The walking tour featured three pubs--The Founders Arms, The Market Porter, and The George.  I am not a beer drinker, but Alastair says that the last pub we visited, The George, had the best beer. (This is the oldest pub in London and has had their own brew since 1676.)

As you know, the English are not normally known for their food.  My coworker, Cheryl Deocampo, wanted to try fish & chips, so we grilled the concierge to find the best one in the area.  He recommended Jack Horner, near Tottenham Court Road, and swore it was his pub of choice, especially when he wanted to have a pint with lunch.  I had a fish & chips plate (7.95) that was so huge it could have fed a family of four. I substituted mash for chips and was pleasantly surprised—the mash was creamy and buttery, like the kind you eat in the comfort of your own home.  The rest of their menu looked really good, too, but of course we were too full to try anything else.

In Paris, we stayed at the Royal Phare, which is around the corner from the rue Cler and the Eiffel Tower.  I decided to stick around area restaurants since you could easily eat your way around this neighborhood for weeks. Bistrot de Papa is right around the corner on Ave. Bosquet and is open till about midnight. I had the andouilette sausage (15 euros), which is made of tripe. You need to be an organ meat person to enjoy this, and fortunately I am one. Cheryl had the mussels in cream sauce (13 euros), which was absolutely divine. Since we like salty foods, the sauce hit the spot for us and we couldn't stop eating it!

I had to try La Fontaine de Mars since I missed it last time. If you want a Fouquet-fancy meal without having to dress up, this is a great place to go. It is on the expensive side--not quite the deal that the other "neighborhood restaurants" are. But everything is big and delicious, and apparently they accommodate people on the Atkins diet upon request. You need to be hungry to eat these American sized portions. Unfortunately, this place is very famous with Americans and has become rather touristy.  In a couple of years, this place may not be on my list of "must eats."

Laduree is Paris' oldest tea house and is popular with locals and tourists alike. If you want to experience the place but want to avoid the crushing crowd, go for breakfast and get a window seat (even if it's upstairs).  We met Steve and Karen there for a post-marathon breakfast, tucking ourselves away in a quiet corner and enjoying every bite. Everything is dainty and proper, and the coffee is fabulous. No matter what else you eat, make sure you order a platter of macaroons to sample!