Saturday in the Park

Bonjour,
Well, I finally went for a run today (first time since arriving).  First, I consulted the map to make sure I wouldn't end up somewhere totally different than expected.  It was only about a 5 minute run to get from the apartment to Bois de Boulogne, the big park to the west of Paris.  Once there, I spent most of the time circling around a lake in the park.  It was a nice cool morning, even if a bit humid, and it seemed like I was going downhill most of the time.  Not sure how that works, but I've been looking for that trail since I started running.  There were quite a few runners out.  It is a bit different here - in the US, when you pass people running, frequently you acknowledge each other - especially if you're out in a park or on a trail.  Here, no one makes eye contact.  Maybe it's a French thing, maybe it's a big city thing.  But Debbie met a couple yesterday helping with the meal for the homeless who are French and lived in Washington DC for 25 years.  They say the same thing about the French!  When you have some connection with someone, they are usually very gracious.  But, if you don't have some specific connection, then it's like you aren't there.  Ce' bon - whatever! 

It was such a nice day that Debbie and I both walked the same route after I returned home.  It took us a new direction on Victor Hugo, so we found some interesting new restaurants along the way also!  Before the big park, there are a couple small garden parks - those may be nice for Debbie during the day.  She can walk over and read or knit in the park.  The big park is much larger - we only covered a small part of it.  Roland Garros is at the far south end.  I noticed that Musee Mamottan-Monet is not too far (one of my favorites), so we will have to walk over to it sometime also.  After our walk around the lake, we took a little break in the gardens and then had a good lunch at Le Pain Quotidien.  It's a brunch and lunch place that offers lots of organic stuff.  In spite of that, it was very good (Debbie said it was her best Paris meal so far!).  The organic beer was cold and tasted great also.  Lots of salad choices that we haven't even tried yet!
 

Musee Jacquemart-Andre

Bonjour.  It is a rainy day in Paris.  We went to church this morning - heard an amazing girls choir from Norway.  I was wondering if some of the notes would shatter stained glass!  Afterwards, we walked up Franklin Roosevelt to Bd Hassmann to the museum.  Stopped along the way for a ham and cheese sandwich from a boulangerie (just across the street from a Starbucks).  Musee Jacquemart-Andre is small intimate museum in what was a private residence in early 1900s.  It was owned by a husband-wife artist couple.  Jacquemart was the wife, and Andre the husband.  There are many tapestries and frescoes, as well as some nice paintings.  All in a classic setting, completely furnished with items of the times.  The highlight for me was a Rembrandt - Les Pelerins d'Emmaus.  It's from the story of travellers on their way to Emmaus who meet a stranger.  Later they realize it is Jesus.  The painting is cool because you see mostly only shadows and outlines of the characters.  If you look closely, you see a dark shape of someone bowing before Jesus.  The best part is that you can stand right in front of it for as long as you like because it isn't crowded at all.  I really enjoy these types of museums that take far from the crowds in d'Orsay and the Louvre (but I like them also...).  There is also a very popular cafe in the museum - it is in one wing of the house, complete with fresco ceilings.  Very nice, very crowded.  There was a long line when we arrived, and still a line when we left a couple hours later.  We might try it again sometime when we plan to spend some time there.  Au revior.

Saturday at the markets

Hello, it's been an eventful week, especially for Debbie.  It started Monday when she attended a knitting club at American Church in Paris (ACP for short).  She walks - it's perhaps a mile to the church.  Afterwards, we invited one of my colleagues to our apartment and for dinner at 16e Avenue, a nearby restaurant.  Debbie had a lamb shank that melted in her mouth - tres bien!  Her next adventure was to yoga on the Left Bank.  The location would have been very convenient from our old apartment on rue Chapon.  As it is, she had to take the metro - I suggested changing to take the RER C directly to Saint Michel.  Well, I guess not all trains stop at Saint Michel.  Long story, short, I guess it took directions from 3 different French people to get her there!  She decided to walk home!  And finally, on Friday, she participated at ACP with meal preparation for homeless.  This used to occur at the American Cathedral in Paris (the "high" church on George V).  But they are remodelling, so ACP is doing it.  Debbie said she recognized some of the same people from when she did this in 2009 - some of the same helpers, and some of the same homeless people!

We both went to ACP on Thursday night - they have a weekly dinner/ discussion.  I attended some when I was here before and enjoyed them.  You get to meet people and sometimes hear interesting speakers.  In this case, we met the Pastor Scott, a retired couple from Awatukee (near Phoenix), and heard an artist (from Dallas) speak.  PS - they always have good food (this time roasted chicken with broccoli and gravy... and baguettes of course).  We were going to attend a yoga class at ACP on Friday, but I was a bit worn out, and we didn't go.  Instead, we went to a nearby Italian restaurant Fuxia (recommended by the couple we met Thursday night).  It was fine - afterwards I realized it is a chain, and we had eaten there a few times in our previous visit, but in the 3rd.  We liked it then also!

Today, we decided to go to Bon Marche department store.  Previously we always went by it on Sunday when it was closed.  Lorenzo and Caroline (2 of my co-workers) had been there during the week, and it put me in the mood to go.  On our way, we went through the marche President Wilson - a highly regarded market in our area, maybe a quarter mile away.  It was nice - we arrived late enough that it wasn't too busy.  Lots of fish, fruit, vegetables, butchers and breads.  Some clothes and miscellaneous items.  In the future, we need to plan to go and then return home with our finds - not very good planning!

After checking the market out, we crossed the river, passed the sewer tour ("Paris Sewer Museum" - something we've never done, but probably should), walked over to Place des Invalides.  Saw a Segway tour and Fat Tire Bike tour (a couple) - those seem ok around Invalides, but it would be pretty crowded in many places.  I guess it is a way to see without walking.  We went around behind Invalides and then over to Bon Marche. We spent an hour or two walking through it looking at the people and checking out the prices - believe me, no one I know is going to spend 150€ on a shirt (and 800 on a sport coat - no matter how nice it is).  Debbie saw one dress she liked - over 1000€!  The store has all the big name designers under one roof (it is Paris, isn't it).  And there were lots of people there buying (at least shopping).  We even bought some cloth napkins ourselves (5€ each)!  That was our big purchase.  All the sales people wear black - stylish.  Men's shoes was a bit overwhelming for me.  There is also a large upscale grocery store (also very crowded and expensive).  We managed to escape with no damage beyond our napkins.


There were 2 restaurants we considered trying on our way back.  The first was closed, but the second Le Vauban was open and we were able to get a table outside directly behind Napoleon's Tomb (the dome behind Invalides).  We had salads and a glass of wine.  Two ladies sat next to us - we observed their meals were grilled ribeye steaks.  I think we will be returning after Debbie saw that!  We asked the waiter and he said it was their normal beefsteak with fries - most places don't serve ribeyes for that plate.  Also, it would be nice to return for dinner as they have a 42€ service that includes 3 courses and wine (not to mention the nice setting).  After asking the waiter, the two ladies proceeded to talk to us in English (so we could have just asked them). 

After lunch, as we left Invalides, we passed various groups at play.  Most intersting were games of polo played by teams of 3 guys on bikes.  They had mallets made from what looked like ski poles with platic cylinders stuck on the ends.  They could stop and turn their bikes on a dime, and balance holding still (almost).  It was fun to watch - impressive!  We crossed the Seine to the Grand Palais and cut behind it to take rue Francois 1er back towards our apartment.  It was much nicer than the crowds on Champs Elysees, and also quite a few fancy stores.  To me it would be much nicer shopping on streets like this or Victor Hugo as opposed to at Bon Marche.  I guess Bon Marche is a bit like going to the mall, as opposed to small stores.  We were trying to cut between Trocadero and Champs Elysees - there aren't any streets that go directly, but there are a number of smaller ones you make your way through.  We got home around 4pm - checked my pedometer (22000 steps - that's a long walk).  Took a little break, and then went to the Casino (grocery store) for dinner fixings for the weekend.  Au reviour!

Apartment in the 16th Arrondissement

Hello fellow travellers. After only a week, we are in an apartment in the 16th. It is fairly spacious and quiet, not words I usually associate with Paris apartments! The reason for the quiet is because we are off a courtyard, not one of the streets. We enter off rue Mesnil through a coded gate, and our apartment is on the 2nd floor towards the back of the courtyard. The picture is taken from the apartment entrance towards the street entrance.  Our building is 5 stories, but the one across from us is only 2.  If the sun comes out, we should have good light.  And I think we have a southern exposure, which should be nice when winter comes.

Today, we did a little reconnaissance. We went up and down the spoke-like streets from Place Victor Hugo (one of which is ours).  Many of them are upscale residences - lines of classical buildings.  We stumbled on a fancy private club Saint James Paris near Av Foch, a wide boulevard that leads from Arc de Tromphe to the huge greenspace of Bois de Boulogne.  We passed embassies for Honduras, Ivory Coast, Argentina, the Congo, and Lebanon (spread out throughout the area).  We window-shopped along Av Victor Hugo - lots of expensive clothes stores, jewelry shops, and chocolate (one place had a huge chocolate sculpture).  But our best find was nearby rue des Belles Feuilles with had 2 butcher shops (each with roasted chickens), 2 Chinese take out places (that both looked good), numerous fruit/vegetable shops and some fromageries.  The Chinese and chickens are particularly useful when you need a quick idea for dinner!

There are a number of florists nearby, but expensive!  We did find one place to buy some small geraniums and ivy to put in our window boxes.  Debbie gardened while I returned to get a chicken for dinner!  There are also a variety of lunch places nearby (which I never get to see as they tend not be open on weekends).  Theres are 2 nice grocery stores, Casino and Monoprix, very nearby. 

If you read about the 16th, the guidebooks don't have too much to say about it.  It is one of the larger arrondissements, running along the west edge of Paris.  The east side is bordered by the Seine and Eiffel Tower.  The north side butts up against the Arc de Tromphe, and the west against the big greenspace Bois de Boulogne.  At the south end you find Roland Garros, site of the French Open.  We didn't spend much time in this area before.  I was told that it is very chic.  We'll let you know...  Over the course of our walk, we saw the Arc de Tromphe at one end, and Eiffel Tower at the other.

American Returns to Paris

Bonjour! I have returned. Debbie and I have been back in Courbevoie for almost a week now. We left Tucson last Saturday morning, arrived in Paris Charles De Gaulle airport Sunday morning. By noon we had checked into the Adagio next to Parc du Millionaire. That first Sunday, we rushed over to the Monoprix to buy some groceries before it closed (we remembered that there would be no place to eat on Sunday evening). Then we took a "brief" 2 hour nap (could have continued sleeping). Followed this with a walk around la Defense to show Debbie where to get the metro and pick up some tickets. After a long walk, returned to Adagio and ate some of our groceries, unpacked, ironed shirts, watched the French Open, and went to bed. Right now, it gets dark here at about 10 pm, so you don't feel you need to sleep until late.

The week was... interesting. I worked each day, so that was normal. But our first order of business was to find an apartment. Pickings were slim - Debbie had e-mailed agencies to arrange visits, but some locations were rented before we even arrived. We did manage to visit one on Tuesday in the 16th arrondissement near Place Victor Hugo. Long story, short - we took it.  Rather amazing to find a place on the first visit and get it. The area seems good (at first glance - we'll let you know). It is near interesting areas, but off a courtyard away from the street so it should be quiet. There is a nice marche' nearby, and various shops and restaurants. It is on Rue Mesnil, not far from the Victor Hugo metro stop. It is closer to my work, but I'll have to change lines at Charles De Gaulle Etiole.  I timed it today, and it only took about 10 - 15 minutes.  We also went to look at another place in Pont de Neuilly on Wednesday evening, but decided it was not really our style.  It was on a broad, leafy boulevard, set well back from the street - we imagine it is like Park Avenue in NYC.  We are more of a Brooklyn type.  Besides, it was a long walk to the metro...

We visited l'Olivio, my friend Marwaun's restaurant in Courbevoie.  He and Catherine were quite surprised to see us.  Their daughter Lucy is now in her last year of high school - all grown.  We had dinner and talked.  Quite nice to be able to return somewhere and be greeted as an old friend!  Speaking of which, it was nice to return to work and see many of my former colleagues.  Most remembered me very well (maybe good, maybe not so good...).  Mid-week I got to meet my co-workers from the UK.  Of the team, only Hamish is a hold over from 2009.  They were all off earlier in the week for the Queen's diamond jubilee.  Seems like a good group.  Lorenzo, one of the team, made reservations for us all to go out for dinner on Thursday night.  We went to le Coupe Chou near the Sorbonne.  When we arrived, Debbie and I realized we had been there before.  I even have it on my spreadsheet of restaurants (3 1/2 stars of 4 possible - my rating).  Small world.  This was our fanciest meal of the week - others have been pretty simple (pizza, steak & fries, salads, etc.).  Today, we visited our future apartment and had an early dinner / late lunch at Cafe Victor Hugo (croque-madame), which I can see returning to (our waiter spoke quite good English).  Took a little walk to the Trocadero across from the Eiffel Tower, then back to la Defense.  Yep - I'm back.  Au reviour.