FIRSTS AND FAVORITES

David and I love movies...old movies, new movies, rom coms, musicals, some action/thrillers.  Before leaving the U.S., we were sitting through the previews of a particular movie and saw several new movies that were coming out this summer...movies I knew I would see if I were there.

One of those, The Book Club, premiered last week (I think) in the states and opened here Thursday.  David found a theater that shows American films in English (with French subtitles) so Thursday afternoon we hopped a bus (or tried to but it didn't come and didn't come and we just grabbed a taxi😖) and headed for the movies!!!  I had missed going to the movies so was really looking forward to this "first" in Paris...going to the movies!!!

The theater was located in a neighborhood outside the city limits of Paris so took a little time to get there but not bad.  This particular area was very nice,  and we remembered seeing a nice apartment there for lease when we were looking...but we just didn't want to live outside Paris.   We didn't really know what to expect from the theater and were pleasantly surprised to find it a relatively new facility with very nice seating.   And popcorn!!!  That's another story!!  The concession was small but, to my delight, they did offer popcorn, salty or sugary?????, and candy and drinks.  Sugary must be like kettle corn..I don't know because I went for salty.  It was okay, but no butter (what????no butter in France????!!!!) so a little dry.  But I was at the movies watching a fun film...it was good!!

Movies Paris-style!

This looks like a theater I used to go to when I was a teenager going to see the Beach Movies or Elvis with my best friend!!!  And I enjoyed it just as much now as I did then!!!

  

 

As you can see, it was almost a private showing!!!  We weren't surprised by that since it was late afternoon (our preference this time) and it was a chick-flick!  These movies don't always have great showings in the states ....but we enjoyed it (yes, even David, probably because it had a strong male cast  as well as the dynamic women).

Earlier that day following my chiropractor's appointment, we decided to do one of our favorite things and visit a new church.   On numerous bus rides we had passed this church and wanted to see the inside.  The name of the church is Saint Germain l'Auxerrois and it's considered one of the most ancient parishes on the right bank of the river Seine.  The first church was destroyed during the siege of Paris in 885-886 and then rebuilt during the 11th century.  That reconstruction was finished around 1580.  I'm always amazed at the quiet and solemnity in these places of worship and the magnificence of the centuries-old paintings.

I keep wondering if any of these churches have special services/concerts during Christmas that we might attend....even in a language we only barely understand, the atmosphere, the candles, the music would speak Christmas to our hearts.  We'll see......