Paris Day 4 (2020)

Today we got a late start but were headed for the President Wilson Market. At the market we shopped for dinner fixins because we expect to sort and order a rotisserie chicken for dinner.  We walked Shelley and Stacy through the market an of course they shopped and even purchased some vegetables for dinner.  They then headed of for the Bateau Mouches for a ride on the river.  Their next stop is going to be the Museum D’Orsey, and maybe Sacra Cours de Montmarte.

We all have some other shopping before we head out for our journey.  We stopped by the Marche Passy however, they were not cooking fresh chicken so we stopped by the Boucher shop on Rue de la Pompe by our other apartment and order a chicken for 1900, 2 stops on the bus or a reasonable walk.

Pat started some looking for gifts for the chicken ladies, the one collecting egg in our absence.  We all stopped in at WH Smith to purchase a new street map, it seem we overlook adding it to our tile of stuff to bring.

We’re now back at the apartment for a brief rest. The girls arrived back at the apartment at about 5:30.

 

 

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Paris Day 3 (2020)

Henry 14th at age 27

We were out early at least by “An American in Paris” standard.  We are headed to the Chateau de Versailles.  We headed to the metro and got on the #9 line to Alma-Marceau got off and walked across the Seine on the Pond Alma to the RER C line.  CONSTRUCTION! Not knew in Paris so we had to search around to find the temporary entrance to the RER.  Success, and we are on the train headed for Versaille Rive Gauche station.  It was about a 30-minute ride and a short walk to the palace

Kings Chapple

There was a very long line for the palace, possibly due to the Louver being closed due to staff concerns about the CORVA19 virus, in ant case we got in line which took about 1 hour to get into the palace. Ops! no tickets, we forgot you have to go to the ticket office to purchase tickets, the doesen  placed a yellow band around one of our arms and we were off to buy tickets and then back to the head of the line.

While Pat and I recovered from the day Shelley and Stacy headed out to see the Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile and the Avenue des Champs-Elsees where they stopped for a 21€ chocolate Martini, “oo la la”.  They took the bus and made it home so we have nor freed the to travel Paris without detailed instructions.

We had dinner at about 2000 when they returned it consisted of Cod and a big salad, with a traditional baguette and Burre Bodier with smoked salt.

 

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Paris Day2 (2020)

Headed out about 10:00 for the Marias with Stacy and Shelly.  We stopped by Notre Dame to check on the progress and observe the fire damage.  Then on to Sainte Chapelle for a visit we missed it last year due to Shelley knees.

Afterward we headed to the Marias for lunch of Falafel at L’As du Fallafel, we arrived at 12:30 and for the first time ever we entered without have to stand in line.  They have expanded their menu and have even add wine and beer.

Stacy and Shelley when shopping and Pat and I went off to locate the FreeMobile store to get French SIM cards.

SIM cards complete we headed back to the apartment.  We were trying to decide if we could fix dinner, but almost everything is closed on Monday after working on the weekend so we checked out a Bistro we were planning to have dinner.  We dis some shopping for fruit for breakfast, Wine for this evening, and a baguette to have with the cheese.

About 8:00 we headed out for dinner but the bistro was closed, odd, so we figured we would try the newly renovated Le Chalet, which open the week after we left Paris last year in 2019.  The new interior was beautiful and the menu was very good.  Pat opted for Sole Meuniere (meuniere refers to the technique of cooking ingredients in brown butter and lemon juice or lightly coating the ingredients in flour before frying) which was a special, Stacy had the Fish and Chips, Shelley the Entrocote and I chose the Duck Confit.  We added wine and 3 desserts, Profiteroles, Moelleux with chestnuts and an Tart Tartin.

We opted to walk back the 2 bus stop because the bus was 9 minutes out.

 

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Paris Arrival 2020

The day got off to a slow start.  Our flight from Philadelphia arrive early due to a tail wind, normally this is a good thing because we take the RER and Metro so no schedules to deal with, however the trip we arranged for G7 Taxi to pick up up.  So with it being Sunday and airport passenger traffic light we brewed through Immigration and got our bas ASAP however we had to wait around for and hour for the Taxi.  Again good news bad news, the was no traffic on the road from the airport so the normal 1 hour ride took about 30 minutes. So were to meet the apartment people at 10:00 and we arrived at 09:30, again a wait.

Good news were all in the apartment and we have all unpacked and we have been out to the grocery for basic supplies so we can have some wine and cheese today and coffee in the morning.  I have located the nearest boulangerie so that I can get croissants and a baguette in the morning.

The apartment is across the street from Le Grande Epicerie de Paris.

We have charged our Navigo passes Pat and I for a month and Shelley for a week and Stacy has a brand new Navigo as well.

Tonight we’re headed to La Rotonde de la Muette for dinner.

Note: We changed restaurants at the last minute and opted to visit the Madison Caffe.  It had a great happy hour with 3-euro drinks and a pretty good Focaccsia however our suggestion is that enjoy the happy hour and move on while the some of pasta was tasty it was a bit under seasoned, we had the pasta with mushrooms, the fusilli Arrabbiata, needed more heat, and the Fettuccine Alfredo needed more parmesan as did the fettuccine salmon.

Tomorrow Pat and I will take the metro  9 over to Madeleine and get off at St. Augustine and a short 8 minute walk to the Freemobile Store to get SIM cards so we will have a French number and data service for about 20 for the month

 

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Notre Dame – Tribute

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Paris 2019 – Day 28

Headed to the Airport - Au revoir Paris for 2019.

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Paris 2019 – Day 27 (last full day)

Jardin du Ranelagh, Paris 16th Arrondissement

Well all good things must come to an end and will we will definitely miss our City away from home it always good to get back to your own home and familiar surroundings.  We have spent a good part of the morning organizing and collecting our belonging and packing what we can, of course there are the last minute items in the morning.  The Beurre Le Bordier will be the last thing to go in the suit case, 6 250g package which I may add I got on Sale: BOOM! In addition to Le Bordier we purchased and taster 5 other butter this month in Paris. We used to eat exclusively President’s butter in France and now we pass it up, don’t get me wrong it’s still the #1 butter in France but there are so many more choices, becuuse there are so many choices why not try them all.

Bordier butter is a family history born in Brittany in Saint-Malo. Jean-Yves Bordier, son and grandson of Beurrier Cheese Company founded the company, a symbol of quality and authenticity.

Known and recognized, Bordier butter represents haute cuisine. Present in renowned gourmet grocery stores and restaurants, Bordier butter has even led to the opening of boutiques and a bistro around butter in Saint-Malo.

Bordier butter: modern crafts

Bordier butter, Jean-Yves Bordier, son and grandson of butter-maker cheese.A cheese refiner by training, Jean-Yves Bordier places his work under the sign of craftsmanship. He refines his cheeses in seven reconstituted natural cellars in order to obtain tasteful and perfectly textured pastas by working with quality milk in the respect of the traditions. The idea also lies in the idea of ​​preserving traditions in a modern industrial scheme.

Passionate about his work, Jean-Yves Bordier set up his empire in 1985 when he took over the La Maison du Beurre dairy (created in 1927) in Saint-Malo.New immersion in the craft industry, where he rediscovers the art of kneading butter according to the traditional method of the nineteenth century around the essential gestures of ancient butter that he takes over and perfected. He develops his techniques, shapes and transmits them to the point of creating a real company and being solicited by the greatest French and foreign chefs who become his loyal customers. Bordier butter is born as well.

Border butter: the creamery of excellence

Jean-Yves Bordier managed to lead his cheese supply at the best artisans, and the manufacture of butter. The company Beurre Bordier takes a real scale, stemming on a strong and anchored universe. The Bordier Butter also becomes a dairy and a grocery store. Its butter becomes a reference, coming in different forms, butter butter traditional nature scented with original scents: those of the sea with seaweed or smoked salt to those who fall under the new codes of gastronomy with Yuzu , Espelette pepper or Madagascar vanilla.

Then comes the bistro “Around the butter”, located in Saint-Malo intramural in 2011. Proof of the development of the company. Now, Jean-Yves Bordier does not have that butter in his mouth. In an old building located in a typical alley of the city, the bistro reveals a great height under ceiling and a cordial environment, in the air of the time. The place acts as a chic brewery and serves as an aperitif a tray of Bordier butters to taste to awaken the senses before the dishes. Directly adjacent to the bistro, the Bordier creamery takes place, offering a wide choice of cheeses and delicatessen products. Recipes using their butter.

This afternoon we when for a walk through Passy for the last time on this trip and we walked over to the Jardin du Ranelagh and sat in the sun for a while and then moved to a shady part to continue our people watching and enjoying the spring colors of the park in Paris, what’s not to like about that?

We made reservations at La Table Lauriston for dinner, because we cook in so many time we figured we should sample a few more eateries to add to our list and people probably get tired of seeing my food on Pat’s Facebook page.

I had an excellent shoulder of Lamb and Pat the Sole

Steps today 9,721 0or 4.4 miles

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Is a Navigo Decouverte Card right for you?

Note: There is now an app, please go to the Apple App store or Google Play store and download the IDF Île-de-France Mobilités app.

Every time we visit Paris we charge our Navigo decouverte card, one week is about $25 and a month is about $85. You can now charge your Navigo for a single day for about $8.50. We try to plan our visit to coincide with a full month.

OK, this visit our card expired after 10 years and we had to get a new card. At the Aéroport Charles DeGaulle it was a seamless experience.  The lady took our old card, out out the photo, wrote our names and handed up a new card, without the charge: EXCELLENT!

So we recharged our cards (for a month $85)at the Airport and took the RER Train to our apartment ($11.75). A single ride on the PARIS metro is $2.12. You can buy a book of 10 tickets for $16.60 or $1.60 per ride.

We calculated that we rode the metro, bus, RER Train, and Tram about 8-10 times per day.

The math:
$1.60 * 25(days) * 8 (trips) = $320

So you can see for us we saved $235 in transportation costs per person.

We like to hear about your experience. Add a comment below.

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Paris 2019 – Day 26

Our last day with transportation in Paris, our Navigo expires at mid-night so if we want to travel by metro or bus we must purchase a ticket at 1.90 euros.

Today was the first day of daylight saving time in France.

31 Mar 2019 – Daylight Saving Time Started

When local standard time was about to reach
Sunday, 31 March 2019, 02:00:00 clocks were turned forward 1 hour to
Sunday, 31 March 2019, 03:00:00 local daylight time instead.

We’re off today to the Portes de Vanves flee market. (Marchê aux Puse Portes de Vanves). At Alex’s recommendation we decided to take the above ground route.  We walked up to the Boulevard Henri Martin and walked west to the Périphérique Circulator Bus or PC3 and got aboard and headed in the direction of Pont du Garigliano.  Upon arrival we boarded the Tram T3a and got off at Didot and a short 2 minute walk to the market.  We browsed the market for the complete length and Pat observed some items that she would have purchased if she still had the business “The three French Hen” but that was what seems like a long time ago in Richmond.  We noticed that there was a street market in processionals so we walked that market as well. The street market was the Marché Brune.On the Circulator ride Bach we passed another Marché, Marché Point du Jour, but we decided not to stop.

When we got on the PC3 instead of getting off at our stop we chose to ride it to the end of the line and get back on, you get an interesting perspective about the far reach of Paris along the western side.  This is also where all of the car dealerships are located as well as a large number of parks, a stadium for foot Baal and other activities like skate parks etc.

On our way back we walked down Avenue Victor-Hugo to find a place for a glass of beer it is quite warm today at 64-degrees.  Were wanted to stop at the newly renovate restaurant by the RER station but all tables were taken by families have Sunday dinner, very upscale and I’m sure they made reservations.  We ended up at Le Victor-Hugo cafe and enjoyed the Beer and a very small;ll cup of free pop corn.

Tonight were headed to Le Stella for dinner.

“Le Stella is an outstanding restaurant located in the upscale Trocadero neighborhood of the 16th arrondissement. Le Stella is a classic French bistro. The menu features classic French game and seafood dishes and lovely wines and the dining area has a variety of internal and external seating options to accommodate for winter warmth and hot summer evenings. Le Stella is frequented by the French, so is sure to provide you a truly authentic and memorable Parisian restaurant experience. The waiters can help with English translation of the French menu.”

“Since most of Paris’s storied brasseries are now owned by corporate chains and serve wilting, mediocre food, it’s a pleasure to head to one of the last remaining independent ones in a quiet corner of the silk-stocking 16th arrondissement for a fine feed of such well-prepared French classics as onion soup, escargots, sole meunière, steak tartare, roast lamb and other Gallic standards. The people-watching here might be subtitled ‘the discreet charm of the bourgeoisie’; service is efficient and this place has what the French call du gueule, or real character.”

“This tony establishment is on a corner with tables for outdoor seating three seasons of the year and oyster shuckers with their fisherman caps outside busily preparing large platters of oysters, crab, langoustine and large shrimp. Le Stella is a true Parisian brasserie – you won’t find tourists here – just the upper crust of Paris coming for a relaxed family meal.

Don’t be intimidated by the waiters in black bow ties either – they are friendly. The clientele come dressed down in jeans and maybe polo shirts (just don’t be surprised if the women are also wearing Jimmy Choo six-inch high heels with a fur coat).”

“The food is terrific, with classic dishes such as escargots, steak au poivre, and sole meunière. For dessert we tried profiteroles, which is vanilla ice cream served in a light pastry puff. The waiter has a pitcher of extra rich warm dark chocolate sauce that he pours on top.”

We arrived at La Stella around 7:30 after a short walk from our apartment, we were seated inside at our request.  we ordered a carafe of Rosé and 6 oysters.  For dinner Pat ordered the Cod with Chorizo and it came on a bed of cabbage and leeks with a bit of curry, I ordered the veal liver which came with green beans.  We both very much enjoyed our dinner.  For dessert Profiterole for Pat and a apple tart for me, all made in house.  Coffee and cappuccino.

As we walked out to the street the 52 bus pulled up, 2 stop and back at the apartment at about 9:30.

Steps today 13,948 or 6.3 miles (-677 calories)

 

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Paris 2019 – Day 25

Staying close to the apartment today due to the Yellow Vest activities.  We when to the Marché President Wilson this morning to get fruit and sausages, peppers and onions so I can make some sausage and peppers with 3 different type of sausage Merquez, which is lamb sausage, a port sausage and a chipolata. The sausage and peppers turned out very good, a simple but flavorful dinner with the addition of a baguette and some wine.

Steps today = 3,863 or 1.7 miles (1188 calories)

 

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