Thursday 24 November - Souffles and more

We went over to the Jardins de Luxembourg via the metro and RER line B.  Getting off the metro at Pigalles was a middle aged lady well dressed in black with a wide brimmed straw hat and carrying a a six foot aluminum extending ladder.  

The flower beds added a nice touch of color

There were many joggers at lunchtime  and there was a pick up basketball game in progress

The gardens were busy and we spent some time people watching.  There were several little kids who had to be closely watched to avoid them climbing on the concrete and falling into the pond.

St. Sulpice looks good from the outside but is seriously in need of restoration inside where it was dark and dingy with much peeling paint.

When he was being harrassed by my old Mum, my old Dad used to say "Stick a broom up my arse and I will sweep the floor as well"

There was a demonstration by medical people most of whom were sitting in the street but many were enjoying a glass of beer in the mild weather.

We had lunch at Le Recamier which has a reputation for souffles.  It was pleasant and friendly and we had an interesting conversation with two retired men on one side, one lived in the 16th and the other was visiting from Nice.  The lady on the other side was a regular who was well known and knew the menu well.

I started with excellent rognons

Mary started with souffle aux epinards

Mary's dessert was souffle au Grand Marnier with lots of Grand Marnier

I had souffle au chocolat

With a bottle of Chinon red this made an excellent meal. The service was friendly although it has a reputation for poor service for non-French speakers.

From there we walked along the rue de Raspail and crossed the river to the Louvre to catch line 1 to the Etoile and line 2 back to Villiers.

Wednesday 23 November - Buttes Chaumont

Today turned out warm and sunny.  Just right for a walk through Buttes Chaumont parc. There is nothing new about these pictures but the views are always worthwhile

The last of the autumn colors are striking

Even so a tree without leaves can be interesting

We sat for a time in the sun looking over the water.  A pair of noisy green parrots spent some time in a tree close by.

It looks as if there will be a good crop of berries for the birds this winter

The heron is able to fish in peace along the island

We had lunch at the Napoleon III restaurant/bar just across from the parc entrance and the Mairie.  I started with eggs with mayonaise

Mary had salade de nems (springrolls)

I had a magret of goose - a little unusual although somewhat greasy.  Pat H. would have approved of the pureed potatoes

Mary had salmon with fennel

As we were preparing to leave a couple were getting their bicycles ready.  The dog was looking forward to the ride.

Fleur de sel from Diva et Chocolat.

Tuesday 22 November - Aux Iles Marquises and the Champs Elysees

We went over to Gaite at lunch time and were happy to find that Mme. and M. Thiery were still running the restaurant Aux Iles Marquises.  We were happy to see her but disappointed that they have not found a buyer.  That said we were happy to confirm our reservation for New Years Eve and sat down to a superb lunch.

Fish soup (Mary)

Terrine de chevreuil (Colin)

Rognons in porto (Colin)

Magret de canard (Mary)

Mignardises

The entire meal was first rate and we are certainly looking forward to New Year's Eve.

Mary wanted to see the new J.K. Rowling movie so we went to the Champs Elysees.  The Christmas Market was in full swing.  It was so over the top as to be really amusing.

Great vats of stuff which purported to be edible

Enormous slabs of nougat

Christmas is still a month away.

Marks and Spencer on the Champs Elysees had a sweater that will replace the one I bought this summer and which shrunk horribly in the wash.  They also stock back bacon and miniature pork pies.

The movie had great visual effects but if there was a plot it was somewhat confusing.

The Christmas lights were switched on this evening and made a great show.

We walked back to the apartment from the Arc de Triomphe - it took about 20 minutes through Monceau Park which is open quite late for the joggers.  On the way in I bought a Langres cheese. The lady in the cheese shop poked a couple of cheeses before she found one just right for me.

Monday 21 November - Le Grand Colbert

Although the old 1960 vintage electrics are no longer in evidence at Saint-Lazare there are still a number of locomotive hauled trains such as this dual voltage Sybic.  The SNCF has scrapped a few of these even though they date back only to the 1990s.

I went to the temporary La Vie du Rail bookstore on rue de Clichy this morning only to find that the book I was looking for was not in stock but they could get it within a week. I walked back over the interesting traffic circle at Europe, a six way intersection that is built right above the throat of the Saint-Lazare station itself.

We went for a late lunch to Le Grand Colbert on rue Vivienne and made our reservation for Christmas Day lunch.  The food and service were both good:

French onion soup and soufflee au Grand Marnier and a large glass of Alsace Riesling (Mary)

Rognons and a large glass of Rasteau (Colin)

We struck up a conversation with a couple close by who turned out to be visiting from Geneva.  They both spoke English - she was born in Sevenoaks, Kent which is very close to Orpington, my home. She talked about visits to Knole Park and agreed that Sevenoaks was very hilly.  They told us that although Swiss wines, especially those from Vaud, were very good, they didn't travel well.  I suppose that is a good enough reason to visit Switzerland.

We had a quick walk around the garden of the Palais Royal and came back - Mary is still feeling the effects of her cold.

Sunday 20 November - Monceau

We got off to a slow start this morning what with jet lag and Mary's cold, which seems better.

It was mild out but a little windy with some sun and possibly rain later.  The walk along to Monceau always has to take in the window at Lenotre to marvel at the exquisite pastries and the prices.

There are always a lot of people in the park on Sundays.  There is a very large oval pathway which is taken up by the many joggers, all running in an anti clockwise direction. This Parisian regimentation makes a great deal of sense and avoids a great deal of confusion.

This appears to be a persimmon tree.  The fruit becomes a bright orange when ripe.  People are already harvesting it as there is nothing left on the ground.

A vast number of dive bombers searching out their next target.

The restored pond is beautiful now that the water, fish and birds have been returned.

Back on the rue de Levis the morning craziness was beginning to calm down as people made their way back home for lunch.  Many had baguettes under their arms with one end broken off which they were munching contentedly.  We bought a still warm baguette de tradition at Diva et Chocolat.  It was oven warn and we had happily eaten a third of it before we had walked the block home.

Lunch was at Le Bistrot D'Id which has maintained its excellent down to earth menu.  The magret de canard with a sauce of airelles and gratin dauphonois together with a glass of nouveau braujolais went down very well.

There was a little rain this afternoon.

Saturday 19 November - Errands

Seen on a chalk board outside a restaurant.

Le Barolo Vieux est arrive.

So many places are advertising

Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive

We spent some time this morning getting in supplies for our ten week stay here - normally we would not think of going to Monoprix on Saturday mornings.

Mary has a nasty cold and we went to the Pharmacy to get some cough syrup.  She spoke to the Pharmacist who went to great pains first to understand the precise problem and then to find out which Canadian medications she was already taking.  He then looked them up in the computer then suggested additional medication which would not conflict.  It was gratifying how much effort he put into this.  We said au revoir with smiles all round.

I also went along to the organic market which is held near the Rome Metro station to pick up some honey and a camembert.  On the way back I called in at Diva et Chocolat to get a croissant and a baguette.  Madame was pleased to see me and we had a conversation about events in the USA and why Canada is different.

This afternoon we went for a quick walk to the Square des Batignolles which has not changed.  The ducks are still there while the plane trees planted in the 1860s are thriving.

I walked down to Saint-Lazare station this afternoon and was concerned to find the La Vie du Rail store was closed for renovations until the end of the month.  There is another store, possibly temporary, on the rue de Clichy which I will have to investigate.  Of course the ancient electric locomotives are now all gone but there were two electric locomotives standing in the pocket - I don't think I saw any there last time.

Two locomotives standing in the pocket while a train from Le Havre passes in front.

Thursday and Friday 17-18 November. Travel to Paris

We had to travel to Paris through Toronto which made the journey a lot longer.  Moreover the plane to Paris was a relatively new 780 which is pretty cramped and uncomfortable.  It was one of the most uncomfortable transatlantic journeys I have ever had.  The seats are narrow and there is little leg room.  I have had more comfortable rides on steam engines.

At CDG there were over a 100 people lining up to buy tickets to get into Paris from a bank of three machines.  What the crowd didn't seem to know was that there are several other banks of machines with quite small lines so we managed to get our tickets quite quickly.  The RER seemed to be having some trouble as there were several sidelined trains we saw on the way in.  Our train was very crowded.  Although all trains go to the airport there is nowhere to put bags.

It was sunny with a few clouds although the air was a little cool - around 12 degrees.  A good day to be outside.

Georgina was in the apartment waiting for us and we quickly refamiliarized ourselves.

It was past 1300 and lunch was in order as we had had no breakfast to speak of (Air Canada banana bread doesn't count as it is largely inedible.

Le Petit Canon was busy on a Friday lunch time.  There was accordion music played over the speakers as well as some songs from the 1950s.  The bartender owner shouted a big welcome and the server gave me a big hug.  Her little girl is now two and a half and is walking and beginning to speak.

The Beaujolais Nouveau had come in just a couple of days ago  so we had to check it out. It has good color and agreat nose although the legs are not too strong.  It has lots of tannin although still a little rough.

Mary had seafood lasagne with salmon and cabill

In had the confit de canard

Both were very good but very filling.  It is so good to come back after almost a year and be greeted as old friends

Afterwards we went to Monoprix to buy foodstuffs and then back a second time to buy soaps, tissues, creams etc.  A bottle of Oban scotch cost 44 euros here (about $63).  It costs about $110 in the LCBO.

Early to bed tonight.