Paris, Monday 20 October 2008

east Another bright sunny day in Paris, so we decided to take another walk from our 30 walking tours in Paris book.  This one Arenes, Mouffetard and the Jardin des Plantes (Latin Quarter 2) covers the southern limits of the Latin Quarter, the area around the Grands Ecoles, and the Jardin des Plantes.  We passed several very handsome streets, the bustling market street rue Mouffetard, the laboratory where the Curies worked at the French Institute of Chemistry and Physics, the laboratory where Louis Pasteur isolated the rabies vaccine, and visited Paris’ oldest monument: the remains of the Roman arena the Lutece Arena now a public park.  Rue St-Jacques  was the ancient road out of the city and in medieval times was the great pilgrimage way to Santiago de Compostela.  Prior to the revolution, there were many religious institutions established along here.  Most of the current buildings date to the 18th and 19th century, with even some modern structures in place.

buy Latuda for pets At the corner of Rue Tournefort and Place Lucien Herr, we found the traditional French restaurant we visited several years ago, Chez Lena and Mirmile.  This was the restaurant that served us vodka after our meal and served the chocolate mousse family-style from a huge bowl.

We passed Rue Pot-de-Fer, an old narrow street filled now with restaurants.  We headed over to l’Opera to find our way to the Victoria Station restaurant on Boulevard des Italiens.  We left that area and headed to Quai de la Rapee so we could check out the lock there, the entrance to the 2 km tunnel over the canal, and the pleasure boat yacht basin.  It is just off Place Bastille and we were amazed we had not found it earlier.

After a quick stop at BHV to look for a cable to connect the computer audio and video to the television.  No success so we headed back to the apartment.  As we exited the Metro station, the RATP Security police were checking metro passes to make sure we were all legal.

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Paris, Sunday 19 October 2008

 

Since we planned to hit two museums today, we got an early start and got to the Musee Jacquemart Andre 158 Bd Haussman near the Miromesnil Metro.  We chuckled as they had ropes and aisles laid out to keep the ticket area in order and we walked right in and purchased tickets. The museum was built in the mid-to-late 1800’s and formally inaugurated as the residence of Eduoard Andre in 1876 (making it younger then our house!)  Andre married his wife Nelie Jacquemart in 1881, after she painted a portrait of him in 1872. The architecture, paintings, furniture and objets d’art making up this museum are absolutely wonderful.  We ended up spending over 2 ½ hours in this museum on a bright sunny day!  With the price of admission (10€) you get an audio guide to get you through the collections of Fragonard, Boucher, Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Bellini, Boticelli, etc.  The Grand Salon’s walls were covered with decorative panels, crown moulding, etc.  It features a system whereby the lateral walls connecting it to the Music Room and the Picture Gallery could fold away through the use of hydraulic jacks to open the space to accommodate a larger number of guests – the original open concept floor plan!  Each room was more sumptuous than the last – our favorite being the Jardin d’hiver with its two marble spiral staircases.  Photos were not allowed at all, so we bought a book about the house and its collections.  In the study with its red walls, their personal collection included 3 Rembrandts and 3 Van Dycks, as well as other Dutch works.  They were protected by a sophisticated security system that relied on the weight of each painting.  Just below the crown molding, they had installed a 2 by 6 board to hide all the security mechanisms and from which to hang art in the other rooms.  Disappointing, however, were the window treatments, pinch pleated panels with little trim and held back by tie backs.  Of course the renovation of the museum in 1991 had replaced them; but, the sun had really damaged the silk in the 17 years since.  A temporary exhibit of Van Dyck portraits had just opened on 8 October and by the time we got to that part, the museum was packed.  We made our way through the Van Dyck portraits and left the museum about 12:30. There was a long line waiting to get in as we left. We were so taken by the museum that we decided to skip the d’Orsay – at least today.

We went back to the apartment for a roasted chicken lunch from the street market along boulevard Grennelle and then on to Tuilerries to sit in the sun, people watch and talk about the Jaquemart-Andre.  As the sun dropped lower, the temperature did as well; so we left Tuileries, walking past the pond where the children had rented boats to float (moved from the central large pond to the smaller one on the Seine side) and walked over to watch the young people roller-blading in the square by the Louvre-Rivoli metro stop.  Some were quite good!  We ate dinner out at a corner bistro two blocks from the apartment and then settled in to watch American Gangster.

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Paris, Saturday 18 October 2008

Mike decided he wanted to go to the Marche aux Puces today.  So after breakfast, we headed on the metro to Clingancourt.  We roamed the open air stalls, the booths and the higher end shops.  We found a wonderful old ship chandelier, only 9000€! Given the state of our personal economy, we decided to let it stay in France.  We were amazed by the number of products being sold that seemed to be new (repo-depot style but higher quality).  Wonder from where they are coming?  We stopped at a stand for quiche for lunch, bypassed wine for water.  We saw some great things and developed some different ideas.  We saw a high, marble topped French blue/gray chest, narrow, with decorative leg panels in the front and a lot of the sides/front filled with cane.  It reminded Mike of the radiator cover he made for Janet Brown when the symphony decorator showhouse was at Joe’s house and he considered it as a replacement for the bombe chest in the wine room/library.  Naturally we saw some of the most wonderful mirrors!  We looked for a ladle for syrup but they were all to big.  Many of the stalls were filled with art deco, art nouveau, and mid century modern.  So we were amazed by the clocks, the chandeliers, the inlaid desks/chests/commodes, the sets of 10 to 12 chairs, the sconces, even a pool table with a large three pendant chandelier, art (good and bad), a lead topped bar, frames, tapestries, fabrics, window treatments, etc.  Most of the booth/stalls had signs that said no photo so we really don’t have much of a record for today.

We fought the crowds back into the city and headed back to the apartment.  A quick stop at the grocery store for cereal and milk and then settle in at the apartment for the night.

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Paris, Friday 17 October 2008 – Navigo Decouverte

The day was sunny and bright, but a little cool about 50 degrees.  In the sun it was warm, but on the shady side of the street we were glad we had our sweaters.  We completed the walk from our book called Pigalle.  It started at Metro Bonne-Nouvelle, walked down Boulevard Poisonniere (the road on which all the fish was transported to Paris’ market), past notable theaters like the Rex and Max Linder Cinema, through a Jewish area filled with restaurants and delicatessens, a couple of Catholic churches (Notre Dame de Lorette had magnificent ceilings and wall painting decorations), a grocery store with its original 19th century décor called The Housewife-founded in 1761, the French Masonic Great Lodge whose museum was under construction/renovation and closed, an area called Nouvelle Athenes where semi-luxury private houses were built in the 1820’s.  We passed a guitar store called California Bass at the intersection of rue Pigalle and rue de la Rochefoucauld and wished Steve Nuckolls were here.  The walk predicted in one area we would find amusement stalls (shooting, fortune-telling, etc) but they have apparently been replaced by Starbucks, McDonalds, and Pizza Hut.

We stopped for lunch at a bistro in Place Pigalle and then headed to a Metro/RER station to try to buy our Navigo Decouverte card for next week.  Many of the windows had long lines so we kept heading back to the apartment.  Finally, we found a helpful attendant at Etoile who tried to understand my French and let us buy the carte, buy the weekly fare, and explained how to fill the card out and made sure we understood we could not use the card until Monday.  We went back to the apartment, pulled the laundry out of the washer and hung it up to dry.  Headed back out to find a sunny sidewalk bar to enjoy a glass of wine and pick up a baguette for dinner.

Mike made French Onion soup for dinner…

Out with the old Carte Orange and in with the now NaviGo Decouverte

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Paris, Thursday 16 October 2008

We woke to rain, cloudy skies, and cooler temperatures.  Since the apartment was scheduled for cleaning today, we had to vacate.  I showered, put the coffee on and went to the bakery to retrieve croissants.  After breakfast, we hopped the Metro to embark on another walk from our book – even though it was raining.  It started at Assemblee National, the former Palace of the Bourbons, crossed the Seine, through the Place Concorde (where the fountains appear to run at full throttle every ½ hour, visited the Eglise Madeleine, the gourmet food establishments Hediard and Fauchon, strolled through Printemps and Galleries Lafayette on the Boulevard Haussman, around l’Opera, to Place Vendome.  At Galleries Lafayette, we found Lampe Bergers on sale, including a scent labeled anti-mosquito!  The designer scents/perfume were very heavy and they had many lampes not available in US, including a design in crystal by Lalique!  We stopped for lunch at a Chinese restaurant, hoping against hope for a light lunch.  We decided to forgo wine – a good idea since the portions were more than we expected.

We hopped the Metro again (actually the RER) and went to Les Halles.  We cruised the street market and browsed all the kitchen and restaurant supply stores along rue Monmartre.  We have been searching stores for double-action wine openers and at A Simon, we found them.  So we packed in a supply as souvenirs and gifts.  By the time our shopping was over, the skies had brightened, sprinkles stopped, weather had warmed, so we walked from Les Halles, past E Delliheran, down rue de Louvre, to the Seine, along the Seine to the pedestrian bridge (pont des arts) along the Quai to the Musee D’Orsay.  We turned away from the river, walking toward St Germain de Pres.  Along the way, we passed an AGA cooker store with a wide range of offerings, including a gas range top on an AGA oven in a wide range of colors including the very trendy lavender. We continued our walk to Invalides to check out a restaurant at 16 Avenue de Motte Piquet.  We decided to eat at home, hopped the Metro for the short ride home, and arrived to a clean apartment.

We watched the last of the Presidential debates, caught up on the news, and made our plans for tomorrow…..

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Paris, Wednesday 15 October 2008 – Cooking Class

Since Mike has a cooking class today we were up early (before the church bells) to get him to Jules Joffrin Metro stop by 9:30 AM.  I left him with Eric the cooking instructor and took off for the many fabric and trim stores around Sacre Coeur.  I wandered through them for hours and then took the funiculaire up to Sacre Coeur.  Mass was going on so I sat and listened.  There was a choir of nuns singing throughout the service and it was quite lovely.  For the first time, lights were on all over the cathedral dispelling my initial beliefs that the cathedral is dark and unfriendly.  Weather was cool and misty and by the time I left the cathedral it was a full bore rain.  I went back to the cooking school at 21 rue Custine to meet Mike and the other students for lunch.  After a fabulous lunch, we went back to the apartment to rest before his dinner class which began at 6PM.  On the way back to the apartment, we stopped by a ticket office for the Metro and found a ticket agent who spoke English to ask questions about the Navigo Decouverte pass.

During the evening class, I took a book and stayed at the school while Mike cooked so I didn’t have to find the cooking school in Monmartre in the dark.  Dinner was lovely, way too filling, even though we requested small portions after our huge lunch.  After class and dinner, we were so stuffed we walked part of the way home, to the Metro stop CADET.  We arrived back at the apartment around 11PM.

“Today I added another notch to my cooking weapon, studying under Chef Eric Fraudeau and pastry Chef Pino Ficara.  I signed up for the class several months before visiting Paris this year.  The class turned out to be an excellent opportunity to learn about French shopping (markets), cheese choices and wine.  As with any class you always learn something, some time technique, and sometimes just secrets trick of the trade.   Both Eric and Pino had great personalities and were well suited to handle a group of students with various skill levels.  I think that that Pat will benefit mostly from the class with me finally learning how to make the French classic Moelleux au Chocolat, the cake with the molten chocolate center.  Pat also seemed to like the mushroom soufflé.  I think both Eric and Pino will be a good resource for the future, add to that that they both married girls from NY and we are then kindred spirits.” (Mike 2008)

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Paris, Tuesday 14 October 2008

The day started out foggy/overcast and on the cool side.  By the end of the afternoon, the sun was out and the temperature had increased.  We started the day by taking a trial run at an alternative route via Metro and RER to Charles de Gaulle.  We walked down the block to La Motte Piquet (taking the escalator, elevator available) to the second floor track.  We hopped the 6 to Etoile, where we leave the train on the left side and follow the signs to the RER A (either 2 or 4, heading to Boissy St Leger, Mame –La Vallee). Hop the RER and get off at Chatelet and head to the RER B for Charles De Gaulle.  Only a couple of steps (down) and lots of escalators.

We hopped back on the Metro and went to the Arts&Metiers station to begin our walk of Beaubourg and Chatelet.  This walk covers old streets and passages in Paris, Paris’ oldest houses, the Georges Pompidou Museum of Modern Art, the vestiges of  a medieval monastery of St-Martin-des-Champs, several 17th and 18th century homes, the churches of St-Merri and St-Gervais, the Hotel-de-Ville, and a short walk along the quay.  This particular walk was fairly disappointing, except that it did bring us into parts of Paris and down streets we may have never ventured.  Near the St-Paul Metro stop, we diverted from the walk to check out a fractional share ownership apartment Mike had read about – at least from the outside.  The walk ends near one of our favorite department stores BHV, so we stopped in to check out the basement and the plumbing fixtures; we also visited upstairs in the kitchen area to see if we could find a corkscrew for Shoe.  No luck, however.

In the middle of our walk, near the St-Merri Church we stopped for lunch at a Creperie so Mike could try a savory crepe.  I had a salad with grilled turkey, tomatoes, almonds, apple, etc.

Art in the fountain by the Georges Pompidou Museum of Modern Art

 

Back at the apartment we translated a brochure about Navigo and the Navigo Decouverte, a new offering available to non-residents.  A possibility for next time!

 

 

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Paris, Monday 13 October 2008

Getting our orange card weekly subway ticket for the week was a little harder than we expected.  We went to three different stations and ticket booths before we found one open that sells them.  They are trying to push the French to Navigo, so the stations in predominantly residential areas don’t sell the weekly pass.  However, I did find a huge poster on the wall of the metro station at Etoile that says the weekly passes go on sale for the following week on Friday.  And, you can buy a current weekly pass only up to Thursday.Weather is sunny and warm – so warm it was a Capri wearing day.  The capris I hoped to wear on the barge, but they never left the suitcase.We completed the Ternes and Parc Monceau walk in our 30 walks in Paris book.  The area we explored is essentially a 19th century Paris, quaint Art Nouveau buildings like the Ceramic Hotel, several buildings designed by Haussman, even  a Russian Cathedral.  We started out at Etoile, where the arc de Triomphe stands. This part of Paris is inhabited by lots of very chic, well-dressed, stylish people.  And, me in capris!We went into the FNAC, a department store built in 1914 and now an electronic gadget store.  They retained many original architectural elements of the stylish department store – but the interior is very modern. They did keep the stained glass around the skylight – thank goodness.

French metro passes

Carte Orange – soon to be history

In Place des Ternes, we found a flower market – supposedly closed on Mondays, but open today.  Eventually we wandered into Parc Monceau, a beautiful park filled with people on this sunny day.  Many were local office workers, etc enjoying their lunch in the park.  A few even had their computers on, using the park’s Wi-Fi.  Even this late in the fall, the park’s flower beds were filled with color.  Around the lake, with its colonnade of columns, lantana and fuschia were being grown as topiaries.  Since the park was in high use today, park workers were emptying the trash receptacles just past lunch – an extra pick-up to keep the park clean.

We passed a fabulous lighting store at rue Poncelet and avenue de Wagram.  The windows were filled with gorgeous old and new chandeliers and sconces.  We had previously visited Musee Nissim Comondo and since it was closed today we passed it by.  The Musee Jaquemart-Andre at 158 Boulevard Haussman near the Miromesnil metro stop was open – but only until 4 and since it was almost 3 we decided to enjoy it another day.  It is reputed to have a wonderful art collection and fine pieces of furniture, tapestries and objets d’art.  After a glass of wine in the sun, we hopped the metro back to the apartment, picked up our grocery list and went shopping at the ATAK around the corner using our new grocery trolley.

We decided to head to the Latin Quarter for dinner and check out the transfer situation from the RER C to the RER B at St-Michel as a possibility for our trip back to Charles de Gaulle.  Too many steps….have to research another way!  As we were sitting in the restaurant in the Latin Quarter waiting for our wood-fired pizza, we glanced at the menu and saw “penne alla arribiata,” bringing back memories of the e-mail link Paul sent with the Lego Deathstar and Darth Vader and a few chuckles as well.

 

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Paris, Sunday 12 October 2008

Church bells were on delay today and in anticipation we set the alarm.  After showers and a quick breakfast of cereal, we headed over to the Sunday market at Bd Grenelle, under the elevated metro to show Karen all the food and other vendors.  We found silk and pashmini scarves for 5€, a wide array of vegetables, meats, game (some with fur or feathers and most with all parts intact!), fruit, cheeses, olives, spices, household items, clothing, and bakery items. We wandered up and down the aisles until it was time to go back and get Karen to the train station.  Her train was scheduled to leave at 12:13, but delayed until 12:36.  Once she checked in, we weren’t allowed to stay with her in the departure lounge, so we caught the RER to head back to the apartment.

On the way back we cruised through the market again and were amazed to see how many vendors were displaying severely depleted supplies. The Cheval butcher was out of everything!
Book Paris Walks

Mike at Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower viewed from Trocadero

Photo of Invalides

Invalides

We decided to complete one of the walks from our Walks Through Paris book: the Trocadero, Tour Eiffel, and Invalides.  We discovered the best viewpoint for the Eiffel Tower.  From the Trocadero Metrostop, take the Avenue Kleber exit, and once above ground, cross Avenue Kleber and Avenue President-Wilson toward the Palais Chaillot.  Walk into the plaza between the two structures and see the fabulous viewpoint of the Eiffel Tower!  We learned that the Eiffel Tower was despised by many Parisians at first and that it was made up of steel and cast iron, further if it were melted down into a square the size of its base, it would be only 2 1/3 inches thick.  We also discovered that a 20K run was held today and it began on/near Pont Iena, the bridge we crossed over to get to the Eiffel Tower.  After the tower, we continued south on the Champs de Mars toward the Ecole-Militaire, where Napoleon studied as a young officer.  The parks were filled with people on this warm, partly sunny day, playing ball, picnicking, playing boules, just spending family time.  We went around the side of the Ecole toward Invalides.  Invalides was built by Louis XIV for disabled veterans.  It houses two magnificent churches: Eglise du Dome and Eglise St Louis des Invalides.  We discovered that Invalides is still used as a home for disabled veterans as well as a highly visited tourist attraction.  From there the tour crossed into the cour honneur to the front façade facing the Seine. We turned and looked back, seeing a statue of Napoleon over the arch.  There are military museums in Invalides, but we chose to pass them by. The walk includes walking over Pont Alexandre III, the highly ornate art nouveau bridge built in 1898 to check out the Grand Palais and Petit Palais, two exhibition halls built for the 1900 Exposition.  We headed for the Metro, to return to the Apartment.  On the way back we stopped at a corner café for a glass of rose.  Then, home for dinner.

 

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Paris, Saturday, 11 October 2008

We had a late start today, we kept waiting for the church bells but they were delayed on Saturday morning.  Mike slipped out and visited the bakery for croissants. After breakfast, we hopped the Metro for St-Michel to visit Notre Dame.  We walked around Cite, caught Flower Market, Pont Neuf, and then on to Monmartre where Karen and I visited fabric and trim stores around the butte.  We got some fabulous ideas, saw great fabrics and exquisite trims, and, as always, wished I would sew more. Mike was very patient, and ultimately, we headed back to the apartment for snacks and wine to escape the frantic crowds.

Photo Flower Market, Paris, France

Flower Market

Photo tassels

Tassel shop in Monmartre

Photo Notre Dame

Notre Dame

 

Dinner tonight would be a rotisserie chicken and potatoes from the butcher around the corner.  I slipped down after snacks and reserved a chicken with the butcher – in French as he spoke flawless English back to me.  He told me to come back in ten minutes and it would be ready. Just after we reserved our poulet, a man came in and reserved two and there were only three on the spit! Timing is everything.

 

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