OUR LITTLE PARIS HOME!

We've lived in Paris eight weeks tomorrow.  In a way, that seems like a long time and in a way, it seems we just got here.  

If you were coming to visit us, once you got into our building from the street, remember you'd walk into a small courtyard and to theft is the door to our apartment building.  You'd find us ("Finkelstein"), push the bell, identify yourself,  and we'd open the door into our building for you.

I did a little video of our little Paris home for you to see.  It's not fancy nor professional (for sure!!!) but I hope it gives you a picture of how we're living in Paris.

FRIDAY WORK THEN SOME FUN!!

We have sort of designated Friday as "cleaning day".  I think some people choose to clean on Monday (based on what I hear in our apartment building that sounds like cleaning), but we decided to do it the end of the week.  So...two hours (give or take) later the apartment was clean and some laundry done.  Even in the City of Lights bathrooms and floors must be cleaned!!!!

After that we made a trip to Monoprix to pick up a few things.  It's just like Target...you go in for a few specific things and end up with a bag full of things you didn't realize you NEEDED!!!!  I also popped into a Gap store (different than the one I'd previously been in) just to check it out!

Several weeks ago I'd read an article in "Bonjour Paris, an online magazine I receive,  about a museum I'd never heard of  (which doesn't really say much!!!), The Musee Clemenceau.  George Clemenceau was a civil and political leader through World War I.  He worked closely with President Woodrow Wilson on the Treaty of Versailles and was the President of France.  Born in 1841, he died in 1929 in the apartment where he lived from 1895 until his death in 1929.  The apartment is part of the museum and has been left completely intact following his death.

We walked to the museum which is across the Seine.  Along the walk, there is an area called The Trocadero.  It's a space full of museums, fountains and parks overlooking the Seine directly in front of the Eiffel Tower.  One of the main fountains was in the movie "Rush Hour 3"!!!  There are also several carousels and food stands (coffee, ice cream, crepes etc) so it's a fun place for families.

I love a pretty carousel!

The museum is located on a quiet street in a normal apartment building.  There is a sign out front,  but if you weren't looking for it, you wouldn't know it was there.

Once inside you find yourself in a pretty courtyard where you go to the door, ring the bell and are let into the museum.  Very different from the larger museums in the city.

Coffee would also have been nice

These are the kind of museums I like most--not just art but where people actually lived.  The first part of the museum was typical...different displays of his work, political life etc.  Then you go downstairs to the apartment and are able to view all the rooms of his apartment just as it was when he lived there.  Nothing has been changed.  We used the typical  headsets so we could get the full picture of his life there.  Very nice!

Walking back home after our visit, we passed the food stands (well, actually we didn't PASS the stands...we STOPPED at a stand!!!), got an ice cream  cone (soft serve this time!!) and took a selfie with the Eiffel Tower background.

It was a nice day in Paris...a little work, a little play.  A perfect day....

SOME THINGS THIS GIRL HAS TO HAVE!

Happy Spring!  To give you a taste of what Paris in the springtime looks like "in person",  I've changed my blog header to reflect this beautiful season.  Actually, it was a suggestion from David's sister, Deb.  So David and I worked together to make it happen.  I hope we can change the picture each season to show what it really looks like if you're here.

So,  I wish every time I post it could be about wonderful, historic places, beautiful purchases or fun, different foods but, alas, that is not my complete life in Paris.  We do see new and wonderful places, make fun purchases (especially from markets and brocantes) and eat plenty of treats,  but we also are just doing everyday things that we would do anywhere we lived.  There are three specific things this transplanted Plano girl needs to maintain her "best self".

Seasons change (finally!!) and since I brought minimal clothes not knowing how much storage I would have, I realized there were some things I needed (seriously, needed) as warm weather approached.  So I went in search of Banana Republic/Ann Taylor-like stores to pick up a few things for spring and summer.  This was neither fun nor easy,  and I still hope to find some better alternatives, but I did, at least, find a few items to add to my wardrobe that will get, I'm certain, much wear.

After a winter of neutrals, I wanted some color!

 I also needed to find a nail salon (to keep my toes Parisian chic!!!) and a hair salon (if I don't want to be a gray-haired Parisian!).

The nail salon was pretty easy since there's a salon just outside our building.  If you know me, you know I am all about close and convenient.  Couldn't be closer unless it was in our building!  Having taken care of my toes before we left Plano, there was no hurry but the days passed quickly and it became apparent I needed to try it out.  I've had two appointments there - one mani-pedi and one pedi.  She's more expensive than Christine, my manicurist in Plano, and doesn't do as good a job.  I decided I could do my own nails (but not like Christine!!) and I could go here for pedis.  I may look around for manis since it would be nice every month or so to let a professional clean up the cuticles...my hair salon may do manis.  I'm going to check.

Nothing fancy, but close to home!

Then there's my hair!!  Again, I had it done before leaving so I wouldn't have to rush to find a good salon.  I had asked some of the ladies at Bible study (I do love a good referral!!), but nobody lives in the 7th,  and why should I leave where I live when there are tons of salons here????  Anyway, in all our out-and-abouts we noticed a hair salon around the corner (close and convenient!!) and I gave it a try.  There are two women who work there, neither speaks much English but they speak enough with my little French, that we could communicate.  Pictures from Pinterest didn't hurt!!!!  So I'm still blond and it cost me less than in Plano and I felt she did a nice job.  She commented I would help improve her English and she would help improve my French.  That works for me!!  Next time I'll try a haircut too!!!  By the way, David got a haircut there too and said it was the best haircut he'd ever gotten for 22 Euros!!!

Hair and maybe nails??!!

And here's something I really love about living here....

...last week we decided to walk to leave for French class early and sit by the Seine to go over our homework before class.   It was a beautiful day, we found an empty bench and studied our lesson while people jogged by us, sat along the River relaxing or hurried home after work.  It was so nice and the view was so pretty....it's the little things!!!

VERSAILLES - HAPPY RETIREMENT!!!!

Selecting a retirement gift for David was somewhat of a challenge for me.  I knew he wouldn't want jewelry (although I did consult Andy about this option) and I knew he did love experiences.  After Deb and Mark's Christmas gift to us of a walking tour of our new neighborhood with April, I decided to get David a Paris tour....something historic since he loves history.  To make a long story short, after several emails with April, we decided on a day trip tour to Versailles that included biking through the gardens and lunch along the Grand Canal.

Today was the day!!!!  April met us at the apartment at 8:30 a.m. and we were off.  We walked to the station for the RER C train that took us to Versailles.  It took us about 20-30 minutes to get there,  and we visited along the way about what the day was going to look like.

Once in Versailles, we walked to the bike shop where we were getting our bikes and got ready for some cycling!!!!

Ready to go!!!

It's been a long time since I've been on a bike, but I always loved it and did it a lot growing up.  As you can see, we're dressed for comfort (it was a beautiful day-sunny and warm...perfect!!).  Oh, that's my straw hat in my basket--I was really prepared,  and you'll see later I wore it most of the outdoor time!!

So...on to the market to get our lunch!  This was a large, outdoor market with vendors under tents but also some in buildings.  April is familiar with this market from all her tours so that made it easier.  We parked our "vehicles" and shopped picking up cheese, salami and ham, strawberries, two cheeses, wine, baguette, cherry tomatoes, salad and two desserts.  April was prepared with a wicker picnic basket that housed plates and silverware but also a compartment for keeping things cool.  She suggested we get a little treat at the market to hold us over until we ate lunch since we were going to tour the Gardens and Marie Antoinette's hamlet before lunch.  She knew the crepe maker,  and he also has THE freshest orange juice.  It was absolutely fabulous!!  Really! April said he hand selects his oranges from the wholesalers!

Best orange juice ever!!

And we were off.....!!  The gardens of Versailles are magnificent!  The only thing I was surprised by was it's all green and no flowers.  But the paths and fountains are just overwhelming and it's hard to imagine someone (although he WAS the king of France) living there and this being the backyard!!!

Comfy clothes and shoes are a must!  What a spectacular place!

From the gardens, we biked to the Petit Trianon, the place built for the private use of Louis XV and Madame De Pompadour.  Later Louis XVI gave it to Marie Antoinette,  and it became her favorite place to stay.  She even turned part of the garden into an English-style park and the hamlet, where she could go to get away from the royal lifestyle and do things a commoner would do.

The Grand Salon where the sovereigns would entertain-
Marie Antoinette loved music and the harp was her favorite instrument

Gotta love Marie's monogram on the gate!

 I had seen pictures of the hamlet, and it was the one thing I was the most interested in.  I didn't realize it's more than a cottage and is almost a little town with multiple buildings.  You couldn't enter any of the buildings, which was a disappointment, but it was so peaceful and pretty, we stopped and April told us Marie's story.  Not a Hallmark movie!!!!!!

Quaint not queenly

Leaving the hamlet, we biked to the Grand Trianon.  This structure was built prior to the Petit Trianon,  and April compared it to a royal man cave!!!  This was where the king and his royal court spent time. We didn't go into it, just viewed the outside then decided it was time for lunch.  I was starved!!!

Note the baguette in David's basket!  Loved the biking!!!

Our picnic lunch along the Grand Canal was such a relaxing treat!  April spread her tablecloth (we were the first to use her new picnic set!!!!!) and we set out all our market purchases.  I wish I'd taken a picture of our "table" of goodies, but though April had said most people buy so much at the market then can't eat all of what they bought, that was not our case!!  We ate pretty much all of what we bought!  I told you I was hungry!!!  And biking and walking worked up our appetite

What an idyllic place for our picnic!

After lunch, it was on to the Grand Palais.  We've been to other palaces so this one didn't have any surprises.  It is very opulent and the art-covered walls and ceilings are,  of course, beautiful.  The one thing throughout is Louis XIV's high opinion of himself.  The "Sun King", as he was called, has his own image everywhere with suns on the gold gates opening to the palace .

The front entrance to the Grand Palais-all the gold trim!!!

Then, of course, is the Hall of Mirrors, where the king sat at the end of the hallway and greeted visitors who were not allowed to view their own images in the mirrors but, instead, had to keep their eyes on the king even as they departed.  Amazing!!!  But it is a spectacular room unlike anything I'd seen before (except in the movie "Midnight in Paris"!).

The Hall of Mirrors!!!  Perfect way to end a perfect day!

This pretty much ended our day at Versailles,  and we were pretty tired.  But it was such a lovely day and was a memory both of us will carry for a long time.  Happy Retirement, David!!!!

A QUIET SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Sundays are usually quiet for us, even in Plano.  But Sundays in Paris are even quieter because many restaurants and stores are closed (imagine that!!!) so there is minimal shopping, eating out.  I think this is so people can spend the day with family and friends.  The cafes that are open are full of people sitting together and sharing coffee or food or dessert,  and the streets and parks are full of people just relaxing and enjoying the day.

This makes me wish I had a preschooler I could take here!!!

Mid afternoon, after church and lunch, we went out for a quiet walk and came upon this little park.  We hadn't seen it before-it's really for smaller children and has a sand pit in the center (where the little yellow-jacketed child is sitting) for sand play, a carousel (in the center of the picture) called Le Lutin Palace (the leprechaun palace!!!) and to the left (unseen in this photo) is a food stand for drinks, ice cream (!!!!) and other food snacks.  Children are happy and playing,  and parents are happy because they can sit, enjoy a drink or treat and see that their children are safe and having fun.  Pretty nice!

As we walked on (and, no, I did not get an ice cream!!) we came upon this monument in memory of the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution.  It wasn't a spectacular monument, David says there are others in other places, but it was a nice addition to this family place where people can be reminded of their history.

In memory of...

Across from this area was another little fun spot for children (and parents you'll notice).  It was fun just watching from a distance!  I think what a nice place this is for young families to come where everyone gets a little break from real life.  Remember, there are only apartments here in central Paris so these families have no yards.

Exercise for moms and fun for kids!  Win-win!!

It's like a preschool scooter/vehicle track and you'll see various kinds of preschool "cars" etc.  Pretty cool!!!

It started to get a little cooler (the day had been pretty nice) and looked like it might sprinkle so we decided to head home.  We "flaneured" (strolled) home at a slow pace looking at the flowers on some (but not many) balconies, peeking into windows of floral shops and chocolate shops that were closed and then walked down rue Cler, a market street that's open most of the week (unlike other markets that are open twice a week usually).  However, on Sunday even some businesses and restaurants on rue Cler are closed.   Fortunately, the florist was open and we bought a bouquet of roses for the bedroom AND there was a little ice cream place open!!!!!  NOW I got an ice cream cone!!!!

Lots of flavors, cone or cup!

We weren't going to have dinner for a while,  and I needed a little treat to get me through!!  Maybe this is why I'm not becoming a skinny French woman!!!!!!  Anyway, it was tasty and we headed home.  A nice, quiet beginning to a new week.  We'll see what this week holds.....

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT!!!

It's late afternoon, cloudy with intermittent sprinkles (nothing new!) and David's repairing a "treasure" we found this morning at Marches de Puces, a large flea market held every Saturday.  It's the one we've been to before...again in the rain. Good news is the sprinkles stopped by the time we arrived there on the metro.  Yea,  since we were unprepared for rain and had no umbrella!!!  I've told David my word for Paris is "Prepared"!  It seems you need, at many times, to have either gloves or umbrella with you.  I thought we had learned the lesson the hard way, but I guess not!!!!

Today we were searching, again, for specific items...plates, a little dish for spoon-holding while cooking, some sort of box/crate to hold our DVDs/CDs (yes, we still use them and even bought a universal DVD player so it would play our US DVDs!) and something to plant some ivy in for the coffee table.  There were a couple of other items we would like to have found but, alas, not this trip!  But here's what we did find:

Another trove of treasures!!

Plates, check, dish for spoon-holding, check, crate for DVDs, check and a nice crock for my ivy, check!!!!  As you may be able to see in the pic, the crate is in disrepair hence David is doing some nailing and wood-gluing.  Oh, I we also got a little piece of furniture to put in the guest room that the vendor will deliver Monday.  This is when it's really tough not having a car...there's no way to carry a bigger object on the metro or even the bus.  So far, the vendors have been willing to deliver.

I have a hard time when arriving at the flea market.  If you know me, you know I'm not really a shopper (I know, all evidence to the contrary!!!!), I'm a buyer.  I hate browsing through racks of clothes (like TJMaxx etc) and want to go in, see what I want, and buy it (or not).  I'm the same way here.  It's kind of like the soup aisle at the grocery store---visually my brain gets overloaded!!!!!  So, I have to stand back, browse the stand, then step in for something that's caught my eye.  Too, I tend to concentrate on a particular item at a time.  But, when I see what I like, I know it!  Enough about my crazy!!!!

One of the things I like about this market is they have a food truck to get food if you're hungry but you can also get cafe or chocolat chaud (hot chocolate!  My choice!).   Since it was cooler and damp, hot chocolate was a nice treat.  Near the food truck was this:

I love when musicians come to places like this or the metro station and play.  It just lifts me up to hear the music.  At the metro station people are often rushing and busy,  and I think it just causes you to take a brief moment and appreciate where you are (and I don't necessarily mean in the station!!). Anyway, I always put money in their little basket because I want them to continue to come and play!!

It's not always the big things in life that make me happy, often it's the little things like the perfect plates and a simple man playing beautiful music....

A WEEK IN OUR LIFE RIGHT NOW

Things are beginning (after nearly six weeks) to get into a routine,  and the apartment is beginning to feel and look more and more like home.  Soon I'll send a video or pics of the progress we've made on the apartment.  As I said in an earlier post, with me it's never finished as I'm always on the lookout for accessories.

Earlier this week David got an email from our sweet owner who said she had arranged for someone to pick up the sofa in May.  We were slightly disappointed we'd have to live with this piece till May but, at the same time, were grateful the end was in sight.  Later that same day she wrote again saying she'd made an mistake in the earlier email and the company was coming THIS Thursday!!!!!!  Boy, were we doing the happy dance!!!!💃. Wednesday is "free IKEA bus" day so we got up bright and early Wednesday to catch the bus from home so we could catch the first IKEA bus (10:00).  Unlike our last trip to IKEA, the weather was beautiful, blue skies and sunny. We had to wait at the bus stop near us (not too near...we still had to walk a little!!!) but it was a pretty day with a pretty view so who cares???!!

This was the view as we waited for the bus!

Once at IKEA (which is quite a little trip but, again, we're sitting in a nice bus and enjoying the view and not hassling with traffic so who cares??!!), we headed straight to the sofas and purchased the one we'd decided on the first trip.  Of course, you can't just buy a sofa so along the way to checkout we picked up the new coffee table (just like the one that was in the apartment that had not been taken care of and not really my style but it looks nice with everything and was cheap!) and other miscellaneous items.  Again, we were able to ride with the driver instead of taking the bus back which is really nicer and quicker.  The biggest problem when we arrived is they only take the delivery to the front door of the building---we had to get this (especially the boxed sofa that weighed 150lbs!!!) up to our apartment.  So, little by little, piece by piece, we put our purchases in the lift (thank you God!!!) and then put it all in the guest room till Thursday when the old sofa was out.  Honestly, David had to do all the heavy work and he was exhausted after.  But it was all worth it when we put it all together on Thursday and can now sit (or lay) on the sofa in comfort!!!!

Sometimes, you just have to stay home (even if Paris is on your doorstep) and do the ordinary things...like laundry.  And though David uses the "dryer" cycle on the combo washer/dryer, I prefer not to for my things.  I like putting them on the drying rack or hangers.  I always liked hanging clothes outside on a clothesline (sometimes I think I was born in the wrong time!!!!) and this is similar except no fresh air smell (unless I can open the window next to the rack).  I HAVE to figure out which product is fabric softener at the store!!!!!!

This is real life!!!

I did have lingerie hanging there as well....not necessary to show that in pics!!!!!  As you can see, the window is closed,  but I prefer to have it open if it's not too cool.  Then the clothes dry faster and smell a little nicer.

We also are cooking more than before even though there are quite a few little restaurants on our quiet, little street.  Using my new David Lebovitz book "My Parisian Kitchen" (you can get it on Amazon), we made "Chicken with Mustard " (Poulet a la Moutarde in French) and it was yummy!!!  We cut the recipe in half (since there's just two of us) but it is definitely a dish I'd make for company.  This is the second recipe we've made from his book and both were delicious.  He's really a pastry chef so I can't wait to try his desserts!!!!

We don't always eat like this but isn't it pretty??

Today the handy man is here fixing some small things we couldn't take care of.  He speaks English which is really nice!!!!  This afternoon I think we're going to  do a little marketing then maybe hit a new museum I read about---when the weather is nice, we want to take advantage of it and be out.

So, that's a little of our life this week.....Happy Weekend!!!!

FUN DAY!!!

It seems our days get busy between Bible studies (mine one morning and David's another), chiropractor appointments and marketing.  Then, of course, the apartment has to be cleaned sometime!!  So we decided to have at least one day where we do something fun.  Hopefully, soon we'll be able to do more fun things as our time frees up some.  Once summer is here Bible studies will cease and the apartment is about finished (except for the occasional "that would be cute" item we just happen on) so our days should be open to really enjoying our new city.

Because David has been so good about all my doctor appointments (3x a week right now😢) and my limitations in walking, I told him today was going to be our fun day and he could choose where we go.  Earlier in the week I'd read about an impressionist exhibit at a museum I didn't know and we had talked about going there.  There was also an antique market somewhat near the museum he thought we could hit at the same time.  And we were off!!!!!

After my Chiro appointment, we took the metro to the Musee Jacquemart-Andre in an area I was unfamiliar with in the 8th Arrondissement.  This is a private museum created from the private home of Edouard Andre and his wife Nelie Jacquemart to display the art they collected during their lives.

Musee Jacquemart-Andre

It's amazing to think of anyone living like this!  He was the son of a prominent banking family and devoted his considerable fortune to buying works of art exhibiting them in his mansion built in l869.  He married Nelie, a well-known society painter, and they would travel to Italy collecting one of the finest collections of Italian art in France.  Their mansion was bequeathed to the Institut de France and opened to the public in 1913.  Amazing!

From there we walked toward the antique market stopping for lunch at this little salad place.  You went in, chose your greens from a refrigerated area then took it to the counter and they put your greens in a big bowl adding your choices from the large selection they had of meats, cheeses, vegetables and seeds and various dressings.  They toss it all and put it in a nice bowl and you can take it with you or eat there.  We ate there.  I had the best salad with lots of great veggies, egg and sunflower seeds.

A great salad!

It was a beautiful day in Paris,  and we ate outside people watching and enjoying the sunshine.  After lunch, we started walking to this antique market that's being held till Sunday on the other side of the Arch de Triomphe.  I just couldn't make the walk-my leg was hurting after my earlier appointment and I was done!  So, we grabbed a bus up to the market place.  We could see the buildings where it probably was but we couldn't see any activity and with my leg hurting we just decided to save the steps and go home.

This is the Arch de Triomphe from the side

Tomorrow is market day (we're about out of fruits and veggies) and maybe we'll try the antique market again.  David thinks maybe we just were on the wrong end of the buildings.  We'll see....

DAVID LEBOVITZ!!

Last night (Wednesday) we went to the American Library and saw David Lebovitz who was there talking about his new book "L'Appart" and signing books.  If you've never heard of David, I first became familiar with him after reading his book "My Sweet Life in Paris".  He's an American pastry chef who spent many years in a restaurant in the San Fransisco area before deciding to move to Paris.  I enjoy his books especially since he also tells his story of building a new life in Paris.

I bought "L'Appart" as soon as it hit the stands in the U.S.   It's about his renovation of the apartment he bought in Paris after renting for many years.  He's brutally honest (which I like) but you also know as you're reading he loves Paris so his criticisms are truthful but not hateful.  You know what I mean??  Anyway, I haven't tried any of his recipes (we were getting ready to move) but his "life in Paris" writings were an encouragement to me as we prepared to make this journey.

Though I wanted to bring his books with us when we moved so I could try some of the recipes, David said "are you crazy???", those are heavy books and will add to our suitcase weight.  Arghhhhh!  So, they are in storage in a box!!!  So....David bought me another of his books "My Paris Kitchen" that he wrote as his apartment was completed.  It's full of recipes both sweet and savory and also tells a story of marketing, knowing how to do the markets, etc.  I wanted a book for him to sign,  and I love a hardback cookbook!!!!

He was very much as I expected.  He's very friendly, funny and honest.  The man interviewing him has known him many years and is a well-known (I guess!) food critic/magazine writer and that made the interview very comfortable.  The little room the library put us all in was packed and got very stuffy.

BTW that's not me with the teal scarf!

When the interview and questions were finished, you could buy copies of many of his books and he would sign it.  He was also signing any of his books you may have brought with you.  He spent a nice amount of time with each guest chatting which I always appreciate.  The event was free and there was no sign-up-I wasn't sure what to expect audience-wise.  I thought it might be women heavy but, actually, there were many middle-aged couples so David didn't feel out of place.  He'd read "L'Appart" but wasn't as enthralled with it simply because we don't intend to buy an apartment.

The last time I did this was with Sarah Jessica Parker and her shoes!!!!

It was a nice evening followed by dessert (a shared banana split and coffee!!!) at a favorite little cafe on the corner of our street.  I've already begun reading the new cookbook for something to try in our little Paris kitchen!!!!!!!!

FINALLY- WALL HANGINGS BUT ONE STEP AT A TIME!

Monday is the one day of the week right now where one of us doesn't have something specific going on between our separate Bible studies and my Chiro appointments.  So, after a leisurely breakfast, we decided to grab a bus to the area near Notre Dame and check out the bouquinistes (book sellers) in their stalls along the Seine.

Notre Dame

We passed this area once earlier on a bus and I noticed all the different picture prints many had and suggested to David that might be the place to find some things for our sad, empty walls.  It was cloudy and cool (but not supposed to rain), but I can shop in cloudy!!!!

This is a beautiful area because Notre Dame is right there.  That also makes it crazy with tourists!     We'd visited Notre Dame on an earlier trip, but I hope we can get back there again now that we're here.  Anyway, many of the sellers were open so we just started strolling and trying to decide just exactly what we were looking for.  It took us a reasonable amount of time to do that, but once we did......jackpot!!!!!

That's me in the center-looking for treasure!!!

Besides books (many very expensive) there are lots of sketches, paintings, magazine covers (many vintage) and trinkets (lots of Eiffel Towers!!!!).  The sellers are very nice,  and we practiced our French with them though many spoke back in English as soon as they realized we spoke English (how did they know????!!!!!).

Across the street from the stalls is Shakespeare and Company, an English-language bookstore that has been around since 1919.  That was the first store that is no longer open.  The second store, where we were, opened in 1951 by American George Whitman and was called "Le Mistral" but was renamed to the current name in 1964 in tribute to the original store and on the anniversary of Shakespeare's 400th  birthday.  Interesting, huh???  Tons of tourists go there,  and it's a small, crowded little shop. I wanted a Julia Child cookbook and walked away with a little paperback I thought would meet our needs better than her original book (both were paperback which I don't really like but, oh, well!!).  They stamp the inside with their logo and I like that!!!

Shakespeare and Company

By this time,  I was ready for a little snack!!!!  It was actually lunch time, but I didn't want to eat that much...just a snack.  If I was really a Parisian woman, I'd get a cafe and let that tide me over till I could eat.  But, hey, I'm a treat kind of girl....I really wanted ice cream!!!!  We went in search of the bus stop to take us home and, lo and behold, there was an ice cream vendor (kind of like in Charade only that one was along the Seine).  In spite of the cool weather, there was a line though short and fast moving.  "One single chocolate, please" (in French, of course).  Just enough.....can't beat it!!!

This is why I'm not skinny like French  women!!!!

Then we were on the bus and on the way home.  It's a little bit of a ride to our apartment so I can just sat and leisurely viewed the city streets and relaxed till we got to our stop.  Once home, we had a little lunch (I was ready for real food!) and laid out our treasures.

Today's treasures!

This is just Step One in the wallhangings because these are prints so we need to get frames and frame them.  But we're already checking that out since neither of us is good at putting off a task that needs to be done.  Plus, once they're all hung,  it will look so good and THEN I can post new pics of the finished (for the most part!!) apartment.

Little by little it's becoming home.....

SOMETIMES WE'RE PARISIANS AND SOMETIMES WE'RE TOURISTS!

Saturday is one of two market days in our week at the market we've been going to.  The other day is Wednesday, mid week for things you've eaten and need more of.  We've only been here four weeks (oh my gosh already one month!!) but I'm not sure we've ever gone to market when the sun has been shining!!!

Mornings aren't the best time of my day so walking this distance is kind of a drag for me.  There weren't lots of people as we're finding French people stay up late and don't start their day till later.   I knew I had some French in me!!!!   Anyway, today we went to a market that has a great view of the Eiffel Tower which, of course, is always nice.  Our feeble French still works for us,  but I'm so anxious for it to be better and be able to communicate better with the vendors.  It does energize me, though, and I enjoy the experience.  We got lots of fruits, veggies, some meat, and, again, miscellaneous items.  And, of course, flowers!!!!  All in our handy-dandy cart!!!  There's a little cafe across from the market so we stopped there for a hot chocolate before heading home.

See the flowers peeking out-someday the sun may be shining!!

It was only noon when we got home and we wanted to get out to find David some more reading glasses and stop by Gap (I know....not very French but I'd seen a few things I wanted to pick up!).  We decided to go ahead and go since it was supposed to rain (it never did!).  Got on the appropriate bus, got off and couldn't find the eyeglass store David was looking for.  But we did get to Gap and while I was in there David found another eyeglasses place.  Success all around!

We hadn't intended to eat lunch out but were in the neighborhood of Les Deux Magots and Cafe de Flore, two well-known cafes where Ernest Hemingway and other well-known literary/intellectual  giants spent much time.  There are often long waits and lines for both as many tourists want to visit them.  I'd just read an article on both cafes in France Today,  and they mentioned a yummy-sounding dessert I wanted to try at Cafe de Flore.   So why not get a little culture (or something) and a nice treat at the same????

We got inside pretty quickly, were given a plate of potato chips to munch on (a nice change from bread),  then placed our order (I got brave ordering St.Germain soup without asking what was in it-turns out it was pea soup and delicious!) and followed lunch with Coupe Melba, the ice cream dessert  with peaches, current sauce on top and slivered almonds.  Not cheap but the article said it was worth the euros and the calories.

Obviously, the chips were yummy since they're nearly gone!!

Coupe Melba-pretty and tasty!

Was the dessert worth the euros/calories? That answer lies in the eyes of the eater!   I've had lots of desserts, and I'd say "no".  However, it was very pretty (which I always like - look at the spoon-shaped cookie that says "La Petite Cuillere" (the small spoon),  and it was tasty.  We shared it so didn't feel too guilty about the calories!!

So, the first part of our day we felt like Parisians doing our bi-weekly market shopping and the latter part of our day we felt like tourists eating lunch where visitors want to eat because of the history they know.  For now, that's okay.  Someday, I hope our days will have less "tourist time" and more "real life" time....

IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE EASTER, IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE EASTER, BUT IT IS EASTER!!!!

Today when I woke up the Easter Bunny had come!!!  Silently sitting on the mantel in the living room were some Easter treats, one we've had a little trouble finding here and, when we did, we refused to buy because it was so expensive and one symbolizing the bells that are the French Easter Bunny.

Easter treats with a difference!

In Europe Easter is more of a religious holiday than a secular one (thank you ESL for having me learn these things to teach our customs to others).  So there are minimal (if any) Easter Bunny/Santa Claus references.   But, in France, there are chocolates!  The French "story" tells of all the church bells that stop ringing on Good Friday to mourn Christ's death on the cross.  They remain silent all weekend until early Sunday morning when they all fly to Rome to meet all the other bells at the Vatican and they all ring in praise of the risen Savior.  On the way back to France, they drop chocolate down to all the children.  I love that!!!  So my "Easter Bunny" (I am American, after all!!) brought me a chocolate bell (on the left).  And the peanut butter is my "wish I had but won't pay that" treat.  Notice it's a small jar!!!!!

For 60+ years Easter has meant buying something new for church.  My mother dressed us up a little more (more spring-y!!) and I dressed my children up a little more.  It was part of the fun.  And I did look for something, anything, I could buy to spring-up my outfit today.  But, alas, I came up empty  handed😢.  The problem was I knew how cold it was going to be and that we would be outside getting to and from church and at the sunrise service.  I needed function and warmth!!!  But I certainly didn't look like Easter!!!

I even brought my umbrella because it was supposed to rain!

Our sunrise service (the sun didn't really rise, it was too cloudy!) was across from the church near the Seine.  We wondered how many people would be there and David estimated there were over 100.   It was pretty cold (I was glad how warmly I dressed-forget cute dresses and shoes!!!!) but it was a real blessing standing there with other Christians praising Jesus.  Songs were sung (not ones we knew😢), prayers prayed, Scripture read and a short message.  Looking at the beauty surrounding me (even on a cloudy day) I was grateful to be in this place and worshipping in a little different way.

 After the service there was a breakfast at the church (remember, it's just across the street) so we all walked there.  It was in a room upstairs I had never been in but where they hold many meetings and classes.  The volunteers who put it together did such a beautiful job making the tables look pretty and Easter-y and preparing tasty food.  We sat across from a couple (she's Irish and he's French) we could visit with and that was fun too.  What did we eat????  We could choose:  boiled eggs (yes), sausage (yes), French toast (yes, please), yogurt with fruit (no-they were running out and I decided to leave it for those who really like a French breakfast!), and three types of chocolates-caramel, peanut butter (where do they get their peanut butter????!!!), and various juices and coffee/tea.  Really yummy!

Cute tables-I appreciated the work involved!

The traditional service we attended following breakfast was beautiful but, again, different from what we've known.  The church was packed (that we've seen before!) but we didn't hear any of the "Easter" songs we grew up with (Victory in Jesus, Low in the Grave etc).  But the music was lovely and worshipful, the special music nice, the readings and Scripture mindful of the occasion and the sermon, as usual, was excellent.  We also observed the Lord's Supper (communion in their words!) which we've done several times this week at the various services we've attended.  At the end of the service (during the final hymn),  those who wanted to could walk up and join in singing "The Hallelujah Chorus" closing. In all honesty, I would have stayed put but David (surprisingly!) wanted to go up so up we went!!!!  Each of us was handed the music and when it was time, we all sang.  Okay, I consider myself a soprano, but this is wayyyyyy out of my range.  But nobody could tell and it was a fun way to participate--they said you didn't have to be a singer so I'm sure we weren't alone in our meager abilities!!!  And I don't think Jesus cared about how well we sang!

Our first Easter in Paris.....like many other things,  a new experience in our new culture.  And that's why we've come........Joyeuses Paques!!!! (Happy Easter!)