What are the French known for? Yes, existentialist philosophy and admiration of Jerry Lewis, but those aren’t the things we’re thinking of. Fine food, that’s one; fine wine; and a liberal attitude toward nudity.
We’re happy to report we got to enjoy all three this week at the venerable Les Halles restaurant down on John Street.
Just a stone’s throw from the World Trade Center but tucked away discreetly, they’ll serve you the classics — escargot, soupe a l’oignon, vin rouge, creme brulee — and if you ask to be seated in the tiny private room in the back, they might even let you enjoy it in the altogether.
Now, it’s still fitfully winter outside (it snowed again this morning), so in deference to the temperatures (and the furniture), we kept our bottoms on, along with the occasional sweater or scarf.
But our indefatigable waitress made it clear she wouldn’t have been offended if we’d stripped off the rest. And you know what? French food works better when you eat it with a roomful of naked friends. (What food doesn’t? Okay, fondue. But that’s about it.)
Several bottles of wine made a fine foundation for some intense conversations–
–and much kvelling over flavors.
Want to join us for a decadent, delicious, liberating naked dinner sometime? Or maybe, when it warms up properly, a topless dejeuner sur l’herbe in the park? Drop us a note at toplesspulpfiction@gmail.com. Women of every description welcome — just bring an adventurous appetite.
I very much support your effort for women to have the same freedom of dress as men, and I enjoy your posts. But the latest one in the French restaurant elicits a comment. I am pretty sure that men who attempted to enter the same restaurant topless would be politely denied entry. Why should women be allowed to enter the same restaurant topless? Or are you just trying way too hard to make a point? Equality works both ways.
We didn’t just walk in topless. We contacted the restaurant in advance and made arrangements for a private room. A group of men could have done the same if they wished. The restaurant was happy to have us and they have already invited us back.
I appreciate your reply. First with the weather I believe the ladies entered clothed and they “unclothed”. Second, I wonder if the men would be as “genteel” as the ladies. Third, Some of you groups were mixed, male and female. Was this a “male only” party?
It certainly wasn’t “male only,” as the photos attest. We did have one male there for most of the evening; only one, but that did make it a mixed group.
OK, I did see the one interloper among all the lovely ladies
sexy beautys enjoying a meal and why not
Being a Native Born Frenchman, I appreciate fine food and of course, women wo are open minded and secure in their body image…I understand why you keep this open to women only…Sad that there are men, who would get the wrong message of what this togetherness really means…I do thank you for the lovely pictures of the women, and I do hope to see more along these lines …Merci Beacoup, mes amis…
Daniel Yves Gaulier
Serious knives in the last image. Steak frites? Great images, as always.
No one had steak (the closest was a tartare, no knives needed for that!) — perhaps the restaurant thought we might have a knife fight once the wine was all gone…
Of course. Topless meals in French restaurants often end in knife fights. Not so much in Italian restaurants, though. Unless you’re dining with someone from the Corleone family—but even then it would be guns, come to think of it.
Now, if it were an Argentine restaurant…
No John Street blues for you, then! Oh, and I don’t recommend topless shabu-shabu either – splashes of boiling water on bare nipples? No thank you!
This was definitely bon appetit!
How do you find these wonderful places to dine?
We contacted half a dozen restaurants in the neighborhood we wanted to visit, and all but one said they’d be happy to have us.
Impressive!
merci!
Nice to see your group back posting.
I can only hope that when my daughters are old enough they have the courage to be strong and free like you fine women.
France is more open with nudity than the US (not that hard mind you), but the further north you go, the more open people are. In Germany, nudity is accepted in some parts of city parks ! (Not that I’ve personnally checked… Yet !)
Excelente
As far as the bottoms on furniture goes, next time each take a small towel. But you probably knew that already. 🙂
The blonde girl is stunning. So are the rest of u, but she’s a stand out