Hemingway's Paris of the 1920s was a “moveable feast” and today's Paris is still a feast, but with added flavour. It is a delicious mixture of classic elegance, venerable antiquities, diverse cultures, and hip modernity. From the designer boutiques on the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré to the seediest honky tonks in Montmartre, there is no city more interesting, and romantic, than this elegant grand dowager. I have visited the city on a number of occasions, usually in the company of my fashionable Parisienne girlfriends, but this will be my first time in the City of Lights with my new husband.

When I began planning our trip, I couldn't decide which arrondissement I wanted to stay in. I had always spent most of my time on the Right Bank, but this time I wanted to get know la Rive Gauche. I preferred a hotel that was small, charming and elegant and when a friend recommended a boutique hotel located in the Latin Quarter, it sounded fine. But as soon as we arrived in front of the grand façade of this 19 th century mansion, I realized that the Melia Colbert Boutique Hotel was better than fine; it was perfect for the romantic interlude that I had in mind.

We decided to take a walk along the Seine in the Latin Quarter to get our bearings and begin our adventure. La Quartier Latin has been the intellectual heart of Paris since the 12th century and gained world renown after the Sorbonne was founded here. Throughout the neighbourhood you see evidence of scholarly pursuits, but as we walked along the river we were amazed to see rare books and antique prints among the items for sale at the numerous vendor stalls. We thumbed through some of the books, but the old style postcards caught my eye. I was especially excited to see several cards with Josephine Baker's likeness, as she is my patron saint. After all of this browsing we were ravenous and only a proper lunch at a brasserie would do.

We walked hurriedly through the streets searching for a likely restaurant and wound up in front of Le Balzar. It was the peak of lunch service and we were nervous that the haughty maître d’hôtel would sniff and turn us away, but suddenly he smiled and showed us to a table. We gratefully sank down into the leather banquettes and quickly ordered our meals.

When we finally caught our breath we had a chance to look around at the crowded room as we enjoyed the the requisite carafe of house wine. Students and professors mingled with ladies lunching and tourists, providing a perfect opportunity for people-watching. But when our entrees arrived we only had eyes for our own table. The first bite of our seafood platter caused a flood of taste memories reminding me what I love most about this city. After lunch, while relaxing in our lovely hotel room, we began to make plans for the evening. I wanted to check out the new, hot nightspots, but my husband was more interested in gastronomy. We compromised and settled on Le China Club, for aperitifs and L'Ambroisie for dinner.

Imagine 19th Century French Indochine transported to modern day Paris and you will have a clear picture of Le China Club located in the fashionable 8 th arrondissement. Huge Chesterfield sofas, low, ambient lighting designed to make everyone look gorgeous, and Asian artwork covering the walls combine to make this one of the most seductive boîtes in Paris. All manner of stylish Paris residents are posing at the long, sexy bar or lounging as if at a Chinese opium den. We draped ourselves on one of the sofas and ordered, what else, Champagne cocktails: when in Rome, do as the Romans, but when in Paris, be fabulous. After spending the next hour or so falling more deeply in love, we had to hurry to make our reservation at that bastion of French dining, L'Ambroisie.

It was difficult to get reservations at this Paris institution located in a 17th century townhouse in Le Marais. We had the concierge book more than a month prior to our arrival in order to be assured of a reservation. With so much preparation we were nervous that it would not meet our very high expectations. We found that we had nothing to be nervous about; it was absolutely worth every Euro. L'Ambroisie is a fine dining revelation. The luxurious room, impeccable service, and culinary artistry combine to seduce not just your senses, but your soul. From the time that we were shown to our candlelit table, until the end of the glorious meal, this would prove to be the superlative moment in our stay in Paris.

I must confess that I have never, in any of my visits to Paris, seen the inside of the famed Musée du Louvre. There never seemed to be enough time. I promised that I would remedy that oversight this time. We had arranged our tickets with the concierge upon our arrival, so there was no waiting in that long queue with the tourists. We passed through the ultra modern I.M. Pei-designed pyramid entrance and for several hours encountered many of the world's most iconic images.

After such a visual feast, we wanted to have a substantial, but casual lunch in a café. The café serves many functions to the average Parisian. It is a place to have that first cup of coffee with croissant, a meeting place, and a place to relax at the end of a day spent working (or not). We happened upon a café filled with Parisians having their noon meal, sat down, and whiled away a few hours eating steak frites, listening to and trying to translate French conversations, laughing and enjoying ourselves.

After a long day soaking in the sights of Paris, you'd think that we would want to have a quiet evening. But no, as night fell, we were really in the mood to check out Paris' night-time amusements. So, we got dressed in our finery and hit the town. First stop was Buddha Bar, the still fashionable see and be seen restaurant, for Asian tapas-like nibbles near the Champs-Elysée.

We rushed on to our reservation at the sophisticated strip joint, Crazy Horse Saloon just a few minutes away. Every time I come to Paris I must indulge my inner Josephine Baker by going to see their coy, choreographed show filled with naked lovelies. And I dare say that my husband was very happy to join in this tradition. Watching so much dancing gave me happy feet and I wanted to try out some of my own moves at Barrio Latino situated in the 12 th arrondissement. This kitschy, four-story Latin emporium included a restaurant and dance floors, so we had a few bites at the tapas bar and then got our groove on. Sweaty, exhausted, and rhythmically sated we didn't leave until they closed the doors.

Our final day was spent hand in hand, window shopping at the designer boutiques on and around the Champs-Elysée, gazing up at the Eiffel Tower and just strolling the streets of this wonderful city. I have always been in love with Paris, but never knew that being in love IN Paris would be even more satisfying.