Tropical storm brings heavy rain to central Mexico (AP)

VERACRUZ, Mexico ? The Atlantic season's first tropical storm swirled over Mexico's central Gulf coast Thursday, bringing heavy rains to a wide swath of the country but causing little damage.

The heart of Tropical Storm Arlene struck land near Cabo Rojo, a cape just off the mainland between the cities of Tampico and Tuxpan. Arlene weakened to a tropical depression late Thursday and was expected to dissipate Friday.

Authorities had worried heavy rains could cause flash floods and mudslides in 13 states.

Mexico's National Water Commission said that by Thursday night the depression was on the border between the states of Hidalgo and San Luis Potosi and that heavy to torrential rains were expected there and in nine other states, including Mexico City.

Incessant rain fell in the city and its metropolitan area, where the Remedios River, which carries sewage water, overflowed in the suburb of Ecatepec.Ecatepec Mayor Indalecio Rios told the newspaper El Universal that he was urging residents in three neighborhoods that flooded to go to shelters set up by the city.

In neighboring Hidalgo state, the rain caused at least six landslides along a highway that connects the state to the Gulf coast city of Tampico, authorities said.

The storm was welcomed in northern Tamaulipas state, where rain fell on soil dried out by the most severe drought to hit the area in 50 years.

"There is nothing to regret and so far the rains have been favorable," Tamaulipas state Civil Protection Secretary Pedro Benavides said. "We hope it keeps raining."

Coastal towns in Veracruz and Tamaulipas states appeared to have escaped serious damage.

In the port city of Tampico, authorities said there was minor flooding in some low-laying neighborhoods. Beaches in the nearby cities of Madero and Altamira remained closed and small vessels were warned to stay docked.

Arlene had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph) and was moving inland at 8 mph (13 kph) Thursday evening, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Tree branches fell, water accumulated on some streets and a neighborhood of Tuxpan lost electricity, Veracruz state civil protection authorities reported.

"There aren't any major problems, (and) we hope 'Arlene' will be out of sight by midday," Veracruz Gov. Javier Duarte tweeted Thursday. He credited preparations ahead of the storm.

Officials in the states of Veracruz, Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosi had guarded against possible flooding by closing schools, mobilizing emergency medical units and preparing evacuation shelters as rain fell on coastal and mountain regions.

Mexico's national weather service said 6 inches (150 millimeters) of rain fell over a 24-hour period in northern Veracruz state.

___

Associated Press writers Efrain Klerigan in Ciudad Victoria and Emilio Lopez in Pachuca contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mexico/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110701/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/tropical_weather

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AP source: Accuser issues shake Strauss-Kahn case (AP)

NEW YORK ? Prosecutors have serious questions about the credibility of a hotel housekeeper who has accused former International Monetary Fund leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn of raping her, and they are taking the extraordinary step of seeking a substantial reduction in his pricey bail, a person familiar with the case said Thursday.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss matters not yet made public in court, told The Associated Press that prosecutors have raised issues about the accuser's credibility in the case against Strauss-Kahn, but would not elaborate on what those issues were.

A separate law enforcement official who is familiar with the case, but not authorized to speak about it publicly, told the AP that the issue was not necessarily about the rape accusation itself, but about troubling questions surrounding the alleged victim's background that could damage her credibility on the witness stand. The official refused to elaborate.

The New York Police Department, which investigated the case, declined comment. The woman's lawyer did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.

Strauss-Kahn, who faces a court hearing Friday, has been under armed guard in a Manhattan townhouse after posting a total of $6 million in cash bail and bond. He denies the allegations.

Prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney's office had argued against his release in May, citing the violent nature of the alleged offenses and saying his wealth and international connections would make it easy for him to flee.

"The proof against him is substantial. It is continuing to grow every day as the investigation continues," Assistant District Attorney John "Artie" McConnell told the judge. "We have a man who, by his own conduct in this case, has shown a propensity for impulsive criminal conduct."

The New York Times first reported that investigators uncovered major inconsistences in the woman's account of her background, citing two law enforcement officials. One of the officials told the Times that the woman has repeatedly lied since making the initial allegation May 14.

The discoveries include issues stemming from the asylum application of the 32-year-old woman, who is from Guinea, and possible links to criminal activities such as drug dealing and money laundering, one of the officials told the newspaper. The Times reported that senior prosecutors and Strauss-Kahn's lawyers are discussing whether to dismiss the felony charges against him.

Another person familiar with the case, speaking on condition of anonymity for the same reason, said earlier Thursday that Strauss-Kahn may get his pricey bail and house arrest arrangement eased in the case at Friday's court hearing. The person declined to detail what the new bail arrangements might be.

Strauss-Kahn lawyer William W. Taylor would say only that the hearing was to review the bail plan. The district attorney's office declined to comment.

If the case against Strauss-Kahn collapses, it could once again shake up the race for the French presidency. Strauss-Kahn, a prominent Socialist, had been seen as a leading potential contender and challenger to conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy for next year's elections ? until the New York hotel incident embarrassed Strauss-Kahn's party and left him in the political wilderness.

Socialist Party chief Martine Aubry announced her own presidential bid this week, after having long been expected to throw her weight behind a Strauss-Kahn candidacy.

New doubts about Strauss-Kahn's accuser would also revive speculation of a conspiracy against Strauss-Kahn aimed at torpedoing his presidential chances. Within days of his arrest, a poll suggested that a majority of French think Strauss-Kahn ? who long had a reputation as a womanizer and was nicknamed "the great seducer" ? was the victim of a plot.

Strauss-Kahn was held without bail for nearly a week after his May arrest. His lawyers ultimately persuaded a judge to release him by agreeing to extensive ? and expensive ? conditions, including an ankle monitor, surveillance cameras and armed guards. He can leave for only for court, weekly religious services and visits to doctors and his lawyers, and prosecutors must be notified at least six hours before he goes anywhere.

The security measures were estimated to cost him about $200,000 a month, on top of the $50,000-a-month rent on a town house in trendy TriBeCa. He settled there after a hasty and fraught househunt: A plan to rent an apartment in a tony building on Manhattan's Upper East Side fell through after residents complained about the hubbub as reporters and police milled around the building.

Under New York law, judges base bail decisions on factors including defendants' characters, financial resources and criminal records, as well as the strength of the case against them ? all intended to help gauge how likely they are to flee if released.

Defendants and prosecutors can raise the issue of bail at any point in a case. It's common, if asking a judge to revisit a bail decision, to argue that new information or new proposed conditions change how one or more of the factors should be viewed.

The maid told police that Strauss-Kahn chased her down a hallway in his $3,000-a-night suite in the Sofitel hotel, tried to pull down her pantyhose and forced her to perform oral sex before she broke free.

Strauss-Kahn's lawyers have said the encounter wasn't forcible, and that they have unreleased information that could "gravely undermine the credibility" of the housekeeper. The defense was using private investigators to aggressively check out the victim's background and her story, but the Times reported that it was investigators for the prosecution who uncovered discrepancies.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has said the detectives investigating the case found the maid's story believable.

"Obviously, the credibility of the complainant is a factor in cases of this nature," Kelly said in May. "One of the things they're trained to look for, and what was reported to me early on, was that the complainant was credible."

The woman's lawyer has said she is prepared to testify despite a "smear campaign" against her.

The Associated Press generally does not identify accusers in sex crime cases unless they agree to it.

Strauss-Kahn, 62, was in New York on a personal trip. He left the hotel shortly after the alleged assault ? to have lunch with a relative, his attorneys have said.

During his initial bail hearings, prosecutors noted that Strauss-Kahn was arrested on a Paris-bound plane at John F. Kennedy International Airport, and that they could not compel his return from France if he fled. His lawyers have underscored that it was a long-planned flight, and they've said he wants to return to court to clear his name.

He resigned his IMF post after his arrest.

An updated, authorized biography of Strauss-Kahn was released in French bookstores this week with new material addressing the New York incident and claims of sexual assault against him by a French novelist. It includes interviews with his wife and sister and appears to be a vehicle for a vigorous defense of the former IMF chief.

Strauss-Kahn's wife, prominent television journalist Anne Sinclair, describes being "very worried" about the case. She calls him "a good, honest and reliable man" and says "I believe in him more than ever."

His sister Valerie is quoted in the book as saying she's "sure he's incapable of violence toward a woman."

The biography was initially published two weeks before the May incident.

The new material also includes comments from Strauss-Kahn in an interview with author Michel Taubmann earlier this year dismissing accusations of sexual assault against him by novelist Tristane Banon.

She did not make a criminal complaint at the time of the 2003 incident, and her lawyer says she was pressured to keep it quiet by her mother, a regional official in Strauss-Kahn's Socialist Party. The Associated Press is identifying Banon as an alleged victim of sexual assault because she has gone public with her account.

___

Jennifer Peltz can be reached at http://twitter.com/jennpeltz

___

Associated Press writers Tom Hays and Colleen Long in New York City and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110701/ap_on_re_us/us_imf_leader_assault

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finance debt loans ? consolidate ? Blog Archive ? Debt ...

Debt Consolidation Not Always the Answer ? The Debt Help Site

(PRWEB) April 16, 2006

The Debt Help Site warns that debt consolidation is not always an effective solution when dealing with personal debt problems.

Debt is a growing problem in the UK and debt consolidation, whereby multiple debts are replaced by one larger debt to cover them all, is a common first backpedalling in managing a debt problem.

However, the Debt Help Site warns that debt consolidation can actually make debt problems worse if the terms of the agreement are not looked at carefully enough.

Terry Galvin, editor of the Debt Help Site, explain: ?Debt consolidation can seem like a good idea and often it is, because it is easier to deal with one debt rather than pay lots of different bills every month and deal with lots of different creditors.

?But many people with debts jump into an agreement because of this without looking into how much they are actually paying for the privilege. There?s nothing wrong with consolidating debt when the overall interest or final payment total is reduced, but this isn?t always the case.?

Galvin adds: ?Unfortunately, many people with debt problems have made their situation worse with debt consolidation by signing up to an agreement that charges more interest than is being paid for all the individual debts combined. Sometimes the term of the loan is longer, which means it is more expensive in the long run.?

Another factor, says Galvin, is that turning multiple debts into one debt can wrongly be seen as a green light to take out more loans or credit cards.

He says: ?Suddenly, there is one bill to deal with instead of many, so someone might think, ?What harm will one more debt do?? But, of course, it?s a slippery slope.?

With this in mind, the Debt Help Site urges anyone considering debt consolidation to seek professional advice on their situation to find out if the deal makes financial sense and to see if there is a more suitable solution for their debt problem.

For more on UK debt and debt consolidation, visit http://www.debthelpsite.net

# # #

?Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC. Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Find More Consolidate Debts Press Releases

Source: http://financedebtloans.com/consolidate-debts/debt-consolidation-not-always-the-answer-the-debt-help-site/

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FDA Mulls Fate of Avastin as Breast Cancer Drug ...

Patients and Doctors Testify About Safety and Effectiveness of Avastin for Advanced Breast Cancer

By Brenda GoodmanWebMD Health News

June 28, 2011 ? An unusual and closely watched hearing on the fate of Avastin as a treatment for advanced breast cancer got off to an emotional start on Tuesday, with federal advisors listening to testimony from patients, doctors, and advocacy groups.

Many urged the FDA to reconsider its decision to withdraw approval for Avastin as a treatment for advanced breast cancer.

?I owe my life to Avastin,? said Patricia Howard, age 66, of New York, who has been treated for breast cancer since 2005. ?I?m not just a piece of anecdotal evidence. I?m a wife, mother, sister, aunt, friend, and grammy.?

But others applauded the agency?s decision.

Christine Brunswick, vice president of the National Breast Cancer Coalition, said she has also been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. ?I can personally attest to how devastating this disease is.?

She said scientific studies have not proven that the drug is safe or effective as a breast cancer treatment.

?We must accept and act on evidence or we will never make the needed progress we so desperately want,? she says. ?We now know that women died because of this drug.?

Controversy Over Avastin

Avastin is a drug that shrinks tumors by choking off their blood supply.

It was first approved in 2004 to treat metastatic colon cancer and certain non-small-cell lung cancers. Since then, it has also been approved to treat metastatic renal cell carcinoma and glioblastoma brain tumors.

In 2008, against the recommendation of its advisors, the FDA approved Avastin for breast cancer through an accelerated approval process that allows a therapy to be marketed to the public based on preliminary clinical findings, pending further studies to confirm its safety and effectiveness.

That approval was based on the results of a single clinical trial which found that Avastin prevented breast cancer from progressing for an average of 5.5 months longer in women who took Avastin combined with the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel, compared to women taking paclitaxel and a placebo.

No other studies have been able to repeat that result, however.

And four subsequent studies have failed to find that Avastin keeps breast cancer from progressing or that it improves overall survival compared to standard chemotherapy.

Those studies have also shown that patients taking Avastin have higher rates of serious adverse events. One study found that half of women taking Avastin experienced episodes of bleeding, a rate that was twice as high as women on a standard chemotherapy drug.

Other common and sometimes serious side effects experienced by women on the drug include high blood pressure, heart attacks, heart failure, protein in the urine (a sign of kidney damage), and gastrointestinal perforations ? holes in the lining of the stomach or intestines.

Accelerated Approval Program

In December 2010, the FDA announced that it would withdraw its conditional approval as a treatment for breast cancer.

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Obama hails New York gay marriage law (AFP)

WASHINGTON (AFP) ? US President Barack Obama said Wednesday he was pleased with the outcome of a "contentious and emotional" legislative battle in New York that ended with the state passing a gay marriage law.

But just days after New York became the latest -- and largest -- US state to legalize same-sex marriage, the US leader said he was "not going to make news" by expressing his views on whether the time had come for a nationwide policy allowing matrimony between homosexuals.

"What I have seen happen over the last several years, and what happened in New York last week, I think was a good thing," Obama told a White House press conference.

"It was contentious and emotional, but ultimately they made a decision to recognize civil marriages. I think that's exactly how things should work," Obama said, defending his record on civil rights for gay Americans which some activist in that community have said has not gone far enough.

"This administration under my direction has consistently said we cannot discriminate as a country on the basis of people of different sexual orientation," the president said.

"We have done more in the two-and-a-half years that I have been in here than the previous 43 presidents," said Obama, rattling off some gays rights achievements made during his administration, including "making sure gay and lesbian partners can visit each other in hospitals, and making sure federal benefits can be provided to same-sex couples -- across the board.

"We have made sure that that is a central principle of this administration, because I think it's a central principle of America," Obama said.

"We said that we could not defend, the federal government poking its nose into what states are doing is putting the thumb on the scale against same sex couples."

Pressed on the point however of whether he would support a federal policy allowing same-sex marriage, Obama demurred.

"I am not going to make news on that today," he told a reporter. "Good try, though."

Later, at a White House reception for activists from the lesbian, gay and trans-sexual community, Obama noted that he had ended the policy of discriminating against gays serving openly in the military.

And he said his welcome stood up to vigorous scrutiny.

"I have delivered on what I promised. Now, that doesn't mean our work is done," he said.

"There are going to be times where you're still frustrated with me. I know there are going to be times where you're still frustrated at the pace of change. I understand that. I know I can count on you to let me know."

New York's landmark bill gay marriage bill was passed last week following months of wrangling in the state between supporters and opponents, who objected largely on religious grounds.

The passage made New York the sixth and largest US state where gay couples can legally wed, following the path of Iowa, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont.

A March poll found that 53 percent of Americans are in favor of allowing gay marriage.

Other US states, like California, offer same-sex civil unions, but not marriage rights. That means the parties have some but not all legal rights married couples have.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110629/pl_afp/uspoliticsobamagays

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Vegan in Paris

Before I post about my last day in Paris, I wanted to take a brief moment to share all the research I did prior to visiting this gorgeous city.?

Paris, oh Paris, where to begin.? With your ham and cheese filled cuisine and head-strong chefs, it?s no wonder vegans find themselves in deep water when dining in your fair city.???

There are a few exceptions though?you just have to do your research. [And be with fellow travelers that are ok with doing the veggie thing]?

While I personally didn?t go out of my way to track down these vegan gems, I did do a considerable amount of research that I feel obligated to share?to any fellow vegans traveling to Paris in the future, here are some places you may consider trying:

*Warning: unlike in the US, most traditional restaurants are not keen on changing dishes on the menu.? Altering preparations of an item is frowned upon, so unless you are dining at one of the following vegan restaurants, don?t expect a non-vegan restaurant to be able to accommodate your dietary needs.? Seriously.? They won?t.? Consider this my one piece of advice: order a dish as it is, and make adjustments to it after the plate arrives.? In my weakest moment, I ordered a ham and cheese sandwich and then removed both the ham and cheese.? And trust me, it was better than arguing with the chef about just getting a plain baguette.?

Restaurants

Saveurs V?g?t?Halles
41, Rue des Bourdonnais, Paris 75001
M?tro: Chatelet or Les Halles
01 40 41 93 95
This restaurant is almost exclusively vegan with only one non-vegan item on the menu, the lasagna.? Situated in the former location of La Victoire Supr?me du Coeur.? Great crispy fried tofu.? Plenty of vegan desserts.? Oriental feel.? Food is well presented. 95% vegan food.? 70% organic.? Gluten-free available. Wheelchair accessible.? Open 10.00-15.00 and 18.00-23.00

Le Potager du Marais
22, Rue Rambuteau, Paris 75003
M?tro: Rambuteau
01 42 74 24 66
Organic, with all-day long service.? Small, cozy, rustic and charming ambience.? Gets busy weekend evenings (so call for a reservation).? Serves traditional French cuisine made vegetarian with one page of vegan selections (vegan soups, tarte, pate, patty, gratin, moussaka, desserts, and more).? The pastry chef prepares all vegan desserts including lemon bars, carrot cake and blueberry bundt.? 3-course dinner menu available for about 25 euro.? Accepts credit cards. Open Mon-Fri 6-10pm, Sat-Sun lunch and dinner.

Pousse-Pousse
7, rue Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, 75009
M?tro: Notre-Dame-de-Lorette
01 53 16 10 81
World-class raw cuisine in the heart of Paris in a small and friendly location. Offers raw food as well as cooked using ingredients including sprouts, seaweeds, fresh pollens, mixed herbs. Also has organic bread and raw dried crackers, hot chocolate cake, panna cotta made with agar-agar and rice milk, fresh fruit salad with lucuma cream, one cooked soup and one raw soup each day. Gluten free and mostly vegan. Has outdoor seating. Open 11.00-15.30 and 16.30-19.30.

Au Grain de Folie
24, Rue la Vieuville, Paris 75018
M?tro: Abesses
01 42 58 15 57
Closed Monday mornings.? A little nook of a place with helpful service and standard macrobiotic fare.?

Piccolo Teatro
6, rue des Ecouffes, 4th arrondissement
01 42721779
Metro: St-Paul?
Combine good vegetarian food with romance in Piccolo Teatro.? This place is hidden away on Rue des Ecouffes in the Marais district.? Intimate setting with Italian and Indonesian cuisine.? The menu provides a mix of hot soups, salads, curries, pasta, and organic red wine.? Main courses cost 10-15 ? (special tasting menu for first-timers).? Reservations are recommended.

Le Paradis du Fruit
1 Rue des Tournelles, 75006
01 40279479
Metro: Bastille
Part of a chain of restaurants, this French cafe offers a tropical atmosphere and an innovative menu. While not exclusively vegetarian, it?s worth a mention as there are plenty of healthy, meatless options to choose from, including soybean salads, skewered tofu and pineapple, and Indian vegetable curry. Main courses range from ?10-?15. Inventive ice creams, juices and smoothies average at ?7, and are a must for any visit here. Great for a refreshing spring or summer meal.

****The Gentle Gourmet ****
21 Rue Duret, Paris 75016 (at Ave de la Grande Armee, Ave Foch, near Arc de Triomphe)
33-01-45004655
Vegan, International, Western, Organic, Beer/Wine

This is actually an entirely vegan B&B.? They offer private dining experiences and even have a cooking school located above their store in a pretty courtyard.? They serve set menu bistro and gourmet meals.? Menus are made from changing seasonal foods available and are as organic and local as possible.? Dishes include traditional and contemporary vegan fusion cuisine from across the globe.? All special diets (non-gluten, low-salt, nut-free, etc.) can be catered to.? Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat are gourmet vegan meals (40 euros without wine, 50 euros with wine) with an optional hands-on cooking class beforehand (45 euros). Tue, Thur, Sun are the 25/30 euro bistro meal. Reservations must be made before 2pm the day of the meal but preferably earlier as only a maximum of 10 people will be served per night.? Many other cooking classes are offered during the day, and the entire program and calendar can be seen on their website.? Accepts credit cards.

Loving Hut
92, Boulevard de Beaumarchais, Paris 75011 (at Train: Saint-S?bastien Froissard / Line
0148064384
Vegan Chinese infused French cuisine.? Part of international chain of vegan restaurants opened by followers of Supreme Master Ching Hai, an advocate for vegetarian living (there are several US locations in Nor Cal but I?ve hear it is kind of like a cult?).? Accepts credit cards.? Open Mon-Thur 12noon-3pm and 6:30pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 12noon-3pm and 7pm-10:30pm, closed Sun.

Voy Alimento?
23 Rue des Vinaigriers (75010)
0142010344
Vegan, Organic, South American juice bar and plant shop.? The juice bar features hot and cold beverages made from the plants and products sold in the shop, such as purple corn, urucum, cocoa, acerola, klamath.? At lunchtime it is also a vegan restaurant wherein a large range of the plants and micro-algae are represented in the recipes.? Vegan brunch on weekends.? Location is on a street next to Canal Saint Martin with outdoor seating available. Wheelchair accessible.? Accepts credit cards.? Open Mon-Sun.

Oh! Bio?
58 Rue Rambuteau (75003) (at M?tro : Rambuteau / Square des Halles)
0144611967
Vegan-friendly, organic take-away with French food and beer/wine.? Everything is 100% organic. Located in front of the Georges Pompidou Centre, in the heart of Paris.? Has outdoor seating.? Accepts credit cards.? Open daily 10am-9pm.

Saravana Bhavan
170 Rue Du Faubourg, Saint Denis (75010)
0667281313
Metro: Gare de l?Est.? Paris Indian restaurant serving vegetarian cuisine.? Accepts credit cards. Open Mon-Sun 8am-10:30pm.

Soya??
20, rue de la Pierre Lev?e (75010)
01-48-06-33-02
Vegan-friendly and 100% organic.? Offering mezz? and couscous.? Saturday brunch costs around 28?.? For vegan dessert options phone ahead. Outdoor seating.? Open Mon-Sun 1200-1530 and 1900-2300.

Tien Hiang?
92 Rue du Chemin Vert (75011) (at Rue St. Maur, between Metro Voltaire and St. Maur)
0143558388
Vegan-friendly, Chinese, Buddhist vegetarian restaurant.? Menu is in English and includes mock-meat options.? No eggs or alcohol used.? Average price per dish is around 5.5-7 euro, or around 7.5-10 euros for a 3-course. Accepts credit cards. Open Tue-Sun 11.30am-3pm, 6.30-10.30pm, closed Mon.

Tien Hiang 2?(second location)?
14 Rue Bichat (75010)
0142000823
The second Tien Hiang location (also Asian vegan food). They offer vegetarian cuisine with dishes from Thailand, China, Malaysia.? The chef is very experienced in vegetarian cooking.? Accepts credit cards. Open 11.30am-3.30pm, 6.30-10.30pm, closed Tue.

Le V?g?tarien
65, rue du Faubourg Poissonni?re, Paris 75003
M?tro: Poissonni?re
06 60 97 16 12
Small restaurant serving simple, hearty meals like falafel, lasagna, quiche, soups.? Food can be eaten in the restaurant or be taken out. Service is quick.? Full menu with drinks for under 10 euro.? Caters mainly to the people working in the area.? Accepts credit cards. Open Mon-Fri from 12pm, closed Sat-Sun.

Le Grand App?tit
9, Rue la Cerisaie, Paris 75004
M?tro: Bastille
01 40 27 04 95
All vegan restaurant.? Macrobiotic and hippie with a no frills experience.? They serve soups, veggie sushi, vegetable platters, lemon tart, and other vegan foods.? Great grocery store next door.? Open Mon-Thur 12-9pm, Fri 12-2.30pm.

La Victoire Supr?me du Coeur
27-31, rue du Bourg Tibourg, Paris 75004
M?tro: H?tel de Ville
01 40 41 95 03
All vegan restaurant.? Run by devotees of Sri Chinmoy.? Recently introduced a wine list.? Sunday?s lunch buffet is very popular.? Great location for people watching.

Les Cinq Saveurs d?Anada
72, Rue Cardinal-Lemoine, Paris 75005
M?tro: Place Monge
01 43 29 58 54
Great macrobiotic plates. Very friendly staff and in a charming part of the Latin Quarter.

Le Grenier de Notre-Dame
18, Rue de la B?cherie, Paris 75005
M?tro: Saint-Michel
01 43 29 98 29
or
Rue des Deux-Ponts, Paris 75004
M?tro: Pont Marie
100% vegetarian.? Welcoming, macrobiotic oriented, Paris institution.? Serves vegetarian versions of French peasant food (ie vegetarian paella).? Nice atmosphere.? English spoken.? Prices moderate to expensive.? Outdoor seating available.? Accepts credit cards. Open daily lunch and dinner 12-14.30 and 19-23.0

Maoz Vegetarian
8, Rue Xavier Privas, Paris 75005
M?tro: Saint Michel
01 43 26 36 00
or
36, Rue Saint-Andre des Arts, Paris 75005 (at Rue Seguier)
Small falafel place (part of a chain). Close to vegan except for a few cheesy items and the mayonnaise in the coleslaw.? Order at the counter, fight for one of the three tables or walk to the Seine with your sandwich.

Guen Mai
6, Rue Cardinale, Paris 75006
M?tro: Saint-Germain-des-Pr?s
01 43 26 03 24
Name means ?brown rice? in Japanese.? Macrobiotic.? Counter service and dining.? Tucked behind St.-Germain-des-Pr?s with sidewalk caf? tables.

Bob?s Juice Bar
15, Rue Lucien Sampaix, Paris 75010
M?tro: Jacques Bonsergent
09 50 06 36 18
A lovely juice bar that also does green juices.? Vegan salad and soup options everyday. Deemed ?the best juice bar in town?.

Bob?s Kitchen?
74, Rue des Gravilliers, Paris 75003 (at Rue de Turbigo)
0144556677
M?tro: Gare du Nord or La Chapelle
Ovo, Lacto, Western, Juice bar, Take-out.? More vegetarian than vegan selections.? They offer lunch and Sunday brunch options.? Super friendly staff.? Two long communal tables for seating. Fast service. Cash only. Open Mon-Fri 8am-3pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm.

Krishna Bhavan
24, Rue Cail, Paris 75010?
01 42 05 78 43
Southern Indian/Sri Lankan, vegan friendly with great prices (be sure to ask for dishes without milk dips or yoghurt dips).? Open Tue-Sun 11.00-23.00, closed Monday. Accepts credit cards.?

Green Garden
20, Rue Nationale, Paris 75013
M?tro: Porte d?Ivry
01 45 82 99 54
Another Buddhist Chinese restaurant with a big menu.? It?s right in Chinatown.

Aquarius
40, Rue Gergovie, 75014 Paris
M?tro: Pernety
01 45 41 36 88
Vegetarian with basically nothing for vegans. *Now may be replaced by Le Marais (see below).

Le Marais
54 Rue Ste-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie, 75004
01 48874871
Metro: H?tel de Ville or St-Paul
Formerly Aquarius, this restaurant is one of the best-known among the Paris vegetarian community. The menu is a combination of salads, wheat pancakes and savory tarts, with fish dishes also a feature (puritans beware!). Organic wine is on the menu but smoking is not, making it one of the few restaurants to offer a smoke-free environment pre-2008. Vegans should check with wait staff before ordering. There have been some reports of unfriendly service here.

Joy in Food
2, Rue Truffaut, Paris 75017
M?tro: Place Clichy or Rome
01 43 87 96 79
Hole in the wall place open for lunch on weekdays only.? A popular restaurant with a small but varied menu of salads, soups, vegetable tarts, ragouts over rice, desserts, and organic wine (vegan option for each course).? Home-style cooking.? Open Mon-Fri lunch only, weekend dinner by appointment.

Veggie?
38, rue de Verneuil
0142612861
Vegan-friendly, Ovo, Lacto, Organic, Western, Mediterranean, Beer/Wine.? Take-out and delivery vegetarian food made with all organic products.? Seasonal and daily changing menu.? Specialties are vegetables pies, risotto, and curry.? Also offers apple pies, crumbles, and chocolate cakes.? Accepts credit cards. Open Mon-Fri.

Abyssinia??
5 Rue Martin Garat (75020) (at Rue Belgrand)
0140316642
Vegan-friendly Ethiopian/African food with non-veg (meat) options, but has veg courses available.? Reservations required. Wheelchair accessible.? Accepts credit cards. Open Mon-Sun 12-2pm, 7-11pm.

Cojean
Many locations (see link above)
Offering take-away or dine-in options of soups, salads, wraps, etc.?

?

Groceries

Naturalia organic food stores are located all over the city and they have a good range of lentils, quinoa, and veggie salads already prepared, which are convenient for take-away.? Unfortunately, it is semi-pricey.?

There are also many organic food co-ops around town, but you have to keep your eye out for those.? Prices are a bit better, they have lots of bulk options, and more interesting variety.?

Izrael
30 rue Francois-Miron
Metro: Pont Marie
Bulk bins of nuts, dried fruit, olives, spices, etc.? Spices spices spices.

Rendez-Vous de La Nature
Organic food store on Rue Mouffetard with a wide variety of soy based yogurts, as well as non-dairy milks (almond, soy), plus tofu.? They also have bulk bins of oats, nuts and muesli. Moderately priced.

Le Bon Marche Epicerie? (La Grande Epicerie)
38, Rue S?vres
75007 Paris, France
+33 1 42 22 10 12
Touted as ?the? best gourmet grocery store in Paris with a selection of everything, including organic and vegan treats.

Monoprix has vegan options too (they sell food now?? who knew?).? I got a seaweed salad there, but they have many many other pre-packaged eats and basic groceries (see below).?

[Pasta, salads, lentils, wraps, soups, sandwiches, sushi, etc.]

Be sure to check when stores are open!? We found this out the hard way when we tried to get some basics on a Monday and found all the main grocery stores were closed.?

Markets

March? Biologique Raspail on Sundays is said to be the best but has a reputation of being the most expensive as well.? It runs from Rue de Rennes to Rue du Cherche Midi from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.? Metro: Rennes/Sevres-Babylone

March? Bastille is also on Sundays and at the Bastille end there?s a Lebanese stand selling hot-off-the-grill food.?

Marche des Enfants Rouges (take the Metro Filles du Calvaire to 39 Rue de Bretagne) to get to this open-air market.? It has stands selling everything from juices to salad bars to Moroccan vegetable tangines and couscous.

There are many corner markets off the main streets of Paris with fruit, veggies, and basic groceries, too (good for those Mondays when the main places are closed).

?

All this is info I accumulated from online research alone, so I?m sure there are many many more vegan places to be discovered!!

You see, as much trouble as I personally had eating in the land of butter and fried food, there were definitely vegan restaurants available.? It?s just the unfortunate reality when you are (a) traveling in a group, (b) have limited days, and (c) a packed itinerary, all the research in the world doesn?t mean you will make it to the restaurants you?ve bookmarked.?

I?m not trying to blame my lack of veg-friendly dining on my fellow travelers, because it?s not their fault we have differing diets.? However, as far as menu options are concerned in Parisian restaurants, there is little overlap in the vegan world and non-vegan world.? Unlike in the US, where you can find restaurants that can accommodate any diet, in Paris, vegan restaurants are vegan and non-vegan restaurants are non-vegan.? Chefs prepare their cuisine one way (their way) and that?s that.?

As a result of this trip, one thing that I have come to realize is how lucky I am to live in a city that is able to please my palate while also delighting my non-veggie dining mates.? In fact, all the places I?ve lived have been similarly veg-friendly.? I promise to never ever take this for granted.

So, to future vegans visiting Paris, if you want to eat well, my advice is to pick vegan places from the above list and go there.? If your companions want to join you, fabulous.?

Hope this is helpful!? Bon app?tit!

Tagged as: paris, restaurant review

Source: http://www.hungryhungryhippie.com/vegan-in-paris/

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