Happy Thursday you cultured intellectuals. I’m back in the states and waking up at 3am but the show must go on!

A quick note:

The goal of RP WEEKLY is to be a study in, and hopefully an expression of, a curated experience…which is my favorite art form.

This can mean different things to different people, but for me, these “curated experiences” are most enjoyable in the realms of hospitality, sports, and entertainment.

As such, my hope is that you, at a minimum, enjoy the experience of reading this weekly note and find my curation of these elements both informative and useful.

With that, let’s get into it…

Paris Power Rankings 🥐

We just got back from France and, I kid you not, the entire time over there we kept saying how we can’t wait to come back again. While I shared a bit about our day trip to Alsace last week, I wanted to use this opportunity to share my favorite parts of the Paris leg.

Now, I’m not going to give you some cheesy rec list like a Conde Nast or Infatuation article. This is RP WEEKLY!!

Instead you’re getting the special sauce (my proprietary rankings).

1. Chicken, Cream & Morels - specifically at Bistrot des Tournelles. Just an insane dish. The sauce went crazy. Look, everybody will probably give you a different bistro to hit, so here’s mine. Beyond the food, the vibes were immaculate. On our last day we were lucky to grab a 10:45pm reservation (lol) and committed to ourselves that we would go. We somehow still hadn’t done the classic bistro dinner, so it had to be done. I was worried it would be dead so late but the place was absolutely pumping when we walked in. The waiter also clocked me right away and hilariously (and accurately) predicted my entire order. Can you guess what it was?

2. People Watching - whether it’s on a corner in St. Germain or a buzzy square in Montmarte, there truly is no better place to do it. One of the best activities in Paris is to post up at a cafe and enjoy the parade. Pro tip: save yourself the disappointment of a poorly made (and over-priced) mixed drink and stick to wine or beer if you’re boozing. A Perrier on ice always rips too.

3. Sweet Crepes - every morning at Breizh. None of that savory ham & egg bs. I’m talking caramelized apple, salted butter caramel, and the lightest, fluffiest homemade ice cream of your life. It tastes so good when it hits your lips.

4. Getting Around - is so damn convenient. The Metro is great and we literally never waited longer than 4 min for an uber. But let’s be honest, that’s all a last resort to simply walking everywhere and bottling up the aesthetic of one of the world’s great cities.

5. Natural Wine - it’s everywhere in this town. I have been a hater for years but might just be joining the dark side. They are really on to something. Whether its a 5 course pairing at Septime or an 11am pour at Les Enfantes du Marche, I was absolutely buzzing, in every sense of the word. None of the weird, tangy palette bombs. Just on-the-money flavors, smells, and textures. And no hangovers! Lean in, my friends.

A few final thoughts:

• While we enjoyed the food, we walked away so grateful to live & eat in LA. The culinary scene out here in the US truly is world-class.

• Never seen so many good boys off-leash (with their humans) in my life. Sign of a good city.

• Was really impressed with the warmth & hospitality across the board. Not an air of that infamous Parisian snobbery. Really added another layer to our stay.

• The Louvre draws the crowds but L’Orangerie and Orsay continue to take my money.

Sports Roundup 🏟️

Champions League: Speaking of Paris! PSG finally looks like a real soccer team after just buying superstars and choking for the last decade. They’ll face Inter Milan in the final after Inter and Barcelona provided one of the best 2 leg ties in recent memory. Here’s how the second leg looked:

Tyrese Haliburton: An anonymous players poll voted him the most overrated player in the league. His Pacers are up 2-0 against the top seed Cavs. Rate this!

Secretariat: Every single horse in the Kentucky Derby was a descendant from the legendary steed. Truly the Genghis Khan of the stables.

Utah Mammoth: The official new name of the mormon hockey team. Gotta respect the Utah squads sticking to sports team names that don’t end in “s”.

Music 🪇

This week, I put together 10 more incredible tracks overheard overseas including a hilarious Italian re-work of “I Can’t Go For That.”

I got up from my seat at multiple restaurants to go shazam songs near the speaker like a dingus. All for you.

Listen here to feed your soul.

RP WEEKLY!!!!