Monday flânerie

At one point, I had had all I could take of smotherhood, and I went out alone. I had no plans, and no one to negotiate with, and it was delightful.

I walked past the Eiffel Tower over to Trocadéro, hoping for some good photo ops. Nada.

I decided to go to the Champs Elysées. Of course I saw a group of kids on a field trip, as seems to happen everywhere I go.

I went to Publicis, the awesome, upscale drugstore. No photos.

And then to Ladurée.

I was tempted by the pastries. Marc had bought some for his students the day before, and he ended up with the one that looks like a strawberry (he proclaimed it amazing).

But in the end I couldn't resist the macarons.

Of course I had to go to Sephora. This one is the biggest and the best.

cool display of my cute grandma's perfume

How pleasing is this?? I had to buy a few body wash scents to try. Among the options: vanilla, chocolate, caramel, mango, peony, verbena, lagoon, strawberry.

I also ate my favorite sesame camembert sandwich at Paul and watched some very mediocre street dancers, at which point I decided I was satisfied with my flânerie and returned home.

 

metro vending machine for your viewing pleasure

fancy metro station!

the last Friday Flânerie

My last Friday in Paris was a shopping day.

First, I went to check out this store that Amy Hanks emailed me about:

It is a fun store jam-packed with a huge variety of stuff: buttons, tea towels, signs, old notebooks, sacks, labels, bowls, thread, maps... just a big hodge-podge.

When I was there, there was a group of 4 American women who were in Paris on a buying trip. They were obviously buying things to resell at home. There was also a French woman in the very tiny shop. It was hard to move, let alone look into all of the drawers of goodness. Also, the owner was trying to close for her lunch hour, and the Americans kept asking her how much things were and how much she would sell them for if they bought 10? How about 15? For all of these reasons, I didn't stay as long as I otherwise would have.

I am a sucker for these vintage off-white/red tea towels. I bought a few while in Paris this time, thinking I could start a collection.

I only saw a couple of things that I hadn't already seen at the flea market for a lower price, but I did end up buying some cool old graph paper cards, monogrammed ribbon, and some labels. Fun store!

I passed by a bakery with these super-sized marshmallows in the window. I'm not a huge marshmallow fan, but I enjoyed the display.

And what would Friday Flânerie be without admiring some flowers? I especially love the pale green ones!

I debated between getting a sesame/camembert sandwich from Paul or trying out a promising-looking bakery for lunch. I went with the bakery and it was disappointing. This pistachio "escargot" was pretty good, however.

Just had to document this all-too familiar sight. Public bathrooms are rare enough in Paris, and then they are so often barricaded and/or out of order. I'm just glad that I don't have a puppy bladder, so it's not usually a problem for me. What does everyone else do?

It tickled my fancy to see this old man and the pigeons hanging out by these outdoor Christmas trees. When my parents were here, we were thinking that Paris didn't have a whole lot of Christmas stuff around. But on December 1st, suddenly it was everywhere.

I went to the rue de Rivoli to do some shopping. This McDonald's cracks me up -- it has to be the most sophisticated McDonald's ever. Well, maybe a tie with the one on the Champs-Elysées.

I decided to stop at Angelina, which is a tea room famous for its hot chocolate. I had been there once before -- my parents took us there the last time they visited, and we were disappointed, but it wasn't very hot -- and I wanted to give it another shot. Plus, it was cold outside.

It was piping hot and delicious. Very rich and very thick, plenty of whipped cream. Yum. The perfect shopping break.

It's not cheap, however!

I love the awnings and the shadows of the great lanterns on the rue de Rivoli.

I walked by this motorcycle and was struck by the reflection in its mirror.

A temporary ferris wheel is installed for the holidays at Place de la Concorde. It's one of those huge kinds like the London Eye. I find it picturesque, but I had no desire to ride on it. (Marc took all of his students for a ride.)

I walked through the Tuileries, just because it's such a beautiful place.

Paris has a way with street lights.

I'm not sure what this is supposed to mean, but of course I like it. I just love words, I guess.

I found this statue I'd never seen before. I think it is joyous.

Dried autumn leaves pounded into the sandy ground.

So this is what it's like staying in a 5-star hotel...

Apparently moss stops me in my tracks.

If I were rich and thin, I would buy this outfit!

I saw one of these funny space invader guys that are hidden all around the city.

I then went to Montparnasse and finished up my shopping, then returned home, exhausted, for dinner. That night, we had a family outing (post to come).

Au revoir, Friday Flâneries!

Friday flânerie

Somehow, I never got around to posting about the Friday flânerie I had the day before my parents arrived. It was a bit of a bust. The least great of all my Fridays in Paris. But, now that I have some distance from it, it wasn't so bad. Which only serves to show you how great all of my other Fridays were.

This time, Marc came with me for the first part of the day. We left the kids at home and went to try a new couscous place he had found. The kind of small, local place that serves delicious couscous at modest prices (because we don't think you should pay 30-40 euros for a dish that is mainly stewed vegetables).

Incidentally, Marc had eaten at this same place a day or two earlier. He had come for the couscous, only to find that they only serve it on the weekends. He ate lunch anyway, and ended up meeting a woman whom the restaurant staff and locals call "The Countess." She kept moving closer and closer until she was sitting by him and she even got him to buy her lunch! (I think she's a grifter.) She was there again on the day I was there, so I got to meet her. Marc's description of her as the French version of Michael's mother on Burn Notice was spot on. But I digress...

Success! The couscous grain was lighter than air, the vegetables delicious.

We had a hard time deciding which kind of meat to have, so we ordered the Couscous Royal, which comes with a little bit of everything. Chicken, grilled merguez sausages, lamb kebabs, meatballs. All really delicious. Chickpeas, golden raisins, and harissa hot sauce on the side. Possibly the best couscous I've ever had, and so much of it we could never finish it all, and for 14 euros, to boot.

After lunch, we parted ways. Marc went home, and I wandered through the marché right there on the Boulevard Raspail.

Dozens and dozens of fresh eggs. (Did you know the French don't usually refrigerate their eggs? They also buy them by the half-dozen.)

A little boy fascinated by the fishmonger's wares. I admit I had to stare a bit as well.

Can you believe these mushrooms? They don't look real to me -- more like drawings, or those little meringue mushrooms that are used as decorations on Bûches de Noël.

I found some of the Moroccan spice mix I have been looking for (ras el hanout). I'm hoping it will make my own couscous more authentic.

Here's where my day took a turn for the worse. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I kind of wanted to go to the Musée Cluny or Musée Carnavalet, but since my parents were arriving the next day, I didn't want to do anything that they might possibly want to do. And I was just feeling low, despite the success of our couscous lunch.

I hopped on a bus and ended up deciding to visit the Paris mosque, which I have never seen. It was closed, for unknown reasons. I walked and walked and walked. Then, I just gave myself over to the flânerie... no shopping, no purpose, just wandering.

I walked by the Poilâne bakery. I know I am probably alone in my indifference to their famous bread (Robert de Niro has it flown in regularly, and all of Paris seems to be enamored with it), but I just don't care about it. I do appreciate a beautiful window, however.

And look at this little beauty!

I couldn't help but snap a photo of this quintessentially Parisian woman walking her dog. This is the kind of thing I see all the time. This is how I wouldn't mind looking someday -- you know, if I was thin, had straight hair and some sweet boots, and wanted to own a Dachshund...

Lovely antique books are everywhere in Paris, and I am not immune to their wiles.

I didn't buy anything at Ladurée (still too full for another bite), but I sure do love their window.

I strolled over to the Pont des Arts to write some postcards, but there were no benches and I didn't want to sit on the ground.

I always enjoy walking past the bouquinistes.

Even when some of them are locked up.

I sat on the Pont Neuf instead and wrote some correspondence.

Then I was cold, and it was getting dark, and as my mood was still swinging low, I decided to head for home. But not before going to check out a bakery I had heard about:

Honestly, I was disappointed. It was beautiful, it looked rather like a jewelry shop, but the madeleines and baguettes I brought to take home did not meet my expectations. Maybe it was because it was the end of the day, who knows?

One thing I did know -- I was glad that this was not my last Friday in Paris!