Before I go any further, I need to back up a day. On our first full day in Paris I checked in with TripAdvisor (again, thinking I was going to do a trip report while there, funny guy) and I had a private message from an expat living in Paris. He offered advice and extended a friendly welcome. I mention him now because we met him and his wife for café creme later in the week. More about that in a few days.
Thirty years ago on July 2nd I married a beautiful country woman living in East Texas. She has given me the privilege of fathering two sons with her and sharing her life for the last 30 years. During this time she discovered I'm not much of a romantic, I don't say "I love you" often enough and I don't open up emotionally very easily. But, I have my moments.
July 2nd 2013 was all about my wife.
We began the day by picking up croissants at our neighbor bakery, then headed out to Salon David Mallet. If you have never had your hair cut and styled in Paris, you should. The experience alone is worth the cost of session.
If you have not heard of David Mallet, he is a well known stylist who quietly works his trade cutting and styling the hair of such well knowns as Natalie Portman, Sharon Stone, Diane Kruger, Kate Winslet and many, many more. Check out his website here.
Arriving at the salon we were greeted and offered something to drink, water, wine or soda. We both opted for water since it was 10:00am and neither of us were in the mood for sodas. We were invited to sit in the reception area until the time for Betty's appointment. Within a few minutes Barbara, one of David's senior stylists and Betty's stylist for today, appeared and escorted Betty to the shampoo room while I was left alone in the reception area.
I was not left long, Barbara appeared again and invited me to sit next to Betty in an empty station next to her. Of course, I accepted. Barbara then spoke with me about what she thought would work for Betty's hairstyle. My wife had long hair, maybe to the middle of her back and Barbara and I both agreed that while it would look better shorter, it wasn't going to be short. Barbara stated she didn't think a real short style would flatter my wife, we both agreed shoulder length was where it should be. Once Betty returned from the shampoo room (which I'm told is more like a massage room for your head and shoulders) Barbara consulted with Betty and again, it was agreed to go shoulder length. Trusting her expertise, Betty left the actual style up to Barbara.
Once she began cutting, it was actually a pleasure to watch. Barbara's approach was not as any stylist I have ever watched or personally experienced. Her approach was more akin to an artist creating a flowing sculpture meant to capture the breeze, channel it through the strands to make the hair flow fluidly with just a touch of bounce as you walked. Barbara would finish one section, move on to the next, decide she could improve the previous and come back to work it further.
During the course of Betty's pampering, a young lady came around offering to freshen up our drinks and later, she came around with assorted chocolates. I don't know where the chocolates were from but, the one I chose was heavenly.
Once Barbara was satisfied she asked us what we thought, truthfully, we were almost giddy. The style was perfect for her, it actually took years off her appearance. I later joked that people would look at us and wonder how the old dude was able to score such a hot looking young chick. I do believe my wife is beautiful but what Barbara did brought out that beauty for all to see.
Next, we headed back to the studio to start getting ready for our anniversary dinner. We were able to get an early reservation at le Café Marly. We had our dinner on the terrace overlooking the courtyard of the Louvre.
The meal was delicious, Betty started with a lobster salad while I had an avocado and crab salad. We both opted for sea bass as our main course and we shared a lemon raspberry tart for dessert. Everything was perfect. Although, at one point we did have to convince a pigeon he was getting too close to our bread. A glass of wine, a wonderful dinner, great ambiance and a cup of coffee afterward. I now understand the French custom of a relaxing meal.
Walking back to the studio the sun had began its downward path and bathed the city in golden evening sunlight. It was the perfect end to the day.
This was my romantic moment and gift to my wife who seriously, puts up with more from me than I ever would.
As it turned out, the next day was raining, the only day it rained the entire time we were there. So we decided to just stay in the studio and be domestic. You know, do the dishes, laundry, ironing and just chill out.
The dishes were easy to do, a quick sweep of the floor and gathering clothes to wash and the studio was done. Laundry was all that was left. A selling point for me when I rented the studio was the fact it came with a washer and dryer, I didn't know at that time that in Europe most washers and dryers were combination units. Meaning the machine you put your clothes in to wash is also the dryer. It is small, it would only handle about 4 kilos of clothes at a time and it is slow. We only had three small loads and it took 8 hours to wash and dry them. We learned, start a load when we leave in the morning or when we go to bed at night, there would not be another "domestic day", it just eats up way too much sightseeing/shopping/museum/people watching time.
Sorry there are now pictures this time but, this was our anniversary and I didn't want to spend it looking through a camera lens.
Until next time, take care everyone.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Back Home
We have officially ended our Paris trip and our 30 year anniversary celebration; we have been home now for one week. So, why have I been so quiet? Recuperation time and getting familiar with the things we left behind a month ago. But, now is the time for posting our adventures.
The first half a day:
We arrived at the studio apartment we would call home around noon. After keying in the entry access code we were greeted by the owner, Christophe who made us feel welcome. After some time spent showing us where everything was and how it all works, Christophe left us with detailed instructions on using the television, computer, stereo and washer/dryer combination unit (more on this thing later). He then bid us a good day left us to explore the studio and actually realize we had made it. We were in Paris!
Of course, after the long flight and empty studio the first thing we wanted was food. Being Sunday though, not everything is Paris is open. After a quick exploration though we found this place open,
After a glance on their posted menu we decided to order the Plat du Jour which was a simple cheeseburger and fries. Venturing inside we greeted the one person we saw on staff and I somewhat confidently asked for, "deux plat du jour s'il vous plait" to which she stated there was no plat du jour on Sunday. Immediately after this we realized our true limitation in speaking French as we could not get an order placed. We asked the lady on duty if she spoke English and she stated she did not. After a couple of frustrating minutes for all of us, the lady stepped outside to the only other customers and found one that spoke English. Yay! We ended up being able to order the cheeseburger and fries, which was fine with us. The food arrived and we enjoyed a full meal that made our stomachs happy. I credit the lady on duty that day for taking the time to find someone that spoke English and she did make us feel welcome as we had our meal and a little coffee afterward.
Fortunately, right behind this cafe was a little market that was open. Fresh produce, coffee, sodas, the essentials we needed to make it through until we could find a proper grocery store.
It was here, in this little market we were introduced to sterile milk. Amazing, milk that does not need refrigeration until you open it and has a shelf life for months, not just a couple of weeks. We ended up coming back to this little market several times as he was always open and his prices were fairly reasonable.
The first Full Day in Paris:
The next morning we discovered directly behind us was Bon 'heur de pains. While it may not be the quaint little bakery most people think of when heading to Paris, the did have very good croissants and bread. We picked up a couple of sandwiches from them for lunches which were also very good. And cheap! Cheap is always good. We quickly became addicted to stopping here each morning and grabbing croissants as we headed out for our daily adventures.
One of the first things we had to do was grab some Euros from the ATM which we discovered about two blocks away. The first time we used it we were a little apprehensive as it was on the street but, with a little common sense and each of us taking turns standing lookout we managed it just fine. We each pulled a little cash to make sure both are cards worked, they did, and we were off and running.
We wandered down Rue Beauborg which turns into Rue du Renard and ends at the Hôtel de Ville.
I love the architecture of this building, plus, it has statues of prominent French leaders throughout history. One in particular I saw that I found fascinating is on the top floor the left of the window, Cardinal Richelieu. Yes, that would be the same Cardinal Richelieu Alexander Dumas would later write about in The Three Musketeers. Sadly, I did not get a photo of it.
Continuing across the open yard of Hôtel de Ville and across the bridge we found probably the most famous church in the world, Notre Dame de Paris. As you can tell by the picture it was early evening and the tours and access had ended for the day but, we did manage quite a few shots of this iconic church.
As the sun continued to fall, we continued to wander and as dusk fell we happened across these little alleyways (they do have street names but they are so narrow they are more alleys than streets) teaming with nightlife.
As we passed a few restaurants we realized we hadn't eaten for hours so, we decided to find a place for dinner. As it happened, we ended up in a Mexican restaurant ... Mexican food ... in Paris! I don't remember the name of the resto but I do remember the food wasn't all that bad. It definitely is Paris' take on Mexican food. While the food was tasty, I wouldn't recommend eating there if you are looking for authentic Mexican food.
After we ate we headed back to our studio, stopping along the way to grab a few night photos of Notre Dame, bridges across the Seine and Hôtel de Ville.
And that pretty much sums up our first day and a half in Paris. Stay tuned as I put together the rest of our trip.
The first half a day:
We arrived at the studio apartment we would call home around noon. After keying in the entry access code we were greeted by the owner, Christophe who made us feel welcome. After some time spent showing us where everything was and how it all works, Christophe left us with detailed instructions on using the television, computer, stereo and washer/dryer combination unit (more on this thing later). He then bid us a good day left us to explore the studio and actually realize we had made it. We were in Paris!
Of course, after the long flight and empty studio the first thing we wanted was food. Being Sunday though, not everything is Paris is open. After a quick exploration though we found this place open,
After a glance on their posted menu we decided to order the Plat du Jour which was a simple cheeseburger and fries. Venturing inside we greeted the one person we saw on staff and I somewhat confidently asked for, "deux plat du jour s'il vous plait" to which she stated there was no plat du jour on Sunday. Immediately after this we realized our true limitation in speaking French as we could not get an order placed. We asked the lady on duty if she spoke English and she stated she did not. After a couple of frustrating minutes for all of us, the lady stepped outside to the only other customers and found one that spoke English. Yay! We ended up being able to order the cheeseburger and fries, which was fine with us. The food arrived and we enjoyed a full meal that made our stomachs happy. I credit the lady on duty that day for taking the time to find someone that spoke English and she did make us feel welcome as we had our meal and a little coffee afterward.
Fortunately, right behind this cafe was a little market that was open. Fresh produce, coffee, sodas, the essentials we needed to make it through until we could find a proper grocery store.
The first Full Day in Paris:
The next morning we discovered directly behind us was Bon 'heur de pains. While it may not be the quaint little bakery most people think of when heading to Paris, the did have very good croissants and bread. We picked up a couple of sandwiches from them for lunches which were also very good. And cheap! Cheap is always good. We quickly became addicted to stopping here each morning and grabbing croissants as we headed out for our daily adventures.
One of the first things we had to do was grab some Euros from the ATM which we discovered about two blocks away. The first time we used it we were a little apprehensive as it was on the street but, with a little common sense and each of us taking turns standing lookout we managed it just fine. We each pulled a little cash to make sure both are cards worked, they did, and we were off and running.
We wandered down Rue Beauborg which turns into Rue du Renard and ends at the Hôtel de Ville.
I love the architecture of this building, plus, it has statues of prominent French leaders throughout history. One in particular I saw that I found fascinating is on the top floor the left of the window, Cardinal Richelieu. Yes, that would be the same Cardinal Richelieu Alexander Dumas would later write about in The Three Musketeers. Sadly, I did not get a photo of it.
Continuing across the open yard of Hôtel de Ville and across the bridge we found probably the most famous church in the world, Notre Dame de Paris. As you can tell by the picture it was early evening and the tours and access had ended for the day but, we did manage quite a few shots of this iconic church.
As the sun continued to fall, we continued to wander and as dusk fell we happened across these little alleyways (they do have street names but they are so narrow they are more alleys than streets) teaming with nightlife.
As we passed a few restaurants we realized we hadn't eaten for hours so, we decided to find a place for dinner. As it happened, we ended up in a Mexican restaurant ... Mexican food ... in Paris! I don't remember the name of the resto but I do remember the food wasn't all that bad. It definitely is Paris' take on Mexican food. While the food was tasty, I wouldn't recommend eating there if you are looking for authentic Mexican food.
After we ate we headed back to our studio, stopping along the way to grab a few night photos of Notre Dame, bridges across the Seine and Hôtel de Ville.
And that pretty much sums up our first day and a half in Paris. Stay tuned as I put together the rest of our trip.
Monday, July 8, 2013
Time for a quick post
We're still in Paris and we're still having a blast discovering all this city exposes to you.
I really thought I would have time to post a few pictures and make a few comments on our daily adventures. Silly me.
Here is a quick rundown on what we have seen/done so far.
I really thought I would have time to post a few pictures and make a few comments on our daily adventures. Silly me.
Here is a quick rundown on what we have seen/done so far.
Discovered Hotel de Ville
Had our 30th Anniversary Dinner at le Café Marly on the terrace overlooking the courtyard at the Louvre.
Had to visit Paris Harley-Davidson to pick up some shirts.
Paid my respects to Oscar Wilde at Pere Lachaise cemetery. Absolutely beautiful.
Attended mass at Notre Dame. We went on Sunday at 10:00am for the Gregorian Chant Mass, very beautiful and moving.
Found our way to the flea market at Saint Ouen. Definitely get off the main alleys and go deep inside this market for the best selection of stuff you didn't know you needed.
And of course, le Louvre. How can you visit Paris without visiting here. We went on the first Sunday of the month which is free. Yes, it was crowded but manageable. We may go back as there is no way to see this museum in one day.
I may not get too many posts up while I'm here but I am gathering large quantities of good blog stuff for when we get back to the States.
Until next time Bon journée!
Monday, July 1, 2013
Bonjour Paris!
We made it!
My last post was simple, we are outta here, well, not so fast.
It all began when we arrived at the airport, checked in, checked the one bag we planned to check then found out our departing flight was running late. How late? About 20 minutes late.
Not to fear, we originally had an hour layover in Chicago O'Hare to change planes, now we would have about 40 minutes. But wait, it isn't over yet.
As we waited in the lounge area beyond the security checkpoint (which we surprisingly breezed through) an announcement was made that our flight was further delayed. Looking out the window, we saw no plane at our gate. Somewhat concerned, my wife asked an attendant how late the flight would be as we had a connection in Chicago we really didn't want to miss. She was told not to worry, we should make Chicago in time for our change over. Naturally, this made her feel better, me, not so much. I figure the attendant is going to say whatever she feels will put you most at ease and hope you move on.
Finally, our flight arrived. I do credit the flight staff for unloading, then loading, passengers rather quickly. We were finally in the air although, at this point we were 50 minutes late, our one hour layover was now reduced to 10 minutes. But, we were on our way. Smooth flying from here, right?
No. We arrived in Chicago at 5:20pm, 5 minutes after our Paris flight began boarding! We made a mad dash through Chicago's airport, had to stop for a restroom call (there was no way to avoid that) found our flight, boarded, and off we went ... we were now, officially, on our way to Paris.
Once we arrived in Paris (40 minutes early) we had to navigate the RER to Gare du Nord, then change to metro line 4, go four stops, get off and walk a couple of blocks to our studio apartment. While that is easy for those familiar with subway and/or metro systems, it took my wife and I few minutes to figure it out but, I can say we survived the system without getting lost.
So, here we are in Paris, in a cute little studio apartment in le Marais and so far we couldn't be happier.
I will attempt to post updates while we are here but, the computer in the studio (yes, the studio came with a computer for our use) is a mac. I have never used a mac, and couple this with what I can only guess is a European keyboard layout, I am struggling to get this typed. But, never fear, I will persevere and do the best I can.
Now, we are off to discover our neighborhood so, until next time, au revoir mes amis.
My last post was simple, we are outta here, well, not so fast.
It all began when we arrived at the airport, checked in, checked the one bag we planned to check then found out our departing flight was running late. How late? About 20 minutes late.
Not to fear, we originally had an hour layover in Chicago O'Hare to change planes, now we would have about 40 minutes. But wait, it isn't over yet.
As we waited in the lounge area beyond the security checkpoint (which we surprisingly breezed through) an announcement was made that our flight was further delayed. Looking out the window, we saw no plane at our gate. Somewhat concerned, my wife asked an attendant how late the flight would be as we had a connection in Chicago we really didn't want to miss. She was told not to worry, we should make Chicago in time for our change over. Naturally, this made her feel better, me, not so much. I figure the attendant is going to say whatever she feels will put you most at ease and hope you move on.
Finally, our flight arrived. I do credit the flight staff for unloading, then loading, passengers rather quickly. We were finally in the air although, at this point we were 50 minutes late, our one hour layover was now reduced to 10 minutes. But, we were on our way. Smooth flying from here, right?
No. We arrived in Chicago at 5:20pm, 5 minutes after our Paris flight began boarding! We made a mad dash through Chicago's airport, had to stop for a restroom call (there was no way to avoid that) found our flight, boarded, and off we went ... we were now, officially, on our way to Paris.
Once we arrived in Paris (40 minutes early) we had to navigate the RER to Gare du Nord, then change to metro line 4, go four stops, get off and walk a couple of blocks to our studio apartment. While that is easy for those familiar with subway and/or metro systems, it took my wife and I few minutes to figure it out but, I can say we survived the system without getting lost.
So, here we are in Paris, in a cute little studio apartment in le Marais and so far we couldn't be happier.
I will attempt to post updates while we are here but, the computer in the studio (yes, the studio came with a computer for our use) is a mac. I have never used a mac, and couple this with what I can only guess is a European keyboard layout, I am struggling to get this typed. But, never fear, I will persevere and do the best I can.
Now, we are off to discover our neighborhood so, until next time, au revoir mes amis.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)