Day 32 - Memorial Day

Hi All,

I hope you are all enjoying a long weekend and celebrating Memorial Day as you like.

George sent me an email video of Isabel riding her bike without training wheels for the first time. It was so much fun to see her in Tacoma as I sit here in Paris. Technology is wonderful!

I have spent a quiet day pretty much at home here in the apartment. I expected the housekeeper but she didn't show up, so I decided to take a walk. And who did I run into on avenue de wagram but Noemis, said housekeeper. She said "je obliger" and I said "C'est ne pas grave." That exchange meant "I forgot" and "It's not a problem." She is coming tomorrow at 10:00 am.

Here is a picture of the stairs I must climb to reach my bedroom. It's a good thing I'm used to stairs considering my home in Burbank otherwise this could be a challenge!

As lovely as Paris is, it could be improved upon if they got a handle on the graffiti problem in the city. It's horrible--graffiti is everywhere. Also, there is so much trash on the sidewalks--big trashy items and overflowing trash bins that dump so much onto the streets and walkways. I've attached a picture taken a block from my apartment where the post office is located. It's a "tag and graffiti" exposition or something like that. Yes, if all that creativity could be channeled into something constructive, we'd be much better off.




Another interesting sight on this upscale avenue de wagram is the homeless situation. Right on the opposite corner of the post office are pup tents where homeless live and sleep. I think you can see them in the photo I posted. I often walk that way home from the metro and at night the men are gathered outside the tents on the sidewalk drinking what appears to be alcohol. Strange sight indeed!

Enjoy this holiday Monday and keep the emails coming. I really love hearing from you.

Love, Judy

Day 31 - Parisian Art

Greetings,

As promised, here is a picture of the bronze sculpture I bought yesterday.

The waiter at my neighborhood cafe likes to sing "I Believe I Can Fly" so one night I downloaded the song on my iPhone from iTunes and played it for him when he brought l'addition (the bill)! So tonight, the last night here with Marilyn and Louise, we went to Le Royal Pereire for dinner and all of a sudden what seemed to being coming from nowhere, I hear "I Believe I Can Fly" from le garcon, Gustavo.

Walking to dinner we passed these rental bicycles which can be seen all over Paris. You can rent them at one location and drop them off at another location. It seems like a great idea to me. Close by there is a machine where you swipe your credit card or pay your money.


What a lovely day today, cool and pleasant for walking around Paris. We shopped a little at Montmarte and while Marilyn and Louise went to see the Opera House, I took Bus #30 back to the apartment. From there I walked the streets looking at all the antiques and various wares for sale. It was a gigantic weekend display of everything imaginable (that's where I bought the sculpture yesterday).



After a delicious salmon dinner with wine, we strolled leisurally back to avenue de wagram. We fixed our hair with various scarves, barettes, and tried on hats and necklaces just talking and laughing while being creative in front of the mirror.

After today I will be alone for a week until my friend, Sharon, arrives on June 8. I have cooking classes both at Ritz Paris and Le Cordon Bleu to occupy some of my spare time. Next weekend I am going to Andre's home for a get together with friends. Andre is the French student who lived with me in the condo for one summer many moons ago. He's now 45 and married with four children. To our suprise, he lives very close to Vicki and Joseph.

Goodnight all, sweet dreams.

Love, Judy

A Day in the Suburbs

Hi,

We didn't know what we were going to do today but before long, the day was planned. Marilyn, Louise and I invited over the woman from Vermont who I met in the Monoprix grocery store and her friend. She lives about two long blocks from here, about a five minute walk. We sat and visited for 90 minutes and the five of us had so much to share. It was great! There was an antique sidewalk sale lined up and down the street on the way to the metro which was so interesting. I bought a bronze sculpture of a beautiful woman which I just fell in love with. Picture to follow tomorrow (it's 2:00 am and I'm too lazy to go downstairs to find it).

After lunch we hopped on the RER train for the 35 minute ride to Montesson. Vicki and her daughter, Alexandre, picked us up at the train station and drove us the short distance to their home. After meeting and greeting the rest of her family, we ventured off for a walk along the Seine River. It was cool, misty and sometimes drizzling and a delightful day for a walk. We never stopped for an hour and a half. It was called the Impressionist Walk since that is where Monet, Renoir and other great impressionists drew their inspiration for some of their well known paintings.

Joseph and Vicki put together yet another sensational dinner for nine and what a feast it was! We had duck, ribs, sausages, artichockes stuffed with mushrooms, salad, and of course a hearty red wine.




Joseph and family drove us the short distance to the train station and off we went to Paris at 11:45, arriving home at 12:30 am.

It was a FABULOUS day and a special thanks to Vicki and Joseph and their four amazing children!

Love, Judy

Day 29 - Le Mont Saint-Michel

Hello friends, family and neighbors!

This was my first guided bus tour since I arrived in Paris a month ago. We met at 7:00 am at the tour office on rue de rivoli for an outting to Mont Saint Michel. It's a five hour drive EACH way and we returned to Paris at 9:00 pm. As you can see from the first picture, it was a beautiful day and the countryside driving to Normandy was simply gorgeous. Those are cows laying in the field in case you were wondering!

Mont Saint-Michel is a rocky tidal island and a commune in Normandy, France. It is located approximately a half mile off the country's north coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches. The population of the island is 41.

On the bus, sitting in front of Louise and me, was a very friendly, vivacious woman from Shanghai named Daisy. Getting to know her was a highlight of my day. She spoke english beautifully and was gracious enough to compliment me on my Chinese mandarin! Daisy has travelled the world as a result of her work as an engineer and we had so many things in common. I wouldn't be surprised if our paths cross again in the future--either in Los Angeles or Shanghai. She has a 12 year old daughter and as you all know, I have a 12 year old granddaughter (can't forget Paige at age 9 and Isabel at age 6-1/2) so we had much to talk about. (See picture of Daisy and Helene, our tour guide.)



Louise and Marilyn are taking a boat ride down the Seine River now--it's 11:00 pm--but I chose to taxi home rather than join them. Four times in one month is just a bit too much "bateaux mouches" for me. So here I am writing my blog and spending a few quiet moments to catch up.

So many of your have sent me emails and I thank you for that. Today I heard from Jeri, my neighbor in Burbank and it made me so happy to hear from her (thanks, Jeri!). All is well on Sunset Canyon Drive!!

Love, Judy

Day 28 - Cooking Class No. 4

Hi!

It rained almost all day today and the temperature has dropped. This is my kind of weather. We went to the Louvre Museum to purchase a new iPhone for me (one of two places in Paris that sells them from what I understood). I now have a French phone number for the next month and I'm back to being connected to my world back home. You can see how happy I am to finally have this resolved. By the way, the iPhone in France costs about 517 Euros or approximately $700 USD. That's about twice what I paid for mine in the States.

Cooking at the Ritz Paris was again an interesting experience. We made espuma, a dessert with caramel, raspberries, and a crumb topping which I could never properly describe since the base of it is dried mushrooms. Yes, mushrooms!!!



We have to leave at 5:45 am tomorrow to catch a taxi and meet our tour group at 7:00 am for an all day outting to Mont Saint Michel, so I will say goodnight for now.

Love, Judy

Day 27

Hello to All,

You know, I can't say enough about how nice the French people have been. I said it before and I'll say it again--they are considerate, helpful, friendly and so interested in engaging in conversation.

The architecture in Paris is something to behold! It seems no matter where I go--what street I am on or what I might be seeing from afar--it's breath taking. I got caught in a thunderstorm and a heavy rain as I was leaving Monoprix with a few groceries this afternoon. I took a picture as I was waiting for the rain to let up, standing under cover with a baguette in one hand and my groceries in the other. I love this kind of day.

The director of finance at Le Cordon Bleu was waiting for my police report (iPhone stolen) so I taxied over there this morning. For the first time, I think I got "ripped off" by the taxi driver. I've been to the school enough by metro, taxi and foot to know how long it takes and what it costs. My French is improving. How do I know? Because I could tell the taxi driver that I never paid more than 10 Euros for the ride (the meter was at 17 Euros) and why was it taking so long. Even in French I'm never at a loss for words!


Tonight Marilyn, Louise and Wendy (my new friend and neighbor from Vermont) went and saw the performance of How to Become a Parisian in One Hour. I enjoyed it as much this time as I did last week with Darlene and Marti. And the staff at the theater gave me a complimentary ticket. How nice was that?

Afterwards we had dinner near our apartments and put the key in the door at 12:30 a.m. That's the Parisian lifestyle!

Another beautiful day in Paris and as of today I have been gone from home for exactly four weeks!!!

Love you all, Judy

Day 26

Good Evening to you!

My two girlfriends were due to arrive around 11:00 am. I had plenty of leisure time this morning, so I went out for coffee and a croissant. On the way back to the apartment I ran into two acquaintances, said "bonjour" and carried on a conversation with one in English and the other in French. It felt like I belonged and it felt good!

So these hearty girls from Glendale found their way from Charles de Gaulle Airport to my apartment by bus and then by foot. I was impressed but not at all surprised. They took an Air France bus from the airport to the Arc de Triomphe and from there wheeled their luggage to my place. I'm sure it was at least a 30 minute walk and it was hot today--probably 85 degrees. After they got settled in and had a cool drink, we made our plans. Lunch was the top priority and we went to a restaurant not far from the apartment. Then we did some grocery shopping, dropped the groceries off here and headed out for the Poncelet Open Market. It had just reopened in the afternoon at 4:00 pm when we arrived. What fun it was to pick out all the fresh products at this amazing market. What did we buy? Well, food for dinner--roasted chicken and green beans, a bottle of wine, a baguette and a dessert from Lenotre next door.

Tonight after dinner we had a thunderstorm AND the dessert you see at the top of my blog. (If Joe is reading this, kindly note that we split that tiny dessert three ways.) It's suppose to rain tomorrow. We all have umbrellas and are ready for whatever happens.

I'll end with a Hemingway quote that popped up on my computer tonight:

"There are only two places in the world where a man can live contentedly: at home and in Paris!"

Love you all, Judy

Day 25 - Day Off

Today was a day off for me and also a French holiday. Marti and Darlene taxied away this morning for Charles de Gaulle Airport and I spent the day catching up on paperwork (it follows me wherever I go) and reading. Although I brought books with me, there is quite a nice collection of books here. I'm thinking many of the guests have left books behind and presently I am reading My Life in France by Julia Child.

The one and only picture for today is my dinner baking in the oven...it's a frozen Alsatian pizza from Picard. Picard can be found in all neighborhoods here in Paris and they sell only frozen food. Unlike most of our American frozen meals, these are a "notch above" and actually are quite tasty.

My friends from California--Marilyn and Louise-- arrive on Tuesday so my life will pick up once again. It seems I have a day's rest between visitors which is a good thing. But in June I will have three weeks by myself. I'm beginning to feel as though I am fitting into this neighborhood quite well and experiencing Paris in a brand new way. It's wonderful!

Love, Judy

Day 24 - Champagne and Flowers

Hello Out There,

We took the last metro home from the Eiffel Tower at 1:00 am, arriving at the apartment around 1:30. By the time we talked, shared a small glass of wine and said our "good nights" it was 2:30.

So at this hour it is hard to be clever with writing. You will give me a break, won't you? But before I end the day, I want to post a few pictures taken this evening which are worth a thousand words.

Good night to all of you, wherever you are!!!

Love, Judy

Day 23

Hello All,

I love the way we spend our days. We get up about 9:00 or so and have coffee, talk and then fix a nice healthy breakfast. We sit around and talk; there's never a loss of words between the three of us. And laugh, yes we share a very similar sense of humor and this has been one of the big pluses of this visit. Here is a belated birthday card that Darlene gave to me along with a picture of a peony bouquet given to me by Marti. See what I mean about the humor???

So today we left the apartment about 1:30 pm and went shopping at Gallerie Lafayette and H&M--both nice stores in Paris. Afterwards we went to Ile Saint Louis for lunch and some of their famous Berthillon ice cream. It's a charming little island with lots of quaint shops. Marti stopped in a marionette shop, ever so tiny, and bought two little music boxes where you turn the knob and a sweet song is played. Next stop was a shop with beautiful purses and I purchased an original Parisien designed purse. It's the top picture! Final stop was the Franprix store a few doors from our apartment for a pound of coffee, blanched almonds, and a baguette of bread.

Tonight for dinner we had a rotisserie chicken from the Poncelet Open Market, white asparagus and left over risotto from our Le Cordon Bleu cooking class. Of course we had wine with dinner and afterward we fired up the computer and watched Julie and Julia for the rest of the evening.

What a relaxing and enjoyable Spring day in Paris with two such wonderful friends. The weather has warmed up and tomorrow it's predicted to be 80 degrees.

I hope all is well with each and every one of you. You're in my thoughts...

Until we meet again,

Much love,

Judy

Day 22 - Three Weeks in Paris!

Hi All,

It feels so good to look at the clock and see that it's 10:15 pm and I'm actually getting started on my blog.

First the good news! The cooking class "A Taste of Italy - Risotto" was fabulous at Le Cordon Bleu. Grade: A+ (inside joke here but to get an A++ you have to be incredibly remarkable in every way). The class was from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm and we made two different risottos--salmon risotto with mushrooms, light truffle sauce and seasonal creamy risotto with asparagus. Lara, this detail is for you! Chef Frederic Lesourd was a true professional, quite a delight and fun, fun, fun! We learned so much (the proper way to chop onions, poach salmon, etc.) and the food was absolutely delicious. We boxed up our food and taxied home to enjoy an evening meal here. We had all three meals here at the apartment today. It's really great to be able to eat here when we feel like it and it helps on the pocketbook, too!

Darlene and Marti just asked me to join them for a walk after dinner to the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysses but since I had just put on my nightgown, I decided to stay put. It's a lovely Springtime evening in Paris. The temperature has been about 75 degrees during the day and just lovely!

The bad news is that my iPhone is missing (either lost or stolen--I don't know which). It's a long story but for those of you who call me in Paris on occasion, unfortunately I won't be available. I've put a "suspension" on my phone and will deal with what to do tomorrow. Again, Joseph has been helping me with my problems while in Paris if and when they arise. He is a jewel--and perhaps a national treasure!!! My apartment number is 01 40 54 97 16 just in case you need to get in touch with me in the near term.

So I won't be falling into bed at 3:30 am like I did this morning, I will sign off now and say how much each and every one of you mean to me.

Love, Judy

Day 21 - Day of Laughter Continues

Good Morning,

It's 2:25 am and I feel compelled to write my blog because wouldn't you miss not hearing from me? Actually, I would miss not sharing this exciting adventure with you.

My throat is actually sore from laughing so much tonight. This is the kind of laughter that comes from the belly that sometimes even hurts. I was laughing so much last night that I couldn't even complete a sentence. And the bad thing is we were in the classroom at Le Cordon Bleu. Well, the souffles came out concave and the batter had dripped down over the edges. Darlene whispered that it looked more like baked macaroni and cheese than a grand marnier souffle! Now that was funny because it was so true! We are having so much fun that it feels like we're back in junior high school.

I feel I owe it to my friends to tell you how well we have been treated by the French people. All of us have been overwhelmed with their kindess and consideration. People on the metro or at the metro station helps us, people in the restaurants are playful and jovial with us, shop keepers are friendly and helpful, strangers in the grocery store literally stay with us until we find what we are looking for. The other day I asked a woman for help. We couldn't determine which was whole milk, low fat or non fat. She not only helped us but she invited us to her apartment. Like me, she is here for two months (single woman precisely my age!) and owns a timeshare. It turns out she is an American from Vermont and has been coming to Paris for the past ten years, each time for two months. We talked about what to do in our neighborhood, where to eat, how to get around easily (we took the bus for the first time after leaving her apartment), etc. She has already sent me emails about healthy cooking classes, how to buy into her timeshare, and spa treatments.

So today was a visit to Musee d'Orsay to see the French master impressionists (Monet, Degas, Renoir, Cezanne,to name a few). We had lunch at the museum (see attached photo). From there we walked these windy narrow streets looking for a particular art gallery. Marti met a woman on the flight over who is an artist and exhibits her work worldwide. We found the address and although the artist was not there, we saw her collection. Marti purchased a unique miniature sculpture entitled "Le discours qui ne plait pas" by Sabrina Montiel-Soto. It was a serendipitous experience. Then off to the Ritz Paris to check out this loveliest of all hotels, then a short walk to view the famous Opera House and we found our way back to our 17th arroundismont (neighborhood) for a delicious dinner. Home about midnight, par for the course.

Tomorrow is Luxembourg Gardens and Le Cordon Bleu!!!

Love you all.

Judy

Day 20 - A Day of Laughter

Bonjour!

The mornings are so enjoyable here. We three Ohio girls decided last night that we'd have coffee in the apartment and then take a morning walk (15 minutes)to the Poncelet Open Market. We stopped by the stalls of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, cheese and dropped into a bakery for a box of Paris' famous macaroons and then managed to find a wine shop where we bought four bottles of red wine. The owner spoke excellent English so we had a short course on wines AND lots of fun kidding around!

The pictures are of Marti and Darlene at the Open Market wine shop, exterior of Pompidou Centre, Picasso painting, functional art (chairs)and finally the chef and me last week at the Ritz Paris (holding my certificate of completion for puffed pastry class).

The plan was to go back to the apartment to prepare food for a late breakfast and then "metro" to the Pompidou Centre. It was a wonderful afternoon. We particularly enjoyed the Lucien Freud exhibit of oil paintings, mostly of the human body. We also saw some of the permanent collection which was fabulous--such artists as Picasso, Henri Matisse, Kandinsky and others.










Tonight was my first cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu (LCB). All three of us attended along with about 20 others. I didn't get to write much about my puff pastry class at the Ritz Paris last week, so I'll try to summarize both. The Ritz Paris class was hands on and LCB was a demonstation only of souffles. I enjoyed the Ritz class much more but I'll be able to give a fairer evaluation of LCB after my next class (Taste of Italy: Risotto) on Friday. I'd give the Ritz, so far, an A+ and LCB a "C." Why you ask? The chef was more professional and produced a better product at the Ritz. And LCB did not give directions with their recipes, only the ingredients. LCB was in a classroom/lecture setting which, of course, was not hands-on. Friday will be and I'll check back in and let you know if my impression changes.





Just in case you're wondering, we estimated that we walked about five miles today. We are all holding up well--all of us belong to the gym and work out regularly and it really does show.

Tomorrow we see the French impressionists at Musee d'Orsay, take a boat ride in the evening on the Seine and find a jazz club after that.

Again, it's almost 2:00 am so I must say good night and bon nuit to my French speaking friends!

Love, Judy

Day 19 - A Perfect Day in Paris

Hello All,

This is the end of a perfect day in Paris. If you promise you won't be bored, let me tell you about my day.

As you know, Marti and Darlene are here with me--friends I grew up with in Ohio. We got up at 8:30 or 9:00 am and had breakfast in the apartment together--coffee and a baguette with butter and jam. We sat around and talked and laughed and laughed some more and planned our day. We got ourselves dressed (arent' you glad for that?) and at noon or 1:00 pm we headed out. We strolled by LeNotre, the bakery right next to the apartment, and admired their extraordinary baked goods. Then we headed toward the metro and found our way to Sacre Couer and Montmartre (see photo of the mime we encountered).


This was my second time there on this trip but I enjoyed it as though it were my first. We had lunch in a little cafe at the end of a quaint windy road near the Salvador Dali exposition. Some of the stores intrigued us and we bought some chic ruffled neck scarves and a few other gift items. Back to the metro and back to our exit at Wagram. Leisurely strolling back home we passed a flower shop and stopped to admire the beautiful flowers and floral arrangements. We walked out with a bouquet of pink peonies for me as a little belated birthday gift. Final stop-- FranPrix grocery store just steps away from the apartment. We bought a variety of cheeses, fruits and crackers and headed home for hors d'ouervres and wine. After an hour of conversation and laughter, we got ready for our evening out.

Our tickets were for the 8:30 pm performance of "How to Become a Parisian in One Hour?" which was a one-man show starring Olivier Giraud. It was in a small theater called Theatre de la main d'or and I'm pleased to say I got us there on the metro without a glitch!!! This was 100% French Humor and 100% in English. For 20 euros it was an entertaining evening of comedy and laughter. I will be recommending this to all of my guests who come to Paris. After the show we had dinner and caught the 12:00 metro getting us home at 12:30 am. And did I fail to mention that I was asked out for coffee by the young man sitting next to me on the metro? Before I had a chance to answer we were at our destination. I got up to go and he jumped out of his seat to ask for my phone number as the doors were closing. His body was almost stuck in the train doors. It provided us with a good laugh on the way home!

This day was perfectly paced and the three of us hugged each other good night and counted our blessings.

Hugs to all of you, Judy

A Bit of Cuyahoga Falls in Paris!

My two childhood girlfriends from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, arrived today! It was a glorious day - blue skies, warmer weather and the coming together of good friends. This evening we strolled along the Place de Concorde, Tuileries Gardens and took the attached picture on a bridge overlooking the Seine River.

It's 1:30 am so I will enclose just one picture and say good night. Tomorrow I will try to catch up on my blog.

Much love, Judy

Day 17 - Montesson, France

After Deanna taxied to Charles de Gaulle Airport, I hopped on the metro and spent the day with Vicki and Joseph and family. Joseph and Vicki prepared Beef Wellington which was quite spectacular along with delicious hors d'oeuvres and dessert. The wine was extra special--I spotted a wooden box on the kitchen table and asked Joseph if the wine came in that box. Yes it did! The wines here are taken pretty seriously and selected precisely for the occasion. There were several other guests today (all English speaking) and we ladies decided to look into a wine tasting class. Sounds like a great idea while in France, oui?

The afternoon surprise was a visit by a friend who I haven't seen in 25 years--Andre de Bausset. Andre lived with me for the summer at my condo in Glendale. His father was one of my international visitors when I worked as a Program Officer for the Los Angeles Council for International Visitors. After returning to France, the father called and asked if I might know of an internship for his son. And I did! Vicki was working at Southern California Edison at the time and she told me about the internships available there. So between the two of us, we helped Andre get his foot in the door at Southern California Edison and with his outstanding schooling and dual citizenship, he landed the job.

I am spending at night at Vicki and Joseph's home. We are going to the airport early tomorrow to pick up Marti and Darlene, my two girlfriends from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. They were willing to carry some items that Vicki ordered in the States so Vicki wanted to return the kindness by greeting them at the airport and driving them to the apartment. This is a real treat, believe me!

Tonight I'm hoping that Vicki and I can watch This Is It, the Michael Jackson DVD that I brought with me.

I'll add pictures tomorrow and also tell you about my cooking class at Ritz Paris and my visit to the Pompidou Center.

With warm and tender thoughts of all of you who are reading this blog!

Judy

Day 16 - Strasbourg, France

Deanna and I took the train from Paris to Strasbourg which is a 2.5 hour trip. This was my second visit to Strasbourg; my first was with George many years ago. This time, however, we did not stay in a hotel. We were invited to stay with good friends of the Philippona's (my friends here)and their hospitality was beyond anything I could have ever expected. Bernard picked us up at the train station, drove us a short distance to their home and got us settled in. His wife, Francois, arrived home shortly and we sat down and enjoyed champagne in the "sitting room" followed by a delectable lunch made by Bernard. Lunch included red wine, omelette, salad, a variety of cheese and for dessert fresh strawberries and creme freshe!!!

After lunch our hosts walked us to the heart of Strasbourg which is about a 10 minute walk from their home. We got a walking guided tour which was amazing. The history of the city is so interesting and the combination of the French and German cultures is simply wonderful. Deanna and I took a boat ride (similar to Venice) which showed us most parts of this "fairyland" city. We had a true Alsation dinner in a cozy restaurant (sauerkraut and a variety of sausages)and walked back "home" about 10:30 pm.

The next morning we were greeted with an authenitic French breakfast of croissants, breads, cheeses, jams, fruit, juice and coffee. Francois got up early and made a "bakery run" so Deanna could have croissants before she left France. Their hospitality was unmatched. I only hope that someday I'll have the opportunity to host them in my home with the same warmth and generousity.

Day 15

Hello Folks!

Since it's 1:30 am and I have to be on a train for Strasbourg, France, in the morning, I will be brief and will fill you in when I return on Saturday night.

I am so excited though; I must tell you that I had my first cooking class at Ritz Paris this evening. It was fabulous--puffed pastry! I took some great pictures so stay turned.

Another great for the day was a visit to the Pompidou Center. It was definitely one of the best things I've done so far in Paris. And I bought a really special gift for my dear friend who suggested or should I say "urged" me to go there. Wait until he sees what it is!!! I promise it will be worth waiting for!

I'll be back in a few days. Try not to miss me too much (LOL).

Love, Judy

Paris - Two Weeks Later (A Day in the Suburbs)

It started out to be an unstructured, unplanned day but turned out to be a day spent with my friends, Vicki and Joseph, in the suburbs. In the morning Joseph helped me with on-line train reservations for my upcoming trip to Strausbourg. Then when he discovered I didn't have a printer, it was agreed that I'd make a trip to their home and he would print out the ticket confirmation for me.



I boarded the RER train at 10:30 am and 40 minutes later Vicki was picking me up at the metro station close to their house. We had a delightful lunch and then went to Carrefour for some shopping. I intended to buy a jacket or coat but Vicki generously offered to loan me one of hers. I wore it all day. You will soon see me wearing it in many pictures as the weather is cold and it will be part of "my uniform" until the days begin to warm.


What a special treat it was to have a tour of Les Pyramides - Une Oasis de Bien-Etre! It is a beautiful country club facility which includes a fitness center, golf, tennis, swimming (in doors and outdoors), restaurant, and a beauty salon to name a few. Vicki and her family have been members for years and she has invited me to be her guest once my visitors leave. We plan to spend a day there working out and enjoying the facilities. I've never seen anything like it. Take a look at their website: www.les-pyramides.com.




Vicki's daughter, Sarah, helped select a gift for Paige and helped me with an outfit for myself. Nice pants, sweater and what would the outfit be without a French scarf!!! We had lots of fun shopping together. She is the same age as Jessica (12) and such a beautiful girl both inside and out. Now I know why her parents love spending time with her. She and Vicki will be flying to the States at the end of June for a visit with Vicki's family. In fact, they leave the same day as I do--June 30th!



Walking to the train this morning, a French-speaking man stopped and asked me for directions. I took that as a sign that I'm looking like one of the locals these days! You'll have to guess whether I was able to answer him.


Good night to all of you who are reading this blog.

Much love, Judy

Day 13 - Paris in the Springtime When It's Raining

Everyone knows how much I love the cool weather. Well, today I was in "my element" as I strolled the streets of Paris all bundled up with rosy cheeks, a French beret and an umbrella to keep me dry! How about carrying a baguette of French bread fresh from the bakery oven and it keeps the hands warm? Ah, yes, that is Paris in the springtime for me...

I stayed in part of the day and read "Auntie Mame," (birthday gift from Eddy) took a warm bubble bath and made several cups of hot coffee. At 4:00 pm I got ready to board the metro to meet Deanna at at the Ile St. Louis, a charming, tiny island enlivened by chic restaurants, cafes, art galleries and boutiques. But I must confess this was now my second trip to this island. You may recall in an earlier blog that I enjoyed (savored) a dish of their famous Berthillon ice cream. Deanna had been out touring the Musee d'Orsay and this was the only time we could meet to enjoy this speciality ice cream together. One small dish = 3 euros. I'm enjoying the more favorable exchange rate...

The p;ictures on this entry are the bridge I crossed to get to Ile St. Louis (Seine River below), the stained glass window in the ice cream store and a view of the metro station.

Speaking French has been fun. I certainly have much to learn but I know enough to get my message across. The French people seem to enjoy my attempts and are engaging when we converse. Not only engaging but they are quite helpful. I often said "what does this mean" or "how do you say" and that's when I learn the most. They're patient, very patient with me and that also makes me happy.

Tomorrow the search begins for a raincoat, trench coat or something similar for me. I didn't pack enough warm clothes. That's okay because it's really funto buy one or two French garments here in Paris. Mais oui?

It's 10:00 pm and I'm waiting for Deanna to return from the Eiffel Tower tour. Then we shall venture off for dinner. Good night, dear ones.

Love, Judy