate Debate. 

Being the gentleman I truly am, I attempted to save Dan from his fate during the O’Brien’s experience.  I pleaded with the bartender - pleaded, I tell you.  If Dan would like to consider my pleading that’s fine; when he works up that courage to speak with a bartender perhaps he will change his mind.  J

I would have enjoyed including Dan in my effort to correct the tragedy that was O’Brien’s, but in the subsequent days after the bar he was fiercely adamant that in his book there was no question - the 7eme was done, wine or no wine.  My friends, call me what you will, but I could not let this stand - so into my own hands did I take these important matters.

On the last day of the Challenge - Sunday, August 17 - I commandeered a bicycle and headed out.  First on my list, a camera!  My own camera had met a sad fate several days ago, and now when attempting to turn it on it complains by buzzing loudly and wildly extending its lens.  I convinced a friend to let me borrow hers, which I picked up in the 8eme, and then turned my attention to tracking down one of the shady independent grocery stores of Paris.  I found a nice 5€ bottle and steered my bike toward the target - O’Brien’s Pub.

Once again I was denied, multiple times, in my request for them to serve me a bottle.  So this time I did what any self-respecting person would do - I asked to borrow their corkscrew, pulled out my fresh bottle, and popped it open.  I politely re-corked it, walked up to the second floor, which consisted of a stairwell and a hallway to the bathroom, and drank about a glass worth of cheap Bordeaux right out of the bottle.  Classy!

At this point I’m done with O’Brien’s.  Really.  No sense of fun from the staff - liquor laws be damned!  The bartender on this particular day was especially worthless, except for sullenly pouring me a Guinness.  I didn’t want to spend another moment in the bar, so me and the bottle took a tour of the 7eme.  It turned out to be a delightful day.

What’s this?!?  Finally, a bottle in O’Briens!

Warm Bordeaux never tasted so victorious.

At the enemy’s door, post chug…

Riding a Velib while balancing a backpack and snapping a photo may be difficult, but its satisfying when you get it right!

Ah, the Hanover Scorpions have finally made it to Paris!

Two icons - the Great Parisian Plate Debate, and the more tangible Eiffel Tower - together at last.

The never ending bottle of Bordeaux.

Bridges and (finally!) empty bottles look much better with the sun blinding you.