Paris, March 2005. I just completed the most delightful assignment. I went to Paris and ate North African and Middle Eastern pastries ("patisserie Orientale" is what the Parisians call it) for three days. Alice (my "mostest" travel companion, to quote Eloise) generously helped with the cause. In turn I helped her research her article on natural wine bars. Our typical day: take the metro to a distant arrondissement, walk around in circles trying to find the address of the pastry shop, buy everything in sight, find the next place, and so on. Then stop for lunch at a natural wine bar. More pastry shops in the afternoon, then a comprehensive, comparative pastry tasting. Dinner at a wine bar. We did get a little sick of pistachio paste, semolina cake, baklava and mamoul by the end of it. Sadly, the dollar was so poorly valued that we couldn't buy anything but cheese, chocolate, wine and pastry and, ok, I snagged one cute top. You'll be able to read a full report of the pastries in the Times sometime soon...and I'll post the article here in the articles section as well...And check out Alice's website for information on the wine:(www.alicefeiring.com ).