Day Trip to Paris 🗼 FULL EPISODE (S15 E13)

Day Trip to Paris 🗼 FULL EPISODE (S15 E13)

[Music] Today we’re headed to a far away land to get an eyeful of Texan history and a mouthful of Texan flavor. There’ll be bakeries, crepeies, wine, and our own tour de Texas. We’re getting Frenchy, y’all. All without crossing the pond. We We pou or well Paris if you don’t speak French. [Music] This episode was made for y’all with the help of our awesome Awesome partners. Check the caption for more info. Welcome to Paris. Paris, Texas rests 100 miles northeast of downtown Dallas and a mere 5,000 mi from its European namesake. The town was founded in 1844 and has been a hub of activity ever since. Recently, it’s begun revitalizing its downtown and is becoming a true tourist destination, ones that will make you say, “Bonjour a Perry.” So, our Texas Eiffel Tower isn’t the tallest Eiffel Tower, but hey, ours is wearing a cowboy hat, so your move, France. But this Paris did take its name from that other Paris across the pond, probably. But as we’ll see today, this town has plenty to keep any texophile or even franophile well entertained. As a bit of an amateur Frankophile myself, I know how to blend in. Time to break out the [Music] beret. [Music] Excuse. I guess everything is not bigger in Texas. Is this a souvenir version for me? Wait, what does that mean? I require smoked meats. This is my payment or else a strike. Smoked meats are as not working today. Well, maybe the Stson’s more my speed anyway, but all that Frenching has got me hankering for a good mulerie. That’s bakery in French, which is why we’re stopping for brunch at a petite place called Love and Bagels. What started as a farmers market side hustle has turned full American dream for baker and owner Lisa Schlatt, who makes delicious bagels from scratch daily. This is awesome, you I mean, having a bakery in Paris, very appropriate. Totally. But you guys don’t make baguettes. We make bagels. Where did your love fascination with bagels start? Uh, I grew up eating bagels in Southern California. Here, there aren’t very many bagels. So, no, not really a Texas thing. No, there there really aren’t. So, what’s the secret to a good bagel then? Ingredients, the fermentation, allowing it to develop the yeasty flavor. Okay. Start to finish, how long does a bagel take to make? 3 days. 3 days. Holy moly. Love is essential for that much work. But Lisa makes nine flavors of bagels with six different shmears. And if that ain’t enough variety, she also makes bagel sandwiches. Of course, you got the traditional bagel locks with smoked salmon, but others push the bagel border straight into Texas and the realm of brisket. Can we go in the back? I want to see how you do. Yes. Come on. Let’s roll some bagels. Here we go. Walk me through this. I’ve never made a bagel. You’ve made three or four million bagels by now. That’s your bottom. Put it down on the bottom. Flatten it out. Very good. Now, we’re going to roll it with your hands like this a couple times. I did. I can make snakes. That was the one thing I could make with Play-Doh. If you made Play-Doh, you can totally make a bagel. Pick it up. Take that seam. Put it in the middle of your hand. Oh, we’re making bagel knuckles. You want it like this? Street fight, man. A bagel is what you want on your fist. Now, take it down and roll. They’re closing your scene. They’re very forgiving. Mine looks like a bad herniated bike tire. Huh. This rolling’s a whole lot of work. How does Lisa dough it? Oh, okay. Okay. I’ll simmer down on the puns while we ready the bagels to boil. Okay, Chad. These are going to sit for the next 18 to 24 hours. But over here, we have some that we are going to boil right now. Boom. This step, this boiling the bagel is what makes it a bagel. flavor and texture because it’s bread otherwise. Gently place one end in. Now, some believe it’s the water in New York that makes the bagel so good, but Lisa says otherwise. Quality products in in building the bagel the way that you’re supposed to. Ours is a traditional method. You use a wild yeast starter and you let it ferment cuz that’s the yummy part. How long do these like 30 seconds to a minute is all it needs. That’s it. That’s it. My first bagels ever made. Thank you. Now, these bake for 20 minutes, but I can’t wait because I’m headed straight for brisket breakfast. Chili, bacon, jam, brisket, egg, and cheese all on a fresh jalapeno cheese bagel. Trey, manipure bagel mamore. Okay, that’s incredible. That’s a bagel on another level. the crispy cheese on top, the spicy jalapenos, and then like the sweetness of the jam. I mean, you have a bagel like this and you realize what all the fuss is about. And the ones you get at the grocery store or the big chains, they’re not even close to this. It just has a certain how you say, you know what that means, right? What’s it mean? I don’t know what I do not know. Oh, what? Well, Janosiqua, what I’m saying when I sayqua, all I do know is that I can’t get enough. Ah, yes. A little bagel dessert for the road. You know, cuz why not? Chocolate chip bagel, honey pecan spread, and a jur to any hopes of [Music] dining. Now, downtown Paris is a romantic place. There’s no shops, but there is a picturesque main street. No arc de triumph, but they do have a beautiful fountain that looks fit for King Louie himself. Nudas. And let us not forget about the second tallest Eiffel Tower in the world. Fun fact, the cowboy hat isn’t original. You see, Paris, Tennessee tried to steal our thunder back in the day and built their own Eiffel a wee bit taller than ours. But in true Texas fashion, this town said, “Oh, we see your tower.” And raise you a cowboy hat. Placing ours just a head taller than Tennessee’s. And thus forever proving that Texans will always play to win, even if for second place, but rarely. Look, I’m a tourist. Put a cute little affil. I got to say I appreciate the fact that you can take an international vacation and not leave Texas. I mean, we’re in Paris. Didn’t even need our passport. Patty, but like, you know, you can also go to Athens. True. Dublin? I think I’d rather go to Berlin. Is there Berlin, Texas? Yes, sir. Do you say Berlin, for example, there’s Italy and then we have Italy? Italy. Italy. Italy. Italy. Back where I grew up, we have Netherland. It’s kind of the Netherlands with a Netherland. Well, you’ve been to Paris, France. How does this relate to Honestly, I can’t tell a difference. I really It’s that close. I like essentially the same city. Okay. Despite the similarities, the cities do have some differences, most specifically their history. And to learn more, we’re headed to the Lamar County Historical Museum. This museum holds a loss worth of historic artifacts with collections from both the distant and recent pasts. There are rooms dedicated to military history, African-Amean history, and much more. Here to give us a tour is museum dosent Linda Vanderver. Chad, I bet you’ve never seen one of these before. What in the world is that? It’s an X-ray machine used in a shoe store. Okay. Back in the days when when children wore the really heavy leather shoes, you couldn’t feel where their toe was. So, they would put their feet in this side, okay? And operated look on that side and could see how much growing room they had left in their shoes. Turns out this was before we knew the risks of radiation exposure. I mean, speaking of Chad, if you still want to have kids, you might want to step back a little bit. Is it still charged? Yeah. As cool as this is, the true best resistance is the bear cabin. Whoa. What is a log cabin doing in the museum? It was the oldest cabin in Lamar County. That’s incredible. So, we were able to move it into the museum so that people could see it and we could preserve it. What year is this? Was built in 1854. That’s old. Goodness. I mean, you know how old it is when you see the axe strikes. Yes. As they’re planing this wood. The cabin only survived because it was covered in clapboard sighting, making it look like some unimportant old shack. Yes, really old buildings are hard to come by in Paris, as many were lost in a tragic fire that changed Paris’s history forever. These two panoramas show you what the city looked like before the fire. Okay, these show you what the city looked like after the fire. Oh my goodness. The fire of 1916 caused by a spark from the railroad. The fire burned 105 acres of the historic area, destroying 1,400 structures, including homes, businesses, and the courthouse. At the time, it was one of the costliest fires in US history. Amazing that anybody wanted to rebuild. The motto became smile, and they rebuilt it within a year. That’s optimism at its finest. It is. It is smile. An interesting story about the fire is this organ. The family that owned it, the fire was approaching their house and they took the organ out and started rolling it down the street to preserve it. Does it still play? If you want to pump it, it does, but it’s a pump organ. You have to keep pumping it. Can you play us a diddy? No. Do we have Daniel? You want to play us? Teresa can play us a [Music] Oh, it’s gorgeous. Beautiful. That’s beautiful. Thank you. Careful. You might spark a hoown. We No, we don’t spark anything around here. No, we’re making a horror picture. It’s our soundtrack. It was saved from the 1916 fire, but it didn’t make it through the day tripper. So, your ears may not love it, but I love walking these halls and learning history you can’t find anywhere else. [Music] We now interrupt this programming to remind you to like and subscribe. Now back to the road. Another amazing stop for history buffs is the Sambell Maxi House. Built in 1868, it survived the Paris fire and is now a Texas historic landmark. Now, General Maxi was an interesting guy. He served in the US Army during the Mexican War and went on to become a Confederate general who received a pardon based on a personal vouch from his West Point buddy Ulissiz Srant. During reconstruction, Maxi went on to serve as a US senator. The ornate interior tells 150 years of stories and is well worth a stop. Now, Sam Maxi may have hung his hat here, but he settled down for good at the nearby Evergreen Cemetery. And one monument on these hallowed grounds stands uniquely above the rest. The grave of Willlet Babcock, known locally as Jesus and cowboy boots. You know, we can all identify with the life of Jesus in different ways, you know, and right now I really identify with his footwear. I do cuz he looks like he’s about to go twosteping. Two step. Yeah. I mean, he could he could be. And I bet you it was those boots he was wearing when he crushed the serpent’s head. They’re good snake stomping boots right there. Supposedly Babcock was a bit of a humorist and he left us all something to smile about. Now, let’s take one boot out of the grave and on to the asphalt as I attempt a lifelong dream. You know, I’ve always wanted to ride in the Tour de France and this says it’s the Trail de Parerry and I’m pretty sure that’s the same thing. So, uh I’m pumped about this. Got the bike, got the gear, the helmet. Yeah, but what about the boots? Might have forgotten the shoes. Well, hey. Oh, boy. You can do anything in cowboy boots. If they’re good enough for Jesus, good enough for me. All right, where’s the starting line? This is it. The yellow jersey awaits. Start the clock, Daniel. Records are about to be smashed. [Music] The tour to France is very mountainous. This is very flat because it used to be an old railroad bed. This is part of the rails to trails initiative taking places where there used to be railroad tracks, removing the tracks, the ties, and turning them into trails. Let me assure you, riding this very flat paved surface is one of the hardest races on Earth. This Trail de Paris stretches for over 5 miles across town, but ties into a much larger 130 mile system across northeast Texas. I can’t stop and drink. I got to I got to get it on the go. Here it is. Water. Oh no. There we go. What was that? Oh my gosh. Guys, let’s catch up to him. Let’s go. The terrain is getting tougher and so are the cyclists. Competition’s a little stiffer out here than I expected. I’m going to have to take matters into my own hands. [Music] Where are you going? We’re in the final stages now. That water didn’t do anything. Time for our secret weapon. Barbecue sauce. [Music] That’s so good. It’s incredible. Spicy yet sweet. What is my crew doing? This must be the finish line. What happened to you? That’s not important. Damn. How was my time? How was my stage time? How was it? I didn’t even I don’t even watch what? Oh, wow. No, I’ve lost everything. I’m out. I think it’s time to wash the taste of defeat and barbecue sauce out of my mouth as we head back downtown. After learning about the Paris fire, it suddenly makes sense why almost every building bears the year 1917. All right, here’s a piece of fun Texas trivia. This is the spot where the first Coca-Cola was served in Texas back in 1887. This building was a candy shop and soda fountain. Pretty cool. It makes me very thirsty. And what do Parisians drink when they get thirsty? Well, wine, of course. And no better way to enjoy it than by pairing it with a delicious crepe. To get both, we’re headed to Fine De Paris. This is owner Walt Reap who has some suggestions on my French. So, uh, let’s have a clip. There you go. Hey, Vim de Perry. Well, that’s close. My French friends would not be happy with your Oh, yeah. Pronunciation, but but that’s okay. Say it again. It’s kind But there’s no in V. No. Okay. Well, then welcome to Ball De Perry. But you don’t have to speak the language to enjoy some great French wine and crepes. That was one of the reasons I opened this cuz like how come Paris doesn’t have crepes? Don’t you have to have crepes in Paris? I couldn’t agree more. But when it comes to the wine, this place gives tasters a true experience. We’re focused really on old war wines. We have a lot of French wines. We’re very catered toward education. This cozy space is often filled with taste bud travelers sampling and sipping while being schooled by level two Samo Jin, who’s got some sips ready for us. We’re going to have a white, a rosé, and a red from all pretty much of the southern portion of France. And these are actually three of my favorites, too. Oh, they’re okay. I love all breathing. So, this had no wine skins, some wine skins, full wine skins. I learned something somewhere. No, no, no, you did. So where where did your love for wine start? My background is uh microbiology. So I started working with microbes which you know well you know the yeast that makes the wine as a microorganisms. Okay. And I’m here now. And you are. And I’m here now. Well, cheers to that. Yes. Thank you, Jeff. You’re very welcome. Thank you. I love it when people follow their passions and their pallets. Now, about those crepes. Well, we’re getting a classic French one with strawberries and Nutella and one vine original cookie butter. Cheers. Well, in France is provo sante. Provote sante. What’s that mean? For your health. Oh, yes. For my health. Ooh, that’s an excellent wine. Good bit of fruiness in there. Very crisp. Very clean. Yes. Okay, I’m going to go into this grape. There you go. Very good. Wines’s made for food. I mean, this is pairing perfectly. I’m going to go I’m going to move up a level on wine. Yeah. Walt grew up in Paris, Texas, that is, and opened this spot to share his own passion for old old world wine. They’re so proud. I mean, there’s such a culture, such a tradition, and yeah, we’re we’re creating our own here in Texas. We’re also standing on the shoulders of people who’ve been doing it for Yeah. 1500 years over there. They’ve traced some grapes probably back 6,000 years. 6,000 years. Are you going to touch this cookie butter one, Ken? Do you mind? No, that’s yours. Oh my gosh, that’s good. Good. Oh no. I’m going to eat this whole thing. The French call an afternoon snack leooty. And this is indeed very, very Gucci. Cool. That’s got some depth. Not that anybody likes barbecue around here, but this would be great with barbecue. I mean, can we call some in? in LA. Hey, well, I’m just super thankful there’s folks like you who are coming in and taking this downtown to the next level cuz it was really special. Very much. It really is. And what was the toast again? Porante. Porante or Porvoante. Porvoante. I I I know almost no French, so sorry. Sorry. Well, I know less than you, so we’re not doing good. Well, messy buku to you, Walt. As great as it is, this wine was simply an appelif to prepare us for dinner. And so for our da array, or final stop, we’re getting one last piece of Paris cuisine at the 107. The 107 specializes in delicious burgers, fish, and tacos. Sometimes all at the same time, because they’re not afraid to spin the menu in very tasty directions. Example number one is right in front of me. Fried okra tacos. All right, John, tell me about these right here. Okchra tacos. Okra tacos. It’s the sauce. I tell everybody all the time, there is a vinegrett dressing on there that really sets it off. It’s a little sweet, a little peppery. Yep. Gosh, so good. It’s the vinegaret, the bacon, the fresh onions. That’s working. And you know, one of the best parts about it, it’s a vegetable. They may be deep fried, but we, you know, they’re vegetables. That’s all we need to know. Owner John Bratcher grew up in Paris and bought this place from a fellow firefighter and friend who jumped at the chance to turn an old burned out building into something very cool. So, y’all started with just an empty shell. Empty shell. It was a burnout. Um I saw a sore spot downtown, you know, and a good friend of mine said, “Hey, let’s put a beer garden in here. Uh serve some food. Uh and let’s see what we can do.” So, it was completely open. With the facade and walls intact, all they needed was a few cantina lights and, well, a kitchen to transform this spot into an indooroutdoor destination. Now, John has since installed a see-through roof for those times when it’s raining or well, 105° in Texas. Kind of played with it. We had an idea of putting more of a patio feel to it. Feel like you’re outdoor, but it’s comfortable. Yeah, it is still. Yeah. And and nighttime and daytime are different, right? So, daytime, you get the sunlight. night time, you get all the little lights out. It’s a vibe. It’s got its own vibe in here. It’s a vibe. That’s the way to say it. It’s a vibe. And what downtown doesn’t have a couple burnout shells of buildings just begging to become beer gardens? Well, here’s 107 points of inspiration. But you will need great food. So, let’s mosey into the back and see how they do it. I got sliders, two pesos, and a flatbread. Set me up for a black and fish taco, please. Kid burger and grilled chicken tacos. Are y’all ready for this dish? Yes, ma’am. Heard. Whoa. It’s less of a mossy and a bit more vamosi. That looked delicious. I saw a lot of jalapenos on that one, and that makes me very excited. This speedster is Heather, also known as Red. All right, Red. We got a clean griddle. Yeah. I’m hungry. What you making me? We’re going to do um a black and fish taco and a Chipotle chicken taco. Oh my god. Okay, let’s go. So, this is my chicken. I’m going to blacken it. Okay. Y’all like black and sea. You will, too. Okay. All right. So, what kind of fish are we working with? I’m going to blacken that fish. You said it. We like blackening it. We do. Yeah. No. So, that’s what I’m f to do. I’m going to blacken. I’m from Southeast Texas. I’m blackening anything. I’ve even been known to blacken my morning coffee on occasion. But they’ve also got less conventional ways of spicing things up. Wait, what did she put on this? So, that is pepper jack cheese that we have tossed in Tabasco. Woo! We call it tobasco jack. I’ve never seen that in my life. Got a little kick to it. I like that a lot. It’s a kitchen of tight camaraderie. Keeping the food quick, creative, and [Music] delicious. Did you know the French word for taco is taco? And I’ve got [ __ ] taco of my very own. We have chipotle chicken, grilled chicken, blacken fish. I’m most excited about this one. A little new menu item. It’s got diced pickles and banana peppers on top. Wait, what? I’ve never had that on a taco. So, pickles on a taco kind of works, y’all. Ooh. And the spice coming from the Tabasco soaked cheese. Like, that’s that’s pretty legit, y’all. Moving down the line. I’m going to try another taco. All right, that’s good. I mean y’all, I’ve been to Paris a few times, like the one in France. There are a few things that Paris, Texas does way better than Paris, France. These tacos are one of them. [Music] There you have it, folks. Your excursion, excuse me, trip to Paris. A town with a French name, but that’s 100% Texan with an aspree decor that would make even Napoleon jealous. Paris, France may be the city of light, but Paris, Texas might be coming for that crown too is romantic. No. So, I will see all y’all out on the road. That means via. This episode was made for y’all with the help of our awesome partners. Check the caption for more info.

Grab your boots and your beret, ’cause we’re headed to the other Paris — the one with true Texas charm and a cowboy hat on the Eiffel Tower! That’s right, we made a Daytrip to Paris, Texas, and it was full of surprises, stories, and seriously good eats.

☕ First stop: Love & Bagels — where big city flavor meets small-town heart. You haven’t lived ’til you’ve had their jalapeño cheddar bagel with cream cheese and Texas sass.

🎩 Then we strolled over to the iconic Little Eiffel Tower — complete with its own red cowboy hat, naturally. Who needs the Champs-Élysées when you’ve got Texas pride this tall?

🏛️ Next up: Lamar County Historical Museum, where we dove deep into Paris’s wild past — from cowboys and cotton gins to Civil War relics and vintage soda shops.

✝️ And y’all, don’t miss Jesus in Cowboy Boots. Yes, you read that right. Only in Paris, TX can you pay respects to a statue of Jesus rockin’ boots and looking ready for the rodeo.

🏘️ Historic Downtown Paris is bursting with old-school storefronts, public art, and more charm than a Blue Bell ice cream cone in July.

🍷 For a taste of France (with a Texas twang), we hit Vin de Paris wine bar for sips of bold reds and live tunes. Magnifique, y’all.

🍽️ Then we capped it all off with a mouthwatering dinner at 107 — a local gem where fine dining meets Southern soul. Trust me, the filet will change your life.

So don’t book a plane ticket just yet — Paris, Texas has all the culture, cuisine, and cowboy hats you need. Until next time, Vaya con Dios, amigos!

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