Le Weekend 6-6 & 6-7-15

Deb managed to get a little bit of a croup going and was kinda down and out for the weekend, so she stayed in and rested.  This evening she seems to be a little better and we're hoping that tomorrow will have her up and about again.  We're wondering if perhaps the change in temperature from cool to hot may have triggered something.

Anyway, since she was trying to sleep most of the day, I left for the day to visit a couple brocante/vide greniers sales and to purchase our annual pass to the Musee D'Orsay.  It's the museum that displays the large proportion of the mid-19th into the mid 20th century of French artwork, i.e. the impressionist and post-impressionist collection.   We made a visit with our niece, Elizabeth, and realized that we will be going back with other visitors so the annual pass makes sense.   So I got out and haunted the 3 sales in our neighborhood for a couple hours, and made a little purchase which I then took back to the apartment to amuse Deb.   After that I headed down to the museum and got there about 5 minutes too late to be able to buy them as they closed the ticket office.

So I headed up into the 8th arr. to find a store that originally sold the steak knives I bought earlier, but no luck they were no longer in business.  So I headed back to the apartment where in the evening we watched Barcelona, Debs favorite soccer team, beat Juventus in the European Championship match.

Sunday was a sort of a replay of Saturday, except I bought nothing, but I did make it to the Musee D'Orsay to get the annual pass and spent an hour at the museum.  Ironically, it's a free day meaning that my pass is not needed to get in, c'est la vie.  Very busy with lots of people visiting and enjoying the artworks.   After the visit I walked back to the bus stop along the Seine, with the nice weather it is just packed with people out taking advantage of the sun along the river.  Then I headed back to the apartment for a quiet evening.

Hot yesterday but blazing today 6-5-15

Almost since we arrived it has been cool and breezy here with intermittent periods of warm sunny days.   Yesterday it was hot and today it's blazing, around 92 degrees, so we've curtailed our outdoor time to some food shopping around noon and a return to our cheese vendor to pick up our purchases from this morning.  We bought them but couldn't go back to the apartment immediately so they said they would hold our purchases for an hour.   When we went back 45 minutes later they were closed for the afternoon siesta time and not opened again until 4:00.   We must have misunderstood but c'est la vie it's Paris.   So I'm out again in the heat to pick up our cheese, and maybe a cold beer?, then back again to loll in the shady apartment.   We'll fight again another day.


Deb's comments: Whoa - summer arrived with a vengeance today, but will revert to spring-like temperatures tomorrow. Meanwhile, we're keeping a low profile and letting the breezes blow through the apartment. We lowered the volets (roll down screens that allow ventilation but keep out heat and light, and probably 8th floor burglars) on the south side and that kept things markedly cooler. I wish I could get similar volets for security on the Guffey cabin, but they're prohibitively expensive in the US. Of course, maybe they are here, too.
***We needed to shop as the cupboard was nearly bare. We've been trying dedicatedly to do a better job of eating what we've bought and not letting things go bad. But that also means when we're out, we're really out. So today it was fruit, veg, meat, fish, cheese, olives, honey, jam, wine and, as always, bread.  It's apricot, cherry, fig, strawberry season at the moment. The trusty little red shopping caddy was groaning on the way home.
***Our cheese monger had introduced us to a whipped cream-like thing called Fontainebleau. It's not sweet and is a favorite served with smoked salmon or similar savories for a sort of mousse-y presentation. Anyway, we got hooked and asked for some today, having bought the salmon specially. Alas, none to be had, as they hadn't made it yet for the day. But, heavens to Betsy, they leapt into action and mixed up a batch and processed it in a little machine that I dubbed the Cheese Expresso Machine, much to their amusement. However, they then asked if we had further shopping to do, and offered to keep our purchases as the Fountainebleau was "fragile" and didn't like heat. That's where we got messed up on what the time frame was. All worked out well, but poor Warren had to go back out in the heat a second time to retrieve our bag of cheese. We just make ongoing mistakes in understanding what we're told. One word makes such a difference! (Something Lee Patton and Susan Noll have been trying to drum into my hard head for ages on my John Thompson writings...)
***Actually the whole conversation had gotten off with my misunderstanding. I thought they were asking about our recent trips to the chateau of Fontainebleau, and then realized that they were asking how we'd liked the cheese Fontainebleau that they'd recommended. They were also wanting to know if our visitors (Terry and Gina and Scott and Jennifer Jefferson) had like the cheeses that they had recommended. Fortunately, it was easy to give a happy report on the dinner.
***We're still adapting to the long days of sunshine here in the north (Terry tells us that Paris is roughly the same as Vancouver). But it's ~8 PM here now and feels like it should be about 4 PM. The aforementioned volets are a big help in getting our bedroom dark enough to get to sleep at a vaguely reasonable hour. I keep struggling to get dinner done before 9.
***We were happy to see the little "Scourge of the Courtyard" back out again today. He's a Jack Russell terrier we've dubbed "Sparky" who lives in a ground floor apartment and is giving the run of the courtyard (probably illegally.) He's a doughty little soul whose person uses an atl-atl to throw his toy far out into the courtyard. Sparky motors after it like a crazed road-runner cartoon. He also attempts, with frenzied barks, to intimidate several cats who also live on the ground floor and populate the courtyard with an act markedly more graceful than his. They ignore him loftily and one, whom we think lives with Sparky, actually attacks him when he gets too irritating. We, who miss our cat-person dreadfully, enjoy seeing the animal neighbors.
***And lastly, speaking of animal neighbors, the cat-food stealing crow was back this morning. He glides over to a higher neighbor's patio and carefully chooses among the boxes on a storage shelf there. He then throws in down on the terrace floor and dines at leisure on the dry cat food. We've seen crows all over town, ripping open the suspended trash bags that mark most street corners. Crows are not the most popular of birds in Paris, or France. But we love them for their impudence and insouciance, not to mention, wit.

Two new sites 6-4-15

Today we tried two totally new to us sites and visited a third for a picture.   We decided that we would focus on the 6th arr. for a few days and towards that end we decided that we should finally visit the Pantheon.   We've visited Paris quite a number of times in the past and have passed the Pantheon very many times without going in so today we remedied that situation.
We got an 11:00 start and jumped on the bus down to Gare du Nord, where we transferred over to another bus which goes almost exactly where we want to go.   We decided to have lunch at the Italian restaurant we discovered when Elizabeth was visiting because, frankly, it's too good to pass up. We've been reading that Italian food in Paris is by and large bad, so I guess the restaurant must have a teleport to Italy because it is really good.  It's right next to Boulevard St. Michele, and in the heart of tourist central, but it's down a sort of hidden alley so I think only people who know it's there stop for lunch.   I had pasta with artichokes while Deb had raviolis  with 3 types of mushrooms; a little Sicilian wine and we had Lunch! It's called L'Osteria Del Passe Partout if you're in Paris and want Italian, we'll provide directions.
After lunch we walked over to the Pantheon with a brief stop at the Sorbonne to take a quick picture of the chapel there, containing the remains of Cardinal Richelieu who was a major patron and donor. We finagled our way in by going to the gift shop and then wandering a bit, since it's a university they won't let people in unless they are students.  So a quick pic and on our way.  The public is admitted to the chapel several times during the year on specified days, so we'll angle for the next one.
We got to the Pantheon around 3:00 and spent the next 2 and a half hours going through the building. It is a very interesting building having been alternately a church and site of great French citizens off and on for over 200 years before finally settling as the latter in the late 19th century.  There are many tombs of great French thinkers, writers, and scientists.  Notably for me, were Rousseau, Voltaire, and the Curies, Pierre and Marie, but also there were the writers, Zola, Hugo, and Dumas,
We found murals created by artists that were active in the art education of John Edward Thompson about whom Deb is writing.   Also as predictable politicians but we'll leave them.
After our visit there we headed across the street to the Bibliotheque St. Genevieve, one of the first buildings in Europe built with both stone and cast iron.  It is very beautiful and quite fully utilized by students of the surrounding universities.   Reminded me of the libraries in Madrid, where you must get in early and then set up camp for the day.  To get in to the reading room you must have a membership card and flash it at an automated gate because due to it's size the number of people are strictly limited.
After leaving library we walked to Boul St. Mich and caught busses back to the apartment, the finish of a lovely day.

Deb's comments 6-3-15

***This windy Wednesday morning, Terry and Gina packed the last of their bags and grabbed the trusty Blacklane van for the airport. Their email sounded like they had made it through all the challenges of Charles de Gaulle airport unscathed if not untouched, and were getting ready to board. We wish them a good and uneventful ride home. They were lovely, good-sport guests who put up uncomplainingly with all our eccentricities and a markedly cramped guest bedroom. Thanks for coming, dears! Hope all the wine makes it home without turning your clothes maroon.

***Warren had some little housekeeping chores in mind today - he wanted to fix a drop-front desk that is built into our guest bedroom. Apparently, it has been a problem since it was installed since the screws that held up the drop front pulled through the wood. Warren's carpenter-senses were offended and he decided to fix it. It took several trips to Castorama, our neighborhood do-it-yourself Home Depot equivalent, but bedarned if it doesn't look like he succeeded. Kudos to the resident handyman, and to his perseverance, not to mention his determination to ask for weird stuff in French. (cheese is one thing, strange hardware fittings are another...)



***The flowers on our terraces are loving the warmth and the longer days (we're up to about 16 hours of daylight per day.) A pretty pale pink rose bloomed joyously on the pagoda terrace, contrasting nicely with all the red latticework. On the bigger terrace, the hydrangeas knocked themselves out, covering themselves with purple-red blooms. I've never had hydrangeas before, so particularly enjoyed them. Currently, I've got two kinds of blooming lavender and a few pots of petunias, pansies, violas, ivies, balloon flower, little carnation-cousins, and lots of the sturdy geraniums that like the terrace heat. Plants are so inexpensive here that I'm forcing myself to show some restraint, just because of space issues. But I keep losing my resolve when I walk by the charming fleuristes ...

***It's going to be nearly ninety degrees here in the next few days. It'll be a shakedown cruise for us to see how we handle the summer heat. I don't do all that well with heat, so have some trepidation. An encouraging thing is that we can open terrace and bedroom doors to get a crosswind through the apartment. It is truly a blessing and one that many Parisians don't have since many apartments only have windows on one side. Not only does that limit ventilation, but severely limits incoming light, a particular concern in the short, short winter days. We keep counting our blessings to have gotten this well thought-out apartment.

***We were delighted to hear that Elizabeth made it home without any major adventures, despite her complex train to airport itinerary. Well done, lady-person! She emailed that she has a cat glued to her leg, Velcro-style. Mapie really missed her, despite loving and dedicated care from Don and Walt, the expert cat-sitters. Our gratitude to all who care for that priceless, worthless cat of ours.

Seafood and hunting 6-2-15

Today is the last full day for Terry and Gina, Boo hoo as we've loved their company.  However not wanting to waste the day we set out to enjoy a particular Paris day.   We started out with a little shopping for some little souvenirs for them to take back to the U.S,, like wine, mustard, and pates. Then we headed over to La Laumiere, a seafood restaurant that rates as in the top 1000 restaurants in a city with over 26000 restaurants, so it's not a trivial place.  And it did not disappoint today, Deb had soupe de poisson and Pike quennelles, Gina had escargots and lobster,  Terry had white asparagus and Dorade (sea bream) royal, while I had marinated Herrings and Dover sole.   A round of Kirs and a couple bottles of St. Veran and we were on a roll.  Wow what a great meal.

Following lunch we headed up to our bus stop at the Mairie for the 19th and down into town for a visit to the Musee de la Chasse (museum of hunting) where we were knocked out with all the beautiful arms used in the hunt for the last 300 years.  As well we saw hunting trophies, paintings and tapestries all dedicated to hunting, sculptures, and a few modern installations all dedicated to the hunt.  After the museum we headed over to the Pompidou Center to have an afternoon's drink and enjoy the animated fountain just to the south of the building.  It is staying fairly light until almost 23:00 hours as you can see here.

Another chance to see modern architecture 6-1-15

Today we decided to go see the Frank Gehry building in the Bois de Bolougne built for the Louis Vuitton Foundation.  Since it's a Monday most of the museums are closed and it makes this an appealing destination.   We followed the route that takes us west on the tram to Porte de la Chapelle and from there continues on via bus over to the Porte Maillot on the west side of the city and right next to the Bois.  On the walk over we stopped at a little cafe for a cafe prior actually entering the bois; as we've subjected Gina and Terry to our tea in the morning and it doesn't quite hit the right spot for coffee drinkers.

Another 10 minute walk had us over at the building and in line for tickets.  Since the building is for many people as interesting as the art inside, one can't go wrong even if you hate contemporary modern art.   We marveled at the cascade on the east side of the building and drank in the views from the upper terraces of the park and the surrounding buildings.   There are very interesting views of La Defense and the Eiffel Tower to be had as well.   The one fascinating exhibition that we especially wanted to show them, a room of wall sized resin impregnated canvases with intricate small patterns enclosing a several hundred pound meteorite from Russia, had unfortunately been disassembled and moved on to another exhibition.  But we were enchanted by the experience.

Back to the apartment with a quick stop at BHV, Deb's favorite store, for an additional bag for Terry and Gina to cart home swag and a quiet dinner at the apartment.  Tomorrow is the last full day we will have with Terry & Gina so we have more good things planned.

Another Sunday at the Chateau 5-31-15

Today being Sunday we decided to head out to Fontainebleau for a picnic, a carriage ride, and a visit to the chateau.  What we didn't count on was the fact that it's Mother's day in France and that there is a large fair at Fontainebleau therefore entry is free.

We got out by about 10:00 and made our way down to Gare de Lyon but of course due to it being Sunday the ticket office for the train was closed.  So we had to make our way down two levels to a ticket office for the RER which is the regional commuter train network, where we were able to get tickets.   Our train turned out to be a local, very local, train which made stops at practically every available train platform between Paris and Avon.  So the trip took a bit over twice as long as our previous rides, but it did make it.   Once we got there we caught the bus to the chateau, and even it was very different than the previous rides, this is when we found out that there was a large fair going on in Avon, the town just outside the chateau of Fontainebleau.   We ended up taking a route that completely circumnavigated the chateau grounds, an area that we would never have gotten to see had there not been a fair going on.   So once we arrived we headed into the Queens garden and had our bit of picnic lunch.  Chicken sandwiches, olives, tomatoes, rose wine, and little French cookies provided a perfect little lunch.  


After that we headed over to gardens to see if the carriage rides were being conducted, since it was raining slightly.   They were and we were able to join 8 other people in a large covered carriage for a nice trek out into the forest, our driver was the same young woman who had taken us out on the trip we took with our niece Elizabeth last week, and again it was an enjoyable jaunt.  Then we went into the chateau at which point we found out that the chateau was having a free entry day.   It ended up being the busiest day we've had anywhere by a big margin, half of Paris was out seeing the chateau with us.

Still in all it was a great visit and they had an additional painting gallery open this time that has not been previously open so we were able to see a number of beautiful paintings.  We hoped that Terry and Gina were as knocked out with it as we have been.   After the trip we stopped for a little boisson at a brasserie before taking the trip back to Paris.   Deb cooked up some delicious little fillet steaks for dinner which we paired with a nice little Bordeaux as a fitting end to a fun day.