"I suspect most Ziners would rather have a $5 picnic among the locals than the fanciest meal in town where the money spent insulates us from the locals."

I heartily disagree.

A picnic is nice sometimes - though it would be hard to find the ingredients in most places in Italy or in France for $5.00. $10.00 per person would probably be a closer amount.

However, why do you think a $100 (for 2) dinner insulates you from the locals? I'm in Paris right now, and dinner every night averages $40-$50 per person (inclusive of everything) and I'm out with Parisians. Most of the places we go to have few tourists, since I'm with Parisian friends, we go to their favorite little local places.......french bistros, Thai food. This is hardly the fanciest meal in town - that would probably be either Guy Savoy at about 250 euro per person or Alain Ducasse at about 250-300 euro per person.

This afternoon I took the train from Paris 2 hours north to the picturesque town of Hede (near Rennes) and had lunch with some friends in that area at a charming country restaurant.

>From my look around, I was the only American in the place. The Prix Fix menus were 39 euros or 45 euros, without wine. We had the 39 euro menu and with wine and water, lunch was 55 euro per person.

Candice NYC (Paris this week)