Friday flânerie

Last Friday, Marc was sick, so I took Eva and Lucas out to the park. On Saturday, he was feeling a little better, so I got to have my Friday flânerie a day late!

I went to the Marais yet again, as I wanted to revisit a silver shop I saw on my first Friday outing. They have used silver cutlery, trays, pitchers, and anything else you can imagine, provided that money is no object. But they also have bracelets in the window made from flattened silver forks and spoons, and these are surprisingly inexpensive.

I was all set to buy one when I first saw them, but the woman working there persuaded me to come back again sometime, as she was expecting a delivery of better ones. I can't say as I could tell much of a difference, so I just went ahead and purchased one! I'm thinking of getting it engraved with my initials sometime.

I saw this display in a window. It didn't seem to be a store, I have no idea what it was. I didn't even notice that the word was in English until I got home and looked at my photos!

I walked by this florist shop again. I think they scatter rose petals on the ground on purpose, for effect. It works, I think it's charming.

And I found this colorful set so pleasing, particularly on a fairly grey day.

I happened to walk by a chocolate shop (Cacao et Chocolat) that had several different varieties of chocolate eclairs in their window. I had never heard of any of them, and I was hungry, so I had to stop. This is the chocolate/coconut, and it was superb. In addition to the coconut on top, the chocolate custard had bits of coconut throughout, and it was served perfectly chilled. (I can't get enough of French coconut, it has much smaller flakes that are crunchy and it is less sweet.)

I searched out a tea shop that I had heard about. They had a great selection of amazing-smelling teas, but I was told that they don't do herbal teas at all, so I had to leave empty-handed. One of the employees gave me a tip on a store that does only herbal teas at Palais Royal, so I went to check it out.

Unfortunately, the cool courtyard at Palais Royal is currently under construction and is all walled off. (The walls have tinted windows you can look through.)

Fortunately, there is still a lot of interest at Palais Royal, even without its signature black and white striped columns.

Palais Royal self-portrait

view from within one of the arcades

Sadly, I couldn't find the herbal tea shop anywhere in the arcades.

Happily, the rain stopped after I got to P.R., so I sat on one of the benches to read for awhile.

Yes! I'm doing it! I'm finally reading A Tale of Two Cities! I tried reading it during another of our Paris stays and I just couldn't get into it. All this time, I've felt like some kind of reading fraud since I didn't like Dickens. Well, that is all changing now.

An upscale vintage clothing shop in the arcades. As in, vintage haute couture. Always some pleasing window-shopping to do here!

As I left Palais Royal, I saw this small orchestra playing. They were really good, and they were drawing quite a crowd. (3 cellists. I find I'm always making a mental tally of cellists to tell Max.)

I can no longer remember what the S.R. stands for on this church, but I was intrigued by the big shell in the architecture.

I knew Eva would get a kick out of this window display. She loves dogs almost as much as she loves dinosaurs. I was kicking myself, because I saw a dog staring in at the toy dogs, but then it moved away and I missed the shot.

I was near the Colette store, so I decided to stop in for a quick look at the trends. (For the uninitiated, it's a multi-floor store that purports to have everything that is cool -- books, jewelry, clothing, music, makeup, you name it.) It was so crowded, you had to push your way through to see anything at all. I did a quick drive-by on all the floors, and then I couldn't get out quickly enough. I think it's safe to say that I'm not cool, young, or hip enough for Colette!

So I did what any self-respecting person in that situation would do. I went to the Michel Cluizel boutique and bought some truffles (which I later shared with Max and Marc).

These drums of roasting chestnuts spring up all around the city during the Fall and Winter. I find them charming and I want to like them, but I just can't stand the smell. (And chestnuts are kind of mealy, you know?)

The sun going down on the Louvre and neighborhood.

The end.

Well, not quite the end. I went home and bought Grecs and fries for dinner.